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    Watch moment Syrian rebels shoot down statue of former President Assad

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    This is the moment Syrian rebels shoot down the statue of former President Hafez al-Assad.It comes as the Syrian government of Hafez’s son Bashar has fallen, bringing a stunning end to his family’s 50-year reign following a lightning offensive by Islamist rebels.Social media footage shows protesters bringing down the statue of the president’s late father in a main square in a suburb a few miles from the centre of the capital on Saturday (7 December).A plane carrying Assad left Damascus on Sunday morning as rebel fighters entered the capital, and two officials told Reuters he had fled the country. More

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      Trump says world gone crazy as he meets Macron ahead of Notre Dame Cathedral re-opening

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      Donald Trump said the world has gone “crazy” as he met with French President Emmanuel Macron ahead of the historic re-opening of the Notre Dame Cathedral.The President-elect arrived in France on Saturday (7 December) to meet with Mr Macron ahead of the Cathedral’s grand reopening.Mr Trump praised the “great relationship” between the US and France and said: “It’s a great honour to be here and we’ve had a good time together and a lot of really great success working together. “It seems like the world has gone crazy right now and we will be talking about that.” More

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      Watch live: French prime minister Michael Barnier arrives at Elysee to tender resignation

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      Your support helps us to tell the storyFrom reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.Your support makes all the difference.CloseRead moreWatch live as French Prime Minister Michael Barnier arrives at the Elysee on Thursday (5 December) to tender his resignation.Barnier has become the shortest-serving French prime minister in modern history as opposition parties have ousted his government in a historic no-confidence vote – which hands President Emmanuel Macron a fresh political crisis.Mr Barnier’s government is the first to be forced out by such a vote in more than 60 years, with the trigger being a clash over the country’s budget for next year. A majority of 331 voted in support of the motion to remove him; a minimum of 288 was needed.Opposition parties tabled the motion after Mr Barnier controversially used special constitutional powers to force through a budget without a vote. The former Brexit negotiator was only appointed by Mr Macron in September. More

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      Putin praises ‘clever and experienced’ Donald Trump but claims president-elect is ‘not safe’

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      Russian president Vladimir Putin hailed US President-elect Donald Trump “clever and experienced”, voicing confidence that he would be able to find a solution to Ukraine’s “challenges”.In a speech on Thursday (28 November), Putin also voiced dismay about what he described as “uncivilised means, including assassination attempts” against Trump.“In my view, even now he’s not safe, the US history has seen various developments,” Putin said. “But he is a clever and cautious man, he realizes all that.”Putin said he had been shocked to see Trump facing “humiliating and unfounded judicial procedures and accusations,” along with his family members. More

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      Elon Musk’s father claims England has ‘gone back 400 years to Tudor times’ as he calls for Starmer to resign

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      Elon Musk’s father has accused England of “going back 400 years to the Tudor times” as he called for Sir Keir Starmer to resign.Errol Musk also criticsed Labour cabinet members for previous comments about President-elect Donald Trump.Appearing on Andrew Marr’s LBC show on Wednesday (20 November), Mr Musk said: “England has gone back to theTudor times, you’ve gone back 400 years with this government.”When asked about his thoughts on Sir Keir, Mr Musk added: “He needs to reign before four years, he needs to resign in the next three months.” More

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      Donald Trump set to recognise African state as official country, says ex-Tory minister after holding talks

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      Your support helps us to tell the storyFrom reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.Your support makes all the difference.CloseRead moreDonald Trump is poised to recognise a former British protectorate as an official country, according to a former UK defence secretary who lobbied the president elect.Sir Gavin Williamson told The Independent he has held talks with Trump’s team about the recognition of Somaliland, which holds a crucial strategic position on the Red Sea.He said he was confident the new president would take up the issue once he assumes office in January. The former Tory cabinet minister has been the leading advocate for official recognition of the ex-British protectorate, which has in effect been independent from Somalia since 1991.It is uncomfortable for Labour that a senior Tory figure is seeking to influence US foreign policy, and potentially bounce the UK government into changing its stance on the issue.Trump could recognise Somaliland More

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      Moment New Zealand Maori MPs disrupt parliament with haka in protest against treaty bill

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      This is the moment New Zealand Maori MPs disrupt parliament with a haka to protest against a treaty bill.New Zealand’s parliament was briefly suspended on Thursday (14 November), after Maori members staged a haka to disrupt the vote on a contentious bill that could reinterpret an 184-year-old treaty between the British and Indigenous Maori.As parliamentarians gathered for a preliminary vote on the bill, Te Pati Maori MPs stood and began a haka, a traditional Maori dance made famous by New Zealand’s rugby team.Parliament was briefly suspended as people in the gallery joined in, and shouting drowned out others in the chamber. More

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      Keir Starmer dodges questions over Donald Trump climate fears at Cop29 summit

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      Sir Keir Starmer appeared to dodge questions over President-elect Donald Trump’s climate fears at the Cop29 summit.The prime minister was asked how he plans to work with the new US president on climate change, when he previously described the crisis as a “hoax”.Sir Keir appeared to dodge the question during an interview on Tuesday (12 November), instead insisting that the UK will show leadership to tackle the climate crisis.Trump has threatened to pull the US out of the Paris Agreement once more to curb global warming.When pressed again on Trump’s views on climate change, Sir Keir said: “I look forward to working with President Trump.” More

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      UK could be spared from Trump’s tariffs because of Brexit, says US governor

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      The UK could be spared from Donald Trump’s tariffs raise because of Brexit, a US governor has said.Trump has said he wants to raise tariffs on goods from around the world by 10 percent, rising to 60 percent on goods from China, as part of his plan to protect US industries.Governor of New Jersey Phil Murphy believes the UK could be exempt because of Brexit.Speaking to Sky News on Saturday (9 November), he said: “I have a gut feeling that he looks at the UK’s move out of the European Union, which by the way I have to say was a huge mistake from my perspective, but from his perspective I think its’ ‘These guys have the courage to pull out of this big bureaucratic blob and I Donald Trump have some sympathy with the renegade who does that’ and I think that’s a card that can be played.” More