npr--2020-11-28--Biden Gains Votes In Recount Of Milwaukee County Requested By Trump

Biden Gains Votes In Recount Of Milwaukee County Requested By Trump President Trump 's push to overturn the election results suffered another in a series of defeats on Friday — this time in Wisconsin , where officials in the state 's most populous county announced that a recount had added to President-elect Joe Biden 's lead .
Albeit slightly : Out of the roughly 460,000 ballots cast in Milwaukee County , Biden made a net gain of 132 votes on review .
The results offer unwelcome news for Trump , who lost to Biden in Wisconsin by roughly 20,000 votes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than 6 million .
The Trump campaign paid the Wisconsin Elections Commission a fee of $ 3 million to proceed with recounts in Milwaukee and Dane counties .
The two counties , which together account for roughly a quarter of the state 's population , swung heavily for Biden with 69 % and 75 % of the vote , respectively .
Dane County is expected to wrap up its own recount by the end of the weekend .
Trump and his allies have repeatedly and baselessly claimed that widespread fraud decided the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Wisconsin but also in other battleground states such as Pennsylvania and Michigan .
Those claims have not held up in court , however , and Trump 's legal setbacks have mounted in recent weeks .
`` Charges of unfairness are serious .
But calling an election unfair does not make it so , '' federal appellate Judge Stephanos Bibas wrote in an opinion released Friday denying the Trump campaign 's challenge of the results in Pennsylvania .
`` Charges require specific allegations and then proof , '' said Bibas , whom Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Court of Appeals in 2017 .
`` We have neither here . ''
The defeats have failed to dissuade Trump , who continued to tweet false claims overnight , saying without evidence that the votes against him in Pennsylvania and `` all other swing states '' were `` RIGGED . ''
Still , his efforts may be having the unintended effect of underlining the veracity of the election results .
Milwaukee County Clerk George Christenson said Friday that the recount 's results should affirm voters ' faith in the election process .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : that elections in Milwaukee County are fair , transparent , accurate and secure , '' he said Friday , according to Reuters .
The clock is ticking for the Trump campaign if it wants to continue to press its case in Wisconsin .
The state 's vote is due to be certified by Tuesday .

Biden Gains 87 Net Votes In Partial Wisconsin Recount Requested By Trump
Enlarge this image toggle caption Scott Olson/Getty Images Scott Olson/Getty Images
Updated at 3:30 p.m. ET Sunday
A partial recount in Wisconsin concluded Sunday with President-elect Joe Biden's winning margin over President Trump increasing by 87 total votes.
Dane County Clerk Scott McDonell told reporters Sunday that Trump netted a gain of 45 votes in the county, which includes the capital Madison. That followed Friday's completed recount in the state's most populous county, Milwaukee, where out of roughly 460,000 ballots cast, Biden made a net gain of 132 votes on review.
The results offer unwelcome news for Trump, who lost to Biden in Wisconsin by roughly 20,000 votes, and lost the national popular vote by more than 6 million.
The Trump campaign paid the Wisconsin Elections Commission a fee of $3 million to proceed with recounts in Milwaukee and Dane counties. The two counties, which together account for roughly a quarter of the state's population, swung heavily for Biden with 69% and 75% of the vote, respectively.
Trump said on Twitter Saturday that his team will file a lawsuit challenging Wisconsin's results prior to the state's certification deadline on Tuesday.
Trump and his allies have repeatedly and baselessly claimed that widespread fraud decided the election for his rival — not just in Wisconsin but also in other battleground states such as Pennsylvania and Michigan. Those claims have not held up in court, however, and Trump's legal setbacks have mounted in recent weeks.
"Charges of unfairness are serious. But calling an election unfair does not make it so," federal appellate Judge Stephanos Bibas wrote in an opinion released Friday denying the Trump campaign's challenge of the results in Pennsylvania. "Charges require specific allegations and then proof," said Bibas, whom Trump nominated to the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in 2017. "We have neither here."
The defeats have failed to dissuade Trump, who continued to tweet false claims overnight, saying without evidence that the votes against him in Pennsylvania and "all other swing states" were "RIGGED."
Still, his efforts may be having the unintended effect of underlining the veracity of the election results. Milwaukee County Clerk George Christenson said Friday that the recount's results should affirm voters' faith in the election process.
"The recount demonstrates what we already know: that elections in Milwaukee County are fair, transparent, accurate and secure," he said Friday, according to Reuters.
And on Sunday, Dane County's McDonell told reporters that the recount showed "there was absolutely no evidence of voter fraud in this election."
NPR's Benjamin Swasey contributed reporting.


npr--2020-11-28--Coronavirus Is Surging: How Severe Is Your State's Outbreak?

Coronavirus Is Surging : How Severe Is Your State 's Outbreak ?
More than 13 million people in the U.S. have had confirmed coronavirus infections and more than 250,000 have died of COVID-19 .
Tens of thousands of new cases are reported daily nationwide .
In the graphics below , explore the trends in your state .
View the data via a heat map ( immediately below ) , curve charts , a table of state-by-state trends over four weeks , or a map of total cases and deaths .
The map above shows the risk of infection in each @ @ @ @ @ @ @ capita .
The consortium of researchers and public health experts who developed these risk levels advises states in the red category to issue stay-home orders .
They advise orange states to consider stay-home orders , along with increased testing and contact tracing .
Yellow states need to keep up social distancing and mask usage , and all states should continue testing and contact tracing .
To compare state outbreaks , the chart above graphs trend lines for average new daily cases and deaths against each state 's totals to date .
This type @ @ @ @ @ @ @ growth or decline relative to the overall size of its outbreak .
When both new and total case and death counts grow quickly , the curves bend upward .
As new cases and deaths slow , the curves level or bend down .
In New York , the curve rose sharply before reaching over 170,000 total cases in April .
New cases fell from about 10,000 per day in mid-April to under 900 a day most of the summer , before starting to rise in the fall .
Explore the map above to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country for both new confirmed cases and reported deaths from COVID-19 .
New York was the original epicenter of the pandemic in the U.S. As of mid October , California , Florida and Texas surpass New York for total cases to date , though New York still has the highest death total .
Click here to see a global map of confirmed cases and deaths .
To show trends , the table below shows the change in average new cases per day in each state , week over week for the last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of red have growing outbreaks ; those in shades of green , are declining .
The graphics on this page pull from data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University from several sources , including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ; the World Health Organization ; national , state and local government health departments ; 1point3acres ; and local media reports .
The JHU team automates its data uploads and regularly checks them for anomalies .
This may result in occasional data discrepancies on this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and updates its feeds .
State-by-state recovery data are unavailable at this time .
There may be discrepancies between what you see here and what you see on your local health department 's website .
Figures shown do not include cases on cruise ships .
Fluctuations in the numbers may happen as health authorities review old cases and or update their methodologies .
For example , in early June , Michigan health authorities started including probable cases in its totals .
This resulted in a brief spike in the state 's daily numbers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reconcile the historical data .
On June 25 , New Jersey included 1,854 previously-unreported probable deaths in its totals , resulting in a spike in the state 's daily death numbers .
On Sept. 2 , Massachusetts changed its methodology for counting probable cases , which lowered its overall case and death numbers .
The JHU team maintains a list of such changes .
This story was originally published on March 16 , 2020 .
Elena Renken was a co-author on that version .
Sean McMinn and Audrey Carlsen contributed to this story @ @ @ @ @ @ @

