US Election 2024 Results LIVE | Donald Trumps America, Again; Harris to 'Concede' Defeat on Thursday

Republican candidate Donald Trump has got a clear victory but his Democratic counterpart and Vice President Kamala Harris has not yet conceded her defeat. As per latest reports, Kamala Harris is most likely to make a statement on Thursday morning conceding her defeat in the US presidential election 2024. Harris appears set to wait till every vote is counted and all states are called before she makes her statement on the election result.

US President-elect Donald Trump has got a decisive mandate for his second term. But the question is how the second innings of Trump would mean to the world in terms of conflicts going in the Middle East and Eastern Europe, trade and economic rivalry with China and so on. In his first term, many of the long-standing allies of America had moved away. Now, the remaining US allies are anxious whether the second term of Trump would further destabilise the relations. All eyes are on how Trump is going to fulfill his promise of ending the Russia-Ukraine conflict within 24 hours of assuming office.

After taking control of the Senate, Republicans are continuing their battle to keep majority in the US House of Representatives. This would pave the way for a unified grip of the Republican party on Washington. This has been Trump's mission. If Democrats take control of the House, then it would have veto power over the White House. Trump described the Senate rout 'incredible.'

• Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi Wednesday congratulated Republican presidential nominee and former US President Donald Trump on his victory in the 2024 US Presidential elections. "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," PM Modi posted on X.
• German Chancellor Olaf Scholz told US presidential election winner Donald Trump on Wednesday that "we're better off together", urging continued close ties between the European Union and the United States. "Both sides benefit from the transatlantic partnership," Scholz said in a statement to media. "The EU and the USA are two similarly large economic areas, linked by the closest economic relations in the world."
• Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba congratulated Trump on Wednesday for his victory in the presidential election and said he hopes to get in touch with him as soon as possible to discuss ways to further strengthen Japan-U.S. ties. “I hope to closely cooperate with President-elect Trump to further elevate Japan-U.S. alliance and relations to even higher levels,” Ishiba told reporters at the Prime Minister’s Office.
• South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol said he looked forward to working with Trump. “Under your strong leadership, the future of the ROK-U.S. alliance and America will shine brighter,” Yoon wrote on the social platform X, using the initials of South Korea’s formal name, the Republic of Korea. In response to growing threats posed by nuclear-armed North Korea, Yoon’s government has worked closely with the Biden administration to strengthen the countries’ combined military exercises and solidify three-way military cooperation with Japan.
• Jordan’s King Abdullah II congratulated Trump, saying in a post on X that he was “looking forward” to working with Trump “in service of regional and global peace and stability for all.” Jordan has been a key mediator for the U.S. over the past year as officials have sought to reach a cease-fire deal between Israel and Hamas.
• Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who has been sanctioned by the U.S. over alleged links to diamond smuggling and for political repression, congratulated Trump on the social platform X, writing: “Congratulations to President elect @realdonaldtrump on your election victory. The world needs more leaders who speak for the people. Zimbabwe stands ready to work with you and the American people to build a better, more prosperous and more peaceful world.”
• Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed wrote on X, “Congratulations to President Donald Trump on your election victory and comeback. I look forward to working together to further strengthen the relationship between our two countries during your term.”
• Somalia’s Hassan Sheikh wrote on X, “I congratulate you President-elect of the United States of America H.E @realDonaldTrump on your historic election victory. I look forward to continuing our two nations’ strong collaboration and partnership to advance peace, security, and common prosperity for our two nations.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky congratulated Donald Trump Wednesday on his "impressive victory" in US elections and said he hoped his presidency would bring a "just peace in Ukraine closer".

A second Trump term raises questions over Washington's long-term support for Ukraine, battling a Russian invasion for almost three years, as the Republican candidate has been highly critical of US military aid to Kyiv. "I appreciate President Trump's commitment to the 'peace through strength' approach in global affairs. This is exactly the principle that can practically bring just peace in Ukraine closer," Zelensky said in a statement on social media.

"We look forward to an era of a strong United States of America under President Trump's decisive leadership. We rely on continued strong bipartisan support for Ukraine in the United States," he added. Zelensky said Kyiv was "committed to ensuring long-term peace and security in Europe and the transatlantic community with the support of our allies".

Zelensky met Trump for talks while visiting the US in September, a meeting that came after public tensions between the two politicians. Standing next to Zelensky, Trump had touted his working relationship with Russian leader Vladimir Putin. (AFP)

“We will have a great FIFA World Cup and a great FIFA Club World Cup in the United States of America! Football Unites the World” FIFA president Gianni Infantino wrote on his Instagram account in a message of congratulations to Trump. Infantino had tried to build close ties to the first Trump administration, making at least two visits to the White House and joining then-President Trump at a dinner event in Davos, Switzerland during the World Economic Forum in January 2020. The United States will host most of the games at the 2026 World Cup in men’s soccer. (AP)

Republicans have taken the White House and Senate, but the House is still very much in play. With nearly 60 House elections still undecided, either party could gain control of the chamber. For Democrats, a House majority is the last hope of gaining a toehold in Washington and putting a check on Donald Trump’s power. Yet if Republicans win a House majority, they’ll be able to implement Trump’s agenda with more ease, including extending tax cuts, funding hardline border measures and dismantling parts of the federal government.

Still, it might take some time before House control is decided. Neither party so far has a convincing advantage in the tally of key House races. There are tight races all over the country, including many in slow-counting California. (AP)

There was a sense of disappointment in Thulasendrapuram, a tiny village in southern India's Tamil Nadu, where Kamala Harris’ mother’s family has ancestral ties and where people were rooting for the Democratic nominee for president.

Residents in this village, who were keenly following the election results on their smartphones, were left silent as initial enthusiasm faded, even before the presidential race call, but many said they were proud that she put up a good fight. The villagers were hoping for a Harris victory and had Tuesday held special Hindu prayers for her at a local temple where Harris’ name is engraved in a list of donors. Some were also planning to blast off fireworks and distribute sweets had she won.

“We are sad about it. But what can we do? It was in the hands of the voters of that country. They made Trump win. We can only wish Trump well for his victory,” said J. Sudhakar.

As results became clearer, a gaggle of reporters that was stationed outside the village temple also quickly scattered away. The village — site of a brief media spectacle and euphoria since Tuesday — became almost deserted. (AP)

Republican former president Donald Trump has won the White House, securing more than the 270 electoral votes needed to defeat Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris, US networks projected early Wednesday. US media have declared Trump the winner in more than half of the 50 US states, including four key battlegrounds Georgia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, three of which voted Democratic in the last election. That gives him 276 electoral votes. Major networks have called the election in his favour, after an early call from Fox News. Harris has so far captured 219 electoral votes.

The Kremlin said Wednesday it would judge Donald Trump, who claimed victory in the US presidential election, on his actions and that President Vladimir Putin had no plans to congratulate him. Relations between Russia and the US have been at an all-time low since the end of the Cold War, with Moscow angered by Western support to Ukraine.

"We will draw conclusions based on concrete steps and concrete words," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists. If elected, Trump has claimed that he would end the fighting in Ukraine within 24 hours. The US is "capable of helping bring about the end of this conflict" in Ukraine, but is also "the country that is inflaming the conflict", Peskov said.

Peskov said that Trump had made some "quite harsh statements" during his campaign, but that he also spoke of "his aspirations for peace on the international arena, about his aspirations to end politics based on continuing old wars." He added that: "But after victory, preparing to enter the Oval Office, sometimes statements take on a different tone." The Kremlin also said it would be "practically impossible" for the next administration to make Russia-US relations worse, since they are "at their lowest point in history".

He rejected accusations that Russia had interfered in the US elections. Peskov said he was "not aware" of Putin's plans to congratulate Trump, since the US is an "unfriendly country that is directly and indirectly involved in a war against our state", referring to the conflict in Ukraine. Putin was one of the last leaders to congratulate Joe Biden on his 2020 election victory, sending his congratulatory message six weeks after the vote. (AFP)

Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday congratulated Donald Trump as the former US President is set to reclaim The White House. In a post on X, Kharge said: "On 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."

Iran’s currency fell on Wednesday to an all-time low as former President Donald Trump was on the verge of clinching the U.S. presidency again, signalling new challenges ahead for Tehran as it remains locked in the wars raging in the Middle East. The rial traded at 703,000 rials to the dollar, traders in Tehran said. The rate could still change throughout the day. Iran’s Central Bank could flood the market with more hard currencies in an attempt to improve the rate, as it has done in the past. Read More...

