npr--2020-02-10--Troops Occupy El Salvador's Legislature To Back President's Crime Package

Heavily armed police and soldiers in El Salvador briefly occupied the country 's parliament on Sunday in a literal show of force supporting legislation to better equip them .
The Armed Forces and National Civil Police troops , carrying rifles and dressed in battle fatigues and tactical gear , entered the building after President Nayib Bukele failed to push through approval of a $ 109 million equipment loan .
The loan is part of Bukele 's broader multi-phase Territorial Control Plan to crackdown on El Salvador 's rampant gang problem .
The loan is meant to buy police vehicles , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ helicopter .
The move by the soldiers , ordered by Bukele , drew condemnation from the opposition , which controls the Legislative Assembly .
They labeled it an act of intimidation and accused the president of acting like a dictator .
Earlier , Bukele had issued a call for supporters to descend on the Legislative Assembly to force passage of the loan .
Thousands responded .
In a speech addressing them outside the parliament building , the charismatic 38-year-old former businessman and mayor of San Salvador who assumed the presidency in June , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the chamber .
`` If we wanted to press the button , we would press the button '' and remove lawmakers from the legislature , he told supporters , according to The Associated Press .
`` But I asked God and God told me : patience , patience , patience .
On February 28 [ 2021 ] all these scoundrels are heading out the door , '' he said , referring to the next parliamentary elections .
`` If these scoundrels do not approve [ the loan for ] the Territorial Control @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Sunday , '' he said , setting a week deadline .
The showdown came after a majority of members of parliament opted to sit out debate on the loan plan , leaving the parliament without a quorum .
The opposition right-wing ARENA and leftist FMLN parties say they want more details on the spending plan before a vote .
U.S.-based Human Rights Watch called the move by security forces in parliament `` an exhibition of brute force '' and called for a meeting of the Organization of American States .
In a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Human Rights called for `` dialog and full respect for democratic institutions to guarantee the rule of law , including the independence of the branches of public power . ''

Troops Occupy El Salvador's Legislature To Back President's Crime Package
Enlarge this image toggle caption Salvador Melendez/AP Salvador Melendez/AP
Heavily armed police and soldiers in El Salvador briefly occupied the country's parliament building on Sunday in a literal show of force supporting legislation to better equip them.
The Armed Forces and National Civil Police troops, carrying rifles and dressed in battle fatigues and tactical gear, entered the building after President Nayib Bukele failed to push through approval of a $109 million equipment loan.
The loan is part of Bukele's broader multiphase Territorial Control Plan to crack down on El Salvador's rampant gang problem. The loan is meant to buy police vehicles, uniforms, video surveillance equipment and a helicopter.
The move by the soldiers, ordered by Bukele, drew condemnation from the opposition, which controls the Legislative Assembly. They labeled it an act of intimidation and accused the president of acting like a dictator.
Earlier, Bukele had issued a call for supporters to descend on the Legislative Assembly to force passage of the loan. Thousands responded.
In a speech addressing them outside the building, the charismatic 38-year-old former mayor of San Salvador who assumed the presidency in June threatened to have opposition lawmakers forcibly removed from the chamber.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Marvin Recinos/AFP via Getty Images Marvin Recinos/AFP via Getty Images
"If we wanted to press the button, we would press the button" and remove lawmakers from the legislature, he told supporters, according to The Associated Press.
"But I asked God and God told me: patience, patience, patience. On Feb. 28 [2021] all these scoundrels are heading out the door," he said, referring to the next parliamentary elections.
"If these scoundrels do not approve [the loan for] the Territorial Control Plan, we will summon them here on Sunday," he said, setting a week deadline.
The showdown came after a majority of members of parliament opted to sit out debate on the loan plan, leaving the voting body without a quorum. The opposition right-wing ARENA and leftist FMLN parties say they want more details on the spending plan before a vote.
U.S.-based Human Rights Watch called the move by security forces "an exhibition of brute force" and called for a meeting of the Organization of American States.
In a statement, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights called for "dialog and full respect for democratic institutions to guarantee the rule of law, including the independence of the branches of public power."


npr--2020-02-10--Trump To Again Propose Slashing Foreign Aid In Budget

Trump To Again Propose Slashing Foreign Aid In Budget President Trump will propose $ 4.4 trillion in spending cuts over the next decade in his budget for fiscal year 2021 — a document that is expected to be quickly dismissed by the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives .
The proposal will include slashing foreign aid by 21 % , an administration official confirmed to NPR , on condition of anonymity .
The top-line numbers were first reported by the Wall Street Journal .
Trump has proposed massive cuts to aid in each of his budget proposals .
Congress , which holds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ignored those past requests .
The proposal immediately drew fire from retired Admiral Mike Mullen , who was chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 2007 to 2011 .
`` The more we cut the international affairs budget , the higher the risk for longer and deadlier military operations , '' Mullen said in a letter to congressional leaders .
The budget , set for release at 12:30 p.m .
ET on Monday , is expected to highlight Trump 's priorities on border security , tax cuts , space exploration and other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a second term in the November presidential election .
Trump 's political rivals are expected to scour the budget for details they can brandish on the campaign trail — particularly any signs that Trump wants to cut mandatory spending on safety net programs like Medicare and Social Security .
Trump was asked in a CNBC interview last month whether cuts to `` entitlements '' would ever be considered .
`` At some point they will be .
We have tremendous growth , '' Trump said .
`` And at the right time , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
On Saturday , Trump said on Twitter that this was not the right time .
The White House and Congress negotiated a two-year spending deal last year that sets overall spending numbers for 2020 and 2021 .
But in details that began to leak out ahead of the budget 's release , there were signs that the document would ignore that spending agreement and include cuts to social programs .
Rep. John Yarmuth ( D-Ky. ) , the chairman of the House Budget Committee , said he expected the document to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Budget hawks have long urged curbs on spending — particularly on the big-ticket entitlement programs — to address the debt and deficit .
Trump promised to eliminate the U.S. debt in eight years when he was first elected .
But his budget comes as the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimated government spending outpaced revenues by about $ 900 billion in 2019 , and said the deficit will balloon to more than $ 1 trillion each year beginning in 2022 .
Trump 's new budget proposal projects that the deficit can be trimmed by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sees a balanced budget possible in 15 years , said the administration official .

Trump Again Proposes Slashing Foreign Aid In Budget
Enlarge this image toggle caption Samuel Corum/Getty Images Samuel Corum/Getty Images
Updated at 1:45 p.m. ET
President Trump proposed $4.4 trillion in spending cuts over the next decade in his budget for fiscal year 2021 — a document that is expected to be quickly dismissed by the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives.
The proposal included slashing foreign aid by 21%. Budget chief Russell Vought said the White House wants to boost funding for the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation while cutting other types of foreign aid.
"Our view is that we have trillion-dollar deficits as far as the eye can see, and we have to take care of our deficits and those numbers need to get down," Vought said in an interview with NPR's Steve Inskeep.
Trump has proposed massive cuts to aid in each of his budget proposals. Congress, which holds the power of the purse, has ignored those past requests.
"Democrats in Congress have opposed his previous budgets. We hope that changes. We probably need to have a national election before it does," Vought said.
The proposed foreign aid cuts immediately drew fire from retired Adm. Mike Mullen, who was chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 2007 to 2011. "The more we cut the international affairs budget, the higher the risk for longer and deadlier military operations," Mullen said in a letter to congressional leaders.
The $4.875 trillion budget highlighted Trump's priorities on border security, tax cuts, space exploration and other policies he may pursue if he wins a second term in the November presidential election.
Veterans Affairs and NASA were the biggest winners, while the EPA and Army Corps of Engineers saw big declines. The largest declines were seen at the Commerce Department — that's because the 2020 census will have concluded, accounting for the drawdown in spending.
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Trump's political rivals are expected to scour the budget for details they can brandish on the campaign trail — particularly any signs that Trump wants to cut mandatory spending on safety net programs such as Medicare and Social Security.
Trump was asked in a CNBC interview last month whether cuts to "entitlements" would ever be considered. "At some point they will be. We have tremendous growth," Trump said. "And at the right time, we will take a look at that."
On Saturday, Trump said on Twitter that this was not the right time.
"We're not touching Medicare, we want to keep Medicare, we're not touching Social Security," Trump told governors at the White House on Monday. "We're not decreasing Medicaid but we're doing a lot of things that are very good including [addressing] waste and fraud," he said.
The White House and Congress negotiated a two-year spending deal last year that sets overall spending numbers for 2020 and 2021, another factor that will curb Trump's ambitions.
The budget envisions $135 billion in savings for prescription drugs in the Medicare program, Vought said, a signal that the White House hopes Congress can agree on a plan to lower drug prices. The House passed a bill in December, which the White House promptly rejected.
Trump has praised a plan proposed by Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley and the Senate Finance Committee. But so far, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has not endorsed it.
Budget hawks have long urged curbs on spending — particularly on the big-ticket entitlement programs — to address the debt and deficit. Trump promised to eliminate the U.S. debt in eight years when he was first elected.
But his budget comes as the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimated government spending outpaced revenues by about $900 billion in 2019 and said the deficit will balloon to more than $1 trillion each year beginning in 2022.
Trump's new budget proposal projects that the deficit can be trimmed by $4.6 trillion over a decade and sees a balanced budget possible in 15 years, Vought said.
That relies on the economy growing at 2.8% this year and 3% thereafter — growth that exceeds the outlook from the Federal Reserve, Congressional Budget Office and private forecasters. Actual GDP growth was 2.9% in 2018 and slowed to 2.3% in 2019.
NPR chief economics correspondent Scott Horsley contributed to this story.


