On the devastating floods in europe. In germany, more than 170 people are still missing. At least 160 are confirmed dead. Rain is continuing to cause trouble, with attention now shifting to parts of austria these are the streets in one town in the salzburg region. Welcome to our viewers on pbs in america and around the globe. We begin in england. And 480 days after they were first introduced, most legal restrictions on social contact have been lifted. All three, two, one this was the moment when the clock struck midnight that restrictions eased. Some people chose to celebrate in this way. Lots of people have been calling it Freedom Day. From today, monday, face coverings are no longer required by law, although they are recommended in some crowded public spaces, such as public transport. The social distancing one Metre Plus Guidance is no longer mandatory except in some places like hospitals. Nightclubs can reopen and theatres and cinemas can return to full capacity. People currently working from home are being encouraged to return to the workplace. Guidance which advises against travel to countries on the Governments Amber List has been removed and fully vaccinated front Line Health workers in england will, when hospitals are short staffed, be able to avoid Self Isolation rules. The number of cases in the uk has returned to january levels, currently about 50,000 cases a day are being recorded, spurred primarily by the Delta Variant. And some scientists predict that that number could reach 200,000 a day later in the summer. But prime Minister Borisjohnson has again said this is the right time to remove all restrictions. If we dont do it now, then well be opening up in the autumn and the winter months, when the virus has the advantage of the cold weather. We lose the precious firebreak that we get with the school holidays. If we dont do it now, weve got to ask ourselves, when will we ever do it . The Opposition Labour Party leader Kier Starmer has said the lifting of restrictions is reckless and chaotic. His character causes chaos. His leadership causes mayhem. Labour does not support the governments plan. Lifting all restrictions in one go is reckless. Nadhim zahawi, the uks vaccines minister, has defended the timing. There is no perfect time, but a time when schoolsl are on summer holidays and that. Brings downward pressure on the r number, the infection number, and the high levels of vaccination. I almost 88 of all adults now with one dose. I think its the right time to cautiously proceed. All this comes as hundreds of thousands of people in the uk are being pinged by the Track And Trace app, which tells you if youve been in contact with someone whos tested positive. Latest figures show that more than 500,000 people in england and wales were pinged by the app in the week to seven july, up 46 on the previous week. If you are pinged youre advised but not legally obliged to self isolate for ten days. Injanuary, england was in another lockdown. Now, the government is Launching Trialling a limited Pilot Scheme involving 20 organisations, in which daily tests replace Self Isolation. We know about this in particular. On sunday, borisjohnson said Downing Street was taking part in this Pilot Scheme, after Health Minister Sajid Javid tested positive for coronavirus, but after pressure on sunday, there was a change of tack. Briefly was going to excuse himself from the Staff Isolation that 500,000 odd people are having to do, but quickly realised that it would look terrible, would look as if it was one rule for the politicians and another rule for the rest of us, and so made a screeching u turn. On that shift. Heres Kier Starmer again. Borisjohnson and Rishi Sunak only went into isolation because they were busted. Weve seen once again their instincts on show. 0ne Rule for them, another rule for the rest of us. Borisjohnson has urged caution but thats up to the individual now, not the government. And even hes admitted cases will keep rising. Weve got to remember that this virus is sadly still out there. Cases are rising. We can see the extreme contagiousness of the Delta Variant. And theres another thing worrying scientists besides the rising cases. Heres our health correspondentjim reed. By allowing people to get infected you are increasing the chance that a new variant could emerge. At the moment, it is this Delta Variant that is by far the most prevalent in the uk. Could you see some mutation to that that is in some way more infectious or could make a vaccine less effective and are you increasing the chances of that by having 50, 60, 70, 100,000 people a day infected . Martin hibberd is a professor of Emerging Infectious Diseases at the London School of hygiene tropical medicine. He adds to this. I worry that we might be generating a vaccine resistant variant and Thats Something we have to keep a careful lie on to make sure that doesnt happen or we may be back in a difficult situation of having to close again. Across the border in scotland, restrictions are also easing but the picture is very different. Pubs and restaurants will now be able to stay open until Midnight But Group sizes are still limited. The return of workers to offices will be delayed, and face coverings will remain mandatory. Scotlands