npr--2020-07-04--Trump Signs Small Business Loan Program Extension

President Trump signed legislation Saturday extending the deadline for small businesses to apply for the Paycheck Protection Program , enacted in the weeks following the economic shutdown caused by the coronavirus pandemic .
The original deadline to apply for the PPP was this past Tuesday night .
But $ 130 billion still remained in the fund , out of $ 660 billion allocated .
Both houses of Congress approved the extension unanimously earlier this week .
With Trump 's signature Saturday , businesses will now have until Aug. 8 to apply for the assistance .
The PPP lets businesses get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and other costs .
The subsidies come as federal loans , but those loans can be forgiven if businesses use at least 60 % of the funds for payroll .
The program has so far doled out about $ 520 billion in loans to almost 5 million small businesses across the country .
The loans were meant to let businesses cover about two and a half months of typical costs .
The program 's sponsors say they want to repurpose the program to better serve the challenges businesses are facing now , several @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the scope of the financial damage done to small businesses by the pandemic and resulting lockdowns has grown , it has become clear that longer-term support is necessary , '' Florida Sen. Marco Rubio said in a statement .
Rubio said he wants to see additional support for `` our smallest businesses , especially in our underserved communities . ''
The program faced criticism after loans went to multimillion-dollar businesses such as restaurant chain Potbelly , the coal company Hallador Energy and video storage firm Quantum , all of which received $ 10 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ give to any one business .

Trump Signs Small Business Loan Program Extension
Enlarge this image toggle caption Evan Vucci/AP Evan Vucci/AP
President Trump signed legislation Saturday extending the deadline for small businesses to apply for the Paycheck Protection Program, enacted in the weeks following the economic shutdown caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
The original deadline to apply for the PPP was this past Tuesday night. But $130 billion still remained in the fund, out of $660 billion allocated. Both houses of Congress approved the extension unanimously earlier this week. With Trump's signature Saturday, businesses will now have until Aug. 8 to apply for the assistance.
The PPP lets businesses get direct government subsidies for payroll, rent and other costs. The subsidies come as federal loans, but those loans can be forgiven if businesses use at least 60% of the funds for payroll.
The program has so far doled out about $520 billion in loans to almost 5 million small businesses across the country. The loans were meant to let businesses cover about two and a half months of typical costs.
The program's sponsors say they want to repurpose the program to better serve the challenges businesses are facing now, several months into the pandemic. "As the scope of the financial damage done to small businesses by the pandemic and resulting lockdowns has grown, it has become clear that longer-term support is necessary," Florida Sen. Marco Rubio said in a statement.
Rubio said he wants to see additional support for "our smallest businesses, especially in our underserved communities." The program faced criticism after loans went to multimillion-dollar businesses such as restaurant chain Potbelly, the coal company Hallador Energy and video storage firm Quantum, all of which received $10 million, the most the PPP will give to any one business.


npr--2020-07-04--States Shatter Coronavirus Records As Officials Eye Holiday Weekend With Alarm

The grim news has taken no respite this Fourth of July .
On Saturday , just as residents across the country celebrated the holiday , state authorities once more reported a record-breaking number of new coronavirus cases .
Florida and South Carolina on Saturday both reported passing their previous single-day highs , while Alabama , Texas and a slew of others continued to reel from recent records of their own .
In Florida on Friday alone , there were more than 11,400 newly confirmed cases of the virus .
That sum shatters a record that was set in the state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ around the same time that the U.S. as a whole recorded the world 's highest-ever daily tally , with more than 55,000 .
In a desperate bid to curtail the latest spike in the statewide caseload , local leaders in Florida implemented a slew of measures to tamp down the weekend 's usual holiday festivities .
Miami-Dade County , for one , has instituted a curfew beginning at 10 p.m. `` until further notice , '' while beaches across much of South Florida are closed .
The state is far from alone in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Texas , hospitals in both Starr and Hidalgo counties have reported reaching full capacity , and officials there are pleading with residents to simply stay home this weekend .
`` I urge all of our residents , '' Starr County Judge Eloy Vera said on Facebook , `` to please shelter-in-place , wear face coverings , practice social distancing and AVOID GATHERINGS . ''
Florida and Texas are just a couple of the places rolling back reopening plans and scrambling to implement new restrictions or reinstate old ones .
Rules mandating that residents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ effect in cities from Cincinnati and Cleveland to Boise , Idaho .

States Shatter Coronavirus Records As Officials Eye Holiday Weekend With Alarm
Enlarge this image toggle caption Wilfredo Lee/AP Wilfredo Lee/AP
The grim news has taken no respite this Fourth of July.
On Saturday, just as residents across the country celebrated the holiday, state authorities once more reported a record-breaking number of new coronavirus cases. Florida and South Carolina on Saturday both reported passing their previous single-day highs, while Alabama, Texas and a slew of others continued to reel from recent records of their own.
In Florida on Friday alone, there were more than 11,400 newly confirmed cases of the virus. That sum shatters a record that was set in the state just a couple of days ago — around the same time that the U.S. as a whole recorded the world's highest-ever daily tally, with more than 55,000.
In a desperate bid to curtail the latest spike in the statewide caseload, local leaders in Florida implemented a slew of measures to tamp down the weekend's usual holiday festivities. Miami-Dade County, for one, has instituted a curfew beginning at 10 p.m. "until further notice," while beaches across much of South Florida are closed.
The state is far from alone in its intensifying fight with COVID-19. In Texas, hospitals in both Starr and Hidalgo counties have reported reaching full capacity, and officials there are pleading with residents to simply stay home this weekend.
"I urge all of our residents," Starr County Judge Eloy Vera said on Facebook, "to please shelter-in-place, wear face coverings, practice social distancing and AVOID GATHERINGS."
Florida and Texas are just a couple of the places rolling back reopening plans and scrambling to implement new restrictions or reinstate old ones. Rules mandating that residents wear masks in public places have taken effect in cities from Cincinnati and Cleveland to Boise, Idaho.


npr--2020-07-04--At Least 15 Feared Dead After Torrential Rains Sweep Through Southern Japan

At Least 15 Feared Dead After Torrential Rains Sweep Through Southern Japan At least 15 people are presumed dead and several more are missing after torrential rains pounded southern Japan on Saturday , flooding residential areas , causing mudslides and knocking out power for thousands .
Officials asked more than 200,000 people to evacuate .
Fourteen of those found without vital signs were at a nursing home in Kuma village , where water and mud gushed into the building .
Japanese medical officials declared that the victims were in `` cardio-respiratory arrest '' — a term used in Japan before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flooding was centered in the Kumamoto and Kagoshima prefectures , where the Kuma River overflowed in at least 10 places .
The southern island of Kyushu was also hard hit .
Over 33,000 phone lines were disconnected , Nippon Telegraph and Telephone West Corp reported .
The nation 's top three mobile carriers were all reporting outages .
Internet service was also affected .
By evening , the rain had subsided and emergency responders were searching for survivors .
At least 10 people were reported missing , and dozens were stranded on rooftops @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rain , '' one woman told the Japanese news outlet NHK .
`` I honestly never imagined it could be so powerful . ''
Japanese weather forecasters had expected heavy rains .
The Japan Meteorological Agency issued its highest warning before 5 a.m. Saturday , according to Kyodo News .
The agency said the downpour that came was greater than any seen before in the region , the BBC reported .
At one point , part of Kumamoto prefecture saw almost 4 inches of rainfall per hour .
`` I saw large trees @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and heard them crashing into something , '' Haruka Yamada , 32 , told Kyodo News .
`` The air is filled with the smell of leaking gas and sewage , '' he said .
Ten thousand members of Japan 's defense force were mobilized to assist in rescue efforts , The New York Times reported .
More heavy rain is expected through Wednesday .

At Least 15 Feared Dead After Torrential Rains Sweep Through Southern Japan
Enlarge this image toggle caption STR/Jiji Press/AFP via Getty Images STR/Jiji Press/AFP via Getty Images
At least 15 people are presumed dead and several more are missing after torrential rains pounded southern Japan on Saturday, flooding residential areas, causing mudslides and knocking out power for thousands. Officials asked more than 200,000 people to evacuate.
Fourteen of those found without vital signs were at a nursing home in Kuma village, where water and mud gushed into the building. Japanese medical officials declared that the victims were in "cardio-respiratory arrest" — a term used in Japan before death can be officially certified.
The flooding was centered in the Kumamoto and Kagoshima prefectures, where the Kuma River overflowed in at least 10 places. The southern island of Kyushu was also hard hit.
Over 33,000 phone lines were disconnected, Nippon Telegraph and Telephone West Corp reported. The nation's top three mobile carriers were all reporting outages. Internet service was also affected.
Enlarge this image toggle caption STR/Jiji Press/AFP via Getty Images STR/Jiji Press/AFP via Getty Images
By evening, the rain had subsided and emergency responders were searching for survivors. At least 10 people were reported missing, and dozens were stranded on rooftops.
"It wasn't like normal rain," one woman told the Japanese news outlet NHK. "I honestly never imagined it could be so powerful."
Japanese weather forecasters had expected heavy rains. The Japan Meteorological Agency issued its highest warning before 5 a.m. Saturday, according to Kyodo News. The agency said the downpour that came was greater than any seen before in the region, the BBC reported. At one point, part of Kumamoto prefecture saw almost 4 inches of rainfall per hour.
"I saw large trees and parts of houses being washed away and heard them crashing into something," Haruka Yamada, 32, told Kyodo News. "The air is filled with the smell of leaking gas and sewage," he said.
Ten thousand members of Japan's defense force were mobilized to assist in rescue efforts, The New York Times reported. More heavy rain is expected through Wednesday.


npr--2020-07-04--2 People Injured After Vehicle Careens Into Protesters In Seattle

