Timeline 2020 January - March
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2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 1, New US federal
rules came into effect requiring most types of newly sold light
bulbs to emit at least 45 lumens of light for each watt of
electricity they burn.
   (SFC, 1/1/20, p.C2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 1, New or higher
registration fees went into effect for electric vehicle owners in at
least eight US states. For the first time, a majority of US states
will impose special fees on gas-free cars, SUVs and trucks.
   (AP, 12/29/19)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 1, California's
landmark gig-work law, AB5, took effect amid a swirl of controversy
and escalating challenges.
   (SFC, 1/1/20, p.A1)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 1, In California a new
law took effect requiring new homes to have rooftop solar panels,
better insulation and air filtration systems.
   (SFC, 12/26/19, p.A1)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 1, In southern
California the 131st Rose Parade in Pasadena drew hundreds of
thousands of spectators on New Year's Day.
   (AP, 1/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 1, Nick Gordon (30),
the man found liable in the 2015 death of ex-partner Bobbi Kristina
Brown (22), died in Florida of a suspected overdose.
   (http://tinyurl.com/ttfdlob)(SFC, 1/2/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 1, In Illinois the
sale of marijuana for recreational purposes became legal to the
delight of pot fans. Illinois already allowed medical marijuana, but
it is now the 11th state to allow its use and sale for recreational
purposes.
   (AP, 1/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 1, In Montana two
snowmobilers were killed in an avalanche in the Dinah Lake area.
   (SFC, 1/3/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 1, More than 92,000
Jewish people congregated at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey to
celebrate the reading of the entire Talmud in an event called Siyum
HaShas, drawing a significant security presence after recent
anti-Semitic attacks in the area.
   (AP, 1/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 1, Drug makers
including Bristol-Myers Squibb Co, Gilead Sciences Inc, and Biogen
Inc hiked US list prices on more than 50 drugs, bringing total New
Year's Day drug price increases to more than 250.
   (Reuters, 1/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 1, Australia deployed
military ships and aircraft to help communities ravaged by
apocalyptic wildfires that have left at least 17 people dead
nationwide and sent thousands of residents and holidaymakers fleeing
to the shoreline.
   (AP, 1/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 1, Egyptian police
raided the parents' home of journalist Mohamed el-Garhy, known for
his critical views of the government, and arrested his brother.
   (AP, 1/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 1, In western Germany
a fire at the Krefeld zoo in the first minutes of 2020 killed more
than 30 animals, including apes, monkeys, bats and birds. Police
said the fire may have been caused by sky lanterns launched to
celebrate the new year.
   (AP, 1/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 1, Hong Kong began
2020 with a familiar sight: Tear gas, fires, vandalism and
roadblocks in busy downtown areas as protesters vowed to maintain
their fight for more democracy and less Chinese control. Police
detained about 400 people on charges including illegal assembly and
possession of offensive weapons after the huge rally.
   (Bloomberg, 1/1/20)(The Guardian, 1/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 1, In Indonesia at
least nine people were killed as monsoon rains and rising rivers
submerged at least 90 neighborhoods in Jakarta. The city has been
rapidly sinking due to uncontrolled extraction of groundwater.
   (SFC, 1/2/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 1, Iran's supreme
leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei strongly condemned deadly US strikes
on Iraq and warned his country was ready to confront threats after
US President Donald Trump issued one against the Islamic republic.
   (AFP, 1/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 1, In Iraq US troops
fired tear gas and rubber bullets at protesters who descended on the
US Embassy in Baghdad for a second time. Pro-Iran demonstrators left
the besieged US embassy in Baghdad after the Hashed al-Shaabi
paramilitary force ordered them to withdraw a day after their
dramatic incursion.
   (The Week, 1/1/20)(AFP, 1/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 1, Kim Jong Un
declared he was no longer bound by his pledge to halt major missile
tests and would soon debut a “new strategic weapon,” adding to
President Donald Trump’s foreign policy concerns in a politically
charged election year.
   (Bloomberg, 1/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 1, Tens of thousands
of Palestinians took to the streets in Gaza to mark the 55th
anniversary of President Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah movement.
   (AP, 1/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 1, Syrian government
forces shelled a rebel-held village in the country's northwest,
hitting a school and killing at least six people in Idlib province.
A car bombing in the town of Suluk, controlled by Turkey-backed
opposition fighters, killed three people.
   (AP, 1/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 1, United Nations
shipping agency the International Maritime Organization (IMO) banned
ships from using fuels with a sulphur content above 0.5%, compared
with 3.5% previously, in the biggest shake up for the oil and
shipping industries in decades.
   (Reuters, 1/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 1, Yemeni rebels
released six Saudi prisoners, a rebel official said, after the
kingdom two months ago released over 100 rebels, known as Houthis.
   (AP, 1/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 2, Former Obama
housing secretary Julián Castro, the only Latino in the 2020
Democratic presidential primary race, ended his campaign for the
presidency.
   (AP, 1/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 2, An unsuccessful US
strike on a high-ranking Iranian military commander took place in
Yemen on the same night a US drone strike killed Iranian Gen. Qassem
Soleimani in Baghdad. The strike targeted Abdul Reza Shahla'i, a key
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force commander, at his
compound in Yemen.
   (ABC News, 1/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 2, US spiritualist
author Marianne Williamson laid off her entire campaign staff amid
rumors she was close to ending her campaign.
   (AP, 1/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 2, The owners and
operators of GirlsDoPorn, a San Diego-based porn website, must pay
$12.7 million after a judge found them liable for fraud and breach
of contract for lying to women about how their explicit videos would
be distributed.
   (AP, 1/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 2, Razer Inc said it
is leading a consortium of companies that has applied for a online
bank license in Singapore, joining the race to shake up the city
state's financial sector. Razer Inc. is a global gaming hardware
manufacturing company, as well as an esports and financial services
provider established in 2005 in San Diego, California, by
Singaporean entrepreneur Min-Liang Tan and Robert Krakoff.
   (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Razer_Inc.)(AP,
1/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 2, Britain's Greggs
launched a vegan version of its popular steak bake, aiming to
capitalize on the success of the meatless sausage roll that has
boosted the baker's profits and helped fuel an 80% rise in its share
price last year.
   (Reuters, 1/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 2, Thousands of
tourists fled Australia's wildfire-ravaged eastern coast ahead of
worsening conditions as the military started to evacuate people
trapped on the shore further south. Authorities said 381 homes had
been destroyed on the New South Wales southern coast this week and
at least eight people have died this week in the state and
neighboring Victoria.
   (AP, 1/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 2, Austria's
conservative People’s Party and the environmentalist Greens laid out
their policy blueprint for their new coalition under Chancellor
Sebastian Kurz (33), who’s expected to be sworn in for a second term
next week.
   (Bloomberg, 1/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 2, Denmark said it
sourced 47% of its electricity consumption from wind power last
year, a new record boosted by steep cost reductions and improved
offshore technology.
   (Reuters, 1/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 2, Denmark-based Novo
Nordisk said it would offer free, one-time supply of insulin to
people in immediate need and at risk of rationing the medication,
the rising price of which has attracted fierce criticism from
lawmakers and regulators.
   (Reuters, 1/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 2, Elite Iraqi troops
deployed to secure the US embassy, a day after a pro-Iran mob laid
siege to it in dramatic scenes that overshadowed months of
anti-government grassroots protests.
   (AFP, 1/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 2, In Kenya four
people were killed in two ambushes in which passenger buses were
fired on by gunmen suspected to be Islamic extremists in the
country's eastern coastal area.
   (AP, 1/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 2, Interpol issued a
wanted notice for former Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn, who jumped bail in
Japan and fled to Lebanon.
   (SFC, 1/3/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 2, Authorities in
eastern Poland said H5N8 bird flu is responsible for the deaths of
at least 25,000 turkeys in poultry farms. Authorities planned to
cull tens of thousands of birds in the Lubartow area near the
Belarus and Ukraine border.
   (SFC, 1/3/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 2, In Serbia a crowd
targeted the Montenegro's unguarded embassy in Belgrade during a
protest of a religious rights law adopted by Montenegro's parliament
last month.
   (SFC, 1/4/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 2, In South Korea the
Mr. Trot reality TV show, an audition show for singers who perform
trot music, began airing. It was the male version of the popular
Miss Trot. By the end of the year Mr. Trot was the highest rated
show in cable television history of South Korea. Trot music emerged
in the early 20th century and blends traditional Korean music with
elements of the Japanese and popular songs of the era. A "Mr. Trot"
film followed later this year.
   (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mr._Trot)(Econ.,
11/7/20, p.35)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 2, A Sudanese military
plane crashed in the western Darfur region, killing all 16 people on
board including two women and two children.
   (AP, 1/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 2, Taiwan's top
military official, Gen. Shen Yi-ming (62), was among eight people
killed in an air force helicopter crash in mountainous terrain
outside Taipei. Five others survived.
   (AP, 1/2/20)(SFC, 1/4/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 3, A United States
airstrike early today killed Revolutionary Guards commander Qasem
Soleimani (62) in Baghdad as well as Iraqi militia commander Abu
Mahdi al-Muhandis. Five Guards were killed in total as well as five
members of Iraq's Hashed al-Shaabi paramilitary force. The UN and a
host of world leaders, including several in Europe, Russia, and
Turkey condemned the US drone strike that killed Soleimani. Iranian
leaders promised a "forceful revenge" against the US and Iraqi
leaders said the strike violated its sovereignty and international
laws. US media reported the strike the evening of Jan. 2.
   (ABC News, 1/3/20)(AFP, 1/3/20)(Business Insider,
1/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 3, President Trump
said the killing of Iran’s top general, carried out by a US drone
strike in Baghdad, was long overdue.
   (Yahoo News, 1/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 3, President Donald
Trump delivered a typical bombastic and at times vicious stump
speech this evening at a Miami megachurch for his first campaign
event of 2020. Trump declared his belief that God supports his
agenda and pledged to bring prayer to public schools.
   (ABC News, 1/3/20)(Yahoo News, 1/3/20)(Reuters,
1/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 3, A US federal judge
ruled that Lev Parnas, an associate of President Donald Trump’s
personal attorney, Rudy Giuliani, can provide additional records
sought by the House impeachment investigators, including the
contents of his cell phone.
   (ABC News, 1/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 3, Leaders of the
United Methodist Church, the 2nd largest Protestant denomination in
the US, announced a plan that would formally split the church after
years of division over same-sex marriage. A new "traditionalist
Methodist" denomination would be created and would continue to ban
same sex marriage.
   (SFC, 1/4/20, p.A6)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 3, In Alaska
Shishaldin Volcano in the Aleutian Islands, one of Alaska’s most
active volcanoes, shot a cloud of ash more than 5 miles high,
triggering a warning to aviators and putting on a show that was
captured in satellite imagery.
   (Reuters, 1/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 3, In Mississippi a
3rd inmate was killed at the State Penitentiary at Parchman. He
became the fifth inmate to be killed in the state since Dec. 29 in
what was described as a feud between gangs.
   (SFC, 1/4/20, p.A6)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 3, It was reported
that Missouri’s two biggest cities saw a jump in homicides in 2019,
and if that wasn’t bad enough, an alarming number of killers got
away with it. St. Louis had 194 killings last year, eight more than
in 2018. Kansas City’s homicide total rose by 10, to 148.
   (AP, 1/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 3, In Australia one of
the largest evacuations in the country's history was under way as
more than 200 fires burned across the country. The navy evacuated
hundreds of people from Mallacoota, cut off for days by the wild
fires. Victoria premier declared a disaster across much of the
eastern part of the state. Ten deaths have been confirmed in
Victoria and New South
Wales with 28 reported missing in Victoria.
   (SFC, 1/4/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 3, Belarus suspended
its oil exports after Moscow stopped supplying crude until contracts
for this year are drawn up. A day later Belarus reached an agreement
for limited oil supplies to ensure refinery operations for January.
   (SFC, 1/4/20, p.A2)(SSFC, 1/5/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 3, In Cambodia a
building under construction collapsed in the coastal province of
Kep, killing at least four workers. The death toll soon rose to 36.
   (SFC, 1/4/20, p.A2)(SFC, 1/6/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 3, In China the Wuhan
Municipal Health Commission said 44 people have been diagnosed with
pneumonia, the cause of which is unknown. That’s up from 27 three
days earlier. Eleven people were in serious condition.
   (Bloomberg, 1/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 3, In France one man
was killed and two other people seriously injured in a knife attack
by an unidentified assailant in the Paris suburb of Villejuif.
Police shot dead the assailant.
   (The Telegraph, 1/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 3, In India more that
1,000 members of the LGBTQ community, rights groups and their
supporters marched through New Delhi to protest a new citizenship
law that excludes Muslims. Opposition parties say the Modi
government is trying to consolidate its Hindu base.
   (SFC, 1/4/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 3, In Indonesia the
death toll from floods in Jakarta rose to 43 as rescuers found more
bodies amid receding floodwaters.
   (AP, 1/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 3, Iran's Supreme
Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei appointed Qassem Soleimani's deputy,
Maj. Gen. Esmail Ghaani as the new commander of the Revolutionary
Guard's Quds Force, part of the 125,000-strong Revolutionary Guard.
   (AP, 1/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 3, American oil
workers began fleeing Iraq, as fears grew of war between the United
States and Iran.
   (NY Times, 1/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 4, The White House
sent Congress a formal notification under the War Powers Act of the
drone strike ordered by President Donald Trump that killed Maj. Gen.
Qassem Soleimani a day earlier. Trump warned that America would
target 52 sites "important to Iran & Iranian culture" and hit
them "very fast and very hard" if American personnel or assets were
attacked.
   (NY Times, 1/5/20)(AFP, 1/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 4, Demonstrators
chanting "no war on Iran" rallied in Washington, New York and across
the US to protest the assassination of a top Iranian military
commander in a US drone strike.
   (AFP, 1/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 4, John Baldessari
(88), California artist, died in his sleep. In 2010 he was cited as
"arguably America's most influential Conceptual artist".
   (SFC, 1/10/20, p.C2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 4, In Florida a pair
of Chinese nationals attending the University of Michigan were
arrested on a charge of entering a US Naval property for the purpose
of photographing defense installations.
   (Miami Herald, 1/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 4, Wildfires raged in
Australia, choking the sky with smoke, forcing thousands to flee and
prompting the US to send more fire personnel to help battle the
blazes.
   (Good Morning America, 1/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 4, Members of
Austria's Green party voted to join a new government led by
conservative former Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, clearing the final
hurdle for a previously untested left-right alliance at the national
level.
   (AP, 1/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 4, Austria's foreign
ministry said it is facing a serious cyberattack, possibly from a
foreign country.
   (Reuters, 1/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 4, In northwestern
Burkina Faso at least 14 civilians, mostly students, died after
their bus hit an explosive device on the way back from a school
break.
   (AP, 1/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 4, In France a
businessman returned from a holiday break to find his collection of
19 top watches, including 11 Rolexes, had been swiped from a safe
with police blaming “professional” criminals. Over the weekend
burglars reportedly swiped more than €1 million (£850,000) worth of
Rolex watches and other prestige timepieces in Paris.
   (The Telegraph, 1/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 4, Indonesian
officials said landslides and floods triggered by torrential
downpours have left at least 60 people dead in and around Jakarta,
as rescuers struggled to search for people apparently buried under
tons of mud.
   (AP, 1/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 4, In Iran US and
Israeli flags were set alight in Tehran as thousands mourned the
loss of top military commander Qasem Soleimani, a day after he was
killed by American forces.
   (AP, 1/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 4, Iraq's PM Adel
Abdel Mahdi attended a mourning procession in Baghdad for Iranian
commander Qasem Soleimani and Iraqi paramilitary chief Abu Mahdi
al-Muhandis. They were killed along with eight others in a precision
US drone strike a day earlier as they drove away from Baghdad
international airport in two vehicles.
   (AFP, 1/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 4, A volley of
missiles appeared to target the US’s embassy and one of its bases in
Iraq late today, sparking fears an Iran-backed militia had begun
taking revenge for the killing of its commander and Iran’s top
general.
   (The Telegraph, 1/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 4, In Libya an
airstrike hit a military academy used by the Tripoli-allied militias
late today in the Hadaba area. The death toll climbed to at least 30
people, most of them military trainees. Evidence later indicated the
cadets were hit by a Chinese Blue Arrow 7 missile and that the UAE
had supplied and operated the drones that were stationed at the
al-Khadim air base.
   (AP, 1/5/20)(BBC, 8/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 4, In northern Mexico
an American family returning to the US after a visit to San Luis
Potosi came under attack late today in Tamaulipas state just south
of Texas. Gunmen killed a boy (13) and wounded three others.
   (SFC, 1/7/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 4, It was reported
that NATO has suspended ongoing efforts to fight Isis in Iraq amid
demands by Iran and its allies for revenge against the US following
the assassination of an Iranian leader by American forces.
   (The Independent, 1/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 4, The Russian
government published a plan to adapt the economy and population to
climate change, aiming to mitigate damage but also "use the
advantages" of warmer temperatures.
   (AFP, 1/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 4, Spanish human
rights groups called for an investigation into potential human
rights violations by Spanish authorities after the alleged expulsion
of 42 migrants to Morocco without due process.
   (AP, 1/4/20)   Â
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 4, It was reported
that police authorities in Spain believe that a crackdown on
criminal biker gangs in northern Europe could be behind a crime wave
that saw 24 murders in the Costa del Sol province of Malaga over the
last year.
   (The Telegraph, 1/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 4, Sudanese activists
said tribal clashes in eastern Sudan have killed at least nine
people over the past two days. Security forces were deployed in Port
Sudan to help contain the clashes between the Bani Amer tribe and
the displaced Nuba tribe.
   (AP, 1/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 5, At the 77th Golden
Globe Awards World War One movie "1917" and "Once Upon a Time in
Hollywood," set in 1960s Tinseltown, won the top movie prizes at the
Golden Globes on a night packed with upsets and hot-button issues at
the start of Hollywood's awards season.
   (Reuters, 1/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 5, It was reported
that the Trump administration has built up the biggest backlog of
unfunded toxic Superfund cleanup projects in at least 15 years.
   (SSFC, 1/5/20, p.A10)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 5, House Speaker Nancy
Pelosi announced that the House would vote this week on a resolution
meant to limit President Donald Trump's war powers.
   (Business Insider, 1/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 5, At least five
people were killed and dozens were injured in a crash early today
involving multiple vehicles on the Pennsylvania Turnpike.
   (AP, 1/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 5, It was reported
that wildfires that have been ravaging swaths of Australia have
burned through one-third of Kangaroo Island, killing a father and
his son and leaving behind a scorched wasteland and a devastated
community. The fires have killed thousands of koalas and kangaroos,
and also have raised questions about whether any members of a
mouse-like marsupial species that carries its young in a pouch have
survived.
   (AP, 1/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 5- 2020 Jan 17, In
China hundreds of patients were appearing in hospitals not just in
Wuhan but across the country with symptoms of the coronavirus.
   (AP, 4/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 5, Croatians voted in
an election that may oust the president as frustration over
corruption and ambitions for deeper integration in the EU may
rebalance politics in the bloc’s newest member. Incumbent Kolinda
Grabar Kitarovic faced former PM Zoran Milanovic. Croatians shot
down President Kolinda Grabar Kitarovic’s bid for a second term.
Zoran Milanovic, who ran the government from 2011 to 2015, won 52.7%
of votes.
   (Bloomberg, 1/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 5, In India masked
assailants beat students and teachers with sticks on the campus of a
prestigious university in New Delhi, injuring more than 20 people in
an attack opposition lawmakers are trying to link to the government.
   (AP, 1/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 5, Black-clad mourners
packed Iran's second city Mashhad as the remains of top general
Qasem Soleimani were paraded through the streets after he was killed
in a US strike. Iran announced that it will no longer abide by the
limits contained in the 2015 nuclear deal.
   (AFP, 1/5/20)(SFC, 1/6/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 5, Iraq's Parliament
called for the expulsion of US forces from the country in reaction
to the American drone attack that killed a top Iranian general,
raising the prospect of a troop withdrawal that could cripple the
battle against the Islamic State group and allow a resurgence of the
extremists.
   (AP, 1/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 5, Canndoc, an Israeli
producer of medical grade cannabis, received a shipment of 250 kilos
of dried whole cannabis flowers that it says will help alleviate a
local shortage. It came from Canada's Tilray's production plant in
Portugal.
   (Reuters, 1/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 5, In northern Italy a
drunken driver plowed into a group of young German tourists, killing
six people and injuring 11 others in the Alto Adige region. A
28-year-old man from the nearby town of Chienes, was arrested on
suspicion of highway manslaughter and injury.
   (AP, 1/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 5, In Kenya al-Shabab
extremists overran a key military base early today used by US
counterterror forces. One US service member and two American
Department of Defense contractors were killed in the attack on the
Manda Bay Airfield. Five US aircraft, including fixed-wing and
helicopters, were destroyed and one damaged in the hours-long
assault at the airfield in coastal Lamu county. Kenyan police
arrested three suspected terrorists who tried to force their way
into a British training camp in Laikipia County. In September a
military court in Somalia sentenced militant Islamist Farhan Mohamud
Hassan to life in prison for his role in the attack.
   (AP, 1/5/20)(AP, 1/6/20)(SFC, 1/7/20, p.A4)(BBC,
9/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 5, In Lebanon
Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah said the US army will "pay the
price" for killing top Iranian general Qasem Soleimani and a senior
Iraqi commander in a drone strike.
   (AFP, 1/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 5, Venezuela's
authoritarian leader Nicolas Maduro moved to consolidate his grip on
power by taking control of the National Assembly and blocking the
re-election of Juan Guaido as the opposition's leader.
   (SFC, 1/6/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 6, The US government
launched a pilot program to collect DNA from people in immigration
custody and submit it to the FBI, with plans to expand nationwide.
   (AP, 1/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 6, In Oakland, Ca.,
CHP officers shot and killed Erik Salgado (23) striking him 16
times, after he was pulled over for reckless driving. Delgado had
accelerated and hit two CHP vehicles parked in front of him. In 2022
the Alameda County DA's office said it would not file criminal
charges against the officers.
   (SFC, 4/6/22, p.C5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 6, Kelly Loeffler
(49), a wealthy Republican donor and businesswoman, was sworn in as
Georgia's new US senator, replacing former Sen. Johnny Isakson (75),
who resigned in December amid poor health. She has pledged $20
million of her own fortune to win the seat in November.
   (The Week, 1/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 6, In Wyoming gunners
contracted by Grand Teton National Park began culling about 100
goats that threatened the park's bighorn sheep herd.
   (SFC, 1/6/20, p.A6)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 6, American Airlines
Group Inc said it had reached a confidential agreement with Boeing
Co to address damages the airline incurred in 2019 due to the
ongoing grounding of its fleet of Boeing 737 MAX aircraft.
   (Reuters, 1/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 6, Borden Dairy Co.,
one of the oldest and largest milk producers in the United States,
filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, citing a dropping demand for cow's
milk, rising costs for raw milk, and its own debt and pension
obligations.
   (The Week, 1/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 6, Facebook said it is
beefing up its policies for removing videos that have been edited of
synthesized in ways that aren't apparent to the average person. FB
said it is beefing manipulated videos known as deepfakes, the false
but realistic clips created with artificial intelligence and
sophisticated tools.
   (SFC, 1/8/20, p.D1)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 6, Ikea confirmed that
it had agreed to pay $46 million to the parents of a 2-year-old
California boy, Jozef Dudek, who was killed when one of the giant
furniture company's dressers toppled over onto him in 2017.
   (The Week, 1/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 6, British authorities
sentenced Reynhard Sinaga (36) to 30 years in prison following his
conviction for sexual offenses against 48 men. He was described as
the most prolific rapist in British legal history. Sinaga had
arrived in Britain from Indonesia in 2007 on a student visa and
received two degrees from the Univ. of Manchester.
   (SFC, 1/7/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 6, Chinese President
Xi Jinping lauded Kiribati for “standing on the right side of
history” during his first meeting with the Pacific island nation's
leader since it severed ties with Taiwan.
   (AP, 1/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 6, A Scandinavian
woman said she was forced by Cypriot police to withdraw a rape claim
or face arrest in 1998, in a striking parallel to the case of a
British teenager who was allegedly gang raped on the Mediterranean
island.
   (The Telegraph, 1/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 6, Downtown Tehran was
brought to a standstill as mourners flooded the Iranian capital to
pay an emotional homage to Qasem Soleimani, the "heroic" general
killed in a US strike.
   (AFP, 1/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 6, A 5.8-magnitude
quake hit Puerto Rico before dawn, unleashing small landslides,
causing power outages and severely cracking some homes.
   (AP, 1/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 6, Thailand opened its
first full-time clinic specializing in traditional and alternative
cannabis-based medicine, as part of a move by the government towards
developing a medicinal cannabis industry.
   (Reuters, 1/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 6, UAE PM Sheikh
Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum said tourist visas to the United Arab
Emirates will be valid for five years, part of a campaign to lure
holiday makers to Gulf countries. The visas were previously valid
for 30 to 90 days.
   (Bloomberg, 1/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 7, President Trump met
with Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis at the White House. A major focus
of the visit was to get the word out that Greece is open for
business for American investors and convey that the country has
reduced regulatory red tape.
   (CBS News, 1/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 6, In southern
California Christopher Bathum, the founder of a Los Angeles
sober-living facility pleaded no contest to 14 felony counts of
grand theft, insurance fraud, identity theft and money laundering.
He faced 20 years in prison for running a $175 million phony health
care billing scheme.
   (AP, 1/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 7, US Representative
Duncan Hunter, a leading California Republican who pleaded guilty
last month to a federal corruption charge of conspiracy to misuse
campaign funds, announced that he would resign from office effective
Jan. 13.
   (Reuters, 1/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 7, Authorities said
three Los Angeles Police Department officers have been suspended for
falsely classifying people as gang members in an effort to boost the
department's statistics.
   (ABC News, 1/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 7, Neil Peart (67),
drummer for the Canadian band Rush, died in Santa Monica, Ca.
   (SFC, 1/13/20, p.C3)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 7, CNN settled with
Kentucky teenager Nick Sandmann who sued the network for defamation
over its coverage of his encounter with a Native American at the
Lincoln Memorial in Washington a year ago. The Jan. 18, 2019
encounter was captured in photos and on video and went viral,
generating widespread media coverage.
   (Reuters, 1/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 7, Apellis
Pharmaceuticals Inc said its experimental drug for a blood disorder
showed greater improvement in patients' hemoglobin levels than
market leader Alexion Pharmaceuticals Inc's Soliris.
   (AP, 1/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 7, In Canada Philip
Grandine, a former Toronto pastor was sentenced in a Toronto
courtroom nearly a year after jurors found him guilty of
manslaughter in the 2011 drowning of his wife Anna Grandine. He
faced nearly 12 years in prison.
   (AP, 1/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 7, A Cypriot court
handed a four-month suspended sentence to a 19-year-old British
woman who was found guilty of public mischief after authorities said
she made up claims that she was raped by up to a dozen Israelis.
   (AP, 1/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 7, In France the
lifeless body of a young African stowaway was found in the landing
gear of an Air France flight from Ivory Coast.
   (SFC, 1/9/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 7, In India a death
warrant was issued for the four men convicted of the 2012 gang rape
and murder of a young woman on a New Delhi bus that galvanized
protests and brought attention to the country's sexual violence
epidemic.
   (The Telegraph, 1/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 7, Iran's parliament
unanimously voted to classify the entire US military and Department
of Defense as terrorist organizations.
   (Business Insider, 1/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 7, Iran's foreign
minister said he has been informed by UN chief Antonio Guterres that
Washington has denied him a visa for a trip to UN headquarters in
New York.
   (AFP, 1/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 7, In Iran a stampede
crushed to death dozens of mourners in the city of Kerman, the
hometown of Qasem Soleimani, as his solemn funeral procession turned
tragic when crowds overwhelmed the streets. The crush claimed more
than 50 lives and forced the postponement of the general's burial.
   (AFP, 1/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 7, It was reported
that Iran has dropped espionage charges that had been laid against
Fariba Adelkhah, an Iranian-French academic, detained in the Islamic
republic since last year. She still faced two other charges:
spreading "propaganda against the political system" of the Islamic
republic; and "conspiracy against national security".
   (AFP, 1/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 7, Iraqi armed
factions called for an urgent meeting to face "the war against the
resistance," after a US strike on Baghdad last week killed top
Iranian and Iraqi commanders.
   (AFP, 1/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 7, In Kenya four small
children were shot dead early today while trying to take refuge from
the latest al-Shabab extremist attack in eastern Garissa county.
Police officers on patrol killed two attackers in the early morning
assault near the village of Saretho.
   (AP, 1/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 7, Puerto Rico's
string of tremors continued as a magnitude 6.4 earthquake knocked
out power and left at least one person dead. Damages from this quake
were later estimated at $110 million.
   (The Week, 1/7/20)(SSFC, 1/12/20, p.A7)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 7, Russian President
Vladimir Putin traveled to Syria to meet with President Bashar Assad
and other officials.
   (AP, 1/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 7, It was reported
that Saudi Arabia's largest and longest debt saga, fueled by a feud
that has split one of its richest families, could be nearing a
resolution after a court approved about $14 billion in claims
related to the 2009 collapse of two business empires.
   (Reuters, 1/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 7, Spain's Socialist
leader Pedro Sanchez won a no-confidence vote (167-165) allowing him
to form a new leftist coalition government and end almost a year of
political limbo.
   (SFC, 1/8/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 7, In Venezuela Juan
Guaido forced his way back into the National Assembly to open a new
legislative session. Now Venezuela has two presidents, three
legislatures (two congresses, one overarching constituent assembly)
and no clue as to how to proceed.
   (Bloomberg, 1/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 8, The Trump
administration said it was too late to renew the effort to push
through a decades-old proposed amendment to the US Constitution that
would ensure American women have equal rights to men. Virginia
could, under the theory proposed by supporters of the amendment,
become the 38th state as it is expected to vote this year. The
Democratic-controlled House Judiciary Committee voted in November to
approve a measure that would retroactively remove the ratification
deadline.
   (Reuters, 1/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 8, The United States
imposed sanctions on South Sudan's First Vice President Taban Deng
Gai, citing his involvement in serious human rights abuses.
   (AP, 1/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 8, California Governor
Gavin Newsom decided against calling a special election to fill the
seat US Representative Duncan Hunter will leave vacant in Congress
next week when he resigns following his conviction in a federal
corruption scandal.
   (Reuters, 1/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 8, A Los Angeles
County Superior Court judge ruled that AB%, the state's new gig-work
law, does not apply to truck drivers because it is preempted by
federal law.
   (SFC, 1/10/20, p.D1)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 8, Buck Henry (89),
American writer and actor, died in Los Angeles. He wrote the
screenplays for "The Graduate" (1967), "Candy" (1968) and "Catch-22"
(1970). He also wrote the romantic comedies "The Owl and the
Pussycat" (1970) and "What's Up Doc?" (1972).
   (SFC, 1/10/20, p.A8)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 8, Republican Senators
Mike Lee of Utah and Rand Paul of Kentucky excoriated a briefing
from top Trump administration officials on the targeted drone strike
that led to the death of Qassem Soleimani, the leader of Iran's
elite Quds Force.
   (CBS News, 1/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 8, The Montana Supreme
Court reversed a $35 million judgment against the Jehovah's
Witnesses for not reporting a girl's sexual abuse to authorities.
The court said in its 7-0 decision that the Jehovah's Witnesses fall
under an exemption to that law in this case. The ruling overturned a
2018 verdict awarding compensatory and punitive damages to the woman
who was abused as a child in the mid-2000s by a member of the
Thompson Falls Jehovah's Witness congregation.
   (AP, 1/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 8, In Ohio David
Dorbish Jr. (17) pleaded guilty in a court in Youngstown to hoax
phone calls to authorities in a half-dozen states. Charges included
making terroristic threats, making false alarms, identity fraud and
telecommunications harassment.
   (AP, 1/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 8, A Mexican man died
after slitting his own throat on the Pharr-Reynosa International
Bridge across the Rio Grande when he was denied entry to the US.
   (The Independent, 1/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 8, An Afghan military
helicopter crashed in the country's western Farah province, killing
the two pilots on board.
   (AP, 1/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 8, In Afghanistan a
drone attack carried out by US forces in Herat province targeted a
splinter Taliban group. The strike killed the commander of a Taliban
splinter group, known as Mullah Nangyalia, along with 15 other
militants and at least 10 civilians.
   (AP, 1/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 8, The Duke and
Duchess of Sussex announced that they intend to divide their time
between North America and the UK to carve out a "progressive new
role" and step back from their senior positions.
   (Reuters, 1/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 8, A Chinese court
jailed the founder of a local traditional Chinese medicine firm for
running a pyramid scheme, after the death of a young girl with
cancer was linked to the company in an online article that sparked
anger on social media. Shu Yuhui, founder and chairman of Quanjian
Nature Medicine Technology Development, was sentenced to nine years
in prison and fined 50 million yuan ($7.2 million).
   (Reuters, 1/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 8, China's agriculture
ministry said an H5N6 avian flu virus outbreak has been detected in
swans in the western region of Xinjiang.
   (AP, 1/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 8, The World Health
Organization (WHO) said a cluster of more than 50 pneumonia cases in
China's central city of Wuhan may be due to a newly emerging member
of the family of viruses that caused the deadly SARS and MERS
outbreaks.
   (Reuters, 1/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 8, Cyprus approved a
request from the US authorities via the American embassy in Nicosia
to temporarily deploy on the eastern Mediterranean island a rapid
response unit to evacuate personnel working in US diplomatic
missions in the region, as well as US citizens, if the need arises.
   (Bloomberg, 1/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 8, Researchers in
Germany said a review of fatal encephalitis cases in the state of
Bavaria has found that more than twice as many as previously known
were tied to a rare animal-borne virus. Borna disease virus 1, or
BoDV-1, is normally found in horses, sheep and other mammals. It was
first identified as the cause of severe human encephalitis in 2018.
   (AP, 1/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 8, Guinea's opposition
parties said they will not participate in legislative elections in
February and will press to have them delayed if the president does
not withdraw a bid to seek another term.
   (AP, 1/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 8, Hong Kong's
security chief said police have seized more than 3,700 mobile phones
used by protesters in the last several months of protest. More than
6,000 people have been arrested since protests against a proposed
extradition bill erupted last June.
   (Business Insider, 1/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 8, The World
Organization for Animal Health (OIE) said India has reported an
outbreak of the highly contagious H5N1 bird flu virus on a poultry
farm in the central state of Chhattisgarh.
   (Reuters, 1/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 8, Iran launched more
than a dozen ballistic missiles early today at US military and
coalition forces in Iraq. There were no casualties in the rocket
barrage. Tehran said the strikes are revenge for the attack which
killed its most important military leader, Maj. Gen. Qassem
Soleimani. 17 missiles were aimed at the Al-Assad airbase in Anbar
province. Another five missiles were aimed at an airbase in Irbil.
No one was harmed in the strikes. President Donald Trump addressed
the nation from the White House, de-escalating the crisis with Iran.
   (Reuters, 1/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 8, In Iran everyone
aboard the Boeing 737-800 flown by Ukraine International Airlines
was killed after it came down shortly after it departed from Imam
Khomeini International Airport in Tehran. 63 Canadians were killed
in the crash of Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752. There
were three British people on board, as well as citizens from six
other countries. The majority of those on the plane were Iranians
and Canadians, and many were students.
   (The Telegraph, 1/8/20)(AFP, 1/8/20)(AFP,
1/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 8, Libya's Gen.
Khalifa Hifter traveled to Rome on a previously unannounced visit to
meet with Italian Premier Giuseppe Conte.
   (AP, 1/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 8, Libya’s
UN-supported government welcomed Russian and Turkish calls for a
ceasefire in the country’s ongoing civil war, though its rivals
appeared cool to the intervention and refrained from endorsing the
idea.
   (AP, 1/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 8, Audio clips
revealed by Malaysian anti-graft officials indicated that former PM
Najib Razak allegedly sought help from the United Arab Emirates'
crown prince to fake evidence to cover up for the 1MDB scandal.
   (Reuters, 1/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 8, The Philippine
government ordered the mandatory evacuation of Filipino workers from
Iraq and Iran due to hostilities between the US and Iran. Filipino
workers were also urged to leave Lebanon.
   (SFC, 1/9/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 8, In Serbia thousands
of people protested in Belgrade against the alleged suppression of
religious and other rights of Serb minorities in neighboring
countries, answering a call to action by the Serbian Orthodox
Church.
   (AP, 1/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 8, In Somalia a car
bomb exploded at a checkpoint in Mogadishu, killing three people and
wounding six others. The bomb attached to the vehicle was remotely
detonated.
   (AP, 1/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 8, In northeastern
Syria four Turkish soldiers were killed in a car bombing attack
today while they were conducting road checks.
   (AP, 1/9/20)
 2020      Jan 8, Turkey and
Russia called for a Jan. 12 cease-fire in war-torn Libya while
European Union officials intensified diplomatic efforts to cool
tensions in the North African nation by holding talks with its prime
minister.
   (AP, 1/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 8, Ugandan police
arrested pop star turned opposition leader Bobi Wine, aka Robert
Kyagulanyi, after preventing him from holding a meeting with his
supporters.
   (AP, 1/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 9, The Trump
administration unveiled a plan to speed permitting for major
infrastructure projects like oil pipelines, road expansions and
bridges, one of the biggest deregulatory actions of the president's
tenure.
   (Reuters, 1/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 9, It was reported
that an analysis of Commerce Department data showed that tariffs
imposed by President Donald Trump to restructure the United States'
top trade relationships have cost American companies $46 billion
since February 2018, and US exports of goods hit by retaliatory
tariffs have fallen sharply. Seasonally adjusted US Commerce data
released on Jan. 7 showed the overall US trade deficit narrowed to a
more than three-year low in November.
   (Reuters, 1/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 9, The mayor of Los
Angeles wrote a letter to the Trump administration formally
requesting federal assistance with the growing numbers of homeless
on the city's streets. The letter showed he and Housing Secretary
Ben Carson have had negotiations on the issue.
   (Reuters, 1/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 9, Chicago authorities
captured a coyote late today after two reported attacks by wild
canines on humans in the city, including a 6-year-old boy who was
bitten in the head. DNA tests would confirm if this was the animal
involved in either of the attacks.
   (AP, 1/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 9, In New York a
helicopter crash in Silver Spring Township killed pilot Mark Croce
(58) and developer Michael Capriotto (63).
   (SFC, 1/11/20, p.A6)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 9, A North Dakota man
who allegedly told a neighbor he had a bomb and indicated he would
harm anyone who tried to enter his condominium died after he was
shot by tactical officers in an exchange of gunfire.
   (AP, 1/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 9, Regeneron
Pharmaceuticals Inc said its experimental treatment for a very rare
genetic bone disorder showed a nearly 90% reduction in new lesions
compared to placebo, in a mid-stage study.
   (Reuters, 1/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 9, In Abkhazia
hundreds of protesters besieged the office of regional leader Raul
Khadzhimba to demand his resignation. Demonstrators claimed
widespread irregularities in his re-election as president last
September.
   (SFC, 1/10/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 9, Britain's PM Boris
Johnson urged Iran's President Hassan Rouhani to end the
confrontation with the US and underlined Britain's commitments to
Tehran's nuclear agreement.
   (The Telegraph, 1/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 9, Britain's
parliament gave finally approve to Brexit, allowing the traumatized
country to become the first to leave the European Union on January
31.
   (SFC, 1/10/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 9, Chinese state media
reported that a preliminary investigation into viral pneumonia
illnesses sickening dozens of people in and around the country has
identified the possible cause as a new type of coronavirus.
   (SFC, 1/10/20, p.A3)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 9, Officials from
Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan concluded a two-day meeting in Addis
Ababa, without reaching an agreement on technical issues related to
the construction of the $4.6 billion Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam
on the Blue Nile.
   (AP, 1/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 9, In northern Iran a
bus plunged into a ravine early today, killing 19 people and
injuring 24 in Mazandaran province.
   (AP, 1/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 9, The Israeli the
Justice Ministry confirmed that a psychiatric panel has determined
that Malka Leifer, a woman facing dozens of sex-abuse charges in
Australia, is fit to stand trial for extradition.
   (AP, 1/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 9, In northern Lebanon
protesters closed a major road late today, triggering scuffles with
Lebanese troops that left more than a dozen soldiers injured.
   (AP, 1/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 9, Niger's defense
ministry said a large assault on its military left at least 25
soldiers dead along with 63 jihadists in the town of Chinagodrar on
the border with Mali. The death toll soon rose to at least 89,
making it the most deadly attack of its kind in years in the nation.
   (SFC, 1/11/20, p.A2)(AP, 1/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 9, In the Philippines
a mammoth crowed of barefoot Filipinos began the annual procession
of the wooden Black Nazarene in Manila.
   (SFC, 1/10/20, p.A3)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 9, In Slovenia a
nearly 26-foot wooden statue mocking US President Donald Trump was
burned to the ground. Police were looking for the arsonist.
   (AP, 1/9/20)(SFC, 1/10/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 9, Spain's Supreme
Court ruled that Oriol Junqueras, an imprisoned Catalan politician,
must remain behind bars despite a Europen court ruling that his
election to the European Parliament gave him immunity.
   (SFC, 1/10/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 9, Sudan’s PM Abdalla
Hamdok, accompanied by United Nations officials, embarked on a peace
mission to a rebel stronghold, in a major step toward government
efforts to end the country’s long-running civil conflicts.
   (AP, 1/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 9, In Thailand a
masked assailant killed three people, including a boy (2) in a
shooting spree late today at a shopping mall in Lopburi province.
   (SFC, 1/11/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 9, Ukraine's President
Volodymyr Zelensky announced a day of national mourning, promising
to find the "truth" about the crash of a Ukrainian airliner in Iran
which killed all 176 on board.
   (AFP, 1/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 9, The World
Organization for Animal Health (OIE) said Poland recorded 55
outbreaks of African swine fever in wild boar near the German border
last month, in a sign the deadly virus is spreading near one of the
European Union's biggest pork exporters.
   (Reuters, 1/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 10, The Trump
administration imposed new sanctions on Iran, including penalties on
the country’s metals and some senior leaders, following Tehran’s
attack on US military bases.
   (AP, 1/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 10, US Secretary of
State Mike Pompeo said the US believes it is "likely" Iran shot down
the Ukrainian passenger plane that crashed this week in Iran,
killing all 176 on board.
   (AP, 1/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 10, The United States
rejected a request by Iraq's caretaker PM Adel Abdel Mahdi to send a
delegation to start preparations to pull out its 5,200 troops in the
country.
   (AFP, 1/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 10, Cryptocurrency
expert Virgil Griffith (36), charged with violating economic
sanctions against North Korea, was released on $1 million bond
despite federal prosecutors' concerns he might flee the United
States before trial. Griffith was placed on house arrest with
electronic monitoring at his parents' home outside Tuscaloosa,
Alabama. He is known for creating WikiScanner, a tool that aimed to
unmask people who anonymously edited entries in Wikipedia.
   (AP, 1/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 10, In Florida the
1968 Ford Mustang GT that Steve McQueen drove in the classic car
chase from the movie "Bullitt," one of the most famed cars from
American cinema, sold for $3.4 million at auction.
   (Reuters, 1/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 10, In Illinois
accountant Sultan Issa (46) pleaded guilty to embezzling millions of
dollars from a trustee of the Art Institute of Chicago, using the
money to finance a luxurious lifestyle that included the purchase of
yachts and homes. Issa admitted to stealing a total of at least $65
million over seven years.
   (AP, 1/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 10, In Nevada Margaret
Rudin (76), a socialite antiques shop owner dubbed the “black widow”
while she was a fugitive ahead of her 2001 trial, left a women’s
prison after winning parole from her 20-years-to-life sentence for
the killing of real estate mogul Ron Rudin. The 64-year-old
prominent Las Vegas real estate developer had disappeared in
December 1994. Fishermen stumbled across his skull and some charred
bones a month later near the shoreline of a Colorado River reservoir
about 45 miles (72 kilometers) outside Las Vegas.
   (AP, 1/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 10, Governor Greg
Abbott of Texas became the first governor in the United States to
refuse to accept refugees under an executive order requiring local
jurisdictions to actively opt in to the federal resettlement
program.
   (Reuters, 1/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 10, It was reported
that Boeing Co's ousted chief executive officer, Dennis Muilenburg,
is leaving the company with $62 million in compensation and pension
benefits but will receive no severance pay in the wake of the 737
MAX crisis.
   (Reuters, 1/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 10, Boeing Co's
biggest supplier, Spirit AeroSystems Holdings Inc, said it plans to
lay off more than 20% of the workforce at its Wichita-Kansas base as
it grapples with halted production and uncertainty over when 737 MAX
jets will return to service.
   (Reuters, 1/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 10, Wisconsin
political activist Jeremy Ryan (31), accused of trying to buy a
lethal dose of a radioactive substance online, pleaded guilty to one
count of receiving a nuclear material. His attorneys said he had
cancer and intended to use the material to kill himself.
   (AP, 1/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 10, In southeastern
Australia two wildfires merged to form a massive 1.58 million-acre
inferno in the Snowy Mountains region near Tumbarumba. A man
suffered serious burns protecting a home, in a night of treacherous
conditions during the nation’s unprecedented wildfire crisis.
   (AP, 1/10/20)(SSFC, 1/12/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 10, Authorities in
Britain formally requested the extradition of Anne Sacoolas, the
wife of an American diplomat, who was charged in the death of a
British teenager.
   (ABC News, 1/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 10, Canada's
Department of Justice said Huawei chief financial officer Meng
Wanzhou, arrested in Vancouver in late 2018, could be extradited to
the United States, because her offense is a crime in both countries.
   (AFP, 1/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 10, Canada lowered the
number of its citizens killed in the Jan. 8 crash of a jetliner in
Iran from 63 to 57.
   (AFP, 1/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 10, India's top court
ordered the government to review all restrictions in
Indian-controlled Kashmir, saying the measures amount to an abuse of
power.
   (SFC, 1/11/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 10, In Iraq thousands
took to the streets in the Iraq's Shia-majority south, including the
main protest hotspots of Diwaniyah, Nasiriyah, Basra and the holy
cities of Najaf and Karbala, reviving a months-long protest movement
against the government.
   (The Telegraph, 1/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 10, In Iraq Ahmed
Abdul Samad, a Dijlah TV reporter, and Safaa Ghali, his cameraman,
were found shot and killed in a car parked near a police station in
Basra. In 2021 Iraq’s supreme court sentenced former police officer
Hamza Kadhim al-Aidani to death by hanging for the killing. The case
then went to a higher court, which can either confirm the death
penalty, hand down a lesser sentence or call for a retrial.
   (AP, 11/1/21)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 10, In Lebanon at
least one person was injured in Beirut during protests calling for
the resignation of the city's mayor and governor over alleged
corruption within the municipality. The protesters were attacked by
men who support the two local officials.
   (AP, 1/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 10, In Lesotho first
lady Maesaiah Thabane fled the country to escape arrest in
connection with the 2017 killing of PM Thomas Thabane's former wife,
Lipolelo. On Feb. 4 Maesaiah returned and handed herself over to
police.
   (SFC, 2/5/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 10, In northern Mexico
at least two people were reported to have been killed and six
injured after an 11-year-old boy entered a school with two handguns
and opened fire in the city of Torreón, Coahuila state. Police said
the shooter had killed himself.
   (AP, 1/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 10, Oman's Sultan
Qaboos (79), the Middle East's longest-ruling monarch, died after
years of an undisclosed illness.
   (AFP, 1/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 10, Syrian warplanes
bombed a major rebel stronghold in the country's northwest, less
than 24 hours after a cease-fire went into effect there.
Unidentified planes struck targets in Syria near the border with
Iraq, killing eight Iran-backed Iraqi militiamen. Iraqi officials
said the strike was most likely carried out by Israeli warplanes,
but offered no evidence.
   (AP, 1/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 10, The UNHCR
confirmed that two Eritrean asylum-seekers were shot dead in the
Libyan capital, Tripoli, days after the refugee agency pressed them
to leave its facility citing overcrowding.
   (AP, 1/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 10, The United Nations
said seven countries -- Lebanon, Yemen, Venezuela, Central African
Republic, Gambia, Lesotho and Tonga -- have fallen behind in their
financial contributions and would not be able to in the 74th session
of the General Assembly.
   (AFP, 1/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 11, Severe storms
sweeping across southern portions of the US and up into the Midwest
were blamed in the deaths of at least 11 people, including two first
responders, as high winds, tornadoes and unrelenting rain battered
large swaths of the country. Hundreds of thousands of people were
left without power from Texas to Ohio, parts of highways were closed
in Oklahoma and Arkansas due to flooding and hundreds of flights
were canceled at Chicago's international airports.
   (AP, 1/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 11, It was reported
that Mercy High School, one of San Francisco's last all-girls
Catholic high schools, will close its doors in June. The school was
founded in 1952 and its building in the Park-Merced district was
completed in 1954.
   (SFC, 1/11/20, p.C4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 11, It was reported
that Bonny Doon Vineyard, founded in California in 1981 by Randall
Grahm, has been acquired by WarRoom Ventures, the parent company of
Lapis Luna Wines.
   (SFC, 1/11/20, p.D1)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 11, A single-engine
Cessna 182 crashed in southern Montana. Authorities the following
day recovered the bodies of four people from the wreckage.
   (AP, 1/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 11, In New Hampshire a
lawsuit filed in Merrimack County Superior Court alleged that more
than two dozen men and women were physically, sexually and
emotionally abused as children at a state-run youth detention center
from 1982 to 2014.
   (AP, 1/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 11, In southern
Afghanistan two US service members were killed when their vehicle
was hit by a roadside bomb in Kandahar province.
   (SFC, 1/13/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 11, In Cambodia
thousands of striking workers of NagaWorld hotel and casino complex,
a Hong Kong-listed casino company, returned to their jobs after
winning wage increases and the reinstatement of a suspended union
leader in a rare labor victory.
   (Reuters, 1/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 11, In China health
authorities said a 61-year-old man has died from pneumonia in the
central city of Wuhan after an outbreak of a yet to be identified
virus while seven others are in critical condition. A total of 41
people have been diagnosed with the pathogen.
   (Reuters, 1/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 11, A Chinese lab
published the coronavirus genome on a virology website. This
prompted Chinese health officials to release the genetic map. Even
then, China stalled for at least two weeks more on giving WHO the
details it needed.
   (AP, 6/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 11, China officially
opened operations of the world's largest radio telescope, which it
will use for space research and help in the hunt for
extraterrestrial life. The Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical
Telescope, or FAST, is the size of 30 football fields and has been
hewed out of a mountain in the southwestern province of Guizhou.
   (Reuters, 1/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 11, In northern
Croatia a fire engulfed part of a nursing home early today, killing
at least six people in the village of Andrasevac.
   (AP, 1/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 11, German Chancellor
Angela Merkel arrived in Moscow for talks with Russian President
Vladimir Putin amid growing tensions in the Middle East and
elsewhere.
   (AP, 1/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 11, Greece's coast
guard said 12 migrants have been found dead in the Ionian Sea and 21
others have been rescued after their boat took in water and sank.
Searchers looked for more survivors.
   (AP, 1/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 11, Iran's
Revolutionary Guard acknowledged that it accidentally shot down the
Ukrainian jetliner that crashed earlier this week, killing all 176
people aboard, after the government had repeatedly denied Western
accusations and mounting evidence that it was responsible. Brigadier
General Amirali Hajizadeh said the missile operator who fired on the
plane did so independently because of communications "jamming."
Protesters gathered and criticized the government demanding the
country's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei step down.
   (AP, 1/11/20)(AFP, 1/11/20)(The Week, 1/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 11, Kimia Alizadeh
(21), the sole woman to ever have won a medal at the Olympics for
the country of Iran, announced that she has defected from the
country and moved to Europe.
   (Good Morning America, 1/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 11, Italy’s Premier
Giuseppe Conte met with the UN-recognized Libyan PM Fayez Serraj,
days after Italy botched an attempt to broker a truce to end the
latest fighting in Libya.
   (AP, 1/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 11, Lebanon said it
"regrets" being among seven countries stripped by the United Nations
of voting privileges in the General Assembly for failing to pay
their dues.
   (AFP, 1/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 11, Robert Abela was
set to become Malta’s prime minister after being elected leader of
the ruling party. He is seen as a continuity leader in the wake of a
scandal over the murder of an investigative journalist.
   (The Telegraph, 1/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 11, In Mexico
activists placed hundreds of painted-red women's shoes on Mexico
City's main square to call attention to gender-based violence. On
average ten women and girls are slain each day in the country with
less than 10% of the cases solved.
   (SFC, 1/13/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 11, Northern Ireland's
government reopened for the first time in three years after rival
parties rallied around a new power-sharing agreement that can help
the volatile province handle the pressures of Brexit.
   (AFP, 1/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 11, Oman's new ruler,
Sultan Haitham bin Tariq Al Said, vowed to uphold his predecessor's
foreign policy approach, which steered the Arab country through
choppy Persian Gulf waters by balancing close relations with both
the US and Iran.
   (AP, 1/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 11, In Poland Judges
from across Europe, many of them dressed in their judicial robes,
marched silently in Warsaw in a show of solidarity with Polish peers
who are protesting a bill that would allow the government to fire
judges who issue rulings officials don't like.
   (AP, 1/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 11, A magnitude 5.9
earthquake hit Puerto Rico causing extensive damage along the
island's southern coast. This followed recent quakes including a
magnitude 6.4 quake on Jan. 7.
   (SSFC, 1/12/20, p.A7)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 11, Russia's President
Vladimir Putin pushed for a ceasefire in Libya as he held talks with
some of the countries that support the warring sides in the North
African nation.
   (Bloomberg, 1/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 11, Syrian government
warplanes struck several rebel-held areas in the country's
northwest, killing at least 10 people and wounding dozens in Idlib
province.
   (AP, 1/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 11, The president of
Taiwan, Tsai Ing-wen, won reelection with a record-breaking 8
million votes, a major victory over Beijing’s concerted campaign of
lies and propaganda meant to support her opponent, Han Kuo-yu.
   (Reuters, 1/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 12, The Trump
administration tried to amplify voices of dissent in Iran by
suggesting that the Islamic Republic is under internal threat after
denying and then admitting it shot down a Ukrainian passenger plane.
   (AP, 1/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 12, In New Jersey a
massive fire engulfed many buildings in Bound Brook late today,
causing more than 100 residents to be evacuated and leaving around
3,000 people without power.
   (Reuters, 1/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 12, Roger Scruton
(75), one of Britain’s most prominent conservative philosophers,
died after a six-month battle with cancer. Scruton was knighted by
Queen Elizabeth II in 2016 for services to philosophy, teaching and
public education. His more than 50 books on morality, politics,
culture and aesthetics included “The Meaning of Conservatism,” “The
Aesthetics of Architecture” and “England: An Elegy”.
   (AP, 1/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 12, Ethiopia's PM Abiy
Ahmed asked South Africa's president to intervene in his country's
dispute with Egypt over a massive dam project on the Nile River, set
to be Africa’s largest hydraulic dam.
   (AP, 1/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 12, In Hong Kong more
than 1,000 people attended a rally to urge people and governments
abroad to support the city's pro-democracy movement and oppose
China's ruling Communist Party.
   (SFC, 1/13/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 12, Indonesia and the
United Arab Emirates affirmed deeper economic ties during a visit by
Indonesian President Joko Widodo in which he sought billions of
dollars to finance his country's infrastructure and energy projects.
   (AP, 1/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 12, Iran's security
forces deployed in large numbers across the capital, expecting more
protests after its Revolutionary Guard admitted to accidentally
shooting down a passenger plane at a time of soaring tensions with
the United States.
   (AP, 1/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 12, In Iraq eight
rockets were launched at the Balad joint airbase, which sits around
50 miles north of Baghdad. At least four Iraqi soldiers were
reportedly wounded. It was not clear who was behind the attack.
   (Business Insider, 1/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 12, Libya's Government
of National Accord (GNA) agreed to a ceasefire urged by Moscow and
Ankara, several hours after rival strongman Khalifa Haftar announced
a cessation of hostilities. Meeting in Moscow Libya's rival
governments considered a draft document spelling out details of a
truce proposed jointly by Russia and Turkey.
   (AFP, 1/12/20)(AP, 1/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 12, World leaders
traveled to Oman to meet the country's new sultan, named just a day
earlier after the death of the nation's longtime ruler Sultan Qaboos
bin Said. British PM Boris Johnson and Prince Charles were among
those who arrived in Muscat to meet Sultan Haitham bin Tariq Al
Said. Leaders from Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Abu Dhabi and Yemen also
visited. Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif traveled to
Muscat as well to meet Sultan Haitham.
   (AP, 1/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 12, In the Philippines
clouds of ash from the Taal volcano reached Manila, 65 km (40 miles)
to the north, forcing the shutdown of the country's main airport,
with more than 500 flights canceled. Tens of thousands of people
fled through heavy ash and frightening tremors, and authorities made
plans to evacuate hundreds of thousands more for fear of a bigger
eruption.
   (AP, 1/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 12, State-owned oil
company Saudi Aramco said it had exercised its "greenshoe option" to
sell an additional 450 million shares, raising the size of its
initial public offering (IPO) to a record $29.4 billion.
   (Reuters, 1/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 12, In Thailand
thousands of anti-government demonstrators took part in "Run Against
Dictatorship" in Bangkok in the country's biggest political rally in
years.
   (SFC, 1/13/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 13, It was reported
that President Donald Trump authorized the US military strike
against Iranian military and intelligence leader Qassem Soleimani in
June, 2019, seven months before it was carried out. The new
revelations significantly undermine the administration's claim that
Soleimani needed to be killed because he posed an "imminent threat"
to American lives in the region.
   (Business Insider, 1/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 13, A US federal judge
ruled that the Trump administration's ongoing separations of
families at the US-Mexico border based on parents' criminal history
or health exclusions are being carried out with proper discretion.
   (Reuters, 1/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 13, Former US Treasury
Department employee Natalie May Edwards pleaded guilty to leaking
confidential documents relating to former Trump campaign chairman
Paul Manafort and others to a reporter from digital media company
BuzzFeed.
   (Reuters, 1/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 13, It was reported
that the US is sending 21 Saudi cadets back to Saudi Arabia. Many of
the cadets had contact with child pornography and possessed jihadist
or anti-American material. This followed the shooting last month in
which Saudi 2nd Lt. Mohammed Alshamrani opened fire at the Naval Air
Station in Pensacola, Fl., killing three US soldiers before he was
killed by a sheriff's deputy.
   (SFC, 1/14/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 13, Former Insys Vice
President of Managed Markets Michael Gurry was sentenced to nearly
three years in prison as part of the first federal case meant to
hold an opioids manufacturer criminally accountable for the ongoing
epidemic in the country.
   (ABC News, 1/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 13, George Nader, a
wealthy Lebanese-American political campaign bundler for Hillary
Clinton and frequent guest in President Trump's White House in the
first few months of his administration, pleaded guilty to child
exploitation charges in federal court in Alexandria, Va.
   (The Week, 1/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 13, In Colorado a man
was arrested after allegedly stabbing eight people in and around
downtown Colorado Springs early today. Police said the attacks were
apparently carried out at random.
   (AP, 1/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 13, Sen. Cory Booker,
D-N.J., announced that he is suspending his presidential campaign.
Booker said multiple factors had contributed to his conclusion that
he had no chance to win the Democratic nomination.
   (Yahoo News, 1/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 13, In North Carolina
William Todd Chamberlain (46), a former US Army Green Beret, pleaded
guilty to his role in a conspiracy to steal money from the
government that was meant to support the armed forces' mission in
Afghanistan. Prosecutors said Chamberlain and four other members of
the 3rd Special Forces Group based at Fort Bragg, NC, stole about
$200,000 while deployed to Afghanistan in 2009 and 2010.
   (AP, 1/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 13, Deionna Young
(26), a former manager at an Oklahoma Arby's restaurant, pleaded
guilty and was sentenced to two decades in prison. She was charged
with fatally shooting a customer who she said spit on her.
   (AP, 1/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 13, Acasti Pharma Inc
said its krill oil-derived drug had failed to beat placebo by a
large margin in reducing a type of fat found in blood that increases
the risk of heart diseases, sending its shares spiraling down nearly
67%.
   (Reuters, 1/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 13, Biogen Inc said it
has agreed to buy an early-stage experimental treatment from Pfizer
Inc that it aims to test in patients with Alzheimer's and
Parkinson's disease. Under the deal, Pfizer will get $75 million
upfront and will be eligible for $635 million in potential milestone
payments.
   (AP, 1/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 13, It was reported
that at least 54 people have been killed by the combination of heavy
snowfall, brutal cold and severe flooding in Afghanistan and
Pakistan. A deadly winter storm brought severe impacts to millions
of people from parts of the Arabian Peninsula to Pakistan beginning
late last week and through the weekend.
   (AP, 1/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 13, China said it
prevented the head of Human Rights Watch from entering Hong Kong
because of the group's support for the territory's ongoing protest
movement.
   (SFC, 1/14/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 13, In China at least
six people were killed and 16 injured after a city bus crashed
through the road and into a sinkhole in the city of Xining.
   (ABC News, 1/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 13, In Egypt Mustafa
Kassem (65), an American citizen detained in Cairo in August 2013
while visiting family in Egypt, died after more than six years in
Egyptian custody. Kassem had been on a liquid-only hunger strike on
and off for years before stopping the liquids last week.
   (The Week, 1/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 13, In France Catalan
leader Carles Puigdemont took his seat as a member of the European
Parliament in Strasbourg despite facing an arrest warrant against
him in Spain.
   (AP, 1/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 13, Hungary's National
Food Chain Safety Authority reported that the H5N8 strain of bird
flu has been found at a large turkey farm. NEBIH said more than
50,000 birds, would have to be culled and other precautionary
measures implemented to contain the spread of the infection.
   (Reuters, 1/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 13, India's Supreme
Court directed the government's crime fighting agency to seize local
assets of JPMorgan in relation to some transactions the bank engaged
in with a local real estate company in 2010.
   (Reuters, 1/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 13, Israeli police
said they had raided a cult-like group in an ultra-Orthodox
neighborhood of Jerusalem in which dozens of women and children were
being held and abused under extreme “slavery” conditions.
   (AP, 1/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 13, In eastern Kenya
al-Shabab extremists killed three people in an assault early today
in Kamuthe town, Garissa county. This was its fifth attack in
thirteen days.
   (AP, 1/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 13, In Panama seven
villagers were slain by “The New Light of God” religious cult, while
14 more were rescued the next day by police who found them bound and
beaten in a temple in El Terrón. Nine villagers were soon arrested
and charged with murder.
   (AP, 1/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 13, In Poland a new
outbreak of pathogenic H5N8 bird flu was reported, with around 6,000
geese set to be exterminated.
   (Reuters, 1/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 13, Talks in Moscow
about bringing an end to Libya's long-running civil war failed to
reach a solution and adjourned for the night.
   (AP, 1/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 13, In Slovakia hired
assassin Miroslav Marcek pleaded guilty to the murders of
investigative journalist Jan Kuciak and his fiancee Martina
Kusnirova in Feb., 2018. Three other defendants, including suspected
mastermind Marian Kocner, pleaded not guilty.
   (SFC, 1/14/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 13, The WHO said that
Thai officials have reported that a traveler from the Chinese city
of Wuhan has been hospitalized in Thailand with a recently
identified new type of coronavirus. The report galvanized leaders in
Beijing into recognizing the possible pandemic before them.
   (AP, 1/13/20)(AP, 4/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 14, President Trump
used part of his campaign rally in Milwaukee to defend his decision
to authorize an airstrike that killed Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani.
Trump has alleged that Soleimani was plotting "imminent attacks"
against the US, but has offered no evidence.
   (The Week, 1/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 14, US Democratic
presidential hopefuls gathered in Iowa for the seventh debate. Six
candidates vying for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination
took the stage this evening in Des Moines, Iowa, for their last
debate before the Iowa caucuses kick off the primary season in less
than three weeks.
   (Reuters, 1/14/20)(NY Times, 1/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 14, In Los Angeles
Michael Avenatti, the brash former attorney for the porn actress
Stormy Daniels, was arrested for allegedly violating bail by
committing multiple state and federal crimes while awaiting trial in
two states.
   (AP, 1/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 14, In southern
California Delta Airlines Flight 89 enroute to China turned back to
Los Angeles Int'l. Airport minutes after takeoff and dumped fuel
that fell on fie elementary schools. The FAA soon promised an
investigation.
   (SFC, 1/16/20, p.A7)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 14, In Texas an ROTC
student (16) mistakenly shot and killed a fellow student in their
Houston area high school before fleeing the building. The shooter
was soon arrested.
   (SFC, 1/16/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 14, A Wisconsin
appeals court put on hold an order to immediately remove up to
209,000 names from the state's voter registration polls.
   (SFC, 1/15/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 14, BlackRock Inc
chief Laurence Fink told companies to tackle climate change or face
his wrath.
   (Reuters, 1/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 14, Amazon.com Inc
founder Jeff Bezos arrived in India for a 3-day visit, as thousands
of small traders across 300 cities planned protests, claiming the
firm is distorting local retail market.
   (Reuters, 1/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 14, Officials said
severe winter weather has claimed more lives as avalanches triggered
by heavy snowfall killed 55 people in Pakistan-administered Kashmir.
15 deaths in neighboring Afghanistan raised the death toll to 39 in
weather-related incidents since Jan. 12.
   (AP, 1/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 14, Britain, France
and Germany triggered a dispute resolution mechanism under the
already tattered 2015 nuclear deal, prompting Iran to warn them of
unspecified "consequences".
   (AFP, 1/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 14, Egyptian police
raided the Cairo office of Turkey's state-run news agency late today
and detained four of its staff members. Egyptian security forces
shut down the agency's security camera and internet and searched the
premise overnight
   (AP, 1/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 14, An Egyptian
fighter jet crashed in the Sinai Peninsula where the country's
forces have been battling militants and that the pilot was killed.
The Islamic State group said in a posting online that its fighters
had hit the F-16 jet with a missile near the town of Shabana.
   (AP, 1/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 14, The European Court
of Human Rights ruled that that a Russian trial judge’s refusal to
“allow the defense to examine prosecution and defense witnesses and
to submit important expert or exculpatory evidence” violated Mikhail
Khodorkovsky’s rights and those of his former business partner
Platon Lebedev during their second trial in 2009 and 2010. The
Russian businessman had spent nearly a decade in prison in Russia on
what he said were politically motivated charges by the Kremlin.
   (Bloomberg, 1/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 14, French movie
director Christophe Ruggia was taken into custody over allegations
that he sexually assaulted a teenage girl who was cast in one of his
movies nearly two decades ago. Actress Adele Haenel, who is now 31,
has alleged that Ruggia assaulted and harassed her between 2001 and
2004 after she was cast in a Ruggia-directed movie called "Les
Diables".
   (Reuters, 1/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 14, France's Cannes
Film Festival announced that writer-director Spike Lee has been
tapped to serve as the 2020 edition's jury president.
   (Good Morning America, 1/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 14, Germany launched
an 86 billion euro ($95 billion) plan to modernize and expand its
creaky railway system, a move billed as an effort to make
transportation greener.
   (Bloomberg, 1/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 14, Iran declared
British ambassador Robert Macaire "persona non grata," calling for
him to be expelled for his alleged role in recent anti-government
protests. A judiciary spokesman said Macaire had played a
“provocative role” when he attended a vigil at the weekend for
passengers killed in the passenger jet crash last week.
   (The Telegraph, 1/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 14, Iran announced its
first arrests over the accidental shooting down of a Ukrainian
passenger jet, as protesters vented their anger over the
catastrophic blunder for a fourth consecutive day.
   (AP, 1/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 14, It was reported
that Iran’s constitutional watchdog has barred thousands of people
from running in next month's parliamentary elections, including 90
current lawmakers, most of whom are accused of corruption. The
reformist newspaper Etemad said that most of those rejected were
reformist and moderate candidates.
   (AP, 1/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 14, Iranian media
reported that flooding in the south has killed at least three people
and left hundreds of villages cut off following days of heavy
rainfall.
   (AP, 1/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 14, Ireland's PM Leo
Varadkar ended weeks of speculation about the timing of the election
when he formally requested that the president dissolve the current
parliament. Ireland will go to the polls on February 8.
   (AP, 1/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 14, Kosovo prosecutors
filed terrorism charges against an Albanian woman and a man for
allegedly joining the Islamic State group in Syria. In April, they
were part of a group of 110 Kosovo citizens repatriated from Syria.
   (AP, 1/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 14, Lebanese
protesters returned to the streets, blocking several roads around
the capital, Beirut, and other areas of the country in renewed
rallies against a ruling elite they say has failed to address the
economy's downward spiral.
   (AP, 1/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 14, The International
Organization for Migration said almost 1,000 people trying to flee
Libya by boat have been intercepted and returned to the
conflict-ravaged country by its coast guard during the first two
weeks of the new year.
   (AP, 1/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 14, In Mexico Homero
Gomez, a rural leader who fought to conserve the wintering grounds
of monarch butterflies, went missing in Michoacan state. His body
was found Jan. 29.
   (SFC, 1/31/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 14, In the Philippines
the Taal volcano near Manila spewed lava into the sky and trembled
constantly Tuesday, possibly portending a bigger and more dangerous
eruption, as tens of thousands of people fled villages darkened and
blanketed by heavy ash.
   (AP, 1/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 14, Russia sought to
downplay the collapse of talks that sought to secure a cease-fire in
Libya after the country's rival leaders left Moscow without reaching
an agreement.
   (AP, 1/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 14, South Korean
President Moon Jae-in faced a barrage of questions about purges of
prosecutors looking into corruption in his administration, in the
latest sign that the scandals could weigh on upcoming national
elections.
   (Bloomberg, 1/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 14, A Sudanese
official said that security forces have contained an armed protest
from within the security apparatus, amid reports of unrest.
   (AP, 1/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 14, It was reported
that UN sanctions experts are warning people not to attend a
cryptocurrency conference in North Korea in February, flagging it as
a likely sanctions violation, according to a confidential report due
to be submitted to the UN Security Council later this month.
   (Reuters, 1/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 15, US President
Donald Trump and Chinese Vice Premier Liu He signed an initial trade
deal to roll back some tariffs and see China boost purchases of US
goods and services, defusing an 18-month conflict between the
world's two largest economies.
   (Reuters, 1/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 15, US House Speaker
Nancy Pelosi named Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff and
Judiciary Chair Rep. Jerrold Nadler as prosecutors for Trump's
Senate trial.
   (AP, 1/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 15, US CDC researchers
in late May announced that the first US coronavirus infection to be
identified was a traveler, a Washington state man who returned this
day from Wuhan, China, and sought help at a clinic on Jan. 19.
   (AP, 5/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 15, Connecticut state
Trooper Brian North shot and killed Mubarak Soulemane (19), a Black
man following a high-speed chase in West Haven. North fired seven
gunshots into the driver's-side window of a stolen car. In 2022
North was arraigned on a manslaughter charge.
   (SFC, 5/4/22, p.A7)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 15, Ahmadreza
Mohammadi-Doostdar (39), a dual US-Iranian citizen, and Majid
Ghorbani (60), an Iranian citizen and resident of California, were
sentenced to prison terms of 38 months and 30 months, respectively
for conducting surveillance on behalf of Iran's government.
   (Good Morning America, 1/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 15, Four coastal
Louisiana tribes and one in Alaska that say the US government
violated their human rights by failing to take action on climate
change have submitted a formal complaint to the United Nations in
Switzerland.
   (AP, 1/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 15, A US federal judge
in Maryland agreed to block the Trump administration from enforcing
an executive order allowing state local government officials to
reject refugees from resettling in their jurisdictions.
   (SFC, 1/16/20, p.A6)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 15, Texas inmate John
Gardner (64) was executed for the January 2005 fatal shooting of his
wife, who had had feared she would never get out of her marriage
alive. Gardner had a history of violence against women.
   (AP, 1/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 15, Virginia became
the 38th state to approve the Equal Rights Amendment, first proposed
in 1923. The deadline for the ERA had expired in 1982 and the
measure was expected to be tied up in courts for years.
   (SFC, 1/16/20, p.A6)  Â
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 15, The S&P 500
and the Dow Jones indexes set new record highs on a positive tone
around trade talks with China from Trump administration officials
ahead of the signing of an initial deal later in the day.
   (Reuters, 1/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 15, US House of
Representatives Jenniffer Gonzalez said Puerto Rico will be allowed
access to $8.2 billion in delayed disaster-aid funding by the U.S.
Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
   (Reuters, 1/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 15, Virginia Governor
Ralph Northam said he plans to declare a temporary emergency banning
all guns and weapons from the area around the Capitol in Richmond
ahead of a major gun rights demonstration set for January 20.
   (Reuters, 1/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 15, Officials said
search teams aided by Pakistani troops pulled out 21 more bodies
from homes destroyed by this week's avalanches in the disputed
Himalayan region of Kashmir, raising the overall death toll due to
severe winter weather to 160 for Pakistan and Afghanistan.
   (AP, 1/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 15, China blasted a
report from Human Rights Watch that accused it of constructing a
surveillance state at home while seeking to silence critics abroad.
   (AP, 1/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 15, Li Qun, the head
of the China CDC’s emergency center, told Chinese state television
that “The risk of sustained human-to-human transmission is low,” in
response to increasing cases of the coronavirus.
   (AP, 4/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 15, Croatian police
urged citizens in the capital, Zagreb, to use public transport and
avoid bikes or scooters in response to dangerous levels of smog.
Serbia's government called an urgent meeting to address the problem,
shortly after a peak in weekend air pollution levels prompted
emergency measures in Bosnia's capital, Sarajevo.
   (AP, 1/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 15, Deutsche Telekom
said it was founding a fiber-optic networks joint venture with
regional utility EWE that aims to connect more than 1.5 million
German households after winning antitrust approval for the deal to
go ahead.
   (Reuters, 1/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 15, In Honduras
hundreds of migrants started walking and hitching rides from the
city of Pedro Sul in a bid to from a caravan to reach the US.
   (SFC, 1/16/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 15, Hungary's National
Food Chain Safety Authority (NEBIH) said a second outbreak of H5N8
bird flu has been found at a large duck farm in the eastern part of
the country.
   (Reuters, 1/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 15, Iran's Pres.
Hassan Rouhani slammed the disqualification of thousands of people,
including 90 current lawmakers, from running in upcoming
parliamentary elections. The Guardian Council has barred more than
9,000 from the over 14,000 people who had registered to run.
   (AP, 1/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 15, Researchers
announced the successful creation of another embryo of the nearly
extinct northern white rhino. The last two females, hosted in Kenya,
provided the eggs.
   (SFC, 1/16/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 15, Kosovo’s Pres.
Hashim Thaci denounced what he called “an international amnesty” for
Serbia’s crimes in the 1998-1999 war.
   (AP, 1/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 15, Lebanese security
forces said they have arrested 59 people, following clashes
overnight outside the central bank as angry protesters vented their
fury against the country's ruling elite and the worsening financial
crisis.
   (AP, 1/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 15, Mozambique's
President Filipe Nyusi (60) was sworn in for a second and final term
after five turbulent years in office amid two armed insurgencies.
   (AP, 1/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 15, It was reported
that Pakistan has arrested Piran Ditta Khan (71) in the 2005 killing
of Sharon Beshenivsky (38), a British police officer who was gunned
down as she responded to a robbery in the city of Bradford in 2005.
Six men were later arrested in Britain but Khan, who was suspected
of being the armed gang's organizer, had fled abroad.
   (AP, 1/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 15, The World
Organization for Animal Health (OIE) said Romania has reported an
outbreak of the highly pathogenic H5N8 bird flu virus on a farm in
the northern part of the country, the first such outbreak in nearly
three years.
   (Reuters, 1/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 15, Russia's
government resigned in a shock announcement after President Vladimir
Putin proposed a shake-up of the constitution. The announcement came
after Putin used his annual state of the nation address to call for
a nationwide vote on a package of constitutional reforms. The
changes would transfer more authority to parliament, including the
power to choose the prime minister and senior cabinet members.
   (AFP, 1/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 15, Serbia's state
Tanjug news agency said the country has seen an outbreak of the pig
disease African swine fever (ASF) in wild boars in the east of the
country, close to the country's borders with Bulgaria and Romania.
   (Reuters, 1/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 15, Sudan reopened its
airspace after an armed revolt from within its security forces shut
down the capital’s airport for hours and left at least two people
dead.
   (AP, 1/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 15, The Swiss-based
World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said last year was the
second-hottest year since records began, adding that heat was likely
to lead to more extreme weather events like the Australian bushfires
in 2020 and beyond.
   (Reuters, 1/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 15, In Syria
government warplanes struck a vegetable market and industrial area
in Idlib city, killing at least 15 people.
   (SFC, 1/16/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 15, Turkish airstrikes
inside Iraq targeting members of an outlawed Kurdish rebel group
killed at least four minority Yazidi fighters allied with the
rebels.
   (AP, 1/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 15, Pope Francis
tapped Italian lawyer Francesca Di Giovanni (66) to be the first
woman to hold a management position in the Vatican’s Secretariat of
State.
   (AP, 1/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 16, The US Senate
opened the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump, with House
Democrats reading the formal charges in the chamber ahead of the
swearing in of all 100 senators as jurors for only the third trial
to remove a president in US history. House prosecutors formally
recited the charges under presiding Chief Justice John Roberts.
   (AP, 1/16/20)(AP, 1/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 16, After months of
wrangling, US lawmakers ratified the United States-Mexico-Canada
Agreement (USMCA), brokered at the behest of President Donald Trump
to replace the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).
   (Reuters, 1/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 16, The US Government
Accountability Office said in a report that the White House violated
federal law in withholding security assistance to Ukraine, an action
at the center of President Donald Trump's impeachment.
   (AP, 1/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 16, It was reported
that Donald Trump threatened the UK last week with a 25 per cent
tariff on its cars unless the British government officially accused
Iran of breaking the 2015 nuclear deal, it has been reported.
   (The Independent, 1/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 16, The FBI arrested
three men suspected of being members of The Base, a neo-Nazi hate
group, who had weapons and discussed traveling to a pro-gun rally in
Richmond, Va., next week.
   (SFC, 1/17/20, p.A8)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 16, Inmate Jonathan
Watson (41) clubbed two men in the head at the California Substance
Abuse Treatment Facility and State Prison in the central city of
Corcoran. Prisoner David Bobb (48) died that day. Graham De
Luis-Conti (62) died three days later at a hospital. Both were
serving life sentences for aggravated sexual assault of a child
under 14.
   (AP, 2/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 16, A South Carolina
judge sentenced a woman to 25 years in prison after she admitted to
poisoning her husband by inserting eye drops into his drinking
water. Lana Clayton (53) pleaded guilty in a York County courthouse
to voluntary manslaughter and tampering with food or drugs charges
related to the July 21, 2018, killing of Steven Clayton.
   (ABC News, 1/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 16, Tesla announced it
is opening a new design center in China and is already recruiting
talent to help make "Chinese-style" cars.
   (Good Morning America, 1/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 16, In Abu Dhabi a bus
and a truck collided on a major road, killing six people and
injuring 19.
   (AP, 1/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 16, Taliban officials
said they have given the US envoy their offer for a temporary
cease-fire in Afghanistan that would last between seven and 10 days.
   (AP, 1/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 16, It was reported
that foul tasting and smelling tap water has been running for more
than a week in dozens of neighborhoods in Rio de Janeiro. The local
O Globo newspaper has reported a spike in cases of diarrhea,
gastroenteritis and vomiting in Rio's west zone.
   (SFC, 1/16/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 16, In China officials
in Wuhan and elsewhere under new orders finally got CDC-approved
testing kits and a green light to start confirming new cases. Across
the country, dozens of reported cases then began to surface, in some
cases among patients who were infected earlier but had not yet been
tested.
   (AP, 4/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 16, Cyprus, Greece,
Israel, Italy, Jordan and Palestine established a bloc called the
East Mediterranean Gas Forum.
  Â
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EastMed_Gas_Forum)Â Â Â
(Econ., 8/22/20, p.50)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 16, Egyptian
authorities released four people, including two Egyptian
journalists, arrested in a police raid on the Cairo bureau of
Turkey's state-run news agency.
   (AP, 1/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 16, President Emmanuel
Macron said in a speech to the French military that France has
deployed a radar system on the eastern coast of Saudi Arabia to beef
up its ally's defenses after missile attacks on the kingdom's oil
infrastructure in September.
   (Reuters, 1/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 16, Germany's foreign
minister said Libyan strongman General Khalifa Haftar has agreed to
abide by a ceasefire and said he was ready to participate in an
international conference in Berlin on Jan. 19.
   (The Telegraph, 1/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 16, Greek authorities
found more than a ton of processed cannabis camouflaged among a
shipment of date paste headed by sea from Lebanon to Libya.
   (AP, 1/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 16, Guatemalan police
accompanied by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents swept
up the majority of some 300 migrants and returned them to the
Honduran border. At another border point some 600 migrants rested at
a shelter after crossing the frontier earlier in the day and
encountering no resistance.
   (SFC, 1/17/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 16, Eight Indonesians
were abducted in Malaysian waters in Sabah. Three were released,
while the remaining five were probably brought by their captors to
the southern Philippine province of Sulu.
   (AP, 1/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 16, Iran accused
European governments of sacrificing a troubled 2015 nuclear deal to
avoid trade reprisals from US President Donald Trump who has spent
nearly two years trying to scupper it. Pres. Hassan Rouhani declared
that his country is now enriching more uranium than it was before
agreeing to a nuclear accord with world powers in 2015.
   (AFP, 1/16/20)(The Telegraph, 1/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 16, The governments of
countries that lost citizens when Iran shot down a Ukrainian
airliner demanded that Tehran accept “full responsibility” and pay
compensation to the victims’ families. The victims included 57
Canadian citizens as well as 11 Ukrainians, 17 people from Sweden,
four Afghans and four British citizens, as well as Iranians.
   (AP, 1/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 16, Israeli advocacy
group Ir Amim said 104 housing units were demolished in 2019,
compared() to 72 units in 2018. The 44% spike also ends what had
been a decline in demolitions between 2016 and 2018.
   (AP, 1/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 16, An Israeli attack
helicopter struck a Hamas target in the northern Gaza Strip late
today in response to the launch of incendiary balloons into Israeli
territory earlier in the day.
   (AP, 1/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 16, Japan recorded its
first case of the coronavirus.
   (Econ., 5/23/20, p.28)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 16, Lebanese
protesters decried security forces' use of violence during rallies
over the past two days, including attacks on journalists and the
detention of over 100 people.
   (AP, 1/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 16, Russia's Pres.
Vladimir Putin signed an order formally appointing Mikhail Mishustin
(b.1966), head of the Federal Tax Service, as prime minister after
lawmakers in the lower house of parliament voted overwhelming to
confirm his candidacy, with 383 in favor and none against.
  Â
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikhail_Mishustin)(Bloomberg,
1/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 16, Jaime Botin (83),
part of the Santander banking dynasty, was convicted by a court in
Madrid and fined $57.9 million for trying to smuggle Picasso's "Head
of a Young Woman" painting out of the country in 2015. The Spanish
billionaire was sentenced to 18 months in jail. On Feb. 4 the
sentence against Botin was raised to three years instead of 18
months. His fine was raised to $101 million.
   (CBS News, 1/17/20)(SFC, 2/5/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 16, In northern Syria
a car bombing late today killed three Turkish soldiers in a
Turkish-controlled area. No group immediately claimed responsibility
for the bombing.
   (AP, 1/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 16, Ukrainian police
said they have opened an investigation into the possibility that US
ambassador Marie Yovanovitch came under illegal surveillance by an
unknown party before she was recalled from her post in May.
   (AP, 1/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 16, Military officials
said Yemeni separatists and forces loyal to the country's
UN-recognized government, whose deadly infighting erupted last
summer, are pulling back from the key southern city of Zinjibar
under a Saudi-brokered deal.
   (AP, 1/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 17, The Trump
administration took another step toward dismantling Michelle Obama's
school nutrition guidelines, proposing a new rule that could lead to
more pizza and fries and less fruit and a smaller variety of
vegetables on school menus.
   (AP, 1/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 17, The Trump
administration imposed sanctions on Iran's Islamic Revolutionary
Guard Corps Gen. Hassan Shahvarpour for directing a massacre of
nearly 150 demonstrators in southwestern Iran in November.
   (AP, 1/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 17, The Trump
administration granted Chevron a special license to keep drilling
oil in Venezuela despite a ban on American companies doing business
with Pres. Nicolas Maduro's socialist government.  Â
   (SSFC, 1/19/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 17, The Pentagon
announced new restrictions and controls on all international
military students at American bases, including barring them from
having privately owned firearms on base, in response to a shooting
by a Saudi trainee in December that killed three sailors in Florida.
The Pentagon issued a memo giving the Navy and other military
services conditional approval to resume training of Saudi Arabian
nationals in the US. It said non-classroom training can resume once
the military services have met certain conditions, including
implementing a prohibition on the possession — on or off US military
property — of privately owned firearms and ammunition by
international military students and their families.
   (AP, 1/17/20)(AP, 1/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 17, Navy Capt. John R.
Nettleton, a former commander of the US Navy base at Guantanamo Bay,
was convicted of interfering with an investigation into the death of
a civilian with whom the commander had fought and argued over his
alleged affair with the man's wife.
   (AP, 1/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 17, The US military
said 11 troops were treated for concussion after Iran launched a
rocket attack at the Al-Asad air base in western Iraq on Jan. 8,
despite initially saying no service members had been hurt.
   (The Independent, 1/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 17, US federal
authorities turned to a new tactic in the escalating conflict over
New York City's so-called sanctuary policies, issuing four
“immigration subpoenas” to the city for information about inmates
wanted for deportation.
   (AP, 1/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 17, Terence Hallinan
(83), former San Francisco supervisor (1988-1995) and district
attorney (1995-2003) died.
   (SFC, 1/18/20, p.A1)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 17, Former New York
GOP Rep. Chris Collins was sentenced to two years in federal prison
on charges of insider trading and lying to the FBI.
   (The Week, 1/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 17, In Texas Marc
Strickland (18) died at a hospital in Dallas. He was shot Jan. 11
inside a gymnasium during a game between Kimball and South Oak Cliff
high schools. A 15-year-old boy who was charged with aggravated
assault after surrendering to police the day after the shooting now
faced a murder charge.
