npr--2020-07-12--How 6 Problem-Solvers Tackled Pandemic Challenges In Their Neighborhoods

How 6 Problem-Solvers Tackled Pandemic Challenges In Their Neighborhoods These are some of the ways that regular folks are solving problems and spreading happiness during the pandemic .
The solutions are n't perfect — public health experts have some critiques and suggestions .
But at the same time , they applaud the ingenuity and positive vibes .
Read the stories of six grassroots change-makers — then nominate your own at the bottom of this story .
Urban farmer gives greens to the poor In April , Jackline Oyamo , 31 , was laid off from her job as an electronic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , one of the world 's largest slums on the outskirts of Nairobi , Kenya .
The curfews to control the pandemic meant fewer customers – and staff cutbacks .
`` After losing my job , it was extremely difficult to keep feeding myself after I exhausted my small savings , '' she says .
But Oyamo is able to get fresh produce for free from Victor Edalia , a 30-year-old urban farmer in her neighborhood .
Last November , Edalia , who works as a driver by day , converted a trash @ @ @ @ @ @ @ urban garden .
He signed an agreement with a local chief to use the land .
Now , the plot , about a quarter of an acre , grows vegetables such as kale , onions and spinach .
Edalia originally started the farm to boost his income .
The idea was to sell vegetables to hotels .
But once the pandemic hit , he changed the plan .
He wanted to find a way to `` give back , '' he says .
So throughout the pandemic , Edalia has been providing free @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and individuals in Kibera .
They include young people who lost their jobs in the pandemic , like Oyamo , as well as single mothers and families with households of more than seven people .
They can drop by the farm up to three times a week to pick up a supply of vegetables .
`` I saw needy families get food donations , mostly comprising of dry foods but without any vegetables , '' says Edalia .
Oyamo says the veggies supplement other food donations she receives from charities and people in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leader of Adopt a Family , a local nonprofit that 's been providing dry food donations – like maize flour — to 500 families in Kibera , thinks Edalia 's program is promising .
Providing veggies to families who receive food packs – `` I think it 's a pretty smart approach , '' he says .
`` In addition to supporting struggling families during these tough times that face starvation while at home , it helps to reduce anxiety and helplessness of a Kibera family . ''
Thomas Bwire is a digital @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Houses of worship had to close their doors because of the pandemic .
And even now , with some reopening , there may be limits on how many congregants are allowed in .
Nnamdi Udeh , 29 , a tech entrepreneur in Nigeria , came up with OSanctus , an app that offers some solutions : easy access to virtual worshipping options and a reservations system so there wo n't be crowding at reopened churches .
Churches can use the app to stream mass online and share community announcements .
Parishioners can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — and send in a digital donation .
And in Nigeria , where houses of worship have capped attendance at 50 % of capacity , folks can use the app to register for a spot instead of showing up to church in the hope of being let in .
`` It helps the priests manage their time schedule , know how many persons they are expecting on a particular day , all the appointments and masses booked and other activities that they want , '' says Udeh .
Harvard Medical School physician Dr. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ risk .
`` There is singing usually and close face-to-face contact between participants .
While the app is probably trying to reduce crowding outside the church , it is unclear if it will achieve that . ''
But , he adds , `` if the church is going to open either way , the app could help ensure that only a certain number of people come at a time . ''
So far , it 's been helpful to parishioners .
`` It is user-friendly and helps us to resolve church registration issues @ @ @ @ @ @ @ office and we can also reach out to them , '' says Father Paul Akin-Otiko , a pastor at a Catholic-run chaplaincy .
`` It came in handy during this pandemic . ''
The app runs in six parishes in Lagos and has been downloaded about 500 times .
It is now under trial in other parishes across the country .
But it 's not 100 % altruistic .
As everyone struggles to earn a living in these times , the app maker plans to charge the churches an annual fee , based @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Patrick Egwu is a Nigerian freelance journalist currently based in Johannesburg , where he is an Open Society Foundations fellow on Investigative Reporting at the University of the Witwatersrand .
As the coronavirus surges in India , authorities are converting dozens of convention centers in major cities into temporary COVID-19 wards , some equipped with rather unusual beds — made entirely of cardboard .
The beds can be assembled in minutes and hold a load of more than 400 pounds .
They 're made of tough corrugated cardboard that 's been chemically treated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can be sprayed with disinfectant and wiped clean .
They cost about $ 13 each – roughly half the price of the cheapest metal beds , says architect and designer Rhea Shah , who specializes in urban resilience .
Shah came up with the concept for the bed while under lockdown at her family 's home in western India .
`` I was grappling with helplessness , thinking about what I could do with my talent and the resources available , '' Shah says .
Her family runs a paper factory and is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ profit .
They 've shipped about 15,000 units to isolation wards set up by the Indian Navy , government hospitals and a school in Mumbai 's Dharavi slum – a recent COVID-19 hotspot .
`` The cardboard bed was really a great help because it can be disposed of easily , '' says city official Kiran Dighavkar , who oversees Dharavi .
Once they are no longer needed , they can be recycled .
Dighavkar says it was n't economical to buy thousands of metal beds , which would only be used during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ furniture is n't new .
Cardboard desks and beds are popular in Europe because they 're recyclable .
With the high death toll from COVID-19 in Latin America , designers there have come up with cardboard beds that turn into coffins .
Other Indian manufacturers are adapting Shah 's design .
One company supplied 10,000 cardboard beds to a makeshift hospital in New Delhi , one of the largest COVID-19 facilities in the world .
`` It 's heartwarming to know that in spaces where it was most needed , it was useful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jaffar Dost , 43 , is known as `` Commander Safeguard '' for his clean-up and anti-littering campaigns in the Chitral , a remote district of Pakistan on the border of Afghanistan .
Now he 's adding to his agenda : informing citizens about COVID-19 .
In the area where Dost lives , fewer than 20 % of residents have basic 2G internet and there are still some villages with no electricity , according to the Aga Khan Rural Support Program , a nonprofit operating in rural parts of Pakistan .
And government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to spread crucial COVID-19 messaging to remote areas of the country .
But the virus itself is spreading .
In the district of Upper Chitral , with a population of nearly 200,000 , there are more than 110 confirmed cases .
On March 17 , Dost went on a 40-day journey across the Upper Chitral region to share information about the pandemic .
He borrowed a friend 's car and covered other expenses with the help of friends and donations .
Dost is the founder of Chitral Heritage and Environment Protection Society , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spaces , Dost organized small group meetings with community members and leaders to answer questions and bust rumors and misconceptions .
`` A majority of the people did not know what a virus was , '' he says , `` and some thought people in developing countries are already immune to every kind of virus . ''
`` In order to respond with concrete and factual information , I have involved community leaders , religious clerics , educated people and health professionals [ to answer their questions ] , '' adds Dost .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ own face masks , which he learned how to do by watching YouTube videos .
In some parts of Upper Chitral , he was not able to meet face-to-face interactions with women .
`` Chitral is highly divided in terms of religious sects and extremely conservative , '' he says So , he came up with a solution .
Standing in the street , he uses `` a loudspeaker to reach out to Chitrali sisters and mothers , '' politely requesting that people stay home , wear masks , do n't shake hands @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such as Shah Saud , deputy commissioner of Upper Chitral , is grateful for Dost 's involvement .
`` We totally support and appreciate this initiative .
Volunteers like Rehmat Ali can help stop or slow down the spread of this contagious disease . ''
Benazir Samad is a lead multimedia journalist at Voice of America 's Pakistan desk in Washington , D.C. Medellin 's mariachi and folk music bands are usually booked up with performances at parties , weddings and birthdays .
But since mandatory stay-home orders were enforced on March 20 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Equipped with masks , some Colombian musical groups are helping others and themselves by walking the streets and busking .
These public mini-concerts cheer up the city 's residents stuck at home .
Jairo Muriel , 56 , has seen four live performances outside his apartment in Bello , a suburb of Medellin .
`` It 's really enjoyable , '' he says .
People come out on their balconies to savor the music and sing along .
Then they lower tips in a basket .
`` People are very good to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says Antonio Cartagena , 66 , an accordion player from a mariachi band .
The money is far from normal wages .
Depending on how successful a band is , an 8- to 10-piece group can earn up to $ 1,100 to divvy up for one night 's work .
Cartagena says his share of the daily tips in the pandemic is $ 13 on average .
Although it 's not much , he says it 's enough for him to buy food for his family each day .
Not everyone likes the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one person in the surrounding buildings telling the groups to move along .
But the bands , he says , `` do n't stay very long , they 're not annoying . ''
And the city 's secretary for culture Lina Gaviria is a fan .
Entertainment can `` transmit a message of hope during these difficult times , '' she says .
Sophie Foggin is a journalist based in Medellin , Colombia , covering politics , human rights , history and justice in Latin America .
In early April , Justin Stephen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a town nestled in south India 's Niligiri mountains , was distressed .
As India 's lockdown came into effect on the midnight of March 25 , the prime season for harvesting avocados was just beginning .
Every month , from February to September , the trees on Stephen 's two-acre farmlands yielded a rich harvest of roughly 4,000 avocados .
The fruit stays fresh only three days after being picked .
So getting the produce to market as quickly as possible is a priority .
Even in previous years , Stephen had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Indian cities and transporting the avocados on time because his farm , bordering a jungle , was n't as accessible .
There was n't a reliable network of trucks to transport the products .
And transport costs were high .
Now , with lockdown restrictions on travel , getting his avocados to market `` seemed impossible , '' he says .
In mid-April , when he was staring at mounting financial losses and crop wastage , a friend suggested that he contact Harvesting Farmer Network ( HFN ) , a website run by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Garg runs a tech company called Harvesting , which uses satellite data and artificial intelligence to identify , measure and monitor cropland .
When social media erupted with videos of distraught farmers flinging produce into rivers and onto streets , frustrated and unable to sell because of the pandemic travel restrictions , Garg 's heart went out to them .
`` I could feel their pain .
I knew I had to do something , '' he says .
Garg launched HFN on April 12 to address some of the farmers ' challenges @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , some farmers only lacked customers .
Farmers can join HFN free of charge and display their fresh produce to customers across India .
If a customer is interested in buying , they place their order on the site .
Once farmers receive their orders , they can coordinate deliveries to the customers themselves .
For farmers unable to arrange for transport , Garg has arranged for buses and lorries and HFN vehicles to transport produce from the farms to the customers .
So far , he says that HFN has helped deliver @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and vegetables from over 2,000 farmers to customers across the country .
Stephen 's avocados have been popular on HFN .
In a single day , he delivered about 3,600 avocados , and some of his delighted customers tweeted their thanks .
`` I was overjoyed that people appreciated my fresh produce , and that I could connect with customers in these difficult times . ''
So far , he 's sold nearly 15,000 avocados .
`` In a country hit by COVID , we found kindness and a way to look to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says .
We 'd like to tell more stories about inventive ways that people are using their talents and skills to address COVID-19 challenges in their community .
If you have any suggestions , send an email to goatsandsoda @ npr.org with your nomination , with `` Problem Solver '' in the subject line .
We may feature them in a future story on NPR.org .

