Same-sex marriage and abortion laws in Northern Ireland <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/northern-irish-lawmakers-sit-to-oppose-abortion-reform-257142">were liberalised on Monday</a> in a landmark shift for the province aimed at bringing it into line with mainland Britain but which has stoked resentment.

The relaxation of the UK-ruled territory's restrictive laws on the issues occurred at midnight 2300 GMT, after a deadline elapsed for local lawmakers to stop the changes imposed by MPs in Westminster.&nbsp;

British lawmakers in July approved decriminalising abortion and creating lawful access to abortion services, as well as rolling out new regulations to allow same-sex marriage and civil partnerships.

They gave Northern&nbsp;Ireland's assembly -- suspended since January 2017, until October 21 to institute alterations to the reforms, which will see the province broadly match the rest of Britain.

Abortion and same-sex marriage are legal in England, Wales and Scotland.

The assembly was briefly restored on Monday, but without support from opposition parties, they were unable to constitute an executive and pass any changes.

"At midnight&nbsp;history will be made," Grainne Teggart,&nbsp;Amnesty&nbsp;International's Northern Ireland campaign manager, said on Monday hours before the deadline.

"This is a hugely significant moment and&nbsp;the beginning of a new era for Northern Ireland, one in which we're free from oppressive laws that have policed our bodies and healthcare."

Northern Ireland Secretary of State Julian Smith told parliament the law forbidding abortions would be repealed at midnight and there will be a moratorium on criminal prosecutions.

"A new legal framework for lawful access to abortion services in Northern Ireland will be put in place by 31st March 2020," he said.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, regulations for same-sex partnership will be outlined by January 13.

"This means at the latest, the first civil same-sex marriages will take place on the week of Valentine's Day 2020," Smith added.

'Stunt' politics

The Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs) who returned to the chamber of devolved government at Stormont were predominantly from the anti-abortion Democratic Unionist Party (DUP).

Without participation from the main opposition party Sinn Fein, they could not form an executive under the region's power-sharing laws.

"It is a very sad day," DUP leader Arlene Foster told reporters after leaving the chamber.

"I know some people will seek to celebrate today and I would say to those people: 'Think of those of us who are sad today and who believe that this is an affront to human dignity and to human life.'"

Pressure has been growing in traditionally conservative Northern Ireland for its abortion law to be relaxed, in particular following the landslide 2018 referendum to repeal the abortion ban in the Republic of Ireland.

Sinn Fein vice-president Michelle O'Neill called the DUP-led reconvening of the assembly a "stunt".

She said it "achieved nothing other than to bring the political institutions into further disrepute and further undermine public confidence".

"It is not lost on the public that the first time the DUP recalled the assembly was yet another attempt to deny a section of our community rights," she added, welcoming the reforms.

Celebratory scenes

Outside Stormont protestors gathered Monday, some backing the MLAs in their bid to avert the change, others condemning it.

Around 150 anti-abortion protesters spent the morning and afternoon singing and praying with placards reading "Not in my name".

"It was the Westminster government who forced in legislation," said Bernadette Smyth, director of pro-life Precious Life Northern Ireland.

"This is undemocratic and it's wrong. So it's important that we're here today to be a voice for the vulnerable, unborn children in our society."

A boisterous crowd of some 150 pro-choice campaigners were also present, unfurling banners and chanting "What do we want? The right to chose. When do we want it? Now."

Danielle Roberts, an activist with Alliance for Choice, said "human rights have always been the responsibility of Westminster." &nbsp;&nbsp;

"There have been repeated calls for Westminster to act and finally they've actually done their duty," she told AFP.

Among the crowd, some were also keen to voice their support for the new same-sex marriage provisions.

Chef Jane Peaker, 24, attended holding the hand of her partner Meg. The pair got engaged over the summer.

"I think that we're happy that it's happened, but maybe not so happy that it hasn't come from our government," she said.&nbsp;

"But I think it's a victory nonetheless."

Peaker said the pair would like to marry on February 14, Valentine's Day and likely the earliest possible date.

Same-sex marriage and abortion laws in Northern Ireland were liberalised on Monday in a landmark shift for the province aimed at bringing it into line with mainland Britain but which has stoked resentment.

Same-sex marriage and abortion laws in Northern Ireland were liberalised on Monday in a landmark shift for the province aimed at bringing it into line with mainland Britain but which has stoked resentment. The relaxation of the UK-ruled territory's restrictive laws on the issues occurred at midnight 2300 GMT, after a deadline elapsed for local lawmakers to stop the changes imposed by MPs in Westminster. British lawmakers in July approved decriminalising abortion and creating lawful access to abortion services, as well as rolling out new regulations to allow same-sex marriage and civil partnerships. They gave Northern Ireland's assembly -- suspended since January 2017, until October 21 to institute alterations to the reforms, which will see the province broadly match the rest of Britain. Abortion and same-sex marriage are legal in England, Wales and Scotland. The assembly was briefly restored on Monday, but without support from opposition parties, they were unable to constitute an executive and pass any changes. "At midnight history will be made," Grainne Teggart, Amnesty International's Northern Ireland campaign manager, said on Monday hours before the deadline. "This is a hugely significant moment and the beginning of a new era for Northern Ireland, one in which we're free from oppressive laws that have policed our bodies and healthcare." Northern Ireland Secretary of State Julian Smith told parliament the law forbidding abortions would be repealed at midnight and there will be a moratorium on criminal prosecutions. "A new legal framework for lawful access to abortion services in Northern Ireland will be put in place by 31st March 2020," he said. Meanwhile, regulations for same-sex partnership will be outlined by January 13. "This means at the latest, the first civil same-sex marriages will take place on the week of Valentine's Day 2020," Smith added. 'Stunt' politics The Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs) who returned to the chamber of devolved government at Stormont were predominantly from the anti-abortion Democratic Unionist Party (DUP). Without participation from the main opposition party Sinn Fein, they could not form an executive under the region's power-sharing laws. "It is a very sad day," DUP leader Arlene Foster told reporters after leaving the chamber. "I know some people will seek to celebrate today and I would say to those people: 'Think of those of us who are sad today and who believe that this is an affront to human dignity and to human life.'" Pressure has been growing in traditionally conservative Northern Ireland for its abortion law to be relaxed, in particular following the landslide 2018 referendum to repeal the abortion ban in the Republic of Ireland. Sinn Fein vice-president Michelle O'Neill called the DUP-led reconvening of the assembly a "stunt". She said it "achieved nothing other than to bring the political institutions into further disrepute and further undermine public confidence". "It is not lost on the public that the first time the DUP recalled the assembly was yet another attempt to deny a section of our community rights," she added, welcoming the reforms. Celebratory scenes Outside Stormont protestors gathered Monday, some backing the MLAs in their bid to avert the change, others condemning it. Around 150 anti-abortion protesters spent the morning and afternoon singing and praying with placards reading "Not in my name". "It was the Westminster government who forced in legislation," said Bernadette Smyth, director of pro-life Precious Life Northern Ireland. "This is undemocratic and it's wrong. So it's important that we're here today to be a voice for the vulnerable, unborn children in our society." A boisterous crowd of some 150 pro-choice campaigners were also present, unfurling banners and chanting "What do we want? The right to chose. When do we want it? Now." Danielle Roberts, an activist with Alliance for Choice, said "human rights have always been the responsibility of Westminster." "There have been repeated calls for Westminster to act and finally they've actually done their duty," she told AFP. Among the crowd, some were also keen to voice their support for the new same-sex marriage provisions. Chef Jane Peaker, 24, attended holding the hand of her partner Meg. The pair got engaged over the summer. "I think that we're happy that it's happened, but maybe not so happy that it hasn't come from our government," she said. "But I think it's a victory nonetheless." Peaker said the pair would like to marry on February 14, Valentine's Day and likely the earliest possible date.

