i'm lukwesa burak. the headlines at 8pm: as more pupils prepare to return to the classroom, england's chief medical officer says the risk to schoolchildren from coronavirus is low. many more are likely to be harmed by not going than harmed by going, even during this pandemic. president trump declares california's wildfires a major disaster, releasing

federal funds to victims who've lost their homes. opposition protesters in belarus hold a big demonstration in minsk — two weeks after president lukashenko‘s disputed election victory. and health charities are urging the government to take action to tackle the increasing numbers of people seeking help for drinking too much alcohol during lockdown. good evening and welcome to bbc news. children face greater long—term risks from missing school, compared to that of catching the virus whilst there, the uk's chief medical adviser has said.

professor chris whitty has been speaking alongside an unusualjoint statement from the top medical officers of all four nations, ahead of millions of pupils returning to classrooms in england, wales and northern ireland. schools in scotland have already reopened. sarah campbell reports. for these scottish pupils, it was a damp but welcome return to school for the new academic year. and today there were reassuring words for the millions more across the uk who are about to get back to the classroom. the chances of children being... catching covid and then getting long—term serious problems as a result of it solely due to going to school are incredibly small. they're not zero, but 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 is very strongly in favour of children actually

going to school. more than 200 primary school pupils in leeds will soon be heading back through these gates, and the head teacher here is among many listening very carefully to professor whitty‘s words. i'm trusting his judgement and hoping that he's absolutely right in what he says. and i do agree that the children have had a difficult time for a long time now, for a good six months or so. they need to be back. they need us to look at what learning has been missed and what we need to catch up with. every trip into town, every visit to a museum now carries with it an element of risk. the people here today, clearly, the parents, the carers, the families, have decided, on balance, it's worth it. so what about going back to school? i think it's really good for the children. they're both looking forward to going back and seeing their friends. there's a wider implications on, you know, vulnerable members of society. but, certainly, for kitty,

it's definitely the best thing for her to go back. in his class, well, his year has been kept in one bubble. so, yeah, i think they're doing everything they can to keep us all safe. months of planning have gone into making schools as safe as possible, but teaching unions are concerned there isn't sufficient official guidance over what to do if an outbreak does occur. 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 of the children will have to be sent home? might it be a whole year—group bubble? should those young people be in on rota—type basis? all of those, it seems to me, are important questions. politically, after the exam chaos of recent weeks, children's education and well—being is top of the priority list. we are left with a large number of situations where we have to make really quite difficult choices. there are no easy choices in confronting coronavirus. and with no vaccine likely for many

months, professor whitty‘s view is that it shouldn't be the schools which are closed. sarah campbell, bbc news. our medical editor, fergus walsh, has more on why the government say it's so important for children to go back to school in september. the chief medical officers are quite frank that there almost certainly will be an increase in transmission as a result of schoolchildren going back. that will partly be down to children mixing in the classroom, but it will also partly be down to parents being able to go back to work. the evidence suggests that children don't drive transmission with coronavirus in the way that they do with seasonal flu. with seasonal flu, they are often described as super spreaders. that doesn't seem to be the case with coronavirus. but the very distinct message from the chief medical officers is that the harms to children

are so great from being deprived of school that the risk to their health are so small. i mean, among 5—14—year—olds there were three deaths during the peak months of the epidemic here. that compares with around 500 deaths a year from other causes in that age group in england and wales. so children are really the least at risk group. the chief medical officers really making it clear that their education, their learning, has to be protected. hospital cases, the numbers in hospital, have been falling for months, and they have continued to fall despite the easing of restrictions. there were, at one point in april, more than 3,000 people on ventilators. at last count, i think there were 72 in the uk. so we do talk a lot about cases, but we used to talk a lot

about people in hospital and deaths. the deaths now have also continued to fall. so obviously there is concern and the chief medical officer, the chief medical adviser, chris whitty, believes we have very, very little room for manoeuvre and he worries that, come the autumn, when people are indoors, that things could get out of control, and it won't be children who will then be in hospital, but it will be the vulnerable who are currently, you know, socially distancing. so he believes there is little room for manoeuvre. and the clear message from the chief medical officers is that they want schools, wherever possible, to be safeguarded. there might have to be local closures if you had a big outbreak in a school. but the clear impression i get from their statement, although they are not specific, because is it is down to ministers who decide this, they would rather pubs closed

rather than schools. we had the time earlier when we had the pubs reopen but not schools. but it will be down to society to decide what choices are made. but clearly the view of these chief medical advisors is that learning is so important, and the harms of denying it are so great. that was fergus walsh. and you can find the latest developments and most up to date information on schools during the pandemic on the bbc news website — just head to bbc.co.uk/news. the uk recorded 1,041 new cases of covid—i9 according to the latest government figures. the deaths of six people were also reported, under new rules which record those who've died within 28 days of a positive test. it's been confirmed that lockdown restrictions in aberdeen will be eased from tomorrow. limits on travel and visits to other

