Portal:Current events/March 2020

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March 2020 is the third month of the current leap year. The month, which began on a Sunday, will end on a Tuesday after 31 days. It is the current month.

Portal:Current events

Current events of March 1, 2020 (2020-03-01) (Sunday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

• Syrian Civil War, Northwestern Syria offensive (December 2019–present), Turkish involvement in the Syrian Civil War
  • Turkey launches an operation in Syria's Idlib Governorate codenamed Operation Spring Shield. (Daily Sabah)
  • Two Syrian Air Force Su-24 jet aircraft are shot down by Turkish Air Force F-16s using air-to-air missiles over the Syria–Turkey border, while a Turkish drone is shot down by Syrian government forces in Idlib. (Reuters) (SOHR) (SOHR)
  • Syrian state media says the Syrian Air Defense Force has downed three Turkish drones used to hit Syrian Army and air bases. (Reuters)
  • Turkish drone and artillery strikes target Aleppo International Airport. (SOHR)
  • Turkish drone strikes target the Hama Military Airport. (SOHR)
  • Turkish drone strikes kill 19 Syrian Goverment troops in the past 24 hours, raising the total killed by Turkey in the past 3 days to 93 Syrian Government troops and 14 Hezbollah fighters. (SOHR)
  • The Syrian Army launches an operation in the southern city of Al-Sanamayn, Daraa Governorate, after "armed militants" attempted to take over the majority-Sunni city. The operation is reportedly still ongoing as gunmen still hold western parts of the city. (Al Masdar News)
• Afghan peace process
  • Afghan president Ashraf Ghani rejects a clause in the U.S.–Taliban deal setting the release of Taliban prisoners ahead of intra-Afghan talks scheduled for March 10. (BBC)

Health and environment

• 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in South Korea
    • South Korea halts religious services and closes churches as the infected toll surpass 3,700. (BBC)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in the United Kingdom
    • Scotland confirms its first case of COVID-19. (Telegraph)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in the United States
    • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Washington (state)
      • A nursing home in Kirkland, Washington locks down due to fears of COVID-19. (The New York Times)
    • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Florida
      • Florida confirms its first two cases, and Governor Ron DeSantis declares a public health emergency. (WESH)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Armenia
    • Armenia confirms its first case. (Reuters)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in the Dominican Republic
    • The Dominican Republic confirms its first case. (Dominican Today)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in San Marino
    • San Marino reports its first death. (Corriere Romagna)

International relations

• European migrant crisis, Northwestern Syria offensive (December 2019–present)
  • Turkish Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu says 76,358 migrants have left Turkey from Edirne Province as of this morning towards Europe. (Aksam)
  • Greece deploys its military on the border with Turkey to prevent thousands of migrants from entering the European Union, and suspends all asylum applications for a month while also vowing to deport any migrants who enter Greek territory illegally. (New York Times)
• Foreign relations of Syria
  • Syria and Libya's Tobruk-based government led by Aguila Saleh Issa agree to establish diplomatic relations following a high level visit to Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem. Both governments agree to counter "Turkish aggression" in the region. (Xinhuanet)

Politics and elections

• 2020 Malaysian political crisis
  • Muhyiddin Yassin is sworn in as the Prime Minister of Malaysia, succeeding Mahathir Mohamad. (CNA)
• 2020 Democratic Party presidential primaries
  • Former South Bend, Indiana mayor Pete Buttigieg suspends his presidential campaign. (The New York Times)
• 2020 Tajik parliamentary election
  • Parliamentary elections are held in Tajikistan. (The New York Times)
• Luis Lacalle Pou is sworn in as the new President of Uruguay and succeeds leftist Tabaré Vázquez. (Al Jazeera)

Current events of March 2, 2020 (2020-03-02) (Monday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

• Yemeni Civil War
  • Houthi forces capture the city of Al Hazm, the capital of Al Jawf Governorate in Yemen. (Middle East Monitor) (Al Jazeera)
• Syrian Civil War, Northwestern Syria offensive (December 2019–present)
  • Syrian rebels backed by Turkey recapture four towns and villages from the Syrian government forces in Idlib, raising the number of towns and villages recaptured since February 24 to 30. (SOHR)
  • Syrian government forces backed by Russian airstrikes recapture the city of Saraqib four days after its capture by the rebels. (SOHR)
• War in Afghanistan (2001–present), Afghan peace process
  • The Taliban say there will be no intra-Afghan talks if about 5,000 of their prisoners are not released. (Reuters)
  • The Taliban announce the end of the period of reduction in violence. They say they will not attack foreign troops, but continue their operations against Kabul government troops. According to Belga news agency, it is unclear what the announcement means for the U.S.–Taliban agreement signed on February 29. (Belga via Het Laatste Nieuws)
• European migrant crisis
  • Hellenic Police border guards open fire on migrants attempting to illegally enter Greece by crossing the border from Turkey, killing a Syrian man. (France 24) (Middle East Monitor)
  • The Hellenic Army's IV Army Corps announces a 24-hour snap military drill on the border with Turkey, and warns civilians to stay away from the area. (Anadolu Angency)
• Moro conflict
  • A soldier was killed and two injured after Islamic State-linked militants opened fire against them. Two terrorists were also killed. (Xinhua)

Business and economy

• Socio-economic impact of the 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic
  • The Japan Sumo Association announces its spring tournament in Osaka will take place with no spectators. (News On Japan)
  • The Dow Jones Industrial Average rebounds 1,294 points to end its seven day decline. (CNN)

Health and environment

• 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Asia
    • Saudi Arabia reports its first case. (Arab News)
    • Indonesia confirms its first case of the coronavirus. (Kompas) (Reuters)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Europe
    • Andorra reports its first case. (El Periódico) (Reuters)
    • Portugal reports its two first cases. (Reuters)
    • Russia reports its first case in Moscow. (Urdu Point)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in the United States, 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Washington (state)
    • Two dozen more cases are reported in the U.S., bringing the total number of infected Americans to 102. Four deaths also occur in the state of Washington, bringing the total death toll in the U.S. to six. Washington and Florida issue state emergencies. (CNN)
  • Ecuador reports its first cases in Guayaquil. (Reuters)
  • Morocco reports its first case. (Hespress)
  • Tunisia confirms its first case. (The Punch Newspapers)
  • The Dominican Federation of Municipalities call for all mayors to remain vigilant with the threat of the coronavirus. (HOY DR)

International relations

• The United Kingdom and the European Union start post-Brexit trade talks. Last week, each side publicly set its negotiating mandate. (The Economist) (The Irish Times)
• Japan–North Korea relations
  • North Korea fires two short-range projectiles from the coast of Wonsan before landing in the sea dividing the Korean Peninsula and Japan. Japan's Defence Ministry says it had not detected any projectile landing in its territory and that no ship or aircraft in the area had been damaged. (The Guardian)
• Libyan peace process
  • The head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya Ghassan Salamé resigns citing stress and health concerns. In a statement on Twitter, Salamé says he has been frustrated with foreign powers, particularly France and Russia for covertly backing Khalifa Haftar's forces in the civil war. (The Guardian)

Law and crime

• A hostage situation occurs at the V-Mall in San Juan, Philippines. The suspect, a disgruntled security guard, took about 60 to 70 people hostage and shot and injured another security guard. The crisis is resolved after ten hours, with the suspect being arrested following an official apology and the resignation of his bosses for alleged corruption. (CNN Philippines)

Politics and elections

• 2020 Dominican Republic municipal elections
  • Industrial Associations Federation's president Ramón Porfirio Báez announces the election crisis is beginning to hurt the economy. (Dominican Today)
  • Former Santo Domingo mayor Roberto Salcedo Sr. resigns from the government and the Dominican Liberation Party. (Dominican Today)
• 2020 Guyanese general election
  • People of Guyana head to the polls to elect the members of their National Assembly. (AlJazeera)
• 2020 Israeli legislative election
  • Israelis head to the polls for the third time in less than a year. (Reuters)
• 2020 Democratic Party presidential primaries
  • Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar suspends her presidential campaign, and joins fellow former contenders Pete Buttigieg and Beto O'Rourke in announcing their endorsement of Joe Biden. (The New York Times)
• MSNBC political anchor Chris Matthews resigns over criticism of making sexist comments and comparing Bernie Sanders' campaign to the Nazi invasion of France. (The New York Times)

Current events of March 3, 2020 (2020-03-03) (Tuesday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

• Syrian civil war, Northwestern Syria offensive (December 2019–present), Turkish involvement in the Syrian Civil War
  • A Syrian Air Force L-39 jet aircraft is shot down by a Turkish Air Force F-16 near the Syria–Turkey border. (SOHR), (RT)
  • Turkey says it will deploy its domestically-produced surface-to-air missile HISAR to Syria's Idlib Governorate next week. (Star)
  • Syrian government sources say a Turkish drone was shot down by the Syrian Air Defense Force near Idlib; subsequent footage shared by the source shows drone to be a Bayraktar TB1. (Muraselon)
  • Four Turkish soldiers are killed and seven are wounded in Tranbeh, west of Saraqeb by Syrian Army shelling; some are transfered to Turkish hospitals in Reyhanlı by helicopter. (SOHR)(SOHR)
  • Twenty-six Syrian Army troops are killed by Turkish ground and drone strikes, raising the number of pro-Syrian government forces killed by Turkey in the past five days to 139. (SOHR), (SOHR)
• Libyan Civil War (2014–present)
  • The GNA government says all flights from Mitiga International Airport, the only functioning airport in the capital Tripoli, will be shifted to Misrata Airport after Libyan National Army forces struck the airport with rockets. (Reuters)

Business and economy

• Australian news agency Australian Associated Press (AAP) announces it will be closing down at the end of June, after 85 years of operation. (AP)
• Socio-economic impact of the 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic
  • In an emergency move, its first since 2008, the U.S. Federal Reserve cuts the federal funds rate by 0.5%, to a range between 1 and 1.25%. (Yahoo Finance)
  • U.S. stocks extend their drop in response to the cuts. (The Wall Street Journal)

Disasters and accidents

• United States tornado outbreak of March 2–3, 2020
  • Three tornadoes, two at least EF 3 in strength, rip through downtown Nashville and surrounding towns, killing 25 people. (WKRN) (USA Today)
  • The state of Tennessee declares a state of emergency over the outbreak. (WBIR)
  • John C. Tune Airport sustained major damage from the outbreak. (Fox News)
  • President Trump announces he will visit Tennessee on Friday. (Washington Post)

Health and environment

• 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Asia
    • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in South Korea
      • South Korea declares "war" on the coronavirus. (NBC)
    • Myanmar turns a Silversea Cruises cruise ship away due to fears of coronavirus, a government spokesman says. (Reuters)
    • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Japan
      • Japan announces it will cancel ceremonies marking the anniversary of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami as a precaution against the spread of coronavirus. (Reuters)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Europe
    • Ukraine reports its first case. (Reuters)
    • Spanish authorities announce that the first death from COVID-19 in the country occurred in Valencia on February 13. (El Mundo) (Reuters)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Iran
    • Iran says it will release 54,000 prisoners in an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in overcrowded jails. Only inmates who test negative for COVID-19 will be allowed to leave prison and those sentenced to longer than five years will not be freed. (BBC)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in the United States, 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Washington (state)
    • Two people who died in the Seattle area on February 26 are found to have died from COVID-19, bringing the total death toll in the state of Washington to nine. (NPR)
  • A Twitter human resources official advises that Twitter employees work at home to prevent exposure to Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. He adds that telecommuting will be mandatory for employees based in the Twitter offices in Hong Kong, Japan, and South Korea. (Sputnik)
  • Argentina reports its first case. (Reuters)
  • Chile confirms its first case of COVID-19 in the Maule region. (BioBio in Spanish)

International relations

• European migrant crisis
  • Turkish interior minister says over 130,000 refugees have crossed into Greece in the past four days. (TRT Haber)

Law and crime

• A court in Kazakhstan orders the early release of Mukhtar Dzhakishev, the former CEO of state nuclear firm Kazatomprom, who had been sentenced to 14 years in prison for corruption in 2010. Upon his release he will have served more than 11 years in prison. (Reuters)

