this is bbc news with the latest headlines for viewers in the uk and around the world. my name is mike embley. the uk records the highest number of deaths linked to coronavirus of any european country. ministers claim it's too early to compare. one of the british government's senior scientific advisers stands down after breaking social distancing rules. president trump confirms the white house is planning to wind down its coronavirus task force despite the high number of cases in the us. and we meet the choir that comes together online to fight isolation and support each other.

hello to you. we're covering all the latest coronavirus developments here in britain and globally. first, daily figures out of the uk show that it now has the highest official death toll from coronavirus in europe and the second highest in the world after the united states. the foreign secretary, dominic raab, said 29,427 people have now died in this outbreak, 112 people more than the latest figures out of italy. a leading scientist in britain has resigned from his government role after it was reported that he broke the lockdown rules that he had argued for. a newspaper has reported that a woman who doesn't live with professor neil ferguson visited his home twice during lockdown. as the us death toll surpasses 71,000, president trump said the white house coronavirus

task force will be wound down as the country moves into the second phase of dealing with the outbreak. and in england and wales, new figures from the office for national statistics show that care home deaths, involving the virus, increased by more than a third in the week ending 24th april. that means a total of nearly 6,000 care home deaths up to that date. our first report is from our science editor, david shukman, who looks at how the number of deaths in the uk compares with other countries. every so often, there are grim national milestones. this time, as the uk's death toll rises above that of italy, making it second only to the united states, and with every figure a story of loss and grief. the virus never loses the power to shock, killing three members of one family within days of each other. first, keith dunnington, a nurse from south shields, then, a week later, his father maurice and his mother lillian, leaving the family stunned. i'm still in disbelief a little bit. keith's children are...erm, absolutely devastated. and then, to lose their nanny

and grandad, they're really devastated. my children are both absolutely heartbroken. at today's government briefing, the latest graph shows how the death tolls are rising in different countries. the official numbers confirm that italy has lost 29,315 people, and the uk now slightly more, at 29,427. if it does turn out that we are the country that's hardest hit in europe, what's your reaction to that? there are different ways of counting deaths, as we know, we've had that debate in this country. we now publish data that includes all deaths in all settings, and not all countries do that, so i'm not sure that the international comparison works unless you reliably know that all countries are measuring in the same way.

and it also depends on how good, frankly, countries are in gathering their statistics. and our own office for national statistics is widely acknowledged to be a world leader. there are important differences between the two countries. the uk has more people than italy, and london is far bigger than any italian city. 0n the other hand, the population of italy is older and more generations live together, which increases the risk to grandparents. it's a complicated picture that's still evolving. everybody knows that making international comparisons in such statistics can be difficult, and it may be that that will take some time to sort out, and this isn't over yet. but all this raises questions about the uk's handling of the outbreak. the nhs has avoided being overwhelmed — a real success, unlike in northern italy. but it emerged today that fewer than 300 people were put into quarantine earlier this

year, at a time when 18 million arrived without any kind of screening. and testing for the virus got off to a slower start than in other countries, and that's now been officially acknowledged. in the early phases, and i've said this before, i think if we'd managed to ramp testing capacity quicker, it would have been beneficial, and... you know, for all sorts of reasons, that didn't happen, and i think it's clear you need lots of testing for this. the numbers dying everyday are now falling, the lockdown is working. but this comes as tens of thousands of people across the uk are now grieving. david shukman, bbc news. a prominent scientist in the uk whose work was a key factor in the government's decision to implement the lockdown has stepped aside from the advisory committee called sage.

