National

White House coronavirus response coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx shows how coronavirus testing will be streamlined at the press conference.

President Trump Declares National Emergency As Coronavirus Pandemic Grows

9:56pm March 13, 2020

by Franco Ordoñez

The move frees up as much as $50 billion to help states deal with the crisis. But Trump overstated the readiness of a website to help anxious people find testing.

Syrians ride a motorcycle past a burnt vehicle near the northwest Syrian village of Barisha in the Idlib province of Syria, near where U.S. forces raided an ISIS compound.

The U.S. Investigates Possible Civilian Deaths During Baghdadi Raid In Syria

8:05pm March 13, 2020

The military is conducting a credibility assessment of claims of civilian casualties during the U.S. operation against ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

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A box office is closed at the Chase Center in San Francisco, where the Golden State Warriors were to play the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday. The NBA season has been suspended due to the outbreak of coronavirus.

Sports Leagues Shutter Their Seasons – And Leave Fans Wondering What To Do Now

5:55pm March 13, 2020

by Laurel Wamsley

What had seemed unimaginable just days earlier is suddenly the new reality: Sports in America are on hold.

National

The Lonely Non-Island: Unfortunately, Moose Boulder Doesn't Exist

4:18pm March 13, 2020

If Moose Boulder existed, it would be the largest island in the largest lake on the largest island in the largest lake on the largest island in the largest lake in the world. Alas, it isn't real.

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Louisiana Delays April Presidential Primary Over Viral Outbreak

4:18pm March 13, 2020

Louisiana is postponing its primary vote in April due to the coronavirus outbreak. NPR's Ailsa Chang speaks with Louisiana Secretary of State R. Kyle Ardoin about the decision.

Corrections health experts have been urging prison administrators to plan for coronavirus.

National

Prisons And Jails Worry About Becoming Coronavirus 'Incubators'

4:18pm March 13, 2020

by Martin Kaste

Inmates and guards don't have the option of staying home during a coronavirus outbreak, so detention centers risk becoming "incubators" for the disease. Some are scrambling to mitigate the risk.

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Christ Episcopal Church Georgetown in Washington, D.C. The church's rector, Reverend Timothy Cole, tested positive for the COVID-19 virus.

Churches Grapple With Whether To Suspend Worship Services

4:11pm March 13, 2020

by Tom Gjelten

The decision of whether to cancel worship services depends on health considerations, government orders, and maybe even political leanings. Smaller churches face bigger problems.

Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders and Joe Biden are adapting to the spread of the coronavirus by changing campaign schedules. Louisiana is delaying its primary by more than two months over coronavirus fears.

Louisiana Postpones Presidential Primary Over Coronavirus Fears

4:10pm March 13, 2020

by James Doubek

Louisiana is pushing back its presidential primary, from April 4 to June 20. It's the first state to postpone elections over coronavirus risks.

Social distancing is easier in rural areas.

Rural Towns Insulated From Coronavirus Now May Take A Harder Hit Later

2:18pm March 13, 2020

by Frank Morris

The coronavirus will likely take longer to reach remote rural communities but may be more devastating. Though there may not be public transit or big crowds, rural areas are vulnerable in other ways.

Tom J. Germano (right) told his son, Thomas Germano, about when he took part in the Great Postal Strike of 1970 to demand better pay, during a visit to StoryCorps last month in North Babylon, N.Y.

National

A Postal Worker Loved His Job. But An 8-Day Postal Strike Was A 'Dignity Thing'

12:37pm March 13, 2020

In 1970, New York letter carrier Tom Germano walked out with fellow postal workers across the U.S. to demand better pay. The public was supportive, he said. "You knew them. ... We shared their lives."

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