Then last week Israel assassinated a senior leader of the Iranian backed Islamic Jihad in Gaza on the same day Syrian state media reported that Israel struck a home belonging to an Islamic Jihad commander in Damascus for n.p.r. News I'm in tell of Eve The u.s. Military says 2 American service members have been killed in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan today the Taliban are claiming their militants attacked it the u.s. Military says there is no initial evidence of this the crash comes a day after the Taliban released several hostages including an American this was in exchange for the release of 3 Taliban commanders. You're listening to n.p.r. News from Washington. From q.a. Our news in Little Rock Good morning I'm Sara Kellogg increasingly cloudy skies are expected today along with the high near 71 degree the unemployment rate in Arkansas is holding steady brain reports the report from the State Department of Workforce Services shows Arkansas seasonally adjusted unemployment rate holding steady at 3 and a half percent between September and October the civilian labor force in the state increased by just over $1500.00 people while the national unemployment rate ticked up to 3.6 percent 8 major industry sectors saw increases in jobs including many factoring which saw the largest increase mainly due to seasonal hiring at food processing facilities professional and business services saw a boost in preparation for tax season and trade transportation and utilities all posted gains related to the upcoming holiday shopping season leisure and hospitality financial activities in mining and logging all posted slight declines from September to October in Arkansas there are roughly 12700 more people working compared to this time last year in a brain k. Way Arnie is. Central Arkansas water has a new tool to take leaks in its distribution system the company unveiled a vessel the nation's 1st water leak detection dog during a news conference on Tuesday Bessel a black Labrador mix has undergone training to take leaks in the water distribution system Bessel achieves her objective by sniffing out the chlorine That's President treated water and barking when she finds the leak the chemical odor from treated water helps her differentiate between what is treated water and groundwater Doug Shackleford Director of Public Affairs and communications for Central Arkansas water says using vessel is a cheaper and quicker alternative than satellite detection and other methods with vessel I mean the fact that we were able to get her from paws in prison as a rescue we didn't there was no cost to the utility for a vessel to come to us really all we've paid for is just the training according to Shackleford vessel has already gotten attention from other water treatment companies across the nation we've begun to get the word out more and more nationally and other utilities are following our social media they're following vessel on social media now they want to know what she's doing how it happened and how they can get involved or get their own dog if esle proves herself to be a success Shackleford said they are open to expanding its fleet of detection dogs in increasing the area where a vessel detects water possibly outside the central Arkansas area. The number of international students coming to Arkansas to study is decreasing the Arkansas Democratic is that reports new data from the Institute of International Education show nationwide enrollment of international undergraduate students fell by roughly 2 and a half percent in the 282-1000 school here the University of Arkansas says its total international student population was down by roughly 3 percent compared to this time last year Arkansas State University posted a sharper decline with international student enrollment down by roughly 10 percent for the current school year nationwide China sent the most international students to the u.s. Followed by India South Korea and Saudi Arabia today increasingly cloudy skies are expected along with the Heiner 71 degrees night there's a 50 percent chance of showers otherwise mostly cloudy skies are expected I'm sorry this is k USA our news. It's Morning Edition from n.p.r. News I'm Noel King and I'm Rachel Martin Gordon's on land has emerged as the most pivotal witness in the impeachment inquiry of President Donald Trump and he has some big explaining to do house investigators have a lot of questions for the u.s. Ambassador to the European Union because of conversations he had with President Trump about u.s. Aid to Ukraine this is former Watergate prosecutor Nick Ackerman you've got a whole bunch of witnesses now that have contradicted him and he's got some serious explaining to do as to what the facts are and what he really remembers at this point particularly since he's changed his testimony once already and we're going to get into the in consistencies of silence testimony in a moment but 1st it's helpful to understand who Gordon Solomon is and how we got here it's safe to say testifying as a key witness in Donald Trump's impeachment inquiry was not how he thought his tenure in this job would be marked Here's some of the videos online and his wife made introducing themselves after his appointment my family is the most important thing to me we spend a lot of time together we travel together I grew up here in Portland Oregon and I'm very excited about there Chandy to spend more time in a year and specifically in Brussels I was it is normal for basters to spend time thinking about Ukraine and its connection to Europe but Ukraine is not a member of the European Union and saw men's work there was out of the ordinary by his own account here's a clip from an interview he did with Ukrainian television the day after that now infamous phone call between President Trump and Ukraine's president followed emirs Olinsky here the u.s. Ambassador to the e.u. But you've been spending a great deal of time in Kiev Why is that well President Trump is not only honored me with the job of being the u.s. Ambassador to the e.u. But he's also given me other special assignments those special assignments included working with 2 other high level members of the trumpet ministration we have what are called the 3 Amigos and the 3 Amigos. Our Secretary Perry again embassador Volcker and myself and we've been tasked with sort of overseeing the Ukraine u.s. Relationship between our contacts at the highest levels of the u.s. Government and now the highest levels of the Ukrainian government Gordon song and had wanted to be a u.s. Ambassador for a long time and he had cultivated a network to try to make it happen I collect books and wine bottles and Gordon among