How 6 Problem-Solvers Tackled Pandemic Challenges In Their Neighborhoods
Enlarge this image toggle caption Rohit Garg; Jorge Calle; Pritesh Prajapati Rohit Garg; Jorge Calle; Pritesh Prajapati
Cardboard beds. Urban farms. Roving mariachi bands.
These are some of the ways that regular folks are solving problems and spreading happiness during the pandemic.
The solutions aren't perfect — public health experts have some critiques and suggestions. But at the same time, they applaud the ingenuity and positive vibes.
Read the stories of six grassroots change-makers — then nominate your own at the bottom of this story.
Urban farmer gives greens to the poor
toggle caption Thomas Bwire
In April, Jackline Oyamo, 31, was laid off from her job as an electronic sales assistant at a shop in Kibera, one of the world's largest slums on the outskirts of Nairobi, Kenya. The curfews to control the pandemic meant fewer customers – and staff cutbacks. "After losing my job, it was extremely difficult to keep feeding myself after I exhausted my small savings," she says.
But Oyamo is able to get fresh produce for free from Victor Edalia, a 30-year-old urban farmer in her neighborhood. Last November, Edalia, who works as a driver by day, converted a trash dump site in the slum into an urban garden. He signed an agreement with a local chief to use the land. Now, the plot, about a quarter of an acre, grows vegetables such as kale, onions and spinach.
Edalia originally started the farm to boost his income. The idea was to sell vegetables to hotels. But once the pandemic hit, he changed the plan. He wanted to find a way to "give back," he says.
So throughout the pandemic, Edalia has been providing free supplies of vegetables to 10 needy families and individuals in Kibera. They include young people who lost their jobs in the pandemic, like Oyamo, as well as single mothers and families with households of more than seven people. They can drop by the farm up to three times a week to pick up a supply of vegetables.
"I saw needy families get food donations, mostly comprising of dry foods but without any vegetables," says Edalia.
Oyamo says the veggies supplement other food donations she receives from charities and people in the community.
Moses Omondi, team leader of Adopt a Family, a local nonprofit that's been providing dry food donations – like maize flour — to 500 families in Kibera, thinks Edalia's program is promising.
Providing veggies to families who receive food packs – "I think it's a pretty smart approach," he says. "In addition to supporting struggling families during these tough times that face starvation while at home, it helps to reduce anxiety and helplessness of a Kibera family."
Thomas Bwire is a digital and radio journalist from Kibera, Kenya.
App maker helps churches go virtual
Houses of worship had to close their doors because of the pandemic. And even now, with some reopening, there may be limits on how many congregants are allowed in.
Nnamdi Udeh, 29, a tech entrepreneur in Nigeria, came up with OSanctus, an app that offers some solutions: easy access to virtual worshipping options and a reservations system so there won't be crowding at reopened churches.
Churches can use the app to stream mass online and share community announcements. Parishioners can book a virtual consultation with a priest — and send in a digital donation. And in Nigeria, where houses of worship have capped attendance at 50% of capacity, folks can use the app to register for a spot instead of showing up to church in the hope of being let in.
"It helps the priests manage their time schedule, know how many persons they are expecting on a particular day, all the appointments and masses booked and other activities that they want," says Udeh.
Harvard Medical School physician Dr. Abraar Karan says indoor churches are high risk. "There is singing usually and close face-to-face contact between participants. While the app is probably trying to reduce crowding outside the church, it is unclear if it will achieve that."
But, he adds, "if the church is going to open either way, the app could help ensure that only a certain number of people come at a time."
So far, it's been helpful to parishioners. "It is user-friendly and helps us to resolve church registration issues. Parishioners can easily access the parish office and we can also reach out to them," says Father Paul Akin-Otiko, a pastor at a Catholic-run chaplaincy. "It came in handy during this pandemic."
The app runs in six parishes in Lagos and has been downloaded about 500 times. It is now under trial in other parishes across the country. But it's not 100% altruistic. As everyone struggles to earn a living in these times, the app maker plans to charge the churches an annual fee, based on the size of the parish.
Patrick Egwu is a Nigerian freelance journalist currently based in Johannesburg, where he is an Open Society Foundations fellow on Investigative Reporting at the University of the Witwatersrand.
Designer makes recyclable cardboard beds for patients
toggle caption Pritesh Prajapati
As the coronavirus surges in India, authorities are converting dozens of convention centers in major cities into temporary COVID-19 wards, some equipped with rather unusual beds — made entirely of cardboard.
The beds can be assembled in minutes and hold a load of more than 400 pounds. They're made of tough corrugated cardboard that's been chemically treated to make it waterproof, so they can be sprayed with disinfectant and wiped clean. They cost about $13 each – roughly half the price of the cheapest metal beds, says architect and designer Rhea Shah, who specializes in urban resilience.
Shah came up with the concept for the bed while under lockdown at her family's home in western India.
"I was grappling with helplessness, thinking about what I could do with my talent and the resources available," Shah says.
Her family runs a paper factory and is selling the beds at cost, without profit. They've shipped about 15,000 units to isolation wards set up by the Indian Navy, government hospitals and a school in Mumbai's Dharavi slum – a recent COVID-19 hotspot.
"The cardboard bed was really a great help because it can be disposed of easily," says city official Kiran Dighavkar, who oversees Dharavi. Once they are no longer needed, they can be recycled.
Dighavkar says it wasn't economical to buy thousands of metal beds, which would only be used during the peak of the pandemic.
Cardboard furniture isn't new. Cardboard desks and beds are popular in Europe because they're recyclable. With the high death toll from COVID-19 in Latin America, designers there have come up with cardboard beds that turn into coffins.
Other Indian manufacturers are adapting Shah's design. One company supplied 10,000 cardboard beds to a makeshift hospital in New Delhi, one of the largest COVID-19 facilities in the world.
"It's heartwarming to know that in spaces where it was most needed, it was useful," says Shah.
Sushmita Pathak is a producer for NPR India.
'Commander Safeguard' brings COVID-19 messages to remote areas
toggle caption Afzal Wali Badakhsh
Rehmat Ali Jaffar Dost, 43, is known as "Commander Safeguard" for his clean-up and anti-littering campaigns in Chitral, a remote district of Pakistan on the border of Afghanistan. Now he's adding to his agenda: informing citizens about COVID-19.
In the area where Dost lives, fewer than 20% of residents have basic 2G internet and there are still some villages with no electricity, according to the Aga Khan Rural Support Program, a nonprofit operating in rural parts of Pakistan. And government officials and nonprofit organizations have been slow to spread crucial COVID-19 messaging to remote areas of the country. But the virus itself is spreading. In the district of Upper Chitral, with a population of nearly 200,000, there are more than 110 confirmed cases.
On March 17, Dost went on a 40-day journey across the Upper Chitral region to share information about the pandemic. He borrowed a friend's car and covered other expenses with the help of friends and donations. Dost is the founder of Chitral Heritage and Environment Protection Society, a student volunteer organization.
In open spaces, Dost organized small group meetings with community members and leaders to answer questions and bust rumors and misconceptions. "A majority of the people did not know what a virus was," he says, "and some thought people in developing countries are already immune to every kind of virus."
"In order to respond with concrete and factual information, I have involved community leaders, religious clerics, educated people and health professionals [to answer their questions]," adds Dost.
Dost also trained people to sew their own face masks, which he learned how to do by watching YouTube videos.
In some parts of Upper Chitral, he was not able to meet face-to-face interactions with women. "Chitral is highly divided in terms of religious sects and extremely conservative," he says So, he came up with a solution. Standing in the street, he uses "a loudspeaker to reach out to Chitrali sisters and mothers," politely requesting that people stay home, wear masks, don't shake hands and wash their hands.
Government officials such as Shah Saud, deputy commissioner of Upper Chitral, is grateful for Dost's involvement. "We totally support and appreciate this initiative. Volunteers like Rehmat Ali can help stop or slow down the spread of this contagious disease."
Benazir Samad is a lead multimedia journalist at Voice of America's Pakistan desk in Washington, D.C.
Roving mariachi musicians uplift locked-down neighbors
toggle caption Jorge Calle
Medellin's mariachi and folk music bands are usually booked up with performances at parties, weddings and birthdays. But since mandatory stay-home orders were enforced on March 20, they have been out of work.
Equipped with masks, some Colombian musical groups are helping others and themselves by walking the streets and busking.
These public mini-concerts cheer up the city's residents stuck at home.
Jairo Muriel, 56, has seen four live performances outside his apartment in Bello, a suburb of Medellin. "It's really enjoyable," he says. People come out on their balconies to savor the music and sing along.
Then they lower tips in a basket. "People are very good to us. They help us," says Antonio Cartagena, 66, an accordion player from a mariachi band.
The money is far from normal wages. Depending on how successful a band is, an 8- to 10-piece group can earn up to $1,100 to divvy up for one night's work. Cartagena says his share of the daily tips in the pandemic is $13 on average. Although it's not much, he says it's enough for him to buy food for his family each day.
Not everyone likes the music. Muriel has heard at least one person in the surrounding buildings telling the groups to move along. But the bands, he says, "don't stay very long, they're not annoying."
And the city's secretary for culture Lina Gaviria is a fan. Entertainment can "transmit a message of hope during these difficult times," she says.
Sophie Foggin is a journalist based in Medellin, Colombia, covering politics, human rights, history and justice in Latin America.
Tech entrepreneur connects farmers to customers
toggle caption Rohit Garg
In early April, Justin Stephen, a 36-year-old farmer from Udhagamandalam, a town nestled in south India's Niligiri mountains, was distressed.
As India's lockdown came into effect on the midnight of March 25, the prime season for harvesting avocados was just beginning. Every month, from February to September, the trees on Stephen's two-acre farmlands yielded a rich harvest of roughly 4,000 avocados. The fruit stays fresh only three days after being picked. So getting the produce to market as quickly as possible is a priority.
Even in previous years, Stephen had difficulty connecting with key retail markets in Indian cities and transporting the avocados on time because his farm, bordering a jungle, wasn't as accessible. There wasn't a reliable network of trucks to transport the products. And transport costs were high.
Now, with lockdown restrictions on travel, getting his avocados to market "seemed impossible," he says.
In mid-April, when he was staring at mounting financial losses and crop wastage, a friend suggested that he contact Harvesting Farmer Network (HFN), a website run by Ruchit Garg, a tech entrepreneur. Garg runs a tech company called Harvesting, which uses satellite data and artificial intelligence to identify, measure and monitor cropland.
When social media erupted with videos of distraught farmers flinging produce into rivers and onto streets, frustrated and unable to sell because of the pandemic travel restrictions, Garg's heart went out to them. "I could feel their pain. I knew I had to do something," he says.
Garg launched HFN on April 12 to address some of the farmers' challenges. With many shops being shut down, some farmers only lacked customers. Farmers can join HFN free of charge and display their fresh produce to customers across India. If a customer is interested in buying, they place their order on the site.
Once farmers receive their orders, they can coordinate deliveries to the customers themselves. For farmers unable to arrange for transport, Garg has arranged for buses and lorries and HFN vehicles to transport produce from the farms to the customers.
So far, he says that HFN has helped deliver over one million pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables from over 2,000 farmers to customers across the country.
Stephen's avocados have been popular on HFN. In a single day, he delivered about 3,600 avocados, and some of his delighted customers tweeted their thanks. "I was overjoyed that people appreciated my fresh produce, and that I could connect with customers in these difficult times."
So far, he's sold nearly 15,000 avocados. "In a country hit by COVID, we found kindness and a way to look to the future with hope," he says.
Kamala Thiagarajan is a freelance journalist based in Madurai, India, who has written for The International New York Times, BBC Travel and Forbes India. You can follow her @kamal_t.
Nominate a problem-solver
We'd like to tell more stories about inventive ways that people are using their talents and skills to address COVID-19 challenges in their community.
If you have any suggestions, send an email to goatsandsoda@npr.org with your nomination, with "Problem Solver" in the subject line. We may feature them in a future story on NPR.org.


