npr--2020-11-25--Embattled Public Health Workers Leaving At 'Steady And Alarming' Rate

Lauri Jones has been working in public health in Washington state 's Okanogan County for 17 years .
After repeated recent threats to her safety , she recently got a new security system for her home .
`` I still find myself sometimes looking over my shoulder , '' Jones says .
`` Especially if I walk out of the building and it 's getting obviously dark earlier . ''
She 's not leaving her post as the county 's community health director .
But her colleague Dr. John McCarthy is leaving in December .
He says the workload has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that my colleague [ Lauri Jones ] was threatened multiple times , and in social media , and in very inappropriate ways , '' McCarthy says .
`` We do n't have to be happy that there 's a pandemic going on , but to blame individuals is not going to be helpful . ''
Earlier this year , anti-mask demonstrators protested outside the home of Spokane , Wash. health officer Dr. Bob Lutz .
He was recently fired by the county board of health , sparking a backlash and calls for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did n't respond to multiple interview requests for this story .
In the Benton and Franklin County region in Washington , a petition is circulating to remove a health official as well .
In Yakima County , the health director recently resigned .
And in Whitman County , home to Washington State University in Pullman , the health director just departed for a job overseas .
At the state level , Washington Health Officer Dr. Kathy Lofy announced she will resign her position as well .
Lori Freeman calls the loss of top @ @ @ @ @ @ @ steady and alarming . ''
Freeman heads the National Association of County and City Health Officials .
More than 70 have been fired , resigned or plan to leave their posts since the pandemic began in the U.S .
In fact , so many are leaving , Freeman is keeping a spreadsheet .
`` Some of our public health officials have been physically threatened , politically scapegoated , '' Freeman says.
`` Their roles have been diminished , their authorities have been in some cases taken away . ''
This is happening while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Baby Boomer retirements in the next few years .
That was before the pandemic .
Freeman says that since February , the outsized workload has made things worse .
And Freeman says fresh energy is needed on the public health front .
`` We have to get through the vaccination stage where we are actively deploying and vaccinating the country , '' Freeman says .
More staff , more supplies and more organization nationally could help with the pandemic , health workers say .
Freeman says the outsized workload has n't let @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before COVID-19 , health officials say they 'd been underfunded , with staff cut to the minimum .
It 's been months since Congress passed a COVID-19 relief act , called the CARES Act .
It was signed into law in March .
Senator Patty Murray of Washington says the U.S. House of Representatives tried to fund more relief in May .
But , Murray says , `` [ Senate ] Majority Leader Mitch McConnell would not bring it up . ''
Murray says she 's deeply concerned about the attrition of top @ @ @ @ @ @ @ across the country .
She says President Donald Trump has politicized the pandemic .
`` He 's refused to listen to the science , '' she says .
`` He 's refused to listen to the expertise of public health officials who are on the ground making decisions about how to address the virus and keep their communities safe .
It 's an enormous emotional toll when they are not believed for the profession that they are trained in . ''
Oregon Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici calls it is `` beyond frustrating . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the U.S. House has passed is just waiting for the Senate to take action .
The legislation would provide more than one trillion dollars of aid to state , local governments and tribes to respond to the pandemic .
Senate Majority Leader McConnell has been pushing a smaller , more targeted relief bill that costs roughly $ 500 billion and does not include money for state and local governments .
COVID-19 does n't know boundaries : cities , farms , Democrats and Republicans , Bonamici says .
And she points out that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at particular risk are smaller communities with limited health care systems .
`` Healthcare workers in those communities ... are seeing people they know [ get sick ] , '' Bonamici says .
`` If we do n't turn this around , they are going to go to the hospital and the hospital is going to be full . ''
Karen Koenemann has just a few days left at her post on Colorado 's Western Slope .
She 's the public health director for Pitkin County , and she did n't really know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ emails started coming .
Early in the pandemic , a press release went out from her office with a quote from her .
`` It was something like , ' I really hope we do n't see an increase in cases in our community , ' or something like that , '' Koenemann says .
Despite the fairly mundane quote , she received a stinging email .
A community member accused her of not understanding the pandemic .
`` [ They ] said 'You are a derelict of duty by even saying that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' she recalls .
The public health director of Las Animas and Huerfano counties in Colorado was the target of aggressive radio ads paid for by a group named `` Colorado Counties for Freedom . ''
The ads demands her authority to be stripped .
The public health director 's car was also vandalized .
Koenemann , on Colorado 's Western Slope , says she 's tired of the attacks and tired of getting little help from community leaders .
It came to a head during a meeting with elected officials .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just started to cry in the meeting , '' she says .
`` That was sort of how [ my burnout ] came out .
You know , I would be crying in a meeting with the sheriff and the county manager . ''
Konenemann has now resigned her position as public health director .
She plans to move to Alaska .

Embattled Public Health Workers Leaving At 'Steady And Alarming' Rate
Enlarge this image toggle caption Daniel Slim/AFP via Getty Images Daniel Slim/AFP via Getty Images
Lauri Jones has been working in public health in Washington state's Okanogan County for 17 years. After repeated recent threats to her safety, she recently got a new security system for her home.
"I still find myself sometimes looking over my shoulder," Jones says. "Especially if I walk out of the building and it's getting obviously dark earlier."
She's not leaving her post as the county's community health director. But her colleague Dr. John McCarthy is leaving in December. He says the workload has become too heavy.
"I know that my colleague [Lauri Jones] was threatened multiple times, and in social media, and in very inappropriate ways," McCarthy says. "We don't have to be happy that there's a pandemic going on, but to blame individuals is not going to be helpful."
Earlier this year, anti-mask demonstrators protested outside the home of Spokane, Wash. health officer Dr. Bob Lutz. He was recently fired by the county board of health, sparking a backlash and calls for the state health board to investigate. Lutz didn't respond to multiple interview requests for this story. In the Benton and Franklin County region in Washington, a petition is circulating to remove a health official as well.
In Yakima County, the health director recently resigned. And in Whitman County, home to Washington State University in Pullman, the health director just departed for a job overseas. At the state level, Washington Health Officer Dr. Kathy Lofy announced she will resign her position as well.
'Steady and alarming'
Lori Freeman calls the loss of top public health officers across the country "steady and alarming." Freeman heads the National Association of County and City Health Officials. More than 70 have been fired, resigned or plan to leave their posts since the pandemic began in the U.S. In fact, so many are leaving, Freeman is keeping a spreadsheet.
"Some of our public health officials have been physically threatened, politically scapegoated," Freeman says. " Their roles have been diminished, their authorities have been in some cases taken away."
Health NYC's Health Commissioner Resigns After Clashes With Mayor NYC's Health Commissioner Resigns After Clashes With Mayor Listen · 3:55 3:55
This is happening while Freeman was already anticipating an exodus due to Baby Boomer retirements in the next few years. That was before the pandemic. Freeman says that since February, the outsized workload has made things worse. And Freeman says fresh energy is needed on the public health front.
"We have to get through the vaccination stage where we are actively deploying and vaccinating the country," Freeman says.
Little federal help
More staff, more supplies and more organization nationally could help with the pandemic, health workers say.
Freeman says the outsized workload hasn't let up since February. And for years before COVID-19 , health officials say they'd been underfunded, with staff cut to the minimum.
It's been months since Congress passed a COVID-19 relief act, called the CARES Act. It was signed into law in March.
Senator Patty Murray of Washington says the U.S. House of Representatives tried to fund more relief in May. But, Murray says, "[Senate] Majority Leader Mitch McConnell would not bring it up."
Murray says she's deeply concerned about the attrition of top doctors, nurses and public health officials across the country. She says President Donald Trump has politicized the pandemic.
"He's refused to listen to the science," she says. "He's refused to listen to the expertise of public health officials who are on the ground making decisions about how to address the virus and keep their communities safe. It's an enormous emotional toll when they are not believed for the profession that they are trained in."
Health Public Health Workers Face Threats, Unemployment While Fighting Virus Public Health Workers Face Threats, Unemployment While Fighting Virus Listen · 4:41 4:41
Oregon Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici calls it is "beyond frustrating."
She point out that the HEROES Act that the U.S. House has passed is just waiting for the Senate to take action. The legislation would provide more than one trillion dollars of aid to state, local governments and tribes to respond to the pandemic.
Senate Majority Leader McConnell has been pushing a smaller, more targeted relief bill that costs roughly $500 billion and does not include money for state and local governments.
COVID-19 doesn't know boundaries: cities, farms, Democrats and Republicans, Bonamici says. And she points out that with COVID-19 case rates moving upward, at particular risk are smaller communities with limited health care systems.
"Healthcare workers in those communities ... are seeing people they know [get sick]," Bonamici says. "If we don't turn this around, they are going to go to the hospital and the hospital is going to be full."
Unrelenting attacks
Karen Koenemann has just a few days left at her post on Colorado's Western Slope. She's the public health director for Pitkin County, and she didn't really know she was burned out until the nasty emails started coming. Early in the pandemic, a press release went out from her office with a quote from her.
"It was something like, 'I really hope we don't see an increase in cases in our community,' or something like that," Koenemann says.
Despite the fairly mundane quote, she received a stinging email. A community member accused her of not understanding the pandemic.
"[They] said 'You are a derelict of duty by even saying that, you should be fired,'" she recalls.
The public health director of Las Animas and Huerfano counties in Colorado was the target of aggressive radio ads paid for by a group named "Colorado Counties for Freedom." The ads demands her authority to be stripped. The public health director's car was also vandalized.
Koenemann, on Colorado's Western Slope, says she's tired of the attacks and tired of getting little help from community leaders. It came to a head during a meeting with elected officials.
"I felt alone, and so I just started to cry in the meeting," she says. "That was sort of how [my burnout] came out. You know, I would be crying in a meeting with the sheriff and the county manager."
Konenemann has now resigned her position as public health director. She plans to move to Alaska.