2 People Injured After Vehicle Careens Into Protesters In Seattle Two people have been hospitalized , one with life-threatening injuries , after a vehicle barreled past a police barrier and into protesters on a freeway overnight in Seattle .
Washington State Patrol said Saturday that the driver of the white Jaguar sedan , a 27-year-old man , is in custody .
At this point , officers have not offered a motive , though Capt .
Ron Mead said officers believe the suspect was not impaired .
At a news conference early Saturday , Mead did not offer further details on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police closure to reach the victims .
But he warned that the incident offers a stark lesson for protesters .
`` My hope is , as a result of this tragedy , protesters will reconsider their desire to be on the interstate , '' he said , `` because I can not guarantee their safety , plain and simple . ''
Several graphic videos of the incident hit social media shortly afterward .
In one , the sedan careens past a cluster of vehicles blocking its way , appearing to swerve back into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flung skyward off the car 's hood before tumbling back down to the surface of Interstate 5 .
Another video livestreamed a long , uneventful record of the protest — until , in the final 15 seconds , someone begins to scream , `` Car !
Car !
Car ! ''
The footage ends with the screech of brakes slicing through a swirl of screams and unfocused images .
Mead said that one 24-year-old victim is fighting for her life at the hospital .
The other , who is 32 , also suffered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ days after Seattle authorities dismantled a blocks-long zone that had been set aside for protests against police brutality and racial injustice .
Since early June , the Capitol Hill Organized Protest zone had been home to demonstrations demanding changes to policing and funding cuts to the force .
The site was closed because it had become `` lawless and brutal , '' Seattle Police Chief Carmen Best explained this week , noting that shootings in the zone had resulted in two deaths .
But the closure has failed to halt protesters from gathering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ freeway .
Mead said Saturday that protesters have forced a closure on Interstate 5 every day for nearly three weeks .
The freeway , however , is `` simply not a safe place '' for protesters to gather , he added .
There have been reports of at least 50 vehicle-ramming incidents since nationwide protests erupted in late May — many of which were suspected attacks by right-wing extremists targeting Black Lives Matter protesters .
`` The message they 're trying to send is , 'You need to get out of the street @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ari Weil , the terrorism researcher at the University of Chicago who compiled those statistics , told NPR last month .
`` They 're trying to intimidate the most recent wave of BLM protesters to stop their movement . ''

1 Killed, 1 Injured After Driver Strikes Protesters In Seattle
Updated 2:30 a.m. ET Sunday
One person has been killed and one hospitalized in serious condition after a vehicle barreled past a police barrier and into protesters on a freeway in Seattle this weekend.
24-year-old Summer Taylor died Saturday evening at Harborview Medical Center, according hospital spokeswoman Susan Gregg. Diaz Love, 32, remains in serious condition.
The Washington State Patrol said Saturday that the driver of the white Jaguar sedan, a 27-year-old man, is in custody. At this point, officers have not offered a motive, though Capt. Ron Mead said officers believe the suspect was not impaired.
At a news conference early Saturday, Mead did not offer further details on how authorities believe the man bypassed a police closure to reach the victims. But he warned that the incident offers a stark lesson for protesters.
"My hope is, as a result of this tragedy, protesters will reconsider their desire to be on the interstate," he said, "because I cannot guarantee their safety, plain and simple."
Several graphic videos of the incident hit social media shortly afterward. In one, the sedan careens past a cluster of vehicles blocking its way, appearing to swerve back into the pair of victims. They're flung skyward off the car's hood before tumbling back down to the surface of Interstate 5.
Another video livestreamed a long, uneventful record of the protest — until, in the final 15 seconds, someone begins to scream, "Car! Car! Car!" The footage ends with the screech of brakes slicing through a swirl of screams and unfocused images.
The incident comes just days after Seattle authorities dismantled a blocks-long zone that had been set aside for protests against police brutality and racial injustice. Since early June, the Capitol Hill Organized Protest zone had been home to demonstrations demanding changes to policing and funding cuts to the police force.
The site was closed because it had become "lawless and brutal," Seattle Police Chief Carmen Best explained this week, noting that shootings in the zone had resulted in two deaths. But the closure has failed to halt protesters from gathering across the city, including on the freeway.
Mead said Saturday that protesters have forced a closure on Interstate 5 every day for nearly three weeks. The freeway, however, is "simply not a safe place" for protesters to gather, he added.
Since nationwide protests erupted in late May, there have been reports of at least 50 vehicle-ramming incidents — many of which were suspected attacks by right-wing extremists targeting Black Lives Matter protesters.
"The message they're trying to send is, 'You need to get out of the street and stop these protests,' " Ari Weil, the terrorism researcher at the University of Chicago who compiled those statistics, told NPR last month. "They're trying to intimidate the most recent wave of BLM protesters, to stop their movement."


npr--2020-07-04--Experts Say Intel Should Have Reached Trump On Russian Bounty Program

Experts Say Intel Should Have Reached Trump On Russian Bounty Program President Trump has said he had not been told about a suspected Russian bounty program to pay the Taliban to kill U.S. troops in Afghanistan .
Yet the president 's critics , former intelligence officers and even some members of his own party have questioned this .
They note that in addition to regular face-to-face security briefings , the U.S. intelligence community compiles a detailed , leather-bound book every weekday for Trump and his top advisers , known as the President 's Daily Briefing .
The U.S. intelligence community @ @ @ @ @ @ @ months ago following raids in the Afghan capital , Kabul , and the northern city of Kunduz .
Those captured were interrogated and a large pile of cash was uncovered , according to The New York Times .
As intelligence agencies have assessed this raid and additional information , the CIA appears to have the highest degree of confidence in the existence of a Russian bounty program .
However , other senior national security officials , including Defense Secretary Mark Esper , Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe and national security adviser Robert @ @ @ @ @ @ @ departments have not corroborated the media reports .
The White House said because there 's no consensus in the intelligence community , advisers did not raise the matter with Trump until it broke in the press .
But former intelligence officers say potentially critical raw intelligence , even if unconfirmed , is widely shared and should reach the president .
`` The first myth about raw intelligence is that it is only seen by one analyst or a group of analysts , '' said David Priess , a former CIA officer who wrote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ called The President 's Book of Secrets .
`` In fact , raw intelligence is disseminated around the national security community .
The White House Situation Room gets a feed of direct , raw intelligence , too . ''
Dan Hoffman , a former CIA station chief in Moscow who also worked in the Middle East , says it 's important to share intelligence as widely and as quickly as possible .
`` I served three years in overseas combat zones collecting this sort of tactical intelligence , '' he said .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ better with age .
You 've got to get it out to the people at risk ; that means our soldiers but also coalition forces . ''
`` My concern as an intelligence officer would be , I do n't want the president or his national security adviser to be blindsided when [ British ] Prime Minister Boris Johnson says , 'Hey , about that reporting we received that the Russians have a bounty out for our people in Afghanistan ... ' `` Hoffman said .
The director of national intelligence has the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ daily briefing book , though the CIA generates much of the content and all 17 U.S. intelligence agencies can contribute .
These intelligence streams flow into the various agencies around the clock , and overnight , while Washington sleeps , a team puts together the formal briefing book that 's ready by daybreak .
The book , which typically includes up to 10 items , is available to Trump and his top advisers , though the president prefers to discuss the material in person and is briefed several times a week for about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to officials familiar with the process .
Trump has been criticized for his response to the COVID-19 pandemic and now the Russia bounty story .
In both cases , the White House has tried to shift at least some of the blame onto the briefings .
The White House said the coronavirus threat to the U.S. was first mentioned in a briefing on Jan. 23 , but only in a glancing way .
And now it says the president was never told verbally about the Russian bounty story .
But in both cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the president and his top advisers in the briefing book .
Normally , the president 's dedicated briefer is not publicly identified .
But amid the recent controversies , Trump 's has been named as Beth Sanner , a highly respected , 30-year veteran of the intelligence community .
In addition to Sanner , the briefings are usually attended by CIA Director Gina Haspel and Ratcliffe , the director of national intelligence .
O'Brien , the national security adviser , is also present , and according to David Priess , the person in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president gets the information he needs .
`` The ultimate responsibility for getting national security information that the president needs , to the president , lies with the national security adviser , '' said Priess .
O'Brien , who assumed the position last September , is Trump 's fourth national security adviser in less than four years .
The daily intelligence briefing dates to President Harry Truman , who requested it as he tried to make sense of a still-chaotic world in the aftermath of World War II .
Just two years ago @ @ @ @ @ @ @ briefings to Truman , and the contents sound very familiar today .
The first item from the first briefing was about the Soviet Union spreading disinformation about the U.S. That briefing also included reports about tensions in the Korean Peninsula and a U.S. trade dispute with China .
The briefings have been tailored to the wishes of each president .
President Richard Nixon did n't much care for them and only authorized one adviser to see them — Henry Kissinger .
President Barack Obama got it on his iPad and read it privately @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the more than 30 other advisers who were also allowed to see it .
Greg Myre is an NPR national security correspondent .
Follow him @ gregmyre1 .

