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Premature optimism

New Covid-19 vaccines—including drugs that don't require needles and can be stored at room temperature—may be ready for use later this year, the World Health Organization's top scientist said. In Europe, such advances can't come soon enough: Germany suspended use of AstraZeneca's shot amid a growing scare over blood clots, creating yet another delay for the European Union's inoculation campaign. In other countries, lockdowns are falling into place again as infection rates trend upward. Even in the U.S., where vaccination is speeding up and states are throwing open their doors (despite the looming threat of variants), at least 572 Americans died from the virus on Sunday alone, with a seven-day average of 1,400 fatalities every day. There were 38,000 new U.S. infections reported on Sunday, with a seven-day average of 54,000 per day. Worldwide, the WHO warned that there was an 11% transmission spike in just the past week. Here's the latest on the pandemicDavid E. Rovella

Bloomberg is tracking the progress of coronavirus vaccines while mapping the pandemic globally and across America

Here are today's top stories  

U.S. President Joe Biden is likely to propose that Congress raise taxes on the wealthy to help pay for his long-term economic program, the follow-up to his $1.9 trillion pandemic-relief bill. Revenue increases in any broader infrastructure and jobs package are likely to include repealing portions of the $1.5 trillion tax overhaul pushed through by Republicans in 2017, which largely benefitted corporations and the rich.

The money seems to be out there. The Internal Revenue Service has failed to collect more than $2.4 billion from wealthy individuals who owe the federal government back taxes, according to a Treasury Department watchdog report.

Billionaire investor Ray Dalio has long been known for his disdain of holding cash, but he now says bonds may be a bad bet as well— or any-U.S. dollar denominated asset.

Ray Dalio, founder of Bridgewater Associates LP 

Photographer: Takaaki Iwabu/Bloomberg

Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway is opposing two shareholder proposals related to climate change and diversity.

A Swiss prosecutor is probing whether the late king of Saudi Arabia broke any laws when he transferred $100 million to a fund controlled by fellow royal Juan Carlos I of Spain in 2008.

John and Patrick Collison sold their first company for $5 million when they were still teenagers. A decade or so later, the second business they founded is now worth $95 billion, making it the most valuable U.S. startup.

Patrick Collison, left, and John Collison 

Photographer: Bloomberg

Tencent Holdings shares fell again on concern Chinese regulators are now gunning for Pony Ma's business empire, fueling a $62 billion wipe-out that one brokerage says obliterated most of the value of its online finance business.

What you'll need to know tomorrow 

What you'll want to read in Bloomberg Screentime

Do You Like Netflix Enough to Pay For It?

Netflix may find out soon just how many of its viewers will agree to pay to use its services. The video-streaming giant is taking a firmer stance against people sharing account passwords, testing a feature that prompts non-paying viewers to buy a subscription. A company spokesperson wrote that the test was "designed to help ensure that people using Netflix accounts are authorized to do so."

Photographer: Jaap Arriens/Getty Images

Photographer: Jaap Arriens/Getty Images

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