Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports
COVID-19 Pandemic News

Current Operations

• Iran backs UN plan for Afghan ceasefire to fight coronavirus Press TV 26 Mar 2020 -- Iran has thrown its weight behind a recent proposal by the United Nations secretary general for a global ceasefire in conflict-hit zones and a nationwide truce in war-ravaged Afghanistan.
• Gunmen kill 25 at Afghan temple, UN chief calls for accountability UN News 26 Mar 2020 -- The Secretary-General condemned Wednesday's attack on a Sikh-Hindu temple in the heart of Kabul, Afghanistan, that left dozens of civilians killed and injured.
• Is Peace Possible? Many Key Issues Missing From U.S.-Taliban Deal For Afghanistan RFE/RL 26 Mar 2020 -- The United States has publicly hailed its agreement with the Taliban as a "historic opportunity" to end the nearly 19-year war in Afghanistan.
• Blast Rocks Funeral Services For Sikhs Killed In Kabul Attack RFE/RL 26 Mar 2020 -- A small explosion has disrupted the funeral services for 25 members of Afghanistan's Sikh community who were killed earlier this week in an attack by an Islamic State gunman on their religious compound.
• Abdullah Says Release Of Taliban Prisoners 'Beneficial' For Peace Process RFE/RL 26 Mar 2020 -- Afghanistan's former Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah says the release of Taliban prisoners by the government would be beneficial for both sides and would help move the Afghan peace process forward.
• Reserve Sailors Deploy Aboard USNS Comfort NNS 26 Mar 2020 -- Ready to answer the nation's call, Navy Reserve Sailors reported to the Military Sealift Command's hospital ship USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) March 25, to support the ship's upcoming medical relief mission to New York City.
• Comfort Coming to NYC Ahead of Schedule VOA 26 Mar 2020 -- The Navy hospital ship Comfort is deploying to New York Harbor well ahead of schedule and could arrive early next week to help relieve local hospitals overrun with coronavirus patients, according to the acting U.S. Navy secretary.

Defense Policy / Programs

• More Coronavirus Cases Found Among Crew of Theodore Roosevelt Aircraft Carrier - US Navy Sputnik 26 Mar 2020 -- Earlier this week, acting Secretary of the Navy Thomas Modly said that three sailors on one of the US Navy's largest vessels, the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt, had tested positive for COVID-19.
• Chief of Naval Operations Statement on USS Theodore Roosevelt NNS 26 Mar 2020 -- "As testing continues, additional positive cases of COVID-19 have been discovered aboard USS Theodore Roosevelt. We are taking this threat very seriously and are working quickly to identify and isolate positive cases while preventing further spread of the virus aboard the ship. No Sailors have been hospitalized or are seriously ill.
• Ford Perfects Sustainability at Sea with First Vertical Replenishment NNS 26 Mar 2020 -- After 14 days at sea conducting flight operations and multiple certifications, USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) completed its first vertical replenishment (VERTREP) with MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopters, attached to the "Tridents" of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 9 while alongside USNS Joshua Humphreys (T-AO-188) in the Atlantic Ocean, March 24.
• DACOWITS Releases 2019 Annual Report DoD 26 Mar 2020 -- Today the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services (DACOWITS) released its 2019 annual report.
• JTF-Bravo facilitates repatriation of US citizens from Honduras US Air Force 26 Mar 2020 -- At the request of the U.S. Department of State and at the direction of U.S. Southern Command, a U.S. Air Force C-130J Super Hercules is transporting 78 U.S. citizens from Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras, who were previously unable to return home, to Naval Air Station Norfolk, Virginia.
• Hill AFB fighter wings continue flying operations amid COVID-19 crisis US Air Force 26 Mar 2020 -- The active-duty 388th Fighter Wing and Reserve 419th Fighter Wing are continuing to train and fly the F-35A Lightning II despite the current global coronavirus outbreak.
• First US Space Force Mission Launches High-Frequency Communications Satellite Sputnik 26 Mar 2020 -- A souped-up Atlas V rocket on Thursday launched an Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) communications satellite in the inaugural mission for the newly created US Space Force.
• US military sails another warship through Taiwan Strait Press TV 26 Mar 2020 -- The US Navy says one of its warships has sailed through the strategic Taiwan Strait, which separates Taiwan from China, a provocative move that is certain to anger Beijing.
• U.S. destroyer sails through Taiwan Strait: MND CNA 26 Mar 2020 -- A United States military vessel sailed through the Taiwan Strait on Wednesday, Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense (MND) confirmed Thursday.
• China Blasts US for 'Poisoning Ties' as US Navy Sails Tomahawk-Armed Warship Through Taiwan Strait Sputnik 26 Mar 2020 -- Taiwan's defence ministry carried out large-scale drills on Tuesday simulating a response to a mock invasion of the island by China, alleging that the exercises were a 'response' to repeated "provocations and threats" by Beijing.
• Coronavirus response: 45 tons of supplies arrive in Bucharest NATO 26 Mar 2020 -- An Allied military plane loaded with 45 tons of medical supplies landed at Bucharest airport on Thursday morning (26 March 2020) from the Republic of Korea.
• Coronavirus crisis: Allied planes carrying supplies arrive in Slovakia, head to Romania NATO 26 Mar 2020 -- A planeload of medical supplies, including masks, has arrived in Slovakia on Wednesday (25 March 2020) to help with the coronavirus crisis.
• Secretary General consults with foreign ministers about COVID-19 and upcoming meeting NATO 26 Mar 2020 -- Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg had a series of calls with foreign ministers from NATO and partner countries on 24-26 March 2020 as part of his regular political consultations.
• Russia Completing Tests of Elements of S-500 Prospective Air Defence System Sputnik 26 Mar 2020 -- Tests of certain elements of Russia's next-generation S-500 air defence missile system, including its launcher, are being completed, the director-general of the Design Bureau for Special Machine-Building (part of Almaz-Antey company), has said.
• 33rd Chinese naval escort taskforce returns from Gulf of Aden PLA Daily 26 Mar 2020 -- On the afternoon of March 25, the 33rd escort taskforce of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy, consisting of the guided-missile destroyer Xining (Hull 117), the guided-missile frigate Weifang (Hull 550), and the comprehensive supply ship Kekexili Lake (Hull 968), returned to a military port in Qingdao after successfully completing its escort missions in the Gulf of Aden.
• Chinese peacekeeping engineers to DRC complete road repair mission PLA Daily 26 Mar 2020 -- The Carniola Road repaired by the Walungu detachment of the 23rd Chinese peacekeeping engineer contingent to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) successfully passed the acceptance inspection by the engineering department of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) on the morning of March 24, local time.
• Lithuania Joins the International Maritime Security Construct CENTCOM 26 Mar 2020 -- The International Maritime Security Construct (IMSC) welcomes Lithuania's participation in the multinational efforts aimed at enhancing maritime security throughout key waterways in the Middle East.

