An ABC News poll shows Clinton has 50 per cent of the vote to Trump's 38 per cent, a lead of 12 points

Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton has stretched her lead to 12 points over her rival Donald Trump in the race for the White House, according to a new poll released on Sunday. The poll result, which comes a little over two weeks before the US goes to vote on November 8, is evidence of the damage done to the Trump campaign following a litany of allegations of sexual misconduct or inappropriate behaviour made by eleven women in recent days. The ABC News poll shows Clinton has 50 per cent of the vote to Trump's 38 per cent, a lead of 12 points, just ten days after an ABC News/Washington Post poll showed the lead to be a mere four points. While Trump enjoys a 47 to 43 per cent lead among white Americans, his rival has a healthy lead of 20 points among women and a 32 per cent lead among college-going women. We are behind: Trump campaign The poll result came hours before Trump's team for the first time admitted that they were "behind" in the presidential race. Trump's campaign director Kellyanne Conway made the admission on Sunday, but insisted that they would fight on till the very end. Conway also spelled out Trump's plans to fight back against the current wave of unpopularity. She said Trump will put in more resources in states that are considered to be crucial to winning the election. Trump plans to hold up to three rallies and other such events in these states which include Florida, Ohio, Nevada, Iowa and North Carolina. Between Sunday and Tuesday, Trump is scheduled to hold five rallies in Florida. Trump has also tried to woo voters by promising to create 25 million jobs and slash taxes for middle-class Americans. An optimistic Team Clinton Team Clinton, on the other hand, is hoping for a landslide win. But they also sounded cautious. "We're not taking anything for granted at all," campaign manager Robby Mook told Fox News on Sunday, adding: "This is not over yet." Mook also said early voting trends in some states indicate that they have an upper hand at the moment. "We feel very, very good about what we've seen so far...And we're encouraged also by who is turning out," Mook said. (WION with inputs from AFP)

US election: Clinton lead over Trump now in double digits

Melania Trump rose to her husband&#39;s defence on Monday, describing lewd comments the Republican presidential nominee made on a leaked 2005 video in which he bragged about groping women as &quot;boy talk.&quot;

Trump, who has kept a low profile during her husband&#39;s presidential campaign, gave her first television interview&nbsp;since the October 7 release of the tape that has shaken Donald Trump&#39;s campaign ahead of the November 8 election.

She told CNN her husband was engaged in &quot;boy talk, and he was led on - like, egged on - from the host to say dirty and bad stuff&quot; in the conversation with &quot;Access Hollywood&quot; host Billy Bush.

She added in a CNN interview that aired on Monday night that she was surprised because she had never heard her husband use that kind of language before.

&quot;No. No, that&#39;s why I was surprised, because I said like I don&#39;t know that person that would talk that way, and that he would say that kind of stuff in private,&quot; Melania Trump said.

In partial transcripts from a separate interview with Fox News, she said she had forgiven her husband for the comments in the tape, which was first published by the Washington Post.

&quot;Those words, they were offensive to me and they were inappropriate. &nbsp;And he apologised to me. And I ... accept his apology. &nbsp;And we are moving on.&rdquo;

They were her first public comments since a statement she issued after the tape&#39;s publication in which she said: &quot;The words my husband used are unacceptable and offensive to me. This does not represent the man that I know. I hope people will accept his apology, as I have.&quot;

Melania Trump told Fox News that her husband, a New York businessman and former reality television star, was committed to running for office even though it was difficult because he had been &quot;in so many shows, so many tapes&quot; over the years.

The RealClearPolitics average of national opinion polls shows his Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton, currently leading Trump by 6.9 percentage points, at 45.9 per cent to 39 per cent.

Asked if it was fair for the media or her husband to bring up charges of infidelity in former President Bill Clinton&#39;s past, Melania Trump told Fox News: &quot;Well, if they bring up my past, why not?&rdquo;

After Trump denied during a debate with Clinton on October 9 that he had actually done the things he bragged about in the tape, a number of women accused him of groping and kissing them without permission in incidents stretching back decades. He has denied the charges.

Asked about those accusations, Melania Trump told Fox News: &ldquo;All these women are coming out and they are allegations but they are not true. Why now? Why three weeks before the election?&rdquo;

(Reuters)

Melania Trump told CNN she had never heard her husband talk like that and has forgiven him after he apologised

Melania Trump rose to her husband's defence on Monday, describing lewd comments the Republican presidential nominee made on a leaked 2005 video in which he bragged about groping women as "boy talk." Trump, who has kept a low profile during her husband's presidential campaign, gave her first television interview since the October 7 release of the tape that has shaken Donald Trump's campaign ahead of the November 8 election. She told CNN her husband was engaged in "boy talk, and he was led on - like, egged on - from the host to say dirty and bad stuff" in the conversation with "Access Hollywood" host Billy Bush. She added in a CNN interview that aired on Monday night that she was surprised because she had never heard her husband use that kind of language before. "No. No, that's why I was surprised, because I said like I don't know that person that would talk that way, and that he would say that kind of stuff in private," Melania Trump said. In partial transcripts from a separate interview with Fox News, she said she had forgiven her husband for the comments in the tape, which was first published by the Washington Post. "Those words, they were offensive to me and they were inappropriate. And he apologised to me. And I ... accept his apology. And we are moving on.” They were her first public comments since a statement she issued after the tape's publication in which she said: "The words my husband used are unacceptable and offensive to me. This does not represent the man that I know. I hope people will accept his apology, as I have." Melania Trump told Fox News that her husband, a New York businessman and former reality television star, was committed to running for office even though it was difficult because he had been "in so many shows, so many tapes" over the years. The RealClearPolitics average of national opinion polls shows his Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton, currently leading Trump by 6.9 percentage points, at 45.9 per cent to 39 per cent. Asked if it was fair for the media or her husband to bring up charges of infidelity in former President Bill Clinton's past, Melania Trump told Fox News: "Well, if they bring up my past, why not?” After Trump denied during a debate with Clinton on October 9 that he had actually done the things he bragged about in the tape, a number of women accused him of groping and kissing them without permission in incidents stretching back decades. He has denied the charges. Asked about those accusations, Melania Trump told Fox News: “All these women are coming out and they are allegations but they are not true. Why now? Why three weeks before the election?” (Reuters)

Melania Trump calls taped comments by Donald Trump 'boy talk'

United States presidential nominee Donald Trump insinuated that his rival Hillary Clinton was on drugs during the second head-to-head&nbsp;debate last Sunday.

Trump called for drug-testing ahead of the final television debate in Las Vegas on Wednesday, saying: &quot;Athletes, they make them take a drug test. I think we should take a drug test prior to the debate. Why don&#39;t we do that?&quot;

Making his latest attack on Clinton, the 70-year-old Republican nominee during a rally in New Hampshire said: &quot;At the beginning of her last debate, she was all pumped up at the beginning. At the end, it was like, &#39;Take me down,&#39; she could barely reach her car.&quot;

These comments mark the&nbsp;latest&nbsp;in a litany of unsubstantiated personal attacks against Clinton. Days after Clinton was down with a bout of pneumonia, Trump had&nbsp;questioned if his rival was medically fit to be the next president of the US.

