Police in Bangladesh have arrested the owner of a hospital amid allegations it had issued thousands of fake Covid-19 certificates.

Officials said Mohammad Shahed was arrested in the south-western border district of Satkhira, allegedly while he was trying to flee to India disguised in a burqa.

His arrest comes after several countries, including Italy, began restricting flights from Bangladesh due to a significant number of Bangladeshi travellers testing positive for coronavirus upon arrival, despite having a negative certificate.

It prompted the authorities to launch a crackdown on several hospitals as they investigated the source of the fake certificates.

Mr Shahed is the chairman of private Regent Hospital in capital Dhaka.

Earlier, another doctor was also arrested and is now being interrogated by police in remand.

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Russia has reported a further 6,422 new cases of coronavirus, bringing its total to 746,369, the fourth highest in the world, reports Reuters news agency.

A total of 156 people died with the virus in the past 24 hours, say officials, bringing the official toll to 11,770.

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More than one million people in the UK have given up smoking since the pandemic hit, a survey for charity Action on Smoking and Health (Ash) suggests.

Of those who quit in the previous four months, 41% said it was in direct response to coronavirus.

That may have been down to a range of factors including health concerns, access to tobacco while isolating or no longer smoking socially.

Separately, University College London (UCL) found more people quit smoking in the year to June 2020 than in any year since its survey began in 2007.

Government advice says smokers may be at risk of more severe Covid symptoms.

A special Covid-19 police taskforce in Canberra, Australia, going door-to-door to check on self-isolating residents has been seeing more than it bargained for.

A number of people wearing little or no clothing answered the door to police officers checking for quarantine compliance, Australian media reports., external

“Some of them may need a reminder to put some clothes on before they open the door for a compliance check,” Australia Capital Territory Detective Superintendent Jason Kennedy said in a statement.

“We did get a few surprises on the weekend," he explained.

Image source, Reuters

US infectious disease chief Dr Anthony Fauci has welcomed the news a vaccine trial is about to enter its final phase.

The vaccine, developed by the US pharmaceutical company Moderna, has already proved safe and provoked immune responses in all 45 volunteers in phase-one trials.

The last stage of the trials is expected to begin later this month and will involve recruiting 30,000 participants in the US.

“No matter how you slice this, this is good news,” Dr Fauci told The Associated Press news agency.

The third phase of the study should run until October 2022 but preliminary results should be available long before.

Moderna was the first company to start human testing of a vaccine back in March.

• When will we have a coronavirus vaccine?

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We've been reporting for days about a significant rise in cases in the US, particularly in southern states and in California.

Florida broke its record for daily deaths from coronavirus with 132 reported on Tuesday, according to news agency Associated Press, external. That's a 10% jump on the record set last Thursday.

However, the toll does likely include deaths from three days, including Monday and Sunday. Two weeks ago, the state was reporting around 39 deaths a day. The latest numbers mean the state is second only in the country to Texas for mortality rate from Covid-19.

Doctors in Florida warn that hospitals are close to capacity. The state has attracted attention for its anti-mask activists who strongly object to suggestions that face masks could become mandatory. "They want to throw God's wonderful breathing system out," one said at a public meeting in June.

Watch: 'You call me selfish for not wearing a mask?'

Brazil's Jair Bolsonaro has been bitten by a rhea - a relative of the emu bird - while he quarantines at the presidential palace after testing positive for Covid-19, the country's media reports.

Bolsonaro had tried to feed the large bird during a stroll on Monday, but it did not respond well and instead pecked the president, news site Metropoles reports., external

Jokes about the incident are circulating on social media in the country, where the president's controversial handling of the coronavirus pandemic has drawn many critics. "This emu represents us," , externaltweeted Margarida Salomão, a congresswoman for the Workers’ party.

Bolsonaro initially dismissed coronavirus as a "little flu" and refused to wear a mask, but cases in Brazil have since soared to become the second highest in the world. Bolsonaro himself tested positive on 7 July.

