President Alexander Lukashenko said Belarus would withdraw its troops (DW) from the streets, place half the army on alert, and close its borders with Western countries. Lukashenko faces rising criticism over Belarus’s disputed August election and his government’s violent repression of subsequent mass protests. 

Yesterday, the European Parliament rejected the election results (Al Jazeera) and announced it would not recognize Lukashenko after his current term ends in November. The European Union, along with the United States, is considering sanctions. Belarus repeatedly interrupted (Guardian) a session of the UN Human Rights Council today that was attended by opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya. The UN special rapporteur on Belarus urged attendees to “not allow another iron curtain.”

Chinese forces near the Taiwan Strait began a military exercise (SCMP) today, which a defense ministry spokesperson said was necessary to ensure national sovereignty and territorial integrity. At the same time, a top U.S. State Department official, Keith Krach, is set to meet with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen in Taiwan.
 
Papua New Guinea: Minister for Police Bryan Kramer said the police force was the country’s most corrupt public agency and accused it of poor discipline and brutality. He also warned (Guardian) that the country “is on the verge of collapse” due to systemic corruption.
 
This CFR Backgrounder looks at what police are like in countries worldwide.

At least thirty-two security force members were killed (TOLO) and twenty-five others were wounded in Taliban attacks across several Afghan provinces, according to local officials. Dozens of Taliban fighters reportedly also died. Meanwhile, intra-Afghan peace talks continue in Qatar.
 
India/Pakistan: Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned a senior Indian diplomat (Express Tribune) over Indian forces’ alleged violation of a cease-fire along the countries’ contested border in Kashmir. India also accused Pakistan (Economic Times) of a violation.

White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows told reporters (Reuters) that five unspecified countries are seriously considering normalizing ties with Israel. Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates signed normalization accords with Israel at the White House earlier this week.
 
Israel: Ukrainian-born higher education and water minister Zeev Elkin urged Israeli Hasidic Jews blocked from visiting a religious site in Ukraine to return home. Ukraine has stopped thousands of pilgrims (Al-Monitor) from entering the country due to its coronavirus-related ban on foreign travelers.

President Mohamed Farmaajo named Mohamed Hussein Roble as Somalia’s new prime minister and called on Roble (East African) to form a government. Somalia’s last prime minister stepped down in July after a no-confidence vote against him.
 
Ethiopia: A government minister said the country will repatriate (TRF) nearly two thousand Ethiopians from Saudi Arabia but that it lacks the resources to relocate some fourteen thousand others living in Saudi migrant camps. The United Nations has called these facilities overcrowded and unsanitary.

Hans Kluge, the World Health Organization (WHO) regional director for Europe, warned of a “very serious situation unfolding” in Europe as weekly coronavirus cases rise faster now (NPR) than during the pandemic’s first peak there in March. Europe has reported more than 4.8 million cases.

Peru’s Congress will hold an impeachment vote (WaPo) against President Martin Vizcarra today. Vizcarra is accused of “moral incapacity” for trying to obscure his ties to a singer who received government contracts. He will be ousted immediately if two-thirds of Congress members vote against him.
 
Bolivia: Interim President Jeanine Anez dropped out (BBC) of the country’s October 18 presidential election, saying her candidacy could split the vote and hand a victory to Bolivia’s Movement for Socialism (MAS) party. Anez’s predecessor, MAS politician Evo Morales, left office after allegations of election fraud in Bolivia’s last election.
 
CFR’s Paul J. Angelo explains what to know about Bolivia’s 2019 election.

A federal judge temporarily blocked (WaPo) changes to U.S. Postal Service (USPS) operations, granting a request from fourteen states concerned that the modifications could impede the November election. The judge said the USPS is under a “politically motivated attack” involving President Donald J. Trump and Postmaster General Louis DeJoy.