The Australian government announced on Thursday what it described as world-leading legislation that would institute an age limit of 16 years for children to start using social media, and hold platforms responsible for ensuring compliance. "Social media is doing harm to our kids and I'm calling time on it," Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said. The legislation will be introduced in Parliament during its final two weeks in session this year, which begin on November 18. The age limit would take effect 12 months after the law is passed, Albanese told reporters. The platforms including X, TikTok, Instagram and Facebook would need to use that year to work out how to exclude Australian children younger than 16. "I've spoken to thousands of parents, grandparents, aunties and uncles. They, like me, are worried sick about the safety of our kids online," Albanese said. The proposal comes as governments around the world are wrestling with how to supervise young people's use of technologies like smartphones and social media.Social media platforms would be penalised for breaching the age limit, but under-age children and their parents would not. "The onus will be on social media platforms to demonstrate they are taking reasonable steps to prevent access. The onus won't be on parents or young people," Albanese said. Antigone Davis, head of safety at Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, said the company would respect any age limitations the government wants to introduce. "However, what's missing is a deeper discussion on how we implement protections, otherwise we risk making ourselves feel better, like we have taken action, but teens and parents will not find themselves in a better place," Davis said in a statement. She added that stronger tools in app stores and operating systems for parents to control what apps their children can use would be a "simple and effective solution." X did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Thursday. TikTok declined to comment. The Digital Industry Group Inc., an advocate for the digital industry in Australia, described the age limit as a "20th Century response to 21st Century challenges." "Rather than blocking access through bans, we need to take a balanced approach to create age-appropriate spaces, build digital literacy and protect young people from online harm," DIGI managing director Sunita Bose said in a statement. More than 140 Australian and international academics with expertise in fields related to technology and child welfare signed an open letter to Albanese last month opposing a social media age limit as "too blunt an instrument to address risks effectively." Jackie Hallan, a director at the youth mental health service ReachOut, opposed the ban. She said 73 per cent of young people across Australia accessing mental health support did so through social media. "We're uncomfortable with the ban. We think young people are likely to circumvent a ban and our concern is that it really drives the behaviour underground and then if things go wrong, young people are less likely to get support from parents and carers because they're worried about getting in trouble," Hallan said. Child psychologist Philip Tam said a minimum age of 12 or 13 would have been more enforceable. "My real fear honestly is that the problem of social media will simply be driven underground," Tam said. Australian National University lawyer Associate Prof Faith Gordon feared separating children from there platforms could create pressures within families. Albanese said there would be exclusions and exemptions in circumstances such as a need to continue access to educational services. But parental consent would not entitle a child under 16 to access social media. Earlier this year, the government began a trial of age-restriciton technologies. Australia's eSafety Commissioner, the online watchdog that will police compliance, will use the results of that trial to provide platforms with guidance on what reasonable steps they can take. Communications Minister Michelle Rowland said the year-long lead-in would ensure the age limit could be implemented in a "very practical way." "There does need to be enhanced penalties to ensure compliance," Rowland said. "Every company that operates in Australia, whether domiciled here or otherwise, is expected and must comply with Australian law or face the consequences," she added. The main opposition party has given in-principle support for an age limit at 16. Opposition lawmaker Paul Fletcher said the platforms already had the technology to enforce such an age ban. "It's not really a technical viability question, it's a question of their readiness to do it and will they incur the cost to do it," Fletcher told Australian Broadcasting Corp. "The platforms say: 'It's all too hard, we can't do it, Australia will become a backwater, it won't possibly work.' But if you have well-drafted legislation and you stick to your guns, you can get the outcomes," Fletcher added. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