first minister Nicola Sturgeon shared this picture, in which you can see scotlands cases are dropping, while englands are rising steeply. She added to talk of Freedom Day is not sensible in my opinion, given current situation. Vaccinating children who are at increased risk from covid is becoming a priority for the uk government. Today, its indicated that overall, around 370,000 children will now be eligible for a jab those with certain conditions, those who live with someone with a weak immune system, and teenagers within three months of their 18th birthday. Heres the vaccine minister nadhim zahawi, speaking in the last couple of hours. Todays advice recommends we continue to vaccinate 16 and 17 year olds who are in an at risk group, as we do now. But it also recommends expanding the offer of the vaccine to some younger children with underlying Health Conditions that put them at greater risk of covid 19. We also ask thejcvi to consider rolling out vaccines to all children and young people over the age of 12, and although we are not taking this step today, thejcvi is keeping the matter under review and they will be looking at more data as it becomes available. Figures from two weeks ago showed 840,000 pupils were out of school in england two weeks ago due to covid related reasons the highest number since schools fully reopened in march. That number will be higher now. That number reflects the surge in cases across the country, but its also a consequence of the governments bubble scheme, where an entire group of students would have to self isolate if one tested positive. From today, thats replaced by Contact Tracing through the Track And Trace app. And as weve seen, thats been pinging hundreds of thousands of people. The vast majority of children in the uk, who are low risk, will not be offered the vaccine for now. Other countries have begun vaccinating 12 15 year olds. France started teen vaccinations on 15june. Austria aims to have more than 340,000 children vaccinated by the end of august. Israel began vaccinating its 600,000 12 to 15 year olds on 6thjune. And the us has become one of the countries that made the most progress. It began vaccinating teens on 13 may, and had given at least one dose to more than 30 of children in that Age Group by the end ofjune. Progress being made at different speeds in different countries. Drjennie lavine is an . Epidemiologist at Emory University in new york, who wrote in the bmj recently that vaccinating children was hard to justify right now for most children in most countries. I asked her why. I think the first ke thin i asked her why. I think the first key thing is i asked her why. I think the first key thing is that i asked her why. I think the first key thing is that we i asked her why. I think the first key thing is that we really i asked her why. I think the first key thing is that we really need | i asked her why. I think the first l key thing is that we really need to be thinking about how, when we look at a vaccination scheme, what is the Cost Benefit for direct protection to the vaccinated individual. In this case it is asking for a child, maybe 13 years old, what is the cost of getting a vaccine, what are the health risks associated with it, and what are the benefits . And because covid tends to cause fairly mild disease in that Age Group, the expected benefit is not especially high, and the risk at that point, we dont think its especially high either but at the same time i think, you know, these vaccines were rolled out very quickly for a very good reason. We are in the middle of a health crisis. For many sectors of the population. For that sector i would say it is not a direct emergency to them. But would say it is not a direct emergency to them. But isnt the Calculation Emergency to them. But isnt the calculation not emergency to them. But isnt the calculation not just emergency to them. But isnt the Calculation Notjust about emergency to them. But isnt the calculation not just about that. Emergency to them. But isnt the | Calculation Notjust about that Age Calculation not just about that Age Group but about society as a whole . I thought the argument was that the more children you vaccinate the better you chance you have or vaccinating or vaccinating the entire community. Vaccinating or vaccinating the entire community. Vaccinating or vaccinating the entire communi. ,. ,. , entire community. Great question. I think that was entire community. Great question. I think that was a entire community. Great question. I think that was a hope entire community. Great question. I think that was a hope that entire community. Great question. I think that was a hope that many entire community. Great question. I think that was a hope that many of. Think that was a hope that many of us had for a very long time and at the beginning, with good reason. I think at this point the chances of reaching a lasting Herd Immunity threshold, a point where enough immunity exists for a long enough period of time and notjust any immunity, but transmission blocking immunity, but transmission blocking immunity, thats so unlikely that we are unlikely to reach the threshold whether or not we vaccinate kids. So the Question Isnt so much, whether kids or adults going to get infected