Aids and the war does seem to be getting out the c.d.c. Surveyed gay and bisexual men in 20 urban areas in 2017 and found that 90 percent are now aware that the drug could help them that's a big jump in awareness since 2014 and use of the drug among those who could benefit surge from 6 percent to 35 percent that still leaves a lot of room for improvement the c.d.c. Finds that use of the drug remains low among black and Hispanic men one big impediment the drug can cost $2000.00 a month and insurance coverage is iffy Richard Harris n.p.r. News less than 2 weeks after President Trump's meeting with North Korea's Kim Jong un at the de-militarized zone North Korea's criticizing its southern neighbor for buying f. 35 stealth fighters from the u.s. Here's N.P.R.'s Michael Sullivan a slightly bizarre statement from a North Korean foreign ministry official said the North would produce special armaments to destroy the stealthy f. $35.00 is being acquired by South Korea which is expected to receive roughly 40 in the next 2 years 2 fighters have already been delivered the north calls the acquisition an extremely dangerous action that will increase military tension on the Korean Peninsula that's N.P.R.'s Michael Sullivan This is n.p.r. News. n.p.r. 'd has learned that one of the biggest teachers' unions in the country plans today to file a lawsuit against the u.s. Department of Education N.P.R.'s Chris Arnold says the lawsuit alleges a student loan forgiveness program for millions of public service workers is in such disarray that it's illegal the program makes a promise to people who work in public service so nurses teachers public defenders firefighters lots of other jobs if you make a loan payments for 10 years the government will forgive the rest of your student loan debt that is a pretty good promise but the promise is broken virtually all the time Randi Weingarten is the president of the American Federation of Teachers which is bringing the suit that alleges that so many people are getting unfairly rejected after years of making payments in good faith that the program is so badly broken it's unconstitutional the Education Department hasn't commented yet Chris Arnold n.p.r. News Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell is again indicating that the central bank will likely cut a key interest rate at its next meeting later this month as business investment slowed in the wake of ongoing terror of disputes and a global economic slowdown Powell testified before Congress for a 2nd straight day yesterday he appeared before a House committee today it was before members of the Senate President Trump has repeatedly criticized Powell for raising rates claiming that action it slowed economic growth and he has threatened to fire the Fed chair when asked about that Paul said he has a 4 year term as chairman and intends to see it through I'm Lakshmi Singh n.p.r. News in Washington support for n.p.r. Comes from n.p.r. Stations other contributors include c. 3 dot a i c 3 dot Ai software enables organizations to use artificial intelligence and surprise scale solving previously unsolvable business problems learn more at c 3 died a guy. You'd the leading into the emerging into the into the into the in to the in the in the. From n.p.r. And w.v.u. I'm Robin Young I'm Jeremy Hobson It's here and now President Trump is set to make an announcement at the White House later this afternoon is expected to be an executive order connected to the administration's efforts to include a citizenship question in the 2020 census something the Supreme Court temporarily blocked Meanwhile Immigration and Customs Enforcement or ice may arrest thousands of undocumented family members in the United States this weekend Joining us to talk about all of this is n.p.r. White House correspondent Franco or Donya as Hi Frank Oh hey how are you doing well and let's start with the announcement this afternoon what are you hearing about what the president may say when it comes to the citizenship question on the census right so my sources tell me that the president is expected to announce an executive action to put the citizens question back in the census it is an effort for his to do it how that would actually materialize were a little unclear one way to do that would be to kind of execute a memorandum kind of outlining the policy changes that that the trumpet ministration would like to pursue the president's just not backing down on this as we know even though the Supreme Court as we said temporarily blocked the administration's attempt to do this correct I mean this this is this this is something that President Trump is clearly not willing to give up and you know he it's you know he is not ready to go down without a fight and we shall we shall see you know there were a lot of talk about whether he would do an executive order which would be a lot more sweeping this is not that this is not expected to be that this would be an executive action so wooll you know we're we've got some more reporting to do to kind of figure out what specifically to me and of course we will hear from the president later today and he will answer some of our questions Meanwhile the speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi talked about the census issue at a press conference this morning and said this about some trump administration officials including commerce secretary Wilbur Ross who was the one trying to get the citizenship question on the census in the 1st place next week the full House and the resolution of criminal contempt. Attorney General Barr and Secretary Rice so we can force our subpoenas and get the facts so criminal contempt she says what does that mean and do Democrats have any real power to respond here to whatever the president does today yeah I mean it it means that the Democrats really want to keep the pressure on bar on Ross on the administration on this issue for defining these congressional subpoenas you know I'm not really sure what tangible impact this would have being held contempt though you know certainly it doesn't look good for the top administration that said the Justice Department just is not likely to charge the attorney general with any kind of crime the d.o.j. Is already urging officials not to comply with these subpoenas Ok let's talk about the other big story and it's coming up this weekend immigration advocates are expecting raids by Immigration and Customs Enforcement to start this weekend but the Department of Homeland Security officials have not commented to n.p.r. About the timing what