The number of coronavirus cases worldwide surpassed three hundred thousand (WSJ) over the weekend, more than doubling in a week. Many countries have implemented new measures, including lockdowns, to stop the virus’s spread.
 
With Italy’s coronavirus death toll nearing 5,500, the government tightened its lockdown (Guardian), banning movement within the country and closing all nonessential businesses. Australia and New Zealand announced new restrictions (Reuters), and millions of people in India were put on lockdown. As the number of coronavirus cases in Africa (AP) surpassed one thousand, Rwanda banned unnecessary movement outside the home and Nigeria closed its airports to international flights. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said that postponing the 2020 Tokyo Olympics (Japan Times) was an option, as Canada and Australia said their athletes would skip the games (Reuters) if they happen this year.

U.S. President Donald J. Trump sent a letter (NYT) to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un offering to help fight the coronavirus. North Korea has not reported any cases, though experts fear Pyongyang is hiding an outbreak.
 
In Foreign Affairs, Sue Mi Terry discusses whether North Korea could cope with the coronavirus.

Afghan government officials and members of the Taliban discussed prisoner releases (TOLO) over a video call. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo arrived in Afghanistan (WaPo) this morning to mediate tensions between Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and former Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah, who has attempted to form a parallel government.
 
This CFR Backgrounder looks at the Taliban.
 
India: New Delhi is on lockdown (Economic Times) until the end of the month to prevent the coronavirus’s spread. At least seventy-five districts were locked down across the country, affecting an estimated 750 million people (CNN).

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s opponents asked the Supreme Court to restore the full powers (NYT) of parliament, which has been largely blocked from functioning by its speaker, an ally of Netanyahu.
 
Syria:  Russia’s defense ministry said Russia and Turkey were forced to cut short (Reuters) a joint patrol of Syria’s Idlib region, where the two are working to uphold a cease-fire.

Several polling stations were attacked as people voted on a referendum (Al Jazeera) that has been boycotted by opposition groups who say it could allow President Alpha Conde twelve more years in power.
 
Nigeria: Doctors who had not been paid for months called off a strike (BBC) as the number of coronavirus cases in Nigeria increased to thirty.
 
CFR’s Michelle Gavin explains how mistrust challenges Africa’s response to the coronavirus.

Germany banned gatherings (DW) of more than two people and Chancellor Angela Merkel isolated herself (NPR) after her doctor tested positive for the coronavirus.
 
Croatia: An earthquake in Zagreb (BBC) injured more than a dozen people and damaged several buildings, including the Parliament. 

More than twenty inmates in prisons across the country died in clashes with authorities (NYT) after protests erupted over officials’ failures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. 
 
Venezuela: U.S. prosecutors unsealed criminal cases (WSJ) against two former officials at Venezuela’s state-owned oil company in a new round of charges against Nicolas Maduro’s government.

Negotiations continue in the Senate over a $1.8 billion coronavirus relief bill after Democrats blocked the bill (WaPo) from moving forward Sunday night. The Senate may vote on the bill as early as today.