the fbi and the us cybersecurity agency say they're investigating digital break—ins, attempts to steal research on vaccines and treatments by hackers, backed by china, at research institutions and pharmaceutical companies involved in the covid—19 response. the government in the uk has had to defend itself against claims it was too slow to protect people exposed to the coronavirus in care homes. the opposition has asked the prime minister to account for official figures showing 10,000 unexplained deaths last month in care homes in england and wales. chile has reimposed a strict lockdown in santiago after 2,500 new cases were confirmed in 2a hours. residents have been urged to report anyone not adhering to social distancing, or wearing a mask in public. now on bbc news: victoria

derbyshire has more information and health advice on the coronavirus outbreak, in this special programme. hello, and welcome to the latest in our special programmes on the coronavirus pandemic. i'm victoria derbyshire. coming up: we'll explain the risks governments face if they lift lockdown restrictions too quickly. and how it affects health workers in the uk, lebanon, and nigeria. plus, how a photographer in new york is trying to find smiles in a city hit hard by the virus. and don't forget, you can find the latest updates on the pandemic on our website. first, major moves to ease the lockdown are happening across

europe. in france, some schools will return and in spain some restaurants can start to serve again with social distancing measures in place. for politicians, this is a difficult decision. relax lockdown measures too soon and you risk the virus spreading again. leave it too late and it could cause serious economic damage and other social problems. so, what data are they basing this all on? jim reed reports. all countries are now facing the trickiest of balancing acts, how to open up an economy without causing a second wave of virus cases. some are moving faster than others. in france, the first major easing of the lockdown has now started. cases are still rising by around a thousand a day, but well below the 3,000 set by the government where stricter rules could be reimposed. citizens can now leave home without permission, some shops can open, some schools can restart. but some regions will move faster than others.

masks are compulsory on public transport and bars and restaurants stay closed. in germany, cases have fallen to fewer than 1,000 a day, social distancing rules have started to be relaxed. the 1.5 metre rule remains in place but now my family can go out and have a picnic with a second family. that wasn't possible before, so the big turning point for the personal lives of most germans here. 0ne figure, ‘r0', or the reproduction rate, is critical in deciding when to unlock. anything over one means that each infected case passes the virus on to more than one other person and the disease spreads quickly. german estimates had fallen below that, giving the government room to reopen schools and restart the football league, though scientists warn a recentjump in r0 will need close monitoring. if new infections go above 50 people per 100,000 people in any region here in germany, an emergency brake will be pulled, that means a lot of those that easing of restrictions could immediately be taken back. comparing data across countries

is more difficult, the way cases and deaths are calculated changes. in europe, the uk has now overtaken italy with the highest number of recorded deaths. prime minister boris johnson is planning a slower lifting of restrictions which could see some schools open from june. we will come back from this devilish illness. in south korea, widespread testing and contact tracing appears to have contained the virus. cases have dropped from 900 a day down to just a fraction of that. social distancing rules have been eased, schools restarted this week and professional sport is back. man: because this is korea, home of kvo. a dozen clubs in the capital, seoul, have to be shut again after a cluster of new cases. in the us, infections and deaths have remained stubbornly high. some states like new york and newjersey have been hit much harder than others.

it was probably introduced to new york earlier on, and went undetected for a while. and so what we're actually seeing a new york might be sort of a later point in their curves than other places in the us. the federal guidelines call for a downward trajectory of cases over 1a days before lockdown measures should be eased. in states like texas and georgia, it's far from clear that's happening yet. but local governors have lifted some restrictions anyway and restaurants and movie theatres have started to reopen. the majority of people do think that this is a concern, opening up too early is something that they're worried about. and i really, really hope that people continue to take precautions about protecting themselves. all these data will be watched so carefully, then. it's one thing to relax restrictions, it could be much harder to impose them again if the pace of infection

