Europe's new COVID-19 cases have doubled in five weeks, propelling the region on Sunday across the bleak milestone of 10 million total infections, according to a Reuters tally.

Just last month, both Latin America and Asia reported over 10 million total cases in their regions. The United States alone has over 9 million cases with a rapidly accelerating outbreak.

While&nbsp;Europe&nbsp;almost took nine months to record its first 5 million COVID-19 cases, the next 5 million cases were reported in slightly over a month, according to a Reuters analysis.

With 10&nbsp;per cent&nbsp;of the world's population,&nbsp;Europe&nbsp;accounts for about 22&nbsp;per cent&nbsp;of the global caseload of 46.3 million infections. With over 269,000 deaths, the region accounts for some 23 per cent&nbsp;of the global COVID-19 death toll of nearly 1.2 million lives lost.

Amid the surging cases, France, Germany and the United Kingdom have announced nationwide lockdowns for at least the next month that are almost as strict as the restrictions in March and April. Portugal has imposed a partial lockdown and Spain and Italy are tightening restrictions.

According to Reuters analysis,&nbsp;Europe&nbsp;has reported more than 1.6 million new cases in the past seven days, nearly half the 3.3 million reported worldwide, with over 16,100 deaths, a 44&nbsp;per cent&nbsp;jump over the previous week.

For every 10,000 people in&nbsp;Europe, over 127 coronavirus cases have been reported and about four people have died, according to a Reuters analysis. In the United States there have been 278 cases and seven deaths per 10,000 residents.

Within the region, Eastern&nbsp;Europe&nbsp;has nearly one-third of the total reported COVID-19 cases, the highest number of cases, while Southern&nbsp;Europe&nbsp;leads the death toll with about 32&nbsp;per cent&nbsp;of the total coronavirus-related deaths in&nbsp;Europe, according to a Reuters analysis.

Russia is the worst-affected Eastern&nbsp;European country with over 1.6 million COVID-19 infections. The nation’s Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova said on Wednesday that hospital beds were at 90&nbsp;per cent&nbsp;of capacity in 16 regions of the country.

Governments across&nbsp;Europe&nbsp;have been under fire for a lack of coordination and for failing to use a lull in cases over the summer to bolster defences, leaving hospitals unprepared.

Europe's new COVID-19 cases have doubled in five weeks, propelling the region on Sunday across the bleak milestone of 10 million total infections, according to a Reuters tally.

Europe's new COVID-19 cases have doubled in five weeks, propelling the region on Sunday across the bleak milestone of 10 million total infections, according to a Reuters tally. Just last month, both Latin America and Asia reported over 10 million total cases in their regions. The United States alone has over 9 million cases with a rapidly accelerating outbreak. While Europe almost took nine months to record its first 5 million COVID-19 cases, the next 5 million cases were reported in slightly over a month, according to a Reuters analysis. With 10 per cent of the world's population, Europe accounts for about 22 per cent of the global caseload of 46.3 million infections. With over 269,000 deaths, the region accounts for some 23 per cent of the global COVID-19 death toll of nearly 1.2 million lives lost. Amid the surging cases, France, Germany and the United Kingdom have announced nationwide lockdowns for at least the next month that are almost as strict as the restrictions in March and April. Portugal has imposed a partial lockdown and Spain and Italy are tightening restrictions. According to Reuters analysis, Europe has reported more than 1.6 million new cases in the past seven days, nearly half the 3.3 million reported worldwide, with over 16,100 deaths, a 44 per cent jump over the previous week. For every 10,000 people in Europe, over 127 coronavirus cases have been reported and about four people have died, according to a Reuters analysis. In the United States there have been 278 cases and seven deaths per 10,000 residents. Within the region, Eastern Europe has nearly one-third of the total reported COVID-19 cases, the highest number of cases, while Southern Europe leads the death toll with about 32 per cent of the total coronavirus-related deaths in Europe, according to a Reuters analysis. Russia is the worst-affected Eastern European country with over 1.6 million COVID-19 infections. The nation’s Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova said on Wednesday that hospital beds were at 90 per cent of capacity in 16 regions of the country. Governments across Europe have been under fire for a lack of coordination and for failing to use a lull in cases over the summer to bolster defences, leaving hospitals unprepared.

Europe's COVID-19 cases double in five weeks, total infections surpass 10 million

Algerians voted on Sunday on whether to approve a revised constitution that imposes term limits, promises new freedoms, and is aimed at answering demands from pro-democracy protesters who pushed out their long-serving, autocratic president last year.

With the "yes" camp almost certain to win, the only real question was how many would take part in a poll also seen as a bid to bolster Bouteflika's successor Abdelmadjid Tebboune, currently hospitalised overseas.

The turnout hit a record low, however, as opponents of the amended constitution called for a boycott after they were barred from campaign venues or from expressing their views on public television or radio. The referendum took place symbolically on the 68th anniversary of the beginning of Algeria's war for independence from France.

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Pro-democracy activists say the revised charter does not go far enough to open up politics to a new generation of leaders. Islamist parties say it does not do enough to promote Islam and the Arabic language, and oppose a measure on religious freedom.

The Hirak protest movement had called for a boycott, dismissing the revised text as a "change of facade".

The youth-led movement launched vast demonstrations in early 2019 and kept them up for more than a year until the coronavirus pandemic forced their suspension.

Meanwhile, the man who pushed for the referendum, President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, is hospitalised in Germany after several people in his administration showed symptoms of the virus. The 74-year-old's exact ailment and whereabouts are unclear, though a presidential adviser said on Sunday that Tebboune was "in good health" and continuing to undergo medical examinations.

But observers have pointed out that the draft keeps key powers and appointments in the hands of the president.

If passed, it will be "the most authoritarian constitution in the entire Mediterranean", said constitutional researcher Massensen Cherbi of Sciences Po university in Paris.

For many Algerians, the most dramatic proposed constitutional change would allow the Algerian military to intervene abroad, in the United Nations or the African Union peacekeeping operations, a major departure from the current doctrine of non-interference. 
The military has long played a key role in Algeria, and military chief Gen. Said Bengriha has campaigned around the country for a "yes" vote.

The revision of the constitution was among the promises the president made when he was elected in December. It limits presidents and parliament members to two terms, makes it easier to create political parties, and hands some presidential powers to the prime minister, among other changes.

During a final campaign rally on Wednesday, Prime Minister Abdelaziz Djerrad said the amendments would "make it possible to definitively turn the page on the old practices of management of public affairs, with the emergence of new institutions and new methods of exercising responsibilities based on democracy, competence, transparency".

He insisted that it "reflects the major demands" of the Hirak protest movement, and will give young people and non-governmental actors more of a say in Algerian policies.

Hirak activists and their supporters, who want a wholesale overhaul of Algeria's leadership, see the referendum as an effort to look progressive while leaving the overall power structure in place.

Algerians voted on Sunday on whether to approve a revised constitution that imposes term limits, promises new freedoms, and is aimed at answering demands from pro-democracy protesters who pushed out their long-serving, autocratic president last year.

Algerians voted on Sunday on whether to approve a revised constitution that imposes term limits, promises new freedoms, and is aimed at answering demands from pro-democracy protesters who pushed out their long-serving, autocratic president last year. With the "yes" camp almost certain to win, the only real question was how many would take part in a poll also seen as a bid to bolster Bouteflika's successor Abdelmadjid Tebboune, currently hospitalised overseas. The turnout hit a record low, however, as opponents of the amended constitution called for a boycott after they were barred from campaign venues or from expressing their views on public television or radio. The referendum took place symbolically on the 68th anniversary of the beginning of Algeria's war for independence from France. Pro-democracy activists say the revised charter does not go far enough to open up politics to a new generation of leaders. Islamist parties say it does not do enough to promote Islam and the Arabic language, and oppose a measure on religious freedom. The Hirak protest movement had called for a boycott, dismissing the revised text as a "change of facade". The youth-led movement launched vast demonstrations in early 2019 and kept them up for more than a year until the coronavirus pandemic forced their suspension. Meanwhile, the man who pushed for the referendum, President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, is hospitalised in Germany after several people in his administration showed symptoms of the virus. The 74-year-old's exact ailment and whereabouts are unclear, though a presidential adviser said on Sunday that Tebboune was "in good health" and continuing to undergo medical examinations. But observers have pointed out that the draft keeps key powers and appointments in the hands of the president. If passed, it will be "the most authoritarian constitution in the entire Mediterranean", said constitutional researcher Massensen Cherbi of Sciences Po university in Paris. For many Algerians, the most dramatic proposed constitutional change would allow the Algerian military to intervene abroad, in the United Nations or the African Union peacekeeping operations, a major departure from the current doctrine of non-interference. The military has long played a key role in Algeria, and military chief Gen. Said Bengriha has campaigned around the country for a "yes" vote. The revision of the constitution was among the promises the president made when he was elected in December. It limits presidents and parliament members to two terms, makes it easier to create political parties, and hands some presidential powers to the prime minister, among other changes. During a final campaign rally on Wednesday, Prime Minister Abdelaziz Djerrad said the amendments would "make it possible to definitively turn the page on the old practices of management of public affairs, with the emergence of new institutions and new methods of exercising responsibilities based on democracy, competence, transparency". He insisted that it "reflects the major demands" of the Hirak protest movement, and will give young people and non-governmental actors more of a say in Algerian policies. Hirak activists and their supporters, who want a wholesale overhaul of Algeria's leadership, see the referendum as an effort to look progressive while leaving the overall power structure in place.

