npr--2020-01-25--Astronauts Finish Spacewalk For Final Fix Of International Space Station Device

Two astronauts aboard the International Space Station conducted their fourth and final spacewalk Saturday to finish a series of repairs aimed at extending the functioning of a cosmic ray detector attached to the spacecraft .
The six-hour , 16-minute foray outside the space capsule began shortly after 7:00 a.m .
ET and ended at 1:20 p.m. NASA flight engineer Andrew Morgan and the commander of the space station 's Expedition 61 , Luca Parmitano of the European Space Agency , completed leak checks on their installation of a new cooling system meant to extend the lifespan of the externally attached @ @ @ @ @ @ @ detector .
They were assisted by two other Expedition 61 crew members , NASA flight engineers Jessica Meir and Christina Koch , who operated a Canadarm2 robotic arm capable of fine-tuned maneuvers .
The AMS , as the cosmic ray detector is known , was installed about nine years ago on the spacecraft and was designed to function for only three years .
It was not meant to be serviced in flight .
But the scientific data collected by the AMS — to date , it has recorded more than 140 billion particles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of which have been identified as the electrons or positrons that compose antimatter — have proven so valuable that NASA scientists now aim to keep it operating for the full 11 years of a complete solar cycle in order to better understand the possible impact of solar radiation variation on astronauts traveling to Mars .
Twenty new tools were developed specifically for installing the new cooling system , which involved clean cuts of eight stainless steel tubes attached to a defective cooling system and the welding of new tubes to them from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , especially if you 're on the ground and have lots of different tools that you need , but it 's not an area that was set up for spacewalking in any manner , '' NASA quotes AMS spacewalk repair project manager Tara Jochim as saying .
According to NASA , the goal of the cosmic ray particle collection is to help understand dark matter , which is thought to comprise 95 % of mass-energy content of the universe , and to identify its sources and their role in the origin of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been in flight for 20 years and the nine spacewalks performed by the Expedition 61 crew are the most ever done .
Astronauts Koch and Parmitano are scheduled to return to Earth Feb. 6 aboard a Soyuz MS-13 crew ship .
By then , Koch will have spent 328 consecutive days in outer space , most for any American except the 340 consecutive days logged by U.S. astronaut Scott Kelly .

Astronauts Finish Spacewalk For Final Fix Of International Space Station Device
Enlarge this image toggle caption AP AP
Updated at 3:24 p.m. ET
Two astronauts aboard the International Space Station conducted their fourth and final spacewalk Saturday to finish a series of repairs aimed at extending the functioning of a cosmic ray detector attached to the spacecraft.
The six-hour, 16-minute foray outside the space capsule began shortly after 7:00 a.m. ET and ended at 1:20 p.m.
NASA flight engineer Andrew Morgan and the commander of the space station's Expedition 61, Luca Parmitano of the European Space Agency, completed leak checks on their installation of a new cooling system meant to extend the lifespan of the externally attached Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer dark matter and antimatter detector.
They were assisted by two other Expedition 61 crew members, NASA flight engineers Jessica Meir and Christina Koch, who operated a Canadarm2 robotic arm capable of fine-tuned maneuvers.
The AMS, as the cosmic ray detector is known, was installed about nine years ago on the spacecraft and was designed to function for only three years. It was not meant to be serviced in flight.
But the scientific data collected by the AMS — to date, it has recorded more than 140 billion particles passing through its detectors, 9 million of which have been identified as the electrons or positrons that compose antimatter — have proven so valuable that NASA scientists now aim to keep it operating for the full 11 years of a complete solar cycle in order to better understand the possible impact of solar radiation variation on astronauts traveling to Mars.
Twenty new tools were developed specifically for installing the new cooling system, which involved clean cuts of eight stainless steel tubes attached to a defective cooling system and the welding of new tubes to them from the replacement system. "It sounds easy, especially if you're on the ground and have lots of different tools that you need, but it's not an area that was set up for spacewalking in any manner," NASA quotes AMS spacewalk repair project manager Tara Jochim as saying.
According to NASA, the goal of the cosmic ray particle collection is to help understand dark matter, which is thought to comprise 95% of mass-energy content of the universe, and to identify its sources and their role in the origin of the universe.
The International Space Station has been in flight for 20 years and the nine spacewalks performed by the Expedition 61 crew are the most ever done.
Astronauts Koch and Parmitano are scheduled to return to Earth Feb. 6 aboard a Soyuz MS-13 crew ship. By then, Koch will have spent 328 consecutive days in outer space, most for any American except the 340 consecutive days logged by U.S. astronaut Scott Kelly.


npr--2020-01-25--'Our Democracy Is In Danger': Muslims In India Say Police Target Them With Violence

'Our Democracy Is In Danger ' : Muslims In India Say Police Target Them With Violence When Aysha Renna decided last month to demonstrate against India 's new citizenship law on her college campus in New Delhi , it never occurred to her that doing so might be dangerous .
Across India , students at other universities were organizing similar rallies against the Citizenship Amendment Act — a key policy of Prime Minister Narendra Modi 's Hindu nationalist government .
The law offers amnesty to undocumented migrants from three neighboring Muslim-majority countries — but only if they are non-Muslim .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the law establishes a religious test for Indian citizenship , in violation of the secularism enshrined in India 's constitution .
On Dec. 15 , Renna and hundreds of her classmates were marching and waving protest banners on the campus of Jamia Millia Islamia , a historically Muslim university , when they came under attack by police .
They had avoided a barricade and taken another route `` because we wanted to make it a peaceful kind of thing , '' she recalls .
`` But what we saw next was complete brutality @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beating them up . ''
Video of those clashes went viral .
In one , Renna , wearing a maroon headscarf , is seen screaming `` Back off ! ''
at police and wagging her finger at officers as they beat a male student with batons .
More than 100 people were injured that day .
Renna , 22 , has since become a familiar face in anti-government protests that have been raging across India for more than six weeks : a Muslim woman confronting Indian authorities , seen as a symbol of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` I 'm protesting as a human , I 'm protesting as a Muslim , I 'm protesting as an Indian — and as a woman , '' says Renna .
`` This [ law ] targets the Muslim community , '' she says , and she warns it could set a precedent `` for targeting all the minorities of India . ''
Since mid-December , demonstrations have erupted across India , in communities of all faiths .
The biggest police crackdowns have occurred in predominantly Muslim areas , and human rights organizations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ More than two dozen people have been killed in anti-CAA protests since parliament approved the new citizenship law on Dec. 11 .
Most of the deaths have occurred in India 's largest state , Uttar Pradesh , north of the capital .
The vast majority of those killed have been Muslim , even though the protest crowds have included Hindus — India 's majority religion — and members of other religious communities .
That 's raised questions about whether police have targeted Muslim protesters because of their faith .
`` He did n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an impoverished Muslim enclave in Meerut , a city of 1.5 million in Uttar Pradesh , Nafisa and her daughter-in-law Reshma , who tell NPR they go by one name , sit cross-legged on a bed , both veiled and weeping .
The windowless bedroom is painted deep blue , and the walls are streaked with grime .
An infant sleeps under the covers next to them .
They are mourning Nafisa 's 28-year-old son , Mohammed Mohsin , who was shot dead outside their house on Dec. 20 , as anti-government protests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was illiterate .
He did n't understand why people were demonstrating , '' says Nafisa , sighing between sobs .
Her son had `` just gone out to gather hay for his cattle when police shot him dead . ''
She and her daughter-in-law still have n't told Reshma and Mohsin 's four-year-old son , but plan to tell the child very soon .
He thinks his father is away buying toys , Nafisa says .
Five other men were fatally shot the same day in Meerut .
In this religiously mixed city @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Muslims than many other Indian towns , Muslim residents are concentrated in a narrow warren of unpaved lanes near a marketplace in the city center .
More affluent Hindus tend to live in Meerut 's suburbs .
All those killed were Muslims .
Their families blame police , who admit they used live rounds near protesters on Dec. 20 but say they fired only into the air , aiming to disperse crowds .
Indian police blame the protesters for violence and claim hundreds of officers across Uttar Pradesh have been injured , including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been able to document only one such case .
Police maintain that any violence by personnel was a last resort , used only in self-defense .
`` The protesters became violent .
They threw stones at us and set fire to things .
They had guns themselves , and they fired at us first , '' the director-general of Uttar Pradesh police , O.P .
Singh , told India 's NDTV last month .
`` So we had no choice . ''
NPR was unable to find witnesses in Meerut who saw @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 20 .
No police officer is known to have faced legal action or reprimand for the deaths .
In a Dec. 15 speech , Modi blamed the violence at anti-CAA protests on his political opponents and their allies .
He said those responsible for alleged acts of arson `` can be identified by their clothes '' — which many interpreted as a reference to Muslim dress .
Muslims `` just want to keep their heads down '' Police have detained thousands of people during anti-CAA rallies across Uttar Pradesh , including at least @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the internet temporarily in at least 15 districts and imposed curfews .
The Uttar Pradesh state government has issued notices to at least 230 of those arrested and warned of property confiscation as a penalty for damage to public property during demonstrations .
Bano , who goes by one name , says her 17-year-old son Amjad was flying a kite near their home in Meerut during the protests on Dec. 20 when a stray bullet pierced his hand .
The family rushed him to a local hospital .
`` Police arrived at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stayed with him 24 hours a day — even when he went to the toilet , '' Bano , 38 , recalls .
`` They assured me I did n't need to worry , though .
'Just get him treated and take him home , ' they said . ''
But police arrested Amjad as soon as he was discharged .
His mother says she 's been told he faces 19 charges , including rioting and attempted murder .
The family insists he 's innocent .
Their neighbors pooled money to hire him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's worried her son 's hand wo n't heal properly in jail .
Amjad had recently left school to take a job in a shoe store .
`` How will we survive without his wages ? ''
Bano cries .
`` How will he ever earn a livelihood ? ''
Danish Ahmed , who works in a Meerut sofa upholstery shop , says his father urged him not to join a crowd of protesters outside a local mosque on Dec. 20 .
So when gunfire erupted , he was at home and he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He finds it hard to believe that any of his neighbors would attack police , he says .
And he believes police fired indiscriminately into his densely populated , mostly Muslim neighborhood , and were not targeting anyone specifically or deliberately .
`` Muslims in this town just want to keep their heads down .
They 're scared .
They do n't want to antagonize , '' says Ahmed , 23 .
`` Most of them do n't even have time or inclination to protest .
They just want to take care of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ consulting office is right across the street from a bullet-pocked apartment building .
`` Police have used excessive force in Muslim areas like this , '' he says .
`` They 're trying to intimidate . ''
Siddiqui used to make a living helping his neighbors — many of whom are illiterate and uneducated — apply for food ration cards or government IDs .
But since last month 's shootings , he has become a full-time grief counselor — and helps families apply for post-mortem reports and death certificates .
`` India 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ constitution , but it feels like this government is moving away from that , '' he says .
`` I 'm worried our democracy is in danger . ''
Back on the Jamia Millia campus in New Delhi , Aysha Renna 's phone has been buzzing nonstop .
Ever since the Dec. 15 video of her scolding police went viral , students keep stopping her on campus to congratulate her .
She gives frequent media interviews , and is heading off on a speaking tour this week .
`` I am a student @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I am not scared , '' she says .
`` But have you heard about what 's happening in Uttar Pradesh ?
They 're targeting Muslims over there .
Unlike us students , local people are so much more scared . ''
They 're scared , she says , `` because their lives are not at all safe . ''