and reinfected with covid 19, it is how severe is the disease going to be, so we can set about covid 19, which is very likely to happen, from the disease caused by sars covid 2. Given that america has vaccinated many children with a small number having adverse effects, would it be worth doing anyway to protect the minority vulnerable to long covid . I think theres two different Calculations Id put into that. One is that its true that in wealthy countries we have that luxury of the vaccine. I would say from a global public Health Perspective we would be better off giving the vaccines to higher risk individuals in other countries, both for those people getting the vaccines and also for global circulation of the pathogen. And secondly i would say, and this comes back to what i said before, these vaccines were developed very quickly, which is amazing and incredibly useful in this moment, and we dont have a really good sense of the longer term consequences. Sense of the longer term consequences. Sense of the longer term conse. Uences. ,. , consequences. One more thing, going back to your consequences. One more thing, going back to your first consequences. One more thing, going back to your first answer. Consequences. One more thing, going back to your first answer. If consequences. One more thing, going back to your first answer. If your back to your first answer. If your assessment of Herd Immunity is that in a meaningful sense it is completely elusive, what youre really telling us is that one of the great hopes thats been driving people for the last 18 months no longer exists. People for the last 18 months no longer exists. That is true. I want to sa , longer exists. That is true. I want to say. Though. Longer exists. That is true. I want to say, though, that longer exists. That is true. I want to say, though, that i longer exists. That is true. I want to say, though, that i dont longer exists. That is true. I want to say, though, that i dont think| to say, though, that i dont think that implies a bleak future. I dont think that implies a future where we arent going to be able to have parties and hug ourfamilies arent going to be able to have parties and hug our families and have reunions. Its going to be a slower, more gradual transition to a mild pandemic state. Stay with us on 0utside Source still to come. Germanys government has hit back at criticism over its Flood Warning systems. It comes after the worst flooding in decades left at least 160 people dead. A lot of important detail in the Government Coronavirus Briefing earlier. Another key fact to emerge in the Government Coronavirus Briefing was that more than half of those currently in hospital with coronavirus have already had two doses of their vaccine. The governments chief scientific Adviser Sir Patrick vallance was asked about the numbers. In terms of the number of people in hospital who have been double vaccinated, we know its around 60 of the people being admitted to hospital with covid who have been double vaccinated. And thats not surprising, because the vaccines are not 100 effective. Theyre very, very effective but not 100 . And as a higher proportion of the population is double vaccinated its inevitable that those 10 of that very large number remain at risk and therefore will be amongst the people who both catch the infection and end up in hospital. So, whilst vaccines are very effective at reducing severe disease, theyre also effective at reducing the chance of catching it, and reducing the chance of passing it on, but theyre slightly less effective at doing that than preventing severe disease. This is 0utside Source, live from the bbc newsroom. 0ur lead story. Nearly all of englands covid restrictions have been lifted, despite rising cases. Uk prime Minister Borisjohnson has defended the decision saying, if not now, when . Lets get the latest on the devastating floods in europe. In western germany alone more than 160 have died and its possible that number could double. German police say around 170 people are still missing, and they expect many bodies will be found in places where Flood Waters had not yet receded. Lets begin our coverage with this report from our correspondent damian mcguinness, hes in the state of rhineland palatinate. The rain has stopped and the Flood Water is receding which means the amount of devastation is becoming clear. Many people have lost everything and the Regions Infrastructure and has been torn apart. Roads and bridges destroyed and many areas are without basic amenities. Translation and many areas are without basic amenities. Tuna mom and many areas are without basic amenities. Translation there is neither illiteracy amenities. Translation there is neither illiteracy nor amenities. Translation there is neither Illiteracy Nor Drinking neither Illiteracy Nor Drinking water. I dont know what to say. I must stop to take a Break And Talk to people or ill go crazy. To people or ill go crazy. Within the space to people or ill go crazy. Within the space of to people or ill go crazy. Within the space of two to people or ill go crazy. Within the space of two days to people or ill go crazy. Within the space of two days two to people or ill go crazy. Within the space of two days two large | the space of two days two large estates were hit by more rainfall than they usually get in two months, causing the regions many rivers to burst their banks. In The Village of schultz, the floodwaters destroyed and in some cases washed away houses. In a town they can the Water Created Landslides that undermined row of homes and a castle. It had survived for centuries but wasnt able to withstand the onslaught of the floods. 