npr--2020-11-01--Life Was Improving For 'No Sex For Fish.' Then Came The Flood

Life Was Improving For 'No Sex For Fish . '
Then Came The Flood It is 7 a.m. on a chilly morning in September .
Alice Akinyi Amonde is standing on a beach along the Kenyan shores of Lake Victoria .
She makes her living by selling fish , and she 's waiting for her boat to come in from a night on the lake so she can take the fisherman 's catch , clean it and sell it in a nearby village .
When things were going well in her village of Nduru Beach , she 'd earn about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is lucky if she makes $ 3 a day .
The reason for this downturn : In March , after prolonged heavy rains , Nduru Beach , population roughly 1,000 , was literally submerged in water .
The homes , typically constructed with sturdy and thick mud walls and metal roofs , were damaged and destroyed .
Flood waters carried away the villagers ' cows , chickens and other farm animals .
No deaths were reported among the residents , who fled inland .
Some have found alternate housing or are staying with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crowded makeshift quarters on the grounds of a local church and in schoolrooms .
They depend on aid and the charity of neighbors for basic needs such as food .
Even now , months later , many houses are submerged in five feet of water .
Amonde is one of the very few who have returned , hoping to earn some money again in the fish trade .
The fishing boat she owns survived the flooding .
She and her children are squatting in a rusty abandoned building next to the flooded beach @ @ @ @ @ @ @ NPR met Alice Amonde when we traveled to Kenya to do a story about a revolutionary program called No Sex For Fish .
In her village , and others along the lake , men do the fishing and women sell the catch .
In the 1970s , a new practice arose that the women hated .
The population of fish in the lake began to diminish because of overfishing and environmental problems — sewage and agricultural runoff , for example .
So the men began saying : Give me sex , and I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sell .
Many women felt they had no alternatives even if it meant they could be infected with HIV .
`` I exchange sex , I get fish , '' Milka Onyango told us .
The 40-year-old mother of six said , `` I do n't care about getting HIV .
Me , I need fish .
I need earning to sustain my family . ''
The women in Nduru Beach came up with a bold idea : What if women owned the boats ?
What if there was ... `` no sex @ @ @ @ @ @ @ help of a Peace Corps volunteer , the women got grants from USAID and later from the charity World Connect to buy their own boats .
They hired men to fish for them .
They flipped the power dynamic .
Early on , a With a series of grants , the No Sex For Fish program got about 30 boats and gave them to women , including Amonde .
The women hired men to do the fishing for them .
It was an unprecedented flip of the power dynamic .
Suddenly , women @ @ @ @ @ @ @ good income .
They told us how happy and proud they were .
On a sunny Sunday during our visit in November 2019 , we visited Amonde in her well-kept home .
Sitting on a comfy couch , we shared a meal of fried , fresh-caught fish and homemade bread while a kitten played at our feet .
Now the lake has risen so high that she can only see the roof of her home .
The walls of other homes are above water but cracked , rendering them inhabitable .
And the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ devastated by the flooding and its aftermath .
Thick invasive water hyacinth weeds , washed ashore by the swollen lake , surround the homes and fishing boats .
Some of the boats are so entangled they can not be used .
And when fishermen do go out they blame the tangle of weeds in the lake itself for the poor catch — they say they 're not able to row out to breeding sites where they can net hundreds of fish .
`` The swelling of the lake has totally destroyed our lives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are no chances of going back to my home , '' she says .
`` You can not even know that my home stood there . ''
The reasons for this catastrophic flooding are up for debate .
Researchers caution that one season of heavy and prolonged rains would not likely cause such a dramatic water level rise .
Reports are that earlier flooding along the beaches of Lake Victoria , in September 2019 , was triggered by the closing of an outlet on the Nile River in Uganda .
Christopher Aura , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Institute , has his own theory : `` The waters of Lake Victoria are swelling as a result of climate change . ''
But more research is needed .
Even before the catastrophic flooding , the collective No Sex For Fish had problems to address .
Many of their wooden boats were no longer fit to go out on the lake .
It costs about $ 1,000 for a new boat propelled by oars , $ 1,500 for a sailboat .
Those sums were beyond the reach of the women .
So the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ money to repair and replace their vessels .
Justine Adhiambo Obura , a leader of the collective , was optimistic : `` When you have hope , you can get . ''
Now , however , her mood – and the mood of her peers – is far different .
`` My lovely house is gone , '' Obura says .
`` I have nothing . ''
Like Justine Adhiambo Obura , Naomy Akoth , a mother of four , is struggling to pick up the pieces .
Akoth got her own boat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I was very , very happy because my life changed , '' she says .
She also owned a small boarding house along the shore where itinerant fishermen stayed .
It 's among the buildings destroyed by the floods .
`` I am just surviving by the grace of God .
The floods destroyed my source of living and destroyed me completely .
I am currently staying with my children in a classroom and rely only on well-wishers for food , '' she says as she prepares breakfast for her children – their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' I was very scared especially for my four children .
I guessed it was a matter of time before my home could be affected by the waters .
Every day the waters kept rising and it was worsened by heavy rains which also brought flash floods , '' says Akoth .
The floods have washed away other means of supporting a family in Nduru Beach .
Cheryl Awuor depended on her livestock for income .
`` My goats died .
They were swept away by the floods .
I am still heartbroken @ @ @ @ @ @ @ good life from them , '' says Awuor .
A widow who has 3 children , Awuor now shares temporary classroom quarters with Akoth and two other families .
The fishing trade that sustained many of the families of Nduru Beach ( and other fishing villages ) has collapsed .
The women from No Sex For Fish worry that even if fishing were to become possible again , the practice of trading sex for fish would re-emerge due to the difficulty of catching fish in the weed-clogged lake .
So the refugees from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ women interviewed by NPR in September 2020 say the government has not provided support or assistance .
`` The only people who have been helping those who were displaced are businessmen and a few politicians , '' says Cheryl Awuor .
But the government says there is a limit to what it will do .
`` Victims of such circumstances should know that when such tragedies occur , the government only assists to save lives and not to make life comfortable for them , '' is what Ruth Odinga , Kisumu County director @ @ @ @ @ @ @ According to Odinga , the victims were warned in advance to move to higher grounds but some families did not heed the warnings – although several of the women interviewed by NPR dispute this .
`` No , we did not receive any warnings , '' says Naomy Akuth .
`` The region has been prone to floods the last couple of years but this year it was worse . ''
Patrick Higdon , who administered earlier grants to No Sex For Fish from the charity World Connect , sent a field agent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the situation .
The women told the agent they very much want to go back and pick up their fishing trade .
But they need financial support to do so , they said .
And they worry that more flooding is in the future .
So they are trying to think of other ways to earn their living .
If fishing is n't in the near future , the Nduru Beach refugees wonder about a dairy goats project — or growing rice on the flooded terrain .
There are `` many hurdles to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` the ideas and energy are there as ever . ''
As is the hope for better days to come .
`` I am still hopeful that fate will change for us , '' says Akoth , the mother of four .
`` The damage that we have received is immense and it will take us time to resume our normal trade .
I am hoping that the water levels will reduce so that I can pick up my life again . ''
The NPR story about 'No Sex For Fish ' from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ award for online reporting from the Society of Professional Journalists .
Let us know what you think of this follow-up story .
Email goatsandsoda @ npr.org with your feedback and ideas , with the subject line `` Nduru Beach . ''
Maxwel Otieno Kaudo also contributed to this story .