npr--2020-02-10--Connecticut School Board Reinstates Mascot Native Americans Called Demeaning

The high school sports teams in Killingly , Conn. , are the Redmen again .
That name – and `` Redgals , '' the nickname for the school 's girls ' teams — was replaced last year at the urging of students and local Native Americans .
But now , at a time when many American schools are moving away from Native American mascots , Killingly is choosing a different direction .
`` I 'm even , like , embarrassed that I have Redmen on my gym floor right now , '' said sophomore Jessica Long , referencing a big @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Killingly High School .
`` It 's embarrassing to be connected to a school that , even though they did the right thing before , they went back to the wrong thing . ''
Killingly 's school board voted last summer to replace Redmen on the recommendation of the Nipmuc Nation , a tribe indigenous to central Massachusetts , northeastern Connecticut and northwestern Rhode Island .
The student body then chose a new name in the fall .
It wanted to be called the Red Hawks .
But this year , the board @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Redmen restored .
They reversed the decision on Jan. 8 .
Norm Ferron was one of five board members to vote yes in a 5-4 decision .
He was so frustrated over the previous decision to get rid of the mascot that he ran for a school board seat last fall .
`` I felt like the whole thing was rushed and a lot of misinformation was put out and a lot of emotional knee-jerk reactions were looked at instead of basically looking at the facts , '' Ferron said .
But the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tribe told the board back in July that any logo or nickname intended to depict Native Americans is offensive .
`` The Nipmuc Nation Tribal Council has very publicly decried the use of Native American mascots , even when the organization using said mascots believes that they are in some way flattering or used as a means of honoring Native Americans , '' wrote Nipmuc Nation Tribal Council Chairman Kenneth Gould Sr. in a letter to the board .
`` Native American mascots , often portrayed as caricatures or cartoons , are demeaning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opinion that they should not be used . ''
That statement from the Nipmuc Nation is what prompted the mascot change in the first place .
The move was consistent with how schools were acting across the U.S. — high schools such as Menomonee Falls in Wisconsin and Teton High School in Idaho , which shed Native American mascot names .
Barbi Gardiner , who graduated from Killingly High almost 30 years ago , has been outspoken about the need to ditch the mascot .
She 's a member of the Chaubunagungamaug band @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't honor someone who just does n't feel honored by that , '' Gardiner said .
`` Naming a team a skin color in 2020 is just ridiculous really . ''
Even though many students agree with Gardiner 's position , Killingly High School senior Justin Maiato said he 's not one of them .
`` I think it should stay as the Redmen because , since I was born , this place has been the Redmen — it 's been a Redmen family and it should n't change , '' Maiato said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jessica Long , 15 , worries she 'll be forced to wear something with that name on it in the spring .
She plays tennis .
She has Redgals sweatshirts from last year that she wo n't wear .
`` I 'm embarrassed to wear them outside of my house to school or anything like that because I do n't want to represent that , '' Long said .
Long said she 's writing a letter to state lawmakers to urge them to ban Native American mascots , something Maine did last May @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Representatives said Wednesday that a proposal to enact a ban will soon be up for debate .

Connecticut School Board Reinstates Mascot Native Americans Called Demeaning
Enlarge this image toggle caption Joe Amon/Connecticut Public Radio Joe Amon/Connecticut Public Radio
The high school sports teams in Killingly, Conn., are the Redmen again.
That name – and "Redgals," the nickname for the school's girls' teams — was replaced last year at the urging of students and local Native Americans.
But now, at a time when many American schools are moving away from Native American mascots, Killingly is choosing a different direction.
"I'm even, like, embarrassed that I have Redmen on my gym floor right now," said sophomore Jessica Long, referencing a big school decal stuck to the hardwood of Killingly High School. "It's embarrassing to be connected to a school that, even though they did the right thing before, they went back to the wrong thing."
Killingly's school board voted last summer to replace Redmen on the recommendation of the Nipmuc Nation, a tribe indigenous to central Massachusetts, northeastern Connecticut and northwestern Rhode Island. The student body then chose a new name in the fall. It wanted to be called the Red Hawks.
But this year, the board had new members, and they wanted Redmen restored. They reversed the decision on Jan. 8.
Norm Ferron was one of five board members to vote yes in a 5-4 decision. He was so frustrated over the previous decision to get rid of the mascot that he ran for a school board seat last fall.
National Pennsylvania School District Could Be Forced To Ax Controversial Mascot Pennsylvania School District Could Be Forced To Ax Controversial Mascot Listen · 3:42 3:42
"I felt like the whole thing was rushed and a lot of misinformation was put out and a lot of emotional knee-jerk reactions were looked at instead of basically looking at the facts," Ferron said.
He believes the mascot honors Native Americans.
But the Nipmuc Nation doesn't agree. The tribe told the board back in July that any logo or nickname intended to depict Native Americans is offensive.
"The Nipmuc Nation Tribal Council has very publicly decried the use of Native American mascots, even when the organization using said mascots believes that they are in some way flattering or used as a means of honoring Native Americans," wrote Nipmuc Nation Tribal Council Chairman Kenneth Gould Sr. in a letter to the board. "Native American mascots, often portrayed as caricatures or cartoons, are demeaning to Native Americans and it is our opinion that they should not be used."
That statement from the Nipmuc Nation is what prompted the mascot change in the first place.
The move was consistent with how schools were acting across the U.S. — high schools such as Menomonee Falls in Wisconsin and Teton High School in Idaho, which shed Native American mascot names.
Barbi Gardiner, who graduated from Killingly High almost 30 years ago, has been outspoken about the need to ditch the mascot. She's a member of the Chaubunagungamaug band of Nipmuck Indians.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Joe Amon/Connecticut Public Radio Joe Amon/Connecticut Public Radio
"You can't honor someone who just doesn't feel honored by that," Gardiner said. "Naming a team a skin color in 2020 is just ridiculous really."
Even though many students agree with Gardiner's position, Killingly High School senior Justin Maiato said he's not one of them.
"I think it should stay as the Redmen because, since I was born, this place has been the Redmen — it's been a Redmen family and it shouldn't change," Maiato said.
Now that Redmen is back, Jessica Long, 15, worries she'll be forced to wear something with that name on it in the spring. She plays tennis. She has Redgals sweatshirts from last year that she won't wear.
"I'm embarrassed to wear them outside of my house to school or anything like that because I don't want to represent that," Long said.
Long said she's writing a letter to state lawmakers to urge them to ban Native American mascots, something Maine did last May. The speaker of Connecticut's House of Representatives said Wednesday that a proposal to enact a ban will soon be up for debate.


npr--2020-02-10--Preparing For The End Of The World, On A Budget

Preparing For The End Of The World , On A Budget At first glance , this modest home nestled against a hillside in the mountains somewhere west of Colorado Springs appears to have all the amenities you 'd expect in a quiet retreat .
There 's even a two-story tower built right in .
An otherwise peaceful place to catch the 360-degree view of winter 's splendor .
`` [ It 's a ] really nice place to sit and vacation — enjoy .
But , if necessary , it 's a guard post , '' Drew Miller pointed out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intelligence officer with 30 years of experience , Miller would know a good defensible spot when he sees it .
Miller is a self-described `` prepper , '' someone who makes active preparations to survive the fall of human civilization .
The nationwide prepper community is often painted as composed of conspiracy-crazed eccentrics , he said , thanks in large part to television shows such as the National Geographic Channel 's Doomsday Preppers .
`` These are people who are smartly concerned , who want some insurance so that if the electric system @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you know , they can survive , '' he said .
This idyllic mountain retreat that Miller owns is a business venture he calls Fortitude Ranch .
It 's part of a chain of properties with a business model akin to a prepper 's country club or a doomsday timeshare .
Marketing to the annihilation-conscious is not a new idea .
Businesses such as Survival Condo have specialized in fortified homes and extravagant underground bunkers for decades .
`` They have absolutely gorgeous facilities , fancy rooms , '' Miller said .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
Instead , Fortitude Ranch seeks to capture a solidly middle-class market .
The rust-colored home with the tower is at the company 's second Colorado location ; it 's currently under construction .
There 's another ranch in West Virginia and others planned for California , Wisconsin and Nevada .
The Fortitude Ranch slogan is `` prepare for the worst , enjoy the present . ''
For an annual fee of about $ 1,000 per person , members receive 10 days ' lodging at the ranch location of their choice per @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spartan may be a more accurate term .
Yet , the properties are in secluded , wild and scenic places that Miller hopes will make the fee worth it for the right customers .
As he hefted the assault-style rifle slung over his shoulder , a sidearm on his hip , Miller toured the soon-to-be-finished property on a recent snowy morning .
While several of the guard positions are built and future locations of additional buildings are marked on the ground , the place looks nothing like he said it would if or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
For one thing , there are no bunkhouses or high wooden walls that surround the fort , partly because he does n't want passersby to know his property is a prepper ranch .
It 's also because tasks such as building the walls will be the members ' responsibility .
He argued that it will be important for their mental health in a disaster situation .
`` If you 're just sitting around with nothing to do , you 're going to be worrying about , you know , 'What happened to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ So we wan na keep people busy , '' he said .
If the structures of society crumble , Miller envisions each Fortitude Ranch location as a protected community of about 50 people , up to a maximum of 500 .
Initially , there will be supplies and food on-site to last a full year .
However , once members fall into a routine of gardening , hunting and fishing in the adjacent national forest , Miller said , it should be sustainable in the long term .
Fortitude Ranch currently has about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the prepper industry is slow , Miller said , but all it takes is one big scare for his open membership spots to sell out .
As worries spread about coronavirus , plus the recent announcement that the Doomsday Clock has ticked closer than it ever has to midnight , Miller may yet find that there are even business opportunities in the apocalypse .
For those not ready to dive into full membership , there 's a cryptocurrency that Miller calls a Fortitude token .
It affords the holder benefits such as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the news cause a sudden spike in demand .
Whichever way they approach it , members can leave the `` prepping '' to Miller .
`` I do n't have to ask my members for permission to do things , '' he said .
`` We set the rules , run the show , and we 've got the expertise to make sure that we can survive the worst disaster . ''

