STATE OF EMERGENCY DECLARED IN MADRID

The Spanish government has declared a state of emergency in Madrid and the surrounding region to combat rising cases of coronavirus, according to Euronews.

It follows a ruling by the high court in Madrid, which rejected measures forced on the region by the central government, including the partial lockdown of the Spanish capital and nine neighbouring municipalities.

The move on Friday by Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's government takes immediate effect and last for two weeks. It forces the authorities in Madrid to restore travel restrictions that had been brought in by the government but were struck down by the court ruling.

The measures mean all non-essential trips in and out of the capital and nine of its suburbs are prohibited, affecting some 4.8 million people.

They also mean renewed restrictions on bars and restaurants, stores, sports venues, gyms and hairdressers -- and limit to six the number of people able to meet in public or private.

Spain's interior minister said 7,000 police would be deployed to enforce the restrictions. Officers duly began carrying out checks on Friday.

The government wanted to act quickly as Monday is a public holiday and it wanted to prevent thousands of city-dwellers heading out of the area for the weekend.

Emergency follows court ruling

The state of emergency declared by the national government is the latest twist in a tug-of-war with Madrid authorities over efforts to fight the spread of the coronavirus, in a region experiencing one of Europe's worst outbreaks.

It followed Thursday's successful legal challenge by officials in the capital against restrictions imposed by the centre-left national coalition led by Sanchez's Socialist Party and Unidas Podemos.

Madrid's conservative regional government opposed the constraints, saying they were draconian and hurt the economy. It argued that more moderate measures were enough to fight the virus.

The court agreed, saying such restrictions on freedom could not be introduced without bringing in a state of alarm.

It "rejected the ratification (of the measures), because they harmed the fundamental rights and freedoms" of the 4.5 million inhabitants affected by the partial lockdown, which came into force a week ago, the court said in a statement.

The national government said late on Thursday night that Sánchez had spoken by telephone with Madrid's conservative regional premier Isabel Díaz Ayuso and gave her an ultimatum. Sánchez reportedly told Ayuso that if she did not quickly tighten measures or make a formal request for his national government to declare a state of emergency, then his government would go ahead and declare it anyway.