npr--2020-08-17--Amid Partisan Concerns, Another Trump Appointee Joins Census Bureau's Top Ranks

In an extraordinary move , the Trump administration has added a third deputy director to the U.S. Census Bureau amid mounting concerns of political interference with the 2020 census , the bureau announced Monday .
As the new deputy director for data , Benjamin Overholt will `` support the Census Bureau in ensuring the 2020 Census data products are of the highest quality , '' the bureau said in a statement posted on its website .
Overholt , a statistician who previously served with the U.S .
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Department of Justice , is the third @ @ @ @ @ @ @ less than two months .
At the Justice Department , Overholt worked in the voting section of the department 's Civil Rights Division .
Overholt also served with the U.S. Army for about 14 years , according to the bureau and a LinkedIn profile .
While Census Bureau directors are politically appointed , the day-to-day operations of the federal government 's largest statistical agency have been traditionally overseen by a single deputy director who is a career civil servant .
Deputy Director Ron Jarmin , an economist who is also the bureau 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than a quarter of a century at the agency .
But in late June , the administration announced a surprise addition of a second deputy director to focus on policy — Nathaniel Cogley , a political science professor who has specialized in African politics .
Cogley has been joined by a senior adviser , Adam Korzeniewski , a U.S. Marine Corps veteran who was a paid political consultant to a YouTube personality known for racist pranks .
Those two appointments sparked an inquiry from the Commerce Department 's Office of Inspector General , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which has asked for their resumes and documents detailing how they were put into the positions .
Professional associations of statisticians , economists and demographers have also been questioning Cogley 's and Korzeniewski 's qualifications for taking on newly created , top-level roles in the final months of the 2020 census .
Rep. Carolyn Maloney of New York , who chairs the House Oversight and Reform Committee , is among the Democratic lawmakers who have been calling for Cogley and Korzeniewski to be removed from their roles .
Last week , the Census @ @ @ @ @ @ @ called the committee 's request to conduct transcribed interviews with the two appointees , as well as career officials at the bureau , `` overly burdensome '' because it would `` present substantial disruptions to the essential operations of the census '' in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic .
NPR researchers Nicolette Khan and Will Chase contributed to this report .

Amid Partisan Concerns, Another Trump Appointee Joins Census Bureau's Top Ranks
Enlarge this image toggle caption Claire Harbage/NPR Claire Harbage/NPR
Updated at 1:13 p.m. ET Wednesday
In an extraordinary move, the Trump administration has added a third deputy director to the U.S. Census Bureau amid mounting concerns of political interference with the 2020 census, the bureau announced Monday.
As the new deputy director for data, Benjamin Overholt will "support the Census Bureau in ensuring the 2020 Census data products are of the highest quality," the bureau said in a statement posted on its website.
Neither the Census Bureau nor the Commerce Department, which oversees the bureau, have responded to NPR's questions about who created the top-level position and why. It is also unclear what Overholt's exact responsibilities are.
While Census Bureau directors are politically appointed, the day-to-day operations of the federal government's largest statistical agency have been traditionally overseen by a single deputy director who is a career civil servant. Deputy Director Ron Jarmin, an economist who is also the bureau's chief operating officer, has spent more than a quarter of a century at the agency.
Overholt, a statistician who previously served with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Department of Justice, is the third political appointee to join the bureau in less than two months. At the Justice Department, Overholt worked in the voting section of the department's Civil Rights Division. Overholt also served with the U.S. Army for about 14 years, according to the bureau and a LinkedIn profile.
Overholt's name surfaced during discussions in 2017 within President Trump's now-defunct voter fraud commission, which was chaired by Vice President Mike Pence, as reported by The Guardian.
Kris Kobach — the commission's vice chair and former Kansas secretary of state who urged officials on Trump's 2016 campaign and later in the administration to add a citizenship question to the 2020 census — praised Overholt's "strong statistical abilities" and noted that Overholt conducted analysis about Kansas after seeing Kobach interviewed on TV, according to an August 2017 email released as part of a lawsuit against the commission.
"I really would like to get him on board," Kobach wrote to Mark Paoletta, Pence's top lawyer at the time, adding that if there was resistance from the Justice Department, where Overholt was working at the time, he "would like to personally elevate the request" to the office of then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions.
In an undated letter the commission also released as part of the lawsuit, Overholt appears to address Kobach as "Mr. Secretary" while expressing his "heart-felt concerns about voter fraud."
"This commission needs experienced and politically honest scientists, of which I am one," Overholt wrote, later highlighting his experience in the military and working with census and election data.
"Together this all shows that I am able to analyze all election related data, and find answers to complex questions, all while not discussing the details of my work with anyone," Overholt added.
When I was at DOJ, we had numerous discussions that make me pretty confident that he is conservative (and Christian, too).
Kobach connected with Overholt through Christy McCormick, a member of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission who previously served as an attorney with the Justice Department's voting section and recommended Overholt to Paoletta.
Using an email address under his wife Julie's name, Overholt wrote to McCormick in August 2017 asking for advice on how to get a job with the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity and confirming that he was "very interested in working in redistricting."
"When I was at DOJ, we had numerous discussions that make me pretty confident that he is conservative (and Christian, too)," McCormick wrote to Paoletta in a June 2017 email.
Overholt — who serves on the weekends as a deacon in the Seventh-day Adventist Church, according to the Census Bureau's statement — has not responded to NPR's request for comment.
In late June, the Trump administration announced a surprise addition of a second deputy director at the Census Bureau to focus on policy — Nathaniel Cogley, a political science professor who has specialized in African politics. Cogley has been joined by a senior adviser, Adam Korzeniewski, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran who was a paid political consultant to a YouTube personality known for racist pranks.
Those two appointments sparked an inquiry from the Commerce Department's Office of Inspector General, the bureau's internal watchdog group, which has asked for their resumes and documents detailing how they were put into the positions.
Professional associations of statisticians, economists and demographers have also been questioning Cogley's and Korzeniewski's qualifications for taking on newly created, top-level roles in the final months of the 2020 census.
It's a little late in the game to be installing senior-level officials.
Rep. Carolyn Maloney of New York, who chairs the House Oversight and Reform Committee, is among the Democratic lawmakers who have been calling for Cogley and Korzeniewski to be removed from their roles. Last week, the Census Bureau's director, Steven Dillingham, called the committee's request to conduct transcribed interviews with the two appointees, as well as career officials at the bureau, "overly burdensome" because it would "present substantial disruptions to the essential operations of the census" in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic.
In a statement released Monday, Maloney called the administration's announcement of Overholt's appointment "counterproductive."
"The White House should be heeding the concerns of experienced career officials at the Census Bureau, not scheming about how to rig the process for political gain," Maloney said.
The White House press office did not respond on the record to NPR's request for comment.
"It's a little late in the game to be installing senior-level officials," says Arnold Jackson, who was the chief operating officer for the 2010 census and led operations for the 1990 census. "The systems are in place. The hiring is underway. I mean, what things are you going to do?"
The administration's three recent political appointments have also stirred up confusion and anger among many of the bureau's current career staffers.
We don't need another guy to come, and if we were to have another guy come, it wouldn't be someone who has never worked for a statistical agency and who is manifestly unqualified for the second- or third-highest position.
The administration has placed these additional appointees at the bureau in the wake of the failed effort to add the now-blocked citizenship question to the 2020 census that many saw as an attempt to discourage noncitizens from participating in the constitutionally mandated count of every person living in the U.S.
Less than a month after Cogley and Korzeniewski's appointments were announced, Trump issued a memo calling for the production of data that would help the president attempt to exclude unauthorized immigrants from the apportionment count, despite the 14th Amendment's requirement to include in that count the "whole number of persons in each state."
Some bureau employees are worried the new appointees will further tarnish the agency's reputation as a nonpartisan statistical institution the country relies on for essential data.
"If you read between the lines, it's pretty obvious they want to make sure the set of statistics they want released, get released, which is not a set a statistics that anyone on the career staff is comfortable producing," says a staff researcher at the bureau who agreed to speak to NPR on the condition of anonymity out of fear of retaliation in the workplace for speaking out.
With about four months until the bureau says it's planning to deliver the apportionment count to the president as part of the process for the redistribution of congressional seats among the states, the staff researcher says many bureau employees are suspicious about the timing of the latest appointee's arrival.
"We don't need another guy to come, and if we were to have another guy come, it wouldn't be someone who has never worked for a statistical agency and who is manifestly unqualified for the second- or third-highest position," the staff researcher says. "It just seems weird."
NPR researchers Nicolette Khan and Will Chase contributed to this report.


npr--2020-08-17--Georgia State Trooper Faces Felony Murder Charges In Traffic Stop Shooting

