this is bbc news. the headlines... 16 million people in northern italy are placed in quarantine for a month because of coronavirus. in lombardy, ski resorts, gyms and nightclubs can't be opened. restaurant customers must sit at least a metre apart. china reports its lowest number of new infections in a single day, since january. here, new emergency laws — including court cases over video link or phone — to help tackle the virus are announced. after 11 o'clock we'll be putting your questions about coronavirus to a virologist. a doubling in funding for flood defences to £5 billion is expected in the budget on wednesday. she really is beautiful.

a slightly unorthodox royal welcome for meghan on women's day, who urges men to respect women. the italian government has announced a massive shutdown across the country as it struggles to cope with the coronavirus outbreak. all cinemas, theatres, and museums will close. in addition it is to quarantine some 16 million people across the north and east of the country, as part of the stringent new measures being introduced to tackle the spread of covid—i9. in china, only 44 cases were reported — its lowest number of new infections in one day since january.

all cases are in wuhan where the outbreak started. here, the government's announced plans for emergencylaws to help tackle the virus. among the measures are plans to allow people to leave theirjobs and volunteer to care for those affected. this there is also proposals to allow court cases to be heard via video links. and the new laws will also consider the emergency registration of retired health professionals, the italian authorities‘ hand has been forced by a steep rise in the number of infections in the country. the italian authorities‘ hand has been forced by a steep rise officials say there are now more than 5,000 confirmed cases, a jump of more than 1,000 in 2a hours. more than 230 people have died. the new restrictions will hit italy's financial centre milan and the tourist hotspot venice. most of the cases have in a region of lombardy as well as 11 other provinces in the north and east.

"11; "14 other provinces. translation: we are facing an emergency, national emergency. we have been applying precautionary measures from the beginning was up we are acting acting with the utmost determination. the region's home to ten million people. that's like locking down tokyo or new york. gyms, swimming pools, museums and ski resorts will be closed. restaurants and cafes can open but customers need to sit at least a metre apart. religious events like funerals or weddings are banned. and the pope's weekly sunday blessing will be delivered by video stream. instead of addressing the thousands who usually gather in st peter's square. movement within the so—called red zones will be for urgent matters only. anyone who breaks the quarantine rules could be jailed for three months. one of italy's leading politicians says he has tested positive with the virus and has been self isolating.

translation: i have always said, don't panic. let's fight this and in this moment i will, of course, give a good example and follow the advice of the doctors and scientists. i will try to lend a hand by working from home as much as possible and i am fighting, as it is right to do, for each of us and for the country. officials say they will start recruiting retired doctors to help deal with the surge in cases. the new measures are due to last until the third of april. rich preston, bbc news. this is the scene live in milan. at the centrale train station in the city... normally the biggest train station in europe, the financial capital of italy. 0ne in europe, the financial capital of italy. one of the most important cities for that reason in europe in terms of business travellers add also a place that many people visit

for the fashion industry orjust general tourism. 0ften for the fashion industry orjust general tourism. often quite, for the fashion industry orjust generaltourism. often quite, it gets hot on the north of italy, looking quite even for a sunday morning. looking very quiet. issues may, that was a sympathy sleaze. for other people who are not able to out to events. pity hard—fought able to out to events. pity hard —fought attempt to able to out to events. pity hard—fought attempt to change the law in italy with the pie minister signing this law overnight, some of the regional governments say they had their idea it was coming. let's get more had their idea it was coming. from our correspondent bethany bell in bologna. this is all, is a bit of a shock to people, just the scale of this. we got the first indications that this

was happening yesterday evening. then fh lee the decree was announced by italy's prime minister. these measures which are a partial lockdown, a flexible lockdown of areas in northern italy. i am here in bologna which is about a0 kilometres outside those stones. the whole of lombardy to the north, areas like venice, have all been affected by these measures. people have been told that they should not move in and out unless they are very essential emergency reasons for them to do so, essential work reasons, and the police should be able to have powers to stop them had asked them why they are moving in and out. trains and planes are still running, although we did see those pictures of how quiet it is looking at milan central station. but it is sunday