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


npr--2020-11-28--COVID-19 Hits Hard For South Louisiana's Cajun Musicians

Musicians — who depend on live audiences as much as they do — have been especially hard hit by the pandemic .
Perhaps nowhere has this been felt more acutely than in South Louisiana , where music lies at the heart of Cajun culture .
They still gather on Saturday mornings at Marc Savoy 's music store in the town of Eunice amid the rice fields and crawfish farms in what 's called Cajun prairie country .
Musicians pull chairs into a circle — outside now because of the virus — to play the Acadian French ballads they learned from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been diminished since four aged musicians — two fiddlers , a guitarist and a harmonica player — succumbed to COVID-19 .
`` I was almost on the verge of canceling the jam session because it 's not the same ambience , it 's not the same spirit anymore since these old-timers are gone , '' says Savoy , one of the patriarchs of Cajun music .
At 80 years old , he is still building accordions , playing them and hosting the jams .
`` Cajun people have had to endure lots @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 're enduring , '' he says , standing next to the song circle behind the building where he makes his legendary Acadian accordions .
`` I think it 's in our blood to endure whatever falls upon us . ''
Cajun music comes from the Acadians , who were brutally expelled by the British from Canada more than 250 years ago .
Today , the lilting fiddle- , accordion- and triangle-based music is enjoyed by fans around the world .
But since the pandemic struck , the vast majority of live music venues @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just as they have all over the nation .
And hundreds of musicians who play Cajun , and its bluesy black cousin , zydeco , are hurting .
Joel Savoy , Marc 's 40-year-old son and an accomplished fiddle player and producer , says festivals are the mainstay of Cajun musicians .
But when the virus hit in the spring , every single festival in Louisiana and most of the world was canceled .
`` So all of our income for this year was disappearing very quickly , '' he says .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , because it 's so uncertain , our entire next year is already devoid of any kind of gigs other than virtual festivals and online things . ''
Joel Savoy says virtual festivals and streamed performances that depend on tickets and tips pay a fraction of what a real show pays .
He has been reluctantly selling off instruments and amplifiers to pay for living expenses .
`` But it 's hard to sell them to other musicians because they do n't have any money right now either , '' he says .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Nine months ago , Zoom shows had lots of paying listeners .
But the enthusiasm has slacked off , says Joel Savoy 's musical partner , fiddler Kelli Jones .
`` I think people are sick of it , '' Jones says .
`` Sitting at home and watching something on your computer is only so entertaining for months and months and months . ''
But it 's all there is these days .
So Jones and Savoy set up for a show in the kitchen of her house down the road @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at a virtual Cajun & Creole music festival out of the New York City borough of Brooklyn , called Swamp in the City .
`` Hi , everybody !
Thanks for being here with us , '' Savoy says to his laptop , tuning his fiddle .
`` This is my first live Zoom concert ever ; we hope you can hear us . ''
For professional musicians , it 's a point of pride to make their living solely from music .
To take a day job is a capitulation , of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ happening .
Fiddler Jones is bartending in a restaurant to supplement her income .
Her friend , Corey Ledet , a 39-year-old accordion player from St. Martin Parish , was leading a popular zydeco band .
Now he 's considering sidelining as a truck driver like many of his musician friends are doing , even though he 'd rather play 41 keys than drive 18 wheels .
`` I can only hold out for so long , '' he says .
`` If I end up having to have to get a real @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 'm probably going to be a very bitter person because my passion has been taken away from me .
And this is the first time I 'm telling anybody this .
I 've actually developed a mild depression over this because my music has always been my go-to , and I have nowhere to go . ''
Before the pandemic , Ledet was playing all over Louisiana and at blues festivals in Europe .
Meanwhile , the Mamou Playboys were one of the hardest working Cajun bands in the country .
They were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2011 .
Today , Steve Riley , the Playboys ' 51-year old leader , seldom leaves his house .
His wife , Katie , is immune compromised .
He and their boys , Burke , 11 , and Dolsy , 8 , are protective of her so they limit their exposure to people .
Coronavirus has squeezed the Riley family .
With little income and no idea when gigs will return , Riley is selling his new Toyota Highlander to generate some cash .
Despite the hardships , the family has made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
They 've built a playhouse and a chicken coop and put in a garden .
Sitting in his backyard , Riley says the lack of music is famishing Cajun culture , which is all about people coming together .
`` This music that we play is played at weddings , at funerals , at dance halls on the weekends .
I mean , we are a people who like to be together .
And I miss seeing those couples waltzing , jitterbugging around the dance floor .
It 's a beautiful thing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And I tell you , sometimes it gets to me , man , it 's hard , '' he says , choking up .
With the Mamou Playboys out of action , Riley and his sons have formed the Riley Family Band .
They play every Sunday afternoon on Facebook Live .
`` The response at the beginning was just incredible , '' he says .
`` The fact that we could reach not only our neighbors and our family , but people around the country and around the world were tuning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and family — is the nucleus of Cajun culture .
It 's not going away .
It 's just gone virtual .

COVID-19 Hits Hard For South Louisiana's Cajun Musicians
Enlarge this image toggle caption Lily Brooks for NPR Lily Brooks for NPR
Musicians — who depend on live audiences as much as they do — have been especially hard hit by the pandemic. Perhaps nowhere has this been felt more acutely than in South Louisiana, where music lies at the heart of Cajun culture.
They still gather on Saturday mornings at Marc Savoy's music store in the town of Eunice amid the rice fields and crawfish farms in what's called Cajun prairie country. Musicians pull chairs into a circle — outside now because of the virus — to play the Acadian French ballads they learned from their grandparents.
But the jam sessions have been diminished since four aged musicians — two fiddlers, a guitarist and a harmonica player — succumbed to COVID-19.
"I was almost on the verge of canceling the jam session because it's not the same ambience, it's not the same spirit anymore since these old-timers are gone," says Savoy, one of the patriarchs of Cajun music. At 80 years old, he is still building accordions, playing them and hosting the jams.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Lily Brooks for NPR Lily Brooks for NPR
"Cajun people have had to endure lots, and this is something that we're enduring," he says, standing next to the song circle behind the building where he makes his legendary Acadian accordions. "I think it's in our blood to endure whatever falls upon us."
Cajun music comes from the Acadians, who were brutally expelled by the British from Canada more than 250 years ago.
Today, the lilting fiddle-, accordion- and triangle-based music is enjoyed by fans around the world. But since the pandemic struck, the vast majority of live music venues in Cajun country have fallen silent — just as they have all over the nation. And hundreds of musicians who play Cajun, and its bluesy black cousin, zydeco, are hurting.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Lily Brooks for NPR Lily Brooks for NPR
Joel Savoy, Marc's 40-year-old son and an accomplished fiddle player and producer, says festivals are the mainstay of Cajun musicians. But when the virus hit in the spring, every single festival in Louisiana and most of the world was canceled.
"So all of our income for this year was disappearing very quickly," he says. "And then, as this has developed, because it's so uncertain, our entire next year is already devoid of any kind of gigs other than virtual festivals and online things."
Joel Savoy says virtual festivals and streamed performances that depend on tickets and tips pay a fraction of what a real show pays. He has been reluctantly selling off instruments and amplifiers to pay for living expenses. "But it's hard to sell them to other musicians because they don't have any money right now either," he says. "It's a vicious cycle."
Enlarge this image toggle caption Lily Brooks for NPR Lily Brooks for NPR
Nine months ago, Zoom shows had lots of paying listeners. But the enthusiasm has slacked off, says Joel Savoy's musical partner, fiddler Kelli Jones.
"I think people are sick of it," Jones says. "Sitting at home and watching something on your computer is only so entertaining for months and months and months."
But it's all there is these days. So Jones and Savoy set up for a show in the kitchen of her house down the road in Lafayette. They were featured performers at a virtual Cajun & Creole music festival out of the New York City borough of Brooklyn, called Swamp in the City.
"Hi, everybody! Thanks for being here with us," Savoy says to his laptop, tuning his fiddle. "This is my first live Zoom concert ever; we hope you can hear us."
For professional musicians, it's a point of pride to make their living solely from music. To take a day job is a capitulation, of sorts. But that's what is happening. Fiddler Jones is bartending in a restaurant to supplement her income. Her friend, Corey Ledet, a 39-year-old accordion player from St. Martin Parish, was leading a popular zydeco band. Now he's considering sidelining as a truck driver like many of his musician friends are doing, even though he'd rather play 41 keys than drive 18 wheels.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Lily Brooks for NPR Lily Brooks for NPR
"I can only hold out for so long," he says. "If I end up having to have to get a real job and not play music, I'm probably going to be a very bitter person because my passion has been taken away from me. And this is the first time I'm telling anybody this. I've actually developed a mild depression over this because my music has always been my go-to, and I have nowhere to go."
Before the pandemic, Ledet was playing all over Louisiana and at blues festivals in Europe. Meanwhile, the Mamou Playboys were one of the hardest working Cajun bands in the country. They were featured at an NPR Tiny Desk Concert in 2011.
Today, Steve Riley, the Playboys' 51-year old leader, seldom leaves his house. His wife, Katie, is immune compromised. He and their boys, Burke, 11, and Dolsy, 8, are protective of her so they limit their exposure to people.
Coronavirus has squeezed the Riley family. With little income and no idea when gigs will return, Riley is selling his new Toyota Highlander to generate some cash. Despite the hardships, the family has made the most of its time at home. They've built a playhouse and a chicken coop and put in a garden.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Lily Brooks for NPR Lily Brooks for NPR
Sitting in his backyard, Riley says the lack of music is famishing Cajun culture, which is all about people coming together.
"This music that we play is played at weddings, at funerals, at dance halls on the weekends. I mean, we are a people who like to be together. And I miss seeing those couples waltzing, jitterbugging around the dance floor. It's a beautiful thing that you can't see anywhere else. And I tell you, sometimes it gets to me, man, it's hard," he says, choking up.
With the Mamou Playboys out of action, Riley and his sons have formed the Riley Family Band. They play every Sunday afternoon on Facebook Live.
"The response at the beginning was just incredible," he says. "The fact that we could reach not only our neighbors and our family, but people around the country and around the world were tuning in."
Music — like seafood and family — is the nucleus of Cajun culture. It's not going away. It's just gone virtual.


