Italy locks down entire country

The entire population of Italy — some 60 million people — is now on lockdown in an effort to control the novel coronavirus outbreak. [Forward to a friend]( | [Subscribe]( | [View in your browser]( [Top of The World]( The entire country of Italy is on lockdown in an effort to contain the novel coronavirus — a unprecedented move for a democracy. Saudi Arabia's oil price wars are risky for the global economy — and Saudi itself. But that seems to be Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman's style. And diplomatic relations between the US and Iran are stalled, but Iran's government buildings in Washington, DC, hold stories of wild parties. --------------------------------------------------------------- In the news today Italy moves to lock down entire country to contain coronavirus [A virtually deserted street near the Colosseum is pictured after a decree orders for the whole of Italy to be on lockdown in effort to contain the coronavirus, in Rome, Italy, March 10, 2020.]( Credit: Guglielmo Mangiapane/Reuters The entire population of Italy — some 60 million people — is now on lockdown in an effort to control the novel coronavirus outbreak. The move is [unprecedented]( in a democracy and could spark similar approaches elsewhere. On Tuesday, China's [President Xi Jinping visited Wuhan](, the epicenter of the outbreak. State media commentators declared "victory is near" in the battle against COVID-19, as the number of new infections in China continues to decline. The World asks a network theory expert: Did China's [early travel restrictions "buy time"]( for other countries as the virus spread worldwide? In the US, hundreds of schools have closed in an effort to contain the virus. What could that [mean for students](? Stop touching your face: [Why that’s more difficult than it sounds]( And: [An AI epidemiologist sent the first warnings of the Wuhan virus]( Saudi Arabia's oil war could see backlash Coronavirus fears hit the economy hard as the Dow dropped more than [2,000 points]( Monday — the worst day in more than a decade. Tuesday looked a little better, and US President Donald Trump is [expected to unveil economic stimulus measures](. Saudi Arabia's massive cuts to oil prices contributed to the roiled economy. They were likely an [attempt to punish Russia and cement the kingdom's position as the world's top oil exporter](. But the move could have a significant backlash on the Saudi economy — in line with the [risky style]( of Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman. MBS is also cracking down on top officials and senior royals at home: [All you need to know about latest Saudi crackdown in 500 words](. --------------------------------------------------------------- The Number in the News: 30 Every 30 seconds, a young Latino turns 18 and becomes eligible to vote in the US. Presidential candidates know how important this voting bloc is to win the election. Brayan Guevara is voting for the first time this year. He’s a 19-year-old college student living in North Carolina, and he’s on the fence as to who to vote for. On today’s episode of The Number in the News, hear what voters like Brayan are paying attention to ahead of the 2020 general election. [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. Women 'disappear' in strike protesting inequality and violence Women in Mexico [disappeared from public life]( yesterday in a strike to protest violence against women. The strike was meant to show how exasperated women are by the daily aggressions and violence they suffer, and the lack of attention to these issues. Support for the strike has cut across class lines. Government and business officials stood behind it, and some big companies allowed female workers time off to join. The idea of women striking has existed for years in different parts of the world. [Chilean women also went on strike]( yesterday as part of broader protests against structural inequality. But this year in Mexico, the strike action taken on a new life following the horrific, back-to-back murders of a young woman and a 7-year-old girl. Also: [Pakistan's Women's March: Shaking patriarchy 'to its core']( [Iran's govt buildings in DC are vacant. But they're full of stories.]( [Iran's former Ambassador Ardeshir Zahedi, left, talks with actress Barbra Streisand, and her escort, Jon Peters, as they admire the Iranian Embassy, March 8, 1975, during a reception in Washington, DC.]( Credit: Charles W. Harrity/The Associated Press Two neighboring Embassy Row properties in Washington, DC, have been boarded up for years. The buildings are caught in a unique sort of real estate limbo as diplomatic relations between the US and Iran are suspended. But the buildings are full of stories. The former [Iranian Embassy used to be the site of wild parties]( attended by Hollywood starlets, DC socialites and politicians. At the center of the party was always one man: Ardeshir Zahedi. --------------------------------------------------------------- Morning meme Being [chatted up on Tinder]( has a whole new meaning for some Wuhan residents as users from around the world set their location to the city to get the latest on what's happening with the novel coronavirus. [Alt Text]( --------------------------------------------------------------- In case you missed it on The World - [Painting misattributed for centuries]( - [A Fukushima tour guide reflects on nine-year anniversary]( - [Saudi oil]( - [Has the coronavirus reached North Korea?]( - [Greece-Turkey border chaos]( - [Two presidents, one country]( - [A day without women]( - [Global economy nosedive]( - [China’s official media makes “a funeral into a wedding”]( - [Are travel restrictions working against coronavirus?]( 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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