Armed clashes between Morocco and the Polisario Front reflect the movement’s frustration with a three-decade status quo that has frozen its dreams of independence in the Western Sahara, analysts say.

The destruction wrought by hurricanes Eta and Iota is raising fears of a new wave of mass migration from Central America, with the region already facing an economic crisis linked to the coronavirus pandemic.

President Donald Trump has pardoned Michael Flynn, his first national security adviser, who pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about his links to the Russian ambassador to Washington. Trump has now granted 29 pardons.

Diego Maradona, the Argentine soccer great who was among the best players ever and who led his country to the 1986 World Cup title before later struggling with cocaine use and obesity, has died. He was 60.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has rebuffed growing international calls for dialogue as a deadline for Tigray forces to surrender passes and the army prepares to bombard the regional capital, Mekelle.

After being protected by Donald Trump, NATO ally Turkey’s increasingly authoritarian President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan faces potential U.S. sanctions from Joe Biden’s incoming administration.

President-elect Joe Biden has unveiled his top foreign policy and national security picks, including the first woman to lead the U.S. intelligence community and first Latino to helm the Department of Homeland Security.

The interactive version of World Agenda includes a UN summit on climate change, the return to China of the first lunar sample return mission since the 1970s, and the 250th birthday of Ludwig van Beethoven.

As Christmas edges nearer, the annual influx of new toys and gadgets has arrived in stores, including a long-awaited games console, a flossing sloth, a robot balloon dog and an animatronic baby Yoda.

Women are burdened with some of the most dangerous duties in the production of palm oil, which is contained in almost three out of every four personal care products, according to an Associated Press investigation.

China has successfully launched a robotic spacecraft tasked with bringing back samples from the Moon -- the first bid by any country to retrieve lunar surface samples since the 1970s.

Events in December include the first vaccination programmes to combat the coronavirus pandemic and the U.S. Electoral College’s confirmation of the election winner.

Ludwig van Beethoven, German composer and pianist, is a defining figure in the history of Western music, whose work marks the transition between the Classical and Romantic eras.

The Oxford University and AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine can prevent up to 90% of people contracting coronavirus when it is administered as a half dose followed by a full dose at least one month apart.

Tigray’s conflict with Ethiopia isn’t about regional autonomy. Instead, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) is intent on recapturing the economic power and natural resources it held until 2018.

Joe Biden is U.S. president-elect, but there are still a few things left to do before he takes office, especially while President Donald Trump forward with cases aimed at blocking certification of election results in battleground states.

Face masks can help slow the spread of coronavirus to other people, but updated guidance from U.S. health officials suggests that masks may also protect wearers who are not infected, though to a lesser degree.

Boeing’s 737 Max has received U.S. regulatory approval to return to service following a nearly 20-month grounding after fatal crashes in Ethiopia and Indonesia killed 346 people.

The U.S. will reduce troop numbers in Iraq and Afghanistan to their lowest levels in nearly 20 years or war, in a move reflecting President Donald Trump’s pledge to end the country’s long conflicts abroad.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has given an emergency green light to the first rapid coronavirus test that can be performed entirely at home. Lucira Health’s test kit delivers results in 30 minutes.

Ethiopia’s prime minister Abiy Ahmed says his army is advancing on the Tigrayan capital Mekelle, where local militias are fighting the central government.

SpaceX is inviting select people in the U.S. and Canada to test its Starlink service – a constellation of hundreds of small satellites designed to deliver high-speed internet around the planet.

Russia is planning to build a naval base in Sudan capable of mooring nuclear-powered surface vessels, as the Kremlin seeks to expand its military influence across Africa.

The Russian-brokered peace deal – seen as a major victory for Azerbaijan – sets up a staggered withdrawal of Armenian forces from Azeri districts surrounding the enclave by December 1.

Messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna deliver genetic instructions which enable a recipient’s cells to make viral proteins that prime the immune system to produce protective antibodies.

