mark easton, bbc news., has asked for his country's forgiveness after imposing a sweeping coronavirus lockdown that he said had hurt millions of the country's poor. in his weekly radio address, he apologised for the impact of the three week lockdown, but said india was in a life and death battle. translation: first of all, let me seek forgiveness from all countrymen. my conscience tells me that you will definitely forgive me, as i had to take certain decisions which have put you in a lot of difficulty. especially when i look at my poor brothers and sisters, i definitely feel they must be thinking, "what kind of prime minister is this who has placed us in this difficulty?" i especially seek their forgiveness. possibly, many will be angry at me for being locked in their homes. i understand your troubles, but there was no other way to wage a war against coronavirus. for a country like india, with a population of 1.3 billion, it is a battle of life and death and we have to win it. meanwhile, pressure has been g

mark easton, bbc news.2020 football tournament — due to take place injune and july across several countries — has been postponed for a year. the decision was taken at an extraordinary meeting of european football's governing body, uefa. joe wilson is at wembley for us — this was inevitable decision? i think ithink so, i think so, there's a new concept for the tournament, seven matches at wembley but spread across different cities in europe. imagine thousands of football fa ns cities in europe. imagine thousands of football fans crisscrossing the continent in june. there of football fans crisscrossing the continent injune. there will be a financial impact to the decision and it opens up a window in early summer also for the domestic leagues to fulfil their football fixtures. elsewhere the french open internet is moving more towards wimbledon, monitoring the situation. the 0lympics monitoring the situation. the olympics and paralympics say that they are going ahead. normally these events would matter so much

mark easton, bbc news. that's it. now on bbc one, time for the news where you are.night. hello and welcome along — i'm gavin ramjaun. euro 2020 has been postponed by one year because of the coronavirus pandemic. european football's governing body made the decision during an emergency video conference on tuesday, more from our sports correspondentjoe wilson. football finales empty. sport has stopped in this state and prepares for euro 2021, when the biggest sporting events in the world postponed for a year. the concept was a new style of tournament that the zeros would joyfully help across the zeros would joyfully help across the continent, 12 cities as hosts. dublin to st. petersburg, but imagine that happening injune as europe right now closes down. impossible. we had to start the compositions and —— stop the competitions, we think it is the only chance to get the chance to the national leagues and to all of the cloud competition to finish their competition. in other words, there isa competition. in other words, there is a window of opportunity, june could be a tim

mark easton, bbc news. fresh plans to keep the public more informed with the its coronavirus strategy. borisjohnson or one of his senior ministers will hold a daily press conference, supported by experts including the chief medical officer. the first one will be after the cobra meeting tomorrow where he will appear along side alongside chief medical officer professor chris whitty and chief scientific adviser sir patrick vallance. with me is our political correspondent, jessica parker. my my understanding is that prime minister is keen to chair those where possible himself alongside people at the chief medical officer, this chief scientific officer. figures we have become rather used to with recent press conferences and media appearances as well. it will not always be those people. they might bea not always be those people. they might be a rotating cast list depending on what people are working on. however, ithink depending on what people are working on. however, i think the effort is to inform people and it

our home editor mark easton reports. desperate for and are hoping for a supply very soon. as i say, our mask order has been delayed. they're down to one or two days of protective masks at this extra care home in northampton. just been outside. there we go... supplies of hand gel are running low, too. desperate staff fear they won't be able to protect vulnerable residents from a virus that might well kill them. the mask that we are using, we're not sure how to prioritise who has a mask first or which service user we go to that has a mask. so we're managing at the moment but we don't know where our next supply would come from. the company that runs this centre has repeatedly ordered new masks for their 2,000 carers across the uk. but suppliers have told them that protection equipment has been diverted to the nhs. we're really down to the bare bones now of masks and gel in terms of supplies. and we're desperate, really, to try to get some more equipment through quickly so our care staff can be fully protected and deliver th

