this is bbc news, i'm mike embley. our top stories: italy's death toll overtakes china's — almost 3,500 have now died. we report from inside one of italy's hospitals battling to keep patients alive. the united states tells citizens to avoid any travel abroad and urges anyone who is out of the country to return home. australia bans non residents from coming to the country as it ramps up measures to control the spread of coronavirus. —— non—residents. as japan comes under increasing pressure to postpone the olympics, athletes are still training, including the surfers hoping to take part in their first games. the flame also arrives. this is the scene right now.

hello and welcome to bbc news. the death toll in italy is now higher than anywhere else in the world, including china, where the coronavirus outbreak began. another 427 people have died in italy the past 2a hours alone, bringing the death toll to more than 3,400. the bbc‘s mark lowen is in rome. in this theatre of war, the heroes hardly rest. brescia in northern italy is seeing one of the highest rises in daily cases. the hospital is overwhelmed but resilient. translation: there is a strong commitment from all doctors and nurses. sometimes they come in even when they are not on shift, or after they are on at night they come in the morning after to help us out. some of them have cried, but i've never seen anyone complain. more than 8% of cases

in italy are medical staff, almost double that of china. the 13th doctor died today. one of the patients here is a doctor, she says, born in 1982. he was in the emergency room, fell ill and tested positive. now he's been intubated. thousands of medics have been recalled from retirement and rushed in from university to help, but still they're desperate. translation: i think our hospital is reaching breaking point. we don'tjust need more beds, but we need workers. we need equipment to protect our staff. we need ventilators. the spread of the virus is too fast for us to keep up. in this outbreak, not even the dead are left in peace. overnight, the military moved coffins from nearby bergamo to other areas ease pressure on bursting crematoria. from one town that's cut cases to zero through mass testing a warning to britain over its slower response. i feel very, very sorry, because i've been living

in england for over 25 years, and i left my wife and my son there, so for me it's very sad to see they are doing exactly the same mistake as they did in italy. it will lead to an outbreak which will be the same size or even worse than the one we're seeing in lombardy. restrictions on movement here are now set to be extended, with most venues remaining closed and schools shut well into april. italy's lockdown is the model being adopted elsewhere. public transport and traffic are still running, but people are only going out in urgent need, and it's orderly, with measured queues for the supermarket as people are allowed in one by one. the fruit and vegetables are stocked as normal. there's very little sense of panic buying here. and with the loo rolls, well, some brands are down, but with this level of outbreak, italians are behaving, on the whole, rationally.

the virus has left this wounded, ageing population isolated, from each other and from the outside world. the book she reads is called fear. mark lowen, bbc news, rome. in the us, at least 11,000 people have been infected and over 150 have died. the state department has raised its travel advisory to the highest level, telling americans not to travel abroad. companies across the country are telling employees to work from home, if not laying them off, as lawmakers in washington try to agree a trillion dollar stimulus plan. most people, although not everyone, are trying to adjust to a new reality, as laura trevelyan reports. america's biggest city is rapidly closing down. theatres on broadway have deemed their lights, and now 75% of workers in new york have been ordered to stay at home. i found the iconic brooklyn bridge to be deserted on thursday morning. the state's governor is battling more than just the virus. this is a health issue, it is a public health crisis, but more than that,

i'm telling you, worse than if the virus, is the fear that we are dealing with and the rumours and how they spread. the number of workers filing for unemployment insurance in the us for the first time surged on thursday as the economy slams on the brakes. congress has passed the first stage of a trillion—dollar stimulus package, including paid sick leave. after huge loses on wednesday, markets rallied a bit. the trump administration is working on giving $1000 directly to americans who need the money most. money for people. from the middle class on a down — period. as testing for the coronavirus expands in america, the president says red tape has slashed and existing drugs, including one used to treat malaria patients, could be used against the virus. we are going to be able to make that drug available almost immediately. and that's where the fda

