Coronavirus cases surpass 5 million

Coronavirus cases surpass 5 million [Forward to a friend]( | [Subscribe]( | [View in your browser]( [Top of The World]( After the worst day for infections on record, the number of confirmed coronavirus cases worldwide passed the 5 million. And as China prepares for its annual National People’s Congress on Friday, new laws cracking down on Hong Kong’s independence are expected to be proposed today. Also, the coronavirus has wreaked havoc on the performing arts, and some people in London are wondering if it’s curtains for the city’s West End theater district. --------------------------------------------------------------- In the news today Coronavirus cases surpass 5 million [Veronica who is suspected to have contracted the coronavirus disease, speaks with a member of the Red Cross inside her house in Mexico City, Mexico, May 20, 2020.]( Credit: Edgard Garrido/Reuters The number of confirmed coronavirus infections around the world has [surpassed 5 million]( after the worst day yet for new cases. The World Health Organization expressed concern Wednesday about the rising number of new cases in poor countries, even as many richer nations have begun emerging from lockdown. The WHO said 106,000 new cases had been recorded in 24 hours, the most in a single day since the outbreak began. New laws expected to crack down on Hong Kong China is expected to propose new laws today for Hong Kong including measures that would ban secession, foreign interference, terrorism and all seditious activities. The new laws are a direct response to last year's pro-democracy protests, which plunged the city into its deepest turmoil since it returned to Chinese rule in 1997, [Reuters reported](. The legislation, which would be introduced as a motion to China's parliament, [could trigger a revision of its special more independent status](. China's parliament, the National People’s Congress, begins its annual session on Friday, after being delayed for months by the coronavirus. Cyclone Amphan kills dozens, leaves devastation in its wake At least 82 people were killed when Cyclone Amphan [made landfall Wednesday]( in eastern India and Bangladesh. The storm is the most powerful cyclone to hit the region in over a decade and only adds to the challenges of trying to counter the coronavirus pandemic. Rescue teams scoured devastated coastal villages, hampered by torn down power lines and flooding over large tracts of land. The full extent of the casualties and damage to property would only be known once communications are restored, officials said. 'World War C': How did national security miss the coronavirus? The US spends billions and billions of dollars on defense, but the novel coronavirus slipped silently and invisibly across US borders and even onto military aircraft carriers. One could say the US was preparing for World War III when it [got hammered by World War C]( — the coronavirus. [Listen: ‘World War C’]( The Things That Go Boom podcast is back with a new season exploring what kinds of security risks are building out there. A co-production of PRX and Inkstick Media and in partnership with The World, host Laicie Heeley looks at misinformation, shadow warfare and asks if democracy is even still in vogue. Foreign students face uncertainty as Trump administration mulls suspending training program [A graduating master's student from Columbia University stands on campus the day before his graduation ceremony, which is to be held online due to the outbreak of the coronavirus in New York, on May 19, 2020.]( Credit: Andrew Kelly/Reuters Millions of workers in the United States have recently experienced layoffs, rescinded job offers and canceled internships due to the coronavirus pandemic. But for some international students, not having a job after graduating college, [their time in the US may come to an end](. That’s because many are part of a decades-old program called Optional Practical Training, or OPT. It authorizes international students to stay in the US for at least a year after graduation so long as they are employed in training programs. And now, there’s another worry. White House officials are reportedly looking to restrict all US foreign worker programs, including OPT. “So, the future right now, it's totally uncertain,” said Renan Pereira, an international student from Brazil, who is wrapping up his bachelor’s degree in finance at The University of Utah. Is it curtains for London's West End? For over two months, theaters across London have stood silent. Actors, directors and box office staff are all furloughed or out of work entirely, and no one can predict when the curtains will rise again. The last time London’s West End closed down was during World War II. “You know, never in any of our lifetime experiences have audiences been arriving, and we had to turn them away. I mean — it was unimaginable that this could happen,” [said theater producer Nica Burns]( who was backstage with the cast of her new show, "City of Angels," when London ordered theaters to close forcing Burns to tell her audience to go home. The Number in the News: 2000 It's no surprise that many people are looking for different ways to occupy their time these days. There's been an uptick in home cooking, learning an instrument and putting together jigsaw puzzles. There's been such an upsurge in puzzle making that manufacturers are having a hard time keeping up with demand. [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. --------------------------------------------------------------- Morning meme Amid the coronavirus crisis, the shopping spree for masks has left shelves empty. For a time, that vacuum was filled by homemade masks. Now, it seems marketers are finding their ([unique?]() groove. [A screengrab from Twitter shows tweet from the governor of Colorado mentioning a plague doctor mask.]( [Credit: Screenshot from Twitter]( --------------------------------------------------------------- In case you missed it on The World - [1 in 8 museums may close due to coronavirus, new report warns]( - [Lunches in London for vulnerable kids]( - [Polish radio station faces criticism for removing a song with anti-government lyrics]( - [Burundi elections]( - [Jamaica's slow reopen to tourists]( - [Curtains for London's West End]( - [Cyclone puts refugee camps in Bangladesh at risk]( - [Indian government touts malaria drug for COVID-19, but not its physicians]( - [In search of the Titanic's last message]( - [International students in the US job market]( - [Migrant children and teens halted at US border]( - [Problems facing immigrant communities]( 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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