other things who exploit ships This is David Nierenberg he got to know son then when they both worked as fundraisers for Mitt Romney's presidential campaign in 2012 he Another said back then it was clear someone wanted to hitch his wagon to whichever presidential candidate could make him an ambassador preferably to a German speaking country someone's Jewish parents fled Germany in the lead up to World War 2 They ended up in Washington State and opened a dry cleaning business it's a story someone has told a lot I am the 1st in my family that was born in the u.s. My parents were both European immigrants I started he had was a Nazi Germany that was the beginning of the uprising of Hitler and the op my mother was able to say my father was smuggled out of Germany before things got bad he June Gunther Frieda and my sister Lucy found fortunate permanent refuge in Seattle Washington David nearby told me Sohn then saw an ambassadorship as a way to square the circle of his family's legacy some kind of symbolic justice that's not uncommon among the people I know from through this experience to want to have relationships to powerful people in government because let's face it almost anyone who either personally survived or whose parents or grandparents survived the Holocaust did so because of the intervention of someone who helped them and you think you think that explains Gordon someone support of President Trump. I think it may or I think you know it wasn't a straight line though some unsupported Trump in the Republican primary and then when Donald Trump disparaged the Gold Star Families Simon backed out of a trump fundraiser and then Trump became the nominee and some wind didn't just change his mind he went all in and made a 1000000 dollar donation to President Trump's inaugural committee Lenneberg seen spent a decade working as a consultant for someone Bernstein describes him as a political pragmatism who would align himself with whomever could get him his dream job he was a chance he'd try to kind of ride it. Romney horse into that position he tried to be involved in the Jeb Bush campaign and here was his kind of like his ticket to the ball here and I think with Trump he saw a chance to do it. That afternoon it's an honor to appear before you as the president's nominee to serve as the United States ambassador to the European Union I asked Lindbergh seen if he understands who saw on than is at his core would you describe in a someone who has a strong moral compass or a clearly defined code of ethics. I've been thinking about that I'm not sure I'm able to kind of answer that I didn't he certainly never asked me to go over and he lines he was someone who not was looking to kind of bend the rules necessarily but was trying to bend the narrative trying to make sure that he could tell his his story in his way he would win but Gordon saw and story has been changing on October 17th the u.s. Ambassador to the European Union testified before House investigators that he did not know about any plan to hold up u.s. Military aid to Ukraine in exchange for investigations into the Democratic National Committee or Joe Biden then on November 4th 18 days after his original testimony Saddam's lawyers have. A 3 page a den Dem to the House Intelligence Committee a key witness is now reversed himself and conceded that there was a quid pro quo with Ukraine or Ambassador Gorton now backs up the testimony of several other witnesses who said there was a quid pro quo in his a den dome something claims that the testimony of 2 other witnesses had refresh his memory about a conversation he had with a top Ukrainian official that officials name is Andre your mac and they talked on September 1st quote I now recall speaking individually with Mr your back where I said that resumption of u.s. Aid would likely not occur until Ukraine provided the public anti-corruption statement that we had been discussing for many weeks and quote We know now that statement was to affirm investigations that President Trump wanted into Joe Biden and his son Hunter who is on the board of this major energy company in Ukraine called Barry sma but in the last few days another revelation according to a State Department official named David Holmes Gordon Solomon was pushing the investigation into the Bidens because President Trump wanted him to this is what Holmes told House investigators in closed door testimony that on July 26th Holmes was with Sandlin at a restaurant in Kiev this was one day after the phone call between Trump and Selenski at that restaurant someone got on the phone with President Trump who was talking so loudly Holmes could hear the back and forth someone said to trump Zelinsky quote loves your ass Trump then asked about the investigation and Simon said of Zelinsky quote he's going to do it adding he will do anything you ask him to again according to Holmes after the call and said the president didn't really care about Ukraine he only cares about quote big stuff that benefits the president and then some and cited quote The Biden investigation this is the crux of what House investigators want to question Solomon about today because it is the op. Said of what he said in his original testimony back then he testified he had no idea that the Bidens were the subject of this anti-corruption push in Ukraine I asked former Watergate prosecutor Nick Ackerman how unusual it is for a witness to forget key details Well it's pretty exceptional in a circumstance because the conversations he had weren't with just any ordinary person off the street it was the president of United States and if you go back to Watergate John Dean's testimony one of the things that he said in his testimony he was the counsel to Richard Nixon and he said that the reason he could remember these conversations so vividly was because he was talking to the president of the United States it just defies common sense that embassador sudden would not remember the conversations he had with Donald Trump David Nierenberg doesn't quite know what to think about his friend's memory lapses so there are at least 2 of the so that he did not discuss his 1st round of testimony with the house the gators so yes I am disappointed on his behalf but that is the original testimony was more complete more forthcoming a couple weeks before someone testified in closed session and Berg sent him an e-mail urging him to be as honest as possible accountable to him to tell the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth in which I reminded him but I think some lost the White House but because of the d.n.c. Break you would rather because of 2 years of lying and covering up about it Nuremberg is worried that his