npr--2020-08-15--Robert Trump, President's Brother, Dies

Robert Trump, President's Brother, Dies

`` It is with heavy heart I share that my wonderful brother , Robert , peacefully passed away tonight , '' President Trump said in a statement .
`` He was not just my brother , he was my best friend .
He will be greatly missed , but we will meet again .
His memory will live on in my heart forever .
Robert , I love you .
Rest in peace . ''
President Trump visited his brother in a hospital in New York on Friday .
During a news briefing Friday , the president said his brother @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but did not provide details on his condition .
Multiple media outlets report Robert Trump 's age was 71 .
Earlier this summer Robert Trump sought a court order to block the publication of Too Much and Never Enough : How My Family Created the World 's Most Dangerous Man .
The book is an unflattering memoir of the Trump family by Mary Trump , the president 's niece .
But the publication was ultimately allowed to go forward and Mary Trump was freed from an earlier gag order .
Robert Trump was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump .
`` You could consider him the quietest of Trumps , '' Trump biographer Michael D'Antonio told The New York Times .
`` He was glad to stay out of the spotlight . ''
The younger Trump graduated from Boston University , the Times and AP reported , and went to work on Wall Street in corporate finance for a time before joining the family real estate business , the Trump Organization .
As of 2018 , he sat on the board of directors for the company ZeniMax Media , which owns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Donald Trump 's 1987 book The Art of the Deal ( written with Tony Schwartz ) , Donald describes Robert as `` soft-spoken and easygoing , but he 's very talented and effective . ''
`` I think it must be hard to have me for a brother , but he 's never said anything about it and we 're very close , '' the elder Trump says .
`` He is definitely the only guy in my life whom I ever call 'honey . '
Robert gets along with almost everyone , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I sometimes have to be the bad guy . ''

Robert Trump, President's Brother, Dies
Enlarge this image toggle caption Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
The White House said President Trump's younger brother, Robert Trump, died Saturday.
"It is with heavy heart I share that my wonderful brother, Robert, peacefully passed away tonight," Trump said in a statement. "He was not just my brother, he was my best friend. He will be greatly missed, but we will meet again. His memory will live on in my heart forever. Robert, I love you. Rest in peace."
Trump visited his brother in a hospital in New York on Friday. During a news briefing Friday, the president said his brother was "having a hard time" but did not provide details on his condition. Multiple media outlets report Robert Trump's age was 71.
This summer, Robert Trump sought a court order to block the publication of Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World's Most Dangerous Man. The book is an unflattering memoir of the Trump family by Mary Trump, the president's niece. But the publication was ultimately allowed to go forward, and Mary Trump was freed from an earlier gag order.
Robert Trump was one of five children of Fred C. Trump. "You could consider him the quietest of Trumps," Michael D'Antonio, a biographer of Donald Trump, told The New York Times. "He was glad to stay out of the spotlight."
The younger Trump graduated from Boston University, the Times and AP reported, and went to work on Wall Street in corporate finance for a time before joining the family real estate business, the Trump Organization. As of 2018, he sat on the board of directors for the company ZeniMax Media, which owns video game publisher Bethesda Softworks.
In Donald Trump's 1987 book, Trump: The Art of the Deal (written with Tony Schwartz), Donald describes Robert as "soft-spoken and easygoing, but he's very talented and effective."
"I think it must be hard to have me for a brother, but he's never said anything about it and we're very close," the elder Trump says. "He is definitely the only guy in my life whom I ever call 'honey.' Robert gets along with almost everyone, which is great for me, since I sometimes have to be the bad guy."


npr--2020-08-16--Pelosi Calls Lawmakers Back To Block Postal Service Changes

Spurred by concerns about delayed delivery of mail-in ballots , House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is calling lawmakers back early from their August recess .
She 's calling for a vote on legislation that would block the U.S .
Postal Service from making operational changes .
The speaker is planning a vote for later this week on the Delivering for America Act , introduced by Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney of New York , which `` prohibits the Postal Service from implementing any changes to operations or level of service it had in place on January 1 , 2020 . ''
Since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Louis DeJoy has implemented a series of changes that have prompted slower mail deliveries .
He says they 're aimed at cutting costs and improving efficiency , but the changes have alarmed postal workers and their unions , who cautioned that the new policies will increase delays and make it harder for workers to do their jobs .
In late July the Postal Service warned election officials in most states that it may not be able to deliver some mail-in ballots in time to be counted for the November election .
Pelosi said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to sabotage the election by manipulating the Postal Service to disenfranchise voters . ''
She said DeJoy , a major donor to President Trump and Republican campaigns , is pushing to `` degrade postal service , delay the mail , and — according to the Postal Service itself — threaten to deny the ability of eligible Americans to cast their votes through the mail in the upcoming elections in a timely fashion . ''
News outlets in recent days have reported the Postal Service was removing mail collection boxes and high-speed mail sorting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ NPR Sunday , a postal service spokesperson said collection box removal will cease for the next 90 days `` while we evaluate our customers ' concerns . ''
) Under DeJoy , postal employees have been barred from working overtime and had to let some mail go undelivered until the next day .
Mail delays have since been reported across the country .
Pelosi also called for House Democrats to participate in a `` day of action '' on Tuesday and hold press events at post offices in their districts .
Earlier on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House Oversight Committee , called for an `` urgent '' hearing into the Postal Service changes .
In a letter to DeJoy , Maloney asked the postmaster general to explain why he had made so many changes with less than three months to go until the upcoming presidential election .
`` Over the past several weeks , there have been startling new revelations about the scope and gravity of operational changes you are implementing at hundreds of postal facilities without consulting adequately with Congress , the Postal Regulatory Commission , or the Board @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Your testimony is particularly urgent given the troubling influx of reports of widespread delays at postal facilities across the country — as well as President Trump 's explicit admission last week that he has been blocking critical coronavirus funding for the Postal Service in order to impair mail-in voting efforts for the upcoming elections in November . ''
Maloney also called for Robert Duncan , chairman of the U.S .
Postal Service Board of Governors , to appear at the Aug. 24 hearing .
The attention to the Postal Service has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attacked mail-in voting and initially said on Thursday that he opposed more funding for the Postal Service because it would help people vote by mail .
He later walked back those comments .
About 100 people demonstrated outside DeJoy 's house in Washington on Saturday to protest the changes .
Another protest took place Sunday at his home in Greensboro , N.C .

Pelosi Calls Lawmakers Back To Block Postal Service Changes
Enlarge this image toggle caption Logan Cyrus/AFP via Getty Images Logan Cyrus/AFP via Getty Images
Spurred by concerns about delayed delivery of mail-in ballots, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is calling lawmakers back early from their August recess. She's calling for a vote on legislation that would block the U.S. Postal Service from making operational changes.
The speaker is planning a vote for later this week on the Delivering for America Act, introduced by Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney of New York, which "prohibits the Postal Service from implementing any changes to operations or level of service it had in place on January 1, 2020."
Since taking over in mid-June, Postmaster General Louis DeJoy has implemented a series of changes that have prompted slower mail deliveries. He says they're aimed at cutting costs and improving efficiency, but the changes have alarmed postal workers and their unions, who cautioned that the new policies will increase delays and make it harder for workers to do their jobs.
In late July the Postal Service warned election officials in most states that it may not be able to deliver some mail-in ballots in time to be counted for the November election.
Pelosi said President Trump was instituting a "campaign to sabotage the election by manipulating the Postal Service to disenfranchise voters." She said DeJoy, a major donor to President Trump and Republican campaigns, is pushing to "degrade postal service, delay the mail, and — according to the Postal Service itself — threaten to deny the ability of eligible Americans to cast their votes through the mail in the upcoming elections in a timely fashion."
News outlets in recent days have reported the Postal Service was removing mail collection boxes and high-speed mail sorting machines. (In a statement to NPR Sunday, a postal service spokesperson said collection box removal will cease for the next 90 days "while we evaluate our customers' concerns.") Under DeJoy, postal employees have been barred from working overtime and had to let some mail go undelivered until the next day. Mail delays have since been reported across the country.
Pelosi also called for House Democrats to participate in a "day of action" on Tuesday and hold press events at post offices in their districts.
Earlier on Sunday, Maloney, who chairs the House Oversight Committee, called for an "urgent" hearing into the Postal Service changes. In a letter to DeJoy, Maloney asked the postmaster general to explain why he had made so many changes with less than three months to go until the upcoming presidential election.
"Over the past several weeks, there have been startling new revelations about the scope and gravity of operational changes you are implementing at hundreds of postal facilities without consulting adequately with Congress, the Postal Regulatory Commission, or the Board of Governors," Maloney wrote.
"Your testimony is particularly urgent given the troubling influx of reports of widespread delays at postal facilities across the country — as well as President Trump's explicit admission last week that he has been blocking critical coronavirus funding for the Postal Service in order to impair mail-in voting efforts for the upcoming elections in November."
Maloney also called for Robert Duncan, chairman of the U.S. Postal Service Board of Governors, to appear at the Aug. 24 hearing.
The attention to the Postal Service has been amplified by President Trump, who has attacked mail-in voting and initially said on Thursday that he opposed more funding for the Postal Service because it would help people vote by mail. He later walked back those comments.
About 100 people demonstrated outside DeJoy's house in Washington on Saturday to protest the changes. Another protest took place Sunday at his home in Greensboro, N.C.
NPR's Vanessa Romo contributed to this report.