professor neil ferguson said he'd acted in a way that undermined the rules on social distancing. this after a report in the daily telegraph that a woman had visited his home in breach of the restrictions. 0ur correspondentjessica parker is at westminster. well, as you say, professor neil ferguson, a member of the scientific committee known as sage, which advises ministers on the approach to coronavirus, he stepped back from that committee this evening following reports in the telegraph that he breached social distancing rules after a woman visited his home. i will bring you some of professor neil ferguson's statement tonight. he said, "i accept i made an error ofjudgement, i acted in the belief that i was immune, having tested positive for coronavirus and completely isolated myself for almost two weeks after developing symptoms." he goes on to say, he "deeply regrets any undermining of the clear messages around the continued need for social distancing to control this devastating epidemic". it was professor ferguson's work along with a team at imperial college london

about how devastating this epidemic could be that was seen as a key driver behind the uk government's decision to go into lockdown, so it is worth saying his work was hugely influential then and remains hugely influential now as well. you might also remember a similar case about a month ago where dr catherine calderwood, scotland's chief medical officer, she resigned from her post after she was found to have breached the rules after visiting her second home, so tonight perhaps a reminder that those who are involved in setting the regulations are also under pressure to keep to them. jessica parkerfor us jessica parker for us there. president trump has confirmed he's looking at winding down the white house coronavirus task force, despite the high number of cases in the us. the vice president has suggested it could be brought to a close within weeks, just as a draft government report warns the american death toll could reach 3,000 a day injune — that's more than double the current rate. president trump spoke to reporters as he left washington to go to arizona. so, ithink so, i think that as far as the

task force, mike pence and the task force, mike pence and the task force, mike pence and the task force have done a great job stop but now we're looking ata job stop but now we're looking at a little bit of a different form. and that form is safety and opening, and we will have a different group, probably, set up different group, probably, set upfor different group, probably, set up for that. created with a lot of other very talented people and the people of our country, the greatest economy and history of the world, the greatest that we have ever had, the greatest employment numbers, the best numbers we have ever had, the best stock market. i think we had 144 days of racquet stock markets. and then they said we have to close oui’ then they said we have to close our country. now it's time to open it up. so the president is dismantling the task force and encouraging states to lift lockdown restrictions. are these economic and political decisions rather than ones based on scientific advice? here's our north america correspondent peter bowes. the president was asked earlier whether this signalled mission accomplished and he said no, it won't be over until it is over, but it is very clear that the president's main focus

now is reopening the country. and we heard him say that the focus of this new group of people, the task force won't exist in its present form, but there will be a group looking at the country's response to coronavirus and the main focus will be safety and opening — the reopening of america. and as you say, the number of deaths has actuallyjust gone over 70,000. there are forecasts that the number could increase dramatically over the next few weeks, yet the president believes that this is the right way forward, and it's interesting that within the last few hours he has given an interview to the abc network here in the states and he was asked about that, and he acknowledged that the very reopening of the country may well result in more people dying, because they won't be isolating at home, they will be out with their colleagues at work or their social circles, and he said the country will continue to have to put

out the embers or the fires, the big fires, as he put it, there would be hotspots in terms of problems caused because of the reopening of the country. peter bowes for us there. the health records of thousands of people who've had coronavirus are to be examined in detail to establish whether obesity, ethnicity and gender are factors in the risk of death from the virus. the study led by public health england has been ordered by ministers to help understand why the vast majority of people suffer only mild symptoms while others don't survive. 0ur science correspondent rebecca morelle has been looking at the data. it's the virus that's infected millions of people around the world. but some get a much more serious illness than others. researchers are trying to find out why. and a key area they are looking at is age and sex. 0verall, coronavirus is having a worse impact on men than women. for covid—i9 patients admitted to uk hospitals, 60% were men and 40% were women.

and this is repeated in data looking at deaths. across every age group, more men are dying with coronavirus than women. and this difference increases the older you get. this pattern is seen around the world. ageing affects the immune system, making it easier for the virus to infect cells. but for men, there's a second factor. their sex hormones, unfortunately, give an extra boost to the virus to allow it to also enter their cells even more quickly and more efficiently. so, the older male has this double hit, making them more susceptible, and when they do have the infection, it's easier for the virus to replicate and spread. 0besity has also been linked to severe cases of covid—i9, and the more obese, the higher the risk. scientists believe it's caused by complex interactions in the body. fat cells themselves can actually interact with the immune system to exaggerate it, so you get a bigger immune hit.