friend might face legal consequences for changing his testimony there's an opportunity for Gordon to completely I think America loves to forgive people who make Mr explained give them a 2nd chance just hope and pray that when he testifies on Wednesday he will be completely truthful and contrite. Long life. Right which sources. So Rachel Gordon someone has a lot riding on what happens today right he does that former prosecutor I talked with Nick Ackerman says that someone could face a perjury charge which can carry up to 5 years in prison and I mean eventually someone might want to return to his life in Portland Oregon yes you have reminded us here this man is not a career politician yet he owns several high profile boutique hotels in Portland Oregon which is not exactly a g.o.p. Stronghold right before his original testimony Oregon Democratic congressman Earl Blumenthal had actually called on people to boycott Simon's hotels and now it was before someone had changed his story which has now caused Republicans to question his integrity so he's going to need to restore the damage that's been done to his reputation through all this but now while the other person who has a lot riding on what happens today is President Trump because of all the witnesses who have gone before the impeachment inquiry thus far Gordon saw online could be the key to really understanding whether or to what degree President Trump manipulated u.s. Foreign policy for his own political gain All right we will be watching all of that play out this afternoon Rachel thanks so much. This is n.p.r. News. And this is Morning Edition on k y a r 89 point one Frederico Guam and other u.s. Territories may soon be forced to make drastic cuts to their Medicaid programs the urgency is here for us let our congressional members know even going to January is extremely dangerous Just ahead why lawmakers must act now to avert a health care crisis that's in about 15 minutes on our. Support for k u a r comes from Arkansas Community Foundation which offers tools to make charitable giving easy flexible and efficient during this holiday season of giving and all year long the foundation has tools to create endowments that impact the community for ever more to create donor advised funds that meet a median essential needs Arkansas Community Foundation smart giving to improve communities learn more at a r.c.f. Dot org slash smart giving support for k u a r comes from the Clinton museum store visitors will find a selection of unique memorabilia and exceptional gifts to warm the home this fall including hand crafted baskets pottery and Grassy Creek brooms in a variety of colors and sizes they proudly carry fashion from Arkansas designers and a beautiful collection of jewelry including exclusive pieces created from an imprint of the an Frank tree saplings the Clinton museum store is open 7 days a week inside the Clinton Presidential Center Support for k u a r comes from in America science museum in Hot Springs celebrating the season with the 20th annual Taste of the holidays at 6 pm Thursday Nov 21st the annual event benefits the museum's year round educational programming and includes food and drink from nearly 30 vendors hands on science a silent auction and in and you will college scholarship presentation taste of the holidays with minute Merica Science Museum November 21st details admit American Museum dot org. Support for n.p.r. Comes from this station then from Sony Pictures with a beautiful day in the neighborhood directed by Mariel Heller and starring Tom Hanks a journalist learns about empathy and kindness after being assigned a profile of Mr Rogers only in theaters November 22nd from t. Rowe Price offering a strategic investing approach that examines investment opportunities 1st hand institutions advisors employers and individuals choose to Rowe Price t. Rowe Price invest with confidence. And from Drexel University recognizing 100 years of a cooperative education program that prepares students to address the challenges of a changing world more at Drexel dot edu slash ambition can't wait this is Morning Edition from n.p.r. News I'm Rachel Martin and I'm Noel King good morning tonight 10 Democrats will be in Atlanta for the next presidential debate looming over them in some ways is Barack Obama who recently gave some unsolicited advice about the future direction of the Democratic Party now Obama is extremely popular among Democratic voters but in the middle of the 2020 campaign his legacy is mixed N.P.R.'s want to Somers has the story. Democrats meet at this Mexican restaurant in Kansas City Kansas for breakfast every morning on this particular Saturday as they piled their plates high with eggs grilled vegetables and foil wrapped or TIA's and they settle in to hear from a candidate hoping to turn one of the state's u.s. Senate seats believe they're also sorting through who they plan to support the Democratic presidential race organizers handed out yellow ruled and that is cards where you pick the radius now you're able to put their credit the old that voter is Melissa by nominee she's 56 and at large commissioner here in Wyandotte County Kansas she didn't tell me who she wrote down on her index card but she says she wants to hear candidates paint a big picture vision for the future she's full of praise for the last successful Democratic presidential nominee and by them once the 2020 candidates to recognize Barack Obama's legacy Well I think that they need to make sure that they are acknowledging. All of the good that he was able to accomplish in his 8 years in the White House where she specifically mentions the Affordable Care Act One of Obama's signature accomplishments a couple tables over from buying them is Paul Avalon he says he hasn't made up his mind yet but he's leaning toward candidates like Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders drawn to their calls for large scale change they're much more progressive. Willing to take more chances in order to win and here's what he has to say when I ask him about President Obama he was a good president but there were some things about his presidency that deliver a lot to be desired Obama isn't on the ballot in 2020 but Democrats on the campaign trail and at local party meetings like this one are grappling with his legacy on the debate stage those clashes have come over whether to stick with or scrap his signature health care law in favor of a single. Mayor system Democratic candidates have also tussled over his record on immigration while Obama has privately talked with a number of Democrats seeking the White House he's mostly kept a low profile that changed last week Obama was speaking at a liberal