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The Headline
Trump Signs 8.3 Billion Coronavirus Spending Bill
The Grind
President Trump signed an $8.3 billion spending bill Friday aimed at fighting the coronavirus outbreak, the culmination of a bipartisan effort by Congress and the White House to provide funds to federal agencies, as well as state and local governments, to battle the disease. "We're doing well, but it's an unforeseen problem," the
president said as he signed the legislation in the White House's Diplomatic Reception Room. He made the comments before departing for Tennessee to tour damage from tornadoes that struck the state earlier this week. Trump also said he did not think Americans were too worried about the potential effects of the coronavirus.
The Details
"I don't think they're panicking," Trump said at the bill signing. "It'll go away." Earlier, the White House said the president had canceled a planned trip Friday to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, with the White House saying that the president does not want to interfere with the agency's work to fight the novel coronavirus. But speaking to reporters, Trump said he still may go the CDC, saying
the visit was canceled because of concerns someone at CDC may have been infected. Tests, though, have since come back negative, he said. By Friday morning, the trip to Atlanta had been added back to the president's schedule. "They had one person who was potentially infected ... Because of the one person, at a high level," Trump said. | | | | | | | | |
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| | The Headline
Adviser to Iran's Foreign Minister Dies of Coronavirus
The Grind
Tehran (AFP) -- An adviser to Iran's foreign minister who took part in the 1979 U.S. embassy hostage crisis has died from coronavirus, the official IRNA news agency reported. Hossein Sheikholeslam, "a veteran and revolutionary diplomat" died late Thursday, IRNA said. Iran has been scrambling to contain the rapid spread of coronavirus which so far has infected 3,513 people and killed at least 107 people in the Islamic republic. Six of those who died from coronavirus are politicians or government officials. Before his death Sheikholeslam was advisor to Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif. A former ambassador to Syria, he also served as deputy foreign minister from 1981 to 1997. Sheikholeslam was also one of the students involved in the 1979 Iran hostage crisis.
The Details
That year, and less than nine months after the toppling of the American-backed shah, Iranian students stormed the U.S. embassy in Tehran and took 52 Americans hostage. This prompted Washington to sever diplomatic ties with Iran in 1980. The hostages were freed in January 1981, after 444 days in captivity.The novel coronavirus has also claimed the lives of other high-profile Iranian officials, including Mohammad Mirmohammadi of the Expediency Council which advises supremeer Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Other deaths linked to the virus include Mohammad Ali Ramezani, an MP from Gilan, one of the worst-hit provinces in the country. | |
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 | | | Good to the last drop | | | Did you know... There?s only one letter that doesn?t appear in any U.S. state name |
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