What you need to know today about the virus outbreak

Regional and political fractures are emerging in many nations over how fast to lift the lid on coronavirus-imposed lockdowns, as worries about economic devastation collide with fears of a second wave of deaths.

French mayors are resisting the government’s call to reopen schools, but Italian governors want Rome to ease lockdown measures faster. In the U.S., meanwhile, a new report on unemployment claims shows the depth of job losses caused by business shutdowns.

Here are some of AP’s top stories Thursday on the world’s coronavirus pandemic. Follow APNews.com/VirusOutbreak for updates through the day and APNews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak for stories explaining some of its complexities.

WHAT’S HAPPENING TODAY:

— More grim news on the condition of the U.S. economy. Nearly 3.2 million laid-off workers applied for unemployment benefits last week. Roughly 33.5 million people have now filed for aid in the seven weeks since the coronavirus forced companies to slash payrolls. That is the equivalent of 20% of Americans who had been employed in February when the jobless rate was at a 50-year low.

— The Trump administration has shelved a 17-page report by federal experts that was supposed to help faith leaders, business owners and state officials as they begin to reopen public places. An official at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tells The Associated Press that it was supposed to be published last Friday. The administration has been closely controlling the release of guidance during a pandemic that scientists are still trying to understand.

— Buffets, salad bars and shared bread baskets would be out. Meals could arrive from food servers sheathed in face masks. California restaurants have drafted a plan to allow the industry to reopen for sit-down dining with safeguards. It avoids requiring...