npr--2020-07-23--Rep. John Lewis Will Lie In State At The U.S. Capitol, With An Outdoor Public Viewing

Rep. John Lewis Will Lie In State At The U.S. Capitol , With An Outdoor Public Viewing The body of civil rights icon and longtime congressman John Lewis will lie in state at the U.S. Capitol next week , with a public viewing that will take place outdoors because of the coronavirus pandemic .
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell made the announcement in a joint press release Thursday .
They said an invitation-only arrival ceremony will be held in the Capitol Rotunda on Monday at 1:30 p.m. , and members of the public will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the building on Monday and Tuesday .
`` Given COVID-19 precautions , Congressman Lewis will lie in state at the top of the East Front Steps of the U.S. Capitol for the public viewing , and the public will file past on the East Plaza , '' they wrote .
Congressional leaders had initially expressed uncertainty about how they might be able to honor Lewis given the health risks and safety precautions associated with the coronavirus .
Under local orders , attendees will be required to wear masks in order to enter the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ distancing will be `` strictly enforced . ''
According to the release , Lewis ' family will provide details about additional memorial arrangements , including a procession through Washington , D.C. , `` where members of the public will also be able to pay their respects in a socially-distant manner . ''
The family is requesting that people do not travel to Washington from other parts of the country to pay their respects in person , due to the pandemic .
Instead , they are encouraging people to post virtual tributes online using @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Lewis died last Friday at age 80 after battling pancreatic cancer , which he called one of the many fights in his life .
Many of those battles were for freedom and equality : he led sit-ins at segregated lunch counters in the Jim Crow-era South , spoke at the 1963 March on Washington and marched for voting rights on the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma , Ala. , where he and other peaceful protesters were brutally beaten by state troopers .
Lewis went on to represent the Atlanta area in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three decades , during which time he became known as `` the conscience of the Congress . ''

Rep. John Lewis Will Lie In State At The U.S. Capitol, With An Outdoor Public Viewing
Enlarge this image toggle caption Jose Luis Magana/AP Jose Luis Magana/AP
The body of civil rights icon and longtime congressman John Lewis will lie in state at the U.S. Capitol next week, with a public viewing that will take place outdoors because of the coronavirus pandemic.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell made the announcement in a joint press release Thursday.
They said an invitation-only arrival ceremony will be held in the Capitol Rotunda on Monday at 1:30 p.m., and members of the public will be able to pay their respects outside of the building on Monday and Tuesday.
"Given COVID-19 precautions, Congressman Lewis will lie in state at the top of the East Front Steps of the U.S. Capitol for the public viewing, and the public will file past on the East Plaza," they wrote.
Congressional leaders had initially expressed uncertainty about how they might be able to honor Lewis given the health risks and safety precautions associated with the coronavirus.
Under local orders, attendees will be required to wear masks in order to enter the line. Pelosi and McConnell said social distancing will be "strictly enforced."
According to the release, Lewis' family will provide details about additional memorial arrangements, including a procession through Washington, D.C., "where members of the public will also be able to pay their respects in a socially-distant manner."
The family is requesting that people do not travel to Washington from other parts of the country to pay their respects in person, due to the pandemic. Instead, they are encouraging people to post virtual tributes online using the hashtags #BelovedCommunity and #HumanDignity.
Lewis died last Friday at age 80 after battling pancreatic cancer, which he called one of the many fights in his life.
Many of those battles were for freedom and equality: he led sit-ins at segregated lunch counters in the Jim Crow-era South, spoke at the 1963 March on Washington and marched for voting rights on the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Ala., where he and other peaceful protesters were brutally beaten by state troopers.
Lewis went on to represent the Atlanta area in the U.S. House of Representatives for more than three decades, during which time he became known as "the conscience of the Congress."


npr--2020-07-24--Judge Denies Oregon's Request For Restraining Order Against Federal Officers

A federal judge on Friday denied the Oregon attorney general 's request for a temporary restraining order against certain actions by federal authorities in Portland , saying the state lacked the legal standing to seek that relief .
Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum filed a lawsuit on July 17 against the U.S. Department of Homeland Security , the U.S .
Marshals Service , U.S. Customs and Border Protection , the Federal Protection Service and their agents .
In it , she alleged that federal officers in the city of Portland have acted unlawfully by seizing and detaining Oregonians without probable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ order that would temporarily stop them from using such tactics .
`` We are today asking the federal court to stop the federal police from secretly stopping and forcibly grabbing Oregonians off our streets , '' Rosenblum wrote in a statement .
The lawsuit specifically asked the judge to require federal officers to identify themselves and their agency before detaining any protesters , explain the basis for making any detentions or arrests and not arrest individuals without a warrant or probable cause .
On Friday , U.S. District Judge Michael Mosman denied that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a 14-page decision .
While the case involves allegations of harm done to protesters by law enforcement , he wrote , the plaintiff is not a protester .
Beyond that , the state is not seeking redress for past harm done to protesters but rather an injunction against future conduct , which he called `` an extraordinary form of relief . ''
Mosman wrote that the state would have needed to make a `` very particularized showing '' in order to prove its standing to bring such a lawsuit .
`` Because it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fundamentally , because it has not shown it is vindicating an interest that is specific to the state itself — I find the State of Oregon lacks standing here and therefore deny its request for a temporary restraining order , '' he concluded .
Rosenblum filed the lawsuit in response to what she described as two incidents involving federal authorities `` overstepping their powers '' and injuring and threatening peaceful protesters in Portland last week .
Protests against racism and police brutality in Portland have grown increasingly tense after the Trump administration deployed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ buildings there earlier this month .
According to Rosenblum , on July 12 , a protester standing near the Mark O. Hatfield United States Courthouse was hit in the head with an `` impact weapon '' and suffered severe injuries .
And on July 16 , an unmarked minivan with undercover federal agents `` wearing generic green military fatigues '' grabbed a man off the sidewalk and detained him at the federal courthouse .
Mosman noted that the state presented only two examples as evidence , despite painting a picture in its complaint @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the streets of Portland by unidentified agents . ''
He also said that the state did not present evidence of any official orders or policies behind the seizures , nor any evidence that they are in widespread use .
Mosman noted that it is not unusual for people involved in major protests to allege that police crossed a `` constitutional line '' in their interactions with protesters , and for some of those people to file lawsuits seeking money damages and injunctive relief .
`` There is a well-established body of law paving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forward in federal court , '' he wrote .
`` This is not such a lawsuit . ''
Rosenblum expressed her disappointment with the ruling in a statement issued Friday , saying she believes Oregonians have the right to know who is policing their streets and why peaceful protesters are being detained .
`` While I respect Judge Mosman , '' she added , `` I would ask this question : If the state of Oregon does not have standing to prevent this unconstitutional conduct by unidentified federal agents running roughshod over her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by these federal agents can sue for damages , but they ca n't get a judge to restrain this unlawful conduct more generally .
Today 's ruling suggests that there may be no recourse on behalf of our state , and if so that is extremely troubling . ''

