npr--2020-11-23--President-Elect Biden To Begin Formal Transition Process After Agency OK

President-Elect Biden To Begin Formal Transition Process After Agency OK Joe Biden 's administration can formally begin its transition to power after a previously little-known federal agency on Monday ascertained Biden as the apparent winner of the election more than two weeks after the Democrat became president-elect .
The awaited decision from the General Services Administration provides the incoming Biden team with federal resources and access to agencies .
The news came as President Trump , who has still has n't conceded the White House race , tweeted he was `` recommending '' the GSA and others in his administration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the formal transfer of presidential power .
While Trump said he had recommended the moves , Emily Murphy , the Trump appointee who heads the GSA , wrote in her `` letter of ascertainment '' to Biden that she had reached the decision independently .
`` Please know that I came to my decision independently , based on the law and available facts , '' Murphy wrote in the letter , dated Monday .
`` I was never directly or indirectly pressured by any Executive Branch official — including those who work at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ regard to the substance or timing of my decision .
To be clear , I did not receive any direction to delay my determination . ''
Murphy had faced criticism from Democrats , national security experts and health officials , who argued that delaying the formal transition was hampering the incoming Biden administration from getting up to speed on the response to the coronavirus pandemic and jeopardizing national security .
A handful of GOP lawmakers also called for Murphy to allow the transition to get underway .
`` Contrary to media reports and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out of fear or favoritism , '' she wrote .
`` Instead , I strongly believe that the statute requires that the GSA Administrator ascertain , not impose , the apparent president-elect .
Unfortunately , the statute provides no procedures or standards for this process , so I looked to precedent from prior elections involving legal challenges and incomplete counts . ''
Murphy wrote she had reached her decision `` because of recent developments involving legal challenges and certifications of election results . ''
The president has not conceded the election despite numerous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in some key states , including Michigan on Monday .
Trump also wrote in his tweets that his `` case STRONGLY continues . ''
Trump thanked Murphy for her `` dedication and loyalty '' and also bemoaned the criticism she received .
The decision means Biden 's team should now have access to government office space , will be able to meet with Trump administration officials to discuss policy issues , and will receive some $ 7.3 million to pay staffers and other expenses .
`` Today 's decision is a needed step @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nation , including getting the pandemic under control and our economy back on track , '' Biden-Harris transition Executive Director Yohannes Abraham said in a statement .
`` This final decision is a definitive administrative action to formally begin the transition process with federal agencies .
In the days ahead , transition officials will begin meeting with federal officials to discuss the pandemic response , have a full accounting of our national security interests , and gain complete understanding of the Trump administration 's efforts to hollow out government agencies . ''
Under @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was up to Murphy as head of the GSA , the federal agency that acts as a leasing agent for the government , to make the ascertainment , though the law is vague about the criteria that should be used .
The GSA had cited the precedent set by the 2000 election in which Republican George W. Bush was n't declared the winner over Democrat Al Gore until the Supreme Court ruled in Bush 's favor in a dispute over recounting Florida 's ballots .
The margin then was just 537 votes , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ win over Trump .
That shortened transition period was cited by the 9/11 Commission as a factor in al-Qaida 's attacks on Sept. 11 , 2001 , because of the time it took Bush to get his national security team in place .
The GSA decision was Monday 's second major blow to Trump 's effort to overturn the election result .
Earlier in the day , the Michigan Board of State Canvassers voted to certify Biden 's win there .
The typically ministerial duty had become a national focal point as the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ effort either to delay certification or install Trump loyalists in the place of electors who would vote for Biden .
The decision to certify the outcome was 3-0 , with one abstention .

President-Elect Biden To Begin Formal Transition Process After Agency OK
Enlarge this image toggle caption Mark Makela/Getty Images Mark Makela/Getty Images
Updated on Tuesday at 12:25 p.m. ET
Joe Biden's administration can formally begin its transition to power after a previously little-known federal agency on Monday ascertained Biden as the apparent winner of the election more than two weeks after the Democrat became president-elect.
The awaited decision from the General Services Administration provides the incoming Biden team with federal resources and access to agencies.
The news came as President Trump, who has still hasn't conceded the White House race, tweeted he was "recommending" the GSA and others in his administration begin "initial protocols" to kick-start the formal transfer of presidential power.
While Trump said he had recommended the moves, Emily Murphy, the Trump appointee who heads the GSA, wrote in her "letter of ascertainment" to Biden that she had reached the decision independently.
"Please know that I came to my decision independently, based on the law and available facts," Murphy wrote in the letter, dated Monday, first obtained by CNN. "I was never directly or indirectly pressured by any Executive Branch official — including those who work at the White House or GSA — with regard to the substance or timing of my decision. To be clear, I did not receive any direction to delay my determination."
Murphy had faced criticism from Democrats, national security experts and health officials, who argued that delaying the formal transition was hampering the incoming Biden administration from getting up to speed on the response to the coronavirus pandemic and jeopardizing national security. A handful of GOP lawmakers also called for Murphy to allow the transition to get underway.
"Contrary to media reports and insinuations, my decision was not made out of fear or favoritism," she wrote. "Instead, I strongly believe that the statute requires that the GSA Administrator ascertain, not impose, the apparent president-elect. Unfortunately, the statute provides no procedures or standards for this process, so I looked to precedent from prior elections involving legal challenges and incomplete counts."
Enlarge this image toggle caption Susan Walsh/AP Susan Walsh/AP
Murphy wrote she had reached her decision "because of recent developments involving legal challenges and certifications of election results."
The president has not conceded the election despite numerous legal setbacks and the certification of votes in some key states, including Michigan on Monday.
Trump also wrote in his tweets that his "case STRONGLY continues."
Trump thanked Murphy for her "dedication and loyalty" and also bemoaned the criticism she received.
The decision means Biden's team should now have access to government office space, will be able to meet with Trump administration officials to discuss policy issues, and will receive some $7.3 million to pay staffers and other expenses.
"Today's decision is a needed step to begin tackling the challenges facing our nation, including getting the pandemic under control and our economy back on track," Biden-Harris transition Executive Director Yohannes Abraham said in a statement. "This final decision is a definitive administrative action to formally begin the transition process with federal agencies. In the days ahead, transition officials will begin meeting with federal officials to discuss the pandemic response, have a full accounting of our national security interests, and gain complete understanding of the Trump administration's efforts to hollow out government agencies."
Under the 1963 Presidential Transition Act, it was up to Murphy as head of the GSA, the federal agency that acts as a leasing agent for the government, to make the ascertainment, though the law is vague about the criteria that should be used.
The GSA had cited the precedent set by the 2000 election in which Republican George W. Bush wasn't declared the winner over Democrat Al Gore until the Supreme Court ruled in Bush's favor in a dispute over recounting Florida's ballots. The margin then was just 537 votes, a far narrower outcome than Biden's win over Trump.
That shortened transition period was cited by the 9/11 Commission as a factor in al-Qaida's attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, because of the time it took Bush to get his national security team in place.
The GSA decision was Monday's second major blow to Trump's effort to overturn the election result. Earlier in the day, the Michigan Board of State Canvassers voted to certify Biden's win there. The typically ministerial duty had become a national focal point as the president and his allies launched a failed effort either to delay certification or install Trump loyalists in the place of electors who would vote for Biden.
The decision to certify the outcome was 3-0, with one abstention.


npr--2020-11-23--Avril Haines Nominated As First Female Director Of National Intelligence

Avril Haines Nominated As First Female Director Of National Intelligence President-elect Joe Biden selected Avril Haines as his director of national intelligence on Monday .
Haines , 51 , worked with Biden under President Barack Obama and led the Biden transition 's national security and foreign policy team .
She served as the White House deputy national security advisor and deputy director of the CIA .
She was the first woman to hold both positions .
And now , she will become the first woman to head national intelligence .
In that role , she will oversee the National Intelligence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Homeland Security Council and advise the president .
Haines has the respect of many in the intelligence community , former director of the CIA John Brennan told NPR .
Her intelligence career spans over a decade : from the White House to the CIA , the NSC to the Department of State .
`` [ Haines ] is widely respected among intelligence professionals , and her superior intellect , humility and legendary work ethic are deeply admired by the thousands of intelligence officers with whom she worked during the Obama Administration , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that her varied and extensive intelligence background will help the Biden administration hit the ground running in January .
`` She enjoys the complete trust and confidence of Joe Biden , who will look to [ Haines ] to restore integrity and honesty at the helm of the intelligence community , '' said Brennan .
Biden is shaping his administration with diversity in mind .
According to a press release , the Biden transition team hopes its members will more accurately reflect America and its people .
Alejandro Mayorkas was nominated Monday as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ become the first Latino and immigrant to serve as the secretary of the Department of Homeland Security .
Previously , Haines was a senior research scholar at Columbia University and a senior fellow at Johns Hopkins University .
She also serves on several boards and advisory groups , including the National Commission on Military , the Nuclear Threat Initiative and Refugees International .