Experts Say Intel Should Have Reached Trump On Russian Bounty Program
Enlarge this image toggle caption Massoud Hossaini/AP Massoud Hossaini/AP
President Trump has said he was not told about a suspected Russian bounty program to pay the Taliban to kill U.S. troops in Afghanistan.
Yet the president's critics, former intelligence officers and even some members of his own party have questioned this. They note that in addition to regular face-to-face security briefings, the U.S. intelligence community compiles a detailed, leather-bound book every weekday for Trump and his top advisers, known as the President's Daily Briefing.
The U.S. intelligence community began getting raw intelligence at least six months ago following raids in the Afghan capital, Kabul, and the northern city of Kunduz. Those captured were interrogated and a large pile of cash was uncovered, according to The New York Times.
As intelligence agencies have assessed this raid and additional information, the CIA appears to have the highest degree of confidence in the existence of a Russian bounty program.
However, other senior national security officials, including Defense Secretary Mark Esper, Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe and national security adviser Robert O'Brien have all issued statements saying their departments have not corroborated the media reports.
The White House said because there's no consensus in the intelligence community, advisers did not raise the matter with Trump until it broke in the press.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Damian Dovarganes/AP Damian Dovarganes/AP
Sharing raw intelligence
But former intelligence officers say potentially critical raw intelligence, even if unconfirmed, is widely shared and should reach the president.
"The first myth about raw intelligence is that it is only seen by one analyst or a group of analysts," said David Priess, a former CIA officer who wrote a history of the presidential security briefings called The President's Book of Secrets. "In fact, raw intelligence is disseminated around the national security community. The White House Situation Room gets a feed of direct, raw intelligence, too."
Dan Hoffman, a former CIA station chief in Moscow who also worked in the Middle East, says it's important to share intelligence as widely and as quickly as possible.
"I served three years in overseas combat zones collecting this sort of tactical intelligence," he said. "It's not like fine wine getting better with age. You've got to get it out to the people at risk; that means our soldiers but also coalition forces."
"My concern as an intelligence officer would be, I don't want the president or his national security adviser to be blindsided when [British] Prime Minister Boris Johnson says, 'Hey, about that reporting we received that the Russians have a bounty out for our people in Afghanistan ...' " Hoffman said.
The director of national intelligence has the final say over what goes into the daily briefing book, though the CIA generates much of the content and all 17 U.S. intelligence agencies can contribute.
These intelligence streams flow into the various agencies around the clock, and overnight, while Washington sleeps, a team puts together the formal briefing book that's ready by daybreak.
Face-to-face briefings
The book, which typically includes up to 10 items, is available to Trump and his top advisers, though the president prefers to discuss the material in person and is briefed several times a week for about 30 minutes to an hour, according to officials familiar with the process.
Trump has been criticized for his response to the COVID-19 pandemic and now the Russia bounty story. In both cases, the White House has tried to shift at least some of the blame onto the briefings.
The White House said the coronavirus threat to the U.S. was first mentioned in a briefing on Jan. 23, but only in a glancing way. And now it says the president was never told verbally about the Russian bounty story.
But in both cases, detailed material was reportedly available to the president and his top advisers in the briefing book.
Normally, the president's dedicated briefer is not publicly identified. But amid the recent controversies, Trump's has been named as Beth Sanner, a highly respected, 30-year veteran of the intelligence community.
Enlarge this image toggle caption AP AP
In addition to Sanner, the briefings are usually attended by CIA Director Gina Haspel and Ratcliffe, the director of national intelligence. O'Brien, the national security adviser, is also present, and according to David Priess, the person in this position has to make sure the president gets the information he needs.
"The ultimate responsibility for getting national security information that the president needs, to the president, lies with the national security adviser," said Priess.
O'Brien, who assumed the position last September, is Trump's fourth national security adviser in less than four years.
The daily intelligence briefing dates to President Harry Truman, who requested it as he tried to make sense of a still-chaotic world in the aftermath of World War II.
Just two years ago, the CIA finally released those initial briefings to Truman, and the contents sound very familiar today. The first item from the first briefing was about the Soviet Union spreading disinformation about the U.S. That briefing also included reports about tensions in the Korean Peninsula and a U.S. trade dispute with China.
The briefings have been tailored to the wishes of each president.
President Richard Nixon didn't much care for them and only authorized one adviser to see them — Henry Kissinger. President Barack Obama got it on his iPad and read it privately, then discussed it throughout the day with the more than 30 other advisers who were also allowed to see it.
Greg Myre is an NPR national security correspondent. Follow him @gregmyre1.


npr--2020-07-04--Trump Flouts Virus Rules, Warns Of 'New Far-Left Fascism' At Mount Rushmore Event

Trump Flouts Virus Rules , Warns Of 'New Far-Left Fascism ' At Mount Rushmore Event Updated at 7:43 a.m .
ET On the eve of Independence Day , President Trump celebrated at the foot of Mount Rushmore National Memorial in Keystone , S.D.
, with a fireworks display and an impassioned speech against what he called a `` new far-left fascism . ''
About 7,500 attendees won an online ticket lottery sponsored by South Dakota 's state tourism department .
Despite the recent surge in COVID-19 cases in the country , crowds in red , white and blue were seen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ South Dakota Gov .
Kristi Noem told Fox News ahead of the event that while free masks would be provided , attendees would not be required to wear them or to practice social distancing .
Trump opened his speech by denouncing the protesters who have called for the removal of Confederate monuments and statues nationwide that have honored Americans who have supported or benefited from slavery .
The movement has stemmed from nationwide protests for racial equality following the police killings of George Floyd in Minneapolis and Breonna Taylor in Louisville , Ky. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Georgia .
The president called the movement a `` merciless campaign to wipe out our history , defame our heroes , erase our values and indoctrinate our children . ''
The president signed an executive order in late June reinforcing an existing law that protects federal monuments .
In a tweet , he promised `` long prison terms for these lawless acts against our Great Country ! ''
At Mount Rushmore , Trump announced he was signing another executive order to establish the National Garden of American Heroes , an outdoor park @ @ @ @ @ @ @ greatest Americans to ever live . ''
Trump also lamented `` cancel culture , '' which he described as a `` political weapon '' used to intimidate dissenters and political opponents , calling it `` the very definition of totalitarianism . ''
He warned of a far-left agenda that was teaching children in schools to hate their country but said Americans would not succumb to the `` web of lies . ''
`` They think the American people are weak and soft and submissive , '' he said .
`` But no , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and they will not allow our country and all of its values , history and culture to be taken from them . ''
In response , the crowd erupted in cheers of `` USA !
USA ! ''
and `` Four more years ! ''
Protesters had blocked one of the major highways into the site hours before the event .
The demonstration was organized by Native American protesters , according to Lee Strubinger of South Dakota Public Radio .
Many were protesting the Mount Rushmore monument itself , which is carved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Demonstrators were also concerned that the fireworks display could damage the mountain .
Fireworks had been banned at the site for more than a decade .
Others were worried the event would put tribal members at risk of a coronavirus outbreak .
About 15 protesters were arrested , according to The Associated Press .
On Friday night , it was announced that Kimberly Guilfoyle , a campaign fundraiser and Donald Trump Jr. 's girlfriend , had tested positive for the coronavirus .
Sergio Gor , chief of staff for the Trump campaign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statement that Guilfoyle was immediately isolated after her positive test result .
Trump Jr. tested negative , but the two will cancel future events and self-isolate as a precaution .
Guilfoyle is asymptomatic , and Gor said she would be retested to confirm her diagnosis .
On Saturday , Trump is to appear at the Salute To America event and give remarks on the South Lawn of the White House .
Like last year , a fireworks display will take place at the National Mall .
The Department of the Interior cautioned anyone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ site to practice social distancing and wear face coverings .

Trump Flouts Virus Rules, Warns Of 'New Far-Left Fascism' At Mount Rushmore Event
Enlarge this image toggle caption Bloomberg via Getty Images Bloomberg via Getty Images
Updated at 7:43 a.m. ET
On the eve of Independence Day, President Trump celebrated at the foot of Mount Rushmore National Memorial in Keystone, S.D., with a fireworks display and an impassioned speech against what he called a "new far-left fascism."
About 7,500 attendees won an online ticket lottery sponsored by South Dakota's state tourism department. Despite the recent surge in COVID-19 cases in the country, crowds in red, white and blue were seen packed close together and mostly maskless. South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem told Fox News ahead of the event that while free masks would be provided, attendees would not be required to wear them or to practice social distancing.
Trump opened his speech by denouncing the protesters who have called for the removal of Confederate monuments and statues nationwide that have honored Americans who have supported or benefited from slavery. The movement has stemmed from nationwide protests for racial equality following the police killings of George Floyd in Minneapolis and Breonna Taylor in Louisville, Ky., and the killing of Ahmaud Arbery in Georgia.
The president called the movement a "merciless campaign to wipe out our history, defame our heroes, erase our values and indoctrinate our children."
The president signed an executive order in late June reinforcing an existing law that protects federal monuments. In a tweet, he promised "long prison terms for these lawless acts against our Great Country!"
At Mount Rushmore, Trump announced he was signing another executive order to establish the National Garden of American Heroes, an outdoor park that would hold statues of the "greatest Americans to ever live."
Trump also lamented "cancel culture," which he described as a "political weapon" used to intimidate dissenters and political opponents, calling it "the very definition of totalitarianism." He warned of a far-left agenda that was teaching children in schools to hate their country but said Americans would not succumb to the "web of lies."
"They think the American people are weak and soft and submissive," he said. "But no, the American people are strong and proud, and they will not allow our country and all of its values, history and culture to be taken from them."
In response, the crowd erupted in cheers of "USA! USA!" and "Four more years!"
Protesters had blocked one of the major highways into the site hours before the event. The demonstration was organized by Native American protesters, according to Lee Strubinger of South Dakota Public Radio. Many were protesting the Mount Rushmore monument itself, which is carved into a mountain sacred to the Lakota. Demonstrators were also concerned that the fireworks display could damage the mountain. Fireworks had been banned at the site for more than a decade. Others were worried the event would put tribal members at risk of a coronavirus outbreak. About 15 protesters were arrested, according to The Associated Press.
On Friday night, it was announced that Kimberly Guilfoyle, a campaign fundraiser and Donald Trump Jr.'s girlfriend, had tested positive for the coronavirus. Sergio Gor, chief of staff for the Trump campaign's finance committee, said in a statement that Guilfoyle was immediately isolated after her positive test result. Trump Jr. tested negative, but the two will cancel future events and self-isolate as a precaution. Guilfoyle is asymptomatic, and Gor said she would be retested to confirm her diagnosis.
On Saturday, Trump is to appear at the Salute To America event and give remarks on the South Lawn of the White House. Like last year, a fireworks display will take place at the National Mall. The Department of the Interior cautioned anyone who planned to view the fireworks on site to practice social distancing and wear face coverings.


