25 Days That Changed the World: How Covid-19 Slipped China’s Grasp

By Unknown Author from NYT World https://ift.tt/3aTlTxd
via IFTTT Beijing acted against the coronavirus with stunning force, as its official narratives recount. But not before a political logjam had allowed a local outbreak to kindle a global pandemic.

Argentina Legalizes Abortion, a Milestone in a Conservative Region

By Daniel Politi and Ernesto Londoño from NYT World https://ift.tt/38LlOc7
via IFTTT The Senate vote on Wednesday was a major victory for Latin America’s growing feminist movement, and its ripple effects are likely to be widespread.

U.K. Authorizes Covid-19 Vaccine From Oxford and AstraZeneca

By Benjamin Mueller and Rebecca Robbins from NYT World https://ift.tt/34VUEy7
via IFTTT Health officials hope to soon vaccinate up to two million people per week as the country’s hospitals are overwhelmed by cases of a new, more contagious coronavirus variant.

The coronavirus pandemic is “not necessarily the big one,” senior W.H.O. official says.

By Anna Schaverien from NYT World https://ift.tt/2MhoqqG
via IFTTT

Strong Earthquake Strikes Central Croatia

By Marc Santora and Joe Orovic from NYT World https://ift.tt/37YI2bz
via IFTTT At least seven people were reported killed and dozens injured. The quake, with a preliminary magnitude of 6.4, was the second in the area in 24 hours and tremors were reported across the Balkans.

A congressman-elect from Louisiana died from Covid-19 complications.

By Bryan Pietsch from NYT World https://ift.tt/34UqpYx
via IFTTT

A Far-Right Terrorism Suspect With a Refugee Disguise: The Tale of Franco A.

By Katrin Bennhold from NYT World https://ift.tt/34SxgBv
via IFTTT A German officer is facing trial on terrorism charges. At a volatile time for Western democracy, his story mirrors the story of Germany itself.

Chinese Citizen Journalist Sentenced to 4 Years for Covid Reporting

By Vivian Wang from NYT World https://ift.tt/2KIvhZN
via IFTTT Zhang Zhan, a former lawyer, is the first known person to be tried for challenging the Chinese government’s narrative about the coronavirus pandemic.

A Beloved World War II Photo Comes to Life in a Virtual Reunion

By Elisabetta Povoledo from NYT World https://ift.tt/3ptgcK6
via IFTTT Martin Adler, now 96, was looking for German troops in 1944 when he almost shot three Italian children. His daughter’s internet appeal brought them all together again this month.

As Virus Resurges in Africa, Doctors Fear the Worst Is Yet to Come

By Sheri Fink from NYT World https://ift.tt/34KbCzo
via IFTTT The coronavirus killed far fewer people in Africa than in Europe and the Americas, leading to a widespread perception that it was a disease of the West. Now, a tide of new cases on the continent is raising alarms.

George Blake, British Spy Who Betrayed the West, Dies at 98

By Robert D. McFadden from NYT World https://ift.tt/2WLl15n
via IFTTT He was caught spilling secrets to the Soviets in 1961 and imprisoned. Five years later, he escaped and fled to Moscow, where he was hailed as a hero.

Brexit Deal Done, Britain Now Scrambles to See How It Will Work

By Benjamin Mueller from NYT World https://ift.tt/37N2ko1
via IFTTT Britain is finally departing from the European Union, but its formal exit is only the beginning of a high-stakes experiment to unstitch commercial relations across an integrated continent.

An Irish boy writes to Pfizer requesting a vaccination for Santa, and receives a reply from its C.E.O.

By Jenny Gross from NYT World https://ift.tt/2WKZqdq
via IFTTT

Britain and E.U. Reach Landmark Deal on Brexit

By Mark Landler and Stephen Castle from NYT World https://ift.tt/37MChO8
via IFTTT The trade agreement comes after months of negotiations, and still leaves critical details to be worked out.

More nations close their doors to Britain as alarm grows over virus variant.

By The New York Times from NYT World https://ift.tt/34BWkwB
via IFTTT

Family of U.S. Student Jailed for Quarantine Violation Pleads for Her Release

By John Eligon and Jenny Gross from NYT World https://ift.tt/2Jb4V1I
via IFTTT “She’s pretty hysterical right now,” said the grandmother of the 18-year-old student, Skylar Mack, who broke quarantine in the Cayman Islands.

Mexico Misled Citizens About the Severity of Coronavirus in its Capital

By Natalie Kitroeff from NYT World https://ift.tt/3h6PV1q
via IFTTT The federal government had data that should have prompted an immediate lockdown in early December. Instead, it kept the city open for another two weeks.

She Called Police Over a Neo-Nazi Threat. But the Neo-Nazis Were Inside the Police.

By Katrin Bennhold from NYT World https://ift.tt/3nJ67Zq
via IFTTT Death threats linked to police computers and the discovery of far-right chat groups in police departments across Germany have fed concerns about far-right infiltration.

More nations close their doors to Britain; Calls increase for the United States to follow suit.

By Dan Levin, Marc Santora, Aurelien Breeden, Tiffany May, Juliana Kim and Raphael Minder from NYT World https://ift.tt/2WD0hwo
via IFTTT

The head of Operation Warp Speed apologizes for shortfalls in vaccine deliveries to at least 14 states.

By Giulia McDonnell Nieto del Rio, Noah Weiland and Sharon LaFraniere from NYT World https://ift.tt/3mAdQHu
via IFTTT States' plans for vaccinations have been disrupted.

Boris Johnson Tightens U.K. Lockdown, Citing Fast-Spreading Version of Virus

By Mark Landler and Stephen Castle from NYT World https://ift.tt/3nzUyDF
via IFTTT The variant is up to 70 percent more transmissible than earlier versions, officials said, though some scientists are skeptical. People in southeast England, including London, were told to stay at home.

