npr--2020-09-25--The Air Force Struggles With Diversity. Can The Space Force Do Any Better?

The Air Force Struggles With Diversity .
Can The Space Force Do Any Better ?
When 1st Lt. Kelley McCaa found out she would be part of the American military 's first all-female space operations crew , working alongside a team of women she considers close friends , she knew it would make a bold statement for the newly formed U.S. Space Force .
McCaa 's squadron , based at Schriever Air Force Base in Colorado Springs , operates one of the approximately 30 GPS satellites used by more than 5 billion people around the world .
`` Growing up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ women in STEM or women in recruiter videos for the military or science or physics .
So , for me , I 'm hoping that women will see that they have more opportunities than they might 've realized growing up , '' McCaa said .
That all-female team is n't the only sign that the Space Force is trying to build diversity into its mission from the start .
It also recently promoted its first female three-star general , Nina Armagno .
As the Space Force 's general officer , she will oversee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ June , the head of the branch , Gen. John Raymond , addressed the topic in a letter he wrote in response to national uproar over the death of George Floyd .
He called racism one of the enemies that service members swore an oath to defend the country against , and added the Space Force must be founded on dignity and respect .
`` We have an opportunity to get this right from the beginning and we are committed to doing so , '' Raymond wrote .
`` We must build diversity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — make it one of the bedrock strengths of our Service . ''
However , some critics worry these public steps only serve to obscure larger systemic problems the Space Force has inherited from the branch of the military it grew out of , the U.S. Air Force .
President Trump signed the U.S. Space Force into law back in December , creating the first new military branch since 1947 .
The Space Force , though an independent branch , still resides within the Department of the Air Force in the same way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Department of the Navy .
Currently , the vast majority of Space Force personnel are Air Force transfers .
A series of reports from Protect Our Defenders , a nonprofit focused on reducing gender and racial discrimination in the military , concluded that the Air Force has the worst problem with racial bias among the military branches .
As the American Homefront Project reported , the group found Black airmen were about 70 % more likely to be court-martialed or face other punishments than their white counterparts .
The Air Force 's own @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worse in recent times , not better .
Protect our Defenders obtained that data after years of the Air Force blocking its release .
The nonprofit 's president , former Air Force Chief Prosecutor and retired Col. , Don Christensen , said he thinks it 's too early to spot whether the Space Force is repeating this disciplinary trend .
Until that data exists , he said announcements like the all-female space operations squadron and the promotion of Gen. Armagno are positive signs for the branch .
He also believes its distinction as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Having the whole force performing high-tech desk jobs may prevent women from some of the same prejudices and stereotypes present in the other branches , where masculine ideals of physical prowess dominate the culture .
Regardless , Christensen said he has not yet seen any substantive action from Space Force leadership indicating diversity is a true priority .
For example , the concept is not included in the recently-released 41-page Space Force doctrine , considered a critical founding document for the service .
Yvonne Pacheco recently retired after a 22-year career in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ culminated in a posting as a commanding officer with U.S. Military Entrance Processing Command in Chicago .
She was the only woman of color in a command role in her battalion , but lost her rank and command when superiors opposed her taking time off for a hysterectomy surgery and inpatient PTSD therapy .
She said a senior officer told her the command was `` making an example out of her as a Black woman . ''
Pacheco identifies as Hispanic .
The experience led her to reach out to Protect Our Defenders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reinstated post-retirement and she is now receiving full disability payments for her PTSD .
Pacheco looks at the Space Force announcements , as well as recent news of the first Black Air Force Academy superintendent and the first Black Air Force chief of staff as positive , but ultimately hollow , developments .
`` It 's a photo op .
[ They can say , ] 'See ?
We like Black people .
We like minorities — we promoted them .
So , do n't complain anymore , OK ? '
'' Pacheco @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see is action .
What policies are you going to drive ? ''
Pacheco lives in New Jersey now , but still has a 719- cell number , a reminder of time serving with Peterson Air Force Base .
She said problems with gender and race discrimination come down to how the military is organized .
As discrimination reports move up the chain of command , she believes senior officers do n't have the proper incentives to act on the charges and instead seek to suppress them to avoid looking bad themselves — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fundamental change to the force 's command and reporting infrastructure .
`` We 're going to make you proud '' The Space Force 's Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer Carrie Baker said as a Black woman , she has encountered racism from superiors in her more than two decades with the Air Force , but does not believe any of it was intentionally motivated .
Baker argued the recent staffing announcements from the Air Force and Space Force go `` beyond window dressing . ''
She said starting the force from scratch so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ set a new standard of zero tolerance for racial and gender bias .
And she pointed to several different efforts : outreach initiatives targeted to recruiting women and people of color , mentoring panels to help those servicemembers advance , and a `` heavy emphasis '' on training senior officers to recognize unconscious bias .
Baker said the Space Force is fostering a culture where a warfighter can speak to superiors about their concerns without fear of retribution .
`` Inclusion is not a zero-sum game , '' Baker said .
`` By @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is going to be left out .
The pie does not get smaller .
It gets bigger . ''
`` Keep your eye on us , '' she said .
`` We 're going to make you proud . ''
Tanya Wood lives in San Antonio , Texas , working in IT for the Defense Department .
She previously spent two decades with the Air Force , including 8 years as an intelligence analyst — a computer-bound role very much like the jobs performed by members of the Space Force today .
Wood @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not prevent a culture of misogyny and racism .
She said , as one of the only Black women in her position , she was constantly challenged by her white male colleagues and required to prove her abilities and qualifications in ways those men never did .
Wood , like Pacheco , worries the Space Force will suffer from the same `` archaic process '' with reporting discrimination as its mother branch .
She looks at the all-female Space Operations Squadron as a sign of how the Space Force could really build itself @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has failed .
However , her reading of history leaves her pessimistic .
She points to the Tuskegee Airmen , the decorated Black pilots of World War II , and their legacy in the military .
`` Do we still have that level of diversity now ? ''
Wood said .
`` Was that sustainable or were there more minorities coming into those fields [ afterward ] ?
I dare say there 's less representation in the aviation world now than there was then .
So it has to be sustainable . ''

The Air Force Struggles With Diversity. Can The Space Force Do Any Better?
Enlarge this image toggle caption Dennis Rogers and Kathryn Calvert/U.S. Air Force Dennis Rogers and Kathryn Calvert/U.S. Air Force
When 1st Lt. Kelley McCaa found out she would be part of the American military's first all-female space operations crew, working alongside a team of women she considers close friends, she knew it would make a bold statement for the newly formed U.S. Space Force.
McCaa's squadron, based at Schriever Air Force Base in Colorado Springs, operates one of the approximately 30 GPS satellites used by more than 5 billion people around the world.
"Growing up, you don't see too many women in STEM or women in recruiter videos for the military or science or physics. So, for me, I'm hoping that women will see that they have more opportunities than they might've realized growing up," McCaa said.
That all-female team isn't the only sign that the Space Force is trying to build diversity into its mission from the start. It also recently promoted its first female three-star general, Nina Armagno. As the Space Force's general officer, she will oversee day-to-day operations at headquarters. And in June, the head of the branch, Gen. John Raymond, addressed the topic in a letter he wrote in response to national uproar over the death of George Floyd. He called racism one of the enemies that service members swore an oath to defend the country against, and added the Space Force must be founded on dignity and respect.
"We have an opportunity to get this right from the beginning and we are committed to doing so," Raymond wrote. "We must build diversity and inclusion into our 'cultural DNA' — make it one of the bedrock strengths of our Service."
However, some critics worry these public steps only serve to obscure larger systemic problems the Space Force has inherited from the branch of the military it grew out of, the U.S. Air Force.
A troubled legacy
President Trump signed the U.S. Space Force into law back in December, creating the first new military branch since 1947. The Space Force, though an independent branch, still resides within the Department of the Air Force in the same way the U.S. Marine Corps rests within the Department of the Navy. Currently, the vast majority of Space Force personnel are Air Force transfers.
A series of reports from Protect Our Defenders, a nonprofit focused on reducing gender and racial discrimination in the military, concluded that the Air Force has the worst problem with racial bias among the military branches. As the American Homefront Project reported, the group found Black airmen were about 70% more likely to be court-martialed or face other punishments than their white counterparts. The Air Force's own data indicates the problem has been getting worse in recent times, not better. Protect our Defenders obtained that data after years of the Air Force blocking its release.
The nonprofit's president, former Air Force Chief Prosecutor and retired Col., Don Christensen, said he thinks it's too early to spot whether the Space Force is repeating this disciplinary trend. Until that data exists, he said announcements like the all-female space operations squadron and the promotion of Gen. Armagno are positive signs for the branch. He also believes its distinction as the first 'all-digital' service may help. Having the whole force performing high-tech desk jobs may prevent women from some of the same prejudices and stereotypes present in the other branches, where masculine ideals of physical prowess dominate the culture.
Regardless, Christensen said he has not yet seen any substantive action from Space Force leadership indicating diversity is a true priority. For example, the concept is not included in the recently-released 41-page Space Force doctrine, considered a critical founding document for the service.
Progress, or just a photo op?
Yvonne Pacheco recently retired after a 22-year career in the Air Force, a career which culminated in a posting as a commanding officer with U.S. Military Entrance Processing Command in Chicago. She was the only woman of color in a command role in her battalion, but lost her rank and command when superiors opposed her taking time off for a hysterectomy surgery and inpatient PTSD therapy. She said a senior officer told her the command was "making an example out of her as a Black woman." Pacheco identifies as Hispanic.
The experience led her to reach out to Protect Our Defenders for legal help. Her rank was reinstated post-retirement and she is now receiving full disability payments for her PTSD.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Patrick F. Infante/U.S. Air Force Patrick F. Infante/U.S. Air Force
Pacheco looks at the Space Force announcements, as well as recent news of the first Black Air Force Academy superintendent and the first Black Air Force chief of staff as positive, but ultimately hollow, developments.
"It's a photo op. [They can say,] 'See? We like Black people. We like minorities — we promoted them. So, don't complain anymore, OK?'" Pacheco said. "What we want to see is action. What policies are you going to drive?"
Pacheco lives in New Jersey now, but still has a 719- cell number, a reminder of time serving with Peterson Air Force Base. She said problems with gender and race discrimination come down to how the military is organized. As discrimination reports move up the chain of command, she believes senior officers don't have the proper incentives to act on the charges and instead seek to suppress them to avoid looking bad themselves — a pervasive problem she said requires a fundamental change to the force's command and reporting infrastructure.
"We're going to make you proud"
The Space Force's Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer Carrie Baker said as a Black woman, she has encountered racism from superiors in her more than two decades with the Air Force, but does not believe any of it was intentionally motivated.
National Security Space Force Takes Next Steps Space Force Takes Next Steps Listen · 3:54 3:54
Baker argued the recent staffing announcements from the Air Force and Space Force go "beyond window dressing." She said starting the force from scratch so recently gives top leaders a chance to set a new standard of zero tolerance for racial and gender bias. And she pointed to several different efforts: outreach initiatives targeted to recruiting women and people of color, mentoring panels to help those servicemembers advance, and a "heavy emphasis" on training senior officers to recognize unconscious bias. Baker said the Space Force is fostering a culture where a warfighter can speak to superiors about their concerns without fear of retribution.
"Inclusion is not a zero-sum game," Baker said. "By leveraging our diverse talents, no one is going to be left out. The pie does not get smaller. It gets bigger."
"Keep your eye on us," she said. "We're going to make you proud."
Looking for sustainable change
Tanya Wood lives in San Antonio, Texas, working in IT for the Defense Department. She previously spent two decades with the Air Force, including 8 years as an intelligence analyst — a computer-bound role very much like the jobs performed by members of the Space Force today.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Courtesy of Tanya Wood Courtesy of Tanya Wood
Wood said the more traditional work environment did not prevent a culture of misogyny and racism. She said, as one of the only Black women in her position, she was constantly challenged by her white male colleagues and required to prove her abilities and qualifications in ways those men never did.
Wood, like Pacheco, worries the Space Force will suffer from the same "archaic process" with reporting discrimination as its mother branch. She looks at the all-female Space Operations Squadron as a sign of how the Space Force could really build itself better on issues where the Air Force has failed. However, her reading of history leaves her pessimistic.
She points to the Tuskegee Airmen, the decorated Black pilots of World War II, and their legacy in the military.
"Do we still have that level of diversity now?" Wood said. "Was that sustainable or were there more minorities coming into those fields [afterward]? I dare say there's less representation in the aviation world now than there was then. So it has to be sustainable."


