COVID-19 pandemic in Uzbekistan Uzbekistan orders companies in Tashkent to do remote working and makes protective masks as an effort to contain the coronavirus. (Reuters)
COVID-19 pandemic in Vatican City Pope Francis, in a call for a worldwide prayer, announces he will hold a special service to pray for the end of the coronavirus pandemic. (Reuters)
Dubai-based airline Emirates announces that it will be suspending all passenger flights effective March 25 in response to the coronavirus pandemic, but will continue to operate cargo flights for essential goods. (Associated Press)
Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic COVID-19 pandemic in the United Arab Emirates Dubai-based airline Emirates announces that it will be suspending all passenger flights effective March 25 in response to the coronavirus pandemic, but will continue to operate cargo flights for essential goods. (Associated Press) Economy of the United States, COVID-19 pandemic in the United States The U.S. Senate votes down a coronavirus relief stimulus bill. (CNBC) U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is expected to set up a second vote on a coronavirus relief stimulus bill for Monday. (The Hill)
Economy of the United States, COVID-19 pandemic in the United States The U.S. Senate votes down a coronavirus relief stimulus bill. (CNBC) U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is expected to set up a second vote on a coronavirus relief stimulus bill for Monday. (The Hill)
Former film producer and convicted sex offender Harvey Weinstein tests positive for COVID-19. He is put in isolation at the Wende Correctional Facility. (The Daily Beast)
French Health Minister Olivier Véran confirms the first death of a doctor treating COVID-19 patients. (France 24)
India observes a 14-hour nationwide self-imposed Janata Curfew amid the coronavirus pandemic. (The Economic Times)
India suspends the entry of international flights due to the coronavirus. (NDTV)
Iraq issues a lockdown until March 28 in an effort to contain the coronavirus. (Al Arabiya)
Italy raises its COVID-19 death toll to 5,476. (WION)
Italy–Russia relations, COVID-19 pandemic in Italy The Russian military sends medical help and disinfection tools to Italy to battle the coronavirus. (Reuters)
Louisiana declares a lockdown due to the coronavirus. (Reuters)
Ocean City, Maryland announces that their beaches will be closed to slow down the spread of coronavirus. (The Indianapolis Star)
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine issues a stay-at-home order. Grocery stores, pharmacies and manufacturing industries deemed "essential" will remain open. (Cleveland)
Pope Francis, in a call for a worldwide prayer, announces he will hold a special service to pray for the end of the coronavirus pandemic. (Reuters)
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis orders a nationwide lockdown starting March 23. (Greek Reporter)
Prime Minister Scott Morrison announces the country is shutting down non-essential services effective midday Monday for pubs, clubs, gyms, cinemas and places of worship, while restaurants and cafes will have to switch to takeaway only. The number of cases in Australia has risen to 1,315. (BBC News)
Romania reports the country's first death from COVID-19, a 67-year-old man from the town of Filiași. (Romania-Insider)
Spain's Ministry of Health reports 394 more deaths from COVID-19, the highest number of deaths in a single 24-hour period in the country to date. The total number of confirmed cases now stands at 28,572 with 1,720 deaths. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez says "the worst is yet to come". (Reuters)
Tenor Plácido Domingo announces he has tested positive for COVID-19. (Daily Mirror)
The Civil Aviation Administration of China says that flights to Beijing will be diverted to 12 Chinese airports for screening amid the coronavirus pandemic. (China Daily)
The Czech Republic reports the country's first death from COVID-19, a 95-year-old man from the capital city of Prague. (Radio Prague International)
The Russian military sends medical help and disinfection tools to Italy to battle the coronavirus. (Reuters)
Turkey's Ministry of Health reports that the country's COVID-19 death toll stands at 30, with a total of 1,236 confirmed cases. (Hürriyet Daily News)
2020 Democratic Party presidential primaries Bernie Sanders wins the Democrats Abroad primary. (The Hill)
COVID-19 pandemic in Asia COVID-19 pandemic in Uzbekistan The government announces that a lockdown of Tashkent will begin on March 24. (The New York Times) COVID-19 pandemic in Myanmar 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) COVID-19 pandemic in the United Arab Emirates Dubai closes all restaurants, cafes and food locals for two weeks. (Alarabiya in English)