A Riveting ISIS Story, Told in a Times Podcast, Falls Apart

By Mark Mazzetti, Ian Austen, Graham Bowley and Malachy Browne from NYT World https://ift.tt/2LI4m09
via IFTTT A Canadian’s gruesome account as an Islamic State executioner in Syria, which was the subject of the “Caliphate” podcast by The New York Times, was fabricated, officials say. A Times review found no corroboration of his claim to have committed atrocities.

‘A Social Species’: How Kangaroos Communicate With People

By Yan Zhuang from NYT World https://ift.tt/3nwD4rP
via IFTTT Researchers say that kangaroos are the first wild animals to exhibit interspecies communication that is more commonly seen in animals that have evolved alongside humans.

Man Is Jailed After Taking Jet Ski Across Irish Sea to See Girlfriend

By Jenny Gross from NYT World https://ift.tt/2KsPdzq
via IFTTT Defying the Isle of Man’s coronavirus restrictions, a 28-year-old traveled from Scotland to the island on Friday. Days after he arrived, he was sentenced to jail for four weeks.

In Sweden, Infections and Calls for a Lockdown Are Rising

By Thomas Erdbrink and Christina Anderson from NYT World https://ift.tt/3a9nKNY
via IFTTT The country has been keeping restaurants and bars open, trying not to let the pandemic disrupt life. But the second wave is forcing the authorities to reconsider their approach.

Fashion Mogul Peter Nygard Indicted on Sex-Trafficking Charges

By Benjamin Weiser, Kim Barker, Catherine Porter and Grace Ashford from NYT World https://ift.tt/3gRNorQ
via IFTTT Mr. Nygard was arrested in Canada at the request of U.S. authorities. A federal indictment in New York City accused him of recruiting dozens of women and teenage girls for sex.

Trump delays a plan to fast track vaccines for White House staff members.

By Annie Karni and Maggie Haberman from NYT World https://ift.tt/3mgoz9Z
via IFTTT

She Stalked Her Daughter’s Killers Across Mexico, One by One

By Azam Ahmed from NYT World https://ift.tt/2KhSAsX
via IFTTT Armed with a handgun, a fake ID card and disguises, Miriam Rodríguez was a one-woman detective squad, defying a system where criminal impunity often prevails.

Treasure Washes Up on Venezuela’s Shore, Bringing Gold and Hope to a Village

By Anatoly Kurmanaev, Isayen Herrera and Adriana Loureiro Fernandez from NYT World https://ift.tt/3795qT2
via IFTTT Venezuela’s economic meltdown had pummeled a proud fishing village. Then jewelry started mysteriously surfacing on its beach, easing the pain of an economic crisis.

Ellen DeGeneres says she has tested positive for the coronavirus.

By Amy Harmon and Karen Zraick from NYT World https://ift.tt/3mastB7
via IFTTT

He broke out of quarantine for 8 seconds, and it cost him a $3,550 fine.

By Livia Albeck-Ripka from NYT World https://ift.tt/3n7wmZ2
via IFTTT

The U.K. says people with severe allergies should not take the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine while two reactions are under investigation.

By Benjamin Mueller from NYT World https://ift.tt/33UynQP
via IFTTT

Lockdown Gardening in Britain Leads to Archaeological Discoveries

By Jenny Gross from NYT World https://ift.tt/370OmyD
via IFTTT The finds this year, including a cache of gold coins from the reign of Henry VIII, come as Britain considers expanding the law to protect a broader range of artifacts from its centuries-old history.

William Shakespeare has been vaccinated against the coronavirus. (Yes, you read that right.)

By Elian Peltier from NYT World https://ift.tt/2K4547n
via IFTTT

Roald Dahl’s Family Apologizes for His Anti-Semitism

By Isabella Kwai from NYT World https://ift.tt/33Q7JbD
via IFTTT The author, who died in 1990, made several disparaging comments about Jews during his lifetime. “Those prejudiced remarks are incomprehensible to us,” the family said in a statement online.

Giuliani has tested positive for the coronavirus, Trump says.

By Maggie Haberman from NYT World https://ift.tt/2VLG9Ig
via IFTTT

Trump Orders All American Troops Out of Somalia

By Helene Cooper from NYT World https://ift.tt/2Jt9FjC
via IFTTT While the number of forces — about 700 — is small, it is a continuation of President Trump’s efforts to withdraw the United States from what he has described as endless wars.

U.N. Reclassifies Cannabis as a Less Dangerous Drug

By Isabella Kwai from NYT World https://ift.tt/2KZqlQ1
via IFTTT A United Nations commission voted to remove marijuana for medical use from a list of the most risky narcotics, such as heroin.

U.K. Approves Pfizer Coronavirus Vaccine, a First in the West

By Benjamin Mueller from NYT World https://ift.tt/3obu37t
via IFTTT The emergency approval, ahead of the United States and the European Union, clears the way for Britain to begin mass inoculations. “Help is on its way,” one official said.

New ‘BTS Law’ Is Passed in South Korea. An Army of Fans Rejoices.

By Choe Sang-Hun from NYT World https://ift.tt/3fQu3a0
via IFTTT The oldest member of BTS was saved at the last minute from having to join the military under the country’s conscription system.

For Japanese Princess, Fairy-Tale Wedding May Be Distant Prospect

By Ben Dooley from NYT World https://ift.tt/2JpHSAe
via IFTTT Crown Prince Akishino said he approved of his daughter’s marriage to a commoner but noted that the public may be opposed, dimming prospects for an official ceremony.