On the Pointlessness of Pointy Shoes
Archaeological advice on post-pandemic footwear. Plus: brittle stars in a “weirdo box,” a possible Viking ransom and more in the Friday edition of the Science Times newsletter.
Kids, Covid and Delta
A guide to help parents.
India's Vaccination Workers Come Under Attack in Kashmir
Some Kashmiris say that appearing in videos could be taken to indicate support for the Indian government and its policies, which they reject.
A Latin Expert’s Odyssey, From the Vatican to the Gay Rights Movement
Francesco Lepore likes to challenge the status quo. He now writes a general-interest column in Latin, with the latest on “Ioannes Biden” and “Vladimirum Putin.”
Taiwan Orders Some Tech Workers to Stay Indoors to Tackle an Outbreak
Activists say that the measures discriminate against migrant laborers, an essential pillar of the island’s high-tech industries.
E.U. Recommends Opening to Americans to Rescue the Summer
The European Union recommended its 27 member nations lift a ban on nonessential travel from the United States, but each country will decide for itself.
High Hopes for Johnson & Johnson’s Covid Vaccine Have Fizzled in the U.S.
Production problems and a brief pause on its use kept the one-dose vaccine from becoming the game changer that health officials across the country believed it would be.
1971: U.S. Pledges to Return Okinawa to Japan
After 18 months of negotiations, the United States’ secretary of state and Japan’s foreign minister confirmed the decision, holding simultaneous televised ceremonies linked by satellite relay.
China's Covid Vaccination Drive Nears 1 Billion Doses
After a slow start, the enormous inoculation drive is administering 17 million shots a day. Demand has risen after a recent outbreak in the southern city of Guangzhou.