The 5 migrant kids to cross the border illegally into the u.s. Every day John Burnett n.p.r. News El Paso at last check on Wall Street the Dow is up 9 points 224536 The Nasdaq is down $41.00 points more than half are said this is n.p.r. News turning out to the god well where human rights groups are struggling to survive after lawmakers accuse them of conspiring to topple the government of president they got money a marchin hazily president they guessed that the nice to party voted Wednesday to revoke legal status of several prominent human rights organizations one somebody still lawmaker says these groups of tried to destabilize the country but opponents claim the government wants to do away with all critical voices one human rights group for instance has kept track of more than $300.00 deaths in the last 8 months at the hands of government security forces that's body of Martin reporting a California judge is ordering Robin Thicke and for a Williams to pay nearly $5000000.00 to the family of Marvin Gaye this is the end result of a copyright lawsuit over the hit song Blurred Lines Here's N.P.R.'s Andrea Limbaugh . Original argument was that the 2013 song Blurred Lines. Had the same feel and sound as the Marvin Gaye song got to give it up. To. 3 years ago a jury ruled in favor of the gay family pic and Williams appealed they lost and on top of the 5000000 that the blurred line song writers have to pay the family was also worried that half of that song's royalties from $25000.00 onward the other co-writer on the song Clifford Harris Jr also known as t.i. Made it out of the lawsuit on scathed Angelman buying n.p.r. News u.s. Stocks slightly lower The Dow's down 3 points I'm Lakshmi saying n.p.r. News. Support for n.p.r. Comes from Fidelity Investments taking a personalized approach to helping clients grow preserve and manage their wealth learn more at fidelity dot com slash wealth fidelity brokerage services Alcee and Americans for the Arts at Americans for the Arts dot org. Thanks for listening this is here and now on Aspen Public Radio it's 12 o 6. From n.p.r. And I'm Robin Young I'm Jeremy Hobson is here and now this morning on Twitter President Trump responded for the 1st time to his lawyer Michael Cohen sentencing to 36 months in prison for federal crimes that include making hush money payments right before the 2016 election to 2 women who claim to have had affairs with Trump Trump wrote today I never directed Michael Cohen to break the law and I did nothing wrong with respect to campaign finance laws that are prosecutors haven't directly accused Trump of a crime and it's not clear on the Justice Department protocol that they could bring any criminal charges against a sitting president with Joining us now is Congressman Adam Schiff a Democrat from California likely incoming chair of the House Intelligence Committee Congressman welcome thank you it's great to be with you and when you take in the news about Cohen plus the news that the publisher of The National Enquirer a long time Trump supporter has agreed to tell prosecutors everything he knows about hush money payments his company made for the Trump campaign to suppress a woman's story and prevent it from influencing the election where do you think we are. Well I think where we are is the Justice Department has asserted the view that a campaign finance violations scheme of fraudulent scheme that may have an influence on the outcome of that election was coordinated and directed by the now president of the United States and that's a pretty startling conclusion but more than that through the agreement with Am I the parent of the National Enquirer It is no longer just Michael Cohen's word it is the word of other witnesses well that not only were these payments made not only was individual one or Donald Trump in the know but that the principal purpose of these payments was influence in the election of course that's key because that undercuts what Trump is saying that these payments had nothing to do with the election when he says that this was a private transaction not an illegal campaign contribution this is an argument that former presidential candidate John Edwards made and he was acquitted on one charge of accepting illegal campaign contributions the jury couldn't reach a verdict on the other charges I mean does trump have a good defense there if that's what he's saying that this was private it wasn't a campaign contribution. I don't think so I think the problem the Edwards case was a question of proof could they prove that these payments were intended to influence the election here it appears that they can that there are ample witnesses and corroborating evidence that along with the timing of this right on the eve of the election it's quite clear exactly what the object was and in terms of the president's comments you know I think he's demonstrated time and time again you really can't rely on anything he has to say about this because of course he maintained for a long time that he knew nothing of these payments and now we have heard recordings of him discussing these payments at the time of Michael Cohen So he's not exactly a credible source on any of this what about the idea that the president can't be indicted you want the Justice Department to change current guidelines that have been in place since the Nixon administration that say that they say would unconstitutionally undermine the executive branch to indict a sitting president what about that. Well there's no constitutional prohibition on indicting the sitting president of the Dio The Department of Justice through it's awfully good counsel has opined in opinions which are not statutory or constitutional they're merely the opinion of a lawyer at the Justice Department that should not be done while the president is in office but that conflicts in this circumstance with the potential that the statute of limitations may run on these serious crimes and indeed crimes that may have helped them obtain office and it cannot be the policy of the Department of Justice that a president is above the law or that the president remains in office long enough he can explain the jailor simply by duration in