this is bbc news. welcome if you're watching here in the uk, on pbs in america or around the globe. i'm lewis vaughan jones. our top stories: british ministers insist plans to ease the lockdown will be "modest" and closely monitored. the prime minister will outline the changes on sunday. jobless and homeless: with 33 million americans now unemployed, new york's subway is a haunting symbol of the pandemic‘s impact. france is to begin lifting what's been one of the harshest lockdowns in europe, bringing an end to two months of confinement. and marking 75 years since world war ii ended in europe, but there'll be no crowds on the streets to celebrate the anniversary.

we're covering all the latest coronavirus developments. first, the leaders of the nations that make up the uk are all examining the next stages of plans to come out of the lockdown. borisjohnson has said that his government will "advance with maximum caution" as it considers changes to the current restrictions. in the us, 3.2 million people filed claims for unemployment benefits this week. more than 33 million americans have now lost theirjobs over the last seven weeks. the french government has published a map on how it will proceed. most businesses in the green areas will be allowed to open and people can leave their homes without a permit. those are the main developments. we begin in the uk, with this report from our political editor laura kuenssberg.

peering into the new normal, a restaurant ready for a day of deliveries, instead of prepping for a busy thursday night. the prime minister's stay—at—home message is on the way out, but there won't be customers at these chairs and tables soon. we've had to shut down 15 restaurants, so it's had a massive impact on us. as of yesterday, we've opened three restaurants that just do takeaway. and it'sjust a massive learning curve. we are extremely worried but we're just trying to keep positive. but with the economy turning so negative, we've had glimpses of downing street's plan to start easing some restrictions very gradually from monday. the government's keen to move on because cases have been falling and the crucial infection rate, the r number, is under 1, the level where it could spread out of control. the r level, which signifies the rate of infection, is now between 0.5 and 0.9. the virus is not beaten yet.

it remains deadly and infectious. until now, westminster and the other national governments have been more or less in step. but listen to the first minister of scotland, plainly unhappy at the way number 10 might plan to move. i particularly strongly believe that for us to drop the clear, well understood stay—at—home message right now could be a potentially catastrophic mistake. it's not an exaggeration to say that the decisions we take now are a matter of life and death. you stood there at that same lectern time after time and said that it would be wrong to talk about lifting any kind of restrictions because you might give people the wrong impression, yet isn't that exactly what the government risks doing now? there's no change in the rules today. what the prime minister will do is set out on sunday a road map that can look to the future and explain what steps will be taken at what moment in time and, critically, the evidence that will back it up. but how certain can the path

be ahead when the rate of infection could be going up because of what's happening in care homes? the number has probably gone up a bit from his last estimates, and that is driven by the epidemic in care homes, he would say. and i would not demurfrom that. downing street's promised to keep the opposition in the loop. they want precision on what's going on. there needs to be absolute clarity that we must all follow the rules until lockdown is lifted. it doesn't mean we can't discuss what comes next, but we have to follow those rules. no surprise that there's tension. governments face the hardest of decisions — none as fraught as when schools should welcome more than just the kids of key workers. maybe as soon as next month in england, but later elsewhere. we normally would be able to accommodate about 30 students. we'll be splitting classes into about 15. this london secondary normally rings with the sound of 1,200 pupils.

one student at that desk. does that actually represent two metres? now buying disinfectant, dividing up classrooms just as important as double maths. some parents won't have confidence in sending their children in and i think it's incumbent on us to do what we can, all school leaders, to make sure that the environment is as safe and secure as it possibly can be. if only the changes to our lives would be as simple as bikes instead of footballs in a playground. coronavirus makes strange and uncertain the shape of things to come. laura kuenssberg, bbc news, westminster. to the us now. there's been another big jump in the number of americans applying for unemployment benefits as the us grapples with how to emerge from the coronavirus lockdown. a further 3.2 million people filed claims this week. nick bryant, who's in new york, has spent the night on the city's subway — a refuge for the poor and the vulnerable.

midnight on the new york subway, and many of the city's homeless are bedding down for the night aboard its empty carriages. by day, the subway has become a virtual ghost train. by night, it's become a mobile shelter. in the first five carriages we went in, we found people in search of refuge and sleep. many are newly unemployed, some of them labourers who rent rooms by the week, unable now to pay their landlords. the covid dispossessed. a lot of homeless people are afraid to go to the shelters because there are so many people there in such confined spaces. they're worried about catching the coronavirus. instead, they're taking their chances on the subway. the subway could hardly be described as safe. more than 100 members of staff on new york's mass transit system have been killed by the coronavirus.

