VOL. CLXVIII . . . No. 58,092 © 2018 The New York Times Company NEW YORK, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2018

C M Y K Nxxx,2018-09-21,A,001,Bs-4C,E2

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Pablo Figueroa keeps his belongings

wedged into a corner of his home, the

only spot where the roof remains.

Misael Peralta and Nereida Claudio are

living in a tent pitched in a relative’s ga-

rage. Paula Cruz Ortiz wonders when

someone will remove the tree that fell on

her house.

Amancio Acosta Rivera can’t stop water

from seeping through the walls when it

rains. Alonso Millan Ubile sees the mold in

his bathroom grow worse every day.

A team of New York Times journalists

visited Punta Santiago, a town in south-

eastern Puerto Rico near where Hurri-

cane Maria made landfall and docu-

mented the damage that remains from

the storm in more than 150 homes.

People there have waited months for

repairs with little relief. A year later, in

house after house, it looks as if the hurri-

cane just hit. PAGE A13

A Year After Hurricane Maria,Many in Puerto Rico Still Live in Ruins

WASHINGTON — The womanwho has accused Judge Brett M.Kavanaugh of sexual assault isprepared to testify before the Sen-ate Judiciary Committee nextweek, so long as senators offer“terms that are fair and which en-sure her safety,” her lawyer toldthe committee on Thursday.

The accuser, Christine BlaseyFord, ruled out Monday as a possi-bility, but also appeared to leavethe door open to testifying even ifthe F.B.I. does not investigate heraccusations, as she had previ-ously requested. The surprise of-fer was the latest twist in an on-again, off-again negotiation be-tween Dr. Blasey and Senate Re-publicans, who have scheduled ahearing for Monday and set Fri-day as a deadline for Dr. Blasey totell them whether she would at-tend.

“She wishes to testify, providedthat we can agree on terms thatare fair and which ensure hersafety. A hearing on Monday is notpossible, and the committee’s in-sistence that it occur then is arbi-trary in any event,” wrote the law-yer, Debra S. Katz, adding, “Herstrong preference continues to befor the Senate Judiciary Commit-tee to allow for a full investigationprior to her testimony.”

Dr. Blasey’s accusations haverocked Washington, upending theconfirmation proceeding forJudge Kavanaugh, PresidentTrump’s second nominee to theSupreme Court, only days beforehe was to receive a vote in thecommittee. A research psycholo-gist in Northern California, Dr.Blasey — who is sometimes calledby her married name, Ford — hasaccused Judge Kavanaugh of sex-ually assaulting her when the twowere in high school in the early1980s — an allegation he has vig-orously denied.

Thursday’s email jump-startedtalks between Dr. Blasey’s law-yers and Democratic and Republi-can committee aides that contin-

JUDGE’S ACCUSEROPEN TO HEARING,BUT SEEKS TERMS

MONDAY ‘NOT POSSIBLE’

Who Will Testify First IsSaid to Be Among

Sticking Points

By SHERYL GAY STOLBERG

Continued on Page A18

Worried their chance to cementa conservative majority on the Su-preme Court could slip away, agrowing number of evangelicaland anti-abortion leaders are ex-pressing frustration that SenateRepublicans and the White Houseare not protecting Judge Brett M.Kavanaugh more forcefully from asexual assault allegation andwarning that conservative votersmay stay home in November if hisnomination falls apart.

Several of these leaders, includ-ing ones with close ties to theWhite House and Senate Republi-cans, are urging Republicans tomove forward with a confirmationvote imminently unless the wom-an who accused Judge Kava-naugh of sexual assault, ChristineBlasey Ford, agrees to share herstory with the Senate JudiciaryCommittee within the next fewdays.

Dr. Blasey’s lawyers told thecommittee Thursday that she waswilling to testify next week, pend-ing negotiations over “terms thatare fair,” but not on Monday asSenate Republicans had wanted.

The evangelical leaders’ pleasare, in part, an attempt to applypolitical pressure: Some of themare warning that religious conser-vatives may feel little motivationto vote in the midterm electionsunless Senate Republicans movethe nomination out of committeesoon and do more to defend JudgeKavanaugh from what they say isa desperate Democratic ploy toprevent President Trump fromfilling future court vacancies.

“One of the political costs of fail-ing to confirm Brett Kavanaugh islikely the loss of the United StatesSenate,” said Ralph Reed, thefounder of the Faith and FreedomCoalition who is in frequent con-tact with the White House.

