The United Kingdom became the first country to grant emergency authorization (BBC) for a COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech. The first doses will be available in the UK next week. 

The vaccine is the fastest to ever be deployed, condensing a process that can take ten years into ten months. So-called priority groups, including elderly people, care-home residents, and health-care workers, will get the vaccine first. The UK went around (Politico) the European Union’s regulatory body to approve the vaccine; the bloc is expected to decide on authorization by the end of the month. London’s move also puts pressure (WaPo) on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which the Donald J. Trump administration has been pressing to approve the Pfizer vaccine. 

China’s Chang’e-5 probe landed on the moon (NYT) yesterday, state media reported, China’s third successful uncrewed mission since 2013. The Chang’e-5 will spend two days collecting samples before returning to Earth. 

Hong Kong: Pro-democracy activists Joshua Wong, Agnes Chow, and Ivan Lam were sentenced to jail (SCMP) after pleading guilty to charges related to their roles in protests last year. They received sentences of between seven and thirteen and a half months.

Talks between the Indian government and farmers demanding the repeal of three agricultural reform laws ended without agreement (Hindu) after the farmers rejected a proposal to create a government committee to study the issue. The two sides will meet again tomorrow amid protests by thousands of farmers near the capital.

Kazakhstan: A British court froze up to $5 billion in assets (WSJ) tied to an alleged theft from a bank in Kazakhstan.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani rejected a bill (AP) approved by parliament that would have suspended international inspections of Iran’s nuclear facilities and boosted uranium enrichment. Rouhani said the bill, passed in response to the killing of a top Iranian nuclear scientist, would hurt diplomatic efforts to restore the 2015 nuclear agreement and end U.S. sanctions.

CFR’s Ray Takeyh explains the fallout from the scientist’s killing.  

Israel/Palestinian Territories: The Israeli government handed over $1.14 billion worth of backlogged tax revenue (Reuters) to the Palestinian Authority (PA) in a sign of thawing relations. The transfer, which usually occurs monthly, was the first since June after the PA rejected it due to Israel’s now-suspended plans to annex parts of the West Bank.

This CFR Backgrounder explains U.S. policy on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The United Nations said today that it reached a deal with the Ethiopian government to allow shipments (AP) of food, medicine, and other humanitarian aid to the northern region of Tigray, where federal and regional forces have clashed for weeks. 

Uganda: The opposition candidate known as Bobi Wine suspended his presidential campaign (Nation) after police injured some of his aides and shot at his car. Wine said he did so to protest police brutality and the killings of his supporters.

The EU’s top Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, said that the next thirty-six hours are crucial for Brexit negotiations, as he sought to reassure members (FT) of the bloc that he would protect their interests while seeking a deal with the UK. Barnier said remaining sticking points include so-called level-playing-field provisions for businesses and fishing rights in British waters.

The Mexican government is set to sign a contract with Pfizer (Reuters) today for delivery of the company’s COVID-19 vaccine. Mexico’s deputy health minister said the military will help with the vaccination process. 

Brazil: Dozens of gunmen invaded the southern city of Criciuma, taking several hostages and robbing a bank (MercoPress).

Lawmakers introduced a pandemic aid package (WaPo) worth roughly $908 billion in an attempt to end the congressional standoff over rescue measures. House Democrats and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) have also been putting together their own proposals, while President-Elect Joe Biden has called for a massive government response.