A former Georgia state trooper is facing felony murder and aggravated assault charges after he allegedly shot and killed a 60-year-old Black man during a traffic stop this month .
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation announced Friday that Jacob Gordon Thompson , 27 , was to be booked in the Screven County Jail in connection with an officer-involved shooting on Aug. 7 that resulted in the death of Julian Edward Roosevelt Lewis .
The agency also announced that the investigation is ongoing and that Thompson had been terminated from the Department of Public Safety , Georgia State Patrol .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ State Patrol said Thompson , who is white and had been a state trooper since 2013 , was fired Friday due to his `` negligence or inefficiency in performing assigned duties ; or commission of a felony . ''
According to the bureau 's preliminary findings , Thompson attempted to stop Lewis , who was driving a Nissan Sentra , over a traffic offense .
`` The car refused to stop and led the trooper on a brief chase down several county roads , '' the Georgia Bureau of Investigation said .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( PIT ) and the car came to a stop in the ditch . ''
At some point Thompson fired a single round , according to the bureau , and Lewis was pronounced dead at the scene .
The trooper was not hurt , officials said .
Other high-profile killings of Black men in Georgia The charges against Thompson come as calls to end to systemic racism and police brutality against communities of color have led to months-long national protests following the death of George Floyd on Memorial Day .
Floyd , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ white Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for several minutes .
Georgia has also recently seen other high-profile killings of Black men .
Rayshard Brooks was killed after attempting to flee from Atlanta police officers following an encounter in a Wendy 's restaurant parking lot in June .
One officer has been fired from the Atlanta Police Department and faces 11 charges , including felony murder .
Another officer , who remains with the department , is facing lesser charges , including aggravated assault .
Three white men , one of them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been charged with murder in the February shooting death of Ahmaud Arbery in Glynn County .
In the Aug. 7 Department of Public Safety incident report , Thompson said he initially observed the vehicle driven by Lewis had a broken taillight .
Thompson followed Lewis for a period of time , activating both his emergency lights and eventually his siren .
`` It became apparent to me that the violator did not intend to stop his vehicle , '' Thompson said , according to the report .
Thompson performed a driving maneuver that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ came to a stop .
Thompson pulled his service vehicle beside Lewis ' and exited .
`` Being concerned for my safety , I drew my weapon as I got out of the vehicle , '' Thompson said in the incident report .
It appears that Thompson fired his weapon into Lewis ' vehicle and then asked to see his hands .
`` At some point , I heard the engine on the violator 's vehicle revving at a high rate of speed .
I activated the light on my weapon and observed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ steering wheel , '' Thompson said .
He also said he observed Lewis `` wrenching the steering wheel in an aggressive back and forth manner towards me and my patrol vehicle . ''
`` It appeared to me that the violator was trying to use his vehicle to injure me , '' he added .
`` Being in fear for my life and safety , I discharged my weapon once .
After I fired , the violator sat back motionless .
I recall ordering him to show me his hands , but he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that Lewis was shot in the forehead .
Francys Johnson , the Lewis family attorney and former head of the Georgia NAACP , also told the newspaper that the U.S. Justice Department had approved his request to open a civil rights investigation into Lewis ' death .
`` We got lots of messages from people in the community that the habit of ex-trooper Thompson was to racially profile and harass Black and brown people on the highway , '' Johnson told the Atlanta paper .
`` This was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
Find both the full incident report and the use of force report here .

Georgia State Trooper Faces Felony Murder Charges In Traffic Stop Shooting
Enlarge this image toggle caption Georgia Department of Public Safety via AP/AP Georgia Department of Public Safety via AP/AP
A former Georgia state trooper is facing felony murder and aggravated assault charges after he allegedly shot and killed a 60-year-old Black man during a traffic stop this month.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation announced Friday that Jacob Gordon Thompson, 27, was to be booked in the Screven County Jail in connection with an officer-involved shooting on Aug. 7 that resulted in the death of Julian Edward Roosevelt Lewis.
The agency also announced that the investigation is ongoing and that Thompson had been terminated from the Department of Public Safety, Georgia State Patrol.
In a separate media release, the Georgia State Patrol said Thompson, who is white and had been a state trooper since 2013, was fired Friday due to his "negligence or inefficiency in performing assigned duties; or commission of a felony."
According to the bureau's preliminary findings, Thompson attempted to stop Lewis, who was driving a Nissan Sentra, over a traffic offense.
"The car refused to stop and led the trooper on a brief chase down several county roads," the Georgia Bureau of Investigation said. "The trooper initiated a Precision Intervention Technique (PIT) and the car came to a stop in the ditch."
At some point Thompson fired a single round, according to the bureau, and Lewis was pronounced dead at the scene.
The trooper was not hurt, officials said.
Other high-profile killings of Black men in Georgia
The charges against Thompson come as calls to end to systemic racism and police brutality against communities of color have led to months-long national protests following the death of George Floyd on Memorial Day.
Floyd, a Black man, was killed when a white Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for several minutes.
Georgia has also recently seen other high-profile killings of Black men.
Rayshard Brooks was killed after attempting to flee from Atlanta police officers following an encounter in a Wendy's restaurant parking lot in June.
One officer has been fired from the Atlanta Police Department and faces 11 charges, including felony murder. Another officer, who remains with the department, is facing lesser charges, including aggravated assault.
Three white men, one of them a former law enforcement official, have been charged with murder in the February shooting death of Ahmaud Arbery in Glynn County.
Details in the incident report
In the Aug. 7 Department of Public Safety incident report, Thompson said he initially observed the vehicle driven by Lewis had a broken taillight.
Thompson followed Lewis for a period of time, activating both his emergency lights and eventually his siren. "It became apparent to me that the violator did not intend to stop his vehicle," Thompson said, according to the report.
Thompson performed a driving maneuver that led Lewis' vehicle to crash and came to a stop. Thompson pulled his service vehicle beside Lewis' and exited.
"Being concerned for my safety, I drew my weapon as I got out of the vehicle," Thompson said in the incident report.
It appears that Thompson fired his weapon into Lewis' vehicle and then asked to see his hands.
"At some point, I heard the engine on the violator's vehicle revving at a high rate of speed. I activated the light on my weapon and observed the violator with both hands on the steering wheel," Thompson said.
He also said he observed Lewis "wrenching the steering wheel in an aggressive back and forth manner towards me and my patrol vehicle."
"It appeared to me that the violator was trying to use his vehicle to injure me," he added.
"Being in fear for my life and safety, I discharged my weapon once. After I fired, the violator sat back motionless. I recall ordering him to show me his hands, but he remained motionless," the report said.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that Lewis was shot in the forehead.
Francys Johnson, the Lewis family attorney and former head of the Georgia NAACP, also told the newspaper that the U.S. Justice Department had approved his request to open a civil rights investigation into Lewis' death.
"We got lots of messages from people in the community that the habit of ex-trooper Thompson was to racially profile and harass Black and brown people on the highway," Johnson told the Atlanta paper.
"This was not shocking to them that this happened."
Find both the full incident report and the use of force report here.


npr--2020-08-17--As USPS Pressure Grows, Postmaster General To Appear For House Hearing Next Week

As USPS Pressure Grows , Postmaster General To Appear For House Hearing Next Week Postmaster General Louis DeJoy has agreed to appear for a U.S. House Oversight Committee hearing next week as lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have voiced concern over the direction of the U.S .
Postal Service .
DeJoy , who is an ally of President Trump 's and a major Republican donor , took over leadership of the Postal Service in May .
And pressure has grown throughout the summer for him to answer questions about his plans to `` implement an organizational realignment '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people want their mail , medicines , and mail-in ballots delivered in a timely way , and they certainly do not want drastic changes and delays in the midst of a global pandemic just months before the election , '' House Oversight Chair Rep. Carolyn Maloney , D-N.Y. , said in announcing DeJoy 's agreement to testify .
The agency has long been in financial trouble , having lost $ 9 billion last year .
But DeJoy 's cost-cutting measures have drawn the ire of Democrats , who fear the cuts could disrupt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ November general election .
Republicans , many of whom represent rural voters dependent on the mail , are also concerned about the changes to postal delivery .
`` I share the goal of putting the USPS back on a financially sustainable path ; however , this goal can not be achieved by shortchanging service to the public , '' Sen. Susan Collins , R-Maine , wrote in a letter to DeJoy last week .
If left unaddressed , Collins wrote , the recent service issues would not only harm her constituents but also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its long-term viability .
The agency is among the most beloved American institutions , with 91 % of Americans reporting a favorable opinion of it in an April Pew survey .
Chief among the recent concerns are DeJoy 's decision to cut back on overtime for mail carriers , which means late-arriving mail will more often be delivered the next day , and the removal of high-speed sorting machines .
`` We are beginning to see those changes and how it is impacting the mail , '' Kimberly Karol , president of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last week .
`` Mail is beginning to pile up in our offices , and we 're seeing equipment being removed . ''
Concern about the changes was bubbling a month ago as they went into effect .
But Trump 's comments last week , in which he seemed to tie USPS funding to his hope of hampering mail-in voting expansions nationwide , drastically increased the urgency for lawmakers .
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is calling the House back into session this week to pass a bill aimed at halting any changes within @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` level of service '' this fall .
The oversight hearing with DeJoy , which was originally planned for September , was moved up to next week .
The hearing is now scheduled for 10 a.m .
ET Aug. 24 , and the chair of the U.S .
Postal Service board governors , Robert Duncan , is also set to testify .
The board oversees the Postal Service and was responsible for hiring DeJoy , a former private-sector logistics CEO .

