welcome to bbc news — i'm lewis vaughan jones. our top stories: coronavirus infections pass the two million mark in brazil, making it the second worst hit country after the united states. people often say that this virus isn't visible, but the suffering here is so easy to see. western governments say russian hackers are trying to steal the research on a covid—19 vaccine. as temperatures rise around the world, a warning from scientists about the dangers of heat stress for the human body. and the mini solar flares across the sun's surface revealed in the closest images ever taken.

hello and welcome. brazil has now recorded more than 2 million coronavirus cases, as the country struggles to deal with one of the worst outbreaks in the world. in the past few hours, brazil released figures showing that more than 2,012,000 people are now confirmed to have covid—19. the number of people who have died from the virus has risen to 76,688. brazil is the second worst—affected country in the world, after the us, which has more nearly 3 —— 3,700,000 cases. the brazilian president jair bolsonaro says he has tested positive for a second time, after being retested. but, despite that, he's encouraging the country to reopen and return

to normality. katy watson reports from sao paulo. in these frightening times, moments of comfort are everything. for two months now, this man has been in intensive care. he only has one working lung — it's unclear if he'll survive. dr andre asks if he's experiencing pain. all he can do is blink to say "yes". these are intense times for everyone. andre works on shift with his wife, dr fernanda. they live this crisis together 21w. even here, brazil's top infectious diseases hospital, coronavirus has floored them. it was the first hospital to fill up in sao paulo and every day they are turning more people away. it's not physical, it's psychological. ‘cause sometimes we fail and we have to deal with the family pain, and theyjust couldn't see those patients,

they're not here for them when they're dying. it's the loneliness that they feel, even if they are sedated. i feel safe here, more than outside. really? it's a comment that says a lot. the president has shunned social distancing and regularly refused to wear masks, despite them being mandatory. the death toll keeps climbing and even now that he has the virus, he's supportive of shops and restaurants reopening. there is little love for jair bolsonaro on this ward. i think he was the worst thing that we can have in this moment. he was — he is, in fact — irresponsible. he is a person without empathy and he said, "it's not my problem." so is my problem? in the midst of grief,

politics doesn't matter, but everyone is affected. gravediggers tell me that their work has tripled. no longer do you have hearses bringing in a body, you have vans bringing in five. people often say that this virus isn't visible, but the suffering here is so easy to see. i meet ada nielsen in latin america's largest cemetery. he's exhuming bodies today. with burials rising, space is at a premium, so those whose loved ones died more than 3.5 years ago are being asked to collect their bones. "the only thing a gravedigger is afraid of is getting covid," he says. he's been in thejob for 25 years. his hours are long, and it's got personal. his uncle was buried here just a few weeks ago. a childhood friend was also lost to covid—i9. ada nielsen says hisjob nowadays is also that of a counsellor, telling families to stay home and stay safe.

"if people here understood the point of quarantine, "we wouldn't be so busy," says ada nielsen. "things would be different." for those who have passed, little chance to rest in peace in these challenging times. katy watson, bbc news, sao paulo. let's speak to emil kupek, professor of public health at the university of santa catarina. thanks very much for coming on the programme. you're welcome. just give us your assessment of what's happening in brazil. well, we have most parts of brazil still greatly affected by the epidemic. especially in the south of brazil, it has been less as —— accelerated so

far, and these numbers, these official numbers are certainly far worse because several methods show that they underestimate by at least four oi’ underestimate by at least four or five underestimate by at least four orfive times underestimate by at least four or five times the real number of infected and diseased. if you look at the so—called serious acute respiratory illness, those numbers are much higher. there is no other respiratory infection. so not just on the side of personal suffering, it's also the lack of other information on the global and also local level that inhibits other protections. i see, so what do you make more widely of the handling of this? it's a

terrible mess, because you see, we have social distancing measures like lockdown, for instance, left to the mouse to decide. and the governments of the states, we are a adoration. they each have their own view, politically influenced, so on and so forth and the federal government is doing something to help financially but i guess it's fair to say it's too little, too late. they have helped 30% of the population financially but that will not by itself curb the epidemic. and how seriously are people taking it there? are people in brazil, are they relaxed about it, are they scared? what's

happening? they are very scared. they are very scared, most of them, but they don't have much choice. they have to work. they have been taking this risk, it's a cruel thing but about 40% of brazilians, they depend on day—to—day work, they depend on day—to—day work, they are informal workers. they have this terrible choice, not being able to provide to their families, eventually getting that virus that no—one has exactly seen. all that they can use, those bad examples those key figures, some of them, it doesn't look good. 0k, key figures, some of them, it doesn't look good. ok, thanks very much.

