npr--2020-01-06--'Scary Moms' Are Part Of The Citizen War Against Pollution In Pakistan

'Scary Moms ' Are Part Of The Citizen War Against Pollution In Pakistan On a December day in Lahore , Pakistan 's second-biggest city , the smog concealed tall buildings .
Men on motorbikes seemed to push through it as they rode .
It reeked of diesel and charcoal , compelling the Nadim family to go to the hospital .
`` I ca n't breathe , '' said Mohammad Nadim , 34 .
He gestured to his wife , Sonia .
`` My wife ca n't breathe . ''
She held their 3-month-old daughter Aisha , who pushed out wet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are here for our children . ''
Air pollution is a major public health problem across Pakistan , where an estimated 128,000 people die annually from air pollution-related illnesses , according to the Global Alliance on Health and Pollution .
But researchers say the government has downplayed the severity of the problem for years , produced unreliable data and sought to pass blame to neighboring India .
Indeed , the environmental protection department of Punjab , the province surrounding Lahore , has not updated its air quality level for several weeks on its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a level of airborne fine particulate matter that the U.S. EPA considers to be `` unhealthy '' but which the Pakistani government says is `` satisfactory . ''
In response , a growing wave of clean-air activists — including a group called the `` Scary Moms , '' environmental lawyers , tech entrepreneurs and even foreign embassies — is using new sources of pollution data to pressure the government to take action .
And it might be working — the government is set to roll out a new series of policies aimed at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with a Pakistani engineer , Abid Omar , who in 2017 began crowd-sourcing data from citizen-owned air quality monitors and uploading the information on Twitter .
Omar , who used to live in Beijing , said he was inspired by seeing how citizen activism helped pressure the Chinese government to tackle air pollution .
`` We are utilizing data coming out of this network to spread the message about how severe the air pollution is , which we did not know until we had these monitors , '' Omar says .
`` Just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ impact . ''
Omar 's initiative was followed by the U.S. State Department , which erected monitors in the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad and at its consulates — for U.S. citizens living in Pakistan to have access to data about air pollution .
Those figures are also regularly tweeted out .
They generally correlate with the citizen-sourced data .
`` For the first time , people got numbers and realized how bad it was , '' said Rafay Alam , an environmental lawyer , referring to the data shared by Omar 's initiative @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no surprise , Lahore is near the top of the list of the most polluted cities in the world . ''
Those data points were compiled by AirVisual , a crowd-sourced online air quality monitor that compares countries around the world .
On the same day the Nadim family went to the hospital , when the Punjab government was assuring residents that the air quality was `` satisfactory , '' citizen-sourced data from AirVisual reported it as `` hazardous . ''
Lahore 's air quality has deteriorated over the past decade , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of its trees were felled to make way for more residents .
Their vehicles still run predominantly on a type of highly polluting sulphur-laden gas that contributes some 40 % of the air pollution in Lahore and the surrounding province of the Punjab , according to a 2019 report by the U.N. 's Food and Agriculture Organization .
Industries mushrooming around Lahore , including those that burn tires to power their factory units , contribute another 25 % .
Farmers who seasonally burn their fields to prepare for more planting , as well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ city 's outskirts , add to the problem .
The activist movement really took off in November , says Alam .
`` A bunch of environmental activists sat down and decided , because we 'd seen the smog season in 2016 , '17 and '18 , that we were going to be more coordinated about how we were going to deal with it , '' he says .
Armed with new sources of data over the past several years , lawyers such as Alam have brought forward several cases to the Lahore High @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one on Nov. 4 brought by Alam on behalf of his daughter and other children .
It accused the government of underreporting the severity of air pollution .
Amnesty International issued an unprecedented call on Nov. 22 , asking supporters to write to the Pakistani government to protest the air quality .
The group argued that the human rights of every person in Lahore were at risk .
`` It 's the first time this crisis is being personalized as a human rights crisis , '' said Rimmel Mohydin , Pakistan campaigner for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lahore , residents still pack rooftop cafes .
Maryam Saeed , 30 , was visiting one , and gestured to the people around her .
`` They do n't see it anymore , '' she says .
Saeed , along with three other Pakistani entrepreneurs , co-founded a company to build a 25-foot , $ 20,000 , solar-powered `` smog tower '' that will filter clean air for about 90,000 residents in its vicinity .
Saeed says she hopes the project can be scaled up but acknowledged smog towers are a short-term solution @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not solve the entire problem , '' she says .
`` We need to change our consumption . ''
Then there are the Scary Moms .
Ayesha Nasir , 35 , leads this network of mothers in Lahore .
They hope to raise awareness about how to keep children safe from smog and to reduce pollution by persuading parents to stop driving their kids to school and put them on school buses instead .
( Nasir said the name , ScaryAmmi , or Scary Moms , was a nod to the cliché of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ turned to activism after reaching the limits of what she could do to protect her four children from the air that hurt their throats , made them dizzy , inflamed their eyes and gave them headaches .
She was advocating busing because `` 43 % of the reason we have smog in Punjab is transport , '' Nasir says , referring to a February report by the U.N. 's Food and Agriculture Organization that analyzed air pollution in the Punjab .
Nasir sees the school run as a major factor .
`` There @ @ @ @ @ @ @ average , 2,000 cars go there in the morning , '' she says .
Busing across Lahore fell out of favor as nearly two decades of militant attacks wreaked havoc across Pakistan .
Chaperoning children became a protective instinct .
Now , to assuage parents , Nasir said they were helping transport companies develop services that worried parents needed , like live dashcams , tracking locators and even a bus nanny .
On a cold December day , the Scary Moms hustled to get their point across at a private school , beginning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need to fight the enemy that is smog , '' Nasir announced to rows of teenagers attending a special smog workshop with their parents — it was the 43rd such session since November .
She waved to a U.N.-issued video showing the effects of particulate matter that forms air pollution .
The particles can be absorbed into the body , affecting brain development , growth and respiratory illnesses .
`` Please when the air pollution is high , try to stay inside your home and try to wear a mask when you have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Another Scary Mom volunteer , Sadia Rafaqat , 36 , repeated the talk to parents who came for their own smog session .
They could help , she suggested , by letting their kids ride buses .
Parents seemed to agree with the notion , including Zahida Parveen , 38 , who spent an hour in a rickshaw accompanying her two daughters to school .
`` We are suffering .
Me and my girls are asthmatic , '' Parveen says .
If the school could offer safe transport , `` then we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Scary Moms have had some results .
The Punjab education minister , Murad Raas , who oversees 53,000 schools , is backing the mothers and said one upscale school would pilot smart buses in March .
The aim was to get `` 50 to 100 schools '' to sign on .
`` In the next few months , I 'm hoping we can do this , '' Raas told NPR .
There are now signs that the current government may be reckoning with the problem .
In late November , it unveiled a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , says Malik Amin Aslam , adviser to the prime minister on climate change .
Aslam said the government , which came into power in mid-2017 , was taking the problem seriously — despite a Twitter video posted by climate change minister Zartaj Gul in October that appeared to downplay the extent of the problem .
That video did not represent the government 's official view , Aslam told NPR .
`` We will have to ask her what happened over there , but it 's not the view of the ministry , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ included banning the import of low-quality fuel by January .
In addition , local refineries would have three years to upgrade their equipment to process high quality fuel .
And brick kilns have until September to install emission-reducing technology .
`` I hope within three years we should be moving in the right direction , '' Aslam says .
Alam , the lawyer , and other activists say the prime minister 's initiatives were a good sign .
`` I think sanity has prevailed , '' Alam said .
But he said he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would become invisible after the heavy winter smog lifts after February .
Then politicians would lose interest in wrestling powerful industries that profit from the status quo .
Once `` you ca n't see the poor air quality , '' he says , `` other political issues can sort of take over . ''

