npr--2020-08-15--A World Champion Slam Poet Pivots To Medicine

`` Memories of my childhood live/between the rings of sand around my ankles/ and the desert heat in my lungs .
I still believe that nothing washes/worry from tired skin better than the Nile/and my grandma 's hands .
Every day I go to school/with the weight of dead neighbors/on my shoulders . ''
That 's an excerpt from `` People Like Us , '' a poem by 26-year-old Emtithal `` Emi '' Mahmoud , a world champion slam poet known for her vivid language and dedication to uplifting others .
As a global goodwill ambassador for the U.N. High @ @ @ @ @ @ @ poetry workshops in refugee camps from the Middle East to Africa .
Over the past several months , Mahmoud , who is based in New Haven , Conn. , has been creating poetry about the pandemic and protesting for racial justice while working toward launching her new nonprofit organization , The Women 's Table .
Named after a sculpture honoring the role of women at her alma mater Yale University , Mahmoud says her new initiative will amplify the voices of marginalized groups .
So what 's her next big goal ?
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ poet persona , Mahmoud speaks in bursts of energy , almost like she 's performing a concerto – her voice speeds up , slows down and emphasizes words that echo through the auditorium .
Offstage , she is careful and analytical , with detailed , measured explanations about her thought process .
`` My big passion in life is understanding different kinds of systems and how we break them down , and what they look like at their very core , '' she says .
And one of the most critical systems is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ learned that lesson early on from her father , a surgeon in their home country , Sudan .
When she was just a baby , government officials tried to convince her father to change the death certificate of a colleague who had been tortured and killed .
The officials wanted the document to say he died of malaria .
But Mahmoud 's father refused , so the Sudanese government sent him away on a medical mission to Yemen — and then fired him .
`` When my family found out about it , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get your wife and your daughter out now to safety , '' says Mahmoud .
That 's when they decided to flee Sudan in 1994 , when she was just a year old .
She spent her early childhood years in Yemen , moving with her family to the United States through the visa lottery when she was 4 .
Although she grew up in Philadelphia , she also has strong memories of Sudan 's terrifying violence , which she witnessed on a family trip at age 7 .
Protests against the government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on civilians .
Mahmoud ended up hiding under a bed with four others during this dangerous time .
She says her parents and relatives came home from the protest with blood on them .
In the poem `` People Like Us , '' she wrote : `` I remember their laces , scarlet footprints on the floor ...
Fear is the coldest thing in the desert , and it burns you – bows you down to half your height and owns you . ''
Upon returning home to Philadelphia , Mahmoud felt disconnected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` After I just went through all this trauma , I [ had ] to start second grade , understanding that , oh , people die for education , '' she says .
`` Nobody knew about it except for us ... Nobody else was talking about it . ''
In school , science was an absolute that helped her make sense of a crazy world .
`` Science makes me tick because I think very early on , I understood that a lot of things were n't as they seem .
Science @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' she says .
Long before becoming interested in following in her parents ' footsteps in medicine — her mom is a medical lab technician — Mahmoud was drawn to paleontology .
`` Nobody 's ever seen a dinosaur .
But their bones are here .
Even as a little kid , I wanted to know their story . ''
At Yale , she crafted her own path of study , double-majoring in anthropology and molecular , cellular and developmental biology .
`` People [ say ] these are two very different things @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I study people from the inside and people from the outside , ' '' Mahmoud explains .
After seeing a fellow student perform onstage poetry for the first time , Mahmoud found a new way of sharing her observations .
She began writing poetry to convince people to hear and see her .
She infused her spoken word poetry with stories of her family in Sudan , along with her personal experiences in the devastating conflict there .
She says performing on stage gave her courage .
Poetry is also a way to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I come from a place where the history is based on oral tradition , my tribal tongue is n't written , everything is passed down from person to person , '' Mahmoud says .
`` That 's why that 's why I write about it so much .
I write about it because I 'm terrified of forgetting . ''
She also does spoken word in her native language , Arabic , including part of the Ramadan poem `` How Am I To Celebrate ?
, '' about what it 's like to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ refugee far from home .
At Yale , she joined the ¡Oye !
spoken word group on campus .
`` They completely transformed my relationship with writing , '' she says .
`` After just two months with ¡Oye !
, I was in a place where I could actually get a position on the competition team for the whole school , '' she adds .
Mahmoud credits her quick rise to her coach , professional spoken word artist Alysia Harris , who still remembers the first time she saw Mahmoud perform in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ starts speaking and she 's smiling , but delivering the most heart-wrenching and arresting lines of poetry , '' Harris says , noting she was particularly impressed by Mahmoud 's ability to infuse her poetry with humor .
`` There was always in her work a flirtation with the humorous , or funny , or sarcastic , and then halfway or a third into the poem , she would really flip that on its head . ''
The poem `` How to Translate a Joke , '' for example , starts with a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — and turns into a hard-hitting commentary on the subjugation of women .
In 2015 , her senior year of college , Mahmoud almost did n't go to the world poetry slam championship , an annual four-day competition that draws almost a hundred top spoken word artists to a different U.S. city each year .
Her grandmother in Sudan had just died .
But , `` my parents said 'Grandma definitely would have wanted you to be there , you go , ' '' she says .
`` I showed up to that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anywhere .
So , I came with not enough poems . ''
When she discovered she would be competing in the finals , that 's when she wrote `` Mama , '' a poignant ode to the strong matriarchs and women in her family .
On stage , Mahmoud took the audience by storm .
`` A lot of people did n't expect what came out of her to come out of her , '' her former coach , Harris , says .
`` I think people have a lot of stereotypes or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people carry themselves and who they are , what they 're going to sound like , and what they 're going to talk about .
And I think when Emi walks on the stage , she just obliterates any type of box that you would like to put her in .
She 's like 'you 're going to listen to me because I am going to command your attention . ''
Mahmoud says she shatters people 's pre-conceived notions of her .
`` I 'm a young woman of color , an immigrant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a hijabi , I 'm a Muslim , '' she says .
`` I change what power looks like . ''
The success of her piece `` Mama '' turned Mahmoud into an international public figure .
Since then , she 's presented at the United Nations , joined White House round-table discussions with President Barack Obama , given TED Talks and spoken to audiences of thousands .
Claire Lewis from the UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador Team has traveled with Mahmoud and describes her strength in reaching audiences of many backgrounds through spoken word @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she looks straight at you , it gives you shivers .
It can make people cry because of her ability to deliver a story , '' Lewis says .
`` She conjures up imagery , and that is actually magical and incredibly powerful . ''
She describes the poem `` Boy in the Sand , '' which Mahmoud performed in honor of Alan Kurdi , the child refugee whose body washed up on the sand in Greece .
Although Mahmoud 's travel is currently on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic , she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
She was a Global Health Fellow at Yale and spent a summer in college volunteering in Sudan 's refugee camp clinics , including at a birthing hospital .
There , she saw up close the difficulties doctors face in a resource-strapped environment .
She plans to keep up her poetry as she pursues a career in medicine in the future .
For Mahmoud , it 's a way to explain science in elegant ways .
`` As much as science speaks on its own , the language of science is n't exactly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's why poetry comes into the picture , '' she says .
`` And that 's why art comes into the picture .
I ca n't imagine not spending the rest of my life trying to demystify and unmask all of these systems . ''
Sonia Narang is a journalist who covers women 's rights , climate change and health .
Follow her on Instagram @ sonianarang .
This story was produced in association with the Round Earth Media program of the International Women 's Media Foundation .

