hello. this is bbc news. conservative mps urge the prime minister to reset his government after the departure of his top adviser, dominic cummings. president trump has insisted he won't put the us into lockdown, and comes close to admitting he could leave the white house next year. ethiopia's government warns that fighting with local forces in the tigray region appears to be spreading into neighbouring areas. now on bbc news our north america correspondent, michelle fleury, looks at the story of her neighbourhood in brooklyn in new york, as the coronavirus pandemic first swept across the world. we are all dealing with the great unknown. we have a disease that the medical community do not fully understand and we've seen nothing like this.

new yorkers sunday were hardly shocked over the city's first confirmed case of coronavirus. we have an invisible enemy. we have a ferocious enemy. the number of people killed, way up to 99. only essential businesses will be functioning. new york remains the epicentre of this outbreak... new york is now reporting over 1000 deaths. with the death toll passing the 4000 mark... the death toll has passed 10,000. each of these is a human being, a family, represented. new york suffered the worst covid—19

outbreak in the united states. as the virus spread, it wreaked havoc on every facet of life. in the city that never sleeps neighbourhoods fell silent. fear, isolation, the threat of financial ruin grew as the virus spread. no neighbourhood was spared, including the one where i live, bay ridge, brooklyn, home to about 80,000 new yorkers. those who live here, like so many people around the globe, are grappling with realities brought on by the pandemic that were unimaginable just a few months ago. lone star sits empty, as it has done

for months now. owner tracey blaise remembered vividly when the city ordered its roughly 25,000 bars and restau ra nts ordered its roughly 25,000 bars and restaurants are closed to stop the spread of the coronavirus.” restaurants are closed to stop the spread of the coronavirus. i walked in and the bar was completely full of our regular customers. everybody was here, so the last second, nobody wa nted was here, so the last second, nobody wanted to leave, and that was our last night open. how are you doing? tracey owns lone star along with her husband tony. i knew this was coming, and it was scary. and i didn't want to address it. since march, restaurants in new york have only been allowed to offer takeaway and delivery. the stress is a lot. one in every three small businesses in the city will go bust because of the pandemic according to the partnership for new york city. but for tony, throwing in the towel is not an option. i can't tell my guys

who are cooking, you are out of work, go home, close up. they have families, they have children, all of them. it is over a month since the first coronavirus cases in new york, and it is clear that bay ridge is going to have to adapt. small businesses are under immense pressure. and so other neighbourhood's young people, whose plans and dreams are being put on hold. andrew? yes. breanna and andrew are back at home in bay ridge with their parents. breanna's life

was upended when her college suspended classes on march the 10th to slow the spread of the virus. as $0011 to slow the spread of the virus. as 50011 as to slow the spread of the virus. as soon as i got the e—mail, i called my mum, and she was very upset about it. that just added my mum, and she was very upset about it. thatjust added to the stress of having to come back home. 24 hours later, her brother andrew, a second year university student, received similar news. you could hear on the i'iews similar news. you could hear on the news how things were getting worse and worse, and we thought it wouldn't affect us that much. both siblings are now doing their course online, but there are still things to celebrate. the perks of quarantine! it is my 19th birthday, and since we can't go anywhere due to the quarantine, i decided i'm going to make my own six layered rainbow cake.

this is really good. with no reopening date in sight, bar owners tracy and tony have let go of nearly half of their 21 employees. are you going to help me finish this? half of their 21 employees. are you going to help me finish this7m never ends, it is so expensive. for the family, it's all hands on deck, their son doing deliveries. they are definitely struggling a lot, i can tell from seeing it. they don't try to express it a lot to us, but i can certainly tell that things are looking dire. his help has been crucial. take out has become their main source of income. hi, thank you, have a good one, take care. money on our taps, our liquor, and we don't sell that any more. but we have some customers calling in for

