Faith in the time of coronavirus

The Trump administration is requiring extra approvals for sending funds to the World Health Organization after US President Donald Trump threatened to cut off funding to the global agency earlier this week. [Forward to a friend]( | [Subscribe]( | [View in your browser]( [Top of The World]( Dear Tristam, From our very beginning, the driving spirit of The World has been to report on global news in ways that reflect a core belief in our newsroom: we all on planet Earth are connected. As I write, the coronvirus crisis continues to spread through virtually every country on Earth. We can cover this story with depth and humanity, but only thanks to the [generous support of of readers like you](. Our coronavirus coverage has never been behind a paywall. Your donations help us make our nonprofit journalism available to everyone. — Marco Werman [donate]( --------------------------------------------------------------- The Trump administration is requiring additional approval for funds sent to the World Health Organization. And, Spain considers a permanent universal basic income. Thousands of migrants and asylum-seekers have been expelled from the US with minimal processing, as the Trump administration cites the coronavirus in sidestepping international law. Plus, some tips on how to celebrate April holidays when you're unable to gather with family and friends. --------------------------------------------------------------- In the news today Trump administration puts up blocks to WHO funding [A man wearing a protective face mask and gloves walks past the empty landmark Alcala Gate, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Madrid, Spain, April 9, 2020.]( Credit: Sergio Perez/Reuters The Trump administration is requiring [extra approvals for sending funds]( to the World Health Organization after US President Donald Trump threatened to cut off funding to the global agency earlier this week, Politico reports. Critics say the president is scapegoating the organization and warn that weakining the WHO in the midst of a pandemic could have deadly consequences. Yemen has announced its first case of the novel coronavirus, prompting concern over the spread of the disease in the [war-torn country](. [Spain]( is seeing a slowdown in coronavirus deaths, an indication that lockdown measures are working. The country will roll out a [universal basic income plan]( in response to the virus that the governing coalition hopes to make permanent. It would be a first for Europe over an extended period. And: [Decades of science denial related to climate change has led to denial of the coronavirus pandemic]( Trump expels thousands of migrants with minimal processing Citing coronavirus and using emergency powers, the Trump administration has [expelled around 10,000 migrants,]( sidestepping international law and turning away asylum-seekers en mass, including hundreds of unaccompanied minors. The only exception is for asylum-seekers who are able to convince border patrol agents they face torture in their home country, according to Customs and Border Patrol guidance [obtained by ProPublica](. But other categories of asylum-seekers are excluded. Meanwhile, the Trump administration has been [soliciting immigrants to take jobs]( in health care and seasonal work, prompting pushback. And: [Germany drafts Romanian farm labor for coronavirus pandemic]( Also: [Pakistani taxi drivers give free rides to Spanish health workers]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Listen in: Today on The World How prepared are the world’s religions to deal with the questions we all have? Today on air, The World will hear from faith leaders, religious scholars and people around the globe. In a crisis of biblical proportions, how do people rely on their faith? [Banning alcohol sales during lockdowns leads shoppers to panic-buy]( In the US and elsewhere, alcohol sales shot up as restaurants and bars closed to slow the outbreak. But in parts of Mexico, South Africa, Thailand and Greenland, [government officials have banned sales]( of beer, wine and liquor in an attempt to limit social gatherings and temper alcohol-fueled domestic violence. "We know lockdowns and quarantines are essential to suppressing COVID-19, but they can trap women with abusive partners," said UN Secretary-General António Guterres. And: [Rihanna gives $2.1m to support LA domestic violence victims in lockdown]( The Number in the News: 1 Admission is free at the [Social Distancing Festival](, an online space for artists to showcase their work when a performance or exhibition has been impacted by COVID-19. Toronto-based playwright Nick Green created the virtual festival after his own production was canceled during the second week of rehearsal. 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. [As pandemic disrupts US elections, states look for online alternatives]( Several states — including Utah, Oregon and West Virginia — currently offer electronic ballot return options in federal elections. But they’re only available to select groups. The renewed interest in [online voting is reigniting an old debate]( about the security risks that come with it, as some experts say online voting would make US elections even more vulnerable to hacking by foreign adversaries and other actors. Also: ['Do-or-die moment' to boost vote-by-mail for November election. But the politics is getting harder.]( And: [Coronavirus is not just a tragedy. It’s an opportunity to build a better world.]( ['Dueling dinos' set off a long legal battle and a scientific debate]( [The dueling dinosaurs were fossilized while apparently locked in battle.]( Credit: Courtesy of The Black Hills Institute of Geological Research It’s been more than 200 years since the first dinosaur fossils were scientifically described. Since then, those prehistoric giants have captivated people of all ages, inspiring statues, theme parks and, of course, a film franchise. But a fossil discovery in Montana may [upend the way we discover dinosaur bones]( and who can own them to begin with. --------------------------------------------------------------- Morning meme It's an important time of year for many faiths celebrating important religious holidays this month. BBC has some [tips on how to come together]( with friends and family while socially isolated. [A screenshot from BBC News]( [Credit: Screenshot from BBC News]( --------------------------------------------------------------- In case you missed it on The World - [Hip hop in Senegal to combat COVID-19]( - [Alcohol ban]( - [‘The Plague’ by Albert Camus: A novel for our times]( - [US designates a white supremacist group as terrorist]( - [The mental health of health care professionals]( - [This triathlete’s husband pulled the plug mid-race]( - [‘The Big Fix’]( - [When to lift the lockdowns]( - [Privacy and tracing apps]( - [Political scrutiny of the WHO]( - [States look for alternatives as coronavirus disrupts US elections]( 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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