npr--2020-07-03--FBI Says Soldier Vanessa Guillen Was Killed

For months , Spc .
Vanessa Guillen 's family held out hope that their daughter and sister , last seen at Fort Hood in Texas , was alive .
But this week , remains were found near the Leon River , north of Austin .
The FBI is awaiting a positive DNA analysis , but the family believes the body is Guillen 's .
On Thursday , the FBI filed a criminal complaint alleging what her family had feared from the beginning : Guillen had been killed on the base by a fellow soldier and buried near the river .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ David Robinson , killed himself Tuesday as law enforcement was closing in .
The FBI has since charged Robinson 's girlfriend , 22-year-old Cecily Aguilar , with one count of conspiracy to tamper with evidence .
Guillen 's family believes her death was linked to sexual harassment she said she was enduring on the base .
Now they are pushing for congressional legislation to create an independent agency for soldiers who are victims of sexual harassment and assault .
Guillen never reported any sexual harassment .
Speaking to NPR 's Mary Louise Kelly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's because she did n't think such a report would be taken seriously .
`` My sister was too afraid to report the harassment because no one would listen to her , '' Lupe Guillen said .
`` They take sexual harassment , sexual assault , as a joke .
They do n't care . ''
In a statement , Fort Hood officials said the criminal investigation `` has not found any connection between sexual harassment and Vanessa 's disappearance . ''
Investigators said they plan to further examine the sexual harassment allegations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Maj. Gen. Scott Efflandt said he has requested an investigation of Fort Hood 's Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention Program , which is designed to prevent sexual assault .
Efflandt wants to `` assess whether the command climate is supportive of Soldiers reporting incidents of sexual harassment and sexual assault '' and to `` identify any potentially systemic issues with the SHARP program at Fort Hood , as well as any resource constraints . ''
`` Those SHARP classes have n't worked at all , '' Lupe Guillen told NPR .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Guillen 's death : Robinson struck Guillen multiple times in the head with a hammer , killing her .
He then put her inside a box , and then took the box to a remote location near the Leon River in Belton , Texas .
According to the complaint , Robinson picked up Aguilar from work and drove her to where the box was located .
Aguilar told investigators she helped Robinson dismember Guillen 's body using an ax and a machete , removing her limbs and head .
After first attempting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then allegedly buried her remains in three separate holes .
If convicted , Aguilar faces up to 20 years in federal prison .
Lupe Guillen tells NPR that her sister wanted to be in the military since she was a little girl .
`` She used to tell my mom how she wanted to be a soldier because she wanted to protect and serve the nation , '' Guillen said .
`` She wanted to be a fighter .
She wanted to be a hero .
She wanted to be someone in life @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ''

FBI Says Soldier Vanessa Guillen Was Killed
Enlarge this image toggle caption U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command
For months, Spc. Vanessa Guillen's family held out hope that their daughter and sister, last seen at Fort Hood in Texas, was alive.
But this week, remains were found near the Leon River, north of Austin. The FBI is awaiting a positive DNA analysis, but the family believes the body is Guillen's. On Thursday, the FBI filed a criminal complaint alleging what her family had feared from the beginning: Guillen had been killed on the base by a fellow soldier and buried near the river.
The suspect, 20-year-old Spc. Aaron David Robinson, killed himself Tuesday as law enforcement was closing in. The FBI has since charged Robinson's girlfriend, 22-year-old Cecily Aguilar, with one count of conspiracy to tamper with evidence.
Guillen's family believes her death was linked to sexual harassment she said she was enduring on the base. Now they are pushing for congressional legislation to create an independent agency for soldiers who are victims of sexual harassment and assault.
Guillen never reported any sexual harassment. Speaking to NPR's Mary Louise Kelly, her sister Lupe Guillen said that's because she didn't think such a report would be taken seriously. "My sister was too afraid to report the harassment because no one would listen to her," Lupe Guillen said. "They take sexual harassment, sexual assault, as a joke. They don't care."
In a statement, Fort Hood officials said the criminal investigation "has not found any connection between sexual harassment and Vanessa's disappearance." Investigators said they plan to further examine the sexual harassment allegations that have come out since Guillen disappeared.
Maj. Gen. Scott Efflandt said he has requested an investigation of Fort Hood's Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention Program, which is designed to prevent sexual assault. Efflandt wants to "assess whether the command climate is supportive of Soldiers reporting incidents of sexual harassment and sexual assault" and to "identify any potentially systemic issues with the SHARP program at Fort Hood, as well as any resource constraints."
"Those SHARP classes haven't worked at all," Lupe Guillen told NPR.
The criminal complaint lays out the gruesome details of Guillen's death: Robinson struck Guillen multiple times in the head with a hammer, killing her. He then put her inside a box, and then took the box to a remote location near the Leon River in Belton, Texas.
According to the complaint, Robinson picked up Aguilar from work and drove her to where the box was located. Aguilar told investigators she helped Robinson dismember Guillen's body using an ax and a machete, removing her limbs and head. After first attempting to burn the body, the two then allegedly buried her remains in three separate holes.
If convicted, Aguilar faces up to 20 years in federal prison.
Lupe Guillen tells NPR that her sister wanted to be in the military since she was a little girl.
"She used to tell my mom how she wanted to be a soldier because she wanted to protect and serve the nation," Guillen said. "She wanted to be a fighter. She wanted to be a hero. She wanted to be someone in life. ... The military failed her."


