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Wed, 06 November 2024
Kamala Harris to address supporters at 4 pm EST
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Democratic presidential nominee and US Vice President Kamala Harris/Kevin Lamarque/Reuters
23:45 Kamala Harris to address supporters at 4 pm EST
Vice President Kamala Harris, who lost the presidential elections to her Republican rival Donald Trump, would address her supporters on Wednesday afternoon, according to her campaign and the White House.
In an invite sent to her supporters and volunteers, her campaign said the Democratic leader would be at an event at Howard University.
"We invite you to join the Harris-Walz campaign for an event with Vice President Kamala Harris today at Howard University in Washington, DC," said the invite.
The White House said Harris would deliver her speech at 4 pm EST (2.30 am IST, Thursday).
Second Gentleman Douglas Craig Emhoff will also attend the event, a media advisory said.
Trump has, so far, received 277 electoral college votes, seven more than required for him to be declared the winner of the presidential elections.
Harris has 224 in her kitty. Races in two states, Arizona with 11 electoral college votes and Michigan with 15, have not been called yet, though Trump is leading in both of them.
Harris, 60, has not been seen in public since election results started coming on Wednesday night.
There has been no social media post or a statement from her either.
It is likely that Harris would first call president-elect Trump, 78, to congratulate him on his electoral victory.
After that, she would deliver an address to the nation. Her term as vice president of the US ends on January 20. -- PTI
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23:34 Uttarakhand: Communal tension after girl's obscene video made public
A person in the Paithani area of the Pauri district of Uttarakhand allegedly posted obscene photos and videos of a girl on social media, after which she left her home.
Despite the arrest of Shahnawaz Mirza (24), who runs a barber shop in Paithani, local traders kept the market closed on Wednesday and did not allow the shops of other communities to open.
The police said adequate force has been deployed in the area in view of the communal tension.
According to the SSP office, Pauri, a local man reported at the Paithani police station on Tuesday that his 21-year-old sister-in-law had left her home without informing anyone.
The police said that taking immediate action on the complaint, they recovered the girl from Kotdwar, after which she told them that some of her obscene photos and videos were allegedly posted on social media from Mirza's Facebook account, after which she ran away from home due to fear of defamation.
Police said a case was registered against Mirza under the relevant sections of the BNS and the Information Technology Act and he was arrested.
BJP Pauri district senior vice president Lakhpat Singh Bhandari, who reached Paithani, said the people of the area have given two days' time to police to register a case against the accused under sections, including those of conversion, rape, kidnapping and blackmailing. -- PTI
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23:12 Modi speaks to Trump, greets him on election
Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to US President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday to congratulate him on his "spectacular" victory, and said he looked forward to working together with him again to further strengthen India-US relations across technology, defence, energy, space and other sectors.
Official sources said Modi also congratulated Trump on the performance of his Republican Party in the US Congressional elections, as both leaders affirmed that they would work together for world peace.
The warm personal camaraderie between the two leaders came through in the telephonic conversation as Trump said the "whole world loves Modi" and described India as a magnificent country and the prime minister as a magnificent man, they added.
Trump also said that he considered Modi and India as a true friend, noting that the Indian leader was one of the first world leaders he spoke to after his victory, the sources added.
In a post on X, Modi said, "Had a great conversation with my friend, President Donald Trump, congratulating him on his spectacular victory. Looking forward to working closely together once again to further strengthen India-US relations across technology, defence, energy, space and several other sectors."
As Trump cruised to victory, Modi earlier in the day congratulated him on his "historic" presidential poll victory, and said he looks forward to renewing their collaboration to further strengthen the India-US Comprehensive Global and Strategic Partnership. -- PTI
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22:42 18 workers injured in accident at steel plant in Maha's Wardha
At least 18 workers were injured in an accident at a steel plant in eastern Maharashtra's Wardha district on Wednesday evening, police said.
The incident took place in furnace area at Evonith Steel Plant on Bhugaon Link Road during the process of cooling of slag, a mixture of metal oxide and silicon dioxide, around 7 pm, said an official.
Steel slag, a by-product of steel making, is produced during the separation of molten steel from impurities.
Most of the workers sustained burns and were rushed to hospital, the official said.
Three of them were sent to Nagpur, 76 km away, for further treatment. -- PTI
The Porsche car that hit a motorcycle at Kalyani Nagar in Pune, May 19, 2024/ANI Photo
22:10 Pune Porsche crash: Father of teen driver's friend surrenders before court
The father of a friend of the teenage driver involved in the Porsche car accident in Pune that claimed two lives in May this year surrendered before a court in Pune on Wednesday.
The Supreme Court had on Tuesday refused to grant anticipatory bail to Arunkumar Devnath Singh, whose son was allegedly in the car when the accident took place in Kalyaninagar area.
Singh is accused of replacing the blood samples of his son, so as to hide the fact that the boy -- along with the minor driver -- was drunk at the time.
The teenage driver's blood samples were also allegedly swapped, in connivance with two doctors at the government-run Sassoon Hospital, for the same reason.
Both his parents are named as accused.
"Arunkumar Singh was absconding. He filed pre-arrest bail applications in the high court and Supreme Court. Both the courts agreed with the prosecution's stand that the applicant being on the run created an impediment in the investigation, and rejected his plea. He surrendered before the court here today," said a senior police official.
The court remanded him in police custody, the official added. -- PTI
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21:40 Dow soars by 1300 points on Trump's victory
US stocks surged on Wednesday after the re-election of former US president and Republican nominee Donald J Trump in the presidential election, reports CNN.
The Dow surged 1,309 points, or 3 percent in morning trading, touching new peak.
Interestingly, the Dow jumped more than 1,000 points in a single day for the first time since November 2022.
The S&P 500 and the tech-heavy Nasdaq both rose by 1.9 percent, said the report.
Trump on Wednesday won the United States presidency for a second term in one of the greatest political comebacks in American history, cruising past his Democratic rival Kamala Harris in a bitterly fought election.
The 78-year-old Republican leader cleared the 270 electoral votes needed to clinch the presidency by securing a victory in the key battleground state of Wisconsin.
Republican presidential nominee Donald J Trump/Jeenah Moon/Reuters
21:27 Trump win may mark new beginning in ties if...: China
China on Wednesday reacted guardedly to Donald Trump's election as the US president for the second time, saying it will continue to handle China-US relations in accordance with the "principles of mutual respect and peaceful coexistence.'
The state media, however, said Trump's victory could mark a new beginning in China-US relations "if the chance that has been offered is not wasted.'
The wary reaction came amid heightened concerns and uncertainties here over Trump's assertions to continue tough policy towards Beijing, especially further hiking tariffs on Chinese exports.
"The presidential election of the United States is its internal affair. We respect the choice of the American people," Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told a media briefing while responding to questions on Trump's win.
She dismissed the question on his campaign promise to sharply raise tariffs on Chinese imports, higher than his first term by saying, "We do not respond to hypothetical questions."
Asked how the election outcome will affect the US-China ties, she said, "Our policy towards the United States has been consistent, and we will continue to view and handle China-United States relations in accordance with the principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation."
The return of Trump as US President for his second term after a gap of four years has increased Beijing's anxieties especially when the Chinese economy faces serious slowdown resulting in declining growth rate with job losses and increased unemployment.
Meanwhile, in its "flash editorial' on Trump's re-election, state-run China Daily said, Trump's victory "could mark a new beginning in China-US relations if the chance that has been offered is not wasted.'
"The upcoming four years will provide new opportunities for the next US administration to take the overall picture of China-US ties into account and strengthen dialogue and communication with China to properly handle the differences that exist between the world's two largest economies." -- PTI
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21:18 Pickup vehicle falls into sea in bid to get on board Ro-Ro ferry service in Maha
A pickup vehicle fell into the Arabian Sea at the Murud coast in Maharashtra's Raigad district while trying to get on board a Ro-Ro ferry service, police said on Wednesday.