has been so great. they've gone through the approval process — it's been approved and they did, they took it down from many, many months to immediate, so we're going to be able to make that drug available. but the president caused confusion, with the food and drug administration commissioner being forced to clarify that existing drugs have not yet been approved for use of coronavirus patients. we want to do that in the setting of a clinical trial — a large, pragmatic clinical trial — to actually gather that information and answer the question that need to be asked and answered. an analysis of coronavirus cases in the us shows it is notjust the elderly who ar at risk. adults aged 20414 make up 20% of those sick enough to go to hospital, and 12% of intensive care cases. yet the young are enjoying their spring break from college as of this crowded beach in florida shows. they are ignoring the advice about social distancing. they're ignoring the advice about social distancing.

i think they're blowing it way out of proportion. i think it's doing way too much. if i get corona, i get corona. at the end of the day, i am not going to let it stop me from partying. americans are adjusting to the bizarre new normal. in minnesota, fitness instructors are holding remote classes. while in massachusetts, a distillery is brewing up its own hand sanitiser using high—proof alcohol. and surely it won't be long before we're copying this trick from israel — dog walking by drone. these are strange and unsettling times, but human ingenuity is alive and well. but human ingenuity laura is alive and well. trevelyan with that report. the british prime minister says he's confident the uk can defeat the coronavirus as long as everyone takes seriously the government's restrictions and instructions on how to live our lives for the next few months. borisjohnson said he thought it would take 12 weeks to turn the tide on the virus in the uk. political editor laura kuenssberg is at westminster.

the royal standard lowered marking the queen's departure for windsor castle, urging the nation at a time of great uncertainty to come together as one, leaving the quiet capital, where the government's frantically trying to manage an unknown future. what is now a regular routine, the prime minister talking to the public at 5pm, but no immediate sign of drastic new action today. we can turn the tide within the next 12 weeks, and i'm absolutely confident that we can send coronavirus packing in this country, but only if we take the steps, we all take the steps that we have outlined. you told the country yesterday you wouldn't hesitate to take extra measures. people are worried about what that might mean. yes. can you tell people what might be next? will you, within days, seek to shut pubs, cafes, clubs? as long as we think that people are actually staying away from places where they may transmit or pick up the disease, if we feel

that that is working, then we just want to say thank you to everybody for their extraordinary efforts and encourage everybody to do likewise. if we feel that it isn't working, as i said yesterday, we need to bring forward tougher measures, then of course nothing is ruled out. there is no prospect of us wanting to stop public transport in london, or stop the tube or the buses. we're not going to be telling people that under no circumstances if they really need to go to work can they go to work. more limits on our lives would hit some firms hard. the law's been relaxed, though, to make it easier for supermarkets to work together. they say there's just no need for queues like this. the concerns are real. unless we give a guarantee of wages and income to everyone, particularly those that cannot work, then we're all at risk as a result of it, and i don't think the government has sufficiently addressed this. speaker: ministerjohn glenn.

some form of that could come tomorrow, but it's not clear exactly what will come on top of the treasury's plans. any business who needs cash to pay salaries will be able to access a government—backed loan on attractive terms. all grumble you can hear the disquiet. what about people losing jobs now? if the government does not act immediately, large numbers of people will be unemployed. and can i urge the government to say something today to give people an assurance that the help will come? where can they get answers, because they are so worried? ministers are putting forward this afternoon a long list of emergency laws, from giving the home secretary the power to close the borders if needs be, forcing business to share information about food supply, making it easier for retired doctors to get back to work.

