The World

US President Donald Trump is threatening to pull funding from the World Health Organization, accusing it of being too "China-centric." The WHO has cautioned against politicizing the coronavirus crisis. And, health care professional burnout has been a long-standing and overlooked issue in hospitals around the world, even before the coronavirus. Also, triathlete Mirinda Carfrae was in second place in a virtual race this week — until her husband accidentally tripped over the cord and unplugged her bike.

US President Donald Trump is threatening to pull funding from the World Health Organization, accusing it of being too "China-centric." The WHO has cautioned against politicizing the coronavirus crisis. And, health care professional burnout has been a long-standing and overlooked issue in hospitals around the world, even before the coronavirus. Also, triathlete Mirinda Carfrae was in second place in a virtual race this week — until her husband accidentally tripped over the cord and unplugged her bike.

The central Chinese city of Wuhan, the epicenter of the novel coronavirus pandemic, began allowing people to leave on Wednesday for the first time after being locked down for 76 days. And, the pandemic has brought all sorts of things to a standstill, including elections. Many officials are looking to make online voting available to more people — that makes election security experts particularly nervous. Also, a robot nurse named Tommy has been helping keep human doctors safe in an Italian hospital.

The central Chinese city of Wuhan, the epicenter of the novel coronavirus pandemic, began allowing people to leave on Wednesday for the first time after being locked down for 76 days. And, the pandemic has brought all sorts of things to a standstill, including elections. Many officials are looking to make online voting available to more people — that makes election security experts particularly nervous. Also, a robot nurse named Tommy has been helping keep human doctors safe in an Italian hospital.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is spending his second night in intensive care in a London hospital after contracting COVID-19. And, the Trump administration is pushing forward with a new plan for a power-sharing government in Venezuela, as the South American nation struggles with a collapsed economy and the looming threat of the coronavirus pandemic. Also, with much of the world cooped up indoors, trying to prevent getting infected or spread the coronavirus, an old idea is starting to take root — planting a victory garden as a way to build community and relieve anxiety.

Spain is the country with the second most reported cases of COVID-19 in the world. However, there seems to be some good news of late: Spanish officials are reporting the growth rate of the virus shows signs of slowing. And, Lebanon's Hezbollah, which recently invited reporters to tour some of its medical facilities, says it's ready for the battle against coronavirus. Also, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern made an important announcement Monday: the Easter bunny is considered an essential worker.

The US is rolling out its largest economic stimulus package in history. Other countries are also spending big to stop losses caused by the coronavirus crisis, but there are some differences in how they do it and who benefits. And, Iran is one of the countries worst hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. For more than a month, health authorities have struggled to contain the outbreak. Also, after much early success, South Korea is taking steps to prevent a secondary coronavirus outbreak.

From The World and PRX, this is The Number in the News. Today’s number: 71. Swedish audio streaming site Spotify surveyed 5,000 pet owners from Britain, Australia, Spain, Italy and the United States and found that 71% of pet owners play music for their pets when they leave the house. Your pup might be getting extra attention as the world hunkers down amid the pandemic. But if you need some pet-free time as you work from home, Spotify has teamed up with British actor Ralph Ineson — best known for his roles in Game of Thrones, Harry Potter, and The Office — to create five-hour-long podcasts that serve as a companion to your canine while you’re not around.

Governments around the world are using digital tracking tools to stop the spread of the coronavirus. In Europe, where privacy and data protections are among the strongest in the world, there’s an effort to come up with effective digital tracking tools that are also privacy-friendly. And, the US armed forces are juggling contradictory goals — troop readiness and troop protection. Tensions around these goals are playing out in Guam and elsewhere, as military leaders prepare troops to fight, while trying to shield them from the coronavirus outbreak. Also, pretty much everything seems to have come to a complete halt. But what about romance, relationships and dating?

The US aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt is docked off the island of Guam, a US territory. Onboard, an unknown number of sailors are sick with COVID-19. But Guam itself has its own coronavirus outbreak. And, the government of India has shut down the entire country, to try to slow the spread of the coronavirus. As a result, millions of Indians have lost their jobs, which has triggered unprecedented mass migration as poor migrant workers return home. Also, a herd of wild goats has taken over the seaside town of Llandudno in Wales, munching on hedges and flowers from gardens.