Russian lawmakers vote to ban all content that promotes “a child-free lifestyle,” including social media. / Semafor
Since the 1990s, deaths have nearly always outnumbered births in Russia. / The Washington Post [+]
What can President Biden do prior to Donald Trump's new term? “Use his clemency power to empty the federal death row.” / Slate
Tim Snyder on Trump: “We should expect him to try to cling to power until death, and create a cult of January 6th martyrs.” / The New Yorker
See also: An updated guide to protecting yourself from government surveillance. / WIRED
Wealthier nations want Saudi Arabia, China, and the private sector to contribute more to help lower-income countries adapt and cope to the climate crisis. / The New York Times [+]
Pakistan's smog is visible from space. / Goats and Soda
Global sales of electric and plug-in hybrid cars are up 35% from October last year. / Reuters
Unrelated: Fourteen percent of urban road miles nationwide are under state control, but two-thirds of all crash deaths in the 101 largest metro areas occur there. / Vox
The iconic SS United States, “once the pride of America's maritime fleet,” is about to become the world's largest artificial reef. / gCaptain
What is it like to experience polar night in the world's northernmost town? “I savor the calm it brings.” / Smithsonian Magazine
A history of Black Mountain College's weaving tradition. / Hyperallergic
A review of a new biography of writer Sanora Babb, known for her bad luck “of now-legendary proportions.” / The New Republic
Tracing the King James Bible's influence on Ernest Hemingway's “principle of the iceberg.” / Slant Books
RIP, Alvin Ailey star and artistic director Judith Jamison. / The New York Times
See also: During the pandemic, different Ailey dancers performed Ailey's “Cry.” / YouTube