Gay marriage, abortion laws liberalised in Northern Ireland

Japan's new Emperor Naruhito on Tuesday began a string of ritual-bound ceremonies that complete his ascension to the Chrysanthemum throne, with the after-effects of a deadly typhoon casting a shadow over proceedings.

Naruhito officially assumed his duties as emperor on May 1, a day after his father became the first Japanese monarch to abdicate in 200 years.

But the transition is not complete until his new role is officially proclaimed, in a series of events expected to be attended by foreign dignitaries from over 180 countries.

The festivities have been scaled back however in the wake of devastating Typhoon Hagibis, which slammed into Japan just over a week ago, killing more than 80.

With people still searching for missing loved ones and living in shelters, the government has postponed until November 10 an open-top car parade that had been intended to introduce the royal pair to the public.

But the rest of the day's ceremonies are going ahead as planned, and Naruhito began the day by "reporting" the proclamation to deities and his ancestors in the ancient royal dynasty.

Dressed in a voluminous white robe and a rarely seen kanmuri black hat complete with a tail extending up to 60cm at the back of his head, he moved between three "sanctuaries" on the palace grounds, trailed by attendants.

A small group of guests, including Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and other cabinet members and royal relatives including Crown Prince Akishino, attended the ceremony.

Later Tuesday, the emperor and his wife Empress Masako will appear at the day's main event in the Imperial Palace's prestigious Pine Room.

'Banzai!'

Naruhito, in a ceremonial outfit dominated by a draped outer robe in copper, a colour worn only by the emperor, will declare his enthronement from the "Takamikura" throne.

Empress Masako, a Harvard-educated former diplomat, will wear an elaborate outfit known as "junihitoe" or many-layered robe, and be alongside the emperor on a slightly smaller throne.

Her silk robes will be so heavy it will be difficult for her to move, and attendants will trail her adjusting her outfit.

The ceremony will be conducted in the presence of an ancient sword and jewel, part of the imperial regalia said to have been handed down by a goddess and considered crucial evidence of an emperor's legitimacy.

Some 2,000 guests, including foreign dignitaries and royalty, will rise to drum beats before the proclamation.

After the emperor finishes speaking, Abe will exclaim "banzai" ("long live the Emperor") three times, completing the process.

While the parade has been put off, a series of banquets for guests ranging from Britain's Prince Charles to South Korean Prime Minister Lee Nak-Yon will go ahead.

And the government announced more than half a million people convicted of minor offences will be pardoned as part of the events.

On Tuesday morning, only a handful of people braved driving rain to stand outside the palace for a glimpse of arriving visitors.

Sanae Yasuda, in her 70s, had booked a tour from central Japan's Nagoya for the occasion and decided to come even after the parade was cancelled.

"I wanted to see the parade, and not just the emperor and empress, but to experience the atmosphere because it's so rare," she told AFP.

"I didn't know the palace was closed, I wanted to go inside... I'm still happy to be here."

Succession worries

Oxford-educated Naruhito faces a delicate balancing act as emperor, seeking to continue his father's legacy of bringing the monarchy closer to the people while upholding the centuries-old traditions of the Chrysanthemum Throne.

And the royal line faces its own challenges, with a dearth of successors thanks to rules that prevent women from inheriting the throne.

The royal couple has one child, a 17-year-old daughter called Aiko.

Naruhito's brother Akishino is currently crown prince. And Akishino's son, 13-year-old Hisahito,&nbsp;is currently the only other remaining successor.

There have been calls to revise the succession rules, but so far there have been no formal moves.

Despite the succession worries, the royals remain broadly popular.

A poll released by national broadcaster NHK on the eve of the ceremony found 70 per cent of voters in the country hold "friendly or favourable" views towards the imperial family.

Japan's new Emperor Naruhito on Tuesday began a string of ritual-bound ceremonies that complete his ascension to the Chrysanthemum throne, with the after-effects of a deadly typhoon casting a shadow over proceedings.

Japan's new Emperor Naruhito on Tuesday began a string of ritual-bound ceremonies that complete his ascension to the Chrysanthemum throne, with the after-effects of a deadly typhoon casting a shadow over proceedings. Naruhito officially assumed his duties as emperor on May 1, a day after his father became the first Japanese monarch to abdicate in 200 years. But the transition is not complete until his new role is officially proclaimed, in a series of events expected to be attended by foreign dignitaries from over 180 countries. The festivities have been scaled back however in the wake of devastating Typhoon Hagibis, which slammed into Japan just over a week ago, killing more than 80. With people still searching for missing loved ones and living in shelters, the government has postponed until November 10 an open-top car parade that had been intended to introduce the royal pair to the public. But the rest of the day's ceremonies are going ahead as planned, and Naruhito began the day by "reporting" the proclamation to deities and his ancestors in the ancient royal dynasty. Dressed in a voluminous white robe and a rarely seen kanmuri black hat complete with a tail extending up to 60cm at the back of his head, he moved between three "sanctuaries" on the palace grounds, trailed by attendants. A small group of guests, including Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and other cabinet members and royal relatives including Crown Prince Akishino, attended the ceremony. Later Tuesday, the emperor and his wife Empress Masako will appear at the day's main event in the Imperial Palace's prestigious Pine Room. 'Banzai!' Naruhito, in a ceremonial outfit dominated by a draped outer robe in copper, a colour worn only by the emperor, will declare his enthronement from the "Takamikura" throne. Empress Masako, a Harvard-educated former diplomat, will wear an elaborate outfit known as "junihitoe" or many-layered robe, and be alongside the emperor on a slightly smaller throne. Her silk robes will be so heavy it will be difficult for her to move, and attendants will trail her adjusting her outfit. The ceremony will be conducted in the presence of an ancient sword and jewel, part of the imperial regalia said to have been handed down by a goddess and considered crucial evidence of an emperor's legitimacy. Some 2,000 guests, including foreign dignitaries and royalty, will rise to drum beats before the proclamation. After the emperor finishes speaking, Abe will exclaim "banzai" ("long live the Emperor") three times, completing the process. While the parade has been put off, a series of banquets for guests ranging from Britain's Prince Charles to South Korean Prime Minister Lee Nak-Yon will go ahead. And the government announced more than half a million people convicted of minor offences will be pardoned as part of the events. On Tuesday morning, only a handful of people braved driving rain to stand outside the palace for a glimpse of arriving visitors. Sanae Yasuda, in her 70s, had booked a tour from central Japan's Nagoya for the occasion and decided to come even after the parade was cancelled. "I wanted to see the parade, and not just the emperor and empress, but to experience the atmosphere because it's so rare," she told AFP. "I didn't know the palace was closed, I wanted to go inside... I'm still happy to be here." Succession worries Oxford-educated Naruhito faces a delicate balancing act as emperor, seeking to continue his father's legacy of bringing the monarchy closer to the people while upholding the centuries-old traditions of the Chrysanthemum Throne. And the royal line faces its own challenges, with a dearth of successors thanks to rules that prevent women from inheriting the throne. The royal couple has one child, a 17-year-old daughter called Aiko. Naruhito's brother Akishino is currently crown prince. And Akishino's son, 13-year-old Hisahito, is currently the only other remaining successor. There have been calls to revise the succession rules, but so far there have been no formal moves. Despite the succession worries, the royals remain broadly popular. A poll released by national broadcaster NHK on the eve of the ceremony found 70 per cent of voters in the country hold "friendly or favourable" views towards the imperial family.

