Final presidential debate spotlights US foreign policy

Thursday night’s presidential debate in Nashville, Tenn., focused extensively on foreign policy topics, but the substance was often lacking [Forward to a friend]( | [Subscribe]( | [View in your browser]( [Top of The World]( [The World needs you]( Be one of 1,000 donors to give $100 or pledge $8.33/month to receive an invite to a virtual party with Marco Werman and The World team! [Donate today]( to support our free and trustworthy journalism. [Alt Text]( --------------------------------------------------------------- In the news today Trump, Biden discuss foreign policy in last debate [People watch from their vehicles as US President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden speak during a Presidential Debate Watch Party at Fort Mason Center in San Francisco, Oct. 22, 2020.]( Credit: Jeff Chiu/AP Thursday night’s presidential debate in Nashville, Tenn., [focused extensively on foreign policy topics](. But the substance was often lacking as Republican incumbent Donald Trump and Democratic challenger Joe Biden painted each other’s ideas in broad brush strokes. Biden accused Trump of cozying up to dictatorial regimes, and Trump attempted to smear his opponent by mentioning unverified and dubious corruption allegations. While the tone of the evening was more civil and restrained than was their first matchup two weeks ago in Cleveland in a night [filled with constant interruptions](, Thursday's political discussion still saw the two men [harp on personal themes and ad hominem insults](. Two open questions were mentioned repeatedly: [Hunter Biden’s alleged misdeeds in Ukraine]( and [Trump’s Chinese bank account](. Biden argued that Beijing has been the beneficiary of Trump’s America First foreign policy and the [US withdrawal from multilateral diplomacy](, pledging to “get China to play by international laws.” He also rejected Trump’s attacks on the Obama-Biden record in North Korea, which had grown its nuclear arsenal prior to Trump’s term in office. Trump tooted his own horn about the relatively calm state of affairs with Pyongyang. Foreign policy — officially labeled as "national security" — was designed to take up one-sixth of the debate, with the subject of climate change also [allotted 15 minutes by NBC moderator Kristen Welker](. Trump deflected Biden’s climate statements by saying, “Look at China, how filthy it is, look at Russia, look at India, it’s filthy. The air is filthy.” The comments were not well-received by New Delhi, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi has cultivated a close relationship with the White House. What The World is following US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is to [meet Friday with the foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan]( to try bringing a halt to the month-long fighting in Nagorno-Karabakh. Deadly clashes continued in the disputed region of the South Caucasus, however, just hours before the scheduled meeting in Washington, DC. Two Russian-mediated ceasefires already failed to bring peace to the long-disputed territory, which is technically within Azerbaijan’s borders but is largely inhabited and governed by Armenians. With odds of any breakthrough low, Pompeo plans to hold separate meetings with Azeri Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov and Armenian Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan. And, Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari has urged demonstrators who have taken to the streets against police brutality [to end their protests](, as roving gangs with knives and sticks blocked roads near burned-out buildings in the country’s largest city, Lagos. Armed men demanded cash from motorists on the highway leading to the international airport, and around the suburb of Lekki, police stations were torched. Violence has escalated since a curfew was declared on Tuesday, when Nigerian security forces killed around a dozen protesters — a toll that Buhari only mentioned indirectly in his address to the nation. --------------------------------------------------------------- From The World [Is overtourism over? Travelers to Europe stay home due to COVID-19 restrictions.]( [Amsterdam's red-light district remains sparse as many international tourists have stayed away during the pandemic.]( Credit: Orla Barry/The World Prior to the pandemic, Venice, Prague and Amsterdam had become so saturated with visitors that locals no longer recognized their hometowns. But with COVID-19 restrictions, [residents are breathing a sigh of relief](. Meanwhile, while many businesses face unprecedented losses. [‘No mask, no goddess’: Kolkata reimagines Durga Puja festival amid pandemic]( [Hindu devotees wearing personal protective equipment perform Dandiya, a traditional dance, in front of an idol of Hindu goddess Durga at a pandal or a temporary platform, on the first day of Durga Puja festival in Kolkata, India, Oct. 22, 2020.]( Credit: Rupak De Chowdhuri/Reuters As COVID-19 cases rise in West Bengal state, Durga Puja festival organizers and devotees alike are following strict protocols to prevent the spread of the coronavirus and families [are adapting traditional rituals]( in order to celebrate safely. --------------------------------------------------------------- Bright spot Dr. Arup Senapati, a surgeon at Silchar Medical College in the northeastern Indian state of Assam, has prioritized making the world a happier place — if just a little bit. Senapati was recently filmed dancing to the Bollywood track “Ghungroo” from the film “War” to cheer up his patients who were hospitalized with the coronavirus. The doc [nails the signature hook step]( popularized by Bollywood actor Hrithik Roshan. [A screen grab of a tweet from Dr. Syed Faizan Ahmad]( Credit: Twitter screen grab --------------------------------------------------------------- In case you missed it on The World - [Dancing doctor in India goes viral]( - [Germany is quitting coal. Here's how.]( - [New exhibit showcases fake art]( - [The growing generation gap in politics among Vietnamese Americans]( - [Poorer countries ask IMF for more time before austerity measures]( - [Cuban rookie is lighting up Major League Baseball’s post-season]( - [This year, the Hindu goddess Durga is slaying the coronavirus]( - [New policy allows ICE to fast-track deportation process]( - [#EndSARS protests go global]( - [US government says Iran was behind Proud Boys voter intimidation emails]( Don't forget to subscribe to The World's Latest Edition podcast using your favorite podcast player: [RadioPublic](, [Apple Podcasts](, [Stitcher](, [Soundcloud](, [RSS]( [The World logo]( [The World on Facebook]( [The World's Twitter account]( [Donate]( | [Forward to a friend]( | [Subscribe]( | [Edit your subscription]( | [Unsubscribe]( | [View in your browser]( Top of the World is written weekday mornings by the team at [The World](. [The World]( is produced by [PRX]( and [GBH](.