npr--2020-05-23--Fear Of Public Restrooms Prompts Creative Solutions As Some Businesses Reopen

Fear Of Public Restrooms Prompts Creative Solutions As Some Businesses Reopen Toilet paper has been an issue since the start of the pandemic , but now toilets themselves are the concern .
As stay-at-home restrictions are lifting , many are feeling a long pent-up urge to go out , but what 's stopping some is concern about their urge to go while they 're out .
As in , use the bathroom .
Loath to risk the germs in a public restroom , if they can even find one that 's open , many are limiting their outings while others @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a pediatric cardiologist in Vancouver , Canada , never used to think twice before going for his usual two- to three-hour run .
Now , every time he heads out , he becomes kind of obsessed .
`` It 's the anticipation of , 'What if I have to go to the bathroom ? '
`` he said , mocking his usual panic .
`` Do I have to go to the bathroom ?
Uh oh , now I 'm thinking about going to the bathroom , and now I feel like I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Recently , his worst fears came to be .
He really did have to go .
His route took him by countless businesses that were closed , before he finally found a car mechanic 's shop that was open .
But the staff would n't let him in .
`` The panic grows as the third and fourth options exhaust themselves , '' he said .
He was considering just going outside , then thought better of it .
`` I ca n't imagine it would be popular if someone saw me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their petunias , '' he said with a laugh .
So he changed his route and finally found a hospital that did let him in .
It was a relief to him .
But for many people , the prospect of using a public restroom is hardly comforting .
Among those who cringe at the idea is Cheryl Bowlan , 69 , who is moving from California to Portland , Ore. , and will be driving the 12 hours with her husband .
With all the planning and packing , she only recently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public rest stops along the freeway .
It left her just a little panicked .
`` I woke up early one morning and all of a sudden , ding , it occurred to me .
Ick !
Nasty !
! ''
she recalled .
`` There are hundreds of people going through there every day , and I did n't want to do that . ''
Experts say such fears are well-founded .
`` It 's miserable .
Disgustingly miserable , '' said Dr. Greg Poland , professor of medicine and infectious diseases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Minn. Just the fact that bathrooms tend to be highly trafficked and too cramped for social distancing makes them risky , he said .
But on top of that , poor hand washing leaves doorknobs , faucets and other surfaces contaminated .
And flushing the toilet can create a plume of vaporized germs up to 6 feet high , he said .
While it 's not yet proven the coronavirus can spread that way , it is known that other viruses can .
`` It really is a nightmare , '' said Poland @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said , `` you have a bioweapons factory in [ there . ]
'' Some businesses are trying to adapt by installing touch-free doors , faucets and hand dryers , for example .
Or they 're switching to touch-free paper towel dispensers to avoid the possibility of hand dryers blowing coronavirus through the air — another potential , though not yet proven , risk .
Businesses are also cleaning and disinfecting more frequently and requiring face masks to enter .
Some are even hiring bathroom monitors to control crowds and enforce distancing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ American Restroom Association , which advocates for clean and safe public bathrooms , said many businesses are also installing dividers between urinals or closing down every other one .
`` There 's a new term out there , '' he said .
`` It 's called 'social piss-tancing . '
`` Soifer hopes the heightened awareness brought by COVID-19 will prompt what he sees as a long overdue overhaul of public restrooms .
`` We 're advocating for more revolutionary toilet design with the single stall , fully enclosed water closets with toilet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Europe , he said .
`` That would address many of the issues . ''
But that would take more money than many businesses would want to invest , and more time than many people can wait , including Cheryl Bowlan .
`` It suddenly popped into my mind that I 'll just do it in the car , '' she said .
Bowlan is one of a growing number of women who have bought a portable urinal called the Feminal .
It 's an ergonomically correct canister with a screw cap , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Once a niche product for outdoorsy types or bedridden patients , it 's now a mass-market , high-demand item .
`` All of a sudden sales have actually quadrupled in a month and a half , '' Asta said .
There are also a slew of other urinals and portable potties for men and women on the market too , as well as feminine funnels , including the Go Girl and the Shewee .
Adyn Sonju , a partner at The Tinkle Belle , said her product allows women to `` go wherever @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she described as a built-in squeegee feature that eliminates the need for toilet paper .
`` It 's freeing to be able to go anywhere and know that you can just go when you need to go , '' Sonju said .
`` You just carry it with you like a portable restroom . ''
The SaniGirl is a disposable option whose year-over-year sales sales are on track to triple this spring , according to founder Susan Thompson .
She thinks the product will not only `` change women 's lives as they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their lives back , '' but also may well change bathroom behavior forever , given the public 's newly heightened awareness of germs and the `` shock '' of the pandemic .
She adds that some customers even use it in public restrooms so they do n't have to sit or touch as many surfaces .
The portable products do carry their own risks if you do n't hold them in place just right , so most manufacturers recommend practicing at home .
You do n't want your first try to be on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during a night out .
But after a few ( hopefully ) dry runs at home , they say going on-the-go will be the safer way to go .

Fear Of Public Restrooms Prompts Creative Solutions As Some Businesses Reopen
Enlarge this image toggle caption John Tlumacki/The Boston Globe via Getty Images John Tlumacki/The Boston Globe via Getty Images
Toilet paper has been an issue since the start of the pandemic, but now toilets themselves are the concern. As stay-at-home restrictions are lifting, many are feeling a long pent-up urge to go out, but what's stopping some is concern about their urge to go while they're out.
As in, use the bathroom.
Loath to risk the germs in a public restroom, if they can even find one that's open, many are limiting their outings while others are getting creative.
Shu Sanatani, a pediatric cardiologist in Vancouver, Canada, never used to think twice before going for his usual two- to three-hour run. Now, every time he heads out, he becomes kind of obsessed.
"It's the anticipation of, 'What if I have to go to the bathroom?' " he said, mocking his usual panic. "Do I have to go to the bathroom? Uh oh, now I'm thinking about going to the bathroom, and now I feel like I have to go to the bathroom."
Recently, his worst fears came to be. He really did have to go. His route took him by countless businesses that were closed, before he finally found a car mechanic's shop that was open. But the staff wouldn't let him in.
"The panic grows as the third and fourth options exhaust themselves," he said.
He was considering just going outside, then thought better of it.
"I can't imagine it would be popular if someone saw me leaving my presumed viral sheddings somewhere in their petunias," he said with a laugh. So he changed his route and finally found a hospital that did let him in.
It was a relief to him. But for many people, the prospect of using a public restroom is hardly comforting.
Among those who cringe at the idea is Cheryl Bowlan, 69, who is moving from California to Portland, Ore., and will be driving the 12 hours with her husband. With all the planning and packing, she only recently realized she would have to use the public rest stops along the freeway. It left her just a little panicked.
"I woke up early one morning and all of a sudden, ding, it occurred to me. Ick! Nasty!!" she recalled. "There are hundreds of people going through there every day, and I didn't want to do that."
Experts say such fears are well-founded.
"It's miserable. Disgustingly miserable," said Dr. Greg Poland, professor of medicine and infectious diseases at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.
Just the fact that bathrooms tend to be highly trafficked and too cramped for social distancing makes them risky, he said. But on top of that, poor hand washing leaves doorknobs, faucets and other surfaces contaminated. And flushing the toilet can create a plume of vaporized germs up to 6 feet high, he said. While it's not yet proven the coronavirus can spread that way, it is known that other viruses can.
"It really is a nightmare," said Poland. With all that going on, he said, "you have a bioweapons factory in [there.]"
Some businesses are trying to adapt by installing touch-free doors, faucets and hand dryers, for example. Or they're switching to touch-free paper towel dispensers to avoid the possibility of hand dryers blowing coronavirus through the air — another potential, though not yet proven, risk.
Businesses are also cleaning and disinfecting more frequently and requiring face masks to enter. Some are even hiring bathroom monitors to control crowds and enforce distancing.
Steven Soifer, president of the American Restroom Association, which advocates for clean and safe public bathrooms, said many businesses are also installing dividers between urinals or closing down every other one.
"There's a new term out there," he said. "It's called 'social piss-tancing.' "
Soifer hopes the heightened awareness brought by COVID-19 will prompt what he sees as a long overdue overhaul of public restrooms. "We're advocating for more revolutionary toilet design with the single stall, fully enclosed water closets with toilet seats covers" that are typical in Europe, he said. "That would address many of the issues."
But that would take more money than many businesses would want to invest, and more time than many people can wait, including Cheryl Bowlan.
"It suddenly popped into my mind that I'll just do it in the car," she said.
Bowlan is one of a growing number of women who have bought a portable urinal called the Feminal. It's an ergonomically correct canister with a screw cap, designed by urology nurse Linda Asta. Once a niche product for outdoorsy types or bedridden patients, it's now a mass-market, high-demand item.
"All of a sudden sales have actually quadrupled in a month and a half," Asta said.
There are also a slew of other urinals and portable potties for men and women on the market too, as well as feminine funnels, including the Go Girl and the Shewee. Adyn Sonju, a partner at The Tinkle Belle, said her product allows women to "go wherever the men go" and has what she described as a built-in squeegee feature that eliminates the need for toilet paper.
"It's freeing to be able to go anywhere and know that you can just go when you need to go," Sonju said. "You just carry it with you like a portable restroom."
The SaniGirl is a disposable option whose year-over-year sales sales are on track to triple this spring, according to founder Susan Thompson. She thinks the product will not only "change women's lives as they venture back out and start to get their lives back," but also may well change bathroom behavior forever, given the public's newly heightened awareness of germs and the "shock" of the pandemic. She adds that some customers even use it in public restrooms so they don't have to sit or touch as many surfaces.
The portable products do carry their own risks if you don't hold them in place just right, so most manufacturers recommend practicing at home. You don't want your first try to be on the road or after a few drinks during a night out. But after a few (hopefully) dry runs at home, they say going on-the-go will be the safer way to go.


