The World

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...

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...

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...

As the US and Europe struggle to contain the coronavirus outbreak, China is sending aid and medical supplies around the world. And, over 70 million displaced people around the world are stuck in overcrowded refugee camps. The coronavirus outbreak is putting a strain on already poor living conditions. Also, archaeologists have discovered the remains of 3,400-year-old ball court in the mountains of Oaxaca in Mexico. The discovery may shed light on how Mesoamerican societies developed.

With masks and ventilators in short supply, how health care providers around the world deciding to allocate scarce resources? And, Moscow residents got a four-hour notice Sunday before the city went under a sweeping quarantine. The order from the mayor of Moscow came just days after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a week-long, paid, stay-at-home holiday...

US President Donald Trump’s unproven endorsement of hydroxychloroquine as a treatment for COVID-19 has triggered a run on the drug worldwide — including in Mexico. Also, the spread of the coronavirus and the border closures have slowed down humanitarian aid to war-torn Syria. Host Marco Werman speaks with David Miliband, the chief executive officer of the International Rescue Committee, about what help is available for Syrians...

The novel coronavirus is novel in a number of ways. It's disturbingly easy to spread, often coming from people with no symptoms. Infectious disease epidemiologist Gabriel Leung, who has been at the forefront of understanding the coronavirus, explains what we now know and what remains a mystery about COVID-19. And, we speak with former Pentagon chief Leon Panetta about the challenges that limit the movement and role of US troops to help combat the coronavirus crisis...

As India settles into a country-wide lockdown, a looming question is whether its health care system will be prepared for what's next. And, South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore have all been praised for "flattening the curve" of COVID-19 outbreaks. But sadly, these places can't celebrate just yet. If you're an ant the size of a sesame seed, danger can come in many forms. New research has found that Myrmecina graminicola ants have a unique defense: They tuck into a ball and roll.

From The World and PRX, this is The Number in the News. Today’s number: 80. The worldwide sensation that is the "Harry Potter" series has been translated into over 80 languages. One of the latest translations is Yiddish. Translator Arun Viswanath describes the process and teaches us how to say some magical words including “magic wand” in Yiddish.