npr--2020-08-16--One Week After Election, Belarus Sees Giant Protests Against 'Europe's Last Dictator'

One Week After Election , Belarus Sees Giant Protests Against 'Europe 's Last Dictator' Tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets of Belarus on Sunday in what appeared to be their largest demonstration yet against the widely-disputed reelection of President Alexander Lukashenko .
Lukashenko , who has been labeled `` Europe 's last dictator , '' first took office in 1994 and staked his claim to a sixth term after declaring a landslide victory in the country 's election last Sunday .
Opponents immediately condemned the results as rigged , and a wide cross-section of citizens have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since .
An especially massive crowd gathered in the capital of Minsk to participate in a `` Freedom March '' on Sunday .
Many were dressed in red and white , the colors of the opposition .
Images and videos posted on social media captured the scale of the demonstrations in Minsk : Independence Square packed to the brim , with cheerful crowds waving the opposition flag .
There was no official count of the crowd size , though the sweeping demonstration appears to be the largest in the country 's history .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ as 200,000 people turned out in Minsk .
The protests dwarfed a pro-government rally held there earlier in the day , at which Lukashenko gave a speech blasting opponents , defending the election results and rejecting calls for a re-vote .
While the government says 65,000 people attended that rally , the BBC estimated attendance was actually closer to four or five thousand .
Speaking to his followers , Lukashenko likened his opponents to rats , said it was not his fault he needed to call on supporters for their help and warned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state '' if it held new elections , contending the results could not have been falsified .
`` They say elections results were forged .
But how can 80 % be forged ?
They want us to hold new elections .
But how will we work in the fields if we must have new elections ? ''
Lukashenko said .
The nation 's Central Election Commission said Lukashenko won 80 % of the vote , with main opposition candidate Svetlana Tikhanovskaya coming in second with 10 % .
Tikhanovskaya , who fled the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , said in a video statement released on Friday that documentation at polling places showed she had the support of a majority of voters .
In her message , Tikhanovskaya also called for mayors across the country to organize peaceful rallies over the weekend .
`` There are new types of peaceful protests on the streets of our cities , '' she said .
`` Women with flowers are coming out in solidarity .
They are not belligerent in any way .
They are showing the whole world that we Belarusians are open @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against violence . ''
Sunday 's demonstrations were a continued response to more violent scenes from earlier in the week , when police cracked down on peaceful protesters in what Amnesty International described as a `` campaign of widespread torture and other ill-treatment . ''
Police used unnecessary and excessive force on protesters in the streets and in detention centers , according to human rights groups and eyewitness accounts .
The Belarusian Ministry of the Interior said 6,700 people were detained over the first four days of protests .
The ministry said that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were released as part of a gradual process , the Associated Press reported .
According to local media reports , the whereabouts of about 80 detainees were unknown as of Sunday .
At least 250 people were injured since the start of the demonstrations , according to the United Nations .
Amnesty International said two protesters have died , one in a crowd in Minsk and one in custody in the city of Brest .
Amnesty said that with the aid of local human rights groups it has collected numerous testimonies from protesters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ detention centers `` starting from the moment when they are dragged inside police buses . ''
Reports include being stripped naked , severely beaten and threatened with rape .
Dan Peleschuk , a freelance journalist detained in Minsk earlier this week , recalled his own experience and described the riot police as `` violence-crazed thugs with great authority and a great amount of resources by the state '' in an interview with NPR on Sunday .
He also noted that protesters come from all walks of life , including students , technology workers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` There is no sense of radicalization among these protesters , '' Peleschuk said .
`` It 's sort of a united front of social discontent . ''
Michelle Bachelet , the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights , said earlier in the week that the massive arrests were a clear violation of international human rights standards .
`` People have the right to speak up and express dissent , even more in the context of elections , when democratic freedoms should be upheld , not suppressed , '' she said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of everyone unlawfully detained and for thorough investigations into all allegations of human rights violations .
On Friday , EU foreign ministers echoed those calls , affirming their support for the protesters and saying they do not accept the election results because they consider them to have been falsified .
`` Ministers also agreed on the need to sanction those responsible for violence , repression and the falsification of election results , '' according to a statement from the office of Josep Borrell , the high representative of the European Union for foreign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work on additional listings within the existing sanctions framework for Belarus will start immediately . ''
So too has the Trump administration .
In a statement last week , Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said , `` We strongly condemn ongoing violence against protesters and the detention of opposition supporters , as well as the use of internet shutdowns to hinder the ability of the Belarusian people to share information about the election and the demonstrations . ''
Pompeo also said the United States was `` deeply concerned about the conduct of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which was not free and fair . ''
Questions remain about the potential geopolitical ramifications of last week 's elections , including as they relate to the relationship between Belarus and Russia .
Lukashenko spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin twice over the weekend , who said Russia is ready to provide `` comprehensive security assistance '' in Belarus .
Also at Sunday 's rally , Lukashenko took issue with NATO military exercises happening in neighboring Poland and Lithuania and voiced concerns about foreign interference .
In response , a NATO spokesperson said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ buildup in the region .
She described its presence in the eastern part of the alliance as `` strictly defensive , proportionate & designed to prevent conflict & preserve peace . ''

One Week After Election, Belarus Sees Giant Protests Against 'Europe's Last Dictator'
Enlarge this image toggle caption Valery Sharifulin/Valery Sharifulin/TASS Valery Sharifulin/Valery Sharifulin/TASS
Tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets of Belarus on Sunday in what appeared to be their largest demonstration yet against the widely-disputed reelection of President Alexander Lukashenko.
Lukashenko, who has been labeled "Europe's last dictator," first took office in 1994 and staked his claim to a sixth term after declaring a landslide victory in the country's election last Sunday. Opponents immediately condemned the results as rigged, and a wide cross-section of citizens have been calling for change at protests every day since.
An especially massive crowd gathered in the capital of Minsk to participate in a "Freedom March" on Sunday. Many were dressed in red and white, the colors of the opposition.
Images and videos posted on social media captured the scale of the demonstrations in Minsk: Independence Square packed to the brim, with cheerful crowds waving the opposition flag.
There was no official count of the crowd size, though the sweeping demonstration appears to be the largest in the country's history. The Associated Press reported that as many as 200,000 people turned out in Minsk.
The protests dwarfed a pro-government rally held there earlier in the day, at which Lukashenko gave a speech blasting opponents, defending the election results and rejecting calls for a re-vote. While the government says 65,000 people attended that rally, the BBC estimated attendance was actually closer to four or five thousand.
Speaking to his followers, Lukashenko likened his opponents to rats, said it was not his fault he needed to call on supporters for their help and warned that Belarus would perish "as a state" if it held new elections, contending the results could not have been falsified.
"They say elections results were forged. But how can 80% be forged? They want us to hold new elections. But how will we work in the fields if we must have new elections?" Lukashenko said.
The nation's Central Election Commission said Lukashenko won 80% of the vote, with main opposition candidate Svetlana Tikhanovskaya coming in second with 10%.
Tikhanovskaya, who fled the country to neighboring Lithuania after the election, said in a video statement released on Friday that documentation at polling places showed she had the support of a majority of voters.
In her message, Tikhanovskaya also called for mayors across the country to organize peaceful rallies over the weekend.
"There are new types of peaceful protests on the streets of our cities," she said. "Women with flowers are coming out in solidarity. They are not belligerent in any way. They are showing the whole world that we Belarusians are open and honest people, and we are against violence."
Sunday's demonstrations were a continued response to more violent scenes from earlier in the week, when police cracked down on peaceful protesters in what Amnesty International described as a "campaign of widespread torture and other ill-treatment."
Police used unnecessary and excessive force on protesters in the streets and in detention centers, according to human rights groups and eyewitness accounts.
The Belarusian Ministry of the Interior said 6,700 people were detained over the first four days of protests. The ministry said that as of Friday, some 2,000 detainees were released as part of a gradual process, the Associated Press reported.
According to local media reports, the whereabouts of about 80 detainees were unknown as of Sunday.
At least 250 people were injured since the start of the demonstrations, according to the United Nations. Amnesty International said two protesters have died, one in a crowd in Minsk and one in custody in the city of Brest.
Amnesty said that with the aid of local human rights groups it has collected numerous testimonies from protesters across Belarus who described being tortured in detention centers "starting from the moment when they are dragged inside police buses." Reports include being stripped naked, severely beaten and threatened with rape.
Dan Peleschuk, a freelance journalist detained in Minsk earlier this week, recalled his own experience and described the riot police as "violence-crazed thugs with great authority and a great amount of resources by the state" in an interview with NPR on Sunday.
Europe An Update On Ongoing Protests In Belarus An Update On Ongoing Protests In Belarus Listen · 5:10 5:10
He also noted that protesters come from all walks of life, including students, technology workers, small business owners and factory workers.
"There is no sense of radicalization among these protesters," Peleschuk said. "It's sort of a united front of social discontent."
Michelle Bachelet, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, said earlier in the week that the massive arrests were a clear violation of international human rights standards.
"People have the right to speak up and express dissent, even more in the context of elections, when democratic freedoms should be upheld, not suppressed," she said.
Bachelet called for the immediate release of everyone unlawfully detained and for thorough investigations into all allegations of human rights violations.
On Friday, EU foreign ministers echoed those calls, affirming their support for the protesters and saying they do not accept the election results because they consider them to have been falsified.
"Ministers also agreed on the need to sanction those responsible for violence, repression and the falsification of election results," according to a statement from the office of Josep Borrell, the high representative of the European Union for foreign affairs and security policy. "The work on additional listings within the existing sanctions framework for Belarus will start immediately."
So too has the Trump administration. In a statement last week, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said, "We strongly condemn ongoing violence against protesters and the detention of opposition supporters, as well as the use of internet shutdowns to hinder the ability of the Belarusian people to share information about the election and the demonstrations."
Pompeo also said the United States was "deeply concerned about the conduct of the August 9 presidential election in Belarus, which was not free and fair."
Questions remain about the potential geopolitical ramifications of last week's elections, including as they relate to the relationship between Belarus and Russia.
Lukashenko spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin twice over the weekend, who said Russia is ready to provide "comprehensive security assistance" in Belarus.
Also at Sunday's rally, Lukashenko took issue with NATO military exercises happening in neighboring Poland and Lithuania and voiced concerns about foreign interference.
In response, a NATO spokesperson said on Twitter that there is no NATO buildup in the region. She described its presence in the eastern part of the alliance as "strictly defensive, proportionate & designed to prevent conflict & preserve peace."