'Scary Moms' Are Part Of The Citizen War Against Pollution In Pakistan
Enlarge this image toggle caption Diaa Hadid/NPR Diaa Hadid/NPR
On a December day in Lahore, Pakistan's second-biggest city, the smog concealed tall buildings. Men on motorbikes seemed to push through it as they rode. It reeked of diesel and charcoal, compelling the Nadim family to go to the hospital.
"I can't breathe," said Mohammad Nadim, 34. He gestured to his wife, Sonia. "My wife can't breathe." She held their 3-month-old daughter Aisha, who pushed out wet, heavy coughs. "But we are here for our children."
Air pollution is a major public health problem across Pakistan, where an estimated 128,000 people die annually from air pollution-related illnesses, according to the Global Alliance on Health and Pollution.
But researchers say the government has downplayed the severity of the problem for years, produced unreliable data and sought to pass blame to neighboring India. Indeed, the environmental protection department of Punjab, the province surrounding Lahore, has not updated its air quality level for several weeks on its website, reporting it at 166 – a level of airborne fine particulate matter that the U.S. EPA considers to be "unhealthy" but which the Pakistani government says is "satisfactory."
Enlarge this image toggle caption Diaa Hadid/NPR Diaa Hadid/NPR
In response, a growing wave of clean-air activists — including a group called the "Scary Moms," environmental lawyers, tech entrepreneurs and even foreign embassies — is using new sources of pollution data to pressure the government to take action. And it might be working — the government is set to roll out a new series of policies aimed at improving air quality.
The movement began with a Pakistani engineer, Abid Omar, who in 2017 began crowd-sourcing data from citizen-owned air quality monitors and uploading the information on Twitter. Omar, who used to live in Beijing, said he was inspired by seeing how citizen activism helped pressure the Chinese government to tackle air pollution.
"We are utilizing data coming out of this network to spread the message about how severe the air pollution is, which we did not know until we had these monitors," Omar says. "Just a very simple act has this huge impact."
Omar's initiative was followed by the U.S. State Department, which erected monitors in the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad and at its consulates — for U.S. citizens living in Pakistan to have access to data about air pollution. Those figures are also regularly tweeted out. They generally correlate with the citizen-sourced data.
"For the first time, people got numbers and realized how bad it was," said Rafay Alam, an environmental lawyer, referring to the data shared by Omar's initiative and the State Department. "And no surprise, Lahore is near the top of the list of the most polluted cities in the world."
Those data points were compiled by AirVisual, a crowd-sourced online air quality monitor that compares countries around the world. On the same day the Nadim family went to the hospital, when the Punjab government was assuring residents that the air quality was "satisfactory," citizen-sourced data from AirVisual reported it as "hazardous."
Lahore's air quality has deteriorated over the past decade, a period during which an estimated 70% of its trees were felled to make way for more residents. Their vehicles still run predominantly on a type of highly polluting sulphur-laden gas that contributes some 40% of the air pollution in Lahore and the surrounding province of the Punjab, according to a 2019 report by the U.N.'s Food and Agriculture Organization.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Diaa Hadid/NPR Diaa Hadid/NPR
Industries mushrooming around Lahore, including those that burn tires to power their factory units, contribute another 25%. Farmers who seasonally burn their fields to prepare for more planting, as well as thousands of brick kilns in the city's outskirts, add to the problem.
The activist movement really took off in November, says Alam.
"A bunch of environmental activists sat down and decided, because we'd seen the smog season in 2016, '17 and '18, that we were going to be more coordinated about how we were going to deal with it," he says.
Armed with new sources of data over the past several years, lawyers such as Alam have brought forward several cases to the Lahore High Court to demand clean air — including one on Nov. 4 brought by Alam on behalf of his daughter and other children. It accused the government of underreporting the severity of air pollution.
Amnesty International issued an unprecedented call on Nov. 22, asking supporters to write to the Pakistani government to protest the air quality. The group argued that the human rights of every person in Lahore were at risk.
"It's the first time this crisis is being personalized as a human rights crisis," said Rimmel Mohydin, Pakistan campaigner for Amnesty International.
Despite the pollution in Lahore, residents still pack rooftop cafes. Maryam Saeed, 30, was visiting one, and gestured to the people around her.
"They don't see it anymore," she says.
Saeed, along with three other Pakistani entrepreneurs, co-founded a company to build a 25-foot, $20,000, solar-powered "smog tower" that will filter clean air for about 90,000 residents in its vicinity. Saeed says she hopes the project can be scaled up but acknowledged smog towers are a short-term solution.
"Even 10 smog towers cannot solve the entire problem," she says. "We need to change our consumption."
Enlarge this image toggle caption Diaa Hadid/NPR Diaa Hadid/NPR
Then there are the Scary Moms.
Ayesha Nasir, 35, leads this network of mothers in Lahore. They hope to raise awareness about how to keep children safe from smog and to reduce pollution by persuading parents to stop driving their kids to school and put them on school buses instead. (Nasir said the name, ScaryAmmi, or Scary Moms, was a nod to the cliché of demanding South Asian mothers.)
Nasir turned to activism after reaching the limits of what she could do to protect her four children from the air that hurt their throats, made them dizzy, inflamed their eyes and gave them headaches.
She was advocating busing because "43% of the reason we have smog in Punjab is transport," Nasir says, referring to a February report by the U.N.'s Food and Agriculture Organization that analyzed air pollution in the Punjab. Nasir sees the school run as a major factor.
"There are schools in Lahore where, on average, 2,000 cars go there in the morning," she says.
Busing across Lahore fell out of favor as nearly two decades of militant attacks wreaked havoc across Pakistan. Chaperoning children became a protective instinct. Now, to assuage parents, Nasir said they were helping transport companies develop services that worried parents needed, like live dashcams, tracking locators and even a bus nanny.
On a cold December day, the Scary Moms hustled to get their point across at a private school, beginning with educating kids. "Today we need to fight the enemy that is smog," Nasir announced to rows of teenagers attending a special smog workshop with their parents — it was the 43rd such session since November.
She waved to a U.N.-issued video showing the effects of particulate matter that forms air pollution. The particles can be absorbed into the body, affecting brain development, growth and respiratory illnesses.
"Please when the air pollution is high, try to stay inside your home and try to wear a mask when you have to go outside," she says.
Another Scary Mom volunteer, Sadia Rafaqat, 36, repeated the talk to parents who came for their own smog session. They could help, she suggested, by letting their kids ride buses.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Diaa Hadid/NPR Diaa Hadid/NPR
Parents seemed to agree with the notion, including Zahida Parveen, 38, who spent an hour in a rickshaw accompanying her two daughters to school.
"We are suffering. Me and my girls are asthmatic," Parveen says. If the school could offer safe transport, "then we can go for it."
The Scary Moms have had some results. The Punjab education minister, Murad Raas, who oversees 53,000 schools, is backing the mothers and said one upscale school would pilot smart buses in March. The aim was to get "50 to 100 schools" to sign on.
"In the next few months, I'm hoping we can do this," Raas told NPR.
There are now signs that the current government may be reckoning with the problem. In late November, it unveiled a raft of policies to curb air pollution, says Malik Amin Aslam, adviser to the prime minister on climate change. Aslam said the government, which came into power in mid-2017, was taking the problem seriously — despite a Twitter video posted by climate change minister Zartaj Gul in October that appeared to downplay the extent of the problem.
That video did not represent the government's official view, Aslam told NPR.
"We will have to ask her what happened over there, but it's not the view of the ministry," he says.
The new initiatives included banning the import of low-quality fuel by January. In addition, local refineries would have three years to upgrade their equipment to process high quality fuel. And brick kilns have until September to install emission-reducing technology.
"I hope within three years we should be moving in the right direction," Aslam says.
Alam, the lawyer, and other activists say the prime minister's initiatives were a good sign.
"I think sanity has prevailed," Alam said. But he said he was concerned that the air pollution problem would become invisible after the heavy winter smog lifts after February. Then politicians would lose interest in wrestling powerful industries that profit from the status quo.
Once "you can't see the poor air quality," he says, "other political issues can sort of take over."


