something? there is some advice in this story from lord lamont — yes, he of black wednesday fame — who i assume is one of those senior conservatives warning forests against either raising taxes or spending dashboards. his conclusion is overtime, spending dashboards. his conclusion is over time, the problem of borrowing and the deficit will have to be addressed. and you do wonder when — i think katie mentioned there that figure of £337 billion, the budget deficit expected now this year. compare that to what the relatively still relatively new chancellor was talking about in his most recent budget, which was a mere £55 billion. so that is a huge increase. a lot of money being talked about there. moving the new york times, and an international story here, untold loss in latin

america. this article basically telling us about the number of deaths in latin america rivalling the highest rates in europe. tragically a lot of these countries don't have the resources that european countries have to combat the coronavirus, and the level of death there. yes, so we know that this virus began in china. and in a quick short space of time, america has had big problems, but the new york times investigation is saying actually, latin america has had a really difficult time with really bad figures. countries in latin america do not have the same systems as some countries in europe when it comes to registering coronavirus deaths. so the way they worked this out as comparing the death toll in the last few months compared to previous years. that is in part coming into the conclusion that latin american countries are in such trouble. i think the big problem

here is that because they don't have the same health care systems as much of the really rich european countries, once there is a bad epidemic there, it is harder to get a grip on. and i say that in the sense that it has been very difficult for countries, including the uk, to get a grip on the infection as it is. so it is really a worrying report. and david, also in the article it talks about the fa ct in the article it talks about the fact that there is, you know, less media scrutiny and some of these countries. latin america's pain is unfolding far from global view, under governments that can't or won't offer a full tally of the dead. that is absolutely true. but i fear that, not for the first time, the reporting of latin america in the reporting of latin america in the uk has been less than brilliant, and is less than extensive. some of these facts here — deaths doubling

in lima, peru, and deaths tripling in manaus in brazil, and... in manaus, brazil, parts of ecuador as bad as new york. and that's before you get to all the issues around if the figures are anything like the truth. why do you think it is that the media hasn't reported on the issues regarding coronavirus and latin america in the same way it has in other areas of the world? well, i suspect it has officially got to do something with the way the pandemic has spread across the world, and possibly as arrived rather late in the day over there. but even then, i still think, and i don't know if katie agrees, that the reporting of latin america is not on a level with that in other parts of the world.

latin america is not on a level with that in other parts of the worldli think k, it gets less touchier, and clearly you have journalists who are more experience in certain other countries, and i think it is hard or in part because of the governments of these countries to get the truth and the figures. so the new york times are trying to do that by looking at excess deaths. but even looking at excess deaths. but even looking at excess deaths. but even looking at excess deaths when it comes to the uk is not completely black—and—white, so it is the mark—up gated way of going about it. let's go on to the metro, a picture of borisjohnson walking his dog with the story basically about what has happened in the last day or so between boris johnson has happened in the last day or so between borisjohnson and sir keir starmer. they went head to head over the virus crisis yesterday. sir keir starmer challenging borisjohnson to explain why leaving aside the 8000 fatalities linked to covid—i9, a further 10,000 more fatalities linked to covid—19, a further 10,000 more care home residents died in april. he even

wrote boris johnson residents died in april. he even wrote borisjohnson a letter asking him to explain a point that he made during prime minister's questions. prime minister's questions has gotten more news where these since sir keir starmer became the new labour leader. today saw him challenge borisjohnson labour leader. today saw him challenge boris johnson on labour leader. today saw him challenge borisjohnson on various points, but i think the most effective ones were the ones where prime minister is had to have the most difficulty, care home deaths. touching on the excess deaths, the fa ct touching on the excess deaths, the fact that there are some unaccounted, they might not have coronavirus down as the cause, but he is implying that it could be. now borisjohnson he is implying that it could be. now boris johnson referred he is implying that it could be. now borisjohnson referred to —— sir keir starmer referred to government advice, suggesting the government had played down the risk to care homes quite late into the crisis, and boris johnson said homes quite late into the crisis, and borisjohnson said he was wrong. now as soon as possible answers questions and did, keir starmer wrote boris johnson, questions and did, keir starmer wrote borisjohnson, saying that he had misled the house and should be

correct, and listed the government advice. borisjohnson house written to keir starmer in the afternoon saying keir starmer is the one who is misleading —— has written. we could get to the ins and outs of the guidance, but ultimately if you take a step away, i think care home deaths are really big problem, but they are also a problem for this government because there are lots of questions that need to be asked about the decision to make patients in hospitals move back to care homes where in some cases they didn't have coronavirus test. david, what do you think was? sir keir starmer accused of politicizing the issue rather than working with the conservatives. but it is an important point to have made? absolutely, there is no question that now, we have a serious politician and forensic lawyer questioning the prime minister at prime minister's questions. and as katie says, that is much more

newsworthy as a result. 0n katie says, that is much more newsworthy as a result. on a slightly more frivolous note, if i might, those of us of a certain age are jealous of any man who at that age has plenty of hair. boris seems to have returned to his tousled look in the comments, particularly today. and he does seem to be more flustered by sir keir starmer certainly them by his predecessor. well we are all having hair issues at the moment, david — well, most of us, at least of all the prime minister. let's move on now to the financial times. a picture here of people in an underground tube, this might come as a surprise to many people watching this on bbc world news internationally, there doesn't seem to be any social distancing there at all on this tube carriage. people are being asked by the government if they can, if they