The US billionaire also felt that the election has been &quot;rigged&quot; by the &quot;corrupt media&quot; to favour his rival. He also attacked the &quot;global elite&quot; of trying its best to beat him.

&quot;The election is being rigged by corrupt media pushing completely false allegations and outright lies in an effort to elect her president,&quot; he said.&nbsp;

Trump has been under increasing pressure after ten women accused him of molesting them. &quot;Nothing ever happened with any of these women. Totally made up nonsense to steal the election. Nobody has more respect for women than me!&quot; he responded on Twitter.

Trump was also heard making derogatory comments about Arianne Zucker during a 2005 shoot. He later apologised for his sexist comments.

But the recent scandals have hardly put a dent in his support. An ABC News/Washington Post poll out Sunday shows Clinton leading&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;47-43&nbsp;percent among likely voters, which is&nbsp;a small change from 46-44 in a survey taken ahead of the first presidential debate.

(WION with inputs from Reuters)

The US presidential candidate also blamed 'corrupt media' for pulling out all stops to help his rival win

United States presidential nominee Donald Trump insinuated that his rival Hillary Clinton was on drugs during the second head-to-head debate last Sunday. Trump called for drug-testing ahead of the final television debate in Las Vegas on Wednesday, saying: "Athletes, they make them take a drug test. I think we should take a drug test prior to the debate. Why don't we do that?" Making his latest attack on Clinton, the 70-year-old Republican nominee during a rally in New Hampshire said: "At the beginning of her last debate, she was all pumped up at the beginning. At the end, it was like, 'Take me down,' she could barely reach her car." These comments mark the latest in a litany of unsubstantiated personal attacks against Clinton. Days after Clinton was down with a bout of pneumonia, Trump had questioned if his rival was medically fit to be the next president of the US. The US billionaire also felt that the election has been "rigged" by the "corrupt media" to favour his rival. He also attacked the "global elite" of trying its best to beat him. "The election is being rigged by corrupt media pushing completely false allegations and outright lies in an effort to elect her president," he said. Trump has been under increasing pressure after ten women accused him of molesting them. "Nothing ever happened with any of these women. Totally made up nonsense to steal the election. Nobody has more respect for women than me!" he responded on Twitter. Trump was also heard making derogatory comments about Arianne Zucker during a 2005 shoot. He later apologised for his sexist comments. But the recent scandals have hardly put a dent in his support. An ABC News/Washington Post poll out Sunday shows Clinton leading Trump 47-43 percent among likely voters, which is a small change from 46-44 in a survey taken ahead of the first presidential debate. (WION with inputs from Reuters)

US election: Trump says Clinton was on drugs during second presidential debate

Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump came out swinging in a crunch US presidential debate today, with the Republican and Democrat aggressively pitching their case to tens of millions of viewers. 
 
Clinton hit her rival as coming from a &quot;very fortunate&quot; background and called on voters to judge them both on the basis of &quot;who can shoulder the immense, awesome responsibilities of the presidency.&quot; 
 
Trump ditched his red power tie for a more statesmanlike blue and took on a restrained tone, but reprised the themes that have catalysed his improbable campaign, insisting jobs were being lost to Mexico and China. 
 
&quot;We have to renegotiate our trade deals and we have to stop these countries from stealing our companies and our jobs,&quot; he said, saying Clinton had decades without making lives better for ordinary Americans. 
 
Clinton hit back, accusing Trump&#39;s economic platform of amounting to &quot;the most extreme&quot; package of tax cuts for the wealthy in US history.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;I call it trumped up trickle-down, because that&#39;s exactly what it would be,&quot; she quipped. 
 
This first 2016 presidential debate could be pivotal in deciding whether Clinton will become the first woman president, or if Trump can pull off the greatest upset in US political history. 
 
When the celebrity businessman launched his campaign in June 2015, bookmakers put his odds at 100/1 and he was roundly mocked.&nbsp; 
 
But the 70-year-old weathered allegations of bigotry and sexism to triumph in a vicious Republican primary campaign. 
 
He now has a real shot at being sworn in as the 45th president of the United States on January 20. 
 
Six weeks out from election day the polls have tightened to a virtual dead heat. 
 
Clinton, &nbsp;the 68-year-old former secretary of state, first lady and US senator, is perhaps the most qualified presidential candidate since George Bush senior, Dwight Eisenhower or Ulysses Grant. 
 
She has a massive organisational advantage, a bigger campaign warchest, a lead in the popular vote and is in a notably stronger position state-by-state. 
 
But she remains deeply unpopular. In a country split 50/50 between Democrats and Republicans, only 40 per cent of voters say they have a favorable view of her. 
 
Polling group Gallup reports that 69 per cent of US adults are sure they will vote, down from 76 per cent in 2012. 
 
In the last two presidential elections, young, black, Hispanic and Asian-American voters turned out in record numbers for Barack Obama. 
 
Clinton&#39;s campaign has struggled so far to match that level of enthusiasm. 
 
Only 47 per cent of voters aged 18 to 34 say they will definitely vote this time round, that is down from 74 per cent when Obama was first elected. 
 
This Super Bowl of politics is taking place at Hofstra University on Long Island, a mere 60-minute drive from Manhattan and chaired by NBC Nightly News anchor Lester Holt. 
 
The questions will revolve around three themes: &quot;America`s direction, achieving prosperity, and securing America.&quot; 
 
Watching from the venue were Melania Trump and Bill Clinton, two spouses who have made their impact felt on during the campaign.Monday`s target will be the estimated nine per cent of American voters who are still undecided. Can the Democrat win their minds, if not their hearts? Can Trump persuade them that he has the gravitas to lead? 
 
If Trump remains disciplined and focuses on issues, he could earn credibility among college-educated whites. 
 
Clinton will no doubt aim to seize on Trump`s toxic campaign trail rhetoric, using his words to paint her rival as a divisive demagogue. 
 
But she may struggle to meet expectations. A Quinnipiac poll found that voters expect Clinton to win the debate 41 to 32 per cent, and that 84 per cent said they intend to watch. 
 
Clinton&#39;s campaign has expressed concerns of being held to a double standard, saying the bar is higher for her while Trump stood to win praise for a merely adequate performance. 
 
Usually first presidential debates expose a candidate to a public beyond their home state or the Washington political bubble. But like much else in the 2016 race, that is not the case this year. 
 
The names of both candidates were recognised by almost 100 per cent of the adult population, even before the debate. 
 
