US Elections 2020 Live Updates: Trump to vote in Florida; Biden campaigns in Pennsylvania

A day after the two rivals sparred over the pandemic, the US Friday reported 84,218 cases of the novel coronavirus, its highest single-day count since July 16, when it detected 77,299 infections. Sixteen US states hit one-day records on Friday, including Ohio, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin — five states considered crucial in the upcoming polls, reported Reuters.

US President Donald Trump will cast his vote in Florida on Saturday, joining more than 53 million Americans who have cast early ballots for the November 3 election. Trump will vote in West Palm Beach, near his Mar-a-Lago estate, reported Reuters. "I'm here to vote!" he told supporters at a rally in Pensacola on Friday night, one of two he held in the state.

President Donald Trump said Friday that he has informed Congress of his intent to formally remove Sudan from the US list of state sponsors of terrorism in exchange for the African nation transferring $335 million into an escrow account for American terror victims and their families.

The move would open the door for the African country to get international loans and aid needed to revive its battered economy and rescue the country's transition to democracy.

The announcement, less than two weeks before the US presidential election, also comes as the Trump administration works to get other Arab countries, such as Sudan, to join the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain's recent recognition of Israel. (AP)

Democrat Joe Biden's remark that he would "transition" away from oil in the US in favour of renewable energy drew quick attention Thursday night from President Donald Trump, who saw it as a boon to his election chances in key states.

"I would transition away from the oil industry, yes," Biden said in the presidential debate's closing minutes under peppering from Trump. "The oil industry pollutes, significantly. It has to be replaced by renewable energy over time."

The Biden campaign's climate plan calls for the US to have net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. And he repeated his pledge to end federal subsidies for the oil and gas industry. (AP)

Alabama voters once again have the chance to remove the racist language of Jim Crow from the state's constitution, which was approved in 1901 to enshrine white supremacy as state law.

Courts have long since struck down legalized segregation, but past attempts to strip the offensive phrases have failed.

Even though no organized opposition to the measure has emerged this time, some worry that conservative backlash to the Black Lives Matter movement could quash the proposal, which qualified for the ballot months before the nationwide demonstrations that occurred in the wake of the police killing of George Floyd.

A measure on the Nov. 3 ballot would allow the state to recompile its 119-year-old constitution in a process supporters say would remove a lingering stain from the state's era of racial segregation and the legalized oppression of Black people.

"What we are trying to do with this small measure is to bring the Alabama Constitution into the 21st century and be more reflective of who we are as a state now," said Rep. Merika Coleman, one of the sponsors of the bipartisan legislation. (AP)

President Donald Trump has defended his administration's separation of immigrant children who remain away from their families following detentions along the US-Mexico border.

Trump said during Thursday's debate that children are often brought across the border not by families but "by coyotes and lots of bad people."

The American Civil Liberties Union told a judge this week that there were still 545 children separated from their parents from 2018.

Trump said his administration had constructed more than 400 miles of his promised border barrier. He also said, "They built cages," referring to Obama-era facilities depicted in media reports during the separations.

The mute button, or at least the threat of it, worked well this time as US President Donald Trump and his Democratic rival Joe Biden showed restraint and civility during the last presidential debate, unlike their first encounter when they frequently spoke over each other, creating chaos at times.

Far from their raucous first meeting in Cleveland, Ohio, that led organisers to introduce the mute button, the second and final 90-minute debate between Trump and Biden at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee on Thursday night was less fury and more urgency.

In the first presidential debate last month, Trump, 74, and Biden, 77, fiercely clashed over a number of issues, including the COVID-19 pandemic, racism, economy and climate, marked by angry interruptions and bitter accusations.

A media report termed the mute button a godsend, saying it also amplified the candidates' differences. (AP)

This debate, unlike the first one, was disciplined and substantive. However, there were points where the two leaders went off course, only to be brought back by moderator Welker. 

The NYT analyses the debate: "The tone couldn’t have been more different from the first debate. Trump had some strong moments – the crime bill, job creation. Biden was strongest on climate and a vision for his term. Trump was at a loss to discuss the children separated from their parents. Biden sometimes went way off course. In all cases, the absence of interruptions was welcome."

When asked what he would say at the inaugural address if elected president again, Trump says he would say "we are on the road to success." Meanwhile, Biden, in his closing remarks, reminds voters: "What is on the ballot this year is the character of this country".

Joe Biden says, "Global warming in the next essential threat to humanity. We have a moral obligation. Four more years of this man (Trump), will put us in a position where we will be in real trouble."

On climate change, Trump compares the US to other countries, saying, "Look at China, Russia, India, how filthy it is. The air is filthy." Trump also says he "took us out" of the Paris Accord because it was "so unfair". "We have the cleanest air, the cleanest water and the best carbon emissions," he adds.

Biden responds to Trump on racist: "He pours fuel on every single racist fire... This guy has a dog whistle about as big as a fog horn."

The NYT reports: "The overwhelming majority of Black and Latino men are supporting Biden, but even a small difference on the margin — or even convincing those men not to bother voting at all — could make a difference in battleground states."

Welker raises the issue of racism in America. Trump says his first glimpse of the Black Lives Matter protest was of people walking down the street calling the police "pigs". "I thought it was a terrible thing. I think I have great relationships with all people. I am the least racist person in this room," Trump tells Welker. "I am... I can't see the audience, but I am the least racist person in this room."

Donald Trump tells Biden at this point: "I ran because of you. I ran becuase you did a bad job. If you had done a good job, I would not have run for president." To this, Biden responds, "Our character is on the ballot. Look at us closely."