A World Champion Slam Poet Pivots To Medicine
Enlarge this image toggle caption László Mudra/Rockstar Photographers László Mudra/Rockstar Photographers
"Memories of my childhood live/between the rings of sand around my ankles/ and the desert heat in my lungs.
I still believe that nothing washes/worry from tired skin better than the Nile/and my grandma's hands.
Every day I go to school/with the weight of dead neighbors/on my shoulders."
That's an excerpt from "People Like Us," a poem by 26-year-old Emtithal "Emi" Mahmoud, a world champion slam poet known for her vivid language and dedication to uplifting others. As a global goodwill ambassador for the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, she's taught poetry workshops in refugee camps from the Middle East to Africa. Over the past several months, Mahmoud, who is based in New Haven, Conn., has been creating poetry about the pandemic and protesting for racial justice while working toward launching her new nonprofit organization, The Women's Table. Named after a sculpture honoring the role of women at her alma mater Yale University, Mahmoud says her new initiative will amplify the voices of marginalized groups.
So what's her next big goal? A career in medicine.
In her slam poet persona, Mahmoud speaks in bursts of energy, almost like she's performing a concerto – her voice speeds up, slows down and emphasizes words that echo through the auditorium. Offstage, she is careful and analytical, with detailed, measured explanations about her thought process.
toggle caption Slaven Vlasic/ UNHCR
"My big passion in life is understanding different kinds of systems and how we break them down, and what they look like at their very core," she says. And one of the most critical systems is health care, adds Mahmoud, who learned that lesson early on from her father, a surgeon in their home country, Sudan. When she was just a baby, government officials tried to convince her father to change the death certificate of a colleague who had been tortured and killed. The officials wanted the document to say he died of malaria. But Mahmoud's father refused, so the Sudanese government sent him away on a medical mission to Yemen — and then fired him.
"When my family found out about it, [they said] you need to get your wife and your daughter out now to safety," says Mahmoud. That's when they decided to flee Sudan in 1994, when she was just a year old.
She spent her early childhood years in Yemen, moving with her family to the United States through the visa lottery when she was 4. Although she grew up in Philadelphia, she also has strong memories of Sudan's terrifying violence, which she witnessed on a family trip at age 7. Protests against the government's shutdown of schools led to attacks on civilians. Mahmoud ended up hiding under a bed with four others during this dangerous time. She says her parents and relatives came home from the protest with blood on them.
In the poem "People Like Us," she wrote: "I remember their laces, scarlet footprints on the floor ... Fear is the coldest thing in the desert, and it burns you – bows you down to half your height and owns you."
Upon returning home to Philadelphia, Mahmoud felt disconnected from her normal life in the U.S. "After I just went through all this trauma, I [had] to start second grade, understanding that, oh, people die for education," she says. "Nobody knew about it except for us ... Nobody else was talking about it."
In school, science was an absolute that helped her make sense of a crazy world. "Science makes me tick because I think very early on, I understood that a lot of things weren't as they seem. Science doesn't lie, you know," she says. Long before becoming interested in following in her parents' footsteps in medicine — her mom is a medical lab technician — Mahmoud was drawn to paleontology. "Nobody's ever seen a dinosaur. But their bones are here. Even as a little kid, I wanted to know their story."
At Yale, she crafted her own path of study, double-majoring in anthropology and molecular, cellular and developmental biology. "People [say] these are two very different things, and I say, 'Yeah, I study people from the inside and people from the outside,'" Mahmoud explains.
After seeing a fellow student perform onstage poetry for the first time, Mahmoud found a new way of sharing her observations.
She began writing poetry to convince people to hear and see her. She infused her spoken word poetry with stories of her family in Sudan, along with her personal experiences in the devastating conflict there. She says performing on stage gave her courage.
Poetry is also a way to carry on her Sudanese heritage. "I come from a place where the history is based on oral tradition, my tribal tongue isn't written, everything is passed down from person to person," Mahmoud says. "That's why that's why I write about it so much. I write about it because I'm terrified of forgetting."
toggle caption Niko Ivanovski/ UNHCR
She also does spoken word in her native language, Arabic, including part of the Ramadan poem "How Am I To Celebrate?," about what it's like to celebrate the Muslim holy month as a refugee far from home.
At Yale, she joined the ¡Oye! spoken word group on campus. "They completely transformed my relationship with writing," she says. "After just two months with ¡Oye!, I was in a place where I could actually get a position on the competition team for the whole school," she adds.
Mahmoud credits her quick rise to her coach, professional spoken word artist Alysia Harris, who still remembers the first time she saw Mahmoud perform in a classroom at Yale. "She starts speaking and she's smiling, but delivering the most heart-wrenching and arresting lines of poetry," Harris says, noting she was particularly impressed by Mahmoud's ability to infuse her poetry with humor. "There was always in her work a flirtation with the humorous, or funny, or sarcastic, and then halfway or a third into the poem, she would really flip that on its head." The poem "How to Translate a Joke," for example, starts with a man's joke about picking up girls — and turns into a hard-hitting commentary on the subjugation of women.
In 2015, her senior year of college, Mahmoud almost didn't go to the world poetry slam championship, an annual four-day competition that draws almost a hundred top spoken word artists to a different U.S. city each year. Her grandmother in Sudan had just died. But, "my parents said 'Grandma definitely would have wanted you to be there, you go,'" she says. "I showed up to that competition not thinking that I would get anywhere. So, I came with not enough poems." When she discovered she would be competing in the finals, that's when she wrote "Mama," a poignant ode to the strong matriarchs and women in her family.
On stage, Mahmoud took the audience by storm. "A lot of people didn't expect what came out of her to come out of her," her former coach, Harris, says. "I think people have a lot of stereotypes or a lot of assumptions about just how people carry themselves and who they are, what they're going to sound like, and what they're going to talk about. And I think when Emi walks on the stage, she just obliterates any type of box that you would like to put her in. She's like 'you're going to listen to me because I am going to command your attention."
Mahmoud says she shatters people's pre-conceived notions of her. "I'm a young woman of color, an immigrant, a former refugee, I'm a hijabi, I'm a Muslim," she says. "I change what power looks like."
The success of her piece "Mama" turned Mahmoud into an international public figure. Since then, she's presented at the United Nations, joined White House round-table discussions with President Barack Obama, given TED Talks and spoken to audiences of thousands.
Emi Mahmoud performs her poem "People Like Us" at the United Nations in 2016. United Nations YouTube
Claire Lewis from the UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador Team has traveled with Mahmoud and describes her strength in reaching audiences of many backgrounds through spoken word poetry. "It's the way she looks straight at you, it gives you shivers. It can make people cry because of her ability to deliver a story," Lewis says. "She conjures up imagery, and that is actually magical and incredibly powerful." She describes the poem "Boy in the Sand," which Mahmoud performed in honor of Alan Kurdi, the child refugee whose body washed up on the sand in Greece.
Although Mahmoud's travel is currently on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic, she hopes to merge her activism with medicine. She was a Global Health Fellow at Yale and spent a summer in college volunteering in Sudan's refugee camp clinics, including at a birthing hospital. There, she saw up close the difficulties doctors face in a resource-strapped environment.
She plans to keep up her poetry as she pursues a career in medicine in the future. For Mahmoud, it's a way to explain science in elegant ways. "As much as science speaks on its own, the language of science isn't exactly the most inviting language, and that's why poetry comes into the picture," she says. "And that's why art comes into the picture. I can't imagine not spending the rest of my life trying to demystify and unmask all of these systems."
Sonia Narang is a journalist who covers women's rights, climate change and health. Follow her on Instagram @sonianarang. This story was produced in association with the Round Earth Media program of the International Women's Media Foundation.


npr--2020-08-15--Can Air Conditioners Spread COVID-19?

Can Air Conditioners Spread COVID-19?

