the biggest easing in lockdown restrictions is under way — but some scientists say the government is acting too quickly. as primary schools in england re—open — it's back to business, too, for outdoor markets, car showrooms, and horse racing, but with changes. the overall view from sage, the scientific advisory group on emergencies, which advises the government, our overall view is you must do this cautiously. that is precisely what we are doing. it is just a bit difficult to understand the message when you are urging caution at the same time as saying that there are all these additional liberties to be taken. we'll be getting the latest reaction to criticism of the government's action from westminster. also this lunchtime. in england, hundreds of thousands of children returned to primary schools this morning — but not all parents agree

that it's safe enough. confusion for some as restrictions are eased on those classed as extremely vulnerable. calls for the scientific evidence showing it'll be safe for them. curfews ignored — a sixth night of protests erupts in cities across the us — sparked by the death in police custody of george floyd. and. . .they‘re off. sort of. horse racing is back — as the world of sport prepares to return, and coming up in sport later in the hour on bbc news. competitive snooker is also set to return today. world championjudd trump, one of those in action in milton keynes. good afternoon, and welcome

to the bbc news at one. the biggest easing of lockdown measures since the restrictions were introduced in march is under way. ministers insist they're following the science and taking the steps in a "very cautious" way. all four nations of the uk now have guidelines in place allowing more than two people to meet outside. vulnerable people in england and wales who have been advised to stay home since march have been told they can go outdoors again. but shielding advice in northern ireland and scotland hasn't changed. the first phase in the reopening of schools has begun in england, with children in nurseries and years 1 and 6 returning this morning. and, provided they meet safety guidelines to protect shoppers and workers, open—air markets and car showrooms in england are also able to trade again. but the measures come as another group of public health officials warn the pace of change in england could lead to a rise in the infection rate. in a moment, we'll be looking in more depth at the conflicting messages to parents — and to the most vulnerable —

but, with our first report this lunchtime, here's duncan kennedy. some schools, open—air markets, car showrooms, and some sports, it may not be a managed mandate of openings but lockdown is creaking open. a new map and a new week bought more glorious sunshine. from today, six people can now gather outside in england if they keep two metres apart. what do people here think? i think we just need to be cautious about it. even though we can cut out we have to be cautious. everyone seems to respect space. there is a good amount of space between everybody on the beach. i feel fine. local officials say with the numbers they have seen outside in recent days, the message about the rules still is not clear. i think people are completely

confused by the rules. they are so inconsistent. they do not make any sense to people. you asked people on the beach what the rules are, they don't know and i don't care any more. what now are the rules for gathering? in england from today, groups of up to six can meet anywhere outdoors including in private gardens. in wales, any number of people from a maximum of two households are able to gather outside, but ideally travelling no more than five miles from home to meet. in scotland, up eight people from a maximum of two households can be outside, whilst in northern ireland, groups of up to six can now also gather outside. everywhere, social—distancing rules apply. all these changes in england, wales, northern ireland and scotland are dividing opinion. it is making some nervous but others say they welcome the opportunity to move out

of lockdown. the one guiding principle you will hear across the nation, the one we have heard throughout this crisis, is science must lead the way. the following of that science was again the government message today. we must do this cautiously which is precisely what we are doing. they have also said if people comply with the rules and the test and trace system is up and running which it has been since thursday, then, there isa has been since thursday, then, there is a good likelihood we will not reach the r number above one. some health professionals remain nervous. i think it isjust a bit difficult to understand the message when you are urging caution, at the same time as saying that there are these additional liberties to be taken. the vast majority of the public will follow those guidelines extremely well but there is a danger there is

a confusing message. the whole national blended move of the cautious and carefree was also shared by some people we spoke to intimate today. lam intimate today. i am delighted we can do it but it is tinged with nervousness. just a little bit concerned it might be too early and we might have a second wave. listening lockdown measures are a challenge for everyone but our changing world of inside —— to our changing world of inside —— to our changing world of inside —— to our changing world of inside outside living. parents across england faced a dilemma this morning — is it safe for children to go back to school? after six weeks closed because of the coronavirus, primary schools re—opened this morning, but parents don't have to send their children back and many teachers‘ unions are warning it's too soon for them to do so. dan johnson reports. after so many weeks, back for summer. morning. summer. morning. welcome back. at this