There was no casualty in the incident, an official said.
"The incident occurred this morning when a pickup vehicle was scheduled to go to Dighi (also in Raigad) from the Murud coast in a Ro-Ro (roll on/roll off) ferry service," he said.
The driver, who hurriedly tried to take his vehicle into the ferry boat in a hurry by reverse driving, fell into the sea after hitting the safety wall of the coast line, he said.
Both - the driver and his associate - fell into the water, but were rescued by some local residents present at the spot, he said.
The vehicle was stuck in the water due to the high tide, he said. -- PTI
Bollywood actor Salman Khan/File image
20:30 Mumbai cops arrest man from Karnataka for threat message to Salman
The Mumbai police on Wednesday arrested a man from Karnataka for allegedly sending a threat message to Bollywood actor Salman Khan along with a demand for Rs 5 crore on traffic police's helpline, an official said.
The 35-year-old accused, Bhikaram Jalaram Bishnoi, a resident of Haveli in Karnataka, was held by a team of the Worli police station in Mumbai on Wednesday following his interrogation, he said.
Bishnoi, who is originally from Jalore in Rajasthan, had sent a threat message on the WhatsApp helpline of the Mumbai traffic police control room on Monday night, he said.
The threat message read: "If Salman Khan wants to stay alive, he should go to our temple and apologise or pay Rs 5 crore. If he does not do so, we will kill him; our gang is still active."
The message sender claimed he is the brother of jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, he said.
A case was registered at the Worli police station against the accused person, he said.
"During the investigation, it came to light that the accused hailed from Karnataka, following which a team of Worli police was sent to apprehend him. Bishnoi was nabbed late on Tuesday and after his interrogation, he was placed under arrest by the Worli police," he said. -- PTI
Republican presidential nominee Donald J Trump speaks to supporters in Florida, November 6, 2024/Carlos Barria/Reuters
20:13 We got US results right, claims pollster Pradeep Gupta
Pollster Pradeep Gupta claimed on Wednesday that his Axis My America predicted the US election results spot on while many local pollsters missed the mark.
The Axis My India chief, who was considered to be the poster boy of exit polls in India, faced flak this year after his predictions for Lok Sabha polls and Haryana assembly elections proved to be wide off the mark.
Gupta said his company has a "track record" of forecasting 70 out of 76 elections correctly.
"As counting enters the final lap, Axis My America's prediction of Donald Trump getting elected as the next US President is spot on for both popular vote and electoral votes. While many local pollsters missed the mark, Axis My America, which is a subsidiary of Axis My India, got it bang on," Gupta wrote in a post on X.
Gupta tagged a post by him on Monday predicting Trump's victory in US polls.
With results continuing to come in from various states giving a clear indication of a Trump victory, the 78-year-old Republican leader addressed his supporters at West Palm Beach in Florida, declaring victory and promising a "golden age of America".
According to races called by the Associated Press up to 2 pm (IST), 267 electoral votes had gone to Republican candidate Trump and 224 to Democratic Party's Harris.
Trump was just three votes short of a victory. -- PTI
19:41 Actor Kasturi withdraws reference to Telugus, says never intended to hurt them
Actor Kasturi, who sparked controversy with her comments about Telugu-speaking people settled in Tamil Nadu, announced that she has withdrawn all references to Telugus from her November 3 speech.
She stated that it was never her intention to "hurt or offend my Telugu extended family."
"I am sorry for any inadvertent ill feeling. In the interest of all-round amity, I withdraw all references to Telugus in my speech delivered on November 3," Kasturi said, referring to her speech at an agitation of the Hindu Makkal Katchi in support of Brahmins, in Chennai.
"I reiterate that my opinions were contextually specific to certain individuals and not directed at the broader Telugu community. This controversy has unfortunately diverted attention from the more important points I raised in that speech," she wrote in a post on the social media platform 'X'.
Kasturi appealed to the Telugu community in Tamil Nadu to support the Brahmins of the state in their fight for dignity.
The actor also shared that she had received numerous threats and criticisms over the last two days following her speech, which only strengthened her resolve.
"A respected Telugu friend of mine patiently explained the impact of my words on the entire Telugu population of Tamil Nadu and beyond," she explained in her post.
Kasturi added that she has always lived above caste and regional differences and feels fortunate to have a special connection to the Telugu community.
"I grew up admiring the glorious days of the Nayak kings, Kattabomman Nayaka, and singing Tyagaraja kritis. I cherish my film career in Telugu cinema. Telugu people have given me a name, fame, love, and a family," she said. -- PTI
19:11 India better placed than China in Trump 2.0: Experts
Donald Trump's Presidency of the United States will open new opportunities for India though certain sectors, especially pharma and IT, may face the heat if the incoming president decides to impose restrictions on imports and H1B visa regulations, experts said on Wednesday.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's friendly relationship with Trump will have a positive bearing on Indo-US relations but India may have to adapt its strategies to maintain cooperation in areas of mutual interest.
Former Niti Aayog Vice Chairman Rajiv Kumar said: "Trump's presidency can be a new opportunity for India. Trump will impose tariffs and import restrictions on countries that he thinks are not friendly to the US, like China and even some European countries, and this can open markets for Indian exports".
Barclays, in a research report on Wednesday, said trade policy is where Trump is likely to be "most consequential" for emerging Asia, which includes India and China.
"We estimate Trump's tariff proposals would subtract 2 per cent from China's GDP and greater pain on the more open economies in the rest of the region," Barclays said.
The more domestically oriented economies, including India, Indonesia and the Philippines, would be less vulnerable to higher tariffs, it added.
Kumar said Trump will see India as a friendly country, and it can expect larger investments by US firms into India.
"...overall, Trump's victory is a very positive development for the Indian economy," he added.
Madras School of Economics Director NR Bhanumurthy said: "I doubt, Trump will impose tariff on Indian products because my own feeling is that the concern for the US is not much of India, but more of China. So, maybe there would be little difference in the way they are going to deal with India when compared to the way they deal with China".
However, some experts feel that his trade protectionist views could have some negative impact on India's exports and might exert some pressure on the rupee in the short term.
Since Trump's protectionism philosophy of economics is well known, the process of globalisation may become more strategic and less fair to emerging economies, including India, NIPFP visiting Professor Pinaki Chakraborty said. -- PTI
18:25 Trump is good for us because...: Tharoor
Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Wednesday said there will be basic continuation of the India-US relationship with Donald Trump staging a comeback and noted that his being tough on China "is good for us".
Tharoor, the chairperson of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs and former minister of state for external affairs, also flagged concerns on immigration and trade with Trump coming to power and noted that the US leader has a "transactional attitude" on many matters.
Trump was elected the 47th president of the United States on Wednesday, an extraordinary comeback for a former president.
"Frankly there should not be major surprises because the gentleman has been an open book for some time. He was president for four years, so we have the experience of dealing with him. He has been quite outspoken on various issues," Tharoor said.
"We know for example that he has a transactional attitude on many matters. He essentially will say 'what you will do for me before he decides to do anything for you'. He also has a very tough line on trade, he has criticised India for its tariffs and said that 'if India raises tariffs we will also raise tariffs for India', that is something we should be watching out for because that is what it will effect companies on their viability of their exports to America," the Congress leader added.
Noting that Trump has taken a tough line on immigration, Tharoor said he does not know how much it will effect legal immigrants.
"The numbers (of legal immigrants) may come down and family reunion issues may arise for some of our nationals," he added.
Tharoor said the other concern that many people have is that Trump may be somewhat temperamental on any issues that cross his path.
"However, we also know he is very tough on China which is good for us as we ourselves having our own issues with China. So that is where we can find ourselves finding common cause with Mr Trump," the Congress leader said.
