npr--2020-06-14--Health Experts Link Rise In Arizona Coronavirus Cases To End Of Stay-At-Home Order

Health Experts Link Rise In Arizona Coronavirus Cases To End Of Stay-At-Home Order With new daily coronavirus cases rising in at least two dozen states , an explosion of new infections in Arizona is stretching some hospitals and alarming public health experts who link the surge in cases to the state 's lifting of a stay-at-home order close to a month ago .
Arizona has emerged as one of the country 's newest coronavirus hot spots , with the weekly average of daily cases nearly tripling from two weeks ago .
The total number of people hospitalized is climbing , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Arizona has seen an average of more than 1,300 new COVID-19 cases each day .
After the state 's largest hospital system warned about a shortage of ICU beds , Arizona Gov .
Doug Ducey , a Republican , pushed back on claims that the health care system could soon be overwhelmed .
`` The entire time we 've been focused on a possible worst case scenario with surge capacity for hospital beds , ICU beds and ventilators , '' Ducey told reporters on Thursday .
`` Those are not needed or necessary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a spike in positive cases , Ducey said a second stay-at-home order was `` not under discussion . ''
`` We put the stay-at-home order there so we could prepare for what we are going through , '' he said .
Some states have reopened more slowly with a set of specific benchmarks for different regions , but Arizona took a more aggressive approach .
The state began easing restrictions on businesses in early May and lifted its statewide lockdown order after May 15 .
Under Arizona 's reopening plan , businesses are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ distancing .
There is also no requirement for everyone to wear masks in public .
Public health experts agree : the timing of this spike reflects the state 's reopening .
`` Perhaps , Arizona will be a warning sign to other areas , '' said Katherine Ellingson , an epidemiologist at the University of Arizona .
`` We never had that consistent downward trend that would signal it 's time to reopen and we have everything in place to do it safely . ''
Before Arizona lifted its stay-at-home order , only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as positive .
Two weeks later , that number was around 12 % .
A slower reopening gives public health agencies time to identify whether or not cases are rising and then respond with contact tracing and isolating those who are infected .
`` With a fast , rapid reopening , we do n't have the time to mobilize those resources , '' said Ellingson .
Maricopa County , home to about 60 percent of the state 's population , has ramped up contact tracing in recent weeks , but it may not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases continues .
Dr. Peter Hotez said the spike in Arizona , as well as parts of Texas such as Houston , Dallas and Austin , is the consequence of removing restrictions too quickly and without a public health system that can keep pace .
`` It was just open it up and then more or less business as usual , with a little bit of window dressing , '' said Hotez , the dean for the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine .
`` This is not an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seeing people pile into intensive care units . ''
Arizona 's governor has also faced criticism from the mayors of Arizona 's two biggest cities for not putting in place more stringent requirements .
`` There is a pandemic and it 's spreading uncontrollably , '' said Tucson Mayor Regina Romero , a Democrat .
Ducey , she said , `` is just putting up his hands and saying 'the spread is happening and we just have to go about our business . '
`` Adding to Romero 's frustration , the governor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ implementing their own extra measures .
`` What he did was pretty much tie the hands of mayors and public health officials , '' Romero said .
Arizona 's hospital industry has tried to tamp down fears that it 's on the verge of a crisis .
Hospitals are still performing elective surgeries .
`` It 's very unfortunate because hospitals right now in Arizona are quite busy with elective procedures , '' said Saskia Popescu , a Phoenix-based epidemiologist with George Mason University .
`` You throw in increasing cases of COVID @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stress your hospital systems . ''
Phoenix 's triple digit summer temperatures may actually help fuel the spread of the virus .
People forego outdoor activities and retreat to air-conditioned indoor spaces , where the risk of transmitting the virus goes up significantly .
`` My concern is we 're going to see a lot more people in close quarters for prolonged periods of time , '' she said .
Since the stay-at-home order was lifted , Popescu and others say they 've seen people returning to a pre-pandemic mindset , neglecting to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of crowded bars have only propelled these fears .
On Thursday , however , Arizona 's top doctor stressed there were also dangers to keeping the state on lockdown , including the mental health effects of loneliness and isolation .
`` We know that it 's in the community .
We are not going to be able to stop the spread .
And so we ca n't stop living as well , '' said Dr. Cara Christ , health director for the Arizona Department of Health Services .
But Dr. Quinn Snyder , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ariz. , said there needs to be more consistent messaging on public health measures like wearing masks .
`` Frankly , I just think a wholesale reevaluation of where we 're at is critical right now , but I can tell you that we 're not doing nearly enough , '' said Snyder , who has seen the uptick in seriously ill COVID-19 patients firsthand .
`` If we continue to head down this path , the virus will press our health care facilities beyond capacity , where we 're going to have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gets a ventilator and who does n't . ''

Health Experts Link Rise In Arizona Coronavirus Cases To End Of Stay-At-Home Order
Enlarge this image toggle caption Matt York/AP Matt York/AP
With new daily coronavirus cases rising in at least two dozen states, an explosion of new infections in Arizona is stretching some hospitals and alarming public health experts who link the surge in cases to the state's lifting of a stay-at-home order close to a month ago.
Arizona has emerged as one of the country's newest coronavirus hot spots, with the weekly average of daily cases nearly tripling from two weeks ago. The number of people hospitalized is climbing, too.
Over the past week, Arizona has seen an average of more than 1,300 new COVID-19 cases each day.
After the state's largest hospital system warned about a shortage of intensive care unit beds, Gov. Doug Ducey, a Republican, pushed back on assertions that the health care system could soon be overwhelmed.
"The entire time we've been focused on a possible worst-case scenario with surge capacity for hospital beds, ICU beds and ventilators," Ducey told reporters Thursday. "Those are not needed or necessary right now."
While he acknowledged a spike in positive cases, Ducey said a second stay-at-home order was "not under discussion."
"We put the stay-at-home order there so we could prepare for what we are going through," he said.
Some states have reopened more slowly with a set of specific benchmarks for different regions, but Arizona took a more aggressive approach.
The state began easing restrictions on businesses in early May and lifted its statewide lockdown order after May 15. Under Arizona's reopening plan, businesses are advised to follow federal guidance on social distancing.
There is also no requirement for everyone to wear masks in public.
Public health experts agree: The timing of this spike reflects the state's reopening.
"Perhaps Arizona will be a warning sign to other areas," said Katherine Ellingson, an epidemiologist at the University of Arizona. "We never had that consistent downward trend that would signal it's time to reopen and we have everything in place to do it safely."
Before Arizona lifted its stay-at-home order, about 5% of tests for the coronavirus registered as positive. Two weeks later, that number was around 12%.
A slower reopening gives public health agencies time to identify whether or not cases are rising and then respond with contact tracing and isolating those who are infected.
"With a fast, rapid reopening, we don't have the time to mobilize those resources," Ellingson said.
Maricopa County, home to about 60% of the state's population, has ramped up contact tracing in recent weeks, but it may not have enough capacity if the surge in cases continues.
Dr. Peter Hotez said the spike in Arizona, as well as parts of Texas such as Houston, Dallas and Austin, is the consequence of removing restrictions too quickly and without a public health system that can keep pace.
"It was just open it up and then more or less business as usual, with a little bit of window dressing," said Hotez, dean for the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine. "This is not an abstract number of cases. We're seeing people pile into intensive care units."
Arizona's governor has also faced criticism from the mayors of the state's two biggest cities for not putting in place more stringent requirements.
"There is a pandemic, and it's spreading uncontrollably," said Tucson Mayor Regina Romero, a Democrat. Ducey, she said, "is just putting up his hands and saying, 'The spread is happening, and we just have to go about our business.' "
Adding to Romero's frustration, the governor's executive order forbids local governments from implementing their own extra measures.
"What he did was pretty much tie the hands of mayors and public health officials," Romero said.
Arizona's hospital industry has tried to tamp down fears that it's on the verge of a crisis. Hospitals are still performing elective surgeries.
"It's very unfortunate because hospitals right now in Arizona are quite busy with elective procedures," said Saskia Popescu, a Phoenix-based epidemiologist with George Mason University. "You throw in increasing cases of COVID, and that's going to very much stress your hospital systems."
Phoenix's triple-digit summer temperatures may help fuel the spread of the virus as well. People forgo outdoor activities and retreat to air-conditioned indoor spaces, where the risk of transmitting the virus goes up significantly.
"My concern is we're going to see a lot more people in close quarters for prolonged periods of time," she said.
Since the stay-at-home order was lifted, Popescu and others said they've seen people returning to a pre-pandemic mindset, neglecting to wear masks or maintain social distance. Videos of crowded bars have only propelled these fears.
On Thursday, however, Arizona's top doctor stressed there were also dangers to keeping the state on lockdown, including the mental health effects of loneliness and isolation.
"We know that it's in the community. We are not going to be able to stop the spread. And so we can't stop living as well," said Dr. Cara Christ, health director for the Arizona Department of Health Services.
But Quinn Snyder, an emergency medicine physician in Mesa, Ariz., said there needs to be more consistent messaging on public health measures such as wearing masks.
"Frankly, I just think a wholesale reevaluation of where we're at is critical right now, but I can tell you that we're not doing nearly enough," said Snyder, who has seen the uptick in seriously ill COVID-19 patients firsthand.
"If we continue to head down this path, the virus will press our health care facilities beyond capacity, where we're going to have to be making tough decisions like who gets a ventilator and who doesn't."