npr--2020-05-23--Ahead Of Eid, India's Muslim Clerics Urge Celebrating At Home, Donating To Charity

Ahead Of Eid , India 's Muslim Clerics Urge Celebrating At Home , Donating To Charity With India under a nationwide lockdown and religious gatherings banned , Islamic clerics are urging Muslims to observe this weekend 's Eid al-Fitr holiday , marking the end of Ramadan , at home with social distancing .
`` We can not allow any congregations in courtyards and parks , as it will expose people to an increased risk of contracting the virus , '' Syed Shaban Bukhari , deputy Shahi Imam or prayer leader of New Delhi 's famous Jama Masjid said in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other Muslim leaders are urging faithful to forgo the usual Eid festivities , social visits and shopping and donate to charities instead .
They suggest conveying wishes to friends and relatives via phone .
Mosques are closed .
`` Since the entire world is at present battling coronavirus , the happiness of Eid is in not hugging each other and not shaking hands this time over , '' said Umer Ahmed Ilyasi , chief imam of the All India Imam Organization .
`` If we want to love them , we have to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to life and happiness and we have to give the same . ''
Indian Muslims have faced increased harassment and threats by some of the country 's Hindus , who blame Muslim missionaries for a coronavirus outbreak in the capital New Delhi in early March .
Authorities in Jammu and Kashmir , India 's only Muslim-majority territory , eased lockdown restrictions Friday in the Lal Chowk market area of the region 's main city , Srinagar .
Thousands of Indian troops still line Srinagar 's streets , some nine months after India 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last August , putting local politicians under house arrest and cutting off the internet .
Srinagar 's old quarter was disrupted earlier this week by a gun battle — the city 's first in two years — in which a separatist rebel commander and his aide were killed by Indian paramilitary soldiers , triggering anti-government protests across the city .
Amid the violence , a group of university students in Kashmir collaborated with local artists to sell digital postcards for Eid .
With designs being shared on social media , organizers say they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the Srinagar Masjid Committee , which is providing assistance to families whose homes were damaged in Tuesday 's fighting .
India 's Muslims will begin celebrating Eid the day after clerics confirm the sighting of a new moon , either Saturday or Sunday night .
`` There 's a depressing atmosphere in Srinagar this Eid , so we all wanted to help in some way , '' says digital postcard organizer Waqar Qamri , a 22-year-old mechanical engineering student who 's also been researching wealth inequality as a side project .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a [ a few hundred dollars ] , but Alhamdulillah , thanks be to God , we raised all that money and we 're still going .
We 'll keep going until we see the moon . ''

Ahead Of Eid, India's Muslim Clerics Urge Celebrating At Home, Donating To Charity
Enlarge this image toggle caption Hindustan Times/Hindustan Times via Getty Images Hindustan Times/Hindustan Times via Getty Images
With India under a nationwide lockdown and religious gatherings banned, Islamic clerics are urging Muslims to observe this weekend's Eid al-Fitr holiday, marking the end of Ramadan, at home with social distancing.
"We cannot allow any congregations in courtyards and parks, as it will expose people to an increased risk of contracting the virus," Syed Shaban Bukhari, deputy Shahi Imam or prayer leader of New Delhi's famous Jama Masjid said in a video posted on Twitter.
He and other Muslim leaders are urging faithful to forgo the usual Eid festivities, social visits and shopping and donate to charities instead. They suggest conveying wishes to friends and relatives via phone. Mosques are closed.
"Since the entire world is at present battling coronavirus, the happiness of Eid is in not hugging each other and not shaking hands this time over," said Umer Ahmed Ilyasi, chief imam of the All India Imam Organization. "If we want to love them, we have to maintain distance. ... Eid is related to life and happiness and we have to give the same."
Indian Muslims have faced increased harassment and threats by some of the country's Hindus, who blame Muslim missionaries for a coronavirus outbreak in the capital New Delhi in early March.
Authorities in Jammu and Kashmir, India's only Muslim-majority territory, eased lockdown restrictions Friday in the Lal Chowk market area of the region's main city, Srinagar. Thousands of Indian troops still line Srinagar's streets, some nine months after India's Hindu nationalist government revoked Kashmir's autonomy last August, putting local politicians under house arrest and cutting off the internet.
Srinagar's old quarter was disrupted earlier this week by a gun battle — the city's first in two years — in which a separatist rebel commander and his aide were killed by Indian paramilitary soldiers, triggering anti-government protests across the city.
Amid the violence, a group of university students in Kashmir collaborated with local artists to sell digital postcards for Eid. With designs being shared on social media, organizers say they've raised about $6,000 to donate to the Srinagar Masjid Committee, which is providing assistance to families whose homes were damaged in Tuesday's fighting.
India's Muslims will begin celebrating Eid the day after clerics confirm the sighting of a new moon, either Saturday or Sunday night.
"There's a depressing atmosphere in Srinagar this Eid, so we all wanted to help in some way," says digital postcard organizer Waqar Qamri, a 22-year-old mechanical engineering student who's also been researching wealth inequality as a side project. "We thought maybe we'd raise just a [a few hundred dollars], but Alhamdulillah, thanks be to God, we raised all that money and we're still going. We'll keep going until we see the moon."


