World pledges billions in fight against coronavirus

Like his counterpart in the US, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is pushing a homegrown drug in the fight against the novel coronavirus. [Forward to a friend]( | [Subscribe]( | [View in your browser]( [Top of The World]( World leaders pledged billions in a virutal in the race for vaccines and drugs to fight the coroanvirus — but some nations, including the US, were conspicuously absent. Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro detained two Americans allegedly trying to oust him from leadership. And as South Koreans turn to drive-in movies for entertainment, artists around the world are finding inspiration in quarantine. --------------------------------------------------------------- Your support means The World to us. More than 950 of you donated to meet our fundraising goal. With the matching funds of an anonymous donor, you've raised more than $134,000 to ensure that we can keep bringing you the global journalism you value. [Thank you Twitter video]( Our coverage never has been, and never will be, behind a paywall. Thank you for making that possible! --------------------------------------------------------------- In the news today World leaders push for drugs, vaccines to fight coronavirus [Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe removes a protective face mask prior speaking during a news conference where he announces an extension of the nation's state of emergency amid the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) at the Prime Minister's Office in Tokyo, Japan, May 4, 2020.]( Credit: Eugene Hoshiko/Pool via Reuters Like his counterpart in the US, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is pushing a homegrown drug in the fight against the novel coronavirus. But there is [little evidence it works]( on humans — and it could cause birth defects. And, during an online summit Monday, [world leaders pledged billions]( toward the effort to develop vaccines and treatments for the coronavirus. But the Trump administration was [conspicuously absent](. Today on [The World](, former US ambassador Nicholas Burns will speak with host Marco Weman about the decline of US leadership in the global arena. Also: [Pfizer begins human trials of possible coronavirus vaccine]( And: [A mutant coronavirus has emerged, even more contagious than the original, study says]( As countries tire of lockdown, coronavirus cases continue to grow There are more than [3.6 million cases]( of the novel coronavirus worldwide — nearly a third of those cases are in the US. The most fataliites in Europe are in the UK, which has seen [more than 32,000]( deaths from the virus. India recorded a [sharp uptick in cases]( — 4,000 in a 24-hour period — following increased testing and moves to relax restrictions. As [Nigeria]( began to phase out lockdown measures, the country reported 245 new infections, its highest single-day infection rate. In Russia, emergency physician Alexandr Shulepov became the [third doctor to fall from a window in recent weeks](, after criticizing working conditions related to the pandemic. And: [Concerns raised after Rohingya quarantined on Bangladeshi island]( Maduro detains Americans allegedly involved in plot to oust him Venezuela has detained two US citizens who embattled President Nicolás Maduro says were [allegedly involved in a failed plot]( backed by Washington to oust him. The US, which backs opposition leader Juan Guaidó, has denied involvement. Guaidó says Maduro is trying to distract from other pressing problems in the country, including a recent prison riot and gang battle. And: [After 301 days in Egyptian prison, an American teacher flies home]( 🎉Kudos to Pulitzer Prize winners 🎉 Congratulations to journalist [Emily Green](, who you often hear on The World, and our friends at [This American Life]( at WBEZ and PRX on their [2020 Pulitzer Prize]( win for audio journalism! And shoutout to two more members of the PRX family — the staff of [Reveal]( from The Center for Investigative Reporting, as well as the [Ear Hustle]( podcast — for being honored as Pulitzer finalists! [Tune in: Mental health, stress and resiliency during the coronavirus pandemic]( COVID-19 continues to cost lives, sicken millions and force physical distancing. And we may be only beginning to see the psychological impacts of the pandemic. As part of a weekly series taking your questions to the experts, The World's Elana Gordon will moderate a discussion with Dr. Karestan Koenen, professor of psychiatric epidemiology at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health on Tuesday, May 5, at 12 p.m. ET. [Watch here](. Email your questions for Koenen to [myworld@theworld.org](mailto:myworld@theworld.org?subject=Discussion%3A%20Dr.%20Karestan%20Koenen) or post them to our [Facebook page](. [How are people coping with ‘skin hunger’?]( Many rules about preventing the spread of the coronavirus warn against touching other people. For the last two months, grandparents have been advised against holding their grandchildren, while sick patients cannot grasp relatives' hands. But what effects does this [lack of human touch]( have on people? [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. [South Korean film fans watch the big screen from behind their windshields]( Most South Korean movie theaters never closed their doors during the coronavirus pandemic, but many film buffs have instead sought out the big screen from inside the safety of their own cars. Korean Film Council says audience numbers have hit record lows. But there's an exception to this box office slump: Drive-in theaters have experienced a [recent surge in customers](. [Quarantine projects curate pandemic-inspired art]( [This poster, "We Keep Each Other Safe," by Monica Trinidad, is part of the "Fill the Walls with Hope, Rage, Resources, and Dreams" project. People can download their posters for free.]( Credit: Courtesy of the "Fill the Walls with Hope, Rage, Resources, and Dreams" project Throughout history, quarantines have spurred artists to create. Think Shakespeare, Frida Kahlo or Edvard Munch, among others. Today, thanks to the internet, we’re not so alone during our lives in lockdown. [A number of international art projects]( are harnessing the internet's crowdsourcing power to curate art about life in quarantine. Many are inviting public participation in the work or finding new ways to bring art to people — and sharing messages of hope and solidarity or “stay home.” [Check out some of those art projects](, from the United States to the Netherlands to Spain, and see more of our [coronavirus art coverage here](. --------------------------------------------------------------- Morning meme [Just a girl and her sheep.]( And ICYMI, listen to the [story of Prickles](, the Australian sheep who went on the lam(b). [Screengrab via Twitter]( --------------------------------------------------------------- In case you missed it on The World - [South Koreans hit the drive-in movies]( - [‘Murder hornets’ arrive in the US]( - [Artists take on COVID-19]( - [The decline of Richard Branson’s Virgin empire?]( - [Missing the human touch]( - [Corona Diaries: What’s troubling you?]( - [US airstrikes and civilian deaths in Somalia]( - [What’s behind Belgium’s high COVID-19 mortality rate]( - [The coronavirus in Ecuador]( - [What the ‘new normal’ looks like]( 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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