this is bbc news with the latest headlines for viewers in the uk and around the world. the uk education secretary warns the longer england's schools are closed, the more children miss out — as the government presses forward with plans to re—open them. the best way of protecting children, the best way of giving them the best opportunities in life is actually to have them coming back into school. out of 28 children in my class, we've had ten responses saying they will send their children but even a lot of those parents still have reservations about that and queries they would like answered before they do make that choice. people heed warnings not to overwhelm beaches, beauty spots and parks on the first weekend after lockdown rules in england eased. people in italy will be able to travel both internally — and in and out of the country —

from the beginning ofjune — as the country's strict lockdown eases president trump's handling of the coronavirus pandemic comes under attack from former president obama. and football — but not as we know it — germany's bundesliga becomes the first major european league to restart. —— first major european league. have and welcome to viewers in the uk and around the world. —— hello and welcome. uk education secretary gavin williamson, says the governent‘s approach to re—opening schools in england will be cautious — and based on scientific advice — but he warned that the longer schools are closed, the more children will miss out. it comes after teaching unions expressed concerns over plans for some pupils to return to schools in england from the first ofjune.

a further 468 deaths of people who tested positive for coronavirus in the uk were reported in the past 2a hours, taking the official death toll to 34,466. here's our education editor bra nwen jeffreys. classrooms empty now in england, but in two weeks' time a few children are due to return. some teachers and parents remain fearful. today, the government said it was the right decision. there are some who would like to delay the wider opening of schools. school governors will be involved in the plans so i asked how they should weigh it up. they are going to be thinking about their legal responsibilities in terms of making each school safe. how are they meant to reconcile that conflicting advice they're getting from you and from local councils? what we would ask them to do is look

at the guidance very carefully, and recognise the fact that we are there to provide the very best for every single child who goes to that school. the best way of doing that, the best way of protecting children, the best way of giving them the best opportunities in life, is actually to have them coming back into school. schools are getting ready as best they can, changing classrooms, contacting families. parents will choose whether to send their children and some think it is time to start going back. i'm not waving a flag and saying, let's go back to school with 30 children in a class and have a normal school day. i think there needs to be some kind of schooling in terms of some kind of non—physical contact at school. ministers point to denmark where children began their return a month ago, but today teachers' unions here raised concerns, too many cases, too little testing,

among their five priorities. we really want to get schools back open again as soon as it's safe to do so. we have five simple tests that the british medical association on friday told us they agreed with our tests, and we think the government hasn't yet met them, but they are not obstructive tests. they are tests to encourage the government to meet them so that we can get back to school, but we are not there yet, though. the gradual return to school remains a hope. the scientific evidence remains under review. a finaljudgment in england at the end of the month, as schools in the rest of the uk remain closed. branwen jeffreys, bbc news. ministers insist they will be led by the science when making decisions — so what does the science say about how children are affected? lauren moss explains. we've only known about covid—19 for under six months, and the science community is still learning about it.

one of the big questions to answer is how are children affected. put simply, children seem to catch coronavirus as much as anyone else. the survey by the office for national statistics, published this week, suggests that one in 400 people in england has coronavirus and it also found that children are just as likely to test positive as adults, but they don't appear to develop symptoms which are as serious or be as vulnerable to it. more than 2a,000 people have died in hospitals in england from covid—19, 12 were under the age of 19, most had underlying health conditions. we know from the current information that children have fewer symptoms and appear to have different transmission dynamics to adults, and it looks like they probably have shorter or fewer viral excretions from coughing or speaking, but we can't be sure for certain and we certainly need more research in the area. so, if children catch coronavirus, how likely is it, then, that they can carry it and also spread it?