In the dog days of August , air conditioning is everywhere .
Is that a problem when it comes to the spread of the coronavirus ?
The answer to that question rests on the way the virus is transmitted — a topic that is still being researched .
Droplet transmission is considered the most common method : A virus-filled particle of breath or spittle comes out of the nose or mouth of an infected individual when they breathe , speak , cough or sneeze .
These droplets generally disperse within a few feet of the person who expels them .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ someone 's eyes , nose or mouth , they can transmit the virus .
Then there 's aerosol transmission — when an infected person expels microscopic infectious particles so tiny that they linger in the air and spread from person to person in air currents .
Since they are much smaller than droplets , aerosols can travel greater distances and get deep into the lungs of someone who inhales them .
Among scientists , there is ongoing debate about the extent to which aerosol transmission causes infection .
However , it has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ especially in closed indoor settings .
Consequently , there 's a possibility that air conditioning may be a potential route of transmission — sucking in virus particles breathed out by an infected person and then blowing those infectious particles back out in the same room or even another room several floors away .
In fact , other infectious diseases such as measles , tuberculosis , chickenpox , influenza , smallpox and SARS have all been shown to spread through heating , ventilation and air conditioning systems .
But drawing definitive conclusions about the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spreading COVID-19 is difficult .
There are only a few published studies looking at that issue , and experts admit there has been too little research into the role of HVAC systems in the spread of the novel coronavirus .
`` We did n't focus on ventilation as much early on as we probably should have , '' says Abraar Karan , a physician and global health researcher at Harvard Medical School .
What we do know is this : HVAC systems primarily recirculate air in a room or a building and do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outside .
So yes , theoretically virus-containing aerosols could be sucked into an air conditioning system and then circulated around a building .
In one study , which is available online as a pre-print and has not undergone scientific review , researchers in Oregon collected samples from various places inside a hospital 's HVAC system and found genetic material from SARS-CoV-2 , the virus that causes COVID-19 .
This demonstrates that it may be possible for the virus to be transmitted through HVAC systems .
However , researchers did not assess if the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cause infection , and they noted there were no confirmed COVID-19 cases associated with the samples found in the ventilation systems .
There is currently no other evidence documenting the possibility of COVID-19 transmission through an air conditioning unit .
The bigger risk , says Edward Nardell , a professor of environmental health and immunology and infectious diseases at Harvard Medical School , is that hot weather outside causes people to seek air-conditioned comfort indoors .
And indoors , there is less ventilation and more opportunity to spread disease .
`` It is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anything particularly , '' Nardell says .
`` It is the fact that you are indoors , you are not socially distancing and you are rebreathing the air that people have just exhaled . ''
When you shut the doors and windows to keep the hot air outside , you are essentially eliminating the flow of fresh air so everyone in the room is breathing and rebreathing the same air .
If someone in the room is infected with COVID-19 , then they are breathing out the virus , which can linger in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ person , potentially causing infection .
By comparison , if you were outside and near an infected person who breathed out some viral particles , there is a much larger volume of air flowing to disperse and dilute those particles quickly , reducing the risk of spread to another person nearby .
That is why infectious disease experts consider outdoor gatherings and activities less risky than indoor ones ( though not completely risk-free ) .
The other major risk is that air conditioning units , fans or even an open window can create @ @ @ @ @ @ @ droplets around a room .
This happened in January at a restaurant in Guangzhou , China , where a person with COVID-19 infected five other people sitting at neighboring tables from 3 to 6 feet away , according to a study by scientists from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention .
After examining video footage of the diners who were infected and simulating the transmission of the virus , scientists concluded that the small outbreak was caused by strong air currents from the air conditioning unit above the diners , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ person to those nearby .
The restaurant also had no windows — and thus no ventilation bringing in fresh air and diluting virus particles in the air .
The fact that aerosolized viral droplets can move in air currents in this way means that if you are in a room with an infected person and fresh air is not circulating , even if you are socially distancing to keep 6 feet apart at a minimum , you may not be safe , Nardell says .
Although there are currently no published studies that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ particles can travel , previous research on influenza found that viral particles may travel upward of 30 feet in the air .
To be clear , this is only a concern in shared public places .
At home , the risk of contracting COVID-19 through air currents or air conditioning units is no more likely than spreading the virus through close contact or touching contaminated surfaces .
And it 's not just warm weather and air conditioning that poses a threat .
Cold weather in the winter that similarly forces people to go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an environment with little ventilation where viral particles can be spread through the air and cause infection .
Ride-sharing services and taxis are another place where you may be in a closed space with someone who is infected .
Virus particles could spread through air currents in the car , Karan points out .
Whether you 're taking a taxi or escaping the heat or cold indoors , Karan 's advice is the same .
`` I would say keep the windows open and talk to your employers about [ whether ] they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are able to filter a wide range of particles , '' he says .
He also adds that we need to design a better protective mask , one that can filter out the virus and is comfortable enough to wear all day .
To Karan , the looming question is : How do we live safely indoors with COVID-19 ?
That is the next frontier .

Can Air Conditioners Spread COVID-19?
Enlarge this image toggle caption Sami Sarkis/Getty Images Sami Sarkis/Getty Images
In the dog days of August, air conditioning is everywhere.
Is that a problem when it comes to the spread of the coronavirus?
The answer to that question rests on the way the virus is transmitted — a topic that is still being researched.
Droplet transmission is considered the most common method: A virus-filled particle of breath or spittle comes out of the nose or mouth of an infected individual when they breathe, speak, cough or sneeze. These droplets generally disperse within a few feet of the person who expels them. But if they come into contact with someone's eyes, nose or mouth, they can transmit the virus.
Then there's aerosol transmission — when an infected person expels microscopic infectious particles so tiny that they linger in the air and spread from person to person in air currents. Since they are much smaller than droplets, aerosols can travel greater distances and get deep into the lungs of someone who inhales them.
Among scientists, there is ongoing debate about the extent to which aerosol transmission causes infection. However, it has been generally accepted that it does occur, especially in closed indoor settings. Consequently, there's a possibility that air conditioning may be a potential route of transmission — sucking in virus particles breathed out by an infected person and then blowing those infectious particles back out in the same room or even another room several floors away.
In fact, other infectious diseases such as measles, tuberculosis, chickenpox, influenza, smallpox and SARS have all been shown to spread through heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems.
But drawing definitive conclusions about the role that HVAC systems might play in spreading COVID-19 is difficult. There are only a few published studies looking at that issue, and experts admit there has been too little research into the role of HVAC systems in the spread of the novel coronavirus.
"We didn't focus on ventilation as much early on as we probably should have," says Abraar Karan, a physician and global health researcher at Harvard Medical School.
What we do know is this: HVAC systems bring in outdoor air and send out an equal amount of indoor air as required by building codes. That air exchange is intended to dilute and remove contaminants such as particles, chemical emissions from building materials and emissions from people that cause odors. Many systems recirculate indoor air, which could in theory spread viral aerosol particles from one space to another, but there is no evidence to date that this has caused COVID-19 infections. This recirculation also helps to remove particles from the air when the recirculated air passes through filters before being returned to conditioned spaces.
In one study, which is available online as a pre-print and has not undergone scientific review, researchers in Oregon collected samples from various places inside a hospital's HVAC system and found genetic material from SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. This demonstrates that it may be possible for the virus to be transmitted through HVAC systems.
However, researchers did not assess if the genetic material they found was able to cause infection, and they noted there were no confirmed COVID-19 cases associated with the samples found in the ventilation systems.
There is currently no other evidence documenting the possibility of COVID-19 transmission through an air conditioning unit.
The bigger risk, says Edward Nardell, a professor of environmental health and immunology and infectious diseases at Harvard Medical School, is that hot weather outside causes people to seek air-conditioned comfort indoors. And indoors, there is less ventilation and more opportunity to spread disease.
"It is not the air conditioner that is doing anything particularly," Nardell says. "It is the fact that you are indoors, you are not socially distancing and you are rebreathing the air that people have just exhaled."
When you shut the doors and windows to keep the hot air outside, you are essentially eliminating the flow of fresh air so everyone in the room is breathing and rebreathing the same air. If someone in the room is infected with COVID-19, then they are breathing out the virus, which can linger in airborne droplets and be inhaled by another person, potentially causing infection.
By comparison, if you were outside and near an infected person who breathed out some viral particles, there is a much larger volume of air flowing to disperse and dilute those particles quickly, reducing the risk of spread to another person nearby. That is why infectious disease experts consider outdoor gatherings and activities less risky than indoor ones (though not completely risk-free).
The other major risk is that air conditioning units, fans or even an open window can create strong enough air currents to move virus-containing droplets around a room. This happened in January at a restaurant in Guangzhou, China, where a person with COVID-19 infected five other people sitting at neighboring tables from 3 to 6 feet away, according to a study by scientists from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention. After examining video footage of the diners who were infected and simulating the transmission of the virus, scientists concluded that the small outbreak was caused by strong air currents from the air conditioning unit above the diners, which was blowing virus-containing aerosols from an infected person to those nearby. The restaurant also had no windows — and thus no ventilation bringing in fresh air and diluting virus particles in the air.
The fact that aerosolized viral droplets can move in air currents in this way means that if you are in a room with an infected person and fresh air is not circulating, even if you are socially distancing to keep 6 feet apart at a minimum, you may not be safe, Nardell says. Although there are currently no published studies that have examined exactly how far airborne COVID-19 particles can travel, previous research on influenza found that viral particles may travel upward of 30 feet in the air.
To be clear, this is only a concern in shared public places. At home, the risk of contracting COVID-19 through air currents or air conditioning units is no more likely than spreading the virus through close contact or touching contaminated surfaces.
And it's not just warm weather and air conditioning that poses a threat. Cold weather in the winter that similarly forces people to go inside and crank the heat also creates an environment with little ventilation where viral particles can be spread through the air and cause infection. Ride-sharing services and taxis are another place where you may be in a closed space with someone who is infected. Virus particles could spread through air currents in the car, Karan points out.
Whether you're taking a taxi or escaping the heat or cold indoors, Karan's advice is the same.
"I would say keep the windows open and talk to your employers about [whether] they're looking into air filtration systems that are able to filter a wide range of particles," he says. He also adds that we need to design a better protective mask, one that can filter out the virus and is comfortable enough to wear all day.
To Karan, the looming question is: How do we live safely indoors with COVID-19? That is the next frontier.


npr--2020-08-15--California Issues First Rolling Blackouts Since 2001, As Heat Wave Bakes Western U.S.

