World news

• Ghislaine Maxwell to offer nearly $30m in bail and admit she is married, reports say

  11-12-2020 23:14 via independent.co.uk
  
  Majority of bail funds to come from rumoured husband, family, and close friends
  
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• ‘Our bad’: Florida newspaper apologises for endorsement of Congressman backing Texas Supreme Court election lawsuit

  11-12-2020 22:36 via independent.co.uk
  
  The lawsuit is supported by Donald Trump, at least 17 states and 126 House GOP 
  
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• Trump set to oversee most federal civilian executions by a US president in over a century

  11-12-2020 22:07 via independent.co.uk
  
  President broke 130-year precedent of pausing executions during the presidential transition period 
  
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• FKA twigs sues Shia LaBeouf, alleging abusive relationship

  11-12-2020 22:04 via independent.co.uk
  
  Singer FKA twigs has filed a lawsuit alleging that Shia LaBeouf was physically and emotionally abusive during their relationship from 2018 to 2019
  
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• Monoliths: Why are these strange monuments appearing around the world? OLD

  11-12-2020 21:17 via independent.co.uk
  
  Shiny pillars have been erected without explanation at sites across world
  
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• Biogen Boston conference lead to hundreds of thousands of early coronavirus cases, study finds

  11-12-2020 21:15 via independent.co.uk
  
  The conference resulted in 333,000 coronavirus cases 
  
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• Trump set to oversee most federal executions by a US president in over a century

  11-12-2020 21:03 via independent.co.uk
  
  President broke 130-year precedent of pausing executions during the presidential transition period 
  
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• Trump signs executive order making Christmas Eve a federal holiday in 2020

  11-12-2020 21:01 via independent.co.uk
  
  All federal employees will be excused from duty on 24 December 
  
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• Cuomo reinstates NYC indoor dining ban to limit virus spread

  11-12-2020 20:41 via independent.co.uk
  
  Gov. Andrew Cuomo is banning indoor dining again at New York City restaurants
  
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• Senator calls for unity in blocking Smithsonian museums for Latinos and women

  11-12-2020 20:23 via independent.co.uk
  
  'We've seen in recent years what happens when we indulge the cultural and identity Balkanisation of our national community’
  
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• ‘Climate change is battle of my life’ and we’re losing, warns UN chief Antonio Guterres

  11-12-2020 20:17 via independent.co.uk
  
  He told students: ‘World needs your generation to keep my generation accountable’
  
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• VIRUS TODAY: Health experts warn against holiday gatherings

  11-12-2020 20:07 via independent.co.uk
  
  Health officials are warning people not to gather with people outside their household over the upcoming holidays amid surging coronavirus infections
  
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• Making a difference: the volunteer school for child workers in Peshawar

  11-12-2020 19:43 via independent.co.uk
  
  The school attracts around 50 pupils
  
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• Hezbollah member gets life for role in assassination of Lebanon PM

  11-12-2020 19:27 via independent.co.uk
  
  Salim Jamil Ayyash was given five life sentences but remains at large
  
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• New York City to close indoor dining on Monday, Cuomo says

  11-12-2020 18:24 via independent.co.uk
  
  Governor Andrew Cuomo announced indoor dining in New York City would be suspended indefinitely from Monday, citing rising infection rates of coronavirus.
  
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• Despite bleak 2020, celebrities make effort to brighten year

  11-12-2020 17:53 via independent.co.uk
  
  Nothing about 2020 seems normal, but these stars and those inspired by them have tried to brighten a bleak year
  
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• With friends like these: US and EU leaders set to slap Turkey with sanctions

  11-12-2020 17:46 via independent.co.uk
  
  Nato allies are toughening their stance and punishing Turkey over its regional ambitions 
  
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• Harvey Weinstein extradition to California delayed for second time due to coronavirus pandemic

  11-12-2020 17:46 via independent.co.uk
  
  Weinstein faces sexual assault charges involving five women in California
  
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• Arkansas woman admits $2m Covid relief fund fraud

  11-12-2020 17:35 via independent.co.uk
  
  ‘We will not tolerate fraudsters who lie to obtain these funds and then use them for their personal enjoyment,’ says US Attorney Cody Hiland
  
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• Pentagon considering plans to withdraw military support to CIA counterterrorism missions

  11-12-2020 17:28 via independent.co.uk
  
  It follows the 2018 National Defence Strategy recommending to US prioritize competitors like Russia and China over regional conflict in the Middle East
  
