Your morning briefing: What you should know for Wednesday, May 20

Schools row continues as doctors' union drops opposition to reopening plan

A doctors’ union has dropped its opposition to the reopening of schools on June 1 or earlier, as tensions over the government’s plans continued to rise.

Schools should only reopen if “safe to do so,” the British Medical Association said.

However, it added that there was growing evidence the risk to children from coronavirus is “extremely small”.

Unions are opposed to the proposals, claiming teachers, pupils and their families will be at risk of catching the deadly virus.

Captain Tom to be knighted after raising £33m for NHS

Second World War veteran Captain Tom Moore, who raised almost £33 million for the NHS, is to be knighted.

The 100-year-old captured the hearts of the nation as he raised the money by walking laps of his Bedfordshire garden.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has recommended him to be exceptionally honoured by the Queen, who has approved the honour, Downing Street revealed.

His knighthood comes just weeks after he was made an honorary colonel to mark his centenary and fundraising efforts.

Trump says US having most coronavirus cases is a 'badge of honour'

Donald Trump has said he considers it a "badge of honour" that the United States has the highest number of coronavirus cases in the world.

The US President said the high total of cases was a “great tribute” to the country’s testing capacity.

The US has 1.5 million coronavirus cases and nearly 92,000 people have been killed by the virus, according to Johns Hopkins University.

Nearly a third of those who died with coronavirus had diabetes, data shows

Almost a third of people who have died after testing positive for coronavirus in English hospitals had diabetes, new NHS England data has shown.

This is higher than previously thought, as health service data released last week suggested 26 per cent of Covid-19 victims in English hospitals had the condition.

The new figures show that overall, 7,466 of coronavirus patients who have died in hospitals in England had type 2 diabetes. A further 365 who died had type 1.

This is approximately 32 per cent of the 24,739 Covid-19 deaths recorded in English hospitals up to May 17.

More glorious sunshine on the way as mercury set to soar to 28C

A spell of glorious sunshine and sizzling heat is set to continue as the mercury is today expected to soar to highs of 28C in the UK.

Sunbathers have been making the most of their new-found freedom in the warm weather this week, as people flocked to parks and beaches after the coronavirus lockdown measures were eased.

Yesterday London's St James's Park saw highs of 26.2C. And the sunshine is set to continue for most of the UK today, with temperatures set rise further still, peaking at about 28C.

And the sunshine is set to continue for most of the UK today, with temperatures set rise further still, peaking at about 28C.

On this day...

1498: Vasco da Gama arrived at Calicut, southern India, after discovering a route via the tip of southern Africa.​

1840: York Minster was badly damaged by fire.

1867: The foundation stone of the Royal Albert Hall was laid.

1903: Kew Bridge over the river Thames was opened by Edward VII. Its real name is Edward VII Bridge.

1932: Amelia Earhart became the first woman to make a solo air crossing of the Atlantic.

1941: Germany began an aerial invasion of Crete.

1956: America dropped its first hydrogen bomb over Bikini Atoll in the Pacific.

1991: In the USSR, the government passed a new law allowing Soviet citizens to leave the country of their own free will.

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