Judge Denies Oregon's Request For Restraining Order Against Federal Officers
Enlarge this image toggle caption Ankur Dholakia/AFP via Getty Images Ankur Dholakia/AFP via Getty Images
Updated at 2:45 a.m. ET Saturday
A federal judge on Friday denied the Oregon attorney general's request for a temporary restraining order against certain actions by federal authorities in Portland, saying the state lacked the legal standing to seek that relief.
Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum filed a lawsuit on July 17 against the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Federal Protection Service and their agents. In it, she alleged that federal officers in the city of Portland have acted unlawfully by seizing and detaining Oregonians without probable cause, and she sought a restraining order that would temporarily stop them from using such tactics.
"We are today asking the federal court to stop the federal police from secretly stopping and forcibly grabbing Oregonians off our streets," Rosenblum wrote in a statement.
The lawsuit specifically asked the judge to require federal officers to identify themselves and their agency before detaining any protesters, explain the basis for making any detentions or arrests and not arrest individuals without a warrant or probable cause.
On Friday, U.S. District Judge Michael Mosman denied that request.
He explained his reasoning in a 14-page decision. While the case involves allegations of harm done to protesters by law enforcement, he wrote, the plaintiff is not a protester. Beyond that, the state is not seeking redress for past harm done to protesters but rather an injunction against future conduct, which he called "an extraordinary form of relief."
Mosman wrote that the state would have needed to make a "very particularized showing" in order to prove its standing to bring such a lawsuit.
"Because it has failed to do so — most fundamentally, because it has not shown it is vindicating an interest that is specific to the state itself — I find the State of Oregon lacks standing here and therefore deny its request for a temporary restraining order," he concluded.
Rosenblum filed the lawsuit in response to what she described as two incidents involving federal authorities "overstepping their powers" and injuring and threatening peaceful protesters in Portland last week.
Protests against racism and police brutality in Portland have grown increasingly tense after the Trump administration deployed federal law enforcement officers to protect federal buildings there earlier this month.
According to Rosenblum, on July 12, a protester standing near the Mark O. Hatfield United States Courthouse was hit in the head with an "impact weapon" and suffered severe injuries. And on July 16, an unmarked minivan with undercover federal agents "wearing generic green military fatigues" grabbed a man off the sidewalk and detained him at the federal courthouse.
Mosman noted that the state presented only two examples as evidence, despite painting a picture in its complaint of "numerous protesters being seized from the streets of Portland by unidentified agents."
He also said that the state did not present evidence of any official orders or policies behind the seizures, nor any evidence that they are in widespread use.
Mosman noted that it is not unusual for people involved in major protests to allege that police crossed a "constitutional line" in their interactions with protesters, and for some of those people to file lawsuits seeking money damages and injunctive relief.
"There is a well-established body of law paving the way for such lawsuits to move forward in federal court," he wrote. "This is not such a lawsuit."
Rosenblum expressed her disappointment with the ruling in a statement issued Friday, saying she believes Oregonians have the right to know who is policing their streets and why peaceful protesters are being detained.
"While I respect Judge Mosman," she added, "I would ask this question: If the state of Oregon does not have standing to prevent this unconstitutional conduct by unidentified federal agents running roughshod over her citizens, who does? Individuals mistreated by these federal agents can sue for damages, but they can't get a judge to restrain this unlawful conduct more generally. Today's ruling suggests that there may be no recourse on behalf of our state, and if so that is extremely troubling."
Justice Department filing on Seattle police
As Portland tries to cope with protests and law enforcement response, so does Seattle, Wash.
On Friday, U.S. District Judge James Robart granted a motion filed by the Department of Justice seeking a restraining order to block a Seattle Police Department directive banning officers from using "less lethal" crowd-control tools like pepper spray and blast balls.
According to the DOJ court filing, the directive was set to take effect at 3 a.m on Saturday. Robart said the temporary restraining order on the directive was "very temporary," and more discussion was needed, The Seattle Times reports.
The Justice Department argues that implementation of the directive would change police policies and thereby conflict with requirements of the consent decree that the city's police department has been under since 2012, after a DOJ investigation found a pattern of using excessive force.
In his ruling, Robart writes that his decision does not mean the ordinance will no longer be implemented, but he "seeks a pause" until the directive can be further reviewed under the terms of the consent degree.
The temporary restraining order will expire in 14 days. Robart has ordered the city of Seattle and the Department of Justice to meet to propose a schedule for briefings on a preliminary injunction no later than August 1.
The DOJ filing asked the court to prohibit the city of Seattle from making changes to policies covered by the consent decree without first engaging in a designated "review, comment and approval process." It specifically asked the court to declare that the directive cannot take effect as initially planned.
In mid-June, the Seattle City Council unanimously passed an ordinance banning the acquisition and use of "less lethal tools" that police commonly use to disperse crowds that have turned violent.
Seattle Police Chief Carmen Best confirmed in a letter on Thursday that the ordinance would take effect over the weekend, when several events are set to take place across the city. Acknowledging weeks of peaceful protests, she cited two recent instances of "wide-scale" property destruction and attacks on officers, and said more are to be expected.
In her letter, she warned of the "foreseeable impact" of the ordinance, which she said denies officers access to "tools that have been an essential part of their court-approved tactics."
Best added that the city council ordinance will create more dangerous circumstances for officers to intervene in violent crowds with the only tools left at their disposal: riot shields and riot batons.
She said that while this troubled her, she is "duty-bound" to follow the ordinance once it is in effect.
The DOJ cited Best's concerns in its motion seeking to block the directive.
"The Chief of Police has therefore made clear that this Directive ... will result in changes to [Seattle Police Department] procedures such that will increase the danger to either the public or officers," it read. "This is a clear conflict with the Consent Decree and, thus, the United States is likely to succeed on the merits in challenging their adoption."
Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan asked a federal judge to assess the ordinance last week, citing similar concerns about it conflicting with the consent decree.
On Wednesday, Robart ruled that he would allow the ordinance to take effect over the weekend, but reserved the right to reconsider the matter after attorneys involved submit briefs making their case.


npr--2020-07-24--Trump Signs Executive Orders On Drug Prices

The Trump Administration has announced four executive orders to lower drug prices , but health policy experts say they will likely offer patients only minimal relief and may take months to implement , if they 're implemented at all .
The orders signed Friday afternoon included allowing certain drugs to be imported from Canada and making changes to the way discounts negotiated by middlemen called pharmacy benefit managers are passed on to Medicare patients .
The most radical order involves requiring Medicare to pay the same price for some drugs — the ones patients receive in the hospital as part @ @ @ @ @ @ @ countries pay .
However , Trump said he is giving the pharmaceutical industry until Aug. 24 to make a deal with him before he implements it .
`` We may not need to implement the fourth executive order , which is a very tough order , '' he said .
The administration did not send this executive order to reporters and it was not immediately clear whether the president signed it .
Trump said he will be meeting with pharmaceutical executives on Tuesday .
Overall , the ideas embodied in the executive orders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ meaningful as the White House lets on , says Ameet Sarpatwari , assistant director of Harvard Medical School 's Program on Regulation , Therapeutics and Law .
`` Clearly what this speaks of is a bit of desperation as to the president 's sinking in the polls and needing to show that he is doing something about a campaign commitment from four years ago on which there has n't really been much action , '' he tells NPR .
He says he wonders whether the administration will `` slow walk '' these executive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the signing them .
They could offer some relief , but would likely take many months to implement .
And some have caveats that could stall them indefinitely .
For instance , one executive order involves passing on discounts negotiated by insurance middlemen called pharmacy benefit managers at the pharmacy counter for Medicare patients .
( These discounts typically go toward lowering premiums overall , instead . )
However , this order includes a section that says that before it can take effect , the Secretary of Health and Human Services needs to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ federal spending , premiums or patients ' total out-of-pocket costs to increase .
Since one of these is bound to result from the executive order , it likely will never go into effect .
`` This is the sounds and the fury signifying nothing , '' Sarpatwari wrote in an email to NPR in response to a follow-up question about this caveat .
The prescription drug bill that stalled after passing in the House in December , called HR3 , would have had a much larger impact , says Stacie Dusetzina , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` The bottom line is that these orders will not make a meaningful difference for patients when it comes to what they pay out-of-pocket for their medications , '' Dusetzina writes in an email to NPR .
`` Some of them - particularly the International reference pricing - could lower what Medicare pays for drugs given in the doctor 's office , but the reach is limited compared to HR3 . ''
HR3 included reforms to Medicare Part D , which covers drugs available at the pharmacy , and measures to prevent drug @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` We should n't be giving the administration credit for now moving three and a half years into the game when we could have actually had policies that would have been implemented and would have resulted in more Americans being able to access the drugs now , '' Sarpatwari says .
Still , that executive order regarding tying drug prices to those in other countries has already drawn criticism from the trade group PhRMA , or the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America .
`` The administration 's proposal today is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ respond to the current pandemic – and those we could face in the future , PhRMA CEO Steve Ubl said in a written statement , adding that his industry has been working hard in its COVID-19 efforts .
`` It jeopardizes American leadership that rewards risk-taking and innovation and threatens the hope of patients who need better treatments and cures . ''
The executive orders have also been received with mixed reactions from members of Congress .
Sen. Chuck Grassley , R-Iowa , applauded the president for taking action , though he noted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's `` expressed concern '' about in the past .
Rep. Lloyd Doggett , D-Texas , accused the president of recycling old proposals and delaying action `` to appease his pals at Big Pharma . ''

Trump Signs Executive Orders On Drug Prices
Enlarge this image toggle caption Alex Brandon/AP Alex Brandon/AP
The Trump administration has announced four executive orders to lower drug prices, but health policy experts say they will likely offer patients only minimal relief and may take months to implement, if they're implemented at all.
The orders signed Friday afternoon included allowing certain drugs to be imported from Canada and making changes to the way discounts negotiated by middlemen called pharmacy benefit managers are passed on to Medicare patients.
The most radical order involves requiring Medicare to pay the same price for some drugs — the ones patients receive in the hospital as part of Medicare Part B — that other countries pay. However, Trump said he is giving the pharmaceutical industry until Aug. 24 to make a deal with him before he implements it.
"We may not need to implement the fourth executive order, which is a very tough order," he said.
The administration did not send this executive order to reporters and it was not immediately clear whether the president signed it. Trump said he will be meeting with pharmaceutical executives on Tuesday.
Overall, the ideas embodied in the executive orders aren't new and aren't as meaningful as the White House lets on, says Ameet Sarpatwari, assistant director of Harvard Medical School's Program on Regulation, Therapeutics and Law.
"Clearly what this speaks of is a bit of desperation as to the president's sinking in the polls and needing to show that he is doing something about a campaign commitment from four years ago on which there hasn't really been much action," he tells NPR.
He says he wonders whether the administration will "slow walk" these executive orders after making a big deal of signing them. They could offer some relief but would likely take many months to implement.
And some have caveats that could stall them indefinitely.
For instance, one executive order involves passing on discounts negotiated by insurance middlemen called pharmacy benefit managers at the pharmacy counter — to Medicare patients. (These discounts typically go toward lowering premiums overall, instead.) However, this order includes a section that says that before it can take effect, the secretary of health and human services needs to confirm that the order won't cause federal spending, premiums or patients' total out-of-pocket costs to increase. Since one of these is bound to result from the executive order, it likely will never go into effect.
"This is the sound and the fury signifying nothing," Sarpatwari wrote in an email to NPR in response to a follow-up question about this caveat.
The prescription drug bill that stalled after passing in the House in December, called HR3, would have had a much larger impact, says Stacie Dusetzina, a health policy professor at Vanderbilt University.
"The bottom line is that these orders will not make a meaningful difference for patients when it comes to what they pay out-of-pocket for their medications," Dusetzina writes in an email to NPR. "Some of them — particularly the International reference pricing — could lower what Medicare pays for drugs given in the doctor's office, but the reach is limited compared to HR3."
HR3 included reforms to Medicare Part D, which covers drugs available at the pharmacy, and measures to prevent drug companies from raising prices higher than inflation.
"We shouldn't be giving the administration credit for now moving three and a half years into the game when we could have actually had policies that would have been implemented and would have resulted in more Americans being able to access the drugs now," Sarpatwari says.
Still, that executive order regarding tying drug prices to those in other countries has already drawn criticism from the trade group PhRMA, the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America.
"The administration's proposal today is a reckless distraction that impedes our ability to respond to the current pandemic — and those we could face in the future," PhRMA CEO Steve Ubl said in a written statement, adding that his industry has been working hard in its COVID-19 efforts. "It jeopardizes American leadership that rewards risk-taking and innovation and threatens the hope of patients who need better treatments and cures."
The executive orders have also been received with mixed reactions from members of Congress. Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, applauded the president for taking action, though he noted that the executive orders include proposals he has "expressed concern" about in the past. Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Texas, accused the president of recycling old proposals and delaying action "to appease his pals at Big Pharma."


npr--2020-07-24--ICE Confirms New Foreign Students Can't Take Online-Only Course Loads In The U.S.