'Our Democracy Is In Danger': Muslims In India Say Police Target Them With Violence
Enlarge this image toggle caption Sanjeev Verma/Hindustan Times via Getty Images Sanjeev Verma/Hindustan Times via Getty Images
When Aysha Renna decided last month to demonstrate against India's new citizenship law on her college campus in New Delhi, it never occurred to her that doing so might be dangerous.
Across India, students at other universities were organizing similar rallies against the Citizenship Amendment Act — a key policy of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Hindu nationalist government. The law offers amnesty to undocumented migrants from three neighboring Muslim-majority countries — but only if they are non-Muslim. Critics say that by excluding Muslims, the law establishes a religious test for Indian citizenship, in violation of the secularism enshrined in India's constitution.
On Dec. 15, Renna and hundreds of her classmates were marching and waving protest banners on the campus of Jamia Millia Islamia, a historically Muslim university, when they came under attack by police. They had avoided a barricade and taken another route "because we wanted to make it a peaceful kind of thing," she recalls. "But what we saw next was complete brutality. Police started chasing the protesters and beating them up."
Video of those clashes went viral. In one, Renna, wearing a maroon headscarf, is seen screaming "Back off!" at police and wagging her finger at officers as they beat a male student with batons. More than 100 people were injured that day.
Caption TK AP/VOA/YouTube YouTube
Renna, 22, has since become a familiar face in anti-government protests that have been raging across India for more than six weeks: a Muslim woman confronting Indian authorities, seen as a symbol of all students protesting the new law.
"I'm protesting as a human, I'm protesting as a Muslim, I'm protesting as an Indian — and as a woman," says Renna. "This [law] targets the Muslim community," she says, and she warns it could set a precedent "for targeting all the minorities of India."
toggle caption Lauren Frayer/NPR
Since mid-December, demonstrations have erupted across India, in communities of all faiths. The biggest police crackdowns have occurred in predominantly Muslim areas, and human rights organizations say police have used excessive force.
More than two dozen people have been killed in anti-CAA protests since parliament approved the new citizenship law on Dec. 11. Most of the deaths have occurred in India's largest state, Uttar Pradesh, north of the capital. The vast majority of those killed have been Muslim, even though the protest crowds have included Hindus — India's majority religion — and members of other religious communities.
toggle caption Lauren Frayer/NPR
That's raised questions about whether police have targeted Muslim protesters because of their faith.
"He didn't understand why people were demonstrating"
In an impoverished Muslim enclave in Meerut, a city of 1.5 million in Uttar Pradesh, Nafisa and her daughter-in-law Reshma, who tell NPR they go by one name, sit cross-legged on a bed, both veiled and weeping. The windowless bedroom is painted deep blue, and the walls are streaked with grime. An infant sleeps under the covers next to them.
They are mourning Nafisa's 28-year-old son, Mohammed Mohsin, who was shot dead outside their house on Dec. 20, as anti-government protests raged a block away.
"He was illiterate. He didn't understand why people were demonstrating," says Nafisa, sighing between sobs. Her son had "just gone out to gather hay for his cattle when police shot him dead."
She and her daughter-in-law still haven't told Reshma and Mohsin's four-year-old son, but plan to tell the child very soon. He thinks his father is away buying toys, Nafisa says.
Five other men were fatally shot the same day in Meerut. In this religiously mixed city, which has a larger proportion of Muslims than many other Indian towns, Muslim residents are concentrated in a narrow warren of unpaved lanes near a marketplace in the city center. More affluent Hindus tend to live in Meerut's suburbs.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Lauren Frayer/NPR Lauren Frayer/NPR
All those killed were Muslims. Their families blame police, who admit they used live rounds near protesters on Dec. 20 but say they fired only into the air, aiming to disperse crowds.
Indian police blame the protesters for violence and claim hundreds of officers across Uttar Pradesh have been injured, including dozens of bullet injuries. Local media have been able to document only one such case. Police maintain that any violence by personnel was a last resort, used only in self-defense.
"The protesters became violent. They threw stones at us and set fire to things. They had guns themselves, and they fired at us first," the director-general of Uttar Pradesh police, O.P. Singh, told India's NDTV last month. "So we had no choice."
NPR was unable to find witnesses in Meerut who saw police firing directly at anyone on Dec. 20. No police officer is known to have faced legal action or reprimand for the deaths.
In a Dec. 15 speech, Modi blamed the violence at anti-CAA protests on his political opponents and their allies. He said those responsible for alleged acts of arson "can be identified by their clothes" — which many interpreted as a reference to Muslim dress.
Muslims "just want to keep their heads down"
Police have detained thousands of people during anti-CAA rallies across Uttar Pradesh, including at least 15 in Meerut. Authorities shut off the internet temporarily in at least 15 districts and imposed curfews.
The Uttar Pradesh state government has issued notices to at least 230 of those arrested and warned of property confiscation as a penalty for damage to public property during demonstrations.
Bano, who goes by one name, says her 17-year-old son Amjad was flying a kite near their home in Meerut during the protests on Dec. 20 when a stray bullet pierced his hand. The family rushed him to a local hospital.
toggle caption Lauren Frayer/NPR
"Police arrived at the hospital soon after he was admitted and stayed with him 24 hours a day — even when he went to the toilet," Bano, 38, recalls. "They assured me I didn't need to worry, though. 'Just get him treated and take him home,' they said."
But police arrested Amjad as soon as he was discharged. His mother says she's been told he faces 19 charges, including rioting and attempted murder. The family insists he's innocent. Their neighbors pooled money to hire him a lawyer, Bano says. She's worried her son's hand won't heal properly in jail. Amjad had recently left school to take a job in a shoe store.
"How will we survive without his wages?" Bano cries. "How will he ever earn a livelihood?"
Danish Ahmed, who works in a Meerut sofa upholstery shop, says his father urged him not to join a crowd of protesters outside a local mosque on Dec. 20. So when gunfire erupted, he was at home and he watched people flee down his street.
He finds it hard to believe that any of his neighbors would attack police, he says. And he believes police fired indiscriminately into his densely populated, mostly Muslim neighborhood, and were not targeting anyone specifically or deliberately.
"Muslims in this town just want to keep their heads down. They're scared. They don't want to antagonize," says Ahmed, 23. "Most of them don't even have time or inclination to protest. They just want to take care of their families."
"They're targeting Muslims"
Saleem Siddiqui's consulting office is right across the street from a bullet-pocked apartment building.
"Police have used excessive force in Muslim areas like this," he says. "They're trying to intimidate."
Siddiqui used to make a living helping his neighbors — many of whom are illiterate and uneducated — apply for food ration cards or government IDs. But since last month's shootings, he has become a full-time grief counselor — and helps families apply for post-mortem reports and death certificates.
"India's founding fathers wrote equal rights into our constitution, but it feels like this government is moving away from that," he says. "I'm worried our democracy is in danger."
Back on the Jamia Millia campus in New Delhi, Aysha Renna's phone has been buzzing nonstop. Ever since the Dec. 15 video of her scolding police went viral, students keep stopping her on campus to congratulate her. She gives frequent media interviews, and is heading off on a speaking tour this week.
"I am a student, and now I have a platform. I am not scared," she says. "But have you heard about what's happening in Uttar Pradesh? They're targeting Muslims over there. Unlike us students, local people are so much more scared."
They're scared, she says, "because their lives are not at all safe."
NPR producer Sushmita Pathak contributed to this report.


npr--2020-01-25--Regional Elections In Italy: Can The 'Sardines' Win Against Populism?

