welcome to bbc news. i'm lewis vaughan jones. our top stories: independence day in the us is overshadowed by another big increase in coronavirus cases, and president trump defends the nations‘ past heroes. we will not throw away our heroes, we will honour them and we will prove worthy of their sacrifice. a major easing of the coronavirus lockdown in england, with pubs, restaurants, and hotels able to re—open. more than 200,000 people are back in lockdown in part of spain's catalonia region. to the west of barcelona.

president trump has declared the united states to be the greatest and most virtuous nation in the history of the world, in a speech marking independence day. addressing crowds outside the white house, the president attempted to reach out to all americans, saying the country's rich heritage belonged to every citizen, from every background, "no matter our race, colour, religion or creed". he reafirmed his determination to put america first, and promised to defend its history and heroes from those who would tarnish them. let's take a listen. first, let's go live to washington because there have been independence day crowds. this is not farfrom been independence day crowds. this is not far from the washington monument, which you can see at the back. tensions have a reason. we had that

speech earlier on from donald trump and crowds and we are hearing reports of heated tension between make america great crowds, supporters of donald trump and black lives matter crowds. let have here at what they are chanting... usa! black lives matter! these are people gathering in the capital, washington, dc, marking independence day and we will be keeping an eye on this. let's ta ke will be keeping an eye on this. let's take a listen to what donald trump had to say a little earlier. this incredible story of american progress is the story of each generation picking up where the last finished, linked by time, by fate and the internal bonds of our national affection. those who would sever those

bonds would cut us off from the wisdom, the courage, the love and the devotion that gave us everything we are today, and everything we strive for tomorrow. we cannot let that happen. we will not throw away our heroes. we will honour them and we will prove worthy of their sacrifice. that was donald trump speaking just before it got dark in washington. it is independence day. celebrations scale down significantly because of corona day virus and also the meaning of the celebration it's a big question given recent events in the us. steve herman is the white house bureau chief for the international media organisation, voice of america.

he says the president was trying to appeal for votes in the run up to november elections. well, he is trying to appeal to his supporters and independent voters that he desperately needs for re—election in november, that there is this threat from the far left, "anarchists" as he calls them, socialists and others who want a revisionist view of american history — literally tearing down these statues people that have long been considered heroes in this country — and doesn't want to see this discussion take place about a more balanced view of american history. well, on that slightly rebalancing view of american history, just stay there, steve. i just want to listen to these, because the bbc went out and spoke to three young african americans who are among protesters out on the street, calling for an end to racism today, and actually calling forjuneteenth, which celebrates the official

end of slavery in america, to be a more appropriate holiday for black americans to celebrate. let's take a listen. the fourth ofjuly is not a day for people who look like me. as a new nation, even while celebrating independence, we were still widely practising slavery. for black americans, that story of independence is historically inaccurate. as you grow older and older, you start to realise that all of the men in these wonderful pictures, were the founders of this country, none of them look like you, even worse, some of them owned black people. we still have this identity crisis. a lot of people are trying to figure out what does it mean to be a black american? for some, it means they made them citizenship. they fought 400 years to celebrate this holiday. for a lot of black americans, there's been this big push to reinvigorate celebrating juneteenth, which happens onjune i9. i think now, with everything that is happening in our

cultural and political climate, that a lot of black americans are turning to that holiday instead of the fourth ofjuly. it is interesting. for people who don't know, the fourth ofjuly is independence for the united states from the uk, and no—one, i don't think, is arguing that that shouldn't be remembered and remarked upon. but this year, there is such a wider conversation going on about american history. sure, and juneteenth is also getting the support of senators in the president's own party. so there is some likelihood that that could become the next new official federal holiday in the united states. but the question that the republicans are asking, and the president has put front and centre, is on this approach to reviewing history and tearing down statues, is where does it stop? george washington, thomasjefferson, early presidents of the united states, heroes of the country's founding, they were

