hello there. after a another predominantly dry week for most parts of the uk, the weekend promises plenty more dry weather. but slow, subtle changes, the increasing chance of catching a shower and it will begin to feel cooler particularly across northern areas. nothing much is changing very welcome to bbc news, i'm simon pusey. our top stories: quickly at the moment officials confirm 50,000 people have now died in the united states. meanwhile, president trump attacks the media after because the pressure he suggested using pattern is very slack. not many white lines disinfectants in a treatment. at all on this chart. not many isobars. i was asking a sarcastic and a very sarcastic question, that means the winds to the reporters in the room, about are very, very light. disinfectant on the inside. there's nothing really but it does kill it and it would to push the weather along. kill it on the hands. we start off the day with a lot of cloud across eastern scotland and the eastern side of england, misty and murky the uk government's new website conditions in place. for tests is swamped that should tend to break up, and shut down for hours as it's the mist and fog should lift inundated by key workers. and all of us should get to see some spells of sunshine. world leaders throw their weight behind a drive perhaps a bit more to develop new treatments cloud than we had over for covid—19 and ensure that the last couple of days. everyone gets access to them. temperature—wise, 17 to 21 degrees. a bit coolerfor some northern and eastern coasts. north coast of northern ireland having a cooler day and the rohinga refugees rescued after being stranded generally 17—21 into the late at sea for many weeks, virus fears afternoon and evening, wales

meant they were repeatedly and the south—west, wanted to turned away from shore. showers into the early hours of sunday, generally they will be more cloud rolling its way in across the north of scotland. those are your overnight temperatures. most places above reasoning. it surely across the eastern parts of england. we go into sunday. this area of low the death toll in the united pressure, quite a weak affair. states from the coronavirus it starts to move its way in pandemic is now double from the north. that does the second worst—hit country, italy. increase the chance of seeing more than 50,000 have died, showers across northern parts according to johns hopkins university. of scotland. a frontal system pushing south. some showery rain possible. could see the around 16,000 of those deaths have happened in the state odd hefty shower into the of new york. the world health organization afternoon. a lot of dry weather has launched a global and sunshine. another warm day initiative to find ways of preventing and curing down towards the south but the new coronavirus. the united states has declined to participate. noticeably cooler across the northern half of the country. it comes as a surreal debate has been brewing in washington, as we move out of sunday into with the president refusing to take questions at the daily monday, you can see the cold briefing after earlier claiming he was being sarcastic when he suggested injecting air making some inroads south. disinfectants may be a way lower temperatures for most to fight the disease. parts on monday. a band of 0ur north america editor jon sopel reports.

cloud, frontal system, 21 controversially, some of florida's beaches reopened last week. degrees in london. a much it's but maybe it was a smart thing to do. according to new research conducted by us government scientists, sunlight, heat and humidity dramatically going to deeper into next week. reduce the life of coronavirus in the air and on hard increasing chance of some rain surfaces. the scientists said it acted as a powerful disinfectant. and fairly brisk winds as well. and that led the president to muse on whether disinfectant could be used inside the human body to kill the virus. and then i see the disinfectant, that knocks it out in a minute, one minute. and is there a way we can do something like that? by injection, inside, or almost a cleaning? because you see, it gets in the lungs and it does a tremendous number on the lungs. so it would be interesting to check that. the president's chief medical adviser looked as though she'd have liked harry potter's cloak of invisibility. in a minute, one minute. newsreel: new lysol spray disinfectant...

for over a century, lysol has been one of america's top—selling brands of bleach, but today, in 2020, the manufacturers felt forced to issue a statement saying "under no circumstances should people ingest disinfectant." doctors, health professionals and politicians are similarly disbelieving. very clearly, disinfectants are not intended for ingestion, either by mouth, by ears, by breathing them in in any way, shape or form. but today, the president has sought to explain away the controversy by asserting that he wasn't actually being serious. but i was asking a sarcastic, a very sarcastic question, to the reporters in the room about disinfectant on the inside. this is bbc news, the headlines: more than 50,000 people have now died in the us from coronavirus. meanwhile president trump has backtracked on a suggestion that disinfectant, could be used to tackle the virus. but it does kill it, and it would kill it he said his suggestion that injections of disinfectant on the hands, and that could treat patients was sarcastic. would make things much better. that was done in the form

of a sarcastic question to the reporters. another question being asked forcibly is whether now is the right time to the uk government website for key reopen the us economy. workers to apply for tests in georgia today, hairdressers, nail salons, tattoo parlours has reopened after it was closed due were able to resume business, to "significant demand". even though coronavirus the tests are being offered is still a serious to around ten million key workers and their families. problem in the state. the governement aims carry out 100,000 daily tests by the end of april. the president's defence was that he was being sarcastic to the reporters in the room. world leaders and the who have but i was at last night's launched a global initiative briefing, and that's not what happened. to accelerate work on drugs he addresses his remarks to treat coronavirus. entirely to his chief medical the head of the who says the biggest officer and the scientists health effort in history is treat from homeland security — and he seemed deadly serious. covid—19. experts say any vaccine that is developed must be made available and affordable. the white house has been scrambling all day to come up with a plausible explanation — this doesn't seem to be it. georgia is one of the states that has partially lifted in about ten minutes the lockdown of the coronavirus outbreak. businesses like gyms and hair salons are now allowed to reopen in a move that has brought widespread criticism, as the cbs reporter brittany miller explains.