npr--2020-06-14--California City Residents Demand Answers After Black Man Found Hanging From Tree

A growing number of residents and officials in Los Angeles County are demanding answers in the death of a black man whose body was discovered hanging from a tree .
Robert Fuller 's body was found early on Wednesday in Poncitlán Square park in Palmdale , Calif. , a commuter city roughly an hour north of Los Angeles .
The 24-year-old 's death was deemed a likely suicide based on preliminary findings , the Los Angeles County Sheriff 's Department said .
Fuller 's family and supporters are pushing back against the department 's assessment , saying Fuller 's death @ @ @ @ @ @ @ came 10 days after another black man was found hanging from a tree about 50 miles away in Victorville .
On Saturday , hundreds gathered in the park where Fuller 's body was found demanding an investigation into his death .
Throughout the day , protesters marched through the city 's major thoroughfares and to the Palmdale 's Sheriff Station .
At a rally near the tree where her brother 's body was found , Fuller 's sister , Diamond Alexander , expressed her skepticism that he committed suicide and said her family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ really want to find out the truth of what really happened , '' said Alexander , choking up while speaking about her brother 's death .
`` It 's like everything that they 've been telling us has not been right . ''
Fuller 's death reverberated through Palmdale and much of the region .
The city is part of the Antelope Valley , a metropolitan area which transformed from a majority-white community into a racially diverse exurb in recent decades .
The shift has not been without tensions .
Neo-Nazi groups have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have also been Justice Department actions over alleged discriminatory housing and policing practices in Palmdale and the neighboring city of Lancaster .
And less than two weeks before Fuller 's death , a black man was found hanging from a tree in nearby Victorville in San Bernardino County .
Authorities there say they are investigating the death of Malcolm Harsch , who was found on May 31 .
Harsch 's family told the Victor Valley News on Saturday that `` the explanation of suicide does not seem plausible . ''
As of Friday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had yet to perform an autopsy on Fuller 's body and that an investigation was still ongoing .
On Saturday , the Los Angeles County Sheriff 's Department announced a virtual town hall with Palmdale and Lancaster residents for Monday .
Meanwhile , more officials are lining up behind the Fuller family 's demands for answers .
The Los Angeles County supervisor for the fifth district , Kathryn Barger , asked Attorney General Xavier Becerra to get involved in an independent investigation .
`` Your role as the lead attorney and law enforcement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lend additional credibility , expertise and sensitivity to an already grieving community that deserves answers , '' Barger wrote in a letter .
In Facebook post Saturday , the City of Palmdale said it 's `` joining the family and the community 's call for justice , and we do support a full investigation into his death .
We will settle for nothing less than a thorough accounting of this matter . ''
Other city officials who had earlier echoed the county 's findings seemed to join the chorus , including Palmdale City @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Palmdale will do everything we can to assist Mr. Fuller 's family during this difficult time as we all wait to learn more about his tragic death , '' Murphy said .
In a statement a day earlier , Murphy said the county had confirmed that Fuller had died by suicide .

California City Residents Demand Answers After Black Man Found Hanging From Tree
Enlarge this image toggle caption Robert Fuller family via AP Robert Fuller family via AP
A growing number of residents and officials in Los Angeles County are demanding answers in the death of a black man whose body was discovered hanging from a tree in a park.
Robert Fuller's body was found early Wednesday in Poncitlán Square in Palmdale, Calif., a commuter city roughly an hour north of Los Angeles. The 24-year-old's death was deemed a likely suicide based on preliminary findings, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said.
Fuller's family and supporters are pushing back against the department's assessment, saying his death appears to be a lynching.
It came 10 days after another black man was found hanging from a tree about 50 miles away in Victorville.
On Saturday, hundreds gathered in the park where Fuller's body was found demanding an investigation into his death. Throughout the day, protesters marched through the city's major thoroughfares and to the Palmdale's Sheriff Station.
At a rally near the tree where her brother's body was found, Fuller's sister, Diamond Alexander, expressed her skepticism that he died by suicide and said her family still had unanswered questions.
"We really want to find out the truth of what really happened," said Alexander, choking up while speaking about her brother's death. "It's like everything that they've been telling us has not been right."
Fuller's death reverberated through Palmdale and much of the region. The city is part of the Antelope Valley, a metro area that has transformed from a majority-white community into a racially diverse exurb in recent decades.
The shift has not been without tensions. Neo-Nazi groups have been reported in the area. There have also been Justice Department actions over alleged discriminatory housing and policing practices in Palmdale and the neighboring city of Lancaster.
And less than two weeks before Fuller's death, a black man was found hanging from a tree in nearby Victorville in San Bernardino County. Authorities there say they are investigating the death of Malcolm Harsch, who was found on May 31. Harsch's family told the Victor Valley News on Saturday that "the explanation of suicide does not seem plausible."
As of Friday, Los Angeles County authorities said they had yet to perform an autopsy on Fuller's body and that an investigation was still ongoing. On Saturday, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department announced a virtual town hall with Palmdale and Lancaster residents for Monday.
Meanwhile, more officials are lining up behind the Fuller family's demands for answers. The Los Angeles County supervisor for the 5th District, Kathryn Barger, asked state Attorney General Xavier Becerra to get involved in an independent investigation.
"Your role as the lead attorney and law enforcement official for the State of California will lend additional credibility, expertise and sensitivity to an already grieving community that deserves answers," Barger wrote in a letter.
In a Facebook post Saturday, the city of Palmdale said it's "joining the family and the community's call for justice, and we do support a full investigation into his death. We will settle for nothing less than a thorough accounting of this matter."
Other city officials who had earlier echoed the county's findings seemed to join the call, including Palmdale City Manager J.J. Murphy.
"The City of Palmdale will do everything we can to assist Mr. Fuller's family during this difficult time as we all wait to learn more about his tragic death," Murphy said.
In a statement a day earlier, Murphy said the county had confirmed that Fuller had died by suicide.


npr--2020-06-14--NASCAR Allows 1,000 Fans To Return To The Stands In Miami

NASCAR Allows 1,000 Fans To Return To The Stands In Miami On Sunday , up to 1,000 South Florida service members , first responders and family members who came to Homestead-Miami Speedway are becoming the first fans to watch a NASCAR race from the stands since March .
The crowd at the rain-delayed Dixie Vodka 400 gathered after weeks of races without any spectators beyond essential staff , a guideline NASCAR followed in mid-May in an attempt to slow the spread of COVID-19 .
`` It 's huge , '' driver Tyler Reddick told the Palm Beach Post .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ literally right there .
We were racing , it just felt like we were going out there to run some practice or tests .
So I 'm really glad we 're going to have some fans back . ''
Fans are undergoing health screenings before entering and are required to wear face masks and socially distance by six feet at all times , according to NASCAR.com .
`` The race-day experience will be different , it 's just different times , and fans will have to adjust [ to ] that , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president and chief operations and sales officer , told the site .
`` We will have to adjust on how we 're addressing these issues for fans .
We think we have a very , very good plan in place — a very detailed plan — but make no mistake , I 'm sure there will be some key learnings coming out of Homestead that then we will reapply and adjust for Talladaga . ''
Next Sunday , up to 5,000 fans will be allowed to attend the GEICO 500 at the Talladega @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so dependent on the local communities , advice from medical experts , working directly with governors ' offices , '' Wolfe said .
`` Candidly , frankly , in some states there is more flexibility than in other states .
Having said that , we can probably be more aggressive with some of these numbers , but we 're choosing not to .
We want to start very small , learn and then adapt . ''
The return to the stands comes as both Florida and Alabama work to reopen their states , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country .
Florida has had more than 73,000 cases and nearly 3,000 deaths ; Alabama has had more than 25,000 cases and at least 773 deaths .

NASCAR Allows 1,000 Fans To Return To The Stands In Miami
Enlarge this image toggle caption Michael Reaves/Getty Images Michael Reaves/Getty Images
On Sunday, up to 1,000 South Florida service members, first responders and family members who came to Homestead-Miami Speedway are becoming the first fans to watch a NASCAR race from the stands since March.
The crowd at the rain-delayed Dixie Vodka 400 gathered after weeks of races without any spectators beyond essential staff, a guideline NASCAR followed in mid-May in an attempt to slow the spread of COVID-19.
"It's huge," driver Tyler Reddick told the Palm Beach Post. "I'm used to seeing crowds, literally right there. We were racing, it just felt like we were going out there to run some practice or tests. So I'm really glad we're going to have some fans back."
Fans are undergoing health screenings before entering and are required to wear face masks and socially distance by six feet at all times, according to NASCAR.com.
"The race-day experience will be different, it's just different times, and fans will have to adjust [to] that," Daryl Wolfe, NASCAR's executive vice president and chief operations and sales officer, told the site. "We will have to adjust on how we're addressing these issues for fans. We think we have a very, very good plan in place — a very detailed plan — but make no mistake, I'm sure there will be some key learnings coming out of Homestead that then we will reapply and adjust for Talladaga."
Next Sunday, up to 5,000 fans will be allowed to attend the GEICO 500 at the Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama.
"It is so dependent on the local communities, advice from medical experts, working directly with governors' offices," Wolfe said. "Candidly, frankly, in some states there is more flexibility than in other states. Having said that, we can probably be more aggressive with some of these numbers, but we're choosing not to. We want to start very small, learn and then adapt."
The return to the stands comes as both Florida and Alabama work to reopen their states, despite COVID-19 cases continuing to increase across the country. Florida has had more than 73,000 cases and nearly 3,000 deaths; Alabama has had more than 25,000 cases and at least 773 deaths.


npr--2020-06-14--Anti-Racism Protests: Outcry After Shooting In Atlanta; Clashes In Paris And London

Anti-Racism Protests : Outcry After Shooting In Atlanta ; Clashes In Paris And London For the third weekend in a row , protesters took to the streets in the United States — and in at least two foreign capitals — to demand racial justice in the wake of George Floyd 's killing by police .
In Atlanta , demonstrators were galvanized by the fatal shooting of a black man by police in the parking lot of a local fast food restaurant on Friday .
Fallout from the shooting was swift and included the resignation of the city 's police chief @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where the deadly encounter took place .
As protests broke out , the city moved to fire the officer who shot 27-year-old Rayshard Brooks who was suspected of DUI , with Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms saying she did not believe it was `` a justified use of deadly force . ''
A second officer was placed on administrative leave .
Video of the incident released by both witnesses and city officials shows Brooks cooperating with officers during a sobriety test .
When the two officers move to arrest him , video shows a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the scuffle , Brooks gains hold of one of the officers ' stun guns and runs away .
The officers chase him , and when Brooks turns around and appears to point the stun gun at Officer Garrett Rolfe , the officer shoots him .
Action by city officials , including the resignation of chief Erika Shields and the termination of officer Rolfe , did little to quell the public outcry .
Crowds gathered to protest the killing , and by late Saturday , the Wendy 's where the deadly altercation took place @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other way is there to get the point across to them besides this ?
We 've tried everything else and it does n't work , so this is what the result is , '' said one protester , Damon Belton , in an interview with NPR member station WABE .
Riot police who arrived at the scene were met with bottles thrown by protesters .
Police would later fire tear gas on the crowd .
But anger and frustration over systemic racism and police violence spread far beyond Atlanta over the weekend .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Floyd by Minneapolis police last month has brought a renewed surge of calls to bring charges against three officers involved in the death of Adama Traoré , a black man who died in police custody in 2016 in a suburb just outside the French capital .
Protesters were met by riot police on Saturday as they filled the streets chanting : `` Justice for Adama . ''
The protest began at the Place de la République , according to reports by The Guardian and the BBC , where several demonstrators climbed the statue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ French Republic .
At one point during the protest , Traoré 's sister , Assa Traoré , addressed the crowd .
`` The death of George Floyd has a strong echo in the death in France of my little brother , '' she said .
`` What 's happening in the United States is happening in France .
Our brothers are dying . ''
Protesters tried to move on to the city 's Opera House but were blocked by riot police .
Several skirmishes broke out , and police moved on the protesters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also held in several other French cities .
In London , fights broke out between Black Lives Matter protesters and far-right counterdemonstrators , leading to more than 100 arrests on Saturday , according to the city 's police department .
The confrontations occurred despite calls from organizers and the city 's mayor for protesters to stay home .
According to The Guardian , a cry to `` protect our monuments '' drew largely white protesters to London .
The protest came in an apparent response to recent vandalism of monuments of figures tied @ @ @ @ @ @ @ These include the recent toppling of a statue of the 17th century slave-trader Edward Colston in the city of Bristol , and an incident where `` racist '' was spray-painted on a London statue of Winston Churchill .
Anticipating possible violence and vandalism this weekend , London authorities covered up the Churchill statue as well as the Cenotaph war memorial and a statue of Nelson Mandela .
On Saturday , hundreds of largely white far-right protesters , football hooligans and other supporters thronged Parliament Square , site of the Churchill statue .
Police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ throwing bottles and punching officers .
In the city 's Trafalgar Square , anti-racist protesters clashed with the far-right demonstrators .
Many groups organizing anti-racist protests had discouraged demonstrations this weekend .
Events organized by both Black Lives Matter and a self-avowed anti-facist group were canceled to avoid overlapping with the `` protect our monuments '' rally .
The city 's mayor , Sadiq Khan , had also urged protesters to stay home this weekend .
In the end , at least six people were hospitalized .
Prime Minister Boris Johnson condemned the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no place on our streets . ''
Frank Langfitt contributed to this report from London .
Eleanor Beardsley contributed from Paris and Lily Oppenheimer of WABE contributed from Atlanta .

Atlanta Police Shooting Ruled A Homicide; Anti-Racism Protesters Continue To Rally
Enlarge this image toggle caption Brynn Anderson/AP Brynn Anderson/AP
Updated at 10:08 p.m. ET
For the third weekend in a row, protesters took to the streets in the United States — and in at least two foreign capitals — to demand racial justice in the wake of George Floyd's killing by police.
In Atlanta, demonstrators were galvanized by the fatal shooting of a black man by police in the parking lot of a local fast food restaurant on Friday. Fallout from the shooting was swift and included the resignation of the city's police chief and a fire at the Wendy's where the deadly encounter took place.
As protests broke out, the city moved to fire the officer who shot 27-year-old Rayshard Brooks who was suspected of DUI, with Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms saying she did not believe it was "a justified use of deadly force." A second officer was placed on administrative leave.
Video of the incident released by both witnesses and city officials shows Brooks cooperating with officers during a sobriety test. When the two officers move to arrest him, video shows a scuffle among the three men. During the scuffle, Brooks gains hold of one of the officers' stun guns and runs away. The officers chase him, and when Brooks turns around and appears to point the stun gun at Officer Garrett Rolfe, the officer shoots him.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Brynn Anderson/AP Brynn Anderson/AP
Action by city officials, including the resignation of chief Erika Shields and the termination of officer Rolfe, did little to quell the public outcry.
Crowds gathered to protest the killing, and by late Saturday, the Wendy's where the deadly altercation took place was engulfed in flames.
"What other way is there to get the point across to them besides this? We've tried everything else and it doesn't work, so this is what the result is," said one protester, Damon Belton, in an interview with NPR member station WABE.
Riot police who arrived at the scene were met with bottles thrown by protesters. Police would later fire tear gas on the crowd.
Rayshard Brooks' death was ruled a homicide on Sunday, according to a press release from the Fulton County Medical Examiner's Office.
Brooks was shot twice in the back — wounds "that created organ injuries and blood loss," the autopsy report revealed.
Protests abroad
Anger and frustration over systemic racism and police violence spread far beyond Atlanta over the weekend.
In Paris, the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police last month has brought a renewed surge of calls to bring charges against three officers involved in the death of Adama Traoré, a black man who died in police custody in 2016 in a suburb just outside the French capital.
Protesters were met by riot police on Saturday as they filled the streets chanting: "Justice for Adama." The protest began at the Place de la République, according to reports by The Guardian and the BBC, where several demonstrators climbed the statue of Marianne, a monument personifying the French Republic.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Thibault Camus/AP Thibault Camus/AP
Enlarge this image toggle caption Thibault Camus/AP Thibault Camus/AP
At one point during the protest, Traoré's sister, Assa Traoré, addressed the crowd.
"The death of George Floyd has a strong echo in the death in France of my little brother," she said. "What's happening in the United States is happening in France. Our brothers are dying."
Protesters tried to move on to the city's Opera House but were blocked by riot police. Several skirmishes broke out, and police moved on the protesters, firing tear gas.
Protests were also held in several other French cities.
Counterprotests in London
Enlarge this image toggle caption Jonathan Brady/AP Jonathan Brady/AP
In London, fights broke out between Black Lives Matter protesters and far-right counterdemonstrators, leading to more than 100 arrests on Saturday, according to the city's police department. The confrontations occurred despite calls from organizers and the city's mayor for protesters to stay home.
According to The Guardian, a cry to "protect our monuments" drew largely white protesters to London. The protest came in an apparent response to recent vandalism of monuments of figures tied to racist practices in British history. These include the recent toppling of a statue of the 17th century slave-trader Edward Colston in the city of Bristol, and an incident where "racist" was spray-painted on a London statue of Winston Churchill.
Anticipating possible violence and vandalism this weekend, London authorities covered up the Churchill statue as well as the Cenotaph war memorial and a statue of Nelson Mandela.
On Saturday, hundreds of largely white far-right protesters, football hooligans and other supporters thronged Parliament Square, site of the Churchill statue. Police penned in the demonstrators, who began throwing bottles and punching officers.
In the city's Trafalgar Square, anti-racist protesters clashed with the far-right demonstrators. Many groups organizing anti-racist protests had discouraged demonstrations this weekend. Events organized by both Black Lives Matter and a self-avowed anti-facist group were canceled to avoid overlapping with the "protect our monuments" rally. The city's mayor, Sadiq Khan, had also urged protesters to stay home this weekend.
In the end, at least six people were hospitalized.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson condemned the violence, tweeting "racist thuggery has no place on our streets."
NPR's Emma Bowman contributed to this report.
Frank Langfitt contributed to this report from London. Eleanor Beardsley contributed from Paris and Lily Oppenheimer of WABE contributed from Atlanta.


npr--2020-06-14--Virginia Rep. Riggleman, Who Officiated Same-Sex Wedding, Loses Republican Primary

Republican Rep. Denver Riggleman , who received blowback from some members of his party after officiating the same-sex wedding last year of former campaign volunteers , has lost the GOP nomination for his central Virginia seat .
Riggleman , a first-term congressman who had received President Trump 's `` Total Endorsement , '' lost to challenger Bob Good , a born-again evangelical Christian and former Liberty University official .
Good had called Riggleman `` out of step with the base of the party '' on marriage , immigration and other issues .
Good won 58 % of the primary vote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 5th District Republican Committee .
The vote took place at a nominating convention at a Lynchburg church on Saturday , where roughly 2,500 party activists cast ballots in a drive-through format , because of the coronavirus pandemic .
Virginia allows political parties to choose between a party-run nominating convention or a primary .
Two members of the district committee that decided on the nomination contest format had received payments from Good 's campaign , NPR has reported .
Riggleman had called the party convention process corrupt .
Around midnight Saturday , Riggleman said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been a hallmark of this nomination process '' and that he 's evaluating his options .
Riggleman voted in line with Trump about 95 % of the time since he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2018 , according to a FiveThirtyEight tally .
He 's also consistently voted against efforts to expand LGBTQ rights , despite officiating his two former campaign volunteers ' same-sex wedding in July 2019 .
Good , who worked as an associate athletic director at Liberty University , a private evangelical college , has said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Judeo-Christian values to Washington .
He campaigned on issues including making English the official language of the U.S. and ending birthright citizenship .
The 5th district in Virginia encompasses 21 counties , including regions such as Charlottesville , and stretches west of Washington , D.C. , to the North Carolina border .
Riggleman won the seat in 2018 with 53 % of the vote , and Good 's nomination may make the seat a bigger Democratic target in November .
The Cook Political Report changed the race from Likely Republican to Leans Republican @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will hold their own primary for the 5th district seat on June 23 .

Virginia Rep. Riggleman, Who Officiated Same-Sex Wedding, Loses Republican Primary
Enlarge this image toggle caption House Television via AP House Television via AP
Republican Rep. Denver Riggleman, who received blowback from some members of his party after officiating the same-sex wedding last year of former campaign volunteers, has lost the GOP nomination for his central Virginia seat.
Riggleman, a first-term congressman who had received President Trump's "Total Endorsement," lost to challenger Bob Good, a born-again evangelical Christian and former Liberty University official. Good had called Riggleman "out of step with the base of the party" on marriage, immigration and other issues.
Good won 58% of the primary vote, according to data provided by the 5th District Republican Committee. The vote took place at a nominating convention at a Lynchburg church on Saturday, where roughly 2,500 party activists cast ballots in a drive-through format, because of the coronavirus pandemic. Virginia allows political parties to choose between a party-run nominating convention or a primary.
Two members of the district committee that decided on the nomination contest format had received payments from Good's campaign, NPR has reported. Riggleman had called the party convention process corrupt.
Around midnight Saturday, Riggleman said on Twitter that voter fraud "has been a hallmark of this nomination process" and that he's evaluating his options.
Riggleman voted in line with Trump about 95% of the time since he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2018, according to a FiveThirtyEight tally.
He's also consistently voted against efforts to expand LGBTQ rights, despite officiating his two former campaign volunteers' same-sex wedding in July 2019.
Good, who worked as an associate athletic director at Liberty University, a private evangelical college, has said he's on a mission to return Judeo-Christian values to Washington. He campaigned on issues including making English the official language of the U.S. and ending birthright citizenship.
The 5th district in Virginia encompasses 21 counties, including regions such as Charlottesville, and stretches west of Washington, D.C., to the North Carolina border.
Riggleman won the seat in 2018 with 53% of the vote, and Good's nomination may make the seat a bigger Democratic target in November. The Cook Political Report changed the race from Likely Republican to Leans Republican, following Good's win.
Democrats will hold their own primary for the 5th district seat on June 23.


npr--2020-06-14--Lockdown Measures Return To Beijing As Testing Reveals Cluster At Major Food Market

Lockdown Measures Return To Beijing As Testing Reveals Cluster At Major Food Market China 's capital of Beijing has discovered 42 symptomatic new cases of the coronavirus since Thursday , leading city authorities to resurrect lockdown measures and elevating fears of a second wave of infections .
All the new cases were linked to the sprawling Xinfadi wholesale food market in the south of Beijing , which supplies the city and its environs with 1,500 tons of seafood , 18,000 tons of vegetables and 20,000 tons of fruit every day , according to the market 's website .
The first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one man who bought produce from the seafood and meat section of the Xinfadi market on June 3 tested positive for COVID-19 .
It is not yet clear how he became infected ; he denied having any recent travel history .
Two more cases were identified the following day , and the market was sealed off as of early Saturday morning .
Authorities said they tested 5,803 people working at the market on Saturday alone — all were negative for the coronavirus — as well as 2,383 samples taken from surfaces within the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contact with the market or people who have contacted the market since May 30 have been asked by municipal authorities to voluntarily submit themselves to a nucleic acid exam .
On top of the 42 cases , authorities have discovered at least 48 asymptomatic cases of the coronavirus linked to the market , meaning the people carrying the virus have yet to show symptoms .
They are being kept under medical observation in quarantine , Beijing health authorities said over the weekend .
Lockdown measures , which had been rapidly easing up before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Beijing , are now partially returning .
Municipal authorities shut down sporting events and tourism sites in the capital on Saturday .
Restaurants are once again discouraged from accepting large groups for dining together .
Eleven residential complexes near the market have been locked down and its residents forbidden from leaving .
Beijing 's Fengtai district , where Xinfadi market is located , was designated a high-risk area on Sunday .
Wu Zunyou , an epidemiologist with China 's center for disease control , said Sunday that the virus was likely transmitted from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contaminated after being handled by infected people elsewhere .
Two samples taken from the market detected variants of the coronavirus that were more similar to those that are prevalent in Europe rather than the variant most commonly detected in patients in China , Zeng Guang , another epidemiologist at China 's center for disease control , told Chinese media .
Many of the cities largest luxury hotels and restaurants said they were voluntarily disposing of all their raw fish and would stop serving seafood .
But some urged restraint and calm .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It will not spread the virus to other cities around the country or warrant a citywide lockdown , '' Xeng , a former health commission senior expert , told state media on Sunday .