exactly do we know well we do know that immigration advocates are preparing for these raids starting on Sunday you know obviously the administration had talked about these before as you know focusing on 10 cities major cities where they're going to be targeting thousands of migrant parents and children with final orders and removable The administration did tell me before that they're looking at the 1000000 people these are their numbers here who they say are here illegally who have final orders of deportation and they want to enforce those orders you know as you said they did threaten this before the administration did and then they delayed it was remind us why that happened yeah it was 2 weeks ago President Trump tweeted out that he was going to hold off on these sweeps at the request of Democrats he said he was going to do it to give law lawmakers more time to change some of the asylum rules that he and some Republicans have been seeking that was 2 weeks ago nothing really. He has changed on that front frankly nothing was expected to change on that front this is such an emotional and difficult issue Democrats have long oppose what the Trump administration is seeking which is to make it easier for border agents enforcement agents to quickly turn back those arriving who claim to have a credible fear and to try to get more deeper into the asylum process for who I want to ask about one more thing which is labor secretary Alex Acosta gave this press conference yesterday about how he handled the case of Jeffrey Epstein back in 2008 when he was a u.s. Attorney in Florida a casa has been sharply criticized for a much lighter sentence that was put on. Epstein back then many have called for a cost his resignation How did the White House respond to what it cost to did in his press conference yesterday because the White House has been largely mamma on the specifically on the press conference President Trump has yet you know say naething publicly Will were you know this will certainly be asked this afternoon I would expect if the opportunity arises his Twitter account time also has been kind of quiet but the president is standing behind his labor secretary at least right now he's praising the secretary's work but he's also saying that he's going to look closely at this matter you know we have been in this situation before with other top officials from Health and Human Services secretary Tom Price interior secretary Ryan sinky And so a lot of luck a find out n.p.r. White House correspondent Franco or don't yes thank you thank you well the southern border the number of asylum seekers from Central America is straining federal Gorder agencies nonprofit organizations local towns along Arizona's border with Mexico the top administration is building more places to hold migrants but it's also increasing pressure on a neighboring Mexico border city because of the administration policy known as remain in Mexico that requires asylum seekers we. In Mexico for court dates from the 2 foreign terrorist desk a k j z z in Phoenix Michelle Marie school reports the u.s. Border Patrol spent $15000000.00 to turn a parking lot at its vast Yuma Sector Headquarters and every Zona into a gleaming white tent compound. With temperatures topping 110 degrees massive air conditioners loudly blast 60 degree air through the turns to call them as Agency awaited the 1st group of migrants The planning on the amount of people that are in here right there. Is that is going to depend on how hard the system's going to work agency spokesman disability only shows a group of reporters the compound there are tents for sleeping new carts stacked against a wall and areas where migrants will be checked in and fit into a whole meal if they are turkey sandwiches aka chips and fruit and yes I've got it you just. Don't also receive 2 hot meals a day and snacks outside workers use the work left to maneuver and washing machine into another tent or washing their clothes and fighting them off hot. Tub and Isabel of all if you like having them as has me really the facility is designed to hold 500 families and lone children and one up as a Border Patrol was slammed by allegations that it mistreated children and it's Clint Texas Vassil of the asylum seekers are allowed to stay for up to 3 days and then under President Donald Trump's controversial remain in Mexico policy will return to Mexico to await their asylum court hearing it's a policy deemed unsafe for non Mexican asylum seekers as violence hopscotch is along Mexico's border cities remain in Mexico has certainly further destabilize an already unstable situation Arizona soldiers with the advocacy group Human Rights Watch she worry Central Americans will be targeted by drug cartels while they were . She says that's already happened in other border cities she says she spoke with one mother who was kidnapped ensued out why did this for a ransom and the man told her you kill her if you can get the money which ended up being an under u.s. Dollars u.s. Customs and Border Protection has been criticized for bottlenecking asylum seekers at the border limiting the number of asylum seekers allowed to enter the u.s. a Process called metering you must Secor chief in the report arise Nick says he repeat had no choice I mean I think the 4th major have to do some metering because they do have their their job that they have the responsible for the gentleman train travel and have so many people to do that job and so they can only process so many people that are coming in to claim asylum a credible fear. That right. Across the border and suddenly through call or other Mexico Martin salad another place an all blue book sit in the studio in a shelf and held together with Scotch tape he and his staff of Mexico's custom the me grant this painstakingly note the names of new arrivals trying to head north it's the only official record either country has of who is trying to cross to ask for asylum in the us the people here are predominantly from Mexico but also as well that work and money that I walk or known reality t.v. Us that it was just a shelter was intended for deportees to stay for a short while and not for us asylum seekers expecting to wait for months possibly made all of us I want to utilize a beggar says she hopes to God through a ride to the u.s. But she and her son of already waited in Mexico 2 months just to ask for asylum the result of that metering under the remain in Mexico policy veg out will have to return to Mexico after she formally asks the u.s. For asylum Martin Sally other worries