office it can't be the policy of the Justice Department and so I do think they may need to reconsider that policy it may be they will want to wait and see whether this question is mooted if the president isn't reelected in the statute of limitations is not an issue then maybe it's a moot point but I think the whole issue really needs to be examined reexamined by the Justice Department do you think he should be indicted. Well I certainly think that if the Justice Department believes that what Michael Cohen did justifies his going to jail for a long time that you cannot make the argument that somehow that doesn't apply to Donald Trump what the just partment had to say about Michael Cohen is that while people out there in their everyday lives were participating in the political process by making phone calls or walking precincts or hanging door hangers on door knobs the rich and powerful were operating by a different set of rules and because of this they needed to make an example of Michael Cohen that same argument applies with even greater force to the individual it was identified as coordinating and directing the scheme so yes I think every argument just from a is made for putting Michael go and in jail applies to Donald Trump that is Congressman Adam Schiff Democrat of California Congressman thank you. Thank you very much we have this update now on a story that stunned many the news that some diabetics are rationing their lifesaving drugs insulin because of the high cost the average price of insulin has nearly tripled in the past decade in November we spoke with and from that Washington her daughter died at 22 because she was rationing her insulin and her net has joined mothers like Nicole Smith Holton protesting outside insulin manufacturers with the group white Carolines Well on Tuesday Nicole Smith hold and her husband James hold junior spoke to Minnesota lawmakers at the state capitol about losing their son Alec at 26 can you even imagine what it was like to tell people that your son died at 26 because he struggled to afford the one medicine they created to save his life Alex was pronounced dead on the scene the official cause of death was diabetic ketoacidosis Well now Minnesota lawmakers are considering a bill that would include triggering some sort of mechanism at the pharmacy counter that would keep someone from walking away if they can't pay Minnesota Representative elect Michael Howard joins us now a Representative Howard in October your state launched a lawsuit against the insulin manufacturers Santa Fe Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly So you are aware of this absolutely and it's an issue that Minnesotans and Americans across the country deal with you know a daily basis and someone mentioned for folks with type one diabetes insulin is not a cure it is life support and it's life support that after too many people don't have access to it to afford it we've seen prices go over the last 20 years from about $20.00 a vial to $3400.00 a vial and there's a greater recognition you know at the state and federal level that we need to do something about it and take some action Well the state lawsuit alleges that companies are setting high list prices while offering rebates to let's say pharmacy benefit managers who buy in bulk to other states. Washington and New Mexico are also launching investigations Well meantime your state and you have introduced a bill the Alex Smith emergency insulin Act It's in honor of the Smith hosts Sun What is the purpose of that bill the purpose of the Alex Smith emergency insulin act is to make sure that Alex story doesn't happen to another in Minnesota Alec went into his pharmacy and couldn't afford the 1300 dollar tab to fill his insulin he had a $1000.00 in his bank account and he left empty handed in a few days later he was gone we want to start with the premise that no one in Minnesota should lack access to life saving insulin that they need because they can't afford it well the bill would authorize the state to buy insulin in bulk so that it can be provided to people who are on low income programs and or you know the elderly or those who as you said Alec was working yes Alec was had a full time job that I was making $40000.00 a year and in some ways you fits in that donut hole of folks that have an income but the access to affordable care insulin is beyond their means and forces choices like rationing insulin or should I pay my rant or take my medicine there's some evidence that one in 4 folks are ration their insulin based on their ability to pay and so we're looking at a variety of mechanisms but starting from the premise we need to reduce that barrier of cost for folks and also hold the scription drug manufacturers accountable for the prices that continue to skyrocket so it can you buy in bulk because as the lawsuit contends it's cheaper that way but how are you hoping to get it to the diabetics because when you go to the pharmacy to get insulin you usually need it so what will trigger someone being able to access this we're looking at some variety of mechanisms whether there's you know a task. From patients that they're unable to afford the insulin and working with pharmacists to make sure that we can get insulin into the hands of folks and then on the back end on the funding source looking at the drug manufacturers who are seeing billions of dollars of profits to be held accountable and fund this program well as you said the lawsuits contend that the companies are price fixing they dismiss that and Eli Lilly who again $1.00 of the 3 companies that produces insulin blames the problem on people's high deductible health insurance we also know that young people are getting kicked off their parents' coverage at 26 under Obamacare so in going off and buying their own insurance maybe they're getting a cheaper plan with high deductible or they're not affording any insurance at all so the companies seem to be saying this is an insurance problem yeah Alec is one of those that he fell off his parents' insurance at 26 and his story does highlight a health care system overall that is broken but James in the call will keep fighting and tell we make