npr--2020-11-26--Coronavirus World Map: Tracking The Spread Of The Outbreak

Coronavirus World Map : Tracking The Spread Of The Outbreak On Sept. 28 , the world marked a tragic milestone : 1 million deaths from COVID-19 .
That 's according to a tally maintained by Johns Hopkins University .
And public health experts believe the actual toll – the recorded deaths plus the unrecorded deaths – is much higher .
While the number of cases has slowed in many countries that were hit hard early on by coronavirus , the number of new cases continues to increase .
Since early July , new daily cases averaged over 200,000 worldwide .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ country-by-country breakdown of new and total cases since January .
At over 11 million cases , the United States leads the world 's COVID-19 crisis .
In late spring and early summer , new COVID-19 cases were largely driven by cases in the Americas .
While the U.S. has consistently had the most new daily cases of coronavirus in the region , Brazil 's new daily cases increased rapidly between May and August .
However , in September , several countries that had previously flattened their curve saw a resurgence in cases , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , daily case counts have risen swiftly since June , without signs of slowing down .
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 .
To compare country outbreaks , the chart below graphs trend lines for average new daily cases and deaths against each country 's totals to date .
This type of visualization highlights a state 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 countries like Israel , which is seeing a second wave of case growth after an initial wave in April , the line forms a V-shape , as the initially bent curve spikes upwards again .
Click here to see the state-by-state breakdown of cases in the United States .
This story was originally published on @ @ @ @ @

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--2020-11-26--Newly Elected DAs Vow To Continue Reforms, End Policies Deemed Unfair

This month 's elections , especially in the aftermath of this summer 's protests against racial injustice , were seen as a test for criminal justice reforms .
This was especially true for so-called progressive district attorneys .
Many policies in the higher-profile cities of Philadelphia , San Francisco and Chicago already had drawn the ire of some in law enforcement , including choosing not to prosecute certain low-level crimes , among other changes .
Those policies appear to be just fine with voters in cities with prosecutors who vowed to continue shaking things up .
A prime example is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's Attorney Kim Foxx won her bid for re-election .
The office is the second-largest in the country , ( behind Los Angeles county ) with more than 700 attorneys .
Foxx is the first black woman to lead it .
She is considered one of the country 's most prominent progressive prosecutors .
First elected in 2016 , she promised to transform a criminal justice system that disproportionately affects people of color .
Despite some political stumbles , her re-election is an example of the movement 's progression .
`` It means @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down on our efforts , '' says Foxx , `` to make sure that people with substance use disorder or mental health issues have the resources they need in communities so we can stop the de facto use of our justice system '' to help people in crisis .
Fox reduced charges for low-level offenses like retail theft , she steered some facing drug charges into treatment programs .
She vacated the sentences of at least 100 men wrongfully convicted and survived a firestorm of controversy over how her office handled the case @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of falsely claiming he was a victim of a hate crime .
The progressive push can also be found in Austin , Texas , where voters overwhelmingly selected Jose Garza to serve as the next district attorney of Travis County .
Garza , a former public defender , says the typical hallmark of a prosecutor — conviction rates and longer sentences — is wrong-headed .
He says criminalizing low-level drug use and prosecuting some non-violent offenses does n't make communities safer and they wo n't be his priority .
`` We also know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the greatest drivers of racial disparities in our criminal justice system , '' says Garza .
`` So we have made clear that when we take office we will end the prosecution of low-level drug offenses . ''
This summer 's protests were sparked by the killing of George Floyd while in Minneapolis police custody .
But his death was merely the latest involving police that sparked outrage .
Among the thorniest questions remains how prosecutors handle complaints of police violence .
That played out in a run-off race that drew national @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a district attorney for Los Angeles County , the country 's largest prosecutor 's office .
George Gascon , the former district attorney for San Francisco and a former police chief , will head the office in what 's considered a major victor for the progressive movement .
Gascon replaces Jackie Lacey , who is the first Black person and first woman to hold the post .
She often faced criticism from protesters who charged Lacey did not aggressively pursue charges against police involved in the shootings of unarmed men .
Gascon , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ promptly implement a number of changes .
`` We would eliminate the death penalty .
We 'd Stop prosecuting children as adults .
We would start creating more diversion opportunities especially for those that are mentally ill , '' says Gascon .
The push to elect reform- minded district attorneys began six years ago in the aftermath of nationwide demonstrations spurred by the fatal shooting of Michael Brown , an 18-year-old black man , by Darren Wilson , a white police officer in Ferguson , Mo .
The movement is growing but still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ elected prosecutors fewer than 100 pursue reform agendas .
Scott Roberts , the senior director of campaigns for the activist group , Color of Change , says there has been lots of pushback from law enforcement , police unions and conservative politicians .
`` We think we caught a lot of those folks off guard , '' says Roberts .
`` They were n't ready for a movement that would focus on prosecutor elections.
`` There 's growing attention now .
A speech at the National Convention of the Fraternal Order of Police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ William Barr made that evident .
He chastised progressive prosecutors , calling them anti-law enforcement district attorneys who `` style themselves social justice reformers , and spend their time undercutting the police , letting criminals off the hook and refusing to enforce the laws . ''
John Jay College of Criminal Justice Professor Peter Moskos says despite the Barr 's criticism , reform-minded prosecutors are raising real issues .
But , he adds , their focus has to be on public safety .
`` The idea that if we just stop arresting and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ better is a dream world , '' says Moskos .
`` We have n't seen that happen anywhere . ''
Prosecutors Foxx , Gascon and Garza say they are providing a necessary and more nuanced approach and not compromising public safety .
Jami Hodge is the director of the Reshaping Prosecution Program at the Vera Institute of Justice .
She says with more progressive attorneys winning races and others staying in power , it speaks volumes about where the movement is heading .
Hodge says that 's especially true with Gascon and Foxx @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It shows , she says , how communities and organizers `` are recognizing by changing one person , one person at the top , they can really see something different in the way their system is working in their local community . ''
That 's a criminal justice reform that Hodge and other advocates hope will gain even more traction during the next election for prosecutors across the country .

Newly Elected DAs Vow To Continue Reforms, End Policies Deemed Unfair
Enlarge this image toggle caption Charles Rex Arbogast/AP Charles Rex Arbogast/AP
This month's elections, especially in the aftermath of this summer's protests against racial injustice, were seen as a test for criminal justice reforms. This was especially true for so-called progressive district attorneys.
Many policies in the higher-profile cities of Philadelphia, San Francisco and Chicago already had drawn the ire of some in law enforcement, including choosing not to prosecute certain low-level crimes, among other changes.
Those policies appear to be just fine with voters in cities with prosecutors who vowed to continue shaking things up.
A prime example is in Chicago, where Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx won her bid for re-election. The office is the second-largest in the country, (behind Los Angeles county) with more than 700 attorneys.
Foxx is the first black woman to lead it. She is considered one of the country's most prominent progressive prosecutors. First elected in 2016, she promised to transform a criminal justice system that disproportionately affects people of color. Despite some political stumbles, her re-election is an example of the movement's progression.
"It means, in this next term, doubling down on our efforts," says Foxx, "to make sure that people with substance use disorder or mental health issues have the resources they need in communities so we can stop the de facto use of our justice system" to help people in crisis.
Fox reduced charges for low-level offenses like retail theft, she steered some facing drug charges into treatment programs. She vacated the sentences of at least 100 men wrongfully convicted and survived a firestorm of controversy over how her office handled the case of a television celebrity who was accused of falsely claiming he was a victim of a hate crime.
The progressive push can also be found in Austin, Texas, where voters overwhelmingly selected Jose Garza to serve as the next district attorney of Travis County. Garza, a former public defender, says the typical hallmark of a prosecutor — conviction rates and longer sentences — is wrong-headed. He says criminalizing low-level drug use and prosecuting some non-violent offenses doesn't make communities safer and they won't be his priority.
"We also know that those kind of offenses are one of the greatest drivers of racial disparities in our criminal justice system," says Garza. "So we have made clear that when we take office we will end the prosecution of low-level drug offenses."
This summer's protests were sparked by the killing of George Floyd while in Minneapolis police custody. But his death was merely the latest involving police that sparked outrage. Among the thorniest questions remains how prosecutors handle complaints of police violence.
That played out in a run-off race that drew national attention and big-money donors as voters selected a district attorney for Los Angeles County, the country's largest prosecutor's office.
George Gascon, the former district attorney for San Francisco and a former police chief, will head the office in what's considered a major victor for the progressive movement. Gascon replaces Jackie Lacey, who is the first Black person and first woman to hold the post. She often faced criticism from protesters who charged Lacey did not aggressively pursue charges against police involved in the shootings of unarmed men. Gascon, who faced scrutiny himself, promised to promptly implement a number of changes.
"We would eliminate the death penalty. We'd Stop prosecuting children as adults. We would start creating more diversion opportunities especially for those that are mentally ill," says Gascon.
The push to elect reform- minded district attorneys began six years ago in the aftermath of nationwide demonstrations spurred by the fatal shooting of Michael Brown, an 18-year-old black man, by Darren Wilson, a white police officer in Ferguson, Mo.
The movement is growing but still small. Out of more than 2,400 elected prosecutors fewer than 100 pursue reform agendas.
Scott Roberts, the senior director of campaigns for the activist group, Color of Change, says there has been lots of pushback from law enforcement, police unions and conservative politicians.
"We think we caught a lot of those folks off guard," says Roberts. "They weren't ready for a movement that would focus on prosecutor elections. "
There's growing attention now. A speech at the National Convention of the Fraternal Order of Police last year by US Atty. Gen. William Barr made that evident. He chastised progressive prosecutors, calling them anti-law enforcement district attorneys who "style themselves social justice reformers, and spend their time undercutting the police, letting criminals off the hook and refusing to enforce the laws."
John Jay College of Criminal Justice Professor Peter Moskos says despite the Barr's criticism, reform-minded prosecutors are raising real issues. But, he adds, their focus has to be on public safety.
"The idea that if we just stop arresting and prosecuting non-violent offenders and everything will get better is a dream world," says Moskos. "We haven't seen that happen anywhere."
Prosecutors Foxx, Gascon and Garza say they are providing a necessary and more nuanced approach and not compromising public safety.
Jami Hodge is the director of the Reshaping Prosecution Program at the Vera Institute of Justice. She says with more progressive attorneys winning races and others staying in power, it speaks volumes about where the movement is heading. Hodge says that's especially true with Gascon and Foxx leading the country's largest prosecutor offices.
It shows, she says, how communities and organizers "are recognizing by changing one person, one person at the top, they can really see something different in the way their system is working in their local community."
That's a criminal justice reform that Hodge and other advocates hope will gain even more traction during the next election for prosecutors across the country.