0ften able to withstand the onslaught of the floods. Often people had just minutes to get to safety. Translation i minutes to get to safety. Translation minutes to get to safety. Translation ,. ,. , translation i woke up at about 11pm and Ste Ed Translation i woke up at about 11pm and stepped into translation i woke up at about 11pm and stepped into the translation i woke up at about 11pm and stepped into the Water Translation i woke up at about 11pm and stepped into the water at translation i woke up at about 11pm and stepped into the water at a and stepped into the water at a depth of 20 centimetres when i got off the bed. I couldnt have imagined how fast the water would rise if i hadnt experienced it on my own. I rise if i hadnt experienced it on m own. , � ~. ,. , rise if i hadnt experienced it on m own. ~. ,. ,. ,. , my own. I dont know what to do. I have four my own. I dont know what to do. I have four kids. My own. I dont know what to do. I have four kids. This my own. I dont know what to do. I have four kids. This is my own. I dont know what to do. I have four kids. This is really my own. I dont know what to do. I have four kids. This is really a have four kids. This is really a disasten have four kids. This is really a disaster. No one told me how long it would disaster. No one told me how long it would take disaster. No one told me how long it would take to rebuild the place, which would take to rebuild the place, which may take a year or two years. We are which may take a year or two years. We are out which may take a year or two years. We are out of which may take a year or two years. We are out of work. How to carry out reconstruction is the biggest issue. These picture are from sunday they show Angela Merkel visiting The Village of schuldt. She said she was shocked at the destruction. On wednesday her cabinet will agree a Rescue Package for the areas devastated by the floods. Mrs merkel said her government will also strengthen its measures to combat Climate Change. Many leaders are blaming Climate Change for the floods, and one of them is deputy Interior Minister gunter krings. Here he is speaking to my Colleague Kasia Madera as he visited the steinbachtal dam, which was in danger of being breached. One of the biggest european single projects on Climate Protection is to go out of the ground coal mining. And big areas not very far from here, the mining area, and were going out of this and i think thats a very important contribution to Climate Protection. A really high reduction of carbon dioxide, so that is one of the biggest projects, maybe european wide the biggest project of Climate Protection, and thats just one example. Would you say what We Saw, the devastation, the disruption, is it because of Climate Change . I think its very, very likely that what We Saw, heavy rains here and the damage, is because of Climate Change and thats. Staying with the steinbachtal dam, its just been confirmed safe and the thousands of people whod been evacuated from the area have gradually been returning. Heres germanys Interior Minister Horst Seehofer visiting the dam earlier on monday. Like all of germanys political leaders, hes facing tough questions about what some are calling the catastrophic shortcomings of the Flood Warning systems. Officials insist the system worked properly, but politicians say there should have been more warnings on television, radio and social media. Mr seehofer rejected criticism that the central government was to blame for failing to warn people. Translation the german weather. Service gives warnings of severe i weather conditions and is supported by a european institution. These warnings are passed on to the federal states and from there the States Flooding centres, to the different regional communities. They are the ones making the decisions when it comes to protecting measures against environmental disasters. A State Of Emergency is not declared in berlin, but where it is taking place. Hanna cloke is a Flood Expert from reading univestiy. She gave me her analysis. Imean, i mean, its just i mean, itsjust incredibly frustrating. So many very people have lost their lives and thats really not acceptable. We shouldnt say that anything has been successful when so many people have died. Successful when so many people have died,. Successful when so many people have died. ,. ,. , died. So, what would you prefer to have happened died. So, what would you prefer to have happened last died. So, what would you prefer to have happened last week . Died. So, what would you prefer to have happened last week . Well, l died. So, what would you prefer to have happened last week . Well, i | have happened last week . Well, i Think Weve have happened last week . Well, i Think Weve got have happened last week . Well, i Think Weve got to have happened last week . Well, i Think Weve got