Life Was Improving For 'No Sex For Fish.' Then Came The Flood
Enlarge this image toggle caption Julia Gunther For NPR Julia Gunther For NPR
It is 7 a.m. on a chilly morning in September.
Alice Akinyi Amonde is standing on a beach along the Kenyan shores of Lake Victoria. She makes her living by selling fish, and she's waiting for her boat to come in from a night on the lake so she can take the fisherman's catch, clean it and sell it in a nearby village.
When things were going well in her village of Nduru Beach, she'd earn about $50 a day. Now she is lucky if she makes $3 a day.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Julia Gunther for NPR Julia Gunther for NPR
The reason for this downturn: In March, after prolonged heavy rains, Nduru Beach, population roughly 1,000, was literally submerged in water. The homes, typically constructed with sturdy and thick mud walls and metal roofs, were damaged and destroyed. Flood waters carried away the villagers' cows, chickens and other farm animals.
No deaths were reported among the residents, who fled inland. Some have found alternate housing or are staying with family or friends. Others live in crowded makeshift quarters on the grounds of a local church and in schoolrooms. They depend on aid and the charity of neighbors for basic needs such as food.
Even now, months later, many houses are submerged in five feet of water. Amonde is one of the very few who have returned, hoping to earn some money again in the fish trade. The fishing boat she owns survived the flooding.
She and her children are squatting in a rusty abandoned building next to the flooded beach.
No Sex For Fish
Last year, a team from NPR met Alice Amonde when we traveled to Kenya to do a story about a revolutionary program called No Sex For Fish.
In her village, and others along the lake, men do the fishing and women sell the catch. In the 1970s, a new practice arose that the women hated.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Julia Gunther for NPR Julia Gunther for NPR
The population of fish in the lake began to diminish because of overfishing and environmental problems — sewage and agricultural runoff, for example.
So the men began saying: Give me sex, and I'll make sure you get fish to sell.
Many women felt they had no alternatives even if it meant they could be infected with HIV. "I exchange sex, I get fish," Milka Onyango told us. The 40-year-old mother of six said, "I don't care about getting HIV. Me, I need fish. I need earning to sustain my family."
Enlarge this image toggle caption Julia Gunther For NPR Julia Gunther For NPR
The women in Nduru Beach came up with a bold idea: What if women owned the boats? What if there was ... "no sex for fish."
With the initial help of a Peace Corps volunteer, the women got grants from USAID and later from the charity World Connect to buy their own boats. They hired men to fish for them. They flipped the power dynamic. Early on, a With a series of grants, the No Sex For Fish program got about 30 boats and gave them to women, including Amonde. The women hired men to do the fishing for them. It was an unprecedented flip of the power dynamic. Suddenly, women were in charge. They earned a good income. They told us how happy and proud they were.
On a sunny Sunday during our visit in November 2019, we visited Amonde in her well-kept home. Sitting on a comfy couch, we shared a meal of fried, fresh-caught fish and homemade bread while a kitten played at our feet.
Now the lake has risen so high that she can only see the roof of her home.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Julia Gunther for NPR Julia Gunther for NPR
The walls of other homes are above water but cracked, rendering them uninhabitable.
And the No Sex For Fish program has been devastated by the flooding and its aftermath.
Thick invasive water hyacinth weeds, washed ashore by the swollen lake, surround the homes and fishing boats. Some of the boats are so entangled they cannot be used. And when fishermen do go out they blame the tangle of weeds in the lake itself for the poor catch — they say they're not able to row out to breeding sites where they can net hundreds of fish.
"The swelling of the lake has totally destroyed our lives," she says.
"There are no chances of going back to my home," she says. "You cannot even know that my home stood there."
The reasons for this catastrophic flooding are up for debate. Researchers caution that one season of heavy and prolonged rains would not likely cause such a dramatic water level rise.
Reports are that earlier flooding along the beaches of Lake Victoria, in September 2019, was triggered by the closing of an outlet on the Nile River in Uganda.
Christopher Aura, a scientist with the Kenya Maritime Fisheries Institute, has his own theory: "The waters of Lake Victoria are swelling as a result of climate change." But more research is needed.
Flipping the power dynamic
Even before the catastrophic flooding, the collective No Sex For Fish had problems to address. Many of their wooden boats were no longer fit to go out on the lake. It costs about $1,000 for a new boat propelled by oars, $1,500 for a sailboat. Those sums were beyond the reach of the women.
So the collective was preparing a new grant for money to repair and replace their vessels. Justine Adhiambo Obura, a leader of the collective, was optimistic: "When you have hope, you can get."
Enlarge this image toggle caption Julia Gunther for NPR Julia Gunther for NPR
Now, however, her mood – and the mood of her peers – is far different.
"My lovely house is gone," Obura says. "I have nothing."
Like Justine Adhiambo Obura, Naomy Akoth, a mother of four, is struggling to pick up the pieces.
Akoth got her own boat through No Sex For Fish. "I was very, very happy because my life changed," she says.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Julia Gunther For NPR Julia Gunther For NPR
She also owned a small boarding house along the shore where itinerant fishermen stayed. It's among the buildings destroyed by the floods.
"I am just surviving by the grace of God. The floods destroyed my source of living and destroyed me completely. I am currently staying with my children in a classroom and rely only on well-wishers for food," she says as she prepares breakfast for her children – their first meal since lunch the day before
"I was very scared especially for my four children. I guessed it was a matter of time before my home could be affected by the waters. Every day the waters kept rising and it was worsened by heavy rains which also brought flash floods," says Akoth.
The floods have washed away other means of supporting a family in Nduru Beach. Cheryl Awuor depended on her livestock for income.
"My goats died. They were swept away by the floods. I am still heartbroken, I had hopes of making a good life from them," says Awuor.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Julia Gunther for NPR Julia Gunther for NPR
A widow who has 3 children, Awuor now shares temporary classroom quarters with Akoth and two other families.
What next?
The fishing trade that sustained many of the families of Nduru Beach (and other fishing villages) has collapsed. The women from No Sex For Fish worry that even if fishing were to become possible again, the practice of trading sex for fish would re-emerge due to the difficulty of catching fish in the weed-clogged lake.
So the refugees from Nduru Beach live in limbo. The women interviewed by NPR in September 2020 say the government has not provided support or assistance. "The only people who have been helping those who were displaced are businessmen and a few politicians," says Cheryl Awuor.
But the government says there is a limit to what it will do. "Victims of such circumstances should know that when such tragedies occur, the government only assists to save lives and not to make life comfortable for them," is what Ruth Odinga, Kisumu County director of special programs, told NPR.
According to Odinga, the victims were warned in advance to move to higher grounds but some families did not heed the warnings – although several of the women interviewed by NPR dispute this. "No, we did not receive any warnings," says Naomy Akuth. "The region has been prone to floods the last couple of years but this year it was worse."
Patrick Higdon, who administered earlier grants to No Sex For Fish from the charity World Connect, sent a field agent to Nduru Beach this fall to assess the situation.
The women told the agent they very much want to go back and pick up their fishing trade. But they need financial support to do so, they said. And they worry that more flooding is in the future.
So they are trying to think of other ways to earn their living. If fishing isn't in the near future, the Nduru Beach refugees wonder about a dairy goats project — or growing rice on the flooded terrain.
There are "many hurdles to jump," says Higdon. But "the ideas and energy are there as ever." As is the hope for better days to come.
"I am still hopeful that fate will change for us," says Akoth, the mother of four. "The damage that we have received is immense and it will take us time to resume our normal trade. I am hoping that the water levels will reduce so that I can pick up my life again."
The NPR story about 'No Sex For Fish' from December 2019 won a Sigma Delta Chi award for online reporting from the Society of Professional Journalists. Let us know what you think of this follow-up story. Email goatsandsoda@npr.org with your feedback and ideas, with the subject line "Nduru Beach."
Maxwel Otieno Kaudo also contributed to this story.


npr--2020-11-01--What It's Like For Asian American Candidates During A Pandemic Marked By Racism