mark easton, bbc news. laura: tough new rules come to britain.n other news fromrlround the after tw days of the cliento,--inde the daily death toll in the telling region of lombardy has gone up again. 743 people have died in the past 24 hours. the rate of new infections has slowed for the third day in a row. india hased a three-week coronavirus lockdown on its 1.3 llion people. only essential services will operatoperate. in a televisedl, apprime minister narendra modi said no people will be allowed out. aid it was the only way break the cycle of transmission. american playwright terrence mcnally has died due to complications related to the coronavirus. he won four tony awards from place including "master class" and musicals "ragtime" and "kiss of the spider woman." he was awarded a special tony for lifetime achievement. he was a lung canc survivor an was 81 years of age. you are watching "bbc world news america." still to come on tonight's program, i is hard to get a s shutt when the salon down. how hairdressers are faring in the age of social ru

mark easton, bbc news, london.s. 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. hospit

mark easton, bbc news.ion lives would have been lost to coronavirus, without the current global measures. but there's a warning that the poorest countries are still more likely to be hit hardest. our science editor david shukman reports. all over the world, very different reactions to the virus. in africa, rwanda was the first to lock down, while in senegal, the streets are still busy. and now, new research points to a catastrophe unless there is an immediate global response. what this latest study shows is that, if literally nothing is done to stop the virus, as many as 40 million people could die from it worldwide this year. now, that isn't likely to happen because so many governments are introducing public health measures. and if they all do, the death toll should fall to 9.3 million — still horrific, of course. the key to this is timing. if those measures are adopted rapidly, the number dying could fall to 1.3 million. itjust shows the critical importance of governments acting urgently. bangladesh, a re

mark easton, bbc news.ronavirus epicentre in the united states as the number of cases in the city rises sharply. reged ahmad has more. joyful and colourful scenes. this was mardi gras in new orleans last month. the parades are a highlight. beads are thrown out to cheering crowds and people share drinks. these celebrations attract more than a million people. but now, authorities fear the decision to go ahead with the festival when covid—19 had already arrived created the perfect storm. so what we need to focus on now is the fact that we are several weeks post mardi gras and we are starting to see that spike, and what the government has indicated is that we are on a path to look like italy. new orleans now appears to be at the centre of the pandemic in louisiana, and on course to become the epicentre for the outbreak in the united states. the numbers that we have today are once again very staggering. i hope the entire state of louisiana is looking at these numbers and that they are as concerned about them as

mark easton, bbc news.nt, our economics editor, faisal islam, on the new action from central banks but first our medical correspondent fergus walsh. the advice is if you have a continuous new calf or high temperature, you stay at home for seven days. regular hand washing can cut your chances of getting covid—i9 and if you are infected, we are stressing that four out of five people will have a mild infection. the flip side is that one in 20 may need intensive care. tomorrow the prime minister will chair another emergency cobra meeting where they will discuss when to pull these levers on social distancing, such as restrictions on mass gathering and there will be a move to daily senior minister press conferences to try to explain why britain is not going as far as its near neighbours, but they will stress they are being led by the science and worth remembering, the science and worth remembering, the peak of this outbreak could be up the peak of this outbreak could be up to three months away. bring us up to dat

mark easton, bbc news, london.id grave doubts as to weather the 2020 games will be able to go ahead in tokyo. the elaborate torch relay that had been planned has already been cut back drastically because of the coronavirus. up to now the organisers have insisted that the tokyo olympics will go ahead as planned but as more and more sporting events are cancelled around the world, calls are growing for the event to be delayed or postponed. even if the pandemic peaks soon, athletes are asking how they are supposed to qualify, which must take place in the next two months. now the former governor of tokyo, who led much of the early planning for the games, has told the bbc he is almost certain the games will not take place as scheduled on july 2ath. from tokyo rupert wingfield hayes reports(tx next —— from tokyo rupert wingfield hayes reports. there may not be much surf for her to show off in today, but for now, every day in the water counts. this woman has her sights set on a middle, in the first ever olympic surfing con

mark easton, bbc news.mbat the economic impact of the virus — the us federal reserve has cut its interest rates to near zero. it's also announced co—ordinated action with the central banks of canada, the uk, japan, switzerland, and the european central bank. us officials say they're working to improve waiting times for health screening, after chaotic scenes for returning travellers at some american airports. the trump administration's decision to include the uk and ireland in its european travel ban comes into effect on tuesday. for more on the us level of preparedness, let's go to david blumenthal, president of the commonwealth fund, an american healthcare research foundation. thanks very much for being with us. how ready and how prepared is the us? i'm afraid we are not very well prepared. we are getting better prepared. we are getting better prepared but at the moment, we are not well prepared. why is that, what needs to happen? first, we need to be much better at testing. we are way behind the rest of t

