npr--2020-08-06--Most Teachers Concerned About In-Person School; 2 In 3 Want To Start The Year Online

Most Teachers Concerned About In-Person School ; 2 In 3 Want To Start The Year Online As the school year starts in many districts across the country , a new national poll of teachers from NPR/Ipsos finds overwhelming trepidation about returning to the physical classroom .
Eighty-two percent of K-12 teachers say they are concerned about returning to in-person teaching this fall , and two-thirds prefer to teach primarily remotely .
On the latter point , teachers are aligned with parents and the general public : Another recent NPR/Ipsos poll found two-thirds of respondents thought schools in their area should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of parents of children under 18 .
The teacher poll was conducted July 21-24 and included 505 respondents .
Half teach at low-income schools .
When it comes to going back to the classroom , 77 % of teachers are worried about risking their own health .
Robin Stauffer is one of them .
She 's taught high school English for four decades , most recently in Katy , Texas , a suburb west of Houston .
She says working with kids has kept her young and lighthearted , and she has a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the type of teacher that I wish I would have had when I was in public school , to kind of right the wrongs that I experienced . ''
But she 's also 66 years old and has diabetes , both of which make her more vulnerable to the coronavirus .
According to the U.S. Department of Education , almost 30 % of teachers are 50 and older , putting them in a higher-risk category for the virus .
`` I just do n't trust the school district to safeguard my health during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In the poll , 78 % of teachers said they are concerned specifically about accessing sufficient personal protective equipment and even cleaning materials for teaching in person .
Stauffer says her district cut custodial staff several years ago , and after that it was often up to teachers to clean their own rooms .
`` They do n't supply hand sanitizer .
They do n't supply wipes .
None of these supplies were ever given to us .
You just use what you had or what teachers themselves purchased . ''
She says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to keep up with the increased cleaning measures recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
Charlie McGeehan , a high school teacher in Philadelphia , has similar concerns .
In an email to NPR , he said , `` Much of my hesitation comes from the persistent underfunding of my district , and its proven inability to provide for the safety of staff and students . ''
McGeehan notes that several school buildings in the School District of Philadelphia closed for asbestos cleanup in the last school year , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 850,000 over her mesothelioma , a cancer caused by exposure to the toxin .
`` These issues have been ongoing , and repeatedly raised , for more than 30 years — and they still persist , '' McGeehan says .
In addition to their health concerns about coming back , teachers are also worried that coronavirus safety measures will interfere with teaching and learning .
Seventy-three percent of teachers say they are concerned about connecting with students while wearing a mask .
And 84 % of teachers say they are likely to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ students .
`` I want to go back , and I do n't want to go back , '' says Felicia Tinsley , who teaches elementary school students with special needs in Chester County , S.C. She expects to navigate a steep learning curve with her students .
`` You have to teach kids how to wear masks properly and teach them ' 6 feet apart . '
... We 're going to be doing , basically , instructions on how to operate in our new society . ''
Tinsley says it may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mask wearing because the topic has been politicized in her area of the country .
`` Some people , they have their own beliefs , '' she says .
She plans to impress the seriousness of the issue on her students by letting them know she contracted the virus .
McGeehan , in Philadelphia , has a different concern around mask enforcement : `` As a white teacher who works with predominantly Black students , I think a lot about the ways that I exert control in my classroom — and how that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ [ I 'm ] considering going back to a school environment where I 'm asked to constantly police how far away students are from each other , whether or not they are wearing masks , where they 're allowed to go during the day , etc .
If this is the type of classroom I 'm going to have to facilitate , is in-person learning worth all the risks ? ''
By nearly a 2-to-1 margin , teachers prefer the idea of teaching online to coming back in person .
One bright spot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the spring , 4 out of 5 teachers feel more prepared to teach online this fall .
And 70 % think their school district 's online or distance-learning effort is headed in the right direction .
`` Every teacher in the nation basically was thrown into some crash course in March and April , '' says Danielle Simpson , who teaches fourth grade at Crescent Academy International , an Islamic private school in Canton , Mich .
Going into the fall , she says , the bar is going to be raised @ @ @ @ @ @ @ courses online and watching professional development webinars to give myself a boost .
And there 's probably a lot of other teachers doing that , too , '' she says .
`` We 're developing students ' digital citizenship skills , which will support them after graduation . ''
Jenny White , who teaches middle school English language arts in Fort Worth , Texas , has also been doing professional development to design more collaborative online classes .
She says she 's relieved the school year will be starting remote-only in her district @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be more interactive and less stilted online than in a classroom , where she would have to enforce social distancing and children would be speaking through masks .
It will be `` not so fun for them '' in person , she predicts : `` We wo n't be able to allow them to sit with their friends .
There 's not going to be chances really for collaboration , where they get to work in groups and have those real rich conversations that they need to have , especially in language arts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of surveyed teachers , 55 % , say they can not properly do their job online .
Eighty-four percent say online learning creates gaps in opportunities for students .
And 83 % are also concerned about connecting with students they 've never met when online classes begin this fall .
Nearly half of the respondents have their own children at home , and 57 % of those parent-teachers agree with the statement , `` I can not properly do my job from home while also taking care of my own child ( ren @ @ @ @ @ @ @ half of teachers , 43 % , feel comfortable sending their own children to school this fall .
`` I do not believe there is any reasonable plan that could be made that would keep my son safe , '' says Eric Schavrda , who visits multiple campuses to teach the visually impaired in Austin , Texas .
He says he does n't see a way to do his job safely either .
`` Unless daily tests of all students and contact tracing support were to be available statewide , there is no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ school , '' he says .
Caught between anxieties about returning to school and about teaching remotely , U.S. teachers have been feeling a lot of uncertainty .
In the third week of July , when in many places teachers would normally be working on lesson plans and dusting off classroom decorations , just 11 % said their school district 's plan for how to start the school year during the pandemic was finalized and clear .
Simpson , in Michigan , says , `` There 's certain things that still have n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week of August .
Her school is planning to open at the end of August with a hybrid schedule , with three rotating cohorts of students .
`` With this new rotating schedule , it feels like I 'm going to lose some of my prep time from before .
So that 's one of the things that I 'm still waiting to hear about . ''
Eighty-three percent of instructors are also concerned the plans will change after the year starts .
Tinsley , in South Carolina , is resigned to that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pushed back the start of the school year and gone from offering five days a week in person to a hybrid schedule .
`` I 'll just see what happens , because every day something changes , '' she says .
Despite all the difficulties , 70 % of respondents tell NPR/Ipsos that if they could pick a career all over again , they would still choose to be teachers .
And just 16 % say they would leave the profession if they were called back to the classroom .
Stauffer , in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ She says she was upset , sad and torn , but her health concerns won out .
She decided to retire and had to say goodbye to her students over Zoom .