The global appetite for oil has tumbled by almost a third since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, forcing oil companies to close refineries in the belief that demand will not return to pre-pandemic levels.

Ten members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), plus China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand are due to sign a mammoth trade deal that has been nearly a decade in the making.

Both Sony’s PlayStation 5 and Microsoft’s XBox Series X gaming consoles are finally here. Sony sold millions more PS4 consoles than Microsoft’s XBox One, but which one will players prefer this time around?

Microsoft's hotly anticipated XBox Series X game console is finally here. Its simple, box-like design belies the powerful processor it houses – which needs several innovative methods to keep it cool.

Both Sony’s PlayStation 5 and Microsoft’s XBox Series X gaming consoles are now available to buy. Sony sold millions more PS4 consoles than Microsoft’s XBox One, but this time things could be different.

Sony’s PlayStation 5 is the largest video game console ever made, due to an innovative cooling system that utilises a large fan, enormous copper heat sink and liquid metal conductor.

Sony has finally launched the PlayStation 5. Together with its four earlier namesakes, it brings to almost 20 the number of game consoles produced by the Japanese tech giant since its 1994 debut model.

One of the biggest diamonds ever found has been unearthed in Botswana by Canada’s Lucara Diamond Corp. The 998-carat high white diamond, puts it among the five largest stones ever discovered.

A fleet of more than 30 tankers hired by phantom companies -- most based in Russia -- has shipped over 25 million barrels of Venezuelan crude from state oil producer PDVSA since April.

An escalating conflict in northern Ethiopia between federal troops and forces loyal to the Tigray regional government is raising fears of civil war in Africa’s second most populous country.

More than 2,600 glaciers on China’s stark Tibetan plateau are melting at an alarming rate, due to the effects of global warming - none more so than the giant Laohugou No. 12.

President-elect Joe Biden is expected to restore the time-honoured tradition of having pets at the White House. Donald Trump was the first U.S. president in more than 100 years not to have a pet.

Large-scale clinical trials of an RNA coronavirus vaccine developed by U.S. drugmaker Pfizer and German partner BioNTech show the vaccine is more than 90% effective and has no serious safety concerns.

Armenia and Azerbaijan have announced an agreement to halt fighting over the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan under a pact signed with Russia that calls for deployment of Russian peacekeepers

President-elect Joe Biden has promised sweeping measures to make the U.S. economy carbon neutral by 2050 and unravel some 80 executive orders on the environment made by President Donald Trump.

The number of confirmed global cases of Covid-19 has passed 50 million, as the pandemic continues to gather pace and a second wave of the disease sweeps across Europe and North America.

Democrat Vice President Joe Biden has defeated Donald Trump in the U.S. presidential election. President-elect Joe Biden is to be inaugurated as the 46th president on January 20, 2021.

The Associated Press declares Joe Biden the winner of a grueling U.S presidential campaign. He will lead a polarized nation through a historic collision of health, economic and social crises.

Democrat Vice President Joe Biden has defeated Donald Trump in the U.S. presidential election. President-elect Biden says it’s time for America to “unite” and to “heal.”

Joe Biden’s victory over Donald Trump makes Trump the 11th president to fail to win re-election for a second term. Biden’s triumph exposes Trump -- who has built his entire career on an image of always winning -- as a loser.

Election ballot papers in five states asked voters to decide on the legality of cannabis use. In all five states voters sided with reformers, meaning American voters, even Republican ones, have shifted position on the U.S. war on drugs.

The world’s biggest iceberg is on a collision course with the British Overseas Territory of South Georgia, threatening the breeding grounds for elephant seals, fur seals and king penguins.

Regional powers are considering ways to halt the conflict over the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh, where fighting between Azerbaijan and ethnic Armenian forces is thought to have killed thousands of people, including many civilians.