food, and that is helpful. as for federal assistance, the government created a loan scheme got the paycheque protection programme to help small businesses like theirs. we've applied, and we have some skeletons in our closet within our past, so those things are kind of rearing their ugly heads for us now. new york is facing a shortage of emts, emergency medical technicians. back from college, andrew has joined the coronavirus front lines, working as one of them. he is putting on all this effort during the most critical time in bay ridge's history. he joined bravo volunteer ambulance, a

free community run service that serves bay ridge and the surrounding area. at 20 years old, he is one of the youngest members. it was pretty crazy and scary. going to the hospital and seeing the tents they had set up outside, and they would triage people outside before they would bring them in. it's one thing to see it on the news and see pictures of it, it's another thing to actually be there and see it for yourself and be in the middle of it. when i would go home, i would start painting and just trying to show what is going on through the artwork. his sister is finding it harder to fill her time. my plans for the summer was to work in a day camp, so that would have been from june to august, five days a week.

and now there are no summer camps. hopefully i'll figure something out to do. otherwise i don't really know what i'll be doing. ican i can already see a change,, got the garage door open. back at lone star, with the weather improving there may bea with the weather improving there may be a glimmer of hope for tony and tracey. i see you have got this open now? the weather has allowed it! people can come out, socially distance as much as possible with

masks, and just hit your favourite bar, graba masks, and just hit your favourite bar, grab a quick drink, grab a small bite and go. we all get sick, and he ok! an almost normal experience of life before the virus as i get to know some of the regulars. yell i lived here 33 years in bay ridge. you try to give back to everybody you can, but you get back to where you hang out the most. restaurants can't open and people are losing jobs. it's sad. it is sad that people died and everything, but it's time to let people open up and, you know. but it's a health crisis. it's not like a man—made thing that you are giving into something. it is something bigger than us. but you let that health crisis take over your life. the numbers are going up. do you wa nt the numbers are going up. do you want to be in a hospital where nobody can visit you? are so you are living your life as normal now? yes,

that's what i do. i'm not worried about the virus. don't get me wrong, i have my mask and it's always american, so that's what i do. and the shoes, they represent trump. today feels normal, i come out and see friends, talk. but who knows how long this is going to last, you know? you've got to give people back their lives. otherwise it is going to be bad. how do you want it? it isa to be bad. how do you want it? it is a good day for lone star. best day we've had in four months. but is it enough?

please listen and understand, we will not sit here idling that america be run by hate. the city's medical health crisis has abated. the killing of george floyd at the hands of police in st louis has sparked anger across the country. in new york, protest take place nearly every day. i went to one protest that was happening in our neighbourhood. my mum was kind of anxious because it was like the biggest crowd that we've ever been in since the pandemic started. we we re in since the pandemic started. we were walking down the street, people would honk their horns in support, and then there were also people shouting in the windows. andrew has also found a way to support the protests. i just also found a way to support the protests. ijust felt also found a way to support the protests. i just felt that it would be so great to be part of this historic moment and just contribute in any way i can. as an emt, because i know a lot of people are getting injured, if there is any way i can help, i would go out and do it. not

eve ryo ne welco m es help, i would go out and do it. not everyone welcomes change. some in the neighbourhood organised a pro—police blue lives matter demonstration. the crowd, a mix of retired officers, friends and family. and across the city, the situation has been much the same, with the looters joining peaceful protesters and police brutality caught on camera phones. ? i was worried. i stayed caught on camera phones. ? i was worried. istayed here caught on camera phones. ? i was worried. i stayed here all night, i was worried. you know? but what are you going to do? it was a shame about george floyd. nobody in their right mind can say that what happened to that man was not criminal. but tracey tells me that asa criminal. but tracey tells me that as a business owner she has found

