As possible around the place where the cluster has appeared. Theres no other way. Re woodruff all that and on tonights pbs newshour. Major funding for the pbs newshour has been provided by on an american cruise lines journey along the colombia and snakrivers, travelers retrac the route forged by lewis and clark re than 200 years ago. American cruislines fleet of victorianstyle paddlewheelers eland modern riverboats tr throh american landscapes to historic landmarks, where you can experience local customs and cuisine. American cruise lines. Proud sponsor of pbs newshour. Consumer cellular offers nocontract wireless plans that are designedlp you do more of the things you enjoy. Whether youre a talker, texter, browser,hotographer, or a bit of everything, our u. S. Based Customer Service team is here to find a plan that fits you. O to learn more, consumercellular. Tv bnsf railway. Fidelity investments. The john s. And james l. Aight foundation. Fostering inform engaged communities. Onre at kf. Org. And with thing support of these institutions this prograwas made possible by the corporation for public broadcasting. And by contributions to your pbs station fr viewers like you. Thank you. Oodruff President Trump is talking tonight about reopening the country for business, soon. That comes as Coronavirus Infections in the u. S. Exceed 50,000, with more than 600 deaths. Meanwhile, new york state warned of increasingly deerate conditions today. But, in financial markets, the Dow Jones Industrial avege surged 11 , the most since 1933, as an economic rescue bill progressed in the u. S. Senate. Amna nawaz begins our coverage. Nawaz in the city that never sleeps, empty streets, as coronavirus cases surge in new york, making it the new epicenter for the United States. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo warned today of dire consequences in his state, and the rest of the country. As the number of cases go up, the number of people in hospital beds goes up, the number of people who need an i. C. U. Bed and a ventilator goes up, and we cannot aress that increasing curve. T where we aay, you will be in three weeks or four weeks or five weeks or six weeks. We are your future. Nawaz the World Health Organization issued a similar caution, saying the u. S. Now responsie for 40 of new covid19 cases could become the global epicenter of the pandemic. He aroundorld, extraordinary steps in some countries to contain further virus spre. In the worlds secondmost populous nation, a 21day lockdown f indias 1. 3 billion residents, announced today by Prime Minister narendra modi. translated from 12 00 midnight today, the entire country will go under a complete lockdown. To save india, there will be a total ban on venturing out of your homes. Nawaz the summer Olympic Games which have historically only bn cancelled in times of war were postponed today by host japan. translated for the athletes, the athletes of the world for them to be ablto compete in the best environment, and also for the games to be one which are safe and worryfree for spectators, i ked if it would be possible to consider postponing the games for approximately a year. Nawaz and in spain, europes hardesthit country,h the dell has so overwhelmed medical centers and morgues that ice rinks are now being used to house the dead. Here in the United States, as cases continue to rise, over a dozen states have imposed additional stayathome restrictions in recent days. Rgand, as Health Officials continued social distancing, President Trump today at a fox news town hall said hed like to see those restricterns ease by ealess than three weeks away. Weve had bad epidemics. Im sure they could have bee pandemics. But we never did anything likeor this b but had to do it. Its been very painful, very destabilizing, but we have to go back to wo. And people can go back to work and they can also practice good judgement. Nawaz lawms looking to mitigate the Economic Impact with a stimulus deal pressed on withegotiations today, expressing confidence for the first time in days. Now at last i believe we are on the fiveyard line. The American People need our democratic friends to take yes for an answer. Is going to want everyt everyone provision. We all know tt therare many things that so many of us want are left out, but we all know. At we must do these thin nawaz at the white house this morning, National EconomicCouncil Director larlow said the deal will speed up recovery. P economic health, thats the key point, its not either or. Nawaz but, as the u. S. Braces for an even greater impa, signs of recovery in china. In hubei province, ground zero for the virus, main streets came back to life, and officials said Outbound Travel restrictions for ny cities will be lifted tomorrow. Still, Health Officials here say vigince will remain high. Nt translated if the community is iied as an epidemicfree area, residents who need to return to work will bellowed to enter and leav the residency with a Green Health Code and a certificate from the employer. Nawaz slowly easing restrictions, and cautiously adjusting to new normal. For the pbs newshour, im amna nawaz. Woodruff as amna just reported, thworlds second mostpopulous country is on lockdown tonight. India is taking this drastic move at the order of its Prime Minister to stem the outbrk there, in a country with a less than reliable healthystem, widespread poverty and under served populations. Special correspondt nehapo ia in delhi brings us up to date. Reporter in a televisedto addreshe entire nation, Prime Minister modi said that every indian all 1. 