Uniquely Nelson

This author has written 309 articles

US presidential debate: Rules to change after Trump-Biden spat

The commission that oversees US presidential debates says it will change the format to ensure the remaining two encounters between Donald Trump and Joe Biden are more orderly. Republican nominee Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden face off in the first general election presidential debate of 2020 on 30 September, 2020. Photo: EyePress News / EyePress via AFP One new measure could be to cut the microphones if the candidates try to interrupt each other, US media report. The announcement follows Tuesday's ill-tempered debate that descended into squabbling, bickering and insults. Trump's team has already criticised the commission's plans. The tone and tactics of the first presidential debate were criticised across the US and around the world. The fallout, however, has also been dominated by Trump's refusal in the debate to explicitly condemn a far-right group called the Proud Boys. What are the plans for the next debates? In Tuesday's debate, the candidates were given two minutes to answer moderator questions, before being allowed to address each other's response. However, Trump constantly interrupted Democratic candidate Joe Biden leading to a series of chaotic exchanges in which both men talked over each other. The Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD) - a nonpartisan body that has organised presidential debates since 1988 - said it would soon announce new measures to help moderators "maintain order" in the remaining two debates. It said the first debate had "made clear that additional structure should be added to the format of the remaining debates to ensure a more orderly discussion of the issues". CBS News, citing an informed source, said the commission would spend the next 48 hours drawing up new guidelines and rules for the second debate on 15 October in Miami, Florida. Controlling the candidates' microphones is at the top of the list, CBS said, in order to prevent them interrupting the moderator or each other. Both campaign teams will be informed of the rules but they will not be subject to negotiation, the source added. What's the reaction? Trump campaign communications director Tim Murtaugh, who had described Tuesday's night's chaotic scenes as a "free exchange of ideas", criticised the plans. "They are only doing this because their guy got pummelled last night," he said. "President Trump was the dominant force and now Joe Biden is trying to work the refs. They shouldn't be moving the goalposts and changing the rules in the middle of the game." Kate Bedingfield, deputy manager for Biden's campaign, said the former vice-president would participate "under whatever set of rules the commission develops to try to contain Donald Trump's behaviour". While one snap poll on the debate gave Biden a slight edge, other opinion polls suggest 90 percent of Americans have already made up their mind how to vote for and the debate may well have made little difference. In his first interview since the debate, moderator Chris Wallace told the New York Times it was "a terrible missed opportunity" and that he "never dreamed it would go off the tracks the way it did". The Fox news anchor has come under criticism for struggling to control the debate. However, the CPD on Wednesday praised his "professionalism and skill". What's the row about Proud Boys? During the debate, Wallace asked whether the president would condemn white supremacists and tell them to stand down during protests. When Trump asked who it was he was being told to condemn, Biden twice said "Proud Boys", referring to a far-right, anti-immigrant, all-male group with a history of violence against left-wing opponents. Yellow smoke fills the air as an American flag is raised at the start of a Proud Boys rally in Portland, Oregon on 26 September, 2020. Photo: AFP / Maranie R Staab The president said: "Proud Boys - stand back and stand by. But I'll tell you what... somebody's got to do something about antifa [anti-fascist activists] and the left because this is not a right-wing problem." Proud Boys members called his "stand by" remark "historic" and an endorsement. Biden said Trump had "refused to disavow white supremacists". On Wednesday, Trump appeared to try to walk back on his comments. At a news conference on the White House lawn a reporter asked him about Proud Boys and he said: "I don't know who they are. I can only say they have to stand down and let law enforcement do their work." He did not clarify his use of "stand by" in the debate. When asked whether he welcomed white supremacist support he said only that he wanted "law and order to be a very important part of our campaign". Biden returned to the issue in a tweet on Wednesday, saying: "There's no other way to put it: the President of the United States refused to disavow white supremacists on the debate stage last night." In his tweet he quoted a comment, addressed to the president, from a Proud Boys online forum that read: "This makes me so happy. We're ready! Standing by sir." - BBC
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Chrissy Teigen speaks of 'deep pain' of losing baby

