any his rhetoric is very discussions. his rhetoric is very firm on the idea that this isn't such a response to the election is that the people behind me see very clearly as being vague but it is a this is bbc news with the latest headlines at 2pm. as more pupils prepare to return to the classroom — much bigger question about western england's chief medical officer says the risk to schoolchildren countries interfering in belarus's from coronavirus is low. internal affairs and he says he sees many more are likely to be harmed by not going, than harmed by going, a western hand in these even during this pandemic. opposition protesters in belarus hold a big demonstration in minsk, demonstrations and yesterday he was on the western border of belarus two weeks after president lukashenko‘s disputed election victory. where it borders on poland and lithuania saying that nato troops we re lithuania saying that nato troops were massing on the border in saying that this was not a question about but about the sovereignty of belarus itself. speech drowned by president trump declares california's wildfires a major disaster — releasing federal funds to victims chanting. when you speak to the who've lost their homes. protest is there any lesson about the potential of russia, vladimir but there's snow in putin getting involved in some way south—east australia — the unseasonal weather triggered to maintain stability here. is there fear about an intervention like that? look, it is on the back of by antarctic air.

people's mind. i think people are very much focused on the election, and the ‘topless tongan‘s‘ tokyo quest. they are focused on the human rights bbc sport visits the taekwondo abuses that took place in the fighter turned cross—country skier. that's in half an hour, aftermath of the election where demonstrators were basically dragged off the streets and some of them here on bbc news. treated very brutally. what this demonstration has not been about is about russia. there will be no one here waving eu flags are saying this has got to be about belarus moving towards the west. you won't see any signs saying putin, keep your fingers out of belarus's business. the demonstrators and indeed the leaders of the opposition here are acutely aware that belarus's he children are more likely to be relationship is with russia and that harmed by not returning to school will probably have to remain the than if they catch coronavirus case and it is very hard to see how according to the uk's chief medical adviser. any transition, a change of but in a statement, the chief medical officers from all four uk leadership, can take place here in nations are cautioning that there are "no risk—free options". belarus without vladimir putin in england's chief medical officer, moscow at least finding the next person, the next leader of this professor chris whitty, country to be someone he can said the chance of children dying from covid—19 are ‘incredibly small" tolerate. chanting. 0k, jonah with — but missing lessons "damages

children in the long run". a report by public health england reveals there were 30 outbreaks of coronavirus in english schools the very latest air in minsk. after more pupils returned to the classroom injune, in california, the huge wildfires with 67 single confirmed cases. destroying parts of the state have while pupils in scotland been declared a major disaster have already returned — by president trump. millions of children across england, at least six people have been killed and tens of thousands have fled wales and northern ireland prepare to go back to school as over 500 separate fires burned in the coming weeks. more than 4,000 square kilometres our news correpsondent — of land in a week. peter bowes reports caroline davies reports from los angeles. some of the biggest wildfires california has ever seen. the north of the state empty playgrounds and is the worst affected. deserted classrooms. there are multiple blazes burning in the mountains but after months, millions around palo alto, in of pupils in england, the san francisco bay area. wales and northern ireland are due and another complex of fires is wreaking havoc in wine country, south of sacramento. to return to school within weeks. in all, almost 600 separate fires, the chances of children catching many of them started by a series of rare dry lightning storms. covid and then getting long—term, a blanket of smoke hangs over much of the state. 175,000 people have been told serious problems as a result of it solely due to going to school, to leave their homes. are incredibly small. some are nervous about taking shelter in crowded evacuation they're not zero, but centres because of the coronavirus. they're incredibly small. the chances of many children being damaged by not going to school

are incredibly clear. and therefore the balance of risk there are more cases in california is very strongly in favour of children actually going to school. and of course the floor than any other us state. markings we have put down... at this primary school in east london, they're looking forward to having the children back. i worry about the lack of social interaction that those children have had. i worry about the lack of child development. i look at things like their fine motor skills, they way they would hold a pencil, the way they would form their words, so their speech and language. and some of those children who won't have had those experiences over this time. any area that would normally see people gathering in groups has been closed — the staff room, the library and the lunch hall. start times will be staggered to stop parents crowding at the school gates. but what if there's an outbreak of the virus, either in a school or in an area? headteachers and teaching unions say the government haven't told schools what their procedures should be. i represent people who want to know the logistics.