"The fact that he is a known commodity with a good relationship with our PM is bound to be a positive thing in the relationship between two heads of government. So all of these things are there...he has visited India before and I think we can expect there will be basic continuation of the relationship between the two countries," Tharoor added.
The Congress leader said there is a certain underlying stability to India-US relations and that comes from the fact that there has been are a number of common interests and no real clashing issues which the two countries disagree profoundly.
"On top of that you have got a situation that there are a good 3-4 million Indian-Americans who are influential in that country whose voice counts. For all these reasons I don't see any major surprises," Tharoor said. -- PTI
Vivek Misri
18:19 Foreign secretary's briefing to Parl panel on Canada, China put off
A scheduled briefing by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri to a parliamentary panel headed by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on India's volatile ties with Canada and China did not take place on Wednesday and is likely to be taken up later, sources said.
They said the briefing by the external affairs ministry delegation on its demands for grants for the year 2024-25 went on for a long time and it was decided that the briefing on these issues will be done at a later meeting.
The ministry officials also had some other engagement, an MP said, noting that the panel's meeting coincided with the US presidential election result in which Donald Trump stormed back to power.
India's ties with Canada have nosedived over the North American country's allegation of the Indian government's involvement in the killing of a Khalistani activist, a charge rejected by New Delhi.
India has accused Canada of providing safe haven to the separatists.
India's relations with China have also been frosty following the Ladakh standoff but have recently seen some thaw after the two countries reached an agreement on the issue.
Some MPs said the next meeting should take place after the state elections and the by-elections to allow maximum participation as some of them may be busy in campaign.
The results to the polls are scheduled for November 23.
Misri had in the earlier meeting of the parliamentary committee on external affairs briefed its members on the "Israel-Palestine Conflict".
17:42 With Trump's win, India-US ties will be...: Modi min
India and US relationship will be on "a very firm footing" with Donald Trump returning to the White House, as the cooperation between the two nations extends from environment to technology, space and defence, Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said Wednesday.
As a candidate, Trump had spoken of revamping US foreign policy, focusing on 'America First' principles, and has also talked about imposing tariffs on foreign goods, raising concerns in New Delhi.
Scindia's comments, the first by a senior Indian government functionary after Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Trump on his victory, indicate that India remains optimistic that it will continue to have unhindered trade and economic ties with the world's largest economy and strongest military power. The United States is also India's largest trading partner with the total annual trade crossing USD 190 billion.
"I think that the US-India relationship under the stewardship of both Prime Minister Modi and President-Elect Donald Trump will be on a very, very firm footing forward," Scindia said in an interview with PTI.
Scindia said that the India-US relationship in the last decade under Modi has led to huge amounts of trade, economic thrust as well as strategic relationship between the two countries on many global issues.
The election result makes Trump the only US president after Grover Cleveland to serve non-consecutive terms in more than 130 years.
Cleveland was both the 22nd and 24th president, serving from 1885 to 1889 and then again from 1893 to 1897.
Noting that India is the world's largest democracy and the US is the world's oldest democracy, Scindia said, "There have been huge parts of intersection between Indo-US relations".
"Those relationships have taken a much more concrete form in the last decade since Prime Minister Modi has forged an independent relationship with the US. It has resulted in not only a huge amount of trade and economic thrust coming to the fore but also led to a strategic relationship on many global issues," he noted. -- PTI
17:38 LoP Rahul Gandhi wishes Trump
Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi congratulated Donald Trump on his presidential polls victory.
"Congratulations on your victory, @realDonaldTrump! Wishing you success in your second term as US President. All the best to @KamalaHarris in her future endeavours," Gandhi said on X.
Former President Trump is projected to win the US presidency for a second term in one of the greatest political comebacks in American history, cruising past his Democratic rival Kamala Harris.
16:54 Trump as US prez will deepen climate crisis: Experts
Donald Trump's election as the president of the United States is a profound blow to global climate justice and his disregard for international agreements and refusal to provide climate finance will deepen the crisis, international policy experts said on Wednesday.
Sunita Narain, the director general of Delhi-based think tank Centre for Science and Environment, said Trump winning the White House race is a "big setback" for global climate efforts, especially if he rolls back critical domestic policies like the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).
She said the US has historically fallen short in global climate efforts, particularly on financing support for vulnerable countries, decarbonisation and financial commitments to the developing world, and Trump's presidency will make matters even worse.
"While President Joe Biden's administration showed stronger climate action domestically than internationally, our primary concern now is that Trump may roll back these critical domestic efforts, including the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA)," she said.
"The IRA is crucial because the United States remains the single-largest historical emitter of greenhouse gases and the second-largest emitter annually. It is also the world's top producer and exporter of oil and gas, generating around 13 million barrels daily. The IRA (and its role in achieving 50-per cent emissions reduction by 2030, below 2005 levels) served as a significant signal to the world that the US could lead on climate action," Narain said.
In his campaign, Trump emphasised his support for increasing oil and gas production, with "Drill, baby, drill" as a key slogan. He dismissed climate change concerns entirely. Rolling back the IRA and expanding oil production would be extremely harmful for international climate efforts, the climate policy expert said.
Trump, who has publicly called climate change a "hoax", withdrew the US from the Paris Agreement when he was the president.
He has said he would pull out of the Paris Agreement again. There are concerns that Trump would also consider withdrawing the US from the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
Harjeet Singh, climate activist and Global Engagement Director for the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative, said Trump's victory is a profound blow to global climate justice and an alarming escalation of climate risk for the world's most vulnerable communities.
Trump's push to ramp up fossil-fuel production, disregard for international agreements and refusal to provide climate finance will deepen the crisis, endangering lives and livelihoods -- especially in regions least responsible for, yet most impacted by, climate change, he said.
"With COP29 talks starting in Baku next week and aiming to secure an ambitious new climate finance goal, this news makes the already challenging path to consensus even steeper and more uncertain. As the narrow window to prevent catastrophic climate breakdown closes, the world cannot afford for its largest historical carbon emitter and top fossil-fuel producer to shirk its responsibility. By stepping back from climate commitments, Trump's actions threaten to erode trust in a global system already strained by the indifference and inaction of wealthy nations. -- PTI
16:11 Trump elected 47th president of the United States
Donald Trump is elected the 47th president of the United States, declares AP.
Donald Trump was elected the 47th president of the United States on Wednesday, an extraordinary comeback for a former president who refused to accept defeat four years ago, sparked a violent insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, was convicted of felony charges and survived two assassination attempts.
With a win in Wisconsin, Trump cleared the 270 electoral votes needed to clinch the presidency.
16:05 2015 Paris pact on climate change now extremely shaky: Jairam Ramesh
Congress leader and former environment minister Jairam Ramesh on Wednesday said Donald Trump's comeback has made the future of the 2015 Paris Agreement on Climate Change which America had rejoined under President Joe Biden "extremely shaky" and added that if the US were to withdraw again it would be disastrous.
Former President Donald Trump was projected to win the US presidency for a second term in one of the greatest political comebacks in American history, cruising past his Democratic rival Kamala Harris in a bitterly fought election.
The Congress general secretary in-charge communications said Trump has staged an astonishing comeback. Undoubtedly, why and how it happened will be analysed in great detail over the next few weeks, as will the question of what this comeback means for the US and the rest of the world, Ramesh said.
Trump and Putin at the G20 in 2019
16:02 Putin has not congratulated Trump and will NOT
Russian President Vladimir Putin has not congratulated Donald Trump on his impending win, and has no plans to congratulate him either. The Kremlin spokesperson told CNN that, "Let's not forget that we are talking about an unfriendly country that is both directly and indirectly involved in the war against our state."
The spokes said Russia is carefully monitoring information on the US election and is unlikely to give an official assessment until it sees "concrete words and actions. There is still some waiting to do, considering that the current US president will remain in office for almost another month and a half."
15:53 Alas, Kamala
US polls memes taking over social media. This one's from @sagarcasm and he writs on X: 'Things that don't exist.'
15:44 Sensex cheers Trump's anticipated victory
Sensex jumps 901.50 points to settle at 80,378.13; Nifty surges 270.75 points to 24,484.05 on the back of Donald Trump's shoo-in as the next president of the United States of America.
15:41 PM's heartfelt message to Bibek Debroy's wife...
Bibek Debroy, a key economic adviser to the Prime Minister whose prolific work included translations of the puranas and the vedas, passed away last week. He was 69.
His wife Suparna posts this message on X today: "This is Suparna, wife of Bibek Debroy. At this darkest hour, the Prime Minister's heartfelt letter has been a rare comfort amidst the overwhelming grief. His words remind me of what true compassionate leadership means. My heartfelt thanks for this kindness @narendramodi @PMOIndia."
A pond in Kamala Harris' village
15:36 People from Kamala's village disappointed
As the projections for the US Presidential elections indicate a win for Republican candidate Donald Trump, the people of Kamala Harris' ancestral Thulasendrapuram village in Tamil Nadu expressed their disappointment since they had planned to celebrate the Democrat's victory by bursting crackers and organising a special victory prayer at the local temple.
Trump is set to become the 47th US President. Harris' supporter, Joy, who came to stay in the Thulasendrapuram village from Chicago earlier expressed confidence about the Democrat candidate winning the US elections.
"If Donald Trump wins, I hope he is given the wisdom to lead us with unity. My hope is that he changes his ways and becomes the one who unites and not a divider. My expectations are different though. I think our country will be in chaos for the next four years," Joy from Chicago said.
"Just now I watched the result of the US elections. It is a little disappointing for us. Anyway, I hope that Donald Trump will change (his ways) and will not govern like he did earlier. Last time when Kamala won as the Vice Presidential candidate, we celebrated. This time we had planned to celebrate more. But we have to accept the mandate," a resident of the village said.
Pic: Sriram Selvaraj
14:57 Kharge sends 'democratic values' message to Trump
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge congratulates Donald Trump. "On the behalf of the Indian National Congress, we extend our congratulations and best wishes to President @realDonaldTrump for his election victory. India and the United States share a robust comprehensive global strategic partnership, underpinned by long-standing shared democratic values, aligned interests, and extensive people-to-people connections. We look forward to working closely with the United States for global peace and prosperity."
Australia PM Anthony Albanese also sent out a message: "Congratulations to President Donald Trump on his election victory. Australians and Americans are great friends and true allies. Working together, we can ensure the partnership between our nations and peoples remains strong into the future."
Kamala Harris scored 224 electoral votes so far
14:41 On brink of win, Trump promises to heal America
Donald Trump on Wednesday promised to bring a golden age for America, as he appeared poised to win the presidential election with a mandate he called unprecedented and powerful.
According to races called by the Associated Press up to 2 pm (IST), 267 electoral votes had gone to Republican candidate Trump and 224 to Democratic Party's Kamala Harris.
Trump was just three votes short of a victory. Trump's victory was sealed after the networks declared that he has won the battleground state of Pennsylvania which had 19 electoral college votes.
Fox News was the first major American media outlet to declare Trump the winner, which was soon followed by many other media outlets. "This will truly be a golden age for America. This is a magnificent victory that will also help us to make America great again," Trump, 78, told his supporters in the wee hours of Wednesday at Palm Beach Convention Centre in Palm Beach, Florida.
He was accompanied by most members of his family, including his wife Melania Trump. Vice President-elect J D Vance and his Indian American wife Usha Vance were also present on the podium. Trump praised both his running mate and Usha for their support throughout the process.
"This was a movement like nobody's ever seen before, and frankly, this was, I believe, the greatest political movement of all time. There's never been anything like this in this country and maybe beyond, and now it's going to reach a new level of importance because we're going to help our country heal," said the president-elect.
The inauguration is scheduled for January 20.
Harris, 60, had not conceded defeat at the time of filing of this report. A senior campaign official told supporters at Howard University that she will speak later on Wednesday.
"You won't hear from the vice president tonight, but you will hear from her tomorrow," Harris campaign co-chair Cedric Richmond said. In his speech, Trump also spoke about stopping illegal immigration. "America has given us an unprecedented and powerful mandate. We have taken back control of the Senate," he said, adding that possibly that the Republicans would retain a majority in the US House of Representatives.
In his brief speech, Vance described Trump's victory as one of the greatest political comebacks. After the greatest political comeback in American history, we're going to lead the greatest economic comeback in American history under Donald Trump's leadership," he said. PTI
Ami Bera. File pic
A throwback image of Trump and Zelenskyy from 2019
14:35 Zelenskyy says he appreciates Trump for...
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says he appreciates Trump's commitment to "peace through strength" as the Republican presidential nominee closes in on the electoral votes needed to win the White House.
"I recall our great meeting with President Trump back in September, when we discussed in detail the Ukraine-U.S. strategic partnership, the Victory Plan, and ways to put an end to Russian aggression against Ukraine," said Zelenskyy on X.
Zelenskyy said that Ukraine is interested "in developing mutually beneficial political and economic cooperation that will benefit both of our nations.
"We look forward to an era of a strong United States of America under President Trump's decisive leadership,' said Zelenskyy.
14:28 Sound of silence at Kamala's village
And so, the chanting has fallen silent at the Sri Dharma Sastha Sri Sevaka Perumaal Temple at Kamala Harris' ancestral village of Thulasendrapuram, Tamil Nadu. The priests were holding back-to-back prayers at the temple over a couple of days hoping to usher in a win for their favourite daughter.
However, with Donald Trump headed to be the next US president, silence prevails in the village.
Pic: Ganesh Nadar
14:22 NATO congratulates Trump
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte says he looks forward to working with Trump "to advance peace through strength' as the former president closes in on the 270 electoral votes needed to win the White House.
"We face a growing number of challenges globally, from a more aggressive Russia, to terrorism, to strategic competition with China, as well the increasing alignment of China, Russia, North Korea and Iran," Rutte said.
"Working together through NATO helps to deter aggression, protect our collective security and support our economies," he added.
Pic: Andrew Kelly/Reuters
14:12 History's greatest comeback: Netanyahu congratulates Trump
More congratulatory messages pouring for Donald Trump:
"Congratulations on history's greatest comeback!" wrote Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on X. "Your historic return to the White House offers a new beginning for America and a powerful recommitment to the great alliance between Israel and America."
French President Emmanuel Macron posted on X: "Ready to work together as we were able to do during four years. With your convictions and mine. In respect and ambition. For more peace and prosperity."
Votes are still being counted across several states. Trump only needs three more electoral votes to win the presidency.
14:12 Iran's currency falls to all-time low over Trump as prez
Iran's currency, the rial, fell to an all-time low as former President Donald Trump was on the verge of clinching the US presidency again. The rial traded at 703,000 rials to the dollar.
It may be recalled that Trump unilaterally withdrew America from the Iran nuclear deal in 2018 and relations between the two countries have been uneasy.
13:57 Modi congratulates Trump on 'historic victory'
JUST IN: Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweets:
'Heartiest congratulations my friend Donald Trump on your historic election victory.
'As you build on successes of your previous term, I look forward to renewing collaboration to further boost India-US ties.'
d
Trump on Wednesday is cruising towards winning the race for the White
House in one of the greatest political comebacks in American history by
almost defeating his Democratic rival Kamala Harris in an election that
virtually divided the country into two camps. -- PTI
13:43 Brooke no dissent
Actress Brooke Shields had posted this message a few hours ago urging people to vote: "Get out and VOTE! This is probably the most important election in our lifetime."
13:41 We just witnessed the greatest political comeback: JD Vance
Donald Trump's running mate JD Vance, says, "Mr President, I appreciate you for allowing me to join you on this incredible journey. I thank you for the trust you placed in me. I think we just witnessed the greatest political comeback in the history of the United States of America.
"Under President Trump's leadership, we are never going to stop fighting for you, for your dreams, for the future of your children and after the greatest political comeback in American history, we are going to lead the greatest economic comeback in American history under Donald Trump's leadership."
A supporter wears a cape with an image of a bleeding Trump
13:38 God spared my life for a reason: Trump
Former President Donald Trump at the speech at Florida: He says that people tell him that "God spared my life for a reason. And that reason was to save our country and restore America to greatness. And now we're going to fulfill that mission together."
Telling supporters early Wednesday morning (US time) he said, The task before us will not be easy, but I will bring every ounce of energy, spirit, and fight that I have in my soul to the job that you've entrusted to me," he added.
13:33 I will keep my word to you: Trump@victory speech
West Palm Beach, Florida: Donald Trump says, "This is a great job. There is no job like this. This is the most important job in the world...Nothing will stop me from keeping my word to you."
At Trump's 'victory' speech to this supporters, former first lady Melania Trump stood near her husband and was joined by Barron, the former president's youngest son. Trump's older children, Don Jr., Eric, Ivanka and Tiffany, all joined their father on stage, too.
Trump's top political minds, including top campaign advisers Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita, joined Trump on stage. And his political allies were on stage, too, including House Speaker Mike Johnson.Trump also celebrated a few celebrities in the audience and on stage. Dana White, the CEO of UFC, was on stage with Trump, and the former president called golfer Bryson DeChambeau on stage.
Trump also shouted out Elon Musk, the billionaire owner of X, who has become one of his most high-profile supporters. "We have a new star. A star is born: Elon," Trump said.
13:20 Trump set to be America's oldest president
Donald Trump who is 78 years old is set to become the oldest president to be elected to the White House. President Joe Biden was previously the oldest president to be elected at 77. It marks a comeback for Trump who is facing multiple federal convictions and scandals.
13:12 We achieved the most incredible WIN: Trump
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump addresses his supporters: "This is a movement that nobody has ever seen before. Frankly, this was, I believe, the greatest political movement of all time. There has never been anything like this in this country and maybe beyond.
"Now, it is going to reach a new level of importance because we are going to help our country heal. We have a country that needs help.
"We are going to fix our borders, fix everything about our country. We made history for a reason tonight and the reason is going to be just that, we overcame obstacles that nobody thought possible. It is new clear that we have achieved the most incredible political win."
Trump has 267 of the 270 electoral votes needed to win the White House.
13:07 Trump is at 267
Donald Trump has 267 of the 270 electoral votes needed to win the White House and is leading in key races left to be called, including Michigan and Wisconsin.
Trump cut into Harris' margins in Philadelphia and its suburbs and expanded his share of the vote elsewhere in the state compared to his performance against Biden four years ago. Harris underperformed Biden's 2020 performance in almost every county.
12:57 Trump needs just 4 more electoral votes to win
CNN: Donald Trump's campaign team woke up confident Tuesday morning as polls opened and voting got underway. But multiple campaign aides that CNN spoke to didn't expect his wins to be anywhere near where the numbers are tonight.
Aides constantly predicted it would be close -- potentially take days -- but in the end, Trump would pull it off.
Trump was even directly counseled he likely wouldn't have a decision tonight.
Now, that has all changed.
As of now: Trump: 266, Harris: 188. Majority: 270
That means Trump only needs to win four more electoral votes to win the presidency.
12:43 Musk shares pic with Trump: Future's gonna be FIRE!
Tesla CEO and billionaire Elon Musk exuded confidence of Donald Trump's return to the White House, as the early projections show the former president ahead of Vice President Kamala Harris.
In a recent post on the microblogging platform X, Elon Musk shared his photograph along with former US President Donald Trump.
Donald Trump and Elon Musk were photographed at the former president's election watch party in Mar-a-Lago, Florida.
He expressed confidence in Donald Trump emerging victorious in the 2024 US Presidential elections.
He also shared an edited photograph of him in the Oval Office of the White House with him carrying a sink into the room along with the tongue-in-cheek caption, "Let that sink in".Musk had used these words earlier when he bought the microblogging platform Twitter at a staggering cost of USD 44 billion. As the deal had seemed nearly impossible before fruition, Musk entered Twitter's San Francisco office with a kitchen sink to let the deal 'sink in' for people.
The counting of votes is underway for the US Presidential elections after polling closed almost in all states on Tuesday (local time).Notably, Musk has time and again publicly expressed his support towards former president Trump.
He has donated USD 75 million to Trump's Political Action Committee aiming to pave his return to the White House. He even hosted an X-Space with the former President and appeared at some of his campaign rallies.
Pic: Francis Mascarenhas/Reuters
12:09 Kamala Harris won't address supporters tonight
As the poll projections start for the US presidential elections, Vice President and Democrat Candidate Kamala Harris will not address supporters tonight, but is expected to speak tomorrow.
Harris' campaign co-chair Cedric Richmond said that the Vice President will be back to address not only her supporters but also the nation. While addressing a gathering, Richmond said that the votes are yet to be counted and some states have not been called.
"We still have votes to count. We still have states that have not been called yet," Cedric Richmond said. "We will continue overnight, to fight to make sure that every vote is counted, that every voice has spoken. So, you won't hear from the vice president tonight. But you will hear from her tomorrow, she will be back here tomorrow, not only to address her supporters but also the nation," he said.
His announcement comes after CNN projected that former President Donald Trump would win two of the key battleground states including North Carolina and Georgia. Richmond said the campaign will continue to fight "to make sure that every vote is counted and every voice as spoken."
Republican candidate and former US President Donald Trump is projected to win North Carolina, one of the seven key battleground states in the US presidential elections. -- ANI
Image: Kamala Harris' supporters cheer for her beside a poster in Thulasendrapuram.
Carlos Osorio/Reuters
12:05 Blacks, Latinos voting for Trump?
An interesting take on the shift in the electorate from the Democrats. CNN says that black voters -- men and women -- have been the bedrock of the Democratic Party, and Democrats have had a strong pull for Latino voters. It's been the same with young voters.
But preliminary data from AP VoteCast, an expansive survey of more than 115,000 voters nationwide, suggested that the groups shifted in Trump's direction.
Voters under age 30 represent a fraction of the total electorate, but about half of them supported Harris. That's compared to the roughly 6 in 10 who backed Biden in 2020. Slightly more than 4 in 10 young voters went for Trump, up from about one-third in 2020.
Another shift that emerged was among Black and Latino voters, who appeared slightly less likely to support Harris than they were to back Biden four years ago, according to AP VoteCast.
Image: Election officials cheer as Michigan polls close.
11:55 Kamala wins New Hampshire
Kamala Harris wins New Hampshire.
Former President Donald Trump has 246 electoral votes while Vice President Kamala Harris has 187 electoral votes according to CNN. Each candidate needs 270 electoral votes to win the presidency.
11:44 Huge redemption! Trump wins Georgia
Former President Donald Trump has won Georgia, which gives him 16 electoral votes. Joe Biden had won Georgia in 2020, but Republicans have won every other Georgia presidential vote since 1996. Trump's victory proves Georgia still has a Republican bent.
When Trump tried to overturn his 2020 loss in Georgia, he set off a political and legal struggle that led to his indictment in the state.
Pic: Ganesh Nadar
11:28 US tourist visiting Kamala's village upset at results
Amid the counting of votes for the US presidential elections, a special Pooja was organised on Wednesday morning for Kamala Harris at Sri Dharma Sastha Sri Sevaka Perumaal Temple in her ancestral village of Thulasendrapuram, Tamil Nadu.
Harris' supporter, Joy, who came to stay in the Thulasendrapuram village from Chicago told Ganesh Nadar she was very upset at the results.
According to the latest projections by CNN, Donald Trump is leading on 230 electoral votes and Kamala Harris is ahead on 182.
"About six weeks ago while travelling in India, I realised that I could be in Kamala Harris' (ancestral) village. It just felt right and here I am. I arrived this morning and I will leave tomorrow. Unfortunately, my time in India is almost up," Joy said while speaking to ANI.
"It has been a stressful and anxiety producing process, as you might imagine, in the United States and in India and for the world. I believe that Kamala will prevail. I believe in the goodness of the American people. I feel that in my heart. This is my first time being here in the temple and I will attend the 'Aarti' tonight. I was on a bus and everyone had a smile on their face when they knew about my reason for coming here and the bus driver gave me a free ride," she said. -- ANI
Pic: Sriram Selvaraj
11:23 The house were the Gopalans lived
Kamala Harris' maternal grandfather PV Gopalan used to have a house in this plot in Thulasendrapuram. Gopalan moved to Chennai and was a high-ranking government official at the time of his retirement.
11:19 Shri Thanedar re-elected to House of Representatives from Michigan
Indian American Congressman Shri Thanedar was re-elected from the thirteenth Congressional district of Michigan. He defeated his Republican rival Martell Bivings by a margin of over 35 percentage points as he was re-elected for the second term.
In a statement he credited his victory to his record of delivering strong constituent services, standing up for working families, fighting for unions, and always fighting for reproductive freedom.
"Everywhere I go, constituents always come up to me and tell me how my office helped them with their immigration issues, secure a visa, get veterans benefits, get their tax returns, etc. That is a testament to my team and I couldn't be prouder of all their hard work and how effective we are in serving our constituents," Thanedar said.
11:14 Mood grim at Kamala's village in TN, prayers begin
The mood is grim at Kamala Harris' ancestral village at Thulasendrapuram in Tamil Nadu. Priests have begun the third round of prayers with chants, ringing of bells and offerings of flowers and bananas, as numbers seem to indicate a Trump win. In fact, her maternal grandfather PV Gopalan who hails from this village, and Kamala herself, have donated towards the village temple.
The village also sports a banner for Kamala Harris wishing the 'daughter of the land' success in the elections.
Image: A priest points out the names of the family on the donation board. Pic: Ganesh Nadar.
11:03 Ro Khanna wins
Democratic Rep Ro Khanna has won reelection to a US House seat representing California on Wednesday. Khanna defeated Republican Anita Chen in a solidly blue district.
11:01 Will he Walz in as veep?
Kamala Harris' running mate Tim Walz shares this image with his family saying, "4 votes for @KamalaHarris! If you've already voted, make sure your family and friends do the same. http://IWillVote.com."
10:50 Republicans seize control of US Senate!
Update: Republicans have just seized control of the US Senate after flipping Democratic held seats, holding onto GOP incumbents and wresting away the majority for the first time in four years.
US Senator Ted Cruz
10:46 Republicans just 1 seat away from senate majority
Republicans are just a seat away from seizing the Senate majority after Republican Senator Ted Cruz of Texas defeated Democrat Colin Allred.
Point to note is that Texas has not elected a Democrat in almost 30 years!
In fact, Allred, a Dallas-area Congressman and former NFL linebacker, pushed all the right buttons, positioning himself as a moderate and supporting reproductive rights amid Texas' abortion ban, which is one of the strictest in the US.
But Cruz's victory came after Democratic efforts to salvage their Senate majority slipped further out of reach when Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown in Ohio lost his reelection to Republican Bernie Moreno, a wealthy Trump-era newcomer.
10:38 Trump wins home state Florida
Former President Donald Trump won his home state of Florida, making it three times in a row that the Sunshine state has voted for the Republican candidate according to Decision Desk HQ projection on Tuesday.
As per the latest projections by Politico at 10 am IST Trump had surged to 230 electoral college votes as compared to 205 for Harris. Trump has carried most of the 'Red wall' states in this election. The win in Florida will add 30 electoral votes for Trump in the final count.
Previously considered a swing state for years after having decided the 2000 presidential election for George W Bush, votes have shifted significantly to the red in the recent years.
Barack Obama won in 2008 and 2012.
Meanwhile, Harris was seen trailing in her home state of Minnesota as Trump looks to flip the 10 electoral college votes of one of the traditional Democratic bastion.
According to CBS news no Republican candidate for president has won Minnesota since 1972. Trump came within striking distance in 2016, narrowly losing by 1.5 points to Hillary Clinton.
Trump has won in Idaho and Harris has claimed California, according to CNN projections. He has also picked up win in Texas according to NBC News projections. He secured the the conservative state's 40 Electoral College votes. The Republican candidate also notched a win in Oklahoma contest with 65 per cent of votes according to NBC News projection.
Meanwhile, Harris has won Hawaii.
10:29 Village remembers its links to Kamala
Priests perform a ritual for the Democratic presidential nominee, US Vice President Kamala Harris' success in the upcoming American elections inside a temple in Thulasendrapuram, the village where Harris' maternal grandfather was born, in Tamil Nadu.
Pic: Francis Mascarenhas/Reuters
10:28 Harris wins Virginia
Did the prayers work? Vice President Kamala Harris has just won Virginia and added 13 electoral votes to her tally. Virginia has historically voted Democrats.
Text, Pic: Ganesh Nadar
10:23 Kamala Harris' village prays for win
At the Dharma Shasta temple in Kamala Harris' ancestral village Thulasendpuram, the priest Natarajan, has been conducting prayers for the Democrat presidential candidate. He says, "We are waiting for the results for a special pooja. The first pooja was done right after nomination, the second pooja after counting began and the third pooja will begin soon."
Pic: Ganesh Nadar
10:16 Kamala's village rallies around her
A banner in support of Kamala Harris in Thulasendpuram, her ancestral village in Tamil Nadu.
An election official in Milwaukee
10:13 I voted for Kamala because...
Multiple students in Washington DC expressed support for Kamala Harris during a watch party hosted in support of the Democratic presidential candidate at Howard University on Tuesday (local time).
Ariana a Howard University student told ANI, "I voted for Kamala and I think she is going to win because we need to fight for reproductive freedom."
Another student expressed her excitement during election night, saying that this is the first time she has voted.
"This election means so much to me, this is the first election being able to vote. Having a black woman almost becoming the President of US, is so important to me because I am a black woman, double minority. Being able to see somebody in this position who looks like me is so important," she told ANI.
The student said that she believes Harris will put her rights and aspirations at the front, adding, "She is going to represent me and my rights and make sure that my rights and my aspirations are in the forefront, and always having a voice. I am praying to god that she comes out to be the president of the United States."
A third student, Tevin Davis, said, "I think Kamala Harris will be winning today, I have no doubt in my mind that Kamala Harris will be the next president of the United States, the first woman president. A woman President is very much needed to run this country, and let me be very clear, Donald Trump wanted us to go back to a place we used to but as Kamala Harris said, we are not going back."
CNN projections show Republican candidate Donald Trump leading with 207 electoral votes, with Democratic candidate Kamala Harris trailing with 91, as of 10:57 PM (local time). -- ANI
10:05 Trump ahead in race, wins 230 electoral votes
Here's how former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris are doing at this hour.
Both have notched up early wins in states that historically vote Republican and Democrat, even as a divided America is set to decide on the nation's future today.
As of 9.34 am (IST), 230 electoral votes had gone to Republican candidate Trump and 179 to Democratic Party's Harris, according to AP.