Algeria votes on new constitution amid opposition boycott

Riot police fired warning shots into the air, used stun grenades, and arrested more than 200 people to deter tens of thousands of&nbsp;Belarusians who marched through Minsk on Sunday to demand veteran leader Alexander Lukashenko leave power.

The march aimed to both commemorate victims of Stalin-era repressions and to keep up pressure on Lukashenko who is facing unprecedented protests after claiming victory in an August election.

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The last time a march to the execution site was dispersed was under the Soviets in 1988, when authorities used tear gas against an anti-Communist demonstration.

Mass demonstrations have flooded the capital for 12 straight weeks since a disputed election, ratcheting up pressure on the embattled leader of 26 years who rejects accusations the vote was rigged and says he has no intention of quitting.

This week Lukashenko partially closed the border to the west, replaced his interior minister, and said that any protester who lays a hand on officers policing the protests should "at least leave without hands".

Tens of thousands of people swept through Minsk in at least two columns, the Nasha Niva newspaper reported.

The Vesna-96 rights group published the names of 221 people who had been detained.

Demonstrators carried banners reading, "The people's memory (lasts) longer than a life of a dictatorship" and "Stop torturing your people!"

The crowds directed chants of "Go away!" at Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, who won his sixth term in an August 9 election that is widely seen as rigged. Lukashenko's crushing victory over his popular, inexperienced challenger, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, has triggered the largest and the most sustained wave of mass protests of his 26 years in power.

The 66-year-old former state farm director, who was once nicknamed "Europe's Latest Dictator", has relentlessly suppressed opposition and independent media in Belarus but struggled to quell the recent unrest. Large protest crowds have assembled in the streets of Minsk and other cities almost daily, despite police countering the demonstrations with water cannons, stun grenades, rubber bullets and mass detentions.

The Belarusian Interior Ministry threatened to use firearms against the rally-goers "if need be". On Sunday, police acknowledged officers fired several warning shots into the air during the demonstration in Minsk "to prevent violations of the law", but maintained that "non-lethal weapons" were used.

Armoured off-road vehicles equipped with machine guns were seen in Minsk for the first time in almost three months of protests, along with water cannon vehicles and other anti-riot equipment. Several metro stations were closed and mobile internet service did not work.

Police detained over 250 people in Minsk and other Belarusian cities where protests were held on Sunday, according to the Viasna centre. Several journalists were among the detainees and many of those detained were beaten up, human rights activists said.

"The authorities are trying to close the lid on the boiling Belarusian pot more tightly, but history knows very well what this leads to," Viasna leader Ales Bialiatski said.

Tsikhanouskaya entered the presidential race instead of her husband, a popular opposition blogger after he was jailed in May. She challenged the results of the election in which she secured 10 per cent of the vote to the incumbent president's 80 per cent, then left Belarus for Lithuania under pressure from the authorities.

She issued a statement on Sunday in support of the ongoing protests. 
"The terror is happening once again in our country right now," Tsikhanouskaya said. "We have not forgotten our past, we will not forget what is happening now."

Over 15,000 people have been detained since the presidential election, and human rights activists have declared more than 100 of them to be political prisoners.

All prominent members at the helm of the opposition's Coordination Council, which was formed to push for a transition of power, have either been jailed or left the country. One more activist on the Council, Denis Gotto, was detained during Sunday's demonstration. 
Lukashenko scoffed at suggestions of dialogue with the opposition and instead intensified the crackdown on protesters, ordering officials to expel students from universities for participating in demonstrations and to take action against plant workers that go on strike.

On Thursday, the government shut Belarus' borders with Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and Ukraine. They said the move was intended to stem the spread of the coronavirus, although officials previously accused neighbouring countries of trying to destabilise Belarus.

Starting Sunday, all foreigners -- with the exception of diplomats, government officials, individuals with permits to work in Belarus and people in some other narrow categories -- were banned from crossing the country's land borders. Foreigners, however, are allowed to travel into Belarus via the Minsk National Airport.&nbsp;

Riot police fired warning shots into the air, used stun grenades, and arrested more than 200 people to deter tens of thousands of Belarusians who marched through Minsk on Sunday to demand veteran leader Alexander Lukashenko leave power.

Riot police fired warning shots into the air, used stun grenades, and arrested more than 200 people to deter tens of thousands of Belarusians who marched through Minsk on Sunday to demand veteran leader Alexander Lukashenko leave power. The march aimed to both commemorate victims of Stalin-era repressions and to keep up pressure on Lukashenko who is facing unprecedented protests after claiming victory in an August election. The last time a march to the execution site was dispersed was under the Soviets in 1988, when authorities used tear gas against an anti-Communist demonstration. Mass demonstrations have flooded the capital for 12 straight weeks since a disputed election, ratcheting up pressure on the embattled leader of 26 years who rejects accusations the vote was rigged and says he has no intention of quitting. This week Lukashenko partially closed the border to the west, replaced his interior minister, and said that any protester who lays a hand on officers policing the protests should "at least leave without hands". Tens of thousands of people swept through Minsk in at least two columns, the Nasha Niva newspaper reported. The Vesna-96 rights group published the names of 221 people who had been detained. Demonstrators carried banners reading, "The people's memory (lasts) longer than a life of a dictatorship" and "Stop torturing your people!" The crowds directed chants of "Go away!" at Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, who won his sixth term in an August 9 election that is widely seen as rigged. Lukashenko's crushing victory over his popular, inexperienced challenger, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, has triggered the largest and the most sustained wave of mass protests of his 26 years in power. The 66-year-old former state farm director, who was once nicknamed "Europe's Latest Dictator", has relentlessly suppressed opposition and independent media in Belarus but struggled to quell the recent unrest. Large protest crowds have assembled in the streets of Minsk and other cities almost daily, despite police countering the demonstrations with water cannons, stun grenades, rubber bullets and mass detentions. The Belarusian Interior Ministry threatened to use firearms against the rally-goers "if need be". On Sunday, police acknowledged officers fired several warning shots into the air during the demonstration in Minsk "to prevent violations of the law", but maintained that "non-lethal weapons" were used. Armoured off-road vehicles equipped with machine guns were seen in Minsk for the first time in almost three months of protests, along with water cannon vehicles and other anti-riot equipment. Several metro stations were closed and mobile internet service did not work. Police detained over 250 people in Minsk and other Belarusian cities where protests were held on Sunday, according to the Viasna centre. Several journalists were among the detainees and many of those detained were beaten up, human rights activists said. "The authorities are trying to close the lid on the boiling Belarusian pot more tightly, but history knows very well what this leads to," Viasna leader Ales Bialiatski said. Tsikhanouskaya entered the presidential race instead of her husband, a popular opposition blogger after he was jailed in May. She challenged the results of the election in which she secured 10 per cent of the vote to the incumbent president's 80 per cent, then left Belarus for Lithuania under pressure from the authorities. She issued a statement on Sunday in support of the ongoing protests. "The terror is happening once again in our country right now," Tsikhanouskaya said. "We have not forgotten our past, we will not forget what is happening now." Over 15,000 people have been detained since the presidential election, and human rights activists have declared more than 100 of them to be political prisoners. All prominent members at the helm of the opposition's Coordination Council, which was formed to push for a transition of power, have either been jailed or left the country. One more activist on the Council, Denis Gotto, was detained during Sunday's demonstration. Lukashenko scoffed at suggestions of dialogue with the opposition and instead intensified the crackdown on protesters, ordering officials to expel students from universities for participating in demonstrations and to take action against plant workers that go on strike. On Thursday, the government shut Belarus' borders with Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and Ukraine. They said the move was intended to stem the spread of the coronavirus, although officials previously accused neighbouring countries of trying to destabilise Belarus. Starting Sunday, all foreigners -- with the exception of diplomats, government officials, individuals with permits to work in Belarus and people in some other narrow categories -- were banned from crossing the country's land borders. Foreigners, however, are allowed to travel into Belarus via the Minsk National Airport.

Defying warning shots, tens of thousands protest in Belarus

India has reported&nbsp;45,230 new coronavirus infections&nbsp;in the last 24 hours taking the total tally to&nbsp;82,29,313.

With&nbsp;496 new deaths due to the novel virus, the death toll mounted&nbsp;to 1,22,607.

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IndiaFightsCorona?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IndiaFightsCorona</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Unite2FightCorona?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Unite2FightCorona</a> <a href="https://t.co/s0Je4txBnJ">pic.twitter.com/s0Je4txBnJ</a>
— Ministry of Health (@MoHFW_INDIA) <a href="https://twitter.com/MoHFW_INDIA/status/1323075491998228481?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 2, 2020</a></blockquote>
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According to the Ministry of Health and&nbsp;Family Welfare,&nbsp;active COVID-19 cases in the country stand at 5,61,908, while 75,44,798 people have recovered from the disease so far.

With 8,55,800 samples tested on&nbsp;November 1, the total testing tally surged to&nbsp;11,07,43,103 as per the Indian Council of Medical Research.