What It 's Like For Asian American Candidates During A Pandemic Marked By Racism In April , Yuh-Line Niou , a member of the New York Assembly , was passing out KN95 masks in front of a Kosher deli in her district when she was verbally harassed by a stranger who approached her on the street .
`` He said something like , 'You 're the one who brought the virus here .
I hope you die , ' `` she recalled .
`` It 's horrifying .
You 're doing what you can to help people and everyone else @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who 's Taiwanese American , says that addressing the pandemic 's toll on her district has left little time to campaign for reelection .
In the spring , she says many Asian American businesses in her district , which spans lower Manhattan and includes Chinatown , were forced to shut down as customers avoided their restaurants and neighborhoods .
She says the economic impact was an early consequence of racism that links the coronavirus to Asian American communities .
While the pandemic has made this an unprecedented election for all campaigns , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the record number of Asian American and Pacific Islander candidates running this year .
According to Madalene Mielke , president of the nonpartisan Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies , the number of AAPI candidates who ran for federal offices this year doubled to 99 , from 48 in the 2018 midterms .
And the number running for state legislature seats across the country grew by at least 21 .
But these candidates have faced an environment of heightened anti-Asian racism that has surged since the pandemic began .
A group called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ handful of tracking efforts launched this year , received more than 2,500 reports of anti-Asian incidents between March 19 and Aug. 5 .
And a United Nations document made public in October cited an `` alarming level '' of racially motivated violence and other incidents against Asian Americans in the U.S .
These racist attacks extend to many Asian American political candidates and leaders , who say that President Trump 's rhetoric around the coronavirus has exacerbated the racism they 've faced throughout their lives .
Trump , who blames China for letting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` China virus '' and has also used the term `` kung flu . ''
Online and in person , Niou has faced racist remarks , including being called `` kung flu . ''
`` The thing is , I 'm the elected , so I 'm probably getting the least of it , '' Niou said .
`` But there are people who have been punched in the face for wearing a mask .
There have been people set on fire .
...
I think I 'm just hurting for everybody else @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that type of racism '' For a few weeks this spring , it was hard for David Kim to look at his direct messages on Twitter .
Kim , a Democratic congressional candidate in Los Angeles County , has run a largely virtual effort while the pandemic has limited in-person campaigning .
But his Twitter inbox had filled with racist messages telling him to `` go back to your country '' and `` eat bats . ''
`` I 've gotten so many comments , online at least , '' Kim said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of racism to my face — not to that extreme . ''
Kim , who 's Korean American , said it 's hard to tell whether the messages can be tied to Trump 's language .
Despite Trump 's focus on China , Kim and many other AAPI candidates , not just Chinese Americans , have been affected .
He said he expected to experience some racism as a candidate .
`` But the whole national sentiment sort of supersized it and blew it up , '' he said .
APAICS ' Mielke @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Asian Americans in general , not just political candidates .
`` The racist comments and attitudes are happening more to regular people , '' she said .
`` If you 're running for office , you already have a platform where you can highlight someone who 's being racist . ''
But Mielke added that the pandemic has created other challenges for some candidates of color , who often rely on in-person conversations and door-to-door campaigning to combat biases voters may have against nonwhite faces and names .
This was a hurdle Democrat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unsuccessful primary challenge in an Oregon congressional district that includes Portland .
Lee , who 's Korean American and Black , said the virtual nature of the campaign made it harder to reach voters , especially while running against an incumbent congressman who has held the seat for nearly 25 years .
The onset of the pandemic was a `` death knell '' for his campaign , Lee said .
Lee and other AAPI candidates , motivated both by anti-Asian racism and the Black Lives Matter movement , have come together to address @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a Democrat who was defeated in a congressional primary in New York , formed a coalition with Lee and other progressive Asian American candidates who have hosted virtual town halls and shared resources on anti-racist education .
`` People really strengthened their relationships to fight against hate , '' Ashcraft said .
How it 's been for conservative Asian Americans Navigating Trump 's comments has been trickier for conservative Asian Americans like Peggy Huang , who ran and lost in a congressional primary in a district based in Orange County , Calif @ @ @ @ @ @ @ never an issue '' for her campaign , she recalls confronting attendees of at least two political events in the spring who used the term `` China virus '' in a way that left her in `` absolute discomfort . ''
`` It all came back to the fact that China 's government did n't disclose the virus , '' Huang remembered .
`` And I said , 'Well then let 's talk about it being a problem .
Do n't make it into a Chinese American issue . '
`` While Huang @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , she believes the majority of Republican leaders only use the phrase `` China virus '' to note the pandemic 's origin .
She 's found some reaction to this language to be `` overly sensitive . ''
Cliff Li , the founder of the National Committee of Asian American Republicans , said he wishes he saw more Republican AAPI candidates speak out against racism spawned by the pandemic .
Both Li and Huang identified Young Kim , who 's running in a close congressional race in Southern California , as one Republican @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump .
In June , Young Kim condemned `` the president 's continued use of terms associating COVID-19 with the AAPI community '' on Twitter .
`` No American of any race or ethnic group is responsible for the virus , '' she wrote .
But Li said Young Kim was one of the only conservative Asian American leaders to speak out , though he added Democratic AAPI candidates and elected officials `` far outnumber '' Republican ones .
`` I understand why they do n't say much .
Because the Republican Party @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
`` So [ going ] against Trump is suicidal . ''
`` Every AAPI is on edge '' Some Democratic organizations have leveraged anti-Asian language into campaign ads aimed at reaching Asian American voters .
In March , for example , Sen. John Cornyn , R-Texas , said China was to blame for the coronavirus because of `` the culture where people eat bats and snakes and dogs and things like that . ''
The AAPI Victory Fund , a Democratic political action committee focused on mobilizing Asian American voters , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's comments to the president .
Rep. Judy Chu , D-Calif. , said ASPIRE PAC , the political arm of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus , also ran a Facebook ad campaign calling out some of the 164 Republican lawmakers who in September voted against a House resolution to condemn anti-Asian sentiment related to the pandemic .
The ads directly targeted Republicans with large AAPI populations in their districts .
While debating the bill on the House floor , some Republicans , like Rep. Doug Collins , a Georgia Republican who 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ legislation was `` just for the opportunity to criticize the president . ''
Chu said CAPAC 's efforts to respond to anti-Asian racism — through hearings , press conferences and social media — have monopolized her reelection campaign .
She added that the stories and videos she 's seen from Asian Americans across the country `` send chills down her spine . ''
`` Every AAPI is on edge , '' Chu said .
`` But now is the time to use our voices . ''