donor gathering in Washington he urged fellow Democrats to remember the long a messy primary slog he endured in his 2008 campaign against Hillary Clinton saying it ultimately made him a better candidate but Obama also made a big statement it was recorded off mike he started off saying voters are entrusted in things being improved but they are there. In the sense that. He was warning Democrats against tearing down the system so why is Obama saying this now I asked Phil pay him that question he's a Democratic strategist who worked for Harry Reid and Hillary Clinton on one level it was an implicit defense of the Obama years and of the value of of the advances in the for the progress that he helped make under his presidency I also thought it was a bit of a warning to the party to not lurch too far in this instance to the left he also said that while Democratic voters admire Obama the optimistic positive case he made in 20072008 May not play as well today Barack Obama right now is probably not in tune he in the way he governed in the way he campaigned is not in tune with today's Democratic Party Florentino Camacho made that point at the Kansas breakfast I attended he's in a seventy's and said that Obama was one of the best presidents of his lifetime but things have changed and he had some advice for Democrats hoping to beat President Trump in a general election I think they're doing good when they have to start fighting and then you touring and the Republicans but some voters missed the optimism of the Obama years Ariel Munroe is one of them Obama won the white. House for the 1st time when she was just starting college all different kinds of people related to this man how we all believed in him there was this whole message of hope that it will all get better for people who have grown up maybe not feeling that that's a possibility Monroe hasn't found a candidate that inspiring I'm not excited right now but I hope to be soon it's been more than a decade since Obama was 1st elected the Democratic Party has moved to the left raising the question of whether there is one candidate who can inspire the same broad coalition of voters that Obama dead or if that's what Democrats need to win next year want to Summers n.p.r. News a marathon is a little over 26 miles imagine running more than a marathon every single day for 4 months I specially ran across a. 2210 miles back roads dirt roads through the desert with bicycle support that is Katie Biscoe her day job is delivering homemade soup on her bicycle but this summer she decided to run it down the middle of Australia Katie ran between 28 and 38 miles every day while her husband Henley biked alongside her with their supplies a lot of the terrain is desert right they dealt with heat exhaustion and high desert winds I could feel the wind emotionally because it's so strong in your face right at you and you have you can't do anything about it it's literally like running through the most viscous sludge the going got rough like really rough in the Sandia stretch of desert Henley had to push a supply bike for a few days it weighed 350 pounds and so with all his might he pushed dragged hold this bike through 2 days of deep sand there was a couple of moments where he sobbed a huge lesson from the trip is that if I'm in pain like I have to run. Another 30 miles today and my foot hurts whatever it is it is brief dragging yourself across the desert may not sound like fun but Katie says she's kind of sad it's over this run across Australia was ultimately a mission of self discovery and self love I wanted to become somebody more than I thought I could be so what is next for these 2 Katie and her husband say they aren't sure yet but they are already daydreaming about it. This is n.p.r. News. Today marks another day of public hearings in the House impeachment inquiry one of the president's staunchest defenders Republican Congressman Jim Jordan but I think he really is seen as much a policy person as a very articulate and passionate spokesperson and in-depth profile of Jim Jordan this afternoon on All Things Considered from n.p.r. News. And that today from 3 to 630 on the way our. Support for k. U.a.r. Comes from listeners and from Carolyn a central Arkansas nonprofit providing resources and services to help older loved ones keep the independence they need to spend their golden years in the comfort of their homes since 1979 many services like Meals on Wheels urgent needs and transportation are made possible through the support of donors Carolyn resources for older people and their families learn more about care link and how to support its mission of service at Care link dot org slash give. Live from n.p.r. News in Washington I'm Dave Mattingly headmaster Gordon Sohn Lynn will be on Capitol Hill today to testify to the House Intelligence Committee about President Trump and Ukraine and P.R.'s miles Parks says someone is the next scheduled witness in the public impeachment inquiry focusing on Trump's July phone call with Ukraine's president followed the mayor's Alinsky someone is the ambassador to the European Union and there's been a number of questions from lawmakers about his credibility after we revised some of his previous testimony to reflect his awareness that the release of foreign aid was dependent on political investigations last week a State Department aide also testified that he overheard a phone call between Trump and someone that had not been previously disclosed as the impeachment inquiry continues President Trump is traveling to Texas today N.P.R.'s trial Snyder says Trump will tour a manufacturing plant in Austin where Apple makes mac pro computers the president is to tour the facility alongside Apple c.e.o. Tim Cook with a trade dispute with China as a backdrop President Trump has criticized Apple for its reliance on Chinese manufacturing in September however Apple announced that it will make its new MacBook Pro desktops an Austin after winning tariff exemptions on computer parts from China the u.s. Military is denying claims by the Taliban that the militant group shot down an American Chinook helicopter that crashed today in Afghanistan 2 u.s. Service members were killed this is n.p.r. News. From k u a r news in Little Rock Good morning I'm Sara Kellogg increasingly cloudy skies are expected today along with a high near 71 degrees flu activity in Arkansas is high according to the latest report from the State Department of Health K.R.'s Michael headland has details for the weekend being Friday over $200.00 new cases of influenza have been reported that brings the total to about $1200.00 positive cases so far this season the department says that's likely an undercount