npr--2020-11-28--Pandemic Takes Toll On Children's Mental Health

As a toddler , Kenley Gupta stopped speaking after her mom died .
Over the years , she recovered from the anxiety disorder , called mutism , but in March the 8-year-old went silent again .
The change occurred soon after her school shut down .
Kenley was shocked when her school closed .
`` I was really sad I could n't see my friends , '' she said .
She was normally a social butterfly and a good student .
But after the pandemic forced the school to adopt full-time distance learning , Kenley often crumpled into a ball @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would clutch Green Guy , her favorite stuffed animal .
Most of the time she refused to talk .
The few words she uttered were expressed in Green Guy 's cartoon voice .
Instead of logging onto Zoom for classes , she spent much of the day gaming — glued to a hot pink iPad .
She also stopped drawing and started to eat more .
`` There was a kind of almost compulsive snacking that I had never seen before , '' said Jay Gupta , Kenley 's dad .
As a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ too .
Gupta is trying to juggle his job as a philosophy professor at a local college and keep Kenley 's twin brother , Anakin , on track as well .
Anakin does n't like distance learning either .
`` I much prefer real school because I 'm an energy boy , '' he said .
`` Home school , I just sit on the couch and say , 'Blaah . '
`` Anakin 's mental health has n't declined during the lockdown , but the 8-year-old did fall behind in his schoolwork @ @ @ @ @ @ @ really felt like I was out at sea , '' his father said .
`` At some point , I gave up . ''
Even before the coronavirus hit , mental health problems such as depression and anxiety were on the rise in children ages 6 to 17 , according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
Research shows social isolation can make these symptoms worse .
Currently , there 's little hard data about how the pandemic is affecting children 's mental health , mostly because the outbreak is still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ little that scientists have measured is worrisome .
A national survey conducted in the spring of 3,300 high school students found nearly a third reporting they were unhappy and depressed `` much more than usual '' in the past month .
Almost 51 % said they felt a lot more uncertainty about the future as well .
Overseas , in a survey of 1,143 parents measuring the effects of the lockdowns in Italy and Spain , nearly 86 % reported changes in their children such as difficulty concentrating and spending more time online @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in physical activity .
A study of 2,330 schoolchildren in China found both anxiety and depression rose compared with rates seen in previous investigations .
There 's plenty of anecdotal evidence to corroborate these trends .
`` We see high levels of anxiety , '' said Saun-Toy Trotter , a psychotherapist at University of California , San Francisco Benioff Children 's Hospital in Oakland , `` high levels of depression . ''
Her school-based clinic recorded more youth suicide attempts in the first four weeks of the pandemic than it did in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` They 're giving up hope , '' Trotter said .
`` There 's nowhere to go .
There 's nothing to do .
There 's nothing to connect with .
There 's just deflatedness . ''
Trotter advises parents to check in often with their children , listen closely and set routines .
She also advises parents to take care of themselves .
`` Give yourself as much permission as possible to relax , '' she said .
`` Rest .
Reset .
Restore . ''
Schools and community organizations are also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ events , telehealth sessions and socially distanced activities .
Trotter cites the working farm at Castlemont High School in Oakland .
`` There are students who garden there three days a week , growing kiwis and red peppers , '' she said .
She quoted one teenager who was looking on the bright side.
`` 'If it were n't for COVID , I would n't be sticking my hands in the dirt for the first time , ' `` she said .
The Gupta family turned a corner over the summer when the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Within weeks , Kenley rebounded and was back to her old self .
`` It is notable that her mood took a 180 , '' her father said .
`` She 's a different person . ''
The increased social interaction paved the way for a soft landing when the twins returned to distance learning in the fall .
Both kids are in therapy .
Kenley recently started drawing again .
She still sulks , battling a kind of internal silent storm , as her father describes it .
But Gupta is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
For instance , if someone in the family sits next to her during Zoom classes , she pays closer attention .
Just the simple presence of someone familiar keeps her anchored .
Gupta looks forward to the day when Kenley is supported by her teachers in person again .
`` I 'm all for opening the schools , '' he said , as long as it 's done safely .

Pandemic Takes Toll On Children's Mental Health
Enlarge this image toggle caption Beth LaBerge/KQED Beth LaBerge/KQED
As a toddler, Kenley Gupta stopped speaking after her mom died. Over the years, she recovered from the anxiety disorder, called mutism, but in March the 8-year-old went silent again.
The change occurred soon after her school shut down. Kenley was shocked when her school closed.
"I was really sad I couldn't see my friends," she said.
She was normally a social butterfly and a good student. But after the pandemic forced the school to adopt full-time distance learning, Kenley often crumpled into a ball and hid under her blanket. She would clutch Green Guy, her favorite stuffed animal. Most of the time she refused to talk. The few words she uttered were expressed in Green Guy's cartoon voice.
Instead of logging onto Zoom for classes, she spent much of the day gaming — glued to a hot pink iPad. She also stopped drawing and started to eat more.
"There was a kind of almost compulsive snacking that I had never seen before," said Jay Gupta, Kenley's dad.
As a single father, he's struggling, too. Gupta is trying to juggle his job as a philosophy professor at a local college and keep Kenley's twin brother, Anakin, on track as well. Anakin doesn't like distance learning either.
"I much prefer real school because I'm an energy boy," he said. "Home school, I just sit on the couch and say, 'Blaah.' "
Anakin's mental health hasn't declined during the lockdown, but the 8-year-old did fall behind in his schoolwork as the months passed.
"I really felt like I was out at sea," his father said. "At some point, I gave up."
Alarming trends
Even before the coronavirus hit, mental health problems such as depression and anxiety were on the rise in children ages 6 to 17, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Research shows social isolation can make these symptoms worse.
Currently, there's little hard data about how the pandemic is affecting children's mental health, mostly because the outbreak is still unfolding and research takes time. The little that scientists have measured is worrisome.
A national survey conducted in the spring of 3,300 high school students found nearly a third reporting they were unhappy and depressed "much more than usual" in the past month. Almost 51% said they felt a lot more uncertainty about the future as well.
Overseas, in a survey of 1,143 parents measuring the effects of the lockdowns in Italy and Spain, nearly 86% reported changes in their children such as difficulty concentrating and spending more time online and asleep, and less time engaging in physical activity. A study of 2,330 schoolchildren in China found both anxiety and depression rose compared with rates seen in previous investigations.
There's plenty of anecdotal evidence to corroborate these trends.
"We see high levels of anxiety," said Saun-Toy Trotter, a psychotherapist at University of California, San Francisco Benioff Children's Hospital in Oakland, "high levels of depression."
Her school-based clinic recorded more youth suicide attempts in the first four weeks of the pandemic than it did in the entire previous year, she said.
"They're giving up hope," Trotter said. "There's nowhere to go. There's nothing to do. There's nothing to connect with. There's just deflatedness."
Trotter advises parents to check in often with their children, listen closely and set routines. She also advises parents to take care of themselves.
Children's Health How The Pandemic Is Making Kids Feel, In Their Own Words How The Pandemic Is Making Kids Feel, In Their Own Words Listen · 2:24 2:24
"Give yourself as much permission as possible to relax," she said. "Rest. Reset. Restore."
Schools and community organizations are also learning how to support students through virtual events, telehealth sessions and socially distanced activities. Trotter cites the working farm at Castlemont High School in Oakland.
"There are students who garden there three days a week, growing kiwis and red peppers," she said.
She quoted one teenager who was looking on the bright side. " 'If it weren't for COVID, I wouldn't be sticking my hands in the dirt for the first time,' " she said.
Finding resilience
The Gupta family turned a corner over the summer when the twins enrolled in a daily outdoor camp. Within weeks, Kenley rebounded and was back to her old self.
"It is notable that her mood took a 180," her father said. "She's a different person."
The increased social interaction paved the way for a soft landing when the twins returned to distance learning in the fall. Both kids are in therapy. Kenley recently started drawing again.
She still sulks, battling a kind of internal silent storm, as her father describes it. But Gupta is discovering new ways to help Kenley cope. For instance, if someone in the family sits next to her during Zoom classes, she pays closer attention. Just the simple presence of someone familiar keeps her anchored.
Gupta looks forward to the day when Kenley is supported by her teachers in person again.
"I'm all for opening the schools," he said, as long as it's done safely.


npr--2020-11-28--Republican Infighting Threatens GOP Chances In Georgia Senate Runoffs

