Coronavirus - 11th August

Summary for Tuesday, 11th August

• There have been more than 20m cases of Covid-19 around the world, and 736,000 deaths
  
• More than 5m of those cases are in the US, with 3m in Brazil and 2m in India
  
• The UK records its biggest quarterly drop in employment since 2009, as the pandemic hits the jobs market
  
• Australia’s remote Northern Territory says it will keep its borders closed to coronavirus-affected states until 2022
  
• Scottish students return to classrooms for the first time since March
  
• Donald Trump considers blocking US citizens suspected of having Covid-19 from entering the country, US media report
  
• More than 10.5m meals have been claimed in the UK’s “eat out to help out” scheme
  

Hello and welcome back to our coverage of the coronavirus pandemic. It's Helier Cheung, David Walker and Doug Faulkner with you today.
Let's start with a summary of some of the top global stories.

• The number of people around the world who have been infected with the coronavirus has now passed 20 million, according to Johns Hopkins University. More than 730,000 people have died. The US has been worst affected with more than a quarter of all cases and the most deaths. Brazil, India, Russia and South Africa are also suffering large-scale outbreaks
  
• Australia's Northern Territory says it will keep its borders closed to coronavirus-affected states for at least another 18 months. Prime Minister Scott Morrison says interstate travel restrictions will probably continue until Christmas
  
• US President Donald Trump is considering blocking US citizens and permanent residents from returning home if they are suspected of having coronavirus, reports say. A senior official told Reuters that draft regulations could allow the government to bar those “reasonably" believed to have been exposed to the virus
  
• Sunbathers in Rio de Janeiro will have to reserve space on the sand of the Brazilian city's famous beaches in advance via an app, the mayor has announced. The move aims to improve social distancing on the often crowded beaches
  
• Iranian authorities have shut down a business newspaper after it carried an interview with a former member of the coronavirus task force who said the numbers of Covid-19 infections and deaths could be 20 times higher than official figures
  

What's happening around the UK?

School’s back for pupils in Scotland, who will return to classrooms today after nearly five months.
Pupils in Shetland and the Borders will be the first back, with the majority of other areas following tomorrow.
While pupils will not have to social distance, their teachers will be expected to keep 2m away from their class and other adults.
In other news around the UK today:

• Universities in England have been told to hold places while appeals against A-level results take place. With exams cancelled pupils have been given grades based on estimates and many of those left disappointed are expected to appeal.
  
• Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s Eat Out to Help Out policy has served more than 10.5m meals in its first week. The discount dining scheme, which runs Monday to Wednesday, is aimed at getting the public to support the hospitality sector by offering 50% off food and drink, up to a value of £10. The chancellor described the response to it as “amazing”.
  
• Retail sales rose again in the UK in July, but shop visits are down with more people choosing to buy online, industry figures show. The British Retail Consortium (BRC) said some retailers continue to struggle due to the coronavirus crisis, and it made a fresh call for government help with rents. Sales were up 3.2% compared to last year with internet shopping accounting for 40% of total sales.
  
• And Celtic footballer Boli Bolingoli has apologised after breaching coronavirus rules. The defender admitted playing against Kilmarnock at the weekend despite having recently returned from Spain - which requires a 14-day quarantine.
  

Biggest quarterly drop in UK employment since 2009

The number of workers on payrolls in the UK fell by 730,000 between March and July, with 81,000 jobs lost last month, in large part due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said.
Unemployment rose by 220,000 between April and June - the biggest quarterly drop in UK employment since 2009.

Trump 'considering blocking citizens' re-entry over virus fears'

More now from the US where the White House is reported to be mulling a plan to block US citizens and permanent residents from returning home if they are suspected of having coronavirus.
The New York Times reports that, under the draft proposal, authorities could bar re-entry if an official “reasonably believes” the person had been exposed to, or could be infected with, coronavirus.
The government has not yet officially commented on the reports.
During the pandemic, US President Donald Trump has approved new rules banning entry by foreigners, citing the risk of spreading Covid-19. But those rules have so far exempted US citizens and permanent residents.
It is not clear if the Trump administration has the authority to impose such a rule, the Washington Post says. Federal agencies have reportedly been asked to give their views on the plan to the White House by Tuesday.
The US has more than 5m cases of Covid-19 - about a quarter of all global cases.