China said Wednesday it hoped for "peaceful coexistence" with the United States as Donald Trump neared a decisive victory over Kamala Harris in the country's presidential election.

"We will continue to approach and handle China-US relations based on the principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and win-win cooperation," foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning told a regular briefing. "Our policy toward the United States has been consistent," she added. Mao did not comment directly on the possibility of Trump's re-election, but said "the United States presidential election is an internal affair of the United States". "We respect the choice of the American people," she said.

"After the US election results are released and officially announced, we will handle related matters in accordance with usual practice," she added when asked if Chinese President Xi Jinping would call Trump to congratulate him. (AFP)

NATO chief Mark Rutte on Wednesday congratulated Donald Trump for winning the US presidential election and said his return to power will help keep the alliance "strong". "His leadership will again be key to keeping our Alliance strong. I look forward to working with him again to advance peace through strength through NATO," Rutte said in a statement. (AFP)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi On Wednesday congratulated Donald Trump for his "historic election victory." In a post on X, he wrote, "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.

French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday congratulated "President Donald Trump", saying he was ready to work with the US vote frontrunner "with respect and ambition" like "we managed to do for four years". In a post on X, Macron said that the relationship with Trump, who is leading the US presidential vote, would "take account of your convictions, and mine", adding: "For more peace and prosperity."

Israel's Netanyahu congratulated Donald Trump for 'history's greatest comeback'. In a post on X, he wrote "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. This is a huge victory!"

Donald Trump on Wednesday pledged to help the United States heal in a speech to his cheering supporters, though he had not been widely declared the winner of the White House race. "We are going to help our country heal, we are going to help our country heal. We have a country that needs help and it needs help very badly," Trump said in Florida. "We've made history for a reason tonight, and the reason is going to be just that we overcame obstacles that nobody thought possible," Trump told cheering supporters. "It's a political victory that our country has never seen before," he added. (AFP)

Donald Trump claimed victory and pledged to "heal" the country Wednesday as results put him on the verge of beating Kamala Harris in a stunning White House comeback. His exuberant speech came despite the fact that only Fox News had declared him the winner, with no other US networks having made the call so far. As jubilant supporters cheered and chanted "USA", Trump took to the stage at his campaign headquarters in Florida along with his wife Melania and several of his children. "We are going to help our country heal," the Republican former president said. "It's a political victory that our country has never seen before." US networks have called the swing states of Pennsylvania, Georgia and North Carolina for the 78-year-old, and he led the Democratic vice president in the others although they have not been called yet. (AFP)

House Speaker Mike Johnson on Wednesday offered his congratulations to "president-elect" Donald Trump, though the ex-reality TV star had not been widely declared winner of the White House race. "There is hope and morning in America again! Donald Trump is now our President-elect, chosen by the American people for such a time as this," Johnson said.

Former President Donald Trump won Pennsylvania on Wednesday, defeating Democrat Kamala Harris in the critical battleground state. Both candidates campaigned vigorously in the state, visiting it more often than any other. Trump won Pennsylvania’s 19 electoral votes four years after Democrat Joe Biden carried the state, flipping it from Trump’s column in 2016 on his way to capturing the “blue wall.” No Democrat has won the White House without also winning Pennsylvania since 1948.

Democratic candidate Kamala Harris on Wednesday cancelled her scheduled address at Howard University as her rival Donald Trump consolidated the lead in the US presidential election.

Former US President Donald Trump has emerged victorious in the crucial battleground state of Georgia, delivering a significant setback to his opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris. This marks a notable shift in Georgia’s political landscape, as the state voted Democratic in the 2020 election, supporting Joe Biden over Trump by a slim margin.

Fox News declared Donald Trump the winner of the US presidential election early Wednesday, the only network to make the call, after projecting he would win key battlegrounds Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. "Donald Trump elected as the next president of the United States," blared the front page of the Fox News website. (AFP)

The vice president still has a path to the White House through the Northern battleground states, but the map is getting less forgiving. Harris cannot lose Pennsylvania and reach 270 electoral votes. (AP)

US media has projected more than 95 per cent chances of Donald Trump being the next president. According to the New York Times, Trump is "very likely" to reclaim White House.

Vice President Kamala Harris won New Hampshire on Wednesday, continuing the state’s two-decade-long streak of awarding its four electoral votes to Democrats. New Hampshire has backed Democrats in seven of the last eight presidential elections. Harris’ win comes nine months after the Democratic National Committee bypassed New Hampshire as the leadoff presidential primary. It’s the third time that Republican Donald Trump has won New Hampshire’s GOP primary but lost the state in the general election. (AP)

Jubilant Donald Trump supporters gathered in Florida on election night, expecting the ex-president to speak after he notched key wins in the race for the White House. Men donning formal suits and women in dresses mingled at the Palm Beach County Convention Center event, where they rubbed shoulders with a die-hard Trump fan sporting their political hero's name emblazoned on a leather vest. Whether dressed in formal attire or more casual wear, many of the attendees wore Trump's signature red "Make America Great Again" baseball caps. "I feel like Trump has won this election. This is over, and I feel like the world's about to be much greater," said Moses Abraham, 22. Trump pushed closer to victory over Kamala Harris on Wednesday, leaving the Democrat the narrowest of remaining paths to stop him scoring a stunning political comeback. "This is like 2016. I feel that we are on the same path to win. I feel very optimistic about tonight," said Jo Ann Poly Calvo. "Donald Trump is the perfect fit for America." (AFP)

Elon Musk appeared gleeful about the prospect of gaining influence over the federal government during a potential Donald Trump presidency.

He posted a photoshopped image of himself carrying a sink into the Oval Office, adding, “Let that sink in.” It’s a reference to when he took over Twitter, now X, and began shaking up operations at the social media company.

Trump has said Musk, the world’s richest man, would help him streamline government.

Here are where the key races in US Presidential Elections stand now

With Trump expected to address the watch party at Palm Beach Convention Center, Trump supporters are making their way into the venue as the president heads over from Mar-a-Lago. (AP)

Vice President Kamala Harris is not planning to address the public during the night, according to a person familiar with the White House spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the matter. (AP)

Donald Trump has won the key battleground state of Georgia, US media projected early Wednesday, flipping a state that voted Democratic in 2020 and dealing a major blow to his rival Kamala Harris. CNN and NBC News made the call in the Republican former president's favour. (AFP)

A prominent supporter of Donald Trump, Elon Musk on Wednesday took to X to welcome the election results projections, as the Republican nominee leads with 230 electoral votes.

"America is a nation of builders Soon, you will be free to build", he wrote on X.

Republicans seized control of the U.S. Senate late Tuesday after flipping Democratic-held seats, holding onto GOP incumbents and wresting away the majority for the first time in four years. The unexpected battleground of Nebraska pushed Republicans over the top. Incumbent GOP Sen. Deb Fischer brushed back a surprisingly strong challenge from independent newcomer Dan Osborn.

Democrats watched their efforts to salvage their slim majority slip out of reach as tallies rolled in across a map that favoured Republicans.

Early in the night, Republicans flipped one seat in West Virginia, with the election of Jim Justice, who easily replaced retiring Sen. Joe Manchin. Democratic efforts to oust firebrand Republicans Ted Cruz of Texas and Rick Scott of Florida collapsed. Read more

Even with the outcome uncertain Tuesday night, the 2024 presidential election already has exposed the depths of a fractured nation as the candidates navigated political shifts based on class, race and age under the near-constant threat of misinformation and violence.

Early data suggests that Republican Donald Trump may benefit from some of the shifts more than Democrat Kamala Harris. But not since the 1968 election, when the nation was torn over racial strife and the Vietnam war, have the divisions seemed so apparent. The biggest conclusions, however, so far may be the most obvious.

The United States is poised to elect either its first female president in Harris or its first president with a felony conviction in former president Trump, whose enduring political strength through chaos — much of it his own making — has carried few political costs so far. Read more

Suhas Subramanyam created history by becoming the first Indian American to be elected from Virginia and the entire East Coast.

Running for the US House of Representatives from the 10th Congressional District of Virginia, a Democratic stronghold, Subramanyam defeated Mike Clancy of the Republican Party.

He is currently a Virginia State Senator.

"I am honoured and humbled that the people of Virginia’s 10th District put their trust in me to take on the toughest fights and deliver results in Congress. This district is my home. I got married here, my wife Miranda and I are raising our daughters here, and the issues our community faces are personal to our family. It is an honour to continue serving this district in Washington," Subramanyam said.

