Hillary expected the Filipino immigrant to handle state secrets, further opening her to criticism that she played fast with national securit

Hillary Clinton routinely asked her Filipino maid to print out sensitive government emails and classified documents when she was the secretary of state, according to a media report. Clinton's maid Marina Santos, lacked the security clearance to handle such material, was called on so frequently to receive emails that she may hold the secrets to E-mailgate, the New York Post reported. Clinton entrusted far more than the care of her Washington DC residence, known as Whitehaven, to Santos. She expected the Filipino immigrant to handle state secrets, further opening the 69-year-old former Democratic presidential nominee to criticism that she played fast and loose with national security, the report said. The report came just before the FBI gave a clean chit to Clinton, saying she should not face criminal charges after a review of new emails, an 11th-hour respite for her. Trump lashed out at the FBI for the clean chit, saying, "Right now, she is being protected by a rigged system". According to the report, Clinton would first receive highly sensitive emails from top aides at the State Department and then request that they, in turn, forward the messages and any attached documents to Santos to print out for her at the home. Among other things, Clinton requested Santos to print out drafts of her speeches, confidential memos and "call sheets" --- background information and talking points prepared for the secretary of state in advance of a phone call with a foreign head of state. "Pls ask Marina to print for me...," Clinton emailed top aide Huma Abedin regarding a redacted 2011 message marked sensitive but unclassified. In a classified 2012 email dealing with the new president of Malawi, another Clinton aide, Monica Hanley, advised Clinton, "We can ask Marina to print this". "Revisions to the Iran points" was the subject line of a classified April 2012 email to Clinton from Hanley. In it, the text reads, "Marina is trying to print for you". Both classified emails were marked "confidential" the tier below "secret" or "top secret". Santos also had access to a highly secure room called an SCIF (sensitive compartmented information facility) that diplomatic security agents set up at Whitehaven, according to FBI notes from an interview with Abedin. From within the SCIF, Santos --- who had no clearance --- "collected documents from the secure facsimile machine for Clinton," the FBI notes revealed. A 2012 "sensitive" but unclassified email from Hanley to Clinton refers to a fax the staff wanted Clinton "to see before your Netanyahu mtg. Marina will grab for you". (PTI)

Hillary Clinton routinely asked maid to handle sensitive information: Report

According to Trump's version, Obama 'was screaming at him, really screaming at him'

President Barack Obama chastised supporters at a rally for Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton in North Carolina on Friday, as tensions spiked when a supporter of Republican opponent Donald Trump began protesting. But that didn't stop Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, campaigning a few states away at the time, from telling a completely opposite version of what happened, condemning Obama for screaming at the protester. The incident happened in clear view of reporters covering the rally in Fayetteville, North Carolina, where a predominantly African American crowd was jammed into a gym at a state university to hear Obama stump for Clinton. Obama had just said Trump was unfit to lead the country when he was interrupted by a white-haired white man in a beret and suit jacket with what appeared to be military patches, who stood up in the stairwell of the bleachers, waving a Trump campaign sign. The crowd turned its attention to the protester, screaming and booing at the man. Obama repeatedly told the irate crowd to "focus" and to "settle down". You Make The Call: https://t.co/62pm8bNWVO pic.twitter.com/oU1Tjbg5Uu — Deadspin (@Deadspin) November 5, 2016 × "Everybody sit down and be quiet for a second!" Obama said. "You've got an older gentleman who is supporting his candidate," he said as the protester was led away. "We live in a country that respects free speech," he said. "It looks like he might have served in our military – we’ve got to respect that." In Trump's version, Obama scolded the protester, not the crowd. "He was talking to the protester, screaming at him, really screaming at him," Trump said. "By the way, if I spoke the way Obama spoke to that protester they would say, ‘He became unhinged,’” Trump said. (Reuters)

US election: Obama asks crowd to respect elderly Trump supporter, Trump derides him

Equity investors froze Friday at the prospect of a tight finish to the US presidential race, with the US S&amp;P&nbsp;500 (Standard and Poor&#39;s 500)&nbsp;sliding for the ninth straight session, its longest fall since 1980.

Investors took refuge in safe havens ahead of the weekend that could bring more surprises affecting the hot race between Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump, and amid concerns a Trump victory could bring sharp shifts in US economic policy.

Gold prices rose, the dollar dropped and US bond yields fell despite solid US jobs market and trade data that pointed ever more to a rate hike by the Federal Reserve in December.