npr--2020-01-06--From Dixie Chicks To Rihanna: Our Music Predictions For 2020

From Dixie Chicks To Rihanna : Our Music Predictions For 2020 The last decade of music saw major artists break many of the rules about how to release an album .
Beyoncé and Drake popularized the `` surprise release '' — putting out albums with little to no roll-out at all .
So in the era of surprise digital drops , and at the beginning of a new year of music , how do you make predictions about what 's coming ?
NPR 's Audie Cornish spoke to NPR Music 's Ann Powers and Rodney Carmichael about some of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2020 , including Drive-By Truckers and Dixie Chicks , as well a few releases that are less certain — including pending projects from Rihanna and Kendrick Lamar .
Listen in the audio player or read on for an edited transcript of their conversation .
AUDIE CORNISH : I want to make you make predictions — is that unwise to do in the era of the surprise digital drop ?
ANN POWERS : Depends on what you mean by predictions .
We have a general idea about major artists who are putting out new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we often do n't know is the exact date .
Like so many things in this world , we feel it coming , we just do n't know when it 's going to hit .
Rodney , what are some of the breadcrumbs a music critic follows ?
RODNEY CARMICHAEL : On the hip-hop side , it 's almost impossible to keep up with what these cats are going to do from one minute to the next .
Every now and then , someone like Drake does an interview and he kind of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
That 's what happened at the end of 2019 , so we got a sense of what he 's working on .
Drake released a single , it 's called `` War . ''
The sound feels a little darker ; you said he 's testing the waters .
What 's going on ?
Carmichael : This is Drake in his full-on rap mode .
There 's no hook on this song ; this is not for the club ; this is not for the memes .
I think , you know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ little something to prove .
He was , by most accounts , the artist of the decade — especially on the rap side , but maybe even as a pop artist .
I think he wants to hold onto that in the coming decade .
Ann , I want to talk to you about Jason Isbell , who you said is threatening new music .
How did you pick up that breadcrumb ?
Powers : At the end of 2019 , Isbell 's on the road with his band The 400 Unit and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new music , they say they 've been in the studio .
Suddenly , we have a new Jason Isbell record in 2020 — or so we think .
There 's no date yet , but I think it 's going to happen .
One thing I know for sure is that the band Jason Isbell got his start in , the Drive-By Truckers , has a new album coming out .
It 's called The Unraveling .
It 's kind of a follow-up to their career high , American Band , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ through on this great Southern rock band 's combination of the personal and the political , and I ca n't wait for people to hear it .
So that is a release we 're pretty sure about , and Rodney , you have one as well .
Tell me about Ghetto Sage .
Carmichael : Ghetto Sage is basically the name of a supergroup that comprises Noname , Saba and Smino .
These are three artists that are well-known to hip-hop fans who like deeper listens , so to speak .
Noname and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Smino is out of St. Louis .
Individually , they 've all been kind of rising , doing their solo thing over the last few years .
Over the last couple of years , I 'd say , they 've started to collaborate and work on songs together and tease this project .
Ghetto Sage as an actual project , as an album , is still one of those things being teased .
I 'm not sure how much we can definitely bet on it coming out this year .
They did drop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the end of 2019 .
Ann , you 've got your eye on a big comeback album by , of all people , the Dixie Chicks .
Have they really been gone ?
What do you know about this project ?
Powers : They really have been gone from the recording studio from quite a long while — almost 14 years .
What they went through 14 years ago really shaped country music , and not necessarily in good ways .
Essentially , Natalie Maines on stage once insulted President George W. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ backlash for the group , right ?
And , in a way , they were sort of blacklisted .
Powers : Some pundits think that what happened to the Dixie Chicks caused country music to become more conservative in the 21st century , possibly affected the status of women in the genre .
But one thing is absolutely sure and that is that the Dixie Chicks are heroes to a whole generation of country listeners and artists .
I saw a Dixie Chicks tour a couple years ago , and I can not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ audience — mostly women — was to see that band .
Before I leave Dixie Chicks and their heyday , we should mention that there are some other , more familiar names that are going to be coming back : Green Day , poster guys for pop-punk , and Alanis Morissette , the original angry woman of the '90s .
Powers : Both Green Day and Alanis Morissette have found new lives on Broadway — Green Day with its musical , American Idiot , and Alanis Morissette with her show , Jagged Little @ @ @ @ @ @ @ White Way by storm , right now .
It 's interesting how those artists remain relevant today .
Green Day is so influential and Alanis , in the '90s , she was considered by some to be kind of a watered down , pop version of feminism .
But now she 's a titan .
Thinking back to that period , she was the very essence of a breakthrough .
Rodney , I know you have some artists you are hoping to breakthrough this year .
Can you tell us who you 're @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I 'm definitely checking for is named D Smoke .
He actually is the winner of a competition show on Netflix that had its first season in 2019 , called Rhythm + Flow .
Now this was a hip-hop competition show , kind of like your American Idols and whatnot .
Unlike a lot of these competitions shows , it seemed like they were really invested in trying to pick some good talent versus just the marketing of the show itself .
D Smoke was really amazing .
He 's a cat out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — Inglewood , to be specific .
He kind of puts you in the mind of a Kendrick Lamar , a little bit , and I say that only because they are from the same city but also because they 're very deep artists .
Ann Powers , for you , a breakthrough you 're keeping your eye out for ?
Powers : Breakthroughs do n't always have to come for brand new artists .
An artist I love who 's releasing her third album this year is Brandy Clark .
She and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make an album called Your Life Is A Record , which sounds like an instant classic .
It sounds vintage , it evokes classic '60s country albums , but it also sounds completely contemporary .
It does not feel like it 's in a shiny retro package .
Rodney , you had a list of projects from people that are big names who show no sign of turning out new music .
You call them `` the Hail Mary joints we need . ''
Who 's on that list ?
Carmichael : This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ love to see come out and people we can really expect to do something in 2020 .
One being Kendrick Lamar — he has n't released anything on the solo tip since his Pulitzer-winning album , DAMN.
, in 2017 .
This is his longest break , I believe .
Kendrick is another one who likes to surprise us , so let 's look for Kendrick .
Rihanna .
I mean , we 've been waiting on this reggae — Powers : Do not leave her alone .
We need her !
Carmichael @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she 's doing her thing ; she 's ruling the world .
I would love to hear a soundtrack to her ruling the world .
Maybe we can get this Rihanna album in 2020 .
Powers : Kesha .
Come on , girl .
She 's coming .
She 's going to give us the anthems we need .
I know it 's going to happen .
And Lady Gaga .
Come on , Lady Gaga .
Let 's just end the segment with begging .
Powers : Seriously , what else can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ album .
NPR 's Dave Blanchard and Sarah Handel produced and edited the audio of this interview .
Cyrena Touros adapted it for the Web .

From Dixie Chicks To Rihanna: Our Music Predictions For 2020
Enlarge this image toggle caption Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images
The last decade of music saw major artists break many of the rules about how to release an album. Beyoncé and Drake popularized the "surprise release" — putting out albums with little to no roll-out at all. So in the era of surprise digital drops, and at the beginning of a new year of music, how do you make predictions about what's coming?
NPR's Audie Cornish spoke to NPR Music's Ann Powers and Rodney Carmichael about some of the artists that are definitely dropping albums in 2020, including Drive-By Truckers and Dixie Chicks, as well a few releases that are less certain — including pending projects from Rihanna and Kendrick Lamar. Listen in the audio player or read on for an edited transcript of their conversation.
AUDIE CORNISH: I want to make you make predictions — is that unwise to do in the era of the surprise digital drop?
ANN POWERS: Depends on what you mean by predictions. We have a general idea about major artists who are putting out new music in the new year — what we often don't know is the exact date. Like so many things in this world, we feel it coming, we just don't know when it's going to hit.
Rodney, what are some of the breadcrumbs a music critic follows?
RODNEY CARMICHAEL: On the hip-hop side, it's almost impossible to keep up with what these cats are going to do from one minute to the next. Every now and then, someone like Drake does an interview and he kind of let's you know what's happening. That's what happened at the end of 2019, so we got a sense of what he's working on.
Drake released a single, it's called "War." The sound feels a little darker; you said he's testing the waters. What's going on?
Carmichael: This is Drake in his full-on rap mode. There's no hook on this song; this is not for the club; this is not for the memes. I think, you know, he feels like he has a little something to prove. He was, by most accounts, the artist of the decade — especially on the rap side, but maybe even as a pop artist. I think he wants to hold onto that in the coming decade.
YouTube
Ann, I want to talk to you about Jason Isbell, who you said is threatening new music. How did you pick up that breadcrumb?
Powers: At the end of 2019, Isbell's on the road with his band The 400 Unit and here they go: they're offering new music, they say they've been in the studio. Suddenly, we have a new Jason Isbell record in 2020 — or so we think. There's no date yet, but I think it's going to happen.
One thing I know for sure is that the band Jason Isbell got his start in, the Drive-By Truckers, has a new album coming out. It's called The Unraveling. It's kind of a follow-up to their career high, American Band, which came out in 2016. It follows through on this great Southern rock band's combination of the personal and the political, and I can't wait for people to hear it.
So that is a release we're pretty sure about, and Rodney, you have one as well. Tell me about Ghetto Sage.
Carmichael: Ghetto Sage is basically the name of a supergroup that comprises Noname, Saba and Smino. These are three artists that are well-known to hip-hop fans who like deeper listens, so to speak. Noname and Saba are both out of Chicago, Smino is out of St. Louis. Individually, they've all been kind of rising, doing their solo thing over the last few years. Over the last couple of years, I'd say, they've started to collaborate and work on songs together and tease this project.
Ghetto Sage as an actual project, as an album, is still one of those things being teased. I'm not sure how much we can definitely bet on it coming out this year. They did drop a song called "Häagen Dazs" at the end of 2019.
YouTube
Ann, you've got your eye on a big comeback album by, of all people, the Dixie Chicks. Have they really been gone? What do you know about this project?
Powers: They really have been gone from the recording studio from quite a long while — almost 14 years. What they went through 14 years ago really shaped country music, and not necessarily in good ways.
Essentially, Natalie Maines on stage once insulted President George W. Bush and that led to an enormous backlash for the group, right? And, in a way, they were sort of blacklisted.
Powers: Some pundits think that what happened to the Dixie Chicks caused country music to become more conservative in the 21st century, possibly affected the status of women in the genre. But one thing is absolutely sure and that is that the Dixie Chicks are heroes to a whole generation of country listeners and artists. I saw a Dixie Chicks tour a couple years ago, and I cannot tell you how thrilled and excited that audience — mostly women — was to see that band.
Before I leave Dixie Chicks and their heyday, we should mention that there are some other, more familiar names that are going to be coming back: Green Day, poster guys for pop-punk, and Alanis Morissette, the original angry woman of the '90s.
Powers: Both Green Day and Alanis Morissette have found new lives on Broadway — Green Day with its musical, American Idiot, and Alanis Morissette with her show, Jagged Little Pill, which is taking The Great White Way by storm, right now. It's interesting how those artists remain relevant today. Green Day is so influential and Alanis, in the '90s , she was considered by some to be kind of a watered down, pop version of feminism. But now she's a titan.
YouTube
Thinking back to that period, she was the very essence of a breakthrough. Rodney, I know you have some artists you are hoping to breakthrough this year. Can you tell us who you're watching?
Carmichael: One cat that I'm definitely checking for is named D Smoke. He actually is the winner of a competition show on Netflix that had its first season in 2019, called Rhythm + Flow. Now this was a hip-hop competition show, kind of like your American Idols and whatnot. Unlike a lot of these competitions shows, it seemed like they were really invested in trying to pick some good talent versus just the marketing of the show itself.
D Smoke was really amazing. He's a cat out of South Central [Los Angeles] — Inglewood, to be specific. He kind of puts you in the mind of a Kendrick Lamar, a little bit, and I say that only because they are from the same city but also because they're very deep artists.
YouTube
Ann Powers, for you, a breakthrough you're keeping your eye out for?
Powers: Breakthroughs don't always have to come for brand new artists. An artist I love who's releasing her third album this year is Brandy Clark. She and producer Jay Joyce have come together to make an album called Your Life Is A Record, which sounds like an instant classic. It sounds vintage, it evokes classic '60s country albums, but it also sounds completely contemporary. It does not feel like it's in a shiny retro package.
Rodney, you had a list of projects from people that are big names who show no sign of turning out new music. You call them "the Hail Mary joints we need." Who's on that list?
Carmichael: This is my list for people I would love to see come out and people we can really expect to do something in 2020. One being Kendrick Lamar — he hasn't released anything on the solo tip since his Pulitzer-winning album, DAMN., in 2017. This is his longest break, I believe. Kendrick is another one who likes to surprise us, so let's look for Kendrick.
Rihanna. I mean, we've been waiting on this reggae —
Leave this woman alone! She's running a business.
Powers: Do not leave her alone. We need her!
Carmichael: She is living her life; she's doing her thing; she's ruling the world. I would love to hear a soundtrack to her ruling the world. Maybe we can get this Rihanna album in 2020.
Ann, for you: Hail Mary joint?
Powers: Kesha. Come on, girl. She's coming. She's going to give us the anthems we need. I know it's going to happen. And Lady Gaga. Come on, Lady Gaga.
Let's just end the segment with begging.
Powers: Seriously, what else can you do? Give us a new album.
NPR's Dave Blanchard and Sarah Handel produced and edited the audio of this interview. Cyrena Touros adapted it for the Web.


