Daily Archives: 12/12/2021


Fauci: COVID Booster Shots Increase Protection Against Omicron Variant

The top U.S. infectious disease expert on Sunday urged eligible Americans to get booster coronavirus vaccinations to give them the best protection against the new omicron variant. Dr. Anthony Fauci, President Joe Biden’s chief medical adviser, told ABC’s “This Week” …


Vicente Fernandez, Revered Mexican Singer, Dies at 81

Vicente Fernandez, an iconic and beloved singer of Mexican regional music who was awarded three Grammys and nine Latin Grammys, and inspired a new generation of performers, including his son Alejandro Fernandez, died on Sunday. He was 81 years old. …


‘Vampire’ Author Anne Rice Dies at 80

Anne Rice, writer of the supernatural and the macabre, has died. She was 80. Christopher Rice, her son, posted on Twitter early Sunday: “. . . my mother, Anne Rice, passed away due to complications resulting from a stroke. . …


After Centuries, Belgian Nuns Join Monks in Beer Production

When the nuns of Maredret Abbey in Belgium were struggling to scrape together the funds for badly needed renovation works, they turned to an occupation that for hundreds of years had been the preserve of monks: beer-brewing. The 20-strong Benedictine …


Paris Climate Accord Signed 6 Years Ago Today

Six years ago today, nearly 200 nations signed the Paris Climate Accord, where they agreed to keep the rise in global temperatures at 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial times. Scientists say that threshold is an absolute minimum to avoid catastrophic …


La Scala Delays Ballet Season Opener Due to Virus Outbreak

Italy’s La Scala has postponed its ballet season premiere after a coronavirus outbreak in its ranks, just days after the famed Milan theater staged its high-profile opera season opener with a full-capacity audience. At least one of the four ballerinas …


US, Australia and Japan to Fund Undersea Cable in the Pacific

The United States, Australia and Japan said Sunday they will jointly fund the construction of an undersea cable to boost internet access in three tiny Pacific countries, as the Western allies seek to counter rising Chinese influence in the region. …