Key Storylines
- AFRICA: The United Nations and Germany are co-chairing a ministerial meeting of world powers and other countries with interests in Libya’s ongoing civil war in hopes of gaining a cease-fire between its rival governments.
- AMERICAS: The Brazilian Ministry of Health recorded 708 additional deaths from COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, making its death toll 145,388.
- ASIA: Deaths from COVID-19 in India passed 100,000, official data showed as the pandemic continues to rage across the world’s second-most populous country.
- EUROPE: The Czech Republic recorded 3,793 new COVID-19 cases, a second straight record for the highest daily count, data released by the Health Ministry on Saturday showed.
- MIDDLE EAST: Egypt recorded 149 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number in the country to 103,466, said the Health Ministry.
- TECH & COMMUNICATIONS: Twitter Chief Executive Jack Dorsey has agreed to testify before the Senate Commerce Committee on Oct. 28, the company announced.
Top Story
- United States: More political figures are diagnosed with COVID-19 in the aftermath of President Trump getting the disease.
- President Donald Trump’s former adviser Kellyanne Conway said late Friday that she has tested positive for the coronavirus, days after attending a White House event with several others who have since come down with COVID-19.
- Nearly a dozen COVID-19 cases have been connected to the presidential debate held in Cleveland this week, according to a statement from the Cleveland mayor’s office.
- Six people, including the president, have now tested positive for COVID-19 after attending President Trump’s announcement of Judge Amy Coney Barrett as the nominee to the Supreme Court, causing uncertainty on the future of her confirmation hearings into question.
- North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis and Utah Sen. Mike Lee, both members of the judiciary committee have tested positive for COViD-19.
- U.S. President Donald Trump said on Twitter, after being hospitalized with COVID-19, that he felt he was doing well.
- Reporting: AP, NYT, NYT, AP, Reuters,
Africa
- The Democratic Republic of Congo: In a report published this week, more than 50 women levelled accusations against aid workers from the World Health Organization (WHO) and other UN agencies of sexual abuse during the 2018-2020 Ebola crisis in eastern regions of the troubled nation. (AFP)
- Libya: The nation reported 509 additional COVID-19 cases, bringing the total confirmed caseload in the country to 35,717, said the National Center for Disease Control. (Xinhua)
- Libya: The United Nations and Germany are co-chairing a ministerial meeting of world powers and other countries with interests in the nation’s ongoing civil war in hopes of gaining a cease-fire between its rival governments. (AP)
Americas
- Brazil: The Ministry of Health recorded 708 additional deaths from COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, making the country’s death toll 145,388. (Xinhua)
- Brazil: The government of São Paulo state has asked health regulator Anvisa to register for use of the COVID-19 vaccine candidate developed by China’s Sinovac Biotech Ltd, governor João Doria announced. (Reuters)
- Colombia: The number of COVID-19 infections in the nation rose to 841,531 in the past 24 hours after tests detected 6,192 new cases, the Ministry of Health and Social Protection reported. (Xinhua)
- The United States: The Wisconsin Supreme Court agreed to weigh in on if the Republican-controlled Legislature has the ability to challenge a federal court ruling that extends the period that absentee ballots can be counted until Nov. 9nth. (AP)
Asia
- Cambodia: The nation has demolished a U.S.-built building on the country’s largest naval base, according to images published by an American think tank, amid increasing concern in Washington about China’s access to military bases in the nation. (Reuters)
- India: Deaths from COVID-19 in the country passed 100,000, official data showed as the pandemic continues to rage across the world’s second-most populous country. (AFP)
- Singapore: The nation reported new daily COVID-19 cases in the single digits for the first time since March. (Reuters)
- South Korea: Police increased their presence to prevent conservative activists from holding abrupt and illegal rallies in central Seoul amid concerns about the further spread of COVID-19. (YNA)
Europe
- Region: Prime Minister Boris Johnson and EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen have agreed to speak in a video call after prior negotiations over a post-Brexit trade deal ended without agreement. (BBC)
- Czech Republic: The country recorded 3,793 new COVID-19 cases, a second straight record for the highest daily count, data released by the Health Ministry on Saturday showed. (Reuters)
- United Kingdom: Air pollution in London has plunged since Sadiq Khan became mayor, with a 94% reduction in the number of people living in areas with illegal levels of nitrogen dioxide. (The Guardian)
Middle East
- Egypt: The nation registered 149 new COVID-19 cases, raising the total number in the country to 103,466, said the Health Ministry. (Xinhua)
- Kuwait: South Korea will send a delegation of government officials to the nation to pay respects over the passing of its ruler, the foreign ministry announced. (YNA)
Tech & Communications
- Social Media: Twitter Chief Executive Jack Dorsey has agreed to testify before the Senate Commerce Committee on Oct. 28, the company announced. (Reuters)
World
- Cyclones:
- Tropical Storm Gamma
- Location:19.4N 86.9W
- Movement: NW
- Wind:50 mph
- Map
- Tropical Storm Gamma
- Hurricanes:
- Hurricane Marie:
- Location:17.9N 126.4W
- Movement: NW
- Wind:130 mph
- Map
- Hurricane Marie:
- Earthquakes: Nothing to report
- Volcanoes: Nothing to report.
- Global Disease Outbreaks:
- COVID-19 Coronavirus Disease: Global
- Confirmed Cases as of 02OCT20: 34,638,515
- Total Recovered Cases as of 02OCT20: 24,065,583
- Deaths as of 02OCT20: 1,028,934
- Countries with Confirmed Cases: 188
- Sourcing: John Hopkins University
- Ebola Virus Disease: DR Congo (11th Ebola outbreak figures from Equateur Province)
- Confirmed Cases as of 26SEP20: 118
- Probable Cases as of 26SEP20: 6
- Deaths as of 26SEP20: 50
- Sourcing: WHO
- COVID-19 Coronavirus Disease: Global
Tomorrow’s Outlook (04OCT20)
- Americas/Asia-Pacific: U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo may visit Japan as part of an Oct. 4-8 regional tour, although this may be shifted due to the U.S. president’s COVID-19 diagnosis.
- Americas/Asia-Pacific: Secretary of State Pompeo begins Japan / Mongolia / South Korea trip
- Asia-Pacific: The French overseas special collectivity of New Caledonia in the Pacific to hold the second of a potential three independence referendums.
- Italy: municipal and regional elections
- Kyrgyzstan: Parliamentary elections
- Saudi Arabia: The kingdom will allow the Umrah to resume for citizens and residents of the Kingdom.
END