insulin more affordable for folks and to prevent what happened to Alec to happen to another person it should never happen again and I want to work with James in a call to make sure it doesn't in Minnesota or hopefully anywhere. Representative elect Howard thank you thank you very much and you're listening to hear now. In Los Angeles it'll take many small solutions to fix the giant problem of homelessness like a program that matches empty nesters with young people who need a place to stay for as great to live in a new room to have a live in a car for 3 months they can share I actually forgot it is to a benefit that's a softer noon on All Things Considered from n.p.r. News. I'm Jack Levy ours a day after surviving a no confidence vote British prime minister to resign May is at an e.u. Summit trying to leverage changes to the country's Rexx a deal European leaders have insisted they won't make major changes to the agreement that governs Britain's divorce from the e.u. They have said though that there could be room for clarification Apple's announcing plans to build a new $1000000000.00 campus in Austin Texas news comes along its alongside announcements to build new locations in Seattle and California as well to expand into other areas the Austin campus is expected to open with 5000 new jobs u.s. Mortgage rates are down at their lowest levels in 3 months Freddie Mac. Now list an average 30 year fixed rate loan at 4.63 percent that is down from $475.00 a week ago you're listening to here and now. The book. Funding for here and now comes from the listeners of w.b. You are Boston and Geico offering the Geico mobile app the Geico mobile app stores id cards unable to bill pay and submits policy updates and claim reports directly from a user's cell phone learn more at Geico dot com. This is here and now most people know actor Richard Madden as Rob Stark in the h.b.o. Series Game of Thrones Tilottama when winter is coming for him now he's the star of the Netflix show body guard playing Sergeant David Budd a police officer who stops a terrorist attack and is assigned to protect the U.K.'s Home Secretary I was in Afghanistan so many killed willing to kill myself I want nothing politicians and why is ours and theirs to. Be united which is a colossal damage this show is nominated for 2 Golden Globe awards including one for Madden as best actor and Richard Madden joins us now from Los Angeles to talk about a rich man Welcome and congratulations a lot of people probably know you best as Rob Stark but what attracted you to this role in bodyguard. I think what really got me going was kind of ambiguity of all the characters. They all of in such agrees on of was good and what's bad about each of them and and the scripts kind of plays with the idea throughout it and that was something that should be exciting to me to find them over the human and their motives and their motives changing through the sure thing that was all really exciting and it was kind of it was a brilliant read and that's what really drew me in because your character in particular your hero but at the same time you're you're doing a lot of things that maybe you shouldn't be doing yeah you can easy he's a hero and he's a villain and he's he's damaged and he's really strong in these a protector and he's a victim you know all these kind of these brilliant contrasting things well and one of the things that this show gets into which is very topical right now is the idea of post-traumatic stress disorder p.t.s.d. Which is something that your character suffers from after time serving in Afghanistan I want to listen to a scene from the 1st episode when your character meets up with an old war buddy who wants him to join a veterans support group yes was one of the future and up sometime. So books is not really my thing that. That was a crazy time. Traffic behind me you know making a proper course of history. The prettiest thing the person who's been on. This because there's no visible so as you were preparing for this role did you meet with people who have p.t.s.d. You know I did I spoke to some people one of the main problems with. Talking to people about p.t.s.d. Is people don't want to talk about to cut it to David but he's he's in denial about it or as his situation is and how that affects him and how bad it is as for him which is no as simple as we see in the movie sometimes this you know someone drops a glass in the they die for cover and of mob flashbacks I mean that can be an element of it but I think there's a lot more subtleties and a lot more constant living with this disorder that. That was more important for me to bring out and sure those subtleties and I people actually carry something all day every day with them so as an actor how do you do that how do you express the tension between those multiple layers of emotion. That's a very difficult question time so I'm not really quite sure that I think it was just trying to build this character and build that into and to have you know the denial of it but this kind of constant bursting over points and which is particularly difficult for a man who's who's who's a protector and trying to kind of very much look after everyone else and not taking care of himself I want to situ another clip from the 1st episode your character's boss and also lover at some point as the U.K.'s Home secretary who's new played by Killie Hawes and she expresses some hawkish views on the Middle East during a t.v. Interview with the b.b.c. And then later your character confronts her about it here has. Burned feet on telly you mean what you said. About the Middle East. So I don't only say what people want to hand I'm about doing the right thing making the hard choices this thing is David fast and I don't need you to tell me anything protect me. Rest assured I'll do as required. You Richard Ben as I was watching that I was thinking to myself I wonder if this could have even aired or would have even aired 10 years ago like right after the Iraq war this is such a a feeling that a lot of people are thinking now about the sort of hawkish nature of a lot of governments in this world. And I think I was just really and I was really interesting