influenza. and france's education minister announced the country will ban schoolchildren from wearing the abaya — a loose—fitting, full—length robe worn by some muslim women — in state—run schools when classes begin this month. my colleague sumi somaskanda spoke with us education secretary miguel cardona to discuss his thoughts on the challenges facing students and teachers heading back to school. secretary, thank you for joining us again on bbc news. i want to start with affirmative action because the supreme court's ruling effectively ended race—conscious admissions in colleges and universities and if you look at the state of california, the uc system has not actually been able to meet its racial diversity goals, despite having ended race—based admissions more than two decades ago, so how do you make sure that schools and universities are diverse at the same time as adhering to the law? . �* ., , ., same time as adhering to the law? . �* ., ,., law? yeah, i'm glad you brought u . law? yeah, i'm glad you brought up california _ law? yeah, i'm glad you brought up california because _ law? yeah, i'm glad you brought up california because we - law? yeah, i'm glad you brought up california because we can - up california because we can see that what happened in california happens across the country, we are taking stuff backward. we are committed to working with leaders from all over the country to make sure that we are increasing the diversity on our campuses to reflect that it did a full diversity of this country. we know we have talent there and unfortunately, our admissions data does not reflect the diversity we have in our country so we are committed to working with our president, our chancellors, our boards to make sure that all students feel accepted and welcome and the higher education campuses and that means getting specific with or getting really strategic around k—i2 schools and higher education institution partnerships. we need to recruit better and make sure we are taking into account the adversity that students have experienced. we can do it. obviously we have to be lawful. they took away a tool to get diversity on campus but did not take away our resolve. the northwestern _ take away our resolve. the northwestern evaluation association put out a report about students who are continuing to struggle both pandemic and they said, "in nearly all grades achievement gains during 2022—23 fell short of pre—pandemic trends which stalled progress towards pandemic recovery" and that the average student needs about four additional months in reading and 4.5 in the have to catch up. what does the department do to help close the gap? department do to help close the i a . ? , ., department do to help close the aa - ? , ., ~ ., department do to help close the ia?- ~' ., department do to help close the aa-7 ~ ., gap? right, you know, as a arent gap? right, you know, as a parent and _ gap? right, you know, as a parent and as _ gap? right, you know, as a parent and as an _ gap? right, you know, as a parent and as an educator, | gap? right, you know, as a - parent and as an educator, that is my priority. and imagine how far back as students would be across the country if we did not have the american rescue plan dollars to help with after—school programming, summer school programming, tutoring, making sure we have qualified teachers but it goes to show the impact of the pandemic and how students were back. i was in the school earlier today and i saw these efforts like tutoring, good literacy instruction, mental health support for students, taking place. the department of education, have a strategy could raise the bar where literacy and numeracy recovery is critical and to help support a critical, providing pathways to students are critical and making sure we have highly nullified teachers in every classroom, that's part of our strategy. we have a game plan for this and we are bringing dollars to bearfor this. the president's budget is very clear that he is working to make sure that schools where students are underperforming at the supports that they need to not only recover from the pandemic but thrive even higher than ever before. if pandemic but thrive even higher than ever before.— than ever before. if we talk about the _ than ever before. if we talk about the content - than ever before. if we talk about the content in - than ever before. if we talk l about the content in schools, there has been a lot of controversy over how black history is taught in the state of florida, as you know, and there's a new standard that requires educators to teach students there that slaves develop skills that they could benefit from. you have said you don't want politicians interfering in education like this so what is the department doing when it comes to these types of standards?