Azerbaijan says three people have been killed and three others injured after a funeral procession in Tartar District was shelled by Armenian forces, while the Armenian prosecutor-general's office says two soldiers were killed in a drone strike in Vardenis; the soldiers were not involved in military action. (Middle East Monitor)
Hawaii is expected to reopen tourism to the public and lift the statewide mandatory quarantine for travellers who test negative. However, visitors will be required to wear masks and go through temperature screenings. (CNN)(TravelPulse.com)
Health SecretaryMatt Hancock announces that London, Essex, York, and other areas will be put under tier 2 restrictions on October 17, which means that different households will be banned from mixing indoors, including inside homes, pubs, and restaurants, and people will also be told to avoid public transport and non-essential travel. (BBC News)(ABC Australia)
The number of new cases in Germany surges by 6,638 in the last 24 hours, according to official data from the Robert Koch Institute, a new record not seen since the pandemic began, which previously reported 6,294 cases on March 28. (RFI)
The Greek government places the northern regional unit of Kozani on lockdown, as the region is declared an "increased threat." The measure, applicable until October 29, implies the use of masks at all sites; the prohibition of meetings in public and private spaces; the ban to travel outside the region; and the closure of restaurants, gyms, museums, courts, and shops, and the suspension of festivals. (Ekathimerini)
Italy registers 8,804 new infections in the past 24 hours, according to the health ministry, a new record for the second consecutive day since the start of the outbreak in the country. (Daily Sabah)
Campania announces that it will shut down schools until the end of this month, in an effort to curb an increase of COVID-19 cases in the region. (Reuters)
After new cases reaches a record 8,099 cases in a single day, Prime MinisterMateusz Morawiecki announces new restrictions in Warsaw and other major cities that considered a "red" zone from October 17. All secondary schools in those areas will be closed, restaurants will close at 9 p.m. local time, weddings will be banned and there will be stricter limits on the numbers of people allowed in shops and on public transport and at religious services. (Daily Sabah)
Cinema halls, theatres and multiplexes, entertainment parks, educational institution and swimming pools outside containment zones reopened in several states across India as part of measures allowing more activities in the country. (Firstpost)
Indonesia reports a single day record of 5,810 new recoveries in the past 24 hours, taking the nationwide total of recoveries to 273,661. From that number, 2,223 new recoveries came from Central Java. (detikNews)
Police raid the offices of prominent pro-democracy activist Jimmy Lai ahead of his scheduled appearance in court where he has been charged with 'unlawful assembly'. Lai is the owner of the publishing company Next Digital and newspaper Apple Daily. (DW)
A court in Bangladesh sentences five men to death for the gang rape of a girl in 2012. The verdict comes amidst public outcry regarding growing sexual violence. It was the first conviction since the government this week introduced the death penalty for rape. (Al Jazeera)
Police announce the arrest of a fourteenth suspect in relation to a foiled kidnapping plot targeting Michigan GovernorGretchen Whitmer. He has been charged at the state level with material support of an act of terrorism. (Detroit Free Press)
C-SPAN indefinitely suspends its political editor Steve Scully after admitting he lied about his Twitter account being hacked earlier this month. Scully had been selected by the Commission on Presidential Debates to moderate the now cancelled second presidential debate of the election. On October 8, Scully tweeted "@Scaramucci should I respond to trump" after being publicly criticized by President Trump. (CNN)
The government issues an emergency decree following yesterday's generally peaceful protests and counter-protests, effective Thursday at 4:00 a.m. local time (Wednesday 21:00 UTC) that bans gatherings of five or more people and forbids the publication of news or online messages that "could harm national security." Two leaders of the anti-government protests, Anon Nampa and Panupong Jadnok, are arrested after the emergency decree became effective. (BBC News)
President of the Parliament of CyprusDemetris Syllouris resigns after being allegedly implicated in a case of sale of passports to investors with criminal records, who do not meet the necessary criteria to be able to move freely within the European Union. (Cyprus-Mail)