In the United States, voting is underway in the country’s general election.
Incumbent President Donald Trump – of the Republican Party – is facing a fierce political fight from Democratic Party challengerJoe Biden. Both candidates have spent the past days campaigning frenetically in a last-minute attempt to win voters and mobilise their supporters to the polls.
National polls show a strong lead for Mr. Biden, but the race is much closer in the all-important swing states – the key to winning in US elections thanks to the Electoral College system.
As results start to come in overnight tonight, all eyes will be on just a handful of pivotal states, most of all Florida and Pennsylvania, where the race will likely be decided.
Texas and Georgia, two traditionally Republican states, will also be under close watch as polls suggest a much closer race than in previous years, raising the prospect of a flip to the Democratic Party.
Though most attention has been on the hotly contested presidential race, seats are also up for election in both houses of the US Congress, control of which is key to passing legislation.
The Democrats are all but certain to retain control of the lower house – the House of Representatives – but the Senate, currently in Republican hands, is more closely fought.
Going into election day, almost 100 million Americans have already cast their ballots in record-breaking early voting according to a project by the University of Florida.
The first results are expected to start arriving in the early hours of tomorrow European time, but experts warn the large number of mail-in ballots could mean some states taking several days to finish counting, including the closely-watched state of Pennsylvania.
In Poland, the government has announced plans to double the pay of healthcare workers helping in the fight against COVID-19, including doctors, nurses, paramedics.
Health Minister Adam Niedzielski announced the plans on Sunday, with the 100% pay rise taking effect the same day. Writing on Twitter, Mr. Niedzielski said the pay rise would also be extended to paramedics and diagnosticians.
In Gdansk, the Amber Expo centre has been chosen as the site of a temporary COVID-19 field hospital to be built in the city.
The Amber Expo, which is currently unused as a result of coronavirus restrictions, will host a specialised 400-bed hospital for COVID-19 patients with medical staff supplied by Gdansk’s Copernicus Medical Centre.
City officials and the site’s owners had put the expo centre forward as a possible location for the field hospital, citing its 12,000sqm of floor space across three exhibition halls. The complex also includes a conference centre, office building, and a large car park. Writing on social media, Marshall of Pomerania Mieczyslaw Struk thanked MTG – the company which owns the Amber Expo – for taking on the task.
It’s understood state-owned oil company Lotos will be given the task of building the temporary hospital. Lotos, which based in Gdansk, is one of six state companies which will be building field hospitals around the country.
Energy company PKN Orlen, the PKO BP Bank, and copper producer KGHM are also among the firms being refocused to work on field hospitals in cities around the country.
A huge heart-shaped arrangement of flowers appeared on Solidarity Square on Monday, in a display of remembrance for the murdered Gdansk Mayor Pawel Adamowicz.
Later on, a special mass was held in memory of Mayor Adamowicz, who was killed early last year in a shocking attack while attending a charity concert.
On November 2nd, Adamowicz would have marked his 55th birthday, coinciding with All Souls’ Day – a traditional Christian time for remembering the dead.
A bright and mild day for this time of year with temperatures reaching as high as 14C, 57F.
A light westerly wind making today an overall pleasant day with no rain expected.
Temperatures dropping back down into single digits overnight and into tomorrow morning with some more cloud on the way.
Radio Gdansk News/Thomas Holdstock