Politics and elections

• 2020 Democratic Party presidential primaries, 2020 Republican Party presidential primaries
  • Voters in 14 U.S. states and American Samoa go to the polls in this year's Super Tuesday. (Vox)
  • Former Vice President Joe Biden is the night's big winner with victories in ten states, while Senator Bernie Sanders wins four and former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg wins American Samoa. (CNN)

Current events of March 4, 2020 (2020-03-04) (Wednesday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

• War in Afghanistan (2001–present), Afghan peace process
  • The United States Armed Forces says it has carried out its first airstrike against the Taliban since a peace deal was signed in Doha, Qatar. (Al Jazeera)
• Iran–Israel conflict during the Syrian Civil War
  • The Syrian Air Defense Force engages "hostile objects" over the central Homs Governorate and southern Quneitra Governorate. Syrian state media says Israel is behind the attacks. (Israel National News) (RT)

Disasters and accidents

• United States tornado outbreak of March 2–3, 2020
  • The National Weather Service reports 11 tornadoes touched down resulting in 25 confirmed deaths. Eighteen people remain unaccounted for. (CNN)
  • 140 buildings were destroyed with thousands damaged. 44,000 people are without electric power. (WAFF)
• Mount Merapi in Java, Indonesia erupts, forcing the airport in Surakarta to close. (BBC)

Health and environment

• 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic
  • Wallis and Futuna turns away a German cruise ship due to fears of coronavirus, and says that it is studying the possibility of denying another ship entry. (RNZ)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Europe
    • Italy says all schools and universities will close from March 5 through March 15 to stop the spread of the virus, as the country confirms a total of 3,090 cases and 107 COVID-19-related deaths. (CNBC) (The Guardian)
    • Spain reports its second death in Basque Country, an 82-year-old man, as infected toll rises to more than 210. (El Mundo)
    • Hungary confirms first two COVID-19 cases. (Reuters)
    • Slovenia confirms its first case of COVID-19. The patient had recently travelled home from Morocco, passing through Italy on the way, and is now in isolation at the Ljubljana University Medical Centre. (Reuters)
• The first in-person use of the CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing tool is conducted, intended to reverse a genetic mutation causing Leber congenital amaurosis, a form of inherited blindness.(The Guardian)

International relations

• Canada–Iran relations, Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752
  • Canadian Foreign Minister François-Philippe Champagne urges Iran to allow access to the flight recorders of the Ukrainian passenger plane that was shot down in January. (Reuters)

Law and crime

• Egypt executes top Ansar al-Sharia militant Hisham al-Ashmawy, a former special forces officer who was convicted over several high-profile attacks, the country's military spokesman said. (Reuters)
• The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) bans the use of electroshock devices for aversive conditioning on patients with mental disorders. The Judge Rotenberg Educational Center in Massachusetts, the last U.S. institution that still uses electroshock devices to punish patients, say they will challenge the federal ban in court. (AP)

Politics and elections

• 2020 Democratic Party presidential primaries
  • After a poor performance on Super Tuesday, former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg suspends his presidential campaign and endorses former Vice President Joe Biden. (Fox News) (Reuters)
• Presidency of Jair Bolsonaro
  • Avoiding questions about lower-than-expected GDP growth in his first year as President of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro invites an impersonator to the restricted press section around the Planalto Palace to answer the questions in his stead. The comedian also distributed bananas (in reference to the name given in Brazil to the bras d'honneur) to the attending journalists. (Estado de S. Paulo)
• Government of Ukraine
  • Oleksiy Honcharuk and his government are voted out by the Verkhovna Rada after less than six months in office. President Volodymyr Zelensky proposes Denys Shmygal as Prime Minister. (The Guardian)

Current events of March 5, 2020 (2020-03-05) (Thursday)

Arts and culture

• Egypt reopens the Pyramid of Djoser after a 14-year restoration. The pyramid is deemed the oldest stone structure of its size in the world. (ABC News)

Business and economy

• Socio-economic impact of the 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic
  • British airline Flybe collapses into administration with the loss of 2,000 jobs after failing to secure financial support. The airline says the impact of the coronavirus pandemic is partly to blame for its collapse. Flybe provided more than half of UK domestic flights outside London. (BBC)
  • The Dow Jones Industrial Average drops again almost 1,000 points over coronavirus fears. (Fox Business)

Disasters and accidents

• United States tornado outbreak of March 2–3, 2020
  • The National Weather Service confirms 13 tornadoes occurred. (USA Today)
  • The tornado in Putnam County, Tennessee, is upgraded to an EF4, becoming the strongest tornado of the outbreak. (NBC News)
  • The EF3 tornado that went through Davidson, Wilson, and Smith counties was confirmed on the ground for 53.4 miles (85.9 km), becoming the second longest path a tornado has taken in Tennessee. (Washington Post)
  • Every person is accounted for at the end of the day, after three people were missing previously. Official death toll from the outbreak is 25. (USA Today)
• At least nine people, of whom four are children, are killed and 60 are injured when a fire at a bakery spreads to a crowded market in a refugee camp in the Gaza Strip. (Reuters)

Health and environment

• 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Europe
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Bosnia and Herzegovina
    • Officials in Republika Srpska reports the first case of COVID-19 in the country. (N1 BA)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Italy
    • The Italian government postpones the constitutional referendum, originally scheduled for 29 March. (Reuters), (ANSA)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in the United Kingdom
    • The first death from COVID-19 is confirmed in England, after a woman in her 70s with underlying health conditions dies at Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading, Berkshire, as the number of confirmed cases of the virus rises to over 100. (BBC)
• 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Asia
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Iran
    • Iranian Islamic Consultative Assembly member and former Ambassador to Syria, Hossein Sheikholeslam, dies after becoming infected with COVID-19. Iran suspends its parliament indefinitely. (Business Insider)

Law and crime

• War in Afghanistan (2001–present)
  • The International Criminal Court overturns on appeal a previous decision to block an investigation into war crimes allegedly committed by U.S. troops, the Taliban and the Afghan government. (BBC)
• Russian military intervention in Ukraine (2014–present)
  • A court in Russian-controlled Crimea sentences a Jehovah's Witness to six-years imprisonment for activities of a banned extremist organization, part of a crackdown that activists say violates religious freedom. (Reuters)
• The Republican-controlled Arizona House of Representatives passes a bill banning transgender females from women's sports. (Fox News)

Politics and elections

• 2020 Dominican Republic municipal elections, Timeline of 2020 Dominican Republic municipal elections protests
  • The pots-and-pans protest continue in front of Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra where the meeting of the Economic and Social Council with the political parties was to take place. (Dominican Today)
• 2020 Democratic Party presidential primaries
  • After failing to win any states on Super Tuesday, Massachusetts U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren suspends her presidential campaign, leaving Hawaii U.S. Representative Tulsi Gabbard as the only woman left in the race. (The New York Times) (Reuters)

Current events of March 6, 2020 (2020-03-06) (Friday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

• 2020 Kabul shooting
  • At least 32 people are killed and 81 are injured when gunmen attack a ceremony in Kabul, Afghanistan. Afghan politician Abdullah Abdullah was present and escapes unharmed. ISIL claims responsibility for the attack. (Reuters)
• Two suicide bombers on a motorcycle detonate their explosives near the United States embassy in Tunis, Tunisia, killing a policeman and wounding five others. (Middle East Eye)

Disasters and accidents

• United States tornado outbreak of March 2–3, 2020
  • U.S. President Donald Trump approves a disaster declaration for all areas affected by the tornadoes. (WSMV Nashville)
  • The National Weather Service concludes the EF3 tornado that went through Davidson, Wilson, and Smith counties was confirmed on the ground for 60.13 miles (96.77 km), becoming the second longest path a tornado has taken in Tennessee. (NWS)

Health and environment

• 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Asia
  • Bhutan confirms its first COVID-19 case. (Hindustan Times)
• 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Europe
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Serbia
    • Serbia reports its first case. (Reuters)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Vatican City
    • The Vatican City reports its first case. (Reuters)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in the United States
    • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Florida
      • Florida confirms its first two deaths from the coronavirus. (CBS News)

Law and crime

• The Committee on the Rights of the Child of the United Nations condemns the government of the Cook Islands for criminalizing homosexual sex. (RNZ)

Politics and elections

• 2020 Guyanese general election
  • Police in Georgetown, Guyana, surround the nation's election commission after there are accusations that the elections results were altered to help incumbent President David A. Granger win the election. (Reuters)

Science and technology

• SpaceX CRS-20
  • SpaceX successfully launches a Dragon spacecraft in orbit to resupply the International Space Station. This marks the last launch of a Dragon spacecraft, soon to be replaced by Dragon 2, and the 50th successful recovery of a Falcon 9 first stage booster. (Space.com)

Current events of March 7, 2020 (2020-03-07) (Saturday)

Business and economy

• Lebanon says it will default on a eurobond repayment and pursue restructuring its debt. The country has never before defaulted. Lebanon's government debt is about 170% of its yearly gross domestic product. (The Guardian)

Disasters and accidents

• Collapse of Xinjia Express Hotel
  • A hotel being used for quarantining those with COVID-19 collapses in Quanzhou, Fujian, China. Ten people were killed and twenty-three are trapped. Thirty-eight have been rescued alive. (CNN)
• Twenty-two people are killed and more than 70 are injured when a tank truck, two buses and another vehicle collide in the road between Damascus and Homs, in Syria. (Reuters)

Health and environment

• 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Europe
    • Malta reports its first case of COVID-19. (Reuters)
    • Bulgaria reports its first two cases. (Darik News)
    • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Italy
      • Nicola Zingaretti, the President of Lazio since 2013 and Secretary of the Democratic Party since 2019, confirmed he has contracted the virus. (La Repubblica)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Asia
    • The Maldives report its first two confirmed cases of COVID-19. (Reuters)
    • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Iran
      • Newly elected member of parliament Fatemeh Rahbar dies after contracting COVID-19. (Straits Times)
    • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Japan
      • A 50-year-old man is arrested for breaching quarantine and traveling to two crowded bars in Gamagōri after testing positive for COVID-19 the day prior. He reportedly told family members he intended to spread it and bragged to bar employees that he had tested positive. (Tokyo Reporter)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in South America
    • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Argentina
      • The Ministry of Health of Argentina confirmed the country's first death due to COVID-19, a 64-year-old man who had traveled to Paris who also had other health conditions. This marks the first death due to COVID-19 in Latin America. (Infobae in Spanish)
    • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Paraguay
      • Paraguay reports its first case of COVID-19. (Infobae in Spanish)

Politics and elections

• 2019 Afghan presidential election
  • A spokesman for politician Abdullah Abdullah announces he will hold a parallel presidential inauguration ceremony next week after he declares himself the winner of the election. Incumbent President Ashraf Ghani was declared the winner. (Reuters)

Current events of March 8, 2020 (2020-03-08) (Sunday)

Health and environment

• 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Canada
    • The first COVID-19 death is confirmed in Canada. (CBC News)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Albania
    • Albania reports its first case. (Reuters)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Moldova
    • Moldova reports its first case. (Reuters)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Italy, 2020 Italy coronavirus lockdown
    • Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte extends the quarantine lockdown, to cover all the region of Lombardy and 14 other northern provinces, affecting over a quarter of the national population. (BBC)
    • The number of virus-related deaths in Italy rise to 366, while the confirmed cases are 7,375. (Sky Tg24)
    • Inmates at several prisons in Italy revolt with reports of riots at prisons in Modena, Foggia, Naples, Frosinone and Alessandria due to fears the coronavirus lockdowns will end visits from relatives. At least eight inmates, six in Modena, have died of overdose after assaulting the prison's pharmacy, while about 20 escaped in Foggia. (Open)
    • Chief of Staff of the Italian Army Salvatore Farina tested positive for COVID-19 and self-isolates, as well as President of Piedmont Alberto Cirio. (BBC)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Portugal
    • President of Portugal Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa self-isolates after a COVID-19 case is confirmed in a school he visited a few days ago. (US News)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Russia
    • Three new COVID-19 cases are registered in Russia (one is in Kaliningrad Region, one is in Belgorod Region, one is in Moscow Region). All of them visited Italy within the past 14 days. (Sputnik)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Iran
    • Twenty-seven people have died from methanol poisoning in Iran after rumors that drinking alcohol can help cure the coronavirus infection, state news agency IRNA reported on Monday. (BOL News)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in the United States
    • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in California, 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Connecticut
      • Connecticut confirms its first case of COVID-19 in Wilton, which is believed to have been contracted during a trip to California. (The New York Times)