   (AP, 1/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 17, In Utah a boy
armed with a gun killed three children and a woman inside a home in
Grantsville, then accompanied a fifth victim to a hospital, where he
was arrested.
   (AP, 1/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 17, It was reported
that the most serious outbreak of locusts in 25 years is spreading
across East Africa and posing an unprecedented threat to food
security in some of the world’s most vulnerable countries.
Authorities said unusual climate conditions are partly to blame. The
outbreak has affected parts of Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia
and Sudan.
   (AP, 1/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 17, It was reported
that the Suez Canal has suffered an invasion of non-native species,
including toxic jellyfish and aggressive lionfish. The influx has
increased significantly since Egypt doubled its capacity in 2015
with the opening of the "New Suez Canal".
   (SFC, 1/17/20, p.A6)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 17, It was reported
that Brazil’s government plans to push abstinence-based sex
education to help cut teenage pregnancy rates, in a controversial
move inspired by an evangelical Christian pressure group and Donald
Trump’s policy in the US.
   (The Guardian, 1/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 17, Leaders of native
tribes in Brazil issued a rallying call to protect the Amazon
rainforest and its indigenous people from what they called the
"genocide, ethnocide and ecocide" planned by the country's far-right
President Jair Bolsonaro.
   (Reuters, 1/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 17, Chinese President
Xi Jinping touched down in Myanmar's capital on a state visit aimed
at buttressing the embattled government of Aung San Suu Kyi and
driving through multi-billion-dollar infrastructure deals.
   (AFP, 1/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 17, Danish drugmaker
Novo Nordisk said its new diabetes pill, Rybelsus, will be covered
by Express Scripts Holding Co, one of the largest US pharmacy
benefit managers.
   (Reuters, 1/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 17, A new report by
the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC)
from the United Nations indicates that the Commonwealth of Dominica
was the fastest growing economy in the entire Latin America and the
Caribbean region in 2019.
   (PRNewswire, 1/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 17, The head of the
European Union’s border agency said the number of migrants entering
Europe from Turkey rose significantly last year as people fleeing
strife in Syria and Afghanistan flooded into the country and then
set out for Greece.
   (AP, 1/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 17, Greece warned it
may try to block any Libyan peace deal that doesn’t resolve a
dispute over regional maritime borders, as PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis
met with military commander Khalifa Haftar ahead of a Berlin
conference on the country’s future. Haftar held talks in Athens two
days ahead of a peace conference in Berlin, which he and the head of
Tripoli's UN-recognized government Fayez al-Sarraj are expected to
attend.
   (AP, 1/17/20)(AFP, 1/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 17, Iran's soccer
federation said it has been told it will not be hosting any
international matches on Iranian soil.
   (AP, 1/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 17, Two protesters
were killed and over a dozen wounded in central Baghdad in renewed
violence between anti-government demonstrators and Iraqi security
forces.
   (AP, 1/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 17, Hundreds of
Jordanians demonstrated in downtown Amman, calling on the government
to cancel an agreement in which Israel began pumping natural gas to
the kingdom this year.
   (AP, 1/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 17, Samherji, the
Icelandic fishing company at the center of Namibia's biggest
corruption scandal, announced that it is withdrawing from the
southwest African nation.
   (Reuters, 1/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 17, Seven trekkers,
including four South Koreans, went missing in Nepal's northwest
Himalayan region after an avalanche hit their trail.
   (Reuters, 1/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 17, Spain's Balearic
Islands regional government, based in Palma de Mallorca, passed a
law prohibiting the organization and promotion of pub crawls and
publicity promoting of alcohol sales by means of “open bars” and
“happy hours”.
   (AP, 1/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 17, Swedish activist
Greta Thunberg (17) and a crowd of some 10,000 protesters marched in
the Swiss city of Lausanne before many of them head to Davos next
week to challenge political and business leaders to combat the
climate crisis.
   (Reuters, 1/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 17, Ukraine PM Oleksiy
Honcharuk tendered his resignation after he was heard on a leaked
recording criticizing his boss’s grasp of the economy. The move was
seen as a formality and a pledge of loyalty. President Volodymyr
Zelenskiy rejected the offer.
   (Bloomberg, 1/17/20)(SFC, 1/18/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 18, Thousands gathered
in cities across the USA as part of the nationwide Women's March
rallies focused on issues such as climate change, pay equity,
reproductive rights and immigration.
   (AP, 1/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 18, Florida
authorities arrested suspect Robert Eugene Koehler (60), a
registered sex offender from Palm Bay. He is believed to be the
notorious Pillowcase Rapist who raped more than 40 women in South
Florida between 1981 and 1986.
   (Miami Herald, 1/20/20)(Insider, 1/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 18, In Missouri church
and civic leaders said nearly $13 million in medical debt was wiped
out for 11,108 families in the St. Louis area with money raised by
more than a dozen United Church of Christ congregations and the
Deaconess Foundation.
   (SSFC, 1/19/20, p.A9)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 18, New Mexico Sunday
school teacher Sasha Krause (27) was reported missing. Her body was
found a month later cold and stiff, with a bullet wound to the back
of her head in a forest clearing outside Flagstaff. Mark Gooch (21),
a US Air Force airman stationed near Phoenix was later arrested. He
pleaded not guilty to murder and other charges.
   (AP, 5/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 18, In Pennsylvania
Delbert Orr Africa, a member of the Move 9 group who has been
imprisoned for 42 years for a crime he says he did not commit, was
released from prison. He is the eighth of the nine Move members –
five men and four women – to be released or to have died while in
prison. The nine were arrested and sentenced to 30 years to life
following a dramatic police siege of their communal home in
Philadelphia which culminated with a shootout on 8 August 1978.
   (The Guardian, 1/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 18, The airport and
businesses remained closed in the capital of Newfoundland in
Atlantic Canada in the wake of a massive winter blizzard that buried
cars in snow drifts and caused an avalanche in one neighborhood.
   (Reuters, 1/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 18, China and
neighboring Myanmar agreed to expedite several projects designated
as part of the pan-Eurasia Belt and Road Initiative in a sign of
growing ties between both countries.
   (AP, 1/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 18, Chinese health
authorities said they had discovered four more cases of pneumonia
following an outbreak of what is believed to be a new coronavirus
strain in the central city of Wuhan, raising concerns that the
disease could spread further.
   (Reuters, 1/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 18, In Lebanon police
fired volleys of tear gas and rubber bullets in Beirut to disperse
thousands of protesters amid some of the worst rioting since
demonstrations against the country's ruling elite erupted three
months ago. More than 150 people were injured.
   (AP, 1/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 18, A fire engulfed a
protest camp in central Beirut this evening, burning tents and
sending plumes of smoke into the air, as security forces faced off
against protesters near parliament.
   (Reuters, 1/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 18, Forces loyal to
Libyan military strongman Khalifa Haftar blocked oil exports from
the war-ravaged country's main ports, raising the stakes on the eve
of an international summit aimed at bringing peace to the North
African nation.
   (AFP, 1/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 18, Forces loyal to
Libyan military strongman Khalifa Haftar blocked oil exports from
the war-ravaged country's main ports, raising the stakes on the eve
of an international summit aimed at bringing peace to the North
African nation.
   (AP, 1/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 18, More than a
thousand Central American migrants surged onto a bridge spanning the
Suchiate River between southern Mexico and Guatemala as Mexican
National Guardsmen attempted to impede their journey north.
   (AP, 1/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 18, In northeast
Nigeria heavily armed jihadists have carried out an "extremely
violent" attack on a vital aid facility housing UN workers. One
soldier and four assailants died in the ensuing gunfight.
   (AFP, 1/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 18, In the Philippines
soldiers clashed with Abu Sayyaf members in Sulare island in Parang
town, in Sulu, killing one militant and destroying a speed boat
believed to have been used in a recent kidnapping of Indonesian
fishermen.
   (Reuters, 1/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 18, People in a
southern Puerto Rico city discovered a warehouse filled with water,
cots and other unused emergency supplies, then set off a social
media uproar when they broke in to retrieve goods as the area
struggles to recover from a strong earthquake. The emergency
supplies had been piled in the warehouse since Hurricane Maria
battered Puerto Rico in September 2017. Gov. Wanda Vázquez quickly
fired the director of the island's emergency management agency.
   (AP, 1/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 18, Somalia police
said at least two people were killed and more than 20 others wounded
when a suicide car bomber targeted a construction site along a
highway outside Mogadishu.
   (AP, 1/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 18, In Yemen ballistic
missiles fired by Houthi rebels smashed into a mosque in the
training camp in the central province of Marib late today, killing
at least 79 troops and wounding 81 others during evening prayers.
The death toll from the missile attack soon climbed to at least 111
troops.
   (AP, 1/19/20)(AP, 1/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 19, Democratic
presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg pledged to narrow the
wealth gap between black and white Americans by boosting black
ownership of homes and businesses and investing in poor
neighborhoods.
   (Reuters, 1/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 19, The San Francisco
49ers beat the Green Bay Packers 34-20 at Levi Stadium in Santa
Clara, Ca. The NFC win put the 49ers into this year's Super Bowl.
   (SFC, 1/20/20, p.A1)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 19, A southern
California driver intentionally rammed a Toyota Prius with six
teenage boys inside, killing three and injuring three others before
fleeing late today in Temescal Valley, Riverside County. Anurag
Chandra (42) of Corona was arrested a short time later in a
neighborhood near the crash site.
   (AP, 1/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 19, Elon Musk's SpaceX
simulated a successful emergency landing off the coast of Cape
Canaveral in Florida in a dramatic test of a crucial abort system on
an unmanned astronaut capsule, laying the foundation for its mission
to fly NASA astronauts for the first time.
   (Reuters, 1/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 19, Hawaii handyman
Jaroslav “Jerry” Hanel stabbed his landlord and killed two officers
before the house he and two women were believed to be inside burned.
They were presumed dead. Hanel had a history of run-ins with police
and neighbors and faced eviction.
   (AP, 1/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 19, In Texas two
people were killed and at least five injured when a gunman opened
fire at a concert on the San Antonio River Walk.
   (SFC, 1/21/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 19, In 2021 data from
a CDC study showed that the coronavirus virus may have been
circulating in the US well before the first COVID-19 case was
diagnosed on this day. Data pointed to the presence of the virus in
the country as early as December 2019.
   (Reuters, 6/15/21)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 19, China's state
planner said the country is stepping up restrictions on the
production, sale and use of single-use plastic products, as it seeks
to tackle one of the country's biggest environmental problems.
   (Reuters, 1/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 19, Chinese
authorities and the World Health Organization (WHO) said a new
strain of coronavirus is behind the outbreak of pneumonia in the
central city of Wuhan, which has erupted just ahead of the Lunar New
Year, the country's biggest festival. As of today there were 65
confirmed cases of patients with pneumonia caused by the new strain
of coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 1/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 19, In the Czech
Republic a fire swept through an asylum for the mentally ill,
killing eight male patients in the northwestern town of Vejprty.
   (AP, 1/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 19, Participants at a
Berlin summit agreed to respect a much-violated arms embargo in
Libya, halt military support to the warring parties and push them to
reach a full cease-fire. The summit was quickly overshadowed by a
fresh crisis over oil. There were reports of ongoing fighting on the
frontlines south of Tripoli and Western leaders appeared downbeat on
the prospects of putting the ceasefire agreement into force. It was
later revealed that at least five cargo planes filled with weapons
from the UAE and Russia were bound for Libya as global leaders posed
for a group picture.
   (AP, 1/20/20)(The Telegraph, 1/20/20)(SFC,
9/4/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 19, In Hong Kong
clashes broke out between protesters and police, cutting short a
rally after thousands had gathered at a park to call for electoral
reforms and a boycott of the Chinese Communist Party. Ventus Lau,
the rally's organizer, was arrested in the evening for allegedly
breaching the authorities' conditions for the rally and repeatedly
obstructing officers.
   (AP, 1/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 19, In Indonesia a
footbridge packed with people on Sumatra Island broke. Nine bodies
were pulled from the water as far as 12 miles from the bridge. One
boy (14) remained missing.
   (SFC, 1/21/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 19, In Iraq protests
escalated across the south and Baghdad as demonstrators sealed off
streets with burning tires in outrage at the government's slow pace
of reform. At least 27 people were left wounded.
   (AFP, 1/19/20)(SFC, 1/20/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 19, Israel's military
said it has begun construction of an underground defense system
along its northern frontier with Lebanon to protect against
cross-border tunnels. the construction would all be on the Israeli
side of the border and that United Nations peacekeepers along the
frontier had been notified.
   (AP, 1/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 19, In Italy hundreds
of people in small rowing boats protested in front of Venice's St
Mark's Square to denounce what they say is a proliferation of motor
boats that have crowded the waters of the lagoon city.
   (Reuters, 1/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 19, Jordan's
parliament approved a draft law to ban imports of Israeli gas to the
country just days after they started under a multibillion-dollar
deal struck in 2016 which is opposed by much of the population. The
government has previously said it was a deal between companies
rather than a political matter.
   (Reuters, 1/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 19, In Lebanon dozens
of anti-government protesters gathered in Beirut, as security forces
braced for more rioting after a night of violence left hundreds
wounded.
   (AP, 1/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 19, It was reported
that police in Mexico have found 14 sets of skeletal human remains
in seven clandestine burial pits on islands in a reservoir of
southern Oaxaca state.
   (SSFC, 1/19/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 19, Libya's National
Oil Corporation (NOC) said it is cutting production at the El
Sharara and El Feel oilfields after forces under the command of
Khalifa Haftar's Libyan National Army (LNA) shut a pipeline from the
fields.
   (Reuters, 1/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 19, Dutch police
detained four suspects following a suspected failed attempt to break
one or more prisoners out of a prison.
   (AP, 1/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 19, In Paraguay at
least 75 inmates, including members of Brazil's most powerful gang,
escaped from a prison in the city of Pedro Juan Caballero after
digging a tunnel in an operation that prison officials were believed
to have been aware. The director of the prison was fired along with
six other prison officials.
   (Reuters, 1/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 19, In Russia eight
people were detained by police at a march in Moscow commemorating
the 2009 killing of human rights lawyer Stanislav Markelov and
reporter Anastasia Baburova. A Russian nationalist was sentenced to
life in prison for the killings.
   (AP, 1/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 19, South Africa's
Communication Workers Union (CWU) said it is angered by Telkom's
plan to cut up to 3,000 workers and called for an urgent meeting
with the ruling party and the minister of communication.
   (Reuters, 1/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 19, In South Korea
Lotte Group founder Shin Kyuk-ho (98) died. He started manufacturing
chewing gum in 1948 in Japan and built the business into South
Korea's No.5 conglomerate with interests ranging from retail to
chemicals.
   (Reuters, 1/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 19, Turkey called for
the European Union to end what it said was the bloc's prejudice
against Turkish Cypriots, defending its launch of a fresh round of
hydrocarbons drilling off the Mediterranean island.
   (Reuters, 1/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 19, Two Ukrainian
soldiers were killed and 10 wounded this weekend in the eastern
Donbass region.
   (AP, 1/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 19, In Yemen
Iran-aligned Huthi rebels, who control the capital Sanaa and most of
the north, banned the use of new banknotes printed by the central
bank in Aden which is run by the internationally recognized
government. This soon sent the riyal crashing, aggravating a
humanitarian crisis that has already driven millions to the brink of
famine after five years of conflict.
   (AFP, 1/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 20, The US marked the
legacy of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. with tributes recalling
his past struggles for racial equality.
   (AP, 1/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 20, Charles Fry
(b.1927), co-founder of Fry's Food Stores, died in Arizona. He and
his brother started the food chain in 1955 in Richmond, Ca., and
expanded it to 42 stores before it was purchased by Dillons in 1972.
He helped his sons found Fry's Electronics in 1985.
   (SFC, 1/24/20, p.C5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 20, In New Hampshire a
coyote attacked a pair of dogs, bit a woman and skirmished with a
vehicle before being killed by a father defending his family.
   (AP, 1/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 20, In Virginia
thousands of gun-rights activists, some brandishing their
military-style rifles, crowded the streets surrounding Richmond's
Capitol building to protest plans by the state's Democratic
leadership to pass gun-control legislation.
   (AP, 1/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 20, In Australia a
hail storm hit Canberra damaging buildings, homes and cars, and
caused flash flooding. Recent rains have helped but have not
extinguished major fires in New South Wales and Victoria states.
   (SFC, 1/21/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 20, In Brazil 26
inmates escaped from a prison in the northwestern state of Acre
early today, with all but one remaining at large.
   (Reuters, 1/20/20)  Â
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 20, Chinese President
Xi Jinping said the country would curb the spread of an outbreak of
pneumonia caused by a new coronavirus. A leading Chinese
epidemiologist, Zhong Nanshan, announced for the first time that the
virus was transmissible from person to person on national
television, a development that raises the possibility that it could
spread more quickly and widely.
   (AP, 1/20/20)(AP, 4/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 20, China repeated its
call for Canada to release detained Huawei Technologies Chief
Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou as soon as possible, ahead of the
executive's first extradition hearing later in the day.
   (Reuters, 1/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 20, In Ethiopia at
least three people were killed and more than 100 others injured when
a wooden stand erected for the colorful Epiphany celebration
collapsed in Gondar.
   (AP, 1/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 20, France and
Malaysia said Malaysia has shipped 43 illegal plastic waste
containers back to France as part of a crackdown on illegal
trafficking of waste.
   (Reuters, 1/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 20, In France some
subway workers in Paris ended their walkouts after six weeks of
transport strikes. 5 of 16 lines were still disrupted.
   (SFC, 1/21/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 20, Two Iraqi police
officers were killed and dozens of protesters were wounded in
Baghdad and other cities in clashes with security forces as
anti-government unrest resumed after a lull of several weeks. A
gunshot wound killed one protester, while a second died after being
struck in the head by a tear gas canister. A third later succumbed
to his injuries.
   (AP, 1/20/20)
   (The Telegraph, 1/20/20)(AP, 1/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 20, Kosovo and Serbia
agreed to launch direct commercial flights after a two-decade
interval in a deal mediated by the United States in an attempt to
push the two former foes closer to normalizing relations.
   (Reuters, 1/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 20, Some 3,000 Central
American migrants made another attempt to walk across the border
bridge into Mexico, in a new test of US President Donald Trump's
“Central America” strategy to keep them away from the US border.
Hundreds of Mexican National Guard troops deployed to the bridge and
the banks of shallow Suchiate River that divides the country from
Guatemala.
   (AP, 1/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 20, In Nigeria Islamic
militants killed a Christian pastor who had appealed for help life
in a video just days earlier. Rev. Lawan Andimi was abducted earlier
this month when Boko Haram militants attacked the Michika local
government area, where he was the chairman of a local chapter of the
Christian Association of Nigeria.
   (AP, 2/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 20, The populist
Progress Party pulled out of Norway's center-right governing
coalition over the decision to repatriate an Islamic State
group-linked woman and her two children from a detention camp in
Syria. PM Erna Solberg said she would continue with a minority
government comprised of three coalition partners.
   (AP, 1/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 20, Russian President
Vladimir Putin submitted to parliament a package of constitutional
amendments widely seen as an attempt to secure his grip on power
well after his current term ends in 2024.
   (AP, 1/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 20, In Russia a
heating pipe burst in a small hotel in the central city of Perm,
flooding rooms with boiling water that killed five people and left
six others injured. The plumbing explosion left 20 buildings,
including a hospital, a school and a kindergarten, without heat or
hot water in the middle of winter.
   (AP, 1/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 20, Slovakia said it
has detected its second case of the highly pathogenic H5N8 bird flu
virus at a farm in the west of the country.
   (Reuters, 1/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 20, In Spain three
people were left dead in strong winds, heavy snowfall and low
temperatures from Storm Gloria's sweep over the last 24 hours
prompting five provinces to go on top emergency alert.
   (Reuters, 1/20/20)(AP, 1/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 20, It was reported
that Sri Lanka's president has decided that tens of thousands of
people still missing from the country's quarter-century civil war
will be formally declared dead and death certificates will be
issued.
   (AP, 1/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 20, Turkey's largest
telecoms group said it had been hit by a cyber attack that led to
problems with internet access, but did not specify who was carrying
out the attack. It said the strike had targeted its DNS addresses.
Internet access was soon restored.
   (Reuters, 1/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 20, The World
Organization for Animal Health (OIE) said Ukraine has reported an
outbreak of the highly pathogenic H5 bird flu on a farm in the
west-central part of the country, the first of such outbreak in
nearly three years. The outbreak killed 4,856 birds out of a flock
of 98,000 in Vinnitsa. The rest of the flock was slaughtered.
   (Reuters, 1/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 21, In a marathon
session that began at 1 p.m. and lasted nearly 13 hours into the
early morning, the Republican-led Senate rejected all 11
Democratic-proposed amendments en route to approving the rules for
the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump.
   (Good Morning America, 1/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 21, Alex Azar 52), the
secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, appeared
on Fox News to report the latest on the coronavirus as it ravaged
China. The lawyer and former drug industry executive assured
Americans the US government was prepared. Shortly after his
televised comments, Azar tapped a trusted aide with minimal public
health experience to lead the agency’s day-to-day response to
COVID-19. The aide, Brian Harrison, had joined the department after
running a dog-breeding business for six years.
   (Reuters, 4/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 21, In Alabama Landon
Durham (16) allegedly stabbed his mother and 13-year-old twin
brothers to death before going to school in Munford as if it were a
normal day. Durham was apprehended the next morning at a grocery
store approximately seven miles outside Gadsden.
   (The Independent, 1/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 21, San
Francisco-based Cruise unveiled a robot taxi called Origin. Cruise
said it could be manufactured at half the cost of conventional
electric SUVs.
   (SFC, 1/23/20, p.D1)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 21, Mississippi
authorities two of the inmates beaten to death inside the troubled
Parchman Farm Penitentiary were killed in a fight with other
inmates.
   (SFC, 1/22/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 21, Iranian student
Shahab Dehghani, attending college in Boston, was denied entry to
the US and ordered to immediately fly back to his native country,
despite a court order temporarily staying his removal.
   (AP, 1/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 21, A federal appeals
court threw out part of former New York Assembly Speaker Sheldon
Silver's corruption conviction and ordered that he be resentenced,
citing errors in his trial judge's jury instructions. The 2nd U.S.
Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan voided Silver's conviction on
three counts, and upheld his conviction on four counts. Silver had
been sentenced in July 2018 to seven years in prison.
   (Reuters, 1/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 21, A North Carolina
appeals court upheld the legality of a legislative session
Republicans quickly called in December 2016 to push through laws
that weakened the power of incoming Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper.
   (AP, 1/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 21, Bangladesh's High
Court asked authorities to shut down 231 factories surrounding the
highly polluted Buriganga River in Dhaka.
   (SFC, 1/22/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 21, Brazil's
right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro said he will create an "Amazon
Council" to protect and ensure the "sustainable development" of the
world's largest rainforest, following intense criticism of his
environmental policies.
   (Reuters, 1/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 21, PM Boris Johnson's
government suffered a fourth defeat on its Brexit legislation when
members of parliament's upper chamber voted to ensure protections
for child refugees after Britain leaves the European Union.
   (Reuters, 1/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 21, Britain's
Sainsbury said it plans to cut hundreds of management jobs as it
seeks to bring its main supermarket operation and its Argos general
merchandise arm closer together.
   (Reuters, 1/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 21, China sentenced
the former president of Interpol, Meng Hongwei (66), to 13 years and
six months in prison on charges of accepting more than $2 million in
bribes. His wife, Grace Meng, is now suing Interpol, accusing it of
failing to protect him from arrest in China and failing to look
after his family.
   (AP, 1/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 21, European Union
lawmakers backed measures to clamp down on abuse of EU pet passports
by criminals and gangs that illegally trade cats and dogs.
   (Reuters, 1/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 21, In France
protesting workers cut power to thousands of Parisians in an outage
that lasted two hours.
   (SFC, 1/22/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 21, Iran's ISNA News
Agency reported that lawmaker Ahmad Hamzeh, who represents Iran's
Kerman province, has offered to pay a $3 million reward to "whoever
kills Trump" in a speech to the country's parliament.
   (AP, 1/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 21, Iran acknowledged
that its armed forces fired two Russian anti-aircraft missiles at a
Ukrainian jetliner that crashed after taking off from Tehran's main
airport on January 8, killing all 176 people on board.
   (AP, 1/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 21, Iraqi riot police
opened fire amid clashes with anti-government protesters on a
central Baghdad highway, killing one person and wounding over a
dozen others. Female activist and paramedic Janat Madhi (49) was
killed in Basra late today by unidentified assailants.
   (AP, 1/21/20)(AFP, 1/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 21, In Iraq three
French citizens and an Iraqi, aid workers for a French Christian
charity, failed to show up for a scheduled meeting and have not been
heard from since.
   (AP, 1/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 21, A South Korean
announced that its anti-piracy unit has temporarily expanded its
mission to the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global oil route at the
center of soaring tensions between Iran and the United States.
   (AP, 1/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 21, Spain's government
formally declared a "climate emergency," proposing measures to
tackle climate change that include mandatory low-emission zones in
big cities.
   (Reuters, 1/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 21, A winter storm
lashed much of Spain for a third day, leaving 200,000 people without
electricity, schools closed and roads blocked by snow as it killed
four people.
   (AP, 1/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 21, In Switzerland US
Pres. Trump (73) announced the United States would join an
initiative to plant one trillion trees, but dismissed "perennial
prophets of doom" on climate change in his keynote address. Activist
Greta Thunberg (17) responded by saying planting trees was not
enough to address climate change.
   (AP, 1/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 21, In northern Syria
Russian-led air strikes killed at least 18 people in the northwest
where a major government offensive to clear out rebels has sent tens
of thousands of people fleeing toward the border with Turkey. One
strike on the rebel-held village of Kfar Taal killed at least nine
people, including an entire family.
   (Reuters, 1/21/20)(AP, 1/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 21, A UN human rights
panel ruled for the first time that people fleeing the effects of
climate change may be entitled to claim asylum, even as it dismissed
an individual plaintiff's case against his deportation from New
Zealand.
   (AP, 1/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 21, The UN said rising
numbers of children in Guatemala are going hungry as drought linked
to climate change reduces food harvests, fueling child malnutrition
rates.
   (Reuters, 1/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 21, A UN-backed
Conference on Disarmament opened in Geneva. The United States urged
China to join trilateral nuclear arms talks with Moscow, calling
Beijing's secrecy around growing stockpiles a "serious threat to
strategic stability".
   (Reuters, 1/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 22, The Trump
administration announced new regulations barring Iranian investors
and business people from entering or staying in the United States on
certain types of visas effective Jan. 23.
   (AP, 1/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 22, The
Republican-controlled US Senate heard opening arguments in President
Donald Trump's impeachment trial, beginning several days of argument
on whether to remove Trump from office.
   (Reuters, 1/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 22, The US Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission approved Kinder Morgan Inc's Dec. 13
request to start construction of its proposed Lockridge natural gas
pipeline in the Permian basin in West Texas.
   (Reuters, 1/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 22, The Environmental
Working Group (EWG) reported that the contamination of US drinking
water with man-made "forever chemicals" is far worse than previously
estimated with some of the highest levels found in Miami,
Philadelphia and New Orleans. The chemicals, resistant to breaking
down in the environment, are known as perfluoroalkyl substances, or
PFAS.
   (AP, 1/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 22, US House
prosecutors faced fidgeting senators as they rolled out their case
against President Donald Trump, the trial's previous session having
lasted a fatigue-inducing 13 hours. Pres. Trump sent 120-plus tweets
that included trial commentary and criticism.
   (AP, 1/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 22, A senior US
official said on China has failed to send home North Korean workers
by a December 22 deadline in violation of a 2017 United Nations
resolution. The United States has estimated Pyongyang was earning
more than $500 million a year from nearly 100,000 workers abroad, of
which some 50,000 were in China and 30,000 in Russia.
   (Reuters, 1/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 22, Utah became the US
19th state to ban the practice of conversion therapy for LGBTQ
children.
   (SFC, 1/23/20, p.A6)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 22, In Washington
state several people in a dispute opened fire, killing a woman, in
the busiest part of downtown Seattle at the height of the evening
commute. Two men involved in the shooting were later arrested in Las
Vegas. A 3rd suspect injured in the shooting was located by police
in a Seattle hospital.
   (AP, 1/22/20)(SFC, 2/3/20, p.A8)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 22, The lower house of
Britain's parliament overturned changes made by the upper house to
the legislation needed to ratify the country's divorce agreement
with the EU.
   (Reuters, 1/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 22, Terry Jones (77),
one of the British Monty Python comedy team and director of
religious satire "Life of Brian", died after a long battle with
dementia.
   (Reuters, 1/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 22, Burundi's
government approved draft legislation to make Pres. Pierre
Nkurunziza "Paramount Leader, Champion of Patriotism and Leadership
Core," as his troubled third term nears an end.
   (SFC, 1/23/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 22, Deaths from
China's new virus rose to 17 with more than 540 cases confirmed,
increasing fears of contagion from an infection suspected to
originate from illegally-traded wildlife. A patient infected with
the new coronavirus died in Hebei province, marking the first
confirmed death outside Hubei province where the outbreak began.
This raised the death toll from the outbreak to 18.
   (Reuters, 1/22/20)(Reuters, 1/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 22, Egypt, Ethiopia
and Sudan started US-monitored talks in Khartoum to try hammer out a
draft deal to resolve their dispute over a Nile dam that Ethiopia is
constructing.
   (AP, 1/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 22, French finance
minister Bruno Le Maire said France and the United States have
brokered a truce in their bilateral row over digital taxation but
still have to hammer out how talks for a global deal should proceed.
   (Reuters, 1/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 22, In Germany a
Berlin court convicted two German men of murder in the fatal
shooting of a 25-year-old Polish woman. The woman was found fatally
injured in a Berlin driveway in December 2018. The two men were
sentenced to life imprisonment.
   (AP, 1/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 22, Greece's merchant
marine ministry said eight crew members of a Greek-flagged tanker
ship have been freed more than 20 days after being kidnapped by
gunmen off the coast of Cameroon. Pirates hade kidnapped the crew on
Dec. 31 from the Happy Lady tanker, which had been lying at anchor
two nautical miles (2.3 miles, 3.7 km) outside the port of Limboh.
   (AP, 1/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 22, In southwestern
Iran masked gunmen ambushed and killed Abdolhossein Mojaddami, the
local head of the Basij paramilitary security force. He was an
associate of Iran's top general recently killed in an American drone
strike in Baghdad.
   (AP, 1/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 22, Japan-based Toyota
Motor Corp said it is recalling 361,000 older vehicles worldwide for
potentially defective air bag inflators. A day earlier Honda Motor
Co said it will recall 2.7 million older US vehicles in North
America for the same type of Takata inflator that Toyota is also
recalling.
   (AP, 1/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 22, A Kosovo court
convicted eight ethnic Albanian men of preparing terrorist acts and
trying to destabilize the country's constitutional order. The court
in Pristina handed out prison terms ranging from 2 to 12 years to
eight members of the so-called People’s Eye group.
   (AP, 1/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 22, Lebanon's new
government held its first meeting, a day after it was formed
following a three-month political vacuum, with the prime minister
saying his Cabinet will adopt financial and economic methods
different than those of previous governments.
   (AP, 1/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 22, In Libya the only
functioning airport in Tripoli reopened after coming under attack,
despite a tenuous truce that world powers have pushed warring
parties to respect. Authorities at Mitiga airport said six Grad
missiles had crashed into the tarmac.
   (AP, 1/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 22, North Korea banned
foreign tourists to guard against the spread of a new virus from
China.
   (AP, 1/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 22, It was reported
that Saudi Arabia’s de-facto ruler, known as MBS, started a hacking
process by sending the Amazon.com Inc. chief Jeff Bezos a WhatsApp
message containing hidden malware, which gave the Saudis access to
the billionaire’s phone. The message to Bezos in May, 2018, preceded
the grisly murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, in the Saudi
consulate in Istanbul, by five months.
   (Bloomberg, 1/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 22, South Korea's
first known transgender soldier pleaded to be allowed to continue
serving after the military decided to discharge her for undergoing
gender reassignment surgery. Tank driver Byun Hui-su, held a news
conference at which she asked military leaders to reconsider their
decision and let her serve as a female soldier.
   (AP, 1/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 22, In South Sudan
suspected Misseriya tribesmen killed at least 29 people, at least
some of whom burned to death in their homes, in an attack on a
village in the disputed Abyei border region. The death toll from the
attack soon rose to at least 32 people.
   (Reuters, 1/22/20)(AP, 1/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 22, In Switzerland top
NGOs including Greenpeace and Amnesty International called for the
$1.1 billion sale of the .org internet domain to a private company
to be blocked, saying it could do "irreparable harm." The directors
of 10 leading NGOs published an open letter at the World Economic
Forum (WEF) meeting in Davos urging ISOC and ICANN, the internet's
governing authority, to stop the sale.
   (Reuters, 1/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 23, The Bulletin of
the Atomic Scientists announced its symbolic “doomsday clock” has
moved forward to 100 seconds to midnight, the closest to catastrophe
that the scientists have judged the world to be at any point since
its creation in 1947, at the outset of the cold war.
   (The Guardian, 1/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 23, The US Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention raised its travel alert for the
coronavirus outbreak to a level 3, recommending people avoid all
nonessential travel to Wuhan, China. The outbreak has now killed 18
and infected nearly 600 people globally.
   (Reuters, 1/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 23, The US State
Department pulled all non-emergency American personnel and their
family out of Hubei province, and issued a travel warning urging
people not to visit there.
   (AP, 1/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 23, The Trump
administration finalized a rule to pare back the types of waterways
protected from pollution under federal law, a move intended to ease
burdens on industries like agriculture and mining. Industry groups
praised the move while environmental groups criticized it.
   (Reuters, 1/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 23, President Donald
Trump's administration rolled out a new rule that aims to limit
"birth tourism" by women who enter the United States on tourist
visas with the intention of obtaining citizenship for their babies
born on American soil.
   (Reuters, 1/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 23, The United States
barred Iranians from entering the country on trade and investment
visas. The US sanctioned four companies that it says have traded
hundreds of millions of dollars worth of Iranian petroleum and
petrochemicals in its latest effort to clamp down on the Islamic
Republic’s revenue sources.
   (Reuters, 1/23/20)(Bloomberg, 1/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 23, Democratic House
prosecutors made an expansive case at Donald Trump's impeachment
trial that he abused power like no other president in history, swept
up by a “completely bogus” Ukraine theory pushed by attorney Rudy
Giuliani.
   (AP, 1/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 23, The US denied an
extradition request for Anne Sacoolas, the wife of an American
diplomat who police say fatally struck a British teenager with her
car as he was walking on the side of the road last August.
   (ABC News, 1/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 23, US federal
regulators slapped a $17.5 million fine on former Wells Fargo CEO
John Stumpf for his role in the bank's sales practices scandal. Five
other former Wells Fargo executives were also sued for a combined
total of $37.5 million for their rolls in the bank's poor practices.
   (SFC, 1/24/20, p.D1)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 23, Jim Lehrer (85),
former host of the PBS "NewsHour" died in Washington, DC. From 1988
to 2012 Lehrer moderated 11 presidential debates.
   (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Lehrer)(SFC,
1/24/20, p.A7)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 23, Clayton
Christensen (b.1952), a professor at Harvard Business School and
author of "The Innovator's Dilemma" (1997), died in Boston.
   (SFC, 1/27/20, p.D1)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 23, In New York a
federal judge sentenced Libyan militant Mustafa al-Imam to more than
19 years in prison for his role in the Sept. 11, 2012, Benghazi
attacks that killed four Americans. The attacks killed Ambassador
Chris Stevens, communications specialist Sean Smith and security
officers Tyrone Snowden Woods and Glen Anthony Doherty.
   (AP, 1/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 23, Oklahoma Gov.
Kevin Stitt banned sate-funded travel to California in response to a
similar 2018 ban by California after Oklahoma passed a law that
allowed adoption agencies to deny placement services to same-sex
parents.
   (SFC, 1/24/20, p.A6)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 23, US financier and
philanthropist George Soros pledged one billion dollars for a new
university network project to battle the erosion of civil society in
a world increasingly ruled by "would-be and actual dictators" and
beset by climate change.
   (AFP, 1/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 23, The Blue Cross
Blue Shield Association (BCBSA) and 18 Blue Cross Blue Shield health
insurers said they are working with Civica Rx, a non-profit formed
two years ago to try to increase competition for hospital-based
generic drugs. The group said it is investing $55 million in a
venture that aims to offer cheaper prices to their members on
generic drugs that currently have little or no competition.
   (Reuters, 1/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 23, Top diplomats from
Libya's neighboring countries and beyond met in Algiers amid
intensifying international efforts to end the conflict tearing apart
the oil-rich country.
   (AP, 1/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 23, In Australia three
American crew members were killed when a C-130 Hercules aerial water
tanker crashed while battling wildfires in the Snowy Monaro region
of New South Wales.
   (AP, 1/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 23, Queen Elizabeth II
gave her formal assent for Britain to end its decades-long
involvement in the EU and seek a more independent but uncertain
future at the end of the month. Britain's Brexit bill became law.
   (AFP, 1/23/20)(SFC, 1/24/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 23, British
supermarket group Morrisons said it plans to cut 3,000 management
jobs as part of a workforce restructuring that will create 7,000
frontline jobs in its stores.
   (Reuters, 1/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 23, Chinese
authorities moved to lock down three cities with a combined
population of more than 18 million in an unprecedented effort to
contain the deadly new virus that has sickened hundreds of people
and spread to other parts of the world during the busy Lunar New
Year travel period. The train station and airport in Wuhan, the
epicenter of the outbreak, were shut down, and ferry, subway and bus
service was halted. Similar measures would take effect the following
day in the nearby cities of Huanggang and Ezhou. Wuhan underwent a
76-day lockdown. The virus death toll in Wuhan ended in mid-May with
3,869 fatalities.
   (AP, 1/23/20)(Econ., 9/19/20, p.42)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 23, In Denmark an
eight-meter copper statue by Jens Galschioet, entitled "Pillar of
Shame," was erected in front of parliament in central Copenhagen to
express solidarity with pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong.
   (Reuters, 1/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 23, In central Germany
a school bus crashed early today, killing two children and leaving
five others seriously injured near the village of Berka, Thuringia
state.
   (AP, 1/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 23, Greece's migration
and asylum minister said the “anxiety and indignation” of Greek
island residents living at the forefront of a migration crisis are
justified. Residents and business owners on the islands of Lesbos,
Chios and Samos have held two days of protests and went on strike to
demand that the government tackle severe overcrowding at migrant
camps that are all grossly over capacity.
   (AP, 1/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 23, A Greek high court
rejected Russian bitcoin fraud suspect Alexander Vinnik's final
appeal against his extradition to France, ending a more than
two-year legal tug-of-war between three countries seeking to put him
on trial.
   (AP, 1/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 23, Hundreds of
students gathered in Basra to protest against recent killings. An
Iraqi demonstrator was shot dead in the southern city of Basra
overnight. This week's violence brings to 470 the overall death toll
since protests erupted in October.
   (AFP, 1/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 23, Madagascar's
national disaster office said floods across the island have killed
at least 12 people this week, with 18 missing, after unseasonably
heavy rain. The death toll was soon raised to 26 with 15 people
still missing.
   (Reuters, 1/23/20)(SFC, 1/25/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 23, Russian President
Vladimir Putin inaugurated a bronze monument, named "Memorial
Candle," in the heart of Jerusalem commemorating the citizens and
defenders of Leningrad during the 1941-1944 Nazi siege of the city.
   (AFP, 1/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 23, Dozens of world
leaders gathered in Jerusalem for the largest-ever gathering focused
on commemorating the Holocaust and combating rising modern-day
anti-Semitism.
   (AP, 1/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 23, At The Hague the
International Court of Justice ordered Myanmar take all measures in
its power to prevent genocide against the Rohingya.
   (AP, 1/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 23, Russian lawmakers
unanimously approved a sweeping constitutional reform bill put
forward by President Vladimir Putin in its first reading, after less
than two hours of debate.
   (AFP, 1/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 23, Sweden's top
military commander, Gen. Micael Byden, said a man who duped the
Swedish military for 18 years by using forged credentials and who
even worked at NATO headquarters and was a contact for Russia's
security services did not divulge any secret information that could
harm Sweden's security.
   (AP, 1/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 23, Sweden's supreme
court ruled in favor of Sami control of hunting and fishing permits
citing government records going back to the 16th century which
recognized Sami rights in exchange for taxes (paid in fur). The Sami
people, indigenous to northern Sweden, number about 20,000.
   (Econ., 5/23/20, p.41)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 23, Striking junior
doctors at Zimbabwe's state hospitals planned to end a four-month
strike after accepting an offer from a telecoms billionaire to pay
them a monthly allowance of about $300 for six months. Strive
Masiyiwa, through his philanthropic arm Higher Life Foundation, last
November set up a 100 million Zimbabwe dollar ($5.9 million) fund
for the striking doctors. Negotiations with the government
continued.
   (Reuters, 1/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 24, The Trump
administration said that California cannot require health insurers
to cover abortions and threatened to cut some federal healthcare
funds unless it pulls that requirement. The US Department of Health
and Human Services (HHS) issued a notice that the state is violating
a federal law called the Weldon Amendment.
   (Reuters, 1/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 24, President Trump
became the first president to attend the annual March for Life in
Washington, DC, where he delivered a speech aimed at shoring up his
support among evangelical voters.
   (Yahoo News, 1/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 24, The Pentagon said
that 34 US troops were diagnosed with traumatic brain injuries
suffered in this month's Iranian missile strike on an Iraqi air
base, and that half of the troops have returned to their military
duties.
   (AP, 1/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 24, An attorney said
that Lev Parnas, an associate of Rudy Giuliani, has provided
congressional investigators with a recording of President Donald
Trump saying he wanted to get rid of the US ambassador to Ukraine,
whose ouster emerged as an issue in the president’s impeachment.
   (AP, 1/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 24, A federal judge
overseeing the bankruptcy case of Purdue Pharma set a June 30
deadline to file a claim against the company. That includes
governments, entities such as hospitals and, for the first time,
individuals who have personal injury claims.
   (AP, 1/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 24, The US Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed a second US case of
the new coronavirus from China in a Chicago woman, and said as many
as 63 potential cases were being investigated as the sometimes
deadly illness continues to spread around the globe.
   (Reuters, 1/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 24, Jeff Carpoff (49)
and Paulette Carpoff (46), the husband-and-wife owners of DC Solar,
pleaded guilty to involvement in an estimated $912 million Ponzi
scheme. Their California solar company caused Warren Buffett's
Berkshire Hathaway Inc to take a $377 million charge last year.
   (Reuters, 1/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 24, A snow plow struck
and killed two pedestrians in Kansas after a winter storm coated
parts of the Midwest with snow.
   (AP, 1/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 24, Former California
Congressman Pete Stark (88) died at his home in Maryland. He created
the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA), passed
by Congress in 1985. He also supported LGBTQ rights and was the
first openly atheist member of Congress.
   (SFC, 1/25/20, p.C1)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 24, Wes Wilson (82), a
San Francisco artist who helped define the visual style of the
psychedelic rock era, died at his home in Missouri.
   (SFC, 1/31/20, p.C5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 24, In Boston John
Kapoor (76), founder of Arizona-based Insys Therapeutics, was
ordered to spend 5½ years in prison for orchestrating a bribery and
kickback scheme that helpd fuel the opioids crisis.
   (SFC, 1/25/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 24, In New York City
Ivan Reyes Arzate, a former Mexican federal police commander, was
arrested for allegedly accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars in
bribes from Mexican drug cartels to help them send cocaine into the
United States, in a case linked to imprisoned drug lord Joaquin "El
Chapo" Guzman.
   (Reuters, 1/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 24, Ahmad Khan Rahami
(Rahimi), an Afghan-born American suspect jailed for 2016 bombings
in New York and New Jersey, was sentenced to an additional life term
for a shootout with police in Linden, NJ, as he attempted to avoid
arrest in 2016.
   (SFC, 1/25/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 24, In Texas two
people died after a massive explosion leveled a warehouse at Watson
Grinding and Manufacturing in Houston, damaging nearby buildings and
homes and rousing frightened people from their sleep miles away.
   (AP, 1/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 24, Bolivia suspended
diplomatic relations with Cuba. The next day the Havana accused
Bolivia's interim government of having sought to sabotage bilateral
ties ever since it took power last year, partly under pressure from
the Trump administration.
   (Reuters, 1/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 24, London's
Metropolitan Police said they will use facial recognition cameras to
scan the faces of passersby to see if they are criminals, in a move
that critics slammed as a massive expansion of surveillance.
   (Business Insider, 1/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 24, Bulgarian Foreign
Minister Ekaterina Zaharieva said Sofia was likely to expel two
Russian diplomats who prosecutors suspect were involved in spying.
   (Reuters, 1/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 24, China announced
that it is swiftly building a 1,000-bed hospital dedicated to
patients infected with a new virus that has killed 26 people,
sickened hundreds and prompted unprecedented lockdowns of cities
during the country's most important holiday.
   (AP, 1/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 24, More airports
began to screen passengers arriving from China amid growing concerns
over the outbreak of a new virus there that has already killed more
than two dozen people and sickened hundreds.
   (AP, 1/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 24, In Germany six
people were killed and several were injured in a shooting in the
southwestern town of Rot am See. Police arrested a German national
(26) and believed the shooting was a result of a family dispute.
   (AP, 1/24/20)(SFC, 1/25/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 24, Guatemala's new
president, Alejandro Giammattei, declared a state of alert in a
gang-plagued municipality on the outskirts of Guatemala City, part
of a new crime-fighting strategy.
   (Reuters, 1/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 24, Thousands of
Iraqis rallied at two central Baghdad intersections after a
prominent cleric called for a "million strong" protest against the
American military presence, following the recent US killing of an
Iranian general and an Iraqi militia chief.
   (Reuters, 1/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 24, In Kenya Griffin
Insurance, the country's first digital-only car insurance company,
released its flagship mobile application. The company was founded
and run by Jihan Abass (26), a former sugar trader and one of a
handful of women in the business.
   (Reuters, 1/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 24, An official in
Kathmandu said a Nepali student home from China tested positive for
the new coronavirus, making it the first confirmed case in the
Himalayan nation.
   (Reuters, 1/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 24, Sudan and a major
rebel group signed a preliminary deal on political and security
arrangements, paving the way for eventual reconciliation through
ongoing talks. The deal signed in neighboring South Sudan grants
special status to two regions, South Kordofan and Blue Nile, which
are under the control of the rebels.
   (Reuters, 1/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 24, In Syria a US
soldier died while conducting routine-clearing operations in Deir ez
Zor province.
   (SFC, 1/27/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 24, In eastern Turkey
a magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck Elazig province late today. 18
people were killed in Elazig and four in neighboring Malatya. The
death toll soon rose to 41 people with hundreds injured.
   (AP, 1/25/20)(AP, 1/26/20)(AP, 1/27/20)(SFC,
1/28/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 24, UN deputy chief
Amina Mohammed said there is an “alarming” crisis in education,
pointing to the 258 million children under the age of 17 who are not
going to school — and only 49 percent completing secondary
education.
   (AP, 1/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 24, In Venezuela a
woman (49) reportedly escaped after 31 years of captivity when
captor Matias Salazar (56) left a set of keys behind. She sought
help at a branch of a state-run women’s advocacy agency. Salazar was
later arrested in the city of Maracay.
   (The Independent, 2/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 25, President Donald
Trump's lawyers opened their impeachment trial defense in a rare
Saturday session by accusing Democrats of striving to overturn the
results of the 2016 election, saying the Democrats' investigations
into his dealings with Ukraine were not a fact-finding mission but a
politically motivated effort to drive him from the White House.
   (AP, 1/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 25, In San Francisco
thousands marched down Market Street in the 16th annual Walk for
Life West Coast.
   (SSFC, 1/26/20, p.A10)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 25, Space astronauts
plugged a leak in the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer outside the Int'l.
Space Station. The cosmic ray detector was shut down last year for
the repair work.
   (SSFC, 1/26/20, p.A6)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 25, In Afghanistan a
hand grenade attack on a wedding ceremony wounded at least 20 people
in Khost province.
   (SFC, 1/27/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 25, Armenia's PM Prime
Minister Nikol Pashinyan called for environmental protesters to end
their 18-month-old blockade of the Amulsar gold mine, owned by
Anglo-American mining firm Lydian International, saying the protest
was not in the national interest.
   (Reuters, 1/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 25, Australia declared
its first confirmed case of the Wuhan coronavirus in the state of
Victoria, with the patient hospitalized in a stable condition in a
suburb of Melbourne.
   (Reuters, 1/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 25, Brazilian
authorities said flooding and landslides following heavy rains in
the southeast have killed at least 30 people.
   (SSFC, 1/26/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 25, Brazilian miner
Vale SA raised the emergency level at the Sul Inferior dam at its
Gongo Soco mine in Barão de Cocais, in the southern state of Minas
Gerais, after heavy rainfall eroded the structure's reservoir.
   (Reuters, 1/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 25, Suspected Islamic
extremists attacked a busy market in Burkina Faso and killed as many
as 50 people in Soum province.
   (http://tinyurl.com/vx8vv9x)(SFC, 1/29/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 25, China's President
Xi Jinping called the accelerating spread of a new virus a grave
situation, as cities from the outbreak's epicenter in central China
to Hong Kong scrambled to stop the spread of an illness that has
infected more than 1,200 people and killed 41.
   (AP, 1/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 25, Fashion retailer
H&M said that data security breaches found at its German unit
were unacceptable and it was cooperating with the local data
protection supervisory authority in its investigation into the
matter.
   (Reuters, 1/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 25, In India a
building that was being expanded in New Delhi collapsed killing five
people, including four students. Eight other students were injured.
   (SSFC, 1/26/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 25, Iraqi security
forces set fire to anti-government protest tents in the country's
south early today, hours after cleric Muqtada al-Sadr withdrew his
support, and re-opened key public squares in Baghdad that had been
occupied by demonstrators for months. Iraq cracked down on
anti-government protesters who have been occupying key public
squares for months, leaving four demonstrators dead.
   (AP, 1/25/20)(SSFC, 1/26/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 25, Israeli aircraft
struck several sites for Gaza militants late today in response to
incendiary balloons launched from the Palestinian enclave.
   (AP, 1/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 25, Limited mobile
data services and internet was temporarily restored in Jammu and
Kashmir, ending nearly a six month communications lockdown. Access
was limited to about 300 "whitelisted" websites and internet speed
remained low. The decision will be reviewed on Jan. 31.
   (Reuters, 1/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 25, Japan said it has
confirmed a third case of infection by China's coronavirus.
   (AP, 1/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 25, It was reported
that worst outbreak of desert locusts in Kenya in 70 years has seen
hundreds of millions of the bugs swarm into the country from Somalia
and Ethiopia. Those two countries have not had an infestation like
this in a quarter-century.
   (AP, 1/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 25, Libya's national
oil company said the closure of major oil fields and production
facilities has resulted in losses of more than $255 million in the
six-day period ending Jan. 23.
   (AP, 1/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 25, In Myanmar two
women, one pregnant, were killed and seven other people injured
after Myanmar troops shelled a Rohingya village in Rakhine state.
   (Reuters, 1/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 25, Pope Francis met
Iraqi Pres. Barham Salih and the two agreed that the country's
sovereignty must be respected, following attacks on Iraqi territory
this month by the United States and Iran.
   (Reuters, 1/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 25, In eastern Yemen a
US drone strike destroyed a building in Marib province housing
al-Qaida militants and killed top al-Qaida leader Qassim al-Rimi.
   (AP, 2/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 26, The biggest names
in the US music industry were honored at the 62nd Annual Grammy
Awards. Billie Eilish took home all four of the night’s biggest
awards: best new artist, album of the year for "When We All Fall
Asleep, Where Do We Go?" and both song of the year and record of the
year for her hit "Bad Guy.”
   (Good Morning America, 1/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 26, US officials said
five people in the United States, all of whom recently traveled from
Wuhan, China, have been diagnosed with the new coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 1/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 26, Bob Shane (85),
the last original member of the Kingston Trio, died near his home in
Phoenix. Shane, Nick Reynolds and David Guard had formed the SF Bay
Area folk group in 1957.
   (SFC, 1/30/20, p.C6)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 26, In southern
California basketball legend Kobe Bryant (41) and his daughter (13)
died along with seven others in a helicopter crash outside Los
Angeles.
   (Reuters, 1/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 26, In Louisiana
two-barge towing vessels collided on the Mississippi River near
Luling. One vessel sank and three crew members were left missing.
   (SFC, 1/28/20, p.A7)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 26, In New York three
people, including a boy (10), were shot and killed while sitting in
their own home early today during a home invasion in Newburgh that
authorities are now suspecting was a targeted attack.
   (Good Morning America, 1/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 26, Afghan forces used
ground attacks and air strikes in multiple operations against the
Taliban during the last 24 hours, killing 51 fighters in an
escalation that signaled renewed deadlock in peace talks.
   (Reuters, 1/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 26, Australia Day
celebrations saw thousands of people flock to beaches and music
festivals, but festivities were clouded by the tragedy of bushfires
which have killed 33 and destroyed hundreds of homes.
   (Reuters, 1/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 26, Britain unveiled a
new 50 pence coin minted to mark the country's departure from the
European Union, which bears the inscription "Peace, prosperity and
friendship with all nations" and the Brexit date of 31 January 2020.
   (Reuters, 1/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 26, China banned
wildlife trade nationwide in markets, supermarkets, restaurants, and
e-commerce platforms due to the coronavirus outbreak. The new viral
illness accelerated its spread with 56 deaths so far and a total of
1,975 infections.
   (Reuters, 1/26/20)(AP, 1/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 26, The German
military resumed training Iraqi troops in the country's Kurdish
north, about three weeks after it was suspended following the US
killing of a top Iranian general in Baghdad. The Bundeswehr has
about 90 soldiers in Irbil. Germany's training mission in central
Iraq is still suspended.
   (AP, 1/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 26, A group of Hong
Kong protesters set alight the lobby of a newly built residential
building that authorities planned to use as a quarantine facility,
as public fears in the financial hub about the coronavirus outbreak
intensified. Anger grew towards government plans to convert the
building into a quarantine zone as the number of confirmed cases in
the city climbed to six.
   (Reuters, 1/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 26, In India hundreds
of thousands protested across the country against a citizenship bill
that many fear is discriminatory against the minority Muslim
community. The protests took place as India celebrated Republic Day,
in commemoration of the day the Indian constitution came into
effect.
   (Reuters, 1/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 26, In Iraq hundreds
of anti-government protesters flooded the streets Baghdad and
southern provinces, defying cleric Muqtada al-Sadr who recently
withdrew his support from the popular movement. Security forces in
Baghdad killed one protester.
   (AP, 1/26/20)(SFC, 1/27/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 26, Israeli PM
Benjamin Netanyahu headed to Washington to meet Pres. Donald Trump
for the unveiling of a much-anticipated plan to resolve the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
   (SFC, 1/27/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 26, Israel's Interior
Ministry said that it will now allow Israelis to travel to Saudi
Arabia for religious or business visits. In the past, such visits
required special permission from the government.
   (AP, 1/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 26, Italian voters
thwarted right-wing opposition leader Matteo Salvini's hopes of
turning an election in a key northern region into a springboard for
regaining national power. The center-left Democrats' incumbent won
51.4% of the vote for the governorship of the prosperous
Emilia-Romagna region.
   (AP, 1/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 26, Japan confirmed a
fourth case of infection by China's coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 1/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 26, In Libya fighting
erupted as the country's east-based forces advanced toward the
strategic western city of Misrata. The UN mission to Libya slammed
ongoing violations of a UN Security Council arms embargo, despite
commitments made a week ago at an international summit in Berlin. It
said numerous flights had landed in Libyan airports over the last 10
days, providing both sides with "advanced weapons, armored vehicles,
advisers and fighters".
   (AP, 1/26/20)(AFP, 1/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 26, In Mali armed men
attacked an army camp near the border with Mauritania, killing 19
soldiers in Sokolo in the Segou region.
   (AP, 1/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 26, Dutch PM Mark
Rutte apologized for the failure of officials in the Nazi-occupied
country during World War II to do more to prevent the deportation
and murder of just over 100,000 Jews.
   (AP, 1/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 26, Syrian government
forces reached the outskirts of Maaret al-Numan, a key rebel-held
town, part of a weekslong offensive into the country's last rebel
stronghold. A truck packed with explosives blew up in the city of
Azaz in northern Syria, killing one person and wounding a number of
others.
   (AP, 1/26/20)(Reuters, 1/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 26, The health
minister in Thailand, the country with the most confirmed cases
outside China of the new coronavirus, called an emergency meeting
with the transport and tourism ministries amid rising public
discontent over the government's handling of the illness.
   (Reuters, 1/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 27, A US federal
appeals court ruled that a 2016 Arizona law that bars anyone but a
family member or caregiver from returning early ballots for another
person violates the Voting Rights Act and the Constitution.
   (AP, 1/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 27, In Alabama a fire
consumed at least 35 vessels docked along the Tennessee River early
today. At least eight people were killed.
   (AP, 1/27/20)(SFC, 1/28/20, p.A8)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 27, In California FBI
and Yolo County officials announced the arrest of Paul Allen Perez
(57), an inmate at Kern Valley State Prison, on suspicion of slaying
five of his infant children between 1992 and 2001.
   (SFC, 1/28/20, p.C1)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 27, FBI agents in San
Francisco arrested Public Works Director Mohammed Nuru and
restaurateur Nick Bovis following a public corruption probe. A
federal complaint for wire fraud was unsealed the next day.
   (SFC, 1/29/20, p.A1)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 27, In Maryland
William Green (43), a Black man, was fatally shot six times by
police while his hands were cuffed behind his back in a patrol car.
Officer Michael Owen was arrested the following day and fired from
the Prince George’s County Police Department. He has been charged
with second-degree murder. On Sept. 28 it was reported that Green's
family will receive $20m, among one of the largest settlement
payments involving a person killed by police.
   (The Independent, 9/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 27, General Motors
said it is spending $2.2 billion to refurbish a Detroit factory so
that it can build the company's first electric pickup in 2021,
followed by a self-driving shuttle for GM's Cruise autonomous
vehicle unit.
   (SFC, 1/28/20, p.D1)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 27, During his first
state address Mississippi’s governor, Tate Reeves, pledged to move
towards closing unit 29 of the notorious Parchman penitentiary. He
had toured the facility last week.
   (The Guardian, 1/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 27, Utah Sen. Mitt
Romney told reporters that he thinks new revelations from former
Trump national security adviser John Bolton will increase the number
of Republican senators who will vote in favor of calling at least
Bolton to testify in the Senate impeachment trial.
   (Reuters, 1/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 27, Wisconsin Gov.
Tony Evers signed an executive order creating what he promised would
be a non-partisan commission to draw new legislative maps for next
year for the Legislature to consider.
   (SFC, 1/28/20, p.A7)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 27, In Afghanistan the
Taliban said it had shot down a small US military plane in the
central province of Ghazni, killing all personnel on board. US
officials said there were no indications so far that the plane had
been brought down by enemy activity.
   (Reuters, 1/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 27, In northern
Afghanistan Taliban militants attacked a police base late today,
killing 11, possibly with help from at least one of the policemen
inside.
   (AP, 1/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 27, The death toll
from the coronavirus outbreak in China rose to 81 and a small number
of cases linked to people who travelled from Wuhan were confirmed in
more than 10 countries. US stocks fell more than 1% as investors
worried about the economic fallout of the fast-spreading coronavirus
outbreak in China that has prompted the country to extend the Lunar
New Year holidays and businesses to close some operations.
   (Reuters, 1/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 27, A Croatian army
helicopter plunged into the Adriatic Sea, killing one crew member. A
search was underway for one other crew member.
   (AP, 1/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 27, An Egyptian court
sentenced 37 people to jail terms including life imprisonment for
joining or supporting Islamic State's Sinai Province affiliate. A
Cairo criminal court sentenced eight defendants to life terms and 29
to terms ranging from one to 15 years.
   (Reuters, 1/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 27, Iran's President
Hassan Rouhani warned of threats to the Islamic republic's
"democracy and national sovereignty", after a body dominated by his
ultra-conservative rivals disqualified thousands of candidates,
weeks before elections.
   (AFP, 1/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 27, The Islamic State
group vowed in an audio message released today that the extremists
will start a new phase of attacks that will focus on Israel and
blasted the US administration's plan to resolve the decades-old
Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
   (AP, 1/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 27, Lebanese lawmakers
passed a controversial state budget for 2020 that aims to tackle the
country's crippling financial crisis, as angry protesters threw
stones at security forces massed outside the Parliament.
   (AP, 1/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 27, Prosecutors in the
Mauritania detained and charged 10 young men after a video presented
as a "gay marriage" surfaced. Homosexuality is outlawed in the
country. Police later determined the gathering was a birthday party.
   (http://tinyurl.com/src6hjy)(SFC, 1/31/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 27, In Pakistan
Manzoor Pashteen, leader of the Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM),
which has campaigned against military excesses during anti-terrorism
operations, was arrested in the northwestern city of Peshawar.
Authorities detained two lawmakers belonging to a rights movement as
they and hundreds of supporters across the country gathered to
protest the arrest of their leader on charges of sedition.
   (Reuters, 1/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 27, In Poland
survivors of the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp gathered for
commemorations marking the 75th anniversary of the liberation of the
camp by the Soviet army.
   (AP, 1/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 27, Portugal said an
int'l. drug operation involving authorites from six countries
captured a yacht carrying almost two metric tons of cocaine in the
middle of an Atlantic storm. Street value was said to be $77
million.
   (SFC, 1/28/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 27, The Stockholm
Int'l. Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) said China is the 2nd
largest arms producer in the world behind the United States.
   (SFC, 1/28/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 27, Bombs planted
underwater off Syria's coast exploded, damaging oil facilities used
to pump oil into one of Syria's two petroleum refineries. Oil
production in Syria is down to around 24,000 barrels a day, covering
only a fraction of domestic needs.
   (AP, 1/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 27, Ennahda, the
biggest party in Tunisia's parliament, rejected the idea of a
government that excludes other parties, adding that it was ready to
contest another election.
   (Reuters, 1/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 27, Three senior
Western security officials said sweeping cyberattacks targeting
governments and other organizations in Europe and the Middle East
are believed to be the work of hackers acting in the interests of
the Turkish government.
   (Reuters, 1/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 27, It was reported
that an ally of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has hired
Washington lobbyist Robert Stryk’s Sonoran Policy Group, whose
business has boomed under the Trump administration, as part of a
$12.5 million effort to ease sanctions and reset bilateral relations
as the US-backed campaign to oust the socialist leader stalls. Days
later US law firm Foley & Lardner, hired for $12.5 million by a
top official in Nicolás Maduro's government, decided to dump the
controversial Venezuelan client amid a major outcry by critics.
   (AP, 1/28/20)(AP, 1/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 27, Venezuelan special
police detained a fugitive Colombian former senator who had
illegally crossed the border. Aida Merlano, a former Conservative
senator who was imprisoned last year for vote buying, made her
theatrical escape in October.
   (Reuters, 1/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 27, Yemeni officials
and tribal leaders said a drastic escalation in fighting between the
Saudi-led military coalition and Houthi rebels has killed and
wounded hundreds of people over the past week.
   (AP, 1/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 28, Lawyers for
President Donald Trump wrapped up their arguments urging acquittal
in his US Senate trial as Democrats ramped up their calls for former
national security adviser John Bolton to testify about explosive
allegations regarding Trump's role in a pressure campaign targeting
Ukraine.
   (Reuters, 1/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 28, The US
Congressional Budget Office in its annual report said that the US
budget is likely to burst through the $1 trillion mark this year
despite a healthy economy. In 2012 former Pres. Barack Obama capped
four consecutive years of $1 trillion-plus budget deficits.
   (SFC, 1/29/20, p.D1)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 28, The Pentagon
raised to 50 the number of US service members who suffered traumatic
brain injuries in Iran's Jan. 8 missile on an Iraqi air base, the
third time the number of injuries has been increased.
   (AP, 1/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 28, San Francisco
electronic health records company Practice Fusion agreed to pay $145
million to resolve charges that it took kickbacks from an opioid
maker that used the company's software to prod doctors to prescribe
more opioid panikillers to patients. Practice Fusion was acquired by
Chicago-based Allscripts in 2018 for $100 million.
   (SFC, 1/29/20, p.A1)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 28, In Illinois three
people and a dog were killed in a small plane crash in a residential
area southeast of Springfield.
   (Good Morning America, 1/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 28, Charles Lieber
(60), the chair of Harvard's chemistry and chemical biology
department, was arrested on charges of lying to the US Defense
Department about his involvement with the Chinese government to
recruit foreign researchers into the controversial Thousand Talents
Plan.
   (Business Insider, 1/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 28, Mississippi
officials announced late today that another inmate has died in the
state's prison system, marking the 13th state prisoner death since
late December.
   (AP, 1/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 28, In Afghanistan the
Taliban carried out attacks late today on security checkpoints in
the northern province of Kunduz. 15 members of the Afghan army were
reported killed.
   (Reuters, 1/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 28, Britain gave the
green light to a limited role for Chinese telecoms giant Huawei in
the country's 5G network, in a decision it said was necessary for
developing its future digital economy but one that left the United
States "disappointed" after it called for a total ban.
   (AFP, 1/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 28, The European Union
added seven Russian-backed officials in Crimea to its sanctions
blacklist for organizing local elections in the peninsula last year.
   (Reuters, 1/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 28, French police
clashed with firefighters protesting in Paris against their working
conditions and demanding more pay.
   (Reuters, 1/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 28, A German court
ruled that a hostel situated on the grounds of the North Korean
embassy in Berlin must close as its operation breaches sanctions
aimed at stopping the flow of hard currency to Pyongyang.
   (Reuters, 1/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 28, Germany-based
Adidas said it will launch new fabrics made from recycled polyester
and marine plastic waste and expand the product lines that use them
after the success of shoes made with the Parley for the Oceans
initiative.
   (Reuters, 1/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 28, It was reported
that most major railway stations in India will use facial
recognition to fight crime by the end of 2020. Digital rights
campaigners warned the move could breach people's privacy in the
absence of stringent laws.
   (Reuters, 1/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 28, North Korea said
it will impose a one-month quarantine on all foreigners arriving
from China in a bid to prevent the spread of a new coronavirus. The
new strain of virus has killed at least 106 people in China and
infected more than 4,500.
   (Reuters, 1/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 28, Norway's national
economic crime unit (Okokrim) raided the local office of
international shipping company Teekay Offshore on suspicion of
illegally exporting waste. The company said a vessel had been sent
to an Indian yard in 2018 for recycling in full compliance with the
requirements and standards of the Hong Kong convention.
   (Reuters, 1/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 28, Thousands of
Palestinians protested in Gaza City ahead of the Trump
administration's announcement of its peace plan, which is expected
to strongly favor Israel.
   (AP, 1/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 28, Puerto Rico opened
only 20% of its public schools following a strong earthquake that
delayed the start of classes by nearly three weeks as fears linger
over the safety of students.
   (AP, 1/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 28, Qatar’s ruler
Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani appointed Khalid bin Khalifa Al
Thani, a close aide, as the country’s new prime minister after the
resignation of Abdullah bin Nasser Al Thani, who had held the
position since the emir came to power in June 2013.
   (Bloomberg, 1/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 28, A team overseeing
SAA's bankruptcy protected restructuring said that cash-strapped
state carrier South African Airways (SAA) will receive 3.5 billion
rand ($244 million) of emergency funding from the Development Bank
of Southern Africa.
   (Reuters, 1/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 28, Syrian government
forces entered Maaret al-Numan, a key rebel-held town in in Idlib
province, after surrounding it on three sides, sending thousands of
people fleeing to safety in areas farther north.
   (AP, 1/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 28, The UN's WHO said
China has agreed that the World Health Organization can send
international experts there "as soon as possible" to increase
understanding of a new coronavirus and guide the global response to
the outbreak.
   (Reuters, 1/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 28, The UN reported
that hundreds of children in the Sahel were killed, maimed or
forcibly separated from their parents last year as the jihadist
conflict continued to rage across the region.
   (AFP, 1/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 28, The UN refugee
agency reported that tribal clashes in Sudan’s West Darfur province
forced more than 11,000 people to flee into neighboring Chad over
the past month.
   (AP, 1/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 28, The UN food agency
said that one of its warehouses in the Houthi-controlled part of
Yemen had been looted. WFP said 127.5 tons (over 115,000 kg) of aid
were stolen in the northern province of Hajja.
   (AP, 1/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 29, President Donald
Trump signed the new North American trade agreement, the
US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), replacing NAFTA.
   (Reuters, 1/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 29, A memo by Peter
Navarro, President Trump’s trade adviser, warned that failing to
contain a coronavirus outbreak could cost the US trillions of
dollars and put millions of Americans at risk of illness or death.
This was not made public until April 7.
   (NY Times, 4/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 29, US senators posed
written inquiries that led to pointed, back-and-forth debate as
Trump’s legal team and House Democratic prosecutors pressed their
respective cases.
   (AP, 1/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 29, US authorities
announced the discovery of the longest smuggling tunnel ever found
on the Southwest border, stretching more than three-quarters of a
mile from an industrial site in Tijuana, Mexico, to the San Diego
area.
   (AP, 1/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 29, It was reported
that the US has deployed its first low-yield Trident nuclear warhead
on a submarine that is currently patrolling the Atlantic Ocean, in
what arms control advocates warn is a dangerous step towards making
a nuclear launch more likely.
   (The Guardian, 1/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 29, Illinois, Nevada
and Virginia, the last three states to pass the Equal Rights
Amendment, sued the archivist of the US government, demanding that
an amendment to the US Constitution guaranteeing equal rights for
women be declared valid.
   (Reuters, 1/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 29, It was reported
that Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc has agreed to sell its
newspaper business to Lee Enterprises Inc for $140 million in cash,
abandoning an industry the billionaire investor had long defended
even as its financial prospects deteriorated.
   (Reuters, 1/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 29, American Airlines
said it is suspending two routes to China, citing "significant
decline in demand for travel to and from China."
   (Good Morning America, 1/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 29, US-based Royal
Caribbean Cruises Ltd said it had canceled three trips scheduled in
February, after consultation with health authorities over the spread
of coronavirus that has killed more than 100 people and infected
thousands in China.
   (Reuters, 1/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 29, Bangladesh
officials said authorities in partnership with the United Nations
will expand educational programs for hundreds of thousands of Muslim
Rohingya children living in refugee camps who are currently
receiving only basic lessons.
   (AP, 1/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 29, Boris Johnson’s UK
government said it will take the troubled Northern Rail franchise
back into state ownership from March 1, in the latest sign that his
Conservative administration is willing to intervene in the running
of ailing private companies.
   (Bloomberg, 1/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 29, The BBC said it
will axe 450 jobs from its news division in a cost-saving plan that
will result in cuts at the World Service and its 5Live radio station
and in fewer reports being made by analysis show Newsnight.
   (Reuters, 1/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 29, British Airways
announced that it has suspended all flights to and from mainland
China "with immediate effect," as the country struggles to contain
the outbreak of the new coronavirus.
   (Good Morning America, 1/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 29, It was reported
that suspected Islamic extremists attacked a busy market in Burkina
Faso over the weekend and killed as many as 50 people.
   (SFC, 1/28/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 29, In China the
number of confirmed coronavirus cases jumped to 5,974, surpassing
the 5,327 in mainland China during the SARS outbreak in 2002-2003.
The death toll rose to 132.
   (AP, 1/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 29, French President
Emmanuel Macron accused Turkey of breaching an agreement to halt
foreign interference in Libya by sending warships and mercenaries to
the country.
   (AP, 1/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 29, Islam Alloush,
whose real name is Majdi Ne'mah, was arrested in Marseille and days
later handed preliminary charges linked to his activities in Syria.
The one-time spokesman for the Syrian rebel faction the Army of
Islam had arrived in the country on a short-term visa.
   (AP, 2/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 29, Germany-based
Lufthansa said it is suspending its own, Swiss and Austrian Airlines
flights to and from China until Feb. 9.
   (Reuters, 1/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 29, Indonesia's
disaster agency said landslides and floods from torrential monsoon
rains killed at least seven people on Sumatra island.
   (SFC, 1/30/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 29, Palestinians in
Lebanese refugee camps staged strikes, protests and sit-ins a day
after US President Donald trump revealed the long-awaited details of
a plan for ending the Israel-Palestinian conflict, denouncing it as
ridiculously lop-sided and saying it gives them no rights.
   (AP, 1/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 29, Philippines' Pres.
Rodrigo Duterte ordered all members of his Cabinet not to travel to
the United States after Washington blacklisted, Sen. Ronal dela
Rosa, his former national police chief over the government's drug
war.
   (SFC, 1/31/20, p.A6)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 29, Russia arrested
five former police officers on suspicion of planting drugs last year
on Ivan Golunov, a prominent journalist, to frame him.
   (Reuters, 1/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 29, Syrian government
forces captured town of Maaret al-Numan in Idlib province, one of
the largest and most strategic rebel-held towns in the country's
northwest.
   (AP, 1/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 29, In northwestern
Syria warplanes struck a town late today in a rebel-held enclave,
killing at least 10 people, including some who were fleeing the
attack. The attack was believed to have been carried out by Russian
warplanes. The Russian Defense Ministry rejected claims it was
behind the attack.
   (AP, 1/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 29, Tanzania’s
national carrier said it will have to postpone its maiden flights
from commercial capital Dar es Salaam to China, citing concerns over
the spread of a coronavirus that has killed 133 people.
   (Reuters, 1/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 29, UAE officials said
a family of four Chinese tourists in the United Arab Emirates became
the first cases in the Mideast of the new Chinese coronavirus. The
family from Wuhan, the epicenter of the viral outbreak, entered the
UAE on Jan. 16.
   (AP, 1/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 29, UNICEF said a
six-ton shipment of respiratory masks and protective suits for
health care workers landed in China today for distribution in Wuhan,
the epicenter of a spreading coronavirus outbreak.
   (Reuters, 1/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 30, US officials said
the United States will allow Russian, Chinese and European firms to
continue work at Iranian nuclear sites to make it harder for Iran to
develop a nuclear weapon, but will impose sanctions on its nuclear
entity and top official.
   (Reuters, 1/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 30, The Pentagon
confirmed late today that a total of 64 US service members have been
diagnosed with mild traumatic brain injuries in the wake of the
Iranian missile attack on US forces in Iraq earlier this month.
   (Business Insider, 1/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 30, The American
Postal Workers Union (APWU) announced that its executive board has
endorsed US Senator Bernie Sanders to be the Democratic presidential
nominee on behalf of its 200,000 members nationwide.
   (Reuters, 1/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 30, Fotis Dulos (52),
a Connecticut man charged with murdering his wife who went missing
amid a contentious divorce case, died in New York City following an
apparent suicide attempt. The body of Jennifer Dulos has not been
found despite extensive searches. On March 2 a Connecticut judge
decided to drop the murder and kidnapping case against the late
Fotis Dulos over the objections of his attorney, who said he wished
to pursue a trial to prove that his client did not kill his
estranged wife.
   (AP, 1/30/20)(NBC News, 3/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 30, In Pennsylvania a
boy (4) apparently shot himself with a gun found in the home of his
father Edward Williams (28). Williams told police that robbers had
invaded the house. He was soon charged with involuntary
manslaughter.
   (SSFC, 2/1/20, p.A8)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 30, Biogen Inc said it
was preparing for the launch of its experimental treatment for
Alzheimer's as the drugmaker races to become the first to bring a
treatment for the memory-robbing disease to market.
   (Reuters, 1/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 30, Eli Lilly and Co
posted a higher-than-expected fourth-quarter profit on strong demand
for diabetes drug Trulicity and psoriasis treatment Taltz, helping
ease investor concerns over the impact of fierce competition for its
growth products.
   (Reuters, 1/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 30, A San Diego judge
ordered Johnson & Johnson to pay nearly $344 million in
penalties for deceptively marketing pelvic mesh devices for women.
   (SFC, 1/31/20, p.A7)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 30, NASA pulled the
plug on the Spitzer Space Telescope after it spent 16 years scanning
the universe with infrared eyes. It had been designed to last 2½ to
5 years.
   (SFC, 1/30/20, p.A6)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 30, A Burundian court
jailed four journalists for 2-1/2 years for offences including
undermining state security in a ruling criticized by Amnesty
International as a sad day for press freedom in the central African
country.
   (Reuters, 1/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 30, China raised the
death toll from the coronavirus to 170 and more countries reported
infections from a new virus, including some spread locally, as
foreign evacuees from China's worst-hit region returned home to
medical tests and even isolation.
   (AP, 1/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 30, In eastern Congo
DRC rebels of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) killed at least 36
people in overnight attacks on villages in Beni territory.
   (SFC, 1/31/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 30, Egyptian
prosecutors said a 12-year-old girl died this week in southern Egypt
after her parents brought her to a doctor who performed female
genital mutilation, a criminal practice that remains widespread in
the region. Egypt's public prosecutor ordered the arrests of her
parents and the physician who preformed the procedure.
   (AP, 1/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 30, Ethiopian Airlines
said that its flights to China are operating normally, hours after
its passenger call center told Reuters that all flights were
suspended.
   (Reuters, 1/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 30, In France Imran
Aliev (44), a blogger from Chechnya vocally opposed to both Vladimir
Putin and Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, died after his throat was
cut in Lille. Aliev's traveling companion disappeared shortly after
the murder. French police later said they believe the murder was
"politically motivated".
   (AP, 2/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 30, Berlin’s
legislature backed measures including a five-year rent freeze, more
than six months after they were proposed by the left-leaning
administration. A property boom has caused rents to double over the
past decade.
   (Bloomberg, 1/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 30, Amnesty
International criticized Greece's plans to deploy a floating barrier
as a way to prevent migrants from reaching the Greek islands from
nearby Turkey.
   (AP, 1/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 30, Tokyo prosecutors
issued an arrest warrant for Nissan's former chairman Carlos Ghosn,
who skipped bail while awaiting trial in Japan. Prosecutors also
issued arest warrants for three Americans they say planned and
helped Ghosn escape.
   (SFC, 1/31/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 30, State news agency
Petra said Jordan has signed a new 4-year, $1.3 billion program with
the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
   (Reuters, 1/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 30, Kenya's high court
said the government could go ahead with a new digital ID scheme, as
long as it brought in stronger regulations and did not use it to
collect citizens' DNA and geo-location data.
   (Reuters, 1/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 30, The UN's refugee
agency in Libya announced it is suspending its operations at a
jam-packed migrant facility over safety concerns as deadly fighting
near the capital intensifies.
   (AP, 1/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 30, Brexit cleared its
final formal hurdle as the 27 European Union member states that
Britain will leave behind approved the withdrawal agreement reached
last October after more than three years of tortuous negotiations.
   (Reuters, 1/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 30, North Korea said
it is intensifying efforts to prevent the spread of a new virus from
China into the isolated country by blocking tourists, reducing
flights and mobilizing more screening efforts.
   (AP, 1/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 30, Russia said it is
closing its land border with China, effective tomorrow, similar to
steps taken by Mongolia and North Korea, to guard against a new
viral outbreak.
   (AP, 1/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 30, Naama Issachar, a
US-Israeli woman jailed for drug trafficking in Russia, was released
and flew out with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu after she was
pardoned by President Vladimir Putin.
   (AFP, 1/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 30, Cash-strapped
state carrier South African Airways (SAA) said it would "cancel and
consolidate selected flights" to lower costs, days after it received
a 3.5 billion rand ($244 million) government bailout to ease a
mounting cash-flow crunch.
   (Reuters, 1/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 30, In Sweden two
thieves stole items from the Couleur art gallery in Stockholm that
included 10 to 12 table-size bronze sculptures by Spanish artist
Salvador Dali.
   (SFC, 1/31/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 30, Swiss authorities
announced that they had processed a pilot transaction through the
Swiss Humanitarian Trade Arrangement (SHTA), a new payment channel
that intends to ease the sale of food and medicine to Iran by Swiss
companies.
   (Bloomberg, 2/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 30, The UN said the
worst locust outbreak that parts of East Africa have seen in 70
years needs some $76 million to help control and the money is
“required by, actually, now”.
   (AP, 1/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 30, The UN Security
Council called for an immediate end to a “significant” escalation in
fighting in Yemen between Houthi Shiite rebels and the Saudi-led
military coalition supporting the government.
   (AP, 1/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 30, The World Health
Organization (WHO) declared a global public health emergency over
the spread of the Wuhan coronavirus, citing the potential of the
virus to spread to countries not prepared to deal with the
contagion.
   (South China Morning Post, 1/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 31, The Trump
administration declared a public health emergency and announced
series of steps to halt the spread of the novel coronavirus, which
has stricken China and spread to countries around the world.
   (Bloomberg, 1/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 31, The Trump
administration announced that it was restricting immigrants from six
additional countries that officials said failed to meet minimum
security standards, as part of an election-year push to further
clamp down immigration. Immigrants from Kyrgyzstan, Myanmar,
Eritrea, Nigeria, Sudan and Tanzania will face new restrictions in
obtaining certain visas to come to the United States.
   (AP, 1/3120)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 31, President Donald
Trump canceled an Obama-era prohibition on the use of anti-personnel
landmines outside of the Korean peninsula. With potential future
conflict with China and Russia in mind, the new policy specified no
geographic limits on landmine use, declaring that the weapons offer
an important war-fighting capability.
   (AP, 1/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 31, The US Senate
rejected by a slim margin calling witnesses to the impeachment trial
of President Trump, setting up a final vote to end the proceedings.
Utah Senator Mitt Romney joined fellow moderate Susan Collins as the
only ones among the 53 Republican senators in the 100-seat chamber
to support voting for witnesses. This left Democrats still short of
the US Senate majority required and paving the way for Trump's swift
acquittal.
   (Yahoo News, 1/31/20)(Reuters, 1/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 31, The Treasury
deleted Chinese tanker company COSCO Shipping Tanker (Dalian) Co
from its sanctions list but continued to blacklist a second unit -
COSCO Shipping Tanker (Dalian) Seaman & Ship Management Co Ltd.
   (Reuters, 2/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 31, US Secretary of
State Mike Pompeo visited Belarus and said that the United States is
willing and able to provide Belarus with 100% of its oil and gas,
taking a slap at Russia which recently cut off supplies. Russia
stopped supplying oil to Belarus after Dec. 31. The two nations had
failed to renegotiate an agreed oil price for this year during
drawn-out negotiations on deepening the integration of their
economies.
   (AP, 2/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 31, The Trump
administration said it will not allow California to collect a key
health care tax on managed care organizations. The decision could
cost the state nearly $2 billion a year for low-income benefits.
   (SFC, 1/31/20, p.A6)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 31, A US federal judge
in Illinois stripped Iyman Faris of his naturalized US citizenship,
siding with the government in the case of a Pakistan-born man
convicted more than 15 years ago of plotting to destroy New York's
Brooklyn Bridge. Faris was sentenced in 2003 for aiding and abetting
al-Qaida by scoping out the bridge as part of a plot to cut through
cables that support it.
   (AP, 2/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 31, SF Bay Area's
Santa Clara County reported its first coronavirus case.
   (SSFC, 3/22/20, p.A12)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 31, Aspiring Chicago
rapper Qaw’mane Wilson (30), who posted a video on YouTube of
himself throwing thousands of dollars that he inherited from his
mother to his “fans,” was sentenced to 99 years in prison for her
2012 murder-for-hire killing. A Cook County judge also sentenced the
convicted gunman, Eugene Spencer, to 100 years.
   (AP, 2/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 31, In Maryland Coast
Guard Lt. Christopher Hasson (50) was sentenced to more than 13
years in prison for firearms and drug offenses. The judge said he
believed Hasson was preparing to carry out a "mass casualty assault"
to act out his white nationalist views.
   (SSFC, 2/1/20, p.A12)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 31, Baltimore
restaurant owner Jean Agbodjogbe, who developed a financial
relationship with a Kuwaiti royal, was found guilty of defrauding
Alia Salem Al-Sabah and was ordered to pay her more than $8 million.
   (AP, 2/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 31, Fifty North
Atlantic right whales were spotted south of Nantucket Island. The US
federal government asked Atlantic Ocean vessels to slow down in the
area as only about 400 right wales are left in the world.
   (SFC, 2/6/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 31, A drug designed to
minimize the frequency and severity of a child's allergic reaction
to peanuts was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration
(FDA). Palforzia, made by Aimmune Therapeutics, Inc. (AIMT) comes
with a potential cost of around $4,200 per year.
   (http://tinyurl.com/rrxfogy)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 31, Eli Lilly and Co
priced its acute migraine treatment at $640 for a pack of eight
pills and said it will be made available in pharmacies in the next
few days.
   (Reuters, 1/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 31, The Australian
capital region declared a state of emergency because of an
out-of-control forest fire burning erratically to its south.
   (AP, 1/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 31, A court in Belgium
acquitted three doctors of charges of manslaughter by poison in a
case seen as a key test of the nation's euthanasia laws. Tine Nys
(38), a patient with mental health problems, died in 2010.
   (SFC, 1/31/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 31, The United Kingdom
left the European Union with a mixture of joy, anger and
indifference, casting off into the unknown in one of the biggest
blows yet to Europe's attempt to forge unity from the ruins of World
War Two.
   (Reuters, 1/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 31, It was reported
that British PM Boris Johnson is preparing to impose full customs
and border checks on all European goods entering the UK after
Brexit, in an attempt to ramp up pressure on the bloc in trade
talks. Thousands of pro-Brexit supporters in central London erupted
in cheers, sent balloons into the sky and sang "Rule Britannia", as
Britain left the European Union.
   (Reuters, 2/1/20)(AFP, 2/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 31, China counted
9,692 confirmed cases of coronavirus with a death toll of 213,
including 43 new fatalities. The United States drew China's wrath
with a travel warning while businesses struggled with supply
problems from the coronavirus epidemic that has killed 213 people
and been declared a global emergency.
   (AP, 1/31/20)(Reuters, 1/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 31, French prosecutors
said that European plane maker Airbus bribed public officials and
hid the payments as part of a pattern of corruption that led to a
record $4 billion bribery settlement with France, Britain and the
United States.
   (Reuters, 1/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 31, Guatemala said it
is imposing travel restrictions on people who have recently been in
China to prevent the new coronavirus entering the Central American
country.