Japan emperor to complete enthronement in ritual-bound ceremony

PG&amp;E Corp&nbsp;said on Monday about 209,000 customers could be hit by potential power cutoffs this week, less than two weeks after its most recent unprecedented shut-offs hit more than 730,000 homes and workplaces in northern California.

The bankrupt Californian power producer said the latest cuts were intended to avoid its equipment sparking wildfires in hot weather.

"This afternoon, the company began its 48-hour advance notifications to customers that it may be proactively turning the power off for safety and conducting a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) on late Wednesday evening," it said.

The power cutoffs may affect 15 California counties and are likely to be much smaller in scope than the October&nbsp;9-12 PSPS event, the company said.

It activated its emergency operations on Sunday night because of a possible strong and dry offshore wind.

The primary phase of weather risk was expected to last about 18 to 24 hours from Wednesday evening through the middle of Thursday, PG&amp;E had said on Sunday.

The company's handling of recent power outages has been criticized for being too widespread, with insufficient communication with customers.

The outages are the latest in a string of events for which PG&amp;E has been widely criticized. The utility filed for bankruptcy in January, citing potential civil liabilities in excess of $30 billion from major wildfires linked to its transmission wires and other equipment.

The notifications to customers about the upcoming power cutoffs left many of them frustrated, with some complaining on social media.

"I just got notified PG&amp;E may turn off my power again this Wednesday!! They just turned it off 10 days ago for 3 days!! This can't go on!! Power is a necessity, not a luxury," a customer said on Twitter.

Another resident tweeted: "It's causing anxiety and money every single time. I work from home and this is impacting my ability to do my job."

PG&E Corp said on Monday about 209,000 customers could be hit by potential power cutoffs this week, less than two weeks after its most recent unprecedented shut-offs hit more than 730,000 homes and workplaces in northern California.

PG&E Corp said on Monday about 209,000 customers could be hit by potential power cutoffs this week, less than two weeks after its most recent unprecedented shut-offs hit more than 730,000 homes and workplaces in northern California. The bankrupt Californian power producer said the latest cuts were intended to avoid its equipment sparking wildfires in hot weather. "This afternoon, the company began its 48-hour advance notifications to customers that it may be proactively turning the power off for safety and conducting a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) on late Wednesday evening," it said. The power cutoffs may affect 15 California counties and are likely to be much smaller in scope than the October 9-12 PSPS event, the company said. It activated its emergency operations on Sunday night because of a possible strong and dry offshore wind. The primary phase of weather risk was expected to last about 18 to 24 hours from Wednesday evening through the middle of Thursday, PG&E had said on Sunday. The company's handling of recent power outages has been criticized for being too widespread, with insufficient communication with customers. The outages are the latest in a string of events for which PG&E has been widely criticized. The utility filed for bankruptcy in January, citing potential civil liabilities in excess of $30 billion from major wildfires linked to its transmission wires and other equipment. The notifications to customers about the upcoming power cutoffs left many of them frustrated, with some complaining on social media. "I just got notified PG&E may turn off my power again this Wednesday!! They just turned it off 10 days ago for 3 days!! This can't go on!! Power is a necessity, not a luxury," a customer said on Twitter. Another resident tweeted: "It's causing anxiety and money every single time. I work from home and this is impacting my ability to do my job."

PG&E says more potential power cuts could hit about 209,000 customers

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/canada-votes-as-trudeau-his-sunny-ways-dimmed-by-scandals-seeks-to-retain-power-257377">Canada's ruling Liberals</a> took an early lead after polls closed in four provinces on Monday, as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau battled to remain in power after two major scandals and a spirited challenge by the opposition Conservatives.

The Liberals were leading or elected in 25 of 32 electoral districts in Atlantic Canada by&nbsp;0030 GMT on Tuesday&nbsp;despite a drop in their overall popular vote from the 2015 election, according to the Canadian Broadcasting Corp.

Some Liberal losses had been expected in the region after Trudeau led the party to a clean sweep there four years ago. Atlantic Canada makes up less than 10% of the seats in the House of Commons.

The national race was expected to be closer as Trudeau, who took power as a charismatic figure promising "sunny ways," battles Conservative leader Andrew Scheer for the chance to form the next government.

Polls close in the vote-rich provinces of Ontario and Quebec at 0130 GMT on Tuesday. National voting is scheduled to end in the Pacific Coast province of British Columbia at 0200 GMT on Tuesday.

Trudeau, 47, the Liberal Party leader, was endorsed by former US&nbsp;President Barack Obama in the final stretch of the campaign and is viewed as one of the last remaining progressive leaders among the world's major democracies.

But he was shaken during the campaign by a blackface scandal and has been dogged by criticism of his handling of a corruption case involving a major Canadian construction company. Trudeau, the son of the late Liberal Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, has also had to overcome a sense of fatigue with his government.

Trudeau, accompanied by his family, voted in Montreal on Monday after a marathon sprint campaigning across the country in the past four days. Scheer voted in his Saskatchewan electoral district.

On Twitter, he repeatedly urged people to get out and vote. Voter turnout is crucial for the Liberals, who privately fear low engagement will affect them more than the Conservatives.

"The truth is it's a coin toss right now," Ipsos pollster Darrell Bricker said.

A year ago, no one would have predicted that Trudeau risked becoming the first prime minister since the 1930s to secure a parliamentary majority and then fail to win a second term.

The latest opinion polls suggest he may narrowly avert that result and could win a minority in the 338-seat House of Commons. That would still leave him in a weakened position and needing the support of left-leaning opposition parties to push through key pieces of legislation.

"(A minority government) would force people to talk to each other, which is what we need," said Naomi Higgins, a 25-year-old voter in Toronto who supported the Liberals four years ago but switched to the Greens in this election. "We need to ... start doing what's best for everyone instead of what makes one party or the other look best."

Liberal campaign strategists say four members of Trudeau's Cabinet could lose their parliamentary seats, including Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale, a veteran member of parliament who is seen as one of the government's heavyweights.