mark easton, bbc news.d for his country's forgiveness after imposing a sweeping coronavirus lockdown that he said had hurt millions of the country's poor. in his weekly radio address, he apologised for the impact of the three—week lockdown, but said india was in a life and death battle. translation: possibly many will be angry at me for being locked in their homes. i understand your troubles, but there was no other way to wage a war against coronavirus. for a country like india with a population of 1.3 billion, it is a battle of life and death and we have to win it. the indian prime minister. criticism has mounted over the lack of planning ahead of the shutdown which was introduced with less than four hours' notice. many of india's1.3 billion citizens have been left jobless and hungry. as the bbc‘s nikhil inamdar reports now from delhi, tens of thousands of migrant labourers have been forced to walk hundreds of kilometres from cities to their home villages. it has been a fairly chaotic 72 hours here in indi

mark easton, bbc news.tructor in hamburg spreading good vibes when they are needed most. he lunges, and stretches from the street below, even when it‘s snowing. from the street below, even when it's snowing. ready, ready? you don't need any special equipment for this gym class. the main idea is to keep active and happy while living in self isolation. translation: i saw a wine party ona translation: i saw a wine party on a balcony and i thought why wouldn‘t they do sport? if you start the day with sport, music and a good mood, it changes the atmosphere in the whole street. the message is simple: 30 minutes a day and it will help keep spirits high at a time when it is easy to feel down. living together as a community to help pass the time. freya cole, bbc news. and that‘s it from me. you stay tuned in on the bbc news. —— please do stay tuned in. hello there. through the first half of last week we had some spring warmth. in fact, last tuesday, temperatures got up as high as 19 degrees. this week, starting on a

mark easton, bbc news.'ll find in—depth analysis and features, including on how to shop or get takeaway food safely. that's all at the bbc news website and on the app. and please tell me how you are getting through all of this, whether or not you are in lockdown or isolation or if you are deciding to sing your way through it or simply slog your way through the day. i would like to know. you can reach me on twitter. i'm @jamesbbcnews. please do stay with us. hello. friday finished on a glorious note across the greater part of england and wales, but throughout the past week, it's been a different story for many parts of scotland and northern ireland, thanks to the cloud and some rain associated with that weather front which, through the weekend, will show signs of wanting to move further down and across the british isles, and it introduces a much colder regime to many parts as we move on into sunday and indeed into the start of next week. so it's a fairly cool start to the weekend but a lot of dry weather, mu

mark easton, bbc news, london.gest jump in coronavirus deaths. 1a9 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

mark easton, bbc news.want a reminder of the restrictions the government has introduced, you can find a full list of them on the bbc news website. the head of italy's coronavirus response team has told the bbc there is now a severe shortage of medical staff in the north of the country, the area worst hit by the pandemic. doctors and nurses from across italy and around the world are being asked to volunteer to work there. there have now been almost 11,000 deaths from covid—19 in italy, with over 97,000 confirmed infections. jean mackenzie sent this report. they have come from around the world to serve on the front line of this crisis. doctors from russia, cuba and now albania, and from every corner of italy, too. ijust finished from the hospital after 12 hours. i'm so tired! giuseppe has never worked in an emergency room. he only qualified last year, but he's left his home in sicily for a field hospital at the epicentre. why did you decide to travel to work up here? the emergency was here and it's still here

mark easton, bbc news.port centre, tottenham striker harry kane has revealed that he could leave spurs, if the club does not progress in the right direction, as he wants to win trophies "sooner rather than later." the england captain is yet to win a trophy at tottenham, who have slipped to eigth in the suspended premier league table. kane also believes that the current season should be scrapped, if it can't be completed by the end ofjune. adding that "we need to try to finish the season, but there needs to be a point where enough is enough." italy's sports minister is planning to extend the country's ban on all matches and competitions until the end of april. the lockdown currently taking place is due to expire on friday. but italian health experts say, they still need to continue to reduce the spread of the virus, which will probably last weeks beyond that. vinchenzo spadafora said that talks about restarting serie a on 3rd may were unrealistic, with some clubs like lazio and napoli pushing to restart trai