navigating the politics of black lives matter fraught? when i put a sticker or? i don't think so. because i feel like if i don't make a stance, is my business going to be labelled? if i do make stance, and my customers not going to be with me? this is a very blue—collar neighbourhood. i'm not trying to annoy anybody. for his siblings andrew and piano, because his personal. our dad is black, so we are biracial. i have had comments made about me. and i have had people talk about me. most people here are white. they help paint a mural in bay ridge. it contains the names of women and men killed at the hands of

police. i hope that maybe something will come out of this, because we have definitely accomplished more in a few weeks and has been done in 20 years. keep going, is all i can say, keep going, this is good but keep going. the outpouring of activism comes at a time when the coronavirus has highlighted deep inequality in american society. in bay ridge, considered one of the most conservative neighbourhoods in the city, it is exposing sharp cultural rifts. so this isjust city, it is exposing sharp cultural rifts. so this is just one city, it is exposing sharp cultural rifts. so this isjust one block from your house? yes, this is it, this is what is left. just a month after they helped create the mural, it has been painted over. ultimately we have to do more thanjust paint a mural.

it is late june, it is latejune, and coronavirus cases continue to fall. new york is in phase two reopening, retailers and barber shops back, and outdoor dining. makeshift structures for eating outside have begun popping up in front of restaurants all over the city, to help them get back to something resembling business as usual. everything that is going on right now as a shock and surprise. nobody knew any of this was going to happen. but the stress of trying to stay afloat is taking its toll on tracey. emotionally, i'm a wreck. up and down and up and down. my mood swings are, you know, some days i feel good, some days ijust don't even know why we even bother. we have bill collectors banging on the door all the time.

no masks for dogs! i have got a credit card that is maxed out, you know? my wife because my mother helped us out. that is my other son right there, the two of them. i had to look at my kids, it makes it a lot easier, and i had to show them that if you don't fight for what you want, then how do you explain to them that you just keep up. even if it ruins you financially? we are already ruined financially. everything is horrible. for breanna and andrew, there is an engineering. with summer almost over, both have decided to return to

university this autumn. their colleges are reopening. classes will be half online and half in person. colleges are reopening. classes will be half online and half in personlj am excited for a change of scenery. for both, the pandemic has shifted the way they see life after graduation. i was an emt in new york city during the 2020 coronavirus pandemic, andl city during the 2020 coronavirus pandemic, and i was able to get through that, so this is definitely solidified my goal to go into medicine. but the dire impact of the pandemic on the economy might make things difficult for breanna, who dreams of being a teacher. my dad has told me that if i couldn't find a job right away, he won't kick me out of the house, so that's nice of him! but, like, iwant to go out of the house, so that's nice of him! but, like, i want to go to the workforce, because that's my whole passion in life. and so i hope it

works out, but i never really know. across bay ridge, many people are discovering that even as the virus recedes, life is not going back to how it was before. if you drive down these blocks, you will see more stores closed and for rent than ever before. business isn't good. it's slow. steak is costing me almost $9 a pound. i'm paying so much more per piece, and i can't raise the prices, so piece, and i can't raise the prices, soi piece, and i can't raise the prices, so i lose on my end. which cuts are killing you the most? food cost is ridiculous. plus there is no decrease in rent, no decrease in electric, no decrease in gas, no decrease in salaries. and now you're

adding on more paper towels, more toilet paper, more cleaning supplies. even the return of eating inside may not be enough. the city is getting ready to allow indoor dining at 25% capacity at the end of september. the health inspection. everything is so the health inspection. everything is so bad and dark and miserable. this place used to be hopping, people all over the place having a good time. it could still be that way. breanna is learning the hard way that plans to get back to normal are easily thwarted. less than 24 hours after she told me she was returning to campus, her college cancelled in—person classes. breanna will have to stay in bay ridge after all. 0k,