Avril Haines Nominated As First Female Director Of National Intelligence
Enlarge this image toggle caption Win McNamee/Getty Images Win McNamee/Getty Images
President-elect Joe Biden selected Avril Haines as his director of national intelligence on Monday. Haines, 51, worked with Biden under President Barack Obama and led the Biden transition's national security and foreign policy team. She served as the White House deputy national security adviser and deputy director of the CIA. She was the first woman to hold both positions.
And now, if confirmed, she will become the first woman to head national intelligence.
In that role, she would oversee the National Intelligence Program, the National Security Council, the Homeland Security Council and advise the president.
Haines has the respect of many in the intelligence community, former CIA Director John Brennan told NPR. Her intelligence career spans over a decade: from the White House to the CIA, the NSC to the Department of State.
"[Haines] is widely respected among intelligence professionals, and her superior intellect, humility and legendary work ethic are deeply admired by the thousands of intelligence officers with whom she worked during the Obama Administration," said Brennan.
Brennan also said that her varied and extensive intelligence background will help the Biden administration hit the ground running in January.
"She enjoys the complete trust and confidence of Joe Biden, who will look to [Haines] to restore integrity and honesty at the helm of the intelligence community," said Brennan.
Biden is shaping his administration with diversity in mind. According to a press release, the Biden transition team hopes its members will more accurately reflect America and its people. Alejandro Mayorkas was nominated Monday as well. If confirmed, he will become the first Latino and immigrant to serve as the secretary of the Department of Homeland Security.
Previously, Haines was a senior research scholar at Columbia University and a senior fellow at Johns Hopkins University. She also serves on several boards and advisory groups, including the National Commission on Military, the Nuclear Threat Initiative and Refugees International.


npr--2020-11-23--More Kids Are Getting COVID-19, Kentucky Pediatrician Says

More Kids Are Getting COVID-19 , Kentucky Pediatrician Says As coronavirus cases increase across the U.S. , children have been increasingly testing positive as well .
Elizabeth Hawse , a pediatrician in Lexington , Ky. , says she has seen a jump from earlier this year , when she was getting `` sporadic calls . ''
`` But over the past few weeks , we are seeing more and more kids calling the office that they 've been exposed or family members exposed and more and more positive cases , '' Hawse tells Steve Inskeep on Morning Edition .
Children @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus cases where a person 's age is noted , according to the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Children 's Hospital Association .
The groups said the seven-day period of Nov. 5 to 12 , the most recent for which they 've reported data , was `` by far the highest weekly increase '' in children 's cases since the start of the pandemic .
Children usually do not have severe symptoms of COVID-19 and many have no symptoms , the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says .
Hawse says she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ office , with infants and young children having mild cases .
But the older children are , the worse symptoms she has seen .
`` The further you get toward adulthood , toward that age of high school age or above , the more typical kid 's symptoms are what we think of : shortness of breath , fever , more likely to be hospitalized , '' she says .
Even if they do n't suffer symptoms themselves , it 's still possible for children to spread the coronavirus to adults .
That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ teachers and staff in schools .
However , some research has suggested that in-person schooling , with appropriate safety measures , has not led to a significant spread of coronavirus cases .
Still , Kentucky Gov .
Andy Beshear last week ordered most K-12 schools to stop in-person instruction through the end of the semester as cases rise .
Hawse says there is `` no good option for schools . ''
`` There are very few options that serve both a child 's academic health and their social health and their physical health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ programs , after-school programs and special education services are examples of the benefits of in-person schooling that kids ca n't get online .
For parents , Hawse echoes what she has told her own children .
`` We 're not going to probably make great leaps and bounds academically this year , and that 's got to be OK. We 've got to give one another some grace .
We are living through a pandemic . ''
Ashley Westerman and Kelley Dickens produced and edited the audio interview .

More Kids Are Getting COVID-19, Kentucky Pediatrician Says
Enlarge this image toggle caption John Moore/Getty Images John Moore/Getty Images
As coronavirus cases increase across the U.S., children have been increasingly testing positive as well.
Elizabeth Hawse, a pediatrician in Lexington, Ky., says she has seen a jump from earlier this year, when she was getting "sporadic calls."
"But over the past few weeks, we are seeing more and more kids calling the office that they've been exposed or family members exposed and more and more positive cases," Hawse tells Steve Inskeep on Morning Edition.
Children represent about 11.5% of all reported coronavirus cases where a person's age is noted, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Children's Hospital Association. The groups said the seven-day period of Nov. 5 to 12, the most recent for which they've reported data, was "by far the highest weekly increase" in children's cases since the start of the pandemic.
Children usually do not have severe symptoms of COVID-19 and many have no symptoms, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says.
Hawse says she has seen that play out in her office, with infants and young children having mild cases. But the older children are, the worse symptoms she has seen.
"The further you get toward adulthood, toward that age of high school age or above, the more typical kid's symptoms are what we think of: shortness of breath, fever, more likely to be hospitalized," she says.
Even if they don't suffer symptoms themselves, it's still possible for children to spread the coronavirus to adults. That's one concern when it comes to teachers and staff in schools.
However, some research has suggested that in-person schooling, with appropriate safety measures, has not led to a significant spread of coronavirus cases.
Still, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear last week ordered most K-12 schools to stop in-person instruction through the end of the semester as cases rise.
Hawse says there is "no good option for schools."
"There are very few options that serve both a child's academic health and their social health and their physical health," she says. School lunch programs, after-school programs and special education services are examples of the benefits of in-person schooling that kids can't get online.
For parents, Hawse echoes what she has told her own children.
"We're not going to probably make great leaps and bounds academically this year, and that's got to be OK. We've got to give one another some grace. We are living through a pandemic."
Ashley Westerman and Kelley Dickens produced and edited the audio interview.


npr--2020-11-23--A Revamped Strategic National Stockpile Still Can't Match The Pandemic's Latest Surge

A Revamped Strategic National Stockpile Still Ca n't Match The Pandemic 's Latest Surge The Strategic National Stockpile , which the U.S. has traditionally depended on for emergencies , still lacks critical supplies , nine months into one of the worst public health care crises this country has ever seen , an NPR investigation has learned .
A combination of long-standing budget shortfalls , lack of domestic manufacturing , snags in the global supply chain , and overwhelming demand has meant that the stockpile is short of the gloves , masks , and other supplies needed to weather this winter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Strategic National Stockpile ( SNS ) is a secret network of warehouses scattered across the country , each one the size of several Walmart Supercenters .
It serves as a stop-gap measure during an emergency — a pandemic or say , nuclear , chemical or biological attack .
The SNS has long been viewed as a bridge to help states weather calamity while the government revved up other tools in its arsenal , like the Defense Production Act , to feed additional supplies into the pipeline .
The stockpile constantly receives and sends @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , its pandemic readiness supplies held some 142 million N95 respirators ; 99 million surgical and non-surgical gowns and coveralls ; 16 million face shields and 7 million goggles ; and 153,000 ventilators , according to a spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services .
While these numbers sound impressive , they fall short of what Trump administration officials had hoped to be able to set aside when the coronavirus laid bare the fragility of the SNS this past spring .
The 142 million masks now on the shelves are less @ @ @ @ @ @ @ administration officials had hoped to amass by winter .
( In January , the stockpile contained only 24 million N95 respirators ) .
`` We 've achieved much , but not all of it , '' says Robert Kadlec , the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response at HHS .
Kadlec , who manages the SNS , says they hope to reach their goals by the end of the year .
In a perfect world , Kadlec and other HHS officials had wanted to amass a 90-day supply of critical material by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ frontlines also believe that officials have vastly underestimated what a 90-day supply should look like , even before the extraordinary surge of cases this winter .
`` We need billions more units of PPE to meet the need that we 're seeing across the country '' said Dr. Shikha Gupta , director of Get Us PPE , a grassroots organization that provides free PPE to organizations that need it .
Since the organization started eight months ago , Dr. Gupta says it has received 17,000 PPE requests from across the country , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 22 million units of PPE every week .
Most of those requests do n't even come from hospitals anymore , but smaller facilities like nursing homes and shelters .
`` It 's no longer just medical workers .
But now we 're also looking at detention centers and homeless shelters , teachers , and then the mom and pop private practices in rural parts of the country , '' says Gupta .
In 2019 , HHS conducted a tabletop exercise called `` Crimson Contagion , '' a joint operation that tested the government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that , rather prophetically , originated in China .
HHS ' Kadlec says the exercise made clear the stockpile was understocked and underfunded .
In November 2019 , the SNS 's total budget for this year was set at $ 745 million — short of the $ 1 billion that officials managing the stockpile requested .
`` And yet we started where we started , '' Kadlec said .
When the pandemic hit , Kadlec and his team focused not only on getting the necessary supplies , but also re-imagining the whole system @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on a couple of critical things : Getting better visibility on the supply chain ... reducing our vulnerability to foreign suppliers and increasing domestic manufacturing and ... the replenishment of our stockpile , '' he said .
They called their new vision 'SNS 2.0 : The Next Generation . ''
While they 've had a nearly $ 9 billion infusion since , there are things they simply can not fix quickly : for example , the way PPE is sourced .
The U.S. does n't make a lot of its medical supplies anymore @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supply chain that has led to many of the shortages .
For example , the nitrile glove , the industry standard for protection , is made of synthetic rubber and sourced almost exclusively from Asia , which has led to a global shortage .
That 's reflected in the stockpile .
According to HHS , the stockpile contains 22 million pairs overall , including nitrile gloves - only a fraction of the 4.5 billion it wants to have .
Not making most of this equipment on U.S. soil is one of the core @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to store large amounts of PPE , it 's just a band-aid solution .
Former SNS Director Greg Burel says the U.S. needs a whole new supply chain for this critical equipment , though he and other experts agree that it will be painstaking and time-consuming to make that happen .
`` We need to look at having very competent onshore supply chains , so that we do n't have a disruption as a result of a disease outbreak , say , in another country that limits their manufacturing , '' he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the United States to avoid the scenario from January when exports out of Wuhan — where the virus first emerged , and also the global manufacturing hub of N95 respirators — essentially stopped because of the pandemic .
'Like being on eBay' On March 31 , just over a month into the pandemic , New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo vented his frustration at the chronic shortage of supplies facing his state : `` It 's like being on eBay with 50 other states bidding on a ventilator , '' he told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conferences .
He was referring to the unparalleled competition between states trying to secure desperately needed supplies .
Ventilators and PPE were all going to the highest bidder because the SNS had little to offer .
The Trump administration made states responsible for their own COVID supplies .
Some of the shortfall in the SNS 's inventory might have been filled by the Defense Production Act — which gives the president the authority to order manufacturers to produce a much-needed item , among other powers — but President Trump chose to invoke it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had to figure its own way to deal with the shortfalls — all with varying degrees of success .
Some states , like California and Oregon , went so far as to lease warehouses to create their own stockpiles .
Governors were forced to create their own supply chains .
California worked with `` over a dozen different vendors '' to secure over 93 million sets of gloves ( though not all are nitrile ) and 180 million N95 respirators for the state 's use , according to Brian Ferguson , the deputy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the California Governor 's Office of Emergency Services .
That means California now has about 40 million more N95s than the Strategic National Stockpile currently holds .
`` One of the things California made a priority is ... that we had a strategy to have PPE for the long term in our state , '' he said .
California is , because of its size , an outlier .
Most other states need more help — and the SNS says it has been providing it .
`` All they have to do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will honor that request , '' said Brig .
Gen. David Sanford , director of the Supply Chain Advisory Group .
In an interview with NPR 's Mary Louise Kelly , he said they have not turned down any requests received from the states .
`` We 've had 313 since one September and we have n't said no to any . ''
But there is a difference between turning down a request and meeting it fully .
Robert Handfield , a professor at North Carolina State University and a supply chain expert @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interviewed from across the country had received some of what they requested from the stockpile but far less than they were promised .
`` I think several of the states are having a tough time , particularly the smaller states like Maine , New Mexico , and Nebraska , '' he said .
HHS ' Kadlec says some of this is simply a question of supply and demand where the supply simply can not keep up right now .
`` What we try to tell them is that there is no silver bullet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ overnight , that 's just not going to happen . ''
Yet where the nation finds itself heading as winter approaches is dispiriting to some .
Dr. Gupta of Get Us PPE said it 's unacceptable that the U.S. is still facing shortages of critical equipment .
`` We 've had so many opportunities to pay respects to our health care workers and frontline workers , not by clapping for them at 7 pm or sending them free pizza , but by giving them the protective equipment that they need , '' she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a better job of getting people what they need to walk into work , protected and confident that they can take care of themselves as well as the people around them . ''
Anything less , she said , is `` not what they signed up for and that 's not the American way . ''