morning and some people are certainly trying to see how they can get in and out, visitors for example. it is curious for the government to announce this closure, fairly dramatic move, the detail of the measures are quite interesting. people have to use it a metre apart, restaurateurs struggling to fill their restaurants and pay their bills if they do not pack a lot of people in, that may cause particle problems. they have to be shot by 6pm. we have this situation where flights are still going in and out of milan airport. that seems very confusing. again, it is a partial lockdown, not the sort of situation we have seen in areas of china where there was a much more stringent thing. but it is what italy's

government called a national emergency over the last week, the number of infections continuing to rise, they said that last week would bea rise, they said that last week would be a crucial week in determining the number of new infections. we have seen the infection number is rising. this decision has been taken by the government to try and stop that as much as possible. but there are people here saying, is this coming too late? should these measures have been taken before now? what are we doing to our economy if you are shutting down even partially cities like milan, which is italy's finesse oi’ like milan, which is italy's finesse or capital? talking about the metre questions in cafe side restaurant. that has been the advice for a while. we have seen in recent days people trying to establish that in restaurants, but in some places it is simply very difficult for people to control

that. in terms of the politics, the government has already had difficulties with walking out of the coalition, the leader can see the pickle opportunities, but presumably there are big risk for the government to people do not choose to cooperate. —— political opportunities. it is a difficult situation and we do not know yet exactly how they will implement this, this is still very new. the announcement came at two o'clock in the morning. people are waking up now, it is a sunday morning, to see exactly what the restrictions on them will be. how stringently people will impose fines and sanctions upon them. we are waiting to see. but this is a big escalation of the measures being ta ken this is a big escalation of the measures being taken to try and stop this virus. people are just very uncertain that we are getting these

reports that the virus has probably beenin reports that the virus has probably been in italy for a number of weeks before their were reported most recently. people wondering whether the government has been acting, didn't take action soon enough, or if actually they are just doing the economy, at this disease is spreading anyway, difficult to see. a lot of hospitals are under great pressure. emergency laws which would help to recruit millions of healthcare volunteers are being drawn up by the government, as ministers prepare for a likely coronavirus outbreak here. the bill, expected to go through parliament by the end of the month, would make it easier for potential volunteers to take time off work. 0ur political correspondent, chris mason, reports.

down the decades, people have been volunteering for the stjohn ambulance. the organisation has a history going back over iao years. the government wants to make it easier for those who volunteer now to do so for longer if, as expected, the coronavirus outbreaks gets worse. around three million people volunteer, in what the government calls a health, community health and social care setting, for organisations like the stjohn ambulance or the red cross. health secretary matt hancock wants those described as being "skilled, experienced or qualified" volunteers to be able to do so for up to four weeks, if they choose to, without fear of losing their dayjob. other plans include allowing court cases to be heard by telephone and video links to ensure that the justice system continues to function in the event of an epidemic, and making sure there is no impact on the pensions of retired health professionals who return to work having re—registered. it's also budget week. new chancellor rishi sunak will give his first budget on wednesday. he tells the sunday telegraph his

focus will be on what he calls "the economic security of the country," and he wants to ensure that there isn't a permanent impact on firms that are otherwise financially sound. ministers are well aware they have to be prepared for things getting significantly worse. late last night, oxford university said one of its students had tested positive for the virus, having returned from abroad. but they have been advised the risk to other students and staff is very low. in the us, all 3,500 crew and passengers on board a cruise ship — including iao britons — are to be tested for the virus. they've been stranded on the grand princess off the coast of san francisco since last week. so far, 21 passengers have tested positive for the disease. 0ur correspondent sophie long has more.

