The World: Latest Stories

As some South Africans retreat to the comfort of their homes, reports of police violence and panic buying in markets foreshadow how the COVID-19 response in South Africa is as unequal as the country itself.

An estimated 32 million Latinos will be eligible to vote in November. Registering them to vote requires a substantial in-person effort that grassroots groups can't do right now because of the coronavirus outbreak. Some are shifting their strategies to the internet.

After most of Israel went into isolation, Bnei Brak was slow to adopt the country’s social distancing regulations.

The World speaks with Gary Kobinger, an expert in special pathogens who helped pioneer an Ebola vaccine, about progress towards a vaccine for COVID-19.

Taiwan leads the world as the most-prepared and best-equipped nation to fight the pandemic. But pressure from China continues to stymie their involvement in international public health care efforts.

A United Nations biodiversity report concludes that as many as one million species are at risk of going extinct in the coming decades. In response, the the UN Convention on Biodiversity and the Center for Biological Diversity have released new plans to avert the crisis.

Contact tracing, or meticulously tracing individuals exposed to illness, has been key to combating outbreaks of Ebola, cholera and tuberculosis throughout the world. Dr. Sheila Davis of the nonprofit Partners in Health explains what the US can learn from those crises.

The virus is spreading quickly across Brazil. As of Monday, there were 11,721 people infected with COVID-19 and 516 deaths in the country, according to state health department information.

Iran has the fifth highest death toll from COVID-19. And while some people are wondering whether they can survive financially, others are struggling to overcome the disease.

Hungary's government under Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has granted itself sweeping powers under the auspices of the coronavirus pandemic. But critics warn it is hastening Hungary's authoritarian decline.

Monkeys at the Tulane National Primate Research Center have been infected with the coronavirus. Eventually, the animals will be tested with potential vaccines.

President Jair Bolsonaro has remained defiant even after US President Donald Trump, who has been his political role model, walked back his own skepticism about the coronavirus outbreak. Bolsonaro’s stance has isolated him politically in Brazil.

The COVID-19 pandemic presents challenges for doctors on visas who are already in the US, and for international physicians who are supposed to arrive in the US to start work at US hospitals in a few months.

If the pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that what’s “normal” can change dramatically and quickly to protect public health — and those lessons may be good for the climate, too.

The US just passed a $2 trillion stimulus. But how does it look compared to efforts in some European countries to mitigate the economic effect of the coronavirus pandemic?

While an increasing number of countries are tightening their borders in an effort to halt further infections, South Korea is taking a different approach. But a rise in imported cases threatens to roll back some of the country’s progress.

Even before COVID-19 swept through the country, South Korea had a well-known reputation for being a so-called “delivery nation.”

When a treatment for the coronavirus becomes available, who would get access to it? This question is of growing concern to policymakers and medical officials around the globe. Dr. Manuel Martin, an advisor with Médecins Sans Frontières, speaks with The World's Marco Werman about why a potential monopoly by one pharmaceutical company worries him.

Sailors are especially vulnerable in the coronavirus pandemic. Following an outbreak on the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt, The World's Marco Werman spoke to Acting US Navy Secretary Thomas Modly about the US military's readiness for coronavirus — and the sometimes conflicting goals of protecting US sailors while maintaining combat effectiveness.

What to do with pent up anxiety? Some say profanities help relieve stress. But while English swear words and phrases are often linked to sex, in the Dutch language, many profanities and expletives are derived from disease.

Dating while in isolation is probably not the ideal way to hook up with a new partner, but dating apps are all reporting increases in usage. Boredom and a little loneliness are likely playing a part.

Millions of people across the world have been ordered to stay home under the assumption that home is the safest place for them. That's not the case for people who are now stuck at home with their abusers. A network of women's organizations in Europe explains how groups are stepping in to help domestic violence survivors.

In Kenya, which has confirmed more than 100 cases of the new coronavirus, the latest mitigation measures came in the form of a nationwide curfew, which went into effect on March 27.

In the Gaza Strip, roughly 2 million Palestinians are squeezed into a small territory. And though there have been few reported cases of the coronavirus, experts worry Israel's years-long blockade has left the territory ill-equipped to handle the outbreak.

