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What you need to know about the coronavirus today

London heads for stricter lockdown
London was heading for a tighter COVID-19 lockdown from midnight on Friday as Prime Minister Boris Johnson tried to tackle a swiftly accelerating second wave.
"I must warn Londoners: We've got a difficult winter ahead," said mayor Sadiq Khan.
Anger, though, is rising over the economic, social and health costs of the biggest curtailment of freedoms since wartime.

Infections spiral in eastern Europe
Poland's daily cases soared above 8,000 for the first time, hitting a record high for the second straight day, with the country likely to introduce new restrictions.
While health authorities say there are enough hospital beds and respirators for now to tackle the infection, doctors warn that the system may become overloaded.

The Czech Republic will start building capacity for COVID-19 patients outside of hospitals, as the country battles the fastest rate of infections in Europe.
Interior Minister Jan Hamacek said the army would start building an area for 500 hospital beds at a fairground in Prague.

Croatia reported 793 new cases, a daily record, while neighboring Slovenia introduced new measures to fight its spike in infections.

Scientists from Britain's University of Oxford have developed a rapid COVID-19 test able to identify the coronavirus in less than five minutes, researchers said, adding it could be used in mass testing at airports and businesses.
The university said it hoped to start product development in early 2021 and have an approved device available six months afterwards.

Ongoing illness after infection with COVID-19, sometimes called "long COVID", may not be one syndrome but possibly up to four causing a rollercoaster of symptoms affecting all parts of the body and mind, doctors said.
In an initial report about long-term COVID-19, Britain's National Institute for Health Research said one common theme among ongoing COVID patients - some of whom are seven months or more into their illness - is that symptoms appear in one physiological area, such as the heart or lungs, only to abate and then arise again in a different area.

Under siege over his handling of the pandemic, President Donald Trump cited what he said was his son's mild bout of the virus as a reason why American schools should reopen as soon as possible.
“I don't even think he knew he had it," he said of Barron, "because they're young and their immune systems are strong and they fight it off. 99.9% and Barron is beautiful. And he’s free."

From Breakingviews: Corona Capital - Self-lockdowns, Gambling, ANA
Read concise views on the pandemic’s financial fallout from Breakingviews columnists across the globe.

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U.S.

President Donald Trump and Democratic challenger Joe Biden will hold dueling prime-time town halls on Thursday instead of their second presidential debate, which was canceled after Trump declined to take part in a virtual matchup.
The twin events, in which each candidate will field questions from voters, will both take place at 8 p.m. EDT, with Trump on NBC and Biden on ABC.
Trump pulled out of the debate when the commission in charge of organizing the event said it would be held virtually due to concerns about the novel coronavirus.

Democratic leaders have been urging Biden supporters to show up in huge numbers and vote early amid concerns that nothing short of a decisive victory will prevent Republican President Donald Trump from contesting the results, potentially opening the way for state legislatures, the courts or Congress to decide the outcome.

Four years ago, U.S. President Donald Trump rode a wave of late-deciding voters to a shocking election victory. But those voters are unlikely to rescue him again, new Reuters/Ipsos polling shows.

The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday will wrap up four days of hearings on Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett by questioning experts, including two from the American Bar Association, which calls her “well qualified” for the job.

U.S. gun sales soar amid pandemic, social unrest, election fears. Andreyah Garland, a 44-year-old single mother of three daughters, bought a shotgun in May for protection in the quaint middle-class town of Fishkill, New York.
She joined a new and fast-growing local gun club to learn how to shoot.

World

Hundreds of Thai protesters demonstrated in Bangkok on Thursday in defiance of a ban imposed to end three months of anti-government action that has targeted King Maha Vajiralongkorn as well as Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, a former junta leader.
“Release our friends,” protesters chanted at police, referring to the arrest of some 40 protesters this week.
They held up the three-finger salute adopted as a symbol of opposition after Prayuth’s 2014 coup.

European Union leaders will agree on Thursday to extend talks with Britain on a trade deal in coming weeks to seek concessions on fisheries, fair competition and dispute resolution in an effort to preserve a trillion euros worth of annual commerce.

Two U.S. nationals held by Houthi rebels in Yemen have been released, Omani state media said on Wednesday, in what may have been part of a prisoner swap, with Oman sending flights to Sanaa to return 250 Yemenis from the Gulf state and abroad.

Kyrgyz President Sooronbai Jeenbekov resigned on Thursday after days of unrest following a disputed election, saying he wanted to prevent clashes between security forces and protesters who have demanded his removal from office.