*)Trump says he'll leave if Electoral College seats Biden

President Donald Trump has said he will leave the White House if the Electoral College formalises Democratic rival Joe Biden's victory.

Trump spent his Thanksgiving renewing baseless claims that “massive fraud” and crooked officials in battleground states caused his election defeat.

Biden won the November 3 presidential election with 306 Electoral College votes to Trump's 232.

*) Vaccine deliveries to begin next week in US

Staying in the US, President Trump has said that delivery of the coronavirus vaccine would begin next week and the week after.

Speaking to US troops overseas to mark Thanksgiving, he said the vaccine would initially be sent to front-line workers, medical personnel and senior citizens.

In the meantime, millions of Americans took to the skies and the highways ahead of Thanksgiving despite warnings to stay home to prevent Covid-19 from spreading.

*) Australia to discharge 13 soldiers after Afghan war crimes probe

Australia’s army has moved to discharge 13 soldiers following a report that points to their involvement in war crimes in Afghanistan.

Army chief Rick Burr said administrative action notices have been served to terminate their service in two weeks' time unless they successfully appeal.

A years-long investigation last week reported that Australia's elite special forces "unlawfully killed" 39 civilians and prisoners in Afghanistan.

*) Burkina Faso President Kabore secures re-election

Burkina Faso President Roch Kabore has won re-election, according to preliminary results.

Kabore won over 57 percent of the vote, as the official tally from the electoral commission showed. He needed over 50 percent to avoid a second round.

Some analysts had expected a closer contest but poor turnout due to the violence may have helped Kabore.

And finally…

*) Museum to record Londoners' Covid dreams

The Museum of London has announced a project to collect the dreams of Londoners during the coronavirus pandemic.

The "Guardians of Sleep" project aims to document the impact of the Covid-19 crisis through the collection of dreams that would be orally narrated.

It will also explore what insight dreams might offer into mental health and ways of coping with external stresses, especially in times of crisis.

*) Trump pardons ex-aide Flynn, who pleaded guilty of lying in Russia probe

US President Donald Trump has pardoned his former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn.

Flynn had twice pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI during the investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election.

Trump tweeted his decision and wished Flynn a happy Thanksgiving, drawing condemnation from the Democrats.


*) Ethiopian forces surround Tigray's capital Mekelle as ultimatum expires

In Ethiopia, a 72-hour deadline given by the government for Tigray fighters to surrender has expired.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has issued a warning to the Tigray People's Liberation Front to lay down its arms, or face an assault on Mekelle.

Hundreds of people have reportedly been killed in the ongoing fighting in the country’s Tigray region and thousands have been displaced.

*) Cyclone Nivar tears down power lines, trees in India

A severe cyclone has slammed into India's southern coast, uprooting trees and power lines but there have been no immediate reports of loss of life.

Cyclone Nivar made landfall near the city of Puducherry in the southern state of Tamil Nadu with winds of up to 130 km per hour.

Tens of thousands of people were evacuated from low-lying areas of Tamil Nadu ahead of the storm's landfall.


*) Football icon Diego Maradona dies of heart attack

One of the greatest footballers of all time, Diego Maradona has died at the age of 60 after suffering a heart attack.

In Buenos Aires, heartbroken fans of Maradona gathered to mourn the soccer legend's death, laying flowers and singing chants.

Three days of national mourning have been declared in Argentina and his body will lie in state at the presidential palace in Buenos Aires.


And finally…

*) Six of Pakistan's squad positive for coronavirus – New Zealand Cricket

Six members of Pakistan's touring cricket squad have tested positive for Covid-19 in New Zealand, throwing preparations for the series into turmoil.

All six have been moved into quarantine and the team's exemption to train while in isolation has been temporarily revoked, according to New Zealand Cricket.

Pakistan are due to play three Twenty20 internationals and two tests from December 18.

*) Coronavirus has infected over 60 million people globally

The number of coronavirus cases has surpassed the grim milestone of 60 million cases worldwide.

Covid-19 has killed more than 1.4 million people across the world since the outbreak of the pandemic in January.

The United States is the worst affected country in terms of caseload, followed by India and Brazil.


*) UN chief calls for de-escalation of tensions in Tigray

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has expressed concern over the ongoing conflict in Ethiopia's Tigray region, calling for a de-escalation of tensions.

The appeal comes as an Ethiopian human rights organisation accused a Tigrayan Youth Group of killing as many as 600 civilians earlier this month.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has given the Tigray People's Liberation Front until Wednesday night to surrender.