A Revamped Strategic National Stockpile Still Can't Match The Pandemic's Latest Surge
Enlarge this image toggle caption Blake Nissen/Boston Globe via Getty Images Blake Nissen/Boston Globe via Getty Images
The Strategic National Stockpile, which the U.S. has traditionally depended on for emergencies, still lacks critical supplies nine months into one of the worst public health care crises this country has ever seen, an NPR investigation has learned.
A combination of long-standing budget shortfalls, lack of domestic manufacturing, snags in the global supply chain and overwhelming demand has meant that the stockpile is short of the gloves, masks and other supplies needed to weather this winter's surge in COVID-19 cases.
The Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) is a secret network of warehouses scattered across the country, each one the size of several Walmart Supercenters. It serves as a stopgap measure during an emergency — a pandemic or, say, a nuclear, chemical or biological attack.
The SNS has long been viewed as a bridge to help states weather calamity while the government revved up other tools in its arsenal, like the Defense Production Act, to feed additional supplies into the pipeline.
The stockpile constantly receives and sends out supplies. As of late November, its pandemic readiness supplies held some 142 million N95 respirators; 99 million surgical and nonsurgical gowns and coveralls; 16 million face shields and 7 million goggles; and 153,000 ventilators, according to a spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services.
While these numbers sound impressive, they fall short of what Trump administration officials had hoped to be able to set aside when the coronavirus laid bare the fragility of the stockpile this past spring. The 142 million masks now on the shelves are less than half the 300 million goal that administration officials had hoped to amass by winter. (In January, the stockpile contained only 24 million N95 respirators).
"We've achieved much, but not all of it," says Robert Kadlec, the assistant secretary for preparedness and response at HHS. Kadlec, who manages the SNS, says they hope to reach their goals by the end of the year.
In a perfect world, Kadlec and other HHS officials had wanted to amass a 90-day supply of critical material by the end of October. Those on the front lines also believe that officials have vastly underestimated what a 90-day supply should look like, even before the extraordinary surge of cases this winter.
"We need billions more units of PPE to meet the need that we're seeing across the country" said Dr. Shikha Gupta, director of Get Us PPE, a grassroots organization that provides free personal protective equipment to organizations that need it.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Giles Clarke/Getty Images Giles Clarke/Getty Images
Since the organization started eight months ago, Gupta says it has received 17,000 requests for personal protective equipment from across the country, which would translate to her organization handing out 22 million units of PPE every week. Most of those requests don't even come from hospitals anymore, but smaller facilities such as nursing homes and shelters. "It's no longer just medical workers. But now we're also looking at detention centers and homeless shelters, teachers, and then the mom and pop private practices in rural parts of the country," said Gupta.
Critical shortages
In 2019, HHS conducted a tabletop exercise called "Crimson Contagion," a joint operation that tested the government's response to a large influenza pandemic that, rather prophetically, originated in China. HHS' Kadlec says the exercise made clear the stockpile was understocked and underfunded.
In November 2019, the SNS' total budget for this year was set at $745 million — short of the $1 billion that officials managing the stockpile requested.
"And yet we started where we started," Kadlec said. When the pandemic hit, Kadlec and his team focused not only on getting the necessary supplies, but also reimagining the whole system. "We really kind of focused on a couple of critical things: getting better visibility on the supply chain ... reducing our vulnerability to foreign suppliers and increasing domestic manufacturing and ... the replenishment of our stockpile," he said.
They called their new vision "SNS 2.0: The Next Generation."
While they've had a nearly $9 billion infusion since, there are things they simply cannot fix quickly: for example, the way personal protective equipment is sourced. The U.S. doesn't make a lot of its medical supplies anymore and relies on an overstretched overseas supply chain that has led to many of the shortages.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Scott Olson/Getty Images Scott Olson/Getty Images
For example, the nitrile glove, the industry standard for protection, is made of synthetic rubber and sourced almost exclusively from Asia, which has led to a global shortage. That's reflected in the stockpile. According to HHS, the stockpile contains 22 million pairs overall, including nitrile gloves — only a fraction of the 4.5 billion it wants to have.
Not making most of this equipment on U.S. soil is one of the core problems. Even if the government manages to store large amounts of personal protective equipment, it's just a Band-Aid solution.
Former SNS Director Greg Burel says the U.S. needs a whole new supply chain for this critical equipment, though he and other experts agree that it will be painstaking and time-consuming to make that happen. "We need to look at having very competent onshore supply chains, so that we don't have a disruption as a result of a disease outbreak, say, in another country that limits their manufacturing," he said. That means that personal protective equipment needs to be manufactured in the United States to avoid the scenario from January when exports out of Wuhan — where the virus first emerged, and also the global manufacturing hub of N95 respirators — essentially stopped because of the pandemic.
"Like being on eBay"
On March 31, just over a month into the pandemic, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo vented his frustration at the chronic shortage of supplies facing his state. "It's like being on eBay with 50 other states bidding on a ventilator," he told reporters at one of his daily press conferences.
He was referring to the unparalleled competition between states trying to secure desperately needed supplies. Ventilators and personal protective equipment were all going to the highest bidder because the Strategic National Stockpile had little to offer.
The Trump administration made states responsible for their own COVID-19 supplies. Some of the shortfall in the SNS inventory might have been filled by the Defense Production Act — which gives the president the authority to order manufacturers to produce a much-needed item, among other powers — but President Trump chose to invoke it sparingly.
That meant that each state had to figure its own way to deal with the shortfalls — all with varying degrees of success. Some states, such as California and Oregon, went so far as to lease warehouses to create their own stockpiles. Governors had to create their own supply chains.
California worked with "over a dozen different vendors" to secure over 93 million sets of gloves (though not all are nitrile) and 180 million N95 respirators for the state's use, according to Brian Ferguson, the deputy director of crisis communication and public affairs for the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Richard Vogel/AP Richard Vogel/AP
That means California now has about 40 million more N95s than the Strategic National Stockpile currently holds. "One of the things California made a priority is ... that we had a strategy to have PPE for the long term in our state," he said.
California is, because of its size, an outlier. Most other states need more help — and the SNS says it has been providing it. "All they have to do is ask the federal government and we will honor that request," said Brig. Gen. David Sanford, director of the Supply Chain Advisory Group. In an interview with NPR's Mary Louise Kelly, he said they have not turned down any requests received from the states. "We've had 313 since one September and we haven't said no to any."
But there is a difference between turning down a request and meeting it fully. Robert Handfield, a professor at North Carolina State University and a supply chain expert, said that state officials he has interviewed from across the country had received some of what they requested from the stockpile but far less than they were promised. "I think several of the states are having a tough time, particularly the smaller states like Maine, New Mexico and Nebraska," he said.
HHS' Kadlec says some of this is simply a question of supply and demand where the supply simply cannot keep up right now. "What we try to tell them is that there is no silver bullet to magically have another billion masks here overnight; that's just not going to happen."
Yet where the nation finds itself heading as winter approaches is dispiriting to some. Dr. Gupta of Get Us PPE said it's unacceptable that the U.S. is still facing shortages of critical equipment.
"We've had so many opportunities to pay respects to our health care workers and front-line workers, not by clapping for them at 7 p.m. or sending them free pizza, but by giving them the protective equipment that they need," she said. "We need to do a better job of getting people what they need to walk into work, protected and confident that they can take care of themselves as well as the people around them." Anything less, she said, is "not what they signed up for and that's not the American way."


