Image source, EPA

Jeepneys - small, often brightly-decorated buses in the Philippines - are back in business as of today.

The buses have been seen driving around the capital city, Manila, fitted with social-distancing markers and plastic protective shields.

But under the government's rules, only registered and roadworthy jeepneys will be allowed to operate, and they need to stick to limited routes around the city.

Image source, EPA

Image source, EPA

Image source, AFP

South Korea's has recorded its highest daily increase in cases in two weeks.

The country recorded 63 infections for the past day, including 52 local cases, raising the total to just under 13,000.

Confirmed infections outside the capital Seoul showed a sustained increase, raising concerns that the country's overall infections will continue on an upward trend.

South Korea was one of the first hotspots of the pandemic outside of China but over the past months had appeared to bring the virus under control.

Since late May though, the country has seen a small resurgence, leading to health officials confirming the country was seeing a second wave.

Image source, Reuters

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has confirmed that the US will be among the countries on England's coronavirus "red list", and travellers from there will continue to face 14 days' quarantine on arrival.

"I'm afraid it will be," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. "The US from a very early stage banned flights from the UK. There isn’t a reciprocal arrangement in any case there."

The US ban on flights "hasn’t helped them to avoid this crisis", he said, as it currently has "very high numbers of infections".

Mr Shapps responded to criticism that the UK government had not properly consulted with Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland in drawing up the list of exemptions, with the Scottish National Party accusing him of calling meetings with 38 minutes' notice.

He said the chief medical officers of all four nations were involved in drawing up the list, and that he hoped the devolved administrations would sign up before 10 July, when it comes into effect.

The city of Leicester has become the first in the UK to go into local lockdown in a bid to combat a surge of Covid-19 cases.

The outbreak has prompted criticism about the slow flow of information to reach those in charge of the city.

So who knew what and when? And how long exactly did it take for the city to recognise the growing problem?

We've pieced together a timeline of events here.

BBC Proms organisers hope they'll be able to close the season with two weeks of live concerts at the Royal Albert Hall this August.

Conductor Sakari Oramo told BBC music reporter Mark Savage that he's planning "four different options" for the first night, because of "constantly changing" coronavirus regulations that will dictate how many people are allowed on stage together.

It's unlikely that audiences will be allowed back into the concert hall. Instead, the performances will be broadcast live on radio, TV and iPlayer.

Most of the 2020 season will consist of highlights from the BBC's archive.

Read the full report here

Spain is reopening its borders to 12 non-EU countries from midnight, but Morocco, Algeria and China will not be among them, even though they're on the EU's safe list, external. That's until the three countries let Spanish nationals in too. Spain shares a land border with Morocco through its enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla. In other news:

• The mayor of Belgrade in Serbia is expected to declare a state of emergency because of a rise in cases. It will place limits on the number of people indoors, require social distancing of 1.5m and tighten rules on wearing masks
• Sweden has ordered a review of emergency supplies after its defence research agency found a number of shortcomings in its response to the pandemic
• Portugal has stepped in to nationalise the airline TAP to save it from collapse, by increasing the state's share from 50% to 72.5%
• The EU has opened infringement proceedings against Italy and Greece for breaching passengers' rights. Under EU rules, passengers are allowed a choice of a cash refund for cancelled trips as well as vouchers, and Italy and Greece have offered only vouchers.
• The EU is also expected to approve the use of anti-viral drug Remdesivir for treating Covid-19 patients aged over 12

It's important to stress that the list of countries being revealed today that will be exempt from quarantine rules only applies to arrivals at English airports, not elsewhere in the UK.

The Scottish government has said it is "disappointing" that the UK government is announcing exemptions for England before all four nations could reach an agreement.

“We would still like to reach a four-nations approach if possible but that is difficult when the UK government changes proposals and gives us last-minute sight of them," a spokesman said.

He said Scottish ministers were examining the public health impact of the plans and the evidence behind them, and would announce any changes for Scotland later.

Image source, Reuters

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has said that more than 50 countries - including key destinations such as France, Germany, Italy and Spain - will be on the list of places exempt from England's quarantine requirements from 10 July. The full list will be published later today.

He told BBC Breakfast that travellers from these countries to England would not have to quarantine for 14 days. Although the announcement does not guarantee reciprocal agreements, most countries on the list would not require travellers from the UK to self-isolate on arrival, he said. Some countries with very low infection rates, such as New Zealand, may do so, however.

The travel industry has welcomed the news with "huge relief" and said it could now plan ahead and take summer holiday bookings.

“Travel businesses have been under enormous pressure since the start of the pandemic, and the industry can now start to meet customers’ pent-up appetite for travel," a spokesman for the travel trade organisation Abta said.

Image source, Getty Images

A "gold-plated hotel" has opened its doors to guests in Vietnam's capital, Hanoi, as the country's tourism sector starts to restart after a three-month lockdown.

The Dolce Hanoi Golden Lake is trying to lure visitors in with a rather unique selling point: gold.

From gold-plated basins and toilets to lifts and an infinity pool, the hotel shines with 24-carat bling.

Nguyen Huu Duong, majority owner and chairman of HoaBinh Group, told Reuters that if not for the pandemic, the hotel would likely be fully booked with international guests.

Vietnam has been lauded as a coronavirus success story - it managed to contain the spread to only 350 cases and no reported deaths.

Image source, Getty Images

Coronavirus restrictions are beginning to be lifted to allow more business to reopen across the UK. The hospitality industry and visitor attractions open their doors in Northern Ireland today, and restaurants, pubs, hairdressers and cinemas reopen in England on Saturday.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson is urging the public to "act responsibly". But how are business owners preparing for their customers' return?

