Portal:Current events/2020 March 19

March 19, 2020 (Thursday)

Arts and culture

COVID-19 pandemic
- Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on television
  - Actor Daniel Dae Kim tests positive for COVID-19. (CNN)
The wreckage of the USS Stickleback is discovered off the Hawaiian Island of Oahu. (Live Science)

Business and economy

Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
- U.S. Senate Republicans unveil a $1 trillion economic stimulus package proposal to aid businesses and the American public during the coronavirus pandemic. (CNN)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - The European Union's chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, tests positive for COVID-19. (Sky News)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Italy
    - In Italy, the military is deployed to the city of Bergamo, Lombardy, the Italian city worst hit by COVID-19, to collect and transport the bodies of dead residents to crematoriums in other cities, as Bergamo’s authorities say their facilities can no longer process the large number of fatalities. The city's mayor Giorgio Gori says the true number of dead could be much higher than what's been reported. (Sky News)
    - The number of confirmed COVID-19 deaths in Italy overtakes the number in China, as 3,405 are now confirmed dead due to the virus. (BBC News)
    - 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)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
    - Northern Ireland confirms its first death from COVID-19, an elderly man with an underlying medical condition who was being treated at a hospital in Greater Belfast. (BBC News)
    - The COVID-19 death toll in the United Kingdom rises to 144. (ITV News)
    - The British government introduces the Coronavirus Bill 2019–21, which would grant it extensive discretionary emergency powers in managing the coronavirus pandemic. (BBC News)
    - The British government puts 20,000 British Army reservists on standby to help with the coronavirus pandemic. (Reuters)
    - Transport for London announces the closure of 40 train stations, including London Waterloo station and the Hammersmith & City line. (The Guardian)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Monaco
    - Albert II, Prince of Monaco, tests positive for COVID-19, becoming the world's first head of state to test positive for the virus. (Daily Mirror)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Spain
    - Spain's Ministry of Health says the country’s COVID-19 death toll has risen to 767, with 169 more deaths and 3,431 new confirmed cases, for a total of 17,147 cases. (Gulf News)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Hubei, COVID-19 pandemic in mainland China
    - China, in its daily National Health Commission report, lists no new domestic COVID-19 cases for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic began in Wuhan. (The Economic Times)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Iran
    - Iran's Ministry of Health and Medical Education reports 149 more COVID-19 deaths and an additional 1,046 cases, bringing the death toll in the country to 1,284 and its total number of cases to 18,407. (Reuters)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Nepal
    - Nepalese government orders the suspension of all classes and the postponement of all academic examinations. (My Republica)
- 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 Russia
  - Russia reports its first death from COVID-19. Moscow city authorities say the victim was a 79-year-old woman with underlying health conditions. (Reuters)
- COVID-19 pandemic in North America
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
    - 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)
    - The U.S. State Department warns American citizens not to travel abroad due to the coronavirus pandemic. (CNN)
    - Sean Payton, the head coach of the New Orleans Saints, says he has tested positive for COVID-19. (New York Post)
    - Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on education
      - 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 California
      - Six counties in the San Francisco Bay Area announce shelter in place orders for all residents due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. (San Francisco Chronicle)
      - 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)
      - 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)
    - COVID-19 pandemic in Michigan
      - Two more people die from COVID-19 in Michigan and the total number of cases in the state rises to 334. The two fatalities are identified as an 81-year-old and a woman in her 50s with underlying health conditions. (MLive) (MLive₂)
    - COVID-19 pandemic in Hawaii
      - Hawaii says that it will not allow the passengers of two cruise ships heading for its coast to disembark upon arrival due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, despite both ships reporting zero cases of COVID-19. (ABC News)
    - COVID-19 pandemic in New York
      - New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio says the city's COVID-19 death toll stands at 22, with 3,615 cases. (CNBC)
    - COVID-19 pandemic in Florida
      - 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)
      - In an effort to prevent those visiting the state for spring break from gathering on beaches amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis institutes Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines preventing large crowds and says "the party’s over." However, he stops short of closing all public beaches in the state, despite calls for him to do so. (New York Post)
    - COVID-19 pandemic in Pennsylvania
      - Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf orders all non-life-sustaining businesses in the state to close physical locations to slow the spread of the coronavirus. (WGAL)
      - The first COVID-19 death in Pennsylvania is reported, an adult from Northampton County. He was being treated at a hospital prior to his death. There were no specific details released on the patient or his health prior to contracting the virus. (WGAL)
    - COVID-19 pandemic in Georgia (U.S. state)
      - Georgia Governor Brian Kemp says he does not plan on ordering business to close or shutting down public events amid the coronavirus pandemic. (WJXT)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Mexico
    - Mexico reports its first death from COVID-19, a 41-year-old diabetic man. (Reuters)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Haiti
    - Haiti confirms its first two cases of COVID-19. (Voice of America)
    - Amid the coronavirus pandemic, Haiti declares a state of emergency. All schools, universities, industrial parks and airports will be closed from midnight, while a nationwide curfew will be in force from 8pm to 5am. (Reuters)

International relations

Syria–United States relations
- U.S. President Donald Trump calls for the Syrian government to release journalist and veteran Marine Austin Tice, arguing the "U.S. has done a lot for Syria". (CBS News)

Law and crime

2020 Congressional insider trading scandal
- According to an article published by the ProPublica, Senators Richard Burr of North Carolina, Kelly Loeffler of Georgia, Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma, and Dianne Feinstein of California sold their stocks before the stock market crash. (Fox News) (CBS News)

Politics and elections

2020 Democratic Party presidential primaries
- U.S. Representative from Hawaii Tulsi Gabbard ends her presidential campaign in the 2020 presidential election and endorses former Vice President Joe Biden. (CNN)
2020 Vanuatuan general election
- Registered voters in Vanuatu head to the polls to elect members of parliament. (Radio New Zealand)

Sports

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on sports
- The suspension of football games in England, including the Premier League and English Football League, is extended until at least April 30 due to the continued spread of the coronavirus. (BBC News)
- 2020 Summer Olympics torch relay
  - Despite calls for the cancelation of the 2020 Summer Olympics due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Greece hands the Olympic flame over to Japan in a ceremony without spectators. (Kyodo News Plus)
- 2019–20 NBA season
  - Three people employed by the Philadelphia 76ers test positive for COVID-19. (The Philadelphia Inquirer)