ICE Confirms New Foreign Students Ca n't Take Online-Only Course Loads In The U.S .
Newly enrolled international students whose colleges and universities are operating entirely online this fall wo n't be allowed to enter the U.S. after all .
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement confirmed on Friday that its guidance granting visa flexibility to nonimmigrant students only applies to those who were actively enrolled at American schools on March 9 .
`` Nonimmigrant students in new or initial status after March 9 will not be able to enter the U.S. to enroll in a U.S. school as a nonimmigrant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a full course of study that is 100 percent online , '' the agency said .
It told designated school officials not to issue a Form I-20 to an international student in new or initial status who is outside of the U.S. and plans to take classes fully online .
( Nonimmigrant students need a Form I-20 , or certificate of eligibility , to apply for a student visa , apply for benefits and enter the country . )
In an FAQ document last updated on July 15 , ICE said that newly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the U.S. can stay in the country .
It also suggests deferment as an alternative for new students whose schools are modifying operations because of the coronavirus pandemic .
This is the latest installment in a saga that began when the pandemic struck .
Since March , institutions of higher education and their students have grappled with how to balance safety and academics during a global pandemic and under federal directives that have at times been inconsistent .
ICE initially issued guidance that allowed international students to remain in active status even if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ online .
It changed that rule in early July , sending many students and higher education institutions scrambling .
The agency declared that foreign students attending U.S. colleges would not be able to enter or remain in the country if their classes would be conducted entirely online in the fall — a switch many institutions had already announced in the face of worsening public health conditions .
According to the Chronicle of Higher Education , which is tracking the fall semester plans of more than 1,250 colleges , 12 % are planning for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % proposing a hybrid model and the 50 % planning to operate in person .
One week after announcing the rule change , facing a widespread backlash and a lawsuit filed by Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology , ICE agreed to walk it back .
With the nationwide directive rescinded , the more flexible March guidance would be the rule once again .
Friday 's announcement confirms that the March guidance applies to the fall school term and precludes entry by newly enrolled students from overseas .
The confirmation did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the wording of the March guidelines .
In guidance last updated Tuesday , the University of Southern California recommended newly admitted international students stay home and complete their coursework online .
`` We are exploring all legal options and are disappointed that the Department of Homeland Security has not made a more affirmative policy statement to offer clarity and flexibility to new students and universities during this global pandemic , '' they wrote .
In an email to students on Tuesday , Harvard College Dean Rakesh Khurana said international first-year students will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the fall since course instruction will be fully remote .
He said those students can take their courses remotely from home or defer by July 31 .
`` We abhor any policies that seek to force us to choose between our community 's health and the education of our international students , '' Khurana wrote .
He added that Harvard officials are working with members of the Massachusetts congressional delegation to try to extend flexibility to new students .
ICE 's directive is not the only limiting factor preventing international students in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ semester .
Travel restrictions , limited flights and closed U.S. consulate offices also pose challenges .
The National Foundation for American Policy projects that enrollment of new international students in the upcoming academic year will decline 63 % to 98 % from its level in 2018-19 .

ICE Confirms New Foreign Students Can't Take Online-Only Course Loads In The U.S.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Eva Hambach/AFP via Getty Images Eva Hambach/AFP via Getty Images
Newly enrolled international students whose colleges and universities are operating entirely online this fall won't be allowed to enter the U.S. after all.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement confirmed on Friday that its guidance granting visa flexibility to nonimmigrant students only applies to those who were actively enrolled at American schools on March 9.
"Nonimmigrant students in new or initial status after March 9 will not be able to enter the U.S. to enroll in a U.S. school as a nonimmigrant student for the fall term to pursue a full course of study that is 100 percent online," the agency said.
It told designated school officials not to issue a Form I-20 to an international student in new or initial status who is outside of the U.S. and plans to take classes fully online. (Nonimmigrant students need a Form I-20, or certificate of eligibility, to apply for a student visa, apply for benefits and enter the country.)
In an FAQ document last updated on July 15, ICE said that newly enrolled international students who are already in the U.S. can stay in the country. It also suggests deferment as an alternative for new students whose schools are modifying operations because of the coronavirus pandemic.
This is the latest installment in a saga that began when the pandemic struck. Since March, institutions of higher education and their students have grappled with how to balance safety and academics during a global pandemic and under federal directives that have at times been inconsistent.
ICE initially issued guidance that allowed international students to remain in active status even if their university paused classes or moved them online.
It changed that rule in early July, sending many students and higher education institutions scrambling.
The agency declared that foreign students attending U.S. colleges would not be able to enter or remain in the country if their classes would be conducted entirely online in the fall — a switch many institutions had already announced in the face of worsening public health conditions.
According to the Chronicle of Higher Education, which is tracking the fall semester plans of more than 1,250 colleges, 12% are planning for online-only classes, compared with the 34% proposing a hybrid model and the 50% planning to operate in person.
One week after announcing the rule change, facing a widespread backlash and a lawsuit filed by Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, ICE agreed to walk it back. With the nationwide directive rescinded, the more flexible March guidance would be the rule once again.
Friday's announcement confirms that the March guidance applies to the fall school term and precludes entry by newly enrolled students from overseas.
The confirmation did not come entirely as a surprise because of the wording of the March guidelines.
In guidance last updated Tuesday, the University of Southern California recommended newly admitted international students stay home and complete their coursework online.
"We are exploring all legal options and are disappointed that the Department of Homeland Security has not made a more affirmative policy statement to offer clarity and flexibility to new students and universities during this global pandemic," they wrote.
In an email to students on Tuesday, Harvard College Dean Rakesh Khurana said international first-year students will not be permitted to come to campus in the fall since course instruction will be fully remote. He said those students can take their courses remotely from home or defer by July 31.
"We abhor any policies that seek to force us to choose between our community's health and the education of our international students," Khurana wrote. He added that Harvard officials are working with members of the Massachusetts congressional delegation to try to extend flexibility to new students.
ICE's directive is not the only limiting factor preventing international students in general from studying in the U.S. this semester. Travel restrictions, limited flights and closed U.S. consulate offices also pose challenges.
The National Foundation for American Policy projects that enrollment of new international students in the upcoming academic year will decline 63% to 98% from its level in 2018-19.


npr--2020-07-24--Coronavirus Hot Spots: Could The Mid-Atlantic And Northeast See A COVID-19 Rebound?

Coronavirus Hot Spots : Could The Mid-Atlantic And Northeast See A COVID-19 Rebound ?
For weeks the U.S. coronavirus pandemic has largely been driven by spiraling outbreaks in the South and West .
But some forecasters say Mid-Atlantic and Northeast states could soon be in deep trouble again , too .
The warning comes from researchers at the PolicyLab at Children 's Hospital of Philadelphia , which has built a model to provide four-week forecasts for every U.S. county .
NPR spoke to David Rubin , PolicyLab 's director , an epidemiologist and professor at the University of Pennsylvania .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ is marching up the East Coast Rubin says in recent weeks there 's been a noticeable trend of rising cases moving northward from Florida `` up travel corridors like I-95 . ''
`` We have watched this epidemic marching right up the East Coast , '' Rubin says .
`` It 's not just Florida .
It 's not just South Carolina .
It 's not just North Carolina .
But the beach areas of Virginia and Rehoboth Beach in Delaware . ''
Over the last two weeks , he notes , `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we 've seen in a major city in this country have been in Baltimore . ''
And , he adds , `` we are now seeing a clear resurgence in the Philadelphia area and [ surrounding ] counties .
We 're starting to see upticks in the shore regions of New Jersey .
And we 're actually seeing some elevated [ transmission rates ] every week in the New York City boroughs . ''
New England is also at risk : `` [ Transmission rates in ] New Haven [ in Connecticut ] @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rhode Island broadly has increasing transmission .
And in the Boston area , we 're seeing the same patterns we saw a couple of weeks ago in Philadelphia .
We even now have an outbreak on Cape Cod .
And we 're seeing [ more of the virus ] in New Hampshire . ''
The Eastern Seaboard is n't Rubin 's only concern .
He 's `` extremely worried '' about a number of Northern and Midwestern cities such as Indianapolis , Detroit and Milwaukee that `` no one is talking about now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ very clearly are detecting elevated risk for the next few weeks , not just in the cities but in their suburban counties . ''
The current low case numbers are obscuring the looming problem Rubin says in many instances , these incipient outbreaks have n't attracted much attention yet because while the rate of growth in cases is rising , the number of daily new cases is still relatively low — especially compared with the current outbreaks in the South as well as to some of the outbreaks in these same Mid-Atlantic and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` When your case counts have been degraded for a while , a doubling [ of the numbers ] does n't look as impressive , '' Rubin says .
`` But those doublings are there . ''
`` What worries me most about areas like New York and Philadelphia and Boston , '' he adds , `` is they 're at much higher levels of population density .
Even though it may have taken three or four weeks for some of these other areas down South to see exponential growth , our models @ @ @ @ @ @ @ area like the Bronx or Queens is going to be able to contain transmission if it becomes widespread there . ''
The South appears to have reseeded the virus in the North The prospect of a blowup in New York seems all the more poignant given how devastating the spring outbreak was there — and how successfully the subsequent shelter-in-place strategy proved in bringing the caseload down .
`` I give all the credit to the leaders throughout the Northeast region who really handled this crisis the way it needed to be handled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did they institute strict social distancing , he notes , they kept it in place long enough to bring daily new infections to manageable levels and eased up on social distancing slowly .
`` I saw areas in the Northeast wait an extra week or two — to great frustration of residents — because they were n't satisfied they had degraded their counts enough , '' Rubin says .
`` So it was reopening later but also [ doing so ] more cautiously and slowly that helped these areas . ''
Unfortunately , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ followed the opposite pattern .
He says that these areas failed to keep social distancing in place long enough , and then `` they pushed very quickly through the gates and they ignored clear warning signs .
As their resurgence was really starting to grow , they continued to go through the reopening plans . ''
This absence of a unified national approach is what is now threatening the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast .
`` This virus does n't know state lines , '' Rubin says .
`` People are traveling — that 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ travel .
We go on family vacations .
And I 've privately heard officials [ in Northern counties ] express some level of resignation that , 'We could even go back into sheltering in place .
But if families are traveling outside the area and coming back , as soon as we lift those restrictions , the transmission will return . '
`` The surge of cases in the South has also coincided with the summer travel season .
At first the impact of this was most noticeable in Southern localities , Rubin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ major traffic going to some of these vacation destinations like Galveston , Texas .
And you could very clearly see within a couple of weeks , the conferred risk not just to Galveston but back up to Houston as people came and went between these major metro areas to their vacation destinations . ''
Then , `` in the Carolinas , you saw similar things , '' Rubin says .
`` When you look at Hilton Head and Myrtle Beach , they really took off in a similar fashion . ''
( Rubin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and poultry processing plants in the Carolinas also played a role in fueling local outbreaks . )
In recent weeks the trend `` has just continued to evolve to Virginia Beach , the eastern and western shores of Maryland , the entire Lake Michigan coastline . ''
Many of those vacation destinations are starting to have some of the highest rates of transmission nationwide , Rubin says .
`` So very clearly travel is playing a significant role here .
People have been penned up in their houses for a long time and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there . ''
Interestingly , efforts by Northern vacationers to avoid destinations in the South have only created new problems .
`` People made logical decisions to try to seek areas where they thought there was less transmission , '' Rubin says .
`` We saw the greatest amount of traffic on the July Fourth weekend in New Jersey shore locations as I think people looked at the South and said , 'We 're going to go North . '
`` But Rubin says , `` This is now conferring new risks to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
Rubin says he 's seen it firsthand .
`` I spent a lot of time in upstate New York , and the campsites throughout the Adirondack region are packed right now because there 's nothing to do in the cities .
So there 's a lot of spreading out going on this summer , and that is just increasing the amount of mixing that people are doing . ''
It 's even creating a noticeable spike in infections in certain rural areas that lie between major population centers and vacation spots @ @ @ @ @ @ @ insulated .
But `` people are traveling through , and when they go to the convenience store or the gas station , that 's where these infections are occurring , '' Rubin says .
`` And so we 're seeing even rural areas really blow up . ''
These include ones , he adds , `` without the health care resources that are necessary to respond to this challenge . ''
It 's not too late As grim as all this sounds , there is still hope .
For one thing , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forecast from Rubin 's team is one of many models .
According to Nicholas Reich , a biostatistician at the University of Massachusetts Amherst who has created a system to compare many of the most prominent forecasts , there 's fairly broad agreement among those that forecast the county level that coronavirus infections will increase in Virginia Beach , Baltimore , Detroit , Milwaukee and Indianapolis .
But for some other areas — such as Philadelphia , Rehoboth Beach in Delaware and New York City , Rubin 's model is noticeably more pessimistic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ correct , he notes that the Mid-Atlantic and Northern counties that are at risk have an advantage : Because their case numbers are low , if they act now they can bend the curve of infections before large numbers of people contract the virus .
`` That 's why we do these forecasts , '' he says .
`` We 're making assumptions [ about what could happen two to three weeks in advance ] so that people could hopefully calibrate their routines . ''
A return to a full shelter-in-place strategy is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to ramp back up their social distancing and step up mask wearing — ideally as part of a nationwide strategy to get case numbers under control across the country by Labor Day .
`` We need to be a little bit more proactive in terms of our response and talk about a sacrifice right now , '' Rubin says , `` for the good of having those school reopenings and getting us back to work in the fall so that we do n't squander all that we have achieved . ''

Coronavirus Hot Spots: Could The Mid-Atlantic And Northeast See A COVID-19 Rebound?
Enlarge this image toggle caption Mark Makela/Getty Images Mark Makela/Getty Images
For weeks the U.S. coronavirus pandemic has largely been driven by spiraling outbreaks in the South and West. But some forecasters say Mid-Atlantic and Northeast states could soon be in deep trouble again, too.
The warning comes from researchers at the PolicyLab at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, which has built a model to provide four-week forecasts for every U.S. county. NPR spoke to David Rubin, PolicyLab's director, an epidemiologist and professor at the University of Pennsylvania. Here are five takeaways:
The virus is marching up the East Coast
Rubin says in recent weeks there's been a noticeable trend of rising cases moving northward from Florida "up travel corridors like I-95."
"We have watched this epidemic marching right up the East Coast," Rubin says. "It's not just Florida. It's not just South Carolina. It's not just North Carolina. But the beach areas of Virginia and Rehoboth Beach in Delaware."
Over the last two weeks, he notes, "the highest infection rate of case growths we've seen in a major city in this country have been in Baltimore."
And, he adds, "we are now seeing a clear resurgence in the Philadelphia area and [surrounding] counties. We're starting to see upticks in the shore regions of New Jersey. And we're actually seeing some elevated [transmission rates] every week in the New York City boroughs."
New England is also at risk: "[Transmission rates in] New Haven [in Connecticut] are clearly increasing. The state of Rhode Island broadly has increasing transmission. And in the Boston area, we're seeing the same patterns we saw a couple of weeks ago in Philadelphia. We even now have an outbreak on Cape Cod. And we're seeing [more of the virus] in New Hampshire."
The Eastern Seaboard isn't Rubin's only concern. He's "extremely worried" about a number of Northern and Midwestern cities such as Indianapolis, Detroit and Milwaukee that "no one is talking about now but [for which] our models very clearly are detecting elevated risk for the next few weeks, not just in the cities but in their suburban counties."
The current low case numbers are obscuring the looming problem
Rubin says in many instances, these incipient outbreaks haven't attracted much attention yet because while the rate of growth in cases is rising, the number of daily new cases is still relatively low — especially compared with the current outbreaks in the South as well as to some of the outbreaks in these same Mid-Atlantic and especially Northern states in the spring.
"When your case counts have been degraded for a while, a doubling [of the numbers] doesn't look as impressive," Rubin says. "But those doublings are there."
"What worries me most about areas like New York and Philadelphia and Boston," he adds, "is they're at much higher levels of population density. Even though it may have taken three or four weeks for some of these other areas down South to see exponential growth, our models don't know exactly how well an area like the Bronx or Queens is going to be able to contain transmission if it becomes widespread there."
The South appears to have reseeded the virus in the North
The prospect of a blowup in New York seems all the more poignant given how devastating the spring outbreak was there — and how successfully the subsequent shelter-in-place strategy proved in bringing the caseload down.
"I give all the credit to the leaders throughout the Northeast region who really handled this crisis the way it needed to be handled," Rubin says. Not only did they institute strict social distancing, he notes, they kept it in place long enough to bring daily new infections to manageable levels and eased up on social distancing slowly.
"I saw areas in the Northeast wait an extra week or two — to great frustration of residents — because they weren't satisfied they had degraded their counts enough," Rubin says. "So it was reopening later but also [doing so] more cautiously and slowly that helped these areas."
Unfortunately, he says, much of the South followed the opposite pattern. He says that these areas failed to keep social distancing in place long enough, and then "they pushed very quickly through the gates and they ignored clear warning signs. As their resurgence was really starting to grow, they continued to go through the reopening plans."
This absence of a unified national approach is what is now threatening the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast. "This virus doesn't know state lines," Rubin says. "People are traveling — that's what we do as Americans. We travel. We go on family vacations. And I've privately heard officials [in Northern counties] express some level of resignation that, 'We could even go back into sheltering in place. But if families are traveling outside the area and coming back, as soon as we lift those restrictions, the transmission will return.' "
Summer travel is making things worse
The surge of cases in the South has also coincided with the summer travel season. At first the impact of this was most noticeable in Southern localities, Rubin says.
"What you saw was major traffic going to some of these vacation destinations like Galveston, Texas. And you could very clearly see within a couple of weeks, the conferred risk not just to Galveston but back up to Houston as people came and went between these major metro areas to their vacation destinations."
Then, "in the Carolinas, you saw similar things," Rubin says. "When you look at Hilton Head and Myrtle Beach, they really took off in a similar fashion." (Rubin adds that the sheer number of meat and poultry processing plants in the Carolinas also played a role in fueling local outbreaks.)
In recent weeks the trend "has just continued to evolve to Virginia Beach, the eastern and western shores of Maryland, the entire Lake Michigan coastline." Many of those vacation destinations are starting to have some of the highest rates of transmission nationwide, Rubin says. "So very clearly travel is playing a significant role here. People have been penned up in their houses for a long time and are blowing off steam and getting out there."
Interestingly, efforts by Northern vacationers to avoid destinations in the South have only created new problems. "People made logical decisions to try to seek areas where they thought there was less transmission," Rubin says. "We saw the greatest amount of traffic on the July Fourth weekend in New Jersey shore locations as I think people looked at the South and said, 'We're going to go North.' " But Rubin says, "This is now conferring new risks to regions that weren't as impacted before."
Rubin says he's seen it firsthand. "I spent a lot of time in upstate New York, and the campsites throughout the Adirondack region are packed right now because there's nothing to do in the cities. So there's a lot of spreading out going on this summer, and that is just increasing the amount of mixing that people are doing."
It's even creating a noticeable spike in infections in certain rural areas that lie between major population centers and vacation spots. Normally such rural areas are more insulated. But "people are traveling through, and when they go to the convenience store or the gas station, that's where these infections are occurring," Rubin says. "And so we're seeing even rural areas really blow up." These include ones, he adds, "without the health care resources that are necessary to respond to this challenge."
It's not too late
As grim as all this sounds, there is still hope.
For one thing, it's worth keeping in mind that the forecast from Rubin's team is one of many models. According to Nicholas Reich, a biostatistician at the University of Massachusetts Amherst who has created a system to compare many of the most prominent forecasts, there's fairly broad agreement among those that forecast the county level that coronavirus infections will increase in Virginia Beach, Baltimore, Detroit, Milwaukee and Indianapolis. But for some other areas — such as Philadelphia, Rehoboth Beach in Delaware and New York City, Rubin's model is noticeably more pessimistic.
Even if Rubin's predictions are correct, he notes that the Mid-Atlantic and Northern counties that are at risk have an advantage: Because their case numbers are low, if they act now they can bend the curve of infections before large numbers of people contract the virus.
"That's why we do these forecasts," he says. "We're making assumptions [about what could happen two to three weeks in advance] so that people could hopefully calibrate their routines."
A return to a full shelter-in-place strategy is not necessary, but people will need to ramp back up their social distancing and step up mask wearing — ideally as part of a nationwide strategy to get case numbers under control across the country by Labor Day.
"We need to be a little bit more proactive in terms of our response and talk about a sacrifice right now," Rubin says, "for the good of having those school reopenings and getting us back to work in the fall so that we don't squander all that we have achieved."