Regional Elections In Italy : Can The 'Sardines ' Win Against Populism ?
European Union officials will be closely monitoring results of local elections in Italy Sunday that are seen as a bellwether for the fate of the national government .
Polls suggest that the far-right populist League Party could win control of a region that has been a leftist bastion for 75 years .
The northern region of Emilia-Romagna is home to Parmesan cheese , Prosciutto and luxury car makers .
It 's a poster-child for good government and social services .
At 5 % , unemployment here is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , polls suggest the incumbent Democratic Party Governor Stefano Bonaccini is running neck and neck with the little-known right-wing candidate Lucia Bergonzoni– for whom the League Party secretary , Matteo Salvini , has been campaigning nonstop .
Last Saturday , Salvini came to Maranello – home of Ferrari sports cars – cheered by enthusiastic middle-aged supporters like Silvana Valdinocci .
She embraces Salvini 's `` Italians-First '' slogan and anti-migrant policies .
`` I 'm proud of him , he loves Italians .
Those people in power today do n't respect us , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against Italians .
But Matteo Salvini is fighting for us . ''
Salvini makes his entrance , wearing a red baseball cap with Ferrari 's prancing horse logo .
He moves through the exuberant crowd , shaking hands , pausing for selfies .
As he passes close to her , Simona Qualtieri ca n't hide her emotion .
`` Matteo is unique , he 's everything for me , '' she says , `` even bigger than a rock star ! ''
With the crowd cheering and shouting his name – `` Matteo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over , Salvini takes the stage .
Flanked by Bergonzoni , Salvini tells the crowd that their regional vote on Sunday will have repercussions on the national political stage .
`` Our beautiful victory here on Jan. 26 will be historic , '' Salvini shouts , `` it will totally change this country .
With our victory , you will evict the government in Rome and send the Democratic Party packing ! ''
Last September , in a rare political miscalculation , Salvini walked out of the national governing coalition , hoping to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democratic Party took the League 's place in the cabinet .
In a bid to return to national power , Salvini mobilized his social media accounts with nonstop promotions of Emilia-Romagna products — tortellini and local wine – all the while pushing his anti-immigrant and anti-European Union themes .
Filippo Taddei , professor of International Economics at Johns Hopkins University in Bologna , says Salvini 's nationalist to Italians message is to count only on themselves .
`` The obvious consequence of all that political discourse is that if I can trust only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inclusive .
I should close the country .
I should protect my border , my society , the root of my country . ''
Salvini and his rightwing allies have been gaining ground across the country and they have won eight regional elections since mid-2018 .
He 's betting another League victory would destabilize the Rome government .
That alarmed a group of 30-somethings who in November mobilized an anti-Salvini flash mob in Bologna .
This was the birth of the Sardines — a liberal grass-roots movement promoting diversity and civility .
Since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have rallied against Salvini , packing squares across the country tightly – like a can of sardines .
Last Sunday , some 40,000 people of all ages gathered in Bologna .
The mood was festive and serene .
Many wore a toy fish on their heads , while organizers welcomed the Sardines `` into the open seas . ''
`` They were able to take people out from their home , '' he said .
`` Before there was no participation for nothing . ''
Nadia Urbinati , who teaches political theory at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Sardines have given many individuals the sense that they do have power .
`` Which power ?
The power to have a word , to be listened to , to be capable of expressing their vision .
Against whom ?
Against leaders like Salvini who occupy the entire domain of opinion formation and the domain of media , '' Urbinati says .
Mattia Santori , one of the Sardines movement founders , contrasts the Sardines ' strategy with that of the populist League .
`` On the digital side , the populists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ great organization .
They have good money .
They know how to do this job .
But we also know that we are really strong on the street , on the square .
It 's kind of a war between physical reality and digital reality .
A war in which these young activists are telling voters that on Sunday they can chose an alternative to populism .

Regional Elections In Italy: Can The 'Sardines' Win Against Populism?
Enlarge this image toggle caption Alessandra Benedetti/Corbis via Getty Images Alessandra Benedetti/Corbis via Getty Images
European Union officials will be closely monitoring results of local elections in Italy Sunday that are seen as a bellwether for the fate of the national government.
Polls suggest that the far-right populist League Party could win control of a region that has been a leftist bastion for 75 years.
The northern region of Emilia-Romagna is home to Parmesan cheese, Prosciutto and luxury car makers. It's a poster-child for good government and social services.
At 5%, unemployment here is half the national average.
And yet, polls suggest the incumbent Democratic Party Governor Stefano Bonaccini is running neck and neck with the little-known right-wing candidate Lucia Bergonzoni– for whom the League Party secretary, Matteo Salvini, has been campaigning nonstop.
Last Saturday, Salvini came to Maranello – home of Ferrari sports cars – cheered by enthusiastic middle-aged supporters like Silvana Valdinocci. She embraces Salvini's "Italians-First" slogan and anti-migrant policies.
toggle caption Emmanuele Ciancaglini/NurPhoto via Getty Images
"I'm proud of him, he loves Italians. Those people in power today don't respect us, they hate Italians. They pass laws against Italians. But Matteo Salvini is fighting for us."
Salvini makes his entrance, wearing a red baseball cap with Ferrari's prancing horse logo. He moves through the exuberant crowd, shaking hands, pausing for selfies.
As he passes close to her, Simona Qualtieri can't hide her emotion. "Matteo is unique, he's everything for me," she says, "even bigger than a rock star!"
With the crowd cheering and shouting his name – "Matteo, Matteo!" – over and over, Salvini takes the stage.
Flanked by Bergonzoni, Salvini tells the crowd that their regional vote on Sunday will have repercussions on the national political stage. "Our beautiful victory here on Jan. 26 will be historic,"Salvini shouts, "it will totally change this country. With our victory, you will evict the government in Rome and send the Democratic Party packing!"
Last September, in a rare political miscalculation, Salvini walked out of the national governing coalition, hoping to trigger early elections. Instead, the Democratic Party took the League's place in the cabinet.
toggle caption Sylvia Poggioli/NPR
In a bid to return to national power, Salvini mobilized his social media accounts with nonstop promotions of Emilia-Romagna products — tortellini and local wine – all the while pushing his anti-immigrant and anti-European Union themes.
Filippo Taddei, professor of International Economics at Johns Hopkins University in Bologna, says Salvini's nationalist to Italians message is to count only on themselves.
"The obvious consequence of all that political discourse is that if I can trust only myself, then I should not be inclusive. I should close the country. I should protect my border, my society, the root of my country."
Salvini and his rightwing allies have been gaining ground across the country and they have won eight regional elections since mid-2018. He's betting another League victory would destabilize the Rome government.
That alarmed a group of 30-somethings who in November mobilized an anti-Salvini flash mob in Bologna.
This was the birth of the Sardines — a liberal grass-roots movement promoting diversity and civility.
Since then, tens of thousands of people have rallied against Salvini, packing squares across the country tightly – like a can of sardines.
toggle caption Sylvia Poggioli/NPR
Last Sunday, some 40,000 people of all ages gathered in Bologna. The mood was festive and serene. Many wore a toy fish on their heads, while organizers welcomed the Sardines "into the open seas."
Pensioner Roberto Martelli was pleased the Sardines ignited a resistance movement.
"They were able to take people out from their home," he said. "Before there was no participation for nothing."
Nadia Urbinati, who teaches political theory at New York's Columbia University, says the Sardines have given many individuals the sense that they do have power.
"Which power? The power to have a word, to be listened to, to be capable of expressing their vision. Against whom? Against leaders like Salvini who occupy the entire domain of opinion formation and the domain of media," Urbinati says.
Mattia Santori, one of the Sardines movement founders, contrasts the Sardines' strategy with that of the populist League.
"On the digital side, the populists are really strong. They have a great organization. They have good money. They know how to do this job. But we also know that we are really strong on the street, on the square. It's kind of a war between physical reality and digital reality.
A war in which these young activists are telling voters that on Sunday they can chose an alternative to populism.


npr--2020-01-25--PHOTOS: What It's Like Living Through An Outbreak

PHOTOS : What It 's Like Living Through An Outbreak The discovery of the new coronavirus has transformed cities in China and neighboring countries .
The impact is strongest in Wuhan , China , the epicenter of the virus — a city of 11 million that is now under lockdown .
Other Asian cities , from Manila to Seoul , are also feeling the effect .
Photographers are documenting the way life has changed since the discovery of 2019-nCoV .
Passengers arriving on an international flight this week at Indonesia 's Adisucipto airport in the city of Yogyakarta lined up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thermal scanner ( screen at right ) .
This week , dozens of excavators descended on the construction site for a new hospital in Wuhan .
Existing hospitals in the city are overcrowded with patients seeking care .
To meet the demand , Chinese authorities on Thursday pledged to build and open a new coronavirus hospital by February 3 , modeling the facility on an emergency hospital built in Beijing during the SARS epidemic in 2003 .
A police officer checked the temperature of a driver in Wuhan , where public transportation was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hospital , people waited to be seen by medical staff , who are dressed in full protective gear .
The patients come if they 're showing signs of respiratory illness or running a fever .
The symptoms could mean they have the flu — or the newly identified coronavirus .
Even though the coronavirus has not been reported in Manila , shoppers this week tried to protect themselves by wearing face masks .
China 's neighbors are on high alert .
Locals in Wuhan stocked up on vegetables and supplies .
A woman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ahead of the holiday this week .
The escalation of the coronavirus coincides with Lunar New Year , China 's biggest holiday .
Major celebrations were canceled in several big Chinese cities , including Beijing and Wuhan .
In Ho Chi Minh City , Vietnam , medical personnel wearing protective clothing interacted with two patients who tested positive for the coronavirus .
In China 's coastal city of Shenzhen , with over a dozen confirmed cases as of Friday , a shopper walked through a market .
To try to prevent further spread @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sprayed disinfectant in a train that originated in Wuhan .
South Korea has confirmed several cases of the coronavirus .
A lone passenger stands at the railway station in Wuhan .
The city is a major transportation hub , usually packed with passengers ahead of the Lunar New Year .
The railway station has been shuttered because of the outbreak .