07 November,2024 06:22 PM IST | Melbourne | APDonald 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 US Capitol, was convicted of felony charges and survived two assassination attempts. Four years back, Donald J Trump was a sullen man after he lost the presidential race to Joe Biden. And when a violent mob, mostly his supporters, stormed the US Capitol weeks later, it appeared an end to the Republican leader’s political career. Four years later, 78-year-old Trump made an unprecedented and forceful political comeback in American history by cruising towards a second term in the White House. And that too, after being convicted of a felony and surviving two assassination attempts. Though the result of the tight contest between Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris is not yet officially announced, it is looking almost clear that the Republican leader will return to the White House in January. “It is one of the biggest political comebacks in American history,” said Capitol Hill veteran and communication strategist Anang Mittal. He is now the oldest person in US history to be elected president. In March, Trump received his party’s nomination; in effect, he became the first former president to get the nomination for the top office after being convicted of a felony. Trump still faces four criminal indictments and it is not immediately clear what will happen to the cases. The former president also survived an impeachment trial in 2021 that concluded with his acquittal. Trump was shot at during a rally in Pennsylvania in July, just days ahead of the Republican National Convention. He suffered an upper ear injury. Minutes later, a bleeding Trump raised his fist in defiance, images that drew a lot of emotional support from his die-hard supporters. “He is a survivor,” said Mittal. As his victory appeared imminent, Trump addressed his supporters in Florida with a message: “We are going to help our country heal.” Narendra Modi Prime Minister ‘Heartiest congratulations my friend @realDonaldTrump on your historic election victory. As you build on the successes of your previous term, I look forward to renewing our collaboration to further strengthen the India-US Comprehensive Global and Strategic Partnership. Together, let’s work for the betterment of our people and to promote global peace, stability and prosperity’ Anthony Albanese Prime Minister of Australia ‘Congratulations to President Donald Trump on his election victory. Australians and Americans are great friends and true allies. Working together, we can ensure partnership between our nations and peoples remains strong’ Emmanuel Macron President of France ‘Congratulations President Donald Trump. Ready to work together as we have done for four years. With your convictions and with mine. With respect and ambition. For more peace and prosperity’ Benjamin Netanyahu Prime Minister of Israel ‘Congratulations on history’s greatest comeback! 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’ Keir Starmer Prime Minister of UK ‘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’ Volodymyr Zelenskyy Ukrainian President ‘We look forward to an era of a strong United States of America under President Donald Trump’s decisive leadership’
07 November,2024 11:20 AM IST | Washington | AgenciesCongratulating president-elect Donald Trump on his stunning electoral victory, a top India centric American business advocacy group on Wednesday exuded confidence that the new administration will maintain the positive momentum in the India-US relationship. "During his first administration, President Trump made the Indo-Pacific the preeminent focus for Washington's foreign policy, with the goal of securing a free and open Indo-Pacific," the US India Strategic and Partnership Forum (USISPF) said in a statement. "From that auspicious start, the relationship has continued to flourish with deepening partnership across critical and emerging technologies, clean energy, rebuilding supply chains, fortifying our defences and cementing people-to-people ties," the USISPF said. "We are confident that the new Trump administration will maintain the positive momentum in this critical relationship to secure the greatest economic, financial, and national security gains for both countries," it said. "We look forward to working with the new administration as it pursues new targets and innovative approaches to strengthen the bilateral relationship between two of the world's leading democracies," the USISPF said. Congratulating Trump on his election victory to become the 47th President of the US, the USISPF said elections are the cornerstone of any democracy and their successful conduct is a powerful reflection of the strength of a nation's democratic institutions. "Both the United States and India are fortunate to have the right to vote enshrined in their constitutions, ensuring that citizens' voices are heard and that democracy continues to thrive," it said. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