— types of standards? right, well, first _ types of standards? right, well, first of _ types of standards? right, well, first of all _ types of standards? right, well, first of all my - types of standards? right, l well, first of all my message to the students and educators and parents in florida is we see what is happening and we support you. we recognise the attack that public schooling number in places like florida and we recognise that when politics enters a classroom, students lose. it's important that we have our local board, parents and educators making decisions, politicians that want to lift their national profile. the latest example where they were trying to find some benefit to slavery is really, really low but it's a pattern of attacks on black curriculum, on diversity in general. you know, we have the office for civil rights that investigate any cases of hostile learning environments for students and we are always available to receive investigation requests if that is felt. if investigation requests if that is felt. , ., . investigation requests if that is felt. ,, . is felt. if you receive those requests — is felt. if you receive those requests from _ is felt. if you receive those requests from the - is felt. if you receive those requests from the state i is felt. if you receive those requests from the state of| requests from the state of florida? ~ ., requests from the state of florida? ~ . . florida? we have received requests _ florida? we have received requests from _ florida? we have received requests from different. florida? we have received - requests from different states, some in florida, i could not tell you if it was regarding the most recent one but i will tell you you've heard from parents, from educators and students in florida, i've been on the ground in florida, telling me they are disgusted with what is happening at the state level, that they want to get back to learning and making sure all students feel welcome in a school. this goes back to making students who are lgbtq feel unwelcome in schools a couple of years ago. there is a direct attempt to disrupt public education, in my opinion, so they can sell their voucher programmes over there but that won't work.— but that won't work. school safety is — but that won't work. school safety is also _ but that won't work. school safety is also very - but that won't work. school safety is also very much - but that won't work. school safety is also very much in l but that won't work. school i safety is also very much in the mind of parents as they kids go back to school as you know and we just witnessed two shootings about three days apart several miles apart from each other we universities were involved in florida and north carolina. can you tell parents that they kids heading back to schools, to campuses, are safe?- heading back to schools, to campuses, are safe? look, as a father, campuses, are safe? look, as a father. the _ campuses, are safe? look, as a father, the most _ campuses, are safe? look, as a father, the most important - father, the most important thing to be is the safety of my family and as i drop children off, whether it is high school or college, their physical safety and their emotional well being are paramount to me. i want that for all kids across the country. we are doing everything we can with the bipartisan safe communities act to provide dollars and we are communicating the importance of safety and we are providing technical assistance in districts and safe across states that we need congress to act with gun safety legislation that removes assault weapons from the hands of people that should not have them. we need our legislators to be more worried about the safety of children than the safety of ar-is is children than the safety of ar—is is in our communities and you know, the president is pushing, and i know many of our colleagues on the hill are pushing. but we have some far right republicans would rather protect guns and children. {line protect guns and children. one more question _ protect guns and children. one more question about _ protect guns and children. one more question about student loan forgiveness, i know this is something you've been working closely with the president on. his original plan was blocked by the supreme court and now he has turned to a different forgiveness plan under the higher education act which could take months or even years to implement so do you think the president can honour this campaign promise to forgive student loan debt? the president has _ forgive student loan debt? tue: president has been forgive student loan debt? tte: president has been honouring it. we provide over $117 million in debt relief from day one. it's more than any other administration combined. without question, with public service loan forgiveness, borrower defence, you've really got after those colleges that are taking advantage of students. we provided debt forgiveness to public servants and we have a more robust plan through the negotiated room making progress to make more targeted at relief. but to answer the question about are we committed to it? look at what we have done from day one with over 117 billion, over 600,000 public servants has gone debt relief. we will continue fighting, we have no this is important, we know that accountability in higher education is important, we know that opening doors to higher education for many more americans are something that we are committed to. not only for them but for the strength of our country and the president's not only talked about it but shown the commitment through the action and we are committed to doing that. find the action and we are committed to doing that-— to doing that. and what is your messa . e to doing that. and