yes, that happened today, today was day one. what that looked like was a lot of nail salons, a lot of barbershops and tattoo shops, hairsalons, all opening today with what governor kemp called "minimum basic operations", which basically meant they had to take certain guidelines into account when they did open their salons. but a lot of people were out getting their hair done, you know, a lot of businesses did however choose to stay closed and not really abide by the governor's guidelines. tell us why that is such a controversial decision from the governor. so many people are just split on what they should do, when you take a look at the numbers here in georgia they are not really seeing a dip in those numbers, so they think it is just too soon to reopen anything. many people are questioning, how can you open gyms and hair salons and still stay six feet apart and still maintain your safety. so a lot of people just don't understand why he is taking these steps now. others however say it's time

to reopen the economy and time to put more money back in the pockets of georgians. yeah, with so much criticism especially from the mayors in georgia, how much confusion is there for people and businesses as to what they should do, you know, the governor saying one thing, mayors are saying another? right, your know, mayor keisha lance bottoms tweeting again today "please stay home", again people also choosing to listen to the governor. people are saying to just use common sense, for anybody at home who may be confused, it is certainly confusing, you know, even for me, living here in georgia, to hear one thing from a governor, and the thing from a mayor, but i think what many people are doing is using common sense and doing whatever they feel comfortable with. here, the british government says around 15,000 people booked tests for coronavirus on its new website before it had to temporarily close it. the 5,000 home—testing kits it had available were ordered within two minutes of the site going live. about ten million key workers and members of their households are now eligible for testing,

should they show symptoms. the daily total of hospital deaths for people with coronavirus rose by 768, with the total now standing at more than 19,500. our health editor hugh pym has the latest. say ah... pop—up units run by the army, part of the new push in england to boost virus testing. the number of drive—through centres is being expanded, and more home test kits will be sent out. all to handle possible demand from up to 10 million key workers and their families. but by mid—morning, all slots bookable online for today had been taken by 11,000 people, and 5,000 more ordered home test kits. the department of health apologised for any inconvenience, and said booking would restart tomorrow, with capacity expanded. mike, who is a teacher, had symptoms and wants to know if it's safe to go to work. he managed to get a test slot. the whole process was very seamless, um, i was able

to register, and then ijust had to wait for the email to come through, and once i'd got that email, i quickly logged on to the site and selected the testing centre for me, and it has been really easy. mike later drove to the testing centre in peterborough. he showed the email he received. it was scanned by a member of staff, and the test went ahead. he's hoping for the result by monday. at another drive—through centre, essential workers who'd had their nasal and throat swabs taken told us about the process. it was the most painless, easy thing to have been done, and i'm actually amazed that there's not more people here. i must say that all the stations were empty except mine. there two cars in front of me, and there was no—one behind me. so they've got the infrastructure in place. theyjust need the people now. but some weren't so lucky. one said he logged on and been told to expect a text within an hour, but it never came. i would have appreciated it if after the hour then i'd got the message to say, "it's not happening today,

can you do it again tomorrow?" but waiting the whole day, it's like waiting for a parcel that never turned up. the scottish government said it was ready to go live with a similar system to england, with laboratories like this one in glasgow analysing the tests. at the downing street media briefing, i asked how much more testing capacity would be provided. obviously you don't want people's expectations to be disappointed. are you pretty confident that you can meet the demand that is out there, certainly in the next week or so? we'll see how it settles down. but we're encouraged by the 16,000 bookings online, indeed 116,000 people went to the portal first thing today. there are some more slots opening up right now as i'm speaking, and there will be more slots tomorrow and the days after. the nhs has spare critical care beds even with the covid—19 patient numbers, and the head of nhs england said there might now be scope to restart some more routine work which had been cancelled.

it looks as if we are now coming through the peak of the coronavirus inpatients, and so we have got spare capacity in hospitals across the country, and that means that as well as other critical and urgent services, we will be able to restart some of those more routine services that the nhs is also here to provide. the welsh government is also looking ahead, publishing a strategy for the exit from lockdown, which could involve a traffic light system, moving from red with some restrictions lifted, possibly as soon as next month, to a green phase, with very few left in place. our health editor hugh pym there. as we've been hearing, the united nations, political leaders and business leaders from around the world have launched a new initiative, aimed at speeding up the development of treatments and a vaccine for covid—19. a key element of the effort will be to make sure that any vaccine is made available and affordable to everyone in the world — but there were some conspicuous absences from the international commitment, as reged ahmad reports.