slave owners. so, should all images of them be removed from public? and that is a bridge too far, and maybe even for mainstream democrats as well. so that at least is one point that the president is hammering on that may find a wider audience beyond his base. do you think that is the calculation then? because his speech yesterday at mount rushmore is very similar, amplifying this kind of culture war and a fightback against, in his words, "the ha rd left". is he setting up and teeing up this fight deliberately to try and, well, not only appeal to his base, but actually appeal to more moderate voters? well, there is no doubt about that is what he's attempting to do, but what we are hearing from some republican lawmakers, they are worried about this approach, that, yes, this resonates with the core, but painting everybody

who doesn't fully support the president's policies across the board as anarchists and that basically taking approach to everybody who's been on the streets in past weeks in the united states are elements that are dangerous, because painting the black lives matter movement in one sweeping hand is a bunch of marxists. there is a lot of empathy for what these people on the streets are demonstrating for against the police brutality, and for the president to take such a stark view could backfire. let's ta ke let's take you straight back to washington and you can see, this is live at the washington monument. independence day being celebrated in the us with

fireworks. it has just gone nine p.m.. independence day fourth ofjuly nine p.m.. independence day fourth of july is nine p.m.. independence day fourth ofjuly is celebrated with fireworks across the country. hugely scaled—down this year because of corona virus. these are the fireworks in washington. lots of people have gathered. in some areas they are socially distanced. they are there for the fireworks and they are enjoying it. we did see early on slightly higher tensions between protesters charting i wonder if they took pause to watch the fireworks. we will keep across these pictures. the marking of independence of the us from the uk, which is mentioned every single year in the us but very, very rarely has been a controversial day as this year given that the events and the fight against racism in the country as a whole. the

significance place on the fourth ofjuly celebrations have been questioned in a way that they have not been over previous but that they have not been over previous - but these that they have not been over previ take but these 3}; f fit f if” "7 that they have not been over previ take a but these 3}; f fit f if” "7 that they have not been over previ take a quick it these 3}; f fit f if” "7 that they have not been over previ take a quick pause e 3}; f fit f if” "7 that they have not been over previ take a quick pause to i: f fit f if" "7 let's take a quick pause to ta ke let's take a quick pause to take a look. we will keep across those celebrations in washington and come back to them through the next couple of hours. after three months of coronavirus lockdown, england has taken a big step towards normal life, with the largest lifting of restrictions so far. in the last 2a hours, a further 67 people are reported to have died after testing positive for coronavirus, bringing the total number of deaths in the uk to a4,i98. the major relaxation of rules in england means pubs, restaurants, and hairdressers can reopen. our business editor, simonjack, reports from torquay, in the south—west.

no—one knew what to expect today. people desperate for a pint or would it be completely deserted? none of those feared outcomes happened but independent which business you we re independent which business you were in. slow and steady at the start for the pub trade but no lack of demand for a long overdue post lockdown haircut. 7am in torquay and alex walker is opening up his hair salon for the first time in nearly four months. visors on and a last—minute team briefing before the first customers arrive at eight. everybody will be happy to be here, so let's just take care of everybody. excited! they didn't seem fazed by the new procedures. at the end of the day, it's worth adapting a little bit to be able to come back and sort out, and look like ourselves again and not worzel gummidge! she's happy, he's happy. despite the extra cost, alex is confident the business is viable. i would not be stood here if i couldn't make any

money, so yeah, we've adjusted our system, we've had a small adjustment to our prices to make it sustainable but i think if you don't do that, then you might not have a business. the big moment, iiam, opening time for the rock garden pub. there was certainly no early, unmanageable crush, customers trickled, rather than flooded in, but by midday... ..folks were getting back into the swing of it. as long as everyone keeps away from each other and sticks to the guidelines, i can't see it being too much of an issue. the staff members are wearing their face masks, it's what you want. feel safe, definitely. feels safe, definitely. the other fear was that not enough people would turn up to make economic sense to reopen. 0wner dave walsh said that while it was quieter than expected or hoped, it was still important to reopen today. it is great to reopen. everyone needs to reopen, not just for ourselves, it's for employees, the job security and the community