Chrissy Teigen and husband John Legend have said they are in "deep pain" after losing their baby during pregnancy. Chrissy Teigen and husband John Legend had been planning on their baby Jack. Photo: AFP "We are shocked and in the kind of deep pain you only hear about, the kind of pain we've never felt before," she wrote in a moving Instagram statement. Her post was accompanied by several black and white photos, including one of her crying in her hospital bed. Model Teigen and singer Legend have two children, and in mid-August revealed they were expecting a third. In her latest post, Teigen revealed the Los Angeles-based couple had been planning to call the baby Jack. "We never decide on our babies' names until the last possible moment after they're born, just before we leave the hospital," she wrote. "But we, for some reason, had started to call this little guy in my belly Jack. Jack worked so hard to be a part of our little family, and he will be, forever. "I'm so sorry that the first few moments of your life were met with so many complications, that we couldn't give you the home you needed to survive. We will always love you." Retweeting her, Legend added "We love you, Jack" alongside five black love hearts. Teigen later added: "Driving home from the hospital with no baby. How can this be real." Listen to a five-part podcast by RNZ's Susie Ferguson, which looks at the impact of miscarriages suffered by New Zealand couples Teigen, who is also a TV presenter, had been documenting her pregnancy on social media. She was taken to hospital on Sunday due to excessive bleeding but had reassured fans she and the baby were healthy. In her latest post, however, she revealed that "we were never able to stop the bleeding and give our baby the fluids he needed". Teigen thanked her followers for their "positive energy, thoughts and prayers" and expressed gratitude for the "amazing" life she enjoyed with her family. "But everyday can't be full of sunshine," she continued. "On this darkest of days, we will grieve, we will cry our eyes out. But we will hug and love each other harder and get through it." Legend, 41, is a multiple Grammy-winning artist whose 2013 track All of Me - a song he dedicated to his wife - spent 92 weeks in the UK singles chart. His parallel careers in film, music and TV work have seen him become an EGOT - one of only 16 people who've won a competitive Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony award. 'Big virtual hug of love' The couple were flooded with messages of condolence and support on social media, with many praising their strength for sharing their grief and some recounting their own experiences of loss. "I know many other women like me who also have experienced miscarriage appreciate your sharing your story to help demystify this all too common occurrence," wrote one Twitter user. Another wrote: "We lost twins at 20 weeks and your bravery for sharing this can hopefully show people to know they are not alone. Thank you." Kim Kardashian West was among the celebrities who sent messages, writing: "We're always here for you and love you guys so much." Actress Viola Davis sent a "big virtual hug of love, love, love", while socialite Paris Hilton said she was "so sorry for your loss". Actress Gabrielle Union added: "We love you guys so much and we will be here for whatever yall need. Always." - BBC
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Foreign yachts in Fiji preparing for an expected four cyclones this season

The head of Fiji's Port Denarau Marina said early weather predictions showed up to four cyclones could hit the vicinity this season. Port Denarau Marina in Fiji. Photo: Supplied/Port Denarau Marina Cynthia Rasch said the marina was now full with more than 40 foreign yachts, all seeking shelter ahead of the Pacific cyclone season this summer. The yachts would normally head south out of the seasonal storm zone, but it was now wiser to remain where they were because borders were closed in Australia and New Zealand. It was difficult for yachts to sail against prevailing weather in the northern hemisphere, meaning it was not possible for many to backtrack to home ports. Rasch said the warning from weather experts was causing a few challenges for the marina, but they had a good plan. "I've just been sitting with the meteorologists going through the plan for the season. "We'd normally start working on it at this time but we've brought it forward because we're looking at more and more vessels remaining in our waters and in our marina for the cyclone period, given what's happened in New Zealand." Rasch said the weather experts had indicated an "active season". "It's going to get fairly wet and at this moment there's a prediction of about four cyclones within our vicinity, but we'll see how that pans out." She said the marina had a robust cyclone procedures plan, and was now forming contingencies for yachts unable to shelter in the harbour. In the past many had either hauled out their boats to a yard, or found shelter in various mangrove havens. "We've assisted hundreds of yachts over the years. The challenge of course is what type of vessels are remaining because many would need deep-water shelter because of their draft (the depth to which the hull and keel extended into the water)." She said many were anxious. "There is a lot of chatter on social media and at this moment they are anxious and worried about what might happen, but if they're equipped with the right information and where they might shelter, they just have to work this into their decision-making processes." Fijian maritime safety authorities and weather analysts were now working to identify other areas around Fiji where the yachts might seek shelter. Rasch said while the yachts were insured, it was made void once yachts were in cyclone belts. "Many cannot get insurance for cyclone coverage during our active months, but this is a risk that they take. "So far none of the vessels that have sought shelter in the mangroves adjacent to the marina have sustained any damage, but the challenge now was to accommodate everyone." She said it was becoming increasingly common that underwriters were not willing to cover vessels in active cyclone areas, including the Caribbean.