07 November,2024 10:14 AM IST | Washington | PTIUS Vice President Kamala Harris supporters are expressing disappointment following her loss in the presidential election. Harris, as a Democratic presidential nominee, lost to her Republican rival and now president-elect Donald Trump during the November 5 general elections. Janet, a supporter of Harris, expressed her disappointment at her loss. She told ANI, "I feel really sad today. We had a very good, decent, honest person running for President today, and she lost. I hope that future years will bring a reset to decent politics and decent people in power." Albert Williams, another Harris supporter, also expressed his sadness about the Vice President's loss. Talking to ANI, Williams said, "There are so many overwhelming thoughts. We are back in an era that we thought we had moved away from. We are resilient and can bounce back from any situation." Evan, a student of political science at the university, said that he was sad as she lost the elections. "As Vice President Kamala Harris lost the election to President-elect Donald Trump, I am very sad. But, I am also hopeful that this will wake people up and make them realise that if we're not organising communities, and not meeting the everyday needs of people through mutual aid, grassroots organising, then, we will not have a chance," he told ANI. Her campaign focused on key issues such as protecting Social Security and Medicare, addressing manufacturing job losses, and promoting healthcare as a right. Despite her efforts, Harris faced challenges in her campaign, including criticism for linking Donald Trump to the conservative Project 2025 plan, which Trump has disavowed. Additionally, her claims about Trump's intentions to cut Social Security and Medicare were met with fact-checking, as Trump has pledged not to cut these programs. Meanwhile, Indian American Congressman Ro Khanna on Wednesday said that he is proud of Vice President Kamala Harris and that one day Americans will recognise her for blazing a trail. "Today, I want to say I am proud of @KamalaHarris. As a young kid growing up in Bucks County, I would never have imagined an African & Indian American woman would become the nominee & get 48% in PA. Progress is hard. But one day Americans will recognize her blazing a trail," posted Khanna on X. As US Vice President Kamala Harris is supposed to address her supporters at Howard University on Wednesday (local time), several people are seen gathering and security measures like barricading is in place. Meanwhile, US President-elect Donald Trump's Campaign stated that Vice President Kamala Harris spoke to him on the phone to congratulate him. Trump's Campaign Communications Director said that Donald Trump acknowledged Harris on her strengths. "President Donald J. Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris spoke by phone earlier today where she congratulated him on his historic victory. President Trump acknowledged Vice President Harris on her strength, professionalism, and tenacity throughout the campaign, and both leaders agreed on the importance of unifying the country," Steven Cheung, Trump's Campaign Communications Director said. Trump early on Wednesday morning hailed his countrymen as results of the high-stakes presidential elections projected his victory which was poised to return him to the White House after an electoral victory. Speaking at an address to supporters in West Palm Beach, Florida, Trump affirmed that his win will help the country "heal." Addressing the crowd accompanied by his running mate, JD Vance, and family members Trump called his projected win the "greatest political movement of all time" which will help in making "America great again." This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
07 November,2024 10:12 AM IST | Washington | ANIAlthough Democrat Kamala Harris did not win the US presidential election, she will make a comeback as she is a fighter, said residents of Thulasendrapuram, the village of her maternal ancestors, on Wednesday. Since the morning, locals were glued to television screens, monitoring election results, and many checked trends on media websites. Several residents also visited the Sri Dharma Sastha Perumal temple to pray for Harris’s victory. Kamala Harris However, as the day progressed, it became apparent that former US president Donald Trump was leading the race, edging out his Democratic rival Kamala Harris, in an election that virtually divided America into two camps. “We were hoping for her victory and had planned celebrations bigger than Deepavali,” J Sudhakar, DMK Tiruvarur district representative and Thulasendrapuram village leader, told PTI. “But success and failure are part of life. It was a tough fight, and you must admire her fighting spirit. She is a fighter and will make a comeback,” he added. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
07 November,2024 08:20 AM IST | Tiruvarur | AgenciesVideo released late Saturday shows an officer in upstate New York fatally shooting a 13-year-old boy who had been tackled to the ground after he ran from police and pointed a replica handgun at them. The teen was killed late Friday in Utica after officers in the city about 240 miles (400 kilometers) northwest of Manhattan stopped two youths a little after 10 p.m. in connection with an armed robbery investigation, police said. The youths, both 13, matched the descriptions of the robbery suspects and were in the same area at around the same time the day after, police said. One was also walking in the road, a violation of state traffic law. The body camera video released by police captures an officer saying he needs to pat them down to ensure they don’t have any weapons in their possession. Immediately one of the two “identified by police as Nyah Mway” runs away. Authorities froze frames of the video where a running Nyah Mway appears to point the gun at the pursuing officers. Police also edited the video to insert a red circle around the weapon to show it to viewers. The officers believed it was a handgun, police said, but it was later determined to be a replica of a Glock 17 Gen 5 handgun with a detachable magazine. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