Preparing For The End Of The World, On A Budget
Enlarge this image toggle caption Hart Van Denburg/Colorado Public Radio Hart Van Denburg/Colorado Public Radio
At first glance, this modest home nestled against a hillside in the mountains somewhere west of Colorado Springs appears to have all the amenities you'd expect in a quiet retreat. There's even a two-story tower built right in. An otherwise peaceful place to catch the 360-degree view of winter's splendor.
"[It's a] really nice place to sit and vacation — enjoy. But, if necessary, it's a guard post," Drew Miller pointed out.
A Harvard Ph.D. and former military intelligence officer with 30 years of experience, Miller would know a good defensible spot when he sees it. Miller is a self-described "prepper," someone who makes active preparations to survive the fall of human civilization. The nationwide prepper community is often painted as composed of conspiracy-crazed eccentrics, he said, thanks in large part to television shows such as the National Geographic Channel's Doomsday Preppers.
It's a reputation he soundly rejects.
"These are people who are smartly concerned, who want some insurance so that if the electric system goes down, a pandemic occurs, you know, they can survive," he said.
This idyllic mountain retreat that Miller owns is a business venture he calls Fortitude Ranch. It's part of a chain of properties with a business model akin to a prepper's country club or a doomsday timeshare.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Hart Van Denburg/Colorado Public Radio Hart Van Denburg/Colorado Public Radio
Marketing to the annihilation-conscious is not a new idea. Businesses such as Survival Condo have specialized in fortified homes and extravagant underground bunkers for decades.
"They have absolutely gorgeous facilities, fancy rooms," Miller said. "But not many people can afford it."
Instead, Fortitude Ranch seeks to capture a solidly middle-class market. The rust-colored home with the tower is at the company's second Colorado location; it's currently under construction. There's another ranch in West Virginia and others planned for California, Wisconsin and Nevada.
Until the end times
The Fortitude Ranch slogan is "prepare for the worst, enjoy the present." For an annual fee of about $1,000 per person, members receive 10 days' lodging at the ranch location of their choice per year.
It's not luxurious; spartan may be a more accurate term. Yet, the properties are in secluded, wild and scenic places that Miller hopes will make the fee worth it for the right customers.
As he hefted the assault-style rifle slung over his shoulder, a sidearm on his hip, Miller toured the soon-to-be-finished property on a recent snowy morning. While several of the guard positions are built and future locations of additional buildings are marked on the ground, the place looks nothing like he said it would if or when a national or global catastrophe unfolded.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Hart Van Denburg/Colorado Public Radio Hart Van Denburg/Colorado Public Radio
For one thing, there are no bunkhouses or high wooden walls that surround the fort, partly because he doesn't want passersby to know his property is a prepper ranch. It's also because tasks such as building the walls will be the members' responsibility. He argued that it will be important for their mental health in a disaster situation.
"If you're just sitting around with nothing to do, you're going to be worrying about, you know, 'What happened to my daughter in San Francisco?' So we wanna keep people busy," he said.
If the structures of society crumble, Miller envisions each Fortitude Ranch location as a protected community of about 50 people, up to a maximum of 500. Initially, there will be supplies and food on-site to last a full year. However, once members fall into a routine of gardening, hunting and fishing in the adjacent national forest, Miller said, it should be sustainable in the long term.
Waiting for demand
Fortitude Ranch currently has about 150 paying members nationwide. Growth in the prepper industry is slow, Miller said, but all it takes is one big scare for his open membership spots to sell out.
As worries spread about coronavirus, plus the recent announcement that the Doomsday Clock has ticked closer than it ever has to midnight, Miller may yet find that there are even business opportunities in the apocalypse.
For those not ready to dive into full membership, there's a cryptocurrency that Miller calls a Fortitude token. It affords the holder benefits such as a membership discount or priority registration should something in the news cause a sudden spike in demand. Whichever way they approach it, members can leave the "prepping" to Miller.
"I don't have to ask my members for permission to do things," he said. "[My staff and I] set the rules, run the show, and we've got the expertise to make sure that we can survive the worst disaster."


npr--2020-02-10--With Australia's Hillsides Stripped Bare By Fire, Scientists Rush To Predict Mudflows

With Australia 's Hillsides Stripped Bare By Fire , Scientists Rush To Predict Mudflows First came the fires , denuding millions of acres of forest in eastern Australia .
Now comes the rain , more than 12 inches in just 48 hours over this past weekend in some areas of New South Wales .
That sequence , severe bushfires followed by torrential rain , is bringing a third cataclysm — landslides and large-scale erosion .
Here 's why .
Without leafy trees to offer protection , the water falls directly on hard earth .
It pools and rolls , gathering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the rain falls on is just the wrong steepness , the soil just the wrong hardness , the downpour just a little too intense ... whoosh .
`` Essentially it 's a flash flood that 's full of rocks and logs , '' says Charlie Showers , a groundwater geologist for the Department of Environment , Land , Water and Planning in the Australian state of Victoria .
Showers is part of a team of government scientists and analysts who are called in after severe bushfires to figure out where so-called debris flows @ @ @ @ @ @ @ authorities .
But identifying potential landslide areas can be difficult , because there are so many potential places to look .
This season 's fires have been very large — millions of hectares have burned in New South Wales and Victoria — and heavy rain is relatively common this time of year in the areas that burned , which means there 's a lot of land with a lot of potential risk for dangerous erosion .
Over the weekend , Showers and his team finished studying the landslide potential after a fire that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Park in a mountainous part of Victoria that is popular with outdoorsy tourists .
The fire started at the end of December , and burned ferociously for weeks , eating up more than 100,000 hectares , or about 380 square miles .
`` Normally a 100,000 hectare fire would be a very , very large fire , '' he explained , `` but in the context of this year it 's actually going to be the smallest of the fires that we 're deployed to . ''
To narrow down which burned gullies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Showers is using relatively new scientific research conducted by soil and hydrology experts at the University of Melbourne .
`` In the U.S. , you guys have been doing [ research ] for decades and decades , and we had just a handful of little studies , '' explains Gary Sheridan , a soil scientist at the University of Melbourne .
Sheridan has spent the past 15 years or so studying what causes debris flows after fires , and he has discovered that southeast Australia has a lot in common with parts of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also common .
In 2018 , more than 20 people died when recently burned hillsides came loose and buried homes in Montecito , Calif. Sheridan found that soil type , slope steepness and fire severity all factored in to whether a certain hill will give way .
He also found that the rainstorms that trigger dangerous debris flows are relatively common .
`` You know people would talk about 'freak mud-flows ' and 'freak landslides ' after a fire , and it was always the idea that these things were extraordinary events , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kind of rainfall that triggers them off , although it 's intense and very short , it 's actually quite a common rainfall event .
It 's the sort of rainfall event you could expect once every two years , or once every five years . ''
When large , hilly areas burn the likelihood that a rain storm will trigger a debris flow somewhere in the burned region can be all be certain .
It 's just a matter of where .
`` We 're very reliant on their research to help @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are at risk , '' says Showers , referring to the work Sheridan and his colleagues have conducted .
He pulls up a topographical map of the burned area on his computer at an incident command center in the town of Ovens , a few miles from the edge of the area burned by the so-called Abbeyard-Yarrabulla fire in January , and checks a box on the left side of the screen which reveals red and orange dots between the contour lines .
The red dots are in the gullies : they are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ likely to happen when thunderstorms come through and drop a lot of rain in a short amount of time , as had happened one day earlier .
Orange dots mean there 's a medium likelihood .
Showers and his team factor in what is downstream of potential debris flows — for example , schools , roads or water supplies — and use that information to pinpoint the areas of most concern .
One thing they look for is rivers downstream of unstable hillsides .
Some small towns near this year 's fires in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because debris flows — some of them deep in the forest — sent so much sediment into rivers that it overwhelmed water treatment systems .
In some cases , local water authorities were forced to truck water into mountain communities until the rivers ran clean again , Showers says .
Research shows that as fires and severe rain get more likely , driven in part by climate change , the risk posed by debris flows in Australia will only get worse .
In response , the water authority that serves Australia 's second-largest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ major reservoir to help prevent debris flows from contaminating the water with sediment .
It was an investment that would have been unimaginable just 15 years earlier , when scientists were still unsure how and why post-fire debris flows occur .
So far , this year 's fires have not burned the forests upstream of the city 's reservoirs .
`` You know Melbourne is quite vulnerable to contamination of its water supply from bushfire , '' says Sheridan .
`` We 've kinda dodged a bullet in recent years . ''
Some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to guard against debris flow contamination .
The town of Bright , which is home to a little over 2,000 people and suffered water contamination after fires in 2006 and 2007 , now routinely pumps clean river water into a reservoir as a backup in case the river is contaminated with sediment after a fire in the future .
The town of Wangaratta added groundwater pumps to its drinking water system to protect the nearly 30,000 residents there against post-fire water contamination .
Showers and Sheridan say watching the latest research influence how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` It 's crucial for us to understand these [ debris flow ] systems from a public safety point of view , '' says Showers , `` but also from a water quality point of view . ''