3 billion iof them must forget whs like to step outside their homes for the next 21 days. Prime minister modi and a complete nationwide lockdown, while citing the example of italy and the u. S. , saying that when developedountries with robust healthcare setups have been unable to stop a mass outbreak, india stands noss chance, unvery indian stays indoors and selfisolates. Essential services will continue to operate during the next three weeks. This includes hospitals, pharmacies, grocery stores. But all air, land and rail travel has been banned entirely. Prime minister modi also investment in indis Healthcare Infrastructure set uer this money, he next few weeks, will be used by testing kits, hazmat suits, ventilators, as well as to train medical staff. Critics say indiangbiggest chalis the fact that its public healthcare setup is and the government to befunded, addressing some of that criticism through this move. The Prime Minister, however, was stlent on why india isnt g more people. The government claims that because there is no community transmission, theres noeed to test everyone, and that mass testing will only lead to more panic on the ground. India can test 10,000 people daily, but in the last two months, its only test 20,000 people. Woodruff that is special correspondent neha poonia in new delhi, thanks. And as we mentioned, wall street soared today, on hopes the u. S. Senate would approve an economic rescue plan. The Dow Jones Industrial average gained a record 2,100 points to close at 20,705. The nasdaq rose 557 points, and the s p 500 added 210. For more on the rescue plan, and other effos to battle the pandemic, we turn again to Lisa Desjardins at the capitolci itd yamiche or at the house. To lisa, im going to start th you first. Individual americans, in particular those who may become unemployeds a result ofthe coronavirus, whats in this plan for them . Well, thats important. First of all, an update, we are still waiting to see the plan and the text, auburn we do not know whether there will be a vote tonight. It looks more like lay vote tomorrow on this. Judy, absolutely, this is what eir jobs. Jobs or could loseve s whats in this for them. There would be up to 600 over usual Unemployment Benefits for each person. That would mean close to full pay for most americans, not every, but for most middleclass americans, you could get an unemoyment benefit for full pay. That is for onfourhs, judy. And this is an increase over the original plan for this bill. Woodruff and lisa, we knowot r important piece of this legislative plan has to do with Small Businesses. Tell us about whats in therefo them. This is the part that they agreed on the earliest, butre heres we are, 350 billion in loans for Small Businesses. Now, tho loans will become grant, eventually they will be forgiven if those Small Businesses keep those workers on the payroll, keep those workers paid, and they treasur Department Im told has a provision in this where they can use tax credits to cut those checks more quickly n usual, get that loan money out more quicy for Small Businesses. Small business make up 48 of the workforce here in america. Woodruff and now to you, yamiche, another part of this has to do with thelarger businesses, corporations. We know this is an area where the white house apparently gave ground on. What do we know about that in. Thats right, well, thepr ident says that hes eager to get a bill passed in congress, and in doing so, white house, they say, made compromises. Some of the compromises thmaey are dealing with large corporations. 500 billion will be going for largebusiness loans. There will be an Inspector General and an Oversight Board to look atow treasury secretary mnuchin disperses these loansand the secretary will have the answer to congress. He will be called up to congress so what we see here is the white house saying, we want to make a deal. Democrats were sing at one point, were trying to add all sorts of things they thought o thenot related coronavirus bill, but we now see the white house really moving closer and closer to having that deal done. Woodruff at the same time, lisa, let me come back the you on this, this is a bill that does deal with more than just busineg es. It is go have some helps for hospitals and states. Tell us more about that part of it. Thats right. Some important provisions, judy. Were told it has 130 bilon for hospitals, including rural hospital 150 billion for states, counties and cities, for lol governments. Also, judy, this has in it were told a freeze on federal student loan payments. Now, judy, we want all the details of all this. The details are important. Were waiting for one big detail. Were told the price tag is 2 trillion. Judy, that would make that the largessingle bill in american history, the largest single legislative mease for onetime spending in history. Woodruff just quicks , lisa, at tint we think we know everything thats in there or not . We dont know whats in it all the way, not yet. Woodrf and again, on timing, lisa, you said it may not be tonight . Right. It may not be tonight. It could be tomorw. Woodruff so finally, yamiche, let me come back to you with this last question, and this is what the president had to say today about getting the country back to business. Its something he raisedit toda. Thats right, judy. St trentoidprp virus to ease the corona idelines that the white house issued, which were focused onci distancing and telling people not to be in groups of larger than 10by april 12th. That would be easter sunday. He th officials have stressed repeatedly that this coronavirus outbreak could last ae way until the summer. President trump has said this could last until august, but th presid making clear that he wants to ease those guidelines. He says that he believes more people will die if the economy is slow down than if the virus hurts people or kills people. So the president