Every year, more than two-and-a-half million British tourists head out to the Spanish island of Majorca on holiday.

Magaluf has long been the island’s party capital, where young Brits have been coming each summer for decades.

But there’s been a huge drop in tourists coming from the UK, partly because Majorca has been added to the list of destinations where travellers have to quarantine on return. The main bars and nightclubs in Magaluf have also been shut down by police, after clubbers were caught on camera ignoring social distancing rules.

BBC News spoke to two British Club reps who have found themselves without work and living in a ghost town.

Image source, Reuters

More from UK Transport Secretary Grant Shapp’s appearance on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. Mr Shapps has said there is not a “clear-cut solution” such as testing for the coronavirus at airports.

He said that his family continues to quarantine after cutting short a holiday in Spain earlier this month and that his wife was telephoned as part of checks on whether people are sticking to isolation rules.

Mr Shapps added that the latest easing in lockdown restrictions in England on Saturday comes after data from the Office for National Statistics suggested infections had “levelled off” – despite criticism from leading epidemiologists suggesting otherwise.

He said: “You only have a certain amount of ‘R budget’ – keeping it under one at all times – and you can only use it in a certain number of ways.”

The R number is the rate at which a person infected with the virus passes it on to another person.

“In a sense being able to open up some of those things but having to close down travel corridors elsewhere is all part of the same thing,” he added.

Image source, Getty Images

North Korea has lifted a three-week lockdown in Kaesong, a city near the border of its southern neighbour. Kaesong had been closed off from the rest of the country since late July after the North said a defector crossed back over from the South and was found to have coronavirus symptoms.

North Korea closed its borders in January - the first country in the world to do so - and has imposed tough restrictions on its population. Leader Kim Jong-un insists there have not been any cases of coronavirus, but analysts say this is unlikely.

Meanwhile South Korea has reported 103 new infections, 85 of them domestically transmitted - the highest number of local cases since 31 March. The new cases are clustered around churches and fast food restaurants.

The country's infection tally now stands at 14,873, with 305 deaths. Authorities said they are considering tighter social distancing measures and restrictions on large gatherings.

Image source, Reuters

Coronavirus has meant abandoning or hastily rearranging holiday plans, for many people.

France and the Netherlands are among the countries newly added to the UK's quarantine list.

Spain and Belgium are already subject to the quarantine rules for returning holidaymakers.

What does this all mean for your travel rights? Read more here.

Image source, PA Media

The UK government has signed deals for a further 90 million doses of coronavirus vaccine - increasing its potential stockpile to 340 million jabs.

The vaccines are being developed by the Belgian pharmaceutical company Janssen and the US biotech company Novavax.

It means the UK has placed orders for six experimental vaccines - meaning, in theory, there should be enough for everyone in the UK to get five doses.

Read more here.

Image source, EPA

Many young people in the Netherlands are not following lockdown rules strictly, leading to a spike in infections, the country's coronavirus spokesperson has told the BBC.

Joba van den Berg said 70% of cases were coming from private gatherings.

"I do understand it is difficult, with summer time, parties, family gatherings, wedding, funerals. But many people are too close together and they are the source of the enormous increase in infections," said Ms van den Berg.

She added that infections have gradually risen to 600 a day from about 40.

Although the UK has removed the Netherlands from its list of "safe" countries, Ms van den Berg said retaliation was unlikely.

"I’d be very surprised if the Dutch government takes a measure because the UK took a measure against us. That’s not a relationship we have; It will be taken on a basis of facts, not on emotions," she said.

Alexandra Fouché
Journalist, BBC World Online

Image source, Alexandra Fouché

I had travelled to the south-west of France to see my mother whom I hadn’t seen since the UK lockdown began in March, and was aware the entire time that the UK could impose quarantine on people returning from France.

For this, and other reasons, I and my husband decided to return to the UK earlier than planned on Tuesday.

People still in France are now scrambling to make their way back before the quarantine hits in the early hours of Saturday morning.

For many trying to make their way back, the Channel tunnel is one of the main points of entry into the UK, and it is currently very difficult to connect to the website to make changes to bookings.

Art director Mariana Fabricante is on holidays in the mountain resort of Tignes with her family. She was due to cross back on Sunday morning. She has tried to connect to the Eurotunnel site, but unsuccessfully so far.

“Every time I try to change the ticket, the website is busy. It is so rubbish, nobody can make any arrangements," said Mariana. "People would be able to make informed decisions if they had been told in advance. It’s annoying and frustrating.”

Image source, Getty Images

As of Saturday, people coming to the UK from France and several other countries will be forced to quarantine for 14 days.