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Covid-19: Vaccine will 'not return life to normal in March'

Even an effective coronavirus vaccine will not return life to normal early next year, a group of leading scientists has warned. Photo: AFP A vaccine is often seen as the holy grail that will end the pandemic. But a report, from researchers brought together by the Royal Society, said we needed to be "realistic" about what a vaccine could achieve and when. They said restrictions may need to be "gradually relaxed" because it could take up to a year to roll the vaccine out. More than 200 vaccines to protect against the virus are being developed by scientists around the world in a process that is taking place at unprecedented speed. "A vaccine offers great hope for potentially ending the pandemic, but we do know that the history of vaccine development is littered with lots of failures," said Dr Fiona Culley, from the National Heart and Lung Institute at Imperial College London. There is optimism, including from the UK government's scientific advisers, that some people may get a vaccine this year and mass vaccination may start early next year. However, the Royal Society report warns it will be a long process. "Even when the vaccine is available it doesn't mean within a month everybody is going to be vaccinated, we're talking about six months, nine months ... a year," said Professor Nilay Shah, head of chemical engineering at Imperial College London. "There's not a question of life suddenly returning to normal in March." The report said there were still be "enormous" challenges ahead. Some of the experimental approaches being taken - such as RNA vaccines - have never been mass produced before. There are questions around raw materials - both for the vaccine and glass vials - and refrigerator capacity, with some vaccines needing storage at minus 80C. Prof Shah estimates vaccinating people would have to take place at a pace 10 times faster than the annual flu campaign, and would be a full-time job for up to 30,000 trained staff. "I do worry, is enough thinking going into the whole system?" he says. Early trial data has suggested that vaccines are triggering an immune response, but studies have not yet shown if this is enough to either offer complete protection or lessen the symptoms of Covid. Unanswered questions Professor Charles Bangham, chair of immunology of Imperial College London, said: "We simply don't know when an effective vaccine will be available, how effective it will be and of course, crucially, how quickly it can be distributed. "Even if it is effective, it is unlikely that we will be able to get back completely to normal, so there's going to be a sliding scale, even after the introduction of a vaccine that we know to be effective. "We will have to gradually relax some of the other interventions." And many questions that will dictate the vaccination strategy remain unanswered, such as: will one shot be enough or will boosters be required? will the vaccine work well enough in older people with aged immune systems? The researchers warn the issue of long-term immunity will still take some time to answer, and we still do not know if people need vaccinating every couple of years or if one shot will do. Commenting on the study, Dr Andrew Preston from the University of Bath, said: "Clearly the vaccine has been portrayed as a silver bullet and ultimately it will be our salvation, but it may not be an immediate process." He said there would need to be discussion of whether "vaccine passports" were needed to ensure people coming into the country were immunised. And Dr Preston warned that vaccine hesitancy seemed to be a growing problem that had become embroiled in anti-mask, anti-lockdown ideologies. "If cohorts of people refuse to have the vaccine, do we leave them to fend for themselves or have mandatory vaccination for children to go to schools, or for staff in care homes? There are lots of difficult questions." - BBC
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Mark Brown takes over as new Cook Islands PM

Mark Brown was sworn in as the 12th Prime Minister of the Cook Islands in a ceremony last night. The new Deputy Prime Minister is Robert Taipatau. Mark Brown is sworn in as the new Prime Minister of the Cook Islands Photo: Office of the Cook Islands PM Brown and his cabinet took the Oath of Allegiance and were issued with their warrants during a formal ceremony at Government House conducted by the Queen's Representative, Sir Tom Marsters. Brown replaces Henry Puna who stood down to contest the Secretary General's role at the Pacific Islands Forum. Brown, who has spent 10 years in parliament, was educated at Gisborne Boys' High School, Massey University and the University of the South Pacific. Before entering parliament he worked in the Cook Islands public service and also had business interests there. In his time as Puna's deputy he was very much the voice of the Cook Islands Party Government.