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COVID-19 Testing Update. For more details visit: <a href="https://t.co/dI1pqvXAsZ">https://t.co/dI1pqvXAsZ</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/MoHFW_INDIA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MoHFW_INDIA</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/DeptHealthRes?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DeptHealthRes</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ICMRFIGHTSCOVID19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ICMRFIGHTSCOVID19</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IndiaFightsCOVID19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IndiaFightsCOVID19</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CoronaUpdatesInIndia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CoronaUpdatesInIndia</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/COVID19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#COVID19</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Unite2FightCorona?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Unite2FightCorona</a> <a href="https://t.co/r4XaaVeNKg">pic.twitter.com/r4XaaVeNKg</a>
— ICMR (@ICMRDELHI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ICMRDELHI/status/1323111225136279552?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 2, 2020</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

India has reported 45,230 new coronavirus infections in the last 24 hours taking the total tally to 82,29,313. With 496 new deaths due to the novel virus, the death toll mounted to 1,22,607.

India has reported 45,230 new coronavirus infections in the last 24 hours taking the total tally to 82,29,313. With 496 new deaths due to the novel virus, the death toll mounted to 1,22,607. #IndiaFightsCorona #Unite2FightCorona pic.twitter.com/s0Je4txBnJ — Ministry of Health (@MoHFW_INDIA) November 2, 2020 × According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, active COVID-19 cases in the country stand at 5,61,908, while 75,44,798 people have recovered from the disease so far. With 8,55,800 samples tested on November 1, the total testing tally surged to 11,07,43,103 as per the Indian Council of Medical Research. COVID-19 Testing Update. For more details visit: https://t.co/dI1pqvXAsZ @MoHFW_INDIA @DeptHealthRes #ICMRFIGHTSCOVID19 #IndiaFightsCOVID19 #CoronaUpdatesInIndia #COVID19 #Unite2FightCorona pic.twitter.com/r4XaaVeNKg — ICMR (@ICMRDELHI) November 2, 2020 ×

India reports 45,230 new COVID-19 cases; total tally surges to 8.2 million

November 02 in history: Election of Jimmy Carter as the US president and more

An indirect election is conducted to elect the president and the vice president of the United States. Those who are registered to vote cast ballots, both in person and via mail but not directly for those offices, but&nbsp;for&nbsp;members of the Electoral College.

These electors cast direct votes called 'electoral votes' for electing the president and the vice president. For an absolute majority, a candidate needs 270 out of 538 votes and is then elected to that office.&nbsp;

<img alt="US election 2020" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="375bc43a-56d1-4c07-9fa9-ecf4115ee605" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%288%29_39.jpg" />

In picture:&nbsp;Graphic shows when states may count advance votes and where mail-in ballots are accepted after Election Day

Federal agency National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is responsible for coordinating certain functions of the Electoral College between the States and Congress in regard to the Electoral College vote for President.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/you-may-never-get-election-results-trump-warns-against-vote-count-322329">You may never get election results: Trump warns against vote count</a>

Although it takes several days for every vote to be counted, it usually becomes clear who the winner will be by the early morning of the next day of the scheduled date for the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/us-election">US election</a>, which this year is November 3.

Different states stop voting at different times:

The voting is halted by different states at different times. On the East Coast, the first polls are closed at 19:00 local time (00:00 GMT).

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-election-2020-how-is-the-vote-counted-on-election-night-338814/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Major US media outlets call various states when they believe a certain candidate has an unbeatable lead.

However, with a growing tendency among voters to not disclose their true voting intentions on election day, exit polls have become largely unreliable.

Too much dependence on crowd-sourcing or vulnerable technology can act as a disadvantage.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/inside-the-trump-campaigns-strategy-to-make-voting-a-tooth-and-nail-fight-334209">Inside the Trump campaign’s strategy to make voting a tooth-and-nail fight</a>

Counting of mail ballots:

Mail-in voting surged in states that held presidential primaries after mid-March when the COVID-19 pandemic exploded.&nbsp;

Millions of Americans are projected to cast mail ballots for the first time this November, with coronavirus expected to drive record-high absentee turnout.

Votes which are sent via mail take a long time to count once they have arrived because every vote must have a signature that is matched with a separate signature on a registration card.&nbsp;

Also, the 50 states in the United States have different rules over how and when they count mail-in ballots.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/in-record-turnout-over-16-million-americans-vote-ahead-of-election-day-on-november-3-335400">In record turnout, over 16 million Americans vote ahead of election day on November 3</a>

While majority states only include postal ballots received by the time polls close on election day, some states such as California will accept votes as long as they are sent by the day of the election. Even if they arrive weeks later.

Whether or not a mail ballot is counted could depend to a large degree on how local election workers enforce mail-in voting rules, how they notify voters who submit deficient ballots, and whether they allow them to fix such errors.&nbsp;

Election experts believe that the number of rejected mail ballots is almost certain to be higher in November than it was in this year’s primaries because of the higher expected turnout.

Each of the US states has a central election authority, but ballots are processed by dozens of separate county or municipal election offices within each state.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/shift-to-mail-in-voting-could-lead-to-re-do-of-november-election-donald-trump-321567">Shift to mail-in voting could lead to re-do of November election: Donald Trump&nbsp;</a>

'Re-do the vote'

US President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;has said repeatedly and without evidence that a shift to universal mail-in voting,&nbsp;something most states have not proposed doing, will lead to fraud in the November 3 election, when he faces Democratic challenger <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a> who currently holds a substantial lead in public opinion polls.

Counting at the polling station:

While voting by mail is an option, many voters wanted to cast their ballot early and in-person to make sure their vote would count.

More than 16&nbsp;million Americans have cast ballots, setting a record early pace, according to the US Elections Project at the University of Florida. Many seek to avoid the large crowds expected on the election day,due to the risk of contracting coronavirus.

In the last presidential election, some 1.4 million Americans had cast early votes as of October 16, 2016.

However, a majority of people will vote on November 3 and it is expected that fewer polling stations will be open than usual which can lead to a shortage of workers and long queues of voters outside the stations.

This, along with faulty voting machines can also cause delays in counting.

An indirect election is conducted to elect the president and the vice president of the United States. Those who are registered to vote cast ballots, both in person and via mail but not directly for those offices, but for members of the Electoral College.

An indirect election is conducted to elect the president and the vice president of the United States. Those who are registered to vote cast ballots, both in person and via mail but not directly for those offices, but for members of the Electoral College. These electors cast direct votes called 'electoral votes' for electing the president and the vice president. For an absolute majority, a candidate needs 270 out of 538 votes and is then elected to that office. In picture: Graphic shows when states may count advance votes and where mail-in ballots are accepted after Election Day Federal agency National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is responsible for coordinating certain functions of the Electoral College between the States and Congress in regard to the Electoral College vote for President. Also read: You may never get election results: Trump warns against vote count Although it takes several days for every vote to be counted, it usually becomes clear who the winner will be by the early morning of the next day of the scheduled date for the US election, which this year is November 3. Different states stop voting at different times: The voting is halted by different states at different times. On the East Coast, the first polls are closed at 19:00 local time (00:00 GMT). Major US media outlets call various states when they believe a certain candidate has an unbeatable lead. However, with a growing tendency among voters to not disclose their true voting intentions on election day, exit polls have become largely unreliable. Too much dependence on crowd-sourcing or vulnerable technology can act as a disadvantage. Also read: Inside the Trump campaign’s strategy to make voting a tooth-and-nail fight Counting of mail ballots: Mail-in voting surged in states that held presidential primaries after mid-March when the COVID-19 pandemic exploded. Millions of Americans are projected to cast mail ballots for the first time this November, with coronavirus expected to drive record-high absentee turnout. Votes which are sent via mail take a long time to count once they have arrived because every vote must have a signature that is matched with a separate signature on a registration card. Also, the 50 states in the United States have different rules over how and when they count mail-in ballots. Also read: In record turnout, over 16 million Americans vote ahead of election day on November 3 While majority states only include postal ballots received by the time polls close on election day, some states such as California will accept votes as long as they are sent by the day of the election. Even if they arrive weeks later. Whether or not a mail ballot is counted could depend to a large degree on how local election workers enforce mail-in voting rules, how they notify voters who submit deficient ballots, and whether they allow them to fix such errors. Election experts believe that the number of rejected mail ballots is almost certain to be higher in November than it was in this year’s primaries because of the higher expected turnout. Each of the US states has a central election authority, but ballots are processed by dozens of separate county or municipal election offices within each state. Also read: Shift to mail-in voting could lead to re-do of November election: Donald Trump 'Re-do the vote' US President Donald Trump has said repeatedly and without evidence that a shift to universal mail-in voting, something most states have not proposed doing, will lead to fraud in the November 3 election, when he faces Democratic challenger Joe Biden who currently holds a substantial lead in public opinion polls. Counting at the polling station: While voting by mail is an option, many voters wanted to cast their ballot early and in-person to make sure their vote would count. More than 16 million Americans have cast ballots, setting a record early pace, according to the US Elections Project at the University of Florida. Many seek to avoid the large crowds expected on the election day,due to the risk of contracting coronavirus. In the last presidential election, some 1.4 million Americans had cast early votes as of October 16, 2016. However, a majority of people will vote on November 3 and it is expected that fewer polling stations will be open than usual which can lead to a shortage of workers and long queues of voters outside the stations. This, along with faulty voting machines can also cause delays in counting.