All travellers - including UK nationals - are asked to provide an address, external in Britain where they will self-isolate. They can be fined £100 for failing to fill in a form with these details.

People who do not self-isolate can be fined up to £1,000 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and £480 in Scotland. There are fines up to £5,000 for persistent offenders.

You can try to return to the UK before the rules come into effect. But more than 150,000 UK tourists are thought to be in France at present, and the deadline is expected to lead to thousands of people rushing to ports and airports in a bid to avoid quarantine.

Read more here.

Image source, Reuters

UK Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has said around 160,000 Britons on holiday in France will have to isolate for 14 days on their return as he defended introducing the quarantine at short notice.

He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that – unlike Spain – the numbers of coronavirus cases in France are just above a threshold of 20 cases per 100,000.

But Mr Shapps defended the giving just 30 hours’ notice ahead of the quarantine.

“I appreciate there is no perfect way to do this, nobody wants to be having to live alongside this virus, I’m afraid.”

And he added that a lot of people will have taken a holiday abroad this year “knowing there was a chance of quarantine”.

“In no way is this ideal,” he added.

Image source, EPA

The steep rise in infections in France is the main reason for the UK's decision to impose quarantine measures on returning travellers. This morning, Paris and the region of Bouches-du-Rhône around Marseille have been classed as high-risk Covid-19 zones. Health officials in France announced 2,669 new cases late on Thursday and a rise in hospital admissions, particularly among those under 40.

A warning from Austria for anyone breaking quarantine rules. A 54-year-old German woman who tested positive in April has been fined €10,800 for going shopping, taking a taxi and going for a walk in the park.

Spain has seen its biggest increase in daily infections since late April - up to 2,935 in the 24 hours to Thursday evening. Madrid is one of the worst affected areas and hospitals in the capital are on alert.

In Italy, top scientist Agostino Miozzo has ruled out the reopening of nightclubs. Infections are rising but under control, however there is a chance of local lockdowns.

Denmark has recorded its biggest drop in economic output since quarterly records began - down 7.4% in the second quarter of 2020. That's still lower than the EU average fall in GDP of 11.9%.

Image source, Getty Images

Labour’s Angela Raynor has said the UK government has not “answered the crucial question about how they are going to support families” affected by the new quarantine on arrivals from France.

She told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme Labour supports protective measures but the announcement came “far too late”.

“And they’ve still not answered the crucial question about how they are going to support families who are instantly been told they got quarantine,” she added.

“How are they going to support people who can’t go back into work, and how are they going to support the aviation industry for example which is already devastated?

“There are specific problems that come as a result of the measures that have to be introduced quickly and we know that, we have foresight of that, and the government have failed to be able to respond – they think one size fits all but actually it impacts on sectors and areas very differently.”

Image source, Reuters

The French government has declared the capital Paris and the southern city of Marseille as well as its surrounding area a high-risk zone for coronavirus - giving local authorities new powers to curb to contain the spread.

Restrictions on the movement of people and vehicles can now be introduced in the two cities, along with restrictions on public transport and air travel and limited access to restaurants and other businesses.

Paris and Marseille have already made the wearing of face masks mandatory for people in busy public areas.

It comes after a sharp increase in coronavirus infections throughout France over the last two weeks. Yesterday, more than 2,500 cases were reported for a second day in a row.

Eurotunnel - the rail service carrying road vehicles under the Channel between France and the UK - says it is nearly fully booked today following the UK's announcement of new quarantine measures beginning on Saturday.

The service said it was continuing its services as scheduled.

It said travellers in France wanting to return to the UK earlier than planned would need to amend their ticket online and warned people not to show up at its terminals without a valid ticket.

Lucy Williamson
BBC Paris Correspondent

Image source, Getty Images

The spectre of fresh quarantine measures has hung over France ever since its infection rate began to rise – it’s now seeing 2,000 new cases each day, and the prime minister has admitted the situation is heading in the wrong direction.

But the British decision will be unwelcome news for the tourist sector here, already reporting a big drop in British visitors.

At a campsite near EuroDisney, just outside Paris, the number of Brits has dropped by more than two-thirds this year. One of them, Jenny Thorpe, told me she and her family were staying put until the end of their holiday next week, because they’d already taken a possible quarantine into account.

France has said throughout this crisis that it will apply reciprocal measures when it comes to quarantine. A spokeswoman for the French president told us that the UK should expect an immediate response.

Image source, PA Media

More beauty treatments, small wedding receptions and live indoor performances will be able to resume in England from Saturday, as lockdown rules are eased.

So what are the latest changes?

