Hello and welcome to the Intelligence on Economist Radio. I'm your host, Jason Palmer.

Every weekday we provide a fresh perspective on the events shaping your world.

Primaries in three American states yesterday put Joe Biden in even clearer lead for the

Democratic presidential nomination. It was to be four states, Ohio, postponed. We take

a look at the campaigns and how the pandemic is affecting them. And there's a

particularly prized beef from Japan called Wagyu. It's got imitators elsewhere,

but its fans say only the original will do. Now the Japanese government wants to

protect it by outlawing the traffic in eggs and sperm from Wagyu breeds.

But first, around the world governments are shutting down their countries to stop the spread

of coronavirus. In America, after a confused initial response, President Donald Trump advised

the entire country to stay at home. My administration is recommending that all Americans, including

the young and healthy, work to engage in schooling from home when possible, avoid gathering

in groups of more than ten people, avoid discretionary travel, and avoid eating and drinking

at bars, restaurants and public food courts.

Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson came under fire for his government's delay in implementing

social distancing measures. It looks as though we're now approaching the fast growth

part of the upward curve. And without drastic action, cases could double every five or six days.

In France yesterday, new measures were put into place, confining people to their homes for at least 15 days,

except for essential purposes. People can now be fined if they're found in public.

Outside on the streets, things are much quieter. Sophie Petter is our Paris bureau chief.

There are some cars, there are some people, but each of them could be stopped at any moment.

It is a shock and the punitive measures are the way our principles will see how they're applied in practice,

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