Coronavirus Update

Global cases rose above 1.27 million over the weekend with more than 69,000 deaths. The number of confirmed U.S. cases rose to more than 336,000 with 9,610 confirmed deaths.

• President Trump on Friday announced plans for a stimulus package to pay hospitals to treat uninsured patients for coronavirus symptoms.
• Italy on Sunday reported its lowest death toll in over two weeks, while Spain on Friday reported a day-to-day decrease in deaths for the first time in more than a week.
• New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Friday ordered the National Guard to seize unused ventilators and medical supplies to redistribute to hospitals in need.
• UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson was admitted to the hospital for “precautionary” tests Sunday afternoon, ten days after he tested positive for the virus.
• A four-year-old Malayan tiger named Nadia tested positive for coronavirus Sunday at the Bronx zoo.
• U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams on Sunday said the coming week or two will be America’s “Pearl Harbor” or “9/11” moment.

Inspector General Fired

President Trump on Friday fired Michael Atkinson, the inspector general of the intelligence community. Last year, Atkinson informed Congress of the whistleblower complaint that eventually led to Trump’s House impeachment and subsequent Senate acquittal.

UK’s Labour Party Gets A New Leader

Sir Keir Starmer won a decisive victory in the UK Labour Party’s three-month leadership elections, which concluded on Saturday. Starmer is replacing former Labour head Jeremy Corbyn, who served as the party’s leader for five years before stepping down earlier this year and triggering the election.

The Coronavirus Effect

• U.S. stock indexes fell 1.5% on Friday, while global oil prices early Monday morning traded down nearly $3 per barrel (7-8%).
• The U.S. Labor Department disclosed a loss of 701,000 payroll jobs in its March jobs report.
• The federal government’s $350 billion small business stimulus program kicked off on Friday, though just $3.2 billion in loans were approved amid widespread issues.
• New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Saturday announced the NBA is collaborating with the NY Knicks and Brooklyn Nets to donate one million masks to the state’s hospitals.
• Walmart on Saturday placed a limit on the number of individuals allowed in each store, allowing no more than five customers per 1,000 square feet.
• The attorneys general of three states have announced a probe into the privacy practices of Zoom, after numerous reports of security breaches caused the NYC school system to ban the video app.

Starships Were Meant To Fly

SpaceX’s Starship prototype - SN3 - was crushed in a cryogenic pressure test late Thursday night (video). Testing failures are common during spaceship development, with earlier prototypes having seen a mixed bag of results.

More: CEO Elon Musk had hoped to eventually use the SN3 for a short test flight, but will now turn his attention to the SN4 iteration.

General Electric

General Motors and Honda on Friday reached an agreement to co-develop two new electric vehicles. Under the terms of the plan, the vehicles will be produced at GM’s North American plants and incorporate GM’s OnStar and Super Cruise technologies, but will be branded and sold under the Honda name beginning in 2024.

Rent Control

With millions of Americans suddenly unemployed or underemployed due to the coronavirus pandemic, many tenants have found themselves unable to afford the money for rent, especially in hard-hit New York City.

Mario Salerno, a Brooklyn born-and-bred landlord who owns 18 apartment buildings around the borough, recently posted notices telling all tenants that April’s payment was no longer needed - forgiving hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of rent.

Spy Kids

Though the recent pandemic has forced the population indoors, it has also provided an opportunity to highlight the creativity of those looking to stay occupied during the extended quarantine.

An example of such creativity can be found in a South Bend, IN neighborhood, where dozens of residents are engaged in an interactive game of “I Spy” that can be played while taking a walk through the community.

Mr. Right

Canaan Bower is a prime example of being at the right place at the right time. The Las Cruces, NM high school wrestling champ was out and about one day, when he heard sounds of distress at a nearby bus stop and rushed to the scene.

When he arrived, Canaan saw a woman struggling to rescue her daughter from a would-be kidnapper. Canaan instinctively leapt into the fray and pinned the assailant to the ground, holding the man in place until police arrived to take him into custody.