Goodale, 70, is the only Liberal member of parliament from the western province of Saskatchewan, where anger at Trudeau is mounting over federal environmental policies that the energy industry says will harm output.

The oil industry’s top lobbying group has blamed Trudeau’s policies for throttling investment in the sector, and some global energy companies have shed assets in the oil sands region of Alberta, the country's main oil-producing province.

Canada's economy, however, has been on a general upswing in 2019. The Canadian dollar has been the best-performing G10 currency this year, rising more than 4% against its U.S. counterpart, as the economy added jobs at a robust pace and inflation stayed close to the Bank of Canada's 2 per cent&nbsp;target.

Bumpy campaign ride

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/liberals-tories-slug-it-out-on-last-day-of-canada-election-257159">The six-week official campaign</a> period has been a rough and meandering ride with dirty tactics on both sides.

The liberal image of Trudeau, who has championed diversity as prime minister and whose father opened the country to mass immigration, took a severe blow when pictures emerged early in the campaign of him wearing blackface in the early 1990s and in 2001.

Trudeau had already been wrestling with the fallout from accusations he pressured his justice minister to help shield engineering firm SNC-Lavalin Group Inc&nbsp;from corruption charges. In August, a top watchdog said Trudeau breached ethics rules.

Scheer also has proven to be a determined opponent.

"He can't even remember how many times he put blackface on because the fact of the matter is he's always wearing a mask," Scheer said during a leaders' debate. "Mr&nbsp;Trudeau, you are a phoney and you are a fraud and you do not deserve to govern this country."

Scheer, 40, is also promising to balance the federal budget and eliminate a "carbon tax" on fossil fuels. He is running his first campaign as party leader after winning a bitter leadership fight in 2017.

Given the fact that neither of the front-runners could come away with a parliamentary majority, it is the smaller left-leaning New Democratic Party (NDP) or the separatist Bloc Quebecois that could end up holding the balance of power.

"I am a lifelong Liberal voter and I am stumped on this one, mostly because I am really concerned about a Conservative win and just trying to figure out how to vote strategically," said Kristin Street, 33, a strategy manager at a computer games company, in Port Moody, British Columbia.

EKOS Research pollster Frank Graves said the Liberals needed turn out to be similar to four years ago or otherwise the Conservatives may have an edge.

"We may well be waiting until the final vote tallies in British Columbia to see who will win on Monday," Graves said.

Canada's ruling Liberals took an early lead after polls closed in four provinces on Monday, as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau battled to remain in power after two major scandals and a spirited challenge by the opposition Conservatives.

Canada's ruling Liberals took an early lead after polls closed in four provinces on Monday, as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau battled to remain in power after two major scandals and a spirited challenge by the opposition Conservatives. The Liberals were leading or elected in 25 of 32 electoral districts in Atlantic Canada by 0030 GMT on Tuesday despite a drop in their overall popular vote from the 2015 election, according to the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. Some Liberal losses had been expected in the region after Trudeau led the party to a clean sweep there four years ago. Atlantic Canada makes up less than 10% of the seats in the House of Commons. The national race was expected to be closer as Trudeau, who took power as a charismatic figure promising "sunny ways," battles Conservative leader Andrew Scheer for the chance to form the next government. Polls close in the vote-rich provinces of Ontario and Quebec at 0130 GMT on Tuesday. National voting is scheduled to end in the Pacific Coast province of British Columbia at 0200 GMT on Tuesday. Trudeau, 47, the Liberal Party leader, was endorsed by former US President Barack Obama in the final stretch of the campaign and is viewed as one of the last remaining progressive leaders among the world's major democracies. But he was shaken during the campaign by a blackface scandal and has been dogged by criticism of his handling of a corruption case involving a major Canadian construction company. Trudeau, the son of the late Liberal Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, has also had to overcome a sense of fatigue with his government. Trudeau, accompanied by his family, voted in Montreal on Monday after a marathon sprint campaigning across the country in the past four days. Scheer voted in his Saskatchewan electoral district. On Twitter, he repeatedly urged people to get out and vote. Voter turnout is crucial for the Liberals, who privately fear low engagement will affect them more than the Conservatives. "The truth is it's a coin toss right now," Ipsos pollster Darrell Bricker said. A year ago, no one would have predicted that Trudeau risked becoming the first prime minister since the 1930s to secure a parliamentary majority and then fail to win a second term. The latest opinion polls suggest he may narrowly avert that result and could win a minority in the 338-seat House of Commons. That would still leave him in a weakened position and needing the support of left-leaning opposition parties to push through key pieces of legislation. "(A minority government) would force people to talk to each other, which is what we need," said Naomi Higgins, a 25-year-old voter in Toronto who supported the Liberals four years ago but switched to the Greens in this election. "We need to ... start doing what's best for everyone instead of what makes one party or the other look best." Liberal campaign strategists say four members of Trudeau's Cabinet could lose their parliamentary seats, including Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale, a veteran member of parliament who is seen as one of the government's heavyweights. Goodale, 70, is the only Liberal member of parliament from the western province of Saskatchewan, where anger at Trudeau is mounting over federal environmental policies that the energy industry says will harm output. The oil industry’s top lobbying group has blamed Trudeau’s policies for throttling investment in the sector, and some global energy companies have shed assets in the oil sands region of Alberta, the country's main oil-producing province. Canada's economy, however, has been on a general upswing in 2019. The Canadian dollar has been the best-performing G10 currency this year, rising more than 4% against its U.S. counterpart, as the economy added jobs at a robust pace and inflation stayed close to the Bank of Canada's 2 per cent target. Bumpy campaign ride The six-week official campaign period has been a rough and meandering ride with dirty tactics on both sides. The liberal image of Trudeau, who has championed diversity as prime minister and whose father opened the country to mass immigration, took a severe blow when pictures emerged early in the campaign of him wearing blackface in the early 1990s and in 2001. Trudeau had already been wrestling with the fallout from accusations he pressured his justice minister to help shield engineering firm SNC-Lavalin Group Inc from corruption charges. In August, a top watchdog said Trudeau breached ethics rules. Scheer also has proven to be a determined opponent. "He can't even remember how many times he put blackface on because the fact of the matter is he's always wearing a mask," Scheer said during a leaders' debate. "Mr Trudeau, you are a phoney and you are a fraud and you do not deserve to govern this country." Scheer, 40, is also promising to balance the federal budget and eliminate a "carbon tax" on fossil fuels. He is running his first campaign as party leader after winning a bitter leadership fight in 2017. Given the fact that neither of the front-runners could come away with a parliamentary majority, it is the smaller left-leaning New Democratic Party (NDP) or the separatist Bloc Quebecois that could end up holding the balance of power. "I am a lifelong Liberal voter and I am stumped on this one, mostly because I am really concerned about a Conservative win and just trying to figure out how to vote strategically," said Kristin Street, 33, a strategy manager at a computer games company, in Port Moody, British Columbia. EKOS Research pollster Frank Graves said the Liberals needed turn out to be similar to four years ago or otherwise the Conservatives may have an edge. "We may well be waiting until the final vote tallies in British Columbia to see who will win on Monday," Graves said.