Politics and elections

• 2020 Democratic Party presidential primaries
  • California U.S. Senator and former presidential candidate Kamala Harris endorses former Vice President Joe Biden in his campaign for the Democratic nomination for the presidency. (The New York Times)
  • Civil rights activist Jesse Jackson endorses Vermont U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders in his campaign for the Democratic nomination for the presidency. (The New York Times)

Law and crime

• Following the death of 25-year-old Ingrid Escamilla, who was killed by her own boyfriend in February, women are marching against violence against women in Mexico's capital on International Women's Day, ahead of the 24-hour female strike scheduled for Monday. (Sputnik)

Sports

• 2020 ICC Women's T20 World Cup Final
  • Australia wins the tournament, beating India by 85 runs, to win their fifth title. (BBC Sport)

Current events of March 9, 2020 (2020-03-09) (Monday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

• Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok survives an assassination attempt in Khartoum. No one has claimed responsibility. (Haaretz) (The Guardian)
• War in Afghanistan, Politics of Afghanistan
  • Ashraf Ghani is sworn in as the President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan amidst a rocket attack claimed by ISIL. Abdullah Abdullah proclaims himself as President as well. (AFP via Geo News)
• Libyan Civil War, Turkish military intervention in the Second Libyan Civil War, 2019–20 Western Libya offensive
  • Nearly 40 Syrian mercenaries recruited by the Turkish Army have fled to Italy, raising the number of Syrian fighters who fled from Libya to Europe to nearly 200. (SOHR)
• International military intervention against ISIL
  • Two United States troops are killed in a raid against ISIL in Iraq. (ABC)

Business and economy

• Socio-economic impact of the 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic
  • Black Monday, 2020 Russia–Saudi Arabia oil price war
    • Oil prices plummet after Saudi Arabia cut its official selling prices over the weekend. (CNN)
    • Before markets open, the Dow Jones Industrial Average futures posted a 1,300-point drop due to the coronavirus and a fall in the price of oil. The drop would be the most points the Dow has dropped in a single day. (NBC News) (NBC News)
    • The Dow Jones Industrial Average plummets 1,800 points on opening, 500 points lower than pre-market futures trading. (MSNBC)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in the United Kingdom
    • The United Kingdom's largest retailer Tesco say they will be restricting the sale of essential food and household items in response to fears of mass panic buying. (BBC) (Daily Mirror)
  • The 2020 BNP Paribas Open (Indian Wells) is canceled due to coronavirus fears. This is one of the first major sporting events in the United States to be canceled over the coronavirus. (Bleacher Report) (News AU)

Health and environment

• 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Italy, 2020 Italy coronavirus lockdown
    • The number of confirmed cases in Italy rose to 9,172, while the death toll rose to 463. (Corriere della Sera)
    • Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte extends the lockdown from Northern Italy to the whole country. (CNN)
    • Riots continue at several prisons in Italy after family visitations were suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic. Inmates took two prison guards hostage in Modena during an attempted escape, while inmates at San Vittore Prison in Milan overpowered guards and occupied the roof. Prisons in Pavia and Rebibbia are set on fire, allowing some prisoners to escape. (Business Insider)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Germany
    • The first two COVID-19 deaths are confirmed in Germany. (BBC)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Saudi Arabia
    • Saudi Arabia suspends all schools, universities and other educational institutions until further notice in response to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. (Al Arabiya)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in the United States
    • U.S. Senator Ted Cruz and U.S. Representative Paul Gosar self-quarantine themselves after having made contact at CPAC with a man confirmed to have been infected with COVID-19. (USA Today)
    • The Grand Princess cruise ship, with at least 21 people aboard who've tested positive for COVID-19, has docked at the Port of Oakland, California, to continue to the next step in the quarantining measures process. The ship was carrying more than 2,000 passengers, as well as 1,100 crew members. The Grand Princess had been idling about 10 miles (16 km) offshore since Thursday (March 5). Disembarking American passengers are being put under mandatory 14-day quarantine at military bases in California, Texas or Georgia. Foreign passengers are being sent to their home countries for the completion of the quarantine. (Fox News)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Cyprus
    • The Minister of Health of Cyprus confirms the first two cases in the island; one a health professional who visited United Kingdom and the other a 25-year-old man who had traveled from Italy. (Cyprus Mail)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in South Korea
    • The infection rate is reduced, but Moon Jae-in said it was "too early to be optimistic". (The Independent)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Israel
    • In order to combat the spread of coronavirus, Israel orders all arrivals from abroad, regardless of country, to self-quarantine. (Times of Israel)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in France
    • The French Minister of Culture Franck Riester announces he is infected COVID-19, as five members of the National Assembly join the 1,412 cases in the Republic. (Reuters)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Spain
    • The President of the Community of Madrid Isabel Díaz Ayuso orders the suspension of classes "at all educational levels" between 11 March until 30 March, as the region reports more than 500 cases. (La Vanguardia)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Ireland
    • Ireland cancels all the Saint Patrick's Day parades. (BBC)

International relations

• North Korea–South Korea relations
  • North Korea fires three projectiles from the coast of Sondok into the sea, according to South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff. (Reuters)

Law and crime

• The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit confirms a 2016 ruling that Led Zeppelin's 1971 song "Stairway to Heaven" was not unlawfully copied from Spirit's instrumental "Taurus", overturning the so-called inverse ratio rule test. (UPI)

Current events of March 10, 2020 (2020-03-10) (Tuesday)

Arts and culture

• The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio, California, is postponed for the first time ever. The festival has been moved from April 2020 to October 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. (Los Angeles Times) (The New York Times)

Business and economy

• Black Monday
  • After a 2,000-point drop on Monday, the DJIA futures gain 1,100 points before the NYSE opening bell. (CNN)
• Socio-economic impact of the 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic
  • The President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen announces an European 25 bilion euro fund to face the coronavirus crisis. (Euronews)

Health and environment

• 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Italy, 2020 Italy coronavirus lockdown
    • Italy enters the first day of the nationwide lockdown as the number of infected reaches 10,149. (BBC)
    • Roberto Stella, the president of the medical guild in Varese, Lombardy, has died at the age of 67 after contracting the virus. (Ansa)
    • Riots continue for the third day in Italian prisons after family visitations were suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic. Four more inmates died in the incidents, bringing the death toll to 12. The 22 inmates that escaped in Foggia, Apulia, are still wanted. (Il Fatto Quotidiano)
    • President of the European Parliament David Sassoli self-isolates after visiting Italy. (Politico)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Japan
    • The Cabinet of Japan passes a bill that allows Prime Minister Shinzō Abe to declare a state of emergency over the coronavirus if necessary. (NHK)
  • 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic in mainland China
    • Chinese Communist Party general secretary Xi Jinping visits Wuhan, the epicentre and origin of the pandemic, after an unprecedented lockdown of the central city of 11 million people. (Reuters)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Moldova
    • Moldova bans all foreigners from entering the country via plane who have been to any country with confirmed cases of COVID-19. (The Straits Times)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Spain
    • Member of the Congress of Deputies and Madrid's city councilor Javier Ortega Smith becomes the first of Spain's high profile infected by the coronavirus. He participated in a political event on Sunday with 9000 people. The Board of the Congress suspends this week's plenary activity after the 52 lawmakers of Vox are called to stay at home. (La Vanguardia) (El Periódico)
    • Community of La Rioja suspends all classes for two weeks. (el diario.es)
    • The Ministry of Transports announces the cancellation of all flights between Spain and Italy. (El Mundo)
    • Argentine saxophonist Marcelo Peralta has died in Madrid after contracting coronavirus. (Radio Mitre)
    • UNESCO's intangible cultural heritage of humanity of Les Falles of Valencia are postponed for the fifth time in its history. (El Periódico)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Iran
    • Iran reports 881 new confirmed cases and 54 more COVID-19 deaths, the highest number of deaths in a single 24-hour period in the country to date, bringing the total to 8042 cases and 291 deaths. (TRT World)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in the Czech Republic
    • The Czech Republic suspends all schools and bans all events hosting more than 100 people indefinitely in order to contain the virus, according to Prime Minister Andrej Babiš. (U.S. News)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Morocco
    • The first death in Morocco is reported, an 89-year-old woman with pre-existing health conditions. (Hespress)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Greece
    • Greek Minister of Health Vasilis Kikilias announces that the country's schools and universities will remain closed for two weeks. (The New York Times)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Denmark
    • Denmark reports a sharp increase in COVID-19 patients, with 174 new cases in the past 24 hours, totaling 264 cases in the whole country. (BNO News)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Austria
    • Head of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine and former MEP Archduke Karl von Habsburg tests positive for COVID-19 becoming the first member of a royal family to test positive. (Salzburg24)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Turkey
    • The first COVID-19 case in Turkey is confirmed. (NTV)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Poland
    • Poland's Ministry of National Defence tweets that General Commander Jarosław Mika has tested positive for COVID-19 after returning from Germany, and becomes NATO's highest-ranking member of armed forces infected. (Reuters)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Paraguay
    • Paraguay suspends all school and university activities and large-scale public events for 15 days as a measure of control due to the coronavirus pandemic. (The New York Times)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Bolivia
    • Bolivia confirms its two first cases. (Brussels Time)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Vatican City
    • Saint Peter's Square and St. Peter's Basilica closes to tourists between 10 March and 3 April after Italy lockdown (The Guardian)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in the United States
    • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Colorado
      • Colorado Governor Jared Polis declares a state of emergency after a total of 17 presumptive cases of COVID-19 are reported in the state. (KRDO)
    • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Connecticut
      • Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont declares a civil preparedness and public health emergency in response to the coronavirus. (WTNH)

Law and crime

• The Canadian government presents a bill that would impose a nationwide ban on conversion therapy that would include minors. (BBC)

Politics and elections

• 2020 amendments to the Constitution of Russia
  • Vladimir Putin backs a constitutional amendment that would allow him to remain in power after 2024 and make a lifetime presidency possible. (NBC News)
• 2020 Democratic Party presidential primaries
  • Voters in six U.S. states cast their ballots in the primary elections. Former Vice President Joe Biden wins the Mississippi, Missouri, Michigan, and Idaho primaries and is ahead in Washington (which has not finished tallying votes), while U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders wins North Dakota. (The New York Times) (CNN)
• Venezuelan protests (2014–present)
  • Riot police repels Venezuela's opposition march downtown Caracas that aimed to regain control of the national legislature. (NBC News)

Current events of March 11, 2020 (2020-03-11) (Wednesday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

• War in Afghanistan, Afghan peace process
  • The Taliban rejects the government's conditional prisoner release order announced by President Ashraf Ghani. The Taliban demand 5,000 Taliban prisoners held by the government be released before intra-Afghan dialogue can be initiated. (Al Jazeera)
• 2019–20 Persian Gulf crisis, 2020 Camp Taji attack
  • A rocket attack on Camp Taji, Baghdad Governorate, housing coalition and Iraqi troops, kills two Americans and a British service member; 12 other people are injured. (BBC)

Business and economy

• Socio-economic impact of the 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic; aftermath of Black Monday
  • The Dow Jones Industrial Average plunges 1,400 points and enters a bear market. (Fox News)
  • The bond market falls, in the first time since the financial crisis of 2007–08 that the stock and bond markets moved in the same direction, indicating a massive sell-off of portfolios as investors seek cash. (NY Times)
• The world's largest annual video game industry event E3 2020 is officially cancelled due to concerns over the coronavirus. The highly anticipated event was scheduled to take place on June 9, ahead of major console launches for Microsoft and Sony. (BBC)

