Image source, Getty Images

Liverpool mayor Joe Anderson says resuming the Premier League is a "non-starter", and fears a "farcical" situation with fans congregating outside Anfield - even if Liverpool clinch the title at a neutral venue.

Clubs in England's top flight are due to participate in a crucial video conference call on Friday to discuss how the plan to resume the football season and whether it is realistic, responsible or indeed appropriate to pursue it at all.

The Premier League has told its clubs only "approved venues" can be used, raising the possibility of matches being played at neutral grounds.

Liverpool, chasing their first title for 30 years, lead the table by 25 points with nine games remaining, while the league hopes to restart on 8 June.

The league's "Project Restart" envisages the season resuming behind closed doors because of social distancing measures in place to battle the coronavirus pandemic.

The national lead for football policing said that playing all remaining Premier League and EFL fixtures at their original venues would "present challenges" to the emergency services.

Read more

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Cannabis use has been growing in the Netherlands during the coronavirus crisis, according to a new study.

The Dutch Trimbos Institute for Mental Health and Addiction said two out of five people who used cannabis were smoking it more often since the outbreak, with boredom named as the number one reason.

Stress and other psychological issues also played a role, according to the research.

However, almost half of the participants said their usual amount hadn't changed, while one in 10 were using less or had even stopped.

Cannabis has a decriminalised status in the Netherlands, with people allowed to buy small amounts for personal use.

Tributes to Captain Tom Moore, who captured people's hearts after he started a fundraiser for the NHS, also featured in tonight's clap.

People held up posters with messages to him, while elderly people at a residential home in Wolverhampton banged pots and pans and sang happy birthday to Capt Moore, who celebrated his 100th birthday today.

World War Two veteran Capt Tom has raised £32m for the NHS, a campaign which started with him walking laps of his garden.

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Reuters

More photos are coming in of people taking part in tonight's clap.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer was among those talking about it on social media, tweeting: "Once again we've just seen an incredible display of appreciation to our NHS staff, carers and key workers. They're risking their lives for all of us."

Image source, PA Media

Image source, PA Media

Image source, Reuters

Image source, PA Media

Image source, Getty Images

For 16-year-olds in the US state of Georgia, the pandemic has an unexpected benefit: they no longer have to take a road test in order to get their driver’s license.

In Georgia and other states, teenagers are required to demonstrate their driving skills in a test with an instructor, showing they can operate a car safely on their own.

The teenagers are tested on whether they can parallel-park, execute a three-point turn and other aspects of navigation.

But now because of social distancinng the requirement for a road test has been waived in Georgia – at least temporarily.

If you are 16, you fill out an online form and verify that you have driven 40 hours with your mother or father or with an instructor, and then you can print out a provisional license.

After that, you’re off.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson was among those joining in tonight's clap for NHS staff and key workers - the first time he's taken part since recovering from the virus.

His fiancee, Carrie Symonds, who gave birth to the couple's son this week, said she would be taking part, tweeting: "Clapping again for our tremendous carers tonight... I also have another wonderful reason to thank the NHS this week too. Thank you so, so much!"

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Reuters

For the sixth week in a row, people have opened their windows or stood at their front doors to applaud the country's key workers and NHS staff.

Here are some of the scenes from around the UK right now:

Police have warned people in London that it's "not acceptable" to gather at major landmarks to join in tonight's Clap for Carers.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, Matt Twist, said officers and staff would continue to join the tribute - but people who were out without a reasonable excuse would be asked to return home.

He said landmarks had become "focal points" for those wishing to applaud - but officers would be present during the tribute to "engage, explain and encourage" people to observe social distancing.

The warning comes after the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan expressed concern after videosappeared to show police and members of the public failing to observe social distancing rules on a crowded Westminster Bridge two weeks ago during the clap.

Tonight will be the sixth week in a row when people will open their windows and cheer for NHS staff and key workers.

Every Thursday at 20:00 BST (19:00 GMT), delivery drivers, supermarket staff, care workers and bin collectors are among those applauded by the nation.

We'll be bringing you live updates as it happens, but for now here's what last week's clap looked like:

Brenda Emmanus

Image source, Getty Images

With growing concern over the impact of the pandemic on the creative industries, London Mayor Sadiq Khan has launched a £2.3m ($2.9m) fund for venues and artists across the capital.

Organisations set to benefit are those at risk of falling into administration and unable to benefit from government schemes - they include grassroots music venues, LGBTQ+ venues and independent cinema.

Khan joins a growing number of creative industry professionals and MPs calling on the government to do more for the sector.

Earlier this week, more than 400 leading creative figures including Stephen Fry, Grayson Perry and Anish Kapoor signed an open letter calling for more support, external to prevent the UK from becoming “a cultural wasteland”.

According to the London mayor, the industries are vital “to the fabric of our city during the day and night, and they will play a key role in helping us to recover from this public health crisis.”

Beverley Whitrick from the Music Venue Trust, which works on behalf of grassroots music venues across the UK, has welcomed the mayor’s support, saying it will be beneficial where other measures have fallen short.

Barbara Plett Usher
BBC News, Washington

US intelligence agencies have concluded that the new coronavirus was not man-made or modified. But they say they are still examining its origins. Here's analysis from BBC state department correspondent Barbara Plett Usher.

This is the first definitive statement on the matter from US intelligence agencies. It rejects the most extreme of the conspiracy theories about the pandemic’s origins – that the Chinese developed and unleashed the coronavirus as a bioweapon.