Updated at 10:42 a.m .
ET Campaigning in Georgia 's two Senate runoffs is well underway , but Republicans are still fighting over the state 's November election and casting doubt on its voting system without evidence .
The possible effect of the mixed messaging on Republican turnout in January is worrying some of Georgia 's conservatives .
The state 's Republican election officials have repeatedly asserted there 's been no evidence of widespread fraud .
But incumbent Republican Sens .
David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler have called on Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to resign without evidence .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ called out Republican Gov .
Brian Kemp , who received Trump 's endorsement in 2018 .
`` We could be handing [ Senate Minority Leader ] Chuck Schumer control of the Senate by the Republican disarray , '' conservative talk show host Erick Erickson said last week on WSB radio .
`` It 's a little bit frustrating to see the Republicans squabbling with each other over this when frankly there 's no sign that the election was stolen in Georgia . ''
Trump tried to counter these concerns on Friday , tweeting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a total scam ... we must get out and help David and Kelly , two GREAT people .
Otherwise we are playing right into the hands of some very sick people . ''
Donald Trump Jr. has also called the suggestion of skipping the January runoffs `` nonsense . ''
Kemp echoed criticism of the election system while formally certifying the results last week , awarding Joe Biden the state 's 16 Electoral College votes .
`` I 've heard directly from countless Georgians .
They expect better , and they deserve better @ @ @ @ @ @ @ uncounted ballots discovered during an audit .
The state 's election officials have said the audit 's margin of error was within the expected error rate of hand-counting ballots .
`` We are going to suppress our own vote '' Still , Republicans including Vice President Pence , who campaigned in Georgia on Nov. 20 , are urging supporters to trust the system again in January : `` Vote , Georgia , vote to reelect David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler to the United States Senate , '' he called out to hundreds gathered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ga. '' You 're seeing many Republicans now speaking out and saying , 'If we undermine faith in our election system , if we tell people that perhaps their votes did n't count , we are going to suppress our own vote , '' said Brian Robinson , a Georgia Republican strategist .
`` Typically you can expect Democrats to take potshots at Republicans , but when Republicans take them at each other it 's not helpful , '' Raffensperger said in an NPR interview .
`` I 'm sure Democrats have just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ popcorn and are enjoying the show .
We need to really unify as Republicans and make sure that we help our senators get across . ''
A pro-Trump Georgia lawyer , Lin Wood , who tried unsuccessfully to stop the state 's election certification , vowed not to vote in the runoffs if the `` unlawful '' November election is n't addressed .
He is requesting a special session to change election law , an idea that Kemp , Lt. Gov .
Geoff Duncan and Georgia House Speaker David Ralston have rejected because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
While still a fringe position , a political committee associated with onetime Trump adviser Roger Stone urged voters to punish the GOP by writing in the president 's name on the runoff ballots .
`` With enough write-ins in the Georgia senate race , we can tilt the balance in Georgia in Trump 's favor ! ''
the group 's website said .
`` If we can do this , we have a real chance at getting these RINO senators to act on the illegitimate and corrupt election presided over by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Communist takeover of Our Great Nation . ''
Writing in candidates is not allowed in the upcoming races , because they 're runoffs between the top two candidates from the Nov. 3 election .
Voters such as Kristen Jones , who attended the Canton rally headlined by Pence , have questions about the system going into January .
`` How can you have an election after it was completely fraudulent ?
I mean that should be every Georgian 's question right now , '' she said .
Jones said she will still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who has pledged never to do so after the November election .
`` That just made me so terribly sad , '' she said .
Republicans have advantages going into these elections .
Historically , they 've always won runoffs in Georgia , and Republicans in both Senate races earned more votes than Democrats in November , even as Biden carried the top of the ticket .
Plus , Robinson argued , Republicans have the upper hand in terms of motivation .
While Democrats have accomplished their goal of defeating Trump , Republicans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` [ Democrats are ] polishing their trophy and beginning to settle in for a long winter 's nap now , '' he said .
`` It 's going to be much harder to energize [ Democrats ] with a scary message , motivate them with fear .
It 's very easy to motivate Republican voters with fear because Republican voters are terrified of what 's coming down the pike if Biden , [ House Speaker Nancy ] Pelosi and Schumer control all the levers of power in Washington . ''
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ damage the election integrity questions will do to Republican turnout .
`` We do n't know how voters are going to respond to this , '' Robinson said .
`` We just do n't know . ''
`` With the runoffs , the margins are going to be close .
And so you need to get every single voter back out , and I do n't think this is the way to do it , '' Democratic state Sen. Jen Jordan said of the Republicans ' election questions .
She said the Democrats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Georgia does n't apply , because the level of resources and excitement is unprecedented .
Plus , she said , Democrats have an `` X factor '' this time around : hope , because Biden narrowly won the state .
`` That light at the end of the tunnel is really going to push a lot of Democrats who may would normally say well , 'Why does it matter ? '
`` she said .
`` They know that it absolutely does , and they could be the one vote that pushes it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the ballots , Trump 's campaign asked for a machine recount of those same ballots , which is currently underway .
It 's the third time in less than a month that Georgia 's presidential ballots have been tallied .

Republican Infighting Threatens GOP Chances In Georgia Senate Runoffs
Enlarge this image toggle caption Megan Varner/Getty Images Megan Varner/Getty Images
Updated at 10:42 a.m. ET
Campaigning in Georgia's two Senate runoffs is well underway, but Republicans are still fighting over the state's November election and casting doubt on its voting system without evidence.
The possible effect of the mixed messaging on Republican turnout in January is worrying some of Georgia's conservatives.
The state's Republican election officials have repeatedly asserted there's been no evidence of widespread fraud.
But incumbent Republican Sens. David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler have called on Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to resign, without evidence of wrongdoing. President Trump has also criticized Raffensperger and called out Republican Gov. Brian Kemp, who received Trump's endorsement in 2018.
"We could be handing [Senate Minority Leader] Chuck Schumer control of the Senate by the Republican disarray," conservative talk show host Erick Erickson said last week on WSB radio. "It's a little bit frustrating to see the Republicans squabbling with each other over this when frankly there's no sign that the election was stolen in Georgia."
Trump tried to counter these concerns on Friday, tweeting that though the November election "was a total scam ... we must get out and help David and Kelly, two GREAT people. Otherwise we are playing right into the hands of some very sick people."
Donald Trump Jr. has also called the suggestion of skipping the January runoffs "nonsense."
Kemp echoed criticism of the election system while formally certifying the results last week, awarding President-elect Joe Biden the state's 16 Electoral College votes.
"I've heard directly from countless Georgians. They expect better, and they deserve better," Kemp said of several thousand uncounted ballots discovered during an audit. The state's election officials have said the audit's margin of error was within the expected error rate of hand-counting ballots.
"We are going to suppress our own vote"
Still, Republicans including Vice President Pence, who campaigned in Georgia on Nov. 20, are urging supporters to trust the system again in January: "Vote, Georgia, vote to reelect David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler to the United States Senate," he called out to hundreds gathered at an outdoor rally in Canton, Ga.
"You're seeing many Republicans now speaking out and saying, 'If we undermine faith in our election system, if we tell people that perhaps their votes didn't count, we are going to suppress our own vote,' " said Brian Robinson, a Georgia Republican strategist.
"Typically you can expect Democrats to take potshots at Republicans, but when Republicans take them at each other it's not helpful," Raffensperger said in an NPR interview. "I'm sure Democrats have just gone out and bought a box of popcorn and are enjoying the show. We need to really unify as Republicans and make sure that we help our senators get across."
A pro-Trump Georgia lawyer, Lin Wood, who tried unsuccessfully to stop the state's election certification, vowed not to vote in the runoffs if the "unlawful" November election isn't addressed.
He is requesting a special session to change election law, an idea that Kemp, Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan and Georgia House Speaker David Ralston have rejected because it would result in "endless litigation."
While still a fringe position, a political committee associated with onetime Trump adviser Roger Stone urged voters to punish the GOP by writing in the president's name on the runoff ballots.
"With enough write-ins in the Georgia senate race, we can tilt the balance in Georgia in Trump's favor!" the group's website said. "If we can do this, we have a real chance at getting these RINO senators to act on the illegitimate and corrupt election presided over by a Democrat party that is invested in the Communist takeover of Our Great Nation."
Writing in candidates is not allowed in the upcoming races, because they're runoffs between the top two candidates from the Nov. 3 election.
Voters such as Kristen Jones, who attended the Canton rally headlined by Pence, have questions about the system going into January.
"How can you have an election after it was completely fraudulent? I mean that should be every Georgian's question right now," she said.
Jones said she will still vote again, but she knows someone who has pledged never to do so after the November election. "That just made me so terribly sad," she said.
GOP advantages
Republicans have advantages going into these elections. Historically, they've always won runoffs in Georgia, and Republicans in both Senate races earned more votes than Democrats in November, even as Biden carried the top of the ticket.
Plus, Robinson argued, Republicans have the upper hand in terms of motivation.
While Democrats have accomplished their goal of defeating Trump, Republicans still have a lot on the line.
"[Democrats are] polishing their trophy and beginning to settle in for a long winter's nap now," he said. "It's going to be much harder to energize [Democrats] with a scary message, motivate them with fear. It's very easy to motivate Republican voters with fear because Republican voters are terrified of what's coming down the pike if Biden, [House Speaker Nancy] Pelosi and Schumer control all the levers of power in Washington."
But the big unknown is what kind of damage the election integrity questions will do to Republican turnout.
"We don't know how voters are going to respond to this," Robinson said. "We just don't know."
"With the runoffs, the margins are going to be close. And so you need to get every single voter back out, and I don't think this is the way to do it," Democratic state Sen. Jen Jordan said of the Republicans' election questions.
She said the Democrats' past history of losing runoffs in Georgia doesn't apply, because the level of resources and excitement is unprecedented. Plus, she said, Democrats have an "X factor" this time around: hope, because Biden narrowly won the state.
"That light at the end of the tunnel is really going to push a lot of Democrats who may would normally say well, 'Why does it matter?' " she said. "They know that it absolutely does, and they could be the one vote that pushes it over."
After a hand recount of the ballots, Trump's campaign asked for a machine recount of those same ballots, which is currently underway.
It's the third time in less than a month that Georgia's presidential ballots have been tallied.