temperatures are rising in the desert and there's no room left here you know why. And then his love for milk is it but then he says neither human or its neighboring Mexican town can handle a bigger bottle Mick Human Rights Watch says asylum seekers outnumber available beds $12.00 to $1.00 and many are left on the streets the u.s. Department of Homeland Security beefed up infrastructure with those massive tents in Arizona but the health and safety concerns at Sauk to avoid in the u.s. Also fall on soluble in the city of San Luis threw a lot to manage for here and now I mean school. Angeles New Year now. The trumpet ministration is looking to scale back a program that protects military family members who come to the country illegally from being deported u.s. Service members are worried you like my world cracking down you know if I come back home I know that there's been a quarter of a book or I'm Audie Cornish that story this afternoon on All Things Considered from n.p.r. News. The end. I'm sure a source tells n.p.r. That today President Trump is expected to announce an executive action to try to add a question about u.s. Citizenship status to forms for the 2020 census the u.s. Supreme Court has blocked the administration's effort to add such a question the House Judiciary Committee voted today to subpoena 12 people with connections to President Trump including former Attorney General Jeff Sessions and son in law Jared questioner it's part of an investigation into concerns including whether Trump obstructed justice 7 states and dozens of prosecutors and other law enforcement officials have come out against efforts by Philadelphia's top federal prosecutor an appointee of President Trump to block a proposed drug injection site from opening in a brief They say the proposed site would prevent overdose deaths and reduce the burden on the criminal justice system you're listening to you're in now. Funding for your own now comes from w b u r Boston and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society leading a person in medicine a clinical trial that assigns targeted therapies to patients with acute myeloid leukemia based on their genetic profiles learn more at l.l.s. Dot org is here and now actor and rapper Nora Lum better known as her alter ego Aquafina had a breakout video in 2012 when she sang about her Lady part in that show we can even play any of it then a breakout year in 2018 and with comic roles such as Constance the pickpockets street hustler and oceans 8 Paklin the over the top best friend and crazy rich Asians who makes her 1st appearance in that film bursting from a mansion to greet her friend Rachel played by Constance who was thinking I was an angel and that was the out you were I mean this is an awesome thing never to drag and Aquafina is a new film there are laughs and tears lots of them she plays Billy a Chinese born girl raised in New York by parents who thought they were doing the right thing by bringing her here from China and they think they're doing the right thing by travelling back to China for a remarkable roots the entire extended family gathers for a hastily thrown together wedding a guys to gather around Billy's beloved grandmother 9 I who doesn't know she has cancer and maybe just weeks to live in this scene in New York Aquafina as father played by time on tells her of the plan and your caller can't do that and you go see her can't do that she doesn't know the family thinks it's better not to tell them so your chance again. I don't understand she and her lot of time washing not all right there's nothing they can too. What he was going to cite expect him not to talk about and what's remarkable this all happened the farewell is from writer director who won it's based on her family it opens in theaters tomorrow it is terrific so it's awkward Phina who joins us from New York or do you prefer Nora what should we call you you can call me either it's really it's your call or is it just off Kami that please. Tell us a little bit about yourself because I understand your dad was chinese american your mom Korean and you're playing a character who's going back to China you know after spending years in New York that must have just resonated for you oh yeah a lot of things resonated for me in this movie I think the biggest one is my relationship with my grandma I was raised by her my mom was South Korean past when I was 4 I was raised by my paternal grandmother and you know she was Chinese and so when you know I 1st got the script it resonated you know in a lot of ways yeah and for me personally it was definitely a departure from a lot of my my past roles but a lot of that had to do with actually confronting things you know like for maybe the 1st time in my life this role Cosmina preemptively confront the death of my own grandmother which I've always thought about and I think it taught me to be vulnerable in ways that I really haven't been what tension 'd for you because here you are playing a character who's not allowed to share these feelings of grief with this beautiful Chinese actress who plays your grandmother and meanwhile you are you just told us you're struggling to maybe feel some grief about your real grandmother Yeah exactly it's titled about you know Billy is obviously loosely based on some of that actually happened to Lou and but Lulu was never like I want to play this way study me it was never that and there is me in there but it's a role that eventually came to be like a vessel for the Asian American experience. Because a lot of people have to do this when you when you see a family in this your family in this context you have to make the decision whether to greet them with sadness or to greet them with joy it always is like a matter of like how different families deal with grief you know everyone does it in their own way but it also for Billie it is a period of growth for her because she goes back to learn that her way is not the right way always you said as a child when your mom 1st passed your little one and you became a fixture of sorrow you know almost a total family members would come up to you and cry and you don't like that and maybe that's part of why you began to turn toward comedy you wanted some joy and your character travels from New York to China where the entire sensibility about death is we're not going to talk about it yet we've talked there just in about east west cultural differences she says Americans place emphasis on the development of the individual Asian see themselves in relation to the society there's almost that exact