this, the coronavirus bill, is an encyclopaedia of emergency powers that ministers think they might need to manage the crisis in the coming months. huge new powers the state hopes it might never need. but a disease the country are struggling to control a change in the face of this place right now. laura kuenssberg, bbc news, westminster. let's get some of the day's other news: in argentina, the president has announced a preventive and compulsory lockdown of the population from friday to at least the end of march. people will be able to leave their homes to shop for basic goods, such as food and medicine. argentina has recorded 128 cases of the virus, and three deaths. in china, the infection rate is slowing and there have been no new locally—transmitted cases for the second day in a row. but the daily tally for infections involving travellers arriving in the country has surged to a new record of 39. there are concerns that could mean a second wave of the outbreak in china. in canada, people have been lining up at marijuana

shops and flooding online cannabis retailers to stock up before heading into self—isolation or quarantine. canada legalised the drug in 2018. the government has told people arriving in canada to quarantine for 1h days. there are now 800 confirmed cases. australia has announced that from friday it will ban the entry of all non—residents, allowing only citizens, permanent residents and their families to enter. i'm joined now by our sydney correspondent, shaimaa khalil. shaimaa, give us more detail on this. well, this is the most wide—ranging travel restriction, mike, to date. this blanket ban on all people coming into australia with the exception, as you said, of citizens and of permanent residents, there allowed to come back but they will have to quarantine for 1h days. prime minister scott morrison said this was done in co—ordination

with new zealand, who have now put that total ban in place. new zealand prime minister jacinda ardern in sochi realised how extraordinary this is and at an unprecedented time. in australia this is an extension to travel restrictions put in place this week. earlier in the week, all travellers were required to quarantine for 1h days. that has significantly reduced the number of visitors here, about a third as what we see normally at this time of year. australians were told not to travel abroad to any country and for those overseas to come back as soon as possible, and are now in a few hours all travellers will be banned from coming into australia apart from citizens and permanent residents and their families. this, the prime minister says, is to limit the number of people coming in from overseas. he says 80% of the cases in australia, and we have now more than 700 confirmed cases, have

either been from people who have contracted the virus overseas oi’ have contracted the virus overseas or who have been in contact with someone who is contracted the virus overseas, so contracted the virus overseas, so this blanket travel ban will be in place for the months to come. we don't know for how long and the authorities is that it will not be lifted until health officials have said that it's ok to do so. shaimaa, thank you very much that. in india — four men sentenced to death in 2013 for the gang—rape and murder of a 23—year—old woman have been executed. the country's president and the supreme court had dismissed theirfinal appeals for clemency. the violent attack on the woman sparked widespread protests across the nation and put pressure on politicians and judges to enforce new laws against sexual violence. stay with us on bbc world news, still to come: the queen leaves london for windsor castle, issuing a message of solidarity to the nation.

today, we have closed the book on apartheid and that chapter. more than 3,000 subway passengers were affected. nausea, bleeding, headaches and a dimming of vision — all of this caused by an apparently organised attack. the trophy itself was on the pedestal in the middle of the cabinet here. now, this was an international trophy, and we understand now that the search for it has become an international search. above all, this was a triumph for the christian democrats of the west, offering reunification as quickly as possible, and that's

what the voters wanted. this is bbc news, the latest headlines: the number of people killed by the coronavirus in italy has reached more than three thousand four hundred — exceeding the total who have died in china where the outbreak began. -- 3,400. the us has told its citizens to avoid any travel abroad and has urged those who are away to return home. the queen and the duke of edinburgh are both at windsor castle tonight — having issued that message of solidarity to the nation. our royal correspondent nicholas witchell sent this update from buckingham palace. the queen left buckingham palace this morning a week earlier than had been planned, she's now at windsor with the duke of edinburgh, who's travelled from sandringham, they will be there until after easter. this afternoon this message from buckingham palace from the queen, not a broadcast

as many heads of state have she talks about the world entering a period of great concern and uncertainty in which we are all being advised to change our routines and patterns of life for the greater good of the communities we live in. "at times such as these," the queen goes on to say, "i'm reminded our nation's history has been forged by people and communities coming together to work as one " she expresses thanks to all those on the frontline. "we are enormously thankful to the expertise and commitment of our scientists, medical practitioners and emergency and public services, but now, more than at any time in our recent past, we all have a vitally important part to play as individuals". she finishes by saying, "you can be assured that my family and i stand ready