Lockdown Measures Return To Beijing As Testing Reveals Cluster At Major Food Market
Enlarge this image toggle caption Greg Baker /AFP via Getty Images Greg Baker /AFP via Getty Images
Updated 1:15 a.m. Monday
China's capital of Beijing has discovered 79 symptomatic new cases of the coronavirus since Thursday, leading city authorities to resurrect lockdown measures and elevating fears of a second wave of infections.
All the new cases were linked to the sprawling Xinfadi wholesale food market in the south of Beijing, which supplies the city and its environs with 1,500 tons of seafood, 18,000 tons of vegetables and 20,000 tons of fruit every day, according to the market's website.
The first new case was confirmed Thursday, after one man who bought produce from the seafood and meat section of the Xinfadi market on June 3 tested positive for COVID-19. It is not yet clear how he became infected; he denied having any recent travel history. Two more cases were identified the following day, and the market was sealed off as of early Saturday morning.
Authorities said they tested 5,803 people working at the market on Saturday alone — all were negative for the coronavirus — as well as 2,383 samples taken from surfaces within the market. Those who have been in contact with the market or people who have contacted the market since May 30 have been asked by municipal authorities to voluntarily submit themselves to a nucleic acid exam.
On top of the 79 cases, authorities have discovered at least 48 asymptomatic cases of the coronavirus linked to the market, meaning the people carrying the virus have yet to show symptoms. They are being kept under medical observation in quarantine, Beijing health authorities said over the weekend.
Lockdown measures, which had been rapidly easing up before the cluster of cases was discovered in Beijing, are now partially returning.
Municipal authorities shut down sporting events and tourism sites in the capital on Saturday. Restaurants are once again discouraged from accepting large groups for dining together. Eleven residential complexes near the market have been locked down and its residents forbidden from leaving. Beijing's Fengtai district, where Xinfadi market is located, was designated a high-risk area on Sunday.
Wu Zunyou, an epidemiologist with China's center for disease control, said Sunday that the virus was likely transmitted from seafood and meat products whose surfaces were contaminated after being handled by infected people elsewhere.
Two samples taken from the market detected variants of the coronavirus that were more similar to those that are prevalent in Europe rather than the variant most commonly detected in patients in China, Zeng Guang, another epidemiologist at China's center for disease control, told Chinese media.
Many of the cities largest luxury hotels and restaurants said they were voluntarily disposing of all their raw fish and would stop serving seafood.
But some urged restraint and calm.
"Beijing will not became a second Wuhan. It will not spread the virus to other cities around the country or warrant a citywide lockdown," Xeng, a former health commission senior expert, told state media on Sunday.


npr--2020-06-14--Coronavirus World Map: Tracking The Spread Of The Outbreak

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

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


npr--2020-06-14--Tracking The Pandemic: Are Coronavirus Cases Rising Or Falling In Your State?

Tracking The Pandemic : Are Coronavirus Cases Rising Or Falling In Your State ?
More than 2 million people in the U.S. have tested positive for the coronavirus and more than 110,000 have died .
The growth in new cases and deaths overall has at least temporarily slowed , but that pattern has n't been consistent across the country .
New hot spots are emerging as others subside .
Many states began relaxing some social distancing measures in May , and health leaders are watching for signs that the virus is starting to spread more aggressively .
In the graphics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases in your state to see whether cases are rising , falling or staying level .
To jump to a map of total cases and deaths by state , click here .
The following chart displays states ' trends in new daily case counts , total cases , and per capita totals .
To compare state outbreaks , the trend lines for average new daily cases are graphed against each state 's total case count to date .
This highlights a state 's daily growth relative to the overall size of its outbreak @ @ @ @ @ @ @ counts grow quickly , the curve bends upward .
As cases slow , the curve levels or bends down .
In New York , site of the country 's largest outbreak , the state 's curve rose sharply before reaching over 170,000 total cases in April .
Since then , new cases have fallen from about 10,000 per day in mid-April to 1,000 per day in early June .
Some states , such as Hawaii , have declined to just a handful of new cases per day , while others are growing .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ around 15,000 total cases in May , saw a sudden increase in new cases in June .
The coronavirus has hit some states much harder than others .
For much of the pandemic , a large share of U.S. cases have been centered around New York City .
As of early June , New York state , Connecticut and New Jersey accounted for about 30 % of total cases in the nation and 42 % of deaths , although new cases have been dropping in these three states .
Across the country , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ California , Illinois and Texas have high totals as well .
Some smaller states have had a heavy burden of disease relative to their population size , such as Nebraska and Iowa , which have high case counts per capita , and Louisiana and Michigan which have a high death count per capita .
Explore the map below to see totals and per capita figures around the country .
Click here to see a global map of confirmed cases and deaths .
For more detail on your state , the table below shows @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day in each state , week over week .
States marked in shades of red are showing growth , those in shades of green , are showing declines .
The data used here are compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University from several sources , including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ; the World Health Organization ; national , state and local government health departments ; 1point3acres ; and local media reports .
The JHU team automates its data uploads and regularly checks them for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at this time .
There may be discrepancies between what you see here and what you see on your local health department 's website .
Figures shown do not include cases on cruise ships .
This story was originally published on March 16 , 2020 .
Elena Renken was a co-author on that version .
Sean McMinn contributed to and Carmel Wroth edited this story .

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


npr--2020-06-14--Fired Florida Data Scientist Launches A Coronavirus Dashboard Of Her Own