and at the same time, people who are overweight have an impaired ability to cope with that immune function because their lungs don't take as much oxygen in, their heart isn't as efficient to be able to pump that oxygen around the body, their pipes, their blood vessels, aren't delivering that oxygen as well to the tissues. there's emerging evidence that covid—i9 may also be having a disproportionate impact on some ethnic groups in the uk and elsewhere. hospital data shows about a third of critically ill patients were black, asian or from other minority ethnic backgrounds, a higher proportion than the general population. scientists say the picture is complicated. even though there may be more people coming to hospital, and it appears that they're more badly affected, when you adjust for the underlying diseases that they've got, and you adjust for the local area deprivation, the differences between ethnicity become much smaller than one might imagine.

the government has now ordered a rapid review. identifying who's most at risk and understanding why will be essential in the fight against covid—i9. rebecca morelle, bbc news. do stay with us on bbc news. still to come: the unifying power of music — how a choir in the uk is uplifting people with special needs, even from afar. i, nelson rolihlahla mandela, do hereby swear to be faithful to the republic of south africa. after six years of construction and numerous delays, the channel tunnel has been formally opened by the queen and president mitterrand. but the tunnel is still not yet ready for passengers and freight services to begin.

for centuries, christianity and islam struggled for supremacy. now, the pope's visit symbolises their willingness to coexist. roger bannister became the first man in the world to run a mile in underfour minutes. memories of victory as the ve celebrations reach their climax. this night is dedicated to everyone who believes in a future of peace and freedom. this is bbc news. the latest headlines: the uk records the highest number of deaths, linked to coronavirus of any european country. ministers say it's too early to compare. one of the british government's senior scientific advisers stands down after breaking

social distancing rules. as we all spend more time online these days, the coronavirus crisis breeds internet activism. for the first time, young social media users from thailand, hong kong and taiwan have united in an online movement called the milk tea alliance. this is to counter what they see as the bullying behaviour by chinese netizens who attack pages run by the taiwanese government, pro—uyghur groups and businesses deemed to have offended china. i'm joined now by tracy beattie, an analyst from the australian strategic policy institute, who has been studying online activism in southeast asia. i know you have been studying online activism in south east asia but tell us why the milk tea alliance and how significant and you is this? it sounds just like young people trolling each other? that is right, this is the first time we have seen this type of movement of this scale in asia. it started off about a month

ago between taiwanese and chinese on the recognition of hong kong and the presence of taiwan is after the chinese embassy in bangkok made a facebook post criticising those accused, if further prompted users tojoin in accused, if further prompted users to join in and then we saw a wave of other asian countries like vietnam, philippines, and india also expressing growing discontent and finally enough, the most recent country to join in is australia. some of the uses are also quite critical of their own governments. is there i worry they could end up being identified and punished? there is definitely a real concern but i think that with twitter being so recognised as a platform than other traditional media platforms, as well as facebook, many people, especially the younger generation are coming out and realising that they now have a platform where they can voice an opinion and say that in an

informal setting. one to keep an eye on, thank you very, tracy beattie. there are fears parts of latin america are quickly becoming the new virus hotspot, with the number of cases soaring. new pictures out of peru have revealed hospital systems aren't coping while indigenous communities in neighbouring ecuador fear extinction. freya cole reports. in crowded corridors lying on floors, covid—i9 patients with nowhere else to go in loreto, peru. the amazonian region is one of the country's worst effected, and doctors say they're not coping. translation: we are living in a terrible situation, a desperate situation. we see people die every day and we cannot deliver the necessary supplies. oxygen is running low and protective gear is lacking. three doctors from the region have died of the novel

coronavirus. 17 others have requested a transfer to peru's capital city for better care. in neighbouring ecuador, members of this indigenous tribe are fleeing into the amazon forest for better protection. tribe leaders fear their nation of 700 people is at risk of extinction. translation: in previous centuries, our people have been a victim of these types of diseases. today, we do not want the same thing to happen. traditional survival skills are now being used in an attempt to outrun the virus, which is escalating across latin america at an alarming pace. freya cole, bbc news. the pandemic has created immense difficulties for people with learning disabilities or underlying health issues, who have to self—isolate.