npr--2020-09-25--Leaders Indicted At Soldiers' Home Where At Least 76 People Died In COVID-19 Outbreak

Leaders Indicted At Soldiers ' Home Where At Least 76 People Died In COVID-19 Outbreak Former leaders at a state-run nursing home for veterans in Holyoke , Mass.
, are facing criminal neglect charges , after an investigation found their `` substantial errors and failures '' likely worsened a COVID-19 outbreak that killed at least 76 veterans earlier this year .
Bennett Walsh and David Clinton — who served as the superintendent and medical director , respectively , of the Soldiers ' Home in Holyoke when a deadly COVID-19 outbreak struck in the spring – have been indicted on criminal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Healey announced on Friday .
`` Walsh and Clinton were responsible for the decision to combine 42 veterans – some COVID-positive , and others not even showing any symptoms of COVID – into a single unit that usually accommodates 25 beds , '' Healey said .
The two made the fateful decision to combine two dementia units into one in late March .
The plan called for putting six or seven veterans into rooms meant to house only four people .
To deal with an overflow , nine additional beds were put into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feet apart .
Some of those veterans had symptoms for COVID-19 , and others did n't , the attorney general said .
She added that residents were allowed to mingle , regardless of their COVID-19 status .
`` To think about this now , knowing how contagious and deadly this virus is and continues to be , is most disturbing , and the alleged details are even worse , '' Healey said .
Shortly after the dementia units were combined , the flow of dead bodies overwhelmed the home 's morgue , forcing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for storage .
A grand jury indicted Walsh and Clinton Thursday afternoon on a total of 10 counts each .
Both men face five counts of causing or permitting serious bodily injury , along with five counts of criminal neglect , the attorney general said .
Taken together , the criminal counts could result in Walsh and Clinton being sentenced to decades in prison if convicted .
Each bodily injury count alone , for instance , carries a maximum potential punishment of 10 years in prison .
The criminal charges are believed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ target an operator of a nursing home during the COVID-19 pandemic , Healey said .
Around the country , nursing and long-term care facilities have emerged as hotspots of coronavirus cases and deaths .
The move to consolidate the dementia units was tied to a staffing shortage as an outbreak ravaged the home 's workers .
The criminal charges come months after a state inquiry faulted the home 's leaders for failing to adequately quarantine people who were showing COVID-19 symptoms .
Gov .
Charlie Baker has said the case is `` nothing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reforms after an investigation found the leadership team made `` substantial errors '' that likely added to the death toll .
`` Indeed , some of the critical decisions made by Mr. Walsh and his leadership team during the final two weeks of March 2020 were utterly baffling from an infection-control perspective , '' the investigation 's report stated , `` and were inconsistent with the Home 's mission to treat its veterans with honor and dignity . ''
Crucially , the investigation said that the home 's officials should have seized a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into one unit with veterans known or suspected of having COVID-19 and the other with veterans who showed no symptoms — instead of lumping all the veterans together .
`` In the past , a lawyer for Walsh has repeatedly called the state report inaccurate , '' member station WBUR 's Miriam Wasser reports , `` and charged that the governor is using his client as a scapegoat .
Walsh 's lawyer did not immediately respond to a request for comment today about the charge . ''
In addition to at least 76 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other patients and staff were infected with the coronavirus .
Early in the outbreak , the home 's leaders were also accused of not informing local and state officials about the deaths in a timely manner .
The home in Holyoke , about 90 miles west of Boston , was established in 1952 to provide services to veterans who live in Massachusetts .
It offers a wide range of services , from outpatient procedures to long-term care and hospice .
Its main nursing facility includes 247 beds ; a separate dorm building has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ soldiers ' home website .

Leaders Indicted At Soldiers' Home Where At Least 76 People Died In COVID-19 Outbreak
Enlarge this image toggle caption Matthew Cavanaugh/Getty Images Matthew Cavanaugh/Getty Images
Former leaders at a state-run nursing home for veterans in Holyoke, Mass., are facing criminal neglect charges, after an investigation found their "substantial errors and failures" likely worsened a COVID-19 outbreak that killed at least 76 veterans earlier this year.
Bennett Walsh and David Clinton — who served as the superintendent and medical director, respectively, of the Soldiers' Home in Holyoke when a deadly COVID-19 outbreak struck in the spring – have been indicted on criminal neglect charges, state Attorney General Maura Healey announced on Friday.
"Walsh and Clinton were responsible for the decision to combine 42 veterans – some COVID-positive, and others not even showing any symptoms of COVID – into a single unit that usually accommodates 25 beds," Healey said.
The two made the fateful decision to combine two dementia units into one in late March. The plan called for putting six or seven veterans into rooms meant to house only four people. To deal with an overflow, nine additional beds were put into a dining room, just a few feet apart. Some of those veterans had symptoms for COVID-19, and others didn't, the attorney general said. She added that residents were allowed to mingle, regardless of their COVID-19 status.
"To think about this now, knowing how contagious and deadly this virus is and continues to be, is most disturbing, and the alleged details are even worse," Healey said.
Shortly after the dementia units were combined, the flow of dead bodies overwhelmed the home's morgue, forcing the facility to use a refrigerated truck for storage.
A grand jury indicted Walsh and Clinton Thursday afternoon on a total of 10 counts each. Both men face five counts of causing or permitting serious bodily injury, along with five counts of criminal neglect, the attorney general said.
Taken together, the criminal counts could result in Walsh and Clinton being sentenced to decades in prison if convicted. Each bodily injury count alone, for instance, carries a maximum potential punishment of 10 years in prison.
The criminal charges are believed to be the first in the U.S. to target an operator of a nursing home during the COVID-19 pandemic, Healey said. Around the country, nursing and long-term care facilities have emerged as hotspots of coronavirus cases and deaths.
The move to consolidate the dementia units was tied to a staffing shortage as an outbreak ravaged the home's workers. The criminal charges come months after a state inquiry faulted the home's leaders for failing to adequately quarantine people who were showing COVID-19 symptoms.
Gov. Charlie Baker has said the case is "nothing short of gut-wrenching." He promised reforms after an investigation found the leadership team made "substantial errors" that likely added to the death toll.
"Indeed, some of the critical decisions made by Mr. Walsh and his leadership team during the final two weeks of March 2020 were utterly baffling from an infection-control perspective," the investigation's report stated, "and were inconsistent with the Home's mission to treat its veterans with honor and dignity."
Crucially, the investigation said that the home's officials should have seized a chance to reorganize their dementia units — into one unit with veterans known or suspected of having COVID-19 and the other with veterans who showed no symptoms — instead of lumping all the veterans together.
"In the past, a lawyer for Walsh has repeatedly called the state report inaccurate," member station WBUR's Miriam Wasser reports, "and charged that the governor is using his client as a scapegoat. Walsh's lawyer did not immediately respond to a request for comment today about the charge."
In addition to at least 76 people who died, more than 160 other patients and staff were infected with the coronavirus. Early in the outbreak, the home's leaders were also accused of not informing local and state officials about the deaths in a timely manner.
The home in Holyoke, about 90 miles west of Boston, was established in 1952 to provide services to veterans who live in Massachusetts. It offers a wide range of services, from outpatient procedures to long-term care and hospice. Its main nursing facility includes 247 beds; a separate dorm building has 30 full-time residents, according to the soldiers' home website.


npr--2020-09-25--What Does It Take For A Palestinian American Baby To Travel From Israel To The U.S.?

