A look at news events in December 2020:

01 – U.S. President Donald Trump’s science adviser announced he is leaving his post. Dr. Scott Atlas, who had no formal experience in public health or infectious diseases, gained infamy for his skepticism of measures to control the coronavirus outbreak. Atlas joined the White House in the summer, clashing with top government scientists as he resisted stronger efforts to contain the COVID-19 pandemic.

01 – The end of November meant the official end of the record-setting 2020 Atlantic hurricane season. The season produced 30 named storms, including 13 that reached hurricane status.

02 – Johnson & Johnson began the process of applying for emergency approval of its COVID-19 vaccine from Health Canada and the European Medicines Agency. In what’s called a rolling submission, the drug maker sent regulators in Canada and the EU early testing data from its experimental one-dose vaccine.

02 – Pfizer and BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine was granted permission for emergency use in the United Kingdom. Pfizer said it would immediately begin shipping limited supplies to the U.K. The vaccine was given the green light after results of clinical trials showed it was 95 per cent effective overall. Trials also showed it offered significant protection for older people.

03 – The civil servant leading the most extensive renovations on Parliament Hill’s Centre Block in more than a century said the repairs would not erase the scars from an infamous attack. Rob Wright said a series of bullet holes in the Hall of Honour from a gunfight between security officers and Michael Zehaf-Bibeau would be left intact. Zehaf-Bibeau stormed Parliament Hill after fatally shooting Cpl. Nathan Cirillo in front of the National War Memorial in 2014. He was killed in the subsequent shootout.

04 – Quebec pianist and composer Andre Gagnon died at the age of 84. According to his record label, Gagnon died from Lewy body disease, a neurodegenerative disorder. His career spanned decades and embraced many styles, from baroque to classical to disco. He also won two Juno awards and a Felix from the Quebecois music industry, all in the instrumental category.