as a whole. this feels like an important moment for the national psyche, a welcome glimpse of normality, welcome signs of economic activity, so important in tourist towns like torquay. but it's also a nervous moment. businesses and the government will be watching carefully to see whether we're getting enough economic bang for the health risk buck. around towns, reminders of the economic rest are one of the ha rd est economic rest are one of the hardest hit sectors. we know that businesses are saying a third of premises may not reopen at that means half a millionjobs remain at reopen at that means half a million jobs remain at risk over the next three months. 2pm at the pier point restaurant and one of the 75% of businesses to make a loss. we spent a lot of money getting prepared to open it and then we could not open it. we have written it off, we are likely to break even but at least we are back. the danger of another

spike and lockdown is still out there but, for an industry crippled by this virus, today was an important step forward. to spain now. in the catalan capital, barcelona, one of the most famous churches in the world is reopening to visitors. but in another area, more than 200,000 people are facing a new lockdown due to a surge in coronavirus cases. alanna petroff has the latest. barcelona's the sagrada familia is the most visited building in spain, attracting millions of tourists every year. this it is open for a select group, frontline workers. healthcare professionals were invited to look around with barcelona's archbishop leading the tour. translation: it is the first timei translation: it is the first time i have come here for it represents a gift for our effo rts represents a gift for our efforts and hours of work in recent months. i am quite grateful and it shows

recognition of our contribution. even for those who do not believe in a higher power, it is a time to be thankful. you confirmed cases in spain are down significantly. the country has been reopening. but that is not the case in another part of catalonia, about a two—hour drive with anything county of segria a new lockdown is now in force after spike in coronavirus cases. in this hospital, the number of patients coming in with covid—i9 has tripled in the last ten days. translation: we believe that we have to take specific measures to protect the most vulnerable people, to reinforce the protection in our health centres and the hospital itself. new police checks ensure locals stay in and outsiders stay out. the

lockdown is expected to run for about 15 days. it is part of a new plan design to ensure this outbreak does not get out of control again, cutting down on scenes like this, flashing lights on ambulances, patients on stretchers. this is bbc news. our main headline this hour. independence day in the us is overshadowed by another big increase in coronavirus cases as president trump defends the nation's past heroes. and this is the scene at the washington monument in the capital as protestors from the black lives matter campaign group and pro—trump make america great again demonstrators have gathered in large numbers as a fireworks display takes place. right, let's stay with that story. independence day in the united states celebrates freedom for most americans, but how are black americans

thinking about celebrating the day at a time of nationwide protests for racial equality? well, some prominent black american commentators have been taking to social media to promote the famous the anti—slavery speech ‘what to the slave is the fourth ofjuly?‘ by frederick douglass. douglass was a former slave who escaped and later became a national leader of the abolitionist movement and confidant of president abraham lincoln. dr rashawn ray is a fellow at the brookings institution. much of his research focusses on race and social activism. he joins us from washington. thank you so much for coming on the programme again. take you for having me. so, he was a remarkable man and wrote an incredibly powerful speech. i suppose the first thing we should do before we talk about it and analyse it is just here a bit of it. you do us the honour of reading some of the words? yes, most definitely.

frederick douglass gave this speech onjuly frederick douglass gave this speech on july five, 1852, frederick douglass gave this speech onjuly five, 1852, and one of the statements he made was what to the american slave is your fourth ofjuly? i answer, a day that reveals more than all of the other days in the year. the world's injustices and cruelty to which he is the constant victim. to him, your celebration is a sham. you are boasting liberty on an unholy license. swelling vanity. your sounds of rejoicing are empty and heartless, your annunciation is of tyra nts, heartless, your annunciation is of tyrants, grass impudence, hollow mockery, your prayers and hymns, your sermons and thanksgivings, with all your religious parade and salinity, and to him, we are bombast, fried, deception impropriety and hypocrisy. there is not a