California Issues First Rolling Blackouts Since 2001 , As Heat Wave Bakes Western U.S. California electrical providers instituted rolling blackouts Friday night – the first since 2001–as an intense and prolonged heat wave settled over much of the Western U.S .
Hundreds of thousands of people are believed to have experienced brief power outages through the evening , after the body that manages most of the state 's electrical utilities declared a Stage 3 emergency to help reduce stress on the larger grid .
Electrical demand surged through the day as temperatures topped the triple digits in many parts of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and air conditioning units to try and stay cool .
The emergency order was rescinded before midnight and power was fully restored to all affected households , the California Independent System Operator said in a tweet .
Still , demand for electricity is expected to remain high through the weekend and well into next week .
The heat wave blanketing much of California and other parts of the Western U.S. is expected to persist until at least Thursday , with many places expected to reach record high maximum and minimum temperatures , according @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forecast raises questions about future electrical demand and the potential for more blackouts .
Daniel Swain , a climate scientist at UCLA , says the heat wave could be the worst in more than a decade .
Extreme heat is a silent killer , responsible for more deaths than any other natural disaster .
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that heat kills more than 600 people in the U.S. every year .
However , a recent study by researchers at Boston University and the University of British Columbia suggests the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ possibly as high as 5,600 annually — with even moderate heat waves increasing the number of deaths .
Climate change is making heat waves more frequent and more intense in the Western U.S. , and it 's doing the same to wildfires .
Fire season is just heating up in California , with more than dozen blazes burning through the state .
The heat wave wo n't help firefighting efforts and there are concerns it could dry out vegetation in other parts of the West , setting the stage for future fires .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ driver of California 's recent deadly fires – are not forecast in the coming week .
But that also means that unhealthy air and higher-than-normal humidity are likely to remain in parts of the state .
Efforts to protect people from the combination of those factors as well as blistering temperatures are being complicated by the ongoing pandemic .
Health officials are urging people to stay at home and , in some parts of the country , communities have closed cooling centers to try and prevent the spread of COVID-19 .
That 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , where state and local officials have activated cooling centers to help people in need .
Many low-income families in Los Angeles lack the resources to cool their own homes , according to a recent study by researchers at the University of Southern California .
In some cases , they do n't have access to air conditioning .
In others , they ca n't afford to pay for the electricity to run it .
Hundreds of thousands of Californians remain out of work because of the coronavirus pandemic , amplifying economic insecurity for @ @ @ @ @

California Issues 1st Rolling Blackouts Since 2001 As Heat Wave Bakes Western U.S.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP
California electricity providers instituted rolling blackouts Friday night — the first since 2001 — as an intense and prolonged heat wave settled over much of the Western U.S.
Hundreds of thousands of people are believed to have experienced brief power outages through the evening, after the body that manages most of the state's electric utilities declared a Stage 3 emergency to help reduce stress on the larger grid.
Electricity demand surged through the day as temperatures topped the triple digits in many parts of the state and people cranked up fans and air-conditioning units to try to stay cool.
The emergency order was rescinded before midnight and power was fully restored to all affected households, the California Independent System Operator said in a tweet.
Still, demand for electricity is expected to remain high through the weekend and well into next week. The heat wave blanketing much of California and other parts of the Western U.S. is expected to persist until at least Thursday, with many places expected to see record high maximum and minimum temperatures, according to the National Weather Service. The forecast raises questions about future electricity demand and the potential for more blackouts.
Daniel Swain, a climate scientist at University of California, Los Angeles, says the heat wave could be the worst in more than a decade.
Extreme heat is a silent killer, responsible for more deaths than any other natural disaster. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that heat kills more than 600 people in the U.S. every year.
However, a recent study by researchers at Boston University and the University of British Columbia in Canada suggests the number may actually be far higher — possibly as high as 5,600 annually — with even moderate heat waves increasing the number of deaths.
Climate change is making heat waves more frequent and more intense in the Western U.S., scientists say, and it's doing the same to wildfires.
Fire season is just beginning in California, with more than dozen blazes burning through the state. The heat wave won't help firefighting efforts, and there are concerns it could dry out vegetation in other parts of the West, setting the stage for future fires. Fortunately, strong winds — a chief driver of California's recent deadly fires — are not forecast in the coming week. But that also means that unhealthy air and higher-than-normal humidity are likely to remain in parts of the state.
Efforts to protect people from the combination of those factors as well as high temperatures are being complicated by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Health officials are urging people to stay at home and, in some parts of the country, communities have closed cooling centers to try to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Although that's not the case in most of California, where state and local officials have activated cooling centers to help people in need.
Many low-income families in Los Angeles lack the resources to cool their own homes, according to a recent study by researchers at the University of Southern California. In some cases, they don't have access to air conditioning. In others, they can't afford to pay for the electricity to run it.
Hundreds of thousands of Californians remain out of work because of the coronavirus pandemic, amplifying economic insecurity.


npr--2020-08-14--Trump: TikTok Must Be Sold In 90 Days, Cites 'Credible Evidence' Of Security Threat

Trump : TikTok Must Be Sold In 90 Days , Cites 'Credible Evidence ' Of Security Threat President Trump on Friday ordered TikTok 's parent company , ByteDance , to sell its U.S. assets in 90 days , stating American authorities have `` credible evidence '' that the Chinese tech giant could take action to imperil national security .
Last week , Trump signed a separate executive order that would effectively ban the popular video-sharing app by making any transactions between U.S. citizens and TikTok illegal starting in 45 days from its signing .
After last week 's strike against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told NPR that a lawsuit is being prepared to challenge the legality of Trump 's action .
Stewart Baker , the former general counsel at the National Security Agency , said the additional order targeting TikTok will serve as `` an assurance '' that the administration can pressure an American company to acquire the app , or the app will be banned altogether from the U.S .
If the initial executive order comes under attack by a lawsuit , Baker said the new one will likely be able to withstand a legal challenge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ untested in the courts .
The law there is n't settled , '' Baker said on Friday .
`` This new order is different because it comes from CFIUS , where there is clear statutory procedures to do what it just did . ''
Baker is referring to the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. , a group led by the Treasury Department and including top officials such as those from the Justice Department and Homeland Security .
The committee investigates acquisitions involving foreign companies that may pose national security risks .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ByteDance 's takeover of American lip-syncing app Musical.ly in 2017 .
The merger led to a new company , TikTok , which has emerged as the first Chinese-owned app to find global success .
`` CFIUS conducted an exhaustive review of the case and unanimously recommended this action to the president in order to protect U.S. users from exploitation of their personal data , '' said Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a statement .
TikTok did not immediately return a request for comment .
The order requires that any data linked to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ precursor Musical.ly be destroyed .
For more than a year , White House officials have been scrutinizing possible national security risks of TikTok .
The company says it has been downloaded more than 100 million times in the U.S .
Most videos feature comedic impersonations , dance routines or lip-syncing .
About a third of its users in America are 14 years old or younger , according to a report in the New York Times .
TikTok collects data on U.S. users on par with apps owned by major American technology companies .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ class-action lawsuit say personal data , like the faces of users who are children , are being collected without consent .
In a new filing on Friday , the privacy attorneys say information about what videos users are watching is allegedly being shared without user consent with Facebook and Google .
The Trump administration worries the troves of data TikTok is harvesting on U.S. citizens can be shared with the Chinese Communist Party .
TikTok has distanced itself from its Beijing owner , saying data on Americans is stored in the U.S. and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for information from authorities in China .
U.S. tech company Microsoft is among a number of American companies in talks to acquire TikTok 's U.S. operations .

Trump: TikTok Must Be Sold In 90 Days, Cites 'Credible Evidence' Of Security Threat
Enlarge this image toggle caption AP AP
President Trump on Friday ordered TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, to sell its U.S. assets in 90 days, stating American authorities have "credible evidence" that the Chinese tech giant could take action to imperil national security.
Last week, Trump signed a separate executive order that would effectively ban the popular video-sharing app by making any transactions between U.S. citizens and TikTok illegal starting in 45 days from its signing. After last week's strike against TikTok, a lawyer with the app told NPR that a lawsuit is being prepared to challenge the legality of Trump's action.
Stewart Baker, the former general counsel at the National Security Agency, said the additional order targeting TikTok will serve as "an assurance" that the administration can pressure an American company to acquire the app, or the app will be banned altogether from the U.S.
If the initial executive order comes under attack by a lawsuit, Baker said the new one will likely be able to withstand a legal challenge.
"The other executive order is untested in the courts. The law there isn't settled," Baker said on Friday. "This new order is different because it comes from CFIUS, where there is clear statutory procedures to do what it just did."
Baker is referring to the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S., a group led by the Treasury Department and including top officials such as those from the Justice Department and Homeland Security.
The committee investigates acquisitions involving foreign companies that may pose national security risks. For months, it has been probing ByteDance's takeover of American lip-syncing app Musical.ly in 2017. The merger led to a new company, TikTok, which has emerged as the first Chinese-owned app to find global success.
"CFIUS conducted an exhaustive review of the case and unanimously recommended this action to the president in order to protect U.S. users from exploitation of their personal data," said Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a statement.
TikTok did not immediately return a request for comment.
The order requires that any data linked to American citizens derived by TikTok or its precursor Musical.ly be destroyed.
For more than a year, White House officials have been scrutinizing possible national security risks of TikTok. The company says it has been downloaded more than 100 million times in the U.S. Most videos feature comedic impersonations, dance routines or lip-syncing. About a third of its users in America are 14 years old or younger, according to a report in the New York Times.
TikTok collects data on U.S. users on par with apps owned by major American technology companies. But privacy lawyers suing TikTok in a class-action lawsuit say personal data, like the faces of users who are children, are being collected without consent. In a new filing on Friday, the privacy attorneys say information about what videos users are watching is allegedly being shared without user consent with Facebook and Google.
The Trump administration worries the troves of data TikTok is harvesting on U.S. citizens can be shared with the Chinese Communist Party.
TikTok has distanced itself from its Beijing owner, saying data on Americans is stored in the U.S. and that it never has received a request for information from authorities in China.
U.S. tech company Microsoft is among a number of American companies in talks to acquire TikTok's U.S. operations.


