How Will the Vote Go? Tension Mounts ahead of US Presidential Election

Trump and Biden have been making the most of the final hours of campaigning. This is arguably the most important US election in living memory. The stakes are high for both the candidates, for both of the political parties and indeed for the United States, in their most disunited state since the civil war. Pennsylvania is considered to be the state where the fate of this election is in the balance. Basically, whoever takes Pennsylvania will most likley end up in the Oval Office. Pennsylvania in Biden's home state: but that's no guarantee of success. In 2016, Pennsylvania, with it's 20 Electoral College votes, backed Trump by 48.2%... How will it go this time?

Will the Final Day of the US Campaign Sway the Vote? | Inside Story

The US presidential race is in the home stretch. On Tuesday, Americans will decide between Donald Trump and Joe Biden, who've been in battleground states to win over undecided voters. A record 91 million people have voted early, many by mail, prompting a judge to order postal service managers to ensure all ballots are delivered on time. Will the last-minute campaign rush change the outcome?

Presenter: Imran Khan | Guests: Richard Goodstein - Democratic Political Consultant; Todd Belt - Professor, George Washington University; Adolfo Franco - Republican Strategist

Attentat in City: Verletzte und Toter

ORF: Mehrere Schüsse sind am Abend in der Innenstadt gefallen. Es dürfte sich um einen Anschlag auf die Synagoge in der Seitenstettengasse handeln. Das Innenministerium sprach von einem Terroranschlag oder Amoklauf.

Derzeit findet rund um den Wiener Schwedenplatz ein Großeinsatz der Polizei statt. Kurz nach 20.00 Uhr waren laut Augenzeugen mehrere Schüsse zu hören. Ein Täter soll tot sein, ein weiterer befand sich möglicherweise mit einem Sprengstoffgürtel auf der Flucht. Die Rede ist von mehreren Verletzten.

Zum Zeitpunkt des Anschlages dürften sich keine Menschen im Stadttempel in der Seitenstettengasse und in den Räumlichkeiten der Israelitischen Kultusgemeinde Wien (IKG) befunden haben. » | red, wien.ORF.at/Agenturen | Montag, 2. November 2020

Edward Snowden Applies for Russian Citizenship for Sake of Future Son

THE GUARDIAN: US whistleblower says move is to prevent separation from his as-yet unborn son in ‘era of pandemics and closed borders’

The US whistleblower Edward Snowden and his wife are applying for Russian citizenship in order not to be separated from their future son in an era of pandemics and closed borders, he said on Monday.

Snowden’s wife, Lindsay, is expecting a child in late December, the Interfax news agency cited Anatoly Kucherena, his Russian lawyer, as saying.

Snowden, 37, fled the US and was given asylum in Russia after leaking secret files in 2013 that revealed vast domestic and international surveillance operations carried out by the US National Security Agency where he was a contractor.

US authorities have for years wanted Snowden returned to the US to face a criminal trial on espionage charges brought in 2013. » | Andrew Roth in Moscow and agencies | Monday, November 2, 2020

Emmanuel Macron: Free Speech Is Much Broader Than Mere Cartoons | Talk to Al Jazeera

On this edition of Talk to Al Jazeera, President Emmanuel Macron insists he understands and respects the feelings expressed by the Muslim world over the cartoons.

But, he says, he will always defend "the freedom to write, to think and to draw". Even if this does not mean he personally supports everything said, thought or drawn.

Macron says it is his duty to protect these human rights that have been won in France, as well as the sovereignty of the French people.

Caricatures: un haut responsable de l'Onu appelle «au respect mutuel»

LE FIGARO: «Les caricatures incendiaires ont provoqué des actes de violence contre des civils innocents», a regretté l'Espagnol Miguel Angel Moratinos.