• Indoor theatre, music and performance venues will be able to reopen with socially distanced audiences
• Wedding receptions in the form of a sit-down meal for up to 30 guests will be permitted
• The piloting of a small number of sporting events to test the safe return of spectators will resume, commencing with the final of the World Snooker Championship at Sheffield's Crucible Theatre over the weekend
• Casinos, bowling alleys, skating rinks and soft play centres will be allowed to reopen
• "Close contact" beauty services such as facials, eyebrow threading, eyelash treatments, make up application and microblading will resume
• Pilots will take place at conference venues ahead of the expected resumption of business events from 1 October at the earliest

Nightclubs and sexual entertainment venues will remain closed in England.

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland retain their own powers over lockdown restrictions and have eased them at their own pace.

Read more here.

Image source, Sky News

The UK did not have a choice other than to impose a 14-day quarantine on all arrivals from France and the Netherlands from Saturday, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has said.

Mr Shapps said it was a "dynamic situation, and I don't think that anybody... would want us to do anything other than protect public health and public safety",

He told Sky News: "That does mean where we see countries breach a certain level of cases ... then we have no real choice but to act."

The UK government's decision - which includes Monaco, Malta, Turks and Caicos, and Aruba - follows a surge in cases in the countries affected in recent days.

Image source, Getty Images

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has announced a 12-day extension of the country’s Covid-19 restrictions, after a cluster of cases grew to 29.

There are four alert levels in New Zealand, and Auckland has been on Level 3 since Wednesday.

The rest of the country is on Level 2, and Ms Ardern said both would be extended.

New Zealand has had success containing coronavirus, and went 102 days without a community transmission. The cause of the cluster in Auckland is still being investigated.

Read more here

Anna Holligan
BBC News Hague correspondent

Image source, EPA

This years summer holidays abroad were always going to be unpredictable weren’t they?

Still you have to feel for the thousands of Brits who’ve been streaming into Amsterdam looking forward to some much needed relaxation, waking up to this news, they've now got two choices - get on a plane back home today or be stuck inside for 14 days when they get back.

If you look at the numbers it’s not that surprising. Infection rates have been steadily sneaking up again to levels not seen since the easing of what was only ever a limited lockdown. Right now, the Dutch have the sixth highest levels of infection in Europe. At 40.2 per 100,000 people it’s more than double that in the UK. Grant Shapps said last night the UK can’t afford to re-import Covid-19 from countries that seem to be approaching a second wave months sooner than expected.

People who’ve brought bikes or cars on ferry won’t have time to get back but there are plenty of planes. Travellers have been advised to finish their holidays but obviously not everyone can take another 14 days off or work from home for two weeks while they quarantine.

The Netherlands has always prided itself in keeping the country relatively open while others were locking down. That relaxed approach has continued as measures ease. Masks are only mandatory on public transport and it is unusual to see anyone wearing them on the street. Social distancing is advised but only really randomly observed and there have been issues with contract tracing.

Despite all this, and criticism from the opposition, the Dutch government's handling of the crisis enjoys considerable public support Being removed from the UK’s safe country list could however now focus minds and shift policy and behaviour towards a more regimented approach.

Image source, EPA

More on developments in the UK, where changes to foreign travel rules mean travellers from France and the Netherlands – including returning Britons – must now quarantine for 14 days after a rise in coronavirus infections in the countries.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said the measure - which also applies to people travelling from Monaco, Malta, Turks and Caicos, and Aruba - would kick in from 04:00 BST on Saturday.

It’s leading to a scramble for seats on planes, trains and ferries - with up to half a million UK tourists thought to be in France at present.

A review of Google Flight data shows just a handful of flights are still available between Paris and London on Friday - with prices soaring well above average rates.

Read more here.

Hello and thank you for joining our live updates on the coronavirus pandemic. Here are some of the latest headlines from around the world:

• People coming to the UK from France and the Netherlands will be forced to quarantine for 14 days from Saturday. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said the measure - which also applies to people travelling from Monaco, Malta, Turks and Caicos, and Aruba - would kick in from 04:00 BST
• Lockdown measures are being eased in England, with beauty salons, bowling alleys and casinos among some of the businesses able to reopen. But tough measures are being introduced to enforce social distancing - fines for refusing to wear a mask could reach a maximum of £3,200 and illegal rave organisers face a £10,000 penalty
• North Korea has lifted a three-week lockdown in Kaesong, near the border with South Korea. The city has been closed off since a man who defected to the South crossed back over, showing symptoms of Covid-19

• New Zealand will extend a lockdown in Auckland for another 12 days due to an outbreak in the country's largest city.