Defense Industry

• Contracts For March 26, 2020
• Justice Department Requires Divestitures in Merger Between UTC and Raytheon to Address Vertical and Horizontal Antitrust Concerns US Dept. of Justice 26 Mar 2020 -- Divestitures Will Preserve Competition in the United States for Military Airborne Radios, Military GPS Systems, and Reconnaissance Satellite Components
• United Launch Alliance Successfully Launches First National Security Space Mission for the U.S. Space Force United Launch Alliance 26 Mar 2020 -- A United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket carrying the sixth Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) communications satellite for the U.S. Space Force's Space and Missile Systems Center lifted off from Space Launch Complex-41 on March 26 at 4:18 p.m. EDT.

Other Conflicts

• 26 March 2020 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 26 Mar 2020
• Yemen Analysts Do Not See End to Conflict VOA 26 Mar 2020 -- Yemen marks five years of brutal civil war that has transformed the poorest Arab nation at the tip of the Arabian Peninsula into the world's worst humanitarian crisis. An estimated 100,000 people have been killed during the conflict, and about 80 percent of the population of 24 million are dependent on food and humanitarian aid to survive.
• No lasting peace in Yemen without end to Saudi war, siege: Ansarullah Press TV 26 Mar 2020 -- The Houthi Ansarullah movement says any political solution to the Yemen conflict should begin with an end to the US-sponsored Saudi military aggression and the blockade on the impoverished state.
• Turkey, allied militants using water as weapon against civilians in Syria's Hasakah: Foreign Ministry Press TV 26 Mar 2020 -- The Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates has strongly condemned Turkey and its allied Takfiri militants for cutting off water supply to local residents in the country's northeastern city of Hasakah and surrounding residential neighborhoods over the past two days.
• Turkey dispatches new military convoy to Syria's Idlib, sets up another post: Monitor Press TV 26 Mar 2020 -- The so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) says Turkey has dispatched new reinforcements to Syria's northwestern province of Idlib, as Ankara beefs up its military presence in the embattled region following a ceasefire reached earlier this month with Moscow to halt an escalation of violence there.
• Russian, Turkish Military Conduct Joint Patrolling in Syria – Defence Ministry Sputnik 26 Mar 2020 -- Russian and Turkish troops have conducted joint patrolling in Syria's north, Oleg Zhuravlev, the head of the Russian Defence Ministry's centre for the Syrian Reconciliation, said.
• Libya clashes continue despite UN ceasefire calls amid pandemic Press TV 25 Mar 2020 -- Despite calls by the United Nations for global ceasefires to focus on the fight against the novel coronavirus pandemic, a new battle has erupted between Libya's rival forces at an airbase outside Tripoli.
• Myanmar Says 'Terrorist' Arakan Army Is Losing Chance to Join Peace Process Radio Free Asia 26 Mar 2020 -- The rebel Arakan Army fighting the national army in western Myanmar's Rakhine state has "very little chance" to join the country's struggling peace process now that the government has designated the 11-year-old force an unlawful, terrorist organization, a military spokesman said Thursday.
• Myanmar Army Seizes Drugs, Detains Leaders in Raid on KIA Offshoot Group Radio Free Asia 26 Mar 2020 -- The Myanmar Army raided the headquarters of an offshoot of the rebel Kachin Independence Army (KIA) in northern Shan state on Thursday, seizing illegal drugs, interrogating leaders, and confiscating about 1,000 weapons, an officer in the militia told RFA's Myanmar Service.

