Kathryn Stanczyszyn
Political Reporter, BBC WM

Birmingham City Council has admitted that used coronavirus test kits were handed out to households in Selly Oak as part of its drop and collect service.

The error happened on Tiverton Road on Tuesday - with some students claiming on social media that they did not realise the swabs were not new.

Around 25 used kits were handed out and the council said it had carried out an investigation overnight. It added that there was no evidence of cross-contamination from the used tests as the mistake was noticed quickly and the kits were still intact.

It said there would now be a "root and branch" review of the service.

Image source, Getty Images

Germany has agreed to provide $662m (£508m) in supplementary aid to Holocaust survivors, some of whom are struggling amid the pandemic.

The Claims Conference - which negotiates compensation on behalf of those persecuted by the Nazis - said two payments of €1,200 would be given out over a two-year period, starting on 1 December.

The funding will go towards in-home care for 83,000 Holocaust survivors. The Claims Conference also assists 70,000 survivors with food, medicine and other services.

"The pandemic has adversely affected the elderly, and survivors have faced an onslaught of health, emotional, and financial hurdles," the body said in a statement. "A significant population of survivors, especially those in the former Soviet Union, live in poverty, and the coronavirus has only exacerbated their economic situation."

Germany has not publicly commented on the negotiations. Since 1952, the country has contributed more than $80bn towards pensions and social welfare grants for Jews who were persecuted under the Nazi regime.

A further 19,724 cases of coronavirus have been recorded in the UK.

And there have been 137 more deaths of people who had tested positive for Covid-19 in the previous 28 days.

Reality Check

The World Health Organization (WHO) says the Africa region has reported "a substantial rise" in deaths recently.

The number of new deaths increased by 27% during the week ending 11 October, when compared with the previous week - the highest rate of increase in all WHO regions.

It was mainly driven by an increase in deaths in South Africa, Ethiopia and Angola.

Globally, however, it meant the region still only accounted for about 3% of new deaths.

The WHO says new cases also rose - by 11%. That was partly down to a rise in the number of cases in South Africa and Ethiopia.

In Kenya, reported numbers doubled compared with the previous week.

The WHO's Africa region does not include some countries in North Africa, but there have also been increases there.

Morocco and Tunisia have reported a rise in new cases and deaths.

And in Tunisia, new cases doubled while new deaths nearly tripled.

Read more here.

Image source, EPA

Switzerland has recorded a further 2,823 infections - double the daily figures recorded five days ago.

The increase brings the number of cases in the country - and neighbouring Lichtenstein - to 68,704.

A further eight deaths were recorded, bringing the death toll to 1,816.

The government will reportedly hold a crisis meeting on Thursday to discuss what steps need to be taken to avoid a second lockdown. It is thought they will discuss the tightening of measures such as the wearing of masks, testing, and limiting public gatherings.

It comes as cases in Europe continue to rise.

Image source, PA Media

There are currently 17 areas of Wales under local lockdown restrictions.

Under those rules, people must not enter or leave an affected area without a reasonable excuse like work or education.

Mark Drakeford wants similar travel restrictions to be put in place across the UK.

He told the Welsh parliament that there was evidence the virus was "moving from east to west across the UK".

"As a general rule, it is concentrating in urban areas and then spreading to more sparsely populated areas as a result of people travelling," he said.

"I am determined to keep Wales safe."

Here's a bit more on the announcement from the Welsh government.

They want to prevent people travelling to Wales if they live in an area of England, Scotland or Northern Ireland that has high levels of coronavirus.

The new restrictions are planned to come into force at 18:00 on Friday.

While it would be illegal to break the rules, it's not clear what action would be taken if people flout the travel ban.

It follows a row between Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford and the prime minister over whether parts of England should have travel restrictions.

Scotland's Nicola Sturgeon has backed Mr Drakeford's calls for such restrictions.

The 40-year-old widow of a Mexican mayor who died of Covid-19 will serve out the rest of his term in office.

The state congress in Sinaloa approved Pier Angely Camacho's nomination by 35 votes in favour and one abstention.

Her 46-year-old husband, Carlo Mario Ortiz, who had received a kidney transplant as a child and was therefore considered to be in a high-risk category for Covid, died last week.

Mr Ortiz had been re-elected as mayor of the municipality of Salvador Alvarado - which has 80,000 inhabitants - in 2018.