He joins the Samosa Caucus in the Congress that currently comprises five Indian Americans – Ami Bera, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Ro Khanna, Pramila Jayapal and Shri Thanedar. (PTI)

By winning North Carolina, Trump maintains options to reach the 270 electoral vote threshold.

Trump can reach the magic number by carrying Georgia and Pennsylvania or by carrying Georgia, Michigan and Wisconsin. He also can win by carrying Wisconsin and Arizona, as well as other combinations involving Nevada.

But that would require him to crack the blue wall of northern states Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

Trump blitzed North Carolina in the final days of the campaign, stopping in four cities over four days and finishing his North Carolina campaign in Raleigh on Monday. (AP)

Polls will close at 11 p.m. EST in California, Idaho, Oregon and Washington. The final polls will close at midnight EST in Alaska and Hawaii. (AP)

Vice President Kamala Harris won Virginia on Tuesday, adding 13 electoral votes to her tally. Harris’ victory marks the third time Donald Trump has lost the Old Dominion state. The Democratic nominee for president has won Virginia in every election since 2008. (AP)

Donald Trump won the battleground state of North Carolina on Tuesday, fending off a challenge from Kamala Harris, who was looking to flip the state and expand her pathways to 270 electoral votes. Trump had made stops to the state in each of the last three days of the campaign to deprive Harris of the pick-up. Harris campaign chair Jen O'Malley Dillon told staff in a memo that the "blue wall" of Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin was now the Democrat's "clearest path" to victory. (AP)

Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris and Republican former president Donald Trump are battling it out for the White House, with polls gradually closing across the United States Tuesday and a long night of waiting for results expected. Projections are tumbling in, with US media calling wins for Trump so far in 22 states including big prizes Texas and Ohio, and other reliably Republican-leaning states. Harris has so far captured 10 states including big electoral vote prizes California and New York -- as well as the US capital Washington. So far, that gives Trump 211 electoral votes and Harris 153. The magic number to win the presidency is 270. Observers expect the hotly contested race for the White House to come down to a handful of key battleground states. The following is a list of the states won by each candidate and the corresponding number of electoral votes, based on the projections of US media including CNN, Fox News, MSNBC/NBC News, ABC and CBS.

HARRIS (153) - California (54) Colorado (10) Delaware (3) District of Columbia (3) Illinois (19) Maryland (10) Massachusetts (11) New York (28) Oregon (8) Rhode Island (4) Vermont (3)

TRUMP (211) - Alabama (9) Arkansas (6) Florida (30) Idaho (4) Indiana (11) Iowa (6) Kansas (6) Kentucky (8) Louisiana (8) Mississippi (6) Missouri (10) Montana (4) North Dakota (3) Ohio (17) Oklahoma (7) South Carolina (9) South Dakota (3) Tennessee (11) Texas (40) Utah (6) West Virginia (4) Wyoming (3). (AFP)

Trump turned the Colorado suburb of Aurora into part of his message against illegal immigration. In the end, he failed to capture the Mountain State, which has become increasingly Democratic in recent years.

Trump likened Aurora to a “war zone” overrun by a Venezuelan gang that had taken over multiple buildings. Authorities pushed back against that characterization, saying it was a single block and the area was once again safe.

Colorado is one of the several states Trump visited down the stretch outside the seven most competitive states. In recent weeks, he also campaigned in California, New Mexico and, memorably, in New York for the rally at Madison Square Garden. (AP)

Vice President Kamala Harris won Washington’s 12 electoral votes on Tuesday, besting former President Donald Trump in a state where he is not popular. Washington has not gone for a Republican presidential candidate since Ronald Reagan in 1984. President Joe Biden carried Washington in 2020 with 58% of the vote to Trump’s less than 39%. (AP)

The dollar surged and bitcoin hit a record high Wednesday while equity markets advanced as traders bet on a victory for Donald Trump as early results for the US presidential election rolled in. While polls have shown the race for the White House on a knife-edge, the Republican appeared to be faring better than his Democratic opponent and Vice President Kamala Harris in early projections. Both candidates have picked up expected wins in safe states, but indications that the business tycoon was edging it boosted the so-called Trump Trade. Signs that the former president's party was notching up better results in Congressional races boosted the prospect of sweeping tax cuts, more tariffs and deregulation -- seen as a boost for the greenback. The dollar jumped 1.5 percent to 154.33 yen, its highest since July, while it was also up more than one percent against the euro and more than two percent against the Mexican peso. Bitcoin piled almost $6,000 higher to a record $75,005.06, topping its previous peak of $73,797.98 hit in March. Trump pledged during the campaign to make the United States "the world capital of bitcoin and cryptocurrencies". While the key swing states were too close to project, early tallies suggested Trump was ahead in Georgia, while traders were keeping a close eye on other incoming results. (AFP)

Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris and Republican former president Donald Trump are battling it out for the White House, with polls gradually closing across the United States Tuesday and a long night of waiting for results expected. Tallies are tumbling in, with US media projecting wins for Trump so far in 20 states including big prizes Texas and Ohio, and other reliably Republican-leaning states. Harris has so far captured eight states -- Colorado, Delaware, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont -- as well as the US capital Washington. So far, that gives Trump 201 electoral votes and Harris 91. The magic number to win the presidency is 270. Observers expect the hotly contested race for the White House to come down to a handful of key battleground states. The following is a list of the states won by each candidate and the corresponding number of electoral votes, based on the projections of US media including CNN, Fox News, MSNBC/NBC News, ABC and CBS.

HARRIS (91) - Colorado (10) Delaware (3) District of Columbia (3) Illinois (19) Maryland (10) Massachusetts (11) New York (28) Rhode Island (4) Vermont (3)

TRUMP (201) - Alabama (9) Arkansas (6) Florida (30) Indiana (11) Kansas (6) Kentucky (8) Louisiana (8) Mississippi (6) Missouri (10) Montana (4) North Dakota (3) Ohio (17) Oklahoma (7) South Carolina (9) South Dakota (3) Tennessee (11) Texas (40) Utah (6) West Virginia (4) Wyoming (3). (AFP)

Bomb threats targeted dozens of polling places in battleground states Georgia and Pennsylvania during voting on Tuesday, with the FBI reporting similar hoaxes in "multiple" US states. The 2024 US presidential campaign has been a particularly volatile one, and security for Election Day has been ramped up given concerns over possible civil unrest, election chicanery and violence against poll workers. None of the threats in areas around Georgia's biggest city Atlanta appeared to be credible, but some caused voting sites to briefly suspend operations while authorities checked for explosives. "The FBI is aware of bomb threats to polling locations in several states, many of which appear to originate from Russian email domains," spokeswoman Savannah Syms said in a statement. "None of the threats have been determined to be credible thus far," she added, urging the public to "remain vigilant." Georgia's Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said the state had identified Russia as the source of bomb threats, without elaborating. Thirty-two polling stations in Georgia's Fulton County -- which includes Atlanta -- were among those facing threats, County Police Chief Wade Yates told reporters. He added that five sites were briefly closed while authorities checked for explosives, but found nothing. Another five sites in Democratic stronghold DeKalb County saw voting disrupted. "We are the descendants of, the sons and daughters of people who faced lynch mobs, water cannon... to exercise the right to vote. And so we aren't going to let bomb threats turn us around," Mayor Kobi of South Fulton told AFP. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro told reporters that multiple bomb threats were called in to polling sites and public buildings across the state, but none appeared to be credible.
(AFP)

Kamala Harris won Colorado on Tuesday, picking up the state's 10 electoral votes. Colorado was once a purple state, flipping between Democratic and Republican presidential candidates, but it has shifted blue in the past two decades. The last Republican presidential candidate to snag Colorado's electoral votes was George W. Bush in 2004. Since then, it's backed Democratic presidential candidates, with Joe Biden winning it handily in 2020. Colorado gained its 10th electoral vote after the 2020 census, attributed to population growth around Denver. (AP)

Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris and Republican former president Donald Trump are battling it out for the White House, with polls gradually closing across the United States Tuesday and a long night of waiting for results expected. Results are tumbling in, with US media projecting wins for Trump so far in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, West Virginia and Wyoming. Harris has so far captured Delaware, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont and the US capital Washington, DC. So far, that gives Harris 81 electoral votes and Trump 168. The magic number to win the presidency is 270. Observers expect the hotly contested race for the White House to come down to a handful of key battleground states. The following is a list of the states won by each candidate and the corresponding number of electoral votes, based on the projections of US media including CNN, Fox News, MSNBC/NBC News, ABC and CBS.