npr--2020-11-23--John Kerry Tapped For Newly Created Role As Presidential Climate Envoy

After decades advocating for action on climate change as a U.S. senator and then secretary of state , John Kerry has been tapped for a newly created post — special presidential envoy for climate , based on the National Security Council .
`` America will soon have a government that treats the climate crisis as the urgent national security threat it is , '' Kerry said on Twitter shortly after the announcement by President-elect Joe Biden 's transition team .
`` The climate crisis demands nothing less than all hands on deck . ''
Defense leaders have warned for years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an array of national security challenges , including mass displacement , political instability and food scarcity .
Kerry helped negotiate the Paris climate agreement , signing it in 2016 with his granddaughter on his lap .
Biden has pledged to rejoin the pact after Trump withdrew from it .
But Kerry could face skepticism as he seeks to reassert U.S. leadership and gain the trust of other countries for more aggressive climate action .
Environmental groups praised the Kerry appointment .
Fred Krupp , president of the Environmental Defense Fund , called him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ effective climate champions . ''
Varshini Prakash , executive director of the progressive Sunrise Movement , said Kerry `` is committed to engaging and listening to young voices — even when we might not always agree — and ensuring we have a seat at the table . ''
Prakash and Kerry served together on a joint task force to help shape Biden 's ambitious climate plan .
But she added that this new role `` is not enough . ''
Her group and others want Biden to appoint a domestic counterpart to Kerry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ climate warming emissions at home , not just abroad .

John Kerry Tapped For Newly Created Role As Presidential Climate Envoy
Enlarge this image toggle caption Mark Lennihan/AP Mark Lennihan/AP
After decades advocating for action on climate change as a U.S. senator and then secretary of state, John Kerry has been tapped for a newly created post — special presidential envoy for climate, based on the National Security Council.
"America will soon have a government that treats the climate crisis as the urgent national security threat it is," Kerry said on Twitter shortly after the announcement by President-elect Joe Biden's transition team. "The climate crisis demands nothing less than all hands on deck."
Defense leaders have warned for years that warming temperatures and rising seas pose an array of national security challenges, including mass displacement, political instability and food scarcity.
Kerry helped negotiate the Paris climate agreement, signing it in 2016 with his granddaughter on his lap. Biden has pledged to rejoin the pact after Trump withdrew from it. But Kerry could face skepticism as he seeks to reassert U.S. leadership and gain the trust of other countries for more aggressive climate action.
Environmental groups praised the Kerry appointment. Fred Krupp, president of the Environmental Defense Fund, called him "one of the world's most effective climate champions."
Varshini Prakash, executive director of the progressive Sunrise Movement, said Kerry "is committed to engaging and listening to young voices — even when we might not always agree — and ensuring we have a seat at the table."
Prakash and Kerry served together on a joint task force to help shape Biden's ambitious climate plan.
But she added that this new role "is not enough." Her group and others want Biden to appoint a domestic counterpart to Kerry, to push for deep cuts in climate warming emissions at home, not just abroad.


npr--2020-11-23--Biden Picks Janet Yellen To Be Treasury Secretary In Historic Appointment

Biden Picks Janet Yellen To Be Treasury Secretary In Historic Appointment The United States has had 77 Treasury secretaries in the last 231 years .
So far , they 've all been men .
That 's about to change .
President-elect Joe Biden plans to nominate former Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen to head the Treasury Department , a source close to the transition told NPR on Monday If confirmed , Yellen would play a leading role in shaping economic policy as the United States continues to dig its way out of the deep hole caused by the coronavirus pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ became the first woman to lead the central bank , a tenure that lasted from 2014 to 2018 .
She was confirmed to that position , winning some support from Senate Republicans .
She was a top White House economist in the Clinton administration as well , and has won praise from progressive Democrats .
`` Janet Yellen has absolutely shown a willingness to challenge corporate power and not be intimidated by big banks , '' said Adam Green , co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee .
`` That is a key @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' While the economy has bounced partly back from the pandemic recession , the recovery appears to be losing steam just as the virus is setting records for new daily infections .
The surge in COVID-19 cases has already triggered new restrictions on business activity and is likely to discourage consumers from going out and spending money as retailers are preparing for the important holiday shopping season .
Yellen echoes the president-elect in saying that controlling the pandemic is the No .
1 priority .
`` I think we need a much more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Yellen told Bloomberg TV in October .
`` And if we have that , it will be good not only for health but for being able to open up the economy . ''
Yellen warned that federal aid that helped jump-start the recovery during the spring and early summer is drying up , even as new daily infections are soaring .
`` Fiscal policy response in the United States has been extremely impressive , '' Yellen said .
`` But the fiscal support has now lapsed . ''
Emergency unemployment programs that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ set to expire at the end of December .
Yellen stressed the need to extend relief for jobless workers as well as for cash-strapped state and local governments .
Yellen 's appointment , which has not yet been officially confirmed , comes as Biden has pledged to appoint a diverse Cabinet .
His transition office on Monday announced that Alejandro Mayorkas would become the first Latino and immigrant nominated as Department of Homeland Security secretary .
Biden also tapped Avril Haines as director of national intelligence , which would make her , if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the intelligence community .

Biden Picks Janet Yellen To Be Treasury Secretary In Historic Appointment
Enlarge this image toggle caption Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images
Updated at 6:15 p.m. ET
The United States has had 77 Treasury secretaries in the last 231 years. So far, they've all been men.
That's about to change.
President-elect Joe Biden plans to nominate former Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen to head the Treasury Department, a source close to the transition told NPR on Monday
If confirmed, Yellen would play a leading role in shaping economic policy as the United States continues to dig its way out of the deep hole caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
Yellen also made history when she became the first woman to lead the central bank, a tenure that lasted from 2014 to 2018. She was confirmed to that position, winning some support from Senate Republicans.
She was a top White House economist in the Clinton administration as well, and has won praise from progressive Democrats.
"Janet Yellen has absolutely shown a willingness to challenge corporate power and not be intimidated by big banks," said Adam Green, co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee. "That is a key ingredient as you rebuild our economy."
While the economy has bounced partly back from the pandemic recession, the recovery appears to be losing steam just as the virus is setting records for new daily infections.
The surge in COVID-19 cases has already triggered new restrictions on business activity and is likely to discourage consumers from going out and spending money as retailers are preparing for the important holiday shopping season.
Yellen echoes the president-elect in saying that controlling the pandemic is the No. 1 priority.
"I think we need a much more effective effort than we've had," Yellen told Bloomberg TV in October. "And if we have that, it will be good not only for health but for being able to open up the economy."
Yellen warned that federal aid that helped jump-start the recovery during the spring and early summer is drying up, even as new daily infections are soaring.
"Fiscal policy response in the United States has been extremely impressive," Yellen said. "But the fiscal support has now lapsed."
Emergency unemployment programs that currently support some 13 million people are set to expire at the end of December. Yellen stressed the need to extend relief for jobless workers as well as for cash-strapped state and local governments.
Yellen's appointment, which has not yet been officially confirmed, comes as Biden has pledged to appoint a diverse Cabinet.
His transition office on Monday announced that Alejandro Mayorkas would become the first Latino and immigrant nominated as Department of Homeland Security secretary.
Biden also tapped Avril Haines as director of national intelligence, which would make her, if confirmed, the first woman to lead the intelligence community.


npr--2020-11-23--Democrats Insist On Tuesday Briefing By GSA Head On Delayed Transition

Democrats Insist On Tuesday Briefing By GSA Head On Delayed Transition Congressional Democrats , angered by the Trump administration 's refusal to begin the formal transition process to President-elect Joe Biden , are demanding a briefing on the matter from the head of the General Services Administration on Tuesday .
In a letter to GSA Administrator Emily Murphy , the Democrats say they ca n't wait another week , as the GSA has offered .
The GSA said the deputy administrator would provide a briefing to lawmakers on Nov. 30 .
The lawmakers , including the chairs of the House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , wrote on Monday : `` We can not wait yet another week to obtain basic information about your refusal to make the ascertainment determination .
Every additional day that is wasted is a day that the safety , health , and well-being of the American people is imperiled as the incoming Biden-Harris Administration is blocked from fully preparing for the coronavirus pandemic , our nation 's dire economic crisis , and our national security . ''
The 1963 Presidential Transition Act requires the head of the GSA to `` ascertain , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ presidential election , which Murphy has refused so far to do .
Her denial means that Biden can not access government office space or receive some $ 9.9 million to pay salaries to his transition personnel , and his team ca n't officially meet with members of the Trump administration .
Democrats , along with a handful of Republicans , as well as prominent health and national security experts , say the delayed start to the transition imperils national security and will harm the incoming Biden administration 's ability to deal with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than 250,000 Americans .