More than 74,000 people have died, according to the US university Johns Hopkins.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock has ruled out the introduction of compulsory face coverings in offices and workplaces, contrary to reports in a number of today's newspapers.

"It's something we have looked at - and rejected," he told BBC's Breakfast.

People in offices and schools are in close proximity with one another for a long time, he said, adding that face coverings are most effective in interactions with people who you are not normally with.

Offices and workplaces already have guidelines, including on social distancing, covering how to keep staff safe, he added.

Asked how long people will need to wear masks in shops and on public transport for, he said it was an impossible question to answer but it would be for the "foreseeable future".

Image source, EPA

The Catalan government widens its lockdown decree and a new report slams the EU response to the pandemic. Here’s the latest from Europe

• Catalonia has brought back some lockdown measures in a bid to contain a widening outbreak – including a decree asking people to stay at home. The Spanish region reportedly confirmed 745 cases in 24 hours on Tuesday. “We don't have to go back to total confinement, but we do have to go back to the early stages of reopening,” a government spokesperson said
• A new report published by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism has heavily criticised the EU response to the coronavirus pandemic, saying they found “complacency, confusion and a lack of coordination” in the early months of 2020. You can read it here, external
• Germany has issued a travel warning for its neighbour Luxembourg after a spike in cases. The country recorded 100 new confirmed infections on Tuesday, and now has more than 50 cases per 100,000 inhabitants
• Disneyland Paris slowly reopens on Wednesday after months of closure. Social distancing rules apply and masks must be worn at all times for visitors aged 11 and over
• North Macedonia is pushing ahead with parliamentary elections on Wednesday despite the ongoing outbreak – the first vote since the country controversially changed its name

Image source, Dan Mullan

The UK's inflation rate rose to 0.6% in June as the coronavirus lockdown began to ease.

The Consumer Prices Index (CPI) picked up slightly from 0.5% in May, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said.

"Clothing prices have not followed the usual seasonal pattern this year, with the normal falls due to the start of the summer sales failing to materialise," ONS statistician Jonathan Athow said.

"Prices for computer games and consoles have risen, but food prices, particularly vegetables, have fallen," he added.

Despite the slight increase in the rate, inflation remains below the Bank of England's 2% target.

Image source, AFP

South Africa's minister of mineral resources and energy, Gwede Mantashe, has tested positive for Covid-19.

Mr Mantashe and his wife, who has also tested positive, are in isolation. The minister will continue to work from home, a statement from the cabinet , externalsaid.

This was the third test Mr Mantashe had taken since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.

"The minister has directed all members of his private office in government to also test," the statement said.

South Africa has confirmed about 287,000 coronavirus cases, according to the World Health Organisation, the highest on the continent.

Image source, Getty Images

In England, hospital admissions for heart attacks dropped by a third when coronavirus took off in the UK and the nation went into lockdown, researchers in The Lancet journal have suggested.

By the end of May, 5,000 fewer people than expected were seen and treated for urgent heart symptoms, they estimate.

The study authors say some avoidable deaths may have occurred as a result.

A heart attack is a medical emergency - people with symptoms should call 999, even during the coronavirus pandemic.

Symptoms include:

• a tightness or crushing pain travelling from the chest into the arms, jaw or neck
• shortness of breath
• sweating
• dizziness

Experts suspect coronavirus fear and anxiety may have put some patients off seeking urgent help.

Read more here.

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The Venezuelan capital will on Wednesday join a number of cities globally to go into lockdown in recent days.

Caracas and the neighbouring state of Miranda will enter quarantine in order to combat an outbreak of coronavirus, Venezuelan President Nicolá Maduro tweeted., external

In his tweet he claimed the rise in cases there was due to the "illegal entry of cases" into Venezuela. According to a tally compiled by US university Johns Hopkins, the country has more than 10,000 reported cases and 96 deaths, which is significantly less than other Latin American nations Peru and Brazil.

However some critics have said the country may be under-reporting the scale of its outbreak.

Venezuela's health system is woefully under-prepared to deal with a large health crisis after years of economic crisis and sanctions on the country.

