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Over the past week, people across the United States have been protesting the death of George Floyd.
The 46-year-old black man died while being held by police in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Videos of Floyd’s death show a white police officer keeping a knee pressed on Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes. Floyd can be heard repeatedly saying, “I can’t breathe.”
The protests -- and police actions to control them -- are threatening to undo American health officials’ efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19.
Health experts need newly infected people to remember everyone they were in contact with in the days leading up to their confirmed sickness. This helps to let others know they may have been exposed -- and prevent those people from spreading the disease even more.
The process is known as contact tracing. It depends on people being able to know who they came close to. That is no easy task if someone has attended a protest with hundreds or even thousands of other people.
The process also depends on something that may be in especially short supply right now: Trust in government.
“These events that are happening now are further threats to the trust we need,” said Dr. Sandro Galea. He leads Boston University’s School of Public Health.
Government officials hope to continue reopening businesses, religious centers and other organizations after months of stay-at-home orders and other infection-prevention measures. But health experts also hoped that reopening would include widespread testing, contact tracing and isolation to prevent new waves of illness from beginning.
It is unclear if the protests will lead to new outbreaks. The protests have taken place outside, where the virus does not spread as easily. Also, many of the protesters have been seen wearing face masks.
But experts still worry that public efforts to contain the disease in the future could be harmed.
In Los Angeles, the city’s mayor announced Saturday that COVID-19 testing centers were being closed because of safety concerns related to violent protests. And some medical centers in Minneapolis that provide testing have been damaged in the protests, a government spokesperson said.
Reduced testing could “be giving the virus another head start,” said Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious diseases expert at Vanderbilt University in Tennessee.
Concern over contact tracing
Contact tracing, which is only just getting started in several states, is an even bigger concern. It involves people who work for or with health departments asking questions about where a person has been and who they have been talking to — and getting full, truthful answers in return.
Schaffner said the current situation in the U.S. could make people less likely to speak with anyone working for the government.
That is especially true in black communities dealing with police violence and long-held frustrations with how they are mistreated by people who work for government agencies. Those are also the communities that have been hit hardest by the coronavirus and are most in need of public health measures to help control the spread.
In a press conference last week, Minnesota Public Safety Commissioner John Harrington used the term “contact tracing” when describing an investigation into protesters who had been arrested in the state. He said the goal was to “see if there are any crime or white supremacy organizations” that caused violence and destruction and “to understand how...we go after them, legally.”
Harrington’s use of “contact tracing” by law enforcement may make the job of health workers more difficult, some experts said.
“That was an abuse of the word ‘contact tracing.’ That is not what contact tracing is,” said Dr. Tom Frieden, former director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“Contact tracing is a service to patients and their contacts to provide services for patients and warning for contacts, Frieden said. "It has nothing to do with police activity. Nothing.”
Boston University’s Galea said he hopes many people will separate in their minds the contact tracing done by public health workers from crime investigations by the police. But, he added, “I do think sometimes it’s difficult to make a distinction when you feel...targeted by the entire government.”
I’m Ashley Thompson.
The Associated Press reported this story. Ashley Thompson adapted it for VOA Learning English. Hai Do was the editor.
expose - v. to leave (something) without covering or protection
isolation - n. the state of being in a place or situation that is separate from others
mayor - n. an official who is elected to be the head of the government of a city or town
frustration - n. a feeling of anger or annoyance caused by being unable to do something
white supremacy - n. the belief that that the white race is better than all other races and should have control over all other races
epidemic - n. an occurrence in which a disease spreads very quickly and affects a large number of people
distinction - n. the separation of people or things into different groups (2020/06/02 07:01)
After six days of unrest, many cities and neighborhoods across the United States face damage from violence and stealing. Political leaders are struggling to contain the nation-wide anger over the killing of a black man by police in Minnesota.
There are curfews in some cities and National Guard troops have been deployed to keep order. But, peaceful daytime protests again have turned to violence at night.
In Washington, D.C. protesters set fires, overturned cars and threw an American flag into the flames near the White House on Sunday. Police fired tear gas and stun grenades to control a crowd of more than 1,000 people across the street in Lafayette Park.
Protesters threw rocks and burning bottles at police in Philadelphia as public transportation and city streets were closed. Police shot tear gas to control the protests in many cities, including Atlanta, Georgia and Austin, Texas.
A man was killed when police and national guard soldiers returned fire after being shot at first early on Monday morning in Louisville, Kentucky. Two were reported dead over the weekend in Indianapolis, Indiana, adding to deaths recorded in Detroit and Minneapolis.