any increase in social mixing could lead to an increase in the r number, the rates of transmission. children are super spreaders of other diseases like flu, but we just don't know how infectious they could be if they have little or no symptoms. there is the possibility, although it seems slight, that children might transmit it to other children or to staff members, but again what evidence we have suggests it doesn't happen very much, but opening schools does mean we have a social hub which is where teachers will meet other teachers and other parents so there will be increased mixing and there could be some spreading as a result of that. it's early days as we begin to take steps to emerge from the lockdown. what we learn in the weeks and months ahead will shape what our new normal becomes. lauren moss, bbc news. primary children in denmark have been back at school for a month now. it was the first country in europe to reopen its primary schools, after containing the virus early on. there have been fewer than 550

deaths there so far. many other countries are looking to the nation for a blueprint as to how to reopen schools elsewhere. i've been getting the thoughts of mette rose nielsen, a primary school teacher in copenhagen who told me more about how their classes are adapting to allow children to return. i think we have adapted quite well. first of all, there is the dilemma, the fact that you have to allow children to be children. we have tried to structure a lot of logisitics in the schools under a great deal of logistics to make it work. and also to be very aware of the childrens' well—being. and one of the things that we do to structure the day for the children, to prevent them being too close together, prevent the transmission, of the disease, if there is any, is, for example, to divide

the children into little groups of ten children. and then we have kind of this bubble where the children play with the children in their group, and we have also asked the parents to make playgroups for children when they are at home in the same groups. how difficult is it to get young children to understand the need to keep apart? well, i teach first grade, and in denmark the children are about seven or eight years old. i think the parents have prepared the children very well. from the health authorities, they also had a video showing them how to wash their hands. i think the children have done pretty well, compared to their age. it is difficult for children. they want to play football and hug each other. and if a child is crying or they are nervous, they also need a hug. you have to give them that.

there is always the balance between the strict guidelines and the common sense you have to exhibit. what are the benefits of this, if there are any at all? when we have the children in small groups, what we have seen is that some of the children blossom very much from this. in smaller groups, some of the children feel more safe. i have seen children play different types of games to what they are used to, and be more active, for example, in breaks. and the other thing is that you can be more... you can be more concerned with one child at a time in the classroom, because there are not so many children to attend to. so it's easier to help each child. and you can also do more creative work with the children. and we have done a lot of outdoor teaching, where we have had good cooperation

with the local youth school. we have been to a little forest, doing bingo with teaching, about insects. all of these things, outdoor teaching. and sitting outside in the schoolyard, and reading, you can do a lot of things. you have to think more creatively, but it is part of it. because of the small groups, it is easier to be more creative and to have more attention to specific children. and for some children to actually blossom from this. mette rose nielsen, a primary school teacher in copenhagen. it's the first weekend since some lockdown restrictions were eased in england. local councils urged people today to stay away from beauty spots and beaches. and although some national parks have reported areas being busy, many people do seem to have heeded the warning — as andy gill reports.

in normal times, more than 3 million day visitors come to the dales every year, and it's not hard to see why. the national park and local authorities, though, think it is too early to loosen the coronavirus lockdown. the big fear was that the car park would be full all week, and the river bank was going to be like blackpool when blackpool was busy and open, nobody social distancing. but as it is, we have a slow increase in the amount of people coming, that feel safe to come. but in grassington today, some people were taking advantage of the new guidelines, some travelling from harrogate and leeds. if you follow the guidance and you socially distance, you make sure that you are not touching anything. we have not seen anybody, really, but everyone we have seen has been a friendly and kept to a safe distance. we feel fine. they reopened the car park

here so visitors don't park in the centre of the village or on verges, and the idea is that that will reduce contact, and possible infections between tourists and locals. tourism is vitalfor this part of yorkshire, and they do want visitors back here once it is safe. 0ne estimate is that the economy in this part of the yorkshire dales has taken a 30% hit because of the lockdown. striking the balance between saving lives and saving livelihoods is the challenge here as everywhere else. andy gill, bbc news, the yorkshire dales. 19 people have been arrested at a protest in london's hyde park against the lockdown. around 300 people gathered, saying they object to their rights of freedom of movement and freedom of speech being restricted by the government's measures to limit the spread of the virus. the former us president barack 0bama has criticised american