What It's Like For Asian American Candidates During A Pandemic Marked By Racism
Enlarge this image toggle caption Steven Senne/AP Steven Senne/AP
In April, Yuh-Line Niou, a member of the New York State Assembly, was passing out KN95 masks in front of a Kosher deli in her district when she was verbally harassed by a stranger who approached her on the street.
"He said something like, 'You're the one who brought the virus here. I hope you die,' " she recalled. "It's horrifying. You're doing what you can to help people and everyone else wants you to die."
Niou, who's Taiwanese American, says that addressing the pandemic's toll on her district has left little time to campaign for reelection. In the spring, she says many Asian American businesses in her district, which spans lower Manhattan and includes Chinatown, were forced to shut down as customers avoided their restaurants and neighborhoods. She says the economic impact was an early consequence of racism that links the coronavirus to Asian American communities.
While the pandemic has made this an unprecedented election for all campaigns, it's brought a particular challenge for the record number of Asian American and Pacific Islander candidates running this year.
According to Madalene Mielke, president of the nonpartisan Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies, the number of AAPI candidates who ran for federal offices this year doubled to 99, from 48 in the 2018 midterms. And the number running for state legislature seats across the country grew by at least 21.
But these candidates have faced an environment of heightened anti-Asian racism that has surged since the pandemic began.
A group called Stop AAPI Hate, one of a handful of tracking efforts launched this year, received more than 2,500 reports of anti-Asian incidents between March 19 and Aug. 5. And a United Nations document made public in October cited an "alarming level" of racially motivated violence and other incidents against Asian Americans in the U.S.
These racist attacks extend to many Asian American political candidates and leaders, who say that President Trump's rhetoric around the coronavirus has exacerbated the racism they've faced throughout their lives. Trump, who blames China for letting the virus spread, calls it the "China virus" and has also used the term "kung flu."
Online and in person, Niou has faced racist remarks, including being called "kung flu."
"The thing is, I'm the elected, so I'm probably getting the least of it," Niou said. "But there are people who have been punched in the face for wearing a mask. There have been people set on fire. ... I think I'm just hurting for everybody else."
Race Listeners Share Their Experience Of Facing Racism During The Pandemic Listeners Share Their Experience Of Facing Racism During The Pandemic Listen · 8:22 8:22
"I'd never heard that type of racism"
For a few weeks this spring, it was hard for David Kim to look at his direct messages on Twitter. Kim, a Democratic congressional candidate in Los Angeles County, has run a largely virtual effort while the pandemic has limited in-person campaigning. But his Twitter inbox had filled with racist messages telling him to "go back to your country" and "eat bats."
"I've gotten so many comments, online at least," Kim said. "I'd never heard that type of racism to my face — not to that extreme."
Kim, who's Korean American, said it's hard to tell whether the messages can be tied to Trump's language. Despite Trump's focus on China, Kim and many other AAPI candidates, not just Chinese Americans, have been affected.
He said he expected to experience some racism as a candidate. "But the whole national sentiment sort of supersized it and blew it up," he said.
APAICS' Mielke said she has seen a pattern targeting Asian Americans in general, not just political candidates.
"The racist comments and attitudes are happening more to regular people," she said. "If you're running for office, you already have a platform where you can highlight someone who's being racist."
But Mielke added that the pandemic has created other challenges for some candidates of color, who often rely on in-person conversations and door-to-door campaigning to combat biases voters may have against nonwhite faces and names.
This was a hurdle Democrat Albert Lee faced when he ran an unsuccessful primary challenge in an Oregon congressional district that includes Portland. Lee, who's Korean American and Black, said the virtual nature of the campaign made it harder to reach voters, especially while running against an incumbent congressman who has held the seat for nearly 25 years.
The onset of the pandemic was a "death knell" for his campaign, Lee said.
Lee and other AAPI candidates, motivated both by anti-Asian racism and the Black Lives Matter movement, have come together to address attacks on their communities.
Lauren Ashcraft, a Democrat who was defeated in a congressional primary in New York, formed a coalition with Lee and other progressive Asian American candidates who have hosted virtual town halls and shared resources on anti-racist education.
"People really strengthened their relationships to fight against hate," Ashcraft said.
How it's been for conservative Asian Americans
Navigating Trump's comments has been trickier for conservative Asian Americans like Peggy Huang, who ran and lost in a congressional primary in a district based in Orange County, Calif.
Though Huang said race was "never an issue" for her campaign, she recalls confronting attendees of at least two political events in the spring who used the term "China virus" in a way that left her in "absolute discomfort."
"It all came back to the fact that China's government didn't disclose the virus," Huang remembered. "And I said, 'Well then let's talk about it being a problem. Don't make it into a Chinese American issue.' "
While Huang has often found Trump's language racist, she believes the majority of Republican leaders only use the phrase "China virus" to note the pandemic's origin. She's found some reaction to this language to be "overly sensitive."
Cliff Li, the founder of the National Committee of Asian American Republicans, said he wishes he saw more Republican AAPI candidates speak out against racism spawned by the pandemic.
Both Li and Huang identified Young Kim, who's running in a close congressional race in Southern California, as one Republican Asian American candidate who's openly criticized Trump.
In June, Young Kim condemned "the president's continued use of terms associating COVID-19 with the AAPI community" on Twitter. "No American of any race or ethnic group is responsible for the virus," she wrote.
But Li said Young Kim was one of the only conservative Asian American leaders to speak out, though he added Democratic AAPI candidates and elected officials "far outnumber" Republican ones.
"I understand why they don't say much. Because the Republican Party is the Trump party," Li said. "So [going] against Trump is suicidal."
"Every AAPI is on edge"
Some Democratic organizations have leveraged anti-Asian language into campaign ads aimed at reaching Asian American voters.
In March, for example, Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, said China was to blame for the coronavirus because of "the culture where people eat bats and snakes and dogs and things like that." The AAPI Victory Fund, a Democratic political action committee focused on mobilizing Asian American voters, responded with an ad that tied Cornyn's comments to the president.
Rep. Judy Chu, D-Calif., said ASPIRE PAC, the political arm of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, also ran a Facebook ad campaign calling out some of the 164 Republican lawmakers who in September voted against a House resolution to condemn anti-Asian sentiment related to the pandemic. The ads directly targeted Republicans with large AAPI populations in their districts.
While debating the bill on the House floor, some Republicans, like Rep. Doug Collins, a Georgia Republican who's running for U.S. Senate, argued the legislation was "just for the opportunity to criticize the president."
Chu said CAPAC's efforts to respond to anti-Asian racism — through hearings, press conferences and social media — have monopolized her reelection campaign. She added that the stories and videos she's seen from Asian Americans across the country "send chills down her spine."
"Every AAPI is on edge," Chu said. "But now is the time to use our voices."


npr--2020-11-01--Pandemic Raises Special Concerns For Those With Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Pandemic Raises Special Concerns For Those With Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Because of a traumatic experience , Justin Keyes has been dealing with obsessive-compulsive disorder for a decade .
For him , that has meant , in part , washing his hands .
`` Like , I 'm constantly getting up from my desk at work to go wash my hands , '' Keyes said .
`` I keep Clorox cleaning wipes in my bottom drawer , and I 'm constantly cleaning things . ''
It got so bad that , at one point , Keyes got rid of all the soap @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
That worked .
But then came the pandemic , when all of us are supposed to be washing our hands more .
`` OCD gets a little confused , '' Keyes said .
`` Sometimes it does n't know : Am I washing my hands for , like , real reasons , or am I washing my hands because of OCD kind of taking over ? ''
Mental health experts are worried about what the coming winter could hold as the pandemic stretches on , and socializing outdoors becomes impossible .
For @ @ @ @ @ @ @ extra challenges , but also some lessons about dealing with anxiety .
This one time , Justin Keyes came in from the grocery store , washed his hands , and then brushed against the doorframe .
`` There was no reason that anything COVID or anything else would be on that door frame , '' he said , `` but OCD tells me , like , ' I need to wash my hands , ' and before I know it , that compulsive behavior kicks in and my hands are in the sink @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
People with OCD often develop compulsions — those are rituals or repeated behaviors — that they use to soothe themselves when obsessions — or unwanted , repeated thoughts — pop into their brains .
Travis Osborne is a psychologist who specializes in OCD .
When the pandemic started , he said , `` It definitely made me feel really sad and concerned for some of my clients with OCD — because I just knew that , for some of them , this is going to create more work . ''
Because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more on edge .
But Osborne said that 's different from having an anxiety disorder .
For people with OCD , their self-soothing rituals take time and interfere with their daily lives .
`` We 're really trying to help people limit the amount of new ritualizing that they 're developing because of this , '' he said , `` so that , at the end of this , they do n't have a whole bunch more symptoms to tackle that they did n't have before . ''
Multiple studies have shown that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some people with OCD .
At the same time , some of Osborne 's clients have told him , `` I feel like I 've been training for this my whole life , and I feel like I 'm actually doing better than people around me who do n't have OCD '' — because their therapy has been about understanding and coping with their anxiety .
Chance Kennedy has OCD , and he said some of his obsessions have gotten much worse during the pandemic .
That 's because his unwanted , repeated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and one-year-old son being hurt in some way .
`` And so , now , two of my biggest triggers — I 'm around them 24 hours a day , '' he said — because , like so many others , he 's working from home .
`` There were a good probably three weeks where I could n't shut my brain off as far as making sure they were taken care of , '' he said .
`` I could n't calm that .
I could n't fight it . ''
To @ @ @ @ @ @ @ habit : He inspects his lawn to make sure it 's watered and trimmed and looking nice .
`` I have to go out and I check it three , four , five , six times a day , '' he said , `` even though I 've already checked it today : Well , what about that spot over there ?
Should I check that ?
I need to check that . ''
In therapy , Kennedy 's working on not allowing his worries to become debilitating .
Justin Keyes , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ therapy longer .
It 's helped him learn to accept uncertainty .
`` You 're acknowledging the uncomfortable feelings that you 're feeling , '' he said .
`` You 're letting them be and letting your body , like , naturally calm down from that anxiety . ''
Acknowledging anxiety and learning to live with it is a useful skill for everyone , especially during a pandemic .