Across much of Asia, masks are considered an essential weapon in the war against the new coronavirus. Should Americans follow suit?

Experts say international cooperation is critical to combat the novel coronavirus pandemic, but as more and more country borders close, global leadership is also retreating.

With the streets of Llandudno unnaturally quiet, the goats have been free to wander the streets undisturbed.

Yaneilys Ayuso, who will vote for the first time in November, has spent much of the last year trying to encourage Florida youth to get involved in politics. Now, Ayuso's efforts are on hold as the city of Miami — and much of the country — is under lockdown.

Developing countries hit by COVID-19 are struggling — and unlike the US, many can’t just pass a stimulus package. Now, help is available in the form of billions of dollars. And the aid isn’t just for governments: It will also go to private companies.

In Spain, one in seven cases of the coronavirus is a health worker. Without sufficient protective gear, those on the frontlines feel abandoned by the government and hospital authorities.

The World Health Organization's role has expanded over the years. It's like a conductor on a crowded world stage of performers, waving its baton to get everyone playing the same score.

International organizations such as the UN and the Arab League have called for warring parties across the globe to put down their guns so that locals can deal with the coronavirus pandemic. But are their calls being heard?

Amid shortages of medical supplies, doctors and nurses in the US are already grappling with hard choices on who will get critical care such as ventilators and ICU beds. Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel, co-author of a new study on rationing medical care, speaks with The World's host Marco Werman.

Admission is free at the Social Distancing Festival, an online space for artists to showcase their work when a performance or exhibition has been impacted by COVID-19.

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced refugee resettlement worldwide to grind to a halt, dividing families and stranding them thousands of miles from each other.

A technology-based method of growing produce inside year-round, without soil or sunlight, could be part of the solution.

Critical information on the coronavirus outbreak is not always available in languages other than English. A hospital in California's rural heartland is producing PSA-style videos to reach immigrant farmworkers in the area.

On Tuesday, ICE recorded its first case of COVID-19 in a detainee — an immigrant in a detention center in New Jersey.

The country has the fourth-highest number of COVID-19 cases in sub-Saharan Africa, and prevention measures have been in place for several weeks now.

The spread of the coronavirus is scary everywhere. But in Syria, which has faced war for nine years, humanitarian aid and health care is already stretched razor-thin. David Miliband, head of the International Rescue Committee, spoke with The World's Marco Werman about efforts to prevent and treat the novel coronavirus in a warzone.

As COVID-19 hits Zimbabwe, health care workers are demanding vital resources to fight the disease. Dr. Fortune Nayamande speaks with The World's Marco Werman about the pressures and threats health care workers in Zimbabwe face, and the situation in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The scenes in Iran mirror the coronavirus outbreaks in Wuhan, China, northern Italy, and now, New York City. At least 2,234 people have died in Iran as of today, according to the government — although outside observers believe the number is far higher.

Leaders around the world have promised their citizens that grocery stores will stay open, even in the places most impacted by the novel coronavirus pandemic. But people are still making sure they have essentials on hand. What does “stocking up” look like for people around the world?

When it comes to the spread of COVID-19, personal choices matter. One infected person staying home instead of going out could save thousands of lives.

As the number of coronavirus cases in early epicenters like Wuhan and Daegu declines, there could be second and third waves of the virus, says Dr. Gabriel Leung. That pattern may play out elsewhere in the world until human beings acquire immunity or develop a vaccine.

Former Secretary of Defense and CIA Director Leon Panetta speaks with The World about the role of the US military and defense preparedness during the coronavirus pandemic.

The mostly rural, US border region depends on commerce from northern Mexico. But new travel restrictions block cross-border travel for commerce or sightseeing — cutting off US businesses from most of their Mexican customers.

It’s hard explaining to kids what COVID-19 is, much less the new restrictions that come with it. Reporter Ari Daniel spoke to a bunch of families all over the world about their challenges and how they’re making do.

Hisham Al-Omeisy, a Yemeni activist living in exile, speaks with the The World's host Marco Werman about the war and the threat of the coronavirus pandemic.

Bored yet? Our listeners have some tips on how to deal with self-isolation during the coronavirus pandemic.