this is bbc world news, the headlines. joe biden and kamala harris have set out their vision for the united states — in their first appearance together as running mates for november's presidential election. mr biden said he had no doubt he had made the right choice, and sharply criticised donald trump's record onjobs, and the coronavirus pandemic. three people — including the train driver — have died after a passenger train came off the tracks in north—eastern scotland. heavy rain caused a landslip and flooding nearby. belarus authorities have admitted using live ammunition during protests against the country's disputed election. president alexander lukashenko has accused the crowds of demonstrators of being either criminals, or unemployed. and the official number of deaths in the uk from coronavirus has been reduced by five thousand — after a change in the way the figure is calculated.

hello and welcome to our look ahead to what the the papers will be hello and welcome to our look ahead to what the papers will be bringing us tomorrow. with me are george eaton, who's the senior online editor of the new statesman and the spectator‘s economics correspondent kate andrews. tomorrow's front pages, starting with. .. the daily telegraph's front page carries a picture of the train which derailed in scotland killing three people. many of tomorrow's front pages carry this story. and, as many students await their a—level exam results in the morning the paper leads with a claim that inflating the grades of pupils would harm them "for life" — as the education secretary rules out following scotland in allowing students in england to be awarded grades predicted by their teachers.

the exam grades story also makes the front page of the guardian, which reports that the government is preparing for a backlash from some students once their grades are revealed. the daily mail, meanwhile, is even less equivocal in its language on this story — as it brands ministers "dunces" for their handling of what it calls the "chaos in the a—level appeals process" britain's economic woes amidst the pandemic make the front page of the financial times, afterfigures released today showed it has suffered a bigger economic slump than any other major european economy. dramatic pictures of the train derailment in scotland that killed three people and injured six are on the cover of the metro. and another shocking image of that crash is on the front page of the times, which also reports that the uk has experienced its longest stretch of 34—degree—plus temperatures since the 1960s. so, let's begin. it is good to happy with us for another half hour going through the newspapers. we will start with a

tragic note by looking at the front page of the metro and really heartbreaking picture on the front of the other newspapers as well and the train derailment in scotland which killed three people, this is britain's first foetal rail crash for 13 years. and obviously, it is fortu nate for 13 years. and obviously, it is fortunate that such events are rare —— fatal. it is an absolute tragedy and particularly for the friends in the family and those who sadly died, including the driver and the conductor. the loss of life been far greater but the passenger numbers of their pre—lockdown levels. at aberdeen shear is in special measures to fight covid—19 and so fortu nately, measures to fight covid—19 and so fortunately, relatively few people we re fortunately, relatively few people were on that train but lessons need

to be learned to try to avoid this ever happening again. in the daily telegraph on the same story saying that an investigation is said to examine why do morning service between aberdeen and glasgow was allowed to depart following a night of thunderstorms and torrential rains because of the trains were cancelled. that is going to be an inquiry to why the stream was running when others were not. 12 people were on the train and out of this 12, six people were hospitalized and very sadly people have died. if this were pre—covid—19 levels should be looking at a death toll of a much larger scale so we have to make sure this does not happen again the landslide that derailed the train clearly showed the conditions were just not safe for passengers to be travelling and so we for passengers to be travelling and so we need to make sure this does not happen again.

the guardian has a picture of the train derailment but we will focus on another headline there. covid—19 is reduced by 5400. explain what this means. yes, what this means is that this has been going on between the government and public health england and the reason why this figure has been reduced is because some patients who died were being listed as covid—19 deaths, even though they had recovered from the virus before their deaths. so, from 110w virus before their deaths. so, from now on, there's going to be a 28 day period where once you have recovered, you're no longer listed asa recovered, you're no longer listed as a covid—19 death but it is reported that some have said that it isa reported that some have said that it is a mistake to focus on the headline total of covid—19 deaths at a much better metric of how

countries fared during the pandemic, the excess rate, all of the deaths of the normal five year average, ta kes of the normal five year average, takes into of the normal five year average, ta kes into accou nt of the normal five year average, takes into account that covid—19 deaths in non—covid—19 deaths because there are some people who may be dying for reasons related to the virus, but who did not have but there are people who are dying because they are not seeking treatment. they are not, they are being discovered later and the hospital is very concerned about the number of people who, during the lockdown, were not accessing normal health services and the toll that will take another health. so that is not the result directly of people catching the virus but it is a knock on effect of the lockdown and the measures imposed to deal with covid—19 stop by to bring you in on this as well. public health inc.