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Japan 'Twitter killer' pleads guilty to murders

A Japanese man has pleaded guilty to murdering nine people after contacting them on Twitter, in a high-profile case that has shocked the country. Takahiro Shiraishi (C) covers his face with his hands as he is transported to the prosecutor's office from a police station in Tokyo Photo: AFP Dubbed the "Twitter killer", Takahiro Shiraishi was arrested in 2017 after body parts were found in his flat. He told a court in Tokyo on Wednesday that the allegations against him "are all correct". But his lawyers argue that his charges should be reduced because his victims apparently gave consent to be killed. If convicted of murder, Shiraishi faces the death penalty, which is carried out by hanging in Japan. The court case has attracted wide interest, with more than 600 people lining up for 13 public gallery seats to watch the first hearing on Wednesday, reported public broadcaster NHK. What happened? The prosecution say the accused opened a Twitter account in March 2017 "to contact women contemplating suicide, whom he saw as easy targets", NHK said. Eight of his victims were women, one of them aged 15. The only male victim, aged 20, was killed after confronting Shiraishi about the whereabouts of his girlfriend, Japanese media reported. The 29-year-old is believed to have lured his victims by telling them he could help them die and in some cases claimed he would kill himself alongside them. His Twitter profile contained the words: "I want to help people who are really in pain. Please DM [direct message] me anytime." The serial killings first came to light when police were looking into the disappearance of a young woman, who later turned out to be one of the victims. Officers visited Shiraishi's flat in the Japanese city of Zama, near Tokyo, where they found dismembered body parts. What do his lawyers say? Shiraishi's lawyers argue his victims had agreed to be killed, so the charges should be reduced to "murder with consent". This carries a lower prison sentence of between six months and seven years. But it is reported that Shiraishi disagrees with his lawyers. He told Mainichi Shimbun, a local daily, that he killed without the consent of his victims. "There were bruises on the back of the victims' heads. It means there was no consent and I did it so that they wouldn't resist," he said in comments published on Wednesday. What impact have the killings had? The serial killings have stunned Japan. When they were exposed in 2017 it triggered a new debate about websites on which suicide is discussed. At the time the government indicated it may introduce new regulations. The murders also prompted a change by Twitter, which amended its rules to state users should not "promote or encourage suicide or self-harm". Twitter's chief executive Jack Dorsey said at the time the case was "extremely" sad. Japan has long battled one of the highest suicide rates in the industrialised world although figures have dropped since preventative measures were introduced more than a decade ago. -BBC
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Foul-mouthed parrots split up for swearing too much

A British zoo has had to separate a group of five African Grey parrots because their language was too strong for younger visitors. The parrots - named Eric, Jade, Elsie, Tyson and Billy - are residents at the Lincolnshire Wildlife Park having all been rehomed there from different owners. Park chief executive Steve Nichols told Morning Report the keepers at the park were given a bit of a warning about what they were in for. He may look cute, but he's got a mean mouth. Photo: Facebook/Lincolnshire Wildlife Park "They'll turn around and tell you exactly what they like to eat and what their favourite toy is and then just as they fill the form in, you'll get that little quiet voice where they'll turn around, say 'I do apologise, but Billy does actually have a few choice words as well.'" Swearing parrots aren't exactly new though and Nichols said the staff laughed it off, but he soon discovered the problem was worse than first thought when he found himself working in an office next to the quarantine area. "I actually thought it was some rowdy keepers that we've got that I thought they were getting a little bit over the top with each other," he said. "I went in the room to explain to them to stop, just quieten it down a little, and was very shocked when I walked in and there were no people there it was just parrots." The problem was the parrots were egging each other on. Nichols explained one parrot would