npr--2020-11-27--A Black Friday With Masked Shoppers And Booming Online Sales

Black Friday , traditionally the busiest shopping day of the year , fell during one of the gravest surges in the coronavirus pandemic in the United States : Thanksgiving Day saw more than 100,000 new confirmed cases and more than 1,000 coronavirus deaths .
Predictably , the pandemic has dampened enthusiasm for trips to the mall and stores across the country .
Yet shoppers sporting masks did turn up at big retailers , and many encountered an overhauled shopping experience , including temperature checks and plastic barriers in the checkout aisle .
In Hyattsville , Md.
, NPR 's Alina @ @ @ @ @ @ @ George 's was bustling with shoppers .
`` Lots of people strolling around , just kind of checking out whatever 's on sale , getting clothes , bedding , even jewelry .
I saw a line at GameStop for electronics .
Even Santa is here to pose with pets from behind a plexiglas shield . ''
Selyukh spoke to shopper Antoinette Mingo , who was dashing into Macy 's to buy a gift for her son .
She said , `` I 'm a touchy-feely person .
I need to touch and feel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 'm just crossing my fingers , hope they have it in here and then I 'm done . ''
She said while she was anxious about being there , she felt a mask would keep her safe .
It was a small ray of hope for retail , an industry that has suffered one of the biggest job losses as a result of the pandemic .
Debt-laden , brick-and-mortar mainstays J.C. Penney , J.Crew and Neiman Marcus all filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy since the spring .
Black Friday has been thought of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But as Selyukh has reported , that 's been reshaped as retailers spread discounts across November and earlier in an effort to entice consumers to get holiday shopping done sooner .
The backdrop for the customary kick-off of holiday shopping was sobering : As of Friday , about 90,000 people were in U.S. hospitals with COVID-19 , which is more than twice as many as just one month ago , according to The COVID Tracking Project .
Despite the dire case numbers , shopping patterns do not reflect a gloomy scenario for sales @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pace of online shopping .
This year , Adobe Analytics , which tracks online shopping , predicts that Black Friday and Cyber Monday will become the two largest online sales days in U.S. history , with Thanksgiving sales up 21.5 % from 2019 .
By staying away from large indoor spaces with masses of people , online shoppers could also be helping to flatten the curve .
But despite the pandemic , many Americans were on the move this Thanksgiving .
The Transportation Security Administration reported screening more than 1 million travelers in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 48 million more were travelling by car .
All that travel could produce a flare in cases , but health experts say the spread wo n't be detectable for several weeks .

A Black Friday With Masked Shoppers And Booming Online Sales
Enlarge this image toggle caption Ringo H.W. Chiu/AP Ringo H.W. Chiu/AP
Black Friday, traditionally the busiest shopping day of the year, fell during one of the gravest surges in the coronavirus pandemic in the United States: Thanksgiving Day saw more than 100,000 new confirmed cases and more than 1,000 coronavirus deaths.
Predictably, the pandemic has dampened enthusiasm for trips to the mall and stores across the country. Yet shoppers sporting masks did turn up at big retailers, and many encountered an overhauled shopping experience, including temperature checks and plastic barriers in the checkout aisle.
In Hyattsville, Md., NPR's Alina Selyukh reports that the Mall at Prince George's was bustling with shoppers.
"Lots of people strolling around, just kind of checking out whatever's on sale, getting clothes, bedding, even jewelry. I saw a line at GameStop for electronics. Even Santa is here to pose with pets from behind a plexiglas shield."
Selyukh spoke to shopper Antoinette Mingo, who was dashing into Macy's to buy a gift for her son. She said, "I'm a touchy-feely person. I need to touch and feel and look at it. So I'm just crossing my fingers, hope they have it in here and then I'm done."
She said while she was anxious about being there, she felt a mask would keep her safe.
It was a small ray of hope for retail, an industry that has suffered one of the biggest job losses as a result of the pandemic. Debt-laden, brick-and-mortar mainstays J.C. Penney, J.Crew and Neiman Marcus all filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy since the spring.
Black Friday has been thought of as the big pre-holiday sales day. But as Selyukh has reported, that's been reshaped as retailers spread discounts across November and earlier in an effort to entice consumers to get holiday shopping done sooner.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images
The backdrop for the customary kick-off of holiday shopping was sobering: As of Friday, about 90,000 people were in U.S. hospitals with COVID-19, which is more than twice as many as just one month ago, according to The COVID Tracking Project.
Despite the dire case numbers, shopping patterns do not reflect a gloomy scenario for sales. The pandemic has vastly accelerated the pace of online shopping. This year, Adobe Analytics, which tracks online shopping, predicts that Black Friday and Cyber Monday will become the two largest online sales days in U.S. history, with Thanksgiving sales up 21.5% from 2019.
By staying away from large indoor spaces with masses of people, online shoppers could also be helping to flatten the curve. But despite the pandemic, many Americans were on the move this Thanksgiving. The Transportation Security Administration reported screening more than 1 million travelers in airports on Wednesday, and AAA estimated 48 million more were travelling by car. All that travel could produce a flare in cases, but health experts say the spread won't be detectable for several weeks.


npr--2020-11-29--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--2020-11-29--Coronavirus Is Surging: How Severe Is Your State's Outbreak?


npr--2020-11-29--David Prowse, Actor Behind Darth Vader, Dies At 85

David Prowse , the British weightlifting champion and man behind the Darth Vader mask , has died .
He was 85 .
The actor 's management company shared the news of his passing early Sunday morning on social media `` with great regret and heart-wrenching sadness for us and million of fans around the world . ''
Prowse wore the Darth Vader costume in the original Star Wars trilogy , while James Earl Jones provided the villain 's iconic voice .
At a towering 6-foot-7 tall , the actor was originally offered a choice between the role of Vader or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2008 , Prowse explained why he chose the villain .
`` Well , if you think back on all the movies that you 've ever seen where there are goodies and baddies ... you always remember the baddie , '' he said .
The towering Prowse is also known for his role as a bodyguard in Stanley Kubrick 's A Clockwork Orange .
Used to playing hulking monsters , Prowse portrayed Dr. Frankenstein 's creature in three separate films : Casino Royale ( 1967 ) , The Horror of Frankenstein ( 1970 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hell ( 1974 ) .
He also made a cameo on the popular British science fiction show , Doctor Who , as a minotaur .
From 1971-1990 , Prowse was known to many children as The Green Cross Man , a spokesman for road safety in England .
In a 2014 column for The Guardian , Prowse said his role as the Green Cross Man was `` the best job '' he 'd ever had .
`` Many people will know me for being the ultimate screen villain , Star Wars ' Darth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But being a `` goodie goodie '' and heading up the Green Cross Code campaign , helping to save thousands of lives has always been the ultimate honour . ''
Prior to his work in film , Prowse was champion bodybuilder and fitness consultant .
He owned three gyms in London , and trained Christopher Reeves for his role as Superman .
His last credited role was as Professor Henry Wales in the series Mission Backup Earth .
Prowse has appeared at multiple conventions and signings , before retiring in December 2017 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's son , Luke Skywalker , expressed his condolences on Twitter , calling the actor `` a kind man & much more than Darth Vader . ''
`` He loved his fans as much as they loved him , '' he wrote .

David Prowse, Actor Behind Darth Vader, Dies At 85
Enlarge this image toggle caption Thierry Zoccolan/AFP via Getty Images Thierry Zoccolan/AFP via Getty Images
David Prowse, the British weightlifting champion and man behind the Darth Vader mask, has died. He was 85.
On Sunday morning, the actor's management company shared on social media the news of his death "with great regret and heart-wrenching sadness for us and million of fans around the world."
Prowse wore the Darth Vader costume in the original Star Wars trilogy, while James Earl Jones provided the villain's iconic voice. At a towering 6 feet, 7 inches tall, the actor was originally offered a choice between the role of Vader or Chewbacca. In an interview with NPR in 2008, Prowse explained why he chose the villain.
"Well, if you think back on all the movies that you've ever seen where there are goodies and baddies ... you always remember the baddie," he said.
The towering Prowse is also known for his role as a bodyguard in Stanley Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange. Used to playing hulking monsters, Prowse portrayed Frankenstein's creature in three separate films: Casino Royale (1967), The Horror of Frankenstein (1970) and Frankenstein and the Monster From Hell (1974). He also made a cameo on the popular British science fiction show Doctor Who as a minotaur.
From 1971 to 1990, Prowse was known to many children as the Green Cross Man, a spokesman for road safety in England. In a 2014 piece for The Guardian, Prowse said his role as the Green Cross Man was "the best job" he'd ever had.
"Many people will know me for being the ultimate screen villain, Star Wars' Darth Vader," he wrote. "But being a 'goodie goodie' and heading up the Green Cross Code campaign, helping to save thousands of lives has always been the ultimate honour."
Prior to his work in film, Prowse was a champion bodybuilder and fitness consultant. He owned three gyms in London and trained Christopher Reeve for his role as Superman.
His last credited role was as professor Henry Wales in the series Mission Backup Earth. Prowse appeared at multiple conventions and signings before retiring in December 2017.
Mark Hamill, who portrayed Darth Vader's son, Luke Skywalker, expressed his condolences on Twitter, calling the actor "a kind man & much more than Darth Vader."
"He loved his fans as much as they loved him," he wrote.


npr--2020-11-29--New York City Schools Will Reopen With New COVID-19 Testing Protocol