Former India president on ventilator after Covid-19 diagnosis

Ayeshea Perera - Digital Editor, Delhi
Pranab Mukherjee, who served as the president of India from 2012 - 2017, is in critical care and on a ventilator, one day after he confirmed that he had tested positive for Covid-19.
The 84-year-old was in hospital for a surgical procedure to remove a blood clot from his brain when he discovered he had the virus.
Local media have quoted hospital sources as saying that his condition remains "critical", and that the next few hours will be important.
Apart from serving as president, Mukherjee has held every important portfolio - finance, defence and foreign affairs - in government. He also served on the boards of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.
India has the world's third-largest caseload of the virus, though death rates are still relatively low. However, the speed at which cases are increasing has worried experts. The country took just 20 days to go from one million to two million cases.
In the last 24 hours the country has added nearly 64,000 cases, taking the overall tally to nearly 2.3 million.

Australia's Northern Territory could keep borders closed till 2022

Australia's remote Northern Territory is to keep its borders closed to coronavirus-affected states for at least another 18 months, officials say.
Australia is experiencing a second wave in the south-east with about 8,000 active cases in Melbourne and smaller clusters in Sydney.
"My advice to every Territorian, if you can, stay in the Territory. You're safe here, don't go," said Chief Minister Michael Gunner. "If you can, cancel your Christmas holiday plans and stay here in the Northern Territory."
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has said interstate travel restrictions will probably continue until Christmas.
Read more on this story here.

'Say yes to the test': NZ health chief has test live on TV

New Zealand's Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield has had a Covid-19 test live on national television to encourage others to do the same.
Dr Bloomfield, who has not been feeling unwell, had the nose swab taken at a testing station in Porirua.
"As you can see it made my eyes water," he told reporters, adding that it was "not painful, and way less uncomfortable than when fizzy drink goes up the back of your nose".
"Say yes to the test," he added.
New Zealand has had great success in containing the spread of Covid-19 and has not seen any locally transmitted cases for more than 100 days.
However, citizens are being advised to remain vigilant. New Zealand media reported on Tuesday that a retirement village in Christchurch had been placed in lockdown after some residents displayed "symptoms of a respiratory illness".
Read more: How New Zealand went 'hard and early' to beat Covid-19

Russia declares victory in race for vaccine

Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced that Russia has registered the world's first vaccine for coronavirus.
Despite earlier scepticism from health experts and a warning from the World Health Organization to follow established protocols, Health Minister Mikhail Murashko declared that the vaccine was "proven to be highly effective and safe" and Mr Putin said it had "passed all the required checks".
The minister added that trials of the vaccine would continue, involving thousands of people.
Mr Putin said one of his daughters had used the vaccine, and that she was fine after having had an increase in temperature.
Many other vaccines are currently undergoing trials in a number of countries. Earlier this month, US infectious diseases expert Anthony Fauci said he hoped Russia was "actually testing the vaccine" before giving it to anyone.

More than 56,800 Covid-related deaths registered in the UK

New figures show 56,842 deaths where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate have been registered in the UK.
In England and Wales, 51,779 deaths involving the virus had occurred up to 31 July, according to the Office for National Statistics figures.
A total of 8,946 deaths were registered in England and Wales in the last week of July, according to the ONS - 90 fewer than the five-year average of 9,036. This is the seventh week in a row that deaths have been below the five-year average.
Of the deaths registered in the week to 31 July, 193 mentioned Covid-19 on the death certificate - the lowest number of deaths involving Covid-19 since the week ending March 20 (103 deaths).
The National Records for Scotland reported 4,208 deaths involving Covid-19 had been registered in Scotland up to 2 August, while 855 deaths had occurred in Northern Ireland up to 31 July according to the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency.