swear and another would laugh, then another parrot would swear worse, prompting more laughter from the other parrots. It was hard for the park's human inhabitants to not join in too. "It is so difficult not to laugh when you're walking past and one of the parrots just swears, just literally blurts it out. You can't help but laugh, you know, it's just impossible not to." But for Nichols it soon became a bit personal. The parrots came to recognise him and soon came up with their own nickname for him. "When I walk past they'll shout 'oi you fat tw*t' and it's like, 'I've just lost two stone that's very nice, why are you saying that?" On top of that it was becoming a problem for the park's visitors. "We can't really have it for the children," Nichols said. "It's not very nice when the children are going back to nanny and asking what this word is that this parrot said." The group have all been moved to different parts of the park where they can't talk to each other and cause problems.
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US Election 2020: Who are the Proud Boys – and who are antifa?

President Trump mentioned a far-right group during the first presidential debate, kicking off online celebrations by its supporters. Yellow smoke fills the air as an American flag is raised at the start of a Proud Boys rally at Delta Park in Portland, Oregon on September 26, 2020. Photo: AFP / Maranie R Staab "Proud Boys - stand back and stand by," he said, in a response to a question asking him to condemn white supremacist and militia groups. Members of the group online took the answer as a call to prepare for action. Trump then insisted that violence was coming from far-left activists: "Somebody's got to do something about antifa and the left, because this is not a right-wing problem." Joe Biden, the Democratic challenger, answered back: "Antifa is an idea, not an organisation. That is what [President Trump's] FBI director said." Over the past few years, a number of fringe groups have been engaged in politically motivated violence on American streets. So who are Proud Boys and antifa? Proud Boys Founded in 2016 by Canadian-British right-wing activist Gavin McInnes, the Proud Boys is a far-right, anti-immigrant, all-male group with a history of street violence against its left-wing opponents. The group's name is a reference to a song from the musical version of the Disney film Aladdin. Members often wear black and yellow Fred Perry polo shirts along with red "Make America Great Again" hats. A Proud Boy must declare that he is "a Western chauvinist who refuses to apologise for creating the modern world". Their platform, such as it is, includes Trumpian ideas ("glorify the entrepreneur", "close the border") libertarianism ("give everyone a gun", "end welfare") and traditional gender roles ("venerate the housewife"). They're not exclusively white - yet have became notorious for violent political confrontations. The Proud Boys and affiliated groups have faced off against antifa in a number of violent street rallies in the last two years, most notably in Oregon, Washington and New York. Two members were jailed last year for beating up antifa activists in New York. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube have all banned the group from their platforms, and members and official chapters have been largely shunted towards less-popular networks. Enrique Tarrio, the group's current chair, reacted to the debate on the alternative discussion network Parler: "Standing by sir.... I will stand down sir!!!" Leaders of the Proud Boys, a right-wing pro-Trump group, Enrique Tarrio (right) and Joe Biggs (left) embrace each other as the Proud boys members gather with their allies in a rally called "End Domestic Terrorism" against Antifa in Portland, Oregon on 26 September, 2020. Photo: AFP / John Rudoff / Anadolu Agency Founder Gavin McInnes publicly disassociated himself from the group in 2018, saying that he was taking the advice of his legal team. But in a video reacting to Tuesday's debate, he said (albeit not seeming entirely serious): "I control the Proud Boys, Donald. Do not stand down, do not stand back." On the chat app Telegram, Proud Boys shared the debate clip along with posts taunting antifa and incorporating the phrase "stand back, stand by" into the group's logo. Meanwhile, critics of the president loudly condemned him. Antifa Antifa, short for "anti-fascist", is a loose affiliation of mostly far-left activists. They include anarchists, but also communists and a few social democrats. What sets them apart is their willingness to use violence - in self-defence, they