With Australia's Hillsides Stripped Bare By Fire, Scientists Rush To Predict Mudflows
Enlarge this image toggle caption Meredith Rizzo/NPR Meredith Rizzo/NPR
First came the fires, denuding millions of acres of forest in eastern Australia. Now comes the rain, more than 12 inches in just 48 hours over this past weekend in some areas of New South Wales.
That sequence, severe bushfires followed by torrential rain, is bringing a third cataclysm — landslides and large-scale erosion.
Here's why. Without leafy trees to offer protection, the water falls directly on hard earth. It pools and rolls, gathering into a torrent. If the hill the rain falls on is just the wrong steepness, the soil just the wrong hardness, the downpour just a little too intense... whoosh.
"Essentially it's a flash flood that's full of rocks and logs," says Charlie Showers, a groundwater geologist for the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning in the Australian state of Victoria. Showers is part of a team of government scientists and analysts who are called in after severe bushfires to figure out where so-called debris flows are most likely, and warn local authorities.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Meredith Rizzo/NPR Meredith Rizzo/NPR
But identifying potential landslide areas can be difficult, because there are so many potential places to look. This season's fires have been very large — millions of hectares have burned in New South Wales and Victoria — and heavy rain is relatively common this time of year in the areas that burned, which means there's a lot of land with a lot of potential risk for dangerous erosion.
Over the weekend, Showers and his team finished studying the landslide potential after a fire that burned through part of Mount Buffalo National Park in a mountainous part of Victoria that is popular with outdoorsy tourists. The fire started at the end of December, and burned ferociously for weeks, eating up more than 100,000 hectares, or about 380 square miles.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Meredith Rizzo/NPR Meredith Rizzo/NPR
"Normally a 100,000 hectare fire would be a very, very large fire," he explained, "but in the context of this year it's actually going to be the smallest of the fires that we're deployed to."
Lessons from California
To narrow down which burned gullies present the highest risk during rainstorms, Showers is using relatively new scientific research conducted by soil and hydrology experts at the University of Melbourne.
"In the U.S., you guys have been doing [research] for decades and decades, and we had just a handful of little studies," explains Gary Sheridan, a soil scientist at the University of Melbourne.
Sheridan has spent the past 15 years or so studying what causes debris flows after fires, and he has discovered that southeast Australia has a lot in common with parts of California, where post-fire debris flows are also common. In 2018, more than 20 people died when recently burned hillsides came loose and buried homes in Montecito, Calif.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP
Sheridan found that soil type, slope steepness and fire severity all factored in to whether a certain hill will give way. He also found that the rainstorms that trigger dangerous debris flows are relatively common.
"You know people would talk about 'freak mud-flows' and 'freak landslides' after a fire, and it was always the idea that these things were extraordinary events," he says. "But the kind of rainfall that triggers them off, although it's intense and very short, it's actually quite a common rainfall event. It's the sort of rainfall event you could expect once every two years, or once every five years."
Enlarge this image toggle caption Meredith Rizzo/NPR Meredith Rizzo/NPR
When large, hilly areas burn the likelihood that a rain storm will trigger a debris flow somewhere in the burned region can be all be certain. It's just a matter of where.
Into the field
"We're very reliant on their research to help us understand which parts of the fireground are at risk," says Showers, referring to the work Sheridan and his colleagues have conducted.
He pulls up a topographical map of the burned area on his computer at an incident command center in the town of Ovens, a few miles from the edge of the area burned by the so-called Abbeyard-Yarrabulla fire in January, and checks a box on the left side of the screen which reveals red and orange dots between the contour lines.
The red dots are in the gullies: they are the areas where debris flows are most likely to happen when thunderstorms come through and drop a lot of rain in a short amount of time, as had happened one day earlier. Orange dots mean there's a medium likelihood.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Meredith Rizzo/NPR Meredith Rizzo/NPR
Showers and his team factor in what is downstream of potential debris flows — for example, schools, roads or water supplies — and use that information to pinpoint the areas of most concern.
One thing they look for is rivers downstream of unstable hillsides.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Estrella Melero-Blanca/DELWP Estrella Melero-Blanca/DELWP
Some small towns near this year's fires in Victoria have had their water supplies disrupted because debris flows — some of them deep in the forest — sent so much sediment into rivers that it overwhelmed water treatment systems. In some cases, local water authorities were forced to truck water into mountain communities until the rivers ran clean again, Showers says.
Research shows that as fires and severe rain get more likely, driven in part by climate change, the risk posed by debris flows in Australia will only get worse.
In response, the water authority that serves Australia's second-largest city, Melbourne, has upgraded a major reservoir to help prevent debris flows from contaminating the water with sediment. It was an investment that would have been unimaginable just 15 years earlier, when scientists were still unsure how and why post-fire debris flows occur.
So far, this year's fires have not burned the forests upstream of the city's reservoirs.
"You know Melbourne is quite vulnerable to contamination of its water supply from bushfire," says Sheridan. "We've kinda dodged a bullet in recent years."
Some towns have also upgraded their water systems to guard against debris flow contamination. The town of Bright, which is home to a little over 2,000 people and suffered water contamination after fires in 2006 and 2007, now routinely pumps clean river water into a reservoir as a backup in case the river is contaminated with sediment after a fire in the future. The town of Wangaratta added groundwater pumps to its drinking water system to protect the nearly 30,000 residents there against post-fire water contamination.
Showers and Sheridan say watching the latest research influence how communities plan for the future is gratifying. "It's crucial for us to understand these [debris flow] systems from a public safety point of view," says Showers, "but also from a water quality point of view."


npr--2020-02-10--China Reports Nearly 100 Deaths In A Single Day From Coronavirus

China Reports Nearly 100 Deaths In A Single Day From Coronavirus The head of the World Health Organization is warning that a few cases of the novel coronavirus that have been spread by people who never traveled to China could be `` the tip of the iceberg , '' as officials reported the highest single-day death toll since the epidemic began .
Meanwhile , Chinese authorities lashed out at Western media reports that Beijing was not fully cooperating with international health experts .
In a tweet on Sunday from Geneva , WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the `` spread @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but could accelerate . ''
`` The detection of a small number of cases may indicate more widespread transmission in other countries ; in short , we may only be seeing the tip of the iceberg , '' he wrote , adding , `` Containment remains our objective , but all countries must use the window of opportunity created by the containment strategy to prepare for the virus ' possible arrival . ''
Over the weekend , the number of deaths from 2019nCoV , as the virus is officially known , surpassed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , or SARS , during the 2003 outbreak that originated in southern China .
Like SARS , 2019nCoV is another in a family of coronaviruses that typically cause mild to moderate pneumonia , which can nonetheless be deadly , especially in patients with weak or compromised immune systems .
Late Sunday , China said there had been 97 new deaths , a daily record since the epidemic began , bringing the total number of deaths in China to 909 , with 40,235 confirmed cases .
There have been more than 300 other confirmed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outside of China .
Although so far the mortality rate for 2019nCoV has proven far lower than for SARS – about 2 % compared to around 10 % , the new virus appears to have spread more rapidly than its earlier cousin .
SARS killed 774 people during an outbreak that began in late 2002 and reached its peak in 2003 .
The novel coronavirus was first identified in December in the central city of Wuhan and then spread rapidly throughout China .
Since then , cases have been found across Asia , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. That has put Beijing under tremendous pressure to contain the epidemic , and editorials published in the Global Times newspaper , run by the Chinese Communist Party , suggest that Chinese officials may be feeling chastened about perceptions of how they 've handled the global health crisis .
In one editorial headlined `` Is sympathy too much to ask from the Western media ? ''
author Wang Wenwen writes : `` Reading through some Western media reports on China 's fight against the outbreak , I could not find many encouraging and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ discrimination and gloating . ''
`` Many of the reports made me feel as if every Chinese is living in despair and does not want to follow government measures , which have been referred to as human rights violations .
However , this is not the case .
Fear or anxiety of people is not from the government measures , but from the outbreak itself , in contrast with several media reports , '' Wang wrote .
The author pointed specifically to a New York Times report on Friday that Chinese officials had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the WHO .
The Times piece was also in the crosshairs of a separate op-ed .
`` China has in fact been maintaining close collaboration with WHO right after it realizes the severity of the epidemic , including sharing the genetic sequence of the new virus and keeping WHO updated on the epidemic , '' the editorial in the Global Times read .
Outside of China , the rest of Asia has been hardest-hit by the virus .
Although the numbers of confirmed cases remain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ backlash has been outsized .
In Japan , where a large proportion of foreign tourists come from China , dozens of coronavirus cases have been identified on a cruise ship carrying some 3,700 people who have been quarantined aboard for days .
The Diamond Princess arrived at Yokohama , Japan , after one of its passengers disembarked at Hong Kong on Jan. 25 to visit a local hospital and was subsequently diagnosed with the virus .
Another cruise ship , Holland America 's MS Westerdam , which called in Hong Kong late last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a port of call after being denied entry in Japan , Taiwan , the Philippines and the U.S. territory of Guam .
According to Vesselfinder , it was off Vietnam 's southern coast on Monday .
In response to the epidemic , Tokyo has enacted restrictive measures that ban the entry of Chinese nationals holding passports issued by Hubei , the Chinese province which is the epicenter of the epidemic , and all foreigners who had visited the province within the past two weeks , regardless of whether they are showing symptoms of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new coronavirus is having a major impact on tourism , the economy and our society as a whole , '' Japan 's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Saturday .
`` The government will do its utmost to address the impact . ''
In London , Britain 's health ministry on Monday declared the new coronavirus `` a serious and imminent public threat to health , '' a step that gives the government additional powers to fight the virus .
The U.K. has four confirmed cases .
NPR 's Emily Feng in Beijing contributed @ @ @ @