npr--2020-11-26--Restaurants Reinvent Themselves For Thanksgiving And Beyond: 'You Just Pivot'

Restaurants Reinvent Themselves For Thanksgiving And Beyond : 'You Just Pivot' Yuko Watanabe had to learn a lot of plant names .
She lists them with as much confidence as she does her extensive soup menu .
Calathea , pothos , Swedish ivy , song of India .
For over a decade , her Yuko Kitchen has fed Los Angeles Japanese comfort food — something like your friend 's mom might cook for you after the school , Watanabe says .
But this pandemic spring , when streets emptied and her phones grew quiet , a mini-jungle took over the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to sell nourishment both for the body and the soul .
Now comes Thanksgiving , a holiday when Watanabe closes her restaurants and normally does n't do anything special .
`` This year , the first time , I make green-tea cheese pie for Thanksgiving , '' she says .
You know , the classic Thanksgiving dessert .
`` A Japanese twist , '' she adds , laughing .
In a year of devastating shutdowns , few restaurants can afford to ignore America 's big food-centered celebration .
Even storied establishments were offering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Huntington Library in California or the restaurant group serving the U.S. Senate and several Smithsonian museums in the nation 's capital .
For the first 10 months of the year , sales at bars and restaurants were down more than 19 % compared to last year .
The National Restaurant Association estimates total pandemic losses have reached $ 215 billion .
As of October , the industry was down over 2 million jobs .
`` Fight or flight , '' says Eddy Santiago , a general manager who helps run Giardino and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restaurants in Virginia .
Early in the pandemic , Santiago and his wife raided their party supplies , packing Dr. Seuss-themed gift boxes for families who pick up kids ' meals .
They delivered wine and beer and made grill packages for summer cookouts .
Classic Italian appetizers and prime rib for Thanksgiving ?
Why not .
Holiday gift baskets with olive oil and salami ?
Definitely .
`` You just pivot , '' he says .
`` You 're a restaurant , a foundation in the community — how can you add @ @ @ @ @ @ @ If that means I 've got to make cannolis for a thousand people a day , then that 's what I have to do . ''
In Washington , D.C. , the local steak-and-fries chain Medium Rare has been setting up free-food fridges for families with children and delivering free meals to older people , those most at risk for the coronavirus .
As Thanksgiving approached , something gnawed on co-founder Mark Bucher .
`` There 's only one meal that we eat all year that 's really impossible to cook for one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Bucher says .
`` It 's expensive . ''
So Medium Rare offered free traditional Thanksgiving dinners to folks over 70 , at home alone for the holiday .
Bucher expected maybe a couple hundred orders around the District .
Instead , he expects to top 3,000 .
`` We 're getting requests for people an hour away that we ca n't get to , '' Bucher says .
`` And just in five days , we 've probably gotten two dozen requests ... rescinded because they 've either gone to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deliveries are paid for by a GoFundMe campaign and Medium Rare itself .
The restaurant was able to start the year with a decent cash cushion thanks to some careful business planning — for example , a limited menu of a lot of beef and potatoes allows for economical buying .
And the company is doing another Thanksgiving special , Medium Rare 's annual turkey fry : a free frying service to cut back on accidents at home or help those without the means to cook .
This year , for pandemic safety @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the event is now at the Washington Nationals baseball stadium .

Restaurants Reinvent Themselves For Thanksgiving And Beyond: 'You Just Pivot'
Enlarge this image toggle caption Yuko Watanabe Yuko Watanabe
Yuko Watanabe had to learn a lot of plant names. She lists them with as much confidence as she does her extensive soup menu. Calathea, pothos, Swedish ivy, song of India.
For over a decade, her Yuko Kitchen has fed Los Angeles Japanese comfort food — something like your friend's mom might cook for you after the school, Watanabe says. But this pandemic spring, when streets emptied and her phones grew quiet, a mini-jungle took over the chairs and tables, her cafes pivoting to sell nourishment both for the body and the soul.
Now comes Thanksgiving, a holiday when Watanabe closes her restaurants and normally doesn't do anything special.
"This year, the first time, I make green-tea cheese pie for Thanksgiving," she says. You know, the classic Thanksgiving dessert. "A Japanese twist," she adds, laughing.
In a year of devastating shutdowns, few restaurants can afford to ignore America's big food-centered celebration. Even storied establishments were offering to cater Thanksgiving to go, like the Huntington Library in California or the restaurant group serving the U.S. Senate and several Smithsonian museums in the nation's capital.
For the first 10 months of the year, sales at bars and restaurants were down more than 19% compared to last year. The National Restaurant Association estimates total pandemic losses have reached $215 billion. As of October, the industry was down over 2 million jobs.
"Fight or flight," says Eddy Santiago, a general manager who helps run Giardino and Villa Bella, his family's Italian restaurants in Virginia.
Early in the pandemic, Santiago and his wife raided their party supplies, packing Dr. Seuss-themed gift boxes for families who pick up kids' meals. They delivered wine and beer and made grill packages for summer cookouts. Classic Italian appetizers and prime rib for Thanksgiving? Why not. Holiday gift baskets with olive oil and salami? Definitely.
"You just pivot," he says. "You're a restaurant, a foundation in the community — how can you add value and keep your business afloat? If that means I've got to make cannolis for a thousand people a day, then that's what I have to do."
toggle caption Mark Bucher, Medium Rare Restaurants
In Washington, D.C., the local steak-and-fries chain Medium Rare has been setting up free-food fridges for families with children and delivering free meals to older people, those most at risk for the coronavirus. As Thanksgiving approached, something gnawed on co-founder Mark Bucher.
"There's only one meal that we eat all year that's really impossible to cook for one person — and that's Thanksgiving," Bucher says. "It's expensive."
So Medium Rare offered free traditional Thanksgiving dinners to folks over 70, at home alone for the holiday. Bucher expected maybe a couple hundred orders around the District. Instead, he expects to top 3,000.
"We're getting requests for people an hour away that we can't get to," Bucher says. "And just in five days, we've probably gotten two dozen requests ... rescinded because they've either gone to the hospital or long-term care."
The deliveries are paid for by a GoFundMe campaign and Medium Rare itself. The restaurant was able to start the year with a decent cash cushion thanks to some careful business planning — for example, a limited menu of a lot of beef and potatoes allows for economical buying.
And the company is doing another Thanksgiving special, Medium Rare's annual turkey fry: a free frying service to cut back on accidents at home or help those without the means to cook. This year, for pandemic safety, the fryers are going outside — the event is now at the Washington Nationals baseball stadium.


npr--2020-11-26--There's No Stopping These Seniors; Even A Pandemic Can't Bring Them Down

