Trump and Biden clash in first debate
Described as “vicious” by CNBC, an “exhausting shoutfest” by Fox News and “turbulent” by The Washington Post, the first US presidential candidate debate of the 2020 election campaign concluded with no clear winner late in Cleveland on Tuesday. Donald Trump and Joe Biden sparred over the US response to the coronavirus pandemic, the state of the economy, protests over racism, voting rights and even their own children in a debate that often saw them speak over each other and raise their voices. Moderator Chris Wallace from Fox News even apologised for having to raise his voice at one stage--“but why shouldn’t I be different than the two of you?” he said. C-Span has a full-length video of the debate up on its YouTube channel.
Family from Moria arrives in Luxembourg
Foreign minister Jean Asselborn was at Luxembourg airport on Tuesday afternoon to welcome a family of five refugees to the grand duchy. The family, whose children are aged 10, 8 and 7, were made homeless when fire destroyed the Moria refugee camp on the Greek island of Lesbos. So far this year Luxembourg has taken in 125 refugees from Greek camps.
55 new infections in Luxembourg
55 of the 5,408 people tested for Covid-19 in Luxembourg in the 24 hours to Tuesday evening were positive. That brings to 8,431 the number of people infected with Coronavirus since the start of the pandemic. 34 people remain hospitalised, of whom 4 are in intensive care according to the government’s Covid-19 daily update.
Luxembourg City launches new app
The city of Luxembourg on Tuesday unveiled its new cityapp-VDL. Available from the App store and Google Play store, the app can be used in English, French or German. The city says it is a complement to the vdl.lu website, but can be used to get “up-to-date and personalised information by way of push notifications triggered on the basis of users' real-time movements.”
Michel calls EU summit for Friday
European Council president Charles Michel has invited EU heads to Brussels for a summit on Friday to discuss “Europe's place in the world and our capacity to shape our own destiny.” Politico says talks will focus on relations with Turkey and China, the health and economic response to the coronavirus pandemic, the situation in Belarus and the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh. At the end of the meeting Michel will provide “a brief update on negotiations with the United Kingdom,” he said.
Turkey denies shooting Armenia fighter jet
As the conflict in the South Caucasus grows, Armenia on Tuesday accused Turkey, which sides with Azerbaijan over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region, of shooting down one of its fighter jets. Russia has called for an immediate ceasefire. The BBC reports and has good background to the conflict.
Disney announces lay-offs
Entertainment giant Disney is to let some 28,000 employees across its parks, experiences and consumer products division go, CNBC and Bloomberg report. Josh D’Amaro, head of parks at Disney, said around 67% of those laid off would be part-time employees.
Plants face extinction
An international report led by the UK’s Royal Botanical Gardens in Kew says that two in five of the world’s plant species are at risk of extinction, The Guardian and BBC report. Kew’s director of science, Prof Alexandre Antonelli, is cited as saying: “We are losing a race against time as we are probably losing species faster than we can find and name them.”
Dmitriev jailed for 13 years
The supreme court of the Karelia region in Russia has sentenced historian Yury Dmitriev to a 13-year jail term. He had originally been given a three and a half year term after being found guilty of abusing his adopted daughter--a charge his supporters say was fabricated because Dmitriev had been researching the great terror perpetrated by Joseph Stalin between 1937 and 38. The Guardian and Reuters have more.
Christians raise half a million for Rittenhouse
GiveSendGo site, a Christian based fundraising platform sponsored by a group called “Friends of the Rittenhouse family” has raised over $524,000 in support of teenager Kyle Rittenhouse, who shot dead two protestors at a Black Lives Matter demo in Kenosha, Wisconsin in August. The New York Post and Daily Mail have details.
Helen Reddy
Australian singer Helen Reddy has died at the age of 78 in Los Angeles, the BBC and Sydney Morning Herald report. Reddy’s 1972 US no.1 ‘I Am A Woman’ was a rallying cry for the feminist movement. Her biggest UK hit, also a no.1 in the US, was the rather disturbing ‘Angie Baby’.
Sweary parrots separated
Five parrots at a zoo in Lincolnshire in the UK have had to be separated after learning to swear, The Guardian reports. The zoo had taken the step as a precaution, though it hadn’t received any complaints. Indeed, its CEO said that “when a parrot tells you to fuck off, it amuses people very highly. It’s brought a big smile to a really hard year.”
Today’s breakfast briefing was written by Duncan Roberts