npr--2020-01-07--Military Base Housing U.S. Troops In Iraq Has Been Attacked

Military Base Housing U.S .
Troops In Iraq Has Been Attacked A military base housing U.S. troops has been targeted @ @ @ @ @ Tuesday , Iran 's state-run PressTV reported .
`` Iran 's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps @ @ @ @ @ the US airbase of Ain al-Assad in Anbar province in western Iraq after vowing to @ @ @ @ @ top Iranian anti-terror commander , Lt. Gen. Qassem Soleimani , '' the network said .
@ @ @ @ @ damage or casualties , according to Reuters .
The White House says it is aware @ @ @ @ @ U.S. facilities in Iraq .
`` The President has been briefed and is monitoring the @ @ @ @ @ his national security team , '' White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham said in a @ @ @ @ @ developing story .
Some things reported by the media will later turn out to be @ @ @ @ @ on reports from officials and other authorities , credible news outlets and reporters who are @ @ @ @ @ will update as the situation develops .

Iran Launches Missile Attacks On Military Bases Housing U.S. Troops In Iraq
Enlarge this image toggle caption Nasser Nasser/AP Nasser Nasser/AP
Updated at 10:03 p.m. ET
Iran has launched more than a dozen ballistic missiles against U.S. military and coalition forces, targeting at least two military bases in Iraq, the U.S. Defense Department announced late Tuesday.
The strikes on military and coalition personnel at the Ain al-Assad air base in Anbar province and in Irbil — at the center of Iraq's Kurdistan region — began at approximately 5:30 p.m. ET, according to a statement.
Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif defended the strike, saying it was an act of "self-defense."
"Iran took & concluded proportionate measures in self-defense under Article 51 of UN Charter targeting base from which cowardly armed attack against our citizens & senior officials were launched," he wrote in a tweet.
The attacks come less than a week after a U.S. drone strike killed the top Iranian military commander, Qassem Soleimani, in Iraq.
Iran had vowed to avenge the killing, and Zarif suggested the Tuesday bombing may be the extent of Iran's planned retribution.
"We do not seek escalation or war, but will defend ourselves against any aggression," Zarif said.
President Trump projected an air of cheerful calm on Tuesday night, tweeting: "All is well! Missiles launched from Iran at two military bases located in Iraq."
He said damage is being assessed but, "So far, so good! We have the most powerful and well equipped military anywhere in the world, by far! I will be making a statement tomorrow morning."
In a statement, Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman said officials are working to assess the extent of the damage.
Hoffman added:
"In recent days and in response to Iranian threats and actions, the Department of Defense has taken all appropriate measures to safeguard our personnel and partners. These bases have been on high alert due to indications that the Iranian regime planned to attack our forces and interests in the region. "As we evaluate the situation and our response, we will take all necessary measures to protect and defend U.S. personnel, partners, and allies in the region."
There were no immediate reports of casualties.
White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham said Trump has been briefed on the situation and is monitoring it closely with his national security team.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Defense Secretary Mark Esper arrived at the White House late on Tuesday.
Hours earlier, Esper had cautioned that the administration expected Iran would "retaliate in some way shape or form," adding that it could come from proxy groups outside of Iran.
The Federal Aviation Administration has banned civilian flights over "Iraq, Iran, and the waters of the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman."
Iranian media outlets, meanwhile, report that Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard claimed responsibility for the attack, saying it was carried out in "hard revenge" for Soleimani.
"We are warning the US that if they take any further action, they will receive a harsher response," it said in a statement, according to state-run ISNA.
The organization also called on Americans to "prevent more damage by asking for their soldiers to be sent back home."
"They shouldn't let the lives of the military personnel be exposed to more potential danger because of the acts of their government."
Members of Congress, who have already expressed frustration with Trump for circumventing them before striking against Soleimani, are warning the U.S. cannot afford to start a war with Iran.
"We must ensure the safety of our service members, including ending needless provocations from the Administration and demanding that Iran cease its violence," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi wrote in a tweet.
"America & world cannot afford war," she added.
Pelosi was briefed on the Iranian attacks by Vice President Pence earlier in the evening, her staff said.
Florida Republican Marco Rubio said, "A full assessment is underway to determine an appropriate response."
Iran has used short-range ballistic missiles for attacks against ISIS, and also a deadly precision strike against Kurdish leaders in 2018.
All of Iran's ballistic missile forces are under the control of the IRGC Aerospace Force, Fabian Hinz, an expert on Iranian military and missile systems at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies, told NPR.
Hinz added that the Tuesday airstrike is not symbolic, but a serious attack.
This is a developing story. Some things reported by the media will later turn out to be wrong. We will focus on reports from officials and other authorities, credible news outlets and reporters who are at the scene. We will update as the situation develops.
NPR's Ayda Pourasad contributed to this report.


npr--2020-01-07--FBI Arrests New Jersey Police Sergeant Accused Of Stealing Money From Drug Suspects

FBI Arrests New Jersey Police Sergeant Accused Of Stealing Money From Drug Suspects A New Jersey police sergeant has been arrested and accused by federal authorities of stealing thousands of dollars in cash from suspects in drug cases and dividing up the money among officers he supervised .
The FBI arrested Paterson Police Sgt .
Michael Cheff , 49 , on federal civil rights violations and filing false records for routinely conducting illegal searches on people suspected of possessing large amounts of cash and drugs , according to charging documents filed on Tuesday .
Cheff is the eighth and highest-ranking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ corruption scandal that has rocked the police department in the North New Jersey city about an hour outside of New York City .
The criminal complaint alleges that in one incident , in November 2017 , police illegally pulled over a driver on suspicion of drug violations and stole money from him .
Authorities say police then arrested the suspect and drove to his apartment , where he lived with his mother .
As the suspect sat in the patrol vehicle handcuffed , the officers persuaded the suspect 's mother to consent to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cheff and two other officers to a safe containing drugs and thousands of dollars in cash .
The officers took the contents of the safe under the guise of evidence collection , but authorities say Cheff reported just a fraction of the money that was found as evidence and distributed the remainder to officers he supervised .
The suspect told investigators that he had about $ 2,700 in the safe .
Cheff reported he seized $ 319 during the search .
That 's according to the FBI charging documents , which did not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ federal authorities say was a victim in the case .
Authorities in their complaint also reveal text message exchanges among officers Cheff oversaw .
In the messages , the officers express surprise over Cheff 's alleged actions and make light of potential future civil rights violations .
`` Cheff got us for over a stack today , '' one of the New Jersey officers cooperating with the investigation boasted to his colleague .
`` He grabbed the cash ... gave me $ 139 ... then $ 160 later lol , '' the text @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the same officer texted his colleague : `` Everybody 's car is getting searched and everyone is getting asked if we can search their car .
And threaten to lock up their momma if they do n't let us search their house lmao . ''
As of Tuesday , federal court records did not list a defense lawyer for Cheff .
Cheff told his officers to report as evidence , or `` tag , '' some of the cash they were collecting from drug suspects , `` because effecting narcotics arrests without logging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' the FBI asserts in its complaint .
Five of the officers whom Cheff supervised have entered plea agreements for conspiring to stop and search vehicles illegally and stealing money from drivers .
All five are scheduled to be sentenced this month in federal court in Newark , N.J. '' It is deeply troubling when an officer who has sworn to uphold the law violates his oath and uses his badge as a license to commit a crime , '' said Gregory Ehrie , who leads the FBI 's Newark office , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when that officer not only supervises others who are engaging in illegal activity but also , as these charges allege , participates . ''
Officials in Paterson say Cheff is on unpaid suspension from his $ 134,000 city job .
Cheff has been a member of the city 's police force since 1996 , city records show .
`` We have zero tolerance for crooked cops in the Paterson Police Department , '' Mayor Andre Sayegh said in a statement to NPR .
`` This should serve as a cautionary tale that crime @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
Sayegh said measures to help improve police-community relations are underway , including adding body-worn cameras to the department and launching an audit of police operations and procedures .
`` These efforts together will show that the acts of a few are not a true reflection of the hard-working and honorable members of our police force , '' Sayegh said .
City officials noted that after 30 days , Cheff will start getting paid again but will remain suspended , citing the terms of the Paterson police union contract .
A judge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appearance for Cheff .