npr--2020-05-23--President Trump Sides With Churches Asserting A Right To Reopen

President Trump Sides With Churches Asserting A Right To Reopen Houses of worship around the country on Friday got a presidential green light to open immediately .
`` I call on governors to allow our churches and places of worship to open right now , '' President Trump said in remarks at the White House .
`` These are places that hold our society together and keep our people united , '' he said .
`` The people are demanding to go to church and synagogue and to their mosque . ''
More than 90 percent of houses of worship @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the spread of the coronavirus , and numerous polls have actually shown that a majority of the American public support the restrictions .
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention promptly issued new guidance to assist faith institutions in their reopening .
The guidance replaced an earlier version that was drafted but never released .
The new version was worded to make clear it was `` non-binding public health guidance for consideration only . ''
Some of the recommendations from the earlier version were nonetheless retained in some form , including a suggestion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at least decreasing use of choir/musical ensembles and congregant singing , chanting or reciting during services . ''
The CDC guidance also advised faith leaders to `` take steps to limit the size of gatherings in accordance with the guidance and directives of state and local authorities . ''
In his White House remarks , however , Trump offered no such deference to the the judgment of state and local governments on an appropriate size for church gatherings .
`` The governors need to do the right thing and allow these very important @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right now , for this weekend .
If they do n't do it , I will override the governors , '' he said .
Trump 's remarks came as some church leaders around the country were mobilizing to reopen in defiance of restrictions .
The leader of Minnesota 's Catholics , Archbishop Bernard Hebda , announced this week that churches under his authority would reopen despite an order from Governor Tim Walz barring gatherings of more than 10 people .
`` We will resume holding in-person masses and services in a limited capacity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whether or not the governor has amended his executive order , '' Hebda said in a call with reporters .
In California , more than a thousand pastors were said to be preparing to reopen in defiance of Governor Gavin Newsom 's directive on Monday that any return of congregants to their church pews would be `` a few weeks away . ''
Even before Trump 's remarks on Friday , his administration had signaled that it was siding with church leaders in their protest movement .
When Jack Hibbs , senior pastor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ California , asked Attorney General William Barr during a `` pastor call '' with administration officials this week whether the Justice Department would support California churches that were determined to reopen , Barr answered , `` absolutely , '' and suggested that restrictive orders in some cases indicated a hostility to faith itself .
`` I think the intransigence on this makes me feel that undergirding some of this is really animus against religion , '' Barr said .
When President Trump joined the call , he doubled down on Barr 's comments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , they 'd be happy if you never opened again , '' he told the pastors .
How churches will respond to Trump 's comments is an open question .
Many church leaders have chosen to cooperate with state and local health authorities in planning when and how to reopen .
`` I do n't understand why politics should drive religion quite like it does in these times , '' said Peter Marty , senior pastor at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Davenport , Iowa , and publisher of the Christian Century magazine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Christian community ought to be about thinking wisely and thoughtfully about holding worship services , '' Marty said .
`` Not , what are we constitutionally allowed to do , but what is best ?
What is wisest ?
Christian witness is all about generous behavior towards the other , and especially the vulnerable other . ''
In a separate action , the Justice Department on Friday filed a statement of interest in federal court in support of a legal challenge to Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker 's coronavirus stay-at-home orders .

President Trump Sides With Churches Asserting A Right To Reopen
Enlarge this image toggle caption Jim Mone/AP Jim Mone/AP
Houses of worship around the country on Friday got a presidential green light to open immediately.
"I call on governors to allow our churches and places of worship to open right now," President Trump said in remarks at the White House. "These are places that hold our society together and keep our people united," he said. "The people are demanding to go to church and synagogue and to their mosque."
More than 90% of houses of worship have been closed in order to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, and numerous polls have actually shown that a majority of the American public support the restrictions.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention promptly issued new guidance to assist faith institutions in their reopening. The guidance replaced an earlier version that was drafted but never released. The new version was worded to make clear it was "non-binding public health guidance for consideration only."
Some of the recommendations from the earlier version were nonetheless retained in some form, including a suggestion that religious leaders "consider suspending or at least decreasing use of choir/musical ensembles and congregant singing, chanting or reciting during services."
Religion Some Religious Leaders Vow To Have In-Person Services Despite Government Orders Some Religious Leaders Vow To Have In-Person Services Despite Government Orders Listen · 3:59 3:59
The CDC guidance also advised faith leaders to "take steps to limit the size of gatherings in accordance with the guidance and directives of state and local authorities."
In his White House remarks, however, Trump offered no such deference to the the judgment of state and local governments on an appropriate size for church gatherings.
"The governors need to do the right thing and allow these very important, essential places of faith to open right now, for this weekend. If they don't do it, I will override the governors," he said.
Trump's remarks came as some church leaders around the country were mobilizing to reopen in defiance of restrictions. The leader of Minnesota's Catholics, Archbishop Bernard Hebda, announced this week that churches under his authority would reopen despite an order from Gov. Tim Walz barring gatherings of more than 10 people.
"We will resume holding in-person Masses and services in a limited capacity beginning on Tuesday, May 26, whether or not the governor has amended his executive order," Hebda said in a call with reporters.
In California, more than a thousand pastors were said to be preparing to reopen in defiance of Gov. Gavin Newsom's directive on Monday that any return of congregants to their church pews would be "a few weeks away."
Even before Trump's remarks on Friday, his administration had signaled that it was siding with church leaders in their protest movement.
When Jack Hibbs, senior pastor at Calvary Chapel in Chino Hills, Calif., asked Attorney General William Barr during a "pastor call" with administration officials this week whether the Justice Department would support California churches that were determined to reopen, Barr answered, "absolutely," and suggested that restrictive orders in some cases indicated a hostility to faith itself.
"I think the intransigence on this makes me feel that undergirding some of this is really animus against religion," Barr said.
When Trump joined the call, he doubled down on Barr's comments. "Some of these Democrat governors, they'd be happy if you never opened again," he told the pastors.
How churches will respond to Trump's comments is an open question. Many church leaders have chosen to cooperate with state and local health authorities in planning when and how to reopen.
"I don't understand why politics should drive religion quite like it does in these times," said Peter Marty, senior pastor at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Davenport, Iowa, and publisher of the Christian Century magazine.
"I would argue that the Christian community ought to be about thinking wisely and thoughtfully about holding worship services," Marty said. "Not, what are we constitutionally allowed to do, but what is best? What is wisest? Christian witness is all about generous behavior towards the other, and especially the vulnerable other."
In a separate action, the Justice Department on Friday filed a statement of interest in federal court in support of a legal challenge to Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker's coronavirus stay-at-home orders.


npr--2020-05-23--What To Know As Israel's Netanyahu Goes On Trial For Corruption Charges

