Coronavirus Update

In a conference call with reporters on Tuesday, the CDC outlined the steps that U.S. schools and businesses need to take should the COVID-19 coronavirus become a national epidemic. The DOW, S&P 500, and Nasdaq all dropped ~3% for a second consecutive day - according to senior analysts at S&P, the index has lost an estimated $1.737 trillion over the past two days.

More: Iran’s deputy health minister and a member of parliament have both tested positive for the virus, as the country’s death toll rose to 15.

College Admissions Scandal Sentence

Hot Pockets heiress Michelle Janavs was sentenced to five months in prison for her participation in the “Varsity Blues” college admissions scandal. Janavs admitted to paying a total of $300,000 to get her two daughters into school, including $200,000 to have her older daughter falsely tagged as a volleyball recruit at the University of Southern California.

More: At least 53 people have been charged as part of a conspiracy to influence undergraduate admissions at several top U.S. universities, nicknamed Operation Varsity Blues.

U.S. & India Agree to Arms Deal

President Trump announced Tuesday that India has agreed to buy $3 billion worth of military equipment, including attack helicopters, and said the two countries had made progress on a potential trade deal.

More: Trump’s visit comes as rival protesters clashed on both sides of the recently passed Citizens Amendment Act in New Delhi on Tuesday, leaving 13 dead and hundreds wounded.

Have A Go

Amazon opened its first full-sized cashierless grocery store, Amazon Go Grocery, in Seattle on Tuesday. The store uses a vast array of cameras and sensors to enable customers to simply walk out with their goods without stopping to pay or scan merchandise - people’s accounts are automatically charged through a smartphone app once they leave.

Ret-Iger-ed

Longtime Disney chief Robert Iger announced he is stepping down effective immediately, to be replaced by theme park chairman Bob Chapek. Iger has led the company since 2005 and will remain in his role as executive chairman through the duration of his contract, which ends in Dec. 2021.

More: Learn more about new CEO Bob Chapek, who will become the seventh chief executive in Disney history.

Hotel Heist

According to the WSJ (no $ needed), the Peninsula Beverly Hills hotel is alleging that a former employee coordinated with rival hotel Waldorf Astoria to steal corporate secrets before leaving Peninsula to take a position with Waldorf. In a civil lawsuit, Peninsula claims the employee, Houssem Tasco, stole more than 45,000 documents over a period of 14 months.

Ruff Rescue

When Deborah Falcione’s 16-year-old poodle, Porschia, was abruptly snatched off her porch by a hawk one morning, she searched for hours for the blind and deaf old pooch to no avail.

A full 28 hours after Porschia was taken, Deborah received a call saying a neighbor four blocks away had found the disabled pup in their yard and brought her to the vet, where she made a full recovery.

We’re All In This Together

Due to the nature of the foster care system, siblings are sometimes separated during the process of finding a home. That very fate was set to befall a group of six orphaned Philadelphia siblings, until a real-life guardian angel stepped in.

Bobbie Floyd realized the children were going to be separated, so she officially adopted four of the children last week, and has made plans to adopt the remaining two in the near future.

Forgive Us Our Debts

Many households are currently struggling with the crushing weight of medical debt, and unable to pay back the large sums they owe for life-saving treatment.

Crossroads Church of Lexington, KY, has stepped in to help their local community - the congregation recently raised nearly $2 million to pay down more than $45 million total in medical debt for about 45,000 Central Kentucky households.