Pandemic Raises Special Concerns For Those With Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Enlarge this image toggle caption Dpa/Picture Alliance via Getty Dpa/Picture Alliance via Getty
Because of a traumatic experience, Justin Keyes has been dealing with obsessive-compulsive disorder for a decade. For him, that has meant, in part, washing his hands.
"Like, I'm constantly getting up from my desk at work to go wash my hands," Keyes said. "I keep Clorox cleaning wipes in my bottom drawer, and I'm constantly cleaning things."
It got so bad that, at one point, Keyes got rid of all the soap in his apartment to break the habit. That worked. But then came the pandemic, when all of us are supposed to be washing our hands more.
"OCD gets a little confused," Keyes said. "Sometimes it doesn't know: Am I washing my hands for, like, real reasons, or am I washing my hands because of OCD kind of taking over?"
Mental health experts are worried about what the coming winter could hold as the pandemic stretches on, and socializing outdoors becomes impossible. For those with obsessive-compulsive disorder, COVID-19 brings extra challenges, but also some lessons about dealing with anxiety.
This one time, Justin Keyes came in from the grocery store, washed his hands, and then brushed against the doorframe.
"There was no reason that anything COVID or anything else would be on that door frame," he said, "but OCD tells me, like, 'I need to wash my hands,' and before I know it, that compulsive behavior kicks in and my hands are in the sink and I'm washing my hands again."
People with OCD often develop compulsions — those are rituals or repeated behaviors — that they use to soothe themselves when obsessions — or unwanted, repeated thoughts — pop into their brains.
Travis Osborne is a psychologist who specializes in OCD.
When the pandemic started, he said, "It definitely made me feel really sad and concerned for some of my clients with OCD — because I just knew that, for some of them, this is going to create more work."
Because of the pandemic, we're all more on edge. But Osborne said that's different from having an anxiety disorder. For people with OCD, their self-soothing rituals take time and interfere with their daily lives.
"We're really trying to help people limit the amount of new ritualizing that they're developing because of this," he said, "so that, at the end of this, they don't have a whole bunch more symptoms to tackle that they didn't have before."
Multiple studies have shown that the pandemic is exacerbating the symptoms of some people with OCD.
At the same time, some of Osborne's clients have told him, "I feel like I've been training for this my whole life, and I feel like I'm actually doing better than people around me who don't have OCD" — because their therapy has been about understanding and coping with their anxiety.
Chance Kennedy has OCD, and he said some of his obsessions have gotten much worse during the pandemic. That's because his unwanted, repeated thoughts have to do with his wife and one-year-old son being hurt in some way.
"And so, now, two of my biggest triggers — I'm around them 24 hours a day," he said — because, like so many others, he's working from home.
"There were a good probably three weeks where I couldn't shut my brain off as far as making sure they were taken care of," he said. "I couldn't calm that. I couldn't fight it."
To cope, Kennedy has developed a new habit: He inspects his lawn to make sure it's watered and trimmed and looking nice.
"I have to go out and I check it three, four, five, six times a day," he said, "even though I've already checked it today: Well, what about that spot over there? Should I check that? I need to check that."
That ritual soothes his anxiety.
In therapy, Kennedy's working on not allowing his worries to become debilitating.
Justin Keyes, who washes his hands, has been in therapy longer. It's helped him learn to accept uncertainty.
"You're acknowledging the uncomfortable feelings that you're feeling," he said. "You're letting them be and letting your body, like, naturally calm down from that anxiety."
Acknowledging anxiety and learning to live with it is a useful skill for everyone, especially during a pandemic.


npr--2020-11-01--In Michigan, Undocumented Immigrants Form Learning Pod So They Won't Lose Their Jobs

In Michigan , Undocumented Immigrants Form Learning Pod So They Wo n't Lose Their Jobs When public schools in Ann Arbor , Mich. , closed last spring Betty , an undocumented domestic worker , feared losing her job if she stayed home to help her children navigate virtual schooling .
But even if she could stay home , she worried that she did n't have the English proficiency to support her daughter , a ninth-grader at a public high school in Ann Arbor , Mich. '' I know that I 'd be able to help my son who is in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' said Betty , who asked that her family be identified only by first names because of their immigration status .
Around the same time , Paula Manrique Pfeffer , a graduate education student at the University of Michigan , found herself being asked to supervise learning pods that were starting to form among families with means .
`` I had so many job offers starting at $ 40 dollars per hour but I kept thinking about other students in need , '' she said .
As an activist with Movimento Cosecha @ @ @ @ @ @ @ knew what parents like Betty were going through .
So she organized a group of undocumented families and created an in person learning hub for kids grades K thru 12 .
For the past six weeks , 24 students at Ann Arbor Community Learning Center have been doing their virtual classwork on computers provided by the public school district , with the support of the center 's volunteers and teachers .
The center is hosted by the Church of the Good Shepherd , which has a long history of being an ally to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it declared itself a sanctuary church to house undocumented immigrants facing a threat of deportation .
When the pandemic hit , the church stopped holding worship in person and the Rev .
Deborah Dean-Ware said the opportunity to host the learning center was a way for their congregation to engage in its mission .
`` To know that our building is being utilized in this way has been gratifying for the church , '' she said .
`` It 's just a new way for us to live into being a sanctuary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 7.6 million undocumented workers in the U.S. , according to the Pew Research Center .
They often earn low wages and lack unemployment insurance or other social safety net .
They are also a high risk group for COVID-19 , and are less likely than the general population to be able to get the medical care they need if they get it .
Manrique says coordinating a learning center for undocumented families during a pandemic is n't just about creating a safe place for students , but also recognizing other challenges they face @ @ @ @ @ @ @ license .
`` The first day of school we realized that the families need transportation , because a lot of them are undocumented and do n't want to drive .
So we got a car and a driver to pick them up and drop them off , '' Manrique said .
The learning hub is funded entirely by donations , and depends on parents like Betty who volunteers to clean the church after school .
The donations have allowed Manrique to hire Robin Armstrong , a licensed Montessori teacher and two part-time bilingual @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get from their teachers in the virtual classrooms .
`` As a Montessori teacher , it 's very important for me to make sure they have the opportunity to engage in activities beyond the academic part , '' she said , adding that the kids go out on the church grounds to explore nature , play games and do some gardening .
Armstrong says the hardest part has been communicating through face coverings .
`` It 's hard to hear the kids through the mask , '' she said .
`` For some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to work on their language skills including reading and letter sounds and it 's difficult to do that when I ca n't see their mouth and they ca n't see mine . ''
But the teacher said she has seen a huge positive impact for the kids at the hub and many students are having an easier time keeping up with their regular school 's workload since coming to the center .