As USPS Pressure Grows, Postmaster General To Appear For House Hearing Next Week
Enlarge this image toggle caption Eric Lee/Bloomberg via Getty Images Eric Lee/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Updated at 3:26 p.m. ET
Postmaster General Louis DeJoy has agreed to appear for a U.S. House Oversight Committee hearing next week as lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have voiced concern over the direction of the U.S. Postal Service.
DeJoy, who is an ally of President Trump's and a major Republican donor, took over leadership of the Postal Service in May. And pressure has grown throughout the summer for him to answer questions about his plans to "implement an organizational realignment" at the agency.
"The American people want their mail, medicines, and mail-in ballots delivered in a timely way, and they certainly do not want drastic changes and delays in the midst of a global pandemic just months before the election," House Oversight Chair Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., said in announcing DeJoy's agreement to testify.
The agency has long been in financial trouble, having lost $9 billion last year. But DeJoy's cost-cutting measures have drawn the ire of Democrats, who fear the cuts could disrupt the mailing of ballots ahead of the November general election. Republicans, many of whom represent rural voters dependent on the mail, are also concerned about the changes to postal delivery.
"I share the goal of putting the USPS back on a financially sustainable path; however, this goal cannot be achieved by shortchanging service to the public," Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, wrote in a letter to DeJoy last week.
If left unaddressed, Collins wrote, the recent service issues would not only harm her constituents but also undermine confidence in the agency and hurt its long-term viability. The agency is among the most beloved American institutions, with 91% of Americans reporting a favorable opinion of it in an April Pew survey.
Chief among the recent concerns are DeJoy's decision to cut back on overtime for mail carriers, which means late-arriving mail will more often be delivered the next day, and the removal of high-speed sorting machines.
"We are beginning to see those changes and how it is impacting the mail," Kimberly Karol, president of the Iowa Postal Workers Union, told NPR last week. "Mail is beginning to pile up in our offices, and we're seeing equipment being removed."
Concern about the changes was bubbling a month ago as they went into effect. But Trump's comments last week, in which he seemed to tie USPS funding to his hope of hampering mail-in voting expansions nationwide, drastically increased the urgency for lawmakers.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is calling the House back into session this week to pass a bill aimed at halting any changes within the Postal Service that would affect the "level of service" this fall.
The oversight hearing with DeJoy, which was originally planned for September, was moved up to next week.
The hearing is now scheduled for 10 a.m. ET Aug. 24, and the chair of the U.S. Postal Service board governors, Robert Duncan, is also set to testify. The board oversees the Postal Service and was responsible for hiring DeJoy, a former private-sector logistics CEO.


npr--2020-08-17--Trump Administration Moves Closer To Allowing Oil Drilling In Arctic Refuge

The Trump administration is pushing ahead with plans to allow drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge .
The first leases to drill for oil and gas in the area could be sold by the end of 2020 , Interior Department Secretary David Bernhardt said as his agency formally announced its leasing program on Monday .
Laying out the terms of a leasing program is one of the last steps in a controversial plan to tap into the gas and oil resources in the region that has been fought over for decades .
It 's backed by Republicans and opposed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Alaska 's Indigenous communities .
The move applies to some 1.57 million acres of the refuge 's coastal plain .
`` I do believe there certainly could be a lease sale by the end of the year , '' Bernhardt said , according to NPR member station Alaska Public Media .
Environmental groups have pledged to sue to stop the move .
They said that once drilling rights are sold , it will be harder for a future president to reverse course .
The Natural Resources Defense Council and other groups said oil @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pristine landscape , which sustains caribou , polar bears , migratory birds and other animals .
`` The Trump administration never stops pushing to drill in the Arctic Refuge — and we will never stop suing them , '' said Gina McCarthy , president of the Natural Resources Defense Council .
`` America has safeguarded the refuge for decades , and we will not allow the administration to strip that protection away now . ''
Alaska 's congressional delegation — Sens .
Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan , and Rep. Don Young @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , thanking President Trump and Bernhardt for what they said will be a boost for their state 's economy .
`` This is a capstone moment in our decades-long push to allow for the responsible development '' of oil resources in the refuge , Murkowski said .
`` As we approach the day where the first drilling rigs arrive and crude starts flowing , I will continue working with great excitement to ensure that Alaska is front and center as we blaze the trail toward American energy dominance , '' Young said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ there will be for Arctic leases .
The oil industry has been hit hard by the pandemic .
It 's also not clear exactly how much oil is in the refuge , and a growing list of investors have responded to environmental concerns and said they wo n't fund oil and gas projects there .
Sierra Club lobbyist Athan Manuel has been fighting to keep rigs out of the refuge for more than 20 years .
He said the Trump administration is rushing to get at least one company to bid on leases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the possible arrival of a new president who opposes drilling .
`` I think they just want to ram this down people 's throats to show that they can still drill where they want to drill and still prop up the oil industry , even in the face of evidence of climate change , '' he said .
Wilderness Society 's Alaska state director , Karlin Itchoak , said in a statement that the move by the Trump administration `` ignores science and shortcuts the public process in an irresponsible rush to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coastal plain before the 2020 presidential election . ''
The coastal plain represents about 8 % of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge 's 19.3 million acres .
It 's a place where caribou give birth and polar bears make their dens .
Environmental groups call it the biological heart of a priceless ecosystem .
Once drilling rights are sold , it will be harder for a future president to reverse course .
But Manual said the administration is making a fateful decision by not doing enough to protect polar bears .
`` And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the courts under the Endangered Species Act , to push back aggressively , and that 's what we 're going to do .
We 're not certainly giving up . ''
The U.S. government made it legal to drill on the coastal plain in December 2017 when the Republican-led Congress added the stipulation to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act .
`` Interior must conduct at least two lease sales within 10 years , '' the 2017 law states .
It adds , `` Each lease sale must contain : ( 1 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( 2 ) areas that have the highest potential for the discovery of hydrocarbons . ''
The law allows oil and gas companies to build production and support facilities on up to 2,000 acres of the coastal plain as part of their operations .
Drilling advocates such as Murkowski like to point out that the coastal plain is a relatively small area on the edge of a refuge the size of South Carolina .
She is largely responsible for including oil development in the tax bill Congress passed in 2017 .
Murkowski said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is always done with utmost care for the wildlife and the land .
`` The environmental safeguards are such that you ca n't take exploration rigs out on the tundra in summer when it might leave a mark , '' she said .
`` No , we wait until it 's the coldest , the darkest , the ground is frozen as far as it possibly can . ''
The decision does n't set a date for the oil lease sale , but the interior secretary said it could happen soon .

Trump Administration Moves Closer To Allowing Oil Drilling In Arctic Refuge
Enlarge this image toggle caption U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service/AP U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service/AP
Updated 5:10 p.m. ET
The Trump administration is pushing ahead with plans to allow drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The first leases to drill for oil and gas in the area could be sold by the end of 2020, Interior Department Secretary David Bernhardt said as his agency formally announced its leasing program on Monday.
Laying out the terms of a leasing program is one of the last steps in a controversial plan to tap into the gas and oil resources in the region that has been fought over for decades. It's backed by Republicans and opposed by environmental groups and some members of Alaska's Indigenous communities.
The move applies to some 1.57 million acres of the refuge's coastal plain.
"I do believe there certainly could be a lease sale by the end of the year," Bernhardt said, according to NPR member station Alaska Public Media.
Environmental groups have pledged to sue to stop the move. They said that once drilling rights are sold, it will be harder for a future president to reverse course.
The Natural Resources Defense Council and other groups said oil operations in the federally protected lands threaten the pristine landscape, which sustains caribou, polar bears, migratory birds and other animals.
"The Trump administration never stops pushing to drill in the Arctic Refuge — and we will never stop suing them," said Gina McCarthy, president of the Natural Resources Defense Council. "America has safeguarded the refuge for decades, and we will not allow the administration to strip that protection away now."
Alaska's congressional delegation — Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan, and Rep. Don Young, all Republicans — celebrated the news, thanking President Trump and Bernhardt for what they said will be a boost for their state's economy.
"This is a capstone moment in our decades-long push to allow for the responsible development" of oil resources in the refuge, Murkowski said.
"As we approach the day where the first drilling rigs arrive and crude starts flowing, I will continue working with great excitement to ensure that Alaska is front and center as we blaze the trail toward American energy dominance," Young said.
It's not clear how much demand there will be for Arctic leases. The oil industry has been hit hard by the pandemic. It's also not clear exactly how much oil is in the refuge, and a growing list of investors have responded to environmental concerns and said they won't fund oil and gas projects there.
Sierra Club lobbyist Athan Manuel has been fighting to keep rigs out of the refuge for more than 20 years. He said the Trump administration is rushing to get at least one company to bid on leases before the end of Trump's term and the possible arrival of a new president who opposes drilling.
"I think they just want to ram this down people's throats to show that they can still drill where they want to drill and still prop up the oil industry, even in the face of evidence of climate change," he said.
Wilderness Society's Alaska state director, Karlin Itchoak, said in a statement that the move by the Trump administration "ignores science and shortcuts the public process in an irresponsible rush to help oil companies secure leases on the coastal plain before the 2020 presidential election."
The coastal plain represents about 8% of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge's 19.3 million acres. It's a place where caribou give birth and polar bears make their dens. Environmental groups call it the biological heart of a priceless ecosystem.
Once drilling rights are sold, it will be harder for a future president to reverse course. But Manuel said the administration is making a fateful decision by not doing enough to protect polar bears.
"And so we have a lot of leverage in the courts under the Endangered Species Act, to push back aggressively, and that's what we're going to do. We're not certainly giving up."
The U.S. government made it legal to drill on the coastal plain in December 2017 when the Republican-led Congress added the stipulation to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
"Interior must conduct at least two lease sales within 10 years," the 2017 law states. It adds, "Each lease sale must contain: (1) at least 400,000 acres, and (2) areas that have the highest potential for the discovery of hydrocarbons."
The law allows oil and gas companies to build production and support facilities on up to 2,000 acres of the coastal plain as part of their operations.
Drilling advocates such as Murkowski like to point out that the coastal plain is a relatively small area on the edge of a refuge the size of South Carolina. She is largely responsible for including oil development in the tax bill Congress passed in 2017.
Murkowski said oil development on Alaska's North Slope is always done with utmost care for the wildlife and the land.
"The environmental safeguards are such that you can't take exploration rigs out on the tundra in summer when it might leave a mark," she said. "No, we wait until it's the coldest, the darkest, the ground is frozen as far as it possibly can."
The decision doesn't set a date for the oil lease sale, but the interior secretary said it could happen soon.


npr--2020-08-17--Belarus Factory Workers Walk Out, Joining Mass Protests Calling For President To Quit