First local cases in New Zealand in over 100 days

New Zealand has detected its first locally-transmitted coronavirus cases in more than 100 days.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said four people tested positive from the same household. The source of the infections is not yet known.
Auckland will go into a "level 3" lockdown for a few days while the cases are investigated, she said

New tourism measures in Greece, and mandatory testing in Finland

Gareth Evans - BBC News, Europe desk
If you're just joining us, here are some of the latest headlines from around Europe this morning:

• Greece announced further measures intended to curb a recent spike in infections. Visitors from Spain, Belgium, Sweden, the Netherlands and the Czech Republic will have to show proof they have tested negative for the virus before entering the country
  
• It also announced a night curfew on bars and restaurants in major tourist destinations such as Crete, Santorini and Rhodes. The health minister said infections were "rising dangerously"
  
• Spain, one of the early global hotspots of the pandemic, reported a sharp rise of more than 1,400 infections in 24 hours. It also recorded 73 deaths since Friday - its biggest increase in months
  
• In Germany, a survey by the Bild newspaper found that almost 60% of pubs, restaurants and hotels believe they will struggle to survive because of the pandemic
  
• Elsewhere, Finland said it would introduce mandatory testing and quarantine for travellers from Belgium, the Netherlands and Andorra. "The situation is extremely delicate," a health official said
  

Ireland's rate of infection per 100,000 people has soared over the past 14 days to overtake the United Kingdom.

According to the European Centre for Disease Control (ECDC), the spike in coronavirus cases experienced by Ireland in the past week has caused the country's rate of infection to grow to 16.9 cases per 100k-- surpassing the UK's rate of 16.5.
The rate of deaths over the past 14 days remain far lower than at the peak of the pandemic, however, with the UK at 1.3 and Ireland at 0.2.



Ireland's rate of infection has more than tripled since authority figures were choosing which countries to allow on the 'Green List' for travel-- at the time, Ireland's rate was around 5, and any countries deemed safe must have a lower rate of infection.
The United Kingdom was deemed not safe enough to place on the Green List at the time.
In Luxeumbourg, where the virus is spreading at a faster rate than almost everywhere in Europe, the cumulative rate over the past 14 days stands at 137 cases per 100,000 people.
Spain and Italy, previously some of the worst-hit places in Europe, stand at 75.8 and 7.4 respectively.
The revelation comes following the Government's announcement that they would be issuing a travel 'Red List' as well as  Green List for travel.
The Red List would name countries with Covid-19 hotstpots and would be deemed unsafe for travel, both outgoing and incoming.
The United States is among those countries expected to be named on the list.

P&O extends cruises suspension

P&O has announced it is extending the suspension of all its cruises until 12 November.
The UK's largest cruise line said the decision was taken in line with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's advice for people to avoid cruises because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The firm had previously cancelled sailings until 15 October.
It said customers with affected bookings would automatically receive credit for a future cruise worth 125% of the cost of their original trip. They can also request a refund in cash.

52 new Covid-19 cases in Scotland

Nicola Sturgeon is giving her briefing in Scotland. She has confirmed 19,079 people have now tested positive for Covid-19, an increase of 52 from yesterday.
The amounts to 1.2% of those that were newly tested yesterday.
No deaths were registered in the last 24 hours of people who tested positive, meaning the total remains at 2,491.
Sturgeon has said that she will not address the issue of exam results as Scotland's Education Secretary John Swinney will be addressing the Holyrood on the subject at 14.50 BST.

Auckland lockdown as new cases emerge in New Zealand

As we reported earlier, New Zealand has reported its first locally transmitted Covid-19 in 100 days.
The four new cases were found in the same household in Auckland, but the source of the infections is not yet known.
In response, New Zealand's PM Jacinda Ardern announced that, as of noon on Wednesday, Auckland will move to "level 3" lockdown until midnight on Friday. This will mean everyone will be required to work from home apart from essential workers.
Public facilities, bars, restaurants and businesses will also be required to close.
"Act as if you have Covid, and as though people around you have Covid," Ardern said.
Mass gatherings will be limited to 100 people around the rest of the country.
The last case of local transmission had been detected on 1 May, days after the country started easing its lockdown.
A total of 22 people have lost their lives to the virus in the country since late February.
An early lockdown, tough border restrictions, effective health messaging and an aggressive test-and-trace programme had all been credited with virtually eliminating the virus in the country.
Ardern said on Tuesday that New Zealanders should not become too disheartened by the latest cases.
"We know what to do because we have successfully done this before," she said.