In Michigan, Undocumented Immigrants Form Learning Pod So They Won't Lose Their Jobs
When public schools in Ann Arbor, Mich., closed last spring Betty, an undocumented domestic worker, feared losing her job if she stayed home to help her children navigate virtual schooling.
But even if she could stay home, she worried that she didn't have the English proficiency to support her daughter, a ninth-grader at a public high school in Ann Arbor, Mich.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Movimiento Cosecha/Ann Arbor Community Learning Center Movimiento Cosecha/Ann Arbor Community Learning Center
"I know that I'd be able to help my son who is in fifth grade, but not my daughter," said Betty, who asked that her family be identified only by first names because of their immigration status.
Around the same time, Paula Manrique Pfeffer, a graduate education student at the University of Michigan, found herself being asked to supervise learning pods that were starting to form among families with means.
"I had so many job offers starting at $40 dollars per hour but I kept thinking about other students in need," she said.
As an activist with Movimento Cosecha, an immigrant-led advocacy group, she knew what parents like Betty were going through.
So she organized a group of undocumented families and created an in person learning hub for kids grades K thru 12. For the past six weeks, 24 students at Ann Arbor Community Learning Center have been doing their virtual classwork on computers provided by the public school district, with the support of the center's volunteers and teachers.
The center is hosted by the Church of the Good Shepherd, which has a long history of being an ally to local undocumented families. Back in 2017, it declared itself a sanctuary church to house undocumented immigrants facing a threat of deportation.
When the pandemic hit, the church stopped holding worship in person and the Rev. Deborah Dean-Ware said the opportunity to host the learning center was a way for their congregation to engage in its mission.
"To know that our building is being utilized in this way has been gratifying for the church," she said. "It's just a new way for us to live into being a sanctuary congregation."
There are an estimated 7.6 million undocumented workers in the U.S., according to the Pew Research Center. They often earn low wages and lack unemployment insurance or other social safety net. They are also a high risk group for COVID-19, and are less likely than the general population to be able to get the medical care they need if they get it.
Manrique says coordinating a learning center for undocumented families during a pandemic isn't just about creating a safe place for students, but also recognizing other challenges they face, like not having a driver's license.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Movimiento Cosecha/Ann Arbor Community Learning Center Movimiento Cosecha/Ann Arbor Community Learning Center
"The first day of school we realized that the families need transportation, because a lot of them are undocumented and don't want to drive. So we got a car and a driver to pick them up and drop them off," Manrique said.
The learning hub is funded entirely by donations, and depends on parents like Betty who volunteers to clean the church after school.
The donations have allowed Manrique to hire Robin Armstrong, a licensed Montessori teacher and two part-time bilingual assistants to help with assignments the children get from their teachers in the virtual classrooms.
"As a Montessori teacher, it's very important for me to make sure they have the opportunity to engage in activities beyond the academic part," she said, adding that the kids go out on the church grounds to explore nature, play games and do some gardening.
The Cost Of Navigating The Educational Crisis Through Pandemic Pods The Cost Of Navigating The Educational Crisis Through Pandemic Pods Listen · 9:22 9:22
Armstrong says the hardest part has been communicating through face coverings.
"It's hard to hear the kids through the mask," she said. "For some of the kids here we are trying to work on their language skills including reading and letter sounds and it's difficult to do that when I can't see their mouth and they can't see mine."
But the teacher said she has seen a huge positive impact for the kids at the hub and many students are having an easier time keeping up with their regular school's workload since coming to the center.


npr--2020-11-01--WH Adviser Scott Atlas Apologizes For Interview With Kremlin-Backed News Outlet

White House coronavirus adviser Dr. Scott Atlas apologized on Sunday for doing an interview with Russia 's state-backed RT network , saying he `` was unaware they are a registered foreign agent . ''
RT , formerly known as Russia Today , is an international television and digital news network financed by the Russian government .
The production company behind its U.S. arm , RT America , registered as a foreign agent under the Foreign Agents Registration Act in 2017 , meaning its content is labeled as propaganda attempting to influence U.S. public opinion , policy and laws .
RT @ @ @ @ @ @ @ media outlets that Facebook began labeling in June as under state control .
RT 's Twitter page is also labeled as `` Russian state-affiliated media . ''
`` I regret doing the interview and apologize for allowing myself to be taken advantage of , '' Atlas said in a tweet .
`` I especially apologize to the national security community who is working hard to defend us . ''
A 2017 report by national intelligence agencies said that RT , as part of Russia 's `` state-run propaganda machine , '' contributed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ presidential election by `` serving as a platform for Kremlin messaging to Russian and international audiences . ''
National security experts have raised similar concerns in the 2020 election .
In the interview published Saturday , Atlas downplayed the severity of the U.S. coronavirus surge and said that lockdowns aimed at curbing the spread of COVID-19 are `` not impactful '' and `` killing people . ''
`` The lockdowns will go down as an epic failure of public policy by people who ... were wrong , refused to accept they were wrong @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did n't care , and became a frenzy of stopping COVID-19 cases at all costs and those costs are massive , '' Atlas said .
He also said protective measures like mask wearing and social distancing are `` creating a generation of neurotic children , '' and said one in four Americans ages 18-24 thought of taking their lives in June because of lockdowns .
As the country climbs towards a third coronavirus peak , with cases and hospitalizations on the rise , public health officials are urging Americans to take precautions like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being indoors with people outside your household whenever possible .
And in recent days , countries including Spain , Italy , Germany and England have reimposed lockdowns and other restrictions in an effort to get the virus under control .
Atlas , a radiologist , joined the White House as a coronavirus adviser in August and has since drawn scrutiny for circulating misinformation and reportedly promoting the controversial theory of `` herd immunity . ''
Last month , Twitter removed a post by Atlas in which he falsely stated that masks do not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ incident comes a day after Dr. Anthony Fauci , the nation 's top infectious disease expert , criticized Atlas in an interview with The Washington Post .
`` I have real problems with that guy , '' Fauci said .
`` He 's a smart guy who 's talking about things that I believe he does n't have any real insight or knowledge or experience in .
He keeps talking about things that when you dissect it out and parse it out , it does n't make any sense . ''
In September @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outlier '' on the White House Coronavirus Task Force , a characterization that Atlas responded to in Saturday 's interview .
`` I 'm proud to be an outlier , especially when the in-liers are completely wrong , '' Atlas said .
The U.S. recorded its highest single-day increase in COVID-19 cases to date on Friday , with 99,321 cases and 1,030 deaths .

WH Adviser Scott Atlas Apologizes For Interview With Kremlin-Backed News Outlet
Enlarge this image toggle caption Alex Wong/Getty Images Alex Wong/Getty Images
White House coronavirus adviser Dr. Scott Atlas apologized on Sunday for doing an interview with Russia's state-backed RT network, saying he "was unaware they are a registered foreign agent."
RT, formerly known as Russia Today, is an international television and digital news network financed by the Russian government. The production company behind its U.S. arm, RT America, registered as a foreign agent under the Foreign Agents Registration Act in 2017, meaning its content is labeled as propaganda attempting to influence U.S. public opinion, policy and laws.
RT is one of more than a dozen media outlets that Facebook began labeling in June as under state control. RT's Twitter page is also labeled as "Russian state-affiliated media."
"I regret doing the interview and apologize for allowing myself to be taken advantage of," Atlas said in a tweet. "I especially apologize to the national security community who is working hard to defend us."
A 2017 report by national intelligence agencies said that RT, as part of Russia's "state-run propaganda machine," contributed to the campaign to interfere in the 2016 presidential election by "serving as a platform for Kremlin messaging to Russian and international audiences." National security experts have raised similar concerns in the 2020 election.
In the interview published Saturday, Atlas downplayed the severity of the U.S. coronavirus surge and said that lockdowns aimed at curbing the spread of COVID-19 are "not impactful" and "killing people."
"The lockdowns will go down as an epic failure of public policy by people who ... were wrong, refused to accept they were wrong, didn't know the data, didn't care, and became a frenzy of stopping COVID-19 cases at all costs and those costs are massive," Atlas said.
He also said protective measures like mask wearing and social distancing are "creating a generation of neurotic children," and said one in four Americans ages 18-24 thought of taking their lives in June because of lockdowns.
(The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that young adults reported "considerably elevated adverse mental health conditions" associated with COVID-19 in general.)
As the country climbs towards a third coronavirus peak, with cases and hospitalizations on the rise, public health officials are urging Americans to take precautions like wearing masks, social distancing and avoiding being indoors with people outside your household whenever possible.
And in recent days, countries including Spain, Italy, Germany and England have reimposed lockdowns and other restrictions in an effort to get the virus under control.
Atlas, a radiologist, joined the White House as a coronavirus adviser in August and has since drawn scrutiny for circulating misinformation and reportedly promoting the controversial theory of "herd immunity."
Last month, Twitter removed a post by Atlas in which he falsely stated that masks do not offer protection from the virus.
The incident comes a day after Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert, criticized Atlas in an interview with The Washington Post.
"I have real problems with that guy," Fauci said. "He's a smart guy who's talking about things that I believe he doesn't have any real insight or knowledge or experience in. He keeps talking about things that when you dissect it out and parse it out, it doesn't make any sense."
In September, Fauci suggested Atlas was an "outlier" on the White House Coronavirus Task Force, a characterization that Atlas responded to in Saturday's interview.
"I'm proud to be an outlier, especially when the in-liers are completely wrong," Atlas said.
The U.S. recorded its highest single-day increase in COVID-19 cases to date on Friday, with 99,321 cases and 1,030 deaths.


