this is bbc news, i'm lewis vaughan jones. the latest headlines: china tightens its grip on hong kong, a new security law would give beijing more power, raising fears of new limits on freedom of speech. another two and a half million americans claim unemployment benefits, now it's middle class suburbia queuing at the food banks. lessons from france, one week after schools re—opened, parents having to decide whether to send their children back to the classroom. getting into greece. we look at how tourists will be screened this summer, as hopes rise of reviving the multi billion pound tourist industry.

china is planning to introduce a new national security law in hong kong, which looks set to limit freedoms in the territory. media reports say the legislation will be unveiled at china's delayed annual parliamentary session which begins in a few hours. it's likely to be hugely controversial in hong kong, where pro—democracy activists held hundreds of rallies last year. president donald trump has warned that the us would react strongly if the proposals were followed through. here's a chinese government spokesperson. translation: national security is the bedrock of the country's stability. safeguarding

national security is the common interest of all people, including hong kong compatriots. a member of hong kong's legislative council from the pro—democracy civic party told reporters the law would be disastrous for the territory. this is the end of hong kong, this is the end of one country two systems. make no mistake about it. the beijing government has completely breached its promise to the hong kong people, a promise that was enshrined in the declaration and the basic law, and they are now completely walking back on their obligation owed to the hong kong people. there are fears that these proposed laws are actually aimed at suppressing scenes like these. these images show the violent clashes between authorities and pro—democracy protestors in 2019 and earlier this year. this was in response to a bill that would have allowed beijing to extradite people to mainland china to face trial.

lord patten was hong kong's last governor before the 1997 handover. he thinks the uk should be leading an international response to beijing's announcement. we should make it clear to the chinese that this is outrageous and the prime minister and the foreign secretary should make that absolutely clear. we should talk to our allies, our friends around the world, all of whom have a stake in two things, first of all the continuance of hong kong is a great international city in asia, and secondly on whether oi’ asia, and secondly on whether or not china can be trusted to keep its word. there are too many examples of that not being the case, the way it has actually used the preoccupation which everybody rightly has with fighting this awful epidemic. they have used that preoccupation in order to bully and harass and other areas and one of them is in hong kong. let's get more from our correspondent in beijing,

stephen mcdonell. we should start with the simple bit, i suppose. we should start with the simple bit, isuppose. this we should start with the simple bit, i suppose. this is a proposal at the moment, it will be discussed in china, well it actually happened 7 be discussed in china, well it actually happened? yeah, it will go through. i mean, these types of things, they go to the national people's congress, they are never rejected, so no doubt about it, it will move onto the next stage which will be that there is a standing committee of this congress, which will further refine it, and then i suppose the process could all be organised by august, that this could become a more. as an indication of how controversial this proposal is, this is a congress which we thought was to be dominated by the coronavirus and china— us relations, and that will no doubt be a big subject, of

course you can't get around it, it is the global story at the moment. however, if they thought they were going to somehow sneak the floor through the session, it is not happening, and to give you an idea ofjust how sensitive things are in china, our coverage of this is being censored, so whenever we raise the subject, the bbc‘s screens are going to black right across china, just showing you how concerned, i suppose, china, just showing you how concerned, isuppose, the government here is about talk of this new national security law. what about the reaction in hong kong? there is bound to be significant reaction to this in hong kong. an earlier attempt to bring such law and via the local legislative council in hong kong was met with mass protests, and the government there gave up on trying to

introduce it, and that is even worth, it is a kind of rigged system there, so that the local legislature will always be controlled by what you might call the probation camp. this was so call the probation camp. this was so unpopular, even with that control of that legislative council, they are not able to get it through. one of the reasons it is so unpopular is that practically speaking, it means that if you are protesting, instead of being charged with rioting or something like that, or if you are charged with sedition or, you are viewed to be challenging the very nature of the state in china, all of a sudden you have gone from just getting into trouble for causing a bit of local have a core may be fighting with the police to actually challenging the legitimacy of the communist party and for that, you would face serious jail time. people

could be put away for decades for those sorts of crimes, so this is why it makes such a difference. very, very quickly, stephen, do you think we are likely to see in response to this, those protesters out on the streets again as we were so used to seeing last year? there are still limits on that because of the coronavirus. one of the main reasons it has all gone quiet there, apart from being winter, is that people haven't been able to gather. as hong kong is doing a pretty good job of handling the outbreak there, things are easing up. you are still not supposed to be gathering in groups of more than eight people so any protest would be viewed as but maybe the idea would be that it doesn't matter, this is so important that the people would gather anyway, so why think we could still see some form of protests in the coming weeks and months, given that this, it represents a massive change to the way in which hong kong is governed.

