Ashley Westerman

There is a glaring irony of the pandemic: Countries like the island nation of Tonga that have managed to keep the virus at bay may be some of the last to recover from the economic impact.

NPR's Mary Louise Kelly talks with former investigative reporter Sheila Coronel about the sometimes deadly conditions that journalists in the Philippines work under.

Following the Atlanta spa shootings in March, many Asian adoptees reported feeling unable to express their fear and sadness to their white families. Adoption agencies are trying to bridge the gap.

NPR's Audie Cornish talks with Lyndsey D'Arcangelo of The Athletic about the WNBA playoffs, which begins with the New York Liberty, who grabbed the final slot in the tournament on a technicality.

Their workload has doubled. They don't go home when their shifts end lest they infect family members. But they say it's worth the sacrifices to lend a hand in the fight against COVID-19.

The tourism industry in the Philippines lost some $8 billion in 2020 because of the pandemic. Filipinos are being encouraged to travel domestically to try to restart a crucial sector of the economy.

As the pandemic continues to ravage the Philippines, a medical emergency response team in the Metro Manila area is working to keep as many non-coronavirus patients out of the hospitals as possible.

The Philippine National Police have announced that many officers will now wear body cameras. This comes years into a war on drugs in which police have killed thousands during anti-drug operations.

The Pacific island nation elected its first female prime minister, but the previous leader refuses to step down. The general election was in April, but no new government has been formed.

The Philippines is going "brand agnostic" after a vaccination site was swarmed this week when people found out Pfizer doses were to be given out.

NPR's Mary Louise Kelly talks with Elizabeth City, N.C. Mayor Bettie Parker, who declared a state of emergency in her city ahead of the release of bodycam video to the family of Andrew Brown Jr.

NPR's Mary Louise Kelly speaks with attorney Chantel Cherry-Lassiter about seeing the bodycam footage of Andrew Brown Jr. being shot, as well as the independent autopsy.

NPR's Mary Louse Kelly talks with African Americans and the Culture of Pain author Debra Walker King about how Black pain can be a double-edged sword, used to both benefit and hurt Black Americans.

NPR's Ari Shapiro talks with U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra how the Biden administration is housing and handling the unaccompanied migrant children crossing the border.

NPR's Mary Louise Kelly talks with Patrick Oppmann, a CNN reporter based in Havana, about what it means for Cuba that a Castro is not at the helm for the first time in more than sixty years.

NPR's Mary Louise Kelley talks with Rob Harris, sports writer for the Associated Press about how Manchester United and Chelsea say they won't join the European Super League.

Families and friends met in airports for the first time in over a year after Australia and New Zealand opened a "bubble" of quarantine-free travel between their countries.

Australia and New Zealand have launched one of the world's first "travel bubbles" between countries. People traveling between the two now no longer have to quarantine upon landing.

COVID-19 cases in Papua New Guinea have been surging. As hundreds become sick each day, the healthcare system is struggling to keep up. NPR's Mary Louise Kelly speaks with journalist Rebecca Kuku.

Palau has seen no COVID-19 cases and Taiwan has kept the virus in check. Taiwan's first tourist flight to Palau during the pandemic era landed Thursday. Travelers do not need to quarantine on arrival.