in part of the story there where. He's kind of he can't help himself with all those things that are below up and say them are kind of bursting out and he very much overstepped the line and having that conversation with her because he has got a lot of rage and anger at the system and and these people the opposition what is it like to do a show like this where they're in this case 6 episodes and that's it for the moment . I mean it's brilliant I love this can they contained element of a really means as an actor I can throw myself into very much dead for kind of 5 months which is very grueling and intense and you know if it was to be like some other show for months and 13 episodes in a kind of 9 months shoot I'm not sure how. Well that would go I kind of I love the intensity of it and this kind of really fast paced you know high octane drama that we managed to get was kind of contained 6 episodes how does it compare with care of friends and very definite I mean very different because in Game of Thrones is such a huge ensemble and bodyguard as is very much comes kind of just on on my character a lot of the time so that kind of brings a different way and under sponsibility which you know very much enjoyed Do people still stop you on the street and talk to you about being Rob Stark I mean have you has this show and its success or overtaken that for you absolutely people talking about Rob Stark which which I love because of the very close to my heart and it's just I mean I'm really thankful for the opportunity to play David bud and be and bodyguard and that's you know something else that I know kind of purely defined by just one show which is really exciting for me I've kind of tried my best since I left the show to to be diverse and try different roles and different things so I'm really glad that something a bodyguard as done so well and traveled so well so you know I kind of I kind of not just take us to suppose as this young prince or king I can I can do other things and it's been nice to. It was to express the prince or King who died so so gruesomely bedwetting. Are you like afraid to go to weddings now you know because you know happened no no it's called No auto I think that's a very different world actually right now people are apparently I've been reading talking about you as the next James Bond. I mean it's very flattering to be involved in the whole conversation to think that. You know I'm kind of blown away with it because you have such an attachment to like how to turn such ideas of who should play and so it's lovely for people to be people seeing agreeing or disagreeing with it but that's all just speculation and you're in the cast of the Elton John movie Rocket Man which debuts next year you play his one time manager and lover John Reid That's right yes what drew you to that role it was just completely different for me and really exciting I love the x. Affliction the director and really talented actor Tony I just and Jamie Bell involved and and I actually it was the script is so fun Ty stick is this strange hard to describe it's like Moulin Rouge on acid about Elton John that you know I picked up and read it and went yeah this is great I've watched that movie so you know I would have Vienna and I got to play this really amazing character who is in many ways a villain and which again is different for me and I mean Also I'm singing and dancing in it so that's a whole different skill set required as well if you like to play a villain or good guy more. I've played lots of good guys I enjoy playing a bit more of a villain and role. You know and bodyguard I love playing the ambiguity and actually playing both because sometimes he has a villain and sometimes he's a good guy so I mean I'm really excited about kind of the different Also I'm getting the opportunity to play at the moment so I was reading an interview that you did with The Sun newspaper and you said that you got into acting because you were shy and overweight as a teenager that was part of the reason I was overweight at that time I was I was very shy I was very shy kids and I got into acting to try to be and so you see if it's trying and then it can be a conference for I went to high school in the us we were my kind of acting career started on film when I was 11 and then a t.v. Show for a few years was to school and it kind of rolled on from there. And what's been the toughest moment for you over the years the toughest moment I mean it could be a tough career right you're always I just knew coming out of Korea I think I did a good So actually I did a I've been doing a lot of theater for many years and very much wanted again to him to come writing in more television and film stuff and I think in Yuki can be very much one of the other when you're starting a you kind of you can only be in one of the circles a lot of the time and I made a deliberate effort stop theater for a while and focus on trying to get comma work and I actually I was of work for 10 months untied very little money and I see my last money had spent on my rent and was going to have to go back and live in with my parents and that was a really tough depressing time and then right at the end of that 10 months I got cast in this show called Game of Thrones not change the game for me a bit so one of the best things up to my life came out of one of these doctors moments and you still watch Game of Thrones even though you're you're dead on the show oh yeah very much so as soon as they don't give you the script before had to tell you it's going to happen no thank thankfully they don't anymore that's one of the joys of being dad knows I can just see what happens the season and and I don't know what's going to happen next and unlikely my friends they know to not tell me anything not really good anyway because h.b.o. Would kill them but to not tell me what's going to happen I can just be a viewer know which is a really great thing that is Richard Madden who stars in the Netflix show bodyguard he was also Rob Stark in Game of Thrones but check out bodyguard if you haven't already Richard Madden thank you very much thank you very much and you can see a trailer for body guard at your