Celtic and Aberdeen games off after coronavirus breaches

Celtic and Aberdeen's football matches are to be called off this week after their players broke lockdown rules, Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said.
Celtic defender Boli Bolingoli flew to Spain without the club's knowledge, failed to quarantine, then played in Sunday's match against Kilmarnock.
Sturgeon said this was a "flagrant breach" of the guidelines.
The previous weekend, eight Aberdeen players broke lockdown regulations by visiting a bar together.
Surgeon told her daily briefing that fans "should not be expecting to see Aberdeen or Celtic play in the coming week".
Read the full story here

Putin says daughter received vaccine - in rare mention of his family

BBC Monitoring - The world through its media

President Putin made the announcement in a televised video conference with ministers

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that one of his daughters received the country's new coronavirus vaccine and is doing well.
It is rare for Putin to mention his daughters - the president is known to carefully guard his family’s privacy, and has always refused to give details about the lives of his daughters, or even confirm media reports that their names are Maria Vorontsova and Katerina Tikhonova.
However, the mention of his own daughter highlights how keen Russia is to convince a sceptical world that its vaccine is safe and effective.
During televised remarks announcing that the vaccine had been registered, he said: “[The vaccine] creates a stable antibody and cellular immunity, and I know this very well, because one of my daughters had such an injection."
He said that after her first injection his daughter’s temperature went up to 38C (100F) before falling to 37C. “And that was all. After the second injection, her temperature also rose slightly, but then went away, and she feels well.”

Bhutan orders first lockdown after infection alert

The remote Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan has imposed its first coronavirus lockdown after an infected person came into close contact with people in the capital, Thimphu.
"Everyone is asked to stay home to protect themselves and their families from the disease, should there be undetected, rampant transmission," a government statement said. Schools, offices and commercial establishments have all been closed.
Bhutan, with a population of about 754,000, has recorded 113 infections so far and no fatalities.
The infected patient - a 27-year-old Bhutanese woman - had been in quarantine after returning from Kuwait. She was discharged after testing negative but days later tested positive. During that time she had travelled to different areas and visited relatives.

News from Latin America: Book your spot on the beach

Vanessa Buschschluter - Latin America and Caribbean Editor, BBC News

Rio's beaches have not yet reopened to sunbathers but some have already been flouting the ban

As our readers in Latin America wake up, here are some of the main headlines from the region:

• Sunbathers in Rio, in Brazil, will have to book their space on the city's famous beaches via an app after the mayor said that it was the only way to ensure social distancing rules would be followed. At present, while bathing in the sea is allowed, sitting on the beach is not. Implementation of the new rules is expected to be a challenge in a city famous for its laid-back vibe.
  
• A number of hospitals in Bolivia have been running low on oxygen for coronavirus patients after roadblocks erected by demonstrators protesting against the delay of the general election had disrupted oxygen distribution. Now, a convoy of lorries carrying 66 tonnes of liquid oxygen is on its way to hospitals - reports say it took five hours of negotiations for the lorries to pass one of the roadblocks
  
• Cuba, which has so far had a relatively low number of coronavirus infections, on Monday registered its highest number of daily confirmed cases so far. The new daily high was 93 cases in 24 hours, up from 74 on 2 May.
  

Visualising the pandemic, and a second rise in cases

The new local infections in New Zealand, which has been praised for how it contained the Covid-19 outbreak, shows just how challenging it can be for countries to keep coronavirus case numbers down.
Our Visual Journalism team have been tracking the global pandemic, and this series of graphs shows how many countries that appeared to have controlled initial outbreaks, like Israel, Australia and Japan, have seen cases rise again.


Several countries across Europe have reported a recent rise in cases.
Travellers from the UK have been told they will have to quarantine for two weeks if they are returning from Spain, Belgium or Luxembourg, following a surge in infections. Cases in France are also rising again.
A number of countries have re-imposed localised lockdowns in their worst-affected regions, and there have been renewed appeals for people to wear masks and follow social distancing rules.
Spain appears to have suffered the worst spike so far, with most of the new cases concentrated in the north-east of the country.

