DELAYS EXPECTED IN U.S. ELECTION RESULTS AS MORE VOTERS OPT FOR MAIL-IN

BALLOTS

Results from the 2020 election will likely be late-and that's not a bad

thing. As more and more Americans choose not to risk the polls and opt for

mail-in ballots in advance of the November elections, experts are advising

that election night 2020 won't look like it usually does. The process of

counting votes will likely stretch far beyond election night, with final

results taking days and possibly even weeks to emerge. Election officials

are stressing that this delay is a good thing-taking a long time ensures

that the count will be more accurate.

Of the 78 million mail-in votes requested this year, 9.3 million had been

submitted by the beginning of this week, according to the University of

Florida's US Elections Project. By this point in 2016, with three weeks

still to go for the election, only about 1.4 million people had voted. This

year, some states - Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Virginia - have already received

more mail-in ballots than their total mail-in ballots in 2016.

President Donald Trump has gone great lengths to discredit mail-in voting,

claiming since July that it would increase voter fraud. In the final moments

of the first presidential debate, Trump said, "As far as the ballots are

concerned, it's a disaster. This is going to be a fraud like you've never

seen. On November 3, you're watching and you're going to see who won the

election. But we might not know for months because these ballots are going

to be all over. It's a rigged election."

Election officials are preparing to see more Republicans come to vote

in-person. Some experts have expressed concern that this would mean their

votes would be counted first, skewing the early results. However, others

have tempered these concerns to say that majority of states count mail-in

ballots first, not last, in their tally.

Nonetheless, the long drawn counting process this year has Democrats worried

that Trump will have more of an opportunity to convince his base to doubt

the results.

EUROPE THOUGHT IT HAD TAMED COVID-19; CONTINENT NOW FACES VIRUS RESURGENCE

Imposing tighter controls to curb COVID-19 contagion could save hundreds of

thousands of lives across Europe before February as the continent battles an

exponential surge in infections, the World Health Organization said on

Thursday.

Urging governments to "step up" swiftly to contain in a second wave of the

coronavirus pandemic, the WHO's European director Hans Kluge said the

current situation was, "more than ever, pandemic times for Europe".

New infections are hitting 100,000 daily in Europe, and the region has just

registered the highest weekly incidence of COVID-19 cases since the

beginning of the pandemic, with almost 700,000 cases reported.

"The fall (autumn) and winter surge continues to unfold in Europe, with

exponential increases in daily cases and matching percentage increases in

daily deaths," Kluge told an online media briefing.

"It's time to step up. The message to governments is: don't hold back with

relatively small actions to avoid the painful damaging actions we saw in the

first round (in March and April)."

More than 38 million people globally have been reported as infected with

COVID-19, and 1.1 million have died.

Kluge cited projections from what he described as "reliable epidemiological

models" and said they were "not optimistic" for the European region.

"These models indicate that prolonged relaxing policies could propel - by

January 2021 - daily mortality at levels 4 to 5 times higher than what we

recorded in April," he said.

But taking simple, swift tightening measures now - such as enforcing

widespread mask-wearing and controlling social gatherings in public or

private spaces - could save up to 281,000 lives by February across the 53

countries that make up the WHO European region, he add.

"Under proportionately more stringent scenarios, the models are reliably

much more optimistic, he said, adding: "Pandemic times do not necessarily

mean 'dark times'."

WORLD FACING NEW BRETTON WOODS MOMENT: IMF MD

Facing the twin task of fighting the coronavirus pandemic today and building

a better tomorrow, the world is experiencing a new Bretton Woods moment, IMF

Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said on Thursday.

Addressing the annual meeting of the International Monetary Fund's Board of

Governors, she said that what was true at Bretton Woods, when allies at the

end of World War II gathered for a conference to create the institutions

that would use economic cooperation to prevent future conflicts, remains

true today.