Democrats Insist On Tuesday Briefing By GSA Head On Delayed Transition
Enlarge this image toggle caption Jacquelyn Martin/AP Jacquelyn Martin/AP
Congressional Democrats, angered by the Trump administration's refusal to begin the formal transition process to President-elect Joe Biden, are demanding a briefing on the matter from the head of the General Services Administration on Tuesday.
In a letter to GSA Administrator Emily Murphy, the Democrats say they can't wait another week, as the GSA has offered. The GSA said the deputy administrator would provide a briefing to lawmakers on Nov. 30.
The lawmakers, including the chairs of the House Appropriations and House Oversight and Reform committees, wrote on Monday: "We cannot wait yet another week to obtain basic information about your refusal to make the ascertainment determination. Every additional day that is wasted is a day that the safety, health, and well-being of the American people is imperiled as the incoming Biden-Harris Administration is blocked from fully preparing for the coronavirus pandemic, our nation's dire economic crisis, and our national security."
The 1963 Presidential Transition Act requires the head of the GSA to "ascertain," or determine, the winner of the presidential election, which Murphy has refused so far to do. Her denial means that Biden cannot access government office space or receive some $9.9 million to pay salaries to his transition personnel, and his team can't officially meet with members of the Trump administration.
Democrats, along with a handful of Republicans, as well as prominent health and national security experts, say the delayed start to the transition imperils national security and will harm the incoming Biden administration's ability to deal with the coronavirus pandemic, which has killed more than 250,000 Americans.


npr--2020-11-23--American Airlines Reverses Policy That Imposed Weight Limit On Wheelchairs

American Airlines has reversed a policy that meant some people who use heavy wheelchairs could no longer fly on certain small regional jets .
The recent policy banned wheelchairs weighing more than 300 pounds from some of its smaller jets .
Many power wheelchairs , with batteries and motors , weigh more than that .
The airline had already announced plans to review the new rule earlier this month , following an NPR report .
Now American says the review is completed and it will end the weight limit .
American initially said it implemented the weight limit as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new guidance about cargo weight standards .
In a statement to NPR on Monday , American said : `` After close consultation with our safety team and our aircraft manufacturer partners , we 've eliminated the conservative weight limits that temporarily impacted our ability to carry some mobility devices and wheelchairs on our smaller , regional aircraft . ''
The airline said the new guidelines had been `` approved and reviewed '' by the Federal Aviation Administration , and added : `` We are committed to learning from this as we redouble our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our customers with disabilities . ''
John Morris , a frequent flyer and the founder of the website Wheelchair Travel , first noted the new policy after he was barred from taking a flight from Gainesville , Fla. , on Oct. 21 .
Morris , a triple amputee , says his wheelchair weighs around 400 pounds .
After Morris complained to the airline , it agreed to make an accommodation on future flights : It would take the batteries off of his chair to reduce the weight .
When he returned to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ honored its accommodation , but not without difficulty .
Morris says the ground crew pulled up videos on YouTube to figure out how to take off the batteries .
Morris was still traveling when American announced it would review the policy .
Although the weight limit on wheelchairs was still in effect when Morris returned to Gainesville on Nov. 10 , he says the grounds crew loaded the wheelchair without taking it apart .
On Monday morning , an airline service representative left a voicemail for Morris to announce the change .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not going to have to be needlessly removing the batteries from their power wheelchairs , '' Morris says about the airline 's reversal .
Other flyers who use wheelchairs got personal notification from American as well , including Kelly Mack , a Washington , D.C. public relations specialist .
`` It 's a huge relief that American Airlines decided to reverse a clearly discriminatory policy , '' says Mack .
Morris writes about good places to travel for people who use wheelchairs , but he is also a frequent critic of the hassles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his attention back to some of those other issues .
For instance , the policy change on weight limits , he says , `` has n't changed the fact that a large number of wheelchairs are still being damaged by airlines . ''
The FAA , in 2018 , began requiring airlines to report when a wheelchair was lost or damaged .
Before the pandemic , it was a frequent issue , happening about 25 to 30 times a day .

American Airlines Reverses Policy That Imposed Weight Limit On Wheelchairs
Enlarge this image toggle caption Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images
American Airlines has reversed a policy that meant some people who use heavy wheelchairs could no longer fly on certain small regional jets.
The recent policy banned wheelchairs weighing more than 300 pounds from some of its smaller jets. Many power wheelchairs, with batteries and motors, weigh more than that.
The airline had already announced plans to review the new rule earlier this month, following an NPR report. Now American says the review is completed and it will end the weight limit.
American initially said it implemented the weight limit as a safety precaution, after Canadian authorities issued new guidance about cargo weight standards. In a statement to NPR on Monday, American said: "After close consultation with our safety team and our aircraft manufacturer partners, we've eliminated the conservative weight limits that temporarily impacted our ability to carry some mobility devices and wheelchairs on our smaller, regional aircraft."
The airline said the new guidelines had been "approved and reviewed" by the Federal Aviation Administration, and added: "We are committed to learning from this as we redouble our focus on improving the travel experience for our customers with disabilities."
John Morris, a frequent flyer and the founder of the website Wheelchair Travel, first noted the new policy after he was barred from taking a flight from Gainesville, Fla., on Oct. 21. Morris, a triple amputee, says his wheelchair weighs around 400 pounds.
After Morris complained to the airline, it agreed to make an accommodation on future flights: It would take the batteries off of his chair to reduce the weight. When he returned to the airport on Oct. 28, the airline honored its accommodation, but not without difficulty. Morris says the ground crew pulled up videos on YouTube to figure out how to take off the batteries.
Morris was still traveling when American announced it would review the policy. Although the weight limit on wheelchairs was still in effect when Morris returned to Gainesville on Nov. 10, he says the grounds crew loaded the wheelchair without taking it apart.
On Monday morning, an airline service representative left a voicemail for Morris to announce the change.
"It's great news that people are not going to have to be needlessly removing the batteries from their power wheelchairs," Morris says about the airline's reversal.
Other flyers who use wheelchairs got personal notification from American as well, including Kelly Mack, a Washington, D.C. public relations specialist. "It's a huge relief that American Airlines decided to reverse a clearly discriminatory policy," says Mack.
Morris writes about good places to travel for people who use wheelchairs, but he is also a frequent critic of the hassles of flying. Now he's turning his attention back to some of those other issues. For instance, the policy change on weight limits, he says, "hasn't changed the fact that a large number of wheelchairs are still being damaged by airlines."
The FAA, in 2018, began requiring airlines to report when a wheelchair was lost or damaged. Before the pandemic, it was a frequent issue, happening about 25 to 30 times a day.


npr--2020-11-23--Biden Administration: Here's Who Has Been Named So Far

Biden Administration : Here 's Who Has Been Named So Far Updated on Nov. 23 at 3:20 p.m .
ET President-elect Joe Biden is assembling his inner circle of advisers and Cabinet officials despite President Trump 's continued dismissal of the validity of the election .
The week of Thanksgiving , Biden named key nominees for his foreign policy and national security teams , including Avril Haines as director of national intelligence .
Haines would be the first woman to serve in the role if confirmed .
Alejandro Mayorkas , nominee for Department of Homeland Security secretary , would be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ position .
Biden also tapped former Secretary of State John Kerry for a new White House position as special presidential envoy for climate .
Kerry will serve on the National Security Council .
Within a week after gaining the electoral votes needed to win the presidency , Biden announced that adviser and lawyer Ron Klain would be his chief of staff .
NPR is providing information on each official nominee as they are announced by the Biden team for the White House , national security , economic policy and additional Cabinet positions .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of his early promises , he will name close advisers and aides to work with him in the White House — people who will run operations and brief him on top matters of national security , the economy and other key issues .
Most of these officials do not need U.S. Senate confirmation .
Vice President-elect Kamala Harris and soon-to-be first lady Jill Biden will also name their top aides .
Biden will also nominate officials to lead the federal government 's domestic and international security efforts .
These officials will oversee U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relations with world leaders and international coalitions .
All of these officials must be confirmed by the Senate , with the exception of the new climate position in the NSC .
As the U.S. continues to fight through a recession brought on by the coronavirus pandemic , increased focus will be on whom Biden picks to lead his economic , financial and trade policies .
Many of these nominees will play crucial roles in determining further coronavirus relief aid .
These positions must also be confirmed by the Senate .
Biden will overhaul @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials who will carry out his policy agenda .
These officials require Senate confirmation .
This page was originally published on Nov. 17 at 11:49 a.m .
ET .