FBI Arrests New Jersey Police Sergeant Accused Of Stealing Money From Drug Suspects
Enlarge this image toggle caption Anadolu Agency via Getty Images Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
A New Jersey police sergeant has been arrested and accused by federal authorities of stealing thousands of dollars in cash from suspects in drug cases and dividing up the money among officers he supervised.
The FBI arrested Paterson Police Sgt. Michael Cheff, 49, on federal civil rights violations and filing false records for routinely conducting illegal searches on people suspected of possessing large amounts of cash and drugs, according to charging documents filed on Tuesday.
Cheff is the eighth and highest-ranking police officer arrested in connection with a corruption scandal that has rocked the police department in the North New Jersey city about an hour outside of New York City.
The criminal complaint alleges that in one incident, in November 2017, police illegally pulled over a driver on suspicion of drug violations and stole money from him.
Authorities say police then arrested the suspect and drove to his apartment, where he lived with his mother.
As the suspect sat in the patrol vehicle handcuffed, the officers persuaded the suspect's mother to consent to a search of their home, leading Cheff and two other officers to a safe containing drugs and thousands of dollars in cash.
The officers took the contents of the safe under the guise of evidence collection, but authorities say Cheff reported just a fraction of the money that was found as evidence and distributed the remainder to officers he supervised.
The suspect told investigators that he had about $2,700 in the safe. Cheff reported he seized $319 during the search. That's according to the FBI charging documents, which did not reveal the suspect's identity, who federal authorities say was a victim in the case.
Authorities in their complaint also reveal text message exchanges among officers Cheff oversaw. In the messages, the officers express surprise over Cheff's alleged actions and make light of potential future civil rights violations.
"Cheff got us for over a stack today," one of the New Jersey officers cooperating with the investigation boasted to his colleague.
"He grabbed the cash ... gave me $139 ... then $160 later lol," the text messages read.
In another message, the same officer texted his colleague: "Everybody's car is getting searched and everyone is getting asked if we can search their car. And threaten to lock up their momma if they don't let us search their house lmao."
As of Tuesday, federal court records did not list a defense lawyer for Cheff.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Paterson Police Department Paterson Police Department
Cheff told his officers to report as evidence, or "tag," some of the cash they were collecting from drug suspects, "because effecting narcotics arrests without logging money into evidence would otherwise raise questions," the FBI asserts in its complaint.
Five of the officers whom Cheff supervised have entered plea agreements for conspiring to stop and search vehicles illegally and stealing money from drivers. All five are scheduled to be sentenced this month in federal court in Newark, N.J.
"It is deeply troubling when an officer who has sworn to uphold the law violates his oath and uses his badge as a license to commit a crime," said Gregory Ehrie, who leads the FBI's Newark office, said. "It is doubly so when that officer not only supervises others who are engaging in illegal activity but also, as these charges allege, participates."
Officials in Paterson say Cheff is on unpaid suspension from his $134,000 city job. Cheff has been a member of the city's police force since 1996, city records show.
"We have zero tolerance for crooked cops in the Paterson Police Department," Mayor Andre Sayegh said in a statement to NPR. "This should serve as a cautionary tale that crime doesn't pay especially in law enforcement."
Sayegh said measures to help improve police-community relations are underway, including adding body-worn cameras to the department and launching an audit of police operations and procedures.
"These efforts together will show that the acts of a few are not a true reflection of the hard-working and honorable members of our police force," Sayegh said.
City officials noted that after 30 days, Cheff will start getting paid again but will remain suspended, citing the terms of the Paterson police union contract.
A judge has not yet set an initial court appearance for Cheff.


npr--2020-01-07--American Family Shot At In Mexico, 13-Year-Old Killed. FBI Offers Help In Probe

American Family Shot At In Mexico , 13-Year-Old Killed .
FBI Offers Help In Probe The FBI says it is offering help to authorities in Mexico investigating a shooting attack on an American family that killed a 13-year-old child and wounded others , including a 10-year-old relative , over the weekend .
The attack , according to The Associated Press , took place on a seldom-used road in the northeastern Mexican state of Tamaulipas , south of Texas on Saturday .
The AP reports that Tamaulipas Attorney General 's office said the child was a U.S. citizen and that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The FBI has offered assistance , all additional inquiries should be directed to the leading law enforcement agency Tamaulipas State Police , '' the FBI said in a statement to NPR Tuesday .
The family was driving in a pair of vehicles with Oklahoma plates along a two-lane highway which runs parallel to the U.S.-Mexico border , the AP reports .
The family was driving back to the U.S. after a holiday visit in Mexico .
Attackers in an SUV zipped passed the family , AP reports , cutting them off and causing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Then the gunmen shot at them .
`` Law enforcement authorities in Mexico have confirmed the death of the minor while three relatives remain at the hospital , '' the Mexican embassy in Washington , D.C. , said in a statement to NPR Tuesday .
`` Mexican federal agencies , including the National Guard and the Secretary of Defense , work closely with Tamaulipas government to further investigate and bring those responsible to justice . ''
The Mexican embassy did not offer a motive for the attack or identify any of the victims @ @ @ @ @ @ @ through an area controlled by criminal groups .
It adds : The attack took place just days after the U.S. State Department issued a security alert for the state of Tamaulipas , with a focus on the city Nuevo Laredo .
`` The Consulate continues to monitor reports of ongoing violence and blockades on major highways in Nuevo Laredo , '' the Jan. 2 advisory said .
The attack on the American family comes at a bloody time in the region .
The Texas-based Laredo Morning Times reports police on the U.S. of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ongoing violent clashes happening in the Sister City . ''
Webb County Sheriff Martin Cuellar told the paper at least three civilians died in separate crossfire that continues `` brewing '' in Nuevo Laredo .
The paper reports Cuellar said at least five men thought to be associated with the Cartel Del Noreste and a state police officer were killed in gun battles throughout the Mexican city in recent days .
`` ( The assailants ) were using AK-47 automatic weapons and 50-caliber weapons , a very serious type of weapon that it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cuellar said , according to the Laredo Morning Times .
The attack on the family in Tamaulipas share horrific similarities to an attack on other Americans traveling in Mexico two months ago .
In that attack three women and six children were killed in an ambush along a mountain road in northwest Mexico , roughly 70 miles south of the Mexico border with Arizona .
Mexican authorities at the time suspected that attack was carried out by criminals mistaking the Americans for members of a rival drug cartel .
As NPR reported at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in that investigation .

American Family Shot At In Mexico, 13-Year-Old Killed. FBI Offers Help In Probe
The FBI says it is offering help to authorities in Mexico investigating a shooting attack on an American family that killed a 13-year-old child and wounded others, including a 10-year-old relative, over the weekend.
The attack, according to The Associated Press, took place on a seldom-used road in the northeastern Mexican state of Tamaulipas, south of Texas on Saturday.
The AP reports that Tamaulipas Attorney General's office said the child was a U.S. citizen and that the parents were permanent U.S. residents.
"The FBI has offered assistance, all additional inquiries should be directed to the leading law enforcement agency Tamaulipas State Police," the FBI said in a statement to NPR Tuesday.
The family was driving in a pair of vehicles with Oklahoma plates along a two-lane highway which runs parallel to the U.S.-Mexico border, the AP reports. The family was driving back to the U.S. after a holiday visit in Mexico.
Attackers in an SUV zipped past the family, AP reports, cutting them off and causing the two family vehicles to collide. Then the gunmen shot at them.
"Law enforcement authorities in Mexico have confirmed the death of the minor while three relatives remain at the hospital," the Mexican embassy in Washington, D.C., said in a statement to NPR Tuesday.
"Mexican federal agencies, including the National Guard and the Secretary of Defense, work closely with Tamaulipas government to further investigate and bring those responsible to justice."
The Mexican embassy did not offer a motive for the attack or identify any of the victims. The AP says the highway runs through an area controlled by criminal groups. It adds:
"The highway on which they were shot is considered high risk. It runs through an area that's disputed by criminal groups, including the Gulf Cartel and Zetas. The road connects the city of Mier with Nueva Ciudad Guerrero, on the banks of the Rio Grande across the US–Mexico border from Falcon Heights, Texas."
The attack took place just days after the U.S. State Department issued a security alert for the state of Tamaulipas, with a focus on the city Nuevo Laredo.
"The Consulate continues to monitor reports of ongoing violence and blockades on major highways in Nuevo Laredo," the Jan. 2 advisory said.
The attack on the American family comes at a bloody time in the region. The Texas-based Laredo Morning Times reports police on the U.S. side of the border "continue to monitor the ongoing violent clashes happening in the Sister City."
Webb County Sheriff Martin Cuellar told the paper at least three civilians died in separate crossfire that continues "brewing" in Nuevo Laredo.
The paper reports Cuellar said at least five men thought to be associated with the Cartel Del Noreste and a state police officer were killed in gun battles throughout the Mexican city in recent days.
"(The assailants) were using AK-47 automatic weapons and 50-caliber weapons, a very serious type of weapon that it is only used military areas," Cuellar said, according to the Laredo Morning Times.
The attack on the family in Tamaulipas shares horrific similarities to an attack on other Americans traveling in Mexico two months ago.
In that attack three women and six children were killed in an ambush along a mountain road in northwest Mexico, roughly 70 miles south of the Mexico border with Arizona.
Mexican authorities at the time suspected that attack was carried out by criminals mistaking the Americans for members of a rival drug cartel. As NPR reported at the time, the FBI is assisting in that investigation.


