No normal.
The US reaches 25 million cases of Covid-19. Now it's a race between vaccines and variants. / CNN
The White House restricts entry of non-US citizens from the UK, South Africa, and Brazil, where new Covid strains have emerged. / CNBC
Why scientists are more worried about the Covid variant discovered in South Africa: its effects on vaccines. / Vox
Moderna says its vaccine is effective against the new variants, though it’s developing a new form that could be used as a booster shot. / The Washington Post
Helen Branswell answers questions on the vaccine rollout, who can get doses, and side effects. / STAT
One explanation for why some long-haulers aren’t recovering: “Even if they test negative, they may in fact still harbor a Covid infection somewhere in their body.” / The New York Times Magazine
Partisan lines are hardening in the Senate over the impeachment fate of President Biden’s predecessor. / The Wall Street Journal
Related: All your impeachment questions answered. / Wake Up to Politics
The intelligence community is buying location data from smartphone apps to track Americans’ movements without a warrant. / The Daily Mail
Some 3,500 people were arrested as police tried to shut down rallies across Russia in support of Alexei Navalny. / The Guardian
China overtakes the US as the world's top destination for new foreign direct investment. / BBC News
The current fighting in Darfur is said to be the world’s first climate change conflict. / Brookings
Roy Scranton: We all want a “new normal.” That’s not in the forecast. / The New York Times
Joan Didion on enduring the pandemic: “I miss having my friends to dinner. On the other hand, my wine bills have gone down.” / TIME
The Miami Heat plan to use coronavirus-sniffing dogs to screen fans who want to attend games. / ESPN
“She had a particular hatred for the old and weak.” An obituary for a no-good, grumpy dog. / Boulder Beat
The approximate size of various ocean creatures with a mitten-ed Bernie Sanders for scale. / Twitter
TMN's Rosecrans Baldwin has been writing (very) short essays about beautiful things. Most recently: good metaphors and spontaneous combustion. / Meditations in an Emergency
A realizable goal for 2021: cooking less. / Bon Appétit
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