PHOTOS: What It's Like Living Through An Outbreak
The discovery of the new coronavirus has transformed cities in China and neighboring countries.
The impact is strongest in Wuhan, China, the epicenter of the virus — a city of 11 million that is now under lockdown.
Other Asian cities, from Manila to Seoul, are also feeling the effect. Photographers are documenting the way life has changed since the discovery of 2019-nCoV.
Enlarge this image Ulet Ifansasti/Getty Images Ulet Ifansasti/Getty Images
Passengers arriving on an international flight this week at Indonesia's Adisucipto airport in the city of Yogyakarta lined up to be checked for fever with a thermal scanner (screen at right).
AFP via Getty Images
This week, dozens of excavators descended on the construction site for a new hospital in Wuhan. Existing hospitals in the city are overcrowded with patients seeking care. To meet the demand, Chinese authorities on Thursday pledged to build and open a new coronavirus hospital by February 3, modeling the facility on an emergency hospital built in Beijing during the SARS epidemic in 2003.
AFP via Getty Images
A police officer checked the temperature of a driver in Wuhan, where public transportation was suspended.
Hector Retamal/AFP via Getty Images
At the Wuhan Red Cross Hospital, people waited to be seen by medical staff, who are dressed in full protective gear. The patients come if they're showing signs of respiratory illness or running a fever. The symptoms could mean they have the flu — or the newly identified coronavirus.
Jes Aznar/Getty Images
Even though the coronavirus has not been reported in Manila, shoppers this week tried to protect themselves by wearing face masks. China's neighbors are on high alert.
Getty Images
Locals in Wuhan stocked up on vegetables and supplies.
Qilai Shen/Bloomberg via Getty Images
A woman shopped for New Year decorations in Shanghai ahead of the holiday this week. The escalation of the coronavirus coincides with Lunar New Year, China's biggest holiday. Major celebrations were canceled in several big Chinese cities, including Beijing and Wuhan.
Vietnam News Agency/AFP via Getty Images
In Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, medical personnel wearing protective clothing interacted with two patients who tested positive for the coronavirus.
Laurel Chor/for NPR
In China's coastal city of Shenzhen, with over a dozen confirmed cases as of Friday, a shopper walked through a market.
Hong Yoon-Gi/AFP via Getty Images
To try to prevent further spread of the virus, workers in Seoul sprayed disinfectant in a train. South Korea has confirmed several cases of the coronavirus.
Hector Retamal/AFP via Getty Images
A lone passenger stands at the railway station in Wuhan. The city is a major transportation hub, usually packed with passengers ahead of the Lunar New Year. The railway station has been shuttered because of the outbreak.


npr--2020-01-25--Trump Did 'Nothing Wrong,' His Legal Team Says In First Day Of Impeachment Defense

Trump Did 'Nothing Wrong , ' His Legal Team Says In First Day Of Impeachment Defense President Trump `` did absolutely nothing wrong , '' White House counsel Pat Cipollone said Saturday , as lawyers representing the president got their first shot to poke holes in the impeachment case made this week by Democrats .
Saturday 's proceedings , which lasted a little more than two hours , set up the White House arguments in the impeachment trial .
The proceedings resume Monday at 1 p.m .
The president 's team told senators that the House managers selectively withheld evidence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cipollone said the Democratic House managers , who concluded their arguments late Friday after 24 hours spread over three days , `` are asking you to remove President Trump '' from the 2020 ballot and `` they 're asking you to do it with no evidence . ''
He said the managers `` did n't tell you '' that the issue of burden sharing — getting other nations to contribute more to Ukraine 's defense — was discussed in the July 25 call between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy .
That call @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against the president .
Deputy White House counsel Mike Purpura continued that theme , reiterating that House managers `` did n't tell you '' that top Ukrainian officials were unaware that U.S. aid was being withheld from Ukraine until a Politico article in late August .
However , Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Laura Cooper testified during the House impeachment inquiry in November that Ukrainian officials asked in July : `` What is going on '' with the security assistance ?
After the session , both sides claimed the advantage .
Sen. Joni @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's defense team `` entirely shredded '' the Democratic managers ' case .
But Rep. Adam Schiff , D-Calif , the lead House manager , said Trump 's lawyers failed `` to contest the basic architecture of the scheme , '' that the president pressured Ukraine by withholding military aid in order to get Zelenskiy to investigate the Bidens .
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer , D-N.Y. , said that there were `` gaping holes '' in the president 's lawyers ' case and that they inadvertently bolstered Democrats ' arguments that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney .
Perhaps because of the brevity of the Saturday session , there was unusual camaraderie at its close .
Cipollone and Jay Sekulow , Trump 's personal attorney , worked the room , with some senators coming up to shake their hands as they stood up from their table after the close .
They later went to some members ' desks to visit .
Sen. John Kennedy , R-La.
, was first in line to shake Cipollone 's and Sekulow 's hands , followed by Sen. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was bipartisan .
Sen. Tim Kaine , D-Va. , was also among those greeting the president 's lawyers .
The House of Representatives impeached Trump last month on charges that he obstructed Congress and abused power , saying he tried to pressure the Ukrainian president to investigate Trump 's political rivals during the July phone call .
The president and his defenders have dismissed the process as a sham and refused to participate in the House proceedings .
Saturday was the first time Trump 's lawyers responded in person to the charges against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to set the stage for the `` coming attractions , '' as Sekulow described it Friday , for the trial when it resumes Monday .
That includes discussing the Steele dossier , a report of unverified information on the Trump campaign compiled by a former British spy , and efforts made by Hillary Clinton 's campaign to dig up dirt on Trump leading up to the 2016 presidential election .
Sekulow also tried to argue , as many Republicans have over the course of the impeachment proceedings , that Clinton solicited foreign interference @ @ @ @ @ @ @ American intelligence agencies have been unanimous in their assessment that it was Russia that interfered in the last presidential race .
Another of Trump 's defense attorneys , Alan Dershowitz , told NPR 's David Folkenflik that he would focus his arguments on what he sees as `` nonimpeachable offenses '' brought forward by the House .
`` They charged him with nonimpeachable offenses : namely obstruction of Congress and abuse of power , '' Dershowitz said .
`` Those would have clearly been rejected by the framers as too broad , too @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I 'm going to focus my argument on the criteria used by the House . ''
Republicans have largely stood by the president throughout the week , and because they hold a majority in the Senate , it remains unlikely that Trump will be removed from office .

Trump Did 'Nothing Wrong,' His Legal Team Says In First Day Of Impeachment Defense
Enlarge this image toggle caption Sarah Silbiger/Bloomberg via Getty Images Sarah Silbiger/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Updated at 1:32 p.m. ET
President Trump "did absolutely nothing wrong," White House counsel Pat Cipollone said Saturday, as lawyers representing the president got their first shot to poke holes in the impeachment case made this week by Democrats.
Saturday's proceedings, which lasted a little more than two hours, set up the White House arguments in the impeachment trial. The proceedings resume Monday at 1 p.m.
The president's team told senators that the House managers selectively withheld evidence in their arguments against the president.
Cipollone said the Democratic House managers, who concluded their arguments late Friday after 24 hours spread over three days, "are asking you to remove President Trump" from the 2020 ballot and "they're asking you to do it with no evidence." He said the managers "didn't tell you" that the issue of burden sharing — getting other nations to contribute more to Ukraine's defense — was discussed in the July 25 call between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. That call is at the heart of the charges against the president.
Deputy White House counsel Mike Purpura continued that theme, reiterating that House managers "didn't tell you" that top Ukrainian officials were unaware that U.S. aid was being withheld from Ukraine until a Politico article in late August. However, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Laura Cooper testified during the House impeachment inquiry in November that Ukrainian officials asked in July: "What is going on" with the security assistance?
After the session, both sides claimed the advantage. Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, said the president's defense team "entirely shredded" the Democratic managers' case.
But Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif, the lead House manager, said Trump's lawyers failed "to contest the basic architecture of the scheme," that the president pressured Ukraine by withholding military aid in order to get Zelenskiy to investigate the Bidens.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said that there were "gaping holes" in the president's lawyers' case and that they inadvertently bolstered Democrats' arguments that the Senate should call witnesses, including acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney.
Perhaps because of the brevity of the Saturday session, there was unusual camaraderie at its close. Cipollone and Jay Sekulow, Trump's personal attorney, worked the room, with some senators coming up to shake their hands as they stood up from their table after the close. They later went to some members' desks to visit. Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., was first in line to shake Cipollone's and Sekulow's hands, followed by Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan. The camaraderie was bipartisan. Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., was also among those greeting the president's lawyers.
The House of Representatives impeached Trump last month on charges that he obstructed Congress and abused power, saying he tried to pressure the Ukrainian president to investigate Trump's political rivals during the July phone call. The president and his defenders have dismissed the process as a sham and refused to participate in the House proceedings. Saturday was the first time Trump's lawyers responded in person to the charges against the president.
The presentation was expected to set the stage for the "coming attractions," as Sekulow described it Friday, for the trial when it resumes Monday.
That includes discussing the Steele dossier, a report of unverified information on the Trump campaign compiled by a former British spy, and efforts made by Hillary Clinton's campaign to dig up dirt on Trump leading up to the 2016 presidential election.
Sekulow also tried to argue, as many Republicans have over the course of the impeachment proceedings, that Clinton solicited foreign interference by Ukraine in the 2016 election.
American intelligence agencies have been unanimous in their assessment that it was Russia that interfered in the last presidential race.
Another of Trump's defense attorneys, Alan Dershowitz, told NPR's David Folkenflik that he would focus his arguments on what he sees as "nonimpeachable offenses" brought forward by the House.
"They charged him with nonimpeachable offenses: namely obstruction of Congress and abuse of power," Dershowitz said. "Those would have clearly been rejected by the framers as too broad, too open-ended and not sufficiently specific. So I'm going to focus my argument on the criteria used by the House."
Loading...
Republicans have largely stood by the president throughout the week, and because they hold a majority in the Senate, it remains unlikely that Trump will be removed from office.
NPR 's Claudia Grisales contributed to this story.