Trudeau's Liberals take early lead after first Canadian polls close

China and the United States have achieved some progress in their trade talks, Vice Foreign Minister Le Yucheng said on Tuesday, adding that as long as both sides respected each other, no problem could not be resolved.

No country can prosper without working with other nations, Le said at the Xiangshan Forum in Beijing, which China styles as its answer to the annual Shangri-La Dialogue security forum in Singapore.

The world wants China and the United States to end their trade war, he said, adding that it needed openness, rather than a "de-coupling" of countries or a new Cold War.

China and the United States have achieved some progress in their trade talks, Vice Foreign Minister Le Yucheng said on Tuesday, adding that as long as both sides respected each other, no problem could not be resolved.

China and the United States have achieved some progress in their trade talks, Vice Foreign Minister Le Yucheng said on Tuesday, adding that as long as both sides respected each other, no problem could not be resolved. No country can prosper without working with other nations, Le said at the Xiangshan Forum in Beijing, which China styles as its answer to the annual Shangri-La Dialogue security forum in Singapore. The world wants China and the United States to end their trade war, he said, adding that it needed openness, rather than a "de-coupling" of countries or a new Cold War.

China, United States made progress in trade talks: Chinese vice foreign minister

Bolivia burns in the aftermath of presidential elections

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday threatened to resume Turkey's military offensive in Syria "with greater determination" unless the withdrawal of Kurdish fighters is completed under a US-brokered deal.

"If the promises given to our country by the United States are not kept, we will continue our operation from where we left off with <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/turkey-replaces-four-more-pro-kurdish-mayors-as-crackdown-widens-257486">greater determination</a>," Erdogan told reporters before departing for talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.

Following a deal with US Vice President Mike Pence last week, Turkey announced a 120-hour&nbsp;suspension of the offensive from last Thursday under which &nbsp;Kurdish fighters were to withdraw to allow a "safe zone" to be set up along the border.

Erdogan was to meet with Putin in the Black Sea resort of Sochi later Tuesday as the end of the 120-hour deadline approaches.

"We will have the opportunity to discuss steps to end (Kurdish fighters') presence in regime-held areas," the Turkish leader said.&nbsp;

Erdogan last week said he was not bothered by the Damascus regime's presence in several regions along the Turkish border.

Erdogan also firmly rejected a call by French President Emmanuel Macron to extend the ceasefire.

"There is no such proposal that was conveyed to me from Macron. Macron is in fact talking about such things mostly with terrorists," Erdogan said, referring to a meeting between Jihane Ahmed, the spokeswoman for the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), and the French leader.&nbsp;

"He preferred to communicate the terrorists' offer to us. France is not our interlocutor," Erdogan said, adding that Turkey was in touch with the United States over Syria.

Macron on Monday told his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin that France wanted to see an extension of the ceasefire by Turkey in northeast Syria, the Elysee Palace said in a statement.

"The president underscored the importance of prolonging the current ceasefire, and of ending the crisis by diplomatic means," the presidency said after a phone call between the two leaders.&nbsp;

Ankara says the YPG is a "terrorist" offshoot of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has been waging an insurgency inside Turkey since 1984.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday threatened to resume Turkey's military offensive in Syria "with greater determination" unless the withdrawal of Kurdish fighters is completed under a US-brokered deal.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday threatened to resume Turkey's military offensive in Syria "with greater determination" unless the withdrawal of Kurdish fighters is completed under a US-brokered deal. "If the promises given to our country by the United States are not kept, we will continue our operation from where we left off with greater determination," Erdogan told reporters before departing for talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Following a deal with US Vice President Mike Pence last week, Turkey announced a 120-hour suspension of the offensive from last Thursday under which Kurdish fighters were to withdraw to allow a "safe zone" to be set up along the border. Erdogan was to meet with Putin in the Black Sea resort of Sochi later Tuesday as the end of the 120-hour deadline approaches. "We will have the opportunity to discuss steps to end (Kurdish fighters') presence in regime-held areas," the Turkish leader said. Erdogan last week said he was not bothered by the Damascus regime's presence in several regions along the Turkish border. Erdogan also firmly rejected a call by French President Emmanuel Macron to extend the ceasefire. "There is no such proposal that was conveyed to me from Macron. Macron is in fact talking about such things mostly with terrorists," Erdogan said, referring to a meeting between Jihane Ahmed, the spokeswoman for the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), and the French leader. "He preferred to communicate the terrorists' offer to us. France is not our interlocutor," Erdogan said, adding that Turkey was in touch with the United States over Syria. Macron on Monday told his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin that France wanted to see an extension of the ceasefire by Turkey in northeast Syria, the Elysee Palace said in a statement. "The president underscored the importance of prolonging the current ceasefire, and of ending the crisis by diplomatic means," the presidency said after a phone call between the two leaders. Ankara says the YPG is a "terrorist" offshoot of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has been waging an insurgency inside Turkey since 1984.

Erdogan warns Syria offensive will resume unless Kurds complete pull out

Turkey has replaced four mayors from the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) with state officials, the offices of two provincial governors said on Tuesday, part of a widening crackdown on local councils controlled by the party.

Ankara accuses the HDP of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/turkey-removes-pro-kurdish-mayors-244033">links to militants</a> of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). It has now replaced a total of 12 mayors from the HDP on alleged links to terrorism since municipal elections in March.

The mayors in the towns of Kayapinar, Bismil and Kocakoy in the southeastern Diyarbakir province and the mayor of Ercis in the eastern province of Van were suspended and replaced by local administrators, the offices of the two regional governors said.

All four mayors are currently in custody on terrorism charges, they said.

The HDP said six other of its candidates who won a majority of votes in the March mayoral elections were not given their election certificates because they had previously been dismissed from public office by decree.

In August, Turkey first removed the mayors of Diyarbakir, Mardin and Van, three metropolitan cities won by the HDP.

Selcuk Mizrakli, who was removed from his office in Diyarbakir, was also detained on Monday "due to an ongoing legal investigation", the HDP said.

Prior to the March municipal polls, around 100 mayors in towns held by the HDP had been replaced by state officials.

The former co-leaders of the pro-Kurdish HDP have both been jailed since 2016 on terrorism charges, with several other prominent members accused of supporting terrorism over what the government says are links to the PKK.

The HDP denies links to the PKK but does not consider it a terrorist organisation.

The moves against the HDP coincide with a Turkish military offensive in neighbouring Syria against the YPG Kurdish militia, which Ankara also accuses of ties to the PKK. A five-day, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ceasefire-hails-us-turkey-calls-it-a-pause-what-happened-when-washington-ankara-met-over-syria-offensive-256688">US-brokered pause</a> in the offensive was due to expire later on Tuesday.

The HDP is the only party in the Turkish parliament that opposed Operation Peace Spring in northeast Syria.

Turkey has replaced four mayors from the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) with state officials, the offices of two provincial governors said on Tuesday, part of a widening crackdown on local councils controlled by the party.