“If Republicans were to fail todefend and confirm such an obvi-ously and eminently qualified anddecent nominee,” Mr. Reed added,“then it will be very difficult to mo-tivate and energize faith-basedand conservative voters in No-vember.”

The evangelist Franklin Gra-ham, one of Mr. Trump’s most un-wavering defenders, told theChristian Broadcasting Network

Religious RightWary of Delays

On Court Pick

Threatening to Sit OutMidterm Elections

By JEREMY W. PETERSand ELIZABETH DIAS

Continued on Page A18

An artificial intelligence start-up founded by three insiders atMemorial Sloan Kettering CancerCenter debuted with great fanfarein February, with $25 million inventure capital and the promisethat it might one day transformhow cancer is diagnosed.

The company, Paige.AI, is onein a burgeoning field of start-upsthat are applying artificial intelli-gence to health care, yet it has anadvantage over many competi-tors: The company has an exclu-sive deal to use the cancer cen-ter’s vast archive of 25 million pa-tient tissue slides, along with dec-ades of work by its world-renowned pathologists.

Memorial Sloan Kettering holdsan equity stake in Paige.AI, asdoes a member of the cancer cen-ter’s executive board, the chair-man of its pathology departmentand the head of one of its researchlaboratories. Three other boardmembers are investors.

The arrangement has sparkedconsiderable turmoil among doc-tors and scientists at MemorialSloan Kettering, which has inten-sified in the wake of an investiga-tion by ProPublica and The NewYork Times into the failures of itschief medical officer, Dr. José Ba-selga, to disclose some of his fi-nancial ties to the health and drugindustries in dozens of researcharticles. He resigned last week,and Memorial Sloan Kettering’schief executive, Dr. Craig B.Thompson, announced a new taskforce on Monday to review thecenter’s conflict-of-interest poli-cies.

At a staff meeting Thursdaymorning, Dr. Thompson and oth-ers, including Dr. Lisa DeAngelis,the acting physician-in-chief whoreplaced Dr. Baselga, describedthe recent events as a disruptionand acknowledged that the hospi-tal was under a microscope, ac-cording to several people who at-tended. Doctors said they wereconcerned about a lack of commu-nication from hospital leadership,and one said patients were ner-vous that their health data was be-ing commercialized by the institu-tion.

Hospital pathologists havestrongly objected to the Paige.AI

Hospital’s DealWith Start-UpAngers Doctors

Sloan Kettering Agreed to Share Tissue Slides

By CHARLES ORNSTEINand KATIE THOMAS

Continued on Page A16

NEAR MISCHIEF REEF,South China Sea — As the UnitedStates Navy reconnaissanceplane banked low near MischiefReef in the South China Sea earlythis month, a Chinese warningcrackled on the radio.

“U.S. military aircraft,” camethe challenge, delivered in Eng-lish in a harsh staccato. “You haveviolated our China sovereigntyand infringed on our security andour rights. You need to leave im-mediately and keep far out.”

Aboard the P-8A Poseidonmaritime patrol aircraft, flying inwhat is widely considered to be in-ternational airspace, Lt. DyannaCoughlin scanned a live camerafeed showing the dramatic evolu-tion of Mischief Reef.

Five years ago, this was mostlyan arc of underwater atoll popu-lated by tropical fish and turtles.Now Mischief Reef, which is offthe Philippine coast but controlledby China, has been filled out andturned into a Chinese militarybase, complete with radar domes,shelters for surface-to-air missilesand a runway long enough forfighter jets.

“I mean, this is insane,” Lieu-tenant Coughlin said. “Look at allthat crazy construction.”

A rare visit on board a UnitedStates Navy surveillance flightover the South China Sea pointedout how profoundly China has re-shaped the security landscapeacross the region.

The country’s aggressive terri-

torial claims and island militariza-tion have put neighboring coun-tries and the United States on thedefensive, even as PresidentTrump’s administration is step-ping up efforts to highlight China’scontroversial island-building

campaign.In congressional testimony be-

fore assuming his post as head ofthe United States Indo-PacificCommand in May, Adm. Philip S.Davidson sounded a stark warn-

As Beijing Flexes Muscles, Waves of Risk Churn South China SeaBy HANNAH BEECH

China’s militarization of Subi Reef in the South China Sea has put its neighbors on the defensive.ADAM DEAN FOR THE NEW YORK TIMES

Continued on Page A10

The global regulator of drugs insports voted on Thursday to allowRussia to resume testing its ath-letes for performance-enhancingdrugs, despite an outcry from ath-letes and watchdogs that Moscowhas not done enough to clean upits record of corruption in compe-titions.