but a choir in oxford has shown that music can be one means of challenging the isolation. the soundabout inclusive choir has harnessed technology to support its members as fergal keane reports. # amazing grace, how sweet the sound. ..# a voice from a deep confinement. music helps make isolation bearable for sam pittick, aged 37. he has a vulnerable immune system and can't leave home. # i once was lost, but now i'm found # was blind...# and when you're all singing together, what is the feeling? i feel more powerful when i'm singing. i open my own voice to the power of music.

now it's got to this fifth week, it's very difficult for him. sam's mum, ann, keeps a video diary, here filming his daily exercise. that's lovely. good lad. she's in her 70s, her husband in his 80s, both with severe underlying health conditions. the carers who once visited sam every day can't come any more. we're sort of struggling along with it, and the carer usually does it through the phone for him. "come on, sam, you've got to get in the bath, you've got to get washed" and things like that. it means no more face—to—face sessions with his beloved choir. founded last year by the charity soundabout, and at the centre of life for dozens of special needs people in oxford. for different families, different challenges. choir drummer matthew nicholls was born blind and unable to speak.

he cherishes the human touch of his brother, cj, of his parents. but matthew lives in supported accommodation and, because of the virus, can't have visits. his mum, sophia and father, nigel bring freshly—baked bread which they leave at the entrance for their child. you know, he likes to give you a big hug and a squeeze and a kiss. we miss him quite a lot. i must be honest and say that i do miss him. i miss him, because also not knowing this how long this lockdown is going to be for, you think, if it's only a few weeks, which is what i thought it was originally, we'd at least be able to see him, but now, you know, we don't know how long it's going to be. but in a time of general anxiety, what's striking about the choir families is their optimism and good humour. 14 years ago, edward shryane was too weak to cry. listen to him now. # whoa—oh—oh, on the radio...# what does the sound

of the choir mean to you? incredible. it's changed my life, and i think... i'm just lost for words. can i ask you a very fundamental question? what does he mean to you? you mean everything, don't you, eds? oh, my god! thank you! that's the right answer. i mean, thanks. drives me insane. thank you, that is the right answer. but there is another reason for laughter. using a video conference, the choir overcomes isolation and reunites. and matthew hears the sound of his mother's laughter. # matthew, hope you have a really good week # lily bartlett, blind, with special educational needs, taught herself piano and leads in the choir‘s version

of an anthem for our times. # when you got what you want but not what you need # # lights will guide you home # # and ignite your bones...# # i will try to fix you # applause. fergal keane, bbc news, 0xford. let's get some of the day's other news: a new smartphone app released by nhs england with the aim of tracing the spread of coronavirus

has been made available on the isle of wight off the coast of southern england. it's part of a trial for easing the lockdown. aianb is cutting nearly 1900 jobs, as it battles with the downturn in the global travel industry. that's about one—quarter of the company's workforce. the firm, which connects home—owners with renters, says revenues this year will be about half what they were in 2019. virgin atlantic is cutting 3,000 jobs in the uk and ending its operations at london's gatwick airport, as the travel industry battles with the coronavirus fallout. the compa ny‘s founder, sir richard branson, has warned that the airline will collapse unless it receives government support. now, something to make you smile — at 85, damejudi dench has become the oldest person ever to be on the front cover of british vogue. she's also been entertaining her legions of fans across the world by discovering tiktok and has been making videos with her grandson. she's the cover star on next month's edition and at the age of 85 is the oldest in the magazine's 104—year history. earlier she spoke to the bbc.