Turkey has replaced four mayors from the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) with state officials, the offices of two provincial governors said on Tuesday, part of a widening crackdown on local councils controlled by the party. Ankara accuses the HDP of links to militants of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). It has now replaced a total of 12 mayors from the HDP on alleged links to terrorism since municipal elections in March. The mayors in the towns of Kayapinar, Bismil and Kocakoy in the southeastern Diyarbakir province and the mayor of Ercis in the eastern province of Van were suspended and replaced by local administrators, the offices of the two regional governors said. All four mayors are currently in custody on terrorism charges, they said. The HDP said six other of its candidates who won a majority of votes in the March mayoral elections were not given their election certificates because they had previously been dismissed from public office by decree. In August, Turkey first removed the mayors of Diyarbakir, Mardin and Van, three metropolitan cities won by the HDP. Selcuk Mizrakli, who was removed from his office in Diyarbakir, was also detained on Monday "due to an ongoing legal investigation", the HDP said. Prior to the March municipal polls, around 100 mayors in towns held by the HDP had been replaced by state officials. The former co-leaders of the pro-Kurdish HDP have both been jailed since 2016 on terrorism charges, with several other prominent members accused of supporting terrorism over what the government says are links to the PKK. The HDP denies links to the PKK but does not consider it a terrorist organisation. The moves against the HDP coincide with a Turkish military offensive in neighbouring Syria against the YPG Kurdish militia, which Ankara also accuses of ties to the PKK. A five-day, US-brokered pause in the offensive was due to expire later on Tuesday. The HDP is the only party in the Turkish parliament that opposed Operation Peace Spring in northeast Syria.

Turkey replaces four more pro-Kurdish mayors as crackdown widens

Lebanon approved an <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/lebanons-hariri-agrees-to-reforms-amid-nationwide-protests-over-economic-crisis-257191">emergency reform package </a>on Monday in response to protests over dire economic conditions, but the moves did not go far enough to persuade demonstrators to leave the streets or investors to halt a plunge in its bonds.

Hundreds of thousands of people have&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/protests-sweep-lebanon-as-fury-at-ruling-elite-grows-over-economic-corruption-256839">flooded the streets</a> since Thursday, furious at a political class they accuse of pushing the economy to the point of collapse. Roads were blocked for a fifth day across the country.

Schools, banks and businesses were closed, and Banks are expected to remain shut on Tuesday.

Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri, in a televised speech, said the new measures might not meet the protesters' demands but were a start towards achieving some of them. The government must work to recover trust, he said.

"You are the compass and ... your movement frankly is what led us to this decision today," added Hariri, who said big steps had been taken towards fighting corruption and waste.

But despite the reforms, Lebanon's dollar-denominated bounds suffered hefty losses on Monday following sharp drops on Friday. Some sank to record lows.

Investors said the turmoil showed Lebanon was running out of time to fix its economic problems.

"It is just a mess - and it looks like it is more and more unsustainable. I don't think it is a final nail in the coffin, but it is looking ominous," said Kevin Daly, Senior Investment Manager, Emerging Market Debt at Aberdeen Standard Investments.

"There has been fiscal adjustment, but it has not been enough."

The reforms included the symbolic halving of the salaries of ministers and lawmakers, as well as moves towards implementing long-delayed measures vital to putting the public finances on a sustainable path.

Maya Mhana, a teacher listening to the speech in Beirut with other protesters, was not convinced. "We are remaining in the streets, we don't believe a single word he said," she said.

Protesters sang into the night in Beirut and continued to demonstrate in other parts of the country.

"We don't believe that they can change in two days," said Fadi Abou Dargham, a 55-year-old jeweller.

The protests have been extraordinary because of their size and geographic reach in a country where political movements are normally divided on sectarian lines and struggle to draw nationwide appeal.

Lebanon has one of the world's highest levels of government debt as a share of economic output. The government includes most major parties, run by politicians widely perceived to have mobilised state resources and influence for their own gain.

The economy has been hit by political paralysis and regional conflicts, compounded by strains in the financial system that have risen as inward capital flows have slowed. Unemployment among the under 35s runs at 37 per cent.

Lebanese have started to feel pressures in the financial system more acutely of late, with dollars becoming harder to obtain at the official exchange rate. The pound, pegged at its current rate for two decades, has been under pressure.

International donors last year pledged $11 billion to help Lebanon finance capital investment, conditional on reforms. Hariri said the new decisions would satisfy donors and the government would approve within three weeks the first phase of the capital investment programme.

The government approved a 2020 budget with no new taxes and a deficit of around 0.6 per cent&nbsp;of national output, Hariri said, describing this as a historic achievement. The deficit for 2019 is around 7 per cent&nbsp;of GDP.

Lebanon's large banking sector would contribute 5.1 trillion Lebanese pounds ($3.4 billion) to deficit reduction, including through an increase in the tax on bank profits, Hariri said.

Steps included abolishing the information ministry and some other state bodies.

The government would accelerate the long-delayed reform of the state-run power sector, which drains $2 billion from the treasury per year while failing to deliver enough power for Lebanese who depend on private generators to fill the gap.

Nassib Ghobril, Byblos Bank chief economist, said the reforms sounded good on paper but there were "a lot of question marks". He criticised the increased taxes on banks, which were hit by a tax hike in 2018. Rampant evasion must be fought.

"The approach seems to have not changed," he said. "The government considers the private sector only as a source of tax revenues instead of working to improve the investment climate, the business climate and raising the economy's competitiveness."

Lebanon approved an emergency reform package on Monday in response to protests over dire economic conditions, but the moves did not go far enough to persuade demonstrators to leave the streets or investors to halt a plunge in its bonds.