Looters smashed their way into stores selling expensive goods like Chanel perfume and Rolex watches in New York City. Others walked away with boxes of shoes and clothes in Los Angeles. Many shops were just beginning to open after the coronavirus shutdowns.
Some police officers tried to calm tensions by marching and kneeling with demonstrators in several cities, including Des Moines, Iowa and Spokane, Washington.
The demonstrations were incited by the death of George Floyd, a black man, on May 25 in Minneapolis. A video recorded at the time shows a white police officer, Derek Chauvin, kneeling on Floyd's neck for nearly nine minutes as he lay on the street.
Floyd who was handcuffed, repeatedly said, “I can’t breathe,” and, “Please, I can’t breathe,” as the crowd asked the officer to stop. Chauvin has been arrested and charged with murder.
At a protest in Boston, 15-year-old Mahira Louis told the Associated Press, “They keep killing our people. I’m so sick and tired of it.”
Recent incidents also increased racial tensions in the U.S. Two white men shot and killed Ahmaud Arbery, a black man in Georgia who was running on the streets, in February. And police in Louisville, Kentucky shot a black woman Breonna Taylor to death in her own home in March.
The incidents happened as the country was under stay-at-home orders to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The disease has killed over 100,000 Americans and put 40 million people out of work. It has also affected minorities more than the general population in job losses and deaths.
As the unrest spread across the country, U.S. President Donald Trump, a Republican, denounced an anti-fascist movement called ANTIFA. He also blamed the media, Democratic mayors and governors and his opponent for the upcoming November election, Joe Biden.
During a conference call with governors and law enforcement officials Monday, Trump called them “weak.” He said, “You’ve got to arrest people, you have to track people, you have to put them in jail for 10 years and you’ll never see this stuff again.”
Former Vice President Joe Biden, the Democratic presidential candidate, visited the site of protests in his hometown of Wilmington, Delaware on Sunday. He talked to demonstrators and wrote on Twitter, “We are a nation in pain right now, but we must not allow this pain to destroy us.”
In Salt Lake City, Lex Scott, a founder of Black Lives Matter Utah, condemned the destruction of property. But, he said breaking into buildings is not the same as killing a black man like Floyd.
“Maybe the next time a white police officer decides to pull the trigger, he will picture cities burning,” he said.
I’m John Russell.
Hai Do wrote this story for VOA Learning English based on Associated Press reports. Mario Ritter Jr. was the editor.
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Words in This Story
stun grenade(s) –n. a device that makes an extremely loud sound and that flashes light which is designed to temporarily surprise and disorient people
handcuff –v. to place restraints on a person’s wrists, which prevent them from moving(2020/06/02 06:59)
Christo, the artist known for large, temporary public arts projects, died Sunday at his home in New York. He was 84 years old.
His death was announced on Twitter and on the artist’s website. No cause was given.
He worked along with his wife Jeanne-Claude, who died in 2009. The two were famous for their colorful art projects that disappeared soon after they were built. They often used fabric to wrap, or cover, large structures.
In 2005, Christo and Jeanne-Claude placed more than 7,500 saffron-colored gates in New York City’s Central Park. Ten years earlier, they wrapped the Reichstag Building in Berlin in metal-looking fabric.
In 1991, their Umbrellas project placed over 1,300 blue umbrellas in Japan and more than 1,700 in Southern California. The project cost $26 million.
The statement announcing Christo’s death said the artist’s next project is set to appear in September in Paris. It is called L’Arc de Triomphe, Wrapped. Also in Paris, a show about Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s work is planned later this year at the Centre Georges Pompidou.
“Christo lived his life to the fullest, not only dreaming up what seemed impossible but realizing it,” his office said in a statement.
“Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s artwork brought people together in shared experiences across the globe, and their work lives on in our hearts and memories,” the statement continued.
The artist’s full name was Christo Vladimirov Javacheff. He was born in Bulgaria in 1935. He studied art throughout Europe before meeting his wife, Jeanne-Claude, in Paris. They were both born on the same date in 1935 – June 13. The two were partners in life and in art.
Before they met, Christo was already wrapping smaller items, like cars. After he met Jeanne-Claude, the two began wrapping large, important structures, including the Pont Neuf in Paris, the Kunsthalle in Bern, Switzerland, and a Roman wall in Italy.