npr--2020-11-01--FACT CHECK: Trump Falsely Claims That Votes Shouldn't Be Counted After Election Day

FACT CHECK : Trump Falsely Claims That Votes Should n't Be Counted After Election Day President Trump is doubling down on claims that the results of the presidential election must be known on election night itself , falsely asserting `` that 's the way it 's been and that 's the way it should be . ''
Speaking to reporters after arriving in North Carolina on Sunday evening during a campaign swing , Trump repeatedly called a recent Supreme Court decision on absentee ballots `` terrible . ''
The decision allows election officials in Pennsylvania to count absentee ballots received @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as they are postmarked by Nov. 3 .
The president denied that he would try to declare victory prematurely .
But then he still raised doubts about counting votes beyond Election Day , even though in any election , it typically takes longer to count absentee ballots that by law count just the same as votes cast in person .
More of those ballots are being cast this year because of the pandemic .
`` I think it 's a terrible thing when people or states are allowed to tabulate ballots for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is over , '' Trump said .
`` I think it 's terrible when we ca n't know the results of an election the night of the election in a modern-day age of computers , '' he added .
Trump also suggested that voters should have mailed in their ballots well before the deadlines set by states , saying , `` If people wanted to get their ballots in , they should have gotten their ballots in long before [ Election Day ] .
They could have put their ballots in a month @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unfounded claims about the integrity of absentee voting and even told supporters on Sunday to `` be careful '' with mail-in ballots .
This is n't the first time Trump has said the winner of the contest should be known on Nov. 3 .
Earlier on Sunday , during a campaign stop in Dubuque , Iowa , Trump bemoaned the idea of having to wait for results .
`` We should know the result of the election on November 3rd , the evening of November 3rd .
That 's the way it 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should be , '' he said to cheers , repeating a sentiment he tweeted out on Friday .
Trump 's campaign senior adviser Jason Miller reiterated the argument Sunday on ABC 's This Week , adding an unfounded accusation that Democrats would do something nefarious .
`` If you speak with many smart Democrats , they believe President Trump will be ahead on election night , probably getting 280 electorals , somewhere in that range , and then they 're going to try to steal it back after the election , '' Miller @ @ @ @ @ @ @ way voting in America works .
For starters , no state ever reports its final results on election night .
Typically , news outlets are able to declare winners the night of the election using partial counts and exit polls , which allow them to see how much of the vote is going to which candidate and calculate whether a candidate still has a path forward to win .
Each state has its own laws for when it needs to certify the election 's results and none fall on Election Day itself .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ only state that will certify its results within the same week as Election Day .
Most states will certify their results in the last two weeks of November , with some states even extending until the second week of December .
Additionally , polls do n't even close in California , Oregon , Idaho and Washington until 11 p.m .
ET , and Hawaii 's polls do n't close until midnight on the East Coast .
As NPR 's Domenico Montanaro notes , the Associated Press did n't call the 2016 presidential race @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after Election Day , and at that time , Trump was still leading in the popular vote .
Hillary Clinton went on to win the popular vote by about 3 million .
Another factor to consider in the counting calculus is the surge in early voting .
Americans are breaking early voting records , with more than 93 million votes already cast .
Of that , 59 million mail-in ballots have been returned , with 32 million ballots still waiting to be mailed back , according to the U.S .
Elections Project .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a large increase in mail-in ballots this cycle because of concerns over the coronavirus pandemic .
The increase in these absentee ballots may mean the count will take longer , particularly because election workers typically need to process each ballot by hand .
While some states , including Florida and Arizona , are able to begin processing mail-in ballots well ahead of Nov. 3 , many states do n't allow for that , which results in a slowing of the vote count .
Pennsylvania Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar told NBC 's Meet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will go well beyond Tuesday .
`` I expect that the overwhelming majority of ballots in Pennsylvania , that 's mail-in and absentee ballots , as well as in-person ballots , will be counted within a matter of days , '' Boockvar said .
`` The counties are staffing up , have a ton of equipment , best practices in place , and are planning , for the most part , to count 24/7 until it 's done . ''

FACT CHECK: Trump Falsely Claims That Votes Shouldn't Be Counted After Election Day
Enlarge this image toggle caption Mario Tama/Getty Images Mario Tama/Getty Images
President Trump is doubling down on claims that the results of the presidential election must be known on election night, falsely asserting "that's the way it's been and that's the way it should be."
Speaking to reporters after arriving in North Carolina on Sunday evening during a campaign swing, Trump repeatedly called a recent Supreme Court decision on absentee ballots "terrible." The decision allows election officials in Pennsylvania to count absentee ballots received as late as Friday as long as they are postmarked by Nov. 3.
The president denied that he would try to declare victory prematurely.
But then he still raised doubts about counting votes beyond Election Day, even though in any election, it typically takes longer to count absentee ballots that by law count just the same as votes cast in person. More of those ballots are being cast this year because of the pandemic.
"I think it's a terrible thing when people or states are allowed to tabulate ballots for a long period of time after the election is over," Trump said. "I think it's terrible when we can't know the results of an election the night of the election in a modern-day age of computers."
Trump also suggested that voters should have mailed in their ballots well before the deadlines set by states, saying, "If people wanted to get their ballots in, they should have gotten their ballots in long before [Election Day]. They could have put their ballots in a month ago."
Trump has repeatedly made unfounded claims about the integrity of absentee voting and even told supporters on Sunday to "be careful" with mail-in ballots.
It isn't the first time Trump has said the winner of the contest should be known on Nov. 3. Earlier Sunday, during a campaign stop in Dubuque, Iowa, Trump bemoaned the idea of having to wait for results.
"We should know the result of the election on Nov. 3, the evening of Nov. 3. That's the way it's been and that's the way it should be," he said to cheers, repeating a sentiment he tweeted out on Friday.
Trump campaign senior adviser Jason Miller reiterated the argument Sunday on ABC's This Week, adding an unfounded accusation that Democrats would do something nefarious.
"If you speak with many smart Democrats, they believe President Trump will be ahead on election night, probably getting 280 [electoral votes], somewhere in that range, and then they're going to try to steal it back after the election," Miller said.
But that's not the way voting in America works.
For starters, no state ever reports its final results on election night.
Typically, news outlets are able to declare winners the night of the election using partial counts and exit polls, which allow them to see how much of the vote is going to which candidate and calculate whether a candidate still has a path forward to win.
Each state has its own laws for when it needs to certify the election results, and none falls on Election Day.
Delaware is the only state that will certify its results within the same week as Election Day. Most states will certify their results in the last two weeks of November, with some states even extending until the second week of December.
Additionally, polls don't even close in California, Oregon, Idaho and Washington until 11 p.m. ET, and Hawaii's polls don't close until midnight on the East Coast.
As NPR's Domenico Montanaro noted, The Associated Press didn't call the 2016 presidential race until 2:30 a.m. ET the day after Election Day, and at that time, Trump was still leading in the popular vote. Hillary Clinton went on to win the popular vote by about 3 million.
Another factor to consider in the counting calculus is the surge in early voting.
Americans are breaking early-voting records, with more than 93 million votes already cast. Of that, 59 million mail-in ballots have been returned, with 32 million ballots still waiting to be mailed back, according to the U.S. Elections Project.
Election experts predicted that there would be a large increase in mail-in ballots this cycle because of concerns over the coronavirus pandemic. The increase in these absentee ballots may mean the count will take longer, particularly because election workers typically need to process each ballot by hand.
While some states, including Florida and Arizona, are able to begin processing mail-in ballots well ahead of Nov. 3, many states don't allow for that, which results in a slowing of the vote count.
Pennsylvania Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar told NBC's Meet the Press that she anticipates the count will go well beyond Tuesday.
"I expect that the overwhelming majority of ballots in Pennsylvania, that's mail-in and absentee ballots, as well as in-person ballots, will be counted within a matter of days," Boockvar said.
"The counties are staffing up, have a ton of equipment, best practices in place, and are planning, for the most part, to count 24/7 until it's done."