junior school, it is just year 6, the ten and ii—year—olds returning. there is a head that doesn't want as pupils back as soon as we can but as safely as we can which is what we have been working hard to do to make sure our school is safe but welcoming to pupils. harry was keen to get back to see his friends, he knows it will be different but given the space they have and it is only year 6, hopefully, it will be ok. idid hopefully, it will be ok. i did feel quite anxious this morning. i know the logic, science, even so, it is scary. which is why these are some of the few socially distanced actually reaching their new lower capacity today. it will be good to see my friends, it is only half the class but it is good to catch up with my mates. we have wanted to come back for ages. it has been a bit hard at home. my mum told me it would be a bit different than it used to be sol

was a bit nervous. there is a huge variation across england. in walsall, two thirds of the schools are not accepting more children yet. iam very children yet. i am very worried about the children but, weighing it up, ithink i am very worried about the children but, weighing it up, i think their health is really important and the health is really important and the health of their families and the wider community as well. i want to get them back as soon as possible but i will keep reviewing it and as soon as but i will keep reviewing it and as soon as we are but i will keep reviewing it and as soon as we are convinced everybody is saying the same thing instead of having conflicting messages, we will reopen. there are estimates up to half of pa rents there are estimates up to half of parents will have decided to delay retaining their kids to the classroom. the risk of transmissibility, can he bring it back, pass it on, is not clear. for us, we wanted more evidence, how is it safe to send back? the pressure is being put on us as back? the pressure is being put on us as parents and teachers and on the children.

here, the children are being kept in smaller classroom bubbles so they are not mixing. but it is the busier times like lunch that are the real pinch points. it is manageable with limited numbers of children. what about getting back to a full school? that will be much harder. government guidance has changed quite often. they are starting to understand it is the heads who make the decisions and every head, community, circumstances are different and i will need to be flexibility. more of england's schools will get to this in the next week or two. wales, scotland and northern ireland are expected to follow in the months ahead. in england and wales, people who have been shielding those who are clinically very vulnerable to coronavirus, can now exercise and meet people from another household outdoors. but some medical professionals

are concerned that the changes have come too soon. they want to see the scientific evidence to show that it is safe. hywell griffith reports. after 11 weeks of shielding for derek this is a data saver. emphysema means his lungs are vulnerable. he knows covid—i9 could kill him. but being confined to his home for so long has been hard. he says this is the end of his house arrest. it is relief. you have got two be sensible. you won't see me on any beaches or with any crowds. you have to use your sense. if you not sensible you are asking for trouble. from today, shielded patients in england and where can go outdoors. and meet other people. the world they are going back into has changed considerably. but they are being assured it is safe. now that we have passed their peak

and the prevalence of covid—i9 in the community has reduced significantly, we believe that the risk to those shielding is lower. for around 2.3 million patients in england and wales, this is a huge step. it is one that some are relu cta nt to ta ke. step. it is one that some are reluctant to take. the change in guidance came and it's better leave with no clear reduction in the r number, the rate at which the virus is reproducing. health charities say they are being inundated with questions which they are finding it difficult to answer. is this the end of shielding? does it mean my employer will ask me back to work and i am not ready for that or confident with that? people are saying, is it safe, the beaches are crowded, the parks are crowded. and in this new world that is developing is it that safe to go forward? the guidance on shielding in scotla nd the guidance on shielding in scotland and northern ireland has not changed. across the uk there are

calls for more tailored specific advice for the what lies ahead for those most at risk. our assistant political editor norman smith is in westminster. why is the government pressing ahead when there is so much concern? to be honest, that concern is shared in government, and ministers broadly are nervous because this is a huge moment and the one thing they want to avoid is any resurgence in the virus. of course they hear the unease of parents, teachers, scientists are cautious that the test and track scheme is not sufficiently robust yet but they believe they have met their five scientific coronavirus tests, and this is a tentative first move. more broadly, there is a sense they believe we cannot remain in some permafrost lockdown forever and a day. we do gradually have to get the

