� Global: Total confirmed cases ~5,074,000; Total deaths: ~331,000; Total recoveries: ~1,936,000. (Johns Hopkins University)

🇺🇸 U.S.: Total confirmed cases ~1,563,000; Total deaths: ~94,500; Total recoveries: ~294,300

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1/ Another 2.4 million workers filed new unemployment claims last week. Since efforts to the contain coronavirus pandemic nine weeks ago, more than 38.6 million Americans have sought unemployment benefits, leading to levels of unemployment not seen since the Great Depression. An analysis of the coronavirus pandemic’s effects on the labor market estimates that 42% of recent layoffs will result in permanent job loss. (Politico / Washington Post / New York Times / Wall Street Journal /Bloomberg)

The White House’s top economic official expressed uncertainty that America’s economy would quickly rebound from the downturn caused by the coronavirus pandemic despite Trump’s confidence. Larry Kudlow said there are some “small glimmers of hope,� but “The numbers coming in are not good. In fact, they are downright bad in most cases.� (Washington Post)

📌 Day 1162: A record 3.28 million Americans filed for unemployment benefits last week – the largest number of unemployment claims ever recorded for a single week since the government began collecting data in 1967. The number shatters the Great Recession peak of 665,000 claims in March 2009 and the all-time mark of 695,000 in October 1982. As a result, the U.S. unemployment rate has likely already risen to 5.5% from 3.5% in February – a level not seen since 2015. A similarly large number of initial unemployment claims is expected next week when the Labor Department releases its report on claims filed this week. In the prior Labor Department report, for the week ended March 14, initial claims totaled 282,000. (NPR /

� Global: Total confirmed cases ~4,966,000; Total deaths: ~326,000; Total recoveries: ~1,875,000. (Johns Hopkins University)

🇺🇸 U.S.: Total confirmed cases ~1,541,000; Total deaths: ~93,100; Total recoveries: ~289,000

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More than 100,000 coronavirus cases were reported to the World Health Organization in the last 24 hours – “the most in a single day since the outbreak began.� WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus added: “We still have a long way to go in this pandemic.� (NBC News / CNBC)

All 50 states have now taken steps to reopen. Many began to reopen despite not meeting White House guidelines for progress against the virus, and newly reported cases have been increasing in some states, including Texas and Minnesota, that are moving to ease restrictions. Public health officials, meanwhile, warn that moving too fast could risk more outbreaks. (Wall Street Journal / New York Times)

Black Americans are dying of coronavirus at a rate three times higher than that of white Americans, according to a new report. More than 20,000 African Americans have already died from the virus. (The Guardian)

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1/ Trump threatened to “hold up� federal funds for Michigan and Nevada because they are expanding mail-in voting to make it easier to vote during the coronavirus pandemic. Trump, set off by an announcement by Michigan’s secretary of state to send absentee ballot applications to every voter in the state, tweeted that Jocelyn Benson had gone “rogue� and sent absentee ballots “illegally and without authorization […] I will ask to hold up funding to Michigan if they want to go down this Voter Fraud path!� Trump later deleted the tweet but sent a similar one that said “absentee ballot applications� without noting mistake. Trump made a similar threat to Nevada, claiming the state had created “a great Voter Fraud scenario� and adding “If they do, ‘I think’ I can hold up funds to the State.� Nevada is mailing absentee ballots to all registe...

� Global: Total confirmed cases ~4,877,000; Total deaths: ~323,000; Total recoveries: ~1,673,000. (Johns Hopkins University)

🇺🇸 U.S.: Total confirmed cases ~1,524,000; Total deaths: ~92,000; Total recoveries: ~283,000

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Trump called the high number of U.S. COVID-19 cases a “badge of honor� because it means the U.S. is testing more people. “Really, it’s a badge of honor,� Trump said. “It’s a great tribute to the testing and all of the work that a lot of professionals have done.� The U.S. death toll stands at roughly 92,000 with more than 1.5 million confirmed cases of coronavirus. (CNN)

The Congressional Budget Office projects GDP dropping 38% in the second quarter as 26 million Americans remain unemployed. (CNBC)

