AP: U.N.: U.S. hasn’t shared evidence on alleged coronavirus origin
“The World Health Organization’s emergencies chief said Monday that it has received no evidence from the U.S. government to back up allegations by President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo that the coronavirus could have originated at a laboratory in the Chinese city of Wuhan. ‘From our perspective, this remains speculative,’ Dr. Michael Ryan told reporters in Geneva…” (Keaten, 5/4).

National Geographic: Fauci: No scientific evidence the coronavirus was made in a Chinese lab
“Anthony ‘Tony’ Fauci has become the scientific face of America’s COVID-19 response, and he says the best evidence shows the virus behind the pandemic was not made in a lab in China. Fauci, the director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, shot down the discussion that has been raging among politicians and pundits, calling it ‘a circular argument’ in a conversation Monday with National Geographic…” (Akpan/Jaggard, 5/4).

Science: Pressure grows on China for independent investigation into pandemic’s origins
“China is facing growing pressure from national governments and international organizations to open its doors to an independent, international investigation into the origins of the novel coronavirus causing the current COVID-19 pandemic, as well as into the nation’s early response to the outbreak. So far, however, the Chinese government has given no public sign it is interested in cooperating. Its silence, and signs that China is stifling origins research by its own scientists, have fueled theories that the virus accidentally leaked from a lab there…” (5/4).

U.N. News: Global health experts advise WHO to identify animal source of COVID-19 virus
“International experts have advised the World Health Organization (WHO) to work to identify the animal origins of the virus behind the COVID-19 pandemic and its transmission to humans, the U.N. agency said on Friday. The recommendation was among the outcomes of the latest meeting of the Emergency Committee on the new disease, established under global health regulations…” (5/1).

Business Insider: U.S. national security officials and global health experts are increasingly concerned China will develop a coronavirus vaccine first (Haltiwanger, 5/4).

New York Times: China’s Coronavirus Vaccine Drive Empowers a Troubled Industry (Wee et al., 5/4).

New York Times: Pompeo Ties Coronavirus to China Lab, Despite Spy Agencies’ Uncertainty (Sanger/Wong, 5/3).

POLITICO: Trump national security official says U.S. not considering ‘punitive measures’ against China (Forgey, 5/4).

Reuters: WHO says Pompeo remarks on virus origin ‘speculative,’ seeks data (Nebehay/Farge, 5/4).

Washington Post: The top U.S. diplomat turns pandemic bully (Tharoor, 5/5).

Washington Times: Watchdog group sues for Fauci, World Health Organization communications (Swoyer, 5/4).