(AFP)&nbsp;

Usually first presidential debates expose a candidate to a public beyond their home state or the Washington political bubble

Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump came out swinging in a crunch US presidential debate today, with the Republican and Democrat aggressively pitching their case to tens of millions of viewers. Clinton hit her rival as coming from a "very fortunate" background and called on voters to judge them both on the basis of "who can shoulder the immense, awesome responsibilities of the presidency." Trump ditched his red power tie for a more statesmanlike blue and took on a restrained tone, but reprised the themes that have catalysed his improbable campaign, insisting jobs were being lost to Mexico and China. "We have to renegotiate our trade deals and we have to stop these countries from stealing our companies and our jobs," he said, saying Clinton had decades without making lives better for ordinary Americans. Clinton hit back, accusing Trump's economic platform of amounting to "the most extreme" package of tax cuts for the wealthy in US history. "I call it trumped up trickle-down, because that's exactly what it would be," she quipped. This first 2016 presidential debate could be pivotal in deciding whether Clinton will become the first woman president, or if Trump can pull off the greatest upset in US political history. When the celebrity businessman launched his campaign in June 2015, bookmakers put his odds at 100/1 and he was roundly mocked. But the 70-year-old weathered allegations of bigotry and sexism to triumph in a vicious Republican primary campaign. He now has a real shot at being sworn in as the 45th president of the United States on January 20. Six weeks out from election day the polls have tightened to a virtual dead heat. Clinton, the 68-year-old former secretary of state, first lady and US senator, is perhaps the most qualified presidential candidate since George Bush senior, Dwight Eisenhower or Ulysses Grant. She has a massive organisational advantage, a bigger campaign warchest, a lead in the popular vote and is in a notably stronger position state-by-state. But she remains deeply unpopular. In a country split 50/50 between Democrats and Republicans, only 40 per cent of voters say they have a favorable view of her. Polling group Gallup reports that 69 per cent of US adults are sure they will vote, down from 76 per cent in 2012. In the last two presidential elections, young, black, Hispanic and Asian-American voters turned out in record numbers for Barack Obama. Clinton's campaign has struggled so far to match that level of enthusiasm. Only 47 per cent of voters aged 18 to 34 say they will definitely vote this time round, that is down from 74 per cent when Obama was first elected. This Super Bowl of politics is taking place at Hofstra University on Long Island, a mere 60-minute drive from Manhattan and chaired by NBC Nightly News anchor Lester Holt. The questions will revolve around three themes: "America`s direction, achieving prosperity, and securing America." Watching from the venue were Melania Trump and Bill Clinton, two spouses who have made their impact felt on during the campaign.Monday`s target will be the estimated nine per cent of American voters who are still undecided. Can the Democrat win their minds, if not their hearts? Can Trump persuade them that he has the gravitas to lead? If Trump remains disciplined and focuses on issues, he could earn credibility among college-educated whites. Clinton will no doubt aim to seize on Trump`s toxic campaign trail rhetoric, using his words to paint her rival as a divisive demagogue. But she may struggle to meet expectations. A Quinnipiac poll found that voters expect Clinton to win the debate 41 to 32 per cent, and that 84 per cent said they intend to watch. Clinton's campaign has expressed concerns of being held to a double standard, saying the bar is higher for her while Trump stood to win praise for a merely adequate performance. Usually first presidential debates expose a candidate to a public beyond their home state or the Washington political bubble. But like much else in the 2016 race, that is not the case this year. The names of both candidates were recognised by almost 100 per cent of the adult population, even before the debate. (AFP)

US presidential debate showdown: Clinton, Trump spar over economy

Early this week, Donald Trump Junior, who is a close political adviser to his father, issued a tweet comparing Syrian refugees to poisoned candies: 
&nbsp;

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
This image says it all. Let&#39;s end the politically correct agenda that doesn&#39;t put America first. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/trump2016?src=hash">#trump2016</a> <a href="https://t.co/9fHwog7ssN">pic.twitter.com/9fHwog7ssN</a>
&mdash; Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) <a href="https://twitter.com/DonaldJTrumpJr/status/778016283342307328">September 19, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

The tweet, bearing Trump&#39;s official campaign logo, was criticised for several reasons. One, <a href="http://object.cato.org/sites/cato.org/files/pubs/pdf/pa798_1_1.pdf">the Cato Institute</a> calculated the odds of an American being killed by a refugee to be one in 640,000,000, not three in however many skittles there are in the above bowl. Two, the analogy is logically flawed: leaving uneaten Skittles in a bowl poses no ethical or moral dilemma, which isn&#39;t comparable to neglecting the lives of human beings fleeing war. 
 
Wrigley&#39;s, Skittles&#39; parent company, having been dragged into this affair made an official statement&nbsp;reaching the same conclusion: &quot;Skittles are candy. Refugees are people. We don&#39;t feel it&#39;s an appropriate analogy. We will respectively refrain from further commentary, as anything we say could be misinterpreted as marketing.&quot; 
 
Trump&#39;s tweet was also <a href="http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/09/21/494854951/donald-trump-jr-used-skittles-photo-without-permission-from-former-refugee">copyright infringement</a>, as the picture was taken without permission. The rightful owner of the picture is especially angry it was used by the Trump campaign this way, as at 6-years-old he himself was a refugee fleeing Cyprus following the Turkish invasion. 
 
In addition to being grossly misleading, xenophobic, logically flawed and theft, the tweet also has a racist connection. Skittles carry very loaded associations for the alt-right&mdash;an unofficial assembly of far-right wingers characterised by heavy misogyny, racism and white supremacy&mdash;because of the symbol it became during and after the murder trial of George Zimmerman.&nbsp; 
 
Trayvon Martin was carrying Skittles when George Zimmerman killed him in 2012. This was a very high-profile case in North America. Martin was an African American 17-year-old high school student. Zimmerman was the neighbourhood watch coordinator of a gated community in Florida, an American state with Stand Your Ground laws, meaning it is legal to protect yourself from threats or&nbsp;perceived&nbsp;threats. Zimmerman was ultimately acquitted by a jury after only about a month.&nbsp; 
 
Skittles&nbsp;became a symbol of injustice to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/shortcuts/2013/jul/15/skittles-trayvon-martin-zimmerman-acquittal">Martin&#39;s supporters</a>, and was used in memes by <a href="http://www.quickmeme.com/meme/3okg2c">Zimmerman&#39;s supporters</a>, who incorporated the candy in jokes mocking the dead teenager.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Hillary is obsessed with a cartoon frog and her voters are angrier about a picture of Skittles than people getting bombed. 
 