Most Teachers Concerned About In-Person School; 2 In 3 Want To Start The Year Online
Enlarge this image Michelle Kondrich for NPR Michelle Kondrich for NPR
As the school year starts in many districts across the country, a new national poll of teachers from NPR/Ipsos finds overwhelming trepidation about returning to the physical classroom.
Eighty-two percent of K-12 teachers say they are concerned about returning to in-person teaching this fall, and two-thirds prefer to teach primarily remotely. On the latter point, teachers are aligned with parents and the general public: Another recent NPR/Ipsos poll found two-thirds of respondents thought schools in their area should be primarily remote, including 62% of parents of children under 18.
The teacher poll was conducted July 21-24 and included 505 respondents. Half teach at low-income schools.
When it comes to going back to the classroom, 77% of teachers are worried about risking their own health. Robin Stauffer is one of them. She's taught high school English for four decades, most recently in Katy, Texas, a suburb west of Houston. She says working with kids has kept her young and lighthearted, and she has a strong sense of mission "to be the type of teacher that I wish I would have had when I was in public school, to kind of right the wrongs that I experienced."
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But she's also 66 years old and has diabetes, both of which make her more vulnerable to the coronavirus. According to the U.S. Department of Education, almost 30% of teachers are 50 and older, putting them in a higher-risk category for the virus.
"I just don't trust the school district to safeguard my health during this pandemic," Stauffer says.
In the poll, 78% of teachers said they are concerned specifically about accessing sufficient personal protective equipment and even cleaning materials for teaching in person.
Stauffer says her district cut custodial staff several years ago, and after that it was often up to teachers to clean their own rooms. "They don't supply hand sanitizer. They don't supply wipes. None of these supplies were ever given to us. You just use what you had or what teachers themselves purchased." She says she doubts her school will be able to keep up with the increased cleaning measures recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Charlie McGeehan, a high school teacher in Philadelphia, has similar concerns. In an email to NPR, he said, "Much of my hesitation comes from the persistent underfunding of my district, and its proven inability to provide for the safety of staff and students." McGeehan notes that several school buildings in the School District of Philadelphia closed for asbestos cleanup in the last school year, and one teacher settled with the district for $850,000 over her mesothelioma, a cancer caused by exposure to the toxin.
"These issues have been ongoing, and repeatedly raised, for more than 30 years — and they still persist," McGeehan says.
In addition to their health concerns about coming back, teachers are also worried that coronavirus safety measures will interfere with teaching and learning. Seventy-three percent of teachers say they are concerned about connecting with students while wearing a mask. And 84% of teachers say they are likely to have difficulty enforcing social distancing among their students.
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"I want to go back, and I don't want to go back," says Felicia Tinsley, who teaches elementary school students with special needs in Chester County, S.C. She expects to navigate a steep learning curve with her students. "You have to teach kids how to wear masks properly and teach them '6 feet apart.' ... We're going to be doing, basically, instructions on how to operate in our new society."
Tinsley says it may be especially difficult for her to enforce mask wearing because the topic has been politicized in her area of the country. "Some people, they have their own beliefs," she says.
She plans to impress the seriousness of the issue on her students by letting them know she contracted the virus.
McGeehan, in Philadelphia, has a different concern around mask enforcement: "As a white teacher who works with predominantly Black students, I think a lot about the ways that I exert control in my classroom — and how that manifests white supremacy and racism. ... [I'm] considering going back to a school environment where I'm asked to constantly police how far away students are from each other, whether or not they are wearing masks, where they're allowed to go during the day, etc. If this is the type of classroom I'm going to have to facilitate, is in-person learning worth all the risks?"
By nearly a 2-to-1 margin, teachers prefer the idea of teaching online to coming back in person. One bright spot in the poll is that, compared with the spring, 4 out of 5 teachers feel more prepared to teach online this fall. And 70% think their school district's online or distance-learning effort is headed in the right direction.
Loading...
"Every teacher in the nation basically was thrown into some crash course in March and April," says Danielle Simpson, who teaches fourth grade at Crescent Academy International, an Islamic private school in Canton, Mich. Going into the fall, she says, the bar is going to be raised.
"I've been taking some courses online and watching professional development webinars to give myself a boost. And there's probably a lot of other teachers doing that, too," she says. "We're developing students' digital citizenship skills, which will support them after graduation."
Jenny White, who teaches middle school English language arts in Fort Worth, Texas, has also been doing professional development to design more collaborative online classes. She says she's relieved the school year will be starting remote-only in her district, because she feels her classes will be more interactive and less stilted online than in a classroom, where she would have to enforce social distancing and children would be speaking through masks.
It will be "not so fun for them" in person, she predicts: "We won't be able to allow them to sit with their friends. There's not going to be chances really for collaboration, where they get to work in groups and have those real rich conversations that they need to have, especially in language arts."
And yet more than half of surveyed teachers, 55%, say they cannot properly do their job online. Eighty-four percent say online learning creates gaps in opportunities for students. And 83% are also concerned about connecting with students they've never met when online classes begin this fall.
Nearly half of the respondents have their own children at home, and 57% of those parent-teachers agree with the statement, "I cannot properly do my job from home while also taking care of my own child(ren)." Meanwhile, fewer than half of teachers, 43%, feel comfortable sending their own children to school this fall.
"I do not believe there is any reasonable plan that could be made that would keep my son safe," says Eric Schavrda, who visits multiple campuses to teach the visually impaired in Austin, Texas. He says he doesn't see a way to do his job safely either.
"Unless daily tests of all students and contact tracing support were to be available statewide, there is no way to ensure a safe return to school," he says.
Caught between anxieties about returning to school and about teaching remotely, U.S. teachers have been feeling a lot of uncertainty. In the third week of July, when in many places teachers would normally be working on lesson plans and dusting off classroom decorations, just 11% said their school district's plan for how to start the school year during the pandemic was finalized and clear.
Simpson, in Michigan, says, "There's certain things that still haven't been answered" as of the first week of August. Her school is planning to open at the end of August with a hybrid schedule, with three rotating cohorts of students. "With this new rotating schedule, it feels like I'm going to lose some of my prep time from before. So that's one of the things that I'm still waiting to hear about."
Eighty-three percent of instructors are also concerned the plans will change after the year starts.
Tinsley, in South Carolina, is resigned to that — she says her district has already pushed back the start of the school year and gone from offering five days a week in person to a hybrid schedule. "I'll just see what happens, because every day something changes," she says.
Despite all the difficulties, 70% of respondents tell NPR/Ipsos that if they could pick a career all over again, they would still choose to be teachers. And just 16% say they would leave the profession if they were called back to the classroom. Stauffer, in Texas, made that hard decision.
She says she was upset, sad and torn, but her health concerns won out. She decided to retire and had to say goodbye to her students over Zoom.


npr--2020-08-05--Los Angeles Mayor Says City May Shut Off Water, Power At Houses Hosting Large Parties

Los Angeles Mayor Says City May Shut Off Water , Power At Houses Hosting Large Parties Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti announced on Wednesday that he is authorizing the city to shut off water and power service to properties hosting large house parties , which he said had `` essentially become nightclubs in the hills . ''
In a briefing , Garcetti expressed concerns about reports of large parties and gatherings that violate public health orders , often taking place at homes that are vacant or being used as short-term rentals .
Starting Friday night , he said , houses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ un-permitted large gatherings '' will face tougher consequences .
`` If the LAPD responds and verifies that a large gathering is occurring at a property , and we see these properties reoffending time and time again , they will provide notice and initiate the process to request that [ the Department of Water and Power ] shut off service within the next 48 hours , '' Garcetti said .
Large gatherings of any kind are prohibited under the county 's public health orders aimed at slowing the spread of COVID-19 , which sharply @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Angeles County has more total coronavirus cases than any county in the U.S. , according to data from Johns Hopkins University .
And on Wednesday , local health officials said the number of cases has been undercounted due to issues with the state 's electronic laboratory system .
Garcetti added that while he hopes residents will avoid gatherings of all sizes , this enforcement will not focus on small or ordinary get-togethers .
Rather , it will focus on people he described as `` determined to break the rules , '' who pose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` The consequences of these large parties ripple far beyond just those parties , '' Garcetti said .
`` They ripple throughout our entire community because the virus can quickly and easily spread . ''
Large , in-person gatherings where people are not wearing face coverings and social distancing is difficult are among the highest risk settings , Garcetti said , citing health officials .
Reports of such gatherings have drawn scrutiny in recent days , especially after a 200-person party at a Mulholland Drive mansion ended in a fatal shooting on Monday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been other large house parties during the pandemic and that the county is investigating a `` first responders '' party that was held last week at a Hollywood bar , indoors and without social distancing .
Earlier on Wednesday , Los Angeles City Councilman David Ryu introduced a motion to crack down on `` COVID party houses '' by increasing penalties and deterrence options against property owners .
The motion included water and power shutoffs on its list of suggested penalties .
Such a consequence is not entirely unheard of .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mass.
, shut off water and electricity to a gym after its owner repeatedly defied the state 's shutdown order .
Also on Wednesday , the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health said that nearly 60 % of new COVID-19 cases are occurring in residents between the ages of 18 and 49 .
Individuals between the ages of 30 and 49 have the highest case rate among all age groups in the county , and case rates for this group have almost tripled since the start of June .
Health officials said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and 29 now account for more than twice the proportion of all hospitalizations than they did in April .
Director of Public Health Barbara Ferrer urged younger adults to consider the potential risks that attending a party may pose to their health and the health of older relatives .
`` We can and will one day get to the point where hanging out with a group of friends is possible , '' she said .
`` But we are n't there yet . ''

Los Angeles Mayor Says City May Shut Off Water, Power At Houses Hosting Large Parties
Enlarge this image toggle caption City of Los Angeles handout/via AP City of Los Angeles handout/via AP
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti announced on Wednesday that he is authorizing the city to shut off water and power service to properties hosting large house parties, which he said had "essentially become nightclubs in the hills."
In a briefing, Garcetti expressed concerns about reports of large parties and gatherings that violate public health orders, often taking place at homes that are vacant or being used as short-term rentals.
Starting Friday night, he said, houses, businesses and other venues hosting "un-permitted large gatherings" will face tougher consequences.
"If the LAPD responds and verifies that a large gathering is occurring at a property, and we see these properties reoffending time and time again, they will provide notice and initiate the process to request that [the Department of Water and Power] shut off service within the next 48 hours," Garcetti said.
Large gatherings of any kind are prohibited under the county's public health orders aimed at slowing the spread of COVID-19, which sharply intensified statewide earlier this summer.
Los Angeles County has more total coronavirus cases than any county in the U.S., according to data from Johns Hopkins University.
And on Wednesday, local health officials said the number of cases has been undercounted due to issues with the state's electronic laboratory system.
Garcetti added that while he hopes residents will avoid gatherings of all sizes, this enforcement will not focus on small or ordinary get-togethers. Rather, it will focus on people he described as "determined to break the rules," who pose a significant threat to public health.
"The consequences of these large parties ripple far beyond just those parties," Garcetti said. "They ripple throughout our entire community because the virus can quickly and easily spread."
Large, in-person gatherings where people are not wearing face coverings and social distancing is difficult are among the highest risk settings, Garcetti said, citing health officials.
Reports of such gatherings have drawn scrutiny in recent days, especially after a 200-person party at a Mulholland Drive mansion ended in a fatal shooting on Monday.
The Los Angeles Times reports there have been other large house parties during the pandemic and that the county is investigating a "first responders" party that was held last week at a Hollywood bar, indoors and without social distancing.
Earlier on Wednesday, Los Angeles City Councilman David Ryu introduced a motion to crack down on "COVID party houses" by increasing penalties and deterrence options against property owners.
The motion included water and power shutoffs on its list of suggested penalties.
Such a consequence is not entirely unheard of. In June, the town of Oxford, Mass., shut off water and electricity to a gym after its owner repeatedly defied the state's shutdown order.
Also on Wednesday, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health said that nearly 60% of new COVID-19 cases are occurring in residents between the ages of 18 and 49.
Individuals between the ages of 30 and 49 have the highest case rate among all age groups in the county, and case rates for this group have almost tripled since the start of June. Health officials said that patients between the ages of 18 and 29 now account for more than twice the proportion of all hospitalizations than they did in April.
Director of Public Health Barbara Ferrer urged younger adults to consider the potential risks that attending a party may pose to their health and the health of older relatives.
"We can and will one day get to the point where hanging out with a group of friends is possible," she said. "But we aren't there yet."