Tokyo stocks lost 1.3 per cent, London fell 1.4 per cent, and Paris and Frankfurt bourses slipped 0.8 percent and 0.7 percent, respectively, as caution reigned.

On Wall Street, losses were lighter, with selling coming at the end of the session, leaving just one trading day before the November 8 vote.

The three key indices all lost about 0.2 per cent, putting the S&amp;P 500 down 3.1 per cent since its slide began.&nbsp;

&quot;Not good, but not as bad as it sounds,&quot; given the relatively modest loss for such a streak, said Howard Silverblatt of S&amp;P Global.

And Chris Low of FTN Financial said, &quot;The last time the market was at this level was back in early July, right after the terrible Shanghai selloff.

&quot;If we break through these levels technically, it could be a difficult month or two after that.&quot;

Clinton, who has promoted mostly continuity with the political, economic and tax policies of President Barack Obama, still leads Trump in the race. But the separation between the two has narrowed to two percentage points and the outcome of the vote could depend on a handful of swing states the candidates are battling for.

&quot;Investors are clearly nervous or worried that there might be a big surprise Tuesday. That&#39;s the reason why the market&#39;s been drifting down,&quot; said Hugh Johnson of Hugh Johnson Advisors.

&nbsp;US economy shows strength

A solid US October jobs report gave more support for the Federal Reserve to raise rates in December. The economy added 161,000 jobs last month and the unemployment rate dipped to 4.9 per cent.

Fed Vice Chair Stanley Fischer said in a speech that the labor market is in a &quot;powerful&quot; recovery and that inflation is picking up, while not speaking directly to the Fed&#39;s next policy meeting in five weeks.&nbsp;

While this would normally strengthen the case for a Fed rate hike in December, much still hinges on Tuesday&#39;s vote, said John Higgins at Capital Economics.

&quot;US monetary policy would be expected by many to remain looser for longer in the event of a win for Trump,&quot; he said.&nbsp;

&nbsp;Pound up on Brexit politics

&nbsp;The British pound though powered higher on Thursday&#39;s London court ruling that the British government would need parliamentary approval to officially move to pull out of the European Union.

The pound pushed up to $1.2519, its highest level in a month.

&quot;The High Court ruling has introduced a whole new set of political uncertainties,&quot; Rabobank analyst Jane Foley told AFP.

&quot;However, since most of these are seen as reducing the chances of a bitter divorce from the European Union&#39;s single market, the pound is better supported.&quot;

Oil prices meanwhile fell again amid talk Saudi Arabia may raise output again to bring prices down if Iran fails to agree to OPEC production cuts.

(AFP)

The US Standard and Poor 500 slid for the ninth straight session, its longest fall since 1980

Equity investors froze Friday at the prospect of a tight finish to the US presidential race, with the US S&P 500 (Standard and Poor's 500) sliding for the ninth straight session, its longest fall since 1980. Investors took refuge in safe havens ahead of the weekend that could bring more surprises affecting the hot race between Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump, and amid concerns a Trump victory could bring sharp shifts in US economic policy. Gold prices rose, the dollar dropped and US bond yields fell despite solid US jobs market and trade data that pointed ever more to a rate hike by the Federal Reserve in December. Tokyo stocks lost 1.3 per cent, London fell 1.4 per cent, and Paris and Frankfurt bourses slipped 0.8 percent and 0.7 percent, respectively, as caution reigned. On Wall Street, losses were lighter, with selling coming at the end of the session, leaving just one trading day before the November 8 vote. The three key indices all lost about 0.2 per cent, putting the S&P 500 down 3.1 per cent since its slide began. "Not good, but not as bad as it sounds," given the relatively modest loss for such a streak, said Howard Silverblatt of S&P Global. And Chris Low of FTN Financial said, "The last time the market was at this level was back in early July, right after the terrible Shanghai selloff. "If we break through these levels technically, it could be a difficult month or two after that." Clinton, who has promoted mostly continuity with the political, economic and tax policies of President Barack Obama, still leads Trump in the race. But the separation between the two has narrowed to two percentage points and the outcome of the vote could depend on a handful of swing states the candidates are battling for. "Investors are clearly nervous or worried that there might be a big surprise Tuesday. That's the reason why the market's been drifting down," said Hugh Johnson of Hugh Johnson Advisors. US economy shows strength A solid US October jobs report gave more support for the Federal Reserve to raise rates in December. The economy added 161,000 jobs last month and the unemployment rate dipped to 4.9 per cent. Fed Vice Chair Stanley Fischer said in a speech that the labor market is in a "powerful" recovery and that inflation is picking up, while not speaking directly to the Fed's next policy meeting in five weeks. While this would normally strengthen the case for a Fed rate hike in December, much still hinges on Tuesday's vote, said John Higgins at Capital Economics. "US monetary policy would be expected by many to remain looser for longer in the event of a win for Trump," he said. Pound up on Brexit politics The British pound though powered higher on Thursday's London court ruling that the British government would need parliamentary approval to officially move to pull out of the European Union. The pound pushed up to $1.2519, its highest level in a month. "The High Court ruling has introduced a whole new set of political uncertainties," Rabobank analyst Jane Foley told AFP. "However, since most of these are seen as reducing the chances of a bitter divorce from the European Union's single market, the pound is better supported." Oil prices meanwhile fell again amid talk Saudi Arabia may raise output again to bring prices down if Iran fails to agree to OPEC production cuts. (AFP)