npr--2020-11-01--Powerful Typhoon Goni Slams The Philippines, Leaving At Least 10 Dead And 3 Missing

Powerful Typhoon Goni Slams The Philippines , Leaving At Least 10 Dead And 3 Missing Recovery efforts are underway in the Philippines after Super Typhoon Goni brought flooding , mudslides and strong winds to its largest island early Sunday morning .
The storm , whose maximum wind speeds earned it the distinction of the year 's most powerful cyclone , left at least 10 people dead and three missing .
Regional authorities said 345,000 people are being housed in evacuation centers , with another 50,000 staying with relatives .
Goni , which is referred to locally as `` Rolly , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Sunday evening local time .
It is continuing to weaken over the West Philippine Sea , the Philippine Atmospheric , Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said .
It is likely to remain a tropical storm , the agency said , but could weaken into a tropical depression because of `` increasingly unfavorable conditions . ''
Goni came days after Typhoon Molave had already killed 22 people in the Philippines .
Ahead of the storm , the international airport in Manila closed for 24 hours starting on Sunday .
And nearly one million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ further complicated by the coronavirus pandemic — Johns Hopkins University puts the number of confirmed cases in the hard-hit Philippines at more than 383,000 .
The storm intensified rapidly on Friday , adding 80 miles per hour to its maximum sustained winds in just 24 hours .
Peak winds were estimated at 195 mph prior to landfall , which is equivalent to a Category 5 hurricane .
Meteorologists said that makes Goni one of the intense cyclones in history , and comparable in strength to Super Typhoon Haiyan , which killed more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2013 .
The eastern island province of Catanduanes first took the full front of Goni early Sunday , with sustained winds of 140 miles per hour and gusts of 174 miles per hour , The Associated Press reported .
Communication , water and electricity are out .
Goni made landfall four times in Luzon , the country 's most populous island , throughout the day Sunday .
Storm surges inundated coastal towns , and flooded rivers overflowed .
Citing local officials , Reuters reported that the 10 recorded fatalities and three people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Bicol , which encompasses the southern part of Luzon .
Nine of those deaths were in the province of Albay .
The AP reports that in one Albay community , the typhoon triggered volcanic mudflows that `` engulfed '' about 150 houses .
Two of the deaths there were of a father and son trapped by the mudflow , and Albay Gov .
Al Francis Bichara told local radio station DZMM that the boy was swept away and found 9 miles over in the next town .
Another villager in Albay was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tree , the AP said .
In the Guinobatan municipality of Albay , Rep. Zaldy Co of the Ako Bicol party list tweeted that an estimated 300 houses were buried under rubble , with `` several people believed to be buried alive . ''
The Philippine Red Cross confirmed casualties in Albay after a broken dike caused a river to overflow , and said it was coordinating with authorities to retrieve bodies .
Richard Gordon , a senator and the chairman of the Philippine Red Cross , said that 110 individuals in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stranded by high floodwaters .
He also provided updates about the extent of the damage in Catanduanes , where he said some 6,113 individuals were in 14 evacuation centers and 222 partially damaged houses had been recorded in the municipality of Pandan .
Mark Timbal , spokesperson for the Philippine 's National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council , told the BBC on Sunday that 19 million people may have been affected by Goni 's path , including populations in `` danger zones for landslides , flooding , storm surges and even a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a press conference on Sunday to share updates on the storm and their response .
And as the Inquirer , an English-language newspaper , reported , # NasaanAngPangulo , or `` Where is the president ? ''
trended on Twitter after President Rodrigo Duterte was noticeably absent .
A presidential spokesperson said Duterte was staying in his hometown of Davao and is scheduled to return to the capital Manila by Tuesday .
The storm is predicted to weaken further over the South China Sea in the coming days , and potentially bring flooding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 18th tropical cyclone to hit the country this year , which faces an average of 20 typhoons annually .
And number 19 could come later this week : Tropical Storm Atsan , officials said , entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility early Sunday .

Powerful Typhoon Goni Slams The Philippines, Leaving At Least 10 Dead And 3 Missing
Enlarge this image toggle caption Charism Sayat/AFP via Getty Images Charism Sayat/AFP via Getty Images
Recovery efforts are underway in the Philippines after Super Typhoon Goni brought flooding, mudslides and strong winds to its largest island early Sunday morning.
The storm, whose maximum wind speeds earned it the distinction of the year's most powerful cyclone, left at least 10 people dead and three missing. Regional authorities said 345,000 people are being housed in evacuation centers, with another 50,000 staying with relatives.
Goni, which is referred to locally as "Rolly," was downgraded to tropical storm status on Sunday evening local time. It is continuing to weaken over the West Philippine Sea, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said.
It is likely to remain a tropical storm, the agency said, but could weaken into a tropical depression because of "increasingly unfavorable conditions."
Goni came days after Typhoon Molave had already killed 22 people in the Philippines.
Ahead of the storm, the international airport in Manila closed for 24 hours starting on Sunday. And nearly one million residents were preemptively evacuated, a process further complicated by the coronavirus pandemic — Johns Hopkins University puts the number of confirmed cases in the hard-hit Philippines at more than 383,000.
The storm intensified rapidly on Friday, adding 80 miles per hour to its maximum sustained winds in just 24 hours. Peak winds were estimated at 195 mph prior to landfall, which is equivalent to a Category 5 hurricane.
Meteorologists said that makes Goni one of the intense cyclones in history, and comparable in strength to Super Typhoon Haiyan, which killed more than 6,000 people when it battered the Philippines in 2013.
The eastern island province of Catanduanes first took the full front of Goni early Sunday, with sustained winds of 140 miles per hour and gusts of 174 miles per hour, The Associated Press reported. Communication, water and electricity are out.
Goni made landfall four times in Luzon, the country's most populous island, throughout the day Sunday. Storm surges inundated coastal towns, and flooded rivers overflowed.
Citing local officials, Reuters reported that the 10 recorded fatalities and three people reported missing were all in the region of Bicol, which encompasses the southern part of Luzon. Nine of those deaths were in the province of Albay.
The AP reports that in one Albay community, the typhoon triggered volcanic mudflows that "engulfed" about 150 houses.
Two of the deaths there were of a father and son trapped by the mudflow, and Albay Gov. Al Francis Bichara told local radio station DZMM that the boy was swept away and found 9 miles over in the next town.
Another villager in Albay was killed after being pinned by a fallen tree, the AP said.
In the Guinobatan municipality of Albay, Rep. Zaldy Co of the Ako Bicol party list tweeted that an estimated 300 houses were buried under rubble, with "several people believed to be buried alive."
The Philippine Red Cross confirmed casualties in Albay after a broken dike caused a river to overflow, and said it was coordinating with authorities to retrieve bodies.
Richard Gordon, a senator and the chairman of the Philippine Red Cross, said that 110 individuals in the city of Batangas were rescued after being stranded by high floodwaters.
He also provided updates about the extent of the damage in Catanduanes, where he said some 6,113 individuals were in 14 evacuation centers and 222 partially damaged houses had been recorded in the municipality of Pandan.
Mark Timbal, spokesperson for the Philippine's National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, told the BBC on Sunday that 19 million people may have been affected by Goni's path, including populations in "danger zones for landslides, flooding, storm surges and even a lava flow."
Government officials held a press conference on Sunday to share updates on the storm and their response.
And as the Inquirer, an English-language newspaper, reported, #NasaanAngPangulo, or "Where is the president?" trended on Twitter after President Rodrigo Duterte was noticeably absent. A presidential spokesperson said Duterte was staying in his hometown of Davao and is scheduled to return to the capital Manila by Tuesday.
The storm is predicted to weaken further over the South China Sea in the coming days, and potentially bring flooding rainfall to Vietnam.
Goni was the 18th tropical cyclone to hit the country this year, which faces an average of 20 typhoons annually. And number 19 could come later this week: Tropical Storm Atsan, officials said, entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility early Sunday.
Julie McCarthy contributed reporting.