npr--2020-08-16--Japanese Cargo Ship Splits In Two Off Mauritius Coast

Japanese Cargo Ship Splits In Two Off Mauritius Coast A Japanese cargo ship that ran aground in late July off the coast of Mauritius has broken in two .
Most of the 4,000 tons of fuel oil and diesel on the ship had already been pumped out over the past week , as environmental groups warned of potentially irreversible damage to the area 's coral reefs .
Still , at least 1,000 tons of oil had already been spilled into the Indian Ocean , endangering coral and marine life , and causing what some ecologists call the worst ecological disaster @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mauritius officials had warned that the ship , the MV Wakashio , could split in two .
The break on Saturday caused some of the residual oil to spill into the ocean , but as of Thursday , only 150 cubic meters of hydraulic fluid and lubricant remained on the ship , officials said .
The next task for workers will be to tow the front part of the ship hundreds of miles into the sea , where they plan to sink it .
After bad weather delayed their efforts earlier in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sunday , officials told the local newspaper Le Mauricien .
There are still approximately 30 cubic meters of fuel oil left in the engine room , but continued poor weather will make it difficult to remove , officials said .
Crews have cordoned off the nearby Blue Bay Marine Park , installed three layers of floating dams in the lagoon , and placed several kilometers of diversionary dams to further protect the area from oil contamination .
Indian authorities have also sent 28 tons of material , including river dams , barges and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ damage .
By midday Sunday , officials said they had collected 841 tons of liquid petroleum waste , and 419 tons of solid waste sludge and contaminate debris , Le Mauricien reported .
Scientists warned that the damage could affect local ecosystem for years .
`` This oil spill occurred in one of , if not the most , sensitive areas in Mauritius , '' oceanographer Vassen Kauppaymuthoo told Reuters .
`` We are talking of decades to recover from this damage , and some of it may never recover . ''

Japanese Cargo Ship Splits In Two Off Mauritius Coast
Enlarge this image toggle caption AFP via Getty Images AFP via Getty Images
A Japanese cargo ship that ran aground in late July off the coast of Mauritius has broken in two.
Most of the 4,000 metric tons of fuel oil and diesel on the ship had already been pumped out over the past week, as environmental groups warned of potentially irreversible damage to the area's coral reefs. Still, at least 1,000 metric tons of oil had already been spilled into the Indian Ocean, endangering coral and marine life, and causing what some ecologists call the worst ecological disaster in the island nation's history.
Mauritius officials had warned that the ship, the MV Wakashio, could split in two. The break on Saturday caused some of the residual oil to spill into the ocean, but as of Thursday, only 150 cubic meters of hydraulic fluid and lubricant remained on the ship, officials said.
The next task for workers will be to tow the front part of the ship hundreds of miles into the sea, where they plan to sink it. After bad weather delayed their efforts earlier in the weekend, two tug boats were underway Sunday, officials told the local newspaper Le Mauricien. There are still approximately 30 cubic meters of fuel oil left in the engine room, but continued poor weather will make it difficult to remove, officials said.
Crews have cordoned off the nearby Blue Bay Marine Park, installed three layers of floating dams in the lagoon, and placed several kilometers of diversionary dams to further protect the area from oil contamination. Indian authorities have also sent 28 tons of material, including river dams, barges and skimmers, to help mitigate the environmental damage.
By midday Sunday, officials said they had collected 841 metric tons of liquid petroleum waste, and 419 metric tons of solid waste sludge and contaminate debris, Le Mauricien reported.
Scientists warned that the damage could affect the local ecosystem for years.
"This oil spill occurred in one of, if not the most, sensitive areas in Mauritius," oceanographer Vassen Kauppaymuthoo told Reuters. "We are talking of decades to recover from this damage, and some of it may never recover."


npr--2020-08-16--Coronavirus World Map: Tracking The Spread Of The Outbreak

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

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


npr--2020-08-16--Coronavirus Maps: How Severe Is Your State's Outbreak?

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

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


npr--2020-08-16--'The Devastation Is Widespread.' Iowans Continue To Struggle Following Deadly Derecho

'The Devastation Is Widespread . '
Iowans Continue To Struggle Following Deadly Derecho Thousands of Iowans are still coping with the aftermath of a storm that pummeled the state last Monday with 100-mile-per-hour winds — a storm that flattened corn and soybean crops , damaged grain elevators and leveled banks , churches and homes .
More than 158,000 Iowans were still without power as of Friday evening , according to Iowa Public Radio .
By Sunday morning , more than 98,000 continued to lack power , according to the monitoring site PowerOutage.US .
`` The devastation is widespread .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ houses , every one with some amount of damage .
Trees piled 6 to 10 feet high along the road .
It 's like walking through a tunnel of green with some fluorescent orange of placard houses that are unsafe to enter , '' Tyler Olson , a city council member from Cedar Rapids , told NPR 's Weekend Edition on Saturday .
`` The city itself has been working hard to get roads cleared , so that has taken place in many parts of the city .
But we 're still without @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are without power . ''
The storm system that flattened crops and toppled trees is called a derecho , a particularly damaging and severe kind of wind storm that can cause hurricane-force winds , tornadoes and heavy rains .
As many as 14 million acres of farmland were damaged by the storm , The New York Times reported .
`` It 's by far the most extensive and widespread damage that we 've seen on this farm , '' Aaron Lehman , who grows corn and soybeans in Polk County in central Iowa @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who serves as president of the Iowa Farmers Union , said the damage was worse than a typical tornado .
`` Unlike a tornado , which is a mile wide , this stretched for a width of really intense damage — of approximately 40 miles , probably closer to 60-70 miles wide , '' he said .
In Cedar Rapids , some families were left living in tents .
At one badly damaged apartment complex , displaced children played outside amid shredded shingles , rusting nails and the chunks of fiberglass insulation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I did n't hear no sirens until our electricity went off .
And then we went out and looked out the window and then it just all happened , '' said 14-year-old Lenberg Phillip in an interview with Iowa Public radio .
`` We were just watching out the window and then minutes later the roof came off . ''
Olson says they 're still hoping to get a presidential disaster declaration .
`` We need electricity , '' Olson said .
`` The [ Iowa ] National Guard arrived a couple of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ power back on , but we have citizens without food , without medicine .
And we 're working as hard as we can as a city to meet those needs but we really need the federal government and their resources . ''
President Donald Trump has not signed an emergency declaration yet .
On Tuesday , he tweeted : `` Sad to see the damage from the derecho in Midwest .
112 mile per hour winds in Midway , Iowa !
The Federal government is in close coordination with State officials .
We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Stay safe and strong ! ''
At a press conference in Cedar Rapids on Friday , Republican Gov .
Kim Reynolds said the soonest she 'd be able to submit an application for a disaster declaration is on Monday , according to Iowa Public Radio .
`` We 're moving forward , we 're coordinating efforts , we 're working with the local emergency managers and working with city officials and the mayor , '' Reynolds said .
`` They 're on the ground .
They need to let us know how we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work that they 're doing and that 's how we can efficiently and effectively serve citizens . ''
This all comes as Iowa continues to battle the COVID-19 pandemic .
While the rate of infections appears to be decreasing , now averaging 458 new cases a week with more than 52,000 cases and 975 deaths , experts are worried about how the state will be able to handle two disasters at once .
`` [ The pandemic ] has complicated relief efforts , '' Olson said .
`` It 's hard to gather @ @ @ @ @ @ @ repair companies , insurance adjusters , to go into homes .
Obviously protections that are in place because of the pandemic .
And it really , the city 's resources were strained before in trying to deal with that and now we 're dealing with this probably historic disaster . ''

