China's National People's Congress Standing Committee convenes to review laws, U.S. Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden holds a solo town hall and China observes National Poverty Relief Day.

China's top legislature convenes

The Standing Committee of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC) will convene its 22nd session from October 13 to 17 in Beijing.

According to the proposed agenda, lawmakers will review a draft biosecurity law, a draft export control law, a draft Yangtze River conservation law, a draft support for veterans law, a draft personal information protection law and a draft coast guard law during the session.

They are expected to deliberate a draft amendment to the Patent Law, a draft revision to the Law on the Protection of Minors, draft amendments to the National Flag Law and the National Emblem Law, a draft amendment to the Criminal Law and a draft revision to the Administrative Penalty Law.

A draft amendment to the Electoral Law of the National People's Congress and Local People's Congresses, a draft revision to the Wildlife Protection Law and a draft revision to the National Defense Law will also be reviewed, according to the proposed agenda.

Biden holds town hall event after presidential debate canceled

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden will take questions directly from voters next week, given President Donald Trump's decision to pull out of a scheduled virtual presidential debate on October 15.

Earlier this week, the president said he would not participate in a virtual event and asked that it be in person, but the commission denied the request, and on Friday it canceled the virtual debate.

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U.S. Oct 15 presidential debate officially cancelled

Biden extends lead in fallout from Trump's tough week

The Biden campaign agreed to the virtual format, but after Trump said he would not participate, the campaign booked a town hall with ABC News the same day as the proposed virtual debate.

The Trump campaign went on to book several events in the coming weeks, though the president has yet to release a negative COVID-19 test since his diagnosis last week.

China's National Poverty Relief Day

China will observe its National Poverty Relief Day on October 17, the same day as the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty of the United Nations.

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A changing China by numbers: poverty alleviation

China is en route to delivering its target of eradicating poverty in rural areas and eliminating regional poverty by 2020.

China has long been dedicated to eradicating poverty. The country has so far lifted 850 million people out of poverty, which accounts for more than 70 percent of global poverty alleviation, and is poised to deliver on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal of no poverty by 2030, 10 years ahead of schedule.

Day by day:

Monday: Nobel Economics Prize is announced in Sweden; Senior Chinese diplomat Yang Jiechi visits Algeria and Serbia; EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting starts in Brussels; U.S. Senate holds confirmation hearings on Supreme Court nominee Coney Barrett.

Tuesday: China's NPC Standing Committee convenes in Beijing; the International Monetary Fund and Group of 24 officials conduct press briefings on world economic outlook and global financial stability in Washington.

Wednesday: The presidents of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and the European Council Charles Michel hold a summit with German chancellor Angela Merkel and European social partners in Brussels. WTO's general council meets in Geneva; Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov hosts talks with his Italian counterpart Luigi Di Maio.

Thursday: EU leaders gather in Brussels for two-day meeting; U.S. Democratic nominee Joe Biden takes part in a town hall forum hosted by ABC News; German Economy Minister Peter Altmaier gives a statement ahead of a video conference with EU countries' telecommunication ministers.

Friday: A quiet day in politics.

Saturday: China's National Poverty Relief Day；New Zealand holds a referendum election.   

Sunday: Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga arrives in Hanoi for a four-day visit until October 21; Bolivia holds delayed presidential election; Guinea holds a referendum election.

(With input from agencies)