   (Reuters, 1/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 31, An Indian diplomat
said two Indian sailors were killed and two remain missing after the
Zoya 1 oil tanker caught fire earlier this week off the UAE's
sheikhdom of Sharjah.
   (AP, 1/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 31, Indonesia deported
US journalist Philip Jacobson who has written stories about
environmental destruction in Indonesia after being arrested over
alleged visa violations.
   (Reuters, 1/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 31, The Iranian
government banned flights to and from China. An analysis of flight
tracking data by BBC Arabic later found that Mahan Air, a privately
owned airline, flew between Iran and China 157 times between early
February and March.
   (The Telegraph, 5/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 31, In Iraq at least
11 demonstrators were wounded by security forces firing tear gas
canisters to disperse crowds. Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani
reiterated his condemnation of the use of force against
anti-government protesters. Radical cleric Muqtada al-Sadr called
for his followers to return to the street, one week after he
withdrew support for anti-government demonstrators camped out in
Baghdad's Tahrir Square.
   (AP, 1/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 31, In Nigeria More
than 1,000 motorcycle taxi drivers marched to the gates of the Lagos
state legislature to protest against a measure that will bar them
from much of the traffic-choked commercial capital.
   (Reuters, 1/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 31, Palestinians held
demonstrations across the region to protest President Donald Trump's
Middle East initiative, while militants in the Gaza Strip fired
rockets and mortar rounds at Israel, drawing retaliatory strikes.
   (AP, 1/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 31, Poland signed a
$4.6 billion deal with the US for the purchase of 32 of its advanced
F-35 fighter jets to enhance air defence on NATO's eastern flank.
   (SFC, 1/31/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 31, Sweden reported
its first confirmed case of coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 3/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 31, It was reported
that Ugandan doctors are giving new mothers artificial
intelligence-enabled devices to remotely monitor their health in a
first-of-its-kind study aiming to curb thousands of preventable
maternal deaths across Africa.
   (Reuters, 1/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 31, Vietnam Airlines
said it will suspend its flights to destinations in China from next
week over coronavirus concerns.
   (Reuters, 1/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 31, Advocacy group
Save the Children warned that half of nearly 400,000 displaced
people in the Syrian government's two-month-long offensive on the
country's last rebel-held region are children, calling it a wave of
displacement unlike anything seen before in the war.
   (AP, 1/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 31, The UN Security
Council approved a slight relaxation of the arms embargo on the
Central African Republic, an issue that has been a source of
friction between France and Russia. It allows the CAR to acquire
military vehicles mounted with up to 14.5mm weapons, provided the
United Nations is notified ahead of time.
   (AFP, 2/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan 31, A UN report said
Yemen's Huthi rebels are in possession of new weapons similar to
those produced in Iran in potential violation of a UN arms embargo.
   (AFP, 1/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan, US Census Bureau
computer servers were exploited during a cybersecurity attack, but
it didn't involve the 2020 census, and hackers' attempts to keep
access to the system were unsuccessful. This was only made public in
2021.
   (AP, 8/18/21)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan, Michael John
Helterbrand (25) was arested with two other men in Georgia(US) for
conspiring to kill members of an anti-fascist group. They were
members of the Base, a violent white supremacist group.
   (SFC, 4/25/20, p.A3)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan, New Jersey became the
2nd US state to adopt legislation outlawing all nicotine vaping
liquids other than those flavored to taste like tobacco.
   (SFC, 2/20/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan, In Afghanistan Mark
R. Frerichs, a Navy veteran turned contractor, disappeared late this
month. The Taliban later said they were not holding Frerichs.
   (AP, 5/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan, Behdad Esfahbod (38),
a prominent Canadian Iranian software engineer at Facebook, visited
his family and was arrested by Revolutionary Guard intelligence
agents on the streets of Tehran, held in solitary confinement for
seven days and psychologically tortured into promising to cooperate,
which he never did. In August Esfahbod made his story public.
   (AP, 8/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan, In China a Beijing
court ruled in favor of Gao Moumou, a product director for
e-commerce firm Dangdang. She had been fired in 2018 three months
after undergoing gender reassignment surgery. She was the first
transgender person to win a job discrimination case in China.
   (Econ., 8/1/20, p.34)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan, The International
Maritime Organization banned the use of high-sulfur "bunker oil," a
variety processed in Mexico's outmoded refineries.
   (Econ., 5/23/20, p.24)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan, The Federated States
of Micronesia banned entry to travelers late this month from
countries with confirmed cases of the coronavirus.
   (Econ, 3/21/20, p.34)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan, Russia successfully
test-launched its Tsirkon (Zircon) hypersonic cruise missile from a
military vessel for the first time early this month.
   (Reuters, 2/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Jan, In Sri Lanka a
government ministerial order said the national anthem may now only
be sung in Sinhalese and no longer in Tamil.
   (Econ., 3/7/20, p.35)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 1, In Florida gunfire
erupted after a funeral in Riviera Beach, killing a teenager (15)
and a man and leaving one other person wounded.
   (AP, 2/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 1, Juan Guaido,
Venezuela’s opposition leader, rallied supporters in Miami and met
with US Senator Marco Rubio, who’s played a key role in shaping US
policy on the South American country.
   (Bloomberg, 2/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 1, In Mississippi
inmate Jesus Garcia (39) was was found dead in his cell at the
Wilkinson Vounty Correctional Facility operated by the private
Management and Training Corp. This brought the total dead in the
state prison system to at least 15 since late December.
   (SFC, 2/4/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 1, It was reported
that Philip Elvin Riehl's suspected $60 million scheme "targeted
members of the Mennonite and Amish communities in Pennsylvania and
elsewhere and is one of the largest Pennsylvania-based alleged Ponzi
schemes in history".
   (USA Today, 2/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 1, Delta Air Lines
said it will accelerate the suspension of flights in and out of
China from the United States after the White House said it was
imposing new restrictions on visitors starting on February 2.
   (Reuters, 2/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 1, Australia banned
all arrivals from China due to the coronavirus.
   (Econ, 3/21/20, p.35)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 1, Austria, Germany,
and Slovenia confirmed they would not extradite their nationals to
the UK during the 11-month transition period which starts tomorrow.
   (Business Insider, 2/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 1, In Burkina Faso
gunmen killed at leat 18 civilians in an attack on the northern
village of Lamdamol.
   (SFC, 2/4/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 1, China’s death toll
from a new virus rose to 259 and the number of confirmed cases in
China rose to 11,791. A World Health Organization official said
other governments need to prepare for "domestic outbreak control” if
the disease spreads in their countries. At least 24 countries have
reported cases since China informed WHO about the new virus in late
December. The WHO counted 2,115 new cases.
   (AP, 2/1/20)(Econ., 7/4/20, p.10)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 1, An Egyptian court
referred the death sentences of 37 defendants, including one of the
country’s most high-profile militants, to Egypt’s top religious
authority for a non-binding opinion on whether they can be executed
on terrorism-related charges.
   (AP, 2/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 1, Indian Finance
Minister Nirmala Sitharaman unveiled the budget for fiscal 2020/21,
vowing to boost income of Indians and their purchasing power, in a
bid to revive domestic economic growth. India raised taxes on
imports of goods such as electronic items, toys and furniture,
aiming to give impetus to domestic manufacturing.
   (Reuters, 2/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 1, Indonesian
officials said that around 250 of its nationals being evacuated from
China's Hubei province, the center of the coronavirus epidemic, will
be quarantined in its Natuna Islands military base.
   (Reuters, 2/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 1, Former Iraqi
communications minister Mohammed Allawi (66) was named prime
minister-designate by rival factions after weeks of political
deadlock.
   (AP, 2/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 1, Japan moved to
contain the economic impact of a coronavirus outbreak originating in
China as strict new measures aimed at limiting the spread of the
virus, including targeting foreign visitors, came into effect. Japan
had 17 confirmed cases as of Jan. 31, including some without
symptoms.
   (Reuters, 2/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 1, In Mexico the body
of Raul Hernandez, a tour guide who worked at a famous butterfly
reserve, was found beaten and with a head injury about 8km from the
Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve. Hernandez was reported missing
by his family on 27 January after he left his home in the town of
San Pedro Libertad.
   (The Independent, 2/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 1, It was reported
that Exxon Mobil Corp and Total have asked Mozambique to send more
troops to guard their operations in the far north after a surge of
attacks by Islamist militants.
   (Reuters, 2/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 1, Nigeria's
government said it has created a committee to address the issues
that led to a suspension of US immigrant visas to its citizens.
   (Reuters, 2/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 1, Nigerian
authorities bannd two-and three-wheeled motor bike taxis. Drivers
asked "How do we feed our families?"
   (Econ, 3/14/20, p.36)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 1, Palestinian
President Mahmoud Abbas said the Palestinian Authority has cut
security ties with both Israel and the US in a speech at an Arab
League meeting in Cairo in which he denounced the White House plan
for ending the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
   (Reuters, 2/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 1, Three Philippine
airlines cancelled flights to China, joining many others around the
world that have done the same, after health officials confirmed the
Philippines' first case of coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 2/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 1, Russia's aerospace
defence forces began evacuating Russian citizens from China due to
the coronavirus outbreak.
   (Reuters, 2/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 1, Syria's government
started rationing subsidized food like rice and sugar with smart
cards, in the latest measure to address an economic crisis in the
war-torn country.
   (AFP, 2/1/20)
 2020      Feb 1, Insurgents
attacked pro-Syrian government forces west of Aleppo with three car
bombs, in an intensification of fighting in the northwest following
government gains this week.
   (Reuters, 2/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 1, In Tanzania twenty
people died and a dozen others were injured in a stampede during a
church meeting in the northern city of Moshi.
   (Reuters, 2/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 2, The average ticket
price for today's showdown between the Kansas City Chiefs and the
San Francisco 49ers hit $5,828 on StubHub, the second-highest price
seen for the Super Bowl over the last 10 years.
   (AP, 2/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 2, President Donald
Trump used a Super Bowl pregame interview to rail against Democrats,
accusing them of hatred and offering schoolyard insults about his
potential 2020 rivals. Trump congratulated the state of Kansas and
did not mention Missouri, where the Chiefs play their home games at
Missouri-based Arrowhead Stadium. The Kansas City Chiefs' won over
the San Francisco 49ers 31-20.
   (AP, 2/2/20)(SFC, 2/3/20, p.A1)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 2, The US military
command in South Korea instituted a 14-day self quarantine for any
troops who recently traveled to China, adding that an outbreak in
that country of a new coronavirus could harm military readiness.
   (Reuters, 2/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 2, The average ticket
price for today's showdown between the Kansas City Chiefs and the
San Francisco 49ers hit $5,828 on StubHub, the second-highest price
seen for the Super Bowl over the last 10 years.
   (AP, 2/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 2, California health
officials said they had confirmed 11 cases of the new,
fast-spreading coronavirus in the United States, with one in Santa
Clara County and two more in San Benito County.
   (Reuters, 2/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 2, Punxsutawney Phil,
Pennsylvania's most famous groundhog, declared: “Spring will be
early, it's a certainty”.
   (AP, 2/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 2, In Wisconsin Black
police Officer Joseph Mensah fatally shot Black teenager Alvin Cole
(17) outside a suburban Milwaukee mall. In October a prosecutor said
the officer would not be charged because he had reasonable belief
that deadly force was necessary.
   (AP, 10/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 2, In Australia dozens
of homes were destroyed overnight in New South Wales and around
Canberra.
   (SFC, 2/3/20, p.A3)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 2, The UK’s departure
from the European Union this weekend led to a reallocation of 27 of
the country’s 73 seats in the EU assembly among 14 member nations.
   (Bloomberg, 2/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 2, London police
officers shot and killed a suspect after at least two people were
stabbed in what authorities investigated as a terror attack. The
suspect was soon identified as recently released convict Sudesh
Amman (20).
   (AP, 2/2/20)(SFC, 2/3/20, p.A7)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 2, Chinese health
authorities released updated figures of 361 deaths and 17,205
confirmed cases from the newly identified coronavirus. The
incubation period is so long that people may not know where or when
they picked it up. Based on the first 425 confirmed cases in China,
each infection led to 2.2 others on average.
   (Reuters, 2/3/20)(AP, 2/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 2, In Egypt suspected
Islamic militants blew up a natural gas pipeline in the restive
norther part of Sinai Peninsula.
   (AP, 2/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 2, France said it will
deploy 600 additional soldiers in the African Sahel region to combat
extremists, raising the amount of troops there to 5,100.
   (AP, 2/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 2, In western Germany
more than 100 environmentalist activists occupied the site of the
yet-to-be commissioned Datteln 4 coal fired power plant to protest
against carbon emissions from coal burning.
   (Reuters, 2/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 2, In Iraq hundreds of
anti-government demonstrators rejected Mohammed Allawi as the new
prime minister-designate. Demonstrators have long swore they would
not accept a candidate chosen by Iraq's establishment. Populist
cleric Moqtada al-Sadr urged his followers to help security forces
clear roads blocked during months of sit-in protests.
   (AP, 2/2/20)(Reuters, 2/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 2, Kosovo’s two
biggest parties reached a deal to create a new government almost
four months after the Balkan country held snap elections following
the prime minister's resignation. Albin Kurti (44), leader of the
leftist Vetevendosje (Self Determination) party, said he would
become prime minister under the deal and work with the center-right
Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) and other groups.
   (Reuters, 2/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 2, In Lebanon more
than 200 Lebanese and Palestinians held a protest near the US
Embassy in Beirut against a White House plan for ending the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
   (AP, 2/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 2, The Philippines
recorded the first death outside China from the new coronavirus, as
countries around the world evacuated hundreds of their citizens from
the infection zone and Chinese authorities completed a new, rapidly
constructed 1,000-bed hospital for victims of the outbreak.
   (AP, 2/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 2, The Philippines's
Department of Agriculture said blood samples taken from pigs in a
southern province tested positive for the African swine fever virus.
   (Reuters, 2/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 2, In Somalia a US air
strike struck a home in the Middle Juba region as a family sat down
for dinner. One girl (18) was reported killed and three people
injured. On July 28 the US military acknowledged killing a civilian
and wounding three others with an airstrike in Somalia. The original
report on the airstrike said one member of the al-Shabab extremist
group was killed in the vicinity of Jilib.
   (SFC, 4/2/20, p.A2)(AP, 7/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 2, In Syria airstrikes
on a rebel-held village in the northwest killed at least seven
people, A large Turkish military convoy rumbled into rebel-held
areas of northwest Syria.
   (AP, 2/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 2, Vietnam Airlines
and Vietjet Air resumed flights to Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macau,
after the Hanoi government eased restrictions over virus concerns.
   (Reuters, 2/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 3, It was reported
that the US military has deployed a new addition to its nuclear
arsenal — a long-range missile armed with a nuclear warhead of
reduced destructive power. The so-called low-yield missile joins
other, more powerful weapons aboard stealthy submarines prowling the
oceans.
   (AP, 2/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 3, In California a
gunman killed a 51-year-old woman from Colombia and wounded five
others before dawn on a packed Greyhound bus traveling from Los
Angeles to San Francisco. Highway patrol officers found the suspect
a few minutes later and detained him. Anthony Devonte Williams (33)
of Capitol Heights, Maryland, was arrested after passengers managed
to disarm him and get him off the bus.
   (AP, 2/3/20)(AP, 2/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 3, Iowa held its
first-in-the-nation caucus on presidential candidates.
   (AP, 2/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 3, In Oklahoma City a
truck slammed into members of the Moore High School cross-country
team. One student was killed and another died the following day.
Authorities said the truck was driven by man whose son was killed in
a traffic crash over the weekend. Max Leroy Townsend (57) was being
held in the Cleveland County jail on charges of first-degree
manslaughter and six counts of failure to stop and render aid. A
third student died on Feb 15.
   (AP, 2/4/20)(SFC, 2/17/20, p.A6)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 3, In Texas two women
were killed and a child was wounded in a shooting at a Texas A&M
University-Commerce dormitory.
   (AP, 2/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 3, Britain and the EU
laid down their red lines for post-Brexit trade talks, offering
contrasting visions for their future relationship that raise the
prospect of clashes to come.
   (AFP, 2/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 3, China accused the
United States of whipping up panic over a fast-spreading coronavirus
with travel restrictions and evacuations as Chinese stocks plunged
on the first day back from the extended Lunar New Year holiday.
   (Reuters, 2/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 3, In China the first
patients arrived at a 1,000-bed hospital built in 10 days as part of
China's sweeping efforts to fight a new virus that is causing global
alarm. A woman (36) in the northern municipality of Tianjin was
detained by police after "deliberately concealing" her contact with
someone from a coronavirus-stricken area. Authorities reported 425
deaths and 20,438 confirmed cases. At least 180 cases have been
confirmed outside China.
   (AP, 2/3/20)(Reuters, 2/3/20)(SFC, 2/4/20, p.A3)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 3, Denmark's security
service said three members of the Iran-based Arab Struggle Movement
for the Liberation of Ahwaz have been arrested and suspected of
spying for a Saudi intelligence service. The suspected spying took
place for six years from 2012.
   (AP, 2/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 3, Emmanuel Macron
arrived in Warsaw for the first visit to Poland by a French head of
state in six years. He sought to mend relations strained by his
criticism of Poland’s controversial overhaul of the judiciary and
its rejection of a deal with Airbus in 2016.
   (Bloomberg, 2/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 3, Israeli PM Benjamin
Netanyahu arrived in Uganda, saying his country is ”returning to
Africa in a big way" and urging the East African country to open an
embassy in Jerusalem.
   (AP, 2/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 3, Israel’s Channel 13
TV reported that PM Netanyahu was pushing to have the US recognize
Moroccan sovereignty over the Western Sahara, which Morocco seized
after colonial power Spain pulled out in 1975, in a step that isn’t
internationally recognized.
   (Bloomberg, 2/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 3, Malawi's
Constitutional court nullified the results of last year's
presidential election citing widespread irregularities. The court
said a new vote will be held within 150 days. Supporters of
President Peter Mutharika had reportedly used Tipp-Ex to alter vote
tallies.
   (SFC, 2/4/20, p.A2)(Econ, 4/25/20, p.50)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 3, It was reported
that Nepal will count LGBT+ people for the first time in its next
census, scheduled for June 2021, a move that campaigners said could
help sexual minorities gain better access to education and health
schemes.
   (Reuters, 2/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 3, Pakistan, a close
Chinese ally, said it was resuming air travel to China after a
three-day suspension.
   (Reuters, 2/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 3, Sudan’s military
leader, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, met with Israeli PM Benjamin
Netanyahu in Uganda and agreed to work toward normalizing relations,
in what would be a historic step for the Arab League member that’s
never officially recognized the Jewish state.
   (Bloomberg, 2/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 3, Syrian troops
captured the village of Nairab, reaching another highway that links
the coastal city of Latakia with Aleppo. Syria's state news agency
SANA said government forces were chasing insurgents and that four
Turkish soldiers were killed and nine wounded triggering a Turkish
retaliation. It claimed there were no casualties among Syrian
troops.
   (AP, 2/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 3, President Recep
Tayyip Erdogan said Turkish artillery have hit some 46 targets in
Syria and Turkish warplanes were also involved. He claimed that
there were between 30 and 35 casualties on the Syrian side but
offered no evidence. Turkish troops shelled Syrian army positions in
three provinces, reportedly killing eight soldiers in Idlib, three
in Latakia province and two in the Hama region. Syrian activists
said airstrikes in the country's northern, rebel-held region killed
at least nine civilians.
   (AP, 2/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 3, Eight Yemeni
children in critical need of medical care were evacuated with their
families from the rebel-held capital Sanaa, in what the United
Nations hopes will be the first of more mercy flights. They were
flown to Egypt and Jordan for specialized care.
   (AFP, 2/3/20)(SFC, 2/4/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 4, President Donald
Trump, on the eve of his likely acquittal in the Senate impeachment
trial, delivered his third State of the Union address. The "great
American comeback” President Donald Trump claimed in his speech drew
on falsehoods about US energy supremacy, health care and the economy
as well as distortions about his predecessor's record. Trump awarded
conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh the Presidential Medal of
Freedom.
   (AP, 2/4/20)(NY Times, 2/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 4, The US Treasury
said the United States and Japan have signed an agreement to jointly
encourage more private investment in energy and infrastructure
projects.
   (Reuters, 2/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 4, The United States
and the British dependency of Jersey said they have agreed with
Nigeria to repatriate more than $300 million in funds stolen by
former military ruler General Sani Abacha. Corruption watchdog
Transparency International estimates he stole as much as $5 billion
of public money from 1993-1998.
   (AP, 2/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 4, The US Department
of Health and Human Services said it was partnering with Regeneron
Pharmaceuticals Inc to develop a treatment for the coronavirus,
making the drugmaker the latest to join the race to develop a
therapy.
   (Reuters, 2/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 4, In Arizona court
hearings began for an Iraqi man living in metro Phoenix accused of
leading an al-Qaida group that authorities say killed two police
officers in 2006 on the streets of Fallujah in attacks carried out
by masked men. Ali Yousif Ahmed Al-Nouri (42) was arrested last week
in Arizona as part of an extradition request made by the Iraqi
government.
   (AP, 2/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 4, Miami-based Royal
Caribbean Cruises Ltd said has canceled eight cruises out of China
through March 4 in response to the coronavirus outbreak.
   (AP, 2/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 4, Iowa's coveted
position as the first-in-the-nation nominating contest faces its
most daunting challenge in decades in light of problems that kept
the state Democratic Party from reporting results. The Iowa
Democratic Party blamed a “coding issue in the reporting system”
that it said has since been fixed. Partial results showed Pete
Buttigieg, the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, with a narrow
lead over Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders.
   (AP, 2/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 4, Cincinnati-based
Macy's Inc said it plans to close 125 of its least productive stores
over the next three years to tackle slowing mall traffic and will
slash more than 2,000 corporate jobs as a part of a cost-savings
effort.
   (Reuters, 2/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 4, In Saudi Arabia the
Middle Eastern respiratory syndrome (MERS) caimed another victim,
bringing the total to 858.
   (https://tinyurl.com/cgn6qfp)(Econ., 5/2/20,
p.65)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 4, Algerian President
Abdelmadjid Tebboune pardoned more than 3,000 prisoners serving
sentences less than six months as he seeks to win support after
months of political turmoil.
   (Reuters, 2/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 4, PM Boris Johnson
formally launched the UN COP26 process in London with a pledge to
bring forward the UK’s target to end the sale of new petrol and
diesel cars by five years to 2035, in a bid to cut greenhouse gas
pollution. COP26 is the abbreviated name of the 26th session of the
Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate
Change. COP26 will be held in Glasgow in November.
   (Bloomberg, 2/4/20)(AFP, 2/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 4, Bulgaria's
President Rumen Radev accused the center-right government of PM
Boyko Borissov of endangering the survival of the state through its
failure to tackle endemic corruption.
   (AP, 2/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 4, Officials in the
Chinese city of Macao asked its 41 casinos to close for half a month
to help the stop the coronavirus.
   (SFC, 2/5/20, p.A3)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 4, The EU rejected US
President Donald Trump’s proposal for securing peace in the Middle
East and expressed concern about Israel’s plans to annex more
Palestinian land.
   (AP, 2/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 4, A German appeals
court rejected a Jewish man's bid to force the removal of a
700-year-old anti-Semitic statue from Town Church in Wittenberg
where Martin Luther once preached. The sculpture depicts people
identifiable as Jews suckling on the teats of a sow, while a rabbi
lifts the animal’s tail.
   (AP, 2/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 4, Hong Kong hospitals
cut services as thousands of medical workers went on strike for a
second day to demand the border with mainland China be shut
completely, as a new virus caused its first death in the
semi-autonomous territory and authorities feared it was spreading
locally. The fast-spreading outbreak has killed 490 people with
24,324 confirmed cases.
   (AP, 2/4/20)(Reuters, 2/4/20)(SFC, 2/5/20, p.A3)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 4, Iran upheld the
death sentence given to Amir Rahimpour, an Iranian national, found
guilty of working for US intelligence.
   (Bloomberg, 2/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 4, In Kenya Daniel
arap Moi (95), a former schoolteacher who became Kenya’s
longest-serving president (1978-2002), died. He led the East African
nation through years of repression and economic turmoil fueled by
runaway corruption.
   (AP, 2/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 4, In Lebanon a
military investigative judge charged Amer Fakhoury (57), a
Lebanese-American man, with murder and torture of Lebanese citizens,
crimes he allegedly committed during Israel's occupation of southern
Lebanon. The prison, run by the so-called South Lebanon Army, was
abandoned after Israeli forces pulled out of southern Lebanon in
2000, ending an 18-year occupation.
   (AP, 2/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 4, Cease-fire talks
officially began in Geneva between the Libya's warring sides.
   (AP, 2/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 4, In the Maldives
three foreigners were stabbed in a suburb of Male. Muslim militants
claimed responsibility.
   (Econ, 3/21/20, p.36)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 4, Nigeria said it has
eased its visa rules in an effort to boost trade and tourism as an
African trade agreement promoting freer movement of goods and
services comes into effect.
   (Reuters, 2/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 4, The World
Organization for Animal Health (OIE) said Saudi Arabia has reported
an outbreak of the highly pathogenic H5N8 bird flu virus on a
poultry farm.
   (AP, 2/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 4, A judge in South
Africa issued an arrest warrant for former president Jacob Zuma for
failing to appear in court on a corruption case.
   (SFC, 2/5/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 4, Syrian government
forces advanced north under the cover of airstrikes reaching areas
that have been held by insurgents for eight years. The bombardment
forced more people to flee for safety in areas close to the Turkish
border.
   (AP, 2/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 4, It was reported
that Syrian militants affiliated with groups such as al-Qaida and
the Islamic State group were being sent by Turkey to fight on behalf
of the UN-supported government in Libya.
   (AP, 2/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 4, Turkey's Pres.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan said his country won't allow Syrian forces to
gain additional territory in a northern Syrian province, a day after
clashes between Turkish and Syrian forces killed soldiers on both
sides.
   (AP, 2/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 4, The World
Organization for Animal Health (OIE) said Vietnam has reported an
outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N6 bird flu in a village in the
northern part of the country.
   (AP, 2/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 4, In Yemen
Iran-backed Houthi rebels released dozens of Egyptian fishermen
after detaining them for weeks on charges of trespassing into
territorial waters.
   (AP, 2/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 5, Senate Republicans
voted to acquit Trump of abuse of power for pressing Ukraine to
investigate political rival Joe Biden, a contender for the
Democratic presidential nomination, and of obstructing a
congressional investigation of the matter. The acquittal was Trump's
biggest victory yet over his Democratic foes in Congress.
   (Reuters, 2/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 5, A US federal judge
prohibited US immigration authorities from relying on databases
deemed faulty to ask law enforcement agencies to hold people in
custody, a setback for the Trump administration that threatens to
hamper how it carries out arrests. The ruling applies only to the
Central District of California, where state law already sharply
limits the extent to which state and local law enforcement agencies
can honor requests from ICE. But the district encompasses ICE's
Pacific Enforcement Response Center in Laguna Niguel, which makes
requests around-the-clock to law enforcement agencies in 42 states
and two US territories.
   (AP, 2/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 5, The US Department
of Homeland Security said hat it would no longer let New York
residents enroll in its “trusted traveler” programs because of a new
state law that blocked federal immigration officials from accessing
motor vehicle records.
   (AP, 2/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 5, FBI Director Chris
Wray said that Russia is engaged in “information warfare” heading
into the 2020 presidential election. He said law enforcement has not
seen ongoing efforts by Russia to target America's election
infrastructure. Wray also told the House Judiciary Committee that
the threat of far-right domestic violent extremism has risen to a
"national threat priority" for 2020, posing a "steady threat of
violence and economic harm" to the US.
   (AP, 2/5/20)(The Independent, 2/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 5, Human Rights Watch
reported that at least 138 people deported from the US to El
Salvador in recent years were subsequently killed.
   (SFC, 2/6/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 5, Merck & Co Inc
said it will spin off its women's health, biosimilar drugs and older
products into a separate publicly traded company as it tightens its
focus on growth drivers like cancer drug Keytruda and vaccines.
   (Reuters, 2/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 5, American film star
Kirk Douglas (b.1916) died. His films included "The Strange Loves of
Martha Ivers" (1946), "Champion) (1949), "The Bad and the Beautiful"
(1952), "Lust for Life" (1956), "Spartacus" (1960) and "Lonely Are
the Brave" (1962). His autobiography was titled "The Ragman's Son"
(1988).
   (SFC, 2/6/20, p.C3)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 5, Cyprus said it is
preparing new legislation to curb the large number of sham marriages
that are being conducted to help individuals obtain residency
permits and potentially easier access to the European Union.
   (AP, 2/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 5, At least two people
died in Slovakia and the Czech Republic as strong winds, heavy rain
and snow battered central and eastern Europe.
   (AP, 2/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 5, In Germany
Chancellor Angela Merkel’s party lined up with the far right
Alternative for Germany (AfD) for the first time ever to elect a
state leader in Thuringia, throwing the country’s political
establishment into disarray.
   (AP, 2/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 5, German Chancellor
Angela Merkel arrived in South Africa to discuss trade, investment
and energy issues with Berlin's largest trading partner in Africa.
   (AP, 2/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 5, German sportswear
company Adidas said it was temporarily shutting a "considerable"
number of its stores in China due to the coronavirus outbreak.
   (Reuters, 2/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 5, Senior Iraqi
military officials said its government has told the military not to
seek assistance from the US-led coalition in operations against the
Islamic State group.
   (AP, 2/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 5, In southern Iraq at
least eight anti-government protesters were shot dead and 52 were
wounded in clashes in Najaf with followers of radical Shiite cleric
Muqtada al-Sadr.
   (AP, 2/6/20)(AP, 2/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 5, Israeli forces shot
and killed a Palestinian (17) during clashes with demonstrators in
the West Bank, the first death since tensions rose following the
release of President Donald Trump's Mideast plan.
   (AP, 2/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 5, Organizers said
Italian fashion house Prada is helping to fund a United Nations
program that will enlist high school students from 10 cities to
spread awareness about how humans impact the world's oceans.
   (AP, 2/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 5, It was reported
that at least 10 people aboard a cruise ship moored in Japan have
tested positive for the novel coronavirus. The Diamond Princess will
remain under quarantine in Yokohama with everyone on board for at
least 14 days. Three more cruise ship passengers were soon diagnosed
with the virus in Japan for a total of 64 on board the ship.
   (Good Morning America, 2/5/20)(AP, 2/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 5, In the Netherlands
the University of Maastricht disclosed that it had paid hackers a
ransom of 30 bitcoin -- at the time worth 200,000 euros ($220,000)
-- to unblock its computer systems, including email and computers,
after an attack that unfolded on Dec. 24.
   (Reuters, 2/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 5, Aid groups in Syria
said cold weather, disease and a lack of shelter and medicine
threatened hundreds of thousands of civilians as they fled fighting
in Idlib province, in one of the biggest upheavals of the country's
nine-year civil war.
   (Reuters, 2/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 5, Turkey's Pres.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan threatened to use force against Syrian
government forces if they don't pull back to an earlier cease-fire
line in northern Syria by the end of the month.
   (AP, 2/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 5, In eastern Turkey
successive avalanches over the last 24 hours killed at least 38
people and trapped dozens more. The death toll soon climbed to 41.
The double avalanche left 84 people injured.
   (AP, 2/5/20)(AP, 2/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 5, In Turkey a Pegasus
Boeing 737 skidded off a runway in Istanbul and broke apart while
landing in bad weather. Three people were killed and 179 injured.
   (SFC, 2/6/20, p.A2)(SSFC, 2/9/20, p.A3)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 5, It was reported
that Pope Francis has defrocked the Argentine priest, Roberto Juan
Yannuzzi, after a four-year investigation determined he had sex with
adults under his authority, absolved them of the sin during
confession and otherwise abused his power. The pope’s decision was
made public this week in a statement by the archbishop of La Plata,
Argentina.
   (AP, 2/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 5, In Zimbabwe some 20
miners were trapped underground after a mine shaft collapsed. At
least two bodies were recovered.
   (AP, 2/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 6, US President Donald
Trump met with Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, who came to the
White House with a warning: Africa is not a battlefield for proxy
disputes with countries such as China.
   (AP, 2/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 6, It was reported
that the US Treasury Department has complied with Republican
Senators’ requests for highly sensitive and closely-held financial
records about Hunter Biden and his associates and turned over
“‘evidence’ of questionable origin” to them, according to a leading
Democrat on one of the committees conducting the investigation.
   (Yahoo News, 2/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 6, A US safety
regulator said it has allowed SoftBank Group-backed autonomous
vehicle startup Nuro Inc to temporarily deploy up to 5,000 low-speed
electric delivery vehicles without human controls like mirrors and
steering wheels.
   (Reuters, 2/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 6, The FBI identified
China as the biggest law enforcement threat to the United States,
and its director said Beijing was seeking to steal American
technology by "any means necessary".
   (Reuters, 2/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 6, A US citizen (60)
died from the coronavirus in Wuhan, China. It was the first known
American death from the illness, and was likely to add to diplomatic
frictions over Beijing’s response to the epidemic.
   (NY Times, 2/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 6, A female (57)
resident of Santa Clara County, Calif., died of the coronavirus,
making this the earliest known victims of the pandemic in the United
States. A 2nd resident (69) died on Feb. 17 and a 3rd (70) on March
6. On April 21 county health officials and the CDC said that the
presence of the disease Covid-19 was determined by tissue samples
from autopsies.
   (https://tinyurl.com/ybvnqykd)(AP, 4/22/20)(SFC,
4/23/20, p.A7)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 6, In Indiana four
young people were fatally shot in Indianapolis late today in an
apparent targeted attack.
   (SFC, 2/7/20, p.A6)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 6, Tom Perez, the
chairman of the Democratic National Committee, called for a
“recanvass” of the results of the Iowa caucuses, saying it was
needed to “assure public confidence" after three days of technical
issues and delays. New results late today showed former South Bend,
Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg leading Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders by
two state delegate equivalents out of 2,152 counted.
   (AP, 2/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 6, Peter Rockwell
(83), whose famous father's iconic images graced the covers of the
Saturday Evening Post and who became a noted artist in his own
right, died in Danvers, Mass.
   (AP, 2/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 6, Author Roger Kahn
(92), perhaps best known for his 1972 best-selling book "The Boys of
Summer," died in New York. The book nostalgically romanticized the
Brooklyn Dodgers of a bygone era.
   (Reuters, 2/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 6, In North Carolina
Durham County sheriff’s deputies charged a record 18 people with
soliciting prostitution, targeting the customers in a new fight
against human trafficking. Deputies used the internet to arrange
meetings with men at a local hotel and then arrested them there.
   (Charlotte Observer, 2/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 6, Lynn Evands Mand
(95), lead singer of the Chordettes, died in Ohio. The group became
popular for their recording of "Mr Sandman" (1954) and "Lollipop"
(1958) among other songs.
   (SSFC, 3/1/20, p.B9)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 6, NASA astronaut
Christina Koch, who has spent nearly 11 months in orbit on the
longest spaceflight by a woman, landed safely in Kazakhstan along
with along with station Commander Luca Parmitano of the European
Space Agency and the Russian space agency Roscosmos' Alexander
Skvortsov.
   (AP, 2/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 6, Severe weather left
one dead in Alabama as more than six dozen damaging storms are
reported in the South from Louisiana to Tennessee -- including 12
reported tornadoes in Mississippi alone.
   (Good Morning America, 2/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 6, In southwestern
Alaska a pilot and four passengers were killed in a commuter plane
crash.
   (SFC, 2/8/20, p.A6)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 6, Eric Eoin Marques
(34), a man who spent years fighting his extradition from Ireland to
the US, pleaded guilty in a Maryland courtroom to operating a web
hosting service that allowed users to anonymously access more than 1
million files of child pornography.
   (AP, 2/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 6, Texas executed Abel
Ochoa (47). The man had been convicted for shooting and killing his
29-year-old wife and his two daughters, as well as his father-in-law
and sister-in-law shortly after smoking crack in 2002.
   (Reuters, 2/6/20)(SFC, 2/7/20, p.A6)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 6, Corteva Inc said it
will stop producing the agricultural pesticide chlorpyrifos by the
end of the year, removing the world's largest manufacturer of a
chemical that has been linked to low birth weight, reduced IQ and
attention disorders in children. Corteva was spun off last year
after a merger of Dow Chemical and Dupont.
   (Reuters, 2/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 6, Regeneron
Pharmaceuticals Inc said it is ramping up efforts to develop a set
of coronavirus treatments, which could be available for testing or
use in some patients within a few months.
   (AP, 2/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 6, Chinese President
Xi Jinping declared a "people's war" against the fast-spreading
coronavirus. Chinese health authorities reported 563 deaths and
another sharp jump in the number of confirmed cases to 28,018.
Outside mainland China, at least 260 cases have been confirmed.
China finished building a second new hospital to isolate and treat
patients of the virus.
   (Reuters, 2/6/20)(AP, 2/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 6, In Colombia inmate
Jhon Jairo Velasquez Vasquez, aka Popeye, died. He had worked for
drug kingpin Pablo Escobar and said he participated in some 300
murders.
   (Reuters, 2/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 6, In southern Egypt
13 people were killed and seven injured when a bus and a truck
collided on a highway in Aswan province.
   (AP, 2/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 6, Thomas Kemmerich,
the premier of Germany's Thuringia state, stepped down and called
for snap elections, barely 24 hours after he was elected with the
help of far-right AfD lawmakers in a vote Angela Merkel called
"unforgivable".
   (AFP, 2/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 6, Greek officials
said they have detected their first case of African swine fever at a
breeding farm in the north of the country this week. African swine
fever is harmless to humans but it is highly contagious and deadly
in pigs. It has spread from Africa to Europe and Asia and has
already killed hundreds of millions of pigs, affecting global meat
markets.
   (Reuters, 2/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 6, Greek police
arrested seven people and searched for two others on suspicion of
planning or carrying out attacks on migrants on the island of
Lesbos.
   (SFC, 2/8/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 6, Israel carried out
airstrikes near Damascus early today, wounding eight soldiers. An
opposition war monitoring group said the strikes targeted army
positions as well as Iran-backed fighters, killing 23.
   (AP, 2/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 6, Israeli forces
killed two Palestinians in clashes in the occupied West Bank and a
third in Jerusalem after he opened fire at police, hours after a
car-ramming attack elsewhere in the city wounded 12 Israeli
soldiers.
   (AP, 2/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 6, In northern Italy a
high-speed passenger train derailed killing two railway workers and
injuring 28 other people as its engine broke off and careened into a
work vehicle on an adjacent track on the Milan-Bologna line.
   (SFC, 2/7/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 6, Russia said it has
begun checking the body temperature of officials and reporters
attending events involving President Vladimir Putin due to
coronavirus fears.
   (AFP, 2/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 6, Saudi Arabia barred
its citizens and residents of the kingdom from traveling to China
amid the new virus outbreak.
   (AP, 2/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 6, Amnesty
International said Saudi Arabia has used a secretive court
established to try terrorism cases as "a weapon of repression" to
imprison peaceful critics, activists, journalists, clerics and
minority Muslim Shiites, including some who were sentenced to death
and executed.
   (AP, 2/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 6, Turkey sent more
reinforcements into northwestern Syria, setting up new positions in
an attempt to stop a Syrian government offensive on the last rebel
stronghold in the war-torn country.
   (AP, 2/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 7, Pres. Donald Trump
ousted Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, the decorated soldier and
national security aide who played a central role in the Democrats'
impeachment case. Next came word that Gordon Sondland, Trump's
ambassador to the European Union, also was out.
   (AP, 2/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 7, Former Secretary of
the Navy Richard V. Spencer endorsed Democratic presidential
candidate Michael Bloomberg, making him the first high-level former
Trump administration official to back a Democratic hopeful in the
2020 election.
   (Reuters, 2/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 7, More than 300,000
homes and businesses were without power early today as a weather
system blamed for five deaths in the South moved into the
northeastern United States. Authorities confirmed five storm-related
fatalities, in Alabama, South Carolina, North Carolina and
Tennessee.
   (AP, 2/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 7, A judge in Boston
ordered Douglas Hodge (62) of Laguna Beach to spend nine months in
federal prison for paying bribes to get four of his children into
the Univ. of Southern California and Georgetown as fake athletic
recruits. Hodge onece served as the head of Pimco, a bond management
company.
   (SFC, 2/8/20, p.A6)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 7, Vance Pearson, a
former senior official of the United Auto Workers based in St.
Louis, pleaded guilty to a corruption scheme that used union cash
for vacation villas, golf, cigars and booze.
   (SFC, 2/10/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 7, In New Hampshire a
Democratic presidential debate was held ahead or the upcoming
primary in the state. Joe Biden had a strong moment during the
debate when he called on the audience to “stand and give Col.
Vindman a show of how much we supported him," adding that Trump
“should be pinning a medal on Vindman and not on Rush Limbaugh".
   (AP, 2/8/20)(Yahoo News, 2/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 7, It was reported
that the US Air Force had 84 suicides among active-duty members last
year, up from 60 the year before.
   (AP, 2/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 7, The World
Meteorological Organization (WMO) said the Esperanza base on the
northern tip of the Antarctic peninsula has recorded a temperature
of 18.3 degrees Celsius (64.94 degrees Fahrenheit), the highest on
record.
   (Reuters, 2/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 7, Heavy rains lashed
parts of the wildfire and drought-stricken Australian east coast,
bringing some flooding in Sydney and relief to firefighters still
dealing with dozens of blazes in New South Wales. There were still
42 fires burning in the state, with 17 of those not contained.
   (AP, 2/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 7, Government data
showed that aggressive deforestation is starting earlier this year
in Brazil's Amazon rainforest, with destruction doubling in January
compared with a year ago.
   (AP, 2/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 7, It was reported
that Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has signed into law
quarantine rules for Brazilians who will be brought back from the
Chinese city of Wuhan, the epicenter of a coronavirus outbreak.
   (AP, 2/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 7, Shamima Begum (20),
a UK woman who as a teenager ran away to join the Islamic State
group in 2015, lost a legal challenge Friday aimed at restoring her
citizenship, which was revoked on national security grounds.
   (AP, 2/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 7, China confirmed
31,161 cases and 636 deaths on the mainland. Dr. Li Wenliang (34)
died overnight due to the coronavirus at Wuhan Central Hospital.
Police in December had reprimanded eight doctors including
ophthalmologist Li for warning friends on social media about the
emerging threat.
   (AP, 2/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 7, Independent
scientists questioned research that suggested that the outbreak of
coronavirus disease spreading from China might have passed from bats
to humans through the illegal traffic of pangolins. South China
Agricultural University had led the research.
   (Reuters, 2/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 7, Egypt freed
pro-democracy activist Ramy Sayed (31). He had spent over four years
in prison and rose to local prominence as one of the faces of the
country's 2011 uprising.
   (AP, 2/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 7, Egyptian police
arrested Patrick George Zaki (27), an activist, researcher and vocal
critic of President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi's government.
   (AP, 2/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 7, French President
Emmanuel Macron called for European nations to play a more direct
role in halting a new nuclear arms race, saying they "cannot remain
spectators" against a threat to the continent's collective security.
   (AFP, 2/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 7, French air strikes
killed 20 militants in the Sahel region where Mali, Niger and
Burkina Faso meet. Earlier in the week commando operations killed
about ten others in the border area.
   (SSFC, 2/9/20, p.A3)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 7, Iraq's Grand
Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani called for security forces to protect
anti-government protesters in a sermon, after weeks of violence in
Baghdad and southern Iraq, and amid seething tensions between
demonstrators and followers of cleric Muqtada al-Sadr.
   (AP, 2/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 7, The director of
Israeli crossings informed all exporters and all relevant parties
that all Palestinian agriculture products would be banned from
export to world markets through the Jordanian crossing starting Feb.
9.
   (Reuters, 2/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 7, The head of Ivory
Coast's cotton and cashew council said production of cashews fell
17% to 634,641 tons in 2019 after as much as 200,000 tons were
smuggled out of the country.
   (Reuters, 2/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 7, In southern
Kazakhstan ethnic clashes between ethnic Kazakhs and Dungans, a
minority group with Chinese roots, left eight people dead. The total
number of casualties soon rose to 10. Dozens of people were detained
as police established their roles in the incident.
   (AP, 2/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 7, Norway, western
Europe's largest oil and gas producer, announced it was increasing
its ambition to cut carbon emissions and would put an implementation
plan before parliament later this year.
   (Reuters, 2/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 7, President Vladimir
Putin ordered payments to be made to Russian World War II veterans
in Russia and the Baltic States as well as to those who were held in
Nazi concentration camps. The one-time payments of 50,000 rubles to
75,000 rubles ($790-$1,200) will also go to the widows or widowers
of veterans in Russia as well as Russian citizens in Lithuania,
Latvia and Estonia.
   (AP, 2/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 7, Airat Khairullin, a
member of the lower house of the Russian parliament, was killed in a
helicopter crash in Tatarstan, about 850 km (500 miles) east of
Moscow. Two survivors suffered serious injuries.
   (AP, 2/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 7, In South Africa
Tazne van Wyk (7) went missing. Her body was found two weeks later
after her suspected murderer led police to the storm drain where he
said he had disposed of it. The suspect, a violent multiple offender
had been released on parole. He was in prison for the kidnapping and
murder of another child.
   (BBC, 3/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 7, Sudan reached a
settlement with families of the victims of the 2000 bombing of the
USS Cole in Yemen, as part of its campaign to persuade the US to
remove its designation as a state sponsor of terrorism. The
settlement for about $30 million would be split between the families
of the 17 sailors killed.
   (Bloomberg, 2/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 7, Tunisia fired
Moncef Baati, its ambassador to the UN, accusing him of failing to
consult the foreign ministry on key issues that diplomatic sources
said included Washington's controversial Middle East peace plan.
   (AFP, 2/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 7, Several Turkish
armored vehicles and tanks entered rebel-controlled northwestern
Syria, the latest reinforcements sent in by Ankara amid a Syrian
government offensive that this week brought the two countries'
troops into a rare direct confrontation.
   (AP, 2/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 7, The UN said people
are fleeing a surge of attacks in northern Mozambique where
witnesses have described beheadings, mass kidnappings and villages
burned to the ground.
   (Reuters, 2/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 7, A UN poverty expert
said Spain is depriving its poor of basic rights, even as its
businesses recover from the economic crisis.
   (AP, 2/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 8, In Washington DC
police escorted more than 100 members of the Patriot Front, a white
nationalist group, on a march through the National Mall.
Metropolitan Police said the march occurred without incident or
arrests.
   (Reuters, 2/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 8, In San Francisco a
shooting Haight-Ashbury neighborhood involved an off-duty FBI agent
and an adult male, who was hospitalized. The agent was not hurt.
   (AP, 2/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 8, Robert Conrad
(b.1935), American film and TV star, died in Malibu, Ca. His TV work
included the series "The Wild Wild West" (1965-1970), "Baa Baa Black
Sheep" (1976) and "The Black Sheep Squadron" (1977). His films
included "Young Dillinger" (1966) and "Jungle All the Way" (1996).
   (SFC, 2/12/20, p.C5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 8, In eastern
Afghanistan two US soldiers were killed and six wounded in a
so-called insider attack in Nangarhar province late today. One
Afghan National Army member was also killed.
   (AP, 2/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 8, Australian
authorities declared the Currowan Fire south of Sydney was finally
out after destroying more than 300 homes and razing 500,000 hectares
(1.2 million acres) over two-and-a-half months. A deluge in eastern
parts of the country drenched deadly fires and helped ease a
crippling drought.
   (AP, 2/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 8, China's city of
Wuhan, at the center of the coronavirus outbreak, opened another
makeshift hospital, providing 1,500 beds.
   (Reuters, 2/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 8, The World Health
Organization (WHO) said the death toll in mainland China has risen
to 723, looking likely to pass the 774 deaths recorded globally
during the 2002-2003 outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome
(SARS). A total of 34,546 cases were reported on the mainland. The
virus has spread to 27 countries and regions, based on official
reports, infecting more than 330 people.
   (Reuters, 2/8/20)(AP, 2/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 8, France said it is
closing two schools and tried to reassure vacationers in the Alps
after five British citizens, including a 9-year-old child,
contracted the new virus from China at a French ski resort.
   (AP, 2/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 8, Germany's ruling
coalition called for fresh elections in the eastern state of
Thuringia, whose pro-business premier stepped down only two days
after being helped into the job with votes from the far right.
   (Reuters, 2/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 8, Voters in New Delhi
began voting in a state election seen as a test of Indian PM
Narendra Modi's popularity following months of deadly
anti-government protests over a new citizenship law.
   (Reuters, 2/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 8, Iran said it has
repelled a cyberattack that disrupted the country's internet
services for an hour.
   (AFP, 2/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 8, Irish voters cast
their ballots with PM Leo Varadkar hoping to secure a new term on
the back of his Brexit strategy. Polls put his Fine Gael party
behind rivals Sinn Fein and Fianna Fail. Irish Republican
Army-linked party Fianna Fail received 22.2% of the votes. Fine
Gael, the party of incumbent Prime Minister Leo Varadkar, got 20.9%.
   (AFP, 2/8/20)(Bloomberg, 2/9/20)(AP, 2/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 8, Libya’s warring
sides ended several days of UN-brokered talks in Cairo without
reaching a deal to consolidate a provisional cease-fire in and
around the capital.
   (AP, 2/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 8, North Korea failed
to stage a parade in central Pyongyang, the 72nd anniversary of the
founding of the country’s armed forces. This appeared to be a sign
of the regime's fear of the coronavirus spreading from China.
   (AP, 2/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 8, In Poland thousands
of people rallied in Warsaw to show support for the country's
right-wing leadership as it overhauls the justice system to put it
under government control.
   (SSFC, 2/9/20, p.A3)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 8, Syrian government
forces captured new areas from insurgents in their efforts to
control a key highway in the northwest, as Turkey sent more
reinforcements into the war-torn country.
   (AP, 2/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 8, In northeastern
Thailand a soldier shot multiple people and was holed up in a
shopping mall in Nakhon Ratchasima. The suspect was identified as
Sgt. Jakrapanth Thomma. It took Thai police sharpshooters 16 hours
to Thomma and end the crisis that left 29 dead.
   (https://tinyurl.com/yacu34x5)(AP, 2/8/20)(AP,
2/9/20)(Econ., 5/9/20, p.29)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 8, Turkmen President
Kurbanguly Berdymukhamedov (62) named his son Serdar (38) as
minister of industry and construction. Serdar is likely to oversee
the ambitious project of building a new capital from scratch for the
central Ahal province, which he used to head.
   (Reuters, 2/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 8, Ukrainian President
Volodymyr Zelenskiy asked Pope Francis for help to win the release
of prisoners of war held by Russia and Russian-backed separatists.
   (Reuters, 2/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 9, In Hollywood
"Parasite," a suspenseful South Korean film, became the first
non-English movie to win best picture. It also won the Oscar for
best international film, original screenplay and best director.
Joaquin Phoenix and Renee Zellweger picked up the Oscars for best
actor and actress. Brad Pitt and Laura Dern won the supporting actor
and actress categories.
   (Good Morning America, 2/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 9, A report released
by Recorded Future, a Cambridge, Mass., said North Korea has vastly
expanded its use of the internet in ways that enable its leader, Kim
Jong Un, to evade a “maximum pressure” US sanctions campaign and
turn to new forms of cybercrime to prop up his government.
   (AP, 2/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 9, In New York City a
gunman walked into a police station in the Bronx and started
shooting early today, wounding an officer just hours after he shot a
different officer in a patrol van. The suspect was taken into
custody.
   (AP, 2/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 9, Amazon.com Inc said
it is pulling out of this month's Mobile World Congress because of
the coronavirus outbreak, in another blow to one of the telecom
industry's biggest gatherings which attracts over 100,000 visitors
to Barcelona. The GSMA telecoms industry association said the Feb.
24-27 event will go ahead as planned.
   (AP, 2/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 9, In Florida Europe
and NASA's Solar Orbiter was launched at Cape Canaveral late today
to capture the first pictures of the sun's elusive poles.
   (SFC, 2/11/20, p.A8)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 9, An attack on an
Algerian military barracks near the country's border with Mali
killed one soldier and the driver of a vehicle rigged with
explosives. The Islamic State soon claimed responsibility.
   (Reuters, 2/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 9, Azerbaijan voters
chose a new parliament in an early election after a short and
low-key campaign.
   (AP, 2/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 9, Storm Ciara
battered the UK and northern Europe with hurricane-force winds and
heavy rains, halting flights and trains and producing heaving seas
that closed down ports.
   (AP, 2/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 9, In Cameroon a surge
of violence derailed voting in English-speaking regions because
residents were too scared to cast ballots in legislative and
municipal elections after militant separatists kidnapped scores of
candidates and threatened violence.
   (AP, 2/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 9, China raised the
death toll from its coronavirus outbreak to 811. Total confirmed
coronavirus cases in China stood at 37,198.
   (Reuters, 2/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 9, El Salvador's
President Nayib Bukele marched into the National Assembly with
soldiers to demand that lawmakers pass a languishing request for
security loans.
   (Bloomberg, 5/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 9, In India the
regional Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) party held a rally in
Mumbai to support a citizenship law introduced by PM Narendra Modi
last year that has triggered nationwide protests.
   (Reuters, 2/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 9, Indian-held Kashmir
was hit by a general strike called by the separatist Jammu Kashmir
Liberation Front (JKLF) to mark the anniversary of the death of
Afzal Guru, a Kashmiri man who was executed for his part in an
attack on India's parliament in 2001.
   (Reuters, 2/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 9, An Iranian rocket
failed to put a communications satellite into orbit today, the
latest setback for a program the US claims helps Tehran advance its
ballistic missile program.
   (AP, 2/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 9, In Ireland Fine
Gael and Fianna Fail ruled out governing with Sinn Fein, the former
political wing of the IRA, which presented itself as a left-wing
alternative to the centrist consensus which has largely dominated
government since the foundation of the state in the 19/20s.
   (Bloomberg, 2/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 9, The Israeli
military blocked Palestinian agricultural exports in the latest
escalation of a months-long trade war that comes amid fears of
renewed violence as well.
   (AP, 2/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 9, Libya's Azzawiya
Oil Refining Company said that it was forced to stop refining
operations due to a lack of crude supplies and no inventory. Oil
output in Libya has fallen sharply since Jan. 18 because of a
blockade of ports and fields by groups loyal to eastern-based
commander Khalifa Haftar.
   (Reuters, 2/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 9, A dinghy carrying
migrants left Garabulli, Libya, and soon disappeared. All aboard
were presumed drowning.
   (AP, 3/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 9, Thousands of people
marched in Morocco's capital to protest US President Donald Trump's
peace plan for the Mideast and to oppose what they see as the
Moroccan government's lenient position toward it.
   (AP, 2/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 9, Hundreds of Myanmar
nationalists rallied in the country's commercial capital in a show
of support for the military, amid tensions between the civilian
government and the army ahead of elections expected later this year.
   (Reuters, 2/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 9, The Philippines
confirmed that African swine fever infections had spread in the
south of the country, which accounts for nearly a third of the
nation's 12.8 million pig herd.
   (Reuters, 2/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 9, Spain's National
Center for Microbiology confirmed the country's second case of new
coronavirus, after tests on one of four people suspected of having
the virus in Mallorca came back positive. The other three were
negative.
   (Reuters, 2/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 9, A Swiss referendum
cleared the way for the country to close a loophole in lesbian, gay,
bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights by extending anti-racism laws
to cover sexual orientation. Voters supported outlawing antigay
discrimination 63.1% to 36.9%.
   (Reuters, 2/9/20)(SFC, 2/10/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 9, Syria's military
vowed to keep up its campaign to regain control of the whole
country, days after capturing large chunks of territory from the
last rebel holdout in the northwest.
   (AP, 2/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 9, Locusts began to
arrive in Uganda, reaching a village near the Kenyan border as a new
swarm in northern Somalia threatened more than 10 million people
across the region with a severe hunger crisis.
   (AP, 2/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 9, The United Arab
Emirates restored mail services to Qatar, frozen for more than two
years amid a diplomatic rift, after a regional meeting attended by
both Gulf states and the United Nations’ postal agency.
   (Bloomberg, 2/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 10, President Donald
Trump's $4.8 trillion budget plan for the coming fiscal year drew a
prompt rejection from congressional Democrats, who said it betrayed
his promise to protect popular health and safety-net programs.
   (AP, 2/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 10, President Donald
Trump again downplayed the severity of head injuries suffered by US
troops during the Jan. 8 Iranian missile attack, as the injury total
rose to 109.
   (AP, 2/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 10, The Department of
Justice unveiled charges against four members of China's military
for allegedly hacking into the credit agency Equifax and stealing
the personal information of millions of Americans in 2017. The four
charged are Wu Zhiyong, Wang Qian, Xu Ke and Liu Lei, all of whom
are members of the 54th Research Institute, a part of China's
People's Liberation Army. Equifax settled a class action lawsuit
over the breach for more than $700 million in 2019.
   (CBS News, 2/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 10, Maryland unveiled
statues of abolitionists Harriet Tubman and Frederick Douglass in
the Old House Chamber, the room where slavery was abolished in
Maryland in 1864.
   (AP, 2/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 10, In Mississippi
William Bynum Jr. (57), the president of Jackson State Univ.,
resigned after he was arrested over the weekend in a prostitution
sting in Clinton.
   (SFC, 2/11/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 10, In South Carolina
Faye Swetlik (6) vanished as she played outside her home in Cayce.
On Feb 13 authorities said she was found dead. Coty Scott Taylor
(30) was found dead in Faye's neighborhood of Churchill Heights.
   (ABC News, 2/13/20)(Yahoo News, 2/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 10, In Washington
state the Seattle City Council voted 7-0 to ban residential
evictions for the months of December, January and February. The
ruling would not apply to landlords owning four housing units or
less.
   (SFC, 2/12/20, p.A6)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 10, Arm Ltd, a
semiconductor technology firm owned by SoftBank Group, unveiled a
chip technology aimed at putting artificial intelligence functions
on tiny devices such as sensors designed to detect patterns in human
speech or other streams of data.
   (Reuters, 2/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 10, Brazil authorized
its national public security force to support efforts to fight
deforestation in the Amazon, amid worries that 2020 could see
another surge in destruction of the world's largest rainforest.
   (Reuters, 2/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 10, Officially, much
of China got back to work, but there were few signs of activity on
the streets of the capital, Beijing, as the new coronavirus has now
killed 909 people and sickened 40,235. An advance World Health
Organization team of medical experts arrived in China to help
investigate the coronavirus outbreak.
   (AP, 2/10/20)(Reuters, 2/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 10, Defense Minister
Carlos Holmes Trujillo said Colombia hopes this year to eradicate
130,000 hectares (321,237 acres) of coca, the base ingredient in
cocaine.
   (Reuters, 2/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 10, Egypt freed
detained labor activist Kamal Khalil, who criticized the government
and spent about five months in detention. He will have to report at
least once a week to the police.
   (AP, 2/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 10, A storm battered
Europe with hurricane-force winds and heavy rains, killing at least
six people and causing severe travel disruptions as it moved
eastward across the continent and bore down on Germany.
   (AP, 2/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 10, Finland's paper
workers union agreed a pay deal with the forestry industry
association, ending a two week strike that halted production of one
of the country's main exports.
   (Reuters, 2/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 10, In France dozens
of climate activists invaded US asset manager BlackRock's office in
central Paris, calling for the fund to pull out of fossil fuel
investments.
   (Reuters, 2/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 10, Chancellor Angela
Merkel said she regretted today's decision of her protegee Annegret
Kramp-Karrenbauer not to stand as their party's candidate for the
chancellorship in Germany's next federal election.
   (Reuters, 2/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 10, Iraqi security
forces shot and killed at least one protester in the country's
south, as the five-month anti-government protest movement entered a
critical stage.
   (AP, 2/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 10, A cybersecurity
expert said a security breach in an app used by Israel's ruling
conservative party has exposed the personal information of nearly
6.5 million Israelis to hackers.
   (AP, 2/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 10, An Israeli court
sentenced Raed Salah, head of the outlawed northern branch of the
Islamic Movement in Israel, to 28 months in prison for “inciting to
terror” in a series of speeches he made after a deadly attack in
2017 on Israeli police at a contested Jerusalem holy site.
   (AP, 2/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 10, Japan launched a
second complaint at the World Trade Organization over support South
Korea gives its shipbuilding industry, intensifying a wider dispute
between the two Asian countries.
   (Reuters, 2/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 10, The Philippine
government moved to end the franchise of the country's leading
broadcast network for allegedly broadcasting for a fee. ABS-CBN has
been critical of the leadership of Pres. Rodrigo Duterte.
   (SFC, 2/11/20, p.A3)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 10, Russian law
enforcement officers in Siberia detained Vadim Kutsenko, an adherent
of the Jehovah's Witnesses, late today and drove him to a secluded
area where they reportedly beat his head and legs, put him in a
chokehold and used a taser on him. Kutsenko was suspected of helping
to organize the Jehovah's Witnesses' activities in Chita.
   (AP, 2/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 10, South Sudan
President Salva Kiir was named the top “spoiler of peace” in a new
award that seeks to shame him and others into taking serious steps
to end bloody conflict in the world's youngest country. A
Uganda-based group, Atrocities Watch Africa, cited Kiir and others
for their roles in the conflict that also has displaced at least 2
million people.
   (AP, 2/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 10, In Syria six
Turkish soldiers were killed and seven were wounded when Syrian
government forces shelled the Taftanaz air base in Idlib. Four
Syrian rebels were also killed in the shelling. The exchange of fire
came even as a Russian delegation arrived in Ankara for a second
round of talks to discuss the fighting in Syria.
   (AP, 2/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 10, The United Nations
said it is to test drones equipped with mapping sensors and
atomizers to spray pesticides in parts of east Africa battling an
invasion of desert locusts that are ravaging crops and exacerbating
a hunger crisis.
   (Reuters, 2/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 10, A confidential
United Nations report disclosed that. North Korea stepped up its
exports of illegal coal shipments in 2019, with most of those
deliveries headed for China.
   (Bloomberg, 2/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 11, The US State Dept.
said it has authorized the voluntary departure of US government
employees and their family members from Hong Kong in light of the
outbreak of a deadly coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 2/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 11, The US defense
agency responsible for secure White House communications said in a
letter that Social Security numbers and other personal data in its
network may have been compromised in a data breach that occurred
between May and July 2019 in a system hosted by the Defense
Information Systems Agency.
   (Reuters, 2/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 11, The US Justice
Department reduced its recommendation for the duration of Roger
Stone’s sentence, a reversal that followed a Trump tweet criticizing
prosecutors’ initial recommendation as too harsh. The four lawyers
who prosecuted Stone quit the case after the Justice Department
overruled them and said it would take the extraordinary step of
lowering the amount of prison time it would seek for President
Donald Trump’s longtime ally and confidant.
   (Bloomberg, 2/12/20)(AP, 2/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 11, Tracy Reynolds
(45) of Alamosa, Colorado, was arrested at the Tampa, Florida,
airport, where she was trying to board a flight to Mexico. Izhak
Cohen (53) was arrested in Hadera, Israel, and prosecutors said they
will seek his extradition to the US. They were charged with
laundering millions of dollars that came from a high-end
prostitution operation that started in 2012.
   (AP, 2/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 11, A federal judge in
New York approved the merger of T-Mobile and Sprint in a
controversial decision, siding with the telecom giants over a
coalition of state attorney generals who were suing to block two of
the largest wireless carriers in the US from combining.
   (Good Morning America, 2/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 11, In New York
Christian Pacheco (42) was released from prison. In 1996 he was
convicted of cutting the throat of Lemuel Cruz in 1995 on the
testimony of the bar's bouncer. Despite the confession from another
man 16 years ago, it took more than a decade for Pacheco to be
freed. In soon proceeded to sue New York for $100 million.
   (https://tinyurl.com/w226e5h)(CBS, 2/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 11, The US Attorney's
Office in Philadelphia said five men have been arrested and charged
with trying to trade in Iranian oil in violation of US trade
sanctions.
   (AP, 2/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 11, New Hampshire held
its presidential primary. Bernie Sanders won 25.7% of the Democratic
primary vote, to Pete Buttigieg’s 24.4%. Amy Klobuchar was third
with 19.8% and Elizabeth Warren and Joe Biden trailed in single
digits.
   (AP, 2/11/20)(Bloomberg, 2/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 11, Entrepreneur
Andrew Yang said he is ending the presidential campaign he built on
the promise of a universal basic income of $1,000 a month for every
American over 18.
   (Bloomberg, 2/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 11, Actor Jussie
Smollett was indicted for a second time on charges of lying to
police about a racist and anti-gay attack he allegedly staged on
himself last year in downtown Chicago.
   (AP, 2/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 11, In NYC ex-convict
Lawrence “Larry” Ray (60), accused of bilking several college
students out of nearly $1 million and forcing some into prostitution
or unpaid labor, was arrested on extortion and sex trafficking
charges. Ray had allegedly turned his daughter’s university
dormitory into a “cult” and forced one student into sex work.
   (AP, 2/11/20)(The Independent, 2/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 11, Virginia lawmakers
passed measures that would give cities and counties the autonomy to
"remove, relocate,contextualize, cover or alter" Confederate
monuments. The vote was largely along party lines in the
Democrat-led House and Senate.
   (SFC, 2/13/20, p.A6)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 11, The International
Atomic Agency (IEA) reported that global carbon dioxide emissions
stopped growing last year, despite the global economy experiencing a
marked increase in size.
   (AP, 2/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 11, In Afghanistan a
suicide bomber targeting a military academy in Kabul killed at least
six people, including two civilians and four military personnel.
   (Good Morning America, 2/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 11, An overcrowded
boat carrying about 138 Rohingya refugees from Bangladeshi camps
sank in the Bay of Bengal, leaving at least 15 confirmed dead,
mostly women.
   (AP, 2/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 11, Britain's PM Boris
Johnson committed tens of billions of pounds for a controversial new
high speed rail line linking London with cities to the north,
despite soaring costs and mounting anger from his own Conservative
Party colleagues.
   (Bloomberg, 2/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 11, China reported
42,708 confirmed cases, including 1,017 deaths. More than 300 cases
were also reported in at least 24 other countries. Franco-British
biotech company Novacyt said it can offer a coronavirus test that is
faster than rival methods by focusing on a narrow sequence of DNA
coding.
   (Reuters, 2/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 11, Postnord, a post
and logistics company owned by Denmark and Sweden, said it would no
longer accept packages going to China, citing limited freight
capacity in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.
   (Reuters, 2/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 11, Egypt’s
fast-growing population hit 100 million people, presenting a
pressing problem for an already overburdened country with limited
resources.
   (AP, 2/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 11, In Georgia Gigi
Ugulava, one of the leaders of the European Georgia party, was
sentenced by the Supreme Court to 38 months in jail on charges of
misusing public funds while mayor of Tbilisi, his second conviction
on similar charges.
   (Reuters, 2/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 11, German and Swiss
media reported that US and German intelligence services raked in the
top secret communications of governments around the world for
decades through their hidden control of a top encryption company
Crypto AG, US. The Swiss company was secretly owned by the US
Central Intelligence Agency together with Germany's BND Federal
Intelligence Service, who rigged Crypto's equipment to be able to
easily break the codes and read the government’s messages.
   (AFP, 2/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 11, Iran taunted the
United States on the 41st anniversary of the ouster of its ally the
shah, as huge crowds gathered to mark the historic occasion.
   (AFP, 2/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 11, Iraq's capital of
Baghdad awoke to see their city covered in snow. The last time the
capital saw snow was in 2008.
   (AP, 2/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 11, In northern Israel
vandals slashed the tires of dozens of vehicles in an Arab village
and spray painted slogans on buildings warning of Jewish-Arab
“assimilation”.
   (AP, 2/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 11 Japan's Mitsubishi
Aircraft Corp unannounced commitments from customers to buy hundreds
of its SpaceJet M100 regional jets, but its first focus is on
certifying its larger introductory model, the M90.
   (Reuters, 2/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 11, Lebanese security
forces fired tear gas to disperse thousands of protesters near the
parliament building in Beirut, where the new Cabinet was expanding
on its policy statement ahead of a confidence vote by lawmakers.
   (AP, 2/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 11, In Mexico the body
of Fatima Cecilia Aldrighett (7) was discovered wrapped in a bag in
a rural area in the suburbs of Mexico City. Her family had been
forced to wait hours to submit a missing person report by
investigators after Fatima was taken from school.
   (The Independent, 2/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 11, Nepali officials
said millions of its citizens who work overseas will be given
mandatory safety training before departure. About 1,000 out of an
estimated 4 million Nepali migrants die abroad each year, mainly in
Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Malaysia where most work as domestics and in
construction.
   (Reuters, 2/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 11, Two women tied the
knot in Northern Ireland’s first same-sex wedding, after the region
became the last part of the United Kingdom to legalize gay marriage.
   (AP, 2/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 11, Northern Irish
police arrested Paul McIntyre (52) for the murder of journalist Lyra
McKee in Londonderry on April 19, 2019. The killing sparked outrage
in the British-run province.
   (Reuters, 2/12/20)(SFC, 2/14/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 11, Thousands of
Palestinians demonstrated against the US peace plan. Palestinian
President Mahmoud Abbas appeared before the UN Security Council and
angrily rejected US President Donald Trump's Middle East peace
proposal as a gift to Israel and unacceptable to Palestinians.
   (AFP, 2/11/20)(Reuters, 2/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 11, The Philippines
notified the United States it would end a major security pact
allowing American forces to train in the country, in the most
serious threat under President Rodrigo Duterte to their 69-year
treaty alliance. The termination would take effect after 180 days
unless both sides agree to keep it.
   (AP, 2/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 11, In South Africa
Joseph Shabalala (78), the founder of the South African
multi-Grammy-Award-winning music group Ladysmith Black Mambazo, died
in Pretoria. the choral group, founded in 1964, shot to world
acclaim collaborating with Paul Simon on the “Graceland” album and
many other artists.
   (AP, 2/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 11, A top Sudanese
official said the country's transitional authorities and rebel
groups have agreed to hand over officials wanted by the ICC,
presumably referring to long-time autocrat Omar al-Bashir, who is
wanted for war crimes including mass killings in Darfur.
   (AP, 2/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 11, Rebels in northern
Syria rebels shot down a Syrian military helicopter, killing its
crew members in a fiery crash, while the government kept up its
relentless bombing campaign on the opposition-held region, with an
airstrike in which seven civilians died.
   (AP, 2/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 11, The UN's World
Health Organization convened outside experts to fast-track promising
tests, drugs and vaccines to help slow the outbreak of a new virus
that emerged in China that has killed more than 1,000 people and
spread to two dozen other countries. The coronavirus is now called
COVID-19.
   (AP, 2/11/20)(ABC News, 2/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 12, US Pres. Donald
Trump congratulated Attorney Gen'l. William Barr for lowering the
Justice Department's sentencing recommendation for Roger Stone, a
friend of the president.
   (SFC, 2/13/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 12, Attorney General
William Barr agreed to testify before the House Judiciary Committee
next month, appearing for the first time before the panel as
questions swirl about whether he intervened in the case of a
longtime ally of President Donald Trump.
   (AP, 2/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 12, The US Senate
voted 51-45 to limit President Trump from pursuing military action
in Iran without congressional approval. Trump will likely veto the
bill, and the Senate won't have the votes to overturn it.
   (The Week, 2/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 12, The US
Anti-Defamation League reported that Incidents of white supremacist
propaganda distributed across the nation jumped by more than 120%
between 2018 and last year, making 2019 the second straight year
that the circulation of propaganda material has more than doubled.
   (AP, 2/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 12, Chairman Troy
Price of the Iowa Democratic Party announced his resignation after a
disastrous caucus process beset by technical glitches led to a
dayslong delay in reporting the results, inconsistencies in the
numbers and no clear winner.
   (AP, 2/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 12, Winners of the Dan
David Prize were announced. The Israel-based Dan David Prize gives
$1 million prizes in three categories each year, past, present and
future. Secretary of the Smithsonian Lonnie G. Bunch III and Barbara
Kirshenblatt-Gimblett, a professor of Jewish studies won in the
"past" category. Women's health rights advocate Debora Diniz and
feminist scholar Gita Sen split the prize in the “present” category.
Demis Hassabis, founder of artificial intelligence company DeepMind,
and Amnon Shashua, founder of Mobileye, an Intel company that
develops technology for self-driving vehicles, split the “future”
prize.
   (AP, 2/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 12, Britain's Foreign
Office said it was putting the annual $6.1 million contribution to
the Commonwealth Secretariat on hold following accusations cronyism.
   (SFC, 2/13/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 12, BP set one of the
oil sector's most ambitious targets for curbing carbon emissions as
new chief executive Bernard Looney began the biggest revamp in its
111-year history.
   (Reuters, 2/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 12, China's leadership
touted "positive results" from efforts to contain the new
coronavirus epidemic but warned it still faced a "large-scale war"
against the outbreak. The death toll rose to 1,113, while more than
44,600 people had been infected by the newly named COVID-19 virus.
   (AFP, 2/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 12, The European Union
and the United States urged Georgia to reinforce democracy after
opposition leader Gigi Ugulava was jailed for a second time in a
case activists say is politically motivated.
   (Reuters, 2/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 12, Human Rights Watch
warned that Italy is endangering migrants by renewing support for
the Libyan coast guard, which blocks their flight and sends them
back to squalid detention centers in the North African country.
About 5,000 migrants are languishing in dozens of filthy Libyan
centers, where rape, torture and other abuses run rampant.
   (AP, 2/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 12, Italian senators
voted to lift immunity for far-right leader Matteo Salvini, opening
the way for a potentially career-ending trial over accusations he
illegally detained migrants at sea last year.
   (Reuters, 2/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 12, Japanese police
confirmed the arrest of a mother-and-son duo for allegedly making
more than 3,200 no-show hotel cancellations, costing the hotels $1
million while collecting reward points worth $22,000.
   (AFP, 2/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 12, It was reported
that automaker Nissan it is suing former chair and CEO Carlos Ghosn
in Japan for 10 billion yen, or $90 million, saying it's seeking to
recover damages from his alleged financial misconduct and fraud.
   (The Week, 2/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 12, Chitetsu Watanabe,
a Japanese man with a sweet tooth who believes in smiles, become the
world's oldest male at 112 years and 344 days old. The oldest living
person is also Japanese, Kane Tanaka, a 117-year-old woman.
   (AP, 2/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 12, It was reported
that Kosovo's PM Albin Kurti and cabinet ministers will accept a
halving of their salaries in an attempt to demonstrate that the new
government plans to tackle wage inequality.
   (Reuters, 2/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 12, A Pakistani court
handed down a five-year prison sentence to radical cleric Hafiz
Saaed for terrorism financing. The court charged that his charities
are fronts for the militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba. The US has a $10
million bounty on Saaed for his role in the 2008 Mumbai attacks that
killed 166 people.
   (SFC, 2/13/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 12, It was reported
that two Russian women who were kept in isolation for possible
inflection by a new virus say they fled from their Russian hospitals
this month because of uncooperative doctors, poor conditions and
fear they would become infected.
   (AP, 2/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 12, Viktor Sviridov, a
former top Russian prison official reportedly suffering from
advanced cancer, killed himself in court with a shot to the chest,
shortly after getting a three-year sentence for extortion.
   (Reuters, 2/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 12, This year's Mobile
World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, was cancelled by trade show
organizer GSMA due to coronavirus concerns.
   (SFC, 2/13/20, p.D1)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 12, In northeastern
Syria a civilian was killed and another was wounded in a rare clash
between American troops and a group of government supporters who
tried to block a US convoy driving through a village.
   (AP, 2/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 12, The UN human
rights office issued a report on companies it said have business
ties to Israeli settlements in the West Bank, a long-delayed move
likely to draw the ire of Israel and its main ally the United
States. It said 94 of the companies were domiciled in Israel and 18
in six other states.
   (Reuters, 2/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 12, A research study
of global laws said slavery is not a crime in almost half the
countries in the world. More than 40 million people are held in
modern slavery, which includes forced labor and forced marriage,
according to estimates by the International Labor Organization and
the anti-slavery group the Walk Free Foundation.
   (AP, 2/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 12, The UN Security
Council endorsed a 55-point road map for ending the war in Libya and
condemned the recent increase in violence in the oil-rich North
African country.
   (AP, 2/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 13, It was reported
that Pro-Trump groups raised more than $60 million in January and
have more than $200 million on hand for this year's general
election, shattering fundraising records on the path toward a goal
of raising $1 billion this cycle.
   (AP, 2/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 13, The US House of
Representatives passed a bill to write women's rights into the US
Constitution. The ERA Amendment still faced passage in the Senate.
   (SFC, 2/14/20, p.A1)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 13, US officials
reported the 15th case of coronavirus in the United States, saying
the patient was among those who had been evacuated from Wuhan,
China, and placed under federal quarantine at Lackland Air Force
Base in San Antonio, Texas.
   (Reuters, 2/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 13, The United States
added to its series of charges against China's Huawei Technologies,
accusing the Chinese telecoms giant of stealing intellectual
property from six US companies and covering up its involvement in
projects in North Korea.
   (South China Morning Post, 2/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 13, The US Government
Accountability Office said it is opening a review of Pres. Donald
Trump's $28 billion bailout for farmers harmed by his trade war amid
allegations that the money was mismanaged and allocated unfairly.
The program began in 2018 as a $12 billion effort to mitigate losses
for farmers as a result of Trump's trade war.
   (SSFC, 2/16/20, p.A12)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 13, The Pentagon
announced that Defense Sec. Mark Esper has approved shifting $3.8
billion in funds that Congress had previously authorized F-35
fighter aircraft and other military programs for Donald Trump's
border wall.
   (SFC, 2/15/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 13, Conservative talk
show host Rush Limbaugh drew bipartisan criticism for saying the
country won't elect Pete Buttigieg president because he's been
“kissing his husband" on stage after debates.
   (AP, 2/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 13, Los Angeles County
District Attorney Jackie Lacey announced that her office has asked
the court to dismiss nearly 66,000 marijuana convictions going back
decades, CBS LA reported. In a news conference, Lacey called it the
largest such undertaking in state history.
   (CBS News, 2/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 13, Ricky Davis was
ordered released from custody in Placerville, near Sacramento, after
authorities used extended DNA links developed through publicly
available genealogical websites to build a family tree that led to
the arrest of a new suspect in the killing of his housemate. Davis
had spent about 15 years in prison after being wrongfully convicted
in the case.
   (The Guardian, 2/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 13, In New York City
the privately held McClatchy, publisher of the Miami Herald, the
Sacramento Bee and other newspapers, filed for bankruptcy
protection. McClatchy said its 30 newsrooms in 14 states dould
continue operating as usual during the case.
   (SFC, 2/14/20, p.D3)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 13, Oklahoma Gov.
Kevin Stitt said the state would resume Death Row executions using a
three-drug lethal injection protocol.
   (SFC, 2/14/20, p.A6)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 13, LabCorp said it
has begun work on developing its own test for the coronavirus that
has killed over 1,300 in China.
   (Reuters, 2/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 13, It was reported
that wildlife officials in Kentucky are continuing to roundup
invasive carp on Kentucky Lake as part of a 15-year battle to halt
the advance of the invasive fish.
   (SFC, 2/13/20, p.A6)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 13, Tesla Inc
announced plans to raise $2 billion in a 2.65 million stock
offering. Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk will buy up to $10
million in shares, while board member and Oracle co-founder Larry
Ellison will purchase up to $1 million worth of Tesla shares.
   (Reuters, 2/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 13, In Afghanistan an
air strike killed a senior Taliban commander and eight others in
northern Balkh province. The Taliban's Mujahid said the insurgents
had killed six Afghan soldiers, including two officers, in an attack
on a checkpoint in northern Kunduz province.
   (Reuters, 2/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 13, In Afghanistan
avalanches in central Daykundi province killed at least 21 people.
At least 50 house were destroyed in the slides.
   (SFC, 2/15/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 13, British Finance
Minister Sajid Javid resigned just weeks before the publication of
the government's annual budget, in a shock move provoked by PM Boris
Johnson's attempts to shake up his cabinet after Brexit.
   (AFP, 2/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 13, The cruise ship MS
Westerdam, stranded at sea for about two weeks after being refused
entry by four Asian governments because of virus fears, finally
docked in Cambodia. No cases of the COVID-19 viral illness have been
confirmed among its 1,455 passengers and 802 crew members.
   (AP, 2/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 13, Diplomats and
experts said China is dragging its heels in accepting help on the
ground from international health specialists. China has recorded
48,206 cases of a new coronavirus, now known as SARS-CoV-2. The
death toll in Hubei province, which includes Wuhan, leapt by a
record 242 to 1,310, with a sharp rise in confirmed cases after the
adoption of new methodology for diagnosis. China's Communist Party
fired several senior officials in Hubei province, the center of the
new coronavirus outbreak.
   (Reuters, 2/13/20)(The Week, 2/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 13, Confirmed cases of
the COVID-19 virus in mainland China rose to 63,851 by the end of
today, up 5,090 from the previous day. The death toll rose 121 to
1,380.
   (AP, 2/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 13, Ethiopian
lawmakers approved a controversial law aimed at curbing hate speech
and disinformation, especially online, just months ahead of a major
election.
   (SFC, 2/14/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 13, In Haiti a fire
outside Port-au-Prince killed 13 children and two adult caretakers
at a home run by the US-based Church of Bible Understanding.
   (SFC, 2/15/20, p.A2)(AP, 4/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 13, Indian
environmentalist Rajendra Kumar Pachauri (79) died after recent
heart surgery. He led the Intergovernmental panel on Climate change
from 2002-2015. Under his leadership a UN climate change panel
shared the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize.
   (AP, 2/14/20)(SSFC, 2/16/20, p.B10)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 13, Iran began its
week-long parliamentary election campaign ahead of the Feb. 21 vote.
   (Reuters, 2/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 13, Rome police
arrested Beverly McCallum (59) overnight after she and her teenage
son checked into a Rome hotel on the northwest outskirts of the
Italian capital. The American woman was wanted in the 2002 death of
her husband, whose remains were so badly burned they weren’t
identified for more than a decade. Husband Robert Caraballo was
beaten and suffocated, and his body was dumped and burned in a
blueberry patch in western Michigan.
   (AP, 2/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 13, Japan announced
its first death from a new virus from China, hours after confirming
44 more cases on a cruise ship quarantined near Tokyo as fears of
the spreading disease mount in the country. The Diamond Princess,
which is still carrying nearly 3,500 passengers and crew members,
now has 218 people infected with the virus out of 713 tested since
it entered Yokohama Port on Feb. 3.
   (AP, 2/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 13, Libya’s
eastern-based forces indiscriminately shelled residential
neighborhoods around the capital, killing one woman and wounding at
least four civilians.
   (AP, 2/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 13, In Myanmar at
least 19 children were wounded when at a primary school was hit by
shelling in Rakhine state. A military spokesman put the number of
wounded at 20, and blamed the insurgents for the attack.
   (Reuters, 2/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 13, NATO said the
Iraqi government has given it the green light to stay in the
country, weeks after Iraq demanded foreign forces leave the country
over the US killing of Iran’s top general near the Baghdad airport.
   (AP, 2/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 14, US President
Donald Trump said he has "the legal right" to interfere in criminal
cases, capping a tumultuous week that raised questions about whether
he is eroding the independence of the US legal system.
   (Reuters, 2/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 14, Secretary of State
Mike Pompeo said the United States has blacklisted Sri Lanka's army
chief, Shavendra Silva, for human rights violations including
extrajudicial killings during the last phase of the country's civil
war in 2009.
   (Reuters, 2/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 14, A senior US
official said the United States and the Taliban have reached a truce
agreement that will take effect “very soon” and could lead to
withdrawals of American troops from Afghanistan.
   (AP, 2/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 14, It was reported
that Washington has begun following through on threats to squeeze
Baghdad's fragile economy with delays to crucial cash deliveries and
shortened sanctions waivers. Every month or so, Iraq's Central Bank
flies in $1 billion to $2 billion in cash from the Federal Reserve
in New York, where all its oil revenues are kept, to pay for
official and commercial transactions.
   (AFP, 2/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 14, Federal
prosecutors declined to charge former FBI Deputy Director Andrew
McCabe, closing an investigation into whether the longtime target of
President Donald Trump's ire lied to federal officials about his
involvement in a news media disclosure.
   (AP, 2/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 14, It was reported
that the Food and Drug Administration and the DEA have approved Eli
Lilly’s Reyvow (lasmiditan) as the first oral medication of its
class to treat acute migraines and bothersome symptoms in adults
with or without aura (visual or sensory sensations before a
migraine).
   (ABC News, 2/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 14, It was reported
that the Trump administration pulled funding in its 2021 budget for
Stars and Stripes, the US military news organization that has
published a daily newspaper continuously since World War II for
troops stationed around the world. Mark Esper explained the
rationale behind the decision to withhold approximately $15.5
million in funding for Stars and Stripes "because we need to invest
that money, as we did with many, many other programs, into
higher-priority issues."
   (Yahoo News, 2/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 14, Michael Avenatti,
who represented porn star Stormy Daniels in her case against
President Trump and once mulled a 2020 presidential run, has been
found guilty of trying to extort Nike. He had allegedly demanded
that Nike pay him up to $25 million or he would hold a press
conference revealing damaging information about the company.
   (The Week, 2/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 14, The Alaska Supreme
Court cleared the way for a campaign seeking to oust the state's
embattled governor to proceed with plans to collect enough
signatures to place a recall initiative on the 2020 ballot. A
lower-court judge had ruled that allegations of misconduct lodged
against Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy met the legal requirements for
placing a recall question on this year's election ballot.
   (Reuters, 2/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 14, Palm Beach County
judge sentenced Chinese tourist Lu Jing (56) to an additional six
months in Palm Beach County Jail after a seven-member jury convicted
Lu On Feb. 12 of a misdemeanor charge of resisting arrest without
violence for resisting an officer at President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago.
   (Miami Herald, 2/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 14, It was reported
that 8 Many High School basketball players were arrested in Many,
Louisiana after police investigated Snapchat footage of a group
sexually assaulting a high school student. The arrests were made
after a video of a sexual assault on another student circulated on
the social media app Snapchat.