China Reports Total Of More Than 1,000 Deaths In The Country From Coronavirus
Enlarge this image toggle caption Cheng Min/AP Cheng Min/AP
Updated at 8:07 p.m. ET
The head of the World Health Organization is warning that a few cases of the novel coronavirus that have been spread by people who never traveled to China could be "the tip of the iceberg," as officials reported on Tuesday local time that the country's death toll had passed 1,000 from the new virus.
Meanwhile, Chinese authorities lashed out at Western media reports that Beijing was not fully cooperating with international health experts.
In a tweet on Sunday from Geneva, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the "spread outside #China appears to be slow, but could accelerate."
"The detection of a small number of cases may indicate more widespread transmission in other countries; in short, we may only be seeing the tip of the iceberg," he wrote, adding, "Containment remains our objective, but all countries must use the window of opportunity created by the containment strategy to prepare for the virus' possible arrival."
There’ve been some concerning instances of onward #2019nCoV spread from people with no travel history to . The detection of a small number of cases may indicate more widespread transmission in other countries; in short, we may only be seeing the tip of the iceberg. — Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) February 9, 2020
Over the weekend, the number of deaths from 2019-nCoV, as the virus is officially known, surpassed those killed by severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS, during the 2003 outbreak that originated in southern China. Like SARS, 2019-nCoV is another in a family of coronaviruses that typically cause mild to moderate pneumonia, which can nonetheless be deadly, especially in patients with weak or compromised immune systems.
Early Tuesday, China said there had been another 108 deaths, bringing the total number of deaths in China to 1,016, with 42,638 confirmed cases. There have been more than 300 other confirmed cases worldwide and one additional confirmed death outside of China.
Although so far the mortality rate for 2019-nCoV has proven far lower than for SARS — about 2% compared to around 10% — the new virus appears to have spread more rapidly than its earlier cousin. SARS killed 774 people during an outbreak that began in late 2002 and reached its peak in 2003.
The novel coronavirus was first identified in December in the central city of Wuhan and then spread rapidly throughout China. Since then, cases have been found across Asia, Europe, the Middle East and the U.S.
That has put Beijing under tremendous pressure to contain the epidemic, and editorials published in the Global Times newspaper, run by the Chinese Communist Party, suggest that Chinese officials may be feeling chastened about perceptions of how they've handled the global health crisis.
In one editorial headlined "Is sympathy too much to ask from the Western media?" author Wang Wenwen writes: "Reading through some Western media reports on China's fight against the outbreak, I could not find many encouraging and inspiring ones. Instead, I discovered discrimination and gloating."
Wang wrote: "Many of the reports made me feel as if every Chinese is living in despair and does not want to follow government measures, which have been referred to as human rights violations. However, this is not the case. Fear or anxiety of people is not from the government measures, but from the outbreak itself, in contrast with several media reports."
The author pointed specifically to a New York Times report on Friday that Chinese officials had repeatedly rebuffed offers of help from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and WHO. The Times piece was also in the crosshairs of a separate op-ed.
"China has in fact been maintaining close collaboration with WHO right after it realizes the severity of the epidemic, including sharing the genetic sequence of the new virus and keeping WHO updated on the epidemic," the editorial in the Global Times read.
Outside of China, the rest of Asia has been hit hardest by the virus. Although the number of confirmed cases remains relatively small, the economic and political backlash has been outsized.
In Japan, where a large proportion of foreign tourists come from China, dozens of coronavirus cases have been identified on a cruise ship carrying some 3,700 people who have been quarantined aboard for days.
The Diamond Princess arrived at Yokohama, Japan, after one of its passengers disembarked at Hong Kong on Jan. 25 to visit a local hospital and was subsequently diagnosed with the virus.
Another cruise ship, Holland America's MS Westerdam, is now on its way to Thailand after Japan denied entry to several of its ports, including Yokohama. The ship, which left Hong Kong on Feb. 1, had been without a port for several days, as authorities in Taiwan, the Philippines and the U.S. territory of Guam also said they would not allow the Westerdam to visit their ports.
The Westerdam will end its ill-fated cruise by disembarking its passengers in Bangkok on Feb. 13, Holland America announced on Monday. According to Vesselfinder, it was off Vietnam's southern coast on Monday.
In response to the epidemic, Tokyo has enacted restrictive measures that ban the entry of Chinese nationals holding passports issued by Hubei — the Chinese province that is the epicenter of the epidemic — and all foreigners who had visited the province within the past two weeks, regardless of whether they are showing symptoms of infection, Reuters reports.
"The new coronavirus is having a major impact on tourism, the economy and our society as a whole," Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Saturday. "The government will do its utmost to address the impact."
In London, Britain's health ministry on Monday declared the new coronavirus "a serious and imminent public threat to health," a step that gives the government additional powers to fight the virus. The U.K. has four confirmed cases.
NPR's Emily Feng in Beijing contributed to this report.