than were on this and the strange way said that nobody could die of anything other than covid—19 if they had ever contracted the virus. so, the downward movement of the figures is probably more representative of what's actually happening here in england but the national statistic in international comparison, looking at europe showing that they had a high numberof at europe showing that they had a high number of excess deaths one can argue 110w high number of excess deaths one can argue now that newly calculated figures, perhaps have been higher but all four countries in the united kingdom other than the top eight. while this is relatively good news for the government, 5000 deaths that are not exactly covid—19 related show that things are slightly better than other ones but when it comes to excess deaths, still, the united kingdom has not fared so well with coronavirus. staying with coronavirus, the front page,

printing pandemic suffers biggest slump in europe. the uk economy fell in the last quarter by about 20%, a staggering amount. tell us more about the story. is not surprising the figures confirm the economy and recession over the past year. we have known that all along butjust how severe the economic contraction was and the statistic here is that the country in europe, only spain has suffered a worse recession and you have the double whammy of that being combined with the highest excess death of 60,000 deaths. and the charge that the government faces 110w the charge that the government faces now is that the two are not coincidental. that elite lockdown meant that special measures, which

harmed greatly by effectively shutting down the government kept in place longer europe because the virus saturday spread so far but also that the high death rates that the uk very quickly suffered once the uk very quickly suffered once the pandemic took off year, harmed economic confidence because people we re economic confidence because people were afraid to go out of their homes even to buy essential goods in the shops, which they were allowed to do during the lockdown. so, the church ministers, had the lockdown been imposed earlier, maybe it could've been lifted earlier, may be the death rate would've been reduced and therefore, the uk would not have suffered such a large drop in gdp. they have tried to bring in initiatives to get people back into the economy in order to help out, being by the flexible once and there's a court in the financial times from the chancellor saying that today's figures confirmed that ha rd that today's figures confirmed that hard times are here. so, a difficult

few years ahead for people and more jobs likely to be lost, etc? no doubt about that. very sadly, they're going to be more jobs lost and things to be rolled back as the economy has dramatically changed and what people want out of the economic experience changes, we are going to see a big uptick in unemployment and it is going to be a difficult few years and the government is trying to increase economic activity to get people out there, back to the restaurant, back to their pubs, but they're so focused on the second wave and in local lockdown, regional lockdown, the narrative around going back to the office, going back to restaurants has quieted a bit. it's back to the second sector to get people to come back because they are nervous and the big? 0ver how quick this recovery is going to be, the figures relatively positive but that

is not going to get us anywhere near back to pre—growth levels before covid—19. this meant the economy is just what it was before the financial crisis. you have a long way to go the only guarantee of that vichy recoveries of the economy can open up more and at the moment, britain, compared to the rest of europe has stagnated in its ability to open up. so the next two months of going to prove crucial to our recovery. staying with you briefly: for the government to extend the furlough scheme. and also to step up other forms of support andi to step up other forms of support and i will come to you for a second, but what do you think they need to do than to support this? they dues this sector by sector in the government will have to pick winners and losers. if the arts and entertainment, you have to stay lockdown indefinitely, you cannot reopen as opposed, there could be a stronger case for it but you just sustaining jobs that are really going to exist in three months or

six months a year from now. of the industry can open up this year, the idea that those jobs that industry is going to be there in the same way next year seems questionable. it seems limited. in many ways the government wants to sure that unemployment is a stack it is possible and want to avoid chronic unemployment, they want to get people back in to work they do not wa nt people back in to work they do not want to be in a position with their nationalising an industry where there is not a demand to be more. george, what is your take on that?|j would george, what is your take on that?” would advise the government to maintain the furlough scheme for those industries that will remain locked down it is fair for people, asa locked down it is fair for people, as a consequence of not being able to, due to the pandemic, increased benefit payments for people on low and billing incomes because they're the most likely wants to spend rather than save and living standards have been hit as a result of people losing jobs or having their houses reduced. i would keep investing in infrastructure and

that's the best long—term means of increasing output and increasing productivity and i certainly would not look at raising taxes at this point. it is true that the government budget deficit as usually increased and it's now under percent of gdp, the forecast reaching 300 billion this year, but fortunately for the billion this year, but fortunately forthe uk, billion this year, but fortunately for the uk, borrowing it's really been cheaper. the interest rates at which the government borrows and in some cases are negative. investors are paying the government to borrow. i would not rush at this point to reduce borrowing. it is essential for the government that they actually continue to provide support for living standards and jobs. i'm going to continue this. you both play chancellor for the last few minutes, let's talk about the chancellor. he has become very popular during this pandemic but at times become tougher, he squandered to make tough decisions and i just wonder what you think about how that might affect