• Why coronavirus could be a catastrophe for Venezuela

The debate over wearing masks to prevent infections rumbles on in the US, with no shortage of disputes breaking out between advocates and opponents posted on social media.

And on Wednesday, a police officer in Michigan shot dead a man who was suspected of stabbing a customer in a shop hours earlier in an altercation over face masks.

Police say the incident began in a convenience store near Lansing, where the suspect - named as Sean Ruis - attacked a 77-year-old man who had challenged him for not wearing a mask.

Police say Ruis, 43, was carrying a weapon. He was taken to hospital, where he was declared dead.

Tuesday's big story about the compulsory wearing of face coverings in shops in England continues to make headlines in today's papers.

The Telegraph says it has learnt that face coverings could soon be recommended in all public places, including offices and other workplaces. According to the paper, officials have begun private talks with groups representing major employers amid growing fears over the prospect of a second wave of Covid-19 infections.

Other papers, meanwhile, consider how masks can make us safe as well as chic.

The Times says we can expect no end of sartorial spin as we attempt to make them look stylish.

The Mirror has pictures of celebrities "leading the way" with what it calls plain colours to bright gingham and totally wild styles.

Whatever your style, the Mail says, designers are using their skills to stitch masks in an array of fabrics, vibrant colours and patterns. It reports that one Italian brand is offering a "trikini" - a mask and bikini set.

See all the front pages and read more from the papers here.

It's now mandatory in many countries to wear a face mask. But if you wear it incorrectly - you could actually be putting yourself and others at more risk.Here's how to do it right:

If you're just joining us in the UK, good morning and welcome to our rolling coverage. Here are the latest headlines:

The biggest easing of lockdown restrictions in Scotland begins today with the reopening of indoor venues including pubs, restaurants, places of worship and hairdressers. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon described it as the riskiest stage of the process so far.

The UK government's temporary VAT cut for the hospitality and leisure industries comes into effect today. The tax has been slashed from 20% to 5% until January to encourage people to venture out and help protect jobs. Some firms, including McDonald's and Starbucks, are cutting their prices as a result.

Hospital admissions for heart attacks dropped by a third across England when coronavirus took off in the UK and the nation went into lockdown, say researchers. Experts suspect coronavirus fear and anxiety may have put some patients off seeking urgent help for symptoms.

And, more than a million people may have quit smoking since April, a survey suggests. Four in 10 of them say the pandemic played a role in their decision.

Scotland has begun its most significant relaxation of coronavirus measures since the country went into lockdown in March.

Hairdressers and barbers, bars and restaurants, cinemas, tourist attractions, places of worship and childcare settings can now all reopen.

Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said the move was "the biggest step so far" in exiting lockdown, but warned it would also bring the greatest risk for potential resurgence of the virus.

One restaurant owner said he was well-prepared.

"We have installed contactless taps and flushes in the toilet and weekly deep cleans," said Neil Douglas.

The restaurant is also introducing paper disposable menus, no salt and pepper on tables and sealed, pre-packaged cutlery.

Image source, Getty Images

US biotech firm Moderna says it will enter the final stage of human trials for its Covid-19 vaccine on 27 July.

The company aims to enroll 30,000 people in its clinical trial - with participants receiving either the vaccine or a placebo.

Information about the trial, which was posted on clinicaltrials.gov,, external indicated that the study will run until October 2022.

Moderna's latest announcement comes after the New England Journal of Medicine published results from the first stage of the trial - which showed its first 45 participants all developed antibodies to the virus.

Moderna is one of a handful of companies that are now in a global race to develop a vaccine - including pharmaceutical giants like AstraZeneca and Pfizer.

It typically takes years to develop a vaccine.

Image source, Getty Images

There's almost nowhere in the world now that hasn't been impacted by the virus in one way or another. But here are the countries that have been hardest hit by the virus, when ranked solely by the number of cases:

1. United States - 3.42m cases
2. Brazil - 1.92m cases
3. India - 906,752
4. Russia - 738,787
5. Peru - 333,867

*Data from Johns Hopkins University

Image source, JHU