npr--2020-07-24--'Could Already Be A Second Wave': Some Restrictions Return As Cases Spike In Spain

'Could Already Be A Second Wave ' : Some Restrictions Return As Cases Spike In Spain A month after lifting its lockdown , Spain announced 922 new cases of the coronavirus .
The country has now seen 272,421 total cases and 28,432 deaths .
`` It could already be a second wave , but that 's not the most important thing , '' María José Sierra , Spain 's deputy chief of health emergencies , told outlets including The Guardian on Thursday .
`` The most important thing is that we keep following what 's going on , see what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ early . ''
The new case numbers are tracking far higher in recent weeks than they were in June when the daily average was 132 .
Spain 's daily new infection number was down slightly from 974 on Thursday – that day marked the country 's highest daily increase since May 8 , as NPR 's Lucía Benavides reported .
The country now finds itself with 280 local outbreaks .
More than 17,800 new cases have been confirmed in the last two weeks , nearly half of them in Catalonia .
The region @ @ @ @ @ @ @ city of Barcelona , where authorities this week reduced the number of people permitted on the city 's beaches amid the surge in cases .
Rates of infection are also high in the northeastern regions of Aragón and Navarra .
Spain had strict lockdowns for three months , and now that restrictions have lifted , Spain is seeing a trend similar to the United States , with more young people catching the virus .
Ninety-one cases have been linked to a single nightclub in Córdoba .
Other hot spots are connected to crowded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In Catalonia , the result has been what many dread : the return of tighter restrictions .
In Barcelona and two other districts , the Catalan government has reduced occupancy levels inside bars and restaurants , closed clubs and gyms , and suspended cultural activities .
The Catalan government also recommends – but does not require – staying home except to perform essential activities .
On Friday , France issued an advisory warning its citizens against travel to Catalonia , and Norway announced that travelers returning from Spain would need to quarantine for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We 'd just started to see things coming back to life with the arrival of a few foreign tourists , '' one Barcelona bar owner said , `` so this is a step backwards . ''

'Could Already Be A Second Wave': Some Restrictions Return As Cases Spike In Spain
Enlarge this image toggle caption Emilio Morenatti/AP Emilio Morenatti/AP
A month after lifting its lockdown, Spain announced 922 new cases of the coronavirus. The country has now seen 272,421 total cases and 28,432 deaths.
"It could already be a second wave, but that's not the most important thing," María José Sierra, Spain's deputy chief of health emergencies, told outlets including The Guardian on Thursday. "The most important thing is that we keep following what's going on, see what measures are necessary, and take them early."
The new case numbers are tracking far higher in recent weeks than they were in June when the daily average was 132.
Spain's daily new infection number was down slightly from 974 on Thursday – that day marked the country's highest daily increase since May 8, as NPR's Lucía Benavides reported.
The country now finds itself with 280 local outbreaks.
More than 17,800 new cases have been confirmed in the last two weeks, nearly half of them in Catalonia. The region is home to the usually bustling tourist city of Barcelona, where authorities this week reduced the number of people permitted on the city's beaches amid the surge in cases.
Rates of infection are also high in the northeastern regions of Aragón and Navarra.
Spain had strict lockdowns for three months, and now that restrictions have lifted, Spain is seeing a trend similar to the United States, with more young people catching the virus. Ninety-one cases have been linked to a single nightclub in Córdoba.
Other hot spots are connected to crowded living conditions for seasonal farm workers.
In Catalonia, the result has been what many dread: the return of tighter restrictions. In Barcelona and two other districts, the Catalan government has reduced occupancy levels inside bars and restaurants, closed clubs and gyms, and suspended cultural activities.
The Catalan government also recommends – but does not require – staying home except to perform essential activities.
On Friday, France issued an advisory warning its citizens against travel to Catalonia, and Norway announced that travelers returning from Spain would need to quarantine for 10 days, Reuters reported.
"We'd just started to see things coming back to life with the arrival of a few foreign tourists," one Barcelona bar owner said, "so this is a step backwards."


npr--2020-07-24--Coronavirus FAQ: What Does It Mean If I Can Blow Out A Candle While Wearing A Mask?

Coronavirus FAQ : What Does It Mean If I Can Blow Out A Candle While Wearing A Mask ?
Each week , we answer `` frequently asked questions '' about life during the coronavirus crisis .
If you have a question you 'd like us to consider for a future post , email us at goatsandsoda @ npr.org with the subject line : `` Weekly Coronavirus Questions . ''
Can you blow out a candle with your mask on ?
That question became ... a thing ... this month when Bill Nye ( aka `` The Science Guy '' ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he dons various types of masks that people are using during the pandemic , as he puts it , to `` prevent particles from my respiratory system from getting into the air and then into your respiratory system '' — in other words , a way of limiting transmission of viral particles .
Nye attempts to blow out a candle about a foot away — a simulation for everyday respiratory exchanges and interactions such as coughs and conversations .
Most of his masks do the job ( except for a knitted scarf ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ experiment and in tests conducted by NPR mask wearers , a bandanna over the mouth usually allowed the wearer to extinguish the flame .
Basically , you want the flame to stay alive , says Amy Price , a senior research scientist at Stanford University 's Anesthesia Informatics and Media Laboratory .
Otherwise , it can be a sign that the mask is n't acting as a strong enough barrier .
If you can blow out the flame easily while wearing a mask , she says , there 's too much air exchange @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Still , she cautions that the test is n't foolproof .
Outside variables , such as the type of candle and your personal lung strength can affect the outcome .
So take your results with a big , big grain of salt , Price says .
Abraar Karan , a physician at Harvard Medical School , notes : `` Being able to blow a candle out may be some measure of how well particles can exit your mask , [ but it 's ] unclear to me how reliable that is as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ speaking or coughing . ''
Nonetheless , Price says she believes the candle test can be a good way to suss out the masks that are clearly not doing their job — the dead giveaway cases .
`` It 's an OK rule of thumb , '' she says .
`` It is n't scientific , but it 's a pretty good estimate , especially when you combine it with other [ tactics ] and recommendations '' regarding mask quality .
So what 's in an effective mask ?
A group of researchers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ World Health Organization to figure just that out— the team has helped roll out new guidelines for mask efficacy and safety along with WHO .
And even these researchers agree that for most people , identifying a good , protective mask from a bad one can be confusing .
`` People have no standards when they go to buy masks , '' says Price , who is a member of the team .
And it 's not as if you can test the mask yourself .
Renting mask-testing equipment costs more than $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if such devices are on the shelf in your neighborhood medical equipment store .
To make sure you 're not flying mask-blind , it 's important to keep abreast of WHO and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention mask guidelines , which are regularly updated .
Right now , Price says masks with three layers are the recommendation .
And there are some mask facts and hacks that can be helpful .
Karan says one of the most fundamental things to get right about your mask is fit .
You want your mask @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nostrils , up to the nose bridge , with little excess air escaping from the sides when you exhale .
But you also want to be able to breathe , he explains .
A good rule is as snug as you can go without finding it hard to breathe .
Make sure you get this right , he urges .
One study found that `` gaps due to improper fit resulted in over a 60 % decrease in the filtration efficiency . ''
Then there 's the question of mask material .
Price @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mask is crafted with a good weave : You can pick up a Foldscope microscope ( they 're made of paper and cost about $ 30 for a do-it-yourself kit ) to zoom into the texture of the mask — the weave should look thick and relatively opaque .
Or you can also just hold your mask up to a bright light source or use your phone flashlight .
`` Stretch it , '' Price recommends .
`` Can you see right through it ? ''
If you can , that 's a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ labels for preferable fabrics and materials ; recent studies have shown that 100 % cotton with high to moderate yarn count ( that is , a heavier , coarser yarn ) performed best in mask tests conducted , Karan says .
While the process for figuring out yarn count can be a little tricky , the general rule is the thicker the fabric , the higher the yarn count .
`` In short , you want a mask that fits you well , and that has cotton with high yarn counts and possibly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ today do offer , '' Karan says .
Once you 've found a great-fitting mask fashioned with a breathable and protective material , Price says her lab has identified some simple DIY steps to fortify your mask .
`` You can make a small slit ( between mask layers ) and add paper towels , '' Price offers .
`` Or buy yourself some OLY fun ( a craft product ) and place a layer in the mask — this can bring it up to a surgical mask 's level of protectiveness .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ outer layer of a polyester mask by rubbing it with a latex glove for 30 seconds can also be effective , Price adds .
The reason : COVID-19 particles have a charge , so adding static can help create an extra layer of repelling protection .
With the surge in mask demand , there are also new market conditions to navigate .
`` If you 're going to buy a mask , look at it carefully , Price says .
`` Do n't buy things that claim to be 'specially treated ' with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
The virus is n't bacterial , and those treatments have n't been proven to be effective with the novel coronavirus as of yet , she says .
Finally , if you want to make a homemade mask , Price emphasizes the power of improvisation and creativity .
Indeed , research shows that even the most surprising materials — such as a pair of pantyhose — can boost the power of your mask .
Pranav Baskar is a freelance journalist and U.S. national born in Mumbai .