Health and environment

• 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic
  • The World Health Organization officially declares the outbreak as a pandemic. (CBC)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Italy
    • The patient zero in Italy has been identified as a man from Germany who arrived in the country at the end of January. (Tgcom24)
    • The death toll in Italy rises to 827, as nearly two-hundred more people were confirmed dead today, the largest daily increase in deaths since the outbreak began, while the number of confirmed cases rises to 12,462, according to Protezione Civile. (National Post)
    • Juventus footballer Daniele Rugani has tested positive to coronavirus. (La Repubblica)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in the United Kingdom
    • British MP and Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Health Ministry Nadine Dorries becomes the first UK MP to test positive for COVID-19. (BBC)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Belgium
    • Belgium reports its first death resulting from COVID-19; a government statement said the patient was 90 years old. (The Straits Times)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Moldova
    • Moldova suspends all schools, universities and colleges for two weeks in order to prevent the spread of the virus. (Reuters)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Indonesia
    • Indonesia confirms its first death from COVID-19. (Reuters)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Ukraine
    • Ukraine bans mass gatherings and closes all schools for three weeks in response to the global coronavirus outbreak. The government says some sporting events might still go ahead but without any spectators. (Reuters)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in South America
    • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Argentina
      • President Alberto Fernández issues an order saying that all people coming from hard-hit countries will have to self-quarantine for 14 days; failure to do so will be considered a crime. In addition, he analyses the possibility of banning all mass gatherings. (Infobae in Spanish)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Hungary
    • Hungary declares a state of emergency over the coronavirus outbreak, closing all university campuses and banning large gatherings, while anyone from Italy, China, South Korea and Iran will be refused entry into the country. Senior minister Gergely Gulyás says "These measures are unprecedented in the three decades since the fall of communism". (Bloomberg)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Iran
    • Iran's Ministry of Health and Medical Education reports 958 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 63 more deaths, the highest number of deaths in a single 24-hour period in the country to date. All Iranians are now warned to stay indoors. Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei cancels his annual speech marking the Iranian new year on March 20. (Reuters)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Spain
    • Second Vice President of the Congress of Deputies, former Speaker and former Minister Ana Pastor had tested positive for COVID-19 and becomes the highest-ranking official infected. (La Vanguardia)
    • Spanish Ministry of Culture orders in Madrid the closing of all ministry dependent centers, including the museums of El Prado, Reina Sofía, Royal Palace, National Library and Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum. (El País)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Sweden
    • Sweden reports its first death from COVID-19, a person in their 70s. (SVT Nyheter in Swedish)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Ireland
    • Ireland reports its first death from COVID-19, an elderly woman with underlying health conditions at a hospital in Dublin. (BBC)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Qatar
    • Qatar announces 238 new cases of confirmed COVID-19 cases in a single day. (Al Jazeera)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in the United States
    • President Donald Trump gives a prime-time statement about the coronavirus during which he announces a 30-day ban on travel from European countries with the exception of the United Kingdom. (ABC News)
    • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Arkansas
      • Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson confirms the state's first presumptive case of COVID-19 in Pine Bluff. (KATV)
    • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Colorado
      • The University of Colorado Boulder's Conference on World Affairs and the Frozen Dead Guy Days event in Nederland are canceled due to coronavirus concerns. (Boulder Daily Camera) (KCNC-TV)
    • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Delaware
      • Delaware announces its first presumptive case of COVID-19 in New Castle County. (The State of Delaware News)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Honduras
    • Honduras confirms its first two cases of COVID-19. (Reuters)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Guyana
    • Guyana confirms its first death from COVID-19, a woman in her 50s who recently traveled from New York. (Reuters)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Bolivia
    • The Government declares the national emergency after reporting a third case and presidential election rallies suspended. (TeleSur TV) (USNews)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Denmark
    • Prime Minister of Denmark Mette Frederiksen orders the closing of all education centers for two weeks. (Daily Mail)

Law and crime

• Harvey Weinstein sexual abuse cases
  • American film producer Harvey Weinstein is sentenced to 23 years in prison for two felony sex crimes. (The Hollywood Reporter) (The New York Times)

Science and technology

• 2020 in archosaur paleontology
  • Oculudentavis khaungraae, the world's smallest dinosaur, is discovered by the Chinese Academy of Sciences. (Newsweek)
• Discoveries of exoplanets
  • Scientists discover WASP-76b, an exotic planet that has a 100% chance of having hot liquid iron. (NBC News)

Sports

• Impact of the 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic on sports
  • Spain's top association football division La Liga and France's Ligue 1 announce that all matches will be played behind closed doors until April 15 in response to the coronavirus. (BBC)
  • 2019–20 Scottish Premiership
    • St Mirren F.C. asks fans who are suffering symptoms from influenza-like symptoms or COVID-19 to not attend their upcoming game against Heart of Midlothian F.C.. (BBC)
  • 2020 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament, 2020 NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Tournament
    • The NCAA announces that all postseason tournaments in its winter season—not only the college basketball tournaments, but also its bowling, fencing, gymnastics, ice hockey, rifle, skiing, swimming & diving, track & field, and wrestling championships—will be held without fans in attendance. (The Washington Post)
  • 2019–20 NBA season
    • The NBA has announced that its 2019–20 season is on hiatus "until further notice" after Utah Jazz player Rudy Gobert tested a presumptive positive for COVID-19. (ESPN)
  • The 2020 Japanese High School Baseball Invitational Tournament is cancelled in order to prevent players and related persons from having COVID-19. (Mainichi Shimbun)

Current events of March 12, 2020 (2020-03-12) (Thursday)

Arts and culture

• 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Australia, Impact of the 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic on cinema
    • Actor Tom Hanks reports that he and his wife Rita Wilson have been diagnosed with COVID-19 after visiting Australia where he was filming Elvis. (The New York Times)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in the United States
    • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in New York (state), Impact of the 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic on American television
      • It is announced that all Broadway theatres will go dark until the week of April 13, by order of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. The ban also affects several television shows which film with live audiences in New York City. (Playbill) (The New York Times)

Business and economy

• Black Thursday; socio-economic impact of the 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic
  • All three major United States trading indexes fall 7% during early trading, leading to a 15-minute trading halt. They all closed over 9% down. (Business Insider)
  • The Dow Jones Industrial Average falls by 10%, the largest one-day percentage drop since Black Monday in 1987. (CNBC)
  • Spain's IBEX 35 falls 14%, its worst drop in history in a single day. The UK FTSE falls by 11%, the German DAX and French CAC 40 by 12% and Italy's MIB by 17%. (El Comercio)
• OMV, the giant Austrian oil and gas concern, is selling $2.3 billion in assets to buy a majority interest in Borealis AG, which will make it a major player in the production of polymers. (Reuters)

Health and environment

• 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in India
    • India's first COVID-19 death is confirmed in Karnataka. (Hindustan Times)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Italy
    • The number of confirmed cases in Italy climbs to 15,113, while the death toll rose to 1,016. (BBC)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Poland
    • Poland suspends all schools and universities, closes all theatres, operas, cinemas and museums for two weeks in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Mass events are also banned, and the Polish Football Association announces that the two friendly matches scheduled later this month with Finland and Ukraine will be played behind closed doors. (PAP) (Daily Mail)
    • Poland reports the country's first death from COVID-19 in the city of Poznań. (Reuters)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Greece
    • Greek authorities reports its first death, a 66-year-old pilgrim who visited Israel and Egypt last month. (Reuters)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Cuba
    • Cuba has confirmed its first three cases of COVID-19. (Miami Herald)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Spain
    • Spain's Ministry of Health reports 828 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 36 more deaths, bringing the total number of fatalities in the country to 84. (News18)
    • Irene Montero, Minister of Equality and Deputy, tested positive for coronavirus. Her domestic partner, Second Deputy Prime Minister of Spain Pablo Iglesias, self-isolates and all the government undergo tests. King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia also undergo tests after the Queen was in contact with Montero on March 6. (El Mundo)
    • The Catalan government orders the confinement of the city of Igualada and the towns of Vilanova del Camí, Òdena and Santa Margarida de Montbui after Igualada Hospital became a contagion focus. This first measure in Spain will affect 70,000 people during 14 days. (El País)
    • Spanish Minister of Territorial Policy and Civil Service Carolina Darias and Santiago Abascal, Deputy and leader of the third political force Vox, had tested positive in the disease. (ABC.es)
    • The closure of schools and universities extends to the entire country for two weeks affecting 9.5 million students. (El Mundo)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Lithuania
    • The Vilnius City Municipality announces that from March 13 until the end of the Easter holidays all educational facilities in the city will remain closed to contain the spread of the virus. (LRT)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Ireland
    • Ireland suspends all schools, colleges and childcare facilities until March 29 in response to the coronavirus, while indoor gatherings of more than 100 people and outdoor gatherings of more than 500 people should be cancelled until further notice, according to Taoiseach Leo Varadkar. (The Irish Times)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Austria
    • Austria reports the country's first death from COVID-19, a 69-year-old man in Vienna. (Reuters)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Slovakia
    • Slovakia orders the closure of all its borders to non-residents, while closing all international airports and schools to prevent the spread of the virus. (Reuters)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in the Philippines
    • President Rodrigo Duterte announces "community quarantine" in Metro Manila, Philippines, implementing travel restrictions to and from the metropolitan area. (GMA News)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Canada
    • Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his wife Sophie Grégoire self-isolate after she shows flu-like symptoms. They are both tested for the COVID-19, with Sophie later testing positive. (Reuters)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Andorra
    • Andorran authorities confirms the second case in the country. (El Periòdic)
    • The Government announces that it will close all schools from March 16. (Diari d'Andorra)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in the United States
    • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Washington, D.C.
      • After 10 cases of COVID-19 are confirmed in Washington, D.C., the U.S. government closes the White House, the Capitol building, and the U.S. Supreme Court Building to visitors until the end of the month. (U.S. News and World Report)
    • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Washington (state)
      • Washington Governor Jay Inslee closes all schools in King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties until April 24. (The News Tribune)
    • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in New York (state)
      • New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio declares a state of emergency. (The New York Times)
    • United States Senators Tom Cotton and Ted Cruz announce that they will temporarily close their offices. (The Hill)
    • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in California, impact of the 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic on American television
      • California Governor Gavin Newsom bans gatherings of more than 250 people. The ban puts several television shows filmed in the Los Angeles metropolitan area with live audiences on hiatus. (New York Post)
    • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Michigan
      • After 12 cases of COVID-19 are confirmed in Michigan, Governor Gretchen Whitmer orders all K–12 schools in the state to close from March 16–April 5 as well as banning gatherings of over 250 people. (MLive.com)
    • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Ohio
      • After five cases of COVID-19 are confirmed in Ohio, Governor Mike DeWine orders all K–12 schools to close from March 16–April 5. (Cleveland Plain Dealer)
    • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Arkansas
      • Five more presumptive cases of COVID-19 are reported in Arkansas, prompting Governor Asa Hutchinson to order school closings in four counties. (The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette)
    • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Colorado
      • The University of Colorado Boulder confirms its first presumptive case of COVID-19, identified as an employee who worked in the dining center. (Boulder Daily Camera)
      • School districts across the state close due to coronavirus concerns. (The Denver Post)
    • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Delaware
      • Delaware Governor John Carney declares a state of emergency and recommends the cancellation of all non-essential public gatherings of over 100 people. (WBOC)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Bolivia
    • Interim President of Bolivia Jeanine Áñez announces the suspension of all flights to Europe from March 14. (EFE)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Malta
    • Prime Minister of Malta Robert Abela calls for the closing of all educational centers for one week from March 13. (Times of Malta)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Portugal
    • Portuguese Government calls for the closure of all schools and night clubs. (USNews)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Israel
    • The Israel Institute for Biological Research announces it is working on a vaccine. (Haaretz)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in the United Kingdom
    • The first case of COVID-19 is found in the Cayman Islands. (Loop Cayman)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Armenia
    • Armenian Government orders the shut down of all schools until 23 March. (Armen Press)