   (Reuters, 2/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 14, Matvey Natanzon
(51), Russian-born Israeli backgammon player, died. He moved to
Buffalo, New York as a teenager and graduated from the New York
State University at Buffalo in 1991 with a degree in accounting. In
2007 Natanzon, known as Falafel, was named the number one backgammon
player in the world by an unscientifically compiled peer-audited
review known as Giants of Backgammon.
   (https://voiceofbackgammon.com/falafel/)(Econ,
3/21/20, p.78)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 14, In Virginia
Levianthan "Levi" Henry Norwood (17) went missing after police were
called to his home and found his mother (34) and brother (6) dead.
Norwood was later found at a Target near Durham, North Carolina,
allegedly shoplifting hair dye, clothes and a backpack.
   (ABC News, 2/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 14, Fiat Chrysler said
it had temporarily halted production at its Serbian plant, the first
such suspension by an automaker in Europe in response to the
coronavirus outbreak in China.
   (Reuters, 2/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 14, It was reported
that the Howard G. Buffett Foundation has committed to spending $200
million over the next few years to transform the impoverished
community of Tibu, Colombia, into a model of comprehensive state
building.
   (SFC, 2/14/20, p.A3)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 14, In Afghanistan an
air strike in Nangarhar province killed at least eight people, all
believed to be civilians, following US statements a day earlier that
there had been a breakthrough in peace talks.
   (Reuters, 2/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 14, A ship carrying
migrants set off from Algeria and disappeared. All aboard were
presumed drowning.
   (AP, 3/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 14, Burundi’s Truth
and Reconciliation Commission said it has found 6,032 bodies in six
mass graves in Karusi Province, the largest finding since the
government launched a nationwide excavation in January. So far
Burundi has mapped over 4,000 mass graves across the country and
identified more than 142,000 victims of violence. A civil war, which
killed 300,000 people, ended in 2005.
   (Reuters, 2/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 14, In Cameroon up to
22 civilians, 14 of them children, died in a restive anglophone
region. The army later said fuel exploded in an exchange of gunfire
with anglophone separatists and caused a fire in the village of
Ntumbo. The army had previously denied any involvement in the
deaths.
   (AFP, 2/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 14, Zeng Yixin, vice
minister of China's National Health Commission, told reporters that
1,716 medical workers have tested positive for the newly discovered
virus, known officially as COVID-19, and six of them have died.
   (ABC News, 2/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 14, Police in Costa
Rica found almost 5,800 kg of cocaine in a shipping container,
leading to the country’s biggest ever drug seizure. A Costa Rican
man (46) with no previous criminal convictions was arrested in
connection to the drug haul.
   (The Independent, 2/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 14, Egypt's Health
Ministry confirmed the first case of the new virus in the North
African country.
   (AP, 2/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 14, European Union
governments were presented with a compromise over the bloc’s budget
for the next seven years, which is unlikely to satisfy any of the
warring camps and sets the stage for a clash between poorer and
richer member states on Feb. 20. EU Council President Charles Michel
proposed that governments commit 1.095 trillion euros ($1.2
trillion) to a joint pot for the period between 2021 and 2027.
   (Bloomberg, 2/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 14, German officials
said police have detained 12 men on suspicion of involvement in a
far-right group that allegedly planned attacks against politicians
and minorities.
   (SFC, 2/15/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 14, Kosovo and Serbia
signed US-brokered deals on restoring railway and highway links. The
deals were signed during an international security conference in
Munich, Germany.
   (AP, 2/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 14, Paraguay health
officials said that deaths from dengue fever increased to 16 in the
South American country's worst outbreak of the disease in the last
decade, severely straining its health system.
   (Reuters, 2/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 14, It was reported
that oil operations in South Sudan are the dirtiest and poorest
managed on the planet. Reports have shown that contamination from
drilling could be causing severe health problems with mercury levels
seven times what is permissible under US Environmental Protection
Agency standards.
   (SFC, 2/14/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 14, Another Syrian
government helicopter was shot down and its crew killed in the
northwest, where a military offensive against opposition fighters
was unfolding.
   (AP, 2/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 14, In Thailand
villagers along the Mekong River asked a court in Bangkok to slow
down Thai purchases of electricity from a hydropower dam in Laos,
which they say has harmed their livelihoods since it began operation
last year. The start of its full commercial operation last year
coincided with parts of the Mekong River drying to a trickle.
   (Reuters, 2/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 14, Yemen's Huthi
rebels said they have dropped a threat to impose a tax on aid, in a
significant step towards resolving a crisis that has jeopardized the
world's biggest humanitarian operation.
   (AFP, 2/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 14, In Yemen a Saudi
warplane was shot down over in northern Al-Jawf province while
providing air support to government forces fighting the country’s
rebels. Two Saudi officers ejected from the plane before it crashed
in northern Al-Jawf province, but that the rebels opened fire at
them. Their fate was unclear.
   (AFP, 2/15/20)(AFP, 2/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 15, It was reported
that the Trump administration is deploying law enforcement tactical
units from the southern border as part of a supercharged arrest
operation in sanctuary cities across the country, an escalation in
the president’s battle against localities that refuse to participate
in immigration enforcement.
   (NY Times, 2/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 15, The US Federal
Aviation Administration said that American civilian flights can
resume operations over much of the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman
region, loosening restrictions announced five weeks ago amid
heightened tensions between the US and Iran.
   (AP, 2/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 15, It was reported
that the Bureau of Land Management has announced plans to fund
11,000 miles (17,703 km) of strategic fuel breaks in Idaho, Oregon,
Washington, California, Nevada and Utah in an effort to help control
wildfires.
   (AP, 2/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 15, In southern
California Dr. Amie Harwick, a sex therapist and former fiancee of
Drew Carey, was killed after being thrown over the third floor
balcony of her Hollywood Hills apartment. Suspect Gareth Pursehouse
(41), a former boyfriend of Harwick’s, was soon arrested on
suspicion of murder. Pursehouse later pleaded not guilty.
   (USA Today, 2/17/20)(SFC, 4/18/20, p.A3)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 15, In Colorado two
died after being caught in a weekend avalanche about ten miles north
of Vail. Their bodies were recovered the next day.
   (AP, 2/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 15, American writer
A.E. Hotchner (102) died at his home in Westport, Conn. His books
included "Papa Hemingway" (1966), "King of the Hill" (1972) and
"Paul and Me" (2008).
   (SFC, 2/17/20, p.C3)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 15, Mississippi Gov.
Tate Reeves declared a state of emergency amid predictions that a
river running in the area around the state capital of Jackson could
burst its banks and spark widespread flooding.
   (AP, 2/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 15, Northrop Grumman
launched its Cygnus capsule from the Virginia seashore. The nearly
4-ton shipment should arrive at the orbiting lab on Feb. 18.
   (AP, 2/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 15, In Afghanistan
gunmen shot dead nine homeless drug users in Kabul, shining a light
on chronic drug abuse in the world's biggest producer of opium but a
rare incident of apparently coordinated violence against addicts.
   (Reuters, 2/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 15, Bosnian police
scuffled with hundreds of migrants who tried to break out of an
overcrowded camp during a protest over conditions at the facility
and their treatment by authorities in nearby Croatia.
   (Reuters, 2/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 15, British rescuers
found a body in rough seas following an extensive search off the
coast of southeast England, as the UK faced a second straight
weekend of wild winter weather and flooding. The body of a second
man was pulled from the sea in the afternoon. The fourth named storm
of the season, dubbed Dennis by Britain's Met Office weather
service, was expected to deepen through the weekend.
   (AP, 2/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 15, Caroline Flack
(b.1979), English television and radio presenter, was found dead at
her London apartment. In August a coroner ruled that she had killed
herself while facing an assault trial she feared would end her
career.
  Â
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caroline_Flack)(SFC, 8/7/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 15, China reported 143
virus deaths and a dip in new cases. China reported 2,641 new cases
in the 24 hours through midnight Feb. 14, raising its total to
66,492. Mainland China’s death toll rose to 1,523.
   (AP, 2/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 15, Chinese
authorities arrested a prominent rights activist and legal scholar
who had called on President Xi Jinping to step down over his
handling of crises including the coronavirus outbreak. Xu Zhiyong
had been on the run since December after attending a gathering in
the southern city of Xiamen which focused on discussion of human
rights in China.
   (Reuters, 2/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 15, China waived tolls
on all highways.
   (Econ, 3/14/20, p.32)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 15, An Egyptian court
rejected the appeal of activist and researcher Patrick George Zaki
(28), a vocal critic of President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi’s
government, to be released from detention. Zaki had arrived in Cairo
last week on what was supposed to be a brief visit home.
   (AP, 2/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 15, An Egyptian court
sentenced Raouf Boutros-Ghali, the brother of a former finance
minister, to 30 years after his conviction in two separate cases of
trafficking antiquities out of the country. The court also sentenced
three others, including Italian ex-honorary consul to Egypt Ladislav
Skakal, to 15 years in prison and a 1 million Egyptian pound fine
(more than $63,000) each.
   (AP, 2/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 15, European aerospace
group Airbus said it deeply regretted the US decision to increase
tariffs on aircraft imported from the European Union and said it
would hurt US airlines and their customers.
   (Reuters, 2/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 15, French authorities
said an 80-year-old Chinese tourist infected with the coronavirus
has died in France, the first fatality in Europe and the fourth
outside mainland China from the epidemic.
   (AP, 2/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 15, In Germany several
thousand people demonstrated in Erfurt, capital of Thuringia state,
where far-right lawmakers last week helped install a new state
premier.
   (AP, 2/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 15, In Hong Kong
hundreds of anti-government protesters marched in multiple
neighborhoods against government plans to potentially turn some
buildings into coronavirus quarantine centers, demanding full
closure of the mainland China border.
   (Reuters, 2/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 15, Israeli police
shot Malik Eissa (9) in the face just after he had gotten off a
school bus in east Jerusalem. He was hospitalized after being struck
by a non-lethal munition and later lost vision in the eye following
surgeries. In December Israeli authorities cleared police of any
wrongdoing in the case.
   (AP, 2/20/20)(AP, 12/6/20)
      Feb 15, Malaysia said an
83-year-old American passenger on the Westerdam cruise ship that
docked in Cambodia has tested positive for the new coronavirus. The
woman had taken a flight to Malaysia a day earlier from Cambodia.
   (Reuters, 2/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 15, South Sudan’s
President Salva Kiir said he was cutting the number of states from
32 to 10, unlocking a stalled peace deal and paving the way for the
formation of a long- awaited unity government.
   (Reuters, 2/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 15, Syrian troops
began clearing barricades from the main highway between Damascus and
Aleppo after recovering full control of the road in a Russian-backed
offensive.
   (Reuters, 2/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 15, President Tayyip
Erdogan said the transfer of the main opposition party's 28% stake
in Turkey's largest listed lender Isbank to the state would not be
delayed.
   (AP, 2/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 15, Ukrainian
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said he plans to hold local elections
across the country, including in breakaway areas in eastern Ukraine.
He said the polls, set for October, must be held under Ukrainian
law.
   (Bloomberg, 2/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 15, In Yemen
insurgents reported multiple coalition air strikes in the
Huthi-controlled area where a Saudi plane went down the previous
evening as local residents gathered near the wreckage. The attack in
Al-Jawf took the lives of 19 children (eight boys and 11 girls) and
injured another 18 (nine boys and another nine girls).
   (AP, 2/15/20)(Reuters, 2/15/20)(AFP, 2/15/20)(AP,
2/18/20)(AFP, 2/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 16, More than 100
former US federal prosecutors and Justice Dept. officials called on
Attorney Gen'l. William Barr to resign following his intervention
last week to lower the Justice Dept.'s sentencing recommendation for
Pres. Trump's longtime friend Roger Stone.
   (SFC, 2/17/20, p.A7)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 16, Larry Tesler
(b.1945), American computer scientist who worked in the field of
human–computer interaction, died at his Portola Valley home. Tesler
worked at Xerox PARC, Apple, Amazon, and Yahoo!
   (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larry_Tesler)(SFC,
2/25/20, p.D2
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 16, New York City
police and prosecutors announced that Rashaun Weaver (14) has been
charged with murder in the fatal stabbing of Tessa Majors, a Barnard
freshman who was killed in December 2019 in Morningside Park.
   (ABC News, 2/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 16, In Texas an
implosion failed to bring down the core of former 11-story,
Affiliated Computer Services building in Dallas. A wrecking ball
continued the demolition of the "Leaning Tower of Dallas" on Feb 24.
   (SFC, 2/25/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 16, In Wisconsin the
bodies of a woman (26) and her two young daughters were found in a
Milwaukee garage more than a week after they were reported missing.
The bodies were found after police interviewed the woman's boyfriend
(25), who had been arrested in Tennessee on a fugitive from justice
warrant.
   (AP, 2/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 16, Police in
Azerbaijan detained three opposition party leaders and more than 100
activists before they were due to take part in a protest against the
results of last week's national election, which have been questioned
by international observers.
   (Reuters, 2/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 16, Storm Dennis
roared across Britain with high winds and heavy rains, prompting
authorities to issue a record number of flood warnings and alerts
for England and a rare “red warning" for extremely life-threatening
flooding in Wales.
   (AP, 2/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 16, In Burkina Faso
gunmen killed 24 civilians, including a church pastor, and kidnapped
three others. It was the latest attack against a religious leader in
the increasingly unstable West African nation.
   (AP, 2/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 16, China reported a
drop in new virus cases for the third straight day. Its latest
figures showed 68,500 cases and 1,665 deaths due to the COVID-19
virus, most of the in Hubei province. The National Health Commission
reported 2,009 new cases and 142 deaths.
   (AP, 2/16/20)(Reuters, 2/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 16, The Dominican
Republic was forced to suspend municipal elections across the
country following problems with electronic voting systems.
   (SFC, 2/18/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 16, Egypt’s chief
prosecutor denied allegations that the police tortured George Zaki,
a human rights activist and vocal critic of President Abdel Fattah
el-Sissi.
   (AP, 2/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 16, Germany and the
UN, which co-hosted a Jan. 19 Berlin summit, gathered foreign
ministers and other officials from a dozen countries on the
sidelines of the Munich Security Conference to try to bolster a
drive to cut off outside military support for Libya's warring
parties.
   (AP, 2/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 16, The Israeli
military said it has thwarted an attempt by the Hamas militant group
to hack soldiers' phones by posing as young, attractive women on
social media, striking up friendships and persuading them into
downloading malware.
   (AP, 2/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 16, Kuwait and Saudi
Arabia started trial oil production from the jointly-operated Wafra
and Khafji oilfields. Trial production from the two fields in the
Neutral Zone will increase gradually till it reaches its normal
levels.
   (Reuters, 2/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 16, Syrian troops
consolidated the government's hold over the key Aleppo province,
capturing over 30 villages and hamlets in the western countryside in
a single day. Authorities uncovered a mass grave containing nearly
70 bodies in eastern Ghouta, an area outside of the capital that
rebel fighters lost control of in April 2018.
   (AP, 2/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 16, Taiwan's health
minister said a man has died from the coronavirus, marking the first
such death on the island since the epidemic spread from mainland
China.
   (Reuters, 2/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 16, The UN said
Yemen’s warring sides have agreed to implement a long-delayed and
major prisoner swap, in a sign that talks to end the disastrous war
between the country's internationally recognized government and its
Houthi rebels could be making progress.
   (AP, 2/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 17, Two charter
flights carrying cruise ship passengers from Japan landed at
military bases in California and Texas overnight, starting the clock
on a quarantine period to ensure passengers don't have the new virus
that's been spreading in Asia.
   (AP, 2/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 17, It was reported
that police in Long Beach, California., have arrested three
teenagers suspected of killing two people and wounding ten others in
seven shootings since November.
   (SFC, 2/17/20, p.A6)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 17, In Florida Hector
Alejandro Cabrera Fuentes was arrested after being recruited by a
Russian official last year. Russian intelligence had recruited the
Mexican citizen to track down the whereabouts of an FBI informant in
Miami who previously provided the US government with information on
Russian operations.
   (The Daily Beast, 2/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 17, Cleveland Browns
offensive tackle Greg Robinson (27) was arrested in El Paso, Texas,
along side his former teammate Quan Bray, a receiver he played with
at Auburn University who is now in the Canadian Football League.
Police said they found 157 pounds of marijuana in Robinson's rental
car.
   (AP, 2/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 17, Texas-based Pier 1
Imports filed for bankruptcy. On May 19 it filed a motion for an
orderly wind-down of the company’s retail operations as soon as
possible after store locations are able to reopen amid the
coronavirus pandemic.
   (SFC, 5/20/20, p.C1)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 17, Virginia Gov.
Ralph Northam's push to ban the sale of assault weapons failed after
members of his own party balked at the proposal. Four moderate
Democrats joined Republicans in a committee vote, rejecting
legislation that would have prohibited the sale of certain
semiautomatic firearms.
   (The Independent, 2/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 17, Biotechnology
company Novacyt said that it had launched a 'CE-Mark' molecular test
to help detect the coronavirus afflicting China, marking a step
forward in Novacyt's plans to commercialize a product for the virus.
   (Reuters, 2/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 17, The UK said it
will spend 1.2 billion pounds ($1.6 billion) on developing the most
powerful weather and climate supercomputer in the world. Britain
issued severe flood alerts, warning of life-threatening danger after
Storm Dennis dumped weeks' worth of rain in some places. One woman
swept away by the floodwaters was feared dead.
   (Bloomberg, 2/17/20)(AP, 2/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 17, Bulgaria's food
safety agency authorities reported an outbreak of the H5N8 bird flu
virus on a duck farm in the southern town of Rakovski. The agency
said all 5,830 ducks at the farm will be culled.
   (AP, 2/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 17, China's health
authorities reported 2,048 new cases of the virus and 105 more
deaths. Another 10,844 people have recovered from COVID-19, a
disease caused by the new coronavirus, and have been discharged from
hospitals. The death toll reached 1,770 with 70,548 cases. Another
1,200 doctors and nurses from China's military began arriving in
Wuhan, the latest contingent sent to help shore up the city's
overwhelmed health care system.
   (AP, 2/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 17, A Chinese
professor said doctors in Shanghai are using infusions of blood
plasma from people who have recovered from the coronavirus to treat
those still battling the infection, reporting some encouraging
preliminary results.
   (Reuters, 2/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 17, The European Union
agreed to deploy warships to enforce an arms embargo on Libya in a
move that underscores the increasing importance the bloc places on
geopolitics as it seeks to defuse the conflict ravaging a major
African oil producer.
   (Bloomberg, 2/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 17, Greece acted to
placate locals incensed over government plans to build new migrant
detention centers on outlying islands, saying it was open to a
compromise on their location.
   (Reuters, 2/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 17, India's top court
ordered the federal government to grant permanent commission and
command positions to female officers in the army on par with men.
   (SFC, 2/18/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 17, Japanese officials
confirmed 99 more people were infected by the new virus aboard the
quarantined cruise ship Diamond Princess, bringing the total to 454.
   (AP, 2/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 17, In Pakistan a
suicide bombing killed eight people and wounded 16 others in the
restive Baluchistan province, when it struck an Islamist rally in
Quetta, the regional capital.
   (AP, 2/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 17, Russia said that
plans by the United States to deploy weapons in space would deal an
irreversible blow to the current security balance in space, the RIA
news agency cited the foreign ministry as saying.
   (Reuters, 2/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 17, In Rwanda popular
singer Kizito Mihigo (38), who was jailed on charges of plotting to
kill the country's president but later pardoned, was found dead in a
police cell. Authorities said it was suicide.
   (AP, 2/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 17, South Korea's
Hyundai Engineering & Construction Co Ltd said it has resolved a
dispute with the Chilean government over a $740 million suspension
bridge in a deal that had required it to "give up its rights" in
various areas. The company said it has given ground on unspecified
areas to allow the stalled project to get back on track.
   (Reuters, 2/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 17, Syria praised its
troops for rapidly taking over rebel-controlled territory in the
country's northwest, vowing to continue to chase armed groups
"wherever they are." Airstrikes on Darat Izza, a town still in
opposition hands in Aleppo, put two health facilities out of
service.
   (AP, 2/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 17, Thailand's army
agreed to transfer management control of 160,000 hectares of
commercial land to the finance ministry in a drive to reform its
business practices after a soldier went on a shooting spree over a
property deal gone sour.
   (Reuters, 2/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 17, The UAE’s
regulatory watchdog gave long-awaited approval to the operator of
the Barakah reactor, nudging the Emirates to the brink of membership
in an elite club of 30 countries that make nuclear power. This is
Arab world’s first commercial nuclear power plant.
   (Bloomberg, 2/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 18, The Trump
administration announced significant new sanctions targeting
Rosneft, Russia’s largest oil company, for helping Venezuelan leader
Nicolás Maduro circumvent US sanctions.
   (Miami Herald, 2/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 18, President Donald
Trump tweeted that Stone's recent conviction for witness tampering
and lying to Congress “should be thrown out".
   (AP, 2/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 18, President Donald
Trump went on a clemency blitz, commuting the 14-year prison
sentence of former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich and pardoning
former NYPD commissioner Bernie Kerik, among a long list of others.
Trump also told reporters that he has pardoned financier Michael
Milken, who pleaded guilty for violating US securities laws and
served two years in prison in the early 1990s. Trump also pardoned
Edward DeBartolo Jr. (73), the former San Francisco 49ers owner,
convicted in 1998 in a gambling fraud scandal.
   (AP, 2/19/20)(SFC, 2/19/20, p.C1)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 18, Calling himself
“the chief law enforcement officer of the country,” Pres. Trump
renewed his attacks on the criminal justice system, demanded a new
trial for his friend Roger Stone, and granted clemency to several
white-collar criminals.
   (NY Times, 2/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 18, The Trump
administration said that it will waive federal contracting laws to
speed construction of a wall at the US-Mexico border. The 10 waived
laws include requirements for having open competition, justifying
selections and receiving all bonding from a contractor before any
work can begin.
   (AP, 2/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 18, It was announced
that billionaire Mike Bloomberg has qualified for the Feb 19
Democratic presidential debate in Nevada, marking the first time
he’ll stand alongside the rivals he has so far avoided by bypassing
the early voting states and using his personal fortune to define
himself through television ads.
   (AP, 2/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 18, The Boy Scouts of
America, barraged with sex-abuse lawsuits, filed for bankruptcy
protection in Delaware in hopes of working out a potentially mammoth
victim compensation plan that will allow the 110-year-old
organization to carry on.
   (AP, 2/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 18, Los Angeles city
and county officials announced a new strategy to speed the process
of getting homeless people into permanent housing. The new “Housing
Central Command,” modeled on the federal government’s response to
natural disasters, overhauled how agencies work together in
addressing the growing number of people living on the street.
   (AP, 2/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 18, In central
California a blaze at a public library in Porterville, allegedly
started by two 13-year-old boys, left two firefighters dead.
   (AP, 2/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 18, Florida
authorities busted a ring of Miami burglars they say used Instagram
and high-tech surveillance to target wealthy marks. Police said the
ringleader was Xandi Garcia (30), currently jailed on a separate
case.
   (Miami Herald, 2/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 18, In southern
Florida the Brightline train, which operates between Miami and West
Palm Beach, struck a car at an intersection in Pompano Beach. One
person was confirmed dead.
   (AP, 2/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 18, Massachusetts Rep.
David Nangle, D-Lowell, was arrested by the FBI and the IRS on
charges of bank fraud, wire fraud, filing false tax returns and
lying to a bank. Nangle had reportedly frequented casinos throughout
New England, accumulating so much gambling debt that he turned to
campaign funds to keep himself financially afloat.
   (ABC News, 2/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 18, A Venezuelan
teenager (18) was forced back to Mexico by US government authorities
in Brownsville who denied her claims that she was fleeing political
repression and violence, even after they accepted the same claims
from her father.
   (AP, 2/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 18, Afghanistan's
election commission announced that Ashraf Ghani has won a 2nd term
as president with 50.64% of the Sept. 28, 2019, vote. Opponent
Abdullah Abdullah won 30.52% and refused to accept the results. The
Taliban also rejected Ghani's win.
   (SFC, 2/19/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 18, The British Meat
Processors Association (BMPA) said British producers will not be
able to export processed meat like sausages and burgers to Europe
after Brexit unless they get a specific European Union health
certificate which currently does not exist.
   (Reuters, 2/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 18, Cambodian health
authorities said that 409 of the 2,257 passengers and crew of the
Westerdam had left Cambodia for their homes scattered across the
globe. The rest remain in hotels in Phnom Penh, the capital, or on
the ship. After hundreds of passengers had earlier disembarked, one
soon tested positive for the coronavirus.
   (NY Times, 2/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 18, Canada's PM Justin
Trudeau called for patience and dialog as indigenous-rights protests
that have brought rail traffic to a halt across the country dragged
on.
   (Bloomberg, 2/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 18, A study by the Tax
Justice Network said British overseas territory the Cayman Islands,
the United States and Switzerland do most to help the globe's
richest citizens hide and launder money.
   (Reuters, 2/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 18, China reported
1,886 new cases and 98 more deaths. That raised the number of deaths
in mainland China to 1,868 and the total number of confirmed cases
to 72,436. China reported the death of Dr. Liu Zhiming (51), the man
who mobilized all the resources of his hospital in Wuhan's Wuchang
district to deal with the thousands of sick people arriving daily.
   (AP, 2/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 18, French President
Emmanuel Macron announced measures intended to counter Islamic
extremism in France by giving the government more authority over the
schooling of children, the financing of mosques and the training of
imams.
   (AP, 2/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 18, French drugmaker
Sanofi said it is working with a US government agency to develop a
vaccine against the new coronavirus from China, saying it could have
a candidate ready for clinical trials within a year.
   (Reuters, 2/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 18, It was reported
that India has hastily built a half-km (1,640-foot) brick wall in
Gujarat state ahead of a visit by US President Donald Trump, with
critics saying it was built to block the view of a slum area
inhabited by more than 2,000 people.
   (AP, 2/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 18, Iran said it has
sentenced eight environmental activists, including an Iranian who
reportedly also has British and American citizenship, to prison
sentences ranging from four to 10 years on charges of spying for the
United States and acting against Iran's national security.
   (Reuters, 2/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 18, Iran said it has
had to reduce oil production projects because of a lack of funds as
income from oil exports has decreased.
   (AP, 2/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 18, Israel said it
will provide hundreds of additional work permits for Palestinians in
the Gaza Strip, in a new step aimed at solidifying an informal
cease-fire with the Hamas militant group.
   (AP, 2/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 18, A Tel Aviv court
ordered Facebook Inc to unblock the private account of a worker at
Israeli surveillance company NSO Group. Similar rulings were
expected for other employees in the coming days. Facebook's
messaging service WhatsApp had accused the Israeli firm of helping
government spies break into the phones of about 1,400 users in a
hacking spree targeting diplomats, political dissidents, journalists
and senior government officials across the globe.
   (Reuters, 2/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 18, Japan, announced
that 88 more cases of the virus were confirmed aboard a quarantined
cruise ship, the Diamond Princess, bringing the total to 542 among
the 3,700 initially on board.
   (AP, 2/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 18, Libya’s warring
sides resumed UN-brokered talks in Geneva aimed at salvaging a
fragile cease-fire in the North African country, even as eastern
Libyan forces stepped up their attacks on the Libyan capital,
hitting its port.
   (AP, 2/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 18, A report by
Doctors Without Borders (MSF) found 80% of migrants waiting in Nuevo
Laredo, under the Trump administration’s so-called Migrant
Protection Protocols (MPP), to have been abducted by the mafia, and
45% to have suffered violence or violation.
   (The Guardian, 2/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 18, It was reported
that thousands of people in the Netherlands have signed a petition
objecting to the construction of an airport in Portugal that could
threaten the black-tailed godwit, the Dutch national bird.
   (Reuters, 2/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 18, Vladislav Surkov
(55), the Kremlin's chief ideologue and pointman on relations with
Ukraine and Moscow-backed separatists, was dismissed late today. He
was for many years viewed as one of Russia's most powerful men.
Surkov later said that he stepped down because of a shift in the
Kremlin course on the Ukrainian conflict.
   (AFP, 2/19/20)(AP, 2/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 18, Spain's cabinet
voted to ban employers from dismissing workers due to illness, the
first step in a planned overhaul of the country's 2012 labor reform.
   (Reuters, 2/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 18, Officials said the
worst locust outbreak that parts of East Africa have seen in 70
years has reached South Sudan, a country where roughly half the
population already faces hunger after years of civil war.
   (AP, 2/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 18, Turkey said it
will deploy more troops to Syria's Idlib region and retaliate
against attacks by government forces there, even as Ankara continues
to discuss the situation with Moscow.
   (Reuters, 2/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 18, In Turkey nine
people, including prominent philanthropist Osman Kavala (63), were
acquitted of trying to overthrow the government by force. They had
faced trial for participating in the 2013 Taksim Square protests.
Arrests warrants were lifted for seven other defendants.
   (SFC, 2/19/20, p.A3)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 18, The UN issued a
scathing report that accused Haitian police of not protecting an
impoverished neighborhood from corrupt officers and gang leaders
they say shot at people and set fire to homes and cars in a recent
three-day attack.
   (AP, 2/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 18, Vatican police
raided the home and office of a senior Catholic Church official,
seizing documents and computers in the latest phase of an
investigation into the purchase of luxury London real estate.
   (Reuters, 2/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 18, It was reported
that Yemen’s Houthi rebels have blocked half of the United Nations’
aid delivery programs in the war-torn country — a strong-arm tactic
to force the agency to give them greater control over the massive
humanitarian campaign, along with a cut of billions of dollars in
foreign assistance.
   (AP, 2/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 19, President Trump
confirmed that he is appointing Richard Grenell, the US ambassador
to Germany, as acting director of national intelligence. Current
acting DNI Joseph Maguire, who would have had to step down by March
12 because he lacked Senate confirmation, was reportedly blindsided
by the news. Grenell has no real intelligence experience and has
never run a large bureaucracy.
   (The Week, 2/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 19, The US military
said that Tehran continues to deliver weapons to Yemen's Huthi
rebels, following a second interception in less than three months of
what Washington said were Iranian arms.
   (AFP, 2/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 19, Figures released
by the Environmental Protection Agency indicated that the Trump
administration completed the fewest cleanups of toxic Superfund
sites last year than any administration since the program’s first
years in the 1980s.
   (AP, 2/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 19, The US designated
five Chinese media companies as “foreign missions,” a decision that
reflects the Trump administration’s view that the communist party of
Xi Jinping is imposing increasingly draconian government-control
over news services.
   (Bloomberg, 2/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 19, The Oakland, Ca.,
police civilian oversight commission voted unanimously to fire
police Chief Anne Kirkpatrick without cause. Kirkpatrick filed suit
claiming that she blew the whistle on corruption within the police
commission. In 2022 a jury found that she was wrongfully terminated
and awarded her $1.5 million.
   (https://tinyurl.com/4tms9kjj)(SFC, 7/26/22,
p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 19, In southern
California rapper Pop Smoke (20), born as Bashar Barakah Jackson,
was fatally shot by intruders during a break-in at a Hollywood Hills
home.
   (SFC, 2/20/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 19, A 3-judge panel of
the 11th US Circuit court of Appeals upheld a preliminary injuction
against a Florida law that barred felons who served their time from
registering to vote because they have failed to pay all fines and
fees stemming from their cases.
   (SFC, 2/20/20, p.A7)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 19, Rod Blagojevich
returned home to Chicago, shaking hands and signing autographs after
President Donald Trump cut short the 14-year prison sentence handed
to the former Illinois governor for political corruption.
   (AP, 2/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 19, In Nevada
Democrats savaged New York billionaire Mike Bloomberg and raised
pointed questions about Bernie Sanders' take-no-prisoners politics
during a contentious debate that threatened to further muddy the
party's urgent quest to defeat President Donald Trump.
   (AP, 2/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 19, In Australia a
mother and her three children died in a car fire after Rowan Baxter
(42), her estranged husband and the children's father, allegedly
doused his family with gas before setting the car alight. Baxter was
found dead near the scene, reportedly after stabbing himself..
   (AP, 2/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 19, Boris Johnson’s
government unveiled plans to end what it called Britain's dependence
on “cheap low-skilled labor” and deliver on its pledge to halt
freedom of movement from the European Union after Brexit.
   (Bloomberg, 2/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 19, China's President
Xi Jinping called for greater protection of medical staff fighting
the new coronavirus after the deaths of prominent doctors sparked
national anger at the government's handling of the outbreak. 1,716
medical workers have been confirmed as infected. Mainland China
reported 1,749 new cases and 136 additional deaths. The death toll
from the virus jumped past 2,000, while 74,185 cases of infection
have been confirmed on the mainland. Inspectors in protective suits
went door-to-door in the epicenter of the viral outbreak to try to
find every infected person in an epidemic that is showing signs of
waning as new cases fell for a second straight day.
   (AFP, 2/19/20)(AP, 2/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 19, French PM Edouard
Philippe said that the Fessenheim nuclear reactor will be shut down
at the end of June.
   (SFC, 2/20/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 19, In Germany a
massacre in the Frankfurt suburb of Hanau erupted late today at two
hookah bars. The shooting left 11 people dead, including Tobias
Rathjen, the suspected gunman. Investigators said a video the
suspect posted online allegedly expressed right-wing conspiracy
theories.
   (ABC News, 2/20/20)(Econ., 2/29/20, p.40)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 19, Two people in Iran
tested positive for the deadly new coronavirus, in the Islamic
republic's first cases of the disease.
   (AFP, 2/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 19, Authorities in
northern Italy arrested the captain of a Lebanese-flagged cargo ship
on suspicion of international arms trafficking while they
investigate if the vessel transported tanks, rockets and other
weapons from Turkey to Libya.
   (AP, 2/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 19, Libya's Khalifa
Hifter, commander of the eastern-based forces, was in Moscow and met
with Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu.
   (AP, 2/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 19, Pakistani
officials said soybean dust from shipping containers, not toxic gas
from a gas leak, was responsible for the recent deaths of 14 people
in the southern port city of Karachi.
   (AP, 2/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 19, Palestinian Salah
Zakarna (17) was shot and killed in overnight clashes between
Palestinian forces and local gunmen in the West Bank. It was unclear
who shot him.
   (AP, 2/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 19, Sri Lanka's PM
Mahinda Rajapaksa said that the government has decided to withdraw
from co-sponsorship of a 2015 UN Human Rights Council resolution
calling for the investigation of allegations of war crimes committed
during the island nation's long civil war. Rajapaksa said the
resolution has enabled other countries to blame members of Sri
Lanka's armed forces for being human rights violators.
   (AP, 2/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 19, Sweden's Riksbank
said it had begun testing an e-krona, taking the country a step
closer to the creation of the world's first central bank digital
currency (CBDC).
   (Reuters, 2/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 19, A Syrian passenger
jet landed in Aleppo from Damascus, marking the resumption of
domestic flights between the two cities for the first time since
2012. The government's onslaught continued nearby with airstrikes
reported in several rebel-held towns and villages.
   (AP, 2/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 19, Turkey's Pres.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan criticized the European Union’s decision to
launch a maritime effort focused on enforcing the U.N arms embargo
around Libya.
   (AP, 2/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 19, A UN-backed report
said children and adolescents are being bombarded with ads on social
media promoting harmful products from fast food to tobacco and
alcohol.
   (Reuters, 2/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 19, In Yemen a
landmine explosion killed six guards of the Yemeni defense minister
and wounded eight others in the central province of Marib, the
latest casualties of unmarked landmines that litter the war-torn
country.
   (AP, 2/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 20, The US said it has
sanctioned members of an Iranian government agency that it says rigs
elections in the country by disqualifying candidates who don’t echo
the political ideology of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
   (Bloomberg, 2/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 20, US federal
authorities in Atlanta announced the launch of Operation Crystal
Shield to target methamphetamine transportation hubs around the
country. Seven other hub cities included Dallas, El Paso, Houston,
Los Angeles, New Orleans, Phoenix and St. Louis.
   (SFC, 2/21/20, p.A6)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 20, Trump loyalist
Roger Stone was sentenced to 40 months in prison for lying to
Congress, tampering with a witness and obstructing a House
investigation.
   (SFC, 2/21/20, p.A6)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 20, California
lawmakers apologized for the Lagislature's role in advancing
discrimination against Japanese Americans and their incarceration
during WW II.
   (SFC, 2/21/20, p.C2)  Â
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 20, The Univ. of
Southern California announced that it was making tuition free for
students from families with an annual income of $80,000 or less
starting this fall.
   (SFC, 2/21/20, p.A6)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 20, Police in Orlando,
Fla., found four people dead after receiving a report that some of
the family members had not been seen since last week. A US Customs
and Border Protection officer had allegedly shot and killed his wife
and two children at their home before turning the gun on himself.
   (AP, 2/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 20, Florida's
Legislature passed a bill requiring girls under the age of 18 to get
parent's permission before having an abortion. In some cases a judge
may grant a waiver. Gov. Ron DeSantis was expected to sign.
   (SFC, 2/22/20, p.A6)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 20, In Idaho one
person was killed and three were injured in a shooting at an
apartment complex for senior citizens in Boise. The suspect also
died.
   (SFC, 2/22/20, p.A6)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 20, Lori Vallow (46),
a woman wanted by authorities in Idaho in connection to the
disappearance of her two children, was arrested in Hawaii. Her
children, Tylee Ryan (17) and her adopted son Joshua "JJ" Vallow
(7), have been missing since September.
   (ABC News, 2/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 20, In Tennessee
convicted murderer Nicholas Sutton (58) was electrocuted at the
Riverbend Maximum Security Institution in Nashville.
   (SFC, 2/21/20, p.A6)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 20, Morgan Stanley
announced that it would buy E-Trade, an online discount brokerage,
for about $13 billion.
   (SFC, 2/21/20, p.D1)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 20, In Australia a
train from Sydney to Melbourne derailed killing two people on board.
   (SFC, 2/21/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 20, In London Daniel
Horton (29) stabbed muezzin Raafat Maglad (70) in the neck at the
London Central Mosque. Horton was soon charged with grevious bodily
harm.
   (SSFC, 2/23/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 20, Canada hosted
members of the Lima Group regional bloc (Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil,
Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico,
Panama, Paraguay, Peru and St Lucia). The bloc said the world needs
to stop the humanitarian crisis in Venezuela, hit by political
conflict and a collapsing economy.
   (Reuters, 2/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 20, China said it was
helping its downstream neighbors cope with a prolonged drought by
releasing more water from its dams on the Mekong River, adding it
would consider sharing information on hydrology to provide further
assistance in the future. The drought over the past year has
severely hurt farming and fishing in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar,
Thailand and Vietnam.
   (Reuters, 2/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 20, The number of new
cases in China declined again, to 394, a notable shift from the
1,749 figure released a day earlier. Another 114 deaths in China
were linked to the virus. The statistics came after yet another
change in how cases are counted.
   (AP, 2/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 20, The World Health
Organization chided the international community for not stepping up
enough to finance the battle to contain the novel coronavirus that
has shut down many parts of China and killed more than 2,000 people.
   (South China Morning Post, 2/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 20, An Egyptian court
overturned a decision to release prominent activist Alaa Abdel
Fattah (38), who has been detained for nearly five months without
trial over what his family says are unjust charges.
   (AP, 2/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 20, France's hard-left
unions brought workers back onto the streets in protest against
President Emmanuel Macron's pension reform, but numbers were low as
the fight to derail the project shifted to parliament.
   (Reuters, 2/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 20, In southern India
a bus collided with a truck killing at least 19 people near
Avanashi, Tamil Nadu state.
   (SFC, 2/21/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 20, Iran said that
three more people have been infected with the new virus that
originated in central China, following an announcement the day
before that two people had died of the illness caused by the virus
in the city of Qom.
   (AP, 2/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 20, Iraqi Airways
suspended flight service to neighboring Iran as a protective measure
against the coronavirus outbreak.
   (Reuters, 2/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 20, In Italy
bulldozers started work demolishing a crime-riddled, crumbling
housing estate on the outskirts of Naples, notorious for its links
to the local mafia. The housing project, known as the "Sails of
Scampia", was built in the 1960s and 1970s and became synonymous
with poverty and violence in Italy's underdeveloped south as clan
warfare raged through its narrow corridors and bleak stairways.
   (Reuters, 2/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 20, The first case of
coronavirus was confirmed in Lebanon after a woman arriving from
Iran was found to be positive.
   (Reuters, 2/21/20)(AP, 4/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 20, In Portugal
hundreds of people, old and young, protested outside parliament on
against proposed bills that would legalize euthanasia. Parliament
voted in favor of allowing euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide
for terminally ill people.
   (Reuters, 2/20/20)(SFC, 2/21/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 20, It was reported
that the tiny archipelago of Seychelles is battling what officials
say are the world's highest rates of heroin addiction. Government
figures showed that nearly 5,000 people were hooked, equivalent to
nearly 10 percent of the national workforce.
   (AFP, 2/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 20, South Korea
reported its first death from the new virus while the mayor of a
southeastern city urged its 2.5 million people to stay inside as
infections linked to a church congregation spiked. The Korea Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed 22 additional cases of
the virus, raising the total in South Korea to 104.
   (AP, 2/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 20, South Sudan’s
rival leaders announced they have agreed to form a coalition
government just two days before the deadline, a breakthrough after
months of delays and a major step in the emergence from a five-year
civil war that killed nearly 400,000 people in the world’s youngest
nation.
   (AP, 2/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 20, An airstrike in
northwestern Syria reportedly killed two Turkish soldiers, following
a large-scale attack by Ankara-backed opposition forces that
targeted Syrian government troops. A Turkish Defense Ministry
statement said as many as 50 Syrian government soldiers were killed
and that five tanks, two armored personnel carriers and other
equipment were destroyed.
   (AP, 2/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 20, A UN rights probe
said South Sudan's government forces and other armed groups have
"deliberately starved" civilians by denying aid access and
displacing communities.
   (AFP, 2/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 20, The UN said
estimated 170,000 of the 900,000 civilians forced from their homes
in a massive wave of displacement in northwestern Syria are living
out in the open.
   (AFP, 2/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 20, The UN envoy for
Haiti said the political impasse that has paralyzed Haiti is sending
its economy deeper into recession, with 4.6 million people needing
humanitarian aid with no immediate end in sight.
   (AP, 2/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 20, The UN migration
agency said a rubber dinghy packed with 91 migrants that set out
from Libyan shores in hopes of reaching Europe has apparently gone
missing in the Mediterranean.
   (AP, 2/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 20, Police in Zambia
said they have arrested 16 people suspected of being behind a spate
of attacks that began in December in which people have been sprayed
with poisonous substances and some have died.
   (Reuters, 2/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 21, US President
Donald Trump said on Twitter that the idea that Russia wants him to
win re-election was "another misinformation campaign" launched by
Democrats.
   (AP, 2/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 21, Richard Grenell’s
tenure as the top US intelligence official may be short-lived, but
he wasted no time starting to shape his team of advisers, ousting
his office’s No. 2 official — a longtime intelligence officer — and
bringing in an expert on Trump conspiracy theories to help lead the
agency.
   (NY Times, 2/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 21, The US Pentagon
said number of US troops who sustained traumatic brain injury when
Iran launched missiles at their base in Iraq on the night of January
7-8 has risen to 110.
   (AFP, 2/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 21, Mike Bloomberg
said he’d free three women from confidentiality agreements that bar
them from speaking publicly about sexual harassment or
discrimination suits filed against him over the last three decades.
He also said his company, Bloomberg LP, will no longer use such
agreements “to resolve claims of sexual harassment or misconduct
going forward”.
   (AP, 2/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 21, In Arizona three
high school students were killed near Pima when a van went off a
highway on the way back from a drag racing event.
   (SFC, 2/25/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 21, Costa Mesa,
California, won a battle against the state, at least temporarily,
when a judge halted the transfer of people diagnosed with the
coronavirus to its community for a quarantine site.
   (AP, 2/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 21, In Florida Lyuyou
Liao (27), a Chinese national, pleaded guilty to taking photographs
of a Naval Air Station in the Florida Keys. He faced up to one year
in prison.
   (SFC, 2/24/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 21, In Boston Xiaoning
Sui (49), a Chinese citizen living in British Columbia, pleaded
guilty to to paying $400,000 to get her son into UCLA as a fake
soccer recruit.
   (SSFC, 2/23/20, p.A7)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 21, Boeing Co said it
has found debris in the fuel tanks of dozens of undelivered 737 MAX
jets amid ongoing inspections as the Chicago-based plane maker
struggles to restore the trust of airlines and the wider public in
the grounded fleet.
   (Reuters, 2/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 21, Danish drugmaker
Lundbeck said the US Food and Drug Administration has approved its
migraine prevention therapy, which the drugmaker acquired through
its near $2 billion deal for Alder BioPharmaceuticals in 2019.
Vyepti, also known as eptinezumab, inhibits calcitonin gene-related
peptide (CGRP), which plays a key role in causing migraine pain.
   (Reuters, 2/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 21, Several thousand
Algerians demonstrated to mark the first anniversary of protests
that ousted President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, demanding the removal of
allies of the former leader who are still in power and more steps
towards democracy.
   (Reuters, 2/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 21, Jorge Todesca,
(73), the man who restored the credibility of Argentina’s statistics
after years of data manipulation, died. In 2011, Argentina’s
commerce secretariat fined Todesca 500,000 pesos (about $120,000 at
the time) for publishing his own inflation index due to the lack of
credibility of official data. The fine was overturned in court.
   (Bloomberg, 2/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 21, In Australia, two
people who had been evacuated from a virus-wracked cruise ship off
Japan tested positive for mild cases of the COVID-19 illness.
   (AFP, 2/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 21, British
entrepreneur Richard Branson (69) heralded his first cruise ship
"Scarlet Lady" as targeting a younger generation of holidaymakers
with a range of attractions that he believes will outweigh any fears
around coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 2/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 21, China reported 118
more deaths from the COVID-19 virus, raising the toll to 2,236, most
of them in Hubei. China tallied 889 new cases. Two correctional
facilities in east China reported cases, with 200 prisoners and
seven guards testing positive at Rencheng prison in Shandong
province. Another 34 cases were found at a prison in Zhejiang
province.
   (AFP, 2/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 21, A small group of
desert locusts entered Congo, marking the first time the voracious
insects have been seen in the Central African country since 1944.
Locusts, carried in part by the wind, arrived on the western shore
of Lake Albert near the town of Bunia. Kenya, Somalia and Uganda
also have been battling locust swarms, which can reach the size of
major cities.
   (AP, 2/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 21, In Indonesia at
least six students in the province of Yogyakarta were killed and
five more were missing after a tidal surge swept them away during a
school trip.
   (AP, 2/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 21, Iran went to the
polls for a general election that conservatives are expected to
dominate amid voter apathy after an economic slump, multiple crises
and the disqualification of thousands of candidates.
   (AFP, 2/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 21, An Iranian health
ministry official said the coronavirus has spread to several cities
in the country. Health authorities reported two more deaths from the
new virus that emerged in China and said the fatalities were from
among 13 new confirmed cases of the virus.
   (Reuters, 2/21/20)(AP, 2/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 21, Financial Action
Taskforce placed Iran on its blacklist. FATF had urged the Islamic
Republic to either enact terrorist financing conventions or see its
reprieve from the blacklist lifted and some countermeasures imposed.
   (Reuters, 2/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 21, An Israeli doctor
said one of the 11 Israelis who were flown home after being
quarantined on a cruise ship in Japan has tested positive for the
new virus that emerged in China late last year, the first case to be
reported inside the country. Another four Israelis were hospitalized
in Japan after testing positive for the virus.
   (AP, 2/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 21, Italian
authorities announced that a cluster of 16 coronavirus cases had
been detected around Codogno, a small town in Lombardy. By the next
day the number was up to 60 and five elderly people had died.
   (Econ., 2/29/20, p.13)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 21, In Kazakhstan
Democratic Party activist and filmmaker Zhanbolat Mamay was one of
dozens of activists who were detained ahead of demonstrations set
for the next day. Mamay was arrested and sentenced to three days'
detention for calling for the unsanctioned rally.
   (https://tinyurl.com/ybufxdk7)(Econ., 2/29/20,
p.29)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 21, Libya’s security
chief called on the US to set up a base in the North African country
to counter Russia’s expanding influence in Africa.
   (AP, 2/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 21, Myanmar's army
said in a statement it would hold more court-martials over alleged
abuses against Rohingya Muslims, after a government-appointed
commission said soldiers committed war crimes against the minority.
   (Reuters, 2/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 21, Financial Action
Task Force (FATF), an international financial watchdog, placed
Myanmar on its money-laundering watchlist, urging the country at the
heart of Asia's illicit drug-producing "Golden Triangle" to boost
its efforts to seize crime proceeds.
   (AP, 2/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 21, A New Zealand man
was sentenced to life in prison for murdering British backpacker
Grace Millane (22) in December, 2018.
   (AP, 2/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 21, A Western tour
company said North Korea has called off its Pyongyang Marathon
scheduled for April after imposing a border lockdown and travel
curbs to prevent a coronavirus outbreak.
   (Reuters, 2/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 21, In Puerto Rico
former DEA agent Jose Irizarry (46) and his wife were arrested at
their home near San Juan, as part of a 19-count federal indictment
that accused Irizarry of “secretly using his position and his
special access to information” to divert millions in drug proceeds
from control of the Drug Enforcement Administration.
   (AP, 2/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 21, South Korea's
government banned major rallies in its capital and declared a health
emergency in its fourth largest city as 100 new virus cases were
reported, bringing the country's total to 204.
   (AP, 2/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 21, In southern Spain
thousands of farmers took to the streets of Murcia, blocking streets
with tractors and tossing vegetables to the ground in protest at low
food prices and precarious working conditions.
   (Reuters, 2/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 21, A Thai court
dissolved a high-profile opposition political party, the Future
Forward Party, ruling that it illegally took a 191.2 million baht
($6.04 million) loan from its billionaire leader. The court also
banned party leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, heir to an auto
parts fortune, and 15 other party executive board members from
politics for 10 years.
   (Reuters, 2/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 21, The United Arab
Emirates said it had registered two new coronavirus cases, bringing
the total number of people diagnosed with the virus in the Gulf Arab
state to 11.
   (Reuters, 2/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 21, It was reported
that a top official for Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro's
government has hired Washington law firm Amsterdam & Partners,
that also represents Turkey, taking over from another legal team
that backed out last month following an outcry from critics who
accused it of collaborating with a repressive regime. Lawyer Bob
Amsterdam declined to comment on the nature of work for Maduro’s
Inspector General Reinaldo Muñoz, other than saying it would focus
on sanctions and human rights issues.
   (AP, 2/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 21, Vietnam's state
media said seven people have been charged with the deaths of 39
Vietnamese migrants who bodies were found in a trailer near London
last Oct. 23.
   (SFC, 2/22/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 22, The US Dept. of
Justice confirmed that Mexico has extradited Ruben Oseguera, son of
Nemesio Oseguera, the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel,
to face drug distribution charges.
   (SFC, 2/22/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 22, In California
self-styled daredevil “Mad" Mike Hughes (64) died after the homemade
rocket crashed on private property near Barstow.
   (AP, 2/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 22, In southern
California a charter bus swerved on a rain-slicked highway and
rolled down an embankment, killing three people and injuring 18
others in Pala Mesa.
   (AP, 2/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 22, In Hawaii a
single-engine plane crashed at Dillingham Airfiled northwest of
Honolulu. Two people were killed.
   (SFC, 2/24/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 22, In Louisiana a man
was struck and killed by a Mardi Gras float during a raucous night
street parade in New Orleans, becoming the second person in days
killed along a parade route during this year's Carnival season.
   (AP, 2/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 22, Nevada Democrats
hosted hundreds of caucuses, the third contest in the state-by-state
presidential nominating process. Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders won
his second straight contest with a convincing 47% victory in Nevada.
Former VP Joe Biden finished a distant second with 19%.
   (Reuters, 2/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 22, In New York a
leadership dispute within the Cayuga Indian Nation took a stunning
turn when nation leader Clint Halftown sent bulldozers to demolish a
working daycare center, store, schoolhouse and other buildings
controlled by tribe members who oppose his authority. The
anti-Halftown Unity Council in 2014 claimed control of some of the
buildings that were destroyed.
   (AP, 2/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 22, Taliban fighters
and Afghan security forces clashed in parts of Afghanistan, a day
after a week-long "reduction in violence" was announced, but the
incidents did not spark immediate alarm on either side.
   (Reuters, 2/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 22, A UN report said
Afghanistan passed a grim milestone with more than 100,000 civilians
killed or hurt in the last 10 years since the international body
began documenting casualties in a war that has raged for 18 years.
   (AP, 2/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 22, In southern
Albania two migrants were killed in a car crash and seven others
were injured when their vehicle plummeted off a cliff. The
four-wheel drive vehicle was illegally transporting the nine
migrants. The driver (28) was arrested and charged with illegal
migrant trafficking and traffic violations.
   (AP, 2/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 22, Brazil's famed
Carnival kicked off in earnest, as millions of scantily-clad
revelers poured into the streets, many of whom took the opportunity
to parody or otherwise comment on the nation's deeply polarized
political climate.
   (Reuters, 2/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 22, Bulgarian
authorities identified three Russians who have been charged in
absentia over the 2015 attempted poisoning of Emilian Gebrev, the
owner of an arms factory, his son and a company employee. Suspects
Sergei Pavlov, Sergei Fedotov and Georgy Gorshkov were believed to
be residents of Moscow.
   (SSFC, 2/23/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 22, In China 397 new
cases of coronavirus were reported nationwide and another 109 people
died. The outbreak of the new COVID-19 strain has claimed 2,345
lives on the mainland and infected more than 76,000 people, with
cases in more than 25 countries. State media said President Xi
Jinping has written a letter thanking the Bill & Melinda Gates
Foundation for committing up to $100 million for the global response
to the outbreak.
   (AFP, 2/22/20)   (AP, 2/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 22, In China woman
traveled by car to a relative’s home in Beijing after being released
from Wuhan Women’s Prison, a facility stricken by an outbreak
affecting more than 250 people. Her coronavirus infection was
disclosed by local officials on Feb. 26.
   (AP, 2/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 22, Hundreds of
Dominicans took to the streets in fresh protests after the abrupt
suspension of municipal elections that unleashed a political crisis
months before the Caribbean island votes for a new president.
Dominicans will vote for a new president on May 17.
   (Reuters, 2/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 22, An Egyptian court
acquitted the two sons of ousted President Hosni Mubarak on charges
of stock market manipulation, the latest in a series of trials of
Mubarak’s family since the 2011 uprising that toppled the longtime
autocrat after nearly three decades in power.
   (AP, 2/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 22, Egyptian
prosecutors extended the detention of Patrick George Zaki, an
activist and vocal critic of President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi.
Prosecutors renewed Zaki’s detention for another 15 days.
   (AP, 2/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 22, India, the world's
second-biggest gold consumer, said it has discovered gold fields
with reserves of over 3,000 tons in northern Uttar Pradesh's
Sonbhadra district.
   (Reuters, 2/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 22, Conservatives in
Iran took a lead as the first results of parliamentary elections
came in, boosted by a predicted low turnout following the
disqualification of nearly half the candidates. Hardliners won a
majority in parliamentary elections. The official turnout was 42.5%,
the lowest in the history of the Islamic Republic.
   (AFP, 2/22/20)(Bloomberg, 2/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 22, Iranian
authorities reported one more death among 10 new cases of the
coronavirus. Iran ordered the closure of schools and universities in
two cities hit by the virus outbreak that has killed five people,
the most outside the Far East. 28 cases in total have been
confirmed.
   (AP, 2/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 22, Iran's hardline
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) detained journalist
Mohammad Mosaed and said his social media posts constituted
"crimes." Mosaed had posted criticism both of Iran's lack of
readiness, and its response when the coronavirus hit in January.
   (Insider, 4/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 22, Israeli police
officers shot and killed a man after he allegedly tried to stab a
soldier outside Jerusalem’s Old City.
   (AP, 2/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 22, Israeli and
Palestinian authorities sought to quell fears of a potential local
outbreak of the coronavirus after learning that South Korean
pilgrims who had toured some of the holy land's most popular sites
were later found to be carrying the virus.
   (Reuters, 2/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 22, A dozen towns in
northern Italy effectively went into lockdown after the deaths of
two people infected with the new virus from China and a growing
cluster of cases with no direct links to the origin of the outbreak
abroad. Secondary coronavirus contagions prompted local authorities
in the Lombardy and Veneto regions to order schools, businesses, and
restaurants closed, and to cancel sporting events and Masses.
Hundreds of residents and workers who came into contact with an
estimated 54 people confirmed infected in Italy were in isolation
pending test results. Two people infected with the virus have died.
   (AP, 2/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 22, Kazakh police
detained dozens of opposition supporters who staged public protests
against the government. Around 200 people were detained as two
opposition groups called for anti-government demonstrations in the
oil-rich country.
   (https://tinyurl.com/ybufxdk7)(Reuters, 2/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 22, In Saudi Arabia
finance ministers and central bankers of the world's 20 biggest
economies (G20) began a 2-day discussion on top global economic
challenges in Riyadh, focusing on the growth outlook and new rules
to tax global digital companies. Diplomats said the US is against
mentioning climate change in the communique of the world's financial
leaders.
   (Reuters, 2/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 22, Serbia received a
sophisticated anti-aircraft system from Russia, despite possible US
sanctions against the Balkan state, which is formally seeking
European Union membership. The Pantsir S1 air-defense system was
purchased after suggestions from Russian President Vladimir Putin.
   (AP, 2/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 22, In southern
Somalia Bashir Mohamed Mahamoud, head of al Shabaab's operations,
was killed in an American air strike in the Sakow district of the
Jubba region.
   (Reuters, 3/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 22, A South Korean Air
flight with 188 passengers that landed at Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion
airport was taxied away from the allotted terminal while authorities
allowed only 11 Israelis to enter the country. The next day the
plane returned to South Korea with the rest of the passengers.
   (AP, 2/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 22, South Korea
reported an eight-fold jump in viral infections with 433 cases
mostly linked to a church and a hospital.
   (AP, 2/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 22, South Sudan's
opposition leader Riek Machar was sworn in as deputy to Pres. Salva
Kiir.
   (SSFC, 2/23/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 22, Togo held a
presidential election that is likely to result in incumbent
President Faure Gnassingbe winning a fourth term despite years of
calls by the political opposition for new leadership. Gnassingbe
enacted a law last year that limits presidents to two five-year
terms. However, the law was not retroactive so his previous three
terms are not counted in his limit.
   (AP, 2/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 22, Turkey said a
member of its military was killed in Syria's Idlib region in a bomb
attack by Syrian government forces, the sixteenth soldier killed
there so far this month.
   (Reuters, 2/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 23, President Donald
Trump accused Representative Adam Schiff of leaking classified
information on Russian interference in the 2020 US election to hurt
Democratic presidential front-runner Bernie Sanders.
   (Reuters, 2/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 23, In Georgia (US)
Ahmaud Arbery (25) was shot and killed while jogging in Savannah.
Two white men said they suspected he had committed a recent
burglary.
   (SFC, 5/7/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 23, The satirical
Belgian carnival parade in Aalst, decried by Israel's foreign
minister as "hateful" went, ahead despite being withdrawn from the
United Nation's list of recognized cultural events over accusations
of racism and anti-Semitism.
   (AP, 2/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 23, Four passengers
tested positive for coronavirus in England after being evacuated
from the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan. This brought the
total number of cases in the UK to thirteen.
   (Reuters, 2/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 23, Mainland China
reported 648 new coronavirus infections for a total of 76,936. The
daily death toll fell slightly to 97. In all, 2,442 people have died
in the country from COVID-19.
   (AP, 2/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 23, Egypt’s top
appeals court upheld a 10-year jail term for the head of the
country’s customs authority who was convicted of corruption.
Abdel-Azim was arrested in June 2018, while taking bribes from an
unnamed businessman.
   (AP, 2/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 23, Berlin began
freezing the rents of 1.5 million apartments for the next five years
in a controversial move to control the exploding costs that have
forced many to move outside Germany's capital city.
   (AP, 2/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 23, Haitian police
officers exchanged gunfire for hours with soldiers of the newly
reconstituted army outside the national palace, in a dangerous
escalation of protests over police pay and working conditions.
   (AP, 2/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 23, In Hungary more
than 2,000 people, including Roma families and civil groups, marched
to parliament to protest against the government's refusal to pay
compensation to Roma children who had been unlawfully segregated in
a school in eastern Hungary.
   (Reuters, 2/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 23, In India police
used tear gas to disperse large crowds in New Delhi in the latest
eruption of violence at protests over a new citizenship law. The
protest comes just a day before US President Donald Trump begins a
two-day visit to India.
   (Reuters, 2/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 23, Iran’s health
ministry raised the death toll from the new coronavirus to eight,
with 43 confirmed cases.
   (Reuters, 2/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 23, In Iraq one
protester was shot dead and at least six wounded in renewed violence
between anti-government demonstrators and security forces in central
Baghdad.
   (AP, 2/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 23, The Israeli
military said it shot two Palestinian militants trying to place an
explosive device along the border with Gaza, one of whom was
reportedly killed.
   (AP, 2/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 23, Israel struck
multiple targets near the Syrian capital late today, killing two
members of a Palestinian militant faction and triggering
anti-aircraft fire from the country's air defenses that shook
Damascus.
   (AP, 2/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 23, Italian
authorities stepped up measures to ban public gatherings, including
stopping Venice's famed carnival events, which have drawn tens of
thousands of revelers to a region that is now in the heart of the
outbreak. Nearly all of the known cases, including three deaths,
were clustered in the north, at least 25 of them in the Veneto
region. Italy reported more than 150 confirmed cases, a sharp
increase from fewer than five last week. Officials locked down at
least 10 towns in the northern region of Lombardy, affecting at
least 50,000 people.
   (AP, 2/23/20)(Reuters, 2/23/20)(NY Times,
2/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 23, In Japan a third
passenger from the virus-infected Diamond Princess cruise ship died.
Japan's health ministry announced 57 more cases of infections from
the ship, including 55 crew members still on board and two
passengers who had infected roommates and are in a prolonged
quarantine at a government facility. Japan has confirmed a total of
838 cases and four deaths from the virus.
   (Reuters, 2/23/20)(AP, 2/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 23, Forces loyal to
Libyan eastern-based commander Khalifa Haftar said they had killed
16 Turkish soldiers in recent weeks, a day after Turkey acknowledged
it had lost several "martyrs" in combat in the north African
country.
   (Reuters, 2/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 23, Namibia shipped 25
tons of beef to Philadelphia. This was the first ever export of red
meat from Africa to the US. The shipment was duty-free under the
Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) signed in 2000.
   (https://tinyurl.com/yafxqycx)(Econ., 2/29/20,
p.39)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 23, Pakistan
temporarily closed its borders with Iran, which announced a weeklong
closing of schools, universities and cultural centers. The outbreak
has killed at least 12 people in Iran, according to state
television, the largest number of deaths outside China.
   (NY Times, 2/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 23, The Saudi-led
coalition said it launched air raids targeting ballistic missile and
drone depots in Yemen's capital of the Iran-backed Huthis, two days
after the rebels fired missiles into the kingdom.
   (AFP, 2/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 23, In Saudi Arabia
finance leaders of the world's top 20 economies wrapped up their
two-day meeting in Riyadh, a session that was dominated by growing
concern over the widening fallout from the coronavirus outbreak. In
a draft G20 communique the finance leaders clung to their upbeat
projection of a modest pick-up in global growth despite the
outbreak.
   (Reuters, 2/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 23, South Korea raised
its infectious disease alert to its highest level due to the
coronavirus outbreak. South Korea announced 169 more cases of the
new virus, bringing the country’s total more than 760. The country
also reported three more fatalities, raising its death toll to six.
   (Reuters, 2/23/20)(AP, 2/23/20)(NY Times,
2/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 23, South Korean
health authorities said that 18 of the 39 South Koreans from the
southeastern region who had made a group pilgrimage to sites in
Israel later tested positive for the virus.
   (AP, 2/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 23, In Syria several
Turkish troops were wounded in Idlib province after pro-Damascus
forces targeted a Turkish military convoy with heavy artillery,
prompting it to retreat northwards.
   (Reuters, 2/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 23, Turkey closed its
border with Iran due to the number of coronavirus cases in its
eastern neighbor.
   (AP, 2/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 23, In Turkey nine
people were killed in Van province in a magnitude 5.7 earthquake
that struck western Iran early today. Iran’s official IRNA news
agency said the earthquake affected 43 villages in the mountainous
Qotour area. 75 people were reported injured.
   (AP, 2/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 24, US Pres. Donald
Trump began a two-day visit to India today, attending a rally of
more than 100,000 people at a cricket stadium in the western city of
Ahmedabad. More than 100,000 people packed the world's largest
cricket stadium to welcome Trump. In New Delhi at least seven were
killed, including a police officer, and nearly 100 others reportedly
injured in clashes between hundreds of supporters and opponents of
the new Indian citizenship.
   (NY Times, 2/24/20)(AP, 2/24/20)(AP, 2/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 24, The US Supreme
Court threw out a court order to seize assests belonging to the
Roman Catholic archdiocese of San Juan, Puerto Rico, to pay pension
benefits for Catholic school teachers, due to lack of authority.
   (SFC, 2/25/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 24, The 9th US Circuit
Court of Appeals upheld rules that bar taxpayer-funded
family-planning clinics from referring women for abortions. The
court had already allowed the administration's changes to start
taking effect while the government appealed those rulings.
   (AP, 2/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 24, The Dow Jones
Industrial Average fell by more than 950 points at the open, erasing
all gains for the blue-chip index for the year, after a spike in the
number of reported cases of coronavirus fueled fears that the
epidemic would have a serious impact on global economic growth.
   (NBC News, 2/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 24, Clive Cussler
(b.1931), American author and maritime adventurer, died at his home
in Scottsdale, Arizona. His books reached the New York Times
best-seller list more than 20 times. They included "The
Mediterranean Caper" (1973) and "Raise the Titanic" (1976).
   (SFC, 2/28/20, p.C4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 24, Diana Serra Cary
(101), child star of silent films, died in Gustine, Ca. In 1921
Century Studio cast the 2½-year-old as Baby Peggy, opposite Brownie
the Wonder Dog. Her films included "Playmates (1921), "Miles of
Smiles" (1923), "Helen's Babies" (1924) and "Captain January"
(1924). In 1996 she authored "Whatever Happened to Baby Peggy: The
Autobiography of Hollywood's pioneer Child Star." She also authored
"Jackie Coogan: The World's Boy King: A Biography of Hollywwod's
Legendary Child Star" (2003).
   (SFC, 2/26/20, p.C5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 24, In Florida Gerald
Nicolas (65) of Sarasota, who faced 50 child porn charges, died
early today when he ran out in a front of a semi-truck on Interstate
75.
   (Miami Herald, 2/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 24, In Florida Ron and
Charlene Esserman established The Esserman Family Fund for
Investigative Journalism at the Miami Foundation. Their gift will
help fund an annual top prize of $10,000 and two $1,000 honorable
mention prizes for South Florida's “best accountability” reporting.
The gift will also support a $50,000 annual, yearlong investigative
reporting fellowship for young reporters at the Miami Herald.
   (AP, 2/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 24, Firefighters from
federal and New Jersey agencies battled a forest fire for a second
day in a popular hiking area that is crossed by the Appalachian
Trail and a major interstate highway.
   (AP, 2/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 24, A New York City
jury reached a verdict in the rape trial of Harvey Weinstein (67).
He was found guilty of criminal sexual assault and of rape in the
third degree. He was found not guilty of the more serious charges of
predatory sexual assault and of rape in the first degree.
   (CBS News, 2/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 24, Three people
convicted of covering up the slaying of a Virginia teenager whose
body was dismembered and burned were sentenced to prison. Megan
Metzger was 19 years old in 2018 when she was shot in the face
during a gathering in Spotsylvania County.
   (AP, 2/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 24, NASA scientists
said the InSight lander, which touched down on the surface of Mars
in November 2018 to begin the first mission to study the planet's
deep interior, has since detected around 450 marsquakes, most of
modest strength.
   (Reuters, 2/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 24, Katherine Johnson
(101), a mathematician who calculated rocket trajectories and earth
orbits for NASA’s early space missions, died in Virginia. She was
portrayed in the 2016 hit film “Hidden Figures,” about pioneering
black female aerospace workers.
   (AP, 2/24/20)(Econ., 2/29/20, p.74)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 24, It was reported
that there are some 4,600 Bitcoin ATM machines operating in the US,
up from four in 2014.
   (SFC, 2/24/20, p.D1)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 24, Afghanistan's
minister of public health said one of three suspected cases had been
confirmed in the Western province of Herat.
   (NBC News, 2/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 24, The captain of the
Stellar Banner cargo ship ran his vessel agound of the coast of
Brazil to prevent it from sinking. Days later oil was detected
leaking from the partially submerged ship. The ship was carrying
iron ore destined for China.
   (SSFC, 3/1/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 24, Bulgaria's food
safety agency authorities reported two new outbreaks of the highly
pathogenic H5N8 bird flu in the southern part of the Balkan country.
   (Reuters, 2/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 24, In eastern Canada
police moved in morning to clear a rail blockade by an indigenous
group that had been stopping freight and passenger traffic for more
than two weeks on one of the country's busiest lines. The Tyendinaga
Mohawk campaigners had barricaded the line in solidarity with a
British Columbia aboriginal band seeking to stop construction of a
gas pipeline over its land.
   (Reuters, 2/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 24, In Canada Ashley
Noelle Arzaga (24) died in the stabbing at a massage parlor in
Toronto. Another woman and a man were also injured. A 17-year-old
boy was arrested and charged with murder and attempted murder.
Police later determined that this crime was in fact one in which the
accused was inspired by the ideologically motivated violent
extremist movement commonly known as incel: involuntary celibacy, a
misogynistic online victimhood cult whose members believe they are
actively being denied sex by women who have been seduced by more
attractive men.
   (The Independent, 5/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 24, Chinese
authorities announced 409 new confirmed cases of the coronavirus,
bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 77,150. The number
of coronavirus deaths was reported at 2592. Large parts of China
relaxed curbs on transport and movement of people as reported new
cases of the coronavirus outside the worst-hit province fell to the
lowest in a month.
   (NBC News, 2/24/20)(Reuters, 2/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 24, Colombia said it
will create a special military unit to protect its national parks
and step up operations against illegal armed groups who burn
vegetation to clear space to plant coca.
   (Reuters, 2/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 24, Croatia's Pres.
Zoran Milanovic condemned the burning of an effigy of two men and a
child at a festival weeks after the country's highest court ruled
that same-sex couples could foster children. Croatia legalized gay
sex in 1977, but the country remains deeply conservative.
   (Reuters, 2/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 24, In the Czech
Republic the Prague city council agreed to change the name of the
Pod Kastany square in the northern Bubenec neighborhood after Boris
Nemtsov, a former Russian deputy prime minister and later opposition
leader who was shot dead on a bridge near the Kremlin in February
2015.
   (Bloomberg, 2/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 24, Heavy rains
pummeled the Egyptian capital of Cairo and other parts of the
country, causing massive traffic jams and flooding on many key
roads.
   (AP, 2/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 24, In Germany at
least 52 people were hurt when the driver of a silver Mercedes
station wagon drove into a carnival procession in Volkmarsen. A
German man (29) was soon arrested in connection with the attack.
   (Business Insider, 2/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 24, In Greece protests
group on three eastern islands began setting up roadblocks aimed at
stopping the government from building new migrant detention centers.
   (SFC, 2/25/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 24, Iran's government
vowed to be transparent after being accused of covering up the
deadliest coronavirus outbreak outside China. The coronavirus death
toll jumped by four to 12, by far the highest outside China. There
were 47 confirmed cases.
   (AFP, 2/24/20)(NBC News, 2/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 24, Iraq's health
ministry said local health officials in the Shi'ite city of Najaf
have detected the first case of coronavirus in the country, an
Iranian theology student.
   (Reuters, 2/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 24, Italy recorded a
6th coronavirus death as it became the worst-hit country in Europe,
bringing the total number of cases across the country to 219. Police
manned checkpoints around quarantined towns in the north and
residents stocked up on food as the country became the focal point
of the outbreak in Europe and fears of its cross-border spread.
   (Reuters, 2/24/20)(AP, 2/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 24, The UN mission in
Libya said that the country’s warring sides had agreed to turn a
shaky cease-fire into a formal deal, stirring modest hopes after
weeks of sporadic violence that derailed negotiations.
   (AP, 2/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 24, Malaysia's King
Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah accepted PM Mahathir Mohamad's
shocking resignation but reappointed him as interim leader following
the collapse of the ruling alliance in a major political upheaval
less than two years after its historic election victory.
   (AP, 2/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 24, Mauritania joined
the 47-nation UN Human Rights Council for the first time as the
Council's 2020 session opened in Geneva. Biram Dah Abeid, the leader
of a Mauritanian anti-slavery group, called on UN members to
pressure Mauritania, the last country in the world to abolish
slavery, to end the practice as it joined the body responsible for
promoting and protecting human rights around the world.
   (Reuters, 2/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 24, Mongolia's
National Emergency Commission halted all flights from South Korea
and will block entry through its borders until March 2 as it steps
up its efforts to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 2/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 24, Gaza militants
resumed their intense bombardment of southern Israel, with some
rockets slipping through Israel's Iron Dome defense system and one
landing in the yard of a kindergarten. The Palestinian militant
group Islamic Jihad said it had ended its "military response"
against Israel after two days of Gaza rockets and Israeli air
strikes.
   (AP, 2/24/20)(Reuters, 2/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 24, Romania's top
court overturned President Klaus Iohannis's re-nomination of ousted
Liberal Party leader Ludovic Orban as prime minister, potentially
derailing plans to trigger an early parliamentary election.
   (Reuters, 2/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 24, In Somalia a US
military airstrike killed a worker for a telecom company on the
outskirts of the rebel-held town of Jilib. US Africa Command and
Somalia’s government said the airstrike killed a member of the
al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab extremist group. But officials at Hormuud
said the airstrike killed their local manager in Jilib.
   (AP, 2/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 24, In South Africa
the Commission for Gender Equality (CGE) reported that dozens of
HIV-positive South African women have been sterilized without
consent or after being pressured to agree just before giving birth,
sometimes being told while in pain on their way to the operating
theater.
   (Reuters, 2/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 24, South Korea
reported 833 confirmed cases with 8 dead. Health officials reported
231 new cases of COVID-19. A military spokesperson said there were
13 confirmed COVID-19 cases among the troops.
   (NBC News, 2/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 24, Prominent
Tanzanian journalist Erick Kabendera, arrested in July, was released
after pleading guilty of tax evasion and money laundering in a case
critics had said was politically motivated.
   (Reuters, 2/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 24, UN
Secretary-General Antonio Guterres issued a “call to action” to
countries, businesses and all people to help renew and revive human
rights across the globe, laying out a seven-point plan amid concerns
about climate change, conflict and repression.
   (AP, 2/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 24, A study from the
UN's World Food Program said one of every three people in Venezuela
is struggling to put enough food on the table to meet minimum
nutrition requirements.
   (SFC, 2/25/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 25, US President
Donald Trump, speaking in India, said the US stock market will crash
if he loses the election this year.
   (Reuters, 2/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 25, It was reported
that the Trump administration is turning to federal courts to force
state and local officials to turn over records about immigrants in
custody in a novel effort to circumvent so-called "sanctuary"
policies.
   (Reuters, 2/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 25, The US Supreme
Court ruled 5-4 barring a lawsuit against a Border Patrol agent for
fatally shooting a 15-year-old Mexican boy in 2010 on Mexican soil
from across the border in Texas, refusing to open the door for
foreign nationals to pursue civil rights cases in American courts in
such incidents.
   (Reuters, 2/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 25, The US Center for
Disease Control warned the American public to prepare for an
outbreak of the disease, which has spawned more than 80,000 cases
around the world but relatively few so far in the US.
   (AP, 2/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 25, Michelle Janavs
(49), the heiress to the Hot Pockets fortune, was sentenced to five
months in prison after admitting to paying bribes to a fixer who
promised to get her two daughters into the University of Southern
California.
   (The Week, 2/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 25, In Chicago a
shooting at a crowded convenience store left a young nursing student
killed and four other people wounded. Jaya Beemon (18) was
pronounced dead at a hospital after she was hit in the neck while
apparently buying snacks. In December a 15-year-old boy has been
charged with murder.
   (AP, 12/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 25, In North Carolina
Democratic rivals held a critical debate ahead of the state's
primary that could dramatically reshape the race. Bernie Sanders
labeled Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu a "reactionary racist" and
said he'd consider reversing President Donald Trump's move of the US
Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
   (AP, 2/25/20)(AP, 2/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 25, New Mexico Gov.
Michelle Lujan Grisham signed a red-flag gun bill that will allow
state district courts to order the temporary surrender of firearms,
and she urged sheriffs to resign if they still refuse to enforce it.
   (AP, 2/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 25, In Washington
state Amazon opened its first cashier-less supermarket in Seattle,
the latest sign that Amazon is serious about shaking up the $800
billion grocery industry.
   (AP, 2/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 25, American Airlines
Group Inc said it has signed a strategic partnership deal with Qatar
Airways and is reviving its codeshare agreement.
   (Reuters, 2/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 25, Robert Iger
(b.1951) announced he would step down as CEO of The Walt Disney
Company effective immediately, naming Bob Chapek, chairman of Disney
Parks, Experiences and Products, as his successor, making him the
7th CEO in the company's history. Iger had led Disney since 2005.
   (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Iger)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 25, Tesco, Britain's
biggest supermarket chain, opened its first high street cashless
store, marking a shift among shoppers to electronic payments from
coins and notes.
   (Reuters, 2/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 25, Generic drugmaker
Mallinckrodt, based in England, said it has a tentative $1.6 billion
deal to settle lawsuits over its role in the US opioid crisis.
   (SFC, 2/26/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 25, It was reported
that at least 24 people were killed in clashes between Burundi
police and unidentified militants in the outskirts of Bujumbura.
   (Bloomberg, 2/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 25, In Canada
protesters in Ontario and Quebec erected new rail blockades in
solidarity with opponents of the Coastal GasLink pipeline project in
British Columbia.
   (SFC, 2/26/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 25, Mainland China had
406 new confirmed cases of coronavirus infections, down from 508
cases a day earlier. The death toll from the outbreak reached 2,715,
up by 52 from the previous day.
   (Reuters, 2/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 25, In eastern China
the Ningbo Intermediate People's Court announced that Gui Minhai, a
Hong Kong-based Swedish man who sold gossipy books about Chinese
leaders, has been sentenced to ten years in prison and that he would
not appeal.
   (SFC, 2/26/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 25, Former Egyptian
leader Hosni Mubarak (b.1928) died. He was the autocratic face of
stability in the Middle East for nearly 30 years before being forced
from power in the 2011 Arab Spring uprising.
   (AP, 2/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 25, In France Asia
Bibi, a Christian woman from Pakistan, received her diploma as a
Citizen of Honor of the city of Paris, a title awarded her in 2015.
She had spent eight years on death row in Pakistan on charges of
blasphemy. Bibi said she will request asylum in France.
   (SFC, 2/26/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 25, Iran said its
coronavirus outbreak, the deadliest outside China, has infected the
country's deputy health minister. The health ministry confirmed
three new deaths and 34 new infections, bringing the overall tally
to 15 deaths and 95 cases.
   (AFP, 2/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 25, In Iraq religious
officials closed down the Imam Ali mausoleum in Najaf, allowing
visitors access only to its surroundings due to the coronavirus
outbreak. The health ministry advised against non-essential travel
to Najaf and urged citizens to refrain from holding large
gatherings.
   (AP, 2/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 25, Israeli PM
Benjamin Netanyahu said he was advancing settlement construction in
a contentious open area of the West Bank. The move was seen as a bid
by Netanyahu to secure electoral support from West Bank settlers.
   (AP, 2/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 25, Japan's ANA
Holdings Inc said it will buy 15 Boeing Co 787 Dreamliners worth $5
billion at list prices, the first commercial order announcement for
the US plane maker this year as it wrestles with the grounding of
the smaller 737 MAX.
   (Reuters, 2/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 25, In Kazakhstan
activist Dulat Agadil died in a jail cell, a day after police took
him in on charges of contempt of court and insulting a judge.
Authorities, including Pres. Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, said his death
was caused by acute cardiovascular failure.
   (AP, 3/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 25, Libya's National
Oil Corporation said financial losses over a protracted blockade of
its vital oil fields and ports have rapidly swelled, surpassing $2
billion.
   (AP, 2/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 25, In Mali three
Irish soldiers were injured in a roadside bomb attack on a
multinational convoy of UN peacekeepers about 80 km (50 miles)
northeast of the city of Gao.
   (AP, 2/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 25, Spain responded to
weeks of protests by farmers by announcing steps to support prices
for their goods. The government said it will prohibit sales of
agricultural products below cost price by decree.
   (Bloomberg, 2/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 25, In northwestern
Syrian an airstrike on a rebel-held city struck a school in Idlib,
killing three people.
   (AP, 2/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 25, Turkish President
Recep Tayyip Erdogan said two Turkish soldiers have been killed in
fighting in Libya and defended Ankara's move to also send Syrian
opposition fighters to the North African country.
   (AP, 2/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 25, The United Arab
Emirates became the latest to clamp down on Iran, halting all
passenger and cargo flights to and from the country due to the
coronavirus outbreak, a similar move to other nearby countries
including Armenia, Kuwait, Iraq and Turkey.
   (AP, 2/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 25, The UN Security
Council renewed its sanctions regime on Yemen for another year,
after tense negotiations between Britain and Russia, which
threatened to veto any mention, even implicit, of Iran.
   (AFP, 2/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 26, US Pres. Donald
Trump announced he was putting Vice President Mike Pence in charge
of the effort to stem the spread of the coronavirus in the US.
   (Yahoo News, 2/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 26, The USA stepped up
travel advisories for Iran, Italy and Mongolia, warning of the risks
of coronavirus or disruptions related to efforts to control the
disease's spread.
   (Reuters, 2/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 26, US officials said
the first clinical trial in the US of a possible coronavirus
treatment is underway in Nebraska and is eventually expected to
include 400 patients at 50 locations around the world. At least two
patient studies are already underway in China, including the other
study involving remdesivir, which is made by Gilead Sciences.
   (AP, 2/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 26, The United States
declared Iraqi Shiite paramilitary leader Ahmad al-Hamidawi,
secretary general of armed faction Kataib Hezbollah, to be a
terrorist after a series of rocket attacks, vowing to step up
pressure on his ally Iran.
   (AFP, 2/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 26, The United States
granted a license to allow for certain humanitarian trade
transactions with Iran's sanctioned central bank, a move it said was
in step with the formalization of a Swiss humanitarian aid channel.
   (Reuters, 2/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 26, The US House of
Representatives approved legislation designating lynching as a hate
crime under federal law. The bill was named after Emmet Till,
sixty-five years after the 14-year-old was lynched in Mississippi.
   (AP, 2/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 26, US health
officials said a new coronavirus case in California, a resident of
Solano County, could be the first in the US that has no known
connection to travel abroad or another known case, a possible sign
the virus is spreading in a US community. The patient was brought to
UC Davis Medical Center from another Northern California hospital on
Feb. 19, but it was four days before the CDC heeded a request to
test the patient for COVID-19.
   (AP, 2/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 26, US federal
prosecutors said a subsidiary of utility operator NiSource Inc has
agreed to pay $53 million and plead guilty to breaking federal
Pipeline Safety Act and to resolve an investigation into
catastrophic gas explosions in three Massachusetts communities in
September, 2018.
   (Reuters, 2/26/20)(SFC, 2/27/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 26, Biogen Inc. began
hosting a two-day leadership meeting in Boston. About 175 executives
gathered for a buffet dinner and cocktails at the Marriott Long
Wharf overlooking Boston Harbor. On March 2 the company’s chief
medical officer sent an email informing everyone who attended the
leadership meeting that some people had fallen ill and telling them
to contact a health care provider if they felt sick. At least 99
employees and their contacts became ill with the coronavirus.
   (NY Times, 4/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 26, New York Sen.
Chuck Schumer, the Senate Democratic leader, unveiled an $8.5
billion request to respond to the coronavirus outbreak, more than
triple Pres. Trump's request.
   (AP, 2/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 26, John Denton (26),
a former neo-Nazi leader in Texas, was arrested and charges with a
series of phony bomb threats made in Virginia.
   (SFC, 2/27/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 26, An employee in the
US Citizenship and Immigration Services office in Seattle developed
flu-like symptoms after visiting a nursing home in Kirkland,
Washington. On March 3 the US Department of Homeland Security closed
its field office in Seattle.
   (Bloomberg, 3/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 26, In Wisconsin
Anthony Ferril (51), a Molson Coors Beverage Co employee, shot ande
killed five co-workers before taking his own life at the company's
beer-brewing complex in Milwaukee.
   (Reuters, 2/27/20)(SFC, 2/28/20, p.A6)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 26, Algeria and Greece
reported their first cases of the coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 2/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 26, Bahrain's number
of coronavirus infections rose to 26.
   (Reuters, 2/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 26, Brazil confirmed
the first case of coronavirus in Latin America, a man in Sao Paulo
who returned recently from Italy. The disease reached the Amazon
region by mid-March.
   (Reuters, 2/26/20)(Reuters, 4/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 26, Brazil's
Environment Ministry reported the firing of two senior climate
officials, leaving the posts vacant at a time when the country is
under growing scrutiny for the greenhouse gases released by clearing
the Amazon rainforest. The right-wing government of President Jair
Bolsonaro had already reduced the emphasis on climate change within
the ministry, turning a vice-minister-level role on climate change
into a directorship.
   (Reuters, 2/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 26, A second person
died in France overnight as health officials tried to find out how
the college teacher, who had not visited any country with a known
outbreak, had caught the new coronavirus disease.
   (Reuters, 2/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 26, In Germany two
people tested positive for coronavirus, taking the total to 18.
Officials said a German couple who contracted the coronavirus had
taken part in local carnival celebrations and also visited the
Netherlands in the 10 days before they were diagnosed.
   (Reuters, 2/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 26, Germany's highest
court overturned a ban on medically assisted suicide.
   (SFC, 2/27/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 26, Hong Kong's
government proposed a cash handout of 10,000 Hong Kong dollars
($1,282) to residents to boost the city’s flagging economy.