so, iam pretty to stay in bay ridge after all. 0k, so, i am pretty much radiating angen so, i am pretty much radiating anger, frustration, and i think maybe a little bit of sadness. i think it is mostly frustration. the whole thing about colleges you get to experience being on a and that's, i would have got over it if they had told me a week ago and said that i wasn't coming on campus instead of telling me i was going to come on campus, by now i would be over it. but right now i'm not over it. most of the year is over, and the memories we thought we would make in 2020 have been stolen by the coronavirus. and still we are a long way from getting back to anything resembling normal. here in bay ridge there are glimmers of that old new york, that fighting spirit that is pushing people to adapt even as

there is no end in sight. if i have one bottle of liquor on the shelf and one keg of beer and one type of beer, i will still be here. and one keg of beer and one type of beer, iwill still be here. so and one keg of beer and one type of beer, i will still be here. so it doesn't matter. for tony, saving lone star is about so much more than just keeping his bar. the american dream is this. you have a dream to be your own boss. you have a dream to make your own money. to not have to make your own money. to not have to listen to someone, not have to ta ke to listen to someone, not have to take orders. to create your own destiny. that's the american dream. i've had the american dream since i was 17 years old. i always say moving on is giving in.

yesterday i went to the beach by myself, you know? just clear the mind. didn't have to worry about sanitiser and this and that. who is he, this guy? he is like the spokesperson for bay ridge?” he, this guy? he is like the spokesperson for bay ridge? i walk in the door, i throw my keys on the table, i'm like, is this the way i wa nt to table, i'm like, is this the way i want to be? i can do what you just done! you are a cliche today. have you got clean underwear on? and cut!

hello. no rest for the weather this weekend, more spells of rain swinging their way across the atlantic, pushed through on strong and gusty winds. every now and then, between the spells of rain, perhaps the glimmer of brightness, but u nfortu nately the glimmer of brightness, but unfortunately no really sustain spells of dry and sunny weather, i'm afraid. the reason for all of this, this big area of low pressure that will stay with us throughout the next 48 hours, feeding in weather fronts and clusters of showers. through the remainder of the afternoon, as the centre of the low sta rts afternoon, as the centre of the low starts to roll across ireland, particularly strong winds for irish sea coast. high spring tides is one of the risk of coastal flooding, further rain pushing it on the south—east, another band of rain stretching its way from the west all the way across england and wales. a wet start to the evening in northern ireland. the numbers in black other gust strengths. through the evening and overnight, the wet weather does

tend to retreat to the coast, but scotla nd tend to retreat to the coast, but scotland having soweto weather in the south and also northern ireland, a mild night. to the far south—east, we will need to keep an eye on rain approaching towards the end of the night and for early sunday morning, it could be very wet across the south—east of england, further fronts running their way across the uk through the day, so pretty much sum rainforall uk through the day, so pretty much sum rain for all areas at some stage, perhaps northern scotland driest and brightest for the longest period of time, the rain staying out of the way until later on in the day. risk of gales more towards the south coast, but through the course of sunday, and again without the risk of some coastal flooding, gusts up risk of some coastal flooding, gusts up to 60 or 70 mph in some of the more exposed coastal spots, but inland, 40, 45 possible, and some heavy showers focusing on the south—west later in the afternoon. rain also by this stage across northern england. but it does stay mild, as it will do on into next week as it stays unsettled. but at the end of the week, we pull down a

northerly bit of colder air, and high pressure will start to build through thursday and friday, so our story changes in quite dramatic ways, it will become calmer but it will consequently become much colder as well, we are talking about a return of overnight frosts from the end of the week into next weekend.

this is bbc news. the headlines at six... conservative mps urge the prime minister to reset his government after the departure of his top adviser, dominic cummings. a thumbs up from president trump as thousands of his supporters line the streets of the us capital. this is the scene live in washington, as crowds march in support of the president's unsubstantiated claims of voterfraud. financial pressure builds for the 2.9 million people in the uk who are still excluded from the chancellor's coronavirus income support schemes. and diwali with a difference — the festival of lights is celebrated in a socially distanced way by hundreds of millions