Biden Administration: Here Are His Cabinet Members And Key Advisers
Enlarge this image Caroline Amenabar/NPR, Stephen Melkisethian/Flickr Caroline Amenabar/NPR, Stephen Melkisethian/Flickr
The U.S. Senate continues to take up President Biden's nominees for key roles.
The top figures in an administration are made up of a combination of Cabinet and high-ranking nominees who require Senate confirmation, and senior advisers tapped by the president, who don't require congressional approval.
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Below, see who Biden's chosen for:
Note that Biden's original nominee to head the Office of Management and Budget, Neera Tanden, withdrew from consideration on March 2.
National security: These officials oversee U.S. intelligence and defense, and spearhead relations with world leaders and international coalitions.
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Economic policy: These picks direct Biden's economic and trade policies, and the government's financial oversight.
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Additional members of Biden's Cabinet: These nominees, who all require Senate confirmation, help carry out Biden's policy agenda on issues ranging from health care to climate change.
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Other key positions: These top roles include officials who help in the federal response to the coronavirus pandemic.
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White House: These are the top aides Biden counts on to run his White House and advise him on top policy initiatives. Most did not need confirmation by the Senate.
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NPR's Roberta Rampton contributed reporting.


npr--2020-11-23--Egypt Defiant As International Criticism Grows Over Arrest Of Human Rights Activists

Egypt Defiant As International Criticism Grows Over Arrest Of Human Rights Activists The Egyptian government is facing an international backlash over the arrests of members of a leading Egyptian human rights organization following a meeting with European diplomats Nov. 3 .
Since last week , authorities have arrested three members of the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights ( EIPR ) on charges which include belonging to a terrorist organization , undermining public security by spreading false information and using the Internet to spread false news .
The Egyptian government has launched an unprecedented crackdown on civil rights under President Abdel-Fatah @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , imposing new restrictions on freedom of expression and expanding the powers of Egypt 's security forces .
EIPR executive director Gasser Abdel Razek , 52 , appeared in a closed court session Monday .
His defense lawyers said Abdel Razek 's head had been shaved and he is being kept in solitary confinement without a mattress or blankets and with no heat or warm clothing .
`` His situation inside the prison is giving us the strong indication that Egyptian authorities want to destroy his will , putting him in a situation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ serious medical situation , '' one of Abdel Razek 's lawyers , Negad el-Borai , told NPR .
`` He was sleeping on an iron bed .
The prison did not allow him to receive clothes from his family , '' said el-Borai , who attended the court session .
He said attorneys have asked the prosecutor to investigate the conditions in which Abdel Razek is being held and to ensure his health and safety .
Outside the federal courthouse in the New Cairo district of the Egyptian capital , family and friends @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a coffee shop as windowless blue police vans drove Abdel Razek and other prisoners into the court compound .
Police kept ordering family and supporters to stay back to limit their view .
Abdel Razek 's wife said they had been expecting the arrest after police took EIPR administrative manager Mohamed Basheer , and criminal justice director Karim Ennarah into custody last week before her husband was detained on Thursday .
`` We 're always expecting something like this but after those arrests we were kind of prepared , '' Miriam al-Orashi @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take the kids outside Cairo for the night so they would n't be at home when it happened . ''
She said half an hour after she and her children reached their destination , they received word her husband had been arrested at home .
She said Abdel Razek believed the EIPR 's meeting Nov. 3 with a large number of diplomats , many of them European ambassadors , had triggered the arrests .
Britain 's foreign office told the Egyptian government `` all human rights defenders should be able to work without @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The European Union said it had communicated its `` significant concern '' over the arrests .
The U.S. State Department also condemned the arrests , as did Antony Blinken , tipped by President-elect Joe Biden to be his secretary of state .
Egypt has denounced the protests as interference in its internal affairs and says the human rights organization was not licensed to engage in the work it was doing .
The 18-year-old EIPR does research and advocacy on civil liberties , economic and social rights and criminal justice , investigating issues including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's increasing use of the death penalty .
Under the Trump administration , the U.S. has been largely silent regarding el-Sissi 's crackdown on human rights and consolidation of military power , lifting blocks on aid and military assistance to the Egyptian government .
President Trump has publicly referred to el-Sissi as `` my favorite dictator . ''
Many activists in Egypt are wondering whether the new Biden administration will bring a change in U.S. policy .
`` Gasser was really , really waiting for the elections to end and to know who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ speaking of her husband .
`` Because he was always saying this is the world 's future - it is not only for U.S. but it affects everyone . ''

Egypt Defiant As International Criticism Grows Over Arrest Of Human Rights Activists
Enlarge this image toggle caption Courtesy Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights Courtesy Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights
The Egyptian government is facing an international backlash over the arrests of members of a leading Egyptian human rights organization following a meeting with European diplomats Nov. 3.
Since last week, authorities have arrested three members of the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR) on charges which include belonging to a terrorist organization, undermining public security by spreading false information and using the Internet to spread false news.
The Egyptian government has launched an unprecedented crackdown on civil rights under President Abdel-Fatah el-Sissi, jailing thousands of political prisoners, imposing new restrictions on freedom of expression and expanding the powers of Egypt's security forces.
EIPR executive director Gasser Abdel Razek, 52, appeared in a closed court session Monday. His defense lawyers said Abdel Razek's head had been shaved and he is being kept in solitary confinement without a mattress or blankets and with no heat or warm clothing.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Courtesy: Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights Courtesy: Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights
"His situation inside the prison is giving us the strong indication that Egyptian authorities want to destroy his will, putting him in a situation which could put him in a very serious medical situation," one of Abdel Razek's lawyers, Negad el-Borai, told NPR.
"He was sleeping on an iron bed. The prison did not allow him to receive clothes from his family," said el-Borai, who attended the court session. He said attorneys have asked the prosecutor to investigate the conditions in which Abdel Razek is being held and to ensure his health and safety.
Outside the federal courthouse in the New Cairo district of the Egyptian capital, family and friends waited across the street on the patio of a coffee shop as windowless blue police vans drove Abdel Razek and other prisoners into the court compound. Police kept ordering family and supporters to stay back to limit their view.
Abdel Razek's wife said they had been expecting the arrest after police took EIPR administrative manager Mohamed Basheer, and criminal justice director Karim Ennarah into custody last week before her husband was detained on Thursday.
"We're always expecting something like this but after those arrests we were kind of prepared," Miriam al-Orashi told NPR. "I decided to take the kids outside Cairo for the night so they wouldn't be at home when it happened."
She said half an hour after she and her children reached their destination, they received word her husband had been arrested at home.
She said Abdel Razek believed the EIPR's meeting Nov. 3 with a large number of diplomats, many of them European ambassadors, had triggered the arrests.
Britain's foreign office told the Egyptian government "all human rights defenders should be able to work without fear of arrest or reprisals." The European Union said it had communicated its "significant concern" over the arrests.
The U.S. State Department also condemned the arrests, as did Antony Blinken, tipped by President-elect Joe Biden to be his secretary of state.
Egypt has denounced the protests as interference in its internal affairs and says the human rights organization was not licensed to engage in the work it was doing.
The 18-year-old EIPR does research and advocacy on civil liberties, economic and social rights and criminal justice, investigating issues including prison conditions amid the pandemic and Egypt's increasing use of the death penalty.
Under the Trump administration, the U.S. has been largely silent regarding el-Sissi's crackdown on human rights and consolidation of military power, lifting blocks on aid and military assistance to the Egyptian government. President Trump has publicly referred to el-Sissi as "my favorite dictator."
Many activists in Egypt are wondering whether the new Biden administration will bring a change in U.S. policy.
"Gasser was really, really waiting for the elections to end and to know who would win," said al-Orashi, speaking of her husband. "Because he was always saying this is the world's future - it is not only for U.S. but it affects everyone."


npr--2020-11-23--'Waste' Activist Digs Into The Sanitation Crisis Affecting The Rural Poor