News Reports

• Coronavirus Threat Delays Vote to Keep Russia's Putin in Power VOA 26 Mar 2020 -- President Vladimir Putin acknowledged Russia's growing crisis surrounding the spread of the novel coronavirus – postponing a constitutional referendum whose key provision provides a path for the longtime Russian leader to retain power beyond the end of his current term and far into the next decade.
• Putin calls for sanctions 'moratorium' amid pandemic Press TV 26 Mar 2020 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin has called for the lifting of sanctions on various countries that are hindering the global fight against the new coronavirus.
• Putin Makes Plea For Sanctions Relief At G20 Summit RFE/RL 26 Mar 2020 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin has proposed at a Group of 20 (G20) video conference that a freeze be placed on economic sanctions to allow countries to better combat the coronavirus pandemic that has infected more than 500,000 worldwide and killed nearly 23,000 people.
• Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Geng Shuang's Regular Press Conference on March 26, 2020 PRC MofA 26 Mar 2020
• Xi encourages G20 to fend off recession with coordinated policies PLA Daily 26 Mar 2020 -- President Xi Jinping on Thursday called on all the G20 members to enhance coordination of macro policies to prevent a recession of the global economy under the influence of the novel coronavirus pneumonia.
• China's Economy Expected to Shrink in The First Half Radio Free Asia 26 Mar 2020 -- As China's economy struggles to recover from the COVID-19 epidemic, analysts are trying to estimate how much damage has already been done.
• The Spokesman Tweets: a Closer Look at China's Infowars Radio Free Asia 26 Mar 2020 -- Foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian, lionized as a defender of China by its tightly controlled state media, has recently taken to Twitter to promote the claim that the coronavirus didn't originate in China -- a move which analysts said is part of a broader overseas disinformation campaign being waged by Beijing.
• Chinese Property Tycoon's Letter Seen as 'Internal Strife' by Chinese President Radio Free Asia 26 Mar 2020 -- Property tycoon Ren Zhiqiang is under investigation by the ruling Chinese Communist Party after he apparently penned an article highly critical of President Xi Jinping.
• China Rebukes Pompeo for 'Wuhan Virus' Comment VOA 26 Mar 2020 -- China's Foreign Ministry Thursday strongly condemned comments made by U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in which he referred to COVID-19 as the "Wuhan" virus and claimed China has been waging a "disinformation campaign" about the epidemic.
• North Korea Eases Restrictions on Sea Smugglers Amid COVID-19 Dangers Radio Free Asia 25 Mar 2020 -- North Korean internal government directives point to a renewed policy of leniency for smugglers, who have been out of work since the government began cracking down on crossing the country's border with China to prevent the spread of coronavirus, traders familiar with the orders told RFA.
• U.S. Imposes Sanctions On Iranian Revolutionary Guards-Linked Firms, Individuals RFE/RL 26 Mar 2020 -- The United States says it has imposed sanctions against 20 companies based in Iran and Iraq, along with officials and other individuals there who are accused of supporting terrorist groups.
• Treasury Designates Vast Network of IRGC-QF Officials and Front Companies in Iraq, Iran US Treasury 26 Mar 2020 -- "The U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) today designated 20 Iran- and Iraq-based front companies, senior officials, and business associates that provide support to or act for or on behalf of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF) in addition to transferring lethal aid to Iranian-backed terrorist militias in Iraq such as Kata'ib Hizballah (KH) and Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq (AAH)."
• US Increases 'Maximum Pressure' on Iran VOA 26 Mar 2020 -- The United States is turning up its "maximum pressure" campaign on Iran, slapping fresh sanctions on 20 companies and individuals for bolstering Iranian-backed militias in Iraq and elsewhere.
• IRGC cmdr: US aid claim, just a deception IRNA 26 Mar 2020 -- Commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) described Thursday the US officials' aid claim as nothing but lie and fraud.
• IRGC-QF Sanctions and Iraq's Electricity Waiver US Dept. of State 26 Mar 2020 -- "The United States announced today the designations of 20 individuals and entities that violate Iraqi sovereignty and exploit Iraq's economy to funnel money to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF)."
• Spox: Iran has no clue about fate of missing FBI agent, Levinson IRNA 26 Mar 2020 -- Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Abbas Mousavi sympathized with the family of the missing FBI agent Robert Levinson and said Iran has no evidence of his destiny or whether he is alive after he left the country.
• Iran to US: Do not politicize ex-FBI agent's case, avoid exploiting his family's emotions Press TV 26 Mar 2020 -- Iran has warned the United States against politicization of the possible death of a former FBI agent, whom the US administration alleges has been imprisoned in the Islamic Republic, after Washington claimed on Wednesday that he has died in detention in Iran.