another day has passed at ia2 britain signed a 3000 others remain stranded on the micro one. the ship was supposed adult here in san francisco first thing on saturday, but has been prevented from doing so because it is now knowing that 21 people on board have coronavirus. the company that owns the ship says they want to bring her into dock as soon as possible so they can get people into the appropriate medical or quarantine facilities. we heard from mike pence on friday evening, he is coordinating the operation, and he said they had a plan and that the ship would be able to talk before the weekend was out. i have been speaking to people on board that they say they have had no information, they still don't know where they are aware they are going, and when they will get there. they say it is becoming increasingly difficult. they have been confined to cabin since thursday lunchtime. they are getting deliveries of food but say they are becoming less regular as they are concerned about

medical supplies and food supplies running out. on friday evening, one passenger who is said to be critically ill was evacuated from the ship along with his travelling companion, but more than 3000 others remain stranded on that ship and they still have no idea where they are going when they will get there. the captain gave a report earlier today saying rebecca to go into 0akland, today saying rebecca to go into oakland, and other us passengers will be taken off and tested. anybody who needs to go to hospital will be taken to the hospital, but they said nothing about what they will do without, just a waiting game. how are you coping day-to-day? it has a long time to be inside one

room. it was all right but it is getting a bit boring now. apart from that, the service is terrible. the food situation is boiled cloth. it seems as if they are running out of food. —— the food situation is diabolical. we said we did is a sandwich, they said they haven't got anything. they said ours some spaghetti, a bit of cheese, it wasn't even cooked. the food is getting diabolical. —— they sent ours. we waited over two hoursjust for a ours. we waited over two hoursjust fora cup of ours. we waited over two hoursjust for a cup of tea this afternoon. i had to keep going out and the whole asking them where it was, phoning down, you can't get through any more room service. it has only been this afternoon, but it is just deteriorating and we are quite worried about what will happen in the future. how long are we going to be on here? what sort of service?

how what they look after us? maggie ra zz how what they look after us? maggie razz out of drugs tomorrow, but they said that was being dealt with, but up said that was being dealt with, but up until now we haven't heard anything. give us a sense of how you are able to get out of your room? you said you can maybe commute or communicate with certain people, but thatis communicate with certain people, but that is the limit, that is as far as you are allowed to go? maybe you step out of the room, they had you with a tray of food at the minute you step outside they are telling you step outside they are telling you to get back in your room. you have got no contact with anybody. you to get back in your room. you have got no contact with anybodym you could speak to the prime minister now, what would you like to say to him? please get us off their ship. there is absolutely nothing wrong with as. we have had no test to say... we are not ale, neither of eyes, we are fine. no testing has been that suggested whatsoever.

please, we want to come home. for a second consecutive day in china, there have been fewer than 100 new cases of coronavirus in the whole country. the health authorities are reporting 8a new suspected cases in the past 2a hours. -- aa. and there have been a further 27 deaths — all of them concentrated in hubei province, where the outbreak began. 0ur correspondent, danny vincent, is in hong kong. what other chinese 30s saying? are they saying they think they've got on top of this, or are they being cautious about what this fall in numbers in new cases might signify? i think there is a sense of caution in hong kong, in mainland china the number has been decreasing, the authorities here and especially the state media, who have been

continuing propaganda explaining that the present it is winning this war against the virus can. just a few weeks ago there were 100 people dying any single day, mostly in wuhan, and it... inaudible so the situation is still quite serious. it has spread to many countries, the chinese government is raising awareness to the fact that a number of cases of the new infections are imported. so it seems this virus is now travelling in both directions. we had reports of this hotel collapsing, people who had coronavirus were being isolated.