What Does It Take For A Palestinian American Baby To Travel From Israel To The U.S. ?
This summer , California native Morgan Cooper delivered a healthy baby girl at the home she shares with her Palestinian American husband Saleh Totah in the West Bank city of Ramallah .
But according to Israel , which occupies the West Bank , their baby Lourice did not officially exist .
That 's because since May , Palestinian authorities have refused to register newborns with Israeli occupation authorities .
It 's part of a campaign to defy Israel 's grip on Palestinian life @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on security matters and accept tax revenues Israel collects on Palestinians ' behalf .
Since Israel occupied the Palestinian territories in 1967 , Israel has kept track of their population .
Now an estimated 70,000 newborns are n't in Israel 's registry , and Israeli border authorities will not let them leave .
So Lourice , her parents and her four-year-old brother — all of whom are American citizens — are trapped in the West Bank .
They want to visit Lourice 's uncle in New York , who is using an oxygen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and Lourice 's grandparents in California , who evacuated their home during the wildfires and are in poor health .
Lourice 's parents , who run a popular Ramallah café with a clientele of journalists and diplomats , had Sen. Kamala Harris 's office and other Congressional offices plead their case to Israeli authorities .
Only after NPR 's correspondent and another reporter made inquiries did Israeli authorities grant Lourice permission to travel to the U.S. Just one other Palestinian American baby received travel permission after an Israeli lawmaker intervened and Israeli @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of thousands of other babies remain stuck between a Palestinian boycott campaign and the latest Israeli limitation on Palestinians ' freedom of movement .
`` We do n't have our rights .
We do n't control our borders , '' says Totah .
`` It 's a mess . ''
About 35,000 newborns in the West Bank and another 35,000 in Gaza have not been registered with Israel since the Palestinian boycott began in May and can not travel abroad , says the Palestinian Authority 's Deputy Interior Minister Yousef Harb .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ must pay for true peace , '' Harb tells NPR .
The Palestinian Authority halted security and civilian cooperation with Israel in order to challenge the Oslo peace accords of the early 1990s .
Those agreements gave Palestinians semi-autonomy and were supposed to lead to Palestinian self-determination , but failed attempts at a final peace deal , frequent violence and expanded Israeli control over the West Bank have left the Palestinian Authority administration subservient to Israel .
The boycott appears aimed at pressuring Israel for political concessions , but average Palestinians are suffering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cash from Israel has left tens of thousands of Palestinian civil servants without pay , deepening an economic crisis .
Israel has created new bureaucratic channels to skirt the boycott and grant Palestinians work permits and Israeli hospital care .
But the Israeli defense body that handles Palestinian civilian affairs will not budge from the Oslo agreement that makes the Palestinian Authority responsible for recording births and reporting them to Israel .
`` As part of the agreement , for the purpose of synchronizing the Israeli information systems and in order to make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Palestinian Authority must update the appropriate offices in Israel regarding every change in the population registry , '' COGAT , short for Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories , said in a text message to NPR .
Few Palestinians are traveling during the pandemic , but about 30 have appealed to the Israeli legal aid group HaMoked to help them leave with their newborns .
HaMoked has petitioned Israel 's West Bank military commander and a court .
`` A baby should n't be held hostage to these power games between @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says Jessica Montell , HaMoked 's executive director .
Baby Lourice 's saga began on June 11 , the day she was born in an inflatable swimming pool in her parents ' living room with the help of a secret Israeli midwife .
Home births are not allowed under Palestinian law , so Lourice 's parents spent two months persuading Palestinian officials to issue a birth certificate .
They had to admit they smuggled the midwife to their home in the West Bank , where Israelis are not allowed , and submitted video @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had not stolen another mother 's child .
`` I said to them at one point , 'The Israelis are usually the reason we struggle .
Now it 's you denying , ' '' said Cooper .
`` That is what got them rolling to do the paperwork . ''
Once Lourice 's Palestinian birth certificate was issued , the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem issued her a U.S. passport .
Amid COVID-19 lockdowns , Lourice 's parents closed their Ramallah café , La Vie , and prepared to fly to the U.S. Foreign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fly out of Israel 's international airport with their children , but not with their Palestinian spouses .
Israel applies travel restrictions to Palestinian residents of the West Bank regardless of the foreign passports they may also hold .
Arab Americans have long accused the U.S. of not sufficiently pressing Israel to change this practice .
Israel granted exceptions , however , when the pandemic shut the airport in neighboring Jordan , where Palestinians usually can travel from .
On Sept. 9 , COGAT , the Israeli agency that coordinates with the Palestinian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Totah , to ask the Palestinian Ministry of Civil Affairs to submit the travel request to Israel .
That same day , Totah rushed to the ministry office , where he says a security guard told him , `` Nobody works here anymore . ''
`` There should be an easy solution '' Meanwhile , there was the problem of baby Lourice .
She holds a U.S. passport , but would be blocked from leaving the country just like any other Palestinian newborn .
Cooper could have lobbied Palestinian officials to transfer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But she was sympathetic to their boycott .
`` They are doing it in protest of annexation of their entire state , '' she says .
`` That 's much , much bigger than my family 's own situation . ''
So Cooper instead asked the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem to petition Israel to let Lourice travel on her U.S. passport .
Cooper says the embassy offered generic and contradictory responses .
The U.S. nonprofit Rebuilding Alliance was optimistic it could help untie the knot .
The group advocates for the rights of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Congress to help more than a dozen Palestinians from the West Bank and Gaza travel abroad .
`` Those babies are American babies ... there should be an easy solution here , '' said Donna Baranski-Walker of Rebuilding Alliance .
The group helped Cooper appeal to her Congressional representatives in California : Senators Dianne Feinstein and Kamala Harris , now the Democratic vice presidential nominee , and Rep. Doug LaMalfa .
She also enlisted the help of three members of Congress from New York , where Totah has residency .
In correspondence viewed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Harris ' Senate office it had requested clarification from Israeli officials `` but would not be able to guarantee an immediate and favorable outcome . ''
Harris ' office told Cooper by email it could not help further because `` the Government of Israel has jurisdiction over this matter and our Senate office has no influence on their laws or regulations . ''
The U.S. Embassy told NPR in a statement , `` We have been working closely with the Government of Israel to help alleviate these difficulties .
However , our efforts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Authority refuses to share official information and documentation with the Government of Israel . ''
HaMoked 's Montell says the U.S. Embassy has been `` spectacularly unhelpful '' in such cases .
Finally , after an inquiry Tuesday from NPR , Israeli officials invited Cooper to submit a special request to register her baby with Israel .
The next day , an Israeli journalist delivered baby Lourice 's Palestinian documents to COGAT , the Israeli coordinating agency .
Hours later , her travel permit was ready .
It came too late .
As @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Israeli airport permit , Israel banned all outbound flight purchases Friday , in a new pandemic lockdown no one knows how long will last .
`` So be it , '' Cooper says .
`` I ca n't keep fighting . ''