nation on the earth guilty of practices more shocking and bloody than other people of these united states at this very hour. thank you so much for reading data. you can feel the power as you read them there. and is not surprising so many people have been sharing doubt on social media today. what do those words mean to you? i think what they mean is continuing to have dreams deferred and thinking about frederick douglass, him being a slave in maryland, on a very gruesome plantation where he was beating regularly and others were beaten, he taught himself how to read and write. he then fed himself by actually breaking away from his master and actually beating his master and actually beating his master and then heading north, going on to become one of america's and the world's greatest

writers. he also helped president lincoln to rethink slavery and of course he was pa rt slavery and of course he was part of the abolitionist movement and help to found the north star periodical. what do you make of the conversations we are having right now of course, but have been having throughout the day today on the fourth ofjuly. throughout the day today on the fourth of july. it throughout the day today on the fourth ofjuly. it feels a very different year this year than previous years. really serious questions being asked about what it actually means. what do you make of it? well, i think what is happening right now is july four has always been a holiday of contradictions. if we go back, people like myself up we go back, people like myself up until 60 years ago couldn't vote, couldn't live in any neighbourhood that they wanted to. now these sorts of things are possible. however, what is happening right here at this moment with a global pandemic related covid—19, the fact that millions of americans are still out of work, the fact that covid—19 is hitting the united

states worse than basically any other country in the world, and then of course this is coupled with a continuation of police brutality, a continuation of structural racism. so i think it's a lot of people, black, white, and otherwise who are hurting in the united states, you don't necessarily see this july four, 2020, is something to celebrate but instead an opportunity to reflect, to rethink what we want to see in november and what we want to see in 2021 and moving forward. and rashawn ray, your thoughts on one final issue before we leave it. in the last hour we heard from people talking about juneteenth again and calling for that to be the real day that americans mark. what is your reaction to that? well, obviouslyjuneteenth your reaction to that? well, obviously juneteenth is the your reaction to that? well, obviouslyjuneteenth is the day when some of the last slaves in galveston, texas, learned of their freedom. galveston, texas, learned of theirfreedom. and as i have written about it at the brookings institution, i think juneteenth should not only be a national holiday, but a

rallying cry for reparations. what we're seeing is college educated blacks have seven times less wealth than college—educated whites. what we're seeing is black americans are 3.5times we're seeing is black americans are 3.5 times more likely to be killed by the police when they are not attacking. what we're seeing is black houses, not houses in predominantly black neighbourhoods, are worth $50,000 less than those in predominantly white that we put all of these stats together and again we see dreams deferred. it supposedly demand of the free and the home of the brave but we aren't seeing that was that we need to invest in policies and i think your intent can help in this, i think reparations can help in this, and! think reparations can help in this, and i think more progressive policies can get us into a point where racial equality and freedom is something that america really stands for. ok. rashawn ray, thank you for your time again. thank you. the national gallery will be the first major museum in the uk to re—open its doors next week, after the easing of lockdown restrictions. but to minimise risks, visitors will have to first book online, and there'll be

one—way routes with social distancing and other safety measures. here's our arts editor, will gompertz. so, here we are in trafalgar square at the national gallery, which has been closed for over 100 days, the longest the building has been shut in its entire history. so the masterpieces are available to see again, but the experience is going to be very different. masks on. so you can'tjust wander around the gallery like you used to be able to do. instead, you have to choose one of three prescribed routes. they've all got a bit of everything in them, but broadly speaking, they take about 30 minutes. a, over there is the italians, b, over there is the northern europeans and c, also in this direction are the british. now, i'm going to choose route b because i think something extra special lies in wait. there's a one—way system in operation which is clearly marked on the floor. you're asked to remain at two metres distance throughout. route b takes you back 400 years to this extraordinary room of paintings by peter paul rubens and then round the corner, there is something that is