npr--2020-01-26--Bigleaf Maple Syrup Flows As Profits Drip From Once-Maligned Northwest Tree

There 's probably more written on how to kill a bigleaf maple tree than how to grow one , according to Neil McLeod of Neil 's Bigleaf Maple Syrup , a farm in the tiny northwestern Washington burg of Acme .
`` It 's hard to kill , '' McLeod says with a wry smile .
`` A great tree .
Perfect weed .
It makes good syrup . ''
In his humid , densely-scented sugar barn puffy steam pours out of an evaporator through several big stacks and into the cold winter air .
The damp perfume permeates his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leans over the vats , inspecting them for any out-of-control foaming .
McLeod has become intensely interested in how to better grow the West Coast 's native bigleaf maple tree — because he 's started tapping them by the hundreds for his boutique syrup business .
McLeod started cooking in the woods on his property in 2011 using a 10-gallon pot over a propane ring .
Now , he uses a $ 15,000 commercial evaporator and $ 10,000 reverse osmosis machine .
In his pantry McLeod keeps select bottles of his older vintages @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are dark with the sap 's mineral sediment settled to the bottom .
In 2018 , the family business made about 140 gallons of syrup .
This year , he expects to pour on the sap and produce about 500 to 700 gallons .
To make just one gallon of finished syrup , he has to cook down 60 to 100 gallons of tree sap .
That 's why Neil 's Bigleaf Maple Syrup is selling its product to restaurants for about $ 2 an ounce wholesale and why he dreams of big @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to find it in a store near you soon , OK , '' McLeod says .
Neil 's Bigleaf is a family business .
Devin Day , McLeod 's son , is the company 's front man , charming chefs with syrup samples .
He says the goal is to plant a lot more trees on the farm and find new tapping ground .
`` You could go find a very pristine piece of property full of maples , tap it and have your house paid off in just a few years , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ insane .
Nobody even realizes that . ''
McLeod 's syrup is a drop in the bucket compared to the established East Coast and Canadian maple syrup industries that pour out a combined 15 million gallons ' worth each year .
But this fresh Northwest product is finding a home with top chefs .
The bigleaf maple has a broad canopy and is native to the West Coast .
It grows from San Diego , Calif. , all the way north to British Columbia 's Vancouver Island .
But the West Coast timber @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Douglas fir .
The bigleaf maple , with its broad-shading canopy , is often eradicated so more Douglas fir will grow .
If the maple is n't eradicated , it 's often cut and sent to mills for lower-value pulp .
Sometimes it 's made into cabinet veneers .
A rare form of the tree produces figurewood — highly-prized beautiful wood used for musical instruments like guitars .
Sometimes those trees are poached off of state or federal lands .
Its ecological value to a native West Coast forest is huge , according @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` [ Bigleaf maple ] contributes a great deal to the forest ecology within its range , '' McFarland says .
`` In terms of wildlife habitat , the flowers , which emerge very early in the spring , provide a considerable amount of food for insects and birds .
They are very good with holding soil , preventing erosion .
And also for humans , beekeepers rely on the trees for their flowers for providing honey . ''
Many lichens , ferns and mosses also grow in the branches of an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And there 's quite an industry to forage and pick them for floral arrangements and crafts .
Some of McFarland 's favorite bigleaf trees grow in Washington 's Hoh Rainforest on the Olympic Peninsula .
`` They are a very special tree , '' McFarland says in appreciation .
`` The height of the tree , the width of the canopy , the structure of the tree , the scaffolding of the tree .
It 's almost the perfect shade tree . ''
Then he compares the low base of the tree to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wide at the ground : `` Sort of holding onto the Earth . ''
Deep in the University of Washington 's Pack Forest , in the foothills of Mt .
Rainier , Greg Ettl leaves his keys on the dash just in case something happens to him on the hike .
Ettl is a forest ecologist and director of Pack Forest .
There 's no trail ; you have to slog through slick , wet brush , up a steep bank on the cusp of a deep ravine .
Recently , UW 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a near-half-million dollar federal grant to fund a study of tapping sap from bigleaf maple trees across the state .
The scientists seek to understand the ecology of the trees and demonstrate the profitability of the product .
Up here , a crew is stringing sheep wire and plastic tubing that protects the sap from sunlight and growth of algae .
The colorful blue and green lines are attached to the taps and run throughout the forest and down these steep hills .
By moving downhill , the sap creates a vacuum , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
This forest-fairy web of tubing will feed the sap via gravity to a collection point along a forest road .
Ettl says it 's all about the grade .
`` It certainly does n't feel natural , '' he says .
`` It 's like what type of mad crazy artist has laid out all these lines ?
And for what purpose ? ''
The university 's camouflage-painted pickup now called the `` Sugar Sled '' will collect the sap from a main tank in the woods and drive the juice downhill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' for further processing .
Ettl says he hopes the concentrated bigleaf maple syrup will be for sale in the university bookstore later this winter .
Amy Wilson is developing a fresh label and hammering out the nutritional facts with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Washington State Department of Agriculture .
`` However , Washington State Department of Agriculture has been wonderful , they have a helpline that you can call , '' Wilson says .
`` And they have the answers immediately . ''
But the project also hopes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sweet science : Do the trees make more sap at higher or lower elevations , wet conditions or drier ?
Are older or younger trees more productive ?
`` The thing that 's been the most fun for us , is that everyone 's excited about it , '' Ettl says .
`` You know , I get excited about all kinds of things .
Then when I tell people , sometimes they 're not excited .
But maple syrup , everyone 's excited about maple syrup ! ''
'Tastes how it feels @ @ @ @ @ @ @ morning and a freshly built fire wafts meaty smoke into the commercial kitchen of Canlis .
Brady Williams whips cream with his heavily tattooed arm .
He 's the executive chef of the celebrated restaurant overlooking Lake Union .
A few months ago , he won the James Beard Award for best chef in the Northwest .
He likes the cream to drip off the whisk like Elmer 's Glue .
Stop whisking when it barely comes together , he suggests .
Cream is really just the conveyance for Neil 's Bigleaf Maple @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dollop into a bubble-shaped globe .
The cream nestles aside Idaho sturgeon caviar and stroopwafels sandwiched with miso caramel ; it 's black pearls on pearl white .
`` Fine dining does n't necessarily mean luxury ingredients or expensive stuff , '' Williams says .
`` You just want to serve the most-considered ingredients . ''
Canlis ' kitchen is bringing the stuff in by the gallon .
Williams alone has created nearly 25 dishes that featuring bigleaf maple syrup .
The state has given McLeod 's operation a food processing permit — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will do food safety inspections as the company builds its restaurant business .
Williams dips a finger into the syrup and tastes : vanilla , caramel , smoke .
`` We want to support local farms and artisans as much as possible , '' Williams says .
`` When I taste this , I taste the terroir from the Skagit Valley or northern Washington .
To me , it tastes how it feels up there . ''
The U.S. Department of Agriculture , the Washington Department of Natural Resources , and the state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to keep up with the new industry .
The USDA 's National Agricultural Statistics Service does n't keep records yet on bigleaf maple syrup production , according to Christopher Mertz , director of the Northwest regional office .
There are n't any known commercial operations in Oregon , according to the Beaver State 's Department of Agriculture .
But the 2012 Census of Agriculture did record four farms in Washington , likely hobbyists , with a total of 36 taps .
UW plans to install 700 experimental taps in Pack Forest this year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tribes of the Hupacasath First Nation — Muh-uulth-aht , Klee khoot aht and Cuu-ma-as-aht — make commercial syrup together on Vancouver Island .
There is even an annual bigleaf maple syrup festival on Vancouver Island , B.C .
But with 1,200 taps already pulling sap , McLeod 's farm is the Northwest 's biggest commercial player .
Next year , he plans to install 10,000 more taps .
Beyond his own land , McLeod is looking to expand into state lands , where there are more maples .
In Wasington 's Whatcom County @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 500 administrative fee for a special use permit to tap sap on about 225 acres of DNR land this season .
It 's similar to the type of permit someone would get for hunting mushrooms or harvesting tree boughs .
Both the state and the sap collectors will reassess and see if the contract penciled out .
There 's just one big bigleaf problem .
As money grows on trees , many bigleaf maples from Vancouver Island to California are declining for mysterious reasons .
Dan Omdal has studied this problem for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ effort , the top forest pathologist for Washington 's Department of Natural Resources has n't nailed a lone culprit .
A bit like a large-animal vet for trees , he 's done core samples , dug at the roots , chopped into dead trees , all to figure out what 's ailing them .
But like colony collapse with honeybees , the problem is more complex than a single virus , fungus or insect .
The trees generally mature well , then start growing smaller leaves , which yellow and drop at odd @ @ @ @ @ @ @ eventually the entire tree dies right where it stands .
Omdal has investigated funguses , viruses , bacteria and pests , but there is no single ringing bell .
In the past decade , increasing hot , dry summers might be stressing maples enough to leave them vulnerable to attackers .
Omdal points to a recent study of tree cores carried out by him and a team from UW .
He says although there were some older trees that have been going downhill for sometimes 30 and 40 years , most of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in just the last five to seven years .
`` Decline is a recent phenomenon for them , '' Omdal says .
He estimates that up to a third of bigleaf maple trees are affected by this condition in western Washington .
He thinks the maple trees that are most at risk might be in drier and warmer sites because they ca n't tolerate the West Coast 's increasing droughts .
It all adds up to a shrinking range for bigleaf maples .
Like the Eastern maple syrup industry , climate change projections @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tap out in the future .
Tapping itself could stress these trees , too , Omdal says .
The sap runs up the tree carrying sugar and nutrients to buds and leaves , adding growth to the girth of a tree 's rings .
`` I think of tree sap as analogous to human blood , '' he says .
`` You 're draining the reserves from that tree .
And the cost is often to that tree 's health and vulnerability .
It appears that the climate — hotter , drier summers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ predisposing these bigleaf maples , making them vulnerable to decline .
`` I think tapping maple trees — certainly those that are on warm , dry sites — may also increase their vulnerability to other opportunistic fungi and insects that are looking for a meal , '' Omdal says .
It 's too soon to tell , but the benefits of tapping large bigleaf maples might be that greater numbers of trees are left standing and not logged off .
If landowners and government can extract some economic benefit from the maples this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in stands where Douglas fir and other species are trucked away .
Back in Acme , Washington , we 're in dim late-afternoon light beneath the maple trees on Jones Creek .
It 's on the far edge of Neil McCleod 's farm .
This creek eventually dumps into the South Fork of the Nooksack River .
We stare up into the moss-laden branches arching over this narrow , silvery rill .
We hear the pat , pat of fat raindrops on leathery maple leaves .
These trees are the old guard — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The farm planted 3,500 more bigleaf maples in spring 2019 , hoping to tap into the future potential of this freshly-juiced industry .
The first sap of the year is always diluted , so it has to be cooked down further to reach the optimal 66.5 percent sugar .
Too little sugar and it could start to mold , too high and the sugar could crystallize .
That means early , initially weak sap ends up as even darker and more concentrated syrup to reach that proper percentage .
It becomes the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
When nearly finished and just before bottling , the syrup is run through a filter to extract silty minerals that cloud the molasses-colored sweet stuff .
East Coast syrup is graded on its light color and clarity .
But that just does n't work with what comes from bigleaf maples , McLeod says .
Each of his `` vintages '' of sap produce slightly different colored syrups .
But the chefs he supplies particularly like that darker , first-run concentrated syrup .
Bigleaf maple sap runs especially heavy when there 's a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the daytime .
Raw sap only lasts a few days in storage before it will spoil , so the syrup-making does n't wait for Thanksgiving , Christmas or New Year 's celebrations .
In his early life , McLeod was a fisherman in Alaska .
He says when his farm 's sap runs , it connects him to a deep sense of time — the universe 's clock .
Mother Nature beckons him out to his sugar barn .
`` When the fish were there , did n't matter what the weather @ @ @ @ @ @ @ went by , '' McLeod says .
`` Sap is the same thing .
I have to be on it .
When it 's running I have to be out there , no matter what the weather , no matter what day it is , I 'm out there collecting sap . ''