what do you know about that? around seven o'clock in the evening yesterday, reports began to emerge from state media that a hotel in this city, more than 1000 miles to the south of wuhan, a number of residents were essentially in this hotel, they were being quarantined, it was turned into a medical isolation facility. but there were reports last night that this building suddenly collapsed. we have seen images across chinese social media, cctv footage, showing the initial collapse but also showing the rescue workers, more than 100 of them working through the night, pulling people out of rubble. they we re pulling people out of rubble. they were thought to be 71 people in this hotel. we know there were six

confirmed dead and from court we understand rescue workers are still continuing to find the missing people. don't forget, you can keep up to date with all the developments around the coronavirus outbreak online. you can find out about the symptoms to watch out for and what it means for you on the bbc news app and on our website. that's bbc.co.uk/news. the headlines on bbc news... 16 million people in northern italy are placed in quarantine for a month because of coronavirus. china reports its lowest number of new infections in a single day, since january. here, new emergency laws — including court cases over video link or phone — to help tackle the virus are announced. spending on flood defences in england is set to double in the upcoming budget. £5.2 billion has been allocated to build 2,000 new schemes in the next six years. the government says this will offer better protection

to home and businesses. the rest of the uk will receive the same percentage increase for their own flood defences. the duchess of sussex has urged men to do more to respect women, during a surprise visit to a school. the duchess appeared at an assembly at a school in dagenham in london ahead of international women's day. last night, meghan appeared with her husband prince harry at an event in london. 0ur royal correspondent nicholas witchell has this report, take a good look, because we won't be seeing much more of this for a while. the duke and duchess of sussex last night at the royal albert hall, still introduced as their royal highnesses, and still very much looking the part. harry was making a final appearance as captain—general of the royal marines, complete with gold braid, medals and honours. for her part, meghan is leaving formal royal life with a strong endorsement about a cause which she feels deeply about — the rights of women. a couple of days ago she visited a school in dagenham to make a speech timed for international women's day, today. these were issues which she said

were relevant every day and to every person, and she had a particular message for men. ijust encourage and empower each of you to really stand in your truth, to stand for what is right, to continue to respect each other, for young men, to continue to value and appreciate the women in your lives, and to also set the example for some men who are not seeing it that same way, right? you have your mothers, sisters, girlfriends, friends in your life. protect them, make sure they are feeling valued and safe. the speech went down well, the speaker was appreciated. she really is beautiful, innit? tomorrow, harry and meghan will make their final appearance, for now, with the queen at westminster abbey. after that, the great experiment of their new, supposedly non—royal life

will begin in canada. as we mentioned in that report, its international women's day. it's a day aimed to help countries worldwide eliminate discrimination against women. this year's theme for international women's day is, "i am generation equality: realizing women's rights". joining us to discuss this is gender rights campaigner natasha mudhar from the organisation the world we want. thank the world we want. you for coming in. you will have thank you for coming in. you will have a lot of events taking place during the course of the day, and indeed over the whole weekend. let's pick up on the theme, what is it designed to focus on? what is it decide to get people's attention for, in what is an enormous subject? it draws attention to the fact that women make up half of the world's population, and if you want to see 196 population, and if you want to see 1% progress for people and planet, we need to be ensuring that women's

rights, women are part of that discussion at that conversation. in order to have a more balanced perspective, even when it comes to legislation, i was reading a report that it will take 95 years for women to be equally represented in the political arena, i'd even when you look at the business workplace, globally there is only 90% women who hold —— globally there is only 90% women who hold -- 9% globally there is only 90% women who hold —— 9% women who hold managerial positions. including women in those conversations, we can ensure a more balanced, if a review in the world that we are living in. what is that statistic for the number of women in the highestjobs statistic for the number of women in the highest jobs in statistic for the number of women in the highestjobs in business? statistic for the number of women in the highest jobs in business? 2596 -- 2996. so we are not yet at a third, and the girlfor 2996. so we are not yet at a third, and the girl for the un unsustainable equality is that it should be equal by 2030. so we attained yes to close that gap. we