does start rising. about a month ago, the bbc‘s medical correspondent fergus walsh visited an intensive care unit at a major hospital in london, one of the busiest anywhere in the uk. and in his report we heard from one bus driver in the capital who had been hit hard with covid—19 as doctors battle to save his life. well, fergus has been back to the hospital for an update. coronavirus is still taking a heavy toll in intensive care. it doesn't feel like it's over by a long shot. some patients have been on a ventilator here for more than a month. i think "brutal" is the word. people stay acutely sick for a long period. it's notjust their lungs that are damaged, many have kidney failure and need dialysis. when you're not here, you're still thinking about here. so you just can't get it out of your mind a lot of the time. in the month since we were last here, doctorjim down has not become

any more optimistic. the disease continues to be a horrible disease, even by itu standards. i don't think i am feeling more positive, i think i am pretty shell—shocked by this disease, if i'm really honest. these patients don't get better quickly, so we've had a slow and difficult period of trying to help these patients recover. day after day, week after week, staff are working in full ppe. although patient numbers are falling, matron elaine thorpe says the psychological impact on staff is rising. i'd say in the last week i've started to see the emotional trauma coming out in our nurses and doctors, you know? and everybody, really. and me for one, i can't get this image out of my head, a group of patients, all lying face—down, prone, they felt faceless. this is a sobering reminder of the devastating impact of coronavirus.

extreme caution will be needed when relaxing lockdown measures or it could lead to a surge in infections, and that would mean many more patients coming into hospital. as covid wards slowly empty, the dilemma is how and when to reintroduce services like outpatients‘ appointments and planned surgery. part of the problem is no matter how ill they feel, many patients without coronavirus are hesitating to come in. josephine, who's 83, passed out at home. when they said you had to go to hospital, were you concerned? because you hear all these things about coronavirus. well, i was. my daughter had said to me, "you mustn't go to hospital, mum, because of the virus." but i really felt terrible and i was in pain. so i've just got to take a chance and go. of course. which i did.

non—covid emergency admissions are down 50%, which may be storing up problems. if you stay at home with a heart attack, it may actually — you may not die — but actually you may have a bigger heart attack than you what would otherwise have and you may end up with heart failure. or, if you don't treat your asthma in an early phase and with adequate treatment in hospital, you may end up in a much more serious condition. one in two patients with coronavirus do not survive intensive care. but there are successes like ertan, who we met at the beginning of april. well, hopefully you'll by able to see your wife again soon. i'm hoping so, because she's waiting. i will fight, definitely. the 70—year—old bus driver was finally discharged after four weeks in hospital. his first follow—up appointment was done via video. i probably would have thought

you were still feeling a bit weak? i'm feeling quite good at the moment. daytime, my life is like as if it's normal. with his grateful family so relieved to have him back. thank you, thank you, thank you! thank you, we got him home. all thanks to you. the bbc‘s medical correspondent, fergus walsh, reporting. as countries look for new ways to unlock society without exposing the vulnerable and elderly to covid—19, one dutch care home has opened a customised glass cabin that keeps elderly people protected and isolated, without forcing them to sacrifice seeing their loved ones. anna holligan has this. scrubbing a shield to protect vulnerable people from the invisible danger their loved ones might pose to them.

this is what a family reunion looks like under lockdown. hi, mum! hello! hi. the way so many of us have been keeping in touch with each other just don't make sense to everyone. well, whatsapp calling and zoom is for half our residents too difficult to understand. they're looking at a screen like an ipad and thinking they're watching a picture or a video. they don't understand it's real life, it's real—time, so they don't respond. and in here, they get the full picture. so, for me, being able to really see her and the way she walks, just her whole body and her body language, is incredible. initially, it was really difficult and the family were trying to reassure mrs stokes that this is the new normal, but she was confused. she couldn't understand why she couldn't cuddle them.

but they reassured her, the 1.5 metre distance is being followed by everyone and actually now you can see they're quite relaxed. this is a way for the family to reach out in person without the risk. everybody prefers to really see and touch and feel and hug your mum, but it's better than nothing. but how do you explain to an 85—year—old woman with dementia who just lost her husband and went into a nursing home two weeks before lockdown, that the whole world has changed, not just hers? she thinks she's in some kind of prison. but we're all kind of stuck at home. it's happy that i can see them.