US election 2020: How are votes counted in the presidential election?

Charlie Hebdo trial has been delayed for at least a week after two more defendants tested positive for coronavirus.

In 2015, two people were stabbed and wounded in Paris on September&nbsp;25 near the former offices of the&nbsp;Charlie&nbsp;Hebdo&nbsp;satirical magazine, where Islamist militants carried out a deadly attack in 2015. A man originally from Pakistan was arrested over the attack.

Similarly, two Islamist militant gunmen broke into Charlie&nbsp;Hebdo's offices on January&nbsp;7 and killed 12 people. Another militant killed a policewoman the next day and took hostages at a supermarket on January&nbsp;9, killing four before police shot him dead.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/magazine-like-charlie-hebdo-could-not-exist-in-russia-says-kremlin-339429">Magazine like Charlie Hebdo 'could not exist' in Russia, says Kremlin</a>

Fourteen people are on trial accused of having helped the killers of 12 victims in the attack on&nbsp;Charlie Hebdo, a female police officer a day later, and four hostages at a Jewish supermarket.

After primary suspect Ali Riza Polat received a Covid-19 diagnosis over the weekend, the presiding judge ordered all those on trial to be tested.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/primary-suspect-tests-coronavirus-positive-charlie-hebdo-trial-postponed-339366">Primary suspect tests coronavirus positive, Charlie Hebdo trial postponed</a>

"In view of the health protocols in force requiring isolation of both positive and contact cases, the hearing will not be able to resume this week," Regis de Jorna said in an email sent Sunday to lawyers involved in the case.

The trial had already been suspended until Wednesday following Polat's positive diagnosis, with Jorna telling lawyers the court would not sit again until all the results were in.

Two further defendants then tested positive, with two others remaining under supervision despite negative results as they were believed to be "contact cases", according to Jorna's email.

The results from the other defendants, detained in Fleury-Merogis, are due Monday.

The extended suspension of the hearing will further delay the conclusion of the trial, which opened on September 2.

Defence lawyers were scheduled to plead on November 6, 9, 10 and 11 with the verdict expected on 13.

France returned to lockdown last week in the latest measure to curb a disease that has infected more than 44.5 million people worldwide and killed nearly 1.2 million.

Charlie Hebdo trial has been delayed for at least a week after two more defendants tested positive for coronavirus. In 2015, two people were stabbed and wounded in Paris on September 25 near the former offices of the Charlie Hebdo satirical magazine, where Islamist militants carried out a deadly attack in 2015.

Charlie Hebdo trial has been delayed for at least a week after two more defendants tested positive for coronavirus. In 2015, two people were stabbed and wounded in Paris on September 25 near the former offices of the Charlie Hebdo satirical magazine, where Islamist militants carried out a deadly attack in 2015. A man originally from Pakistan was arrested over the attack. Similarly, two Islamist militant gunmen broke into Charlie Hebdo's offices on January 7 and killed 12 people. Another militant killed a policewoman the next day and took hostages at a supermarket on January 9, killing four before police shot him dead. Also read: Magazine like Charlie Hebdo 'could not exist' in Russia, says Kremlin Fourteen people are on trial accused of having helped the killers of 12 victims in the attack on Charlie Hebdo, a female police officer a day later, and four hostages at a Jewish supermarket. After primary suspect Ali Riza Polat received a Covid-19 diagnosis over the weekend, the presiding judge ordered all those on trial to be tested. Also read: Primary suspect tests coronavirus positive, Charlie Hebdo trial postponed "In view of the health protocols in force requiring isolation of both positive and contact cases, the hearing will not be able to resume this week," Regis de Jorna said in an email sent Sunday to lawyers involved in the case. The trial had already been suspended until Wednesday following Polat's positive diagnosis, with Jorna telling lawyers the court would not sit again until all the results were in. Two further defendants then tested positive, with two others remaining under supervision despite negative results as they were believed to be "contact cases", according to Jorna's email. The results from the other defendants, detained in Fleury-Merogis, are due Monday. The extended suspension of the hearing will further delay the conclusion of the trial, which opened on September 2. Defence lawyers were scheduled to plead on November 6, 9, 10 and 11 with the verdict expected on 13. France returned to lockdown last week in the latest measure to curb a disease that has infected more than 44.5 million people worldwide and killed nearly 1.2 million.

Charlie Hebdo: Trial suspended after two more defendants contract coronavirus

Priyanca Radhakrishnan on Monday became New Zealand's first-ever Indian-origin minister after Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern inducted five new ministers into her executive.

Born in India, Radhakrishnan, 41, went to school in Singapore before moving to New Zealand to further her education.

She has spent her work life advocating on behalf of people whose voices are often unheard&nbsp;of women survivors of domestic violence, and migrant workers who have been exploited.

She was elected first as a Member of Parliament belonging to the Labour Party in September 2017.

In 2019, she was appointed the Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Minister for Ethnic Communities.

Her work in that area has helped her build the base for her new role of Minister for Diversity, Inclusion, and Ethnic Communities.

In addition to this, she has become the Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector and Associate Minister for Social Development and Employment.

She has become New Zealand's first-ever Kiwi Indian Minister, the New Zealand Herald newspaper quoted Indian Weekender as saying.

Radhakrishnan, who is from the 2017 intake of new MPs, is a minister outside of the Cabinet.

She lives in Auckland with her husband.

Announcing the names of the new ministers, Prime Minister Ardern said: "I am excited to be bringing in some new talent, with the first-hand experience in the areas that they will be working in, and reflecting the New Zealand that elected us on the 17th of October?.

"Within this lineup, I'm playing to people's strengths," she said.

"This is a Cabinet and an executive that is based on merit but also happens to be incredibly diverse," Ardern said, days after her center-left Labour Party won a landslide victory in the country's general election.

The new executive will be sworn in on Friday, which will be followed by the Cabinet's first meeting.

"Much of what we're focused on is making sure we've got our economic recovery hastened," the 40-year-old prime minister said.

If ministers don't deliver, they will be shown the door, Ardern warned.

Priyanca Radhakrishnan on Monday became New Zealand's first-ever Indian-origin minister after Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern inducted five new ministers into her executive.

Priyanca Radhakrishnan on Monday became New Zealand's first-ever Indian-origin minister after Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern inducted five new ministers into her executive. Born in India, Radhakrishnan, 41, went to school in Singapore before moving to New Zealand to further her education. She has spent her work life advocating on behalf of people whose voices are often unheard of women survivors of domestic violence, and migrant workers who have been exploited. She was elected first as a Member of Parliament belonging to the Labour Party in September 2017. In 2019, she was appointed the Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Minister for Ethnic Communities. Her work in that area has helped her build the base for her new role of Minister for Diversity, Inclusion, and Ethnic Communities. In addition to this, she has become the Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector and Associate Minister for Social Development and Employment. She has become New Zealand's first-ever Kiwi Indian Minister, the New Zealand Herald newspaper quoted Indian Weekender as saying. Radhakrishnan, who is from the 2017 intake of new MPs, is a minister outside of the Cabinet. She lives in Auckland with her husband. Announcing the names of the new ministers, Prime Minister Ardern said: "I am excited to be bringing in some new talent, with the first-hand experience in the areas that they will be working in, and reflecting the New Zealand that elected us on the 17th of October?. "Within this lineup, I'm playing to people's strengths," she said. "This is a Cabinet and an executive that is based on merit but also happens to be incredibly diverse," Ardern said, days after her center-left Labour Party won a landslide victory in the country's general election. The new executive will be sworn in on Friday, which will be followed by the Cabinet's first meeting. "Much of what we're focused on is making sure we've got our economic recovery hastened," the 40-year-old prime minister said. If ministers don't deliver, they will be shown the door, Ardern warned.

Priyanca Radhakrishnan becomes New Zealand's first-ever Indian-origin minister: Report

Just last year, Nepal attracted so many mountain climbers that a human traffic jam of hundreds of hikers in puffy jackets snarled a trail to the top of Mount Everest.

It was unmistakable proof of a tourism industry that had grown incredibly fast — too fast, some would say — and that had become a lifeline for the country. Last year the industry brought in more than $2 billion to Nepal, one of Asia’s poorest nations, and employed 1 million people, from porters to pilots.

The pandemic has stopped all of that.

The trails snaking through the Himalayas are deserted, including those leading up to Everest Base Camp. Fewer than 150 climbers have arrived this fall season, immigration officials said, down from thousands last year.

Countless Sherpas and experienced mountain guides have been put out of work, leaving many to plant barley or graze yaks across the empty slopes to survive.

Many Nepalis fear that the combined effect of the coronavirus and the hammer blow to the economy could set this nation back for years.

“I often think I will die of hunger before corona kills me,” said Upendra Lama, an out-of-work mountain porter who now relies on food handouts to provide for himself and his children. “How long will this go on?”

Although the whole world is asking similar questions, Nepal has few resources to help people cope. COVID-19 cases are steadily rising, and with around 1,000 intensive-care beds for a population of 30 million, authorities have instructed people who get sick to stay home unless they slip into critical condition. An unknown number may die out of sight and undetected.