mark easton, bbc news, london.be enforcing the new restrictions. our home affairs correspondent, daniel sandford, is outside new scotland yard. how is this enforcement going to work? well, i think a lot of the details are still quite sketchy, it is not quite clear what hours the police will use, but officials insisted tonight powers the police will have, the necessary powers. and that is going to be something we will hear more about in the next day or two. certainly, senior officers i have spoken to are hoping they will be able to do more by persuasion rather than enforcement and they are hoping if they were to find a shop open that wasn't supposed to be open, they would be able to go and say, you are they would be able to go and say, you a re really they would be able to go and say, you are really not supposed to be open, maybe go with council officials and persuade them to close and say we are not leaving until you shut. maybe if they find a group of people gathering who are clearly breaching the rules about publ

mark easton, bbc news, london. now on bbc news, the travel show.ek on the show: 0ur look at the impact the global pandemic is having on international travel. i'm stranded. virgin cancelled my flight yesterday. we're trapped in our hotel for what seems like 15 days. i would love to get home, yeah. what are your rights if you've had trips cancelled? how do you cope if you're stuck in a country in lockdown and just what does the future hold for all our travels? just a year ago, and the headlines from places like paris and venice were very different. we all learned the word ‘overtourism' as we saw that cafes and attractions of some of our most loved places heaving with holidaymakers. it's a very different picture now. many destinations are in lockdown as people are being asked to stay at home to protect their health and that of others. it means that tourists are being left stranded, holidays cancelled and airline bosses are predicting a grim future. it's unsettling to see some of the biggest and most popular attractions totally deserted. the taj mahal,

mark easton, bbc news. its borders to slow the spread of the coronavirus. the measures, which will come into force from monday, accompany a lockdown across moscow which will see residents confined to their homes. the capital has recorded two—thirds of the 1,500 cases across russia, according to officialfigures. now time for something a little more uplifting and it involves lifting weights and lifting spirits. in germany, the lockdown measures have been extended to at least april 20 but one young man is making the most out of the glum situation. meet peto cervantes, the 19—year—old witness instructor in hamburg spreading good vibes when they needed most. he lunges and stretches, from the street below, even when it's snowing. ready, ready? you don't need any special equipment for this gym class. the main idea is to keep active and happy while living in self isolation. translation: i saw a wine party on the balcony and i thought, why wouldn't they do sport? if you start the day with sports, music and a good mo

mark easton, bbc news.all the developments around the coronavirus outbreak and 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 time is 6.14. our top story this evening. today has seen the biggest one—day increase in the number of people infected with the coronavirus in the uk. and still to come — from the crufts dog show to the london book fair — how the coronavirus is going to affect public events across the country. coming up on sportsday on bbc news, back from the brink — the hockey player with an horrific injury with his sights now set on 0lympic glory for great britain. the greek island of lesbos has become a flashpoint in a new migrant crisis for europe. aid agencies have complained that their staff have been assaulted and intimidated as they try to cope with refugees coming by boat from turkey. the governor of lesbos has apologised for the violent actions of some residents. hundreds of migrants have arrived on the isalnd si

mark easton, bbc news.old the bbc that they are still finding it difficult to get enough personal protective equipment to help them look after elderly and disabled people. they are also worried about the number of staff who are self—isolating and want testing. it comes as a nursing home in east sussex says three quarters of its residents now either have the virus or are showing signs of it. here's our social affairs correspondent, alison holt. at 0aklands nursing home in hove, they care for 20 vulnerable residents aged between 80 and 101. many of them are now fighting the coronavirus. keeping her distance, the home's manager says two residents have tested positive and another 13 are showing symptoms. one day they have a normal temperature, the following day it is over 37. you never know where we are. more than a third of her staff are off sick or self—isolating and she expects she and others will have to move into the home to care for the residents. she wants better protective equipment, but has been told t

