Six prisoners are shot dead by Papua New Guinea Police as they escape from prison in Western Highlands Province. They were among 100 inmates who escaped during a mass breakout. Scores of others are captured. (RNZ)
A woman is diagnosed with the coronavirus after a possible person-to-person transmission. It would be the first case of transmission in the United States with no known contacts to overseas cases. (NBC)
American investment management firm Elliott Management Corporation buys a significant stake in Twitter, and announces it will seek to make several changes to their management, including possibly replacing CEO Jack Dorsey. (Bloomberg)
The first death from coronavirus in the United States is confirmed after a man dies in a hospital in the Seattle area. (The New York Times) (AP News)
A nursing home in Kirkland, Washington locks down due to fears of COVID-19. (The New York Times)
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)
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)
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)
The National Weather Service reports 11 tornadoes touched down resulting in 25 confirmed deaths. Eighteen people remain unaccounted for. (CNN)
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)
The National Weather Service confirms 13 tornadoes occurred. (USA Today)
The Republican-controlled Arizona House of Representatives passes a bill banning transgender females from women's sports. (Fox News)
Florida confirms its first two deaths from the coronavirus. (CBS News)
The National Weather Service concludes the EF3 tornado that went through Davidson, Wilson, and Smith counties in Tennessee was confirmed on the ground for 60.13 miles (96.77 km), becoming the second longest path a tornado has taken in Tennessee. (NWS)
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)
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)
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)
Two United States troops are killed in a raid against ISIL in Iraq. (ABC)
Riot police repels Venezuela's opposition march downtown Caracas that aimed to regain control of the national legislature. (NBC News)
Guyana confirms its first death from COVID-19, a woman in her 50s who recently traveled from New York. (Reuters)
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio declares a state of emergency. (The New York Times)
The United States surpasses one thousand cases of COVID-19. (CNN)
The YMCA Short Course Nationals swim meet is canceled in the United States for the first time since 1947. (Swim Swam)
United States Senators Tom Cotton and Ted Cruz announce that they will temporarily close their offices. (The Hill)
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)
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)
Kazakhstan reports its first two confirmed cases of COVID-19; both are Kazakh nationals who recently returned from Germany. (U.S. News & World Report)
Kenya confirms its first case of COVID-19, a 27-year-old Kenyan woman travelling from the United States through London. (Capital News)
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)
The Louvre museum in Paris closes until further notice. (U.S. News & World Report)
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)
American Airlines says it will suspend long haul international flights from March 16 until May 6. (Yahoo! News)
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)
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo reports his state has confirmed 613 cases of COVID-19, with two deaths today. (WPIX) (WNBC)
Spain officially places the entire country in a lockdown for two weeks after declaring a Status Alarm the day before. (Washington Post)
Joe Biden is declared winner of the Washington Democratic primary. (Politico)
Mass shootings in the United States A man shoots six people, killing four and himself, at a gas station in Springfield, Missouri. (The Hill)
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)
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)
Montenegro reports its first two confirmed cases of COVID-19 in two female patients who had recently returned from abroad. (U.S. News)
New York confirms its 12th death from COVID-19, and 1,374 cases total, 432 more than yesterday. (The New York Times)
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)
A hospital ship will be deployed to the coast of Washington state by the U.S. Navy to assist in the response to COVID-19. (NPR)
The Abortion Legislation Bill 2019 passes its third reading in the New Zealand House of Representatives, legalising abortion in New Zealand. (Stuff)
The United States reports its 150th death from COVID-19, with a total of at least 9,400 confirmed cases nationwide. (Yeni Şafak)
California Governor Gavin Newsom issues a statewide stay-at-home order for all Californians except for essential errands such as grocery shopping or for medical services. (PBS NewsHour)
Florida Senator Rick Scott urges those visiting the state for spring break to stay away from public beaches to avoid the spread of the coronavirus. (Sun-Sentinel)
Haiti confirms its first two cases of COVID-19. (Voice of America)
Los Angeles County, California, announces a near-lockdown, urging residents to stay in their homes and to only go out in public for essential needs. (The San Diego Union-Tribune)
Marcello Natali, a doctor from Italy known for exposing the country's chronic shortage of medical supplies, dies from the coronavirus. The Italian Federation of General Practitioners confirms his death. (New York Post)
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio says the city's COVID-19 death toll stands at 22, with 3,615 cases. (CNBC)
Sean Payton, the head coach of the New Orleans Saints, says he has tested positive for COVID-19. (New York Post)
The number of COVID-19 cases in the United States surpasses 10,000, with 13,229 confirmed cases. The death toll stands at 195. (CNN) (The Wall Street Journal)
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo issues a statewide stay-at-home order for all New Yorkers except for essential errands such as grocery shopping or for medical services. (CNN)
The Donald Trump administration announces it will limit nonessential travel between the United States and Mexico. (CNN)
The first death from COVID-19 is reported in Paraguay, a 69-year-old man who had been hospitalized in intensive care, while the total of those infected rises to 18. (The New York Times)
The United Arab Emirates announces its first two deaths from COVID-19. (The New York Times)
The United States moves Tax Day from April 15 to July 15 due to the spread of the coronavirus. (CNN)
Italy says an additional 793 people have died from COVID-19 in the country, bringing the death toll to 4,825. It is the highest number of deaths in a single 24-hour period in the country to date. (New York Post)
Andorra reports its first death from COVID-19. (The New York Times)
Capital punishment in the United States, Capital punishment in Colorado Colorado abolishes the death penalty and commutes sentences of death row inmates. (The New York Times)
Colorado abolishes the death penalty and commutes sentences of death row inmates. (The New York Times)
Myanmar reports the country's first confirmed cases of COVID-19, the patients are a 36-year-old who had travelled back from the United States and a 26-year-old returning from the United Kingdom. Panic buying is reported in the country's largest city, Yangon. (CNA)
New York is expected to be the first state to test the treatment of coronavirus with blood from recovered patients. (NBC News)
Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan confirms nine members of the Detroit Police Department have tested positive for COVID-19, with one death, a 38-year-old male dispatcher. An additional 233 officers have been quarantined since Sunday. (MLive.com)
Playwright Terrence McNally dies from complications of COVID-19 in Florida. (BBC News)
The number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in California reaches 2,226, with 42 deaths. (Los Angeles Times)
The Palacio de Hielo ice rink in Madrid begins to be used as a morgue as the city's funeral homes are not able to hold all COVID-19 victims. (CNN)
Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi, Saudi Arabia–Turkey relations Turkey indicts 20 Saudis for the assassination of Jamal Khashoggi. (The New York Times)
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office confirms that Steven Dick, a 37-year-old diplomat to their mission in Budapest, has died from COVID-19. (Yahoo News)
The United States has its deadliest COVID-19 day to date, with 223 related deaths. (CNN)
Turkey indicts 20 Saudis for the assassination of Jamal Khashoggi. (The New York Times)
A Texas man is arrested for making death threats to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other Democrats on Facebook. (New York Times)
Iran–United States relations, Iraq–United States relations The United States Treasury Secretary imposes fresh sanctions on Iran, blacklisting 20 Iran- and Iraq-linked companies and individuals. (Reuters)
The death toll from COVID-19 in the U.S. reaches 1,200. The total number of cases in the country is 83,097. The U.S. has surpassed China in number of active cases, making it the country with the most cases in the world. (Worldometer)
