Image source, Chester Zoo

Chester Zoo, in north-west England, says it is “fighting for our future” after being told it had to “stay closed indefinitely” because of the pandemic.

In a Twitter thread,, external the zoo – which is the country's most visited paid attraction outside London – said they had received the “devastating” news that they have been told to remain closed, despite putting the “necessary safety measures in place”.

The post said that the zoo was looking on as other “private gardens open up, while our own 128 acres of gardens and 16km of pathways remain closed”.

It went on: “We wanted to remain a beacon of hope. We really tried. But now, as the government has ordered that we may have to stay closed indefinitely, it hurts us to say that this crisis has left us fighting for our future.”

From today, outdoor spaces and gardens in England – like those belonging to the National Trust – are allowed to reopen as part of the easing of lockdown restrictions.

More deaths linked to Covid-19 have now been reported in Scotland's care homes than in Scottish hospitals, latest official data shows.

The National Records of Scotland, external (NRS) said there were 1,818 deaths linked to the virus in care homes - three more than recorded in hospitals - since the outbreak began up to May 31.

In care homes, NRS records deaths in which Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate.

In hospitals, only deaths in which people have tested positive for the disease are recorded.

It comes as the latest hospital death toll in Scotland rose by 11 people to 2,375.

Read more here

Rob Cameron
BBC Prague Correspondent

The Czech Republic and Slovakia are to restore free movement between the two countries from midnight, their leaders have said.

It comes as Slovak PM Igor Matovic is visiting the Czech capital Prague - his first foreign trip since his election in March.

Meanwhile Slovakia begins its next major stage of exiting lockdown on Wednesday, with most remaining restrictions eased: people will be able to visit swimming pools without face masks, and more sporting facilities will reopen.

However, face masks will remain obligatory in confined spaces and outside where a two-metre distance cannot be maintained.

For now, the state of emergency remains in place, and the borders remain closed to tourists. However from 15 June travel both in and out of the country should be eased, in accordance with similar moves across Europe, even though technically the border restrictions were recently extended to 26 June.

Slovakia has conducted 179,293 tests for Covid and has reported 1,522 total cases. It has one of Europe's lowest death tolls, with 122 active cases, 1,372 recovered, and 28 deaths.

Image source, PA Media

The BBC's chief political correspondent Vicki Young says the UK's Home Secretary Priti Patel has had "a very difficult time" in Parliament over her quarantine plans.

Our correspondent says MPs have expressed concerns about job losses in aviation and tourism, while Labour are arguing the "horse has bolted" as millions of people entered the UK unchecked when the virus was widespread abroad.

Those to criticise Patel from her own party included Conservative MP Ben Spencer, who described the measures as a "very blunt tool with many downsides" and urged her to bring in a more "precise and targeted approach".

Tory former cabinet minister Theresa Villiers urged Patel to suspend the introduction of the "blanket quarantine" to allow time to bring in air corridors in order to "save jobs".

Labour's Lloyd Russell-Moyle said the measures were "too late". Read more about the plans here.

Image source, EPA

Poland's presidential election was due to take place last month but was postponed because of the pandemic. The speaker of the Polish parliament says it will now be held on 28 June instead.

The ruling Law and Justice party had tried to rush through a postal-only vote on 10 May, as its ally, incumbent President Andrzej Duda, was ahead in the polls.

But it ran out of time in parliament (the Sejm) amid widespread criticism that it was sidelining the electoral commission. It will now take place in polling stations and will be organised by the commission.

However Duda's lead in the polls is down and Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski is in a strong second place. President Duda is unlikely to win outright on 28 June and could lose a run-off on 12 July.

Image source, Reuters

Brazil's industrial production plummeted by 18.8% in April from the month before the coronavirus outbreak.

Newly released official figures show it was also a 27.2% drop compared to the same time last year, the deepest decline since industrial production started being tracked by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) in 2002.

Lockdown measures hammered the country's economy in April, the IBGE says, calling the fall in production "historic".

Brazil is the epicentre of the virus in Latin America, with more than 31,000 deaths and the world's second-highest number of confirmed cases.

Dominic Casciani
Home Affairs Correspondent

Police have urged Londoners to maintain lockdown rules during expected protests over the death of George Floyd later.

