POLITICS 🏛️

Iran’s foreign minister calls for an end to U.S. ‘economic terrorism’

• Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, penned a letter to the U.N. Secretary General charging U.S. sanctions with making it difficult to export oil and import meds needed to treat COVID-19 (coronavirus) patients
• There are concerns that the “maximum pressure” strategy that the U.S. has taken against Iran in response to escalating Iranian military action against U.S. bases is making the country more unstable in the wake of COVID-19

WORLD 🌎

Trump announces Europe travel ban

• Trump announced late on Wednesday that most travel from Europe to the U.S. will be suspended, starting 11:59 p.m. EST on Friday, for at least 30 days
• The suspension will still allow US citizens and trade goods to enter the country
• Many are critiquing the decision, including the EU’s condemnation of the decision being made without any collaborative consultation

BUSINESS 💰

Federal Reserve announces plans for $1.5 trillion asset purchases

• The Fed has widened its range of purchases from just short-term U.S. Treasury bills to include include longer-term notes, bills and other financial instruments
• This is the third move in four days the Fed has taken to preserve liquidity in the market
• This newest round of spending will follow a schedule that will commence Thursday

TECH 📱

Majority of confirmed coronavirus cases in Massachusetts linked to biotech meeting

• The meeting, which took place in a hotel in downtown Boston, has been linked to 77 of the 95 confirmed cases in Massachusetts
• The meeting has also been linked to confirmed cases in other states
• Many are taking this meeting as a warning against large gatherings

US 🦅

U.S. surveillance powers to temporarily expire on Sunday

• A bipartisan bill that would renew three surveillance powers and impose new restrictions has been postponed after three senators stated that they would object the bill 
• The three senators are Rand Paul, R-Ky., Mike Lee, R-Utah and Ron Wyden, D-Oregon
• The three surveillance powers in question are (1) allows the FBI to obtain court orders to collect business records on subjects in national security investigations (2) permits surveillance on subjects even after they’ve changed phones (3) allows agents to monitor subjects who do not have ties to international terrorism investigations

SPORTS ⚾🏀🏒

Several U.S. sports leagues have suspended or delayed their seasons

• Major League Baseball (MLB) announced a suspension of operations, delaying the start of the 2020 season by at least two weeks
• National Basketball Association (NBA) hiatus is likely to last at least one month, according to Commissioner Adam Silver
• National Hockey League (NHL) Commissioner Gary Bettman announced a pause to on the season on Thursday

EXTRA BLING ✨

• Travel ✈️. The Happiest Place on Earth is suspending operations due to coronavirus put on hiatus
• Arts 🎭. Germany promises financial support to arts institutions affected by coronavirus
• Health 🥩. Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine sues California for failing to label processed meats as carcinogens
• Entertainment 🎞️. Billie Eilish makes a statement against body shaming
• Interesting 🔎. Oddly satisfying tennis ball physics

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