Le haut représentant pour l'Alliance des civilisations des Nations Unies, l'Espagnol Miguel Angel Moratinos, a appelé mercredi 28 octobre dans un communiqué «au respect mutuel de toutes les religions et croyances», sans se prononcer directement sur les propos du président français défendant le droit de caricaturer le prophète Mahomet. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | Publié le 28 octobre 2020 à 23:57, mis à jour le 29 octobre 2020

Would You Hire Donald Trump? | NowThis

The election is a job interview. This political ad asks, 'Would you hire Donald Trump?'

The Observer View on the US Election

THE OBSERVER: Another four years of Donald Trump would be a disaster for America. We must hope Biden wins and wins big

The US presidential election on Tuesday is the most momentous in recent modern history. It is a referendum on the personality and leadership of Donald Trump after four extraordinary, disgraceful years. It is a referendum, too, on the future of democracy in America, which appears more imperilled now than at any time since the civil war. Also at issue is America’s future role in the world. Not since 1940 has the US been so isolated and out of step on the key issues of the day.

The very idea that an American election, normally a grand, exemplary expression of the popular will, could be reduced to being about one man is, at some level, obscene. Yet how could it be otherwise? Selfishness, egotism and narcissism are the Trump trademarks. From his first hours in the Oval office, when he lied about the size of his inauguration crowd, Trump has made governing all about him. For this vain, self-obsessed man, the Hail to the Chief presidential anthem should be retitled Hail to Me. » | Observer editorial | Sunday, November 1, 2020

Muslims’ Rage at Macron Threatens to Escalate Tensions across Europe

THE GUARDIAN: In his defence of freedom after the Charlie Hebdo attacks, the French president outraged both radical and moderate Muslims

Maybe he knew what he was doing. Maybe he didn’t. Either way, Emmanuel Macron set France and Europe on a new collision course with the Islamic world last month – all in the name of freedom. Last week’s spate of lethal terror attacks suggests the French president may have started something he cannot finish.

Macron’s impassioned speech on 2 October, vowing to fight “radical Islamism”, eradicate “separatism” and uphold secular values at all costs, foreshadowed this latest crisis. It was seen at the time as a mainly domestic political exercise, intended to spike the guns of France’s far right before his 2022 election campaign.

But Muslim leaders were enraged by Macron’s description of Islam as a faith “in crisis all over the world” that had, in effect, been hijacked by extremists. Then, two weeks later, after the murder of a Paris schoolteacher, Samuel Paty, by a foreign-born Islamist, an undaunted Macron doubled down. His defence of the notorious, recently republished Charlie Hebdo caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad, which Paty had shown to pupils, and a national crackdown on mosques, imams and Islamic groups added fuel to the fire. France itself was “under attack”, Macron dramatically declared, a phrase he repeated on Thursday.

Political and religious leaders from Bangladesh to Jordan and anti-French demonstrators publicly vented their fury, accusing him of doing “Satan’s work”. Much of what he said was misunderstood or purposefully distorted. Truth was a casualty, too. » | Simon Tisdall | Sunday, Novermber 1, 2020

As Europe's Governments Lose Control of Covid, Revolt Is in the Air

THE OBSERVER: Fears of civil unrest grow as people across the continent no longer trust leaders to protect them during the crisis

As the second wave of Covid-19 filled hospital wards across Europe last week, and countries inched reluctantly towards varying degrees of partial lockdown, television schedules were cleared to allow leaders to address weary nations.

Announcing a 6pm curfew for the country’s restaurants and bars the Italian prime minister, Giuseppe Conte, called for national unity. “If we all respect these new rules during the month of November,” he said, “we will succeed in keeping the epidemiological curve under control. That way we will be able to ease the restrictions and move into the Christmas festivities with greater serenity.”

Speaking from the Elysée, a sombre Emmanuel Macron decreed a new national lockdown, lasting until at least 1 December, and warned France the new wave of infections was likely to be “deadlier than the first”. In Belgium, where Covid is spreading faster than in any other European country, the new prime minister, Alexander De Croo, hoped “a team of 11 million Belgians” would pull together to follow tighter regulations.

In tone and spirit, the messages echoed those delivered in March, when shock and fear led populations to rally round leaders and consent to restrictions unknown outside wartime. Eight months on, that kind of trust and goodwill is in short supply. » | Julian Coman | Sunday, November 1, 2020

Who Is Donald J. Trump? Narrated by Julianne Moore | NowThis

Donald Trump is the only presidential candidate on the ballot who has publicly agreed that his own daughter is a 'piece of ass.' The bronze-gilded mogul is as notable for his multiple rape allegations and history of racist renting practices as he is for putting children in cages and shamelessly funding a campaign to execute 5 innocent Black teens. So how did the man who once said he’d choose Oprah as his running mate end up with yet another campaign endorsement from former KKK grand wizard David Duke? Narrated by Julianne Moore.

Nice Mourns Terror Victims as Details Emerge about Suspect | DW News

A third man is now in custody in connection with the terror attack on Thursday in Nice, according to police forces. It follows the arrest of two people were in contact with the assailant. Three people were killed after a knife attack in the city's Notre Dame basilica. It's the third Islamist attack in the country in just two months.

Spain: Anti-Covid Restrictions Rally Descends into Chaos in Madrid

In Spain, protesters have clashed with police in the capital city of Madrid, vandalizing ATMs, as well as breaking and burning trash cans in the city center.

Women Protest New Abortion Restrictions in Poland

Women Converge on Warsaw, Heightening Poland’s Largest Protests in Decades »

Obama Rips into Trump During Drive-in Biden Rally

Macron Criticises Turkey's 'Imperial Inclinations' as Row between Countries Escalates

THE GUARDIAN: In an interview with al-Jazeera, the French president also tried to calm tensions with the Muslims world over caricatures of the prophet Muhammad

The French president Emmanuel Macron has accused Turkey of adopting a “bellicose” stance towards its NATO allies, saying tensions could ease if his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdoğan showed respect and did not tell lies.

In an interview with al-Jazeera broadcast on Saturday, Macron condemned Turkey’s behaviour in Syria, Libya and the Mediterranean and said: “Turkey has a bellicose attitude towards its NATO allies.”

He also sought to calm flaring tensions with Muslims around the world after increasingly heated rhetoric following the murder of French school teacher, Samuel Paty, who showed caricatures of the prophet Muhammad alongside other cartoons as part of a discussion on free speech.

Macron said that France’s wish was that things “calm down” but for this to happen, it was essential that the “Turkish president respects France, respects the European Union, respects its values, does not tell lies and does not utter insults”.

He noted that France had offered its condolences to Turkey following the deadly earthquake in the Aegean and had also offered to send help to the scene. » | Agence France-Presse | Sunday, November 1, 2020

Turkey threatens legal action over Charlie Hebdo's caricature of president »

Un prêtre orthodoxe grièvement blessé par balle devant son église à Lyon

LE MONDE: Employé par le ministère grec de l’éducation et des cultes, la victime, Nikolaos Kakavelakis, est âgée de 52 ans et était en poste à Lyon depuis une dizaine d’années, en tant que recteur de la paroisse grecque orthodoxe de l’Annonciation de la mère de Dieu.

Samedi 31 octobre, vers 16 heures, près de l’Eglise orthodoxe grecque située rue Père Chevrier à Lyon, un archiprêtre orthodoxe, qui était en train de fermer son église, a été pris à partie par un homme seul. Celui-ci a ouvert le feu à deux reprises, avant de prendre la fuite, selon une source policière au Monde. Le prêtre a été blessé, son pronostic vital est engagé.

Employé par le ministère grec de l’éducation et des cultes, la victime, Nikolaos Kakavelakis, est âgée de 52 ans et était en poste à Lyon depuis une dizaine d’années, en tant que recteur de la paroisse grecque orthodoxe de l’Annonciation de la mère de Dieu. » | Par Nicolas Chapuis et Richard Schittly | samedi 31 0ctobre 2020

Nice Attack, France Boycott Protests, Covid-19, 2020 US Presidential Election

It was a Thursday the French would just as soon forget. Bottlenecks at the exits of Paris and city dwellers who could raced to get out before Act II of a national lockdown. And if the second wave of Covid was not enough to dampen an already grey autumn mood, another gruesome terror attack, three killed in a stabbing spree inside Notre Dame Basilica in the heart of Nice, a city already targeted during a 2016 Bastille Day rampage. The suspect, a newly-arrived 21-year old from Tunisia's south. It is the third time in just over three months.

US Election: Will Voters Turn on Trump after COVID-19 Response Catastrophe? | Conflict Zone

“Americans are looking for hope,” the Trump campaign advisor Mica Mosbacher tells Conflict Zone in the final days before election day.

But with over 200,000 people dead and more than eight million confirmed coronavirus cases in the US, will hopeful voters trust an incumbent president who has played down the threat and been accused of botching the country’s response to the pandemic?

Down the line from Texas, Republican strategist Mica Mosbacher joins host Tim Sebastian on Conflict Zone.

German President Steinmeier: 'This Is a Test for Our Democracy' | DW Interview

In an interview with DW, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier expressed his sympathy with the relatives of the attack in Nice. He warned that democratic societies must not "commit themselves to a course that makes hatred and exclusion the yardstick for state action." Steinmeier spoke about the challenges posed by the coronavirus crisis and warned of the increasing sharpness of the debate on the measures used to contain it. The German President also talked about the significance of the U.S. elections and the relationship with Russia, as well as what Angela Merkel's successor must prepare for. Steinmeier (a member of the SPD since 1975) was a long-time companion of Chancellor Gerhard Schröder and Foreign Minister in Merkel's cabinet. He has been Federal President since 2017. The interview was conducted by Rosalia Romaniec.

Kommentar zum Terror gegen Frankreich: Angriff der Totalitären

TAGES ANZEIGER: Frankreich ist kein Provokateur, es wird von fanatischen Mördern ins Visier genommen. Dass viele wegsehen, ist irritierend.

Der Horror verdichtet sich: Am 25. September wurden zwei junge Mitarbeiter einer Fernsehproduktionsfirma in Paris auf der Strasse mit einem Metzgerbeil angegriffen. Sie machten eine Pause vor dem Gebäude, in dem früher die Redaktion der Satirezeitschrift «Charlie Hebdo» gearbeitet hatte. Am 16. Oktober wurde dem Geschichtslehrer Samuel Paty in Conflans-Sainte-Honorine auf offener Strasse der Kopf abgetrennt. Paty hatte im Unterricht über Meinungsfreiheit gesprochen und Mohammed-Karikaturen aus «Charlie Hebdo» gezeigt.

An diesem Donnerstag nun wurden in einer Kirche in Nizza drei Menschen mit einem Messer getötet, sechs weitere verletzt. Eine Frau betete, als der Täter ihr die Waffe an den Hals setzte. Diese Morde sind nicht isolierte Taten einzelner Irrer. Sie sind Teil des islamistischen Angriffs auf Frankreich.

Begonnen hat die aktuelle Mordserie mit dem «Charlie Hebdo»-Prozess. Wie in einer grausamen zweiten Auflage wird wiederholt, was schon 2015 passierte. Die Zeichner und alle, die im weitesten Sinn als ihre Unterstützer ausgemacht werden, sollen in der Logik der Fanatiker dafür zahlen, dass sie Witze über den Propheten Mohammed machen. Und die Reaktion nicht weniger Leute besteht darin, darauf hinzuweisen, die Karikaturen seien geschmacklos und verletzend. Ob die Franzosen es nicht ein bisschen weit trieben mit ihrem Recht auf Gotteslästerung, wird gefragt. » | Nadia Pantel aus Paris | Donnerstag, 29. Oktober 2020

'Gigantic Baby': Trump Plummets as His Own Execs Back Biden | The Beat with Ari Melber | MSNBC

In a Beat exclusive, top Trump Organization veterans Michael Cohen, Barbara Res and Jack O’Donnell talk to MSNBC’s Ari Melber about why they are all backing Biden, and why Trump’s re-election poses even greater dangers than his first election. (This interview is from MSNBC’s “The Beat with Ari Melber.

Islamisme : Emmanuel Macron va s'exprimer dans une interview à Al Jazeera

LE FIGARO: Des manifestations hostiles à la France et au chef de l'Etat ont eu lieu vendredi dans plusieurs pays du monde musulman.

La contre-offensive est lancée. Alors que son discours contre le séparatisme islamiste a été «tronqué» voire «manipulé» par certains pays arabo-musulmans, Emmanuel Macron a décidé de répondre lui-même à ses détracteurs. Le président de la République a en effet accordé un entretien de 55 minutes à Al Jazeera, qui doit être diffusé samedi 31 octobre à 17 heures, après avoir été enregistré vendredi à l'Élysée. » | Par Arthur Berdah | Samedi 31 octobre 2020

'A Slap in the Face': Keilar Slams Trump Jr. for False Claim

CNN's Brianna Keilar fact checks Donald Trump Jr. after he falsely claimed on Fox News that coronavirus deaths in the US are "almost nothing."

Marc Anthony

A vote for Joe Biden is a vote for Puerto Rico. We must never forget Donald Trump's inactions led to the loss of over 3000 American lives. Thank you, Marc Anthony for being a voice for the Puerto Rican community and a #LincolnLatino.

Nach Anschlag von Nizza: Frankreichs Innenminister sieht „Krieg“ gegen den Islamismus

FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG: Gérald Darmanin bezeichnet den Islamismus als „Form des Faschismus im 21. Jahrhundert“. Nizzas Bürgermeister sagt, dieser „Krieg“ könne nicht mit „den Gesetzen des Friedens“ gewonnen werden.

Nach dem Anschlag von Nizza mit drei Toten sieht Frankreichs Innenminister Gérald Darmanin das Land im „Krieg gegen die islamistische Ideologie“. „Der Islamismus ist eine Form des Faschismus im 21. Jahrhundert“, sagte der 38 Jahre alte Minister am Freitag dem Sender RTL. Frankreich werde mit allen Mitteln des Rechtsstaats gegen die innere und äußere Bedrohung kämpfen.

Nach Darmanins Angaben war der 21 Jahre alte Tunesier, der als Täter festgenommen wurde, weder der Polizei in Frankreich noch in anderen europäischen Ländern bekannt. Der Innenminister sprach von einer möglichen Veränderung des Täterprofils: „Von den letzten 30 Terroristen, die auf unserem Boden gemordet haben, waren 22 Franzosen“, sagte er. Der mutmaßliche Täter von Nizza war erst im Oktober über Italien nach Frankreich gelangt. Seine Mutter äußerte sich am Freitag in einem Interview des Fernsehsenders Al-Arabija schockiert über die Ereignisse. » | Quelle: AFP/dpa | Freitag, 30. Oktober 2020

US Shatters Daily Coronavirus Record with Nearly 90,000 New Infections Thursday

THE GUARDIAN: Country approaches world-topping 9m cases as experts warn death rates could more than double by mid-January

The US has shattered the daily coronavirus record, with almost 90,000 new infections reported on Thursday and close to 1,000 deaths, as the US approached a world-topping 9m cases and experts warned of death rates more than doubling by mid-January.

The sobering data and scientific outlook show a pandemic veering further out of control in America even as the president and his son hammered a public message dismissing the grim realities.

According to figures from Johns Hopkins University, the US had a total of more than 8.9m cases on Friday, and was expected to soon cross the 9m mark. So far 228,677 people have died, the most in the world by a significant margin.

The US recorded its highest one-day total of new coronavirus infections of the pandemic, with 88,521 new cases reported on Thursday – a rise of 9,540 on the previous day. The death toll for the 24-hour period was 971. » | Miranda Bryant in New York | Friday, October 30, 2020

Why Europe Is Praying for Trump to Lose the US Election | DW Analysis

Almost four years of Donald Trump have left America's European allies in a state of shock. He's walked out of important treaties. He's lashed out against America's friends. He has cozied up to authoritarians. He's abandoned the most important international treaties of our time. And he has even threatened NATO — the bedrock of America's global power. It's diplomatic disruption on an unprecedented scale. But even for America's shell-shocked allies, it may not be all bad. So just how much has Trump disrupted transatlantic relations? DW's Chief International Editor Richard Walker explains why Europe is praying for a Joe Biden win in the 2020 US election.