   (https://tinyurl.com/wbsaxn6)(Econ, 3/21/20,
p.21)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 26, Indian authorities
said at least 24 people were killed and 189 injured in three days of
clashes in New Delhi that coincided with President Donald Trump's
first state visit to India, with the death toll expected to rise as
hospitals continue to take in the wounded. The 72-hour clash between
Hindus and Muslims left at least 40 dead and hundreds injured.
   (AP, 2/26/20)(AP, 2/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 26, Iranian
cyberpolice announced the arrests of 24 people accused of online
rumor-mongering about the spread of a coronavirus outbreak that has
claimed 19 lives in the country. The health ministry announced four
more deaths and 44 new infections, including in six previously
unaffected provinces. This brought the total to 139 cases.
   (AFP, 2/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 26, Iraq announced
sweeping measures late today to try to contain the spread of the
coronavirus, ordering the closure of schools and universities,
cafes, cinemas and other public spaces until March 7. Iraq also
banned travel to or from some of the worst affected countries.
   (AFP, 2/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 26, OurCrowd, a
leading Israeli venture capital firm, said it has hired the Trump
administration's former Mideast envoy Jason Greenblatt as a business
developer for the region.
   (AP, 2/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 26, Italy become a
frontline in the global outbreak of the coronavirus, with over 370
cases and 12 deaths.
   (Reuters, 2/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 26, Italy's Enel said
it agreed on the need to provide the country with an ultrabroadband
network, after Economy Minister Roberto Gualtieri urged parties
involved in the plan to find an agreement.
   (Reuters, 2/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 26, Japanese PM Shinzo
Abe called for sports and cultural events to be scrapped or
curtailed for two weeks as domestic cases of coronavirus increased
to 175.
   (Reuters, 2/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 26, Kuwait's
coronavirus cases rose to 25 after 13 more cases were confirmed.
   (Reuters, 2/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 26, Rival Libyan
politicians met for UN-sponsored political talks in Geneva aimed at
ending the latest round of fighting over the country's capital,
Tripoli.
   (AP, 2/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 26, North Macedonia
said it has confirmed its first case of the coronavirus infection,
diagnosed in a woman who recently arrived from Italy.
   (Reuters, 2/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 26, Pakistan said it
has detected its first two cases of the coronavirus.
   (AFP, 2/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 26, Philippine Pres.
Rodrigo Duterte said Filipino forces can fight insurgents and Muslim
extremists without american military help.
   (SFC, 2/27/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 26, The International
Monetary Fund said it had secured sufficient financing to provide
$334 million in debt relief to Somalia, a milestone the bank said
brought it one step closer to a decision on forgiveness of most of
Somalia's $5.3 billion in debt.
   (Reuters, 2/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 26, In South Korea the
coronavirus has infected 1,260 people. 20 South Korean soldiers and
one American have tested positive.
   (AP, 2/26/20)(Reuters, 2/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 26, Spain’s PM Pedro
Sánchez and Quim Torra, the leader of Catalonia, opened formal talks
in hopes of resolving the festering political crisis provoked by the
region’s separatist movement.
   (AP, 2/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 26, Thailand reported
three new cases of coronavirus, taking its total tally to 40.
   (AP, 2/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 26, World health
officials said the coronavirus illness had now spread to 37
counties. The WHO reported that the number of new cases reported
outside China exceeded the number of new cases in China for the
first time.
   (AP, 2/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 27, A US federal
agency confirmed that a government whistleblower has filed a
complaint alleging that some federal workers did not have the
necessary protective gear or training when they were deployed to
help Americans evacuated from China during the coronavirus outbreak.
   (AP, 2/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 27, US federal
officials issued new rules allowing more people to be tested for the
coronavirus.
   (SFC, 2/28/20, p.A1)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 27, A US government
survey said about 4 in 10 American adults are obese, and nearly 1 in
10 is severely so.
   (SFC, 2/28/20, p.A7)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 27, The US Food and
Drug Administration approved Biohaven Pharmaceutical Holding Co
Ltd's oral pill for relieving pain after the onset of migraine
headaches.
   (Reuters, 2/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 27, In Alabama
Dannielle Nicole Martin (32) and grandmother, Vickie Seale
Higgenbotham (58) were given maximum sentences of 20 years in prison
after pleading guilty to aggravated child abuse. The 13-year-old boy
had been found naked and chained to a door.
   (AP, 2/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 27, California
officials reported that the state's snowpack is just 46% of normal.
   (SFC, 2/28/20, p.C1)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 27, The Iowa
Democratic Party released updated results of the Iowa caucuses after
the completion of a recount requested by the campaigns of Bernie
Sanders and Pete Buttigieg. In the new results, Buttigieg had
562.954 state delegate equivalents and Sanders had 562.021 state
delegate equivalents out of 2,151 counted.
   (AP, 2/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 27, In Maryland
Catherine Pugh (69), the disgraced former mayor of Baltimore, was
sentenced to three years in federal prison for arranging fraudulent
sales of her self-published children’s books to nonprofits and
foundations to promote her political career and fund her run for the
city’s highest office.
   (AP, 2/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 27, A federal judge
struck down two Ohio state policies that stopped some refugees and
children of immigrants from getting driver's licenses.
   (SFC, 2/28/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 27, Wall Street's main
indexes tumbled, putting them more than 10% below record highs set
earlier this month.
   (Reuters, 2/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 27, Oil prices fell
for a fifth straight day, plunging to their lowest levels since
January 2019 as more new coronavirus cases outside China fanned
fears that a pandemic could slow the global economy.
   (Reuters, 2/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 27, Scientists
reported the discovery of the biggest explosion seen in the
universe, originating from a super-massive black hole in the
Ophiuchus cluster of thousands of galaxies 390 million light-years
away. The explosion was so large it carved out a crater in the hot
gas that could hold 15 Milky Ways. The first hint of this giant
explosion actually came in 2016.
   (AP, 2/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 27, An African Union
official said African leaders have decided to work on deploying
3,000 troops to West Africa’s troubled Sahel region as extremist
attacks surged. Over the last year more than 2,600 people have been
killed and more than half a million displaced in Burkina Faso alone.
   (AP, 2/27/20)(SFC, 2/28/20, p.A3)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 27, The British Court
of Appeal ruled that a plan to build a third runway at London's
Heathrow Airport was unlawful because it violated Britain's
commitments to climate change.
   (SFC, 2/28/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 27, China said the
number of new deaths stood at 29, the lowest daily rate since Jan.
28 and reported 433 new cases. The coronavirus has now killed 2,744
people in the country, mostly in the central province of Hubei.
   (Reuters, 2/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 27, China-BASED Huawei
announced that it will build its first European manufacturing plant
in France, as the Chinese telecom giant seeks to ease worldwide
concerns stoked by US charges that Beijing could use its equipment
for spying.
   (Reuters, 2/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 27, Top supplier
Godrej Agrovet Ltd said a false rumor that the coronavirus can be
spread by chickens has slashed Indian poultry sales by almost 50%.
   (Reuters, 2/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 27, It was reported
that the coronavirus has killed 26 people in Iran, the highest toll
outside of China where it originated. Many of the over 240 confirmed
cases in the region have links to Iran, including dozens in Kuwait
and Bahrain, six in Iraq and two in Lebanon.
   (AP, 2/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 27, Iraq announced the
first confirmed case of coronavirus in Baghdad, taking nationwide
infections to six and raising concerns about the capacity of the
dilapidated health system to respond.
   (AFP, 2/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 27, Israel's Supreme
Court ruled against a 2018 surrogacy law that critics said
discriminated against same-sex couples and which sparked uproar in
the LGBT community when it was passed.
   (AP, 2/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 27, Japan's PM Shinzo
Abe told all schools to close until April to help contain the spread
of the coronavirus.
   (Econ., 3/7/20, p.36)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 27, A Japanese woman
tested positive for coronavirus for a second time as the number of
confirmed cases in Japan, excluding the 704 on the quarantined
cruise liner, rose above 190. The death toll rose to eight after
another death was reported in Hokkaido.
   (Reuters, 2/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 27, Kosovo said it
will gradually lift tariffs on Serbian imports, a step toward easing
a standoff between the neighbors that Donald Trump’s envoy to the
region criticized as insufficient.
   (Bloomberg, 2/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 27, In Kuwait
confirmed cases of coronavirus rose to 43.
   (AP, 2/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 27, Lebanon confirmed
the country's third case of coronavirus, after a man arriving from
Iran on Feb. 24 tested positive.
   (Reuters, 2/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 27, Libya's UN-backed
government says 21 civilians have been killed, including at least 13
children, since Jan. 9 casting doubt on a fragile cease-fire the
Tripoli-based government and rival factions in the east agreed last
month to observe.
   (AP, 2/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 27, Malawi became the
latest country in southern African to relax laws against growing and
selling cannabis, making it legal for use in the production of
medicines and hemp fibers used in industry.
   (Reuters, 2/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 27, It was reported
that North Korea has postponed the new school term to prevent the
spread of the new coronavirus.
   (AFP, 2/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 27, Russian state
television said Turkish military specialists in Syria's Idlib region
were using shoulder-fired missiles to try to shoot down Russian and
Syrian military aircraft.
   (Reuters, 2/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 27, Saudi Arabia
banned pilgrims from visiting Islam's holiest sites as the number of
deaths jumped in neighboring Iran. Japan and Iraq ordered the
closure of schools. Saudi Arabia made the unprecedented decision to
halt the umrah pilgrimage amid the global outbreak of the
coronavirus. The lesser umrah pilgrimage can be performed
year-round. Nearly 20 million Muslims undertake the umrah pilgrimage
each year, including more than 7 million foreign travelers.
   (AFP, 2/27/20)   (Good Morning
America, 2/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 27, South Korea
reported 334 additional cases of the new coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 2/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 27, In northwestern
Syria Turkey-backed Syrian opposition fighters retook the strategic
town of Saraqeb from government forces, cutting a key highway just
days after the government reopened it for the first time since 2012.
Syrian state media said President Bashar Assad's forces made major
gains to the south controlling almost the entire southern part of
Idlib province after capturing more than 20 villages. Violence in
Idlib province left three more Turkish soldiers dead, raising the
number of Turkish troops killed in Syria this month to 21.
   (AP, 2/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 27, In southern Syria
an Israeli drone fired a missile at a car, killing one person,. An
opposition war monitor said the man targeted was an anti-Israel
operative. Quneitra Gov. Humam Dibyat identified the person killed
as Adel Tawil and said he worked at a police station and was
targeted while returning home from work.
   (AP, 2/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 27, In northwestern
Syria at least 33 Turkish military personnel were killed in an
attack late today, and more than 30 others were injured. The deaths
followed a precision strike on a two-storey building in the village
of Balioun.
   (The Guardian, 2/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 27, In Tunisia Elyes
Fakhfakh (b.1972) began serving as prime minister.
  Â
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elyes_Fakhfakh)(Econ., 8/15/20, p.41)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 27, In the past 24
hours, the WHO recorded seven nations that announced their first
cases of the novel coronavirus: Brazil, Georgia, Greece, North
Macedonia, Norway, Pakistan and Romania.
   (Good Morning America, 2/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 28, US Pres. Donald
Trump accused Democrats of exaggerating the danger of the
coronavirus in order to destroy his presidency.
   (SFC, 2/29/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 28, President Donald
Trump picked Rep. John Ratcliffe again to be the nation's top
intelligence official, just months after abruptly ending an earlier
effort to install him amid bipartisan criticism that the Texas
Republican was unqualified for the post.
   (AP, 2/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 28, A US federal
appeals court found a central pillar of the Trump administration’s
immigration agenda legally invalid, ruling that asylum-seekers must
be allowed into the United States while their cases weave through US
immigration courts. The court stayed its decision in order to allow
the government time to appeal the ruling.
   (NY Times, 2/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 28, The number of
coronavirus cases in the United States was confirmed at 62. The
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also confirmed that four
more patients tested positive for the virus in California, Oregon
and Washington states.
   (Good Morning America, 2/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 28, The US Justice
Department announced that France-based Sanofi SA has agreed to pay
$11.85 million to resolve US allegations that it used a charity that
helps cover Medicare patients' out-of-pocket drug costs as a means
to pay them kickbacks to use a high-priced multiple sclerosis drug.
   (Reuters, 2/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 28, The US Federal
Communications Commission (FCC) voted 3-2 to adopt rules to auction
a key band spectrum for wireless use that includes up to $9.7
billion in potential incentive payments to satellite companies.
   (Reuters, 2/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 28, In northern
California a man went on a rampage at a mental health and rehab
center in Carmichael fatally stabbing two people. Martin Raymond
lackey-Garcia (39) was booked for investigation of murder.
   (SFC, 3/2/20, p.A6)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 28, Joe Coulombe
(b.1930), founder of the Trader Joe's grocery stores, died. He
opened his first store in Pasadena, Ca., in 1967. He sold the chain
to German retailer Aldi in 1979 but remianed CEO until 1988.
   (SSFC, 3/1/20, p.A9)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 28, St. Louis police
officer Nathaniel Hendren (30), accused of accidentally killing a
female colleague while playing a variation of Russian roulette,
pleaded guilty and was sentenced to seven years in prison. He was
accused of fatally shooting Katlyn Alix (24), also a St. Louis
police officer, at his home in January 2019 while he was supposed to
be on duty elsewhere.
   (AP, 2/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 28, In New York the
embattled Roman Catholic Diocese of Buffalo filed for bankruptcy
protection, taking another major step in its effort to recover from
a clergy misconduct scandal that‘s been the basis for hundreds of
lawsuits, Vatican intervention and the resignation of its bishop.
   (AP, 2/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 28, Apple Inc agreed
to pay up to $500 million to settle litigation accusing it of
quietly slowing down older iPhones as it launched new models, to
induce owners to buy replacement phones or batteries. The settlement
calls for Apple to pay consumers $25 per iPhone, which may be
adjusted up or down depending on how many iPhones are eligible, with
a minimum total payout of $310 million. This still required approval
by US District Judge Edward Davila in San Jose.
   (Reuters, 3/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 28, Geneva-based
Trafigura, a global commodities trader, said it had formed a joint
venture with US refiner Phillips 66 to build a major deepwater port
in Texas capable of handling supertankers, ditching its own
competing project.
   (Reuters, 2/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 28, Freeman Dyson
(b.1923), English-born American theoretical physicist and
mathematician, died in New Jersey. He is known for his work in
quantum electrodynamics, solid-state physics, astronomy and nuclear
engineering.
  Â
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freeman_Dyson)(Econ, 3/14/20, p.74)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 28, The list of
countries hit by the COVID-19 illness edged toward 60 as Azerbaijan,
Belarus, Lithuania, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand and Nigeria
reported their first cases.
   (AP, 2/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 28, Brazil confirmed
its first case of the new coronavirus. The disease reached the
Amazon region by mid-March.
   (Reuters, 4/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 28, China's death toll
from the coronavirus reached 2,788, up 44. Cases climbed to 78,824,
up 327.
   (Bloomberg, 2/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 28, In Congo DRC
General Delphin Kahimbi, the country's top army spy, died following
media reports that he was being investigated for allegedly seeking
to destabilize the country. His wife said he had suffered a heart
attack. President Felix Tshisekedi later said his death was
apparently due to hanging.
   (Reuters, 3/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 28, Cyprus' interior
minister accused Turkey of deliberately channeling migrants for
months to the ethnically-divided island's Greek Cypriot south to
change the composition of its population.
   (AP, 2/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 28, A Czech court
convicted imam Samer Shehadeh, a former Prague Muslim leader, of
being part of a terror group and financing terrorism, sentencing him
to 10 years in prison. Two other people in the same case were
convicted of terror charges in absentia by Prague’s Municipal Court.
One received a prison term of 11 years and the other was given a
term of six years.
   (AP, 2/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 28, In France a major
fire was reported ongoing in the area of the Gare de Lyon railway
station in southeastern Paris.
   (Reuters, 2/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 28, Hong Kong Hong
Kong media tycoon and a prominent democracy advocate Jimmy Lai (72),
who has long denounced as a traitor by Chinese state media, was
among activists swept up in a fresh wave of arrests in the Asian
financial hub. Lai was arrested on suspicion of participating in an
unlawful assembly last year and intimidating a reporter in 2017. He
was soon given police bail.
   (Bloomberg, 2/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 28, Iran reported
eight new deaths from coronavirus, raising its toll to 34. The
health ministry said 143 cases had been detected over the past 24
hours, increasing the total of confirmed infections to 388. At least
seven officials in the country have tested positive for the
coronavirus.
   (AFP, 2/28/20)(The Week, 2/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 28, In Iran a fire
erupted in a residential building in the city of Qom before dawn,
killing at least five people, including a 2-year-old, and injuring
38.
   (AP, 2/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 28, Italy reported
that four more people have died from coronavirus, bringing the total
to 21, while the number of those testing positive for the illness
jumped to 821.
   (AP, 2/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 28, Mexico said a man
(35) has been confirmed as the first coronavirus case in the
country. The man had taken a trip to Italy in February. Mexican
health officials confirmed three coronavirus cases, all with mild
symptoms and likely from the same source.
   (Bloomberg, 2/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 28, New Zealand health
officials said the country had its first case of the new
coronavirus, a person in their 60s who recently returned from Iran.
   (AP, 2/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 28, A Polish woman
(32) suspected of being the head of a Polish drug trafficking group
based in Krakow was arrested in Slovakia after a joint operation by
Polish, Hungarian and Slovakian security forces. Police said the
woman had reorganized the gang in 2017 by recruiting members of the
KS Cracovia soccer team's extremist fans to engage in international
drug trafficking.
   (Reuters, 3/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 28, In Russia Moscow's
deputy mayor said 88 foreign nationals will be deported for
allegedly violating quarantine measures imposed on them as a
precaution against the coronavirus.
   (AP, 2/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 28, In Somalia 11
people were killed over the last 24 hours in fighting between
national forces and the Ahlu Sunnah Wal Jama'a (ASWJ) militia, a
group of moderate Sufi Muslims which pushed al Shabaab out of its
territory.
   (Reuters, 3/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 28, South Korea
confirmed 256 more cases, bringing total to 2,022, doubling in two
days and raising alarm about the worst outbreak outside of
neighboring China.
   (Bloomberg, 2/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 28, Spain's High Court
denied a US extradition request for former Venezuelan minister
Javier Alvarado Ochoa in connection with an investigation into
money-laundering. It said it had refused extradition because the US
warrant was based on alleged crimes also under investigation in
Spain, and because Alvarado Ochoa also holds Spanish citizenship.
   (AP, 2/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 28, In northwest Syria
Lebanon's militant Hezbollah group lost at least eight fighters in
skirmishes with insurgents and airstrikes by Turkey's air force. 48
Syrian soldiers have also been killed in the last 48 hours in
Turkish bombardments and drone attacks in the region.
   (AP, 2/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 28, Turkey's President
Recep Tayyip Erdogan said his country's borders with Europe were
open, making good on a longstanding threat to let refugees into the
continent as thousands of migrants gathered at the frontier with
Greece.
   (AP, 2/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 28, Refugees in Turkey
headed towards European frontiers after an official declared that
borders had been thrown open, a response to the escalating war in
Syria. Greece began to forcibly turn back migrants.
   (Reuters, 2/28/20)(Econ., 3/7/20, p.47)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 29, The United States
signed a peace agreement with Taliban militants aimed at bringing an
end to 18 years of bloodshed in Afghanistan that began after 9/11
and allowing US troops to return home from America's longest war.
The historic deal was signed by chief negotiators from the two sides
in the Qatari capital of Doha. The Trump administration negotiated a
withdrawal agreement with the Taliban that excluded the Afghan
government, freed 5,000 imprisoned Taliban soldiers and set a date
certain of May 1, 2021, for the final withdrawal.
   (AP, 2/29/20)(https://tinyurl.com/fhasuvhb)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 29, US health
officials reported three more cases of the new coronavirus
transmitted to people who did not travel overseas or come in contact
with anyone known to be ill. The first US coronavirus-related death
was reported in Washington State.
   (AFP, 2/29/20)(The Daily Beast, 2/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 29, In New Mexico
Antonio Valenzuela (40) was choked to death by a police officer
after he fled from a traffic stop in Las Cruces. The officer can be
heard on police camera footage saying, “I’m going to [expletive]
choke you out, bro” as he chased Valenzuela. In August his family
agreed to a $6.5 million settlement with the city which agreed to
ban all choke holds.
   (https://tinyurl.com/yba7zg2x)  Â
(SFC, 8/120/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 29, In South Carolina
Joe Biden won 60% of the votes cast by non-white voters, dominating
a crowded Democratic field among a group that made up more than half
of the electorate. Bernie Sanders won roughly 14% of African
American voters, while billionaire Tom Steyer won 15% and dropped
out of the race..
   (AP, 2/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 29, Azerbaijan said it
had closed its border with Iran for two weeks to prevent the spread
of coronavirus, after the death toll in Iran rose to 43, the highest
number outside of China.
   (Reuters, 2/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 29, It was reported
that Philip Rutnam, one of the UK’s most senior civil servants, quit
his job at the government department responsible for policing,
counter-terrorism and immigration over what he claims was an
orchestrated campaign against him.
   (Bloomberg, 2/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 29, The number of
people infected with coronavirus in the United Kingdom rose to 23,
after three more patients tested positive.
   (Reuters, 2/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 29, China reported 47
more coronavirus deaths and 427 new infections.
   (AFP, 2/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 29, In Cyprus dozens
of people pushed aside police barriers to protest the closing of a
crossing point in the medieval core of the capital of ethnically
divided island. There have been no confirmed cases of the
coronavirus found so far on either side of the divide.
   (AP, 2/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 29, Ecuador said it
has confirmed the first case of a fast-spreading new coronavirus.
The patient had arrived in Ecuador on Feb. 14 on a direct flight
from Madrid without showing any symptoms, but soon felt ill and went
to a hospital where she was diagnosed with the coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 2/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 29, French PM Edouard
Philippe said the government would push its contested pension reform
through parliament by decree, avoiding the need for a vote after the
opposition filed more than 40,000 amendments to the draft law.
   (Reuters, 2/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 29, France said it is
banning all indoor public gatherings of more than 5,000 people to
slow the spread of coronavirus cases and recommending that people no
longer greet each other with kisses.
   (AP, 2/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 29, In southeastern
France tens of thousands of people rallied for the independence of
Spain's Catalonia region. Holding the event on French territory
allowed former regional president Carles Puigdemont to attend.
   (SSFC, 3/1/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 29, Guinea-Bissau had
two presidents and two prime ministers as of today, after Umaro
Cissoko Embalo, the inaugurated winner of December's election, swore
in a new premier, but parliament appointed a rival interim
president.
   (Reuters, 2/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 29, Hong Kong police
fired tear gas to disperse hundreds of black-clad protesters, some
armed with petrol bombs, during a rally to mark six months since the
authorities stormed a subway station and arrested demonstrators.
   (AP, 2/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 29, In Indonesia
members of the West Papua Liberation Army attacked security forces
near the world's largest gold mine in Papua province . Two security
personnel and four rebels were killed at the Grasberg copper and
gold mine.
   (SFC, 3/4/20, p.A2)(SSFC, 4/12/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 29, Iran reported a
surge in new coronavirus cases as the number of deaths jumped to 43
among 593 cases, but it dismissed as "rumors" a report the real toll
was much higher.
   (AFP, 2/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 29, In Japan a man in
his 70s died on the northernmost island of Hokkaido late today after
testing positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the
coronavirus. The man's death marked the sixth fatality from COVID-19
in Japan, excluding six deaths among those aboard the cruise ship
Diamond Princess.
   (AP, 3/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 29, Lebanon's health
ministry said that three new cases of coronavirus had been
confirmed, bringing the total number of cases in the country to
seven.
   (Reuters, 2/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 29, Luxembourg
abolished fares for trains, trams and buses in what the government
said was a bid to tackle road congestion and pollution, as well as
supporting low earners. Travelers can still pay for first class, at
a cost of 660 euros a year.
   (Reuters, 2/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 29, Malay nationalist
Muhyiddin Yassin (72) heard news that the king had picked him as
prime minister over Mahathir Mohamad (94), the outspoken leader who
has dominated Malaysian politics for decades. Most of Bersatu and a
faction of the PKR jumped ship, siding with UMNO and an Islamic
party, PAS, to form a new government with Muhyiddin Yassin of
Bersatu as its head.
   (Reuters, 3/1/20)(Econ., 9/26/20, p.40)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 29, In Montenegro
thousands of people, led by Serbian Orthodox Church clerics, marched
peacefully through the Podgorica in protest against a law they fear
will be used to target the church's assets and status.
   (Reuters, 2/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 29, In Myanmar at
least five ethnic Rohingya were killed and several injured after
troops clashed with insurgents in the conflict-torn western state of
Rakhine.
   (Reuters, 3/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 29, Pakistan confirmed
two more cases of coronavirus, bringing the total number of positive
cases to four since Feb 26, when the first two cases were reported
in the country.
   (Reuters, 2/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 29, In Russia
thousands rallied in central Moscow to call on President Vladimir
Putin not to stay in power indefinitely, in the first major protest
by the Russian opposition since the Kremlin chief announced
controversial plans to change the constitution. Thousands of people
marched on a central Moscow boulevard in remembrance of opposition
leader Boris Nemtsov, who was gunned down five years ago while
walking on a bridge adjacent to the Kremlin.
   (AFP, 2/29/20)(AP, 2/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 29, In Slovakia the
center-right Ordinary People party, led by Igor Matovic, captured
25% of a parliamentary vote.
   (SFC, 5/1/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 29, South Korea
reported its biggest surge in new coronavirus cases with 3,150
infections as 813 more patients were reported. Three women in the
Daegu area died of the illness, taking the national toll to 17.
   (AFP, 2/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 29, Spain's total
number of active coronavirus cases rose to 49. Authorities said an
Italian national staying at a hotel in Tenerife, which has been
placed on lockdown after four cases of the coronavirus were
detected, has tested positive for the virus. This brought the total
number of active cases in the Canary Islands to six.
   (AP, 2/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 29, The UN migration
organization reported at least 13,000 people had massed on Turkey’s
land border, the vast majority apparently from Afghanistan.
   (AP, 3/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb 29, Yemeni gunmen
entered a port in the southern city of Aden and prevented a tanker
from offloading a diesel cargo because the importing company is
affiliated with the government.
   (AP, 2/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb, Daly City, Ca., broke
ground on a 122-unit complex for teacher housing at 705 Serramonte.
In 2022 teachers began moving in with rents priced at 58% of market
rate ranging from $1,356 to $2,511.
   (SSFC, 6/19/22, p.E5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb, Easterday Ranches of
Pasco, Wa., filed for bankruptcy shortly after it was sued by Tyson
Foods. Over the course of a decade, rancher Cody Easterday lost
money every year trading corn and cattle futures in his personal and
business accounts. In 2021 Easterday (49) pleaded guilty to one
count of wire fraud that cost Tyson and another, unnamed company
$244 million.
   (Bloomberg, 4/6/21)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb, General Motors pulled
its car production out of Thailand.
   (Economist, 4/4/20, p.29)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb, In Cyprus 96
flamingos were found dead over the last two months in the Larnaca
Salt Lake wetlands as a result of lead poisoning. In 2021
Conservationists in Cyprus urged authorities to expand a hunting ban
throughout a coastal salt lake network amid concerns that migrating
flamingos could potentially swallow lethal quantities of lead
shotgun pellets.
   (AP, 2/21/21)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb, India signed a $3.5
billion arms deal with the US.
   (Econ., 6/20/20, p.30)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb, In central Mali
tribesmen attacked Ogossogou, an ethnic Peuhl village. 35 people
were killed.
   (Econ., 8/22/20, p.10)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb, The India-based Adani
conglomerate completed a $450 million sale of 25% of its Mumbai
power operations to Qatar's government. It also received a $900
million investment in a 37% stake in its gas operations by Total, a
French oil giant.
   (Econ., 7/4/20, p.55)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Feb, Turkish drones
destroyed dozens of Syrian tanks in a two-day killing spree.
   (Econ., 9/12/20, p.70)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 1, President Donald
Trump said travelers from countries at high risk of coronavirus
would be screened before boarding and upon arrival, without
specifying which countries. New cases were reported in the Chicago
area and Rhode Island. To date, more than 86,500 cases have been
confirmed. Outside of China, it has spread to 53 countries, with
more than 6,500 cases and more than 100 deaths. Globally, the
illness has killed nearly 3,000 people.
   (Reuters, 3/1/20)(Reuters, 3/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 1, It was reported
that The United States will give Zambia a new one year bilateral
grant of $389 million for AIDS relief starting in October after
Congressional approval.
   (AP, 3/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 1, A US federal judge
ruled that Ken Cuccinelli was unlawfully appointed to lead the US
Citizenship and Immigration Services agency and, as a result, lacked
authority to give asylum seekers less time to prepare for initial
screening interviews.
   (AP, 3/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 1, Pete Buttigieg
(38), the former mayor of Indiana's fourth largest city, formally
suspended his White House bid late today.
   (AP, 3/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 1, New York Governor
Andrew Cuomo's office confirmed the state's first coronavirus case
late today, in a woman in her late thirties who recently travelled
to Iran.
   (The Independent, 3/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 1, Jack Welch
(b.1935), former head of General Electric (1981-2001), died in
Manhattan.
   (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Welch)(Econ.,
3/7/20, p.57)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 1, A second person
died of coronavirus in the northwestern US state of Washington as
number of infections passed 75.
   (AFP, 3/2/20)(Reuters, 3/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 1, In Wyoming at least
three people were killed and 30 others injured on I-80 amid snowy
conditions.
   (SFC, 3/3/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 1, Afghanistan's Pres.
Ashraf Ghani said that he will not free thousands of Taliban
prisoners ahead of all-Afghan power-sharing talks set for next week,
publicly disagreeing with a timetable for a speedy prisoner release
laid out just a day earlier in a US-Taliban peace agreement.
   (AP, 3/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 1, A report by the
Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) said more than 80,000
Uighurs were shipped out of Xinjiang provice from 2017-2019 to take
jobs in factories across China under conditions that "strongly
suggest forced labor." China has acknowledged a scheme called
"Xinjiang Aid" to reduce poverty in the province.
   (Econ., 3/7/20, p.38)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 1, Britain announced a
jump in coronavirus cases, with 12 new infections taking the total
to 35.
   (AP, 3/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 1, Mainland China
reported the biggest daily rise in coronavirus cases since Feb. 22.
A total of 2,870 people have died in mainland China and 79,824 have
been infected by the virus.
   (Reuters, 3/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 1, France now has 100
confirmed cases. Of those, two have died. Louvre workers who guard
Leonardo da Vinci's “Mona Lisa” and other masterpieces walked off
the job, fearful of being contaminated by the museum’s flow of
tourists from around the world.
   (Reuters, 3/1/20)(AP, 3/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 1, Germany's Robert
Koch Institute for disease control said the number of confirmed
coronavirus cases in Germany has jumped to 117 from 66.
   (Reuters, 3/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 1, Greek army and
police patrols using tear gas and stun grenades to thwart attempts
overnight by thousands to push into the country. Thousands of
migrants and refugees massed at Turkey's western frontier, trying to
enter Greece by land and sea after Turkey said its borders were open
to those hoping to head to Europe.
   (AP, 3/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 1, Iran's health
ministry raised the nationwide death toll from the new coronavirus
to 54 as the number of confirmed infected cases jumped overnight by
more than half to 978 people.
   (AP, 3/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 1, Ireland, Luxembourg
and Qatar reported their first cases of the coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 3/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 1, Italy reported
1,694 positive cases of coronavirus and 34 deaths.
   (AFP, 3/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 1, Kazakhstan police
detained dozens of opposition supporters who took to the streets
after the death of an anti-government activist in a detention
center.
   (Reuters, 3/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 1, Malaysia arrested a
man (35) and started investigating three others for social media
posts that insult the king and threaten public order.
   (AP, 3/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 1, In Nicaragua
Ernesto Cardenal (95), the renowned poet and Roman Catholic cleric
who became a symbol of revolutionary verse in Nicaragua and around
Latin America, died. His 1984 suspension from the priesthood by St.
John Paul II lasted over three decades.
   (AP, 3/1/20)(Econ., 3/7/20, p.82)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 1, In Poland several
dozen activists protested in front of a Warsaw church guarded by
police as Catholic Archbishop Marek Jedraszewski, criticized for his
anti-LGBT language, celebrated mass.
   (Reuters, 3/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 1, In Saudi Arabia the
2nd Riyadh International Humanitarian Forum opened in Riyadh.
   (PRNewswire, 3/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 1, In South Africa
hundreds of foreign migrants were removed from central Cape Town by
authorities following a months-long stand-off. The group had lost
their court bid to compel the government to fly them to what they
said would be safer countries.
   (AP, 3/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 1, In South Korea the
number of coronavirus cases is now at 3,736 with 21 deaths tied to
the Shincheonji religious sect. The founder of the sect and 11
others have just been charged with murder.
   (The Daily Beast, 3/1/20)(Reuters, 3/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 1, In Syria, Turkish
troops shot down two Syrian warplanes after the Syrian military
downed a Turkish drone. Syrian state media said the Syrian army has
so far downed three Turkish drones that Ankara had been using
extensively to hit Syrian army locations and air bases.
   (AP, 3/1/20)(Reuters, 3/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 1, Tajikistan voted in
a parliamentary election that will produce a legislature loyal to
President Imomali Rakhmon (67) who has run the ex-Soviet Central
Asian nation for a quarter of a century.
   (Reuters, 3/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 1, Uruguay, with a
population of 3.4 million, shifted to the right with the
inauguration of conservative Luis Lacalle Pou (46) as president
after 15 years of left-wing rule.
   (AP, 3/1/20)(SFC, 3/2/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 1, Officials on both
sides of the conflict said Yemen’s Houthi rebels have wrested
control of the strategic northern city of Hazm, a major blow to the
internationally recognized government backed by Saudi Arabia.
   (AP, 3/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 2, US State Department
officials told reporters that starting March 13, five Chinese state-
and party-owned media companies will be allowed to employ a combined
100 Chinese citizens, a 40% cut from current levels. On Feb. 20,
China’s foreign ministry took the unusual action of revoking the
press credentials of three Wall Street Journal reporters, prompting
their expulsion.
   (Bloomberg, 3/3/20)(Econ., 3/7/20, p.24)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 2, The US Department
of Justice announced that two Chinese nationals have been indicted
in the District of Columbia on two counts related to operating a
money laundering business. The two Chinese allegedly laundered
cryptocurrency stolen by North Korean hackers between December 2017
and April 2019, helping to hide the stolen currency from police. The
US sued to gain control of cryptocurrency accounts North Korea
allegedly used to steal more than $250 million from Bitcoin and
Ether exchanges in 2018.
   (Reuters, 3/3/20)(Bloomberg, 3/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 2, The US Supreme
Court threw out a lower court's ruling that had let the family of a
slain 16-year-old Mexican boy pursue a civil rights lawsuit against
a US Border Patrol agent who shot the teenager in 2012 from across
the border in Arizona.
   (Reuters, 3/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 2, US health
authorities urged all baby boomers to get a one-time hepatitis C
test because that age group appeared at particularly high risk. The
US Preventive Services Task Force said that hepatitis C is on the
rise because of the opioid crisis, prompting the recommendation to
expand testing.
   (AP, 3/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 2, In California the
number of coronavirus cases in the Bay Area were confirmed at 26
with 43 cases statewide.
   (SFC, 3/3/20, p.A1)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 2, In Missouri Jeremy
Garnier (48) of St. Louis was arrested after he threatened to bomb
and kill people while dressed as the Batman villain the Joker.
   (SFC, 3/6/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 2, In Pennsylvania the
National Museum of American Jewish History in Philadelphia filed for
Bankruptcy seeking protection from debt brought by construction
efforts.
   (SFC, 3/3/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 2, Washington state
health authorities said six people have died from coronavirus.
Researchers said earlier that the virus may have been circulating
for weeks undetected in the state.
   (AP, 3/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 2, Gilead Sciences Inc
said it would buy Forty Seven Inc for $4.9 billion in cash, adding
an experimental treatment that targets blood cancer to its portfolio
of oncology drugs.
   (Reuters, 3/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 2, Andorra, Armenia,
Czech Republic, Dominican Republic, Iceland and Indonesia confirmed
their first cases of coronavirus.
   (AP, 3/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 2, The death toll from
the new coronavirus epidemic surpassed 3,000 as more people died in
China, Iran and the US and Europe raised its state of alert. The
virus has now infected more than 89,000, spread to over 60 countries
and threatens to cause a global economic slowdown.
   (AP, 3/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 2, Australian health
officials said that a woman and a male doctor have contracted
coronavirus, becoming the first cases of community transmissions in
the country.
   (AP, 3/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 2, Britain's Foreign
Office said Germany, France and the UK have offered a 5 million-euro
($5.6 million) package to Iran to help fight coronavirus in the
country.
   (Reuters, 3/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 2, Chilean President
Sebastian Pinera signed a law that strengthens existing legislation
against femicide, expanding the definition to include the killing of
non-married partners and boosting penalties for killing pregnant
women and minors.
   (Reuters, 3/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 2, It was reported
that more than 180 children in Chile have been held in preventive
detention – some for up to four months – for their participation in
the wave of social unrest which have rocked the country since
October.
   (The Guardian, 3/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 2, China reported 42
more deaths due to coronavirus, all in central Hubei province,
putting death toll in China to 2,912. The National Health Commission
reported 202 new infections, the lowest daily rise since late
January, bringing the nationwide total over 80,000.
   (AFP, 3/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 2, China’s UN
ambassador said that North Korea is suffering “negatively” from the
coronavirus and called for greater flexibility from the United
States and other countries on lifting sanctions against the country.
   (AP, 3/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 2, Ecuador confirmed
five cases in patients who all had direct contact with an elderly
woman who brought the virus to the Andean country from Spain.
   (Reuters, 3/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 2, An Egyptian court
sentenced to death 37 defendants, including Hisham el-Ashmawi, one
of the country’s most high-profile militants, following their
conviction of terrorism-related charges. The court also sentenced 61
defendants to life in prison, and 85 others got sentences ranging
from 15 to 5 years in prison. The verdicts can be appealed.
   (AP, 3/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 2, The EU's executive
said Albania and North Macedonia have done enough to merit starting
negotiations to join the European Union.
   (Reuters, 3/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 2, EU Health
Commissioner Stella Kyriakides said: "As of this morning, we have
2,100 confirmed cases in 18 EU member states and we have 38 citizens
who have lost their lives".
   (AP, 3/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 2, In Germany the
number of novel coronavirus cases rose to 150, up from 129 the
previous day, with Berlin reporting its first infection.
   (AP, 3/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 2, A child died when a
boat full of migrants heading to a Greek island capsized, part of a
wave of thousands trying to push through Greece's land and sea
borders after Turkey declared the way was open for migrants and
refugees to enter Europe. Over the last two days some 1,200 migrants
arrived on Lesbos, already overcrowded with migrants.
   (AP, 3/2/20)(Econ., 3/7/20, p.48)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 2, A Guatemalan court
sentenced Pedro Muadi, the former president of the country's
congress, to more than 30 years in prison for acts of corruption.
   (AP, 3/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 2, Guyana held
elections to decide who oversees an oil boom set to transform the
poor South American country, which faces a test of whether it can
sustainably manage a sudden influx of natural resource wealth.
Irfaan Ali (39), a former housing minister from the opposition
People's Progressive Party (PPP), sought to unseat incumbent
President David Granger (74), whose five-year tenure has coincided
with the discovery of billions of barrels of crude offshore by a
consortium led by Exxon Mobil Corp. The oil was set to provide a
significant economic boon in the country of fewer than 800,000. On
March 13 the election commission declared that Granger (74) had won
the vote. On March 13 the election commission declared that Granger
(74) had won the vote. A drawn out recount followed.
   (Reuters, 3/2/20)(SFC, 3/16/20, p.A3)(Econ.,
8/8/20, p.27)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 2, Indian lawmakers
pushed and shoved each other in parliament after opposition parties
demanded the resignation of interior minister Amit Shah over the
handling of deadly riots triggered by a citizenship law that
excludes Muslims. Officials said the death toll in the capital from
riots last week between Hindus and Muslims rose to 46, a day after
false rumors of new violence led to panicked calls to police in many
parts of the city.
   (Reuters, 3/2/20)(AP, 3/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 2, India reported
three new cases of coronavirus, including an Italian national in the
western Indian state of Rajasthan.
   (AP, 3/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 2, Iran reported 12
more deaths due to the coronavirus, raising the country's toll to
66. Iran reported more than 500 new cases, raising its total number
of infections to 1,501. Mohammad Mirmohammadi (71) of Iran's
Expediency Council died in a Tehran hospital after contracting the
COVID-19 coronavirus. A team from the World Health Organization
(WHO) arrived in Tehran to support the country's response to the
coronavirus outbreak.
   (AFP, 3/2/20)(The Week, 3/2/20)(Reuters, 3/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 2, Iraq faced more
political gridlock after prime minister-designate Mohammed Allawi
withdrew overnight, accusing lawmakers of obstructing his attempt to
form a government.
   (AFP, 3/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 2, Israel held its
third parliamentary elections in under 12 months as PM Benjamin
Netanyahu faced off against former army chief Benny Gantz. The
Netanyahu-led alliance stood to capture 59 of parliament’s 120
seats, following a four-seat gain by Likud, versus 54 for the
general’s camp.
   (AP, 3/2/20)(3, 3/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 2, Experts said
Italy's economy performed woefully in 2019 and is set to do even
worse this year due to the coronavirus, with the threat of recession
looming large.
   (AFP, 3/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 2, Five more cases
were confirmed in Japan's northern island of Hokkaido, taking the
island's total tally to 77.
   (AP, 3/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 2, Kyrgyz riot police
used tear gas, stun grenades and water cannon to disperse hundreds
of anti-government protesters who approached the government
headquarters in the capital Bishkek. Some 2,000 protesters rallied
on Bishkek's central square earlier in the day to demand the release
of Sadyr Zhaparov, a former adviser to ex-president Kurmanbek
Bakiyev.
   (AP, 3/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 2, Malaysia's new
prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin said his government will focus on
efforts stamp out corruption and abuse of power.
   (Reuters, 3/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 2, Nigerian stocks
fell as authorities contacted around 100 people who may have been
exposed to an Italian man who is the country's first coronavirus
patient.
   (Reuters, 3/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 2, North Korea
launched two short-range projectiles off its east coast in the
country’s first weapons test in three months.
   (AP, 3/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 2, Qatar's health
ministry said that medical tests had revealed four new cases of
coronavirus infection in the country.
   (Reuters, 3/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 2, Saudi Arabia
confirmed its first case of coronavirus after one its citizens who
had returned from COVID-19 hotspot Iran tested positive.
   (AFP, 3/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 2, Fighting erupted in
south Somalia between the national army and regional forces, amid
deepening divisions that help Islamist insurgents and may exacerbate
regional frictions.
   (Reuters, 3/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 2, South Korea
reported 599 new cases of coronavirus, raising its total to 4,355.
The death toll rose to 26. South Korea sought murder charges against
leaders of Shincheonji Church, to which most of South Korea's cases
have been traced.
   (Reuters, 3/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 2, Spain's confirmed
cases of coronavirus rose to around 120 from 81 the day before.
   (Reuters, 3/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 2, Sweden's Transport
Agency said it had temporarily suspended IranAir from conducting
flights to and from Sweden due to the outbreak of the coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 3/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 2, Investigators for
the UN-backed Human Rights Council said that they had found evidence
of war crimes in Syria committed by nearly all sides in the conflict
during the second half of last year and into January.
   (AP, 3/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 2, The United Nation's
refugee agency said that Greece had no right to stop accepting
asylum applications as Athens struggled with a sudden increase of
arrivals at its border of Middle East refugees and migrants from
Turkey.
   (Reuters, 3/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 3, US Treasury
Secretary Steven Mnuchin said G7 finance ministers and central bank
governors have agreed to "do everything possible" to limit harm from
the fast-spreading coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 3/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 3, The US Supreme
Court widened the ability of states to use criminal laws against
illegal immigrants and other people who do not have work
authorization in the United States in a ruling involving identity
theft prosecutions in Kansas.
   (Reuters, 3/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 3, The US Federal
Reserve cut interest rates half a point in an emergency move
designed to shield the world's largest economy from the impact of
the coronavirus. It was the Fed's first emergency rate cut since
2008 at the height of the financial crisis. The yield on the
ten-year Treasury bond fell below 1% for the first time ever.
   (Reuters, 3/3/20)(Econ., 3/7/20, p.66)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 3, A high-level Trump
administration official traveled up to the border with Syria's last
rebel stronghold in a show of support for Turkey and its armed
Syrian opposition groups' fight against the regime of President
Bashar al-Assad and to highlight relief efforts for the nearly 1
million people who have fled recent fighting.
   (ABC News, 3/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 3, US officials said
there are now at least 120 confirmed cases in the US. Nine deaths
have all been all in the Seattle area. Two cases were reported in
New Hampshire.
   (NY Times, 3/4/20)(Good Morning America, 3/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 3, Super Tuesday
voting got underway in the US. Deadly storms that spawned tornadoes
and heavy rains left treacherous conditions in at least two of the
14 states where residents were voting.
   (AP, 3/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 3, Joe Biden reclaimed
his perch as the front-runner for the Democratic presidential
nomination, setting up a potentially nasty showdown with Bernie
Sanders over whether a centrist or a progressive should take on
Donald Trump. Bernie Sanders won Super Tuesday's biggest prize,
taking California on a night he sought to blunt the momentum of a
suddenly surging Joe Biden in the race for the Democratic
presidential nomination.
   (Bloomberg, 3/4/20)(AP, 3/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 2, In Arizona a
6-year-old was found dead at a home in Flagstaff. The child was kept
in a closet with his brother as punishment for "stealing food." The
mother, father and grandmother were soon charged with murder and
child abuse after admitting that they were kept in a closet most of
the time and were not let outside of the home.
   (AP, 3/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 3, In Illinois three
people died when a single-engine Cessna 172 crashed in Lincoln.
   (SFC, 3/4/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 3, New York reported
its 2nd case of coronavirus after Westchester County man tested
positive. About 100 people nationwide have tested positive for the
virus.
   (Bloomberg, 3/3/20)(Reuters, 3/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 3, Tornadoes ripped
across Tennessee early today, shredding at least 40 buildings. Of 25
killed by the twisters, 18 were Putnam County residents. Twisters
caused severe damage in downtown Nashville. Days later three people
remained unaccounted for Putnam County.
   (AP, 3/3/20)(Reuters, 3/3/20)(Good Morning
America, 3/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 3, In Washington state
Manuel Ellis, a black man, yelled out "I can't breathe" and died in
Tacoma police custody. A medical examiner’s report later said he
died from respiratory arrest, hypoxia (when the body is deprived of
adequate oxygen supply at the tissue level) and physical restraint.
Police said officers had seen him banging on the window of another
vehicle. On June 4 Victoria Woodards, the mayor of Tacoma, called
for four police officers involved in the case to be fired and
prosecuted. In 2021 Officers Christopher Burbank and Matthew Collins
were charged with second-degree murder, and Officer Timothy Rankine
was charged with first-degree manslaughter.
   (ABC News, 6/5/20)(AP, 5/28/21)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 3, Chevron Corp said
it would keep its spending in check and return up to $80 billion to
shareholders over the next five years, with Chief Executive Mike
Wirth making the case that his company is the oil major best able to
produce oil and generate profits at the lowest cost.
   (Reuters, 3/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 3, US laboratory
equipment maker Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. agreed to buy Qiagen
NV, a Dutch maker of tests for diseases including cancer and the new
coronavirus, for about 9 billion euros ($10 billion) in the biggest
health-care acquisition so far this year.
   (Bloomberg, 3/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 3, Five Afghan
policemen died in a Taliban attack on a security checkpoint near a
copper mine, a day after the insurgents decided to resume operations
against local forces. Taliban forces conducted 43 attacks on Afghan
troops in Helmand. At least two police officers were killed and one
other wounded in the Washir district of southern Helmand province.
At least 15 soldiers were killed in Kunduz province.
   (Reuters, 3/3/20)(AP, 3/4/20)(Econ., 3/7/20,
p.35)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 3, The Australian
Associated Press said it was closing after 85 years, blaming a
decline in subscribers and free distribution of news content on
digital platforms. AAP's more than 170 journalists will cease
operations by June 26.
   (SFC, 3/4/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 3, Belgium’s federal
public health service said they had found five new cases after
conducting tests the previous night. All of the patients had been
traveling in the north of Italy.
   (Bloomberg, 3/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 3, A new report said
deforestation of lands occupied by isolated indigenous tribes in the
Brazilian Amazon more than doubled between July 2019 and July 2018
to the highest rate in more than a decade.
   (Reuters, 3/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 3, China's death toll
from coronavirus reached 2,943, with more than 75 deaths elsewhere
as 77 other countries and territories have reported the respiratory
disease. More than 90,000 cases of the new coronavirus have been
reported globally.
   (Reuters, 3/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 3, Germany said the
number of confirmed cases has risen to 188. The virus has spread to
13 of the country’s 16 federal states.
   (AP, 3/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 3, India, the world's
main supplier of generic drugs, said it has restricted the export of
26 pharmaceutical ingredients and the medicines made from them,
including paracetamol, as the coronavirus outbreak plays havoc with
supply chains. The government said it had detected "high viral load"
in six people who had been in contact with a patient who contracted
the coronavirus in the capital New Delhi. 24 people who had come in
contact with the Italian tourist have been moved to a separate
facility for testing. They included 21 Italians and three Indians.
   (Reuters, 3/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 3, Indonesia's Mount
Merapi, the most active of the country's 500 volcanoes, erupted
spewing pyroclastic material and sending as 19,680 feet.
   (SFC, 3/4/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 3, Infections rose
again in Iran, where more officials were diagnosed. Iran reported
835 new confirmed cases, taking the total to 2,336. The death toll
climbed to 77 from 66, while 435 patients have recovered. Eight
percent of Iran's parliament, 23 out of 290 members, has been
infected with the coronavirus. At least seven government officials
also have it, including one of Iran's vice presidents.
   (Bloomberg, 3/3/20)(Business Insider, 3/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 3, Japan’s tally of
coronavirus cases approached the 1,000 mark.
   (Bloomberg, 3/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 3, In Mexico a boat
from a conservation group carrying government inspectors was
attacked while monitoring a near-extinct porpoise species in a
protected zone of Mexico’s Gulf of California.
   (Reuters, 3/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 3, A Pakistani court
gave the go-ahead to the country's largest women's rights event but
told organizers to ensure participants adhere to "decency and moral
values." The Aurat March, using the Urdu word for women, has been
attended by tens of thousands over the last two years to mark
International Women's Day on March 8.
   (Reuters, 3/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 3, A Moscow court
ruled that the city's facial recognition system does not violate the
privacy of its citizens, a blow to activists who had hoped to ban
the technology's use.
   (Reuters, 3/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 3, Russia's main
opposition leader Alexei Navalny (43) said that authorities had
frozen all of his bank accounts and those of his family, including
his elderly parents.
   (AP, 3/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 3, South Korea’s
health ministry reported 374 more cases of the novel coronavirus,
taking the country’s tally to 5,186.
   (Bloomberg, 3/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 3, Spain’s tally of
coronavirus rose 32% to 150.
   (Bloomberg, 3/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 3, Spain's left-wing
government approved a bill that would qualify all non-consensual sex
as rape, acting on a pre-election promise to strengthen laws in
defence of women's rights. The draft law faced months of debate in
parliament.
   (Reuters, 3/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 3, The Spanish
government approved the extradition of Venezuela's former military
intelligence chief Hugo Carvajal to the US where he faces charges of
drug and weapon trafficking.
   (Reuters, 3/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 3, Sweden said it has
nine new confirmed cases of coronavirus infections, taking the total
to 24.
   (AP, 3/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 3, Swiss-based Roche
said it has won US breakthrough therapy status for Esbriet for
interstitial lung disease (uILD), as it aimed to lift disappointing
revenue by boosting the number of conditions for which it can be
used.
   (AP, 3/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 3, Turkish President
Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused Greek authorities of inhumanely
treating migrants trying to cross the border, claiming that two
people were killed by Greek security forces a day earlier while
another was seriously wounded. Greece denied the accusation.
   (Bloomberg, 3/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 3, Turkey shot down a
Syrian fighter jet in Syria's Idlib province, marking the third such
incident in as many days, as steady clashes between the two national
armies continued over a Russia-backed Syrian government offensive
near the Turkish border. State-run Syrian media said troops shot
down a Turkish drone.
   (AP, 3/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 3, UAE major
international airline Emirates said it is asking staff to take
unpaid leave for up to a month at a time due to the rapidly
spreading coronavirus that has led to flight cancellations around
the world.
   (Reuters, 3/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 3, UN watchdog IAEA,
policing Iran's nuclear deal with major powers, admonished Tehran
for failing to provide access to two undeclared locations or fully
answer its questions about past activities there and at a previously
known site. The IAEA said Iran has nearly tripled its stockpile of
enriched uranium since last November.
   (Reuters, 3/3/20)(SFC, 3/4/20, p.A3)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 3, The World Health
Organization (WHO) said that the last patient being treated for
Ebola in Democratic Republic of Congo was discharged today, bringing
the 19-month-old outbreak closer than ever to an end.
   (Reuters, 3/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 4, The US conducted
its first airstrike against Taliban forces in Afghanistan since
signing an ambitious peace deal with the militant group. The attack
was to counter a Taliban assault on Afghan government forces in
Nahr-e Saraj in the southern Helmand province.
   (AP, 3/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 4, US federal health
officials announced new testing criteria for coronavirus, requiring
only a doctor’s agreement. But it’s unclear whether there are enough
tests for everybody who’ll want one.
   (NY Times, 3/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 4, The US Food and
Drug Administration banned electrical stimulation devices (ESDs)
used in curbing self-injurious or aggressive behavior, citing
substantial risks of illness or injury to patients.
   (Reuters, 3/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 4, California's Gov.
Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency over the COVID-19 virus,
opening the way for federal aid, after the death of a man in Placer
County, near Sacramento, who had been on an earlier sailing of the
ship in February. This was the nation's first coronavirus death
outside of Washington state and brought the US death toll to 11.
California now had 53 confirmed cases.
   (AP, 3/5/20)(Good Morning America, 3/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 4, Anthony
Levandowski, a former Google and Uber engineer, filed for bankruptcy
in San Francisco following a court order for him to pay $179 million
to Google over a contract dispute. Levandowski had left Google to
form Otto a self-driging truck startup and then sold Otto to Uber
for $600 million.
   (SFC, 3/6/20, p.D1)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 4, In Florida veteran
airline mechanic Abdul-Majeed Marouf Ahmed Alani (60) was sentenced
to three years in prison for sabotaging an American Airlines
jetliner with 150 people aboard in a bid to earn overtime fixing the
plane.
   (AP, 3/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 4, A US federal judge
invalidated Michigan's Medicaid work requirements.
   (SFC, 3/5/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 4, New York's Gov.
Andrew Cuomo announced that the four new cases of coronavirus,
bringing the state's total number of confirmed cases to six, were
all linked to a Westchester County-based lawyer.
   (Reuters, 3/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 4, Billionaire Mike
Bloomberg ended his bid for the Democratic presidential nomination
and endorsed former Vice President Joe Biden.
   (AP, 3/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 4, Tennessee reported
its first confirmed case of the novel coronavirus.
   (Good Morning America, 3/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 4, Texas confirmed its
first case of the novel coronavirus man in a man who recently
traveled abroad.
   (AP, 3/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 4, In Britain the
number of confirmed coronavirus cases rose to 87 in the biggest
daily jump since it was first detected in the country.
   (Reuters, 3/4/20)(Econ., 3/7/20, p.53)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 4, China reported 139
new coronavirus cases, bringing the total number of cases to 80,409.
The death toll reached 2,981.
   (Business Insider, 3/4/20)(Reuters, 3/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 4, China said it has
approved the use of Swiss drugmaker Roche's anti-inflammation drug
Actemra for patients who develop severe complications from the
coronavirus as it urgently hunts for new ways to combat the deadly
infection that is spreading worldwide.
   (Reuters, 3/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 4, Egypt executed
Hisham el-Ashmawi, one of its most high-profile militant leaders,
after his conviction for his role in planning scores of deadly
attacks against the country's security forces. El-Ashmawi had been
convicted in 14 crimes including a 2014 ambush that killed 22
Egyptian military border guards near the border with Libya, and the
2013 assassination attempt against the interior minister at the
time, Mohammed Ibrahim.
   (AP, 3/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 4, The European
Commission unveiled plans for its first climate law, which will act
as the basis for the EU's aim to make the 27-country bloc climate
neutral by 2050.
   (SFC, 3/5/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 4, Germany ordered the
closure of all schools and universities until March 15.
   (Econ., 3/7/20, p.48)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 4, Germany-based
Lufthansa said it has cut its flight capacity in a move equivalent
to grounding almost a fifth of its fleet, response to the
coronavirus epidemic.
   (AP, 3/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 4, India lifted some
restrictions on internet access in Kashmir, including allowing
access to social media websites for the first time since the restive
Himalayan region was locked down and its autonomy revoked in August.
   (Reuters, 3/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 4, Iran reported 15
new deaths from COVID-19 and 586 additional cases, bringing the
overall toll to 92 dead and 2,922 infected.. President Hassan
Rouhani dismissed a US offer to help the Islamic republic fight its
coronavirus outbreak, charging that "vicious" American sanctions are
depriving the country of medicine. Iran canceled Friday prayers in
major cities.
   (AFP, 3/4/20)(AP, 3/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 4, Amnesty
International accused the Iranian security forces of killing 23
children, mostly with live ammunition, during a November crackdown
on anti-government protests.
   (AP, 3/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 4, Iraq said a Muslim
cleric (70) died today from the novel coronavirus, the first death
from the outbreak in a country where 31 people have been infected.
Health authorities announced the country's first two deaths from the
new coronavirus, one in the capital Baghdad and the other in the
autonomous Kurdish region.
   (AFP, 3/4/20)(AFP, 3/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 4, Israel ordered
travelers arriving from Germany, France, Spain, Austria and
Switzerland to go into home quarantine over coronavirus concerns.
The Health Ministry also ordered all international conferences in
Israel cancelled and banned gatherings of more than 5,000
participants.
   (Reuters, 3/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 4, The death toll in
Italy soared to 79, with more than 2,500 people infected. A
government source said Italy is to close all schools and
universities starting March 5 to try to contain its worsening
coronavirus outbreak.
   (AFP, 3/4/20)(Reuters, 3/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 4, Fiat Chrysler
defied fears over Italy's coronavirus outbreak to showcase an
electric version of its 500 city car, as it strives to catch up with
rivals in low-emissions driving while heading into a merger with
Peugeot maker PSA.
   (Reuters, 3/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 4, Japan's government
opened part of Futaba, the last town that had been off limits due to
radiation since the Fukushima nuclear disaster in 2011.
   (SFC, 3/5/20, p.A3)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 4, Lebanon has 15
cases confirmed of coronavirus since Feb. 21 after infected
travelers arrived from Iran. The outbreak was expected to grow,
challenging hard-hit medical facilities.
   (Reuters, 3/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 4, In Libya the only
civilian airport in Tripoli came under direct attack late today by
eastern-based opposition forces. There were no reports of
causalities.
   (AP, 3/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 4, North Korea's Kim
Jong Un sent South Korean President Moon Jae-in a letter expressing
condolences over the coronavirus outbreak. This was the North Korean
leader’s first public overture to his counterpart in more than four
months.
   (Bloomberg, 3/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 4, It was reported
that Palestinians have launched protests in the occupied West Bank
after Israeli bulldozers began clearing land in what villagers fear
is an attempt to confiscate it for future Jewish settlements.
   (Reuters, 3/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 4, The Philippines
said it is resuming aid talks with Western countries it had rebuked
just months earlier for backing a UN resolution to review human
rights abuses under President Rodrigo Duterte's rule.
   (AFP, 3/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 4, Saudi Arabia banned
its citizens and other residents of the kingdom from performing the
pilgrimage in Mecca due to the coronavirus. Saudi Arabia said its
second coronavirus case for a Saudi national came from Iran through
Bahrain.
   (AP, 3/4/20)(Reuters, 3/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 4, South Korea
reported 516 new coronavirus cases. It now had had more than 5,600
cases and 32 deaths.
   (Business Insider, 3/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 4, In Sweden 16 new
cases of the coronavirus were confirmed in Stockholm, taking the
total number of cases in Sweden to 52.
   (AP, 3/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 4, In northwestern
Syria two more Turkish soldiers were killed in a Syrian government
attack, as steady clashes between the two national armies continued
to rack up casualties. Nine Syrian soldiers were also reported
killed in Turkish drone attacks in the area.
   (AP, 3/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 4, In Turkey a
fistfight erupted in parliament during a speech by opposition
lawmaker Engin Ozkoc, who earlier accused President Tayyip Erdogan
of disrespecting Turkish soldiers who died in Syria.
   (Reuters, 3/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 4, A man (43) was shot
dead as he tried to cross from Turkey into Greece. Five others were
treated for gunshot wounds. Greece dismissed reports of the shooting
as "fake news".
   (Reuters, 4/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 4, A Ugandan court
sent independent filmmaker Moses Bwayo to jail after he was accused
of singing subversive songs while producing a documentary about a
pop star seeking to unseat the long-serving president.
   (Reuters, 3/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 5, President Donald
Trump said he would withhold money from so-called sanctuary
jurisdictions after a US court ruled that his administration could
block federal law enforcement funds to states and cities that do not
cooperate with federal immigration authorities. On Feb. 26, the 2nd
US Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan ruled in favor of the
administration and said the funding cuts were valid. But three other
federal appeals courts have ruled against blocking such funds,
setting up a possible appeal to the US Supreme Court.
   (Reuters, 3/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 5, The US State
Department raised its Haiti travel advisory to Level 4: Do Not
Travel, in the wake of what Haiti National Police have described as
a “spectacular rise” in kidnappings for ransom, along with other
violent crimes including car jackings and robberies, carried out
mostly by armed criminal gangs.
   (Miami Herald, 3/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 5, It was reported
that six US military individuals in South Korea have tested positive
for COVID-19.
   (AP, 3/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 5, Alabama put an
inmate to death for the 2004 slayings of three police officers who
were shot by another man at a suspected drug house. Nathaniel Woods
received a lethal injection at the state prison in Atmore. Woods had
been convicted as an accomplice of the gunman, Kerry Spencer. Both
were convicted of capital murder and sentenced to die.
   (CBS News, 3/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 5, California's Gov.
Gavin Newsom said a ship with suspected links to two coronavirus
cases, one fatal, was being held off the coast of San Francisco
until everyone on board could be tested. At least 21 people on the
ship had symptoms. The cases included guests who were on the
previous Grand Princess voyage from Feb. 11 to 21.
   (NY Times, 3/5/20)(Good Morning America, 3/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 5, Massachusetts Sen.
Elizabeth Warren, who electrified progressives with her “plan for
everything” and strong message of economic populism, dropped out of
the Democratic presidential race.
   (AP, 3/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 5, New Jersey
confirmed its first case of coronavirus, a man (32) who had been
hospitalized just across the Hudson River from New York City.
   (Bloomberg, 3/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 5, New York officials
reported 11 new positive cases of coronavirus in Westchester County,
bringing the state's total count to 24, with 21 of those in in
Westchester County and four in New York City.
   (Good Morning America, 3/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 5, Houston officials
confirmed the first three cases of coronavirus in Harris County, the
nation's third-largest county.
   (AP, 3/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 5, A Texas woman was
convicted of stabbing and beheading her 5-year-old daughter in 2017.
Krystle Concepcion Villanuev (27) was sentenced to life in prison
without parole.
   (Miami Herald, 3/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 5, In Washington state
at least 39 new coronavirus cases have been reported in the Seattle
area. A man in his 60s died, the ninth fatality associated with the
outbreak at a Seattle area nursing home.
   (AP, 3/5/20)(AP, 3/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 5, In Vienna OPEC
members agreed to cut oil output by an extra 1.5 million barrels per
day (bpd) in the second quarter of 2020 to support prices that have
been hit by the coronavirus outbreak, but made its action
conditional on Russia and others joining in. Russia and Kazakhstan,
both members of the broader and informal group known as OPEC+, said
they had not yet agreed to a deeper cut.
   (Reuters, 3/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 5, Brazil confirmed
eight cases of the new coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 3/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 5, Britain's HSBC sent
more than 100 staff home after a worker tested positive for
coronavirus, the first known case at a major company in London.
Britain counted 90 cases.
   (AP, 3/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 5, It was reported
that a British judge has ruled that Dubai's ruler Sheikh Mohammed
bin Rashid al-Maktoum (70) ordered the abduction of two of his
daughters and orchestrated a campaign of intimidation against
Princess Haya (45), his former wife.
   (Reuters, 3/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 5, Bulgaria declared a
nationwide influenza epidemic to deal with the rapid rise of type B
flu cases. All schools in the Black Sea state of 7 million were
closed to March 11.
   (Reuters, 3/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 5, Scientists in China
studying the outbreak say they have found that two main strains of
the virus are circulating in humans and causing infections.
   (Reuters, 3/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 5, Egypt reopened
Djoser's Step Pyramid, the first pyramid ever built, after a 14-year
restoration costing nearly $6.6 million.
   (Reuters, 3/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 5, The EU's highest
court said changes by Hungary to its law on higher education, which
effectively forced a university founded by George Soros to leave the
country, were not in line with EU law.
   (SFC, 3/6/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 5, It was reported
that France has 377 confirmed cases of coronavirus and reported two
more deaths, bringing the total to six.
   (Reuters, 3/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 5, Germany's new
coronavirus cases jumped by 109 in a day, to 349.
   (AP, 3/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 5, Iran reported 15
new deaths from the novel coronavirus, raising the national toll to
107, and said it would keep schools and universities closed until
early April. 3513 people in Iran have now been infected with the
coronavirus.
   (AFP, 3/5/20)(Reuters, 3/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 5, Iran announced it
would put checkpoints in place to limit travel between major cities,
hoping to stem the spread of the coronavirus. Hossein Sheikholeslam,
an adviser to Iran's foreign minister, died from coronavirus.
   (AP, 3/6/20)(AFP, 3/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 5, Israeli military
forces demolished the homes of two Palestinians accused of being
behind a deadly blast in the West Bank last year. Israel says Walid
Hanatsheh and Yazan Mughamis were part of a cell that carried out
the attack in August, which killed Israeli Rina Shnerb (17) and
injured her father and brother as they hiked down to a spring in the
occupied West Bank.
   (AP, 3/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 5, Israeli warplanes
fired missiles early today toward military positions in central
Syria. State news agency SANA said all were shot down by Syrian air
defenses before reaching their targets.
   (AP, 3/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 5, In Italy the death
toll from an outbreak of coronavirus in the northern region of
Lombardy, which has borne the brunt of a nationwide contagion, has
risen over the past day to 98 from 73.
   (AP, 3/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 5, Ivory Coast’s
President Alassane Ouattara said that he will not run for
re-election in October, ending speculation that he would try for a
third term.
   (AP, 3/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 5, In Japan confirmed
infections of coronavirus rose to 1,036.
   (AP, 3/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 5, In Palestine at
least nine people were killed and 60 injured when a bakery fire
spread through a crowded market in a refugee camp in the Gaza Strip.
   (Reuters, 3/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 5, In Peru Javier
Perez de Cuellar (100), former UN secretary general (1981-1991)
known for his peace-making efforts including brokering a ceasefire
in the Iran-Iraq war, died.
   (AP, 3/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 5, Portugal's flag
carrier TAP said it has cancelled a total of around 1,000 flights
this month and next due to a fall in demand over concerns about the
spreading coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 3/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 5, In Russia an
agreement on a ceasefire in Syria was announced after a six-hour
meeting between the Turkish and Russian presidents in Moscow. The
deal essentially froze the conflict lines and did not force Syrian
President Bashar Assad's forces to roll back military gains made in
the past three months.
   (AP, 3/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 5, South Africa
confirmed its first case of coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 3/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 5, South Korea
reported 760 new coronavirus cases. South Korea confirmed 6,088
coronavirus cases, with a death toll of 37.
   (Reuters, 3/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 5, Spanish health
authorities said they had identified as many as 193 coronavirus
cases, including three children. Spain reported its first death two
days earlier from the outbreak in Valencia.
   (Reuters, 3/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 5, In Switzerland a
woman (74) became the first local person to die from the novel
coronavirus.
   (AP, 3/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 5, In northwestern
Syria an airstrike on a rebel-held village hit a poultry farm where
several displaced families were sheltering, killing at least 15
people including children. Activists blamed Russian warplanes for
the strike on Maaret Musreen village.
   (AP, 3/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 5, Thailand reported
four new cases of coronavirus, bringing its total to 47 since
January.
   (Reuters, 3/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 5, Turkey announced
that another Turkish soldier was killed in an attack in Idlib,
Syria, raising the number of Turkish soldiers killed in the past 36
hours to three.
   (AP, 3/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 5, Turkey said it
would deploy special forces along its land border with Greece to
prevent Greek authorities pushing back people trying to cross into
Europe, after Turkey declared its previously guarded gateways to
Europe open.
   (AP, 3/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 5, A new UN study said
nearly 90 percent of the world's population holds some prejudice
against women.
   (AFP, 3/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 5, The UN said a
British UN employee is one of the four people who have tested
positive for the novel coronavirus in Senegal.
   (AFP, 3/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 6, Pres. Donald Trump
signed an $8.3 billion measure to help tackle the coronavirus
outbreak that has killed 14 people in the US and infected more than
200.
   (AP, 3/6/20)(Reuters, 3/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 6, US President Donald
Trump announced he had made a major staff overhaul, replacing his
acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney with Republican Rep. Mark
Meadows. Trump said Mulvaney would become the US special envoy for
Northern Ireland.
   (AP, 3/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 6, The US State
Department raised its alert level for travel to Azerbaijan and
Turkmenistan. Neither country has reported many cases but both
border Iran, which has been hard hit by the coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 3/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 6, The United States
ordered Beijing Shiji Information Technology to divest entirely from
mobile hotel property firm StayNTouch, with President Donald Trump
saying in an order that its acquisition of the Maryland-based
company may threaten national security.
   (Reuters, 3/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 6, The Grand Princess
cruise ship, with 3,500 aboard, remained docked 70 miles off the
coast of San Francisco as health officials await results from dozens
of coronavirus tests. Samples were collected from 45 people
currently on board who were showing symptoms. At least 19 passengers
and two crew members on Carnival Corp.’s Grand Princess, currently
off the coast of California, have tested positive for the
coronavirus virus.
   (AP, 3/6/20)(SFC, 3/6/20, p.A9)(Bloomberg,
3/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 6, In the SF Bay Area
Santa Clara County reported 24 cases of coronavirus.
   (SSFC, 3/8/20, p.A1)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 6, Florida health
officials confirmed the state’s first two deaths from coronavirus as
well the first pair of cases in the Miami metropolitan area.
   (AP, 3/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 6, Kentucky reported
its first coronavirus case.
   (Bloomberg, 3/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 6, Nebraska reported
its first coronavirus case.
   (Bloomberg, 3/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 6, Jazz pianist McCoy
Tyner died at his home in New Jersey. His more than 80 albums
included "A Love Supreme" (1965), recorded with the John Coltrane
Quartet.
   (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McCoy_Tyner)(SFC,
3/9/20, p.C3)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 6, The number of
confirmed coronavirus cases in New York doubled to 22. More than
2,700 people were isolated at home.
   (NY Times, 3/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 6, Tennessee officials
believed that remains found on property belonging to family member
of Megan Boswell in Blountville, are that of Evelyn Boswell, the
15-month-old girl last seen in December but only reported as missing
in February. Megan Boswell (18) was charged on Feb. 25 with one
count of false reporting. Evelyn’s grandmother, Angela Boswell, and
another man William McCloud, were arrested and charged with
possession of stolen property on Feb. 20.
   (ABC News, 3/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 6, Utah confirmed its
first coronavirus case.
   (Good Morning America, 3/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 6, In Washington state
two Microsoft employees have been diagnosed with the novel
coronavirus. Facebook announced it is closing its Seattle office
until March 9 after a contractor tested positive for the virus.
   (Good Morning America, 3/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 6, In the US the
number of cases passed 230 people scattered across 18 states. The
new coronavirus hit a milestone, infecting more than 100,000 people
worldwide as it wove itself deeper into the daily lives of millions,
infecting the powerful, the unprotected poor and the vast masses in
between.
   (AP, 3/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 6, US drugmaker Biogen
Inc said three of its employees tested positive for the coronavirus
after attending a meeting in Boston last week, and that their
condition was improving under medical care.
   (Reuters, 3/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 6, Boeing's proposal
to leave wiring bundles in place on the grounded 737 MAX failed to
get the backing of US aviation regulators, potentially delaying the
plane's return to service.
   (Reuters, 3/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 6, SpaceX successfully
lunched a Falcon rocket from Cape canaveral with 4,300 pounds of
supplies for the Int'l. Space Station. The booster landed for a 50th
successful touchdown.
   (SSFC, 3/8/20, p.A9)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 6, In Afghanistan
gunmen opened fire at a ceremony in Kabul attended by prominent
political leaders, killing at least 32 people and wounding dozens
more before the two attackers were slain by police.
   (AP, 3/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 6, In Belgium the
number of confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus more than doubled
to 109 after 59 new patients tested positive.
   (Good Morning America, 3/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 6, An American tourist
became the 1st confirmed case in Bhutan.
   (Good Morning America, 3/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 6, Gilbert Khoo, a
seafood salesman in the UK, received a two-year suspended sentence
for six offenses related to the transport of $7 million worth of
endangered eels.
   (Business Insider, 3/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 6, Cameroon announced
its first coronavirus infection.
   (AP, 3/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 6, China reported 143
new cases, the same as a day earlier and about one-third what the
country was seeing a week ago. Health authorities said the
northwestern Chinese province of Gansu has confirmed 17 new
coronavirus cases imported from Iran, bringing the total imported
cases to 28.
   (AP, 3/6/20)(Reuters, 3/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 6, Egyptian officials
said 12 people from a Nile cruise ship have tested positive for the
novel coronavirus.
   (AP, 3/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 6, Ghana's President
Nana Akufo-Addo set the tone for new rules due to coronavirus,
warning everybody to improve personal hygiene and avoid crowds, at
the celebrations of Ghana's 63rd independence anniversary. He
ostentatiously kept both his hands resolutely behind his back when
he arrived at the ceremony to greet those seated on the dais.
   (BBC, 3/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 6, Clashes between
Greek riot police and migrants attempting to cross the border from
Turkey erupted anew as European Union foreign ministers took aim at
what they called “Turkey's use of migratory pressure for political
purposes".
   (AP, 3/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 6, Four cases of the
coronavirus have been identified in Hungary thus far, including a
pair of Iranian students who recently visited their homeland.
   (AP, 3/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 6, India braced for a
potential explosion of coronavirus cases as authorities rushed to
trace, test and quarantine contacts of 31 people confirmed to have
the disease.
   (AP, 3/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 6, Iran announced that
the new coronavirus has killed 124 people amid 4,747 confirmed
cases. The virus now was in all of Iran's 31 provinces.
   (AP, 3/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 6, Iraq said it will
halt border trade with Iran and Kuwait between March 8 and 15 to
curb the spread of the coronavirus.
   (AP, 3/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 6, In Ireland more
than 60 staff at a hospital were asked to self-isolate after the
country's first community transmission of coronavirus was found
there.
   (AP, 3/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 6, In Italy at least
3,296 people have been infected with the coronavirus. The death
reached at least 148.
   (Good Morning America, 3/6/20)(Reuters, 3/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 6, Japanese carmaker
Nissan said it is pushing on with plans to build its new Qashqai
sports utility vehicle at its British factory despite warnings over
Brexit. Nissan announced a 52-million pound investment in a new
press line at the site.
   (Reuters, 3/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 6, In Japan confirmed
coronavirus infections rose to 1,057.
   (Reuters, 3/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 6, Liberia suspended
the licenses of all fuel importers, including France's Total, to
conduct performance reviews after some of the companies overdrew
from reserves in state-run facilities, leading to gasoline
shortages.
   (Reuters, 3/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 6, Mexico's bishops
said the Vatican had suspended a clerical sex abuse fact-finding and
assistance mission to Mexico due to the spreading coronavirus in
Italy and now the Vatican.
   (AP, 3/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 6, The Netherlands
reported its first coronavirus death.
   (AP, 3/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 6, Peru announced its
first coronavirus infection.
   (AP, 3/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 6, Poland's Pres.
Andrzej Duda signed a bill earmarking nearly $510 million to fund
public television and radio. The broadcast outlets have become
mouthpieces for the country's far-right government.
   (https://tinyurl.com/r4htf6s)(SSFC, 3/8/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 6, Serbia announced
its first coronavirus infection.
   (AP, 3/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 6, Slovakia announced
its first coronavirus infection.
   (AP, 3/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 6, South Korea
reported 505 additional cases, down from a high of 851 on March 3.
The US military confirmed its seventh case among those stationed
there.
   (AP, 3/6/20)(Reuters, 3/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 6, Spain confirmed its
fifth coronavirus death, with 365 confirmed cases.
   (Reuters, 3/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 6, Switzerland
reported 130 new confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus, bringing
the national total to 210.
   (Good Morning America, 3/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 6, In northwestern
Syria a cease-fire deal brokered by Turkey and Russia took hold in
Idlib province. Farhad Dabirian, a commander with Iran’s
Revolutionary Guard, was killed near Damascus.
   (AP, 3/6/20)(AP, 3/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 6, Togo confirmed its
first case of coronavirus, bringing the number of countries in
sub-Saharan Africa hit by the epidemic to five.
   (Reuters, 3/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 6, In Tunisia two
suicide bombers blew themselves up near the US Embassy on the
outskirts of Tunis, killing a police officer and wounding four
others.
   (AP, 3/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 6, Pope Francis
accepted the resignation of Lyon Cardinal Philippe Barbarin (69),
who was convicted and then acquitted of covering up for a pedophile
priest in a case that fueled a reckoning over clergy sexual abuse in
France.
   (AP, 3/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 6, Vatican City
confirmed its first coronavirus case, but did not say who was
infected.
   (AP, 3/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 7, President Donald
Trump hosted Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro for dinner at his
Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, where the two leaders discussed the
US-led effort to oust Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
   (Bloomberg, 3/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 7, The number of
Americans diagnosed with novel coronavirus is now at least 424,
according to a case count by Johns Hopkins Univ. At least 19 people
have died in the US in Washington state, California and Florida.
There were now more than 101,000 infected worldwide and more than
3,400 deaths.
   (Good Morning America, 3/7/20)(AP, 3/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 7, A US Navy sailor
stationed at the Naval Support Activity Naples tested positive for
novel coronavirus, marking the first positive cause of a US service
member in Europe.
   (Good Morning America, 3/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 7, Grand Princess
Capt. John Smith told passengers that the ship hit by the new
coronavirus is headed to the port of Oakland, Ca. The ship carrying
more than 3,500 people from 54 countries was expected to dock on
March 9. Passengers were quarantined at Travis Air Force Base and
many were released on a staggered basis from March 9 to March 13.
Two-thirds of the 858 passengers at the base had declined testing.
On March 20 seven of the tested passengers were reported positive
for the virus.
   (AP, 3/8/20)(SSFC, 3/22/20, p.A1)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 7, Hawaii Gov. David
Ige said a patient who had traveled aboard a Grand Princess cruise
ship in early February became Hawaii's first case of the
coronavirus.
   (Good Morning America, 3/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 7, Argentina's
Ministry of Health said a 64-year-old man has died as a result of
the new coronavirus, the first such death in Latin America.
   (AP, 3/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 7, In China about 70
people were trapped in a collapsed hotel in the city of Quanzhou, in
southeastern Fujian Province. The collapsed hotel was used for
coronavirus quarantine. 23 people were reported rescued. 23 remained
trapped after the collapse of the hotel. 20 people died in the
collapse. On March 9 a boy and his mother were rescued. A man was
rescued after being trapped for 69 hours. Nine people remained
missing.
   (Reuters, 3/7/20)(Reuters, 3/8/20)(SFC, 3/11/20,
p.A2)(SFC, 3/12/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 7, Chile said it now
had seven confirmed coronavirus cases, up from five.
   (AP, 3/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 7, Costa Rica's Health
Ministry confirmed four new cases of coronavirus, in addition to
that of a case involving an American woman announced a day earlier.
Her husband was among the new cases.
   (AP, 3/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 7, Cyprus riot police
used pepper spray to thwart Turkish Cypriot protesters trying to
shove their way through a barricaded crossing point in the heart of
the ethnically divided island nation's capital.
   (AP, 3/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 7, In Egypt about 150
tourists and local crew were quarantined on a cruise ship on the
Nile river. Officials said coronavirus had been detected in 45
people, including foreign tourists, after a Nile River cruise ship
reached the southern city of Luxor.
   (AP, 3/7/20)(Reuters, 3/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 7, In France a member
of the lower house was diagnosed with the virus and hospitalized.
The Health Ministry said that two more people had died from the
coronavirus, bringing the total death toll to 11 people. France has
now 716 confirmed cases of coronavirus.
   (AP, 3/7/20)(Reuters, 3/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 7, Georgia reported a
total of 12 cases in the country, 10 linked to Italy, which has
Europe's worst outbreak, and the other two linked to Iran. Georgia
reported its first case of coronavirus in the end of February.
   (AP, 3/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 7, Germany’s confirmed
coronavirus infections rose to 684 from 534 a day earlier.
   (AP, 3/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 7, In Guyana a
protester was shot dead as demonstrators took to the streets after
opposition leaders and international observers accused the
government of David Granger of rigging this week's presidential
election.
   (Reuters, 3/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 7, In Hungary the
number of confirmed coronavirus patients increased to five since the
first infections were announced on March 4. The government canceled
a rally planned for the March 15 national holiday in central
Budapest.
   (AP, 3/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 7, In Iran lawmaker
Fatemeh Rahbar (55) died from the coronavirus, the first fatality
among 23 infected members of parliament. The death toll from the
virus increased to 145 as the number of diagnosed cases grew to
5,823.
   (AFP, 3/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 7, People were not
permitted to leave or enter Bethlehem, as per a decision made by
Israeli and Palestinian authorities after 17 cases of novel
coronavirus were confirmed in the city in the last 48 hours. 14
American citizens were being tested and have been quarantined in the
Angles hotel in the city of Bethlehem for now.
   (Good Morning America, 3/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 7, In Italy the number
of fatalities due to the coronavirus were up 36 to 233, with
infections growing to 8,883. Cases have now been confirmed in each
of the country's 20 regions, with deaths recorded in eight of them.
   (Reuters, 3/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 7, Kuwait recorded 3
new cases of the coronavirus, bringing its infection tally to 61.
   (AP, 3/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 7, Lebanon's PM Hassan
Diab said the government will suspend payment on $1.2 billion in
loans, marking the country's first-ever default on its sovereign
debt.
   (SSFC, 3/8/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 7, Malta reported its
first case of coronavirus.
   (Bloomberg, 3/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 7, Mexico reported
seven instances of coronavirus, up from six.
   (Reuters, 3/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 7, Paraguay reported
its first case of coronavirus.
   (AP, 3/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 7, Peru announced five
new cases of COVID-19 infection, raising the country's total to six.
   (AP, 3/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 7, The Philippines
health department reported the country’s sixth infection. President
Rodrigo Duterte agreed to declare a state of national public health
emergency after a local transmission of coronavirus.
   (Bloomberg, 3/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 7, In the Philippines
a regional commander said troops have killed at least 14 Muslim
militants aligned with the Islamic State in Maguindanao province.
The Islamic State group claimed militants killed 43 soldiers, but
that claim was denied.
   (AP, 3/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 7, Qatar reported its
12th case of coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 3/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 7, It was reported
that Saudi Arabia has detained three senior Saudi princes including
Prince Ahmed bin Abdulaziz, the younger brother of King Salman, and
Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, the king's nephew, for allegedly planning
a coup.
   (AP, 3/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 7, South Korea's
coronavirus cases jumped above 7,000, up by 448 from the previous
day. The death toll rose by two to 46.
   (Reuters, 3/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 7, Spain identified 93
new coronavirus cases, bringing its total to 441.
   (AP, 3/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 7, Spanish police said
they have arrested 89 people suspected of belionging to a crime ring
that smuggled both migrants and hashish from North Africa to the
mainland.
   (SSFC, 3/8/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 7, Syria's Interior
Minister Mohammed Khaled Rahmoun said at least 26 Iraqis were among
those killed in a Syrian highway accident, in which a fuel truck
collided with passenger buses and other cars. Local officials said
at least 32 were killed and 77 injured.
   (AP, 3/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 7, Ugandans celebrated
the Mara Mara peace festival. It drew inspiration from the African
Union's declaration of 2020 as the year for “silencing the guns” on
a continent that has long faced violence ranging from civil war to
ethnic rivalries and rebel insurgencies.
   (AP, 3/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 7, In the UAE The
number of coronavirus cases rose to 45 from 30.
   (Reuters, 3/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 7, Uzbekistan said it
will become an observer in the Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union
(EEU) before deciding if it wants to become a full member of the
trade bloc.
   (Reuters, 3/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 7, In Vietnam all air
crew and ground staff working on a Vietnam Airlines’ flight from
London to Hanoi on March 1 were being quarantined after a passenger
tested positive for coronavirus. The Ministry of Health confirmed
three new coronavirus cases, raising the number in the country to
20.
   (AP, 3/7/20)(Reuters, 3/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 8, Americans advance
their clocks for daylight saving time.
   (Good Morning America, 3/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 8, Kamala Harris
endorsed Joe Biden and said she would "do everything in my power''
to help elect him, becoming the latest dropout from the Democratic
race for president to line up behind the former vice president in
his battle with Bernie Sanders for the nomination. Vermont senator
Bernie Sanders countered with his own major endorsement, announcing
that civil rights icon Jesse Jackson was formally backing him.
   (AP, 3/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 8, Women filled the
streets of the world's largest cities to protest gender violence and
inequality on International Women’s Day.
   (AP, 3/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 8, In the SF Bay Area
ten new coronavirus cases were reported, five each in Contra Costa
and Santa Clara counties. This brought the total in Santa clara to
37.
   (SFC, 3/9/20, p.A6)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 8, In Atlanta,
Georgia, a fatal shooting over a parking spot outside an upscale
mall left Thuan Nguyen (31) dead. Police soon identified Ricky James
LaFargue (19), who was not yet arrested, as the shooter.
