Correction: We misrepresented a link in Saturday's newsletter about photos of Finland's Prime Minister that were edited to make her resemble a cat. The photos are the work of right-wing trolls, not the PM. Our sincere apologies for the error.
As of Sunday, more than 800,000 people in the US have now died of Covid. Over 450,000 of those deaths occurred this year. / Reuters
A new report details how an American strike cell targeting the Islamic State in Syria ignored rules and repeatedly killed civilians. / The New York Times
California Gov. Newsom announces a gun-control plan modeled after Texas's abortion ban that would allow people to sue gunmakers and sellers. / Vox
Texas's operation to arrest suspected undocumented immigrants has had the unintended effect of allowing some asylum seekers to remain in the US. / BuzzFeed News
Doing the math on how many Covid vaccines rich countries actually need—and how many they appear to be hoarding. / STAT
Globally, more than half a billion people fell into extreme poverty last year from healthcare costs due to the pandemic. / Reuters
See also: Leaked screenshots show how a Southern California hospital's computer system seems to automatically apply outrageous price hikes. / Los Angeles Times
An Instagram artist with the handle @metaverse was suddenly shut out of her account, and only had it reinstated after the New York Times asked why. / The New York Times
Anne Rice has died at 80. / NOLA
"She told me at the time that she believed transgender people were sacred; that we possessed a unique gift of life experience that few ever would." On knowing Anne Rice. / Phaylen Fairchild
The irony of pundits criticizing Sesame Street for being political is that the show has always been political. / The New York Times
Sicilian parents are irate after a Roman Catholic bishop told children that Santa doesn't exist. / Associated Press
See also: Brief interviews with atheists about their holiday plans. / The Morning News
How SantaCon devolved from an anti-capitalist protest into drunken mayhem. / The Guardian