maybe even better. back on public view, having been fully restored, this magnificent equestrian portrait of charles i by anthony van dyck. we go from anthony van dyck to a room full of rembrandts from a painting of his young wife to a self—portrait at the end of his life. i'm taking the northern european—themed route, but they're all a bit of a mixture, hence a bit of spanish thrown in here with velasquez and italian baroque with caravaggio and all his followers which are in the largest space in the national gallery which has just been splendidly restored at a cost of £4 million. this route ends with the impressionists. now, i've got a choice, i can either look at some of the paintings and go, or choose one of the other tours. they're all free. as for an experience, well, it's different in it's unusual not to be able to wander around, but also, there's something quite good about a curated tour. you know, professionals giving you a suggestion of what you should see

and when you should see it. and some of those rooms are total blockbusters. i don't know, maybe it's the future. will gompertz, bbc news. let's ta ke let's take you straight back to the us and washington and the fireworks and celebrations marking independence day, the fourth ofjuly. so you can see, thatis fourth ofjuly. so you can see, that is the nation's capital, a huge fireworks display around the washington monument. president trump and his wife are watching on, too. this year, independence day celebrations have beans go down because of coronavirus. barbecues across the country, ordinarily, but displays have been go back a little bit easier. plenty of fireworks still going on in washington, dc, although this year a very

different climate of course as many americans are thinking about celebrating the day at a time of nationwide protest for racial equality. that's it. this is bbc news. hello, the first half of the weekend was grey and breezy for most of us. the second half of the weekend is looking thoroughly windy, unusually windy for the time of year. expecting gales and places through the day ahead. it should be a bit of sunshine but also some showers. low pressure firmly in charge of the scene. this looks more autumnal than summer. lots of white lines you can see on the chart, isobars, with the wind is strong throughout the day. a frontal system bringing patchy cloud into the south—east first thing, which will clear quickly, and then a fair amount of sunshine. some showers as well, some of those will be really heavy. particularly across parts of northern england, northern england and scotland. there could be the odd flash of lightning, the rumble of thunder mixed in. these are the wind

gusts you can expect. the windiest weather of all across parts of ireland, scotland. gusts of 50—60 miles per hour and maybe stronger winds to the east of the pennines. that could cause disruption to travel, particularly for high—sided vehicles. it will feel relatively cool. as we head through sunday night, you can see further showers in the forecast, particularly across the northern half of the uk. it stays fairly windy. i think the winds will ease a little as we head into the first part of monday. and also it's going to be a slightly cooler, fresher night. temperatures in a few spots getting down into single digits. so on monday, we'll see low pressure sliding away towards scandinavia. high pressure starting to build in from the south—west, between the two, still fairly brisk winds across the country. these winds coming down from the north—west. so that's never going to be a particularly warm wind direction. but as you can see, not as many showers through the day on monday.

a fair amount of dry weather and some spells of sunshine. but those temperatures, 16—20 degrees, just a touch below what we might expect at this point injuly. now, tuesday looks like a dry day for most. patchy rain in the far north of scotland, otherwise a fair amount of dry weather. but it looks like more rain will work in from the west as we head towards the afternoon and evening. as temperatures again on the low side, 14—21 degrees celsius. and as we head through the middle part of the week, wednesday into thursday, some further outbreaks of rain at times. and those temperatures just a bit below par.

this is bbc news, the headlines: independence day in the us is overshadowed by another big increase in coronavirus cases. the president faces a tough re—election campaign and is eager to mobilize his political base. at the celebrations he defended the nations past heroes. and at the washington monument in the capital, protestors from the black lives matter campaign group and pro—trump make america great again demonstrators have gathered in large numbers, as a fireworks display takes place. 200,000 people are back in lockdown in part of spain's catalonia region, after a sharp rise in infections in segria, a zone that includes the town of lleida, some 150 kilometres west of barcelona. a major easing of the coronavirus lockdown is in effect in england, with pubs, restaurants, and hotels able to re—open. pubs opened for the first time in 3 months, but there are reports that social distancing became harder