npr--2020-07-05--The Kung Fu Nuns Of Kathmandu

The Kung Fu Nuns Of Kathmandu

Editor 's note : This story was reported and photographed in January , before the global pandemic .
The text has been updated to reflect the activities of the nuns aimed at COVID-19 prevention .
Jigme Yeshe Lhamo squats in a powerful kung fu stance .
As she raises her 18-inch sword , it flashes in the sunlight against the backdrop of the Himalayas .
It 's a crisp January morning at Amitabha Drukpa Nunnery in Kathmandu Valley , home to more than 800 Himalayan Buddhist nuns ranging in age from 6 to 80 .
Sporting maroon-colored robes and shaved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , kick and land in splits .
They wield spears and dance in formation with paper fans .
Lhamo , 31 , says practicing the martial art has given her confidence .
When she was 12 , Lhamo nearly drowned when she fell over the guard rail of a bridge and plunged into the freezing cold river below .
She had to undergo surgery for multiple fractures in her right leg , an injury that disqualified her from pursuing her dream of joining the Indian army .
`` Becoming an Indian officer was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sad and depressed and crying all of the time and I stopped eating . ''
says Lhamo .
Lhamo 's depression only started to lift a few years later when she met Jigme Pema Wangchen .
He 's the the head of a 1,000-year-old Buddhist sect called the Drukpa — which means a person from Bhutan or of Bhutanese descent .
He 's known as the Gyalwang Drukpa .
Jigme Pema Wangchen — regarded as the twelfth incarnation of the Gyalwang Drukpa — works to promote gender equality by establishing schools , medical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He traveled to Lhamo 's village in Ladakh , India , in 2005 to hold a series of empowerment workshops for women .
`` He encouraged me to take charge of my life and pursue opportunities that are not usually afforded to women in this part of the world , '' says Lhamo .
Lhamo says it was through the teachings of the Gyalwang Drukpa that she was able to gain confidence in herself and pursue her dream of helping others .
It was also the moment that she decided to become @ @ @ @ @ @ @ idea crazy .
`` They were so mad .
They told me that I did n't know anything about Buddhism and that I was too young to make such a choice and that I had to continue my studies to become an engineer or a doctor , '' says Lhamo , who ended up running away from home at the age of 16 .
`` My mother and father would n't allow me to go so I got on a bus and traveled to Nepal .
It was scary but I knew I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the Druk Amitabaha Mountain nunnery just outside of Kathmandu and started her new life with a new first name .
All of the Drupka nuns are known as Jigme , which means `` fearless one . ''
For centuries , women in the Himalayas who sought to practice spirituality equally with men have risked being ostracized .
They are forbidden from leading prayers , singing or being fully ordained .
Tasked with the chores of cooking and cleaning , nuns are told if they 're `` well behaved '' they can come @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — and only then can they become enlightened .
About ten years ago , the Gyalwang Drukpa set out to change that .
Inspired by his mother , who worked to break down gender stereotypes , he put the nuns in leadership roles .
He encouraged the nuns to take part in religious rituals traditionally reserved for their male counterparts and gave them the highest level of teachings , called Mahamudra .
Monks in his sect then had to ingratiate themselves to the nuns ( or more accurately , formally request the teachings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the power dynamic .
`` Monks within the Drukpa lineage celebrate what the nuns do , '' says Carrie Lee , former president of Live to Love International , a non-governmental organization that has partnered with the nunnery for nearly 20 years .
`` However , monks from other sects believe that if a woman touches something it 's considered tainted and they have to throw it away , so [ the nuns ' ] work is still not widely accepted . ''
Drupka efforts to break down patriarchal traditions have sparked intense @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the Himalayas .
`` They received threats almost on a daily basis .
Some threatened to burn down their nunnery and their temple .
Many consider them blasphemists , which in this community is a very big deal .
But most of all they were harassed physically , '' says Lee .
Instead of backing down , the Gyalwang Drukpa decided to instill even more confidence in the nuns .
At his suggestion , starting in 2010 , they began to study kung fu , the ancient Chinese martial arts practice that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than two centuries .
But first there is a lengthy spiritual preparation .
The nuns wake up each morning at 3 a.m. and meditate for two hours , followed by a larger communal prayer service in the nunnery 's main temple .
They sit cross-legged in pews , singing and chanting from Buddhist prayer books .
The smell of saffron-infused Himalayan incense fills the brightly colored temple as they beat on drums , sound horns and ring bells .
After their morning prayers , or `` puja , '' it 's time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ starts and ends with running laps around the nunnery 's statue garden .
The nuns then run up about 200 steps to the top of the garden and climb back down `` army crawl '' style . ''
After that , the nuns break up into groups and start practicing various forms of kung fu .
Jigme Yangchen Ghamo , 25 , who has lived at the nunnery since she was 10 , says she 's proud to be part of something that has n't been done before .
`` We are the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kung fu , '' says Ghamo , who notes that it has boosted her physical strength and endurance and sharpened her ability to meditate and focus .
`` It 's given me the self-confidence that I did n't have while growing up . ''
Amid an increase in the number of rapes and sexual assaults in neighboring India , the nuns began teaching young women the art of self-defense .
More than 32,000 cases of rape were registered with Indian police in 2017 , about 90 a day , according to the most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ particular drew outrage from the Drukpa nuns .
They heard about the story of an 8-year-old girl from a nomadic Muslim family .
Their animals had accidentally grazed on Hindu land .
A Hindu priest reportedly kidnapped the girl and kept her in a cage in a temple and had her gang raped .
She was eventually killed by an unknown assailant .
It was then the Drukpa nuns decided to help young women defend themselves .
Each summer since 2010 , the nuns have held week-long self-defense workshops in Ladkh , India @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kung fu .
Jigme Migyur Palmo , who became a nun at the age of 13 , is one of the instructors .
`` We need to help as many young girls as possible .
They do n't know that rape or sexual assault is wrong so we work to educate them and [ teach them ] how to handle difficult situations , '' Palmo says .
The workshops teach young girls various kung fu techniques , including take-downs and strikes .
They also act out potential sexual assault scenarios — like being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ handle themselves in everyday settings , such as problems that might arise traveling to school on buses as well as dealing with cat-calling at outdoor markets and shopping malls .
In 2015 , a devastating 7.9 magnitude earthquake struck Nepal killing nearly 9,000 people .
For Jigme Leshe Lhamo , the experience was terrifying .
`` Everything was shaking and I saw houses collapsing right in front of me .
I saw people dying .
I closed my eyes and tried to breathe and I realized that we had to help , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nuns into relief teams .
They traveled to areas that government agencies and other organizations considered too dangerous to access .
Landslides and debris from aftershocks blocked the roads to many communities , so the nuns set out on foot to deliver blankets , food , water and other supplies to nearby villages .
They spent close to a year helping to rebuild homes , businesses and water purification systems .
Lhamo says during the cleanup , the nuns discovered that girls from poor families were in effect being sold to traffickers .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ They needed money , jobs , food .
Strangers came to the villages and approached families , offering to give their daughters `` opportunities '' — jobs that would provide the families money .
Some parents allowed their daughters to go with these traffickers .
In the end they did n't get the money — and some of them never heard from their children again .
Investigating the matter , Nepal 's National Human Rights Commission reported that the authorities had seen an increase in human trafficking .
The nuns heard these stories @ @ @ @ @ @ @ throughout their area about this scam .
They began an annual bike trek , cycling nearly 2,500 miles from Kathmandu to Ladakh , India , and back .
They went from village to village , meeting with families to convince them not to sell their daughters by stressing how girls can contribute to society as much as boys can — and by emphasizing the dangers of trafficking .
Five years later , the nuns are still rebuilding their own home .
The earthquake destroyed nearly three-quarters of the Amitabha Drukpa Nunnery , leveling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the main compound .
The unsafe conditions forced them to live in tents and cook outdoors for nearly two years .
Construction to rebuild the nunnery is in its early stages and is n't expected to be completed for a few years .
For now , the nuns spend their days re-painting stairwells , fixing electrical wiring , installing solar panels and planting trees and flowers .
Shortly after the start of the coronavirus outbreak , the nuns found themselves once again pitching tents on the grounds of the nunnery — this time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The nuns have launched a new online video demonstrating basic hygiene practices and other steps people can take to protect themselves and others from COVID-19 , and they have traveled to nearby villages to spread awareness .
`` We passed out masks , soap and hand sanitizer to teach families how to properly wash their hands .
We also gave them food and explained the importance of staying home and social distancing , '' Yeshe Lhamo says .
Their efforts are being funded by private donors from Europe and the United States @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Southeast Asia , has had fairly low rates of COVID-19 .
But the country 's strict mitigation measures , including sealing the borders with China and India , have crippled the local economy , leaving tens of thousands of people in Kathmandu Valley without jobs and struggling to provide for their families .
`` I try to give people hope , '' says Lhamo .
`` I tell them that nothing is permanent and that this situation will pass .
I also encourage them to help others .
Even though helping one or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lot to them , but for others it may change their whole life .
It 's very hard to see so much suffering in the world , but I believe by becoming your own hero you can fight the situation with love , kindness and compassion . ''
Over the past decade , the Drukpa nuns have begun calling themselves the `` Kung Fu Nuns , '' and their efforts have earned them worldwide recognition .
In October , the Kung Fu Nuns traveled to New York City to receive the 2019 `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Society , an annual award that honors groups and individuals making a `` transformative '' impact in Asia and beyond .
The nuns are the first all-female group of honorees .
`` Our 2019 Asia Game Changers are women who have truly championed gender equality , '' said Asia Society president and CEO Josette Sheeran said .
`` We honored the Kung Fu Nuns for putting passion into action by empowering women and dismantling gender inequality one kick at a time .
They 've become an inspiration outside of Asia too , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Global Initiatives .
For Jigme Yeshe Lhamo , receiving the award was a humbling moment .
`` We still have a lot of work to do , but even if we help one person it 's worth it , '' Lhamo says .
This was the first trip to the U.S. for the nuns .
One of them was so nervous she packed two left shoes .
And they were so moved by the Himalayans they met in Queens during their visit that they set aside funds to provide food for needy families @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The nuns believe that keeping busy is the key to a fulfilling life , but once a week they take some free time for themselves .
Every Sunday they pause their daily chores and activities to indulge in an unlikely past time — watching horror movies .
`` The afterlife is scary .
We have to prepare , '' says Lhamo , who explains that the deities who guide humans in the afterlife — as well as in life — can appear terrifying .
If you run away from them , you miss @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this particular Sunday , the fearless ones are in a huddle deciding between Halloween and The Shining .