• Tehran Says Missing Former FBI Agent Left Iran 'Long Ago' RFE/RL 26 Mar 2020 -- Tehran says that Robert Levinson, a former FBI agent, left the country "long ago" and doesn't know where he is, rejecting a claim by his family saying he died in Iranian custody.
• Tehran Has No Knowledge of Missing US Agent Levinson's Whereabouts Sputnik 26 Mar 2020 -- Iran has no knowledge of the whereabouts of former FBI agent Robert Levinson, who disappeared in the country in 2007, the spokesman for Iran's UN Mission, Alireza Miryousefi, said Thursday, in the wake of claims by his family that he had died in detention in Iran.
• US imposes new sanctions on Iranian and Iraqi individuals, companies Press TV 26 Mar 2020 -- The United States has imposed new sanctions against 20 companies, officials and individuals in Iran and Iraq, despite growing global pressure on the US to end sanctions on Iran as the country battles the coronavirus pandemic.
• Nicolás Maduro Moros and 14 Current and Former Venezuelan Officials Charged with Narco-Terrorism, Corruption, Drug Trafficking and Other Criminal Charges US Treasury 26 Mar 2020 -- Former President of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro Moros, Venezuela's vice president for the economy, Venezuela's Minister of Defense, and Venezuela's Chief Supreme Court Justice are among those charged in New York City; Washington, DC; and Miami, along with current and former Venezuelan government officials as well as two Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC) leaders
• US Brings Charges Against Venezuela's President Maduro, Offers $15 mln Reward For His Arrest Sputnik 26 Mar 2020 -- The US offered a series of rewards for information on five top officials in the government of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, including $15 million for Maduro himself, based on charges of drug trafficking, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced in a press release on Thursday.
• Department of State Offers Rewards for Information to Bring Venezuelan Drug Traffickers to Justice US Dept. of State 26 Mar 2020 -- Today the U. S. Department of State announced a series of rewards for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of Venezuelan nationals for whom the Department of Justice unsealed indictments today for their roles in international narcotics trafficking: Nicolás Maduro Moros, Diosdado Cabello Rondón, Hugo Carvajal Barrios, Clíver Alcalá Cordones, and Tareck Zaidan El Aissami Maddah.
• US Announces Narcoterrorism Charges Against Venezuela's Maduro VOA 26 Mar 2020 -- The U.S. Justice Department on Thursday announced narcoterrorism charges against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and other top officials, accusing them of collaborating with a leftist Colombian guerrilla group to traffic cocaine to the United States.
• US 'obsessed' with Venezuela, FM says on charges against Maduro Press TV 26 Mar 2020 -- Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza has slammed the US government for bringing new charges against the president of the South American country, saying they are meant to give the administration in Washington more electoral confidence in the run-up to the presidential election in November.
• Kazakh Security Officials Arrest Man They Say Was Plotting 'Terrorist' Attack RFE/RL 26 Mar 2020 -- The National Security Committee for Kazakhstan says it has arrested a man suspected of plotting a terrorist act in Nur-Sultan, the capital of the Central Asian nation.
• Nazarbaev Comes Asking Beleaguered Kazakhs, Once Again, For Donations Amid Crisis RFE/RL 26 Mar 2020 -- A call went out to the people of Kazakhstan on March 20 urging them not to stand on the sidelines but to be active in helping the country's president and his government through a batch of pressing problems.
• The European Union's Decision on Albania and North Macedonia US Dept. of State 26 Mar 2020 -- The United States welcomes the European Union's decision to open accession negotiations with Albania and North Macedonia. We look forward to deepening our strategic partnership with Albania and North Macedonia as they begin the next steps on their Western path.
• Joint Statement of Special Presidential Envoy Richard Grenell, Ambassador Philip Kosnett, and Special Representative for the Western Balkans Matthew Palmer on Kosovo US Dept. of State 26 Mar 2020 -- The United States stands with the people of Kosovo. We commend the continued efforts of the health professionals and others who are working hard, at great risk, to reduce the progress of COVID-19 in Kosovo. In this time of uncertainty, we urge Kosovo's leaders to follow Kosovo's Constitution and the rule of law.
• Malawi Orders Political Opposition to Halt Coronavirus Education Campaigns VOA 26 Mar 2020 -- Malawi has ordered opposition political parties to halt coronavirus awareness campaigns, calling the efforts a politicization of the pandemic. While Malawi has yet to confirm a case of the virus, President Peter Mutharika last week declared COVID-19 a national disaster and opposition parties have been going door-to-door to educate people on symptoms and prevention.

