March 11, 2020 (Wednesday)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- War in Afghanistan, Afghan peace process
- The Taliban rejects the government's conditional prisoner release order announced by President Ashraf Ghani. The Taliban demand 5,000 Taliban prisoners held by the government be released before intra-Afghan dialogue can be initiated. (Al Jazeera)
- 2020 Camp Taji attack
- A rocket attack on Camp Taji, Baghdad Governorate, housing coalition and Iraqi troops, kills two Americans and a British service member; 12 other people are injured. (BBC News)
Business and economy
- Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic
- Aftermath of Black Monday
- The Dow Jones Industrial Average plunges 1,400 points and enters a bear market. (Fox News)
- The bond market falls, in the first time since the financial crisis of 2007–08 that the stock and bond markets moved in the same direction, indicating a massive sell-off of portfolios as investors seek cash. (The New York Times)
- The world's largest annual video game industry event E3 2020 is officially cancelled due to concerns over the coronavirus. The highly anticipated event was scheduled to take place on June 9, ahead of major console launches for Microsoft and Sony. (BBC News)
- Aftermath of Black Monday
Health and environment
- COVID-19 pandemic
- The World Health Organization officially declares the outbreak as a pandemic. (CBC)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
- COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia
- COVID-19 pandemic in Iran
- Iran's Ministry of Health and Medical Education reports 958 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 63 more deaths, the highest number of deaths in a single 24-hour period in the country to date. All Iranians are now warned to stay indoors. Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei cancels his annual speech marking the Iranian new year on March 20. (Reuters)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Qatar
- Qatar announces 238 new cases of confirmed COVID-19 cases in a single day. (Al Jazeera)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
- COVID-19 pandemic in Belgium
- Belgium reports its first death resulting from COVID-19; a government statement said the patient was 90 years old. (The Straits Times)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Denmark
- Prime Minister of Denmark Mette Frederiksen orders the closing of all education centers for two weeks. (Daily Mail)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Hungary
- Hungary declares a state of emergency over the coronavirus outbreak, closing all university campuses and banning large gatherings, while anyone from Italy, China, South Korea, and Iran will be refused entry into the country. Senior minister Gergely Gulyás says "These measures are unprecedented in the three decades since the fall of communism". (Bloomberg)
- COVID-19 pandemic in the Republic of Ireland
- Ireland reports its first death from COVID-19, an elderly woman with underlying health conditions at a hospital in Dublin. (BBC News)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Italy
- The index case in Italy has been identified as a man from Germany who arrived in the country at the end of January. (Tgcom24)
- The death toll in Italy rises to 827, as nearly two-hundred more people were confirmed dead today, the largest daily increase in deaths since the outbreak began, while the number of confirmed cases rises to 12,462, according to Protezione Civile. (National Post)
- Juventus footballer Daniele Rugani has tested positive to coronavirus. (La Repubblica)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Moldova
- COVID-19 pandemic in Spain
- Second Vice President of the Congress of Deputies, former Speaker and former Minister Ana Pastor had tested positive for COVID-19 and becomes the highest-ranking official infected. (La Vanguardia)
- Spanish Ministry of Culture orders in Madrid the closing of all ministry dependent centers, including the museums of El Prado, Reina Sofía, Royal Palace, National Library and Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum. (El País)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Sweden
- Sweden reports its first death from COVID-19, a person in their 70s. (SVT Nyheter in Swedish)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Ukraine
- Ukraine bans mass gatherings and closes all schools for three weeks in response to the global coronavirus outbreak. The government says some sporting events might still go ahead but without any spectators. (Reuters)
- COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
- British MP and Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Health Ministry Nadine Dorries becomes the first UK MP to test positive for COVID-19. (BBC News)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Belgium
- COVID-19 pandemic in North America
- COVID-19 pandemic in Honduras
- COVID-19 pandemic in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
- The Saint Vincent and the Grenadines reports their first case of COVID-19 in a female Vincentian who returned from the United Kingdom on March 7. (St. Lucia News Online)
- COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
- President Donald Trump gives a prime-time statement about the coronavirus during which he announces a 30-day ban on travel from European countries with the exception of the United Kingdom. (ABC News)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Arkansas
- Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson confirms the state's first presumptive case of COVID-19 in Pine Bluff. (KATV)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Alaska
- Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy declares a state of emergency in preparation for the state's response to the coronavirus pandemic. (Alaska Government)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Colorado
- The University of Colorado Boulder's Conference on World Affairs and the Frozen Dead Guy Days event in Nederland are canceled due to coronavirus concerns. (Boulder Daily Camera) (KCNC-TV)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Delaware
- Delaware announces its first presumptive case of COVID-19 in New Castle County. (The State of Delaware News)
- COVID-19 pandemic in South America
- COVID-19 pandemic in Argentina
- President Alberto Fernández issues an order saying that all people coming from hard-hit countries will have to self-quarantine for 14 days; failure to do so will be considered a crime. In addition, he analyses the possibility of banning all mass gatherings. (Infobae in Spanish)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Bolivia
- The Bolivian government declares the national emergency after reporting a third case and presidential election rallies suspended. (TeleSur TV) (U.S. News & World Report)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Guyana
- COVID-19 pandemic in Argentina
Law and crime
- Harvey Weinstein sexual abuse cases
- American film producer Harvey Weinstein is sentenced to 23 years in prison for two felony sex crimes. (The Hollywood Reporter) (The New York Times)
Science and technology
- 2020 in archosaur paleontology
- Oculudentavis khaungraae, the world's smallest dinosaur, is discovered by the Chinese Academy of Sciences. (Newsweek)
- Discoveries of exoplanets
- Scientists discover WASP-76b, an exotic planet that has a 100% chance of having hot liquid iron. (NBC News)
Sports
- Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on sports
- Spain's top association football division La Liga and France's Ligue 1 announce that all matches will be played behind closed doors until April 15 in response to the coronavirus. (BBC Sport)
- 2019–20 Scottish Premiership
- St Mirren F.C. asks fans who are suffering symptoms from influenza-like symptoms or COVID-19 to not attend their upcoming game against Heart of Midlothian F.C.. (BBC Sport)
- 2020 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament, 2020 NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Tournament
- The NCAA announces that all postseason tournaments in its winter season—not only the college basketball tournaments, but also its bowling, fencing, gymnastics, ice hockey, rifle, skiing, swimming & diving, track & field, and wrestling championships—will be held without fans in attendance. (The Washington Post)
- 2019–20 NBA season, Suspension of the 2019–20 NBA season
- The NBA has announced that its 2019–20 season is on hiatus "until further notice" after Utah Jazz player Rudy Gobert tested a presumptive positive for COVID-19. (ESPN)
- The 2020 Japanese High School Baseball Invitational Tournament is cancelled in order to prevent players and related persons from having COVID-19. (Mainichi Shimbun)