if a child is going to be sent home, we get public health advice. are we told that some other children will have to be sent home? might it be a whole year group bubble? should those young people be in on a rota—type basis? all of those, it seems to me, are important questions. government advice says that if a local area does see a spike in infections, the appropriate authorities will decide which measures to implement to help contain the spread. the uk's chief medical adviser says a vaccine is unlikely to be ready before next winter. businesses like shops and restaurants may be forced to close to keep children learning. we're walking an incredibly narrow path between relaxing enough as individuals and as a society that actually transmission takes off, or overdoing it and doing damage socially and economically. it means measures in schools will likely still be in place for several months yet. caroline davies, bbc news.

bryony baynes is the headteacher of kempsey primary school in worcester, in england. shejoins me now. do you welcome the statement in support everything he says. yes, a day. i welcome the statement and i agree with him of the ladies and a slight cautionary note on that there is still a risk to staff and we can't discount the and also that although the risk of children becoming ill is so slim, even one child lost is too much. however, i do think it is important we get back to school. i've been planning all summer to school. i've been planning all summerforay, to school. i've been planning all summer foray, and it's to school. i've been planning all summerforay, and it's important that we get into school and we establish some sort of normality for these children. just on the risks to staff, again, this was addressed in that statement, wasn't it? transmission from children to staff for tea and also with the children who go to primary school, even less likely? absolutely, yes. they have steady right from the beginning of this pandemic that primary age

children are not likely to become ill, although they can be carriers. the greatest risk for me and the greatest worry for me is my star. and how to mitigate against risk to them. —— is my staff. we are working on things like bubbles, staff staying within their own bubbles, are virtually making the staff room and other common areas where staff would normally congregate before and after school off limits, keeping the number of staff in any one room down to the absolute minimum so that there is less likelihood of contact between them, which isn't the way we actually operate in primary school, so actually operate in primary school, so it is a very... no, i can imagine. where do you stand and what are the rules, what are the guidelines, if say, a staff member becomes infected? guidelines, if say, a staff member becomes infected ? you guidelines, if say, a staff member becomes infected? you will have to quarantine? do you will have to leave ? quarantine? do you will have to leave? how is that going to work?|i

think leave? how is that going to work?” think it said on other part, this is one area in which the government hasn't been completely helpful and we are still searching for the guidance. my understanding is that as long as we can comply with track and trace, which we are working hard to do so, and as long as staff have stayed within their bubbles, and we wouldn't have to close the whole school, but we would have to do quarantine those staff who'd been in direct contact. now, therein lies an issue, because if a lot of staff are in quarantine, who is teaching the children? we have also been warned, haven't we, over the last few weeks about many different voices over the sort of lost generation of children potentially at this care. i don't know how many of your children you have been in touch with during lockdown, how much help you are able to give, but do you accept that there are perhaps in the more disadvantaged sectors of our society, there is that this give a lost generation here, who have had

really very little education for four or five really very little education for four orfive months? really very little education for four or five months? i don't know. i get quite close when i hear the term lost generation because historically in this country they were children who didn't attend school at all throughout periods such as the world wars, and they went on, you know, to become our politicians and our leaders and our authors etc. however, we have children within my school and throughout schools in england who haven't been in school for the nave on six months now, and particularly for primary age children, for him learning at home is such a struggle, who need to be in school, who need the early reading help, the early maths help, thatis reading help, the early maths help, that is an issue. i think that all primary schools will be working very hard, will hit the ground running in september. normally, we have a bit ofa september. normally, we have a bit of a two—week entry into school with some fun things. i think, in a way, we have to put that to one side and quite literally hit the ground

running in order to assess where our people there and put in place what we can do to help them. and can i just say, that is where they hope the government makes good on their promise to provide schools with money for extra tuition. as of this point in time, i haven't seen that, nor have i seen how that will happen. let mejust nor have i seen how that will happen. let me just put the government would say if i mayjust be free because i think there was £1 billion earmarked, wasn't there? 650 i think the coronavirus catch up at 354 tuition. you are saying you haven't received that.” 354 tuition. you are saying you haven't received that. i haven't seen haven't received that. i haven't seen any haven't received that. i haven't seen any of that, nor have i seen a way which tax that yet. 0k, well let's hope that we can chase up the next few hours. thank you very much for joining next few hours. thank you very much forjoining us, head teacher of a primary school there. but‘s see how things are working in scotland. colette reilly is a mother of three — with two children at secondary school in paisley who went back to school earlier this month. i think you have got a 20—year—old as well, but how is it works for

