Alberta reports 22 deaths from COVID-19, a new single-day record. (Edmonton Journal)
Authorities vow to crack down on workers who went on a violent rampage at a Wistron iPhone factory near Bangalore, India over allegations of unpaid wages and exploitation. Over 100 people have been arrested. Videos of the violence show glass panels smashed with rods and cars flipped on their side. (CTV)
Bahrain's National Health Regulatory Authority approves the registration of the BBIBP-CorV vaccine developed by Sinopharm after Phase III clinical trials results showed an 86% efficacy rate. (Gulf News)
Chancellor Angela Merkel announces that after meeting with leaders of the 16 states, a hard lockdown will occur from December 16 to January 10. Non-essential shops and schools will be closed. New Year's Eve events, including the sale of fireworks and public consumption of alcohol will be banned. (BBC News)
Cleveland Indians name and logo controversy The Cleveland Indians announce that they will change their name after the 2021 season. (Newsweek)
COVID-19 pandemic in Alberta Alberta reports 22 deaths from COVID-19, a new single-day record. (Edmonton Journal)
COVID-19 pandemic in Bahrain Bahrain's National Health Regulatory Authority approves the registration of the BBIBP-CorV vaccine developed by Sinopharm after Phase III clinical trials results showed an 86% efficacy rate. (Gulf News)
COVID-19 pandemic in Canada COVID-19 pandemic in Alberta Alberta reports 22 deaths from COVID-19, a new single-day record. (Edmonton Journal) The first doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine arrive in Canada. (CBC)
COVID-19 pandemic in Germany Chancellor Angela Merkel announces that after meeting with leaders of the 16 states, a hard lockdown will occur from December 16 to January 10. Non-essential shops and schools will be closed. New Year's Eve events, including the sale of fireworks and public consumption of alcohol will be banned. (BBC News)
COVID-19 pandemic in Kuwait Kuwait's Ministry of Health approves an Emergency Use Authorization of the Pfizer-BioNtech vaccine. (Arab News)
COVID-19 pandemic in North Dakota North Dakota reports zero deaths from COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, making it the first time since September 20 that this has occurred. (AP)
COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea The number of new confirmed cases in South Korea surpasses 1,000 for the first time since the pandemic began, bringing the nationwide total to 42,766. (Yonhap News Agency)
COVID-19 pandemic in Uruguay Uruguay reports a new single-day record of 528 cases, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 9,708. (gob.uy)
COVID-19 vaccine COVID-19 pandemic in Bahrain Bahrain's National Health Regulatory Authority approves the registration of the BBIBP-CorV vaccine developed by Sinopharm after Phase III clinical trials results showed an 86% efficacy rate. (Gulf News) COVID-19 pandemic in Kuwait Kuwait's Ministry of Health approves an Emergency Use Authorization of the Pfizer-BioNtech vaccine. (Arab News)
Electronics industry in India Authorities vow to crack down on workers who went on a violent rampage at a Wistron iPhone factory near Bangalore, India over allegations of unpaid wages and exploitation. Over 100 people have been arrested. Videos of the violence show glass panels smashed with rods and cars flipped on their side. (CTV)
Kuwait's Ministry of Health approves an Emergency Use Authorization of the Pfizer-BioNtech vaccine. (Arab News)
North Dakota reports zero deaths from COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, making it the first time since September 20 that this has occurred. (AP)
Pfizer and BioNTech announce that they have started shipping their vaccine from a Michigan facility to all 50 states. (The Wall Street Journal)
The Cleveland Indians announce that they will change their name after the 2021 season. (Newsweek)
The first doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine arrive in Canada. (CBC)
The number of new confirmed cases in South Korea surpasses 1,000 for the first time since the pandemic began, bringing the nationwide total to 42,766. (Yonhap News Agency)
The United Kingdom and the European Union agree to extend trade talks beyond today's deadline. (CNN)
Trade negotiation between the UK and the EU The United Kingdom and the European Union agree to extend trade talks beyond today's deadline. (CNN)
Uruguay reports a new single-day record of 528 cases, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 9,708. (gob.uy)
Sudan–United States relations, Global war on terrorism Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announces that the United States has removed Sudan from the list of state sponsors of terrorism. Sudan had recently paid a $335 million settlement to the US government for US victims of terrorist attacks. (Reuters)
Italian intellectuals Corrado Augias and Giovanna Melandri hand back their medals of the Legion of Honour, France's highest order of merit, to France. They protest the news that President of Egypt Abdel Fattah el-Sisi was awarded the Grand Cross of the Legion at the same time that prosecutors in Rome indicted four top security officials of the Sisi regime over the 2016 abduction and torture to death of Giulio Regeni, an Italian doctoral student, in Cairo. (AP)
COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa President Cyril Ramaphosa announces that public gatherings will be limited to no more than 100 people for indoor events and 250 people for outdoor events, and that the nationwide curfew will be extended from 11:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m. throughout the holiday season. He also said that alcohol will only be sold from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. local time, Monday to Thursday. (Independent Online)
COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announces that the country will impose a five-day full lockdown from December 31 at 9:00 p.m. local time until January 4, as a record 229 deaths were reported in the past 24 hours. (Arab News)
North Korea–South Korea relations South Korea bans the launching of propaganda leaflets into North Korea. The balloon propaganda campaigns have been used by North Korean defectors and Korean reunification activists for decades to spread anti-government propaganda, news from the outside world that is restricted in the North, money, food, and USB flash drives containing South Korean media. The ban also outlaws the use of loudspeaker propaganda broadcasts. Violators of the ban will face up to three years in prison or 30 million won ($27,400) in fines. (Reuters)
President Cyril Ramaphosa announces that public gatherings will be limited to no more than 100 people for indoor events and 250 people for outdoor events, and that the nationwide curfew will be extended from 11:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m. throughout the holiday season. He also said that alcohol will only be sold from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. local time, Monday to Thursday. (Independent Online)
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announces that the country will impose a five-day full lockdown from December 31 at 9:00 p.m. local time until January 4, as a record 229 deaths were reported in the past 24 hours. (Arab News)
Several Google services go down without warning around 11:50 UTC, including YouTube, Google Search, and the Google Play Store. The chatting app Discord and mobile video game Pokémon Go also go down. The cause was revealed to be an “authentication system outage” by the Google Cloud Twitter account. (IGN) (Newsweek)
South Korea bans the launching of propaganda leaflets into North Korea. The balloon propaganda campaigns have been used by North Korean defectors and Korean reunification activists for decades to spread anti-government propaganda, news from the outside world that is restricted in the North, money, food, and USB flash drives containing South Korean media. The ban also outlaws the use of loudspeaker propaganda broadcasts. Violators of the ban will face up to three years in prison or 30 million won ($27,400) in fines. (Reuters)
The Michigan State Capitol is closed to the public for the day and its legislative sessions are cancelled due to "credible threats of violence" in response to the election. (CNN)
2020–21 South Pacific cyclone season Cyclones Yasa and Zazu threaten several Pacific countries, especially Fiji. Yasa intensifies into a category 2 storm, remaining in the waters between Fiji and Vanuatu. It is expected to reach Fiji on Thursday as a category 4 storm. Zazu also brings heavy rains to Tonga. (RNZ)
A total solar eclipse is seen in Chile, Argentina, and the South Pacific Ocean. (EclipseWise)
Amid controversy over alleged illegal content, Pornhub removes all non-verified user-uploaded videos, which make up the majority of the videos on the platform. Pornhub says that its new measures are now "more strict than any social media platform". (BBC News)
An International Rescue Committee staff member and three Danish Refugee Council aid workers are shot dead in Ethiopia's Tigray Region. (The Telegraph)
Boston Mayor Marty Walsh announces that the city will rollback to phase 2 and tighten their restrictions as an effort to stop the spread of COVID-19. (AP) (WCVB-TV)
Canada begins administering the vaccine to healthcare workers and elderly nursing home residents. (Reuters)
Capital punishment in Singapore The judicial commissioner of Singapore sentences a Bangladeshi national to death after he was found guilty of murdering his Indonesian girlfriend two years ago. In Singapore, a charge of murder carries the mandatory death penalty. (The Straits Times)
COVID-19 pandemic in Canada COVID-19 vaccination in Canada Canada begins administering the vaccine to healthcare workers and elderly nursing home residents. (Reuters)
COVID-19 pandemic in Delhi Delhi surpasses 10,000 total deaths from COVID-19. (India Today)
COVID-19 pandemic in England Health Secretary Matt Hancock announces that London and parts of Essex and Hertfordshire will move into the highest level "Tier 3" restrictions on December 16 at 00:01 a.m. GMT. (Sky News) The United Kingdom discovers a new variant of COVID-19 which is growing faster in some parts of England. (BBC)
COVID-19 pandemic in India COVID-19 pandemic in Delhi Delhi surpasses 10,000 total deaths from COVID-19. (India Today)
COVID-19 pandemic in Japan Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga announces that the Go To Travel campaign will be suspended nationwide from December 28 to January 11. He also says that Tokyo and Nagoya will be removed as eligible destinations for the campaign. (The Japan Times)
COVID-19 pandemic in Massachusetts Boston Mayor Marty Walsh announces that the city will rollback to phase 2 and tighten their restrictions as an effort to stop the spread of COVID-19. (AP) (WCVB-TV)
COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore, COVID-19 vaccine Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong says that Singapore has approved the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. The country expects to receive shipments of the vaccine by the end of the year and to vaccinate 5.7 million people for free by the third quarter of 2021. (CNBC)
COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea South Korea orders schools in the Seoul Capital Area to close from tomorrow until the end of the month due to an increase in new COVID-19 cases, which has broken records not seen since the pandemic began. (CNA)
COVID-19 pandemic in the Netherlands Prime Minister Mark Rutte imposes a tough five-week nationwide lockdown. Schools, museums, gyms and all non-essential shops, will be closed from midnight until January 19. (AP)