The Kung Fu Nuns Of Kathmandu
Enlarge this image toggle caption Uma Bista/ For NPR Uma Bista/ For NPR
Editor's note: This story was reported and photographed in January, before the global pandemic. The text has been updated to reflect the activities of the nuns aimed at COVID-19 prevention.
Jigme Yeshe Lhamo squats in a powerful kung fu stance. As she raises her 18-inch sword, it flashes in the sunlight against the backdrop of the Himalayas. It's a crisp January morning at Amitabha Drukpa Nunnery in Kathmandu Valley, home to more than 800 Himalayan Buddhist nuns ranging in age from 6 to 80.
Sporting maroon-colored robes and shaved heads, the sisters cartwheel, punch, kick and land in splits. They wield spears and dance in formation with paper fans. Lhamo, 31, says practicing the martial art has given her confidence.
toggle caption Uma Bista for NPR
When she was 12, Lhamo nearly drowned when she fell over the guard rail of a bridge and plunged into the freezing cold river below. She had to undergo surgery for multiple fractures in her right leg, an injury that disqualified her from pursuing her dream of joining the Indian army.
"Becoming an Indian officer was everything to me. I was very sad and depressed and crying all of the time and I stopped eating." says Lhamo.
toggle caption Uma Bista for NPR
Lhamo's depression only started to lift a few years later when she met Jigme Pema Wangchen. He's the the head of a 1,000-year-old Buddhist sect called the Drukpa — which means a person from Bhutan or of Bhutanese descent. He's known as the Gyalwang Drukpa.
Jigme Pema Wangchen — regarded as the twelfth incarnation of the Gyalwang Drukpa — works to promote gender equality by establishing schools, medical clinics and meditation centers throughout the Himalayas. He traveled to Lhamo's village in Ladakh, India, in 2005 to hold a series of empowerment workshops for women.
"He encouraged me to take charge of my life and pursue opportunities that are not usually afforded to women in this part of the world," says Lhamo.
toggle caption Uma Bista for NPR
Lhamo says it was through the teachings of the Gyalwang Drukpa that she was able to gain confidence in herself and pursue her dream of helping others. It was also the moment that she decided to become a nun.
Her parents called the idea crazy. "They were so mad. They told me that I didn't know anything about Buddhism and that I was too young to make such a choice and that I had to continue my studies to become an engineer or a doctor," says Lhamo, who ended up running away from home at the age of 16. "My mother and father wouldn't allow me to go so I got on a bus and traveled to Nepal. It was scary but I knew I needed to go."
The Fearless Ones
Lhamo arrived at the Druk Amitabaha Mountain nunnery just outside of Kathmandu and started her new life with a new first name. All of the Drukpa nuns are known as Jigme, which means "fearless one."
For centuries, women in the Himalayas who sought to practice spirituality equally with men have risked being ostracized. They are forbidden from leading prayers, singing or being fully ordained. Tasked with the chores of cooking and cleaning, nuns are told if they're "well behaved" they can come back in their next lifetime as monks — and only then can they become enlightened.
toggle caption Uma Bista for NPR
About ten years ago, the Gyalwang Drukpa set out to change that. Inspired by his mother, who worked to break down gender stereotypes, he put the nuns in leadership roles. He encouraged the nuns to take part in religious rituals traditionally reserved for their male counterparts and gave them the highest level of teachings, called Mahamudra. Monks in his sect then had to ingratiate themselves to the nuns (or more accurately, formally request the teachings from the nuns). This shifted the power dynamic.
"Monks within the Drukpa lineage celebrate what the nuns do," says Carrie Lee, former president of Live to Love International, a non-governmental organization that has partnered with the nunnery for nearly 20 years. "However, monks from other sects believe that if a woman touches something it's considered tainted and they have to throw it away, so [the nuns'] work is still not widely accepted."
toggle caption Uma Bista for NPR
Drukpa's efforts to break down patriarchal traditions have sparked intense backlash from the more conservative Buddhist sects in the Himalayas.
"They received threats almost on a daily basis. Some threatened to burn down their nunnery and their temple. Many consider them blasphemists, which in this community is a very big deal. But most of all they were harassed physically," says Lee.
Kung Fu Lessons
Instead of backing down, the Gyalwang Drukpa decided to instill even more confidence in the nuns. At his suggestion, starting in 2010, they began to study kung fu, the ancient Chinese martial arts practice that was off-limits to women in Nepal for more than two centuries.
The training is intense.
But first there is a lengthy spiritual preparation. The nuns wake up each morning at 3 a.m. and meditate for two hours, followed by a larger communal prayer service in the nunnery's main temple. They sit cross-legged in pews, singing and chanting from Buddhist prayer books. The smell of saffron-infused Himalayan incense fills the brightly colored temple as they beat on drums, sound horns and ring bells.
toggle caption Uma Bista for NPR
toggle caption Uma Bista for NPR
After their morning prayers, or "puja," it's time to warm-up.
Each kung fu session starts and ends with running laps around the nunnery's statue garden. The nuns then run up about 200 steps to the top of the garden and climb back down "army crawl" style."
toggle caption Uma Bista for NPR
After that, the nuns break up into groups and start practicing various forms of kung fu. Jigme Yangchen Ghamo, 25, who has lived at the nunnery since she was 10, says she's proud to be part of something that hasn't been done before.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Uma Bista for NPR Uma Bista for NPR
"We are the only nuns in the Himalayas who practice kung fu," says Ghamo, who notes that it has boosted her physical strength and endurance and sharpened her ability to meditate and focus. "It's given me the self-confidence that I didn't have while growing up."
Teaching Self-Defense
Amid an increase in the number of rapes and sexual assaults in neighboring India, the nuns began teaching young women the art of self-defense. More than 32,000 cases of rape were registered with Indian police in 2017, about 90 a day, according to the most recent government data.
One case in particular drew outrage from the Drukpa nuns. They heard about the story of an 8-year-old girl from a nomadic Muslim family. Their animals had accidentally grazed on Hindu land. A Hindu priest reportedly kidnapped the girl and kept her in a cage in a temple and had her gang raped. She was eventually killed by an unknown assailant.
It was then the Drukpa nuns decided to help young women defend themselves.
toggle caption Uma Bista for NPR
Each summer since 2010, the nuns have held week-long self-defense workshops in Ladkh, India to teach young women the basics of kung fu. Jigme Migyur Palmo, who became a nun at the age of 13, is one of the instructors.
"We need to help as many young girls as possible. They don't know that rape or sexual assault is wrong so we work to educate them and [teach them] how to handle difficult situations," Palmo says.
The workshops teach young girls various kung fu techniques, including take-downs and strikes. They also act out potential sexual assault scenarios — like being attacked from behind — and how to handle themselves in everyday settings, such as problems that might arise traveling to school on buses as well as dealing with cat-calling at outdoor markets and shopping malls.
Taking Charge After The Earthquake
In 2015, a devastating 7.9 magnitude earthquake struck Nepal killing nearly 9,000 people. For Jigme Leshe Lhamo, the experience was terrifying.
"Everything was shaking and I saw houses collapsing right in front of me. I saw people dying. I closed my eyes and tried to breathe and I realized that we had to help," says Lhamo, who immediately organized the nuns into relief teams. They traveled to areas that government agencies and other organizations considered too dangerous to access.
toggle caption Uma Bista for NPR
Their journey was treacherous.
Landslides and debris from aftershocks blocked the roads to many communities, so the nuns set out on foot to deliver blankets, food, water and other supplies to nearby villages. They spent close to a year helping to rebuild homes, businesses and water purification systems. Lhamo says during the cleanup, the nuns discovered that girls from poor families were in effect being sold to traffickers.
People were desperate after the earthquake. They needed money, jobs, food. Strangers came to the villages and approached families, offering to give their daughters "opportunities" — jobs that would provide the families money.
Some parents allowed their daughters to go with these traffickers. In the end they didn't get the money — and some of them never heard from their children again.
Investigating the matter, Nepal's National Human Rights Commission reported that the authorities had seen an increase in human trafficking.
The nuns heard these stories and set out to educate other families throughout their area about this scam. They began an annual bike trek, cycling nearly 2,500 miles from Kathmandu to Ladakh, India, and back. They went from village to village, meeting with families to convince them not to sell their daughters by stressing how girls can contribute to society as much as boys can — and by emphasizing the dangers of trafficking.
toggle caption Uma Bista for NPR
Five years later, the nuns are still rebuilding their own home. The earthquake destroyed nearly three-quarters of the Amitabha Drukpa Nunnery, leveling several dormitories and cracking the foundation of the main compound. The unsafe conditions forced them to live in tents and cook outdoors for nearly two years.
toggle caption Uma Bista for NPR
Construction to rebuild the nunnery is in its early stages and isn't expected to be completed for a few years. For now, the nuns spend their days re-painting stairwells, fixing electrical wiring, installing solar panels and planting trees and flowers.
Pandemic plans
Shortly after the start of the coronavirus outbreak, the nuns found themselves once again pitching tents on the grounds of the nunnery — this time, to reduce crowding in their dormitories. The nuns have launched a new online video demonstrating basic hygiene practices and other steps people can take to protect themselves and others from COVID-19, and they have traveled to nearby villages to spread awareness.
"We passed out masks, soap and hand sanitizer to teach families how to properly wash their hands. We also gave them food and explained the importance of staying home and social distancing," Yeshe Lhamo says. Their efforts are being funded by private donors from Europe and the United States.
toggle caption Courtesy of Live To Love International
Nepal, unlike many parts of Southeast Asia, has had fairly low rates of COVID-19. But the country's strict mitigation measures, including sealing the borders with China and India, have crippled the local economy, leaving tens of thousands of people in Kathmandu Valley without jobs and struggling to provide for their families.
"I try to give people hope," says Lhamo. "I tell them that nothing is permanent and that this situation will pass. I also encourage them to help others. Even though helping one or two people might not seem like a lot to them, but for others it may change their whole life. It's very hard to see so much suffering in the world, but I believe by becoming your own hero you can fight the situation with love, kindness and compassion."
A Prize for The Nuns
Over the past decade, the Drukpa nuns have begun calling themselves the "Kung Fu Nuns," and their efforts have earned them worldwide recognition. In October, the Kung Fu Nuns traveled to New York City to receive the 2019 "Game Changer Award" from the Asia Society, an annual award that honors groups and individuals making a "transformative" impact in Asia and beyond. The nuns are the first all-female group of honorees.
"Our 2019 Asia Game Changers are women who have truly championed gender equality," said Asia Society president and CEO Josette Sheeran said.
"We honored the Kung Fu Nuns for putting passion into action by empowering women and dismantling gender inequality one kick at a time. They've become an inspiration outside of Asia too," says Yoshie Ito, assistant director for Global Initiatives.
YouTube
For Jigme Yeshe Lhamo, receiving the award was a humbling moment.
"We still have a lot of work to do, but even if we help one person it's worth it," Lhamo says.
This was the first trip to the U.S. for the nuns. One of them was so nervous she packed two left shoes.
And they were so moved by the Himalayans they met in Queens during their visit that they set aside funds to provide food for needy families in that community during the pandemic.
Scary Movies
The nuns believe that keeping busy is the key to a fulfilling life, but once a week they take some free time for themselves. Every Sunday they pause their daily chores and activities to indulge in an unlikely past time — watching horror movies.
Why horror?
"The afterlife is scary. We have to prepare," says Lhamo, who explains that the deities who guide humans in the afterlife — as well as in life — can appear terrifying. If you run away from them, you miss out on great blessings.
So on this particular Sunday, the fearless ones are in a huddle deciding between Halloween and The Shining.


npr--2020-07-05--Despite Rising Coronavirus Cases, Trump's Focus Appears To Be Elsewhere