Polls have closed in Pennsylvania, Georgia, Michigan, Arizona, Wisconsin, North Carolina and Nevada, the seven closely fought battlegrounds expected to decide the election, but the results there were too early to call.
Trump has won Florida, Texas, South and North Carolina and Indiana, while Harris took Democratic strongholds like New York, Massachusetts, California, Oregon and Illinois.
Harris voters are weighing in on the 'fate of democracy' which is her primary messaging, where she has accused Trump of being a fascist
Polls have found America as a country mired in negativity and desperate for change.
Will that change happen in Harris' favour? Wait and watch...
09:40 Harris wins New York, California
US Vice President Kamala Harris has won the Democrat blue stronghold New York according to a projection from Decision Desk HQ even as the key battleground states remain too early to call, as counting for the US Presidential elections.
AP has just now said Harris has also won California.
Vice President Harris won New York, an expected blue state victory, according to a projection from Decision Desk HQ.
According to projections at 9 am (IST) the US news outlets of NBC, ABC and CBS have all given Harris 91 votes but for Trump they have counted between 178 and 201 electoral votes. CNN has projected Kamala Harris has won 91 electoral votes while Trump is leading with 178 while Fox Decision Desk HQ has projected a lead for Trump with 205 votes and Harris trailing at 117. The Empire State awards 28 electoral votes.
The last time a Republican won New York was former President Reagan in 1984.
The Democratic stronghold was home to former President Trump, who was born in Queens and has been real estate tycoon in New York before relocating to Florida.
Trump held a rally at New York City's Madison Square Garden less than two weeks before election day. Meanwhile Harris has also picked up wins in Illinois and the Northeast. She won Colorado's 10 seats as per CNN projections. The AP has called the District of Columbia for Harris who gets three electoral votes. -- ANI
09:23 Trump wins Kansas
Another win for Trump: Former President Donald Trump has won Kansas and its six electoral votes, but Kansas has been a Republican state since 1964. In fact, this is Trump's hat-trick in the state.
09:19 Trump races ahead of Harris; 154:81 votes so far
Former President Donald Trump is leading his Democratic rival Kamala Harris in the latest rounds of vote count in the high-stakes US Presidential election but a clear picture is set to emerge on who will occupy the White House once definitive trends emerge from the seven battleground states. Voting is still underway in the battleground state of Pennsylvania and several other states.
But at the same time, counting of early ballots and mail-in votes is going on in these states. As per the latest projections, Republican heavyweight Trump is picking up 154 electoral college votes as opposed to 81 by Harris. A candidate who wins 270 electoral votes or more becomes the president.
However, this lead may not necessarily mean inching closer to victory as the final result hinges on the outcome in the seven battleground states of Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
According to the latest counting data, Harris is leading in the crucial battleground states of Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin while Trump is cruising ahead in Georgia and North Carolina. In Pennsylvania which has the maximum of 19 electoral college votes, the Vice President is cruising ahead getting 64.4 per cent of votes counted while her Republican rival has received 34.7 per cent. In Georgia, nearly 80 per cent of the votes have been counted and Trump is ahead with 51.9% of the vote share.
As per initial results, Trump, 78, is set to notch up wins in Indiana, Kentucky, West Virginia, Florida, and Arkansas. Trump is also projected to win Alabama, Missouri, Oklahoma and Tennessee while Harris is racing to emerge victorious in the District of Columbia, Maryland and Massachusetts.
However, the Associated Press (AP) has called the race in favour of Trump in these states. Harris, 60, is set to emerge victorious in Vermont, Delaware and New Jersey. AP has called the race in these states in favour of Harris. The US has 50 states and most of them vote for the same party in every election except the swing states.
84 million have already voted
09:11 Hoax bomb threats in Arizona, Georgia, Penn
Multiple polling stations and municipal buildings received hoax bomb threats across Pennsylvania, Governor Josh Shapiro said on Tuesday (local time).
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and state officials are investigating each threat. USA Today quoted Josh Maxwell, Chair of the Chester County Board of Elections, that a building in West Chester where polling services are located was evacuated promptly after a bomb threat was received, with the voters being redirected to other polling locations. There was a bomb threat to the Government Services Center in West Chester, PA," Maxwell, posted on X.
"Voter Services is located there, and in-person ballots are delivered after 8 pm. Mail-in ballots are canvassed and tabulated at a different location," he added. A series of threats have been received across multiple swing states. -- ANI
09:05 Harris wins DC
Vice President Kamala Harris has won the District of Columbia on Tuesday, securing the three electoral votes.
08:46 Harris wins Colorado
Finally, a win from Kamala Harris. The veep has won Colorado picking up 10 electoral votes. Colorado has been a blue state for 20 years now, with George W. Bush in 2004 its last Republican prez candidate.
08:42 Red overtakes blue: Trump wins Montana, Utah
Donald Trump wins Montana for the third consecutive election today. He adds four electoral votes to his tally. Trump has also just won Utah and thereby six electoral votes. So for a background, a Democratic presidential candidate has not won in Utah since Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964.
08:36 US Polls: Voting closes in six battleground states
Polls have closed in Pennsylvania, Georgia, Michigan, Arizona, Wisconsin and North Carolina, six of the seven closely fought battlegrounds expected to decide the election.
Tens of millions of Americans added their ballots to the 84 million cast early as they chose between two candidates with drastically different temperaments and visions for the country.
Trump won Florida, a one-time battleground that has shifted heavily to Republicans in recent elections. He also notched early wins in reliably Republican states such as Texas, South Carolina and Indiana, while Harris took Democratic strongholds like New York, Massachusetts and Illinois.
-- AP
08:25 The battleground states are...
Harris and Trump each need at least 270 electoral votes to win the presidency in an election that is seen as one of the most significant in recent US history.
Trump, who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021, is seeking a return to the White House after losing to Joe Biden in the 2020 election.
Harris has been serving as vice president since January 2021.
The election is expected to come down to a handful of battleground states -- Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
CNN's early exit polls projected that Harris will win Massachusetts, Columbia, and Maryland. Trump is leading in Missouri, Oklahoma, Alabama, District of Columbia, Tennessee, Florida, West Virginia, Indiana and Kentucky.
08:21 Trump wins Nebraska, Texas, Louisiana
Donald Trump defeats Kamala Harris in Nebraska. Trump has also won Texas. Trump also won Louisiana for the third consecutive presidential election, increasing his electoral vote tally by eight.
08:16 Raja Krishnamoorthi wins reelection
Democrat Raja Krishnamoorthi wins reelection to US House in Illinois' 8th Congressional District.
07:49 Illinois goes to Kamala, South Dakota to Trump: AP
The Associated Press declares Vice President Kamala Harris the winner in Illinois, claiming the state's 19 electoral votes for Democrats.
Illinois is the home state of former President Barack Obama. It has supported Democratic presidential candidates since 1992.
Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump won South Dakota's three electoral votes. -- Agencies
Illinois is the home state of former President Barack Obama. It has supported Democratic presidential candidates since 1992.
Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump won South Dakota's three electoral votes. -- Agencies
07:45 Trump wins 105 electoral votes, Kamala far behind
The first results are coming in for the US presidential election with Republican leader Donald Trump projected to notch up wins in Indiana, Kentucky, West Virginia, Florida, Arkansas and Vice President Kamala Harris set to emerge victorious in Vermont, Delaware and New Jersey.
As per latest trends, Harris is winning 27 electoral college votes and Trump 105.
270 electoral college votes are required to win the race.
Trump is also projected to win Alabama, Missouri, Oklahoma and Tennessee while Harris is racing to emerge victorious in the District of Columbia, Maryland and Massachusetts.
Interestingly, Harris is ahead with 68.4 per cent of the votes counted in the battleground state of Pennsylvania with Trump trailing at 30.7 per cent.
Pennsylvania is being considered as the most pivotal state to win the mega race.