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick said British police chiefs were "appalled" by Floyd's death in the US - but that they also had a legal obligation to keep people safe from the coronavirus.

Speaking to the London Assembly, she urged anyone considering joining protests to consider the risks still present from the virus.

"You must think about your safety and the safety of others in the context of social distancing," she said.

"Each time [the lockdown has] changed, it has depended more on people being socially responsible and doing the right thing than on enforcement."

Under the current coronavirus regulations in England, gatherings of more than six people are illegal - and people should keep 2m apart.

Mary Harper
Africa editor, BBC World Service

Image source, AFP

More than 800 health workers in Nigeria have contracted coronavirus, according to the country's Centre for Disease Control.

That's a significant proportion of the total of 10,800 confirmed cases in the country.

Medical staff have been complaining about a lack of protective equipment. Some unions have threatened to go on strike over the issue.

Nigeria's authorities say adequate supplies have been distributed.

Private hospitals were previously forbidden from treating Covid-19 patients as the government said they did not have properly trained staff. The decision has now been reversed.

More than 300 people have died from the virus in Nigeria.

Image source, PA Media

Earlier, former prime minister Theresa May suggested the UK should be taking a lead in developing an international aviation health screening standard - “instead of bringing in measures to close Britain off from the rest of the world”.

The government plans to force arrivals into quarantine for 14 days.

Speaking in a House of Commons debate on the impact of Covid-19 on the aviation industry, May said the sector supports a million jobs in the UK and without international air travel "there is no global Britain".

May said a new standard would save jobs and ensure Britain is open for business.

Transport minister Kelly Tolhurst said the government was working with the sector “looking at how we are able to get exactly that", while meeting the “objective to keep people safe” and reduce the spread of coronavirus.

You can read more about the new rules for travellers to the UK here

Image source, Getty Images

It's a big day for travellers inside Italy and for tourists from abroad, as Italy lifts its travel lockdown. But with Europe's biggest death toll after the UK, there are tight rules and restrictions.

No-one will be allowed into stations in the central Lazio region with a temperature of over 37.5C. Meanwhile, authorities on the island of Sardinia require all arrivals to fill in a questionnaire detailing where they are going.

In Veneto in the north-east, Governor Luca Zaia says no new deaths have been recorded since Tuesday and they are "Covid-free" and open to visitors.

"We've done it, thanks to the sacrifices everyone has made," declared Regional Affairs Minister Francesco Boccia reminding Italians of the 33,530 who have died and the tireless efforts of health workers.

But not everyone is ready for Italy's open borders. Austria will reopen all its borders to neighbouring countries bar Italy on Thursday.

Labour's shadow home secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds called for the UK government to be clear on the scientific advice surrounding its plans to introduce a quarantine for overseas arrivals.

He told MPs: "If these measures are necessary from 8 June, why have they not been necessary in recent weeks or from when they were first announced by the home secretary herself on 22 May?"

He said there had to be reassurance that the quarantine "has a genuine public health benefit now", which, according to the government, it did not have in past months.

He added the new new measures should not be "a three-week fudge to try to spare the government embarrassment for failing to grip this issue at the right time".

A source at the French foreign ministry has told the BBC that France and the UK have not opened bilateral talks over a possible lifting of the upcoming quarantine between the two countries.

"For the moment, we are applying the principle of reciprocity. If the UK imposes a quarantine period, we will apply it too," the official said.

Earlier, Germany said it will remove its general warning against travel to European countries from 15 June but will continue to advise against travel to Britain for as long as the UK government continues to demand a 14-day quarantine for new arrivals.

The Italian foreign ministry also said it has not held conversations "at this point" with the UK about the possibility of establishing "air bridges" between the two countries, which would mean British tourists don't have to self-isolate after visiting Italy.

A further 179 people have died with coronavirus in hospitals in England, latest daily figures show.

It takes the total number of deaths reported by Public Health England to 27,044.

In Scotland, 11 more people have died in hospitals after testing positive - bringing the total to 2,375.

In Wales, 17 more have died - taking the total number to 1,371.

And in Northern Ireland, eight more people have died - with the total figure now at 534.

Unlike England, death tallies reported by Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland do not include those who had positive test results from commercial labs.

UK-wide figures, which are collated differently, are expected later.