World stocks choke on US election fears, pound powers on

Voters had challenged the enforcement of the law on grounds that it violates their free-speech rights

A federal judge in US has allowed voters from Colorado to share their ballot selfies on social media, setting aside a 1891 ruling that bans voters from revealing the contents of one's ballot. Federal judges in several others states like California and New York have refused to rule against state laws barring voters from taking photographs of marked ballots, on the grounds that it is too close to the presidential elections on November 8. US district judge Christine Arguello in Denver issued a preliminary injunction against the statute that makes it a misdemeanor offense to share the contents of their ballot with others, international news agency Reuters reported. The ruling was in response to two separate lawsuits by voters challenging enforcement of the law on grounds that it violates their free-speech rights. "By issuing an injunction in this case, Coloradans get what they are entitled to - clarity on an issue that implicates fundamental constitutional rights," Arguella wrote in her 26-page ruling. Denver district attorney Mitch Morrissey reminded voters of the law last week, which he said would "include posting your completed ballot to social media". However, prosecutors from several jurisdictions, including Denver, filed declaration with the court this week saying they would not enforce the misdemeanor law unless evidence showed that voter intimidation or coercion was involved. "Based on our review of applicable law and societal changes, including the ubiquity of social media ... the district attorney's office would not charge anyone with an offense ... for taking a photograph or video of a completed Colorado mail-in ballot," Denver prosecutor Joseph Morales had written, Reuters reported. Apart from Colorado, 17 other states have laws restricting taking photographs in voting booths. Colorado's attorney general cited the California and New York decisions in defending Colorado's law. But lawyers for the Colorado voters argued that the state's mail-in voting system, which allows ballots to be filled out anywhere and then either mailed or dropped off, sets Colorado apart from California and New York, Reuters reported. (WION with inputs from Reuters)

Colorado voters can now post ballot selfies, US judge rules

US President Barack Obama said on Friday that he does not believe Federal Bureau of Ivestigation director James Comey was trying to influence the presidential election when he decided the agency would examine newly discovered emails in its probe of Hillary Clinton&#39;s private server.

&quot;Now I&#39;ve said before and I&#39;ll say again, Jim Comey is a good man,&quot; Obama said in an interview on MSNBC.

&quot;And I do not believe that he is in any way trying to influence the election one way or another. I think he is a serious public servant who wants to do the right thing,&quot; Obama said.

A complaint was filed against Comey for interfering in the US presidential elections by sending a letter to the Congress saying that the FBI is taking additional &quot;investigative steps&quot; into Clinton&#39;s use of private email server.&nbsp;

(Reuters)

FBI director James Comey has been said to interfere in elections by taking additional 'steps' into Clinton's use of private email server

US President Barack Obama said on Friday that he does not believe Federal Bureau of Ivestigation director James Comey was trying to influence the presidential election when he decided the agency would examine newly discovered emails in its probe of Hillary Clinton's private server. "Now I've said before and I'll say again, Jim Comey is a good man," Obama said in an interview on MSNBC. "And I do not believe that he is in any way trying to influence the election one way or another. I think he is a serious public servant who wants to do the right thing," Obama said. A complaint was filed against Comey for interfering in the US presidential elections by sending a letter to the Congress saying that the FBI is taking additional "investigative steps" into Clinton's use of private email server. (Reuters)

I don't believe Comey was trying to influence the elections: Obama

US presidential foes Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump brandished rival visions of America on Friday and the world held its breath as they headed into a fierce final weekend of campaigning.