npr--2020-02-10--At The Oscars, 'Parasite' Makes Best Picture History

At The Oscars , 'Parasite ' Makes Best Picture History At Sunday 's Oscars , on a night when almost everything went as planned and as usual , the one true surprise came in the biggest moment of all .
For the first time ever , a film in a foreign language won best picture when Bong Joon-ho 's Parasite , a comedy-drama-thriller about class and secrets , took the big prize .
Bong also won the awards for best director and best original screenplay .
He delivered three warm and generous speeches , including one when he won for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Scorsese and Quentin Tarantino for inspiring him and boosting his career , respectively .
( He acknowledged Sam Mendes and Todd Phillips , too . )
And , while he gave most of his speeches in Korean with interpreter Sharon Choi , when he won the first one , he stopped and noted in English : `` This is very first Oscar to South Korea . ''
The affection in the room for the film was evident every time it was mentioned , as well as in its strong haul of awards ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nomination for its uniformly excellent cast ) .
The evening began three and a half hours earlier with a combination of the old and the new : the kind of themed singing-dancing number that used to be the typical Oscars opening , but in the absence of a traditional host , it was performed by the thoroughly modern Janelle Monáe .
A version of her own song `` Come Alive '' was accompanied by dancers dressed in costumes saluting not just nominated films like Joker , but also conspicuously snubbed ones — several @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from black filmmakers — including Us , Queen and Slim , Dolemite Is My Name and Midsommar .
The monologue that followed , however , was much more creaky and awkward , despite the best efforts of Chris Rock and Steve Martin ( the latter of whom regrettably blew the name of best actress nominee Cynthia Erivo ) .
The awards in general , and the ones this season in general , have been heavily criticized for how white the nominees are , the failure to nominate any women directors in a year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and plenty of other shortfalls in inclusivity .
The Academy 's discomfort with that criticism seemed evident : There may not have been a lot of performers of color among the nominees , but there were a lot among the presenters and speakers and performers .
Several presenters — as well as Monáe in her opening number — made mention of the limitations at issue , which is the kind of thing that happens when people are placed in a situation they do n't want to ignore but also are n't there to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was a land acknowledgment — a custom that 's commonly observed in other places , including Canada , at cultural events ( I 've personally seen them at the Toronto International Film Festival ) .
In this case , it was writer-director Taika Waititi , nominated for Jojo Rabbit , who read an acknowledgment of the indigenous people who have lived on the land where the event — in this case , the Academy Awards — takes place .
Whether this gesture will be followed up by any action as to the broadening @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of course , to be seen .
Parasite 's win for best picture stood out particularly because almost all of the other awards that had seemed likely to go a particular way did : Legendary cinematographer Roger Deakins won for his work on 1917 , the WWI film engineered to look like a continuous shot .
Film editing is often a precursor to other big awards , and this year the winners were the editors of racing drama Ford V. Ferrari .
Parasite had been expected to win ( or at least to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ best international feature film and for Bong Joon-ho 's original screenplay .
Waititi was a favorite for best adapted screenplay , which he won .
The acting awards this year had heavy favorites going into the ceremony : Joaquin Phoenix as best actor in Joker , Renee Zellweger as best actress in Judy , Brad Pitt as best supporting actor in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and Laura Dern as best supporting actress in Marriage Story .
They all won .
Most of them said about what you might expect ( although @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to his speech about fighting injustice a mention of the cruelty of artificially inseminating cows and then stealing their offspring , while Zellweger listed many of her heroes in a speech that matched his , meander for meander ) .
The lower-profile ( but critical ) behind-the-scenes awards were spread across a bunch of films .
Best production design went to Quentin Tarantino 's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood , which re-created the late-'70s L.A. landscape and aesthetic with a lot of loving attention .
Little Women won its only award of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ design , full of beautiful dresses both fancy and not .
The transformation of actors into familiar faces from the news won an award for the hair and makeup team from Bombshell .
The sound editing award went to Ford v. Ferrari and both sound mixing and visual effects went to 1917 .
The non-surprises kept coming : Toy Story 4 won best animated feature .
Best documentary feature was awarded to American Factory , which boasts Barack and Michelle Obama as producers and which comes from Netflix .
Hair Love , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do his daughter 's hair for the first time , written and directed by Matthew A. Cherry , won best animated short , and Cherry dedicated the award to Kobe Bryant : `` May we all have a second act as great as his was . ''
Best live action short film went to The Neighbor 's Window , and best documentary short subject went to Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone ( If You 're a Girl ) .
The nominated best original songs were performed on stage as usual .
Introducer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Idina Menzel 's name is `` pronounced exactly as it 's spelled '' ( take that , John Travolta ) before she performed `` Into the Unknown '' from Frozen 2 .
Menzel was joined by some of the singers who have performed the song in other languages in one of the evening 's better innovations .
Chrissy Metz performed `` I 'm Standing With You '' from Breakthrough , accompanied by the choir that 's nearly obligatory .
Randy Newman performed `` I Ca n't Let You Throw Yourself Away '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Erivo ( also nominated for best actress ) performed the song `` Stand Up ( From Harriet ) , '' which , as its title suggests , is from Harriet .
Elton John performed `` ( I 'm Gon na ) Love Me Again '' from Rocketman , seemingly hamstrung by a bad sound mix .
When they 'd all been heard , `` I 'm Gon na Love Me Again '' was victorious .
Hildur Guðnadóttir won best original score for her work on Joker .
The musical moment you probably would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who could ?
— was that actor Anthony Ramos introduced Lin-Manuel Miranda ; Lin-Manuel Miranda introduced a montage saluting the music used in movies over many decades ; and that montage led to Eminem performing the Oscar-winning `` Lose Yourself '' from 8 Mile , to which the audience responded rapturously .
It was n't an obvious move to throw in that performance , given that it 's not celebrating any kind of round-numbered anniversary ; it won at the 2003 ceremony , though Eminem did n't perform it then .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crowd going like nothing else did all evening except Parasite winning awards , and there 's something to be said for that .
Not long after , there was a recap rap from Utkarsh Ambudkar , an actor who appeared this year in Brittany Runs a Marathon , reminding everyone what had happened so far .
That 's a lot of rap for an Oscars ceremony .
Last year 's ceremony also went without a host , and it wound up being dominated by the actual wins and losses .
That made big @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , neither of which seemed to excite the crowd , very disappointing .
But this year , the fact that there 's good feeling around so many different films — and enormous respect and love for both Parasite and Bong Joon-ho — means that this ceremony fared much better .

At The Oscars, 'Parasite' Makes Best Picture History
Enlarge this image toggle caption Kevin Winter/Getty Images Kevin Winter/Getty Images
At Sunday's Oscars, on a night when almost everything went as planned and as usual, the one true surprise came in the biggest moment of all.
For the first time ever, a film in a foreign language won best picture when Bong Joon-ho's Parasite, a comedy-drama-thriller about class and secrets, took the big prize. Bong also won the awards for best director and best original screenplay. He delivered three warm and generous speeches, including one when he won for his directing and thanked fellow nominees Martin Scorsese and Quentin Tarantino for inspiring him and boosting his career, respectively. (He acknowledged Sam Mendes and Todd Phillips, too.)
Pop Culture Happy Hour Listen to Pop Culture Happy Hour's Oscars Recap Our 2020 Oscars Recap Listen · 16:13 16:13
And, while he gave most of his speeches in Korean with interpreter Sharon Choi, when he won the first one, he stopped and noted in English: "This is very first Oscar to South Korea." The affection in the room for the film was evident every time it was mentioned, as well as in its strong haul of awards (though it absurdly landed not a single nomination for its uniformly excellent cast).
The evening began three and a half hours earlier with a combination of the old and the new: the kind of themed singing-dancing number that used to be the typical Oscars opening, but in the absence of a traditional host, it was performed by the thoroughly modern Janelle Monáe. A version of her own song "Come Alive" was accompanied by dancers dressed in costumes saluting not just nominated films like Joker, but also conspicuously snubbed ones — several of them, but not all, from black filmmakers — including Us, Queen and Slim, Dolemite Is My Name and Midsommar. The monologue that followed, however, was much more creaky and awkward, despite the best efforts of Chris Rock and Steve Martin (the latter of whom regrettably blew the name of best actress nominee Cynthia Erivo).
The awards in general, and the ones this season in general, have been heavily criticized for how white the nominees are, the failure to nominate any women directors in a year when several made highly regarded films, and plenty of other shortfalls in inclusivity. The Academy's discomfort with that criticism seemed evident: There may not have been a lot of performers of color among the nominees, but there were a lot among the presenters and speakers and performers. Several presenters — as well as Monáe in her opening number — made mention of the limitations at issue, which is the kind of thing that happens when people are placed in a situation they don't want to ignore but also aren't there to challenge too much.
One new inclusion was a land acknowledgment — a custom that's commonly observed in other places, including Canada, at cultural events (I've personally seen them at the Toronto International Film Festival). In this case, it was writer-director Taika Waititi, nominated for Jojo Rabbit, who read an acknowledgment of the indigenous people who have lived on the land where the event — in this case, the Academy Awards — takes place. Whether this gesture will be followed up by any action as to the broadening of the Academy's taste remains, of course, to be seen.
Parasite's win for best picture stood out particularly because almost all of the other awards that had seemed likely to go a particular way did: Legendary cinematographer Roger Deakins won for his work on 1917, the WWI film engineered to look like a continuous shot. Film editing is often a precursor to other big awards, and this year the winners were the editors of racing drama Ford v. Ferrari. Parasite had been expected to win (or at least to contend strongly) in the categories of best international feature film and for Bong Joon-ho's original screenplay. Waititi was a favorite for best adapted screenplay, which he won.
The acting awards this year had heavy favorites going into the ceremony: Joaquin Phoenix as best actor in Joker, Renée Zellweger as best actress in Judy, Brad Pitt as best supporting actor in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and Laura Dern as best supporting actress in Marriage Story. They all won. Most of them said about what you might expect (although Phoenix surprised many of us by adding to his speech about fighting injustice a mention of the cruelty of artificially inseminating cows and then stealing their offspring, while Zellweger listed many of her heroes in a speech that matched his, meander for meander).
The lower-profile (but critical) behind-the-scenes awards were spread across a bunch of films. Best production design went to Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, which re-created the late-'60s L.A. landscape and aesthetic with a lot of loving attention. Little Women won its only award of the night for Jacqueline Durran's costume design, full of beautiful dresses both fancy and not. The transformation of actors into familiar faces from the news won an award for the hair and makeup team from Bombshell. The sound editing award went to Ford v. Ferrari and both sound mixing and visual effects went to 1917.
The non-surprises kept coming: Toy Story 4 won best animated feature. Best documentary feature was awarded to American Factory, which boasts Barack and Michelle Obama as producers and which comes from Netflix. Hair Love, a lovely film about a father learning to do his daughter's hair for the first time, written and directed by Matthew A. Cherry, won best animated short, and Cherry dedicated the award to Kobe Bryant: "May we all have a second act as great as his was." Best live action short film went to The Neighbor's Window, and best documentary short subject went to Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone (If You're a Girl).
The nominated best original songs were performed on stage as usual. Introducer Josh Gad had some fun pointing out that Idina Menzel's name is "pronounced exactly as it's spelled" (take that, John Travolta) before she performed "Into the Unknown" from Frozen 2. Menzel was joined by some of the singers who have performed the song in other languages in one of the evening's better innovations. Chrissy Metz performed "I'm Standing With You" from Breakthrough, accompanied by the choir that's nearly obligatory. Randy Newman performed "I Can't Let You Throw Yourself Away" from Toy Story 4, and Cynthia Erivo (also nominated for best actress) performed the song "Stand Up (From Harriet)," which, as its title suggests, is from Harriet. Elton John performed "(I'm Gonna) Love Me Again" from Rocketman, seemingly hamstrung by a bad sound mix.
When they'd all been heard, "I'm Gonna Love Me Again" was victorious. Hildur Guðnadóttir won best original score for her work on Joker.
The musical moment you probably would not have expected — because, really, who could? — was that actor Anthony Ramos introduced Lin-Manuel Miranda; Lin-Manuel Miranda introduced a montage saluting the music used in movies over many decades; and that montage led to Eminem performing the Oscar-winning "Lose Yourself" from 8 Mile, to which the audience responded rapturously. It wasn't an obvious move to throw in that performance, given that it's not celebrating any kind of round-numbered anniversary; it won at the 2003 ceremony, though Eminem didn't perform it then. But it made people happy and got the crowd going like nothing else did all evening except Parasite winning awards, and there's something to be said for that. Not long after, there was a recap rap from Utkarsh Ambudkar, an actor who appeared this year in Brittany Runs a Marathon, reminding everyone what had happened so far. That's a lot of rap for an Oscars ceremony.
Last year's ceremony also went without a host, and it wound up being dominated by the actual wins and losses. That made big nights for Green Book and Bohemian Rhapsody, neither of which seemed to excite the crowd, very disappointing. But this year, the fact that there's good feeling around so many different films — and enormous respect and love for both Parasite and Bong Joon-ho — means that this ceremony fared much better.