What To Know As Israel 's Netanyahu Goes On Trial For Corruption Charges He was his country 's most powerful man .
Time magazine crowned him `` king of Israel . ''
But he could n't win over Israel 's unforgiving free press .
So he is accused of buying his way inside the newsroom of a leading news site , secretly dictating flattering coverage that helped him win reelection twice .
That allegation is at the center of an unprecedented courtroom drama that kicks off Sunday in Jerusalem : the State of Israel v. Benjamin Netanyahu .
The longest-serving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after 11 uninterrupted years in office , will enter the courtroom charged with bribery , fraud and breach of trust .
If convicted , he could spend several years behind bars .
It 's the first time in Israel — and much of the world — that a sitting leader will go on trial .
Usually , senior Israeli officials step down when they face corruption charges , as did Netanyahu 's predecessor , former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert .
But Netanyahu is not required by law to step down after being indicted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conservative leader denies wrongdoing and alleges there is a left-wing witch hunt against him , a claim that has sparked an ugly culture war against Israel 's judiciary , law enforcement and media .
The saga plunged the country into political turmoil for more than 500 days .
Israel held three national elections , each serving as a referendum on Netanyahu , but producing no clear winner .
Finally this week , with Supreme Court approval , Netanyahu sealed a deal with his opposition rival and formed a new unity government .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first time that an acting prime minister is on trial , criminal trial , indicted by very , very serious offenses , '' said Emanuel Gross , professor emeritus of law at Haifa University .
`` This is a crucial moment . ''
What are the allegations against Netanyahu ?
The most serious one carries the charge of bribery .
Prosecutors accuse Netanyahu of offering regulatory favors worth hundreds of millions of dollars to a telecommunications executive , and in return gaining secret editorial control over Walla !
News , Israel 's second @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years , including during his 2013 and 2015 reelection campaigns , Netanyahu and his wife Sara allegedly made hundreds of editorial demands of the executive and his wife , placed stories and photos , killed unflattering coverage and wielded influence over the hiring of editors and reporters .
`` Generally , in criminal charges of bribery , it 's hard to have good evidence between the quid and the pro , '' said Amir Fuchs of the nonpartisan Israel Democracy Institute .
`` In the indictment , you see a lot of evidence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's not a classic bribery case where the interest is money or sex .
Never before has an Israeli official been indicted of bribery for securing positive press .
Netanyahu also faces lesser charges of fraud and breach of trust in two other cases .
He 's accused of discussing a secret proposal with the owner of Israel 's biggest news site , YNet , and its related paper Yediot Ahronot , to promote legislation undercutting the owner 's biggest competitor in exchange for the owner reversing his critical editorial line against Netanyahu @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of pulling strings with U.S. and Israeli officials to benefit a Hollywood producer who provided the Netanyahus with a constant supply of expensive jewelry , cigars and champagne .
Netanyahu also accepted a regular supply of cigars and champagne from an Australian businessman .
What will the trial look like ?
Considering the significance of the moment , the opening hearing could be anticlimactic .
At 3 p.m. local time ( 8 a.m .
ET ) Sunday , Netanyahu will appear before a three-judge panel at the district court in East Jerusalem for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an hour .
Netanyahu will only be asked to say a few words — whether he understands the charges .
He will not yet need to enter a plea .
The telecom executive and his wife and the newspaper owner also face bribery charges .
Each defendant is permitted one defense attorney in the courtroom , due to coronavirus rules limiting attendance , and all must wear face masks .
The state prosecutor has been assigned bodyguards to protect her from threats .
Reporters will fill overflow rooms to watch the hearing on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be televised to the public as is customary .
The opening session was scheduled for March but the government 's coronavirus stay-at-home orders led the judges to postpone it — an extension that gave the leader more time to build a coalition government and secure his new term in office .
Now he comes to the trial from a position of power .
Netanyahu asked the court to exempt him from attending the opening hearing , arguing that he is already aware of the allegations and that his bodyguards would exceed coronavirus limits @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rejected his request , saying there is room for his bodyguards and he needs to be present for the reading of his allegations .
As the trial progresses , Netanyahu could be asked to appear in court three or four times a week , while still serving as prime minister .
It could take months to a year to process preliminary arguments before witnesses are called to the stand .
The prosecution 's star witnesses are three of Netanyahu 's former close aides who agreed to testify against their ex-boss and escape prosecution @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Netanyahu an exemption from personally attending every hearing .
It could be several years before a verdict is handed down .
If the judges find Netanyahu guilty , he can appeal the verdict at the Supreme Court .
If he lost that appeal he would be required to leave office .

What To Know As Israel's Netanyahu Goes On Trial For Corruption Charges
Enlarge this image toggle caption Oded Balilty/AP Oded Balilty/AP
Updated at 4:41 p.m. ET
He was his country's most powerful man. Time magazine crowned him "king of Israel." But he couldn't win over Israel's unforgiving free press. So he is accused of buying his way inside the newsroom of a leading news site, secretly dictating flattering coverage that helped him win reelection twice.
That allegation is at the center of an unprecedented courtroom drama that kicked off Sunday in Jerusalem: the State of Israel v. Benjamin Netanyahu.
The longest-serving prime minister in Israel's history, after 11 uninterrupted years in office, entered the courtroom charged with bribery, fraud and breach of trust. If convicted, he could spend several years behind bars.
It's the first time in Israel — and much of the world — that a sitting leader has gone on trial. Usually, senior Israeli officials step down when they face corruption charges, as did Netanyahu's predecessor, former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.
But Netanyahu is not required by law to step down after being indicted and has refused to resign. The conservative leader denies wrongdoing and alleges there is a left-wing witch hunt against him, a claim that has sparked an ugly culture war against Israel's judiciary, law enforcement and media.
The saga plunged the country into political turmoil for more than 500 days. Israel held three national elections, each serving as a referendum on Netanyahu, but producing no clear winner. Finally this week, with Supreme Court approval, Netanyahu sealed a deal with his opposition rival and formed a new unity government.
"It's terrible. It's the first time that an acting prime minister is on trial, criminal trial, indicted by very, very serious offenses," said Emanuel Gross, professor emeritus of law at Haifa University. "This is a crucial moment."
What are the allegations against Netanyahu?
The most serious one carries the charge of bribery. Prosecutors accuse Netanyahu of offering regulatory favors worth hundreds of millions of dollars to a telecommunications executive, and in return gaining secret editorial control over Walla! News, Israel's second biggest news site. For nearly five years, including during his 2013 and 2015 reelection campaigns, Netanyahu and his wife Sara allegedly made hundreds of editorial demands of the executive and his wife, placed stories and photos, killed unflattering coverage and wielded influence over the hiring of editors and reporters.
"Generally, in criminal charges of bribery, it's hard to have good evidence between the quid and the pro," said Amir Fuchs of the nonpartisan Israel Democracy Institute. "In the indictment, you see a lot of evidence of the link."
But it's not a classic bribery case where the interest is money or sex. Never before has an Israeli official been indicted of bribery for securing positive press.
Netanyahu also faces lesser charges of fraud and breach of trust in two other cases. He's accused of discussing a secret proposal with the owner of Israel's biggest news site, YNet, and its related paper Yediot Ahronot, to promote legislation undercutting the owner's biggest competitor in exchange for the owner reversing his critical editorial line against Netanyahu.
The prime minister is also accused of pulling strings with U.S. and Israeli officials to benefit a Hollywood producer who provided the Netanyahus with a constant supply of expensive jewelry, cigars and champagne. Netanyahu also accepted a regular supply of cigars and champagne from an Australian businessman.
What will the trial look like?
Two groups of demonstrators formed outside the prime minister's residence hours before Sunday's hearing. Separated by a line of police, anti-Netanyahu protesters faced off against supporters of the prime minister, who had been organized by his Likud party.
Netanyahu arrived at the district courthouse in East Jerusalem to appear before the three-judge panel on Sunday afternoon. Surrounded by members of his cabinet, the prime minister gave a 15-minute long televised speech before entering the courtroom.
In his defiant address, Netanyahu alleged a conspiracy by the attorney general, justice officials, police investigators, the left wing and the media
"What is on trial today is the attempt to thwart the will of the people - to topple me and topple the right wing," Netanyahu said.
During the 45-minute long hearing, supporters continued to chant messages over loudspeakers right outside the courtroom window. Inside the courtroom, the head judge asked Netanyahu's lawyer to step aside, multiple times, to get a view of the prime minister sitting behind the bench.
Netanyahu did not enter a plea on Sunday.
The telecom executive and his wife and the newspaper owner also face bribery charges.
Each defendant is permitted one defense attorney in the courtroom, due to coronavirus rules limiting attendance, and all must wear face masks. The state prosecutor has been assigned bodyguards to protect her from threats. Reporters filled overflow rooms to watch Sunday's hearing on screens, but the trial will not be televised to the public as is customary.
The opening session was scheduled for March but the government's coronavirus stay-at-home orders led the judges to postpone it — an extension that gave the leader more time to build a coalition government and secure his new term in office. Now he comes to the trial from a position of power.
Netanyahu had asked the court to exempt him from attending the opening hearing, arguing that he is already aware of the allegations and that his bodyguards would exceed coronavirus limits on courtroom attendance. But the court rejected his request, saying there is room for his bodyguards and he needs to be present for the reading of his allegations. As the trial progresses, Netanyahu could be asked to appear in court three or four times a week, while still serving as prime minister.
It could take months to a year to process preliminary arguments before witnesses are called to the stand. The prosecution's star witnesses are three of Netanyahu's former close aides who agreed to testify against their ex-boss and escape prosecution. The court is likely to grant Netanyahu an exemption from personally attending every hearing. It could be several years before a verdict is handed down.
If the judges find Netanyahu guilty, he can appeal the verdict at the Supreme Court. If he lost that appeal he would be required to leave office.