Forecasts based on polling averages still give the Democrat an edge over the 70-year-old property mogul but the Republican has been buoyed by signs that he is closing the gap in key swing states.

So both headed Friday to the industrial northeast, where blue-collar voters that were once reliable Democrats may be tempted by Trump&#39;s protectionist promise to repatriate jobs from Mexico and China.

The prospect that the November 8 vote will be close or that a once unlikely Trump victory could presage instability and recession has rocked markets.&nbsp;

The S&amp;P 500 stock index closed down for the ninth straight day Friday, and the leaders of America&#39;s friends and foes alike are watching in amazement as the world&#39;s most powerful nation turns on itself. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Clinton was in Detroit, where supporters booed her populist rival when she attacked his affinity for Russian President Vladimir Putin and &quot;dark vision&quot; of an America mired in poverty and corruption.

&quot;When I hear my opponent talking about America I don&#39;t recognize it,&quot; she declared, touting her own &quot;confident, optimistic, inclusive&quot; vision, building on President Barack Obama&#39;s legacy.

Jokes were thin on the ground in her speech, but the crowd laughed in delight when she mocked the New York billionaire, who avoided the Vietnam War draft, for wearing a camouflage baseball cap.

Trump has run one of the most aggressive and populist campaigns in history -- browbeating his Republican primary rivals into submission before launching into Clinton, &quot;such a nasty woman.&quot;

Trump was in Hershey, Pennsylvania bidding to use his popularity with the white, male working class to smash a hole in the &quot;firewall&quot; pollsters once thought Clinton enjoyed in Democrat-leaning states.

&quot;I want the entire corrupt Washington establishment to hear the words we&#39;re about to say. When we win on November 8 we&#39;re going to &#39;drain the swamp&#39;,&quot; he said, as the 13,000-strong crowd took up the chant.&nbsp;

He predicted that Clinton will face prosecution after an FBI inquiry into her inappropriate use of private email when she was secretary of state, and vowed to tear up current US free trade deals.

&quot;We are gonna win Pennsylvania big,&quot; he said, mocking Hillary&#39;s celebrity endorsements. &quot;And by the way, I didn&#39;t have to bring J-Lo or Jay-Z. I&#39;m here all by myself.&quot;

The rapper Jay-Z and his superstar singer wife Beyonce were to join Clinton at an event later on Friday.

&nbsp;&#39;As corrupt as they come&#39;&nbsp;

An average of Pennsylvania polls compiled by tracker RealClearPolitics gives Clinton a 2.6 percentage point edge in the state, but the huge crowd Trump drew was clearly in tune with his message.

&quot;Hillary is about as corrupt as they come,&quot; declared 27-year-old welder Logan Sechrist, who came to Hershey from Lebanon, Pennsylvania with his pregnant wife to hear Trump&#39;s plan for jobs.

&quot;I think honestly we need somebody who&#39;s a businessman and not a politician,&quot; Sechrist said. &quot;The country&#39;s falling apart. &quot;We&#39;re ready for something different.&quot;

Zach Rehl, a 31-year-old Marine veteran, said previous Republican candidates had failed to speak up for factory workers who have seen their jobs head abroad under global trade rules.

&quot;This thing hits people at home,&quot; he said, predicting that election night on Tuesday in Pennsylvania will be &quot;pretty close.&quot;

Some of Clinton&#39;s supporters have a similar feeling -- or in their case a creeping dread.&nbsp;

Clinton&#39;s supporters were getting tense. &quot;It&#39;s nerve-racking that Trump&#39;s gotten this far,&quot; said Rachel Zeolla, 27, who works in marketing, at an earlier rally in Pittsburgh.

For the first time some pollsters agree with them.

Pennsylvania, Michigan and perhaps Ohio were once seen as low hanging fruit for Clinton, guaranteeing her victory even if she doesn&#39;t pick off a prize like Florida -- but the race has tightened.&nbsp;

Nationwide polls still give the Democrat the lead, and she has some influential supporters on her side as she attempts to lock in victory in the closing days.

&nbsp;&#39;C&#39;mon!&#39;&nbsp;

Obama himself has hit the trail, and on Friday the outgoing president fired up a crowd in swing state North Carolina with a warning not to let Trump&#39;s negative vision overwhelm his legacy.