npr--2020-07-12--You Haven't Heard The Last Of Iowa This Election Cycle

You Have n't Heard The Last Of Iowa This Election Cycle Bringing up the Iowa caucuses should come with a trigger warning for Iowa Democrats like Pat Copley .
`` I was in shock , '' Copley , who lives in Marshalltown , Iowa , said .
`` And then it just went on and on ... and on . ''
It 's been a little more than five months since the debacle that was the Iowa caucuses .
That first contest to pick a Democratic presidential nominee went horribly wrong thanks to a faulty smart phone app .
Former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Buttigieg claimed victory before the night was over and counting the results took days .
The contest was one many in the Democratic Party were ready to put behind them .
Both Republicans and Democrats are giving the state a lot of attention and money in the run-up to November .
Many political watchers are calling the state a `` toss-up . ''
Copley , a retired cardiac arrhythmia technician , volunteered and caucused for Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders who won Marshall County in February .
She is not excited to vote for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden .
But she is eager for Donald Trump to be a one-term president .
It 's a similar situation she found herself in four years ago when voting for Hillary Clinton .
She says back then she could sympathize with Trump voters who did n't like their options .
`` Your basic poor or working poor or even middle class people were disgusted and wanted just to shake it up , '' Copley said .
Disgusted , she says , with the choice between Clinton and Trump .
Marshall is one of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flipped from voting for Barack Obama twice to Trump in 2016 .
But this year , the local pork plant and Veterans Hospital have both had COVID-19 outbreaks .
Mark Smith , who represents Marshalltown in the state legislature and took over as chair of the Iowa Democratic Party right after the caucus meltdown , says voters here are energized because they believe President Trump 's policies have hurt the state .
`` The trade wars have hurt agriculture which is so significant to our state , '' Smith said .
`` His @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us problems with ethanol . ''
Rural Iowa went big for Trump in 2016 and he carried the state by nearly 10 points .
Two years later , Republican Gov .
Kim Reynolds won her gubernatorial race while Democrats flipped two House seats .
`` We are purple and woe to any chair that misses that point that Iowa is a swing state , '' Jeff Kaufmann , chair of the Republican Party of Iowa , said .
That said , Kaufmann says he feels good about his party 's registration numbers following @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` We wondered if we would n't see registration numbers spike to a very large degree and it 's hard sometimes to stop that spreading once it starts , '' Kaufmann said .
Kaufmann points to the recent North American Free Trade Agreement , USMCA , as a victory for Iowa farmers .
Polls here show President Trump and Republican Sen. Joni Ernst 's approval ratings are falling .
That may be why last month Ernst tweeted a video challenging her Democratic opponent , real estate executive Theresa Greenfield , who she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I have n't heard Theresa Greenfield say one thing that Chuck Schumer has n't told her to say , '' Sen. Ernst said , `` I 'm challenging Ms. Greenfield to six debates , two each month , starting in August .
Let 's let the Iowans hear what we have to say . ''
Greenfield won her four-way June primary race last month with a record number of ballots cast – mostly by absentee .
Iowa 's Republican secretary of state had mailed every registered voter an absentee ballot request form to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Campaigning during a pandemic looks a lot different .
There are fewer picnics and parades , and the Iowa State Fair was cancelled .
A lot of events are held on video conferencing meetings .
But with or without the usual campaigning , there 's a more favorable mood for Democrats in Iowa , says pollster J. Ann Selzer .
She 's the person behind the Iowa Poll published in the Des Moines Register .
`` There has been a heavy burden that this state has carried that included issues with trade @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` And then with the vulnerable industries like meat processing plants during COVID-19 .
Iowa 's just in a position to be in maybe more ready than other states to make a change . ''
While Joe Biden came in fourth during the caucuses , his campaign has announced a senior team here and he 'll be back in Iowa later this month ... in the form of a virtual event , of course .