to play our part". london is proving to be a hot spot for coronavirus — the number of cases and deaths is rising faster in the capital than anywhere else in the uk. the prime minister said there's no prospect of the government wanting to stop public transport in london but he urged everyone to take the advice and restrictions seriously to avoid tighter restrictions. our home editor mark easton has been gauging the mood among londoners in a quieter city. the sirens are screaming, stay at home, stay well, protect the nhs. for the most part, london is empty. but not everyone is listening. if i need to go somewhere, i'm going to go somewhere. what about other people, you might infect other people? well, then, they should stay inside. it's hard to change your habits and routines. the instagram generation wants to show the world

they were there. and the threat is invisible on deserted streets. just wanted to see how busy it was, and it really is very un—busy indeed. yeah, same. i'm his wife and i'm doing the same, just taking a look at london and then head back before totalisation isolation, which i think is what's coming next, total lockdown. just make the best of the last of the few days of freedom. the plea is not to go out to bars, cafes and restaurants, but some people are clinging on to their normal lives, in an increasingly abnormal situation. i live on my own, so i've got no family or anything. it's just me there. you can have too much of tv, you can have too much of anything. so, to get over the road and buy a paper and come in here and have a couple of pints. at the regency cafe, the full english will soon be off. the owner is shutting up shop. there's very little reason for being open now, and the risk factor, and people also are frightened, aren't they?

absolutely. i live on my own. i need a support system. if the prime minister says i've got to stay indoors, it looks desperate. it's quite frightening. london's big shopping streets have been almost abandoned, but neighbourhood supermarkets, hairdressers and market stalls were doing brisk business today. people can feel that life is about to change. they're searching for supplies, they're getting ready. i'm out to get some vital supplies. i've just filled up my car with petrol. i live on my own, so i've only got myself to rely upon. just around the corner from the shoppers, a temporary mortuary is being assembled, a blunt reminder of why some want the politicians to order us to close the door on our social life. mark easton, bbc news, london. iran has reported its biggest jump in coronavirus deaths.

149 new fatalities have been confirmed in the past 2a hours. the country now has the third highest death toll — nearly 1,300 people infected by the disease have lost their lives. and the size of the outbreak is a concern for neighbouring pakistan and afghanistan — countries with weak healthcare. secunder kermani reports from islamabad. disinfecting the streets in iran. only china and italy have had higher death tolls as a result of the coronavirus outbreak. iran's authorities have asked for us sanctions to be removed to help cope, but they have been accused of being slow to act and lockdown cities. we have been passed messages from one doctor, working in the country. we are hiding his identity to protect him from repercussions for speaking out. right now most places are in a state of chaos.

the official numbers are ridiculous and good for nothing. there are not enough resources to look after infected people or to protect those treating them, like masks or protective clothing. hospitals are only taking in people who are extremely sick and turning anyone else away. iran's biggest shrines have now been closed, though it has resulted in protests like this, and pilgrims visiting the religious sites have already helped spread the virus to surrounding countries. this is a quarantine camp in pakistan, by the iranian border. they've had to process more than 4000 people leaving iran but instead of isolation, conditions here are crowded and unhygienic. translation: here, injust one tent, there are 3—6 people and we are being kept around two weeks. suppose one person has corona, everyone will get it. this is badly organised

and totally illogical. more than half of pakistan's coronavirus cases have emerged from this camp. a lack of testing here means they have only been detected when they wre taken to separate centres in their home provinces. officials say the camp is now being improved. concerns are also rising in iran's other neighbour, afghanistan, where tens of thousands of migrants and refugees have been returning in recent days. in countries like pakistan and afghanistan, medical professionals warn the already weak healthcare system would be overwhelmed by a major outbreak. the number of cases is comparatively low in both countries but so is the number of tests that have been carried out. it seems inevitable the figures will rise. secunder kermani, bbc news, islamabad. as always, there's plenty more information and advice on our website about the coronavirus, including this article on how you can

keep up a healthy outdoor excercise routine while making sure you are keeping a safe distance from other people. you can find that piece, as well as our live blog with all the latest coronavirus developments at bbc.com/news or the bbc news app. and on an eye—catching way to get one of the most important messages across about how to prevent the spread of coronavirus, and that is washing your hands properly. offices in the state of kerala in india released this video of them wearing masks and dancing to promote the importance of hand washing.

