The reproduction number, or R value, of coronavirus transmission across the UK rises above 1
An Office for National Statistics study, which tests random samples of homes, shows cases in England surging
Households in Birmingham are to be banned from mixing to combat the rise
A new contact-tracing app is being launched across England and Wales on 24 September
The UK economy grew by 6.6% in July, but the country's output remains far below pre-pandemic levels
French authorities are meeting to decide on toughening measures after a surge in cases
India has registered the world's highest-ever number of daily cases: 96,000
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases worldwide has topped 28 million, with more than 900,000 deaths
That's it from us for today - thanks for joining us.
The writers for the live page today were:
George Wright, Lauren Turner, Alice Cuddy and Alex Therrien.
The page was edited by Vicky Baker and Holly Wallis.
Image source, Getty ImagesWe're about to bring our live page to a pause for today, but before we do, here is a recap of the main stories from today:
There are "worrying signs" of infections among the elderly, Public Health England's medical director Prof Yvonne Doyle has said.
Her warning came as daily cases in the UK rose to the highest level since 17 May.
A total of 3,539 new Covid-19 cases were recorded on Friday, the Department of Health said, up from 2,919 the previous day.
Prof Doyle said: "Although younger people continue to make up the greatest share of new cases, we're now starting to see worrying signs of infections occurring in the elderly, who are at far higher risk of getting seriously ill.
"This is a reminder of the ongoing risk as the virus spreads throughout the UK.
"People should continue to follow social distancing rules, wash their hands regularly and wear a face covering in enclosed spaces.
"You should not mix with others when unwell."
Image source, PacemakerNew Covid-19 restrictions for parts of Northern Ireland, including Belfast and Ballymena, come into force on Monday.
There are new social restrictions and guidance about travel and leisure.
Mark Savage
Music reporter, BBC News
Two weeks ago, in a walled garden in Hertfordshire, Sir Tom Jones played a greatest hits set to an audience of crickets and butterflies.
This Sunday should have been the 10th instalment of BBC Radio 2 Live In Hyde Park - a "festival in a day" that sees the nation's biggest radio station throw a huge party for 50,000 fans in central London.
This year's line-up was signed and sealed at the start of 2020, but it soon became apparent that coronavirus was going to play havoc with it.
The search began for an alternative venue - one sufficiently secluded to stop crowds gathering, but big enough to accommodate the trucks needed to build a set and film the show.
Once the location was identified, organisers went back to the artists. Some had to pull out, but the core line-up - including, of course, Sir Tom - remained intact. The pre-recorded show will be broadcast this weekend for Radio 2 Live At Home.
Image source, EPASpain has recorded 4,708 new coronavirus cases in 24 hours, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the country to 566,326.
In total, it reported a record increase of 12,183 new cases in its figures on Friday, but a lag in reporting means that cases can take several days to appear on the central government's data.
Spain is the first country in the European Union to reach half a million coronavirus cases. It has recorded 29,747 deaths.
Like other countries, Spain has ramped up testing for the virus.
A strict three-month national lockdown was lifted in the country at the end of June, but authorities have imposed fresh restrictions - such as making face masks mandatory in public - amid a rise in infections.
Image source, PA MediaCovid-secure marshals will be introduced in towns and city centres in England to help ensure social distancing rules are followed, Prime Minister Boris Johnson recently announced.
Marshals have already been used in Leeds and Cornwall during the coronavirus pandemic.
However, plans to roll them out more widely have been criticised, with Conservative MP Steve Baker saying it would "turn every public space in Britain into the equivalent of going through airport security".
So what is a Covid-secure marshal and what powers will they have?
Image source, ReutersFrance has seen an increase in people being admitted to hospital with coronavirus in recent days
French Prime Minister Jean Castex says coronavirus is "circulating more and more" in the country, but that officials want to avoid any new nationwide lockdown.
In a televised statement, Mr Castex announced several changes to Covid-19 testing and confinement policies.
These include fast-tracking testing for priority cases, recruiting extra testers, and asking patients who have tested positive for Covid-19 to confine themselves for seven days, instead of 14.
