KQED's Forum

The United Arab Emirates and Bahrain signed an agreement at the White House this week to normalize relations with Israel, signaling a diplomatic shift in the Middle East and a new alliance against Iran. President Donald Trump lauded the deal as historic. But the agreement -- between countries already at peace with each other -- could further isolate the Palestinians, who immediately condemned the pact. How significant is the deal? We’ll talk with policy experts about the deal and other recent news from the region.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What will happen if both Donald Trump and Joe Biden claim victory in November? Unfortunately, according to scholars Larry Diamond and Ned Foley, American election laws "provide a shockingly inadequate guide" for resolving such a deadlock. We'll talk to Diamond and Foley about what could trigger a contested election, the limitations of the laws and constitutional provisions that govern electoral college disputes and the steps we can take to forestall what they call a "disaster scenario." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After President Trump claimed last month that mail-in ballots will lead to a "rigged" election, journalism professor and media critic Jay Rosen wrote that the president now posed "an active threat to American democracy". But the media, he says, is still failing to convey the urgency of that threat. Instead, reporters too often amplify the president's dubious claims and normalize his conduct. Rosen joins Forum to lay out the shortcomings of traditional campaign coverage in the Trump era, and how news outlets should respond. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Distance learning poses huge challenges for students of every age group, but it’s especially difficult for the youngest students. Children in preschool and early elementary grades rely on interacting with teachers and other kids to learn basic skills and lessons – something that is difficult to replicate over a computer screen. School districts are also struggling to meet the needs of low-income families, special needs students and English language learners, which make up a significant portion of California’s children. Thousands of parents are withholding their kids from kindergarten -- online or in person. We’ll talk with experts about the best approaches for families to support young kids with distance learning. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Get caught without a mask in Berkeley and you could be fined $100. That's after the city council passed an ordinance last night that allows code enforcement officers to hand out tickets to mask scofflaws. Many cities and counties have similar ordinances. But Berkeley has a close eye on parks, restaurants, parties, and especially college students. There's been an uptick in coronavirus cases as Cal students returned to campus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Evidence is emerging that the nine-county Bay Area is making significant strides against the coronavirus pandemic. New cases have fallen by more than 60% since mid August, and hospitalizations are down by 35% from their peak, according to state health data compiled by the San Francisco Chronicle. We'll talk about what's contributed to the declines, how progress differs by county and whether we can expect the positive trends to continue. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the introduction to a new anthology of the work of Black lesbian writer and activist Audre Lorde, Roxane Gay writes that Lorde "is an exemplar of public intellectualism who is as relevant in this century as she was in the last.” Gay, an author whose best-selling books include "Bad Feminist" and "Hunger," edited the new anthology titled, "The Selected Works of Audre Lorde." The book features a mix of Lorde's groundbreaking poetry and prose on topics of race, queer identity, feminism and justice. With her selections, Gay aims to highlight the "grace, power, and fierce intelligence" of Lorde's writing and the ways it helped make the experiences of Black women more visible. We'll talk to Gay about the work and legacy of Audre Lorde. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Wildfires seem to be getting bigger, more frequent and more dangerous. Experts say that won't change this season or next, unless the state and federal governments spend billions of dollars more on thinning forests and making California communities more resilient to fire. That would mean a big shift for foresters and firefighters who've spent the past century working to preserve timber and beating back the flames. But people who study fire say that shift in thinking is long overdue. We'll talk about what it would take to rework how California manages wildfires and forests. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Recent data from LinkedIn show a surge in companies recruiting and hiring for positions such as “chief of diversity." As employees feel more emboldened to speak out about their work environments amid ongoing calls to end racism, companies are intensifying efforts focused on diversity and inclusion. We'll learn more about the trend and hear from experts on what it means for inclusion and equity in the workplace. And we want to hear from you: how is your workplace approaching issues of diversity and inclusion?  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After months of sheltering in place -- and as health experts characterize air travel as relatively low-risk -- more Americans are contemplating taking to the skies again. We'll talk about how to stay safe on an airplane and how to evaluate and manage risks associated with renting a car, using a ride-hailing service or staying in a motel. And we want to hear from you: what are your thoughts on pandemic air travel this fall? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices