this is bbc news with the latest headlines for viewers in the uk and around the world. early voting begins in florida — long queues at the polls in this battleground state. we have to get the voting and i think the more we show come as a people that we want to exercise our right to vote, the better we are. ireland reimposes close to a full national lockdown with some of europe's toughest virus restrictions. could china's covid success drive it further apart from the us — we have a special report. the story of the conjoined twins from pakistan, separated by surgeons in london, and their return home.

it's a battleground state that could help decide who wins the us presidential election. and on monday early voting, in person, has begun in florida. the state has 29 votes in the electoral college that decides who occupies the white house, only california and texas have more. arkansas, idaho, north dakota, colorado have also begun early voting on monday. and americans can also send their ballot by mail. but it's florida that's the focus. here's what some voters in miami told my colleague katty kay. i was here at seven o'clock in the morning. actually around 6.30, seven o'clock. brought my friends here to vote. ijust dropped off my box because i didn't want to put it in the mail. i had my ballot all checked out and i dropped off in the mail. and you knew you wanted to vote early?

oh yeah, yeah this can be crazy. i can tell, look at the people here. it was bigger when i first got here. it's a very important election and we have to get the vote in and i think the more we show as people that we want to exercise our right to vote, the better we are. i know a lot of republicans who are voting for biden this year. at the same time the rallies scare me. and it seems a lot of folks are overlooking the disgusting things that we see coming out of the president's mouth. and they are voting because they care more about abortion or gun rights than they do about the president being presidential. i'm very happy. i don't care rain, i don't care. i came at six o'clock this morning. rain, i don't care, it's good. i vote for trump. viva trump. florida, ifeel like it always comes back to florida. at this polling station open this morning it was pouring

with rain and a howling wind. and people were still queuing up to vote. because they know how tight this state can be. whether we spoke to republicans or democrats who just cast their ballot this morning, they've all said the same thing, florida is on a knife edge. and anyone who lives in the state who is old enough remembers this. in 2000, it was just 537 votes in the whole state of florida that separated al gore and george bush. 0ne became president the other didn't. we all remember that. i'm sure i guess those. —— i'm sure our guest does. i'm joined now by political scientist and analayst, larry sabato, who directs the university of virginia's centre for politics. your website is called the crystal ball. which makes the question, can you see into the future and if you can, what can you tell us about florida? yes, i can see it until about noon tomorrow. it gives me

a few hours in advance notice. i am kidding. 0ur motto is he who lives by the crystal ball in each ground glass. i can tell you this much,, there is no question in both sides except as thatjoe biden is in the lead. —— each ground glass. his lead is between eight and 9% nationally. he has only leading in the key swing states, the eight or nine swing states, the eight or nine swing states that will determine the election, by three, four, 5%. it is easier to see how that number can change, how can events in the last two weeks can change and shrink his lead there. then it is to think that an eight or nine point gap nationally will shift in trumps direction. what role is early voting playing in florida 7 direction. what role is early voting playing in florida? it is playing this role, it is guaranteeing a large turnout, and we didn't necessarily have that guarantee during a pandemic. but we need to remember that most of the people

showing up now would've shown up on election day or shortly before that to vote in person. had there been a pandemic. so to say this is changing the character of the election is partly true but is it changing the identity in the winter? less so. the president votes in florida. he has a mansion in florida. does this give and what americans call home—court advantage in a state? he just moved to florida a couple years ago. he was elected president as a new yorker. it is true, a lot of floridians have not lived there very long but i don't think you give some home—field advantage. it would help in south dakota but not in florida. the last three presidents before trump all reelected. what kind of advantage is the incumbency give a president or has that gone now? no, it hasn't gone. the fact the three most it hasn't gone. the fact the three m ost rece nt it hasn't gone. the fact the three most recent presidents other than trump served two full terms should tell us that it is still

matters. i think americans who have a dim view of politics generally and politicians in particular you are this way, they would rather keep the devil they know and put in a devil they don't know. you have to convince them or the incumbent is that the challenger is also a devil. trump has not done that successfully get. but two weeks ago. but there is a certain advantage to incumbency. it cannot overcome everything or george w. bush would have been reelected. 0rjimmy cardiff would've been reelected. and they were not. —— george h w. can we expect a long count —— george h w. can we expect a long cou nt afterwards ? —— george h w. can we expect a long count afterwards? that's jimmy cardiff. it will take a big margin to keep us from having election a week instead of election day. but by a big margin come if it is five or six points, i think we will know in the wee hours of the day after the election on november four. the wee hours of the day after the election on novemberfour. that assumes that the swing states

also make it manifest their choices. when i was make it manifest their choices. when iwasa make it manifest their choices. when i was a election week is the probability if there is are they to three point election. and many people think in the end it will close up and probably will be that. thank you forjoining us, doctor. and you can find more news and analysis about the us election on our website bbc dot com slash us 2020. on our website bbc.com/us 2020. there's all the latest breaking news and blogs from our team including katty kay. in dublin, the irish government has to decided to impose the highest level of restrictions across the entire country for the next six weeks. measures to ban households mixing and to close non essential businesses will come in at midnight on wednesday after a surge in cases over last two weeks. 0ur ireland correspondent emma vardy reports. the arrival of a second lockdown for many was an unwelcome inevitability. what remains of dublin's nightlife

will soon disappear once more. it's just confusing, but it is, like, understandable because of all the cases. also, it's kind of annoying for young people because there's no outlet for young people and we're constantly being criticised and cases are rising but, what do you expect? why shut shops if you're not shutting schools? you have teachers and classrooms and they're full. like, you can't social distance in them. counties along the irish border have been some of the worst affected, as cases of the virus have climbed for a second time. for micheal, who doubles as a funeral director and shop manager in the village of inniskeen. .. hello, good afternoon. how are you doing? ..the virus is feeling increasingly present. it's coming very close in the local community here. it's coming practically nearly to every house. do you think it will be harder this time around? coming into the darker evenings and that, people are housebound. they can't go out for a walk, they can't walk the dog, they can't exercise. so, they're be stuck

inside their house and they have no comfort or whatever. ireland has a tiered system. this county is in tier 4. people have been told they'll have a few days to prepare before they're moved to tier 5, the highest level of restrictions and close to where things were back in march. tonight, the irish prime minister announced that nonessential businesses must close across ireland for six weeks. restaurants, cafes and bars will be permitted to provide takeaway services only. 0nly essential retail may remain open. everyone in the country is being asked to stay at home, with exercise permitted within a five kilometre radius of your home. 0nly essential workers whose physical presence in the workplace are permitted to travel to work. those who can work from home must do so. it comes after a wave of new restrictions in northern ireland began on friday. but while the republic of ireland will keep schools open, northern ireland closed schools from today, an extra week on the half term break.

certainly if this break was to continue beyond two weeks, i think the pressures that would be brought to bear would be enormous. we really have to try make a change for this year because it'sjust, you know, it's proving to be impossible to provide those children with the level of education they would require. in the irish counties with the highest rates of infections, food and hospitality businesses have already shut. but the government believes these localised measures aren't working. so, tonight, much more of ireland is braced for a near total return to the lockdown of before. emma vardy, bbc news, dublin. some more developments on the coronavirus outbreak this hour: the world health organisation has told western countries to follow the example of asian states by persevering withanti—covid measures. mike ryan, the the who's emergency expert said governments should quarantine anyone who comes into contact with infected people. he said the europe region

has seen a 50% rise in cases over the past week. in the italian region of lombardy, the italian government has agreed new restrictions to curb a surge in infections. the region — which was at the centre of italy's first wave — will propose an overnight curfew from thursday. it includes italy's financial capital milan. large shops will also be asked to close. the welsh government has decided to impose a 16—day lockdown , in every part of wales, to regain control of the pandemic. the first minister said that without this action, the nhs would not be able to cope in the weeks and months ahead. but there's been dismay and anger, in those parts of wales where the number of cases is still relatively low stay with us on bbc news, still to come: we'll be finding out what inspired this musical work, performed for the first time, by an orchestra of young black, asian and ethnically diverse musicians.

a historic moment that many of his victims have waited forfor decades. the former dictator in the dock, older, slimmer, and as he sat down, obedient enough. dawn, and as the sun breaks through the piercing chill of night on the plain outside coram, lights up a biblicalfamine, now in the 20th century. the depressing conclusion, in argentina today it is actually cheaper to paper your walls with money. we've had controversies in the past with great britain but as good friends, we've always found a good and lasting solution. concorde bows out in style after almost three decades in service, an aircraft that has enthralled its many admirers for so long taxis home one last time.

this is bbc news, the latest headlines. early voting has begun in florida — with long queues at the polls in this battle ground state, ireland reimposes close to a full national lockdown with some of europe's toughest virus restrictions. china's latest financial figures show that its economy grew by 4.9% in the past three months, another sign of how effectively it has brought the virus under control. meanwhile, the us is struggling in comparison, with the widening gap in performance only likely to fuel the growing hostility to beijing, now centre stage in the us presidential election campaign. as our china correspondent, john sudworth, explains, america's woes are proof for china that something more fundamental is at stake than a choice between the two candidates. china has conquered

covid its way. normality restored, with barely a murmur of public debate and, of course, not a single vote for or against the leaders who have delivered it. state propaganda drives the message home. with americans voting amid protests and a still uncontrolled pandemic, democracy is presented not as an alternative but a disaster. the virus has widened the growing gulf between the us and china. and christian is one of the casualties. he had his us visa temporarily revoked by a us administration that now sees chinese students as potential spies. "i worry it might happen again," he says, telling me he is now thinking of studying in the uk instead. who do you want to win the election, trump or

biden? of course biden. and you might think this man would agree. despite the initial warmth... my feeling towards you is an incredibly warm one... ..within months of this meeting, relations were in the deep freeze, but it is notjust donald trump who has come to view china's system as a threat. it is this system that now lies at the heart of one of the defining ideological rivalries of our time. china will know that ifjoe biden wins, he may be more effective than his predecessor at building coalitions with like—minded allies against it. the communist party's initial cover—up of the virus, its incarceration of minorities and its tightening grip on hong kong means — trump or biden — the us—china rift is likely to widen. and over trade,

too. the beijing car show — more proof of the success of china's draconian lockdowns and mass virus testing, it is also a demonstration of the country's rising economic power. this chinese car costs £65,000. some analysts believe trump is actually giving china an advantage. trump or biden? well, if you ask me for china's own interest, i will prefer to have trump there rather than biden. seems to me that trump will undermine the us much more than cause trouble to china. in the chaos of the us covid election, china sees the possibility of an unlikely winner — xijinping, and signs of a long anticipated us decline. john sudworth, bbc news,

beijing. let's look at some of the day's other news. the eu has said it is willing to " i nte nsify" talks on a post—brexit trade deal with the uk this week to try to break the impasse between the two sides. its negotiator michel barnier suggested discussions would be based on specific legal texts, which the uk has previously accused the eu of refusing to consider. britain said it still required a "fundamental change" from the eu. president trump says he is ready to remove sudan from a us list of state sponsors of terrorism, after the new government agreed to pay millions of dollars in compensation to american victims of attacks. the payment relates to al-qaeda's bombing of american embassies in kenya and tanzania in 1998. al-qaeda leader 0sama bin laden had been welcomed by the then sudanese president 0mar al bashir. large crowds of protesters again gathered in the thai capital, bangkok, on monday, seeking the resignation of the prime minister, prayuth chan—ocha, and political reform. this includes curbs on the monarchy,

which is usually above criticism in thailand. government officials threatened to close down four media outlets for spreading distorted information. safa and marwa were born — as conjoined twins. it's a very rare condition. they were flown to london from their home in pakistan last year. after more than 50 hours of surgery and months of hospital care at great 0rmond street hospital — they were finally ready to go home. our medical editor fegus walsh spoke to the family before they left. twin sisters with a special bond. it is nowjust over a year—and—a—half since safa and marwa were separated. back to safa. that's it. that's good. to marwa. they're still having physical therapy, which they clearly enjoy. but they've been through a lot to get here, and neither

has emerged unscathed. the girls were born joined at the head — an extremely rare condition. they'd never seen each other‘s faces. the bbc followed their incredible journey as, over four months, they underwent more than 50 hours of surgery. safa and marwa's skull was one long tube, their brains were misshapen and interconnected. separating them involved a huge team at great 0rmond street hospital with every stage, every stitch planned in minute detail. all of it was paid for by a private donor. once the twins were finally separated, surgeons created a rounded skull for each of them, using pieces of shared bone. thank you. for their mother zainab, the surgeons are heroes. this, the moment she was told

they'd both survived. the road to recovery has been long, and progress slow. nonetheless, zainab was delighted to be taking them home at last. translation: thanks to allah they have got very good progress, especially marwa. translation: thanks to allah they have got very good progress, especially marwa. she only needs little bit support for her to take the mobility further, and we will take good care of safa, and hopefully she will start walking as well. in theatre, the surgeons had to make a near impossible choice. there is something oozing deep down there that i can't see at the moment. only one twin could receive some key blood vessels that nourished both their brains. they were given to marwa, the weaker twin, but as a result safa had a stroke. safa now has permanent damage to her brain, and may never walk. i feel marwa has done really well and carries on making

great progress. when i look at the whole family, yes, it was probably the right thing to do for the whole family, but for safa, as an individual, i'm not so sure. it's a decision that i made as a surgeon, it's a decision that we made as a team, and it's, it's a decision we have to live with. and does it still trouble you? yes, very much so. i think it always will. both girls have learning difficulties, but the family say they have no regrets, and whatever the future holds, marwa and safa will face it together — as sisters and twins, but also separate individuals. fergus walsh, bbc news. britain's first mainly black, asian and ethnically diverse orchestra, chineke,

has performed the world premiere of a work inspired by a black demonstrator, who came to the aid of a white protester, during a black lives matter protest earlier this year. the image of patrick hutchinson's act of kindness, on the steps of the royal festival hall in london, went viral on social media. 0ur arts editor will gompertz went to the dress rehearsal. i will stare at this image numerous times, my eyelids will pull and plead to blink to quell this heat slowly rising... it takes you somewhere, it allows you time to breathe. it allows some truth to come out. like the same programmes every festive season... this is remnants, a new piece of music and poetry watched for the first time by patrick hutchinson, the man who inspired it for the action he took injune when he carried a counter protester to safety from a black lives matter demonstration in london. can you relate what happened here with what you have

just heard in there? yes, ican. with the combination of the spoken word, with the powerful music, 100%. 0n the day, if you were there, amongst the melee, it was hectic, there was a lot of confusion. there was a mixture of love and hate because there were people trying to protect him and there were also people who wanted harm to come to him. and that resonates really a lot with what happened inside there, i really felt it. the history of black composers in what we call classical music has really been forgotten but i think there is a real hunger in this industry to kind of right that wrong and to also welcome everybody into the world of classical music. i had this... the sort of hairs

went up on the back of my neck because i knew this was a piece to be reckoned with. it's got such dynamism and such angst and passion in it, that it just took flight. i knew we were in for something very magical and very special. i'll laugh at the joy of the hero's children... remnants is not so much a celebration of an act of kindness, more an invitation to ask the questions that arise from it, about representation, social anxiety and equality. it is very much of and about the world today. will gompertz, bbc news. wildlife experts in australia are deploying drones to drop gum tree seeds, in an attempt to regenerate bushland areas on the east coast, that were destroyed by wildfires earlier this year. the aim of the initiative, by the world wildlife fund, is to boost the koala population which was almost wiped out by the fires. gum tree leaves are the animals'

main source of food and restoring bushland is considered essential for their survival in the state of new south wales. the goal is to repopulate native species, to restore degraded landscapes, to ensure sustainable agriculture, and to build a more resilient australia to deal with climate change and fire related disasters. with the aim of building a future in which people can live in harmony with nature. a reminder of our top story. early ‘in person‘ voting in the us presidential election has begun in florida with long queues at the polls. the state has 29 votes in the electoral college that decides who occupies the white house, only california and texas have more. arkansas, idaho, north dakota, colorado have also begun to vote early. for other stores on the website. you can reach me on twitter — i'm @jamesbbcnews.

-- all —— all of the stories on our website. very mild at there at the moment. and tuesday promises to be very mild day. we have southerly winds across the uk, and the air is coming all the uk, and the air is coming all the way from spain and portugal. a bit of rain in the forecast. quite a lot of it. we can see this big low pressure that are sleeping in from the south of the cloud, that is with the south of the cloud, that is with the air is coming from all the way from liberia. with the winds it will bea from liberia. with the winds it will be a very mild morning, a lot of cloud and outbreaks of rain, a very wet night in northern ireland, and parts of scotland but these are the money temperatures. 13 in plymouth and double figures across some northern part of the uk. —— morning temperatures. the rain will be coming go across most parts of england or wales. northern ireland

in the afternoon because he persistent heavy showers and probably click past southwest scotla nd probably click past southwest scotland as well. aberdeen will be a little bit brighter. a look at the temperatures. we are pushing 20 in