the way that public sees which he soon .he . he has been able to bring out a lot of money and i'll make a more popular but to be a real statesman, i think she showed himself to be empathetic to the situation and no doubt going forward with unemployment, i think we will see many more talking points with him on this, just so he is going to involve himself to make sure that employment can get back on track in the chancellor has problems, i think going forward in terms of spending money, mentioning that it is very cheap to borrow money right now that is certainly true but the bank of england is directly financing the treasury and they're able to spend all of this money because it is allowing them to do so. they've made very clear that they will allow the government to go to the recovery, but as soon as a stress look like the government will be in the its commitment to spend and give away a

bit of money here and there. the bank may pull back a bit and it might not actually be ourjob to do this, but at some point, 2000 2020, thatis this, but at some point, 2000 2020, that is when the popularity is going to be tested. i never thought we would be saying that the home secretary in the same story but in fa ct we secretary in the same story but in fact we are. ben &jerry‘s and the migrant crisis. this was a twitter thread which the company posted, tell us more about that. this is something we seen through the pandemic and social media, using their political intervention and ben & jerry's as well as classmates their political intervention and ben &jerry‘s as well as classmates of the liberal company &jerry‘s as well as classmates of the liberal compa ny they‘ re criticising the government for not

taking a welcoming approach to those migrants and refugees who are travelling across the channel and pointing out the uk has had a relatively low number of asylum applications compared to other countries and pointing out huge difficulties of people fleeing war—torn countries as syria have faced. in the home office issued an unusually fierce response saying that they would not be lectured to by purveyors of overpriced junk food. so, there was rather interesting tete—a—tete there and she feels that she is on the right side of public opinion and there are others who are saying that at a time when we now know the uk suffered the worst recession in the g7 country

and is picking a fight with an ice cream company is not the priority. but on the wider issue, but ben & jerry's is reflecting is the cultural divide that exists both within the uk in the us on this issue. if you look at polling on immigration, it is very much split down the middle, rather than the same way that it shoots towards eu membership and you see this thing in the us. this is increasingly is the the dividing our politics. the migrant crisis, and as george says, that we got from the home office, evenjames who tweeted, can have a large scoop of statistically inaccurate virtue signalling, he is clearly not happy with the twitter thread and he

stands by it and many stand by the points that were made. it is quite particular to hear from points that were made. it is quite particular to hearfrom government ministers, cabinet ministers, being quite upset about something like an ice cream companies tweak thread. quite upset about something like an ice cream companies tweak threadm is very rather you get such a direct response by such senior members of government to a corporate account on social media as george says it is not uncommon to hear from these uncommon points to hear them share their points more cynically and get their points more cynically and get their brand name out there. and they have exceeded expectations on both fronts of the twitter thread and its comments on social media have gone viral. in order to do this, it is a bit risky. they are in the position that really implements the stress can international it is clear that ben &jerry's can international it is clear that ben & jerry's had can international it is clear that ben &jerry's had quite an influential moment. but people are trudging up the investigation from several years back for migrant

workers were working for ben & jerry's over in the states were brought to court and won because the working conditions were not great. if you're going to start accusing others of not treating migrants and vulnerable groups as well as they should commit to make sure that your own books are in order. probably speaking, i think this debate is highlighted how this rhetoric very often gets out of hand and we see a lot of this used around refugees and ben &jerry'sjust lot of this used around refugees and ben & jerry's just want to show some support for the very vulnerable people we are seeing arriving on the shores. with about a minute or so left, so we do not really get time to discuss the other big story which is the exam chaos, the a—level chaos but very quickly i wonder if you could just talk about that briefly and we haven't got too much time but the headline on the terms of school leaders given this after a—level chaos, they said you dunces, exam grades and chaos and so on. involves

a government minister, i would be very alarmed by the daily mail. this isa very alarmed by the daily mail. this is a very conservative newspaper preemptively attacking the government and the initial figures that we have had today suggest that run 40% of the grades will be downgraded. this is going to be a huge route tomorrow and the government will be coming under huge pressure to make a firm u—turn. they will use mock exams for parents, children and teachers that will not be enough in many cases and they will want to see the u—turn that you've seen in scotland were teachers in grades are adopted. this can be very difficult day for education sector. that's it for the papers this hour. goodbye for now.

