A federal judge blocks Biden’s vaccine mandate for U.S. health workers.

By Azi Paybarah and Reed Abelson from NYT World https://ift.tt/3obeVtH
via IFTTT The ruling is a setback for the administration’s effort to require vaccination for hospital and nursing home workers, which had been set to start next week.

Barbados, Formally Casting Off the Queen, Becomes a Republic

By Livia Albeck-Ripka from NYT World https://ift.tt/31bsrUY
via IFTTT The island nation swore in its first president, ending nearly 400 years of British rule. Prince Charles and Rihanna were on hand to witness the ceremony.

As World Shuts Borders to Stop Omicron, Japan Offers a Cautionary Tale

By Motoko Rich and Hikari Hida from NYT World https://ift.tt/3G0eGr8
via IFTTT Japan, which has been very cautious throughout the pandemic, is again barring all nonresident foreigners. There is an economic and human cost.

Japan bans all foreign travelers, and Australia delays its reopening.

By Isabel Kershner from NYT World https://ift.tt/3FUcVfb
via IFTTT Israel and Morocco have also barred all visitors from overseas, as countries race to respond to the threat of the Omicron variant.

As U.S. Hunts for Chinese Spies, University Scientists Warn of Backlash

By Amy Qin from NYT World https://ift.tt/3I3bKfu
via IFTTT A chilling effect has taken hold on American campuses, contributing to an outflow of academic talent that may hurt the United States while benefiting Beijing.

In a Nonbinary Pronoun, France Sees a U.S. Attack on the Republic

By Roger Cohen and Léontine Gallois from NYT World https://ift.tt/3cWhklC
via IFTTT When a French dictionary included the gender-nonspecific “iel” for the first time, a virulent reaction erupted over “wokisme” exported from American universities.

Snowstorm Leaves Dozens Stranded in Remote U.K. Pub

By Alyssa Lukpat from NYT World https://ift.tt/3nY9hLi
via IFTTT A crowd had gathered on Friday night to listen to Noasis, an Oasis tribute band. On Monday morning, some patrons, band members and staff members were still stuck.

The W.H.O. skips forward two Greek letters, avoiding a Xi variant.

By Steven Lee Myers from NYT World https://ift.tt/3FX9uUX
via IFTTT Under the World Health Organization’s system, the Omicron variant might have been called Nu or Xi, but only at the risk of ambiguity or diplomatic awkwardness.

U.K. confirms two cases of the Omicron coronavirus variant.

By Aina J. Khan and Isabella Grullón Paz from NYT World https://ift.tt/3CWsCkk
via IFTTT The prime minister reimposed a mask mandate, saying ‘there are many things we just cannot know.’

How Omicron, the New Covid-19 Variant, Got Its Name

By Vimal Patel from NYT World https://ift.tt/32IqErr
via IFTTT The World Health Organization began naming the variants after Greek letters to avoid public confusion and stigma.

As Omicron Variant Circles the Globe, African Nations Face Blame and Bans

By Benjamin Mueller and Declan Walsh from NYT World https://ift.tt/3cSdmdF
via IFTTT With countries trying to close their doors to the new coronavirus variant, southern African officials note that the West’s hoarding of vaccines helped create their struggle in the first place.

New ‘Variant of Concern’ Fuels Global Fear of Another Virus Surge

By Richard Pérez-Peña and Jason Horowitz from NYT World https://ift.tt/3nWaIKj
via IFTTT Scientists do not yet know how dangerous the new Omicron variant is, but its many mutations set off alarms, lowering hopes of putting the pandemic in the past.

W.H.O. says new variant in South Africa is ‘of concern’ as countries impose travel restrictions.

By Jason Horowitz, Lynsey Chutel and Mike Ives from NYT World https://ift.tt/3lcrhzK
via IFTTT The organization named the new variant with the Greek letter Omicron.

What we know about the Omicron variant.

By Lynsey Chutel from NYT World https://ift.tt/3p4yDX9
via IFTTT Scientists don’t know how effective vaccines will be against the new variant flagged by a team in South Africa, which displays mutations that might resist neutralization.

‘Afghan Girl’ From 1985 National Geographic Cover Takes Refuge in Italy

By Jenny Gross from NYT World https://ift.tt/3lc10S6
via IFTTT Sharbat Gula, whose haunting portrait was featured by the magazine more than three decades ago, was evacuated to Rome after the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan.

Hong Kong records two cases of the new variant detected in South Africa.

By Vivian Wang from NYT World https://ift.tt/3xpnFzl
via IFTTT The discovery could complicate efforts to reopen the border between the territory and the Chinese mainland.

United States will bar travelers from 8 countries in southern Africa.

By Zolan Kanno-Youngs and Sheryl Gay Stolberg from NYT World https://ift.tt/30YhE0P
via IFTTT Starting Monday, travelers from South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique and Malawi will be barred unless they are citizens or permanent residents.