this week, new york did something it's never done before — conducted a planned overnight shutdown of a subway system that's always operated around the clock. last stop. all passengers exit the train. the aim is to disinfect the carriages, and so, the nypd has been evicting the homeless. do you know they're closing the subway tonight? we're going to be asking you to get off the train. charity workers and city officials were on hand to offer help and shelter. this is the last stop. you have to step off. but this woman had no idea where in the city she was. where are you staying tonight? do you have a shelter? the confusion and anxiety written across her face. the destitute have been amongst new york's most vulnerable. over the weekend, two homeless people were found dead on the subway. homeless people right now in new york city have a 50% higher mortality rate from covid—19 than do housed new yorkers, so by not offering

people something as simple as a hotel room where they can go and be safe and self—isolate, we're really relegating them to die. it can feel like we're living in another time of buddy, can you spare me a dime? and just as the face mask has become the global symbol of this viral contagion, queues have become the marker of this economic catastrophe. here, the wait was for lunch at a shelter in lower manhattan. let's go, brother! but it's notjust the homeless anymore who are hungry — it's the newlyjobless as well. i have spoken with folks on this line who, at the beginning of march, were employed, and now they're unemployed and they‘ re trying to figure out how to make ends meet. and so part of how they're doing that is to stand on this line at the bowery mission, pick up a to—go meal and make ends meet that way. back on the subway, the woman we saw turned down the offer of emergency shelter and took the last train back into manhattan. 0thers headed out into the night.

poverty has been a propagator of this pandemic. hardship has been a super—spreader. and for many, the phrase that best describes new york's life abundant, "the city that never sleeps", must now sound like a taunt. nick bryant, bbc news, new york. the trump administration has rejected a detailed report from government experts on how to reopen the us while keeping the coronavirus outbreak under control. pandemic, the cdc, was submitted to the white house two weeks ago but was shelved, reportedly for being too prescriptive. the white house's own guidelines favour quick reopening of the economy, but their application has varied significantly from state to state. i've been speaking to max kutner, a us political analyst, about whether these contradictory guidelines are creating mixed messages for the public. this has become a very

divisive issue. to these sort of reports and saying that he has shelved the official reports, sidelining career officials, then you have president trump really establishing his narrative for the pandemic, talking about that a socialistic, extreme side has hijacked the democratic party. his supporters are really hearing that. his supporters are going out protesting, contributing to his campaign, polling in the republican party shows he has very high approval ratings among republicans. so you have democrats on one side pointing to warnings president trump has ignored, and on one side about the sidelining of careerists and democrats are angry, angrier than they have been, because this isn'tjust say, russian interference. this isn't an election issue.

this is life and death. so democrats on one side feel that way, republicans feel the other. even as the cdc is coming out with guidance regarding the pandemic, you have president trump going on twitter, saying to liberate certain states, and going on tv talking about workers being locked in a room and not able to earn their money. and what effect do you think the criticism of donald trump's handling of this has made, if any, to voting ahead of the election? lewis, when it comes to 2020, trump's big strength is the economy — it was objectively a very good economy. now he doesn't quite have that, as in just the past couple of weeks, the economy has gone into shambles with the unemployment rate in the 20s, percentagewise. so it's about whether supporters go by his messaging that this is a chinese virus, he did everything he could and deaths would have been higher without him. you know, he is working to get the economy back open,

but it is socialist democrats that are keeping him from doing that. so the question is whether people will believe him on that. and then you also have joe biden, his presumptive opponent in november, who basically has been largely left out of this whole conversation, this whole equation. he is filming videos from his basement but this isn't good for him, either, especially as he needs to be out there and trying to win back some of the supporters of bernie sanders that he hasn't won over yet. he simply hasn't been given the opportunity or airtime. max kutner there. let's get some of the day's other news. brazil has reported more than 600 new deaths caused by the coronavirus — one of its worst days yet — as a political row deepens over lockdown measures. president bolsonaro's government has warned the country is facing economic collapse if the lockdown imposed by regional governors and mayors remains in place. the number of people who've died from coronavirus in sweden has risen above 3,000. the country has allowed bars and restaurants to remain open

during the outbreak, but its mortality rate remains lower than other countries like the uk and france, where strict lockdowns have been enforced. the lebanese government is allowing people to worship in mosques and churches again from today, after nearly two months of lockdown. but worshippers will have to wear face masks and gloves and observe social distancing. it means mosques will be limited to 30% of their usual capacity during ramadan. france will begin lifting what has been one of the harshest lockdowns in europe from monday. most businesses will reopen and people will be allowed to leave home without carrying a permit. but the country is being colour coded, with some areas like paris having to wait longer than others for restrictions to be lifted. 0ur reporter freya cole explains. the wait in france is nearly over. shops, including cafes, florists and hair salons can get ready to reopen.