Although they worked together, all the work was credited to Christo until 1994, when they announced Jeanne-Claude’s partnership.
The two artists moved to New York in 1964, where they later bought a building in the SoHo neighborhood. It was their home for the rest of their lives.
In 1968, they gained fame for three works of art: Wrapped Fountain; Wrapped Medieval Tower; and Wrapped Kunsthalle. The next year brought Wrapped Coast, along the Australian coastline, and the wrapping of the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago.
Jeanne-Claude died in 2009 at age 74. After her death, Christo said she was argumentative, very critical and never stopped asking questions. He said he missed all of that very much.
Their works of art required extraordinary efforts. Over 600 workers were involved in putting up The Gates in New York City. It took more than 300 workers to take it down.
More than 5 million people saw the artwork.
In a 2018 interview with The Art Newspaper, Christo spoke about his ideas for wrapping as art.
“…all our wrapped projects are not solid buildings; they are moving with the wind, they are breathing,” he said.
The two paid for their artworks by selling drawings.
“I like to be absolutely free,” Christo said. “I will not give up one centimeter of my freedom for anything.”
I’m Susan Shand.
The Associated Press reported this story. Susan Shand adapted it for Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor.
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Words In This Story
fabric – n. cloth
saffron - n. a red-colored spice that is very rare
gate - n. an outdoor barrier that can be opened
umbrella – n. a device held over one's head to protect from rain
realize - v. to understand or to know
globe – n. the earth
drawings - artworks made on paper with colored pencils(2020/06/02 06:57)
Starting in early 2020, governments around the world ordered lockdowns, closures and other social distancing rules to slow the spread of COVID-19. The severity of the measures differed from place to place. But, most people around the world were affected by coronavirus restrictions.
Now, as the world starts to re-open in many places, people are sharing their experiences living under stay-at-home orders. Reuters spoke with people in Africa and the Middle East about the good and bad of being in lockdown.
In Kenya, 39-year-old businesswoman Mable Selina Etambo talked about the good side of the restrictions. She said when the lockdown ends, she will miss her time alone.
She explained that her culture is very social. She said the recent social separation made her realize that she needs time to sit alone, to reflect and to plan her life – “without people bothering” her.
A 29-year-old photographer, Adetona Omokanye, lives in Lagos, Nigeria. He said the lockdown has given him time “to breathe” and reexamine how he lives his life. Now, in his words, he is, “trying to focus more on the things that truly matter.”
Alexander Caiafas also lives in Lagos. The 25-year-old said he has enjoyed spending time with family, studying and connecting with friends online.
A performer also praised some of the changes the restrictions brought. A dancer with Israel’s Batsheva Dance Company told Reuters that she likes the time spent doing nothing.
Yael Ben Ezer said, “I will miss the comfortable feeling of ‘it’s OK [to not] do anything.’ ”
“Things would come and go, the sun would rise and set, and I would just be living. And that’s totally enough,” she said of living under stay-at-home orders. However, the dancer did add there were things she missed, like the excitement of her public dance performances.
In the countryside of Eastern Cape Province, South Africa, Zodidi Desewula feels markedly different about COVID-19 restrictions. She reported about the difficulties she faced.
“Myself and my husband were stuck in this single room house -- unable to go to work,” she said. She added that they struggled to get food because they were not making money.
In the Egyptian capital Cairo, 20-year-old student Nada Maged described lockdown as “prison.”
“When I look out, I see the same view but have a different feeling. The streets are more sad and mysterious …,” she said. She added that “there is no hope of getting out soon.”
Cairo resident Zineb Mohamed misses her family. “I need to go to the zoo with my grandchildren. Also, I want to take them to the sea,” the 59-year-old said. She added that she has dreamed about that many times.
A 28-year-old woman in Tyre, Lebanon has a sea view from her window. Lama Nadra looks at it every day. “I like the calm,” she said, “and being away from the noise of the capital, Beirut.”
For her, the end of lockdown also will mean seeing family less. She said that her brother will go back to Dubai and she will return to Beirut. And, Nadra will also be separated from her father and mother once lockdown is over.
However, an end to the lockdown means Nadra can go swimming again. She said, she looks forward to that.
For many though, the pandemic did not change much.
Abu Ghazi lives in a temporary cloth shelter on the edge of a burial place in northern Syria. Like millions of others, he has been displaced by nine years of civil war in the country.
He said he longs to return home.
“We quarantined ourselves with the dead,” the 53-year-old told Reuters. “We wake up and sleep looking at graves.”