I’m praying for Trump to lose the US election, too. I’m praying for him to lose and be TOTALLY HUMILIATED! – Mark

Anti-France Protests Draws [sic] Tens of Thousands across Muslim World

THE GUARDIAN: Demonstrations held in Pakistan, Lebanon, Palestinian territories and Afghanistan

Tens of thousands of Muslims in Pakistan, Lebanon, the Palestinian territories and elsewhere joined protests on Friday over the French president Emmanuel Macron’s vow to protect the right to caricature the prophet Muhammad.

Demonstrations in Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad, turned violent as 2,000 people who tried to march towards the French embassy were pushed back by police firing teargas and using batons. Crowds of Islamist activists hanged an effigy of Macron from an overpass after pounding it with their shoes.

Several demonstrators were wounded in clashes with police as authorities pushed to evict activists from the red zone, a security area that houses Pakistan’s diplomatic missions. As night fell, demonstrators staged a sit-in on a main road to protest against authorities’ use of force. » | Associated Press in Dubai | Friday, October 30, 2020

Starkes Erdbeben erschüttert türkische Tourismus-Provinz Izmir

Ein starkes Erdbeben hat am Freitag die türkische Provinz Izmir erschüttert. Mehrere Gebäude in der Küstenregion stürzten ein, teilten die Behörden mit. Das Epizentrum des Bebens lag nach Angaben der türkischen Katastrophenbehörde 17 Kilometer vor der Küste im Ägäischen Meer und hatte eine Stärke von 7,0. © REUTERS, DPA

How America Bungled the Plague | NYT Opinion

A year ago, the United States was regarded as the country best prepared for a pandemic. Our government had spent nearly two decades strategizing for a doomsday scenario. So what went wrong?

How is it that America, which wrote the global playbook for pandemic response, accounts for just 4 percent of the world’s population yet more than 20 percent of the world’s coronavirus deaths?

One of the most important functions of journalism is to provide accountability, so in the video above, Johnny Harris dives deep into an exploration of what went wrong and when, and who’s to blame and why.

'Darkest Part of the Pandemic' Is Approaching, Says Public Health Expert

As the coronavirus surges across much of the United States, infection rates are particularly high in some less-populated Western and Midwestern states, including Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota. Amna Nawaz talks to Dr. Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota about the crisis -- and how to address it.


United States Records Its Worst Week Yet for Virus Cases »

Turkey's Izmir Hit with Magnitude 7.0 Earthquake | DW News

Turkey has been struck by a powerful earthquake off its Aegean coast, causing buildings to collapse in the coastal city of Izmir. The quake's epicenter was north of the Greek island of Samos, with the US Geological Survey putting it at a magnitude of 7.0. Tremors were felt as far away as Athens and Istanbul. In Izmir, social media footage showed a collapsed building. There are no immediate reports of casualties.


Earthquake Rattles Western Turkey and Greece, Killing at Least 4 »

Democracy Now! Top US & World Headlines — October 30, 2020

France Knife Attack: Country in a Fierce Debate over Role of Islam

The attack in Nice comes as France grapples with the question of what role Islam should have in a traditionally secular society. The country has the largest Muslim community in Europe - but earlier this month some were made to feel unwelcome when President Emmanuel Macron declared a fight against what he called "Islamist separatism". Al Jazeera's Bernard Smith reports.

French President Macron Vows Defiance after 'Islamist' Attack in Nice | DW News

Police in France have arrested a second suspect in connection with the knife attack at the basilica in Nice that left three people dead. It was the third Islamist attack in France in two months. President Emmanuel Macron is holding an emergency cabinet meeting today and the terror alert level is now at its maximum.