COVID-19 Pandemic News

• Coronavirus disease (COVID-2019) situation report - 66 WHO 26 March 2020
• Over 400,000 coronavirus cases reported globally: WHO People's Daily 26 Mar 2020 -- The global death toll from COVID-19 has climbed to 18,433, as the virus affected 196 countries and regions.
• Human rights must be maintained in beating back the COVID-19 pandemic, 'without exception' – UN experts UN News 26 Mar 2020 -- Dozens of independent UN human rights experts stressed on Thursday that in addition to public health and emergency measures, battling the COVID-19 pandemic, must respect the fundamental human rights of every individual.
• Watchdogs Warn Human Rights Could Be Collateral Damage In Fight Against COVID-19 RFE/RL 26 Mar 2020 -- As countries around the world take extraordinary steps to fight the coronavirus pandemic, global watchdogs are concerned that human rights and civil liberties could become a casualty.

United States

• More Coronavirus Cases Found Among Crew of Theodore Roosevelt Aircraft Carrier - US Navy Sputnik 26 Mar 2020 -- Earlier this week, acting Secretary of the Navy Thomas Modly said that three sailors on one of the US Navy's largest vessels, the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt, had tested positive for COVID-19.
• Chief of Naval Operations Statement on USS Theodore Roosevelt NNS 26 Mar 2020 -- "As testing continues, additional positive cases of COVID-19 have been discovered aboard USS Theodore Roosevelt. We are taking this threat very seriously and are working quickly to identify and isolate positive cases while preventing further spread of the virus aboard the ship. No Sailors have been hospitalized or are seriously ill.
• Reserve Sailors Deploy Aboard USNS Comfort NNS 26 Mar 2020 -- Ready to answer the nation's call, Navy Reserve Sailors reported to the Military Sealift Command's hospital ship USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) March 25, to support the ship's upcoming medical relief mission to New York City.
• Comfort Coming to NYC Ahead of Schedule VOA 26 Mar 2020 -- The Navy hospital ship Comfort is deploying to New York Harbor well ahead of schedule and could arrive early next week to help relieve local hospitals overrun with coronavirus patients, according to the acting U.S. Navy secretary.
• Remarks by President Trump, Vice President Pence, and Members of the Coronavirus Task Force in Press Briefing The White House 26 Mar 2020
• President Donald J. Trump Approves Missouri Disaster Declaration The White House 26 Mar 2020
• President Donald J. Trump Approves Maryland's Disaster Declaration The White House 26 Mar 2020
• President Donald J. Trump Approves New Jersey Disaster Declaration The White House 26 Mar 2020
• President Donald J. Trump Approves Illinois Disaster Declaration The White House 26 Mar 2020
• Marine Corps Officials Hold a Defense Department News Briefing on COVID-19 Efforts DoD 26 Mar 2020 -- Marine Corps Commandant General David H. Berger; Sergeant Major Of The Marine Corps Troy E. Black; Thomas B. Modly, Acting Secretary Of The Navy; Rear Admiral James Hancock, Medical Officer Of The Marine Corps
• Army Leaders Detail Efforts Against Coronavirus DoD News 26 Mar 2020 -- Army leaders detailed how the service is deploying field hospitals to New York and Seattle, and what the Army is doing to ensure its missions continue.
• Operation Steady Resolve Aids Ohioans During Coronavirus Pandemic DoD News 26 Mar 2020 -- A joint military task force is working to help their fellow Ohioans as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect their state.
• Top Navy, Marine Corps Officials Provide COVID-19 Update DoD News 26 Mar 2020 -- The Navy and Marine Corps are taking actions across the force to prevent the spread of COVID-19, containing outbreaks and recovering the force as quickly as possible, acting Navy Secretary Thomas B. Modly said.
• U.S. Navy Reports Updated Positive COVID-19 Cases NNS 26 Mar 2020 -- On March 26, the Navy identified 35 additional Sailors and Navy civilians who tested positive for Novel Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).
• US Overtakes China as Country With Most Recorded COVID-19 Cases Sputnik 26 Mar 2020 -- The US on Thursday became the country with the highest number of confirmed COVID-19 novel coronavirus cases, surpassing China, where the virus originally broke out.
• U.S. COVID-19 deaths top 1,000 People's Daily 26 Mar 2020 -- The death toll from COVID-19 in the United States surpassed 1,000 as of 10:30 p.m. U.S. Eastern Time on Wednesday (0230 GMT on Thursday), according to the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University.
• US coronavirus: 10,000 new cases reported in a single day as senate passes aid package Press TV 26 Mar 2020 -- The new coronavirus has infected 10,000 more people in the span of a single day across the United States, raising alarm that the country could become the new epicenter of the pandemic.
• US marks deadliest day in reported coronavirus deaths Press TV 26 Mar 2020 -- The United States has reported over 200 new deaths from the coronavirus outbreak, marking the deadliest day since the pandemic began in the country.
• 100 New Yorkers Die in 24-Hour Period From COVID-19 VOA 26 Mar 2020 -- The U.S. state of New York crossed a grim threshold Thursday, with 100 residents dying from the coronavirus in a 24-hour period, and the governor warning that the numbers will continue to rise.
• European COVID-19 Cases, Deaths Have Tripled Since Last Week, WHO Says VOA 26 Mar 2020 -- The World Health Organization Thursday reported more than 220,000 cases of the new coronavirus and 11,987 deaths in Europe, triple the numbers from a week ago.
• Dr. Fauci Says Coronavirus Could be Cyclical VOA 26 Mar 2020 -- The leading U.S. infectious disease expert is warning the coronavirus outbreak the world is experiencing maybe a cyclical occurrence and could return even stronger if the proper precautions are not taken.
• U.S. Foreign Assistance in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic US Dept. of State 26 Mar 2020 -- The U.S. government has rapidly mobilized unprecedented resources to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, both at home and abroad. Today, I am pleased to announce that the United States has made available nearly $274 million in emergency health and humanitarian funding. Along with the U.S. private sector, the American people continue to lead in responding to this pandemic.
• Briefing With USAID Deputy Administrator Bonnie Glick and Director of U.S. Foreign Assistance Resources James L. Richardson On U.S. Foreign Assistance in Response to COVID-19 US Dept. of State 26 Mar 2020
• Trump, Putin, Other G20 Leaders Seek Unity In Virus Fight During Online Summit RFE/RL 26 Mar 2020 -- U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin will be among the leaders of the Group of 20 (G20) major economies expected to participate in an online summit hosted by Saudi Arabia.
• G7 countries oppose fellow-member US's attempt to label coronavirus as Chinese Press TV 26 Mar 2020 -- The latest meeting of the Group of Seven (G7) countries has ended in disarray because of attempts by the United States to include language in a draft final statement that linked the new coronavirus to China.