it is an infallible it is an infallible rule it is an infallible rule of it is an infallible rule of live tv if you cut to a microphone or steps of an aeroplane, they will remain empty for the entire time you are trying to fill the programme. this is where the olympic flame arrives ahead of trip across the country. it is overfour trip across the country. it is over four months until the opening ceremony and there is of course growing pressure and uncertainty about whether the games leave and go ahead. even if the pandemic picks soon. athletes are asking how they are supposed to qualify in the next two months. the former governor of tokyo is that much of the early planning has told the bbc is almost certainly games will not go ahead as scheduled onjuly games will not go ahead as scheduled on july 24. games will not go ahead as scheduled onjuly 24. the top headline, the pandemic is now

killed more people in italy than china, where it began. thank you so much for being with us. hello there, we had some pretty big contrasts weatherwise across the uk on thursday. it was the north of the country that had the best of the sunshine. this is how things look in the highlands of scotland, and across england and wales we had this weather front that has been with us for a number of days, bringing grey and gloomy weather. the mist and drizzle around here in hampshire and across the south wales sunny bridge, temperatures only got to five celsius, pretty chilly. over the next few hours, that weather front stays with us so expect to stay dull, damp, some mist and hillsnow patches around through the night but it is the cloud that stops that temperature from falling too far, so those around five or six celsius across the southern areas of england. further northwards, with clear skies and light winds, it is a cold night, the first more widespread.

the lowest temperatures in scotland —6 or —7 celsius. friday and this area of high pressure is going to strengthen, this area of low pressure is going to deepen. the winds are going to blow more strongly across england and wales, a cold wind for many of us developing, but particularly so across the headlands of south—west england, with gusts of 40 miles an hour. brisk winds for the coast and hills of wales, a noticeable chill in the air for the midlands. could be an odd shower working into northeast england just for a time. not many of these, for most of the northern half of the uk, looking at great weather with plenty of sunshine. the weekend, our area of high pressure is still influencing our weather. notice we have some fairly tightly packed isoba rs so it is going to be quite a windy start to the weekend on saturday, noticeably

so across eastern areas of england and eastern areas of scotland, around the coast feeling quite chilly. looking quite cloudy through the day in northern ireland, but there may also be some areas of cloud coming in off the north sea to affect parts of eastern england and eastern scotland from time to time. these temperatures are nothing to write home about, highs of 8—11 celsius, a little bit cool for the time of year. similar weather conditions on sunday, there will be a lot of dry weather and some sunshine to go around, but again, the cloud received from place place will vary. and it could be that we see some thick cloud edging into the northern and western isles, maybe even thick enough to bring a spot of rain. for most, it is another dry day, so a dry weekend for most of us to look forward to. beyond that, the high—pressure still in the weather, maybe some thicker cloud for northern ireland and scotland threatening some light rain. and that's your weather.

this is bbc news, the headlines:

italy has now surpassed china as the country with the highest number of deaths from the coronavirus. 3,405 people have now died. for the second day running, more than 400 people died in a single day. the us has warned against all international travel and has urged its citizens who are abroad to return immediately. the state department said people who didn't come back must be prepared to stay overseas for an indefinite period. it's reported more than 12,500 cases of the infection. australia has announced it will ban the entry of all non—residents in an attempt to limit the spread of the coronavirus. so far, it's recorded more than 600 confirmed cases of the virus, with a sharp rise in infections this week.

it's