npr--2020-05-23--Latest Style Trend: Clandestine Haircuts During Stay-At-Home Orders

It 's been months since most Americans have had a professional haircut .
Salons have been shut down under stay-at-home orders to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus .
In Los Angeles , the result has been a robust clandestine haircut scene .
Carmelle began cutting hair out of her living room after the salon where she worked closed in mid-March .
Her manager incorrectly informed her that she was not eligible for unemployment .
She applied for jobs at grocery stores and delivery services but got nowhere .
So , with no money coming in , she turned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into a salon and placed an ad on Craigslist .
`` I was n't expecting a high volume at all , '' she said .
`` And when my phone had over 100 texts in one day , I was like , 'Oh my goodness , what am I gon na do ? '
[ There are ] a lot of people out there that [ need ] haircuts ! ''
Carmelle asked that her last name not be used for fear of losing her cosmetologist license .
What she 's doing is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ under California 's stay-at-home order .
Stylists who cut hair anyway could be penalized by the state Board of Barbering and Cosmetology .
But Carmelle said she 's doing nothing wrong .
`` Before you judge , put yourself in my situation first .
My hands are tied , '' she said .
The fear of disciplinary action is anxiety-provoking .
Another LA-area stylist said she 's completely drained after making a single home visit .
She asked that her name not be used because she also fears losing her license .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' she said .
`` I did one person and I 'm like , exhausted , when my average day was 12 people . ''
People who get clandestine haircuts are anxious , too , but about something else .
`` The shaming , '' said Whitney Coss , an Angeleno who recently had her longtime stylist come to her home to cut and dye her hair on her back deck .
`` I 've been shamed by strangers and friends for posting stuff online where I 'm not just sitting at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her hair cut because she said she needed a little self-care right now .
`` I was like you know what ?
I need this .
I need to feel good , I need to have a haircut , I need to do something that feels normal , '' she said .
Public officials who look too groomed on camera also risk being shamed .
At a recent meeting of the Orange County , Calif. , Board of Supervisors , salon owner Melissa Sprout accused officials of getting haircuts on the sly while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ As a hairstylist , I can see that many of you have had services done in the last six weeks .
If politicians are using our services illegally , surely they find us essential , '' Sprout told the board .
`` I have not had my hair cut since well before this started , '' Supervisor Don Wagner shot back , `` and if you want to get a close-up look , talk to me afterward . ''
Reporters recently asked California Gov .
Gavin Newsom about his hair at a press @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pretty obvious to you I have not had a haircut , '' Newsom said .
`` I 'm a little embarrassed having this conversation as publicly as I am having . ''
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti told reporters his wife is cutting his hair at home , with electric shears he bought on Amazon .
What Garcetti is doing may be safer than going to a salon , according to Seth Gordon Benzell , a postdoctoral associate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology who recently wrote a paper examining the risk of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ What 's really dangerous is people sitting around in crowded , small barber shops , '' Benzell said .
But before you consider a home haircut , Benzell wants people to consider the trade-offs .
It is worth it ?
he asked .
`` You should ask yourself , `` Do I really want to be spending my limited social contact budget on this ?
Or is there something more important I want to spend my very few human interactions that I 'm allowing myself on ? ''
Those in desperate need of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to guide them , via FaceTime , while they cut their own hair .
Thanks to the coronavirus , one Los Angeles stylist is now offering that service .

Latest Style Trend: Clandestine Haircuts During Stay-At-Home Orders
Enlarge this image toggle caption Chava Sanchez/KPCC Chava Sanchez/KPCC
It's been months since most Americans have had a professional haircut. Salons have been shut down under stay-at-home orders to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus. In Los Angeles, the result has been a robust clandestine haircut scene.
Carmelle began cutting hair out of her living room after the salon where she worked closed in mid-March. Her manager incorrectly informed her that she was not eligible for unemployment. She applied for jobs at grocery stores and delivery services but got nowhere. So, with no money coming in, she turned her house in Compton, Calif., into a salon and placed an ad on Craigslist.
"I wasn't expecting a high volume at all," she said. "And when my phone had over 100 texts in one day, I was like, 'Oh my goodness, what am I gonna do?' [There are] a lot of people out there that [need] haircuts!"
Carmelle asked that her last name not be used for fear of losing her cosmetologist license. What she's doing is not allowed: Salons are still closed under California's stay-at-home order. Stylists who cut hair anyway could be penalized by the state Board of Barbering and Cosmetology.
But Carmelle said she's doing nothing wrong.
"Before you judge, put yourself in my situation first. My hands are tied," she said.
The fear of disciplinary action is anxiety-provoking. Another LA-area stylist said she's completely drained after making a single home visit. She asked that her name not be used because she also fears losing her license.
National Protesters Offer Free Haircuts At Michigan Capitol To Defy Stay-At-Home Order Protesters Offer Free Haircuts At Michigan Capitol To Defy Stay-At-Home Order Listen · 3:49 3:49
"It's like I need a nap," she said. "I did one person and I'm like, exhausted, when my average day was 12 people."
People who get clandestine haircuts are anxious, too, but about something else.
"The shaming," said Whitney Coss, an Angeleno who recently had her longtime stylist come to her home to cut and dye her hair on her back deck. "I've been shamed by strangers and friends for posting stuff online where I'm not just sitting at home."
She decided to get her hair cut because she said she needed a little self-care right now.
"I was like you know what? I need this. I need to feel good, I need to have a haircut, I need to do something that feels normal," she said.
Unshorn government leaders
Public officials who look too groomed on camera also risk being shamed. At a recent meeting of the Orange County, Calif., Board of Supervisors, salon owner Melissa Sprout accused officials of getting haircuts on the sly while forcing salons to stay closed.
"As a hairstylist, I can see that many of you have had services done in the last six weeks. If politicians are using our services illegally, surely they find us essential," Sprout told the board.
"I have not had my hair cut since well before this started," Supervisor Don Wagner shot back, "and if you want to get a close-up look, talk to me afterward."
Reporters recently asked California Gov. Gavin Newsom about his hair at a press conference.
"I think it's pretty obvious to you I have not had a haircut," Newsom said. "I'm a little embarrassed having this conversation as publicly as I am having."
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti told reporters his wife is cutting his hair at home, with electric shears he bought on Amazon.
What Garcetti is doing may be safer than going to a salon, according to Seth Gordon Benzell, a postdoctoral associate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology who recently wrote a paper examining the risk of reopening various kinds of businesses.
"What's really dangerous is people sitting around in crowded, small barber shops," Benzell said.
But before you consider a home haircut, Benzell wants people to consider the trade-offs. It is worth it? he asked.
"You should ask yourself, "Do I really want to be spending my limited social contact budget on this? Or is there something more important I want to spend my very few human interactions that I'm allowing myself on?"
Those in desperate need of a trim can always pay a barber to guide them, via FaceTime, while they cut their own hair. Thanks to the coronavirus, one Los Angeles stylist is now offering that service.


npr--2020-05-23--A Tale of Two (Convention) Cities Fearing A Second Wave Of COVID-19