New York City Schools Will Reopen With New COVID-19 Testing Protocol Just 10 days after closing New York City 's schools because of rising coronavirus cases , Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Sunday that the nation 's largest school district will begin a phased reopening next week .
On Dec. 7 , buildings will reopen for elementary school students and on Dec. 10 , District 75 , which serves students with disabilities , will reopen .
Students can only return if they have already signed up for in-person learning .
About 190,000 elementary students and their parents must sign a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 335,000 students out of the 1.1 million in the city have chosen in-person classes .
While de Blasio has not announced a timeline for reopening middle or high schools , any school with enough space will eventually move toward in-person classes five days a week , instead of hybrid online and in-person classes .
Previously , the city had a rule that schools had to close if the city reached a 3 % testing positivity rate , which caused New York City public schools to close for in-person learning on Nov. 19 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ longer use that rule .
`` Getting our kids back in school buildings is one of the single most important things we can do for their wellbeing , and it 's so important that we do it right , '' Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza said in a statement .
`` The unparalleled value of in-person learning for students has been evident in the first few months of school , and we will do everything we can to keep our schools safe and keep them open for the duration of this pandemic . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ that he is focusing on lower grades `` because we know studies consistently show younger kids are having less of a negative experience and there is less concern about the spread when it comes to younger kids . ''
He added that it is important to have young kids in schools `` both educationally and socially . ''
Every student and staff member must consent to weekly random COVID-19 testing for 20 % of those who attend classes in-person .
`` Upon reopening , weekly COVID-19 testing will be in effect and testing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ students to return , '' de Blasio tweeted .
`` Finally , as we reopen , wherever possible we will move to 5 day a week in-person learning .
We want our kids in the classroom for as much time as possible .
Our families do , too .
We 'll work to make it happen . ''
New York City 's teachers union said it supported the plan on the condition of stringent testing .
`` At our insistence , much stricter testing measures will be in place in all schools , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Twitter .
Gov .
Andrew Cuomo , who frequently and publicly disagrees with de Blasio , told reporters Sunday that the mayor 's school reopening plan is `` the right direction . ''
Cuomo has ultimate say over schools under the current state of emergency .
`` We do have new facts and new information on schools and just about every professional says the schools , especially [ grades ] K through eight , should be kept open whenever it 's possible to keep them open , '' the governor said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to hospitals and there were 1,636 new cases of the virus in the city , the mayor said .
The weekly average infection rate is 3.9 % .

New York City Schools Will Reopen With New COVID-19 Testing Protocol
Enlarge this image toggle caption Andrew Burton/Getty Images Andrew Burton/Getty Images
Just 10 days after closing New York City's schools because of rising coronavirus cases, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Sunday that the nation's largest school district will begin a phased reopening next week.
On Dec. 7, buildings will reopen for elementary school students and on Dec. 10, District 75, which serves students with disabilities, will reopen.
Students can only return if they have already signed up for in-person learning. About 190,000 elementary students and their parents must sign a consent form. In total, about 335,000 students out of the 1.1 million in the city have chosen in-person classes. While de Blasio has not announced a timeline for reopening middle or high schools, any school with enough space will eventually move toward in-person classes five days a week, instead of hybrid online and in-person classes.
Previously, the city had a rule that schools had to close if the city reached a 3% testing positivity rate, which caused New York City public schools to close for in-person learning on Nov. 19. The mayor said the city will no longer use that rule.
"Getting our kids back in school buildings is one of the single most important things we can do for their wellbeing, and it's so important that we do it right," Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza said in a statement. "The unparalleled value of in-person learning for students has been evident in the first few months of school, and we will do everything we can to keep our schools safe and keep them open for the duration of this pandemic."
De Blasio said in a press conference that he is focusing on lower grades "because we know studies consistently show younger kids are having less of a negative experience and there is less concern about the spread when it comes to younger kids." He added that it is important to have young kids in schools "both educationally and socially."
Every student and staff member must consent to weekly random COVID-19 testing for 20% of those who attend classes in-person.
"Upon reopening, weekly COVID-19 testing will be in effect and testing consent forms will be required for our students to return," de Blasio tweeted. "Finally, as we reopen, wherever possible we will move to 5 day a week in-person learning. We want our kids in the classroom for as much time as possible. Our families do, too. We'll work to make it happen."
New York City's teachers union said it supported the plan on the condition of stringent testing. "At our insistence, much stricter testing measures will be in place in all schools," the United Federation of Teachers said on Twitter.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who frequently and publicly disagrees with de Blasio, told reporters Sunday that the mayor's school reopening plan is "the right direction." Cuomo has ultimate say over schools under the current state of emergency.
"We do have new facts and new information on schools and just about every professional says the schools, especially [grades] K through eight, should be kept open whenever it's possible to keep them open," the governor said.
On Sunday, 130 patients were admitted to hospitals and there were 1,636 new cases of the virus in the city, the mayor said. The weekly average infection rate is 3.9%.


npr--2020-11-29--Canada Blocks Export Of Medications In Short Supply In Response To Trump Plan

Canada Blocks Export Of Medications In Short Supply In Response To Trump Plan Ahead of an expected surge in U.S. demand for prescription drugs , the Canadian government has blocked the distribution of certain medications outside Canada in order to avoid a shortage within the country .
The Canadian health minister signed an order Friday to limit bulk exports , saying it would help safeguard the country 's drug supply .
The move comes in response to a new U.S. rule that would let pharmacists or wholesalers import certain prescription drugs in bulk .
The Trump administration announced the rule @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by doctors and nurses , the president promised it would be a `` game changer for American seniors . ''
Just weeks ago , Trump said the rule would cut out middlemen who hike up prices , and would let states , wholesalers and pharmacies import drugs directly from Canada , cutting drug prices in half .
The rule was set to go into effect on Monday .
But the Canadian government says it wo n't comply if sales would cause or worsen a drug shortage .
Canada may require companies to first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ place .
`` Our health care system is a symbol of our national identity and we are committed to defending it , '' Minister of Health Patty Hajdu said in a statement .
`` The actions we are taking today will help protect Canadians ' access to the medication they rely on . ''
Between 10-15 % of drugs are in shortage at any given time , and close to half of all marketed drugs in Canada have been in shortage at least once , according to Health Canada .
The COVID-19 pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ demand grows for certain medications used to treat coronavirus infections , the department said .
By late October , Canada had experienced 42 serious shortages , compared to about 10 shortages throughout all of 2019 .
In any case , the Canadian government thinks the new U.S. rule would n't do much to reduce drug prices in the U.S. , since the Canadian market is small and represents only 2 % of global pharmaceutical sales .
Canada 's order did n't name any specific drugs that would be blocked from export .
Health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ order will apply `` only to the categories of drugs that are subject to shortage reporting , '' such as prescription drugs and controlled substances .
`` It does not apply to over-the-counter drugs , or to drugs manufactured in Canada or imported solely for the purpose of export , '' Maddison said .
Health Canada maintains a regularly updated list of drug shortages .
A September report from the University of British Columbia found that one quarter of prescription drugs in Canada may be in short supply .

Canada Blocks Export Of Medications In Short Supply In Response To Trump Plan
Enlarge this image toggle caption Charly Triballeau/AFP via Getty Images Charly Triballeau/AFP via Getty Images
Ahead of an expected surge in U.S. demand for prescription drugs, the Canadian government has blocked the distribution of certain medications outside Canada in order to avoid a shortage within the country.
The Canadian health minister signed an order Friday to limit bulk exports, saying it would help safeguard the country's drug supply. The move comes in response to a new U.S. rule that would let pharmacists or wholesalers import certain prescription drugs in bulk.
The Trump administration announced the rule to much fanfare in September. Surrounded by doctors and nurses, the president promised it would be a "game changer for American seniors." Just weeks ago, Trump said the rule would cut out middlemen who hike up prices, and would let states, wholesalers and pharmacies import drugs directly from Canada, cutting drug prices in half.
The rule was set to go into effect on Monday. But the Canadian government says it won't comply if sales would cause or worsen a drug shortage. Canada may require companies to first assess potential shortages before any sales take place.
"Our health care system is a symbol of our national identity and we are committed to defending it," Minister of Health Patty Hajdu said in a statement. "The actions we are taking today will help protect Canadians' access to the medication they rely on."
Between 10-15% of drugs are in shortage at any given time, and close to half of all marketed drugs in Canada have been in shortage at least once, according to Health Canada. The COVID-19 pandemic has made the situation worse, as demand grows for certain medications used to treat coronavirus infections, the department said. By late October, Canada had experienced 42 serious shortages, compared to about 10 shortages throughout all of 2019.
In any case, the Canadian government thinks the new U.S. rule wouldn't do much to reduce drug prices in the U.S., since the Canadian market is small and represents only 2% of global pharmaceutical sales.
Canada's order didn't name any specific drugs that would be blocked from export. Health Canada spokesperson Anna Maddison told NPR the order will apply "only to the categories of drugs that are subject to shortage reporting," such as prescription drugs and controlled substances. "It does not apply to over-the-counter drugs, or to drugs manufactured in Canada or imported solely for the purpose of export," Maddison said.
Health Canada maintains a regularly updated list of drug shortages. A September report from the University of British Columbia found that one quarter of prescription drugs in Canada may be in short supply.


npr--2020-11-29--Biden Names All-Female White House Communications Team; Will Tap Tanden For OMB