Belarus Factory Workers Walk Out , Joining Mass Protests Calling For President To Quit The president of Belarus , Alexander Lukashenko , vowed Monday to cling tightly to power as many factory workers walked off their jobs and joined with hundreds of thousands of anti-government protesters demanding his immediate resignation .
Lukashenko , who had flown by helicopter to a factory in Minsk in hopes of rallying support , was instead met with chants of `` Leave ! ''
Speaking to workers , he vowed to `` never cave in to pressure . ''
`` The government will never collapse @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he had no intention of stepping down .
`` There will be no new election until you kill me . ''
Lukashenko , visibly angry , told the assembled workers , `` Thank you , I have said everything .
You can shout 'Leave , ' `` before walking away from the microphone , according to The Moscow Times .
Even so , the embattled leader , who has ruled Belarus with an iron fist for 26 years , hinted at a possible long-term solution to the impasse — offering to change the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ changes to a referendum , and I 'll hand over my constitutional powers .
But not under pressure or because of the street , '' Lukashenko said , in remarks quoted by the official Belta news agency , according to Reuters .
On Aug. 9 , Lukashenko claimed 80 % of the vote against Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya , the leading opposition candidate , in an election widely seen as rigged in his favor .
As Lukashenko spoke at the factory , more than 5,000 workers from the Minsk Tractor Plant marched down the city @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Speaking to The Associated Press , Sergei Dylevsky , the leader of the protest , described Lukashenko as `` a former president . ''
`` He needs to go , '' Dylevsky said , adding that Tsikhanouskaya is `` our president , legitimate and elected by the people . ''
On Sunday , in a potentially ominous sign , a statement from the Kremlin said Lukashenko and Russian President Vladimir Putin had spoken by phone and that Putin had promised to stand ready to help his Belarusian counterpart in accordance with a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The statement reiterated earlier comments from the Kremlin that `` external forces '' and not internal dissent were driving the unrest in Belarus .
Speaking to NPR 's Morning Edition , activist Hanna Yahorava said she and others were concerned about the possibility of Moscow 's intervention .
`` We are all worrying about it , because we do n't want any Russian assistance , '' she said , adding , `` We are peaceful protesters . ''
Some 7,000 people have been arrested since the protests began and at least two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ torture in jails at the hands of security forces have gone viral on social media .
Yahorava said 200,000 people were protesting in Minsk alone and that sweeping arrests by uniformed security forces more than a week ago had given way to what appeared to be arrests by unidentified , plainclothes agents .
The strike by factory workers comes amid a campaign by a group called Women in White who have turned out on the streets to protest the violent crackdown and call for the release of loved ones detained by police .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ often carrying flowers , began appearing last week in Minsk but have since spread abroad to Germany , Poland , Belgium , Ukraine and Russia .
NPR 's Lucian Kim in Moscow contributed to this report .

Belarus Factory Workers Walk Out, Joining Mass Protests Calling For President To Quit
Enlarge this image toggle caption Misha Friedman/Getty Images Misha Friedman/Getty Images
The president of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, vowed Monday to cling tightly to power as many factory workers walked off their jobs and joined with hundreds of thousands of anti-government protesters demanding his immediate resignation.
Lukashenko, who had flown by helicopter to a factory in Minsk in hopes of rallying support, was instead met with chants of "Leave!"
Speaking to workers, he vowed to "never cave in to pressure."
"The government will never collapse," he said, adding that he had no intention of stepping down. "There will be no new election until you kill me."
Lukashenko, visibly angry, told the assembled workers, "Thank you, I have said everything. You can shout 'Leave,' " before walking away from the microphone, according to The Moscow Times.
Even so, the embattled leader, who has ruled Belarus with an iron fist for 26 years, hinted at a possible long-term solution to the impasse — offering to change the constitution.
"We'll put the changes to a referendum, and I'll hand over my constitutional powers. But not under pressure or because of the street," Lukashenko said, in remarks quoted by the official Belta news agency, according to Reuters.
On Aug. 9, Lukashenko claimed 80% of the vote against Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, the leading opposition candidate, in an election widely seen as rigged in his favor.
The vote sparked widespread protests.
As Lukashenko spoke at the factory, more than 5,000 workers from the Minsk Tractor Plant marched down the city's streets calling for him to resign.
Speaking to The Associated Press, Sergei Dylevsky, the leader of the protest, described Lukashenko as "a former president."
"He needs to go," Dylevsky said, adding that Tsikhanouskaya is "our president, legitimate and elected by the people."
On Sunday, in a potentially ominous sign, a statement from the Kremlin said Lukashenko and Russian President Vladimir Putin had spoken by phone and that Putin had promised to stand ready to help his Belarusian counterpart in accordance with a collective military pact between the two countries.
The statement reiterated earlier comments from the Kremlin that "external forces" and not internal dissent were driving the unrest in Belarus.
Speaking to NPR's Morning Edition, activist Hanna Yahorava said she and others were concerned about the possibility of Moscow's intervention.
"We are all worrying about it, because we don't want any Russian assistance," she said, adding, "We are peaceful protesters."
Some 7,000 people have been arrested since the protests began and at least two have died. Videos of beatings and torture in jails at the hands of security forces have gone viral on social media.
Yahorava said 200,000 people were protesting in Minsk alone and that sweeping arrests by uniformed security forces more than a week ago had given way to what appeared to be arrests by unidentified, plainclothes agents.
The strike by factory workers comes amid a campaign by a group called Women in White who have turned out on the streets to protest the violent crackdown and call for the release of loved ones detained by police.
The women, dressed in white and often carrying flowers, began appearing last week in Minsk but have since spread abroad to Germany, Poland, Belgium, Ukraine and Russia.
NPR's Lucian Kim in Moscow contributed to this report.


npr--2020-08-17--Julian Bream, The Classical Guitar Giant With The Soul Of A Jazz Player

Julian Bream , The Classical Guitar Giant With The Soul Of A Jazz Player Andres Segovia popularized the classical guitar .
Julian Bream took it to the next level .
Bream , who died Aug. 14 at the age of 87 in his native England , stepped into a guitar world in which everything had to be done just so ... and did n't do it that way .
By the time he was a teenager , Bream was asking contemporary composers to write for him .
He took an old lute his father bought from a sailor for 2 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interest in the instrument and play an important role in launching the early music movement .
But again , he did n't do it quite the way he was supposed to .
He was a Cockney , born in Battersea in central London on July 15 , 1933 .
His family moved to the suburb of Hampton when he was 18 months old .
It was n't always an easy childhood : He and his younger sister were evacuated twice to the countryside during the Blitz and the family struggled financially .
Yet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and , as Julian said in the excellent 2003 documentary , My Life in Music , `` a natural musician . ''
Henry Bream led an amateur dance band and it was his Django Reinhardt 78s that drew Julian to the guitar .
His father also had a book of fingerboard harmony by the great early jazz guitarist Eddie Lang ; that became young Julian 's first guide .
He would go to his father 's gigs , sit behind the curtain and play along .
His father bought him a classical guitar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ learned together , playing duets .
Later that same year , Henry brought home a Segovia 78 and that was it for both of them .
Segovia even offered to teach young Julian at one point but , for one reason or another , it never happened .
On July 17 , 1948 , Julian made his London debut at Alliance Hall ( not the more prestigious Wigmore , as is often reported ) .
The stage was so low , he had to perform with his chair up on a table .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ his performance but panned the hall .
That same year , his father was deep in debt and his parents separated .
Julian and his sister moved in with their father .
It was hard for the young musician , as he says in the documentary : `` Music has been my real solace .
And that 's why I play music .
And that 's why I 'm so determined , or have been so determined to pursue what I wanted to do , come what may . ''
All the while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since he was 10 ) and along the way , even picked up the cello .
He was admitted to the Royal College of Music , tuition-free , at the age of 16 , to study piano and composition — the school did n't have a guitar program .
In fact , he was forbidden to bring his guitar on campus .
He eventually quit .
But he learned something there that was to guide him for the rest of his career , as he said in the documentary : `` To present @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whole Bach suite ...
I found that the Segovia programs , with their delicious morsels , where he 'd take the smash hits from the E minor Lute Suite or something like that , rather unsatisfactory because you would just be getting a lot of meringues and lollipops instead of meat and potatoes , you know .
And I have always been a meat and potatoes man .
And I 'm a great believer in making up programs so there is something for not only me , but the audience to get their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at this time that he had another revelation .
He 'd been invited to play guitar in a stage production of Othello , directed by Kenneth Tynan .
Bream went to the library to look for music that might be appropriate for the production and discovered a collection of pieces by John Dowland , the great Renaissance composer and lutenist .
Bream took that lute his father had bought , which was strung like a guitar , had it reworked into a proper lute and embarked on a second path that would prove @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by contemporary composers : the revival of interest in centuries-old music and taking it to a mainstream audience with the Julian Bream Consort .
It was back to jazz in 1952 when Bream had to fulfill his national service .
After a brutal stint in an artillery unit , which he described as `` awful , '' he landed in an army dance band .
He bought an Epiphone electric guitar and was swinging again .
When he got out , he resumed his concert career .
He met and became friends with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ composer Benjamin Britten and his partner , the acclaimed tenor , Peter Pears .
Britten would later write a masterpiece for Bream : `` Nocturnal after Dowland , '' based on John Dowland 's `` Come Heavy Sleep , '' a piece that Bream and Pears recorded on one of their collaborations .
Bream commissioned works from some of the greatest composers of his time : Hans Werner Henze , William Walton , Michael Tippett , Toru Takemitsu and Malcolm Arnold , to name just a few .
He toured the world and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ TV .
There are some revealing excerpts in the Bream documentary , My Life in Music .
One , an obviously staged `` jam session , '' shows Bream and some `` friends from the pub '' jamming on a Quintet of the Hot Club of France-style tune with the guitarist ripping into a Reinhardt-esque lead — fingerstyle on a nylon-string , bending notes with power and passion and an ear-to-ear grin at the end .
`` I love playing jazz because I love the freedom you have to improvise , '' Bream @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has given me a feeling in my classical repertoire of creating the atmosphere of the here and now .
Just the spark of a moment that can come from hitting a note with a certain color that you 've never hit it before or giving another note an extra vibrato or by just accentuation or articulation .
And if you can keep that ability to be alive to now , then I think that is a precious commodity for an artist . ''
In another BBC excerpt , Bream talks about going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spirit . ''
And it again shows him improvising with two masters of Hindustani classical music , tabla player Alla Rakha and sarod virtuoso Ali Akbar Khan , of whom Bream says in the documentary , `` He seemed to me just about the finest musician I 've ever met in my life ... His improvisations were so interesting , so fluid , so inventive , so evocative , so exciting that I thought , 'This is the way to play music . '
Not write all this damn stuff out and get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ correct , you know .
This was the way to make music !
Just sit down and do it . ''
And that 's just what Bream seemed to do in his classical pieces as well .
To watch him play , he 's all in : his upper torso in motion , swaying to the music ; his head bobbing ; eyebrows arching ; eyes squeezed shut .
But his mouth is the giveaway .
If you 've ever watched a jazz guitarist on stage , they do the most remarkable things @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , twisting them , opening and closing them .
The tongue will even poke out every now and then .
They 're so into it , they have no idea how expressive their faces are .
Julian Bream was into it .
And he named his dog Django .