Russia hails 'Sputnik moment' with fast-tracked vaccine

Fergus Walsh - Medical correspondent
Russia is fast-tracking its Covid-19 vaccine at an extraordinary pace.
It began the first clinical trials on 1 June, months after teams in China, the US and Europe.
Unlike other groups, the Gamaleya Institute in Moscow has not released any safety or immunity data from its studies. This makes it impossible for independent scientists to make an assessment.
It’s unclear how many volunteers have received the Russian vaccine so far. We know they include the head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, Kirill Dmitriev, which is financing Russia’s vaccine research, who said his parents had also been immunised.
Last month he described this as “a Sputnik moment” referring to the Soviet Union’s launch of the first satellite in 1957, which beat the US into space. Russia has even named its vaccine ‘Sputnik V’.
President Putin is keen to send a clear message to the world regarding the prowess of Russian science.
But simply being first is not enough. No Covid vaccine being developed has yet been shown to offer protection against coronavirus.
That central question remains unanswered.

South Korea keeps virus at bay on its beaches

South Koreans looking to cool off at the beach - but not risk catching coronavirus - can check how busy local areas are on a special website.
There are various safety measures in place - including the ability for visitors to reserve their own spot to maintain social distancing.

Eight more Covid-related deaths in England and Wales

A further six people who tested positive for the coronavirus have died, bringing the total number of confirmed reported deaths in hospitals in England to 29,425, NHS England said.
There have been two more deaths in Wales, taking the total to 1,581, and 13 people have tested positive for the virus, according to Public Health Wales.
Scotland and Northern Ireland have reported no new deaths from the virus.
The full UK figures will be published later and may differ from these figures, due to different criteria and timeframes.

Crew members march for live events 'red alert'

Music industry crew marched with their equipment cases in Manchester

Workers from music venues, theatres and the live events industry have held a march to warn of the threat of the pandemic to their sector.
Out-of-work music industry crew were among those who took part in a march through Manchester while there were similar protests in other cities as part of the Red Alert campaign.
More than 300 venues including London's National Theatre and Royal Festival Hall will later turn their lights red as part of the campaign.


Virtually all UK venues have been closed for five months, meaning many are at risk.
Organisers of Tuesday's protests say around a million people work in the events sector, many of whom are freelancers, and they are at risk of losing their livelihoods without additional government support.
Last month the government announced a £1.57bn support package aimed at protecting theatres, galleries and museums.

Scotland reverses exam results decision

All pupils in Scotland who had their exam results downgraded will have them reinstated, the education secretary has said.
John Swinney apologised to students and said the approach taken by the government may not have adequately taken into account the unique situation of 2020.
Results will now be solely based on lecturer or teacher estimates.

Egyptians go to the polls despite pandemic

Anti-coronavirus measures have been put in place at polling stations across Egypt as people turn out to vote for a new national senate.
Face masks and gloves are being provided and voters are encouraged to bring their own pen and to stand well apart outside polling stations.
Egypt has the second-highest number of Covid-19 on the African continent after South Africa.
Elections around the world have been disrupted by the pandemic, although many have still gone ahead, such as in Sri Lanka and Belarus.
According to the Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (Idea), at least 69 countries and territories have postponed elections due to Covid-19 while more than 50 decided to let them take place.
Results from the Egyptian poll are expected by 19 August.

Cases and deaths 'decreasing': US round-up

Here's a round-up of top stories from the US, which remains the country with the highest number of cases in the world:

• Despite passing the five million cases mark on Monday, there are signs that the pace of the pandemic could be slowing there. New cases dropped by 11.5% and deaths by 7% in the last week compared to the previous week, according to a memo from the Federal Emergency Management Agency
  
• seen by ABC News.
  
• President Donald Trump is considering rules that would allow border officials to block entry to US citizens or residents suspected of being infected with coronavirus, reports the New York Times.
  
• It is currently unclear when it might be approved or announced.
  
• Walt Disney World theme parks in Florida will reduce their opening hours from September
  
• , following lower than expected visitor numbers after re-opening in July.
  