What Does It Take For A Palestinian American Baby To Travel From Israel To The U.S.?
Enlarge this image toggle caption Tanya Habjouqa/NOOR Tanya Habjouqa/NOOR
This summer, California native Morgan Cooper delivered a healthy baby girl at the home she shares with her Palestinian American husband Saleh Totah in the West Bank city of Ramallah. But according to Israel, which occupies the West Bank, their baby Lourice did not officially exist.
That's because since May, Palestinian authorities have refused to register newborns with Israeli occupation authorities. It's part of a campaign to defy Israel's grip on Palestinian life — even refusing to cooperate with Israel on security matters and accept tax revenues Israel collects on Palestinians' behalf.
Since Israel occupied the Palestinian territories in 1967, Israel has kept track of their population.
Now Israel will not let unregistered Palestinian newborns in the West Bank or Gaza travel abroad through its border crossings. Since April, except for a few days, Egypt also closed its border to Palestinians in Gaza seeking to travel abroad.
So Lourice, her parents and her four-year-old brother — all of whom are American citizens — are trapped in the West Bank. They want to visit Lourice's uncle in New York, who is using an oxygen tank after surgeries and complications from COVID-19, and Lourice's grandparents in California, who evacuated their home during the wildfires and are in poor health.
Lourice's parents, who run a popular Ramallah café with a clientele of journalists and diplomats, had Sen. Kamala Harris's office and other Congressional offices plead their case to Israeli authorities. Only after NPR's correspondent and another reporter made inquiries did Israeli authorities grant Lourice permission to travel to the U.S.
Just one other Palestinian American baby received travel permission after an Israeli lawmaker intervened and Israeli media covered the story. But tens of thousands of other babies remain stuck between a Palestinian boycott campaign and the latest Israeli limitation on Palestinians' freedom of movement.
"We don't have our rights. We don't control our borders," says Totah. "It's a mess."
"A baby shouldn't be held hostage"
Enlarge this image toggle caption Morgan Cooper Morgan Cooper
About 35,000 newborns in the West Bank and another 35,000 in Gaza have not been registered with Israel since the Palestinian boycott began in May, says the Palestinian Authority's Deputy Interior Minister Yousef Harb, and cannot travel abroad through Israeli-controlled borders.
"It's a price the Palestinian citizen must pay for true peace," Harb tells NPR.
The Palestinian Authority halted security and civilian cooperation with Israel in order to challenge the Oslo peace accords of the early 1990s. Those agreements gave Palestinians semi-autonomy and were supposed to lead to Palestinian self-determination, but failed attempts at a final peace deal, frequent violence and expanded Israeli control over the West Bank have left the Palestinian Authority administration subservient to Israel.
The boycott appears aimed at pressuring Israel for political concessions, but average Palestinians are suffering the consequences. The refusal to accept cash from Israel has left tens of thousands of Palestinian civil servants without pay, deepening an economic crisis.
Israel has created new bureaucratic channels to skirt the boycott and grant Palestinians work permits and Israeli hospital care. But the Israeli defense body that handles Palestinian civilian affairs will not budge from the Oslo agreement that makes the Palestinian Authority responsible for recording births and reporting them to Israel.
"As part of the agreement, for the purpose of synchronizing the Israeli information systems and in order to make certain services available to Palestinian residents, the Palestinian Authority must update the appropriate offices in Israel regarding every change in the population registry," COGAT, short for Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories, said in a text message to NPR.
Few Palestinians are traveling during the pandemic, but about 30 have appealed to the Israeli legal aid group HaMoked to help them leave with their newborns. HaMoked has petitioned Israel's West Bank military commander and a court.
"A baby shouldn't be held hostage to these power games between Israel and the Palestinian Authority," says Jessica Montell, HaMoked's executive director.
"Nobody works here anymore"
Baby Lourice's saga began on June 11, the day she was born in an inflatable swimming pool in her parents' living room with the help of a secret Israeli midwife.
Home births are not allowed under Palestinian law, so Lourice's parents spent two months persuading Palestinian officials to issue a birth certificate. They had to admit they smuggled the midwife to their home in the West Bank, where Israelis are not allowed, and submitted video evidence of the birth to prove they had not stolen another mother's child.
"I said to them at one point, 'The Israelis are usually the reason we struggle. Now it's you denying,'" said Cooper. "That is what got them rolling to do the paperwork."
Once Lourice's Palestinian birth certificate was issued, the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem issued her a U.S. passport. Amid COVID-19 lockdowns, Lourice's parents closed their Ramallah café, La Vie, and prepared to fly to the U.S.
Foreign citizens like Cooper are usually allowed to fly out of Israel's international airport with their children, but not with their Palestinian spouses. Israel applies travel restrictions to Palestinian residents of the West Bank regardless of the foreign passports they may also hold. Arab Americans have long accused the U.S. of not sufficiently pressing Israel to change this practice.
Israel granted exceptions, however, when the pandemic shut the airport in neighboring Jordan, where Palestinians usually can travel from.
On Sept. 9, COGAT, the Israeli agency that coordinates with the Palestinian Authority, directed Lourice's Palestinian-born father, Totah, to ask the Palestinian Ministry of Civil Affairs to submit the travel request to Israel. That same day, Totah rushed to the ministry office, where he says a security guard told him, "Nobody works here anymore."
"There should be an easy solution"
Meanwhile, there was the problem of baby Lourice. She holds a U.S. passport, but would be blocked from leaving the country just like any other Palestinian newborn.
Cooper could have lobbied Palestinian officials to transfer Lourice's birth certificate to Israel. But she was sympathetic to their boycott.
"They are doing it in protest of annexation of their entire state," she says. "That's much, much bigger than my family's own situation."
So Cooper instead asked the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem to petition Israel to let Lourice travel on her U.S. passport. Cooper says the embassy offered generic and contradictory responses.
The U.S. nonprofit Rebuilding Alliance was optimistic it could help untie the knot. The group advocates for the rights of Palestinians and last year persuaded members of Congress to help more than a dozen Palestinians from the West Bank and Gaza travel abroad.
"Those babies are American babies... there should be an easy solution here," said Donna Baranski-Walker of Rebuilding Alliance.
The group helped Cooper appeal to her Congressional representatives in California: Senators Dianne Feinstein and Kamala Harris, now the Democratic vice presidential nominee, and Rep. Doug LaMalfa. She also enlisted the help of three members of Congress from New York, where Totah has residency.
In correspondence viewed by NPR, the U.S. Embassy told Harris' Senate office it had requested clarification from Israeli officials "but would not be able to guarantee an immediate and favorable outcome."
Harris' office told Cooper by email it could not help further because "the Government of Israel has jurisdiction over this matter and our Senate office has no influence on their laws or regulations."
The U.S. Embassy told NPR in a statement, "We have been working closely with the Government of Israel to help alleviate these difficulties. However, our efforts are limited as long as the Palestinian Authority refuses to share official information and documentation with the Government of Israel."
HaMoked's Montell says the U.S. Embassy has been "spectacularly unhelpful" in such cases.
Too late
Finally, after an inquiry Tuesday from NPR, Israeli officials invited Cooper to submit a special request to register her baby with Israel. The next day, an Israeli journalist delivered baby Lourice's Palestinian documents to COGAT, the Israeli coordinating agency. Hours later, her travel permit was ready.
It came too late.
As Cooper's husband was still awaiting an Israeli airport permit, Israel banned all outbound flight purchases Friday, in a new pandemic lockdown no one knows how long will last.
"So be it," Cooper says. "I can't keep fighting."


npr--2020-09-25--Rio's Joyous Carnival, The World's Largest, Is Postponed Due To COVID-19

Rio 's Joyous Carnival , The World 's Largest , Is Postponed Due To COVID-19 Rio de Janeiro 's Carnival , known as one of the best spectacles in the world , has been derailed by the coronavirus .
Event organizers announced Thursday evening that the colorful , rhythmic parades of 2021 are postponed indefinitely .
It 's the first time Carnival has been postponed in more than a century , according to The Associated Press .
`` We came to the conclusion that the event had to be postponed , '' said Jorge Castanheira , who heads Rio 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the parades .
`` We just ca n't do it in February .
The samba schools wo n't have the time or financial and organizations resources to be ready , '' he added , according to the AP .
Carnival organizers said the high coronavirus numbers makes it impossible to safely hold parades , disturbing a long-held cultural tradition that attracts massive crowds of tourists from around the country and the world .
`` I 'm not sure how the country will survive , '' said Alexandre Garnizé , 48 , a historian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ percussion .
`` Many people depend on it , it 's an industry and without a Carnival , there is no income , '' he told NPR .
Still , he agrees with the decision to postpone it and supports waiting until there is a vaccine : `` Financial loss does n't justify human loss . ''
Garnizé said Carnival has been part of his entire life .
His group , Tambores do Olokum , has participated in the annual event since 2011 , with some 250 dancers and 120 musicians .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ After all , he said half-joking , life is a carnival .
This September , he 's struggling in quarantine , but said he feels lucky to be able to teach students by video conference .
`` The country has lost too many already , I have lost five family members and many friends , '' he said , adding that now , health precautions are needed so that others do n't die from COVID-19 .
Brazil has the third highest number of coronavirus infections in the world .
According to the Johns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than 4.6 million confirmed positive cases and nearly 140,000 deaths .
Brazil 's far-right President Jair Bolsonaro , who contracted the coronavirus , has repeatedly pushed back against safety measures to contain the pandemic .
Garnizé says he thinks the political atmosphere had an impact on how many people view the crisis : `` People do n't obey the rules , do n't wear masks , they do n't social distance . ''
While the decision Thursday is a postponement , no new Carnival date has been announced yet .

Rio's Joyous Carnival, The World's Largest, Is Postponed Due To COVID-19
Enlarge this image toggle caption Silvia Izquierdo/AP Silvia Izquierdo/AP
Rio de Janeiro's Carnival, known as one of the best spectacles in the world, has been derailed by the coronavirus.
Event organizers announced Thursday evening that the colorful, rhythmic parades of 2021 are postponed indefinitely. It's the first time Carnival has been postponed in more than a century, according to The Associated Press.
"We came to the conclusion that the event had to be postponed," said Jorge Castanheira, who heads Rio's League of Samba Schools, which organizes the parades. "We just can't do it in February. The samba schools won't have the time or financial and organizations resources to be ready," he added, according to the AP.
Carnival organizers said the high coronavirus numbers makes it impossible to safely hold parades, disturbing a long-held cultural tradition that attracts massive crowds of tourists from around the country and the world.
"I'm not sure how the country will survive," said Alexandre Garnizé, 48, a historian and musician who plays African and Brazilian percussion.
"Many people depend on it, it's an industry and without a Carnival, there is no income," he told NPR.
Still, he agrees with the decision to postpone it and supports waiting until there is a vaccine: "Financial loss doesn't justify human loss."
Garnizé said Carnival has been part of his entire life. His group, Tambores do Olokum, has participated in the annual event since 2011, with some 250 dancers and 120 musicians. The group typically starts rehearsing in September. After all, he said half-joking, life is a carnival.
toggle caption Bruna Padro/Alexandre Garnizé
This September, he's struggling in quarantine, but said he feels lucky to be able to teach students by video conference.
"The country has lost too many already, I have lost five family members and many friends," he said, adding that now, health precautions are needed so that others don't die from COVID-19.
Brazil has the third highest number of coronavirus infections in the world. According to the Johns Hopkins dashboard, the country has more than 4.6 million confirmed positive cases and nearly 140,000 deaths.
Brazil's far-right President Jair Bolsonaro, who contracted the coronavirus, has repeatedly pushed back against safety measures to contain the pandemic. Garnizé says he thinks the political atmosphere had an impact on how many people view the crisis: "People don't obey the rules, don't wear masks, they don't social distance."
While the decision Thursday is a postponement, no new Carnival date has been announced yet.


