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Today's edition of quick hits:
* Vaccines: "As of Thursday, just short of 20 percent of the U.S. population was fully vaccinated, giving some 66 million people a strong measure of protection against a disease that has already killed more than 500,000 Americans. By contrast, Covax — a World Health Organization-backed push for equitable distribution — aims to secure enough doses to cover up to 20 percent of the people in participating countries by the end of 2021, but it may not meet that relatively modest goal, experts warn."
* Day Nine: "Testimony on Wednesday in Derek Chauvin's murder trial in the death of George Floyd included several use-of-force experts for the prosecution as well as forensic scientists who collected, photographed and tested evidence found at the scene. Several Minneapolis police officials concluded that Chauvin's actions were not part of the trained use of force, an apparent sign that the 'blue wall of silence' is crumbling."
* Homelessness: "Housing Secretary Marcia L. Fudge on Thursday unveiled nearly $5 billion in new grants to states and local governments across the country for rental assistance, the development of affordable housing and other services to help people experiencing or on the verge of homelessness."
* It'd be good to see this number much lower: "First-time claims for unemployment insurance rose more than expected last week despite other signs of healing in the jobs market, the Labor Department reported Thursday. First-time claims for the week ended April 3 totaled 744,000, well above the expectation for 694,000 from economists surveyed by Dow Jones."
* Our broken Senate: "Sen. Joe Manchin, a moderate Democrat from West Virginia, said in an op-ed published Wednesday that he would not, under any circumstance, vote to weaken or abolish the Senate filibuster."
* Turmoil in Amman: "Jordan's King Abdullah said on Wednesday sedition has been quashed after a rift with his half-brother and former heir Prince Hamza, whom the government had accused of links to efforts destabilize the country."
* The Trump organization's new lawyer: "The Trump Organization has hired Ronald Fischetti, an experienced New York criminal-defense attorney, to represent it in Manhattan prosecutors' investigation into the business dealings of the former president and his company."
* As part of a bankruptcy trial we're following closely: "Wayne LaPierre, the embattled chief executive of the National Rifle Association, said on Wednesday that he had kept his organization's recent bankruptcy filing secret from almost all its senior officials, including its general counsel, chief financial officer and top lobbyist. He also did not inform most of the N.R.A.'s board."
* Middle East: "The United States and Iraq said Wednesday that they have agreed on the eventual withdrawal of U.S. combat troops from Iraq and that the two governments would hold talks to work out the timing."
* Helping military families: "First lady Jill Biden on Wednesday called military families 'the rudder that steers our military' as she held an event laying out the priorities of a revived White House initiative focused on their needs.... She said the revived 'Joining Forces' initiative will focus on the employment of military spouses, child care and education for families of service members, as well as health care."
* I'm eager to hear more about this: "Another budget reconciliation bill is likely on the horizon, and Democrats are eyeing the measure as a vehicle for a policy priority long mired in partisan disagreement: immigration overhaul."
See you tomorrow.