   (SFC, 3/18/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 8, Iowa Gov. Kim
Reynolds said three cases of COVID-19 have been identified in the
state.
   (AP, 3/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 8, In Maryland a
13-year-old boy was killed and four other children, including two
12-year-olds, were wounded when several assailants let loose a
barrage of gunfire on a group of young people exiting a dance party
in suburban Baltimore.
   (ABC News, 3/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 8, New York Gov.
Andrew Cuomo said the number of people in his state to test positive
for coronavirus has increased to 105.
   (Good Morning America, 3/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 8, In Texas four
people were dead as a result of a suspected murder-suicide early
this morning in Fort Bend County.
   (Good Morning America, 3/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 8, Vermont announced
its first presumptive case of the coronavirus.
   (Good Morning America, 3/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 8, The Rev. Darius L.
Swann (95), whose challenge to the notion of segregated public
schools helped spark the use of busing to integrate schools across
the country, died at his Virginia home. In 1964 Swann wrote a letter
to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg school board, asking that his son James
be allowed to attend Seversville School, two blocks from his home.
In 1971 the US Supreme Court upheld court-ordered busing in the
Charlotte-Mecklenburg school district, clearing the way for the use
of busing as a means of desegregation.
   (AP, 3/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 8, In Afghanistan
unknown gunmen shot and killed three people in Kabul, including a
member of eastern Logar province's provincial council.
   (Reuters, 3/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 8, In the Austrian
alps six people were killed in two separate avalanches.
   (SFC, 3/9/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 8, Bangladesh reported
its first case of coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 3/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 8, Bulgaria reported
its first case of coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 3/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 8, Belgium's health
ministry said the number of coronavirus cases in the country had
reached 200. It said the virus had started to circulate locally
among the Belgian population.
   (Reuters, 3/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 8, In Cameroon armed
separatists attacked a village in the western French-speaking
region, killing at least seven people in the village of Galim.
   (AP, 3/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 8, China reported 40
new confirmed cases of coronavirus infections, down from 44 cases a
day earlier, and the lowest number since the health authority
started publishing nationwide data on January 20.
   (Reuters, 3/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 8, In France Max von
Sydow (90), the tall, blond Swedish actor who brought gravitas to
arthouse dramas, horror movies and Hollywood blockbusters, died. His
films included "The Seventh Seal" (1957), "Wild Strawberries"
(1957), "Through a Glass Darkly" (1961), "Winter Light" (1963)
"Shame" (1968) and "The Exorcist" (1973).
   (Reuters, 3/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 8, Hong Kong recorded
its third coronavirus death.
   (Reuters, 3/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 8, In India Rana
Kapoor, CEO and co-founder of Yes Bank, was arrested and formally
charge with money laundering and corruption.
   (Econ, 3/14/20, p.60)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 8, Indonesia confirmed
that two more people had tested positive for the coronavirus, taking
the total of confirmed cases in the country to six.
   (Reuters, 3/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 8, Iran said 194
people had died from coronavirus and 6,566 were now infected.
IranAir stopped all flights to European destinations.
   (Reuters, 3/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 8, In Iraq two US
service members were killed by “enemy forces” while advising and
accompanying Iraqi security forces.
   (AP, 3/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 8, Italy imposed a
virtual lockdown across a swathe of its wealthy north, including the
financial capital Milan, in a drastic new attempt to try to contain
the coronavirus outbreak. Deaths due to the infectious virus risen,
by 36 to 233. Of the 5,883 Italians originally infected, 589 have
fully recovered.
   (Reuters, 3/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 8, Tensions in Italy's
overcrowded prisons erupted over new coronavirus containment
measures, with riots in at least two dozen lock-ups and the deaths
of six inmates who broke into an infirmary and overdosed on
methadone. With 7,375 infected and 366 deaths, Italy has more virus
cases than any country outside Asia.
   (AP, 3/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 8, Police in
Kyrgyzstan detained dozens of women's rights activists shortly after
journalists witnessed the protesters being attacked by masked men.
   (AP, 3/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 8, The Maldives
reported its first case of coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 3/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 8, Moldova reported
its first case of coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 3/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 8, In the Netherlands
the families of people killed when a missile shot down Malaysia
Airlines Flight 17 over eastern Ukraine in 2014 set out 298 white
chairs outside the Russian Embassy in a silent protest against
Moscow’s lack of cooperation in the investigation into the downing
of the passenger jet.
   (AP, 3/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 8, Moscow city
authorities threatened prison terms of up to five years for people
failing to self-isolate in their homes for two weeks after visiting
countries hit hard by the coronavirus outbreak.
   (Reuters, 3/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 8, Saudi Arabia said
it has imposed a temporary lockdown on the eastern Qatif province,
an oil-producing region and home to a large Shi'ite Muslim
population, to prevent the spread of coronavirus after 11 people
there were infected.
   (AP, 3/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 8, South Korea's
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 272 new
coronavirus cases, for a total of 7,313 in the country. Two further
deaths took the toll to 50.
   (Reuters, 3/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 8, In Spain a large
feminist march was allowed to go ahead despite the coronavirus
pandemic.
   (Econ, 3/21/20, p.46)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 8, Dozens of Thai
lawmakers from a prominent opposition party that was dissolved last
month said they will join a new party together to keep their
parliamentary seats. 55 members of parliament of the disbanded party
will be officially joining an existing party called Move Forward
Party together next week.
   (Reuters, 3/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 8, Turkish riot police
fired tear gas to disperse thousands of demonstrators who, in
defiance of a government ban, tried to march along Istanbul's main
pedestrian street to mark International Women's Day.
   (AP, 3/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 8, Pope Francis
delivered his Sunday blessing over the internet from inside the
Vatican instead of from a window to stop crowds gathering during
Italy's coronavirus outbreak.
   (Reuters, 3/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 8, Vietnam's
coronavirus cases jumped to 29.
   (Reuters, 3/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 9, President Trump
attempted to dismiss coronavirus fears with a misleading tweet
comparing the virus causing the global health crisis to the seasonal
flu. His tweet came after trading on the New York Stock Exchange was
temporarily halted as stocks plunged more than 2,000 points, a 7
percent drop that triggered an automatic pause. Trump blamed the
"Fake News Media" and Democrats for conspiring "to inflame the
Coronavirus situation" and wrongly suggested that the common flu was
more dangerous.
   (AP, 3/9/20)(Econ, 3/14/20, p.18)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 9, The US military
said it has begun withdrawing troops from Afghanistan. Forces would
be reduced to 8,600 from 13,000 over the next 135 days.
   (AP, 3/10/20)(SFC, 3/10/20, p.A3)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 9, A US federal judge
held Iran responsible for the kidnapping of former FBI agent Robert
Levinson, entering a default judgement against the regime on the
13th anniversary of his disappearance.
   (AP, 3/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 9, The US Census
Bureau made a soft launch of the 2020 census website, making its
form available online.
   (AP, 3/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 9, Led Zeppelin
persuaded a US appeals court to reinstate a jury verdict that it did
not steal the opening guitar riff for "Stairway to Heaven" from an
obscure song written four years earlier.
   (Reuters, 3/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 9, The US Department
of Health and Human Services said it would contribute $699,000 to
speed up Hologic Inc's development of a coronavirus diagnostic test.
   (Reuters, 3/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 9, Federal and state
officials in California prepared to receive thousands of people from
a cruise ship that has been idling off the coast of San Francisco
with at least 21 people aboard infected with the coronavirus. Fences
were installed at an 11-acre site at the Port of Oakland as
authorities readied flights and buses to whisk the passengers aboard
the ship to military bases or their home countries for a 14-day
quarantine. Officials in Santa Clara imposed a ban on mass
gatherings of more than 1,000 people for the next three weeks to
slow the spread of the coronavirus.
   (AP, 3/9/20)(SFC, 3/10/20, p.A1)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 9, Mitch Englander
(49), a former Los Angeles city councilman, surrendered to FBI
agents following charges that obstructed an investigation into
whether he took thousands of dollars, female escort services and
other gifts from businessmen invloved in major developments.
   (SFC, 3/10/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 9, Mark Kempic, the
prsident of Columbia Gas of Massachusetts, entered a gulity plea on
behalf of the company responsible for a blast that tore through
three towns in the Merrimack Valley in September 2018, killing one
person and damaging dozens of homes.. The company will pay a $53
million fine for violating the Pipeline Safety Act.
   (SFC, 3/10/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 9, In Minnesota Issam
Hamade pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of conspiracy to
violate US export laws. He was charged with conspiring to export
drone parts and technology from the US to Iranian-backed Hezbollah
militia in Lebanon.
   (AP, 3/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 9, A New York jury
found former CIA employee Joshua Schulte, accused of giving
classified data to WikiLeaks, guilty of making false statements to
investigators and contempt of court, but failed to reach a verdict
on the central accusations in the case, a significant setback for
federal prosecutors.
   (Reuters, 3/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 9, The Seattle-area
nursing home at the epicenter of one of the biggest coronavirus
outbreaks in the United States said it had no kits to test 65
employees showing symptoms of the respiratory illness that has
killed at least 13 patients at the long-term care center.
   (Reuters, 3/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 9, In the US 554 cases
of coronavirus have been confirmed, with 21 reported deaths.
Worldwide more than 110,000 people have tested positive for the
disease and more than 3,800 people with the virus have died, most of
them in China.
   (AP, 3/9/20)(Benzinga, 3/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 9, The DJIA lost 2014
points to close at 23,851, its biggest one-day loss.
   (SFC, 3/10/20, p.D1)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 9, The cryptocurrency
market saw $26 billion erased from its market capitalization over
the last 24 hours.
   (Benzinga, 3/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 9, GlaxoSmithKline
PLC's unit ViiV Healthcare said its two-drug regimen to treat HIV
was as effective in patients given the treatment every two months,
as when administered once a month. The US Food and Drug
Administration in December declined to approve the once-monthly
treatment, Cabenuva, questioning the treatment's chemistry,
manufacturing and controls process, but not its safety.
   (Reuters, 3/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 9, Afghan President
Ashraf Ghani was sworn in for a second term but his main rival
refused to recognize the inauguration and held his own swearing-in
ceremony as a rival president.
   (Reuters, 3/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 9, Argentine farmers
began a four-day strike to protest the government's hike on export
taxes for soybeans and its byproducts, though shipments were not
impacted in the major global food exporter.
   (Reuters, 3/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 9, Belgium’s health
ministry said the number of coronavirus cases in the country had
reached 239, while it decided to limit tests to seriously ill
patients and healthcare professionals due to shortages of reagents.
   (Reuters, 3/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 9, In Britain a sixth
person in the UK has died from coronavirus. There were 319 confirmed
cases.
   (Reuters, 3/9/20)(AP, 3/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 9, Canada recorded its
first coronavirus death.
   (Reuters, 3/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 9, Mainland China
reported 19 new cases as of today, down from 40 cases a day earlier.
Total confirmed cases in mainland China stood at 80,754. Hubei
province, center of the outbreak, reported no new locally
transmitted coronavirus cases for a second day.
   (AP, 3/9/20)(Reuters, 3/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 9, An Egyptian court
sentenced a train engineer to 15 years in prison for his conviction
on charges of manslaughter and damaging public property stemming
from a deadly locomotive crash in February, 2019, at main train
station in Cairo. An argument between engineers Emad Fathy and Ayman
el-Shahat led to the unleashing of a speeding, unmanned locomotive
that slammed into a barrier in Cairo's busy Ramses station, killing
31 people and injuring 17.
   (AP, 3/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 9, In Egypt there were
59 confirmed coronavirus cases, including one fatality.
   (AP, 3/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 9, An EU spokeswoman
said a first case of coronavirus has been detected among staff at
the European Commission.
   (Reuters, 3/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 9, Germany reported
its first two deaths due to the coronavirus. The number of cases in
Germany more than doubled to over 1,100 in the last few days,
putting pressure on the government to act.
   (Bloomberg, 3/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 9, Iran reported 43
new deaths from the novel coronavirus in the past 24 hours, bringing
the overall toll to 237 dead. 595 new cases were confirmed across
the country, bringing the overall number of confirmed cases to
7,161. Iran temporarily released about 70,000 prisoners because of
the coronavirus.
   (AFP, 3/9/20)(Reuters, 3/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 9, Italy went under a
national lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic.
   (Econ., 6/20/20, p.11)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 9, In Mexico untold
thousands of women stayed home from work and school as part of a
strike billed as "A Day Without Women." a day after an unprecedented
number of them filled the streets to protest rampant gender violence
on Int'l. Women's Day.
   (SFC, 3/10/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 9, In the Netherlands
the number of people infected with the new coronavirus increased to
321, up from 264 a day earlier.
   (Reuters, 3/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 9, In Nigeria the emir
of Kano, a former central bank governor and critic of Pres. Buhari's
economic policies, was ousted for showing "insubordination" to local
authorities.
   (Econ, 3/14/20, p.36)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 9, North Korea fired
what appeared to be three short-range ballistic missiles off its
eastern coast, raising regional security concerns as world leaders
battle the spread of the coronavirus.
   (AP, 3/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 9, A special North
Korean flight believed to be carrying dozens of diplomats and other
foreigners arrived in Russia's Far East, as the North tightens a
lockdown intended to fend off the coronavirus.
   (AP, 3/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 9, Panama confirmed
its first coronavirus case.
   (Reuters, 3/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 9, Hamas criticized
the secretive criminal trials in Saudi Arabia of dozens of members
and supporters of the militant Palestinian group.
   (AP, 3/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 9, Crude oil prices
tumbled by as much as a third after Saudi Arabia launched a price
war with Russia, sending investors already spooked by the
coronavirus outbreak fleeing for the safety of bonds and the
Japanese yen.
   (Reuters, 3/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 9, Saudi Arabia's
health ministry said it has detected five new cases, bringing the
total to 20.
   (Reuters, 3/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 9, South Korea
reported 165 new coronavirus cases, bringing the national tally to
7,478, while the death toll rose by one to 51.
   (Reuters, 3/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 9, South Korea-based
Daily NK reported that around 200 North Korean soldiers from several
branches of the military have died from symptoms that may have been
caused by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).
   (https://tinyurl.com/r85wkr7)(Daily NK, 3/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 9, In Spain schools
were closed in the town of Labastida near Vitoria in the Basque
country after nearly 150 cases of coronavirus were identified in the
region. The country has reported 999 cases in all, most of them in
two areas around Madrid and around Vitoria.
   (Reuters, 3/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 9, Sudanese PM Abdalla
Hamdok escaped an assassination attempt which his government branded
an attack on the revolution that unseated the North African nation’s
veteran dictator last year.
   (Bloomberg, 3/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 9, Sweden's Stockholm
region reported a jump in confirmed coronavirus cases to 207, an
increase of 60 since yesterday.
   (AP, 3/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 9, In Turkey Selcuk
Mizrakli, the ousted mayor of the mainly Kurdish Diyarbakir
province, was sentenced to more than nine years in prison for
membership of a terrorist organization.
   (Reuters, 3/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 9, The UN adopted a
stripped-down political declaration on women's rights that seeks to
preserve gains under threat but does not advocate new ways to ensure
progress toward equality. The adopted text follows the main lines of
the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action of 1995, which
sought to promote women's emancipation and advancement around the
world.
   (AFP, 3/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 9, Yemen’s army said
it wrested control of several northern towns from the Iran-backed
Houthi rebels, a step toward reversing the rebels’ rapid gains in
the strategic area.
   (AP, 3/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 10, Retired four-star
Gen. Jack Keane (77) received the nation's highest civilian honor at
a White House ceremony hosted by President Donald Trump, who called
the Army veteran a “visionary," a “brilliant strategist” and a
“fearless patriot”.
   (AP, 3/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 10, In the US a total
of 761 confirmed cases of the coronavirus were confirmed nationwide
as well as 27 deaths. The number of people infected with the
coronavirus topped 116,000 across the world as the outbreak spread
to more countries, causing greater economic damage.
   (AP, 3/10/20)(Reuters, 3/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 10, Iowa health
officials announced that five more eastern Iowa residents have
tested positive for new coronavirus. The new cases brought the total
number of Iowa infections to 13.
   (AP, 3/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 10, Five US states
(Michigan, Washington, Missouri, Mississippi and Idaho) held
Democratic primaries, while North Dakota held a caucus. 352
delegates were up for grabs.
   (AP, 3/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 10, In Wisconsin Adam
Roth of Waukesha stabbed four of his family members, two of them
fatally. In December Roth (36) was found not guilty by reason of
mental disease or defect in the attack.
   (https://tinyurl.com/y8gzsp5k)(AP, 12/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 10, Australia's
coronavirus cases rose overnight to 100 from 80.
   (AP, 3/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 10, Bosnia's
autonomous Serb region said it will shut all schools and
universities and ban large public gatherings from March 11 until
March 30 to help stem the spread of coronavirus.
   (AP, 3/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 10, Brunei said six
people had tested positive a day after it reported its first case of
coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 3/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 10, China's President
Xi Jinping’ made his first trip to the COVID-19 epicenter of Wuhan
as parts of the nation appeared to be returning to normal.
   (AP, 3/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 10, China launched
cellphone-based health codes. All people in China must install a
cellphone app and register their personal health information.
   (https://tinyurl.com/t7ygmtm)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 10, Congo DRC reported
its first case of coronavirus.
   (AP, 3/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 10, The Czech
Republic, which has reported 40 cases of coronavirus, said it will
suspend schools other than universities from March 11, and ban
events hosting more than 100 people.
   (AP, 3/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 10, An Egyptian court
sentenced Zyad el-Elaimy, a prominent human rights lawyer and former
lawmaker, to a year in prison for his conviction on charges that
rights advocates have decried as baseless and politically motivated.
   (AP, 3/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 10, German Chancellor
Angela Merkel met Libyan military commander Khalifa Hifter in Berlin
in a bid to advance efforts to secure a lasting cease-fire in Libya.
   (AP, 3/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 10, In India Hindus
threw colored powder and sprayed water in massive celebrations of
the festival of Holi, but the enthusiasm was subdued compared to
previous years because of fears of the new virus. The number of
confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the country rose to 47.
   (AP, 3/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 10, In Iran the
coronavirus outbreak killed 54 more people and pushed the nation's
death toll to 291. This was an 18% increase in deaths from the day
before and 12% more confirmed cases. Health ministry spokesperson
Kianoush Jahanpour said there were 8,042 confirmed cases. Supreme
Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said doctors and nurses who die
combating the new coronavirus will be recognized as “martyrs” like
slain soldiers. State-run media said a rumor circulating in Iran
that alcohol can treat coronavirus has so far led to 37 deaths and
sent 270 people to the hospital after being poisoned by bootleg
alcohol.
   (AP, 3/10/20)(Reuters, 3/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 10, It was reported
that the coronavirus outbreak in Israel, largely contained, began to
gain pace in recent days, with a total of 58 cases diagnosed as of
today. 26 confirmed cases have been reported in the Palestinian
Territories.
   (AP, 3/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 10, Italy entered its
first day under a nationwide lockdown after a government decree
extended restrictions on movement from the hard-hit north to the
rest of the country. Italy counted 9,172 cases and 463 deaths. The
number of dead from riots in Italy's overcrowded prisons over
measures imposed to contain the coronavirus rose to 12.
   (AP, 3/10/20)(Reuters, 3/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 10, Kosovo's
government approved the 2020 budget after the small Balkan country
held a snap election in October and elected the government after
months of negotiations.
   (Reuters, 3/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 10, Lebanon reported
its first death due to coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 3/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 10, Mongolia reported
its first case of coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 3/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 10, Morocco's health
ministry confirmed the country's first death from coronavirus in
Casablanca, as its overall number of new infections rose to three.
   (Reuters, 3/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 10, Dutch health
authorities took action to contain an outbreak of the coronavirus in
a southern province, where a large group of employees at hospitals
tested positive for the illness. The number of confirmed coronavirus
cases had risen by 61 to 382. One more person had died, taking the
number of deaths so far to four.
   (AP, 3/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 10, Norway-based
Equinor reported the oil industry's first coronavirus infection on
an offshore installation, highlighting the challenge in preventing
contamination for thousands of workers living in the close quarters
on rigs and platforms.
   (Reuters, 3/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 10, Poland has
reported 17 coronavirus cases so far and has announced the
cancellation of all large-scale events.
   (Reuters, 3/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 10, Russian President
Vladimir Putin laid out a path to staying in power after 2024, as
lawmakers approved sweeping reforms to the constitution.
   (AFP, 3/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 10, Singapore started
charging visitors for coronavirus treatment after it reported new
imported cases from neighboring Indonesia.
   (Reuters, 3/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 10, In Somalia a US
air strike aimed at Islamist militants reportedly killed six
civilians in a mini bus. US Africa Command said the strike near
Janaale town had killed "five terrorists.
   (Reuters, 3/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 10, A South African
court cleared Pres. Cyril Ramaphosa of allegations that he misled
parliament about the funding of his campaign to become leader of the
ruling ANC party.
   (SFC, 3/11/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 10, The Spanish
parliament’s lower house canceled its activities for a week after a
far-right Vox party member tested positive as coronavirus cases in
the country surged to 1,600. Health authorities said known
coronavirus cases in the capital region had risen to 1,024 from 782.
Authorities have reported 47 deaths, 31 of them in Madrid.
   (AP, 3/10/20)(Reuters, 3/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 10, Taiwan began to
airlift almost 500 of its residents from Wuhan. Another 500
Taiwanese will for now remain stuck in the central Chinese city.
   (Bloomberg, 3/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 10, UN human rights
chief Michelle Bachelet said that “apparently systematic” human
rights violations in North Korean detention centers, including
sexual violence against women and girls, could amount to crimes
against humanity.
   (AP, 3/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 10, Petteri Taalas,
the head of the UN weather agency, said last year was the second
warmest on record, the past decade was the hottest in human history
and January was the warmest January since 1850.
   (AP, 3/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 10, In Venezuela a
protest called by opposition leader Jaun Guaido against the Maduro
government drew only several thousand supporters in Caracas.
   (SFC, 3/13/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 10, The World
Meteorological Association released its annual State of the Global
Climate Report. The organization projected that 22 million people
were displaced by extreme weather last year, up from 17.2 million
the year before.
   (Bloomberg, 3/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 11, US Pres. Trump
announced a proclamation barring most foreign nationals who had
recently been in Europe from entering the US. The ban, to begin at
midnight March 13, won't apply to Americans trying to return home,
or to citizens of the UK. The ban applied to countries in the
Schengen Area: Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark,
Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy,
Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands,
Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and
Switzerland. Countries around the world began closing borders to
foreign travelers. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC) issued its strongest travel warning, urging Americans to avoid
all "nonessential travel" to Europe. The Pentagon suspended travel
to several coronavirus-hit countries for 60 days, affecting all
service members, employees, and their families.
   (The Week, 3/12/20)(AP, 3/12/20)(NY Times,
3/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 11, The US Congress
gave its final approval to a bid to restrain President Donald Trump
from attacking Iran, a sign of lawmakers' alarm after soaring
tensions. The resolution was virtually certain to be vetoed by
Trump.
   (AFP, 3/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 11, The NBA suspended
its season after a player tested positive for the virus. Separately,
the NCAA announced that its men’s and women’s Division I basketball
tournaments would be played without spectators.
   (NY Times, 3/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 11, The US reported
1,039 cases of confirmed coronavirus, the eighth-highest in the
world. The death toll reached 31. The Transportation Security
Administration (TSA) confirmed that three of its officers who work
at the Mineta San Jose International Airport have tested positive
for the novel coronavirus. Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said the
virus outbreak in the US was only going to get worse. A new report
said the new coronavirus can live in the air for several hours and
on some surfaces for as long as two to three days. The US Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported 987 cases of the
coronavirus, an increase of 291 from its previous count, and said
that the number of deaths had risen by 4 to 29. The CDC figures did
not necessarily reflect cases reported by individual states.
   (Good Morning America, 3/11/20)(AP,
3/11/20)(Reuters, 3/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 11, The US imposed
sanctions on Zimbabwe's state security minister and its ambassador
to Tanzania, accusing them of human rights abuses, including
directing an attack on peaceful protestors.
   (Reuters, 3/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 11, A US Supreme Court
allowed the Trump administration to continue making asylum-seekers
wait in Mexico for their US court hearings.
   (AP, 3/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 11, Chelsea Manning's
legal team said that the former intelligence analyst tried to take
her own life today, but was transported to a hospital where she is
recovering.
   (AP, 3/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 11, US stock indexes
dropped sharply after attempting a rebound in the previous session,
on skepticism around President Donald Trump's stimulus plan to
combat the coronavirus outbreak.
   (AP, 3/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 11, The US state of
Georgia has 23 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus so far.
   (AP, 3/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 11, In NYC Harvey
Weinstein was sentenced to 23 years in prison, two weeks after a
jury convicted him of sexual assault and rape.
   (Business Insider, 3/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 11, In South Dakota
the Oglala Sioux Tribe announced that a referndum to legalize
madical and recreational marijuana on the Pine Ridge Reservation has
passed. A proposal to allow alcohol in the tribe's casino failed.
   (SFC, 3/12/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 11, Researchers said
they used the planet-hunting ESPRESSO instrument on the European
Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope in Chile to observe a
planet called WASP-76b located about 640 light years from Earth. It
is nearly twice the size of Jupiter, our solar system's largest
planet. Weather on the planet had a 100 percent chance of the most
outrageous rain imaginable, droplets of scalding hot liquid iron.
   (Reuters, 3/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 11, Afghan President
Ashraf Ghani issued a decree promising to release 1,500 Taliban
prisoners as a goodwill gesture to get intra-Afghan negotiations
started.
   (AP, 3/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 11, Albania announced
its first virus-related death.
   (AP, 3/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 11, Bahrain
authorities said their number of confirmed cases have spiked by
nearly 70% to 189 confirmed cases. The 77 new cases were all on a
returning flight of Bahraini evacuees from Iran.
   (AP, 3/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 11, Belgium announced
its first virus-related death.
   (AP, 3/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 11, Britain announced
a $39-billion war chest to soften the economic impact of the
coronavirus after the Bank of England cut interest rates.
   (Reuters, 3/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 11, Bulgaria announced
its first virus-related death.
   (AP, 3/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 11, China announced
that key companies can resume work in coronavirus-hit Wuhan. The
coronavirus has now killed over 3,100 and infected nearly 81,000 in
the country. Beijing ordered people arriving in the city from any
country to go into 14-day quarantine as China reported an increase
in imported coronavirus cases, threatening its progress against the
epidemic.
   (AFP, 3/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 11, Denmark went under
a national lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic.
   (Econ., 6/20/20, p.11)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 11, Germany reported
1,622 confirmed cases of coronavirus, making it the seventh-highest
national total in the global outbreak. Chancellor Angela Merkel
warned that up to 70 percent of the country's population, roughly 58
million people, could contract the virus.
   (Good Morning America, 3/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 11, India suspended
most visas in a bid to halt the spread of the coronavirus.
   (AP, 3/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 11, In Iran the death
toll in the Islamic Republic from the outbreak rose by 62 to 354.
The semiofficial Fars news agency reported that Vice President Eshaq
Jahangiri and two other Cabinet members have contracted the new
coronavirus.
   (AP, 3/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 11, In Iraq an attack
killed three servicemen, including two Americans, at the Camp Taji
base housing coalition forces. Usbat al-Theyireen soon claimed
responsibility.
   (AP, 3/12/20)(Econ, 4/11/20, p.38)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 11, Italy's PM
Giuseppe Conte earmarked $28.3 billion to ease the economic impact
from the coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 3/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 11, Kenyan officials
said a white female giraffe and her 7-month-old calf have been
killed by poachers. About 110,000 giraffes remained in Africa.
   (SFC, 3/12/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 11, Kuwait reported
over 70 confirmed cases of the new coronavirus and announced that it
would close down all work and business for two weeks beginning March
12.
   (AP, 3/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 11, Lebanon suspended
flights from countries hit hardest by the novel coronavirus after
announcing its second death from the pandemic in two days.
   (AFP, 3/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 11, Malta banned
travel with Germany, France, Spain and Switzerland to try to prevent
the spread of the coronavirus. Malta so far had six confirmed virus
cases, all involving people who had visited Italy.
   (Reuters, 3/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 11, Palestinian
Mohammed Hamayel (15) was shot in the head by a live bullet during
confrontations with Israeli soldiers in the village of Beita near
the West Bank city of Nablus and died in a hospital shortly after.
   (AP, 3/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 11, Myanmar's
parliament rejected a proposed constitutional amendment that would
have allowed the country's de facto leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, to
officially become president.
   (AP, 3/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 11, Poland, which has
confirmed 25 coronavirus cases, shut schools, banned large social
events and closed cinemas, museums and other cultural sites,
following similar measures by other countries in the region
including the Czech Republic and Romania.
   (AP, 3/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 11, Qatar said it has
recorded 238 new coronavirus cases among individuals already under
quarantine in one residential compound, taking the country's total
tally to 262.
   (Reuters, 3/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 11, Serbia canceled
campaign events for the country’s April 26 parliamentary election in
an effort to prevent the further spread of the coronavirus after the
number of cases in the Balkan state more than doubled overnight to
12.
   (AP, 3/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 11, Slovak police said
13 local judges and five other people linked to the main suspect in
the case of a slain investigative journalist have been detained and
charged with corruption and obstruction of justice.
   (AP, 3/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 11, South Korea
confirmed a total of 114 coronavirus infections, taking the
country's total to 7,869. A new cluster of infections was discovered
in a call center office building in Seoul.
   (AP, 3/12/20)(Econ, 3/14/20, p.48)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 11, In Spain, the
number of coronavirus cases surged past the 2,000-mark.
   (AP, 3/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 11, Sweden announced
its first virus-related death.
   (AP, 3/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 11, The World Health
Organization declared the virus a pandemic, a term that it had
avoided using for fear that countries would give up on containment
efforts. Confirmed cases stood at 125,000. Reported deaths were
under 5,000.
   (NY Times, 3/12/20)(SFC, 3/11/21, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 12, The US now had at
least 1,323 cases of coronavirus, the eighth-highest number of cases
worldwide. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
reported about 1,260 US coronavirus illnesses. The number trailed
independent researchers, who are adding reports from individual
states more quickly. Globally, there have been over 126,000
confirmed cases with over 4,600 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins
University Center for Systems Science and Engineering.
   (Good Morning America, 3/12/20)(AP, 3/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 12, A US federal judge
ordered the release of former Army intelligence analyst Chelsea
Manning, who has been incarcerated since May for refusing to testify
to a grand jury investigating WikiLeaks.
   (SFC, 3/13/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 12, The US military
repatriated what may be the remains of service personnel who were
lost in action in Burma during WWII. More than 72,000 Americans in
all remain unaccounted for from WWII, more than 7,800 from the
Korean war and 1,585 from the conflict in Vietnam.
   (SFC, 3/13/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 12, The Walt Disney Co
said it will close its theme parks in California and Florida and its
resort in Paris from this weekend through the end of the month due
to the global outbreak of coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 3/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 12, California's Gov.
Gavin Newsom announced new restrictions on public gatherings, saying
that they must now be limited to no more than 250 people, while
smaller events can proceed only if the organizers can implement
social distancing of 6 feet per person. About 200 people in
California have tested positive so far for coronavirus.
   (Good Morning America, 3/12/20)(SFC, 3/13/20,
p.A1)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 12, John Christopher
Colletti (35) was arrested at the Prairie Band Casino and Resort in
Mayetta, Kansas, accused of attempting to steal $20,000 (£15,667)
from an advance kiosk. The FBI later said he had used a prosthetic
face mask to pose as an elderly gambler, in order to steal nearly
$100,00 (£78,332) from the MGM Grand.
   (The Independent, 7/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 12, It was reported
that LaSalle Management LLC, private prison in northeast Louisiana,
must pay a total of $177,500 to five former inmates of that prison
whose faces were pepper-sprayed while they were handcuffed and
kneeling in 2016.
   (AP, 3/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 12, In Maryland
tactical unit members were serving a “high-risk” search warrant
around 4:30 a.m. when one of the unit's officers fatally shot Duncan
Socrates Lemp (21). Police detectives recovered three rifles and two
handguns from the home. An attorney for the man’s family said Lemp
was asleep in his bedroom when police opened fire from outside his
house. Strangers on the internet later hailed Lemp as a martyr for
their anti-government movement.
   (AP, 3/13/20)(AP, 10/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 12, In New York City a
female diplomat from the Philippines mission to the United Nations
tested positive for coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 3/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 12, The national guard
arrived in New Rochelle, New York, to maintain a containment zone
just 25 miles outside of New York City.
   (Good Morning America, 3/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 12, US Major League
Soccer said it's suspending the season for 30 days due to the
coronavirus, effective immediately.
   (Good Morning America, 3/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 12, Princess Cruises
announced that it's voluntarily stopping global operations of its 18
cruise ships for two months.
   (Good Morning America, 3/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 12, Global stocks
plunged into a bear market and oil slumped further after stimulus
efforts from the European Central Bank failed to calm investors
alarmed by US moves overnight to restrict travel from Europe over
the spread of the coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 3/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 12, Researchers
crunched data on changes in dozens of ecosystems to conclude that
Caribbean coral reefs could collapse in 15 years while the Amazon
rainforest could die back within 50 years. The finding was
questioned by some experts.
   (Reuters, 3/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 12, Algeria's
president ordered all schools closed immediately after the North
African country saw its first death from the virus. Algeria has 25
cases so far.
   (AP, 3/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 12, Argentina's Pres.
Alberto Fernandez shut down borders, business and transport by
decree to slow the spread of the coronavirus. The central bank was
printing money to keep the government going with inflation was
already at 50%
   (Econ, 4/25/20, p.23)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 12, Austria's 25,000
police officers were told they were not allowed to take any vacation
at least until the end of April, a measure aimed at having enough
officers to ensure order.
   (AP, 3/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 12, Azerbaijan
reported its first death from the coronavirus outbreak, an Azeri
woman who was quarantined after returning from Iran.
   (Reuters, 3/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 12, Michel Roux
(b.1941), the French-born chef who had a profound influence on
elevating Britain's dining habits, died in England. Roux and his
brother, Albert, are widely credited with revolutionizing Britain's
staid and old-fashioned culinary scene, notably with their opening
of Le Gavroche in London in 1967.
   (AP, 3/12/20)(Econ, 3/28/20, p.78)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 12, Canadian
authorities confirmed that PM Justin Trudeau's wife Sophie Gregoire
Trudeau has tested positive for the COVID-19, following her visit to
the United Kingdom. At least 117 cases of the novel coronavirus have
been confirmed in Canada with one death.
   (Benzinga, 3/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 12, In China Ren
Zhiqiang, a member of China's ruling Communist Party and a former
top executive of state-controlled property developer Huayuan Real
Estate Group, went missing. The influential former property
executive had called President Xi Jinping a "clown" over a speech he
made last month about the government's efforts to battle the
coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 3/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 12, Expedition
operators on Mount Everest said that Chinese mountaineering
officials will not allow spring climbs from their side of the
mountain due to fears of the coronavirus. The number of cases
worldwide has surpassed 120,000.
   (AP, 3/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 12, In Egypt
thunderstorms packing heavy rains and lightning caused widespread
flooding across the country, killing at least five people and
injuring five others.
   (AP, 3/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 12, El Salvador
announced a national lockdown as it reported three confirmed cases
of the coronavirus.
   (Econ, 4/11/20, p.24)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 12, A Finnish court
jailed in a custody hearing Gibril Ealoghima Massaquoi (50), a
Sierra Leone man suspected of committing serious war crimes and
crimes against humanity from 1999 through 2003 during Liberia's
bloody second civil war. Massaquoi has lived in Finland for more
than 10 years.
   (AP, 3/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 12, Gabon confirmed
its first coronavirus case.
   (Reuters, 3/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 12, Germany's domestic
intelligence agency formally classified a radical faction within the
Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, know as "The Wing," as a
right-wing extremist movement.
   (SFC, 3/13/20, p.A3)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 12, Ghana confirmed
their first coronavirus case.
   (Reuters, 3/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 12, Iran said it had
asked last week for an emergency $5 billion loan from the
International Monetary Fund to help fight the spread of a new virus
that's swept across the country, infecting more than 10,000 people
and killing hundreds. The Health Ministry said 75 people had died in
the past 24 hours and more than 1,000 new cases of infection had
been confirmed, pushing the death toll to 429 and confirmed cases to
10,075.
   (AP, 3/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 12, Ireland's PM Leo
Varadkar ordered the country into partial lock down, shutting
schools, colleges and daycare, banning mass gatherings and telling
people to stay apart.
   (Bloomberg, 3/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 12, Italy's Premier
Giuseppe Conte ordered restaurants, cafes and retail shops closed
after imposing a nationwide lockdown on personal movement. Jewelry
and clothing shops that on Tuesday and Wednesday had posted signs
urging customers to queue up out the door a meter (3.3 feet) apart
were closed until further notice. Supermarkets, pharmacies and
outdoor markets were still open.
   (AP, 3/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 12, It was reported
that a supercomputer, donated by Britain and based in Kenya, is
boosting efforts in East Africa to control a locust outbreak that
raises what the UN food agency calls "an unprecedented threat" to
the region's food security. The UN recently raised its aid appeal
relating to locusts to $138 million, up from $76 million, saying the
need for more help is urgent. Experts have warned that if the number
of locusts is unchecked they could grow 500 times by June, when
drier weather is expected in East Africa.
   (AP, 3/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 12, The government of
Netherlands announced a ban on gatherings of more than 100 people,
told companies to encourage employees to work from home and said
anyone with flu-like symptoms should stay home.
   (AP, 3/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 12, Philippine
President Rodrigo Duterte announced strict immigration curbs and a
halt on domestic land, sea and air travel to and from Manila, in
what he called a "lockdown" of the capital to arrest the spread of
coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 3/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 12, A Russian court
fined BBC World News and one of its senior journalists for failing
to correctly label content unsuitable for children and failing to
submit content to a state archive, the Interfax news agency
reported.
   (Reuters, 3/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 12, South Africa
reported 17 confirmed coronavirus infections, including its first
transmitted locally. Across Africa, 12 of the continent's 54
countries have registered COVID-19 cases, the most recent being
Ivory Coast announcing one case.
   (AP, 3/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 12, South Korea
reported fewer than 120 new coronavirus cases, but authorities
warned that a new cluster in Seoul could see the infection spread in
the capital.
   (AFP, 3/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 12, Sudan's first
death from the coronavirus was of a man who had visited the United
Arab Emirates in the first week of March.
   (Reuters, 3/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 12, In northeastern
Syria a car bomb exploded at a checkpoint manned by Turkey-backed
opposition fighters killing at least four people. Turkey blamed
Kurdish militants.
   (AP, 3/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 12, The UN Security
Council voted unanimously to extend the mandate of the UN
peacekeeping mission in South Sudan, welcoming “encouraging
developments” toward peace and a reduction in political violence by
the warring parties after six years of civil war.
   (AP, 3/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 12, Vietnam's
coronavirus cases rose to 44.
   (Reuters, 3/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 13, Pres. Donald Trump
declared the coronavirus outbreak a national emergency, freeing up
money and resources to fight it, and threw his support behind a
congressional aid package. Trump said “I don't take responsibility
at all" for the slow rollout of testing. Trump said that major
cruise lines including Royal Caribbean would suspend cruises for 30
days at his request after repeated transmission of coronavirus among
passengers at sea.
   (AP, 3/14/20)(Reuters, 3/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 13, A US federal
government plan to combat the coronavirus warned policymakers that a
pandemic “will last 18 months or longer” and could include “multiple
waves,” resulting in widespread shortages that would strain
consumers and the nation’s health care system.
   (NY Times, 3/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 13, The Dow Jones
Industrial Average rallied nearly 2000 points, its biggest point
gain ever, after Pres. Donald Trump declared the coronavirus
pandemic a national emergency.
   (SFC, 3/14/20, p.D1)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 13, President Donald
Trump's administration announced it is awarding $1.3 million to two
companies trying to develop rapid COVID-19 tests that could detect
whether a person is positive for the new coronavirus within an hour.
The Department of Health and Human Services said it is awarding
$679,000 to DiaSorin Molecular, of Cypress, California, and $598,000
to QIAGEN, of Germantown, Maryland, to accelerate development of
their tests.
   (AP, 3/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 13, US officials said
inmates at all 122 federal correctional facilities across the
country will no longer be allowed visits from family, friends or
attorneys for the next 30 days, in response to the threat of the
coronavirus.
   (AP, 3/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 13, The US Food and
Drug Administration (FDA) approved Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc's
coronavirus test, which would allow the firm to increase capacity to
1.4 million tests a week.
   (Reuters, 3/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 13, The US Food and
Drug Administration (FDA) said that the New York State Department of
Health can authorize certain laboratories to begin testing for the
coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 3/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 13, The US Federal
Reserve launched a wave of $37 billion of Treasury security
purchases under the enhanced market liquidity measures it announced
a day earlier to address volatile conditions in the government bond
market caused by the coronavirus outbreak.
   (Reuters, 3/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 13, In California
nearly 1.5 million students have been told to stay home for up to
four weeks as public and private school shit down across the state
to combat the coronavirus.
   (SFC, 3/14/20, p.A1)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 13, San Francisco's
Mayor London breed banned nonessential gatherings of more than 100
people due to the coronavirus outbreak.
   (SFC, 3/14/20, p.A1)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 13, In Florida Andrew
Gillum (40), who in 2018 came within 34,000 votes of becoming the
state's governor, was discovered by police at a South Beach hotel
early today in a room with bags of possible crystal meth and in the
company of a man who appeared to have overdosed on drugs. No arrests
were made.
   (Miami Herald, 3/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 13, A Chicago jury
convicted Shomari Legghett (46) of first-degree murder in the Feb.
13, 2018, shooting death of police Cmdr. Paul Bauer (53).
   (AP, 3/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 13, In Kentucky
Breonna Taylor (26), decorated Emergency Medical Technician (EMT),
was shot at least eight times by police officers in her apartment by
Louisville police officers. Officials later said that police were
executing a drug warrant. The aspiring nurse's boyfriend Kenneth
Walker was inside the apartment with her when police purportedly
attempted to enter without announcement. Mr Walker, who is a
licensed gun owner, is said to have fired shots at officers when
they attempted to enter.
   (The Independent, 5/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 13, Louisiana's Gov.
John Bel Edwards postponed the state's presidential primaries due to
fears of the coronavirus, making it the first state to push back its
election because of the outbreak. He delayed the April 4 primary
until June 20.
   (AP, 3/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 13, In Boston David
Sidoo, a former Canadian Football League player, pleaded guilty to
participating in a college admissions cheating scheme by hiring
someone to take the SATs in place of his two sons. His plea deal
called for 90 days in prison and a fine of $250,000.
   (SFC, 3/14/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 13, New York state
opened its first drive-through coronavirus test site, following a
similar experiment in Seattle.
   (Reuters, 3/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 13, In NYC all United
Nations staff at its headquarters were told o work from home for at
least three weeks due to the coronavirus outbreak unless it was
essential for them to be present.
   (AFP, 3/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 13, US federal
prosecutors hit R&B singer R. Kelly with more criminal charges
in a revised indictment filed in NYC. Charges included the singer of
having unprotected sex with a girl in 2015 without disclosing he had
herpes.
   (SSFC, 3/15/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 13, In Pennsylvania
Philadelphia police Cpl. James O'Connor (46) was shot and killed
early today as he served a homicide warrant at a home. Several
people were arrested including the subject of the warrant, Hassan
Elliott, a fugitive wanted in a robbery and slaying last year not
far from the scene.
   (AP, 3/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 13, Apple Inc said it
will close all its retail stores outside Greater China until March
27, to minimize risk of coronavirus transmission.
   (Reuters, 3/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 13, More than 134,500
people have been infected globally by the coronavirus and over 4,900
have died, according to a Reuters tally of government announcements.
   (Reuters, 3/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 13, Australia warned
citizens the coronavirus pandemic is now so widespread that they
should reconsider all foreign travel, as the government stepped up
measures to slow the spread of the disease.
   (AFP, 3/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 13, Austria said will
introduce border checks with Switzerland and ban flight connections
with France, Spain and Switzerland from March 16 to slow the rapidly
spreading coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 3/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 13, Belarus said it
has recorded 27 people infected with coronavirus, six more than a
day before.
   (Reuters, 3/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 13, In Bosnia Muslim
men Jasmin Keserovic and Senad Kasupovic were charged with terrorism
offences, over accusations they fought for Islamic State. The men
were part of a group of seven flown back to Bosnia from Syria in
December, along with 18 women and children.
   (Reuters, 3/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 13, Brazil's federal
audit court suspended late today an increase of 20 billion reais
($4.1 billion) to social assistance for elderly and disabled people.
   (Reuters, 3/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 13, Britain's number
of confirmed coronavirus cases rose to 590. Ten people have died.
   (Reuters, 3/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 13, The Bulgarian
parliament voted unanimously to declare a state of emergency until
April 13 as the number of confirmed cases in the country more than
tripled to 23.
   (Reuters, 3/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 13, Cambodia recorded
two new cases of the coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 3/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 13, China's death toll
due to the coronavirus rose by 13. The Mainland had 11 new confirmed
cases. The country now has 80,824 confirmed coronavirus cases. Wuhan
city reported five new cases. The death toll touched 3,176.
   (AP, 3/13/20)(Reuters, 3/14/20)(Bloomberg,
3/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 13, Chinese
billionaire and Alibaba co-founder Jack Ma said he will donate
500,000 coronavirus testing kits and 1 million masks to the United
States and urged international cooperation to fight the health
crisis.
   (Reuters, 3/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 13, Costa Rica, which
has reported 22 cases, ordered all university classes suspended.
   (Reuters, 3/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 13, Ecuador suspended
large events and shut its schools as it confirmed 15 cases of the
coronavirus.
   (Econ, 4/11/20, p.24)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 13, In Egypt
thunderstorms and flooding around Egypt entered a second day,
interrupting daily life in much of the country, including Cairo. The
death toll soon rose to 21.
   (AP, 3/13/20)(SSFC, 3/15/20, p.A3)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 13, Ethiopia confirmed
its first case of coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 3/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 13, Finland, France,
Germany, Luxembourg and Portugal agreed to take in at least 1,600
migrant children in Greece traveling without their parents.
   (SSFC, 3/15/20, p.A3)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 13, In France the
death toll from coronavirus rose to 61.
   (Reuters, 3/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 13, Germany recorded
3,062 confirmed cases of the coronavirus, with five deaths. The
German government unleashed the biggest economic aid package in the
country's post-war history, offering companies "unlimited" credit to
keep them afloat during the coronavirus crisis.
   (Reuters, 3/14/20)(AFP, 3/13/20)0
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 13, In Greece Katerina
Sakellaropoulou (63) was formally sworn in as the country's first
female president.
   (SFC, 3/14/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 13, Greece said it
will close all its museums and archaeological sites, including the
entire Acropolis that looms over Athens, until the end of the month
due to the impact of the coronavirus. Greece had 117 confirmed cases
and one fatality.
   (AP, 3/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 13, In Hong Kong a man
(80) became the fourth patient to die from coronavirus.
   (AP, 3/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 13, The Icelandic
government said it would ban public gatherings of 100 or more people
and that secondary schools and universities would close for four
weeks to curb the spread of the coronavirus outbreak. So far, 117
cases of coronavirus infections have been confirmed in the country.
   (Reuters, 3/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 13, Indian authorities
ordered the release of Kashmir's most prominent politician, Farooq
Abdullah, one of dozens of leaders held since August, when the
federal government withdrew the troubled region's autonomy.
   (Reuters, 3/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 13, Two Indian states
ordered the closure of public buildings, malls, cinemas and bars in
several major cities, with Mumbai and Bengaluru subject to differing
restrictions, after the country reported its first death from the
coronavirus. India had 74 confirmed cases of the virus.
   (Reuters, 3/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 13, Iran announced
that the new coronavirus has claimed another 85 lives, the highest
single-day death toll in one of the world's worst affected
countries. This brought to 514 the overall number of deaths in the
country. The total number of patients has reached 11,364 cases. Iran
said security forces will clear the streets nationwide within 24
hours so all citizens can be checked for coronavirus.
   (AFP, 3/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 13, Iraq's military
said five security force members and a civilian were killed early
today in a barrage of US airstrikes launched hours after a rocket
attack killed and wounded American and British servicemen at a base
north of Baghdad. Iraq's military said the strikes killed three
Iraqi army commandos and two federal police officers.
   (AP, 3/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 13, Irish nationalists
in Northern Ireland's government called for the closure of schools
to mirror measures across the border in the Republic of Ireland,
putting them at odds with their pro-British power-sharing partners.
Northern Ireland currently has 20 confirmed cases of COVID-19
compared with 70 in the Republic of Ireland, where the population is
around two and a half times bigger.
   (Reuters, 3/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 13, In Israel 126
cases of the disease have been reported and another 35 in the
occupied West Bank. Muslims gathered in smaller-than-usual numbers
at al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem after religious authorities decided
to keep Islam's third holiest site open for prayers but enact health
measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 3/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 13, Italy's death toll
from the coronavirus epidemic shot past 1,000 as the economic impact
worsened. The total number of infections rose to 15,113.
   (Reuters, 3/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 13, In Japan total
coronavirus infections rose to 1,380.
   (Reuters, 3/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 13, Kazakhstan
confirmed first coronavirus cases.
   (Reuters, 3/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 13, Kenya confirmed
East Africa's first case of coronavirus, a woman who had returned to
the capital Nairobi from the United States.
   (Reuters, 3/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 13, The Bank of
Mauritius said it will offer 5 billion rupees ($131.06 million) in
liquidity support to businesses, through commercial banks, to
cushion businesses from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
   (Reuters, 3/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 13, Mexico has so far
confirmed 15 cases of coronavirus with no deaths. Deputy health
secretary Hugo Lopez-Gatell said Mexico would consider mechanisms to
control the flow of people entering Mexico from the US in an effort
to limit coronavirus, if necessary.
   (AP, 3/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 13, Nepal's government
announced that it was suspending climbing permits for Mt. Everest
and all other peaks in the country due to concern over the spread of
the coronavirus.
   (SFC, 3/14/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 13, In the Netherlands
new coronavirus infections reached 804, with 10 deaths. Dutch
shoppers stockpiled toilet paper, pasta and canned goods as worries
about the coronavirus outbreak spread. The price of tulips for
export stalled at zero due to the coronavirus pandemic. Growers
ended up dumping some 400 million flowers.
   (Reuters, 3/13/20)(SFC, 4/23/20, p.C2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 13, Pakistan said it
will shut all land borders and limit international flights for 15
days to halt the spread of coronavirus. Pakistan has reported 21
cases of the virus but no deaths.
   (AP, 3/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 13, Poland reported
its first death from coronavirus. So far, 47 cases have been
confirmed in the country.
   (Reuters, 3/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 13, Saudi Arabia
detected 17 new coronavirus cases, 11 of whom were Egyptians.
   (Reuters, 3/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 13, In Slovenia Janez
Jansa (b.1958) became prime minister for a third time.
  Â
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janez_Jan%C5%A1a)(Econ., 7/6/20,
p.45)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 13, South Korea
recorded 110 new coronavirus cases, compared with 114 a day earlier,
taking the national tally to 7,979, with the death toll rising by
five to 72 as of late today.
   (AP, 3/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 13, In Spain the
number of coronavirus cases jumped to 4,209 from 3,004 a day
earlier, as the disease spread mostly in Madrid, the Basque Country
and La Rioja regions. The death toll from the epidemic has increased
to 120 from 84 the previous day. In the Madrid region said the
number of cases rose to 2,078.
   (AP, 3/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 13, Thailand reported
five new coronavirus cases, bringing the total to 75.
   (Reuters, 3/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 13, Turkey said a
second patient has been diagnosed with the coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 3/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 13, A UN report said
allegations of sexual abuse and exploitation in UN peacekeeping and
political missions rose significantly in 2019, with allegations
against civilian personnel nearly doubling.
   (AP, 3/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 13, Uruguay's new
Pres. Luis Lacalle Pou declared an emergency due to the coronavirus
pandemic and shut down borders.
   (Econ., 6/20/20, p.26)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 14, US Vice President
Mike Pence said that new travel bans would be implemented on the
United Kingdom and Ireland as the novel coronavirus pandemic
spreads.
   (The Daily Beast, 3/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 14, In the SF Bay Area
27 new coronavirus cases were reported, with 12 in Santa Clara
County, 6 in San Mateo County, 5 in SF and 4 in Contra costa County.
SF banned al most all hospital visitors as part of tis effort to
fight the coronavirus pandemic.
   (SSFC, 3/15/20, p.A12)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 14, New York state
reported 100 new cases, pushing the total to 524,. Gov. Andrew Cuomo
said accelerated testing will lead to a rapid rise in total
infections. Nationwide, more than 2,000 people have been infected
and 48 have died. A Reuters count said some 145,594 people have been
infected by the coronavirus across the world and 5,419 have died.
   (Bloomberg, 3/14/20)(Reuters, 3/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 14, New York City
reported its first fatality from the coronavirus.
   (Bloomberg, 3/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 14, In Texas Jose
Gomez III (19) used a knife to slash Bawi Cung of Myanmar and his
two sons, ages 2 and 6, inside a Sam’s Club in Midland, because he
believed they were Chinese and spreading the coronavirus. In 2022
Gomez was sentenced to 25 years in prison for the attack.
  Â
(https://nextshark.com/sams-club-hate-crime-texas-stabbing/)(SFC,
8/8/22, p.A11)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 14, The Central
African Republic confirmed its first coronavirus case.
   (Reuters, 3/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 14, Colombia's Pres.
Ivan Duque closed the country's borders to foreigners, including
some 55,000 a day, mostly shoppers, who came from Venezuela.
   (Econ., 5/2/20, p.24)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 14, The Dominican
Republic said it will suspend all flights from Europe and the
arrival of all cruise ships for a month in order to prevent the
spread of coronavirus. So far 11 cases of coronavirus have been
detected.
   (Reuters, 3/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 14, Egypt said it will
suspend schools and universities for two weeks starting March 15
amid to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. The country has so
far registered 93 cases of the new coronavirus, with two fatalities.
   (Reuters, 3/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 14, Eswatini (formerly
Swaziland), a small African nation on South Africa’s eastern border,
confirmed its first coronavirus case.
   (Bloomberg, 3/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 14, The French
government published an official decree banning all non-essential
gatherings, but hundreds of protesters, some wearing protective
masks, began convening outside the Montparnasse train station,
chanting anti-Macron slogans. Thousands of security forces fanned
out across central Paris as anti-government "Yellow Vest" protesters
defied a ban on mass gatherings aimed at preventing the spread of
coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 3/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 14, Greece said it
would suspend all flights that were still operating to and from
Italy, after reporting two more fatalities from a coronavirus
infection, raising the total number of deaths in the country to
three. Greece had 190 confirmed cases of coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 3/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 14, Indonesia reported
that Transport Minister Budi Karya Sumadi has been hospitalized in
Jakarta after he contracted coronavirus. Indonesia reported 27 more
coronavirus cases, bringing the total number of confirmed infection
to 96 with five deaths.
   (Reuters, 3/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 14, Iran said the
coronavirus outbreak has killed another 97 people, pushing the death
toll in the country to 611. Iran has reported 12,729 cases in total.
   (AP, 3/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 14, In Iraq dozens of
rockets slammed into an Iraqi base north of Baghdad wounding 3
American and 2 Iraqi troops. Iraq's military said that 33 Katyusha
rockets had been launched on Taji base north of Baghdad which houses
US-led coalition troops.
   (AP, 3/14/20)(Reuters, 3/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 14, Authorities in
Iraq's northern Kurdish region imposed a 48-hour curfew in the
cities of Irbil and Sulaimaniyah that began overnight. The region
has reported 27 cases, including one fatality from the COVID-19
illness caused by the virus.
   (AP, 3/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 14, Italy reported
more than 21,000 cases of coronavirus and 1,441 deaths, the second
most heavily affected country after China.
   (Reuters, 3/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 14, It was reported
that 9 players in Italy’s top soccer league, Serie A, have tested
positive for the coronavirus. Games have been suspended until at
least April 3. Italian supercar maker Ferrari said it will suspend
production at the Maranello and Modena plants until March 27.
Volkswagen AG’s Lamborghini has also suspended production in Italy
until March 25.
   (Bloomberg, 3/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 14, In Kuwait, four
more people have been infected with the virus, bringing the number
of coronavirus cases to 104.
   (Bloomberg, 3/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 14, Lebanon's
unemployment was thought to be as high as 25%. An estimated 40% of
the people were now poor.
   (Econ, 3/14/20, p.38)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 14, Malaysia reported
41 new infections, the biggest one-day jump so far, for a total of
238. The new cases bring the total number of infected people in the
country to 238.
   (Reuters, 3/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 14, In Mali Canadian
Edith Blais and Italian Luca Tacchetto were freed in good health.
They had been kidnapped on December 15, 2018, in Burkina Faso.
   (AP, 3/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 14, Mauritania, in
northwest Africa, confirmed its first coronavirus case.
   (Bloomberg, 3/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 14, Morocco confirmed
9 new coronavirus cases bringing the total number of infected people
to 17. Morocco has suspended all football matches, closed all
schools, halted flights with 9 countries and cancelled gatherings of
more than 50 people.
   (AP, 3/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 14, Dutch health
authorities said the number of confirmed coronavirus infections in
the Netherlands has risen by 155 to 959. The number of deaths rose
by 2 to a total of 12.
   (Reuters, 3/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 14, New Zealand PM
Jacinda Ardern said that everyone entering the country from midnight
March 15 must self isolate for 14 days in an effort to contain the
spread of the new coronavirus. New Zealand had six confirmed cases
and no recorded deaths.
   (Reuters, 3/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 14, Romania's
lawmakers approved the new cabinet of PM Ludovioc Orban, ending more
than a month of political wrangling.
   (Reuters, 3/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 14, Russian Pres.
Vladimir Putin signed a law on constitutional changes that could
keep him in power for another 16 years. The step must still be
approved in a nationwide vote. Police detained around 50 people in
Moscow protesting against plans to change the constitution.
   (AP, 3/14/20)(Reuters, 3/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 14, Russia’s PM
Mikhail Mishustin signed orders to close the land borders with
Poland and Norway for most foreign citizens from March 15.
   (Bloomberg, 3/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 14, Rwanda reported
its first coronavirus case beecoming the 19th African nation to
report the presence of the virus.
   (Reuters, 3/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 14, Saudi Arabia said
it would halt all flights to the kingdom for two weeks beginning
March 15.
   (AP, 3/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 14, Seychelles
confirmed its first coronavirus case.
   (Reuters, 3/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 14, Spain recorded
5,753 coronavirus cases, up by a third from a day earlier. Spain
said it will impose a nationwide lockdown beginning March 16 for two
weeks as part of a state of emergency due to the virus. Car
production at a Renault-Nissan plant in Barcelona has been stopped
because of supply-chain disruptions due to the virus.
   (Reuters, 3/14/20)(Bloomberg, 3/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 14, The Syrian
Observatory for Human Rights at least 384,000 people have died in
Syria, including more than 116,000 civilians, since the war began in
March 2011.
   (AFP, 3/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 15, Joe Biden promised
to choose a woman as his vice president should he win the Democratic
presidential nomination. He made the pledge on stage with rival
Bernie Sanders in the first debate held without a live audience
because of concerns over the coronavirus. Sanders said he would also
likely choose a woman.
   (Bloomberg, 3/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 15, US officials
recorded nearly 3,000 cases of coronavirus with 63 deaths, up from
58 a day earlier. Globally more than 162,000 were infected and over
6,400 have died. The US Navy said a sailor aboard a warship ship has
tested positive for the coronavirus for the first time. The only
state not reporting cases is West Virginia. Cases neared 160,000
worldwide, as deaths top 6,000. Several countries cautioned that
fewer tests are being performed as more people fall ill. A US Army
soldier tested positive for the coronavirus, marking the first US
Army case in Europe.
   (NY Times, 3/15/20)(Bloomberg, 3/15/20)(Reuters,
3/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 15, The US Federal
Reserve slashing its benchmark rate back to a record low slashing it
by a full percentage point to a range between zero and 0.25%. Global
markets slumped. The Fed also said it would buy $700 billion in
Treasury and mortgage bonds.
   (AP, 3/15/20)(AP, 3/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 15, The Peace Corps
told its volunteers around the world that it is suspending all
operations globally and evacuating all volunteers in light of the
spread of the new coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 3/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 15, California's Gov.
Gavin Newsom announced new state measure to combat the coronavirus,
urging that bars close and restaurants reduce capacity. Newsom also
asked all state residents 65 and older to isolate themselves at
home.
   (SFC, 3/16/20, p.A1)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 15, In the SF Bay Area
Santa Clara's health officer confirmed 114 cases of coronavirus, the
most of any county in the state and about 30% of the cases
statewide.
   (SFC, 3/16/20, p.A1)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 15, In Georgia seven
people were dead after a shooting incident initially reported as a
murder-suicide in Moncure, Chatham County. The victims included the
suspected shooter.
   (Charlotte Observer, 3/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 15, In Missouri 5
people including a police officer and a gunman died in a shooting at
a Springfield gas station after gunman Joaquin Roman (31) went
inside and opened fire.
   (Reuters, 3/16/20)(SFC, 3/17/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 15, New Jersey
reported its second death from the coronavirus, The state has 69
positive tests, up from 50 the day before.
   (Bloomberg, 3/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 15, New York's
Governor Andrew Cuomo said two state Assembly members, Helene
Weinstein and Charles Barron, have tested positive for Covid-19. The
state reported 729 confirmed cases, an increase of 69. There have
been three deaths.
   (Bloomberg, 3/15/20)(The Independent, 3/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 15, NYC Mayor Bill de
Blasio announced a decision to close city schools through at least
April 20. Hours later the mayor also took aim at the city's
nightlife, saying he would sign an order on March 16 limiting the
city's 27,000 restaurants and bars to takeout and delivery only
effective on the morning of March 17.
   (AP, 3/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 15, US sportswear
giant Nike Inc said it is closing all of its stores in the United
States and several other countries to limit the spread of the
coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 3/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 15, Several African
countries closed borders, canceled flights and imposed strict entry
and quarantine requirements to contain the spread of the new
coronavirus, which has a foothold in 26 nations on the continent as
cases keep rising. Cases have now been reported in Algeria, Burkina
Faso, Cameroon, Central African Rep., Congo Brazzaville, Congo DRC,
Egypt, and Equatorial Guinea, eSwatini, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana,
Guinea, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Mauritania, Morocco, Namibia, Nigeria,
Rwanda, Senegal, Seychelles, South Africa, Sudan, Togo, Tunisia.
   (Reuters, 3/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 15, In Australia's New
South Wales, the country’s most populous state, reported 22 new
cases taking the totally tally to 134. Eight new cases of
coronavirus were confirmed in the state of Victoria, bringing the
total number of cases in that state to 57. Australia said it will
impose 14-day self-isolation on international travelers arriving
from midnight and ban cruise ships from foreign ports for 30 days.
   (Bloomberg, 3/15/20)(Reuters, 3/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 15, In Austria the
number of confirmed coronavirus cases jumped to 800, from 602 a day
earlier.
   (AP, 3/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 15, Belgium’s health
ministry reported 197 new cases, bringing the total of confirmed
infections to 886.
   (Bloomberg, 3/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 15, The British
government announced England will join a growing list of countries
offering HIV-prevention pill to all those at high risk of catching
the virus. More than 100,000 people were estimated to be living with
HIV in the UK in 2018.
   (Reuters, 3/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 15, Airlines called on
the British government to help ensure their survival during the
coronavirus crisis after the US extended restrictions on European
travelers to include Britain.
   (Reuters, 3/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 15, PM Boyko Borissov
said Bulgaria will raise the salaries of all medics involved in
treating coronavirus patients by 1000 levs ($566) per month as it
steps up measures to contain the fast-spreading infection. Confirmed
cases had almost doubled to 43 with two deaths.
   (Reuters, 3/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 15, In
   Cameroon a passenger arriving from Brussels was
whisked to a hospital and diagnosed inside four hours as the
country's fourth case of coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 3/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 15, Cambodia said
French national travelling from Paris via Singapore to Phnom Penh
has been infected with the coronavirus, bringing the country's tally
of cases to eight.
   (Reuters, 3/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 15, In the Central
African Rep. a UN peacekeeper from Burundi was killed when troops
were trying to stop an attack in Grimari in the center of the
country that began when anti-Balaka fighters under the command of
Dimitri Ayoloma opened fire on the homes of the mayor and a regional
official.
   (AP, 3/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 15, China reported 16
new confirmed cases of coronavirus bringing its total to 80,860.
Beijing said it will quarantine all travelers from overseas,
including Chinese citizens, at designated locations for 14 days as
the government shifts its focus to limiting imported coronavirus
cases.
   (AP, 3/15/20)(Reuters, 3/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 15, Denmark's
government told private companies struggling with drastic measures
to curb the spread of coronavirus that it would cover 75% of
employees' salaries, if they promised not to cut staff.
   (Reuters, 3/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 15, Ethiopia has now
recorded four coronavirus cases.
   (Reuters, 3/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 15, Finland had a
total of 240 coronavirus cases.
   (Bloomberg, 3/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 15, French voters went
to the polls in the first round of elections to choose mayors and
tens of thousands of local officials.
   (SSFC, 3/15/20, p.A3)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 15, Georgia's
government said it will temporarily shut its border with Russia for
travelers from March 16 in a bid to stop the spread of the
coronavirus. Georgia had 30 cases of coronavirus, the highest number
in the South Caucasus region.
   (Reuters, 3/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 15, Germany's Health
Ministry confirmed a report in newspaper Welt am Sonntag, which said
President Donald Trump had offered funds to lure the company CureVac
to the United States, and the German government was making
counter-offers to tempt it to stay.
   (Reuters, 3/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 15, Guatemala logged
its first fatality from the coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 3/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 15, In Guyana a team
from the 15-nation Caribbean Community arrived to supervise a
recount of the March 2 elections. Incumbent Pres. David Granger had
agreed to the recount. A local court soon blocked the recount.
   (SFC, 3/16/20, p.A2)(SFC, 3/19/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 15, India reported
that the number of coronavirus infections had risen to 107, an
increase of 23 from the day before.
   (Reuters, 3/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 15, Indonesia reported
21 new coronavirus infections, bringing the total number of
confirmed cases to 117.
   (Reuters, 3/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 15, Iran's Health
Ministry added another 113 deaths and 1,209 new confirmed cases of
the COVID-19 infection. It said the outbreak has claimed 724. Some
13,938 people have been infected across the country.
   (AFP, 3/15/20)(Bloomberg, 3/15/20)(Reuters,
3/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 15, Israel's Pres.
Reuven Rivlin said he has decided to give opposition leader Benny
Gants the first opportunity to form a new government. PM Benjamin
Netanyahu proposed a six-month "emergency government" to confront
the coronavirus crisis and end a political deadlock after the
country's third inconclusive election in less than a year. Israel
delayed PM Benjamin Netanyahu's corruption trial for two months due
to the coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 3/15/20)(Reuters, 3/16/20)(SFC,
3/16/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 15, Italy recorded 368
more deaths from the coronavirus. It had 24,747 cases and 1,809
deaths.
   (Reuters, 3/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 15, In Japan the
number of coronavirus infections rose to 1,484, increasing by a
faster pace than the previous day. The total number of infections
included 697 from the Diamond Princess cruise ship and 14 returnees
on charter flights from China.
   (Reuters, 3/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 15, Jordan confirmed
12 new coronavirus cases.
   (Reuters, 3/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 15, Kenya has now
recorded three coronavirus cases.
   (Reuters, 3/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 15, Lebanon's Health
Ministry said that it had recorded 99 cases of coronavirus. Pres.
Michel Aoun called for citizens to work from home and avoid
socializing to prevent the spread of the virus.
   (Reuters, 3/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 15, Libya’s coast
guard intercepted over 400 Europe-bound migrants off the country’s
Mediterranean coast and returned them to the capital of Tripoli over
the past 24 hours.
   (AP, 3/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 15, Malaysia confirmed
190 new coronavirus cases, pushing its overall total to 428, the
most in Southeast Asia.
   (Bloomberg, 3/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 15, Mexican officials
said the number of monarch butterflies that reached their winter
resting grounds decreased by about 53% this year. The population
covered only 6.9 acres, down from 15 acres a year earlier.
   (SFC, 3/16/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 15, In the Netherlands
the number of deaths rose by eight to 20, while confirmed cases
increased by 176 to 1,135.
   (AP, 3/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 15, Niger's army
reportedly killed at least 50 Boko Haram Islamist extremists during
an overnight attack on the eastern Toumour military post.
   (SFC, 3/18/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 15, In Nigeria a
pipeline explosion killed at least 15 people and destroyed about 50
buildings after a fire broke out in a suburb of Lagos.
   (Reuters, 3/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 15, Peru's Pres.
Martin Vizcarra imposed a lockdown and quarantine as his country
reported 71 cases of the coronavirus.
   (Economist, 4/4/20, p.26)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 15, The Philippines
recorded 4 additional coronavirus deaths and 29 new cases, bringing
the domestic tally of infections to 140, as authorities placed the
entire capital Manila under "community quarantine" for about a
month.
   (Reuters, 3/15/20)(Reuters, 3/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 15, Poland’s
coronavirus cases rose to 111 cases with three deaths. The count was
rising as the nation is now testing all those who are in quarantine.
   (Bloomberg, 3/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 15, Singapore
confirmed 14 new cases of the novel coronavirus, marking the biggest
daily increase of the infection in the city-state. Nine of the cases
were imported. Singapore has confirmed a total 226 cases of the
virus so far, with 105 having fully recovered.
   (Reuters, 3/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 15, Slovakia reported
54 coronavirus cases, an increase of 10.
   (Bloomberg, 3/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 15, South Africa
reported its first local transmission of coronavirus, increasing the
number of cases to 62. President Cyril Ramaphosa introduced
social-distancing and declared a national state of disaster to
combat the spread of the coronavirus as his counterparts in
sub-Saharan Africa took similar steps to curb the threat in a region
that accounts for only 1% of global health-care spending.
   (BBC, 3/16/20)(AP, 3/16/20)(Econ, 4/18/20, p.33)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 15, South Korea
reported 76 new coronavirus cases in 24 hours, an all-time low since
Feb. 20, when the country saw a surge of over 500 in four days. The
country’s total tally stands at 8,162 with a total of 75 deaths.
   (Bloomberg, 3/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 15, Spain’s diagnosed
cases of the coronavirus jumped 35% to 7,753 and the death toll rose
by 152 to 288. Ford Motors said it would shut its Spanish plant in
the eastern region of Valencia for one week starting tomorrow after
three employees tested positive for coronavirus.
   (Bloomberg, 3/15/20)(Reuters, 3/15/20)(Reuters,
3/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 15, In Switzerland
coronavirus infections jumped by nearly 1,000 cases in 24 hours to
2,200 and 14 deaths were recorded from the virus across the country.
   (AFP, 3/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 15, Syria's brutal
conflict entered its 10th year with President Bashar al-Assad's
regime consolidating its hold over a war-wracked country where
foreign powers are flexing their muscle. In the northwest Turkish
and Russian troops began joint patrols on the key M4 highway. Rebel
provocations forced Russia and Turkey to cut short their first joint
patrol.
   (AFP, 3/15/20)(AP, 3/15/20)(Reuters, 3/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 15, Thailand reported
32 new cases of the coronavirus in the largest daily jump in
infections since the outbreak began, bringing its total tally to
114.
   (Reuters, 3/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 15, Turkey said
thousands of Muslims returning to home from a pilgrimage in Saudi
Arabia were being taken into quarantine due to concerns about the
spread of the coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 3/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 15, Venezuelan
President Nicolás Maduro wrote to the IMF asking for a $5bn loan to
fight COVID-19.
   (Econ, 3/21/20, p.30)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 15, Vietnam's health
ministry said all passengers coming from or through China, South
Korea, the UK and Schengen countries will be quarantined and tested
for coronavirus. Vietnam reported 37 new coronavirus cases over the
past week, taking the tally to 53.
   (Reuters, 3/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 16, The US Department
of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) added 24
companies and individuals to the Entity List for posing a risk to US
national security and foreign policy interests. They included nine
entities in Pakistan that are associated with the country's missile
technology program, six from Iran, five from the United Arab
Emirates, two from China, and two from Russia.
   (Benzinga, 3/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 16, US federal
prosecutors said that they were moving to drop charges against two
Russian companies accused of funding a social media campaign to
influence US voters in the 2016 presidential election. The
companies, Concord Management and Consulting and Concord Catering,
were among three companies and 13 individuals then-Special Counsel
Robert Mueller charged with conspiracy to spread disinformation on
social media, one of the main indictments that came out of his
team's two-year Russia investigation.
   (AP, 3/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 16, US surgeon general
Dr. Jerome Adams said that the number of coronavirus cases in the US
has reached the level that Italy recorded two weeks ago, a sign that
infections are expected to rise as the government steps up testing
and financial markets continue to fall. The coronavirus has killed
at least 67 people in the US with at least 3,774 confirmed cases.
   (AP, 3/16/20)(Good Morning America, 3/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 16, The US Supreme
Court announced that it is postponing arguments for late March and
early April because of the coronavirus, including fights over
subpoenas for President Donald Trump’s financial records.
   (Reuters, 3/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 16, The US stock
market took its sharpest dive since the Black Monday crash of 1987
as President Trump warned the coronavirus pandemic could drag the
economy into a recession. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell by
12.9 percent. The S&P 500 lost 12 percent and is now nearly 30
percent below its record high, set less than a month ago.
   (The Week, 3/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 16, San Francisco area
leaders told seven million people in six counties to "shelter in
place." Other localities ordered restaurants, bars, and other public
gathering spots to shut their doors. The number of confirmed
coronavirus cases in the US jumped past 4,600, with at least 85
deaths.
   (The Week, 3/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 16, Maryland said it
will shut down all bars, restaurants, theaters and gyms beginning at
5 p.m. Drive through, carryout and delivery food services will still
be allowed.
   (Good Morning America, 3/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 16, Many US states
began announcing they'd be shutting movie theaters, bars,
restaurants museums and all non-essential business. Michigan
announced that all bars and restaurants must close to dine-in
customers, due to the coronavirus.
   (AP, 3/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 16, Ohio Gov. Mike
DeWine (R) ordered the state's health department to keep all polling
places closed to prevent the coronavirus from spreading among voters
and poll workers in the March 17 primary elections.
   (AP, 3/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 16, In Utah gas
station owner Lev Dermen was found guilty by a jury on 10 counts
that included money laundering and mail fraud. Dermen and
polygamists Jacob and Isiah Kingston had filed false claims for over
$1 billion in refundable renewable fuel tax credits. Jacob Kingston
testified against Dermen at the trial. The Kingstons and two
other family members accepted plea deals this year.
   (https://tinyurl.com/cj3r3hm9)(SFC, 6/23/21,
p.B3)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 16, In Washington
state the first participant in a clinical trial for a vaccine to
protect against the new coronavirus received an experimental dose.
Washington state said it will shutter its entertainment venues and
recreational facilities and limit restaurants to delivery and
take-out. The ban will not apply to grocery stores and pharmacies.
   (AP, 3/16/20)(Good Morning America, 3/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 16, Joe Biden was
declared the winner of last week's Democratic presidential primary
in Washington state, giving him victories in five out of six states
that voted March 10.
   (AP, 3/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 16, Amazon said it
would try to hire 100,000 people across the US to help meet a surge
in purchases by customers shopping more online to avoid going out as
the coronavirus spreads.
   (The Week, 3/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 16, NASA said
Greenland and Antarctica are losing ice six times faster than they
were in the 1990s.
   (The Week, 3/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 16, Globally more than
174,000 coronavirus cases were reported with more than 6,700 deaths.
Global stocks fell sharply after central bank moves to shore up
economic growth failed to dispel investor's fears over virus
controls that are shutting global business and travel.
   (Good Morning America, 3/16/20)(AP, 3/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 16, In western
Afghanistan dozens of patients held in isolation, including at least
one confirmed to have the coronavirus, escaped from a quarantine
facility after breaking windows and attacking hospital staff in
Herat province. The 38 people who escaped had all recently returned
from Iran. Afghanistan has so far confirmed 21 cases of the
coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 3/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 16, Armenia's
government announced a state of emergency for one month to slow the
spread of the coronavirus. An April 5 referendum on constitutional
reforms was postponed.
   (Reuters, 3/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 16, Australia's
capital and 2nd most populous state declared states of emergency
after the national death toll from the coronavirus rose to five with
nearly 300 cases in total.
   (Reuters, 3/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 16, Austria's
government said it will allocate 2 billion euros for loan guarantees
on top of a 4-billion-euro aid fund to buffer the economy from the
damage of coronavirus, as the number of confirmed cases in the
country rose to 1,018.
   (Reuters, 3/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 16, Benin, Liberia,
Somalia and Tanzania became the latest African countries to report
cases of coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 3/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 16, Bosnia's
autonomous Bosniak-Croat Federation declared a state of disaster,
which will enable it to introduce emergency measures to halt the
spread of the coronavirus. Bosnia has reported 24 cases of the new
virus so far, 20 of them in the country's other autonomous region,
the Serb Republic.
   (Reuters, 3/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 16, In Brazil local
media reported that as many as 1,000 inmates had fled four jails
ahead of a planned lockdown of the facilities over the coronavirus
pandemic.
   (Reuters, 3/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 16, Britain's PM Boris
Johnson advised people to avoid all unnecessary contact due to
coronavirus pandemic.
   (Econ., 6/20/20, p.46)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 16, Britain's Fred
Olsen Cruise Lines wrote in a statement that its cruise ship
Braemar, that was turned away from several ports in the Caribbean
after five passengers were confirmed to have the new coronavirus,
has set sail to Cuba which is allowing it to dock.
   (Reuters, 3/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 16, Germany's federal
and state governments agreed sweeping rules shutting everything from
non-essential shops to bars, clubs, theatres, museums, brothels and
churches in order to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 3/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 16, In Greece a
migrant juvenile died in a fire inside the Mora camp on the island
of Lesbos.
   (SFC, 3/17/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 16, Iran's health
ministry said the death toll from the new coronavirus has reached
853 with 129 new deaths in the past 24 hours. 1,053 new confirmed
cases were reported. Iran closed four key Shiite pilgrimage sites to
stop a coronavirus outbreak that has killed over 850 people out of
nearly 15,000 cases recorded in the Islamic republic.
   (Reuters, 3/16/20)(AFP, 3/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 16, In Iraq two
rockets struck a training base south of Baghdad where US-led
coalition troops and NATO trainers were present.
   (AP, 3/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 16, Israel swore in
its newly elected parliament under stringent restrictions because of
the coronavirus outbreak. Pres. Reuvin Rivlin called for unity and
compromise from the two leaders, saying the Israeli people “are in
need of rest, we are in need of healing" after three parliamentary
elections in under a year.
   (AP, 3/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 16, Israel government
authorized Shin Bet, the internal security service, and the police
to use their technical knowledge to track and access the mobile
phones of those who have been infected with the coronavirus.
   (Econ, 3/28/20, p.16)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 16, In northern Italy
the death toll from an outbreak of coronavirus in Lombardy rose by
202 over the past day to 1,420 from 1,218. Italy's total death toll
reached 1,809, a 25 percent increase over the day before.
   (Reuters, 3/16/20)(NY Times, 3/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 16, Japan's health
ministry said it has identified 15 clusters of coronavirus
infections around the country.
   (Reuters, 3/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 16, In Japan Kyushu
Electric Power Co., the opeator of a nuclear power plant in
Kagoshima, was forced to shut a down one of its reactors because of
failure to meet a deadline for adding anti-terror safety measures.
   (SFC, 3/17/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 16, Lebanon's Military
Court of Appeals ordered the release of Amer Fakhoury because more
than 10 years had passed since he allegedly tortured prisoners at a
jail run by the so-called South Lebanon Army militia.
   (AP, 3/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 16, Malaysia reported
a daily jump of 125 cases to 553. 338 of Malaysia's cases have been
linked to the religious gathering at a mosque in Kuala Lumpur
between Feb. 28 and March 1. PM Muhyiddin Yassin said Malaysia it
will shut its borders to travelers, restrict internal movement,
close schools and universities and order most businesses to shut
after its number of coronavirus cases climbed to the highest in
Southeast Asia.
   (Reuters, 3/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 16, The government of
the Philippines imposed "Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) across
the island of Luzon, home to Manila and about half of the country's
107 million people.
   (Econ., 7/11/20, p.30)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 16, In the Philippines
the farm minister said an outbreak of avian flu has been detected in
a quail farm in the northern Nueva Ecija province. Tests showed the
presence of the highly infectious H5N6 subtype of the influenza A
virus.
   (Reuters, 3/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 16, Russia's
Constitutional Court approved a law on constitutional amendments
that could allow Vladimir Putin to remain in power for another 16
years.
   (AP, 3/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 16, Senegalese
President Macky Sall declared a national state of disaster and
canceled the country’s most important religious festival due to take
place later this month following a surge in cases to 26 from 10.
   (Bloomberg, 3/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 16, Somalia's first
coronavirus case was announced. Somalia ranked 194th of 195
countries in the Johns Hopkins Global Health Security Index for 2019
and scored zero in several areas, including emergency preparedness,
emergency response, infection control practices and health care
access.
   (AP, 3/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 16, South Korea
reported 74 new coronavirus cases bringing its total to 8,236.
   (Reuters, 3/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 16, Switzerland's
region of Geneva declared a "state of necessity" due to the
coronavirus global pandemic, shutting bars and restaurants and
limiting gatherings to just five people.
   (AFP, 3/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 16, Venezuela's
capital of Caracas woke to quiet streets and military checkpoints on
the first day of a quarantine ordered by President Nicolas Maduro to
combat the coronavirus. The country has confirmed 17 cases of the
virus and no deaths.
   (Reuters, 3/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 17, The Trump
administration called for $1 trillion in spending, including $250
billion for direct payments to Americans, as the federal government
prepares to fight the coronavirus pandemic and an almost certain
recession.
   (NY Times, 3/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 17, The US Federal
Reserve said it would reinstate a funding facility used during the
2008 financial crisis to get credit directly to businesses and
households as fears over a liquidity crunch due to the coronavirus
have grown in recent days.
   (Reuters, 3/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 17, Former US vice
president Joe Biden easily defeated Bernie Sanders in Arizona,
Florida and Illinois state primaries.
   (AP, 3/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 17, Former California
Republican Rep. Duncan Hunter was sentenced to 11 months in prison
after pleading guilty to stealing campaign funds and spending the
money on everything from outings with friends to his daughter's
birthday party. On August 24 his wife was sentenced to eight months
of home confinement after agreeing to testify against her husband.
   (Miami Herald, 3/17/20)(SFC, 8/25/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 17, San Francisco's
Mayor London Breed announced plans to ban commercial evictions for
small and medium-sized businesses impacted by the coronavirus. City
officials said canabis businesses may remain open as non-essential
businesses were told to shut down.
   (SFC, 3/18/20, p.B5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 17, In the SF Bay Area
Xuehua "Edward" Peng (56) of Hayward was sentenced to four years in
federal prison for smuggling purported national security information
to China for more than two years.
   (SFC, 3/18/20, p.B1)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 17, Jerry Slick
(b.1939), drummer and founder of the San Francisco-based Great
Society rock band, died in his Mill Valley, Ca., home. He founded
the band with his wife Grace Slick in 1965. Grace Slick joined the
Jefferson Airplane in 1966 and Jerry moved on as a cinematographer
and filmmaker.
   (SSFC, 3/29/20, p.B8)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 17, In Florida
Colombian brothers Pedro Nel Rincon-Castillo (53) and Omar
Rincon-Castillo (50) were sentenced to about 20 years and 17-1/2
years, respectively, on cocaine-trafficking charges by a federal
judge in Fort Lauderdale.
   (AP, 3/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 17, In Michigan a
Wayne County jury convicted Devon Kareem Robinson (19) of
first-degree premeditated murder, assault with intent to murder and
felony firearm in the May 2019 killings of Alunte Davis (21),
Timothy Blancher (20) and Paris Cameron (20). Police believed the
victims were targeted for their sexual orientation.
   (AP, 3/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 17, New York state
closed all schools for two weeks. The state has 1,374 cases of
coronavirus and 12 people have died. The US had 5,124 cases of
coronavirus with 96 deaths.
   (AP, 3/17/20)(https://ncov2019.live/)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 17, It was reported
that a TSA officer at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport has
tested positive for COVID-19. This marked the 8th TSA officer to
test positive for COVID-19. The other cases were in California,
Florida and Georgia.
   (Good Morning America, 3/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 17, Ohio's primary,
planned for today, was cancelled. Governor Mike DeWine postponed his
state's primary until June 2 because of the growing coronavirus
crisis.
   (Reuters, 3/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 17, Texas confirmed
its first death due to coronavirus.
   (The Independent, 3/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 17, West Virginia
reported its first confirmed coronavirus infection. There are now
known coronavirus cases in all 50 US states.
   (NY Times, 3/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 17, Regeneron
Pharmaceuticals Inc said it had identified hundreds of antibodies
that could treat or prevent the coronavirus and was preparing to
begin clinical trials by early summer, sending the drugmaker's
shares up nearly 12%.
   (Reuters, 3/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 17, Brazil's
government called for a state of emergency to loosen fiscal rules as
it faced challenges from the coronavirus pandemic and oil price war.
Brazil reported its first death due to the virus and closed its
border to Venezuelans for an initial 15 days, citing strains on the
public health system and what its president described as Venezuela's
inability to respond.
   (Reuters, 3/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 17, Brazil's Sao Paulo
state prison authority said more than 500 prisoners have been
recaptured who fled four jails ahead of a planned lockdown of the
facilities over the coronavirus pandemic. Local officials had
cancelled temporary leaves because of fears that prisoners could
bring the new coronavirus back with them.
   (AP, 3/17/20)(SFC, 3/18/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 17, Britain's health
ministry said cases of coronavirus rose 26% to 1,950 from 1,543 the
day before. The National Health Service (NHS) announced plans to
cancel all routine surgery for three months and to send home as many
patients as possible to free up staff and beds to deal with the
spread of the coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 3/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 17, The BBC reported
that Hashem Abedi, the brother of the bomber who blew himself up at
the end of an Ariana Grande concert in the English city of
Manchester in May 2017, has been found guilty of murdering the 22
victims.