You Haven't Heard The Last Of Iowa This Election Cycle
Enlarge this image toggle caption Clay Masters/Iowa Public Radio Clay Masters/Iowa Public Radio
Bringing up the Iowa caucuses should come with a trigger warning for Iowa Democrats like Patt Copley.
"I was in shock," Copley, who lives in Marshalltown, Iowa, said. "And then it just went on and on ... and on."
It's been a little more than five months since the debacle that was the Iowa caucuses. That first contest to pick a Democratic presidential nominee went horribly wrong thanks to a faulty smart phone app. Former South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg claimed victory before the night was over and counting the results took days. The contest was one many in the Democratic Party were ready to put behind them.
Not so fast.
Both Republicans and Democrats are giving the state a lot of attention and money in the run-up to November. Many political watchers are calling the state a "toss-up."
Copley, a retired cardiac arrhythmia technician, volunteered and caucused for Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, who won Marshall County in February. She is not excited to vote for the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, Joe Biden. But she is eager for Donald Trump to be a one-term president.
It's a similar situation she found herself in four years ago when voting for Hillary Clinton. She says back then she could sympathize with Trump voters who didn't like their options.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Clay Masters/Iowa Public Radio Clay Masters/Iowa Public Radio
"Your basic poor or working poor or even middle class people were disgusted and wanted just to shake it up," Copley said — disgusted, she says, with the choice between Clinton and Trump.
Marshall is one of the many rural counties in Iowa that flipped from voting for Barack Obama twice to Trump in 2016. But this year, the local pork plant and the Iowa Veterans Home have both had COVID-19 outbreaks.
Mark Smith, who represents Marshalltown in the state legislature and took over as chair of the Iowa Democratic Party right after the caucus meltdown, says voters here are energized because they believe Trump's policies have hurt the state.
"The trade wars have hurt agriculture, which is so significant to our state," Smith said. "His saddling up to big oil has caused us problems with ethanol."
Rural Iowa went big for Trump in 2016 and he carried the state by nearly 10 points. Two years later, Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds won her gubernatorial race while Democrats flipped two House seats.
"We are purple and woe to any chair that misses that point that Iowa is a swing state," Jeff Kaufmann, chair of the Republican Party of Iowa, said.
That said, Kaufmann says he feels good about his party's registration numbers following very competitive caucuses on the Democratic side.
"We wondered if we wouldn't see registration numbers spike to a very large degree and it's hard sometimes to stop that spreading once it starts," Kaufmann said.
Kaufmann points to the recent North American free trade agreement, the USMCA, as a victory for Iowa farmers.
Polls here show Trump and Republican Sen. Joni Ernst's approval ratings are falling. That may be why last month Ernst tweeted a video challenging her Democratic opponent, real estate executive Theresa Greenfield, who she accuses of hiding from voters.
"I haven't heard Theresa Greenfield say one thing that [Senate Majority Leader] Chuck Schumer hasn't told her to say," Ernst said. "I'm challenging Ms. Greenfield to six debates, two each month, starting in August. Let's let the Iowans hear what we have to say."
Greenfield won her four-way June primary race last month with a record number of ballots cast — mostly by absentee. Iowa's Republican secretary of state had mailed every registered voter an absentee ballot request form to encourage voting from home during the pandemic.
Campaigning during a pandemic looks a lot different. There are fewer picnics and parades, and the Iowa State Fair was cancelled. A lot of events are held on video conferencing meetings.
But with or without the usual campaigning, there's a more favorable mood for Democrats in Iowa, says pollster J. Ann Selzer. She's the person behind the Iowa Poll published in the Des Moines Register.
"There has been a heavy burden that this state has carried that included issues with trade, with tariffs," Selzer said. "And then with the vulnerable industries like meat processing plants during COVID-19. Iowa's just in a position to be in maybe more ready than other states to make a change."
While Biden came in fourth during the caucuses, his campaign has announced a senior team here and he'll be back in Iowa later this month — in the form of a virtual event, of course.


npr--2020-07-12--Fresh Scrutiny For Fox's Tucker Carlson As Top Writer Quits Over Bigoted Posts

Fresh Scrutiny For Fox 's Tucker Carlson As Top Writer Quits Over Bigoted Posts The revelation that Fox News prime-time star Tucker Carlson 's top writer had posted racist , sexist and homophobic sentiments online for years under a pseudonym has led to renewed scrutiny of Carlson 's own commentaries , which have inspired a series of advertising boycotts .
On Monday , Carlson is set to address the growing controversy , which led to the resignation of the writer , Blake Neff , after questions were raised by CNN 's Oliver Darcy .
It also led to a condemnation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's chief executive .
In an internal memo , Fox News CEO Suzanne Scott and President and Executive Editor Jay Wallace called the postings `` horrific racist , misogynistic and homophobic behavior . ''
Neff had , among other things , assailed the intelligence of Black Americans , African immigrants and Asian Americans , according to CNN .
He also repeatedly demeaned a woman , posting details about her dating life and mocking her on personal terms .
Carlson has publicly cited the importance of the value of Neff 's work on his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The host has courted criticism repeatedly for severe rhetoric , especially toward people of color , immigrants and women .
`` I think his show is very close to what his writer , Blake Neff was doing , apparently anonymously for five years , '' former CNN and NBC host Soledad O'Brien , who is Black and Latina , tells NPR .
On his program , she says , Carlson is `` anti-immigrant , he 's frequently racist .
He says despicable things about women , he says despicable things about Asians @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He talks about the kind of people who 'hate ' America . ''
President Trump is known to be a frequent viewer and often cites Carlson 's arguments publicly .
In recent days , some Republican strategists have even looked to Carlson as a Republican presidential candidate in 2024 should Trump lose this November .
The irony is that even as Carlson has just set a record for viewers for any cable news show in the history of the industry in this country , sponsors are peeling away .
An estimated 4.3 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ program each night for the second quarter of this year — more than anyone ever in cable news .
And yet Disney , Papa John 's , and T-Mobile are among the most recent major advertisers who have pulled commercials from the show , in their cases , citing his remarks about Black Lives Matter protests .
`` This may be a lot of things , this moment we are living through , but it is definitely not about Black lives , '' Carlson said in early June .
`` Remember that when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this rate , they will . ''
( A Fox News spokesperson told reporters that `` they '' referred to Democrats , not Black protesters . )
Fox did not comment beyond the memo from Scott and Wallace , which was shared with reporters and offered neither support nor criticism for Carlson .
The two executives also announced that Carlson would address the controversy on his program Monday .
Carlson declined several requests for comment from NPR .
These concerns are not new , along with pressures on and from advertisers .
Back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told his viewers : `` Our leaders demand we shut up and accept this .
We have a moral obligation to admit the world 's poor , they tell us , even if it makes our own country poorer and dirtier and more divided . ''
Fox News is part of Rupert Murdoch 's larger media empire .
Last year , Joseph Azam , a former lawyer and senior vice president for Murdoch 's publishing arm , told NPR that Carlson 's comments on immigration and rhetoric from other Fox News hosts led @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is Muslim and an immigrant from Afghanistan .
Just last week , Carlson questioned the patriotism of two Democratic members of Congress who are both women of color : Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar , who immigrated from Somalia , and Illinois Sen. Tammy Duckworth , whose mother is Thai of Chinese descent .
Duckworth is a retired lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army .
She lost both her legs and partial use of an arm when a helicopter she was piloting was shot down by Iraqi insurgents in 2004 .
After Duckworth tweeted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a mile in my legs and then tell me whether or not I love America , '' Carlson escalated his attacks the next night , calling her a `` coward '' and a `` fraud . ''
On his show , Carlson has hosted Pete D'Abrosca , who has expressed sympathy for alt-right leaders ; the British commentator Katie Hopkins , banned from Twitter for violating its hateful conduct policy and who told his viewers that white Christian women were `` endangered '' ; and disgraced U.S. Rep. Steve King of Iowa , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could not `` restore our civilization with somebody else 's babies . ''
Similarly , the Daily Caller , a publication which Carlson co-founded and in which he owned a major stake until last month , has repeatedly faced public outcry over various contributors and staffers who were revealed to have written white supremacist rhetoric on other platforms and outlets .
White nationalists including David Duke and Richard Spencer have hailed Carlson 's show as echoing their own talking points .
For his part , Carlson has called the idea of white supremacy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tucker 's show itself skates that line very closely , '' says O'Brien , now an independent television host , reporter and producer .
`` He 's a guy who 's beloved by white supremacists .
I mean , clearly , they say so .
That is an indication that he says the kinds of things that they like to hear .
He frames arguments that are basically white supremacist argument .
He 's not going to use the N-word on TV , certainly .
But I think he goes right up to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when the liberal watchdog Media Matters published a series of offensive past remarks Carlson had made about women on radio shows , the Fox News host issued his own challenge in return : '' Rather than express the usual ritual contrition , how about this : I 'm on television every weeknight live for an hour .
If you want to know what I think , you can watch . ''
His Monday show , on which he is to address his former writer 's writings , begins 8 p.m .
ET .