The economic wreckage is easier to see. Hotels and the teahouses clinging to the sides of mountains are boarded up. Restaurants, gear shops and even some of the most popular watering holes in the capital, Kathmandu, have closed for the foreseeable future, including the Tom and Jerry pub, which for decades served as a beacon for backpackers.

“There’s no hope in sight,” said the pub’s owner, Puskar Lal Shrestha.

Remittances from Nepalis working abroad have become another casualty. When times were good, millions sent back money from across Asia, especially from Persian Gulf countries. Last year, total remittances were almost $9 billion. Nepal relies on remittances more than just about any other country.

Many Nepalis held unglamorous jobs, such as security guards or maids. But the money was good, especially for people from a country where the average income is the equivalent of $3 a day.

Now many of them have been laid off. Some have been sent home, while others remain trapped in foreign countries, with no work and the specter of deportation hanging over them.

“If the world does not get a corona vaccine soon, our remittances, which contribute around 30% to the national GDP, will completely dry up,” said Sujit Kumar Shrestha, the general secretary of Nepal’s Association of Foreign Employment Agencies.

As the economy ails, hospitals are filling up. Doctors say that the wealthy and the politically connected are monopolizing hospital beds, leaving the poor who get sick with nowhere to go.

“Our health system is weak, and the monitoring mechanism is even weaker,” said Dr. Rabindra Pandey, who works for Nepal Arogya Kendra, an independent organization of public health experts. “Well-connected and wealthy people can easily access private hospitals and afford their fees, but many of the poor are dying.”

With winter fast approaching and the Hindu festival season in full swing, public health experts warn that Nepal’s COVID-19 crisis is about to get worse. The country has reported around 175,000 infections, roughly the same rate per capita as India next door. And although its reported deaths remain fewer than 1,000, testing remains low and the consensus among Nepali doctors is that virus infections and deaths are many times higher.

The virus has reached its tentacles into rural areas and remote towns that just a few months ago had few or no reported cases. Government officials have been accused of exploiting the pandemic to make money. A parliamentary committee is looking into accusations that officials close to the prime minister, K.P. Sharma Oli, inflated prices of key medical supplies. The officials have denied the allegations.

In some areas, COVID-19 has cut through entire families.

Dharma Kumar Shrestha, an older man who ran a small business importing clothes, checked into a hospital in southern Nepal in late September to seek treatment for asthma, the beginning of a chain of events that killed nearly half his family. He caught COVID-19 in the hospital, family members said. Two of his sons who visited him then got infected.

With the hospitals filling up, and authorities ordering people to recover at home, the sons went back to their village. They got sicker. When one called for an ambulance, the driver refused, afraid of getting sick himself.

Within two weeks, Dharma and two sons had died.

“What could be worse news than this?” asked Suman Shrestha, a younger relative. “Let’s pray no one else has to face our fate.”

Health experts say that many of Nepal’s infections have come from Nepali workers traveling back from India. India is now No. 2 in the world in terms of reported COVID-19 infections — around 8 million, right behind the United States.

Nepal lives in India’s shadow. Its economy, strategic affairs and overall health are constantly rearranged by what happens in its huge neighbor to the south.

Partly because of the boost from tourism, Nepal’s economy had been growing faster than India’s, at nearly 6% in 2019. Usually at this time of year, jet after jet would thread the mountain ranges by Kathmandu’s international airport and disgorge thousands of well-heeled tourists, including many Indians, eager to hike in the Annapurnas or up to Mount Everest base camp.

Last year, more than 1 million tourists visited. The average spent more than $50 a day.

Tourism officials expect that at least 800,000 people employed in the tourism industry will lose their jobs. Among the first to go, officials said, will be the 50,000 or so high-altitude guides, Sherpas and others in the trekking ecosystem. Some have started protesting on the streets of Kathmandu, urging the government to give them loans to help feed their families and threatening to vandalize the tourism board’s office if they get no relief.

“Guides, once known as the real agents of tourism, have been left in the lurch,” said Prakash Rai, a climbing guide who participated in the recent protests. “We have no means to survive this crisis.”

Despite the rise in COVID-19 cases, other parts of the economy, like manufacturing, are trying to sputter back to life, and some schools have reopened. Travel restrictions imposed this spring and summer have been eased. A mass exodus has begun from the cities to far-flung villages as Nepalis head home to celebrate the Hindu holidays of Dashain and Tihar.

Yet such movement is bypassing tourist areas.

Pokhara, a beautiful lakeside city in the center of the country, has become a ghost town. At this time last year, it teemed with trekkers.

But as Baibob Poudel, a Pokhara hotelier, said, “I haven’t seen a single foreigner here since April.”

Just last year, Nepal attracted so many mountain climbers that a human traffic jam of hundreds of hikers in puffy jackets snarled a trail to the top of Mount Everest.

Just last year, Nepal attracted so many mountain climbers that a human traffic jam of hundreds of hikers in puffy jackets snarled a trail to the top of Mount Everest. It was unmistakable proof of a tourism industry that had grown incredibly fast — too fast, some would say — and that had become a lifeline for the country. Last year the industry brought in more than $2 billion to Nepal, one of Asia’s poorest nations, and employed 1 million people, from porters to pilots. The pandemic has stopped all of that. The trails snaking through the Himalayas are deserted, including those leading up to Everest Base Camp. Fewer than 150 climbers have arrived this fall season, immigration officials said, down from thousands last year. Countless Sherpas and experienced mountain guides have been put out of work, leaving many to plant barley or graze yaks across the empty slopes to survive. Many Nepalis fear that the combined effect of the coronavirus and the hammer blow to the economy could set this nation back for years. “I often think I will die of hunger before corona kills me,” said Upendra Lama, an out-of-work mountain porter who now relies on food handouts to provide for himself and his children. “How long will this go on?” Although the whole world is asking similar questions, Nepal has few resources to help people cope. COVID-19 cases are steadily rising, and with around 1,000 intensive-care beds for a population of 30 million, authorities have instructed people who get sick to stay home unless they slip into critical condition. An unknown number may die out of sight and undetected. The economic wreckage is easier to see. Hotels and the teahouses clinging to the sides of mountains are boarded up. Restaurants, gear shops and even some of the most popular watering holes in the capital, Kathmandu, have closed for the foreseeable future, including the Tom and Jerry pub, which for decades served as a beacon for backpackers. “There’s no hope in sight,” said the pub’s owner, Puskar Lal Shrestha. Remittances from Nepalis working abroad have become another casualty. When times were good, millions sent back money from across Asia, especially from Persian Gulf countries. Last year, total remittances were almost $9 billion. Nepal relies on remittances more than just about any other country. Many Nepalis held unglamorous jobs, such as security guards or maids. But the money was good, especially for people from a country where the average income is the equivalent of $3 a day. Now many of them have been laid off. Some have been sent home, while others remain trapped in foreign countries, with no work and the specter of deportation hanging over them. “If the world does not get a corona vaccine soon, our remittances, which contribute around 30% to the national GDP, will completely dry up,” said Sujit Kumar Shrestha, the general secretary of Nepal’s Association of Foreign Employment Agencies. As the economy ails, hospitals are filling up. Doctors say that the wealthy and the politically connected are monopolizing hospital beds, leaving the poor who get sick with nowhere to go. “Our health system is weak, and the monitoring mechanism is even weaker,” said Dr. Rabindra Pandey, who works for Nepal Arogya Kendra, an independent organization of public health experts. “Well-connected and wealthy people can easily access private hospitals and afford their fees, but many of the poor are dying.” With winter fast approaching and the Hindu festival season in full swing, public health experts warn that Nepal’s COVID-19 crisis is about to get worse. The country has reported around 175,000 infections, roughly the same rate per capita as India next door. And although its reported deaths remain fewer than 1,000, testing remains low and the consensus among Nepali doctors is that virus infections and deaths are many times higher. The virus has reached its tentacles into rural areas and remote towns that just a few months ago had few or no reported cases. Government officials have been accused of exploiting the pandemic to make money. A parliamentary committee is looking into accusations that officials close to the prime minister, K.P. Sharma Oli, inflated prices of key medical supplies. The officials have denied the allegations. In some areas, COVID-19 has cut through entire families. Dharma Kumar Shrestha, an older man who ran a small business importing clothes, checked into a hospital in southern Nepal in late September to seek treatment for asthma, the beginning of a chain of events that killed nearly half his family. He caught COVID-19 in the hospital, family members said. Two of his sons who visited him then got infected. With the hospitals filling up, and authorities ordering people to recover at home, the sons went back to their village. They got sicker. When one called for an ambulance, the driver refused, afraid of getting sick himself. Within two weeks, Dharma and two sons had died. “What could be worse news than this?” asked Suman Shrestha, a younger relative. “Let’s pray no one else has to face our fate.” Health experts say that many of Nepal’s infections have come from Nepali workers traveling back from India. India is now No. 2 in the world in terms of reported COVID-19 infections — around 8 million, right behind the United States. Nepal lives in India’s shadow. Its economy, strategic affairs and overall health are constantly rearranged by what happens in its huge neighbor to the south. Partly because of the boost from tourism, Nepal’s economy had been growing faster than India’s, at nearly 6% in 2019. Usually at this time of year, jet after jet would thread the mountain ranges by Kathmandu’s international airport and disgorge thousands of well-heeled tourists, including many Indians, eager to hike in the Annapurnas or up to Mount Everest base camp. Last year, more than 1 million tourists visited. The average spent more than $50 a day. Tourism officials expect that at least 800,000 people employed in the tourism industry will lose their jobs. Among the first to go, officials said, will be the 50,000 or so high-altitude guides, Sherpas and others in the trekking ecosystem. Some have started protesting on the streets of Kathmandu, urging the government to give them loans to help feed their families and threatening to vandalize the tourism board’s office if they get no relief. “Guides, once known as the real agents of tourism, have been left in the lurch,” said Prakash Rai, a climbing guide who participated in the recent protests. “We have no means to survive this crisis.” Despite the rise in COVID-19 cases, other parts of the economy, like manufacturing, are trying to sputter back to life, and some schools have reopened. Travel restrictions imposed this spring and summer have been eased. A mass exodus has begun from the cities to far-flung villages as Nepalis head home to celebrate the Hindu holidays of Dashain and Tihar. Yet such movement is bypassing tourist areas. Pokhara, a beautiful lakeside city in the center of the country, has become a ghost town. At this time last year, it teemed with trekkers. But as Baibob Poudel, a Pokhara hotelier, said, “I haven’t seen a single foreigner here since April.”

