The first of more than twenty flights (Axios) bringing medical supplies into the United States arrived in New York on Sunday. The flights are part of a White House partnership with U.S. health-care distributors to acquire supplies that would normally be shipped by sea from countries such as China, Malaysia, and Vietnam.
 
U.S. governors have criticized the federal government (Vox) for the slow and unequal provision of medical supplies for coronavirus response, and suppliers said they lack government guidance (WSJ) on where to prioritize shipments. The supplies from the first White House–chartered plane will go to Connecticut, New Jersey, and New York. President Donald J. Trump extended (NYT) federal social distancing recommendations through April 30 in an effort to slow the virus’s spread.    

North Korea test-fired (Yonhap) a rocket system on Sunday that appeared to be similar to a system unveiled in August, South Korea’s military said.
 
China: GCL System Integration Technology Co. filed plans to build a solar-panel manufacturing plant (Bloomberg) with the capacity to meet half of global demand.
 
In Foreign Affairs, Scott Malcomson looks at how China became a leader in the green energy industry.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi apologized to his country and especially the nation’s poor for the “inconvenience” of a lockdown (Mint) meant to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Critics including Human Rights Watch have said the government has not enacted enough protections for the poor.
 
Afghanistan: At least nineteen Afghan security force members were killed in suspected Taliban attacks (TOLO) in two provinces. 

Several members of the self-proclaimed Islamic State seized control of part of a prison in northeastern Syria and escaped (Guardian). The prison is administered by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces.
 
In Foreign Affairs, CFR’s Gayle Tzemach Lemmon looks at the Kurdish forces keeping northeastern Syria together.
 
Yemen: Washington will cut tens of millions of dollars (NYT) in humanitarian aid to Yemen, including for basic health-care programs, in response to Houthi interference in the country’s governance, U.S. officials said. Humanitarian groups and some U.S. lawmakers called for the cuts to be delayed due to the coronavirus.
 
CFR’s Global Conflict Tracker looks at the war in Yemen.

Malians voted for new lawmakers (AFP) in an election originally slated for 2018 and delayed largely for security concerns. Civil society observers estimated that turnout by midday was around 7.5 percent. 
 
Kenya: Human rights groups condemned the police’s excessive use of force (Al Jazeera) against Kenyans not complying with a new curfew. The police crackdown has included beatings and teargassing.

Health authorities in the Netherlands, Spain, and Turkey rejected Chinese-made medical products (FT), including respirator masks and coronavirus test kits, due to quality concerns.
 
Hungary: The country is expected to pass a new emergency coronavirus law (Guardian) today that critics warned could give Prime Minister Viktor Orban unchecked power.

State-backed Russian oil firm Rosneft sold all its Venezuelan assets (AP) to a company that is fully owned by the Russian government. The move is seen by some as a strategy to avoid U.S. sanctions.
 
Mexico: President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador told Mexicans to stay inside (LA Times), shifting his position on coronavirus prevention from a more lax approach. Mexico has over eight hundred reported cases of the virus.