of actual cases as these only represent people hospitalized deaths and outbreaks 3 deaths of been reported in Arkansas 66 percent of cases have been influence a and 34 percent influenza b. Just over 2 and a half percent of people going to emergency rooms last week were 4th of flu in terms of school absenteeism Poleski County in central Arkansas and Crittendon and seen frames this counties in eastern Arkansas had the highest rates with 10 to 15 percent of students being out because of the flu bug cohere play in case he way our news fails of medical marijuana in Arkansas have surpassed the $20000000.00 mark the State Department of Finance and Administration says the state's 10 functioning marijuana dispensaries have sold a total of $2900.00 pounds of the drugs and sales began in May The division of Alcoholic Beverage Control has approved an 11th defense raid open Piers period in Fayetteville be the 4th medical marijuana dispensary to operate in the northwest Arkansas area when it opens later this week. Today increasingly cloudy skies are expected along with a high near $71.00 degrees tonight there is a 50 percent chance of showers otherwise mostly cloudy skies are expected the low will be around $55.00 Tomar showers are likely with a 60 percent chance of precipitation as well as the possibility of a thunderstorm will be near 68 rain is expected tomorrow night this is. Support for k. You are comfortable offices are very green of people practice reminding all that texting and driving is deadly dangerous helping injured people with litigation including dangerous drugs and medical devices g. Green dot com. Support for n.p.r. Comes from this station and from Zoom Zoom offers cloud video conferencing online meetings and a video conference room solution and one platform featuring digital video and audio with screen sharing account registration and more zoom dot us. From indeed with it skills tests built for employers who want to see a deeper sense of the person behind the resume learn more it indeed dot com slash n.p.r. Than from the listeners who support this n.p.r. Station. This is Morning Edition from n.p.r. News I'm Rachel Martin and I'm Noel King good morning Believe me it is in a state of political chaos President Evo Morales was pushed out last week he went to Mexico which offered him asylum Meanwhile there's been an ongoing standoff between security forces and protesters at a major gas plant outside of the capital the protesters support a former Alice and they're blocking the gas plant in order to sow chaos to cause fuel shortages it turned out Glee reports say at least 5 people are dead and 30 are injured N.P.R.'s Philip Reeves is following the story from Brazil Good morning feel good morning so can you explain what has been going on at this gas plant that led to deaths you know this plant is an alto That's a city right next door to the capital a pass Actually it's on top of the hills above more than 13 and a half 1000 feet now the plant's been under blockade for days by supporters of the the analysis the police an army wanted to break that blockade to allow fuel tankers to get out and deliver because in recent days the been shortages of fuel and also food because deliveries have become very difficult because of the unrest and specially the blocked roads now we don't know the details of the shooting that happened yesterday but witnesses are reportedly saying that Army soldiers opened fire the army is saying that it didn't shoot but that the plant came under attack from vandals and looters one thing that we it's important to remember though this follows the killing of 9 people on Friday in a culture Bamber in central Bolivia and in that incident security forces opened fire on a crowd of protesting coca farmers that happened in the heartland of moralities self a former cocoa farmer and it's really cranked up the political temperature in a nation that is deeply polarized and according to some in danger of sliding into civil war oh man I mean if Phil Morales resigned because of protests and yet protests keep going what the what exactly do people want here they didn't think it what they want. Well morale is still has significant support in Bolivia despite evidence of election rigging that the evidence that really triggered his fall a lot of people revere him for raising the poor out of poverty specially indigenous Bolivians with social programs and for for championing indigenous culture and rights and so those people want him back and they're taking to the streets to say so they reject the interim government to step in came to power about a week ago led by Yemeni and yes he was a senator they see it as right wing hostile to indigenous people and they think that the way it took over power was illegitimate. And they also think that it's not acting like a caretaker government tasked with taking the country to elections it's exceeding its remit in their view especially in the area of foreign policy so all that is adding to the cauldron and all of that brings up a very important question which is who is controlling Bolivia who's in charge here well you know theoretically the interim government of Yemeni and yes but control is weak she does have the backing of the military and police she's been holding talks with some elements of the Socialist Party of them Alice who control Congress over how to cooperate over holding elections within the next 3 months but these latest deaths you know are going to make the task of finding some sort of consensus some kind of corporation even more difficult to the situation is very complicated N.P.R.'s Philip pre-sell thanks so much You're welcome. There's a health care crisis unfolding in Puerto Rico Guam and other u.s. Territories it's called the Medicaid cliff these islands are facing a combined shortfall of more than a 1000000000 dollars next year they say unless the u.s. Congress acts they'll need to make drastic cuts to their Medicaid programs and that their patients' lives are on the line n.p.r. Health policy reporter Celine. Simmons' definite reports Sandra King Young is the Medicaid director for the South Pacific island of American Samoa she says because of the Medicaid cliff her government had to make a choice keep the island's one hospital running or shut down the referral program that sends patients to New Zealand when they need services they can't get on the island they chose to shut down the referral program at the end of the year so all the patients that are in New Zealand right now getting cancer treatment and or recovering from total knee replacements or bypass heart surgery we're waiting for all of them they have to return she says one patient who needs a year's