Deeper Look from New York

Only 3 weeks after its first coronavirus infection was discovered, New York City became an epicenter of the Coronavirus Pandemic. As NYC remains in lockdown, the fight to save lives continues every day at hospitals throughout the city. How is New York coping with the Pandemic? What steps are New Yorkers taking to combat the crisis, and what can we learn from the experiences this great metropolis has been through? We ask Clinical Professor of Global Health at NYU, Dr. Jo Ivey Boufford.

The streets of New York are eerily quiet as the city remains in lockdown. But inside hospital ERs, battles are being fought every day. While the number of coronavirus cases and deaths in the state may have plateaued, they remain significantly high. Surrounded by death and the risk of infection, how do doctors and health care workers manage to keep working? We asked Dr. Tsion Firew, who contracted the virus and on recovery, immediately returned to the front lines to resume her duties.

As the novel coronavirus continues to spread around the world, it is now affecting the African continent, and the number of cases is rapidly rising. To make matters worse, East Africa has been hit by a massive locust swarm, making efforts to control the COVID-19 outbreak even more challenging. We asked Dr. Firew, a Special Advisor to the Ministry of Health in Ethiopia, how the country and other African nations are preparing for the pandemic.

As the U.S. slowly lifts restrictions after a two-month pandemic lockdown, things are not the same. Restaurants are re-opening with limited seating, face masks are required in public. But that's not all that has changed. Unemployment claims have hit 40 million, and the nation worries if jobs will ever come back to the same level before the pandemic. We asked Dr. Groshen about the impact of coronavirus on the labor market.

The killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officers prompted tens of thousands of people to protest in cities across the U.S. and around the world. While violence and looting erupted in some areas, incidents of law enforcement officers using force on peaceful demonstrators have been witnessed, triggering debate not only about racial discrimination, but also about the role of police in our society. We asked civil rights lawyer, Damon Hewitt, how we can stop racism and police brutality.

It is university and college graduation season in the U.S., but this year, things are not the same. Some ceremonies are being held on-line, while others are taking place with graduates practicing social distancing. The pandemic has affected U.S. higher education in many ways. Looking to fall, students and parents in and out of the country are wondering what schools will look like when the new academic year begins. We asked Mr. Robert Franek, an expert on U.S. higher education, for his insights.

President Biden will host 40 global leaders at the Leaders Summit on Climate. Environmental experts stress the urgency to limit earth's warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius to mitigate the most pressing impacts of climate change. What does that number mean? What will happen if we can't reach this goal? After abandoning the Kyoto Protocol and Paris Agreement, can the U.S. reclaim its leadership role? We asked Professor Mark Jacobson how things will differ this time when significant measures have still not been taken.

Scientists began warning us about climate change a long time ago. International discussions about reducing greenhouse gas emissions have been ongoing, but no significant steps have been taken. In the interim, temperatures keep rising in many places, and extreme weather events are more frequent. Some say it is impossible to completely withdraw from carbon energies. But Mark Jacobson has a plan to replace them with 100% clean renewables. We asked Prof. Jacobson how we can tackle this issue.

In late 2019, Akiko Iwasaki was alarmed about a new virus coming out of China. Reports revealed a possible respiratory infection which meant rapid transmission rates, and as she predicted, the virus soon spread worldwide. While vaccinations are now underway in the U.S. and other countries, variants have emerged, and cases are rising in some regions. So, are vaccines the light at the end of a long tunnel? Professor Iwasaki shares insights on vaccination, variants and the long-term effects of COVID-19.

In the U.S., Federal officials announced that fully vaccinated Americans no longer need to wear masks outdoors in small groups, when dining outside, or biking and running. As vaccination rates pick up, people are starting to do some things they had stopped doing because of COVID-19. This makes us wonder how much longer this pandemic will last? When will we achieve "herd immunity"? And when can we return to our pre-pandemic lives? We asked Professor Iwasaki about the prospects for the near future.

President Biden announced that the exit of US troops from Afghanistan would be completed by Sept. 11, 2021, the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the U.S. But even after the US declaration, bombings have not ceased, and insurgencies cast a dark shadow on the country's future. What consequences will the withdrawal bring to the nation and to the U.S. itself? We asked Cheryl Benard, an expert on national security issues, post-conflict reconstruction, and author of books on Islamic countries.

While hundreds of people have been killed in Afghanistan in May, reports claim that the U.S. troop withdrawal is accelerating months ahead of the deadline set by President Biden. Responsible for the destruction of the Bamiyan Buddhas, concerns grow over the Islamic fundamentalist group, the Taliban's return to power. If they regain control, how will they govern and treat citizens, especially women and the people who helped the U.S.? We continue our conversation with Cheryl Benard for insights.