But it doesn’t rule out the possibility that the virus was accidentally leaked from a Wuhan laboratory studying infectious diseases.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in particular has talked up that scenario, urging China to let outside experts into the facility, and raising questions about lab safety in other parts of the country.

The Chinese government says any such allegations are unfounded.

Claims and counterclaims about the origins of the virus are part of a propaganda war over China’s handling of the coronavirus crisis.

But they also reflect US frustration with the Chinese for not sharing more data about how the pandemic developed.

Image source, Getty Images

Reality Check

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said in his briefing this afternoon: “We’re now doing about as much testing as any other country in Europe.”

If you look at Italy, for example, their latest daily testing statistics show 68,456 tests were carried out.

In the UK, the latest figures are that 81,611 tests were carried out.

So clearly the UK is carrying out more tests in a day than Italy is.

But if you look at the totals for the outbreak so far, Italy is way ahead, having conducted 1,910,761 tests compared with the UK’s 901,905 tests so far.

And the population of the UK is slightly higher than Italy.

Image source, Nottinghamshire Police

A British police constable has spoken of the "horror, shock, and anger" he felt when he was spat at during the UK's coronavirus lockdown.

Nottinghamshire Police officer Anthony Brice was detaining Daniel Hagerty when the 32-year-old spat at him and his colleague.

PC Brice said he "would rather have been punched in the face".

The officer has since tested negative for Covid-19, whilst Hagerty has been sentenced to six months in jail.

Image source, Getty Images

As we mentioned earlier, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin has caught coronavirus.

Russian TV showed him telling that to President Vladimir Putin.

"Esteemed Mr Putin, it has just become known that my tests for coronavirus came back positive," Mr Mishustin says.

He then says that he must self-isolate and observe doctor's prescriptions.

Mr Putin wishes him a swift recovery.

"What's happening to you can happen to anyone, and I've always said this," he said.

"You are a very active person. I would like to thank you for the work that has been done so far."

Marianna Spring
Specialist disinformation and social media reporter

MPs expressed frustration at a lack of answers from social media firms when they grilled them this morning about misinformation spreading online during the pandemic.

The Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) Sub-committee heard from representatives of Twitter, Facebook and Google about what they were doing to tackle misleading and harmful content on their platforms.

The chair, Julian Knight, said the committee would be getting in touch with the social media companies to express its displeasure at "the lack of answers we received today”.

The tech companies were asked about foreign interference, conspiracy theories falsely linking 5G with coronavirus and the moderation of misleading content.

However, MPs have also drawn criticism online for failing to address other important areas of misinformation such as WhatsApp and private messenger channels, and bad actors and misinformation spreaders apart from foreign governments.

Have you seen anything misleading online? Is there something we should be investigating? Email marianna.spring@bbc.co.uk

See here for more on how you can stop bad information from going viral.

Image source, Getty Images

Paris St-Germain have been crowned as the champions of Ligue 1 - France's top football division - after the season was cut short.

Earlier this week, France's Prime Minister Edouard Philippe cancelled the 2019-20 sporting season.

The French football league decided to finish the league table based on a points-per-game-played average.

By comparison, the Netherlands just cancelled their season and did not name any champions.

PSG, who were 12 points clear at the top, have won seven of the past eight French titles.

The club said they were dedicating their title to healthcare staff and "everyday heroes on the front line".

The Department of Health has clarified the total number of coronavirus deaths in the United Kingdom.

The correct figure is 26,771 and not 26,711 as Prime Minister Boris Johnson said in the government briefing earlier on.

The increase of 674 deaths in the past 24 hours that Johnson mentioned is correct.

Image source, .

The leader of the UK's opposition Labour Party has said he is glad to hear the government will be unveiling a plan for managing the next stage of the coronavirus pandemic.

Sir Keir Starmer said this was something his party had been calling for.

Sir Keir said: "I think the whole country will be really pleased to hear that. Everybody has been anxious to get the infection and death down."

He added: ‘I've been calling on the PM to have a plan for the next stage, an exit strategy. The PM now said he’s going to have a plan next week.

"We’ll look at it when we see it. It’s a step in the right direction."

Jessica Parker
BBC political correspondent

It had all the hallmarks of a "big moment".

Boris Johnson back at the lectern after five weeks, flanked by his top two scientific and medical advisers.

But despite the cast list, the indications were that big revelations would not be given on, for example, an exit strategy.

And that proved to be true, with the prime minister promising a “comprehensive plan” next week on how the government might look to get the country moving again.

However the headline grabber today will be the prime minister declaring that we are “past the peak” of the outbreak.

Along with that statement, he attempted to explain more about the government’s thinking.

There was, for example, a bespoke NHS video detailing what’s meant by the ‘R-rate’ of infection, a key measure of how fast the virus is spreading.

Perhaps ministers might be conscious that even if people are largely obeying the lockdown rules, they want to know that there is an exit plan - as well as the parameters that will frame that slow and cautious journey.

So today was an attempt to offer some hope and a sense that we're not stuck in an indefinite holding pattern.

BBC transport correspondent Tom Burridge says the revelation that British Airways may not reopen its Gatwick operation when the pandemic is over is pretty extraordinary and radical.

A leaked memo written by the head of BA's Gatwick hub - which is about a fifth of the size of its Heathrow operation - revealed the news.

Burridge says it is a signal of what is happening across the industry.

BA has been carrying about 1% of its previous passenger numbers, he adds.