mark easton, bbc news, london.rates are now at their lowest level in history — the bank of england slashed them to just 0.1% today. economics editor faisal islam explained what that meant. that lowers the cost of borrowing across the economy for those businesses that want to invest. probably the bigger mood is the £200 billion they've announced of government borrowing that the bank of england will now purchase. how does that help? it low those interest rates over two, five and ten yea rs interest rates over two, five and ten years as well but it also provides space for the government to borrow a bit more in order to tax a bit less and spend more. that's the key difference here. it also means we have some pretty hairy moments in the markets yesterday in terms of styling falling, in terms of the cost of borrowing going up, but that space for the government is important. i understand there is negotiations going on into the night with unions and businesses about the details of a wage sub that the package that could be

mark easton, bbc news.eginning of the outbreak there. almost 1,000 people have died in the past 24 hours, taking the total number of deaths in italy to more than 9,000. mark lowen is in rome for us this evening. mark, this huge increase comes after over two weeks of strict lockdown? shocking figures, it is like italy is losing the equivalent of a village today, 919 deaths in the past 24 hours, over 200 more than the previous one day rise. in the northern region of lombardy alone, 540 people have died there in the past day. you mentioned the lockdown that has been in place for over two weeks. it is flattening the curve. the infection rate is slowing here but progress is slow and uneven, and the awful news keeps on coming. 46 doctors have now died here since the outbreak began. the national health institute says italy has not yet reached the peak and that nationwide restrictions might have to be extended for several months. tonight, meanwhile, the pope gave a special address on a very empty st peter's square,

but first, here's our home editor, mark easton, with the latest.tre of leeds today, as the government warns we may be just weeks from asking britain's elderly to go into self—imposed quarantine. to protect those most vulnerable to the virus, ministers plan to encourage more than 10 million pensioners and those with respiratory conditions to consider isolating themselves for what may be several months. we do not want formally to say yet that people should do that, and the reason for that is simply this length of time that they'd need to stay self—isolated, stay at home, to protect themselves, is a very big ask, it's a very long time. it is a big ask, a measure that poses agonising questions for every family. both myself and my wife have elderly parents who, at the minute, are relatively physically fit, but we've had to change plans with having them looking after our children. my mum, she's 87 now, and i've given her the advice myself to stay in and not go out. whatever they advise, we'll have to follow, won't we? so, we trust in them, don't we? the

our home editor mark easton has been finding out.es in watford's high street today. they don't yet have powers to enforce people to keep their distance or stay at home, but today at least most seemed they don't yet have powers to enforce people to keep their distance or stay at home, but today at least most seemed to want to do the right thing. so far everyone has been really good, doing what they are being asked to do, because it is for everybody‘s safety and well—being. people seem to be standing quite close together. they do, that's what we're trying move about. if they're two and their family, that's fair enough. but any groups, three, four, five, we are speaking to them. they are splitting up. everyone has watched the news so they know what the situation is. the police station is shuttered up like most shops and businesses. supermarket marshals encouraging customers to observe the etiquette of the epidemic. you are standing rather close together. do you think it's clear what you are supposed to be doing? it is, but i think a lot

mark easton, bbc news. with me is out political correspondent, jessica parker.been criticism this weekend, let's be frank, about the communication is coming from the government, talk about the criticism and the response, if you would? among the critics, the labour party says the government needs to step up its communications, daily press conferences and that type of thing. first of all, on this issue of herd immunity, patrick vallance talked about this on friday, building up some kind of herd immunity, a lot of people being infected with the virus, but building up community and that can protect the population in the longer term. matt hancock the health secretary, saying that is not the aim. so mix to messaging there. and yesterday we had this idea spelling out that vulnerable groups in people over 70 could be asked to stay at home for many weeks, if not months. matt hancock clarified the situation somewhat saying that is in the actual plan, but not for a number of weeks. but it is the important messaging that affects peoples lives very deeply and that needs to b

mark easton, bbc news, london. interest rates are now at their lowest level in history.nd slashed them to just 0.1 % today. our economics editor faisal islam is here. emergency measures — how much will this help? the second emergency cut in just over a week. that lowers the cost of borrowing across the economy for those businesses that want to invest. probably the bigot move is the £200 billion they've announced of government borrowing that the bank of england will now purchase. how does that help? it lowers those interest rates over two, five and ten yea rs interest rates over two, five and ten years as well, but also provides space for the government to borrow a bit more in order to tax a bit less and spend more. i think that is the key difference here. it also means we had some pretty hairy moments in markets yesterday in terms of sterling falling, in terms of the cost of borrowing going up. it helps with that as well. that space for the government is important. my understanding is negotiations going on into the night with unions and businesses about the details of a