'The Devastation Is Widespread.' Iowans Continue To Struggle Following Deadly Derecho
Enlarge this image toggle caption Daniel Acker/Getty Images Daniel Acker/Getty Images
Thousands of Iowans are still coping with the aftermath of a storm that pummeled the state last Monday with 100-mile-per-hour winds — a storm that flattened corn and soybean crops, damaged grain elevators and leveled banks, churches and homes.
More than 158,000 Iowans were still without power as of Friday evening, according to Iowa Public Radio. By Sunday morning, more than 98,000 continued to lack power, according to the monitoring site PowerOutage.US.
"The devastation is widespread. It's intense. Block after block of houses, every one with some amount of damage. Trees piled 6 to 10 feet high along the road. It's like walking through a tunnel of green with some fluorescent orange of placard houses that are unsafe to enter," Tyler Olson, a city council member from Cedar Rapids, told NPR's Weekend Edition on Saturday. "The city itself has been working hard to get roads cleared, so that has taken place in many parts of the city. But we're still without power. The majority of our citizens are without power."
The storm system that flattened crops and toppled trees is called a derecho, a particularly damaging and severe kind of wind storm that can cause hurricane-force winds, tornadoes and heavy rains. As many as 14 million acres of farmland were damaged by the storm, The New York Times reported.
"It's by far the most extensive and widespread damage that we've seen on this farm," Aaron Lehman, who grows corn and soybeans in Polk County in central Iowa, told Harvest Public Media. Lehman, who serves as president of the Iowa Farmers Union, said the damage was worse than a typical tornado.
"Unlike a tornado, which is a mile wide, this stretched for a width of really intense damage — of approximately 40 miles, probably closer to 60-70 miles wide," he said.
In Cedar Rapids, some families were left living in tents. At one badly damaged apartment complex, displaced children played outside amid shredded shingles, rusting nails and the chunks of fiberglass insulation, Iowa Public Radio reported.
"I didn't hear no sirens until our electricity went off. And then we went out and looked out the window and then it just all happened," said 14-year-old Lenberg Phillip in an interview with Iowa Public radio. "We were just watching out the window and then minutes later the roof came off."
Olson says they're still hoping to get a presidential disaster declaration.
"We need electricity," Olson said. "The [Iowa] National Guard arrived a couple of days ago to assist with utility with power back on, but we have citizens without food, without medicine. And we're working as hard as we can as a city to meet those needs but we really need the federal government and their resources."
Thousands In Iowa Cope With Aftermath Of Major Storm 4:12
President Donald Trump has not signed an emergency declaration yet. On Tuesday, he tweeted: "Sad to see the damage from the derecho in Midwest. 112 mile per hour winds in Midway, Iowa! The Federal government is in close coordination with State officials. We are with you all the way - Stay safe and strong!"
At a press conference in Cedar Rapids on Friday, Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds said the soonest she'd be able to submit an application for a disaster declaration is on Monday, according to Iowa Public Radio.
"We're moving forward, we're coordinating efforts, we're working with the local emergency managers and working with city officials and the mayor," Reynolds said. "They're on the ground. They need to let us know how we can supplement and help them with the work that they're doing and that's how we can efficiently and effectively serve citizens."
This all comes as Iowa continues to battle the COVID-19 pandemic. While the rate of infections appears to be decreasing, now averaging 458 new cases a week with more than 52,000 cases and 975 deaths, experts are worried about how the state will be able to handle two disasters at once.
"[The pandemic] has complicated relief efforts," Olson said. "It's hard to gather people together. It's hard for repair companies, insurance adjusters, to go into homes. Obviously protections that are in place because of the pandemic. And it really, the city's resources were strained before in trying to deal with that and now we're dealing with this probably historic disaster."


npr--2020-08-16--Summer Of Racial Reckoning: The Match Lit

It was Memorial Day , May 25th , 2020 .
The coronavirus had locked down the country for weeks .
Tens of thousands had died .
Millions were out of work .
And in Minneapolis , a 46-year-old Black man named George Floyd went to buy a pack of cigarettes .
Floyd 's stop ended with a police officer 's knee dug into his neck for nearly nine minutes .
Floyd begged for his life , called for his mother and repeatedly told the police , `` I ca n't breathe . ''
His cries went unanswered and he died @ @ @ @ @ @ @ earlier , a 26-year-old Black woman named Breonna Taylor was working grueling shifts as an EMT in Louisville , Ky. as fears and cases of the coronavirus were spreading .
On March 13th , Taylor went to sleep in her home .
Late in the night , police burst into her apartment serving a no-knock warrant .
Lawyers said the couple thought someone was breaking in to rob them , so her boyfriend shot at the police .
They fired back , hitting Taylor eight times and killing her .
Less than three @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 25-year old Black man named Ahmaud Arbery laced up his sneakers and went for a run in his Brunswick , Ga. neighborhood .
He was a high school football star and dreamed of becoming an electrician .
Two white men , who said they thought he was a burglar , started to chase Arbery in a pick-up truck .
Another white man followed and filmed the incident .
When the video later surfaced , it showed a struggle outside the truck , then one man shooting Arbery dead in the middle of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more months , after the video leaked , until the men were arrested and charged .
George Floyd , Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery all became part of a rallying cry in cities and towns across the country , forcing the United States to confront the racism of its past and present .
Here at NPR , we 've been reporting on this unique moment in the nation 's history for a new three-part series launching today : Summer of Racial Reckoning .
Part One , which you can listen to below , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appeared on signs and their names became singular chants , Floyd , Taylor and Arbery lived full lives with hopes and dreams and aspirations .
Floyd 's friends remembered how he volunteered for his church , lugging huge tubs for baptisms out to the basketball court in the housing project where he lived .
Stephanie Square said while Floyd had seen his fair share of trouble earlier in life growing up in Houston , he had turned things around .
`` All he did was encourage everyone and tell you words like , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; you 're going to make it ; you 're going to be an example to a lot of others , ' '' she said .
Taylor 's family spoke about how she loved singing , playing games and cooking .
`` She always said that she would be a legend .
I just never imagined it would be like this , '' remembered her friend Erinicka Hunter .
Arbery 's friends and family said he cared deeply for those around him .
`` His mother said he was the life of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coach says that he had this real ability to sense when his coach was n't having a great day , '' Aaron Morrison , a reporter for the Associated Press , told NPR .
Over the next three weeks , the series will explore the lives of those who inspired the demonstrators ; the system they 're protesting against ; and the way forward as protesters , police and civil rights icons see it .
Becky Sullivan , Lilly Quiroz , Courtney Dorning , Denise Guerra , Bo Hamby and Liz Baker contributed @ @ @ @

Summer Of Racial Reckoning
Enlarge this image toggle caption Spencer Platt/Getty Images Spencer Platt/Getty Images
It was Memorial Day, May 25th, 2020. The coronavirus had locked down the country for weeks. Tens of thousands had died. Millions were out of work. And in Minneapolis, a 46-year-old Black man named George Floyd went to buy a pack of cigarettes.
Floyd's stop ended with a police officer's knee dug into his neck for nearly nine minutes. Floyd begged for his life, called for his mother and repeatedly told the police, "I can't breathe." His cries went unanswered and he died in police custody.
A few weeks earlier, a 26-year-old Black woman named Breonna Taylor was working grueling shifts as an EMT in Louisville, Ky. as fears and cases of the coronavirus were spreading.
On March 13th, Taylor went to sleep in her home. Late in the night, police burst into her apartment serving a no-knock warrant. Lawyers said the couple thought someone was breaking in to rob them, so her boyfriend shot at the police. They fired back, hitting Taylor eight times and killing her.
Less than three weeks before Taylor's death, a 25-year old Black man named Ahmaud Arbery laced up his sneakers and went for a run in his Brunswick, Ga. neighborhood. He was a high school football star and dreamed of becoming an electrician.
Two white men, who said they thought he was a burglar, started to chase Arbery in a pick-up truck. Another white man followed and filmed the incident. When the video later surfaced, it showed a struggle outside the truck, then one man shooting Arbery dead in the middle of the suburban neighborhood. It would be three more months, after the video leaked, until the men were arrested and charged.
A new movement begins
George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery all became part of a rallying cry in cities and towns across the country, forcing the United States to confront the racism of its past and present.
Here at NPR, we've been reporting on this unique moment in the nation's history for a new three-part series called Summer of Racial Reckoning.
The series, which you can listen to below, looks back at how before their faces appeared on signs and their names became singular chants, Floyd, Taylor and Arbery lived full lives with hopes and dreams and aspirations.
Floyd's friends remembered how he volunteered for his church, lugging huge tubs for baptisms out to the basketball court in the housing project where he lived. Stephanie Square said while Floyd had seen his fair share of trouble earlier in life growing up in Houston, he had turned things around.
"All he did was encourage everyone and tell you words like, 'I'm so proud of you; you're going to make it; you're going to be an example to a lot of others,'" she said.
Taylor's family spoke about how she loved singing, playing games and cooking.
"She always said that she would be a legend. I just never imagined it would be like this," remembered her friend Erinicka Hunter.
Arbery's friends and family said he cared deeply for those around him.
"His mother said he was the life of the party. But then also, his coach says that he had this real ability to sense when his coach wasn't having a great day," Aaron Morrison, a reporter for the Associated Press, told NPR.
Summer of Racial Reckoning explores the lives of those who inspired the demonstrators; the system they're protesting against; and the way forward as protesters, police and civil rights icons see it.
Episode 1
Summer Of Racial Reckoning: The Match Lit 50:07
Episode 2
Summer Of Racial Reckoning: The System 51:07
Episode 3
The Way Forward 51:00
Becky Sullivan, Lilly Quiroz, Courtney Dorning, Denise Guerra, Bo Hamby and Liz Baker contributed to this series.