what is your message to — to doing that. and what is your message to students _ to doing that. and what is your message to students as - to doing that. and what is your message to students as they i message to students as they head back—to—school? {side message to students as they head back-to-school? give it our head back-to-school? give it your best- — head back-to-school? give it your best. commit. - head back-to-school? give it your best. commit. commit i head back-to-school? give it| your best. commit. commit to learning as much about yourself as you are about learning to others and building a sense of community in your schools. we believe in you. we are excited for this upcoming school year and we will fight hard to make sure you have a great education in k-12 sure you have a great education in k—12 and in higher education as well. in k-12 and in higher education as well. ,, . ., , in k-12 and in higher education aswell. ,, . ., , ., ,, in k-12 and in higher education aswell. ,, . ., , . ~ as well. secretary, thank you so much _ as well. secretary, thank you so much for _ as well. secretary, thank you so much forjoining _ as well. secretary, thank you so much forjoining us. - as well. secretary, thank you | so much forjoining us. thank so much for “oining us. thank ou so much for “oining us. thank you very — so much forjoining us. thank you very much- _ so much forjoining us. thank you very much. ok, - so much forjoining us. thank you very much. ok, take - so much forjoining us. thank| you very much. ok, take care. with a return to the classroom, there are rising concerns about children's mental health. according to a new harris poll, 71% of american parents say their child experienced challenges last school year. these include safety concerns, academic problems, bullying, ongoing challenges related to the pandemic and overall mental health difficulties. meanwhile, a paper published in thejournal of nature human behaviour found that students "lost out on about 35% of a normal school year's worth "of learning" during the pandemic when many schools stopped in—person learning. earlier, i spoke with rebecka peterson, the 2023 us national teacher of the year. she's been a math teacher for 11 years at union high school in tulsa, oklahoma. rebecka peterson, you've been a teacher now for well over a decade but you describe your first year of teaching as quite a difficult one. i was that? yeah, so, istarted a difficult one. i was that? yeah, so, i started teaching at the college level and after three years of teaching at the couege three years of teaching at the college level, a switch to the high school level and it was that year of switching that was really a challenge for me, right? it went from this classroom where students were paying to hear what i had to say to this student web —— this classroom students were forced what i had to say and it was a shock to my system and to be honest, i wasn't sure i was going to make it. i thought, you know, this is hard. but eventually, ifound my rhythm and ifound eventually, ifound my rhythm and i found that i absolutely loved teaching high school students and they have become the best pieces of me. you students and they have become the best pieces of me.- the best pieces of me. you are an immigrant— the best pieces of me. you are an immigrant of— the best pieces of me. you are an immigrant of swedish - the best pieces of me. you are. an immigrant of swedish iranian parents, you went to schools in many areas of the well before arriving in america. do you find us classrooms are welcoming to children of diverse backgrounds? you know, i can diverse backgrounds? you know, i can speak _ diverse backgrounds? you know, i can speak to — diverse backgrounds? you know, i can speak to my _ diverse backgrounds? you know, i can speak to my own _ diverse backgrounds? you know, i can speak to my own district, i i can speak to my own district, which actually is an incredibly diverse and culturally rich district. we have 62 languages represented. so for me to teach union public schools here in tulsa, oklahoma has beenjust so full circle because so many of my students are also immigrants or first—generation americans and so while we did move a lot growing up, and we lived in four countries by the time i was 16 and sometimes, that was sort of an un— tethering experience but i say you know what? i'm tethering as a child know really tethers me to my students and so it was such a joy to teach in this beautifully diverse and culturally rich district, where i am very proud of how welcoming we are to all students, and that's the beautiful thing about public education. beautiful thing about public education-— beautiful thing about public education. ., ., ., education. how does your own ersonal education. how does your own personal experience _ education. how does your own personal experience inform i education. how does your own i personal experience inform your approach to children? apps maybe to children who are struggling and finding things difficult? ., ,, struggling and finding things difficult? . ~ ., difficult? yeah, i think for me it is so important _ difficult? yeah, i think for me it is so important to _ difficult? yeah, i think for me it is so important to capture l it is so important to