to look have happened last week . Well, i Think Weve got to look at have happened last week . Well, i Think Weve got to look at the Think Weve got to look at the entire chain, all the way from the forecasts that were issued, and they were quite good. They said that there would be flooding in the right area, so the message didnt get all the way to the ground. In some cases people felt they hadnt been warned. In some cases people didnt understand the risk so they didnt obey evacuation orders. So we are missing some pieces in the chain. Its no good having a massive supercomputer producing excellent forecasts if in the end people are dying because they arent listening or dont get the information. The issue of peeple or dont get the information. The issue of people not listening is one that will take many years to change, wouldnt it . I that will take many years to change, wouldnt it . ~ that will take many years to change, wouldnt it . Wouldnt it . I think we should start now. Wouldnt it . I think we should start now were wouldnt it . I think we should start now were only wouldnt it . I think we should start now. Were only going wouldnt it . I think we should start now. Were only going to wouldnt it . I think we should start now. Were only going to see wouldnt it . I think we should start now. Were only going to see more these types of events. As weve heard, this is likely to be due to Climate Change. These are the types of rainfall we expect with Climate Change and they could happen anywhere. This has happened in these areas right now. We experience this rainfall in summer. We had one in london recently. You could experience it in berlin. It could be the same so we need to prepare more seriously. So the same so we need to prepare more seriousl. , the same so we need to prepare more seriousl. ,. , seriously. So there are questions about the systems seriously. So there are questions about the systems in seriously. So there are questions about the systems in place seriously. So there are questions about the systems in place to seriously. So there are questions i about the systems in place to warn people but what about organising the towns and cities and villages we live in . Presumably part of this is the town planning, infrastructure and an architectural challenge. Thats exactly right. Warning people is one thing but we must have particular infrastructure and we must prepare for these big Flood Events in our cities. Of course thats very difficult to do over 20, 30 years when it doesnt flood. Its easy to encroach on the river thats generally flowing through the town. But of course it can turn into a Roaring Torrent when you get these heavy rain falls. Heavy rain falls. Lastly, youre frustrated. Heavy rain falls. Lastly, youre frustrated, when heavy rain falls. Lastly, youre frustrated, when you heavy rain falls. Lastly, youre frustrated, when you see heavy rain falls. Lastly, youre frustrated, when you see the l frustrated, when you see the responses of politicians in Germany And Belgium and The Netherlands, are you satisfied that theyre ready to learn from the advice that you and other experts are offering . I learn from the advice that you and other experts are offering . Other experts are offering . I think that its really other experts are offering . I think that its really important other experts are offering . I think that its really important right other experts are offering . I thinkj that its really important right now to ask really good questions about which information was passed to whom, when the information was given out and received and what actions were taken so that we can learn from this, so this never happens again. Germany isnt the only country badly affected by the floods. Luxembourg, The Netherlands and belgium have all suffered badly too. These images are from the belgian town of pepinster, the hardest hit by the floods in the country. More than 1,000 residents had to be evacuated and as you can see the Search And Rescue operation there continues. While rains are subsiding in those areas its continuing to wreak havoc elsewhere, with attention now shifting to parts of austria. Images like these from the region of salzburg have been posted on social media. Emergency crews rescued people from homes as floodwaters submerged the streets of one town. You can see this girl of what was happening. You can see this girl of what was happening you can see this girl of what was hauaenin. , happening. You can see the scale of what was happening. You can see the scale of what was happening. In the Upper Bavaria region, one person was killed as heavy rains deluged basements and roads. The bbc� s Bethan Bell is in hallein, near salzburg. Here in The Rain has stopped and the Clean Up is in full swing. The Town Centre was Hit By Rain On saturday night, a torrent of water rushing through the streets after a river burst its banks. Shops, homes and businesses have been hit hard. {jut businesses have been hit hard. Our Ice Creams businesses have been hit hard. Our Ice Creams Machines and our electric is very Ice Creams Machines and our electric is very damaged and now we have a lot of is very damaged and now we have a Lot Of Mud is very damaged and now we have a Lot Of Mud. The is very damaged and now