economy moving again, families have to be reunited, children have already lost out on nine weeks of school. any longer would be potentially quite damaging, particularly for the children from more disadvantaged backgrounds. added to which, other countries have been down this road before. if you look around europe, most other european countries are a few steps ahead in terms of using the lockdown. italy, they are beginning to open bars and restaurants, with social distancing. hairdressers, churches are opening in italy. most other european countries, schools began to open sometime ago. there is a view we can learn from the way they have done it. but if the virus does re—emerge, then, ministers are pretty clear they will seek to impose localised lockdowns on those districts and areas where the virus begins to re—emerge, if it does. there's been a sixth night of unrest

across the united states. cu rfews are in force in nearly a0 cities, but many are being ignored as demonstrations continue over the death of an unarmed black man in police custody. in a moment, we'll have a report on the violent protests in the capital, but, first, james robbins looks at the situation across the us. the anger, protest and looting have spread widely across the united states but this is where it began. almost a week after a police officer in minneapolis killed an unarmed black man, thousands gathered outside the state capital, confronted by police and troops from the national guard. the focus of anger is clear from the chance, placards and masks. the death of george floyd has provoked a sense of outrage that racism is still widespread, too often ignored and unpunished. all these voices are being aired

because of the same thing happens again, it is the new lynching. we are really hoping justice is served, that the people responsible are held accountable and i don't have to do this again, i don't want to be here. the anger is spreading across the united states. in kansas city these demonstrators want their police under tighter local control with the citizens review board to investigate misconduct. no balance! one officer pleaded with the crowd not to resort to violence and even made an extraordinary gesture of solidarity which is steeped with meaning in today's america. take the knee. the killing of george floyd last week has terribly undermined whatever progress may have been made in recent years and the fact only one policeman, derek

chauvin has been charged with murder, and the others who stood by do not face prosecution, has fuelled the protests and violence. night—time cu rfews the protests and violence. night—time curfews had been imposed in nearly a0 american cities but many have ignored them. in minneapolis, a german tv correspondent reported police targeting him and threatening his tea m targeting him and threatening his team would arrest. get inside now! where would you like us to go? 0k. us to go? ok. thank you, officer. in san diego, largely peaceful protest turned violent as police used tear gas in the city. they were enforcing, they said, and unlawful assembly order. in new york city, violence including looting was widespread, despite appeals for this to stop from those who want to honour george floyd. fires were

started with no sign of anger fading almost a week after his killing. in brooklyn, a woman made her own peaceful gesture but the wider reality is that the united states has not seen racial tensions explode on this scale since the 1960s. washington dc has seen some of the worst violence, with buildings not far from the white house vandalised, cars set on fire, and an historic church attacked. president trump was briefly taken to an emergency underground bunker in the white house on friday because of concerns about the threat from protesters outside. aleem maqbool reports. nojustice. no peace. no racism. police. these were protests against the killing of george floyd. but given the location, they were also a message to one person in particular. he needs to grow up, he needs to be a man, stop with the childish acts, the childish tweets, he needs to be a man. as night fell, the mood got angrier.

i am here outside the white house, for the most part a peaceful protest but fires have been lit now. and the police keep firing gas into the crowds. and they fired other projectiles too in defence of the home of the president. and they were clearly on edge — but also did little to dispel the impression the police use unnecessary levels of force. at one point, charging our own cameraman. in the streets surrounding the white house, with no sense of any attempt at de—escalation, there was anarchy, with shops and vehicles vandalised at will. hard to imagine these were scenes playing out in the american capital. that's probably the white person that owned it. they gonna cover it with insurance... all right, here we go.

we got every right to burn it down. this is pain, right here, this is pain, this is the only way we can get it to them. they are not hearing us. when you just talk, it's just words to them. they don't feel anything. and there's no doubt this has now become about much more than the brutal death of one unarmed black man. aleem maqbool, bbc news in washington. our top story this lunchtime... the biggest easing of lockdown measures since the restrictions were introduced in march is underway. ministers insist they're following the science, but there are concerns over the pace of change in england. and over the pace of change in england. we havejust h spring and we have just had the sunniest spring on record, but is all this sunshine a reason to worry? coming up in sport on bbc news... more bad news for rugby league, england's test series against australia this autumn has been cancelled.