now dot org. This is here and now in Aspen Public Radio thanks for listening support comes from the New us Springs Hospital a private not for profit psychiatric eeling environment now accepting patients most insurances are accepted more information at West Bank's hospital dot work. From the dept the walls holiday show at launchpad Carbondale featuring unique handcrafted goods ornaments and art open daily in December with champagne shopping every Saturday from 3 to 5 located in the heart of the Carbondale creative district more Carbondale arts dot com and from raising a reader Aspen a parachute which provides story books and guidance to the families of 1600 local children inspiring curiosity language skills and reading readiness learn more at our age are for kids dot org That's our are the number for kids. This is here and now on aspirin Public Radio thanks for listening. Funding for here and now comes from the listeners of w.b. You are Boston where the program is produced and your n.p.r. Station for math works creators of Matlab and Simulink software for technical computing and model based design math works accelerating the pace of discovery in engineering and science learn more at Mathworks dot com and exact sciences offering color guard for average risk adults over 50 and noninvasive colon cancer screening test that can be used at home by prescription only information at Colo guard test dot com from n.p.r. And I'm Robin Young is here now move over Perceval it's the Geminids turn We're of course talking shooting stars and the Geminid meteor shower is at its peak tonight and tomorrow let's bring in Kelly Beatty senior editor at Sky and Telescope magazine joins us by Skype Kelli what exactly are these things. So you know we receive meteors in the sky all the time shooting stars but every once in awhile we pass through us concentration of them we call that a meteor shower these are caused by comets that are going around the sun they get close to the sun they spew off particles and those particles get spread along the orbit every year when we pass through that comets orbit we get a pulse of me years and that's what we're going to get tonight and tomorrow and it seems like the Perseus a coming August phase seem to get all the attention but I am hearing that the Geminids are actually a better show you are correct the person it's come at a time when it's warm outside and people are out normally it's colder now right and so fewer people are out at night I am here to tell you that the Geminids are much more dependable if you're from a really in a really dark spot free from light pollution you have a good chance of seeing a Geminid flash across the sky every minute or 2 and that's that's quite impressive well and they come they appear to come from something that people like you astronomers call the radiant point in the sky in which they seem to come from what are they coming from well they're coming from not a comet which is what makes them unique in this case it's an asteroid the asteroid is called fair Tom and it has a really unusual orbit that brings it very close to the sun where its surface gets heated up to more than a 1000 of you agrees and literally when that happens the rock breaks down and spews all these particles along its orbit and so instead of being caused by a comet the Geminids are caused by this this rock comet time and we call them Geminids because they appear to be radiating in the sky from a point in the constellation Gemini just like when you're driving your car in the snow seems to be coming right at you but you know it's really falling it's the same sort of effect and so Gemini is up above the horizon beginning of around 7 or 8 o'clock by 9 or 10 o'clock you should be easily able to see them. If you can possibly stay up until after midnight Gemini will be higher in the sky and we'll see more meteors either tonight or tomorrow night depending on which is clear for you Ok remind me Gemini that the twins are well let's say what's a consolation it is it is the constellation of the twins Gemini and you know you don't need to worry about where it is in the sky literally just look where ever your sky is dark it's because the meteors will appear all over the sky if you trace their paths back they will go back to the constellation of Gemini but that's not really a concern just go forward starkest Ok and timescale is the best time to cross the country the same times apply no matter where you are at least 9 or 10 o'clock I would go out if you can stay out later do that the strongest peaks should be tonight but they'll be more of them tomorrow night as well and you know these are really wonderful that because you can just use your eyes you don't need any kind of optical equipment if you want more information obviously the Sky and Telescope is the place to go for all the information we got ours here now dot org We'll link you he can Levy senior editor at Sky and Telescope magazine Kelly as you say look up clear skies to you about the daycare and tonight to Maya looking up for the tweens Tim and it's here now. Illiana Ross leek 9 was the 1st Latino woman elected to Congress who would have ever thought that I would be a member of Congress I still think I put one over somebody but here I am now she's retiring and pondering the state of her Republican Party we need to be in a therapy session what more than 29 years in Congress taught a lawmaker on the next Morning Edition from n.p.r. News. I'm Jack left b.r.s. a Woman accused of being a secret Russian agent in the u.s. Is pleading guilty to charges of conspiracy Maria is admitting to try to infiltrate the National Rifle Association is part of a plan to gather intelligence on American politicians she's also agreed to cooperate with prosecutors the White House says the president has had a positive discussion with the new leader of Mexico although Mexico's president says the 2 never discuss the topic of a border wall that statement comes after President Trump on Twitter said Mexico's paying for the wall through savings the u.s. Is earning through a renegotiated trade deal Kentucky Supreme Court is striking down a law that cut pension benefits for teachers the law was passed to fill a projected $38000000000.00 pension deficit over the next 3 decades prompting thousands of teachers to protest and shut down schools in the process you're listening to here and now. Hi I'm Aspen Public Radio executive director Carolyn helm and if your tax deductible your own contribution is on its way to Aspen Public Radio Many thanks if you haven't taken a minute to add us to your year and giving please get online today at Aspen Public Radio dot org Why today the rise of slanted hyped up reporting has made American skeptical of news sources accept public radio n.p.r. 