we have a lot of Mud Lot of mud. The Army And Fire Bfiuade Lot of mud. The Army And Fire brigade have Lot Of Mud. The Army And Fire brigade have been Lot Of Mud. The Army And Fire brigade have been helping i Lot Of Mud. The Army And Fire brigade have been helping to| Lot Of Mud. The Army And Fire brigade have been helping to clean the streets and pump out sellers. Volunteers are helping to clear out the mess. , � ,. , volunteers are helping to clear out the mess. , � ,. , ~. , volunteers are helping to clear out themess. ,. , � , the mess. Yes, its a shock and its really difficult. Formula one World Champion Lewis hamilton has been the target of racist abuse on social media, after his victory at sundays british grand prix. It was a thrilling race. Hamilton received a 10 second penalty, after a collision with title rival Max Verstappen during the first lap of the race, which led to verstappen crashing out. He had to go to hospitalfor precautionary checks. Mercedes, Formula 1 and governing body the fia have all condemned the abuse. The Bbc Sportsjoe Wilson has more. What happened on the first love was exciting, it was dangerous and it was controversial and all of those things are a constituent elements of Formula 1. When you observe the collision between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton it is possible to have a great number of legitimate opinions and conclusions. What authorities decided yesterday, that hamilton was at fault but not hugely at fault because they only cost him ten seconds which enabled him to get into the race and win it. There are legitimate opinions that can stem from that collision between two drivers competing for the world title. What it has triggered in some circumstances is racial abuse of Lewis Hamilton. The wearying thing about this and the depressingly familiar thing is that it is almost what weve come to expect. There are a great number of high profile sportsmen and sportswomen in britain who are black and they come to expect that if they make a come in inverted, a mistake, like missing a penalty, it will trigger in some sort of twisted logic, a Reaction Online which is racist. Thanks for watching. Hello. In response to the ongoing heat across the uk, the Met Office has now issued an extreme Heat Warning for parts of england and wales. Its the first time weve seen one of these warnings issued, but this part of our warnings only came into force from the 1st ofjune. It essentially indicates elevated temperatures both by day and by night. You can get more details on what that warning means and how it fits in with the other warnings you see as issued by taking a look on our website. Certainly overnight, though, there will be a lot of heat hanging around across the uk with a core of it across england and wales. In some areas, for the bulk of the sleeping hours, temperatures will be setting close to 20 celsius. This is the Weather Pattern thats bringing all of the heat. A lot of sunshine across much of the uk, but underneath that area of high pressure, tuesday afternoon, a little bit like We Saw on monday, theres the possibility of some very localised clusters of thunderstorms breaking out. A little bit more cloud for northern scotland, cooler here, but Heat Creeping in to Southern Scotland and northern ireland. Temperatures around the 30 mark for many inland spots across england and wales. A closer look certainly worthy for those showers heading later on into the afternoon on tuesday into the small hours of wednesday. Could locally be inundated rain for some, certainly and some large hail. For wednesday, we still have the high with us. Again, an indicator that to the east of england, just enough instability sits in the atmosphere for us to see some thunderstorms breaking out, perhaps earlier in the day, midday into the afternoon on wednesday. Bit more cloud across the northeast of england, that, i think, will linger, actually, for North Sea coasts. So cooler for the likes of newcastle and hull. You can still see plenty of heat elsewhere, Mid To High 20s widely, those temperatures. And the extreme Heat Warning stands for those parts of england and wales on into thursday. Friday is a different story the temperatures are easing back, fresher air is arriving. Where is it coming from . Its getting pulled in around an area of low pressure that will be starting to approach the southwest of the uk. Overnight friday can they may start to throw in some showers, certainly it looks like there will be plenty of those circulating around in time for the weekend. Hello, this is bbc news. Im lukwesa burak. The headlines. Borisjohnson announces proof of Double Vaccination may be required for entry to nightclubs in england, from the end of september. I dont want to have to close nightclubs again as they have elsewhere. But it does mean that nightclubs need to do the socially responsible thing and make use of the Nhs Covid 19 past that shows proof of vaccination and recent negative test or natural immunity as a means of entry. Some fully vaccinated people, in critical roles in england, will be able to continue working, even if they are told to self isolate, after coming into close contact with someone who has covid. Experts recommend that a limited group of children should