There 's No Stopping These Seniors ; Even A Pandemic Ca n't Bring Them Down On the rare occasion she leaves her room , Diane Evans uses a walker to gingerly navigate San Francisco 's Tenderloin neighborhood .
Most days , the 74-year-old wears a multicolored head wrap , known as a gele , an extra-large T-shirt and plaid pajama pants .
Deprived of classes and shared meals at the senior center she calls home , she is alone most of the time , beset by numerous health problems and severe clinical depression .
She is , in fact , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be crushed by loneliness .
Yet , she is making it through OK. '' If adverse situations beat you down , there would n't be an African American in this country , '' says Evans .
`` You do what you have to do to survive . ''
Recent research reveals that older populations are less consumed by pandemic depression than those that are younger .
According to a recent study , some seniors have even expanded their social support networks during the lockdowns .
And the researchers found that older adults tended @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with middle-aged and younger adults .
`` They 've been finding ways to adapt and cope , '' says Ashwin Kotwal , a geriatrician at the University of California , San Francisco .
`` They 're finding creative ways to interact with family members through Zoom , taking dance classes online or joining virtual book clubs . ''
Kotwal led a study that tracked 150 older adults in the Bay Area over six months , beginning in April .
Measures of loneliness peaked in the first few months of the outbreak but decreased @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lot of her positive attitude to technology .
Grinning , she reaches for a purple cellphone and says , `` I learned how to text ! ''
She now has Zoom calls regularly with her daughter in Chicago .
When she 's not chatting online , she streams the radio or Hulu .
She keeps solvent by buying very little , subsisting on about $ 1,000 a month from Social Security .
The room she lives in is federally subsidized .
Medicare covers doctor bills , and Meals on Wheels delivers food .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ gloomy days inside her room , she reminds herself , `` This too shall pass . ''
She 's eager for the virus to retreat enough for her to join protests for racial equality .
`` I want to be alive at the end of this , '' she says .
Evans ' story is not uncommon .
At the Curry Senior Center , where she lives , older adults who connect virtually with friends and family are doing well , says Angela Di Martino , the facility 's wellness program manager .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ panacea .
`` Video calls can not replace personal contact , '' she says .
Di Martino is among the experts who fear that virtual interaction wo n't offer a meaningful substitute for live conversation in the long run .
Zoom fatigue is a real thing .
Unsurprisingly , those seniors who are still engaging with people in person are faring the best .
UCSF geriatrician Louise Aronson says she has been hearing from older people who feel less isolated now than prior to the pandemic , because they live in multigenerational households @ @ @ @ @ @ @ off to work or school .
Some are finding new purpose by helping their grandkids with distance learning .
Not everyone is coping To be sure , not all seniors are riding out the storm smoothly .
About 1 in 4 older adults say they 're anxious or depressed , according to a Kaiser Family Foundation poll , a rate that has more than doubled during the pandemic .
The isolation is especially acute in nursing homes that prohibit visitors .
Aronson says she has seen patients who are refusing to eat or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ long stretches .
One recent study of 111 residents in a Chicago-area nursing home found the group shed an average of about 4.5 pounds from December through April .
The researchers attribute the changes to fewer social interactions , a halt to family visits and shifts in schedule , driven by the pandemic .
`` Because they have n't touched another human being or been touched by another human being since March , '' says Aronson , `` there is isolation .
There is depression .
There is battle fatigue . ''
Aronson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Shirley Drexler , who died at an assisted living facility in San Francisco two months into the coronavirus outbreak .
Though 102 years old , prior to the pandemic she was highly social , bright eyed and steady on her feet .
She used to dash from table to table to share lewd jokes during group meals , Aronson says .
`` But after a few weeks , when it became clear that the coronavirus was n't going to go away , she basically took to bed and died .
Because at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ live long enough to see the end of it .
And so she figured that was it .
`` We 've heard many other stories like that . ''
A growing body of literature shows that persistent loneliness has a number of consequences , such as depression , physical pain , increased disabilities and even death .
Some research has shown a link between loneliness and the development of dementia , heart disease and stroke .
A recent study for the first time showed an association between loneliness and diabetes risk .
Sukari @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Dressed in a stylish pair of silver earrings and gold glasses , she says her motto is not to worry about things she ca n't control .
`` We are in a really big change now , '' Addison says .
`` But I 've been through changes before — a lot of them as an African American . ''
She has congestive heart failure and high blood pressure , both of which are risk factors for severe COVID-19 .
But Addison is not living in fear .
`` You get to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you got a foot on the banana peel , '' she says .
On a hot summer night in August , after collapsing on her bed from fatigue , she tried not to panic .
Within days she tested positive for the coronavirus and landed in the hospital with pneumonia .
The hardest part , she says , was the no-visitor policy .
After two dire weeks , her physician sent her home , and she credits her recovery to the kindness of the nurses and doctors .
She 's still moving slowly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ room she rents near Union Square .
But she says she 's not lonely , as her devices keep her connected .
`` I learn so much because of technology , '' she says .
`` All I have to do is turn on my iPhone or my iPad or my computer , and there is a new subject for me to learn . ''
She often showcases her new skills over FaceTime with her six great-grandchildren on the East Coast .
In the evenings , her sweetheart visits .
They make dinner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ days she pulls on her gloves , tightens her mask and strolls the city , chatting with folks on the street .
She looks forward to a lot more social interaction when the pandemic ends .
`` I 'm a professional volunteer ! ''
proclaims Addison .
Until that 's safe , she 's taking it one day at a time .
`` The good news overall is that older adults are adapting .
They 're resilient , '' Kotwal says .
`` They 're finding ways to continue to cope despite these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hand , I think there is that subgroup that has had persistent loneliness that has n't been able to adapt to new technologies or has had trouble coping . ''
Kotwal says it 's critical that doctors and social service agencies track older adults who may not have access to or feel comfortable navigating technology .
He and his UCSF colleagues plan to check back with their original study cohort in a few months .
He worries that colder weather and a very different holiday season may lead to increased loneliness , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fall and winter .

There's No Stopping These Seniors; Even A Pandemic Can't Bring Them Down
Enlarge this image toggle caption Lesley McClurg/KQED Lesley McClurg/KQED
On the rare occasion she leaves her room, Diane Evans uses a walker to gingerly navigate San Francisco's Tenderloin neighborhood. Most days, the 74-year-old wears a multicolored head wrap, known as a gele, an extra-large T-shirt and plaid pajama pants.
Deprived of classes and shared meals at the senior center she calls home, she is alone most of the time, beset by numerous health problems and severe clinical depression.
She is, in fact, a prime candidate during this pandemic to be crushed by loneliness.
Yet, she is making it through OK.
"If adverse situations beat you down, there wouldn't be an African American in this country," says Evans. "You do what you have to do to survive."
Recent research reveals that older populations are less consumed by pandemic depression than those that are younger. According to a recent study, some seniors have even expanded their social support networks during the lockdowns. And the researchers found that older adults tended to report lower levels of loneliness compared with middle-aged and younger adults.
"They've been finding ways to adapt and cope," says Ashwin Kotwal, a geriatrician at the University of California, San Francisco. "They're finding creative ways to interact with family members through Zoom, taking dance classes online or joining virtual book clubs."
Kotwal led a study that tracked 150 older adults in the Bay Area over six months, beginning in April. Measures of loneliness peaked in the first few months of the outbreak but decreased as time passed.
Evans credits a lot of her positive attitude to technology. Grinning, she reaches for a purple cellphone and says, "I learned how to text!" She now has Zoom calls regularly with her daughter in Chicago. When she's not chatting online, she streams the radio or Hulu.
She keeps solvent by buying very little, subsisting on about $1,000 a month from Social Security. The room she lives in is federally subsidized. Medicare covers doctor bills, and Meals on Wheels delivers food. Her biggest expense is laundry.
On gloomy days inside her room, she reminds herself, "This too shall pass."
She's eager for the virus to retreat enough for her to join protests for racial equality.
"I want to be alive at the end of this," she says.
Connection is key
Evans' story is not uncommon. At the Curry Senior Center, where she lives, older adults who connect virtually with friends and family are doing well, says Angela Di Martino, the facility's wellness program manager.
Technology, though, is not a panacea.
"Video calls cannot replace personal contact," she says.
Di Martino is among the experts who fear that virtual interaction won't offer a meaningful substitute for live conversation in the long run. Zoom fatigue is a real thing.
Unsurprisingly, those seniors who are still engaging with people in person are faring the best. UCSF geriatrician Louise Aronson says she has been hearing from older people who feel less isolated now than prior to the pandemic, because they live in multigenerational households with family members who no longer rush off to work or school. Some are finding new purpose by helping their grandkids with distance learning.
Not everyone is coping
To be sure, not all seniors are riding out the storm smoothly. About 1 in 4 older adults say they're anxious or depressed, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation poll, a rate that has more than doubled during the pandemic.
The isolation is especially acute in nursing homes that prohibit visitors. Aronson says she has seen patients who are refusing to eat or who cry alone in their rooms for long stretches. One recent study of 111 residents in a Chicago-area nursing home found the group shed an average of about 4.5 pounds from December through April. The researchers attribute the changes to fewer social interactions, a halt to family visits and shifts in schedule, driven by the pandemic.
"Because they haven't touched another human being or been touched by another human being since March," says Aronson, "there is isolation. There is depression. There is battle fatigue."
Aronson points to a former patient of hers, Shirley Drexler, who died at an assisted living facility in San Francisco two months into the coronavirus outbreak. Though 102 years old, prior to the pandemic she was highly social, bright eyed and steady on her feet. She used to dash from table to table to share lewd jokes during group meals, Aronson says.
"But after a few weeks, when it became clear that the coronavirus wasn't going to go away, she basically took to bed and died. Because at 102, she wasn't going to live long enough to see the end of it. And so she figured that was it.
"We've heard many other stories like that."
A growing body of literature shows that persistent loneliness has a number of consequences, such as depression, physical pain, increased disabilities and even death. Some research has shown a link between loneliness and the development of dementia, heart disease and stroke. A recent study for the first time showed an association between loneliness and diabetes risk.
One day at a time
Enlarge this image toggle caption Lesley McClurg/KQED Lesley McClurg/KQED
Sukari Addison is one of the lucky ones. Dressed in a stylish pair of silver earrings and gold glasses, she says her motto is not to worry about things she can't control.
"We are in a really big change now," Addison says. "But I've been through changes before — a lot of them as an African American."
She has congestive heart failure and high blood pressure, both of which are risk factors for severe COVID-19. But Addison is not living in fear.
"You get to be 85 years old, you know you got a foot on the banana peel," she says.
On a hot summer night in August, after collapsing on her bed from fatigue, she tried not to panic. Within days she tested positive for the coronavirus and landed in the hospital with pneumonia. The hardest part, she says, was the no-visitor policy. After two dire weeks, her physician sent her home, and she credits her recovery to the kindness of the nurses and doctors.
She's still moving slowly and spends most days alone in the room she rents near Union Square. But she says she's not lonely, as her devices keep her connected.
"I learn so much because of technology," she says. "All I have to do is turn on my iPhone or my iPad or my computer, and there is a new subject for me to learn."
She often showcases her new skills over FaceTime with her six great-grandchildren on the East Coast. In the evenings, her sweetheart visits. They make dinner in her Instant Pot.
On difficult days she pulls on her gloves, tightens her mask and strolls the city, chatting with folks on the street. She looks forward to a lot more social interaction when the pandemic ends.
"I'm a professional volunteer!" proclaims Addison. Until that's safe, she's taking it one day at a time.
"The good news overall is that older adults are adapting. They're resilient," Kotwal says. "They're finding ways to continue to cope despite these really prolonged restrictions. On the other hand, I think there is that subgroup that has had persistent loneliness that hasn't been able to adapt to new technologies or has had trouble coping."
Kotwal says it's critical that doctors and social service agencies track older adults who may not have access to or feel comfortable navigating technology. He and his UCSF colleagues plan to check back with their original study cohort in a few months. He worries that colder weather and a very different holiday season may lead to increased loneliness, and he suggests calling seniors more often this fall and winter.


