discussed on africa's facebook page and other social media platforms. crime fighters tune in now. this is d w news live from her lead on congress future hangs in the balance as china announces plans to impose tough security laws on that city beijing wants to use the loss to curb the city's democratic freedoms critics say could spell the hong kong. also coming up the. u.s. president sparks criticism for not wearing a face mask after a tour of

a car factory in michigan he says he did where was away from the town. i'm brian thomas great to have you with us today china is planning to impose a controversial new national security law on hong kong banning quote subversion and separatism the move was announced at the session of china's parliament to the national people's congress in beijing activists in hong kong said the law would end the city's autonomy u.s. president trump has threatened to retaliate if beijing goes ahead with the move. some $3000.00 delegates from all of the china have gathered for the national congress in beijing normally lasting 2 weeks the our new congress has been shortened this year to just one because of the coronavirus pandemic so it's

straight down to business the national committee chair says new security laws for hong kong will be discussed on day one. i need you in there wouldn't do to ensure the policy of one country 2 systems is firmly up held over the long term we will strengthen the sense of mission and political responsibility of national committee members representing hong kong and macau and firmly support the improvement of systems and mechanisms for enforcing china's constitution and the basic laws of those 2 special administrative regions i thought. has long considered limiting opposition movements in hong kong but the issue intensified after large anti-government protests last year when pro-democracy activists took to hong kong streets to protest a number of proposed changes to the city's laws the demonstrators believe beijing is chipping away at the territories unique rights to assembly and free speech just

this month a number of hong kong lawmakers were dragged from parliament amid a round about a chinese national anthem bill that would criminalize disrespect of the song. on thursday many legislators said the central communist party was tightening its grip on hong kong. i just want to say to the international community. look normal. brokering the 1st. group. promise. and a new law is coming from beijing are almost certain to spark more protests in hong kong and attract attention from the wider world. did have used as following the story for us in beijing. what more can you tell us about these new laws. i would describe you last basically the biggest blow to the autonomy off the city since the handing over $997.00 basically

beijing wants to crack down on everything that considers. session the stakes and i mean that can mean basically everything that the pro-democracy movement is doing and i think it's a really really get a strong step also because it's expected that the mainland china the government will use the loophole so that the law actually doesn't have to pass the legislation calling him just be implemented basically water beijing's objectives here where does it want to go with small. i mean from the perspective of beijing they want to restore order basically want to solve the conflict with the pro democracy movement . in their own way and it's also a message foreign governments basically that yes and to some degree also the german government who sometimes supports. the pro-democracy movement hong

kong basically beijing doesn't tolerate any foreign conflicts ration what are called. foreign governments i know. so i think it's a strong message of how ok this is the big gathering there in beijing is also being dominated by the coronavirus is a look now at how china has been handling that crisis. news of a mysterious lung disease and one had been around for weeks nevertheless at the end of january the words of senior monologist jill nanchang hit like a bombshell sendak and how we can say with certainty that the virus spread from human to human until then operatives had downplayed the risk of infection now the government scrambled to control the crisis on drop a list of 11000000 was locked down people rushed to the hospitals causing a near breakdown of the health care system throughout most of china like here in

beijing many started isolating themselves at home but i think people are reacting much faster than the allstar it is so the situation isn't that bad. soon after museums schools and businesses were shut down as transport links canceled effectively bringing public life to an end this is usually a bustling commercial street tourists who visit beijing usually come to spend time here today i'm the only one anxiety turned into anger when the when young died a doctor who 1st tried to warn his colleagues about the epidemic but was silenced by the police the news triggered an outpouring of anger and grief on the internet what's seen when people mourn the least when lee young takes place there resistance the government countered with a propaganda push by continuing its offensive against the group. eventually the drastic measures paid off in march infection rates started declining schools

reopened in many places just as more and more countries were starting their own corporate crisis state alleviation even showed chinese officials handing over medical supplies to other countries threatened by the pandemic go ahead all along maintained an open transparent and responsible attitude and we have provided all the urgent help that we could to help countries in need. you knew infection china had knowledge gauged in a different mind could you find home grown in this epidemic with do you remember. well how will it be remembered far beyond what important leaders been saying about their response to the virus and to the growing international calls for an investigation as to why it wasn't contained in by problems i mean that's a very sensitive topic and. diplomats and government officials have a very different perspective what they tell you when you. more or less private than

