Life On Mars

COVID-19 Snapshot

• Check your state’s ICU bed capacity.
• Major virus news: National Security Advisor Robert O’Brien tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday, making him the highest-ranking administration official to contract the virus to date.

Senate Republicans Reveal Stimulus Bill

Republicans unveiled a COVID-19 stimulus bill yesterday afternoon. Highlights from the package include:

• Another round of $1,200 in direct payments to Americans under the same qualifications as the checks approved in March.
• An extension of the federal eviction moratorium, which covers renters living in buildings with federally-backed mortgages.
• An extension (and reduction) of extra unemployment benefits, down to $200 per week from $600.

With the introduction of the GOP bill, talks will begin in earnest with House Democrats to come together on a bill that can reach President Trump’s desk. Several major aid programs (including the eviction moratorium and extra unemployment) are set to expire this Friday.

Ceasefire Between Russia & Ukraine

A ceasefire between Ukrainian troops and Russian-backed separatists began at midnight on Monday, ending 6-years of hostilities in Eastern Ukraine. The peace accord, negotiated last week, is one of several initiatives to end fighting that began in 2014 after pro-Russian President Victor Yanukovych was ousted from office.

Worth Noting: Late congressman John Lewis - a former civil rights activist who passed away July 17 - arrived in Washington yesterday to lie in state at the U.S. Capitol Rotunda.

The Coronavirus Effect

• Moderna began final-stage testing of its vaccine candidate on Monday, a day after the company announced $472M in additional funding from the U.S. government. Likewise, Pfizer & BioNTech started a late-stage human trial of its candidate yesterday.
• Google extended its COVID-19 work-from-home order through June 2021.
• Tenet will debut internationally on Aug. 26, with select U.S. cities receiving access to the film over Labor Day weekend.

Wells Bells

Last week, Under Armour and two executives (founder Kevin Plank and CFO David Bergman) received Wells notices from the SEC related to a previously disclosed probe by the agency. A Wells notice, which indicates that the SEC is considering enforcement action, doesn’t necessarily mean that Under Armour or its executives violated the law.

More: The SEC's prior investigation looked into whether Under Armour's accounting practices misled investors between Q3 2015 and Q4 2016.

Delay Of Game

The MLB canceled two baseball games on Monday after 14 players and coaches in the Miami Marlins organization tested positive for COVID-19. The Marlins’ home opener against the Baltimore Orioles was canceled, as well as a game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the New York Yankees (the Phillies were the last team to play the Marlins). League officials said there are no plans to suspend or cancel the season.

Worth Noting: Following Walmart’s announcement last week, Target on Monday said it will likewise close on Thanksgiving Day to give workers the day off.

Climbing Ms. Daisy

A St. Bernard named Daisy was hiking with her owners on Sunday near the summit of Scafell Pike – England’s tallest mountain – when the dog began experiencing leg pain and suddenly collapsed. With a descent of 3,000 feet remaining in the strenuous hike, the 121-pound pooch was conscious but refused to move.

In a rescue operation that took five hours, 16 emergency responders of the local Wasdale Mountain Rescue Team found Daisy and carried her down the mountain to safety. Although Daisy’s breed is famous for rescuing stranded mountaineers, it was the delighted dog who descended the peak on a stretcher as the tough team members traversed rocky slopes and even a waterfall.

Never Going Out Of Style

Husband and wife Chang Wan-ji and Hsu Sho-er have co-owned Wansho Laundry in Taiwan for more than 60 years, providing dry-cleaning services that are so exceptional that some clients continue to bring them laundry even after they move away. Business has been slow for the couple – who are in their mid-80s – since the pandemic began, leading their grandson, Reef, to worry that the longtime launderers were growing bored.

On June 27th, Reef helped Chang and Hsu launch an Instagram account featuring photoshoots of the two octogenarians in stylish clothes abandoned by customers who never returned. The account, which has gone viral, shows the playful poses of Chang and Hsu, who feel youthful and confident in their trendy outfits.

Long Road To Recovery

Dr. Grant Lashley of Lafayette, LA, was working on the front lines of the pandemic as an emergency room physician when he contracted COVID-19 in April. Shortly after, the 50-year-old doctor suffered a COVID-induced stroke that left him unable to walk. After recovering from the virus, Dr. Lashley was transferred to the TIRR Memorial Hospital in Houston to begin intensive physical therapy.

On Friday, after 96 days of rehabilitation, Dr. Lashley walked out of the hospital and reunited with his wife and three young children. The resilient physician, who was aided only by a walker, is optimistic about his recovery and encourages all who are battling the virus to pursue progress one step at a time.

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

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