Protests Erupt in Philadelphia after Police Fatally Shoot Black Man | DW News

The US city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, has seen a second night of protest after the killing of a Black man by police on Monday. 27-year-old Walter Wallace Junior was shot by police after they said he refused to drop a knife. Wallace's family say they had called for an ambulance, not police, to get help with what they called a mental health crisis.

Three Killed in Knife Attack in French City of Nice

Three people have been killed in a knife attack at a church in the southern French city of Nice. Several others have been injured. The attacker was wounded by police and is in custody in hospital. Al Jazeera's Bernard Smith reports.

Drei Tote und mehrere Verletzte bei Messerattacke in Nizza

FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG: Bei einer Messerattacke in Nizza hat es drei Tote und mehrere Verletzte gegeben. Eine Frau wurde enthauptet. Frankreich ruft die höchste Terrorwarnstufe aus.

Ein neuer schwerer Terroranschlag hat Frankreich getroffen. Ein Mann ist am Donnerstagvormittag kurz vor neun Uhr in die Kirche Notre-Dame de l’Assomption im Zentrum von Nizza eingedrungen und hat mehrere Menschen mit einem Messer angegriffen, wie die Polizei mitteilte. Zwei Frauen und ein Mann starben, mehrere wurde verletzt. Eine der Frauen wurde enthauptet. Der Attentäter, der mehrfach „Allahu Akbar“ (Allah ist groß) rief, wurde beim Einsatz der Sicherheitskräfte durch Schüsse schwer verletzt und in ein Krankenhaus gebracht.

Nach französischen Medienberichten wurden zudem in Avignon am Vormittag ein mit einem Messer bewaffneter Mann von der Polizei erschossen. Die Hintergründe der Tat sind noch unklar.

Die Anti-Terror-Staatsanwaltschaft übernahm am Donnerstagvormittag die Ermittlungen zum Fall in Nizza. Dabei gehe es unter anderem um den Vorwurf des Mords in Verbindung mit einem terroristischen Vorhaben, bestätigte die Staatsanwaltschaft der Deutschen Presse-Agentur. Frankreich rief die höchste Terror-Warnstufe aus. Sie gilt landesweit, wie Regierungschef Jean Castex am Donnerstag in Paris mitteilte. Castex verurteilte die „ebenso feige wie barbarische Tat, die das ganze Land in Trauer versetzt“. » | Quelle: FAZ.NET | Donnerstag, 29. Oktober 2020

Deadly Knife Attack in Nice Is Terrorism, French Officials Say

THE NEW YORK TIMES: The assault at a church in the south of France left at least three people dead. Local officials said it bore similarities to the killing of a schoolteacher that has shaken the country.

PARIS — Less than two weeks after the beheading of a French schoolteacher, an assailant carrying a knife entered the towering neo-Gothic basilica in the southern city of Nice early Thursday and killed three people, further inflaming tensions in a country already on edge and leading the authorities to increase the terrorism threat level.

Officials in Nice described the attack as Islamist terrorism, and it was quickly followed by two similar events — including a knife-wielding assailant outside a French Consulate in Saudi Arabia — though it was not immediately clear whether the events were coordinated.

The mayor of Nice, Christian Estrosi, told reporters on Thursday that a suspect, who has not been identified, was arrested after being shot and wounded by the police. The suspect “kept repeating Allahu akbar in front of us even though he was sedated,” Mr. Estrosi said, adding this left “no doubt” about the motivation behind the attack. » | Constant Méheut and Aurelien Breeden | Thursday, October 29, 2020

France on Urgent Alert Following Nice 'Terror' Attack

A man wielding a knife on Thursday killed three people in an attack at the Basilica of Notre-Dame de Nice in southern France. A suspect has been arrested in the attack, which Nice’s mayor has described as an act of terrorism.