Victory is near! <a href="https://t.co/qiAiGWNqMd">pic.twitter.com/qiAiGWNqMd</a>
&mdash; Vendetta Vidame (@Vendetta92429) <a href="https://twitter.com/Vendetta92429/status/778086672353234944">September 20, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

&nbsp;

 
Given how many times the Trump campaign has appealed to the alt-right or echoed their racist memes (this<a href="http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2015/nov/23/donald-trump/trump-tweet-blacks-white-homicide-victims/"> racist and bogus crime stat </a>retweeted from a white supremacist account; Hillary Clinton with a <a href="http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/article/2016/jul/05/donald-trumps-star-david-tweet-recap/">Jewish star of David</a>&nbsp;beside dollars and &quot;corruption&quot;;&nbsp;<a href="http://www.vox.com/2016/9/21/12893656/pepe-frog-donald-trump">Pepe the frog</a>...), it is hard to imagine that the allusion to skittles is an accident or coincidence. More likely, the campaign is issuing another dog whistle&mdash;a kind of covert tip of the hat, or a thumbs up&mdash;to the kind of Trump supporters who joke about dead African American teenagers. 
 
&nbsp;(WION)

&nbsp;

The message wasn't just xenophobic and fallacious, Skittles was a loaded symbol of racial injustice after the George Zimmerman murder trial

Early this week, Donald Trump Junior, who is a close political adviser to his father, issued a tweet comparing Syrian refugees to poisoned candies: This image says it all. Let's end the politically correct agenda that doesn't put America first. #trump2016 pic.twitter.com/9fHwog7ssN — Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) September 19, 2016 The tweet, bearing Trump's official campaign logo, was criticised for several reasons. One, the Cato Institute calculated the odds of an American being killed by a refugee to be one in 640,000,000, not three in however many skittles there are in the above bowl. Two, the analogy is logically flawed: leaving uneaten Skittles in a bowl poses no ethical or moral dilemma, which isn't comparable to neglecting the lives of human beings fleeing war. Wrigley's, Skittles' parent company, having been dragged into this affair made an official statement reaching the same conclusion: "Skittles are candy. Refugees are people. We don't feel it's an appropriate analogy. We will respectively refrain from further commentary, as anything we say could be misinterpreted as marketing." Trump's tweet was also copyright infringement, as the picture was taken without permission. The rightful owner of the picture is especially angry it was used by the Trump campaign this way, as at 6-years-old he himself was a refugee fleeing Cyprus following the Turkish invasion. In addition to being grossly misleading, xenophobic, logically flawed and theft, the tweet also has a racist connection. Skittles carry very loaded associations for the alt-right—an unofficial assembly of far-right wingers characterised by heavy misogyny, racism and white supremacy—because of the symbol it became during and after the murder trial of George Zimmerman. Trayvon Martin was carrying Skittles when George Zimmerman killed him in 2012. This was a very high-profile case in North America. Martin was an African American 17-year-old high school student. Zimmerman was the neighbourhood watch coordinator of a gated community in Florida, an American state with Stand Your Ground laws, meaning it is legal to protect yourself from threats or perceived threats. Zimmerman was ultimately acquitted by a jury after only about a month. Skittles became a symbol of injustice to Martin's supporters, and was used in memes by Zimmerman's supporters, who incorporated the candy in jokes mocking the dead teenager. Hillary is obsessed with a cartoon frog and her voters are angrier about a picture of Skittles than people getting bombed. Victory is near! pic.twitter.com/qiAiGWNqMd — Vendetta Vidame (@Vendetta92429) September 20, 2016 Given how many times the Trump campaign has appealed to the alt-right or echoed their racist memes (this racist and bogus crime stat retweeted from a white supremacist account; Hillary Clinton with a Jewish star of David beside dollars and "corruption"; Pepe the frog...), it is hard to imagine that the allusion to skittles is an accident or coincidence. More likely, the campaign is issuing another dog whistle—a kind of covert tip of the hat, or a thumbs up—to the kind of Trump supporters who joke about dead African American teenagers. (WION)

The racist subtext of Donald Trump Jr's Skittles tweet

US senator and Donald Trump&#39;s arch rival Ted Cruz said on Friday he would vote for the Republican presidential nomiee in the upcoming elections. 
 
&quot;After many months of careful consideration, of prayer and searching my own conscience, I have decided that on Election Day, I will vote for the Republican nominee, Donald Trump,&quot; he posted on Facebook. 
 
&quot;A year ago, I pledged to endorse the Republican nominee, and I am honoring that commitment,&quot; he added. &quot;And if you don&#39;t want to see a Hillary Clinton presidency, I encourage you to vote for him.&quot; 
 
The Texas senator had earlier this year backed off from the presidential race to hand Trump the chance to take on Hillary Clinton, the Democratic presidental nominee. 
 
According to media reports, Cruz&#39;s backing may help Trump garner support from rest of the Republicans who were hesitant to support for him.&nbsp; 
 
However, during their initial battle there was much mudslinging between the two, with Trump body-shaming Cruz&#39;s wife Heidi by mocking her physical appearence. He also alledged Cruz&#39;s father had connections with President John F. Kennedy&#39;s murderer.&nbsp; 
 
Cruz hit back by calling him a &quot;pathological liar&quot;.&nbsp; 
 
On Friday, Trump said he was grateful for the endorsement.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;We have fought the battle and he was a tough and brilliant opponent and I look forward to working with him for many years to come in order to make America great again,&quot; Trump said, AFP reported.&nbsp; 
 
According to Reuters, Cruz&#39;s support for Trump comes from the fear of Democrats taking control of the US Supreme Court.&nbsp; 
 
(WION with inputs from agencies) 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
&nbsp;

Cruz urged voters to vote for Trump if they do not want to see Hillary Clinton as president

US senator and Donald Trump's arch rival Ted Cruz said on Friday he would vote for the Republican presidential nomiee in the upcoming elections. "After many months of careful consideration, of prayer and searching my own conscience, I have decided that on Election Day, I will vote for the Republican nominee, Donald Trump," he posted on Facebook. "A year ago, I pledged to endorse the Republican nominee, and I am honoring that commitment," he added. "And if you don't want to see a Hillary Clinton presidency, I encourage you to vote for him." The Texas senator had earlier this year backed off from the presidential race to hand Trump the chance to take on Hillary Clinton, the Democratic presidental nominee. According to media reports, Cruz's backing may help Trump garner support from rest of the Republicans who were hesitant to support for him. However, during their initial battle there was much mudslinging between the two, with Trump body-shaming Cruz's wife Heidi by mocking her physical appearence. He also alledged Cruz's father had connections with President John F. Kennedy's murderer. Cruz hit back by calling him a "pathological liar". On Friday, Trump said he was grateful for the endorsement. "We have fought the battle and he was a tough and brilliant opponent and I look forward to working with him for many years to come in order to make America great again," Trump said, AFP reported. According to Reuters, Cruz's support for Trump comes from the fear of Democrats taking control of the US Supreme Court. (WION with inputs from agencies)

