The freeman foundation. By judy and peter blum kovlefoundation; pursuing solutions for americas neglected needs. And by contributions to this pbs station from viewers like you. Thank you. Latest headlinesn for viewers the u. K. And around the world. After wee the death of george floyd, people across the u. S. Are celebrating juneteenth, the day marking the end of slavery. The head of Russia ForeignIntelligence Service tells the bbc that america has been trying to rule the world and this could lead to disaster. A warning from the World Health Organization that thero virus pandemic is accelerating. Countries an all all people toxt exerciseme vigilance. The u. K. s coronavirus alert level is lowered from four to three after a steady decrease in plus, how a u. S. Photographer is helping students prerve their mories in these uncertain times. Hello, and welcome in the u. K. Stay with us with the latest news and analysis from here and across the globe. Todays juneteenth, also known as freedom day or the black fourth of july, an unofficial annual holiday in the United States. Eth word is a combination of june and 19th and celebranthe emancipation of africanamericans from slavery and celebrates the emancipation of africanamericans from slavery. This comes as a country grapples acwithl tensions and the fate of federal confederate numents, flags, and symbols. The bbc looks at the story. F juneteenth parades, family, and community gatherings, this is how many africanamericans usually celebrate juneteenth. It dates back to june 19, 18 5. Union troops led by major anger arrived in galveston, texas to announce of the civil war hadnded and all slave in confederatehealth states were now free. This news came two and half years after president abraham lincolns emancipation oclamation. Hearing the news that they were fre there was a degree of celebration. The continuum of the celebrion, particularly among various Historic Sites here in lvton, the chapel in the publow square ofown, has been a continuum, and a kind of spread out throughout texas and throughout the country. Awareness and celebration of the day has grown in popularity over the years, but for many it is a date they have only recently learn about. Juneteenth was not taught in my h schooe in america, and so itou was something i out about as an adult. Once i did find out about it, i have been celebrating it ever since. It is highly important because it is, to me, t thee independence day. [chanting] ecent antiracism protests across the u. S. And globally have also highlighted the debate confederate monuments and calls for their removal. Many of thete confede monuments were erected in the s1950 and 1960s, i believe by the daughters of confederate veterans, right, so this was really a reaction to theis in civil rights protests. And that flies in the face of what juneteenth was all about. Therotesters today would want the symbolism to come down. 47 u. States Mark Juneteenth as a state day of observance, but calls have been ongoing for yrs to make it into a federal holiday. Unlike in previous years such as this parade, many events this year will be held online. In new york, mayor bill de blasio hasne declared 19 oh become an official holiday ins his city from next year. There are is taking place across the city. Righ now this is a seen live in the center of new york. Hundreds of people out on the streets to mark the significant day and i am sure to cebrate that announcement from the mayor of new york. From next year, laws will be put in place that do mark this day as a holiday citywide. Dallas and joins us now. In thanks very much for being with us. We can see ala march taking behind you. Texas is significant, isnt it, because they made it law t tre to celebras day 40 years ago . Absolutely. This has been a holiday in texas since 1980, and now 47 states and the district of columbia celebrate juneteenth in the United States. Here you can see one of the hundreds of march is happening ross the states. We are at the Dallas City Hall inexas where they have yellow umbrellas behind them, and each of those has a name of somebody, an africanamerican, who has killed in what has ignited, marches for aaud arbery, eric garner, and lots of other names, including a man that was killed in atlanta jusee over aago. All of these yellow umbrellasat marking hey see as a continuous struggle for the black man in america. Two ladies walked past me about a minute ago, and it said freeish, a play on the show sblackish,howing they still do not feel completely free. Many people around the world and even within the United States not know the significance of this day until this year, and there have been so many margins today across the count. What do you make of an increasing number of states e saying that th going to be a National Holiday from now on . The mayor of new york declared this today. And a lot of Companies Giving their employees a pd day off. The o significance juneteenth, especially this year, cannot be overstated. President trump cancel his rally for today and moved it to tomorrow because of the importance of this day. A lot of states marched, and today there are five senators, including oe senatorf texas, who unveiled in congress to is a federal holiday. Th a lot more companies in