npr--2020-01-07--War Powers Resolution On Iran Is Latest Attempt By Congress To Reclaim Clout

War Powers Resolution On Iran Is Latest Attempt By Congress To Reclaim Clout Kept in the dark beforehand and skeptical of claims the Trump administration made afterward to justify killing Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani last week in a drone strike , House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is promising swift action this week to reassert Congress ' war powers and rein in President Trump .
The promise follows a Twitter-transmitted dust-up over the weekend in which the House Foreign Affairs Committee advised Trump that constitutional war powers `` reside in Congress . ''
It wo n't be the first time Congress has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lawmakers fed up with an unending , divisive and losing war in Vietnam decided they had had enough of presidents dragging the nation into undeclared wars .
With large Democratic majorities in both the House and Senate , Congress overrode a veto by President Richard Nixon and enacted the 1973 War Powers Resolution .
`` We live in an age of undeclared war , which has meant Presidential war , '' the Senate Foreign Relations Committee wrote at the time in its report on the joint resolution .
`` Prolonged engagement in undeclared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dangerous imbalance in our Constitutional system of checks and balances . ''
The last time Congress had fulfilled its exclusive constitutional authority to formally declare war was during World War II .
That remains the case today .
The War Powers Resolution was essentially an attempt by Congress to wrest back its warmaking powers that had , in Cold War conflicts from Korea to Vietnam , effectively been ceded to presidents acting in their constitutional capacities as commanders in chief of the armed forces .
The measure 's stated purpose is to `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Congress and the President will apply to the introduction of the United States Armed Forces into hostilities , or situations where imminent involvement in hostilities is clearly indicated by the circumstances , and to the continued use of such forces in hostilities or in such situations . ''
Under this law , there are only three circumstances under which the president can order military forces into ongoing or imminent hostilities .
When : 1 .
Congress has declared war ; 2 .
Congress has provided `` specific statutory authorization '' to do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ emergency `` created by attack upon the United States , its territories or possessions , or its armed forces . ''
The president is also required `` in every possible instance '' to consult with Congress before engaging the armed forces in hostilities or situations in which hostilities are imminent .
Once military action has been taken , the War Powers Resolution calls for the president to submit in writing `` within 48 hours '' a report to the House Speaker and the Senate 's president pro tempore .
That presidential report must @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the constitutional and legislative authority for ordering that action , and that engagement 's estimated scope and duration .
Once such a report has been ( or should have been ) sent to congressional leaders , the president is given up to 60 days to terminate a military engagement .
That deadline goes away if Congress has either declared war or specifically authorized the action , passed a law extending the 60-day period , or if the president is `` physically unable '' to meet the deadline due to an armed attack on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an additional 30 days if the president certifies in writing that such time is needed for safely removing U.S. forces from hostilities .
It notes that Congress can at any time approve a concurrent resolution , which does not require a presidential signature , directing the president to remove American forces from hostilities beyond U.S. borders , as long as war has been neither declared nor authorized .
In his veto message , Nixon contends it is unconstitutional for Congress to approve a concurrent resolution not subject to presidential approval and passed by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a military engagement .
He also rejects the measure 's 60-day deadline for removing troops if Congress has not acted .
`` It would give every future Congress the ability to handcuff every future President , '' Nixon writes , `` merely by doing nothing and sitting still . ''
The U.S. Supreme Court in 1983 vindicates Nixon .
In a ruling on a different matter , the court renders unconstitutional the War Power Resolution 's provision that lets Congress approve concurrent resolutions ending military engagements which a president has no opportunity to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Congress to end a military engagement against a president 's wishes now requires two-thirds majorities in both chambers to overcome a presidential veto .
No Congress has been able to muster such a super-majority to halt military actions ordered by a president .
Late in 2018 , Trump issues the second veto of his presidency to block legislation passed under the War Powers Resolution that would have halted U.S. military assistance to Saudi Arabia in the war that kingdom was waging in Yemen .
Before ordering the airstrike that killed Soleimani , Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ provision requiring prior consultation with Congress for such an action .
Irate congressional Democrats are responding with yet another attempt to curb Trump 's military moves .
The War Powers Resolution announced by Pelosi mirrors a similar measure introduced this week in the Senate by Virginia Democrat Tim Kaine .
It requires the removal of U.S. forces from hostilities with Iran within 30 days of the joint resolution 's enactment , absent a formal declaration of war by Congress or specific authorization for the use of military force .
There is little indication @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were to pass in both chambers , could survive another virtually certain veto by Trump .

War Powers Resolution On Iran Is Latest Attempt By Congress To Reclaim Clout
Enlarge this image toggle caption Andrew Craft/Getty Images Andrew Craft/Getty Images
Kept in the dark beforehand and skeptical of claims the Trump administration made afterward to justify killing Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani last week in a drone strike, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is promising swift action this week to reassert Congress' war powers and rein in President Trump.
The promise follows a Twitter-transmitted dust-up over the weekend in which the House Foreign Affairs Committee advised Trump that constitutional war powers "reside in Congress."
It won't be the first time Congress has tried this.
Forty-seven years ago, lawmakers fed up with an unending, divisive and losing war in Vietnam decided they had had enough of presidents dragging the nation into undeclared wars.
With large Democratic majorities in both the House and Senate, Congress overrode a veto by President Richard Nixon and enacted the 1973 War Powers Resolution.
"We live in an age of undeclared war, which has meant Presidential war," the Senate Foreign Relations Committee wrote at the time in its report on the joint resolution. "Prolonged engagement in undeclared, Presidential war has created a most dangerous imbalance in our Constitutional system of checks and balances."
The last time Congress had fulfilled its exclusive constitutional authority to formally declare war was during World War II. That remains the case today.
The War Powers Resolution was essentially an attempt by Congress to wrest back its warmaking powers that had, in Cold War conflicts from Korea to Vietnam, effectively been ceded to presidents acting in their constitutional capacities as commanders in chief of the armed forces.
The measure's stated purpose is to "insure that the collective judgment of both the Congress and the President will apply to the introduction of the United States Armed Forces into hostilities, or situations where imminent involvement in hostilities is clearly indicated by the circumstances, and to the continued use of such forces in hostilities or in such situations."
Under this law, there are only three circumstances under which the president can order military forces into ongoing or imminent hostilities. When:
1. Congress has declared war;
2. Congress has provided "specific statutory authorization" to do so;
3. there is a national emergency "created by attack upon the United States, its territories or possessions, or its armed forces."
The president is also required "in every possible instance" to consult with Congress before engaging the armed forces in hostilities or situations in which hostilities are imminent.
Once military action has been taken, the War Powers Resolution calls for the president to submit in writing "within 48 hours" a report to the House Speaker and the Senate's president pro tempore.
That presidential report must describe the circumstances necessitating military action, the constitutional and legislative authority for ordering that action, and that engagement's estimated scope and duration.
Once such a report has been (or should have been) sent to congressional leaders, the president is given up to 60 days to terminate a military engagement. That deadline goes away if Congress has either declared war or specifically authorized the action, passed a law extending the 60-day period, or if the president is "physically unable" to meet the deadline due to an armed attack on the U.S.
The resolution also allows an additional 30 days if the president certifies in writing that such time is needed for safely removing U.S. forces from hostilities.
It notes that Congress can at any time approve a concurrent resolution, which does not require a presidential signature, directing the president to remove American forces from hostilities beyond U.S. borders, as long as war has been neither declared nor authorized.
In his veto message, Nixon contends it is unconstitutional for Congress to approve a concurrent resolution not subject to presidential approval and passed by simple majorities in both chambers to end a military engagement.
He also rejects the measure's 60-day deadline for removing troops if Congress has not acted. "It would give every future Congress the ability to handcuff every future President," Nixon writes, "merely by doing nothing and sitting still."
The U.S. Supreme Court in 1983 vindicates Nixon. In a ruling on a different matter, the court renders unconstitutional the War Power Resolution's provision that lets Congress approve concurrent resolutions ending military engagements which a president has no opportunity to veto.
That means any attempt by Congress to end a military engagement against a president's wishes now requires two-thirds majorities in both chambers to overcome a presidential veto.
No Congress has been able to muster such a super-majority to halt military actions ordered by a president.
Late in 2018, Trump issues the second veto of his presidency to block legislation passed under the War Powers Resolution that would have halted U.S. military assistance to Saudi Arabia in the war that kingdom was waging in Yemen.
Before ordering the airstrike that killed Soleimani, Trump fails to follow the War Powers Resolution provision requiring prior consultation with Congress for such an action.
Irate congressional Democrats are responding with yet another attempt to curb Trump's military moves.
The War Powers Resolution announced by Pelosi mirrors a similar measure introduced this week in the Senate by Virginia Democrat Tim Kaine. It requires the removal of U.S. forces from hostilities with Iran within 30 days of the joint resolution's enactment, absent a formal declaration of war by Congress or specific authorization for the use of military force.
There is little indication such a measure, even if it were to pass in both chambers, could survive another virtually certain veto by Trump.