Fresh Scrutiny For Fox's Tucker Carlson As Top Writer Quits Over Bigoted Posts
Enlarge this image toggle caption Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
Updated at 9:35 p.m. ET Monday
The revelation that Fox News prime-time star Tucker Carlson's top writer had posted racist, sexist and homophobic sentiments online for years under a pseudonym has led to renewed scrutiny of Carlson's own commentaries, which have inspired a series of advertising boycotts.
The writer, Blake Neff, resigned on Friday after questions raised by CNN's Oliver Darcy led to the posts becoming public.
Carlson addressed the controversy on the air Monday night, saying Neff's comments were wrong and "have no connection to the show." After noting Neff had paid the price for his actions, Carlson also spoke about what he called the costs of self-righteousness.
"When we pretend we are holy, we are lying," he said. "When we pose as blameless in order to hurt other people, we are committing the gravest sin of all, and we will be punished for it, no question."
In an internal memo, Fox News CEO Suzanne Scott and President and Executive Editor Jay Wallace called the postings "horrific racist, misogynistic and homophobic behavior." Neff had, among other things, assailed the intelligence of Black Americans, African immigrants and Asian Americans, according to CNN. He also repeatedly demeaned a woman, posting details about her dating life and mocking her in personal terms.
Carlson has publicly cited the importance of the value of Neff's work on his show and for an earlier book. The host has courted criticism repeatedly for severe rhetoric, especially toward people of color, immigrants and women.
"I think his show is very close to what his writer, Blake Neff, was doing, apparently anonymously for five years," former CNN and NBC host Soledad O'Brien, who is Black and Latina, told NPR. On his program, she said, Carlson is "anti-immigrant, he's frequently racist. He says despicable things about women, he says despicable things about Asians. He says despicable things about Latinos. He talks about the kind of people who 'hate' America."
President Trump is known to be a frequent viewer and often cites Carlson's arguments publicly. In recent days, some Republican strategists have even looked to Carlson as a Republican presidential candidate in 2024 should Trump lose this November.
The irony is that even as Carlson has just set a record for viewers for any cable news show in the history of the industry in this country, sponsors are peeling away.
An estimated 4.3 million Americans tuned in to watch his program each night for the second quarter of this year — more than anyone ever in cable news. And yet Disney, Papa John's and T-Mobile are among the most recent major advertisers who have pulled commercials from the show, in their cases, citing his remarks about Black Lives Matter protests.
"This may be a lot of things, this moment we are living through, but it is definitely not about Black lives," Carlson said in early June. "Remember that when they come for you. And at this rate, they will." (A Fox News spokesperson told reporters that "they" referred to Democrats, not Black protesters.)
Fox did not comment beyond the memo from Scott and Wallace, which was shared with reporters and offered neither support nor criticism for Carlson. Carlson declined several requests for comment from NPR.
These concerns are not new, along with pressures on and from advertisers.
In 2018, for example, Carlson told his viewers: "Our leaders demand we shut up and accept this. We have a moral obligation to admit the world's poor, they tell us, even if it makes our own country poorer and dirtier and more divided."
Fox News is part of Rupert Murdoch's larger media empire. Last year, Joseph Azam, a former lawyer and senior vice president for Murdoch's publishing arm, told NPR that Carlson's comments on immigration and rhetoric from other Fox News hosts led him to leave the company. Azam is Muslim and an emigrant from Afghanistan.
Just last week, Carlson questioned the patriotism of two Democratic members of Congress who are both women of color: Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, who emigrated from Somalia, and Sen. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois, whose mother is Thai of Chinese descent.
Duckworth is a retired lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army. She lost both her legs and partial use of an arm when a helicopter she was piloting was shot down by Iraqi insurgents in 2004. After Duckworth tweeted in response that Carlson should "walk a mile in my legs and then tell me whether or not I love America," Carlson escalated his attacks the next night, calling her a "coward" and a "fraud."
On his show, Carlson has hosted Pete D'Abrosca, who has expressed sympathy for alt-right leaders; the British commentator Katie Hopkins, banned from Twitter for violating its hateful conduct policy and who told his viewers that white Christian women were "endangered"; and disgraced U.S. Rep. Steve King of Iowa, whom Carlson defended for tweeting that America could not "restore our civilization with somebody else's babies."
Similarly, the Daily Caller, a publication that Carlson co-founded and in which he owned a major stake until last month, has repeatedly faced public outcry over various contributors and staffers who were revealed to have written white supremacist rhetoric on other platforms and outlets.
White nationalists, including David Duke and Richard Spencer, have hailed Carlson's show as echoing their own talking points. For his part, Carlson has called the idea of white supremacy in the U.S. a hoax.
"Tucker's show itself skates that line very closely," says O'Brien, now an independent television host, reporter and producer. "He's a guy who's beloved by white supremacists. I mean, clearly, they say so. That is an indication that he says the kinds of things that they like to hear. He frames arguments that are basically white supremacist arguments. He's not going to use the N-word on TV, certainly. But I think he goes right up to that line."
Last year, when the liberal watchdog Media Matters published a series of offensive past remarks Carlson had made about women on radio shows, the Fox News host issued his own challenge in return:
"Rather than express the usual ritual contrition, how about this: I'm on television every weeknight live for an hour. If you want to know what I think, you can watch."
Carlson said at the end of Monday's show that he would take the next four days off to go fishing on a long-planned vacation.


npr--2020-07-12--Man Treks 1,000 Miles From Alabama To Minnesota For 'Change, Justice And Equality'

Man Treks 1,000 Miles From Alabama To Minnesota For 'Change , Justice And Equality' More than one month after embarking on what he calls a march for `` change , justice and equality , '' Terry Willis completed a 1,000-mile walk from his hometown of Huntsville , Ala. , to the site of George Floyd 's death in Minneapolis on Sunday .
Willis , a 35-year-old business owner , said he feels obligated as a Black man and father to help create a better future for his son .
`` I 'm not here to judge anyone , I say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make sure your voice is heard , '' Willis wrote in a Facebook post announcing his plans .
`` In 1965 MLK marched to Selma for us to have the right to vote .
In 2020 I Terry Willis will walk from Alabama to Minnesota for our right to be seen as equals . ''
Willis began his trek on June 2 at the Fade Factory Barbershop in Huntsville .
He posted daily videos and updates on social media accounts , including his Facebook page , which has amassed more than 39,000 followers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Willis , both online and in person , with some joining him for portions of his walk in different states .
He made several detours along the way to pay his respects to Black victims of police violence and racial injustice , including Floyd in Houston , Breonna Taylor in Louisville , Ky. , Michael Brown in Ferguson , Mo.
, and Laquan McDonald in Chicago .
Willis said he was overwhelmed by the recent deaths of Floyd , Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery , which moved him to begin his `` silent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Black people in America .
`` It made me feel a plethora of mixed emotions : angry , frustrated , confused , sad , '' he said .
`` This could 've been me , my family or friends .
I knew I had to do something . ''
Willis is also raising money to start a nonprofit , according to a GoFundMe page that 's raised more than $ 37,000 of it 's $ 50,000 goal .
In a Facebook post on the page for the march , Willis wrote that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and juvenile delinquents a trade , like barbering or carpentry , in order to help them open their own businesses .
Willis was accompanied by a pace car , and told a local TV station that he would take his time and take rest and water breaks as needed .
He arrived in Minneapolis on Sunday , joined by crowds of supporters and wearing a T-shirt with `` March for Change , Justice and Equality '' emblazoned on the back .
He concluded his journey at the exact location Floyd was killed by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ emotional speech to a cheering crowd , Willis thanked onlookers for their support and spoke about how the march had impacted him , while keeping focus on the reason he decided to do it in the first place .
`` I just walked , that 's all I did , '' he said .
`` I 'm no celebrity , I 'm no superhero , I 'm just a regular man who 's seen a man get murdered , and I had to do something . ''

Man Treks 1,000 Miles From Alabama To Minnesota For 'Change, Justice And Equality'
Enlarge this image toggle caption Stephen Maturen/Getty Images Stephen Maturen/Getty Images
More than one month after embarking on what he calls a march for "change, justice and equality," Terry Willis on Sunday completed a 1,000-mile walk from his hometown of Huntsville, Ala., to the site of George Floyd's death in Minneapolis.
Willis, a 35-year-old business owner, said he feels obligated as a Black man and father to help create a better future for his son.
"I'm not here to judge anyone, I say do what you have to do to make sure your voice is heard," Willis wrote in a Facebook post announcing his plans. "In 1965 MLK marched to Selma for us to have the right to vote. In 2020 I Terry Willis will walk from Alabama to Minnesota for our right to be seen as equals."
Willis began his trek on June 2 at the Fade Factory Barbershop in Huntsville. He posted daily videos and updates on social media accounts, including his Facebook page, which had amassed more than 39,000 followers as of Sunday evening.
Supporters cheered on Willis, both online and in person, with some joining him for portions of his walk in different states.
He made several detours along the way to pay his respects to Black victims of police violence and racial injustice, including Floyd, who was buried in Houston, Breonna Taylor in Louisville, Ky., Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo., and Laquan McDonald in Chicago.
Willis said he was overwhelmed by the recent deaths of Floyd, Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery, which moved him to begin his "silent protest" against the injustices faced by Black people in America.
"It made me feel a plethora of mixed emotions: angry, frustrated, confused, sad," he said. "This could've been me, my family or friends. I knew I had to do something."
Willis is also raising money to start a nonprofit, according to a GoFundMe page that has raised more than $37,000 of its $50,000 goal. In a Facebook post on the page for the march, Willis wrote that the organization will teach people with criminal records and juvenile delinquents a trade, like barbering or carpentry, to help them open their own businesses.
Willis was accompanied by a pace car and told a local TV station that he would take his time and take rest and water breaks as needed.
He arrived in Minneapolis on Sunday, joined by crowds of supporters and wearing a T-shirt with "March for Change, Justice and Equality" emblazoned on the back. He concluded his journey at the exact location Floyd was killed by police on May 25.
In an emotional speech to a cheering crowd, Willis thanked onlookers for their support and spoke about how the march had impacted him, while keeping focus on the reason he decided to do it in the first place.
"I just walked, that's all I did," he said. "I'm no celebrity, I'm no superhero, I'm just a regular man who's seen a man get murdered, and I had to do something."