Protests Rock Solomon Islands: Here’s What’s Behind the Unrest

By Yan Zhuang from NYT World https://ift.tt/3cM2rSF
via IFTTT Protesters tried to storm the prime minister’s residence, and he blamed the central government’s 2019 decision to switch allegiances to Beijing from Taipei for the violence.

South Africa detects a new variant displaying a ‘big jump in evolution.’

By Lynsey Chutel and Andrés R. Martínez from NYT World https://ift.tt/3FRwzIX
via IFTTT The density of mutations raises concerns. While it’s too early to say, new variants can limit a vaccine’s effectiveness. Hours later Britain banned flights from six countries in the region.

Sweden Finally Chose a Prime Minister. She Lasted About 7 Hours.

By Aina J. Khan from NYT World https://ift.tt/3E7ulVr
via IFTTT Magdalena Andersson, Sweden’s first female prime minister, quit after her government’s budget was defeated on her first day in office and her coalition partners bolted.

Suspect Is Charged With Murder in Case of Two Vanished Campers

By Yan Zhuang from NYT World https://ift.tt/3FLBueb
via IFTTT In a remote southern Australian area famed for its forbidding landscape and unsolved mysteries, the couple had set out for a weeklong trip and were never seen again.

At Least 27 Dead After Migrant Boat Capsizes in English Channel

By Aurelien Breeden, Constant Méheut and Norimitsu Onishi from NYT World https://ift.tt/3DR916n
via IFTTT The boat, which capsized near Calais, had been carrying a group of migrants to Britain. “France won’t let the Channel become a graveyard,’’ President Emmanuel Macron said.

A new era: Germany meets its post-Merkel government.

By Katrin Bennhold from NYT World https://ift.tt/3DT6ad1
via IFTTT Olaf Scholz will be the first center-left chancellor in 16 years. But how much change he can deliver as the leader of a three-way coalition is unclear.

Burning Bus Crashes in Bulgaria; Dozens Dead, Including Children

By Boryana Dzhambazova and Livia Albeck-Ripka from NYT World https://ift.tt/3DNgGCK
via IFTTT The bus, which had Macedonian plates, caught fire on a highway on the way back from a trip to Istanbul, officials said.

‘Vaccinated, Recovered or Dead’: Europe Fights Covid Wave — and Itself

By Steven Erlanger from NYT World https://ift.tt/3oNDL1P
via IFTTT Europe is again at the center of the pandemic, and amid vaccine resistance and protests, nations are imposing new rules and pressuring people to get inoculated.

A Socialite, a Gardener, a Message in Blood: The Murder That Still Grips France

By Norimitsu Onishi from NYT World https://ift.tt/3HFYvB5
via IFTTT The victim was a socialite. A message in her blood accused the gardener. But a grammatical error raised questions of class and language — and whether he was being framed.

Covid-19 surge strains Michigan’s hospitals.

By Vimal Patel from NYT World https://ift.tt/30I2nAz
via IFTTT Staffing shortages and pandemic fatigue add to complications.

Two of 17 Kidnapped Missionaries in Haiti Are Freed, Group Says

By Maria Abi-Habib from NYT World https://ift.tt/3cA8DNx
via IFTTT After being held hostage for 37 days by a gang, two people with a U.S. Christian aid group have been released in Port-au-Prince and are described as “safe.”

A Power Struggle Over Cobalt Rattles the Clean Energy Revolution

By Dionne Searcey, Michael Forsythe, Eric Lipton and Ashley Gilbertson from NYT World https://ift.tt/30JSjqU
via IFTTT The quest for Congo’s cobalt, which is vital for electric vehicles and the worldwide push against climate change, is caught in an international cycle of exploitation, greed and gamesmanship.

Thousands in Austria Protest Virus Lockdown and Vaccine Mandate

By Melissa Eddy from NYT World https://ift.tt/30L9Fnz
via IFTTT The protests were largely peaceful, but as dusk fell over the Austrian capital, skirmishes broke out between officers and groups of demonstrators.

How Hunter Biden’s Firm Helped Secure Cobalt for the Chinese

By Michael Forsythe, Eric Lipton and Dionne Searcey from NYT World https://ift.tt/3qWeKnx
via IFTTT The president’s son was part owner of a venture involved in the $3.8 billion purchase by a Chinese conglomerate of one of the world’s largest cobalt deposits. The metal is a key ingredient in batteries for electric vehicles.

In Rare Show of Weakness, Modi Bows to India’s Farmers

By Emily Schmall, Karan Deep Singh and Sameer Yasir from NYT World https://ift.tt/3nuQoiM
via IFTTT A bungled response to Covid and a struggling economy have hurt his party’s standing, leaving it vulnerable to a well-organized protest movement.

Austria announces a lockdown and vaccination mandate for all.

By Jason Horowitz and Melissa Eddy from NYT World https://ift.tt/3ntF32p
via IFTTT The nationwide lockdown is Europe’s second since spring. And the national vaccine mandate is a first for the continent.

Austria announces a lockdown and vaccination mandate for all.

