DAVID COVERDALE IN BERLIN: Michael Morkov had travelled to Berlin from the UAE Tour, which was cancelled after two Italian staff members tested positive for the virus and he is now in isolation.

Holding the Olympics in empty stadiums (Shizuoka velodrome pictured today) could be the best way to avoid calling it off completely, UK Cycling chief Stephen Park has claimed.

The 2020 Tour de France is under threat of cancellation as professional cycling around the world, like so many other major sports, grinds to a halt because of the spread of Coronavirus.

The Tour has not been cancelled since 1946 when France was recovering from the War but has now been cancelled is in its 107th year after France's lockdown extension.

Among the latest shows to suspend filming is ITV's Celebrity Juice which abruptly cancelled filming on Monday evening.

Savers with large pots looked for a safe haven amid market storms caused by coronavirus, with savings platforms that safely spread money around seeing a surge in applications.

Despite interest rates plunging to record lows, National Savings and Investments has gone against the grain and abandoned plans to cut rewards which would have cost savers £200 m.

The Miami Open was cancelled earlier on Thursday but now the event in Monte-Carlo next month will not take place, as well as tournaments in Houston, Marrakech, Barcelona and Budapest.

World tennis has united to take a pointed swipe at the French Open, as the whole spring clay-court season was formally abandoned.

The world tennis number one sought advice from people around the world on how best to direct help where it is needed before making the donation, which is approximately £890,000.

A lack of activity in the current enforced off-season has hardly been a problem for Katie Swan, unlike so many of her fellow tennis players. She has been busy contributing to a charity effort.

The Spaniard was announced alongside John Isner, Kiki Bertens and Fiona Ferro as the latest tennis stars to participate in the virtual event to help raise money for the coronavirus pandemic.

Djokovic posted a video on Instagram showing him exchanging shots with another man at a tennis club in the coastal city of Marbella, where the Serb has reportedly stayed.

Matt Hancock today lost his cool as he was grilled over the UK government's failure to set out its strategy for easing the coronavirus lockdown.

The Prime Minister will return to work in Downing Street on Monday to find restlessness brewing in the Tory ranks for restrictions to be relaxed.

British businessman Steve Walsh was one of Britain's first coronavirus superspreaders and his movements were analysed by scientists to help develop an immunity test.

The former Brexit secretary David Davis said that Cummings's presence could alter the advice offered in meetings. It was last night revealed the PM's chief aide had attended Sage meetings.

Dominic Raab today blasted 'irresponsible' critics for demanding the UK government set out how it will ease the nation's coronavirus lockdown.

Care home nurse Larni Zuniga, 54, was a married father originally from the Philippines who had worked in Britain for 12 years and had not seen his family for five years.

In a statement in Downing Street, the PM assured the country he is back in charge after weeks recuperating from a serious scare with the killer disease.

Boris Johnson, who battled the illness himself, including a spell in intensive care, will observe the minute's silence on Tuesday at 11am. Government workers will be asked to take part.

Dr Aseem Malhotra, a consultant cardiologist at Frimley Park Hospital in Camberley, Surrey, feels the Prime Minister's 'significant' weight was a contributing factor to his reaction to the virus.

Professor Karol Sikora, a cancer specialist, has warned that thousands of people could die from the disease and heart issues if the lockdown continues for much longer.

New guidance is being issued to councils on refuse and recycling sites as the government inches the country back towards a semblance of normal activity.

People across Britain paused for a minute at 11am in sombre tribute to the sacrifice made by those on the front line, in roles ranging from doctors and nurses to carers, cleaners and bus drivers.

Slides displayed at the daily Downing Street briefing held by Matt Hancock showed that it is now saying there must be no second peak 'that overwhelms the NHS'.

Mr Khan warned he might take the step as Boris Johnson's Government continued to insist that the evidence of their effectiveness was 'weak', despite strong steps taken elsewhere in the world.

Standing in for Boris Johnson at PMQs, First Secretary Dominic Raab was berated by Labour's Keir Starmer for refusing to trust the public with an exit strategy.

Boris Johnson previously said he would 'almost certainly' take time off when fiancee Carrie Symonds gave birth, but No10 has signalled he will not go on leave until later in the year.

At the daily No10 briefing this evening, Dominic Raab pointed to the experience in Germany as he warned that easing the draconian restrictions too early risks 'undoing all the hard work'.

The Prime Minister is expected to set out his latest thinking on social restrictions this evening when he leads the daily Downing Street press conference for the first time this month.

Having chaired Cabinet this morning, Boris Johnson said on Twitter that he 'understands the impatience' of people to end the draconian restrictions crippling the economy.

Boris Johnson tonight announced a huge spike in the number of daily coronavirus tests to 81,000 as Matt Hancock appeared to be closing in on his 100,000 a day target.

Adam Marshall, director general of the British Chambers of Commerce, made the astonishing revelation as pressure increased on Boris Johnson to plot a way out of the crisis.

Boris Johnson raised fears for his health tonight with a breathless first Downing Street briefing since being discharged from intensive care after battling coronavirus.

Having chaired Cabinet this morning, Boris Johnson said he 'understands the impatience' of people to end the draconian restrictions crippling the economy.

Professor Chris Whitty told an online lecture: 'It's not just in Game Of Thrones that winter is always coming ... the winter is always worse than summer, spring and autumn for health.'

The Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) is expected today to publish key data which informed the government's decision to put the UK into coronavirus lockdown.

The Prime Minister stood on the steps of Downing Street to salute the NHS just hours after hosting his first daily press conference since recovering from the virus.

Nicola Sturgeon has already urged Scots to don home-made masks - but not medical-grade ones - in shops and on public transport.

Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick admitted in interviews today that getting UK plc back on its feet would require the public accepting a more 'nuanced' message.

Some 46 per cent of those surveyed said they would 'strongly support' the decision to extend lockdown, according to a new YouGov poll of 3152 adults.

Boris Johnson is hoping to put teachers on three weeks' notice to re-open primary schools in England to all pupils as soon as next month (pictured, St Mary's Primary in Chippenham).

The UK's toll is now only 264 behind Italy - the continent's original epicentre - which it will likely overtake tomorrow to suffer the second highest fatalities in the world after the United States.

A leading doctor who helped save Boris Johnson's life says coronavirus is 'this generation's polio' and warned it will have long-term effects on patients.

The Prime Minister, 55, spent a week at St Thomas's Hospital in London battling the virus in April, including three days in intensive care, admitting he came close to death.

RMT's Assistant General Secretary Mick Lynch told BBC Radio 4's Today programme this morning that ministers want to be running 85%-100% of services within a fortnight despite it not being 'safe'.

The Mayor of London said he was 'really worried' about the impact any easing of restrictions would have on public transport in the capital (pictured).

The deputy chief medical officer for England, Professor Jonathan Van-Tam ,said there remained 'challenges' to be overcome before the ticklist could be completed.

EU disease control chief Andrea Ammon said the UK was one of five European countries along with Poland, Romania, Sweden and Bulgaria which have yet to see a downward trend in cases.