Bigleaf Maple Syrup Flows As Profits Drip From Once-Maligned Northwest Tree
Enlarge this image toggle caption Anna King/Northwest News Network Anna King/Northwest News Network
There's probably more written on how to kill a bigleaf maple tree than how to grow one, according to Neil McLeod of Neil's Bigleaf Maple Syrup, a farm in the tiny northwestern Washington burg of Acme.
"It's hard to kill," McLeod says with a wry smile. "A great tree. Perfect weed. It makes good syrup."
In his humid, densely-scented sugar barn puffy steam pours out of an evaporator through several big stacks and into the cold winter air. The damp perfume permeates his T-shirt and clouds his glasses as he leans over the vats, inspecting them for any out-of-control foaming.
Business How Quebec's Maple Syrup Stockpile Can Impact An Entire Global Industry How Quebec's Maple Syrup Stockpile Can Impact An Entire Global Industry Listen · 3:34 3:34
McLeod has become intensely interested in how to better grow the West Coast's native bigleaf maple tree — because he's started tapping them by the hundreds for his boutique syrup business.
Growth rings
McLeod started cooking in the woods on his property in 2011 using a 10-gallon pot over a propane ring. Now, he uses a $15,000 commercial evaporator and $10,000 reverse osmosis machine.
In his pantry McLeod keeps select bottles of his older vintages. Some are lighter colored, others are dark with the sap's mineral sediment settled to the bottom.
In 2018, the family business made about 140 gallons of syrup. This year, he expects to pour on the sap and produce about 500 to 700 gallons.
To make just one gallon of finished syrup, he has to cook down 60 to 100 gallons of tree sap. That's why Neil's Bigleaf Maple Syrup is selling its product to restaurants for about $2 an ounce wholesale and why he dreams of big growth.
"You will be able to find it in a store near you soon, OK," McLeod says.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Anna King/Northwest News Network Anna King/Northwest News Network
Neil's Bigleaf is a family business. Devin Day, McLeod's son, is the company's front man, charming chefs with syrup samples. He says the goal is to plant a lot more trees on the farm and find new tapping ground.
"You could go find a very pristine piece of property full of maples, tap it and have your house paid off in just a few years," he says. "That's insane. Nobody even realizes that."
McLeod's syrup is a drop in the bucket compared to the established East Coast and Canadian maple syrup industries that pour out a combined 15 million gallons' worth each year. But this fresh Northwest product is finding a home with top chefs.
Holding onto the Earth
The bigleaf maple has a broad canopy and is native to the West Coast. It grows from San Diego, Calif., all the way north to British Columbia's Vancouver Island. But the West Coast timber industry is largely set up to harvest Douglas fir. The bigleaf maple, with its broad-shading canopy, is often eradicated so more Douglas fir will grow.
If the maple isn't eradicated, it's often cut and sent to mills for lower-value pulp. Sometimes it's made into cabinet veneers. A rare form of the tree produces figurewood — highly-prized beautiful wood used for musical instruments like guitars. Sometimes those trees are poached off of state or federal lands.
Its ecological value to a native West Coast forest is huge, according to consulting arborist Kevin McFarland of Olympia.
"[Bigleaf maple] contributes a great deal to the forest ecology within its range," McFarland says. "In terms of wildlife habitat, the flowers, which emerge very early in the spring, provide a considerable amount of food for insects and birds. They are very good with holding soil, preventing erosion. And also for humans, beekeepers rely on the trees for their flowers for providing honey."
Many lichens, ferns and mosses also grow in the branches of an older bigleaf maple, he says. And there's quite an industry to forage and pick them for floral arrangements and crafts.
Some of McFarland's favorite bigleaf trees grow in Washington's Hoh Rainforest on the Olympic Peninsula.
"They are a very special tree," McFarland says in appreciation. "The height of the tree, the width of the canopy, the structure of the tree, the scaffolding of the tree. It's almost the perfect shade tree."
Then he compares the low base of the tree to something like human feet, growing out wide at the ground: "Sort of holding onto the Earth."
Sweet science
Deep in the University of Washington's Pack Forest, in the foothills of Mt. Rainier, Greg Ettl leaves his keys on the dash just in case something happens to him on the hike.
Ettl is a forest ecologist and director of Pack Forest.
There's no trail; you have to slog through slick, wet brush, up a steep bank on the cusp of a deep ravine. Recently, UW's School of Environmental and Forest Sciences landed a near-half-million dollar federal grant to fund a study of tapping sap from bigleaf maple trees across the state. The scientists seek to understand the ecology of the trees and demonstrate the profitability of the product.
Up here, a crew is stringing sheep wire and plastic tubing that protects the sap from sunlight and growth of algae.
The colorful blue and green lines are attached to the taps and run throughout the forest and down these steep hills.
By moving downhill, the sap creates a vacuum, pulling even more sap from the trees. This forest-fairy web of tubing will feed the sap via gravity to a collection point along a forest road.
Ettl says it's all about the grade.
"It certainly doesn't feel natural," he says. "It's like what type of mad crazy artist has laid out all these lines? And for what purpose?"
Enlarge this image toggle caption Anna King/Northwest News Network Anna King/Northwest News Network
The university's camouflage-painted pickup now called the "Sugar Sled" will collect the sap from a main tank in the woods and drive the juice downhill to the school's "Sugar Shack" for further processing.
Ettl says he hopes the concentrated bigleaf maple syrup will be for sale in the university bookstore later this winter.
Amy Wilson is developing a fresh label and hammering out the nutritional facts with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Washington State Department of Agriculture.
"However, Washington State Department of Agriculture has been wonderful, they have a helpline that you can call," Wilson says. "And they have the answers immediately."
But the project also hopes to refine some sticky unknowns with its sweet science: Do the trees make more sap at higher or lower elevations, wet conditions or drier? Are older or younger trees more productive?
"The thing that's been the most fun for us, is that everyone's excited about it," Ettl says. "You know, I get excited about all kinds of things. Then when I tell people, sometimes they're not excited. But maple syrup, everyone's excited about maple syrup!"
'Tastes how it feels up there'
It's a flat-grey Seattle morning and a freshly built fire wafts meaty smoke into the commercial kitchen of Canlis.
Brady Williams whips cream with his heavily tattooed arm. He's the executive chef of the celebrated restaurant overlooking Lake Union. A few months ago, he won the James Beard Award for best chef in the Northwest.
He likes the cream to drip off the whisk like Elmer's Glue. Stop whisking when it barely comes together, he suggests.
Food The Controversy Over Maple Syrup The Controversy Over Maple Syrup Listen · 3:05 3:05
Cream is really just the conveyance for Neil's Bigleaf Maple Syrup. Williams purposely spoons a glossy dollop into a bubble-shaped globe. The cream nestles aside Idaho sturgeon caviar and stroopwafels sandwiched with miso caramel; it's black pearls on pearl white.
"Fine dining doesn't necessarily mean luxury ingredients or expensive stuff," Williams says. "You just want to serve the most-considered ingredients."
Neil McLeod has single-handedly stirred a hunger for Northwest-sourced maple syrup.
Canlis' kitchen is bringing the stuff in by the gallon. Williams alone has created nearly 25 dishes that featuring bigleaf maple syrup.
The state has given McLeod's operation a food processing permit — just $92 a year — and will do food safety inspections as the company builds its restaurant business.
Williams dips a finger into the syrup and tastes: vanilla, caramel, smoke.
"We want to support local farms and artisans as much as possible," Williams says. "When I taste this, I taste the terroir from the Skagit Valley or northern Washington. To me, it tastes how it feels up there."
State of things
The U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Washington Department of Natural Resources, and the state's Department of Agriculture have been scrambling to keep up with the new industry.
The USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service doesn't keep records yet on bigleaf maple syrup production, according to Christopher Mertz, director of the Northwest regional office.
There aren't any known commercial operations in Oregon, according to the Beaver State's Department of Agriculture. But the 2012 Census of Agriculture did record four farms in Washington, likely hobbyists, with a total of 36 taps. UW plans to install 700 experimental taps in Pack Forest this year. And in Canada, three distinct tribes of the Hupacasath First Nation — Muh-uulth-aht, Klee khoot aht and Cuu-ma-as-aht — make commercial syrup together on Vancouver Island. There is even an annual bigleaf maple syrup festival on Vancouver Island, B.C.
But with 1,200 taps already pulling sap, McLeod's farm is the Northwest's biggest commercial player. Next year, he plans to install 10,000 more taps.
Beyond his own land, McLeod is looking to expand into state lands, where there are more maples. In Wasington's Whatcom County, McLeod's syrup operation paid a $500 administrative fee for a special use permit to tap sap on about 225 acres of DNR land this season. It's similar to the type of permit someone would get for hunting mushrooms or harvesting tree boughs. Both the state and the sap collectors will reassess and see if the contract penciled out.
Tap out
There's just one big bigleaf problem.
As money grows on trees, many bigleaf maples from Vancouver Island to California are declining for mysterious reasons.
Dan Omdal has studied this problem for two decades. But after all his effort, the top forest pathologist for Washington's Department of Natural Resources hasn't nailed a lone culprit.
A bit like a large-animal vet for trees, he's done core samples, dug at the roots, chopped into dead trees, all to figure out what's ailing them. But like colony collapse with honeybees, the problem is more complex than a single virus, fungus or insect.
The trees generally mature well, then start growing smaller leaves, which yellow and drop at odd times, then branches die back and eventually the entire tree dies right where it stands.
Omdal has investigated funguses, viruses, bacteria and pests, but there is no single ringing bell.
In the past decade, increasing hot, dry summers might be stressing maples enough to leave them vulnerable to attackers.
Omdal points to a recent study of tree cores carried out by him and a team from UW.
He says although there were some older trees that have been going downhill for sometimes 30 and 40 years, most of the sick trees they studied started to decline in just the last five to seven years.
"Decline is a recent phenomenon for them," Omdal says.
He estimates that up to a third of bigleaf maple trees are affected by this condition in western Washington.
He thinks the maple trees that are most at risk might be in drier and warmer sites because they can't tolerate the West Coast's increasing droughts. It all adds up to a shrinking range for bigleaf maples.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Anna King/Northwest News Network Anna King/Northwest News Network
Like the Eastern maple syrup industry, climate change projections could mean that many bigleaf maple trees tap out in the future.
Tapping itself could stress these trees, too, Omdal says.
The sap runs up the tree carrying sugar and nutrients to buds and leaves, adding growth to the girth of a tree's rings.
"I think of tree sap as analogous to human blood," he says. "You're draining the reserves from that tree. And the cost is often to that tree's health and vulnerability. It appears that the climate — hotter, drier summers — is creating the conditions that are predisposing these bigleaf maples, making them vulnerable to decline.
"I think tapping maple trees — certainly those that are on warm, dry sites — may also increase their vulnerability to other opportunistic fungi and insects that are looking for a meal," Omdal says.
It's too soon to tell, but the benefits of tapping large bigleaf maples might be that greater numbers of trees are left standing and not logged off. If landowners and government can extract some economic benefit from the maples this way, they might even be left in stands where Douglas fir and other species are trucked away.
Dark first run
Back in Acme, Washington, we're in dim late-afternoon light beneath the maple trees on Jones Creek.
It's on the far edge of Neil McCleod's farm. This creek eventually dumps into the South Fork of the Nooksack River. We stare up into the moss-laden branches arching over this narrow, silvery rill. We hear the pat, pat of fat raindrops on leathery maple leaves. These trees are the old guard — lined up like veterans at a parade.
The farm planted 3,500 more bigleaf maples in spring 2019, hoping to tap into the future potential of this freshly-juiced industry.
The first sap of the year is always diluted, so it has to be cooked down further to reach the optimal 66.5 percent sugar. Too little sugar and it could start to mold, too high and the sugar could crystallize. That means early, initially weak sap ends up as even darker and more concentrated syrup to reach that proper percentage. It becomes the rich black-brown of a harsh Italian espresso. When nearly finished and just before bottling, the syrup is run through a filter to extract silty minerals that cloud the molasses-colored sweet stuff.
East Coast syrup is graded on its light color and clarity. But that just doesn't work with what comes from bigleaf maples, McLeod says.
Each of his "vintages" of sap produce slightly different colored syrups. But the chefs he supplies particularly like that darker, first-run concentrated syrup.
Bigleaf maple sap runs especially heavy when there's a freezing night, followed by a thaw in the daytime. Raw sap only lasts a few days in storage before it will spoil, so the syrup-making doesn't wait for Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Year's celebrations.
In his early life, McLeod was a fisherman in Alaska. He says when his farm's sap runs, it connects him to a deep sense of time — the universe's clock.
Mother Nature beckons him out to his sugar barn.
"When the fish were there, didn't matter what the weather was, you fished or the fish went by," McLeod says. "Sap is the same thing. I have to be on it. When it's running I have to be out there, no matter what the weather, no matter what day it is, I'm out there collecting sap."