npr--2020-09-25--Google To Halt Political Ads After Polls Close, Amid Worries Over Delayed Results

Google To Halt Political Ads After Polls Close , Amid Worries Over Delayed Results Google says it will not publish political ads after polls close on Election Day , citing the high possibility that final results will be delayed because of the shift to mail-in voting during the coronavirus pandemic .
`` Given the likelihood of delayed election results this year , when polls close on November 3 , we will pause ads referencing the 2020 election , the candidates , or its outcome .
This is a temporary measure , and we 'll notify advertisers when this policy is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statement .
It 's the latest move by a tech company to prepare for what is increasingly expected be a prolonged period of uncertainty while ballots are counted .
Security researchers warn that could create opportunities for false claims and other misinformation to proliferate .
Google notified advertisers of the decision on Friday .
It did not give a time frame for how long the ban would last .
`` We will carefully examine a number of factors before deciding to lift this policy for advertisers and share updates as we have them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to advertisers , which was first reported by Axios .
The block will apply to ads running on all of Google 's ad-serving platforms , including YouTube .
It covers all ads that mention state or federal elections , candidates , ballot measures , political parties or elected officials , as well as ads placed against election-related searches .
Google said it was applying its `` sensitive event policy '' to the post-election period .
That prevents advertisers from running content that `` potentially capitalizes on or lacks reasonable sensitivity towards a natural @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health emergency , or other tragic event . ''
Google applied the policy to block ads related to COVID-19 earlier this year .
As the election nears , online platforms have been tightening their rules to stop the spread of misinformation about voting and the legitimacy of election results .
Facebook said it will not accept any new political ads in the week before November 3 .
While it will allow political advertising to resume after Election Day , a Facebook spokesman said this week the company will reject political ads `` that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2020 election have been declared . ''
Twitter banned political advertising altogether last year .
It has said it will label or remove posts that claim victory before results are official or attempt to disrupt the peaceful transfer of power .
Google has also removed suggestions from its autocomplete search feature that could be viewed as being for or against a particular candidate or party .
Editor 's note : Google and Facebook are among NPR 's financial supporters .

Google To Halt Political Ads After Polls Close, Amid Worries Over Delayed Results
Enlarge this image toggle caption Denis Charlet/AFP via Getty Images Denis Charlet/AFP via Getty Images
Google says it will not publish political ads after polls close on Election Day, citing the high possibility that final results will be delayed because of the shift to mail-in voting during the coronavirus pandemic.
"Given the likelihood of delayed election results this year, when polls close on November 3, we will pause ads referencing the 2020 election, the candidates, or its outcome. This is a temporary measure, and we'll notify advertisers when this policy is lifted," Google said in a statement.
It's the latest move by a tech company to prepare for what is increasingly expected be a prolonged period of uncertainty while ballots are counted. Security researchers warn that could create opportunities for false claims and other misinformation to proliferate.
Google notified advertisers of the decision on Friday. It did not give a time frame for how long the ban would last.
"We will carefully examine a number of factors before deciding to lift this policy for advertisers and share updates as we have them," Google said in the letter to advertisers, which was first reported by Axios.
The block will apply to ads running on all of Google's ad-serving platforms, including YouTube. It covers all ads that mention state or federal elections, candidates, ballot measures, political parties or elected officials, as well as ads placed against election-related searches.
Google said it was applying its "sensitive event policy" to the post-election period. That prevents advertisers from running content that "potentially capitalizes on or lacks reasonable sensitivity towards a natural disaster, conflict, death, public health emergency, or other tragic event." Google applied the policy to block ads related to COVID-19 earlier this year.
As the election nears, online platforms have been tightening their rules to stop the spread of misinformation about voting and the legitimacy of election results.
Facebook said it will not accept any new political ads in the week before November 3. While it will allow political advertising to resume after Election Day, a Facebook spokesman said this week the company will reject political ads "that claim victory before the results of the 2020 election have been declared."
Twitter banned political advertising altogether last year. It has said it will label or remove posts that claim victory before results are official or attempt to disrupt the peaceful transfer of power.
Google has also removed suggestions from its autocomplete search feature that could be viewed as being for or against a particular candidate or party.
Editor's note: Google and Facebook are among NPR's financial supporters.


npr--2020-09-25--Florida's Governor Lifts All COVID-19 Restrictions On Businesses Statewide

Florida Gov .
Ron DeSantis says he is lifting all restrictions on businesses statewide that were imposed to control the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19 .
Most significantly , that means restaurants and bars in the state can now operate at full capacity .
Up to now , restaurants and bars in Florida could serve customers indoors at 50 % of legal occupancy .
DeSantis said his new executive order lifts that restriction statewide , though local governments can keep additional limits in place if they 're justified for health or economic reasons .
`` Every business has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
`` Some of the locals can do reasonable regulations .
But you ca n't just say no . ''
DeSantis also said his order would stop cities and counties from fining people for not wearing mandated face coverings .
He said fines and other penalties imposed so far would be suspended .
Currently , Miami-Dade , Broward and other counties in South Florida have locally imposed limits on the hours restaurants and bars can operate and how many customers they can serve indoors .
Broward County Mayor Dale Holness told NPR @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We 're hoping that the governor will allow us to have deeper restrictions than the rest of the state .
We have a greater spread of the virus in South Florida than other parts of the state . ''
Miami-Dade officials said they were still assessing what the order means for the county .
Mayor Carlos Giménez told The Miami Herald that he believed the county would still be able to enforce its face covering mandate but `` will have to speak to our attorneys about [ our ] ability to enforce individual @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases in Florida has dropped steadily since the peak in mid-July .
Since then , DeSantis said , `` we 've actually seen more economic activity , more interaction .
Schools have opened , all the theme parks are open , more people have visited . ''
Hospitalizations for COVID-19 statewide are down 76 % from the peak , the governor said .
DeSantis said he 's seen no signs of a possible `` second wave '' of infections but said that hospitals have plenty of capacity and the state is ready to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no restrictions on the number of people who can attend outdoor sporting events in Florida , according to the governor , who added the state hopes to host what he called `` a full Super Bowl '' in Tampa in February .
And if the NFL has issues with insurance costs and potential liability , DeSantis said that `` maybe we 'll address that after the election here in Florida with the new Legislature . ''

Florida's Governor Lifts All COVID-19 Restrictions On Businesses Statewide
Enlarge this image toggle caption Chris O'Meara/AP Chris O'Meara/AP
Updated at 5:01 p.m. ET
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis says he is lifting all restrictions on businesses statewide that were imposed to control the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19. Most significantly, that means restaurants and bars in the state can now operate at full capacity.
Up to now, restaurants and bars in Florida could serve customers indoors at 50% of legal occupancy. DeSantis said his new executive order lifts that restriction statewide, though local governments can keep additional limits in place if they're justified for health or economic reasons.
"Every business has the right to operate," DeSantis said. "Some of the locals can do reasonable regulations. But you can't just say no."
DeSantis also said his order would stop cities and counties from fining people for not wearing mandated face coverings. He said fines and other penalties imposed so far would be suspended.
Currently, Miami-Dade, Broward and other counties in South Florida have locally imposed limits on the hours restaurants and bars can operate and how many customers they can serve indoors.
Broward County Mayor Dale Holness told NPR member station WLRN on Friday, "We're hoping that the governor will allow us to have deeper restrictions than the rest of the state. We have a greater spread of the virus in South Florida than other parts of the state."
Miami-Dade officials said they were still assessing what the order means for the county. Mayor Carlos Giménez told The Miami Herald that he believed the county would still be able to enforce its face covering mandate but "will have to speak to our attorneys about [our] ability to enforce individual fines."
The number of coronavirus cases in Florida has dropped steadily since the peak in mid-July. Since then, DeSantis said, "we've actually seen more economic activity, more interaction. Schools have opened, all the theme parks are open, more people have visited."
Hospitalizations for COVID-19 statewide are down 76% from the peak, the governor said.
DeSantis said he's seen no signs of a possible "second wave" of infections but said that hospitals have plenty of capacity and the state is ready to respond if one emerges.
There are no restrictions on the number of people who can attend outdoor sporting events in Florida, according to the governor, who added the state hopes to host what he called "a full Super Bowl" in Tampa in February.
And if the NFL has issues with insurance costs and potential liability, DeSantis said that "maybe we'll address that after the election here in Florida with the new Legislature."


