Coronavirus Update

Global cases rose to more than 1,015,000 yesterday with more than 53,000 deaths. The number of U.S. cases rose above 245,000 with 6,075 confirmed deaths.

• The Democratic National Committee is postponing the party’s Milwaukee convention from July 13 until Aug. 17.
• The federal government has reportedly distributed over half it’s ventilator stockpile, as President Trump further invoked a Korean War-era law to assist manufacturers in procuring needed supplies.
• Two cruise ships carrying more than 200 passengers with flu-like symptoms reached an agreement with local authorities to dock at Florida’s Everglades port.
• The IRS reportedly plans to send electronic one-time stimulus payments to taxpayers beginning April 9, with paper checks to be sent out starting April 24.
• Phillipine President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday warned citizens that police and military had been commanded to shoot and kill anyone who defies lockdown orders.
• The FDA has approved the first coronavirus antibody test, which tells doctors whether a patient has been exposed to the virus and may have immunity.

Pakistani Court Overturns Death Sentence

The 18-year-old murder conviction of Omar Saeed Sheikh, a British citizen charged with killing WSJ reporter Daniel Pearl, was overturned in a Pakistani court on Thursday. Sheikh’s sentence has been reduced from the death penalty to seven years, while three accomplices previously sentenced to life in prison were also acquitted.

EU Court Rules On Refugee Quotas

The top EU court on Thursday ruled that Hungary, Poland, and the Czech Republic all “failed to fulfill their obligations” by refusing to take in refugees from overcrowded camps in Italy and Greece. The EU Commission has the power to issue hefty fines to each country for disobeying the mandatory relocation quotas.

The Coronavirus Effect

• A record 6.6 million people filed for unemployment last week, a number twice the size of the previous record - set just one week prior. The Fed previously estimated up to 47 million Americans could lose their jobs.
• Oil prices increased by 25% on Thursday, setting a record for the largest one-day increase in history.
• As much as $350 billion will be made available to small businesses starting tomorrow, though many large banks have doubts if they can handle the number of applicants.
• Disney announced that all nonessential U.S. workers will be furloughed beginning April 19, with those on company health care retaining their plan.
• HBO will provide 500 hours of free streaming content on HBO NOW and HBO GO to users without a subscription, starting this Friday.
• A plane belonging to the New England Patriots delivered an order of one million N95 masks from China to Massachusetts on Thursday.

Tesla Shocks Analysts

On Thursday, Tesla reported that it had delivered roughly 88,400 vehicles in the first quarter of this year, beating analysts’ average expectations by nearly 10,000. Tesla shares rose nearly 18% in after-hours trading.

Out Of Luck(in)

Luckin Coffee - Starbucks’ China-based rival - disclosed that an internal investigation found several employees, including COO Jian Liu, fabricated roughly $310 million in sales in 2019. Shares fell more than 80% in pre-market trading in reaction to the news.

More: To put it in context, the company previously reported net sales of $413 million for the first nine months of 2019.

I Will Survive

At 104 years old, William Lapschies has seen much hardship. A World War II vet, he also lived through the 1918 Spanish Flu and the Great Depression. So after being diagnosed with coronavirus, William knew he possessed the strength to fight off the disease - and he did!

William and his family recently celebrated his recovery (and belated birthday) with a socially distanced party - William is believed to be the oldest person to have recovered from the virus.

Dunking On COVID-19

The FDA last month approved a promising convalescent plasma treatment that has shown early success in fighting off COVID-19. However, the treatment requires blood samples from recovered individuals, who are in short supply.

On Sunday, the NBA reached out to team physicians encouraging healthy players who have already recovered from the virus to consider opting in to the treatment, with at least four players so far rising to the challenge.

Just Dance

When the current social distancing guidelines were put into place across the country, six-year-old Kira Neely was worried that she wouldn’t be able to spend quality time with her grandfather who lives across the street.

Although hugs are currently forbidden, the two are still able to engage in a series of daily dance-offs with her 80-year-old ‘Papa’ showing some surprising agility for his age (video).

“Challenge + Perspective=Optimization”

It is my most humble honor to invite you all to join the Coach Kub network, where our main focus is seeking truth and challenge TOGETHER.

In accordance with this mission, it is my firm belief that placing ourselves in environments that stimulate challenge and offer opportunities to find common ground amongst our fellow men and women will always find us in a much better place, and that is the exact aim of the Coach Kub Podcast and Kub’s Korner.

The Coach Kub Podcast and Kub’s Korner includes:

• Weekly Challenges every Monday to set a clear standard for the week ahead.
• Friday Discussions with innovators and leaders from a variety of fields that are making significant impacts in their jobs and communities.
• Work Out and Lifestyle coaching programs that aid in helping you become the best version of yourself.

If you are someone who is looking for perspective, conversation, and practical tools that will help you become the best version of yourself, then the Coach Kub Podcast, Kub’s Korner, and CoachKub.com are the resources for you.

For more details and to subscribe to the Coach Kub network, visit CoachKub.com, Kub’s Korner on Youtube, or the Coach Kub Podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Make it a great one y’all!