WASHINGTON (AP) - The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits fell below 1 million last week for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic started in mid-March.The latest jobless claims figures from the Labor Department, which cover the week ending August 8, show that 963,000 workers sought aid last week, pushing the total number since the shutdown began to nearly 56 million.Economists surveyed by Refinitiv expected 1.12 million new claims.The figure -- the lowest since March 14, just as the pandemic brought the economy to a grinding halt -- indicates there's still driving power behind the job market's recovery, despite fears that flare-up in COVID-19 cases and a fresh round of business closures would derail its early.