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Dot com This is here and now today the Trump administration announced a new strategy to counter the influence of China and Russia in Africa national security advisor John Bolton outlined the new strategy at the Heritage Foundation the predatory practices pursued by China and Russia start economic growth in Africa . Threaten the financial independence of African nations interfere with u.s. Military operations and pose a significant threat to u.s. National security interests Joining us now is n.p.r. Diplomatic correspondent Michele Kelemen Hi Michelle Hi Jeremy and when John Bolton says China and Russia are engaged in predatory practices in Africa what is he saying that they're doing there well you know China has really become a dominant force on the continent it's invested heavily built up infrastructure but in a way that Bolton says is predatory countries for instance become very heavily indebted to China he gave the examples of Zambia and Djibouti and Djibouti is particularly of concern because the u.s. Has a huge military base there and China does now too and he said that shifting the balance of power in the Horn of Africa as for Russia it's become more active in recent years mostly through arms dealings in places like Central African Republic it's not nearly as influential as it was in Soviet times but the u.s. Is watching this closely when he said today that the u.s. Will now be choosing its Africa partners more carefully under the suit strategy what does that mean well you know this administration is looking for business opportunities for American companies and trade deals and it's looking for ways to cut back on traditional aid programs and I think that's kind of what he was talking about that the u.s. Doesn't want to just pour billions of dollars into aid programs that he doesn't think are paying off. But he didn't really say kind of what would be cut and it's not at all clear that the u.s. Can back away from some of the partners in the region that are security partners for the u.s. . Isn't this a little bit late to be coming up with this new strategy on Africa in particular with China they have been investing billions of dollars we did a story not too long ago about a brand new high speed train in East Africa that was paid for by the Chinese. Isn't it going to be hard to reverse the trend here yeah I mean China's there and in a big way as you say I talked recently to the assistant secretary of state for Africa Timor notch and you know he said he can't blame Africans for doing all this business with China because it was the Chinese that were knocking on the door right for so many years and he says he just wants American companies to be there in the future and the problem is the u.s. Can't order its companies to go invest in China they can only do it if the investment climate is right but the pitch the Trump administration is making is well you know u.s. Investment will lead to jobs for Africans and this is a continent that has you know a very a growing population a lot of young people who have a lot of high expectations so that's the economic aspect to this what about the military component the u.s. Has troops in Africa right now to fight terrorism is that going to change. Well I mean the u.s. Says that we were talking before about the base in Djibouti So it's obviously a concern the u.s. Wants to stay there Bolton was also talking about this idea of getting countries in the region to take more ownership over over it's over there security the u.s. Has been working for instance with a group of 5 countries fighting terrorism in the Sahara region and he kind of held that up as a model he's not a fan of u.n. Peacekeeping operations he's looking to cut back support for peacekeeping missions saying some of them aren't really working so the idea is resolve conflicts invest more in building up these locally owned. Troops that are going to be able to deal with these threats Michelle in all of your reporting about diplomatic issues how unusual is it for the focus for a day at least by the administration to be on Africa you know it's interesting because you know that it's always the kind of secondary issue for a lot of countries but we've been hearing this for years this idea of trade not aid . Getting more investment in Africa and we're just always we always seem to be behind the curve especially when it comes to to China which had a real vision for the region this is what. Bolton says they're trying to change but we'll see if they can really put up the money or keep the focus one more thing I want to ask you about today the Senate is really making its voice heard on u.s. Assistance for Saudi Arabia and its war in Yemen this coming of course after the killing of journalist America's Shoji What are the implications here of the Senate speaking out like this well they don't want to stop u.s. Counterterrorism efforts in Yemen but they do want to stop the support for the Saudi led coalition which has been fighting for almost 4 years now to restore a government that was ousted by Iranian backed rebels that the war has been devastating millions of people are on the brink of famine. And I talked to an aid official this week who said you know u.s. Fingerprints are all over that famine so there's a real push now to end this war and there's a little bit of hopeful sign out of u.n. Mediated talks because they agreed at least to a ceasefire at a key port that's n.p.r. Diplomatic correspondent Michele Kelemen in Washington thank you thank you well a story now about a