conversation from the person place your uncle in the film yeah it stems from wanting to literally take a burn in that shouldn't belong to someone that you love and it also stems from this concept of filial piety which is like you never hear of it unless it's in the context of like East Asian culture and it is just this this undying respect for your holders for your ancestors it's something that Asian American people have but along with that they also have elements of resentment and obviously guilt well what your uncle says to you is you want and your character does really very much want to tell your grandmother shouldn't she know she should know she doesn't have much time and he says that's to make you feel better we're taking on the burden of knowing so that she doesn't have to know so we're going to feel worse but that's the way it goes and by the way I should say this is a very heavy subject but it's whole lariats Arsenal Yeah what was it like for you there I mean because your character speaks of I don't know who I am and I you know I don't know where I belong in. My speaking correctly how about you yeah Mike my Chinese is not perfect like I did not grow up in a Chinese speaking household but at the same time there is a very personal journey that occurs when you are using American this country and you go back to Asia you know you always feel like you are an outsider in America but when you go there you really understand how much of an outsider you are yet you have history there and you can't forget that as an actor that happened for me but I think that also I know what it's like to go and meet someone a family members that may live in another country that you can't communicate with but the love is there and like trying to make them laugh and stuff like that and I think that's what Billy's trip was trying to convey the joy that you feel when you when you see your family and maybe you can't communicate with them properly but you still feel the love and I just want to detour for a 2nd because you know we mentioned you know your career prior to this film including you were 2012 viral video I just want you to say it at some point about your lady part. Yes 4500000 views the woman throwing down about another you know comparing her as if you know this was just listen to a little. Bit. What were you thinking. Man you know there was a song that had a similar title that it was actually a cover of a parody of I should say about male parts and it was a simple question of why don't women have one and so that's what I don't know what I was thinking I have well I was kind of thinking about your new film again the farewell it kind of debunks the myth of the submissive Asian woman because here's this strong grandmother the matriarch of the family used to. Your grandma became the matriarch of yours strong somewhat vulgar at times you know and I guess you were well and I'm wondering if doing something like that video was about throwing off some of those expectations of Asian women. Oh yeah I think I think that at that time and not a lot of Asian women presented themselves in that way and very quickly after that I've you know I was I was told various things like I was very brave you know like wow you must not have a lot of confidence you know but that's that's the truth I think that I've always found truth in being shameless and that we're taught you know actually Asian Americans that the ones who grow up in this country I think that we all grow up with very strong matriarchs and I grew up with one and that stereotype or that example of who we actually grew up with influences us more as people than life who we are fed in their approach portrayed in the media and my grandma always nurtured like what other people it would label weird she told me that was the best part and ever since I was like a very young child so she always believed in me and I think that you know if she didn't see Let Me Like explore that that aspect of my personality you know would never have been formed look you know maybe doing a role or a video in defiance of an expectation of you but then one major There's also a burden to get it right of course yeah we do as Asian Americans owe something back to our community not in a way that it's like if we make something great and it blows up in the box office but morally right and I think that if we're given right now in 20 in the platform to tell our stories let's do so with truth with authenticity and also with being uniquely ourselves because we're not all the same and we have different stories we come from different places and so I think that there is always going to be that responsibility the because there's just not that much well in on him and I just would say that while there's something very specific to the Chinese culture this idea of throwing a huge waiting just to you know say goodbye to grandma without telling her that she had a terminal illness that may be specific but I went Oh there is there is there's so much truth no matter what. Race you are what you are you will connect to this because it's we all experience loss and we all experience love whether it's a grandma or family you know and we know what that's like and we know what it's like to this there is an image and it to me it's one of the saddest images in the world no matter where it is the receding image of an elder from the back of the car as you try all went home there Hillary it is our home wrecker and we're not going to give away the ending except to say there will be a snap back just before the credits there will be. Thank you so much thank you Robin this is not only. The end but is also song lovely about the film the farewell is this score by Alex Weston he is the former assistant to Philip Glass breaking out on his own and we're going to meet him next week but try to see the farewell before then we don't feel it's here in. The. The in the in the the RINGBACK the. Funding for here and now comes from the listeners of w.b. You are Boston and your n.p.r. Station from Home Advisor matching homeowners with home improvement professionals for a variety of home projects from minor repairs to major remodels homeowners can read reviews of local pros and book appointments online at Home Advisor dot com and w.b. You are presenting the storytelling podcast for kids circle round thoughtfully selected folktales from around the world adapted for today's families that's circle round of vailable on Apple podcasts this is here and now from n.p.r. And your I'm Jeremy Hobson France's legislature approved a new law today