russia has dismissed allegations it tried to steal research into a coronavirus vaccine and meddle in british politics. the uk, the united states and canada say hackers in russia have targeted organisations trying to find a vaccine. separately, the british government says it's "almost certain" there were russian attempts to interfere in the uk's last parliamentary election. 0ur security correspondent, gordon corera has more. today, the government lashed out at russia's spies, accusing them directly of trying to steal vital uk research on the coronavirus pandemic. given that the world is trying to come together to find a vaccine for our own peoples, british people here in the uk, but also for people around the world, i'm afraid it's pretty egregious behaviour and it deserves and it should be called out in the way we're doing today. oxford university has been leading the world in developing a vaccine. i understand it's one of the labs whose computer systems have been targeted. british intelligence says

it's seen hackers trying to steal data from universities, labs and pharmaceutical companies. but its cyber security chief told me it's been trying to defend them. we're working flat out to protect vaccine research because it's so important to the nation right now. and with our canadian and american partners, we've seen russian spies, who go by the name of cozy bear and the dukes, try to hack into the networks, undertaking some of our vital research. so, we've been able to detect it. this was russian tv news last night, saying their vaccine, developed jointly with the defence ministry, was nearly ready. the british government is not saying it has confirmation that the russians have actually obtained sensitive data. trials here are under way, and it is clear, though, that many countries are racing to find a vaccine, both for national prestige and to avoid being reliant on others when it's ready.

these cyber attacks on labs are said to have been carried out by a group called cozy bear, part of the russian intelligence services. but today, we learned about another operation allegedly linked to russia. this one involved a more shadowy group called secondary infektion, whose exact identity is less clear. it's alleged to have spread information online to interfere with last year's general election. applause. during the campaign, labour presented a leaked document, arguing it showed the nhs was on the table in us—uk trade talks, but today, the government said it believed that the russian group was involved in spreading the document. the russian foreign ministry today mocked the allegations as confusing and contradictory, but russia has been long accused of trying to meddle, and, according to the analyst who uncovered secondary infektion‘s work, the group's aim has been to sow division. it's the kind of thing where you can see they're trying to drive wedges between different countries

which are critical of the kremlin. and it's interesting that when they did the initial leaks of the trade documents themselves, they didn't actually focus on the nhs. the way they presented the leaks was much more, "here's another case of the americans bullying "the british." reporter: mr corbyn, do you have anything to say about russian disruption? in a statement today, jeremy corbyn said the claim was an attempt to divert attention from a long—overdue parliamentary report on russia expected next week. today's claims are a reminder that even during a global health crisis, hackers and spies remain active, and also that tensions between russia and the uk have not gone away. gordon corera, bbc news. vera zakem is a russian disinformation specialist. she is the founder of zakem global strategies and senior technology and policy advisor, technology for global security. she's in san francisco. thanks very much for coming on the show. i give having me.

what do you think of the motives behind these hacks? so look, if you have three intelligence agencies that have corroborated data and information, there is likely a high degree of confidence that there is some veracity to what we're right now. so it's likely to have happened, but what is the motivation, why try and get actions —— access to this information? i would say there isa information? i would say there is a couple of actors. first and foremost, i think russia and foremost, i think russia and other actors are trying to get cutting—edge research and really get ahead of the game. vaccines and treatments for covid—i9. let's also not forget that while this is a global pandemic, everyone is really in it for themselves so what i think is likely going to happen, some of the motivation behind it, is essentially for technological competition and finally, i would say, if there

isa finally, i would say, if there is a potential leak coming out of this hack, and in that league, if there is any flaw in that research, i think there will be very likely a protracted full on disinformation and misinformation campaign not just by russia or china but also spreading by citizens of oui’ also spreading by citizens of our country's and why it is really designed to further so distrust and further divide us on an issue that is so highly politicised and polarised between those that are interested in waiting for a vaccine and those in the anti—vax community who are arguing against it. i will pick up arguing against it. i will pick up on it, what do you mean about disinformation and misinformation, is it about debunking the baseless anti—vax conspiracy theories. exactly, just to clarify, this is something that hasn't changed

but even state or non—state actors and misinformation is something that can easily be spread, whether it's a full on conspiracy theory propagation, even just conspiracy theory propagation, evenjust a conspiracy theory propagation, even just a little bit about, half—truth, but innocent people not knowing all the site think there is something to it. interesting. and i should say, we heard there the russians have denied these allegations. what do you make about denial? they've also other allegations in the past, whether we're about foreign interference also scientific research but again, igo scientific research but again, i go back to, if there is corroboration between multiple governments on this data, they wouldn't have issued a warning. fascinating stuff, really good to speak to you. stay with us on bbc news. still to come: the closest ever pictures of the sun reveal the mini solar flares across its surface.

