Ikaria wariootia The ancestor, "Ikaria wariootia", of all animals with a bilateral body plan is discovered as a fossil in rocks of South Australia.
Capital punishment in the United States Colorado abolishes the death penalty and commutes sentences of death row inmates.
Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on prisons Rapper-turned-informant 6ix9ine requests an early prison release over fears of COVID-19.
Pacific Gas and Electric Company The Pacific Gas and Electric Company is expected to plead guilty to 84 counts of manslaughter in the Camp Fire.
COVID-19 pandemic in Ghana Eight people are arrested at a market in Ashaiman for violating restrictions while disinfection on the market began.
United Arab Emirates–United States relations The United States Marine Corps and the United Arab Emirates Armed Forces hold military exercises amid tensions with Iran.
COVID-19 pandemic New York is expected to be the first state to test the treatment of coronavirus with blood from recovered patients.
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer issues a stay-at-home order for all Michiganders except for essential services.
Governor Charlie Baker orders all businesses and organizations not providing essential services to close until April 7, effective at noon on Tuesday. Baker states that he is not issuing a stay-at-home order, saying it "doesn't make sense from a public health point of view", but has directed the Massachusetts Department of Public Health to issue a stay-at-home advisory, limiting public gatherings to 10 people or less.
"Norwegian Jewel" arrives at Honolulu after cutting its trip short due to COVID-19 and mechanical problems. No positive cases were confirmed among the passengers and crew members.
Premier François Legault announces that non-essential businesses in Quebec are to be shut down for three weeks.
Premier Doug Ford announces that non-essential businesses in Ontario are to be shut down for at least two weeks.
President Cyril Ramaphosa announces a 21-day nationwide lockdown effective from March 26, to contain the coronavirus, as the number of confirmed cases rises to 402. Soldiers will be deployed to help police enforce the lockdown.
President Kais Saied orders the army to deploy in the streets to enforce a lockdown in response to the coronavirus.
Myanmar reports the country's first confirmed cases of COVID-19, the patients are a 36-year-old who had travelled back from the United States and a 26-year-old returning from the United Kingdom. Panic buying is reported in the country's largest city, Yangon.
President Nicos Anastasiades announces the order of a nationwide lockdown between 24 March and 13 April.
Malta's government announces that citizens who test positive for COVID-19 and disobey self-isolation rules will be fined 10,000 euros.
The Dutch Health Ministry reports 545 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 34 more deaths, bringing the total number of cases to 4,749 and 213 deaths.
The British government announces that ExCeL London will be turned into a 4000-bed hospital to open next week, staffed primarily by military medics.
Downing Street says Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab is the "designated survivor" to replace Prime Minister Boris Johnson if he became "incapacitated" due to COVID-19. The clarification comes after the issue was raised by MP Peter Bone.
The United Kingdom is placed in lockdown. The new measures close all non-essential stores and ban gatherings of more than two people.
The British Army begins Operation Rescript, to assist the UK's efforts to tackle the coronavirus pandemic.
The Spanish Army has found elderly people abandoned and dead inside retirement homes, according to Defence Minister Margarita Robles. A criminal investigation has been launched.
Spain's Ministry of Health reports 4,000 new confirmed coronavirus cases, rising to 33,000 infected and 2,182 dead.
New Zealand enters alert level 3 after the investigation into two assumed community-spread cases do not find any links to travel. All schools and public venues are closed. The country will enter alert level 4 on 26 March at midnight local time.
Vanuatu puts the island of Aneityum under "temporary lockdown" after a cruise ship with a reportedly infected passenger on board visited the island.
The Federal Reserve Bank announces the commitment to buy any amount of government-backed securities needed to keep interest rates down. Among other measures being developed to support the real economy, it will also establish a special purpose vehicle allowing it to buy investment-grade corporate bonds directly.
Fast food restaurant chain McDonald's closes all of its restaurants in the United Kingdom and Ireland citing the safety of its employees and customers amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cinema Italian actress and former beauty pageant winner Lucia Bosè dies aged 89 from pneumonia complicated by COVID-19.
Syrian civil war The Syrian Air Defense Force says that it intercepted a drone near Khmeimim Air Base.
Islamist insurgency in Mozambique Islamist militants seize the port town of Mocímboa da Praia in Cabo Delgado Province, Mozambique after capturing the town's military base in an overnight attack. Residents say militants have blocked all exits in the town. The armed forces and police launch a counter-offensive.