The supply of coronavirus swabs and other key tests for conditions including cancer could be hit by a supply chain failure at a big pharmaceutical firm. Swiss company Roche is one of two major suppliers of testing equipment for the NHS across the UK, but it said problems with a move to a new warehouse had led to a "very significant drop in its processing capacity". It says it's working around the clock to fix them, and will prioritise swabs for cororonavirus testing in the meantime.

One NHS trust in Devon has already advised its GPs to stop all non-urgent blood tests, and Dr Tom Lewis, lead clinician for pathology at a hospital in the area, said key tests for critically ill patients could be affected.

New tighter restrictions to combat coronavirus will be announced for Scotland later, potentially amounting to a so-called "circuit-breaker". The aim of that would be a short, sharp shock - a crackdown long enough to break the chains of transmission, but limited enough to minimise the effect on the economy. 

What might the new measures look like? Well, Scotland has already banned households mixing indoors and imposed a hospitality curfew.  First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has ruled out a return to full lockdown and says schools will remain open. So the expectation is there could be tighter controls, or even temporary closure, of pubs, restaurants and other venues, and restrictions imposed on travel in hotspot areas. Right now those are in the country's central belt, including the Greater Glasgow area. The tourism and hospitality sectors fear any moves could be the final straw for struggling businesses.

The R number - a key measure of virus transmission - is estimated to be 1.3-1.7 in Scotland right now and 1.2-1.6 in England. Deaths and hospital admissions are rising UK-wide, and others parts of the nation will be watching Ms Sturgeon's actions - and their impact - closely. Why might assessing their success or otherwise be difficult, though? BBC Reality Check explains.     

The pool of people around Donald Trump who've tested positive for coronavirus continues to grow. White House adviser - and presidential speech-writer - Stephen Miller and a top military official are the latest to confirm they've been infected. When precisely transmission occurred isn't clear, but here are four virus rules we know the White House has broken.

After he left hospital President Trump told Americans not to fear Covid-19 - we asked voters whether they saw that as a message of strength or an insult. And our correspondent Nick Bryant explains why Trump's highly-choreographed home-coming could be the defining moment of his presidency.

Among all this, the election campaign continues. On Wednesday evening Vice-President Mike Pence and Democratic challenger Kamala Harris will go head-to-head in a debate - separated by plexiglass to limit any virus risk. Not usually considered a must-watch, find out why this VP debate has taken on new significance, and more about Mr Pence and Ms Harris themselves.

Two conflicting views from two sets of scientists jump out from Wednesday's front pages. The Times says the government's advisers have called for "urgent and drastic action" after coronavirus cases and deaths doubled in 11 days. But the Daily Mail reports that more than 4,000 doctors and scientists from around the world want "life to be allowed to return to normal for all but the elderly and vulnerable" because of the "devastating" impact of restrictions on mental and physical health. The Daily Telegraph, meanwhile, claims there's a split in the cabinet over plans to overhaul local lockdown rules. Elsewhere, the prime minister's optimistic Conservative Party conference speech gets mixed reviews. The Sun says while "it's comforting to look to a rosy, brighter future", most of us are "more concerned about surviving the here and now". The Daily Mirror bluntly calls him a "wind bag" who "spouts hot air". Finally, the Daily Star leads on good news for Arsenal's mascot, Gunnersaurus, who's been saved from redundancy by player Mesut Ozil.

What's it like being a black student at Cambridge? As the university works to improve its ethnic diversity, BBC reporter Ashley John-Baptiste followed three black students through their first year. Elsewhere, the parents of seven-year-old Neive, who has Down's syndrome, have created a music video to challenge perceptions of people with the condition. And find out why Gardeners' World host Monty Don worries we're becoming "divorced from nature".

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