after months of talks and missed deadlines, a deal has been struck to keep greece within the eurozone. the immediate prospect of greece going bust in the worst crisis to hit the eurozone has been averted. emergency services across central europe are stepping up their efforts to contain the worse floods this century. nearly 100 people have been killed. broadway is traditionally called the 'great white way' by americans, but tonight, it's completely blacked out. it's a timely reminder to all americans of the problems that the energy crisis has brought to them. leaders meet in paris for a summit on pollution, inflation and third world debt. this morning, theyjoined the revolution celebrations for a show of military might on the champs—elysees. wildlife officials in australia have been coping with a penguin problem. fairy penguins have been staggering ashore and collapsing after gorging themselves on a huge shoal of their favourite food, pilchards. some had eaten so much,

they could barely stand. this is bbc news. iam i am lewis vaughanjones. the latest headlines: coronavirus infections have passed the 2 million mark in brazil, making it the worst hit country after the united states. western governments say russian hackers are trying to steal the research of scientists working on a covid—i9 vaccine. scientists have warned that rising global temperatures will increase the risk of people suffering heat stress. this is more thanjust feeling a bit hot — when the body can't cool down, it can lead to a range of serious health problems. it's already a big concern for those who work outside in hot countries. but medical staff have experienced similar issues wearing ppe during the coronavirus pandemic. 0ur science editor, david shukman, has this report. in the tropical heat of singapore, the medics are dripping with sweat, literally. they're caring for patients with covid—i9, but there's no

air conditioning and the personal protective equipment makes them even hotter. i'm actually drenched with sweat inside the ppe. and it's very warm for me to work in these conditions. it can affect my thought process and my concentration as well. the risk is that hospital staffjust keep working, but then collapse from what's called heat stress, where the bodyjust can't cope. heat stress can happen when there's a combination of two different factors. the first is a high temperature, and the hotter it gets, the more the body tries to protect itself by sweating. the evaporation on the surface of the skin helps to keep the body cool. but if, at the same time, there's a high level of humidity, with a lot

of moisture in the air, well, then that process of the sweat evaporating can't take place, the cooling doesn't happen, the body becomes overheated. and that can lead to anything from dizziness to fatigue, to failure of the kidneys. this device measures that combination of heat and humidity, and the worry is that as climate change makes the world hotter, working conditions for many will become even tougher. this matters for millions of people, especially in developing countries. from brick makers in india, risking their health out in the open to earn a living, to construction workers in the already sweltering gulf. scientists say that heat stress could become the next big threat after the coronavirus. i see this pandemic almost like a full dress rehearsal for what is to come. this climate change, global warming, will be a bigger monster and we really need co—ordinated efforts across nations to prepare

what is to come. luckily, there are ways to help. resting in shade is the most obvious solution for people working out of doors, along with fans to keep the air moving and having plenty of water. researchers have found that simple steps make a real difference. if you can take a complete break, sit down and rest, take on some cold water and be seated in the shade with some air flowing through and allow yourself some recovery during that work day, we are seeing that have a significant impact in the health of the workers that we're working with. back in singapore, the hospital lays on semi—frozen drinks to help the staff cool down. many other employers don't think about the impact of heat on their workers, but there's growing evidence that they'll need to, as global temperatures rise. david shukman, bbc news.

let's get some of the day's other news. the us supreme court has ruled that a florida law that restricts voting rights for people with past felony convictions should stand. it means that hundreds of thousands won't be able to vote in state primaries in august and possibly the november presidential elections. the florida law requires people with felony convictions to pay outstanding court debts before being able to register to vote. the fbi has begun an investigation into the hacking of high—profile twitter accounts as part of an apparent bitcoin scam. among its victims were barack 0bama, kanye west and bill gates. twitter said the attack took place after employees with access to internal systems were targeted. soldiers in southern china are racing to reinforce riverbanks with sandbags while residents flee the worst hit areas. since the flood season began injune, 33 rivers in china have reached their highest levels in history. at least mi people have died.

shares in netflix have fallen by more than 10% after the video streaming service reported flat quarterly profits, despite a record number of new subscribers. netflix added 10 million subscribers globally in the last three months, as people were stuck at home because of the covid—i9 pandemic. the us attorney general, william barr, has accused hollywood and us tech firms of collaborating with the chinese government to do business there. in a speech, mr barr, said such actions risk undermining the liberal world order. his intervention is the latest criticism of china by white house and other us officials. and every year at the academy awards, americans are lectured about how this country falls short of hollywood's ideals of social justice. but hollywood now regularly censors their own movies to appease the chinese communist party.

