Donation For The Nation

Coronavirus Updates

Global cases rose to nearly 7.32 million yesterday, with over 413,600 deaths. The number of confirmed U.S. cases rose to almost 2.05 million, with 114,148 confirmed deaths.

• Texas reported its second consecutive day of all-time-high COVID-19 hospitalizations, with 1,935 patients on Monday and a jump to 2,056 on Tuesday. See how coronavirus is changing in your state.
• Early results from a 23andMe study published Monday indicate that people with Type O blood are 9% to 18% less likely to test positive for COVID-19. Similarly, a European study published last week found that those with Type O blood are at the lowest risk for the virus, while also finding that people with blood type A are 50% more likely to need a ventilator.
• The WHO walked back its Monday comments that COVID-19 transmission by asymptomatics was “very rare,” saying it’s a “really complex question” and much is still largely unknown.

Nationwide Protests

• Protests continued in the U.S. for the 14th straight day as thousands gathered in NYC, Houston, D.C., and LA.
• George Floyd’s funeral took place in Houston yesterday. You can find photos and a full video of the service here.
• A Washington Post/George Mason poll found that 74% of Americans are supportive of the ongoing protests.

Iran Sentences CIA Informant To Death

The Iranian government on Tuesday announced that one of its citizens - Mahmoud Mousavi Majd - who provided the CIA with information on Qassem Soleimani’s whereabouts has been sentenced to death. Soleimani - considered to be Iran’s second-most powerful figure behind Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamanei - was assassinated in a U.S. drone strike near Baghdad International Airport on Jan. 3.

More: The Department of Defense said Soleimani was assassinated for leading a U.S.-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization and developing plans to attack American diplomats and service members. Read more about the strike on Soleimani here.

The Coronavirus Effect

• Apple, Amazon, Facebook, & Microsoft all closed at all-time highs on Tuesday, as the Nasdaq hit a new record for the second straight day.
• Twitter has begun to fact-check posts that link 5G to the COVID-19 pandemic by adding a label with a link titled ‘Get the facts about COVID-19.’
• The number of business owners in the U.S. declined more over the past three months (3.3 million) than any other 12-month period in American history.
• AMC Entertainment - the largest U.S. movie theater chain - said it expects to fully open theaters across the globe by July. Likewise, several additional Vegas casinos plan to open their doors by July 1.

About Face

In a letter to Congress on Tuesday, IBM CEO Arvind Krishna said the company will no longer offer, develop, or research facial recognition technology. Krishna also called for a “national dialogue” on whether the technology should be used at all. Read the full letter here.

Nikola vs. Tesla

As of Tuesday’s market close, shares of electric vehicle startup Nikola have more than doubled since the company’s IPO last Thursday. The company - which hasn’t sold any vehicles yet - has reportedly received more than $10 billion in pre-orders from commercial clients.

More: Nikola’s market cap rose above $30 billion in intraday trading yesterday, higher than that of Ford (~$28.8B) and Fiat Chrysler (~$20.5B).

Two-Way Street

The streets of Antonio Gwynn Jr.’s hometown of Buffalo, New York, were littered with broken glass and garbage from protests last Monday. So, the 18-year old grabbed a trash bag and got to work. Beginning at 2 a.m., the high school senior worked by himself for over 10 hours straight to clear the roads so commuters could travel to work safely the next morning.

When Matt Block learned of Antonio’s good deed from the local news, he decided to give the tenacious teen his prized 2004 red Mustang convertible. In recognition of Antonio’s service, Medaille College in Buffalo offered the graduating senior a full scholarship, where he plans to begin studying business in the fall.

Love Conquers All

Kerry Anne and Michael Gordon were overwhelmed and discouraged when they were forced to postpone their dream wedding from its original May 26 date due to the pandemic. Determined to get married this summer, the lovebirds set a new date for a small ceremony in Philadelphia on June 6 – which ended up being the day of the largest peaceful protest in the city’s history.

In a ceremony that was initially intended to be kept a secret, Kerry and Michael were married outside the Logan Hotel in downtown Philadelphia in front of thousands of excited protestors. Enveloped in the sound of supportive shouts, the newlyweds lovingly embraced one another.

Frozen Assets

The Chester Zoo in Cheshire, England, recently announced it could permanently close its doors due to COVID-19 shutdowns. With government-mandated restrictions preventing the acceptance of visitors, the zoo is struggling to meet the cost of maintaining its many wildlife attractions.

UK frozen food retailer Iceland stepped in to relieve some of the zoo's financial burden by adopting all of its Humboldt penguins. The supermarket chain's donation is part of a larger campaign to save the zoo that has raised over 2 million pounds in one short week.

Attention All Tea Lovers:

Here at Cup & Leaf, we’re always on the hunt for new tea to sip and fresh knowledge to share.

We started Cup & Leaf to create an inviting space where experts and novices alike can enjoy our wide selection of tea, without feeling overwhelmed or intimidated. We write about tea on our blog and sell it on our online store.

Cup & Leaf is your one-stop-shop for all things tea, especially if you are:

• New to tea, but want to learn more without feeling bombarded with information.
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• Buying a gift for someone, but aren’t sure what to get them.

Do any of these sound like you? If so, we’re excited for you to begin your tea journey with us.

And because you’re a smart and informed Donut reader, we’re offering you 15% off your first online purchase with us. Simply use the code DONUT at checkout.