npr--2020-08-06--300,000 Deaths By December? 9 Takeaways Of The Newest COVID-19 Projections

300,000 Deaths By December ?
9 Takeaways Of The Newest COVID-19 Projections By Dec. 1 , the U.S. death toll from coronavirus could reach nearly 300,000 .
That 's the grim new projection from researchers at the University of Washington 's Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation — one of the more prominent teams modeling the pandemic .
The new forecast , released Thursday , projects that between now and December , 137,000 people will die , on top of the roughly 160,000 who 've died so far .
NPR spoke with the head of IHME 's team , Chris @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Reich , of University of Massachusetts Amherst , who has set up a system for comparing 26 different U.S. forecasts .
Here are 9 takeaways to help make sense of the projections : 1 .
Coronavirus is on track to be the third leading cause of death in the U.S. To put the 300,000 projected death toll in context , it is more than four times the number of people who typically die from drug overdoses in the U.S. each year — and more than five times the number killed by the flu @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fact , if IHME 's projection holds true , coronavirus will likely be the third leading cause of death in the U.S. for 2020 — only behind heart disease and cancer — and a bigger killer than accidents , chronic lower respiratory diseases , stroke , and Alzheimers .
2 .
The hardest hit states probably wo n't bend their curves much One reason the projection is so high , says Murray , is that the coronavirus is already spreading so widely across the United States .
On the plus side , in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as Arizona , Florida and Texas , people have already modified their behavior enough to bend the curve .
But while Murray estimates that daily new infections have now peaked there , he says , `` We do n't expect a sharp decline in those states .
We expect that deaths will come down a little bit and then we will sort of see a slow , steady set of numbers there . ''
This is due to a pattern his team has noticed when it comes to Americans ' behavior ... 3 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ effect '' The lesson that we 're seeing in the experience in the big southern states is that there is a behavioral response from individuals .
When things get bad in their community , individuals are more likely to wear a mask , more likely to be cautious .
And that helps put the brakes on transmission , '' says Murray .
But the flip side of that is that once there is an improvement in daily death tolls , people tend to ease up too quickly .
`` That creates this potential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stabilizing , then coming down , [ then ] people becoming less vigilant , and then cases going up again , '' says Murray .
`` I think we will see more of that roller-coaster phenomenon through the fall . ''
4 .
Starting in November , cold weather could turbo-charge this cycle In analyzing the pandemic 's trajectory so far , IHME 's researchers have found a tight correlation with the seasonal pattern of pneumonia infections in the United States .
And that pattern is that , all things equal , when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to transmit more rapidly .
This is a statistical analysis — so it does n't explain the cause : For instance , it could be that when the weather turns cold people spend more time indoors .
Or it could be that the virus thrives in colder air .
But whatever the reason , the impact is massive , according to Murray .
For instance in northern states , says Murray , the analysis suggests `` at the peak , which will be the first week of February , we would see approximately @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' And he says the effect will kick in starting in November .
5 .
Things could be worse than projected if hard-hit states do n't return to lockdowns IHME 's projections are all the more sobering because they already factor in the likelihood that states will be taking major steps to curb rising cases .
For instance , the forecast assumes 50 percent of American schools will be sticking to online-only instruction for the entire 2020-2021 school year .
The forecast also assumes states will shut non-essential businesses and institute stay-at-home orders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the uncomfortably high metric of 8 daily deaths per million residents .
Four states — Arizona , Florida , Mississippi , South Carolina — have already passed that mark .
Georgia and Texas are projected to reach it in September .
By November , 16 states are projected to reach it .
Of course , it 's far from certain that there 's political will in many states to return to lockdowns .
None of the states that have reached the threshold so far have gone into full stay-at-home mode .
Currently `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to do that , '' says Murray .
But he adds that for precisely that reason the team set the threshold for return to lockdown quite high .
By comparison , back in the spring many states put their mandates in place when the daily death count reached just one per million .
6 .
Things might be better than projected if mask use takes off One assumption the projection does not include is the prospect of rising use of masks .
And this is where the picture gets more hopeful .
Murray @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people in the U.S. are wearing masks when they are out and about .
The team then ran a simulation to see what would happen if starting today , that share was increased to 95 percent of Americans wearing masks .
They found that this would cut the number of deaths by Dec. 1 almost in half — saving 66,000 lives .
But what would it take to get so many more Americans to start wearing masks ?
Murray says that based on an analysis of the data , tough mandates could really @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when officials make masks mandatory , use increases by 8 percentage points .
And when the mandates include penalties there 's a 15 percentage point bump .
7 .
Even with universal masking , many states may need to lockdown In the case of four states — California , Kentucky , Louisiana , and Missouri — if 95 percent of the population started wearing masks the state would no longer reach the IHME threshold for imposing stay-at-home orders by December .
But for the remaining 18 states that are currently at or projected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ near universal mask use would only delay the point at which they reach it by an average of 6 to 8 weeks .
8 .
New solutions could change the model Murray says a challenge of the IHME model is that it is based on observation of what has happened so far .
This makes it difficult to estimate the impact of approaches that have n't already been widely used in the U.S. `` I do believe that as we get closer to the fall , absolutely the most important question for many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that is less intrusive on people 's ability to work and their lives that will still provide enough protection to avoid the death rate getting to a high level ? '
`` Murray says .
For instance , he adds , `` is it enough to have a mask mandate , bar closures , indoor-dining closures , businesses aligned on practices to try to keep their employees safe ?
And can we model out the effect of that versus the more draconian stay-at-home orders ? ''
Similarly , he says , it will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the patchwork of online and in person instruction in schools and universities , as well as to determine how long lockdowns really need to be kept in place .
9 .
Not all forecasts are as pessimistic as IHME's Nicholas Reich is a biostatistician at University of Massachusetts Amherst who has set up a system for making apples to apples comparison between 26 different national U.S. coronavirus forecasts .
He notes that most of them are shorter-term forecasts — with only a handful projecting months ahead the way IHME 's team does @ @ @ @ @ @ @ death total is the highest .
For instance , researchers at Iowa State University are forecasting 236,000 deaths by Nov. 29 — 55,000 fewer deaths than IHME 's forecast for that date .
Reich says the forecasts diverge because they are based on differing computer models , `` that are incorporating different data sources , '' says Reich .
`` Some of them incorporate data on recent trends in neighboring states .
...
Some are incorporating information about which age groups are getting infected . ''
Others are not .
`` All of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Reich , `` mean that some models in certain states may be more pessimistic and other models might be more optimistic . ''
This does n't mean that models with long time horizons like IHME 's are n't useful , adds Reich .
But he says their value is less about providing a hard numbers of how many deaths to expect , and more about helping to tease out the impact of different solutions — such as increased mask wearing , or stay-at-home measures .
As Reich puts it , they 're `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ future . ''