Julian Bream, The Classical Guitar Giant With The Soul Of A Jazz Player
Enlarge this image toggle caption Evening Standard/Getty Images Evening Standard/Getty Images
Andres Segovia popularized the classical guitar. Julian Bream took it to the next level.
Bream, who died Aug. 14 at the age of 87 in his native England, stepped into a guitar world in which everything had to be done just so ... and didn't do it that way. By the time he was a teenager, Bream was asking contemporary composers to write for him. He took an old lute his father bought from a sailor for 2 quid and went on to help revive interest in the instrument and play an important role in launching the early music movement. But again, he didn't do it quite the way he was supposed to.
He was a Cockney, born in Battersea in central London on July 15, 1933. His family moved to the suburb of Hampton when he was 18 months old. It wasn't always an easy childhood: He and his younger sister were evacuated twice to the countryside during the Blitz and the family struggled financially.
Yet his father was a talented commercial artist and, as Julian said in the excellent 2003 documentary, My Life in Music, "a natural musician." Henry Bream led an amateur dance band and it was his Django Reinhardt 78s that drew Julian to the guitar. His father also had a book of fingerboard harmony by the great early jazz guitarist Eddie Lang; that became young Julian's first guide. He would go to his father's gigs, sit behind the curtain and play along.
His father bought him a classical guitar for his 11th birthday and the two learned together, playing duets. Later that same year, Henry brought home a Segovia 78 and that was it for both of them. Segovia even offered to teach young Julian at one point but, for one reason or another, it never happened.
On July 17, 1948, Julian made his London debut at Alliance Hall (not the more prestigious Wigmore, as is often reported). The stage was so low, he had to perform with his chair up on a table. The Times and the Daily Mail praised his performance but panned the hall.
That same year, his father was deep in debt and his parents separated. Julian and his sister moved in with their father. It was hard for the young musician, as he says in the documentary: "Music has been my real solace. And that's why I play music. And that's why I'm so determined, or have been so determined to pursue what I wanted to do, come what may."
All the while, Julian had been studying piano (since he was 10) and along the way, even picked up the cello. He was admitted to the Royal College of Music, tuition-free, at the age of 16, to study piano and composition — the school didn't have a guitar program. In fact, he was forbidden to bring his guitar on campus. He eventually quit.
But he learned something there that was to guide him for the rest of his career, as he said in the documentary: "To present pieces in their entirety. Like a whole Bach suite ... I found that the Segovia programs, with their delicious morsels, where he'd take the smash hits from the E minor Lute Suite or something like that, rather unsatisfactory because you would just be getting a lot of meringues and lollipops instead of meat and potatoes, you know. And I have always been a meat and potatoes man. And I'm a great believer in making up programs so there is something for not only me, but the audience to get their teeth into."
It was also at this time that he had another revelation. He'd been invited to play guitar in a stage production of Othello, directed by Kenneth Tynan. Bream went to the library to look for music that might be appropriate for the production and discovered a collection of pieces by John Dowland, the great Renaissance composer and lutenist. Bream took that lute his father had bought, which was strung like a guitar, had it reworked into a proper lute and embarked on a second path that would prove as important as his commissioning of works by contemporary composers: the revival of interest in centuries-old music and taking it to a mainstream audience with the Julian Bream Consort.
It was back to jazz in 1952 when Bream had to fulfill his national service. After a brutal stint in an artillery unit, which he described as "awful," he landed in an army dance band. He bought an Epiphone electric guitar and was swinging again.
When he got out, he resumed his concert career. He met and became friends with a giant of 20th century music, composer Benjamin Britten and his partner, the acclaimed tenor, Peter Pears. Britten would later write a masterpiece for Bream: "Nocturnal after Dowland," based on John Dowland's "Come Heavy Sleep," a piece that Bream and Pears recorded on one of their collaborations.
Bream commissioned works from some of the greatest composers of his time: Hans Werner Henze, William Walton, Michael Tippett, Toru Takemitsu and Malcolm Arnold, to name just a few.
He toured the world and was a regular on BBC radio and TV. There are some revealing excerpts in the Bream documentary, My Life in Music. One, an obviously staged "jam session," shows Bream and some "friends from the pub" jamming on a Quintet of the Hot Club of France-style tune with the guitarist ripping into a Reinhardt-esque lead — fingerstyle on a nylon-string, bending notes with power and passion and an ear-to-ear grin at the end.
"I love playing jazz because I love the freedom you have to improvise," Bream says in the documentary. "It has given me a feeling in my classical repertoire of creating the atmosphere of the here and now. Just the spark of a moment that can come from hitting a note with a certain color that you've never hit it before or giving another note an extra vibrato or by just accentuation or articulation. And if you can keep that ability to be alive to now, then I think that is a precious commodity for an artist."
In another BBC excerpt, Bream talks about going to India in 1963 to "replenish his spirit." And it again shows him improvising with two masters of Hindustani classical music, tabla player Alla Rakha and sarod virtuoso Ali Akbar Khan, of whom Bream says in the documentary, "He seemed to me just about the finest musician I've ever met in my life ... His improvisations were so interesting, so fluid, so inventive, so evocative, so exciting that I thought, 'This is the way to play music.' Not write all this damn stuff out and get the tempo right and the metronome speed correct, you know. This was the way to make music! Just sit down and do it."
And that's just what Bream seemed to do in his classical pieces as well. To watch him play, he's all in: his upper torso in motion, swaying to the music; his head bobbing; eyebrows arching; eyes squeezed shut. But his mouth is the giveaway. If you've ever watched a jazz guitarist on stage, they do the most remarkable things with their mouths: scrunching them up, twisting them, opening and closing them. The tongue will even poke out every now and then. They're so into it, they have no idea how expressive their faces are.
Julian Bream was into it. And he named his dog Django.


npr--2020-08-17--130 Degrees: Death Valley Sees What Could Be Record Heat

130 Degrees : Death Valley Sees What Could Be Record Heat The temperature at Death Valley National Park hit a scorching 130 degrees on Sunday , marking what could be the hottest temperature on Earth since at least 1913 , the National Weather Service says .
Any visitors to the park are getting blunt advice : `` Travel prepared to survive . ''
The 130 degrees recorded at the Furnace Creek Visitor Center is the hottest August temperature ever recorded at the national park , which sits along California and Nevada 's border .
Weather experts say it could also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because Death Valley 's 1913 record of 134 degrees has been disputed as unreliable .
Yesterday 's incendiary temperature reading was not taken by a human ( phew ! )
, but by an automated observation system .
The preliminary reading is now in the process of being officially verified .
`` As this is an extreme temperature event , the recorded temperature will need to undergo a formal review , '' the National Weather Service office in Las Vegas says .
Parts of Death Valley National Park remain open to visitors and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anyone who wants to go on a hike to complete their trip by mid-morning , because of the intense heat .
`` Drink plenty of water and carry extra .
Avoid hiking ( after 10 am ) .
Travel prepared to survive , '' the agency says .
In addition to the National Weather Service , the World Meteorological Organization says it will also verify Sunday 's temperature in Death Valley .
Many experts are referring to Sunday 's eye-catching high as being the hottest `` reliably recorded '' temperature , reflecting widespread @ @ @ @ @ @ @ record of 134 degrees .
The 1913 mark has been most prominently questioned by meteorologist Christopher Burt , who for years served as the weather historian of the website Weather Underground .
`` I look back at that record with a little bit of skepticism , '' Burt told NPR in 2016 .
He noted that when Death Valley set the record in 1913 , it was n't during a regional heat wave .
Adding to his doubts : The same facility also recorded two other 130-plus temperatures that same July .
After @ @ @ @ @ @ @ summer , he and a colleague `` conclude with certainty that the actual hottest temperature ever reliably measured on Earth is 54°C ( 129.2°F ) , shared by Death Valley on June 30 , 2013 and Mitribah , Kuwait on July 21 , 2016 . ''
Much of the western U.S. is currently enduring an intense heat wave , straining electrical grids and raising wildfire concerns .
On Friday , California 's electricity providers instituted their first rolling blackouts since 2001 .
`` A persistent , record-breaking heat wave in California and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supplies , '' the agency that manages California 's electrical grid said on Sunday as it warned residents to plan for potential outages .
The California Independent System Operator issued a Flex Alert , calling on electrical customers to voluntarily reduce their electricity consumption from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. , starting Sunday and running through at least Wednesday .
Forecasters believe temperatures should start to dip by the tail end of the week .
But they also warn that the current spell of broiling temperatures could be as harmful as the deadly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2006 .
`` I think this heat wave is likely to rival the July 2006 event when all is said and done , '' climate scientist Daniel Swain of UCLA 's Institute of the Environment and Sustainability says via email .
County coroners in Southern California reported more than 120 heat-related deaths during that event .
State researchers later said the actual number was likely two to three times higher .
Heat waves and extreme heat events are expected to become more frequent and intense as the Earth 's climate warms .
Average @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than 1 degree Fahrenheit over the contiguous U.S. , according to the Fourth National Climate Assessment that was published by the federal government in 2018 .
Extreme temperatures are expected to change even more dramatically than the average , with highs getting higher and extreme lows becoming far more rare .