worth of cancer treatment will only get 6 weeks other patients who need treatments in New Zealand that wouldn't be done by the end of the year have been told they can't go and tell me if that's acceptable in the United States to stand by and say sorry we can't give you that stent or that pacemaker soul it's likely that you'll have a stroke or heart attack and that's it that's what it means not to have enough Medicaid funding for the territories when it comes to Medicaid the u.s. Territories are treated differently than states are the federal government contributes a certain amount of money to Medicaid based on what states spend and states get more if their population is low income in the territories it doesn't work that way even though their populations are low income the amount the feds chip in is fixed at a low rate also the territory's can only get federal funding up to a certain ceiling every year and historically that ceiling hasn't been high enough to fully fund the programs states have no ceiling in 2011 Sandra King Young explains this picture changed in the last 8 years under the Affordable Care Act we had money specifically $7000000000.00 for the territory's Medicaid programs but it was a one time thing and most of that money just expired at the end of September thus the cliff. And the tough choices these territories like American Samoa are making King young points to news coverage in the 1960 s. That described her island as America's shame because it was so neglected by the federal government right now this is the United States' shame in the islands she's right that this is a shame and it's one that we at least in a bipartisan fashion in the House are looking to address an expeditious fashion that's Congressman Derren Soto a Democrat from a district in central Florida with a huge Puerto Rican population he introduced a bill that would allocate about $3000000000.00 a year for the next 4 years in the House it has bipartisan support for an act of negotiations with the Senate but there is some opposition to our bill in the Senate opponents question the billions of dollars the territories are asking for and argue that there needs to be better oversight of these funds particularly in Puerto Rico which has dealt with corruption allegations still so says he's optimistic a bipartisan deal will get through Congress soon McCalla Rymer Brown hopes he's right she's a health official in the u.s. Virgin Islands the urgency is here for us to let our congressional members know even going to January is extremely dangerous she says by then they'll need to start cutting their Medicaid rolls removing people from the program it's already catastrophic for our territories we really need them to make a move she says it's not clear that urgency is being felt by lawmakers on the mainland Selena Simmons deafen n.p.r. News. r dot org or on your go to streaming device for the University of Arkansas Little Rock department of Applied communication and. I'm Dr Carole Thompson with Communication matters people often say I don't do apologies and yeah sometimes we hurt other people sometimes inadvertently philosopher Martin Buber says we are human because of our relationships so apologies are important Hocker and Wilma suggest about apologies Be sure to acknowledge wrongdoing by saying I see now that I've hurt you except to rather than deflect responsibility affirming this is my fault offer sincere expression of regret or remorse saying I'm deeply sorry that my thoughtless action hurt you assure that this will not happen again make up if possible asking is there anything I can do to make it better the poor apology can cause harm it helps to be honest and sincere to recognize how the other person feels for Communication matters I'm Dr Carol Thompson. Impeachment hearings continue u.s. Ambassador to the e.u. . We'll talk with our political strategists. Maybe you're up with the sun or maybe you're not a morning person either way you can hear Morning Edition from n.p.r. News on your schedule weekdays 7 to 3 just say Alexa play Morning Edition. Good morning I'm Noel King Dianic Chong was going to Pennsylvania for precincts giving with her family she stopped for a bagel in New York and left her keys in the shop the store's manager Vinnie pro shop couldn't find a way to mail them to her quickly so he drove 185 miles to get them back in person at one point on the way home video was pulled over for speeding but when the officer saw a thank you card from Diana he let me go with a warning It's Morning Edition support for n.p.r. Comes from this station and from Whole Foods Market offering colors and flavors of the season with seasonal produce holiday desserts and Chef created menus Whole Foods Market color the classics from t.i.a. Committed to the idea that while most things in life run out from clean shirts in the morning to a favorite dessert at night lifetime income in retirement shouldn't learn more it t.-i dot org slash never run out and from the listeners who support this n.p.r. Station. It's Morning Edition from n.p.r. News I'm Noel King and I'm Rachel Martin the world's newest Nobel Peace Prize winner is facing one of his biggest tests his name is Abi Oxford Any won the prize last month for ending 2 decades of war between Ethiopia and its neighbor Eritrea today he faces what may be an even bigger challenge an election that could create Ethiopia's newest ethnically defined state N.P.R.'s Neda Prata is in the City of her Wassa and joins us now good morning atr Can you just explain where Hossein is and what you're seeing yes so this is a mid-sized city in southern Ethiopia but it gets rule really fast right now I mean the mountains outside of. Coffee country and the polling places have been set up in military tents and they're using bed sheets and curtains to make up private voting booths and the big highlight so far is that the vote is peaceful but also that we've seen huge voter turnout people have been in line since last night and keep in mind that this is Ethiopia an ancient country that has never really had free elections and people here have stayed home in the past but they are participating in huge numbers because they believe their vote is going to count I mean why do they think that why do they think this time will be different that this time their vote will matter so well I mean one of the big things the prime minister of the argument promised when he came to power was that Ethiopia would become a real democracy and I think this is testing that right this is his 1st big test and I mean this will answer whether Ethiopia has really changed and whether there's hope for next year which is when the country will hold general