I’m Anna Matteo.
What has been your experience in lockdown? Share the good and bad in the Comments Section.
Mike Collett-White reported this story for Reuters. Anna Matteo adapted it for VOA Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor.
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Words in This Story
reflect – v. to think seriously and carefully about
bothering – v. to annoy (someone) : to cause (someone) to feel annoyed
focus – v. to direct your attention or effort at something specific
comfortable – adj. allowing you to be relaxed : causing no worries, difficulty, or uncertainty
markedly – adv. very noticeable
quarantined – v. to keep (a person or animal) away from others to prevent a disease from spreading
grave – n. a hole in the ground for burying a dead body (2020/06/02 06:56)
Scientists are urging a temporary halt to deep-sea metal mining. They warn in a report that it could cause severe, damaging effects on Pacific Ocean areas.
The recently-released report examined more than 250 published studies on deep-sea mining. The research was examined by the Deep Sea Mining Campaign – a collection of not-for-profit organizations. Environmental group MiningWatch Canada also cooperated on the study.
The report centers on mining activities related to small metallic particles, called nodules, found on the seabed. The material can contain different metals, such as copper, cobalt, nickel and manganese.
Increasing demand for these metals has led to a rise in deep-sea mining operations. The metals are commonly used in battery manufacturing and other technology products.
The Deep Sea Mining Campaign says the metallic nodules have drawn intense interest by companies and investors because the Pacific Ocean covers about 30 percent of Earth’s surface.
However, the scientists warn that mining for these nodules would cause “irreversible damage” to “an ocean already under pressure.” The operations would affect areas across the South Pacific, including the nations of Kiribati, the Cook Islands, Nauru, Tonga and Papua New Guinea.
The report notes that “a moratorium is the only responsible way to move forward” until certain conditions surrounding deep-sea mining can be met. The scientists are calling for additional study to fully understand the environmental, social and economic risks.
Andrew Chin was the report’s lead researcher. He said in a statement that nodule mining will likely result in the loss of sea life and cause damage to deep sea beds for thousands of years. He added that the operations could put people at risk who depend on the ocean and its continued health.
Helen Rosenbaum is with the Deep Sea Mining Campaign. She said the research showed damage will result from the removal of the nodules themselves, which unsettles sediment. In addition, waste will be released into the ocean from the mining process.
“At this point we don’t know what’s going to be in that sediment, what kind of heavy metals might be there, how bio-available they are… how readily they might be taken up in the food chain,” Rosenbaum said.
The International Seabed Authority, an intergovernmental organization based in Kingston, Jamaica, has approved about 30 deep sea exploration requests, 25 of them in the Pacific Ocean.
Eighteen of the licenses cover the area known as the Clarion Clipperton Zone. This area stretches about 4.5 million square kilometers from Kiribati to Mexico.
A company planning to be one of the first to carry out mining operations in the area is Canada’s DeepGreen, which aims to begin by 2024. It seeks to mine metallic nodules to be used in power systems for electric vehicles.
DeepGreen Chief Executive Officer Gerard Barron defended the company’s plans in reaction to the report. He said deep-sea mining offers the best alternative to surface mining, which has a long history of pollution and destroying forests and wildlife.
“I think it was a bias, narrow view, which doesn’t address any the issues, by a group of people that have their hearts set on trying to stop the progress of this industry,” Barron said.
He added that the demand for deep-sea mining will keep rising as electric vehicle manufacturing increases in the future.
“The argument should be what has the lowest impact from an environmental and a societal perspective,” Barron said. He noted that the Clarion Clipperton Zone contained “enough nickel and cobalt to electrify a billion electric vehicles."
I’m Bryan Lynn.
Luke Hunt reported this story for VOA News. Bryan Lynn adapted the report for Learning English, with additional information coming from the Deep Sea Mining Campaign. Hai Do was the editor.
We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page.
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Words in This Story
battery – n. an object that provides electricity for things
irreversible – adj. not able to be undone or changed
moratorium – n. the stopping of an activity for a certain period of time
sediment – n. a solid substance that forms a layer at the bottom of a liquid
food chain – n. a series of living things that are linked because each groups of things eats the groups below it in the chain
alternative – n. another way of doing something
bias – n. the action of supporting or opposing a particular person or thing in an unfair way, because of permitting personal opinions to influence your judgment
impact – n. a powerful effect something has on a particular person or situation
perspective – n. a particular way of considering something (2020/06/02 06:55)
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