China

• China has provided emergency support to 83 countries and regions, including test kits and masks Global Times 26 Mar 2020 -- China has announced to provide emergent support to 83 countries and regions to aid the fight against COVID-19 pandemic. China has offered emergency medical assistance to 28 countries in Asia, 16 in Europe, 26 in Africa, 9 in America and 10 in South Pacific regions: official
• Overseas Chinese students 40% of China's imported COVID19 cases Global Times 26 Mar 2020 -- Ninety percent of imported COVID-19 cases hold Chinese passports, 40 percent of them are overseas students, Luo Zhaohui, vice foreign minister of China, said at a press conference on Thursday in Beijing.
• China Rebukes Pompeo for 'Wuhan Virus' Comment VOA 26 Mar 2020 -- China's Foreign Ministry Thursday strongly condemned comments made by U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in which he referred to COVID-19 as the "Wuhan" virus and claimed China has been waging a "disinformation campaign" about the epidemic.
• Chinese Lawyers Sue U.S. Over 'Coronavirus Cover-up' Radio Free Asia 26 Mar 2020 -- Two state-backed Chinese lawyers have brought lawsuits against the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other U.S. departments, alleging that they "covered up" the emergence of the coronavirus.
• China still under pressure to prevent COVID-19 spread: official People's Daily 26 Mar 2020 -- China is still under great pressure in preventing the spread of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) as 23 provincial-level regions have reported imported infection cases, a health official said Thursday.
• Beijing reports one new imported COVID-19 case in 12 hours People's Daily 26 Mar 2020 -- Beijing reported one new confirmed case of novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) from the United States over the past 12 hours by Thursday noon, according to the municipal health commission.
• More Chinese provinces further lower COVID-19 response level People's Daily 26 Mar 2020 -- More provinces in China have further downgraded their emergency response toward the COVID-19 outbreak as the epidemic is receding in the country.
• Beijing reports 6 new imported COVID-19 cases People's Daily 26 Mar 2020 -- Beijing reported six new confirmed cases of novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) from other countries Wednesday, the municipal health commission said Thursday.
• Chinese mainland reports 67 new imported COVID-19 cases People's Daily 26 Mar 2020 -- The Chinese mainland reported 67 new imported cases of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) Wednesday, bringing the total number of imported cases to 541, according to the National Health Commission Thursday.
• China's Wuhan reports zero increase in COVID-19 cases People's Daily 26 Mar 2020 -- No new confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) were reported Wednesday in Wuhan, the former hardest-hit city in central China's Hubei Province.
• Chinese mainland reports zero increase in domestic COVID-19 cases People's Daily 26 Mar 2020 -- Chinese health authority Thursday said that no new domestically transmitted cases of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) were reported on the Chinese mainland on Wednesday.
• Extending lockdown measures will delay 2nd wave of COVID-19 until later this year: Study Press TV 26 Mar 2020 -- Early loosening or lifting of lockdown measures will bring the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic closer, a new study warns.
• China reports zero local coronavirus transmissions, but new imported ones +World updates Press TV 26 Mar 2020 -- China has managed to prevent local transmissions of the new coronavirus for a second consecutive day, while reporting an increase in cases of infection coming in from abroad.
• Second Wave of COVID-19 Imminent if Wuhan Lockdown Measures Lifted Too Soon - Study Sputnik 26 Mar 2020 -- A study published in The Lancet medical journal Thursday warns that relaxing the quarantine measures in the Chinese city of Wuhan - the first epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak - too soon could result in a second wave of coronavirus cases.

Taiwan

• Taiwan confirms 17 new cases of COVID-19, bringing total to 252 CNA 26 Mar 2020 -- Seventeen new cases of the coronavirus disease COVID-19 were confirmed in Taiwan on Thursday, bringing the total to 252 since the pandemic began, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) said.
• Taiwan's COVID-19 patients mainly experience mild symptoms: CECC CNA 26 Mar 2020 -- A majority of coronavirus COVID-19 patients in Taiwan suffer from mild symptoms, but have to be hospitalized for a long period for detox treatment, an expert with the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) said Thursday.
• About 440 Taiwanese in Hubei seeking to get home on special flights CNA 26 Mar 2020 -- More than 440 Taiwanese nationals in Hubei have applied for priority bookings on two special flights contracted by the Taipei-based Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) to bring home Taiwan citizens in the Chinese province, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) said Thursday.

Iran

• 50 million Iranians screened for coronavirus: Official IRNA 26 Mar 2020 -- Deputy minister of health, treatment and medical educations announced late on Thursday that over 50 million Iranians have so far been screened for coronavirus.
• Iran to tighten social distancing rules to combat COVID-19 IRNA 26 Mar 2020 -- Thanks to the serious outbreak of coronavirus in Iran and in line with reducing contacts and implementing social distancing plan, Iranian government has decided to tighten regulations for people's presence outdoors.
• Official: 10,457 Iranians survive COVID19 in Iran IRNA 26 Mar 2020 -- Head of Iran's Health Ministry Public Relations Office Kianoush Jahanpour said on Thursday that 10,457 people out of a total of 29,406 infected by the coronavirus have survived it while 2,234 have unfortunately succumbed to the deadly virus.
• Iran's President announces new plans to fight coronavirus IRNA 26 Mar 2020 -- Iran's President Hassan Rouhani on Thursday announced news measures by the government to fight the outbreak of coronavirus in Iran and hoped they would cut the coronavirus transmission chain within two weeks.
• Speaker: Iran doing better than most countries in anti-coronavirus battle IRNA 26 Mar 2020 -- Iran's Majlis (Parliament) Speaker Ali Larijani on Thursday appreciated the measures taken by the Health Ministry and Armed Forces in fighting the coronavirus outbreak and said Iran has done better than many other world countries in this regard.

Saudi Arabia

• COVID-19 Follow-up Committee Holds Meeting SPA 26 Mar 2020 -- Under the chairmanship of Health Minister Dr. Tawfiq bin Fawzan Al-Rabiah, the COVID-19 Follow-up Committee held its 36th meeting today.
• Under the chairmanship of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques: Leaders of G20 Convene Extraordinary Virtual Summit SPA 26 Mar 2020 -- The leaders of the Group of Twenty (G20) held today, Thursday, the extraordinary virtual summit meeting under the chairmanship of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.

