Key Storylines
- AFRICA: A security official in the Western Benishangul-Gumuz region reports an attack this week that killed 14 civilians, and security forces responded by killing 14 militia members.
- AMERICAS: The COVID-19 pandemic could raise the poverty rate in Peru by up to 30 percent, Minister of Development and Social Inclusion Patricia Donayre reported
- ASIA: China will join a World Health Organization initiative tasked with ensuring the fair distribution of Covid-19 vaccines worldwide as part of Beijing’s latest effort to do positive PR during the global battle against the pandemic.
- EUROPE: Britain’s economy grew by a lower-than-expected 2.1% in August from July, the fourth consecutive month of growth as the country tries to recover from its record economic decline during the COVID-19 lockdown, official data reported.
- MIDDLE EAST: Lebanon’s leading Sunni Muslim politician, former Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri, called for the restoration of a French plan to lift the country out of its worst financial crisis since the 1975-1990 civil war.
- TECH & COMMUNICATIONS: Amazon.com Inc AMZN.O has invested 7 billion rupees ($95.51 million) in its Indian payments unit, ahead of the festive season, data from business intelligence firm Tofler noted.
Top Story
- United States: Uncertainty continues over the state of President Trump’s health after his COVID-19 diagnosis.
- Donald Trump, who is still recovering from Covid-19, has suggested he might organize a rally in Florida despite not confirming if he has yet tested negative for the disease.
- US President Donald Trump has completed his prescribed treatment for Covid-19 and can return to campaigning, his physician has said.
- The public is losing faith in the president in handling the pandemic according to a poll taken Tuesday through Thursday, after Trump’s COVID-19 infection and weekend hospitalization found 37% of American adults approved of the president’s handling of the pandemic and 59% disapproved
- The next debates between President Donald Trump and Democrat Joe Biden might be canceled as the President refuses to participate in any debate that is not in person.
- Reporting: The Guardian, BBC, Reuters, AP,
Africa
- Ethiopia: A security official in the Western Benishangul-Gumuz region reports an attack this week that killed 14 civilians, and security forces responded by killing 14 militia members. (AP)
- Morocco: The nation announced that its navy had rescued 231 Sub-Saharan migrants from drowning in the Mediterranean Sea. (Xinhua)
- Tunisia: The Health Ministry recorded 2,357 additional COVID-19 cases, raising the total number of infections to 26,899. (Xinhua)
Americas
- Peru: The COVID-19 pandemic could raise the poverty rate in the nation by up to 30 percent, Minister of Development and Social Inclusion Patricia Donayre reported. (Xinhua)
- United States: An attorney for the family of a Black teen killed by a suburban Milwaukee police officer promised to keep fighting and working to prove racism pervades the officer’s department after a prosecutor declined to file charges in the case. (AP)
- United States: Americans are rushing to vote before the Nov. 3 election at an unprecedented pace, early voting numbers show, indicating a possible record turnout for the 2020 election. (Reuters)
Asia
- Afghanistan: A senior Afghan politician said that the nation needs time to analyze the U.S. troop withdrawal announcement but added that premature withdrawal would have negative consequences for the country. (RFE)
- China: The nation will join a World Health Organization initiative tasked with ensuring the fair distribution of Covid-19 vaccines worldwide as part of Beijing’s latest effort to do positive PR during the global battle against the pandemic. (RT)
- Kyrgyzstan: President Sooronbai Jeenbekov says he is ready to resign once a new cabinet is appointed to end the power vacuum in the Central Asian country, he announced. (RFE)
- South Korea: The nation reported 54 new cases of COVID-19, the second straight day of fewer than 100 cases, with health authorities on alert over a possible spike in infections following the Chuseok holiday. (YNA)
Europe
- Germany: The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the nation increased by 4,516 to 314,660, data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases recorded. (Reuters)
- Germany: Police in heavy riot gear began removing residents from a Berlin leftist squat, encountering minimal resistance from residents as they carried them individually down a firetruck’s ladder. (AP)
- Spain: A Spanish court has ended government curbs on entering and leaving Madrid, plunging policy in the COVID-19 hotspot into chaos and raising the possibility that Prime minister Pedro Sánchez will use emergency powers to take control. (FT)
- United Kingdom: Britain’s economy grew by a lower-than-expected 2.1% in August from July, the fourth consecutive month of growth as the country tries to recover from its record economic decline during the COVID-19 lockdown, official data reported. (Reuters)
Middle East
- Egypt: The nation recorded 121 additional infections and seven deaths of COVID-19, bringing the total number of cases in the country to 104,156, including 6,017 deaths, the Egyptian Health Ministry announced. (Xinhua)
- Lebanon: The nation’s leading Sunni Muslim politician, former Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri, called for the restoration of a French plan to lift the nation out of its worst financial crisis since the 1975-1990 civil war. (Reuters)
- Saudi Arabia: A worsening global oil demand outlook will prompt OPEC to reverse a planned easing of oil cuts in 2021 with Saudi Arabia offering deeper cuts below its current quota, J.P. Morgan announced a research note. (Reuters)
Tech & Communications
- E-Commerce: Amazon.com Inc AMZN.O has invested 7 billion rupees ($95.51 million) in its Indian payments unit, ahead of the festive season, data from business intelligence firm Tofler noted. (Reuters)
World
- Cyclones:
- Tropical Storm Chan-Hom
- Location:30.7N 133.6E
- Movement: NNE
- Wind:80 mph
- Map
- Tropical Storm Chan-Hom
- Hurricanes:
- Hurricane Delta
- Location:26.9N 93.7W
- Movement: N
- Wind:120 mph
- Map
- Hurricane Delta
- Earthquakes: Nothing to report
- Volcanoes: Nothing to report
- Global Disease Outbreaks:
- COVID-19 Coronavirus Disease: Global
- Confirmed Cases as of 09OCT20: 36,554,915
- Total Recovered Cases as of 09OCT20: 25,477,352
- Deaths as of 09OCT20: 1,062,533
- 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 (10OCT20)
- Czech Republic: Senate and regional elections second round continues
- Fiji: Independence Day
- Nigeria: Ondo State, governorship election.
- Taiwan: Double Tenth National Day
END