Wednesday,  Oct. 7th, 2020

Ex-police officer Derek Chauvin, who was charged in George Floyd’s death, is released on bail. (WCCO-TV)

A Greek court rules that far-right political party Golden Dawn operated as a criminal organization in connection with the murder of anti-fascist rapper Pavlos Fyssas in 2013 and other crimes. (CBS News)

A report from the United Nations recommends that war crimes committed by Saudi Arabia and the Houthi movement be referred to the International Criminal Court. (The Washington Post)

The regional government in Brussels declares that bars and cafes in the city will be forced to close for a month effective tomorrow, even if they only sell tea or coffee, after the Belgian capital overtook Paris in terms of infections per inhabitant. (Swiss Info)

Berlin’s nightlife is facing a closing time for the first time since 1950, effective October 10, as bars, restaurants, and off-licences will have to close between 11:00 pm and 6:00 am local time. Under new rules that have been announced, public gatherings of more than five people from more than two households, as well as private gatherings of more than ten people, will also be banned. (The Guardian)

Italy imposes a compulsory nationwide outdoor mask mandate, with fines ranging from 400 to 1,000 euros (AS$659 to AS$1,650; US$463 to US$1,163) for violators in a bid to curb the second wave of COVID-19. This decree passes at the same time the country reports 3,678 cases in the last 24 hours, the highest figure since the peak of the outbreak in April. Exceptions include outdoor sporting activities, children under six years of age, and people with health conditions that preclude wearing masks. (Sydney Morning Herald)

Governor Tony Evers announces that the state will open a field hospital at the state fairgrounds near Milwaukee. (The Hill)

Brazil surpasses five million COVID-19 cases, becoming the third country to reach that milestone after the United States and India. (Bloomberg)

Pence and Harris to face off in vice presidential debate

Vice President Mike Pence and Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), the Democratic nominee for the vice presidency, are set to debate on Wednesday night in Salt Lake City, Utah. The face-off will be the first and only debate between the two candidates, and it is expected to be more closely-watched than previous vice presidential debates. President Trump’s campaign has lost steam in recent weeks, and the president was hospitalized with COVID-19, putting new pressures on Pence, meanwhile Harris will be scrutinized as Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden’s more progressive counterpart. Harris is a former prosecutor who is expected to deliver a strong performance against Pence. The two camps agreed to coronavirus protections like plexiglass between the two candidates. The debate begins at 9 p.m. ET. Source: CNN

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