npr--2020-08-17--South Korea Faces New Spike In COVID-19 After Months Of Low Infection Rates

South Korea Faces New Spike In COVID-19 After Months Of Low Infection Rates After keeping the coronavirus under control for roughly five months , South Korea finds itself on the verge of another major outbreak , as COVID-19 cases jump to their highest level since March and the capital region re-tightens social distancing guidelines .
As of Monday , the country has seen four straight days of new cases in the triple digits , for a four-day total of 745 cases .
That compares with a peak of about 900 cases per day in late February , after which South @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to double digits .
As of Monday , South Korea reports a cumulative total of 15,515 cases , with 305 deaths .
While the first peak was centered on the country 's fourth largest city , Daegu , and a megachurch called the Shincheonji Church of Jesus , this time the peak is centered on the capital , and another religious group called the Sarang Jeil Church .
South Korea now appears to be in the `` early stage of large-scale community outbreaks , '' Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ news briefing Monday .
A resurgence of the coronavirus would mark a dramatic reversal , after months during which South Korea garnered international praise for subduing the disease through aggressive testing and contact tracing , without resorting to lockdowns .
In April elections , voters handed the ruling Democratic Party a landslide victory , seen in part as a validation of the government 's handling of the pandemic .
KCDC chief Jeong warned that virus clusters linked to religious activities have spread across the nation `` at a terrific speed . ''
Authorities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ church began with one follower , who attended a service on Aug. 9 and tested positive Aug. 12 .
Since then , authorities have obtained lists of 4,000 members , quarantined 3,400 and tested 2,000 , and found 312 tested positive .
The central government plans to lodge a complaint against the church 's leader , pastor Jun Kwang-hoon , for allegedly hindering efforts to combat the spread of the coronavirus .
The church denied claims that Jun violated quarantine in order to lead massive anti-government protests in central Seoul on Saturday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during the pandemic .
The conservative firebrand pastor has called for the impeachment of President Moon Jae-in , whom he accuses of being in cahoots with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un .
He also claims that God will save believers from the coronavirus .
Moon shot back on his Facebook page that Jun 's actions present `` a clear challenge to the national disease control and prevention system , and an unforgivable act that threatens the lives of the people . ''
Over the weekend , the capital region raised its alert @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
For the next two weeks , sports will revert to spectator-less games ; indoor gatherings of 50 people or more , or outdoor ones of 100 or more will be advised to cancel or postpone .
Authorities fear that the virus has been spreading undetected for some time , and is only surfacing now .
KCDC chief Jeong warned Monday that without swift government intervention , South Korea `` may face a health system collapse . ''

South Korea Faces New Spike In COVID-19 After Months Of Low Infection Rates
Enlarge this image toggle caption Lee Jin-man/AP Lee Jin-man/AP
After keeping the coronavirus under control for roughly five months, South Korea finds itself on the verge of another major outbreak as COVID-19 cases jump to their highest level since March and the capital region retightens social distancing guidelines.
As of Monday, the country has seen four straight days of new cases in the triple digits, for a four-day total of 745 cases. That compares with a peak of about 900 cases per day in late February, after which South Korea managed to keep new daily cases to double digits. As of Monday, South Korea reports a cumulative total of 15,515 cases with 305 deaths.
While the first peak was centered on the country's fourth largest city, Daegu, and a megachurch called the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, this time the peak is centered on the capital and another religious group — the Sarang Jeil Church.
South Korea now appears to be in the "early stage of large-scale community outbreaks," Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) Director Jeong Un-kyeong told a news briefing Monday.
A resurgence of the coronavirus would mark a dramatic reversal after months during which South Korea garnered international praise for subduing the disease through aggressive testing and contact tracing and without resorting to lockdowns.
In April elections, voters handed the ruling Democratic Party a landslide victory, seen in part as a validation of the government's handling of the pandemic.
KCDC chief Jeong warned that virus clusters linked to religious activities have spread across the nation "at a terrific speed." Authorities believe the cluster in the Sarang Jeil Church began with one follower who attended a service on Aug. 9 and tested positive Aug. 12.
Since then, authorities have obtained lists of 4,000 members, quarantined 3,400 and tested 2,000, and found 312 tested positive.
The central government plans to lodge a complaint against the church's leader, pastor Jun Kwang-hoon, for allegedly hindering efforts to combat the spread of the coronavirus.
The church denied claims that Jun violated quarantine to lead massive anti-government protests in central Seoul on Saturday, despite a government ban on large gatherings during the pandemic.
The conservative firebrand pastor has called for the impeachment of President Moon Jae-in, whom he accuses of being in cahoots with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. He also claims that God will save believers from the coronavirus.
Moon shot back on his Facebook page that Jun's actions present "a clear challenge to the national disease control and prevention system, and an unforgivable act that threatens the lives of the people."
Over the weekend, the capital region raised its alert to Level 2 in a three-tier system. For the next two weeks, sports will revert to spectatorless games; indoor gatherings of 50 people or more, or outdoor ones of 100 or more will be advised to cancel or postpone.
Authorities fear that the virus has been spreading undetected for some time and is only surfacing now. KCDC chief Jeong warned Monday that without swift government intervention, South Korea "may face a health system collapse."


npr--2020-08-17--Pandemic Electric Bills Are Searing Hot, As Families Stay Home

`` I can go outside and scramble eggs on the sidewalk , '' says Glendale resident Leandra Ramirez .
`` That 's crazy . ''
Air conditioning is essential .
And now that she and her family are at home all day during the pandemic , Ramirez 's AC is running around the clock .
With lights out in many offices and shuttered businesses , millions of people — both with and without jobs — are plugging in at home .
Residential demand for power in the U.S. has soared , even as commercial and industrial use has declined .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ alone was $ 385 .
With four teenagers who just resumed online schooling from home , she expects her August bill to be even higher .
`` We have a very full house , '' she says .
`` There 's always a computer on and there 's always an Xbox playing , and there 's always a TV left on . ''
No one 's leaving home , and more are sleeping in longer Electric consumption offers a window into how families and businesses are weathering the pandemic .
In ordinary times @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the morning as people wake up and start the coffee , then drops during the workday , when people leave for school , work and other activities .
But the coronavirus has upended that predictable pattern .
`` People are sleeping in , later into the day , '' says Tufts University economist Steve Cicala , who 's been monitoring electric demand .
`` Then it 's like a smooth increase over the course of the day because they 're at home .
And I think people are staying up a little bit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has also blurred the usual distinction between weekday and weekend consumption patterns .
`` I think this reflects what a lot of people are feeling , '' Cicala says with a rueful chuckle .
So far , the spike in home electricity use has not made up for the drop in commercial and industrial demand , so total consumption of electricity has declined .
But Cicala says the gap is likely to narrow during the summer months , because of the demand for home air conditioning .
`` Cooling an office where you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ less energy than cooling 25 homes , '' he says .
Lisa Vrooman shares a tiny , 650-square-foot apartment in Philadelphia with her boyfriend , a dog and a cat .
It seemed like plenty of space , she says , until they were all staying in virtually around the clock .
Suddenly those vaulted ceilings were not so attractive .
`` The ceilings make it feel like you 're in a big space , '' Vrooman says .
`` But that 's expensive to keep cool . ''
Vrooman , who 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Pennsylvania , says she was hit with an electric bill of $ 141 in June , an increase of 142 % from the same month last year .
She and her boyfriend have tried to economize .
They 're `` drinking more icy drinks , '' she says , and doing other things to stay cool , rather than relying on the air conditioner alone .
And then there 's the water bill She feels fortunate she can afford to pay the higher bills , especially since she 's not traveling or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she knows it 's a real hardship for many people — especially those who have lost their jobs .
`` If you have no income and you now need to have your family there all the time , it 's got to be expensive , '' she says .
Vrooman 's water bill has also increased , though not so dramatically .
`` You 're using your bathroom at home , '' she says .
`` We 're washing our hands more because we 're told to do that .
Like , every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ come in and wash our hands . ''
Water utilities around the country report an increase in residential demand during the pandemic .
In Greeley , Colo. , home water use is up 30 % this year , while commercial use is essentially flat .
Much of that increase could stem from this year 's hot , dry weather .
But the pandemic is also playing a part .
`` People were certainly at home and using water in ways they had not previously , '' says Sean Chambers , director of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 'We 're all still stuck at home .
Did you miss the memo ? '
Another residential bill that 's going up is Internet service .
Ramirez says since the pandemic began , her family keeps going over its data limit and she 's had to pay their internet provider for extra gigabytes .
`` For the first few months , they were n't charging people for overages .
But apparently , in their world , the pandemic ended in June , '' Ramirez says .
`` That 's something I reached out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , we 're all still stuck at home .
Did you miss the memo ? '
`` Ramirez expects to remain stuck at home for the foreseeable future .
There are trade-offs for the extra expenses , she says .
She likes being able to spend more time with her kids .
And with no work clothes to wash , she is saving money on laundry .