npr--2020-08-15--Democrats Warn Of 'Assault' On The Postal Service As Election Nears

Democrats Warn Of 'Assault ' On The Postal Service As Election Nears Official U.S .
Postal Service mailboxes being removed .
High-speed mail sorting machines being taken out of service .
Reduced hours for postal workers across the country .
As Election Day nears , lawmakers are perplexed and troubled by recent changes made by the U.S .
Postal Service .
The new postmaster general has explained that the changes are an attempt to make the organization more efficient and financially stable .
But some Democrats say it 's an example of a president , long hostile to mail-in voting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Americans to vote .
Looming over all of this is the ongoing coronavirus pandemic , which is threatening to upend the election as Americans who worry about being exposed to COVID-19 at polling places opt to cast ballots through the mail .
The Postal Service has warned states it might not be able to deliver mail-in ballots in time to be counted .
President Trump said this week that he opposes additional funding for the postal service because that could make mail-in voting easier .
He later attempted to clarify that he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but that did little to assuage Trump 's critics , who have long argued that Trump is trying to `` suppress the vote . ''
As part of their proposed coronavirus relief package , congressional Democrats have for the last few months sought $ 25 billion in additional funding for the Postal Service .
Republicans are reportedly willing to provide additional funding for USPS , but the two sides are still far apart .
`` The President , his cronies and Republicans in Congress continue to wage their all-out assault on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the integrity of the 2020 election , '' House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said in a joint statement Friday .
`` The President made plain that he will manipulate the operations of the Post Office to deny eligible voters the ballot in pursuit of his own re-election .
The President 's own words confirm : he needs to cheat to win . ''
On Saturday , Trump blamed Democrats for the troubles faced by the Postal Service .
`` They are n't approving funding '' for the Postal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said at a press conference Saturday .
In an interview this week , former President Obama charged that Trump and Republican lawmakers were trying to undermine the election — and in the process hurting people who depend on the Postal Service to receive government benefits and prescription drugs .
`` What are Republicans doing where you are so scared of people voting that you are now willing to undermine what is part of the basic infrastructure of American life ? ''
Obama told his former campaign manager David Plouffe on the Campaign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it 'd be the equivalent of , 'We 're not going to repair highways because people might drive to the polling places , ' `` Obama added , `` 'so we 'll just let massive sinkholes in the middle of the interstate linger , because we 're worried that folks might use those roads to vote . '
`` Sen. Jon Tester , a Democrat from Montana , told All Things Considered that the iconic blue USPS mailboxes were being removed throughout his state .
`` I do n't get it , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Friday .
`` The Postal Service is important in all parts of this country , but in rural America it 's critically important whether you 're talking Social Security checks or whether you 're talking prescription drugs or parts for the farm or being able to vote . ''
A USPS spokesperson told The Washington Post that mailboxes are routinely relocated to areas that get more traffic .
`` When a collection box consistently receives very small amounts of mail for months on end , it costs the Postal Service money in fuel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drive to the mailbox and collect the mail , '' Kimberly Frum said .
`` Removing the box is simply good business sense in that respect .
It is important to note that anyone with a residential or business mailbox can use it as a vehicle to send outgoing mail . ''
Another spokesperson told reporters Friday that the postal service would stop removing mailboxes until after the election .
Spokesman Rod Spurgeon told CNN removal would be halted in 16 states and parts of two others ; he told NBC News that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ removing any boxes '' across the country .
`` After the election , we 're going to take a look at operations and see what we need and do n't need . ''
But it 's not just removed mailboxes that are causing concern .
NBC News reported Friday that the Postal Service planned to remove 671 high-volume mail processing machines across the country .
USPS told NBC News the changes were `` normal business adjustments . ''
Another spokesperson told KSHB Kansas City the Postal Service is `` retiring older , out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expand our newer sorting equipment . ''
Letters sent out by USPS in late July warned officials in almost every state in the country that mail-in voting could be jeopardized as the Postal Service might not be able to deliver the mail by state election deadlines .
`` Certain state-law requirements and deadlines appear to be incompatible with the Postal Service 's delivery standards , '' Thomas Marshall , USPS general counsel , wrote in letters to dozens of state elections officials .
`` To the extent that the mail is used to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there is a significant risk that , at least in certain circumstances , ballots may be requested in a manner that is consistent with your election rules and returned promptly , and yet not be returned in time to be counted , '' Marshall wrote .
More than a week ago , a bipartisan group of election officials from across the country asked the new postmaster general for a meeting to discuss their mail-in ballot concerns .
A spokeswoman for the National Association of Secretaries of State told NPR that as of Saturday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ official response back from the postmaster .
Postmaster General Louis DeJoy formerly ran a logistics company and has donated millions of dollars to Republican candidates including President Trump .
When he took the reins in mid-June , managers told postal workers to expect changes in the way they operate .
For example , overtime would be eliminated , and any late-arriving mail would be delivered the next day .
The changes , he said , would help create `` a viable operating model '' for the cash-strapped agency .
The changes were met @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democrats in Congress plan to introduce legislation to `` roll back these so-called operational efficiencies , '' Rep. Gerry Connolly , chair of the House Government Operations subcommittee , told All Things Considered Saturday .
`` We 're going to work with the men and women who work for the Postal Service to ensure that they will continue as they always have in the past to make mail-in ballots a priority despite what Mr. DeJoy and President Trump want to do with the Postal Service . ''
Connolly criticized DeJoy for not consulting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Connolly has called on the inspector general to investigate .
The USPS inspector general 's office told NPR it is investigating reports of service disruptions , but declined to give details .
`` We are in receipt of a congressional request and are conducting a body of work to address the concerns raised , '' the office said in an emailed statement .
`` We can not comment on details of ongoing work . ''
The National Association of Letter Carriers , a union representing almost 300,000 current and former postal workers , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` While postal employees are on the front lines providing essential services to the public every day , the current administration refuses to provide the necessary financial relief that would strengthen the agency during this pandemic , '' NALC President Fredric Rolando said .
`` The Postal Service must not be allowed to fail . ''