   (Reuters, 3/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 17, Bulgaria banned
all foreign and domestic holiday trips until April 13 as part of
efforts to contain the spread of the coronavirus. The Balkan country
had 81 confirmed cases of the new virus and two deaths.
   (Reuters, 3/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 17, In Bulgaria
investigative journalist Slavi Angelov, editor-in-chief of the
weekly 168 Hours, was attacked by unknown assailants and
hospitalized in Sofia with serious injuries.
   (SFC, 3/19/20, p.A2)(https://tinyurl.com/rrjhy5u)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 17, Canadian PM Justin
Trudeau said his government would provide financial support to
people during the coronavirus outbreak as he urged them to stay at
home to slow the spread of COVI0D-19.
   (Reuters, 3/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 17, It was reported
that Chad is repaying Angola a debt of $100m (£82m) with cattle.
More than 1,000 cows have arrived by ship in Luanda as the first
payment.
   (BBC, 3/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 17, The Chinese
Foreign Ministry said that it was revoking the press credentials for
American journalists from three newspapers, The New York Times, The
Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post, requiring them to
return their media passes within 10 days and essentially expelling
them from the country. All three US media outlets have reported
politically sensitive stories in China, a long-term taboo with the
Chinese Communist Party.
   (AP, 3/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 17, Chinese doctors
reported that Avigan (favipiravir), a drug used against influenza in
Japan, led to clinical improvements in coronavirus patients.
   (Econ, 3/21/20, p.18)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 17, Croatia's
government proposed to postpone tax payments for at least three
months and make loans available to struggling business in response
to the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic. Croatia has so far
reported 65 cases of coronavirus. Four people have recovered and no
one has yet died from COVID-19.
   (Reuters, 3/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 17, Egypt, which has
166 confirmed cases of the new virus including four fatalities,
announced the lockdown of the Red Sea province that includes the
popular resort town of Hurghada. Egypt lowered the price of natural
gas for industrial use to $4.5 per mmbtu and cut a tax on dividends
for companies listed on its stock exchange to 5% in an attempt to
soften the impact of the spread of the coronavirus on the economy.
   (AP, 3/17/20)(Reuters, 3/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 17, European Union
leaders agreed to restrict most travel into the continent in an
unprecedented move aimed at slowing down the spread of a deadly
coronavirus and mitigating its effects on the bloc. Europe logged
10,560 new COVID-19 infections, with 3,590 of the cases diagnosed in
Italy.
   (Bloomberg, 3/17/20)(Business Insider, 3/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 17, French President
Emmanuel Macron declared "war" on Covid-19 with a raft of measures
to keep citizens in lock-down mode, including a ban on non-essential
travel, just a few days after ordering business closures and
shutting schools.
   (Bloomberg, 3/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 17, Indian authorities
expanded the population eligible for testing to health care workers
with symptoms who are treating patients with severe respiratory
illnesses. Authorities have confirmed 126 cases linked to foreign
travel or direct contact with someone who caught the disease abroad.
Indian authorities said that they would not widely expand testing
for the virus, despite mounting criticism from some experts that the
limited tests could mask the true toll of the disease in the world's
second most populous country.
   (AP, 3/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 17, Iran issued its
most dire warning yet about the outbreak of the new coronavirus
ravaging the country, suggesting “millions” could die in the Islamic
Republic if the public keeps traveling and ignoring health guidance.
Health Ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour said the virus had
killed 135 more people to raise the total to 988 amid over 16,000
cases. In efforts to curb the spread of the virus, Iran has released
85,000 prisoners on temporary leave.
   (AP, 3/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 17, Iran temporarily
released Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe (41), a British-Iranian woman
serving a five-year prison term in Tehran for sedition, from jail
for two weeks. Nazanin had warned last month that was in danger of
contracting the new coronavirus inside Evin Prison.
   (AFP, 3/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 17, Iraq's President
Barham Saleh named Adnan al-Zurfi, a former governor of the city of
Najaf, as prime minister-designate, following weeks of political
infighting.
   (AP, 3/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 17, Peace Now, an
Israeli monitoring group that opposes West Bank settlements, said
that Israel's average annual construction rate has risen 25% since
President Donald Trump took office in 2017.
   (AP, 3/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 17, Official data in
Italy showed that 31,506 people have been confirmed as positive for
the coronavirus. The official death toll passed 2,500.
   (AP, 3/18/20)(Reuters, 3/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 17, A Lebanese
military judge appealed a verdict by the military tribunal that
ordered the release of Amer Fakhoury, a Lebanese-American held since
September on charges of working for an Israeli-backed militia two
decades ago. Lebanon released Amer Fakhoury (57) on March 19.
   (AP, 3/17/20)(AP, 3/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 17, The Lithuanian
parliament voted to the raise borrowing limit by 4.5 billion euros,
and to allow the government to borrow over the limit to fight
effects of the coronavirus. Lithuania had 22 cases of coronavirus
with no deaths.
   (Reuters, 3/17/20)(https://ncov2019.live/)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 17, A Moroccan court
handed a four-month suspended sentence and a 500 dirham fine to
Moroccan journalist and rights activist Omar Radi (33) on charges of
insulting a judge on Twitter, in a case that outraged advocates of
free speech in the country.
   (Reuters, 3/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 17, North Korean
leader Kim Jong Un acknowledged that his country lacks modern
medical facilities and called for urgent improvements.
   (AP, 3/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 17, Pakistani PM Imran
Khan declared that there would be no national lockdown to block the
spread of the coronavirus.
   (Econ, 3/28/20, p.36)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 17, In Peru miners
halted operations and girded for extended supply chain disruptions
in neighboring Chile as governments tightened curbs due to
coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 3/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 17, Qatari authorities
announced the closure of several square km of the industrial area in
the capital Doha, which also contains labor camps and other housing
units, due to the coronavirus. Qatar relies on about 2 million
migrant workers for the bulk of its labor force.
   (Reuters, 3/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 17, Russian President
Vladimir Putin ordered a vote on changes to the constitution which
could allow him to extend his rule to be held next month as planned,
but warned it could be delayed if the coronavirus situation worsens.
   (AP, 3/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 17, Senegal has
recorded 27 cases of coronavirus. Medical staff said they had
received limited protective equipment beyond extra gloves and masks.
   (Reuters, 3/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 17, In South Africa Lt
Col Leroy Brewer, a top rhino poaching investigator, was driving to
work when he was shot dead by gunmen with high-caliber weapons. He
died on the spot.
   (AP, 3/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 17, South Africa's
national ports operator Transnet said it is holding the cruise
liner, MV AidAmira, and a cargo vessel off Cape Town's port limits
after a crew member onboard one of the vessels showed signs of
coronavirus. The MV Aidamira, with 1,240 passengers and 486 crew on
board, had returned to Cape Town from Namibia’s Walvis Bay.
   (Reuters, 3/17/20)(BBC, 3/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 17, Spanish PM Pedro
Sanchez announced a package of measures worth a total 200 billion
euros ($219 billion), between loans, credit guarantees, benefits and
direct aid, to mitigate the impact of the coronavirus epidemic on
the economy.
   (Reuters, 3/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 17, It was reported
that Spain's King Felipe VI has renounced any future personal
inheritance he could receive from his father, King Emirat Jaun
Carlos I, over the alleged financial irregularities involving the
former monarch. Felipe (52) was also strippimng Juan Carlos of his
annual stipend.
   (SFC, 3/17/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 17, In southern
Thailand bombers attacked a major government office as hundreds of
local officials and Muslim clerics met to discuss fighting COVID-19.
At least 20 people were reported hurt.
   (SFC, 3/18/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 17, Ukrainian shops,
restaurants and transport shut down as the country tightened
restrictions to contain the spread of the coronavirus. Police
arrested five people suspected of trying to rob 100,000 surgical
masks at gunpoint in Kiev.
   (AP, 3/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 17, The United Nations
and nine countries called on Libya's warring parties to cease
hostilities to allow health authorities to fight against the new
coronavirus.
   (AFP, 3/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 17, The UN refugee
agency and the International Organization for Migration announced a
temporary pause in refugee resettlement to slow the spread of the
new coronavirus. That led the US to pause its admissions until at
least April 6.
   (The Week, 3/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 17, Yemeni officials
said heavy fighting between pro-government forces and Shiite rebels
killed more than three dozen people in the previous 24 hours. Houthi
officials said the Saudi-led coalition had carried out at least 15
airstrikes against their fighters.
   (AP, 3/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 18, US Pres. Donald
Trump announced that Canada and the US have agreed to temporarily
close their shared border to nonessential travel in the wakre of the
coronavirus pandemic.
   (SFC, 3/19/20, p.A6)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 18, The Trump
administration asked Congress for $500 billion for direct payments
to taxpayers and $500 billion in loans for businesses, as the
federal government ramped up its efforts to address the fallout from
the coronavirus epidemic. Pres. Donald Trump tapped his authority
under the 70-year-old Defense Production Act to give the government
more power to steer production by private companies and try to
overcome shortages in masks, ventilators and other supplies. Trump
described himself as a “wartime president” fighting an invisible
enemy.
   (NY Times, 3/19/20)(AP, 3/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 18, Wall Street
resumed a steep slide while bond markets rushed to price in the
sheer scale of government support programs and handouts announced
over the past 24 hours, all aimed at softening the economic shock of
coronavirus. Stocks tumbled more than 5%. The DJIA erased virtually
all its gains since Pres. Trump's 2017 inauguration.
   (Reuters, 3/18/20)(SFC, 3/19/20, p.C1)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 18, The US federal
government gave taxpayers an extra 90 days to pay their federal
taxes and announced that it won't pursue foreclosures of evictions
on government guaranteed mortgages for at least 60 days.
   (SFC, 3/19/20, p.C1)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 18, The US now has
more than 5,800 confirmed cases of coronavirus with at least 115
deaths. The virus has now infected over 205,000 and killed over
8,700 in 164 nations.
   {USA, COVID-19}
   (Good Morning America)(Reuters,
3/18/20)(Bloomberg, 3/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 18, In Alaska Thomas
Waerner of Norway arrived first at the finish line in Nome to win
the Iditirod Trail Sled Dog Race.
   (SSFC, 3/22/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 18, California's Gov.
Gavin Newsom signed an executive order sending $100 million to local
governments for shelter support and emergency housing to help slow
the spread of coronavirus among the homeless population. Another $50
million will be used to buy trailers and lease hotel and motel rooms
to quarantine homeless people showing symptoms of COVID-19.
   (SFC, 3/19/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 18, Hawaii officials
said two cruise ships won't be allowed to disembark in Honolulu
after being turned away by other ports, even with no positive cases
of coronavirus on either vessel.
   (AP, 3/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 18, Nevada shut down
all non-essential businesses, including the Las Vegas casinos at the
heart of the state's economy, due to the coronavirus pandemic.
   (AP, 3/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 18, South Carolina's
Supreme Court overturned the attempted murder conviction of Michael
Juan Smith, a Bloods gang member who in 2013 shot and critically
injured first-year University of South Carolina student Martha
Childress. Smith, sentenced to 40 years in state prison, will now
get a new trial.
   (Charlotte Observer, 3/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 18, In South Texas an
immigrant (27) from Honduras was found dead at a US Immigration and
Customs Enforcement family detention center. This was the ninth
death to occur in ICE custody since last October.
   (SFC, 3/19/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 18, In Texas Apollo 15
astronaut Al Worden (88), who circled the moon alone in 1971 while
his two crewmates test-drove the first lunar rover, died at a rehab
center in Houston.
   (AP, 3/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 18, A 5.7-magnitude
earthquake shook Salt Lake City and its suburbs early today, sending
spooked residents fleeing their homes, knocking out power for tens
of thousands and closing the city's airport.
   (AP, 3/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 18, It was announced
that Pixar animation pioneers Pat Hanrahan and Ed Catmulls are this
year's winners of the $1 million Turing Award.
   (SFC, 3/19/20, p.C1)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 18, Honda Motor Co
said it is temporarily halting production in North America for six
days because of the anticipated decline in auto sales due to the
coronavirus outbreak and will reduce production by about 40,000
vehicles.
   (Reuters, 3/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 18, JPMorgan Chase
& Co said that it has committed $50 million to funds and
community groups that are providing food, support and medical
supplies for people hurt by the coronavirus in the United States,
Europe and Asia.
   (Reuters, 3/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 18, A new report said
a tiny fossil skull nicknamed "Wonderchicken" may be the oldest
known fossil from this group. A skull of partridge-sized bird, named
Asteriornis maastrichtensis, was found in Belgium and said to be
some 66.7 to 66.8 million years old. It lived just before the
asteroid impact that's blamed for killing off many species, most
notably the giant dinosaurs.
   (AP, 3/18/20)(Reuters, 3/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 18, Bangladesh
reported its first coronavirus death.
   (Reuters, 3/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 18, Belgium imposed a
lockdown from midday until April 5 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
   (Reuters, 3/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 18, Burkina Faso
reported its second death from COVID-19.
   (AP, 3/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 18, Chile's president
declared a 90-day state of catastrophe due to the coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 3/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 18, Djibouti confirmed
its first coronavirus case.
   (Reuters, 3/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 18, Catherine Hamlin
(b.1924), Australian obstetrician and gynaecologist, died in
Ethiopia. She and her husband, Reginald Hamlin, co-founded the Addis
Ababa Fistula Hospital. The Hamlins, together with the hospital
staff, have treated more than 60,000 women to date for obstetric
fistula.
  Â
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catherine_Hamlin)(Econ, 4/11/20,
p.70)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 18, The EU banned
nonessential travel from the rest of the world into 26 member
nations for 30 days due to the coronavirus pandemic.
   (NY Times, 3/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 18, In France several
hundred Amazon workers protested at one of its sites, calling on the
online retailer to cease operations or make it easier for employees
loath to work during the coronavirus outbreak to stay away.
   (Reuters, 3/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 18, Gambia announced
its first coronavirus case.
   (AP, 3/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 18, Mitterteich,
Bavaria, became the first German town to impose a curfew to slow the
spread of the coronavirus. The curfew will last until April 2.
Citizens there were still allowed to buy groceries, go to work and
visit the doctor.
   (Reuters, 3/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 18, Clashes broke out
on the Greek border with Turkey before dawn, after about 500
migrants attempted to break down a border fence and enter Greece.
   (AP, 3/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 18, Hungarian PM
Viktor Orban announced a blanket moratorium on loan repayments for
all companies and private borrowers until the end of the year to
limit the economic fallout from the spread of the coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 3/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 18, Indonesia's death
toll jumped from five to 19. Thousands of Muslim pilgrims from
across Asia gathered at Gowa, just two weeks after a similar event
in Malaysia caused more than 500 infections.
   (Reuters, 3/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 18, Iran's government
said another 147 people have died from the coronavirus raising the
total to 1,135 people out of 17,361 cases since it first emerged in
the Islamic republic a month ago. President Hassan Rouhani defended
the response of his administration, which has yet to impose a
lockdown. Food markets were still packed with shoppers and highways
were crowded with traffic as families traveled between cities ahead
of the March 20 Persian New Year.
   (AP, 3/18/20)(AFP, 3/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 18, Italy reported
nearly 500 new deaths from the novel coronavirus, the highest
one-day official toll of any nation. Italy added 4,207 new cases.
   (AFP, 3/18/20)(Econ, 3/21/20, p.9)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 18, In Libya five
women were killed late today and five others were wounded, including
a child, when their houses were shelled near Tripoli.
   (AP, 3/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 18, Malaysia warned of
"a tsunami" of cases if people did not follow new restrictions as
infections surged across Southeast Asia.
   (Reuters, 3/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 18, Mexico reported
its first death from the coronavirus.
   (AP, 3/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 18, Moldova reported
its first death due to the coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 3/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 18, Morocco asked
citizens not to leave their homes except to buy essential goods,
seek medical treatment or go to work, as a precautionary measure.
   (AP, 3/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 18, In the Netherlands
organizers of the Eurovision song contest said it will not take
place this year due to the global coronavirus outbreak. The
Netherlands was to host the 2020 contest after Dutch
singer-songwriter Duncan Laurence won in 2019 with a song called
"Arcade".
   (AP, 3/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 18, New Zealand
lawmakers passed a landmark bill that treats abortion as a health
issue rather than a crime.
   (SFC, 3/19/20, p.A3)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 18, Pakistani security
forces raided a militant hideout in North Waziristan, triggering a
shootout that killed four soldiers and seven militants.
   (SFC, 3/19/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 18, Russia's Kremlin
Guard said it has closed Bolshevik revolutionary Vladimir Lenin's
tomb on Moscow's Red Square to the public amid coronavirus fears.
Russia has reported 147 cases of the virus so far and no deaths.
   (Reuters, 3/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 18, Saudi Arabia
suspended work in most of the private sector for 15 days and
directed businesses to implement work-from-home policies due to the
coronavirus pandemic.
   (Reuters, 3/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 18, In South Africa
the number of people that tested positive for coronavirus rose to
116 from 85 the day before. 14 of those hadn’t traveled outside the
country. South Africa stepped up travel bans as the virus continued
to spread at a rapid pace.
   (Bloomberg, 3/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 18, Switzerland
extended border controls and suspended the issue of Schengen and
national visas for three months due to coronavirus pandemic.
   (AP, 3/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 18, Taiwan said it
would ban entry for most foreigners as its coronavirus tally rose by
23 to 100, most of them imported.
   (AP, 3/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 18, Turkey reported
its first death due to the coronavirus. President Tayyip Erdogan
advised his people not to leave home unless necessary for three
weeks and to minimize social contact until the threat of coronavirus
recedes, but did not instruct people to stay away from work.
   (Reuters, 3/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 18, The UAE stopped
Friday sermons to help stop the spread of the coronavirus.
   (Econ, 3/21/20, p.43)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 18, A Vietnam court
jailed Sung A Sinh and Lau A Lenh, from the Hmong ethnic minority,
for life after finding them guilty of attempting to overthrow the
state and set up a state of their own in northern Dien Bien province
in 2018-2019. Twelve other people were also sentenced in the case to
terms of up to 20 years.
   (Reuters, 3/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 18, Wales closed its
schools due to the coronavirus pandemic. Scotland and Wales soon
followed.
   (Econ, 3/21/20, p.17)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 18, Zambia confirmed
its first coronavirus case.
   (Reuters, 3/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 19, The US Federal
Reserve opened the taps for central banks in nine new countries to
access dollars in hopes of preventing the coronavirus epidemic from
causing a global economic rout. There were now 9,415 diagnosed cases
in the US with at least 153 people deaths, according to an ABC News'
count.
   (AP, 3/19/20)(Good Morning America, 3/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 19, The US slapped
sanctions on five companies based in the United Arab Emirates for
allegedly shipping oil from Iran in defiance of Pres. Donald Trump's
unilateral sanctions.
   (AP, 3/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 19, The US Pentagon
tested an unarmed hypersonic weapon in Hawaii, as both China and
Russia develop similar military and defense capabilities. The
Department of Defense called the test of the hypersonic glide body a
success.
   (Reuters, 3/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 19, Democratic
presidential candidate Joe Biden won the support of Representative
Tulsi Gabbard, who ended her presidential campaign.
   (NY Times, 3/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 19, California's Gov.
Gavin Newsom ordered his state’s 40 million residents to stay at
home as much as possible in coming weeks, citing a model that
suggests more than half of the state’s population could become
infected with the coronavirus in the next two months.
   (NY Times, 3/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 19, US authorities
seized a large haul of drugs, including methamphetamine, opioids and
cocaine, being smuggled from Mexico to California from a
cross-border tunnel equipped with ventilation, lighting and an
underground rail system. The 2,000-foot tunnel connected warehouses
in Tijuana and San Diego.
   (AP, 4/1/20)(SFC, 4/1/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 19, Anthony
Levandowski, a former Google and Uber engineer, pleaded guilty to
stealing trade secrets from Google. Levandowski had left Google to
form Otto a self-driging truck startup and then sold Otto to Uber
for $600 million.
   (SFC, 3/21/20, p.C1)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 19, In Minnesota
Pakistani Dr. Muhammad Masood (28), a former Mayo Clinic research
coordinator, was arrested at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International
Airport on a terrorism charge, after prosecutors say he told paid
FBI informants that he had pledged his allegiance to the Islamic
State group and wanted to carry out lone wolf attacks in the US.
   (AP, 3/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 19, In Texas cars
lined up for more than a mile outside a Houston hospital as the
nation's fourth-largest city began drive-thru testing for the
coronavirus, but officials warned they don't have enough kits or
protective gear to meet demand.
   (AP, 3/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 19, General Electric's
healthcare unit said it will hire more people and increase the
number of shifts as it races to produce ventilators round-the-clock
to meet the surge in demand caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
   (Reuters, 3/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 19, In Afghanistan at
least 27 security personnel were killed when a military base was
stormed in the southern province of Zabul.
   (Reuters, 3/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 19, African finance
ministers held a virtual conference to discuss how to deal with the
social and economic impacts of the pandemic on African nations. Days
later a statement by the UN Economic Commission for Africa said they
called for a $100 billion stimulus package, including a suspension
of debt service payments, to help the continent combat coronavirus.
   (AP, 3/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 19 More African
countries closed their borders as the coronavirus’ local spread
threatened to turn the continent of 1.3 billion people into an
alarming new front for the pandemic. Senegal closed its airspace.
Angola and Cameroon shut air, land and sea borders. Rwanda blocked
all commercial flights for a month. The island nation of Mauritius
closed its border after announcing its first case.
   (AP, 3/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 19, In Australia about
2,700 passengers disembarked in Sidney from the cruise ship Ruby
Princess. More than 600 cases of the coronavirus and 15 deaths were
later linked to the ship. About 200 crew members later showed
symptoms of the virus.
   (SFC, 4/10/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 19, Hundreds of
Bahraini pilgrims were reported stranded in Iran, the epicenter of
the coronavirus outbreak in the Middle East. Bahrain struggled to
evacuate its citizens from the country with which it has no
diplomatic ties.
   (AP, 3/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 19, It was reported
that banks in Bosnia's autonomous Bosniak-Croat Federation have
agreed to grant a delay of at least three months on loan repayments
for businesses and individuals hit by the coronavirus health crisis.
   (Reuters, 3/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 19, Brazil's confirmed
cases of coronavirus surged past 600.
   (AP, 3/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 19, Chad confirmed its
first coronavirus case.
   (Reuters, 3/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 19, Wuhan, China, the
former epicenter that initially suffered thousands of coronavirus
cases a day, and its surrounding province had no new cases to
report.
   (AP, 3/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 19, Beijing
authorities announced that the number of Chinese cellphone users
dropped by 21 million in the past three months.
   (https://tinyurl.com/yxyge2m6)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 19, In Egypt Laila
Soueif, the mother of prominent activist Alaa Abdel Fattah (38), was
released from detention after her arrest the previous day for
staging a protest demanding that prisoners be released amid the
coronavirus pandemic.
   (AP, 3/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 19, EU analysis said
Russian state media and news outlets supporting President Vladimir
Putin are waging a fake news campaign aimed at undermining public
confidence in the ability of European health care systems to cope
with the coronavirus.
   (AP, 3/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 19, Authorities in
Germany conducted raids in 10 states at premises linked to a group
accused of pursuing a mix of anti-government and racist ideology.
around 400 police officers had seized firearms, propaganda material
and small amounts of drugs during the raids on the homes of 21
leading members of the United German Peoples and Tribes group.
   (AP, 3/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 19, Germany said it
has lifted export bans on medical equipment which were issued
earlier this month to avoid shortages of masks, goggles and gloves
in the face of the coronavirus pandemic.
   (Reuters, 3/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 19, The Greek
government ordered hotels across the country toclose from March 23
until April 30th to help stem the spread of the coronavirus.
   (Econ, 4/11/20, p.42)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 19, Greek police
arrested 11 people and seized grenade launchers and other weapons in
raids against suspected members of the Revolutionary people's
Liberation Party-Front (DHKP-C), a far-left Turkish armed group.
   (SFC, 3/21/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 19, Haiti declared a
state of emergency, closing its borders and imposing a curfew, after
the country's first two cases of coronavirus were detected.
   (Reuters, 3/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 19, Indian PM Narendra
Modi appealed to citizens to observe a self-curfew on March 22 as
part of a trial-run to test social isolation to curb the spread of
the coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 3/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 19, Indonesia reported
six more deaths due to coronavirus for a total of 25, the most in
Southeast Asia, and its biggest daily jump of 82 cases to 309. The
government halted a mass congregation of nearly 9,000 Muslim
pilgrims and began quarantining them and checking their health to
prevent the further spread of the coronavirus amid a spike in cases.
The four-day gathering at a boarding school in a rural area in south
Sulawesi province was organized by a Muslim missionary movement,
Jamaat Tabligh, and was not approved by authorities.
   (AP, 3/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 19, Iranian
authorities announced 149 new deaths from the novel coronavirus,
raising the toll to 1,284 in a country that is one of the worst hit
by the pandemic. A total of 18,407 people have contracted the
disease in Iran, with 1,046 new cases confirmed in the last 24
hours.
   (AP, 3/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 19, It was reported
that Iran has granted a medical furlough to Michael White, a US Navy
veteran who has been imprisoned for more than a year.
   (AP, 3/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 19, Israel's attorney
general approved for the first time the use of a generic version of
a patent-protected drug to treat coronavirus patients. The
anti-viral drug Kaletra, produced by AbbVie Inc, is a treatment for
HIV but Israel's Health Ministry found it could be a possible
treatment for COVID-19 and a preliminary permit for the drug was
issued.
   (Reuters, 3/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 19, Italy's
country-wide death toll stood at 3,405, the highest in the world.
   (Reuters, 3/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 19, Mexico confirmed
164 cases of coronavirus, up from just over 40 a week ago. President
Andrés Manuel López Obrador and his government have said a shutdown
of the country would disproportionately hurt poor people and also be
a psychological weight on all Mexicans.
   (AP, 3/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 19, It was reported
that Prince Albert of Monaco has tested positive for coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 3/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 19, Moroccan
authorities said local police have arrested at least a dozen people
for spreading rumors about the coronavirus, including a woman who
used her YouTube channel to say the disease did not exist.
   (Reuters, 3/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 19, Dutch health
authorities said the number of local confirmed cases of coronavirus
has risen by 409 to a total of 2,460, with 18 new deaths raising the
total death toll to 76.
   (Reuters, 3/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 19, Niger confirmed
its first coronavirus case.
   (Reuters, 3/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 19, Palestinians
defied their government's call to cease work in Israeli settlements
over coronavirus concerns, saying bringing money home to their
families came first. 529 cases of infection have been confirmed in
Israel, and nearly 50 in the occupied West Bank.
   (Reuters, 3/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 19, It was reported
that Poland has suspended work at a coronavirus testing laboratory
in Warsaw after one of its employees tested positive for the virus,
effectively sending 17 staff into quarantine. Poland has confirmed
325 coronavirus cases and five deaths to date.
   (Reuters, 3/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 19, Qatar has recorded
452 cases of the coronavirus, the highest number among the six Gulf
Arab states that have reported a total of more than 1,200.
   (AP, 3/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 19, Russian President
Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping discussed the
coronavirus by phone and agreed to deepen cooperation on developing
pharmaceuticals. Russia announced its first coronavirus death. It
has reported 147 confirmed coronavirus cases, but many Russians
believe the real total is far higher.
   (Reuters, 3/19/20)(NY Times, 3/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 19, Top Kremlin critic
Alexei Navalny urged Russians to boycott a vote on constitutional
changes backed by President Vladimir Putin, slamming plans to hold
it during the pandemic.
   (AFP, 3/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 19, Russia has
reported just 199 coronavirus cases and some doctors have questioned
how far the official data reflects reality. A reported sharp
increase in pneumonia cases in Moscow and contradictory information
around the issue fueled fears about the accuracy of official
coronavirus data which remains much lower than many European
countries.
   (Reuters, 3/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 19, In Russia riot
police stormed a protesters' makeshift command post near a
radioactive waste. More than 60 people were detained. Activists in
Moscow vowed to persist with their campaign against plans to
bulldoze a highway through the waste site.
   (SFC, 3/21/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 19, Saudi Arabia said
the government will cut spending by 5%, or about $13.3 billion, to
offset the impact of plunging oil prices and the effects of the new
coronavirus on its economic outlook and deficit. The kingdom has
reported a total of 238 coronavirus cases identified so far.
   (AP, 3/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 19, South African
authorities announced they would erect a fence along its border with
Zimbabwe to prevent illegal immigrants from entering and spreading
the coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 3/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 19, Spanish
authorities promised to take special measures to prevent more deaths
from the coronavirus epidemic in nursing homes after cases of mass
contagion swelled the death toll to 767, 209 more than the previous
day. Total cases were up by a quarter to 17,149.
   (Reuters, 3/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 19, In Syria two
Turkish soldiers were killed Thursday in a rocket attack in
northwestern Idlib province.
   (AP, 3/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 19, It was reported
that Venezuelan utilities have hiked fees and the government plans
to raise taxes, as the economy deteriorates further due to the
spread of coronavirus and the crash in global oil prices adds to the
strain on public coffers. Venezuela has reported 36 coronavirus
cases so far.
   (Reuters, 3/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 20, US Pres. Donald
Trump announced an effective closure of the US border with Mexico,
prohibiting most travel except for trade in the wake of the
coronavirus pandemic.
   (SFC, 3/21/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 20, Treasury Secretary
Steven Mnuchin said the US government is moving its tax filing day
from April 15 to July 15, amid the coronavirus crisis afflicting the
country.
   (Reuters, 3/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 20, In the US 132
state and national groups backing open-government policies released
a joint statement urging officials at all levels of government to
“not retrench” from their duties for public involvement because of
the coronavirus.
   (AP, 3/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 20, The COVID-19
respiratory illness caused by the virus has killed at least 200
people in the United States and infected nearly 13,900. The death
toll from the global pandemic surpassed 10,000 people worldwide with
more than 245,000 people infected.
   (Reuters, 3/20/20)(AP, 3/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 20, The US military
disclosed that some 2,600 US military personnel, including
civilians, are currently in self-isolation in Europe after being
identified as people of concern during the coronavirus outbreak.
   (Reuters, 3/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 20, The US Federal
Aviation Administration (FAA) said it had temporarily closed the air
traffic control tower at John F. Kennedy Airport in New York and
shuttered part of the Indianapolis Air Route Traffic Control Center
for cleaning after workers tested positive for the coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 3/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 20, A US federal judge
approved the extradition of Adem Kostjerevac, a St. Louis County
man, to Bosnia, where he faces a war crime charge. The government of
Bosnia-Herzegovina has accused Kostjerevac of raping a pregnant
Serbian prisoner in 1992. The final decision on extradition is up to
the US Secretary of State.
   (AP, 3/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 20, It was reported
that Senator Richard Burr, Republican of North Carolina and chairman
of the Intelligence Committee, sold hundreds of thousands of
dollars’ worth of stock before the markets plunged. Three other
senators — Dianne Feinstein, Democrat of California; James Inhofe,
Republican of Oklahoma; and Kelly Loeffler, Republican of Georgia —
also sold major holdings, according to disclosure records.
   (NY Times, 3/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 20, Mike Bloomberg's
campaign announced that Bloomberg will transfer $18 million to the
Democratic National Committee (DNC) and several of the field offices
from his 2020 presidential bid to state parties.
   (Reuters, 3/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 20, In Arizona Melissa
Valenzuela (34) was reported missing by her family. She was last
seen three days prior. Her body was found on March 23, and the death
was ruled a homicide. On April 24 Nadine Chavez, Mercedes Gomez,
Christina Gomez and Melissa Servin were arrested in Mesa in
connection to the disappearance and death of Valenzuela.
   (NBC News, 4/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 20, Investigations by
the American Guild of Musical Artists and Los Angeles Opera found
sexual harassment charges against famed tenor Placido Domingo (79)
to be credible. The union said Domingo has resigned and will pay
$500,000 to sexual harassment eradication programs and a fund that
helps opera employees in cirsis.
   (SFC, 3/21/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 20, American country
singer Kenny Rogers (81) died in Sandy Springs, Georgia. During his
six-decade, genre-hopping career, Rogers released 65 albums and sold
more than 165 million records.
   (Reuters,
3/21/20)(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenny_Rogers)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 20, In Florida the
remains of Gannon Stauch (11), a Colorado boy missing since Jan. 27,
were found nearly 1,400 miles away from his home, confirming his
family's worst fears. The discovery led Colorado's El Paso County
District Attorney's Office to file nine additional charges against
his stepmother, Letecia Stauch, who was arrested for Gannon's murder
on March 2 in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
   (ABC News, 3/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 20, In Indiana the
bodies of Felina Lewis (35) and her two daughters were recovered
after two vehicles were swept off a roadway overnight and into a
creek following torrential rainfall. The body of a 3rd sibling was
recovered the next day. Six people were presumed to have drowned in
the tragedy.
   (SSFC, 3/22/20,
p.A5)(https://tinyurl.com/uorcnse)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 20, In Iowa Jacqueline
Rambert (26) of Chicago was sentenced to up to 50 years in prison on
charges stemming from the beating death of her son (5). She had
testified against her former boyfriend, Tre Henderson, who was
convicted on Feb. 13 of first-degree murder and other crimes.
   (SFC, 3/25/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 20, NYC reported 5,151
infections as of this morning out of 17,041 nationwide and 7,102 in
New York state. The virus has caused 29 deaths in NYC.
   (AP, 3/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 20, Google's
google.com/covid19 went live on the web late today offering
education, prevention and local resources related to the novel
coronavirus.
   (AP, 3/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 20, JPMorgan Chase
& Co said it would give "front line employees," workers who are
staffing branches and call centers through the coronavirus pandemic,
a sweetener for their efforts: a one-time $1,000 bonus.
   (Reuters, 3/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 20, Lyft Inc told
drivers they could sign up for delivery services for healthcare,
government services and groceries as ride-hailing demand plummeted
during the rapid spread of coronavirus in the United States.
   (Reuters, 3/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 20, GlaxoSmithKline's
HIV treatments division said it has received approval for its
long-acting HIV injection from Canada's healthcare regulator, in a
major win for the British drugmaker after a US rejection late last
year.
   (Reuters, 3/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 20, Albania passed
measures totaling $370 million in its budget to soften the blow from
the coronavirus crisis, including $25 million for the health sector,
which is expected to deal with more cases than the 70 confirmed so
far.
   (Reuters, 3/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 20, Algerian
protesters called off their weekly anti-government demonstrations
for the first time in more than a year to reduce the spread of
coronavirus. The country has recorded at least 10 deaths and 90
confirmed virus cases.
   (BBC, 3/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 20, Argentina went
into full lockdown mode, with streets in Buenos Aires largely
deserted, while workers and school kids in the capital logged on
remotely to offices, classrooms and even digital dancing lessons,
after a mandatory quarantine was imposed. Argentina has so far
registered 128 confirmed cases of coronavirus, with three deaths.
   (Reuters, 3/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 20, In Belgium the
number of confirmed coronavirus cases rose by 558, or 25%, to 2,815.
   (Bloomberg, 3/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 20, Britain ordered
the closure of pubs and restaurants to slow the spread of the
coronavirus. This came weeks after similar measures by the rest of
Europe.
   (Econ, 3/28/20, p.51)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 20, Bulgaria's
parliament voted to allow the military to help implement measures to
curb the coronavirus, with a mandate to use physical force if
absolutely necessary.
   (Reuters, 3/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 20, China's imported
cases of coronavirus rose to a record 228.
   (Reuters, 3/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 20, Cuba banned all
tourist arrivals, confined vulnerable groups, shut down educational
facilities and suspended interprovincial public transport asit
recorded 21 confirmed cases of the coronavirus.
   (Econ, 4/25/20, p.26)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 20, The Central Bank
of eSwatini (formerly Swaziland) decided to cut its main lending
rate by 100 basis points to 5.5%, citing global and domestic
economic developments, including the impact of coronavirus. The
country has one confirmed case of COVID-19.
   (Reuters, 3/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 20, Finland recorded
its first death from coronavirus. It has 521 confirmed cases, though
it was only testing severely ill people and health-care
professionals.
   (Bloomberg, 3/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 20, Experts at the UN
declared Finland to be the world's happiest nation for the third
year running. The US fell to No. 18.
   (AFP, 3/20/20)   (NY Times,
3/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 20, France sent
security forces into train stations to prevent people from traveling
to their vacation homes, potentially carrying the coronavirus to the
countryside or beaches where medical facilities are less robust.
   (AP, 3/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 20, In Guinea
opposition groups demonstrated against a March 21 referendum that
could allow Pres. Alpha Conde to stay longer in power. The vote
would also choose 14 National Assembly members. Guinea has reported
tow cases of the coronavirus.
   (SFC, 3/21/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 20, In India four men
sentenced to death for the gruesome gang rape and murder of a woman
on a New Delhi bus in 2012 were hanged. The case exposed the scope
of sexual violence in India and prompted horrified Indians to demand
swift justice.
   (AP, 3/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 20, India expanded the
criteria for people who should be tested for coronavirus, as the
world’s second-most populous nation aims to limit the outbreak
locally.
   (Bloomberg, 3/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 20, Jakarta,
Indonesia, declared a state of emergency due to the coronavirus
pandemic. Indonesia had 369 confirmed cases and 32 deaths. Jakarta,
a city of 10 million people, had 215 confirmed infections and 18
deaths.
   (Reuters, 3/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 20, Iran said that
coronavirus has killed 149 more people in the Islamic republic,
raising the country's official death toll from the disease to 1,433.
1,237 more cases have been confirmed over the past 24 hours and
19,644 people are now known to have been infected.
   (AP, 3/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 20, In Iraq virus
cases continued to rise, with 13 dead among 192 confirmed infected.
The economic fallout from the coronavirus coupled with a sudden drop
in oil prices threatened to catapult the country into an
unprecedented crisis.
   (AP, 3/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 20, Israel recorded
its first death from the coronavirus.
   (AP, 3/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 20, In Italy the death
toll from an outbreak of coronavirus in the northern region of
Lombardy, which has borne the brunt of a nationwide contagion, rose
by around 380 in a day to some 2,550.
   (AP, 3/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 20, Lebanon's health
ministry said it has recorded 163 infections from coronavirus so
far. Experts warned Lebanon's healthcare system may be ill-prepared,
as dollar shortages have for months drained it of critical supplies.
   (Reuters, 3/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 20, Mexican Foreign
Minister Marcelo Ebrard said that Mexico will allow the United
States to return to Mexico Central American migrants caught trying
to enter the United States illegally at the US-Mexico border.
However, Mexico will not permit the United States to send back
migrants detained on the joint frontier who are not Mexican or
Central American.
   (Reuters, 3/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 20, North Macedonia
Pres. Stevo Pendarovski signed a final accession document required
for the country to become the next member of NATO.
   (SFC, 3/21/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 20, In Pakistan seven
miners were killed and three injured in a blast inside a coal mine
in Baluchistan province.
   (SFC, 3/21/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 20, Poland's
prosecutor's office said Nearly half a million liters of confiscated
vodka and rectified spirit will be sent to Polish public
institutions in need of disinfectant amid the coronavirus outbreak.
   (Reuters, 3/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 20, South Africa said
coronavirus cases have jumped to 202, the most in the sub-Saharan
region, while the continent's busiest airport said foreigners cannot
disembark. State-owned South African Airways suspended all
international flights until June.
   (AP, 3/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 20, Spanish
authorities said they would turn a Madrid conference center into a
giant makeshift military hospital for thousands of coronavirus
patients, as Europe's second-worst outbreak claimed another 235
lives. With nearly 20,000 cases, Spain overtook Iran to become the
world's third hardest-hit country by the pandemic after China and
Italy. The Madrid region accounts for 628 deaths and 7,165 cases.
   (Reuters, 3/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 20, Mosques in Sri
Lanka were shut indefinitely due to the coronavirus pandemic, and
the island was set to impose a countrywide curfew over the weekend.
   (Reuters, 3/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 20, The Bank of
Thailand held a special meeting and cut its key interest rate by 25
basis points to 0.75%.
   (Economist, 4/4/20, p.29)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 20, Turkey's death
toll due to the coronavirus rose to nine with a total of 670 cases.
   (Reuters, 3/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 21, Vladimir Zelenko
(1973- 2022), a country doctor from upstate New York, posted a video
to YouTube and Facebook in which he claimed a 100 percent success
rate with his three-drug cocktail of the antimalarial drug
hydroxychloroquine, the antibiotic azithromycin and zinc sulfate to
treat COVID-19.
   (NY Times, 7/3/22)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 21, US coronavirus
infections exceeded 17,000, fatalities top 220. Worldwide cases
topped 260,000 with more than 10,000 dead.
   (Bloomberg, 3/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 21, SF Bay Area's
Santa Clara County reported 263 coronavirus cases and 8 deaths, the
highest in the region. The Bay Area accounted for nearly half of the
state's 1,286 cases.
   (SSFC, 3/22/20, p.A12)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 21, Primaries
scheduled for Georgia, Maryland, Indiana, Connecticut and Kentucky
were all reported postponed to May or June due to the coronavirus
pandemic.
   (AP, 3/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 21, Illinois residents
began sheltering in place following orders by Gov. J.B. Pritzker
restricting movement to combat the coronavirus. Illinois had five
deaths from coronavirus with hundreds more testing positive across
22 counties. Similar shelter-in-place actions were taken by
governors in Connecticut and Nevada.
   (Bloomberg, 3/21/20)(SFC, 3/21/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 21, New Jersey
Governor Phil Murphy said he will sign an executive order requiring
all “nonessential” businesses closed to help slow the spread of the
coronavirus.
   (Bloomberg, 3/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 21, New York Gov.
Andrew Cuomo said there are now 10,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19
in the state, an increase of 3,000 in the last 24 hours.
   (Good Morning America, 3/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 21, New York City
Mayor Bill de Blasio said the city will be closing all non-essential
businesses from March 22 to curb the spread of the coronavirus
outbreak. NYC reported at least 38 people testing positive at the
notorious Rikers Island complex and nearby facilities, more than
half of them incarcerated men. Another 58 were being monitored in
the prison's contagious disease and quarantine units. It was
reported that an inmate at a federal jail in NYC has tested positive
for coronavirus, marking the first confirmed case in the US federal
prison system.
   (AP, 3/21/20)(Good Morning America, 3/21/20)(AP,
3/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 21, In Texas Ramiro
Hernandez Ibarra of Mexico (42) died while being held pending his
deportation. He was the 10th person to die in ICE custody since
October.
   (SFC, 3/24/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 21, Amazon.com Inc
said it is raising overtime pay for associates working in its US
warehouses, as the world's largest online retailer tries to meet the
rapidly growing demand for online shopping from consumers stuck at
home during the coronavirus outbreak.
   (Reuters, 3/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 21, Albania's
government deployed the army to enforce a strict 40-hour curfew
starting today to fight the coronavirus after people widely flouted
previous measures aimed at stemming its spread. So far, 76 people
have tested positive for the coronavirus with two deaths.
   (Reuters, 3/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 21, Angola reported
its first two Covid-19 cases.
   (AP, 3/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 21, Bolivia has so far
confirmed 16 cases of coronavirus. Senators approved a motion this
week that promotes use of the traditional medicine, which has long
played a role for indigenous communities in the country.
   (Reuters, 3/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 21, Bosnia reported
its first coronavirus death. The country has so far reported 90
cases.
   (Reuters, 3/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 21, Britain told
people who were panic-buying and hoarding food due to the
coronavirus outbreak to calm down, pointing to a video on social
media showing an exhausted nurse driven to tears by finding shelves
bare after her shift.
   (Reuters, 3/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 21, Bulgaria's main
Orthodox Church urged Christians to stay away from churches and pray
at home as the Balkan country tightens restrictive measures to
contain the spread of coronavirus. The country has reported 142
cases, with three deaths.
   (Reuters, 3/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 21, A Burkina Faso
spokesman said 4 government ministers have tested positive for the
coronavirus, as the number of reported cases rose to 64 from 40, the
highest in West Africa. Two new deaths were reported.
   (Reuters, 3/21/20)(AP, 3/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 21, In Colombia a
prison riot in Bogota left 24 inmates dead. On Nov. 24 Human Rights
Watch reported that most of the prisoners killed were shot to death
intentionally.
   (SFC, 11/25/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 21, Congo DRC reported
its first coronavirus death.
   (AP, 3/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 21, East Timor
reported its first case of coronavirus. The Ministry of Health said
that the case was from someone who had just returned from abroad.
   (Reuters, 3/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 21, Egypt's Coptic
Orthodox Church ordered all its churches to shut their doors and
suspend masses for two weeks over coronavirus fears. Egypt so far
registered 285 confirmed coronavirus cases including eight deaths.
   (Reuters, 3/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 21, LVMH, the world's
biggest luxury goods group, said it is ordering 40 million health
masks from a Chinese supplier to help France cope with the
coronavirus outbreak.
   (Reuters, 3/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 21, In Greece 598
migrants, arrested while crossing to three Greek islands from the
Turkish coast, arrived at a facility in northern Greece where they
were required to remain pending deportation.
   (AP, 3/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 21, In India thousands
of poor city migrants whose livelihoods have collapsed due to
India's coronavirus measures headed back to their villages, raising
fears that the exodus could carry the virus to the countryside.
About one fifth of India's 271 confirmed coronavirus cases has been
reported in the western state of Maharashtra. So far, India has
registered four deaths due to the virus.
   (AP, 3/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 21, In eastern India
17 policemen were killed and 14 others injured in an attack by
Maoist rebels in Bihar state.
   (SFC, 3/23/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 21, Indonesia
confirmed 81 new coronavirus cases and 6 more deaths, bringing the
total number of cases to 450 and deaths to 38.
   (AP, 3/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 21, Iranian President
Hassan Rouhani urged the US public to call on their government to
remove sanctions against the Islamic Republic amid the coronavirus
outbreak. The death toll from the coronavirus reached 1,556 after
the country reported a further 123 fatalities in the past 24 hours.
Iran stood at 20,610 cases after 966 new infections were confirmed
over the past day.
   (Bloomberg, 3/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 21, Iran released
French scholar Roland Marchal in a prisoner exchange between France
and the Islamic Republic. France released Iranian engineer Jalal
Rouhollahnejad in the exchange. The swap came after some 85,000
prisoners in Iran were released on furlough following a major
outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic in the country, where it has so
far killed more than 1,500 people.
   (Bloomberg, 3/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 21, Italy reported 793
coronavirus deaths, raising the total to 4,825.
   (Bloomberg, 3/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 21, In Jordan air raid
sirens echoed across Amman to mark the start of a three-day curfew,
the latest mass lockdown in the Middle East aimed at containing the
coronavirus.
   (AP, 3/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 21, Luxembourg
coronavirus cases rose to 670 from 484 and deaths to eight.
   (Bloomberg, 3/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 21, Malaysia's Health
Ministry reported five more deaths and 153 new infections.
Coronavirus cases jumped to 1,183 with eight deaths. Officials
warned of a spike next week as they track down people who attended a
large religious gathering linked to most of the cases.
   (Reuters, 3/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 21, Mauritius recorded
its first coronavirus death as case numbers rose to 14.
   (Reuters, 3/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 21, Mexico confirmed
its second death as medical experts worry that Latin America is
unprepared for a larger outbreak.
   (Bloomberg, 3/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 21, A Mexican navy
helicopter crashed during an anti-kidnapping operation in Veracruz
state. One police officer was killed and 10 military personnel
injured.
   (SFC, 3/23/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 21, In the
Netherlands, coronavirus fatalities increased by 30 to 136. The
total number of cases is 3,631.
   (Bloomberg, 3/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 21, Nigeria announced
it is closing airports as of March 23 to all incoming international
flights for one month due to the coronavirus pandemic.
   (AP, 3/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 21, In Nigeria Boko
Haram extremists killed at least 50 government soldiers in an ambush
hear Goneri village, Yobe state.
   (SFC, 3/25/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 21, North Korea fired
what appeared to be two short-range ballistic missiles off its east
coast, the latest in a series of such launches by Pyongyang.
   (AFP, 3/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 21, North Macedonia's
first victim died of the coronavirus. The country has registered 114
cases of people infected with the virus.
   (Reuters, 3/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 21, Pakistan suspended
all international flights for two weeks to limit the spread of
coronavirus. The country reported its third coronavirus death, with
confirmed cases rising to 534.
   (Reuters, 3/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 21, Peru reported its
first coronavirus fatalities.
   (AP, 3/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 21, The Philippines'
health ministry reported 45 more confirmed cases of coronavirus,
bringing today's tally to 77. Confirmed cases in the Philippines now
totaled 307 and 19 dead.
   (Reuters, 3/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 21, Portuguese
coronavirus cases increased 25% to 1,280, with 12 deaths.
   (Bloomberg, 3/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 21, Russia's largest
carmaker Avtovaz reported the first two cases of the coronavirus
among its workers. Russia has so far reported 253 cases of the virus
and one death, and has introduced a raft of economic and social
measures to limit its spread.
   (Reuters, 3/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 21, Saudi Arabia
announced 48 new coronavirus cases, bringing the total to 392, with
five of the new infections being healthcare workers in Riyadh.
   (Good Morning America, 3/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 21, In Serbia a fire
in a residential building in Belgrade killed six people.
   (SSFC, 3/22/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 21, Singapore reported
47 new cases of coronavirus, which were mainly imported, taking the
city-state's tally to 432 infections. Singapore reported its first
two coronavirus deaths.
   (Reuters, 3/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 21, In Slovakia a
4-party coaltion government was sworn in under PM Igor Matovic.
   (SFC, 5/1/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 21, South Africa,
which has the most cases in sub-Saharan Africa, confirmed 38 new
coronavirus cases, taking its total to 240.
   (Reuters, 3/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 21, Deaths from the
coronavirus in Spain jumped 32% to 1,326, a week after the country
went into a national lockdown to try to slow the spread of the
disease. Total cases reached 24,926. The Health Ministry reported
324 new deaths and 4,946 new cases.
   (Bloomberg, 3/21/20)(Good Morning America,
3/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 21, Sri Lanka's
government closed all bars and liquor shops. Police arrested 30
people from various parts of the country for violating curfew,
adding the curfew has been imposed till the morning of March. Sri
Lanka has reported 72 confirmed coronavirus cases.
   (Reuters, 3/21/20)(Econ, 4/25/20, p.28)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 21, In Sri Lanka one
prisoner was killed and four others wounded when guards opened fire
during a protest at the Anuradhapura prison.
   (SSFC, 3/22/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 21, Switzerland
reported 6,100 coronavirus infections, some 25% more than a day
earlier, and 56 deaths.
   (Reuters, 3/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 21, Taiwan reported 18
new coronavirus cases, all imported from people coming from
countries including the United States, Britain, South Africa and
Indonesia or those having contact with them, bring the total number
of infected to 153.
   (Reuters, 3/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 21, Thailand’s capital
imposed a partial shutdown from March 22 after novel coronavirus
cases surged past 400 with a rising number of people in critical
condition.
   (Bloomberg, 3/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 21, Turkey extended
measures against the coronavirus, suspended flights with 46 more
countries and banning picnics and barbecues, as the number of cases
has roughly doubled every day for a week.
   (AP, 3/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 21, Ukraine further
restricted the use of public transport in its capital Kiev as it
battles to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Ukraine has reported
41 cases of the virus and three deaths.
   (Reuters, 3/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 21, Vietnam's
coronavirus cases rose to 94 with no deaths. The government said it
will bar entry for all foreigners from March 22, except for special
cases, as the country seeks to contain the spread of the virus.
   (Reuters, 3/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 22, US Pres. Donald
Trump said he’s ordered the Federal Emergency Management Agency
(FEMA) to ship mobile hospital centers to the hard-hit states of
Washington, California and New York.
   (AP, 3/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 22, US Treasury
Secretary Steven Mnuchin said the lockdown affecting large segments
of the American public to try to curb the spread of the coronavirus
is likely to last 10 to 12 weeks, or until early June. US
coronavirus infections reached 26,747. The global number of
coronavirus cases doubled in a week to 311,000.
   (Reuters, 3/22/20)(Bloomberg, 3/22/20)(Good
Morning America, 3/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 22, It was reported
that the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has stepped up a
fight last week with its largest swoop against the Jalisco New
Generation Cartel (CJNG) on US soil, arresting more than 600 people
accused of being linked to its sprawling criminal network. Last
month the DEA arrested the daughter of cartel leader Nemesio
Oseguera Cervantes (53), aka El Mencho, in Washington and extradited
his son from Mexico to the US.
   (Reuters, 3/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 22, Hawaii's Gov.
David Ige instituted a mandatory 14-day self-quarantine starting
March 26 of all people traveling to the state as part of efforts to
fight the spread of coronavirus. Hawaii announced 11 new cases of
the virus bringing the state's total to 48.
   (SFC, 3/23/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 22, It was reported
that Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) has tested positive for COVID-19. He is
the first member of the US Senate to be infected. Paul, an eye
surgeon, went into quarantine after learning his results.
   (AP, 3/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 22, In West Virginia
an infection cluster of coronavirus began with a single case at the
Morgantown nursing home. Eight staffers and 21 residents soon tested
positive for the virus.
   (SFC, 3/28/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 22, The Niagara
Gazette reported that former Hollywood producer and convicted rapist
Harvey Weinstein has tested positive for the COVID-19 coronavirus.
   (The Week, 3/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 22, Abkhazia, a
breakaway region of the Georgian republic, held a presidential
election to replace Raul Khadzhimba, the leader who stepped down in
January under pressure from the opposition. With a population of
about 250,000, Abkhazia is recognized as a sovereign state only by
Russia and a handful of other countries.
   (Reuters, 3/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 22, Afghanistan
reported its first coronavirus death. The war-ravaged country
reported 10 new cases raising to 34 the number of confirmed cases.
   (AP, 3/22/20)(Reuters, 3/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 22, Albania said it
will suspend all commercial flights to and from the country from
midnight, allowing only flag carrier Air Albania to fly to Turkey
and operate humanitarian flights. There have been 76 coronavirus
cases in Albania and two deaths.
   (Reuters, 3/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 22, Australia said it
will enforce more stringent controls to slow the spread of the
coronavirus, closing pubs, casinos, restaurants and other venues
from March 23 after the number of infections in the nation surged
past 1,000.
   (Bloomberg, 3/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 22, Brazil's health
ministry statistics showed 1,546 confirmed cases, up from 234 cases
a week before. The respiratory disease caused by the virus has
killed 25 people.
   (Reuters, 3/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 22, Britain warned it
will impose tighter restrictions if citizens fail to follow
government calls to stop non-essential travel and gatherings to curb
the spread of the coronavirus. The UK reported 281 total deaths due
to COVID-19. The government said there are 5,683 confirmed cases,
with London hardest hit.
   (Bloomberg, 3/22/20)(Reuters, 3/22/20)(Reuters,
3/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 22, Bulgarian
President Rumen Radev partially vetoed a state of emergency law
intended to limit the spread of the coronavirus, saying some of the
measures would create more problems than solutions.
   (Reuters, 3/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 22, Cambodia reported
31 new cases of coronavirus, 29 of them among French tourists,
bringing the total number of infections recorded in the country to
84. Two Cambodians who were infected had been tour guides
accompanying the tourists.
   (Reuters, 3/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 22, The Canadian
Olympic Committee said it won't send athletes to the Tokyo Games
unless they're postponed for a year.
   (AP, 3/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 22, China reported 46
new cases of coronavirus, the fourth straight day with an increase,
with all but one of those imported from overseas.
   (Reuters, 3/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 22, The South China
Morning Post reported that as many as a third of the people who test
positive for the coronavirus may show delayed symptoms or none at
all.
   (Bloomberg, 3/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 22, It was reported
that Colombian authorities were trying to quell riots in several
jails across the country amid fears that the coronavirus could
spread in overcrowded conditions. 23 prisoners died and another 83
were injured in a riot and attempted escape attempt at the La Modelo
jail in Bogota. Colombia has confirmed 231 cases of coronavirus.
   (Bloomberg, 3/22/20)(SFC, 3/23/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 22, In Croatia a
strong earthquake in Zagreb caused panic, the evacuation of
hospitals and widespread damage including to the capital's iconic
cathedral. One person was killed and at least 27 injured.
   (AP, 3/22/20)(SFC, 3/24/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 22, The number of
coronavirus cases in the Czech Republic has risen to 1,047 as of
this morning. The Czech Rep. recorded its first COVID-19 death. A
year later almost 25,000 were dead.
   (Reuters, 3/22/20)(SFC, 3/23/21, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 22, Dubai's
state-owned Emirates, one of the world's biggest long-haul airlines,
said it would stop nearly all passenger flights this week and cut
staff wages by as much as half because of the coronavirus impact on
travel demand.
   (Reuters, 3/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 22, Dubai canceled the
Dubai World Cup, the world's richest purse in horse racing, until
2021.
   (AP, 3/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 22, In Ethiopia a
cargo flight containing more than 6 million medical items arrived in
Addis Ababa. The supplies from Jack Ma, the founder of China's
e-commerce giant Alibaba, will be distributed to African countries
in need of supplies to battle the spreading COVID-19 pandemic.
   (AP, 3/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 22, In France
fatalities due to coronavirus rise to 562. An emergency room doctor
in Northern France died from Covid-19, the first medic to die in
that country.
   (Bloomberg, 3/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 22, Germany received
the green light from EU regulators for subsidized loans to companies
hit by the coronavirus pandemic. Germany tightened curbs on social
interaction, including a ban on public meetings of more than two
people for at least the next two weeks, to slow the spread of the
coronavirus.
   (Bloomberg, 3/22/20)(Reuters, 3/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 22, Guinea held a
constitutional referendum that opponents of President Alpha Conde
fear could allow him to govern for 12 more years. An opposition
boycott all but ensured the new basic law will be approved when
results are announced in the coming days. With the first two cases
of the COVID-19 disease recorded in the country, some polling
stations required voters to wash their hands before casting their
ballot. On March 27 Guinea’s electoral commission said nearly 92% of
voters supported the proposal, which would keep a two-term limit on
presidencies, but increase the length of each term from five years
to six.
   (Reuters, 3/22/20)(AP, 3/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 22, India suspended
passenger train services across the country until March 31 as the
government sought to curb the spread of the coronavirus outbreak.
Freight services will continue. coronavirus cases rose to 341, while
the country confirmed its fifth death from the virus.
   (AP, 3/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 22, Iran's supreme
leader refused US assistance to fight the new coronavirus, citing an
unfounded conspiracy theory claiming the virus could be man-made by
America. His comments came as Iran confirmed over 21,600 cases amid
1,685 reported deaths, The total number of cases in Iran stood at
21,638 people, with 1,028 new cases added over the past day. Iran
imposed a two-week closure on major shopping malls and centers
across the country. Pharmacies, supermarkets, groceries and bakeries
will remain open.
   (Bloomberg, 3/22/20)(AP, 3/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 22, Iraq has reported
20 coronavirus fatalities among 233 confirmed cases. Iraq's
government has extended a curfew on travel in and out of Baghdad
until March 28 as part of strict measures to prevent the virus from
spreading.
   (AP, 3/22/20)(Reuters, 3/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 22, In Israel new
rules prohibiting most Israelis from leaving their homes for the
next seven days took effect as the number of confirmed coronavirus
cases soared to 945. The Health Minsitry has reported one death.
   (Bloomberg, 3/22/20)(AP, 3/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 22, Italy was rocked
by its deadliest day as the coronavirus prompted industry shutdown.
The death toll from the coronavirus in the northern region of
Lombardy, which has borne the brunt of Italy's contagion, has risen
by around 360 in a day to more than 3,450. Italy's coronavirus
infections continued to soar, with 59,000 cases and 5,476 deaths.
   (Bloomberg, 3/22/20)(Reuters, 3/22/20)(AP,
3/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 22, Fifty-two medics
from Cuba arrived in Italy to assist with the coronavirus pandemic.
   (Economist, 4/4/20, p.25)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 22, Japan's Oita
prefecture confirmed two new coronavirus infections at a medical
center, bringing the total at the facility to 14 and making it a
suspected cluster.
   (Reuters, 3/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 22, Japan's Olympics
organizers were reported to be drawing up plans for possible delay,
even as the government says a postponement is not an option.
   (Reuters, 3/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 22, Japan-based Toyota
Motor Corp said it would suspend production on one of its vehicle
production lines at a plant near its headquarters through March 25,
after a second plant worker tested positive for the COVID-19 virus.
   (Reuters, 3/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 22, Kosovo reported
the country's first victim of the coronavirus. The country has
registered 31 cases of people infected with the virus.
   (Reuters, 3/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 22, In Lebanon unknown
assailants shot dead Antoine Hayek, a former member of an
Israeli-backed Lebanese militia, inside his grocery store in the
southern village of Mieh Mieh, near the port city of Sidon. Hayek
had been a warden at a prison run by the South Lebanon Army militia
during Israel's 18-year occupation of southern Lebanon, which ended
in 2000.
   (AP, 3/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 22, Malta said it is
closing all non-essential shops and services to stop the spread of
coronavirus. The number of confirmed virus cases in the country rose
to 90 with 17 cases reported overnight.
   (Reuters, 3/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 22, In Mexico the
mayor of Mexico City shut bars and banned large gatherings to slow
the spread of the coronavirus.
   (Econ, 3/28/20, p.32)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 22, In Pakistan Dr
Osama Riaz, who screened suspected coronavirus patients, died after
testing positive for the coronavirus, highlighting the danger to
physicians who have threatened to strike unless access to protection
equipment improves. Pakistan has reported three deaths and 658
patients infected with the coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 3/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 22, The Palestinian
Authority, which governs parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank,
announced a 14-day curfew, ordering everyone to stay at home except
for security forces, medics and food sellers. It also closed all
major roads. The PA has reported 59 coronavirus cases. Authorities
in Gaza confirmed the enclave's first two coronavirus cases
overnight in returnees who had come from Pakistan.
   (AP, 3/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 22, The Netherlands
reported 573 more coronavirus virus cases for a total of 4,203 with
179 deaths.
   (AP, 3/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 22, North Korea
reported that President Donald Trump has sent a personal letter to
leader Kim Jong Un, seeking to maintain good relations and offering
cooperation in fighting the coronavirus pandemic.
   (AP, 3/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 22, Portuguese
authorities began the coronavirus testing and repatriation process
for 1,338 passengers aboard the MSC Fantasia cruise ship en route
from Brazil that docked in Lisbon after its other European stopovers
were canceled.
   (Reuters, 3/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 22, The Romanian
government confirmed the first death in the country due to
coronavirus.
   (AP, 3/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 22, In Russia
small-scale protests against Vladimir Putin's plans to amend the
Russian constitution so he can run for president again in 2024 took
place in several medium-sized cities. Protests were called off in
Moscow and St. Petersburg due to measures imposed to contain the
spread of coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 3/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 22, The Russian
military started sending medical help to Italy in order to help it
battle the new coronavirus after receiving an order from Pres.
Vladimir Putin following a conversation a day earlier with Italian
PM Giuseppe Conte. Russia itself has reported 306 cases of the
virus, most of them in Moscow, and one coronavirus-related death.
   (Reuters, 3/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 22, Rwanda began a
two-week lockdown, restricting travel between towns and cities and
asking people to stay indoors. The East African nation has 41
confirmed Covid-19 cases.
   (https://allafrica.com/stories/202003260464.html)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 22, South Africa-based
Standard Bank said it will give a payment holiday to small
businesses and full-time students in a bid to ease financial
pressures on its customers as COVID-19 spread across the country.
South Africa has confirmed 240 cases of the virus so far.
   (Reuters, 3/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 22, The South African
Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) said around 1,240 German
passengers stranded in Cape Town after their MV AidAmira cruise ship
was quarantined for almost a week due to a coronavirus scare had
either begun their journey home or would do so in the next day.
   (Reuters, 3/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 22, South Korea
reported 98 new coronavirus cases, bringing the total to 8,897. The
number of deaths rose by two to 104.
   (Bloomberg, 3/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 22, Spain's death toll
from coronavirus soared to 1,720 from 1,326 the day before. The
one-day rise in deaths of 394 was higher than the previous day's
increase of 324.
   (Reuters, 3/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 22, In Switzerland,
7,014 people tested positive for coronavirus, up from 6,113 a day
earlier. Four more patients died, bringing the total to 60.
   (Bloomberg, 3/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 22, Syrian President
Bashar Assad granted amnesty and reduced sentences for all crimes
committed before today, while also offering amnesty to military
deserters who turn themselves in within the next few months.
   (AP, 3/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 22, Syria reported its
first case of the coronavirus.
   (Econ, 3/28/20, p.44)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 22, Taiwan announced
16 new confirmed cases of coronavirus with 13 of them imported. The
number of total confirmed cases rose to 169. Taiwan said it will
suspend transit of international passengers through its airports
from March 24 to April 7.
   (AP, 3/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 22, Thailand reported
188 more coronavirus cases, the highest daily increase so far,
bringing the total to 599.
   (Reuters, 3/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 22, Coronavirus cases
in Turkey soared as countries across the Middle East imposed new
restrictions on movement of people, shut public places and rolled
out measures to protect businesses. Turkey now has 947 confirmed
cases of the virus, with 21 deaths.
   (Bloomberg, 3/22/20)(Good Morning America,
3/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 22, Uzbekistan ordered
all companies in Tashkent to switch to remote working and made
protective masks mandatory in all major cities in order to prevent
the spread of coronavirus. The country has confirmed 43 cases of the
disease and has already closed its borders.
   (AP, 3/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 22, Vietnam closed its
borders to all foreigners. This made it more difficult for rat
catchers in Cambodia's rice fields to market their catch in Vietnam.
   (https://tinyurl.com/u22tj88u)(Econ., 1/2/21,
p.26)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 22, Zimbabwe
journalist Zororo Makamba (30) became the country's first
coronavirus casualty. He had undergone surgery last November to
remove a tumor from under his lung and was in recovery.
   (BBC, 3/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 23, President Trump
said major disaster declarations were underway for California, New
York and Washington, the three states hardest hit by the
coronavirus. With more than 15,000 confirmed cases.
   (NY Times, 3/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 23, President Donald
Trump said he was considering how to restart business life when a
15-day shutdown ends next week, even as the highly contagious virus
spreads rapidly and poorly equipped hospitals struggle with a wave
of deadly cases.
   (Reuters, 3/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 23, The US Federal
Reserve announced a second wave of initiatives, including buying an
unlimited amount of bonds to keep borrowing costs low and setting up
programs to ensure credit flows to corporations and state and local
governments. The ship had docked in Japan on Feb. 5 and was placed
under quarantine for more than two weeks.
   (Bloomberg, 3/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 23, The US Supreme
Court limited the rights of criminal defendants, declaring that
states can bar them from using the so-called insanity defense in a
ruling involving a Kansas man sentenced to death for killing four
members of his family.
   (Reuters, 3/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 23, A report released
by the US Centers for Disease Control said traces of the coronavirus
remained inside cabins of the Diamond Princess for more than two
weeks after the cruise ship was vacated. The ship had docked in
Japan on Feb. 5 and was placed under quarantine for more than two
weeks.
   (Good Morning America, 3/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 23, California's Chief
Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauje suspended all jury trials in the state
for two months to help prevent the spread of coronavirus.
   (SFC, 3/25/20, p.A8)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 23, It was reported
that Pacific Gas & Electric has agreed to plead guilty to 84
involuntary manslaughter counts in connection with the 2018 Camp
Fire, the most destructive wildfire in California's history.
   (Reuters, 3/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 23, Hawaii Gov. David
Ige signed a proclamation late today, ordering the entire state to
stay at home and work from home, starting Wednesday after midnight
and lasting through the end of April.
   (Good Morning America, 3/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 23, Governors of
Michigan, Massachusetts, West Virginia and Wisconsin implemented
stay-at-home policies. Worldwide cases of coronavirus top 372,000
and 16,000 dead.
   (Bloomberg, 3/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 23, In New York as of
this morning, there have been at least 33,018 cases of coronavirus
confirmed by lab tests and 428 deaths, according to a New York Times
database. New York State now accounted for roughly 5 percent of the
world’s total tally.
   (NY Times, 3/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 23, In Oklahoma Jerry
Drake Varnell (26) was sentenced to 25 years in prison after being
convicted of trying to blow up an Oklahoma City bank in August 2017
with a massive vehicle bomb. The FBI had learned of Varnell's plan
and an undercover agent posed as someone who could help construct
the bomb, but instead provided inert materials.
   (AP, 3/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 23, Texas Attorney
General Ken Paxton said that an order issued over the weekend by
Gov. Greg Abbott barred “any type of abortion that is not medically
necessary to preserve the life or health of the mother”.
   (AP, 3/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 23, In Washington
state 14 escaped from the Yakima County Jail. Eight were soon
captured and six were still on the loose.
   (NBC News, 3/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 23, Boeing Co. said it
is temporarily shuttering its Seattle-area factories, compounding
hurdles for a company already reeling from the grounding of its
top-selling plane. The shutdown will begin March 25 and last 14
days.
   (Bloomberg, 3/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 23, Ford Motor Co it
has decided to temporarily halt vehicle and engine production at its
factories in India, South Africa, Thailand and Vietnam in response
to the growing impact of the coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 3/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 23, Australia’s
parliament rushed through more than A$80 billion ($46.3 billion) in
fiscal stimulus for the coronavirus-stricken economy at a special
sitting in Canberra. Cases of coronavirus reached 1,709 as at 3
p.m., up 313 since 3 p.m. the day before.
   (Reuters, 3/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 23, Austria said it is
mobilizing its military reservists for the first time since World
War Two, asking them to fight the coronavirus outbreak by helping
with food supplies, medical support and police operations. Austria
has reported nearly 4,000 cases with 21 deaths so far.
   (Reuters, 3/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 23, PM Boris Johnson
brought Britain into alignment with lockdowns across Europe, closing
all nonessential shops and requiring people to stay in their homes,
except for trips for food or medicine due to the coronavirus
pandemic.
   (NY Times, 3/24/20)(Economist, 4/4/20, p.41)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 23, Scientists at
Britain's Oxford University said they have started a clinical trial
to investigate the effects of an HIV medicine and a steroid drug in
UK patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19 caused by the new
coronavirus. It will test AbbVie's Kaletra: a combination of
lopinavir and ritonavir which is normally used to treat the Human
Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) that causes AIDS - and the steroid
dexamethasone, which is used to reduce inflammation in a wide range
of conditions.
   (Reuters, 3/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 23, Bulgaria's
parliament agreed to cancel some parts of a law that establishes a
state of emergency to limit the spread of the coronavirus after the
president wielded his veto citing concerns about its impact on the
economy and on free speech. Bulgaria had 190 confirmed cases of the
coronavirus and three deaths.
   (Reuters, 3/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 23, Cambodia reported
three new coronavirus cases, bringing the total to 87.
   (Reuters, 3/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 23, Boko Haram
Islamist militants killed more than 92 Chadian soldiers in attack on
an island in Lake Chad.
   (BBC, 3/25/20)(SFC, 4/11/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 23, Egypt has reported
around coronavirus 330 cases and 16 deaths. Tens of thousands of
people working in the major tourist destinations of Luxor, Hurghada
and Sharm el-Sheikh, along with 300 families in the Nile Delta, have
been ordered into 14-day quarantine.
   (AP, 3/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 23, The European Union
said it will send 20 million euros in humanitarian aid to Iran,
which is subject to US sanctions, to help alleviate the coronavirus,
and will also support Tehran's request for IMF financial help.
   (Reuters, 3/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 23, Germany barred
public gatherings of more than two people, except for families, and
Chancellor Angela Merkel said she was going into isolation because
her doctor had tested positive for the virus. Germany signed off on
taking on billions in new debt as part of an unprecedented package
totaling more than 750 billion euros ($800 billion) to cushion the
fallout from the coronavirus pandemic.
   (NY Times, 3/23/20)(Bloomberg, 3/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 23, Greece's largest
carrier Aegean Airlines said it will suspend all of its
international flights from March 26 to April 30 as a result of the
spread of the coronavirus and flight restrictions.
   (Reuters, 3/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 23, Iran announced 127
new deaths from the novel coronavirus, raising the official toll to
1,812 in one of the worst hit countries.
   (AFP, 3/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 23, Iraq’s Health
Ministry has reported 23 fatalities among 266 confirmed coronavirus
cases.
   (AP, 3/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 23, In Italy the death
toll from an outbreak of coronavirus in the northern region of
Lombardy has risen by around 320 in a day to more than 3,770. Unions
in the Lombardy region announced strikes to protect the health of
their workers, saying a government decree temporarily shutting
businesses due to the coronavirus emergency contained too many
loopholes and exceptions.
   (AP, 3/23/20)(Reuters, 3/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 23, Italy's number of
new Covid-19 cases dropped to a five-day low. Italian health
authorities announced 4,789 new cases in the last 24 hours. The
number of coronavirus cases in Italy has risen to 63,927 " compared
to 81,093 in mainland China. In total, 6,077 people have died in
Italy due to Covid-19, including 601 who died in the last 24 hours,
a decline from the weekend.
   (South China Morning Post, 3/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 23, Japan's PM Shinzo
Abe suggested that the Summer Olympics in Tokyo might need to be
postponed, hours after Canada and Australia threatened to boycott
the Games.
   (NY Times, 3/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 23, Jordan said it
would extend a curfew indefinitely, with supermarkets and other
stores closed, and deliver food across the country to try to rein in
the coronavirus. Jordan has reported 112 coronavirus cases and six
deaths.
   (Reuters, 3/23/20)(AP, 3/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 23, Lebanon's Finance
Minsitry said that it will stop paying all maturing Eurobonds in
foreign currencies amid a crippling economic and financial crisis.
Lebanon defaulted when it failed to make a payment of $1.2 billion
on a hard-currency bond. PM Hassan Diabestimated an $83 billion loss
in the banking sector.
   (SFC, 3/24/20, p.A2)(Econ., 11/7/20, p.66)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 23, In Libya at least
five civilians were killed, including two members of the same
family, by heavy shelling in Tripoli.
   (AP, 3/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 23, In Mexico
unidentified gunmen killed Isaac Medardo Herrera, a lawyer and
activist who defended the rural Los Venados tract against
development near Cuernavaca.
   (SFC, 3/25/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 23, In northern
Mozambique militants staged an overnight attack on Mocimboa de
Praia, taking a military base and raising their flag. The transport
hub is near what may be Africa's largest ever gas project.
   (AP, 3/23/20)(Economist, 4/4/20, p.9)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 23, Myanmar's
government designated the Arakan Army as a terrorist organization
and blocked access to several news websites that reported on
conflicts in Rakhine and Chin states.
   (Econ, 4/18/20, p.26)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 23, In the Netherlands
the number of confirmed coronavirus infections increased by 13% from
a day earlier and 34 more people died. There were 545 new
infections, taking the total to 4,749 with 213 deaths.
   (Reuters, 3/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 23, In northeastern
Nigeria around government 70 soldiers were killed in an Islamist
militant ambush in the village of Gorgi, Borno state. 47 soldiers
were killed in a Boko Haram ambush on a convoy that had left the
north-eastern city of Maiduguri carrying ammunition.
   (Reuters, 3/24/20)(BBC, 3/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 23, Norway's foreign
ministry said the UN will create a fund to support the treatment of
coronavirus patients worldwide. Almost 340,000 people have been
infected by the novel coronavirus across the world and more than
14,500 have died.
   (AP, 3/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 23, A court in
southern Poland convicted three Polish men of terrorism charges
related to the torching of a Hungarian center in Ukraine in February
2018. The group's leader, Michal Prokopowicz (29) was given a
three-year prison term. Tomasz Szymkowiak (23) was sentenced to two
years in prison. Both had pleaded not guilty. Adrian Marglewski (26)
cooperated with investigators and was given two years of supervised
release and 40 hours of community service.
   (AP, 3/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 23, Russian PM Mikhail
Mishustin gave the authorities five days to develop a system that
would track and notify people who have come in contact with any
known carriers of coronavirus. The system would simultaneously
notify special regional headquarters set up to fight the pandemic.
   (The Daily Beast, 3/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 23, Saudi Arabia
announced overnight that an evening curfew would go into effect
starting today from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. for 21 days.
   (AP, 3/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 23, In Scotland an
Edinburgh jury acquitted former leader Alex Salmond (65) of sex
crimes involving allegations from nine women.
   (SFC, 3/24/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 23, Singapore reported
its biggest one-day jump in coronavirus infections with 54 new
cases, of which 48 were imported.
   (Bloomberg, 3/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 23, South Africa's
coronavirus cases jumped to 402, up 128 from the day before. South
Africa has not registered a death from the disease.
   (AP, 3/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 23, Syrians rushed to
stock up on food and fuel amid fears that authorities would resort
to even stricter measures after reporting the first coronavirus
infection in the country, where the healthcare system has been
decimated by nearly a decade of civil war. An open-ended curfew went
into effect in parts of northern and eastern Syria, which are
controlled by a Kurdish-led civilian administration.
   (AP, 3/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 23, Amnesty Int'l.
said new conscripts in Thailand military are physically, sexually
and mentally abused with some cases amounting to torture.
   (SFC, 3/24/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 23, Tunisia's
President Kais Saied ordered the army to deploy in the streets to
force people to respect a lockdown imposed to halt the spread of
coronavirus. Tunisia has 89 confirmed cases of the virus.
   (Reuters, 3/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 23, Istanbul's Grand
Bazaar, one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world,
closed in a bid to stop the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. It
dated back to 1455 and is often regarded as one of the first
shopping malls.
  Â
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Bazaar,_Istanbul)(https://tinyurl.com/ychn4qdy)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 23, The United Arab
Emirates, home to the world's busiest international airport in
Dubai, announced it was suspending all passenger flights and the
transit of airline passengers in the country for two weeks to stymie
the spread of the new coronavirus.
   (AP, 3/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 23, Vietnam's PM
Nguyen Xuan Phuc said next 10-15 days will be decisive in Vietnam's
fight against the coronavirus. There were now 122 cases, according
to the health ministry, and no reported deaths.
   (Reuters, 3/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 24, Senior Pentagon
leaders said that the fast-spreading coronavirus outbreak that has
hit the United States could continue for months and the military
would continue to support efforts to counter it for as long as
needed. More than 42,000 people in the United States have contracted
COVID-19, and at least 620 have died.
   (Reuters, 3/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 24, Governors across
the US rejected President Donald Trump's new accelerated timeline
for reopening the US economy, as they continued to impose more
restrictions on travel and public life in an attempt to curb the
spread of the coronavirus.
   (AP, 3/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 24, The US State
Department said it was cutting $1 billion to Afghanistan this year,
and potentially another $1 billion in 2021, after rival Afghan
leaders failed to support a unified government. It’s a condition
that US diplomats consider crucial for peace talks.
   (NY Times, 3/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 24, The US Department
of Health and Human Services (HHS) said it had awarded $100 million
to 1,381 health centers across the nation to bolster their response
to the coronavirus pandemic.
   (Reuters, 3/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 24, The US Olympic and
Paralympic Committee joined growing demands to postpone the Tokyo
Olympics.
   (NY Times, 3/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 24, Wall Street
bounced from three-year lows on hopes of a major fiscal stimulus to
blunt the economic damage from the coronavirus. The dollar fell
broadly, sliding for a second consecutive day after the US Federal
Reserve stepped up measures to shield an economy reeling from
emergency restrictions on commerce to fight the coronavirus. The
DJIA rose 2,2112.98, its biggest point gain in history, to 20,704.91
as Congress and the White House neared a deal to inject almost $2
trillion of aid into the economy ravaged by the coronavirus.
   (AP, 3/24/20)(Reuters, 3/24/20)(SFC, 3/25/20,
p.C1)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 24, Colorado repealed
its seldom-used death penalty, becoming the 22nd state to eliminate
capital punishment.
   (NY Times, 3/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 24, Terrence McNally
(81), a Tony-winning playwright, librettist and screenwriter, died
in Florida from complications of the COVID-19 coronavirus. His work
included "Kiss of the Spider Woman" (1993), "Love! Valour!
Compassion!" (1995) and "Master Class" (1996).
   (SFC, 3/25/20, p.B3)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 24, Gov. Andrew Cuomo
said New York state now has over 25,000 diagnosed cases of
coronavirus, including over 14,900 in New York City.
   (AP, 3/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 24, Brazil's President
Jair Bolsonaro laid to rest a diplomatic spat with China in a call
with President Xi Jinping, with the two agreeing to work together to
fight coronavirus as Brazil's largest city went into lockdown. In a
televised speech Bolsonaro urged local governments to abandon
"scorched-earth" strategies of closing schools and shops, and
blasted the media for spreading "the sensation of fear".
   (Reuters, 3/24/20)(Econ, 3/28/20, p.29)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 24, New York-based
Human Rights Watch said Cambodia has arrested 17 people since late
January for sharing information about the coronavirus in Cambodia,
including four members or supporters of the dissolved opposition
Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP).
   (Reuters, 3/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 24, Canadian banks
followed US heavyweights in offering one-time bonuses and extra paid
days off to customer-service employees who are required to work in
branches and call centers amid the coronavirus crisis.
   (Reuters, 3/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 24, It was reported
that death squads in Colombia are taking advantage of coronavirus
lockdowns to murder rural activists. The virus has now claimed three
lives in Colombia amid 277 confirmed cases.
   (The Guardian, 3/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 24, Egyptian PM
Moustafa Madbouly said Egypt will impose a two-week nightly curfew
in an effort to stop the spread of the new coronavirus.
   (AP, 3/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 24, Ethiopian PM Abiy
Ahmed called on G-20 leaders to assist Africa with $150 billion in
emergency funding and write off or convert debts of low-income
countries.
   (Bloomberg, 3/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 24, European affairs
ministers agreed to allow Albania and North Macedonia to begin EU
membership talks.
   (SFC, 3/25/20, p.A3)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 24, The healthcare
unit of French industrial gases company Air Liquide said it was
ramping up production of ventilators needed by hospitals to deal
with the coronavirus outbreak. France has recorded 1,100 coronavirus
deaths and 22,302 cases.
   (Reuters, 3/24/20)(AFP, 3/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 24, In France Manu
Dibango (86), a Cameroonian-born saxophonist, died with the
coronavirus. He had gained international fame with his 1972 song
"Soul Makossa".
   (SFC, 3/25/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 24, In Germany Bjoern
Hoecke and Andreas Kalbitz, the leading figures of the radical Wing
faction of the far-right Alternative for Germany party, agreed to
disband. The head of the domestic intelligence agency in Thuringia
called the agreement a smoke screen.
   (SFC, 3/26/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 24, German hospitals
with spare capacity welcomed their first coronavirus patients from
Italy. Germany had 27,000 confirmed coronavirus cases but only 114
deaths.
   (Reuters, 3/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 24, India's PM
Narendra Modi decreed that the country of 1.3 billion will go on
lockdown for 21 days.
   (AP, 3/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 24, Iran announced 122
new deaths from the novel coronavirus, raising the official toll to
1,934 in one of the world's worst hit countries. A record 1,762 new
cases have been confirmed in Iran over the past 24 hours. 24,811
people are now known to have been infected.
   (AP, 3/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 24, Israel appeared on
the verge of a constitutional crisis as top members of Benjamin
Netanyahu's Likud urged their party colleague and parliament speaker
to defy a Supreme Court order to hold an election for his successor.
   (AP, 3/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 24, In Italy the death
toll from an outbreak of coronavirus in the northern region of
Lombardy rose by around 400 in a day to more than 4,175. The number
of cases in the region, which includes Milan, increased by some
1,940 to roughly 30,700. Italy suffered the most coronavirus deaths
with 6,820, out of 69,176 declared infections. This was its
second-deadliest day, dashing hopes the death toll is declining.
   (Reuters, 3/24/20)(AFP, 3/24/20)(Bloomberg,
3/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 24, Japan’s NHK public
television reported that PM Shinzo Abe will propose a one-year
postponement for the Tokyo Olympics during talks with IOC President
Thomas Bach.
   (AP, 3/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 24, Libya reported its
first case of coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 3/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 24, Mozambican
immigration officers found 64 dead bodies in a shipping container on
the back of a lorry that had crossed into Mozambique from Malawi.
There were 14 survivors.
   (BBC, 3/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 24, Netherlands saw
the number of deaths rise by 63 to 276. The national tally of
confirmed COVID-19 cases increased by 17% to 5,560.
   (Good Morning America, 3/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 24, Pakistani PM Imran
Khan announced a 1trn rupee ($7bn) support package, cutting fuel
prices and earmarking money for the poor as a national lockdown
continued due to the coronavirus pandemic.
   (Econ, 3/28/20, p.36)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 24, Russia has so far
reported 495 cases of the coronavirus. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin
said the outbreak in the capital was much worse than official
figures showed.
   (Reuters, 3/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 24, Sierra Leone
declared a 12-month state of emergency to help deal with the spread
of the coronavirus., despite not having a single confirmed case.
   (https://tinyurl.com/yd9vww62)(Econ, 3/28/20,
p.41)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 24, In South Africa
coronavirus cases leapt to 554, the most of any country in Africa.
43 of Africa's 54 countries now have cases, with the total at 1,788.
Thirteen countries have reported 58 deaths.
   (AP, 3/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 24, In South Korea
police revealed the identity of a man accused of running a range of
porn channels on a Telegram chat app. Cho Jumin (24) had charged up
to 30,000 subscribers between $200 and $1,200, most of which was
collected in bitcoin, for access to his "nth rooms".
   (Econ, 3/28/20, p.34)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 24, Spain announced a
record daily rise of 6,584 new coronavirus infections, bringing the
overall total to 39,673. The number of deaths also jumped by a
record number of 514 to 2,696. The Defense Ministry said army troops
disinfecting nursing homes have found some residents living in
squalor among the infectious bodies of people that authorities
suspect have died from the new coronavirus. Spain's health ministry
reported 514 deaths from the novel coronavirus in the past 24 hours.
   (AP, 3/24/20)(Good Morning America, 3/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 24, Switzerland's
Federal Office of Public Health said the country has nearly 9,000
confirmed coronavirus infections and 90 deaths.
   (Reuters, 3/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 24, Thailand PM
Prayuth Chan-ocha announced that his cabinet has agreed to declare a
state of emergency to implement stricter measures to control the
spread of the novel coronavirus. The one-month state of emergency
takes effect March 26. There were just under 900 diagnosed cases of
the virus in the country.
   (Good Morning America, 3/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 24, The UN top envoy
for Syria called for a nationwide ceasefire to allow for a better
response to the threat of the novel coronavirus. The government in
Damascus has so far only reported one case of COVID-19.
