COVID-19 pandemic in the Dominican Republic The Dominican Federation of Municipalities call for all mayors to remain vigilant with the threat of the coronavirus. (HOY DR)
COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, COVID-19 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)
COVID-19 pandemic in Tunisia Tunisia confirms its first case. (The Punch)
Economic impact of the COVID-19 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)
Ecuador reports its first cases in Guayaquil. (Reuters)
Houthi forces capture the city of Al Hazm, the capital of Al Jawf Governorate in Yemen. (Middle East Monitor) (Al Jazeera)
Indonesia confirms its first case of the coronavirus. (Kompas) (Reuters)
Israelis head to the polls for the third time in less than a year. (Reuters)
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)
Moro conflict A soldier was killed and two injured after Islamic State-linked militants opened fire against them. Two terrorists were also killed. (Xinhua)
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)
People of Guyana head to the polls to elect the members of their National Assembly. (AlJazeera)
Russia reports its first case in Moscow. (Urdu Point)
Saudi Arabia reports its first case. (Arab News)
The Dominican Federation of Municipalities call for all mayors to remain vigilant with the threat of the coronavirus. (HOY DR)
The Dow Jones Industrial Average rebounds 1,294 points to end its seven day decline. (CNN)
The Japan Sumo Association announces its spring tournament in Osaka will take place with no spectators. (News On Japan)
The Taliban say there will be no intra-Afghan talks if about 5,000 of their prisoners are not released. (Reuters)
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)
COVID-19 pandemic in Asia COVID-19 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) COVID-19 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)
Second Libyan Civil War 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)
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)
COVID-19 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)
COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea South Korea declares "war" on the coronavirus. (NBC)
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)
Japan announces it will cancel ceremonies marking the anniversary of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami as a precaution against the spread of coronavirus. (Reuters)
Myanmar turns a Silversea Cruises cruise ship away due to fears of coronavirus, a government spokesman says. (Reuters)
South Korea declares "war" on the coronavirus. (NBC)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
Australian news agency Australian Associated Press (AAP) announces it will be closing down at the end of June, after 85 years of operation. (AP)
Chile confirms its first case of COVID-19 in the Maule region. (BioBio in Spanish)
COVID-19 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) Liechtenstein reports its first case. (Vaterland)
COVID-19 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 News)
COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, COVID-19 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)
Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States 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)
European migrant crisis Turkish interior minister says over 130,000 refugees have crossed into Greece in the past four days. (TRT Haber)
Four Turkish soldiers are killed and seven are wounded in Tranbeh, west of Saraqeb by Syrian Army shelling; some are transferred to Turkish hospitals in Reyhanlı by helicopter. (SOHR) (SOHR)
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 News)
John C. Tune Airport sustained major damage from the outbreak. (Fox News)
Spanish authorities announce that the first death from COVID-19 in the country occurred in Valencia on February 13. (El Mundo) (Reuters)
The state of Tennessee declares a state of emergency over the outbreak. (WBIR)
Three tornadoes, two at least EF 3 in strength, rip through downtown Nashville and surrounding towns, killing 25 people. (WKRN) (USA Today)
Turkey says it will deploy its domestically-produced surface-to-air missile HISAR to Syria's Idlib Governorate next week. (Star)
Turkish interior minister says over 130,000 refugees have crossed into Greece in the past four days. (TRT Haber)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
War in Afghanistan (2001–2021), 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)
140 buildings were destroyed with thousands damaged. 44,000 people are without electric power. (WAFF)
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)
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)
COVID-19 pandemic in Italy 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)
COVID-19 pandemic in Spain Spain reports its second death in Basque Country, an 82-year-old man, as infected toll rises to more than 210. (El Mundo)
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)
Mount Merapi in Java, Indonesia erupts, forcing the airport in Surakarta to close. (BBC News)
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)
Spain reports its second death in Basque Country, an 82-year-old man, as infected toll rises to more than 210. (El Mundo)
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)
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 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)
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)
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)
2020 Dominican Republic municipal elections, 2020 Dominican Republic 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)
COVID-19 pandemic in Asia COVID-19 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)
COVID-19 pandemic in Europe COVID-19 pandemic in Bosnia and Herzegovina Officials in Republika Srpska reports the first case of COVID-19 in the country. (N1 BA) COVID-19 pandemic in Italy The Italian government postpones the constitutional referendum, originally scheduled for 29 March. (Reuters) (ANSA) COVID-19 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 News)
COVID-19 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)