Two People Are Beheaded and Several Others Wounded in Terrorist Knife Rampage at a Church in Nice before Attacker Is Shot and Arrested

MAIL ONLINE: Three killed - two of them beheaded - and several more stabbed in a terror attack at a cathedral in Nice / Attack began around 9am before police swarmed the area, where they shot and arrested the attacker / Mass had just begun inside cathedral - largest Roman Catholic church in France - when attack started / Comes fortnight after teacher was beheaded near Paris; a month after stabbings near Charlie Hebdo offices

At least three people have been killed - two of them beheaded - and several others stabbed in a terrorist knife attack at a cathedral in Nice.

The attack began around 9am, according to local reports, before police swarmed the area where they shot and arrested the attacker.

The city's mayor, Christian Estrosi, tweeted: 'I am on site with the [police] who arrested the perpetrator of the attack.

'I confirm that everything suggests a terrorist attack in the Basilica of Notre-Dame de Nice.' » | Chris Pleasance for Mail Online and Peter Allen in Paris for Mail Online | Thursday, October 29, 2020

President Donald Trump: The 60 Minutes – 2020 Election Interview

In an interview that's made headlines this week, Lesley Stahl presses President Trump on once-again rising coronavirus cases and what his priorities would be if re-elected. Stahl also speaks with Mr. Trump's running mate, Vice President Mike Pence.

Streit um Mohammed-Karikaturen: Erdogan spricht von Kreuzzügen des Westens

TAGES ANZEIGER: Der türkische Präsident wirft bestimmten Staaten vor, den Islam zu attackieren. Vor allem Frankreichs Regierung ist ihm ein Dorn im Auge.

Im Streit mit Frankreich über Mohammed-Karikaturen und Meinungsfreiheit wirft der türkische Präsident Recep Tayyip Erdogan bestimmten Ländern eine «Neuauflage der Kreuzzüge» vor. Diese würden von westlichen Staaten geplant, die den Islam attackierten, sagte Erdogan am Mittwoch in einer Rede vor Abgeordneten seiner Partei AKP. Sich gegen Angriffe auf den Propheten Mohammed zu stemmen, sei «eine Frage der Ehre». » | REUTERS/SDA/fal | Mittwoch, 28. Oktober 2020

Von der Leyen: „Dieses Weihnachten wird sehr anders“

EU-Kommissionspräsidentin Ursula von der Leyen stimmt die Bürger der Gemeinschaft angesichts der Corona-Pandemie auf ein „sehr anderes Weihnachten“ ein. Europa stecke mitten in der zweiten Corona-Welle und der Ausgang der Krise hänge von jedem einzelnen ab, sagte von der Leyen. © AFP, AP

Keilar Calls Out Trump's 'Tone- deaf' Plea to Suburban Women

President Donald Trump offered his latest appeal to suburban women, promising to get their husbands "back to work" if he's reelected. CNN's Brianna Keilar calls out Trump's history of sexist and outdated comments.

The US Electoral System Is a Shambles. They Could Learn a Lot from Australia

THE GUARDIAN: Systemic voter suppression and rules still being set for an election within days – this is American exceptionalism

On Monday night the US supreme court voted five to three against allowing more days for counting absentee ballots in Wisconsin. Given difficulties in the postal service, Democrats wanted to see ballots that are cast before close of voting on 3 November received and counted for another six days. This decision, only a week before election day, follows a supreme court decision on 19 October, by four votes to four, to decline a bid by state Republican legislators to stop the count in Pennsylvania extending three days. But following Monday’s confirmation of Amy Coney Barrett, this could be revisited.

Astonishingly, the US is still settling rules for an election due within days. And a national election is being conducted with a patchwork of state laws and regulations. Further, elected state officials – Republican or Democrat office holders – are making decisions about who goes on the roll, how many voting machines go where and how long postal votes will be counted.

And all subject to appeal to an acutely partisan court.

This is American exceptionalism. It confirms the proposition that the US is simply not a democracy, not in the sense western Europe, Australia, New Zealand and Canada are democracies. The point is already made by the electoral college, which in two of the past five presidential elections transmuted Democratic majorities – half a million for Al Gore, 3m for Hillary Clinton – into Republican wins. » | Bob Carr | Thursday, October 29, 2020