npr--2020-11-26--Germany Extends Strict Lockdown Measures With Eye Towards Reopening Ski Slopes

Germany is extending its current coronavirus lockdown measures through mid-December , Chancellor Angela Merkel announced this week .
The country will remain under measures introduced in early November that include limits on private gatherings and it will keep bars , restaurants , and museums closed .
Residents will be given some leeway around the Christmas holiday .
Members of one household can meet up with 10 people between Dec. 23 to Jan. 1 .
Children under 14 are exempt .
The overall restrictions are set to continue until Dec. 20 , but it 's expected , with the continued surge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stay in place until early January , Merkel said .
Germany reported its highest-ever daily COVID-19 death total Wednesday , according to U.S. News & World Report .
Johns Hopkins University reports Germany has 995,879 total confirmed cases as of Thursday morning .
But Germany 's leaders are holding out hope that the region 's popular , and lucrative , ski season can be salvaged .
Merkel said Germany is trying to make a deal with other European Union countries to keep all ski slopes closed until early January , in an attempt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` I will say this openly that it wo n't be easy , but we will try , '' Merkel said , according to the BBC .
Ski slopes in Germany and other European nations have postponed their start dates indefinitely due to current lockdowns .
French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte agree that a European Union-coordinated approach to reopening the slopes is a necessity .
`` If Italy decided to shut down all its ski lifts without any support from France , Austria and the other countries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ abroad and taking the contagion back home , '' Conte said .
Ski resorts have been proven to pose a serious health risk during the pandemic .
The Austrian ski resort of Ischgl earlier this year became a coronavirus hotspot with infected tourists going on to spread the virus to 45 countries .
However , Austria — where the skiing industry employs some 700,000 people — is not on board with the plan to coordinate resort openings .
Finance Minister Gernot Blümel and Tourism Minister Elisabeth Köstinger said that if a ski ban @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it would need two billion euros or more of aid from the EU .

Germany Extends Strict Lockdown Measures With Eye Towards Reopening Ski Slopes
Enlarge this image toggle caption Sean Gallup/Getty Images Sean Gallup/Getty Images
Germany is extending its current coronavirus lockdown measures through mid-December, Chancellor Angela Merkel announced this week.
The country will remain under measures introduced in early November that include limits on private gatherings and it will keep bars, restaurants, and museums closed.
Residents will be given some leeway around the Christmas holiday. Members of one household can meet up with 10 people between Dec. 23 to Jan. 1. Children under 14 are exempt.
The overall restrictions are set to continue until Dec. 20, but it's expected, with the continued surge in infections, that these rules will stay in place until early January, Merkel said.
Germany reported its highest-ever daily COVID-19 death total Wednesday, according to U.S. News & World Report. Johns Hopkins University reports Germany has 995,879 total confirmed cases as of Thursday morning.
But Germany's leaders are holding out hope that the region's popular, and lucrative, ski season can be salvaged.
Merkel said Germany is trying to make a deal with other European Union countries to keep all ski slopes closed until early January, in an attempt to minimize the spread of the disease.
"I will say this openly that it won't be easy, but we will try," Merkel said, according to the BBC.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Sean Gallup/Getty Images Sean Gallup/Getty Images
Ski slopes in Germany and other European nations have postponed their start dates indefinitely due to current lockdowns.
French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte agree that a European Union-coordinated approach to reopening the slopes is a necessity.
"If Italy decided to shut down all its ski lifts without any support from France, Austria and the other countries, then Italian tourists would risk going abroad and taking the contagion back home," Conte said.
Ski resorts have been proven to pose a serious health risk during the pandemic.
The Austrian ski resort of Ischgl earlier this year became a coronavirus hotspot with infected tourists going on to spread the virus to 45 countries.
However, Austria — where the skiing industry employs some 700,000 people — is not on board with the plan to coordinate resort openings. Finance Minister Gernot Blümel and Tourism Minister Elisabeth Köstinger said that if a ski ban is place on the whole region, it would need two billion euros or more of aid from the EU.


npr--2020-11-26--Biden's Next Climate Chief Will Tackle 'Existential Threat' At Home

Biden 's Next Climate Chief Will Tackle 'Existential Threat ' At Home President-elect Joe Biden is preparing to name a second high-level climate position in the White House , a counterpart to his diplomatic climate envoy John Kerry , to ramp up action dramatically at home .
The idea is for the new appointee to lead an office or policy council akin to the Domestic Policy Council , which coordinates work on the president 's domestic priorities .
But the ultimate structure and authority are currently under discussion as those close to Biden wrestle over whether giving this group greater @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could be interpreted as elevating it over other priorities , such as racial equality .
But what is clear , people close to the Biden team say , is that there will be more muscle behind these climate efforts because they 're too important to Democrats .
`` This is something that 's a given , '' one person with knowledge of the discussion says .
`` And there are a number of people , a number of Democrats who feel that ... the climate crisis is an existential threat '' — both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during the Obama administration and the young voters who came out for Biden in the election .
Biden has recognized that climate change is now a major issue for Democratic voters , and popular concern has grown in recent years amid relentlessly record-setting wildfires , hurricanes and extreme heat .
The urgency of climate change helped drive young people in particular to turn out for Biden .
The president-elect has vowed to reinvigorate and expand the country 's commitment to fighting climate change , including rejoining the Paris climate accord soon after inauguration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ step .
The Biden administration will have to do much more , on multiple fronts , to restore confidence at home and abroad , climate experts say .
`` You have no credibility in the international sphere unless you 're doing a lot to get back on track domestically , '' says John Podesta , who was climate policy coordinator under former President Barack Obama and is close with the Biden team .
`` This is an issue that is not going away '' The world has little time to cut carbon emissions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intense heat , rising seas and extreme weather disasters , scientists say .
At the federal level , the U.S. has largely lost four years in that effort as the Trump administration rolled back dozens of climate rules to help the fossil fuel industry .
`` We have seen cities , states , the marketplace , other countries , all racing ahead to transition once and for all to a clean energy economy , '' says Tiernan Sittenfeld , senior vice president for government affairs at the League of Conservation Voters .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at odds with all of that . ''
The president-elect campaigned on an ambitious $ 2 trillion climate plan that aims to make the entire U.S. economy carbon neutral by 2050 .
But if Republicans keep control of the Senate after runoff elections in Georgia , Biden 's most meaningful moves may have to come through executive action .
Supporters then are pleased to see that climate change will have a higher profile under him than in any previous administration , and that could set a precedent .
`` This is an issue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or five or 10 years , '' says the person close to the transition team who declined to be identified because they were not authorized to share the group 's discussions .
`` Eventually you may actually have a Cabinet agency dealing with the climate .
And I think that 's what some Republicans will be very suspicious of . ''
Veterans of the Obama administration , as well as younger climate activists , have been pushing for a White House climate director who can work across the entire federal government .
They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the usual agencies such as the Interior and Energy departments and the Environmental Protection Agency .
For example , the Department of Housing and Urban Development could make the buildings it oversees more energy-efficient and resilient .
The Department of Agriculture could promote soil management to sequester carbon .
The Treasury Department could do more to take climate risk into account when banks lend money , encouraging financing for renewable projects over those that rely on fossil fuels .
The Pentagon could further integrate into its planning the risks climate change poses to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sittenfeld says she thinks this high-level , broad approach also makes clear that `` dealing with the climate crisis is inextricably linked with all the crises that we face , '' from economic and racial inequality to the pandemic and its economic fallout .
Of course , the past four years of President Trump 's rollbacks have made clear that many executive actions can be undone by a future administration .
But Podesta , the former climate official under Obama , says that 's not always the case .
`` When you build @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he says , `` that 's not going anywhere . ''