npr--2020-02-10--Controversial Trophy Hunting Council Disbanded Amid Legal Battle

The Trump administration disbanded a controversial wildlife advisory board that was criticized for promoting the benefits of international big game hunting .
Now , the government is calling on courts to kill a years-long lawsuit it spawned .
`` The Council will not meet or conduct any business again , it can no longer be renewed , and there [ is ] no plan to establish another committee with a similar mission or scope in the future , '' the Department of the Interior explained in a court filing Friday .
As a result , the lawyers argued , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by animal and environmental conservationists for rulings on information about the `` formation , composition , ethics provision , or meetings '' by the International Wildlife Conservation Council .
The 16-member council was created in 2017 by then-Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke with the understanding that the group 's charter would have to be renewed by Dec. 21 , 2019 , or it would cease to exist .
Its creation followed a move by the administration to reverse an Obama-era ban on elephant and lion trophy imports from Africa .
In all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with tax dollars , held five meetings over the two-year span and formed four sub-committees .
But , the government said , `` Ultimately , the IWCC did not vote on or make any recommendations or otherwise provide any advice or work product . ''
`` I have little doubt our litigation spurred the administration 's decision to abandon the IWCC and walk away from its biased and un-transparent practices , '' said Zak Smith , international wildlife conservation director for the Natural Resources Defense Council , one of the groups involved in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Trump administration is closing shop on this ridiculously misguided council and we await a full accounting of its tainted work product . ''
The 2018 lawsuit was filed by a coalition of organizations , including the Natural Resources Defense Council , the Humane Society and the Center for Biological Diversity .
They argued the IWCC was illegal because it was stacked with `` an assemblage of trophy-hunting advocates '' who were tasked with advising the federal agency responsible for trophy import controls .
According to the suit , the `` fox and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ runs afoul of the Federal Advisory Committee Act , which requires that all government advisory panels have a balanced mix of contributors that in this case should include scientists and economists .
`` Congress imposed several procedural and substantive requirements on agencies establishing advisory committees , many of which Defendants ignored when designing and maintaining the Council , '' the groups argued .
During the IWCC 's first meeting , members agreed that recreational hunting is necessary because fees paid by big-game hunters help fund conservation programs .
They also said it would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of jobs .
The committee 's position contradicted that of President Trump who at the time , called big-game hunting a `` horror show '' and said he 'd be hard pressed to change his mind that it `` in any way helps conservation of Elephants or any other animal . ''
The animal rights advocacy groups contend the Interior Department can not consider the IWCC 's recommendations in its decision-making process .
And they insist the dissolution of the committee does not render their lawsuit moot .

Controversial Trophy Hunting Council Disbanded Amid Legal Battle
Enlarge this image toggle caption Kathy Willens/AP Kathy Willens/AP
The Trump administration disbanded a controversial wildlife advisory board that was criticized for promoting the benefits of international big game hunting. Now, the government is calling on courts to kill a years-long lawsuit it spawned.
"The Council will not meet or conduct any business again, it can no longer be renewed, and there [is] no plan to establish another committee with a similar mission or scope in the future," the Department of the Interior explained in a court filing Friday.
As a result, the lawyers argued, the New York federal court should dismiss demands by animal and environmental conservationists for rulings on information about the "formation, composition, ethics provision, or meetings" by the International Wildlife Conservation Council.
The 16-member council was created in 2017 by then-Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke with the understanding that the group's charter would have to be renewed by Dec. 21, 2019, or it would cease to exist. Its creation followed a move by the administration to reverse an Obama-era ban on elephant and lion trophy imports from Africa.
In all, the committee, which was funded with tax dollars, held five meetings over the two-year span and formed four sub-committees.
But, the government said, "Ultimately, the IWCC did not vote on or make any recommendations or otherwise provide any advice or work product."
Animal rights advocates are celebrating the committee's demise.
"I have little doubt our litigation spurred the administration's decision to abandon the IWCC and walk away from its biased and un-transparent practices," said Zak Smith, international wildlife conservation director for the Natural Resources Defense Council, one of the groups involved in the lawsuit.
"We're glad the Trump administration is closing shop on this ridiculously misguided council and we await a full accounting of its tainted work product."
The 2018 lawsuit was filed by a coalition of organizations, including the Natural Resources Defense Council, the Humane Society and the Center for Biological Diversity. They argued the IWCC was illegal because it was stacked with "an assemblage of trophy-hunting advocates" who were tasked with advising the federal agency responsible for trophy import controls.
According to the suit, the "fox and henhouse" approach to forming the committee runs afoul of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, which requires that all government advisory panels have a balanced mix of contributors that in this case should include scientists and economists.
"Congress imposed several procedural and substantive requirements on agencies establishing advisory committees, many of which Defendants ignored when designing and maintaining the Council," the groups argued.
During the IWCC's first meeting, members agreed that recreational hunting is necessary because fees paid by big-game hunters help fund conservation programs. They also said it would help boost local economies and create hundreds of jobs.
The committee's position contradicted that of President Trump who at the time, called big-game hunting a "horror show" and said he'd be hard pressed to change his mind that it "in any way helps conservation of Elephants or any other animal."
The animal rights advocacy groups contend the Interior Department cannot consider the IWCC's recommendations in its decision-making process. And they insist the dissolution of the committee does not render their lawsuit moot.


npr--2020-02-10--La. Man Pleads Guilty To Federal Charges Over Torching Historically Black Churches

Holden Matthews , the white son of a sheriff 's deputy , has pleaded guilty to federal charges over setting three historically black churches on fire in Louisiana during a 10-day period last March and April .
The religious institutions were completely destroyed .
`` His atrocious actions inflicted severe pain and grief upon these congregations , '' Bryan Vorndran , the special agent in charge of the FBI 's New Orleans Field office , said in a statement .
Matthews , 22 , has stated that he committed the crimes in an attempt to break into the `` black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ court documents , he was attempting to raise his profile in that scene by copying church arson attacks in Norway in the 1990s .
`` Holden 's actions were motivated by the fact that these were religious properties and in no way were motivated by the racial makeup of the congregations , '' his defense lawyer Dustin Talbot told NPR .
`` Today begins the process of Holden accepting responsibility for the destruction of the churches . ''
Matthews had initially pleaded not guilty to each count of his six-count indictment last June @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of those pleas .
The 22-year-old pleaded guilty to three counts of `` intentional damage to religious property , '' for destroying the St. Mary Baptist Church in Port Barre , La.
, the Greater Union Baptist Church in Opelousas , La.
, and the Mount Pleasant Baptist Church in Opelousas .
He also pleaded guilty to one count of `` using fire to commit a felony . ''
According to his defense lawyer , prosecutors agreed they will drop two remaining counts of `` using fire to a commit a felony '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Prosecutors did not immediately respond to NPR 's request for confirmation .
Matthews is scheduled to be sentenced on May 22 .
`` All the churches were built in rural areas decades ago and had served generations of predominantly black families through weddings , funerals and religious services , '' NPR reported last April .
After the attacks , Katie Gagliano from The Advocate told NPR that the pastors of the churches were praying they were not race-based .
Such actions would be particularly concerning due to the history of attacks against historically @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have stated that they have abundant evidence against Matthews .
`` The defendant 's cell phone was in the presence of each of these fires .
Examination of his phone shows that he has pictures and photos and videos of these fires as they developed , '' federal prosecutor Risa Berkower said at Matthews ' detention hearing last June .
`` An examination of his Facebook accounts afterwards shows that he was bragging to people on Facebook that he actually had done these crimes . ''
`` It was sheer luck really that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when he actually committed them , '' she added .
The churches were `` burned completely to the ground , '' she noted .
Talbot contended that the `` black metal '' explanation was `` not as nefarious as the others , '' such as race .
`` This was a young man who 's trying to break into this subgenre of music , and ... as horrific as that is , the way that you do it is you make a name for yourself by burning a church and putting it on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he stated at the detention hearing .
`` It 's not a person who woke up with hate in their heart and wanted to go and burn down churches .
It 's someone who was unduly influenced by this black heavy metal community . ''
According to prosecutors , Matthews faces between 10 and 70 years in prison for his crimes .
The Associated Press reported that he also faces state charges .