0pen—air markets and car showrooms are re—opening in england today, but with strict distancing measures in place. for example, if you're taking a carfor a test—drive, normally you'd have a sales rep in the car with you. not any more. from today, you'll be alone. ministers say the risk of infection is lower outdoors, and in more open spaces. in a fortnight, other non—essential shops will open again, but businesses are having to overhaul how they operate, to keep customers and staff safe. simon gompertz reports. this is the monday with a difference they've been waiting for at barnsley‘s open—air market. at last, they can get back to selling what are called non—essentials, like clothes and things for the home, as well as fruit and veg. customers a bit cautious but the buying began before eight o'clock. i'm quite impressed, actually, because these days, you just don't know, do you? and how did it work?

was it different for you? they stood over there and asked about duvets, asking about size and prices. she stood over there, i got them out and then she put the money over there and then took it from there. social distancing is vital, keeping everyone two metres apart. hygiene as well, hand sanitisers using foot pumps. the feeling here is of relief. to have a permanent lockdown for ten weeks is a nightmare in a small business. you can't measure it. one trader said to me it was like falling off a cliff. one big issue today as things start going again is the threat of congestion, which is why a lot of markets are reopening stalls gradually, in order to guard against the risk that people will start bumping onto —— into each other or narrow pavements and wa lkwa ys other or narrow pavements and walkways and, bearing in mind as well, it is only a couple of weeks until nonessential shops on the high

street will also be opening up. today also sees car dealers back in business after sales of new vehicles fell close to zero during the lockdown. again, a big emphasis on measures to reduce the risk of transmission, helped by the fact that, in most showrooms, there is more indoor and outdoor space. during lockdown, the whole industry effectively shutdown. april was very low numbers. may was slightly better. but i think until we see the impact of retail opening, it's going to be very difficult to understand what the true level of demand is. england is moving fastest on this. in scotland, smaller shops and outdoor markets can open in the second phase of its easing plan, no date yet. the timing hasn't been fixed yet in wales, either, where non—essential shops and services could open in the amber phase of the exit strategy, nor in northern ireland, where non—food outlets will reopen in step two of its plan. here is possibly a sign of what is to come. the queue outside ikea in gateshead, which let customers back

in today, with a general reopening of nonessential shops in england expected on june of nonessential shops in england expected onjune the 15th, our eerily quiet high streets expected to become much busier. simon gompertz, bbc news. the netherlands is easing its lockdown, with primary schools returning to normal, and restaurants, bars, cinemas, and theatres allowed to re—open. museums, too, are opening their galleries once more, as anna holligan reports from amsterdam. the first thing is the numbers. they are allowing a fifth of the number of visitors in every day, which of course means it will be a lot quieter if you can get a space. they aren't allowing people to just walk in off the street any more — you have to book your 15—minute time slot in advance. and when you do go inside, the rules are the same as outside — you must keep your distance from other people. here in the netherlands, that is 1.5 metres. the good news is that there is no limit placed on the amount of time you can stand in front of the masters,

so rembrandt, vermeer. of course, amsterdam is home to so many cultural attractions — the anne frank house, the van gogh museum — but there isn't one policy that fits all. they are essentially trying to allow people to come in a safe way without restricting their enjoyment, that there's no rush. so if you are worried about being able to travel — these masterpieces were here before the pandemic and they will be around long after it's gone. many of italy's cultural icons are reopening, as the country continues to ease its lockdown measures. the colosseum in rome is welcoming tourists for the first time in months. there are strict limits on the number of people allowed at the site. they're asked to wear masks, and everyone has their temperature taken on entry. here, elite sport is also restarting — but without the crowds. horse racing is one of the first to return, with a meeting at newcastle today. katie gornall is there.