   (AFP, 3/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 24, Forces from
Yemen's Houthi movement blocked a UN-chartered ship carrying
representatives of the internationally recognized government from
leaving Hodeidah port. The UN has been holding meetings between the
warring parties on board the ship for months.
   (Reuters, 3/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 25, The US Justice
Department announced federal charges against Venezuelan President
Nicolás Maduro and his top deputies for crimes related to
narco-terrorism, money laundering and drug trafficking.
   (CBS News, 3/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 25, US lawmakers
finally agreed on a mammoth economic relief package, buoying stock
markets around the world. President Donald Trump said he wants to
see the country get back to business in a matter of weeks, over the
objections of public health experts. The US Senate unanimously
approved the “Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act’’
(CARES Act), a bi-partisan bill to provide financial relief to
individuals and businesses impacted by the coronavirus. The aid
measure would send direct payments of $1,200 to Americans earning up
to $75,000, substantially expand help for the jobless, and provide
hundreds of billions of dollars in loans to businesses affected by
the pandemic.
   (AP, 3/25/20)(NY Times, 3/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 25, US coronavirus
infections continued to climb rapidly and passed the 55,000 mark,
with deaths approaching 800. More than 438,000 people worldwide have
been infected and the number of dead closed in on 20,000.
   (AP, 3/25/20)(Good Morning America, 3/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 25, US Navy and Marine
Corps service members in Guam were ordered to break their own
quarantine to set up makeshift shelters for US troops coming off a
nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, where an outbreak of the novel
coronavirus was rapidly spreading within the hulls of the ship.
   (The Daily Beast, 3/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 25, The US Securities
and Exchange Commission (SEC) said it would extend its prior
conditional regulatory relief from disclosure requirements for
public companies affected by the coronavirus outbreak.
   (Reuters, 3/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 25, A US federal judge
ordered the US Army Corps of Engineers to conduct a full
environmental review of the Dakota Access pipeline, nearly three
years after it began carrying oil in June, 2017.
   (SFC, 3/26/20, p.A3)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 25, Arizona State
University engineering professor Junseok Chae was reported missing
after he didn't return home from work. His body was found in July
the Northwest Regional Landfill in Surprise, Arizona. Two teenagers,
extradited from Louisiana, were booked on suspicion of murder.
   (NBC News, 7/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 25, California
reported 2,998 confirmed cases of the coronavirus.
   (Econ, 3/28/20, p.30)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 25, Officials in six
San Francisco Bay Area counties said school will remain closed until
May 4 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
   (SFC, 3/26/20, p.B1)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 25, Louisiana reported
827 confirmedcases of coronavirus.
   (SFC, 3/27/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 25, Miami, Wisconsin,
Vermont joined a growing list of places where residents must stay
home. At least 23 states have enacted policies to close nonessential
businesses in an effort to slow the spread of novel coronavirus on
US soil.
   (Good Morning America, 3/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 25, Minnesota Gov. Tim
Walz ordered state residents in nonessential jobs to stay at home.
   (SFC, 3/26/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 25, New York Gov.
Andrew Cuomo said his state's infections are doubling every three
days, threatening to swamp the available intensive care units. The
state has 26,000 infections and more than 200 deaths. At least 192
of those fatalities have occurred in NYC.
   (AP, 3/25/20)(Good Morning America, 3/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 25, New York state
issued a directive to send recovering coronavirus patients to
already vulnerable nursing homes. The directive said no resident
shall be denied re-admission or admission to a nursing home solely
based on confirmed or suspected COVID-19. On May 10 Gov. Andrew
Cuomo reversed the directive, which had been intended to help free
up hospital beds for the sickest patients as cases surged.
   (AP, 5/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 25, Pennsylvania
lawmakers voted to delay the state's primary election to June 2 due
to the coronavirus pandemic.
   (SFC, 3/26/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 25, CVS Health said
its pharmacy benefit management (PBM) unit was working to set up
measures against the hoarding of malaria drug hydroxychloroquine,
which is being tested as a potential treatment for the coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 3/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 25, In Afghanistan a
lone Islamic State gunman rampaged through a Sikh house of worship
in the heart of Kabul, killing 25 worshippers and wounding eight.
Pakistani national Aslam Farooqi, aka Abdullah Orakzai, was arrested
in April for his involvement in the attack.
   (AP, 3/25/20)(SSFC, 4/12/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 25, Bolivia issued a
decree establishing a lockdown due to the coronavirus. The decree
criminalized individuals who incite noncompliance and misinform or
cause uncertainty to the population.
   (Econ., 5/16/20, p.26)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 25, The Botswana
Energy Regulatory Authority (BERA) said Botswana Power Corporation
(BPC) will increase electricity tariffs by 22% from April 1, in a
bid to boost revenues for the loss-making state utility.
   (Reuters, 3/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 25, Brazil recorded
more than 2,500 cases of coronavirus and 59 deaths.
   (AP, 3/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 25, Britain passed the
Coronavirus Act, granting the government emergency powers to handle
the COVID-19 pandemic.
  Â
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coronavirus_Act_2020)(Econ., 7/6/20,
p.46)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 25, It was reported
that nearly half a million people in Britain have filed welfare
benefit claims in the past nine days, a sign of how the government's
shutdown of much of the economy to slow the spread of coronavirus is
hitting incomes.
   (Reuters, 3/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 25, Britain’s Prince
Charles (71) of Wales became the latest high-profile infection of a
pandemic that has infiltrated all walks of life and paralyzed a
continent.
   (AP, 3/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 25, Bulgaria imposed a
temporary entry ban on trucks from more than 65 countries that plan
to pass through the Balkan state en route to Turkey, after Turkey
imposed stringent coronavirus restrictions on truck drivers.
   (Reuters, 3/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 25, China's Hubei
province, where the outbreak was first spotted late last year,
started lifting its lockdown.
   (AP, 3/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 25, In Egypt a
trailer-truck smashed into multiple cars stopped on a freeway late
today, killing 15 people and injuring a dozen in Cairo.
   (AP, 3/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 25, France said it is
pulling out its military forces from Iraq as its forces are
increasingly called upon to help fight the coronavirus at home.
   (AP, 3/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 25, Germany's
Chancellor Angela Merkel’s government secured emergency spending,
unlocking a historic rescue package designed to cushion the blow of
the coronavirus pandemic. The Bundesrat, or upper house of
parliament, will vote on March 27.
   (Bloomberg, 3/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 25, In Germany some
32,705 patients have been confirmed with the coronavirus, up from
28,942 a day earlier. So far 154 have died, compared with 118 a day
earlier.
   (Bloomberg, 3/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 25, Hungary said it
has banned the commercial export of hydroxychloroquine sulfate, an
ingredient used in drugs for coronavirus treatment in several
countries.
   (Reuters, 3/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 25, India began a
21-day lockdown. PM Narendra Modi warned that if he didn't act now,
the coronavirus could set the world's largest democracy back
decades. Everything but essential services like supermarkets were
closed. India has reported only about 512 cases because of limited
testing. At least 9 deaths have been reported.
   (AP, 3/24/20)(AP, 3/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 25, India said it had
banned the export of hydroxychloroquine and formulations of the
malaria drug while experts test its efficacy in helping treat
patients infected with coronavirus.
   (AP, 3/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 25, Iran said it will
ban intercity travel within days as it finally gets tough with the
coronavirus that has killed more than 2,000 people in one of the
world's deadliest outbreaks.
   (AFP, 3/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 25, In Iran US Navy
veteran Michael White was hospitalized in a ward for coronavirus
patients and has experienced fever, fatigue, a cough and shortness
of breath since his furlough last week. White was requesting a
humanitarian evacuation to the United States for medical treatment.
   (AP, 3/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 25, Israel's Knesset
Speaker Yuli Edelstein abruptly resigned, dealing a blow to PM
Benjamin Netanyahu and deepening the country's political turmoil as
the embattled leader tries to cling to power amid a fast-spreading
outbreak of the coronavirus and a looming corruption trial.
   (AP, 3/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 25, In Kosovo a
majority of deputies in the parliament voted to snuff out the
government of Albin Kurti, a radical reformer, ostensibly over a
declaration of a state of emergency owing to covid-19.
   (Economist, 4/4/20, p.41)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 25, Clashes between
rival Libyan forces for control of Tripoli escalated as militias
allied with the UN-supported government based in the country's
capital launched an offensive on a military base held by their
rivals.
   (AP, 3/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 25, In Mali
unidentified gunmen kidnapped Soumaila Cisse and members of his
campaign team in an area controlled by extremists groups linked to
al-Qaida. Cisse's bodyguard died of injuries sustained during the
abduction.
   (https://tinyurl.com/vnvbsw2)(SFC, 3/27/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 25, Mexico's state of
Baha California reported 16 confirmed cases of the coronavirus.
   (Econ, 3/28/20, p.30)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 25, Air Namibia said
that all domestic and inter-African flights will be suspended
effective March 27 until April 20. The airline said it will remain
available to offer charter flights for humanitarian purposes, as
well as airlifts of pharmaceutical supplies and consumables.
   (Reuters, 3/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 25, In the Netherlands
the number of confirmed coronavirus cases rose by 852 to 6,412.
Deaths rose by 80 to 356.
   (Reuters, 3/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 25, The Financial
Times reported that North Korean officials have sought urgent help
from international contacts to increase coronavirus testing in a
nation that could see its dilapidated health care system be crushed
by an outbreak.
   (Bloomberg, 3/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 25, Communist
guerrillas in the Philippines said they would observe a cease-fire
in compliance with the UN chief's call for a global halt in armed
clashes during the coronavirus pandemic. By the end of April the NPA
said they would not extend the ceasefire and would return to
violence.
   (AP, 3/25/20)(Econ., 6/20/20, p.50)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 25, Romania's Pres.
Klaus Iohannis said his government will postpone monthly loan
repayments for a period of up to 9 months to help domestic borrowers
hit by the coronavirus crisis. Romania reported 144 new infections
to an overall of 906 cases and 13 deaths.
   (Reuters, 3/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 25, Russian President
Vladimir Putin said he was postponing a nationwide vote on
constitutional changes that would allow him to extend his rule due
to the worsening situation with coronavirus. Russian authorities
reported 163 more virus cases in the country since the day before,
bringing the national total to 658.
   (AP, 3/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 25, Human Rights Watch
reported that Saudi military forces have committed grave abuses
against civilians in an eastern province of Yemen over the past
year, including torture, forced disappearances and arbitrary
detention.
   (AP, 3/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 25, In South Africa
the coronavirus caseload rose past 700 as the country got ready to
go on lockdown on March 27.
   (AP, 3/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 25, Spain suffered its
deadliest day since the outbreak of the coronavirus. The total
number of fatalities surged by 738 to 3,434.
   (Bloomberg, 3/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 25, Sudan’s defense
minister, Gen. Gamal al-Din Omar (60), died of a heart attack while
on an official visit to neighboring South Sudan.
   (AP, 3/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 25, The Swiss
government said it was expanding its border controls to include all
countries in the Schengen open border zone to help protect people
from coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 3/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 25, Switzerland said
it has introduced temporary restrictions on the export of protective
equipment to head off shortages among medical staff and others
fighting the coronavirus outbreak.
   (Reuters, 3/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 25, Taiwan reported
235 cases of the coronavirus and just two deaths.
   (Econ, 3/28/20, p.35)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 25, Turkish officials
said prosecutors have formally charged two former aides of Saudi
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and 18 other Saudi nationals over
the 2018 killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi.
   (AP, 3/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 25, Cliver Alcalá, a
retired Venezuelan army general, publicly revealed details of a plot
to kidnap Pres. Maduro.
   (Econ., 5/16/20, p.17)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 25, Vietnam's health
ministry reported an additional seven coronavirus cases, taking the
country's tally to 141, though it reported no deaths.
   (Reuters, 3/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 25, Zimbabwe's public
hospital doctors and nurses went on strike over a lack of protective
gear as the coronavirus begins to spread in a country whose health
system has almost collapsed.
   (AP, 3/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 26, President Trump
said he planned to label different areas as “high risk, medium risk
or low risk,” as part of guidelines to help states determine
quarantine and distancing measures. He also reiterated his desire to
start opening up parts of the country soon.
   (NY Times, 3/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 26, The US State
Department announced rewards for information leading to the arrest
or conviction of various Venezuelan nationals, including President
Nicolas Maduro who Washington aims to push out of power.
   (Reuters, 3/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 26, The US military
said it has decided it will stop providing some of the more granular
data about coronavirus infections within its ranks, citing concern
that the information might be used by adversaries as the virus
spreads.
   (Reuters, 3/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 26, The US Labor Dept.
reported that a record 3.8 million American filed for first-time
unemployment last week.
   (SFC, 3/27/20, p.A1)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 26, The newly
established US Space Force launched its first national security
satellite from Cape Canaveral. The nearly $1 billion satellite is
the sixth and final one in the US military's Advanced Extrememly
High Frequency series.
   (SFC, 3/27/20, p.A3)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 26, The US
Environmental Protection Agency relaxed pollution rules, allowing
power plants, factories and other facilities to monitor themselves
for an undetermined period.
   (NY Times, 3/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 26, In the United
States deaths due to the coronavirus passed 1,050. The number of US
coronavirus infections climbed above 82,000, surpassing the national
tallies of China and Italy. The global death toll from the virus
climbed past 21,000 and the number of infections has surpassed
472,000.
   (AP, 3/26/20)(The Telegraph, 3/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 26, In the SF Bay Area
confirrmed cases of coronavirus topped 1,400 with at least 32
deaths.
   (SFC, 3/27/20, p.A1)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 26, Lee Guittar
(b.1931), former editor-publisher of the San Francisco Examiner,
died at his home in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He was involved in the
1990 launch of We/Mbl, a short-lived partnership between Hearst and
Izvestia to publish a daily newspaper in both English and Russian to
be circulated in both countries.
   (SFC, 3/30/20, p.B2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 26, As of today anyone
arriving in Hawaii was required to undergo a mandatory 14-day
self-quarantine to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
   (SFC, 3/30/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 26, Louisiana reported
the number of coronavirus cases in the state leapt 28% overnight.
Louisiana has surpassed 2,300 people known to be infected, with 86
residents dead.
   (AP, 3/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 26, NY state Gov.
Andrew Cuomo said his state has become the nation's epicenter of the
coronavirus pandemic. Cuomo says Congress' $2 trillion stimulus bill
has "failed to meet the governmental need." New York has seen 385
deaths from COVID-19 and that number is expected to continue to
rise.
   (AP, 3/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 26, Scientists
announced the discovery of Dineobellator notohesperus, a two-legged
meat-eater that was relatively small - around 7 feet (2 meters) long
and 3 feet (1 meter) tall at the hip, weighing 40-50 pounds (18-22
kg). Fossils of the feathered dinosaur were found in northwestern
New Mexico. The name means "Navajo warrior" to honor the Native
American people native to the area.
   (Reuters, 3/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 26, The International
Monetary Fund asked G20 leaders to back a doubling of its emergency
financing capacity to strengthen its response to the rapidly
spreading coronavirus pandemic that is set to cause a global
recession in 2020. G20 leaders in a video conference said they were
committed to presenting a united front against the coronavirus
pandemic, calling it their "absolute priority" to tackle its health,
social and economic impacts.
   (Reuters, 3/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 26, The Inter-American
Development Bank (IDB) said it has increased resources available to
countries in Latin America and the Caribbean to fight the
coronavirus pandemic to $12 billion, up from the $2 billion it had
promised a few weeks ago.
   (Reuters, 3/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 26, A lockdown of
Austrian ski resorts that have become hotspots for the spread of the
coronavirus in Europe was extended until April 13, Easter Monday.
Austria has reported nearly 6,400 cases in its nine provinces, a
quarter of them in Tyrol.
   (Reuters, 3/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 26, Bangladesh
deployed soldiers to enforce the start of a nationwide 10-day
shutdown to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
   (SFC, 3/27/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 26, Brazilian
President Jair Bolsonaro (65) told reporters in the capital,
Brasilia, that he feels Brazilians’ natural immunity will protect
the nation from the coronavirus pandemic. The nation’s tally of
confirmed COVID-19 cases surpassed 3,400 and deaths top 90. 25 of
Brazil’s 27 governors signed a joint letter this week begging
Bolsonaro to back strict anti-virus measures.
   (AP, 3/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 26, The number of
people in the UK who have died from coronavirus increased by 31% to
759.
   (AP, 3/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 26, It was reported
that Mologic, a British company behind a 10-minute coronavirus
antibody test, has begun sending prototypes to laboratories for
validation, which could be a game-changer in the fight against the
pandemic. The test would cost about a $1.
   (Reuters, 3/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 26, The Southern
Cameroons Defence Forces (Socadef) said its ceasefire would come
into effect from March 29 as "a gesture of goodwill." Cameroon's
health ministry has so far has confirmed 75 cases of the coronavirus
- and recorded its first death earlier this week.
   (BBC, 3/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 26, China said it will
temporarily suspend the entry of foreigners with valid Chinese visas
and residence permits starting on March 28, as an interim measure in
response to the coronavirus epidemic. Exemptions will be made to
those travelling in a diplomatic or official capacity, as well as
holders of "C" visas, which are issued to foreigners involved in
provision of international transportation services.
   (Reuters, 3/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 26, Cliver Alcalá, a
retired Venezuelan army general indicted alongside Nicolás Maduro,
surrendered in Colombia and was flown with US Drug Enforcement
Administration agents to New York for arraignment.
   (AP, 3/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 26, Denmark has
recorded 1,851 people infected with coronavirus and 34 deaths. The
country has restricted public assembly to 10 or fewer people and
ordered the closure of schools, universities, day care centers,
restaurants, cafes, libraries, gyms and hair salons.
   (Reuters, 3/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 26, Egypt's health
ministry said there have been 495 cases of the new coronavirus in
the country, including 24 fatalities. Egypt has expelled Ruth
Michaelson, a correspondent for The Guardian, over a report citing a
study that challenged the official count of coronavirus cases.
   (AP, 3/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 26, European Union
diplomats said the EU will launch a new Mediterranean naval and air
mission in April to stop more arms reach warring factions in Libya,
with Greece agreeing to take in any migrants rescued at sea. The new
mission, named Irini, will replace the EU's current military
mission, known as Operation Sophia.
   (Reuters, 3/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 26, French health
authorities reported 299 new deaths from coronavirus, taking the
total to 1,995. A TGV bullet train transferred 20 patients on
life-support systems to from Strasbourg to eastern France.
   (Reuters, 3/28/20)(Economist, 4/4/20, p.39)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 26, A German court
convicted Tunisian man Sief Allah H. (31) of planning to carry out a
ricin attack in the name of the Islamic State.
   (SFC, 3/27/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 26, Germany has
reported coronavirus infections in more than 39,000 people, but just
222 deaths. The country now has the ability to test 500,000 people a
week, perhaps the greatest capacity in the world.
   (AP, 3/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 26, In Hong Kong
opposition politician Cheng Lai-King (61) was arrested a day after
she forwarded a Facebook post that identified a policeman who was
believed to have fired the rubber bullet that last year blinded
Indonesian journalist Veby Mega in one eye. Lai-King was released
after being charged with sedition.
   (SFC, 3/27/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 26, In India the Jimme
Foundation, an LGBT+ rights group, launched a fundraising appeal for
Mumbai sex workers whose income has been hit by coronavirus, saying
it wanted to help other Indians who faced prejudice.
   (Reuters, 3/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 26, Iran implicitly
denied that Bob Levinson, a missing former FBI agent, had died in
its custody as his family claims, restating its longstanding
position that he left the Islamic republic "years ago." Levinson has
been missing since 2007 and would have turned 72 this month.
   (AFP, 3/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 26, Iran's death toll
due to the coronavirus jumped by 157 to 2,234, prompting new steps
to limit public gatherings and domestic travel. President Hassan
Rouhani said there would be more travel and gathering restrictions
for the next two weeks to “break the chain" of the virus.
   (AP, 3/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 26, Iraq extended
government-imposed restrictions on movement for two more weeks to
stem the spread of the new coronavirus. The Health Ministry reported
a jump of coronavirus-related deaths by seven in 24 hours.
Authorities have confirmed that at least 29 Iraqis have died from
COVID-19 and nearly 350 others have contracted the disease.
   (AP, 3/26/20)(AFP, 3/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 26, In northern Iraq
the US-led coalition started pulling out from the Qayara airfield,
in line with a planned drawdown of troops, hours after two rockets
hit inside Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone.
   (AP, 3/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 26,
In    Israel Benny Gantz was chosen as the new
speqker of parliament. Local media reported that Gantz and PM
Benjamin Netanyahu had agreed on a broad coalition in which
Netanyahu would remain as prime minister with Gantz as foreign
minister. The two would swap posts in September 2021.
   (SFC, 3/27/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 26, Italy's death toll
due to coronavirus was about 7,500. The number of cases in the in
the northern region of Lombardy, increased by some 2,500. Italy has
reported 8,215 deaths from the illness, more than anywhere else in
the world, while confirmed cases total 80,539.
   (AP, 3/26/20)(Reuters, 3/26/20)(Bloomberg,
3/27/20)(Reuters, 3/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 26, Lebanon extended
government-imposed restrictions on movement for two more weeks to
stem the spread of the new coronavirus. Lebanon has recorded six
deaths of the virus while 35 new infected cases were recorded,
raising the total to 386 cases.
   (AP, 3/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 26, In Morocco
hundreds of mostly British tourists who were traveling in motorhomes
have found themselves stranded in a parking lot near a Tangier
highway that authorities have turned into a makeshift quarantine
center. Morocco has identified 225 cases of COVID-19.
   (AP, 3/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 26, In New Zealand
Brenton Harrison Tarrant (29), man who committed the worst atrocity
in New Zealand's modern history when he slaughtered 51 worshippers
at two Christchurch mosques on March 15, 2019, unexpectedly pleaded
guilty to all charges.
   (AP, 3/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 26, Norway extradited
Muslim cleric Mullah Krekar to Italy, where he was sentenced last
July to 12 years in prison for planning terror. He had been found
guilty of attempting to overthrow the Kurdish government in northern
Iraq and create an Islamic caliphate.
   (SFC, 3/27/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 26, In Pakistan gunmen
opened fire on security forces patrolling a remote border region
near Iran, killing two soldiers. The troops were patrolling the
region where smugglers have a strong presence.
   (AP, 3/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 26, Pakistan's cases
of coronavirus rose to 1,098, up from 250 a week earlier. Eight
deaths have been reported.
   (SFC, 3/27/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 26, The Russian
government ordered the grounding of all international flights as
part of new measures against the coronavirus pandemic, with the
exception of flights evacuating Russian citizens from abroad.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitri S. Peskov told reporters: “There is de
facto no epidemic” in Russia.
   (Good Morning America, 3/26/20)(NY Times,
4/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 26, It was reported
that Rwanda police have shot and killed two young men for defying
lockdown orders to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus.
   (https://allafrica.com/stories/202003260464.html)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 26, Saudi authorities
announced a total lockdown on the capital, Riyadh, and Islam's two
holiest cities, Mecca and Medina, in addition to a nationwide
curfew.
   (AP, 3/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 26, South African
President Ramaphosa called on richer countries to support the
continent's economies via stimulus packages to mitigate the
devastation caused by the coronavirus, as his own country registered
a jump to more than 900 cases.
   (Reuters, 3/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 26, Spain's Health
Ministry reported nearly 8,600 new infections and 655 deaths,
bringing the total cases to over 56,000 and more than 4,000
fatalities.  Â
   (AP, 3/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 26, Sweden has
reported around 2,806 confirmed coronavirus cases and 66 deaths
while Denmark recorded 1,851 infected and 34 deaths. The country has
remained largely open for business. Sweden's health agency has
conceded more measures are likely as the virus continues to spread.
   (Reuters, 3/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 26, Swiss-based
Nestle, the world's biggest food company, said it would pay full
salaries for at least three months to employees affected by work
stoppages to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
   (AP, 3/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 26, Nestle-owned N
espresso, the maker of coffee brewing pods and machines, said it has
found child labor at three farms where it buys coffee in Guatemala.
The company said it has implemented a prevention plan to ward off
potential further abuse.
   (Reuters, 3/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 26, Thailand has
reported a total of 1,045 cases of coronavirus and four deaths since
the outbreak started in January. Honda's Thai business said it would
suspend operations at two factories after Thailand declared a state
of emergency to curb the spread of coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 3/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 26, Authorities in the
United Arab Emirates (UAE) announced an overnight weekend lockdown
and used drones to tell residents to stay home.
   (AP, 3/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 26, All sides in
Yemen's long conflict offered support for the United Nations' call
for a ceasefire to protect civilians from the coronavirus pandemic.
   (AFP, 3/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 26, Venezuelan
President Nicolás Maduro stood defiant in the face of a $15 million
bounty by the US to face drug trafficking charges, calling Donald
Trump a “racist cowboy” and warning that he is ready to fight by
whatever means necessary should the US and neighboring Colombia dare
to invade.
   (AP, 3/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 27, US Pres. Donald
Trump invoked emergency powers to require General Motors Co to build
much-needed ventilators for coronavirus patients after he accused
the largest US automaker of "wasting time" during negotiations.
   (Reuters, 3/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 27, The US suspended
at least $73 million out of a total of $85 million in aid delivered
via nongovernmental groups in Yemen's Houthi-controlled north.
   (https://tinyurl.com/yc8p2sot)(Econ., 7/6/20,
p.35)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 27, The US House of
Representatives passed the $2 trillion coronavirus economic stimulus
bill. President Donald Trump was expected to sign it quickly. The US
now had almost 86,000 known infections.
   (NBC News, 3/27/20)(AFP, 3/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 27, The US Navy, the
military service hit hardest by the coronavirus, scrambled to
contain its first at-sea outbreak, with at least two dozen infected
aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt in Guam, one of 11 active aircraft
carriers whose mission is central to the Pentagon's strategy for
deterring war with China and Iran.
   (AP, 3/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 27, A US federal
appeals court ruled that undocumented immigrants who present a
credible case or asylum in the US are entitled to a prompt hearing
for release on bond while their cases are pending.
   (SFC, 3/30/20, p.A1)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 27, California's Gov.
Gavin Newsom ordered a two-month halt on evictions for state
residents who cannot pay their rent vecause of the coronavirus.
   (SFC, 3/28/20, p.A6)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 27, In Florida 29
deaths have been reported due to the coronavirus. Deaths were on
track to double every four days.
   (SFC, 3/28/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 27, Civil rights
leader and MLK aide Rev. Joseph E. Lowery (98) died in Atlanta. In
2009, Pres. Barack Obama awarded Lowery the Presidential Medal of
Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor.
   (AP, 3/27/20)(Economist, 4/4/20, p.74)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 27, The US federal
Bureau of Indian Affairs informed that Mashpee Wampanoag tribe of
Massachusetts that it will be rescinding its reservation designation
for more than 300 acres removing the land from federal trust.
   (SFC, 3/31/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 27, Mississippi’s
health department reported 579 COVID-19 cases and eight deaths.
   (The Daily Beast, 3/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 27, New York state
reported 100 more deaths in one day. NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio said
cases of the new coronavirus are going to become “astronomical,”
putting unprecedented strain on the hospital system. New York state
has more than 44,000 cases of coronavirus and 519 deaths from the
virus, by far the most in the country.
   (AP, 3/27/20)(Bloomberg, 3/27/20)(AP,
3/28/20)(SFC, 3/28/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 27, The New York City
Department of Corrections said that 80 staff and 103 men in custody
have tested positive for coronavirus at Rikers Island and city jails
alone — quadruple what was reported just a week ago.
   (AP, 3/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 27, In NYC a subway
train operator was killed after a fired, believed to have been
intentionally set, erupted inside a train car at a station along the
northern edge of Central Park.
   (SFC, 3/28/20, p.A3)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 27, Rhode Island State
Police began pulling over drivers with New York plates so that
National Guard officials can collect contact information and inform
them of a mandatory, 14-day quarantine.
   (AP, 3/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 27, Washington, D.C.,
confirmed 36 new coronavirus cases, raising its total to 267.
   (AP, 3/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 27, Microsoft said it
is pulling its investments from a facial-recognition startup that
scans faces at Israeli military checkpoints, even though the tech
giant couldn't substantiate claims that the startup's technology is
used unethically.
   (AP, 3/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 27, Astronomers
discovered Comet C2020 F3 NEOWISE, using NASA's Near-Earth Object
Wide-Field Infrared Survey Explorer. The comet's closest approach to
Earth was to be on July 22. It would not return for another 6,766
years.
  Â
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C/2020_F3_(NEOWISE))(SFC, 7/13/20,
p.B3)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 27, It was reported
that scientists have discovered a strain of bacteria, the first of
its kind, that can degrade the harmful compounds in polyurethane
products -- a positive step toward reducing the amount of plastic
pollution in the environment.
   (https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2020.00404)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 27, Afghan President
Ashraf Ghani announced his 21-member team to negotiate peace with
the Taliban, only to have his political opponent Abdullah Abdullah
reject it as not inclusive enough. The Afghan government ordered a
three-week lock-down for Kabul to stem the spread of the new
coronavirus. Afghanistan has so far recorded just 91 cases and four
deaths but the tens of thousands returnees from Iran have dispersed
throughout the country without being tested.
   (AP, 3/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 27, It was reported
that the supply of soybeans to Argentine crushing plants is down by
half and falling, as municipalities citing health concerns defied a
government order that they allow cargo trucks to get to the plants.
Mayors of dozens of towns near the Rosario grains export hub have
blocked ground transport as the country locks down against the
coronavirus pandemic.
   (Reuters, 3/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 27, It was reported
that millions of Bangladesh factory workers have been sent home
without wages or severence pay they are owed in the wake of the
coronavirus pandemic.
   (SFC, 3/28/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 27, British PM Boris
Johnson (55) said he has tested positive for the coronavirus. Health
Secretary Matt Hancock was also confirmed to have the virus. British
fatalities due to the coronavirus jumped by 260, to 1,019. Some
14,579 people in the UK have tested positive, an increase of about
25%, above the five-day average of 20%.
   (Bloomberg, 3/27/20)(AP, 3/27/20)(Bloomberg,
3/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 27, Bank of Canada cut
key benchmark rate by 50 basis points to 0.25%, its lowest in a
decade. The central bank also said it would begin purchases of C$5
billion per week of Government of Canada securities in the secondary
market.
   (Reuters, 3/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 27, China's National
Health Commission reported 55 new cases, 54 of them imported
infections. China reported 81,394 confirmed cases, with 649 of those
imported. The death toll rose by three to 3,295, with all new deaths
reported in Hubei province. Chinese leader Xi Jinping in a phone
call told Pres. Donald Trump that China understands the United
States' current predicament over the COVID-19 outbreak and stands
ready to provide support within its capacity.
   (AP, 3/27/20)(Bloomberg, 3/28/20)(Reuters,
3/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 27, China, the
European Union and 14 other World Trade Organization members
(Australia, Brazil, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala,
Hong Kong, Mexico, New Zealand, Singapore, Switzerland and Uruguay)
agreed on a temporary mechanism to resolve trade disputes after US
action rendered the WTO incapable of acting as the arbiter of global
trade.
   (Reuters, 3/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 27, In the Baltic
states Estonia reported 575 coronavirus infections and one death,
Latvia reported 280 cases, Lithuania reported 344 cases and four
deaths.
   (Baltic News Network, 3/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 27, In Germany cases
of coronavirus rose to 43,039 from 37,179, while the death toll
jumped to 262 deaths from 203.
   (Bloomberg, 3/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 27, The Hong Kong
government announced new measures to contain the coronavirus
outbreak, including limiting crowd size to four people except
weddings and funerals. The measures will last for 14 days. The city
has found a record 65 new cases, taking its total to 518.
   (Bloomberg, 3/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 27, PM Viktor Orban
said Hungary’s government will partially restrict movement for a
two-week period ending April 11 to slow the spread of the
coronavirus pandemic.
   (AP, 3/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 27, It was reported
that India's coronavirus lockdown is disrupting e-commerce companies
including Amazon and Flipkart, despite government assurances it
would not.
   (Reuters, 3/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 27, Indonesia reported
the biggest daily jump in new coronavirus infections with the total
number of confirmed cases topping 1,000. Tests confirmed the disease
in 153 more people. The country also reported nine new deaths,
taking the total to 87, the highest in Southeast Asia.
   (AP, 3/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 27, Iran reported
2,926 new coronavirus cases and 144 more deaths over the past day,
bringing the total figures in the country to 32,332 cases and 2,378
deaths. The government enforced social distancing measures banning
inter-city travel and all gatherings, and the central bank approved
loans for businesses affected by the outbreak. Iranian media report
nearly 300 people have been killed and more than 1,000 sickened so
far by ingesting methanol in the mistaken belief it protects against
the coronavirus.
   (AP, 3/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 27, Israel has
recorded 12 deaths from COVID-19, the illness caused by the
coronavirus, and over 3,000 infections.
   (AP, 3/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 27, In Italy the death
toll from an outbreak of coronavirus in the northern region of
Lombardy rose by around 541 in a day to some 5,402. Italy registered
the most coronavirus deaths since the country's outbreak had
exploded five weeks earlier, adding 969 more victims to raise the
world’s highest COVID-19 toll to 9,134.
   (Reuters, 3/27/20)(AP, 3/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 27, The number of
confirmed coronavirus cases in the Netherlands rose by 1,172, or
16%, to 8,603, with 112 new deaths. The country's death total is now
546.
   (Reuters, 3/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 27, In northwestern
Niger an army operation began that left 102 civilians missing by the
time it left the region on 2 April. In September at least 71 bodies
were found in six mass graves in Tillaberi, an area affected by
jihadist violence. The civilians had been killed with bladed weapons
and small arms.
   (BBC, 9/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 27, The Palestinian
Authority, which governs parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank,
has reported 84 coronavirus cases. Authorities in the Gaza Strip
have reported nine cases.
   (AP, 3/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 27, The Seattle-based
Holland American cruise line, owneed by Carnival Corp., said four
passengers have died aboard the Zaandam now anchored off the coast
of Panama. Two people have tested positive for the coronavirus and
more than 130 have reported flu-like symptoms. The ship carried
1,243 guests and 586 crew.
   (SFC, 3/28/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 27, In Russia the
total number of coronavirus cases rose by 196 to 1,036.
   (Bloomberg, 3/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 27, Russian low-cost
airline Pobeda, a subsidiary of flagship carrier Aeroflot, said it
will suspend all its domestic flights and stop flying altogether
from April 1 until the end of May.
   (Reuters, 3/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 27, In Serbia
residents of Belgrade isolated themselves not only from coronavirus
but also from acrid smoke, which defied strong winds to transform
the Serbian capital into the city with the world's most polluted
air. So far, the coronavirus infection in Serbia has sickened 528
and killed eight people.
   (Reuters, 3/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 27, Slovakia said it
is closing border crossings with Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary
and Austria for the transit of trucks over 7.5 tons delivering
non-essential goods to prevent accidents near the border crossings
where long jams are formed because of lengthy handling by Hungarian
authorities.
   (Reuters, 3/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 27, South Africa began
a three-week lockdown aimed at curbing the spread of the coronavirus
as the disease claimed its first two victims in the country and the
number of infections passed 1,000.
   (Bloomberg, 3/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 27, South Korea
reported 146 new coronavirus cases. That brought total infections in
South Korea to 9,478, with a death toll of 151, up from 139.
   (Reuters, 3/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 27, Spain reported its
deadliest day so far after 769 people died, for a total of 4,858
fatalities. Cases rose to 64,059 from 56,188.
   (Bloomberg, 3/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 27, Swiss drugmaker
Novartis won a key European recommendation for its gene therapy
Zolgensma against spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), clearing a hurdle
for $2.1 million per patient treatment for approval in Europe within
months.
   (Reuters, 3/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 27, Turkish
authorities evacuated hundreds of migrants waiting at the border
with Greece amid the coronavirus pandemic. They were transferred to
state guesthouses for quarantine .
   (SFC, 3/28/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 27, It was reported
that Venezuela's only telecom satellite has veered off its orbit and
stopped working. The Chinese-built satellite was launched in 2008
and has become useless three years before its planned expiration
date.
   (SFC, 3/28/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 28, Pres. Donald Trump
endorsed the $2 trillion coronavirus economic stimulus bill. He
signed the bill into law but said he would not be bound by
provisions that interfered with his executive authority. Democrats
had pushed for increased oversight of a $500 billion corporate loan
fund. Trump also approved coronavirus disaster declarations for
Michigan and Massachusetts.
   (Bloomberg, 3/28/20)(SFC, 3/31/20, p.A8)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 28, The Food and Drug
Administration granted emergency authorization to doctors to
prescribe hydroxychloroquine and another antimalarial drug,
chloroquine, to treat Covid. A study later published in The New
England Journal of Medicine found no benefit from the treatment, and
other studies highlighted a risk of dangerous heart arrhythmias in
some patients. Those results and others led the FDA to revoke its
emergency authorization on June 15, 2020.
   (NY Times, 7/4/22)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 28, Washington, D.C.,
confirmed 37 new coronavirus cases, raising its total to 304.
   (SSFC, 3/29/20, p.A6)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 28, In San Francisco
the number of coronavirus cases climbed to 304 with four deaths.
   (SSFC, 3/29/20, p.A9)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 28, In the SF Bay Area
Lonnie Franklin (67), a convicted serial killer, died at San Quentin
State Prison. He was known as the "Grim Sleeper" who preyed on the
women of South Los Angeles for more than two decades.
   (AP, 3/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 28, Idaho's Blaine
County has reported more than 80 confirmed cases of coronavirus. The
county includes Sun Valley Resort whioch draws skiers from around
the world.
   (SSFC, 3/29/20, p.A6)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 28, In Louisiana
inmate Patrick Jones (47) died after contracting the coronavirus at
the federal minimum-security prison in Oakdale, where at least five
prisoners have tested positive for the virus.
   (NBC News, 3/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 28, Michigan Gov.
Gretchen Whitmer issued an executive order requiring communities
statewide to restore water service, effectively ending water
shutoffs for the duration of the coronavirus pandemic.
   (AP, 3/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 28, In Michigan the
number of coronavirus infections surged in Detroit to 1,381, with 31
deaths. More than a fifth of Detroit's police force was quarantined.
Two officers have died and at least 39 have tested positive,
including the chief of police.
   (AP, 3/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 28, New York Gov.
Andrew Cuomo said there are now 52,318 confirmed cases in the state,
after 7,681 new cases were reported in the last 24 hours. The
governor also announced he was postponing the presidential primary
in the state from April 28 to June 23.
   (Good Morning America, 3/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 28, New York City
reported at least 26,000 diagnosed cases of COVID-19, with 450
deaths.
   (Good Morning America, 3/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 28, Former US Sen. Tom
Coburn (72), died. The Oklahoma family doctor had earned a
reputation as a conservative political maverick as he railed against
federal earmarks and subsidies for the rich. Coburn had been
diagnosed years earlier with prostate cancer.
   (AP, 3/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 28, Rhode Island Gov.
Gina Raimondo announced that the National Guard would go
door-to-door to make sure New Yorkers are following 14-day
quarantine orders.
   (Good Morning America, 3/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 28, The number of
worldwide coronavirus infections surpassed 620,000 with more than
28,000 deaths as new cases also stacked up quickly in Europe. Abbott
Laboratories unveiled a coronavirus test that can tell if someone is
infected in as little as five minutes, and is so small and portable
it can be used in almost any health-care setting.
   (Bloomberg, 3/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 28, The Taliban said
it will refuse to negotiate with the team announced by the Afghan
government, in a potential setback to the next steps of the
U.S.-brokered peace process. The Taliban attacked several provinces
in the north as American diplomats expressed optimism that the peace
process was getting back on track.
   (Reuters, 3/28/20)(SSFC, 3/29/20, p.A3)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 28, Albania flew a
team of doctors and nurses to neighboring Italy to help it deal with
the coronavirus pandemic as its own cases have yet to strain the
health sector. Albania has 197 cases of the illness, with 10 deaths.
   (Reuters, 3/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 28, Australia’s death
toll from the coronavirus outbreak rose to 14. The number of
confirmed infections stood at 3,635, an increase of 469 from a day
earlier. Australia stepped up enforcement of social distancing
rules, implementing fines, closing beaches and threatening stricter
measures if people defy pleas to stay at home.
   (Bloomberg, 3/28/20)(Reuters, 3/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 28, Australian
authorities pressed ahead with plans to fly 800 cruise ship
passengers to Germany this weekend after a downward revision in the
number of people on board who needed to be tested for the
coronavirus.
   (AP, 3/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 28, Bosnia's
autonomous Serb Republic declared a state of emergency, handing
legislative powers to the region's president to expedite the passage
of laws to ease the impact of the coronavirus epidemic. Bosnia has
recorded 259 cases of coronavirus with four deaths.
   (Reuters, 3/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 28, Brazil's federal
government launched an advertising campaign against social
distancing measures to fight the coronavirus outbreak, the latest
flashpoint in a battle between President Jair Bolsonaro and state
governors trying to stop the virus' spread.
   (AP, 3/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 28, A Brazilian court
blocked a decree by President Jair Bolsonaro that exempted places of
worship from confinement orders. The federal court in Rio de Janeiro
state ruled that religious services pose a public health risk. The
government can still appeal the decision.
   (AFP, 3/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 28, Britain reported
17,089 confirmed cases of the coronavirus and 1,019 deaths and the
peak of the epidemic in the country is expected to come in a few
weeks.
   (Reuters, 3/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 28, The Chinese city
of Wuhan, where the outbreak first emerged, began lifting a
two-month lockdown by restarting some metro services and reopening
borders, allowing some semblance of normality to return and families
to reunite.
   (Reuters, 3/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 28, China sent a plane
loaded with medical personnel and supplies to help Pakistan fight
the spread of the coronavirus in one of the world's most populous
nations. Pakistan has 1,408 confirmed cases of the virus, including
11.
   (AP, 3/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 28, Northern Cyprus
reported its first death from the coronavirus after a 67-year old
German tourist died in hospital in Nicosia.
   (AP, 3/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 28, In Germany the
number of confirmed coronavirus cases rose to 48,582 and 325 people
have died of the disease.
   (Reuters, 3/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 28, Greece confirmed
95 new coronavirus cases, bringing the total to 1,061 since the
country's first recorded infection on Feb. 26.
   (Reuters, 3/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 28, India has
confirmed 775 cases of coronavirus and 19 deaths.
   (SSFC, 3/29/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 28, Indonesia's
capital Jakarta announced a two-week extension of its state of
emergency following the nationwide surge in coronavirus cases,.
   (Reuters, 3/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 28, Iran announced
that 139 more people had died from the novel coronavirus, raising
the official death toll to 2,517. The health ministry said 3,076
more cases had been confirmed in the past 24 hours, bringing the
total number of infections to 35,408.
   (AFP, 3/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 28, Iraqi doctors said
the country may be singularly unprepared for the coronavirus, with
the number of cases at 450 and deaths at 40.
   (Reuters, 3/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 28, Italy's Lombardy
region recorded 542 new deaths as the national government was said
to be mulling plans to extend a country-wide lockdown to mid-April.
Italy reported 889 deaths due to the coronavirus. The death toll
surged past 10,000. Confirmed cases rose by about 6,000 to 92,472.
   (AP, 3/28/20)(Reuters, 3/28/20)(Reuters, 3/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 28, In Japan new
coronavirus infections in Tokyo rose by more than 60, the biggest
daily increase yet.
   (Bloomberg, 3/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 28, In Kenya police
fired tear gas at a crowd of ferry commuters as the country's first
day of a coronavirus curfew slid into chaos. Virus cases across
Africa climbed above 4,000.
   (SSFC, 3/29/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 28, Lebanese security
forces cleared away a protest camp in central Beirut on Saturday and
reopened roads blocked by demonstrators since protests against the
governing elite started in October. Lebanon has recorded 412 cases
of coronavirus and eight deaths.
   (Reuters, 3/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 28, Mali recorded its
first coronavirus just hours before polls were to open on March 29
for a long-delayed parliamentary election.
   (AFP, 3/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 28, Mexico's President
Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said his government will comply with a
public consultation to halt the construction of US brewer
Constellation Brands Inc's more than $1 billion brewery project in
the border city of Mexicali.
   (Reuters, 3/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 28, Namibia, the
world’s top producer of marine diamonds and the fifth-biggest of
uranium, halted mining and quarrying operations to curb the
coronavirus outbreak.
   (Bloomberg, 3/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 28, The Netherlands
reported 93 deaths from the new coronavirus to take its total to 639
while another 1,159 cases of the virus were confirmed, both smaller
rises than a day earlier. The country has confirmed a total of 9,762
cases of the virus.
   (Reuters, 3/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 28, The Philippine
health ministry reported 14 new coronavirus deaths and 272
additional cases, marking the country's single largest daily
increase in fatalities and infections. This brought total infections
in the Philippines to 1,075 and deaths to 68.
   (Reuters, 3/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 28, Poland's
parliament passed a law early today allowing postal voting for
senior citizens and those in quarantine or self-isolating as the
government looks to press ahead with May presidential elections
which opposition parties want postponed.
   (Reuters, 3/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 28, Portugal’s
coronavirus cases rose 20% in one day and deaths climbed to 100 from
76. Total cases rose to 5,170 from 4,268 a day earlier. Authorities
said all foreigners in Portugal with pending applications will be
treated as permanent residents from March 30 until at least July 1,
to ensure migrants have access to public services during the virus
outbreak.
   (Bloomberg, 3/28/20)(Reuters, 3/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 28, Qatar reported its
first death from the new coronavirus late today, saying the total
number of reported cases there was at least 590.
   (AP, 3/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 28, Russia reported
228 new cases of coronavirus overnight, bringing the total to 1,264,
with four deaths attributed to the virus. Russia said it will close
its borders starting on March 30 in a bid to curb the spread of the
coronavirus. The order will not apply to Russian diplomats and the
drivers of freight trucks, among others. Moscow Mayor Sergei
Sobyanin urged Muscovites to stay at home during the non-working
week announced by President Vladimir Putin in a bid to curb the
spread of the coronavirus.
   (Bloomberg, 3/28/20)(Reuters, 3/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 28, Russia's
state-controlled Rosneft oil company said that it is ceasing
operations and selling its assets in Venezuela. Rosneft said that
it’s turning over its Venezuelan projects to an unnamed state-owned
company in what it called an effort to protect its shareholders’
interests.
   (SSFC, 3/29/20, p.A3)(Bloomberg, 3/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 28, Saudi air defenses
intercepted Yemeni rebel missiles over Riyadh and a city on the
Yemen border late today, leaving two civilians wounded in the
curfew-locked capital amid efforts to combat coronavirus.
   (AFP, 3/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 28, South African
billionaire businessman Patrice Motsepe said his group of companies
would donate 1 billion rand ($57 million) to help fight the
coronavirus outbreak that has forced the country into total lockdown
as infections climbed.
   (Reuters, 3/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 28, Spain death toll
due to coronavirus rose to 6,528. Spain reported 8,189 new cases of
novel coronavirus in the last 24 hours, putting the total number of
cases at 72,248.
   (Bloomberg, 3/28/20)(Reuters, 3/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 28, The death toll in
Switzerland from coronavirus climbed to 235 with total cases at
13,213.
   (AP, 3/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 28, Thailand reported
109 new coronavirus cases and one death, bringing the total to 1,245
infections and six deaths.
   (Reuters, 3/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 28, Turkey halted all
intercity trains and limited domestic flights as the number of
coronavirus cases jumped to 7,402, with 108 dead.
   (Reuters, 3/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 28, The United Arab
Emirates extended to April 5 a de-facto nightly curfew to sterilize
public places. The UAE has reported two deaths from the coronavirus
pandemic and 468 confirmed infections.
   (Reuters, 3/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 28, A doctor (39) in
Uzbekistan died after unsuccessfully trying to treat a coronavirus
infection that he kept secret.
   (Reuters, 3/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 28, Vietnam began
limiting domestic flights and stop public gatherings for two weeks,
as it aimed to keep down the number of coronavirus cases. The health
ministry reported an additional 11 coronavirus cases, bringing the
total number in the country to 174. There are 1,729 suspected cases
in the country.
   (Reuters, 3/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 29, President Trump
deployed a naval hospital ship to New York. At least 17 US states
reported tallies of at least 1,000 confirmed coronavirus cases.
Trump said everyone in the US must avoid nonessential travel or
gathering in groups of more than 10 for at least another month, and
perhaps until June. The United States now led the world with more
than 143,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases, and more than 2,500 deaths.
As of today, the virus has infected more than 680,000 people and
killed at least 32,000 worldwide.
   (NY Times, 3/29/20)(AP, 3/29/20)(NY Times,
3/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 29, The US-led
coalition in Iraq withdrew from the K1 Air Base in the country's
north. An attack on the base in December nearly launched Washington
into an open war with neighboring Iran.
   (AP, 3/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 29, The US Food and
Drug Administration late today issued a limited emergency-use
authorization for two antimalarial drugs to treat those infected
with the novel coronavirus. The US Department of Health and Human
Services announced it had received 30 million doses of
hydroxychloroquine sulfate and one million doses of chloroquine
phosphate donated to a national stockpile of potentially life-saving
pharmaceuticals and medical supplies.
   (Good Morning America, 3/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 29, Dr. Anthony Fauci,
director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious
Diseases, said the coronavirus outbreak could kill 100,000 to
200,000 Americans and added that millions in the US could become
infected..
   (AP, 3/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 29, In Arizona Jacob
Emry Mcilveen (22) fatally shot Phoenix police Cmdr. Greg Carnicle
and wounded two other officers as they tried to remove him from a
home after roommates complained of eratic behavior. Hours later
Mcilveen was shot and killed by police as he walked out of the house
with a handgun.
   (SFC, 3/31/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 29, A major storm
moving through the central US brought at least 17 reported tornadoes
overnight with eight in Iowa, three in Arkansas, one in Missouri,
four in Illinois and one in Wisconsin. In Arkansas six people were
hurt in the college town of Jonesboro.
   (Good Morning America, 3/29/20)(SFC, 3/30/20,
p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 29, In Detroit, which
has a large low-income population, the death toll rose to 31 with
about 1,400 infections in a rate that shocked health officials.
   (AP, 3/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 29, Louisiana's Gov.
John Bel Edwards warned that the spread of the coronavirus could
soon overwhelm the state's health care system. Hundreds of people
flouted a ban on gatherings at the Life Tabernacle church in
Central. Louisiana had 3,540 cases and 151 deaths. Pastor Tony Spell
was issued a summons on March 31 for holding the services. Spell
said he would continue to ignore the ban because God told him so.
   (SFC, 3/30/20, p.A4,7)(SFC, 4/1/20, p.A6)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 29, New York State,
with over 53,300 cases as of this morning, accounted for more than
one-third of the country’s known coronavirus infections. A planeload
of desperately needed medical supplies arrived in New York from
China, the first of 22 scheduled flights over the next 30 days
organized by the White House to help fight the coronavirus.
   (NY Times, 3/29/20)(Reuters, 3/29/20)(NY Times,
3/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 29, Alan Merrill
(b.1951), writer of the hit song "I Love Rock and Roll," died in New
York of complications from the coronavirus. He wrote the song for
his band the Arrows in 1975 and it became a hit for Joan Jett in
1982.
   (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Merrill)(SFC,
3/30/20, p.A7)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 29, Rhode Island Gov.
Gina Raimondo repealed her order the New Yorkers be singled out for
COVID-19 quarantine and replaced it with a requirement that all
out-of-state travelers isolate for 14 days.
   (SFC, 3/30/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 29, American Airlines
Group Inc said it is set to sharply increase the number of jets it
is planning to retire beyond its announced plans as it accelerates a
fleet transformation to respond to the coronavirus crisis.
   (Reuters, 3/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 29, In Afghanistan
Taliban attacks killed at least 11 Afghan soldiers and police in
attacks in Zabul and Baghlan provinces.
   (SFC, 3/31/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 29, Angola's finance
minister said the country's economy will contract by 1.21% in 2020,
marking a fifth year of recession, as the coronavirus and a slump in
oil prices batter its finances.
   (Reuters, 3/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 29, Brazil's President
Jair Bolsonaro called on all but the elderly to get back to work,
defying his own health ministry on coronavirus guidelines.
   (SFC, 4/2/20, p.A6)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 29, Cambodia reported
one new case of the coronavirus, bringing tally to 103. The country
prepared to tighten entry requirements for foreign nationals to try
to curb the spread of the virus.
   (Reuters, 3/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 29, China said it had
an accumulated total of 693 cases of coronavirus entering from
overseas.
   (Reuters, 3/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 29, Cyprus recorded 35
new coronavirus cases, more than double the number reported a day
earlier. This brought Cyprus' total to 214 cases and six recorded
deaths.
   (Reuters, 3/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 29, Egypt has reported
more than 600 infections and 40 deaths from the coronavirus. The
government imposed restrictions on cash deposits and withdrawals to
prevent crowding at banks as payrolls and pensions are disbursed.
   (AP, 3/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 29, France used two
high-speed TGV trains and a German military plane to move more than
three dozen critically ill coronavirus patients to ease the pressure
on overwhelmed hospitals in eastern France. The number of intensive
care cases rose 8.4% to 4,632, its lowest daily rise in that period.
The country was in virtual lockdown.
   (Reuters, 3/29/20)(Reuters, 3/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 29, Indian PM Narendra
Modi asked the nation's poor for forgiveness as the economic and
human toll from his 21-day nationwide lockdown deepens and criticism
mounts about a lack of adequate planning ahead of the decision.
   (Reuters, 3/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 29, Indonesia
confirmed 130 new coronavirus infections, taking the total to 1,285.
Twelve more people had died from the virus, bringing the death toll
to 144.
   (Reuters, 3/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 29, In Iran the death
toll from the novel coronavirus rose to 2,640. 123 more people in
Iran died from the virus in the past 24 hours. 2,901 new cases of
COVID-19 infection were reported, bringing the overall number of
officially confirmed cases to 38,309.
   (AFP, 3/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 29, In Iran a riot
broke out at Adel Abad Prison, the main lockup in the city of
Shiraz. Prisoners broke cameras and caused other damage in two
sections housing violent criminals. No one was wounded and no one
escaped.
   (AP, 3/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 29, Ireland's
government said it is set to roll out a voluntary phone-tracking app
to alert users if someone they have been in contact with develops
COVID-19, two weeks before the pandemic is expected to peak in the
country.
   (Reuters, 3/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 29, In Israel more
than 4,300 people have been infected with the new virus and 15 have
died.
   (AP, 3/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 29, In Italy the death
toll from an outbreak of coronavirus climbed by 756 to 10,779. The
death toll from the coronavirus in Lombardy rose by around 416 in a
day to some 6,360. Italy's government said it will "inevitably"
extend beyond April 3 the containment measures it had approved to
stem the coronavirus outbreak.
   (Reuters, 3/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 29, Tokyo confirmed 68
new coronavirus cases, a record daily increase. Popular Japanese
comedian Ken Shimura (70) died from the
coronavirus.  Â
   (Reuters, 3/29/20)(SFC, 3/30/20, p.A6)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 29, Kazakhstan locked
down its fifth major city as part of measures to prevent the spread
of coronavirus. The country has confirmed 265 coronavirus cases and
has already locked down its capital, Nur-Sultan, the biggest city,
Almaty, as well as Shymkent, a large city in the south, and Aktau, a
Caspian Sea port.
   (Reuters, 3/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 29, Malians voted in
long-delayed parliamentary elections a day after the country's first
coronavirus death. Mali now had 18 confirmed Covid-19 cases. There
were concerns about its spread in a country with a poor healthcare
infrastructure.
   (BBC, 3/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 29, In the Netherlands
the number of confirmed coronavirus cases passed 10,000. Confirmed
cases rose by 1,104 to 10,866, an 11% increase. There were 132 new
deaths, bringing the number of fatalities to 771.
   (Reuters, 3/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 29, Nigerian President
Muhammadu Buhari ordered the cessation of movement in Lagos and the
capital Abuja for 14 days in an attempt to curb the spread of the
coronavirus. Nigeria had 97 confirmed cases. The country has shut
international airports, closed all land borders and imposed curbs on
cargo vessels allowed to dock at its ports in an effort to contain
the outbreak. Nigeria's petroleum regulator ordered oil and gas
companies to reduce their offshore workforce and move to 28-day
staff rotations as part of measures to curb the spread of the
coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 3/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 29, North Korea fired
what appeared to be two short-range ballistic missiles into its
eastern sea, marking the fourth launch of projectiles this month as
the rest of the world grapples with the Covid-19 outbreak.
   ((Bloomberg, 3/28/20), 3/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 29, In the Philippines
a medical evacuation plane exploded in a ball of flames during
takeoff in Manila, killing all eight passengers and crew on board.
   (Reuters, 3/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 29, The Philippines
reported 1,418 cases of coronavirus and 71 deaths. Police said
nearly 50,000 people have apprehended over the last two weeks for
violating quarantine regulations and night curfews.
   (SFC, 3/30/20, p.A6)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 29, Poland's Krzysztof
Penderecki (86), one of the world's most celebrated composers, died.
He was known for his film scores, including for William Friedkin's
"The Exorcist", Stanley Kubrick's "The Shining" and David Lynch's
"Wild at Heart", for his Threnody for the Victims of Hiroshima and
the largely atonal St Luke's Passion.
   (Reuters, 3/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 29, In Russia the
total number of coronavirus cases in Moscow exceeded 1,000 with many
Muscovites going out despite a plea to stay home. The official tally
of confirmed cases in Russia rose by 270 in 24 hours, bringing the
total to 1,534. Nine people have died of the coronavirus, seven of
which in Moscow.
   (Reuters, 3/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 29, Singapore reports
42 new coronavirus cases, taking tally to 844. Singapore reported
its third coronavirus death.
   (Reuters, 3/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 29, South African
police and security guard shot a man dead during the coronavirus
lockdown in Vosloorus township, just south of Johannesburg. The two
suspects in the killing have been arrested.
   (Reuters, 3/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 29, Spain’s
coronavirus death toll rose by 838 overnight to 6,528. Spain also
saw infections rise to 78,797 from 72,248 the day before.
   (Reuters, 3/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 29, Sri Lankan
authorities sealed off two villages as a part of stringent measures
the contain the spread of the coronavirus. The nation has reported
115 cases and one fatality. More than 6,000 people have been
arrested and 1,533 vehicles seized for violating a curfew.
   (SFC, 3/30/20, p.A6)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 29, Sudan has six
confirmed cases, including one fatality.
   (AP, 3/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 29, The Swiss death
toll from coronavirus reached 257, up from 235 people the previous
day. The number of confirmed cases also increased to 14,336 from
13,213.
   (Reuters, 3/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 29, In Syria
Kurdish-led forces put down riots by Islamic State militants in a
prison in the country's northeast, hours after the extremists
knocked down doors and dug holes in walls between cells in the
northeastern city of Hassakeh. A Syrian Kurdish official said a
number of prisoners managed to escape.
   (AP, 3/29/20)(AP, 3/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 29, Taiwan has
reported 298 cases, far lower than many of its neighbors, and has
won plaudits from health experts for its early response and measures
to keep the numbers low. The World Health Organization (WHO) said it
is closely following the development of the coronavirus in Taiwan
and is learning lessons from how they are fighting it, after
complaints from Taiwan it was being intentionally ignored.
   (Reuters, 3/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 29, In northeastern
Thailand prisoners set fire to the canteen of Buriram Prison and
several inmates escaped during a riot that was sparked by rumors of
a coronavirus outbreak. The total number of coronavirus cases
reached 1,388, with 143 new cases reported today. One new
coronavirus death was reported, bringing the total in Thailand to
seven.
   (Reuters, 3/29/20)(SFC, 3/30/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 29, Turkey's deaths
from the coronavirus increased by 23 to 131, as the number of
confirmed cases rose by 1,815 to 9,217.
   (AP, 3/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 29, Uganda has
reported 30 cases of COVID-19, mostly people who recently traveled
through the United Arab Emirates city of Dubai. Ugandan pop star and
opposition leader Bobi Wine has released a song urging Africa's
people to wash their hands to stop the spread of the new
coronavirus, and criticized African governments for not maintaining
better health care systems for the continent's 1.3 billion people.
   (AP, 3/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 29, Uganda police
arrested 13 gay men, two bisexual men and four transgender women
when they raided an LGBT+ shelter on the outskirts of Kampala
following a ban on gatherings of more than 10 people to control the
virus. On May 13 a court granted lawyers access to the detainees
held with no legal help.
   (Reuters, 5/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 30, The Trump
administration renewed several waivers on US sanctions against Iran,
allowing Russian, European and Chinese companies to continue to work
on Iran's civilian nuclear facilities without drawing American
penalties.
   (AP, 3/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 30, The US death toll
in the COVID-19 pandemic surpassed 3,000, with more than 160,000
confirmed infections.
   (The Week, 3/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 30, US federal judges
temporarily blocked bans on abortion imposed in Texas, Ohio, and
Alabama during the coronavirus pandemic.
   (The Week, 3/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 30, The captain of the
USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier, docked in Guam, asked for
permission to isolate the bulk of his roughly 5,000 crew members on
shore, which would take the warship out of duty in an effort to save
lives. Navy Capt. Brett Crozier said the spread of the disease is
ongoing and accelerating and that removing all but 10% of the crew
is a “necessary risk” in order to stop the spread of the virus. A
day later the US Navy promised to isolate crew members ashore for
rotating quarantine within 24 hours.
   (AP, 4/1/20)(SFC, 4/1/20, p.A1)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 30, It was reported
that the Department of Homeland Security issued an advisory this
past weekend declaring that firearms dealers should be considered
essential services.
   (AP, 3/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 30, SF Mayor Lond
Breed said the city's shelter-in-place order will be extended to at
least May 1. The SF Bay Area had over 1,900 coronavirus cases and 49
deaths.
   (ABC News, 3/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 30, American
singer-songwriter Bill Withers (81) died in Los Angeles of heart
complications. His soulful hits such as "Lean on Me" and "Ain't No
Sunshine" earned him induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
   (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Withers)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 30, Florida Pastor
Rodney Howard-Browne turned himself in to authorities in Hernando
County. Detectives said he held two services a day earlier with
hundreds of people and violated a safer-at-home order in place to
limit the spread of the coronavirus.
   (AP, 3/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 30, Idaho's Gov. Brad
Little signed two bill making Idaho the first US state to ban
transgender girls and women from competing in female sports leagues,
enacting new laws that also prevent trans people from changing their
birth certificates.
   (Reuters, 3/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 30, The Cook County
Jail in Chicago said 134 inmates have tested positive for COVID-19,
up from just 38 March 27.
   (Good Morning America, 3/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 30, Maryland, Virginia
and Washington, D.C., issued stay-at-home directives, virtually
shutting down the capital region in the wake of the coronavirus
pandemic.
   (NY Times, 3/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 30, New York state
reported at least 1,026 coronavirus-related deaths, with about
three-quarters of those in New York City. A 1,000-bed Navy hospital
ship docked in Manhattan and a field hospital was going up in
Central Park for coronavirus patients, as officials in New York City
pleaded for more help from Washington.
   (AP, 3/30/20)(Reuters, 3/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 30, Daniel Prude (41),
a Black man from Rochester, N.Y., died after he was taken off life
support, seven days after an encounter with police. Prude had run
naked through the streets before officers placed a hood on him and
pressed his face into the ground for two minutes.
   (NY Times, 9/3/20)(AP, 9/3/20)(SFC, 9/3/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 30, Rep. Mark Meadows
(R-N.C.) resigned from Congress to become President Trump's new
chief of staff. Meadows replaces former colleague Mick Mulvaney, who
had the job for just over a year.
   (The Week, 3/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 30, In Pennsylvania
Roderick Bliss IV (38), upset over losing his job due to the
coronavirus pandemic, shot his girlfriend and then killed himself in
an attempted murder-suicide in Wilson Borough.
   (NBC News, 4/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 30, It was reported
that nearly a dozen students at Liberty University in Lynchburg,
Va., have developed symptoms of Covid-19. The school’s president,
Jerry Falwell Jr., reopened its campus last week after calling the
response to the pandemic an “overreaction”.
   (NY Times, 3/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 30, Wisconsin police
arrested Sagal Hussein (25). The body of her young son was found in
a duffel bag in her car apparently months after he died.
   (SFC, 5/2/20, p.A3)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 30, Facebook Inc
pledged $100 million in financing and advertising spending to
support news organizations, including local publishers in the United
States, reeling from pressure due to the coronavirus pandemic.
   (Reuters, 3/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 30, Johnson &
Johnson said that it and the US government will invest $1 billion to
create enough manufacturing capacity to make more than 1 billion
doses of a vaccine it is testing to stop the new coronavirus that
has killed more than 35,000 people around the world.
   (Reuters, 3/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 30, Thirty-nine Cuban
doctors and nurses arrived in the tiny Pyrenean principality of
Andorra to help it battle the coronavirus.
   (AFP, 3/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 30, Australia
unleashed a record A$130 billion ($80 billion) jobs-rescue plan,
pledging to subsidize workers’ wages as the coronavirus outbreak
wreaks havoc on the economy and throws thousands out of work.
   (Bloomberg, 3/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 30, Former Bolivian
interior minister Luis Arce Gomez (82), known as "Minister for
Cocaine" for his role in turning the impoverished nation into a
narco-state during a military dictatorship in the 1980s, died after
decades in prison.
   (Reuters, 3/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 30, British drugmaker
AstraZeneca Plc said US regulators have approved its Imfinzi
treatment for use against an aggressive type of lung cancer in
previously untreated patients, as it moves to expand its
specialization in tackling the disease.
   (Reuters, 3/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 30, Guinness World
Records confirmed 112-year-old Bob Weighton of the United Kingdom as
the newest title holder, just one day after his birthday.
   (Good Morning America, 4/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 30, Romek Marber
(b.1925), graphic designer and Holocaust survivor, died in Essex,
England. His wartime memoir "No Return: Journeys in the Holocaust"
was published in 2010.
  Â
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romek_Marber)(Econ., 5/2/20, p.73)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 30, Bulgaria has 399
confirmed cases of coronavirus and eight deaths.
   (Reuters, 3/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 30, In China a forest
fire near Xichang in Sichuan province killed at least 19 people.
   (SFC, 4/2/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 30, The National
Liberation Army (ELN), the largest active guerrilla group in
Colombia, said it will observe a unilateral cease-fire for one month
from April 1 in an effort to help stem the spread of coronavirus.
Colombia has reported 702 cases and 10 deaths of COVID-19. By the
end of the month the ELN said they would not extend the ceasefire
and would return to violence.
   (Reuters, 3/30/20)(Econ., 6/20/20, p.50)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 30, Cyprus imposed a
curfew to contain the spread of coronavirus, extending a broad
lockdown introduced two weeks ago after a weekend spike in recorded
cases.
   (Reuters, 3/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 30, In Egypt Dr. Ahmed
el-Lawah (57) died of the coronavirus in Ismailia.
   (AP, 4/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 30, In El Salvador
crowds broke the lockdown to request aid from the government; police
used pepper spray to disperse them.
   (https://tinyurl.com/y95muu2u)(Reuters, 3/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 30, The European
Commission said that EU countries should allow the hundreds of
thousands of seasonal migrant workers who plant or harvest crops to
cross borders despite national measures to contain the coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 3/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 30, The European
Commission authorized France's scheme to support small companies and
self-employed people affected by the economic crisis caused by the
coronavirus pandemic.
   (Reuters, 3/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 30, French army
helicopters transported coronavirus patients fighting for their
lives from eastern France to hospitals in Germany and Switzerland as
the country battled to free up space in life-support units.
   (Reuters, 3/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 30, French carmaker
Renault put most of its white collar staff in the Ile-de-France
region around Paris on partial unemployment as the lockdown imposed
due to the coronavirus outbreak lowered activity.
   (Reuters, 3/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 30, Hungary’s
parliament issued a "coronavirus law" handing PM Viktor Orban the
right to rule by decree indefinitely, effectively putting the
European Union democracy under his sole command for as long as he
sees fit.
   (Bloomberg, 3/30/20)(Econ, 4/25/20, p.49)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 30, India's health
ministry invited doctors in Indian-administered Kashmir to an online
training session on managing ventilators. Most, however, were unable
to attend because of long-running curbs on the internet that have
prevented those living in Kashmir from accessing information about
the coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 3/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 30, Indian health
workers caused outrage by spraying a group of migrants with
disinfectant, amid fears that a large scale movement of people from
cities to the countryside risked spreading the coronavirus. India
has registered more than a thousand cases of the new coronavirus, of
whom 29 have died.
   (Reuters, 3/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 30, In Indonesia
gunmen killed New Zealand   miner Graeme Thomas Wall
and wounded six others near the Grasberg copper and gold mine in the
Papua region. The West papua Liberation Army soon claimed
responsibility.
   (SFC, 3/31/20, p.A2)(SSFC, 4/12/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 30, Iran's death toll
from the new coronavirus increased to 2,757 with 117 new deaths in
the past 24 hours. The total number of cases has climbed to 41,495.
   (Reuters, 3/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 30, Israel said it is
offering its second-biggest airport as a place for foreign carriers
to park planes grounded by the coronavirus outbreak.
   (Reuters, 3/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 30, In Italy the death
toll from an outbreak of coronavirus in the northern region of
Lombardy rose by around 458 in a day to some 6,818. The number of
cases in the region increased by some 1,154 to around 42,161. The
national death toll stood at 11,591.
   (Reuters, 3/30/20)(Reuters, 3/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 30, Japanese
organizers announced that the opening ceremony of the 2020 Summer
Olympics in Tokyo has been rescheduled for July 23, 2021.
   (Good Morning America, 3/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 30, Kazakhstan, a
Central Asian nation of 19 million, has confirmed 302 cases of the
disease and has closed its borders, locked down most of its major
cities and shut down most businesses in the two biggest population
centers for a week.
   (Reuters, 3/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 30, In Kenya Yasin
Moyo (13) was fatally shot as he stood on a balcony in March
watching police enforce a night-time curfew. At least seven people
were killed in different parts of Kenya in the first five nights of
the curfew. In June policeman Duncan Ndiema was charged with the
murder of Moyo. Ndiema pleaded not guilty.
   (AP, 6/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 30, Kenya's Archbishop
Mwana a'Nzeki (b1931) died. He was the lastborn of a family of five
children, was ordained as a priest in 1961, and served the Catholic
Church until his retirement in 2007. In the early 1990s he helped
Nobel Peace laureate Prof Wangari Maathai evade the security forces
during a brutal government crackdown on human rights activists.
   (BBC, 4/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 30, Mexican journalist
Maria Elena Ferral was shot to death in the city of Papantla, in the
Gulf coast state of Veracruz. Her attackers apparently approached
her on a motorcycle and fired four shots at her.
   (AP, 3/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 30, Myanmar
authorities arrested Nay Myo Lin, editor of the the independent
Voice of Myanmar news site on terrorism charges for publishing an
interview with a rebel army spokesman.
   (SFC, 4/4/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 30, The Singer Laren
museum in the Netherlands announced that the painting "Spring
Garden" (1884) by Vincent Van Gogh vanished after thieves broke into
the building early in the morning.
   (The Week, 3/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 30, The MS Zaandam
exited the Panama Canal. At least 189 people aboard the Holland
America Line cruise ship were suffering flu-like symptoms and four
people have died.
   (Good Morning America, 3/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 30, Moscow, with its
more than 12 million people, went into lockdown while other parts of
Russia moved to introduce similar steps to curb the coronavirus
outbreak.
   (AFP, 3/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 30, Saudi Arabia said
it will finance treatment for anyone infected with the coronavirus
in the country. The agriculture ministry took steps to boost wheat
and livestock supplies amid global fears of a food shortage. The
kingdom has registered eight deaths among 1,453 infections.
   (Reuters, 3/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 30, The Saudi-led
military coalition launched airstrikes on Yemen's rebel-held
capital. More than 12 airstrikes hit rebel-held Sanaa.
   (AP, 3/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 30, In Serbia 13
people, out of a population of 7 million, have died from the
coronavirus. 741 have been diagnosed with the infection. Orthodox
Bishop Milutin Knezevic (71) died of the coronavirus overnight in a
Belgrade hospital.
   (Reuters, 3/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 30, Sierra Leone
overturned a ban on pregnant girls attending school in a victory for
human rights activists who had fought against it for five years.
   (Reuters, 3/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 30, In Spain an
overnight death toll of 812 people brought total fatalities to
7,340, while the number of infections rose by 8% to 85,195. Business
leaders and regional authorities criticized the government's
decision to further restrict the movement of people and keep
non-essential workers at home until mid-April.
   (Reuters, 3/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 30, In northeastern
Syria imprisoned Islamic State militants broke into riots again near
the city of Hassakeh. Kurdish forces again fought to restore order
as US forces dropped light bombs to illuminate the area.
   (SFC, 3/31/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 30, Turkey placed 39
residential areas in 18 cities under quarantine to contain the
spread of the coronavirus, which has killed 131 people in the
country.
   (Reuters, 3/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 30, United Arab
Emirates carrier flydubai said it will reduce pay for its employees
for three months from April due to the impact of the global
coronavirus crisis on its business.
   (Reuters, 3/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 30, UN members voted
by e-mail to keep troops in Sudan’s restive Darfur region until the
end of May and maintain the UN political mission in Somalia until
June 30.
   (AP, 3/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 30, UN members
extended the mandate of the UN panel of experts monitoring sanctions
against North Korea until April 30, 2021, and stressed the
importance of supporting the UN's far-flung peacekeeping operations.
   (AP, 3/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 30, Venezuela's ANBV
Naiguata patrol vessel reportedly rammed the RCGS Resolute, a
Portuguese-flagged cruise ship and promptly sank. 44 Venezuelan
sailors were rescued.
   (SFC, 4/17/20, p.24)
 2020      Mar 30, Zimbabwe
entered a “total lockdown” over the coronavirus. Hundreds of public
hospital doctors and nurses have gone on strike over the lack of
protective equipment. However, social distancing was being pushed
aside in the struggle to obtain food, cash, cheap public transport,
even clean water.
   (AP, 3/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 31, President Donald
Trump said the US Congress should pass a $2 trillion spending plan
to update the country's roads, bridges and other infrastructure,
calling for it to be included in the next bill lawmakers are
currently drafting to respond to the coronavirus crisis, which they
refer to as "Phase 4." Trump warned Americans to brace for a “hell
of a bad two weeks” ahead as the White House projected there could
be 100,000 to 240,000 deaths in the US from the coronavirus pandemic
even if current social distancing guidelines are maintained.
   (Reuters, 3/31/20)(AP, 3/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 31, Pres. Donald
Trump's administration completed a rollback of vehicle emissions
standards adopted under his predecessor Barack Obama and will
require 1.5% annual increases in efficiency through 2026 - far
weaker than the 5% increases in the discarded rules.
   (Reuters, 3/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 31, US officials said
the Trump administration is prepared to lift sanctions on Venezuela
in support of a new proposal to form a transitional government
representing allies of both Nicolas Maduro and opposition leader
Juan Guaido. The plan would require Maduro and Guaidó to step aside
and hand power to a five-member council of state to govern the
country until presidential and parliamentary elections can be held
in late 2020.
   (AP, 3/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 31, The US, the
country with the most confirmed coronavirus infections, now reported
at 164,610 cases and over 3,000 deaths. More than 800,000 cases have
been recorded in 185 countries and territories since the epidemic
started in China in December. At least 38,464 deaths have been
recorded, 27,740 of those in Europe.
   (AFP, 3/31/20)(AP, 3/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 31, US authorities
said a large haul of drugs, including opioids, methamphetamine and
cocaine, being smuggled from Mexico to California has been seized
from a cross-border tunnel equipped with ventilation, lighting and
an underground rail system. The 2,000-foot tunnel connected
warehouses in Tijuana and San Diego.
   (AP, 4/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 31, TC Energy Corp.
gave the go-ahead for construction of its $8 billion Keystone XL
Pipeline project with assistance from the Alberta government. The
pipeline would transport up to 35 million gallons of crude oil daily
from western Canada to terminals on the US Gulf Coast.
   (SFC, 4/1/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 31, California's Gov.
Gavin Newsom reported 6,932 cases of coronavirus and 150 deaths in
the state.
   (ABC News, 3/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 31, In southern
California venture capitalist Imaad Shah Zuberi (49), who
contributed $900,000 to President Donald Trump’s inaugural
committee, agreed to plead guilty to making almost $1 million in
illegal campaign contributions from 2012 to 2016. Zuberi also
admitted he hid his work for foreign nationals while he lobbied US
government officials and evaded paying taxes.
   (Bloomberg, 4/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 31, In southern
California train engineer Eduardo Moreno (44) drove a speeding
locomotive off a track at the Port of Los Angeles because he was
suspicious about the presence of the Navy hospital ship Mercy docked
there to help during the coronavirus crisis.
   (AP, 4/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 31, Two ships carrying
passengers and crew from an ill-fated South American cruise pleaded
with Florida officials to let them carry off the sick and dead. But
Gov. Ron DeSantis said Florida’s health care resources are already
stretched too thin.
   (AP, 3/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 31, In Idaho a
magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck north of Boise this evening, with
people across a large area reporting shaking.
   (AP, 3/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 31, New York City
authorities rushed to bring in an army of medical volunteers as the
death toll in the city from the coronavirus climbed past 1,000.
   (AP, 3/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 31, In Wisconsin a
jogger found the bodies of Dr. Beth Potter (52) and her husband
Rovin Carre (57) near the arboretum of the Univ. of Wisconsin.
Suspect Khari Sanford (18) was arrested on April 3. Police soon
arrested a 2nd suspect, Ali'jah Larrue (18).
   (SFC, 4/7/20, p.A3)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 31, Privately held
Bodysphere said the US Food and Drug Administration has authorized
the emergency use of its test that can detect the coronavirus in
nearly two minutes.
   (Reuters, 3/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 31, Southwest Airlines
Co said it will cut more than 40% of flights from May 3 through June
5 amid a sharp decline in travel demand from the coronavirus
pandemic.
   (Reuters, 3/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 31, Afghan officials
said authorities have quarantined 16 health workers, including six
doctors, as Afghans fleeing hard-hit Iran have helped spread the
coronavirus in the western border province of Herat.
   (Reuters, 3/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 31, Africa's confirmed
cases of coronavirus climbed to at least 5,300, with more than 170
recorded deaths. The Nigerian cities of Lagos and Abuja entered a
two-week lockdown to stop the spread of the virus.
   (Reuters, 3/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 31, In Bangladesh
orders for businesses to close due to the coronavirus pandemic went
into effect. Garment factories were not included until four days
later.
   (Econ., 5/2/20, p.28)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 31, Belgium had at
least 12,775 diagnosed cases of COVID-19, and at least 705 of those
patients have died, including a girl (12) who succumbed to the
disease over the weekend.
   (AP, 3/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 31, Botswana President
Mokgweetsi Masisi declared a State of Emergency following three
confirmed coronavirus cases.
   (Reuters, 3/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 31, Brazil's President
Jair Bolsonaro called for a pact against the coronavirus "to save
lives without leaving jobs behind." Brazil had 1210 deaths from the
virus.
   (Economist, 4/4/20, p.26)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 31, The death toll in
England from the coronavirus outbreak rose 29% to 1,651. Scotland
said 60 people had died. Wales said 69 people had died.
   (Reuters, 3/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 31, Air Canada
announced it will temporarily lay off nearly half of its employees
-- affecting some 15,200 staff and about 1,300 managers -- and
reduce activity by up to 90 percent.
   (AFP, 3/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 31, European nations
deliver medical goods to Iran in the first transaction under the
Instex mechanism set up in January 2019 to bypass United States
sanctions on Tehran.
   (AFP, 3/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 31, The EU announced
the launch of a new naval mission in the Mediterranean Sea aimed at
enforcing the UN arms embargo on Libya.
   (SFC, 4/1/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 31, Guinea announced a
night-time curfew between 2100-0500 GMT and restrictions on movement
out of the capital due to the coronavirus pandemic.
   (AFP, 3/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 31, Indonesia said it
will ban foreign nationals from entering the country as the world’s
fourth-most populous country stepped up efforts to contain the
spread of the coronavirus pandemic. The government has also ordered
officials to step up screening of Indonesian workers returning from
overseas to prevent the virus from spreading further.
   (Bloomberg, 3/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 31, Iran said 141 more
people have died from the novel coronavirus, raising the official
toll to 2,898. Some 3,111 new infections have been confirmed over
the past 24 hours, bringing the total to 44,606. State news said
authorities have stopped the print editions of all Iranian media
until at least April 8, calling on them to publish online instead.
   (AFP, 3/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 31, In Italy the death
toll from an outbreak of coronavirus in the northern region of
Lombardy rose by around 381 in a day to some 7,199. The daily deaths
marked the lowest daily toll since March 25.
   (Reuters, 3/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 31, Kenya now has 59
coronavirus cases, including one death from the disease. A family
mourned the death of a boy (13), struck by a bullet as he stood on
the balcony of his family’s home with his siblings. Police officers
had moved through their crowded neighborhood, enforcing a new
coronavirus curfew. The director of public prosecutions ordered an
investigation into the fatal shooting in the slum of Mathare.
   (AP, 3/31/20)(Reuters, 3/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 31, Mexico's
government broadened its shutdown of "non-essential activities" to
the private sector and prohibited gatherings of more than 50 people
to fight the spread of the coronavirus. The emergency measures will
be in effect to April 30.
   (SFC, 4/1/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 31, Gaza's Health
Ministry said two more cases have been confirmed among travelers who
returned from Egypt, bringing the number to 12. A UN aid agency
began delivering food to the homes of impoverished Palestinians
instead of making them pick up such parcels at crowded distribution
centers.
   (AP, 3/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 31, Panama announced
strict quarantine measures that separate citizens by gender. From
April 1 for 15 days, men and women will only be able to leave their
homes for two hours at a time, and on different days.
   (AP, 3/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 31, Russian lawmakers
backed jail sentences of up to seven years for quarantine offenders
as the number of cases jumped by a record daily amount. Over the
past 24 hours Russian authorities have reported 500 new cases -- the
biggest daily increase so far --- bringing the total tally to 2,337
cases and 17 fatalities.
   (Reuters, 3/31/20)(AFP, 3/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 31, A senior Saudi
official urged more than 1 million Muslims intending to perform the
hajj to delay making plans this year, comments suggesting the
pilgrimage could be cancelled due to the new coronavirus pandemic.
   (AP, 3/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 31, Sierra Leone
announced its first coronavirus case.
   (SFC, 4/1/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 31, South African
scientist Gita Ramjee died from Covid-19-related complications.
   (BBC, 4/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 31, Spain approved an
emergency measure designed to help domestic workers who have seen
their work hours reduced, temporarily suspended or been fired since
the country went into lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic. New
cases increased by 9,222 bringing the total to 94,417.
   (Reuters, 3/31/20)(SFC, 4/1/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 31, Sri Lanka the
coronavirus claimed its first Muslim victim. Hospital workers defied
the victim's family and had him cremated. The health ministry soon
issued new rules making it compulsory to cremate everyone who had
died of COVID-19.
   (Econ., 1/2/21, p.26)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 31, Sweden recorded
4,947 infection of the coronavirus and 239 deaths.
   (Economist, 4/4/20, p.41)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 31, Syrian state media
said government air defenses opened fire on missiles launched from
Israeli warplanes on the central province of Homs, shooting down
some of them. Israeli warplanes reportedly fired eight missiles at
the Shayrat air base in Homs province.
   (AP, 3/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar 31, In eastern Turkey
an explosion damaged a natural gas pipeline and halted gas flows
from Iran. Authorities suspected the Kurdistan Workers' Party.
   (SFC, 4/1/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar, US Vice President
Mike Pence directed the nation’s top disease control agency to use
its emergency powers to effectively seal the US borders, overruling
the agency’s scientists who said there was no evidence the action
would slow the coronavirus. The action caused nearly 150,000
children and adults to be expelled from the country.
   (AP, 10/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar, Abortion under all
circumstances was still banned for 90 million women in 26 countries.
   (Econ., 3/7/20, p.56)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar, San Francisco-based
Salesforce purchased an historic 5-story office building at 440-450
Mission St. for $145 million. The firm paid a record
$2,500-per-square-foot for the building.
   (SFC, 4/22/20, p.C1)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar, Pepita Redhair (27),
a Navajo woman who dreamt of becoming an engineer and loved
skateboarding, was last seen walking with her boyfriend in
Albuquerque, New Mexico. Her disappearance was not reported in local
media.
   (Reuters, 9/25/21)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar, Virginia paroled 95
inmates because of the coronavirus pandemic. They included killers,
rapists and kidnappers, blindsiding prosecutors and victims'
families who say they were not properly notified as required by law.
   (AP, 5/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar, Early this month the
Marshall Islands sealed itself off, banning all inbound visitors due
to the coronavirus. Even supply vessels were require to wait 14 days
at sea before berthing.
   (Econ, 3/21/20, p.34)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar, Dutch government
officials earmarked $550 million to compensate more than 20,000
parents who had their child care benefit payments stopped or were
ordered to repay money amid fraud investigations into fraudulent
claims.
   (SFC, 5/20/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar, Peru's Pres. Martin
Vizcarra announced he’d signed off on a purchase of 1.6 million
COVID-19 tests from China and South Korea, almost all of them for
antibodies. It was later found that they did not meet standards for
accurately detecting COVID-19.
   (AP, 10/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar, In South Africa some
218,000 farm animals, such as cows sheep or goats, were stolen over
the last 12 months, up from 180,000 five years earlier. 87% of the
cases involved criminal syndicates.
   (Econ., 11/21/20, p.42)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar, A Ukrainian man tried
to enter Portugal without a visa and was detained by immigration
inspectors. Two days later he was found dead in his holding cell.
Investigations later found that the man's treatment at the airport
led to is death. On Dec. 9 immigration chief Cristina Gatões
tendered her resignation, which was accepted with immediate effect.
   (AP, 12/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar, The government of
Somalia banned international flights, including khat planes, as part
of its efforts to contain coronavirus.
   (BBC, 5/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mar, In Uzbekistan a court
jailed Gulnara Karimova, the daughter of former ruler Islam Karimov
(1990-2016), for 13 years on charges of running crime rings
extortion and money-laundering. She was already serving time for
similar charges. Vladimir Kaloshin, a journalist for a military
newspaper, received a 12-year sentence for treason after proceedings
that featured no defense witnesses.
   (Econ, 4/11/20, p.27)
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