leadership over the handling of the coronavirus pandemic. he says it's "finally torn back the curtain on the idea that the folks in charge know what they're doing". his commments come as a committee of the us house of representatives launches an investigation into the sacking by president trump of the state department's inspector general. mr trump said steve linick no longer had his full confidence. 0ur north america correspondent peter bowes explains why mr 0bama is stepping up his rhetoric against the president. this is indeed the second weekend in a row that we have heard comments from barack 0bama and quite unusual in itself since we really haven't heard that much from the former president over the past three years while president trump has been in office, and that's generally generally what happens — that previous presidents tend to stay on the sidelines while a successor is in the white house. but of course we are in a presidential election year now

and we know that barack 0bama has said that he will support his vice presidentjoe biden and we expect over the coming months to hear a lot more from barack 0bama and here he is again criticising the trump administration's response to the pandemic and the quote that you read just now is the key one that he says, "the pandemic has torn back the curtain on the idea that so many folks in charge know what they're doing," the invocation being that the people in charge in the trump administration don't know what they're doing and he says some are "not even pretending to be in charge". —— the implication being. -- the implication being. peter bowes. the headlines on bbc news. the uk education secretary warns the longer england's schools are closed, the more children miss out, as the government presses forward with plans to re—open them. people heed warnings not to overwhelm beaches, beauty spots and parks on the first weekend after lockdown rules in england eased. a committee launches an investigation into the sacking

by president trump of the state department's inspector general. italy's prime minister giuseppe conte says the country is taking a "calculated risk" in easing lockdown restrictions, with gyms and swimming pools able to reopen on may the 25th. cinemas and theatres will follow in mid june. italy is also allowing people to travel in and out of the country from the third ofjune. it's a significant change in a nation that imposed one of the world's most rigid coronavirus lockdowns, and suffered significant loss of life. more than 31,000 italians have died of covid—i9 since late february, but the infection rate has fallen quickly. in neighbouring, austria lockdown measures are also being eased. 0ur correspondent bethany bell has more. well, yesterday cafes and restaurants opened after two months of lockdown. people have been out today having pizzas and things like this, it is slow but steady, we are told, so far, people going out to visit.

also, some of the border controls between austria and its neighbouring countries, like germany, are beginning to ease. germany is now allowing people who have family on both sides of the borders to cross more easily, and instead of having systematic controls at the borders of germany, austria and switzerland, they are now spot checks instead, although people still have to have a valid reason to visit and cross the border, it is not for tourists to visit yet. the hope is that if the infection rate remains low, that the borders can be completely opened by the middle ofjune. austria has announced plans to slowly start allowing theatres and arts festivals to slowly ramp up again injune and july and august.

bethany bell reporting from austria. tonight — you should have seen this year's eurovision song contest winner crowned in the netherlands. but the event was cancelled due to the pandemic. fans, though, were still able to hold self—isolation eurovision parties. as the bbcjoined broadcasters across europe to showcase all 41 songs that would have competed this year. bbc viewers also named op's waterloo as the greatest eurovision song of all -- as the greatest eurovision song of all —— abba. bjorn ulvaeus from abba did make a surprise appearance from his home. and it still remains one of the most geniunelyjoyous events of the tv year. and it's so disarmingly european. it so allows you to escape and be happy. even forget about the coronavirus for a little while.

he is eurovision realty, really. —— royalty. ben royston is a eurovision commentator and watched the event. what was it like, was worth all the effort into it? coad definitely worth the effort. something had to happen tonight to have eurovision night without eurovision. .. it would've have eurovision night without eurovision... it would've been unthinkable. and i think the broadcaster over in the netherlands had put so much work into organising eurovision this year, all the songs had been chosen from all of the competing countries and it was only right that those artists got their moment in the spotlight tonight. but how can anything ever be a substitute for the real thing?m can't be, it can't be but you cannot have a competition if the artists we re have a competition if the artists were all performing from home or if they were using music videos because it is not a level playing field. you have the sweetest song that was picked in front of 30,000 people in an arena that was going wild and the