Coronavirus FAQ: What Does It Mean If I Can Blow Out A Candle While Wearing A Mask?
Enlarge this image toggle caption Florin Cristian Ailenei/EyeEm via Getty Images Florin Cristian Ailenei/EyeEm via Getty Images
Each week, we answer "frequently asked questions" about life during the coronavirus crisis. If you have a question you'd like us to consider for a future post, email us at goatsandsoda@npr.org with the subject line: "Weekly Coronavirus Questions."
Can you blow out a candle with your mask on?
That question became ... a thing ... this month when Bill Nye (aka "The Science Guy") made a TikTok.
In it, he dons various types of masks that people are using during the pandemic, as he puts it, to "prevent particles from my respiratory system from getting into the air and then into your respiratory system" — in other words, a way of limiting transmission of viral particles. Nye attempts to blow out a candle about a foot away — a simulation for everyday respiratory exchanges and interactions such as coughs and conversations.
Most of his masks do the job (except for a knitted scarf), though in other versions of this experiment and in tests conducted by NPR mask wearers, a bandanna over the mouth usually allowed the wearer to extinguish the flame.
Basically, you want the flame to stay lit, says Amy Price, a senior research scientist at Stanford University's Anesthesia Informatics and Media Laboratory. Otherwise, it can be a sign that the mask isn't acting as a strong enough barrier. If you can blow out the flame easily while wearing a mask, she says, there's too much air exchange between you and the outside world.
Still, she cautions that the test isn't foolproof. Outside variables, such as the type of candle and your personal lung strength can affect the outcome. So take your results with a big, big grain of salt, Price says.
Abraar Karan, a physician at Harvard Medical School, notes: "Being able to blow a candle out may be some measure of how well particles can exit your mask, [but it's] unclear to me how reliable that is as a proxy for small aerosols exiting with normal speaking or coughing."
Nonetheless, Price says she believes the candle test can be a good way to suss out the masks that are clearly not doing their job — the dead giveaway cases.
"It's an OK rule of thumb," she says. "It isn't scientific, but it's a pretty good estimate, especially when you combine it with other [tactics] and recommendations" regarding mask quality.
So what's in an effective mask?
A group of researchers at Stanford Medicine is working with the World Health Organization to figure just that out— the team has helped roll out new guidelines for mask efficacy and safety along with WHO. And even these researchers agree that for most people, identifying a good, protective mask from a bad one can be confusing.
"People have no standards when they go to buy masks," says Price, who is a member of the team.
And it's not as if you can test the mask yourself. Renting mask-testing equipment costs more than $1,000, and it's not as if such devices are on the shelf in your neighborhood medical equipment store.
To make sure you're not flying mask-blind, it's important to keep abreast of WHO and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention mask guidelines, which are regularly updated. Right now, Price says masks with three layers are the recommendation.
And there are some mask facts and hacks that can be helpful.
Karan says one of the most fundamental things to get right about your mask is fit.
You want your mask to fit snugly over your mouth and nostrils, up to the nose bridge, with little excess air escaping from the sides when you exhale. But you also want to be able to breathe, he explains. A good rule is as snug as you can go without finding it hard to breathe.
Make sure you get this right, he urges. One study found that "gaps due to improper fit resulted in over a 60% decrease in the filtration efficiency."
Then there's the question of mask material.
Price suggests two ways to test if your mask is crafted with a good weave: You can pick up a Foldscope microscope (they're made of paper and cost about $30 for a do-it-yourself kit) to zoom into the texture of the mask — the weave should look thick and relatively opaque.
Or you can also just hold your mask up to a bright light source or use your phone flashlight. "Stretch it," Price recommends. "Can you see right through it?" If you can, that's a bad sign.
You can also check labels for preferable fabrics and materials; recent studies have shown that 100% cotton with a heavier, coarser yarn performed best in mask tests conducted, Karan says.
"In short, you want a mask that fits you well, and that has cotton with [heavier yarn] and possibly with multiple layers, which many masks today do offer," Karan says.
Once you've found a great-fitting mask fashioned with a breathable and protective material, Price says her lab has identified some simple DIY steps to fortify your mask.
"You can make a small slit (between mask layers) and add paper towels," Price offers. "Or buy yourself some OLY fun (a craft product) and place a layer in the mask — this can bring it up to a surgical mask's level of protectiveness."
Adding a static charge to the outer layer of a polyester mask by rubbing it with a latex glove for 30 seconds can also be effective, Price adds. The reason: COVID-19 particles have a charge, so adding static can help create an extra layer of repelling protection.
With the surge in mask demand, there are also new market conditions to navigate.
"If you're going to buy a mask, look at it carefully, Price says. "Don't buy things that claim to be 'specially treated' with copper or other irons that kill bacteria." The virus isn't bacterial, and those treatments haven't been proven to be effective with the novel coronavirus as of yet, she says.
Finally, if you want to make a homemade mask, Price emphasizes the power of improvisation and creativity.
Indeed, research shows that even the most surprising materials — such as a pair of pantyhose — can boost the power of your mask.
Pranav Baskar is a freelance journalist and U.S. national born in Mumbai.


npr--2020-07-24--Confederate Figures Removed From Virginia Capitol In The Dead Of Night

Confederate Figures Removed From Virginia Capitol In The Dead Of Night A 900-pound bronze statue of Gen. Robert E. Lee has stood on the same spot at the Virginia state Capitol where the Confederate leader took command of the Army of Northern Virginia in 1861 .
On Friday morning , that statue of Lee clad in a Confederate uniform was gone .
So were the busts of seven other Confederates that had occupied places of honor in Virginia 's Old House Chamber for decades , including those of Confederate President Jefferson Davis and Confederate Gen. Thomas `` Stonewall '' Jackson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Confederate House Speaker Thomas Bocock were quietly removed from the Capitol overnight on orders from the current Virginia House of Delegates speaker , Democrat Eileen Filler-Corn .
`` Virginia has a story to tell that extends far beyond glorifying the Confederacy and its participants , '' Filler-Corn , the Virginia Legislature 's first female speaker , said in a statement .
`` The Confederacy 's primary objective in the Civil War was to preserve an ideology that maintained the enslavement of human beings .
Now is the time to provide context to our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whole history . ''
Citing authority granted her by the Virginia Constitution and House of Delegates rules , Filler-Corn directed that chamber 's clerk to remove the Confederate figures .
Her office said the operation was `` supervised by a professional conservator to ensure their appropriate movement . ''
The statuary was taken to an undisclosed location , according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch .
A spokesman for Filler-Corn told the newspaper that she `` had decided on an unannounced , overnight removal to avoid the presence of protesters , who might threaten the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The stealth action won plaudits from Delegate Lamont Bagby , chairman of the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus .
He dismissed the removed items as `` misguided symbols that honored a lost cause '' that should be `` relegated to a space outside of the people 's Capitol . ''
`` Generations of Virginians , Americans , and visitors from around the world have been greeted by these imposing symbols of treason and white supremacy for far too long , '' Bagby said in a statement .
`` If we are going to continue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , we must acknowledge and denounce the darkest parts of our nation 's history , not celebrate them . ''
But a Republican member of Virginia 's state Senate condemned the Confederate monuments ' overnight eviction .
`` Under the cloak of darkness our spineless governor takes down Virginia 's historical landmarks within the people 's capital , '' Sen. Amanda Chase wrote on her Facebook page , mistakenly identifying Virginia Democratic Gov .
Ralph Northam as having removed the Confederate figures .
Northam 's plans to remove a statue of Lee on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a court challenge .
Other Confederate leaders whose likenesses were removed from the Capitol include Gen. `` Jeb '' Stuart , Confederate navy Cmdr .
Matthew Fontaine Maury , Gen. Joseph Eggleston Johnston , Confederate Vice President Alexander Stephens and former Virginia Gov .
Fitzhugh Lee .
Most of the busts were installed in an era ranging from the Great Depression through the early 1950s .
Harry Byrd , the former Virginia governor who fiercely opposed the racial integration of the commonwealth 's public schools in the 1950s , helped lead the push @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the former capital of the Confederacy honoring Lee .
It 's not clear what will happen to the banished Confederate statuary now .
Filler-Corn announced she has formed an advisory group to determine what should be done with the objects as well as to consider the erection of `` additional historic artifacts and historic context '' in areas of the Capitol controlled by the House of Delegates .
`` The artifacts at the Capitol are a painful reminder of the deep-rooted wounds of slavery and 401 years of oppression , '' said Delores @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who will chair the speaker 's advisory group .
`` These Confederate artifacts are constant reminders of individuals who had no intentions of guaranteeing justice , equality and equity for all . ''