HARRIS (81) - Delaware (3) District of Columbia (3) Illinois (19) Maryland (10) Massachusetts (11) New York (28) Rhode Island (4) Vermont (3)

TRUMP (168) - Alabama (9) Arkansas (6) Florida (30) Indiana (11) Kentucky (8) Louisiana (8) Mississippi (6) Missouri (10) North Dakota (3) Oklahoma (7) South Carolina (9) South Dakota (3) Tennessee (11) Texas (40) West Virginia (4) Wyoming (3)

(AFP)

Florida voters Tuesday rejected creating a constitutional right to abortion, a political win for Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis that will keep in place the state's ban on most abortions after the first six weeks of pregnancy.

It's the first ballot measure victory for abortion opponents in any state since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, a decision that ended the nationwide right to abortion and opened the door to bans in most GOP-controlled states, protections in Democrat-dominated ones and new political and legal battles across the country.

The Florida measure failed to clear the required 60% voter approval threshold to pass constitutional amendments in Florida. Most states require a simple majority.

The defeat makes permanent a shift in the Southern abortion landscape that began when the state's six-week ban took effect in May. That removed Florida as a destination for abortion for many women from nearby states with deeper bans and also led to far more women from the state traveling to obtain abortion. The nearest states with looser restrictions are North Carolina and Virginia — hundreds of miles away.

Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the national anti-abortion group SBA Pro-Life America, said in a statement that the result is "a momentous victory for life in Florida and for our entire country," praising DeSantis for leading the charge against the measure. (AP)

A mostly smooth Election Day nationwide was marred in multiple battleground states Tuesday by a series of bomb threats and baseless claims of wrongdoing by former President Donald Trump.

The bomb threats in parts of Arizona, Georgia and Pennsylvania turned out to be hoaxes but forced evacuations and some polling places to extend hours.

The threats were reported throughout the day at polling locations in three metro Atlanta counties, all with large numbers of Democratic voters, and into the evening at voting locations in Pennsylvania, forcing evacuations. Bomb threats also were reported at three voting locations in Navajo County, Arizona, according to the secretary of state’s office.

In an evening news conference, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro acknowledged there had been multiple bomb threats called in to voting locations across the state, but said thus far there is “no credible threat” to the public.

“Every legal, eligible vote will be counted and counted accurately, and the will of the people in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania will be respected," said Shapiro, a Democrat.

In a statement, the Pennsylvania State Police said they were working with local partners to respond if needed. Neither Shapiro nor the police gave more details about who might be behind the bomb threats or why Shapiro believed there was no threat to the public.

In Georgia's Fulton County, which includes Atlanta, 32 of 177 polling places received bomb threats and five were briefly evacuated. The FBI on Tuesday afternoon said it was aware of multiple hoax bomb threats to voting locations in several states and said many of them appeared to originate from Russian email domains.

“Georgia’s not gonna be intimidated,” Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said Tuesday. (AP)

Republican Donald Trump carried Ohio for a third time on Tuesday, defeating Democratic nominee Kamala Harris to capture the state's 17 electoral votes. Support for the former president helped turn Ohio from a presidential bellwether to reliably Republican in recent years. Ohio voters supported him by wide margins in 2016 and 2020, and they delivered for him again this year. No Republican has reached the White House without carrying Ohio. In 2020, Joe Biden became the first Democrat to win the presidency without winning Ohio since John F. Kennedy in 1960. (AP)

U.S. Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester defeated Republican Eric Hansen in Delaware's U.S. Senate race on Tuesday.

Blunt Rochester will become the first woman and first Black person to represent Delaware in the Senate. Only three other Black women have served in the Senate, two of them elected and one who was appointed.

Rochester was considered a virtual shoo-in for the Senate against businessman Hansen, a political newcomer. Democrats hold a significant voter registration advantage over Republicans in solid-blue Delaware, which last sent a Republican to Washington in 2008.

Rochester raised some $8 million for her Senate campaign, while Hansen's campaign receipts totalled only about $1 million, including more than $800,000 in loans he made to his campaign.

Blunt Rochester will fill the seat left vacant by fellow Democrat Tom Carper, who handpicked her as his preferred successor when he announced his retirement last year. Blunt Rochester once interned for Carper when he was in the House and also served in his cabinet when he was governor.

Blunt Rochester has served four terms at Delaware's lone representative in the House.

According to the Congressional Record, she has sponsored 90 bills and seven resolutions during her House tenure, many aimed at improving or expanding access to health care, especially for women and minorities. The only measure sponsored by Blunt Rochester to become law is a resolution naming a Wilmington post office in honour of Mary Ann Shadd Cary, a 19th-century anti-slavery activist and publisher.

Rochester began her political career as a case worker for Carper and served in appointed positions as Delaware's labour secretary, state personnel director and deputy secretary of Delaware's Department of Health and Social Services. She also has served as CEO of the Metropolitan Wilmington Urban League. (AP)

Vice President Kamala Harris won New Jersey's 14 electoral votes on Tuesday. Harris' victory over Republican Donald Trump continues Democrats' dominance in the state, which has gone with the Democratic candidate for president in every election since 1988. New Jersey Democrats have nearly 1 million more registered voters than Republicans. Trump has ties to New Jersey, including golf clubs across the state. He also operated casinos in the shore resort of Atlantic City, but they ended in bankruptcy. (AP)

Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris and Republican former president Donald Trump are battling it out for the White House, with polls gradually closing across the United States Tuesday and a long night of waiting for results expected. Initial results are coming in, with US media projecting wins for Trump so far in Alabama, Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia. Harris has so far captured Maryland, Massachusetts, Vermont and the US capital Washington, DC. So far, that gives Harris 27 electoral votes and Trump 99. The magic number to win the presidency is 270. Observers expect the hotly contested race for the White House to come down to a handful of key battleground states. The following is a list of the states won by each candidate and the corresponding number of electoral votes, based on the projections of US media including CNN, Fox News, MSNBC/NBC News, ABC and CBS.

HARRIS (27) - District of Columbia (3) Maryland (10) Massachusetts (11) Vermont (3)

TRUMP (99) - Alabama (9) Florida (30) Indiana (11) Kentucky (8) Missouri (10) Oklahoma (7) South Carolina (9) Tennessee (11) West Virginia (4)
(AFP)

The Electoral College is a 538-member body that elects a president. The framers of the Constitution set it up to give more power to the states and as a compromise to avoid having Congress decide the winner.

Each state's electors vote for the candidate who won the popular vote in that state. The runner-up gets nothing — except in Nebraska and Maine where elector votes are awarded based on congressional district and statewide results.

To win the presidency, a candidate must secure 270 electoral votes — a majority of the 538 possible votes.
Electors are allocated based on how many representatives a state has in the House of Representatives, plus its two senators.
After state election officials certify their elections, electors meet in their individual states — never as one body — to certify the election. This year, that will happen on Dec. 17.

If the two candidates have a tied number of votes, the election is thrown to the House, where each state's congressional delegation gets one vote. That has happened only twice, in 1801 and 1825.

Once a state's electors have certified the vote, they send a certificate to Congress. Congress then formally counts and certifies the vote at a special session on Jan. 6. The vice president presides as the envelopes for each state are opened and verified.(AP)

Republican Donald Trump won the presidential election in Indiana on Tuesday. The reliably conservative state, where Republicans have held the governor's office for 20 years, gave Trump its 11 electoral votes over Democrat Kamala Harris. Indiana has been favorable toward Trump in his three races for the White House. In 2016, the year he won the presidency, and again in 2020, Trump took 57% of the Hoosier state vote. (AP)

Independent Bernie Sanders won reelection to a fourth term in the U.S. Senate representing Vermont on Tuesday. The 83-year-old liberal icon has said that American democracy is in question, and the 2024 election in many ways will be the most consequential in our lifetime. He sought the Democratic presidential nomination in 2016 and 2020 and this year has endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris, after President Joe Biden dropped his reelection bid. (AP)

Kamala Harris won the Democratic stronghold of Vermont on Tuesday. The small state has voted in favor of Democratic candidates in the previous eight presidential elections. Vermont Gov. Phil Scott, a Republican, has been a critic of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and voted for Democrat Joe Biden in the 2020 election.(AP)

Former President Donald Trump won Kentucky for the third consecutive election on Tuesday, adding eight electoral votes to his tally. The Republican nominee for president has won Kentucky in every election since Democrat Bill Clinton carried the Bluegrass State in 1996. Kentucky's most powerful Republican, Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell, once called Trump "morally responsible" for the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack. But in a remarkable turnaround, McConnell endorsed Trump's bid to return to the White House. During Trump's term, the two worked together to pass a tax cuts package and to put three conservative justices on the Supreme Court. (AP)

Republican candidate Donald Trump has got a clear victory but his Democratic counterpart and Vice President Kamala Harris has not yet conceded her defeat. As per latest reports, Kamala Harris is most likely to make a statement on Thursday morning conceding her defeat in the US presidential election 2024. Harris appears set to wait till every vote is counted and all states are called before she makes her statement on the election result.