corporat to celebte this day and give their employees a day off to reflect on the struggle and emancipation of the black man and what it means. E president and his growing criticism, this is barely scratching the surface when africanamerican families are likely to have about a 10th of the wealth of an average white mi. [indiscernible] they are more likely to stopped by police. These issues are not going away anyte soon. But do you feel, although there are so many Critical Issues surrounding equality and the rights of black people in america, that the death of georgeloyd has shown a light on those now, one that businesses and politicians cannot actually shirk away from . Now more than ever, a lot o people who have been covering speeches for decades say this feels different. A lot more people are paying attention. Black americans have been on the happened, but now it is a lot more diverse at these rallies. White americans, asian americans, polyphony pacific islanders. They feel no more than ever that there will be a g. T more happen you see companies in Corporate America giving statements, and they want to make sure they promote diversity. You see it in all the different people who have been forced out of their jobs in Public Service or private enterprise because of what was seen as racist behavior that would have passed even a year ago, but nowhere is higher scrutiny than ever before. Thanks very much for joinin us from dallas, one of the marches today to celebrate and commemorate juneteenth. Thank you. The World Health Organization says coronavirus is still spreading fast and the pandemic is accelerating. On thursday aloo reported 150,000 new cases with half coming from the americas. The director general othe whod has ur nations to take great care. The world is in a new and dangerous phase. Many people are understdably fed up with being at home. Countries are understandably eager to open up their societies and economies. But the virus is still spreading fast. It is still doubly. And its still deadly. And most people are still susceptible. We call on all countries and all people to exercise extreme vigilance. Here in the u. K. , the coronavirus alert level o for te whol the u. K. Has been lowered from four to thr. That means the virus is considered to be in general circulation instead of high or rising. Lets get more details. More shops allowed treopen at the start of the week. Social is tensing apparently forgotten. So scientists are concerned that the lockdown was being relaxed too fast. But today the primeginister queu up for his own turn at handwashing said reducing the alert level could allow changes to social distancing. When we go forward to july 4, the nexstage in the plan, we hope that the will be moregu ance out of very, very shortly that will help people, help businesses, help and on how to implement socialt distancing in a safe how does the alert system work . Level five is the mo extreme where the Health Service could be overwhelmed,hich is why the lockdown was instituted. Four is where the number of infeions is high or rising, which is why social distancing is important. Three, which weave just moved to, is where the virus is in general circulation but the government judges can lift some of ton restric including that social distancing. N the wor is local outbreaks. Long queues in leicester as people try to get tested, amid reports of a surge of cases in the city. It is difficult to get a reliable picture across the whole u. K. , but the signs are hopeful. One of the clearest indications that things rie going in the t direction is the number of infections in england falling dramatically over the last six weeks. People are still catching the virus, just notn the scale at was happening at the start of the outbreak. In theovernments scientific advisors have come up with a new way to try and explain that. They say the rate of new infections is falling by 2 t 4 across th u. K. Everyday. All this makes it easier for the government to cut the two meter rule. Businesses, especially in hospitality, are disparate to see that. But there are scientific experts believe it is still too soon to reduce the alert level. I think when you change an alert level, isends a message the public that they do not need to be so alert and do not the virus. Ncerned about and i think we still have thousands of cases in the community. We know that from the ons data. And we do needo move very cautiously. And a reminder of the dangers as this Meat Processing plant in yorkshire had to close because of a new outbreak. The rus has the client, but it has not gone away. Bbc news. The u. K. s education secretary has announced the government will bring all children back to school in september i england, but there still concerns among teachers and parents. Our chief politicha correspondenmore details. He had to backtrack over getting all primary children backed by the end of this term, sich will not happen at all. They had an affag you turn on that. He is pretty they had an embarrassing uturn on that. So pretty adamant that it is a full return. Parents who are still nervous about sending back children, they need to let them and the teaching unis know that this will hripen. The dntal impact on so many children, they just it. Cannot continue