Confederate Figures Removed From Virginia Capitol In The Dead Of Night
Enlarge this image toggle caption Zach D Roberts/NurPhoto via Getty Images Zach D Roberts/NurPhoto via Getty Images
A 900-pound bronze statue of Gen. Robert E. Lee has stood on the same spot at the Virginia state Capitol where the Confederate leader took command of the Army of Northern Virginia in 1861.
On Friday morning, that statue of Lee clad in a Confederate uniform was gone. So were the busts of seven other Confederates that had occupied places of honor in Virginia's Old House Chamber for decades, including those of Confederate President Jefferson Davis and Confederate Gen. Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson.
The statuary and a plaque honoring Confederate House Speaker Thomas Bocock were quietly removed from the Capitol overnight on orders from the current Virginia House of Delegates speaker, Democrat Eileen Filler-Corn.
"Virginia has a story to tell that extends far beyond glorifying the Confederacy and its participants," Filler-Corn, the Virginia Legislature's first female speaker, said in a statement. "The Confederacy's primary objective in the Civil War was to preserve an ideology that maintained the enslavement of human beings. Now is the time to provide context to our Capitol to truly tell the Commonwealth's whole history."
Citing authority granted her by the Virginia Constitution and House of Delegates rules, Filler-Corn directed that chamber's clerk to remove the Confederate figures. Her office said the operation was "supervised by a professional conservator to ensure their appropriate movement."
The statuary was taken to an undisclosed location, according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch. A spokesman for Filler-Corn told the newspaper that she "had decided on an unannounced, overnight removal to avoid the presence of protesters, who might threaten the safety of the removal process."
The stealth action won plaudits from Delegate Lamont Bagby, chairman of the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus. He dismissed the removed items as "misguided symbols that honored a lost cause" that should be "relegated to a space outside of the people's Capitol."
"Generations of Virginians, Americans, and visitors from around the world have been greeted by these imposing symbols of treason and white supremacy for far too long," Bagby said in a statement. "If we are going to continue building a more inclusive and just Commonwealth, we must acknowledge and denounce the darkest parts of our nation's history, not celebrate them."
But a Republican member of Virginia's state Senate condemned the Confederate monuments' overnight eviction.
"Under the cloak of darkness our spineless governor takes down Virginia's historical landmarks within the people's capital," Sen. Amanda Chase wrote on her Facebook page, mistakenly identifying Virginia Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam as having removed the Confederate figures.
Northam's plans to remove a statue of Lee on Richmond's Monument Avenue are currently facing a court challenge.
Other Confederate leaders whose likenesses were removed from the Capitol include Gen. "Jeb" Stuart, Confederate navy Cmdr. Matthew Fontaine Maury, Gen. Joseph Eggleston Johnston, Confederate Vice President Alexander Stephens and former Virginia Gov. Fitzhugh Lee. Most of the busts were installed in an era ranging from the Great Depression through the early 1950s.
Harry Byrd, the former Virginia governor who fiercely opposed the racial integration of the commonwealth's public schools in the 1950s, helped lead the push in 1928 to erect a statue in the former capital of the Confederacy honoring Lee.
It's not clear what will happen to the banished Confederate statuary now. Filler-Corn announced she has formed an advisory group to determine what should be done with the objects as well as to consider the erection of "additional historic artifacts and historic context" in areas of the Capitol controlled by the House of Delegates.
"The artifacts at the Capitol are a painful reminder of the deep-rooted wounds of slavery and 401 years of oppression," said Delores McQuinn, a Democratic delegate from Richmond who will chair the speaker's advisory group. "These Confederate artifacts are constant reminders of individuals who had no intentions of guaranteeing justice, equality and equity for all."


npr--2020-07-24--Protesters In Russia's Far East Challenge Putin's Authority, Demand His Resignation

Protesters In Russia 's Far East Challenge Putin 's Authority , Demand His Resignation Artyom Mozgov , 20 , is among the thousands of people who have been protesting for two weeks in the Russian city of Khabarovsk , seven time zones east of Moscow on the Chinese border .
`` People go out every day without any kind of organization , '' Mozgov , a political activist , told NPR .
`` I 'm really happy that people from my region have finally taken responsibility for their lives , understand what 's happening in our country and go out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he and other residents have been demanding the release of the former regional governor , Sergei Furgal , who was arrested two days earlier by masked federal agents on charges of organizing contract killings 15 years ago .
Furgal , now in pretrial detention in a Moscow prison , maintains his innocence , and locals are demanding he be released and face the charges in his hometown .
The size and durability of the demonstrations are unprecedented for Khabarovsk , a provincial capital with a population of 600,000 .
For President Vladimir @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is well known , they pose an additional challenge as Russia battles the coronavirus pandemic and the economic downturn it caused .
On Monday , Putin officially fired Furgal and appointed Mikhail Degtyaryov , a little-known national legislator from the city of Samara , as acting governor .
`` I wish you good luck , I 'll see you later , '' Putin told Degtyaryov in a videoconference before the new governor got on a plane to make the almost eight-hour flight from Moscow to Khabarovsk .
On his first night in town @ @ @ @ @ @ @ go away ! ''
He responded defiantly , streaming his walk to work the next morning on Instagram .
`` I wo n't leave because there 's a lot of work to do , '' he said .
`` The region has been without a leader for 10 days , and there 's a stack of papers on my desk a meter high . ''
The new governor 's main task will be to quell the protests rocking the region .
`` I 'm afraid Degtyaryov is not up to the job , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Russia 's regions at the Chatham House think tank in London .
`` For one , he came from far away , and secondly , he does n't have any real leadership experience . ''
Degtyaryov is from the same political party as the deposed governor , but Putin is mistaken in assuming that will help his appointee defuse the Khabarovsk protests , Petrov said .
Both Degtyaryov and Furgal are members of the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia , which belongs to the so-called systemic opposition — a handful of parties @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ruling United Russia party .
Nationalist firebrand Vladimir Zhirinovsky , who has spoken out in Furgal 's defense , has led the party since the collapse of the Soviet Union nearly three decades ago .
Degtyaryov 's party affiliation is irrelevant to most protesters in Khabarovsk , who view him as someone imposed from Moscow , Petrov said .
Furgal , on the other hand , is a popular local figure who trounced the Kremlin-backed incumbent governor in a landslide election two years ago .
In many regions of Russia , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like the Communist Party — has drawn voters not thanks to any particular ideology but as a safe way to voice protest .
Last year , the party took an absolute majority of the Khabarovsk regional assembly , with United Russia hanging onto just two seats .
United Russia was swept out of Khabarovsk 's City Council , with the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia taking 34 of 35 seats .
`` Putin personally — and Putin 's stooges who run the Far East — hate Khabarovsk region and its inhabitants because time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' opposition leader Alexei Navalny said in a video posted Thursday that was widely shared on social media .
The last straw for the Kremlin was a recent vote on constitutional amendments allowing Putin to stay in power until 2036 , because Furgal did n't deliver the expected results , Navalny said .
Turnout in the Khabarovsk region was 44 % , among the lowest in the country , with 62 % voting in favor of the amendments .
Nationwide , turnout was 68 % , with 78 % for the changes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restoring the primacy of United Russia and deterring other provinces from going the way of Khabarovsk , Navalny said .
The Kremlin 's approach is not without risk , Petrov warned .
`` The people in Khabarovsk are showing that it 's possible to protest and that the Kremlin ca n't do anything to them if there are 30,000 or 40,000 of them , '' he said .
`` The longer the protests continue , the more negative a role they play for the Kremlin . ''
The Khabarovsk protest may inspire other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ September elections .
People living in the far-flung reaches of Siberia and Russia 's Far East are less susceptible to pressure from the Kremlin , Petrov said .
The Kremlin now confronts the dilemma of using force or making concessions that will be closely watched by other regions , he said .
A wave of protests in Moscow last summer was followed by arrests and criminal cases against participants .
Two opposition activists in Khabarovsk , Dmitry Nizovtsev and Sergei Naumov , said they were attacked and beaten by unidentified assailants in two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police have summoned him to appear next week on suspicion of violating a law on public rallies .
The protests have become more radical , first opposing meddling by Moscow , then voicing support for the arrested former governor and now calling for Putin 's resignation , he said .
On Saturday , demonstrations in Khabarovsk will enter their third week .
`` I think even more people will come out than on the past two weekends , '' Mozgov said .
`` We , the residents of Khabarovsk , hope our acting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to talk with us .
Everything depends on that . ''
Putin 's governor , though , has already said he has better things to do than meet with `` those who shout below my window . ''
Degtyaryov announced on Instagram that he will be traveling this weekend to a remote , unspecified part of the Khabarovsk region .

