March 20, 2019
(Wednesday)
Business and economy
- Acquisition of 21st Century Fox by Disney
- The Walt Disney Company completes its $71.3 billion acquisition of 21st Century Fox's film and TV assets (with the exception of the business, broadcasting network, news, and sports assets owned by the newly-formed Fox Corporation). (The Hollywood Reporter)
- European Union competition law
- European Union regulators fine Google €1.49 billion for bundling Google Custom Search with its AdSense program which the regulators find as illegal under EU antitrust rules. (Ars Technica)
International relations
- The European People's Party votes to suspend Hungary's ruling Fidesz party citing its anti-immigration stance, and personal attacks on Jean-Claude Juncker and George Soros. Hungarian Prime Minister and Fidesz leader Viktor Orbán had threatened to pull out of the EPP if it was suspended. (BBC News)
Politics and elections
- Politics of Kazakhstan
- The second President of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, is sworn into office, after the resignation of Nursultan Nazarbayev. (The National)
- Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, is renamed Nursultan, after the former President. (BBC News)
- Brexit negotiations
- UK Prime Minister Theresa May formally writes a letter to European Council President Donald Tusk requesting for a delay of Brexit until June 30. (The Guardian)
Sports
- Mike Trout and the Los Angeles Angels finalize a record-breaking 12-year, $430 million contract, the largest in the history of Major League Baseball. (Sporting News)