Azerbaijan is planning to deliver natural gas directly to Europe via the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline, the final leg of the so-called Southern Gas Corridor (SGC) which aims to reduce European reliance on Russian gas.

Apple has launched its “One” subscription plan which bundles key services, including Apple Music, into one cost-effective package – much to the ire of streaming rival Spotify.

Manned submersibles company, OceanGate, is planning tourist dives to RMS Titanic, allowing up to three passengers to descend in its Titan sub. The firm intends to dive 18 times each May-September, the ticket price for the trip set at $125,000.

Nearly 6,000 Afghan civilians were killed or wounded in the first nine months of 2020 as heavy fighting between government forces and Taliban insurgents rages on, the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan reports.

Scientists have found a detached coral reef on the Great Barrier Reef that exceeds the height of the Empire State Building, the first such discovery in 120 years.

Unprecedented state and corporate borrowing to survive the Covid pandemic could push world debt up 14% to 265% of GDP by year-end, according to credit rating agency S&P Global Ratings.

Water on the moon may be more abundant and accessible than previously thought, a discovery that could prove important to future lunar missions.

European Union fishing rights in Britain’s coastal waters are one of the most sensitive issues blocking a post-Brexit trade deal. More than 60% of the tonnage landed from British waters is caught by foreign boats.

France, one of Europe’s biggest military powers, will reach a NATO spending benchmark of 2% sought by the U.S. this year, but several other European countries – including Germany – still lag far behind.

Two Sentinel-6 spacecraft will provide centimetre-scale measurements of global sea-level rise. The twin craft -- Sentinel-6A and Sentinel-6B -- will each carry powerful new Poseidon-4 radar altimeters.

A Japanese supercomputer, voted the world’s fastest, is to use its enormous power to try and identify treatments for Covid-19. The Fugaku supercomputer is already being deployed in the fight against coronavirus.

Coronavirus can survive on items such as polymer banknotes and mobile phone screens for up to 28 days in cool, dark conditions, according to a study by CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency.

Dubbed as the Hwasong-16, the new mobile intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) could pack multiple warheads into a single payload to increase the chances of striking an American city with a nuclear device.

Almost twice as many natural disasters have been reported in the past 20 years compared to the preceding two decades, with climate change largely to blame for the rise, according to a UN report.

For more than two decades extreme poverty has been declining, but now the economic fallout of Covid-19 will create millions of new poor, according to the "Poverty and Shared Prosperity 2020" report by the World Bank.

As cinemas around the world struggle to remain open due to Covid-19 restrictions, movie studios are continually having to shift release dates forwards, mostly into 2021 and beyond.

A cheap test that can diagnose coronavirus in 15 minutes is set to dramatically expand the capacity to detect cases around the world. The $5 tests will be made by drug manufacturers Abbott and SD Biosensor.

Russia’s “Sputnik-V” coronavirus vaccine produced an antibody response in all the 76 participants in phase 1/2 trials. The so-called viral vector vaccine has now started a 40,000-strong phase 3 trial.

It takes 270 Electoral College votes to win the U.S. presidency -- a majority of the 538 votes across 50 states and Washington DC. About 45% of the U.S. population lives in 15 leaning and so-called toss-up states.

The U.S. has more confirmed cases of COVID-19 than any other country according to daily updates from the Johns Hopkins University, at around a quarter of the global total, with fatalities expected to reach between 100,000- 240,000.

Flawed genius, tempestuous talent, with breathtaking brilliance -- maestro Diego Maradona, Argentina’s legendary No.10, has died, aged 60.

Diego Maradona, the Argentine soccer great who was among the best players ever and who led his country to the 1986 World Cup title before later struggling with cocaine use and obesity, has died. He was 60.

Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton arrives for the Bahrain GP already crowned 2020 World Champion and most successful driver of all time. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the race will be run predominantly without spectators.