Politics and elections

• 2020 coronavirus pandemic in the United States
  • Mitch McConnell announces that the United States Senate will not have recess to work on a bill to contain the coronavirus. (CNN)

Sports

• Impact of the 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic on sports
  • The NCAA, which had previously ordered that all of its winter championship events, most notably the Division I men's and women's basketball tournaments, would be played with no spectators, cancels all championship events until the 2020–21 academic year. This affects more than 70 of the NCAA's 90 championship events in all three of its competitive divisions. (NCAA)
  • The YMCA Short Course Nationals swim meet is canceled in the United States for the first time since 1947. (Swim Swam)
  • 2020 Summer Olympics torch relay
    • The Olympic torch relay begins in Olympia, Greece, without public attendance. (CTV News)
  • The 12 Hours of Sebring is postponed until November 11–14. This follows an announcement that the companion event 1000 Miles of Sebring would be cancelled. (Road & Track) (RACER)
  • 2019–20 NHL season
    • The National Hockey League announces the suspension of its season. (NHL)
  • 2020 Major League Soccer season
    • Major League Soccer announces it will suspend its season for thirty days. (ESPN)
  • 2020 Major League Baseball season
    • Major League Baseball announces the cancellation of all remaining spring training games and the delay of Opening Day of the regular season by at least two weeks. (MLB)
  • 2020 LPGA Tour and 2019–20 PGA Tour
    • The LPGA announces that the first three events of its season—including the ANA Inspiration, the season's first major championship—have been postponed due to the coronavirus. (CBS Sports)
    • The PGA Tour cancels The Players Championship and the next three tour events. (New York Post)
  • Chinese Professional Baseball League Commissioner John Wu announces that the opening game of the 2020 season will be postponed until 11 April. (FTV)

Current events of March 13, 2020 (2020-03-13) (Friday)

Arts and culture

• 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in France
    • The Louvre museum in Paris closes until further notice. (U.S. News & World Report)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Nepal
    • The Nepalese government suspends climbing of Mount Everest for tourists and halts visas for visitors until April 30. (BBC)

Business and economy

• Socio-economic impact of the 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic
  • Delta Air Lines says it will cancel all flights to Europe for the next 30 days. (Forbes)

Health and environment

• 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic
  • Uzbekistan suspends flights to and from France, Spain, and Great Britain. (Reuters)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Australia
    • Australian Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton is diagnosed with COVID-19, after travelling to the United States earlier in the month. (Brisbane Times)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Kazakhstan
    • Kazakhstan reports its first two confirmed cases of COVID-19; both are Kazakh nationals who recently returned from Germany. (U.S. News)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Bulgaria
    • Bulgaria declares a state of emergency over the coronavirus. As part of the emergency measures, all schools and universities will be closed, all Bulgarian Football Union matches suspended and police will be given special powers for quarantine enforcement. (Reuters)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Spain
    • Queen Letizia suspends her agenda and self-isolates for an expected two weeks after meeting with an infected Minister. Both the King and Queen have tested negative. (El País)
    • For second time in democratic history and the first time of such magnitude, the Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez decrees the Alarm Status in all the country, invoking article 116.1 of the Constitution, for 15 days. (Politico)
    • Catalan and Balearic Islands Governments implore national government help to lockdown both regions. (RTVE)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in the Czech Republic
    • The Czech Republic declares a state of emergency and announces the closure of its borders to all foreigners starting from midnight on March 16, while Czech citizens will no longer be allowed to leave the country for at least 30 days. (Prague Morning)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Iran
    • Iran's police, security council and interior ministry will empty the streets of people in the next 24 hours in an effort to contain the coronavirus. (Reuters)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Morocco
    • Morocco closes its border with Spain. (La Vanguardia)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Brazil
    • President of Brazil Jair Bolsonaro tests negative for the disease, and decries news outlets that reported he had received an initial positive test result. (Time)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Ukraine
    • Ukraine's Ministry of Healthcare reports the country's first death from COVID-19, a 71-year-old woman from Radomyshl. (Kyiv Post)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Guinea
    • Guinea confirms its first case of COVID-19, an EU employee traveling to Conakry. (Reuters)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Sudan
    • Sudan confirms its first case and death from COVID-19, a man in his 50s who had recently visited the United Arab Emirates. (Reuters)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Ethiopia
    • Ethiopia confirms its first case of COVID-19, a 48-year-old Japanese woman coming from Burkina Faso. (Ethiopia Ministry of Health)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in France
    • Guadeloupe confirms its first case of COVID-19, a 36-year-old woman returning from a cruise with relatives who recently visited Metropolitan France. (RCI)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Kenya
    • Kenya confirms its first case of COVID-19, a 27-year-old Kenyan woman travelling from the United States through London. (Capital News)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Pakistan
    • Pakistan closes all land borders, shuts down schools for three weeks, limits international flights, and discourages any large public gatherings in an attempt to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. (National Post)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Oman
    • Oman suspends tourist visas, sporting events, and non-class student activities to slow the spread of the coronavirus. (Gulf Business)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Venezuela
    • Venezuela suspends all incoming flights from Europe, supends all student activities and public gatherings to slow the spread of the coronavirus after the first two cases in the country were confirmed by the vice president. (Runrun.es)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Guatemala
    • Guatemala confirms its first case of COVID-19, is a Guatemalan who returned from Italy. (Prensa Libre)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Canada
    • Quebec company Medicago announces it has found a COVID-19 vaccine candidate, and hopes to begin human testing this summer. (Global News)
    • Canada will suspend sessions of Parliament until at least April 20. (Politico)
    • Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says that his wife Sophie Grégoire Trudeau's symptoms remain "mild" after testing positive COVID-19. (People)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in the United States
    • U.S. President Donald Trump declares a national emergency in response to the pandemic. This will allow up to $50 billion of federal money for relief efforts. (CNBC)
    • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Illinois
      • After 32 cases of COVID-19 are confirmed in Illinois, Governor J. B. Pritzker bans gatherings of 1,000 or more people for 30 days. (Chicago Tribune)
    • Four hundred United States National Guard and Air National Guard personnel are activated in six states to help contain the coronavirus: Florida, Iowa, Louisiana, New York, Rhode Island and Washington. (The Hill)
    • After 41 cases of COVID-19 are confirmed in Pennsylvania, Governor Tom Wolf orders all K–12 schools to close from March 16–29. (WPVI)
    • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Michigan
      • Michigan confirms it now has 25 cases of COVID-19, more than double than reported the previous day. (Michigan Radio)
    • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Colorado
      • 72 confirmed cases of COVID-19 are confirmed in Colorado, while the state's first death from the virus, identified as an 80-year-old woman, has been reported in El Paso County. (The Colorado Sun)
    • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Connecticut
      • Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont orders the closing of all schools for at least two weeks, beginning March 16. (WVIT)
    • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Delaware
      • Delaware Governor John Carney orders the closing of all public schools in the state due to coronavirus concerns. (WBOC)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Andorra
    • The Prime Minister Xavier Espot announces in a special public appearance that orders the closure of all public establishments except basic stores, pharmacies and gas stations during two weeks. (Diari d'Andorra) (Govern d'Andorra)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Romania
    • After Senator Vergil Chițac tested positive for COVID-19, becoming the first Romanian high-ranking official with the disease, interim government headed by Prime Minister Ludovic Orban self-isolates for 14 days. (Euronews)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Kosovo
    • Kosovo reports its first two cases of COVID-19. (Reuters)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Poland
    • Poland declares a state of epidemic emergency late on Friday, bans all foreigners from entering the country, and Polish citizens returning from abroad will be placed under a 14-day quarantine. The country closes all restaurants, pubs, clubs and casinos. From March 14, gatherings of more than 50 people will be banned. From March 15, international air and rail connections will be suspended. (Radio Poland)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Cyprus
    • President Nikos Anastasiadis, in a special televised appearance, announces the closing of all borders except for nationals for 15 days since 15 March. (Reuters)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in New Zealand, aftermath of the Christchurch mosque shootings
    • Ahead of the one-year anniversary of two far-right terror attacks on mosques in Christchurch that killed 51 people, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announces the cancellation of a national remembrance service as a precaution due to the coronavirus. (The Guardian)

Politics and elections

• Politics of Greece
  • Katerina Sakellaropoulou is sworn in President of Greece in the Hellenic Parliament and becomes the first woman to hold the office, succeeding Prokopis Pavlopoulos. Amid the 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Greece, she suspends the protocol ceremony for the inauguration scheduled for Saturday 14 and no handshakes are allowed. (ABC News) (US News)
• 2020 Democratic Party presidential primaries, 2020 coronavirus pandemic in the United States
  • 2020 Louisiana Democratic primary
    • After 36 cases of COVID-19 are confirmed in Louisiana, Secretary of State R. Kyle Ardoin postpones its primary elections from April 4 until June 20. (CNBC) (KATC)
  • Florida, Arizona, Illinois, and Ohio will proceed having Democratic Party primaries despite the coronavirus outbreak. Ohio Democratic Party chairman David Pepper said that the Ohio primaries will go on as planned. (Straits Times) (The Hill)

Science and technology

• Planets beyond Neptune
  • Astronomers discover 139 new "minor planets" in the Solar System that are beyond the orbit of Neptune, which helps boost odds of finding Planet Nine. (NBC News)

Sports

• Impact of the 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic on sports
  • 2020 Formula 1 season
    • Formula 1 officially cancels the 2020 Australian Grand Prix, then later announces the postponement of the Bahrain and Vietnam Grands Prix. (RACER) (Formula 1)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in the United Kingdom
    • The Premier League holds an emergency meeting after Arsenal F.C. manager Mikel Arteta and Chelsea F.C. player Callum Hudson-Odoi both test positive for COVID-19. The current season is suspended until April 3, along with the English Football League and FA Women's Super League. (The Guardian) (TalkSPORT)
  • 2020 Masters Tournament
    • Augusta National Golf Club postpones the 2020 Masters Tournament. (ESPN)
  • 2020 IndyCar Series
    • IndyCar, the organizer of the IndyCar Series, cancels all events through the end of April. (Road & Track)
  • 2020 Boston Marathon
    • Mayor Marty Walsh announces that the 124th annual running of the Boston Marathon, originally scheduled for April 20, will take place on Monday, September 14 instead. (New York Times)

Current events of March 14, 2020 (2020-03-14) (Saturday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

• Maghreb insurgency
  • Canadian national Édith Blais and her Italian partner Luca Tacchetto are found alive in Mali after escaping from their captors. The pair were abducted in Burkina Faso on December 15, 2018. (CBC)
• Gulf crisis, Camp Taji attacks
  • A second rocket attack this week hits the Camp Taji base in Baghdad Governorate, Iraq, wounding three United States troops. (ABC News)

Business and economy

• Socio-economic impact of the 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic
  • Apple Inc. is closing all its stores outside China for two weeks in response to the coronavirus pandemic, according to its CEO Tim Cook. (The Guardian)
  • Solomon Islands bans all travelers from China, South Korea and Japan. Health minister Dickson Mua also says that the country has suspended flights to Brisbane, Australia, and banned all civil servants from overseas travel in an effort to contain COVID-19. (RNZ)
  • In Texas, major grocery chain H-E-B limits its store hours to 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., closing early in an effort to maintain product availability and restock empty shelves. (KVUE)
  • American Airlines says it will suspend long haul international flights from March 16 until May 6. (Yahoo! News)
  • Walmart says all of its stores will reduce their hours to 6:00 a.m. until 11:00 p.m. local time until further notice in response to the pandemic. Several other chains have already done so. (CNN)

