The World Health Organization says its Covid-19 vaccine program has secured 2 billion doses. / STAT

Moderna’s vaccine becomes the second to receive emergency use authorization. / Reuters

The coronavirus vaccines, developed and tested at record speed, are the breakthrough of the year. / Science Magazine

Dhruv Khullar: The vaccine will make me less worried about getting the virus—but I’ll still fear passing it on to others. / The New Yorker

On November 1, the seven-day average for new daily cases in California was 4,183. On Thursday, it was 38,774. / CNN

Congress passes a two-day stopgap spending bill, averting a partial government shutdown, while virus aid talks remain (somewhat) on track. / The Associated Press

Analysis of the words used by male and female commenters on a Wall Street Journal article that criticized Jill Biden for using the title “Dr.” and called her “kiddo.” / Slate

Paris city authorities have been fined for employing too many women in senior positions. / The Guardian

Atlantic City launches an auction in which the winner gets to push the button that starts the implosion of the former Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino. / The Hill

Americans aren’t citizens, they’re shoppers. Smart governance should appeal to their consumerist behavior. / Vox

California maintains a special registry of about 4,000 arsonists. They're required to check in every year for their lifetime. / The San Francisco Chronicle

Paintings by David Humphrey inspired by the television show Body Cam. Also, paintings by Kris Knight of his LGBTQ+ friends. / Juxtapoz, It’s Nice That

Nancy Floyd has been photographing herself daily since 1982, producing "a meditation on the passage of time and the female body." / GOST

A profile of Sarah Marquis, who walked 10,000 miles during the last three years. / The New York Times Magazine

Reddit moderators—from sections like r/BlackLivesMatter, r/AmITheAsshole, r/ApplyingToCollege—discuss how their communities survived the year. / Reddit

The 15 objects that defined 2020. / Marker

Related: That new Tesla e-bike isn't made by Tesla. It's also unrideable. / Outside

In case you find it awkward to end a Zoom call, now there’s a lever for that. / The Morning News

Some resources if you need a streaming fireplace this time of year, aka “hygge porn.” / Links I Would Gchat You if We Were Friends

"She was the gazelle and he the apex predator." It turns out we did need some "Bad Sex in Fiction" awards. / Electric Literature

And for your reading pleasure (and last-minute shopping needs), the shortlist, judges, and Zombie poll for the 2021 Tournament of Books, presented by Field Notes! / The Morning News