Lebanon approved an emergency reform package on Monday in response to protests over dire economic conditions, but the moves did not go far enough to persuade demonstrators to leave the streets or investors to halt a plunge in its bonds. Hundreds of thousands of people have flooded the streets since Thursday, furious at a political class they accuse of pushing the economy to the point of collapse. Roads were blocked for a fifth day across the country. Schools, banks and businesses were closed, and Banks are expected to remain shut on Tuesday. Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri, in a televised speech, said the new measures might not meet the protesters' demands but were a start towards achieving some of them. The government must work to recover trust, he said. "You are the compass and ... your movement frankly is what led us to this decision today," added Hariri, who said big steps had been taken towards fighting corruption and waste. But despite the reforms, Lebanon's dollar-denominated bounds suffered hefty losses on Monday following sharp drops on Friday. Some sank to record lows. Investors said the turmoil showed Lebanon was running out of time to fix its economic problems. "It is just a mess - and it looks like it is more and more unsustainable. I don't think it is a final nail in the coffin, but it is looking ominous," said Kevin Daly, Senior Investment Manager, Emerging Market Debt at Aberdeen Standard Investments. "There has been fiscal adjustment, but it has not been enough." The reforms included the symbolic halving of the salaries of ministers and lawmakers, as well as moves towards implementing long-delayed measures vital to putting the public finances on a sustainable path. Maya Mhana, a teacher listening to the speech in Beirut with other protesters, was not convinced. "We are remaining in the streets, we don't believe a single word he said," she said. Protesters sang into the night in Beirut and continued to demonstrate in other parts of the country. "We don't believe that they can change in two days," said Fadi Abou Dargham, a 55-year-old jeweller. The protests have been extraordinary because of their size and geographic reach in a country where political movements are normally divided on sectarian lines and struggle to draw nationwide appeal. Lebanon has one of the world's highest levels of government debt as a share of economic output. The government includes most major parties, run by politicians widely perceived to have mobilised state resources and influence for their own gain. The economy has been hit by political paralysis and regional conflicts, compounded by strains in the financial system that have risen as inward capital flows have slowed. Unemployment among the under 35s runs at 37 per cent. Lebanese have started to feel pressures in the financial system more acutely of late, with dollars becoming harder to obtain at the official exchange rate. The pound, pegged at its current rate for two decades, has been under pressure. International donors last year pledged $11 billion to help Lebanon finance capital investment, conditional on reforms. Hariri said the new decisions would satisfy donors and the government would approve within three weeks the first phase of the capital investment programme. The government approved a 2020 budget with no new taxes and a deficit of around 0.6 per cent of national output, Hariri said, describing this as a historic achievement. The deficit for 2019 is around 7 per cent of GDP. Lebanon's large banking sector would contribute 5.1 trillion Lebanese pounds ($3.4 billion) to deficit reduction, including through an increase in the tax on bank profits, Hariri said. Steps included abolishing the information ministry and some other state bodies. The government would accelerate the long-delayed reform of the state-run power sector, which drains $2 billion from the treasury per year while failing to deliver enough power for Lebanese who depend on private generators to fill the gap. Nassib Ghobril, Byblos Bank chief economist, said the reforms sounded good on paper but there were "a lot of question marks". He criticised the increased taxes on banks, which were hit by a tax hike in 2018. Rampant evasion must be fought. "The approach seems to have not changed," he said. "The government considers the private sector only as a source of tax revenues instead of working to improve the investment climate, the business climate and raising the economy's competitiveness."

Facing protests, Lebanon approves emergency economic reforms

Facebook has announced steps to combat misinformation and voter suppression ahead of the November 2020 US&nbsp;presidential election, on the same day it disclosed the removal of a network of Russian accounts targeting US&nbsp;voters on Instagram.

Facebook said on Monday it would increase transparency through measures such as showing more information about the confirmed owner of a Facebook page and more prominently labeling content that independent fact-checkers have marked as false.

The social media giant has come under fire in recent weeks over its policy of exempting ads run by politicians from fact-checking, drawing ire from Democratic presidential candidates Joe Biden and Elizabeth Warren.

Last week, Facebook CEO Mark <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/zuckerberg-defends-facebooks-approach-to-free-speech-draws-line-on-china-257158">Zuckerberg defended</a> the policy, saying social media had introduced transformative avenues for speech that should not be shut down.

That same day, the Biden campaign called for the removal of an ad run by a super PAC campaign group, not a politician, that it said contained false claims about the former vice president.

Katie Harbath, Facebook's head of global elections policy, said in response that if the now inactive ad ran again, it would be sent to Facebook's third-party fact-checkers.

On Monday, Facebook said would be putting into effect its planned ban on paid ads that tell people in the United States not to vote. Zuckerberg told reporters on a conference call that the ban on voter misinformation would also apply to ads run by politicians.

The company will start labeling state-controlled media on its page and in the site's ad library. In a blog post, Facebook said it planned to expand this labeling to specific posts on both Facebook and Instagram early next year.

Facebook, Twitter&nbsp;and YouTube, the video-streaming service of Alphabet's Google, all recently came under scrutiny after showing ads from Chinese state-controlled media that criticized Hong Kong protesters.

This month, the Senate committee investigating Russian interference in the 2016 US&nbsp;election said that the Kremlin’s best-known propaganda arm increased its social media activity after that vote.

"The bottom line here is that elections have changed significantly since 2016 and Facebook has changed too." Zuckerberg said on Monday.

"We face increasingly sophisticated attacks from nation states like Russia, Iran and China, but I'm confident we're more prepared."

Theories that China has interfered in US&nbsp;elections are absurd and laughable, said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying at a regular press briefing in Beijing on Tuesday.

If someone says China interfered in the US&nbsp;election, they should provide proof, said Hua. China has never had any interest in interfering with other countries' internal affairs, she said.

Moscow and Tehran have also repeatedly denied the allegations.

Facebook will introduce a new US&nbsp;presidential candidate spend tracker to show how much they have spent on political ads as part of the company's efforts to make its ad library easier to use, Zuckerberg said.

Facebook launched an online library of political ads in 2018, but the database has been criticized by researchers as being poorly maintained and failing to provide useful ad targeting information.

The company plans to heighten protection of the Facebook and Instagram accounts of candidates, elected officials and their teams through a program called Facebook Protect. Participants in the program will be required to turn on two-factor authentication and their accounts will be monitored for signs of hacking.

Facebook has announced steps to combat misinformation and voter suppression ahead of the November 2020 US presidential election, on the same day it disclosed the removal of a network of Russian accounts targeting US voters on Instagram.

Facebook has announced steps to combat misinformation and voter suppression ahead of the November 2020 US presidential election, on the same day it disclosed the removal of a network of Russian accounts targeting US voters on Instagram. Facebook said on Monday it would increase transparency through measures such as showing more information about the confirmed owner of a Facebook page and more prominently labeling content that independent fact-checkers have marked as false. The social media giant has come under fire in recent weeks over its policy of exempting ads run by politicians from fact-checking, drawing ire from Democratic presidential candidates Joe Biden and Elizabeth Warren. Last week, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg defended the policy, saying social media had introduced transformative avenues for speech that should not be shut down. That same day, the Biden campaign called for the removal of an ad run by a super PAC campaign group, not a politician, that it said contained false claims about the former vice president. Katie Harbath, Facebook's head of global elections policy, said in response that if the now inactive ad ran again, it would be sent to Facebook's third-party fact-checkers. On Monday, Facebook said would be putting into effect its planned ban on paid ads that tell people in the United States not to vote. Zuckerberg told reporters on a conference call that the ban on voter misinformation would also apply to ads run by politicians. The company will start labeling state-controlled media on its page and in the site's ad library. In a blog post, Facebook said it planned to expand this labeling to specific posts on both Facebook and Instagram early next year. Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, the video-streaming service of Alphabet's Google, all recently came under scrutiny after showing ads from Chinese state-controlled media that criticized Hong Kong protesters. This month, the Senate committee investigating Russian interference in the 2016 US election said that the Kremlin’s best-known propaganda arm increased its social media activity after that vote. "The bottom line here is that elections have changed significantly since 2016 and Facebook has changed too." Zuckerberg said on Monday. "We face increasingly sophisticated attacks from nation states like Russia, Iran and China, but I'm confident we're more prepared." Theories that China has interfered in US elections are absurd and laughable, said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying at a regular press briefing in Beijing on Tuesday. If someone says China interfered in the US election, they should provide proof, said Hua. China has never had any interest in interfering with other countries' internal affairs, she said. Moscow and Tehran have also repeatedly denied the allegations. Facebook will introduce a new US presidential candidate spend tracker to show how much they have spent on political ads as part of the company's efforts to make its ad library easier to use, Zuckerberg said. Facebook launched an online library of political ads in 2018, but the database has been criticized by researchers as being poorly maintained and failing to provide useful ad targeting information. The company plans to heighten protection of the Facebook and Instagram accounts of candidates, elected officials and their teams through a program called Facebook Protect. Participants in the program will be required to turn on two-factor authentication and their accounts will be monitored for signs of hacking.