hello and welcome to the programme where we start with the footballing news that paris sainst germain have performed the great escape scoring two late goals to move into the champions league semi—finals. trailing atalanta by a goal with less than 30 seconds left in regular time they equalised and then scored a second in stoppage time to reach the last four for the first time since 1995. and in stoppage time. on the 50th birthday and they would not play the winner of tamara's quarterfinal and madrid. it was called off after two of the players tested positive for covid—19. they are that the northern

irish champion sue play in belfast will progress to the next stage where they will play in poland. next tuesday. rangers made it three wins out of three of the scottish premiership and there are 3—0 with the other games and they were meant to be two more but they were postponed because of covid—19 violations. he has won the opening stage of the criteria in south africa with second, just ahead the race as a final warm—up for the tour de france, which starts at the end of the month. it often goes on to claim the tour de france, he has done that three times. but during last years race, a horrific crash ended his hopes of winning cyclists greatest price for record equalling fifth time. his injuries were so

bad, he was months and he is still to recapture his old form. more than three miles from the finish, he dropped back from that and into the stage and 80 sixth place. you will need to improve if used to make the tour de france as part of the team. put into the raining tour champion in 2018 winner thomas. the forerunner has dominated cycling but in recent weeks, we have been leading the way. and in the stage winner, they have writers who could pose a serious threat and in this race, and the tour. they will not ta ke race, and the tour. they will not take place in switzerland next month, it was sold in yorkshire but he can go ahead and switzerland because the government has extended restrictions on large gatherings until that the coronavirus pandemic and organisers are trying to find an

alternative venue elsewhere in europe. super league matches will be postponed after six players and two members of the coaching staff tested positive for coronavirus following their game on sunday, and five of those players featured in that match and the whole squad is now in quarantine. they do to fix months on sunday, meanwhile they have been due to play catalan dragons and their tests ca m e to play catalan dragons and their tests came back negative and scheduled later this week. they will wrap up the series on thursday, and from a precarious position and with ben stokes having to fly to new zealand for family reasons.” ben stokes having to fly to new zealand for family reasons. i think it does create an opportunity where the other players can try and there might be periods in the future he is

injured and he is missing we need to find ways of guys stepping in and filling those big boots of his. but it isa filling those big boots of his. but it is a big loss. the vice captain of the team as a born leader and his performances have been outstanding. and we are all with them at this time. pakistan is been forced to isolate after he posted a photo of himself feeling the social distance correctly with a member of the public. he was enjoying the game of golf, but pose for a picture with a fellow player and posted it on social media. he is not in the test squad but expected to be considered for the at the end the month. . 0f the semifinal of the world snooker championship. but he went off to a quick start with the encounter of the crucible theatre in sheffield, and he feels he is been the more fortu nate. and he feels he is been the more fortunate. it is been a great start

fortunate. it is been a great start for scotland, and leading 6— frames to two and closing out. everything else, you can go to the website, but thatis else, you can go to the website, but that is all your support for now. hello. wednesday brought about a real mishmash of weather across the british isles, a lot of heat and humidity again and yet, at the same time, a number of coastal areas were plagued with low clouds and fog and then, as the day wore on, so did the thunderstorms popped off and that prospect is there again through thursday, hot and humid weather with that risk of thunderstorms, especially so, but not exclusively across the southern half of the british isles because this overall set up of the low pressure with the heat from the continent and the moisture from the surrounding seas is still the dominant feature.

we start with the temperature somewhere in the teens and many and if not twenty in spots of the east and from the word go, there will be some thunderstorms for central and southern parts of england and across into wales. quite a bit of merck there but best of the sunshine out west. pushing the temperature is 22 in parts of northern ireland and some are again oppressing jewels of the parts of england will be pushing close to 30 degrees and the thunderstorms will continue apace. there are warnings from the met office that are already about the potential disruption from the storms that continues into friday as well and another murky, muggy night to come, widely across the british isles. friday, a really cloudy start with the shield of cloud coming in only beginning to break as we get oppressive certainly because that

overall situation really not on into the afternoon and still that prospect, particularly across southern britain some really quite sharp thunderstorms. temperatures falling back in touch but it will still reveal very close very oprpressive because that overall situation it really not changing even as you move towards the weekend. southern britain still at risk from these thunderstorms. further north, it should be dry, thanks to the influence of high pressure. some of these northern and eastern facing coast could well be affected by some low level mist and murk. which will tempered the feel of the day but was some sergeant even in the north you be looking at 22, possibly 23 degrees. we don't really change things as it is we push right through the weekend into the start of the forthcoming week. take care, bye—bye.

this is bbc news i'm rajini vaidyanathan with the latest headlines for viewers in the uk and around the world. joe biden and kamala harris — the democratic candidates for us president and vice president, appear together in public for first time, as running mates. i have no doubt that i picked the right person to join i have no doubt that i picked the right person tojoin me i have no doubt that i picked the right person to join me as the right person to join me as the next vice president of the united states of america. and thatis united states of america. and that is senator kamala harris. lam incredibly that is senator kamala harris. i am incredibly honoured by this responsibility and i am ready to get to work. i am ready to get to work. i am ready to get to work. i am ready to get to work. anger continues over alleged vote rigging in the belarus election. the country's president compares protestors to