Democrats Warn Of 'Assault' On The Postal Service As Election Nears
Enlarge this image toggle caption Chris Pizzello/AP Chris Pizzello/AP
Official U.S. Postal Service mailboxes being removed. High-speed mail sorting machines being taken out of service. Reduced hours for postal workers across the country.
As Election Day nears, lawmakers are perplexed and troubled by recent changes made by the U.S. Postal Service. The new postmaster general has explained that the changes are an attempt to make the organization more efficient and financially stable. But some Democrats say it's an example of a president, long hostile to mail-in voting, trying to make it more difficult for Americans to vote.
Looming over all of this is the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, which is threatening to upend the election as Americans who worry about being exposed to COVID-19 at polling places opt to cast ballots through the mail. The Postal Service has warned states it might not be able to deliver mail-in ballots in time to be counted.
President Trump said this week that he opposes additional funding for the postal service because that could make mail-in voting easier. He later attempted to clarify that he was mainly concerned about potential voter fraud, but that did little to assuage Trump's critics, who have long argued that Trump is trying to "suppress the vote."
As part of their proposed coronavirus relief package, congressional Democrats have for the last few months sought $25 billion in additional funding for the Postal Service. Republicans are reportedly willing to provide additional funding for USPS, but the two sides are still far apart.
"The President, his cronies and Republicans in Congress continue to wage their all-out assault on the Postal Service and its role in ensuring the integrity of the 2020 election," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said in a joint statement Friday. "The President made plain that he will manipulate the operations of the Post Office to deny eligible voters the ballot in pursuit of his own re-election. The President's own words confirm: he needs to cheat to win."
On Saturday, Trump blamed Democrats for the troubles faced by the Postal Service. "They aren't approving funding" for the Postal Service or for universal mail-in voting, he said at a press conference Saturday.
In an interview this week, former President Barack Obama charged that Trump and Republican lawmakers were trying to undermine the election — and in the process hurting people who depend on the Postal Service to receive government benefits and prescription drugs.
"What are Republicans doing where you are so scared of people voting that you are now willing to undermine what is part of the basic infrastructure of American life?" Obama told his former campaign manager David Plouffe on the Campaign HQ podcast.
"I mean, it'd be the equivalent of, 'We're not going to repair highways because people might drive to the polling places,' " Obama added, " 'so we'll just let massive sinkholes in the middle of the interstate linger, because we're worried that folks might use those roads to vote.' "
Sen. Jon Tester, a Democrat from Montana, told All Things Considered that the iconic blue USPS mailboxes were being removed throughout his state. "I don't get it," Tester told NPR's Ari Shapiro on Friday. "The Postal Service is important in all parts of this country, but in rural America it's critically important whether you're talking Social Security checks or whether you're talking prescription drugs or parts for the farm or being able to vote."
A USPS spokesperson told The Washington Post that mailboxes are routinely relocated to areas that get more traffic. "When a collection box consistently receives very small amounts of mail for months on end, it costs the Postal Service money in fuel and work hours for letter carriers to drive to the mailbox and collect the mail," Kimberly Frum said. "Removing the box is simply good business sense in that respect. It is important to note that anyone with a residential or business mailbox can use it as a vehicle to send outgoing mail."
Another spokesperson told reporters Friday that the postal service would stop removing mailboxes until after the election. Spokesman Rod Spurgeon told CNN removal would be halted in 16 states and parts of two others; he told NBC News that "we are not going to be removing any boxes" across the country. "After the election, we're going to take a look at operations and see what we need and don't need."
But it's not just removed mailboxes that are causing concern. NBC News reported Friday that the Postal Service planned to remove 671 high-volume mail processing machines across the country. USPS told NBC News the changes were "normal business adjustments." Another spokesperson told KSHB Kansas City the Postal Service is "retiring older, out of date equipment so that we can expand our newer sorting equipment."
Letters sent out by USPS in late July warned officials in almost every state in the country that mail-in voting could be jeopardized as the Postal Service might not be able to deliver the mail by state election deadlines. "Certain state-law requirements and deadlines appear to be incompatible with the Postal Service's delivery standards," Thomas Marshall, USPS general counsel, wrote in letters to dozens of state elections officials.
"To the extent that the mail is used to transmit ballots to and from voters, there is a significant risk that, at least in certain circumstances, ballots may be requested in a manner that is consistent with your election rules and returned promptly, and yet not be returned in time to be counted," Marshall wrote.
More than a week ago, a bipartisan group of election officials from across the country asked the new postmaster general for a meeting to discuss their mail-in ballot concerns. A spokeswoman for the National Association of Secretaries of State told NPR that as of Saturday afternoon, they haven't received an official response back from the postmaster.
Postmaster General Louis DeJoy formerly ran a logistics company and has donated millions of dollars to Republican candidates, including Trump. When he took the reins in mid-June, managers told postal workers to expect changes in the way they operate. For example, overtime would be eliminated, and any late-arriving mail would be delivered the next day. The changes, he said, would help create "a viable operating model" for the cash-strapped agency. The changes were met with concern among some postal workers.
Democrats in Congress plan to introduce legislation to "roll back these so-called operational efficiencies," Rep. Gerry Connolly, chair of the House Government Operations subcommittee, told All Things Considered Saturday. "We're going to work with the men and women who work for the Postal Service to ensure that they will continue as they always have in the past to make mail-in ballots a priority despite what Mr. DeJoy and President Trump want to do with the Postal Service."
Connolly criticized DeJoy for not consulting with Congress before implementing the changes. Connolly has called on the inspector general to investigate.
The USPS inspector general's office told NPR it is investigating reports of service disruptions, but declined to give details. "We are in receipt of a congressional request and are conducting a body of work to address the concerns raised," the office said in an emailed statement. "We cannot comment on details of ongoing work."
The National Association of Letter Carriers, a union representing almost 300,000 current and former postal workers, this week endorsed Joe Biden for president. "While postal employees are on the front lines providing essential services to the public every day, the current administration refuses to provide the necessary financial relief that would strengthen the agency during this pandemic," NALC President Fredric Rolando said. "The Postal Service must not be allowed to fail."


npr--2020-08-15--Panda Watch: Mei Xiang, National Zoo Panda, Could Soon Give Birth

How about some not so dire news for a change ?
Mei Xiang , a panda at the National Zoo in Washington , D.C. , could soon give birth .
An ultrasound taken Friday showed what veterinarians at the zoo said was tissue that 's consistent with fetal development .
The zoo said it 's still too early to determine whether the tissue is a viable developing fetus , but an optimistic assessment could mean a birth in a couple of days .
`` In the middle of a pandemic , this is a joyful moment we can all get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the zoo 's chief veterinarian who also conducted the ultrasound .
`` We are optimistic that very shortly she may give birth to a healthy cub or cubs . ''
Veterinarians have been monitoring Mei Xiang since March after artificially inseminating the 22-year-old panda with frozen semen from Tian Tian , the zoo 's male panda .
Friday 's ultrasound was the second sign of a possible fetus .
Last week , veterinarians detected signs consistent with fetal tissues and have since noticed developing skeletal structure and strong blood flow in Mei @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a reliably tricky endeavor .
Female pandas are only capable of conceiving a cub for 24 to 72 hours once a year .
Zookeepers also note that the process still early in development , and that reabsorption of the fetal tissue or miscarriage is still possible .
Past breeding efforts have produced three surviving cubs — Tai Shan , in 2005 , Bao Boa in 2013 and Bei Bei in 2015 .
All three pandas have since been sent to China as part of an agreement with that country to preserve the species @

Panda Watch: Mei Xiang, National Zoo Panda, Could Soon Give Birth
Enlarge this image toggle caption Jose Luis Magana/AP Jose Luis Magana/AP
How about some not so dire news for a change? Mei Xiang, a panda at the National Zoo in Washington, D.C., could soon give birth.
An ultrasound taken Friday showed what veterinarians at the zoo said was tissue that's consistent with fetal development. The zoo said it's still too early to determine whether the tissue is a viable developing fetus, but an optimistic assessment could mean a birth in a couple of days.
"In the middle of a pandemic, this is a joyful moment we can all get excited about," said Don Neiffer, the zoo's chief veterinarian who also conducted the ultrasound. "We are optimistic that very shortly she may give birth to a healthy cub or cubs."
Veterinarians have been monitoring Mei Xiang since March after artificially inseminating the 22-year-old panda with frozen semen from Tian Tian, the zoo's male panda.
Friday's ultrasound was the second sign of a possible fetus. Last week, veterinarians detected signs consistent with fetal tissues and have since noticed developing skeletal structure and strong blood flow in Mei Xiang's uterus.
Breeding pandas is a reliably tricky endeavor. Female pandas are only capable of conceiving a cub for 24 to 72 hours once a year. Zookeepers also note that the process still early in development, and that reabsorption of the fetal tissue or miscarriage is still possible.
Past breeding efforts have produced three surviving cubs — Tai Shan, in 2005, Bao Bao in 2013 and Bei Bei in 2015. All three pandas have since been sent to China as part of an agreement with that country to preserve the species.


npr--2020-08-15--Trump To Withdraw Polarizing Nominee To Lead Bureau Of Land Management

Trump To Withdraw Polarizing Nominee To Lead Bureau Of Land Management Amid pressure from Democrats and some Republicans , the Trump administration is planning to withdraw its controversial nominee to head the federal Bureau of Land Management .
The sprawling public lands agency , which manages roughly a tenth of the landmass of the United States , has not had a permanent , Senate-confirmed director for the entire Trump era .
The nominee , William Perry Pendley , has been leading the agency since last August through a series of controversial continued appointment extensions .
Prior to coming to Washington @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much of his career at the conservative Mountain States Legal Foundation challenging the very agency he now leads .
President Trump formally nominated Pendley to lead the bureau in June , though it has never been clear whether even the current Republican-controlled Senate would confirm him .
An administration official confirmed to NPR that his nomination was being withdrawn .
Democrats and environmentalists have been actively pushing for Pendley to step down , pointing to his previous statements in support of selling off federal public land .
Pendley has also drawn criticism for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bundy , who in 2014 led the largest armed standoff against the federal government in a generation over the use of public land .
`` Unfortunately , the ignominious end of Pendley 's nomination is more of a cynical nod to political realities than a retreat from the nihilist ideology he championed , '' said Collin O'Mara , president of the National Wildlife Federation , in a statement .
That Pendley will no longer appear before lawmakers for a confirmation hearing is seen as a relief to at least three western Republican senators @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Arizona , Cory Gardner of Colorado and Steve Daines of Montana .
Democrats had been eager to get those Senators , all of whom sit on the committee responsible for sending a nominee to the full Senate , on the record with an up or down vote .
Political analysts say the lawmakers had been in a tough bind : no mainstream candidate in the West can afford to be portrayed as against public lands , but a vote against Pendley would have risked the scorn of President Trump on Twitter .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ federal ownership of public lands , long cherished for their environmental and recreational values , as well as their natural resources .
`` You do see most politicians , Democrat and Republican in the West position themselves as champions of public land , '' said Rob Saldin , a political scientist at the University of Montana in Missoula .
Pendley , who has maintained he has no plans to transfer or sell off public lands , will continue to lead the agency as its deputy director for programs and policy .
But his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Two federal lawsuits have been filed accusing the administration of keeping him installed as acting director at the BLM far longer than what 's legal under federal law .
One of those suits was filed recently by Montana Governor Steve Bullock , a Democrat who 's challenging Sen. Daines this fall .