npr--2020-01-25--'Take Her Out.' In New Recording, Trump Heard Discussing Firing Ambassador To Ukraine

'Take Her Out . '
In New Recording , Trump Heard Discussing Firing Ambassador To Ukraine In a new recording made public on Saturday , President Trump can be heard speaking with two men he has claimed to not know and ordering the firing of the U.S. ambassador to Ukraine .
The hour-long recording from April 2018 captures a meeting between Trump and a group of donors that includes two associates of his personal attorney , Rudy Giuliani , who in recent weeks have emerged as central figures in the impeachment inquiry : Igor Fruman and Lev Parnas .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ telling Trump that the ambassador , Marie Yovanovitch , had been disparaging the president , and that he should `` get rid '' of her .
`` She 's basically walking around telling everybody , 'Wait , he 's going to get impeached , just wait , ' '' Parnas says in the recording .
`` Get rid of her , '' the president responds .
`` Get her out tomorrow .
I do n't care .
Get her out tomorrow .
Take her out . ''
In an interview with NPR on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Steven Groves said the president 's comments were directed to then aide John DeStefano , not to Parnas .
The recording was released by an attorney for Parnas , Joseph A. Bondy , and appears to support an account of the exchange that Parnas shared during an interview this month with the MSNBC host Rachel Maddow .
`` I told him she 's bad mouthing him and she 's saying bad things about him , '' Parnas says in the interview .
He goes on to concede that he did not actually believe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not immediately removed from her posting in Kyiv , but in the months that followed she became a frequent target of criticism among allies of the president , who accused the career diplomat of disloyalty .
She was ultimately recalled as ambassador last spring .
Her recall has become a key episode in the pressure campaign against Ukraine that President Trump is now on trial for in the Senate following the House 's vote to impeach him .
On his now infamous July 25 call with the president of Ukraine , Volodymyr Zelenskiy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ She 's going to go through some things . ''
During her testimony before House impeachment investigators , Yovanovitch denied ever speaking disparagingly of the president , but did tell lawmakers she felt threatened by Trump .
Yovanovitch said she was told by the State Department that she was being recalled because of concerns about her `` security . ''
The recording , which was first reported by ABC News on Friday , contradicts repeated claims by the president that he does not know Parnas , even though they have been photographed together @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Parnas and Fruman were arrested and charged with making illegal campaign contributions – charges for which they have pleaded not guilty .
In the three months since , Parnas has begun cooperating with congressional investigators as they work to unspool his role in the Ukraine affair .
Parnas worked closely with Giuliani in a smear campaign against Yovanovitch and in efforts by Giuliani to pressure the Ukrainian government to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden .
Earlier this month , materials released by the House show Ukraine 's former top prosecutor offering Parnas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ help getting rid of Yovanovitch .
In her time as ambassador , Yovanovitch developed a reputation for fighting corruption in Ukraine .
Speaking to Fox News on Friday , Trump defended his decision to fire Yovanovitch and denied that Parnas factored into his decision to recall her .
`` I have a right to hire and fire ambassadors , and that 's a very important thing , '' Trump said .
The recording released Saturday was filmed at the Trump International Hotel in Washington on a phone belonging to Fruman .
Bondy , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was being released in `` an effort to provide clarity to the American people and the Senate as to the need to conduct a fair trial , with witnesses and evidence . ''