US election: Ted Cruz publicly endorses Donald Trump

Hillary Clinton wore&nbsp;a red trouser suit for the first 2016 US Presidential debate while Donald Trump appeared in a blue tie, which was an interesting colour reversal;&nbsp;red is usually associated with the Republicans and blue with the Democrats.&nbsp;

Mr Trump called Hillary &quot;Secretary Clinton&quot; during the&nbsp;debate, moderated by the anchor of NBC Nightly News Lester Holt and conducted at New York&#39;s Hoftsra university, while she called him &quot;Donald&quot;. But that was about as long as the cordiality lasted.&nbsp;

The exchange that came after was testy, with myriad interruptions and Mr Holt struggling to rein in the two nominees.&nbsp;

Shortly into the debate -- divided into three sections:&nbsp;achieving prosperity, America&#39;s direction, and securing America -- Mrs Clinton said Mr Trump&nbsp;began his career with a $14 million handout from his father. Trump responded by saying he had used the money to build a &quot;fantastic&quot; business empire, something that was worth a lot more today than the original sum. &nbsp;

The jabs became more frequent, a lot of them coming surprisingly from Clinton rather than from (considering his record) Trump.&nbsp;

There was a lot riding on this&nbsp;debate, with polls saying as many as 50 per cent&nbsp;of undecided voters would make up their minds about whom they would vote for&nbsp;depending on what they heard from the two candidates.&nbsp;

And in the end -- there are two more debates still to come, on October 9 and 19 -- the polls gave the first debate to Clinton.&nbsp;

A CNN/ORC poll said 62 per cent thought Clinton had won, while 27 per cent thought Trump had. And a poll by Public Policy Polling said 51 per cent thought Clinton had won, while 40 per cent gave it to&nbsp;Trump.

&nbsp;

Good beginning

The pundits said Mr Trump had begun well. And that he was &quot;effective&quot; when he said in the first section -- achieving prosperity -- that businesses, and jobs, were leaving America. (Trade and economy, the pundits said, were areas that Mr Trump felt strongly about. Mr Trump also talked about the enormity of America&#39;s national debt and how the country could no longer afford it.) &nbsp;

When manufacturers leave America but want to continue to sell their products in the country, Mr Trump said, he would tax those products. And, he added, he would work to stop those businesses from leaving in the first place.&nbsp;

Mr Trump said he would do so by slashing the corporate tax rate from 35 to 15 per cent, the biggest tax cut since Ronald Reagan&#39;s in 1981. And that would keep businesses in America and create thousands of jobs, he said.&nbsp;

That of course was a variant of the theory of&nbsp;trickle-down economics,&nbsp;and Mrs Clinton was quick to pounce on it, calling it &quot;trumped up trickle-down&quot;.&nbsp; 
She said her plan -- investment in small businesses because she said that&#39;s what creates new jobs -- had been vetted, unlike Trump&#39;s, and that it would create 10 million jobs&nbsp;while Mr Trump&#39;s would lead to the loss of 3.5 million jobs.&nbsp;

Some of that is misleading.&nbsp;

What the available data actually shows is that the American economy is expected to create 7.2 million jobs despite what Mrs Clinton, should she win, does. So it would be fairer to say Mrs Clinton&#39;s plan is expected to create about 3 million jobs while Mr Trump&#39;s is expected to cut 400,000 jobs.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Mistakes

Mr Trump got more riled as the debate went on, taking, the pundits said, &quot;the bait&quot; each time Mrs Clinton dangled it in front of him.&nbsp;

The mistakes that he made, they said, included his response to Mrs Clinton when she said he had cheered on the housing collapse of 2008 so that he could make money off the crash.&nbsp;

&quot;That&#39;s business,&quot; Mr Trump replied.&nbsp;

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Clinton criticised Trump for not releasing his tax returns and said that decision raised questions about whether he was as rich and charitable as he has claimed to be. (Reuters)
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&nbsp;

When she said he paid no federal income tax -- Mr Trump has still not released his tax returns -- he said &quot;that makes me smart&quot;. Mrs Clinton pounced on that too, saying he paid &quot;zero for troops, zero for schools, zero for health&quot;.&nbsp;

And that if he paid his taxes, there would be a lowering of the national debt.&nbsp;

Later, when Mr Trump was asked how we would improve race relations, he said &quot;law and order&quot;. That, the pundits said, was the wrong answer, especially in the current climate&nbsp;when there has&nbsp;been a high number of fatal shootings of African American men by police.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Tinkering with the truth

As might have been expected with Mr Trump, there was also some amount of tinkering with the truth.&nbsp;

He said it was Mrs Clinton who started the controversy over whether or not President&nbsp;Obama had been born in the United States, and that it occurred&nbsp;while they were contending the 2008 Democratic Presidential nomination. He also claimed&nbsp;that her then campaign manager, Patti Solis Doyle, had sent a reporter to Kenya looking for President&nbsp;Obama&#39;s birth certificate. (President&nbsp;Obama has a Kenyan father. He was born in Hawaii, he released his birth certificate in 2011.)&nbsp;

Ms Doyle was on television a few minutes later, refuting Mr Trump&#39;s claim.&nbsp;

Mr Trump also claimed he had not supported the invasion of Iraq, which is untrue.&nbsp;

(WION)

As expected there were staggering lies, interruptions, pre-scripted zingers and more. But Clinton won by letting Trump appear like himself