capture the heart before we capture the mind. for me, it comes down to learning my students's stories and at the beginning of each school year i invite each of them to just tell me their story, you know? because we know kids love to open up the space and to first learn about them as human beings before before students. it's been so transformative. when we learn our students's stories, grace permeates. ifind that our students's stories, grace permeates. i find that when we have these connections, the connections, they don't make excuses but it makes a lot of room and so, that's how i really tried to ensure that there is a seat for each and every kid. t5 there is a seat for each and every kid-— there is a seat for each and every kid. is it surprising to ou every kid. is it surprising to you looking _ every kid. is it surprising to you looking at _ every kid. is it surprising to you looking at the - every kid. is it surprising to you looking at the harris i every kid. is it surprising to l you looking at the harris poll last for seven out of ten parents said their children had faced challenges in the classroom?— faced challenges in the classroom? �*, ., , , , classroom? it's not surprising to me. there _ classroom? it's not surprising to me. there is _ classroom? it's not surprising to me. there is a _ classroom? it's not surprising to me. there is a really i to me. there is a really interesting study out of stanford where 163 adolescent brains were stanford where163 adolescent brains were studied and they found the brain scanned post pandemic the same way that pre—pandemic adolescent brains only scan had they undergone some sort of abuse, neglect or trauma and so, it's so clear the science is telling us our kids have changed. i think we've all changed after the pandemic. it's really, really sobering news but the good news is the sciences really clear and connection is how we heal. what i'm optimistic about is our teachers and the connections that they are able to provide for our students and for our communities because we know that's how we heal. talking about teachers then and those connections, there is a teacher shortage at the moment, about 50,000 vacancies also. you've described this yourself as a crisis. what should the usb doing to attract more teachers into the profession? that's the million—dollar question! certainly, teachers are being poached a higher paying industries. our high school students are looking at these salaries and comparing salaries and saying you know, i am not going to be able to cut it as a teacher. certainly, we need to make sure that we are funding education. i think it's also a really politically charged time for education in the united states right now. i hear teachers all of the time saying myself and my colleagues, wejust saying myself and my colleagues, we just want to teach, right? we don't want to be part of a political narrative. we came into teaching because we love kids and we just want to improve outcomes for kids and so, to sort of add a political rhetoric on top of all of the challenges we already face is something that is, quite frankly, not sustainable for teachers and for the- frankly, not sustainable for teachers and for the with that olitical teachers and for the with that political pressure, _ teachers and for the with that political pressure, there i teachers and for the with that political pressure, there is i political pressure, there is obviously resource pressure as well. i teachersjust obviously resource pressure as well. i teachers just feeling themselves under pressure? there is a lot of pressure and there is so many hats we whereas teachers, oftentimes we are the first responder if a kid has... described his knee on the playground or oftentimes we are the ones going to counsellors or to nurses and sometimes we are little police officers, trying to keep the peace. there are so many hats we wear as teachers, but we didn't ask to be part of a political narrative.- political narrative. just finally then, _ political narrative. just finally then, it - political narrative. just finally then, it is i political narrative. just i finally then, it is obviously the start of a new school term in the us and many other parts of the world as well, what is your message to teachers at this time?— your message to teachers at this time? ., , , ,., your message to teachers at this time? . , , ,., , this time? yeah, my message is, ou are this time? yeah, my message is, you are enough. _ this time? yeah, my message is, you are enough, you _ this time? yeah, my message is, you are enough, you are - this time? yeah, my message is, you are enough, you are not i you are enough, you are not exactly as you are. this time of year it is so easy to play the comparison game, and there are so many new things we are trying to wrap our heads around, we are spinning so many plates. roosevelt said it best, comparison is the thief ofjoy. to teachers i am just going to say you are enough exactly as you are, you are exactly what our students need, and just focus on being the kind of teacher you needed as a student, and i know that you are going to soar and your kids are going to soar and your kids are going to soar and your kids are going to soar this year. thank you for that, rebecka peterson, us