households will be lifted — to follow rules that apply to the rest of scotland. hospitality, including restaurants and pubs, will be allowed to reopen from wednesday. in california, the huge wildfires destroying parts of the state have been declared a major disaster by president trump. at least six people have been killed and tens of thousands have fled as over 500 separate fires burned around 2,500 square miles of land in a week. peter bowes reports from los angeles. some of the biggest wildfires california has ever seen. the north of the state is the worst affected. there are multiple blazes burning in the mountains around palo alto, in the san francisco bay area. and another complex of fires is wreaking havoc in wine country, south of sacramento. in all, almost 600 separate fires, many of them started by a series

of rare dry lightning storms. a blanket of smoke hangs over much of the state. 175,000 people have been told to leave their homes. some are nervous about taking shelter in crowded evacuation centres because of the coronavirus. there are more cases in california than any other us state. with local firefighters growing weary from the unrelenting battle, back—up crews have been drafted in from neighbouring states, and further afield. it's hoped teams will fly in from canada and australia, to help tackle the growing inferno. officials are warning that there may be worse to come, with more lightning forecast and blistering heat that could go on for another week. california is used to the annual threat from wildfires, but they're getting worse. record temperatures, the lightning, tinder—dry brush — a perfect storm for a long, hot summer of destruction.

peter bowes, bbc news, los angeles. let's discuss this further. michael gollner is an assistant professor in mechanical engineering who's based in berkeley, california. specialising in the science of fire i understand. thank you forjoining us on i understand. thank you forjoining us on bbc news. wejust heard i understand. thank you forjoining us on bbc news. we just heard that the firefighters are growing weary, this is going on and on. are they fighting this far in the correct way? i think they are. these are incredibly challenging conditions, over 600 fires or more started by lightning and they are tackling three major complexes in northern california so the unprecedented scale is draining resources but they are trying their best, every aerial and ground resource are doing it, but they are no longer able to protect every structure so

they are focusing on life—saving and the protections they can but there is not enough to stop these fires.“ there anything that can be done to mitigate the growth of the fires in the next few days or should have been done before this took place? it's hard once you have an inferno and the draw on resources now but prior to this can in the years prior there are a lot of things we can do andi there are a lot of things we can do and i hope this is a further wake—up call for california and the rest of the world that is afflicted by wildfires, we have taken far off the landscape for decades, indeed the united states over 100 years and we see that, the fuel builds up and now we are afflicted by climate change, there are more severe weather conditions but that additional fuel can create these sorts of infernos and our communities are built to burn, it isn't just and our communities are built to burn, it isn'tjust that and our communities are built to burn, it isn't just that we and our communities are built to burn, it isn'tjust that we are building out of wood but the exterior of the structures are

notable and communities are not designed for safe evacuation. if we put that place it makes firefighters' jobs easier and they can focus on suppression of the fires and make sure people are safer. i understand part of your research is how far it spread so what would you expect to happen next? we are all holding our breath to see how this incoming storm affects the region. if the right new ignitions that will challenge our situation because we are already stretched thin, they could be some flare ups with the wind but in general something that is not unique around the world but which we are familiar with your means these powers are driven by ambers or firebrands so small burning particles that fly of sticks or part of your structure and there was a big night new fires so that challenging because the fire isn't just where you think it is, it's flying ahead and not as white reconnaissance and hand crews

putting out smaller stocks, helicopters that can drop immediately when the small starts happen, can be very effective. 0nce they are lodged there isn't much we can do but these embers are a challenging situation and that is what causes a lot of destruction. an air quality is being looked at and is of concern right now. where is this smug going and how fast is it moving? this mug is distributed across the united states and will probably be felt a bit internationally at some point. at the moment a lot is moving east and current projections show they will feel it on the east coast of the us, dc and the north—east by midweek so this is an unprecedented amount of smoke. california is used to large bars, we call this a complex when many fires combine and we essentially have three very large fires at the same time plus many smaller ones so the amount of smoke

being pumped into the atmosphere is extreme and i can feel it in berkeley, we have a severe our quality warning despite the windows being closed, filters are on, this is not a good situation in times of covid so hopefully people are staying indoors and staying safe and we hope for whether to change and allow us to better get a handle on these fires and also to move some of these fires and also to move some of the smoke out of the region. there isn't much we can do until we wait for that. michael gollner, fascinating, thank you. in belarus, huge crowds of protesters are continuing to stage demonstrations against president alexander lukashenka and the election two weeks ago — that they say was rigged. riot police have been ordered onto the streets of the capital minsk. 0ur correspondent steve rosenberg is there and sent this report. chanting they've poured onto

