Taking Stock

Protest & Coronavirus Updates

Global cases rose above 10.39 million yesterday (up ~160k from yesterday), with nearly 507,400 deaths (up ~3.4k). The number of confirmed U.S. cases rose to nearly 2.68 million (up ~45k), with 128,761 confirmed deaths (up ~349).

• A district judge set a March 8 trial for Derek Chauvin, one of the four officers charged with the murder of George Floyd.
• China approved the use of CanSino’s COVID-19 vaccine candidate on its military troops for a one-year period.
• Gilead on Monday revealed its COVID-19 drug, remdesivir, will cost U.S. hospitals $3,120 for a typical patient.
• NJ Gov. Phil Murphy announced that indoor dining would not resume on Thursday as originally planned. See how cases are changing in your state.
• NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio agreed to cut the NYPD budget by $1 billion.

Iran Issues Warrant For Trump’s Arrest

Iran issued an arrest warrant yesterday for President Trump and 35 others in connection with the death of Gen. Qassem Soleimani, a top Iranian official. Interpol later declined Iran’s request for assistance in detaining the individuals, meaning they face no real threat of arrest.

More: On Jan. 3, a U.S. airstrike at Baghdad International Airport in Iraq killed Gen. Soleimani, the leader of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

AP Accuses China Of Forced Birth Control

An AP News report published on Monday accuses the Chinese Government of forcing birth control, sterilization, and abortions on Uighur women to cut the population's birth rates. Data shows that birth control and forced sterilization have gone down in every region of the country save Xinjiang, where it has spiked. Xinjiang is home to ~11 million Uighur Muslims, who make up a little under half the region’s population.

The Coronavirus Effect

• The Geneva Auto Show - the first major show to cancel due to COVID-19 back in Feb. - has been called off for 2021 amid a lack of interest stemming from the pandemic.
• AMC Entertainment postponed plans to reopen most U.S. locations to July 30, extending its shutdown by about two weeks.
• Amazon pledged to spend more than $500 million on bonuses for all front-line workers (contractors included) after ending a short-term pay bump for employees last month.

Social Media Summary

The Indian government banned 59 Chinese-owned apps - including TikTok and WeChat - on Monday, citing national security and privacy concerns. The move comes two weeks after 20 Indian soldiers were killed in a violent border clash with Chinese troops.

More social media news: Reddit banned ~2,000 ‘subreddits’ (most of them inactive), Twitch suspended President Trump’s channel, YouTube banned the accounts of several white supremacists, & Ford, Adidas, and Denny’s joined the list of companies to boycott advertising on Facebook.

Mirror Mirror

Lululemon announced a deal to acquire at-home fitness company Mirror for $500 million on Monday. Launched in 2018, Mirror sells a $1,500 tech-laden mirror with a camera and speakers in order for users to participate in online fitness classes. Lululemon said its new acquisition is on track to generate $100 million in 2020 sales.

One Of A Kind

Rena Rosen, a preschool teacher and photographer in Chicago, was born with craniofrontonasal syndrome, which affects the structure of her face and skull. Growing up, Rena struggled to be accepted by other children her age - she was often bullied and mocked for her appearance.

Determined to educate young people about the constructive impacts of kindness, the now 30-year-old Rena started the “Art of Compassion” movement to advocate for inclusivity among kids. Through school visits, media campaigns, and her children’s book, The Courage to Be Kind, the educator encourages audiences to see others beyond the surface.

Sew What?

Before the pandemic, actress/comedian Kristina Wong was looking forward to her first nationwide stand-up tour. Upon learning that her shows were canceled, Kristina turned to sewing as a way to stay active and avoid getting bogged down by thoughts of her financial loss.

After stitching her first face mask in late March, Kristina started the “Auntie Sewing Squad,” a Facebook group dedicated to providing masks to populations disproportionately affected by the spread of COVID-19. With a membership of 800 craftspeople, the group has distributed more than 55,000 masks to communities in need.

In The Arms Of An Angel

Temperatures in Delaware Water Gap National Park had reached more than 90ºF last Tuesday when park ranger Kris Salapek received an emergency call. On the other end of the line was a panicked hiker whose dog suffered from dehydration and heat exhaustion several miles out on a trail.

When Kris arrived at the scene, he made a split-second decision to hoist the large canine onto his shoulders and carry it back to the beginning of the trail. The resolute ranger transported the poor pup for over an hour back to the owner's car, only stopping briefly to set the dog down in a cold stream. The weary animal's owner rushed him to the vet, where he made a full recovery.

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