130 Degrees: Death Valley Sees What Could Be Record Heat
Enlarge this image toggle caption Karla Ann Cote/NurPhoto via Getty Images Karla Ann Cote/NurPhoto via Getty Images
The temperature at Death Valley National Park hit a scorching 130 degrees on Sunday, marking what could be the hottest temperature on Earth since at least 1913, the National Weather Service says. Any visitors to the park are getting blunt advice: "Travel prepared to survive."
The 130 degrees recorded at the Furnace Creek Visitor Center is the hottest August temperature ever recorded at the national park, which sits along California and Nevada's border. Weather experts say it could also be the world's modern-era high, because Death Valley's 1913 record of 134 degrees has been disputed as unreliable.
Yesterday's incendiary temperature reading was not taken by a human (phew!), but by an automated observation system. The preliminary reading is now in the process of being officially verified.
"As this is an extreme temperature event, the recorded temperature will need to undergo a formal review," the National Weather Service office in Las Vegas says.
Parts of Death Valley National Park remain open to visitors and campers. But the park service advises anyone who wants to go on a hike to complete their trip by mid-morning, because of the intense heat.
"Drink plenty of water and carry extra. Avoid hiking (after 10 am). Travel prepared to survive," the agency says.
In addition to the National Weather Service, the World Meteorological Organization says it will also verify Sunday's temperature in Death Valley.
Many experts are referring to Sunday's eye-catching high as being the hottest "reliably recorded" temperature, reflecting widespread doubts about the validity of the 1913 record of 134 degrees.
The 1913 mark has been most prominently questioned by meteorologist Christopher Burt, who for years served as the weather historian of the website Weather Underground.
"I look back at that record with a little bit of skepticism," Burt told NPR in 2016. He noted that when Death Valley set the record in 1913, it wasn't during a regional heat wave. Adding to his doubts: The same facility also recorded two other 130-plus temperatures that same July.
After a review, Burt wrote earlier this summer, he and a colleague "conclude with certainty that the actual hottest temperature ever reliably measured on Earth is 54°C (129.2°F), shared by Death Valley on June 30, 2013 and Mitribah, Kuwait on July 21, 2016."
Much of the western U.S. is currently enduring an intense heat wave, straining electrical grids and raising wildfire concerns. On Friday, California's electricity providers instituted their first rolling blackouts since 2001.
"A persistent, record-breaking heat wave in California and the western states is causing a strain on supplies," the agency that manages California's electrical grid said on Sunday as it warned residents to plan for potential outages.
The California Independent System Operator issued a Flex Alert, calling on electrical customers to voluntarily reduce their electricity consumption from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m., starting Sunday and running through at least Wednesday.
Forecasters believe temperatures should start to dip by the tail end of the week. But they also warn that the current spell of broiling temperatures could be as harmful as the deadly heat wave that struck the U.S. in 2006.
"I think this heat wave is likely to rival the July 2006 event when all is said and done," climate scientist Daniel Swain of UCLA's Institute of the Environment and Sustainability says via email.
County coroners in Southern California reported more than 120 heat-related deaths during that event. State researchers later said the actual number was likely two to three times higher.
Heat waves and extreme heat events are expected to become more frequent and intense as the Earth's climate warms.
Average annual temperatures have already risen by more than 1 degree Fahrenheit over the contiguous U.S., according to the Fourth National Climate Assessment that was published by the federal government in 2018. Extreme temperatures are expected to change even more dramatically than the average, with highs getting higher and extreme lows becoming far more rare.


npr--2020-08-17--Coronavirus World Map: Tracking The Spread Of The Outbreak

Coronavirus World Map : Tracking The Spread Of The Outbreak Since the new coronavirus was first reported in Wuhan , China , in December , the infectious respiratory disease COVID-19 has spread rapidly within China and to neighboring countries and beyond .
The first confirmed coronavirus cases outside China occurred on Jan. 20 , in Japan , Thailand and South Korea .
On Jan. 21 , the first case in the U.S. was identified in Washington state .
On Jan. 24 , the first two European cases were confirmed in France .
By Feb. 1 , eight European nations had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ month later that count had risen to 24 countries with at least 2,200 cases , most of them in Italy .
On March 11 , Italy eclipsed 10,000 cases and the World Health Organization declared the outbreak a pandemic — the first since H1N1 in 2009 .
That 's also when China , the original epicenter , began seeing drops in daily counts of new cases .
March also saw exponential spread of the virus throughout the U.S. , with all 50 states reporting cases by March 17 .
This particular virus , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the third strain of coronavirus known to frequently cause severe symptoms in humans .
The other two strains cause Middle East respiratory syndrome and severe acute respiratory syndrome .
Click here to see the state-by-state breakdown of cases in the United States .
This story was originally published on March 30 , 2020 .

Coronavirus world map: We've now passed the 600 million mark for infections
Editor's note: This page is no longer being updated. The last update was Sept. 5, 2022. For current data about COVID-19 cases and deaths around the world, Johns Hopkins University and Our World in Data are useful resources.
In late January 2020 only a few dozen COVID-19 infections had been identified outside of China. A year later, the world tallied its first 100 million cases. It took the globe just 7 more months to pass the 200 million mark— then another 5 months to hit 300 million, according to researchers at Johns Hopkins University. Now the virus has spread to every corner of the globe and has been blamed for more than 6 million deaths.
The United States, India and Brazil in that order have had the most COVID cases and the three nations collectively account for almost half of all recorded infections so far in the pandemic.
Explore the chart below to find a country-by-country breakdown of new and total cases since January 2020.
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Explore how the number of coronavirus cases have shifted in different parts of the world over time. The first chart compares each continent to each other, while the next charts highlight the number of cases in select countries by region.
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This story was originally published on March 30, 2020.


npr--2020-08-17--Coronavirus Maps: How Severe Is Your State's Outbreak?

Coronavirus Maps : How Severe Is Your State 's Outbreak ?
More than 5 million people in the U.S. have tested positive for the coronavirus and more than 160,000 have died .
Tens of thousands of new cases are confirmed daily .
State by state , the picture is varied .
In the graphics below , explore the trends in your state .
View the data via a heat map ( immediately below ) , curve charts , a table of state-by-state trends over four weeks , or a map of total cases and deaths .
The map above shows @ @ @ @ @ @ @ based on new daily cases per capita .
These color-coded risk levels were developed by a consortium of researchers and public health experts .
The group advises states in the red category to issue stay-home orders .
Orange states may need to consider stay-home orders , along with increased testing and contact tracing .
Yellow states need to keep up social distancing and mask usage , and both yellow and green states should continue testing and contact tracing .
To compare state outbreaks , the chart above graphs trend lines for average new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's totals to date .
This type of visualization highlights a state 's daily growth or decline relative to the overall size of its outbreak .
When both new and total case and death counts grow quickly , the curves bend upward .
As new cases and deaths slow , the curves level or bend down .
In New York , the curve rose sharply before reaching over 170,000 total cases in April .
Since then , new cases have fallen from about 10,000 per day in mid-April to under 600 per day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ above to see totals and per capita figures around the country for both new confirmed cases and reported deaths from COVID-19 .
New York was the original epicenter of the pandemic in the U.S. As of mid August , California , Florida and Texas have surpassed New York for total cases to date , though New York still has the highest death total .
Click here to see a global map of confirmed cases and deaths .
To show trends state by state , the table below shows the change in average new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week over week for the last 28 days .
States marked in shades of red are showing growth , those in shades of green , are showing declines .
The graphics on this page pull from data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University from several sources , including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ; the World Health Organization ; national , state and local government health departments ; 1point3acres ; and local media reports .
The JHU team automates its data uploads and regularly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ result in occasional data discrepancies on this page as the JHU team resolves anomalies and updates its feeds .
State-by-state recovery data are unavailable at this time .
There may be discrepancies between what you see here and what you see on your local health department 's website .
Figures shown do not include cases on cruise ships .
In early June , Michigan health authorities started including probable cases in its totals .
This resulted in a brief spike in the state 's daily numbers until the JHU team was able to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 25 , New Jersey included 1,854 previously-unreported probable deaths in its totals , resulting in a spike in the state 's daily death numbers .
This story was originally published on March 16 , 2020 .
Elena Renken was a co-author on that version .
Sean McMinn contributed to and Carmel Wroth edited this story .