07 November,2024 05:48 AM IST | New York | AgenciesAs Donald Trump was elected the US president for a second term, Russia on Wednesday said President Vladimir Putin remained open to engaging in a "constructive dialogue" with the US, asserting that the future of Washington-Moscow relations depends on the American administration. The remarks by Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov came after 78-year-old Republican leader Trump defeated his Democratic rival Vice President Kamala Harris in a bitterly fought election. Peskov was responding to a question about whether relations between the US and Russia would deteriorate if Russian President Vladimir Putin did not congratulate Trump, the state-owned TASS news agency reported. Peskov said that Putin was willing to engage in dialogue with the US but it will be clear whether Washington's stance on talks changes after Trump takes office. "President Putin has repeatedly said that he is open to a constructive dialogue based on justice, equality, and mutual respect for each other’s concerns. And President Putin remains committed to this position and has reiterated it multiple times," the report quoted Peskov as saying. He, however, added that the US administration today holds a "contrary position". "Let’s wait and see what happens in January," Peskov said. Trump will be sworn in as president after his inauguration on January 20, 2025. "It is practically impossible to make relations between the United States and Russia any worse as they are already at their lowest point in history," he said. Peskov also refrained from answering a question about Putin’s reaction to the outcome of the US presidential election. "The president’s reaction? Well, I cannot say anything," he said. "But, of course, we take into account reports coming from Washington," he added. According to races called by the Associated Press up to 7 pm (IST), 277 electoral votes had gone to Donald Trump and 224 to Harris. Trump, the oldest person in US history to be elected president, crossed the halfway 270 votes-mark in electoral college votes with victory in the battleground state of Wisconsin. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
06 November,2024 10:14 PM IST | Moscow | PTIIn July, Indian-American lawyer Usha Chilukuri Vance shot into the national spotlight after her husband, JD Vance, was selected by Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump as his running mate. With the Trump-Vance victory in US Elections 2024 on Wednesday, Usha, 38, is set to become America’s Second Lady — the first Indian-American to hold the role. Usha stood alongside Vance, 39, the Ohio Senator, when Trump made his acceptance speech after securing enough votes to re-enter the White House. According to news agency PTI, in 2020, speaking about his wife on 'The Megyn Kelly Show' podcast, Vance said, “If I maybe get a little bit too cocky or a little too proud, I just remind myself that she is way more accomplished than I am. People don’t realise just how brilliant she is.” The daughter of Indian immigrants — her parents’ ancestral village is Vadluru in West Godavari district, Andhra Pradesh — Usha grew up in a suburb of San Diego. According to her friends and media reports, Usha was a bright student and avid reader, and was known for her leadership qualities. A Gates Scholar, Usha’s distinguished career spans Cambridge and Yale, followed by clerkships with several Supreme Court justices. Her most recent position was as a civil litigation attorney at Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP, reported PTI. Usha and Vance met at Yale Law School, where they were both studying, and later married in 2014 in Kentucky. The ceremony was blessed by a Hindu priest at a separate event, as reported by The New York Times. The Vances have three children: sons Ewan and Vivek, and a daughter, Mirabel. After Vance was named Trump’s running mate, Usha’s Hindu roots became a topic of public interest. Vance has repeatedly noted that while his wife is not a Christian, she has been “very supportive” of his deepening faith. Asked about the challenges of an interfaith marriage, Usha once said, “There are a lot of things that we just agree on, especially when it comes to family life and how to raise our kids. And so I think the answer really is, we just talk a lot.” According to PTI, Usha, in a joint interview with her husband in June, admitted that she is “reluctant to gain greater public exposure,” but also expressed that the couple is open to seeing what happens in their lives moving forward. Life came full circle when Trump, in an event in Palm Beach, Florida, after the US Elections 2024 results, pointed to the couple and said, “I want to be the first one to congratulate, now I can say Vice President-elect JD Vance. And his remarkable and beautiful wife, Usha Vance." (With PTI inputs)