that will lead the a 3 percent tax on big American tech companies like Google and Amazon the tax is aimed at addressing a new reality of the digital age that while a company like Google has customers who live in France Google can base its European operations in a country like Ireland and pay its taxes there where they are lower the French taxes already angering officials in the United States who are warning of trade consequences for more let's bring in Robin far as that host of Public Radio's full disclosure Hi Robin Hello Jeremy So it is not just France Spain the u.k. Even the e.u. All together are considering similar measures what are these European countries hoping to achieve. The very thing you got a revenue is. Really I think it's a revenue is probably a French word to begin to try to expand the show to expand this is a continuation of you know here in the United States you remember the cat and mouse chase of localities states trying to capture tax revenue last minute shopping used to have what we thought it was like an Amazon arbitrage in so many states in the u.s. Until lawmakers came around to realize it was a tax dodge and they sued to recruit lost revenue so now this is happening writ international So already the u.s. Has indicated that it could respond to this 3 percent tax and France with trade consequences tariffs maybe what's the u.s. Saying yeah big tech these guys like Apple Facebook Google it's the closest thing we have right now to national champions and 2019 they're dominant multinationals enter the women's soccer team there's a that's true that's true that's a bit they rake in tens of billions of dollars and high margin sales so everybody wants to get their mitts on taxation but that's vex lawmakers here that companies like Facebook and Amazon could warehouse windfall profits abroad in low class low tax places like Ireland and the Treasury Department is worried I'm going to quote what seems to be a frame around the edges of the international consensus on how international taxation rights should be allocated close quote so that it becomes an issue of sovereignty versus who gets dibs on those windfall profits and I know that some tech companies are also worried that they could be taxed twice because of taxes like the one in France. Right but the question then is how you allocate say if you're a u.k. Facebook user who eyeballs a Facebook or Instagram ad but you know that otherwise pays nothing how is that sale recognize these cashless statements that you see by Facebook by Apple by Amazon by Google they're very fluid they're very international Up till now you know you've allowed your accountants to game the system and poll and under report opportunistically in pursuit of the best rates the question is how do you do revenue recognition where was that money to realize was it in the data mining was it in the ad that was purchased beforehand was that provided by the customer who is otherwise not paying a subscription it is vexingly difficult what I ask about one more thing in the news today Amazon announced today it is going to spend about $7000.00 per worker to retrain a 3rd of its domestic workforce by 2025 that is 100000 employees why is Amazon doing this you know we saw a stat by by man power group that says companies investing in training their current employees that the fractions going to jump from 54 percent last year to 84 percent by next year and I think if you look at it you think about automation artificial intelligence the bar is just being yanked up in terms of what even the most entry level service worker is going to have to know to remain in the game companies are going to demand Inspector Gadget like abilities you know where you are you able to code some can you speak a 2nd language to draw blood perform c.p.r. Record podcasts you have to do it all I guess at Amazon Robyn far is that host of Public Radio's full disclosure Thanks always my pleasure it's here now. NASA is spending billions to build the most powerful rocket ever made it's going to help 537000 gallons of liquid hydrogen but will it fly enough to justify the massive price tag any architecture for going back to the moon and going to Mars using at will be strapped by the cost deep pockets for one big rocket on the next Morning Edition from n.p.r. News. I'm sure Brody Twitter says it is investigating a significant outage users across the u.s. And elsewhere are not able to access the service the company's not saying how widespread the problem is the disruption appears to be affecting both web based and mobile users and Ohio hospital system says it is firing 23 more employees and changing leadership after investigating excessive painkiller doses given to dozens of patients who died the non-criminal health system announcement today comes 5 weeks after the doctor accused of ordering the doses pleaded not guilty to murder charges u.n. Secretary General Antonio terrorists is again calling for maximum restraint in the Persian Gulf region he's warning that a new confrontation would be a catastrophe a plea to avoid escalation came in response to Britain statement that Iranian vessels tried to block one of its oil tankers in the Gulf you're listening to hear now. Funding for here and now comes from the listeners of w.b. You are Boston and your n.p.r. Station from 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 and read it and w.b. You are presenting endless thread the podcast that brings stories discovered on Reddit to listeners ear buds each week tales that range from the elementary school yard to science labs unschool an endless thread available on Apple podcasts. This is here and now as of this month Virginia residents must be $21.00 if they want to purchase tobacco products or east cigarettes unless they're in the military Virginia's new law puts it in the same camp as 15 other states and Washington d.c. That have raised the age to 21 some pushback on the tobacco industry in a country with a long history of tobacco use and for more on that history let's go to historians at errors and Nathan Connelly co-host of The Weekly podcast backstory Welcome back thanks Ok So Nathan tobacco is one of the great cash crops of u.s. Agriculture how early were their efforts to curb the power of the tobacco industry Well 1st you have to appreciate that this is a big industry we're talking chewing tobacco pipe tobacco cigars and any part of this market can prove extremely lucrative and give you a lot of political power if you can corner it just to give you one quick example cigarettes and 100 only 2 