- Germany has reported its highest daily infection rate for the coronavirus since April
- Spain and Italy also logged their highest daily figures in months on Wednesday and cases are rising steadily in France
- Australian airline Qantas reports an annual loss of almost A$2bn (£1bn; $1.4bn) as it struggles with the impact of the pandemic
- India has reported a record daily increase of 69,652 infections on Thursday, taking the total number of cases there to 2.84 million
- South Korea tightens restrictions as the country sees a spike in new cases linked mostly to a church
- More than 787,000 deaths have been recorded worldwide, according to data collated by Johns Hopkins University
Hello and welcome back to our live coverage of the coronavirus pandemic. Our teams from around the world are again ready to bring you the latest developments.
- Countries in Europe are seeing a rise in coronavirus cases, with Spain, Italy and Germany reporting their highest daily figures in months
- Australian airline Qantas has reported an annual loss of almost A$2bn (£1bn; $1.4bn) as it deals with the impact of the pandemic
- India reported a record daily increase of 69,652 infections on Thursday, taking the total number of cases there to 2.84 million
- Concerns are rising over an outbreak in South Korea as the country sees a spike in new cases linked mostly to a church
- The US Democratic Party is holding its convention as a virtual event of pre-recorded and live speeches amid coronavirus restrictions
- More than 22 million cases have now been reported globally and more than 787,000 deaths, according to data collated by Johns Hopkins University
India reports record daily jump in infections
India has reported a record daily increase of 69,672 coronavirus infections.The total number of cases in the country now stands at about 2.84 million, according to official data published on Thursday.
A further 997 deaths were reported, taking the total number of fatalities to 53,886.
India is behind only the US and Brazil in terms of numbers of confirmed coronavirus cases.
Read more: How many Covid-19 deaths is India missing?
Europe sees surge in cases
Countries across Europe are reporting a surge in coronavirus cases, with several posting their highest figures in months:- Spain reported 3,715 new infections in its daily count on Wednesday - the highest figure since the country came out of a strict lockdown in late June
- Italy reported 642 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, marking its highest daily jump since late May
- Germany's daily figures on Thursday showed 1,707 new cases, in its highest toll since April
Several European countries have introduced travel restrictions in addition to measures on social distancing and mask-wearing in a bid to curb the spread of the virus.
Seoul bans gatherings of more than 10 people
Authorities in the South Korean capital, Seoul, have banned gatherings of more than 10 people after new cases of coronavirus reached a five-month high.The measure takes effect on Friday and will remain in place until the end of the month.
The latest virus cluster originated in a church and has spread to over 100 facilities in greater Seoul.
The conservative Sarang Jeil Church - whose members rallied in the city at the weekend - is highly critical of the South Korean government. They say they are being unfairly targeted and some are refusing to be tested for the virus.
Masks compulsory throughout French Riviera city
More than one in three French towns and cities have introduced rules on wearing masks in centres, markets or other busy areas, but the southern Riviera city of Nice has gone one step further.As of this morning, you'll now have to wear a mask anywhere outdoors in Nice. Another southern city, Toulouse, will have the same rule from Friday.
Nice Mayor Christian Estrosi says he's made the decision "to limit too strong a spread, to remain consistent in our fight against Covid-19 and so there's no further doubt on where masks should be worn".
Police have been handing out an increasing number of fines to people without face coverings and Mr Estrosi says the rate of transmission locally has risen from 1.2 to 6.
France is seeing daily rates of infection as high as in May - yesterday it was almost 3,800 - and the area worst hit on the mainland is around Marseille with 85 people infected for every 100,000 inhabitants.
Cases surge in Croatia, and other news from the Balkans
Guy Delauney - BBC News, BelgradeThe UK may remove Croatia from its “safe list” of countries as early as Thursday. It follows a significant rise in the number of cases in Croatia – the 14-day cumulative number is 37.7 per 100,000, compared to 21 in the UK. British health authorities have also identified coronavirus cases “imported” from Croatia.
Croatia reported a record number of new coronavirus cases on Wednesday. Some 219 people tested positive for Covid-19, including a player for Croatian football league champions Dinamo Zagreb.
Slovenia is also expected to place Croatia on its “red list” for travel on Thursday. Arrivals from Croatia are likely to face a 14-day quarantine from the weekend.
Virus-hit Qantas posts £1bn annual loss
Australian airline Qantas has reported an annual loss of almost A$2bn (£1bn; $1.4bn) as it struggles to deal with the impact of the pandemic.The global airline industry has been hit hard by travel restrictions imposed to curb the spread of the virus.
Qantas has announced thousands of job cuts amid what it describes as the worst trading conditions in its 100-year history.
"The impact of Covid on all airlines is clear. It's devastating and it will be a question of survival for many," Qantas Group chief executive Alan Joyce said in a statement.
"Recovery will take time and it will be choppy.”
Read more here