over the years, corporations such as google, microsoft, yahoo and apple have shown themselves all too willing to collaborate with the ccp. but if disney and other american corporations continue to bow to beijing, they risk undermining both their own future competitiveness and prosperity as well as the classical liberal order that has allowed them to thrive. william barr there. scientists have revealed the closest images ever taken of the sun, which show mini solar flares, called "campfires", dotted across its surface. the pictures were captured by the solar 0rbiter spacecraft, as our science correspondent, rebecca morelle, reports. 0ur sun is seen in remarkable close—up detail. these images taken by solar 0rbiter reveal something we'd never seen before, small solar flares across the whole surface, which scientists have called campfires.

seeing these images for the first time was breathtaking and when we look at the sun in these images we are able to see explosions happening all throughout the sun's atmosphere and we weren't expecting to see that, and that's the beauty of it, finding new things for the first time, seeing the sun in a new way, in a way we couldn't have imagined. clear the tower... the spacecraft started its mission in february. built in the uk, it's designed to cope with extreme temperatures as it nears our star. the earth is about 93 million miles from the sun and other missions have taken solar pictures from just above our planet. but on its first path, solar 0rbiter got much closer, within 48 million miles. and over the next two years it is heading closer still, within 25 million miles of the sun. this will give us a totally new view. in the next few years we will actually be able to pull up and look down

on the sun above the north pole and then later on at the south pole, and we've never done that before, we've never ta ken pictures of the north and south poles, and it could be dramatically different to what we see around the equator. today's images are just a glimpse of what is to come. the hope is this mission will finally shed light on our star. rebecca morelle, bbc news. that's stick with the space theme. —— let's. two nasa astronauts have completed a six—hour spacewalk to upgrade the international space station's power system. they replaced its ageing solar—powered batteries. the devices enable the station's laboratory to continue working when it's out of direct sunlight. another spacewalk is planned for later this month. real madrid have won their first la liga title in three years with a game to spare. they beat villarreal at an empty alfredo di stefano stadium which means they have an unassailable seven—point lead over barcelona. zinedine zidane's side have won all ten of their matches since spanish football restarted in june.

you can reach me on twitter — i'm @lvaughanjones. iam i am lewis vaughanjones, this is bbc news. hello again. well, some places stayed cloudy on thursday. there was more sunshine more widely, and it was a warmer day as well. the temperature reached 26 celsius in hampshire during the afternoon. well, the temperatures weren't far behind actually in the north—east of scotland, helped by over eight hours of sunshine. let me set the scene for you, because at the moment, we've still got warm and humid air across the uk. that weather front is bringing some patchy rain and drizzle. to the north of it, it's cooler, fresher air. that will move southwards over the next few days as the band of cloud and patchy rain moves southwards. and that rain is pushing its way down into scotland and northern ireland. england and wales still dry early in the morning. quite warm and humid start to the day.

that cloud and mostly light rain will continue to trickle southwards across scotland, across northern ireland, eventually into northern england and later into north wales. to the north across northern scotland, it'll brighten up. there'll be some sunshine. not quite as warm as it was on thursday, but still 20—2i. further south, there's a rain band across england and wales, some sunny spells, turning out to be quite warm. 26 or even 27 in the south—east of england. now, that weather front bringing that cloud and rain will continue to move southwards overnight and into the start of the weekend. it's a painfully slow process, mind you, and we'll see that rain moving away from much of northern england as it heads into wales, through the midlands, perhaps lincolnshire and eventually the south—west of england. the rain does tend to die out in most places. still dry towards the south—east, still quite warm here. temperatures perhaps 2a degrees or so, but further north, we've got that cooler air moving down and temperatures will continue to just drop away a little bit. for the second half

of the weekend, we see that weather front continuing down towards the south—east. as it arrives here on saturday night, the rain could turn steadier and heavier. once that rain clears away, we're all getting into that cooler and fresher air from the north—west. but still some rain to begin with on sunday morning across east anglia and the south—east. once that clears away, we'll have some sunny spells. maybe a few showers around, mostly towards the north—west of scotland. many places will be dry in the afternoon, but the air is cooler and fresher everywhere. we've got temperatures typically 16—20 celsius. that's a little below par for this time of the year, and we'll keep those sort of temperatures for the early part of next week. maybe one or two showers around, but many places, i think, will be dry. we're going to find some spells of sunshine at times. goodbye.

this is bbc news. the headlines: the number of coronavirus cases recorded in brazil has passed 2 million. the country has been hit especially hard by the disease. many people have blamed presidentjair bolsonaro, who has consistently played down the severity of covid—i9. nearly 77,000 brazilians have died from the virus. russia has dismissed allegations that it's attempted to steal research into a coronavirus vaccine — and meddled in last year's general election in britain. the uk, the united states and canada say russian hackers have targeted teams of scientists trying to find a treatment for covid—i9. the us supreme court has ruled that florida can maintain its law, requiring residents with felony convictions to pay any back—fees before being eligible to vote. the decison could prevent several thousand lower—income residents from voting in state primaries in august, and possibly the november presidential elections.