Mar 21, 2017

Trump sets sights on Mars

Shane Savitsky

Evan Vucci / AP

In the Oval Office today, President Trump signed a bill authorizing nearly $20 billion in funding for NASA, and making a a manned mission to Mars an official NASA objective. That mission is scheduled for 2033.

"Good. I love that," Trump said in response to Florida Sen. Bill Nelson's pronouncement that "we're going to Mars."

And Texas Rep. John Culberson took one giant leap for Trump: "With your bill signing today and your vision and leadership, future generations will remember that President Donald Trump was the father of the interplanetary highway system."

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Axios

WHO won't call coronavirus a pandemic as cases spread

Data: The Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins, the CDC, and China's Health Ministry. Note: China numbers are for the mainland only and U.S. numbers include repatriated citizens.

The World Health Organization will not yet call the coronavirus a pandemic, claiming that needs across affected countries are too varied and the classification would increase fear, per a briefing Monday.

The big picture: As South Korea and Italy stepped up emergency measures in efforts to thwart the spread of the virus, WHO expressed concern about infections with no clear link to China. COVID-19 has killed at least 2,620 people and infected almost 80,000 others, with all but 27 deaths occurring in mainland China.

Go deeperArrowUpdated 2 hours ago - Health
Dave Lawler

The global scramble to contain the coronavirus

Taking precaution, in the Philippines. Photo: Ezra Acayan/Getty Images

The coronavirus is spreading quickly in cities nowhere near Wuhan, China, and the window to prevent a global pandemic is narrowing.

Zoom in: Here's a look at what comes with a coronavirus outbreak in communities outside China that have been hardest hit so far.

Go deeperArrow3 hours ago - World
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Keep ReadingArrowUpdated 4 hours ago - Politics & Policy