March 20, 2020

Daily News Brief

March 20, 2020

Editor’s note: Due to the evolving coronavirus pandemic, CFR has suspended all in-person events. CFR anticipates convening a number of discussions online and/or via teleconference. Stay up-to-date with CFR’s resources on COVID-19.

Top of the Agenda

Forty Million Californians Told to Stay In

California Governor Gavin Newsom ordered the state’s forty million residents to stay at home (LA Times) except to obtain essentials such as food and medical care.

The measure aims to ease the burden on health facilities as an overload of coronavirus cases becomes a reality in places such as Italy, where total deaths have surpassed those in China (BBC). Deaths exceeded 3,400 in Italy and 1,000 in Spain (Guardian). U.S. unemployment claims rose 30 percent (NYT) last week, according to the Department of Labor, and the White House asked state labor officials to delay publishing new unemployment numbers.

Analysis

“Americans may find that the stability provided by a steady monthly check is exactly what they need in the current era, where the economic uncertainties of daily life are multiplying. It could mark the beginning of a long-overdue rethinking of how to help more Americans flourish in the economy of the twenty-first century,” writes CFR’s Edward Alden.

“We can decide to meet this challenge head-on. It is absolutely within our capacity to do so. We could develop tests that are fast, reliable, and ubiquitous. If we screen everyone, and do so regularly, we can let most people return to a more normal life,” Aaron E. Carroll and Ashish Jha write for the Atlantic.

Pacific Rim

Olympic Flame Arrives in Japan

The Olympic flame arrived in Japan (Kyodo) to begin its pre-games relay through the country. Organizers downsized the ceremony and said they are working to prepare a “safe and secure games” amid concerns over the coronavirus.

South and Central Asia

Delhi Rape Convicts Executed

India executed four men (Hindustan Times) convicted of a 2012 rape and murder in Delhi that sparked outrage and legal reforms (WaPo) over gender-based violence. It was India’s first execution in five years. 

In 2018, Foreign Affairs examined the fallout of the Delhi rape in the context of the global #MeToo movement.

Uzbekistan: An estimated fifty thousand stateless people in the country will be made citizens (Times of Central Asia) following the passage of a new law.

Middle East and North Africa

Hundreds of Israelis Protest Against Netanyahu

Hundreds of people protested in Jerusalem (NYT) after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu closed most courts and authorized government use of citizens’ cell phone data to track coronavirus infections.

Libya: Shelling near Tripoli killed five women (AP) and wounded five others, an official with the UN-recognized government said.

CFR’s Global Conflict Tracker looks at the civil war in Libya.

Sub-Saharan Africa

Dozens of Malian Soldiers Killed in Attack

At least twenty-nine soldiers were killed in an attack (Al Jazeera) on an army base in the eastern town of Takint. It was the deadliest attack on Malian forces this year.

Africa: The population of wild African black rhinos grew by nearly eight hundred (Guardian) between 2012 and 2018, according to new data from the International Union for Conservation of Nature. The group heralded the endangered rhino’s comeback as a “powerful reminder that conservation works.”

Europe

Germany Bans Far-Right Clubs, Raids Leaders’ Homes

Germany banned two clubs (NYT) that are part of a far-right, anti-Semitic movement and raided the homes of its leaders in ten states. It is the first such ban and comes amid a rise in far-right violence in the country.

Greece: Antiterrorism authorities detained twenty-six people and seized heavy weapons in an Athens raid (Kathimerini). Officers targeted suspected members of a Kurdish militant group blamed for attacks in Turkey, according to state-backed media.

Americas

Chile Moves to Postpone Constitutional Referendum

Chilean lawmakers have proposed delaying a constitutional referendum (Guardian) scheduled for next month until October due to concerns over the coronavirus.

This CFR In Brief looks at the social unrest that led to the referendum.

Brazil: China demanded an official apology (Bloomberg) from Eduardo Bolsonaro, son of Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, after he said the “Chinese dictatorship” was to blame for the coronavirus. China is Brazil’s largest trading partner.

United States

Senators Sold Stocks After Early Briefings on Coronavirus Threat

Four U.S. senators sold stocks (NYT) in early February as the White House downplayed the coronavirus’s threat to the United States and its economy. At least two of the senators attended private briefings about the extent of the threat.

Friday Editor’s Pick

This Reuters special report examines how South Korea beat the United States in the race to develop an effective test for the coronavirus.

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