• College football stars are campaigning to be able to compete in Autumn, as universities threaten to cancel the season. Trump added his voice to the #WeWantToPlay hashtag on social media, tweeting "the student-athletes have been working too hard for their season to be cancelled."
  
• University directors are worried about athletes contracting coronavirus and potentially later developing heart conditions, CBS News reports.
  
• And in Wisconsin, employees of the Department of Natural Resources have been advised to wear masks indoors, including on video conferences, in order to set a good example to others
  

Bangladesh says its situation is under control - but is it?

Reality Check
Bangladesh says it will stop providing daily updates on coronavirus infections and deaths in the country from 12 August. Health Minister Zahid Maleque says this is because “we believe the infection rate is decreasing and the situation is getting under control.”
In its latest weekly report, the World Health Organization (WHO) says new cases in the country have dropped by 2.5% from the previous week.
But the headline figure masks a more complicated reality - reported cases are fluctuating widely, with daily tallies ranging between 900 and 3,000 since the start of August, according to WHO data.
This may well be to do with the amount of testing being carried out, which has also fluctuated widely – from around 12,000 a day in July, then down to less than 4,000 in early August and back up to 12,000 again.
The authorities attributed the drop in testing to severe flooding in July as well as what they say is the unwillingness of people to get tested due to a lack of trust in medical facilities.
And Bangladesh still has a high rate of positive tests - at the end of last week it was nearly a quarter of all tests which suggests that only a small proportion of the true number of infections is being picked up.

SPFL to punish players who break rules as matches called off

The Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL) has announced an "urgent package of measures" following the postponement of Celtic and Aberdeen matches because players broke lockdown rules.
Celtic defender Boli Bolingoli flew to Spain without the club's knowledge, failed to quarantine, then played in Sunday's match against Kilmarnock.
The previous weekend eight Aberdeen players broke lockdown regulations by visiting a bar together.
The new SPFL measures include plans to punish players who break the rules, an "immediate" player education programme and an agreement to take part in promotional activity for the Scottish government's coronavirus public awareness campaign FACTS.
Sport Minister Joe FitzPatrick said: "This latest example indicates that the current arrangements are not working as intended, and so clearly additional steps now need to be taken to ensure that the necessity of strict compliance with the rules is fully and properly understood."
In the meantime Celtic and Aberdeen can train as usual, but training and friendly matches will not be allowed.
Read the full story here.

France going 'the wrong way' - PM

Around 10,000 people in southern France gathered for an illegal rave over the weekend

France's Prime Minister Jean Castex has said the country had been going "the wrong way" for two weeks now as cases of coronavirus rise. Some 10,800 new cases have been identified there in the past week, according to the health ministry.
Local authorities will be told to instruct citizens to wear masks in public spaces "as far as possible", Castex said in a press conference on Tuesday. Mask are currently obligatory on public transport, enclosed spaces such as shops and government offices, and Paris's main tourist sites.
Castex also extended a ban on gatherings of more than 5,000 people until 30 October. The ban was originally scheduled to lift at the end of this month. At the weekend around 10,000 people gathered for an illegal rave on a mountain plateau in Lozere in the south of the country.

Latest UK headlines

Just catching up? Here's what you need to know about virus-related news in the UK:

• About 75,000 school pupils are to have their exam results upgraded after the Scottish government agreed to accept teacher estimates of scores. They were submitted as an alternative following the cancellation of exams during lockdown.
  
• It comes as Scotland's pupils returned to classes today for the first time in nearly five months.
  
• In England, the government has defended its test and trace programme amid plans to cut 6,000 contact tracers, saying it would be strengthened when more powers are given to local public health teams.
  
• Debenhams says it will cut 2,500 more jobs as it struggles to survive the pandemic, with most cuts across its UK stores and distribution centres.
  
• And in football news, Celtic and Aberdeen have had their next two Scottish Premiership matches postponed after their players broke lockdown rules.
  

How close are other countries to developing a vaccine?

