The leader of the World Health Organization said Monday that the deadly coronavirus has gained a foothold in so many countries that the threat of a pandemic has become, in his words, "very real."
But WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus added it "would be the first pandemic in history that could be controlled."
Globally, WHO said that more than 100 countries now are reporting coronavirus cases. More than 114,000 people are reported ill and the death toll has topped 4,000.
U.S. President Donald Trump spoke to the media today after meeting with his coronavirus taskforce. He said they're working on ways to reduce the economic impact of the epidemic on American workers.
"We're also going to be talking about hourly wage earners getting help so that they can be in a position where they are not going to ever miss a paycheck. We're gonna be working with companies, small companies, large companies, so that they don't get penalized for something that's not their faults, not their fault. It's not our country's fault."
Trading on Wall Street was temporarily halted Monday as U.S. stocked joined a global rout on crashing oil prices and mounting worries over the coronavirus. U.S. stock trading halted for 15 minutes early in the day due to steep losses. The suspension was triggered after the S&P 500's losses hit 7 percent.
World oil prices fell on fears that Saudi Arabia, launching a price war with onetime ally Russia, would flood the market with oil in a bid to regain market share.
The U.S. military says two of American soldiers were killed by enemy forces in Iraq on Monday. The United States maintains more than 5,000 troops in Iraq to train and support Iraqi forces in the fight against Islamic State.
The names of those killed have not yet been released.
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North Korea test fired three short-range rockets on Monday. That's the second North Korean launch in a week and the latest mixed signal from Pyongyang, which has hinted it wants international help to fight the coronavirus. More from VOA's Bill Galloin Seoul.
South Korean officials say the North used multiple-rocket launchers to fire the short-range weapons into the sea off Korea's east coast.
Japan said they appear to be ballistic missiles.
North Korea's second missile launch in a week may signal a return to tensions except the North is also hinting a dialogue.
In a surprise move last week, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un sent a letter of condolence to South Korea, which is seen in an explosion of coronavirus cases.
Some analysts believe Kim's friendly letter signals he wants economic or virus-related aid. North Korea has not reported any coronavirus infections. But many fear it is hiding an outbreak that could turn into a humanitarian disaster.
Bill Gallo, VOA news, Seoul.
The U.S. is facing a new dilemma in Afghanistan as it figures out how to advance the peace deal with the Taliban. AP Washington correspondent Sagar Meghani reports from the White House.
In Kabul, President Ashraf Ghani was sworn in for another term after being declared the winner of September's election, but next door rival Abdullah Abdullah was also sworn in after charging voter fraud.
They both say they're in charge, which is threatening to wreck the peace process. After the U.S. and the Taliban signed the deal last month, negotiations between Afghans themselves were to start tomorrow, which is now a near impossibility after dueling inaugurations.
Sagar Meghani, at the White House.
Sudanese Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok says he is safe following an assassination attempt Monday in Khartoum. Eyewitnesses say car bombs went off near the prime minister's convoy as he traveled to his office.
Afterward, hundreds of protesters gathered at the scene of the blasts, condemning what they called a terrorist attack.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan met with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg on Monday in Brussels. He told him it's very important Turkey gets the help it has requested handling Syrian refugees.
Late last month, Erdoğan opened Turkey's borders with Europe, going against the 2016 agreement to keep them closed. Thousands of migrants have since amassed on the Turkish border with Greece, prompting Greek authorities to fire tear gas to stop the influx.
Also Monday, Germany said the EU is considering accepting up to 1,500 migrant children presently sheltered in Greek camps.
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