*) Biden presents security and foreign policy team

US President-elect Joe Biden has formally introduced the first round of nominations for his new cabinet.

His picks include secretary of state, national security advisor, homeland security secretary, intelligence chief, UN ambassador and climate change envoy.

This all comes after US President Donald Trump suffered further setbacks in his efforts to overturn the results of the election with claims of fraud.

*) Hundreds protest clearance of migrant camp by police

In France, hundreds have demonstrated in Paris against violent treatment of migrants at a camp by police.

They were filmed overturning tents, using tear gas to disperse crowds and hitting people with riot shields.

France's Interior Ministry has also launched an investigation into clashes that broke out on Monday after police cleared the migrant camp.

And finally…

*) Scores of pilot whales dead in New Zealand stranding

Almost 100 pilot whales have died in a mass stranding on New Zealand's remote Chatham Islands.

At least 69 whales had already died by the time wildlife officers reached the beach. Over two dozen pilot whales were euthanised.

The causes of mass stranding remain unknown despite scientists studying the phenomenon for decades.

*) Trump finally agrees to Biden transition - but still not conceding

US President Donald Trump has inched closer to admitting election defeat, noting that it was time for the government agency to ease White House transitions to "do what needs to be done".

This comes after the General Services Administration said it was finally lifting its unprecedented block on assistance during the transition.

Before the announcement, Biden had pushed ahead with plans for his cabinet, and nominations for key positions came in.

The nominations include Antony Blinken for Secretary of State and John Kerry for the climate envoy on the National Security Council.

*) UN calls for civilians to be protected after PM's ultimatum

The UN Security Council will be holding its first meeting on Ethiopia in an attempt to mediate between the conflict in the dissident Tigray region.

The global organisation has urged Ethiopian officials to ensure the safety of civilians as the army prepares for an attack in the capital of Tigray.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has announced a deadline for the rebels to surrender but the Tigray People's Liberation Front has vowed not to give up.

*) Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine 'up to 90 percent effective'

Oxford University and pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca have announced their coronavirus vaccine can be up to 90 percent effective.

It is cheaper to produce than its rivals Pfizer and Moderna and can be stored at normal refrigeration temperatures.

This makes it ideal for mass production and distribution with up to 3 billion doses of the vaccine expected to be produced by 2021.

*) Turkish court resumes trial of 20 Saudi suspects in absentia

A Turkish court will resume the trial in absentia of 20 Saudi suspects, accused of murdering Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul’s Saudi consulate.

The first hearing was held in Istanbul back in July.

Prosecutors are seeking life sentences for all accused of the 2018 murder.


And finally…

*) China launches mission to bring back material from moon

China’s Chang'e 5 lunar probe has been launched from the Wenchang Space Centre.

It's on a mission to collect rock samples from the moon, which scientists hope will help them learn more about its origins and formation.

If successful, China will be only the third country to have retrieved samples from the Moon, following the US and the Soviet Union in the 60s and 70s.

*) Prominent Hong Kong activists plead guilty

Prominent Hong Kong activists Joshua Wong, Ivan Lam and Agnes Chow have pleaded guilty over their involvement in last year's protests.

Hong Kong was convulsed by seven straight months of violent anti-Beijing rallies in which millions took to the streets last year.

Beijing and local authorities refused demands for free elections and responded with a widening crackdown against protesters.

All three activists were remanded into custody pending a sentencing hearing on December 2.

*) Top Republicans urge Trump to concede election

Several Republican lawmakers are urging US President Donald Trump to concede the election.

Former New Jersey governor Chris Christie is calling Trump's legal team an embarrassment after they alleged election fraud but provided no evidence to support their claim.

Several states also overturned legal requests from Trump's team to discredit Joe Biden's win.

*) Covid-19 vaccine could be rolled out in US in December

Some good news for our US listeners: coronavirus vaccinations could be distributed in America by December 11.

Pfizer and its partner BioNTech requested emergency regulatory authorisation on Friday.

Distribution of the vaccine will begin 24 hours after approval by the US Food and Drug Administration.

*) G20 leaders pledge to help struggling countries

This year's G20 Summit, held virtually by Saudi Arabia, has ended with a pledge to do what's necessary to help poorer countries with coronavirus tests and treatment.

Many developing countries have been plunged into economic turmoil because of the virus.

G20 leaders also endorsed a plan to extend a freeze in debt payments from struggling countries.