0k, which hong kong is governed. ok, thanks, stephen. unemployment levels are continuing to grow in america, with the latest report showing 2.4 million more people having lost theirjobs. it brings the overall number of jobless to almost 39 million people. the latest figure shows the ongoing painful economic impact the coronavirus pandemic is having on the world's largest economy. nick bryant reports. we don't normally go in search of hardship in the tree—lined communities of american suburbia, but now it is easy to find. this, the looping queue for a food bank in new york's commuter belt. because normally used for school pickup and the weekly shop, now a marker of middle—class need. some had waited more than five hours, bumper to bumper waited more than five hours, bumperto bumper in waited more than five hours, bumper to bumper in a queue that stretched more than a mile. for organiserjamie scott, traffic control has been a major problem. eight weeks

ago in the early days of the shutdown, he saw 65 families. now, it's 600. and look at the cars. a mercedes, expensive suvs. you see a lot of mercedes, bmws, the problem is, the people have gone now without four or five or six or seven paychecks and it is starting to catch up. they need food,it starting to catch up. they need food, it is the most basic thing. at the front of the line, we met people who had well—paid jobs. before the coronavirus brought such economic destruction. people who have never had to rely on aid. michelle fernanda is a florist struggling to make ends meet. we have to pay rent, gas, all that stuff. you've got a beautiful car, did you ever imagine you would be lining up for food? no, never. this woman is trying to feed her kids. have you got any income at the

moment? no. a work housekeeping, so people don't wa nt housekeeping, so people don't want people to get into their houses because they have families, kids, and we have kids too. so you are not making any money at the moment? no. so you need this food? yes. we are witnessing the biggest economic shock since the 1930s, and a community still feeling the after—effects of the economic crash in 2008. there are a dwindling number of people who believe the kids will enjoy more abundant lives. the progress that gives this country so much energy and drive. covid—i9 has dealt yet another body blow to the american dream. what good is it if we save everybody from the virus if we let them all starve to death? with aspiration comes

anger? in staten island, one of new york's most affluent bar is. most of these people are small business owners who believe the stay—at—home order has robbed them of their livelihoods and their liberty. members of the middle class, not used to mounting protests. open up new york, and if you can't do it, get these democrat out! open us up! you are killing us. this is a convulsion that is shifting the ground beneath our feet. convulsion that is shifting the ground beneath ourfeet. a disruption of immense historical scale, greater than the great recession, more impactful than 9/ii. lives have been changed forever. donald trump has visited the key swing state of michigan, the site of some the most high profile anti—lockdown protests in the country. president trump was shown around a ford ventilator factor, a day after threatening

to withhold federal funding for the state, if it pushed ahead with a plan to provide voters with universal access to absentee ballots in the november election. during the visit, the president denied refusing to where a mask, a safety requirement within the factory, despite not appearing to on camera. idid i did where one, i head one on before. a war one in this back area but they didn't want to give the press the pleasure of seeing at, but i head it in the back area, i did puta seeing at, but i head it in the back area, i did put a mask on. did you have the goggles on too, as well, sir? i did. here's another one. why would you not wear it here, sir? not necessary , you not wear it here, sir? not necessary, herrick. iwas

you not wear it here, sir? not necessary, herrick. i was given a choice, and i head one on in an area where they preferred it, so i've put it on and it was very nice, it looked very nice. but they said not necessary here. what about the example that it would set for other americans? i think it sets an example both ways. as they say, i did have it on. let's get more from our north america correspondent david willis. well, his mask looked very nice, he says. so why does he not want to wear at? president trump doesn't want to wear a mask because he thinks it sends the wrong method, it distracts from his new theme that america is going back to business, slowly but surely, and it leads to quickly. today, everybody else at the ford factory was wearing a mask but for the president and his chief of staff mark meadows, and that, despite the fact that in the