Image source, AFP

Image source, PA Media

Image source, AFP

Image source, PA Media

Image source, PA Media

Image source, PA Media

Image source, PA Media

The UK government is planning to introduce daily televised press briefings – similar to those held at the White House in the US – later this year, a Downing Street source said.

It comes after No 10 ended its regular on-camera coronavirus briefings on 23 June, after 92 days.

The new format is expected to begin in October, with one held each weekday afternoon.

There is expected to be a competitive process to appoint a broadcaster to host the question-and-answer sessions.

If you want to have people over but don't want to risk them catching coronavirus, here are some things you can do to keep your guests safe:

Chris Morris
BBC Reality Check

"Often rehabilitation is seen as a Cinderella service and not a priority," says Sally Singh, professor of pulmonary and cardiac rehabilitation at the University of Leicester.

Tens of thousands of people around the UK are now setting out on that rehabilitation journey.

Some came close to death in intensive care units, others needed less intrusive hospital treatment to help them through the worst. All of them have had their lives changed by Covid-19.

But for the most seriously ill patients in intensive care, rehabilitation begins well before they are woken from a coma. Physical and psychological support has to be there from the start.

Read more here

Image source, Getty Images

Here's a summary of this morning's headlines to get you up to speed today:

• France, Spain, Germany and Italy are among the countries that England is exempting from quarantine requirements from 10 July because of their reduced risk of coronavirus. A full list of is due to be published later
• From next week, staff in English and Welsh care homes will be tested weekly and residents every 28 days, after criticism of the government's handling of the pandemic in social care
• At a press conference later, Prime Minister Boris Johnson will urge the public in England to "act responsibly" when pubs and other businesses reopen on Saturday and social distancing rules are reduced
• Labour's shadow chancellor Anneliese Dodds is due to make a speech calling for more economic support and an extension of the job retention scheme for areas hit by local lockdowns
• Scotland has eased its five-mile restriction on travel, allowed holiday homes to open and resumed visits to care homes
• Wales is due to announce later that its "stay local" travel restrictions will be lifted from Monday, as long as coronavirus cases continue to fall
• Northern Ireland's Economy Minister Diane Dodds has hailed a "great day" as hotels, restaurants, cafes and pubs reopen
• And a trial to see if dogs can sniff out coronavirus is "going very well", according to the charity conducting it. Medical Detection Dogs has previously trained dogs to identify the scent of malaria, cancer and Parkinson's disease

The number of virus cases in the capital city of Japan has topped 100 for the second straight day, worrying health authorities.

Tokyo reported 124 cases on Friday, according to local media reports - the highest daily tally since a national state of emergency was lifted in late May.

There is now growing concern about a resurgence in the capital - the city's governor said infections could be seen in many places such as "households, workplaces and elderly care facilities".

According to the Japan Times, , externalmany of the recent cases are people in their 20s and 30s who have visited nightlife areas in the capital.

Image source, Getty Images

It is a concept that would have been unthinkable months ago - but it is something some governments around the world are now considering.

We are talking about "immunity passports" - a document that would certify that you have had coronavirus and will not carry or contract the disease again. This could potentially open a way out of lockdown restrictions for the holder.

But will it create a niche group of antibody-carrying people that can date, travel and work as they wish - while others are still limited by health precautions?

One psychology professor says such a concept could create "a mutli-tier society and increase levels of discrimination and inequity".

Read more about the idea.

Australia has been a relative success story but an outbreak in Melbourne is at a "critical stage", experts say.

Infections have surged in the past few weeks - there are now 482 active cases in the state of Victoria.

The numbers remain below Australia's March peak, but what's concerning now is that most cases are being spread locally rather than by people arriving from overseas.

In every other state, the virus has been dramatically slowed or eradicated. So what's gone wrong in Victoria?

We've put together this explainer on five of the key reasons.

Image source, Getty Images

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has praised his country's handling of the coronavirus, calling it a "shining success".

In a politburo meeting, he said the country had "maintained a stable situation and prevented the inroad of the malignant virus".

But he added that the country still needed to stay on "maximum alert... without relaxation on the anti-epidemic front".

North Korea maintains that it has zero virus cases - though mosts analysts say this is unlikely.

However, the country did act quickly against the virus, closing its borders and putting thousands into quarantine from as early as January.

More on North Korea's handling of the virus here.

Many US states have started the process of reopening, which means larger numbers of people are venturing out to attend protests, rallies, or dine at a restaurant.

Dr Georges Benjamin, the Executive Director at the American Public Health Association, breaks down the risks.

Video journalist: Cody Melissa Godwin. Senior producer: Phoebe Frieze.

Image source, Getty Images

The governor of Texas has ordered face-coverings to be worn in public as virus cases in the state continue to rocket.

The directive applies to counties with 20 or more Covid-19 cases - which covers most of the 254 counties in Texas.

Texas hit a record of more than 8,000 cases on Wednesday alone - up from about 2,400 two weeks ago.

It was one of the states that had initially led the charge in loosening lockdown measures. Its governor Greg Abbott had allowed his initial stay-at-home order to expire on 30 April.

But as the virus surged, he began to walk back on this - ordering all bars shut last week and cutting restaurant capacity.

Mr Abbott had initially resisted a state-wide order on masks, going so far as to ban local governments from requiring facial coverings.

Read more about the situation in Texas here.