As per latest data, Trump is cruising ahead in another battleground state of Georgia.
Though the projections are emerging from many of the 50 states, what everyone is eagerly waiting for is for results in seven battleground states that would effectively determine who will become the next American president. -- PTI
07:03 Trump wins Florida; Harris takes Rhode Island, Connecticut: AP
The Associated Press declared Trump the winner in Florida on Tuesday for the third consecutive election, earning the state's 30 electoral votes.
Vice President Kamala Harris, meanwhile, won Rhode Island and Connecticut, giving her four and seven electoral votes respectively.
Vice President Kamala Harris, meanwhile, won Rhode Island and Connecticut, giving her four and seven electoral votes respectively.
06:59 Trump declared winner in 4 states, Harris in 2: AP
The Associated Press has declared Donald Trump the winner in West Virginia, Tennessee, South Carolina and Mississippi, while Kamala Harris won Massachusetts and Maryland.
West Virginia has four electoral votes. No Democrat has won the presidential election in West Virginia since Bill Clinton in 1996.
Massachusetts, that has 11 electoral college votes, has voted for the Democratic presidential candidates for decades.
Trump also bagged the Republican state of Tennessee and its 11 electoral votes and the nine electoral votes of South Carolina for the third straight election.
South Carolina has not voted for the Democratic nominee for president since 1976, when Democrat Jimmy Carter -- the governor of the neighbouring state of Georgia -- defeated Republican President Gerald Ford throughout the South.
Meanwhile, Harris won Maryland and its 10 electoral votes as per the Associated Press. -- Agencies
West Virginia has four electoral votes. No Democrat has won the presidential election in West Virginia since Bill Clinton in 1996.
Massachusetts, that has 11 electoral college votes, has voted for the Democratic presidential candidates for decades.
Trump also bagged the Republican state of Tennessee and its 11 electoral votes and the nine electoral votes of South Carolina for the third straight election.
South Carolina has not voted for the Democratic nominee for president since 1976, when Democrat Jimmy Carter -- the governor of the neighbouring state of Georgia -- defeated Republican President Gerald Ford throughout the South.
Meanwhile, Harris won Maryland and its 10 electoral votes as per the Associated Press. -- Agencies
06:29 US polls: Trump leading in 7 states, Harris in 4
Voting in the United States presidential election entered the final hours with millions of Americans already deciding whether to elevate Vice President Kamala Harris to helm the White House or send Republican leader Donald Trump to the top office for a second time.
Polls closed in Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, South Carolina, Vermont, Virginia, North Carolina, Ohio and West Virginia.
Indiana has 11 electoral college votes. Trump has received 61.9 per cent of the ballots counted so far while Harris has polled 36.4 per cent.
Kentucky has eight electoral college votes and Trump has polled 69.7 per cent of the ballots counted so far while Harris has received 28.7 per cent.
Both these states had voted in favour of Trump in 2020.
Trump has also been projected as the winner in West Virginia, which has four electoral college votes, while the three electoral college votes of Vermont are likely to go to Harris, according to US networks. Harris is leading with 59.4 per cent of the ballots counted in Vermont, while Trump has received 37.9 per cent.
However, Harris is trailing in the swing state of Georgia, which was narrowly won by Biden last time. Trump is ahead with 58.2 per cent of the votes while Harris has got 41.3 per cent.
Trump is also ahead in Florida, South Carolina and Ohio while Harris has the edge in Virginia, North Carolina and New Hampshire. -- Agencies
Kentucky has eight electoral college votes and Trump has polled 69.7 per cent of the ballots counted so far while Harris has received 28.7 per cent.
Both these states had voted in favour of Trump in 2020.
Trump has also been projected as the winner in West Virginia, which has four electoral college votes, while the three electoral college votes of Vermont are likely to go to Harris, according to US networks. Harris is leading with 59.4 per cent of the ballots counted in Vermont, while Trump has received 37.9 per cent.
However, Harris is trailing in the swing state of Georgia, which was narrowly won by Biden last time. Trump is ahead with 58.2 per cent of the votes while Harris has got 41.3 per cent.
Trump is also ahead in Florida, South Carolina and Ohio while Harris has the edge in Virginia, North Carolina and New Hampshire. -- Agencies
01:12 Maha polls: Cong to support independent Latkar in Kolhapur North seat
A day after its official candidate Madhurima Raje Chhatrapati withdrew her nomination at the last moment, the Congress on Tuesday declared support for Rajesh Latkar, an independent candidate, in Kolhapur (North) assembly constituency.
Local Congress leader Satej Patil expressed dismay over Madhurima Raje's last-minute withdrawal which left Congress red-faced.
Maharashtra will go to polls on November 20. Kolhapur (North) is one of the Congress strongholds in western Maharashtra.
Madhurima Raje is married to Malojirao Chhatrapati, younger son of Kolhapur MP Shahu Maharaj Chhatrapati.
On Tuesday, Shahu Chhatrapati, Satej Patil and other key Congress leaders held a meeting and decided to support Latkar's candidacy.
"We have decided to move forward with Latkar's candidacy. Congress in-charge for Maharashtra Ramesh Chennithala and senior Congress leader K C Venugopal had advised us to make a decision. Accordingly, Satej Patil convened today's meeting in which I am proposing Latkar's name," Shahu Chhatrapati said.
He urged party workers to support Latkar and ensure his victory. -- PTI
01:07 Voting time extended in Pennsylvania's Cambria County due to software glitch
Voting hours have been extended in Cambria County, Pennsylvania, due to a software malfunction that prevented voters from scanning their ballots, CNN reported on Tuesday.
According to a statement from the office of county commissioners, "Voting time has been extended in Cambria County, Pennsylvania after a software malfunction disrupted voters' ability to scan their ballots."
Election officials in the county insist "there is a process in place for issues of this nature" and the malfunction "should not discourage voters from voting at their voting precincts."
"The Cambria County Board of Election learned early this morning that a software malfunction in the county's electronic voting system has prevented voters from scanning their ballots," the statement said.
The voters in the US are heading to vote in one of their most consequential elections, which will decide the direction of not just the US but also have an influence on global geopolitics for the next four years.
The polling hours will vary across the states, but most locations will vote between 6 am and 8 pm on Tuesday (local time).
The first polls will close at around 7 pm ET (5:30 am IST) in six states, including Georgia.
The final polls will close in the blue state of Hawaii and in the red state of Alaska at 12 am ET (10:30 am IST). Total votes will close by 1 pm ET (11:30 am IST), following which counting will start. The results in small states can be projected soon after polling; some key battleground states may take hours to project the winner.
The main race is between the Democratic and Republican parties. -- ANI
00:48 Man sneaks into atomic energy institute, detained
A suspended post office employee has been detained for allegedly using false identity while entering the premises of a high-security institute of the Department of Atomic Energy in Indore, the police said on Tuesday.
The accused, who worked as a postal assistant at the general post office here, was suspended in 2022, additional deputy commissioner of police Alok Kumar Sharma said.
The man allegedly posed as a director of the postal department to enter the post office on the premises of the Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced Technology on Monday, he said.
He told the staff at the post office that he had come to conduct audit and inspection.
"Based on a complaint by an official at the post office, the man has been detained and questioned," the police official said, adding that all angles would be probed to find out why he entered the RR-CAT premises.
A press release issued by RR-CAT said the person had shown an identity card issued by the postal department to the security personnel at the main gate.
On the basis of this card, he was allowed to visit only the post office, and there was no "breach or lapse" in the multi-tier security system of the institute, the release said.
Another official said the police also recovered fake identity cards of 'Marcos Commando' of the ministry of defence and a `superintendent (investigation) of the National Intelligence Bureau, cyber security cell' from the accused.
He has been booked under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita, the official said. -- PTI
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