Ms Camacho, who previously worked for Mexico's state welfare institute, will hold the post until the next municipal election on 31 October 2021.

She said she was proud to continue the work of her late husband.

Cristina Criddle
Technology reporter, BBC News

Image source, PA Media

YouTube has pledged to delete misleading claims about coronavirus vaccines as part of a fresh effort to tackle Covid-19 misinformation.

It said any videos that contradict expert consensus from local health authorities, such as the NHS or World Health Organization (WHO), will be removed.

It follows an announcement by Facebook that it would ban ads that discourage people from getting vaccinated.

However, that restriction will not apply to unpaid posts or comments.

Read more here.

Image source, PA Media

People from coronavirus hotspot areas will be stopped from travelling to Wales, the first minister has announced.

Mark Drakeford said he would use devolved powers to do it.

He had asked Boris Johnson to intervene in the matter, bringing in legal protection to prevent people in English hotspot areas from travelling outside their region.

But if that is not done then Wales would introduce the move by the end of the week.

Wales reported 946 new cases on Wednesday - the largest daily increase since the pandemic began.

Faisal Islam
BBC Economics Editor

We've been hearing today the arguments for and against putting people and business in England into a limited lockdown, as the government goes instead for regional rules.

The April lockdown hit the economy incredibly hard and it shrank by 20%.

A two-week “circuit breaker” - which would be less intensive than a full lockdown - could hit the economy by 5% or more - sending an already slowing recovery back into reverse, and stretching out the period of recovery even further.

It would probably lead to another quarter of shrinking growth, just as the technical recession from the first wave officially ended.

Researchers at Capital Economics calculate it would push the recovery of the economy back to pre-pandemic levels by a year to 2023.

The hit would be less than that in April because important parts of the economy would continue to run. Including schools' half-term period in the break might also help limit the economic impact.

Should the circuit breaker stop the virus from spreading out of control, the expensive up-front cost could be a price worth paying for a shorter, more manageable pandemic later.

The problem though, is if a two-week shutdown ended up lasting far longer - breaking not the circuit, but the economy, at a time when government borrowing is at a record peacetime level.

There’s no easy answer here.

Image source, House of Commons

If you are just joining us today, the UK Prime Minister has faced calls to introduce a 'circuit break' as a way to reduce the spread of coronavirus.

At Prime Minister's Questions, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer asked Mr Johnson why he had not followed scientific advice to introduce a short-term, limited lockdown in England. He favours a circuit break.

It comes as England's new three-tier system has come into force.

That means regions are placed into three categories - medium, high and very high risk.

Currently only the Liverpool City Region has been placed in the top tier with the most stringent controls on meeting up and on businesses.

See our guide here. And check the restrictions in your area here.

MPs have been debating the UK government's plans for dealing with coronavirus and protecting the economy.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak says it would be "dishonest" to pretend there are "easy solutions" and urges Labour to refrain from taking "cheap shots".

Of the government's measures, he tells the House of Commons: "This is an imperfect solution. We've been consistently honest about the difficulties and hard choices that this moment presents."

For Labour, shadow chancellor Anneliese Dodds says Mr Sunak should "do the right thing" by increasing help for businesses or "force" them to "decide who stays and who goes", as unemployment rises.

Image source, Visit Berlin

An ad campaign has been launched in Germany featuring an elderly woman giving the middle finger to people who refuse to wear masks.

"The raised index finger for all those without a mask," reads the poster, alongside a photo of the masked woman.

Visit Berlin has said the campaign is to highlight the importance of protecting the health of the elderly.

But the campaign has proved controversial, with some in Germany calling it insulting.

The "We obey the corona rules" ad, launched by the Berlin Senate and Visit Berlin, initially appeared on Tuesday in a local newspaper, but it quickly spread on social media.

Read more on this story here.

BBC Radio 5 Live

The head of UK Vaccine Taskforce, Kate Bingham, would be "surprised" if a working vaccine was not made widely available to the British public by next year, she told BBC Radio 5 Live.

“The timing will depend obviously on getting vaccines that are safe and effective,” she told Rachel Burden.

Click here to listen back on BBC Sounds.

Image source, Getty Images

All bars and restaurants in the Spanish region of Catalonia must close for 15 days from Thursday, to help contain the spread of coronavirus, authorities have said.

Pere Aragonès, the region's interim chief, said restaurants could still offer delivery and take-away services.

Shops and parks will also have limited opening hours during the period.