'Waste ' Activist Digs Into The Sanitation Crisis Affecting The Rural Poor Hookworm is an intestinal parasite often associated with poor sewage treatment and the developing world .
It was long thought to have been eradicated from the United States — until a 2017 study revealed otherwise .
According to the study , more than one in three people in Alabama 's Lowndes County tested positive for hookworm infection .
Hookworm spreads when people walk or play in soil contaminated with feces and the larvae of the worms penetrate their skin .
`` This is not something that we test @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't anticipate that we have it , '' says activist and author Catherine Coleman Flowers .
It was Flowers ' activism that spurred scientists to conduct the hookworm study .
For 20 years , she 's worked with advocacy organizations , philanthropists , business leaders and elected officials to shed light on the gaps in access to basic sanitation in rural America .
An Alabama native , Flowers has been awarded a MacArthur fellowship for her work on behalf of rural Americans living without proper sewage treatment .
She says the hookworm study @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that highlighted the sanitation and environmental problems the rural poor face .
Lowndes is a predominantly Black community , but Flowers notes that sanitation issues — and the health problems that tend to accompany them — are as much about class as they are about race .
`` It 's very hard to get people to pay attention to rural poverty because most people do n't understand it , '' she says .
`` In Lowndes County , for example , a lot of it is about race , but poor white people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Flowers writes about her life and the battle for universal sanitation in the new memoir , Waste : One Woman 's Fight Against America 's Dirty Secret .
She is also the founder of the Center for Rural Enterprise and Environmental Justice .
On why sanitation is a particularly bad problem in these rural parts of Alabama First of all , there 's no municipal system .
Usually when people visit or especially if they call me and they 've never been to a rural community , they ask , `` Why do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ? ''
In a lot of rural communities and suburban communities around the United States , people own on-site septic systems .
And the on-site septic systems are something that the homeowner , at least in Alabama , the homeowner , has to to purchase and put it in place .
Recently , we were working with a family who ... needed [ an ] on-site septic system , and we had the engineering done .
You have to have a perc test done in the state of Alabama .
A perc test @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rate or the rate in which water drains to the soil .
And that can determine whether or not what type of septic system is needed in that location .
Lowndes County has dense clay soils .
It holds water , so it makes it harder .
The other factor that we have found to be a problem is the water table .
The water table is high , and the water table is getting higher because of sea level rise .
A lot of people do not account for that when they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ particular family that we were trying to help , they went down 25 feet and struck water .
That 's how high the water table was .
...
So that means that there 's a need for a different type of system .
...
The system needed to treat wastewater from the home would have taken a close to two thirds of the [ half acre ] property .
And it would have cost $ 28,000 , and most families — not just poor families , but middle-class families in Lowndes County and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ afford that .
On how climate change affects how these septic systems work We 're still using technologies that were developed before we had the type of rainfall that we have , before we had the type of conditions that we have with climate change in having all these storms coming ashore and we get more rain or we get deluges of rain at one time .
Even before now , when I was growing up in Lowndes County and my family had a septic system , the sewage would come back into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the bathtub , and we thought it was a plumbing problem .
But because my organization did a house-to-house survey and we went to over 1,000 homes in Lowndes County and we kept hearing the same problems over and over again , and under the same conditions , we realized there was a pattern .
And it 's not just that they 're not being maintained .
We have to find something that 's going to work .
And now I 'm hearing from people around the country that are saying the same @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people that are designing these systems to listen so they can change them and make them work , hopefully , or we need to create something new and different .
On how the health department in Lowndes County issued citations if residents did n't have permits for septic systems What was happening in Lowndes County at the time , people were being cited ... and [ the health department ] said because the problem was so prevalent throughout the state , we were told that at that time that their stance was to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ So when it was reported to [ the health department environmentalist ] , he would go see the situation and then he would send them a citation giving them so many days to get it corrected .
And after they did n't get it corrected within whatever that period of time was , they would go to court and the judge could issue an order for them to correct it , and when they were being arrested was when they apparently violated the order .
I went to court at the invitation of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ knew they were in court that day .
The health department 's environmentalist was concerned that the person , a young man , would lose his job if he was arrested that day , if he was placed under arrest because he could not afford to put in his septic system .
Apparently he had been trying to work with this young man , but it was just so expensive .
And so when I went to court , I did explain to the judge that he could n't afford it .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ help understand the problem and try to help families that were facing potentially being arrested for not having septic systems .
So she eventually let him go .
But there was also another person in the courtroom and she had spent the weekend in jail and had been arrested for not having a septic system .
On finding new solutions to sewage treatment problems My next phase in this is to partner and work with people to establish new technologies that could work , because I 'm understanding that this problem is not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a problem all over rural America — and it 's also a global problem .
So we have to develop the type of technologies that [ are ] going to work .
To give you an example , going outside of Lowndes County , in the Miami-Dade County area , I saw an article that said that they had an over billion dollar septic tank problem because of sea level rise .
They 're not working .
We have to acknowledge that a lot of these systems are not working and we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for us to develop green wastewater treatment that takes into account climate change .
And until we do that , the infrastructure will continue to fail over and over and over again .
And there should n't be another Catherine Flowers 20 years from now saying what I 'm saying .
If we can treat wastewater to drinking water quality and outer space , why ca n't we do it here on Earth ?
Heidi Saman and Seth Kelley produced and edited this interview for broadcast .
Bridget Bentz , Molly Seavy-Nesper and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

'Waste' Activist Digs Into The Sanitation Crisis Affecting The Rural Poor
Enlarge this image toggle caption Michael Carson/The New Press Michael Carson/The New Press
Hookworm is an intestinal parasite often associated with poor sewage treatment and the developing world. It was long thought to have been eradicated from the United States — until a 2017 study revealed otherwise.
According to the study, more than one in three people in Alabama's Lowndes County tested positive for hookworm infection.
Hookworm spreads when people walk or play in soil contaminated with feces and the larvae of the worms penetrate their skin.
"This is not something that we test for in the U.S. because people don't anticipate that we have it," says activist and author Catherine Coleman Flowers.
It was Flowers' activism that spurred scientists to conduct the hookworm study. For 20 years, she's worked with advocacy organizations, philanthropists, business leaders and elected officials to shed light on the gaps in access to basic sanitation in rural America.
An Alabama native, Flowers has been awarded a MacArthur fellowship for her work on behalf of rural Americans living without proper sewage treatment. She says the hookworm study was a "smoking gun," that highlighted the sanitation and environmental problems the rural poor face.
Lowndes is a predominantly Black community, but Flowers notes that sanitation issues — and the health problems that tend to accompany them — are as much about class as they are about race.
"It's very hard to get people to pay attention to rural poverty because most people don't understand it," she says. "In Lowndes County, for example, a lot of it is about race, but poor white people are having the same problems."
Flowers writes about her life and the battle for universal sanitation in the new memoir, Waste: One Woman's Fight Against America's Dirty Secret. She is also the founder of the Center for Rural Enterprise and Environmental Justice.
Interview highlights
Enlarge this image The New Press The New Press
On why sanitation is a particularly bad problem in these rural parts of Alabama
First of all, there's no municipal system. Usually when people visit or especially if they call me and they've never been to a rural community, they ask, "Why don't they connect to a municipal system?" In a lot of rural communities and suburban communities around the United States, people own on-site septic systems. And the on-site septic systems are something that the homeowner, at least in Alabama, the homeowner, has to to purchase and put it in place.
Recently, we were working with a family who ... needed [an] on-site septic system, and we had the engineering done. You have to have a perc test done in the state of Alabama. A perc test is when they are checking the percolation rate or the rate in which water drains to the soil. And that can determine whether or not what type of septic system is needed in that location. Lowndes County has dense clay soils. It holds water, so it makes it harder.
The other factor that we have found to be a problem is the water table. The water table is high, and the water table is getting higher because of sea level rise. A lot of people do not account for that when they are talking about on-site sanitation.
This particular family that we were trying to help, they went down 25 feet and struck water. That's how high the water table was. ... So that means that there's a need for a different type of system. ... The system needed to treat wastewater from the home would have taken a close to two thirds of the [half acre] property. And it would have cost $28,000, and most families — not just poor families, but middle-class families in Lowndes County and other places in Alabama — could not afford that.
On how climate change affects how these septic systems work
We're still using technologies that were developed before we had the type of rainfall that we have, before we had the type of conditions that we have with climate change in having all these storms coming ashore and we get more rain or we get deluges of rain at one time.
Even before now, when I was growing up in Lowndes County and my family had a septic system, the sewage would come back into the homes and sometimes come back into the bathtub, and we thought it was a plumbing problem. But because my organization did a house-to-house survey and we went to over 1,000 homes in Lowndes County and we kept hearing the same problems over and over again, and under the same conditions, we realized there was a pattern. And it's not just that they're not being maintained.
We have to find something that's going to work. And now I'm hearing from people around the country that are saying the same thing. We have to get the people that are designing these systems to listen so they can change them and make them work, hopefully, or we need to create something new and different.
On how the health department in Lowndes County issued citations if residents didn't have permits for septic systems
What was happening in Lowndes County at the time, people were being cited ... and [the health department] said because the problem was so prevalent throughout the state, we were told that at that time that their stance was to only act if somebody reported it. So when it was reported to [the health department environmentalist], he would go see the situation and then he would send them a citation giving them so many days to get it corrected. And after they didn't get it corrected within whatever that period of time was, they would go to court and the judge could issue an order for them to correct it, and when they were being arrested was when they apparently violated the order.
I went to court at the invitation of the environmentalist. That's how I knew they were in court that day. The health department's environmentalist was concerned that the person, a young man, would lose his job if he was arrested that day, if he was placed under arrest because he could not afford to put in his septic system. Apparently he had been trying to work with this young man, but it was just so expensive.
And so when I went to court, I did explain to the judge that he couldn't afford it. I also explained that we were trying to help understand the problem and try to help families that were facing potentially being arrested for not having septic systems. So she eventually let him go. But there was also another person in the courtroom and she had spent the weekend in jail and had been arrested for not having a septic system.
On finding new solutions to sewage treatment problems
My next phase in this is to partner and work with people to establish new technologies that could work, because I'm understanding that this problem is not just a Lowndes County problem. This is a problem all over rural America — and it's also a global problem. So we have to develop the type of technologies that [are] going to work.
To give you an example, going outside of Lowndes County, in the Miami-Dade County area, I saw an article that said that they had an over billion dollar septic tank problem because of sea level rise. They're not working. We have to acknowledge that a lot of these systems are not working and we have not understood that it's time for us to develop green wastewater treatment that takes into account climate change.
And until we do that, the infrastructure will continue to fail over and over and over again. And there shouldn't be another Catherine Flowers 20 years from now saying what I'm saying. If we can treat wastewater to drinking water quality and outer space, why can't we do it here on Earth?
Heidi Saman and Seth Kelley produced and edited this interview for broadcast. Bridget Bentz, Molly Seavy-Nesper and Carmel Wroth adapted it for the Web.


npr--2020-11-23--'Welcome To The Party, Zoom': Video App's Rules Lead To Accusations Of Censorship