Health and environment

• 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic
  • COVID-19 vaccine
    • A group of researchers in the Netherlands have found antibodies that can be used to combat COVID-19. (NL Times)
    • Scientists from Imperial College London say that a vaccine could be tested soon. (The Independent)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Spain
    • Javier Solana, former Secretary General of NATO and former High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, has been hospitalized since Wednesday after testing positive for COVID-19. (US News)
    • Spain's Ministry of Health reports more than 1,500 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in a single day, including over a thousand in the capital Madrid. (Euronews)
    • Jet2.com planes return to the United Kingdom after the airline cancelled flights to Balearic Islands and Canary Islands. (BBC)
    • María Begoña Gómez Fernández, spouse of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, tests positive for coronavirus. (El Confidencial) (Reuters)
    • 2020 Spain coronavirus lockdown
      • Spain officially places the entire country in a lockdown for two weeks after declaring a Status Alarm the day before. (Washington Post)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Iran
    • Iran reports 1,365 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 97 more deaths, the highest number of deaths in a single 24-hour period in the country to date, bringing the total to 12,729 confirmed cases and 611 deaths. (Gulf News)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Africa
    • Namibia reports its first two cases of COVID-19. President Hage Geingob says he imposes a travel ban to and from Qatar, Ethiopia and Germany for 30 days. (Reuters)
    • Rwanda confirms the country's first case of coronavirus, an Indian citizen who arrived in the country on March 8 from Mumbai. (The New Times)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in the United Kingdom
    • A newborn baby tests positive for COVID-19 at North Middlesex University Hospital in Edmonton, London, becoming the youngest known victim of the disease in the United Kingdom. The child's mother has also tested positive for the disease. (The Guardian)
    • NHS England reports 10 more deaths from the coronavirus, doubling the number of deaths in the UK to 21. All patients were aged over 70 and had underlying health conditions. (Daily Standard)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Indonesia
    • Budi Karya Sumadi, the Indonesian Minister of Transportation, tests positive for COVID-19. (Antara News)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Italy, 2020 Italy coronavirus lockdown
    • Italy's Ministry of Health reports 250 more deaths from COVID-19, the highest number of deaths in a single 24-hour period in the country to date. The Mayor of Bergamo Giorgio Gori says churches are now being used to store dead bodies as the city's morgues are full. (Sky News)
    • Air pollution in Northern Italy drops following the coronavirus lockdown. (Reuters)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Syria
    • Syria's government closes all schools and cancels public events until April 2, to prevent the spread of the virus. Syrian Minister Imad al-Azab rejects claims the government is covering up cases and says the new measures are "precautionary". (Reuters)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in the United States
    • U.S. President Donald Trump confirms he has been tested for COVID-19, after coming into contact with Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro's Press Secretary last week, who has been diagnosed with the disease. President Trump's results were negative. (USA Today) (CNBC)
    • A total of 16 U.S. states have closed all of their schools as of this date. (USA Today)
    • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in New York (state)
      • New York Governor Andrew Cuomo reports his state has confirmed 613 cases of COVID-19, with two deaths today. (WPIX) (WNBC)
    • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in California
      • Contra Costa County bans gatherings over 100 people, effective March 15. This is more than twice as strict as Governor Gavin Newsom's ban of crowds of 250 or more people earlier in the week. (San Jose Mercury News)
    • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Michigan
      • Michigan reports eight more confirmed cases of COVID-19 since yesterday, for a total of 33. (WDIV)
    • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Georgia (U.S. state)
      • After 66 cases of COVID-19 are confirmed in Georgia, Governor Brian Kemp declares a public health emergency. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
    • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Colorado
      • In an unprecedented move, Colorado Governor Jared Polis orders the closure of all downhill ski areas for a week, citing coronavirus concerns. (The Colorado Sun)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Morocco
    • Abdelkader Aamara, Minister of Equipment, Transport and Logistics and Deputy tests positive for COVID-19. (Straits Times)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in New Zealand
    • New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern imposes a 14 day mandatory quarantine to everyone arriving in New Zealand, including diplomats, tourists and returning citizens, but excluding those coming in from Pacific Island nations, and bans all cruise ships from entering the nation until at least June 30. (News.com.au)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in San Marino
    • The Government of the Republic of San Marino orders a nationwide quarantine until April 6. (San Marino RTV)

Politics and elections

• 2020 United States presidential caucuses in the Northern Mariana Islands, 2020 Democratic Party presidential primaries
  • U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders wins the Northern Mariana Islands Democratic caucuses. (CNN)

Sports

• Impact of the 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic on sports
  • The Bath Half Marathon is expected to go as planned despite the coronavirus. (BBC)
  • 2020 in UFC
    • The Ultimate Fighting Championship events will go as planned despite the coronavirus. (SFGate)
  • 2020 XFL season
    • A player on the Seattle Dragons tests positive for the coronavirus. (Sports Illustrated)
  • 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic in Hubei
    • Wuhan Zall F.C. is expected to leave Spain and return to Wuhan, where the coronavirus was originated. (ESPN)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in the United States, 2019–20 NBA season
    • Detroit Pistons power forward Christian Wood reportedly tests positive for COVID-19. (WEYI-TV)

Current events of March 15, 2020 (2020-03-15) (Sunday)

Arts and culture

• 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Mexico
  • Fans attend the Vive Latino festival in Mexico City despite coronavirus concerns. (AP News)

Business and economy

• 2020 coronavirus pandemic in the United States
  • In an emergency move, less than two weeks after the previous unscheduled intervention, the Fed drops its benchmark rate a full percentage point. It announces a $700 billion quantitative easing program, sets reserve requirements for thousands of banks to zero and lowers other lending rates. The set of measures appears as its biggest ever in a single day. (CNBC)

Disasters and accidents

• A pipeline explosion causes a fire and destroys dozens of buildings in Lagos, Nigeria, killing at least 15 people. (Reuters)
• European migrant crisis
  • Malta's Navy rescues 112 migrants from a sinking boat in the Mediterranean Sea. (New York Times)

Health and environment

• 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Uzbekistan
    • Uzbekistan confirms the Central Asian country's first case of COVID-19, an Uzbek citizen who had recently returned from France. All schools, colleges and universities are ordered to close for three weeks, while all public events are cancelled. (Reuters)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Italy
    • The number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Italy jumps to 24,747, while the death toll rose to 1,809 people. (Corriere della Sera)
    • Noted Italian architect Vittorio Gregotti dies in Milan, at age 92, after contracting coronavirus. (Corriere della Sera)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Africa
    • The Republic of the Congo reports its first case of coronavirus, a 50-year-old man who arrived in the country on a Ethiopian Airlines flight from Paris. (Reuters)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Iran
    • Iran's Ministry of Health and Medical Education reports 1,209 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 113 more deaths, the highest number of deaths in a single 24-hour period in the country to date, bringing the total to 13,938 confirmed cases and 724 deaths. (Reuters)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Kazakhstan
    • Kazakhstan declares a state of emergency over the coronavirus pandemic. The presidential decree from President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev imposes a national quarantine and restricts both entry and departures from the country to all except diplomats and individuals invited by the government. (RFE/RL)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Argentina
    • President Alberto Fernández reinforces security at the borders and bans all travelers from hard-hit countries that spent at least 14 days there. In addition, he says he is considering a national quarantine and suspension of school classes. (Buenos Aires Times)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Israel, 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Palestine
    • The Jerusalem Islamic Waqf announces the closure of the Al-Aqsa Mosque and Dome of the Rock to upend contamination of the holy sites from COVID-19. (Al Jazeera)
    • The corruption trial of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, originally slated to open on March 17, has been delayed to May 24 due to restrictions on public gatherings enacted to stop coronavirus spread. (New York Post)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Europe
    • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Hungary
      • Hungary reports its first death from COVID-19, a 75-year-old man. (Index)
    • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in the United Kingdom
      • The United Kingdom's Department of Health and Social Care reports 232 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 14 more deaths. The UK government says a "wartime-style" mobilisation will be enforced in the coming weeks to tackle the virus. (ITV)
    • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Spain, 2020 Spain coronavirus lockdown
      • Spain's Ministry of Health reports 2,000 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 105 more deaths, as the country enters a nationwide lockdown. (Business Recorder)
      • Pere Aragonès, Vice President of Catalonia, confirms via Twitter he tested positive for the virus. (Europa Press)
    • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in the Netherlands
      • The Government closes down all schools and Horeca establishments, and the Royal Dutch Football Association suspends all football matches until April 6. (DutchNews)
    • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Austria, 2020 Tyrol coronavirus lockdown
      • Günther Platter, the governor of the Austrian state of Tyrol, announces a statewide lockdown set to last for one week, out of concerns of the coronavirus. (The Boston Globe)
    • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Germany
      • Germany closes its borders with France, Switzerland, Austria, Denmark and Luxembourg. (BBC)
    • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Slovenia
      • Slovenia closes all schools indefintely and suspends public transport effective midnight as COVID-19 cases rise to 219. (Total Slovenia News)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Canada
    • Canada's public health agency posts an advert for nurses, citing "an urgent need". Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he does not rule out the possibility of closing the borders. (Reuters)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in the United States
    • The American Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issues a recommendation to suspend gatherings of 50 or more people for the next two months. (NPR)
    • The governors of five states: California, Ohio, Illinois, Washington and Massachusetts, order bars and restaurants to close in response to the pandemic. (USA Today)
    • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Ohio
      • The Ohio Department of Health reports it now has 37 cases of COVID-19 in the state. (Cleveland Plain Dealer)
    • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in New York (state)
      • New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio orders the city's public schools close until April 20. (New York Daily News)
    • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Michigan
      • Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer reports the state now has 20 more confirmed cases of COVID-19 than yesterday, for a total of 53. (WXYZ-TV)
    • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Arkansas
      • Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson announces the closing of all public schools in the state beginning March 17 over coronavirus concerns. (The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Turkey
    • Turkey's Presidential Communications Director Fahrettin Altun reports 12 new confirmed cases, totalling 18. (Daily Sabah)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Guatemala
    • Guatemala reports the country's first death from the coronavirus, an 85-year-old man who had recently returned from Spain. (Reuters)

Politics and elections

• 2020 Democratic Party presidential primaries, 2020 Democratic Party presidential debates
  • The first one-on-one debate of the 2020 Democratic presidential primaries takes place between former Vice President Joe Biden and Senator Bernie Sanders in Washington, D.C., instead of Arizona as originally scheduled and without an audience as a result of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. (Reuters)
• 2020 Georgia Democratic primary
  • Georgia postpones its primary elections to May 19 after 66 cases of COVID-19 were reported in the state. (ABC News)
• The Royal Household of Spain announces that the King has refused the heritage of his father after emeritus King Juan Carlos I had been involved in a tax haven scandal and money-laundering. His public fund is also withdrawn. (La Vanguardia)

Science and technology

• A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket aborts takeoff shortly after igniting its engines. (CBS News)

Sports

• 2020 NFL season
  • National Football League players vote to ratify a proposed CBA rule that changes the NFL regular season to seventeen games and the playoff format to seven games. (USA Today)

Current events of March 16, 2020 (2020-03-16) (Monday)

Arts and culture

• 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic
  • Impact of the 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic on television, Impact of the 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic on cinema
    • Actors Idris Elba and Kristofer Hivju reveal they have both tested positive for COVID-19. (Fox News) (Variety)
• Rock art in Iran
  • An ancient petroglyph has been discovered in Central Iran. (Newsweek)

Business and economy

• Socio-economic impact of the 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in the United States; 2020 stock market crash
    • Asian markets fall substantially and European markets open with huge losses. S&P futures fall 5%, triggering a trading halt in response to the Federal Reserve's emergency measures. (ABC News)
    • The Dow closes 2,997 points or 12.9% lower - its largest daily points movement. (AP via Mercury News)
  • Renault announces that it is halting all production at its industrial sites in France until further notice because of the coronavirus pandemic. (Reuters)
  • The 2020 Dayton Hamvention, the world's largest amateur radio convention, is cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic. (The Shortwave Listening Post)