"Today we face a new Bretton Woods moment. A pandemic that has already cost

more than a million lives. An economic calamity that will make the world

economy 4.4% smaller this year and strip an estimated $11 trillion of output

by next year. And untold human desperation in the face of huge disruption

and rising poverty for the first time in decades, she said.

"Once again, we face two massive tasks: to fight the crisis today and build

a better tomorrow, she said.

Prudent macroeconomic policies and strong institutions are critical for

growth, jobs and improved living standards, she said.

Strong medium-term frameworks for monetary, fiscal and financial policies,

as well as reforms to boost trade, competitiveness and productivity can help

create confidence for policy action now while building much-needed

resilience for the future, she added.

"We know what action must be taken right now. A durable economic recovery is

only possible if we beat the pandemic.

BIDEN CAMPAIGN FINDS THIRD VIRUS LINK; HARRIS SUSPENDS TRAVEL

At least three people connected to Joe Biden's presidential campaign have

tested positive for the coronavirus, leading the campaign to suspend

in-person events for vice-presidential nominee Kamala Harris through Monday.

Mr. Biden is not altering his public schedule, his campaign said on

Thursday, because he had no direct exposure to the individuals who tested

positive, as defined by the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.

It's the Biden campaign's first major coronavirus scare, after months of

safety precautions that drew mockery from President Donald Trump, even after

he, First Lady Melania Trump and others contracted the virus themselves. The

Democratic campaign's cautious reaction underscores the differences in how

the rival camps have approached the pandemic, both in terms of preferred

government response and in the candidates' personal protocols.

Ms. Harris was set to encourage early voting on Thursday in North Carolina.

Her Friday trip to Cleveland would have been her first to Ohio as the vice

presidential nominee and would have taken her into the metropolitan area

with the state's largest concentration of Black voters.

Ms. Harris will continue virtual campaigning, including fundraisers

previously scheduled for Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

US ELECTION: TRUMP DECLINES TO DISAVOW QANON CONSPIRACY THEORY

US President Donald Trump has refused to disavow the QAnon conspiracy theory

during a town hall debate in Florida.

Asked by the moderator at the primetime event in Miami whether he would

repudiate the bizarre online claims, he said he did not know anything about

it.

His Democratic challenger Joe Biden is being quizzed in a simultaneous town

hall debate on ABC in Philadelphia.

The QAnon conspiracy theory holds that Mr Trump is battling a clandestine

"deep state" network of political, business, media and entertainment elites,

often involving Satanic plots and child trafficking.

When NBC moderator Savannah Guthrie asked Mr Trump on Thursday night whether

he would reject the group, he replied: "I know nothing about QAnon."

Ms Guthrie said she had just told him about the group.

The president said: "You told me, but what you told me doesn't necessarily

make it fact.

"I know nothing about it, I do know they are very much against paedophilia,

they fight it very hard."

Mr Trump instead targeted antifa, a loose-knit movement of mainly far-left

activists blamed by the US Department of Justice for civil disorder in US

cities during racial justice protests over the last few months.

"I tell you what I do know about," said Mr Trump, "I know about antifa and

the radical left and I know how violent they are and how vicious they are

and I know how they're burning down cities run by Democrats."

The back and forth continued as Ms Guthrie challenged Mr Trump: "You do know

[about QAnon].

"I don't know," he said.

Another presidential debate on 22 October is still scheduled to take place,

though it is unclear in what format.

EU IMPOSES SANCTIONS ON SIX RUSSIAN OFFICIALS OVER ALEXEI NAVALNY POISONING

The European Union on Thursday imposed sanctions on six Russian officials

and one organisation over the poisoning of Russian opposition leader Alexei

Navalny with a Soviet-era nerve agent.

The move came a day after Russia's Foreign Minister warned that Moscow might

respond with similar measures.

The decision was agreed upon among the 27 EU envoys to Brussels.

The adopted restrictive measures consist of a travel ban to the EU and an

asset freeze for individuals, and an asset freeze for the entity," the EU

said in a statement.