Tracking the coronavirus around the U.S.: See how your state is doing
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Note: This page was last updated on Feb. 1, 2023. It will no longer be updated. For current data on COVID cases and deaths, demographics, and hospitalizations, consult the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
As of Feb. 1, there have been more than 101 million confirmed coronavirus infections in the U.S. and more than 1 million people have died of COVID-19. In the graphics below, explore the trends in your state.
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The above charts show average new cases per 100,000 people for each state over the last 12 months.
Note: Actual cases may be substantially higher, since many who test positive with at-home tests don't report their cases.
For additional data about COVID-19 in the U.S, including cases and deaths, demographics, and hospitalizations, consult the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.
To show trends, the table below shows the change in average new cases per day in each state, week over week for the last 28 days. States marked in shades of red have growing outbreaks; those in shades of green, are declining.
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Methodology
The graphics on this page pull from data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University from several sources, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; the World Health Organization; national, state and local government health departments; 1point3acres; and local media reports.
The JHU team automates its data uploads and regularly checks them for anomalies. This may result in occasional data discrepancies on this page as the JHU team resolves anomalies and updates its feeds. There may be discrepancies between what you see here and what you see on your local health department's website. Figures shown do not include cases on cruise ships.
Fluctuations in the numbers may happen as health authorities review old cases, process testing backlogs or update their methodologies. The JHU team maintains a list of such changes.
This story was originally published on March 16, 2020. Elena Renken was a co-author on that version. Sean McMinn and Audrey Carlsen contributed to this story. Carmel Wroth edited this story.


npr--2020-08-18--NYC Restaurants Spill Out Onto The Asphalt To Stay In Business

NYC Restaurants Spill Out Onto The Asphalt To Stay In Business While indoor dining out is still prohibited in New York City , even the outdoor seating at restaurants does n't always feel safe for Whitney Kuo .
`` Most places freak me out , '' because the tables are n't far enough apart , she says .
And her friend , Sofia Skarlatos , had an unpleasant experience recently , being seated off the curb .
`` It was like kind of in a gutter , my table , '' Skarlatos says .
As New York City continues reopening @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outdoors .
As long as they keep a path clear for pedestrians and follow other guidelines such as not blocking bus stop waiting areas and subway grates , they can apply to put seating on sidewalks and in curbside parking spots .
That has transformed the city 's streets , many of which have come alive with little fenced-in dining areas with tables and umbrellas and decorated with flower boxes and hanging plants .
Despite Kuo and Skarlatos ' unpleasant experiences , many of the new dining spaces are attractive .
They ended @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a restaurant in Brooklyn called Hunky Dory , which serves classic foods such as BLTs and fried chicken sandwiches and a range of cocktails .
The big lot next door to the restaurant is spacious and fenced in .
`` It 's the only place where I 've seen the tables , like actually almost 10-feet apart , '' Kuo says .
Before July , that lot was empty .
Hunky Dory 's owner , Claire Sprouse , struck up a deal with the owner to fix it up and use it for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wire and trash and put in tables and umbrellas .
She also converted her storefront window into a takeout window for customers to place and pick up orders .
It was a hefty investment for Sprouse , costing about $ 10,000 , at a time when her business is scraping by from months of being closed to dining because of the pandemic .
`` Which is why it 's so scary thinking about how long we 'll be able to use this , '' Sprouse says .
Mayor Bill De Blasio has only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 31 .
So far , though , Sprouse says the risk is worth it .
She 's bringing in 60 % of what her normal revenue was before the pandemic .
A few blocks away Suya , a West African restaurant , does not have outdoor dining .
It 's in a small storefront with limited sidewalk space .
Still , co-owner Folusho Adeyemo says he benefits from the expansion of outdoor at other restaurants because it means more people will come out , and some will end up buying food from him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ around , '' he says .
`` They 're going to trickle down like 'let 's see what 's up ' you know , so it 's just like bigger outside scene . ''
For some New York neighborhoods outdoor dining is a particular challenge .
Chinatown , for instance , has very narrow sidewalks and tightly packed storefronts .
Wellington Chen leads the Chinatown Business Improvement District , which restricted traffic on a street with many restaurants and created outdoor dining area , with colorful barricades , plants , flowers , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last week , restaurants have seen an increase in business .
He says one owner reported a 35 % spike in revenue .
But making outdoor dining work in a big city like New York is n't easy , especially in the heat and humidity of summer , says Stephani Robson , who teaches restaurant design at Cornell University .
`` It 's crowded , noisy and in the summertime sometimes a little bit stinky , '' she says .
But if they want to stay in business , restaurants have to overcome @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and show they are still open and ready to serve their customers .

NYC Restaurants Spill Out Onto The Asphalt To Stay In Business
Enlarge this image toggle caption Rob Kim/Getty Images Rob Kim/Getty Images
While indoor dining out is still prohibited in New York City, even the outdoor seating at restaurants doesn't always feel safe for Whitney Kuo.
"Most places freak me out" because the tables aren't far enough apart, she says.
And her friend, Sofia Skarlatos, had an unpleasant experience recently, being seated off the curb.
"It was like kind of in a gutter, my table," Skarlatos says.
Planet Money Pandemic Puts Restaurant Owners In The Business Fight Of Their Lives Pandemic Puts Restaurant Owners In The Business Fight Of Their Lives Listen · 3:18 3:18
As New York City continues reopening, officials are allowing restaurants to expand outdoors. As long as they keep a path clear for pedestrians and follow other guidelines such as not blocking bus stop waiting areas and subway grates, they can apply to put seating on sidewalks and in curbside parking spots.
That has transformed the city's streets, many of which have come alive with little fenced-in dining areas with tables and umbrellas and decorated with flower boxes and hanging plants.
Despite Kuo and Skarlatos' unpleasant experiences, many of the new dining spaces are attractive. They ended up choosing to eat and drink at a restaurant in Brooklyn called Hunky Dory, which serves classic foods such as BLTs and fried chicken sandwiches and a range of cocktails. The big lot next door to the restaurant is spacious and fenced in.
"It's the only place where I've seen the tables, like actually almost 10 feet apart," Kuo says.
Business Why Some Restaurants Are Thriving In The Pandemic While Others Struggle Why Some Restaurants Are Thriving In The Pandemic While Others Struggle Listen · 3:39 3:39
Before July, that lot was empty. Hunky Dory's owner, Claire Sprouse, struck up a deal with the owner to fix it up and use it for outdoor dining. She cleared out barbed wire and trash and put in tables and umbrellas.
She also converted her storefront window into a takeout window for customers to place and pick up orders.
It was a hefty investment for Sprouse, costing about $10,000 at a time when her business is scraping by from months of being closed to dining because of the pandemic.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Camille Petersen/NPR Camille Petersen/NPR
"Which is why it's so scary thinking about how long we'll be able to use this," Sprouse says. Mayor Bill De Blasio has only relaxed restrictions on outdoor dining through Oct. 31.
So far, though, Sprouse says the risk is worth it. She's bringing in 60% of what her normal revenue was before the pandemic.
A few blocks away, a West African restaurant called Suya does not have outdoor dining. It's in a small storefront with limited sidewalk space. Still, co-owner Folusho Adeyemo says he benefits from the expansion of outdoor space at other restaurants because it means more people will come out, and some will end up buying food from him.
"They're going to walk around," he says. "They're going to trickle down like 'let's see what's up,' you know, so it's just like bigger outside scene."
Business Reality Show Host Wants To Help Bars Survive COVID-19 Reality Show Host Wants To Help Bars Survive COVID-19 Listen · 2:11 2:11
For some New York neighborhoods, outdoor dining is a particular challenge. Chinatown, for instance, has narrow sidewalks and tightly packed storefronts. Wellington Chen leads the Chinatown Business Improvement District, which restricted traffic on a street with many restaurants and created outdoor dining space with colorful barricades, plants, flowers and artwork.
Chen says that since it opened last week, restaurants have seen an increase in business. He says one owner reported a 35% spike in revenue.
But making outdoor dining work in a big city like New York isn't easy, especially in the heat and humidity of summer, says Stephani Robson, who teaches restaurant design at Cornell University.
"It's crowded, noisy and in the summertime sometimes a little bit stinky," she says.
But if they want to stay in business, restaurants have to overcome all of that, Robson says, and show they are still open and ready to serve their customers.


npr--2020-08-18--7 Takeaways From The 1st Night Of The Democratic National Convention

