US records 177,000 new cases, according to Johns Hopkins University; zero new infections in Australian states of New South Wales and Victoria * Packed crowds and euphoric leaders: Australia revels in Covid-free days * Covid vaccine hopes must not make Britons complacent, warns adviser * Covid vaccine rally fuels market optimism of a faster global recovery * ‘Failure is not an option’: Biden’s Covid taskforce ready to step up * Scientists warn of Christmas Covid surge if tier system returns 9.20am GMT The Covid-19 rate of growth across the UK “is slowing”, Professor Sir Ian Diamond the UK’s national statistician has said. The head of the Office for National Statistics told Sky News’s Sophy Ridge On Sunday show: Diamond, said that cases had increased in the East Midlands, West Midlands and the South East in the last week. “In England, we have huge regional variation. We have seen in the North West, the North East and in Yorkshire steady increases, although they have tended to flatten off in recent weeks a little. We have now seen increases in the last week in the East Midlands, West Midlands, and the South East. “The good news is - yes - we are seeing a slow down in the rate of growth. That means we’re still increasing and we are now in England at 1.25 per 1,000. That means that one in 85 people in England, we believe, have the virus. 9.04am GMT GREEK police on Sunday announced a ban on public gatherings of four or more people as hospitals were overwhelmed with coronavirus cases, ahead of the annual anniversary of a 1973 anti-junta uprising. Greece on Saturday said it would shut primary schools, kindergartens and daycare centres as virus-related deaths crossed a thousand, AFP reports. Continue reading...