A Weekend To Remember

Coronavirus Updates

Global confirmed cases rose above 5.58 million yesterday, with more than 347,500 deaths. The number of confirmed U.S. cases rose to nearly 1.71 million, with 99,805 deaths.

• Japan lifted its nationwide state of emergency on Monday; in Europe, Spain, Greece, and France began to lift restrictions on tourism-related industries.
• The CDC warned of an increase in aggressive rodent behavior in cities, since restrictions on restaurant dining have led to less food waste. (Bonus video: Rats overtake Bourbon Street).
• The New York Times over the weekend published a tribute to those who have died from the virus. Read it here (no $).
• The U.S. government imposed a travel ban on foreign nationals coming from Brazil beginning May 28.

Taliban Announces Surprise Ceasefire

The Taliban announced a three-day ceasefire on Sunday coinciding with Eid al-Fitr - the holiday commemorating the end of Ramadan. Shortly after, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani responded by starting the process of freeing 2,000 Taliban prisoners as a gesture of goodwill.

More: Since the U.S. invaded Afghanistan in 2001, there has only been one other formal pause in fighting - a three-day ceasefire to mark the 2018 Eid al-Fitr festival.

Hong Kong Protests Continue

Thousands of people gathered in Hong Kong on Sunday to protest Beijing’s proposal of new national security laws. Police responded to the scene with tear gas (used for the first time in weeks), water cannons, and pepper spray, arresting at least 120 pro-democracy protesters.

More: The proposed national security laws would effectively overturn the “one country, two systems” principle put in place when China assumed control of the island in 1997.

The Coronavirus Effect

• Hertz filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Friday. All locations will remain open for now, as the company disclosed over $1 billion cash on hand to support operations.
• The German government agreed to a $9.8 billion bailout of Lufthansa in exchange for a 20% stake in the airline company, pending regulatory approval.
• The UN reported a 600% increase in malicious emails globally during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Emission Inquisition

Germany’s highest civil court ruled against Volkswagen (VW) on Monday, ordering the carmaker to compensate consumers in connection with ‘dieselgate,’ the company’s emissions-cheating scandal. The court’s ruling will serve as a template for the ~60,000 lawsuits against VW still pending in lower German courts.

More: In 2015, VW admitted to selling about 11 million vehicles (8 million in Europe) equipped with a “defeat device” - software that detects when the car is being tested and temporarily improves its emissions output.

Ol’ Reliable

Reliance Industries - owned by India’s richest man, Mukesh Ambani - launched a new e-commerce venture called Jio Mart on Monday. Available for delivery in 200 cities across India, Jio Mart is a partnership between two Reliance subsidiaries: Jio Retail, and Jio Platforms.

More: Jio Platforms has raised roughly $9 billion from four U.S. companies (including $5.7B from Facebook) over the past month.

Flags Of Our Fathers

Each Memorial Day, thousands of U.S. flags adorn the Boston Commons - a park in downtown Boston - as the city honors our fallen heroes. The tribute was canceled this year due to COVID-19, so one local health care worker took it upon herself to spread some joy.

Mary Gillen, who works at Mass General, ordered 500 American flags - each handmade by a veteran - and placed them in a nearby park for her neighbors and passersby to enjoy.

Yes We Can

When Aldi manager Richard Allen spotted an 87-year-old woman with a basketful of canned goods at his store earlier this month, he asked if she needed help finding some fresh food. She told him she did not own an oven or microwave and relied on canned food to sustain herself.

Richard immediately contacted Miss Molly’s Tea Room, a local business offering to feed 80 vulnerable people each day for the low price of ~$6. The cafe enthusiastically agreed to feed the woman free of charge.

Graduation Inspiration

Autumn Johnson was one of 16 million American children who found themselves living in poverty following the Great Recession. In 2011, Autumn’s family was the subject of a 60 Minutes segment after their home was foreclosed on, forcing them to live out of a yellow delivery truck.

Nearly ten years to the day from when she lost her home, Autumn graduated from nearby Stetson University on the Dean’s List. She plans to continue on to law school in the fall.