The UK's home secretary says the government will continue to explore other options for future safe travel, including "international travel corridors".

Priti Patel said: "Any international approaches will be bilateral and agreed with the other countries concerned.

"We need to ensure that those countries are deemed to be safe. We are not alone in our fight against this disease, or in the measures we have taken to stop it."

She said the new quarantine measures - alongside test and trace and continued social distancing - "will ensure we have greater freedom in the longer term".

Image source, Home Secretary Priti Patel

Priti Patel says under the new quarantine measures, arrivals to the UK will be required to fill in a "contact locator form", including details on where they will isolate and how they can be contacted.

She said: "The form must be completed in advance of travel to provide details of the journey and Border Force will be at the front line of enforcing this requirement."

She added that Border Force would have the power to impose a £100 ($125) fine on those who don't comply.

Patel said the first review of the quarantine measures would take place in the week beginning 28 June.

Read more.

UK Home Secretary Priti Patel says travellers from overseas could increase the spread of Covid-19, as she outlined time-limited quarantine measures for England.

Making a statement to the House of Commons, Patel said the UK was past the peak of coronavirus but the country was "now more vulnerable to new infections being brought in from abroad".

She confirmed the measures would be in place from 8 June and would require arrivals to self-isolate for 14 days.

Patel said: "The government is acting now by taking a proportionate and time-limited approach to protect the health of the British people."

Image source, Reuters

With restrictions on travel in place around the world, the aviation industry has been hit heavily.

Global passenger traffic rose 30% in May from a very low level in April, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) said.

Airlines have cut their domestic fares by an average of 23% to encourage passengers to return.

During an online presentation, IATA Chief Economist Brian Pierce said: "Airlines need cash because of the crisis and they're seeking to encourage passengers into seats by offering low fares."

International tourist arrivals could fall as much as 78% globally this year, according to a United Nations forecast, external.

A number of airlines have been forced to lay off workers. Air Canada announced plans to lay off half of its workforce, while British Airways said there would be 12,000 job losses there.

Image source, AF

Here are some of the latest virus headlines from Latin America:

• In Panama, trade unions have been protesting against the loosening of virus restrictions. Construction, some parts of the mining sector and industry were allowed to resume on Monday. But the workers demonstrating in front of the Ministry of Labour said that the move had come too soon and would put workers' lives in danger. With more than 14,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus, Panama is the worst-affected country in Central America
• The electoral tribunal in Bolivia says the general election which was scheduled for 3 May and had to be postponed because of the pandemic will now be held by 6 September. Bolivia has been led by interim president Jeanine Áñez since November after a contentious election which saw incumbent President Evo Morales resign and seek asylum in Mexico following allegations of electoral fraud
• In Mexico, the coronavirus epidemic has reached "its maximum level of intensity", according to Assistant Health Minister Hugo López-Gatell after the country registered another 3,891 cases on Tuesday. It is not the first time López-Gatell said that Mexico had reached the peak of the epidemic. In mid-May he said the country was going through "the most difficult moment of the first wave of the epidemic"

Austria will end "coronavirus-related border and health checks" on Thursday for all countries except for Italy.

Visitors from the other seven bordering countries - Germany, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Slovakia, Slovenia, the Czech Republic and Hungary - will not face quarantine measures.

"We are thereby returning to the pre-corona situation regarding these countries," said Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg.

"For Italy, unfortunately the pandemic figures do not yet allow such a step. I emphasise, not yet."

The government is considering a proposal from Alto Adige, a mainly German-speaking region in northern Italy, to allow people to travel to Austria from certain parts of rhe country.

Image source, Reuters

Boris Johnson has set a new target for all Covid-19 tests to be turned around within 24 hours by the "end of June".

Scientists have said the government's test and trace system is most effective if people receive test results within that time frame.

And he was asked by former health minister Jeremy Hunt at Prime Minister's Questions what proportion of test results are currently available in 24 hours.

Johnson told parliament: "I can undertake to him now to get all tests turned around in 24 hours by the end of June, except for difficulties with postal tests."

He added that currently 90% of test results are available within 48 hours.

Read more about the testing strategy here.

Another development revealed at PMQs was that MPs shielding from coronavirus will be allowed to vote by proxy now that the House of Commons has ended remote sittings.