The Federal Reserve chair said the U.S. would have a slow recovery from the “biggest shock that the economy’s had in living memory,� suggesting that a full rebound from the lockdowns could take until the end of 2021. (New York Times)

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said “there is the risk of permanent damage� to the economy if the country remains closed. He said he plans to use all of the $500 billion that Congress provided to help the economy through direct lending. (Bloomberg)

A leaked Pentagon memo warned of “the real possibility of a resurgence� of the coronavirus and that an effective vaccine will not be ready until “at least the summer of 2021,� contradicting Defense Secretary Mark Esper’s vow to deliver a vaccine “at scale� by the end of the year. “We have a long path ahead,� the memo reads, reportedly authored by Esper. “Therefore, we must now re-focus our attention on resuming critical missions, increasing levels of activity, and making necessary preparations should a significant resurgence of COVID-19 occur later this year.� (Task and Purpose / Daily Beast / Military.com / Raw Story)

White House officials, however, predict a swift economic recovery, suggesting that the “reopening� of states will reverse the economic damage caused by the coronavirus. Some economists and Wall Street analysts say the unemployment rate could remain above 10% into 2021 — unseen since the Great Depression — even if lawmakers approve more emergency aid. (Washington Post)

By Wednesday, all 50 states will have begun lifting restrictions put in place to combat the coronavirus outbreak despite daily case rates continue to rise in parts of the country. Only 16 stat...

� Global: Total confirmed cases ~4,783,000; Total deaths: ~318,000; Total recoveries: ~1,777,000. (Johns Hopkins University)

🇺🇸 U.S.: Total confirmed cases ~1,505,000; Total deaths: ~90,200; Total recoveries: ~283,000

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The first coronavirus vaccine to be tested in people appears to stimulate an immune response against the virus. Moderna said the early-stage human trial for a coronavirus vaccine produced COVID-19 antibodies in all 45 participants and the vaccine also produced neutralizing antibodies in at least eight participants. The findings do not prove that the vaccine works. Many vaccines fail to pass muster, even after showing positive signs in early testing. The FDA, however, gave Moderna permission to begin the second stage of testing and the company said a vaccine could be ready for emergency use as early as the fall, if it proves to work safely in subsequent testing. Moderna’s announcement comes days after one of its directors, Moncef Slaoui, stepped down from the board to join Operation Warp Speed, a White House initiative to speed up vaccine development. (New York Times / CNBC / Washington Post / Wall Street Journal)

FRIDAY: The House approved a rule change to allow lawmakers to vote remotely during the coronavirus pandemic – the most radical change to its rules in generations – allowing its members pass a $3 trillion pandemic relief package to send aid to state and local governments and another round of direct $1,200 payments to taxpayers. Republicans have made clear that the relief package is dead on arrival in the Senate and the bill faces a veto threat from Trump. (Washington Post / New York Times / CNN)

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A Sitting President, Riling the Nation During a Crisis. By smearing his opponents, championing conspiracy theories and pursuing ven...

� Global: Total confirmed cases ~4,248,000; Total deaths: ~291,000; Total recoveries: ~1,485,100. (Johns Hopkins University)

🇺🇸 U.S.: Total confirmed cases ~1,367,000; Total deaths: ~82,100; Total recoveries: ~233,000

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1/ Dr. Anthony Fauci warned the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee that reopening the country too soon “could turn the clock back� and lead to “suffering and death that could be avoided.� The nation’s top infectious diseases expert contrasted Trump’s effort to quickly restart the economy, saying “My concern is that we will start to see little spikes that then turn into outbreaks. The consequences could be really serious […] there is no doubt that when you pull back on mitigation, you will see some cases reappear.� Dr. Fauci added that the death toll is “almost certainly� higher than official counts. He also dismissed the notion that a vaccine would be available by the time schools reopen in the fall, calling it “a bit of a bridge too far.� He added: “There’s no guarantee that the vaccine is actually going to be effective.� Dr. Fauci, Dr. Robert Redfield, director of the CDC, and Stephen Hahn, the head of the FDA, all testified by videoconference because they are self-quarantining after possible exposure to COVID-19. (Associated Press / Politico / NBC News / Wall Street Journal / New York Times / Washington Post / CNBC)

Rand Paul to Dr. Fauci: “I don’t think you’re the end-all� on coronavirus and “I don’t think you’re the one person who gets to make a decision.� Dr. Fauci replied: “I have never made myself out to be the end-all, or the only voice in this. I’m a scientist, a physician and a public health official. I give advice accord...

