The World

We still don't know whether people who've been infected with the novel coronavirus are immune from infection, and if so, for how long. But scientists are starting to put together the pieces of the puzzle. Madagascar is marketing a new herbal drink as a potential treatment — if not a cure — for the coronavirus. While the World Health Organization has warned against the use of untested treatments for the coronavirus, some African countries are ordering the new drink. And, it's official: COVID-19 is feminine in the French language. It's La COVID-dix-neuf, not Le. Like in most other romance languages, every noun in French has its own gender.

Renewed tensions between Beijing and Washington threaten cooperation on halting the spread of COVID-19 and make completion of a landmark trade deal between the two superpowers less likely. And, countries everywhere are weighing the decision of when and how to reopen. But, there's no easy answers and no blueprint to follow. Also, for those stuck at home, especially with children, Japanese animator and former president of Tokyo's Studio Ghibli released a video tutorial of how to draw one of the animation companies' beloved characters from the film "My Neighbor Totoro."

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has set out his exit strategy for how the UK comes out of lockdown. But not everyone is backing it, including leading lawmakers from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. And, when the globe first learned about the new coronavirus emerging in China, we were basically told to watch out for two things: a fever or a persistent, dry cough. But, a lot has changed since then in terms of what we know about the symptoms of COVID-19. Also, "Table for One" is a new restaurant pop-up in Sweden with just one table and one chair in the middle of a meadow — perhaps ideal for social distancing.

Brazil has become one of the global epicenters of the coronavirus pandemic, recently surpassing China in the number of reported cases. And, black men and women are nearly twice as likely to die with coronavirus as white people in England and Wales, according to UK government officials. Also, the Puerto Rican indie pop duo Buscabulla have released their debut album "Regresa."

From The World and PRX, this is the Number in the News. Today’s number: 6. Astronaut Cady Coleman understands what isolation feels like. Coleman spent nearly six months living on the International Space Station. With much of the world under lockdown to counter the spread of the novel coronavirus, Coleman is sharing lessons on surviving social isolation to help people down on planet Earth.

One reliable path to economic recovery is getting a vaccine for the coronavirus. The World discusses the latest and explains the race to develop a vaccine. In Poland, the ruling conservative government was pushing for presidential elections this Sunday by mail. But some lawmakers rebelled, and the ruling Law and Justice party, or PiS, agreed to postpone things. When, and how exactly Poles will vote remains unclear. Also, Andy Serkis, the actor who played the creature Gollum in the Hobbit movies, will be returning to the screen on Friday. Not the big screen, of course, but your computer where he plans to read all of "The Hobbit" non-stop on a livestream for charity.

Relations between Beijing and Washington have long been rocky. But now many leaders in both capitals see a more serious rupture as inevitable or even desirable. And, across the US, various groups have mobilized to confront the sudden, intense crisis of starvation among immigrants and refugees. Also, Scottish virologist June Almeida identified the first coronavirus in 1964. But her work in the field has gone largely unrecognized until the current novel coronavirus pandemic.

The Trump administration's handling of the coronavirus crisis has been the butt of jokes and critical editorials the world over. How real is this loss of prestige, and does it matter? And, for months starting in October, Iraqis poured into the streets in several major cities demanding change in their government. Then, the coronavirus happened. Bread making, particularly sourdough bread making, has become a trend for people looking for ways to pass time under lockdown. For sourdough librarian Karl De Smedt, it's his livelihood.

The coronavirus pandemic has devastated some countries more than others. Ecuador is one place that's been overwhelmed by COVID-19. Also, in this time of social isolation, many people are finding themselves without much of an opportunity for human touch. The condition is called "skin hunger," and it's known to cause depression, anxiety and insomnia. And, a hornet species, native to southeast Asia, has been recently spotted in the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia, Canada.  It’s the Giant Asian Hornet, also known as the "murder hornet."

Most leaders and medical experts say life won’t get back to relative normal until we get a vaccine to prevent COVID-19. It could take a while, so some scientists and ethicists are proposing a controversial method of testing. Also, Russia’s Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin has tested positive for the coronavirus and is temporarily stepping down from his position as he recovers. Plus, the British rock band Queen has updated the classic rock ballad, "We Are The Champions," to honor health care workers around the world.