A Tale of Two ( Convention ) Cities Fearing A Second Wave Of COVID-19 Two new polls out this week indicate a majority of Americans fear a `` second wave '' of COVID-19 cases in the near future , which may be washing away the chances for traditional presidential nominating conventions this year .
A recent NPR/PBS/Marist poll found 77 % of Americans were very concerned or concerned about a second wave of coronavirus .
The next day , the Associated Press and NORC for Public Affairs Research reported 54 % of Americans `` very or extremely concerned '' that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( with nearly another 30 % somewhat concerned ) .
Federal health officials including renowned infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci have warned a resurgence of the virus is likely in the months ahead , possibly coinciding with flu season in the fall .
It might also come earlier if the reopening of business reverses the current downward trend in new COVID-19 cases .
So at this point it is hard for convention planners to know whether the last two weeks in August would bring relative calm or a rerun of the outbreaks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has people wondering in the convention host cities of Milwaukee and Charlotte .
As much as they wanted to host these events , is the price too high in terms of local residents ' exposure ?
Milwaukee was to host the Democratic convention in mid-July but the party 's national committee agreed to postpone until the week of August 17 .
That is the week before the Republicans are slated to gather in Charlotte .
`` We do n't know yet what the new normal will be at the end of August , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Charlotte architect who served two terms as its first African American mayor in the 1980s .
`` I 'm not expecting the mayor or the city council to rescind the decision to host , not sure that 's even an option , '' Gantt said .
`` But if a hurricane blew through here the week before , I think you 'd see some reconsideration , and if people are contracting and dying from COVID-19 it makes no sense to go forward . ''
The 2016 national nominating conventions in Cleveland and Philadelphia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nearly a third of them media personnel .
Day and night for a week , throngs pulsed through sports arena hallways , hotel lobbies , meeting rooms and bars .
It was great for the local economies , bringing in $ 180 million to each host city according to the U.S. Travel Association and supporting thousands of jobs – at least temporarily .
Those dollars and jobs could scarcely be more welcome in any American city than they would be this summer .
But it 's also hard to imagine a more effective @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not only the conventioneers but also the thousands of workers employed to set up , serve food and drinks and clean up .
For the workers , the choice would be between their health and their job .
`` If 50,000 people come here they are going to have a disparate impact on this community and we will be left to pick up the pieces , '' says Mark Jerrell , an African American man serving in his first term on the Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners .
`` So if you are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ revenue from taxes , what about the $ 20 million in medical bills we get as a result ? ''
Jerrell 's district on the County Board is , by his description , `` one third African Americans , one third Caucasian and one third Hispanic , Asian or other . ''
He makes it clear he thinks the area 's people of color would be vulnerable .
`` There 's no question some of our people are at a higher level of risk because of their lack of health care and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Jerrell said .
`` We 've already seen a disproportionate share of the cases of COVID here in [ Mecklenburg ] County are people of color . ''
Gantt made a similar point with respect to the convention and the virus .
`` Ultimately the people running the convention itself have to be concerned about keeping their own people safe and seeing what precautions they need to take so that their delegates want to attend , '' said Gantt .
But he added their responsibilities also extended to the thousands of Charlotteans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ related events .
`` They have to take care of our people , too .
The onus will be on them to see that the people working that convention are safe . ''
Pointed questions were being asked weeks ago at town halls and in social media in Milwaukee , too .
`` At first a lot of local folks were really excited to have the convention here , to show off our city , our small businesses and black owned businesses , '' says Angela Lang , executive director of Black Leaders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We also saw it as a chance to talk about the challenges here , especially in terms of black folks . ''
Lang 's organization was even helping recruit volunteers to work on the convention when the COVID-19 crisis hit and perspectives changed .
`` At the end of the day we have to be sure people are safe , '' she said .
`` And when you look around you see the people who still have to go to work .
Not only health workers but grocery store workers , truck drivers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic is the class aspect to who 's at risk .
And when you paint the picture a lot of these people are black and brown . ''
To date , the official responses of the two parties have been so divergent that the two symbols are inadvertently made symbols of the country 's political divide .
The Democratic National Committee is voting ( by mail ) on a proposal to leave final decisions about the convention to a state and local team of health and elected officials .
But Wisconsin Gov .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ said he expects the convention to move toward an essentially virtual mode .
And the presumed nominee of the convention , former Vice President Joe Biden , has said he is fine with that or with a hybrid of in-person and virtual .
Polling has shown Democrats in general are more supportive of stay-at-home orders of all kinds , and a New York Times canvass of Democratic delegates entitled to vote at the convention found most would prefer not to hazard a face-to-face confab this year .
So , while Milwaukee has waited @ @ @ @ @ @ @ major party nominating convention , it may just have to wait longer .
The sentiment has been quite different on the Republican side , where polls and YouTube videos show active resistance to stay-at-home orders .
The president has often reiterated his support for a traditional convention , and as recently as last week , officials for the convention and for the Republican National Committee reiterated they were moving `` full speed ahead . ''
That may be the GOP 's final word , or it may be bravado or even a negotiating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ online Thursday that President Trump might not be as adamant about the Charlotte convention as has been assumed , citing unnamed aides suggesting the president had spoken of scaling back – or even moving the convention to Florida .
More likely than that would be a graduated compromise , possibly with a fraction of the human footprint .
`` People keep talking about 50,000 , '' said Gantt .
`` We do n't know that it will be that many , it may wind up being two or three thousand .
Or maybe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ facility . ''
That was very much like the solution proposed for the Democrats by Speaker Nancy Pelosi , who envisioned a ballpark with delegates six feet apart .
Moving out of Charlotte would seem the least likely scenario at this point .
But it would surely flip the script on some in Charlotte who have noted the city has a contract with the Republicans that allows few exit ramps , if any .
That contract was cited when , in 2019 , some members of the City Council wanted to have a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( The first was in 2018 , and the tally was 6-5 in favor . )
The do-over discussion followed a fiery rally President Trump had held halfway across the state in Greenville , N.C. , criticizing Rep. Ilhan Omar , D-Minn. , and other women of color just elected to Congress .
The crowd was seen national TV chanting `` send her back . ''
One Charlotte city councilman , Braxton Winston , referred at that time to Trump as `` an avatar of white supremacy . ''
But the full council @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taken the previous year .
Widely separated by geography and history , the two cities nonetheless share notable characteristics .
The growing city of Charlotte is nearing 900,000 people and the surrounding Mecklenburg County adds another 200,000 .
The City of Milwaukee has fewer than 600,000 and its suburbs within Milwaukee County add another 350,000 ( and still more in the counties beyond ) .
In both cases , the core city has become increasingly African American and Hispanic as white residents over the past few generations decamped to the suburbs .
Charlotte @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 14 % Hispanic in the latest Census estimate .
The comparable numbers in Milwaukee today are 40 % and 17 % .
Both cities have long histories of racially segregated neighborhoods , civil rights struggles and battles over the schools .
In 2016 , both cities saw violent street confrontations after the shooting deaths of young black men by police officers .
In Charlotte , six young men of color had been fatally shot , all but one by a white officer , in a six month period .
But both cities have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ transformation .
Since Gantt in the 1980s , Charlotte has become accustomed to having black mayors , including Anthony Foxx , who was later the U.S. secretary of transportation under President Obama .
Vi Lyles , the current mayor , is the first black woman to hold the office .
The Charlotte City Council has a black majority , as does the Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners .
Milwaukee 's population is actually more non-Anglo by percentage than Charlotte , although it has not yet elected a black mayor .
State Sen. Lena @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a strong second in the most recent mayoral race , losing to 16-year incumbent Tom Barrett ( who was first elected over an African American alderman who was serving as acting mayor at the time ) .
In April of this year , state Rep. David Crowley became the first African American elected as Milwaukee County Executive ( a post once held by Scott Walker , who would later serve two terms as governor ) .
And while the city 's Common Council is divided almost equally between white and black aldermen ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had several black council presidents , including the current president Cavalier `` Chevy '' Johnson .
Race may have been at least a subtle subtext of the choice of Milwaukee and Wisconsin to host the convention in 2020 .
While many factors contributed to Hillary Clinton 's loss in the state in 2016 , one was a sharp drop in voting in Milwaukee 's black community .
Some estimates have shown African American voting rates in the state down by nearly a fifth .
About 7 out of 10 African Americans in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the city proper dropped 11 percentage points from President Obama 's last campaign in 2012 .
It should be noted that elsewhere in the state 18 less populous counties that had voted twice for Obama switched to Trump in 2016 .
But the falloff in the Democratic tally in Milwaukee was more than enough to account for Clinton 's 22,000 vote loss statewide .
It was the first time a Democratic presidential candidate had failed to carry Wisconsin since 1984 .