npr--2020-07-12--Florida Smashes U.S. State Record Of Daily New Cases: More Than 15,200

Florida Smashes U.S. State Record Of Daily New Cases : More Than 15,200 Florida reported 15,299 new coronavirus cases on Sunday , marking the largest single-day increase of any state since the start of the pandemic .
Sunday 's number exceeds New York 's peak of more than 12,200 new cases in one day back in April , when it was the epicenter of the outbreak .
This latest surge brings the total number of cases in the state to 269,811 .
Florida has recorded 4,242 total deaths , with 45 of those new as of Sunday .
`` If @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rank fourth in the world for the most new cases a day behind the United States , Brazil and India , '' Reuters noted .
As of Saturday , 7,186 people were hospitalized in Florida , according to the COVID Tracking Project .
Florida started reopening in early May and has continually shattered state records for single-day increases since cases began surging there in June .
It surpassed 10,000 new cases in one day for the first time earlier this month .
Despite the uptick in cases , many entities are continuing or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the state reported more than 10,000 new cases , two of Disney World 's four area parks reopened to the public .
The others are expected to open on Wednesday .
And last week , the state 's Department of Education ordered schools to reopen for in-person instruction in August .
Gov .
Ron DeSantis has largely resisted imposing statewide restrictions , though he did order bars to close to on-site alcohol consumption in late June .
Even with cases shattering records , DeSantis said at a June 30 news conference that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He emphasized the importance of protecting vulnerable populations but stopped short of asking people to stay home .
`` We 're not going back , closing things , '' he told reporters .
`` I do n't think that that 's really what 's driving it — people going to a business is not what 's driving it .
I think when you see the younger folks , I think a lot of it is more just social interactions , so that 's natural . ''
While a growing number of governors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in public , DeSantis is not one of them .
He has instead left the decision up to local governments , many of which have enacted mask mandates of their own .
Jacksonville , which is set to host the Republican National Convention in August , implemented a face covering requirement late last month .
Some local officials have also rolled back certain reopenings in an effort to slow the spread of the virus , especially in hard-hit South Florida .
In Miami-Dade County , which is considered a hot spot , Mayor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. effective July 3 .
He also rolled back the opening of entertainment facilities such as movie theaters , arcades and concert houses .
Another order , effective since July 9 , closes banquet halls and ballrooms , makes masks mandatory at gyms and restricts restaurants to outdoor seating only .
And an updated emergency order took effect in Broward County on July 10 , setting limits on restaurant seating and vacation rentals , with violators subject to fines and closures .
The World Health Organization also reported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Sunday , with a rise of 230,370 in 24 hours .

Florida Smashes U.S. State Record Of Daily New Cases: More Than 15,200
Enlarge this image toggle caption Octavio Jones/Getty Images Octavio Jones/Getty Images
Florida reported 15,299 new coronavirus cases on Sunday, marking the largest single-day increase of any state since the start of the pandemic.
Sunday's number exceeds New York's peak of more than 12,200 new cases in one day back in April, when it was the epicenter of the outbreak.
This latest surge brings the total number of cases in the state to 269,811. Florida has recorded 4,242 total deaths, with 45 of those new as of Sunday.
"If Florida were a country, it would rank fourth in the world for the most new cases a day behind the United States, Brazil and India," Reuters noted.
As of Saturday, 7,186 people were hospitalized in Florida, according to the COVID Tracking Project.
Florida started reopening in early May and has continually shattered state records for single-day increases since cases began surging there in June.
It surpassed 10,000 new cases in one day for the first time earlier this month.
Despite the uptick in cases, many entities are continuing or resuming operations. On Saturday, as the state reported more than 10,000 new cases, two of Disney World's four area parks reopened to the public. The others are expected to open on Wednesday.
And last week, the state's Department of Education ordered schools to reopen for in-person instruction in August.
Gov. Ron DeSantis has largely resisted imposing statewide restrictions, though he did order bars to close to on-site alcohol consumption in late June.
Even with cases shattering records, DeSantis said at a June 30 news conference that the state would not roll back its reopening. He emphasized the importance of protecting vulnerable populations but stopped short of asking people to stay home.
"We're not going back, closing things," he told reporters. "I don't think that that's really what's driving it — people going to a business is not what's driving it. I think when you see the younger folks, I think a lot of it is more just social interactions, so that's natural."
While a growing number of governors have issued statewide mandates requiring face masks in public, DeSantis is not one of them. He has instead left the decision up to local governments, many of which have enacted mask mandates of their own.
Jacksonville, which is set to host the Republican National Convention in August, implemented a face covering requirement late last month.
Some local officials have also rolled back certain reopenings in an effort to slow the spread of the virus, especially in hard-hit South Florida.
In Miami-Dade County, which is considered a hot spot, Mayor Carlos Gimenez announced a countywide daily curfew from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. effective July 3. He also rolled back the opening of entertainment facilities such as movie theaters, arcades and concert houses.
Another order, effective since July 9, closes banquet halls and ballrooms, makes masks mandatory at gyms and restricts restaurants to outdoor seating only.
And an updated emergency order took effect in Broward County on July 10, setting limits on restaurant seating and vacation rentals, with violators subject to fines and closures.
The World Health Organization also reported a record increase in global coronavirus cases on Sunday, with a rise of 230,370 in 24 hours.


npr--2020-07-12--Iranian Report Details Chain Of Mistakes In Shooting Down Ukrainian Passenger Plane

Iranian Report Details Chain Of Mistakes In Shooting Down Ukrainian Passenger Plane Human error , a misaligned missile guidance system and a decision to fire without authorization contributed to Iran 's downing of a civilian passenger plane in January , according to a new report from Iran 's Civil Aviation Organization .
Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 was shot down shortly after takeoff from the Iranian capital , Tehran , killing all 176 people on board .
For several days , no one took responsibility , but signs pointed toward it being struck by a missile .
Eventually , Iran @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mistakenly believing it was a U.S. missile .
`` PS 752 was identified by one of the air defense units as a threat and targeted consequently , '' Iran 's accident investigation report says in its introduction , before laying out the pertinent facts .
The Kyiv-bound plane received permission from air traffic control to take off from Tehran 's Imam Khomeini International Airport .
The flight plan was relayed to Iran 's air defense coordination center , and the military granted clearance for the plane to depart .
That 's when everything @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : One of Iran 's air defense units had been moved — but because of human error , its radar system was never realigned .
So when the unit spotted an object traveling on an unknown flight path , the unit did n't realize that it was the Boeing 737-800 that had already gotten clearance .
The air defense unit operator notified command about the object and identified it as a threat .
But command never responded and never let the unit operator know that it was the Kyiv-bound flight .
`` Another @ @ @ @ @ @ @ formed at this point , '' the report says .
By now , the tragedy still could have been averted , the report says , if not for mistake No .
3 : `` If at this point he had identified the target as a passenger aircraft , the missile would not have been launched . ''
The errors continued .
From air traffic control 's vantage point , PS 752 was following its assigned flight path .
But having not heard back from command , the air defense unit operator fired upon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to do that ; Iran 's military procedure states that individual units are n't authorized to fire without explicitly getting orders to do so .
`` The fourth link leading to the firing of the missile was now formed . ''
The first missile likely hit the plane , the report says .
But the rogue unit , still tracking the object , fired again .
By now , the aircraft had lost radio communication .
It turned to the right .
A fire broke out inside the plane .
Two minutes later @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Khalajabad , exploding on impact .
`` The aircraft then kept hitting the ground and bouncing on a route towards the airport , making the aircraft pieces , victims ' properties , objects and body remains disintegrate completely in a vast area near a residential complex , recreational and sports park , gardens and the surrounding agricultural land , '' the report says .
All passengers and crew members were killed .
`` The sequence of events clearly shows the occurrence of a chain of events initiated by a human error , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had previously explained that it was on high alert after it fired missile strikes on Iraqi bases hosting U.S. troops .
That attack was a retaliation for a U.S. drone strike that killed the prominent Iranian military commander Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani and militia leader Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis in Baghdad on Jan. 3 .
Iran has delayed providing international investigators with the flight 's black box recorder but has reportedly pledged to provide it to French investigators on July 20 .