any long they already will have missed months of school. So he is determined to make sure people know this is the direction we are going in he gave an indication of how would happen, changing the bubbles of 15 and make them to class. You can see how that might work in a Primary School lots of logistical questions and secondary schools. But what theyre doing is moving to a world where people are less apprehensive, trying to entice people back out in some cases to a more nmal way of life. Stay with usst on bbc news. L to come, taking the knee. We will hear from the former nfl player who gave k colinpernick inspiration for his protest. There was ay bomb in the cit center. A code word known to be one used by the ira was given. Army bomb experts were examining a suspect van when there was a huge explosion. A South African abolisng the population registration act, which for 40 years of forcibly classified each citizen according to race. Just a day old and the royal baby is sleeping in his home tonight. Early this evening, the new prince was taken by and father to their apartment and father to their apartment in kensington palace. Germanys pvoliament has move the seat of government from bonn toererlin. Berlincelebrated during the night, but there was shockingly bonn. The worlds first woman cosmonaut. What do you think of the russian woman . I think it is a wonderful achievement. Hello. Welcome back. The head of ras foreigin lligence service has told the bbc that america has bn trying to rule the world and thisould lead to disaster. Thead comment was in an exclusive interview with our moscow correspondenterteve rose he sent this report. He runs one of russias most seetive organizations, but he agreed to meet me, the first time foreign media had been allowed inside russias equivalent of mi6, and he caquickly took aim at ame i think some politicians in the west have false expectations. They felt like the world could be ruled from one center, washington. The most impor fnt lessom the past is th if any country tries to rule the world all by itself, this will undoubtedly end in disaster. He is alo ally of vladimir putin. They have known each other since their kgbays. Western leaders regulaly accuse rus of raging hybrid war against the west. The European Union only recently accused russia of a campaign of why is russia doing this . Avirus. Do you accept that is happening . How can they say this information . Russia sincerely offered to help our friend italy fight coronavirus. Recented equipment and hundrs of military doctors. What kind of disinformation is that . Can you understand why, perhaps in the west, there is a lack of trust towards russia when youook at some of the things that have been happeng . Britain believes russia was behind we do not trust with th British Government has been saying about salisbury. When they says it i highly likely that russia is to blame, we are not convinced by that. And s moscowrepares fy a giant vict parade on red square, russias spy chief accuses the west of downplaying his countrys role in defeating hitlers. Many ung peoplen the west and Eastern Europe think it was the usa alone that defeated nazi germany. Such ignorance is not accidental this deliberate. To cree the impression that everything good in the past and the present is connected with one country, america. Ut despite his criticism of the west, russias foreign ftellig chief is full praise for at least one englishman, winston churchill. Was shocked that the crchill statue in london had been targeted by protesters. Churchill was a great man, a great political leader. Itut is a real shame ahe statue. How can you treat your own history like that . The russian spy thinks the past needs guarding as much as the present. Steve rosenberg, bbc news, moscow. Now one way of showingpp t for the africanamerican rights is the practice of taking the knee. The american footballer Colin Kaepernick began kneeling ding the National Anthem at nfl games then. Itas fellow player nate bor who initially made the suggestion to Colin Kaepernick. We have been hearing his story. A couple months before the president ial election in 2016, and obviously very dividedth ti, an country was still quite divided for a period. , all of a setti colin was sitting on the ben in protest of racial inequality, sial injustice, police brutality. And of course, our country, mediawise, just societywise, reacted to the gesture, acted strict on what he was doing, the fact h would not stand for the anthem. That was the focus, not necessarily thehy. It hurt me to see because im a veteran. I only got to play in one nfl game said it was a short career, very short when i wa on the sideline during the anthem, i burst into tearsth because o emotion and my connection to those symbols, but not everybody feels that way. That isk. I wrote an open letter saying, colin, this is how i feel but i understand you have a different experience in relationship to the flag, the anthem, those sitting down for at the time is important, something we need to talk about. Colin was inspired by the letter. It was pretty viral in the states and he actually called me and said lets meet and talk about it. I was like, wow, ok. The next day i go to meet him, and it is military Appreciation Night in san