npr--2020-01-07--Tangled In Campaign Finance Scandal, GOP Rep. Duncan Hunter To Resign Next Week

Tangled In Campaign Finance Scandal , GOP Rep. Duncan Hunter To Resign Next Week Embattled California Republican Rep. Duncan Hunter is set to resign from Congress on Jan. 13 after pleading guilty last month to misusing campaign funds .
Hunter had long decried the charges against him as politically motivated , but in early December he struck a deal to plead to just one count of illegal use of campaign funds .
He later said he would resign `` Shortly after the Holidays . ''
Hunter and his wife were accused of having used over $ 250,000 in campaign funds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ included family meals , medical bills , vacations , school tuition and even flying the family 's pet rabbit , Eggburt , cross-country .
Last summer , Margaret Hunter agreed to a plea deal that required her to testify against her husband ; the indictment also contained evidence of numerous extramarital affairs that the congressmen had .
Duncan Hunter , however , had maintained his innocence , but finally said he agreed to a deal to save his family , especially his children , from a public trial .
`` Whatever my time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that hit , '' Hunter told local TV station KUSI last month .
`` My only hope is that the judge does not sentence my wife to jail .
I think my kids need a mom in the home . ''
In a letter to both California Democratic Gov .
Gavin Newsom and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , D-Calif. , announcing his resignation , Hunter said he was most proud of his service on the House Armed Services Committee during his tenure .
Hunter joined the Marine Corps after the Sept. 11 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Iraq and Afghanistan .
Hunter was elected in 2008 to succeed his father , also named Duncan , in the solidly Republican San Diego-area seat .
Hunter — one of the first members of Congress to endorse President Trump — was n't seriously challenged for reelection until 2018 , when Democrats targeted his seat in the wake of the charges against him .
In a seat that Trump carried by 15 points , Hunter survived by only about 3 points .
Without Hunter on the ballot , Republicans should easily hold the seat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election within 14 days of the vacancy .
Among those seeking to replace him is former Rep. Darrell Issa , the powerful former chairman of the House Oversight Committee , who retired in 2018 .
Issa wo n't have a clear path though , with former San Diego City Councilman Carl DeMaio and other Republicans also running too .

Tangled In Campaign Finance Scandal, GOP Rep. Duncan Hunter To Resign Next Week
Enlarge this image toggle caption Denis Poroy/AP Denis Poroy/AP
Embattled California Republican Rep. Duncan Hunter is set to resign from Congress on Jan. 13 after pleading guilty last month to misusing campaign funds.
Hunter had long decried the charges against him as politically motivated, but in early December he struck a deal to plead to just one count of illegal use of campaign funds. He later said he would resign "Shortly after the Holidays."
Hunter and his wife were accused of having used over $250,000 in campaign funds for their own personal use, which included family meals, medical bills, vacations, school tuition and even flying the family's pet rabbit, Eggburt, cross-country.
Last summer, Margaret Hunter agreed to a plea deal that required her to testify against her husband; the indictment also contained evidence of numerous extramarital affairs that the congressmen had.
Duncan Hunter, however, had maintained his innocence, but finally said he agreed to a deal to save his family, especially his children, from a public trial.
"Whatever my time in custody is, I will take that hit," Hunter told local TV station KUSI last month. "My only hope is that the judge does not sentence my wife to jail. I think my kids need a mom in the home."
In a letter to both California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., announcing his resignation, Hunter said he was most proud of his service on the House Armed Services Committee during his tenure. Hunter joined the Marine Corps after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Hunter was elected in 2008 to succeed his father, also named Duncan, in the solidly Republican San Diego-area seat.
Hunter — one of the first members of Congress to endorse President Trump — wasn't seriously challenged for reelection until 2018, when Democrats targeted his seat in the wake of the charges against him. In a seat that Trump carried by 15 points, Hunter survived by only about 3 points.
Without Hunter on the ballot, Republicans should easily hold the seat; Newsom must call for a special election within 14 days of the vacancy. Among those seeking to replace him is former Rep. Darrell Issa, the powerful former chairman of the House Oversight Committee, who retired in 2018. Issa won't have a clear path though, with former San Diego City Councilman Carl DeMaio and other Republicans also running too.


npr--2020-01-07--Over 900 Infants Died In One Hospital In India In 2019. What Went Wrong?

Over 900 Infants Died In One Hospital In India In 2019 .
What Went Wrong ?
In December 2019 and in the first week of January , 104 infants died in a government-run hospital in Kota , a city in the northern Indian state of Rajasthan .
And in one 48-hour period in mid-December at the J.K. Lon Maternal and Child Hospital , there were ten deaths : five newborns and five children under 2 years of age .
The deaths made nationwide headlines , but despite the media coverage — and the ensuing political infighting over the cause of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new turn of events .
Over the course of 2019 , the hospital recorded 940 infant deaths .
Hospital authorities did not comment on specifics except to note that some of the infants had low birth weight .
The World Health Organization reports that babies who die within the first 28 days of birth often suffer from conditions and diseases associated with a lack of quality care at birth or in the days immediately after .
As the media ramped up coverage of this issue , the infant deaths became a political battleground @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Minister Narendra Modi 's party , and its main rival , the Congress , which is in power in Rajasthan , blamed each other for alleged administrative negligence and implied that the hospital had misused funds .
The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights ( NPCR ) , a government body with officials appointed by the BJP , examined the hospital in the last week of December .
Their report to the media described crumbling infrastructure , broken window panes and pigs roaming on campus .
On January 2 , India 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ press release stating that he would be inspecting the hospital along with a multidisciplinary team of pediatricians .
In a series of tweets , Vardhan said that 91.7 lakh rupees ( $ 127,629 ) had been advanced to J.K. Lon hospital in 2019 under the National Health Mission .
He pledged additional financial assistance to fight neonatal deaths .
This is n't a 2019 problem .
From 2012 to 2015 , 1.2 million children under age 5 died in India each year , accounting for 20 % of global deaths in that age @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Deaths in children younger than 5 years fell in India from about 2.5 million in 2001 to 1.5 million in 2012 .
The most recent annual number of under 5 deaths , reported in 2018 , is 989,167 .
Despite the evidence of improvement , which UNICEF has confirmed , the latest government statistics indicate that the problem remains severe in the northern Indian states of Madhya Pradesh , Rajasthan , Bihar , Assam and Uttar Pradesh .
For context on this issue , NPR reached out to Dr. Shiv Chandra Mathur @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mathur is a specialist in preventive and social medicine and author of the book Public Health in Rajasthan , published by the State Institute Of Health and Family Welfare , in 2007 .
Though Dr. Mathur was not a part of the team that inspected the hospital during this crisis , he has been teaching and strengthening primary health care and public health systems for over 40 years in the region and has specialized in maternal , newborn and child health as well as health sector reform .
This interview has been edited @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , we hear reports of infants dying soon after birth from causes that could have been prevented .
What kinds of conditions are responsible for tragedies like this ?
There are many factors to consider .
Doctors are often blamed but it 's not always medical negligence that causes these situations .
What problems can you identify ?
I would say a lack of proper infrastructure — a limited [ number of ] beds creating conditions of overcrowding , where newborns are placed closer together and at more risk for potential infection to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of ] hygiene all around public hospitals .
Also , in many government-run hospitals , neonatal intensive care units have a dearth of trained nursing staff .
Systems that ensure hygiene are lax .
For instance , there are no [ limits on ] visiting hours nor is there a bar on the number of visitors allowed into the hospital wards .
Visitors often do n't wear masks while entering NBCU [ Newborn Care Units ] .
Poor hygiene practice increases the risk of infection .
The chances of contracting life-threatening bacterial infections @ @ @ @ @ @ @ high , especially during the first month , when a child 's immune system is vulnerable .
Also , it is n't just within the hospital — there are threats from the outside too .
For instance , if you travel a one-mile radius around the J.K. Lon Maternal and Child Hospital in Kota , you can understand where the germs are coming from .
You 'll find open defecation , wild pigs , mired courtyards , often choked sewers , and indiscriminate tobacco spits .
In order to save lives , we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We need to change our behavior in and around hospital zones , for that matter all around human habitation !
Why do you think there were so many infant deaths reported in just the last month in that one hospital ?
Hypothermia is a killer .
And this year , winter in Rajasthan is said to be the worst in the last two decades .
According to reports , several incubators [ warmers ] were not functioning in the hospital in Kota , when the infants died .
There were broken windowpanes in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't in working condition , especially for premature and low-birth weight infants , it can be fatal .
Regular maintenance checks should be made to keep equipment functioning at peak efficiency .
Health-care workers must be trained better at operating the equipment .
It is important to advocate kangaroo care [ a method of holding premature infants so that there is skin-skin contact which keeps them warm ] and to monitor neonates constantly .
The right antenatal care can make all the difference .
But there is a severe shortage of trained staff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ care across India .
So you think better training is needed for health-care workers .
Yes , better training is needed at every level of public health hierarchy .
The government of India launched the National Rural Health Mission in 2005 to help public health system of each state .
The IPHS — Indian Public Health Standards — were developed at [ rural ] health facilities .
Central government support to every state government is generously available for rural health centers .
Even after one-and-half decades of such a support system , large @ @ @ @ @ @ @ come up to IPHS standards because there are severe shortages in doctors and medical staff in rural areas .
Keep in mind that the numbers of public health centers in Indian states are very large .
It 's an enormous operation .
But we do n't have enough manpower to go around — lesser numbers of doctors are working in public health .
Are there efforts to educate parents on this and other issues about neonatal health ?
Anganwadi Workers [ government appointed workers in rural child care and health centers in India @ @ @ @ @ @ @ activists ] have a great responsibility in educating parents about prenatal and postnatal care .
They should have more intensive training .
The effectiveness of their work will reflect in how well women are prepared mentally and physically for birth .
Do you believe that India is making progress in infant mortality , despite these setbacks ?
Public health interventions have made a substantial change .
Four decades ago , in 1975 , we were losing as many as 124 infants [ for every 1,000 live births ] in Rajasthan .
Today , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We are making progress , but to see more of an impact at this stage , we need more focused interventions .
How do you judge the reaction of the government ?
Rather than politicizing the issue , or suspending doctors and demoralizing them when tragedies like this occur , bureaucracies controlling public health systems need to be more sensitive , empathetic and draw lessons to facilitate and expedite the implementation of public health policy .
This is such a tragedy for the parents .
How does the medical community react ?
Death @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feel the loss of every preventable death acutely .
Kamala Thiagarajan is a freelance journalist based in Madurai , India , who has written for The International New York Times , BBC Travel and Forbes India .
You can follow her @ kamal_t .