Iranian Report Details Chain Of Mistakes In Shooting Down Ukrainian Passenger Plane
Enlarge this image toggle caption Akbar Tavakoli/IRNA/AFP via Getty Images Akbar Tavakoli/IRNA/AFP via Getty Images
Human error, a misaligned missile guidance system and a decision to fire without authorization contributed to Iran's downing of a civilian passenger plane in January, according to a new report from Iran's Civil Aviation Organization.
Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 was shot down shortly after takeoff from the Iranian capital, Tehran, killing all 176 people on board. For several days, no one took responsibility, but signs pointed toward it being struck by a missile. Eventually, Iran admitted it had targeted the plane after mistakenly believing it was a U.S. missile.
"PS 752 was identified by one of the air defense units as a threat and targeted consequently," Iran's accident investigation report says in its introduction, before laying out the pertinent facts. The Kyiv-bound plane received permission from air traffic control to take off from Tehran's Imam Khomeini International Airport. The flight plan was relayed to Iran's air defense coordination center, and the military granted clearance for the plane to depart.
That's when everything went awry. Mistake No. 1: One of Iran's air defense units had been moved — but because of human error, its radar system was never realigned. So when the unit spotted an object traveling on an unknown flight path, the unit didn't realize that it was the Boeing 737-800 that had already gotten clearance.
The air defense unit operator notified command about the object and identified it as a threat. But command never responded and never let the unit operator know that it was the Kyiv-bound flight. "Another link in the chain of events was formed at this point," the report says.
By now, the tragedy still could have been averted, the report says, if not for mistake No. 3: "If at this point he had identified the target as a passenger aircraft, the missile would not have been launched."
The errors continued. From air traffic control's vantage point, PS 752 was following its assigned flight path. But having not heard back from command, the air defense unit operator fired upon the target. He wasn't supposed to do that; Iran's military procedure states that individual units aren't authorized to fire without explicitly getting orders to do so. "The fourth link leading to the firing of the missile was now formed."
The first missile likely hit the plane, the report says. But the rogue unit, still tracking the object, fired again. By now, the aircraft had lost radio communication. It turned to the right. A fire broke out inside the plane. Two minutes later, it crashed into a playground in Khalajabad, exploding on impact. "The aircraft then kept hitting the ground and bouncing on a route towards the airport, making the aircraft pieces, victims' properties, objects and body remains disintegrate completely in a vast area near a residential complex, recreational and sports park, gardens and the surrounding agricultural land," the report says.
All passengers and crew members were killed.
"The sequence of events clearly shows the occurrence of a chain of events initiated by a human error," the report says.
Iran's government had previously explained that it was on high alert after it fired missile strikes on Iraqi bases hosting U.S. troops. That attack was a retaliation for a U.S. drone strike that killed the prominent Iranian military commander Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani and militia leader Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis in Baghdad on Jan. 3.
Iran has delayed providing international investigators with the flight's black box recorder but has reportedly pledged to provide it to French investigators on July 20.


npr--2020-07-12--Roger Stone Clemency Latest Example Of Trump Rewarding His Friends, Scholars Say

Roger Stone Clemency Latest Example Of Trump Rewarding His Friends , Scholars Say President Trump issued his first pardon in August 2017 , just about seven months into his presidency .
Three years and three dozen clemencies later , some patterns have emerged .
One clear pattern is Trump 's tendency to grant clemency to prominent political figures and people who have shown loyalty to him , clemency scholars say .
That propensity was on full display on Friday , as Trump commuted the sentence of his former campaign adviser Roger Stone .
Stone was just days away from beginning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lawmakers investigating Russian influence in the 2016 presidential election .
`` Modern presidents have sullied clemency through disuse ( both Bushes ) and occasional self-serving grants ( Clinton ) , '' Mark Osler , a law professor and clemency scholar at the University of St. Thomas ' School of Law , told NPR via email .
`` However , no president has ever used clemency primarily to reward friends and political allies '' — until Trump .
In announcing the commutation Friday , the White House called Stone a `` victim of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has already suffered greatly . ''
Presidents can grant clemency through both commutations , which reduce a prison sentence but do not erase a conviction , and pardons , which express presidential `` forgiveness '' and can restore certain civil rights .
With only a handful of exceptions , Osler said , Trump 's clemency grants have gone to `` people he knows or learned about from Fox News . ''
On a single day in February , Trump pardoned or commuted the sentences of 11 people , all of whom had one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were promoted on Fox News or they had an inside connection to the president .
Trump also prefers to disregard the advice of the Office of the Pardon Attorney in the Department of Justice , said American University professor Jeffrey Crouch , who has written extensively on the presidential pardon power .
That office is responsible for vetting the thousands of clemency requests the government gets every year .
For over a century , presidents have relied on the recommendations of that office .
Not so for Trump , who prefers to make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ investigation found that most of Trump 's grants of clemency `` have gone to well-connected offenders who had not filed petitions with the pardon office or did not meet its requirements . ''
`` He has largely ignored the little guy , or anonymous offenders who apply for presidential mercy through the usual channels , '' Crouch told NPR .
`` Under President Trump , the old back door to clemency — getting the president 's attention somehow — seems to have become the new front door . ''
Trump 's first pardon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Sheriff Joe Arpaio .
Arpaio was convicted of contempt of court after he continued detaining suspected undocumented immigrants after a judge warned him to stop targeting Latino drivers .
Arpaio 's pardon did not go through the pardon attorney 's office .
And that first pardon would set the tone for many of Trump 's pardons and commutations to come .
The president 's clemency power is supposed to exist solely to protect the national interest , said professor Mark Rozell , dean of the Schar School of Policy and Government at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hamilton 's pronouncement in the Federalist Papers that it 's better to give this power to the president — `` a single man of prudence and good sense '' — than to a legislative body like Congress .
The Founding Fathers never anticipated that a president would use his power as Trump has , Rozell said .
`` There is nothing in Trump 's pardons of political allies and cronies that meets the national interest standard , '' Rozell told NPR .
`` It is a mockery of the constitutional power vested in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only president to use his power to help allies .
Rozell cited what he called `` some egregiously bad examples of the use of the pardon power '' — Bill Clinton 's pardons of Marc Rich and others on his last day in office , and George H.W .
Bush 's pardons of six Iran-Contra scandal figures , issued after he lost his bid for reelection .
But `` no one has violated the principles underlying the pardon power so much as [ Trump ] has , '' Rozell said .
Trump 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ use of clemency powers .
By the end of his two terms , Barack Obama had proudly granted more commutations than any other president in history — most of his later clemencies went to low-level criminals , especially those convicted of drug offenses with harsh penalties .
And some of Obama 's clemencies drew harsh criticism , especially from conservatives — such as his commutation for Chelsea Manning , who was convicted of sharing classified information , or Oscar López Rivera , a Puerto Rican activist who had served 35 years of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than 100 bombs in the 1970s and '80s .
`` I do n't see these in the same category , though , as granting clemency to someone who was convicted of lying to protect the president who later pardoned him , '' Rozell said .
The Roger Stone commutation has been highly controversial , both among Democratic lawmakers and among some members of Trump 's own party .
Utah Sen. Mitt Romney called it `` unprecedented , historic corruption . ''
But Trump does n't seem so concerned about how his clemency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Crouch said , calling the timing `` very unusual . ''
Most controversial clemency grants by several recent presidents came only after those presidents were `` free from electoral consequences , '' Crouch said .
But the Stone commutation `` came just four months before the president will stand for reelection . ''

Roger Stone Clemency Latest Example Of Trump Rewarding His Friends, Scholars Say
Enlarge this image toggle caption Andrew Harnik/AP Andrew Harnik/AP
President Trump issued his first pardon in August 2017, just about seven months into his presidency. Three years and three dozen clemencies later, some patterns have emerged.
One clear pattern is Trump's tendency to grant clemency to prominent political figures and people who have shown loyalty to him, clemency scholars say. That propensity was on full display on Friday, as Trump commuted the sentence of his former campaign adviser Roger Stone. Stone was just days away from beginning a 40-month prison term for lying to lawmakers investigating Russian influence in the 2016 presidential election.
"Modern presidents have sullied clemency through disuse (both Bushes) and occasional self-serving grants (Clinton)," Mark Osler, a law professor and clemency scholar at the University of St. Thomas' School of Law, told NPR via email. "However, no president has ever used clemency primarily to reward friends and political allies" — until Trump.
In announcing the commutation Friday, the White House called Stone a "victim of the Russia Hoax" and said he "has already suffered greatly."
Presidents can grant clemency through both commutations, which reduce a prison sentence but do not erase a conviction, and pardons, which express presidential "forgiveness" and can restore certain civil rights.
With only a handful of exceptions, Osler said, Trump's clemency grants have gone to "people he knows or learned about from Fox News." On a single day in February, Trump pardoned or commuted the sentences of 11 people, all of whom had one thing in common: either their cases were promoted on Fox News or they had an inside connection to the president.
Trump also prefers to disregard the advice of the Office of the Pardon Attorney in the Department of Justice, said American University professor Jeffrey Crouch, who has written extensively on the presidential pardon power. That office is responsible for vetting the thousands of clemency requests the government gets every year.
For over a century, presidents have relied on the recommendations of that office. Not so for Trump, who prefers to make his own decisions. A Washington Post investigation found that most of Trump's grants of clemency "have gone to well-connected offenders who had not filed petitions with the pardon office or did not meet its requirements."
"He has largely ignored the little guy, or anonymous offenders who apply for presidential mercy through the usual channels," Crouch told NPR. "Under President Trump, the old back door to clemency — getting the president's attention somehow — seems to have become the new front door."
Trump's first pardon went to former Maricopa County, Ariz., Sheriff Joe Arpaio. Arpaio was convicted of contempt of court after he continued detaining suspected undocumented immigrants after a judge warned him to stop targeting Latino drivers. Arpaio's pardon did not go through the pardon attorney's office. And that first pardon would set the tone for many of Trump's pardons and commutations to come.
The president's clemency power is supposed to exist solely to protect the national interest, said professor Mark Rozell, dean of the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University. Rozell cited Alexander Hamilton's pronouncement in the Federalist Papers that it's better to give this power to the president — "a single man of prudence and good sense" — than to a legislative body like Congress.
The Founding Fathers never anticipated that a president would use his power as Trump has, Rozell said. "There is nothing in Trump's pardons of political allies and cronies that meets the national interest standard," Rozell told NPR. "It is a mockery of the constitutional power vested in him."
Trump isn't the only president to use his power to help allies. Rozell cited what he called "some egregiously bad examples of the use of the pardon power" — Bill Clinton's pardons of Marc Rich and others on his last day in office, and George H.W. Bush's pardons of six Iran-Contra scandal figures, issued after he lost his bid for reelection. But "no one has violated the principles underlying the pardon power so much as [Trump] has," Rozell said.
Trump's immediate predecessor also faced criticism for his use of clemency powers. By the end of his two terms, Barack Obama had proudly granted more commutations than any other president in history — most of his later clemencies went to low-level criminals, especially those convicted of drug offenses with harsh penalties.
And some of Obama's clemencies drew harsh criticism, especially from conservatives — such as his commutation for Chelsea Manning, who was convicted of sharing classified information, or Oscar López Rivera, a Puerto Rican activist who had served 35 years of a 55-year sentence after his organization set off more than 100 bombs in the 1970s and '80s.
"I don't see these in the same category, though, as granting clemency to someone who was convicted of lying to protect the president who later pardoned him," Rozell said.
The Roger Stone commutation has been highly controversial, both among Democratic lawmakers and among some members of Trump's own party. Utah Sen. Mitt Romney called it "unprecedented, historic corruption." But Trump doesn't seem so concerned about how his clemency decisions could impact his approval rating, Crouch said, calling the timing "very unusual."
Most controversial clemency grants by several recent presidents came only after those presidents were "free from electoral consequences," Crouch said. But the Stone commutation "came just four months before the president will stand for reelection."


