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Start your Monday smart: Coronavirus, 2020 Dems, Bolton, Planned Parenthood, St. Pat

Has your whole life suddenly gone virtual? Turns out our ancestors had a social network, too. It relied on eggshells instead of tweets, and you can still find it -- if you know how to look.

Posted Updated

By
Michelle Krupa
, CNN
CNN — Has your whole life suddenly gone virtual? Turns out our ancestors had a social network, too. It relied on eggshells instead of tweets, and you can still find it -- if you know how to look.

Here's what you need to know to Start Your Week Smart.

(You can also get "5 Things You Need to Know Today" delivered to your inbox daily. You give us five minutes, and we give you five things you must know for your weekday, plus a Sunday edition to get your week started smart. Sign up here.)

TODAY

• French voters go to the polls. Municipal elections are underway, even as the nation prepares for schools and colleges to close starting a day later to try to contain the coronavirus. The Paris mayor's race has been downright nasty, and President Emmanuel Macron's centrist party reportedly is due to get shellacked.

• Dems debate as vital issues loom. Just ahead of critical primaries, top Democrats in a much-narrowed field go head-to-head on the debate stage. CNN's Dana Bash and Jake Tapper, along with Univision's Ilia Calderón, moderate. Tune in at 8 ET on CNN, CNN en Español, CNN International and Univision.

• Beware the ides of March. This ominous date is associated with Julius Caesar's brutal assassination, an Adolf Hitler invasion and a killer blizzard, among other horrors. If you're feeling a little spooked, remember, it's all just coincidence. Or is it?

MONDAY

• Planned Parenthood faces a deadline. Missouri's health department must file briefs in the case over whether the state's only abortion clinic can keep its medical license. The outcome could have a national ripple effect as states enact new laws on abortion access and the Supreme Court prepares to weigh in.

• Trial begins in a college student's murder. A 13-year-old is reportedly due to go on trial in New York family court in the stabbing death of Tessa Majors. The boy is accused as a juvenile in the fatal robbery of the Barnard College freshman in December. Two 14-year-olds charged as adults in the case have pleaded not guilty.

TUESDAY

• Another Tuesday, another set of primaries. The results in Arizona, Florida, Illinois and Ohio could cement the nomination for Joe Biden, who took command last week of the Democratic race. Biden has extended an olive branch to supporters of Bernie Sanders, who is pressing on despite weak support among African Americans.

• Go inside 'The Room Where It Happened.' Former national security adviser John Bolton's much-anticipated White House memoir is set to hit shelves. It's expected to include details at the heart of the impeachment of President Trump.

• May the luck o' the Irish be with you. You don't have to hail from The Emerald Isle to grab your favorite green shirt and knock back a pint of Guinness in honor of St. Patrick's Day.

WEDNESDAY

• The Fed makes an interest rate decision. The Federal Reserve could cut rates to 0% as it meets this week. The US central bank early this month announced the first emergency rate cut since the financial crisis, a bold attempt to jolt the US economy as it faces the coronavirus outbreak.

THURSDAY

• Spring has sprung! The season begins earlier this year than in 124 years because of positional changes in Earth's elliptical orbit. Hotter global temperatures also mean it will feel like spring sooner, a phenomenon that's tough for some species to handle.

FRIDAY

• TV shows can help you find your happy place. These days are anxiety-provoking. From baking to drag acts, here are some picks from our friends at CNN Entertainment that will help you loosen up. Watch on Hulu, Netflix and cable.

• Or you can just settle in for the meltdown. Still can't shake the jitters? Dive in deep with "Outbreak," the big-screen virus thriller that just turned 25, or these small-screen picks. Or check out the political drama "Ides of March" starring George Clooney and Ryan Gosling.

SATURDAY

• So, what's even left? The NBA, Major League Baseball, the NHL, pro soccer, the PGA Tour -- all have canceled or delayed play to stem the spread of coronavirus. If you haven't landed on any great reading or screen options (see above), check out these 20 things to do now that March Madness is also called off.

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