COVID-19 pandemic in Illinois Illinois reports 4,699 cases in the last 24 hours, the first time that the state has reported less than 6,000 cases and the lowest daily total since October 27. (WBBM-TV)
COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia Indonesia surpasses 20,000 deaths from COVID-19. (Kompas)
COVID-19 pandemic in Jordan, Variant of Concern 202012/01 Jordan suspends all flights to and from the United Kingdom until January 3 due to the new variant of SARS-CoV-2. (The Jerusalem Post)
COVID-19 pandemic in New York (state) COVID-19 pandemic in New York City, Variant of Concern 202012/01 Governor Andrew Cuomo announces that British Airways will require passengers to test negative for COVID-19 before arriving at the John F. Kennedy International Airport due to the new variant of the SARS-CoV-2 in the United Kingdom. (WNBC-TV) Delta Air Lines announces that it would require passengers travelling from New York to the United Kingdom to get a COVID-19 test prior to departure. (U.S. News and World Report)
COVID-19 pandemic in New York City, Variant of Concern 202012/01 Governor Andrew Cuomo announces that British Airways will require passengers to test negative for COVID-19 before arriving at the John F. Kennedy International Airport due to the new variant of the SARS-CoV-2 in the United Kingdom. (WNBC-TV) Delta Air Lines announces that it would require passengers travelling from New York to the United Kingdom to get a COVID-19 test prior to departure. (U.S. News and World Report)
COVID-19 pandemic in Oman, Variant of Concern 202012/01 Oman will close all land, air, and sea borders beginning tomorrow at 1:00 a.m. local time for one week due to concerns over the new variant of SARS-CoV-2 in the United Kingdom. (Times of Oman)
COVID-19 pandemic in Ontario Premier Doug Ford announces a province-wide lockdown across Ontario from December 26 until January 9 in Northern Ontario and January 23 in Southern Ontario in an attempt to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in the province. (CBC)
COVID-19 pandemic in Pakistan Pakistan Senator Kalsoom Perveen dies from COVID-19. (The Express Tribune)
COVID-19 pandemic in Russia, Variant of Concern 202012/01 Russia announces the suspension of all flights to and from the United Kingdom for one week beginning at midnight due to the new variant of SARS-CoV-2. (The Moscow Times)
COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore, COVID-19 vaccine Singapore receives the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, becoming the first country in Asia to do so. (CNET)
COVID-19 pandemic in Sudan, Variant of Concern 202012/01 Sudan will ban all travellers from the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and South Africa beginning December 23 due to the discovery of a new variant of SARS-CoV-2. (Reuters)
COVID-19 pandemic in Washington (state), Variant of Concern 202012/01 Governor Jay Inslee imposes a 14-day quarantine for travelers from South Africa and the United Kingdom in an effort to prevent the spread of a mutant variant of SARS-CoV-2 in those countries. (The Seattle Times)
Delta Air Lines announces that it would require passengers travelling from New York to the United Kingdom to get a COVID-19 test prior to departure. (U.S. News and World Report)
Egypt reports 664 new cases in the past 24 hours, the highest single-day total in a months, bringing the nationwide total to 125,555 cases. (Egypt Independent)
Essex lorry deaths Two men are found guilty at London's Old Bailey of the manslaughter of 39 Vietnamese people whom they were smuggling into the UK. The 39 people suffocated in a lorry during the journey across the North Sea, from Zeebrugge to Purfleet, in October 2019. (BBC News)
European Union response to the COVID-19 pandemic The European Medicines Agency conditionally approves the vaccine made by Pfizer and BioNTech for use in European Union countries. (ABC News)
Governor Andrew Cuomo announces that British Airways will require passengers to test negative for COVID-19 before arriving at the John F. Kennedy International Airport due to the new variant of the SARS-CoV-2 in the United Kingdom. (WNBC-TV)
Governor Jay Inslee imposes a 14-day quarantine for travelers from South Africa and the United Kingdom in an effort to prevent the spread of a mutant variant of SARS-CoV-2 in those countries. (The Seattle Times)
Great conjunction The planets Jupiter and Saturn appear at their closest in the sky since 1623, in an event known as a great conjunction. The closest approach will occur at 18:22 UTC, when the two planets will be one-tenth of a degree apart; they will appear to be a binary object to the naked eye. (Euronews)
Health Secretary Sophia Chan announces that Hong Kong will ban all flights to and from the United Kingdom beginning tomorrow due to the new variant of SARS-CoV-2. (South China Morning Post)
Illinois reports 4,699 cases in the last 24 hours, the first time that the state has reported less than 6,000 cases and the lowest daily total since October 27. (WBBM-TV)
India reports 19,556 cases of COVID-19, the lowest in the country since July 3. (Reuters)
Jordan suspends all flights to and from the United Kingdom until January 3 due to the new variant of SARS-CoV-2. (The Jerusalem Post)
New South Wales detects two cases of the new variant of SARS-CoV-2 in travellers returning from the United Kingdom. (The Australian)
Pakistan Senator Kalsoom Perveen dies from COVID-19. (The Express Tribune)
