TOP HEADLINES 

· Russia reported its sixth consecutive highest daily death toll on Sunday, with authorities now preparing to impose a lockdown on Moscow. Russian president Vladimir Putin has blamed the low vaccination rates in the country for the increase in fatalities. Only 36 percent of Russians are fully vaccinated.

· Cases in the UK are much higher than those of its neighbors - but the British government is reluctant to impose another nationwide lockdown, despite many scientists and doctors expressing concern over a surge in infections that could overwhelm the National Health System (NHS). Health authorities have called for new restrictions, but so far ministers refuse to do so.

· Romania will reintroduce a night curfew starting from Monday, as cases continue surging in the country, bringing its hospitals to a breaking point, with emergency beds fully occupied across the country and morgues running at full capacity.

· Germany hit its highest incidence rate since May, reaching 100 infections per 100,000 people. It comes after a surge in cases in recent weeks which led the German health ministry to warn that "we are seeing an escalation of the situation."

· Fully vaccinated travelers arriving in the UK from a non-red list country will now be able to take a much cheaper lateral flow test instead of a PCR. According to government's regulation, fully vaccinated travelers are still required to take a test on day two after their arrival.

· The Wuhan marathon, which should have taken place today, has been postponed at short notice by the Chinese government over concern of an increase in cases ahead of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.