US President-elect Donald Trump has got a decisive mandate for his second term. But the question is how the second innings of Trump would mean to the world in terms of conflicts going in the Middle East and Eastern Europe, trade and economic rivalry with China and so on. In his first term, many of the long-standing allies of America had moved away. Now, the remaining US allies are anxious whether the second term of Trump would further destabilise the relations. All eyes are on how Trump is going to fulfill his promise of ending the Russia-Ukraine conflict within 24 hours of assuming office.

After taking control of the Senate, Republicans are continuing their battle to keep majority in the US House of Representatives. This would pave the way for a unified grip of the Republican party on Washington. This has been Trump's mission. If Democrats take control of the House, then it would have veto power over the White House. Trump described the Senate rout 'incredible.'

• Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi Wednesday congratulated Republican presidential nominee and former US President Donald Trump on his victory in the 2024 US Presidential elections. "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," PM Modi posted on X.
• German Chancellor Olaf Scholz told US presidential election winner Donald Trump on Wednesday that "we're better off together", urging continued close ties between the European Union and the United States. "Both sides benefit from the transatlantic partnership," Scholz said in a statement to media. "The EU and the USA are two similarly large economic areas, linked by the closest economic relations in the world."
• Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba congratulated Trump on Wednesday for his victory in the presidential election and said he hopes to get in touch with him as soon as possible to discuss ways to further strengthen Japan-U.S. ties. “I hope to closely cooperate with President-elect Trump to further elevate Japan-U.S. alliance and relations to even higher levels,” Ishiba told reporters at the Prime Minister’s Office.
• South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol said he looked forward to working with Trump. “Under your strong leadership, the future of the ROK-U.S. alliance and America will shine brighter,” Yoon wrote on the social platform X, using the initials of South Korea’s formal name, the Republic of Korea. In response to growing threats posed by nuclear-armed North Korea, Yoon’s government has worked closely with the Biden administration to strengthen the countries’ combined military exercises and solidify three-way military cooperation with Japan.
• Jordan’s King Abdullah II congratulated Trump, saying in a post on X that he was “looking forward” to working with Trump “in service of regional and global peace and stability for all.” Jordan has been a key mediator for the U.S. over the past year as officials have sought to reach a cease-fire deal between Israel and Hamas.
• Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who has been sanctioned by the U.S. over alleged links to diamond smuggling and for political repression, congratulated Trump on the social platform X, writing: “Congratulations to President elect @realdonaldtrump on your election victory. The world needs more leaders who speak for the people. Zimbabwe stands ready to work with you and the American people to build a better, more prosperous and more peaceful world.”
• Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed wrote on X, “Congratulations to President Donald Trump on your election victory and comeback. I look forward to working together to further strengthen the relationship between our two countries during your term.”
• Somalia’s Hassan Sheikh wrote on X, “I congratulate you President-elect of the United States of America H.E @realDonaldTrump on your historic election victory. I look forward to continuing our two nations’ strong collaboration and partnership to advance peace, security, and common prosperity for our two nations.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky congratulated Donald Trump Wednesday on his "impressive victory" in US elections and said he hoped his presidency would bring a "just peace in Ukraine closer".

A second Trump term raises questions over Washington's long-term support for Ukraine, battling a Russian invasion for almost three years, as the Republican candidate has been highly critical of US military aid to Kyiv. "I appreciate President Trump's commitment to the 'peace through strength' approach in global affairs. This is exactly the principle that can practically bring just peace in Ukraine closer," Zelensky said in a statement on social media.

"We look forward to an era of a strong United States of America under President Trump's decisive leadership. We rely on continued strong bipartisan support for Ukraine in the United States," he added. Zelensky said Kyiv was "committed to ensuring long-term peace and security in Europe and the transatlantic community with the support of our allies".

Zelensky met Trump for talks while visiting the US in September, a meeting that came after public tensions between the two politicians. Standing next to Zelensky, Trump had touted his working relationship with Russian leader Vladimir Putin. (AFP)

“We will have a great FIFA World Cup and a great FIFA Club World Cup in the United States of America! Football Unites the World” FIFA president Gianni Infantino wrote on his Instagram account in a message of congratulations to Trump. Infantino had tried to build close ties to the first Trump administration, making at least two visits to the White House and joining then-President Trump at a dinner event in Davos, Switzerland during the World Economic Forum in January 2020. The United States will host most of the games at the 2026 World Cup in men’s soccer. (AP)

Republicans have taken the White House and Senate, but the House is still very much in play. With nearly 60 House elections still undecided, either party could gain control of the chamber. For Democrats, a House majority is the last hope of gaining a toehold in Washington and putting a check on Donald Trump’s power. Yet if Republicans win a House majority, they’ll be able to implement Trump’s agenda with more ease, including extending tax cuts, funding hardline border measures and dismantling parts of the federal government.

Still, it might take some time before House control is decided. Neither party so far has a convincing advantage in the tally of key House races. There are tight races all over the country, including many in slow-counting California. (AP)

There was a sense of disappointment in Thulasendrapuram, a tiny village in southern India's Tamil Nadu, where Kamala Harris’ mother’s family has ancestral ties and where people were rooting for the Democratic nominee for president.

Residents in this village, who were keenly following the election results on their smartphones, were left silent as initial enthusiasm faded, even before the presidential race call, but many said they were proud that she put up a good fight. The villagers were hoping for a Harris victory and had Tuesday held special Hindu prayers for her at a local temple where Harris’ name is engraved in a list of donors. Some were also planning to blast off fireworks and distribute sweets had she won.

“We are sad about it. But what can we do? It was in the hands of the voters of that country. They made Trump win. We can only wish Trump well for his victory,” said J. Sudhakar.

As results became clearer, a gaggle of reporters that was stationed outside the village temple also quickly scattered away. The village — site of a brief media spectacle and euphoria since Tuesday — became almost deserted. (AP)

Republican former president Donald Trump has won the White House, securing more than the 270 electoral votes needed to defeat Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris, US networks projected early Wednesday. US media have declared Trump the winner in more than half of the 50 US states, including four key battlegrounds Georgia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, three of which voted Democratic in the last election. That gives him 276 electoral votes. Major networks have called the election in his favour, after an early call from Fox News. Harris has so far captured 219 electoral votes.

The Kremlin said Wednesday it would judge Donald Trump, who claimed victory in the US presidential election, on his actions and that President Vladimir Putin had no plans to congratulate him. Relations between Russia and the US have been at an all-time low since the end of the Cold War, with Moscow angered by Western support to Ukraine.

"We will draw conclusions based on concrete steps and concrete words," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists. If elected, Trump has claimed that he would end the fighting in Ukraine within 24 hours. The US is "capable of helping bring about the end of this conflict" in Ukraine, but is also "the country that is inflaming the conflict", Peskov said.

Peskov said that Trump had made some "quite harsh statements" during his campaign, but that he also spoke of "his aspirations for peace on the international arena, about his aspirations to end politics based on continuing old wars." He added that: "But after victory, preparing to enter the Oval Office, sometimes statements take on a different tone." The Kremlin also said it would be "practically impossible" for the next administration to make Russia-US relations worse, since they are "at their lowest point in history".

He rejected accusations that Russia had interfered in the US elections. Peskov said he was "not aware" of Putin's plans to congratulate Trump, since the US is an "unfriendly country that is directly and indirectly involved in a war against our state", referring to the conflict in Ukraine. Putin was one of the last leaders to congratulate Joe Biden on his 2020 election victory, sending his congratulatory message six weeks after the vote. (AFP)

Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday congratulated Donald Trump as the former US President is set to reclaim The White House. In a post on X, Kharge said: "On 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."

Iran’s currency fell on Wednesday to an all-time low as former President Donald Trump was on the verge of clinching the U.S. presidency again, signalling new challenges ahead for Tehran as it remains locked in the wars raging in the Middle East. The rial traded at 703,000 rials to the dollar, traders in Tehran said. The rate could still change throughout the day. Iran’s Central Bank could flood the market with more hard currencies in an attempt to improve the rate, as it has done in the past. Read More...

China said Wednesday it hoped for "peaceful coexistence" with the United States as Donald Trump neared a decisive victory over Kamala Harris in the country's presidential election.