06 November,2024 09:44 PM IST | Washington | mid-day online correspondentPrime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated "friend" Donald Trump on his "historic" presidential election victory on Wednesday, saying he hopes to renew their work to further strengthen the India-US Comprehensive Global and Strategic Partnership, PTI reported. Former US President Donald Trump was on his way to winning the White House in one of the most historic political comebacks in American history. According to projections, Trump was all set to receive 270 electoral college votes stopping Democratic candidate Kamala Harris's chance to be the next US President, cited by PTI. "Heartiest congratulations my friend @realDonaldTrump on your historic election victory. As you build on the successes of your previous term, I look forward to renewing our collaboration to further strengthen the India-US Comprehensive Global and Strategic Partnership," Modi said in a post on X. "Together, let's work for the betterment of our people and to promote global peace, stability and prosperity," he said. Heartiest congratulations my friend @realDonaldTrump on your historic election victory. As you build on the successes of your previous term, I look forward to renewing our collaboration to further strengthen the India-US Comprehensive Global and Strategic Partnership. Together,… pic.twitter.com/u5hKPeJ3SY — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 6, 2024 The prime minister also posted several pictures of his meetings with the Republican candidate, who was previously the US president from 2016 to 2020. Donald Trump making historic comeback Former US President Donald 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, reported news agency PTI. "This will be the golden age of America... America has given us an unprecedented mandate" Trump said in West Palm Beach in Florida, in a victory speech," he said, reported PTI. He told Americans that this moment will "help this country heal", reported PTI. The 78-year-old Republican leader is winning the battleground states of Pennsylvania, Georgia and North Carolina, the three crucial battleground states. However, the Associated Press (AP) has called the race in favour of Trump in these states. According to races called by the Associated Press up to 2:30 pm, 267 electoral votes had gone to Republican candidate Trump and 224 to Democratic Party's Harris, reported PTI. Counting of votes is still underway in other battleground states of Arizona, Michigan, Wisconsin and Nevada. The US has 50 states and most of them vote for the same party in every election except the swing states. Generally, there is not much surprise over the candidates picking up victories in states other than the pivotal battleground ones. Overall a total of 538 electoral college votes are up for grabs. (With inputs from PTI)
06 November,2024 02:50 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentFormer President Donald Trump is projected to win the US presidency on Wednesday 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, reported news agency PTI. 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", reported PTI. 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. "This will be the golden age of America. America has given us an unprecedented and powerful mandate," Trump declared with his family by his side amid cheers of his jubilant supporters, reported PTI. "This is a magnificent victory for the American people. 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," Trump said, reported PTI. "And now it's going to reach a new level of importance because we're going to help our country heal. We'll help our country...we have a country that needs help, and it needs help very badly," he said, reported PTI. "We are going to fix our borders. We are going to fix everything about our country. And we made history for a reason tonight, and the reason is going to be just that we overcame obstacles that nobody thought possible, and it is now clear that we've achieved the most incredible political thing." Trump also promised to usher in a "golden" period in the US. "I want to thank the American people for the extraordinary honour of being elected your 47th president and your 45th president," he said. "I will fight for you, for your family and your future." "Every single day, I will be fighting for you and with every breath in my body, I will not rest until we have delivered the strong, safe and prosperous America that our children deserve and that you deserve. This will truly be the golden age of America," he added, reported PTI. According to projections, Trump is all set to get 270 electoral college votes or more blocking Harris' chance to become the first woman president of the US. The victory by Trump is largely being seen as a remarkable comeback after he lost the 2020 presidential election to Joe Biden which appeared to be the end of his political career. Trump challenged the election results and even indirectly urged his supporters to march on the US Capitol that reportedly triggered the violent attacks and clashes inside the seat of American democracy sending shockwaves across the globe. In the following months, Trump unsuccessfully challenged the results in court. In effect, he became the first former president to get the nomination for the top office on the planet after being convicted of a felony. Trump is winning the battleground states of Pennsylvania, Georgia and North Carolina, the three