&quot;I need you to vote. Don&#39;t choose fear, choose vote,&quot; an exasperated Obama told the crowd, whipping up votes for fellow Democrat Clinton.

Intervening to stop supporters booing a pro-Trump protester, he resorted to the new catchphrase he uses to signal his mounting disbelief: &quot;C&#39;mon!&quot;&nbsp;

&quot;I want you to pay attention. If we lose focus, we could have problems,&quot; he warned.

Trump struggled to recover ground after footage emerged of showing him boasting of committing sexual assault and a dozen women came forward to allege he had groped them or otherwise engaged in sexual misconduct.

But, as the race nears its conclusion and with Clinton mired in the ongoing email scandal, profound Republican skepticism about his controversial candidacy appears to be ebbing.&nbsp;

&quot;I think Republicans are coming home,&quot; Congressman Jason Chaffetz told CNN.

(AFP)

Forecasts still give Clinton an edge over Trump but the Republican has been buoyed by signs that he is closing the gap in key states

US presidential foes Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump brandished rival visions of America on Friday and the world held its breath as they headed into a fierce final weekend of campaigning. Forecasts based on polling averages still give the Democrat an edge over the 70-year-old property mogul but the Republican has been buoyed by signs that he is closing the gap in key swing states. So both headed Friday to the industrial northeast, where blue-collar voters that were once reliable Democrats may be tempted by Trump's protectionist promise to repatriate jobs from Mexico and China. The prospect that the November 8 vote will be close or that a once unlikely Trump victory could presage instability and recession has rocked markets. The S&P 500 stock index closed down for the ninth straight day Friday, and the leaders of America's friends and foes alike are watching in amazement as the world's most powerful nation turns on itself. Clinton was in Detroit, where supporters booed her populist rival when she attacked his affinity for Russian President Vladimir Putin and "dark vision" of an America mired in poverty and corruption. "When I hear my opponent talking about America I don't recognize it," she declared, touting her own "confident, optimistic, inclusive" vision, building on President Barack Obama's legacy. Jokes were thin on the ground in her speech, but the crowd laughed in delight when she mocked the New York billionaire, who avoided the Vietnam War draft, for wearing a camouflage baseball cap. Trump has run one of the most aggressive and populist campaigns in history -- browbeating his Republican primary rivals into submission before launching into Clinton, "such a nasty woman." Trump was in Hershey, Pennsylvania bidding to use his popularity with the white, male working class to smash a hole in the "firewall" pollsters once thought Clinton enjoyed in Democrat-leaning states. "I want the entire corrupt Washington establishment to hear the words we're about to say. When we win on November 8 we're going to 'drain the swamp'," he said, as the 13,000-strong crowd took up the chant. He predicted that Clinton will face prosecution after an FBI inquiry into her inappropriate use of private email when she was secretary of state, and vowed to tear up current US free trade deals. "We are gonna win Pennsylvania big," he said, mocking Hillary's celebrity endorsements. "And by the way, I didn't have to bring J-Lo or Jay-Z. I'm here all by myself." The rapper Jay-Z and his superstar singer wife Beyonce were to join Clinton at an event later on Friday. 'As corrupt as they come' An average of Pennsylvania polls compiled by tracker RealClearPolitics gives Clinton a 2.6 percentage point edge in the state, but the huge crowd Trump drew was clearly in tune with his message. "Hillary is about as corrupt as they come," declared 27-year-old welder Logan Sechrist, who came to Hershey from Lebanon, Pennsylvania with his pregnant wife to hear Trump's plan for jobs. "I think honestly we need somebody who's a businessman and not a politician," Sechrist said. "The country's falling apart. "We're ready for something different." Zach Rehl, a 31-year-old Marine veteran, said previous Republican candidates had failed to speak up for factory workers who have seen their jobs head abroad under global trade rules. "This thing hits people at home," he said, predicting that election night on Tuesday in Pennsylvania will be "pretty close." Some of Clinton's supporters have a similar feeling -- or in their case a creeping dread. Clinton's supporters were getting tense. "It's nerve-racking that Trump's gotten this far," said Rachel Zeolla, 27, who works in marketing, at an earlier rally in Pittsburgh. For the first time some pollsters agree with them. Pennsylvania, Michigan and perhaps Ohio were once seen as low hanging fruit for Clinton, guaranteeing her victory even if she doesn't pick off a prize like Florida -- but the race has tightened. Nationwide polls still give the Democrat the lead, and she has some influential supporters on her side as she attempts to lock in victory in the closing days. 'C'mon!' Obama himself has hit the trail, and on Friday the outgoing president fired up a crowd in swing state North Carolina with a warning not to let Trump's negative vision overwhelm his legacy. "I need you to vote. Don't choose fear, choose vote," an exasperated Obama told the crowd, whipping up votes for fellow Democrat Clinton. Intervening to stop supporters booing a pro-Trump protester, he resorted to the new catchphrase he uses to signal his mounting disbelief: "C'mon!" "I want you to pay attention. If we lose focus, we could have problems," he warned. Trump struggled to recover ground after footage emerged of showing him boasting of committing sexual assault and a dozen women came forward to allege he had groped them or otherwise engaged in sexual misconduct. But, as the race nears its conclusion and with Clinton mired in the ongoing email scandal, profound Republican skepticism about his controversial candidacy appears to be ebbing. "I think Republicans are coming home," Congressman Jason Chaffetz told CNN. (AFP)