Health and environment

• 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic
  • COVID-19 vaccine
    • Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute in Seattle begins testing a possible COVID-19 vaccine on 45 people. (KOMO-TV)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Europe
    • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Spain, 2020 Spain coronavirus lockdown
      • Regional presidents of the Community of Madrid, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, and Catalonia, Quim Torra, test positive for COVID-19, as both regions are the most affected by the pandemic in the country. (RTVE)
      • The Spanish government takes control of all private hospitals to help the country's healthcare system cope with the virus pandemic. (Business Insider)
      • Basque and Galician elections, both scheduled for 5 April are postponed until the crisis is overcome. (El País)
      • The Ministry of the Interior closes all borders. (El País)
    • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Greenland
      • Greenland reports its first confirmed case of COVID-19, in Nuuk. (Ekstrabladet)
    • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Finland
      • Finland's Prime Minister Sanna Marin declares a state of emergency and closes all schools until April 13 in response to the coronavirus. (YLE)
    • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in the United Kingdom
      • The first death from COVID-19 is confirmed in Wales. The 68-year-old patient was being treated at Wrexham Maelor Hospital. (BBC)
    • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Armenia
      • Armenia declares a state of emergency lasting until April 14 to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. The emergency measures include the closure of all educational institutions, closing the borders with Georgia and Iran, banning gatherings with over 20 people, and postponing the 2020 Armenian constitutional referendum. (Reuters)
    • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Malta
      • Prime Minister Robert Abela announces the closing of all public locals but refuses to order a lockdown. (Times of Malta)
    • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Andorra
      • The COVID-19 cases in Andorra amount to 14 after a rise of 9 on the day with the highest cases registered. Prime Minister also announces the stoppage of construction and industry for 8 days. (Diari d'Andorra) (Diari d'Andorra)
    • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Monaco
      • Head of the Monegasque government Serge Telle testes positive for COVID-19. (CNN)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Bahrain
    • Bahrain reports the country's first death from COVID-19, a 65-year-old woman who returned from Iran last month. (Anadolu Agency)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Israel
    • Israel’s Health Ministry approves experimental treatment for COVID-19. (Jerusalem Post)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Africa
    • Benin, Liberia, Somalia and Tanzania report their first confirmed cases of COVID-19. (National Post)
    • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Sudan
      • Sudan declares the emergency status. (Andalou Agency)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Iran
    • Grand Ayatollah Hashem Bathaie Golpayenagi dies two days after testing positive for COVID-19, as Iran's Ministry of Health and Medical Education reports 129 more deaths from the virus. (Al Jazeera)
    • Economist and social activist Fariborz Raisdana also dies from coronavirus. (Tehran Times)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Turkey
    • Turkey's Directorate of Religious Affairs imposes a nationwide ban on all prayer gatherings in mosques. (Daily Sabah)
    • Turkey's Ministry of Health confirms 29 new cases, totalling to 47. (Daily Sabah)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in the United States
    • The U.S. has 4,459 confirmed cases of COVID-19 as of today, resulting in 86 deaths. West Virginia remains the only state with no confirmed cases. (CNN)
    • All K–12 schools are closed in 37 U.S. states as of today, affecting a total of 37.4 million students in 72,000 schools. (Education Week)
    • The San Francisco Bay Area orders a shelter in place for six counties. (San Francisco Chronicle)
    • The governors of New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Michigan, Louisiana, Ohio, Illinois, Massachusetts, and Washington, and mayors of cities in other states, order the closure of all bars and restaurants and ban gatherings of 50 or more people in their states or cities in response to the pandemic. (CNBC) (WJBK) (Business Insider)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in the Netherlands
    • Prime Minister Mark Rutte becomes the first Prime Minister since 1973 to hold a rare televised address to the nation concerning the coronavirus pandemic. (Politico)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Canada
    • Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announces that Canada will close its borders to all foreign travelers due to the pandemic, effective on Wednesday. Exceptions will be made for air crews, diplomats, immediate family members, and U.S. citizens. Only four airports will continue to receive international flights: Toronto Pearson, Vancouver, Montréal–Trudeau, and Calgary. Domestic flights and flights from the United States, Mexico, and the Caribbean, as well as foreign commerce and trade, will not be affected. (Global News)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in the Philippines
    • Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte declares a Luzon-wide "enhanced community quarantine" during the second day of the already community quarantined Metro Manila. (GMA News)
    • Philippine Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri becomes one of the 142 cases of COVID-19 in the Philippines after his test results return positive. (CNN Philippines)

Law and crime

• Aftermath of the Sagamihara stabbings
  • A court in Japan sentences Satoshi Uematsu to death for one of the country's worst mass murders, in which he killed 19 disabled people. (BBC)
• The Constitutional Court of Russia approves amendments to the Constitution proposed by President Vladimir Putin. (The Moscow Times)
• A man shoots six people, killing four and himself, at a gas station in Springfield, Missouri. (The Hill)

Politics and elections

• 2020 Democratic Party presidential primaries
  • Joe Biden is declared winner of the Washington Democratic primary. (Politico)

Sports

• Impact of the 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic on sports
  • 2020 Major League Baseball season
    • Major League Baseball announces that the season will be postponed indefinitely, after the recommendations from the CDC to restrict events of more than 50 people for the next eight weeks. (Major League Baseball)
  • The National Junior College Athletic Association cancels the remainder of all winter seasons, plus the spring seasons, for all sports. (MLive.com)
  • WrestleMania 36
    • WWE announces that this year's edition of its flagship event, WrestleMania, will be moved from Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, to the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida, without a live crowd. (Wrestling Observer)
  • 2020 NFL Draft
    • The 2020 NFL draft will go on in April despite the coronavirus, but with new changes. (Boston Herald) (NBC Sports)

Current events of March 17, 2020 (2020-03-17) (Tuesday)

Business and economy

• Socio-economic impact of the 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic
  • The Italian government announces it will take over the flag carrier Alitalia as part of its emergency response to the coronavirus pandemic. (Italy Local)
  • British textile design company Laura Ashley plc collapses into administration, saying the coronavirus has had a "significant impact on trading". (iNews)
• British multinational electrical and telecommunications retailer Dixons Carphone says it is closing all standalone Carphone Warehouse stores in the UK, with the loss of 2,900 jobs, as part of a company restructuring. The closures are not believed to be related to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. (Reuters)

Health and environment

• 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic
  • COVID-19 vaccine
    • Pfizer signs a deal with BioNTech to help develop a vaccine. (US News)
    • China gives go-ahead for human trials for a potential vaccine. (Reuters)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Asia
    • 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic in mainland China
      • Wuhan, where the coronavirus originated, will require returnees to be quarantined for 14 days. (National Post)
      • China reports only one domestic case of COVID-19, but found 20 cases that were imported abroad. (The Jakarta Post)
    • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Japan
      • The President of the Japan Football Association and deputy Olympic Committee chief Kozo Tashima tests positive for COVID-19. Japan insists the 2020 Summer Olympics will still go ahead as planned. (Business Recorder)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Australia
    • A 37-year-old Woolworths employee is stabbed by a 25-year-old man in Rosebud, Victoria. The crime is believed to be related to mass panic buying across Australian supermarkets that has seen cases of violence between shoppers and staff members. (News.com.au)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Malaysia
    • Malaysia reports its first two deaths from COVID-19 as the total number of confirmed cases in the country rises to 673. The victims of the virus were a 60-year-old from Kuching and a 34-year-old from Johor. (The Straits Times)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Iran
    • Iran temporarily frees 85,000 prisoners, including political ones and British-Iranian dual national Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, amid the coronavirus outbreak in the country. A judiciary spokesman says all of those freed were serving less than five years in prison, while all other prisoners serving heavier sentences remain in jail. (Reuters)
    • Iran's Ministry of Health and Medical Education reports 1,178 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 135 more deaths, bringing the total to 16,169 cases and 988 deaths. (New Indian Express)
    • Sharif University publishes a study about the number of possible casualties, warning that it could reach millions of deaths if a full quarantine is not imposed. (AP news)
    • Iran bans the traditional Persian fire festival Chaharshanbe Suri. (Outlook India)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Europe
    • The European Union closes its external border for first time in its history. (CNN)
    • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Italy
      • Former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi announces a 10 million euros donation to Lombardy to arrange a temporary 400-bed hospital at Milan trade fair. (ANSA)
    • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Spain
      • Spain's Ministry of Health reports 2,000 more confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 182 more deaths, raising the total to 11,178 cases and 491 deaths. The Balearic Islands regional government asks tourists to return home and closes airports and ports. (BBC)
    • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Bosnia and Herzegovina
      • Bosnia and Herzegovina declares a state of emergency over COVID-19. The Bosnian military is directed to set up tent quarantines on the border with Republika Srpska, which itself has declared a state of emergency. (Reuters)
    • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Montenegro
      • Montenegro reports its first two confirmed cases of COVID-19 in two female patients who had recently returned from abroad. (U.S. News)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Brazil
    • Brazil records their first death from COVID-19 in São Paulo state. (Nasdaq)
    • Hundreds of inmates escape from a prison in Mongaguá after rioting over new coronavirus restrictions. Riots and escapes are also reported at prisons in Mirandópolis, Porto Feliz and Tremembé with as many as 1,000 prisoners on the loose; at least 174 have been recaptured by police. (Metro)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in the United States
    • The U.S. reports its 105th death from COVID-19 (54 of them in Washington state) with a total of at least 5,748 confirmed cases in two territories, Washington, D.C., and all 50 states. (CNN)
    • As of today, 91,000 American K–12 schools are closed in 39 states, affecting 41.6 million students and their families. (Education Week)
    • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in South Carolina
      • After 47 cases of COVID-19 are confirmed in the state, outgoing Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney goes under self-quarantine in South Carolina. (CBS News) (South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control)
    • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Michigan
      • Michigan reports 11 more confirmed cases of COVID-19 than yesterday, for a total of 65. (WZZM)
    • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Alabama
      • Alabama reports a total of 39 cases of COVID-19 and announces the prohibition of gatherings of 25 people or more in six counties. (WSFA)
    • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in New York (state)
      • New York confirms its 12th death from COVID-19, and 1,374 cases total, 432 more than yesterday. (The New York Times)
    • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in West Virginia
      • West Virginia confirms its first case of COVID-19, becoming the last U.S. state to do so. Governor Jim Justice ordered restaurant dining rooms, bars, and casinos to close for two weeks. (CBS) (WSAZ)
    • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Arizona
      • Several cities in Arizona declare states of emergency amidst the crisis, with Phoenix and Tucson closing all bars and switching restaurants to take-out only until further notice. (ABC15)
    • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Delaware
      • Delaware confirms eight new presumptive cases of COVID-19, bringing the total of such cases to 16. (WBOC)
    • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Illinois
      • The air traffic control tower at Midway International Airport in Chicago closes after several technicians employed there tested positive for COVID-19. (CNBC)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Canada
    • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Ontario
      • Ontario Premier Doug Ford announces a state of emergency, closing restaurants, day cares, and all schools. (Global News)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Turkey
    • Turkey reports its first death from COVID-19, while the number of confirmed cases increases to 98. (Daily Sabah)

International relations

• Accession of North Macedonia to NATO
  • The Senate of Spain ratifies North Macedonia's accession protocol for NATO, becoming the last of NATO's 30 members to do so. The move formally paves the way for North Macedonia to join the military alliance. (Daily Sabah)

Law and crime

• Hashem Abedi, the brother of Manchester Arena bomber Salman Ramadan Abedi, is found guilty of 22 murders. (ABC News)

Politics and elections

• 2020 Democratic Party presidential primaries, 2020 Republican Party presidential primaries
  • Voters in Arizona, Florida, and Illinois go to the polls in their primary elections. (Business Insider) (CNN)
  • Former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden wins the Florida and Illinois Democratic primaries and is ahead in Arizona. (Business Insider) (CNN)
  • Incumbent U.S. President Donald Trump wins enough delegates to clinch the Republican nomination. (PBS)
  • Impact of the 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic on politics
    • Maryland postpones its primary from April 28 to June 2, becoming the fifth state to do so. (CBS News)
    • Ohio was scheduled to vote today, but the election was postponed until June 2 due to the coronavirus pandemic. The delay capped hours of confusion in which the election was called off by the state's governor, Mike DeWine, only for a judge to then rule that he did not have the authority to do so. The state's health director, Amy Acton, then called off the election on the grounds of a health emergency. (Columbus Dispatch) (Cleveland Plain Dealer)
• Politics of Belgium
  • Sophie Wilmès is sworn in as Prime Minister of Belgium. Seven opposition parties have pledged to support the minority government—in its previous composition—with plenary power for three to six months to handle the coronavirus pandemic in Belgium. (Het Laatste Nieuws) (La Dernière Heure)