say. The movement, which at one point almost entirely disappeared in the US, saw a surge of interest after the election of Donald Trump. They routinely clash with the far right. The group has been prominent during Black Lives Matter protests in many major cities, and have been particularly associated with unrest in Portland, Oregon. A man holds an anti-fascism flag as hundreds of demonstrators gather and march to the City Public Safety Building over Daniel Prude's death in Rochester, New York, United States on September 6, 2020. Photo: AFP / Tayfun Coskun / Anadolu Agency In late August, a self-described anti-fascist, 48-year-old Michael Reinoehl, shot and killed a supporter of Patriot Prayer, a Portland-area group that often marches with the Proud Boys. Reinoehl was shot dead by police the following week. Both groups are relatively small - and can count on, at the most, a few thousand active supporters. But their propensity for violence, particularly when they confront each other on American streets, has made them a much bigger topic of conversation than those numbers suggest. -BBC
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Australian government wants to boost manufacturing after learning lessons of Covid-19

The Australian government will pump close to $A1.5 billion into the manufacturing sector, outlining plans to shore up local production and strengthen supply chains in the wake of Covid-19. The Australian government's investment will prioritise medicines and medical products. Photo: AFP / Sigrid Gombert / Cultura Creative Under the manufacturing strategy unveiled on Wednesday, $A107 million will be dedicated to strengthening supply lines for essential goods. That money will prioritise medicines and medical products, with the goal of boosting Australia's ability to provide critical supplies for itself during surges in demand. A separate $A1.3b will spent over the next four years, starting in the first half of 2021, to help manufacturers upscale their businesses, with additional focus on turning concepts into finished products, and integrating into global supply chains. The money will be distributed to businesses willing to co-invest with the government in six priority areas: Resources technology and critical minerals Food and beverages Medical products Recycling and clean energy Defence Space In addition, $A52m will be spent on a second round of the government's manufacturing modernisation fund. Australia's PM says manufacturing jobs changing Recent research from the The Australia Institute's Centre for Future Work ranked Australia lowest among OECD countries in terms of manufacturing self-sufficiency. Industry Minister Karen Andrews said the government and industry had learned lessons from the Covid-19 pandemic. "Our manufacturers have risen to the challenge to deliver during Covid-19 and now we're unlocking their potential to deliver for our future," she said. "By playing to our strengths, strategically investing and boosting the role of science and technology in industry, we can open up new markets and take more of our quality products to the world." Prime Minister Scott Morrison will outline more details of the plan in a pre-budget speech at the National Press Club, where he will say manufacturing jobs are increasingly being created away from the assembly line, the ABC reports. "Today's advanced manufacturing enterprise stretches from the labs doing the research and development, the skilled workers doing the design and engineering, through to sales, marketing and after-sale services," his speech says. "Increasingly, this is where most of the value is created - around half of the jobs in manufacturing are in these parts of the manufacturing process." Morrison will say the government plans to work with industry over the next six months to develop road maps for each of the priority manufacturing areas targeted by the government. "The roadmaps will set clear goals and performance indicators - such as jobs, R&D and investment - over the next two, five and 10 years," he will say. - ABC
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Presidential debate: How the world's media reacted