Russia

• Coronavirus Threat Delays Vote to Keep Russia's Putin in Power VOA 26 Mar 2020 -- President Vladimir Putin acknowledged Russia's growing crisis surrounding the spread of the novel coronavirus – postponing a constitutional referendum whose key provision provides a path for the longtime Russian leader to retain power beyond the end of his current term and far into the next decade.
• Doctor Warns Russia Must Be Prepared for 'Nuclear Reaction-Like' Spread of Coronavirus Sputnik 26 Mar 2020 -- Russia has joined countries worldwide in combating the COVID-19 outbreak, with authorities introducing a series of medical and economic measures to stop its spread and deal with the economic fallout. The country has about 840 confirmed cases of the virus, most of them concentrated in Moscow.
• Putin: Russia May Defeat Coronavirus in Less Than 3 Months Sputnik 26 Mar 2020 -- Russia enacted a series of comprehensive measures to tackle the COVID-19 outbreak in recent weeks, instituting travel restrictions, quarantine for infected individuals, and efforts to make an effective vaccine available following testing.
• Russian Defence Ministry to Build 16 Infectious Disease Centres in Country by 16 May Sputnik 26 Mar 2020 -- Earlier in the day, Russia's coronavirus response centre reported 182 new COVID-19 cases in 18 regions over the past 24 hours, with the total count reaching 840, and two deaths related to the coronavirus infection.
• Russia Registers 182 New COVID-19 Cases Over Past 24 Hours - Response Centre Sputnik 26 Mar 2020 -- Russia has registered 182 new COVID-19 cases in 18 regions over the past 24 hours, with the total count now reaching 840, and two deaths related to the coronavirus infection, the country's coronavirus response centre said on Thursday.
• Moscow Mayor Imposes Strict but 'Necessary' Restrictions in Unprecedented Move to Contain COVID-19 Sputnik 26 Mar 2020 -- On Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that Russians would be given a paid leave next week amid the spread of the coronavirus.

India

• India Rejects American Scientists Prediction of 1.3 Million Domestic COVID-19 Cases by May Sputnik 26 Mar 2020 -- Media Must Refrain from Reporting Isolated Cases
• India Deploys Defence Units to Help Civilian Authorities in the Fight Against COVID-19 Sputnik 26 Mar 2020 -- India is ramping up its resources and facilities to meet surging demand for protective gear as cases of COVID19 have gone up. The country has already gone into lockdown mode for 21 days in a bid to break the cycle of infection.
• Thousands of Foreigners Set to Leave for Home Amid 21 Days Lockdown in India Sputnik 26 Mar 2020 -- India is under a 21-day lockdown in an attempt to control the spread of the coronavirus. The authorities have suspended all international and domestic flights until 14 April, leaving thousands of foreign nationals stuck in India.

Kuwait

• Kuwait Reports 13 New Cases of Novel Coronavirus SPA 26 Mar 2020 -- The Kuwaiti Ministry of Health has reported 13 confirmed cases of novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) during the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of cases registered in Kuwait to 208.
• Kuwait: Six more patients recover from coronavirus SPA 26 Mar 2020 -- Kuwaiti Minister of Health Sheikh Dr. Basel Al-Sabah has announced the full recovery of six additional individuals from the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), bringing the total number of recovered cases in the country to 49.

Japan

• Japan Creates Coronavirus Task Force Amid Fears of Second Wave of Infections - Reports Sputnik 26 Mar 2020 -- The Japanese government set up a task force on Thursday to deal with the coronavirus outbreak, paving the way for a state of emergency declaration ahead of a possible second wave of infections, Japan's public broadcaster NHK said.
• COVID-19 infections in Japan rise to 1,313, Tokyo residents told to stay home this weekend People's Daily 26 Mar 2020 -- Japan's health ministry and local governments said Thursday that six new COVID-19 infections were confirmed in Gifu, Hiroshima and Okinawa prefectures, bringing the total number of people infected in Japan to 1,313 as of 11:00 a.m. local time here.

Spain

• Spanish Parliament Prolongs High Alert Regime Until April 11 Amid COVID-19 Sputnik 26 Mar 2020 -- The Spanish parliament has supported the government's proposal to extend the high alert regime in place due to COVID-19 pandemic through 11 April.
• Spain Reels Under Coronavirus as Death Toll Tops 4,000 VOA 26 Mar 2020 -- Spain is reeling under the onslaught of the coronavirus, with fatalities surpassing those of China, the health system collapsing and retirement homes becoming open graves.

North Korea

• Experts: N. Korea Must Admit to COVID-19 Cases, Request Help Before Sanctions Lifted VOA 26 Mar 2020 -- North Korea needs to publicly admit there is a coronavirus outbreak inside its borders and officially ask the international community for help fighting COVID-19 before any sanctions are lifted, experts said.
• North Korea Reportedly Asking for Medical Aid While Denying It Has Any Coronavirus Cases Sputnik 26 Mar 2020 -- North Korea is reportedly asking for medical aid from other countries while denying that it has any cases of the COVID-19 coronavirus within its borders.
• North Korea Cracks Down on Hoarding, Price Gouging as Coronavirus Crisis Worsens Radio Free Asia 26 Mar 2020 -- Authorities in North Korea are taking action against wholesalers for hoarding food and price gouging amid rising food prices as the coronavirus epidemic bears down on the reclusive country, local sources told RFA.
• North Korea Eases Restrictions on Sea Smugglers Amid COVID-19 Dangers Radio Free Asia 25 Mar 2020 -- North Korean internal government directives point to a renewed policy of leniency for smugglers, who have been out of work since the government began cracking down on crossing the country's border with China to prevent the spread of coronavirus, traders familiar with the orders told RFA.

