WHO head pushes back on Trump

Unity not politics, WHO director general says Unity not politics [Forward to a friend]( | [Subscribe]( | [View in your browser]( [Top of The World]( The director general of the WHO is calling for unity and an end to the "politicization" of the coronavirus crisis, pushing back on US President Donald Trump's criticism of the organization. Also, eyes are on OPEC talks today and whether Russia and Saudi Arabia will agree to production cuts as crude prices have crashed to an 18-year low. And in Italy, some overworked doctors are getting a little help from Tommy, a robot nurse. --------------------------------------------------------------- Our coronavirus coverage has never been behind a paywall. No paywalls, ever. Many of you have stepped forward and shown your support for The World with thoughtful messages like this one: "Your journalism is outstanding. Even now — maybe especially now — your handling of topics adds a comprehensive quality to our understanding of global issues that is often absent in other media sources. Thank you." Your donations help us make our nonprofit journalism available to everyone. [donate]( --------------------------------------------------------------- In the news today Unity, not politics [Medical workers hug at the Wuhan Tianhe International Airport after travel restrictions to leave Wuhan, China's epicenter of the novel coronavirus outbreak, were lifted, April 8, 2020.]( Credit: Aly Song/Reuters The World Health Organization's Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus pushed back against US President Donald Trump today, [calling for unity and an end to the "politicization"]( of the global health crisis. Trump has been openly critical of the WHO's handling of the coronavirus pandemic and suggested that the US could review its funding for the agency. US contributions to the WHO in 2019 exceeded $400 million, almost double the second-largest country donor. Also: [Trump slammed the WHO over coronavirus. He’s not alone.]( OPEC standoff with Russia OPEC and Russia are [set to discuss oil output cuts today]( as the Kremlin and Saudi Arabia are engaged in a price war that has [helped send crude prices crashing to 18-year lows](. The demand for fuel around the world has plummeted by as much as 30% as measures to fight the coronavirus have grounded aircraft, reduced vehicle usage and curbed economic activity. Also: [OPEC+ talks face challenges over baseline for cuts and US role]( From The World: [Oil industry in free fall]( COVID-19 causing economic crisis The sharp economic downturn from the coronavirus crisis is triggering the [worst global fallout since the 1930s Great Depression](, the head of the International Monetary Fund said today. IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said despite the fiscal stimulus measures taken by countries of $8 trillion globally, more would likely be needed. And, developing countries will be hit the hardest — and they'll soon need hundreds of billions of dollars in foreign aid and massive unemployment. Also: [Emerging markets are in turmoil. The IMF must step in to help. Here’s how]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Faith in the time of COVID-19 This week, people all over the world are celebrating Passover and Easter. Ramadan starts later this month. The World is devoting an entire show to faith in the time of COVID-19 this Friday, and we want to hear from you. How has your faith — or your ability to worship — been affected by the pandemic? Send us a voice memo with your name, your city and your answer to [myworld@theworld.org](mailto:myworld@theworld.org?subject=Faith%20in%20the%20time%20of%20COVID-19). [For this year’s Passover Seder, to Zoom or not to Zoom?]( To Zoom or not to Zoom? It's an added question for many Jewish families this year as social distancing measures in place the world over are preventing big, in-person gatherings. Virtual Seder gatherings will probably gain some participants while losing others — both for [technological and religious reasons](. For Reform Jews, there’s no religious obstacle to convening online, said Andrew Rehfeld, president of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion. But more conservative denominations restrict technology use on holidays. The Number in the News: 22 When the US and Canada closed their border to nonessential travel to counter the spread of the coronavirus, the small Alaskan community of Hyder was put in a bind. Hyder relies on neighboring Stewart in British Columbia, Canada, for gas, food and medical needs. They are technically two communities split by an international border, but they think of themselves there as one community. And, now the mayor of Stewart [has pledged to support her Yankee neighbors](and deliver what’s needed to the border. The Number in the News is The World’s daily smart speaker show. You’ll learn one number you won’t forget and why it’s in the news today. [Click here]( to add The Number in the News to your Amazon or Google flash briefing and hear a new episode seven days a week. [Spain's street vendors deliver food, medical supplies amid coronavirus crisis]( For over three weeks now, Barcelona’s union of African street vendors — many members of whom are undocumented — has been distributing food and other necessary items every day to hundreds of families in vulnerable situations. And dozens of union members — sitting six feet apart — work every day to make thousands of surgical masks and gowns for Spain's beleaguered health care workers, caretakers and anyone else in need of protective gear. [Tommy the robot nurse helps Italian doctors care for COVID-19 patients]( [A robot helping medical teams treat patients suffering from COVID-19 is pictured at a patient's room, in the Circolo hospital, in Varese, Italy on April 1, 2020.]( Credit: Flavio Lo Scalzo/Reuters Meet Tommy, a robot nurse. Tommy is one of six new robots helping flesh-and-blood doctors and nurses care for coronavirus patients at the Circolo Hospital in Varese, a city in the northern Lombardy region that is the epicenter of the outbreak in Italy. The child-size robots with large blinking eyes are wheeled into rooms and left by a patient's bedside so doctors can look after others who are in more serious conditions. --------------------------------------------------------------- Morning meme Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau suggests wearing a mask can help prevent you from speaking "moistly" on others. Eew. --------------------------------------------------------------- In case you missed it on The World - [Coronavirus in song]( - [Meet Tommy, the robot-nurse]( - [Oil industry in freefall]( - [How secure is the global food supply chain?]( - [Coronavirus in San Marino]( - [States look for alternatives as coronavirus disrupts US elections]( - [Musician Wu Fei crosses cultures]( - [African street vendors help Spain through coronavirus crisis]( - [Passover in a pandemic]( - [What does it mean when people say 'we're due for a pandemic'?]( - [Wuhan ends its lockdown]( Don't forget to subscribe to The World's Latest Edition podcast using your favorite podcast player: [RadioPublic](, [Apple Podcasts](, [Stitcher](, [Soundcloud](, [RSS]( [The World logo]( [The World on Facebook]( [The World's Twitter account]( [Donate]( | [Forward to a friend]( | [Subscribe]( | [Edit your subscription]( | [Unsubscribe]( | [View in your browser]( Top of the World is written weekday mornings by the team at [The World](. 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