npr--2020-09-25--Coal Miner's Daughter Is A Heartwarming Hero In Afghanistan

After a suicide bomber struck a Kabul academy that prepares students for university entrance exams , one promising student briefly dropped out .
That was in 2018 .
Shamsia Alizada , the daughter of a coal miner , returned to school and now has topped Afghanistan 's nation-wide university entrance exams , according to local media reports .
According to Khaama news , which cites Abdul Qadir Khamoosh , the head of the National Examination Authority , more than 200,000 students sat for the exam this year .
Now , she 's become the rarest of things in Afghanistan : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Afghanistan is proud of you , '' wrote Afghan editor Khadim Karimi on Twitter .
The publication where Karimi works , Etilaatroz , covered Alizada 's story .
In a two-part tweet , he wrote that Alizada was `` an example of not giving up and rising from the ashes . ''
`` Her father is in a coal mine under a mountain , '' wrote Zaki Daryab , the publisher of the same news outlet .
`` When he hears about his daughter , the weight of the mountain will be like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an interview with Etilaatroz , Alizada was studying for free at the Mawdud Academy because she was so bright .
But she said the 2018 attack at the academy , perpetrated by ISIS , left her depressed .
The suicide bomber had detonated his explosives in a classroom , killing more than 40 students and wounding many more .
Some of the slain students were later buried together in a hilltop graveyard in Kabul .
Karimi , the editor , referred to them as the `` martyrs of knowledge . ''
The blast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ off the building , and Alizada dropped out .
But once the school was repaired , teachers urged her to return .
Alizada said she was confident that she 'd do well on university entrance exams but did n't expect to come first .
That distinction , she imagined , should have gone to a young woman called Rahila , who was killed in the 2018 blast .
`` But unfortunately , with all her dreams , today , she is in the grave , '' Alizada told Etilaatroz .
`` It is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home when the evening news show announced the results of the university entrance exam – which is national news in Afghanistan .
`` My mother called me and told me that I topped the exam , '' she recalled .
`` I came and hugged my mom very tightly .
That has been one of those moments that I may never forget , because the smile I saw on my mother 's face was from the bottom of her heart . ''
Alizada 's success comes as historic negotiations are underway between the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ began on September 12 and are meant to end nearly four decades of continuous conflict by giving the Taliban a role in Afghanistan 's political life .
But many Afghan feminists fear their hard-won rights will be scaled back , as negotiators seek ways to compromise with the insurgents .
And their concern begins with the fact that only four of the 21 government negotiators are women .
`` We needed more women on the table , '' says Zarifa Ghafari , the mayor of Maidan Shar , a town just south of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the table . ''
Perhaps , she said , Alizada 's story would remind negotiators of why women 's rights are crucial .
`` We need to use every drop of possibility , '' she said of pushing Alizada 's story to negotiators .
Afghan feminist Orzala Nemat took another lesson from Alizada 's struggle to come first : That regardless of what government negotiators do , the `` Taliban will have no choice but to agree to accept this reality ... in Afghanistan that women are now standing on their own @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leads the Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit , a Kabul-based think tank .
Nemat said she used to run secret classes for girls in the '90s , when the Taliban ruled the city and banned girls from getting an education .
Now she said , Afghan women `` are part of the public life .
They are part of the education system .
And Taliban are no one to come and stop them from what they are going to achieve . ''

Coal Miner's Daughter Is A Heartwarming Hero In Afghanistan
Enlarge this image toggle caption Twitter/ Screenshot by NPR Twitter/ Screenshot by NPR
After a suicide bomber struck a Kabul academy that prepares students for university entrance exams, one promising student briefly dropped out.
That was in 2018. Shamsia Alizada, the daughter of a coal miner, returned to school and now has topped Afghanistan's nation-wide university entrance exams, according to local media reports. According to Khaama news, which cites Abdul Qadir Khamoosh, the head of the National Examination Authority, more than 200,000 students sat for the exam this year.
Now, she's become the rarest of things in Afghanistan: a fierce and heartwarming hero.
"Afghanistan is proud of you," wrote Afghan editor Khadim Karimi on Twitter. The publication where Karimi works, Etilaatroz, covered Alizada's story. In a two-part tweet, he wrote that Alizada was "an example of not giving up and rising from the ashes."
"Her father is in a coal mine under a mountain," wrote Zaki Daryab, the publisher of the same news outlet. "When he hears about his daughter, the weight of the mountain will be like straw for him."
According to an interview with Etilaatroz, Alizada was studying for free at the Mawdud Academy because she was so bright. But she said the 2018 attack at the academy, perpetrated by ISIS, left her depressed. The suicide bomber had detonated his explosives in a classroom, killing more than 40 students and wounding many more. Some of the slain students were later buried together in a hilltop graveyard in Kabul. Karimi, the editor, referred to them as the "martyrs of knowledge."
The blast was so strong that the roof tore off the building, and Alizada dropped out. But once the school was repaired, teachers urged her to return.
Alizada said she was confident that she'd do well on university entrance exams but didn't expect to come first. That distinction, she imagined, should have gone to a young woman called Rahila, who was killed in the 2018 blast. "But unfortunately, with all her dreams, today, she is in the grave," Alizada told Etilaatroz. "It is really painful."
Alongside the pain came deep joy.
Alizada wasn't home when the evening news show announced the results of the university entrance exam – which is national news in Afghanistan. "My mother called me and told me that I topped the exam," she recalled. "I came and hugged my mom very tightly. That has been one of those moments that I may never forget, because the smile I saw on my mother's face was from the bottom of her heart."
Alizada's success comes as historic negotiations are underway between the Afghan government and the Taliban. They began on September 12 and are meant to end nearly four decades of continuous conflict by giving the Taliban a role in Afghanistan's political life.
But many Afghan feminists fear their hard-won rights will be scaled back, as negotiators seek ways to compromise with the insurgents. And their concern begins with the fact that only four of the 21 government negotiators are women.
"We needed more women on the table," says Zarifa Ghafari, the mayor of Maidan Shar, a town just south of Kabul. "We needed more voices on the table."
Perhaps, she said, Alizada's story would remind negotiators of why women's rights are crucial. "We need to use every drop of possibility," she said of pushing Alizada's story to negotiators.
Afghan feminist Orzala Nemat took another lesson from Alizada's struggle to come first: That regardless of what government negotiators do, the "Taliban will have no choice but to agree to accept this reality ... in Afghanistan that women are now standing on their own feet," said Nemat, who leads the Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit, a Kabul-based think tank.
Nemat said she used to run secret classes for girls in the '90s, when the Taliban ruled the city and banned girls from getting an education. Now she said, Afghan women "are part of the public life. They are part of the education system. And Taliban are no one to come and stop them from what they are going to achieve."


npr--2020-09-25--Coronavirus FAQs: Why Can't The CDC Make Up Its Mind About Airborne Transmission?

Coronavirus FAQs : Why Ca n't The CDC Make Up Its Mind About Airborne Transmission ?
Each week we answer some of your pressing questions about the coronavirus and how to stay safe .
Email us your questions at goatsandsoda @ npr.org with the subject line : `` Weekly Coronavirus Questions . ''
What is up CDC ?
First you say airborne transmission is a thing .
Then you rolled it back .
So ... is this something I should be worried about ?
Last Friday , the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention briefly became the first major @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say the coronavirus could be frequently spreading through the air .
A page on the CDC website on `` How COVID-19 Spreads '' described the coronavirus as spreading `` most commonly '' through `` respiratory or small particles , such as those in aerosols , '' which are tiny airborne particles expelled from people 's noses and mouths when they speak , sing , cough or breathe — and which can remain suspended in the air and travel further than six feet .
Aerosol researchers such as Linsey Marr , an engineering professor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pushing for health agencies to officially recognize the potential importance of aerosol spread — cheered over the weekend .
But then , on Monday , CDC walked it back .
`` A draft version of proposed changes to these recommendations was posted in error , '' notes a box at the top of the CDC 's page , adding that the agency is still working out what to say about aerosol transmission .
In the midst of this confusion , you might be wondering what exactly is in dispute .
Does the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can help protect you ?
The bottom line is : Yes , the coronavirus may be spreading through the air , particularly in stuffy rooms where many people are n't wearing masks .
Public health agencies such as CDC and the World Health Organization agree on that — it 's why they 've recommended that people avoid `` confined and enclosed spaces with poor ventilation '' and gather outdoors when possible .
They 're just not clear whether it 's one of the most common ways it spreads .
CDC now maintains that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comes from spending prolonged time within six feet of an infectious person , and that it can also spread through touching a surface that someone infectious has sneezed or coughed on , and then rubbing your eyes , nose or mouth .
Some of the reluctance to describe COVID-19 as an airborne disease may stem from concerns that the label would scare the public and may require hospitals to take `` a whole new level of precautions , '' says Marr , such as requiring an N95 mask , which blocks aerosols , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ patients .
Currently , WHO guidance considers surgical masks to be adequately protective for healthcare staffers working with potential COVID-19 patients , and advises using N95 masks in limited situations , such as when intubating patients , which is known to generate small particles from deep in the lungs .
Healthcare workers who follow these recommendations have been generally protected against the virus , WHO notes .
Months of evidence point to the probability that COVID-19 is less contagious than measles , a designated airborne disease , but is still spreading through the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ atmospheric chemistry professor at University of Colorado Boulder .
He points to a March choir practice in Washington state , where 53 out of 61 attendees came down with COVID-19 after spending two and a half hours together at a singing rehearsal .
`` People who were 50 feet from the [ person who was contagious ] got infected , '' he says , based on investigations he and several colleagues conducted into the event .
Infection clusters have also emerged among students returning to college dorms , partiers in a nightclub district @ @ @ @ @ @ @ residents in a nursing home , worshippers at a churches , staff and inmates at a prison .
Most superspreading events , where many people catch the coronavirus at once , are occuring in indoor settings where people are sharing airspace .
So what precautions can you take to protect yourself against aerosol spread ?
It means keeping that physical distance of six feet — and then thinking beyond it .
`` Masks and ventilation and filtration , '' says Marr , can go a long way in `` getting a better control @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' First , that recommended six feet of distance between you and others allows more air to pass between you , helping to dispel any clouds of virus that get released .
It reduces the risk that one of you will breathe in an infectious dose .
Second , wear a face mask that covers your nose and mouth .
It blocks the spray of spit and breath you expel , and also affords some protection from other people 's exhalations .
Unlike N95 masks , which form a seal on your face @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is n't foolproof against aerosols — but Jimniez says that they offer reasonable protection , particularly when combined with other precautions .
`` If you are outdoors with distance and with a mask that is well-fit , I would say it 's extremely difficult to get the disease that way , '' Jiminez says .
If you do spend time indoors with others , work to improve the airflow and ventilation in the room .
`` We need to address ventilation in all of our public buildings , especially places like schools and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This can be as simple as opening doors and windows , it can be adjusting dampers and the HVAC system so that you bring in more outdoor air . ''
Air filters , which can be used to purify the air in a room , may help as well , she says .
`` There are simple things we can do to greatly improve ventilation in buildings that are not necessarily costly . ''
In most settings , these potential virus clouds can be dispersed with a light breeze and some fresh , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aerosols , read an FAQ explainer assembled by Marr , Jiminez and colleagues .