"We will continue to approach and handle China-US relations based on the principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and win-win cooperation," foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning told a regular briefing. "Our policy toward the United States has been consistent," she added. Mao did not comment directly on the possibility of Trump's re-election, but said "the United States presidential election is an internal affair of the United States". "We respect the choice of the American people," she said.

"After the US election results are released and officially announced, we will handle related matters in accordance with usual practice," she added when asked if Chinese President Xi Jinping would call Trump to congratulate him. (AFP)

NATO chief Mark Rutte on Wednesday congratulated Donald Trump for winning the US presidential election and said his return to power will help keep the alliance "strong". "His leadership will again be key to keeping our Alliance strong. I look forward to working with him again to advance peace through strength through NATO," Rutte said in a statement. (AFP)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi On Wednesday congratulated Donald Trump for his "historic election victory." In a post on X, he wrote, "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.

French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday congratulated "President Donald Trump", saying he was ready to work with the US vote frontrunner "with respect and ambition" like "we managed to do for four years". In a post on X, Macron said that the relationship with Trump, who is leading the US presidential vote, would "take account of your convictions, and mine", adding: "For more peace and prosperity."

Israel's Netanyahu congratulated Donald Trump for 'history's greatest comeback'. In a post on X, he wrote "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. This is a huge victory!"

Donald Trump on Wednesday pledged to help the United States heal in a speech to his cheering supporters, though he had not been widely declared the winner of the White House race. "We are going to help our country heal, we are going to help our country heal. We have a country that needs help and it needs help very badly," Trump said in Florida. "We've made history for a reason tonight, and the reason is going to be just that we overcame obstacles that nobody thought possible," Trump told cheering supporters. "It's a political victory that our country has never seen before," he added. (AFP)

Donald Trump claimed victory and pledged to "heal" the country Wednesday as results put him on the verge of beating Kamala Harris in a stunning White House comeback. His exuberant speech came despite the fact that only Fox News had declared him the winner, with no other US networks having made the call so far. As jubilant supporters cheered and chanted "USA", Trump took to the stage at his campaign headquarters in Florida along with his wife Melania and several of his children. "We are going to help our country heal," the Republican former president said. "It's a political victory that our country has never seen before." US networks have called the swing states of Pennsylvania, Georgia and North Carolina for the 78-year-old, and he led the Democratic vice president in the others although they have not been called yet. (AFP)

House Speaker Mike Johnson on Wednesday offered his congratulations to "president-elect" Donald Trump, though the ex-reality TV star had not been widely declared winner of the White House race. "There is hope and morning in America again! Donald Trump is now our President-elect, chosen by the American people for such a time as this," Johnson said.

Former President Donald Trump won Pennsylvania on Wednesday, defeating Democrat Kamala Harris in the critical battleground state. Both candidates campaigned vigorously in the state, visiting it more often than any other. Trump won Pennsylvania’s 19 electoral votes four years after Democrat Joe Biden carried the state, flipping it from Trump’s column in 2016 on his way to capturing the “blue wall.” No Democrat has won the White House without also winning Pennsylvania since 1948.

Democratic candidate Kamala Harris on Wednesday cancelled her scheduled address at Howard University as her rival Donald Trump consolidated the lead in the US presidential election.

Former US President Donald Trump has emerged victorious in the crucial battleground state of Georgia, delivering a significant setback to his opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris. This marks a notable shift in Georgia’s political landscape, as the state voted Democratic in the 2020 election, supporting Joe Biden over Trump by a slim margin.

Fox News declared Donald Trump the winner of the US presidential election early Wednesday, the only network to make the call, after projecting he would win key battlegrounds Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. "Donald Trump elected as the next president of the United States," blared the front page of the Fox News website. (AFP)

The vice president still has a path to the White House through the Northern battleground states, but the map is getting less forgiving. Harris cannot lose Pennsylvania and reach 270 electoral votes. (AP)

US media has projected more than 95 per cent chances of Donald Trump being the next president. According to the New York Times, Trump is "very likely" to reclaim White House.

Vice President Kamala Harris won New Hampshire on Wednesday, continuing the state’s two-decade-long streak of awarding its four electoral votes to Democrats. New Hampshire has backed Democrats in seven of the last eight presidential elections. Harris’ win comes nine months after the Democratic National Committee bypassed New Hampshire as the leadoff presidential primary. It’s the third time that Republican Donald Trump has won New Hampshire’s GOP primary but lost the state in the general election. (AP)

Jubilant Donald Trump supporters gathered in Florida on election night, expecting the ex-president to speak after he notched key wins in the race for the White House. Men donning formal suits and women in dresses mingled at the Palm Beach County Convention Center event, where they rubbed shoulders with a die-hard Trump fan sporting their political hero's name emblazoned on a leather vest. Whether dressed in formal attire or more casual wear, many of the attendees wore Trump's signature red "Make America Great Again" baseball caps. "I feel like Trump has won this election. This is over, and I feel like the world's about to be much greater," said Moses Abraham, 22. Trump pushed closer to victory over Kamala Harris on Wednesday, leaving the Democrat the narrowest of remaining paths to stop him scoring a stunning political comeback. "This is like 2016. I feel that we are on the same path to win. I feel very optimistic about tonight," said Jo Ann Poly Calvo. "Donald Trump is the perfect fit for America." (AFP)

Elon Musk appeared gleeful about the prospect of gaining influence over the federal government during a potential Donald Trump presidency.

He posted a photoshopped image of himself carrying a sink into the Oval Office, adding, “Let that sink in.” It’s a reference to when he took over Twitter, now X, and began shaking up operations at the social media company.

Trump has said Musk, the world’s richest man, would help him streamline government.

Here are where the key races in US Presidential Elections stand now

With Trump expected to address the watch party at Palm Beach Convention Center, Trump supporters are making their way into the venue as the president heads over from Mar-a-Lago. (AP)

Vice President Kamala Harris is not planning to address the public during the night, according to a person familiar with the White House spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the matter. (AP)

Donald Trump has won the key battleground state of Georgia, US media projected early Wednesday, flipping a state that voted Democratic in 2020 and dealing a major blow to his rival Kamala Harris. CNN and NBC News made the call in the Republican former president's favour. (AFP)

A prominent supporter of Donald Trump, Elon Musk on Wednesday took to X to welcome the election results projections, as the Republican nominee leads with 230 electoral votes.

"America is a nation of builders Soon, you will be free to build", he wrote on X.

Republicans seized control of the U.S. Senate late Tuesday after flipping Democratic-held seats, holding onto GOP incumbents and wresting away the majority for the first time in four years. The unexpected battleground of Nebraska pushed Republicans over the top. Incumbent GOP Sen. Deb Fischer brushed back a surprisingly strong challenge from independent newcomer Dan Osborn.

Democrats watched their efforts to salvage their slim majority slip out of reach as tallies rolled in across a map that favoured Republicans.

Early in the night, Republicans flipped one seat in West Virginia, with the election of Jim Justice, who easily replaced retiring Sen. Joe Manchin. Democratic efforts to oust firebrand Republicans Ted Cruz of Texas and Rick Scott of Florida collapsed. Read more

Even with the outcome uncertain Tuesday night, the 2024 presidential election already has exposed the depths of a fractured nation as the candidates navigated political shifts based on class, race and age under the near-constant threat of misinformation and violence.

Early data suggests that Republican Donald Trump may benefit from some of the shifts more than Democrat Kamala Harris. But not since the 1968 election, when the nation was torn over racial strife and the Vietnam war, have the divisions seemed so apparent. The biggest conclusions, however, so far may be the most obvious.

The United States is poised to elect either its first female president in Harris or its first president with a felony conviction in former president Trump, whose enduring political strength through chaos — much of it his own making — has carried few political costs so far. Read more

Suhas Subramanyam created history by becoming the first Indian American to be elected from Virginia and the entire East Coast.

Running for the US House of Representatives from the 10th Congressional District of Virginia, a Democratic stronghold, Subramanyam defeated Mike Clancy of the Republican Party.

He is currently a Virginia State Senator.

"I am honoured and humbled that the people of Virginia’s 10th District put their trust in me to take on the toughest fights and deliver results in Congress. This district is my home. I got married here, my wife Miranda and I are raising our daughters here, and the issues our community faces are personal to our family. It is an honour to continue serving this district in Washington," Subramanyam said.

He joins the Samosa Caucus in the Congress that currently comprises five Indian Americans – Ami Bera, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Ro Khanna, Pramila Jayapal and Shri Thanedar. (PTI)

By winning North Carolina, Trump maintains options to reach the 270 electoral vote threshold.