The new Heineken Champions Cup season kicks off with an expanded 24 teams from England’s Aviva Premiership, France’s Top 14 and the Pro14 -- contested by Ireland, Scotland, Wales and Italy -- competing in an adapted tournament, enforced by the Covid-19 pandemic

The UEFA Europa League continues with key fixtures including LOSC Lille facing AC Milan, Rangers hosting Benfica, and Real Sociedad taking on AZ Alkmaar. The season culminates with the final at the Stadion Energa Gdańsk in Poland on May 26, 2021.

Spanish coach Pep Guardiola has signed a new two-year contract at Manchester City to extend his stay at the club until 2023.

The 72nd Formula One World Championship, comprising 22 races around the world, commences with the Australian Grand Prix and concludes in Abu Dhabi in December.

Lewis Hamilton’s victory at the Turkish Grand Prix secured his seventh Formula 1 World Championship title, equalling the haul of Michael Schumacher, a record that many thought was unassailable.

The Nitto ATP World Tour Finals take place in London, featuring the world’s top eight-ranked players. World No.1 Novak Djokovic heads into the season-ending ATP Finals aiming to secure a sixth title to equal the record of rival Roger Federer.

The second UEFA Nations League tournament completes the group stage, with heavyweight contests including France facing 2019 champions, Portugal, and Spain hosting Germany.

Starting in in the north-west city of Brest, Brittany, the defining characteristic of the 2021 Tour de France is the inclusion of a double ascent of the iconic Mont Ventoux and a visit to Andorra.

The Copa Libertadores, South America’s premier club competition enters the knock-out stages. Ties of the round include defending champions Flamengo against Argentina’s Racing, 6-time champions Boca Juniors against 2-time winners Internacional, competition heavyweight River Plate against Athletico Paranaense, and Santos taking on LDU Quito.

The UEFA Champions League -- Europe’s premier club football competition -- kicks off, with 32 teams battling to lift the trophy. German heavyweights Bayern Munich will aim to repeat last year’s campaign which began with emphatic wins in all six group stage matches en route to claiming the title.

Europe’s new UEFA Champions League season kicks off -- the 29th season of Europe’s primary club football tournament. Bayern Munich are aiming for their seventh title to equal AC Milan as joint-second most successful club in European Cup history, behind Spanish giants Real Madrid, with 13 titles.

The FIS Alpine Ski World Cup is the premier international circuit of alpine skiing competitions, taking place at more than 30 venues in 13 countries. The season begins in Soelden, Austria, and concludes in March at the World Cup finals in Lenzerheide, Switzerland.

European Champions Bayern Munich open the defence of their title against Atletico Madrid, as the new Champions League season opens, culminating with the final at Turkey’s Atatürk Olympic Stadium on May 29, 2021.

The new UEFA Europa League season kicks off on October 22 and culminates with the final at Poland’s Stadion Energa Gdańsk on May 26, 2021.

The 29th Premier League season kicks off, with Liverpool aiming to defend their title after ending a 30-year wait to become top-flight champions. Champions League qualification, fierce rivalries, title glory or relegation will all be decided over 380 enthralling matches.

Defending champions Juventus kick off the new Serie A season with a home clash against Sampdoria, while Internazionale, who finished second last season, face newly promoted Benevento.

The new Spanish La Liga season gets underway just weeks after the late finish of the previous season, which was delayed by the coronavirus pandemic. Granada host the opening fixture with a home clash against Athletic Bilbao.

Fussball-Bundesliga season, Germany’s premier football competition. Bayern Munich, the reigning champions and favourites to clinch a 30th Bundesliga title, kick off the new season with a home clash against Schalke.

The 2020-21 football season gets underway just weeks after the late finish of the previous season due to the coronavirus pandemic, with Premier League champions Liverpool hosting Championship winners Leeds Utd.

The Federation Internationale de Motocyclisme founded the Road Racing World Championship in 1949, staging just six Grands Prix in Europe. Now a global brand with multiple races each year, MotoGP is firmly established as the premier class of motorcycle racing.