COVID-19 pandemic in Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades announces the order of a nationwide lockdown between 24 March and 13 April. (Bloomberg)
COVID-19 pandemic in Malta Malta's government announces that citizens who test positive for COVID-19 and disobey self-isolation rules will be fined 10,000 euros. (Times of Malta)
COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa President Cyril Ramaphosa announces a 21-day nationwide lockdown effective from March 26, to contain the coronavirus, as the number of confirmed cases rises to 402. Soldiers will be deployed to help police enforce the lockdown. (Reuters)
COVID-19 pandemic in Tunisia President Kais Saied orders the army to deploy in the streets to enforce a lockdown in response to the coronavirus. (Reuters)
COVID-19 pandemic in Uzbekistan The government announces that a lockdown of Tashkent will begin on March 24. (The New York Times)
Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States The United States Senate votes down for a second time a stimulus relief package. (WDAF-TV) (CNBC) (The Washington Post) The Federal Reserve Bank announces the commitment to buy any amount of government-backed securities needed to keep interest rates down. Among other measures being developed to support the real economy, it will also establish a special purpose vehicle allowing it to buy investment-grade corporate bonds directly. (Reuters)
Malta's government announces that citizens who test positive for COVID-19 and disobey self-isolation rules will be fined 10,000 euros. (Times of Malta)
President Kais Saied orders the army to deploy in the streets to enforce a lockdown in response to the coronavirus. (Reuters)
President Nicos Anastasiades announces the order of a nationwide lockdown between 24 March and 13 April. (Bloomberg)
Syrian civil war The Syrian Air Defense Force says that it intercepted a drone near Khmeimim Air Base. (Reuters)
The ancestor, Ikaria wariootia, of all animals with a bilateral body plan is discovered as a fossil in rocks of South Australia. (Geology Page) (The Guardian)
The British government announces that ExCeL London will be turned into a 4000-bed hospital to open next week, staffed primarily by military medics. (The Guardian)
The Federal Reserve Bank announces the commitment to buy any amount of government-backed securities needed to keep interest rates down. Among other measures being developed to support the real economy, it will also establish a special purpose vehicle allowing it to buy investment-grade corporate bonds directly. (Reuters)
Bernie Sanders wins the Democrats Abroad primary. (The Hill)
Boko Haram insurgency March 2020 Chad and Nigeria massacres Boko Haram jihadists kill 92 soldiers at an army base in Chad. (RTÉ News and Current Affairs) Boko Haram kills 70 troops in an ambush in Borno, northeastern Nigeria. (Reuters)
Boko Haram jihadists kill 92 soldiers at an army base in Chad. (RTÉ News and Current Affairs)
Boko Haram kills 70 troops in an ambush in Borno, northeastern Nigeria. (Reuters)
COVID-19 pandemic in Fiji Fiji confirms its third case of COVID-19. (FBC News)
COVID-19 pandemic in Ghana Eight people are arrested at a market in Ashaiman for violating restrictions while disinfection on the market began. (GhanaWeb)
COVID-19 pandemic in Hawaii Norwegian Jewel arrives at Honolulu after cutting its trip short due to COVID-19 and mechanical problems. No positive cases were confirmed among the passengers and crew members. (ABC News)
COVID-19 pandemic in Italy Cuba sends doctors to Italy to fight the coronavirus. (Reuters)
COVID-19 pandemic in mainland China About 500 cinemas reopen in China. (Deadline Hollywood)
COVID-19 pandemic in Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker orders all businesses and organizations not providing essential services to close until April 7, effective at noon on Tuesday. Baker states that he is not issuing a stay-at-home order, saying it "doesn't make sense from a public health point of view", but has directed the Massachusetts Department of Public Health to issue a stay-at-home advisory, limiting public gatherings to 10 people or less. (WBUR-FM)
COVID-19 pandemic in Michigan Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer issues a stay-at-home order for all Michiganders except for essential services. (Fox News)
COVID-19 pandemic in Myanmar 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)
COVID-19 pandemic in New York (state) New York is expected to be the first state to test the treatment of coronavirus with blood from recovered patients. (NBC News)
COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand New Zealand enters alert level 3 after the investigation into two assumed community-spread cases do not find any links to travel. All schools and public venues are closed. The country will enter alert level 4 on 26 March at midnight local time. (Stuff)
COVID-19 pandemic in Oceania Vanuatu puts the island of Aneityum under "temporary lockdown" after a cruise ship with a reportedly infected passenger on board visited the island. (Radio New Zealand) COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand New Zealand enters alert level 3 after the investigation into two assumed community-spread cases do not find any links to travel. All schools and public venues are closed. The country will enter alert level 4 on 26 March at midnight local time. (Stuff) COVID-19 pandemic in Fiji Fiji confirms its third case of COVID-19. (FBC News)
COVID-19 pandemic in Ontario COVID-19 pandemic in Toronto Mayor of Toronto John Tory declares a state of emergency for the city of Toronto. (CFTO-DT) Premier Doug Ford announces that non-essential businesses in Ontario are to be shut down for at least two weeks. (National Post)
COVID-19 pandemic in Quebec Premier François Legault announces that non-essential businesses in Quebec are to be shut down for three weeks. (National Post)
COVID-19 pandemic in Spain Italian actress and former beauty pageant winner Lucia Bosè dies aged 89 from pneumonia complicated by COVID-19. (Billboard)
COVID-19 pandemic in Spain Spain's Ministry of Health reports 4,000 new confirmed coronavirus cases, rising to 33,000 infected and 2,182 dead. (NBC News) The Spanish Army has found elderly people abandoned and dead inside retirement homes, according to Defence Minister Margarita Robles. A criminal investigation has been launched. (BBC News)
COVID-19 pandemic in Sudan South Darfur, Sudan reports eight new cases of COVID-19, including two Egyptian soldiers of the United Nations–African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID). (Sudan Tribune)
COVID-19 pandemic in the Netherlands The Dutch Health Ministry reports 545 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 34 more deaths, bringing the total number of cases to 4,749 and 213 deaths. (Reuters)
COVID-19 pandemic in the United Arab Emirates Dubai closes all restaurants, cafes and food locals for two weeks. (Alarabiya in English)
COVID-19 pandemic in Toronto Mayor of Toronto John Tory declares a state of emergency for the city of Toronto. (CFTO-DT)
COVID-19 vaccination in Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announces that Canada will spend $192M to develop a COVID-19 vaccine. (Global News)
Cuba sends doctors to Italy to fight the coronavirus. (Reuters)
Downing Street says Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab is the "designated survivor" to replace Prime Minister Boris Johnson if he became "incapacitated" due to COVID-19. The clarification comes after the issue was raised by MP Peter Bone. (The Independent)
Dubai closes all restaurants, cafes and food locals for two weeks. (Alarabiya in English)
Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Republic of Ireland, Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom Fast food restaurant chain McDonald's closes all of its restaurants in the United Kingdom and Ireland citing the safety of its employees and customers amid the coronavirus pandemic. (The Guardian)
Eight people are arrested at a market in Ashaiman for violating restrictions while disinfection on the market began. (GhanaWeb)
Fast food restaurant chain McDonald's closes all of its restaurants in the United Kingdom and Ireland citing the safety of its employees and customers amid the coronavirus pandemic. (The Guardian)
Fiji confirms its third case of COVID-19. (FBC News)
Governor Charlie Baker orders all businesses and organizations not providing essential services to close until April 7, effective at noon on Tuesday. Baker states that he is not issuing a stay-at-home order, saying it "doesn't make sense from a public health point of view", but has directed the Massachusetts Department of Public Health to issue a stay-at-home advisory, limiting public gatherings to 10 people or less. (WBUR-FM)
Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cinema COVID-19 pandemic in mainland China About 500 cinemas reopen in China. (Deadline Hollywood) COVID-19 pandemic in Spain Italian actress and former beauty pageant winner Lucia Bosè dies aged 89 from pneumonia complicated by COVID-19. (Billboard)
Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on prisons Rapper-turned-informant 6ix9ine requests an early prison release over fears of COVID-19. (The Daily Beast)
Italian actress and former beauty pageant winner Lucia Bosè dies aged 89 from pneumonia complicated by COVID-19. (Billboard)