state of michigan, it is actually mandatory to wear a face covering while out in public. the attorney general in michigan has criticised mr trump and accused him of acting like a petulant child, as she put it. somebody who refuses to follow the rules. meanwhile, at a time of the coronavirus, a lot of states are implementing measures and getting measures in place so that people who are afraid to go out and vote later this year can still do so, but being afraid to go out and vote because of the coronavirus can still do so. michigan is one of those states and over the last few days, officials there have sent out absentee ballot applications to all registered voters. president trump has cried foul on that, he believes that absentee ballots create a new potential for fraud and he is threatening to withdraw federalfunding from is threatening to withdraw federal funding from the state

of michigan, because he says they have broken the law in doing this. two crucial things to bear in mind he michigan is a swing state, it is one that president trump has to win in order to be re—elected in november, and the very fact that absentee ballots are being sent out gets in the core of republicans, because they believe that democrats benefit from the absentee ballot process , from the absentee ballot process, and of course president trump has clashed with other officials in michigan recently, including the governor, but the threat by him to withdraw federal funding isa him to withdraw federal funding is a serious one, bearing in mind that there have been two dams that have burst in the last week because of heavy flooding, causing the relocation of about 10,000 people. the governor described the threat is scary. thanks, david. stay with us on bbc news, still to come: wuhan is the epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak, we'll hear how that infamy

is hitting the chinese city. this morning, an indian air force plane carrying mr gandhi's body landed in delhi. the president of india walked to the plane to solemnly witness mr gandhi's final return from the political battlefield. ireland has voted overwhelmingly in favour of gay marriage. in doing so, it has become the first country in the world to approve the change in a national referendum. it was a remarkable climax to what was surely the most extraordinary funeral ever given to a pop singer. it has been a peaceful funeral demonstration so far, but suddenly the police are teargassing the crowd. we don't yet know why. the prelaunch ritual is well—established here. helen was said to be in good spirits, butjust a little apprehensive. in the last hour, east timor has become the world's newest nation. it was a bloody birth for a poor country, and the challenges ahead are daunting.

but for now, at least, it is time to celebrate. this is bbc world news, the latest headlines: china prepares to tighten its grip on hong kong, a new security law will give beijing more power, raising fears of further limits on freedoms of speech. a few months ago most people had never heard of wuhan in china. now it's known around the world as the epicentre of the coronavirus pandemic. one documentary maker has been in the city since 2017 following two small businesses and seeing what impact covid—19 has had. here's wenlan pung.

xu jishui's company is one of the, on average, 70 start—ups established a day in wuhan‘s high—tech optics valley zone. and for the former university lecturer, setting up the company was a big gamble.

like xu, huang tiesen has also risked a lot to set up his software company and for the first few years, finding a source of finance was a constant challenge. competition is fierce and many start—ups won't make it to their second year. for both men, the advent of coronavirus has had a profound effect, both on the way they operate their businesses and on their relationship with the city they live in. tiesen recalls a moment during lockdown.

for xu, his biggest fear was how the people of wuhan would be viewed by the outside world. now, both men and their companies are cautiously learning how to navigate life on the other side of the pandemic.

in france, children are going back to school, as the government relaxes its lockdown measures. but the country's education minister has told the bbc that poorer children are not returning as much as those from wealthier families. parents can choose whether to send their kids to class — or keep them home. our paris correspondent lucy williamson has more. saenz is not a place with a radical image. but this conservative medieval town is now known across france as the place that refused to open any of its state primary schools because of three suspected cases of coronavirus. all have since tested negative. the town's right—wing mayor says her decision was very popular here. there is too much pressure on parents, she says, because the government has asked each family to decide if their child should return to school. translation: i think it should be either obligatory or not, because it creates a sense of guilt for the parents. if they send their child

to school when they get sick, they will feel guilty. if they do not and the child falls behind, they will feel guilty. if you govern, you need to take the decisions. the small high street here was full of parents wondering what to do when schools finally reopen here on monday. translation: it is complicated, because we do not know how it is going to work. my son had some health concerns and i am reluctant to send him anyway. i feel a bit lost. translation: if we had been clearly told we could put our children back to school without danger, we would have put our son in school, but we were not reassured at all. more than 90% of parents here told the mayor they didn't want their children going back into class, even before the schools here were closed. the government has said this decision is voluntary. and many parents are saying no. since last week, 20% of primary schoolchildren in france have returned to class. france's education minister told us that lockdown had

created a social emergency by increasing inequality, and that reopening schools quickly was key. but the children returning to class are often those from wealthier families. it is true that children of those poor families are coming less than the others. the government has issued 56 pages of detailed instructions to schools on how to keep their premises clean and their pupils are safe. so much is compulsory for teachers, say some, lucy williamson, bbc news, sens. now, for many of us living in lockdown, a holiday abroad sounds pretty appealing. and greece officially begins its tourist season in june. but foreigners could be turned away, if the virus isn't under control in their home country. quentin sommerville has more, as athens gets ready to welcome the tourists. when you arrive here at athens airport, this is one of the first things you see. you get a swab test for covid—19.

