this is d.w. news live from berlin france begins to ease one of europe's strictest coronavirus lockdowns commuters in paris receive face masks as they head to work for the 1st time in 2 months most shops and businesses all be open and some restrictions will remain also on the program for germany 5 a flare up in infections as it eases lock down controls further and frustration builds in some circles over the government's handling of the crisis. and east africa battles the pandemic and the plague low costs are devastating crops across

the region experts warned that this 2nd wave this year poses an unprecedented threat to food security. i'm told me a lot of well welcome to the program france has begun to lift its coronavirus lockdown after 8 weeks of restrictions people can now leave their homes without a permit most shops and businesses have reopened and many children will soon return to school where 26000 fatalities france has the world's 5th highest covert 900 death toll. the streets of paris is starting to look more like they usual crowded selves after 8 weeks in lockdown french citizens are venturing out again it's been a cautious reopening with most shops welcoming customers and many people returning

to work. i think it's still very risky for the population but costs are rising for companies so we need to go back to work at it while you. know that you know i'm not afraid everything should be fine of people respect the distancing rules i took the metro this morning and people were really consider us. to be of a young what a. traffic on the paris metro is lighter than normal mosques and now mandatory on all public transport and signs advise commuters on how to maintain social distancing. people can now travel up to 100 kilometers without filling out a form to explain why. primary schools will also begin to reopen this week although the path forward for children in touches remains

tentative. god will see if it was the recess hour as how well taken the children and the parents and to the school will they wear masks what will we do if children are sick or run a high temperature so there are lots of questions in terms of organization. that you need. to loose or restrictions are based on encouraging numbers including a decline in daily coronavirus deaths or thora he's warned that restrictions could be reimposed if necessary. the hope is that prudence will be enough to further reduce the spread of the virus allowing friends to continue on its road to recovery . correspondent lisa lewis is in paris and we asked her how this 1st day had gone. quite smoothly i must say according to a recent poll 2 thirds of the french are quite right about the lifting of restrictions and you could see that most of the public transport network was not

actually at cracking point there were only a few people taking the metro taking the trains there were some exceptions though for example online 13 which clings cents on the knee france's poorest department to the center of parents and where many people actually have to go back to work on that line additionally there was a technical problem this morning that's why the 1st few trains were really packed about apart from that most trains were quite empty people have been reporting that only a few people take it created or to taking trains and there most of them bearing mosques and trying to keep a distance from each other. of the world health organization says it hopes that germany can bring a recent flare up of corona virus infections under control the country has been scrambling to contain localized cope with 19 outbreaks in some several states health officials are also monitoring a recent uptick in germany's infection rate as the country continues to reopen its

economy. while using has become the name of the game in germany. and not only at supermarkets now america like much of the nation is waiting to see the effects of gradually easing restrictions in recent weeks. but it's important to me to once again draw attention to the fact that we are now in a new phase of the pandemic it will now be necessary in easing restrictions that we ensure safety so following the basic requirements that means keeping our distance wearing a mouth and nose covering and having consideration for others. that's very important . that those guns the. closed doors of new infections some link to meat processing plants have emerged in several german districts that pushed new cases in those areas above the maximum agreed by america and state government leaders and

locally put the brakes on easing restrictions elsewhere in germany there are some signs of returning to normality as many businesses reopen but on the streets the vocal minority is getting louder thousands of people demonstrated on saturday accusing politicians of infringing their rights concerns are growing the protests are being used as a platform for conspiracy theorists and far right extremists. is about her claims hateful stereotypes theories that either result in a scapegoat or in a kind of world villain who is supposed to be pulling all the strings people spreading this want to stir up conspiracy theories that haven't gain much traction before anyone who spreads something like this want to divide our country and turn people against each other. dimension of monday so the opening of berlin's coronavirus treatment center weeks later than originally planned the hope is that

beds here will stay empty when the effects of easing restrictions become clear. our political correspondent manual shares gave us this overview of how germans feel about the government's handling of the crisis but there's certainly a concern within the german society that fundamental rights could be stomped upon when individual freedoms limited and that is here is being taken very seriously and being taken into account in the decision making and across the political spectrum however within the german society to seems to be an antagonism between conspiracy theories sympathises a war kinds of acts and a majority of the germans in fact more than 80 percent of the germans who are quite happy about how the cries is handled by many when mosques not only in public transport it's mandatory but also in this streets for example and they're also happy to work from home and those people the majority are concerned when they hear that positive people gather to protest we vow to us they think so so they're