La. Man Pleads Guilty To Federal Charges Over Torching Historically Black Churches
Enlarge this image toggle caption Louisiana Office of State Fire Marshal via AP Louisiana Office of State Fire Marshal via AP
Holden Matthews, the white son of a sheriff's deputy, has pleaded guilty to federal charges over setting three historically black churches on fire in Louisiana during a 10-day period last March and April. The religious institutions were completely destroyed.
"His atrocious actions inflicted severe pain and grief upon these congregations," Bryan Vorndran, the special agent in charge of the FBI's New Orleans Field office, said in a statement.
Matthews, 22, has stated that he committed the crimes in an attempt to break into the "black metal" music scene. According to court documents, he was attempting to raise his profile in that scene by copying church arson attacks in Norway in the 1990s.
"Holden's actions were motivated by the fact that these were religious properties and in no way were motivated by the racial makeup of the congregations," his defense lawyer Dustin Talbot told NPR. "Today begins the process of Holden accepting responsibility for the destruction of the churches."
Matthews had initially pleaded not guilty to each count of his six-count indictment last June.
On Monday, he changed some of those pleas. The 22-year-old pleaded guilty to three counts of "intentional damage to religious property," for destroying the St. Mary Baptist Church in Port Barre, La., the Greater Union Baptist Church in Opelousas, La., and the Mount Pleasant Baptist Church in Opelousas. He also pleaded guilty to one count of "using fire to commit a felony."
According to his defense lawyer, prosecutors agreed they will drop two remaining counts of "using fire to a commit a felony" as part of a plea agreement. Prosecutors did not immediately respond to NPR's request for confirmation. Matthews is scheduled to be sentenced on May 22.
"All the churches were built in rural areas decades ago and had served generations of predominantly black families through weddings, funerals and religious services," NPR reported last April.
After the attacks, Katie Gagliano from The Advocate told NPR that the pastors of the churches were praying they were not race-based. Such actions would be particularly concerning due to the history of attacks against historically black churches in the area.
Prosecutors have stated that they have abundant evidence against Matthews.
"The defendant's cell phone was in the presence of each of these fires. Examination of his phone shows that he has pictures and photos and videos of these fires as they developed," federal prosecutor Risa Berkower said at Matthews' detention hearing last June. "An examination of his Facebook accounts afterwards shows that he was bragging to people on Facebook that he actually had done these crimes."
"It was sheer luck really that no one was harmed by these crimes when he actually committed them," she added. The churches were "burned completely to the ground," she noted.
Talbot contended that the "black metal" explanation was "not as nefarious as the others," such as race.
"This was a young man who's trying to break into this subgenre of music, and ... as horrific as that is, the way that you do it is you make a name for yourself by burning a church and putting it on the cover of your album," he stated at the detention hearing. "It's not a person who woke up with hate in their heart and wanted to go and burn down churches. It's someone who was unduly influenced by this black heavy metal community."
According to prosecutors, Matthews faces between 10 and 70 years in prison for his crimes. The Associated Press reported that he also faces state charges.


npr--2020-02-10--How Many Delegates Do The 2020 Democratic Presidential Candidates Have?

How Many Delegates Do The 2020 Democratic Presidential Candidates Have ?
Primary voters are beginning to choose who will face @ @ @ @ @ President Trump .
In most cases , state Democratic parties award delegates to candidates based @ @ @ @ @ primary or caucus vote .
NPR and the Associated Press are keeping track of who @ @ @ @ @ the primary season .
At the Democratic National Convention in July , those delegates will @ @ @ @ @ party .
Not every presidential candidate will receive delegates in every state , and some @ @ @ @ @ .
Only those who have earned at least one delegate are listed on this page @ @ @ @ @ maintained by the AP and provided via an automatic feed .
Because some counts are @ @ @ @ @ may differ from what is reported elsewhere .

How Many Delegates Do The 2020 Democratic Presidential Candidates Have?
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The Democratic Party is officially nominating Joe Biden as the party's presidential nominee on Aug. 18. Follow live coverage of the DNC here.
Updated on June 4, 2020
NPR and the Associated Press are keeping track of who has the most delegates throughout the primary season. At the Democratic National Convention in July, those delegates will choose a nominee for the party.
In most cases, state Democratic parties award delegates to candidates based on their performance in a primary or caucus vote.
Former Vice President Joe Biden has been the last active Democratic candidate running to face off against President Trump in November since April, but at that point he was still far short of the 1,991 delegates needed to officially secure the party's presidential nomination.
Not every presidential candidate who has run this year received delegates. Only those who have earned at least one delegate in any contest are listed on this page.
Candidates' totals have changed due to party rules that make those who have dropped out of the race ineligible to receive delegates in certain cases. Some delegates earned by former candidates Pete Buttigieg, Elizabeth Warren and Mike Bloomberg have been transferred to Biden.
However, the campaigns of Biden and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders came to an agreement that allows Sanders supporters to hold the delegate slots he would have received. Therefore, the AP has not adjusted the Sanders delegate counts.
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Delegate numbers shown are maintained by the Associated Press and are provided via an automatic feed. Because some counts are unofficial, numbers shown here may differ from what is reported elsewhere.
This story was originally published on Feb. 11, 2020.


npr--2020-02-10--Will That Antidepressant Work For You? The Answer May Lie In Your Brain Waves

Will That Antidepressant Work For You ?
The Answer May Lie In Your Brain Waves Scientists have taken a small step toward personalizing treatment for depression .
A study of more than 300 people with major depression found that brain wave patterns predicted which ones were most likely to respond to the drug sertraline ( Zoloft ) , a team reported Monday in the journal Nature Biotechnology .
If the approach pans out , it could offer better care for the millions of people in the U.S. with major depression .
`` This is definitely a step forward , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ computational psychiatry and computational neuroscience programs at the National Institute of Mental Health .
He was not a part of the study .
Right now , `` one of our great frustrations is that when a patient comes in with depression we have very little idea what the right treatment for them is , '' says Dr. Amit Etkin , an author of the study and a professor of psychiatry at Stanford University .
`` Essentially , the medications are chosen by trial and error . ''
Etkin is also the CEO of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ computer-based approaches to diagnosing mental illness and selecting treatments .
In the study , researchers used artificial intelligence to analyze the brainwave patterns in more than 300 patients who 'd been diagnosed with major depression .
Then they looked to see what happened when these same patients started treatment with sertraline .
And one pattern of electrical activity seemed to predict how well a patient would do .
`` If the person scores particularly high on that , the recommendation would be to get sertraline , '' Etkin says .
Also , people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do well with the drug , were more likely to respond to a non-drug therapy called transcranial magnetic stimulation .
The results suggest depression treatment does n't have to rely on trial and error .
`` By finding people who are particularly sensitive to an antidepressant , we can find those people for whom the drug is very effective , '' Etkin says .
And he says most psychiatrists and psychologists already have the EEG equipment needed to collect brainwave data – though they would need to upload that data to be analyzed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be done very quickly and easily in any clinic , and then you can get your result by the time you leave the office , '' he says .
Someday , perhaps , says Ferrante .
`` It should be clear that these are like just the first promising efforts in that space , '' he says .
But Ferrante thinks the study shows that scientists are finally getting closer to understanding how to pick the best treatment for someone with depression .
`` We are certainly pushing in that direction , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be to show whether depression patients really are more likely to get better when treatment is decided by brain wave patterns , Ferrante says , adding that future research will need to include more than a single drug .
`` What we would like to have is models that can distinguish across multiple treatments , '' he says .

Will That Antidepressant Work For You? The Answer May Lie In Your Brain Waves
Enlarge this image DrAfter123/Getty Images DrAfter123/Getty Images
Scientists have taken a small step toward personalizing treatment for depression.
A study of more than 300 people with major depression found that brain wave patterns predicted which ones were most likely to respond to the drug sertraline (Zoloft), a team reported Monday in the journal Nature Biotechnology.
If the approach pans out, it could offer better care for the millions of people in the U.S. with major depression.
"This is definitely a step forward," says Michele Ferrante, who directs the computational psychiatry and computational neuroscience programs at the National Institute of Mental Health. He was not a part of the study.
Right now, "one of our great frustrations is that when a patient comes in with depression we have very little idea what the right treatment for them is," says Dr. Amit Etkin, an author of the study and a professor of psychiatry at Stanford University. "Essentially, the medications are chosen by trial and error."
Etkin is also the CEO of Alto Neuroscience, a Stanford-backed start-up developing computer-based approaches to diagnosing mental illness and selecting treatments.
In the study, researchers used artificial intelligence to analyze the brainwave patterns in more than 300 patients who'd been diagnosed with major depression. Then they looked to see what happened when these same patients started treatment with sertraline.
And one pattern of electrical activity seemed to predict how well a patient would do. "If the person scores particularly high on that, the recommendation would be to get sertraline," Etkin says.
Also, people whose brain waves showed they wouldn't do well with the drug, were more likely to respond to a non-drug therapy called transcranial magnetic stimulation.
The results suggest depression treatment doesn't have to rely on trial and error. "By finding people who are particularly sensitive to an antidepressant, we can find those people for whom the drug is very effective," Etkin says.
And he says most psychiatrists and psychologists already have the EEG equipment needed to collect brainwave data – though they would need to upload that data to be analyzed.
"It's something that could be done very quickly and easily in any clinic, and then you can get your result by the time you leave the office," he says.
Someday, perhaps, says Ferrante. "It should be clear that these are like just the first promising efforts in that space," he says.
But Ferrante thinks the study shows that scientists are finally getting closer to understanding how to pick the best treatment for someone with depression.
"We are certainly pushing in that direction," he says.
The next step will be to show whether depression patients really are more likely to get better when treatment is decided by brain wave patterns, Ferrante says, adding that future research will need to include more than a single drug.
"What we would like to have is models that can distinguish across multiple treatments," he says.