300,000 Deaths By December? 9 Takeaways From The Newest COVID-19 Projections
Enlarge this image toggle caption Eric Gay/AP Eric Gay/AP
By Dec. 1, the U.S. death toll from COVID-19 could reach nearly 300,000. That's the grim new projection from researchers at the University of Washington's Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation — one of the more prominent teams modeling the pandemic. The new forecast, released Thursday, projects that between now and December, 137,000 people will die on top of the roughly 160,000 who have died so far.
NPR spoke with the head of IHME's team, Chris Murray, as well as with Nicholas Reich, of University of Massachusetts Amherst, who has set up a system for comparing 26 different U.S. forecasts.
Here are nine takeaways to help make sense of the projections:
1. The coronavirus is on track to be the third leading cause of death in the U.S.
To put the 300,000 projected death toll in context, it is more than four times the number of people who typically die from drug overdoses in the U.S. each year — and more than five times the number killed by the flu in a very bad year. In fact, if IHME's projection holds true, the coronavirus will likely be the third leading cause of death in the U.S. for 2020 — behind only heart disease and cancer — and a bigger killer than accidents, chronic lower respiratory diseases, stroke, and Alzheimer's disease.
2. The hardest-hit states probably won't bend their curves much
One reason the projection is so high, says Murray, is that the coronavirus is already spreading so widely across the United States. On the plus side, in some of the hardest-hit states such as Arizona, Florida and Texas, people have already modified their behavior enough to bend the curve. But while Murray estimates that daily new infections have now peaked there, he says: "We don't expect a sharp decline in those states. We expect that deaths will come down a little bit and then we will sort of see a slow, steady set of numbers there." This is due to a pattern his team has noticed when it comes to Americans' behavior ...
3. There could be a roller coaster effect
"The lesson that we're seeing in the experience in the big Southern states is that there is a behavioral response from individuals," says Murray. "When things get bad in their community, individuals are more likely to wear a mask, more likely to be cautious. And that helps put the brakes on transmission." But the flip side of that is that once there is an improvement in daily death tolls, people tend to ease up too quickly. "That creates this potential for [cases] going up, stabilizing, then coming down, [then] people becoming less vigilant, and then cases going up again," says Murray. "I think we will see more of that roller coaster phenomenon through the fall."
4. Starting in November, cold weather could turbocharge this cycle
In analyzing the pandemic's trajectory so far, IHME's researchers have found a tight correlation with the typical seasonal pattern of pneumonia infections in the United States. And that pattern is that, all things equal, when the weather is colder the virus appears to transmit more rapidly. This is a statistical analysis — so it doesn't explain the cause. For instance, it could be that when the weather turns cold, people spend more time indoors. Or it could be that the virus thrives in colder air. But whatever the reason, the impact is massive, according to Murray. For instance, in Northern states, says Murray, the analysis suggests "at the peak, which will be the first week of February, we would see approximately a 50% increase in transmission." And he says the effect will kick in starting in November.
5. Things could be worse than projected if hard-hit states don't return to lockdowns
IHME's projections are all the more sobering because they already factor in the likelihood that states will be taking major steps to curb rising cases. For instance, the forecast assumes 50% of American schools will be sticking to online-only instruction for the entire 2020-2021 school year. The forecast also assumes states will shut nonessential businesses and institute stay-at-home orders once their daily death counts get to the uncomfortably high metric of eight daily deaths per million residents. Four states — Arizona, Florida, Mississippi, South Carolina — have already passed that mark. Georgia and Texas are projected to reach it in September. By November, 16 states are projected to reach it.
Of course, it's far from certain that there's political will in many states to return to lockdowns. None of the states that have reached the threshold so far have gone into full stay-at-home mode. Currently "we see lots of evidence of reluctance to do that," says Murray. But he adds that for precisely that reason the team set the threshold for return to lockdown quite high. By comparison, back in the spring many states put their mandates in place when the daily death count reached just one per million.
6. Things might be better than projected if mask use takes off
One assumption the projection does not include is the prospect of rising use of masks. And this is where the picture gets more hopeful. Murray estimates that currently about 50% of people in the U.S. are wearing masks when they are out and about. The team then ran a simulation to see what would happen if starting today, that share was increased to 95% of Americans wearing masks. They found that this would cut the number of deaths by Dec. 1 almost in half — saving 66,000 lives.
But what would it take to get so many more Americans to start wearing masks? Murray says that based on an analysis of the data, tough mandates could really help. IHME's team estimates that when officials make masks mandatory, use increases by 8 percentage points. And when the mandates include penalties, there's a 15 percentage point bump.
7. Even with universal masking, many states may need to lock down
In the case of four states — California, Kentucky, Louisiana and Missouri — if 95% of the population started wearing masks, the state would no longer reach the IHME threshold for imposing stay-at-home orders by December. But for the remaining 18 states that are currently at or projected to reach the threshold by December, near universal mask use would only delay the point at which they reach it by an average of six to eight weeks.
8. New solutions could change the model
Murray says a challenge of the IHME model is that it is based on observation of what has happened so far. This makes it difficult to estimate the impact of approaches that haven't already been widely used in the U.S. "I do believe that as we get closer to the fall, absolutely the most important question for many states will be, 'Is there something that is less intrusive on people's ability to work and their lives that will still provide enough protection to avoid the death rate getting to a high level?' " Murray says.
For instance, he adds, "is it enough to have a mask mandate, bar closures, indoor-dining closures, businesses aligned on practices to try to keep their employees safe? And can we model out the effect of that versus the more draconian stay-at-home orders?" Similarly, he says, it will be a priority to estimate the impact of the patchwork of online and in-person instruction in schools and universities, as well as to determine how long lockdowns really need to be kept in place.
9. Not all forecasts are as pessimistic as IHME's
Nicholas Reich is a biostatistician at University of Massachusetts Amherst who has set up a system for making apples to apples comparison between 26 different national U.S. coronavirus forecasts. He notes that most of them are shorter-term forecasts — with only a handful projecting months ahead the way IHME's team does. Among these, IHME's predicted death total is the highest. For instance, researchers at Iowa State University are forecasting 236,000 deaths by Nov. 29 — 55,000 fewer deaths than IHME's forecast for that date.
Reich says the forecasts diverge because they are based on differing computer models "that are incorporating different data sources. Some of them incorporate data on recent trends in neighboring states. Some are incorporating information about which age groups are getting infected." Others are not. "All of those different data sources," says Reich, "mean that some models in certain states may be more pessimistic and other models might be more optimistic."
This doesn't mean that models with long time horizons like IHME's aren't useful, adds Reich. But he says their value is less about providing a hard number of how many deaths to expect, and more about helping to tease out the impact of different solutions — such as increased mask wearing or stay-at-home measures. As Reich puts it, they're "what-if projections into the future."


npr--2020-08-06--Sweden Records Largest GDP Drop Since 1980, But Outperforms Many Other EU Countries

Sweden Records Largest GDP Drop Since 1980 , But Outperforms Many Other EU Countries Sweden 's gross domestic product took its largest tumble in a single quarter in modern history during the second quarter of this year , despite the country 's decision to not shut down its economy .
The nation 's GDP fell 8.6 % during the three-month period ending in June , according to preliminary figures from Statistics Sweden .
Yet , Sweden 's economic decline , while dreadful , outpaced that of many other European countries .
`` The decrease in GDP is the largest single @ @ @ @ @ @ @ series starting 1980 , '' the government agency said in a release .
David Oxley , senior Europe economist at Capital Economics , said that the sharp contraction of the Swedish economy during the second quarter `` confirms that it has not been immune to COVID , despite the government 's well-documented light-touch lockdown . ''
Sweden 's relaxed approach to the coronavirus pandemic has resulted in global scrutiny .
Unlike most countries in the world , Sweden did n't order a strict lockdown .
Instead of closing down its economy , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gatherings of over 50 people and otherwise asking people to maintain social distancing as best they can .
Swedish government officials have insisted that saving the economy was never the purpose of their controversial coronavirus strategy .
Its aim was to save lives and reduce pressure on the country 's health care system .
However , Sweden has counted nearly 82,000 confirmed coronavirus cases and its death toll stands at 5,766 , according to data from John 's Hopkins University .
That 's far higher than its neighbors Denmark ( 617 ) , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 331 ) , and at more than 56 deaths per 100,000 people , Sweden has a higher mortality rate than the U.S .
It is next to impossible to say what effect , if any , the country 's response had on its economy , since there are so many factors at play .
It is clear , however , that the Swedish economy has fared much better during the second quarter than many other European economies .
Spain 's economy recorded the highest decline among the 27 European Union members during the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % compared to the previous quarter .
Its neighbors Portugal ( 14.1 % ) and France ( 13.8 % ) experienced similarly large contractions of their respective economies during the second quarter .
Even Germany , the continent 's largest economy , recorded a double-digit drop ( 10.1 % ) when compared to the first three months of the year .
The Baltic country of Lithuania ( 5.1 % ) reported the lowest decline .
The EU as a whole saw its GDP decline 11.9 % during the past quarter as the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ zone , consisting of the 19 countries that make up the bloc 's monetary union , reported the GDP dropped 12.1 % over the same three-month period .
`` We expect our economy to shrink between 4-10 % in 2020 , '' Karin Olofsdotter , Sweden 's ambassador to the United States , told NPR in April .
Furthermore , Sweden 's unemployment rate rose to 9.4 % in June , the highest figure since 1998 , and up more than 2 percentage points from the beginning of the year .
To mitigate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Swedish government has enacted several legislative measures during the crisis , including a nearly $ 31 billion stimulus package in March .
`` It 's a very serious threat , '' Olofsdotter said .
`` We are just as worried as you about the world economy . ''

Sweden Records Largest GDP Drop Since 1980, But Outperforms Many Other EU Countries
Enlarge this image toggle caption Jonathan Nackstrand/AFP via Getty Images Jonathan Nackstrand/AFP via Getty Images
Sweden's gross domestic product took its largest tumble in a single quarter in modern history during the second quarter of this year, despite the country's decision to not shut down its economy.
The nation's GDP fell 8.6% during the three-month period ending in June, according to preliminary figures from Statistics Sweden. Yet, Sweden's economic output declined at a lower rate than that of many other European countries.
"The decrease in GDP is the largest single quarter drop in the directly comparable time series starting 1980," the government agency said in a release.
David Oxley, senior Europe economist at Capital Economics, said that the sharp contraction of the Swedish economy during the second quarter "confirms that it has not been immune to COVID, despite the government's well-documented light-touch lockdown."
Sweden's relaxed approach to the coronavirus pandemic has resulted in global scrutiny. Unlike many countries in the world, Sweden didn't order a strict lockdown. Instead of closing down its economy, the country issued comparatively light restrictions — banning gatherings of over 50 people and otherwise asking people to maintain social distancing as best they can.
Swedish government officials have insisted that saving the economy was never the purpose of their controversial coronavirus strategy. Its aim was to save lives and reduce pressure on the country's health care system.
However, Sweden has counted nearly 82,000 confirmed coronavirus cases and its death toll stands at 5,766, according to data from John's Hopkins University.
That's far higher than its neighbors Denmark (617), Norway (256) and Finland (331), and at more than 56 deaths per 100,000 people, Sweden has a higher mortality rate than the U.S.
It is next to impossible to say what effect, if any, the country's response had on its economy, since there are so many factors at play. It is clear, however, that the Swedish economy has fared much better during the second quarter than many other European economies.
Spain's economy recorded the highest decline among the 27 European Union members during the second quarter, its GDP fell 18.5% compared to the previous quarter.
Its neighbors Portugal (14.1%) and France (13.8%) experienced similarly large contractions of their respective economies during the second quarter. Even Germany, the continent's largest economy, recorded a double-digit drop (10.1%) when compared to the first three months of the year. The Baltic country of Lithuania (5.1%) reported the lowest decline.
The EU as a whole saw its GDP decline 11.9% during the past quarter as the virus spread across the continent. The euro zone, consisting of the 19 countries that make up the bloc's monetary union, reported the GDP dropped 12.1% over the same three-month period.
"We expect our economy to shrink between 4-10% in 2020," Karin Olofsdotter, Sweden's ambassador to the United States, told NPR in April.
Furthermore, Sweden's unemployment rate rose to 9.4% in June, the highest figure since 1998, and up more than 2 percentage points from the beginning of the year.
To mitigate the pandemic's economic effects, the Swedish government has enacted several legislative measures during the crisis, including a nearly $31 billion stimulus package in March.
"It's a very serious threat," Olofsdotter said. "We are just as worried as you about the world economy."