Over 900 Infants Died In One Hospital In India In 2019. What Went Wrong?
toggle caption @RajGovOfficial/Twitter screengrab by NPR
In December 2019 and in the first week of January, 104 infants died in a government-run hospital in Kota, a city in the northern Indian state of Rajasthan.
And in one 48-hour period in mid-December at the J.K. Lon Maternal and Child Hospital, there were ten deaths: five newborns and five children under 2 years of age.
The deaths made nationwide headlines, but despite the media coverage — and the ensuing political infighting over the cause of the deaths — this is not a new turn of events. Over the course of 2019, the hospital recorded 940 infant deaths.
Hospital authorities did not comment on specifics except to note that some of the infants had low birth weight. The World Health Organization reports that babies who die within the first 28 days of birth often suffer from conditions and diseases associated with a lack of quality care at birth or in the days immediately after.
As the media ramped up coverage of this issue, the infant deaths became a political battleground. Members of the BJP, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's party, and its main rival, the Congress, which is in power in Rajasthan, blamed each other for alleged administrative negligence and implied that the hospital had misused funds. The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NPCR), a government body with officials appointed by the BJP, examined the hospital in the last week of December. Their report to the media described crumbling infrastructure, broken window panes and pigs roaming on campus.
On January 2, India's health minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan issued a press release stating that he would be inspecting the hospital along with a multidisciplinary team of pediatricians. In a series of tweets, Vardhan said that 91.7 lakh rupees ($127,629) had been advanced to J.K. Lon hospital in 2019 under the National Health Mission. He pledged additional financial assistance to fight neonatal deaths.
This isn't a 2019 problem. From 2012 to 2015, 1.2 million children under age 5 died in India each year, accounting for 20%of global deaths in that age range.
Some progress has been made. Deaths in children younger than 5 years fell in India from about 2.5 million in 2001 to 1.5 million in 2012. The most recent annual number of under 5 deaths, reported in 2018, is 989,167.
Despite the evidence of improvement, which UNICEF has confirmed, the latest government statistics indicate that the problem remains severe in the northern Indian states of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Bihar, Assam and Uttar Pradesh.
For context on this issue, NPR reached out to Dr. Shiv Chandra Mathur, based in Jaipur, Rajasthan. Mathur is a specialist in preventive and social medicine and author of the book Public Health in Rajasthan, published by the State Institute Of Health and Family Welfare, in 2007. Though Dr. Mathur was not a part of the team that inspected the hospital during this crisis, he has been teaching and strengthening primary health care and public health systems for over 40 years in the region and has specialized in maternal, newborn and child health as well as health sector reform. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Every year, we hear reports of infants dying soon after birth from causes that could have been prevented. What kinds of conditions are responsible for tragedies like this?
There are many factors to consider. Doctors are often blamed but it's not always medical negligence that causes these situations.
What problems can you identify?
I would say a lack of proper infrastructure — a limited [number of] beds creating conditions of overcrowding, where newborns are placed closer together and at more risk for potential infection to spread, as well as [lack of] hygiene all around public hospitals. Also, in many government-run hospitals, neonatal intensive care units have a dearth of trained nursing staff.
Systems that ensure hygiene are lax. For instance, there are no [limits on] visiting hours nor is there a bar on the number of visitors allowed into the hospital wards. Visitors often don't wear masks while entering NBCU [Newborn Care Units]. Poor hygiene practice increases the risk of infection. The chances of contracting life-threatening bacterial infections like septicemia [blood poisoning] are high, especially during the first month, when a child's immune system is vulnerable.
Also, it isn't just within the hospital — there are threats from the outside too. For instance, if you travel a one-mile radius around the J.K. Lon Maternal and Child Hospital in Kota, you can understand where the germs are coming from. You'll find open defecation, wild pigs, mired courtyards, often choked sewers, and indiscriminate tobacco spits.
In order to save lives, we need a sharper focus on sanitation. We need to change our behavior in and around hospital zones, for that matter all around human habitation!
Why do you think there were so many infant deaths reported in just the last month in that one hospital?
Hypothermia is a killer. And this year, winter in Rajasthan is said to be the worst in the last two decades. According to reports, several incubators [warmers] were not functioning in the hospital in Kota, when the infants died. There were broken windowpanes in the hospital.
If enough warmers aren't in working condition, especially for premature and low-birth weight infants, it can be fatal. Regular maintenance checks should be made to keep equipment functioning at peak efficiency. Health-care workers must be trained better at operating the equipment. It is important to advocate kangaroo care [a method of holding premature infants so that there is skin-skin contact which keeps them warm] and to monitor neonates constantly. The right antenatal care can make all the difference. But there is a severe shortage of trained staff who can provide [neonatal] nursing care across India.
So you think better training is needed for health-care workers.
Yes, better training is needed at every level of public health hierarchy.
The government of India launched the National Rural Health Mission in 2005 to help public health system of each state. The IPHS — Indian Public Health Standards — were developed at [rural] health facilities.
Central government support to every state government is generously available for rural health centers. Even after one-and-half decades of such a support system, large numbers of health facilities have yet to come up to IPHS standards because there are severe shortages in doctors and medical staff in rural areas.
Keep in mind that the numbers of public health centers in Indian states are very large. It's an enormous operation. But we don't have enough manpower to go around — lesser numbers of doctors are working in public health.
Are there efforts to educate parents on this and other issues about neonatal health?
Anganwadi Workers [government appointed workers in rural child care and health centers in India] and ASHA [accredited social health activists] have a great responsibility in educating parents about prenatal and postnatal care. They should have more intensive training. The effectiveness of their work will reflect in how well women are prepared mentally and physically for birth.
Do you believe that India is making progress in infant mortality, despite these setbacks?
Public health interventions have made a substantial change. Four decades ago, in 1975, we were losing as many as 124 infants [for every 1,000 live births] in Rajasthan. Today, that number is less than 38. We are making progress, but to see more of an impact at this stage, we need more focused interventions.
How do you judge the reaction of the government?
Rather than politicizing the issue, or suspending doctors and demoralizing them when tragedies like this occur, bureaucracies controlling public health systems need to be more sensitive, empathetic and draw lessons to facilitate and expedite the implementation of public health policy.
This is such a tragedy for the parents. How does the medical community react?
Death diminishes everyone — doctors and health-care workers feel the loss of every preventable death acutely.
Kamala Thiagarajan is a freelance journalist based in Madurai, India, who has written for The International New York Times, BBC Travel and Forbes India. You can follow her @kamal_t.