fungal disease that has killed off millions of bats across North America since white nose syndrome was 1st identified in 2006 it's spread to bats in more than 30 states and Eastern Canada as Connecticut Public Radio's Patrick Scahill reports scientists are trying to learn more about the impact of this devastating disease by listening to the calls of the bats left behind. If a bat flies in a forest and no one's around to hear it doesn't make a sound well not a sound our ears can hear. That's a little brown bat bouncing high pitch sounds off a surface to navigate and find food it's called echolocation the color slow down and pitch shift at Story years can hear it as Chris was new ski says in Connecticut that sound used to be a lot more common freeway no sooner would have been just as common as the big bro but we saw them to a small extent but nowhere near there pre white nose syndrome numbers was news he teaches biology at Southern Connecticut State University and he's pretty clued in to back calls last year he said a microphones all over the state recording hundreds of hours of them the idea was to figure out what bats are out there and what they're doing there's really not much known on Connecticut bats especially no post white nose and white nose is a fungus that affects bats when they hibernate it gets on their skin and causes bats to do odd things like fly around in the winter because of that fungus they're waking up from hibernation it's you know causing them to use all that energy to losing their that stores and they're not able to bounce back from that it's really quite devastating So what is it about those bats that do bounce back we're really starting to turn our attention to the surviving bats What are they doing differently what can we learn from them Miranda Dunbar is an associate professor of biology at Southern Connecticut State University who advised was new skis research . She says over the years scientists have developed computer programs cataloging lots of echolocation calls Think of it like a dictionary for bat speed it's a library of sorts and so we can plug in our recordings have an echo location call and the software will match that with the known and try to match the species together and from that Dunbar says you can learn a lot about bats based on the types of calls we can figure out what exactly are they doing in those areas how are they using that habitat. Like this eastern read about a migratory species which pops up at microphones put near bodies of water on the edges of forest. Or this big brown bag recorded State Park it was by far the bat was news he recorded the most search and approach calls but as they close in on something or specifically an insect no really a rapid pulse rate of the record. It's really really read the posts and it was kind of sounds like a. As he recorded around the state was new ski says getting lots of big brown bats confirmed other surveys in the region and hints that big brown bats with their larger fat reserves appear to be better at shaking off white nose. And now that the little brown bats are essentially gone was no he says his research raises another question are other species moving in a new life he's ecological niches held by that species or the group that's now moving into habitat types and take your the role the logical role of the little bird that and other species that are much less common is what caused Dunbar says learning more about those survivors is the next step for Bat research we spend so much time talking about those that have died but there are a few species and a few individuals that are surviving this disease they must be doing something special they must have something special that allows them to do this and while Dunbar is an optimistic white nose syndrome will be cured anytime soon she's hopeful bat acoustic data will continue to unlock more secrets about the bats weathering white nose for here and now I'm Patrick scale you're listening to here and now. Good afternoon this is here now in Aspen Public Radio performance today coming up at one support is provided by raising a reader. Whose programs provide storybooks and family guidance to foster curiosity language skills and a reading readiness for 1600 local children learn more at car a r for kids that's already are the number for kids. Funding for here and now comes from the listeners of w.b. You are Boston and your n.p.r. Station math works creators of Matlab and Simulink software for technical computing and model based e-zine math works Excel aerating the pace of discovery in engineering and science learn more at math works dot com and Geico celebrating over 75 years of providing auto insurance for drivers across America more information on auto insurance available at Geico dot com or 180947 auto. It's here now the Oakland Raiders are mired in a miserable season just 3 wins 10 losses the Raiders are in last place in the a.f.c. West and this is just the 1st season of a 10 year 100 $1000000.00 contract for head coach Jon Gruden and now the Raiders may have some more bills to pay because the city of Oakland is suing the team and the n.f.l. Over the Raiders plan to relocate to Las Vegas in 2020 Mike Pesca is here now sports analyst he hosts the daily podcast The gist of Slate dot com Hi Mike so Oakland The city says that Oakland the team and the n.f.l. Formed an illegal cartel that you know to sort of grease the skids and help the Raiders in this move to Las Vegas How would the n.f.l. Do that and why would they do that Ok maybe that cartel imagery or idea is a little bit of a reach so to back up the Raiders are planning to move to Las Vegas and Oakland was spurned by all of this and Oakland invested in the Raiders being there and feels like a little bit jolted and also they make the argument that they have some actionable legal remedies so what they're saying is that the the Raiders were allowed by the n.f.l. To move to Las Vegas as long as they paid a fee of over $300000000.00 So it's sort of like a shakedown where one member of the quote unquote cartel pays off the other ones and then they get to break contracts with with Oakland in Oakland Oakland Alameda stadium County