NBC News correspondent Kristen Welker is receiving praise on social media for the way she is moderating this debate. "It took a woman of color to give us a functioning debate, who would have thought," one user wrote, while another said, "Kristen Welker redirecting like a boss and keeping these fools on task."

Trump questions Biden on the "cages" built at the border. An NYT fact checker finds that it was the Obama administration that built these facilities to hold migrants.

Donald Trump and Joe Biden are now discussing a report that appeared yesterday, claiming the parents of 545 children separated at US border with Mexico can’t be found. Immigration has never before been discussed in general-election debates.

"We're working on it. We're trying very hard," says Trump when asked if he had a plan to reunite these children with their parents. Trump claims the kids could have crossed the border in cartels or coyotes. 

Biden retorts that the kids came "with parents" and were separated at the border. "It's not coyotes... they got separated from their parents. That makes us a laughing stock."

NBC News correspondent Kristen Welker brings up the next topic of discussion, the economy. "12 million people are out of work, 8 million have fallen into poverty. Those hit hardest include women and those of colour. What is your plan, she asks the President. Trump blames Nancy Pelosi for failing to pass a stimulus. NYT fact checks this claim: "It's Senate Republicans who are the ones blocking an agreement on a relief bill."

On healthcare, Trump says, "We have done an incredible job on healthcare, and we will do even better". The NYT reports: "Trump and the Republicans have repeatedly said that they have an alternate plan for health care, but they have never specified what it is."

Biden, meanwhile, says, "I will pass Obamacare with a public option. Secondly, we will reduce premiums and drug prices. I support private insurance." On concerns over a healthcare system run by the government, Biden says, "Healthcare is not a priviledge, it's a right. This will save lives, give people an opportunity."

Here are some pictures from the debate that is underway between President Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden. (AP Photos)

Joe Biden responds to his alleged links with Ukraine: "I did my job impeccably. I carried out US policy. Not one single solitary thing was out of line. Second, the guy who got in trouble in Ukraine was (Trump), who tried to get someone there to speak out against me. My son has not done anything." Biden targets Trump his payments to China.

The discussion on national security has changed to one on taxes. "I prepay millions and millions of dollars in taxes," Trump reiterates. "I paid in advances, it's called prepaying..." 

Biden, meanwhile, responds: "Show us. Stop playing around. Show us. What we do know, is that you're not paying taxes, or your payment is so low. Come on!"

"We are in a situation where we have foreign countries trying to interfere in our elections," says Biden, adding that anyone who meddles in the election "will pay a price". Here's the report we carried yesterday detailing the alleged meddling, as announced by Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe. 

Trump, on the other hand, responds to the allegations saying: "There's been nobody tougher than me on Russia. I was told by Ratcliffe that Russia wants me to lose." 

NYT reports: "Each segment is supposed to last for 15 minutes. The moderator has allowed this discussion on coronavirus – perhaps the No. 1 subject on voters’ minds right now – stretch out longer. There are many Americans who watch the opening 30 minutes of a debate and tune out the rest."

During the first part of this debate, President Trump has been seen both underplaying the pandemic as well as highlighting his role to defeat it. In fact, Trump has now announced that it may be unlikely that a vaccine will be unavailable before the November 3 election. He also said it would likely be distributed "by the military."

Unlike the first debate, President Donald Trump seems calmer and more respectful to the debate procedure. "If I may answer", and a "thank you" to the moderator are some of the things Trump has said so far, which we didn't see in the first debate. The NYT analyses the debate: "It’s early folks. I feel like in these things you can start to see the President getting more visibly annoyed, which is when the heated tone picks up."

Joe Biden, speaking on the pandemic, tells Americans, "We're in a circumstance where the President thus far has no comprehensive plan. I would make sure we move in a direction where people wear masks, we have rapid testing, we have national standards on opening up schools and businesses. Folks, I will take care of this, I will end this, I will make sure we have a plan."

President Donald Trump and Joe Biden are on stage now. The moderator has brought up the first topic -- the Covid-19 pandemic. Trump, in his two uninterrupted minutes, says, "It's a worldwide pandemic. There were spikes and surges in some states, but it's going. We will soon have a vaccine. From personal experience, I had it. I was in the hospital. I got better very fast, and now they say I'm immune. More and more people are getting better," he said. 

Following the first debate on September 29, or the morning of September 30 in the India, the commission on presidential debates has decided that the microphones of the two candidates will be turned off while the other is given two minutes to answer questions on key topics. How this play out in front of the limited crowd, or for the virtual audience, is yet to be seen. The moderator says, "The goal is for you to hear each other, and for the audience to hear each and every word".

Good morning and welcome to our live blog on the presidential debate. President Donald Trump and his Democratic challenger Joe Biden will square off this morning for around 90 minutes on six key topics -- Covid-19, racism, climate change, national security, leadership and protecting American families.

For the second time in two months, a panel of federal judges on Thursday blocked President Donald Trump's effort to exclude people in the US illegally from being counted during the process of divvying up congressional seats by state. The decision from a panel of three district judges in California went further than last month's ruling by a panel of three federal judges in New York by saying that Trump's order in July not only was unlawful but also violated the constitution.

The New York judges ignored the question of the order's constitutionality and just said it was unlawful. "The policy which the Presidential Memorandum attempts to enact has already been rejected by the Constitution, the applicable statutes, and 230 years of history," the judges in California wrote.

The Trump administration has appealed the New York decision to the Supreme Court, and the nation's high court agreed to hear the case next month. Other challenges to Trump's order are pending in Maryland, Massachusetts and the District of Columbia. The Department of Justice, which is representing the Trump administration, didn't immediately respond to an email inquiry Thursday. AP