mark easton, bbc news, watford.oviding other essential services, such as building societies, are bringing in new measures for customers and staff. many are aimed at encouraging people to follow the government's plea for social distancing and to keep at least two metres apart when shopping. our business correspondent emma simpson has more. the great high—street shutdown. in norwich, the shoppers have gone. leeds city centre — the streets quiet and the doors locked. right across the uk, we're only allowed out to buy necessities now. communities adapting to the new coronavirus retail rules. supermarkets have been overwhelmed, and now they have got to keep everyone safe, and fed. so, how will this work? all our main supermarkets will have to limit the number of customers going in, where necessary, so that social distancing rules can be followed. here at this waitrose store, it's already one out, one in. the queue is managed and good—natu red. if you keep a two—metre distance between you and the next person... i came to

mark easton, bbc news.eaths since the beginning of the outbreak there. more than 900 people have died in the past 24 hours — taking the total number of deaths in italy to more than 9,000 — with more than 86,000 confirmed cases. mark lowen is in rome for us this evening. mark, this huge increase comes after almost two weeks of strict lockdown? two weeks indeed. it is truly shocking numbers. 919 people have died in the past 24 hours, that is over 200 more than the previous one—day rise. the northern region of lombardy, the worst hit region, 445 people have died there. you mention with the lockdown that has lasted over two weeks, it is flattening the curve, the infection rate is down on yesterday but progress is slow and uneven and the awful news just keeps on coming, 46 doctors have died here since the outbreak began. the national health institute now says the restrictions will have to be extended beyond the 3rd of april and italy has not yet reached the peak of the outbreak. the pope has given an address on

mark easton, bbc news.n will face fines of up to £960 or nearly $2,000 from today. 0ur northern ireland correspondent emma vardy has been speaking to key workers whose jobs are now more important than ever. streets bare. belfast like you've never seen it before. but on the ground, for those in difficulty, help must continue. the entire space in this church has become a food bank. so how many kids have you got? five. you've got five kids? oh, wow. it's a lifeline for those like glenn, with a lot of mouths to feed. it's hard when everybody is panic buying, by the time you get to go out and get something, there's nothing left on the shelves to buy. at the moment, the universal credit law is really important because there's a lot of people stuck at the moment. me, myself is stuck. so places like this is a big help. and the numbers who need belfast‘s food banks are rising. 50% increase in people coming to use the food bank since the crisis began. i think there was an initial sense of panic but the thing that we

mark easton, bbc news.ross the country are being asked to volunteer to work there. there have now been almost 11,000 deaths from covid—19 in italy, with over 97,000 confirmed infections. jean mackenzie sent this report. they have come from around the world to serve on the front line of this crisis. doctors from russia, cuba and now albania and from every corner of italy, too. i just finished from the hospital after 12 hours. i‘m so tired! finished from the hospital after 12 hours. i'm so tired! giuseppe has never worked in an emergency room, he only qualified last year, but he‘s left his home in sicily for a field hospital at the epicentre. why did you decide to travel to work up here? the emergency was here and it‘s still here and so i‘m here to get my contribution, my little contribution, and help my colleagues. the force at which this virus struck the north of italy has left exposed. 300 doctors were flown in from different parts of the country last week but this wasn‘t nearly enough. the situation in th

mark easton, bbc news.provide budgetary help for the economy to help cope with the impact of the virus. how will small businesses cope and what about people who are not covered by statutory sickness pay? let's talk to gig economy worker, greg howard, who delivers mainly for deliveroo. james greenhalgh owns flamingos coffee house in leeds. and rehana azam is the national secretary of the gmb union. thank you all forjoining us. let's get a taste for me to have you about your situation and perhaps your fears at this stage. greg, you are a gig economy worker. how might this affect you? well if it affects me andi affect you? well if it affects me and i have to self—isolate i have no idea what i'm going to do. currently we don't get any benefits, we don't get sick leave, we can't take a holiday because we aren't entitled to it. something needs to be done. we are talking about the coronavirus crisis here but really there is a social crisis, with people, my colleagues, millions of them across the country who are fa