Sports

• Impact of the 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic on sports
  • UEFA postpones the Euro 2020 association football tournament until summer 2021 in response to the coronavirus pandemic in Europe. (Sky Sports)
  • CONMEBOL postpones the Copa America 2020 association football tournament until 2021 in response to the coronavirus pandemic. (Globo Esporte)
  • The 2020 French Open tennis tournament is postponed until late September. (The New York Times)
  • 2019–20 NBA season
    • Brooklyn Nets player Kevin Durant and three of his teammates test positive for COVID-19. (CNN)
• 2020 NFL season
  • Longtime New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady announces he will not re-sign with the team, and will instead select free agency. (National Football League)

Current events of March 18, 2020 (2020-03-18) (Wednesday)

Arts and culture

• Eurovision Song Contest 2020, List of major events affected by the 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic
  • The Eurovision Song Contest 2020 is cancelled due to the spread of COVID-19. (The Guardian)

Business and economy

• Socio-economic impact of the 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic, List of major events affected by the 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic, 2020 coronavirus pandemic in the United Kingdom
  • The 2020 Glastonbury Festival, scheduled for June 24–28, is cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic. (BBC)

Health and environment

• 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic
  • Socio-economic impact of the 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic
    • More than 850 million students are not attending school due to the coronavirus pandemic, according to UNESCO. (Al Arabiya)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Gambia
    • The Gambia reports its first confirmed case of COVID-19, a female patient in her 20s who recently returned from the United Kingdom. The patient is in isolation at a clinic in Fajara. (Anadolu Agency)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Iran
    • Iran's Ministry of Health and Medical Education reports 1,192 new confirmed cases of coronavirus and 147 more deaths, bringing the total number of cases to 17,361 and 1,135 deaths. (Reuters)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Europe
    • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in the United Kingdom
      • All schools in Scotland and Wales are to close effective March 19 in response to the virus. Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon says schools have lost too many staff to continue as normal. (Sky News) (BBC)
  • 2020 coronavirus pandemic in the United States
    • The U.S. reports its 112th death from COVID-19 (54 of them in Washington state) with a total of at least 6,135 confirmed cases in two territories, Washington, D.C., and all 50 states. (CNN)

Law and crime

• The Abortion Legislation Bill 2019 passes its third reading in the New Zealand House of Representatives, legalising abortion in New Zealand. (Stuff)

Politics and elections

• 2020 Democratic Party presidential primaries
  • U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders says he will assess his presidential campaign after losing three more states to former Vice President Joe Biden yesterday. (The Hill)
• Impact of the 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic on politics
  • The Prime Minister of Kosovo Albin Kurti sacks Interior Minister Agim Veliu amid disagreements over a state of emergency in response to the coronavirus. Kosovo has so far registered 19 cases of the virus. (Reuters)

Science and technology

• 2020 in spaceflight
  • SpaceX successfully launches and deploys 60 Starlink satellites on a Falcon 9 rocket. The Falcon 9 rocket, which made a record fifth launch, missed the autonomous spaceport drone ship Of Course I Still Love You, crashing in the Atlantic Ocean. (Space.com)

Current events of March 19, 2020 (2020-03-19) (Thursday)

	March 2020
S	M	T	W	T	F	S
1	2	3	4	5	6	7
8	9	10	11	12	13	14
15	16	17	18	19	20	21
22	23	24	25	26	27	28
29	30	31

(transcluded from the Current events portal)

Ongoing events

Disasters

• 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic
• 2018–20 Kivu Ebola epidemic
• 2018–20 Southern Africa drought
• 2019–20 Australian bushfire season
• 2019–20 United Kingdom floods
• 2019–20 European windstorm season
• Yemeni famine

Politics

• Afghan peace process
• Algerian protests
• Catalan protests
• Chilean protests
• European migrant crisis (timeline)
• Hong Kong protests
• Indian Citizenship Amendment Act protests (Shaheen Bagh)
• Iranian protests
• Iraqi protests
• Kashmir lockdown
• Lebanese protests
• Libyan peace process
• Maltese protests
• North East Delhi riots
• Persian Gulf crisis
• Post-Brexit diplomatic talks
• Qatar diplomatic crisis
• Rohingya persecution in Myanmar
• Turkish purges (disputed)
• Venezuelan presidential crisis (protests)
• Xinjiang concentration camps
• Yellow vests movement

Religion

• Moscow–Constantinople schism

Sports

• NCAA Division I men's basketball corruption scandal

More details – ongoing conflicts

Elections and referendums

Recent

• March
  • 1: Tajikistan, Assembly of Representatives
  • 2: Israel, Knesset
  • 2: Guyana, National Assembly

Upcoming

• March
  • 19: Vanuatu, Parliament
  • 22: Abkhazia, President
  • 26: Falkland Islands, Referendum
  • 29: Mali, National Assembly (1st)

Trials

Recently concluded

• Pakistan: Pervez Musharraf
• Philippines: Andal Ampatuan Jr.
• Spain: Quim Torra
• United States: Michael Avenatti, Harvey Weinstein

Ongoing

• Armenia: Serzh Sargsyan
• Cambodia: Kem Sokha
• Guatemala: Otto Pérez Molina, Roxana Baldetti, Juan Carlos Monzón and others
• Greece: Nikolaos Michaloliakos
• Israel: Faina Kirschenbaum, Benjamin Netanyahu
• Malaysia: Najib Razak
• Malta: Murder of Daphne Caruana
• Philippines: Leila de Lima, Maria Ressa, Marcos vs. Robredo electoral protest
• South Africa: Jacob Zuma
• Spain: Bárcenas affair, Catalan police leadership
• United Kingdom: Alex Salmond
• United States: Fat Leonard scandal, Varsity Blues scandal, Raid on the North Korean embassy in Madrid, 6ix9ine
• International: The Gambia v. Myanmar

Upcoming

• Guatemala: Álvaro Colom, Manuel Baldizón, Juan Alberto Fuentes
• Japan: Carlos Ghosn
• Philippines: "Bikoy" videos sedition case
• United States: Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, Elizabeth Holmes, Meng Wanzhou, R. Kelly, Golden State Killer, Nikolas Cruz
• Zimbabwe: Ignatius Chombo

Sport

• Association football
  • UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying
  • 2019–20 UEFA Champions League
  • 2019–20 UEFA Europa League
  • 2019–20 La Liga
  • 2019–20 Premier League
  • 2019–20 Serie A
  • 2019–20 Bundesliga
  • 2019–20 Liga MX season
  • 2019–20 Ligue 1
  • 2019–20 Scottish Premiership
• Women's association football
  • 2019–20 Champions League
  • 2019–20 Division 1 Féminine
  • 2019–20 FA WSL
  • 2019–20 Frauen-Bundesliga
  • 2019–20 Liga MX Femenil
• American football
  • 2020 XFL season
• Basketball
  • 2019–20 EuroLeague
  • 2019–20 NBA season
  • 2019–20 NCAA Division I men's basketball season
  • 2019–20 NCAA Division I women's basketball season
• Golf
  • 2020 European Tour
  • 2020 PGA Tour
• Ice hockey
  • 2019–20 NHL season
  • 2019–20 KHL season
• Rugby sevens
  • 2019–20 World Rugby Sevens Series
  • 2019–20 World Rugby Women's Sevens Series
• Rugby union
  • 2019–20 European Rugby Champions Cup
  • 2019–20 Premiership Rugby
  • 2019–20 Pro14
  • 2019–20 Top 14
• Other sports seasons
  • 2019–20 international cricket season
  • 2019–20 curling season
  • 2019–20 figure skating season
  • 2019–20 snooker season

More details – current sports events

Recent deaths

March 2020

• 17: Lyle Waggoner
• 16: Stuart Whitman
• 15: Roy Hudd
• 12: Michel Roux
• 11: Burkhard Hirsch
• 10: Ruth Born
• 9: Richard K. Guy
• 9: John Bathersby
• 8: Max von Sydow
• 7: Fatemeh Rahbar
• 6: Bélgica Castro
• 6: Henri Richard
• 6: McCoy Tyner
• 5: Jeanette Fitzsimons
• 5: Hossein Sheikholeslam
• 4: Amo Houghton
• 4: Javier Pérez de Cuéllar
• 4: Rosalind P. Walter
• 3: Bobbie Battista
• 3: Stanisław Kania
• 2: Henry N. Cobb
• 2: James Lipton
• 1: Ernesto Cardenal
• 1: Jack Welch

February 2020

• 28: Joe Coulombe
• 28: Freeman Dyson
• 27: David Smith
• 26: Michael Medwin
• 25: Lee Phillip Bell
• 25: Hosni Mubarak
• 24: Diana Serra Cary
• 24: Clive Cussler
• 24: John Franzese
• 24: Katherine Johnson
• 22: Kiki Dimoula
• 22: B. Smith
• 22: Simon Warr
• 21: Nick Cuti
• 21: Tao Porchon-Lynch
• 20: José Bonaparte
• 19: Heather Couper
• 19: José Mojica Marins
• 18: Ja'Net DuBois
• 17: Owen Bieber
• 17: Henry Gray
• 17: Charles Portis
• 17: Andrew Weatherall
• 16: Zoe Caldwell
• 16: Larry Tesler

Ongoing conflicts

Africa

• Algeria, Libya and Tunisia
  • Maghreb insurgency
• Cameroon
  • Anglophone Crisis
• Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria
  • Boko Haram insurgency
• Central African Republic
  • Civil War
• Democratic Republic of the Congo
  • Kivu conflict
  • ADF insurgency
  • Ituri conflict
  • Lord's Resistance Army insurgency
• Libya
  • Second Civil War
  • American intervention in Libya
  • Turkish intervention in Libya
• Mali
  • Mali War
• Mozambique
  • Islamist insurgency in Mozambique
• Nigeria
  • Communal conflicts in Nigeria
• Somalia
  • Civil war
• South Sudan
  • Ethnic violence (South Sudanese Civil War)
• Sudan
  • War in Darfur
  • South Kordofan conflict
  • Sudanese nomadic conflicts

Americas

• Colombia
  • Colombian conflict
• Mexico
  • Mexican War on Drugs
• Peru
  • Internal conflict in Peru

Asia-Pacific

• Afghanistan
  • Afghanistan War
• China
  • Xinjiang conflict
• India
  • Naxalite–Maoist insurgency
  • Insurgency in Northeast India
• India and Pakistan
  • Kashmir conflict
    • Border skirmishes
• Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines
  • Moro conflict
    • Cross border attacks in Sabah
• Indonesia and Papua New Guinea
  • Papua conflict
• Myanmar
  • Internal conflict in Myanmar
    • Kachin conflict
    • Karen conflict
    • Rohingya conflict
• Pakistan
  • War in North-West Pakistan
  • Balochistan conflict
• Philippines
  • Communist rebellion in the Philippines
  • Philippine Drug War
• Thailand
  • South Thailand insurgency

Europe

• Armenia and Azerbaijan
  • Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
• Georgia
  • Abkhaz–Georgian conflict
  • Georgian–Ossetian conflict
• Russia
  • Chechen–Russian conflict
  • North Caucasus insurgency
• Ukraine
  • War in Donbass
    • Russian military intervention in Ukraine

Middle East

• Egypt
  • Sinai insurgency
• Iran and the Persian Gulf
  • Iran–PJAK conflict
  • Iran–Israel proxy conflict
  • Iran–Saudi Arabia proxy conflict
• Iraq
  • American-led intervention in Iraq
  • Iranian intervention in Iraq
• Iraq and Syria (map)
  • Military intervention against ISIL
• Israel and Gaza
• Syria
  • American-led intervention in Syria
  • Russian military intervention in the Syrian Civil War
• Turkey
  • Kurdish–Turkish conflict
• Yemen and Saudi Arabia
  • Yemeni Civil War
  • Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen
  • Saudi Arabian–Yemeni border conflict

Further information: List of ongoing armed conflicts