Protesters In Russia's Far East Challenge Putin's Authority, Demand His Resignation
Enlarge this image toggle caption Igor Volkov/AP Igor Volkov/AP
Artyom Mozgov, 20, is among the thousands of people who have been protesting for two weeks in the Russian city of Khabarovsk, seven time zones east of Moscow on the Chinese border.
"People go out every day without any kind of organization," Mozgov, a political activist, told NPR. "I'm really happy that people from my region have finally taken responsibility for their lives, understand what's happening in our country and go out and protest."
Since July 11, he and other residents have been demanding the release of the former regional governor, Sergei Furgal, who was arrested two days earlier by masked federal agents on charges of organizing contract killings 15 years ago. Furgal, now in pretrial detention in a Moscow prison, maintains his innocence, and locals are demanding he be released and face the charges in his hometown.
The size and durability of the demonstrations are unprecedented for Khabarovsk, a provincial capital with a population of 600,000. For President Vladimir Putin, whose aversion to street protests is well known, they pose an additional challenge as Russia battles the coronavirus pandemic and the economic downturn it caused.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Dmitry Morgulis/Tass via Getty Images Dmitry Morgulis/Tass via Getty Images
On Monday, Putin officially fired Furgal and appointed Mikhail Degtyaryov, a little-known national legislator from the city of Samara, as acting governor.
"I wish you good luck, I'll see you later," Putin told Degtyaryov in a videoconference before the new governor got on a plane to make the almost eight-hour flight from Moscow to Khabarovsk.
On his first night in town, protesters chanted, "Degtyaryov, go away!" He responded defiantly, streaming his walk to work the next morning on Instagram.
"I won't leave because there's a lot of work to do," he said. "The region has been without a leader for 10 days, and there's a stack of papers on my desk a meter high."
The new governor's main task will be to quell the protests rocking the region.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Aleksandr Yanyshev/AFP via Getty Images Aleksandr Yanyshev/AFP via Getty Images
"I'm afraid Degtyaryov is not up to the job," said Nikolai Petrov, an expert on Russia's regions at the Chatham House think tank in London. "For one, he came from far away, and secondly, he doesn't have any real leadership experience."
Degtyaryov is from the same political party as the deposed governor, but Putin is mistaken in assuming that will help his appointee defuse the Khabarovsk protests, Petrov said.
Both Degtyaryov and Furgal are members of the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia, which belongs to the so-called systemic opposition — a handful of parties the Kremlin uses as sparring partners for the ruling United Russia party. Nationalist firebrand Vladimir Zhirinovsky, who has spoken out in Furgal's defense, has led the party since the collapse of the Soviet Union nearly three decades ago.
Degtyaryov's party affiliation is irrelevant to most protesters in Khabarovsk, who view him as someone imposed from Moscow, Petrov said. Furgal, on the other hand, is a popular local figure who trounced the Kremlin-backed incumbent governor in a landslide election two years ago.
In many regions of Russia, the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia — much like the Communist Party — has drawn voters not thanks to any particular ideology but as a safe way to voice protest. Last year, the party took an absolute majority of the Khabarovsk regional assembly, with United Russia hanging onto just two seats. United Russia was swept out of Khabarovsk's City Council, with the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia taking 34 of 35 seats.
"Putin personally — and Putin's stooges who run the Far East — hate Khabarovsk region and its inhabitants because time and again, they lose elections there," opposition leader Alexei Navalny said in a video posted Thursday that was widely shared on social media.
The last straw for the Kremlin was a recent vote on constitutional amendments allowing Putin to stay in power until 2036, because Furgal didn't deliver the expected results, Navalny said. Turnout in the Khabarovsk region was 44%, among the lowest in the country, with 62% voting in favor of the amendments. Nationwide, turnout was 68%, with 78% for the changes.
Now the Kremlin is intent on restoring the primacy of United Russia and deterring other provinces from going the way of Khabarovsk, Navalny said.
The Kremlin's approach is not without risk, Petrov warned.
"The people in Khabarovsk are showing that it's possible to protest and that the Kremlin can't do anything to them if there are 30,000 or 40,000 of them," he said. "The longer the protests continue, the more negative a role they play for the Kremlin."
The Khabarovsk protest may inspire other regions to vote against Kremlin-backed candidates in September elections. People living in the far-flung reaches of Siberia and Russia's Far East are less susceptible to pressure from the Kremlin, Petrov said.
The Kremlin now confronts the dilemma of using force or making concessions that will be closely watched by other regions, he said. A wave of protests in Moscow last summer was followed by arrests and criminal cases against participants.
Two opposition activists in Khabarovsk, Dmitry Nizovtsev and Sergei Naumov, said they were attacked and beaten by unidentified assailants in two separate incidents since Thursday.
Mozgov said police have summoned him to appear next week on suspicion of violating a law on public rallies.
The protests have become more radical, first opposing meddling by Moscow, then voicing support for the arrested former governor and now calling for Putin's resignation, he said.
On Saturday, demonstrations in Khabarovsk will enter their third week.
"I think even more people will come out than on the past two weekends," Mozgov said. "We, the residents of Khabarovsk, hope our acting governor, Degtyaryov, will come out to talk with us. Everything depends on that."
Putin's governor, though, has already said he has better things to do than meet with "those who shout below my window." Degtyaryov announced on Instagram that he will be traveling this weekend to a remote, unspecified part of the Khabarovsk region.


npr--2020-07-24--McDonald's Will Require Face Masks At Its More Than 14,000 U.S. Restaurants

McDonald 's Will Require Face Masks At Its More Than 14,000 U.S .
Restaurants An alarming spike in U.S. coronavirus cases is prompting McDonald 's to require customers to wear face masks at all of its more than 14,000 domestic-market restaurants , the company announced Friday .
The policy takes effect on Aug. 1 .
The U.S. now has more than 4 million known coronavirus cases ; 1 million infections were diagnosed in just over two weeks .
Because face masks and other precautions have become a subject of contention in the U.S. , the restaurant chain says it will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' The goal , according to McDonald 's , is to help restaurant workers respond productively when customers are unwilling or unable to wear a mask .
`` In those situations where a customer declines to wear a face covering , we 'll put in place additional procedures to take care of them in a friendly , expedited way , '' say McDonald 's USA President Joe Erlinger and Mark Salebra , chair of the National Franchise Leadership Alliance .
Those who come into a restaurant without a mask will be offered one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ via email .
If they refuse masks , customers will be directed to `` a designated pick-up spot a safe distance from other customers . ''
Other changes will include the addition of new protective panels in both customer and employee areas of restaurants .
`` While nearly 82 % of our restaurants are in states or localities that require facial coverings for both crew and customers today , it 's important we protect the safety of all employees and customers , '' Erlinger and Salebra say in a statement about the plan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's , like many other restaurants , to make stark changes in how it does business .
The company now emphasizes `` McDelivery '' through Uber Eats or DoorDash , for instance , and it urges customers to use mobile apps for contactless ordering and curbside pickup .
Earlier this month , Starbucks and Panera Bread became some of the first large national restaurant chains to require face masks .
Popular retailers and grocers such as Walmart and Kroger recently adopted similar policies .
Costco began requiring masks in early May .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a plan to postpone dine-in operations for another 30 days .
In addition to the increase in coronavirus infections in the U.S. , McDonald 's says it 's imposing the new restrictions because of recent reports that suggest virus-bearing droplets can linger in the air `` for extended periods of time , increasing the risk of virus spread , especially from asymptomatic carriers . ''
As of Friday , McDonald 's customers in England are also now required to wear face masks , due to a new government policy .
While the U.K. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ figures , it has one of the largest outbreaks in the world , with some 300,000 confirmed cases .

McDonald's Will Require Face Masks At Its More Than 14,000 U.S. Restaurants
Enlarge this image toggle caption Kyle Grillot/Bloomberg via Getty Images Kyle Grillot/Bloomberg via Getty Images
An alarming spike in U.S. coronavirus cases is prompting McDonald's to require customers to wear face masks at all of its more than 14,000 domestic-market restaurants, the company announced Friday. The policy takes effect on Aug. 1.
The U.S. now has more than 4 million known coronavirus cases; 1 million infections were diagnosed in just over two weeks.
Because face masks and other precautions have become a subject of contention in the U.S., the restaurant chain says it will help employees get "de-escalation training."
The goal, according to McDonald's, is to help restaurant workers respond productively when customers are unwilling or unable to wear a mask.
"In those situations where a customer declines to wear a face covering, we'll put in place additional procedures to take care of them in a friendly, expedited way," say McDonald's USA President Joe Erlinger and Mark Salebra, chair of the National Franchise Leadership Alliance.
Those who come into a restaurant without a mask will be offered one, a McDonald's representative told NPR via email. If they refuse masks, customers will be directed to "a designated pick-up spot a safe distance from other customers."
Other changes will include the addition of new protective panels in both customer and employee areas of restaurants.
"While nearly 82% of our restaurants are in states or localities that require facial coverings for both crew and customers today, it's important we protect the safety of all employees and customers," Erlinger and Salebra say in a statement about the plan.
The COVID-19 pandemic has forced McDonald's, like many other restaurants, to make stark changes in how it does business. The company now emphasizes "McDelivery" through Uber Eats or DoorDash, for instance, and it urges customers to use mobile apps for contactless ordering and curbside pickup.
Earlier this month, Starbucks and Panera Bread became some of the first large national restaurant chains to require face masks. Popular retailers and grocers such as Walmart and Kroger recently adopted similar policies. Costco began requiring masks in early May.
The new precautions at McDonald's also include a plan to postpone dine-in operations for another 30 days.
In addition to the increase in coronavirus infections in the U.S., McDonald's says it's imposing the new restrictions because of recent reports that suggest virus-bearing droplets can linger in the air "for extended periods of time, increasing the risk of virus spread, especially from asymptomatic carriers."
As of Friday, McDonald's customers in England are also now required to wear face masks, due to a new government policy. While the U.K. falls far short of the U.S. coronavirus figures, it has one of the largest outbreaks in the world, with some 300,000 confirmed cases.