national teacher of the year, thanks forjoining us. of the year, thanks for “oining us. ., of the year, thanks for “oining us, ., ", , ., of the year, thanks for “oining us. . . book bans are on the rise in the us, with attempts to pull titles off the shelves of public schools hitting a 21—year high in 2022, according to a report by the american library association. a pen america report lists over 11100 instances of individual book bans, that have affected 874 unique titles from july to december 2022. bans are the most prevalent in florida, missouri, utah, south carolina and texas — which tops the list with over a38 book bans. and they include works by acclaimed authors like the bluest eye by toni morrison, the handmaid's tale by marget atwood, and a court of mist and fury by sarahj maas. these titles depict stories that touch on themes of violence, sexual abuse, loss and/or lgbtq+ topics, providing new hurdles for educators in their classrooms. let's talk about all of these issues. with me now is tamara gilkes borr, us policy correspondent for the economist. she was a new york city public school teacher for five years. and mary wood, english teacher at chapin high school in south carolina. mary wood, if i can turn to you first — you've been at the coalface of interference of what you can teach in the classroom. you were told to stop using ta—nehisi coates' book on growing up black in america as part of your advanced english class, what was the issue with that text? the issue seems to be related to a couple of videos that i provided as background information regarding systemic racism, and that was to help students be prepared to study the book, and then the book was paused, or pulled rather. had itjust been the video i imagine the book would have been fine but i think it had to do with being black in america. how do you work as a teacher if you're not fully in control of your classroom materials? that must provide an extra layer of challenge.- that must provide an extra layer of challenge. you know, teachers work _ layer of challenge. you know, teachers work really - layer of challenge. you know, teachers work really hard i teachers work really hard throughout the school year to develop relationships and form connections with their students and create a safe environment. the trust has to be that students believe that you have their best interests at heart. to pause that ought to stop that, to interfere with the integrity of the classroom —— or to stop that. it demeans teacher authority, or to stop that. it demeans teacherauthority, not or to stop that. it demeans teacher authority, not even authority but teacher relevance and knowledge of what we do. tamara, mary is echoing what we heard the national teacher of the year rebecka peterson just now talking about unnecessary political pressure on teachers, is this level what you are seeing in the education system? irate what you are seeing in the education system? we have seen interference _ education system? we have seen interference ever _ education system? we have seen interference ever since _ education system? we have seen interference ever since school- interference ever since school became compulsory in 1918. todayit became compulsory in 1918. today it is critical race theory but in the 1920s it was about communism. in the 1970s it was about multicultural texts, almost every decade since school became balcom —— became compulsory you have seen these battles. we marked the 60th anniversary of the march in washington this week, and dr martin luther king's dream of an equal nation has not yet been achieved — you mentioned a critical race theory. there are also racial disparities in terms of access to education, resources, where is the us at at the moment? clearly there is huge racial disparities at the moment in terms of exams and access as you mentioned. ithink terms of exams and access as you mentioned. i think it is important to celebrate the winds as well. we saw the —— before the pandemic racial gaps were closing, exam scores were getting better, so i think it is important to celebrate those wins we have seen while also acknowledging how much work we have to do. find acknowledging how much work we have to do— have to do. and how much work is there to _ have to do. and how much work is there to do? _ have to do. and how much work is there to do? there _ have to do. and how much work is there to do? there is - have to do. and how much work is there to do? there is quite i is there to do? there is quite a bit of work _ is there to do? there is quite a bit of work to _ is there to do? there is quite a bit of work to do _ is there to do? there is quite a bit of work to do in - is there to do? there is quite a bit of work to do in some . a bit of work to do in some cases, we are looking at huge disparities between black and hispanic students and white students when it comes to exams, like i mentioned before, high school graduation as well as college going rates as well. mary, is that your experience in the classroom? yes. i work primarily with white students, there are mostly white children at my school, we have 85% white, and most of my honours and ap classes, there are very few who are, a markedly lower amount of children of colour so i definitely see those