Stadium there's a lot of irony going on here because under Mark Davis the current Raiders under his father Al Davis the owner of the Raiders Al Davis was the most litigious man in professional sports and he would shoot the n.f.l. And do whatever he wanted and at one point he even wanted man. I trust lawsuit against the n.f.l. So now its little taste of his own medicine was out of question so this is all in 2020 that this proposed move was supposed to happen. If in fact you know this so this lawsuit is going along how does that impact the move and where do the Raiders go next year right so how does it impact the move this suit is actually not about the move this suit is not asking anyone to block the move to asking for payments because of the move but the Raiders were planning on staying in Oakland and Penn State paying the stadium and paying the city and now the owner Mark Davis says I don't really feel great about paying them $345000000.00 But you know I'd hate to do it to the fans right because he cares so much about the fact that he's leaving that's what that's why he's leaving that's why his father left for Los Angeles that's why you know he's in this like decades long fight with every municipality that would or wouldn't have him so yeah it could complicate things more maybe it'll just you know opt the asking price for Oakland they'll get a few $1000000.00 more dollars out of this Ok Mike let's put our eyes to the sky now and talk about something else in the sports world this week n.b.a. Star Steph Curry was on a pod cast with some other players they were talking about conspiracy theories and curry expressed doubt that the moon landing really happened let's listen we have been sort of. You know they don't think it is the same people I'm just saying yesterday even if you think this is her you know says he was joking and he's going to visit NASA but tell us what's going on here yeah the his fellow astrophysicist on that podcast camp is more. And Vince Carter didn't seem to strongly disagree with him I actually I have such admiration for Steph Curry he seems to comport himself in a very dignified and kind of forward looking way off the court just a couple of weeks ago a young girl wrote in to him and. That I'd like to buy your shoes but they don't come in girls sizes and yes right right then the brilliant letter he wrote back and he invited her to games and he said where correcting this so I don't I wouldn't have put the guy on a pedestal is one of the most exciting players because like well there is a guy that as a fan I think mostly positive things about but what do you want about the fact that this is not the 1st time he like this has happened Kyra Irving said the earth is flat but then backed off and apologized to science teacher that he went around for a long time saying Earth was flat and people really look up to these guys and this is what I said like yeah I think Kyrie Irving really did believe that or to the extent that he had strong beliefs he he wasn't kidding I have no idea if Steph Curry was kidding I don't know why I don't exactly know what the joke was there I don't know why the other 2 guys agreed with him but I find this disturbing I mean I m I so uncool to think that exactly what you said Jeremy that a prominent guy who little kids and teenagers and maybe even adults like me look up to could say this and normalize a whack a do conspiracy theory maybe it's because I'm a stuck in the journalist but I don't like even giving voice to these theories and if this seems funny and benign we have seen so many instances where the infection of nonfiction with conspiracy thought truth in the real world has had terrible consequences so I really do love this I would much rather have my n.b.a. Players you know being fascinated by lunar modules or something having to do and rooted in actual well and at least have courage now says he will happily accept Nasa's invitation to tour the lunar lab at the Johnson Space Center in Houston Mike Pesca here now sports analyst and editor of the book upon further review the greatest what ifs in sports history what if Steph Curry was right was right Ok All right Mike thanks you know you're welcome here now is a production of n.p.r. Interview an association with the b.b.c. With a. I'm Jeremy Hobson this is here and. Funding for here and now comes from the listeners of w.b. You are Boston and from college mine were consultants work with high school families using data to decide where to apply to college strengthen their college essays and navigate all aspects of the college admissions process learn more at college find dot com. I'm Jeremy Hobson president Trump's former lawyer is sentenced to 3 years in prison and Trump threatens to shut down the government over funding for his border wall if we don't get what we want one way or the other whether it's through you through a military through anything you want to call I will shut down the our political roundtable next time around here in our. That there. Are. Good. That this is Aspen Public Radio broadcasting on. Casey j x Carbondale also broadcasting via picking County translators 160 f. In Aspen 15 b.c. And Snowmass Village in Thomasville 18 f. G. And. The salt. Creek 18 f. E. Redstone. With Springs and on Comcast cable on Channel 8. For. The harbor has a reputation for sounding airy breezy light as a feather sweet and beautiful not that there's anything wrong with that but harvest Kathy Kensal says it drives her crazy that people think that's the only thing a harp can do she says quote I like the idea of showing listeners that the harp can express something dark something different than pretty from a.p.m. American Public Media this is performance today I'm Fred Child coming up this hour Kathy shows us the many sides of the harp playing the harp concerto. In concert with the Minnesota Orchestra. Live from n.p.r. News in Washington I'm Lakshmi saying Maria the woman at the heart of a scheme to build a clandestine ties between Russia and the Trump campaign has pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy court documents describe her efforts with her American boyfriend and her Russian handler to build an.