Russia, whose drug-testingagency has been banned for threeyears, will now be able to certifyon its own that its athletes are notusing illicit drugs, allowing themeasier entry to a range of competi-tions. Russia will also be able to is-sue what are known as therapeu-tic use exemptions, which permitathletes to use certain prohibiteddrugs for medical reasons.

The executive board of theWorld Anti-Doping Agency madethe move despite a series of inde-pendent investigations that foundRussia had orchestrated a vast,state-sponsored doping schemethat tainted the Olympics andother major sports events.

It comes at a time of mountingskepticism about the fairness ofinternational sports competitionsas the use of performance-en-

hancing drugs remains pervasive.Athletes say they do not have faiththat their competitors are not dop-ing. They also say the governingbodies of their sports have failedto ensure the integrity of the com-petition, even at the highest-pro-file events, like the Olympics.

The decision clears Russia tostart hosting international sportsevents again. In addition, it pavesthe way for Russian athletes to be-gin competing under their ownflag in every sport. Russia’s trackand field athletes might be wel-comed back at all internationalevents; the I.A.A.F., track andfield’s world governing body, hadrefused to accept Russian athleteswhile the country’s antidopingagency was not considered incompliance with WADA stand-ards.

Minutes after Russia wascleared by WADA, the organizersof the European Games, a multi-sport event, named Kazan, Rus-sia, to a shortlist of three cities tohost the event in 2023.

The vote by WADA’s board was9 to 2, with one abstention, to re-

Russia Cleared to Test Athletes,Paving Way for Flag to Return

By TARIQ PANJA and MATTHEW FUTTERMAN

Continued on Page A5

The government hopes the move willget students in primary and middleschools to pay more attention. PAGE A4

INTERNATIONAL A4-11

France Bans Phones in ClassLidar sensors from self-driving cars arehelping spot intruders from Mexico,and the tech world is divided. PAGE B1

BUSINESS DAY B1-5

From Bumpers to the Border

A temporary worker opened fire at aRite Aid distribution center in Aber-deen, Md., killing three people and thenherself, a sheriff said. PAGE A12

NATIONAL A12-20

4 Die in Maryland ShootingWe went behind the scenes with thestars Anna Netrebko and Elina Garancaand others as they prepared for the MetOpera’s new season. PAGE C1

WEEKEND ARTS C1-26

The Met’s PreseasonA circuit in Europe grooms drivers butsupplements its races with cheerlead-ers and barbecue. PAGE B7

SPORTSFRIDAY B7-11

Nascar’s European Americana

A former federal judge will examinehow the Archdiocese of New York han-dles reports of sexual abuse. PAGE A22

NEW YORK A22-25

Church Abuse Review Ordered

Joseph Percoco, a former aide to Gov.Andrew M. Cuomo, was sentenced tosix years on bribery charges. PAGE A22

Prison Term for Cuomo AllyContainers of currency worth morethan $100 million vanished in Liberia,setting off finger-pointing. PAGE A7

$100 Million Mystery in Liberia

This futuristic Netflix mini-series, re-volving around an experimental psycho-active drug, is a heart-shaped Rubik’sCube, James Poniewozik says. PAGE C1

An Emotional ‘Maniac’

After four decades, Richard McGuire’shandmade “Ixnae Nix” street postersare coming out of the drawer for twonew solo exhibitions. PAGE C17

Posters With a Second Life

CBS forced him out after sexual abuseclaims. He may yet collect $120 million,James B. Stewart writes. PAGE B1

Golden Parachute for Moonves?

The team’s last World Series title loomsas a source of pride for veterans and achallenge to current players. PAGE B11

Dodgers Chase 1988 Glory

Paul Krugman PAGE A27

EDITORIAL, OP-ED A26-27

Late EditionToday, mostly cloudy, more humid,high 76. Tonight, partly cloudy, hu-mid, a brief shower or two late, low68. Tomorrow, clouds and sunshine,high 75. Weather map, Page B6.

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