npr--2020-07-12--Coronavirus World Map: Tracking The Spread Of The Outbreak

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

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


npr--2020-07-12--Tracking The Pandemic: Are Coronavirus Cases Rising Or Falling In Your State?

Tracking The Pandemic : Are Coronavirus Cases Rising Or Falling In Your State ?
More than 3 million people in the U.S. have tested positive for the coronavirus and more than 130,000 have died .
Though growth in new cases slowed in late spring , by mid-June new cases began to trend upward nationally .
In the graphics below , explore the trend in new cases in your state to see whether cases are rising , falling or staying level .
You can view the data via a heat map ( immediately below ) , a curve chart and a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ case trends over the last three weeks .
Or to see states ' total cases and deaths on a map , click here .
The following chart displays states ' trends in new daily case counts , total cases , and per capita totals .
To compare state outbreaks , the trend lines for average new daily cases are graphed against each state 's total case count to date .
This highlights a state 's daily growth relative to the overall size of its outbreak .
When both new and total case counts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
As cases slow , the curve levels or bends down .
In New York , site of the country 's largest outbreak , the state 's curve rose sharply before reaching over 170,000 total cases in April .
Since then , new cases have fallen from about 10,000 per day in mid-April to fewer than 700 per day in late June .
Some states , such as Hawaii , have declined to just a dozen new cases per day , while others are growing .
Arizona , which had leveled off at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saw a sudden sharp spike in new cases in June .
The coronavirus has hit some states much harder than others .
For much of the pandemic , a large share of U.S. cases have been centered around New York City .
As of early June , New York state , Connecticut and New Jersey accounted for about 30 % of total cases in the nation and 42 % of deaths , although new cases have been dropping in these three states .
Across the country , other large , populous states such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ high totals as well .
Some smaller states have had a heavy burden of disease relative to their population size , such as Nebraska and Iowa , which have high case counts per capita , and Louisiana and Michigan which have a high death count per capita .
Explore the map below to see totals and per capita figures around the country .
Click here to see a global map of confirmed cases and deaths .
For more detail on your state , the table below shows the change in average new cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over week .
States marked in shades of red are showing growth , those in shades of green , are showing declines .
The graphics on this page pull from data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University from several sources , including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ; the World Health Organization ; national , state and local government health departments ; 1point3acres ; and local media reports .
The JHU team automates its data uploads and regularly checks them for anomalies .
This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this page as the JHU team resolves anomalies and updates its feeds .
State-by-state recovery data are unavailable at this time .
There may be discrepancies between what you see here and what you see on your local health department 's website .
Figures shown do not include cases on cruise ships .
In early June , Michigan health authorities started including probable cases in its totals .
This resulted in a brief spike in the state 's daily numbers until the JHU team was able to reconcile the historical data .
On @ @ @ @ @ @ @ previously-unreported probable deaths in its totals , resulting in a spike in the state 's daily death numbers .
This story was originally published on March 16 , 2020 .
Elena Renken was a co-author on that version .
Sean McMinn contributed to and Carmel Wroth edited this story .

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


npr--2020-07-13--Tracking The Pandemic: Are Coronavirus Cases Rising Or Falling In Your State?


npr--2020-07-13--Poland's Nationalist President Narrowly Wins Reelection

Poland 's conservative president Andrjez Duda , 48 , narrowly won reelection to a second five-year term Sunday , further calling into question the country 's commitment to western-style democracy and continued membership in the European Union .
Turnout , at nearly 70 % of eligible voters , was the highest since the fall of communism in 1989 .
Sunday 's election was a runoff between the two top finishers in the initial round of voting last month , Duda and the relatively liberal mayor of Warsaw , Rafal Trzaskowski , also 48 .
With nearly all votes counted , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had received 51.21 % versus Trzaskowski 's 48.79 % , according to The Associated Press .
The commission said uncounted ballots were unlikely to significantly change the results .
During Duda 's first term , Poland 's ruling Law and Justice party passed legislation , which he supported , weakening the country 's independent judiciary .
The government has also used Poland 's popular state broadcaster , ostensibly independent , as a mouthpiece for its policies .
The European Union , which Poland joined in 2004 , has been harshly critical of what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Two years ago the European Parliament declared that the situation in Poland `` represents a 'clear risk of a serious breach ' of EU values , including the rule of law . ''
The vote triggered an inquiry which could ultimately lead to Poland losing its voting rights in the European Council .
A major topic of the presidential campaign was the country 's LGBTQ community .
Duda warned that Poland 's children were at risk from `` an imported 'LGBT ideology , ' `` according to the BBC .
As mayor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pride parades , though he opposed adoption by same-sex couples .
State television accused Trzaskowski of being under the sway of LGBTQ activists and Jewish interests , reviving Poland 's fraught history of anti-Semitism .
Hungary 's prime minister Viktor Orbán , who is also at odds with the EU for his increasingly authoritarian style of governing , congratulated Duda on his victory , according to Reuters .
Orbán posted his and Duda 's photos on Facebook with the caption , `` Bravo ! ''

Poland's Nationalist President Narrowly Wins Reelection
Enlarge this image toggle caption Czarek Sokolowski/AP Czarek Sokolowski/AP
Poland's conservative president, Andrjez Duda, 48, narrowly won reelection to a second five-year term Sunday, further calling into question the country's commitment to Western-style democracy and continued membership in the European Union.
Turnout, at nearly 70% of eligible voters, was the highest since the fall of communism in 1989. Sunday's election was a runoff between the two top finishers in the initial round of voting last month, Duda and the relatively liberal mayor of Warsaw, Rafal Trzaskowski, also 48.
With nearly all votes counted, Poland's state electoral commission said Duda had received 51.21% versus Trzaskowski's 48.79%, according to The Associated Press. The commission said uncounted ballots were unlikely to significantly change the results.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Petr David Josek/AP Petr David Josek/AP
During Duda's first term, Poland's ruling Law and Justice party passed legislation, which he supported, weakening the country's independent judiciary. The government has also used Poland's popular state broadcaster, ostensibly independent, as a mouthpiece for its policies.
The European Union, which Poland joined in 2004, has been harshly critical of what it regards as violations of democratic norms. Two years ago the European Parliament declared that the situation in Poland "represents a 'clear risk of a serious breach' of EU values, including the rule of law." The vote triggered an inquiry that could ultimately lead to Poland losing its voting rights in the European Council.
A major topic of the presidential campaign was the country's LGBTQ community. Duda warned that Poland's children were at risk from "an imported 'LGBT ideology,' " according to the BBC. As mayor of Warsaw, Trzaskowski had marched in Pride parades, though he opposed adoption by same-sex couples.
State television accused Trzaskowski of being under the sway of LGBTQ activists and Jewish interests, reviving Poland's fraught history of anti-Semitism.
Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who is also at odds with the EU for his increasingly authoritarian style of governing, congratulated Duda on his victory, according to Reuters. Orbán posted his and Duda's photos on Facebook with the caption, "Bravo!"