Biden's Next Climate Chief Will Tackle 'Existential Threat' At Home
Enlarge this image toggle caption Carolyn Kaster/AP Carolyn Kaster/AP
President-elect Joe Biden is preparing to name a second high-level climate position in the White House, a counterpart to his diplomatic climate envoy John Kerry, to ramp up action dramatically at home.
The idea is for the new appointee to lead an office or policy council akin to the Domestic Policy Council, which coordinates work on the president's domestic priorities. But the ultimate structure and authority are currently under discussion as those close to Biden wrestle over whether giving this group greater power than previous White House climate posts could be interpreted as elevating it over other priorities, such as racial equality.
But what is clear, people close to the Biden team say, is that there will be more muscle behind these climate efforts because they're too important to Democrats.
"This is something that's a given," one person with knowledge of the discussion says. "And there are a number of people, a number of Democrats who feel that ... the climate crisis is an existential threat" — both the people who worked on the issue during the Obama administration and the young voters who came out for Biden in the election.
Biden has recognized that climate change is now a major issue for Democratic voters, and popular concern has grown in recent years amid relentlessly record-setting wildfires, hurricanes and extreme heat. The urgency of climate change helped drive young people in particular to turn out for Biden.
The president-elect has vowed to reinvigorate and expand the country's commitment to fighting climate change, including rejoining the Paris climate accord soon after inauguration. But that's only a first step. The Biden administration will have to do much more, on multiple fronts, to restore confidence at home and abroad, climate experts say.
"You have no credibility in the international sphere unless you're doing a lot to get back on track domestically," says John Podesta, who was climate policy coordinator under former President Barack Obama and is close with the Biden team.
"This is an issue that is not going away"
The world has little time to cut carbon emissions deeply enough to avoid irreversible devastation from intense heat, rising seas and extreme weather disasters, scientists say. At the federal level, the U.S. has largely lost four years in that effort as the Trump administration rolled back dozens of climate rules to help the fossil fuel industry.
"We have seen cities, states, the marketplace, other countries, all racing ahead to transition once and for all to a clean energy economy," says Tiernan Sittenfeld, senior vice president for government affairs at the League of Conservation Voters. "It's really been the Trump administration at odds with all of that."
The president-elect campaigned on an ambitious $2 trillion climate plan that aims to make the entire U.S. economy carbon neutral by 2050. But if Republicans keep control of the Senate after runoff elections in Georgia, Biden's most meaningful moves may have to come through executive action.
Supporters then are pleased to see that climate change will have a higher profile under him than in any previous administration, and that could set a precedent.
"This is an issue that is not going away in four or five or 10 years," says the person close to the transition team who declined to be identified because they were not authorized to share the group's discussions. "Eventually you may actually have a Cabinet agency dealing with the climate. And I think that's what some Republicans will be very suspicious of."
Whole-of-government strategy
Veterans of the Obama administration, as well as younger climate activists, have been pushing for a White House climate director who can work across the entire federal government. They say this will drive climate policies beyond the usual agencies such as the Interior and Energy departments and the Environmental Protection Agency.
For example, the Department of Housing and Urban Development could make the buildings it oversees more energy-efficient and resilient. The Department of Agriculture could promote soil management to sequester carbon. The Treasury Department could do more to take climate risk into account when banks lend money, encouraging financing for renewable projects over those that rely on fossil fuels. The Pentagon could further integrate into its planning the risks climate change poses to its military installations around the world.
Sittenfeld says she thinks this high-level, broad approach also makes clear that "dealing with the climate crisis is inextricably linked with all the crises that we face," from economic and racial inequality to the pandemic and its economic fallout.
Of course, the past four years of President Trump's rollbacks have made clear that many executive actions can be undone by a future administration. But Podesta, the former climate official under Obama, says that's not always the case.
"When you build 30 gigawatts of offshore wind," he says, "that's not going anywhere."


npr--2020-11-26--Sudan's Former Prime Minister Sadiq Al-Mahdi Dies Of COVID-19

Sudan 's last democratically elected prime minister has died of COVID-19-related complications , his party announced early Thursday .
He @ @ @ @ @ United Arab Emirates , where he was receiving treatment after becoming infected with the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ , which he led until his death , announced Thursday .
Al-Mahdi was prime minister @ @ @ @ @ again in the 80s before he was overthrown in a Islamist-backed military coup in 1989 @ @ @ @ @ President Omar Al-Bashir 's rise to power .
Al-Bashir 's autocratic rule lasted three decades @ @ @ @ @ in a coup last year .
After being forced out of office , al-Mahdi remained @ @ @ @ @ .
As recently as October , al-Mahdi denounced President Trump for brokering a deal for @ @ @ @ @ with Israel , saying that such an agreement `` contributes to the elimination of the @ @ @ @ @ East and to preparing for the ignition of a new war . ''

Sudan's Former Prime Minister Sadiq Al-Mahdi Dies Of COVID-19
Enlarge this image toggle caption Marwan Ali/AP Marwan Ali/AP
Sudan's last democratically elected prime minister has died of COVID-19-related complications, his party announced early Thursday.
Sadiq al-Mahdi was 84.
He died in hospital in the United Arab Emirates, where he was receiving treatment after becoming infected with the coronavirus, the National Umma Party, which he led until his death, announced Thursday.
Al-Mahdi was prime minister briefly in the mid-60s and again in the 80s before he was overthrown in a Islamist-backed military coup in 1989, paving the path for President Omar Al-Bashir's rise to power. Al-Bashir's autocratic rule lasted three decades before he himself was deposed in a coup last year.
After being forced out of office, al-Mahdi remained a leading politician in Sudan.
As recently as October, al-Mahdi denounced President Trump for brokering a deal for Sudan to begin normalizing ties with Israel, saying that such an agreement "contributes to the elimination of the peace project in the Middle East and to preparing for the ignition of a new war."


npr--2020-11-26--Supreme Court Says New York Can't Limit Attendance In Houses of Worship Due To COVID

Supreme Court Says New York Ca n't Limit Attendance In Houses of Worship Due To COVID Updated at 2:21 a.m .
ET The U.S. Supreme Court has temporarily barred New York from enforcing strict attendance limits on places of worship in areas designated coronavirus hot spots , in a decision released late Wednesday .
The court ruled that Gov .
Andrew Cuomo 's executive order violated the First Amendment 's `` free exercise '' clause , and actively discriminated against religious institutions .
`` The restrictions at issue here , by effectively barring many from attending religious services , strike @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Amendment 's guarantee of religious liberty , '' the unsigned majority decision read .
The 5-4 decision , with Chief Justice John Roberts Jr. and Justices Stephen Breyer , Sonia Sotomayor , and Elena Kagan dissenting , comes as confirmed cases of coronavirus surge around the country .
Notably , the court 's ruling is in contrast to two decisions it issued in May and June concerning churches in California and Nevada , which allowed state officials to restrict attendance at religious services .
Those decisions came before Justice Amy Coney Barrett joined @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a conservative majority .
However , California and Nevada had far less severe restrictions compared to New York , the justices explained in Wednesday 's order .
The California church limited attendance to 100 people .
In buildings with a capacity of 400 or fewer people , capacity was limited to 25 % .
In Nevada , churches were limited to 50 .
Cuomo 's executive order imposed restrictions on attendance at religious services in areas classified as `` red '' or `` orange '' zones .
In red zones , no more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and in orange zones , attendance is capped at 25 .
New York 's rules , which the justices found to be `` severe '' and `` inflexible , '' do n't apply to retail stores in the same neighborhoods , the decision read .
In an `` orange '' zone , where secular businesses are subject to no attendance cap at all , the discrimination is `` even starker , '' the court said .
`` The State 's discrimination against religion raises a serious First Amendment issue and triggers heightened @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a sufficient justification for the discrimination , '' the opinion said .
On Nov. 12 , the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn and Agudath Israel of America asked the court for temporary injunctions against the governor 's executive order .
The synagogues said Cuomo 's order `` singled out a particular religion for blame and retribution '' for the uptick in coronavirus cases .
The court is granting the temporary injunctive relief until the Court of Appeals in December , and then the Supreme Court as appropriate , can more fully consider the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unclear how the case will proceed .
New York 's Solicitor General Barbara D. Underwood recently informed the court that recent changes to the polices in question meant none of the diocese 's churches or the area 's synagogues would any longer be subject to the restrictions .

Supreme Court Says New York Can't Limit Attendance In Houses of Worship Due To COVID
Enlarge this image toggle caption Kena Betancur/AFP via Getty Images Kena Betancur/AFP via Getty Images
Updated at 3:27 p.m. ET
The U.S. Supreme Court has temporarily barred New York from enforcing strict attendance limits on places of worship in areas designated coronavirus hot spots, in a decision released just before midnight on Wednesday.
The decision marked a major shift for the court, in essence at least a partial reversal of previous rulings, as well as a clear indication of the court's dramatic move to the right with the addition of new Justice Amy Coney Barrett in place of the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
Earlier this year, while Ginsburg was still on the court, it was Chief Justice John Roberts who cast the critical fifth vote to uphold a similar order from governors in California and Nevada.
This time, Roberts was in the minority, noting that the New York rules at issue in the case had already been eased.
The newly constituted majority, however, rejected Roberts' deferential approach, noting that New York could impose the strict orders again at any time.
"The restrictions at issue here, by effectively barring many from attending religious services, strike at the very heart of the First Amendment's guarantee of religious liberty," the unsigned majority decision said. "Even in a pandemic, the constitution cannot be put away and forgotten."
The New York rules imposed by Governor Andrew Cuomo restricted attendance at religious services in areas classified as "red" or "orange" zones. In red zones, no more than 10 people were permitted to attend each service, and in orange zones, attendance was capped at 25.
Those rules, which the court majority found to be "severe" and "inflexible," did not apply to retail stores in the same neighborhoods, the decision said. In an "orange" zone, where secular businesses are subject to no attendance cap at all, the discrimination was "even starker," the court said.
The justices in the majority, in addition to Barrett, were Justices Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, Brett Kavanaugh and Neil Gorsuch.
Gorsuch filed an unusually acerbic concurring opinion, blasting not only Governor Cuomo but also Chief Justice Roberts for his earlier opinion in the California and Nevada cases.
Referring to the more lax rules for New York retailers, Gorsuch opined that "at least according to Governor Cuomo, it may be unsafe to go to church, but it is always fine to pick up another bottle of wine, shop for a new bike, or spend the afternoon exploring your distal points and meridians," a reference to acupuncture being unregulated.
And when it came to Roberts, Gorsuch spent several pages accusing him of "rewriting history" in his dissenting opinion on Wednesday and his earlier opinions in the California and Nevada cases.
"In the end," said Gorsuch, while Roberts and the other dissenters may wish to "stay out of the way" and let state officials and experts deal with the crisis of a pandemic, "we may not shelter in place where the Constitution is under attack." There is, he wrote, "no world in which the Constitution tolerates color-coded executive edicts that reopen liquor stores and bike shops but shutter churches, synagogues, and mosques."
Roberts replied with a slap-down of his own. Quoting from Gorsuch's acid dismissal of the dissenters' views, the Chief Justice said he did not regard his dissenting colleagues with such venom: "They simply view the matter differently after careful study and reflecting their best efforts to fulfill their responsibility under the Constitution."
As to Gorsuch's concurrence, which, as Roberts put it, "takes aim at my [earlier] concurring opinion," Gorsuch had engaged in such overkill that he spent "three pages" criticizing one sentence.
And "what did that sentence say?" asked Roberts. "Only that our Constitution principally entrusts the safety and health of the people to the politically accountable officials of the states to guard and protect."
Those words, said Roberts, "should be uncontroversial, and the [Gorsuch] concurrence must reach beyond the words themselves to find the target it is looking for."
That earlier opinion involved rules that were not as strict as the New York rules. The California church limited attendance to 100 people. In buildings with a capacity of 400 or fewer people, capacity was limited to 25%. In Nevada, churches were limited to 50 people.
On Nov. 12, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn and Agudath Israel of America asked the court for temporary injunctions against the New York governor's executive order.
The synagogues said Cuomo's order "singled out a particular religion for blame and retribution" for the uptick in coronavirus cases.
The court granted the temporary injunctive relief until the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in December — and then the Supreme Court as appropriate — can more fully consider the merits of the case. But the majority said that challengers, as of now, have a good chance of prevailing if they get to the Supreme Court again.
It's unclear how the case will proceed. New York's Solicitor General Barbara D. Underwood recently informed the court that recent changes to the policies in question meant none of the diocese's churches or the area's synagogues would any longer be subject to the restrictions.
Cuomo described Wednesday's decision as a political statement. In his daily coronavirus briefing Thursday, he said, "Look, I'm a former altar boy, Catholic, Catholic grammar school, Catholic high school, Jesuits at college. So I fully respect religion and if there's a time in life when we need it, the time is now. But we want to make sure we keep people safe at the same time, and that's the balance we're trying to hit, especially in this holiday season."
Brian Mann contributed to this report.