elections. Is currently made up of 9 ethnically based States I understand and this vote could create 8 to 10 so just kind of explain the dynamics of the interests the various interests here are complicated because just here in this one state there are 56 ethnicities. And the biggest ethnicity I mean essentially wanted to force here the . Believe that the that they need power here that they can that they should be able to control you know the biggest city here in Hawaii and that they should be able to control their money and it's hard it's really hard to find an American analogue because American federalism is not based on ethnicity but it would be kind of like if the Latino majority in Miami decided that they wanted their own state to that they didn't want to have to share power with Tallahassee or with any other ethnicity in South Florida and you know as you might imagine something like this has really torn up the community one woman I spoke to. Was scared she only gave me her 1st name and she was scared that when the see them up people took power they would kick her out of out of the only place they but she knows us home Let's listen . To not to say that he really said if they get an independent if they win because we have been to visit for a long time we have eat together we have to get married together so. I would be happy if you continue to give that like one so I should note that in a lot of places especially were you know there are many minorities this feel sad stores are closed people are off the streets you know it very much feels like they're losing something important and I imagine there are concerns this could set a precedent right there could be even dangerous it can I mean look home to many ethnicities and if they all want to force you know it could lead to chaos that's the worry right N.P.R.'s Neda Prata and a theo piano Election Day 8 are thank you thank you Rachel. This is n.p.r. News. It's 650 You're listening to Morning Edition on cable 89 point one young Somali American man received a light prison sentence after helping the f.b.i. In a key terrorism case now he and his mother are outcast a lot of people in the community. Because who tell the truth coming up why helping prosecutors is seen as unforgivable in the tight knit immigrant community that's coming up in about 20 minutes on. Today increasingly cloudy skies are expected along with a high near 71 degrees tonight there's a 50 percent chance of showers otherwise mostly cloudy skies are expected to be around 55 tomorrow showers are likely with a 60 percent chance of precipitation as well as the possibility of a storm Hile being near 68 rain is expected tomorrow night the chance of showers is 90 percent. Support for comes from the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service the Clinton School of Public Service is now accepting applications for its online degree cohort Clinton school online is billed for public service professionals looking to advance their careers without relocating or disrupting their personal lives the deadline to apply is December 1st More information can be found at Clinton School USA s.y.s. Dot edu or by calling the office of admissions at 501-683-5228 support for k u a r comes from the regional recycling district in Polaski County reminding all that recycling continues to change and that's because recycling is driven by worldwide commodity markets it all comes down to what can be sold and remanufactured into new products that will profitably sell at retail doing recycling right helps make the whole process work learn how proper recycling habits can improve public health and protect our shared environment at my do right. It's Morning Edition from n.p.r. News I'm Noel King I'm Rachel Martin and I'm David Greene the author Clifford Thompson has spent a lot of time thinking about identity as a young man I kind of struggled with how to how do you as a black person kind of fit yourself into American society for most of us America is the only home we've ever known on the other hand America has such a history of oppression of of people of color so where do you where do you fit yourself into that into that picture he often thinks about his place in America and he says for him the 2016 election brought on a new period of reflection he did not vote for President Trump actually he rarely meets people who did maybe you can relate to Thompson maybe not but no doubt this is a divisive time in our country a time when many people with views for or against this president have trouble understanding the other side there are stories of liberals. Going to Thanksgiving dinner and their uncle is there is a trump supporter and you know they either have an argument or they avoid the subject of politics altogether as as a black person you know my my circle tends not to include a lot of conservative Republicans so. It's not that I think Trump supporters or space aliens or anything like that it's just that in the normal course of things I tend to have lengthy conversations with them so I decided that maybe it was time to maybe it was time to do that and that is exactly what he did to understand his country and himself he sought out people who support President Trump now to be clear he wasn't trying for a representative sample of Trump voters he only wrote about several of them all of them white men he also wasn't trying to draw any sweeping conclusion about our country this was a very personal journey that he writes about in his new book what it is so when Donald Trump was elected it came out. That the majority of white voters in the country supported him so if you are a black person who has always kind of founded your beliefs on on the notion that you should not be prejudiced that you should not judge people according to skin color but the majority of whites in the country who support a man who received the endorsement of the of the Ku Klux Klan What does that leave you and so for the 1st time the my life I felt the foundational personal beliefs of mine to be challenged in a major way and so it became a matter of figuring out how to go forward with this challenge. And you decided as part of going forward that you wanted to meet and listen to some voters who supported Donald Trump How did you reach that decision. I want to talk to trump supporters. Just to try to get a sense of what exactly some of I mean I certainly can't talk to all the trump supporters and there are some I don't want to talk to but but I wanted to get a sense of what some of them were thinking so that I could then come to some sort of rational conclusion about about why so many people supported this when and some of your conversations that you you write about