President-elect Joe Biden on Sunday named seven women to key communications roles in his incoming White House .
His transition team says it 's the first time in history that the positions will be filled entirely by women .
Biden also will tap Neera Tanden to be director of the Office of Management and Budget , a source familiar with transition discussions tells NPR 's Franco Ordoñez .
The Wall Street Journal , which first reported Tanden 's nomination , says if confirmed , she will be the first woman of color to oversee the OMB .
Biden has emphasized @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in his administration .
His running mate , California Sen. Kamala Harris , will become the first female vice president , and he is set to nominate former Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen to be the first female treasury secretary .
Joining Yellen will be Adewale `` Wally '' Adeyemo , whom Biden plans to announce as deputy treasury secretary , the source familiar with transition discussions confirmed .
The Journal says Adeyemo — who is president of the Obama Foundation , and worked as an economic adviser in the Obama White House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first Black deputy secretary .
Tanden is currently the president and CEO of the Center for American Progress , a progressive think-tank .
She 's also been an adviser to Hillary Clinton and former President Barack Obama .
Biden is set to unveil more members of his economic team this week .
Among the seven communications staffers Biden named Sunday are : • Kate Bedingfield : The communications director for Biden 's campaign will take on the same role in the White House .
Bedingfield was also communications director for Biden when he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : Psaki will be the White House press secretary .
She 's another veteran of the Obama administration , and her roles there included White House communications director .
Psaki [ pronounced `` saki '' ] currently oversees the confirmation efforts of Biden 's nominees .
• Karine Jean-Pierre : Jean-Pierre , who will be deputy press secretary , was a senior adviser on Biden 's campaign and chief of staff to Harris .
Also named to the White House communications staff are : Ashley Etienne , Harris ' communications director ; Symone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Harris ; Pili Tobar , deputy White House communications director ; and Elizabeth Alexander , communications director for first lady Jill Biden .
`` Communicating directly and truthfully to the American people is one of the most important duties of a president , and this team will be entrusted with the tremendous responsibility of connecting the American people to the White House , '' Biden said in a statement .
Psaki noted on Twitter that six of the seven women named to communications jobs Sunday are moms of young children .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was at a doctor 's office .
According to a statement from Dr. Kevin O'Connor , released by the transition team , the 78-year-old Biden suffered hairline fractures in bones in his right foot , and `` it is anticipated that he will likely require a walking boot for several weeks . ''
His staff says he sustained the injury on Saturday when he slipped as he was playing with his dog , Major .

Biden Names All-Female White House Communications Team; Will Tap Tanden For OMB
Enlarge this image toggle caption Ethan Miller/Getty Images Ethan Miller/Getty Images
Updated at 7:25 p.m. ET
President-elect Joe Biden on Sunday named seven women to key communications roles in his incoming White House. His transition team says it's the first time in history that the positions will be filled entirely by women.
Biden also will tap Neera Tanden to be director of the Office of Management and Budget, a source familiar with transition discussions tells NPR's Franco Ordoñez. The Wall Street Journal, which first reported Tanden's nomination, says if confirmed, she will be the first woman of color to oversee the OMB.
Biden has emphasized the elevation of women to key roles in his administration. His running mate, California Sen. Kamala Harris, will become the first female vice president, and he is set to nominate former Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen to be the first female treasury secretary.
Joining Yellen will be Adewale "Wally" Adeyemo, whom Biden plans to announce as deputy treasury secretary, the source familiar with transition discussions confirmed.
The Journal says Adeyemo — who is president of the Obama Foundation, and worked as an economic adviser in the Obama White House — would be the Treasury Department's first Black deputy secretary.
Tanden is currently the president and CEO of the Center for American Progress, a progressive think-tank. She's also been an adviser to Hillary Clinton and former President Barack Obama.
Biden is set to unveil more members of his economic team this week.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Nicholas Kamm/AFP via Getty Images Nicholas Kamm/AFP via Getty Images
Among the seven communications staffers Biden named Sunday are:
Kate Bedingfield: The communications director for Biden's campaign will take on the same role in the White House. Bedingfield was also communications director for Biden when he was vice president.
Jen Psaki: Psaki will be the White House press secretary. She's another veteran of the Obama administration, and her roles there included White House communications director. Psaki [pronounced "saki"] currently oversees the confirmation efforts of Biden's nominees.
Karine Jean-Pierre: Jean-Pierre, who will be deputy press secretary, was a senior adviser on Biden's campaign and chief of staff to Harris.
Also named to the White House communications staff are: Ashley Etienne, Harris' communications director; Symone Sanders, senior advisor and chief spokesperson for Harris; Pili Tobar, deputy White House communications director; and Elizabeth Alexander, communications director for first lady Jill Biden.
"Communicating directly and truthfully to the American people is one of the most important duties of a president, and this team will be entrusted with the tremendous responsibility of connecting the American people to the White House," Biden said in a statement.
Psaki noted on Twitter that six of the seven women named to communications jobs Sunday are moms of young children.
The communications team was unveiled as Biden himself was at a doctor's office.
According to a statement from Dr. Kevin O'Connor, released by the transition team, the 78-year-old Biden suffered hairline fractures in bones in his right foot, and "it is anticipated that he will likely require a walking boot for several weeks."
His staff says he sustained the injury on Saturday when he slipped as he was playing with his dog, Major.


npr--2020-11-29--Metallic Monolith In Utah Vanishes Just As Mysteriously As It Appeared

Metallic Monolith In Utah Vanishes Just As Mysteriously As It Appeared Discovering the origins of the monolith in 2001 : A Space Odyssey requires only a keen cinematic eye or a time spent with Arthur C. Clarke 's novel .
But the mystery surrounding its apparent real-life counterpart just got stranger .
A metallic monolith of unknown origin , discovered more than a week ago , has vanished from the Utah desert as mysteriously as it appeared , according to the Bureau of Land Management 's Utah division .
An agency statement says credible reports point to `` an unknown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the evening of Nov. 27 .
The agency also asserts its own lack of involvement in the object 's removal or intention to investigate , noting it does `` not investigate crimes involving private property which are handled by the local sheriff 's office . ''
A subreddit dedicated to the monolith also showcased several images purporting to show that the structure had been removed .
The structure , a three-sided metallic prism , was discovered by Utah public safety and wildlife officials on Nov. 18 while they were conducting a survey @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Red Rock Country in southeastern Utah .
Photos taken by that crew showed the object to be of some height — about two adult men — and firmly planted in a narrow gorge .
Officials refused to divulge the object 's location to prevent curious sojourners from stranding themselves and requiring rescue .
Agencies were also quick to jokingly indulge a scenario akin to the plot of Stanley Kubrick 's balletic sci-fi masterpiece , where extraterrestrials install rectangular black monoliths on both prehistoric Earth and the moon .
Upon its discovery , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such as the unauthorized installation of the monolith are illegal , `` no matter what planet you are from . ''
Despite discouragement by state and federal officials , many people sought out the monolith 's location .
An entire subreddit dedicated just to finding the monolith features photos of such expeditions .
Others have taken it upon themselves to investigate the monolith 's origin , purpose and composition .
One such investigator posted to Instagram his failed attempt to place a magnet on the gigantic metal prism .
His conclusion was that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , riveted together .
A post to a separate subreddit dedicated to the monolith claims that Google Earth images indicate the monolith has been in that location since at least 2016 .
Then there are the theories its origin which span from the fantastic — aliens and time-travel assisted artifacts — to the commonplace : a film prop or art installation .
The names of several artists have been floated as possible creators , including sculptor John McCracken , who died in 2011 .
The Utah object bears similarities to McCracken 's works @ @ @ @ @ @ @ science fiction , according to The New York Times .
McCracken 's son , Patrick , told the newspaper that his father once said `` he would like to leave his artwork in remote places to be discovered later . ''
Though if it is a McCracken , it would be quite a pricey piece to leave in the wild .
Sotheby 's has valued some of his work as worth between $ 300,000- $ 400,000 at auction .

Metallic Monolith In Utah Vanishes Just As Mysteriously As It Appeared
Enlarge this image toggle caption Utah Department of Public Safety via AP Utah Department of Public Safety via AP
Discovering the origins of the monolith in 2001: A Space Odyssey requires only a keen cinematic eye or time spent with Arthur C. Clarke's novel. But the mystery surrounding its apparent real-life counterpart just got stranger.
A metallic monolith of unknown origin, discovered more than a week ago, has vanished from the Utah desert as mysteriously as it appeared, according to the Bureau of Land Management's Utah division.
An agency statement says credible reports point to "an unknown party" removing the illegally installed structure on the evening of Nov. 27. The agency also asserts its own lack of involvement in the object's removal or intent to investigate, noting it does "not investigate crimes involving private property which are handled by the local sheriff's office."
A subreddit dedicated to the monolith showcased several images purporting to show that the structure had been removed.
The structure, a three-sided metallic prism, was discovered by Utah public safety and wildlife officials on Nov. 18 while they were conducting a survey of bighorn sheep by helicopter in Red Rock Country in southeastern Utah.
Photos taken by that crew showed the object to be of some height — about two men — and firmly planted in a narrow gorge. Officials refused to divulge the object's location in order to prevent curious sojourners from stranding themselves and requiring rescue.
Agencies were also quick to jokingly indulge a scenario akin to the plot of Stanley Kubrick's balletic sci-fi masterpiece, where extraterrestrials install rectangular black monoliths on both prehistoric Earth and the moon.
Upon its discovery, the Bureau of Land Management tweeted that actions such as the unauthorized installation of the monolith are illegal, "no matter what planet you are from."
Despite discouragement by state and federal officials, many people sought out the monolith's location. An entire subreddit dedicated just to finding the monolith features photos of such expeditions. Others have taken it upon themselves to investigate the monolith's origin, purpose and composition.
One such investigator posted to Instagram his failed attempt to place a magnet on the gigantic metal prism. His conclusion was that the prism was three panels of aluminum riveted together.
A post to a separate subreddit dedicated to the monolith claims that Google Earth images indicate the monolith has been in that location since at least 2016.
Then there are the theories of its origin that span from the fantastic — aliens and time-travel assisted artifacts — to the commonplace: a film prop or art installation.
The names of several artists have been floated as possible creators, including sculptor John McCracken, who died in 2011. The Utah object bears similarities to McCracken's works.
And McCracken had an affinity for science fiction, according to The New York Times. McCracken's son, Patrick McCracken, told the newspaper that his father once said "he would like to leave his artwork in remote places to be discovered later."
Though if it is a McCracken, it would be quite a pricey piece to leave in the wild. Sotheby's has valued some of his work as worth between $300,000 and $400,000 at auction.