crucial battleground states. Counting of votes is still underway in some other battleground states of Arizona, Michigan, Wisconsin and Nevada. As a clear trend in the counting of votes emerged, Harris cancelled an election watch party in her alma mater Howard University. The results are a big disappointment for Harris. She joined the race after President Biden dropped out from his reelection campaign in July, weeks after he came under severe scrutiny following his incoherent performance at a televised debate with Republican nominee Donald Trump. The nomination itself was historic as she became the first woman of colour in the US to be fielded by a major party in the presidential race. In her address after formally accepting the nomination, Harris vowed to "chart a new way forward" far devoid of bitterness, cynicism and divisive politics. The US has 50 states and most of them vote for the same party in every election except the swing states. Generally, there is not much surprise over the candidates picking up victories in states other than the pivotal battleground ones. Overall, a total of 538 electoral college votes are up for grabs. If both candidates register victory in all the states that historically support the same party, then it will leave Harris 44 electoral college votes short of victory and Trump 51 votes short. The swing states of Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, known as part of the Rust Belt, have been traditionally the strongholds of the Democratic Party. Earlier, exit polls showed the state of democracy, the shape of the economy and abortion are the most important issues for American voters in the election. Almost six in 10 people ranked the state of democracy as their number one issue, according to exit polls released by CBS News. It was followed by abortion as five per cent of the voters felt it was an important issue for them. Over one in 10 chose the economy as a priority issue. An exit poll by CNN said roughly three-quarters of the electorate holds a negative view of the way things are going in the US today. Only about one-quarter call themselves enthusiastic or satisfied with the state of the nation, with more than four in 10 dissatisfied and roughly three in 10 saying they are angry, according to the poll. Voters remain generally optimistic, with more than 6 in 10 saying that America's best days are in the future, and only about one-third that they're already in the past, the CNN poll found. (With inputs from PTI)
06 November,2024 02:50 PM IST | Washington | mid-day online correspondentFormer US President Donald 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, reported news agency PTI. "This will be the golden age of America... America has given us an unprecedented mandate" Trump said in West Palm Beach in Florida, in a victory speech," he said, reported PTI. He told Americans that this moment will "help this country heal", reported PTI. According to projections, Trump is all set to receive 270 electoral college votes blocking Harris' chance to win the polls. The 78-year-old Republican leader is winning the battleground states of Pennsylvania, Georgia and North Carolina, the three crucial battleground states. However, the Associated Press (AP) has called the race in favour of Trump in these states. According to races called by the Associated Press up to 1 pm, 267 electoral votes had gone to Republican candidate Trump and 214 to Democratic Party's Harris, reported PTI. Counting of votes is still underway in other battleground states of Arizona, Michigan, Wisconsin and Nevada. The US has 50 states and most of them vote for the same party in every election except the swing states. Generally, there is not much surprise over the candidates picking up victories in states other than the pivotal battleground ones. Overall a total of 538 electoral college votes are up for grabs. If both candidates register victory in all the states that historically support the same party, then it will leave Harris 44 electoral college votes short of victory and Trump 51 votes short. The swing states of Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, known as part of the Rust Belt, have been traditionally the strongholds of the Democratic Party. Earlier, exit polls showed state of democracy, the shape of the economy and abortion are the most important issues for American voters in the election. Almost six in 10 people ranked the state of democracy as their number one issue, according to exit polls released by CBS News, reported PTI. It was followed by abortion as five per cent of the voters felt it was an important issue for them. Over one in 10 chose the economy as a priority issue. An exit poll by CNN said roughly three-quarters of the electorate holds a negative view of the way things are going in the US today. Only about one-quarter call themselves enthusiastic or satisfied with the state of the nation, with more than four in 10 dissatisfied and roughly three in 10 saying they are angry, according to the poll. Voters remain generally optimistic, with more than 6 in 10 saying that America's best days are in the future, and only about one-third that they're already in the past, the CNN poll found. (With inputs from PTI)
06 November,2024 01:46 PM IST | Washington | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