the book I mean there were there were captivating and we should think that you gave them different names to protect their identities right so there was there was a guy you call by who you spent some time with to tell me a little bit about him so our listeners know Sure Bob is a Californian he's white he is in a seventy's he's a retired California highway patrolmen and so he welcomed me into his home we started talking about you know his his upbringing his career and I asked him questions about race and almost out of the blue at one point he remembered an experience he had in the early 1970 s. When he was a patrolman. And he said you know this isn't nice do you want to hear it and I said yes I do so he proceeded to tell me what it was so Bob is sitting there and recounts the time that he used the n. Word and he tells you about this I mean how how did you react to that I admired him for sharing that story with me because he certainly didn't have to and he and he knew that it wouldn't make him look good so he he understands that this was not a good things to have done. And he very much identifies himself as somebody who is who is not racist who does not make judgments on the basis of race at the same time as became clear in our conversation as became clear to me. He would say things that indicated to me if not to him sort of negative attitudes toward toward black people so you know on the one hand he identifies as somebody who is not a racist on the other hand I think he has beliefs that I don't even think that he's aware of having which are negative about people of color I guess it's important to point out I mean obviously these were just a couple conversations and I my colleagues and I have interviewed a lot of people who supported President Trump who might have had some lairds to these guys or might not I want to focus more on you and what what did you get out of this and these to these conversations one notion I came away with is that and this sort of transcends the time that we're in and transcends selection and everything is that I think most people are decent a lot of people are not but even at a level below that people are selfish and they tend to do things in support of their interests or what they think they or their interests are and that's just that's how people have to be and so when it comes to Trump's election I think people vote for him for for a variety of reasons you know maybe maybe you voted for him because you think he's going to bring back coal mining jobs. And the flipside of that is a certain indifference to the concerns of other people and I think I think indifference is I think it can't be underestimated as a factor in what's going on now. Do you feel like you've changed going through these this project I mean I still maintain my beliefs in one you know calling myself an American and and 2 judging people if I have to judge them as individuals what's changed I think is my sympathy for people of color who just can't get there but I choose to maintain this this rudeness that I have and not being prejudiced and and identifying as an American. For Thompson a real pleasure talking to thank you thank you for having me it's been a pleasure Clifford Thompson his new book is called What It Is. We appreciate you listening to the program this morning on your public radio station and stay in touch throughout the day you can find us on social media visit the morning edition Facebook page and we are all over Twitter and you can find me at n.p.r. Greene and while King is at Noel King Rachel Martin is at Rachel n.p.r. And Steve Inskeep is at n.p.r. Inskeep. This is Morning Edition from n.p.r. News I'm David Greene I'm Rachel Martin and I'm no well King I'm sorry you're listening to our. Part 4 k u a r comes from Congar wealth management where a 4 person team gets to know the clients their families their businesses and their preferences 374-1174 conquer wealth management dot com. This is 89 point one k. You play our little rock a listener supported service of you a little rock in partnership with the ins enough that in Arkansas news coming up in about 4 minutes. Today increasingly cloudy skies are expected along with the Heiner $71.00 degrees and I think a 50 percent chance of showers otherwise mostly cloudy skies are expected the low will be around $55.00 right now it's 38 degrees in partly cloudy skies support for n.p.r. Comes from a meeting on board and someone has become the most important witness in the impeachment inquiry today the u.s. Ambassador to the European Union changed his story once will he do it again on Morning Edition from n.p.r. News. Investigators will ask about the phone conversation some wind allegedly had with President Trump about investigations into the Bidens I know well King and I'm Rachel Martin will song live to undercut the Republicans defends. The Hong Kong protester says he was tortured by Chinese officials he worked for the u.k. Government which has summoned China's ambassador to South Dakota's botched p.r. Campaign against meth and cashing in on Ok boomer It's Wednesday November 20th former Vice President Joe Biden turns 77 years old today. The news is next. Live from n.p.r. News in Washington I'm Corba Coleman the House Intelligence Committee resumes the impeachment inquiry into President Trump in an hour lawmakers are trying to find whether the president acted inappropriately by urging Ukraine to open investigations into Joe Biden and why u.s. Military aid was held up to Ukraine N.P.R.'s Joel Snyder reports today's key witness is a us Ambassador Gordon Sandlin is the Portland Oregon hotel developer turned ambassador to the European Union who amended the closed door testimony he gave House impeachment investigators he is expected to be questioned about that and his conversations with the president about u.s. Aid to Ukraine N.P.R.'s Giles Snyder presidential candidates return to the stage tonight in Atlanta for the 5th Democratic debate as N.P.R.'s Scott d'être reports a lot has changed since the candidates last gathered last month Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren was the surgeon candidate this time in South Bend Indiana Mayor Pete budget but the judge is surging in the polls in Iowa and doing well in New Hampshire though he doesn't have anywhere near as much support in the 2 other early states South Carolina and Nevada Warren has spent much of the past month on the defensive about her health care plan and all the candidates have had to work hard to break through a new cycle so focused on impeachment 10 candidates will be on the stage tonight former Housing and Urban Development secretary who Leon Castro will not be there though he didn't.