yes, horse racing is back, but many of its familiar features will be missing here at newcastle's gosforth park, there will be no spectators, no bookies, no owners. this fence is keeping out all of those except the essential two race day. it is a raft of social distancing and hygiene measures put in place to allow horse racing to take its first tentative steps towards recovery. at the north yorkshire home of britain's most successful horse trainer, it's almost been business as usual. despite the lockdown, markjohnston's 280 horses still need their exercise and still need to be ready. forjohnston, who himself has recovered from coronavirus, the past two and a half months have been unsettling and uncertain. it's been a very frustrating period where we would have been racing and we've all of these horses ticking over and nowhere to go, but, you know, we've been very, very lucky in comparison to other industries. nothing could lend itself more to social distancing than being on the back

of a racehorse. i've never had so many horses fit and ready to run and looking for a race. now they do have something to aim for. horse racing has been given the go—ahead to restart. the opening race will take here at newcastle's gosforth park, as the sport tries to recover from a £50 million loss of income. it's great news for sport, great news for sport and our industry. coming back today allows us to resume some economic activity and the great thing is that our people are having to return here today under much, much stricter conditions than the vast majority of industries that are returning over the next few weeks. but the whole race day experience here in newcastle is going to feel very different. for a start, everyone will have their temperature checked on arrival. and then once inside, everyone will have to follow a strict one—way system. now, usually, the male jockeys would get ready in here, they would all be tightly packed together. instead, organisers have set up this whole new area with cubicles to allowjockeys

to socially distance. in fact, the only time they shouldn't be two metres apart from someone is during the leg up onto their horse. before the lockdown, racing here was as much about the action around the course as on the track. but, on monday, these stands will be almost empty. they will be no fans, no bookies and no owners. numbers have been strictly limited. in the summer, we are used to 20,000 crowds, but it's just great to get the sport back up, you know? i mean, the industry looks after 70,000 people who work within horse racing and everyone is keen to get it moving. for the jockeys, many of whom only get paid when they race, it's been a big relief. we were just starting to get going when it all got stopped and the horses here seem in good form, sojust hoping to hit the ground running. and a few minutes ago, that is exactly what happened, as horses burst out of the stalls here for the

first time in months. racing was back on track. and horse racing is not the only sport to return today. some of the biggest names in snooker, including world champion judd trump, biggest names in snooker, including world championjudd trump, will be back at the table later in milton keynes. all of the competitors have been tested for coronavirus and isolated until the results are known and it is those kind of measure getting sport through this crisis. thank you very much. now, away from racing, i hope... the queen has been photographed riding in the grounds of windsor castle — the first time she's been seen outside since the coronavirus lockdown began. the queen was pictured on one of her ponies, a 1a—year—old called balmoral fern. she's been isolating at windsor with her husband, the duke of edinburgh, and a small number of staff. on what is another sunny day for us, new figures show we've just had the sunniest spring since records began in 1929. the met office says the amount of sunshine across the uk has been "absolutely extrordinary". roger harrabin has been looking at the reasons behind it —

and asking whether it's also a cause for concern. the sunny spell has made lockdown so much easier to bearfor those lucky enough to get outside. we've seen record sunshine in all the home nations, barely a drop of rain. but the statistics have dumbfounded scientists. look at the numbers. on average, the uk gets a36 hours of spring sun. the previous record is 555 hours of sun between march and the end of may. this year, we've bathed in 613 hours and that's still rising until final figures later today. a met office spokesperson said they were staggered by the statistics. they are very un—british. especially following the drenching which saw widespread flooding and the wettest february on record. 0ne extreme to another. both phenomena are driven by the jet stream, the high—level wind that can lock weather patterns in place for long periods. the contrast is unprecedented. it's the shift from the amount

of rainfall that we saw during the winter, so december, january and february, into the spring months, march, april, may. that is the largest difference in rainfall that we have seen from a notably wet season, the winter season, into spring. we've never seen that before. and we do shift from wetter seasons to dry seasons and vice versa, we have seen prolonged droughts in the past, we have seen wetter seasons in the past. but it's the largest difference that we have ever recorded and that is why i use the word unprecedented. you can blame the jet stream. that is the high—level wind that can lock in place weather patterns in the uk. whether they are wet or dry. is man—made climate change playing a part? well, we know it is warming the arctic. melting ice and causing wildfires in places like siberia, which hit record temperatures recently. is this affecting the jet stream? scientists are not yet sure. they do know this fine spell is set to end,