Hillary Clinton wore a red trouser suit for the first 2016 US Presidential debate while Donald Trump appeared in a blue tie, which was an interesting colour reversal; red is usually associated with the Republicans and blue with the Democrats. Mr Trump called Hillary "Secretary Clinton" during the debate, moderated by the anchor of NBC Nightly News Lester Holt and conducted at New York's Hoftsra university, while she called him "Donald". But that was about as long as the cordiality lasted. The exchange that came after was testy, with myriad interruptions and Mr Holt struggling to rein in the two nominees. Shortly into the debate -- divided into three sections: achieving prosperity, America's direction, and securing America -- Mrs Clinton said Mr Trump began his career with a $14 million handout from his father. Trump responded by saying he had used the money to build a "fantastic" business empire, something that was worth a lot more today than the original sum. The jabs became more frequent, a lot of them coming surprisingly from Clinton rather than from (considering his record) Trump. There was a lot riding on this debate, with polls saying as many as 50 per cent of undecided voters would make up their minds about whom they would vote for depending on what they heard from the two candidates. And in the end -- there are two more debates still to come, on October 9 and 19 -- the polls gave the first debate to Clinton. A CNN/ORC poll said 62 per cent thought Clinton had won, while 27 per cent thought Trump had. And a poll by Public Policy Polling said 51 per cent thought Clinton had won, while 40 per cent gave it to Trump. Good beginning The pundits said Mr Trump had begun well. And that he was "effective" when he said in the first section -- achieving prosperity -- that businesses, and jobs, were leaving America. (Trade and economy, the pundits said, were areas that Mr Trump felt strongly about. Mr Trump also talked about the enormity of America's national debt and how the country could no longer afford it.) When manufacturers leave America but want to continue to sell their products in the country, Mr Trump said, he would tax those products. And, he added, he would work to stop those businesses from leaving in the first place. Mr Trump said he would do so by slashing the corporate tax rate from 35 to 15 per cent, the biggest tax cut since Ronald Reagan's in 1981. And that would keep businesses in America and create thousands of jobs, he said. That of course was a variant of the theory of trickle-down economics, and Mrs Clinton was quick to pounce on it, calling it "trumped up trickle-down". She said her plan -- investment in small businesses because she said that's what creates new jobs -- had been vetted, unlike Trump's, and that it would create 10 million jobs while Mr Trump's would lead to the loss of 3.5 million jobs. Some of that is misleading. What the available data actually shows is that the American economy is expected to create 7.2 million jobs despite what Mrs Clinton, should she win, does. So it would be fairer to say Mrs Clinton's plan is expected to create about 3 million jobs while Mr Trump's is expected to cut 400,000 jobs. Mistakes Mr Trump got more riled as the debate went on, taking, the pundits said, "the bait" each time Mrs Clinton dangled it in front of him. The mistakes that he made, they said, included his response to Mrs Clinton when she said he had cheered on the housing collapse of 2008 so that he could make money off the crash. "That's business," Mr Trump replied. Clinton criticised Trump for not releasing his tax returns and said that decision raised questions about whether he was as rich and charitable as he has claimed to be. (Reuters) × When she said he paid no federal income tax -- Mr Trump has still not released his tax returns -- he said "that makes me smart". Mrs Clinton pounced on that too, saying he paid "zero for troops, zero for schools, zero for health". And that if he paid his taxes, there would be a lowering of the national debt. Later, when Mr Trump was asked how we would improve race relations, he said "law and order". That, the pundits said, was the wrong answer, especially in the current climate when there has been a high number of fatal shootings of African American men by police. Tinkering with the truth As might have been expected with Mr Trump, there was also some amount of tinkering with the truth. He said it was Mrs Clinton who started the controversy over whether or not President Obama had been born in the United States, and that it occurred while they were contending the 2008 Democratic Presidential nomination. He also claimed that her then campaign manager, Patti Solis Doyle, had sent a reporter to Kenya looking for President Obama's birth certificate. (President Obama has a Kenyan father. He was born in Hawaii, he released his birth certificate in 2011.) Ms Doyle was on television a few minutes later, refuting Mr Trump's claim. Mr Trump also claimed he had not supported the invasion of Iraq, which is untrue. (WION)

Clinton wins first US election debate: Polls

Donald Trump&#39;s eldest son sparked an online storm on Tuesday as he compared Syrian refugees to lethal candies reiterating his father&#39;s hardline stance on immigration.&nbsp; 
 
Donald Jr, who is one of the surrogates of Republican presidential candidate, posted a tweet on the microblogging website saying: &nbsp;&quot;This image says it all,&quot; The picture showed a white bowl filled with the popular, rainbow-colored Skittles candies. 
&nbsp;
<div class="twitter-block">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
This image says it all. Let&#39;s end the politically correct agenda that doesn&#39;t put America first. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/trump2016?src=hash">#trump2016</a> <a href="https://t.co/9fHwog7ssN">pic.twitter.com/9fHwog7ssN</a>
&mdash; Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) <a href="https://twitter.com/DonaldJTrumpJr/status/778016283342307328">September 19, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
 
Written above the image is: &quot;If I had a bowl of skittles and I told you just three would kill you, would you take a handful? That&#39;s our Syria refugee problem.&quot;&nbsp; 
 
&quot;It is too dangerous to welcome migrants when a tiny number of them could later launch attacks,&quot; &nbsp;he stressed.&nbsp; 
 
In a company statement, Wrigley, the maker of Skittles, criticised Trump Jr&#39;s tweet&nbsp; 
 
&quot;Skittles are candy. Refugees are people. We don&#39;t feel it&#39;s an appropriate analogy,&quot; the official statement read.&nbsp; 
 
The statement also triggered an online outrage as some users posted heart-wrenching pictures of Syrian refugees.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;
<div class="twitter-block">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Skittles. <a href="https://t.co/BdrBjQh2OR">pic.twitter.com/BdrBjQh2OR</a>
&mdash; Nish Weiseth (@NishWeiseth) <a href="https://twitter.com/NishWeiseth/status/778066919655997441">September 20, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
&nbsp;

<div class="twitter-block">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Remember when everyone thought the Trump kids were classy before they called refugee&#39;s skittles, walked out on media last week <a href="https://t.co/8fcgPFvkbM">https://t.co/8fcgPFvkbM</a>
&mdash; Barry Ybarra (@ybarry45) <a href="https://twitter.com/ybarry45/status/778464303804329985">September 21, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

<div class="twitter-block">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
I have an idea. Let&#39;s stop with analogies and address the problems head on. 
 
Enough trying to soften the blows of actual problems. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Skittles?src=hash">#Skittles</a>
&mdash; Mitsurugi Reiji (@MitsuReiji) <a href="https://twitter.com/MitsuReiji/status/778464650962743296">September 21, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

<div class="twitter-block">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<a href="https://twitter.com/SethAbramovitch">@SethAbramovitch</a> the fact they disowned that analogy tells you where <a href="https://twitter.com/Skittles">@Skittles</a> stands. Real far away from Mr Trump.
&mdash; Patchouli Woollahra (@PatchouliW) <a href="https://twitter.com/PatchouliW/status/778463659353776128">September 21, 2016</a> 
 
 
&nbsp;</blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
 
 
Meanwhile, Trump has repeatedly warned of the risks posed by Syrian refugees, citing the arrival in Europe of Islamic State operatives disguised as simple refugees.&nbsp; 
 
On Tuesday, the Republican candidate called them a dangerous &quot;Trojan horse&quot; who enter the country with the aim of doing harm, is inextricably linked to his meteoric political rise. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s just a plain fact that our current immigration system makes no real attempt to determine the views of the people entering our country. We have no idea who they are, what they think,&quot; he said in a speech at High Point University in North Carolina. 
 
The real estate tycoon also renounced the &quot;open borders&quot; that he said his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton advocated as secretary of state, blaming her for the rise of the Islamic State group. 
 