diegoand they are playing san diege chargers in nal preseason game. He is saying he is going to sit again and not stand, d there was ig hullabaloo, as you guys like to callolt, about the situation. So we had this conversation, shared our stances and experiences, and hesked me, is there another way i can demonstrate come another way to protest,hat will not offend people in the military . I said, no, no matter what you do, some people will be offended. But if youre asking me and my opinion, and i only speak for myself, i think being alongside your teamm in the situation, and the only way i see that happening would be to take a knee. In football, when a player is hurt on the field, everyone takes a knee out of respect. When i go to arlington to visit of their g i take a knee see one out of respect. It is like a moment to recognize them, recognize thaticomething tr has happened, right . So i just said, i have ner seen it in our society in history, seen it as a disrespectful act. You take any across the pond where you guys f are at royalty, a sign of reverence. Its aog rtion, bringing about awareness is something, in this situation. What is important i football aspect and probably a lot of sports,rs when pla are seriously hurt, everybody takes a knee out of respect for that person uil they stand again, until they feel better, and they stand with them. So people in our country do not fe that the symbols, the anthem, the flag, are not representative oat this country is su aosed to be about, those total freedoms, the freedof speech and the constitution, things iphone, what i took the oath things i fought for, if they do not feel equaln that regard, then i understand what they do no feel hoseired to stand for symbols. Former nfl player nay talking to bbc a little earlier. The coronavirus pandemic means students graduating from high seen their usual celebrationse turn into zoom ceremonies. An awardwinning photographer was struck by that hense of loss Daughters High School in virginia, so he took portraits ll 500 graduating stud for a photo essay he calt forgotten. Hey hey hey hey oooh oooh oooh wh go thate way, ttle step. And capture a little bit of loss. The baseball player sitting on the porch tossing himself a baseball with nowhere to go, the swimmer in the hot tub with a kickboard because no pool is open, a hockey w playerh his skates on on h front lawn because there is no rink. Look at that light onou, holy moly. Wanted to have a unifying element, be some kind of glue that kept all 500 portraits together, and that is the beat up old backdrop. I definitely want my shoot tg because that is what my life centers around. Jackson is a very talented violinist. The photographs really work because it was windy and you can see the backdrop, and his hair is blowing as he plays. It was just this great moment. Tara with game of thrones battle axes, wearing the dress she would have wanted prom. Makes me look like a video game storybook character, which i thought was insanely cool. My stepmom recently paawed. She gave me the watch, a really nice watch, and said that it is a way of representing time and thtime we have with each other and how sure that can be. Adam swims for your town but is also a member of the Palestinian National swim team. When he asked me to choose an em to express what i was, i cannot think of anything other than the scarf. It is so important to show my life through my paintings. She is amazing. She comes from mongolia. She happens to live in an apartment by a memorial, and she is holding up a painting she did ofer family that is sort of where she became an american. American stories of melting pot. This project has sort of rescued them from anonymity in some way. I think they all feel like they were restored a little bit. Just that they feel like they have been recognized. I have been recorded in history somewhere. Dont you forgetbout me dont dont don dont the class of 2020. T m that is it for me for the moment. You can reach me on twiuser. Stay wit we will narrator funding for this prestation of this program is provided by. Language specialists teaching spanis french and more. Raymond james. The freeman foundation. By judy and Peter Blum Kovler foundation; pursuing solionsglor americas ted needs. And by contribatns this pbs n from viewers like you. Thank you. Girl we are the curious. Woman 1 wow man 1 the adventurous. Man 2 oh daniel tiger grrr woman 2 those venturing out for the first time. All blast off [rocket explosio man 3 and those who havnever lost our sense of wonder. N 4 whoa man 5 are you seeing this . [quacking] vo we are the hungry. Cookie monster cookie man 6 the strong. Muhammad ali i must be the greatest bob ross a happy little cloud. Man 3 we believe there is always more we c uncover. Girl more we can explore. Woman 3 we believe. Man 6 . In the capacity for goodness. Vo and the potential for greatness. Man 7 the torch has been passed to a new generation of americans. Man 1 pbs. Man 3 pbs. Girl pbs. Is provided by. Dialogue and Speech Recognition Technology to ach a new language. Like spanish, french and russian. Babbelailable in the app store or online at babbel. Com. Out business has been people and their financial well being. That mission gives us purpe and a way forward. Today and always