Duty Editor: Qasim Nauman Tel: +852 2829 6211 -- TOP STORIES -- + Energised Biden slams Trump over coronavirus + Countries tighten curbs to fight virus surge + UN nuke ban treaty set to enter into force + Samsung Electronics chairman Lee dies at 78 + Real beat Barcelona in first 'empty' Clasico US-vote,WRAP WAUKESHA, Wisconsin, United States An energized Joe Biden and Barack Obama accuse Donald Trump of a massive screw-up in his handling of the coronavirus, but the US president remains ebullient despite trailing in polls with 10 days to go until the election. 700 words 0200 GMT by Jerome Cartillier, with Sarah Titterton in Washington. Picture. Video. Graphic Health-virus,WRAP PARIS More countries tighten anti-coronavirus measures, with France extending a curfew and Belgium bringing forward its own curbs as new infections surged in many parts of the world. 700 words moved by Tom Barfield, with AFP Bureaus. Picture. Video. Graphic UN-nuclear-weaponry-treaty,WRAP UNITED NATIONS An international treaty banning nuclear weapons has been ratified by a 50th country, a UN official says, allowing the text to enter into force after 90 days. 600 words 0130 GMT by Philippe Rater SKorea-business-tech-Samsung-Lee,WRAP SEOUL Samsung Electronics chairman Lee Kun-hee, who helped turn the South Korean firm into a global tech giant, has died at the age of 78, the firm announces. 500 words 0230 GMT Also moving: SKorea-business-tech-Samsung-Lee,PROFILE Fbl-ESP-Liga,WRAP BARCELONA Real Madrid avert a crisis in the best way possible by beating Barcelona 3-1 in the first empty Clasico, landing an early blow in La Liga's title race. 750 words moved. Picture -- AMERICAS -- US-vote-NewYork,SCENE NEW YORK Wary of taking Donald Trump's defeat for granted in spite of the polls, New Yorkers in this strongly Democratic city turn out massively to vote early as they hope to ensure a "really big win" for Joe Biden. 700 words 0130 GMT by Catherine Triomphe. Picture. Video ** PLEASE SEE OUR SPECIAL ADVISORY FOR FULL US ELECTION COVERAGE ** Chile-politics-referendum,FOCUS SANTIAGO One hopes for a "legitimate" constitution, the other believes Chile's problems can be resolved without a new one -- two voters on opposite sides lay out their arguments ahead of Sunday's referendum, and say the choice facing the country is a tricky one. 600 words moved by Denis Barnett and Jordane Bertrand. Picture. Video -- ASIA-PACIFIC -- US-India-Maldives-SriLanka-diplomacy-military,ADVANCER WASHINGTON When the United States tried to seal a defense deal seven years ago with the Maldives, a sprawling and strategic archipelago, its plans were quietly torpedoed by a friend -- India, which considers the Indian Ocean its sphere of influence. 700 words 0130 GMT by Shaun Tandon SKorea-defence-religion-social,FOCUS SEOUL As a devout Jehovah's Witness, Jang Kyung-jin was ready to be jailed rather than serve in South Korea's military. After a landmark court ruling, he will be heading for prison on Monday -- but as a civilian administrator, not a convict. 700 words 0400 GMT by Kang Jin-kyu. Picture -- EUROPE -- Turkey-France-politics,WRAP ISTANBUL France says it is recalling its envoy to Turkey for consultations after comments by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan suggesting French counterpart Emmanuel Macron needed a mental health check-up that Paris condemned as unacceptable. 650 words moved by Fulya Ozerkan, with Laurence Benhamou in Paris. File Picture. Video Lithuania-vote-politics VILNIUS Lithuania's centre-right opposition appears on track to oust the centre-left government in a run-off general election going ahead despite a record spike in coronavirus cases. 550 words 0230 GMT by Vaidotas Beniusis. File picture Also moving: Lithuania-vote-politics-candidates,PROFILE Lithuania-vote-politics,FACTS -- AFRICA -- Nigeria-unrest,WRAP JOS, Nigeria Several thousand people ransack and loot a government food warehouse in Jos, central Nigeria, the latest incident in a wave of social unrest rattling Africa's most populous country. 400 words moved by Ifiok Ettang with Sophie Bouillon in Lagos. Picture. Video Guinea-vote-unrest,WRAP CONAKRY Guinea's Alpha Conde wins the West African nation's highly contested presidential election, the national electoral authority says, setting the stage for a controversial third term. 650 words moved by Mouctar Bah. Picture. Video -- MIDDLE EAST -- Iraq-politics-protest,FOCUS BAGHDAD A year after Iraqi youths launched mass anti-government protests, elder veterans of past "revolutions" have praise for the idealistic activists but also words of caution born from tough experience. 750 words 0200 GMT by Farid Farid. Picture -- ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT -- Health-virus-Entertainment-US-opera,PHOTOESSAY ATLANTA, Georgia, United States The life-art imitation question is age-old, but if 2020 has anything to say the answer is clear: even the fictional characters of our operas have developed Covid-19. 600 words 0130 GMT by Elijah Nouvelage, with Maggy Donaldson in New York. Picture -- BUSINESS & TECH -- US-vote-IT-lifestyle-earnings-politics,FOCUS SAN FRANCISCO Big Tech is bracing for a tumultuous week marked by quarterly results likely to show resilience despite the pandemic, and fresh attacks from lawmakers ahead of the November 3 election. 800 words 0330 GMT by Glenn Chapman -- SPORT -- Fbl-ENG-Pr,WRAP LONDON Liverpool come from behind to beat struggling Sheffield United 2-1 and join Everton at the top of the Premier League table after Manchester City squander more points in the topsy-turvy English top-flight. 700 words moved by John Weaver. Picture. Video afp