Mr Castex said the situation in Marseille, Bordeaux and Guadeloupe was "worrying", and that local authorities would be given more powers to tackle specific outbreaks.
He said it was particularly concerning that the number of hospital admissions for coronavirus has gone up for the first time in weeks.
The French government is under pressure to curb the spread of the virus amid a surge in cases.
On Thursday, the country recorded almost 10,000 new coronavirus cases in 24 hours, marking its highest single-day count since the start of the outbreak.
Image source, Beth WalshLeicester's Diwali celebrations - believed to be among the biggest outside of India - have been cancelled due to coronavirus restrictions.
Thousands of people usually gather to watch traditional dance and music events in the city throughout October.
However, while the lights along the Golden Mile will still be switched on, Leicester City Council said large gatherings have to be prevented.
Christmas events are also cancelled but decorations will still go up.
People living in the Scottish region of Lanarkshire will not be able to meet other households indoors from midnight on Friday.
Similar measures are already in place in Glasgow, East and West Dunbartonshire, Renfrewshire and East Renfrewshire.
The extension to North and South Lanarkshire means the restrictions now cover more than 1.75 million people in the west of Scotland.
Image source, ReutersArmenia's Prime Minister Nikol Pashinya said the situation with coronavirus is improving
Armenia has lifted its state of emergency but says some of its coronavirus restrictions will remain in place until January.
The government said it had decided to end the state of emergency, which was introduced in mid-March and extended several times, because coronavirus was spreading less quickly than before.
But its land borders will remain closed, public gatherings of more than 60 people will be banned, and mask-wearing will continue to be mandatory in enclosed public spaces, AFP news agency reports.
Armenia - which has a population of about three million people - has recorded 45,503 coronavirus cases and 909 deaths so far.
Image source, AFPSex workers protested against a ban in Düsseldorf
Coronavirus has been an unpleasant intrusion into people’s intimacy in all sorts of ways, not least sex.
German sex workers have won a reprieve – even if it is temporary – as brothels are reopening in several states, including the most populous one, North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW).
Courts have decided that brothels can operate provided there are strict hygiene rules – like at hairdressers - and prostitutes wear masks with their clients.
The top court in NRW found one-on-one sex to be no more risky in the pandemic than say aerobics in a gym or a party with dozens of revellers.
It is also argued that keeping brothels closed risks exposing sex workers to more crime, as they struggle to make ends meet, German media report.
The crisis has already bankrupted one of Europe’s biggest brothels – 10-storey Pascha in Cologne, where about 120 prostitutes worked, along with cooks and hairdressers.
Brothels are back in business in five northern states, including Hamburg, and Saxony-Anhalt state in the east.
Schools across Bristol will take part in the study
A research project to track coronavirus infections in schools and help head teachers prevent disruption is being piloted in Bristol.
The study aims to understand exactly how pupils transmit the virus, whether or not they are symptomatic.
The University of Bristol study will saliva-test 4,000 pupils and 1,000 staff from schools across the city once a month for six months.
It should provide vital information on how schools should deal with outbreaks.
Image source, Getty ImagesEarlier, we reported that the coronavirus infection rate has been growing in the UK in recent weeks, according to new estimates.
The reproduction number in the UK is now thought to be between 1 and 1.2.
The R number is a way of rating coronavirus or any disease's ability to spread in the population.
A number above 1 means the epidemic is growing, while below 1 it declines.
Read more about how it is calculated and the different R numbers across UK areas here.
A further 3,539 people have tested positive for coronavirus in the UK, figures released by the Department of Health and Social Care show.
It is the sixth day in a row where daily cases have exceeded 2,000.
It takes the total number of UK cases to 361,677.
A further six deaths have been recorded in those who had a positive coronavirus test in the last 28 days. This takes the death toll by this criteria to 41,608.
Kerry Allen
BBC Monitoring, Chinese Media Analyst
Image source, Getty ImagesGolden Week is one of China's biggest periods of migration
Six months since the World Health Organization declared Covid-19 a global pandemic, China seems full of confidence that it’s seen the back of the virus.