npr--2020-11-26--Federal Court Rejects Challenge To Trump's Push To Alter A Key Census Count

A federal court in Washington , D.C. , has tossed out a lawsuit filed against President Trump 's efforts to exclude undocumented immigrants from a key set of census numbers .
The ruling , by a three-judge panel of mostly Trump-appointed judges on Wednesday , disposes of one of multiple such suits .
It comes days before the U.S. Supreme Court is set to hear oral arguments on Nov. 30 for a similar , New York-based case , about whether the president can leave unauthorized immigrants out of the 2020 census counts used to determine each state 's share of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the next decade .
The high court 's decision on that question is expected to be the one that counts .
Still , the new 2-1 decision by a lower court to punt on the D.C.-based lawsuit after finding that it is `` not ripe for review '' offers a guide to a potential scenario at the Supreme Court , said Leah Litman , an assistant professor at the University of Michigan Law School .
`` I think the Court will also say the dispute is n't ripe , '' Litman said , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the decision '' by the lower court in New York instead of deciding to review it .
In September , the New York-based court was the first to unanimously declare that Trump 's July memo on changing the census apportionment counts violated a federal law requiring the president to deliver to Congress `` a statement showing the whole number of persons in each State . ''
Similar rulings were later made by lower courts in Maryland and California , where a three-judge panel also found that the memo ran afoul of the Constitution @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House of Representatives using the `` whole number of persons in each state . ''
D.C .
Circuit Judge Gregory Katsas and U.S. District Judge Dabney Friedrich — the only Trump appointees hearing a lawsuit over Trump 's census memo — took a different approach in declaring that it is too early for any court to make a ruling .
Their majority opinion noted that , among other uncertainties , it is still not clear exactly how the Census Bureau would produce the data to comply with Trump 's directive nor which unauthorized @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intervention at this time would inappropriately interfere with ongoing action within the Executive Branch , '' Katsas and Friedrich wrote .
But in a dissenting opinion , U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper , an Obama appointee , said that any `` intrusion '' by the court at this point would be `` marginal '' since counting for the 2020 census ended last month and the bureau is weeks away from reporting the information on unauthorized immigrants that Trump 's memo requested .
Cooper also warned against delays in resolving the case , given @ @ @ @ @ @ @ redistricting deadlines that are tied to the congressional apportionment process finishing in January .
`` The fact that we could wait until after the January apportionment to consider plaintiffs ' request for relief , '' Cooper wrote , `` does not mean that we should . ''
Regardless of how the courts rule , however , the bureau may not be able to finish putting together the census apportionment counts that Trump is seeking to alter until almost a week after his term ends on Jan. 20 .
After recently uncovering routine `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ results , the bureau has set Jan. 26 as its new target date for delivering the numbers .

Federal Court Rejects Challenge To Trump's Push To Alter A Key Census Count
Enlarge this image toggle caption Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call via Getty Images Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call via Getty Images
A federal court in Washington, D.C., has tossed out a lawsuit filed against President Trump's efforts to exclude undocumented immigrants from a key set of census numbers.
The ruling, by a three-judge panel of mostly Trump-appointed judges on Wednesday, disposes of one of multiple such suits. It comes days before the U.S. Supreme Court is set to hear oral arguments on Nov. 30 for a similar, New York-based case, about whether the president can leave unauthorized immigrants out of the 2020 census counts used to determine each state's share of congressional seats and Electoral College votes for the next decade.
The high court's decision on that question is expected to be the one that counts.
Still, the new 2-1 decision by a lower court to punt on the D.C.-based lawsuit after finding that it is "not ripe for review" offers a guide to a potential scenario at the Supreme Court, said Leah Litman, an assistant professor at the University of Michigan Law School.
"I think the Court will also say the dispute isn't ripe," Litman said, "since they could have summarily affirmed the decision" by the lower court in New York instead of deciding to review it.
In September, the New York-based court was the first to unanimously declare that Trump's July memo on changing the census apportionment counts violated a federal law requiring the president to deliver to Congress "a statement showing the whole number of persons in each State."
Similar rulings were later made by lower courts in Maryland and California, where a three-judge panel also found that the memo ran afoul of the Constitution's requirement for reapportioning seats in the House of Representatives using the "whole number of persons in each state."
D.C. Circuit Judge Gregory Katsas and U.S. District Judge Dabney Friedrich — the only Trump appointees hearing a lawsuit over Trump's census memo — took a different approach in declaring that it is too early for any court to make a ruling.
Their majority opinion noted that, among other uncertainties, it is still not clear exactly how the Census Bureau would produce the data to comply with Trump's directive nor which unauthorized immigrants would be excluded.
"Judicial intervention at this time would inappropriately interfere with ongoing action within the Executive Branch," Katsas and Friedrich wrote.
But in a dissenting opinion, U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper, an Obama appointee, said that any "intrusion" by the court at this point would be "marginal" since counting for the 2020 census ended last month and the bureau is weeks away from reporting the information on unauthorized immigrants that Trump's memo requested.
Cooper also warned against delays in resolving the case, given the potential for jeopardizing state and local redistricting deadlines that are tied to the congressional apportionment process finishing in January.
"The fact that we could wait until after the January apportionment to consider plaintiffs' request for relief," Cooper wrote, "does not mean that we should."
Regardless of how the courts rule, however, the bureau may not be able to finish putting together the census apportionment counts that Trump is seeking to alter until almost a week after his term ends on Jan. 20. After recently uncovering routine "processing anomalies" in the 2020 census results, the bureau has set Jan. 26 as its new target date for delivering the numbers.


npr--2020-11-25--James Wolfensohn, Former World Bank Chief And Champion Of The Poor, Dies At 86

James Wolfensohn , Former World Bank Chief And Champion Of The Poor , Dies At 86 James Wolfensohn , whose reforms as the head of the World Bank Group for a decade made him known as a champion of the world 's poor , died Tuesday in New York .
He was 86 .
The Sydney-born banker was president of the World Bank from 1995 to 2005 .
Throughout his time at the helm , he led its transformation , `` increasing decentralization , advancing the Bank technologically , and making the organization more open and transparent , '' World @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a statement on Wednesday .
Malpass added that under Wolfensohn 's presidency , the Washington-based organization `` sharpened its focus on poverty reduction and redoubled its efforts to combat corruption , give voice to the poor and magnify the impact of development investments . ''
Part of Wolfensohn 's strategy to alleviate global poverty was to accelerate a shift away from difficult-to-maintain infrastructure projects in developing countries to more social-sector lending programs .
He also concentrated efforts on rebuilding war-torn countries , including Rwanda and Bosnia .
Under his leadership , the World @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of primary education , health , HIV/AIDS programs and the environment , according to its website .
In 2010 Wolfenson published a memoir , `` A Global Life : My Journey Among Rich and Poor , from Sydney to Wall Street to the World Bank . ''
Before his appointment by President Bill Clinton and later George W. Bush , Wolfensohn was passed over for the post at the head of the World Bank in 1981 .
As a result , he founded his own investment banking firm in New York , Wolfensohn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time he renounced his Australian citizenship to become an American so that he would be eligible for the job in the future .
Wolfensohn spent most of his life in the U.S .
He attended Harvard Business School in 1957 and graduated with a master 's in business administration .
At Harvard , he became friends with billionaire David Rockefeller Jr. , according to Bloomberg .
`` Wolfensohn credited Rockefeller — the grandson of oil baron John D. Rockefeller — with the opportunities he found in his adopted country , '' the outlet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ivy League , he returned to Australia where he became managing director at Darling & Co. before joining an investment bank in London .
In the mid-1970s he made his final move to the States as an executive partner at Salomon Brothers .
In addition to Wolfensohn 's long career in finance , he was an accomplished cellist and philanthropist .
As a life-long music lover , he raised $ 60 million to rebuild New York 's Carnegie Hall , even performing alongside world-renowned cellist , Yo-Yo Ma .
He also founded the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think-tank , the Brookings Institution , which focused on anti-poverty programs and global economic governance .
In his younger years , Wolfensohn was an officer in the Royal Australian Air Force and represented Australia in fencing at the 1956 Olympics .
Wolfensohn 's wife Elaine died earlier this year .
He is survived by three children .