The list includes two high level officials in the Presidential Executive

Office, a director of the federal security service and two deputy ministers

in the Russian defense ministry. The EU is also targeting the State

Scientific Research Institute for Organic Chemistry and Technology.

OLI SPARKS SPECULATION BY KEEPING DEFENCE MINISTRY WITH HIMSELF IN CABINET

RESHUFFLE

Nepal's Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli has reshuffled his Cabinet, keeping

the key defence portfolio with himself, in a bid to strengthen his grip

within the fractious ruling party and to allow smooth functioning of his

government.

Oli has inducted three new ministers, including Finance Minister Bishnu

Poudel, and changed the portfolio of Deputy Prime Minister and Defence

Minister Ishwor Pokharel.

However, the dissident faction of the ruling Communist Party of Nepal led by

executive chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' was not satisfied with

Oli's latest move, which they considered as one-sided, a source close to the

ruling party said.

U.S.' SPECIAL COORDINATOR FOR TIBET AIMED AT DESTABILISING IT, SAYS CHINA

China on Thursday slammed the U.S. for appointing a Special Coordinator for

Tibetan issues, describing Washington's move as political manipulation aimed

at destabilising Tibet.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday named Robert Destro,

Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labour, as the

Special Coordinator for Tibetan issues.

Mr. Destro will focus on advancing dialogue between the Communist-run

government in Beijing and the Dalai Lama, protecting the distinct religious

cultural and linguistic identity of Tibetans, improving respect for their

human rights and much, much more, Mr. Pompeo said.

Reacting to Mr. Destro's appointment, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman

Zhao Lijian told a media briefing in Beijing that the U.S. move amounted to

interference in China's internal affairs.

He said, "the setting up of the so-called special coordinator for Tibetan

issues is entirely out of political manipulation to interfere in China's

internal affairs and destabilise Xizang", the Chinese name for Tibet.

"China firmly opposes that and never recognises that. People of ethnic

groups in Xizang are part of the big family of Chinese nation," Mr. Zhao

said.

"We believe Tibet's future will be better. The U.S. should stop interfering

in China's internal affairs under the pretext of Tibet or destabilising it.

China will take all necessary measures to uphold our interests," he said.

PAKISTAN OFFICIALS: TERRORISTS AMBUSH OIL CONVOY, KILLING 15

Militants ambushed a convoy of oil and gas workers escorted by paramilitary

troops in Pakistan's restive southwestern province of Baluchistan, killing

14 people, including 7 soldiers.

The attack was carried out on October 15 on the state-run Oil & Gas

Development Company Ltd (OGDCL) workers in Ormara town in Gwadar district.

The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the media wing of the Pakistan

Army, confirmed that the militants had also sustained heavy losses in the

exchange of fire and seven Frontier Corps (FC) soldiers and seven private

security guards were killed in the attack.

"The terrorists attacked the convoy from the mountains near Ormara on the

Balochistan-Hub-Karachi coastal highway and heavy exchange of fire took

place. The convoy was returning to Karachi from Gwadar," a top police

official in Gwadar said.

He said it was a planned attack and the militants had prior information

about the convoy going to Karachi.

"They were waiting for the convoy. Despite the FC and security guards losing

their lives, the other FC personnel managed to safely get the convoy away

from the spot near Oramara," the official said.

RACE HATE CRIMES SPIKE IN ENGLAND, RELIGIOUS CRIMES DOWN

Racially aggravated attacks registered a spike in hate crimes recorded in

England and Wales in 2019-2020 even as religious hate crimes showed a

downward trend, according to official UK Home Office statistics released on

Tuesday.

There were 105,090 hate crimes recorded in the past year, which marks an

increase of 8 per cent on the previous year, with race hate crimes rising by

around 4,000.

"As in previous years, the majority of hate crimes were race hate crimes,

accounting for around three-quarters of offences (72 per cent or 76,070

offences). These increased by 6 per cent between 2018/19 and 2019/20," notes

the Home Office report. "Religious hate crimes fell by five per cent (to

6,822 offences), down from a peak of 7,203 in 2019. This was the first fall

in religious hate crimes since 2012-13," it said.

