OSCE to Deliver Accurate Assessment of US Election Despite COVID-19 Limits, Spokesperson Says

The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) will provide an accurate assessment of the US presidential election despite the pandemic's impact on the composition of the observer mission, Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) spokesperson Katya Andrusz told Sputnik.

“While the COVID-19 pandemic has been challenging for ODIHR’s election observation activities and we were unable to deploy a mission to the US general elections that was as comprehensive as we had planned, our observation will result in an accurate and objective assessment as in all other countries across the OSCE region in which we observe,” Andrusz said on Wednesday.

Andrusz noted that OSCE observer mission to the US general election opened on 29 September.

“ODIHR’s election observation is based on a long-term, consistent methodology that has been developed over many years and is used everywhere we observe,” she explained.

Andrusz said the OSCE will present its interim report on the 2020 presidential election in the United States in the coming weeks.

“We will publish an interim report in the coming weeks,” Andrusz said. “Shortly before the election, we will be joined by our partners from the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, and together with them ODIHR will present a statement of preliminary findings and conclusions at a press conference on 4 November.”

The spokesperson went on to say that It will be possible to take part in the press conference in person and online, with personal attendance restricted due to health safety measures.

“ODIHR will publish a final report summing up the observation approximately two months after the end of the election process,” she concluded.

The US is set to hold the presidential election on 3 November. Incumbent President Donald Trump is running as the candidate of the Republican party, while former vice president Joe Biden is running as the Democratic candidate.

https://sputniknews.com/us/202010081080702451-osce-to-deliver-accurate-assessment-of-us-election-despite-covid-19-limits-spokesperson-says/

Economic Achievements And Setbacks Of Erdogan’s Neo-Ottoman Empire

Turkey’s economic situation has deteriorated dramatically over the last couple of years, exacerbated by domestic political instability and worsening relations with key trade and investment partners. High levels of foreign debt and the plummeting value of the lira on currency markets threaten to implode the economy. The government is betting on gas and oil transit fees from major pipelines, as well as domestically produced gas, to restore economic prosperity, however this will take years to fully realize and projected revenues may not arrive in time.

The government’s credit-fuelled growth policies and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s preference for low interest rates have sent the lira to a new all-time low against the US dollar. Turkey has large external financing needs, and its private sector is heavily indebted in foreign currency, raising risks of financial instability and a possible economic collapse in 2020-21.

The economic crisis has been exacerbated by the political and military leadership’s expansionist and aggressive foreign policy and bitter disputes with major trade partners and traditional and more recent strategic allies alike (in particular the US and European Union, and Russia, respectively), which has isolated Turkey on the global stage, and makes international assistance to stabilize the dire economic situation much less likely (other than from Qatar, which although vastly rich in gas will not be able to solve Turkey’s burgeoning economic problems alone).

While Turkey is conveniently located to capitalize on the gigantic oil and gas infrastructure projects that will connect the resource-rich regions in Russia, the Caspian and the Persian Gulf (and possibly the eastern Mediterranean in the future) with European markets, these will take time to develop, as will the large gas deposits that were discovered in Turkey’s Black Sea economic zone in August.

Overview of Turkey’s Economy

Turkey’s economy is driven by its industry and, increasingly, service sectors, although the agriculture sector still accounts for about 25% of employment. The automotive, petrochemical, and electronics industries have risen in importance and have overtaken the traditional textiles and clothing sectors as Turkey’s main exports.

Although Turkey’s economy enjoyed a period of sustained growth during the first decade of Erdogan’s leadership, the period of political stability and economic dynamism has given way to uncertainty and security concerns due to both domestic and external developments, which are generating doubts on financial markets and casting a long shadow over Turkey’s economic outlook.

The government has relied on policies emphasize spending measures and low interest rates to stimulate the economy, however as debt reaches critical levels this cannot be continued indefinitely.

https://southfront.org/economic-achievements-and-setbacks-of-erdogans-neo-ottoman-empire/

Marine Corps Assistant Commandant Is 2nd Top Military Leader to Contract COVID-19

A Marine Corps four-star general is the second senior military leader in two days to test positive for COVID-19.

Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. Gary Thomas has the virus, officials announced Wednesday night. Thomas was one of at least nine senior leaders who began self-quarantining Tuesday after the Coast Guard's vice commandant, Adm. Charles Ray, tested positive for the illness this week.

Thomas has mild symptoms, but is otherwise feeling well, according to a Marine Corps statement. He will continue to quarantine at home.

"The Marine Corps is following established policies for COVID, per [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] guidelines, to include quarantine and contact tracing," the release states. "According to CDC guidelines, any Marine Corps personnel who were in close contact with the general will also quarantine."

Marine officials did immediately respond to questions about how many personnel are affected.

Chief Pentagon Spokesperson Jonathan Hoffman said on Wednesday night that he was aware that Thomas tested positive, but said at this time "we have no additional senior leader positive test results to report."

"We will continue to follow CDC guidance for self-quarantining and contact tracing," Hoffman said in a statement.

After Ray tested positive this week, Thomas and eight other senior military leaders went into quarantine. That included Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley; Vice Chairman Gen. John Hyten; Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Mike Gilday; Army Chief of Staff Gen. James McConville; Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Charles "CQ" Brown; Space Force Chief of Space Operations Gen. John "Jay" Raymond; Chief of the National Guard Bureau Gen. Daniel Hokanson; and Gen. Paul Nakasone, the head of U.S. Cyber Command.

Thomas attended Pentagon meetings with Ray and other senior leaders last week. Marine Commandant Gen. David Berger was visiting the British aircraft carrier Queen Elizabeth off the coast of Flamborough, England, according to a military news release.

Coast Guard officials say it's not clear where Ray contracted COVID-19. He and several military leaders, including Berger, Milley, McConville and Brown, attended a Sept. 27 Gold Star Families event at the White House. The Washington Post reported this week that masks weren't required at the event and social distancing was not enforced.

That event was one day after the Trump administration held an outdoor nomination ceremony for Judge Amy Coney Barrett. Several people at that event, including President Donald Trump, have since tested positive for COVID-19.

The commander in chief spent several days in the hospital being treated after his diagnosis.

https://www.military.com/daily-news/2020/10/07/marine-corps-assistant-commandant-2nd-top-military-leader-contract-covid-19.html