It seems like neither the US nor the UK can figure out logistics.

Editor’s warning: this article contains discussions of gun violence near campus.

Happening in the world: Brexit talks between the United Kingdom and the European Union continue after another week without significant progress. Both sides face intense pressure to come up with an agreement before the deadline on December 31, but numerous sticking points remain to be resolved, including fishing rights and certain tariffs. If no deal is made, the two bodies will begin operating on World Trade Organization rules, leading to price increases on certain products. (BBC)

Happening in the US: A plan to make White House staff members among the first to receive the recently-authorized Pfizer vaccine against COVID-19 was abruptly scrapped last night, underscoring the number of moving parts still at play as the United States’ historic mass vaccination campaign gets underway this week. The plans for vaccinating lawmakers on Capitol Hill and other government officials are similarly unclear, with no current estimations of dose allocations made public. (NYT)

Happening in NYC: Police shot and killed an unidentified gunman on Sunday after he fired onto a crowd attending a caroling concert at Morningside Heights’ St. John the Divine cathedral. Much information is still unknown about the incident. One other person was injured in the incident and taken to Mount Sinai, but their condition remains unclear. No one else was physically harmed. (Gothamist)

Happening in our community: The Center on Global Energy Policy is hosting a talk from 12 pm to 1:30 pm today titled “Building a New Grid Without Legislation.” The talk will discuss the ways that existing authorities could work toward achieving a zero-carbon power sector without needing to go through state and federal legislative bodies, speeding up the timeline for the transition to a cleaner power sector. Panelists will include scholars from Columbia’s Center on Global Energy Policy as well as individuals involved in the power sector. To register, click here.

Image of fishing boats theoretically concerned about fishing rights via Pixy