Doping in China Chinese Olympic Swimmer Sun Yang is banned from swimming for eight years after being found guilty of doping by the Court of Arbitration for Sport. (News AU)
Syrian civil war, Northwestern Syria offensive (December 2019–March 2020), European migrant crisis Nearly 300 migrants including Syrians arrived in Edirne province, Turkey, on the border with Greece in a bid to go to Europe. Another group of migrants arrived on the coast of Ayvacik in Çanakkale, western Turkey, and wanted to go to the Greek island of Lesbos by boats. Turkish officials announced that the security forces will not intervene to prevent the crossing of any migrants, including those from Syria and other countries like Afghanistan and Iran. (France 24) (Daily Sabah)
COVID-19 pandemic COVID-19 pandemic in Italy 464 more coronavirus cases are confirmed in Italy, bringing the number to 888. Four more virus-related deaths are confirmed, bringing the death toll in the country to 21. (Il Sole 24 Ore) Belarus, Monaco, Iceland, Azerbaijan, New Zealand, Lithuania, Mexico and Nigeria confirm their first cases of coronavirus. (BNO News) Cyprus closes four of its checkpoints along the border with Northern Cyprus for the first time since 2003 due to coronavirus concerns. The checkpoints are expected to be reopened within a week. (Reuters)
The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco temporarily block the Remain-in-Mexico policy. (Fox News)
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. (Akşam) 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. (The New York Times)
Turkish Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu says 76,358 migrants have left Turkey from Edirne Province as of this morning towards Europe. (Akşam)
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. (The New York Times)
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)
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)
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)
European migrant crisis Turkish interior minister says over 130,000 refugees have crossed into Greece in the past four days. (TRT Haber)
Turkish interior minister says over 130,000 refugees have crossed into Greece in the past four days. (TRT Haber)
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 News)
War in Afghanistan (2001–2021) 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 News)
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)
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)
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)
COVID-19 pandemic in Delaware Delaware announces its first presumptive case of COVID-19 in New Castle County. (The State of Delaware News)
Delaware announces its first presumptive case of COVID-19 in New Castle County. (The State of Delaware News)
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)
COVID-19 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) United States Senators Tom Cotton and Ted Cruz announce that they will temporarily close their offices. (The Hill)
COVID-19 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)
Delaware Governor John Carney declares a state of emergency and recommends the cancellation of all non-essential public gatherings of over 100 people. (WBOC)
COVID-19 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)
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)
COVID-19 pandemic COVID-19 pandemic in France The Louvre museum in Paris closes until further notice. (U.S. News & World Report) COVID-19 pandemic in Nepal The Nepalese government suspends climbing of Mount Everest for tourists and halts visas for visitors until April 30. (BBC News)
COVID-19 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)
COVID-19 pandemic in Delaware Delaware Governor John Carney orders the closing of all public schools in the state due to coronavirus concerns. (WBOC)
COVID-19 pandemic in Nepal The Nepalese government suspends climbing of Mount Everest for tourists and halts visas for visitors until April 30. (BBC News)
Delaware Governor John Carney orders the closing of all public schools in the state due to coronavirus concerns. (WBOC)
COVID-19 pandemic in Morocco Morocco closes its border with Spain. (La Vanguardia)
COVID-19 pandemic in Oman Oman suspends tourist visas, sporting events, and non-class student activities to slow the spread of the coronavirus. (Gulf Business)
COVID-19 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)
COVID-19 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)
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)
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)
COVID-19 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)
COVID-19 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)
COVID-19 pandemic in Germany Germany closes its borders with France, Switzerland, Austria, Denmark and Luxembourg. (BBC News)
COVID-19 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)
The Constitutional Court of Russia approves amendments to the Constitution proposed by President Vladimir Putin. (The Moscow Times)
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 News)
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 News)
COVID-19 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)
COVID-19 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)
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 Delaware Delaware confirms eight new presumptive cases of COVID-19, bringing the total of such cases to 16. (WBOC)
Delaware confirms eight new presumptive cases of COVID-19, bringing the total of such cases to 16. (WBOC)
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)
The European Union closes its external border for first time in its history. (CNN)
President Trump signs the Families First Coronavirus Response Act into law to provide economic relief to families affected by the coronavirus pandemic. (ABC News)
While educational facilities close across the United States due to the coronavirus pandemic, the U.S. Department of Education tells educators that online learning must comply with civil rights laws, including making sure learning tools are available to students. However, as not every student has access to the internet, many students will be unable to participate, prompting some public school systems to implement "enrichment" policies. Under these policies, coursework completed under online learning will not officially count towards advancing to the next academic term. (The Wall Street Journal)
