World News

Takayuki Ueno was set to be a runner in the now postponed Olympic torch relay in Fukushima, Japan. Here he stands in the field where he is growing a flower maze for children to play in Minamisoma, Japan. The field was flooded by the 2011 tsunami and kille

Now Postponed, The Olympic Torch Relay Was To Bring Hope To Ravaged Fukushima

6:14pm March 26, 2020

by Kat Lonsdorf

The torch relay was supposed to start on Thursday in the Japanese prefecture hit hard by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami. A torch runner recalls the disaster that took his family.

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An anti-Netanyahu protester shouts slogans during a demonstration in front of the Knesset in Jerusalem on Wednesday.

World News

In Israel, An Unexpected Political Twist Could Keep Netanyahu In Power

5:49pm March 26, 2020

After three inconclusive elections, Netanyahu and his rival Benny Gantz are reportedly close to a deal to rotate as prime minister, with Netanyahu taking the first turn.

Confirmed cases plotted on a logarithmic scale

How South Korea Reined In The Outbreak Without Shutting Everything Down

5:43pm March 26, 2020

by Jason Beaubien

It's one of several places in Asia that did not use draconian lockdown strategies to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

Kosovo's prime minister, Albin Kurti, seen earlier this month in Pristina, saw his government lose power on a no-confidence vote Wednesday. But he and his ministers are likely to stay in office for a while yet, as the coronavirus crisis unfolds.

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Kosovo Is In Turmoil After Coronavirus Controversy Helped Fell Its Government

5:31pm March 26, 2020

by Colin Dwyer

Prime Minister Albin Kurti lost a no-confidence vote initiated by members of his own coalition Wednesday night. Now, the Balkan country is feeling for a way forward amid a global pandemic.

In Tehran a member of the Revolutionary Guard disinfects a car on Wednesday, to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

Iran Needs Help To Fight Coronavirus, But Delivering Aid Is A Challenge

5:17pm March 26, 2020

by Jackie Northam

Iran is dealing with one of the worst outbreaks of the coronavirus in the world. But getting help into the country is hindered both by a truculent Iranian leadership and strong U.S. sanctions.

World News

Mexicans Are Worried Their Coronavirus Response Is Too Little, Too Late

4:59pm March 26, 2020

by Carrie Kahn

With President Andrés Manuel López Obrador seemingly in denial, Mexico has been late and lax in restricting movements to stop the spread of the coronavirus.

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Capt. Alex Quataert points out the areas the soldiers are visiting on the map.

U.S. Forces In Syria Tackle A More Complex — And Possibly Dangerous — Mission

4:59pm March 26, 2020

American soldiers are helping secure oil fields in northeast Syria — not only from ISIS extremists, but from Syria and Russia as well. It's a relatively new mission for these troops.

"Fight like your lives depend on it – because they do," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Thursday. He praised social distancing and other efforts to stop the coronavirus — but added that alone, they're not enough. Here, the Magic B

'We Are At War,' WHO Head Says, Warning Millions Could Die From COVID-19

4:50pm March 26, 2020

by Bill Chappell

Testing and treating every case "is not an option; it's an obligation," says the WHO's Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. Both Italy and the U.S. are poised to surpass China's tally of coronavirus cases.

As the number of new cases dwindles in China but multiplies worldwide, the country has become more worried about importing cases. Earlier this month, travelers arriving from abroad left the Capital International Airport in Beijing.

China Temporarily Closes Its Borders To Foreign Nationals

3:45pm March 26, 2020

It's not clear how long the measures, which affect foreigners holding valid visas and residence permits, will remain in place. Exemptions will be made for diplomats and plane crews.

Coronavirus Diverts U.S. Aircraft Carrier From Mission In Western Pacific

3:31pm March 26, 2020

by David Welna

The USS Theodore Roosevelt is the first U.S. warship with known cases of COVID-19. It's now heading to Guam to get all 5,000 crew members tested.