Trump can reach the magic number by carrying Georgia and Pennsylvania or by carrying Georgia, Michigan and Wisconsin. He also can win by carrying Wisconsin and Arizona, as well as other combinations involving Nevada.

But that would require him to crack the blue wall of northern states Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

Trump blitzed North Carolina in the final days of the campaign, stopping in four cities over four days and finishing his North Carolina campaign in Raleigh on Monday. (AP)

Polls will close at 11 p.m. EST in California, Idaho, Oregon and Washington. The final polls will close at midnight EST in Alaska and Hawaii. (AP)

Vice President Kamala Harris won Virginia on Tuesday, adding 13 electoral votes to her tally. Harris’ victory marks the third time Donald Trump has lost the Old Dominion state. The Democratic nominee for president has won Virginia in every election since 2008. (AP)

Donald Trump won the battleground state of North Carolina on Tuesday, fending off a challenge from Kamala Harris, who was looking to flip the state and expand her pathways to 270 electoral votes. Trump had made stops to the state in each of the last three days of the campaign to deprive Harris of the pick-up. Harris campaign chair Jen O'Malley Dillon told staff in a memo that the "blue wall" of Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin was now the Democrat's "clearest path" to victory. (AP)

Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris and Republican former president Donald Trump are battling it out for the White House, with polls gradually closing across the United States Tuesday and a long night of waiting for results expected. Projections are tumbling in, with US media calling wins for Trump so far in 22 states including big prizes Texas and Ohio, and other reliably Republican-leaning states. Harris has so far captured 10 states including big electoral vote prizes California and New York -- as well as the US capital Washington. So far, that gives Trump 211 electoral votes and Harris 153. The magic number to win the presidency is 270. Observers expect the hotly contested race for the White House to come down to a handful of key battleground states. The following is a list of the states won by each candidate and the corresponding number of electoral votes, based on the projections of US media including CNN, Fox News, MSNBC/NBC News, ABC and CBS.

HARRIS (153) - California (54) Colorado (10) Delaware (3) District of Columbia (3) Illinois (19) Maryland (10) Massachusetts (11) New York (28) Oregon (8) Rhode Island (4) Vermont (3)

TRUMP (211) - Alabama (9) Arkansas (6) Florida (30) Idaho (4) Indiana (11) Iowa (6) Kansas (6) Kentucky (8) Louisiana (8) Mississippi (6) Missouri (10) Montana (4) North Dakota (3) Ohio (17) Oklahoma (7) South Carolina (9) South Dakota (3) Tennessee (11) Texas (40) Utah (6) West Virginia (4) Wyoming (3). (AFP)

Trump turned the Colorado suburb of Aurora into part of his message against illegal immigration. In the end, he failed to capture the Mountain State, which has become increasingly Democratic in recent years.

Trump likened Aurora to a “war zone” overrun by a Venezuelan gang that had taken over multiple buildings. Authorities pushed back against that characterization, saying it was a single block and the area was once again safe.

Colorado is one of the several states Trump visited down the stretch outside the seven most competitive states. In recent weeks, he also campaigned in California, New Mexico and, memorably, in New York for the rally at Madison Square Garden. (AP)

Vice President Kamala Harris won Washington’s 12 electoral votes on Tuesday, besting former President Donald Trump in a state where he is not popular. Washington has not gone for a Republican presidential candidate since Ronald Reagan in 1984. President Joe Biden carried Washington in 2020 with 58% of the vote to Trump’s less than 39%. (AP)

The dollar surged and bitcoin hit a record high Wednesday while equity markets advanced as traders bet on a victory for Donald Trump as early results for the US presidential election rolled in. While polls have shown the race for the White House on a knife-edge, the Republican appeared to be faring better than his Democratic opponent and Vice President Kamala Harris in early projections. Both candidates have picked up expected wins in safe states, but indications that the business tycoon was edging it boosted the so-called Trump Trade. Signs that the former president's party was notching up better results in Congressional races boosted the prospect of sweeping tax cuts, more tariffs and deregulation -- seen as a boost for the greenback. The dollar jumped 1.5 percent to 154.33 yen, its highest since July, while it was also up more than one percent against the euro and more than two percent against the Mexican peso. Bitcoin piled almost $6,000 higher to a record $75,005.06, topping its previous peak of $73,797.98 hit in March. Trump pledged during the campaign to make the United States "the world capital of bitcoin and cryptocurrencies". While the key swing states were too close to project, early tallies suggested Trump was ahead in Georgia, while traders were keeping a close eye on other incoming results. (AFP)

Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris and Republican former president Donald Trump are battling it out for the White House, with polls gradually closing across the United States Tuesday and a long night of waiting for results expected. Tallies are tumbling in, with US media projecting wins for Trump so far in 20 states including big prizes Texas and Ohio, and other reliably Republican-leaning states. Harris has so far captured eight states -- Colorado, Delaware, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont -- as well as the US capital Washington. So far, that gives Trump 201 electoral votes and Harris 91. The magic number to win the presidency is 270. Observers expect the hotly contested race for the White House to come down to a handful of key battleground states. The following is a list of the states won by each candidate and the corresponding number of electoral votes, based on the projections of US media including CNN, Fox News, MSNBC/NBC News, ABC and CBS.

HARRIS (91) - Colorado (10) Delaware (3) District of Columbia (3) Illinois (19) Maryland (10) Massachusetts (11) New York (28) Rhode Island (4) Vermont (3)

TRUMP (201) - Alabama (9) Arkansas (6) Florida (30) Indiana (11) Kansas (6) Kentucky (8) Louisiana (8) Mississippi (6) Missouri (10) Montana (4) North Dakota (3) Ohio (17) Oklahoma (7) South Carolina (9) South Dakota (3) Tennessee (11) Texas (40) Utah (6) West Virginia (4) Wyoming (3). (AFP)

Bomb threats targeted dozens of polling places in battleground states Georgia and Pennsylvania during voting on Tuesday, with the FBI reporting similar hoaxes in "multiple" US states. The 2024 US presidential campaign has been a particularly volatile one, and security for Election Day has been ramped up given concerns over possible civil unrest, election chicanery and violence against poll workers. None of the threats in areas around Georgia's biggest city Atlanta appeared to be credible, but some caused voting sites to briefly suspend operations while authorities checked for explosives. "The FBI is aware of bomb threats to polling locations in several states, many of which appear to originate from Russian email domains," spokeswoman Savannah Syms said in a statement. "None of the threats have been determined to be credible thus far," she added, urging the public to "remain vigilant." Georgia's Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said the state had identified Russia as the source of bomb threats, without elaborating. Thirty-two polling stations in Georgia's Fulton County -- which includes Atlanta -- were among those facing threats, County Police Chief Wade Yates told reporters. He added that five sites were briefly closed while authorities checked for explosives, but found nothing. Another five sites in Democratic stronghold DeKalb County saw voting disrupted. "We are the descendants of, the sons and daughters of people who faced lynch mobs, water cannon... to exercise the right to vote. And so we aren't going to let bomb threats turn us around," Mayor Kobi of South Fulton told AFP. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro told reporters that multiple bomb threats were called in to polling sites and public buildings across the state, but none appeared to be credible.
(AFP)

Kamala Harris won Colorado on Tuesday, picking up the state's 10 electoral votes. Colorado was once a purple state, flipping between Democratic and Republican presidential candidates, but it has shifted blue in the past two decades. The last Republican presidential candidate to snag Colorado's electoral votes was George W. Bush in 2004. Since then, it's backed Democratic presidential candidates, with Joe Biden winning it handily in 2020. Colorado gained its 10th electoral vote after the 2020 census, attributed to population growth around Denver. (AP)

Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris and Republican former president Donald Trump are battling it out for the White House, with polls gradually closing across the United States Tuesday and a long night of waiting for results expected. Results are tumbling in, with US media projecting wins for Trump so far in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, West Virginia and Wyoming. Harris has so far captured Delaware, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont and the US capital Washington, DC. So far, that gives Harris 81 electoral votes and Trump 168. The magic number to win the presidency is 270. Observers expect the hotly contested race for the White House to come down to a handful of key battleground states. The following is a list of the states won by each candidate and the corresponding number of electoral votes, based on the projections of US media including CNN, Fox News, MSNBC/NBC News, ABC and CBS.

