Margaret Besheer's guest appearances

Margaret Besheer

Global Dispatches -- World News That Matters

Early Edition with Kate Hawkesby

Vladimir Putin

Helen Clark

Julie Smith

Donald Trump

Sean Palmer

Lidia Bastianich

Brad Olsen

Jennifer Lopez

Ruth Messinger

Jeff Bezos

Thomas Pickering

Mike Williams

Gareth Evans

Chris Edwards

Michael Parker

OwlTail

A Navy hospital ship with 1,000 beds arrived Monday in New York City as the number of deaths in the state from the coronavirus outbreak climbed quickly. The disease continued to claim the lives of health care workers. Mayor Bill de Blasio said President Donald Trump’s suggestion that thousands of medical masks are disappearing from New York City hospitals is “insulting” to front-line medical workers.The latest coronavirus developments in New York:SHIP ARRIVES AS TOLL RISESA Navy hospital ship docked in New York City on Monday as the number of coronavirus-related deaths in the state soared to a “beyond staggering” 1,218.The 1,000-bed USNS Comfort will be used as a “relief valve,” treating non-coronavirus patients while the city’s increasingly stressed hospitals handle people with COVID-19, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said.Shortly after it arrived at a Manhattan pier, the governor announced that the statewide death toll had risen by 253 in a single day."That's a lot of loss, that's a lot of pain, that's a lot of tears, that's a lot of grief that people all across this state are feeling," Cuomo said.Most of the state's fatalities have occurred in just the past 10 days. Cuomo said the ultimate number of COVID-19-related deaths will be staggering, then added: "To me, we're beyond staggering already."The Comfort, which was also sent to New York after the 9/11 terror attacks, has 12 operating rooms that could be up and running within 24 hours, officials said.The ship is docked just north of a temporary hospital constructed inside the cavernous Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. State and city officials are trying to increase hospital capacity by up to 87,000 beds to handle the outbreak."We bring a message to all New Yorkers – now, your Navy is returned and we are with you committed in this fight,” said Rear Admiral John Mustin.There are 9,500 people in New York currently hospitalized for COVID-19, with more than 2,300 in intensive care. More than 66,000 New Yorkers have tested positive for the virus.TEMPORARY MORGUESAs the outbreak has worsened, some hospitals are now parking refrigerated trailers outside their doors to collect the remains of the dead.At two Brooklyn hospitals, videos posted online by bystanders and a medical worker showed workers wearing protective masks and gowns loading bodies onto trailers from gurneys parked on the sidewalk.The office of the city's medical examiner confirmed on Monday that it has started using a temporary morgue set up last week in Manhattan to provide emergency capacity as the city’s permanent morgues fill up. The site near Bellevue Hospital includes a large tent and refrigeration units.The U.S. military has sent 42 people to the city to help the medical examiner’s office deal with an influx of bodies.Thomas Von Essen, the regional administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, said Monday his agency was also providing refrigeration trucks to the city.“We in New York City have a desperate need for help over in Queens,” said Von Essen, who was the city’s fire commissioner on Sept. 11, 2001. “And we are working on that as we speak, there’s folks trying to put it all together.”Queens has been the hardest hit of the five boroughs, with an outsized number of coronavirus cases and deaths.___THE TOLLTwo more New York City health care workers have died of the coronavirus, days after the first confirmed death.De Blasio announced Sunday the deaths of Freda Ocran, a psych educator at Jacobi Hospital in the Bronx, and Theresa Lococo, a pediatric nurse at Kings County Hospital.Ocran was previously the head nurse of the psych unit at Jacobi and was working, in part, to support her mother in Africa, de Blasio said.On March 20, Ocran changed her profile picture on Facebook to include a mantra familiar to people on the front lines of the coronavirus fight: “I can’t stay home ... I’m a healthcare worker.”Dr. James T. Goodrich, a pediatric neurosurgeon who once led a tea...