translation: it is a new stage in the pandemic. it's good news for france, for the french people. next monday, we are going to start a very gradual process over several weeks, at least, which will mean the country can slowly but surely leave the lockdown phase we have been in. but it's a far cry from normal. beaches and parks will remain closed and there will be strict rules for public transport, especially on the paris metro. translation: access to public transport will be reserved during peak hours for people with a certificate from their employer or a compelling reason to travel — whether it is a health reason, a summons to court, or to accompany children. there has been vigorous cleaning of carriages and stations but, as millions of people resume their daily commute, there are fears about hygiene and safety. translation: we already have

5 million passengers using the metro. i think we must really tell parisians to be very careful because there is going to be, i think, a lot of people. translation: what can i say? it will be a bit difficult because public transport in paris is often overcrowded and people have to go to work, so they have to be here. the country has been divided. those in the green zone will have greater liberties, while those in the red have been told to expect stricter conditions until infection rates fall. leaders say they didn't want to split the nation but insist it is the only way to eventually unite in the long run. freya cole, bbc news. stay with us on bbc world news. still to come: we have a special report marking 75 years since the second world war ended in europe.

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 world news. the latest headlines: british ministers insist plans to ease the lockdown will be modest and closely monitored. the prime minister is due to outline the changes on sunday. there's been another big jump in the number of americans applying for unemployment benefits with a further 3.2 million people filing claims this week. black men and women are nearly twice as likely to die with coronavirus as white people in england and wales — that's according to the office for national statistics. the research also found an increased risk of death for people from bangladeshi, indian or mixed ethnicities. rianna croxford reports. he was a very lovely man. he was very, veryjolly. he loved life. richard dosoo died from

coronavirus in hospital last month. the 72—year—old who came to the uk from ghana, was described by his daughter as a loving, caring father, who always put others before himself. it was unbelievable, actually, it felt like — for a long time — itjust felt like it was not real. like a dream, i kept thinking i'm just going to wake up any moment and i am going to realise that it was just all a dream. it is said coronavirus does not discriminate, we're all prone to catching it, but data released today shows the disease does not affect everyone equally. new official figures have found that richard was more likely to die from coronavirus because of his ethnicity. after stripping out factors like age, sex and geography, the office for national statistics found that, compared to the white people in england and wales, black people were 90% more likely to die if they became seriously ill with covid—19. this is slightly lower for people from bangladehi and pakistani background, at around 60%—80%. while people of indian heritage

were around 30%—40% more likely to die from the disease. but there are limits to these figures. they are based on the official government census which is now nearly ten years old and so may not accurately reflect the current population. and because ethnicity is not being recorded on death certificates, there may also be gaps in how this data is being recorded. the study also does not account for job roles, but research has shown black and asian people are more likely to be key workers in industries like healthcare, where many frontline workers have died. there are persistent inequalities across a range of areas, and i include health, housing, education, employment, criminal justice and these build up quite a complex picture for people in those communities. today, the government would not say whether more protective advise would be given to ethnic minority communities. we're going to be guided by the evidence. we have updated evidence from sage. there's further evidence that is coming through and we obviously have to take those decision at the right moment in time.

but families like joy's want to know how to keep safe. it does make me very, very worried. we have not been outside — at all. even my nine—year—old child, i could just about get him into the garden — he is so afraid of going outside now. the government is currently investigating the issue, with its findings expected at the end of this month. richard's family hope answers come soon. rianna croxford, bbc news. friday is the 75th anniversary of victory in europe day — the moment world war two ended on the continent. the commemorations were supposed to be a day of church services, veteran march—pasts and street parties but all that was cancelled because of the pandemic and alternative plans have been made. our special correspondent, allan little, looks back on a day that marked a real turning point for the uk. archival: today is victory in europe day. we may allow ourselves a brief period of rejoicing.

for 75 years, looking back at this moment has been, for subsequent generations, an act of remembrance and of homage. the country honours the shared sacrifice of those who lived through it. archival: the great news rang through the land. for britain had in the beginning stood alone in the darkness of a defeated europe. no wonder they now rejoiced. joy hunter was in the crowd that day. i think it was just hysteria, really. people probably didn't quite know how to behave, it had been so tight and suddenly it was over, and what did over mean? in fact, over meant a lot of hardship. but the britain that now emerged had been changed by the experience. the state had mobilised the entire population to the war effort. the government would now assume vast new powers in peacetime too. archival: a spate of british railway building astonished the world. much of the economy was taken into public ownership — the railways, the coal mines, iron and steel.

archival: now don't forget, choose your doctor now. a new welfare state and national health service would bring state provision into every home in the country. there would be no going back to the old normal of the 1930s, for war had created a new public mood. to a remarkable degree, and one that is not perhaps always present now, that includes people who think that they'll be worse off under this post—war settlement. quite a large proportion of middle—class people who weren't going to benefit necessarily from it said that they still thought this was a good idea, something that ought to be done for other people. so i think that's part of that wartime mood, is the recognition that the nation state owes something to everybody, particularly the least fortunate members of society. britain, though, had not stood entirely alone. it had its huge overseas empire at its back. these pictures are also from ve day.