percent of the overall tobacco market but the American Tobacco Company becomes one of the most powerful corporations in America by controlling this corner of this market so the name that we associate with this is a man by the name of James Buchanan Duke You may remember Duke University Berry you know the name for example and this company under Duke's leadership basically comes to control between 75 to 90 percent of all cigarette sales in the United States I mean that basically runs a Standard Oil kind of takeover of his competitors you know in the late 19th century and now of course as the industry grows progressive reformers emerged to try to curb the rise and you have Midwestern activists like Lucy pays Gaston who is known initially as part of the Women's Christian Temperance Movement you know regulating alcohol they moved in 1909 to try to basically curb cigarettes to the anti cigarette league in $8099.00 they generally curb cigarettes Well that's right and within 2 years that organization goes from being found is that having over 300000 members much of this already a ready. Population in argument is kind of fascinating because basically reform is the cigarettes as a moral vice that makes children delinquent it emasculates men under 60 as women we think today about the all-American Marlboro man out West but in the Progressive Era cigarettes were basically an urban morality in a vice of wispy foreigners so New Yorkers smoke cigarettes or Dutchman Italians and Russians you know these are the folks who basically corrupted American society with their cigarettes and so even though they're into cigarette league doesn't get a constitutional amendment they are able to really help defeat in new regulations across 15 states and in some cases getting local regulations that even regulate women in preventing them from smoking cigarettes at the city level but it's interesting that they were not doing it for health reasons not because it you know leads to lung cancer but because it's a vice and it does all the other things that you just mentioned exactly a ruling the country in a more or less as Nick way ruining the country Ok So Ed it's interesting that in Virginia with this new law the smoking age is going to be 21 unless you're in the military so tell us a little bit about the history of the connections between smoking and members of the military if you've got smoke I'm and in World War one. U.s. Soldiers did happen and that a fact that u.s. And rolling papers to soldiers and this is really the big take off cigarettes you know making was talking about the relatively if heat reputation of cigarettes before nothing like going with their men to the front of World War one to remove that that symbol and General John pursing commander of the American forces said Look back oh is this important as food back was much just boards and he said and you may remember you may break out in song remembering the wartime classic Don't be a slacker since some to back one of my favorite There's Well you know it's great and it was seen as a great sacrifice if you would you know. Cinda cigarette for every one you smoked to the guys in France so tobacco companies would be shocked to know capitalized on this patriotic connection and they were eager to sell cigarettes and associate it not being foreign like they thing was they always Dutchman and Italians but rather American So as American as really switched into high production in the twenty's cigarettes were seen as all American as well cigarettes well and that brings us to the New Deal where tobacco was actually supported by the government Right right I mean by 930 you know you have cigarettes basically now being 40 percent of all tobacco products when That's a massive explosion which means they represent a critical corner of the economy that needed saving during the Great Depression and so you have the new deals agricultural adjustment administration of the a which basically tries to ensure prosperity for tobacco producers and in the New Deal 1st 3 years for tobacco producers receive between $180000000.00 in to much of the $50000000.00 every year right so they're paying tobacco producers to make less to stabilize prices and as with many of these agricultural adjustments it leads to mass infections and really the decimation of a lot of poor farmers across the south and so there is a consequence that's a little bit unforeseen and of course then you have you know after World War 2 There's all oftentimes a conversion that we see in urban areas where people are focusing on expanding consumption so again getting the government behind encouraging people to go ahead and take a puff and you have lobbyists who initially a part of the New Deal who then joined k. Street lobbying groups in the 1940 s. And it becomes another way of using the American military or foreign policy to now extend American tobacco products into the former battlefronts of Europe that are now destroyed another example of military or kind of federal underwriting of the tobacco economy so take us to the more recent history when people start to see the connections between tobacco. And cancer how does that start to impact the industry Well you know people are fools they can see that you smoke it has these consequences but it's a backhoe industry really mobilized in the 1950 s. To really create the impression that smoking was good for you I remember as a kid the doctors on ads and things telling you that smoking was going to help your voice and so forth. And they Tobacco Industry Research Committee which is a great circular location. From the mid ninety's fifty's until the late 1990 s. Actually spins hundreds of millions of dollars on so-called smoking you health research to mislead the public in fact so you know nearly $960.00 s. There's a big campaign to label cigarettes but the lobby is very strong they haven't just points out that cigarette smoking may hurt your health not in fact it's the record show did hurt your health you know we laugh about the idea of doctors supporting cigarette smoking but I saw an ad recently where a smartphone was advertising that had a battery so long that a little kid could fall asleep still watching their smartphone which may be 50 years from now we'll look back and say that might not have been such a great thing you know to promote let's let's go to today the Nathan only 15 percent of Americans smoke cigarettes compared with 46 percent who smoked mid century those numbers have come way down well the 1st thing you have to think about is you know they're very much in