March 21, 2019 (Thursday)
Armed conflicts and attacks
Disasters and accidents
- 2019 Mosul ferry sinking
- At least 94 people are killed when a Tigris River ferry, carrying families celebrating the Nowruz new year holiday, sinks near the Iraqi city of Mosul. (BBC) (Al Jazeera)
- 2019 Yancheng chemical plant explosion
- A fire and explosion at a chemical plant that makes fertilizer in Yancheng, Jiangsu province, China, kills 44 people and injures 90 others. (BBC)
International relations
- Israel–United States relations
- U.S. President Donald Trump announces his intentions to recognize Israeli sovereignty over the disputed Golan Heights, recognized internationally as occupied Syrian territory. (CNN)
- Syria has not publicly responded to Mr. Trump's decision. Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Secretary-General of the Arab League, declares this action irrelevant and illegal. (The Times of Israel) (Ynet)
Law and crime
- Operation Car Wash
- Former President of Brazil Michel Temer is arrested as part of an investigation into corruption. Former Governor of Rio de Janeiro Moreira Franco is also arrested. (BBC)
- October 2018 United States mail bombing attempts
- Cesar Sayoc pleads guilty to 65 felony counts, including using weapons of mass destruction in an attempted domestic terrorist attack in regards to last year's mail bombings. (CNN)
Politics and elections
- Brexit negotiations
- The European Union confirms that UK Prime Minister Theresa May's requested short extension date of 30 June is too late due to pending EU elections. After lengthy discussions, EU leaders agree that if the Prime Minister's deal is passed next week a short extension until 22 May is available to pass the necessary legislation. If that deal is not passed, the UK is given until 12 April to define whether it will participate in EU elections. (The Guardian)(The Guardian)
- Gun laws in New Zealand
- New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announces a ban of all military-style semi-automatic weapons, assault rifles and high-capacity magazines following the Christchurch mosque shootings. An amnesty is in effect for people who return their guns. (CNN)
- 2019 Venezuelan presidential crisis
- Venezuela's intelligence unit, the Bolivarian Intelligence Service (SEBIN), detains attorney Roberto Marrero, Juan Guaidó's chief of staff. U.S. Senator Marco Rubio says this is "a significant escalation of repression and could signal the beginning of efforts to arrest Guaidó himself". (Haaretz), (Infobae)
Sports
- Ichiro Suzuki retires from baseball after 28 years. (ESPN)