Fired Florida Data Scientist Launches A Coronavirus Dashboard Of Her Own Rebekah Jones was fired last month from her job at the Florida Department of Health , where she helped create a data portal about the state 's COVID-19 cases .
Now , she has created a dashboard of her own .
In some ways , Jones ' new portal for Florida coronavirus data looks a lot like the state health department 's .
But it has a few key differences that reflect just how contentious coronavirus data has become amid politicized arguments about whether it 's safe for states @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jones ' dashboard has a map that shows which Florida counties are ready for the next phase of reopening .
By her calculations , only two of the state 's 67 counties at the moment meet the state 's criteria for further easing restrictions .
Jones says she was originally tasked with building essentially the same type of dashboard for the health department 's website in her role as a geographic information system manager — until it became clear what the results would show .
`` When I went to show them what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ county , among other things , they asked me to delete the report card because it showed that no counties , pretty much , were ready for reopening , '' she says .
`` And they did n't want to draw attention to that . ''
Jones says a superior asked her to open up the data and alter the numbers so that the state 's coronavirus positivity rating would change from 18 % to 10 % — and the state would appear to meet its target to reopen .
She says she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she was asked to , and she was fired on May 18 .
`` To me , it did not read like some kind of political conspiracy or some higher directive , '' Jones says .
`` It seemed like people who expected when I brought in those results , the results to support the plan they had written , and they did not , they seemed panicked , and like they had to figure out a way to make the results match the plan . ''
Florida entered Phase 1 of its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ counties except Miami-Dade , Broward and Palm Beach .
It eased restrictions even further with the start of Phase 2 on June 5 but is now among the more than 20 states where new daily cases are rising .
As of Sunday , the state has had more than 73,000 cases and nearly 3,000 deaths .
The Florida Department of Health did not respond to requests for comment .
A spokesperson for Florida Gov .
Ron De Santis said last month that Jones `` exhibited a repeated course of insubordination during her time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her attorney are now looking into whether she might be protected by a whistleblower law .
Jones says she had asked at work how to file a whistleblower complaint and was fired the next day .
Now a private citizen , Jones continues to take issue with the way the state is calculating its coronavirus positivity rate .
The official Florida site says there are more than 1.3 million `` total people tested '' in Florida , of which about 73,500 were positive , resulting in an `` overall percent positive '' rate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that figure is misleading .
`` I actually wrote the script to create that data , so I know exactly what it looks like , '' she says , adding that she 's audited it and checked it with several other statisticians to make sure it 's correct .
She says that on the state 's dashboard , any person who tests positive will be counted as a positive test only once , no matter how many times they test positive .
But a person who tests negative will be counted over and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the coronavirus .
Jones says that because many residents , such as health care workers , require repeated testing , the state 's dashboard is artificially deflating the true positivity rate .
`` They 're adding their total test figures instead of their total people , which makes their percent positive extremely low , '' she says .
Jones and the health department use much of the same underlying state and county data for case numbers and details .
Cindy Prins , a professor of epidemiology at the University of Florida , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comprehensive than the state 's .
`` There 's some data on there that either was n't on the Florida COVID-19 DOH dashboard or was available and maybe was n't presented in the same way that it 's being presented now ... You 're just getting a bigger picture of what 's going on , '' Prins says .
She also notes that the state 's site does n't appear to use the `` total people tested '' label accurately .
`` From a definition standpoint , 'total people tested ' and what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tests conducted . '
Those are two different measures , '' says Prins , explaining that she has been tested — but if she were tested again , she should n't be counted as a separate person .
She 's just a person who has been tested twice .
`` There 's a distinction there between total number of people tested versus total number of tests carried out . ''
The state has faced other questions over its handling of coronavirus data .
The Miami Herald reported last week that Florida refused for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at nursing homes and assisted living facilities , even as many other states did so .
The state 's dashboard also does not release data on current cases , according to the report .
`` [ The state health department ] 's public data are incomplete , sometimes changed without explanation , and have had information removed following questions from reporters , '' the Herald reports .
Prins says the public interest in COVID-19 data is an indication that amid the ongoing pandemic , many people are interested in seeing the numbers for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what 's going on from both dashboards , she says : They can see the numbers and what 's happening in their own county .
`` I do think that people have found some value in that where before , they might not have really looked to that sort of source . ''
Natalie Dean is a professor of biostatistics at the University of Florida and a member of the advisory board of the COVID Tracking Project , a volunteer data collection effort launched by The Atlantic .
She says it 's useful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to information about testing and health care , and does '' not just show them the data , but to help people make decisions . ''
And Dean says it 's valuable that Jones makes it easy to export the data she 's using .
`` A lot of people are making their own models , '' she says .
`` As someone who does this , it 's really helpful to make that data more accessible . ''
With Jones now out of a job , her site is relying on GoFundMe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is to give people a place with information they can trust and find help if they need it .
`` I think I 'm uniquely equipped to try to help with that , '' she says , `` so that 's what I 'm doing .
I just I do n't want people to panic .
I do n't want anybody to feel afraid or powerless . ''

Fired Florida Data Scientist Launches A Coronavirus Dashboard Of Her Own
Updated June 17 at 11:50 a.m. ET
Rebekah Jones was fired last month from her job at the Florida Department of Health, where she helped create a data portal about the state's COVID-19 cases. Now, she has created a dashboard of her own.
In some ways, Jones' new portal for Florida coronavirus data looks a lot like the state health department's. But it has a few key differences that reflect just how contentious coronavirus data has become amid politicized arguments about whether it's safe for states to reopen.
Case in point: Jones' dashboard has a map that shows which Florida counties are ready for the next phase of reopening. By her calculations, only two of the state's 67 counties at the moment meet the state's criteria for further easing restrictions.
Jones says she was originally tasked with building essentially the same type of dashboard for the health department's website in her role as a geographic information system manager — until it became clear what the results would show.
"When I went to show them what the report card would say for each county, among other things, they asked me to delete the report card because it showed that no counties, pretty much, were ready for reopening," she says. "And they didn't want to draw attention to that."
Jones says a superior asked her to open up the data and alter the numbers so that the state's coronavirus positivity rating would change from 18% to 10% — and the state would appear to meet its target to reopen.
She says she refused to do that manipulation and others she was asked to, and she was fired on May 18.
"To me, it did not read like some kind of political conspiracy or some higher directive," Jones says. "It seemed like people who expected when I brought in those results, the results to support the plan they had written, and they did not, they seemed panicked, and like they had to figure out a way to make the results match the plan."
Florida entered Phase 1 of its reopening on May 4, in all counties except Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach. It eased restrictions even further with the start of Phase 2 on June 5 but is now among the more than 20 states where new daily cases are rising. As of Sunday, the state has had more than 73,000 cases and nearly 3,000 deaths.
Jones and her attorney are now looking into whether she might be protected by a whistleblower law. Jones says she had asked at work how to file a whistleblower complaint and was fired the next day.
A spokesperson for Florida Gov. Ron De Santis said last month that Jones "exhibited a repeated course of insubordination during her time with the department."
Now a private citizen, Jones continues to take issue with the way the state is calculating its coronavirus positivity rate. The official Florida site says there are more than 1.3 million "total people tested" in Florida, of which about 73,500 were positive, resulting in an "overall percent positive" rate of 5.4%.
But Jones says that figure is misleading.
"I actually wrote the script to create that data, so I know exactly what it looks like," she says, adding that she's audited it and checked it with several other statisticians to make sure it's correct.
She says that on the state's dashboard, any person who tests positive will be counted as a positive test only once, no matter how many times they test positive. But a person who tests negative will be counted over and over again each time they test negative for the coronavirus.
Jones says that because many residents, such as health care workers, require repeated testing, the state's dashboard is artificially deflating the true positivity rate.
"They're adding their total test figures instead of their total people, which makes their percent positive extremely low," she says.
But the Florida Department of Health says it's Jones' dashboard that is using unreliable data.
Alberto Moscoso, a spokesman for the Florida Department of Health, said in a statement to NPR that Jones' dashboard "aggregates disparate sets of data without considering many of the important guidelines utilized by epidemiologists to arrive at their conclusions."
The DOH dashboard gets its data from official sources, Moscoso said, including the statewide Merlin and Electronic Surveillance System for the Early Notification of Community-based Epidemics (ESSENCE) tools, as well as official reports from partner state and federal agencies.
Jones and the health department use much of the same underlying state and county data for case numbers and details. But some of the data on Jones' dashboard, Moscoso says, "is either self-reported or derived from unofficial sources."
"The Department's goal has always been to provide accurate, confirmed information regarding COVID-19 in Florida in as expeditious a manner as is possible. We will continue to employ only official sources of information, ensuring that our online resources are the most factual and up-to-date available," he says.
The health department did not explain how it calculates its "total people tested" figure.
Cindy Prins, a professor of epidemiology at the University of Florida, finds Jones' dashboard to be more comprehensive than the state's.
"There's some data on there that either wasn't on the Florida COVID-19 DOH dashboard or was available and maybe wasn't presented in the same way that it's being presented now ... You're just getting a bigger picture of what's going on," Prins says.
She also notes that the state's site doesn't appear to use the "total people tested" label accurately.
"From a definition standpoint, 'total people tested' and what it actually represents is 'total number of tests conducted.' Those are two different measures," says Prins, explaining that she has been tested — but if she were tested again, she shouldn't be counted as a separate person. She's just a person who has been tested twice.
"There's a distinction there between total number of people tested versus total number of tests carried out."
The state has faced other questions over its handling of coronavirus data. The Miami Herald reported last week that Florida refused for weeks to release data on COVID-19 deaths at nursing homes and assisted living facilities, even as many other states did so.
"[The state health department]'s public data are incomplete, sometimes changed without explanation, and have had information removed following questions from reporters," the Herald reports.
Prins says the public interest in COVID-19 data is an indication that amid the ongoing pandemic, many people are interested in seeing the numbers for themselves.
They get a visual of what's going on from both dashboards, she says: They can see the numbers and what's happening in their own county. "I do think that people have found some value in that where before, they might not have really looked to that sort of source."
Natalie Dean is a professor of biostatistics at the University of Florida and a member of the advisory board of the COVID Tracking Project, a volunteer data collection effort launched by The Atlantic. She says it's useful that Jones' dashboard connects people directly to information about testing and health care, and does"not just show them the data, but to help people make decisions."
And Dean says it's valuable that Jones makes it easy to export the data she's using. "A lot of people are making their own models," she says. "As someone who does this, it's really helpful to make that data more accessible."
With Jones now out of a job, her site is relying on GoFundMe donations to stay running. Her goal is to give people a place with information they can trust and find help if they need it.
"I think I'm uniquely equipped to try to help with that," she says, "so that's what I'm doing. I just don't want people to panic. I don't want anybody to feel afraid or powerless."


npr--2020-06-14--GLOBAL PHOTOS: How Lockdown Has Changed My Life

GLOBAL PHOTOS : How Lockdown Has Changed My Life How has the novel coronavirus changed your life ?
Show us @ @ @ @ @ is the assignment we gave to the more than 600 photographers who work with Everyday @ @ @ @ @ accounts from countries in Asia , Africa , Central and South America , North America @ @ @ @ @ is `` to challenge stereotypes that distort our understanding of the world . ''
In @ @ @ @ @ that parts of their lives had been altered dramatically .
But they also found solace @ @ @ @ @ could still go on — and give a sense of comfort .
The images they @ @ @ @ @ visual testament to the unforeseeable changes that came in 2020 as this virus swept the @ @ @ @ @ that has altered the way we all live .
Here are images submitted to NPR @ @ @ @ @ are pictures of uncertainty and of sorrow , but also of joy and hope , @ @ @ @ @ even in this most difficult of times .