sensing measures for example now for a brief look at some other pandemic related stories making headlines around the world the white house has directed staff working in the west wing to wear masks at all times except when they're at their own desks after several people working there were tested positive for the virus unlike some other world leaders president donald trump has so far not want amassed in public and be a pro and anti-government demonstrations have taken place in belgrade tensions between the 2 groups have been growing ahead of parliamentary elections next month critics claim president serbian president alexander which edge is using a coronavirus state of emergency to tighten his grip on power police in hong kong say they've arrested more than 200 people in anti-government protests the pandemic has turned attention away from the city's pro-democracy movement but

as the threat from the virus appears to be receding demonstrations are once again moving forward. i there back riot police and protesters confront each other inside of hong kong shopping miles. my. standoffs like these all but paralyzed the chinese territory last year restrictions imposed over the virus put an end to the protests earlier this year but these curbs are now slowly easing the government is allowing public gatherings of up to 8 people many more than that were involved here on kong's pro-democracy protesters have not forgotten their unfinished revolution. in the midst of the coronavirus the government has imposed restrictions on gatherings and turned it into a crackdown on freedom of assembly. is a gross violation of human rights. to you how you seem on. the.

day as police should be protecting us and society and instead they are doing the opposite of this affects people's everyday basic rights. activists sang their protest anthem glory to hong kong a reminder to the authorities that the pro-democracy protesters have not gone away the gradual easing of corona restrictions means more demonstrations unlikely in the coming weeks government to pertinence a more determined than ever to press their demands. which now to kenya where a 2nd wave of desert locusts has this descended on east africa as the mates indicate that the swarms will be 20 times worse than those that hits the region just 2 months ago the u.n. says the locust poles an unprecedented threat to food security and livelihoods. this is home for the same blue tribe and since recently millions of locusts the

terrain is difficult but locust trackers were. going for the u. when food and agriculture organization only have 2 helicopters locals often go by foot no my let's talk a lot just places that come out of the excess world might hold back so if we can talk with will come to us in the valleys locust swarms can engulf hecht is of land and as they eat their own body weight each day the swarms devour practically everything in their path the world bank warns that the horn of africa could lose more than 7000000000 euros worth of crops crops like moses motors tomatoes. i don't know whether god will send us any angles the truth is that we farmers have been totally written off it's obvious we'll be wiped out regular rainfall has been contributing to the explosion of the locust population and the co that 19 crisis is

slowing down the fight against this infestation the businesses that are using. we are getting them from us again. and what you harvey's in front of them and us locked down everything transponders and all these and then you have various little movement of these. the you wind feeds 20000000 people in the region but is now warning twice that many could be threatened with hunger and football news the president of spain's top football the division league has identified 12 as to get the spanish season back up and running as will be the case when german football restarts this weekend have a 10 league games could be played behind closed doors the regular testing compulsory for all players but how german football fares this weekend could have a huge impact on whether other nations do decide to follow suit. real madrid

were one of many spanish top flight clubs to restart training this week with league officials planning a return to action as soon as possible time is of the essence to get fit but with strict lockdown regulations still in place that might be easier said than done league president have a table that is hopeful the season can resume on june 12th but suggested that could change if infection levels increase across spain the 2nd most affected nation worldwide in terms of confirmed coronavirus cases. i'd like it to be june 12th but we have to be careful it will depend on many factors such as a potential rise in infections factors which don't depend on football but on spanish society spain would become the 2nd of europe's top 5 leagues to restart with the pundits league is scheduled to resume at the weekend as in germany confirming the league of stars will undergo regular testing but at least the chances of on field infection are negligible. it was meted out to $22.00 players on

the pitch the most time one would spend within a metre of another is 67 seconds and not face to face for the virus to be transmitted they'd have to be at that proximity for more than 15 minutes and that won't happen. as they can think it's going to start. with clubs in desperate need of broadcast revenue players have publicly backed the announcement though rather than fears of infection barcelona defender gerrard p.k. stressed the importance of allowing time for players to train to match fitness. your job and i think we have to keep in mind if we are really ready specially because of the risk of injury. we have to put on a good show but we also have to think of the players. i know have a does but if i can give my opinion a few more days of training wouldn't be about. one or the other muslim don't know

as you don't bother with nothing concrete yet in place much could depend on whether the bundesliga is return run smoothly this weekend. you're watching the news there's more on our website d.w. dot com and you can follow us on twitter and instagram at the news i told me. what secrets lie behind. discover new adventures in 360 degrees. and explore fascinating world heritage sites. d w world heritage 360 get the map now.