7 Takeaways From The 1st Night Of The Democratic National Convention The Democratic National Convention kicked off Monday night in its first completely virtual , made-for-TV incarnation .
It was unlike any convention night seen in years past .
The most glaring difference : the absence of delegates and an audience .
That presented hurdles that the party tried to vault with a highly produced event that felt , at times , like a political infomercial mixed with a bit of `` We Are The World '' — and included one standout speech from former first lady Michelle Obama .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ some live elements , including actress Eva Longoria emceeing .
The two-hour event accomplished several things Democrats were looking to do , including laying out a more hopeful — and diverse — vision for America than will likely be seen next week at the Republican National Convention .
It also hit President Trump on two of the major issues facing the country — the coronavirus pandemic and the reckoning over racial injustice .
There was a lot to digest .
Here are seven takeaways : The former first lady delivered a sophisticated rebuke @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and branches .
`` He has had more than enough time to prove that he can do the job , but he is clearly in over his head , '' she said .
`` He can not meet this moment .
He simply can not be who we need him to be for us .
It is what it is . ''
That last line , `` It is what it is , '' hearkens back to the president twice using those same words to describe the country 's response to the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
She was seated , comfortable , emotive and soaring in her delivery .
Obama acknowledged many voters are disaffected with politics .
`` I get that , '' she said .
She hit the seriousness of the moment .
`` If you think things can not possibly get worse , trust me — they can and they will if we do n't make a change in this election , '' Obama said .
And she made a direct appeal for people to get out and vote .
`` We have got to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our masks , pack a brown bag dinner and maybe breakfast , too , '' she said , `` because we 've got to be willing to stand in line all night if we have to . ''
2 .
But she and the entire night could have benefited from a crowd Obama 's speech was genuine and sober and serious .
Sitting in a living room and saying , `` You know I hate politics , '' was powerful .
But imagine what that speech would have been like with a crowd @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were other moments that would have benefited from a crowd , as when Kristin Urquiza from Arizona — whose father , a Trump supporter , died of the coronavirus — delivered this line : `` His only preexisting condition was trusting Donald Trump , and he paid with his life . ''
There 's nothing Democrats really could have done about the lack of a crowd because of the pandemic .
Republicans are going to face a similar predicament next week , but in the words of the president : It is what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to build a case based on the character of Joe Biden One of the key tasks of a convention is to get voters excited about the candidate .
Joe Biden is facing some deficiencies in that regard .
So the Democrats are using this virtual platform to tell Biden 's story , highlighting what they believe are his decency and empathy in contrast to Trump .
Democrats started to do that Monday night in small and large ways .
They described Biden as someone who is `` real '' and someone of `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` a profoundly decent man , guided by faith '' and alluded to the tragedies he 's faced in life with the death of his first wife and daughter in a car accident decades ago , and more recently the loss of his son Beau to cancer .
`` Joe knows the anguish of sitting at a table with an empty chair , '' she said .
As to the kind of president he would be , Obama noted : `` [ H ] e listens .
He will tell the truth and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plans and manage a good team . ''
All of that is important in filling in the picture of who Biden the person is , to help insulate him from attacks that will be coming from his opponents .
4 .
Democrats provided Republicans a bridge ( or fork in the road ) to vote for Biden One of the aspects of Monday night 's convention that caused progressives some consternation was the inclusion of several Republicans , including , most notably , former Ohio Gov .
John Kasich , who delivered his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ road , a visual metaphor if ever there was one .
They are n't exactly the most prominent Republicans in the current version of the GOP , but putting their names behind Biden was , at the very least , a degree of taunting ahead of next week 's GOP convention .
It also could have provided some Republicans a bridge , or a directional sign at that literal fork in the road , to vote for Biden .
`` Many of us have been deeply concerned about the current path we 've @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' Kasich said .
`` Continuing to follow that path will have terrible consequences for America 's soul because we 're being taken down the wrong road by a president who has pitted one against the other . ''
5 .
But there was also something of a mixed message — is Biden a moderate , or as progressive as FDR ?
Kasich 's appearance presented a conflicting message to viewers .
He said he has confidence Biden wo n't `` turn sharp left and leave [ Republicans and independents ] behind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that because I know the measure of the man : reasonable , faithful , respectful , '' Kasich said .
`` And you know , no one pushes Joe around . ''
But then Kasich was followed by Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders , who noted in his speech that his own policies had been seen as radical before he ran for president but now are mainstream within the Democratic Party .
On Sunday , Sanders touted that if Biden implemented recommendations of joint policy task forces between Biden 's and his supporters , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ progressive president since Franklin Delano Roosevelt . ''
So , which is it ?
Will Biden not be pushed around by the left , or will he be the most progressive president since FDR ?
6 .
Sanders is all in , and nothing unifies like a common enemy All that said , Sanders made a strong and effective appeal to his voters to keep their eyes on the prize , that the most important thing this year is defeating Trump .
Sanders extolled Biden 's virtues and noted that he would lead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's very clear that Sanders and other progressives see Trump as a clear and present danger .
In 2016 , many on the left could n't imagine Trump would win , but now he 's been president for 3 1/2 years , and what he 's done and could do are very real threats to progressive causes .
Four years ago some cast protest votes against Hillary Clinton thinking she was n't progressive enough , but also thinking she 'd likely win .
Michelle Obama had a rejoinder for that .
`` [ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to withhold our votes in protest , '' she said , `` or play games with candidates who have no chance of winning . ''
7 .
Trump will do everything he can to steal Democrats ' thunder this week Traditionally , the opposing candidate lays low during the convention of the other candidate and lets them have their week .
But there 's nothing traditional about this president , and Trump is already showing he 's going to do everything he can to pull attention away from Democrats .
On just the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Trump held three rallies in an effort to eclipse the star power of Michelle Obama et al .
Tuesday the convention will feature Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez , former President Bill Clinton and Jill Biden , Joe Biden 's wife .
But Trump will be busy , too , signing a proclamation at the White House on the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment , which gave women the right to vote .
Then he takes to the road to see border wall construction in Arizona .
And that 's not all — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump told reporters that he would be pardoning someone `` very , very important '' Tuesday , but it would n't be his former national security adviser Michael Flynn or former NSA contractor and whistleblower Edward Snowden .
So who ?
Like any good reality show producer , Trump is leaving the assembled press corps — and the country — with just that tease to the next episode .

7 Takeaways From The 1st Night Of The Democratic National Convention
Enlarge this image toggle caption DNCC via Getty Images DNCC via Getty Images
Updated at 11:19 a.m. ET
The Democratic National Convention kicked off Monday night in its first completely virtual, made-for-TV incarnation. It was unlike any convention night seen in years past. The most glaring difference: the absence of delegates and an audience.
That presented hurdles that the party tried to vault with a highly produced event that felt, at times, like a political infomercial mixed with a bit of "We Are The World" — and included one standout speech from former first lady Michelle Obama.
Most of the segments were prerecorded with some live elements, including actress Eva Longoria emceeing. The two-hour event accomplished several things Democrats were looking to do, including laying out a more hopeful — and diverse — vision for America than will likely be seen next week at the Republican National Convention. It also hit President Trump on two of the major issues facing the country — the coronavirus pandemic and the reckoning over racial injustice.
There was a lot to digest. Here are seven takeaways:
NPR YouTube
1. Michelle Obama delivered, as expected
The former first lady delivered a sophisticated rebuke of President Trump that hit him thwack and branches.
"He has had more than enough time to prove that he can do the job, but he is clearly in over his head," she said. "He cannot meet this moment. He simply cannot be who we need him to be for us. It is what it is."
That last line, "It is what it is," hearkens back to the president using those same words to describe the coronavirus death toll in the country.
And Obama nailed the virtual format. She was seated, comfortable, emotive and soaring in her delivery. Obama acknowledged many voters are disaffected with politics. "I get that," she said. She hit the seriousness of the moment.
"If you think things cannot possibly get worse, trust me — they can and they will if we don't make a change in this election," Obama said. And she made a direct appeal for people to get out and vote.
"We have got to grab our comfortable shoes, put on our masks, pack a brown bag dinner and maybe breakfast, too," she said, "because we've got to be willing to stand in line all night if we have to."
2. But she and the entire night could have benefited from a crowd
Obama's speech was genuine and sober and serious. Sitting in a living room and saying, "You know I hate politics," was powerful. But imagine what that speech would have been like with a crowd. Searing — and soaring.
There were other moments that would have benefited from a crowd, as when Kristin Urquiza from Arizona — whose father, a Trump supporter, died of the coronavirus — delivered this line: "His only preexisting condition was trusting Donald Trump, and he paid with his life."
There's nothing Democrats really could have done about the lack of a crowd because of the pandemic. Republicans are going to face a similar predicament next week, but in the words of the president: It is what it is.
3. Democrats started to build a case based on the character of Joe Biden
One of the key tasks of a convention is to get voters excited about the candidate. Joe Biden is facing some deficiencies in that regard. So the Democrats are using this virtual platform to tell Biden's story, highlighting what they believe are his decency and empathy in contrast to Trump.
Democrats started to do that Monday night in small and large ways. They described Biden as someone who is "real" and someone of "character." Obama described Biden as "a profoundly decent man, guided by faith" and alluded to the tragedies he's faced in life with the death of his first wife and daughter in a car accident decades ago, and more recently the loss of his son Beau to cancer. "Joe knows the anguish of sitting at a table with an empty chair," she said.
As to the kind of president he would be, Obama noted: "[H]e listens. He will tell the truth and trust science. He will make smart plans and manage a good team."
All of that is important in filling in the picture of who Biden the person is, to help insulate him from attacks that will be coming from his opponents.
4. Democrats provided Republicans a bridge (or fork in the road) to vote for Biden
One of the aspects of Monday night's convention that caused progressives some consternation was the inclusion of several Republicans, including, most notably, former Ohio Gov. John Kasich, who delivered his speech standing at a fork in a road, a visual metaphor if ever there was one.
They aren't exactly the most prominent Republicans in the current version of the GOP, but putting their names behind Biden was, at the very least, a degree of taunting ahead of next week's GOP convention. It also could have provided some Republicans a bridge, or a directional sign at that literal fork in the road, to vote for Biden.
"Many of us have been deeply concerned about the current path we've been following for the past four years," Kasich said. "Continuing to follow that path will have terrible consequences for America's soul because we're being taken down the wrong road by a president who has pitted one against the other."
5. But there was also something of a mixed message — is Biden a moderate, or as progressive as FDR?
Kasich's appearance presented a conflicting message to viewers. He said he has confidence Biden won't "turn sharp left and leave [Republicans and independents] behind."
"I don't believe that because I know the measure of the man: reasonable, faithful, respectful," Kasich said. "And you know, no one pushes Joe around."
But then Kasich was followed by Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, who noted in his speech that his own policies had been seen as radical before he ran for president but now are mainstream within the Democratic Party.
On Sunday, Sanders touted that if Biden implemented recommendations of joint policy task forces between Biden's and his supporters, then "Biden will become the most progressive president since Franklin Delano Roosevelt."
So, which is it? Will Biden not be pushed around by the left, or will he be the most progressive president since FDR?
6. Sanders is all in, and nothing unifies like a common enemy
All that said, Sanders made a strong and effective appeal to his voters to keep their eyes on the prize, that the most important thing this year is defeating Trump.
Sanders extolled Biden's virtues and noted that he would lead the fight on Day 1. It's very clear that Sanders and other progressives see Trump as a clear and present danger. In 2016, many on the left couldn't imagine Trump would win, but now he's been president for 3 1/2 years, and what he's done and could do are very real threats to progressive causes.
Four years ago some cast protest votes against Hillary Clinton thinking she wasn't progressive enough, but also thinking she'd likely win. Michelle Obama had a rejoinder for that.
"[T]his is not the time to withhold our votes in protest," she said, "or play games with candidates who have no chance of winning."
7. Trump will do everything he can to steal Democrats' thunder this week
Traditionally, the opposing candidate lays low during the convention of the other candidate and lets them have their week. But there's nothing traditional about this president, and Trump is already showing he's going to do everything he can to pull attention away from Democrats.
On just the first day of the Democratic National Convention, Trump held three rallies in an effort to eclipse the star power of Michelle Obama et al.
Tuesday the convention will feature Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, former President Bill Clinton and Jill Biden, Joe Biden's wife.
But Trump will be busy, too, signing a proclamation at the White House on the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, which gave women the right to vote. (On Tuesday morning, Trump announced a pardon of famed suffragist Susan B. Anthony.) Then he takes to the road to see border wall construction in Arizona.