GLOBAL PHOTOS: How Lockdown Has Changed My Life
How has the novel coronavirus changed your life? Show us in a picture.
That is the assignment we gave to the more than 600 photographers who work with Everyday Projects — contributing to Instagram accounts from countries in Asia, Africa, Central and South America, North America and Europe.
Their mission is "to challenge stereotypes that distort our understanding of the world."
In this case, they found that parts of their lives had been altered dramatically. But they also found solace in showing how ordinary activities could still go on — and give a sense of comfort.
The images they submitted to NPR are a visual testament to the unforeseeable changes that came in 2020 as this virus swept the globe, triggering a pandemic that has altered the way we all live.
Here are images submitted to NPR for this project. They are pictures of uncertainty and of sorrow, but also of joy and hope, which have not been destroyed even in this most difficult of times.


npr--2020-06-14--As Israel Vows Annexation, Palestinian Leaders Embark On Risky Form Of Protest

As Israel Vows Annexation , Palestinian Leaders Embark On Risky Form Of Protest As Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vows to annex parts of the occupied West Bank next month , with support from the U.S. , Palestinians find themselves with no recourse to stop Israel from grabbing the land they seek for a state .
So Palestinian leaders are embracing a risky method of protest .
They declared last month they 're no longer bound by the 1990s-era peace accords that govern Israeli-Palestinian relations , and have begun refusing to coordinate with Israel on matters of daily Palestinian life @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cancer treatments — arrangements they 've found humiliating .
As Palestinian leaders see it , Israel — by moving to annex territory instead of negotiating its fate — is not holding up its side of the peace agreements .
So the Palestinians will stop holding up theirs .
`` This is an issue in which we can not be silent on , '' Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh said in a June 9 briefing with reporters .
`` Annexation is an existential threat for our future . ''
Shtayyeh said the threat of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but vowed not to resort to violence .
By disrupting the status quo , Palestinian leaders want to seize the world 's attention and scare Israel into abandoning annexation plans .
But international donors have criticized the Palestinians for shirking their commitment to the peace accords , and ordinary Palestinians are paying the price for the disruptions in funds , policing and medical care .
`` We put our finger in our mouth , bit ourselves , and are waiting for the Israelis to scream , '' a Palestinian security official says , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government policy .
Palestinians who received transplants in Israeli hospitals say they now can not get post-operative care because Palestinian bureaucrats refuse to arrange their travel permits to Israel or guarantee they 'll pay for the treatment .
Palestinian authorities also refuse to coordinate with Israel to allow Palestinian patients to travel outside the impoverished Gaza Strip for life-saving treatments , according to Physicians for Human Rights-Israel .
Souad Abdel Hadi , 49 , was diagnosed last month with leukemia but is unable to travel from Gaza to a West Bank hospital for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a human situation .
This is a medical situation .
We are sick people who need treatment and should not be hostages to this political situation , '' she tells NPR by telephone .
The Palestinian Authority called on the International Committee of the Red Cross to serve as an intermediary with Israel for medical and security matters now that the Palestinians are suspending their ties with Israel , but the organization said it does not have the resources to administer medical referrals .
`` We got calls from families of patients @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sort of clarify that we are not in a position to take that on right now , '' says Dan Waites , a spokesperson with the International Committee of the Red Cross .
Palestinian officials are now refusing to accept any of the tax revenues Israel collects on their behalf , leaving tens of thousands of Palestinian civil servants unlikely to get full paychecks this month .
The $ 145 million a month Israel transfers to the Palestinians is estimated to make up about 60 % of the Palestinian Authority 's budget .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ they 've renewed a Palestinian 's car registration or driver 's license , so Israeli police have erroneously issued some drivers heavy fines on West Bank highways , the Palestinian security official says .
Palestinian security officers usually coordinate their movements with Israel , a joint security mechanism to keep the West Bank calm , but officers have been ordered not to speak to their Israeli counterparts .
Security officials claim the suspension of security coordination with Israel has prevented Palestinian police from intervening in deadly cases of domestic violence .
In one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ used that as an excuse for its failure to prevent a killing .
On May 31 , three Palestinians were killed in a family dispute , apparently concerning gold rumored to be stored in a relative 's home .
Ordinarily , Palestinian police would have needed to ask Israel 's permission to pass through Israeli-controlled areas to intervene in the village .
Palestinian police claimed it was unable to dispatch officers to defuse the dispute , due to suspended security ties with Israel , and that officers living in the area unsuccessfully tried @ @ @ @ @ @ @ family , who spoke to NPR on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of discussing a killing in his family , disputed the police account , saying a police officer detained suspects but later freed them , leading to the shooting .
Over the years , Palestinians have fought uprisings against Israel , and they 've signed peace accords — but none of it has won them independence , and years of international condemnation have not stopped Israeli settlements from growing in the West Bank .
Some Palestinians are calling for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to preserve the possibility of an independent Palestinian state , but to acknowledge its impossibility .
`` It 's a waste of time if we keep using the same tools and repeating the same statements and relying on the international community to put pressure on Israel , '' says Dalal Iriqat , a professor of conflict resolution at the Arab American University in the West Bank .
`` The number of settlements , expansion , it left no space , geographically speaking , for our Palestinian state ... we 're living annexation anyway @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't we sit back , watch it happen , and have Netanyahu declare the end of the two-state solution ? ''
The growing consensus among Palestinian intellectuals is that Jewish settlement growth in the West Bank has left no room left for a viable Palestinian state , and that the only option is one state for Israelis and Palestinians , with equal rights for all .
That would mean ending the idea of a Jewish state .
Though Israel would oppose it , Iriqat is confident that in the distant future , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ option for two peoples inextricably linked in the same small land .
`` Universal values , universal human rights and civil rights will definitely prevail , '' says Iriqat .
`` Even if it takes time . ''