Facebook announces steps to clamp down on misinformation ahead of 2020 election

China's "Great Firewall" system of online censorship blocks domestic access to nearly a quarter of the foreign news organisations accredited to report in the country, a press watchdog said Tuesday.

Beijing bars its citizens from accessing the publicly available websites of 23 per cent of 215 international news organisations that have journalists based in China, the Foreign Correspondents' Club of China (FCCC) said in a statement.

Thirty-one per cent of news organisations that publish primarily in English, the most widely spoken foreign language in China, are blocked, the FCCC said in a statement.

The numbers were determined via an analysis by the press club and GreatFire.org, which tracks Chinese online censorship.

The statement was released on the final day of the China-organised sixth annual World Internet Conference in the eastern city of Wuzhen, which the ruling Communist Party uses to further its argument that governments should be able to police their own online turf.

"China's internet controls have been used to block a growing list of global news sources," the FCCC said.

"Those digital blocks run counter to the ethos of internet openness, and prevent Chinese access to valuable sources of independent reporting on international matters, as well as China's own domestic affairs."

The blocked sites include the BBC, Bloomberg, The Guardian, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Yomiuri Shimbun and many others, it said.

The FCCC said according to the government 536 foreign journalists have accreditation to report in China.

The so-called "Great Firewall" is considered the world's biggest and most sophisticated censorship apparatus.

It blocks a slew of foreign sites including Facebook and Twitter, and Google shut down its search engine in China in 2010, refusing Beijing's requirement to censor search results.

China's "Great Firewall" system of online censorship blocks domestic access to nearly a quarter of the foreign news organisations accredited to report in the country, a press watchdog said Tuesday.

China's "Great Firewall" system of online censorship blocks domestic access to nearly a quarter of the foreign news organisations accredited to report in the country, a press watchdog said Tuesday. Beijing bars its citizens from accessing the publicly available websites of 23 per cent of 215 international news organisations that have journalists based in China, the Foreign Correspondents' Club of China (FCCC) said in a statement. Thirty-one per cent of news organisations that publish primarily in English, the most widely spoken foreign language in China, are blocked, the FCCC said in a statement. The numbers were determined via an analysis by the press club and GreatFire.org, which tracks Chinese online censorship. The statement was released on the final day of the China-organised sixth annual World Internet Conference in the eastern city of Wuzhen, which the ruling Communist Party uses to further its argument that governments should be able to police their own online turf. "China's internet controls have been used to block a growing list of global news sources," the FCCC said. "Those digital blocks run counter to the ethos of internet openness, and prevent Chinese access to valuable sources of independent reporting on international matters, as well as China's own domestic affairs." The blocked sites include the BBC, Bloomberg, The Guardian, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Yomiuri Shimbun and many others, it said. The FCCC said according to the government 536 foreign journalists have accreditation to report in China. The so-called "Great Firewall" is considered the world's biggest and most sophisticated censorship apparatus. It blocks a slew of foreign sites including Facebook and Twitter, and Google shut down its search engine in China in 2010, refusing Beijing's requirement to censor search results.

China blocks almost a quarter of accredited foreign news sites: Watchdog

Companies' demand for bank loans held up in the eurozone in the third quarter, the European Central Bank found in a survey published Tuesday, in a mildly positive sign amid fears of a slowdown.

"Net demand for loans to enterprises remained broadly unchanged in the third quarter," the ECB said in its quarterly survey of 144 banks across the single currency area.

But the steady interest in loans disappointed financial firms' hopes earlier this year that the third quarter would bring growth in demand.

"Demand slightly increased for loans to small- and medium-sized enterprises, but decreased for loans to large firms," the ECB added.

Many of the central bank's measures to stimulate the economy in recent years have aimed at increasing bank lending, a more significant factor for growth in Europe than other advanced economies like the US.

But the Frankfurt institution and organisations like the International Monetary Fund were forced to slash eurozone growth forecasts in recent weeks, as external factors such as trade wars and Brexit weigh on the bloc.

ECB economists now expect an expansion of 1.1 per cent this year and 1.2 per cent in 2020.

It was unclear Tuesday whether British MPs would vote through a last-minute divorce deal with the European Union.

And a truce in the US' damaging trade conflict with China remains elusive, while Washington last week slapped new tariffs on $7.5 billion of EU imports.

The ECB in September responded to slowing growth and mounting risks with a fresh and controversial big-bang package of measures.

It relaunched mass bond-buying and further lowered a key interest rate into negative territory.

Even before then, banks reported in the third-quarter survey that "the ECB's negative deposit facility rate continued to contribute to an increase in lending volumes and a decrease in lending rates" for companies and households.

Looking elsewhere in the results, lenders said they eased slightly the criteria they use to evaluate potential home mortgage and business borrowers in July-September.

But they tightened up the terms and conditions in their loan contracts for both companies and home buyers over the same period.

Companies' demand for bank loans held up in the eurozone in the third quarter, the European Central Bank found in a survey published Tuesday, in a mildly positive sign amid fears of a slowdown.

Companies' demand for bank loans held up in the eurozone in the third quarter, the European Central Bank found in a survey published Tuesday, in a mildly positive sign amid fears of a slowdown. "Net demand for loans to enterprises remained broadly unchanged in the third quarter," the ECB said in its quarterly survey of 144 banks across the single currency area. But the steady interest in loans disappointed financial firms' hopes earlier this year that the third quarter would bring growth in demand. "Demand slightly increased for loans to small- and medium-sized enterprises, but decreased for loans to large firms," the ECB added. Many of the central bank's measures to stimulate the economy in recent years have aimed at increasing bank lending, a more significant factor for growth in Europe than other advanced economies like the US. But the Frankfurt institution and organisations like the International Monetary Fund were forced to slash eurozone growth forecasts in recent weeks, as external factors such as trade wars and Brexit weigh on the bloc. ECB economists now expect an expansion of 1.1 per cent this year and 1.2 per cent in 2020. It was unclear Tuesday whether British MPs would vote through a last-minute divorce deal with the European Union. And a truce in the US' damaging trade conflict with China remains elusive, while Washington last week slapped new tariffs on $7.5 billion of EU imports. The ECB in September responded to slowing growth and mounting risks with a fresh and controversial big-bang package of measures. It relaunched mass bond-buying and further lowered a key interest rate into negative territory. Even before then, banks reported in the third-quarter survey that "the ECB's negative deposit facility rate continued to contribute to an increase in lending volumes and a decrease in lending rates" for companies and households. Looking elsewhere in the results, lenders said they eased slightly the criteria they use to evaluate potential home mortgage and business borrowers in July-September. But they tightened up the terms and conditions in their loan contracts for both companies and home buyers over the same period.

Eurozone firms keep borrowing as growth fears mount

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