Despite Rising Coronavirus Cases , Trump 's Focus Appears To Be Elsewhere President Trump , in a speech Friday at Mount Rushmore that lasted more than 40 minutes , focused on statues and cancel culture , and accused his political opponents of fascism .
But he spared just a few words for the pandemic that has killed 130,000 Americans , thanking `` the doctors , nurses and scientists working tirelessly to kill the virus . ''
And that was it .
He gave it a little more attention Saturday night at the White House before a crowd of first responders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of tests conducted in the U.S. `` We show cases 99 % of which are harmless , '' Trump said , adding the country will have a therapeutic or vaccine solution long before the end of the year .
It is unclear what he based that claim on .
Even with coronavirus cases spiking from California to Florida , Trump has largely kept his public focus elsewhere : `` law and order , '' `` our heritage '' represented by statues that are a target of anti-racism protests , and job gains — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bring back shutdowns of bars , movie theaters and popular beaches .
Earlier this year , when coronavirus cases peaked the first time , the White House task force tackling the pandemic met every day and Trump held near-daily televised briefings .
Now the task force meets only sporadically , decisions are made locally and Trump is nearly invisible when it comes to talking to the public about the pandemic .
Last Thursday , for the first time since late April , Trump returned to the White House press briefing room .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus cases , but about the latest jobs report showing millions of people back at work .
`` You are going to have a fantastic third quarter .
It 'll be a third quarter the likes of which nobody has ever seen before , in my opinion , '' Trump said , bringing his re-election message into the briefing room .
`` And the good thing is the numbers will be coming out just prior to the election .
So the people will be able to see those numbers . ''
Trump makes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him , in this moment , re-election is at center stage .
Acknowledging the difficult reality of the pandemic is hard to sell , so even as recently as a few days ago , Trump said the virus was `` going to sort of just disappear '' — a message that he has repeated since the early days of the pandemic .
On the rare occasion he does talk about the coronavirus , Trump downplays the negatives .
The case spikes , he insists are just embers .
`` We have some areas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or the fires and it 's working out well , '' Trump said Thursday .
Four months from the election , Trump is trailing in every major national poll and numerous swing state polls .
He is counting on a strong economic rebound and a pitch that the best is yet to come to propel him to victory in November .
`` Trump wants to focus on jobs and the economy , '' said Stephen Moore , who advises the president on economic issues .
`` I think most people in the president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the economy is what he needs to focus on if he 's going to beat [ presumptive Democratic nominee ] Joe Biden . ''
But public health experts are sounding the alarm and governors who had previously resisted mask mandates are now imploring everyone to mask up .
`` We are heading in the wrong direction and we are heading there quickly , '' said Tom Frienden , a former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , who now heads Resolve to Save Lives , and initiative of Vital @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` What we are seeing in the U.S. today is that the virus has the upper hand and what we 're not seeing is systematic regular information given to Americans about what is happening with the virus and where , what is happening with the response and how can we all make it better . ''
In recent weeks , Trump has left the delivery of public health messages about the virus to others , including Vice President Mike Pence , who brought back coronavirus task force briefings after more than two months @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told NPR it is n't necessary for the group to meet as frequently as it did in the early days of the pandemic because there are fewer urgent and immediate decisions to be made than when it all began .
On Thursday , Pence met with Florida Gov .
Ron DeSantis in Tampa , a hotspot within a hotspot state .
The vice president wore a mask as he stepped off Air Force Two , greeted by a masked DeSantis .
Pence 's message : `` Just know that if all of us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this . ''
Judd Deere , a White House spokesman , took umbrage at the idea that Trump is n't doing enough on the coronavirus , saying in a statement , `` Any suggestion that the President is not working around the clock to protect the health and safety of all Americans , lead the whole-of-government response to this pandemic , including expediting vaccine development , and rebuild our economy is utterly false . ''
During remarks Thursday about the jobs numbers , Trump did briefly come about as close as he ever @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He made news , simply by mentioning masks in a list of best practices .
`` That includes face covering , social distance , testing and personal hygiene , '' Trump said , reading from remarks .
`` Wash your hands . ''
And , just to make sure everyone noticed , after Trump left without taking questions , Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin pointed to the president 's remarks , noting : `` The president specifically put in his speech encouraging Americans to wear a mask . ''
The question is , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him wearing a mask , will they believe others who say it 's important to slow the spread of the virus ?

Despite Rising Coronavirus Cases, Trump's Focus Appears To Be Elsewhere
Enlarge this image toggle caption Alex Brandon/AP Alex Brandon/AP
President Trump, in a speech Friday at Mount Rushmore that lasted more than 40 minutes, focused on statues and "cancel culture" and accused his political opponents of fascism. But he spared just a few words for the pandemic that has killed 130,000 Americans, thanking "the doctors, nurses and scientists working tirelessly to kill the virus." And that was it.
He gave it a little more attention Saturday night at the White House before a crowd of first responders and their families, touting the number of tests conducted in the United States. "We show cases, 99% of which are harmless," Trump said, adding that the country will have a therapeutic or vaccine solution long before the end of the year. It is unclear what he based that claim on.
Even with coronavirus cases spiking from California to Florida, Trump has largely kept his public focus elsewhere: "law and order," "our heritage," represented by statues that are a target of anti-racism protests, and job gains — even as governors find themselves forced to bring back shutdowns of bars, movie theaters and popular beaches.
This year, when coronavirus cases peaked the first time, the White House task force tackling the pandemic met every day and Trump held near-daily televised briefings. Now the task force meets only sporadically, decisions are made locally and Trump is nearly invisible when it comes to talking to the public about the pandemic.
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Last Thursday, for the first time since late April, Trump returned to the White House press briefing room. He wasn't there to talk about surging coronavirus cases but about the latest jobs report, showing millions of people back at work.
"You are going to have a fantastic third quarter. It'll be a third quarter the likes of which nobody has ever seen before, in my opinion," Trump said, bringing his reelection message into the briefing room. "And the good thing is the numbers will be coming out just prior to the election. So the people will be able to see those numbers."
Trump makes no secret of the fact that for him, in this moment, reelection is at center stage. Acknowledging the difficult reality of the pandemic is hard to sell, so even as recently as a few days ago, Trump said the virus was "going to sort of just disappear" — a message that he has repeated since the early days of the pandemic.
On the rare occasions when he does talk about the coronavirus, Trump downplays the negatives. The case spikes, he insists, are just embers. "We have some areas where we're putting out the flames or the fires, and it's working out well," Trump said Thursday.
Four months from the election, Trump is trailing in every major national poll and in numerous swing-state polls. To propel him to victory in November, he is counting on a strong economic rebound and a pitch that the best is yet to come.
"Trump wants to focus on jobs and the economy," said Stephen Moore, who advises the president on economic issues. "I think most people in the president's campaign and the president himself believe that the economy is what he needs to focus on if he's going to beat [presumptive Democratic nominee] Joe Biden."
Enlarge this image toggle caption Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images
But public health experts are sounding the alarm, and governors who had previously resisted mask mandates are now imploring everyone to mask up.
"We are heading in the wrong direction, and we are heading there quickly," said Tom Frieden, a former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention who now heads Resolve to Save Lives, an initiative of Vital Strategies, a global health nonprofit. "What we are seeing in the U.S. today is that the virus has the upper hand, and what we're not seeing is systematic regular information given to Americans about what is happening with the virus and where, what is happening with the response and how can we all make it better."
In recent weeks, Trump has left the delivery of public health messages about the virus to others, including Vice President Pence, who brought back coronavirus task force briefings after more than two months without them.
A task force official told NPR that it isn't necessary for the group to meet as frequently as it did in the early days of the pandemic because there are fewer urgent and immediate decisions to be made than when it all began.
On Thursday, Pence met with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in Tampa, a hot spot within a hot spot state. The vice president wore a mask as he stepped off Air Force Two and was greeted by a masked DeSantis. Pence's message: "Just know that if all of us do our part, we'll get through this."
Judd Deere, a White House spokesman, took umbrage at the idea that Trump isn't doing enough on the coronavirus pandemic, saying in a statement: "Any suggestion that the President is not working around the clock to protect the health and safety of all Americans, lead the whole-of-government response to this pandemic, including expediting vaccine development, and rebuild our economy is utterly false."
During remarks Thursday about the jobs numbers, Trump did briefly come about as close as he ever has to encouraging people to wear masks. He made news, simply by mentioning masks in a list of best practices.
"That includes face covering, social distance, testing and personal hygiene," Trump said, reading from remarks. "Wash your hands."
And just to make sure everyone noticed, after Trump left without taking questions, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin pointed to the president's remarks, noting: "The president specifically put in his speech encouraging Americans to wear a mask."
The question is, if Trump's supporters don't see him wearing a mask, will they believe others who say that doing so is important to slowing the spread of the virus?


npr--2020-07-05--My Gym Is Reopening. Is It Safe To Work Out There?