COVID-19 pandemic in Australia Australia closes its borders to all non-Australian residents. (Reuters) Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison says about A$100 billion will be injected into the Australian economy to support it during the coronavirus pandemic. (MSN)
COVID-19 pandemic in Oceania COVID-19 pandemic in Australia Australia closes its borders to all non-Australian residents. (Reuters) Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison says about A$100 billion will be injected into the Australian economy to support it during the coronavirus pandemic. (MSN) COVID-19 pandemic in Fiji Fiji reports its first confirmed case of COVID-19, a male patient in Lautoka. (The New Zealand Herald)
COVID-19 pandemic in Nepal In a special TV address, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli announces the suspension of all international flights until 31 March and internal long-distance public bus routes, while orders the closure of all non-essential public and private office until 3 April. (Reuters) The Supreme Court stops all non-urgent legal proceedings at all levels across the country. The National Assembly also suspends its activity indefinitely. (The Himalayan Times) (My Republica)
COVID-19 pandemic in Oceania Papua New Guinea reports its first confirmed case of COVID-19, a male patient from Spain currently being isolated in Lae. The country will also close its borders. (Papua New Guinea Today) (Radio New Zealand)
COVID-19 pandemic in Albania Albania's government deploys troops to enforce a 40-hour nationwide curfew. Prime Minister Edi Rama says Albanians "will stay inside after 13:00", and that police and the armed forces "will use force against whoever breaks the law, including pensioners, and will use water canons and tear gas if need be." (Reuters)
COVID-19 pandemic in Australia The 2020 AFL season has been postponed to May 31 after South Australia and Western Australia close their borders to all non-essential travelers, and both New South Wales and Victoria engage a total lockdown. (News.com.au)
COVID-19 pandemic in the Palestinian territories The Palestinian National Authority confirms the first cases of COVID-19 in the Gaza Strip. Both patients are Palestinian men in their 30s who recently returned from Egypt. They are being held in quarantine in the border town of Rafah. (Haaretz)
64 Ethiopian illegal immigrants are found dead and 14 alive inside a cargo container on a lorry in Tete Province, Mozambique, apparently having died of asphyxiation. (Al Jazeera)
COVID-19 pandemic in Australia Australia announces a nationwide lockdown, outlawing all travel interstate and overseas, and closing the nation's borders. Schools remain open in some locations. (News.com.au)
COVID-19 pandemic in Oceania COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand New Zealand reports 40 new cases of coronavirus. (Stuff NZ) COVID-19 pandemic in Australia Australia announces a nationwide lockdown, outlawing all travel interstate and overseas, and closing the nation's borders. Schools remain open in some locations. (News.com.au)
Mozambique people smuggling disaster 64 Ethiopian illegal immigrants are found dead and 14 alive inside a cargo container on a lorry in Tete Province, Mozambique, apparently having died of asphyxiation. (Al Jazeera)
COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte signs a law granting him special temporary powers to direct the operations of private hospitals and take over public transportation. (NPR)
President Rodrigo Duterte signs a law granting him special temporary powers to direct the operations of private hospitals and take over public transportation. (NPR)
2020 Hubei lockdowns Wuhan, where the coronavirus pandemic first started, starts lifting its two-month lockdown by restarting some metro services and reopening borders to returning residents, though outbound traffic is still restricted until April 8. (Reuters)
COVID-19 pandemic in mainland China 2020 Hubei lockdowns Wuhan, where the coronavirus pandemic first started, starts lifting its two-month lockdown by restarting some metro services and reopening borders to returning residents, though outbound traffic is still restricted until April 8. (Reuters)
COVID-19 pandemic in Russia Russia announces that all borders will be closed effective March 30 to counter the spread of COVID-19. The new measure will not apply to Russian diplomats or drivers of freight trucks, among others. (Reuters) In Kabardino-Balkaria, registry offices ask newlyweds to confine the number of guests at the wedding ceremony to 10 people or to postpone the wedding since four cases of coronavirus infection have been reported in the republic. (Vestnik Kavkaza)
Wuhan, where the coronavirus pandemic first started, starts lifting its two-month lockdown by restarting some metro services and reopening borders to returning residents, though outbound traffic is still restricted until April 8. (Reuters)
COVID-19 pandemic in Africa COVID-19 pandemic in Zambia Zambia reports the country's first death from COVID-19 as confirmed cases rise to 39; the patient had underlying health conditions, according to Health Minister Chitalu Chilufya. (CGTN) COVID-19 pandemic in Malawi In an address to the nation, President Peter Mutharika reports Malawi's first confirmed cases of COVID-19. (CGTN)
COVID-19 pandemic in Malawi In an address to the nation, President Peter Mutharika reports Malawi's first confirmed cases of COVID-19. (CGTN)
In an address to the nation, President Peter Mutharika reports Malawi's first confirmed cases of COVID-19. (CGTN)
A court in Pakistan overturns the convictions of four men for the murder of Daniel Pearl. The men have been jailed for 18 years. (CNN)
COVID-19 pandemic COVID-19 pandemic in Africa COVID-19 pandemic in Malawi President Peter Mutharika announces a stimulus package to alleviate the economic stress resulting from the disease. To help finance this program, he and all government ministers are taking a ten percent wage cut for three months. (BBC News)
COVID-19 pandemic in Africa COVID-19 pandemic in Malawi President Peter Mutharika announces a stimulus package to alleviate the economic stress resulting from the disease. To help finance this program, he and all government ministers are taking a ten percent wage cut for three months. (BBC News)