danish song was picked in an empty arena because they already started the lockdown in denmark. there was no way to create a fair competition this year. so it had to be cancelled. and the show that they put on instead was a really good show for the evening. what did you make of the yarn from abba making an appearance? after everybody knows and a lot of people clearly love waterloo at they happened there must‘ve been pretty special. waterloo at they happened there must've been pretty speciallj waterloo at they happened there must've been pretty special. i think so, we don't often hear much from members of abba and when we do they very rarely talk about eurovision. some of the biggest stars on the earth have grown from eurovision aren't that keen to talk about it. i think that is a sign that eurovision is becoming very mainstream again and it is very popular again. to see him on the show was a really good thing for eurovision. what was the best moment of the programme they put out for you? for me personally,

i think seeing all the 41 singers performing love shine a light was great because that was the uk's last winter. and it is that kind of thing that all we will never win again and have done badly for years, itjust remains people that we have 15 times, wejust remains people that we have 15 times, we just need to send the best on. and that is hard when there is 41, 42 countries competing. it was good to see the united kingdom's su ccesses good to see the united kingdom's successes brought to light in the show tonight. how did you watch it? because the point of eurovision if you are not actually there on the night and of course many people do try to travel to the host nation is to get the together with friends maybe, eat food from the countries taking part, dress up, put flags out, you can't do that at the moment. we had the flags up, we had the flags in the window me and my husband sitting here watching it

with the cats and normally we're in a press centre with 2500 journalists. it is a bit of a culture shock but is eurovision and it is in your blood, you enjoy it in any way you can really. what will happen next year, who will host it? then asked tonight that it will be in rotterdam next year. even though they miss out this year in the end, they miss out this year in the end, they will host it next year. and a number of the singers that were going to rotterdam 2020 hath been told that they will be selected again. 0thers told that they will be selected again. others won't be so for sam but the swedish act is not about to participate in the nationalfinal the year after they have won it. sweden will have a different participant next year where is a country like israel has said that the artist deserves to go to eurovision so they were on maccabee the country pounds my voice. we will wait and see what form that takes. ben royston thank you. it was a big day for german football

fans as borussia dortmund marked the return of the bundesliga with a convincing derby win over schalke. with a round—up of all saturday's games here's gavin ramjaun. hello there, this is your latest sports news. let's start with the resumption of the german bundesliga. players saw the lighter side of having no fans cheer them on due to the strict coronavirus measures in place, but borussia dortmund's players still put on a heck of a show. their revierderby match against schalke was the highlight of the day's games, but take a look at this, a strange sight before the match with no spectators on hand to greet the teams as they arrived into signal iduna park. security and police, though, were present to make sure coronavirus safety guidelines were carried out. well, staff and stewards for the match weren't taking any chances either, with sophisticated cleaning equipment to minimise the risk of infection. some of those measures included spraying and cleaning the balls before use. all eyes, of course, on the bundesliga right now being the first major top flight division in europe to restart, after a 66—day shutdown.

and who else to score the first goal back? erling haaland, the prolific norwegian with his tenth goal in 11 days for dortmund. the celebrations with team—mates, though, kept at a distance, as players were instructed not to physically congratulate one another. that the first goal in a 4—0 victory over schalke, keeping dortmund in second place. in the day's other results, an injury time winner gave wolfsburg an injury time winner at augsburg. hertha berlin won 3—0 away at 0ppenheim. rb leipzig remain third after coming back to draw i—i rb leipzig remain third after coming back to draw i—i with freiburg and it was goalless between dusseldorf and bottom side paderborn. in the late game, frankfurt took on monchengladbach. all the details on the bbc sport website. that win for dortmund means bayern munich lead byjust one point ahead of their game against union berlin on sunday. like all bundesliga teams, their players are staying in quarantine following rules set up by german football league task force.