James Wolfensohn, Former World Bank Chief And Champion Of The Poor, Dies At 86
Enlarge this image toggle caption ALESSANDRO DELLA VALLE/AP ALESSANDRO DELLA VALLE/AP
James Wolfensohn, whose reforms as the head of the World Bank Group for a decade made him known as a champion of the world's poor, died Tuesday in New York. He was 86.
The Sydney-born banker was president of the World Bank from 1995 to 2005. Throughout his time at the helm, he led its transformation, "increasing decentralization, advancing the Bank technologically, and making the organization more open and transparent," World Bank Group President David Malpass said in a statement on Wednesday.
Malpass added that under Wolfensohn's presidency, the Washington-based organization "sharpened its focus on poverty reduction and redoubled its efforts to combat corruption, give voice to the poor and magnify the impact of development investments."
Part of Wolfensohn's strategy to alleviate global poverty was to accelerate a shift away from difficult-to-maintain infrastructure projects in developing countries to more social-sector lending programs. He also concentrated efforts on rebuilding war-torn countries, including Rwanda and Bosnia.
Under his leadership, the World Bank became one of the largest financiers of primary education, health, HIV/AIDS programs and the environment, according to its website.
In 2010 Wolfenson published a memoir, "A Global Life: My Journey Among Rich and Poor, from Sydney to Wall Street to the World Bank."
Before his appointment by President Bill Clinton and later George W. Bush, Wolfensohn was passed over for the post at the head of the World Bank in 1981. As a result, he founded his own investment banking firm in New York, Wolfensohn & Co.
That's also around the time he renounced his Australian citizenship to become an American so that he would be eligible for the job in the future.
Wolfensohn spent most of his life in the U.S. He attended Harvard Business School in 1957 and graduated with a master's in business administration.
At Harvard, he became friends with billionaire David Rockefeller Jr., according to Bloomberg. "Wolfensohn credited Rockefeller — the grandson of oil baron John D. Rockefeller — with the opportunities he found in his adopted country," the outlet reported.
Following his stint at the Ivy League, he returned to Australia where he became managing director at Darling & Co. before joining an investment bank in London. In the mid-1970s he made his final move to the States as an executive partner at Salomon Brothers.
In addition to Wolfensohn's long career in finance, he was an accomplished cellist and philanthropist. As a life-long music lover, he raised $60 million to rebuild New York's Carnegie Hall, even performing alongside world-renowned cellist, Yo-Yo Ma.
He also founded the Wolfensohn Center for Development at the Washington think-tank, the Brookings Institution, which focused on anti-poverty programs and global economic governance.
In his younger years, Wolfensohn was an officer in the Royal Australian Air Force and represented Australia in fencing at the 1956 Olympics.
Wolfensohn's wife Elaine died earlier this year. He is survived by three children.


npr--2020-11-26--Trump Is In No Mood To Concede, But Says Will Leave White House

Trump Is In No Mood To Concede , But Says Will Leave White House President Trump this week acknowledged that the transition for President-elect Joe Biden to take office is going ahead .
But on Thursday , he made clear he 's in no mood to concede the election , even after the Electoral College formally votes this month .
`` It 's going to be a very hard thing to concede because we know there was massive fraud , '' Trump said , complaining that the U.S. election was `` like a Third World country . ''
Trump has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election to Biden on Nov 3 , appearing on camera only a handful of times , and steering clear of reporters ' questions .
But on Thanksgiving , after talking to troops serving overseas , Trump held forth , venturing into the weeds of the allegations that the election was rigged — baseless claims of widespread spread that courts have repeatedly rejected .
`` There 's no way that Biden got 80 million votes , '' he said , repeatedly .
When a reporter pushed back against his claims , Trump got angry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that way , '' he said .
`` You 're just a lightweight ...
I 'm the president of the United States .
Do n't ever talk to the president that way . ''
Trump said he would leave the White House on Jan. 20 , Inauguration Day .
`` Certainly I will — and you know that , '' he said .
`` But I think that there will be a lot of things happening between now and the 20th of January , a lot of things . ''
One of those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two Republican senators in the Georgia runoff races on Jan. 5 .
The White House said he will headline a rally on Dec. 5 , and Trump said he may return to the state before the election , if needed .
The results of the races will determine whether Republicans retain control of the Senate .
But he refused to say whether he would attend Biden 's inauguration ceremonies , as is tradition .
And as far as his political future beyond Jan. 20 — Trump also declined to answer .
`` Well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about 2024 yet , '' he said .

Trump Is In No Mood To Concede, But Says Will Leave White House
Enlarge this image toggle caption Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images
President Trump this week acknowledged that the transition for President-elect Joe Biden to take office is going ahead. But on Thursday, he made clear he's in no mood to concede the election, even after the Electoral College formally votes this month.
"It's going to be a very hard thing to concede because we know there was massive fraud," Trump said, without evidence, complaining that the U.S. election was "like a Third World country."
Trump has kept a low profile since losing the election to Biden on Nov 3, appearing on camera only a handful of times, and steering clear of reporters' questions.
But on Thanksgiving, after talking to troops serving overseas, Trump held forth, venturing into the weeds of the allegations that the election was rigged — baseless claims of widespread fraud that courts have repeatedly rejected.
"There's no way that Biden got 80 million votes," he said, repeatedly.
When a reporter pushed back against his claims, Trump got angry. "Don't talk to me that way," he said. "You're just a lightweight ... I'm the president of the United States. Don't ever talk to the president that way."
Trump said he would leave the White House on Jan. 20, Inauguration Day. "Certainly I will — and you know that," he said. "But I think that there will be a lot of things happening between now and the 20th of January, a lot of things."
One of those things: Trump will campaign for the two Republican senators in the Georgia runoff races on Jan. 5. The White House said he will headline a rally on Dec. 5, and Trump said he may return to the state before the election, if needed. The results of the races will determine whether Republicans retain control of the Senate.
But he refused to say whether he would attend Biden's inauguration ceremonies, as is tradition. And as far as his political future beyond Jan. 20 — Trump also declined to answer.
"Well, I don't want to talk about 2024 yet," he said.


npr--2020-11-26--Government Model Suggests U.S. COVID-19 Cases Could Be Approaching 100 Million

Government Model Suggests U.S. COVID-19 Cases Could Be Approaching 100 Million The actual number of coronavirus infections in the U.S. reached nearly 53 million at the end of September and could be approaching 100 million now , according to a model developed by government researchers .
The model , created by scientists at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , calculated that the true number of infections is about 8 times the reported number , which includes only the cases confirmed by a laboratory test .
Preliminary estimates using the model found that by the end of September , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while the number of laboratory-confirmed infections was just 6.9 million , the team reported in the Nov. 25 issue of the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases .
`` This indicates that approximately 84 % of the U.S. population has not yet been infected and thus most of the country remains at risk , '' the authors wrote .
Since then , the CDC 's tally of confirmed infections has increased to 12.5 million .
So if the model 's ratio still holds , the estimated total would now be greater than 95 million , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ uninfected .
The model attempts to account for the fact that most cases of COVID-19 are mild or asymptomatic and go unreported .
Scientists used studies looking for people who have antibodies to the coronavirus in their blood – an indication that they were infected at some time — to estimate how many infections went undetected .
Some of these antibody studies have suggested that only about one in 10 coronavirus infections is reported .
The goal in creating the model was to `` better quantify the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the authors wrote .
The model also estimated that official counts do not include more than a third of the people hospitalized with COVID-19 .

Government Model Suggests U.S. COVID-19 Cases Could Be Approaching 100 Million
Enlarge this image toggle caption David J. Phillip/AP David J. Phillip/AP
The actual number of coronavirus infections in the U.S. reached nearly 53 million at the end of September and could be approaching 100 million now, according to a model developed by government researchers.
The model, created by scientists at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, calculated that the true number of infections is about eight times the reported number, which includes only the cases confirmed by a laboratory test.
Preliminary estimates using the model found that by the end of September, 52.9 million people had been infected, while the number of laboratory-confirmed infections was just 6.9 million, the team reported in the Nov. 25 issue of the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases.
"This indicates that approximately 84% of the U.S. population has not yet been infected and thus most of the country remains at risk," the authors wrote.
Since then, the CDC's tally of confirmed infections has increased to 12.5 million. So if the model's ratio still holds, the estimated total would now be greater than 95 million, leaving about 71% of the population uninfected.
The model attempts to account for the fact that most cases of COVID-19 are mild or asymptomatic and go unreported.
Scientists used studies looking for people who have antibodies to the coronavirus in their blood – an indication that they were infected at some time — to estimate how many infections went undetected. Some of these antibody studies have suggested that only about one in 10 coronavirus infections is reported.
The goal in creating the model was to "better quantify the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the healthcare system and society," the authors wrote.
The model also estimated that official counts do not include more than a third of the people hospitalized with COVID-19.