but this is a strange world for me. so, i have been always very happy and now i'm a bit less happy. this glasshouse offers a quick fix, a chance to remind relatives in real life that they haven't been forgotten. for ambulance workers across the globe, there has been unprecedented demand for their services and in beirut it's not different. but most of those responding to medical emergencies across lebanon aren't actually paid. they're volunteers. for decades, the lebanese red cross has acted as the nation's public ambulance service, depending on people to give up their free time to help those in need. some volunteers have now been especially trained to respond to coronavirus emergencies. the bbc spent the day with one of the teams. i'm going to take around five minutes to get to the station

and then we can get ready and go to the emergency. 0k. let's go. i'm 25 years old, ijoined the lebanese red cross four years ago. peoplejoin the lebanese red cross to give back to the community in some way. once the covid—19 became an epidemic in lebanon, we started responding to emergencies in a different way. 0ur station took the training about what kind of equipment do we use, how do we wear it, how do we remove it? put the duct tape on, ok?

we have two ambulances out of six that are prepared for covid—19 emergencies. if the patient can walk the stairs from his house to the ambulance, we just take the emergency with two volunteers. if the patient is old and can't walk and needs to be held, we are three volunteers. when my grandmother was very tired and very sick, i used to see the lebanese red cross come into my house and take my grandmother to the hospital. and i've always said they're amazing, they‘ re heroes, i want to be part of them.

so we actually had a lot of emergencies until 4:00am, non—stop. we had another covid—19 emergency around 6:00pm at the beginning of our night shift. so i slept around an hour and a half altogether. pretty tired, but it's ok. 0ur day—to—day lives have changed a lot, but whether it takes six months or a year or a few weeks, i know we'll get through it. from emergency services in beirut to healthcare workers in nigeria, the impact of the pandemic is felt across continents. it's especially hard for the children of doctors and nurses who are being kept away from their parents for their own safety. this 14—year—old honour is one of those separated from her mum, who's working as a virologist in a hospital and helping

to fight the pandemic. my name is 0naopemipo. i am 1a years old. i normally live with my mum, but currently i stay with my dad in another street because my mum is in the frontline in facing the coronavirus pandemic. my mum is a clinical virologist and she works in the university college hospital, ibadan. she's a medical doctor. it's been quite difficult for me to stay away from my mum, because i sometimes miss her and sometimes in the night i cry. i can't wait for this thing to be over. me too. i've missed you. yeah, i'm miss you guys too. it's very lonely here. i mean, yesterday i went into your room and then i found your postcard. ah, mummy! i found your postcard stuck to your wall and i kept looking at you and feeling... you look worried. every time a i call i see you on the floor. yeah, most times i'm tired.

and that's because i'm running extra duties than i would have had to take upon myself. i'm responsible for the laboratory pick up for the whole of the hospital. a lot of walking. much more than what i used to. have we learnt any lesson from this covid—19? i don't think so. i think the world will continue after this time. but i have a feeling that the world will never be the same again. and i also learned that i should improve my hygiene. for me i think the most important lesson is that i should just make every day count. tomorrow is not promised. thinking about this lockdown business and not knowing when it's going to end is a bit depressing, i know. but then i want us to

look beyond this time. i miss you. i know. i miss you guys too. i miss you, i miss you, i miss you. i can say that 1000 times and it still won't be enough. next, the spread of coronavirus has for thousands of theatres, galleries, and other creative spaces across the world to shut indefinitely. but for one small puppetry company in london they have found new audiences for their craft stop. hi, i'm from little angel theatre and i'm going to show you... this craft is aimed at 5—10—year—olds. it can get a little messy, which is why i put this board down. little angel theatre is a puppet theatre. during lockdown we have redeployed our efforts. we have been concentrating on creating work digitally to share across our social media platforms. we press them onto the felt. we've also been showcasing the work