'Welcome To The Party , Zoom ' : Video App 's Rules Lead To Accusations Of Censorship Now that the coronavirus pandemic has transformed Zoom from a corporate videoconferencing app into a ubiquitous tool for governments , schools , karaoke parties and even `` Zoomsgiving '' celebrations , the company is having to do the dicey work of deciding what is permitted on its platform .
And not everybody is allowed on it .
Zoom 's rules say users can not break the law , promote violence , be obscene , display nudity or support terrorism .
The terms of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ companies like Facebook , Twitter and Google 's YouTube .
And just as social media companies draw critics ' ire when they flag a post or ban a user , Zoom is now being accused of censorship after refusing to host a speech by a controversial Palestinian activist .
The episode is raising questions among technology experts about whether and how Zoom sessions should be regulated .
In September , Zoom blocked a speaking event featuring Leila Khaled , a member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine , which the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Khaled , now 76 years old and living in Jordan , is notorious for hijacking a plane in 1969 and attempting to do it again a year later .
Rabab Abdulhadi , a professor at San Francisco State University 's College of Ethnic Studies , planned an `` open classroom '' event in which Khaled was to participate .
But the night before the event , Abdulhadi received a message from the university 's provost : Zoom was canceling the livestream over legal concerns .
Abdulhadi says she was told , `` We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ material support for terrorism and that might include imprisonment and a fine . ''
Abdulhadi did n't fear those consequences .
She says her own lawyers had assured her that inviting Khaled to speak publicly is not tantamount to providing material support to terrorists , as broadly defined in a federal statute that prosecutors have used to arrest individuals for everything from fighting alongside terrorist groups to exchanging Twitter messages with them .
To Abdulhadi , Khaled is a feminist icon and radical nationalist whose planned talk on resistance movements had captured wide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 'd to tune in to the event on Zoom .
`` They do not have the right to use their being a platform to veto the content of our classroom and thus actually impinge on our academic freedom , '' Abdulhadi said of Zoom .
Legally , Zoom can not tell Abdulhadi what to teach .
But it can decide who is and is not allowed to speak on its platform .
The Lawfare Project , a pro-Israel think tank and litigation fund , pressured Zoom to block the event , arguing that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It organized a protest in front of Zoom 's headquarters in September .
`` If your interest is in having an academic discussion about controversial issues , go ahead .
But that does n't mean that you have the right to assist a designated terrorist group in carrying out their mission , '' Brooke Goldstein , the think tank 's executive director , said .
The Lawfare Project claimed victory after Zoom shut down the event .
In a statement , a Zoom spokesperson said the San Francisco State University roundtable violated the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a member of a U.S.-designated foreign terrorist organization .
`` Zoom let SFSU know that they could not use Zoom for this particular event , '' the spokesperson said .
The company said there were 10 subsequent events planned related to Khaled .
Khaled was set to speak at three of them .
Those three events were also banned from the platform .
`` The other seven events did not publicize any appearance from Ms. Khaled and were therefore able to be hosted on Zoom , '' according to the company 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ company does not monitor the content of video chats and took action on the planned Khaled events only after being notified about them .
`` What does it mean for the future of communication ? ''
Zoom felt similar heat this summer after it shut down meetings commemorating the Tiananmen Square massacre at the request of the Chinese government .
But while social media companies have long been in the middle of debates over content rules , this is a relatively new predicament for Zoom .
`` Welcome to the party , Zoom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ former Google lawyer who is now with Stanford University 's Cyber Policy Center .
There is a case to be made , Keller said , that Zoom 's rules of engagement should be distinct from those of Facebook or Twitter because the services function differently .
`` Do we want Zoom to be the content police or the speech police ?
Because we 're all so dependent on them , '' Keller said .
`` They are functioning in a way that for previous generations the postal service or the phone company functioned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ phone company to millions , but it is not a utility .
It can face criminal prosecution if it is not careful with the content it permits .
But like other online platforms , Zoom is protected by law from civil lawsuits over what people say and do on its platform .
Faiza Patel with New York University 's Brennan Center for Justice says there have to be rules , since the notion of good speech being able to counter bad speech falls apart when there is just so much content .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ everything else .
`` I think we 're all kind of struggling to figure out how to maneuver in this space , which is quite different than what we 've had before , '' Patel said .
Patel said tech companies ' terms of service usually espouse support for robust free speech and debate .
Stopping someone from communicating to others can appear to contradict those values .
`` That obviously creates a question about , 'Well , are you really allowing the full extent of the conversation ? '
`` Patel said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Abdulhadi is looking for an open-source alternative to Zoom that does not , as she sees it , silence political speakers .
`` It 's a very serious problem to be vulnerable to the only means of communications in today 's pandemic times , '' Abdulhadi said .
`` Because what does this really mean for the future of education ?
What does it mean for the future of communication ? ''

'Welcome To The Party, Zoom': Video App's Rules Lead To Accusations Of Censorship
Enlarge this image toggle caption Wilson Ring/AP Wilson Ring/AP
Now that the coronavirus pandemic has transformed Zoom from a corporate videoconferencing app into a ubiquitous tool for governments, schools, karaoke parties and even "Zoomsgiving" celebrations, the company is having to do the dicey work of deciding what is permitted on its platform.
And not everybody is allowed on it.
Zoom's rules say users cannot break the law, promote violence, be obscene, display nudity or support terrorism. The terms of service largely mirror those of larger tech companies like Facebook, Twitter and Google's YouTube.
And just as social media companies draw critics' ire when they flag a post or ban a user, Zoom is now being accused of censorship after refusing to host a speech by a controversial Palestinian activist. The episode is raising questions among technology experts about whether and how Zoom sessions should be regulated.
Terrorist link versus academic freedom
In September, Zoom blocked a speaking event featuring Leila Khaled, a member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, which the U.S. has designated a terrorist group. Khaled, now 76 years old and living in Jordan, is notorious for hijacking a plane in 1969 and attempting to do it again a year later.
Rabab Abdulhadi, a professor at San Francisco State University's College of Ethnic Studies, planned an "open classroom" event in which Khaled was to participate.
But the night before the event, Abdulhadi received a message from the university's provost: Zoom was canceling the livestream over legal concerns.
Abdulhadi says she was told, "We might be implicated in criminal activities of material support for terrorism and that might include imprisonment and a fine."
Enlarge this image toggle caption Burhan Ozbilici/AP Burhan Ozbilici/AP
Abdulhadi didn't fear those consequences. She says her own lawyers had assured her that inviting Khaled to speak publicly is not tantamount to providing material support to terrorists, as broadly defined in a federal statute that prosecutors have used to arrest individuals for everything from fighting alongside terrorist groups to exchanging Twitter messages with them.
To Abdulhadi, Khaled is a feminist icon and radical nationalist whose planned talk on resistance movements had captured wide attention. Some 1,500 people had RSVP'd to tune in to the event on Zoom.
"They do not have the right to use their being a platform to veto the content of our classroom and thus actually impinge on our academic freedom," Abdulhadi said of Zoom.
Legally, Zoom cannot tell Abdulhadi what to teach. But it can decide who is and is not allowed to speak on its platform.
The Lawfare Project, a pro-Israel think tank and litigation fund, pressured Zoom to block the event, arguing that hosting Khaled was a legal liability. It organized a protest in front of Zoom's headquarters in September.
"If your interest is in having an academic discussion about controversial issues, go ahead. But that doesn't mean that you have the right to assist a designated terrorist group in carrying out their mission," Brooke Goldstein, the think tank's executive director, said.
The Lawfare Project claimed victory after Zoom shut down the event.
In a statement, a Zoom spokesperson said the San Francisco State University roundtable violated the company's terms of service because Khaled is a member of a U.S.-designated foreign terrorist organization.
"Zoom let SFSU know that they could not use Zoom for this particular event," the spokesperson said.
The company said there were 10 subsequent events planned related to Khaled. Khaled was set to speak at three of them. Those three events were also banned from the platform.
"The other seven events did not publicize any appearance from Ms. Khaled and were therefore able to be hosted on Zoom," according to the company's statement.
Officials at Zoom say the company does not monitor the content of video chats and took action on the planned Khaled events only after being notified about them.
"What does it mean for the future of communication?"
Zoom felt similar heat this summer after it shut down meetings commemorating the Tiananmen Square massacre at the request of the Chinese government. But while social media companies have long been in the middle of debates over content rules, this is a relatively new predicament for Zoom.
"Welcome to the party, Zoom," said Daphne Keller, a former Google lawyer who is now with Stanford University's Cyber Policy Center.
There is a case to be made, Keller said, that Zoom's rules of engagement should be distinct from those of Facebook or Twitter because the services function differently.
"Do we want Zoom to be the content police or the speech police? Because we're all so dependent on them," Keller said. "They are functioning in a way that for previous generations the postal service or the phone company functioned."
Zoom may act like a phone company to millions, but it is not a utility. It can face criminal prosecution if it is not careful with the content it permits. But like other online platforms, Zoom is protected by law from civil lawsuits over what people say and do on its platform.
Faiza Patel with New York University's Brennan Center for Justice says there have to be rules, since the notion of good speech being able to counter bad speech falls apart when there is just so much content. And outlandish and conspiratorial material can often overpower everything else.
"I think we're all kind of struggling to figure out how to maneuver in this space, which is quite different than what we've had before," Patel said.
Patel said tech companies' terms of service usually espouse support for robust free speech and debate. Stopping someone from communicating to others can appear to contradict those values.
"That obviously creates a question about, 'Well, are you really allowing the full extent of the conversation?' " Patel said.
Back at San Francisco State University, Abdulhadi is looking for an open-source alternative to Zoom that does not, as she sees it, silence political speakers.
"It's a very serious problem to be vulnerable to the only means of communications in today's pandemic times," Abdulhadi said. "Because what does this really mean for the future of education? What does it mean for the future of communication?"
Editor's note: Zoom is among NPR's sponsors.