could they have known as they rejoiced that an exhausted britain would soon lose its empire? for leadership of the western world now crossed the atlantic. britain would no longer be the pre—eminent global power. by 1960, the economy of the usa was producing nearly half the wealth of the entire world. the post—war world would be shaped by american power. archival: we are living in the midst of many great events. ve day still sits prominently in our collective memory, and we go on remembering it and paying homage to that generation, notjust for the war they fought, but for the peace they built when the fighting stopped. allan little, bbc news. for the seventh week in a row, millions of people have turned out on to streets acrss the uk to clap for nhs workers, carers and keyworkers. hywel griffith has been speaking to one man who has more reason than most to be thankful. every week, we share this moment.

in gratitude or grief, it gives us a way to be together. for danny in port talbot, it's heartfelt. the nhs saved his life. after eight days in a coma, he came through treatment for coronavirus. when he became the hospital's first covid patient to leave intensive care, it was the staff applauding him. i can't praise them enough. there's not enough words in the vocabulary to praise them. i remember thinking to myself, "am i ever going to see him ain? clapping every week doesn't seem enough, but at least it's something we can do to show our appreciation. along danny's street, they clearly have a reason to applaud. this may be the seventh week, but it feels, if anything, like momentum has been building. people are finding new ways to say thank you. at port talbot‘s giant

steelworks, they've been turning to song. music too in suffolk to celebrate key workers of every kind... in every corner of the country. those who've carried the load and kept the deliveries coming... those who couldn't stay at home, like the bus drivers of antrim. thank you! what it means to work on the front line has changed forever. but at its heart, the nhs staff and carers have been protecting us all. without them, so many more lives may have been lost. hywel griffith, bbc news, port talbot. that is it from me. i'll be back with their headlines. more on twitter. i'm @ lvaughanjones.

hello there. friday marks the 75th anniversary of ve day and it's going to be another very warm and a sunny day across much of the country. the sunshine a little bit hazy at times. and into the afternoon, the high temperatures could spark off a few heavy, maybe thundery, showers pretty much anywhere. now, the pressure chart reveals high—pressure dominating the scene through friday. we've got this weather front pushing in to the north of scotland. that'll introduce more cloud here with showery bursts of rain throughout the day. we'll also start the day with some showery bursts of rain across southwest england. it's moving northwards and tending to ease down, but it will be rather grey to start across irish sea coasts. most of that cloud should run back to the coast. most places across the country should be dry with sunny spells, but a few heavy, thundery downpours developing into the afternoon. temperatures range from 18 to 2a degrees across the south.

these temperatures more like july than may. now, the showers and thunderstorms continue to rumble on into the evening, and then it will tend to fizzle out. it should be dry for most areas but more low cloud returning across irish sea coasts and it stays quite wet across the far north of scotland. but a milder night to come for many of us. into saturday, this is when we start to see some changes. that cold front begins to move southwards across northern scotland, but further south, you notice the orange and yellow colours still in abundance. so, another warm day, in fact, for many of us on saturday. again, in response to the high temperatures into the afternoon, we could see some showers or thunderstorms developing. it will be turning windier and colder across the north of scotland with outbreaks of rain. so, a big temperature difference on saturday — 7 to 10 degrees in the north of scotland, 18 to 2a or 25 further south. but the cold air wins out saturday night into sunday. that arctic plunge spreads south across the country, with a band of cloud, a few showery bursts of rain on it, which will eventually clear southwards. and then it's a brighter afternoon, but much colder, with a very brisk, cold

north—northeasterly wind. that's blowing a few wintry showers, in fact, into the north and east of scotland. and look at these values. we've been experiencing temperatures closer to what we'd expect injuly. these are more like march temperatures. factor in the wind, it'll feel even colder than that. and farmers and gardeners, beware. some will see a widespread frost in places through sunday night. stays chilly as well into the start of next week with chilly nights, but then temperatures start to return to normal as we move deeper on into the week. and with high—pressure nearby, it's going to stay bright and dry.

this is bbc news.

the headlines: the british prime minister has said the government will proceed with "maximum caution" when coronavirus restrictions are eased. boris johnson is due to announce his plans for england in a speech on sunday. ministers have insisted any short term changes to lockdown measures will be "modest." there's been another big jump in the number of americans applying for unemployment benefits as the us grapples with how to emerge from the coronavirus lockdown. a further 3.2 million people filed claims this week. the numbers identifying as homeless have also reached record levels. the french government has announced more details of how it will ease one of harshest lockdowns in europe. authorities have issued a colour—coded map of the country, outlining areas that can lift their restrictions, depending on the rate of infection. passengers on public transport will have to wear a mask. now on bbc news, hardtalk.