Pandemic Electric Bills Are Searing Hot, As Families Stay Home
Enlarge this image toggle caption Lisa Vrooman Lisa Vrooman
Summer temperatures in Glendale, Ariz., frequently climb to 110 degrees.
"I can go outside and scramble eggs on the sidewalk," says Glendale resident Leandra Ramirez. "That's crazy."
Air conditioning is essential. And now that she and her family are at home all day during the pandemic, Ramirez's AC is running around the clock.
With lights out in many offices and shuttered businesses, millions of people — both with and without jobs — are plugging in at home. Residential demand for power in the U.S. has soared, even as commercial and industrial use have declined.
Ramirez says her electric bill for July alone was $385. With four teenagers who just resumed online schooling from home, she expects her August bill to be even higher.
"We have a very full house," she says. "There's always a computer on and there's always an Xbox playing, and there's always a TV left on."
No one's leaving home, and more are sleeping in longer
Electric consumption offers a window into how families and businesses are weathering the pandemic. In ordinary times, home electricity use perks up in the morning as people wake up and start the coffee, then drops during the workday, when people leave for school, work and other activities. But the coronavirus has upended that predictable pattern.
"People are sleeping in, later into the day," says Tufts University economist Steve Cicala, who's been monitoring electric demand. "Then it's like a smooth increase over the course of the day because they're at home. And I think people are staying up a little bit later, too."
The pandemic has also blurred the usual distinction between weekday and weekend consumption patterns.
"I think this reflects what a lot of people are feeling," Cicala says with a rueful chuckle.
So far, the spike in home electricity use has not made up for the drop in commercial and industrial demand, so total consumption of electricity has declined. But Cicala says the gap is likely to narrow during the summer months, because of the demand for home air conditioning.
"Cooling an office where you have 25 people is going to require less energy than cooling 25 homes," he says.
Those attractive vaulted ceilings suddenly look expensive
Lisa Vrooman shares a tiny, 650-square-foot apartment in Philadelphia with her boyfriend, a dog and a cat. It seemed like plenty of space, she says, until they were all staying in virtually around the clock. Suddenly those vaulted ceilings were not so attractive.
"The ceilings make it feel like you're in a big space," Vrooman says. "But that's expensive to keep cool."
Vrooman, who's a post doctoral fellow at the University of Pennsylvania, says she was hit with an electric bill of $141 in June, an increase of 142% from the same month last year. She and her boyfriend have tried to economize. They're "drinking more icy drinks," she says, and doing other things to stay cool, rather than relying on the air conditioner alone.
And then there's the water bill
She feels fortunate she can afford to pay the higher bills, especially since she's not traveling or eating out much his summer. But she knows it's a real hardship for many people — especially those who have lost their jobs.
"If you have no income and you now need to have your family there all the time, it's got to be expensive," she says.
Vrooman's water bill has also increased, though not so dramatically.
"You're using your bathroom at home," she says. "We're washing our hands more because we're told to do that. Like, every time we walk the dog, we come in and wash our hands."
Water utilities around the country report an increase in residential demand during the pandemic. In Greeley, Colo., home water use is up 30% this year, while commercial use is essentially flat.
Much of that increase could stem from this year's hot, dry weather. But the pandemic is also playing a part.
"People were certainly at home and using water in ways they had not previously," says Sean Chambers, director of the city's water and sewer department.
'We're all still stuck at home. Did you miss the memo?'
Another residential bill that's going up is Internet service. Ramirez says since the pandemic began, her family keeps going over its data limit and she's had to pay their Internet provider for extra gigabytes.
"For the first few months, they weren't charging people for overages. But apparently, in their world, the pandemic ended in June," Ramirez says. "That's something I reached out to them about and said, 'Hey, we're all still stuck at home. Did you miss the memo?' "
Ramirez expects to remain stuck at home for the foreseeable future.
There are trade-offs for the extra expenses, she says. She likes being able to spend more time with her kids. And with no work clothes to wash, she is saving money on laundry.


npr--2020-08-17--Wall Street's Big Money Is Betting On Biden And Democrats In 2020

Wall Street 's Big Money Is Betting On Biden And Democrats In 2020 President Trump loves talking about the booming stock market .
It 's not so clear Wall Street loves him back .
For the first time in a decade , deep-pocketed donors from the halls of finance are giving more money to Democrats than Republicans , according to the Center for Responsive Politics , a research group that tracks money in politics .
`` This cycle is the first cycle we 've seen in a while where the Democrats in the House and [ former Vice President Joe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Democrats in the Senate are out-raising Republicans , '' says Sarah Bryner , research director at the Center for Responsive Politics .
Of nearly $ 800 million donated to politicians by securities firms , banks , real estate companies and their employees by June 30 , slightly more than half went to Democrats .
That hardly ever happens .
While Wall Street went big for Barack Obama in 2008 , it switched back to the GOP following the passage of the Dodd-Frank financial overhaul bill and has been reliably Republican ever since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ finance sector is by far the biggest contributor to political campaigns in the country .
President Trump still has friends in finance , such as private equity 's billionaire titan Stephen A. Schwarzman , CEO of Blackstone Group , and discount online brokerage pioneer Charles Schwab .
But Republican megadonor Robert Mercer of Renaissance Technologies is giving a lot less to the party this year .
Meanwhile , wallets are opening faster for Democrats this election season than they did in 2016 , says Charles Myers , chairman of Signum Global Advisers , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ four years ago .
`` For people to write a $ 100,000 check , a $ 250,000 check .
That would have been really extraordinary four years ago .
Today we 're seeing a lot of that . ''
The stock market may be hitting records , but a lot of people who work in finance have soured on Trump 's management style , Myers says .
`` People are just exhausted .
It 's hard to make medium- to long-term capital allocation decisions because you never know what his White House is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Andrew Redleaf , founder of the hedge fund company Whitebox Advisors , has been a Republican donor in the past .
He gave to the campaign of 2012 presidential candidate Mitt Romney .
He calls himself a libertarian conservative who favors free trade and immigration .
This year , he 's given money to the Lincoln Project , a group of conservative never-Trumpers who are running scathing ads against the president in swing states .
`` I 'd like there to be a right-of-center , limited-government party ... which is not the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Redleaf is wary of Democrats , and has no particular affection for Biden .
But the former vice president is a known commodity on Wall Street and is widely seen as a more centrist , acceptable alternative to more liberal Democrats who ran for president , such as Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren .
Biden has also been a top recipient of financial industry money for decades , as a senator from Delaware , home to financial and credit card companies .
`` He 's not somebody that the industry is particularly afraid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ So I think that we would see them kind of hopeful that he would be a more moderating influence whereas Trump can be quite unpredictable . ''