npr--2020-08-06--Pentagon Chief Esper Talks With Chinese Counterpart As Tensions Soar

Amid deteriorating U.S.-China relations , further aggravated by a highly unusual trip to Taiwan this weekend by Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar , Defense Secretary Mark Esper talked for 90 minutes on Thursday with his Chinese counterpart , Defense Minister Wei Fenghe .
According to accounts by both sides , the two nations ' military leaders had plenty of grievances to air .
The Trump administration has lately accused China of hiding information about the coronavirus , shut down China 's consulate last month in Houston for alleged spying , accused China of military expansionism in the South @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a $ 2 billion sale of weapons to Taiwan , the democratically ruled island whose independence from China has never been recognized by Beijing .
`` Secretary Esper called for greater PRC [ People 's Republic of China ] transparency on COVID , expressed concern about PRC destabilizing activity in the vicinity of Taiwan and the South China Sea , and called on the PRC to honor international obligations under the principles of the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration , '' the Pentagon press office said Thursday in a news release .
`` Secretary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ abide by international laws , rules , and norms , and meet its international commitments . ''
Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman told reporters Esper discussed in particular with his Chinese counterpart Beijing 's obligations for transparency about the COVID-19 pandemic .
`` They have a have a need to provide samples , to provide data — that did n't happen , '' Hoffman said .
`` And we expect them to continue to improve their information sharing in regard of that . ''
China 's state-run Xinhua news agency , for its part @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Esper heard from the Chinese defense minister .
`` Wei stated China 's principled position on questions including the South China Sea , Taiwan and the U.S. stigmatization of China , '' the agency reported , adding pointedly that Wei `` urged the U.S. side to stop erroneous words and deeds , improve the management and control of maritime risks , avoid taking dangerous moves that may escalate the situation , and safeguard regional peace and stability . ''
There was no mention by either side of any discussion regarding the planned visit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which the Health and Human Services Department says will be `` the highest level visit by a U.S .
Cabinet official since 1979 , '' the year the U.S. established a formal embassy in Beijing .
`` This trip represents an opportunity to strengthen our economic and public health cooperation with Taiwan , '' Azar is quoted as saying in the HHS news release , `` especially as the United States and other countries work to strengthen and diversify our sources for crucial medical products . ''
Azar 's trip coincides with a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has `` tacitly authorized '' the sale of at least four SeaGuardian surveillance drones to Taipei that have a flying range of 6,000 nautical miles , compared with the 160-mile range of the drones now in its fleet .
The United States , according to Xinhua , `` should respect China 's sovereignty and territorial integrity and stop interfering in China 's domestic affairs , just as China respects those of the United States . ''
`` Washington should rid itself of the delusion that Beijing will somehow change course and adopt U.S.-style @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state news agency opined Thursday .
`` Now , the ball is in the U.S. ' court . ''
Esper has said he would like to make his first visit to China as defense secretary before the end of this year , although Pentagon spokesman Hoffman said no date has yet been set for such a trip .
Former Defense Secretary Jim Mattis visited China two years ago , the first trip made there by a Pentagon chief since 2014 .

Pentagon Chief Esper Talks With Chinese Counterpart As Tensions Soar
Enlarge this image toggle caption Michael Reynolds/AP Michael Reynolds/AP
Amid deteriorating U.S.-China relations, further aggravated by a highly unusual trip to Taiwan this weekend by Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, Defense Secretary Mark Esper talked for 90 minutes on Thursday with his Chinese counterpart, Defense Minister Wei Fenghe.
According to accounts by both sides, the two nations' military leaders had plenty of grievances to air. The Trump administration has lately accused China of hiding information about the coronavirus, shut down China's consulate last month in Houston for alleged spying, accused China of military expansionism in the South China Sea, and enraged Beijing with a $2 billion sale of weapons to Taiwan, the democratically ruled island whose independence from China has never been recognized by Beijing.
"Secretary Esper called for greater PRC [People's Republic of China] transparency on COVID, expressed concern about PRC destabilizing activity in the vicinity of Taiwan and the South China Sea, and called on the PRC to honor international obligations under the principles of the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration," the Pentagon press office said Thursday in a news release. "Secretary Esper communicated the importance that the PRC abide by international laws, rules, and norms, and meet its international commitments."
Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman told reporters Esper discussed in particular with his Chinese counterpart Beijing's obligations for transparency about the COVID-19 pandemic.
"They have a have a need to provide samples, to provide data — that didn't happen," Hoffman said. "And we expect them to continue to improve their information sharing in regard of that."
China's state-run Xinhua news agency, for its part, had its own version of what Esper heard from the Chinese defense minister.
"Wei stated China's principled position on questions including the South China Sea, Taiwan and the U.S. stigmatization of China," the agency reported, adding pointedly that Wei "urged the U.S. side to stop erroneous words and deeds, improve the management and control of maritime risks, avoid taking dangerous moves that may escalate the situation, and safeguard regional peace and stability."
There was no mention by either side of any discussion regarding the planned visit by Azar to Taiwan on Sunday, which the Health and Human Services Department says will be "the highest level visit by a U.S. Cabinet official since 1979," the year the U.S. established a formal embassy in Beijing.
"This trip represents an opportunity to strengthen our economic and public health cooperation with Taiwan," Azar is quoted as saying in the HHS news release, "especially as the United States and other countries work to strengthen and diversify our sources for crucial medical products."
Azar's trip coincides with a Reuters report that the U.S. State Department has "tacitly authorized" the sale of at least four SeaGuardian surveillance drones to Taipei that have a flying range of 6,000 nautical miles, compared with the 160-mile range of the drones now in its fleet.
The United States, according to Xinhua, "should respect China's sovereignty and territorial integrity and stop interfering in China's domestic affairs, just as China respects those of the United States."
"Washington should rid itself of the delusion that Beijing will somehow change course and adopt U.S.-style political and social systems," the state news agency opined Thursday. "Now, the ball is in the U.S.' court."
Esper has said he would like to make his first visit to China as defense secretary before the end of this year, although Pentagon spokesman Hoffman said no date has yet been set for such a trip.
Former Defense Secretary Jim Mattis visited China two years ago, the first trip made there by a Pentagon chief since 2014.


npr--2020-08-06--Gov. Says Florida's Unemployment System Was Designed To Create 'Pointless Roadblocks'

Gov .
Says Florida 's Unemployment System Was Designed To Create 'Pointless Roadblocks' Amid staggering job losses in March and April , Florida 's unemployment system was the slowest in the country to process claims .
Residents described nightmarish experiences as they tried to get benefits .
By April 20 , just 6 % of Floridians who had applied for unemployment benefits had received a check .
Gov .
Ron DeSantis said that result was by design .
`` Having studied how [ the unemployment system ] was internally constructed , I think the goal was for whoever designed , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many kind of pointless roadblocks along the way , so people just say , oh , the hell with it , I 'm not going to do that , ' `` DeSantis told a Miami CBS affiliate this week .
Florida 's online system , known as CONNECT , debuted in October 2013 during the administration of DeSantis ' fellow Republican Rick Scott , now a U.S. senator .
DeSantis said he was n't sure if it was Scott 's intention to discourage people from applying for benefits , but that the system @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` It was definitely done in a way to lead to the least number of claims being paid out , '' he said .
The system cost $ 77.9 million to build and had problems from the start , crashing frequently and proving difficult to log in to .
`` A lot of these unemployment systems throughout the country , you know , were n't very good , but a lot of them were like 40 , 50 years old , '' DeSantis told CBS4 in Miami .
`` Ours was n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was really five , six years ago .
And it should have been done better for that price tag to produce better results . ''
The state 's Senate Democratic Caucus said Wednesday that about 1.45 million Floridians continue to wait for payments .
State Sen. Annette Taddeo , a Democrat from Miami , has also alleged that the system was specifically designed to fail — to make the state 's leaders look better .
`` The system was implemented in a way for it to be a total failure , '' Taddeo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Why ?
Because it would keep the politician looking good by pretending that less people are filing for unemployment when the reality is , even before the pandemic , people were having a really hard time not only applying but in getting benefits . ''
`` As we 've said many times , this is obviously false .
Real leaders work to solve problems and get the job done .
That 's what Sen. Scott is focused on , '' Scott 's press secretary Sarah Schwirian said Thursday in a statement to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Scott goes back to at least 2018 .
As Scott prepared to leave the governorship , he made 84 last-minute appointments .
Most were retracted by DeSantis when he came into office .
Scott left Tallahassee before DeSantis was sworn in as governor , a sign the two men did n't get along .
The two are possible rivals for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination , and both style themselves as close to President Trump .
Jennifer Riley in Ormond Beach , Fla. , says it took 12 weeks after she was laid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unemployment payment .
`` You could n't really get through on the phone .
I sent maybe 60 different emails to state representatives , legislators , random employees of [ the state unemployment office ] that I found on the Internet , '' she says .
She has no idea what finally allowed her payments to be processed .
Riley eventually found an on-call position as an occupational therapy assistant at a school , which would start when and if brick-and-mortar schools reopen and allow in-person therapy .
When she filled out the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that she had accepted a position , but that she had not started work and would not be paid for months , her unemployment benefits were immediately cut off .
It took her another five weeks to get them reinstated .
`` It 's been a nightmare , and Florida 's in worse shape than ever with COVID , '' she says .
`` I do n't know where it 's headed . ''
Riley continues to look for a steadier job than the on-call position .
She 's heard DeSantis ' remarks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Scott 's watch .
`` And he 's right , but it was also investigated after DeSantis took office .
He was told [ about all the issues ] ... and he did nothing about it , '' she says .
Democratic state Sen. Jose Javier Rodriguez testified in June before the U.S. Senate 's Finance Committee about the Florida system 's failures .
Rodriguez told senators that DeSantis had been aware of the system 's shortcomings since at least January 2019 , because there had been `` audit after audit , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the governor 's desk '' when he took office .
In June , two top-ranking Democrats , Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York and Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon , called on the U.S. Department of Labor 's inspector general to investigate the state 's failure to provide payments to its out-of-work residents .
`` While all states have seen record increases in the number of its residents applying for unemployment , the state of Florida 's performance has proved uniquely poor in its abject inability to assist millions of Florida @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to await unemployment benefits , '' the senators wrote .