COVID-19 pandemic in West Virginia Governor Jim Justice becomes one of the first elected officials to receive the vaccine. (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)
COVID-19 vaccination in Canada Canada begins administering the vaccine to healthcare workers and elderly nursing home residents. (Reuters)
COVID-19 vaccination in the United States The United States begins administering their first doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. Sandra Lindsay, a nurse at the Long Island Jewish Medical Center in New York, becomes the first person in the country to receive the vaccine outside of a clinical trial. (ABC News) COVID-19 pandemic in West Virginia Governor Jim Justice becomes one of the first elected officials to receive the vaccine. (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)
Cyclones Yasa and Zazu threaten several Pacific countries, especially Fiji. Yasa intensifies into a category 2 storm, remaining in the waters between Fiji and Vanuatu. It is expected to reach Fiji on Thursday as a category 4 storm. Zazu also brings heavy rains to Tonga. (RNZ)
Delhi surpasses 10,000 total deaths from COVID-19. (India Today)
Health Secretary Matt Hancock announces that London and parts of Essex and Hertfordshire will move into the highest level "Tier 3" restrictions on December 16 at 00:01 a.m. GMT. (Sky News)
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong says that Singapore has approved the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. The country expects to receive shipments of the vaccine by the end of the year and to vaccinate 5.7 million people for free by the third quarter of 2021. (CNBC)
Prime Minister Mark Rutte imposes a tough five-week nationwide lockdown. Schools, museums, gyms and all non-essential shops, will be closed from midnight until January 19. (AP)
Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga announces that the Go To Travel campaign will be suspended nationwide from December 28 to January 11. He also says that Tokyo and Nagoya will be removed as eligible destinations for the campaign. (The Japan Times)
Solar eclipse of December 14, 2020 A total solar eclipse is seen in Chile, Argentina, and the South Pacific Ocean. (EclipseWise)
South Korea orders schools in the Seoul Capital Area to close from tomorrow until the end of the month due to an increase in new COVID-19 cases, which has broken records not seen since the pandemic began. (CNA)
The BW Group says the crew of one of their ships saw an oil tanker suffer an explosion after being hit by "an external source" off the coast of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. They also say that oil may have leaked from the site of the blast. (The Times of Israel)
The judicial commissioner of Singapore sentences a Bangladeshi national to death after he was found guilty of murdering his Indonesian girlfriend two years ago. In Singapore, a charge of murder carries the mandatory death penalty. (The Straits Times)
The United Kingdom discovers a new variant of COVID-19 which is growing faster in some parts of England. (BBC)
Tigray conflict An International Rescue Committee staff member and three Danish Refugee Council aid workers are shot dead in Ethiopia's Tigray Region. (The Telegraph)
Kenya–Somalia relations, Foreign relations of Somaliland The Somali Minister of Information Osman Abubakar Dubbe announces that the Government of Somalia is recalling its diplomatic staff from Kenya and is giving Kenyan diplomats seven days to leave Somalia. This comes after Somaliland President Muse Bihi Abdi's visit to Nairobi where he was received by Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta. (DW)
Philippine drug war The International Criminal Court says that they have found evidence that crimes against humanity were committed during Filipino President Rodrigo Duterte's drug war. (The Washington Post)
The International Criminal Court says that they have found evidence that crimes against humanity were committed during Filipino President Rodrigo Duterte's drug war. (The Washington Post)
The Somali Minister of Information Osman Abubakar Dubbe announces that the Government of Somalia is recalling its diplomatic staff from Kenya and is giving Kenyan diplomats seven days to leave Somalia. This comes after Somaliland President Muse Bihi Abdi's visit to Nairobi where he was received by Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta. (DW)
War in Afghanistan; December 2020 Afghanistan targeted killings A bombing in Kabul kills the deputy governor and his secretary, and wounds their bodyguards. In a later attack in the Ghor Province, a deputy provincial council head was killed while another council member and their driver were wounded when a sticky bomb attached to their vehicle detonated. (Associated Press)
2020–21 South Pacific cyclone season Tropical Cyclone Yasa intensifies into a category 5 storm. It is expected to head towards Fiji later today. (FBC News)
A bombing in Kabul kills the deputy governor and his secretary, and wounds their bodyguards. In a later attack in the Ghor Province, a deputy provincial council head was killed while another council member and their driver were wounded when a sticky bomb attached to their vehicle detonated. (Associated Press)
Tropical Cyclone Yasa intensifies into a category 5 storm. It is expected to head towards Fiji later today. (FBC News)
Two magnitude 4.0 earthquakes occur in Northern California at around 6:55–7:00 a.m. PST and are felt from San Jose to as far north as San Francisco. There are no reported injuries or deaths. (San Jose Mercury News)
Boko Haram insurgency Kankara kidnapping Jihadist group Boko Haram claim responsibility for Friday's mass kidnapping in Kankara, Katsina, Nigeria. (BBC News)
