this is good news live from berlin european governments take drastic measures to stop the spread of the coronavirus france and spain follow italy in ordering a nationwide shutdown of public life only food shops and pharmacies are to stay open many countries in europe are closing their borders as the number of infections rises. also coming up u.s. president donald trump expands his european travel ban to include the u.k. and ireland due to the coronavirus threat this as the president says he has been tested and is awaiting results.

i'm on your knees if it's good to have you with us large parts of western europe are going into lockdown in a bid to stop the spread of the coronavirus we begin in france which has taken the decision to shut down all non-essential businesses that serve the public french prime minister and while a few leave made the announcement describing the coronavirus as the biggest health crisis in this century france's tourist sites have already been closed as part of nationwide emergency measures authorities say 91 people have now died from the corona virus and the country and 4 and a half 1000 others have been infected. for the latest from the french capital i'm joined by lisa louis and paris hi lisa thanks for joining us so what is the mood like in paris right now the city of bars and possibly.

well people had until midnight to have a last drink bruskly and borrowed a restaurant and they really use that time not only here in paris but also across the country as a finn reading up on social media visit all the different newspapers have sent out their reporters to see what it's like in the bars across the country and it seems to be the same story everywhere everywhere people have gone out for a last meal before the lockdown because they don't know how long that will take a when will be the next time they will be able to go to a restaurant in france one of the prime minister take the steps now well he said that he needed to take these drastic measures because the french were disciplined enough that they weren't actually taking this seriously enough because he could see that lots of people were actually still going to bars to restaurants i could see that in my neighborhood really it seemed like nothing had happened although the government had earlier announced that gatherings of more than 100

people were banned and that people should be careful only take public transport when needed and try to work from home but people here seem to think this isn't really concern me so i can still go out and have a drink and now the government really puts once to put a stop to that so it sounds like a bit of frustration in his part but french president seems to have taken a different tact and decided to go ahead with local elections despite the shutdown so has this been a controversial decision. it's becoming more and more controversial by the minute or by 6 there more more people from his own party from the opposition coming out saying you know this is really not logical at all you're telling people not to go to bars not to go to restaurants and at the same time you're going to hold local elections tomorrow where there will be you know millions of people turning out to vote normally and even there has been a public letter a letter by 15 health professionals saying that this is really that it's heat hopin

to think that because there are some measures put in place that people will be safe while they're voting that this is actually an occasion where people get contaminated especially as the french are really used to giving each other kisses when they meet and staying close together and local elections are kind of a little celebration hand france and as you said there have been some measures put in place what is the look like what steps are they taking. well the local polling stations saying well they they've been saying that they will clean the. polling station every few hours there will be a mosque there there will be disinfectant you know this gel that people can use and they can bring their own pen so the government is saying this is enough to protect people other people don't really agree with that the solution in paris thank you.

we turn to spain now where the government has also just imposed a near total lockdown to 5 virus people are banned from leaving home except to go to work or buy essential supplies spain's prime minister pederast sanchez has declared a national emergency for the next 15 days effective immediately public transport will be reduced bars restaurants and most shops will close after 1500 new infections and 70 deaths were reported in spain just between friday and saturday. spain is also working on a package of economic measures to help companies and workers through the lockdown madrid has turned into a ghost town instead of the usual traffic jams motorists have an easy drive through the capital the regional government has ordered the closure of bars and retail establishments only pharmacies grocery stores and newsstands can remain open. many residents have fled the city to go to the countryside or the coast those still in

madrid are trying to get by as best as they can. not so worried but i'm still thinking about the situation now we have to be brave and stick together i know it is a flood of them they must get it's time to show that we are a civilized country and comply with health regulations. going see and this gradually everyone is realizing that this virus spreads extremely fast. the near several regions have already introduced strict measures authorities in catalonia sealed off for communities on thursday after the number of infections suddenly surged now the entire country is set to follow suit. let's get you up to speed on the latest coronavirus developments elsewhere denmark has reported its 1st coronavirus death an 81 year old who was hospitalized for serious underlying health conditions announcement came after the country close its borders to most foreign visitors for one month to dick curb the spread of the virus denmark has so far

confirmed more than $800.00 cases. poland's decision to impose a 14 day quarantine on citizens returning from abroad triggered a scramble by many to cross the border before midnight countries also shutting its borders to foreign travelers without residency permits international trains and flights will be suspended. in the czech republic special measures are being introduced to prevent the spread of cope with 19 the borders with austria and germany are closed people crossing other checkpoints are being monitored and undergoing temperature checks before they are allowed to continue their journey as . u.s. president donald trump says a coronavirus travel ban placed on $26.00 european countries will now be expanded to include the u.k. and ireland american citizens and residents would still be allowed to return home to the u.s. but they will face screenings and. quarantine orders. president. president

trump said he also considered travel restrictions within the country to areas hit worse by the viruses spread 'd. for more on this i'm joined by correspondent stefan simons in washington stefan the trump administration. first hesitated to ban travel from you can ireland so what has changed yeah that caused a lot of head scratching here in the media and in the general public why the u.k. and ireland were extended exempt from the travel restrictions or the travel ban from europe now you have it there included the president indicated this yesterday well his press conference in the rose garden that he might change his mind on the u.k. and ireland and they have a 24 hours later he did because the number is in the u.k. as well as in ireland are up in fiction numbers and maybe somebody told the president that you were citizen you can go to the u.k. still decide for exit and leave the u.k. towards the u.k.