the streets. "long live belarus," they cried. a sea of protesters, flooding the centre of minsk. "resign," they shouted — a message for this man, alexander lu kashenko. for 26 years, he's been the president. but look how the people have turned against him. 0n independence square, they accuse him of stealing the election and violence against the people of belarus. our aim is to show the government that we are not their slaves. we are here to show that we never elected him and that we want the change, that we want a new country with a new president. in belarus, people are making their voices heard like never before, they're demanding change. but the problem for the protesters is that there is one man who isn't listening —

alexander lukashenko has made it quite clear he has no intention of stepping down. but he has every intention of raising the stakes. yesterday, president lukashenko put the army on high alert, claiming the protests were being orchestrated from abroad and warning that nato was about to invade his country. the president's critics say he's painting a false picture and they're not buying it. as he was preparing for today's protest, roman zakaria told me about the culture of fear mr lukashenko has created. a few days ago, roman was beaten up by the police. the people i fear the most are the police. no—one can protect us, and i cannot live beside these people any more. we need to change something in our country quickly. his sign says long live

belarus, but roman sees no future for himself here — if there will be no change of president. steve rosenberg, bbc news, minsk. the headlines on bbc news: as more pupils prepare to return to the classroom, england's chief medical officer says the risk to schoolchildren from coronavirus is low. president trump declares california's wildfires a major disaster — releasing federal funds to victims who've lost their homes. 0pposition protesters in belarus hold a big demonstration in minsk — two weeks after president lukashenko's disputed election victory. 0rganisers of illegal gatherings in england could be fined up to £10,000 from next week, as police are given more

powers against those breaking coronavirus rules. the new measures could also see tougher penalties for those who fail to wearface coverings when required. andy moore reports. filmed from a police helicopter, an illegal party in a back garden at gorton in manchester. police said it was attended by over 200 people, and they were pelted with missiles when they tried to break it up. the woman who organised it was fined £100. soon she and others like her could face much biggerfines. thumping dance music plays around 3,000 people attended this event at charmy down near bristol. arrests were made and equipment seized, but from friday ahead of the bank holiday weekend, the courts will have far greater powers. anyone organising a rave, or an unlicensed music event of more than 30 people, could face a fine of up to £10,000. anyone attending could be fined

£100, with that fine doubling for every subsequent offence. the home secretary, priti patel, said these gatherings are dangerous and those who organised them show a blatant disregard for the safety of others. in london, police have responded to over 1000 illegal events since the end ofjune. at many of them, officers were injured as they tried to break up the gatherings. police forces across the country are planning to step up their patrols next weekend to stop such events. they are warning the organisers that equipment will be seized and they could be prosecuted. they are also calling for the public‘s help in giving them early notice that an illegal gathering is starting. also on friday, new fines come into effect for people who persistently refuse to wear face masks where it's ordered. those fines will start at £100,

and then double up to a maximum of £3,200 for each repeat offence. andy moore, bbc news. a child has been killed by a falling tree in kent, and a second child injured. police were called on friday afternoon to a report that two children had been injured by the fallen tree, near parsonage lane in bobbing. one child died at the scene and the other was airlifted to a london hospital with serious injuries. it's almost 18 months since the terror attacks on two mosques in the new zealand city of christchurch. the wife of one of the 51 people killed has spoken to the bbc of how her life has changed, and of her determination to seejustice done. the gunman will be sentenced in a few days' time. shaimaa khalil reports from sydney. it was an attack that devastated new zealand and shocked the

world. the quiet city of christchurch became the scene of the country's worst mass shooting. on march 15th 2019, a gunman opened fire in two mosques — killing 51 people, and wounding dozens more as they got ready for friday prayers. taj kamran was shot three times in the leg at al—noor mosque. his best friend died next to him. he struggles to walk and the horrors of the day still haunt him. he's now dreading facing the killer in court at sentencing. because i see the gunman that shot me and shot my friend. that's too hard for me seeing, watching and looking, that one is very difficult. yes, guilty. earlier this year, brenton tarrant admitted 51 murders and a0 counts of manslaughter. the 29—year—old australian was also the first person to be convicted under new zealand's most

recent terror laws. dozens of survivors and victims' relatives will address the court in the presence of the killer. they'll describe how his crimes changed their lives. but with new zealand's borders closed because of covid—19, many families as well as international media will have to follow his sentencing remotely. i did go back and forth with making the decision... despite the restriction, some relatives were granted visas to attend. hamimah tuyan's husband, zekeriya, died in hospital almost two months after he was shot. she's travelled from singapore and has spent two weeks in quarantine. my husband is not here to speak for himself. so, i am his voice. the children love him so much. and of course i hope that, inshallah, when my boys are big enough to refer to this event or this day, they will be proud of their ummi that she has travelled 8,500 km in the middle of a pandemic to see to it that their father's killer is locked away in prison for a long

time. and how do you feel about seeing the killer in court? i haven't really had the time to think about how i feel about him or about how i feel about seeing him in the flesh. i hope i will be cool, calm, and collected. brenton tarrant is responsible for one of new zealand's darkest days, and will get a mandatory life sentence. the judge must now decide if he'll ever be considered for release. shaimaa khalil, bbc news, sydney. health charities are urging the government to take more action on alcohol, amid rising numbers of people seeking help for drinking too much during lockdown. charities say the isolation, anxiety and uncertainty of recent months, has proved to be a dangerous combination, pushing some into alcohol dependency. 0ur health correspondent dominic hughes reports. six months ago, chris mclone was looking forward to a good year.