US voters have endured the first of three presidential debates between President Donald Trump and Joe Biden. People watch the first presidential debate between President Donald Trump and Joe Biden. Photo: AFP The event has also prompted a huge reaction from world audiences who tuned in for the chaotic event. Newspapers and commentators around the world have criticised the tone and tactics of the debate. As The Times in the UK wrote, "The clearest loser from the first presidential debate between Donald Trump and Joe Biden was America." [UK] The paper went further, saying the event "was not a debate in any meaningful sense" but rather "an ill-tempered and at times incomprehensible squabble between two angry septuagenarians who palpably loathe each other". The Guardian described it as a "national humiliation". "The rest of the world - and future historians - will presumably look at it and weep," the paper wrote, adding that Mr Biden was the only man who looked "remotely presidential" on the stage and saying that if Trump was re-elected in November, "this dark, horrifying, unwatchable fever dream will surely be the first line of America's obituary." The Financial Times highlighted how the president had stoked lies about voter fraud and urged his supporters to carefully watch polling stations. "'Dog-whistling' is the politico-speak for such language, but it implies subtlety. Mr Trump was blatant," it wrote. The paper also noted that snap polls after the event said Biden had come out on top. "But no one with a care for American democracy can have switched off feeling anything but queasy." France "Chaotic, childish, gruelling" - that's how French newspaper Libération described Wednesday's debate. Le Monde agreed, calling it a "terrible storm", and saying that the president had sought to "push his opponent off his hinges" with constant interruptions and by mocking his answers. Le Figaro said Biden had "systematically refused to play his opponent's game". While Trump tried to directly confront his challenger, pointing at him and addressing him directly, the Democratic candidate spoke more to viewers and looked directly into the camera. "Trump voters are unlikely to have had any doubts about their candidate, despite an unconvincing performance. Those of Biden, on the other hand, had confirmation that the Democrat was able to measure up to his formidable opponent, and even put him on the defensive," the paper wrote. Germany Der Spiegel's analysis of the debate is headlined "A TV duel like a car accident". In a piece titled Part fist-fight, part play, Süddeutsche Zeitung wrote: "Both Trump and Biden could go home satisfied because as far as the theatrical performance is concerned, both did their job properly. Donald Trump played Donald Trump, Joe Biden played Joe Biden, and fans should have liked it." Die Welt said the debate had revealed very little about policy. "Most importantly, it showed that America has a president whose behaviour stands out and who lacks self-control - but that's not exactly news," it wrote. Biden in contrast was not an exciting candidate but "at least someone with common sense and a stable personality" who would "bring something like normalcy back to the White House". Italy "Never had American politics sunk so low," La Repubblica's US correspondent wrote, describing the debate as "Chaotic, rowdy, and based on mutual contempt". Il Corriere della Sera meanwhile said President Trump's refusal to condemn white supremacy was "a message for Black America". Russia One broadcaster described it as a "one and a half-hour exchange of insults", while another said there was "no constructive dialogue". "The rivals kept interrupting each other and instead of a balanced discussion they chose the path of mutual insults," pro-Kremlin NTV television said. Biden's description of President Trump as "Putin's puppy" also generated comments on Russian social media. One Twitter user said: "Two old men are figuring out which of them is more worthy to become the president of the United States, but without Putin, you can't boost your rating." China Chinese official media sites broadly ignored the US debate although some wrote about how both candidates had used China to attack their opponent. The state-run Global Times called it "the most chaotic presidential debate ever" and noted that Mr Trump had taken "aim at China by blaming [it] for the raging Covid-19 epidemic and US economic woes". Editor-in-chief Hu Xijin wrote on Twitter that the debate reflected "division, anxiety of US society and the accelerating loss of advantages of the US political system". India Hindi-language news channel AajTak accused both candidates of "mud-slinging", while broadcaster Times Now said the debate was "marred with personal jibes and political barbs". But the strongest commentary came from The Times of India, the country's largest-selling English-language newspaper, which compared the debate to "mud-wrestling". "The US embarrassed itself before the world for 100 minutes," it wrote. - BBC
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