Premier Doug Ford announces a province-wide lockdown across Ontario from December 26 until January 9 in Northern Ontario and January 23 in Southern Ontario in an attempt to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in the province. (CBC)
Russia announces the suspension of all flights to and from the United Kingdom for one week beginning at midnight due to the new variant of SARS-CoV-2. (The Moscow Times)
Singapore receives the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, becoming the first country in Asia to do so. (CNET)
South Korea reports a record 24 new deaths in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide death toll to 698. In addition, the country surpasses 50,000 cases of COVID-19. (Yonhap News Agency)
Sudan will ban all travellers from the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and South Africa beginning December 23 due to the discovery of a new variant of SARS-CoV-2. (Reuters)
The European Medicines Agency conditionally approves the vaccine made by Pfizer and BioNTech for use in European Union countries. (ABC News)
The first cases of COVID-19 in Antarctica are reported. 36 people test positive for the virus after spending a week at the Base General Bernardo O'Higgins, in the Chilean Antarctic Territory. (Infobae)
The planets Jupiter and Saturn appear at their closest in the sky since 1623, in an event known as a great conjunction. The closest approach will occur at 18:22 UTC, when the two planets will be one-tenth of a degree apart; they will appear to be a binary object to the naked eye. (Euronews)
Two men are found guilty at London's Old Bailey of the manslaughter of 39 Vietnamese people whom they were smuggling into the UK. The 39 people suffocated in a lorry during the journey across the North Sea, from Zeebrugge to Purfleet, in October 2019. (BBC News)
President Joko Widodo announces a year-end reshuffle of the Onward Indonesia Cabinet with the replacement of six ministers who had been in the cabinet since October 2019, including two ministers who were arrested by the Corruption Eradication Commission due to separate bribery cases. (The Jakarta Post)
Sandiaga Uno, businessman and former candidate of the 2019 presidential election, is appointed as the new Tourism and Creative Economy Minister. It is the first time in Indonesian history that all candidates who previously ran in a presidential election serve together in the same cabinet. (Jakarta Globe)
War in Afghanistan December 2020 Afghanistan attacks Four prison doctors are killed after a magnetic bomb attached to their vehicle exploded in Kabul. A civilian passerby also died in the attack. The bombing follows a series of recent assassination attempts and targeted killings of prominent Afghan figures. (Channel NewsAsia)
2021 Israeli legislative election The Knesset fails to pass legislation to avert a dispersal of the current legislative session, triggering new elections in March. (JPost)
California Governor Gavin Newsom appoints Secretary of State Alex Padilla to fill in the California U.S. Senate seat left vacant by Vice President-elect Kamala Harris. As a result, Padilla is the state's first Hispanic Senator from California. (The New York Times)
December 2020 Afghanistan attacks Four prison doctors are killed after a magnetic bomb attached to their vehicle exploded in Kabul. A civilian passerby also died in the attack. The bombing follows a series of recent assassination attempts and targeted killings of prominent Afghan figures. (Channel NewsAsia)
Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States President Donald Trump says that he might not sign the $900 billion relief bill, which was passed by both the House and Senate. He also calls for Congress to amend the bill and increase stimulus checks to Americans earning under $75,000 per year from $600 to $2,000. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi agrees to work with Congress to increase the payout amount. (The Washington Post) (BBC News) (WFLA-TV)
Four prison doctors are killed after a magnetic bomb attached to their vehicle exploded in Kabul. A civilian passerby also died in the attack. The bombing follows a series of recent assassination attempts and targeted killings of prominent Afghan figures. (Channel NewsAsia)
The Knesset fails to pass legislation to avert a dispersal of the current legislative session, triggering new elections in March. (JPost)
War in Darfur The United Nations Security Council votes to end the United Nations–African Union Mission in Darfur on December 31, beginning a complete withdrawal of peacekeeping forces by June 30, 2021. (Middle East Monitor)
Abu Dhabi is expected to lift restrictions in the city beginning December 24. (Al Arabiya)
Cayman Islands–United States relations, COVID-19 pandemic in the Cayman Islands The appeals court of the Cayman Islands reduces the prison sentence of Georgia teenager Skylar Mack from 4 months to 2 months. Mack was arrested on November 29 for breaching quarantine rules. (CBS News)
China–South Korea relations, Russia–South Korea relations South Korea says it has scrambled fighter jets after four Chinese and fifteen Russian military aircraft entered its air defense identification zone. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff says that it was notified in advance by China of a joint military exercise between China and Russia. (Reuters)
Chinese space program The maiden flight of the Long March 8 orbital launch vehicle is launched from Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site at 04:37 UTC, carrying five satellites. (Reuters)