can't work from home, than trying to go to work, and people have done that. but there hasn't really been any kind of plan as to how to get them to work other than to avoid the tube, which many people can't do. yes, we've had some varying message this week about when exactly we should return to work. ultimately the government's advice is that if you cannot work from home, you should go to work. but also, of complaining that was a message that you should try and avoid public transport. i think an honest estimate, they want 10% of what would be normal transport capacity, thatis would be normal transport capacity, that is what they think they need in order but have safe social distancing. but i think there is a question about how practical that is. lots of us across the country obviously don't have to wait to get into work, but i think specifically in the capital, it is very hard to say to quite a few people who need to get to work under the current guidance that they have to either

drive or cycling. neither practical. what do you think, david? for h generation, governments of all shades have been telling us to use public transport. now suddenly we are told not to. and that is a particular problem, but what i have noticed from this financial times story was the quote from a trade union leader who said that using the lockdown as it is being done in london particularly is fraught with danger. and you know, there is much criticism — ithink danger. and you know, there is much criticism — i think this story also reflects that there is considerable criticism in the foreign press of how the uk has handled the epidemic, and some of those observe the absence of a worldwide response to dealing with the epidemic as quite extraordinary. and you do wonder,

what is the united nations for if it wasn't to address in a major substantial way this epidemic? 0k, let's move on briefly to this last story in the new york times. i'm not sure, do you even remember neighbours? did used to watch it when you worry teenager? apparently they've still been filming it even despite the restrictions, and it's basically talk about whether or not they've been able to film it successfully to convey emotions and feelings while still keeping social distancing rules. and this is a good litmus test for the whole film and tv industry secular british soap operas aren't filming at the moment. neighbours took a break, now they're back on set. but i'm interesting to see the results in this, because a p pa re ntly see the results in this, because apparently they all stand five feet apart, they cannot hold hands, kiss, 01’ apart, they cannot hold hands, kiss, or simulate abroad. so it mightjust

be quite far conversations, so it might be interesting to see how they work out coronavirus safe acting, and if others may take note. how will the industry cope with this in the role of covid—19? will the industry cope with this in the role of covid-19? with considerable difficulty. i must say i was lucky enough to be in hollywood with my younger daughter in the latter part of last year, and saw how the film industry particularly was hugely optimistic about the boom to come. and now, everything there is silent. so as faras everything there is silent. so as far as neighbours is concerned, i saw figures of 35 years ago, it started 8300 episodes — i remember getting into it in of first lengthy hospital stay many years ago.|j getting into it in of first lengthy hospital stay many years ago. i used to bea hospital stay many years ago. i used to be a big, big fan many years ago.

not any more, though. the one programme that hasn't been affected by the coronavirus social distancing is tonic the papers because you are here virtually. thank you both. that's it for the papers this hour. goodbye for now. hello again. wednesday was a pretty decent day for many parts of the british isles. high pressure west of the british isles, providing quite a bit of dry area for dust weather for many areas. there is the high as we start thursday, still extending that low of high pressure across many areas, but underneath that under overnight, the class will —— skies will appear. there will be quite a widespread

frost to start the day, it might even be 1—2 record set for the night. a different story north in scotland, the weather front here dragging ina scotland, the weather front here dragging in a fair amount of cloud, a more noticeable breeze, though breezy still through the channel areas and the southern counties of england. but in between, come the afternoon, there will be variable cloud and decent sunny spells. we arejust beginning to cloud and decent sunny spells. we are just beginning to take those temperatures up from where they were at the start of the week. overnight, i think we will still import quite a bit of cloud across many areas of the british isles, and if you keep the british isles, and if you keep the cloud, that will help to keep temperatures up. so thursday into friday, not just as temperatures up. so thursday into friday, notjust as cold, though if you keep the skies clear, again you're temperatures really will dribble away. so here we are as far ahead as friday. rather having the northerly that we had on the eastern flank of that high to start the week, now it is more of a westerly breeze with a hint of northerly and it. so that is just helping to give a slightly warmer field to the days

then we started in the week. there's still a lot of dry weather, although weather front is plaguing the north and northwest of scotland, so more cloud and rain here. wherever you look on that chart, you will find those temperatures finding a degree or two per day. on into the weekend, forget all about northerly is and north westerlies. it is much more of a south and south—westerly flow around the area of high—pressure there. certainly dominant in the south of the british isles, but you will notice further north we have weather fronts. so although will notice further north we have weatherfronts. so although it will notice further north we have weather fronts. so although it turns increasingly mild, it is not all sunshine all the way by any means, and certainly in the sunday we suspect a good part of scotland and northern ireland could see enough cloud for there to be bits and pieces of rain. certainly further south under the influence of high—pressure, not a lot of dry weather and things certainly warming up.

this is bbc news with the latest headlines for viewers in the uk and around the world. a hope for summer holidays — as the eu sets out plans for a phased return of travel and tourism. there's a warning from the uk chancellor, that the country is already in the depths of a significant recession. we'll hear from a doctor about the rare disease — thought to be linked to coronavirus — which appears to be affecting children. plus, how families across england have been making the most of their new—found, however small. hello and welcome to audiences in the uk and around the world.