HARRIS (81) - Delaware (3) District of Columbia (3) Illinois (19) Maryland (10) Massachusetts (11) New York (28) Rhode Island (4) Vermont (3)

TRUMP (168) - Alabama (9) Arkansas (6) Florida (30) Indiana (11) Kentucky (8) Louisiana (8) Mississippi (6) Missouri (10) North Dakota (3) Oklahoma (7) South Carolina (9) South Dakota (3) Tennessee (11) Texas (40) West Virginia (4) Wyoming (3)

(AFP)

Florida voters Tuesday rejected creating a constitutional right to abortion, a political win for Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis that will keep in place the state's ban on most abortions after the first six weeks of pregnancy.

It's the first ballot measure victory for abortion opponents in any state since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, a decision that ended the nationwide right to abortion and opened the door to bans in most GOP-controlled states, protections in Democrat-dominated ones and new political and legal battles across the country.

The Florida measure failed to clear the required 60% voter approval threshold to pass constitutional amendments in Florida. Most states require a simple majority.

The defeat makes permanent a shift in the Southern abortion landscape that began when the state's six-week ban took effect in May. That removed Florida as a destination for abortion for many women from nearby states with deeper bans and also led to far more women from the state traveling to obtain abortion. The nearest states with looser restrictions are North Carolina and Virginia — hundreds of miles away.

Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the national anti-abortion group SBA Pro-Life America, said in a statement that the result is "a momentous victory for life in Florida and for our entire country," praising DeSantis for leading the charge against the measure. (AP)

A mostly smooth Election Day nationwide was marred in multiple battleground states Tuesday by a series of bomb threats and baseless claims of wrongdoing by former President Donald Trump.

The bomb threats in parts of Arizona, Georgia and Pennsylvania turned out to be hoaxes but forced evacuations and some polling places to extend hours.

The threats were reported throughout the day at polling locations in three metro Atlanta counties, all with large numbers of Democratic voters, and into the evening at voting locations in Pennsylvania, forcing evacuations. Bomb threats also were reported at three voting locations in Navajo County, Arizona, according to the secretary of state’s office.

In an evening news conference, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro acknowledged there had been multiple bomb threats called in to voting locations across the state, but said thus far there is “no credible threat” to the public.

“Every legal, eligible vote will be counted and counted accurately, and the will of the people in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania will be respected," said Shapiro, a Democrat.

In a statement, the Pennsylvania State Police said they were working with local partners to respond if needed. Neither Shapiro nor the police gave more details about who might be behind the bomb threats or why Shapiro believed there was no threat to the public.

In Georgia's Fulton County, which includes Atlanta, 32 of 177 polling places received bomb threats and five were briefly evacuated. The FBI on Tuesday afternoon said it was aware of multiple hoax bomb threats to voting locations in several states and said many of them appeared to originate from Russian email domains.

“Georgia’s not gonna be intimidated,” Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said Tuesday. (AP)

Republican Donald Trump carried Ohio for a third time on Tuesday, defeating Democratic nominee Kamala Harris to capture the state's 17 electoral votes. Support for the former president helped turn Ohio from a presidential bellwether to reliably Republican in recent years. Ohio voters supported him by wide margins in 2016 and 2020, and they delivered for him again this year. No Republican has reached the White House without carrying Ohio. In 2020, Joe Biden became the first Democrat to win the presidency without winning Ohio since John F. Kennedy in 1960. (AP)

U.S. Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester defeated Republican Eric Hansen in Delaware's U.S. Senate race on Tuesday.

Blunt Rochester will become the first woman and first Black person to represent Delaware in the Senate. Only three other Black women have served in the Senate, two of them elected and one who was appointed.

Rochester was considered a virtual shoo-in for the Senate against businessman Hansen, a political newcomer. Democrats hold a significant voter registration advantage over Republicans in solid-blue Delaware, which last sent a Republican to Washington in 2008.

Rochester raised some $8 million for her Senate campaign, while Hansen's campaign receipts totalled only about $1 million, including more than $800,000 in loans he made to his campaign.

Blunt Rochester will fill the seat left vacant by fellow Democrat Tom Carper, who handpicked her as his preferred successor when he announced his retirement last year. Blunt Rochester once interned for Carper when he was in the House and also served in his cabinet when he was governor.

Blunt Rochester has served four terms at Delaware's lone representative in the House.

According to the Congressional Record, she has sponsored 90 bills and seven resolutions during her House tenure, many aimed at improving or expanding access to health care, especially for women and minorities. The only measure sponsored by Blunt Rochester to become law is a resolution naming a Wilmington post office in honour of Mary Ann Shadd Cary, a 19th-century anti-slavery activist and publisher.

Rochester began her political career as a case worker for Carper and served in appointed positions as Delaware's labour secretary, state personnel director and deputy secretary of Delaware's Department of Health and Social Services. She also has served as CEO of the Metropolitan Wilmington Urban League. (AP)

Vice President Kamala Harris won New Jersey's 14 electoral votes on Tuesday. Harris' victory over Republican Donald Trump continues Democrats' dominance in the state, which has gone with the Democratic candidate for president in every election since 1988. New Jersey Democrats have nearly 1 million more registered voters than Republicans. Trump has ties to New Jersey, including golf clubs across the state. He also operated casinos in the shore resort of Atlantic City, but they ended in bankruptcy. (AP)

Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris and Republican former president Donald Trump are battling it out for the White House, with polls gradually closing across the United States Tuesday and a long night of waiting for results expected. Initial results are coming in, with US media projecting wins for Trump so far in Alabama, Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia. Harris has so far captured Maryland, Massachusetts, Vermont and the US capital Washington, DC. So far, that gives Harris 27 electoral votes and Trump 99. The magic number to win the presidency is 270. Observers expect the hotly contested race for the White House to come down to a handful of key battleground states. The following is a list of the states won by each candidate and the corresponding number of electoral votes, based on the projections of US media including CNN, Fox News, MSNBC/NBC News, ABC and CBS.

HARRIS (27) - District of Columbia (3) Maryland (10) Massachusetts (11) Vermont (3)

TRUMP (99) - Alabama (9) Florida (30) Indiana (11) Kentucky (8) Missouri (10) Oklahoma (7) South Carolina (9) Tennessee (11) West Virginia (4)
(AFP)

The Electoral College is a 538-member body that elects a president. The framers of the Constitution set it up to give more power to the states and as a compromise to avoid having Congress decide the winner.

Each state's electors vote for the candidate who won the popular vote in that state. The runner-up gets nothing — except in Nebraska and Maine where elector votes are awarded based on congressional district and statewide results.

To win the presidency, a candidate must secure 270 electoral votes — a majority of the 538 possible votes.
Electors are allocated based on how many representatives a state has in the House of Representatives, plus its two senators.
After state election officials certify their elections, electors meet in their individual states — never as one body — to certify the election. This year, that will happen on Dec. 17.

If the two candidates have a tied number of votes, the election is thrown to the House, where each state's congressional delegation gets one vote. That has happened only twice, in 1801 and 1825.

Once a state's electors have certified the vote, they send a certificate to Congress. Congress then formally counts and certifies the vote at a special session on Jan. 6. The vice president presides as the envelopes for each state are opened and verified.(AP)

Republican Donald Trump won the presidential election in Indiana on Tuesday. The reliably conservative state, where Republicans have held the governor's office for 20 years, gave Trump its 11 electoral votes over Democrat Kamala Harris. Indiana has been favorable toward Trump in his three races for the White House. In 2016, the year he won the presidency, and again in 2020, Trump took 57% of the Hoosier state vote. (AP)

Independent Bernie Sanders won reelection to a fourth term in the U.S. Senate representing Vermont on Tuesday. The 83-year-old liberal icon has said that American democracy is in question, and the 2024 election in many ways will be the most consequential in our lifetime. He sought the Democratic presidential nomination in 2016 and 2020 and this year has endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris, after President Joe Biden dropped his reelection bid. (AP)

Kamala Harris won the Democratic stronghold of Vermont on Tuesday. The small state has voted in favor of Democratic candidates in the previous eight presidential elections. Vermont Gov. Phil Scott, a Republican, has been a critic of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and voted for Democrat Joe Biden in the 2020 election.(AP)

Former President Donald Trump won Kentucky for the third consecutive election on Tuesday, adding eight electoral votes to his tally. The Republican nominee for president has won Kentucky in every election since Democrat Bill Clinton carried the Bluegrass State in 1996. Kentucky's most powerful Republican, Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell, once called Trump "morally responsible" for the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack. But in a remarkable turnaround, McConnell endorsed Trump's bid to return to the White House. During Trump's term, the two worked together to pass a tax cuts package and to put three conservative justices on the Supreme Court. (AP)