keeping with other movements in the 1960 s. And early seventy's as nonsmokers right and so you know people who are trying to fight back to procure losses emphysema heart disease it becomes part of changing the national consciousness about cigarettes not just as we're making these strides we are seeing a big rise in the amount of people who are smoking East cigarettes especially to. Means in this country now the makers are going to say well you know this is a good way for people to quit smoking traditional cigarettes but Ed I mean we're seeing a trend that's moving in the opposite direction of what we've been talking about yes pretty amazing one out of 5 high school kids today smokes he cigarettes. And we can remember the home goes when they didn't exist so it's pretty amazing that that's caught on that rapidly and matter of fact what you find is that a considerable number of middle school students are starting to do this as well so you have you'll see if you recognize the theme the industry is saying this is a good way to improve your health by getting off tobacco but other advocates are saying no this is actually an easy way into nicotine addiction which could lead to any other form of tobacco use so you know it's we're caught in the same perpetual pattern that we've been for over 100 years now where there's conflicting stories and complete conflicting arguments and evidence but we seem to be still addicted to this nicotine well and I will say one of the things that is also echoing history here is there's very little research at this point about cigarettes we went and visited one of the f.d.a. Funded research operations in Kentucky looking in the cigarettes and one thing that they're finding is that it may not cause lung cancer but cardiovascular issues are being seen already in isa great use because of all the particles in there but anyway we'll link to that here now dot org editors and Nathan Connelly historians and co-host of The Weekly podcast backstory Thanks to both of you thank you and you're listening to here in. Funding for your own now comes from the listeners of w.b. You are Boston and Babel an interactive language program that teaches travel business and casual conversation skills in a new language including French available in the app store or online at Babel the a b b e l dot com and hints maker of hints water on sweet and sparkling are still water infused with root essences like watermelon and Sherry in stores or delivered to homes at drinkin dot com hint mouth watering water. It's here and now remember that dire warning recently from the u.n. Panel on Climate Change the country's need to take unprecedented action within about a decade to control the worst effects of climate change including swaths of uninhabitable land Ok well how about planting trees lots of them over a trillion researchers out of Switzerland say that over the course of time these extra trees would capture more than $800000000000.00 tonnes of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere Thomas Crowder is co-author of the study is a climate change ecologist at this was Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich Professor Crowther Tom take us back to what 4th grade Why do trees take carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere and what is the problem with too much in it and you know it's a good place to start so I guess you know humans have been burning fossil fuels which is release a lot of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere which is causing the greenhouse gas effect and it's warming our planet but the nice thing is trees as we know photosynthesize and that means they capture carbon from the atmosphere and suck it down into their trunks and in the roots and then even pump it into the soil so we've always known that they have the potential to be our allies in this whole well in it's interesting because humans have been trying to replicate where trees do with carbon capture with technology they can suck carbon out of the atmosphere and then store it into the ground but as you're saying trees already do it. That's exactly right trees are doing it fantastically Now I'm not trying to discourage all of the brilliant technological advances but we've already got huge amount of space available for trees and if we can restore trees on those lands nor point 9000000000 hectares available for us to restore trees and if we restored them and they grew to full mature forests they would capture a major chunk of their excess carbon that's in the atmosphere and really help us in that fight against climate change Lisa 2 things there 1st of all you indicated don't start with the technology and you also say don't start with emissions that are planting the trees really doesn't work unless we really are so on the other side cut emissions that is such an important point we have to cut emissions but at the moment we've still got loads and loads of carbon that's already accumulated in the atmosphere and so trees could be a really powerful one to capture that existing carbon in combination with those cuts to emissions Ok talk about where you think those trees could go so it's amazing we thought it would be focused in certain parts of the world but what's amazing is these degraded ecosystems these places where trees should naturally be are distributed all over the world so every country can really play its part now I would stress that the best countries are often in the tropics because those are places that trees go really quickly and they suck up the most carbon but really we can all play a part in this whether it's governments or just as well you said that Russia the United States Canada Australia Brazil China have the most room but speaking of room people questioned Well what about what that land can also be used for which is growing food or places where people live that is another really important consideration so of course we have the hand of land 1st open land for humans to live in 2nd agricultural land to support our growing population and that's why we made sure that we focused on areas that we are not you. We excluded those urban and agricultural areas so how do you see this happening and what kind of response have you had from governments is costs money you've got to find saplings somewhere I would imagine I mean how does it work and it's a good point the nice thing about this as a solution is it's really low tech It doesn't need a politician to make a decision and it doesn't need a scientist to come up with some new invention all it needs is all