Image source, PA Media

Research suggests some 20,000 children with special educational needs and disabilities (Send) in England are unlikely to return to school because of safety concerns.

“Heads and parents told us repeatedly how they felt forgotten about," Amy Skipp, the director of Ask Research, told the Guardian, external.

"Messages from government and the issued guidance have been so confused for children with special needs who faced an impossible situation over the last few months.”

According to the report, external, headteachers estimated that an average of 14% of pupils may not return this month, with almost two-thirds of the 510 parents surveyed concerned about children's safety, and a third anxious about Send pupils’ inability to adhere to safe practice and social distancing.

Headteachers are anticipating having to make significant changes to Send pupils' curriculum to accommodate wider coronavirus measures, including fewer activities and reduced contact hours.

The government told the BBC it had given "specific guidance on the measures special schools and other special education settings should put in place to keep children and staff as safe as possible."

“Throughout the pandemic we have worked with schools and councils to help support children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities, including by asking schools to stay open to those with Education Health and Care Plans," a Department for Education spokesperson said.

"At the same time, we are increasing high needs funding for local authorities by £780 million this year, and a further £730 million next year - boosting the total budget to more than £8 billion in 2021-22.

“We know that the staff who work day in, day out with these children and their families understand their individual needs best, and that they have put in place any necessary adjustments to ensure a smooth transition back to school.”

Image source, AFP/GETTY IMAGES

Just days after filming resumed on the new film The Batman, operations have been suspended again, following media reports that lead actor Robert Pattinson has tested positive for coronavirus.

Filming began in Glasgow earlier this year but was halted for six months because of the pandemic.

Vanity Fair magazine said, external Pattinson, 34, caught the virus days after filming recommenced near London.

On Friday, a spokeswoman for Warner Bros said shooting had been "temporarily paused".

"A member of The Batman production has tested positive for Covid-19, and is isolating in accordance with established protocols," she said. The spokeswoman refused to comment on the identity of the crew member.

British star Pattinson, the latest actor to play the Gotham City crime-fighter, has not commented on the reports.

Image source, Reuters

Remembering those who have died from Covid-19 is the poignant focus for Italy's famous La Scala opera house as it begins a new season of concerts and ballet.

Verdi's Requiem, conducted by La Scala's musical director Riccardo Chailly, will be performed at Milan's cathedral later on Friday, and broadcast in churches around the region. Over the next week it will be performed in Bergamo and Brescia, two areas of Italy that were badly hit by the pandemic.

Dominique Meyer, director of La Scala, said: "The whole region was very hurt, we wanted this requiem as a thought for the dead and their families."

The Milan theatre itself opens on 12 September with a reconstructed stage to ensure a suitable distance for its 189 musicians, choristers and soloists.

La Scala closed in February amid rising cases in the Lombardy region. It reopened for a series of mini-concerts in July before closing again until its official reopening this month.

Image source, Getty Images

Luxury fashion house Burberry has been handed more than £500,000 to make PPE equipment for the NHS, according to government records.

In April, the firm said it would donate 100,000 items to healthcare workers and was praised by Matt Hancock.

Two months later, it was given a £573,000 contract to make gowns and protective equipment.

Burberry said it was "one of a list of other businesses that have been contracted to supply PPE".

The contract was not advertised to other potential suppliers, government records showed.

EU rules allow the government to circumvent the usual processes if only one supplier is capable of delivering on the contract, or if unforeseen events mean that speed is vital.

Read more

Coronavirus means you're travelling between particular countries, you may have to observe a 14 day quarantine when you arrive.

The full list of quarantine restrictions for the UK is updated every week by the Joint Biosecurity Centre (JBS) - set up by the government to monitor Covid-19.

One in five eligible passengers will be called or texted to check they are following the rules.

People who do not self-isolate can be fined up to £1,000 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and £480 in Scotland.

There are fines up to £5,000 for persistent offenders.

But what do you have to do if you're asked to quarantine?

BBC Health Correspondent Laura Foster, external explains what you need to do.

Katy Watson
BBC South America correspondent

Image source, EPA

Brazil’s health ministry has said that the country has now surpassed more than four million cases of Covid-19. The total number of deaths in the country from the virus is now more than 120,000 but there are signs that the spread of the virus is slowing.

Brazil is still the worst-hit country after the US in terms of both fatalities and infections but after a long period of consistently high numbers, the death-toll from Covid-19 seems to be easing and the transmission rate falling.

It’s early days though, and numbers still remain high - on Thursday, more than 40,000 new infections were recorded and 834 people died.

Meanwhile, Rio’s beaches are filling up, shops and restaurants have re-opened across the country and most people have returned to work – so experts have cautioned against declaring that the worst is over.

Olga Robinson and Christopher Giles
BBC anti-disinformation unit

Image source, Getty

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says it has been deluged with queries about false rumours the official tally of Covid-19 deaths is drastically lower than the publicised headline figure of about 185,000.

Social-media posts making this bogus claim have been circulating widely on the internet.

And one re-tweeted by President Trump was removed by Twitter for breaching its guidelines.

