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| - Duty Editor: Huw Griffith Tel: +852 2829 6211 -- TOP STORIES -- + Trump claims 'rounding the corner' on pandemic + Surge in virus cases of 'great concern': WHO + Yodelling link to Swiss spike in virus cases + Belgium's king meets long-secret half-sister + South Africa pull out of Rugby Championship US-vote,WRAP WASHINGTON President Donald Trump delivers a combative defense of his Covid-19 response while election challenger Joe Biden -- offering a glaring contrast in style in a rival town hall -- accuses him of doing "nothing" to end the pandemic. 800 words moved by Michael Mathes and Sebastian Smith. Picture. Video. Graphic Health-virus,WRAP COPENHAGEN European countries unveil new measures to try to curb a surge in coronavirus infections, which the World Health Organization warns is of "great concern". 750 words moved by AFP bureaus. Picture. Video. Graphic Also moved: Health-virus-Britain,4thlead Health-virus-Germany-politics,FOCUS Health-virus-Germany-books-fair,FOCUS Health-virus-Switzerland-music-yodel GENEVA The coronavirus pandemic has not deterred the Swiss from sending yodels echoing across their mountain valleys, but a concert attended by 600 people is believed to have made one canton a European virus hotspot. 300 words moved Belgium-royals,WRAP BRUSSELS Belgium's King Philippe has met his once-secret half-sister Delphine de Saxe-Cobourg for the first time, the palace says, after she won a legal battle to be admitted to the royal family. 450 words moved by Matthieu Demeestere. Picture RugbyU-RC-2020-RSA,WRAP SYDNEY World Cup-holders South Africa pull out of the Rugby Championship over complications caused by the coronavirus, badly diminishing the tournament and raising further questions about their future in southern hemisphere rugby. 500 words 0600 GMT. File picture. -- AMERICAS -- US-vote-early,FOCUS NEWTON, Iowa Americans are voting early in record numbers with more than 17.8 million casting their ballots already ahead of a presidential election between Democrat Joe Biden and Republican Donald Trump taking place under the shadow of the coronavirus pandemic. 750 words moved by Eleonore Sens and Chris Lefkow in Washington. File picture. Video US-vote-IT-politics-media,FOCUS WASHINGTON The misinformation wars around the US election kicked into high gear this week with Facebook and Twitter taking aggressive action against President Donald Trump and his allies, thrusting the platforms into a new political quagmire. 750 words moved by Rob Lever Mexico-US-politics-arrest,WRAP MEXICO CITY Former Mexican defence minister Salvador Cienfuegos has been arrested in the United States on undisclosed charges, Mexico's foreign minister says. 400 words moved. File picture. Bolivia politics vote,ADVANCER LA PAZ Bolivians will vote for a new president on Sunday and for the first time in two decades the name of Evo Morales will not be on the ballot paper. 750 words 0530 GMT -- ASIA -- Thailand-politics-royals,WRAP BANGKOK Two Thai activists surrendered to police on charges of "trying to harm" the country's queen Friday after thousands of pro-democracy protesters defied an emergency decree to rally on the streets of Bangkok. 500 words 0700 GMT. Picture. Video. NZealand-vote-politics-Ardern,PROFILE WELLINGTON A fresh-faced Jacinda Ardern entered office three years ago promising "relentless positivity" -- and New Zealand's leader has needed it in abundance as a succession of catastrophes besieged the nation and tested her mettle. 650 words moved by Neil Sands. File Picture Afghanistan-Guantanamo-prisoners,FOCUS PESHAWAR, Pakistan For 13 years, Sehar Bibi has waited for her son to be released from Guantanamo Bay, where life for one of the last Afghan detainees has been defined by hunger strikes, force-feedings and isolation. 750 words 0530 GMT by David Stout and Sajjad Tarakzai. Picture. Video HongKong-virus-health-animal,FOCUS HONG KONG Rare pink river dolphins are enjoying a comeback in the waters between Hong Kong and Macau after the coronavirus pandemic halted ferries -- but scientists remain deeply concerned about their ultimate survival in such a busy sea lane. 750 words moved by Ayaka McGill. Video. Picture -- MIDDLE EAST -- UAE-Israel-religion-tourism,FOCUS DUBAI At the plush Armani hotel in the shadow of the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest tower, a rabbi switches on the stoves at what is billed as Dubai's first kosher restaurant. 750 words moved by Shatha Yaish. Picture. Video Sudan-US-Israel-diplomacy,FOCUS KHARTOUM From his sprawling mansion in Sudan's capital Khartoum, complete with a grand facade of pillars copying Washington's White House, businessman Abu al-Qassem Bortoum speaks excitedly of his controversial plan. 800 words moved by Abdelmoneim Abu Idris Ali. Picture. Video -- EUROPE -- Armenia-Azerbaijan-conflict-Karabakh-grave,SCENE QUZANLY, Azerbaijan "Oh my son!" the kneeling mother sings in mournful prayer over the grave of an Azerbaijani soldier as shells explode just beyond the horizon along the frontline of Nagorno-Karabakh. 600 words moved by Dmitry Zaks. Picture. Video Also moved: Armenia-Azerbaijan-conflict-Karabakh Austria-Mexico-art-history,FOCUS VIENNA Mexico wants a resplendent ancient Aztec headdress of iridescent blue-green feathers almost two metres wide -- a star attraction Vienna's Weltmuseum -- to come home in time for the country's celebrations of its 200th anniversary of independence. 700 words moved by Jastinder Khera with Sofia Miselem in Mexico City. Picture. Video Britain-EU-politics-Brexit,WRAP LONDON European leaders demand Britain urgently give ground on fair trade rules to unblock stalled post-Brexit negotiations, angering London and putting the fate of the talks in jeopardy. 750 words moved by Dave Clark and Alex Pigman. Picture. Video. Graphic -- AFRICA -- ICoast-vote,WRAP ABIDJAN Ivory Coast's opposition asks supporters not to take part in electoral events and campaigning in a fresh step towards a potential total boycott of a tense October 31 presidential poll. 650 words moved by Patrick Fort. Picture. Video. -- SPORT -- RugbyU-NZL-AUS,PREVIEW AUCKLAND The "hurting" All Blacks will look to restore pride against Australia at their Eden Park fortress after last week's 16-16 draw further dimmed their aura of invincibility under new coach Ian Foster. 600 words 0600 GMT by Chris Foley. Picture We will also move: RugbyU-NZL-AUS-five,POINTS Fbl-ENG-Pr,PREVIEW LONDON Liverpool face Premier League pacesetters Everton this weekend determined to prove their 7-2 drubbing by Aston Villa was just a bizarre blip while misfiring Manchester United could slip into the relegation zone. 700 words moved by John Weaver Also moved: Fbl-ENG-Pr-Everton,PREVIEW afp
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