Wall Street's Big Money Is Betting On Biden And Democrats In 2020
Enlarge this image toggle caption Drew Angerer/Getty Images Drew Angerer/Getty Images
President Trump loves talking about the booming stock market. It's not so clear Wall Street loves him back.
For the first time in a decade, deep-pocketed donors from the halls of finance are giving more money to Democrats than Republicans, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, a research group that tracks money in politics.
"This cycle is the first cycle we've seen in a while where the Democrats in the House and [former Vice President Joe] Biden and even to some extent the Democrats in the Senate are out-raising Republicans," says Sarah Bryner, research director at the Center for Responsive Politics.
Of nearly $800 million donated to politicians by securities firms, banks, real estate companies and their employees by June 30, slightly more than half went to Democrats.
That hardly ever happens. While Wall Street went big for Barack Obama in 2008, it switched back to the GOP following the passage of the Dodd-Frank financial overhaul bill and has been reliably Republican ever since.
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That's important, because the finance sector is by far the biggest contributor to political campaigns in the country.
President Trump still has friends in finance, such as private equity's billionaire titan Stephen A. Schwarzman, CEO of Blackstone Group, and discount online brokerage pioneer Charles Schwab. But Republican megadonor Robert Mercer of Renaissance Technologies is giving a lot less to the party this year.
Meanwhile, wallets are opening faster for Democrats this election season than they did in 2016, says Charles Myers, chairman of Signum Global Advisers, who helped raise money for Hillary Clinton four years ago.
"For people to write a $100,000 check, a $250,000 check, that would have been really extraordinary four years ago," Myers says. "Today we're seeing a lot of that."
The stock market may be hitting records, but a lot of people who work in finance have soured on Trump's management style, Myers says.
"People are just exhausted. It's hard to make medium- to long-term capital allocation decisions because you never know what his White House is going to do," he adds.
Andrew Redleaf, founder of the hedge fund company Whitebox Advisors, has been a Republican donor in the past. He gave to the campaign of 2012 presidential candidate Mitt Romney. He calls himself a libertarian conservative who favors free trade and immigration.
This year, he's given money to the Lincoln Project, a group of conservative never-Trumpers who are running scathing ads against the president in swing states.
"I'd like there to be a right-of-center, limited-government party ... which is not the Trumpist Republican Party," Redleaf says.
Redleaf is wary of Democrats and has no particular affection for Biden.
But the former vice president is a known commodity on Wall Street and is widely seen as a more centrist, acceptable alternative to more liberal Democrats who ran for president, such as Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren.
Biden has also been a top recipient of financial industry money for decades as a senator from Delaware, home to financial and credit card companies.
"He's not somebody that the industry is particularly afraid of," Bryner says. "So I think that we would see them kind of hopeful that he would be a more moderating influence, whereas Trump can be quite unpredictable."


npr--2020-08-17--The Nudge And Tie Breaker That Took Women's Suffrage From Nay To Yea

The Nudge And Tie Breaker That Took Women 's Suffrage From Nay To Yea The 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified 100 years ago this week , and it comprises just 39 words : But the fight to secure women that right to vote was decades long , and the final step toward ratification hinged on the decision of one young man in Tennessee : state Rep. Harry T. Burn .
`` Their last best hope '' Long after the Seneca Falls convention launched the women 's suffrage movement in 1848 ; after suffragists had marched , picketed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and endured force-feeding in prison ; finally , in August of 1920 , their dream was in sight .
After rejecting the amendment for decades , Congress passed it on June 4 , 1919 , and 35 states went on to ratify it .
Suffragists needed just one more state for the 19th Amendment to be enshrined in the Constitution .
`` Tennessee turns out to be their last best hope , the state that had any possibility of ratifying .
And that terrifies them , '' says author Elaine Weiss , whose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Great Fight to Win the Vote recounts the dramatic suffrage battle in Tennessee .
Suffragists knew that other states were n't going to budge on ratification , explains Weiss .
What 's more , they knew opposition in the South was fierce .
Opponents used racism and the fear of Black women 's empowerment to stoke resistance .
`` The racial arguments that are made are both ugly and abhorrent , '' Weiss says .
`` You have broadsides being distributed by the anti-suffrage forces saying , 'Do you realize that allowing the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to bring back the horrors of Reconstruction ?
That there 's going to be , ' as they call it , 'Negro domination of our government ? '
Race is their main arguing point . ''
Many business interests were opposed to the 19th Amendment too : Factory owners feared women voters would push for tougher labor laws .
The liquor industry was angling to overcome the women 's temperance movement and to end Prohibition .
So that hot summer , political operatives and lobbyists descended on the state 's capital , Nashville @ @ @ @ @ @ @ buying votes and carrying out dirty tricks .
Decades later , in an oral history given when she was 101 , Tennessee suffragist Abby Crawford Milton recalled , `` The bribery that went on in that legislature is beyond belief ! ''
Defying Prohibition , the liquor lobby set up what became known as the Jack Daniel 's Suite in the Hermitage Hotel to lubricate legislators ' votes against suffrage .
`` They served liquor there to the members , all the members that they could get drunk , '' Milton said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ us , with all the men that they could . ''
With all this going on , women were out in force , arguing both for and against suffrage .
They were buttonholing legislators , counting votes , even standing guard at Union Station , as Weiss writes , `` so no cowardly , or coerced , delegate could leave town before the vote . ''
Their positions were made clear by the floral display on their lapels .
When the women convinced a legislator to join their side , they would pin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for women 's suffrage wore a yellow rose , while those against sported a red American Beauty .
`` It 's often called the War of the Roses , '' Weiss says .
Calling it a war is not all that far-fetched .
`` There are threats of kidnapping .
There are fistfights , '' Weiss says .
`` There are even death threats , and the governor has to order state troopers to guard some of the suffrage leaders in the legislature .
It gets very ugly , and you see that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is the moment which can decide whether American women are going to be allowed into their nation 's democracy . ''
Into this heated frenzy enters Harry T. Burn , who will become either the hero or the villain of this story to those at the time , depending on their allegiance .
Burn is a freshman delegate to the Tennessee House of Representatives , hailing from the tiny hill town of Niota in East Tennessee .
The youngest member of the state legislature at age 24 , he is nicknamed `` Baby @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1920 , Burn walks onto the House floor of the Tennessee State Capitol with a red rose pinned to his jacket lapel .
The anti-suffragists are sure he is on their side .
Burn has been warned that his political career is in jeopardy if he votes against them .
Indeed , twice that day , he votes with the antis to table the suffrage amendment — that is , to kill it by not voting on it .
But that attempt fails when those votes end in a tie , 48-48 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ : the vote on whether to ratify the suffrage amendment itself — a roll call vote , yes or no .
`` The pressure in Tennessee 's House chamber that morning was intense , because every person sitting there knew it 's us or it wo n't happen , '' says Carole Bucy , a history professor at Volunteer State Community College .
Women have packed the gallery to watch the action .
The chamber is a sea of yellow and red roses .
`` Harry Burn is called , '' Bucy says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was regarded to be a fairly quiet voice , said , 'Aye . '
`` To everyone 's shock , Burn has flipped .
The tie is broken .
Ratification has passed .
`` Pandemonium is erupting , '' Bucy says .
`` The antis are furious .
They thought they had this locked up ! ''
The impact is seismic , says Weiss : `` The 19th Amendment is ratified .
And then all hell breaks loose .
You have the suffragists screaming and crying and throwing their yellow roses down onto @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just stunned and horrified , and they 're hissing and screaming at Harry Burn . ''
What they did n't know is that Harry Burn had a letter in his pocket that he had received shortly before the vote from his mother , Febb Burn , back in Niota .
Febb Burn was a widow , running the family farm .
She was college educated , a voracious newspaper reader and a strong supporter of women 's suffrage .
As Febb Burn 's great-granddaughter , Sandra Burn Boyd , tells it , Febb @ @ @ @ @ @ @ debate , and she was worried .
She had n't read anything in the papers about where Harry stood .
`` Her son 's in Nashville fixin ' to be part of this huge vote that would make the decision about women , '' Boyd says , `` and she finally decided maybe she needed to nudge him just a little bit . ''
So Febb took a pencil and wrote Harry a six-page letter on lined paper , `` talking about weather and weddings and blah blah blah , '' as Boyd @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down to business .
`` Hurrah and vote for suffrage , '' she directed her son , `` and do n't keep them in doubt . ''
The day after the vote , Burn told his fellow delegates , `` I knew that a mother 's advice is always safest for a boy to follow , and my mother wanted me to vote for ratification . ''
Years later , in a family oral history , he stood by his decision .
`` I think it was morally right , '' he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I still think it . ''
After his historic vote , newspapers had a field day churning out Harry Burn limericks , like this one that ran in The Knoxville Sentinel : That November , Burn was vindicated , narrowly winning reelection to the Tennessee House .
`` We 're in a new world now '' For Burn family descendants , their place in history is inspiring .
`` [ Harry Burn ] made an incredible impact on this entire country , '' says Sandra Boyd 's son Tyler , a schoolteacher , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ great-granduncle titled Tennessee Statesman Harry T. Burn : Woman Suffrage , Free Elections and a Life of Service .
`` Niota and McMinn County and East Tennessee are all very , very proud of him , '' Tyler says .
`` Absolutely , '' agrees his mother .
`` Very , very proud of that fact . ''
On Oct. 9 , 1920 , Febb Burn registered to vote in McMinn County .
`` His Registration No .
is 1 , '' reads her voter registration card .
`` He is entitled to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1st District of McMinn County . ''
`` All the pronouns are male , '' says Tyler Boyd .
`` They did n't even have time to change it , 'cause we 're in a new world now .
She finally cast a ballot for the first time in her life , November 1920 , at age 47 . ''
Not far from Niota , in the heart of downtown Knoxville , Febb and Harry Burn are immortalized in a bronze statue commissioned by the Knoxville Suffrage Coalition .
Harry is seated with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on his shoulder .
`` A giant step toward a more perfect union , '' reads the inscription at the memorial 's base .
`` That change of vote enfranchised millions of women , '' says Suffrage Coalition President Wanda Sobieski .
`` Twenty-seven million women got the right to vote . ''
The centennial of women 's suffrage , Sobieski says , is a reminder to value our voting rights .
`` If people really — especially women — really understood how hard it was for these women to go through 72 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ having to basically beg for the vote from the men who controlled the legislatures , '' she says , `` then maybe they 'd be more thankful for what they have and more likely to go out and vote . ''
The Suffrage Coalition had planned a big suffrage centennial parade in Knoxville , but it has pushed that back until next year because of the coronavirus pandemic .
The group is calling it `` Centennial Plus . ''
`` You know , the suffragists waited 72 years to get the vote , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` I guess we can wait one more year to celebrate the centennial ! ''