have only have ten years. what is not yet being done that needs to be done to achieve that objective? there are tools that can be used. absolutely, how long do we have? where do i begin? if you look at this year's theme for international women's day, each for equal. 0ne particular notion in this year's theme is the idea of collective individualism. i am a very big believer that individually we can be making small, very impactful changes, but if we come together, cross collaboration between countries and governments etc, we can make it much bigger difference. asi can make it much bigger difference. as i mentioned earlier, one area is ensuring we have more female role models in every aspect of our society, not just to models in every aspect of our society, notjust to empower and inspire women and girls, so that they can believe that they can

actually unlock their potential and achieve those kinda positions of power. but to assure we have a fairerjudgment when it comes to those things. one of the dilemmas women talk about when they reach senior levels in the professions across a range of businesses is they say, it is a real trade—off between wanting to be the engine of change and having to work in a way that is accepted and having to work in a way that is a cce pted by and having to work in a way that is accepted by the organisation, so there are established behaviours, all a lot of little things, because the blokes have always done this, the blokes have always done this, the women feel they have to because u nless the women feel they have to because unless they do that they do not feel there will be ultimately other changes. absolutely, but if you look outside the workplace, it starts in your formative years. that is why we need to bring boys into the conversation. meghan was making that point. yes, i am a big believer it is not about special rights but

equal rights, others equal rights i human rights. bring a boys and girls into that conversation in their formative years, and in major institutions like family and education, that is when you pick up and inculcate the values and behaviour and attitudes, the sensibilities so that there is never going to be changed without change. patriarch a and the sentiments around that will continue to sustain if you do not make changes right from the beginning of your life. champion for the sustainable development goals that the un has proposed, equality by 2030, soon hopefully, thank you very much. this estate peter's square in rome, the usual crowds are there to hear the usual crowds are there to hear the pope, but they will be hearing the pope, but they will be hearing the weekly prayer via video instead of actually seeing the pope from his window. in order to stop people

gathering together, it looks like quite a lot of people have taken the advice. still a few minutes early for the actual ceremony itself, but the message is that the pope is doing what everyone should do wages ta ke doing what everyone should do wages take precautionary approaches to business, and since you can do it online, he will do that for the foreseeable future. and we'll be taking an in—depth look at the papers with our reviewers anne ashworth and james rampton — that's coming up after the latest headlines and a full sport update. now it's time for a look at the weather. after we saw the cloud increasing yesterday and a spell of rain, today we back to a mixture of sunshine and blustery showers. this weather watcher picture taken in suffolk sums it up. probably won't be too many showers, dry up across parts of

yorkshire, north—east england and eastern scotland, but a fair number ofjobs eastern scotland, but a fair number of jobs across southern eastern scotland, but a fair number ofjobs across southern england, wales, northern ireland and western scotland, some heavy with hail and thunder. we may see snow over the tops of the scottish mountains. a fairly blustery south—westerly wind today, not quite as strong as that was yesterday. temperatures this afternoon a tie for ninth, still double figures across eastern areas of england. quite a few showers to come, especially because the western side, heavy showers here, some blown into eastern parts, but later the showers become fewer, skies were clear, enough of a breeze to keep temperatures typically to three or four services, colder in the north—east of scotland. early showers to start with, don't think they were last long, sunshine for a while but if we look out to the waste we have thickening cloud, rain coming in from the atlantic, reaching eastern scotland, eastern england to was the end of the day,

turn sweater to the west, went picking up, we will see temperatures above 8—10dc. strengthening wind will boost the rate eastwards on monday evening, a spell of rain overnight then it will ease off, more weather fronts on the seat for tuesday. 0ur air is coming from the azores, so the potentialfor some high temperatures across most of the areas of the uk. some break to start the day are probably across northern eglin, moving south—west into wales and the midlands. we brighten up across the northern half of the uk, but a number of showers especially in scotland. issue turn dry across much of england and wales but it will be windy, i'd probably the strongest of the next few wind days, but double figure temperatures, get some sunshine through lincolnshire, east anglia and the south—east, ten pitches of 16 or 17 celsius. we are back into cooler air and basically