Mount Everest empties as COVID-19 strikes tourism in Nepal

President Donald Trump’s illness from a coronavirus infection last month was the most significant health crisis for a sitting president in nearly 40 years. Yet little remains known about how the virus arrived at the White House and how it spread.

The administration did not take basic steps to track the outbreak, limiting contact tracing, keeping cases a secret, and cutting out the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The origin of the infections, a spokesman said, was “unknowable.”

But one standard public health technique may still shed some light: tracking the cluster’s genetic fingerprints.

To better understand the outbreak, The New York Times worked with prominent geneticists to determine the genetic sequence of viruses that infected two Times journalists believed to have been exposed to the coronavirus as part of their work covering the White House.

The study reveals, for the first time, the genetic sequence of the virus that may have infected Trump and dozens of others, researchers said. That genome is a crucial clue that may allow researchers to identify where the outbreak originated and whether it went on to infect others across the country.

The White House has not disclosed any effort to conduct similar genetic testing, but the study’s results show that it is still possible, even weeks after positive tests. Additional sequencing could help establish the path of the virus through the White House, the role of a possible super spreading event for Judge Amy Coney Barrett, and the origin of an outbreak among the staff of Vice President Mike Pence in the last week or so.

The journalists, Michael D. Shear and Al Drago, both had significant, separate exposure to White House officials in late September, several days before they developed symptoms. They did not spend any time near each other in the weeks before their positive tests.

Shear traveled with Trump and other staff on Air Force One on Sept. 26, when Trump approached within 5-6 feet without a mask. Drago covered the Barrett event that day and a news conference the next day near officials who were not wearing masks and later tested positive. Both journalists wore masks.

The viral genomes of the two journalists shared the same distinct pattern of mutations, the research found. Along with their exposure history, the findings suggest that they were infected as part of the broader White House outbreak, said Trevor Bedford, a geneticist at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and the University of Washington who led the research team.

“These mutations that are possessed by these viruses are quite rare in the United States,” Bedford said. “I am highly convinced that these viruses come from the same outbreak or cluster based on their genomes.”

The study, which has been posted online but not yet peer-reviewed or published in a science journal, followed academic protocols that require genetic samples to be anonymous. Shear and Drago chose to disclose their identities for this article.

Viruses constantly mutate, picking up tiny, accidental alterations to their genetic material as they reproduce. Few mutations alter how a virus functions. But by comparing patterns of mutations across many genetic sequences, scientists can construct family trees of a virus, illuminating how it spreads.

The genomes believed by these researchers to be connected to the White House outbreak do not identify a recent geographic source, in part because they are unusual. The ancestors of those viruses spread to the United States from Europe and were circulating widely across the country in April and May, but the trail goes cold after that, according to Bedford.

Geneticists said the genomes are a key piece of the puzzle that may spur future research to determine where the White House outbreak originated and where it may go next. Scientists collect and publish tens of thousands of new sequences of the coronavirus every month, and additional testing may fill in the picture.

The results show that even weeks after it was identified, the White House outbreak would be better understood by sequencing samples of more people who were infected. Swabs used in positive tests are often kept in labs for months after initial infection, and genetic material for the coronavirus is stable if stored appropriately.

The CDC routinely relies on genetic testing to help understand COVID-19 outbreaks elsewhere across the country. In a study released on Thursday, the CDC cited genetic sequencing and intensive contact tracing that documented a super spreading event at a high school retreat in Wisconsin.

But the Trump administration is not known to have conducted its own genetic analysis of people infected in the outbreak. The White House declined to respond to questions on the genetic sequencing of Trump and the cluster of aides and officials who tested positive or became ill.

There is still a remote possibility, Bedford said, that a previously unseen version of the virus had been circulating undetected in Washington or Northern Virginia and infected both journalists independently from the White House cluster. More testing of the outbreak could eliminate that possibility, he said.

Scientists not involved in the research who reviewed the results agreed with the conclusion that the two samples sharing rare mutations strongly suggested they are part of the same outbreak.

“These genomes are probably going to be identical or nearly identical to the genome that infected the president,” said Michael Worobey, head of the department of ecology and evolutionary biology at the University of Arizona.

Worobey disputed the White House’s characterization that the source of the outbreak could not be known.

“A lot of things are unknowable if you make no effort to know anything about them, and this falls into this category,” Worobey said. “All of these things actually can be known if you make the effort and you have the transparency that scientists are desperately trying to promote as we sequence hundreds of thousands of these genomes around the world.”

For months, the White House minimized the threat of the virus and eschewed basic safety precautions at official events, like wearing a mask or keeping people 6 feet apart.

At least 11 people who attended a Rose Garden celebration on Sept. 26 for Judge Amy Coney Barrett, which included an indoor event without masks, became infected with the coronavirus, including Trump. Additional genetic testing could help more clearly establish the role of that event.

Bedford and his colleagues were able to obtain a full genetic sequence for the virus that infected Shear and a partial sequence of the virus that infected Drago. Several unusual mutations matched in the two samples, sufficient evidence to determine with a very high probability that they were essentially the same genome, Bedford said.

The work was carried out by a multidisciplinary team of researchers at the University of Washington School of Medicine, the Hutchinson Center, and the Brotman Baty Institute for Precision Medicine in Seattle.

The work is convincing, and it is the best way to piece together the progression of such an outbreak, said David Engelthaler, head of the infectious disease branch of the Translational Genomics Research Institute in Arizona, where he and colleagues have sequenced thousands of genomes to track the spread of the coronavirus, including devastating outbreaks at Native American reservations in the state.

“It’s critical no matter where we are to sequence this virus,” Engelthaler said. “Not just at the White House, but at the White Mountain Apache Reservation here in Arizona.”

President Donald Trump’s illness from a coronavirus infection last month was the most significant health crisis for a sitting president in nearly 40 years. Yet little remains known about how the virus arrived at the White House and how it spread.