Coronavirus FAQs: Why Can't The CDC Make Up Its Mind About Airborne Transmission?
Enlarge this image Shanti Hands for NPR Shanti Hands for NPR
Each week we answer some of your pressing questions about the coronavirus and how to stay safe. Email us your questions at goatsandsoda@npr.org with the subject line "Weekly Coronavirus Questions."
What is up, CDC? First you say airborne transmission is a thing. Then you rolled it back. So ... is this something I should be worried about?
Last Friday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention briefly became the first major public health agency in the world to say the coronavirus could be frequently spreading through the air. A page on the CDC website on "How COVID-19 Spreads" described the coronavirus as spreading "most commonly" through "respiratory or small particles, such as those in aerosols," which are tiny airborne particles expelled from people's noses and mouths when they speak, sing, cough or breathe — and which can remain suspended in the air and travel farther than 6 feet.
Aerosol researchers such as Linsey Marr, an engineering professor at Virginia Tech, who have been pushing for health agencies to officially recognize the potential importance of aerosol spread, cheered over the weekend.
Wow, CDC acknowledges that inhalation of droplets/aerosols is thought to be the main way the virus spreads! https://t.co/4T3nWtTlJW Now, let's get on with effective interventions: masks, ventilation, distance! https://t.co/cWeg4MBTNi — Linsey Marr (@linseymarr) September 20, 2020
But then, on Monday, the CDC walked it back. "A draft version of proposed changes to these recommendations was posted in error," notes a box at the top of the CDC's page, adding that the agency is still working out what to say about aerosol transmission.
In the midst of this confusion, you might be wondering what exactly is in dispute. Does the coronavirus spread through the air? What precautions can help protect you?
The bottom line is, yes, the coronavirus may be spreading through the air, particularly in stuffy rooms where many people aren't wearing masks.
Public health agencies such as the CDC and the World Health Organization agree on that — it's why they've recommended that people avoid "confined and enclosed spaces with poor ventilation" and gather outdoors when possible.
They're just not clear whether airborne transmission is one of the most common ways the virus spreads. The CDC now maintains that the highest risk of catching the virus comes from spending prolonged time within 6 feet of an infectious person and that it can also spread through touching a surface that someone infectious has sneezed or coughed on and then rubbing your eyes, nose or mouth.
Some of the reluctance to describe COVID-19 as an airborne disease may stem from concerns that the label would scare the public and may require hospitals to take "a whole new level of precautions," says Marr, such as requiring an N95 mask, which blocks aerosols, to be worn around all potential COVID-19 patients.
Currently, WHO guidance considers surgical masks to be adequately protective for health care staffers working with potential COVID-19 patients and advises using N95 masks in limited situations, such as when intubating patients, which is known to generate small particles from deep in the lungs. Health care workers who follow these recommendations have been generally protected against the virus, WHO notes.
Months of evidence point to the probability that COVID-19 is less contagious than measles, a designated airborne disease, but is still spreading through the air, says Jose-Luis Jimenez, an atmospheric chemistry professor at the University of Colorado Boulder. He points to a March choir practice in Washington state where 53 out of 61 attendees came down with COVID-19 after spending 2 1/2 hours together at a singing rehearsal. "People who were 50 feet from the [person who was contagious] got infected," he says, based on investigations he and several colleagues conducted into the event.
Infection clusters have also emerged among students returning to college dorms, partyers in a nightclub district, guests at a wedding reception, residents in a nursing home, worshippers at a church and staff and inmates at a prison. Most superspreading events, where many people catch the coronavirus at once, are occurring in indoor settings where people are sharing airspace.
So what precautions can you take to protect yourself against aerosol spread?
It means keeping that physical distance of 6 feet — and then thinking beyond it. "Masks and ventilation and filtration," says Marr, can go a long way in "getting a better control on the spread of the virus."
First, that recommended 6 feet of distance between you and others allows more air to pass between you and other people, helping to dispel any clouds of virus that get released. It reduces the risk that one of you will breathe in an infectious dose.
Second, wear a face mask that covers your nose and mouth. It blocks the spray of spit and breath you expel and also affords some protection from other people's exhalations. Unlike N95 masks, which form a seal on your face, a typical cloth or surgical mask isn't foolproof against aerosols — but Jimenez says that they offer reasonable protection, particularly when combined with other precautions.
"If you are outdoors with distance and with a mask that is well fit, I would say it's extremely difficult to get the disease that way," Jimenez says.
If you do spend time indoors with others, work to improve the airflow and ventilation in the room. "We need to address ventilation in all of our public buildings, especially places like schools and restaurants," says Marr. "This can be as simple as opening doors and windows. It can be adjusting dampers and the HVAC system so that you bring in more outdoor air."
Air filters, which can be used to purify the air in a room, may help as well, she says. "There are simple things we can do to greatly improve ventilation in buildings that are not necessarily costly."
In most settings, these potential virus clouds can be dispersed with a light breeze and some fresh, clean air.
For more information about aerosols, read an FAQ explainer assembled by Marr, Jimenez and colleagues.


npr--2020-09-26--A 'Supreme' Fight For America Begins Now

Saturday is a big day for the future of the country .
President Trump is set to formally announce his nominee to replace the late-Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg .
A source with knowledge of the process told NPR on Friday that Trump is expected to pick conservative federal Judge Amy Coney Barrett .
The source , who was not authorized to confirm the selection before the president announced it , cautioned Friday that Trump could change his mind .
At 48 , Barrett would have a prominent role in reshaping American society and culture for generations .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's decision , he has a more short-term concern .
`` I think this will end up in the Supreme Court .
And I think it 's very important we have nine justices , '' Trump said Wednesday .
What 's more , later in the day he would n't commit to a peaceful transfer of power in response to a reporter 's question .
`` We 're going to have to see what happens , you know , but I 've been complaining very strongly about the ballots , '' Trump said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voter fraud .
`` The ballots are a disaster . ''
Responding to a follow-up question about it , Trump added , `` Get rid of the ballots , and you 'll have a very peaceful — there wo n't be a transfer , frankly .
There will be a continuation . ''
When Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden was asked about Trump 's remarks , Biden asked facetiously , `` What country are we in ?
Look , he says the most irrational things .
I do n't know what to say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interview that Trump 's comments were a `` distraction '' and that at the end of the day , if Trump loses , `` He 'll leave . ''
The White House tried to walk back Trump 's comments , but on Thursday , Trump again questioned the legitimacy of the election because of mail-in ballots .
`` We want to make sure the election is honest , '' he said , `` and I 'm not sure that it can be . ''
At a Friday night rally , Trump mocked the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` Then they say , 'He does n't want to turn over government ' — of course I do .
But it 's got to be a fair election , '' he said , before rattling off a litany of complaints about mail-in voting in Democratic states .
`` You know a real big problem ?
I like watching television , and have , 'The winner is . '
You might not hear it for months , because this is a mess , '' he said , noting it could take a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` If we 're waiting for one state , does that mean the whole nation — the whole world — is going to wait for one state ? ''
The New York Times reported Friday that `` senior leaders at the Pentagon , speaking on the condition of anonymity , acknowledged that they were talking among themselves about what to do if Mr. Trump , who will still be president from Election Day to Inauguration Day , invokes the Insurrection Act and tries to send troops into the streets , as he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police brutality and systemic racism . ''
It can be hard to know when Trump is being serious or just trying to get attention and troll the left and the news media .
But voting is already underway this election , and nothing should be surprising in these next five weeks – or beyond .
Saturday is a big marker on that path with Trump 's nomination to the Supreme Court and the fight that 's about to come .