of puppetry artists. i want my hat back byjon klassen. hello, everybody. ijust wanted to give you a quick tour of the workshop. so this is my cardboard supply here, there's more down there. i am the designer, puppet maker, and set maker for the i want my hat back series of shows the we have been releasing over the last couple of weeks with little angel theatre. have you seen my hat? no. the project itself didn't exist before lockdown. it wasn't been something we've been planning for months and had prepared for. and it's made from stuff i found around the house. this is the set for the third show we're going to be making. so this here is the kitchen counter. we've marked up with black tape the size of the inn's desk, so when we set up there we know it will fit. and that is the environment that the i want my hat back books —

ah, shows are made in. it's been put on these lists of the 50 best shows to stream. and it was made out of a cardboard box i found in a cupboard and it cost us £16 in postage. the first one probably took us, what, two or three weeks to make it. it doesn't surprise me that people look at it and find it accessible and think they can make their own. whatever by william... we have been completely overwhelmed by the responses to our digital resources. oh, i don't like this at all. it requires problem—solving and hard work but most of all it's fun. and fearsome. and the best thing is you can do it at home without leaving your house. a crackle. you simply cannot stop

telling lies about me. the end! applause. finally, the spread of the virus has left new york streets virtually empty and the faces of passers—by concealed with masks. so it marked a challenge for one photographer in manhattan to show that people are remaining positive and that much of a smile is seen in a person's eyes, even when you can't see their mouth. there was something really special about getting a smile from a stranger from behind a mask. my name's laura fewks and i'm a photographer in new york city. out for a walk on 34th street, new york city.

going to see if i can get some people to smile through their masks for me. i approached people first, of course from six feet away, and i had my mask on so of course i have to kind of get their attention. and i ask them if, you know, if they don't mind if i take their picture and i explain that i'm doing a photo series of peoples smiling but with their masks on. so if they can stay where they are and allow me to capture their smile. and it's been a really heart—warming to be able to let people know, you know, i can still see your smile, it's all in your eyes or your cheekbones. i think that so much of the smile is captured in someone's eyes and that's where you really connect. through this series i've wanted to communicate this overall strength of all people of all different backgrounds and ages and essential

workers, non—essential workers, and to just show that people are remaining positive through this very difficult time. i will say i get rejected quite often when i go out taking these pictures, which i — is very understandable, people are scared right now, people haven't been to the barber, people are not usually wearing their best close and they don't want to be photographed or, for that matter, some people are grieving the loss of loved ones. so it's not a time for smiling for everyone. but for those people who do agree it's been an incredible interaction. so my friend here gave me a great masked smile, got some great smiles out here. stay positive, man, 0k? i'll see you later. one of my favourite pictures that i've taken thus far was during the first — the first week that i started deciding this was going to be a project and i was going to start compiling masked smile photos.

and i was walking towards the upper west side and i came across this mother and daughter, both wearing masks and playing in a puddle. it had just rained the day before and they were just really enjoying playing in this puddle in the rain boots together and i stopped and asked them for their smile and they gave me, as you can see in the picture, the brightest smile and then went skipping down the street together. so that was a particularly positive moment. that's it for now. a reminder you can follow me on twitter, @vicderbyshire, or head to the bbc news website for the latest information. thank you very much for watching. hello. 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 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 skies will clear. there will be quite a widespread frost to start the day, it might even be 1—2 records set for the night. a different story north in 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 are just beginning to take those temperatures up from where they were at the start of the week. 0vernight, i think we will still import quite a bit of cloud across many areas of the british isles, and if you keep the cloud, that will help to keep 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 in it. so that is just helping to give a slightly warmer feel 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. 0n 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 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, a lot of dry weather and things certainly warming up.

this is bbc news. welcome if you're watching here in the uk, on pbs in america or around the globe. my name is mike embley. our top stories: us security agencies accuse china of trying to steal american research on vaccines and treatments for covid—19. the uk government defends itself against claims it was too slow to protect people exposed to coronavirus in care homes. even worse than previously thought — the death toll from an attack on a maternity ward in afghanistan rises. chile reimposes a strict lockdown in santiago, as 2,500 new cases are confirmed in 2a hours.