mark easton, bbc news.e healthcare system wouldn't cope if coronavirus spreads through the population. latest figures from the palestinian authority show 91 cases of covid—19 across the territories, including nine in gaza. years of military conflict with israel has already tested gaza's hospitals, leaving them severely short of drugs and equipment. ghada majadlee is the managing director for the non—profit, physicians for human rights israel. she explains the risks in gaza. we know the health care system in gaza was collapsing even before the outbreak of the coronavirus. it has been struggling for over a decade to meet the needs of the population and this is why thousands of patients every year are referred to treatments in hospitals outside of the gaza strip. and concerning the coronavirus, the ministry of health in gaza has been calling for support by the world health organization and international community, since we are talking about massive shortages in basic supplies and shortages in ventilators and i

mark easton, bbc news, watford.ton keynes. we just want to talk to you with your advice, really and tips for people. to keep mentally well during all of this. it's not always easy we are confined to home. what are your tips? you're totally right. it is not easy but the things we know that are going to keep us well right now other things that keep us well generally. so that means making sure that you've got structure, and variety in routine and equilibrium in your life. and obviously your old routines are probably not practical right now and you federal place them is something new. finding ways to fill your days that feel productive, if you can work from home great, if you cannot as of the things you can do to fill your time. the things that we need to keep us well or things like making sure you could access to sunlight and fresh air, and contact with nature. which is still possible it would if you are staying indoors a 100% of the time. these rules around going out once a day for exercise, and to support we observe

here's our home editor mark easton. stay back!ime in a pandemic — note the gloves. good afternoon, team. inside headquarters, the chief constable is joined by a military planner, as agencies consider how to use new, far—reaching powers to keep the public at home. we are interpreting the new powers in the style of british policing, in that we police by consent, but of course some colleagues are having to take steps to really explain to people that treating this as a bit of a holiday is not what this is about. footage has emerged of officers in perth confronting a man who claims to have tested positive for the virus. although this individual did eventually comply, other forces have already used the new health protection regulations, issuing a number of £60 fines to people who refused to go home when ordered. two—week training sessions are planned to get special co nsta bles, volu nteers and recently retired officers to help the public adjust to this strange new world in which we live. i think the vast majority of people are complyin

our home editor mark easton is here. we heard from the health secretary earlier.government thinking? the strategy is to try to decrease infections and deaths while increasing capacity in the health service. it is not happening yet but millions of older people and those with underlying respiratory conditions may be asked to isolate themselves potentially for several months and it is a strategy that is going to pause agonising questions that every family. do we continue to visit grandma and care for an elderly neighbour? there is a balance between shielding at risk groups and exposing them to depression. the government talking about a national community effort. the other half is increasing the capacity of the nhs are using operating theatres as emergency wards, more ventilators, using hotels as an overflow with retired staff and volunteers supporting and treating patients where possible. ministers do not wa nt to where possible. ministers do not want to spread panic with the infection but they want to prepare the country for some very difficult times ahead. thank yo

mark easton, bbc news, watford.tients' treatment is being postponed because of the coronavirus threat. that's because doctors don't want them exposed to the risk of infection if they come into hospitals and also a result of wards being cleared to be prepared for virus patients. 0ne hospital in essex has postponed chemotherapy for two weeks as our health editor hugh pym reports. edward won't be outside his front door again for a while. an nhs text has told him he's in the highest risk category because of his health and he will have to stay inside for 12 weeks. but he's not complaining. it's an opportunity now to come together and stay at home and stay safe. 0ne virus patient, michelle, had this plea to people, be careful and responsible with the new rules. please... please be careful. be responsible. some patients receiving care for different conditions including cancer are worried about what will happen as hospitals postpone some treatments to focus on coronavirus cases. a bowel cancer surgeon told me some procedure