'Take Her Out.' In New Recording, Trump Heard Discussing Firing Ambassador To Ukraine
Enlarge this image toggle caption Drew Angerer/Getty Images Drew Angerer/Getty Images
In a new recording made public on Saturday, President Trump can be heard speaking with two men he has claimed to not know and ordering the firing of the U.S. ambassador to Ukraine.
The hour-long recording from April 2018 captures a meeting between Trump and a group of donors that includes two associates of his personal attorney, Rudy Giuliani, who in recent weeks have emerged as central figures in the impeachment inquiry: Igor Fruman and Lev Parnas.
In the recording, Parnas can be heard telling Trump that the ambassador, Marie Yovanovitch, had been disparaging the president, and that he should "get rid" of her. "She's basically walking around telling everybody, 'Wait, he's going to get impeached, just wait,' " Parnas says in the recording.
"Get rid of her," the president responds. "Get her out tomorrow. I don't care. Get her out tomorrow. Take her out."
In an interview with NPR on Saturday, Deputy White House Press Secretary Steven Groves said the president's comments were directed to then-aide John DeStefano, not to Parnas.
The recording was released by an attorney for Parnas, Joseph A. Bondy, and appears to support an account of the exchange that Parnas shared during an interview this month with the MSNBC host Rachel Maddow. "I told him she's badmouthing him and she's saying bad things about him," Parnas says in the interview. He goes on to concede that he did not actually believe that to be true.
Yovanovitch was not immediately removed from her posting in Kyiv, but in the months that followed she became a frequent target of criticism among allies of the president, who accused the career diplomat of disloyalty. She was ultimately recalled as ambassador last spring.
Her recall has become a key episode in the pressure campaign against Ukraine that Trump is now on trial for in the Senate following the House's vote to impeach him. On his now-infamous July 25 call with the president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Trump said of Yovanovitch, "She's going to go through some things."
During her testimony before House impeachment investigators, Yovanovitch denied ever speaking disparagingly of the president, but did tell lawmakers she felt threatened by Trump. Yovanovitch said she was told by the State Department that she was being recalled because of concerns about her "security."
The recording, which was first reported by ABC News on Friday, contradicts repeated claims by the president that he does not know Parnas, even though they have been photographed together on multiple occasions.
In October, Parnas and Fruman were arrested and charged with making illegal campaign contributions – charges for which they have pleaded not guilty.
In the three months since, Parnas has begun cooperating with congressional investigators as they work to unspool his role in the Ukraine affair. Parnas worked closely with Giuliani in a smear campaign against Yovanovitch and in efforts by Giuliani to pressure the Ukrainian government to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden.
Earlier this month, materials released by the House show Ukraine's former top prosecutor offering Parnas damaging information about Biden in exchange for help getting rid of Yovanovitch. In her time as ambassador, Yovanovitch developed a reputation for fighting corruption in Ukraine.
Speaking to Fox News on Friday, Trump defended his decision to fire Yovanovitch and denied that Parnas factored into his decision to recall her.
"I have a right to hire and fire ambassadors, and that's a very important thing," Trump said.
The recording released Saturday was filmed at the Trump International Hotel in Washington on a phone belonging to Fruman. Bondy, the attorney for Parnas, said it was being released in "an effort to provide clarity to the American people and the Senate as to the need to conduct a fair trial, with witnesses and evidence."


npr--2020-01-26--Coronavirus Case Confirmed In Arizona, Bringing U.S. Total To 5

Coronavirus Case Confirmed In Arizona , Bringing U.S. Total To 5 A fifth U.S. case of coronavirus has been confirmed in Arizona 's Maricopa County .
A statement released on Sunday from the Arizona Department of Health Services described the patient as `` a member of the Arizona State University community who does not live in university housing . ''
The news was also confirmed by Nancy Messonnier , director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , in a press call with reporters .
Earlier Sunday , California officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that state , one in Orange County and one in Los Angeles County .
The first two U.S. cases , confirmed last week , involved one patient in Chicago and one in the Seattle region .
All five U.S. patients had traveled previously to Wuhan , China , the epicenter of the infectious disease outbreak , and all five remain hospitalized for now , Messonnier said .
The CDC has just over 100 persons `` under investigation '' for the new strain of coronavirus in 26 states , said Messonnier .
So far @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the virus , and 5 positive .
The CDC will begin updating these numbers on its website three times a week — Mondays , Wednesdays and Fridays — starting tomorrow on Monday , Jan. 27 .
`` We expect to find more cases of novel coronavirus in the United States , '' Messonnier said .
Local health workers across the U.S. have been reaching out to the CDC for guidance on how to screen , manage and treat potential cases of the disease .
Currently , testing for the virus must take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ getting calls all day , all night from clinicians .
That 's what we want . ''
She called the inquiries `` a good sign '' — evidence that the country 's public health system is working .
She described the overall health risk in the U.S. from the virus as `` low , '' adding that `` at this time in the United States , '2019 novel coronavirus ' is not spreading in our communities . ''
William Schaffner , an infectious disease specialist at Vanderbilt University Medical Center , told NPR @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The three new cases over the weekend are a `` sign that the surveillance measures put into place are effective , '' he says .
`` Clinicians are aware of the issue when they see a patient whom they suspect of having this new coronavirus infection .
They 're putting such patients in isolation , caring for them appropriately and safely , using infection control precautions , getting specimens , sending them to the CDC for evaluation . ''
Messonnier was asked to respond to news reports in which Chinese health officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ person-to-person before symptoms had emerged .
Messonnier could not confirm that , saying , `` we at CDC have no clear evidence of patients being infectious before symptom onset , but we are actively investigating that possibility . ''
The CDC has had a health team on the ground in China for many years .
So far , team members have not been working with their Chinese counterparts on the new coronavirus , she said .
`` We are hopeful over the coming days that we will have additional involvement . ''
Messonnier @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the U.S. has faced an infectious disease outbreak — and is prepared for the prospect of a larger epidemic spanning many continents and countries .
`` We need to continue to prepare for this as if it is a pandemic , '' she said .
`` But hope that it is not . ''

Coronavirus Case Confirmed In Arizona, Bringing U.S. Total To 5
Enlarge this image toggle caption Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
A fifth U.S. case of coronavirus has been confirmed, this one in Arizona's Maricopa County. A statement released on Sunday from the Arizona Department of Health Services described the patient as "a member of the Arizona State University community who does not live in university housing."
The news was also confirmed by Nancy Messonnier, director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in a press call with reporters.
Earlier Sunday, California officials confirmed the third and fourth cases in that state, one in Orange County and one in Los Angeles County. The first two U.S. cases, confirmed last week, involved one patient in Chicago and one in the Seattle region.
All five U.S. patients had traveled previously to Wuhan, China, the epicenter of the infectious disease outbreak, and all five remain hospitalized for now, Messonnier said.
The CDC has just over 100 people "under investigation" for the new strain of coronavirus in 26 states, said Messonnier. So far, 25 of those have tested negative for the virus, and five positive.
The CDC will begin updating these numbers on its website three times a week — Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays — starting Monday.
"We expect to find more cases of novel coronavirus in the United States," Messonnier said.
Local health workers across the U.S. have been reaching out to the CDC for guidance on how to screen, manage and treat potential cases of the disease. Currently, testing for the virus must take place at the CDC.
"We are getting calls all day, all night from clinicians. That's what we want." She called the inquiries "a good sign" — evidence that the country's public health system is working.
She described the overall health risk in the U.S. from the virus as "low," adding that "at this time in the United States, '2019 novel coronavirus' is not spreading in our communities."
William Schaffner, an infectious disease specialist at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, told NPR he agreed with the CDC's assessment. The three new cases over the weekend are a "sign that the surveillance measures put into place are effective," he says. "Clinicians are aware of the issue when they see a patient whom they suspect of having this new coronavirus infection. They're putting such patients in isolation, caring for them appropriately and safely, using infection control precautions, getting specimens, sending them to the CDC for evaluation."
Messonnier was asked to respond to news reports in which Chinese health officials claimed the new coronavirus could be transmitted person-to-person before symptoms had emerged. Messonnier could not confirm that, saying, "We at CDC have no clear evidence of patients being infectious before symptom onset, but we are actively investigating that possibility."
The CDC has had a health team on the ground in China for many years. So far, team members have not been working with their Chinese counterparts on the new coronavirus, she said. "We are hopeful over the coming days that we will have additional involvement," she said.
Messonnier says this is not the first time the U.S. has faced an infectious disease outbreak, and it is prepared for the prospect of a larger epidemic spanning many continents and countries.
"We need to continue to prepare for this as if it is a pandemic," she said. "But hope that it is not."