Trump To Withdraw Polarizing Nominee To Lead Bureau Of Land Management
Enlarge this image toggle caption Kirk Siegler/NPR Kirk Siegler/NPR
Amid pressure from Democrats and some Republicans, the Trump administration is planning to withdraw its controversial nominee to head the federal Bureau of Land Management.
The sprawling public lands agency, which manages roughly a tenth of the landmass of the United States, has not had a permanent, Senate-confirmed director for the entire Trump era.
The nominee, William Perry Pendley, has been leading the agency since last August through a series of controversial continued appointment extensions. Prior to coming to Washington D.C., the Wyoming native had spent much of his career at the conservative Mountain States Legal Foundation challenging the very agency he now leads.
President Trump formally nominated Pendley to lead the bureau in June, though it has never been clear whether even the current Republican-controlled Senate would confirm him. An administration official confirmed to NPR that his nomination was being withdrawn.
Democrats and environmentalists have been actively pushing for Pendley to step down, pointing to his previous statements in support of selling off federal public land. Pendley has also drawn criticism for his past support for the rancher Cliven Bundy, who in 2014 led the largest armed standoff against the federal government in a generation over the use of public land.
"Unfortunately, the ignominious end of Pendley's nomination is more of a cynical nod to political realities than a retreat from the nihilist ideology he championed," said Collin O'Mara, president of the National Wildlife Federation, in a statement.
That Pendley will no longer appear before lawmakers for a confirmation hearing is seen as a relief to at least three western Republican senators in tight re-election races: Martha McSally of Arizona, Cory Gardner of Colorado and Steve Daines of Montana.
Democrats had been eager to get those Senators, all of whom sit on the committee responsible for sending a nominee to the full Senate, on the record with an up or down vote.
Political analysts say the lawmakers had been in a tough bind: no mainstream candidate in the West can afford to be portrayed as against public lands, but a vote against Pendley would have risked the scorn of President Trump on Twitter.
Polls have consistently shown bipartisan support for federal ownership of public lands, long cherished for their environmental and recreational values, as well as their natural resources.
"You do see most politicians, Democrat and Republican in the West position themselves as champions of public land," said Rob Saldin, a political scientist at the University of Montana in Missoula.
Pendley, who has maintained he has no plans to transfer or sell off public lands, will continue to lead the agency as its deputy director for programs and policy. But his long-term future at the agency remains uncertain. Two federal lawsuits have been filed accusing the administration of keeping him installed as acting director at the BLM far longer than what's legal under federal law. One of those suits was filed recently by Montana Governor Steve Bullock, a Democrat who's challenging Sen. Daines this fall.


npr--2020-08-15--New York City's Museums To Reopen As State's COVID-19 Numbers Continue To Tick Down

New York City 's Museums To Reopen As State 's COVID-19 Numbers Continue To Tick Down New York City 's museums and cultural institutions will be allowed to open up again later this month , for the first time since being temporarily shuttered because of the coronavirus pandemic .
New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo announced Friday that the city 's museum can open back up again beginning Aug. 24 .
`` New York City 's world-class cultural institutions have long provided comfort and creativity for generations of people in one of the world 's most vibrant places , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the city and this nation , it was especially heartbreaking to see them close their doors , '' Cuomo said .
The announcement marked a major milestone in New York 's fight against the coronavirus .
During the height of its outbreak this spring , roughly half of COVID-19 tests in the state were coming back positive .
On Saturday , Cuomo announced that the positive rate for Friday stood at .83 % , marking eight straight days of a rate below 1 % .
Museums that reopen will have to follow strict @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wear face coverings , and capacity will be limited to 25 % .
Rules designed to enforce social distancing and regulate the flow of crowds will also be in place .
`` This pandemic is far from over , but we 've determined that institutions can reopen if they adhere to strict state guidance and take every precaution to keep visitors safe , and I look forward to seeing them inspire New Yorkers once again , '' Cuomo said .
The governor also announced Friday that bowling alleys would be allowed to open @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and with strict measures in place to require face coverings and enforce social distancing .
Several of the New York City 's most famous museums – including the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the American Museum of Natural History – had already announced plans to reopen later this month and early September , respectively , along with guidelines for how they planned to operate during the pandemic .
Last month , Cuomo announced the city 's indoor cultural institutions – which closed as cases in the state climbed upward — would remain closed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of reopening on July 2o , the last region of the state to do so .
They had been hoping to reopen in Phase 4 .
The New York Times reports that museum officials are already factoring in the restrictions on capacity into their operations .
Earlier this month , the Met laid off 79 staff members and furloughed 181 , months after letting go of more than 80 employees .

New York City's Museums To Reopen As State's COVID-19 Numbers Continue To Tick Down
Enlarge this image toggle caption Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images
New York City's museums and cultural institutions will be allowed to open up again later this month, for the first time since being temporarily shuttered because of the coronavirus pandemic.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Friday that the city's museum can open back up again beginning Aug. 24.
"New York City's world-class cultural institutions have long provided comfort and creativity for generations of people in one of the world's most vibrant places, and when the COVID-19 pandemic began to threaten the city and this nation, it was especially heartbreaking to see them close their doors," Cuomo said.
The announcement marked a major milestone in New York's fight against the coronavirus. During the height of its outbreak this spring, roughly half of COVID-19 tests in the state were coming back positive. On Saturday, Cuomo announced that the positive rate for Friday stood at .83%, marking eight straight days of a rate below 1%.
Museums that reopen will have to follow strict guidelines. Patrons will be required to wear face coverings, and capacity will be limited to 25%. Rules designed to enforce social distancing and regulate the flow of crowds will also be in place.
"This pandemic is far from over, but we've determined that institutions can reopen if they adhere to strict state guidance and take every precaution to keep visitors safe, and I look forward to seeing them inspire New Yorkers once again," Cuomo said.
The governor also announced Friday that bowling alleys would be allowed to open on Monday at 50% percent capacity and with strict measures in place to require face coverings and enforce social distancing.
Several of the New York City's most famous museums – including the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the American Museum of Natural History – had already announced plans to reopen later this month and early September, respectively, along with guidelines for how they planned to operate during the pandemic.
Last month, Cuomo announced the city's indoor cultural institutions – which closed as cases in the state climbed upward — would remain closed when New York City entered Phase 4 of reopening on July 2o, the last region of the state to do so. They had been hoping to reopen in Phase 4.
The New York Times reports that museum officials are already factoring in the restrictions on capacity into their operations. Earlier this month, the Met laid off 79 staff members and furloughed 181, months after letting go of more than 80 employees.


npr--2020-08-15--Purge Of Senior Officials At Foreign Broadcast Agency Stirs Fear And Outrage