Colombia–Russia relations Migración Colombia confirms the expulsion of two Russian diplomats accused of espionage. (Reuters)
COVID-19 pandemic in Canada COVID-19 pandemic in Quebec Quebec reports 2,183 cases, a new-single day record. (The Globe and Mail)
COVID-19 pandemic in Fiji, Variant of Concern 202012/01 Fiji announces it will close its borders from Thursday until next Monday to review border quarantine processes after a new variant of the virus was found in the United Kingdom. (RNZ)
COVID-19 pandemic in France, Variant of Concern 202012/01 France agrees to reopen its border with the United Kingdom after it was closed for 48 hours due to the spread of a new variant of the virus in England. Planes, boats, and Eurostar trains will resume services tomorrow but only British, French, and EU citizens or residents who show a negative COVID-19 test result from the previous 72 hours will be allowed to travel until January 6. (BBC News)
COVID-19 pandemic in Guatemala Guatemala announces a mandatory two-week quarantine for anyone who has recently visited the United Kingdom or South Africa in an effort to prevent the spread of a new variant of SARS-CoV-2. The restrictions will last for two months. (Reuters)
COVID-19 pandemic in Iraq Iraq signs a preliminary deal to receive 1.5 million doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine Tozinameran. Ministry of Health spokesman Seif al-Badr says troops and the elderly will be prioritized for vaccinations. (France 24)
COVID-19 pandemic in Malawi Malawi closes its borders for 14 days and restricts public gatherings to no more than 100 people due to an increase in COVID-19 cases. (Malawi 24)
COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia Malaysia signs a deal to receive 6.4 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine. (The Star)
COVID-19 pandemic in Maryland NIAID director Dr. Anthony Fauci receives the Moderna vaccine at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland. (ABC News)
COVID-19 pandemic in Mississippi Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves announces that he has extended the mask mandate to 78 counties in the state. (AP)
COVID-19 pandemic in New York (state), Variant of Concern 202012/01 New York Governor Andrew Cuomo orders hospitals in the state to begin testing for the new SARS-CoV-2 variant from the United Kingdom. (WNBC)
COVID-19 pandemic in Peru Peru surpasses one million cases of COVID-19, becoming the fifth Latin American country to surpass the milestone after Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, and Mexico. (AP)
COVID-19 pandemic in Quebec Quebec reports 2,183 cases, a new-single day record. (The Globe and Mail)
COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore, Variant of Concern 202012/01 Singapore bans all long-term passport holders and short-term visitors who had travel history to the United Kingdom within the last 14 days to enter the country beginning tomorrow at 11:59 p.m. local time due to the emergence of a new strain of SARS-CoV-2. (The Straits Times)
COVID-19 pandemic in Slovakia Finance Minister Eduard Heger tests positive for COVID-19. (TV Noviny)
COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun announces that the country will ban gatherings of more than five people and order all ski resorts and tourist attractions to close from December 24 until January 3 in order to contain the third wave of COVID-19. (Al Jazeera)
COVID-19 pandemic in Sri Lanka, Variant of Concern 202012/01 Sri Lanka's Civil Aviation Authority bans all flights to and from the United Kingdom beginning on December 23 to prevent a new strain of SARS-CoV-2 from spreading to the country. (Ada Derana)
COVID-19 pandemic in Taiwan Taiwan reports their first locally transmitted case since April 12 after an unidentified patient tested positive for COVID-19. (Bloomberg)
COVID-19 pandemic in the Republic of Ireland Taoiseach Micheál Martin announces a return of "Level 5" lockdown in the country with specific adjustments from Christmas Eve until at least January 12. (The Journal)
COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom The United Kingdom reports a record 36,804 new cases in the past 24 hours. In addition, the country also reports 691 new deaths, the highest daily total in nearly a month. (Sky News)
COVID-19 pandemic in United Arab Emirates The United Arab Emirates announces that they will roll out the Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine to all adult UAE citizens. (Financial Times) Abu Dhabi is expected to lift restrictions in the city beginning December 24. (Al Arabiya)
Finance Minister Eduard Heger tests positive for COVID-19. (TV Noviny)
Guatemala announces a mandatory two-week quarantine for anyone who has recently visited the United Kingdom or South Africa in an effort to prevent the spread of a new variant of SARS-CoV-2. The restrictions will last for two months. (Reuters)
Iraq signs a preliminary deal to receive 1.5 million doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine Tozinameran. Ministry of Health spokesman Seif al-Badr says troops and the elderly will be prioritized for vaccinations. (France 24)
Malaysia signs a deal to receive 6.4 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine. (The Star)
Migración Colombia confirms the expulsion of two Russian diplomats accused of espionage. (Reuters)
Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves announces that he has extended the mask mandate to 78 counties in the state. (AP)