they also need to travel in two buses to ensure safe distances between players are maintained. earlier, i spoke to lutz pfannenstiel, the sporting director of fortu na dusseldorf, and he told me the atmosphere without fans inside the grounds wasn't something to worry about, as football makes its return. we are normally a team that is really pushed by its supporters. our home games are usually 45,000 to 54,000 and it's a buzzing, electrifying atmosphere there, so, obviously, that's something that our players are really used to. that was missing today but we knew that before, i think we could prepare our minds before the game that this part will be missing. but, of course, you can ask the big question, is the home advantage there or is it gone? i mean, in our case, of course, if we were to have a full stadium, it would be betterfor us but, as i said before, we are happy to be back, we have to really respect the rules and i think this is what it's all about, to have a concept and to really live up to all the rules and regulations. even the social distancing of the substitute players,

with the distance in between and the face masks on, it is something which is very unique and difficult to get used to but i think, you know, it is part of it now and we need to deal with it and we try to make the best out of it, but it's definitely lots of details. absolutely. and how much would you say of an example did saturday's matches set for other leagues around the world who would have been watching, including the premier league? well, definitely a good one. we still have four games to go before the match day is concluded, so i think we have to think now match day to match day and i think the first one now, the first match, it was quite good, it was promising, so i think if we can keep it up in that level, focusing on all the details, then i think that concept, that prime example which is set in germany, can be also used by lots of other leagues, like in england or in spain or in italy. lutz pfannenstiel there, and that is all the sport from us for now.

you're watching bbc news. and we'll be taking an in—depth look at the papers with our reviewers penny smith and martin lipton — that's coming up after the headlines at 11.30. now it's time for a look at the weather with ben rich. hello there. temperatures are set to climb over the next two days. by the middle pa rt the next two days. by the middle part of the coming week, some parts in the south be up to 26 or 27 degrees. a lot of dry weather around, the further west you are in the uk there is a chance for rain. 0n the satellite you see patchy cloud across the british isles today and then this straight moving in from the atlantic which will bring in rainforsome from the atlantic which will bring in rain for some of us of next one four hours. tied in with that is a plume, a conveyor belt of warmer air and that will be heading our way really setting in over the next few

days. through this evening into night, a lot of dry weather initially but increasing amounts spread and be with the rain operates for northern ireland in western scotla nd for northern ireland in western scotland down through each in scotla nd scotland down through each in scotland or parts of north wales. the odd spot of drizzle is possible. clear breaks in the south—east corner, one 01’ two clear breaks in the south—east corner, one or two spots down to three or 4 degrees most places staying front street into tomorrow morning and for tomorrow across northern ireland and scotland, abrasive rain at times. some patchy drizzle across northern england, north wales, that will tend to fizzle away. rain will return in the afternoon to the far north—west. further south east you are, some spells of hazy sunshine. relatively light winds certainly brighter than across northern parts of scotland and thus temperatures a touch higher, 20 degrees in london, always cool where the further north and west you are. i do sunday into monday, high—pressure to the south, frontal systems still running across northern parts of the uk, that will provide abrasive rain through sunday

night. much of that weather will be clear from mainland scotland night. much of that weather will be clearfrom mainland scotland on sunday although the northern isles may be but for a time. bits and pieces of rain in northern ireland and southern scotland and may down into northern england. the further south and east you are, temperatures at this stage up to 23 degrees. a similar —looking day tuesday. some operative rain in the north further south largely dry with variable cloud and spells of sunshine for some highs of 25 or 26 degrees. by wednesday those temperatures could touch 27 towards parts of the south—east. as you get to the end of the weak things of that they will change. greater chance of seeing some rain and it will start to feel cooler once again.

hello. this is bbc news. we'll be taking a look at tomorrow

morning's papers in a moment, first the headlines. the uk education secretary warns the longer england's schools are closed, the more children miss out, as the government presses forward with plans to re—open them. people heed warnings not to overwhelm beaches, beauty spots and parks on the first weekend after lockdown rules in england are eased. president trump's handling of the coronavirus pandemic comes under attack from former president 0bama. travel to and from italy, and between the country's regions will be allowed from the beginning ofjune as the country's strict lockdown eases. and football, but not as we know it. germany's bundesliga becomes the first major european league to restart.