A Tale Of 2 (Convention) Cities Fearing A Second Wave Of COVID-19
Enlarge this image toggle caption Chuck Burton/AP Chuck Burton/AP
Two new polls out this week indicate a majority of Americans fear a "second wave" of COVID-19 cases in the near future, which may be washing away the chances for traditional presidential nominating conventions this year.
A recent NPR/PBS/Marist poll found 77% of Americans were very concerned or concerned about a second wave of coronavirus. The next day, the Associated Press and NORC for Public Affairs Research reported that 54% of Americans were "very or extremely concerned" that lifting restrictions will result in new infections (with nearly another 30% somewhat concerned).
Federal health officials, including renowned infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci, have warned a resurgence of the virus is likely in the months ahead, possibly coinciding with flu season in the fall. It might also come earlier if the reopening of business reverses the current downward trend in new COVID-19 cases.
So at this point it is hard for convention planners to know whether the last two weeks in August would bring relative calm or a rerun of the outbreaks from March and April. And that has people wondering in the convention host cities of Milwaukee and Charlotte: As much as they wanted to host these events, is the price too high in terms of local residents' exposure?
Enlarge this image toggle caption Carrie Antlfinger/AP Carrie Antlfinger/AP
Milwaukee was to host the Democratic convention in mid-July but the party's national committee agreed to postpone until the week of Aug. 17. That is the week before the Republicans are slated to gather in Charlotte.
"We don't know yet what the new normal will be at the end of August," notes Harvey Gantt, the prominent Charlotte architect who served two terms as its first African American mayor in the 1980s.
If people are contracting and dying from COVID-19 it makes no sense to go forward.
"I'm not expecting the mayor or the city council to rescind the decision to host, not sure that's even an option," Gantt said. "But if a hurricane blew through here the week before, I think you'd see some reconsideration, and if people are contracting and dying from COVID-19 it makes no sense to go forward."
The 2016 national nominating conventions in Cleveland and Philadelphia each drew an estimated 50,000 people — nearly a third of them media personnel. Day and night for a week, throngs pulsed through sports arena hallways, hotel lobbies, meeting rooms and bars. It was great for the local economies, bringing in $180 million to each host city, according to the U.S. Travel Association and supporting thousands of jobs — at least temporarily.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images
Those dollars and jobs could scarcely be more welcome in any American city than they would be this summer. But it's also hard to imagine a more effective way to spread the virus, endangering not only the conventioneers but also the thousands of workers employed to set up, serve food and drinks, and clean up. For the workers, the choice would be between their health and their job.
"If 50,000 people come here they are going to have a disparate impact on this community and we will be left to pick up the pieces," says Mark Jerrell, an African American man serving in his first term on North Carolina's Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners. "So if you are talking about $10 million in county revenue from taxes, what about the $20 million in medical bills we get as a result?"
Jerrell's district on the County Board is, by his description, "one third African Americans, one third Caucasian and one third Hispanic, Asian or other." He makes it clear he thinks the area's people of color would be vulnerable.
"There's no question some of our people are at a higher level of risk because of their lack of health care and the nature of the work they do," Jerrell said. "We've already seen a disproportionate share of the cases of COVID here in [Mecklenburg] County are people of color."
Gantt made a similar point with respect to the convention and the virus.
"Ultimately the people running the convention itself have to be concerned about keeping their own people safe and seeing what precautions they need to take so that their delegates want to attend," said Gantt.
But he added their responsibilities also extended to the thousands of Charlotteans who would be servicing the convention and related events.
"They have to take care of our people, too," he said. "The onus will be on them to see that the people working that convention are safe."
Pointed questions were being asked weeks ago at town halls and in social media in Milwaukee, too.
"At first a lot of local folks were really excited to have the convention here, to show off our city, our small businesses and black-owned businesses," said Angela Lang, executive director of Black Leaders Organizing for Communities in Milwaukee. "We also saw it as a chance to talk about the challenges here, especially in terms of black folks."
Lang's organization was even helping recruit volunteers to work on the convention when the COVID-19 crisis hit and perspectives changed.
"At the end of the day we have to be sure people are safe," she said. "And when you look around you see the people who still have to go to work. Not only health workers but grocery store workers, truck drivers. One thing really clear in this pandemic is the class aspect to who's at risk. And when you paint the picture a lot of these people are black and brown."
What Democratic and GOP leaders are saying
To date, the official responses of the two parties have been so divergent that the two symbols are inadvertently made symbols of the country's political divide.
The Democratic National Committee is voting (by mail) on a proposal to leave final decisions about the convention to a state and local team of health and elected officials. But Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers, a Democrat, has said he expects the convention to move toward an essentially virtual mode. And the presumed nominee of the convention, former Vice President Joe Biden, has said he is fine with that or with a hybrid of in-person and virtual.
Polling has shown Democrats in general are more supportive of stay-at-home orders of all kinds, and a New York Times canvass of Democratic delegates entitled to vote at the convention found most would prefer not to hazard a face-to-face confab this year. So, while Milwaukee has waited a long time for its first national major party nominating convention, it may just have to wait longer.
The sentiment has been quite different on the Republican side, where polls and YouTube videos show active resistance to stay-at-home orders. The president has often reiterated his support for a traditional convention, and as recently as last week, officials for the convention and for the Republican National Committee reiterated they were moving "full speed ahead."
That may be the GOP's final word, or it may be bravado or even a negotiating position. The New York Times reported online Thursday that President Trump might not be as adamant about the Charlotte convention as has been assumed, citing unnamed aides suggesting the president had spoken of scaling back — or even moving the convention to Florida.
More likely than that would be a graduated compromise, possibly with a fraction of the human footprint.
"People keep talking about 50,000," said Gantt. "We don't know that it will be that many, it may wind up being two or three thousand. Or maybe 21,000 spaced out in a very large facility."
That was very much like the solution proposed for the Democrats by Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who envisioned a ballpark with delegates six feet apart.
Moving out of Charlotte would seem the least likely scenario at this point. But it would surely flip the script on some in Charlotte who have noted the city has a contract with the Republicans that allows few exit ramps, if any. That contract was cited when, in 2019, some members of the City Council wanted to have a do-over vote on hosting the RNC. (The first was in 2018, and the tally was 6-5 in favor.)
The do-over discussion followed a fiery rally Trump had held halfway across the state in Greenville, N.C., criticizing Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., and other women of color just elected to Congress. The crowd was seen national TV chanting "send her back."
One Charlotte city councilman, Braxton Winston, referred at that time to Trump as "an avatar of white supremacy." But the full council adjourned without reconsidering the vote it had taken the previous year.
Shared characteristics
Widely separated by geography and history, the two cities nonetheless share notable characteristics. The growing city of Charlotte is nearing 900,000 people and the surrounding Mecklenburg County adds another 200,000. The city of Milwaukee has fewer than 600,000 and its suburbs within Milwaukee County add another 350,000 (and still more in the counties beyond). In both cases, the core city has become increasingly African American and Hispanic as white residents over the past few generations decamped to the suburbs. Charlotte proper was 35% African American and 14% Hispanic in the latest census estimate. The comparable numbers in Milwaukee today are 40% and 17%.
Both cities have long histories of racially segregated neighborhoods, civil rights struggles and battles over the schools. In 2016, both cities saw violent street confrontations after the shooting deaths of young black men by police officers. In Charlotte, six young men of color had been fatally shot, all but one by a white officer, in a six month period.
But both cities have also seen their political leadership undergo a transformation. Since Gantt in the 1980s, Charlotte has become accustomed to having black mayors, including Anthony Foxx, who was later the U.S. secretary of transportation under President Obama. Vi Lyles, the current mayor, is the first black woman to hold the office. The Charlotte City Council has a black majority, as does the Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners.
Milwaukee's population is actually more non-Anglo by percentage than Charlotte, although it has not yet elected a black mayor. State Sen. Lena Taylor, an African American woman, ran a strong second in the most recent mayoral race, losing to 16-year incumbent Tom Barrett (who was first elected over an African American alderman who was serving as acting mayor at the time).
In April of this year, state Rep. David Crowley became the first African American elected as Milwaukee County executive (a post once held by Scott Walker, who would later serve two terms as governor). And while the city's Common Council is divided almost equally between white and black aldermen (with two Hispanics), it has had several black council presidents, including the current president, Cavalier "Chevy" Johnson.
Race may have been at least a subtle subtext of the choice of Milwaukee and Wisconsin to host the convention in 2020. While many factors contributed to Hillary Clinton's loss in the state in 2016, one was a sharp drop in voting in Milwaukee's black community. Some estimates have shown African American voting rates in the state down by nearly a fifth. About 7 out of 10 African Americans in the state live in Milwaukee, where turnout in the city proper dropped 11 percentage points from Obama's last campaign in 2012.
It should be noted that elsewhere in the state 18 less populous counties that had voted twice for Obama switched to Trump in 2016. But the falloff in the Democratic tally in Milwaukee was more than enough to account for Clinton's 22,000-vote loss statewide. It was the first time a Democratic presidential candidate had failed to carry Wisconsin since 1984.


