The world in brief, April 3rd 20

More than 6.6m Americans filed for unemployment assistance last week, bringing the total number of new claimants to nearly 10m in the past fortnight, an increase unprecedented in the country’s history. The pandemic has depressed consumption, lacerating 【使苦恼】industries from retail to construction. Analysts expect the spike to continue as further lockdowns come into effect.

The oil price, however, is showing signs of recovery. The price of Brent crude surged by 30%, giving battered American stockmarkets a boost. Donald Trump had tweeted news of a conversation he had with Muhammad bin Salman, the de facto【实际上存在的（不一定合法）】 leader of Saudi Arabia, and suggested that the kingdom’s price war with Russia might be ending.

World food prices dropped in March according to the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation. Prices of a basket of goods were 4.3% lower than in February, which might surprise those wondering at empty supermarket shelves. But the slump in the oil price dragged down demand for biofuels, and thus the demand for sugar and vegetable oils.

The number of confirmed cases of covid-19 passed 1m globally, with more than 53,000 deaths. America has the most cases—nearly a quarter of the world’s total—and broke a terrible record with more than 1,000 fatalities in 24 hours. Officials are expected today to urge Americans to start wearing masks in public. Spain reported 950 new deaths. Vladimir Putin extended stay-at-home measures in Russia.

Scientists in Australia started testing two potential coronavirus vaccines on animals. They are being made by Oxford University and Inovio Pharmaceutical, an American company; the results could be known by June. Australia’s science agency said these are the first rigorous pre-clinical trials of such vaccines to use animal testing. About 20 other groups worldwide are working on vaccines of their own.

Thailand introduced a curfew to run from 10pm to 4am every night, as part of its bid to reduce the pandemic’s spread. Those who ignore the ruling could be jailed for two years. Thailand has reported just 15 deaths from covid-19, and 1,875 cases, though it was the second country after China to report an infection, back in January.

America’s Democrats postponed their party’s convention in Milwaukee, from July to August, to make it more likely people can attend. Joe Biden, the front-runner to win the party’s presidential nomination, had raised doubts about the earlier date. The change shortens the period the nominee will have for fundraising【募捐；募捐活动】 to take on Donald Trump in the general election in November.