What exactly is the claim?

The claim, being amplified by supporters of QAnon conspiracies and others, is that only 6% of the total number of people with coronavirus on their death certificate actually died from the virus.

This is misleading and not true.

It's correct to state of all the death certificates in the US that mention Covid-19, only 6% mention no other illnesses.

However, 92% of the total clearly state Covid-19 as the underlying cause of death. So while a patient may have had lung problems or diabetes referred to on their certificates, coronavirus has been given as the main cause of death.

The CDC also says the death certificates may include conditions caused by coronavirus, such as respiratory issues.

This information on death certificates has featured for months on CDC's website, with regular updates, external.

Read more here.

Image source, Reuters

President Trump has mocked his presidential rival Joe Biden for wearing a face mask so often and letting it hang off his ear when he gives speeches.

Speaking to his supporters - few of whom were wearing masks - at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania, Trump said: “Did you ever see a man who likes a mask as much as him?”

He added: "And then [when Biden] makes a speech and he always - not always, but a lot of times - he has it hanging down because, you know what, it gives him a feeling of security.

"If I were a psychiatrist I'd say: 'This guy’s got some big issues.'"

Trump has worn a mask in public on only a handful of occasions. He has said there is a "time and a place" for wearing a mask, but was criticised earlier this year when he failed to back scientific guidance recommending the wearing of them to help stop the spread of the virus.

Anthony Reuben
BBC News

Children are returning to classrooms, many for the first time in six months. As they do so, parents are having to wade through masses of guidance and advice about what to expect in a Covid-safe school. But not everything can be believed.

There has been a range of misleading claims about what could happen to pupils on their return, which have been circulating on social media. We've looked at some of them here.

Differences in UK quarantine rules are "confusing" for travellers, Grant Shapps has admitted, as the devolved nations take varying approaches to international travel.

The transport secretary said he understood the frustration, as Scotland and Wales required Portugal and French Polynesia arrivals to isolate, while England and Northern Ireland held off.

Wales' rules, external, including only six Greek islands, began at 04:00 BST on Friday.

Travel firms have called for urgent clarity.

Read more

Many people have struggled during lockdown, but it has been especially hard for new parents.

Jai Chee, from Eastleigh, and Rachael Philipson, from Southampton, are two mums who have suffered post-natal depression during lockdown.

The charity PANDAS Foundation, which supports parents with perinatal depression, saw a 75% increase in calls and it is helping 25% more people than at this time last year.

Jai and Rachael say they are now recovering, but are urging other new parents to seek support and talk to others if they are experiencing any issues with their mental health.

A film by Pete Doherty and Sophia Seth

If you've been affected by any of the issues in this film you can find support via the BBC Action Line here.

Image source, Jake Suett

A doctor who has been ill since contracting Covid-19 six months ago has called for more research into the prolonged effects of the virus.

Dr Jake Suett, 31, has been unable to work since March, when he first had suspected Covid-19 symptoms.

He said data about so-called "long Covid" was essential to help the NHS make "good public health decisions".

A government spokesperson said it was "constantly learning" about the long-term impact of the virus.

Dr Suett was working as an anaesthetist and intensive care doctor at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King's Lynn, Norfolk, when he became ill with suspected Covid-19, but tests were not available at the time.

He said he was still unable to walk for more than 30 minutes without feeling breathless, adding he "almost feels ashamed as a 31-year-old to still be feeling so unwell".

Read more here

Reality Check

Image source, Getty Images

More schools across the UK have started to open fully for the first time since March.

To keep pupils and staff safe, they are having to make their buildings Covid-secure, as well as providing catch-up help for students who may have struggled during lockdown.

But how much will it cost and is government funding reaching the right places?

A survey by the National Association of Head Teachers found, external many schools had already incurred costs at an average of £9,990 per school, for additional cleaning, hand-washing stations and new signage.

Simultaneously, schools also estimate a £16,000 loss of income from sources such as renting rooms or after-school clubs.

In Wales and Scotland, at least £20m has been put aside in each country to help schools cover cleaning costs, but in England schools are expected to pay for those additional costs from their existing budgets.

Schools in England will receive access to £1bn of funding to support missed learning.

This is mainly made up of a per-pupil cash boost worth £650m, meaning each primary and secondary pupil will receive £80.

However, the scheme has been criticised for not targeting students who most need the money. The per-pupil cash means children from the wealthiest areas will receive the same as those in the poorest, despite the large gaps in access to education throughout lockdown.

Read more.

Italian ex-Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has spent the night in hospital after contracting coronavirus, but a party colleague Licia Ronzulli says it's just a "small precautionary admission". Only yesterday Berlusconi, 83, told an election rally over the phone that he was fine: "no fever, no pain". Infections are rising in Italy - last night another 1,397 infections and 10 deaths were reported. There are cases in every region.