then from there so that. maybe is the reason he doesn't really get clearer today telling us this and that and that is my rationale behind this decision just announced it and some some people or some observers saw it coming after he was grilled yesterday and didn't have a good answer yesterday in his press conference either why he would exclude the u.k. and ireland you have it there included now president trump and himself has been tested for the krona virus at least according to him why did he do that and when are we expecting the results. that's another 24 hour development. for all of us who have watched yesterday's press conference of the roast god and the president was really really under pressure and pummeled by journalists like ok so you were in close proximity to somebody who tested positive for corona virus and

you're not getting tested why is this why would you think that's ok and here you go 24 hours later he said i got my test this will take another 24 hours maybe maybe even 48 hours to get a test result the white house is proactive now in a very specific way that taking the temperature of anybody who is coming too close for somebody. to the president that means his staff that means other secretaries vice president for example but also the press so anybody who was at today's press conference for example had to have his temperature take now the u.s. house passed an aid package that includes free testing for all americans still waiting on approved from the senate bill why is that a big deal at this point that is a big deal because they literally no testing going on they are not enough testing kids they are not there are no tests happening there in the thousands maybe and we're a country of $320000000.00 plus so that's why congress wanted to make sure that

everybody has the chance to get tested free without warning about how to pay for it the problem is now how to manage this how to organize this testing stuff on sundin's in washington thank you. a brief look now at some of the other stories making headlines this hour police in moscow have detained dozens of people protesting against political repression outside the headquarters of the federal security service the mostly young demonstrators called for the release of political prisoners and some also spoke out against planned constitutional reforms which would allow president vladimir putin to run for 2 more terms. of berridge of rockets has hit a base housing u.s. and other coalition troops north of baghdad officials say at least 3 coalition troops and 2 iraqi soldiers were wounded no group has claimed responsibility camp

taji was already the target of an attack this week that killed 2 americans and one british soldier bill gates has stepped down from the microscope for microsoft's board of directors to focus on philanthropy gates co-founded microsoft in 1975 and wasn't c.e.o. until 2000 the billionaire plans to spend more time on his foundation tackling issues like global health and education. let's return to our top story this last week saw multiple leagues across the globe suspending operations in an attempt to stop the spread of coronavirus the blueness leader was the last in a long line to call matches off doing so for the 1st time in its history just 4 hours before the friday night fixture was set to take place here's a look back at what has been an astonishing week in german football. germany calls them games the match between back in cologne on wednesday the 1st in bernice league history to be plate without france. there's no one to clap

a whistle when you take the pitch. the participants were clear what was lacking. the most important piece of the puzzle is missing the fans. they've mastered outside the stadium instead despite advice for people to stay away from large crowds. but the d.f.l. germany's football league wanted to press on and told this weekend's matches behind closed doors that provoked criticism from players by munich's tiago set let's be honest there are much more important priorities than any sports but his own c.e.o. disagreed. is. introduced at the end of the day professional football is all about finances. and east london for there is still a large payment due in germany from t.v. broadcasters. broadcast on the. brain was professed to

break rank since your thirties refused to allow the club's monday match with leyva to take place. we saw the calls to come to the match on internet forums without a shadow of a doubt unvetted braman agrees they are the fans to stay away too but they wouldn't have done. if it was a new. push off the part of one's coach displayed coronavirus symptoms and then defended you could kill you and tested positive for the virus 1st but his league applied to do so the d.f.l. was left with little choice but to bow to pressure and call off the weekend's fixtures league officials will meet on monday to decide what happens next for now football has come to a stop. japan's prime minister shinzo says he expects the tokyo olympic games to go ahead as planned he said he has not discussed postponing or

canceling the events during talks with the u.s. president donald trump earlier this week trump suggested japan should consider postponing the games because of the spread of the coronavirus. sports life is up next you're watching news from berlin i'm on the end he said thanks for joining us . i'm not laughing at well because sometimes i am but i stand nothing with the budget and i think deep into the general culture i. think that is ground up to you because it's all that they know i might join me in the. post w.'s crime fighters are back africa's most successful radio drama series continues this season.