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• Angela Merkel calls for creation of European health union

  11-12-2020 15:47 via independent.co.uk
  
  German chancellor says pandemic has convinced her of need for greater integration
  
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• CDC chief warns daily Covid fatalities will likely exceed 9/11 death toll for months

  11-12-2020 15:17 via independent.co.uk
  
  Nation surpassed 3,000 fatalities in single day from disease this week
  
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• Trump administration plans 2nd execution as many days

  11-12-2020 15:07 via independent.co.uk
  
  The Trump administration plans to continue its unprecedented series of post-election federal executions by putting to death a Louisiana truck driver who abused his 2-year-old daughter for weeks, then killed her by slamming her head against a truck’s windows and dashboard
  
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• Uighur man reunited with three-year-old son he had never met after years in Chinese detention

  11-12-2020 14:54 via independent.co.uk
  
  Australia's government last called on China to allow son and mother to leave the country, days after Canberra co-signed a letter denouncing its treatment of the Muslim minority
  
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• Video of dolphins returning to filthy Mumbai creek goes viral in India: ‘This could be a common sight’

  11-12-2020 14:45 via independent.co.uk
  
  Sighting was celebrated on Twitter with many crediting coronavirus lockdown as a blessing for marine life
  
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• Landmark bill legalising abortion passes Argentina’s lower house

  11-12-2020 14:16 via independent.co.uk
  
  Current laws mean abortions only allowed if pregnancy is due to rape or in instances when mother’s health or life is in danger
  
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• Indian minister says beef ban law is needed ‘to protect cow vigilantes’

  11-12-2020 14:15 via independent.co.uk
  
  Cow vigilantes are mobs of people who carry out violent attacks in the name of protecting the animals seen as sacred in Hinduism
  
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• EU leaders pledge to cut emissions by 55% by 2030

  11-12-2020 13:28 via independent.co.uk
  
  The pledge is ‘not the finishing line’ for climate leadership from the EU but a ‘foundation’ for further action, an expert says
  
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• ‘This has to change’: Kim Kardashian West speaks out after death row inmate she supported is executed

  11-12-2020 12:55 via independent.co.uk
  
  ‘This just has to change: our system is so f***** up’
  
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• US returns 12 military sites to South Korea

  11-12-2020 12:52 via independent.co.uk
  
  One of the sites in Seoul might be turned into a hospital
  
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• Climate change: EU leaders set 55% target for CO2 emissions cut

  11-12-2020 12:50 via bbc.co.uk
  
  All-night talks lead to a goal of cutting CO2 emissions by 55% by 2030, rather than 40%.
  
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• Chinese authorities detain Bloomberg news assistant

  11-12-2020 12:48 via independent.co.uk
  
  U.S. financial news service Bloomberg says Chinese authorities have detained one of its Beijing-based news assistants on what they said was suspicion of endangering national security
  
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• Death of father at hands of mob casts a dark light on rise in Malawi rape cases

  11-12-2020 12:35 via theguardian.com
  
  Police have warned against increased vigilantism after spate of sexual abuse cases
  A father who was reportedly beaten by a mob after he allegedly killed the man who attacked his daughter has died in hospital, in a case that has drawn attention to Malawi’s rise in reported rape cases.The death of the 47-year-old man in Malawi’s capital Lilongwe was reported on Thursday. He had allegedly been beaten and left for dead by a vigilante mob, said to be relatives and friends of the man he ha
  
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• Sub-Saharan Africa named riskiest investment region due to violence

  11-12-2020 12:33 via theguardian.com
  
  Annual global terror index highlights attacks in Mozambique and DRC and says human rights abuses are driving violenceMilitant violence and abuses by security forces have made sub-Saharan Africa the riskiest region in the world for business and investors, a new report says.Seven of the world’s 10 highest-risk countries for militant violence are in the region with significant deteriorations in Mozambique and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), according to the annual Terrorism Intens
  
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• Hezbollah militant Salim Ayyash given life sentences for Hariri killing

  11-12-2020 11:33 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Salim Ayyash had been convicted of assassinating Lebanon's former PM with a massive car bomb in 2005.
  