preparations for a second wave of coronavirus infections in germany, even as the country eases its lockdown. while in italy, the russian military releases pictures of its personnel disinfecting hospitals. this pandemic has breached into nearly every corner of the world, and governments have warned we are just at the beginning of this unprecedented crisis. some experts say the only way back to normality might be a vaccine. to that end, in a virtual launch, the un isjoining forces with world leaders and the private sector to speed up development of a vaccine and raise billions of dollars to make it accessible to all. translation: we will only overcome this virus if we join our powers together and build a powerful alliance. health officials have already done this and germany's prepared to support this politically with all of our efforts.

we have also developed diagnostics that are being used all over the world. and we are co—ordinating a global trial on the safety and efficacy of four therapeutics against covid—19. the world needs these tools and it needs them fast. there were, though, notable absences. the united states, even as it battles the highest infection rates in the world, will not take part. president donald trump has been highly critical of the world health organization and has already suspended funding. china too, where the pandemic began, was missing from the launch. translation: i hope we'll manage to bring people together with this joint initiative. if i may say so, china and the united states of america. because the fight against covid—19 is in the common

interest of the humanity and we cannot be divided if we want to win this battle. even as vaccine trials get under way, one covid—19 treatment study has had a result of sorts. a chinese trial of remdesivir has reportedly failed, but the company behind the drug has disputed the findings, saying the results were inconclusive. it is one example of how much work is to be done and whether a global initiative of this scale could work at a time when global cooperation has been on the decline. for much of the world, the pandemic shows few signs of slowing, and the lockdown continues. millions of people are forced to stay at home, many businesses have had to shut their doors. but there are glimmers of hope, as some countries in europe consider easing the restrictions. the bbc‘s tim allman reports.

this is more fun michelle, on front‘s normandy coast. millions of tourists come here every year, but not this year. for now, it is like a ghost town. empty streets, empty tables. the lockdown in full effect. translation: tables. the lockdown in full effect. translationzlj tables. the lockdown in full effect. translation: i would say it was done like a military campaign because at nine o'clock they just said, sorry, sir. you are not opening. it was done in less than a minute, we closed, everyone left, we just dropped everything. it's the same all across the country. this is the place de la concord, almost completely deserted. but things soon may change, president macron suggesting travel restrictions could be eased as france tries to get back to normal. for belgium, that process is already tentatively under way.

and a late—night news conference, the prime minister unveiled a detailed timetable to ease the lockdown. most shops and schools will begin reopening next month although classrooms will be limited to ten pupils and facemasks will have to be worn on public transport. translation: if we can present to you within exit strategy is because of their citizens who are also leading the fight against covid—19. are also leading the fight against covid-19. restaurant owners and germany have been staging a protest, laying out i’ows staging a protest, laying out rows of empty chairs in dozens of towns and cities across the country. they say their industry is in a curious situation and they don't know when they will be allowed to reopen. and there were tense scenes in austria as around 200 people took to the streets of vienna calling to an end to the lockdown there. restrictions have been eased, but for some, it is just not happening fast

enough. bolsonaro you're watching bbc news. a reminder of our headlines. the death toll in the us has passed 50,000, as president trump backtracks on a suggestion that disinfectant could be used as a therapy to tackle the virus. the uk government website for key workers to apply for coronavirus tests has reopened for bookings, after it was closed due to "significant demand". the united nations has issued an urgent appeal to save hundreds of rohingya refugees who are thought to be stranded out at sea on people—smuggling boats, because of fears they might be spreading the virus. the refugees had been living in vast camps in bangladesh for three years after fleeing persecution in myanmar. our south asia correspondent rajini vaidya nathan‘s report contains some distressing images. staggering to safety. scared, starving and stateless after months stranded at sea.

rohingya refugees, including unaccompanied children, back onshore after the boat they'd boarded to malaysia was turned away, for fear they'd bring coronavirus to the country. rescued by the bangladesh coastguard, the hundreds who survived tell the tale of the dozens who didn't. forced to drink sea water to stay alive, eyewitnesses say the bodies of those who didn't make it were thrown into the sea. mohammad made the perilous journey after borrowing money to pay a smuggler. "i couldn't find work in the refugee camps," he said. "the boat was cramped. we were hungry and i fell sick. when we got to malaysia, we were turned away twice. now i feel unlucky and sad."