Purge Of Senior Officials At Foreign Broadcast Agency Stirs Fear And Outrage A sweeping purge of executives at U.S. government media outlets widened this week .
At least six of the top 10 executives at the U.S. Agency for Global Media were removed from their posts on Wednesday .
Critics say the housecleaning threatens to destroy the firewall meant to separate government news entities from the White House .
They warn it could turn broadcasters such as the Voice of America and Radio Free Europe into distributors of propaganda on behalf of the Trump administration .
The shake-up started in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CEO and director at the agency , conservative documentary filmmaker Michael Pack .
Chief Financial Officer Grant Turner , who had been USAGM 's acting CEO and director before Pack 's arrival , is the most senior official affected .
He had returned to the role of the company 's chief financial officer .
Now he has been put on administrative leave .
Also placed on administrative leave , according to three agency sources , are David Kligerman , the agency 's general counsel ; Matthew Walsh , the deputy director for operations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officer ; Oanh Tran , USAGM 's executive director ; and Marie Lennon , the director of management services and a 35-year employee of the federal government .
All also had their security clearances suspended .
Asked about the purge , a USAGM spokesperson — who insisted on not being named — said in an email that his agency `` is unable to comment on individual personnel matters . ''
`` We took action to restore integrity to and respect for the rule of law in our work at USAGM , '' the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` We will take additional steps to return this agency to its glory days . ''
The reference to the `` rule of law '' could be seen as a reference to an ongoing internal investigation at the agency .
In a July 23 staff email , Pack said there had been `` systematic , severe and fundamental security failures , '' according to a report posted Friday on VOA 's website .
The probe is being done , Pack said , because `` the failures identified compromise the agency 's ability @ @ @ @ @ @ @ efficiency and effectiveness of the federal workforce , and pose a threat to U.S. national security . ''
Last week , Pack made public a confidential July 97-page report from the Office of Personnel Management that faults the screening of foreigners working at USAGM and the entities it oversees .
It criticizes the agency for overstepping federal rules by requiring extensive information about the personal finances of those being vetted .
Ousted agency officials scoff at the allegation of security lapses .
`` The OPM report really is kind of a cover to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the sidelined CFO .
`` If anything , we have tried to have a stricter standard in security investigations . ''
Kligerman , the sacked general counsel , said the spokesperson 's `` glory days '' reference `` speaks for itself : It 's very Stalinesque . ''
`` This is a pretextual purge , '' Kligerman added in an interview .
`` I think it 's designed to remove the career leadership of the agency — the people who are in charge of enforcing the rules and norms . ''
Turner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ working in Washington under both Republican and Democratic presidents , he has never seen anything quite like what has happened at USAGM since Pack became its leader .
`` There 's gross mismanagement on such an enormous order , '' Turner says .
`` I do n't know if it 's intentional or simply incompetence , or if it 's a kind of malevolence .
It 's probably a badge of honor to be fired by folks in this administration . ''
As an example of the new climate pervading the agency , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of former USAGM CEO and president , John Lansing , that had hung on the wall in the main hallway .
Also removed was a quote from Lansing that read , `` A set of unimpeachable facts , and the existence of a baseline of truth , is the foundation that undergirds our democracy , its institutions , and the health , safety and security of all American citizens . ''
Lansing , who is now NPR 's president and CEO , issued a statement sharply criticizing the latest personnel ousters at USAGM @ @ @ @ @ @ @ June of the heads of global media organizations such as the Voice of America .
He called those affected `` some of the finest public servants I have ever had the privilege to work with . ''
`` Pack 's attempt to discredit them is merely a smokescreen for his attempt to dismantle the legitimate editorial independence of VOA in favor of propagandizing the Agency to favor the Administration , '' he said .
Lansing added that such action would violate the law establishing USAGM and the broadcasters it oversees .
`` Dismantling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ American version of propaganda would serve only to discredit 75 years of distinguished work and would serve to prop up and legitimize authoritarian media control around the world . ''
Agency insiders say visa extensions for foreign staffers employed at USAGM were abruptly put on hold in June , raising fears that some may have to return to authoritarian countries such as China and face harsh reprisals for their work in the U.S. Turner and others describe a climate of fear and self-censorship among those who still have their jobs at the agency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ civil servants who want to do things by the book , '' the former acting CEO and director of USAGM says of the purge .
`` They do n't want to play by the book . ''
Pack will likely have some explaining to do when he appears before a Sept. 24 hearing of the House Foreign Affairs Committee , which has oversight of USAGM .
`` Michael Pack is once again attempting to purge USAGM of the apolitical , career officials who have helped ensure that the agency fulfills its mission to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ world , '' declared Rep. Elliot Engel , the New York Democrat who chairs that committee .
`` He is destroying the decades-old legacy of America 's international broadcasting efforts , '' Engel added , `` in a clear attempt to transform the agency into an ideological mouthpiece to promote Donald Trump in advance of the election . ''
Disclosure : Due to NPR CEO John Lansing 's prior role at the U.S. Agency for Global Media , no senior news executive or corporate executive at NPR reviewed this story before it was @ @

Purge Of Senior Officials At Foreign Broadcast Agency Stirs Fear And Outrage
Enlarge this image toggle caption Michal Kamary/Associated Press Michal Kamary/Associated Press
A sweeping purge of executives at U.S. government media outlets widened this week.
At least six of the top 10 executives at the U.S. Agency for Global Media were removed from their posts on Wednesday. Critics say the housecleaning threatens to destroy the firewall meant to separate government news entities from the White House. They warn it could turn broadcasters such as the Voice of America and Radio Free Europe into distributors of propaganda on behalf of the Trump administration.
The shake-up started in June after President Trump appointed a new CEO and director at the agency, conservative documentary filmmaker Michael Pack.
Chief Financial Officer Grant Turner, who had been USAGM's acting CEO and director before Pack's arrival, is the most senior official affected. He had returned to the role of the company's chief financial officer. Now he has been put on administrative leave.
Also placed on administrative leave, according to three agency sources, are David Kligerman, the agency's general counsel; Matthew Walsh, the deputy director for operations; Shawn Powers, the chief strategy officer; Oanh Tran, USAGM's executive director; and Marie Lennon, the director of management services and a 35-year employee of the federal government.
All also had their security clearances suspended.
Asked about the purge, a USAGM spokesperson — who insisted on not being named — said in an email that his agency "is unable to comment on individual personnel matters."
"We took action to restore integrity to and respect for the rule of law in our work at USAGM," the agency spokesperson said in a prepared statement. "We will take additional steps to return this agency to its glory days."
The reference to the "rule of law" could be seen as a reference to an ongoing internal investigation at the agency. In a July 23 staff email, Pack said there had been "systematic, severe and fundamental security failures," according to a report posted Friday on VOA's website. The probe is being done, Pack said, because "the failures identified compromise the agency's ability to fulfill its mission, undermine the efficiency and effectiveness of the federal workforce, and pose a threat to U.S. national security."
Last week, Pack made public a confidential July 97-page report from the Office of Personnel Management that faults the screening of foreigners working at USAGM and the entities it oversees. It criticizes the agency for overstepping federal rules by requiring extensive information about the personal finances of those being vetted.
Ousted agency officials scoff at the allegation of security lapses. "The OPM report really is kind of a cover to move people out," says Turner, the sidelined CFO. "If anything, we have tried to have a stricter standard in security investigations."
Kligerman, the sacked general counsel, said the spokesperson's "glory days" reference "speaks for itself: It's very Stalinesque."
"This is a pretextual purge," Kligerman added in an interview. "I think it's designed to remove the career leadership of the agency — the people who are in charge of enforcing the rules and norms."
Turner tells NPR that in his many years working in Washington under both Republican and Democratic presidents, he has never seen anything quite like what has happened at USAGM since Pack became its leader.
"There's gross mismanagement on such an enormous order," Turner says. "I don't know if it's intentional or simply incompetence, or if it's a kind of malevolence. It's probably a badge of honor to be fired by folks in this administration."
As an example of the new climate pervading the agency, Turner cites the removal of a photo of former USAGM CEO and president, John Lansing, that had hung on the wall in the main hallway. Also removed was a quote from Lansing that read, "A set of unimpeachable facts, and the existence of a baseline of truth, is the foundation that undergirds our democracy, its institutions, and the health, safety and security of all American citizens."
Lansing, who is now NPR's president and CEO, issued a statement sharply criticizing the latest personnel ousters at USAGM as well as the forced departure in June of the heads of global media organizations such as the Voice of America. He called those affected "some of the finest public servants I have ever had the privilege to work with."
"Pack's attempt to discredit them is merely a smokescreen for his attempt to dismantle the legitimate editorial independence of VOA in favor of propagandizing the Agency to favor the Administration," he said.
Lansing added that such action would violate the law establishing USAGM and the broadcasters it oversees. "Dismantling the Agency and converting it to an American version of propaganda would serve only to discredit 75 years of distinguished work and would serve to prop up and legitimize authoritarian media control around the world."
Agency insiders say visa extensions for foreign staffers employed at USAGM were abruptly put on hold in June, raising fears that some may have to return to authoritarian countries such as China and face harsh reprisals for their work in the U.S.
Turner and others describe a climate of fear and self-censorship among those who still have their jobs at the agency.
"Here are a bunch of civil servants who want to do things by the book," the former acting CEO and director of USAGM says of the purge. "They don't want to play by the book."
Pack will likely have some explaining to do when he appears before a Sept. 24 hearing of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, which has oversight of USAGM.
"Michael Pack is once again attempting to purge USAGM of the apolitical, career officials who have helped ensure that the agency fulfills its mission to provide unbiased news and information around the world," declared Rep. Elliot Engel, the New York Democrat who chairs that committee.
"He is destroying the decades-old legacy of America's international broadcasting efforts," Engel added, "in a clear attempt to transform the agency into an ideological mouthpiece to promote Donald Trump in advance of the election."
Disclosure: Due to NPR CEO John Lansing's prior role at the U.S. Agency for Global Media, no senior news executive or corporate executive at NPR reviewed this story before it was published.


npr--2020-08-15--Coronavirus World Map: Tracking The Spread Of The Outbreak

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

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