Brazil, which has been badly hit by the virus, is also developing its own vaccine

Russia has given regulatory approval to a nationally-produced coronavirus vaccine after less than two months of testing on humans - although scientists in the West have raised concerns about the speed of its programme.
Although Russia's claims are in the headlines today, it's not the only country working on vaccines. More than 100 vaccines are in early development, and more than 20 are being tested on people in clinical trials.
The US has six vaccines in development and the country's leading infectious diseases expert, Dr Anthony Fauci, has said they could have a "safe and effective" treatment by the end of the year.
The UK government has signed four coronavirus vaccine deals. They include 100 million doses of a vaccine being developed by AstraZeneca and scientists at Oxford University and an experimental treatment being developed by drug giants GSK and Sanofi.
On Tuesday, Indonesia and Mexico both announced late stage clinical trials for possible vaccines.

Russian vaccine should not proceed before more trials - WHO

We've been reporting today that Russia says it has developed a coronavirus vaccine and it has been approved for use after less than two months of testing on humans.
In the past couple of hours, the World Health Organization (WHO) has said it has not received enough information about the vaccine to evaluate it.
It had been suggested that Brazil would begin producing the vaccine, but that should not be done until more trials are completed, said Jarbas Barbosa, assistant director of the Pan American Health Organization, which is part of WHO.
"Any vaccine producer has to follow this procedure that guarantees it is safe and has the WHO's recommendation," he said in a briefing.
Last week the WHO urged Russia to follow international guidelines for producing a vaccine against Covid-19.

A further 102 UK deaths

A further 102 people have died after contracting coronavirus in the UK, meaning the death toll now stands at 46,628, Public Health England says.
And 1,148 new positive cases have been recorded, bringing the total number to 312,789.

Today's news from the UK

It's almost the end of the day for the live page team. If you're just catching up, here's what you might have missed:

• Prime Minister Boris Johnson has warned the UK has a "long, long way to go" before the economy improves, after official figures showed the largest drop in employment in over a decade.
  
• About 75,000 school pupils are to have their exam results upgraded after the Scottish government agreed to accept teacher estimates of scores. They were submitted as an alternative following the cancellation of exams during lockdown.
  
• It comes as Scotland's pupils returned to classes for the first time in nearly five months.
  
• Debenhams says it will cut 2,500 more jobs as it struggles to survive the pandemic, with most cuts across its UK stores and distribution centres.
  
• And in football news, Celtic and Aberdeen have had their next two Scottish Premiership matches postponed after their players broke lockdown rules.
  

Egypt-Gaza border crossing opens for first time since March

Palestinians have been preparing to leave as the border crossing with Egypt opened for 72 hours

Palestinians have been able to leave densely populated Gaza for the first time since March as its border crossing with Egypt opened on Tuesday.
The Rafah crossing was closed in March when Hamas, who govern the Gaza strip, worried about the spread of the virus in the enclave with a poor health system.
The crossing, which is the only one into Gaza that bypasses Israel, has opened for 72 days for two-way movement. Hundreds of people gathered at a waiting room before dawn, AFP reports.

The latest from around the world

Here's what you need to know this evening:

• New Zealand has put Auckland, its largest city, back into lockdown after recording four new coronavirus cases, ending a 102-day streak without a local infection.
  
• French PM Jean Castex has said the country has been going "the wrong way" for two weeks as coronavirus cases rapidly rise.
  
• Russian President Vladimir Putin has said a locally developed vaccine has been given regulatory approval after less than two months of testing on humans - and that his own daughter has been given it. Officials have said they plan to start mass vaccination in October.
  
• The US is weighing new rules that would temporarily bar US citizens and legal residents from entering the US in an effort to control a surge in coronavirus cases. US media outlets say the proposal would affect those who have been infected, or who are suspected of having been exposed to the virus.
  
• There have been more than 20 million cases of Covid-19 around the world, and more than 737,000 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University. More than five million of those cases have been in the US, three million in Brazil and two million in India.
  

That's it from us

Thanks for following our live coverage today.
We'll be back again tomorrow with all the latest coronavirus news from the UK and around the world.

Today's live page was edited by Helier Cheung and Sarah Collerton and written by Doug Faulkner, David Walker, Gareth Evans, George Wright, Hazel Shearing and Georgina Rannard.