npr--2020-05-24--Ilhan Omar On Her Memoir And Moving The Needle Toward Progressive Policies

Ilhan Omar On Her Memoir And Moving The Needle Toward Progressive Policies '' I was n't afraid of fighting , '' Ilhan Omar writes about her childhood in Somalia in her new memoir .
`` I felt like I was bigger and stronger than everyone else — even if I knew that was n't really the case . ''
In This Is What America Looks Like : My Journey from Refugee to Congresswoman , Omar chronicles her childhood in a middle-class family compound in Mogadishu , followed by civil war , four years in a refugee camp , a journey @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election to Congress as a Democrat representing Minnesota 's 5th district .
Since being elected as one of the first Muslim women to Congress in 2018 , Omar has emerged as a progressive and polarizing figure .
She has been the target of racist insults , but also drawn criticism for controversial statements of her own .
`` I think often times you have to make a choice : Whether you 'll be a punching bag or you 'll be somebody who 's strong and stands up for themselves and for others , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Weekend Edition about Joe Biden and the presidential race , what she wants in future coronavirus relief measures and an unlikely role model .
On the influence of progressives in the Democratic presidential nomination We might not have moved the needle on the nomination , but I think we certainly have moved the needle on the national conversation on the particular policies we 've advocated for .
`` Medicare for All '' is much more popular than it was before this election cycle , and we 're having an honest discussion about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about economic and social injustices in ways that we have n't before .
Taxing the wealthy is not just something that you say and people go , `` Oh , my God . ''
It 's something that people are now actually debating and thinking about ways to be able to do that .
And to see so many people now running for office with the policy positions that we ran on and continue to advocate for really is a testament on how much we 've changed the narrative of what is electable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ On why Joe Biden should choose a person of color as his running mate I think it would be really helpful for our party to continue to have diversity as not something we talk about , but something we celebrate and push forward .
... To have somebody who is really connected to the people who have been the backbone of the Democratic Party will help create , I think , the enthusiasm that Biden lacks right now with the majority of the base .
On what she wants to see in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , right ?
We want to make sure that there is direct cash payment .
We want to make sure that there is hazard pay for essential workers .
We want the OSHA protections to remain as part of the final bill .
We want increase in SNAP funding .
We want to make sure that we 're not just expanding COBRA , but getting emergency Medicare for All .
We want rent and mortgage cancellation .
We have to act comprehensively to stop the kind of economic crisis that is staring us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conservative former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher is a political role model It 's interesting , right ?
Oftentimes , we 're told who our heroes can be .
And for me , I find it to be inspirational for a woman , when there were really no other women around who were leading , to say , `` I can do this . ''
And I think as I think about my own journey , dealing with the ideas that many within my own community had about , `` a boy should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to have sort of an inspiration , and obviously , she 's left a very dark mark in history .
But we ca n't take away how inspirationally bold she was to believe that she can lead as a woman in her time .
NPR 's Hiba Ahmad and Ed McNulty produced and edited the audio version of this interview .

Ilhan Omar On Her Memoir And Moving The Needle Toward Progressive Policies
Enlarge this image toggle caption Olivier Douliery/AFP via Getty Images Olivier Douliery/AFP via Getty Images
"I wasn't afraid of fighting," Ilhan Omar writes about her childhood in Somalia in her new memoir. "I felt like I was bigger and stronger than everyone else — even if I knew that wasn't really the case."
In This Is What America Looks Like: My Journey from Refugee to Congresswoman, Omar chronicles her childhood in a middle-class family compound in Mogadishu, followed by civil war, four years in a refugee camp, a journey to the United States and ultimately her election to Congress as a Democrat representing Minnesota's 5th district.
Since being elected as one of the first Muslim women to Congress in 2018, Omar has emerged as a progressive and polarizing figure. She has been the target of racist insults, but also drawn criticism for controversial statements of her own.
"I think often times you have to make a choice: whether you'll be a punching bag or you'll be somebody who's strong and stands up for themselves and for others," Omar tells NPR.
She talked with Weekend Edition about Joe Biden and the presidential race, what she wants in future coronavirus relief measures and an unlikely role model.
Interview Highlights
On the influence of progressives in the Democratic presidential nomination
This Is What America Looks Like My Journey from Refugee to Congresswoman by Ilhan Omar Hardcover, 304 pages | purchase close overlay Buy Featured Book Your purchase helps support NPR programming. How?
We might not have moved the needle on the nomination, but I think we certainly have moved the needle on the national conversation on the particular policies we've advocated for. "Medicare for All" is much more popular than it was before this election cycle, and we're having an honest discussion about canceling student debt. We're talking about economic and social injustices in ways that we haven't before. Taxing the wealthy is not just something that you say and people go, "Oh, my God." It's something that people are now actually debating and thinking about ways to be able to do that.
And to see so many people now running for office with the policy positions that we ran on and continue to advocate for really is a testament on how much we've changed the narrative of what is electable and what is debatable in Congress.
On why Biden should choose a person of color as his running mate
I think it would be really helpful for our party to continue to have diversity as not something we talk about, but something we celebrate and push forward.
... To have somebody who is really connected to the people who have been the backbone of the Democratic Party will help create, I think, the enthusiasm that Biden lacks right now with the majority of the base.
On what she wants to see in the next coronavirus relief package
There are musts, right? We want to make sure that there is direct cash payment. We want to make sure that there is hazard pay for essential workers. We want the OSHA protections to remain as part of the final bill. We want increase in SNAP funding. We want to make sure that we're not just expanding COBRA, but getting emergency Medicare for All. We want rent and mortgage cancellation. We have to act comprehensively to stop the kind of economic crisis that is staring us in the face.
On why the conservative former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher is a political role model
It's interesting, right? Oftentimes, we're told who our heroes can be. And for me, I find it to be inspirational for a woman, when there were really no other women around who were leading, to say, "I can do this." And I think as I think about my own journey, dealing with the ideas that many within my own community had about, "a boy should be the first." I needed to have sort of an inspiration, and obviously, she's left a very dark mark in history. But we can't take away how inspirationally bold she was to believe that she can lead as a woman in her time.
NPR's Hiba Ahmad and Ed McNulty produced and edited the audio version of this interview.