Gov. Says Florida's Unemployment System Was Designed To Create 'Pointless Roadblocks'
Enlarge this image toggle caption Eva Marie Uzcategui/Getty Images Eva Marie Uzcategui/Getty Images
Updated at 6:18 p.m. ET
Amid staggering job losses in March and April, Florida's unemployment system was the slowest in the country to process claims. Residents described nightmarish experiences as they tried to get benefits. By April 20, just 6% of Floridians who had applied for unemployment benefits had received a check.
Gov. Ron DeSantis said that result was by design.
"Having studied how [the unemployment system] was internally constructed, I think the goal was for whoever designed, it was, 'Let's put as many kind of pointless roadblocks along the way, so people just say, oh, the hell with it, I'm not going to do that,' " DeSantis told a Miami CBS affiliate this week.
Florida's online system, known as CONNECT, debuted in October 2013 during the administration of DeSantis' fellow Republican Rick Scott, now a U.S. senator.
DeSantis said he wasn't sure if it was Scott's intention to discourage people from applying for benefits, but that the system was certainly designed to produce that outcome.
"It was definitely done in a way to lead to the least number of claims being paid out," he said.
The system cost $77.9 million to build and had problems from the start, crashing frequently and proving difficult to log in to.
"A lot of these unemployment systems throughout the country, you know, weren't very good, but a lot of them were like 40, 50 years old," DeSantis told CBS4 in Miami. "Ours wasn't really old. I mean, ours was really five, six years ago. And it should have been done better for that price tag to produce better results."
The state's Senate Democratic Caucus said Wednesday that about 1.45 million Floridians continue to wait for payments.
State Sen. Annette Taddeo, a Democrat from Miami, has also alleged that the system was specifically designed to fail — to make the state's leaders look better.
"The system was implemented in a way for it to be a total failure," Taddeo told The Associated Press in April. "Why? Because it would keep the politician looking good by pretending that less people are filing for unemployment when the reality is, even before the pandemic, people were having a really hard time not only applying but in getting benefits."
Scott's office disputed DeSantis' allegations.
"As we've said many times, this is obviously false. Real leaders work to solve problems and get the job done. That's what Sen. Scott is focused on," Scott's press secretary Sarah Schwirian said Thursday in a statement to NPR.
The rivalry between DeSantis and Scott goes back to at least 2018. As Scott prepared to leave the governorship, he made 84 last-minute appointments. Most were retracted by DeSantis when he came into office. Scott left Tallahassee before DeSantis was sworn in as governor, a sign the two men didn't get along. The two are possible rivals for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination, and both style themselves as close to President Trump.
Jennifer Riley in Ormond Beach, Fla., says it took 12 weeks after she was laid off in late February to receive an unemployment payment.
"You couldn't really get through on the phone. I sent maybe 60 different emails to state representatives, legislators, random employees of [the state unemployment office] that I found on the Internet," she says. She has no idea what finally allowed her payments to be processed.
Riley eventually found an on-call position as an occupational therapy assistant at a school, which would start when and if brick-and-mortar schools reopen and allow in-person therapy.
When she filled out the form on the CONNECT portal to report that she had accepted a position, but that she had not started work and would not be paid for months, her unemployment benefits were immediately cut off. It took her another five weeks to get them reinstated.
"It's been a nightmare, and Florida's in worse shape than ever with COVID," she says. "I don't know where it's headed."
Riley continues to look for a steadier job than the on-call position. She's heard DeSantis' remarks that the portal's problems happened under Scott's watch.
"And he's right, but it was also investigated after DeSantis took office. He was told [about all the issues] ... and he did nothing about it," she says.
Democratic state Sen. Jose Javier Rodriguez testified in June before the U.S. Senate's Finance Committee about the Florida system's failures.
Rodriguez told senators that DeSantis had been aware of the system's shortcomings since at least January 2019, because there had been "audit after audit," one of which was "sitting on the governor's desk" when he took office.
NPR member station WLRN reported on Rodriguez's testimony:
"Florida entered this crisis with one of, if not the least prepared unemployment systems," Rodriguez said. "No state provides a fewer number of weeks. ... "We're near the bottom in weekly benefits, capped at $275 and have major gaps in eligibility," Rodriguez told senators. "Add to that an application and payment system infamous for its failures, and how persistent those failures are, having endured, unchanged, through several gubernatorial terms, successive audits and prior federal intervention."
In June, two top-ranking Democrats, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York and Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon, called on the U.S. Department of Labor's inspector general to investigate the state's failure to provide payments to its out-of-work residents.
"While all states have seen record increases in the number of its residents applying for unemployment, the state of Florida's performance has proved uniquely poor in its abject inability to assist millions of Florida residents who have applied for and continue to await unemployment benefits," the senators wrote.
NPR's Greg Allen contributed to this report.


npr--2020-08-06--Federal Appeals Court Upholds Dismissal Of Cliven Bundy Case

A federal appeals court in San Francisco has denied the Justice Department 's motion for a retrial in the case against Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy , who led an armed standoff against federal agents over cattle grazing near his ranch in 2014 .
The decision Thursday comes more than two years after Bundy , two of his sons and Montana militiaman Ryan Payne walked out of the federal courthouse in Las Vegas as free men .
The government 's case collapsed after a mistrial in which prosecutors were admonished for failing to turn over evidence and for not disclosing the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ snipers stationed by Bundy 's house near the town of Bunkerville .
In May , federal prosecutors argued that any missteps they made in the original trial were inadvertent .
But in the latest ruling , 9th Circuit judges ruled the lower court acted within its authority in dismissing the indictments against Bundy and his co-defendants , while also barring the criminal complaints from being refiled .
Bundy 's attorney , conservative activist Larry Klayman , said the family is relieved that `` this nightmare is over . ''
`` After two years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ] had to endure a sham and fraudulent trial where exculpatory evidence was hidden , '' Klayman said in a statement .
The latest ruling is not seen as much of a surprise , according to legal observers who have long accused the federal government of bungling the case against the rancher and his supporters .
Despite a litany of federal court decisions and widely held legal opinions , Bundy has refused to recognize federal control of public lands in Nevada , where his cattle have grazed illegally in and around the Lake @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The federal Bureau of Land Management has long maintained Bundy owes more than a million dollars in unpaid grazing lease fees .
The latest case against Bundy began during the Obama administration .
In the Trump era , his trial had initially been overseen by an acting U.S. attorney in Nevada .
President Trump later pardoned two Oregon ranchers whose fight with federal land managers had inspired a separate armed standoff involving the Bundy family in Oregon in 2016 .
The pardon by Trump was widely seen as a signal that prosecuting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ priority .

Federal Appeals Court Upholds Dismissal Of Cliven Bundy Case
Enlarge this image toggle caption Ken Ritter/AP Ken Ritter/AP
A federal appeals court in San Francisco has denied the Justice Department's motion for a retrial in the case against Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy, who led an armed standoff against federal agents over cattle grazing near his ranch in 2014.
The decision Thursday comes more than two years after Bundy, two of his sons and Montana militiaman Ryan Payne walked out of the federal courthouse in Las Vegas as free men. The government's case collapsed after a mistrial in which prosecutors were admonished for failing to turn over evidence and for not disclosing the existence of surveillance camera footage and federal snipers stationed by Bundy's house near the town of Bunkerville.
In May, federal prosecutors argued that any missteps they made in the original trial were inadvertent. But in the latest ruling, 9th Circuit judges ruled the lower court acted within its authority in dismissing the indictments against Bundy and his co-defendants, while also barring the criminal complaints from being refiled.
Bundy's attorney, conservative activist Larry Klayman, said the family is relieved that "this nightmare is over."
"After two years of illegal incarceration, [my client] had to endure a sham and fraudulent trial where exculpatory evidence was hidden," Klayman said in a statement.
The latest ruling is not seen as much of a surprise, according to legal observers who have long accused the federal government of bungling the case against the rancher and his supporters.
Despite a litany of federal court decisions and widely held legal opinions, Bundy has refused to recognize federal control of public lands in Nevada, where his cattle have grazed illegally in and around the Lake Mead National Recreation Area since the 1990s.
The federal Bureau of Land Management has long maintained Bundy owes more than a million dollars in unpaid grazing lease fees. The latest case against Bundy began during the Obama administration. In the Trump era, his trial had initially been overseen by an acting U.S. attorney in Nevada. President Trump later pardoned two Oregon ranchers whose fight with federal land managers had inspired a separate armed standoff involving the Bundy family in Oregon in 2016.
The pardon by Trump was widely seen as a signal that prosecuting the Bundys was no longer a top priority.