of us getting involved and genuinely since we really to release this information there has been a massive wave of people starting planting trees all over the place and also donating loads of money to the thousands of restoration projects that are already doing a great job in restoring trees around the world well look there that's a good year because as you know there's also been some gentle marking you know and yeah yeah yeah right planted tree that will change everything you know but you say what. I thought I find it enjoyable and hilarious I mean of course we've always known this is like the hippy solution plant a tree save the world but the amazing thing is now we've got the science to back it up it really is this unbelievably powerful tool and I am looking at some of the social media comments finally I guess there was some reaction to people planting trees in a town in Canada people were against the trees for some reason in somebody's right finally somebody willing to stand up against big canopy. So as with every story there's always you know the bigger the story the bigger the naysayers and so of course there's going to be people who like other solutions and that's great that's the part of it we we want every climate change solution we want to encourage everyone to do whatever they want and always saying is that for any of those people who are interested in having that tangible impact there's something that all of us can get involved with and it's a really nice simple way to get connected to nature as well. Thomas Crowther is co-author of the study they concluded their play. Trees and have to cover Well the size of a United States over a trillion of them could be the best most efficient and cheapest way to really fight climate change Thomas again will try to link to some of these organizations that are doing just what you say thank you so much perfect thank you very much and here now is a production of n.p.r. Interview our association with the b.b.c. World Service I'm Robyn young I'm Jeremy Hobson this is here in our. Funding for here and now comes from the listeners of w.b. You are Boston and math works creators of Matlab and Simulink software for technical computing and model based design math works Excel aerating the pace of discovery in engineering and science learn more at math works dot com. And Jeremy Hobson high schoolers from around the world will meet next week in Hungary for the 30th international biology Olympiad one American competitor says the hardest part is time that I sections you have like some nasty animals in front of you that you have to like take out organs from their hands are shaking and making all get very very messy very quickly that's next time on here in the. You are listening to public radio from 189. On the campus of the University of long. Term. Accelerating the pace of engineering and science. That Works dot com from n.p.r. And you are Boston I'm robbing Jeremy Hobson It's here and they're. Coming up the latest from New Orleans where some streets are already flooded ahead of an approaching tropical storm and also President Trump holds what the White House is billing as a Social Media Summit but none of the big social media companies are there are so Who are these are people who support him online who have supported causes that are sympathetic to him and that he supported causes sympathetic to them and China is forging closer ties with Asian countries that have been u.s. Allies in Indonesia that is challenging for the government being seen as this tough spot between pro China because we knew that it's economic engagement but also we cannot be seen as too close or will rescue some I think backlash coming up here in our news 1st. Live from n.p.r. News in Washington I'm Lakshmi saying the House of Representatives votes next week on whether to hold u.s. Attorney General William Barr and commerce secretary Wilbur Ross in contempt of Congress N.P.R.'s Cosi still reports the vote is being held after bar and Ross failed to comply with congressional investigations into the census dispute attorney general Barr and Secretary Ross have refused to respond to questions and requests for documents related to the trunk administration's attempt to add to citizenship question last month the Supreme Court rejected the administration's argument for adding the question to the 2020 census but officials have continued to look for ways to do so anyway the contempt vote announcement comes as the White House is expected to take executive action to include the question despite the Court Ruling House majority leader Stanley Hoyer says he hopes Barr and Ross will quote change course and comply with Congress's request before the Tuesday vote Kelsey Snowe n.p.r. News the Capitol in fact a source tells n.p.r. President Trump plans to take executive action to get the citizenship question added to the census forms expected to reveal details at 5 pm Eastern But 1st President Trump convenes a Social Media Summit he's extending an invitation to congressional Republicans and prominent conservative social media figures but as N.P.R.'s reports Trump reportedly snubbing companies like Facebook and Twitter platforms he has used heavily to rally his supporters and trash his critics President trances the summit will talk about the quote tremendous dishonesty and discrimination practiced by certain companies trying tweeted that he would not let companies get away with the the actions much longer he didn't identify the companies in his tweet in the past Trump is argue that Twitter has limited his number of followers he's also accused Twitter Facebook and Google of treating Democrats more favorably the White House has kept the guest list for the summit mostly under wraps but certain conservative media personalities have confirmed they will be in attendance including a talk show. Host Bill Mitchell I Seraph go in p.r. News the White House France is coming down hard on big tank in Paris takes again a reports that the French government has approved a digital services tax over the trap of ministrations objections Google Amazon Facebook and Apple are among the companies france will slap with a tax bill the 3 percent digital tax should bring to the French government an average of $500000000.00 euros a year companies have typically avoided paying taxes by having their European headquarters in the e.u. Countries with low corporate rates such as Iceland and Ireland the law has prompted the u.s. To open an investigation into the fairness of the tax and could lead to sanctions on France several.