Global Health

Mexican lucha libre wrestler Hijo del Soberano sews face masks since his matches have stopped due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

A Mexican 'Lucha Libre' Wrestler Is Sewing Masks To Fight Coronavirus

6:19pm April 30, 2020

by Carrie Kahn

Hijo del Soberano was already designing lucha libre costumes on the side. Since his wrestling venue shut amid Mexico's lockdown, he's turned to making masks. "I just altered my skills a bit," he says.

Police in Chandigarh, India, tweeted a video of officers using a pole with a movable, two-pronged claw for catching a suspect around the waist.

How To Nab Suspects While Social Distancing? Indian Police Try Giant Tongs

5:13pm April 30, 2020

"We call it a 'social distancing clamp' or a 'lockdown-breaker catcher,' " a policeman in Chandigarh, India, tells NPR.

Health & Safety

Conspiracy Theories Abound In Pakistan, Worsening Spread Of The Coronavirus

5:06pm April 30, 2020

by Diaa Hadid

Some people in Pakistan hide COVID-19 symptoms, fearing stigma, and dying alone as a result. Others claim that the virus is fake and that doctors just kill patients.

Queue Listen Now

Prime Minister Boris Johnson chaired his first remote Cabinet meeting since his return to work after his personal bout with the coronavirus. The British leader projected optimism during his comments on Thursday.

Boris Johnson: U.K. Is 'Past The Peak' Of Its Coronavirus Outbreak

4:12pm April 30, 2020

by Colin Dwyer

The prime minister voiced the positive outlook at his first briefing since recovering from COVID-19. Johnson did not, however, lay out specifically when or how the U.K.'s lockdown measures would lift.

Mannequins dressed in wedding gowns and wearing protective face masks in Gaza City in March. With wedding halls closed and public gatherings forbidden to prevent the spread of the virus, many couples have celebrated their marriage in alleyways and apartme

In Gaza, Coronavirus Sparks Wedding Fever

3:09pm April 30, 2020

by Daniel Estrin

With wedding halls closed, Palestinians have saved big money with low-key parties.

A woman gets a novel coronavirus test in Los Angeles earlier this month. The City of Los Angeles, in partnership with Los Angeles County, will offer free coronavirus testing to all residents regardless of whether they have symptoms.

Los Angeles City And County Offer Free Coronavirus Testing To All Residents

2:18pm April 30, 2020

by Scott Neuman

The announcement by Mayor Eric Garcetti makes LA the first major city to offer free testing to all its residents. It came as county health officials reported another 1,541 confirmed COVID-19 cases.

The San Gabriel Mountains are seen under a clear sky beyond downtown Los Angeles. Air quality in the U.S. and elsewhere has been improved by reduced traffic from coronavirus restrictions and weeks of rainstorms.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions Predicted To Fall Nearly 8% — Largest Decrease Ever

1:25pm April 30, 2020

Global energy demand, particularly for coal, is falling sharply this year, the International Energy Agency says. The drop is caused by weather patterns and COVID-19 shutdowns.

A custodian walks down the corridor of a field hospital set up for COVID-19 patients in Rio de Janeiro. Brazil has emerged as a new hot spot of the coronavirus, which in a span of just three months has reached virtually every country in the world.

'We Will Not Give Up': Marking 3 Months Since Coronavirus Became A Global Emergency

11:07am April 30, 2020

by Colin Dwyer

The World Health Organization declared the virus a global health emergency at the end of January. Since then, millions across the world have taken sick — but glimmers of hope have emerged, too.

Mumbai's Historic Ramadan Food Bazaar Closes For The First Time — Due To Coronavirus

10:10am April 30, 2020

by Sushmita Pathak

The famous food stalls and shops on Mumbai's Mohammed Ali Road are closed during India's lockdown. "This is the first time I'm seeing Mohammed Ali Road come to a standstill," says a restaurant owner.

A worshiper burns incense during a Birthday of Buddha service to pray for overcoming the coronavirus pandemic at Jogyesa Temple in Seoul on Thursday.

South Korea Reports No New Domestic Coronavirus Cases

9:28am April 30, 2020

by Scott Neuman

The country, which saw infections ramp up quickly in February, has seen them trend down for weeks. In a milestone on Thursday, officials reported just four new cases, all imported.