i was completely bowled over to be asked to do it because i have seen the magazine for many yea rs have seen the magazine for many years with all those models and beautiful people and i am amazed to be on the front! very, very flattered! and i have not actually seen it properly and are probably will not look at it for a little bit. a 5—year—old boy called adrian decided to take the family car out for a drive. he was heading to california when he was stopped by police on the freeway in utah. the police were shocked to discover the child behind the wheel, who could barely see out of the front window. the boy told them he was on his way to buy a lamborghini and he had left home after his mother refused to buy him the luxury vehicle. adrian had $3 in in his pocket! some credit card action was clearly going to be necessary!

and you can get in touch with me and most of the team on twitter. thank you for watching. hello there. there's a real shock in store for this weekend but, before we get there, it is getting warmer. it will turn very warm in many places. mind you, early wednesday morning, it's not going to feel very warm, maybe a pinch of frost in some rural parts in eastern areas, underneath the clearer skies and lighter winds. with the lighter winds, it will feel warmer in the sunshine on wednesday. and, for many of us, there will be a lot of that to come. one or two exceptions, a bit more cloud threatening one or two showers in the far southwest of england and wales. and there is more cloud coming in across the northern isles of scotland. but with later winds, it will feel warm in the sunshine. temperatures are likely to be higher on wednesday, probably peaking at around 19—20 degrees. now, during the evening and overnight, we will start to see more of this cloud running its way northwards, up through the irish sea

and towards northern ireland, threatening a few more showers for these western parts of the uk. further east though, we will have clearer skies and light winds. again, another chilly but, because it's a bit warmer by day, it may not get quite as chilly by the end of the night and into thursday morning. we have still got high pressure in charge. it will shrink away towards the southeast, and that is where we will see the heat for longer. further north and west, these weather fronts encroaching, threatening some showers and a bit more cloud. and we will certainly see more of that coming in on thursday across northern ireland, up into scotland — a few sharp showers here, and perhaps the chance of a shower across more western parts of england and wales. head further east though, a good chance it will stay dry. still a fair bit of sunshine around, and those temperatures are continuing to rise, up to 22—23 celsius. probably the peak of the warmth is going to be on friday,

and that's for the southeast of the uk. it may be a bit more cloud across england and wales, northern ireland, maybe one or two showers breaking out as well. but we have got this band of rain across northern scotland, and, here, those temperatures are dropping away quite markedly. further south, where we will see those temperatures 24—25 degrees, a very warm day. that band of rain is on that weather front there, and that will be significant, because it's that that's going to sweep its way southwards during this weekend, and, behind it, a stronger northerly wind will push down much colder air across all areas. now, on saturday, it will be cooler across the northern half of the uk, perhaps some rain. further south, still largely dry and warm, with some sunshine, but, even here, it gets much colder on sunday, with temperatures dropping as much as 10—11 degrees.

this is bbc news, the headlines: the united kingdom has now officially recorded more deaths related to covid—19 than any other country in europe. it's overtaken italy's total of more than 29,000. the death rate related to the virus in care homes in england and wales is still rising, it's now near 6,000. only the united states has lost more lives to the pandemic. one of the british government's senior scientific advisers has resigned, he's admitted breaking social distancing rules that he helped set up. professor neil ferguson's advice led to the prime minister implementing a uk lockdown, at the end of march. he's said he made an error ofjudgement. president trump has confirmed he plans to wind down the coronavirus task force within weeks, even though the american death toll

has now passed 70,000, and a draft government report suggests it could reach 3,000 a day, next month. mr trump has admitted lifting lockdown restrictions will probably mean the virus kills more people. virgin atlantic has announced plans to cut more than 3,000 jobs in the uk, and to end its operation at gatwick airport. virgin blamed what it called the devastating effect of the pandemic. it's another major blow for gatwick, the second busiest airport in the uk, just days after british airways said it could not rule out closing its operation there as well. 0ur transport correspondent tom burridge has more details. happier times, when sir richard branson launched his airline virgin atlantic at gatwick airport. but that relationship is over for now, at least. when travel restrictions lift, the airline will not run any flights in and out of gatwick.