And finally…

*) Taylor Swift named Artist of the Year at AMAs

Taylor Swift has been named Artist of the Year at the American Music Awards for a record sixth time.

She did not show up at the Los Angeles ceremony though, saying that she is re-recording her early tracks after her catalogue was sold.

Swift beat Justin Bieber, Post Malone and Roddy Ricch for the coveted award and also won Favorite Music Video and Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist.

US reports record one-day high in new Covid-19 infections and 'Shuggie Bain' writer Douglas Stuart wins Booker Prize

*) US registers record single-day rise in new Covid cases

The US has reported a world record of more than 200,000 new cases of Covid-19 in a single day.

The world's worst-hit country also reported 2,239 fatalities – the highest death toll since May – with citizens urged to stay home for Thanksgiving.

The pandemic has infected more than 57 million people and claimed at least 1.3 million lives around the world.

*) Ethiopia's latest air strike reportedly hits Tigray university

Rebel forces have alleged that air strikes by Ethiopian federal forces targeted a university injuring several students in the northern Tigray region.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed launched a military campaign in the northern region in response to what he says were attacks by the Tigray People's Liberation Front.

The two-week-old conflict has since killed hundreds, sent 36,000 refugees into Sudan and worsened a humanitarian crisis in the Horn of Africa.

*) Biden condemns Trump's 'irresponsible' fight

US President-elect Joe Biden says that incumbent President Donald Trump's challenge of the election results is "totally irresponsible".

The incumbent US president has refused to accept his loss in the presidential race despite his opponent getting over six million more votes.

Meanwhile, Georgia has confirmed Biden as the winner in the state after completing a hand audit of nearly 5 million ballots.

*) Deaths mount after Bobi Wine arrest triggers unrest in Uganda

At least 16 people have been killed in clashes between Ugandan security forces and supporters of detained opposition leader Bobi Wine.

The violence also left at least 45 people injured, which comes two months before a presidential election in the country.

Opposition candidate Bobi Wine, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi was arrested for allegedly violating coronavirus measures at his rallies.

And finally…

*) 'Shuggie Bain' writer Douglas Stuart wins Booker Prize

Scottish author Douglas Stuart has won the 2020 Booker Prize for his acclaimed debut novel "Shuggie Bain”.

The 44-year-old writer won the prestigious $66,000 award for his first published novel, which is the product of a decade of work.

He was the only UK-born author on a US-dominated list of six finalists for the prize, which is open to English-language novels from around the world.

*) US coronavirus death toll hits 250,000

US coronavirus deaths have passed a quarter of a million people as New York announced it would close schools to battle a rise in infections.

US states and cities are imposing a raft of new restrictions, including home confinement and the closure of indoor dining as cases soar across the country.

The second wave of the pandemic has forced many countries across the world to return to stricter measures to curb the virus spread.

*) Storm Iota kills dozens in Central America

Iota's death toll rises to 30 after the storm unleashed mudslides and left thousands homeless across Central America.

Iota made landfall in Nicaragua as a "catastrophic" Category 5 hurricane on Monday, but its remnants will continue to be deadly through Thursday.

The US National Hurricane Center warned of "life-threatening flash flooding" across portions of Central America, due to heavy rainfall.

*) Australian troops unlawfully killed Afghan civilians

A shocking report into war crimes by elite Australian troops has found evidence that soldiers unlawfully killed 39 Afghan prisoners, farmers and civilians.

Defence Force Chief General Angus Campbell admitted there was credible evidence his special forces were involved in the killings.

Campbell said the illegal killings began in 2009, with the majority occurring in 2012 and 2013.

*) Both sides in Ethiopia's conflict claim military successes

Both sides in Ethiopia's raging internal conflict have claimed military successes, creating a muddied picture of fighting.

The Tigray region's refugee crisis amplified as Sudan reported 36,000 people had streamed across its borders to escape the violence.

The fighting began in the region after Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed launched a military operation against Tigray’s local forces two weeks ago.

And finally…

*) 'Wonder Woman 1984' to debut in theaters and on HBO Max

The much-delayed superhero sequel "Wonder Woman 1984" will premiere on HBO Max and in theaters simultaneously from Christmas Day in the US.

The decision to release the movie on the Warner Bros’ streaming platform represents a gamble for a film which cost a reported 200 million dollars.

Before the coronavirus pandemic, blockbuster movies ran only on the big screen for a theatrical window of 90 days.