they've been doing this since march 20th. everybody who has the test, me included, then has to go into isolation for 2h hours. in fact there's been a two week quarantine for everybody arriving in this country, but that's about to end because greece is ready to welcome back tourists. the results are delivered in less than 2a hours. i'm told i'll get mine by early tomorrow morning. this airport now is seeing about 400, 500 passengers a day. last year greece saw something like 30 million passengers — three times the population of the country. it depends on that money. this is a country that's gone through ten years of terrible economic crisis. the last thing it needed was a pandemic on top of that. so from june 15th, tourists will be welcome again, although not those from countries with high infection rates. so, i'm now in my isolation hotel room courtesy of the greek government and i have to stay here for 2h hours and i will be staying here because the fine

for breaking that quarantine is 5000 euros. greece has done relatively well compared to other countries in coping with this pandemic — fewer than 170 deaths. and the rest of europe now is looking towards this country and seeing how it manages that next phase. if it can continue with the success while opening up the country, well, then, that might get us all a bit closer to the lives that we used to lead. the acropolis has already reopened. the country's islands will be next, as greece attempts to return to a time before corona. quentin sommerville, bbc news, athens. that's it from me. you can reach me on twitter, i'm @lvaughanjones.

this is bbc news — bye—bye. most of us will have at least a little welcome rain through the day ahead, but it does look fresher for all. the south and the east held on to the sunniest weather and the warmth at 28 celsius, but for most it felt a little fresher during the day on thursday. this huge swirl of cloud will be responsible for the transition and for the rain. now, as that comes and it's really quite deep for this time of year so it will bring some unseasonably windy weather, gales are being warned about all ready for part of northern ireland, scotland , met office warning in force here. and it hangs around, as you can see, for much of

the weekend bringing further strong winds and more rain. it looks as if parts of northern ireland and the north—west of scotland could see the highest rainfall totals. in fact, in some of the highlands we could have a month's worth of rainfall over the coming few days. look at the strength of the wind, anywhere from north wales northwards, 50 mile an hour gusts of wind, which with the trees in full leaf is clearly a concern. very mild to start our friday and as you can see, cloudier with some rain. it clears away, maybe some thundery showers in eastern areas first thing and then the showers rattle in with sunshine in between but showers frequent and heavy in the north and west and even thundery. those strong and gusty winds affecting all areas, 30—a0mph even across the far south. so despite temperatures around about average for this time of year, add in those showers, add in the brisk to strong wind and it will feel much fresherfor all. some sunshine and some drier weather around. showers just keep coming though, as we go through the night. temperatures will fall a little lower than the night we're currently in, slightly fresher air is with us, but still for most, 9 or 10 degrees will be the overnight low and that's because of the strength

of the wind, which will still be with us on saturday. that low pressure still firmly in charge, giving further showers or longer spells of rain across scotland and northern ireland in particular. plenty of showers further south as well and they could well be on the heavy side, even the odd rumble of thunder. but here, across southern areas the sunny spells will be lengthier in between. another fresh feeling day, given the fact we've got atlantic winds and those showers and those brisk winds too, which will start to ease just a little in the south as we get into sunday but there will be further pulses of rain across scotland and northern ireland, as you can see. but just fewer showers in the south and sunday and lengthy spells of sunshine. temperatures a little higher by that stage as well. there's more online.

this is bbc news, the headlines: china says it will introduce a new national security law in hong kong that looks set to limit freedoms in the territory. proposals suggest there would be a ban on what are described as subversive activities. there are already calls in hong kong for protests against the planned legislation. another 2.4 million americans have sought unemployment benefits in the past week. the new claims brought the total since mid—march to nearly 40 million, almost a quarter of the workforce. the latest total shows the ongoing painful economic impact coronavirus is having on the world's largest economy. one week after some children returned to school in france, the education minister has expressed concerns that poorer children are not returning to schools as much as those from wealthier families. around 40,000 primary schools reopened last week, but parents are being allowed to make the final decision.