A Navy hospital ship with 1,000 beds arrived Monday in New York City as the number of deaths in the state from the coronavirus outbreak climbed quickly. The disease continued to claim the lives of health care workers. Mayor Bill de Blasio said President Donald Trump’s suggestion that thousands of medical masks are disappearing from New York City hospitals is “insulting” to front-line medical workers. The latest coronavirus developments in New York: SHIP ARRIVES AS TOLL RISES A Navy hospital ship docked in New York City on Monday as the number of coronavirus-related deaths in the state soared to a “beyond staggering” 1,218. The 1,000-bed USNS Comfort will be used as a “relief valve,” treating non-coronavirus patients while the city’s increasingly stressed hospitals handle people with COVID-19, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said. Shortly after it arrived at a Manhattan pier, the governor announced that the statewide death toll had risen by 253 in a single day. "That's a lot of loss, that's a lot of pain, that's a lot of tears, that's a lot of grief that people all across this state are feeling," Cuomo said. Most of the state's fatalities have occurred in just the past 10 days. Cuomo said the ultimate number of COVID-19-related deaths will be staggering, then added: "To me, we're beyond staggering already." The Comfort, which was also sent to New York after the 9/11 terror attacks, has 12 operating rooms that could be up and running within 24 hours, officials said. The ship is docked just north of a temporary hospital constructed inside the cavernous Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. State and city officials are trying to increase hospital capacity by up to 87,000 beds to handle the outbreak. "We bring a message to all New Yorkers – now, your Navy is returned and we are with you committed in this fight,” said Rear Admiral John Mustin. There are 9,500 people in New York currently hospitalized for COVID-19, with more than 2,300 in intensive care. More than 66,000 New Yorkers have tested positive for the virus. TEMPORARY MORGUES As the outbreak has worsened, some hospitals are now parking refrigerated trailers outside their doors to collect the remains of the dead. At two Brooklyn hospitals, videos posted online by bystanders and a medical worker showed workers wearing protective masks and gowns loading bodies onto trailers from gurneys parked on the sidewalk. The office of the city's medical examiner confirmed on Monday that it has started using a temporary morgue set up last week in Manhattan to provide emergency capacity as the city’s permanent morgues fill up. The site near Bellevue Hospital includes a large tent and refrigeration units. The U.S. military has sent 42 people to the city to help the medical examiner’s office deal with an influx of bodies. Thomas Von Essen, the regional administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, said Monday his agency was also providing refrigeration trucks to the city. “We in New York City have a desperate need for help over in Queens,” said Von Essen, who was the city’s fire commissioner on Sept. 11, 2001. “And we are working on that as we speak, there’s folks trying to put it all together.” Queens has been the hardest hit of the five boroughs, with an outsized number of coronavirus cases and deaths. ___ THE TOLL Two more New York City health care workers have died of the coronavirus, days after the first confirmed death. De Blasio announced Sunday the deaths of Freda Ocran, a psych educator at Jacobi Hospital in the Bronx, and Theresa Lococo, a pediatric nurse at Kings County Hospital. Ocran was previously the head nurse of the psych unit at Jacobi and was working, in part, to support her mother in Africa, de Blasio said. On March 20, Ocran changed her profile picture on Facebook to include a mantra familiar to people on the front lines of the coronavirus fight: “I can’t stay home ... I’m a healthcare worker.” Dr. James T. Goodrich, a pediatric neurosurgeon who once led a tea...

Margaret Besheer: New York virus death toll rises above 1,200

The coronavirus pandemic is impacting institutions around the world, including the United Nations. In fact, about an hour after I recorded this episode, the Philippines Mission said to the United Nations that one of its diplomats, who had been at meetings in UN Headquarters in New York, tested positive for COVID-19. In this episode, I speak with Margaret Besheer, the UN correspondent for Voice of America. She helps me understand how the coronavirus is impacting the work and life of the United Nations.   We start by discussing the work of the World Health Organization before having a longer conversation about the day-to-day implications of COVID-19 on all manner of work at the United Nations. This includes UN peacekeeping, day-to-day diplomacy, and the work of the Security Council. https://www.undispatch.com/

The coronavirus pandemic is impacting institutions around the world, including the <a href="https://www.un.org/en/coronavirus" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">United Nations</a>. In fact, about an hour after I recorded this episode, the Philippines Mission said to the United Nations that one of its diplomats, who had been at meetings in UN Headquarters in New York, tested positive for COVID-19. In this episode, I speak with <a href="https://www.usagm.gov/experts/margaret-besheer/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Margaret Besheer</a>, the UN correspondent for <a href="https://www.voanews.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Voice of America</a>. She helps me understand how the coronavirus is impacting the work and life of the United Nations.   We start by discussing the work of the <a href="https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">World Health Organization</a> before having a longer conversation about the day-to-day implications of COVID-19 on all manner of work at the United Nations. This includes UN peacekeeping, day-to-day diplomacy, and the work of the Security Council. <a href="https://www.undispatch.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.undispatch.com/</a>

How the Coronavirus is Impacting the Inner Workings of the United Nations with Margaret Besheer

Today's episode is the launch of a new series: UN Correspondent Chatter. From time to time I'll check in with an in-house reporter at the United Nations headquarters in New York to discuss the latest news, buzz, and intrigues around Turtle Bay.   I'm pleased to launch this new series with Margaret Besheer of the Voice of America. She has covered the UN since 2008 and has a been a great source of news and insight to me over the years.    We cover a lot of ground in this conversation, including how the UN is responding to the situation in Venezuela, the significance of a breakthrough on Yemen in the Security Council, the implications of Palestine taking over as the chair of a key group of countries, what to expect from the US at the UN in the coming months, and whether or not other diplomatic breakthroughs may be possible in the coming months.    Join the referral program!

Today's episode is the launch of a new series: UN Correspondent Chatter. From time to time I'll check in with an in-house reporter at the United Nations headquarters in New York to discuss the latest news, buzz, and intrigues around Turtle Bay.   I'm pleased to launch this new series with Margaret Besheer of the Voice of America. She has covered the UN since 2008 and has a been a great source of news and insight to me over the years.    We cover a lot of ground in this conversation, including how the UN is responding to the situation in Venezuela, the significance of a breakthrough on Yemen in the Security Council, the implications of Palestine taking over as the chair of a key group of countries, what to expect from the US at the UN in the coming months, and whether or not other diplomatic breakthroughs may be possible in the coming months.    <a href="https://existing-listeners.kickoffpages.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Join the referral program!</a>