As Israel Vows Annexation, Palestinian Leaders Embark On Risky Form Of Protest
Enlarge this image toggle caption Anadolu Agency/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images Anadolu Agency/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
As Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vows to annex parts of the occupied West Bank next month, with support from the U.S., Palestinians find themselves with no recourse to stop Israel from grabbing the land they seek for a state. So Palestinian leaders are embracing a risky method of protest.
They declared last month they're no longer bound by the 1990s-era peace accords that govern Israeli-Palestinian relations, and have begun refusing to coordinate with Israel on matters of daily Palestinian life, from tax collection to policing to cancer treatments — arrangements they've found humiliating.
As Palestinian leaders see it, Israel — by moving to annex territory instead of negotiating its fate — is not holding up its side of the peace agreements. So the Palestinians will stop holding up theirs.
"This is an issue in which we cannot be silent on," Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh said in a June 9 briefing with reporters. "Annexation is an existential threat for our future."
Shtayyeh said the threat of annexation requires Palestinians to make sacrifices, but vowed not to resort to violence.
By disrupting the status quo, Palestinian leaders want to seize the world's attention and scare Israel into abandoning annexation plans. But international donors have criticized the Palestinians for shirking their commitment to the peace accords, and ordinary Palestinians are paying the price for the disruptions in funds, policing and medical care.
"We put our finger in our mouth, bit ourselves, and are waiting for the Israelis to scream," a Palestinian security official says, speaking on condition of anonymity to criticize government policy.
Hospital visits blocked
Palestinians who received transplants in Israeli hospitals say they now cannot get post-operative care because Palestinian bureaucrats refuse to arrange their travel permits to Israel or guarantee they'll pay for the treatment. Palestinian authorities also refuse to coordinate with Israel to allow Palestinian patients to travel outside the impoverished Gaza Strip for life-saving treatments, according to Physicians for Human Rights-Israel.
Souad Abdel Hadi, 49, was diagnosed last month with leukemia but is unable to travel from Gaza to a West Bank hospital for a bone marrow transplant.
"This is a human situation. This is a medical situation. We are sick people who need treatment and should not be hostages to this political situation," she tells NPR by telephone.
The Palestinian Authority called on the International Committee of the Red Cross to serve as an intermediary with Israel for medical and security matters now that the Palestinians are suspending their ties with Israel, but the organization said it does not have the resources to administer medical referrals.
"We got calls from families of patients, but basically, we had to sort of clarify that we are not in a position to take that on right now," says Dan Waites, a spokesperson with the International Committee of the Red Cross.
Breakdown in taxes and policing
Palestinian officials are now refusing to accept any of the tax revenues Israel collects on their behalf, leaving tens of thousands of Palestinian civil servants unlikely to get full paychecks this month. The $145 million a month Israel transfers to the Palestinians is estimated to make up about 60% of the Palestinian Authority's budget.
Officials have also stopped updating Israel when they've renewed a Palestinian's car registration or driver's license, so Israeli police have erroneously issued some drivers heavy fines on West Bank highways, the Palestinian security official says.
Palestinian security officers usually coordinate their movements with Israel, a joint security mechanism to keep the West Bank calm, but officers have been ordered not to speak to their Israeli counterparts.
Security officials claim the suspension of security coordination with Israel has prevented Palestinian police from intervening in deadly cases of domestic violence. In one case though, there are allegations police used that as an excuse for its failure to prevent a killing.
On May 31, three Palestinians were killed in a family dispute, apparently concerning gold rumored to be stored in a relative's home. Ordinarily, Palestinian police would have needed to ask Israel's permission to pass through Israeli-controlled areas to intervene in the village. Palestinian police claimed it was unable to dispatch officers to defuse the dispute, due to suspended security ties with Israel, and that officers living in the area unsuccessfully tried to intervene. A relative of the family, who spoke to NPR on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of discussing a killing in his family, disputed the police account, saying a police officer detained suspects but later freed them, leading to the shooting.
"We're living annexation anyway"
Over the years, Palestinians have fought uprisings against Israel, and they've signed peace accords — but none of it has won them independence, and years of international condemnation have not stopped Israeli settlements from growing in the West Bank.
Some Palestinians are calling for a whole new approach — not to fight to preserve the possibility of an independent Palestinian state, but to acknowledge its impossibility.
"It's a waste of time if we keep using the same tools and repeating the same statements and relying on the international community to put pressure on Israel," says Dalal Iriqat, a professor of conflict resolution at the Arab American University in the West Bank. "The number of settlements, expansion, it left no space, geographically speaking, for our Palestinian state ... we're living annexation anyway, de facto. So why don't we sit back, watch it happen, and have Netanyahu declare the end of the two-state solution?"
The growing consensus among Palestinian intellectuals is that Jewish settlement growth in the West Bank has left no room for a viable Palestinian state, and that the only option is one state for Israelis and Palestinians, with equal rights for all. That would mean ending the idea of a Jewish state. Though Israel would oppose it, Iriqat is confident that in the distant future, it will prove to be the only realistic option for two peoples inextricably linked in the same small land.
"Universal values, universal human rights and civil rights will definitely prevail," says Iriqat. "Even if it takes time."


npr--2020-06-15--American Paul Whelan, Held In Russia On Spy Charges, Is Sentenced To 16 Years

American Paul Whelan , Held In Russia On Spy Charges , Is Sentenced To 16 Years Paul Whelan , a U.S. citizen who was arrested in Moscow in 2018 on charges of espionage , has been found guilty in a closed trial and sentenced to 16 years in prison in a case that has strained relations between the two countries .
The verdict was read in a Moscow court on Monday as Whelan stood in the defendant 's cage holding a sign that read `` Sham trial ! ''
Secrecy has shrouded the case since the December 2018 arrest of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The case of the 50-year-old former U.S. Marine who holds passports from the U.S. , Canada , the U.K. and Ireland , has become a thorn in the side of U.S.-Russia relations .
Days after his arrest , Russia 's Federal Security Service ( FSB ) said in a statement that he had been detained while on a `` spy mission . ''
Later , officials said he was caught with a flash drive containing classified information .
Whelan pleaded not guilty , and has denied the charges of espionage , maintaining that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was given a flash drive by an acquaintance that he thought contained family photos .
The prosecution said that Whelan held the rank of `` at least colonel '' with the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency .
After his arrest , BorgWarner , an American automotive parts supplier , confirmed that Whelan works for the company , serving as its director of global security .
`` He is responsible for overseeing security at our facilities in Auburn Hills , Michigan and at other company locations around the world , '' the company said in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ambassador to Russia John Sullivan condemned Monday 's verdict .
An embassy spokeswoman quoted him as saying , `` This secret trial in which no evidence was produced is an egregious violation of human rights and international legal norms . ''
Sullivan has also criticized the lack of access to Whelan by embassy staff .
One of Whelan 's lawyers , Vladimir Zherebenkov , relayed details of his closed trial , which began on March 23 .
According to Zherebenkov , his client called Monday 's proceedings `` slimy , grubby , greasy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ less . ''
Last month , Secretary of State Mike Pompeo tweeted , `` We demand Paul 's release ! ''
In June of last year , Whelan appealed to Trump , saying the president could `` keep America great '' by `` aggressively '' protecting American citizens such as himself .
The White House has been largely silent on the case .
In a statement after the verdict , brother David Whelan said he believes Monday 's conviction increases the chances that Paul will be released as part of a prisoner swap @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contributed to this report .

American Paul Whelan, Held In Russia On Spy Charges, Is Sentenced To 16 Years
Enlarge this image toggle caption Anton Novoderezhkin/TASS via Getty Images Anton Novoderezhkin/TASS via Getty Images
Paul Whelan, a U.S. citizen who was arrested in Moscow in 2018 on charges of espionage, has been found guilty in a closed trial and sentenced to 16 years in prison in a case that has strained relations between the two countries.
The verdict was read in a Moscow court on Monday as Whelan stood in the defendant's cage holding a sign that read "Sham trial!"
Secrecy has shrouded the case since the December 2018 arrest of Whelan in his Moscow hotel room. The case of the 50-year-old former U.S. Marine who holds passports from the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom and Ireland, has become a thorn in the side of U.S.-Russia relations.
Days after his arrest, Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) said in a statement that he had been detained while on a "spy mission." Later, officials said he was caught with a flash drive containing classified information.
Whelan pleaded not guilty and has denied the charges of espionage, maintaining that he was set up and that he was given a flash drive by an acquaintance that he thought contained family photos.
The prosecution said Whelan held the rank of "at least colonel" with the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency.
After his arrest, BorgWarner, an American automotive parts supplier, confirmed that Whelan works for the company, serving as its director of global security.
"He is responsible for overseeing security at our facilities in Auburn Hills, Michigan and at other company locations around the world," the company said in a statement to NPR.
Ambassador Sullivan: Today, #PaulWhelan was convicted and sentenced to 16 years in prison in Russia. This secret trial in which no evidence was produced is an egregious violation of human rights and international legal norms. @mfa_russia pic.twitter.com/cPCh3Sflfn — Rebecca Ross (@USEmbRuPress) June 15, 2020
U.S. Ambassador to Russia John Sullivan condemned Monday's verdict. An embassy spokeswoman quoted him as saying, "This secret trial in which no evidence was produced is an egregious violation of human rights and international legal norms." Sullivan has also criticized the lack of access to Whelan by embassy staff.
One of Whelan's lawyers, Vladimir Zherebenkov, relayed details of his closed trial, which began on March 23.
According to Zherebenkov, his client called Monday's proceedings "slimy, grubby, greasy Russian politics. Nothing more, nothing less."
Last month, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo tweeted, "We demand Paul's release!"
It is unacceptable that Paul Whelan has been denied necessary medical treatment until his condition became dire. We demand Paul's release. — Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) May 30, 2020
In June of last year, Whelan appealed to Trump, saying the president could "keep America great" by "aggressively" protecting U.S. citizens such as himself. The White House has been largely silent on the case.
In a statement after the verdict, his brother David Whelan said he believes Monday's conviction increases the chances that Paul will be released as part of a prisoner swap.
NPR's Lucian Kim in Moscow contributed to this report.