Elsewhere around Europe:

Image source, Reuters

• The head of Spain's Madrid region, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, says private and public meetings will have to be limited to 10 people in an attempt to halt the spread of coronavirus in the capital. Spain has seen 3,607 cases and 40 deaths in 24 hours and Madrid has seen a third of the infections
• Twenty-two schools have closed in France because of Covid-19 infections, less than a week since the start of the school year, the Minister of Education Jean-Michel Blanquer has told French radio

• A proposal by German virologist Christian Drosten to cut the quarantine period for people with symptoms from 14 days to five is gaining support. German politicians believe it could help convince the public to accept continuing restrictions on their lives
• Turkey has extended by two months a ban on layoffs it introduced to combat the economic impact of the pandemic
• At least 100 people have been infected in Norway, after taking part in a Shia Muslim religious festival south of the capital Oslo. The head of the Sarpsborg-based community, Sadiq Baker Alezairjawi, said no-one who took part in the community event on Sunday was showing symptoms

Image source, EMMA RUSSELL

Pregnant women are often now attending hospital appointments on their own. Covid-19 safety measures in hospitals mean loved ones must sit in the car or pace outside. It means some are being given the heartbreaking news of miscarriages on their own.

"It was highly distressing to find out my baby had no heartbeat, when my partner had to sit in the car park and wait," recalls Helen.

"I then had to come out and tell him the sad news myself."

The miscarriage charity Tommy's, external saw a huge spike in helpline queries during the pandemic.

"Miscarriages are devastating," says Birte Harlev-Lam from the Royal College of Midwives.

"We know that this pandemic has made the experience even more difficult due to restrictions on having partners at scans and other appointments."

Four women have discussed their experiences of miscarriage during the pandemic with the BBC's Vibeke Venema. Read their stories here.

Shaimaa Khalil
BBC News, Sydney

The man who was being treated in intensive care at Middlemore Hospital in Auckland is the youngest person to have died from Covid-19 in New Zealand and the first death since 28 May..

He was in his 50s and was one of a 152 infected people linked to the recent outbreak in the country’s largest city.

The Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield said he acknowledged the anxiety New Zealanders may be feeling but added that more Covid-19 deaths were possible.

The Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said Auckland would remain in semi-lockdown for another two weeks.

People in Leeds must make a "collective effort" to avoid further coronavirus restrictions, councillors have warned.

The city is expected to be added to Public Health England's weekly watch list as an "area of concern" after its infection rate rose to 29.4 cases per 100,000 people.

City council leader Judith Blake said it was "a pivotal moment in our efforts to control the spread of the virus".

"Nobody wants to see further restrictions on life in Leeds," she said.

"The harsh reality is that if our infection rate continues to rise as it has been, we will be left with no alternative."

According to recent figures, 44 new coronavirus cases were identified in Leeds on Wednesday.

Read more.

Image source, HM TREASURY

Restaurants have claimed more than 100 million meals under the UK's Eat Out to Help Out scheme.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak hailed the scheme as a success.

"From the get-go our mission has been to protect jobs, and to do this we needed to be creative, brave and try things that no government has ever done before.

"I want to thank everyone, from restaurant owners to waiters, chefs and diners, for embracing it and helping drive our economic recovery."

The scheme saw diners given a state-backed 50% discount on meals across certain days of the week in August, in a bid to boost the hospitality sector following lockdown.

In July, restaurant bookings were down 54% on Mondays-to-Wednesdays, compared with July 2019.

But the final day of the scheme, Monday 31 August, saw a 216% jump in bookings against the equivalent day in 2019, according to OpenTable.

The chancellor ruled out extending Eat Out to Help Out, but some outlets are self-funding their own schemes in September.

Read more.

Image source, EPA

Italy’s former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi has been taken to hospital after testing positive for the coronavirus.

A party colleague, senator Licia Ronzulli, said it was a precautionary measure.

Berlusconi, 83, told members of his centre-right Forza Italia party on Thursday that he was “doing pretty well” with “no fever, no pain”.

Image source, Getty Images

People arriving in Wales from Portugal, French Polynesia and six Greek islands must now self-isolate for 14 days after new rules kicked in at 04:00 BST.

Arrivals to Scotland, external from Portugal and French Polynesia will have to self-isolate from 04:00 on Saturday.

However Portugal, Greece and French Polynesia remain on England, external and Northern Ireland's, external lists of travel corridors, meaning there is no quarantine requirements for travellers.

The different restrictions between UK nations has been criticised as confusing.

In Portugal, the seven-day infection rate has increased from 15.3 to 23 per 100,000 people. This is above the threshold of 20, which is when the UK government generally considers triggering quarantine conditions.

But England's Department of Transport claimed Portugal had "drastically increased its testing capacity", alongside other measures to control the spread.

Crete, Mykonos, Zakynthos (or Zante), Lesvos, Paros and Antiparos are the six Greek islands from which travellers arriving in Wales will have to quarantine. Scotland reintroduced self-isolation measures for arrivals from Greece earlier in the week.

England has yet to apply any quarantine measures to Greece. Nonetheless UK Transport Secretary Grant Shapps warned travellers on Thursday that travel corridors remained under "constant review" - and the situation could change "at very short notice".