(WION with inputs from AFP)&nbsp;

'It is too dangerous to welcome migrants when a tiny number of them could later launch attacks,' Donald Jr said

Donald Trump's eldest son sparked an online storm on Tuesday as he compared Syrian refugees to lethal candies reiterating his father's hardline stance on immigration. Donald Jr, who is one of the surrogates of Republican presidential candidate, posted a tweet on the microblogging website saying: "This image says it all," The picture showed a white bowl filled with the popular, rainbow-colored Skittles candies. This image says it all. Let's end the politically correct agenda that doesn't put America first. #trump2016 pic.twitter.com/9fHwog7ssN — Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) September 19, 2016 Written above the image is: "If I had a bowl of skittles and I told you just three would kill you, would you take a handful? That's our Syria refugee problem." "It is too dangerous to welcome migrants when a tiny number of them could later launch attacks," he stressed. In a company statement, Wrigley, the maker of Skittles, criticised Trump Jr's tweet "Skittles are candy. Refugees are people. We don't feel it's an appropriate analogy," the official statement read. The statement also triggered an online outrage as some users posted heart-wrenching pictures of Syrian refugees. Skittles. pic.twitter.com/BdrBjQh2OR — Nish Weiseth (@NishWeiseth) September 20, 2016 Remember when everyone thought the Trump kids were classy before they called refugee's skittles, walked out on media last week https://t.co/8fcgPFvkbM — Barry Ybarra (@ybarry45) September 21, 2016 I have an idea. Let's stop with analogies and address the problems head on. Enough trying to soften the blows of actual problems. #Skittles — Mitsurugi Reiji (@MitsuReiji) September 21, 2016 @SethAbramovitch the fact they disowned that analogy tells you where @Skittles stands. Real far away from Mr Trump. — Patchouli Woollahra (@PatchouliW) September 21, 2016 Meanwhile, Trump has repeatedly warned of the risks posed by Syrian refugees, citing the arrival in Europe of Islamic State operatives disguised as simple refugees. On Tuesday, the Republican candidate called them a dangerous "Trojan horse" who enter the country with the aim of doing harm, is inextricably linked to his meteoric political rise. "It's just a plain fact that our current immigration system makes no real attempt to determine the views of the people entering our country. We have no idea who they are, what they think," he said in a speech at High Point University in North Carolina. The real estate tycoon also renounced the "open borders" that he said his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton advocated as secretary of state, blaming her for the rise of the Islamic State group. (WION with inputs from AFP)

Trump's son compares Syrian refugees to lethal candies, triggers online outrage

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump is not fit to be the next US commander-in-chief, according to outgoing president Barack Obama. 
 
The criticism comes a day after billionaire Trump said Russia&nbsp;President Vladimir Putin is a better leader than Obama. 
 
&quot;I don&#39;t think the guy&#39;s (Trump) qualified to be president of the United States, and every time he speaks, that opinion is confirmed,&quot; said Obama, who is currently in Laos to attend a summit with Southeast Asian leaders. 
 
Obama also blasted Trump for being uninformed and having &#39;&#39;whacky ideas&#39;&#39;. 
 
Trump had previously said that if he came to power, he would ask the military brass to forge a plan within 30 days to destroy Islamic State in the Middle East. 
 
Trump&#39;s promise was assailed by&nbsp;a&nbsp;retired army general.&nbsp;&quot;I had to ask myself, what the hell does he think we&#39;ve been trying to do for the last 14 years in terms of al Qaeda?&quot;&nbsp;Retired Army Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling had&nbsp;told CNN.&nbsp; 
 
Trump is contending with Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton to become the next president of the United States. The election is on November 8.&nbsp; 
 
(WION with inputs from AFP)

The outgoing president also assailed the Republican presidential candidate for having 'whacky ideas'

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump is not fit to be the next US commander-in-chief, according to outgoing president Barack Obama. The criticism comes a day after billionaire Trump said Russia President Vladimir Putin is a better leader than Obama. "I don't think the guy's (Trump) qualified to be president of the United States, and every time he speaks, that opinion is confirmed," said Obama, who is currently in Laos to attend a summit with Southeast Asian leaders. Obama also blasted Trump for being uninformed and having ''whacky ideas''. Trump had previously said that if he came to power, he would ask the military brass to forge a plan within 30 days to destroy Islamic State in the Middle East. Trump's promise was assailed by a retired army general. "I had to ask myself, what the hell does he think we've been trying to do for the last 14 years in terms of al Qaeda?" Retired Army Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling had told CNN. Trump is contending with Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton to become the next president of the United States. The election is on November 8. (WION with inputs from AFP)

Donald Trump unfit to be next US president: Obama

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump promised to expand US military and outline a plan to beat Islamic State within a month of assuming office. 
 
Trump said he would increase military spending, number of soldiers, aircraft and warships to revive the&nbsp;&quot;depleted&quot; US forces.&nbsp; 
 
Speaking in Philadelphia, the billionaire gave a detailed plan of increasing the US military. The US army would have 540,000 troops, the air force would have at least 1.200 fighter aircraft&nbsp;and the navy would have 350 surface ships and submarines, the AFP reported. 
 
About his plans to tackle the IS, Trump said, &quot;Immediately after taking office, I will ask my generals to present to me a plan within 30 days to defeat and destroy IS.&quot; 
 
Trump&#39;s 30-day timeframe to beat the IS was, however, assailed by a retired army general.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;I had to ask myself, what the hell does he think we&#39;ve been trying to do for the last 14 years in terms of al Qaeda?&quot;&nbsp;Retired Army Lt. Gen.&nbsp;<a href="http://www.cnn.com/profiles/mark-hertling-profile" target="_blank">Mark Hertling&nbsp;</a>told CNN.&nbsp; 
 
Trump, meanwhile, also took a swipe at his opponent Hillary Clinton, calling her &quot;trigger happy&quot; because of her &quot;legacy in Iraq, Libya and Syria&quot; that has &quot;produced only turmoil and suffering and death&quot;. 
 
With the election campaign having entered&nbsp;the homestretch, Trump also urged NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation) to spend 2 per cent of its national income on defence.&nbsp; 
 
(WION)

Republican presidential candidate also vowed to increase military spending to revive the ''depleted" US forces if he assumed office

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump promised to expand US military and outline a plan to beat Islamic State within a month of assuming office. Trump said he would increase military spending, number of soldiers, aircraft and warships to revive the "depleted" US forces. Speaking in Philadelphia, the billionaire gave a detailed plan of increasing the US military. The US army would have 540,000 troops, the air force would have at least 1.200 fighter aircraft and the navy would have 350 surface ships and submarines, the AFP reported. About his plans to tackle the IS, Trump said, "Immediately after taking office, I will ask my generals to present to me a plan within 30 days to defeat and destroy IS." Trump's 30-day timeframe to beat the IS was, however, assailed by a retired army general. "I had to ask myself, what the hell does he think we've been trying to do for the last 14 years in terms of al Qaeda?" Retired Army Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling told CNN. Trump, meanwhile, also took a swipe at his opponent Hillary Clinton, calling her "trigger happy" because of her "legacy in Iraq, Libya and Syria" that has "produced only turmoil and suffering and death". With the election campaign having entered the homestretch, Trump also urged NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation) to spend 2 per cent of its national income on defence. (WION)

Donald Trump vows to forge plan in 30 days to 'destroy' IS

Roger Ailes, the former Fox News chairman who last month left the station in disgrace amid sexual harassment allegations, is now an adviser to Donald Trump, reports the <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/17/us/politics/donald-trump-roger-ailes.html">New York Times</a>.&nbsp; 
 
<a href="http://www.vox.com/2016/8/15/12416662/roger-ailes-fox-sexual-harassment-women-list">Vox.com</a> reports that over 20 women have accused Ailes of sexual harrassment.&nbsp; 
 
Fox News has had a distinct place in all the controversies in Trump&#39;s presidential campaign, especially in the dispute with host Megyn Kelly. The two clashed bitterly in the first Republican primary debate back in 2015 after Mr Trump attributed her agitation during the debate to the fact she was menstruating. 
 