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• Promising Covid vaccine in Australia abandoned after trial participants test false positive for HIV

  11-12-2020 11:22 via independent.co.uk
  
  Australia plans to start Covid vaccinations by March and finish by the end of 2021
  
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• Victims of fraudster Bernie Madoff to get share of $500m payout

  11-12-2020 10:57 via independent.co.uk
  
  The 81-year-old  was sentenced to 150 years in prison for running the largest Ponzi scheme in history
  
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• Calls grow for wider lockdown as German virus cases rise

  11-12-2020 10:42 via independent.co.uk
  
  Calls are growing for tougher lockdown measures in Germany as the country’s disease control center reported record daily increases in both coronavirus cases and deaths
  
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• Hong Kong pro-democracy tycoon Jimmy Lai charged under security law

  11-12-2020 10:32 via bbc.co.uk
  
  The pro-democracy media billionaire is the most high-profile figure to fall foul of the controversial law.
  
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• Rush Limbaugh says US is ‘trending towards secession’ as 18 states join Texas in election fight for Trump

  11-12-2020 10:30 via independent.co.uk
  
  Terminally-ill radio host clarified that he ‘would not advocate for secession’
  
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• Barbara Kogan: New York ‘Black Widow’ admits spending all of husband’s $4m life insurance

  11-12-2020 10:16 via independent.co.uk
  
  Barbara Kogan was jailed for hiring a gunman to kill her husband over the life insurance payout
  
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• Rush Limbaugh says US is ‘trending towards secession’ as 18 states join Texas in election fight

  11-12-2020 10:08 via independent.co.uk
  
  A day later, Rush Limbaugh, clarified that he had not, ‘did not and would not advocate for succession’
  
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• FBI subpoenas Texas attorney general Ken Paxton amid whistleblower allegations

  11-12-2020 08:45 via independent.co.uk
  
  FBI is investigating allegations of bribery and abuse of authority against Texas attorney general
  
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• EU leaders pull all-nighter discussing climate change as Brexit forgotten

  11-12-2020 08:38 via independent.co.uk
  
  Deal on greenhouse gas prioritised over EU-UK talks
  
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• Harrison Ford returns as Indiana Jones for fifth and final episode

  11-12-2020 08:26 via bbc.co.uk
  
  The film is to be the 78-year-old actor's fifth and final instalment in one of his most famous roles.
  
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• Fauci says 32-year-old brother of daughter’s boyfriend has died of Covid

  11-12-2020 08:20 via independent.co.uk
  
  Dr Fauci gave the example of how the virus is impacting people irrespective of age and healthy lifestyle 
  
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• Masked Horses: photographs by Tim Flach

  11-12-2020 08:00 via theguardian.com
  
  Wildlife photographer Tim Flach’s series Masked Horses speaks to the role of the horse as a companion to humankind over the ages. A disguise, or a protection the images reflect on our current pandemic. Flach’s animal photographs have often been likened to classical portraiture and his portraits of horses wearing gas masks, head protectors, equine inhalers and blindfolds are both captivating and disturbing
  Tim Flach’s photographs are at Gallery Eight in Mayfair in December Conti
  
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• Brandon Bernard: US government carries out first ‘lame duck’ execution for 130 years after final pleas fail

  11-12-2020 07:40 via independent.co.uk
  
  Execution became first by lame duck president for 130 years
  
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• Australia live news: Scott Morrison says quarantine rules to be tightened for airline crews after national cabinet

  11-12-2020 07:30 via theguardian.com
  
  Queensland border opens to New Zealand and UQ Covid vaccine trial abandoned. Follow latest updatesFollow our global coronavirus live blog Full Australian Covid stats; restrictions state by stateDownload the free Guardian app to get the most important news notifications 6.30am GMT Pity the Western Australian rock lobster fisheries, whose product is typically exported to China. This year, amidst mounting trade tensions, Australia’s big two supermarkets have stepped in to precure large quant
  
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• Coronavirus live news: American FDA panel approves Pfizer vaccine as Biden advisor warns 'no Christmas parties'

  11-12-2020 07:13 via theguardian.com
  
  Canada could start vaccinations within days; Biden advisor delivers stern Christmas warning; FDA panel approves Pfizer vaccineGiuliani leaves hospital after receiving same drug cocktail as TrumpCompromise lockdown struggles to subdue German second waveUS records more than 3,000 Covid deaths a day for first timeRich countries leaving rest behind on vaccines, warns Gates FoundationUS coronavirus updates - live 6.13am GMT An experimental Covid-19 vaccine of Sanofi and Britain’s GlaxoSmithKlin
  
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