our home editor, mark easton, joins me. what are police telling us about this?hey are saying the most important thing to know is the vast, vast majority of people are complying with the rules, doing what they should do to protect the nhs and to save lives. at the police, as you say, do have these new powers, they have launched an operation at they have launched an operation at the idea is to base it on what is called the four es approach. the first is to engage with people who might be out and about and then to explain to them what the rules are and why those rules are in place. and then to encourage them to do the right thing, to voluntarily comply and go back home. and only if all of those es are exhausted will they move on to the fourth one, which is enforcement and, as you say, a number of people have already been fined for not complying. they would have been fined £60 in the first instance, reduced to 30, like a parking ticket if you do it quickly enough. police say they are not criminal offences, they don't want to criminalise people. what they do wa nt to

our home editor mark easton has been guaging the mood among londoners in a quieter city.e, stay well, protect the nhs. for the most part, london is empty. but not everyone is listening. if i need to go somewhere, i am going to go somewhere. what about other people, you might affect other people? well then they should stay inside. it is 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.|j invisible on deserted streets. just wanted to see how busy it was. i am doing the same, just taking a look at london and then heading back before totalisation isolation, which i think is coming next. the plea is not to go out to bars and cafes and restau ra nts not to go out to bars and cafes and restaurants but some people are clinging on to their normal lives, in an increasingly abnormal situation. i live on my own, i got no family or anything, it is just me there. you can have too much of tv or too much of anything. so, to get over the road and bu

our home editor mark easton has been gauging the mood in the city.tay well, protect the nhs. for the most part, london is empty. but not everyone is listening. if i need to go somewhere, i am going to go somewhere. what about other people, you might affect other people? well then they should stay inside. it is 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. i am doing the same, just taking a look at london and then heading back before totalisation isolation, which i think is coming next. just the last of the few days of freedom. i think is coming next. the plea is not to go out to bars and cafes and restaurants but some people are clinging on to their normal lives, in an increasingly abnormal situation. i live on my own, i got no family or anything, it isjust me there. you can have too much of tv or too much of anything. there. you can have too much of tv or too much of anything. so, to get over the road and

mark easton, bbc news, london. that gives you an idea of how things stand this morning. political correspondent nick eardley, who's in westminster. we will speak to michael gove at 7:30 a.m., so many questions from oui’ 7:30 a.m., so many questions from our viewers about the specifics of how this will work. one of the most important ones is how the government will enforce them over the next few weeks? it is one of the big questions that remains unanswered. the prime minister yesterday talked about fines for people who flout some of these rules, and also give the police power to disperse groups and tell folk to go home if they're gathering in large groups. it's also quite important to point out ministers have said the whole time that they will take whatever measures are necessary, and that could mean, isuppose, measures are necessary, and that could mean, i suppose, further down the line if people are still ignoring these really stringent measures announced by the prime minister last night that the government might be forced to take more action. just look at europe, where

our home editor mark easton explained what the police had to say.save lives. the police, as you say, do have these new powers. they've what they call 0peration talla. the idea is to base it on what's called the four es approach and the first e is to engage with people who might be out and about and ask why they're there. then to explain to them what the rules are and why those rules are place. then to encourage them to do the right thing, do voluntarily comply and go home. and only if those three es are exhausted will they move on to the fourth e, enforcement. as you say, a number of people have already been fined for not complying. they would have been fined £60 in the first instance, reduced to 30, like a parking ticket, if you pay quickly enough but the police say these are not criminal offences. they don't want to criminalise people. what they do want to do is for people to use their common sense. as the head of the national police chiefs' council put it, this is a national emergency, not a national holiday. let's return to the news that the pri

made a decision to suspend all travel to the uk and ireland effectively at midnight monday night, mark eastonew sense of urgency in the us, which compared to other countries was slow to respond to the virus. lawmakers have passed legislation making tests free for everyone. but because of the shortage of kits, it is not known how far the virus has already spread stop for donald trump, it has become personal. facing criticism after being exposed to an infected person several days ago, he says he has now been tested. americans across the nation are reeling from the rapid disruption to their lives. many asked filing food and medicine, and confronting social restrictions. there is a growing understanding that things will be very different for weeks, if not months to come. supermarkets are urging customers not to panic buy during the outbreak. retailers and online sellers have faced huge demand, with pictures emerging of empty shelves in some stores. in a joint letter to consumers, members of the british retail consortium have urged shoppers to be considerate and ensure there are enough supplies fo