it's believed hundreds more refugees are trapped on boats which were also turned away from malaysia. i asked the bangladeshi foreign minister whether they could return. will you turn the boats away, then? it's a difficult question, because we don't want to see people dying. it's not the responsibility of bangladesh alone to take care of all the stateless people of the planet earth. ask the global leaders, like the usa, uk, the european union. who will help them now? as the world shuts its borders because of coronavirus, the rohingya refugees hope that the world doesn't shut its eyes to their plight. rajini vaidyanathan, bbc news. the pandemic has taken over 3,000 lives in brazil so far, but concerns about the virus have not prevented a major political scandal. the country's justice minister resigned on friday after the populist president, jair bolsonaro, fired the federal police chief. as bill hayton reports, it's left the government in crisis at a crucial time.

in the cities of brazil, millions around a lot down. the country has 50,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus and over 3000 people have died. but in the capital, attention is focused on a political drama. on friday, the government's popular justice on friday, the government's popularjustice and security minister resigned, accusing president bolsonaro of interfering in the federal police by trying to put one of his friends in charge, potentially a criminal offence. translation: the president told me more than once expressly that he wanted to have a personal contact in the job, someone personal contact in the job, someone he could gather information from that he could collect intelligence reports from, whether it be from the director of the federal police orfrom the director of the federal police or from the superintendent, this is really not the role of

the federal police. the president to strip —— dismissed sergio moro's claims as baseless accusations. he said he never tried to interfere with police investigations nor to shield members of his family on them but he did say he wa nted on them but he did say he wanted to know more. transmack i always told him, moro, wanted to know more. transmack ialways told him, moro, i have no information from the federal police. i have to have every day report of what happened, especially the last 2a hours, in order to decide the future of this nation. i never asked him about the progress of any case. the president has repeatedly downplayed the danger of coded 19 and last week he fired the health minister because they disagreed over using isolation to contain the virus. there are rumours that other ministers may go as well. transmack the political

sphere is already preparing for the resignation of other ministers in the coming days. the way the population react to this will determine whether or not resilience will live through another impeachment of a president. the country now faces a rapidly expanding epidemic with an administration in turmoil. the stock market in the currency have fallen sharply and mr bolsonaro's government now looks much weaker. bill hayton, bbc news. scientists from the royal botanical gardens in kew in the uk —— scientists from the royal botanical gardens at kew in the uk are racing to save the last remaining tropical forest in a remote valley in colombia. since the 2016 peace deal with farc guerrillas deforestation in the world's second most bio—diverse nation has accelerated. yet the botanists believe the forest contains rare plants still unknown to science, some of which may contain vital medicinal properties. our security correspondent

frank gardner went with them. in the forests of colombia, nature is under attack. since the civil war ended in 2016, deforestation has skyrocketed. but now this team of plant scientist from the royal botanic gardens, kew in london have come here on a mission to discover and save unique plant species before they vanish forever. in 2016, the colombian government signed a peace deal with the farc rebels, who were largely based in the forest. now remote tracts of land have opened up, farmers, loggers and miners are scrambling for resources. colombia is reportedly losing 3,000 square kilometres of forest every year. this is the first time this area is going to be explored by botanists or scientists. for so many years, conflict and criminality made this area inaccessible to outsiders. they're in a race against time to try and save this forest.

one of the local guides believes he's chanced upon something extraordinary. this... actually we don't know exactly what it is, and it could be something new. we are the first botanists collecting in this area. what does it mean to find a potentially new species like this in a remote forest? some of these species could have properties to cure important disease for humans. so as biologists, as botanists, we have to try to understand as soon as possible, as quick as possible, all this amazing biodiversity. in the fight to save the forest, the colombian government has extended its protection to millions of acres of land. the army launched operation artemisa in 2019 to combat illegal logging. but in remote places, the law is hard to enforce. illegal loggers are still at work in these forests. i asked them how theyjustify what they're doing. translation: we know it's illegal, but our circumstances force us to carry on doing it,

even though we run the risk that the police or army could get us. it's the only way how to make a living, to support our families. this fallen giant will make the loggers $300. colombia today is a post—conflict nation, but it faces a new battle to protect its natural resources. in just this one expedition, the botanists collected 116 specimens, some of them new to science. they believe the biodiversity contained in this forest could prove to be this country's most precious commodity of all. frank gardner, bbc news, colombia. i have to go and that was just a short cutdown of frank's our world

of frank's our world documentary on the colombian rainforest. viewers in the uk can see "colombia: saving eden" in a few hours time here on bbc news and at the times shown on the screen. and for viewers around the world — the full documentary airs at these times, this weekend, on bbc world news. now, getting through lockdown means a lot of people are getting closer to their neighbours. if your neighbour happens be to a professsional musician, you could be in for a treat. that's the case in lausaune switzerland, where violin soloist alexandra conun—ova treated her neighbours to this performance. 00:25:32,551 --> 4294966103:13:29,430 violin plays