fit, healthy and successful, he was enjoying life. good girl. then came lockdown. anxiety, isolation and uncertainty led to depression, turning a man who liked a drink into a person who needed one. i was seriously suffering from withdrawal, at the very end. so, all being i wanted to cut down and stop at that point, i wasn't in control of that. and that was the frightening part. i'd never been like that in my life. and i had to admit that to myself. so, i was drinking very early in the morning, to stop withdrawal symptoms, promising myself i wouldn't do it again tomorrow. and, of course, the exact same thing happens the next day. and that's when i realised i had to take big steps to get some proper treatment. you'll feel, like, little shock waves. with support from his family, chris went into rehab. helped by specialists like dr rob hampton, chris has been sober now for more than 70 days. but lockdown has seen a growing number of people for whom

alcohol has become a problem. somebody described it perfectly to me. every day is a friday night now and it's the only reason to get up in the morning. what do we do when we relax at the weekend? we often have a drink. the uk already had a drink problem, even before lockdown. the last 50 years has seen a huge increase in alcohol—related liver disease, claiming more than 20 lives a day. it's one of the most common causes of premature death. health charities want government action — higher taxation, tougher rules on advertising and proper labelling. so, it's absolutely crazy. i can go into the supermarket, i can buy a bottle of milk, get all sorts of nutritional information and calorie information. i can buy a bottle of beer or wine and get nothing. in scotland and wales, a minimum unit price for alcohol has already been introduced and health services in all four nations say referrals to alcohol rehab services are now getting back to normal levels.

nick davis, more than 500 days sober, also struggled during lockdown. but like chris, he found distractions, like caring for his dog, to be a big help. i think the best advice i could give is just to be honest. be honest with yourself. be honest with everybody else. tell everybody else what you're going through. it's an illness. you know, so many people have it. so many people ignore it. just be honest about it. dominic hughes, bbc news. and if you would like details of organisations that offer advice and support on addiction, go online to bbc.co.uk/actionline, or you can call for free at any time to hear recorded information. the number is on your screen now. australians in several south—eastern states are experiencing surprising — and unseasonal — weather triggered by antarctic air. many people have been out enjoying the rare event

despite strong winds and heavy snow — yes, snow. phil mercer sent this report. wheee! a rare antarctic blast has turned parts of south—eastern australia white. blizzards have brought chaos to some roads, and the icy cold front has sent temperatures plummeting way below average. towns to the west of sydney in the blue mountains have been blanketed by late winter snowfall. a few months ago, the region was battling bushfires, but this has been a treat for locals and visitors. it's brilliant, especially for the kids and other people that can't get to the snow or those that don't quite have the funds or the finance for the snow, this is absolutely brilliant for them. up to a metre of snow has fallen elsewhere in the state of new south wales. the wintry blast has hit victoria and wildlife has had to contend with the icy conditions. but there are fears that

trees and power lines could collapse under its weight. forecasters have said this is a one—in—a—15—year weather event. australia is a land of extremes. snow falls on its mountains every year, but the amount varies. want to have a taste? no. the complex low pressure system that brought this wintry spectacle is expected to ease. a world away up in the tropics, the temperature in the city of darwin on sunday will reach 3a celsius. phil mercer, bbc news, sydney. now it's time for a look at the weather with tomasz. hello. very changeable weather on the way this week, from sunny skies and pleasantly warm conditions on monday to something a lot more stormy on tuesday. but let's concentrate on monday, first. a few showers across parts of wales and the south of england

in the morning, which should clear fairly swiftly and then we are left with a fine afternoon. a couple of showers lurking around here and there, but on the whole it is a dry day for the vast majority of the uk. 20 in london and fresh in glasgow at 16. very quickly, monday night into tuesday, this big low pressure propelled by a powerfuljet stream will swing in, more like an autumn low, lots of isobars there, meaning gale force winds blowing in from the south—west across wales, spreading into england, as well, and on top of that we have some very heavy rain, and you can see how nasty the weather looks on tuesday. the weather will improve in the south later but it will be blowing a gale pretty much all day long.

patel hello this is bbc news the headlines. as more pupils prepare to return to the classroom —