npr--2020-08-06--Prices For COVID-19 Vaccines Are Starting To Come Into Focus

Prices For COVID-19 Vaccines Are Starting To Come Into Focus How much will vaccines against the coronavirus cost ?
Even though none has finished clinical testing , some clues about pricing are starting to emerge .
Cambridge , Mass.-based Moderna , one of the leading horses in the vaccine race , has already made deals at between $ 32 and $ 37 per dose of its experimental coronavirus vaccine in agreements with some foreign countries , rattling consumer advocates , who fear an unfair deal for U.S. taxpayers .
These Moderna prices reflected `` smaller volume agreements , '' Moderna @ @ @ @ @ @ @ call Wednesday to discuss the company 's second-quarter financial results .
He added that the price would come down for larger volume agreements , hinting at a lower price for U.S. taxpayers .
Still , advocates are worried .
Moderna has been developing its vaccine with hundreds of millions of dollars ' worth of help from the federal government .
In mid-April , the drugmaker won a $ 483 million award from BARDA , the federal Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority , toward research and development of its coronavirus vaccine .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 1 billion if the company meets all its goals under the contract , according to federal records .
Moderna has been working on its vaccine with the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , which anticipates spending an additional $ 410 million on the effort .
This includes money for preclinical and early clinical research , but the bulk of it is going toward the crucial phase three clinical trial that began on July 27 and will include up to 30,000 people .
Given the upfront investment in the Moderna vaccine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ questions about its eventual pricing .
`` It 's a classic example of taxpayers paying twice for medicines , '' says Zain Rizvi , a law and policy researcher at Public Citizen focused on pharmaceuticals .
`` Now it wants to turn around and charge those very same taxpayers the highest public price for a potential COVID-19 [ vaccine ] .
That 's outrageous . ''
The federal government has been announcing procurement agreements over the past few months with pharmaceutical companies that are part of Operation Warp Speed , the Trump administration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ available by January .
So far , the prices implied by publicly released deals work out to between $ 4 and $ 20 per dose .
Moderna 's procurement contract with the United States has n't been announced , but a company spokesperson told NPR in an email that it is `` committed to responsible pricing . ''
Pfizer 's agreement with the federal government is the most lucrative to date .
The government agreed to buy 100 million doses of the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine , being developed with German biotech firm BioNTech @ @ @ @ @ @ @ works out to about $ 20 per dose .
Since Pfizer 's contract did not include research funding from the federal government , it 's not under the same pressure as some of the other vaccine makers to keep prices low for U.S. taxpayers .
The Moderna and Pfizer vaccines are expected to require two doses to protect against the coronavirus .
On July 21 , U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky , D-Ill. , asked vaccine manufacturers at a House Committee on Energy and Commerce hearing whether they would commit to selling their vaccines @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no profit .
She turned to Moderna 's president , Stephen Hoge , first .
`` We will not sell it at cost , '' he replied .
`` You will what ? ''
she asked .
`` We will not sell it at cost , '' he repeated .
`` No , ma'am . ''
Merck also declined to make this pledge during the hearing .
AstraZeneca said its existing deal with the U.S. did n't generate a profit , and Johnson & Johnson said it would n't make a profit `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pricing of its coronavirus vaccine in two stages : the pandemic period and the endemic period , CEO Bancel said Wednesday during the conference call .
`` At Moderna , like many public health experts , we believe that SARS-CoV-2 virus is not going away , and that there will be a need to vaccinate people or give them a boost for many years to come , '' he told investors .
During the pandemic period , he said the vaccine would be priced `` well below value , '' but afterward , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with other innovative commercial vaccines . ''
That means prices could go up .
That two-tiered pricing outlook highlights the U.S. government 's misstep in failing to add reasonable pricing clauses to its contracts with drugmakers , says Kathryn Ardizzone , a lawyer with Knowledge Ecology International , a nonprofit public interest group that works on intellectual property issues .
`` The reality is that this is not just a free market arrangement , '' she says .
`` The U.S. government has put up a billion dollars towards the development of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should have realized that it has significant leverage and [ negotiated ] contract terms that are favorable to the American public and worldwide . ''
Not everyone agrees .
Adam Mossoff , a law professor at George Mason University who specializes in intellectual property , says efforts to control vaccine and drug prices during the COVID-19 pandemic could have ripple effects in the biopharmaceutical industry , ultimately stifling innovation .
He says it 's a slippery slope to say taxpayers are paying twice for pharmaceuticals because they also financed part of the research @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in everything in our society , the principles we 're establishing would justify the government to dictate prices on not just medicines but also on all products and services from automobiles to smartphones , '' he says .
It 's not clear exactly how much of the bill taxpayers are footing for Moderna 's vaccine .
Under its contract with BARDA , Moderna is required to disclose regularly the proportion of its funding that comes from the federal government .
Public Citizen and Knowledge Ecology International say it has n't .
`` It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ implicitly downplayed the critical role of federal scientists in its press releases , '' Public Citizen 's Rizvi said .
`` This is shocking in some way , but it 's also just another example of the erasure of publicly funded science that large pharmaceutical corporations often do . ''
`` The trust of the American people is vital in the all-of-America response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic , '' Disbrow wrote , stressing his colleagues ' commitment to transparency regarding vaccine development .
`` The contracting officer responsible for the Moderna contract @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and will ensure their compliance with their contractual requirements . ''

Prices For COVID-19 Vaccines Are Starting To Come Into Focus
Enlarge this image toggle caption Paul Hennessy/NurPhoto via Getty Images Paul Hennessy/NurPhoto via Getty Images
How much will vaccines against the coronavirus cost? Even though none has finished clinical testing, some clues about pricing are starting to emerge.
Cambridge, Mass.-based Moderna, one of the leading horses in the vaccine race, has already made deals at between $32 and $37 per dose of its experimental coronavirus vaccine in agreements with some foreign countries, rattling consumer advocates, who fear an unfair deal for U.S. taxpayers.
These Moderna prices reflected "smaller volume agreements," Moderna CEO Stéphane Bancel said during a conference call Wednesday to discuss the company's second-quarter financial results. He added that the price would come down for larger volume agreements, hinting at a lower price for U.S. taxpayers.
Still, advocates are worried. Moderna has been developing its vaccine with hundreds of millions of dollars' worth of help from the federal government.
In mid-April, the drugmaker won a $483 million award from BARDA, the federal Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, toward research and development of its coronavirus vaccine. And that award could ultimately be worth almost $1 billion if the company meets all its goals under the contract, according to federal records.
Moderna has been working on its vaccine with the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, which anticipates spending an additional $410 million on the effort. This includes money for preclinical and early clinical research, but the bulk of it is going toward the crucial phase three clinical trial that began on July 27 and will include up to 30,000 people.
Given the upfront investment in the Moderna vaccine by the government, there are sharp questions about its eventual pricing. "It's a classic example of taxpayers paying twice for medicines," says Zain Rizvi, a law and policy researcher at Public Citizen focused on pharmaceuticals. "Now it wants to turn around and charge those very same taxpayers the highest public price for a potential COVID-19 [vaccine]. That's outrageous."
The federal government has been announcing procurement agreements over the past few months with pharmaceutical companies that are part of Operation Warp Speed, the Trump administration's push to have a vaccine widely available by January. So far, the prices implied by publicly released deals work out to between $4 and $20 per dose.
Moderna's procurement contract with the United States hasn't been announced, but a company spokesperson told NPR in an email that it is "committed to responsible pricing."
Pfizer's agreement with the federal government is the most lucrative to date. The government agreed to buy 100 million doses of the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine, being developed with German biotech firm BioNTech, for $1.95 billion. That works out to about $20 per dose.
Since Pfizer's contract did not include research funding from the federal government, it's not under the same pressure as some of the other vaccine makers to keep prices low for U.S. taxpayers.
The Moderna and Pfizer vaccines are expected to require two doses to protect against the coronavirus.
On July 21, U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill., asked vaccine manufacturers at a House Committee on Energy and Commerce hearing whether they would commit to selling their vaccines "at cost," meaning for no profit.
She turned to Moderna's president, Stephen Hoge, first. "We will not sell it at cost," he replied.
"You will what?" she asked.
"We will not sell it at cost," he repeated. "No, ma'am."
Merck also declined to make this pledge during the hearing. AstraZeneca said its existing deal with the U.S. didn't generate a profit, and Johnson & Johnson said it wouldn't make a profit "during the pandemic."
Moderna views pricing of its coronavirus vaccine in two stages: the pandemic period and the endemic period, CEO Bancel said Wednesday during the conference call.
"At Moderna, like many public health experts, we believe that SARS-CoV-2 virus is not going away, and that there will be a need to vaccinate people or give them a boost for many years to come," he told investors.
During the pandemic period, he said the vaccine would be priced "well below value," but afterward, it would be more in line "with other innovative commercial vaccines." That means prices could go up.
That two-tiered pricing outlook highlights the U.S. government's misstep in failing to add reasonable pricing clauses to its contracts with drugmakers, says Kathryn Ardizzone, a lawyer with Knowledge Ecology International, a nonprofit public interest group that works on intellectual property issues.
"The reality is that this is not just a free market arrangement," she says. "The U.S. government has put up a billion dollars towards the development of the vaccine, and in doing so, should have realized that it has significant leverage and [negotiated] contract terms that are favorable to the American public and worldwide."
Not everyone agrees. Adam Mossoff, a law professor at George Mason University who specializes in intellectual property, says efforts to control vaccine and drug prices during the COVID-19 pandemic could have ripple effects in the biopharmaceutical industry, ultimately stifling innovation.
He says it's a slippery slope to say taxpayers are paying twice for pharmaceuticals because they also financed part of the research. "Because the government is involved in everything in our society, the principles we're establishing would justify the government to dictate prices on not just medicines but also on all products and services from automobiles to smartphones," he says.
It's not clear exactly how much of the bill taxpayers are footing for Moderna's vaccine. Under its contract with BARDA, Moderna is required to disclose regularly the proportion of its funding that comes from the federal government. Public Citizen and Knowledge Ecology International say it hasn't.
"It appears to be violating that contract and implicitly downplayed the critical role of federal scientists in its press releases," Public Citizen's Rizvi said. "This is shocking in some way, but it's also just another example of the erasure of publicly funded science that large pharmaceutical corporations often do."
Gary Disbrow, BARDA's acting director, replied to the groups Thursday night.
"The trust of the American people is vital in the all-of-America response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic," Disbrow wrote, stressing his colleagues' commitment to transparency regarding vaccine development. "The contracting officer responsible for the Moderna contract has been in touch with the company and will ensure their compliance with their contractual requirements."