After making a number of statements considered to be insulting and offensive, female support for Trump is at its lowest. Perhaps as a result, as Fortune.com&nbsp;points out, of Mr Trump&#39;s new slew of economic advisers, eight of the nine are women. This comes after naming an exclusively male group of advisers. The site points to a&nbsp;poll conducted by <a href="http://fortune.com/2016/08/11/women-donald-trump-chart/">Morning Consult</a>&nbsp;that lists Hillary Clinton&#39;s support among females at 47 per cent, whereas Trump has 34 per cent. 
 
Trump has repeatedly denied being sexist. It is unclear how bringing aboard an adviser just relieved of his high-profile position after allegations of sexual harassment will help him woo female voters. &nbsp;But Mr Ailes has been a Republican political consultant for years, including as a top adviser for Richard Nixon&#39;s presidential campaign and a debate coach for both Ronald Reagan in 1984 and George Bush in 1988. 
 
As the New York Times article highlights, Trump was asked on July 24 by NBC&#39;s Chuck Todd whether Mr Ailes was going to advise the campaign, and he replied:&nbsp;&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t want to comment. But he&rsquo;s been a friend of mine for a long time.&rdquo; He said that Mr Ailes was a &ldquo;very, very good person&rdquo; and said, &ldquo;A lot of people are thinking he&rsquo;s going to run my campaign.&rdquo; 
 
(WION)

Ailes, who has been accused by over 20 women of sexual harassment, has been a Republican political consultant for years

Roger Ailes, the former Fox News chairman who last month left the station in disgrace amid sexual harassment allegations, is now an adviser to Donald Trump, reports the New York Times. Vox.com reports that over 20 women have accused Ailes of sexual harrassment. Fox News has had a distinct place in all the controversies in Trump's presidential campaign, especially in the dispute with host Megyn Kelly. The two clashed bitterly in the first Republican primary debate back in 2015 after Mr Trump attributed her agitation during the debate to the fact she was menstruating. After making a number of statements considered to be insulting and offensive, female support for Trump is at its lowest. Perhaps as a result, as Fortune.com points out, of Mr Trump's new slew of economic advisers, eight of the nine are women. This comes after naming an exclusively male group of advisers. The site points to a poll conducted by Morning Consult that lists Hillary Clinton's support among females at 47 per cent, whereas Trump has 34 per cent. Trump has repeatedly denied being sexist. It is unclear how bringing aboard an adviser just relieved of his high-profile position after allegations of sexual harassment will help him woo female voters. But Mr Ailes has been a Republican political consultant for years, including as a top adviser for Richard Nixon's presidential campaign and a debate coach for both Ronald Reagan in 1984 and George Bush in 1988. As the New York Times article highlights, Trump was asked on July 24 by NBC's Chuck Todd whether Mr Ailes was going to advise the campaign, and he replied: “I don’t want to comment. But he’s been a friend of mine for a long time.” He said that Mr Ailes was a “very, very good person” and said, “A lot of people are thinking he’s going to run my campaign.” (WION)

Trump to be advised by disgraced former Fox News chairman Roger Ailes

Democrats gathered in Philadelphia formally selected Tim Kaine as their US vice presidential candidate yesterday, completing the party&#39;s ticket for the November election. 
 
Kaine, a 58-year-old senator from the battleground state of Virginia, was nominated by voice vote, setting the stage for his address to the convention later in the evening. 
 
Congresswoman and acting convention chair Marcia Fudge motioned to dispense with the roll call vote and nominate Kaine by acclamation, which led to a chorus of &quot;Ayes.&quot; 
 
&quot;The motion to suspend the rules and nominate by acclamation is adopted,&quot; declared Fudge to loud cheers. 
 
The tickets are now set for both parties: Hillary Clinton and running mate Kaine for the Democrats, with Republicans Donald Trump and running mate Mike Pence, both of whom were nominated last week and their party&#39;s convention in Cleveland. 
 
With working-class roots and a spotless record both as Virginia governor and senator, he is seen as helping Clinton garner support among reluctant independent male voters - although at the risk of alienating the party&#39;s progressive left wing. 
 
Supporters of Clinton&#39;s main adversary in the Democratic primary race, Bernie Sanders, had argued that she should choose a more liberal running mate such as the feisty leftist Elizabeth Warren. 
 
But Clinton, at a Florida rally last weekend introducing her vice presidential pick, said Kaine was a can-do progressive who is ready to &quot;step into this job and lead from Day One.&quot; 
 
Kaine, she said, is &quot;everything Donald Trump and Mike Pence are not.&quot; 
 
(AFP)

The 58-year-old senator was nominated by voice vote. Kaine is 'everything Donald Trump and Mike Pence are not', Clinton said last week

Democrats gathered in Philadelphia formally selected Tim Kaine as their US vice presidential candidate yesterday, completing the party's ticket for the November election. Kaine, a 58-year-old senator from the battleground state of Virginia, was nominated by voice vote, setting the stage for his address to the convention later in the evening. Congresswoman and acting convention chair Marcia Fudge motioned to dispense with the roll call vote and nominate Kaine by acclamation, which led to a chorus of "Ayes." "The motion to suspend the rules and nominate by acclamation is adopted," declared Fudge to loud cheers. The tickets are now set for both parties: Hillary Clinton and running mate Kaine for the Democrats, with Republicans Donald Trump and running mate Mike Pence, both of whom were nominated last week and their party's convention in Cleveland. With working-class roots and a spotless record both as Virginia governor and senator, he is seen as helping Clinton garner support among reluctant independent male voters - although at the risk of alienating the party's progressive left wing. Supporters of Clinton's main adversary in the Democratic primary race, Bernie Sanders, had argued that she should choose a more liberal running mate such as the feisty leftist Elizabeth Warren. But Clinton, at a Florida rally last weekend introducing her vice presidential pick, said Kaine was a can-do progressive who is ready to "step into this job and lead from Day One." Kaine, she said, is "everything Donald Trump and Mike Pence are not." (AFP)

Democrats nominate Tim Kaine as vice-president pick

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