It has been 26 days since any domestic cases of Covid-19 were confirmed in the country, and the government says that people don’t need to take any extra precautions ahead of one of the country’s biggest annual migrations next month: Golden Week. This is an annual week-long holiday that begins on 1 October.
This is the first time Chinese people have been told they can travel safely anywhere in the country. But there is still apprehension, given cases became widespread after Chinese New Year in January - the only other extended period of mass migration.
When the pandemic was announced in March, China - where the outbreak started - was already over its worst. Since then, many Chinese people have been confident that a second wave can be avoided.
In the last six months, there have been around 4,300 confirmed cases of Covid-19 within the country's 1.4 billion population.
These were in major cities, including Beijing, the city of Dalian in northeastern Liaoning, and Urumqi in northwestern Xinjiang. Local governments introduced swift lockdowns as soon as a single case was detected, and citywide testing for symptomatic and asymptomatic carriers appears to have helped bring these outbreaks under control.
Image source, ReutersThe US is marking the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks amid coronavirus restrictions.
Like others in attendance, Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden, Vice President Mike Pence and New York Governor Andrew Cuomo all wore masks as they gathered at the site of the destroyed World Trade Center for a memorial ceremony.
Mr Biden and Mr Pence bumped elbows in greeting.
Image source, ReutersA number of 9/11 memorial events across the US were cancelled or modified this year because of the pandemic.
At the New York event, a longstanding tradition of relatives reading the names of the dead was changed to a recording being played over speakers because of coronavirus safety precautions.
But a separate 9/11 group organised an event nearby, where they said people would be allowed to recite the names while keeping a safe distance.
Nearly 3,000 people were killed in the attacks on 11 September 2001. Two hijacked planes slammed into the Twin Towers, a third hit the Pentagon and a fourth was taken down in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, when its passengers rose up against the hijackers.
US President Donald Trump led tributes at an event in Shanksville.
Image source, Reuters
Image source, Getty ImagesAs we've reported, a number of Conservative backbenchers have been criticising the government's new coronavirus restrictions.
Former minister Sir Christopher Chope is the latest to voice his concerns, telling the Commons earlier that MPs should have been able to debate the introduction of the "draconian" new measures.
A new so-called "rule of six" is being introduced on Monday, limiting the number of people who can socialise together indoors or outdoors in England to six people.
However, the statutory instrument needed to enact the rule change has yet to be laid before Parliament.
Sir Christopher said he was "very concerned about the lack of opportunity for people, the public first of all, to see the text of these new regulations, and I'm also concerned about the continuing reluctance of the government to give any opportunities to members to debate this".
He added: "What we are talking about is the most draconian introduction of new restrictions on our liberty, with criminal sanctions, and we need to be made aware of what's happening and given the opportunity of debating it."
Responding, Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle said "the country should also know what's going on".
Image source, GoogleThe game was held at Burnside Working Men's Club
More than 60 people have tested positive for coronavirus following a charity football match, health officials have said.
A further 33 people have now contracted the virus amid an outbreak linked to the event at Burnside Working Men's Club in Fencehouses, on the border of Sunderland and County Durham.
About 300 people who attended the game, on 30 August, are having to self-isolate for 14 days.
Wales' First Minister Mark Drakeford has warned that coronavirus is "on the rise again in Wales".
The new case rate is now 20 per 100,000 people - the rate at which quarantine measures can be introduced for those returning to the country from abroad.
Mr Drakeford said it "indicates there is a serious risk of the virus spreading more widely once again".
He added there was a "short window to get ahead of the gathering storm" and avoid "more draconian measures" - especially with schools, colleges and universities returning.
He urged people to work from home wherever possible. Regarding the messaging in England, to encourage people back to the office, he added: "This is not and never has been our policy in Wales."
Meeting people indoors has been at the heart of the rise in cases, he said, confirming it will be illegal from Monday to meet more than six people from an extended household indoors.
People who flout the laws in Wales will face fines if they don't wear masks indoors from Monday as well, he said.