The Nudge And Tie Breaker That Took Women's Suffrage From Nay To Yea
The 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified 100 years ago this week, and it comprises just 39 words:
The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.
But the fight to secure women that right to vote was decades long, and the final step toward ratification hinged on the decision of one young man in Tennessee: state Rep. Harry T. Burn.
"Their last best hope"
Long after the Seneca Falls convention launched the women's suffrage movement in 1848; after suffragists had marched, picketed the White House, staged hunger strikes and endured force-feeding in prison; finally, in August of 1920, their dream was in sight.
After rejecting the amendment for decades, Congress passed it on June 4, 1919, and 35 states went on to ratify it. Suffragists needed just one more state for the 19th Amendment to be enshrined in the Constitution.
toggle caption Burn Family
"Tennessee turns out to be their last best hope, the state that had any possibility of ratifying. And that terrifies them," says author Elaine Weiss, whose book The Woman's Hour: The Great Fight to Win the Vote recounts the dramatic suffrage battle in Tennessee.
Suffragists knew that other states weren't going to budge on ratification, explains Weiss. What's more, they knew opposition in the South was fierce. Opponents used racism and the fear of Black women's empowerment to stoke resistance.
"The racial arguments that are made are both ugly and abhorrent," Weiss says. "You have broadsides being distributed by the anti-suffrage forces saying, 'Do you realize that allowing the 19th Amendment to be ratified is going to bring back the horrors of Reconstruction? That there's going to be,' as they call it, 'Negro domination of our government?' Race is their main arguing point."
Enlarge this image toggle caption Nina Subin/Penguin Books Nina Subin/Penguin Books
Many business interests were opposed to the 19th Amendment too: Factory owners feared women voters would push for tougher labor laws. The liquor industry was angling to overcome the women's temperance movement and to end Prohibition.
So that hot summer, political operatives and lobbyists descended on the state's capital, Nashville, in droves, twisting arms, buying votes and carrying out dirty tricks.
Decades later, in an oral history given when she was 101, Tennessee suffragist Abby Crawford Milton recalled, "The bribery that went on in that legislature is beyond belief!"
Defying Prohibition, the liquor lobby set up what became known as the Jack Daniel's Suite in the Hermitage Hotel to lubricate legislators' votes against suffrage.
"They served liquor there to the members, all the members that they could get drunk," Milton said. "They took our votes away from us, with all the men that they could."
With all this going on, women were out in force, arguing both for and against suffrage.
They were buttonholing legislators, counting votes, even standing guard at Union Station, as Weiss writes, "so no cowardly, or coerced, delegate could leave town before the vote."
Their positions were made clear by the floral display on their lapels. When the women convinced a legislator to join their side, they would pin a rose to his jacket. Those for women's suffrage wore a yellow rose, while those against sported a red American Beauty. "It's often called the War of the Roses," Weiss says.
Calling it a war is not all that far-fetched.
"There are threats of kidnapping. There are fistfights," Weiss says. "There are even death threats, and the governor has to order state troopers to guard some of the suffrage leaders in the legislature. It gets very ugly, and you see that the stakes are quite high. This is the moment which can decide whether American women are going to be allowed into their nation's democracy."
Enlarge this image toggle caption Burn Family Burn Family
Breaking the tie
Into this heated frenzy enters Harry T. Burn, who will become either the hero or the villain of this story to those at the time, depending on their allegiance.
Burn is a freshman delegate to the Tennessee House of Representatives, hailing from the tiny hill town of Niota in East Tennessee. The youngest member of the state legislature at age 24, he is nicknamed "Baby Burn."
On Aug. 18, 1920, Burn walks onto the House floor of the Tennessee State Capitol with a red rose pinned to his jacket lapel.
The anti-suffragists are sure he is on their side. Burn has been warned that his political career is in jeopardy if he votes against them. Indeed, twice that day, he votes with the antis to table the suffrage amendment — that is, to kill it by not voting on it.
But that attempt fails when those votes end in a tie, 48-48.
So now comes the moment of truth: the vote on whether to ratify the suffrage amendment itself — a roll call vote, yes or no.
"The pressure in Tennessee's House chamber that morning was intense, because every person sitting there knew it's us or it won't happen," says Carole Bucy, a history professor at Volunteer State Community College.
Enlarge this image toggle caption McClung Historical Collection/Knox County Public Library System McClung Historical Collection/Knox County Public Library System
Women have packed the gallery to watch the action. The chamber is a sea of yellow and red roses.
"Harry Burn is called," Bucy says, "and he, in what was regarded to be a fairly quiet voice, said, 'Aye.' "
To everyone's shock, Burn has flipped. The tie is broken. Ratification has passed.
"Pandemonium is erupting," Bucy says. "The antis are furious. They thought they had this locked up!"
The impact is seismic, says Weiss: "The 19th Amendment is ratified. And then all hell breaks loose. You have the suffragists screaming and crying and throwing their yellow roses down onto the legislators, and the anti-suffragists are just stunned and horrified, and they're hissing and screaming at Harry Burn."
What they didn't know is that Harry Burn had a letter in his pocket that he had received shortly before the vote from his mother, Febb Burn, back in Niota.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Burn Family Burn Family
Febb Burn was a widow, running the family farm. She was college educated, a voracious newspaper reader and a strong supporter of women's suffrage.
As Febb Burn's great-granddaughter, Sandra Burn Boyd, tells it, Febb was keeping close tabs on the suffrage debate, and she was worried.
She hadn't read anything in the papers about where Harry stood.
"Her son's in Nashville fixin' to be part of this huge vote that would make the decision about women," Boyd says, "and she finally decided maybe she needed to nudge him just a little bit."
So Febb took a pencil and wrote Harry a six-page letter on lined paper, "talking about weather and weddings and blah blah blah," as Boyd puts it, and then Febb got down to business.
"Hurrah and vote for suffrage," she directed her son, "and don't keep them in doubt."
Harry listened.
The day after the vote, Burn told his fellow delegates, "I knew that a mother's advice is always safest for a boy to follow, and my mother wanted me to vote for ratification."
Years later, in a family oral history, he stood by his decision. "I think it was morally right," he said. "I thought it then; I still think it."
After his historic vote, newspapers had a field day churning out Harry Burn limericks, like this one that ran in The Knoxville Sentinel:
There is a young man from Niota who for precedent cares no iota he sprung a surprise when he flopped to the 'ayes', and enraptured the feminine voter!
That November, Burn was vindicated, narrowly winning reelection to the Tennessee House.
"We're in a new world now"
For Burn family descendants, their place in history is inspiring.
"[Harry Burn] made an incredible impact on this entire country," says Sandra Boyd's son Tyler, a schoolteacher, who has written a biography of his great-granduncle titled Tennessee Statesman Harry T. Burn: Woman Suffrage, Free Elections and a Life of Service.
"Niota and McMinn County and East Tennessee are all very, very proud of him," Tyler says.
"Absolutely," agrees his mother. "Very, very proud of that fact."
Enlarge this image toggle caption McClung Historical Collection/Knox County Public Library System McClung Historical Collection/Knox County Public Library System
On Oct. 9, 1920, Febb Burn registered to vote in McMinn County.
"His Registration No. is 1," reads her voter registration card. "He is entitled to vote ... in the 4th Precinct, 1st District of McMinn County."
"All the pronouns are male," says Tyler Boyd. "They didn't even have time to change it, 'cause we're in a new world now. She finally cast a ballot for the first time in her life, November 1920, at age 47."
Not far from Niota, in the heart of downtown Knoxville, Febb and Harry Burn are immortalized in a bronze statue commissioned by the Knoxville Suffrage Coalition. Harry is seated with Febb standing behind him, one hand on his shoulder. "A giant step toward a more perfect union," reads the inscription at the memorial's base.
"That change of vote enfranchised millions of women," says Suffrage Coalition President Wanda Sobieski. "Twenty-seven million women got the right to vote."
The centennial of women's suffrage, Sobieski says, is a reminder to value our voting rights.
"If people really — especially women — really understood how hard it was for these women to go through 72 years of struggle, of ridicule, having to basically beg for the vote from the men who controlled the legislatures," she says, "then maybe they'd be more thankful for what they have and more likely to go out and vote."
The Suffrage Coalition had planned a big suffrage centennial parade in Knoxville, but it has pushed that back until next year because of the coronavirus pandemic. The group is calling it "Centennial Plus."
"You know, the suffragists waited 72 years to get the vote," Sobieski says with a chuckle. "I guess we can wait one more year to celebrate the centennial!"