DUBAI LAUNCHES VIRTUAL WORKING PROGRAMME FOR OVERSEAS PROFESSIONALS

Dubai has launched a new programme that enables overseas remote working

professionals to live in the city while continuing to serve their employers

in their home country.

The move offers remote workers and their families the opportunity to

re-locate on an annual basis to the Emirates.

Remote workers can take advantage of Dubai's digital infrastructure,

connectivity, global networking opportunities and zero income tax for

individuals.

Dubai recently introduced the 'Dubai Assured' stamp to certify that

establishments have implemented all public health protocols for the

prevention and management of COVID-19.

The programme costs $287 plus medical insurance with valid UAE coverage and

processing fee per person.

Dubai is the first major global destination to fully open up its meetings,

incentives, conferences and exhibitions sector internationally, providing

opportunities for networking events and face-to-face engagement, which are

vital factors in accelerating the revival of key sectors.

KYRGYZ PRESIDENT QUITS; PRIME MINISTER, NEWLY SPRUNG FROM JAIL, TAKES OVER

Kyrgyzstan President Sooronbai Jeenbekov resigned on Thursday, leaving power

in the hands of a nationalist rival whose supporters freed him from jail

last week.

The swift transition appears to put an end to more than a week of turmoil

and unrest that followed a disputed election.

Sadyr Japarov, 51, who was named prime minister this week, told cheering

supporters that he had taken on the powers of the presidency, following the

resignation of Jeenbekov and of the parliament speaker, who would otherwise

have been next in line.

"Today, (speaker Kanatbek) Isayev signed a resignation letter. All

presidential powers have fully passed to me today," Japarov said.

Hours earlier, Jeenbekov became the third president of the small Central

Asian nation since 2005 to be toppled in a popular uprising. In a statement,

he said he was resigning to prevent violence, which he said would have been

inevitable if protesters carried out a threat to march on his compound.

"I do not want to go down in Kyrgyzstan's history as a president who shed

blood and shot at his own citizens."

YEMEN'S WARRING SIDES BEGIN HARD-WON PRISONER EXCHANGE

A hard-won prisoner exchange between the Yemeni government and Houthi rebels

got under way on Thursday with the departure of the first planeloads of

released combatants.

The warring sides in Yemen's long conflict are to exchange 1,081 prisoners

over two days under a deal struck in Switzerland last month, the largest

number since the conflict erupted in 2014.

One of them was headed for the city of Abha in neighbouring Saudi Arabia

with released prisoners of war from a Saudi-led military coalition that

supports the Yemeni government, rebel officials said. Those on board

included 15 Saudis and four Sudanese.

Planes are also due to depart from Abha and from the Yemeni government-held

city of Seiyun in a complex operation overseen by the International

Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), rebel officials said. United Nations (UN)

Yemen Envoy Martin Griffiths, who attended last month's talks in

Switzerland, hailed the successful start of the operation. "Today's release

operation, led by the ICRC, is another sign that peaceful dialogue can

deliver," the Envoy said.

The Yemeni government and the Iran-backed rebels resolved to swap some

15,000 detainees as part of a peace deal brokered by the UN in Sweden back

in 2018. This week's planned swap would mark the first large-scale handover

since the war erupted in 2014.

"The transaction will be executed, with God's help, on the scheduled dates

today and tomorrow," Abdel Kader Mortaza, the rebel official in charge of

prisoner affairs, said in a tweet.

JAPAN DECIDES TO RELEASE CONTAMINATED WATER CONTAINING RADIOACTIVE

SUBSTANCES INTO THE SEA: REPORT

Japan's government has decided to release treated water containing

radioactive substances from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant into the

sea, Jiji news agency and other media reported on Friday.

A formal decision is expected to be made within this month, the reports

said.

Tokyo Electric has collected more than a million tonnes of contaminated

water since the plant was crippled by an earthquake and tsunami in 2011.