President Donald Trump’s illness from a coronavirus infection last month was the most significant health crisis for a sitting president in nearly 40 years. Yet little remains known about how the virus arrived at the White House and how it spread. The administration did not take basic steps to track the outbreak, limiting contact tracing, keeping cases a secret, and cutting out the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The origin of the infections, a spokesman said, was “unknowable.” But one standard public health technique may still shed some light: tracking the cluster’s genetic fingerprints. To better understand the outbreak, The New York Times worked with prominent geneticists to determine the genetic sequence of viruses that infected two Times journalists believed to have been exposed to the coronavirus as part of their work covering the White House. The study reveals, for the first time, the genetic sequence of the virus that may have infected Trump and dozens of others, researchers said. That genome is a crucial clue that may allow researchers to identify where the outbreak originated and whether it went on to infect others across the country. The White House has not disclosed any effort to conduct similar genetic testing, but the study’s results show that it is still possible, even weeks after positive tests. Additional sequencing could help establish the path of the virus through the White House, the role of a possible super spreading event for Judge Amy Coney Barrett, and the origin of an outbreak among the staff of Vice President Mike Pence in the last week or so. The journalists, Michael D. Shear and Al Drago, both had significant, separate exposure to White House officials in late September, several days before they developed symptoms. They did not spend any time near each other in the weeks before their positive tests. Shear traveled with Trump and other staff on Air Force One on Sept. 26, when Trump approached within 5-6 feet without a mask. Drago covered the Barrett event that day and a news conference the next day near officials who were not wearing masks and later tested positive. Both journalists wore masks. The viral genomes of the two journalists shared the same distinct pattern of mutations, the research found. Along with their exposure history, the findings suggest that they were infected as part of the broader White House outbreak, said Trevor Bedford, a geneticist at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and the University of Washington who led the research team. “These mutations that are possessed by these viruses are quite rare in the United States,” Bedford said. “I am highly convinced that these viruses come from the same outbreak or cluster based on their genomes.” The study, which has been posted online but not yet peer-reviewed or published in a science journal, followed academic protocols that require genetic samples to be anonymous. Shear and Drago chose to disclose their identities for this article. Viruses constantly mutate, picking up tiny, accidental alterations to their genetic material as they reproduce. Few mutations alter how a virus functions. But by comparing patterns of mutations across many genetic sequences, scientists can construct family trees of a virus, illuminating how it spreads. The genomes believed by these researchers to be connected to the White House outbreak do not identify a recent geographic source, in part because they are unusual. The ancestors of those viruses spread to the United States from Europe and were circulating widely across the country in April and May, but the trail goes cold after that, according to Bedford. Geneticists said the genomes are a key piece of the puzzle that may spur future research to determine where the White House outbreak originated and where it may go next. Scientists collect and publish tens of thousands of new sequences of the coronavirus every month, and additional testing may fill in the picture. The results show that even weeks after it was identified, the White House outbreak would be better understood by sequencing samples of more people who were infected. Swabs used in positive tests are often kept in labs for months after initial infection, and genetic material for the coronavirus is stable if stored appropriately. The CDC routinely relies on genetic testing to help understand COVID-19 outbreaks elsewhere across the country. In a study released on Thursday, the CDC cited genetic sequencing and intensive contact tracing that documented a super spreading event at a high school retreat in Wisconsin. But the Trump administration is not known to have conducted its own genetic analysis of people infected in the outbreak. The White House declined to respond to questions on the genetic sequencing of Trump and the cluster of aides and officials who tested positive or became ill. There is still a remote possibility, Bedford said, that a previously unseen version of the virus had been circulating undetected in Washington or Northern Virginia and infected both journalists independently from the White House cluster. More testing of the outbreak could eliminate that possibility, he said. Scientists not involved in the research who reviewed the results agreed with the conclusion that the two samples sharing rare mutations strongly suggested they are part of the same outbreak. “These genomes are probably going to be identical or nearly identical to the genome that infected the president,” said Michael Worobey, head of the department of ecology and evolutionary biology at the University of Arizona. Worobey disputed the White House’s characterization that the source of the outbreak could not be known. “A lot of things are unknowable if you make no effort to know anything about them, and this falls into this category,” Worobey said. “All of these things actually can be known if you make the effort and you have the transparency that scientists are desperately trying to promote as we sequence hundreds of thousands of these genomes around the world.” For months, the White House minimized the threat of the virus and eschewed basic safety precautions at official events, like wearing a mask or keeping people 6 feet apart. At least 11 people who attended a Rose Garden celebration on Sept. 26 for Judge Amy Coney Barrett, which included an indoor event without masks, became infected with the coronavirus, including Trump. Additional genetic testing could help more clearly establish the role of that event. Bedford and his colleagues were able to obtain a full genetic sequence for the virus that infected Shear and a partial sequence of the virus that infected Drago. Several unusual mutations matched in the two samples, sufficient evidence to determine with a very high probability that they were essentially the same genome, Bedford said. The work was carried out by a multidisciplinary team of researchers at the University of Washington School of Medicine, the Hutchinson Center, and the Brotman Baty Institute for Precision Medicine in Seattle. The work is convincing, and it is the best way to piece together the progression of such an outbreak, said David Engelthaler, head of the infectious disease branch of the Translational Genomics Research Institute in Arizona, where he and colleagues have sequenced thousands of genomes to track the spread of the coronavirus, including devastating outbreaks at Native American reservations in the state. “It’s critical no matter where we are to sequence this virus,” Engelthaler said. “Not just at the White House, but at the White Mountain Apache Reservation here in Arizona.”

Tests show genetic signature of virus that may have infected President Trump

An iconic German pub called 'Ständige Vertretung' has banned&nbsp;Chancellor Angela Merkel and other&nbsp;officials behind the country’s month-long partial lockdown.

To curb the spike in&nbsp;Germany, Chancellor Angela Merkel has ordered a round of shutdowns from Monday until the end of the month.

The pub expressed its anger through a Facebook <a href="https://www.facebook.com/staevberlin/posts/10158631036858260">post</a>, which it later deleted, saying ''the government has failed to prepare the country for the second wave of the disease, unlike many restaurants, including their own, which have done a lot since April to protect their patrons.''

Co-owners, Jorn Peter Brinkmann and Jan Philipp Bubinger said ''It’s known that many politicians come to us as guests. Some of those politicians have decided yesterday to shut down catering businesses again, to ban us from doing our jobs. We are adding those politicians to our blacklist immediately.''

‘Standige Vertretung’ was established in 1997 by two innkeepers from Bonn.&nbsp;

Germany&nbsp;on Monday led a further tightening of coronavirus restrictions in Europe that have triggered anger and frustration across the continent.

Although&nbsp;Europe's biggest economy coped relatively well with the first coronavirus wave earlier in the year but numbers have risen rapidly in recent weeks, in step with the rest of the continent.

With infection rates hitting new 24-hour records almost daily over the past week, the government has decided that leisure, cultural and food and drink sectors must be shut to halt the surge in contagion. 
&nbsp;

An iconic German pub called 'Ständige Vertretung' has banned Chancellor Angela Merkel and other officials behind the country’s month-long partial lockdown. To curb the spike in Germany, Chancellor Angela Merkel has ordered a round of shutdowns from Monday until the end of the month.

An iconic German pub called 'Ständige Vertretung' has banned Chancellor Angela Merkel and other officials behind the country’s month-long partial lockdown. To curb the spike in Germany, Chancellor Angela Merkel has ordered a round of shutdowns from Monday until the end of the month. The pub expressed its anger through a Facebook post, which it later deleted, saying ''the government has failed to prepare the country for the second wave of the disease, unlike many restaurants, including their own, which have done a lot since April to protect their patrons.'' Co-owners, Jorn Peter Brinkmann and Jan Philipp Bubinger said ''It’s known that many politicians come to us as guests. Some of those politicians have decided yesterday to shut down catering businesses again, to ban us from doing our jobs. We are adding those politicians to our blacklist immediately.'' ‘Standige Vertretung’ was established in 1997 by two innkeepers from Bonn. Germany on Monday led a further tightening of coronavirus restrictions in Europe that have triggered anger and frustration across the continent. Although Europe's biggest economy coped relatively well with the first coronavirus wave earlier in the year but numbers have risen rapidly in recent weeks, in step with the rest of the continent. With infection rates hitting new 24-hour records almost daily over the past week, the government has decided that leisure, cultural and food and drink sectors must be shut to halt the surge in contagion.

Iconic German pub bans Chancellor Merkel over coronavirus restrictions

The&nbsp;US&nbsp;presidential election 2020 was&nbsp;expected to be a dramatic and eventful ride with Republican candidate Donald Trump running for re-election and competing with Democratic candidate Joe Biden.

However, nobody predicted a global pandemic that would upend every facet of the campaign.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-election-2020-president-donald-trumps-wildest-prediction-till-date-338554" hreflang="en">US election 2020: President Donald Trump's wildest prediction till date</a>

This is the first time in the history of American politics that the early voter count has reached 90 million. As per a tally posted by the US Elections Project at the University of Florida, more than 90 million Americans have already cast their ballots and the number is expected to grow as the residents still have two more days to vote.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/more-than-90-million-voters-cast-ballots-two-days-before-us-election-2020-339354" hreflang="en">More than 90 million voters cast ballots two days before US election 2020</a>

Here are 10 pivotal moments from a dizzying election year:

1. Trump acquitted, February&nbsp;5, 2020, At the beginning of the year, things were looking up for the Republican president. Trump's Senate impeachment trial ended with him cleared on two charges brought by Democrats. The fallout from the Mueller Report was no longer hanging over his head. The economy was roaring - and prospects for his re-election looked relatively strong. After years of strife, the moment offered him a chance for a reset. But even as things looked rosier for the president, cases of COVID-19 were beginning to circulate in California and the Pacific Northwest.

2. Biden wins South Carolina primary, February&nbsp;29, 2020, After disappointing finishes in the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary, Joe Biden's presidential bid looked cooked. But his campaign aides asserted that things would turn around as soon as African Americans began voting in large numbers - and they were right. Biden blew the field away in South Carolina, causing several rivals to drop out immediately and setting the stage for a stunning run that sewed up the Democratic nomination in a matter of weeks. Biden would perhaps prove to be the one Democrat best suited to pull moderate voters in the Midwest and elsewhere away from Trump.

3. Trump delivers coronavirus address, March 11, 2020, After weeks of downplaying the coronavirus threat and with cases skyrocketing in the country, Trump delivered a rare national address from the Oval Office in an attempt to reassure a jittery public. Two days later, he would declare a national emergency. The virus would reshape American life, closing schools, businesses, and restaurants, trapping millions at home, and becoming the dominant issue of the 2020 election. It would also keep Trump - and Biden even more so - off the campaign trail for months.

4. Sanders drops out, April 8, 2020, Trailing Biden badly in delegates, and with the coronavirus outbreak paralyzing the nation, Bernie Sanders became the final rival for the Democratic nomination to drop out of the race. He would endorse Biden a few days later, ensuring that the party would not be riven by discord as it was four years earlier when Sanders refused to concede to Hillary Clinton until the party's national convention. Sanders' move allowed Biden to turn his focus squarely to the general election with nearly seven months to go. Biden worked to make Sanders' supporters feel welcome, establishing a series of policy working groups that included progressive voices.