npr--2020-08-06--Beirut Explosion Update: Lebanon Detains 16 People As Part Of Inquiry

Authorities in Lebanon have detained 16 people as part of an urgent investigation into the enormous explosion that devastated Beirut 's port area and much of the city on Tuesday .
The blast has been traced to an estimated 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate stored in a warehouse .
Judge Fadi Akiki , a government representative at the military court , said more than 18 people have been questioned so far , including port and customs officials , according to Lebanon 's state news agency .
There are currently 16 people in custody , Akiki said , while others remain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at least 137 people and injured thousands more .
Emergency crews have been working to find all the victims , sifting through rubble and collapsed structures .
French President Emmanuel Macron made a heralded visit to Beirut on Thursday , saying he was there to offer support to Lebanon 's people – but not necessarily to its government .
`` This explosion is the beginning of a new era , '' Macron said , describing French disaster aid as a catalyst for political reform .
`` Lebanon is in need of change and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said .
Macron added , `` I am not here to support the state or the government ; I am here to support the Lebanese people . ''
Well-wishers and passersby seemed to return the sentiment as crowds gathered around Macron when he surveyed the damage in Beirut 's streets .
Many vented their fury at Lebanon 's leaders .
`` Down with the regime ! ''
Beirut residents chanted as Macron 's group moved through the city .
The thousands of damaged buildings include NPR 's bureau in Beirut .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has spent his career restoring traditional Lebanese homes , NPR 's Ruth Sherlock said .
`` He watched much of his life 's work be destroyed in the blink of an eye , '' Sherlock said Thursday on Morning Edition .
`` And he said , 'You know , Lebanese are used to damage from the country 's 15 years of civil war .
But this destruction was like the destruction of all of the civil war in a single moment . '
`` Ammonium nitrate like the material stored at the warehouse @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , from making fertilizers to powering bombs .
Lebanon 's leaders said the ammonium nitrate had been stored under dangerous conditions for years .
`` It seems the ammonium nitrate may actually have come on a ship that made an unscheduled stop at the Beirut port in 2013 because of technical difficulties , '' Sherlock said .
`` And then it was abandoned by the Russian businessman who leased it .
Apparently , customs officials appealed six times to Lebanese courts for guidance on what to do , '' warning of the risk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crowded city .
Those details support suspicions that the explosion was not the result of an attack but simply the result of negligence .
Many countries are sending emergency supplies and workers to Lebanon ; on Thursday , aid-carrying planes came from Tunisia , Italy , Russia and Morocco .
Humanitarian groups are also rushing aid to people .
Nearly 80,000 children are displaced by the disaster , according to an estimate from UNICEF .
The powerful blast also damaged at least 12 health care facilities – and destroyed a children 's hospital @ @ @ @ @ @ @ organization says .
It adds that 10 containers ' worth of personal protective equipment was also destroyed at the port – which had operated as a key entry point for goods and aid for Lebanon .
`` UNICEF is supporting the local authorities and partners , said Violet Speek-Warnery , the group 's deputy representative in Lebanon .
`` Our teams have been working around the clock to support people affected with much-needed assistance . ''
Describing the catastrophe 's effects , Oxfam 's Lebanon policy lead , Bachir Ayoub , says the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the recovery will take years .
`` Lebanon was already struggling to cope .
The economy has been in a tailspin , the local currency has lost approximately 80 % of its value , and the last month has seen a dramatic increase in coronavirus cases with hospitals already under pressure , '' Ayoub said .
`` People whose homes have been damaged or completely destroyed will not be able to access their money to start to repair or rebuild , and essential items like wheat and medicine will soon be scarce , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ major storage and supply point , has been obliterated .
A massive effort will be required to recover . ''

Beirut Explosion Update: Lebanon Detains 16 People In Inquiry As Anger Mounts
Enlarge this image toggle caption Houssam Shbaro/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images Houssam Shbaro/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
Updated at 12:45 a.m. ET Friday
Some of Beirut's residents, angered by their city's seeming negligence that led to this week's deadly warehouse explosion, took to the streets late Thursday to demand reform.
Near parliament, Lebanese security forces fired tear gas as they clashed with anti-government protesters.
In the central square of Beirut's mostly destroyed downtown, a group of Lebanese, some carrying shovels to dig through the debris, shouted, "The people want the fall of the regime."
من المواجهات أمام مجلس النواب pic.twitter.com/pHdDYsm3tA — Hady Kabalan (@kabalanhady) August 6, 2020
The protests came as authorities in Lebanon detained 16 people as part of an urgent investigation into the enormous explosion that devastated Beirut's port area and much of the city on Tuesday. The blast has been traced to an estimated 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate.
Haunting to read this now: A 2014 clipping on the ship at #Beirut port abandoned by owner. Beirut authorities wont release crew: "The reason is obvious, port authorities don’t want to be left with abandoned vessel on their hands, loaded with dangerous cargo, explosives, in fact". pic.twitter.com/ySizvi3HVQ — Ruth Sherlock (@Rsherlock) August 6, 2020
Judge Fadi Akiki, a government representative at the military court, said more than 18 people have been questioned so far, including port and customs officials, according to Lebanon's state news agency.
There are currently 16 people in custody, Akiki said, while others remain under investigation.
Tuesday's blast killed at least 137 people and injured thousands more. Emergency crews have been working to find all the victims, sifting through rubble and collapsed structures.
French President Emmanuel Macron made a heralded visit to Beirut on Thursday, saying he was there to offer support to Lebanon's people – but not necessarily to its government.
"This explosion is the beginning of a new era," Macron said, describing French disaster aid as a catalyst for political reform.
"Lebanon is in need of change and of a new political contract," he said. Macron added, "I am not here to support the state or the government; I am here to support the Lebanese people."
Well-wishers and passersby seemed to return the sentiment as crowds gathered around Macron when he surveyed the damage in Beirut's streets. Many vented their fury at Lebanon's leaders.
"Down with the regime!" Beirut residents chanted as Macron's group moved through the city.
The thousands of damaged buildings include NPR's bureau in Beirut. The bureau's landlord is an architect who has spent his career restoring traditional Lebanese homes, NPR's Ruth Sherlock said.
"He watched much of his life's work be destroyed in the blink of an eye," Sherlock said Thursday on Morning Edition. "And he said, 'You know, Lebanese are used to damage from the country's 15 years of civil war. But this destruction was like the destruction of all of the civil war in a single moment.' "
Ammonium nitrate like the material stored at the warehouse is used for a range of purposes, from making fertilizers to powering bombs. Lebanon's leaders said the ammonium nitrate had been stored under dangerous conditions for years.
"It seems the ammonium nitrate may actually have come on a ship that made an unscheduled stop at the Beirut port in 2013 because of technical difficulties," Sherlock said. "And then it was abandoned by the Russian businessman who leased it. Apparently, customs officials appealed six times to Lebanese courts for guidance on what to do," warning of the risk of keeping a dangerous substance in the crowded city.
Those details support suspicions that the explosion was not the result of an attack but simply the result of negligence.
Many countries are sending emergency supplies and workers to Lebanon; on Thursday, aid-carrying planes came from Tunisia, Italy, Russia and Morocco. Humanitarian groups are also rushing aid to people.
Nearly 80,000 children are displaced by the disaster, according to an estimate from UNICEF.
The powerful blast also damaged at least 12 health care facilities – and destroyed a children's hospital in the Karantina area, the aid organization says. It adds that 10 containers' worth of personal protective equipment was also destroyed at the port – which had operated as a key entry point for goods and aid for Lebanon.
"UNICEF is supporting the local authorities and partners, said Violet Speek-Warnery, the group's deputy representative in Lebanon. "Our teams have been working around the clock to support people affected with much-needed assistance."
Describing the catastrophe's effects, Oxfam's Lebanon policy lead, Bachir Ayoub, says the damage was "unimaginable," and the recovery will take years.
"Lebanon was already struggling to cope. The economy has been in a tailspin, the local currency has lost approximately 80% of its value, and the last month has seen a dramatic increase in coronavirus cases with hospitals already under pressure," Ayoub said.
"People whose homes have been damaged or completely destroyed will not be able to access their money to start to repair or rebuild, and essential items like wheat and medicine will soon be scarce, as the Port of Beirut, the major storage and supply point, has been obliterated. A massive effort will be required to recover."
NPR's Ruth Sherlock contributed to this report.