you, colette, and your children when that? it has been pretty smooth. we had information before they returned as to what was going to happen, and we are early days into that, so the kids are glad that they're back, they are kind of back in the swing. and had they been put into separate year group bubbles, so that they are not mixing with different year groups in terms of the social distancing? has that been quite another‘s for them or not too difficult? the way that they have worked in the school, the girls are m, worked in the school, the girls are in, it's's island group so it is not particular year groups, so the kids go into school in a particular... , if you are in iona for example. the use of masks, and it's because i think there is one school in edinburgh that has said all pupils and teachers should wear face masks. does not apply where your children

are? it doesn't apply. it was my optional. other personally i do think that is going to come in. i a lot of parents are certainly saying that they are prepared for masks to be worn. the schools, the classes are still the same size, so it is still like 30 people in a class, so from... still crowded, we've got a one—way system in the school, it's still very difficult to maintain physical distance and, so wearing a mask... physical distance and, so wearing a mask. . . they physical distance and, so wearing a mask... they have been back a week 01’ s0 mask... they have been back a week 01’ so now. mask... they have been back a week or so now. where you much more apprehensive at the start of this process ? apprehensive at the start of this process? i mean, were you discussing with fellow parents, look, i'm not really very happy about this at the moment, i do have misgivings? or have you not merely been a movie and has just have you not merely been a movie and hasjust gone according have you not merely been a movie and has just gone according to plan? —— not really been a worthy? my life philosophy is that if you can do something about it then do something

about it but if you can't then don't worry. sorry, you are cutting out a bit. had there been any infections with other year groups and what with the school do if that was the case? we haven't had any in the school that we are in. there have been a couple in local schools, and they are being very good at keeping that confidential and informing the parents that something is happening. as well as your two still at school, you've got one who has left, haven't you, as well? do you see a difference? i forgive me, you, as well? do you see a difference? iforgive me, if it is a girl ora bike, in difference? iforgive me, if it is a girl or a bike, in their approach to social distancing, safeguarding, compared to the younger children? because i think your child is 20, isn't he? yes, he did very well in lockdown, stayed in, and he is now very keen to be out. i don't think

that they are physical distancing as much as they should be, to be perfectly honest. we do have the conversations, but it is quite a tough thing for young people given that at this stage of life that they're art they want to be close to each other. so it is a concern, definitely. i like the way you diplomatically put it, we have had conversations. anyone with 20—year—olds will know that expression. thank you very much colette forjoining us on bbc news. if you want to find out the latest developments and most up—to—date information on schools during the pandemic on the bbc news website. plenty more information there. in belarus, protesters are continuing to stage demonstrations against president alexander lukashenko and the election they say he rigged two weeks ago. riot police have been ordered onto the streets but demonstrators are demanding that

mr lukashenko stand down. our correspondentjonah fisher is in minsk... quite a considerable size demonstration behind you. how serious is this one compared to previous, jonah, especially given president lukashenko's comments that he was going to solve this crisis soon? well, it doesn't look like president lukashenko has decided to solve the problems of the street protest minsk today. you can see behind me another very large crowd. many of the people have just started a match, a match for a new belarus they are calling it, so they are moving to another point and then they will come back here. but very vocal and what you can probably not say is that there is a very significant security presence also here around the fringes of the square. there have been lots of

security agents, military vehicles, around, but but around, but so far, despite warnings on a loudspeaker which has made periodic interventions here saying that this is an in legal demonstration and it would be dispersed, there has been no sign of any attempt to disperse the crowds. to be quite frank, it is very ha rd to the crowds. to be quite frank, it is very hard to see what the securities forces can do with the crowd of this size. for now it has been a peaceful demonstration and still ongoing of course. things might change but despite a heavy security presence, for now things are going well as a lease smoothly. has president lukashenko offered lease smoothly. has president lu kashenko offered any lease smoothly. has president lukashenko offered any concessions whatsoever to opposition groups over the past fortnight? no, not really. there is a simple answer to that. there is a simple answer to that. the opposition group put together what is called a coordination, which effectively is going to be in the mechanism by which they can negotiate with president lukashenko

negotiate with president lukashenko negotiate his departure but the response and those around him was to basically labelled a council illegal and sat a case against it and invite some of. members there some of the members there interrogation but - president