they also it's mistakes that they've done i mean we all know that they've signed scientists that they've destroyed let samples however if you come confront them in public. they are told of protein and say basically we did everything right and they we're very sensitive when the governments want to investigate the origins of the corona virus for example the australian government did so and. see communist party basically suspended. imports from australia from different companies so that they basically yeah use their economic power to suppress any discussion about that because of course the chinese government mistakes and they don't want to openly admit it because they are afraid to governments like the u.s. government will try to politicise it and also used it for their own again it's and it's all been thanks very much for that from beijing today. let's take

a look now at some of today's other coronavirus developments brazil suffered a record of 1188 corona deaths on thursday is fast approaching russia to become the world's 2nd largest infection hotspot behind the u.s. and the u.s. is secured about a 3rd of the 1st $1000000000.00 doses planned for astra zeneca experimental vaccine by pledging some $1200000000.00 india is preparing to resume domestic flights within days the country's civil aviation ministries proposed rules including protective suits and goggles for flight attendants and no food served on board and health care workers in britain thailand have started taking part in a trial to determine whether to the malarial drugs can prevent covert 19 including one that president trump says he has been taking. and the u.s. president has ordered flags on government buildings to be flown at half mast in memory of covered 900 victims more than 90000 americans have died of the disease so

far the president says there should be a should there be a 2nd wave of factions he would not impose another lockdown and during a factory visit he set off a controversy about face masks. did dano dawna moscow didn't despite a state and company policy making it mandatory for president trump chose not to wear a face must during his tour for food factory in michigan the plant has been converted to produce ventilators for u.s. hospitals flanked by company executives trump assured reporters he did wear one away from the cameras i did where i had 4 known before i for one to specular it but i didn't want to give the press the pleasure of seeing it. trump and his officials have defended their refusal to wear masks arguing the president and he's in a circle are regularly tested for the virus to her senior white house aides tested positive this month i did you know they weren't they're not necessary here what

everybody has been tested and i've been tested in fact i was still in the sport so it's not necessary. to visit his spa concern with michigan's attorney general calling the president a petulant child of the decision. to issue continued to pull focus throughout the visit. the other way around here for you right here is my master. and here i like it very much actually i dislike i think i look better in the past i really did i look better the past. determined to get the us back up and running trumps visit to michigan comes as the country's death toll news 95000 people. let's take a look 1000 the other stories making there's that. u.s. president trump says he may reconsider his stated intention to withdraw the u.s. from the open skies treaty with russia if it leaves the pock it would be the 3rd

arms control agreement the president was scrapped since taking office the treaty was designed to improve military transparency u.s. president says of puts the country at a strategic disadvantage. more than 11000 people have been evacuated from their homes after 2 dams failed in the u.s. state of michigan rising water levels and gulf the structures after days of heavy rains lakes normally held behind the dams then drained out across the surrounding area causing widespread flooding. russian media is reporting that the leader of chechnya has been hospitalized in moscow with suspected covert 19. deer off is a key ally of russian president vladimir putin it's the latest case of a senior official in the former soviet union in fact it was a groan a virus. well here in germany restrictions are gradually being eased across the country people are now allowed to travel to other regions and many are

taking advantage of the new freedoms to visit some of the nation's best love tourist sites. a scene of natural calm a lake in bavaria but looks can be deceptive thousands of people seize the chance to head for the hills again it's not 1st trip in many weeks and tourists cheered by the relaxation of pandemic restrictions locals not so much. if you want to cross the road or park your car it's completely full everywhere. but different story at the other end of the country on the island of zilch it's normally packed with tourists but now very few people are allowed onto the island and it's speeches. it's this it's a feeling of freedom again with the sea and the sun in the air. in hamburg tourist

boats are back in the harbor after 2 months but now with reduced capacity what's the benefit as the ships aren't so full. we booked 3 days in hamburg you just have to get away. people have been getting away to the banks of the elba river in dresden it's almost as if the lockdown is water under the bridge but when you when you think of all the restrictions it's now the total opposite in the beer gardens along the river social distancing appears to be the exception not the rule people are happy to raise a glass to their newly regained freedom. and hope that things stay this way. in paris to some signs of life slowly returning to something closer to normal precautions taking advantage of thursday's public holiday in some great weather to enjoy a little sun bathing in picnic in the park near the eiffel tower police were on patrol to make sure people were observing social distancing. francis started slowly

easing somewhat strict lockdown restrictions. it's reminder of one of our top stories at this hour china wants to impose sweeping new security laws to clamp down on democracy in hong kong the measures are one of the centerpieces of the annual national people's congress now underway in beijing a console makers say it is an attack on their freedoms. the state of your news thanks for being here. combating the corona pandemic. where does research stand. what are scientists learning. background information and news. hour carona updates. from the coded 19 special next on d w. how does

a virus spread. why do we panic and when we'll. just 3 of the topics for.