5. Trump's 'bleach' moment, April 23, 2020, With the death toll from the pandemic nearing 50,000, Trump at one of his daily virus briefings spontaneously suggested that injecting disinfectants into the human body could eliminate the virus. Public health experts quickly warned the public that doing so would be toxic, and Trump later claimed he was being sarcastic. The resulting furor was a factor in his deciding, days later, to suspend the briefings entirely, even though opinion polls in April had shown an uptick in public approval of his handling of the crisis.

6. Protesters tear gassed outside the White House, June 1, 2020, Washington was one of several cities convulsed by largely peaceful protests in the wake of the death on May 25 of George Floyd, a Black man, under the knee of a white Minneapolis police officer. On June 1, Trump gave an address at the White House invoking the "law and order" theme he would employ during the rest of his campaign. US&nbsp;Park Police and National Guard troops, clad in riot gear, then used pepper spray to clear the park outside the White House of protesters so that Trump could walk to historic St. John's Church and pose for a photo holding up a Bible. The melee became an image that would haunt Trump, as polls showed Americans largely supportive of the protests for racial justice. His approval rating soon dropped to a seven-month low.

7. Harris joins Biden's ticket, August&nbsp;11, 2020, Biden tapping Senator Kamala Harris of California, a former rival for the nomination, as his running mate didn't come as a surprise. She had been the favorite all along. But she swiftly proved herself to be everything Biden needed, giving him a practiced and polished campaign partner and energizing the Democratic base. She also brought her own fundraising prowess to bear, with contributions to Biden's campaign reaching stratospheric levels once she was in the fold.

8. Justice Ginsburg dies, September&nbsp;18, 2020, The worst fears of liberals came true as the storied Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg succumbed to cancer less than two months before the November&nbsp;3 election. Trump did not hesitate to fill her Supreme Court slot, nominating Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the court and likely ensuring a conservative majority for years to come. The move gave conservatives a reason to cheer in what had been a challenging year for the president. But it also galvanized Democrats, particularly women, while allowing the Biden campaign's warnings of threats to the Affordable Care Act and abortion rights to be thrown into stark relief.

9. The first Trump-Biden debate, September&nbsp;29, 2020, Needing something to turn his fortunes around, Trump came into his first debate with Biden looking for a fight. But his belligerence worked against him. He repeatedly interrupted Biden and the moderator, Chris Wallace, to the point where the entire event veered out of control. He attacked Biden's family. Polls and focus groups conducted afterward showed swing voters were repulsed by his behavior. Trump would later drop out of the second debate after it was switched to a virtual format in the wake of his COVID-19 diagnosis. He then adopted a more restrained tone for the final face-off with Biden on Oct. 22.

10. Trump gets COVID-19, October&nbsp;2, 2020, After weeks of holding in-person rallies in which safety measures against the spread of the coronavirus were largely ignored, Trump and several aides tested positive for the disease. A short illness and quarantine period kept him off the campaign trail for 10 days. The bigger damage, however, may have been to the president's image. With Trump already faulted by a majority of Americans for his handling of the pandemic, his diagnosis made the White House look bumbling and hypocritical. And it ensured the virus would remain the central issue of the campaign just weeks before Election Day.

The US presidential election 2020 was expected to be a dramatic and eventful ride with Republican candidate Donald Trump running for re-election and competing with Democratic candidate Joe Biden.

The US presidential election 2020 was expected to be a dramatic and eventful ride with Republican candidate Donald Trump running for re-election and competing with Democratic candidate Joe Biden. However, nobody predicted a global pandemic that would upend every facet of the campaign. Also read| US election 2020: President Donald Trump's wildest prediction till date This is the first time in the history of American politics that the early voter count has reached 90 million. As per a tally posted by the US Elections Project at the University of Florida, more than 90 million Americans have already cast their ballots and the number is expected to grow as the residents still have two more days to vote. Also read: More than 90 million voters cast ballots two days before US election 2020 Here are 10 pivotal moments from a dizzying election year: 1. Trump acquitted, February 5, 2020, At the beginning of the year, things were looking up for the Republican president. Trump's Senate impeachment trial ended with him cleared on two charges brought by Democrats. The fallout from the Mueller Report was no longer hanging over his head. The economy was roaring - and prospects for his re-election looked relatively strong. After years of strife, the moment offered him a chance for a reset. But even as things looked rosier for the president, cases of COVID-19 were beginning to circulate in California and the Pacific Northwest. 2. Biden wins South Carolina primary, February 29, 2020, After disappointing finishes in the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary, Joe Biden's presidential bid looked cooked. But his campaign aides asserted that things would turn around as soon as African Americans began voting in large numbers - and they were right. Biden blew the field away in South Carolina, causing several rivals to drop out immediately and setting the stage for a stunning run that sewed up the Democratic nomination in a matter of weeks. Biden would perhaps prove to be the one Democrat best suited to pull moderate voters in the Midwest and elsewhere away from Trump. 3. Trump delivers coronavirus address, March 11, 2020, After weeks of downplaying the coronavirus threat and with cases skyrocketing in the country, Trump delivered a rare national address from the Oval Office in an attempt to reassure a jittery public. Two days later, he would declare a national emergency. The virus would reshape American life, closing schools, businesses, and restaurants, trapping millions at home, and becoming the dominant issue of the 2020 election. It would also keep Trump - and Biden even more so - off the campaign trail for months. 4. Sanders drops out, April 8, 2020, Trailing Biden badly in delegates, and with the coronavirus outbreak paralyzing the nation, Bernie Sanders became the final rival for the Democratic nomination to drop out of the race. He would endorse Biden a few days later, ensuring that the party would not be riven by discord as it was four years earlier when Sanders refused to concede to Hillary Clinton until the party's national convention. Sanders' move allowed Biden to turn his focus squarely to the general election with nearly seven months to go. Biden worked to make Sanders' supporters feel welcome, establishing a series of policy working groups that included progressive voices. 5. Trump's 'bleach' moment, April 23, 2020, With the death toll from the pandemic nearing 50,000, Trump at one of his daily virus briefings spontaneously suggested that injecting disinfectants into the human body could eliminate the virus. Public health experts quickly warned the public that doing so would be toxic, and Trump later claimed he was being sarcastic. The resulting furor was a factor in his deciding, days later, to suspend the briefings entirely, even though opinion polls in April had shown an uptick in public approval of his handling of the crisis. 6. Protesters tear gassed outside the White House, June 1, 2020, Washington was one of several cities convulsed by largely peaceful protests in the wake of the death on May 25 of George Floyd, a Black man, under the knee of a white Minneapolis police officer. On June 1, Trump gave an address at the White House invoking the "law and order" theme he would employ during the rest of his campaign. US Park Police and National Guard troops, clad in riot gear, then used pepper spray to clear the park outside the White House of protesters so that Trump could walk to historic St. John's Church and pose for a photo holding up a Bible. The melee became an image that would haunt Trump, as polls showed Americans largely supportive of the protests for racial justice. His approval rating soon dropped to a seven-month low. 7. Harris joins Biden's ticket, August 11, 2020, Biden tapping Senator Kamala Harris of California, a former rival for the nomination, as his running mate didn't come as a surprise. She had been the favorite all along. But she swiftly proved herself to be everything Biden needed, giving him a practiced and polished campaign partner and energizing the Democratic base. She also brought her own fundraising prowess to bear, with contributions to Biden's campaign reaching stratospheric levels once she was in the fold. 8. Justice Ginsburg dies, September 18, 2020, The worst fears of liberals came true as the storied Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg succumbed to cancer less than two months before the November 3 election. Trump did not hesitate to fill her Supreme Court slot, nominating Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the court and likely ensuring a conservative majority for years to come. The move gave conservatives a reason to cheer in what had been a challenging year for the president. But it also galvanized Democrats, particularly women, while allowing the Biden campaign's warnings of threats to the Affordable Care Act and abortion rights to be thrown into stark relief. 9. The first Trump-Biden debate, September 29, 2020, Needing something to turn his fortunes around, Trump came into his first debate with Biden looking for a fight. But his belligerence worked against him. He repeatedly interrupted Biden and the moderator, Chris Wallace, to the point where the entire event veered out of control. He attacked Biden's family. Polls and focus groups conducted afterward showed swing voters were repulsed by his behavior. Trump would later drop out of the second debate after it was switched to a virtual format in the wake of his COVID-19 diagnosis. He then adopted a more restrained tone for the final face-off with Biden on Oct. 22. 10. Trump gets COVID-19, October 2, 2020, After weeks of holding in-person rallies in which safety measures against the spread of the coronavirus were largely ignored, Trump and several aides tested positive for the disease. A short illness and quarantine period kept him off the campaign trail for 10 days. The bigger damage, however, may have been to the president's image. With Trump already faulted by a majority of Americans for his handling of the pandemic, his diagnosis made the White House look bumbling and hypocritical. And it ensured the virus would remain the central issue of the campaign just weeks before Election Day.

US election 2020: Top 10 pivotal moments of the presidential campaign

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Zee News Rajasthan

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