� Global: Total confirmed cases ~4,160,000; Total deaths: ~285,000; Total recoveries: ~1,434,000. (Johns Hopkins University)

🇺🇸 U.S.: Total confirmed cases ~1,345,000; Total deaths: ~80,100; Total recoveries: ~216,000

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Trump sought a reopening but found the virus in the White House instead. A day after breaking his White House self-isolation for a cross-country trip meant to signal the country’s readiness to restart, Trump received word that one of his Oval Office valets tested positive for the virus. (CNN)

As deaths mount, Trump tries to convince Americans it’s safe to inch back to normal. The administration is struggling to expand the scale of testing to what experts say is necessary to reopen businesses safely, and officials have not announced any national plan for contact tracing. Trump and some of his advisers are prioritizing the psychology of the pandemic as much as, if not more than, plans to combat the virus, some aides and outside advisers said — striving to instill confidence that people can comfortably return to daily life despite the rising death toll. (Washington Post)

The White House race to contain coronavirus in its ranks: “It is scary to go to work.� With two White House staff members testing positive, some officials fear the disease is already spreading rapidly through the West Wing. Over the weekend, three members of the coronavirus task force went into quarantine or partial quarantine or took precautions to work from home more after finding out a top aide to Vice President Pence tested positive for the coronavirus. Trump’s military valet also tested positive. In the Senate, the chairman of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), will go into quarantine in his home state “out of an abundance of caution� after one of his aides tested positive. (New York Times / Washington Post)

1/ Three members of the White House coronavirus task force will self-quarantine after possibly being exposed to the coronavirus. Dr. Anthony Fauci has begun a “modified quarantine� after he had “low risk� contact with a White House aide who

� Global: Total confirmed cases ~3,911,000; Total deaths: ~273,000; Total recoveries: ~1,306,000. (Johns Hopkins University)

🇺🇸 U.S.: Total confirmed cases ~1,274,000; Total deaths: ~76,500; Total recoveries: ~195,000

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💻 Live Blog: New York Times / Washington Post / Wall Street Journal / The Guardian / NPR / NBC News / CNN

In recent weeks Trump attempted to block and downplay the severity of the coronavirus pandemic, urging a return to normalcy and a reopening of the economy. The Trump administration has sidelined or replaced officials not seen as loyal, rebuffed congressional requests for testimony, dismissed statistics and models, praised states for reopening without meeting White House guidelines, and pushed to disband a task force created to combat the virus and communicate about the public health crisis. (Washington Post)

1/ The U.S. unemployment rate jumped to 14.7% — the highest level since the Great Depression and the worst monthly loss on record. The U.S. lost a total of 20.5 million jobs in April, roughly double what the nation experienced during the 2007-09 crisis. The “real� unemployment rate, which includes the underemployed and those who aren’t currently looking for jobs, jumped to 22.8%. In total, the U.S. has lost roughly 21.4 million jobs since the spread of COVID-19. (CNBC / Washington Post / Bloomberg / Wall Street Journal / New York Times / NPR / Politico / Associated Press / CNN / The Hill)

The White House is considering pushing the federal tax deadline back again, along with addi...