A Supreme Fight For America Begins Now
Enlarge this image toggle caption Pool/Getty Images Pool/Getty Images
Updated 5:54 p.m. ET
Saturday is a big day for the future of the country.
President Trump formally announced conservative federal Judge Amy Coney Barrett as his nominee to replace the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
Barrett, a former law professor at Notre Dame and Supreme Court law clerk for the late Justice Antonin Scalia, said she would be a justice in Scalia's mold.
"His judicial philosophy is mine, too," Barrett said.
At 48, she would have a prominent role in reshaping American society and culture for generations.
But while that is a factor in Trump's decision, he has a more short-term concern — the upcoming elections.
"I think this will end up in the Supreme Court. And I think it's very important we have nine justices," Trump said Wednesday.
What's more, later in the day, he wouldn't commit to a peaceful transfer of power in response to a reporter's question.
"We're going to have to see what happens, you know, but I've been complaining very strongly about the ballots," Trump said, repeating his unfounded claim of widespread voter fraud. "The ballots are a disaster."
Responding to a follow-up question, Trump added, "Get rid of the ballots, and you'll have a very peaceful — there won't be a transfer, frankly. There will be a continuation."
When Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden was asked about Trump's remarks, Biden asked facetiously, "What country are we in? Look, he says the most irrational things. I don't know what to say." Biden said in a later interview that Trump's comments were a "distraction" and that at the end of the day, if Trump loses, "he'll leave."
The White House tried to walk back Trump's comments, but on Thursday, Trump again questioned the legitimacy of the election because of mail-in ballots.
"We want to make sure the election is honest," he said, "and I'm not sure that it can be."
At a Friday night rally, Trump mocked the media for raising alarms about his comments. "Then they say, 'He doesn't want to turn over government' — of course I do. But it's got to be a fair election," he said, before rattling off a litany of complaints about mail-in voting in Democratic states.
"You know a real big problem? I like watching television, and have, 'The winner is.' You might not hear it for months, because this is a mess," he said, noting it could take a week or two to count mail-in ballots. "If we're waiting for one state, does that mean the whole nation — the whole world — is going to wait for one state?"
The New York Times reported Friday that "senior leaders at the Pentagon, speaking on the condition of anonymity, acknowledged that they were talking among themselves about what to do if Mr. Trump, who will still be president from Election Day to Inauguration Day, invokes the Insurrection Act and tries to send troops into the streets, as he threatened to do during the protests against police brutality and systemic racism."
It can be hard to know when Trump is being serious or just trying to get attention and troll the left and the news media. But voting is underway this election, and nothing should be surprising in these next five weeks — or beyond.


npr--2020-09-26--Trump Set To Formally Announce His Supreme Court Nominee

A week after the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg , President Trump will announce his nomination to succeed her on the Supreme Court .
Republicans expect Trump to select Judge Amy Coney Barrett , according to a source with knowledge of the process , but the source cautioned Friday that Trump could change his mind .
Watch Trump 's remarks here when they begin at 5 p.m .
ET .
Trump appointed Barrett to the 7th U.S .
Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago just three years ago .
Before that , she taught law at the University of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Justice Antonin Scalia , widely seen by conservatives as a legal legend .
Barrett is admired by conservatives for her positions on abortion rights and the Affordable Care Act .
A devout Catholic , she is also a favorite of religious conservatives .
At 48 , Barrett will be the youngest justice on the Supreme Court if confirmed , allowing her to potentially shape American law and society for generations .
Within hours of Ginsburg 's death last Friday , Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , R-Ky. , pledged to bring Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Senate floor .
The president has made clear he wants his nominee approved by Election Day , predicting that the results of the presidential election may end up in front of the Supreme Court .
Democrats , including Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden , say whoever wins in November should pick the next justice , citing McConnell 's successful effort in 2016 to block then-President Barack Obama 's nominee for the Supreme Court , Merrick Garland , about eight months before the election .
Now , Trump is setting up a Supreme Court @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2020 election .
While Republican Sens .
Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska have said they do not support a vote on a nominee before the election , other Republican senators considered to be potential swing votes , including Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah , announced they would support moving forward with a Supreme Court confirmation .
That support likely gives Trump the support he will need to get his nominee on the bench .
Still , Capitol Hill is bracing for a high-stakes political battle in the weeks and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , spilling onto the campaign trail both in the presidential contest and for several tight Senate races .
The Democrats have already been framing the nomination as a battle to preserve health care — with a major challenge to the Affordable Care Act on the court 's schedule this fall — while Republicans see abortion as a salient issue to bolster support for Trump filling the seat as soon as possible .
Trump began promoting his forthcoming nomination the day after the court announced Ginsburg had died .
During a rally in North @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to pick a woman for the seat , a nod to Ginsburg 's lifelong efforts to promote the equality of women under the law .
This week , thousands of mourners lined up outside the Supreme Court where Ginsburg 's casket lay in repose at the top of the court 's marble steps .
On Friday , Ginsburg lay in state inside the U.S. Capitol 's Statuary Hall , the first woman and the first Jewish American to receive such an honor .
Ginsburg will be buried at Arlington Cemetery on Tuesday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Trump Announces Amy Coney Barrett As His Supreme Court Nominee
Enlarge this image toggle caption Olivier Douliery/AFP via Getty Images Olivier Douliery/AFP via Getty Images
Updated at 6:20 p.m. ET
President Trump says he will nominate Judge Amy Coney Barrett to succeed the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on the U.S. Supreme Court, spurring what's likely to be a bitter confirmation fight just weeks before the presidential election.
If confirmed by the Senate, the 48-year-old judge will solidify the court's conservative majority, shaping the trajectory of health care law, abortion rights and many corners of American life for generations to come.
From a White House Rose Garden draped with flags, Trump called nominating a Supreme Court justice one of the most important duties of his office and praised Barrett as a "one of our nation's most brilliant legal minds."
Cheers rippled through the crowd of about 200 people when Trump finally said Barrett's name.
"This should be a straightforward and prompt confirmation," Trump said. "Should be very easy. Good luck. It's going to be very quick. I'm sure it will be extremely noncontroversial. We said that the last time, didn't we?"
(Justice Brett Kavanaugh, Trump's previous Supreme Court nominee, was subjected to extra scrutiny by the public and Senate Democrats because of a sexual assault allegation.)
Barrett began her speech acknowledging the shoes she is being asked to fill, calling Ginsburg a "woman of enormous talent and consequence" who not only cracked, but "smashed" glass ceilings and won the admiration of women around the world.
The judge said she has been inspired by Ginsburg's close relationship with Antonin Scalia, the late conservative justice for whom Barrett once clerked.
"His judicial philosophy is mine, too," Barrett said as Scalia's wife and son looked on from the audience. "A judge must apply the law as written. Judges are not policymakers and they must be resolute in setting aside any policy views they might hold."
In introducing his nominee, Trump linked the weight of a Supreme Court appointment with a message he touts on the campaign trail, calling "law and order" the foundation of the U.S. justice system.
"The stakes for our country are incredibly high," Trump said. "Rulings that the Supreme Court will issue in the coming years will decide the survival of our Second Amendment, our religious liberty, our public safety and so much more. To maintain security, liberty and prosperity, we must maintain our priceless heritage of a nation of laws and there is no one better to do that than Amy Coney Barrett."
Barrett also introduced her husband and seven children, who were seated in the audience, joking that it makes sense that Trump is nominating her to join a bench of nine justices.
"As it happens, I'm used to being in a group of nine: my family," Barrett said, telling the audience that in addition to federal judge, she wears other hats: carpool driver, birthday party planner and, recently, teacher, as her children attend school remotely because of the pandemic.
Barrett also seemed to acknowledge the charged political moment she's stepping into, saying she has "no illusions that the road ahead for me will be easy."
"The president has nominated me to serve on the United States Supreme Court, and that institution belongs to all of us. If confirmed, I would not assume that role for the sake of those in my own circle and certainly not for my own sake. I would assume this role to serve you. I would discharge the judicial oath, which requires me to administer justice without respect to persons, do equal right to the poor and rich, and faithfully and impartially discharge my duties under the United States Constitution."
Trump appointed Barrett to the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago just three years ago. Before that, she taught law at the University of Notre Dame for 15 years and had clerked for Scalia, widely seen by conservatives as a legal legend.
Barrett is admired by conservatives for her positions on abortion rights and the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. A devout Catholic, she is also a favorite of religious conservatives. At 48, Barrett would be the youngest justice on the Supreme Court if confirmed, allowing her to potentially shape American law and society for generations.
Within hours of Ginsburg's death last Friday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., pledged to bring Trump's nominee for a vote on the Senate floor. The president has made clear he wants his nominee approved by Election Day, predicting that the results of the presidential election may end up in front of the Supreme Court.
Democrats, including presidential nominee Joe Biden, say whoever wins in November should pick the next justice, citing McConnell's successful effort in 2016 to block President Barack Obama's nominee for the Supreme Court, Merrick Garland, about eight months before the election. Now, Trump is setting up a Supreme Court fight just over a month before the 2020 election.
While Republican Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska have said they do not support a vote on a nominee before the election, other Republican senators considered to be potential swing votes, including Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah, announced they would support moving forward with a Supreme Court confirmation.
That support likely gives Trump the votes he will need to get his nominee on the bench. Still, Capitol Hill is bracing for a high-stakes political battle in the weeks and even days leading up to the election, spilling onto the campaign trail both in the presidential contest and for several tight Senate races.
A Senate Republican aide told NPR on Saturday that confirmation hearings are set to begin on Oct. 12 and last four days.
The Democrats have already been framing the nomination as a battle to preserve health care — with a major challenge to the Affordable Care Act on the court's schedule this fall — while Republicans see abortion as a salient issue to bolster support for Trump's filling the seat as soon as possible.
Trump began promoting his forthcoming nomination the day after the court announced Ginsburg had died. During a rally in North Carolina last Saturday night, Trump promised to pick a woman for the seat, a nod to Ginsburg's lifelong efforts to promote the equality of women under the law.
This week, thousands of mourners lined up outside the Supreme Court where Ginsburg's casket lay in repose at the top of the court's marble steps. On Friday, Ginsburg lay in state inside the U.S. Capitol's Statuary Hall, the first woman and the first Jewish American to receive such an honor.
Ginsburg will be buried at Arlington Cemetery on Tuesday, following the Jewish holiday Yom Kippur.