disparities, yes. there are disparities _ disparities, yes. there are disparities as _ disparities, yes. there are disparities as well, - disparities, yes. there are disparities as well, unfair, j disparities, yes. there are i disparities as well, unfair, in terms of economic income if you like, household income and the split between public schools in the us and private schools. yes. i would say that my school is in a wealthier area, and so a lot of the children have access to, you know, extra test prep, tutoring, their lives aren't encumbered, not all of them, but a large portion of them, but a large portion of them are not encumbered by after—school employment or having to support themselves. their focus can be having to support themselves. theirfocus can be primarily on development of education and development of education and development of education and development of extracurricular activities. but in and of itself is a privilege. that is a privilege. _ itself is a privilege. that is a privilege, as _ itself is a privilege. that is a privilege, as mary i itself is a privilege. that is a privilege, as mary is i a privilege, as mary is describing, tomorrow, but there are wide lift —— differences in the literacy levels americans have on graduation, isn't there? absolutely, we are seeing unacceptable disparities in terms of what students can do at graduation, and of course we have to keep moving forward to improve that. but we have to keep moving forward to improve that.— to improve that. but again we are seeing — to improve that. but again we are seeing the _ to improve that. but again we are seeing the gap _ to improve that. but again we are seeing the gap closing. i i are seeing the gap closing. i think— are seeing the gap closing. i think that is really positive for public schools in america. and _ for public schools in america. and one _ for public schools in america. and one thing that feeds into your literacy level or anything else upon graduation is of course how often you have attended school. we are seeing attended school. we are seeing a rise in chronic absenteeism, which i believe is if you are missing for 10% or more of the school year? missing for10% or more of the school year?— missing for 1096 or more of the school year?— school year? yes. a study out of stanford — school year? yes. a study out of stanford university - school year? yes. a study out of stanford university found i of stanford university found that — of stanford university found that over one in four student adually— that over one in four student actually chronically absent which _ actually chronically absent which is _ actually chronically absent which is missing 10% of school, which _ which is missing 10% of school, which is — which is missing 10% of school, which is 18_ which is missing 10% of school, which is 18 days of school almost _ which is 18 days of school almost a month of school. so obviously _ almost a month of school. so obviously that is a big concern. and as you mentioned before — concern. and as you mentioned before with disparities, we are seeing — before with disparities, we are seeing that while all students in generalare seeing that while all students in general are facing chronic absenteeism, it is highest in disadvantaged groups like students of colour or poor students of colour or poor students or homeless students. and do— students or homeless students. and do we know why that is, obviously if you are homeless you have a lot of challenges there— but in the round, are there— but in the round, are there specific factors that students are missing school for? ., , , for? there are probably three main reasons, _ for? there are probably three main reasons, but— for? there are probably three main reasons, but i _ for? there are probably three main reasons, but i would i for? there are probably three | main reasons, but i would say for everyone, the pandemic change _ for everyone, the pandemic change the way we thought about illness, _ change the way we thought about illness, so — change the way we thought about illness, so we started to see parents _ illness, so we started to see parents keeping kids home for the sniffles when before they may— the sniffles when before they may not _ the sniffles when before they may not have done so. also mental _ may not have done so. also mental health is more of a concern, _ mental health is more of a concern, and people are starting _ concern, and people are starting to realise that maybe my child _ starting to realise that maybe my child needs a day off from school — my child needs a day off from school today. but also some students _ school today. but also some students are really interested in being — students are really interested in being home, just like... like— in being home, just like... like workers who want to work from _ like workers who want to work from home. so we are seeing a shift _ from home. so we are seeing a shift in. — from home. so we are seeing a shift in. the _ from home. so we are seeing a shift in, the pandemic really shook— shift in, the pandemic really shook things up and we are seeing _ shook things up and we are seeing a _ shook things up and we are seeing a shift in what is today _ seeing a shift in what is toda. , . seeing a shift in what is toda. ~._ ., , seeing a shift in what is toda. ., , ., today. mary, have you seen that in our today. mary, have you seen that in your school, _ today. mary, have you seen that in your school, have _ today. mary, have you seen that in your school, have you - today. mary, have you seen that in your school, have you seen i today. mary, have you seen that in your school, have you seen a| in your school, have you seen a change in how often students attend? ~ . . change in how often students attend? ., ., , ., , . attend? we have a sharp decline in student attendance _ attend? we have a sharp decline in student attendance in - in student attendance in classes for a number of reasons. but speaking to mental health, that is seemingly a primary cause of some absenteeism. of course there is, you know, the idea that some students have extraneous responsibilities that interfere with their ability to attend, however mental health is a concern that i address regularly, and i see an increase in students, 504 plans or accommodations that address generalised anxiety disorder, depression and other kinds of mental concerns, yeah. find depression and other kinds of mental concerns, yeah.- mental concerns, yeah. and i think we _ mental concerns, yeah. and i think we would _ mental concerns, yeah. and i think we would have - mental concerns, yeah. and i think we would have a - mental concerns, yeah. and i think we would have a whole | think we would have a whole other programme discussing just that but we have to leave it there for now. mary ward and tamara gilkes borr, thank you both arejoining us. and thanks to you for watching, stay with us on bbc news. hello there. the first week of september is looking a lot more summery than what we had throughout most ofjuly and indeed august. this weekend, high pressure is building in. it will turn drier and sunnier and warmer across the board. however, there will be a fly in the ointment that comes with this area of low pressure in its weather from which will push close to the northwest of scotland at times, certainly on sunday. but high pressure is building in — it's killing off the showers, the clouds. early on saturday we should see any rain fizzling out, but there will be a legacy of clouds and mist and fog, particularly across central southern england, wales, northern ireland. here it's going to be mild, but again, the north—east corner of scotland will be quite chilly with temperatures in low single digits. so we start off, plenty of sunshine in the north. further south, mist and fog through the morning which will tend to lift and burn. into the afternoon, could see the odd isolated shower developing, but most places will stay dry and it'll feel a lot warmer for most — low to mid 20s across the board. as we head through saturday night again we'll see the mist and fog develop pretty much anywhere but especially across parts of england and wales. gradually, this weather front will start to push into the north—west of scotland to bring stronger winds, outbreaks of rain. a much milder night to come across north east scotland, 13 degrees for aberdeen. and elsewhere, temperatures will be in double figures. sunday high pressure still with us, but this weather front will be influencing the weather across north—west scotland. so for the highlands and islands, it'll be quite cloudy, breezy with outbreaks of rain here. but southern and eastern scotland, northern ireland, england and wales, once any early mist and fog clears away, then it'll be a lovely, sunny, dry day. light winds for most quite gusty, though, for the north—west of scotland. temperature wise, for the highlands and islands, 15 to 17 degrees. but the rest of scotland, northern ireland, england and wales, it's the low to mid 20s. as we head into monday we hold on to this wetter, cloudier, breezier weather across north—west scotland. but the rest of scotland, northern england and wales again, once any morning mist and foreclosures away, it'll be dry, sunny and very warm with temperatures ranging from 22 to 26 celsius. much warmer there for eastern scotland, too. and we hold on to those temperatures mid to maybe high 20s for england and wales. could see close to 30 degrees in one or two spots, otherwise they'll be turning more unsettled by the end of the week. voice-over: this is bbc news. we'll have the headlines for you at the top of the hour, which is straight after this programme. this week — we look at how artificial intelligence is being harnessed to help produce music and dance, from pop... # watch them fall... # like domi—dominoes. ..to ballet. beatboxes nick checks out the whiskey distillery aiming to become more sustainable... put that in front of a cow — it would be very happy. i'm not sure. i don't know what's going on there, to be honest. ..and lara is eating again. i'm going to have a bit more of that one. let's just have a bit more of a think about how it tastes and... ..it�*s quite nice. hi there. i wonder if you could tell me what frank sinatra, madonna, dua lipa and ed sheeran — some of the biggest names in music history — all have in common. well, they were all signed to warner records. but now, that company is working with a very different kind of artist, and shiona mccallum has been to berlin to find out more. this is noonoouri.