By Christopher F. Schuetze and Elian Peltier from NYT World https://ift.tt/3x4deB9
via IFTTT The nationwide lockdown is Europe’s first since spring. And the national vaccine mandate is a first for the continent.

Must This Swab Go That Far Up Your Nose to Test for Covid?

By Livia Albeck-Ripka and John Yoon from NYT World https://ift.tt/3FvG8x1
via IFTTT Some testers gently swab the front of your nostril and send you on your way. Others dig deep, bringing the pain. What’s the gold standard?

China Can’t Censor Away Growing Anger Over Athlete’s #MeToo Accusation

By Alexandra Stevenson and Steven Lee Myers from NYT World https://ift.tt/3FpWtDo
via IFTTT The tennis world is outraged over the latest twist in a star player’s complaint of assault and abrupt disappearance from public life.

Plagues Strike Egypt: Sudden Floods, Then 4-Inch Scorpions Called Deathstalkers

By Vivian Yee and Nada Rashwan from NYT World https://ift.tt/3cd1bHN
via IFTTT Swept from desert burrows, hundreds, if not thousands, of scorpions skittered into villages, stinging at least 503 people.

Austria’s new lockdown applies only to the unvaccinated.

By Christopher F. Schuetze from NYT World https://ift.tt/3wSjxr9
via IFTTT The restrictions were among the toughest of a wave of new rules in Europe, which the W.H.O. has said is “back at the epicenter of the pandemic.”

They Warned Their Names Were on a Hit List. They Were Killed.

By Hannah Beech from NYT World https://ift.tt/3ne14SR
via IFTTT In less than a month, assassins have killed at least eight people in the Rohingya refugee camps of Bangladesh, silencing those who have dared to speak out against the violent gangs.

Austria’s new lockdown will confine the unvaccinated to their homes.

By Christopher F. Schuetze from NYT World https://ift.tt/3DjGh62
via IFTTT The country, facing the biggest surge in virus cases since the pandemic started, is putting strict curbs on the movement of those without shots.

For Meghan, an Image Rendered in a U.K.-U.S. Split Screen

By Mark Landler from NYT World https://ift.tt/3c6PbI7
via IFTTT She has re-emerged in America as a formidable A-list celebrity and social activist. In Britain, however, Meghan remains a polarizing figure.

Urbanites Flock to Atlantic Canada as Pandemic Blunts Cities’ Appeal

By Dan Bilefsky from NYT World https://ift.tt/3FfPwV4
via IFTTT As housing prices soar in big cities, the country’s eastern provinces are experiencing a surge in migration. Newcomers are being welcomed, but some locals are wary.

Myanmar Court Sentences American Journalist to 11 Years

By Richard C. Paddock from NYT World https://ift.tt/3C73Nl9
via IFTTT Danny Fenster was given the toughest possible sentence on three charges, in a signal that the country’s military rulers would not bow to international pressure.

Germany’s Fourth Covid Wave: ‘A Pandemic of the Unvaccinated’

By Katrin Bennhold from NYT World https://ift.tt/3c5g8Mg
via IFTTT Germany once set an example for how to manage the coronavirus. Now, deep pockets of vaccine resistance are helping drive daily infections to new heights.

F.W. de Klerk, South Africa President Who Ended Apartheid, Dies at 85

By Marc Lacey from NYT World https://ift.tt/3D8Mwt1
via IFTTT A prominent Afrikaner, he defended the separation of the races before helping to dismantle that system, leading to his sharing the Nobel Peace Prize with Nelson Mandela.

Malala Yousafzai Announces Her Marriage

By Alyssa Lukpat from NYT World https://ift.tt/3c02ERT
via IFTTT Ms. Yousafzai, a Pakistani activist and the youngest-ever recipient of a Nobel Peace Prize, married her partner at a small ceremony in Birmingham, England, she said on Twitter.

Singapore will stop covering Covid costs for those who decline to be vaccinated.

By John Yoon from NYT World https://ift.tt/3bVg5m2
via IFTTT The change, which takes effect on Dec. 8, comes as the number of severe cases has stabilized but remains high, the Health Ministry said.

In Romania, Hard-Hit by Covid, Doctors Fight Vaccine Refusal

By Andrew Higgins from NYT World https://ift.tt/3BUzLAY
via IFTTT An anti-vaccine clarion call by leading religious figures, echoed by prominent politicians and social media, helps explain why Romania now has the world’s highest Covid death rate.

As Turkey Chafes at Erdogan, He Gets Spikier Abroad

By Carlotta Gall from NYT World https://ift.tt/3CRsh2X
via IFTTT President Recep Tayyip Erdogan canceled an appearance at the global climate talks over a perceived slight, part of a pattern of creating international dramas to bolster his domestic standing.

Court temporarily blocks Biden’s vaccine mandate.

By Lauren Hirsch and Isabella Grullón Paz from NYT World https://ift.tt/3o3ikJI
via IFTTT A stay granted by a federal appeals court in Louisiana could signal an uphill battle for the administration in getting the entire American work force vaccinated.