npr--2020-11-29--Formula 1 Driver Miraculously Emerges From Flame-Engulfed Car Crash

Romain Grosjean 's car violently hit a barrier , split in half and erupted in flames during the first lap of Formula One 's Bahrain Grand Prix on Sunday .
The race was halted and Grosjean , who miraculously made it out of his car without life-threatening injuries , is currently being treated in a Manama hospital .
It 's the most serious accident in the sport in years .
The French Haas driver clipped Daniil Kvyat 's car early on in the race , and just after the third corner , veered off the track .
Kvyat told Sky @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' at Grosjean for turning into him , but his `` mind changed immediately '' when he saw Grosjean 's car smash through the barriers , break in half and explode .
About 18-20 seconds later , Grosjean emerged from the wreckage .
`` Romain is doing okay , I do n't want to make a medical comment but he had light burns on his hands and ankles , '' Haas Team Principal Guenther Steiner said in a statement .
`` Obviously he 's shaken ...
I want to thank the rescue crews @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and FIA people , they did a great job , it was scary . ''
Formula One 's governing body , the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile , said Grosjean was immediately attended to by emergency and medical crews and remained conscious at all times .
He was flown to the Bahrain Defence Force Hospital where he is currently being evaluated .
`` In 12 years I 've never seen that much fire , '' medical car driver Alan van der Merwe told Sky Sports .
`` Then Romain just started to get out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pretty amazing after an incident like that .
It just goes to show all the systems , the halo , the barriers , the seat belt , all worked as they should .
Without even one of those things it could have been a very different outcome . ''
The curved bar that surrounds a driver 's head known as a halo , which was potentially instrumental in Grosjean 's survival , was only added to all Formula One cars in 2018 .
There was some criticism about the additional safety equipment at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said it destroys the `` looks of the car '' and fans who found it visually unappealing .
But on Sunday , it appeared to have helped save Grosjean 's life , and it would n't be the first time it increased safety for drivers .
Drivers Tadasuke Makino , Charles Leclerc and Alex Peroni have all credited the halo for possibly saving their lives in separate crashes .
Seven-time world champion driver Lewis Hamilton , who went on to win Sunday 's Grand Prix , tweeted that he is `` grateful '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the risk drivers take is `` no joke . ''
He said he is `` thankful to the FIA for the massive strides we 've taken for Romain to walk away from that safely . ''

Formula 1 Driver Miraculously Emerges From Flame-Engulfed Car Crash
Enlarge this image toggle caption Brynn Lennon/AP Brynn Lennon/AP
Romain Grosjean's car violently hit a barrier, split in half and erupted in flames during the first lap of Formula One's Bahrain Grand Prix on Sunday.
The race was halted and Grosjean, who miraculously made it out of his car without life-threatening injuries, is currently being treated in a Manama hospital.
It's the most serious accident in the sport in years.
The French Haas driver clipped Daniil Kvyat's car early on in the race, and just after the third corner, veered off the track. Kvyat told Sky Sports that he was initially "angry" at Grosjean for turning into him, but his "mind changed immediately" when he saw Grosjean's car smash through the barriers, break in half and explode. About 18-20 seconds later, Grosjean emerged from the wreckage.
"Romain is doing okay, I don't want to make a medical comment but he had light burns on his hands and ankles," Haas Team Principal Guenther Steiner said in a statement. "Obviously he's shaken ... I want to thank the rescue crews who are very quick. The marshals and FIA people, they did a great job, it was scary."
Formula One's governing body, the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile, said Grosjean was immediately attended to by emergency and medical crews and remained conscious at all times. He was flown to the Bahrain Defence Force Hospital where he is currently being evaluated.
"In 12 years I've never seen that much fire," medical car driver Alan van der Merwe told Sky Sports. "Then Romain just started to get out of the car himself, which is pretty amazing after an incident like that. It just goes to show all the systems, the halo, the barriers, the seat belt, all worked as they should. Without even one of those things it could have been a very different outcome."
The curved bar that surrounds a driver's head known as a halo, which was potentially instrumental in Grosjean's survival, was only added to all Formula One cars in 2018. There was some criticism about the additional safety equipment at the time, including one driver who said it destroys the "looks of the car" and fans who found it visually unappealing. But on Sunday, it appeared to have helped save Grosjean's life, and it wouldn't be the first time it increased safety for drivers. Drivers Tadasuke Makino, Charles Leclerc and Alex Peroni have all credited the halo for possibly saving their lives in separate crashes.
Seven-time world champion driver Lewis Hamilton, who went on to win Sunday's Grand Prix, tweeted that he is "grateful" for Grosjean's safety and reminded viewers that the risk drivers take is "no joke." He said he is "thankful to the FIA for the massive strides we've taken for Romain to walk away from that safely."


npr--2020-11-29--Fauci Warns Of 'Surge Upon A Surge' As COVID-19 Hospitalizations Hit Yet Another High

Fauci Warns Of 'Surge Upon A Surge ' As COVID-19 Hospitalizations Hit Yet Another High The number of hospitalizations from the coronavirus set yet another record on Saturday , as cases continue to surge and public health officials warn of a worsening outlook with the holiday season just weeks away .
More than 91,500 people were hospitalized with the virus on Saturday , with 18,000 in intensive care units .
That 's according to data compiled by the COVID Tracking Project , which collects and analyzes data from across the United States .
Over 6,000 patients were on ventilators .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ beginning of October and show no signs of slowing .
Over the past month , hospitalizations have more than doubled .
Across the country , medical personnel are now bracing for what they fear will be a new wave of infections after millions of Americans ignored the advice of public health experts and traveled for the Thanksgiving holiday .
Already , hospital resources are being stretched thin , with many institutions reporting a dire shortage of beds and personnel to handle the influx of new patients .
`` We may see a surge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fauci , the nation 's top infectious disease expert , told ABC 's This Week on Sunday .
`` We do n't want to frighten people , but that 's just the reality .
We said that these things would happen as we got into the cold weather and as we began traveling , and they 've happened . ''
With the December holidays just around the corner and more people traveling , `` it 's going to happen again , '' Fauci said .
`` We 're getting into colder weather and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The rising hospitalization numbers reflect an overall rise in infections .
The U.S. hit another tragic milestone Friday , when over 200,000 daily cases were reported for the first time .
More than 13 million people have been infected in the U.S. since the pandemic began , and nearly 267,000 have died , according to data from Johns Hopkins University .
The true number is likely far higher , as many asymptomatic individuals never get reflected in the official counts .
For the moment , daily deaths are lower than at their peak @ @ @ @ @ @ @ yet figured out the most effective treatment methods .
But with daily deaths hitting 2,000 twice last week , they 're approaching the record of 2,700 set in the spring .
Many fear the nation will soon hit 3,000 — the equivalent of a Sept. 11 attack every single day .

Fauci Warns Of 'Surge Upon A Surge' As COVID-19 Hospitalizations Hit Yet Another High
Enlarge this image toggle caption Mary Altaffer/AP Mary Altaffer/AP
The number of hospitalizations from the coronavirus set yet another record on Saturday, as cases continue to surge and public health officials warn of a worsening outlook with the holiday season just weeks away.
More than 91,500 people were hospitalized with the virus on Saturday, with 18,000 in intensive care units. That's according to data compiled by the COVID Tracking Project, which collects and analyzes data from across the United States. Over 6,000 patients were on ventilators.
Hospitalizations have been steadily increasing since the beginning of October and show no signs of slowing. Over the past month, hospitalizations have more than doubled.
Across the country, medical personnel are now bracing for what they fear will be a new wave of infections after millions of Americans ignored the advice of public health experts and traveled for the Thanksgiving holiday. Already, hospital resources are being stretched thin, with many institutions reporting a dire shortage of beds and personnel to handle the influx of new patients.
"We may see a surge upon a surge," Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert, told ABC's This Week on Sunday. "We don't want to frighten people, but that's just the reality. We said that these things would happen as we got into the cold weather and as we began traveling, and they've happened."
With the December holidays just around the corner and more people traveling, "it's going to happen again," Fauci said. "We're getting into colder weather and an even larger holiday season."
The rising hospitalization numbers reflect an overall rise in infections. The U.S. hit another tragic milestone Friday, when over 200,000 daily cases were reported for the first time. More than 13 million people have been infected in the U.S. since the pandemic began, and nearly 267,000 have died, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. The true number of infections is likely far higher, as many asymptomatic individuals never get reflected in the official counts.
For the moment, daily deaths are lower than at their peak this spring, when doctors hadn't yet figured out the most effective treatment methods. But with daily deaths hitting 2,000 twice last week, they're approaching the record of 2,700 set in the spring. Many fear the nation will soon hit 3,000 — the equivalent of a Sept. 11 attack every single day.