� Global: Total confirmed cases ~3,809,000; Total deaths: ~267,000; Total recoveries: ~1,266,000. (Johns Hopkins University)

🇺🇸 U.S.: Total confirmed cases ~1,243,000; Total deaths: ~74,200; Total recoveries: ~190,000

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1/ An additional 3.2 million Americans filed unemployment claims last week, down slightly from 3.8 million the previous week. More than 33.5 million have filed for unemployment over the last seven weeks and the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for the week ending April 25 was 15.5%. Continuing claims – the number of people receiving ongoing benefits – is now at more than 22 million, surpassing the recessionary peak of 6.6 million. (Bloomberg / Wall Street Journal / Politico / ABC News / NBC News / The Guardian)

Friday’s job report is expected to be “the single worst jobs report in history.� Forecasters expect the nation’s jobless rate, which was at 4.4% in March, to jump to an annualized unemployment rate of 15% to 20% for the April period. (CBS News)

The Economic Injury Disaster Loan program limited the size of loans it issues without publicly announcing the change. After initially telling businesses that individual disaster loans could be as high as $2 million, SBA has now imposed a $150,000 limit. Additionally, the agency will only accept applications from agricultural businesses “due to limitations in funding availability and the unprecedented submission of applications already received. (Washington Post)

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuc...

� Global: Total confirmed cases ~3,725,000; Total deaths: ~261,000; Total recoveries: ~1,227,000. (Johns Hopkins University)

🇺🇸 U.S.: Total confirmed cases ~1,217,000; Total deaths: ~72,200; Total recoveries: ~190,000

💰 Markets: Dow 📉; S&P 500 📉; Nasdaq 📈

Private payrolls dropped more than 20.2 million jobs in April, according to ADP’s private jobs report. It was the worst monthly job loss in the report’s history. (CNBC / Axios)

Experts warn that Trump’s push to reopen the country risks a “death sentence� for many Americans. Trump has praised governors of states that have started to loosen restrictions on social distancing and business activity, even though he admitted that people will suffer as a result. “Will some people be affected badly? Yes,� Trump said on Tuesday. “But we have to get our country open, and we have to get it open soon.� (The Guardian)

The World Health Organization warned world leaders that there can be “no going back to business as usual� following the coronavirus pandemic. “The only way to control and suppress this virus, this COVID-19, is to actually find [cases], quarantine those contacts, isolate the cases and it will be brought under control,� Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, the WHO’s lead scientist on Covid-19, said during a press conference. (CNBC)

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1/ Trump contradicted his plan to shut down the coronavirus task force, vowing that the group would “continue on indefinitely� because of “how popular the task force is.� In a series of tweets, Trump said that the task force will be “very focused� on “SAFETY & OPENING UP OUR COUNTRY AGAIN,� as well as on the development of a coronavirus vaccine. He added that he would be announcing “two or three new members to the task force� soon. Trump’s change of plans come a day after he told reporters during a visit to a mask factory in Phoenix that he would wind down the task force. (Politico /

� Global: Total confirmed cases ~3,651,000; Total deaths: ~256,000; Total recoveries: ~1,188,000. (Johns Hopkins University)

🇺🇸 U.S.: Total confirmed cases ~1,201,000; Total deaths: ~71,000; Total recoveries: ~190,000

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💻 Live Blog: New York Times / Washington Post / Wall Street Journal / The Guardian / NBC News / CNN / CNBC

1/ Dr. Anthony Fauci, contradicting both Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, said the best scientific evidence shows that the coronavirus did not originate in a Chinese laboratory. “If you look at the evolution of the virus in bats and what’s out there now,� Fauci said, the scientific evidence “is very, very strongly leaning toward this could not have been artificially or deliberately manipulated.� Fauci added that he doesn’t subscribe to the theory that someone found the virus in the wild, brought it into a lab, and then allowed it to escape and spread to the rest of the world, saying “Everything about the stepwise evolution over time strongly indicates that [this virus] evolved in nature and then jumped species.� (National Geographic)

2/ Trump blocked Dr. Anthony Fauci from testifying before the House because, he claims, it’s “a setup� with a “bunch of Trump haters.� Trump, however, confirmed that he will allow Dr. Fauci to testify before the Republican-controlled Senate sometime next week. The White House told the House that members of the coronavirus task force won’t be allowed to testify, claiming it would divert resources from the pandemic response. (Politico / The Hill / Axios / NPR / CNBC