My Gym Is Reopening .
Is It Safe To Work Out There ?
Exercise is good for physical and mental health , but with coronavirus cases surging across the country , exercising indoors with other people could increase your chance of infection .
So , as gyms reopen across the country , here are some things to consider before heading for your workout .
It starts with you , says Dr. Saadia Griffith-Howard , an infectious disease specialist with Kaiser Permanente .
`` You have to make your own assessment of how risky it is based on knowing your medical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's at high risk for an infection , '' Griffith-Howard says .
People 65 years and older are at higher risk for getting a severe case of COVID-19 , according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
So are people with certain underlying health conditions , like diabetes , heart or lung disease , or those who are immunosuppressed .
So if you fall in a high risk category , Griffith-Howard says it may not be worth the risk .
`` If it was someone in my family [ who was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they not go to a gym , '' she says .
Consider alternatives for working out If you want to exercise indoors , it 's safer to do it at home , says Doug Reed , an immunologist and aerobiologist at the University of Pittsburgh .
`` That 's what I 'm doing now , '' he says .
`` When the weather 's nice , I 'm jogging outside , but when it 's not , I 'm doing some weights and stretches and exercise indoors . ''
Exercise outdoors is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Desai , a pulmonologist with the Cleveland Clinic .
When you are outside it 's easier to control how close you get to other people .
`` I would be less worried about the jogger who is running past you for a split second and more worried about the person who 's working out next to you without a mask for half an hour , '' she says .
And the risk of transmission is lower outside than inside , says Joshua Santarpia , a microbiologist who studies biological aerosols at the University @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you have sunlight which has been shown to quickly inactivate the virus , '' he says .
And outside airflow and humidity help dilute it .
If you do go : Assess your gym 's safety measures There are things gyms can do to help mitigate the risk of infection , so Griffith-Howard suggests making a checklist before you go .
`` Are they taking your temperature ? ''
she asks .
`` Are you seeing them regularly clean equipment ?
And are staff and other clients in the gym wearing a mask @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should proceed varies state by state .
Gyms are not open yet in some states , or open with restrictions in others — find your state 's restrictions here .
Most guidelines suggest limiting capacity to keep the gym from getting crowded , routine disinfection of all equipment including machines and weights before and after use , posting signs to reinforce hygiene and other policies , and all recommend physical distancing .
In fact , that should be the number one thing on your checklist : Is there at least six feet of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out ?
Even more would be better .
Another tip : Go during off hours when they 'll be fewer people .
Some clubs have constructed exercise pods to ensure physical distancing .
Others have gone touchless and are encouraging members to use a mobile app to check-in , says Sami Smith , Communications and Public Relations Assistant for the International Health , Racquet & Sportsclub Association , which has developed guidelines for clubs to use as a reference when planning their reopening .
Stay far apart .
Really This bears repeating — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other people while you are exercising .
And , if people are breathing heavily , `` it would be preferable to double that to 12 feet , '' says Dr. Lou Ann Bruno-Murtha , division chief of infectious diseases at Cambridge Health Alliance in Cambridge , Mass .
That 's because we do n't know exactly how far virus particles travel when people are breathing heavily , '' says Doug Reed , an immunologist and aerobiologist at the University of Pittsburgh .
`` When you are exercising and exerting yourself , you 're @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in more than you normally would , he says .
`` And so the potential for being infected or spreading the infection would be that much higher , '' says Reed .
And if you 're thinking about taking a group exercise class , think again , says Griffith-Howard , because it can be very difficult to keep six feet apart when moving around quickly .
`` You may be breathing harder , people may be coughing , it may be hard to keep on masks , '' she says .
`` I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' A small study from South Korea looked at coronavirus spread at 12 different sports facilities .
It found that infection spread rapidly among high intensity fitness dance classes with up to 22 students .
Whereas yoga and pilates classes , with just seven or eight participants and little moving around , saw no spread .
So if you really want to take a group exercise class make sure it 's small and that you can maintain a distance of six to 12 feet away from others .
Steer clear of small gyms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Desai of the Cleveland Clinic .
`` Your best bet is going to be a gym that is larger , able to have windows open or have multiple floors or levels to allow for physical distancing , '' she says .
That 's because more space and more air flow dilute the concentration of the virus in the air and likely reduce the risk of transmission .
`` If you 're strenuously exercising then you 're tending to draw in and exhale more air , '' says aerobiologist Reed .
This is especially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suggest `` that people who are not symptomatic are , in fact , transmitting the infection , '' says Reed .
In fact levels of the virus found in the nose or throat of asymptomatic or pre-symptomatic individuals `` can be considerable and are equivalent '' to the amount of virus found in individuals with symptoms of coronavirus , he says .
So people who feel well enough to exercise may not realize they are infected , and may be on the weight machine next to you .
Our experts say it 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ possible in the gym , including at the front desk , in the locker room and the bathroom — and even while doing light exercise .
But of course , when you 're working out hard and breathing heavily it can be difficult to keep a mask on .
`` Physical exercise does n't lend itself well to the idea of wearing a mask , '' says Reed , because it can make it harder to breathe .
And while many gyms recommend masks , most do n't require them .
`` If @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an aerobic type machine , you probably are not wearing a mask , '' says Bruno-Murtha of the Cambridge Health Alliance in Cambridge .
And even if people don a mask when they enter the gym , Bruno-Murtha still highly recommends maintaining at least a minimum 6-foot physical distance , `` because I suspect at some points people may inadvertently remove their mask , '' she says which can be risky for others .
`` Physical exercise is important for your physical and mental health but you still have to be smart , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mask is part of being smart , along with physical distancing , disinfecting equipment and vigilant hand washing . ''
And , finally consider your geographic location .
Exercising indoors in hot spots where cases are surging is more risky than in areas with low infection rates says Bruno-Murtha .
So check out this color coded tracker to look up the COVID-19 risk in your county , and nearby counties .

My Gym Is Reopening. Is It Safe To Work Out There?
Enlarge this image toggle caption Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
Exercise is good for physical and mental health, but with coronavirus cases surging across the country, exercising indoors with other people could increase your chance of infection. So, as gyms reopen across the country, here are some things to consider before heading for your workout.
Assess your own risk
It starts with you, says Dr. Saadia Griffith-Howard, an infectious disease specialist with Kaiser Permanente.
"You have to make your own assessment of how risky it is based on knowing your medical situation and whether you are someone who's at high risk for an infection," Griffith-Howard says.
People 65 years and older are at higher risk for getting a severe case of COVID-19, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. So are people with certain underlying health conditions, like diabetes, heart or lung disease, or those who are immunosuppressed.
So if you fall in a high risk category, Griffith-Howard says it may not be worth the risk.
"If it was someone in my family [who was high risk] I would suggest that they not go to a gym," she says.
Consider alternatives for working out
If you want to exercise indoors, it's safer to do it at home, says Doug Reed, an immunologist and aerobiologist at the University of Pittsburgh.
"That's what I'm doing now," he says. "When the weather's nice, I'm jogging outside, but when it's not, I'm doing some weights and stretches and exercise indoors."
Exercise outdoors is a great low-risk alternative, agrees Dr. Nikita Desai, a pulmonologist with the Cleveland Clinic. When you are outside it's easier to control how close you get to other people.
"I would be less worried about the jogger who is running past you for a split second and more worried about the person who's working out next to you without a mask for half an hour," she says.
And the risk of transmission is lower outside than inside, says Joshua Santarpia, a microbiologist who studies biological aerosols at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.
"Outdoors you have sunlight which has been shown to quickly inactivate the virus," he says. And outside airflow and humidity help dilute it.
If you do go: Assess your gym's safety measures
There are things gyms can do to help mitigate the risk of infection, so Griffith-Howard suggests making a checklist before you go.
"Are they taking your temperature?" she asks. "Are you seeing them regularly clean equipment? And are staff and other clients in the gym wearing a mask?"
Official guidance for how gyms should proceed varies state by state. Gyms are not open yet in some states, or open with restrictions in others — find your state's restrictions here. Most guidelines suggest limiting capacity to keep the gym from getting crowded, routine disinfection of all equipment including machines and weights before and after use, posting signs to reinforce hygiene and other policies, and all recommend physical distancing.
In fact, that should be the number one thing on your checklist: Is there at least six feet of physical distance between everyone who is working out? Even more would be better. Another tip: Go during off hours when they'll be fewer people.
Some clubs have constructed exercise pods to ensure physical distancing. Others have gone touchless and are encouraging members to use a mobile app to check-in, says Sami Smith, Communications and Public Relations Assistant for the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association, which has developed guidelines for clubs to use as a reference when planning their reopening.
Stay far apart. Really
This bears repeating — stay at least six feet away from other people while you are exercising. And, if people are breathing heavily, "it would be preferable to double that to 12 feet," says Dr. Lou Ann Bruno-Murtha, division chief of infectious diseases at Cambridge Health Alliance in Cambridge, Mass.
That's because we don't know exactly how far virus particles travel when people are breathing heavily," says Doug Reed, an immunologist and aerobiologist at the University of Pittsburgh.
"When you are exercising and exerting yourself, you're going to be breathing out and breathing in more than you normally would, he says.
"And so the potential for being infected or spreading the infection would be that much higher," says Reed.
And if you're thinking about taking a group exercise class, think again, says Griffith-Howard, because it can be very difficult to keep six feet apart when moving around quickly.
"You may be breathing harder, people may be coughing, it may be hard to keep on masks," she says. "I would have some concerns about that."
A small study from South Korea looked at coronavirus spread at 12 different sports facilities. It found that infection spread rapidly among high intensity fitness dance classes with up to 22 students. Whereas yoga and pilates classes, with just seven or eight participants and little moving around, saw no spread.
So if you really want to take a group exercise class make sure it's small and that you can maintain a distance of six to 12 feet away from others.
Pay attention to air flow
Steer clear of small gyms and those with little ventilation, says Desai of the Cleveland Clinic.
"Your best bet is going to be a gym that is larger, able to have windows open or have multiple floors or levels to allow for physical distancing," she says.
That's because more space and more air flow dilute the concentration of the virus in the air and likely reduce the risk of transmission.
"If you're strenuously exercising then you're tending to draw in and exhale more air," says aerobiologist Reed.
This is especially important because there's increasing evidence to suggest "that people who are not symptomatic are, in fact, transmitting the infection," says Reed.
In fact levels of the virus found in the nose or throat of asymptomatic or pre-symptomatic individuals "can be considerable and are equivalent" to the amount of virus found in individuals with symptoms of coronavirus, he says.
So people who feel well enough to exercise may not realize they are infected, and may be on the weight machine next to you.
Should I wear a mask?
Our experts say it's best wear a mask as much as possible in the gym, including at the front desk, in the locker room and the bathroom — and even while doing light exercise. But of course, when you're working out hard and breathing heavily it can be difficult to keep a mask on.
"Physical exercise doesn't lend itself well to the idea of wearing a mask," says Reed, because it can make it harder to breathe.
And while many gyms recommend masks, most don't require them.
"If you're doing aerobic type exercises on an aerobic type machine, you probably are not wearing a mask," says Bruno-Murtha of the Cambridge Health Alliance in Cambridge.
And even if people don a mask when they enter the gym, Bruno-Murtha still highly recommends maintaining at least a minimum 6-foot physical distance, "because I suspect at some points people may inadvertently remove their mask," she says which can be risky for others.
"Physical exercise is important for your physical and mental health but you still have to be smart," says Bruno-Murtha. "Wearing a mask is part of being smart, along with physical distancing, disinfecting equipment and vigilant hand washing."
Location, location, location
And, finally consider your geographic location. Exercising indoors in hot spots where cases are surging is more risky than in areas with low infection rates says Bruno-Murtha. So check out this color coded tracker to look up the COVID-19 risk in your county, and nearby counties.