there is stressing that, but its in the clear whether or not hes gehing that guidance and tat data from Health Officials. The other thing to note, judy, is that thpresident is getting pushed still by governors to enact the defense production the president just now, hes still speaking at the white house in this hour at a white use briefing, he is saying that he still doesnt need to do that but instead American Companies are volunteering and there is enoughdiel equipment being made the meet the needs of hospitals all across the country. Woodruff so still t using the full federal power that he has. Thats right. Wdruff all right. So much tofollow, yamiche alcindor, Lisa Desjardins, thank you both. We appreciate it. Woodruff in the days other news, afghanistans president ashraf ghani and his polital rival, abdullah abdullah, blamed each other for a u. S. Threat to cut 1 billion in aid. Secretary of state mike pompeo made the teat on monday, after meeting with both men in kabul. He warned that they must form a government and bin talks with the taliban. The new york times, the Washington Post and the wall street journ are urging china today not to expel their journalists. In an open letter, they said the move is threatening to information at a perilousical moment. Beijing acted after the Trump Administration limited the number of chinese journalists in the u. S. In the u. S. President ial race, democratic frontrunner joe t biden sat he still supports holding the Partys National convention in july, amid the coronavirus pandemic. In a tv interview, he was asked about Party Leaders ng with that schedule for now. I think we ought to be able c duct our democratic processes as well as deal with this issue. But look, that disision we made he state of the nation at the moment. In called off, and i think we should call off any of the elections. I think we just have to mo forward. Woodruff also today, delaware became the latest state to delay its president ial primary, pushing it back from april 28 to june 2. Some of the nations bestknown National Parks closed today, citing the pandemic. Yellowstone, grand teton and great Smoky MountainNational Parks all joined others in shutting down. Bernhardt had let parks stay open, but state and local officials urged them to close. And, renowned playwright Terrence Mcnally died today in complications. Ida of coronavirus over six decades, he won four tony awards for works that included ragtime and kiss of the spider woman. As an openly gay writer, he also ng gay characters to a wider audience. Terrence mcnally was 81 years old. L st come on the newshour italys battle with the pandemic could be a warning sign of f whats to co the u. S. The escalating debate about when and, the torch is passed tormal. Next year. Wh it means that the olympics games are postponed. Woodruff we return now to our top story, the economic aid bi on capitol hill. Senate majority whip john thune of south dakota is the second highest ranking republican in the senate, and he joins us now from capitol hill. Senator thune, thank you very much for being with us. So tell us, where do these negotiations stand . Well, good evening, judy. E they till in the final stages. Weve been saying this now for some time, but i really am hopeful that were driving to a conclusion here. Theyre still debating a couple of the issues that are notll toresolved yet, but, you know, im hoping they can wrap up tonight. Theres a possibility i suppose still that we could vote this evening, but one way or the other we need to get this done as sooinas possible, and i k were getting a lot closer, b . its unfortunate that were several days into this. In my view, this should have been done a few days ago. Woodruff weve beeney hearing e close now for a number of hours since yesterday. What can you say about what theo up is . I think that there are eiveral issuesthat have been. That are still negotiated. One has to do with the fund that auld be available for businesses to geess to loan capital to help provide liquidity for their busiesses and what kind of conditions should be imposed there. I think theres pret much broad agreement on that. Ere are. The democs have asked for Grant Funding forhe airlines, and thats something that a lot of republicans have b issues witt its something that i think is being debated and negotiated. How th we keep airlines in business . Weve advocated that be done through loans. There may be some combination of riat being debated, but thats being resolvet now. There is also a question of how you get the dollars out to stato anl governments, and there is differences about what the numbers ought to be, and i think in sopt respects on the policy, but these are things that shouldnt take that lonig, and think hospital numbers it sounds like have been fairly well resolved, but there again, we have had those numbers pretty everaln hand now for s days. The democrats have added, you know, additional items forid coation and discussion for several days now, and thats something that we have tried to fight off. Anything thats not specifically related to this emergency, we can debate another day, but they keep bringing new issues into the discussion. Woodruff but you are confident that its going to come tonight or you are not . I am not confident that its going to come tonight for sure. I think its a posbusibility. Theres still a lot of work. The text isnt final. When it is, you have a file, you have to get it out there, kiss the tribute it distribute it opportunity to ret. Y have an most people are miliar with the major elements of this bill. There have been a few changes for the most part Everybody Knows whats in it. But people will want an opportunity to look at it, discuss it, make sure theyre com