Other Countries

• Coronavirus response: 45 tons of supplies arrive in Bucharest NATO 26 Mar 2020 -- An Allied military plane loaded with 45 tons of medical supplies landed at Bucharest airport on Thursday morning (26 March 2020) from the Republic of Korea.
• Coronavirus crisis: Allied planes carrying supplies arrive in Slovakia, head to Romania NATO 26 Mar 2020 -- A planeload of medical supplies, including masks, has arrived in Slovakia on Wednesday (25 March 2020) to help with the coronavirus crisis.
• New COVID-19 cases dropping steadily in Italy despite death toll fluctuating People's Daily 26 Mar 2020 -- The number of new COVID-19 cases reported daily in Italy is dropping steadily while the daily death toll is still fluctuating.
• WHO official suggests Nepal cooperate with China, India to fight COVID-19 People's Daily 26 Mar 2020 -- The World Health Organization (WHO) Representative in Nepal Dr. Jos Vandelaer has suggested Nepal cooperate with neighboring China and India to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.
• France's Macron launches army operation to win war against COVID-19 People's Daily 26 Mar 2020 -- Declaring a war against "an invisible enemy," President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday announced an army operation "Resilience" to back the fight against the coronavirus pandemic and support the population.
• Coronavirus Cases Double Overnight as Laos Braces For Potential Epidemic Radio Free Asia 26 Mar 2020 -- The number of cases of coronavirus infection in Laos have doubled overnight, an official with the country's Ministry of Health said Thursday, bringing the total to six, as the impoverished Southeast Asian nation braced itself for a potential epidemic within its borders.
• COVID-19: Afghanistan Freeing Thousands Of Inmates; Romania Surpasses 1,000 Cases RFE/RL 26 Mar 2020 -- The global death toll from the coronavirus has reached nearly 23,000 with more than 510,000 infections confirmed, causing mass disruptions as governments continue to try to slow the spread of the new respiratory illness.
• Coronavirus Cases Rise to 893 in Indonesia SPA 26 Mar 2020 -- The number of cases of Coronavirus in Indonesia rose today to 893.
• Health Min. says virus may kill 40,000 in Israel after Netanyahu brags about healthcare system Press TV 26 Mar 2020 -- Up to 40,000 people may lose their lives due to the COVID-19 disease in Israel, the regime's health ministry predicted, after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu boasted that Israelis were fully protected against the pandemic.
• 'Disaster Waiting to Happen:' Doctor Says Africa Cannot Afford Most Anti-Coronavirus Tips Sputnik 26 Mar 2020 -- Lockdown 'Only Hope' To Slow Down Spread
• Iraq: Top UN official calls on political leaders to confront COVID-19 pandemic and unite UN News 26 Mar 2020 -- Dozens of independent UN human rights experts stressed on Thursday that in addition to public health and emergency While the COVID-19 pandemic has compounded the political, security, social and economic crises roiling Iraq, the top UN official in the country hopes it will spur leaders to put aside their differences and unite for the common good.
• Is EU Losing Cohesion in Fight Against COVID-19? VOA 26 Mar 2020 -- Europe is currently the epicenter of the deadly coronavirus pandemic, with more than 150,000 confirmed cases and thousands of deaths. As the number of cases soars across the continent, observers are questioning whether the 27-member European Union can remain cohesive in the fight against the infection. They note that Europe's resilience and cooperation have taken a big knock amid the outbreak.
• Zimbabwe Doctors, Nurses Down Tools Over COVID-19 PPEs VOA 26 Mar 2020 -- Doctors and nurses in Zimbabwe's public hospitals have gone on strike and are vowing not to return until the government gives them personal protective equipment so they can safely treat suspected coronavirus patients. Public health specialists warn that without action to resolve the matter, Zimbabwe could turn into another COVID-19 epicenter.
• Ethiopia to Release Inmates to Curb Coronavirus Spread VOA 26 Mar 2020 -- Ethiopia is set to begin releasing more than 4,000 prisoners Thursday in an effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
• South Africa to Lock Down for 21 Days, Starting Midnight Thursday VOA 26 Mar 2020 -- South Africa begins a 21-day lockdown at midnight Thursday aimed at stopping the country's rising number of coronavirus cases, with which as of Wednesday tallied 709 confirmed cases, the highest on the continent.
• Bolivia Tightens Border Restrictions Amid Coronavirus Outbreak VOA 26 Mar 2020 -- The South American nation of Bolivia has tightened restrictions already in place to contain the spread of the coronavirus.
• Brazil Transforms Sports Venues into Field Hospitals for Coronavirus VOA 26 Mar 2020 -- One of the most famous stadiums in Latin America is being transformed into a field hospital to treat patients infected with coronavirus in Brazil.
• Top Maker of Medical Gloves Warns of Dire Global Shortage VOA 26 Mar 2020 -- Rubber glove makers in Malaysia, the world's top supplier of medical gloves, are warning of a global shortage owing to the government's partial lockdown of the country, just as coronavirus-driven demand is soaring worldwide.
• Saudi Arabia Hosts First Virtual G-20 Summit in Bid to Coordinate World Response to Coronavirus VOA 26 Mar 2020 -- Saudi Arabia hosted the first virtual summit of the G-20 countries Thursday to discuss how to coordinate the world's economic response to the coronavirus crisis.
• Palestine demands medical supplies to fight novel coronavirus Press TV 26 Mar 2020 -- A top Palestinian official says the Palestinian Authority has submitted a request to several countries for medical supplies, including diagnostic test kits, as it is struggling to cope with the rising cases of COVID-19 with its limited resources and weak healthcare system.