It comes as cases continue to surge in Spain. Nearly 900,000 cases have now been reported, according to Johns Hopkins University, making it the worst-affected country in Europe.

Last week the capital, Madrid, and its surrounding suburbs were put on a partial lockdown.

Rebecca Morelle
Science correspondent, BBC News

A US clinical trial testing monoclonal antibodies to treat Covid-19 has been paused for safety concerns.

The treatment has been developed by drug company Eli Lily, and is similar to the one Donald Trump received after testing positive for coronavirus (his was from biotech company Regeneron).

The therapy involves giving patients laboratory-made antibodies that boost the immune response and block the virus from entering cells. Early results have been promising - and Donald Trump declared monoclonal antibodies a “miracle cure” after his recovery. But - and this is a big but - the treatment is still unproven, which is why it is being tested in large clinical trials and why it’s so important to do these trials properly.

Temporarily stopping a clinical trial, to properly investigate if, for example, a person has become ill, is a vital part of that process. We’ve already seen a pause with the Oxford vaccine trial, and more recently with Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine candidate - and this stop-start process is likely to happen with new treatments like monoclonal antibodies, too.

There are currently few details about the circumstances that led to Eli Lily’s trial being halted - and the duration of the stoppage would depend on how long any investigation takes. A lengthy delay would increase the time it takes to show whether the treatment is or isn’t effective - but safety must always be the priority over speed.

Read more about monoclonal therapy here.

Image source, AFP

Pope Francis has signalled his intention to distance himself from worshippers following criticism over his relaxed attitude to virus restrictions.

"Forgive me if I greet you from a distance," the Pope said during his weekly general audience at the Vatican.

"I would like, as I usually do, to come close to you and greet you, but... it is better to keep your distance," he added, according to AFP news agency.

"I believe that if all of us, as good citizens, respect the prescriptions of the authorities, it will help to put an end to this pandemic."

The pontiff has rarely been seen wearing a mask since the start of Italy's outbreak in February. During recent weeks he has been photographed kissing the hands of newly-ordained priests, and joking with other prelates who were also without masks.

His change of tone comes days after four Swiss Guards tested positive for coronavirus. The Vatican has not said if any of them have been in contact with the Pope.

Anna Holligan
BBC News Hague correspondent

A socially distanced queue snaked down the street outside my local bar this morning.

Initially thinking enthusiastic drinkers had decided to brave the autumn chill to get their rounds in early, as I approached I noticed everyone was clutching papers.

One woman told me she'd come for an injection. I peered inside where nurses wearing visors and masks were preparing syringes. The popular drinking venue has been transformed to serve flu jabs.

The new Dutch partial lockdown rules focus on limiting social interactions.

From 22:00, bars, restaurants and cafes - including those selling cannabis - will be closed for at least four weeks. They can still offer takeaways. Grocery stores and off-licences are banned from selling alcohol after 20:00.

Noah Kester, a waitress at Bagels and Beans café in The Hague, is worried about what will happen after this period.

She'll continue serving coffee-to-go but is afraid she might have fewer days at work.

She told me she was shocked by how quickly the Dutch infection rates had shot up. "In the summer, everything looked like it was going to be fine here, until suddenly it wasn’t... I think the government wasn't expecting it either. But I don't think it’s fair that we [the hospitality sector] are the ones who take the hit when we have been so careful."

The "rule of four" applies to friends indoors and outside.

Schools, colleges and universities will stay open, with the Dutch prime minister saying education was too important to close them - yet.

Face masks have been made mandatory inside enclosed public spaces for the first time since the start of the pandemic.

Rush hour was quieter than usual. People have been asked to stick to essential journeys only and work from home when possible.

The impact of these restrictions will be assessed in two weeks' time, if the numbers haven't started to dip by then, the Dutch health minister has warned a full lockdown is on the cards.

Across Europe, infection rates are rising - even in countries that have had greater success than most in keeping transmission down.

Germany has seen more than 5,000 new infections for the first time since April, while France recently reported more 26,000 confirmed cases in one day.

Italy also last week saw daily cases rise above 5,000 for the first time since the early days of the pandemic in March.

Russia has today reported a record 14,321 daily cases and a further 239 deaths.

In the Czech Republic, more than 8,000 new cases were announced today - the country's second-highest daily tally since the pandemic began.

European governments are now fighting to keep a second wave of Covid-19 infections under control with a range of new measures and restrictions, including partial lockdowns.