US elections: As they enter final stretch, Trump & Clinton tout rival visions of America

Asian stocks struggled again on Thursday, with uncertainty over next week&#39;s presidential election sending investors rushing for the sidelines, pushing safe havens such as the yen and gold higher.

With just days to go until the November 8 poll, maverick tycoon Donald Trump has closed what was once considered an unassailable lead over market-favourite Hillary Clinton, upending early confidence.

The former secretary of state is considered by most investors to be a safer, more stable bet than Trump, who is seen as a loose cannon.

And while she is still tipped to win, analysts said the late run by Trump has fired uncertainty, sparking a sell-off across the world.

&ldquo;The move to take risk off the table continues,&rdquo; Chris Weston, chief market strategist in Melbourne at IG Ltd., said in an e-mail to clients.

&ldquo;We have reached a point where there is a buyers&#39; strike, where money managers have reduced their risk, increased cash allocations within the portfolio and are happy to ride out this mini-storm of uncertainty. This is a perfect breeding ground for short sellers who love the combination of uncertainty and lack of bids.&rdquo;

In Asian trade Hong Kong was 0.2 per cent down in the afternoon and Singapore gave up 0.3 per cent while Sydney closed 0.1 per cent lower and Wellington tanked more than one per cent. There were also deep losses in Taipei and Manila.

But Shanghai ended 0.8 per cent higher and Seoul put on 0.3 per cent. Tokyo was closed for a public holiday.

Dollar struggles

The rush for safety saw gold prices climb back above $1,300 for the first time since the start of October, while the yen was also stronger.

In Asian trade the dollar bought 102.73 yen, down from 103.42 yen in New York and well off the levels above 105 yen seen at the start of the week.

The euro, pound and most high-yielding Asia-Pacific units also made inroads on the greenback, which got no help from an expected Federal Reserve decision to hold interest rates and flag a possible hike in December.

Fears of a Trump presidency has led to speculation the Fed could hold off a December hike, which has been largely priced into markets, owing to fears about his impact on the economy.

The Mexican peso fell further against the dollar, with the greenback buying 19.45 pesos, against 19.36 pesos in the US.

The peso has steadily fallen on concerns of a potential victory for Trump, whose anti-Mexican rhetoric has included a pledge to remove undocumented migrants, build a wall along the border and tear up a US trade deal with its neighbour to the south.

Attention now turns to the release Friday of October US jobs data, which will provide a clearer snapshot of the US economy, with analysts saying a strong reading will cement the argument for a rate rise next month.

The weaker dollar provided some much needed lift to oil prices, with both main contracts rallying after a recent sell-off fuelled by worries over the chances of success for OPEC&#39;s agreement to cut production. Crude is priced in dollars and a weaker unit makes the commodity cheaper for holders of other currencies.

(AFP)

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

With just days left, Donald Trump has closed what was thought of as an unassailable lead over market favourite Hillary Clinton

Asian stocks struggled again on Thursday, with uncertainty over next week's presidential election sending investors rushing for the sidelines, pushing safe havens such as the yen and gold higher. With just days to go until the November 8 poll, maverick tycoon Donald Trump has closed what was once considered an unassailable lead over market-favourite Hillary Clinton, upending early confidence. The former secretary of state is considered by most investors to be a safer, more stable bet than Trump, who is seen as a loose cannon. And while she is still tipped to win, analysts said the late run by Trump has fired uncertainty, sparking a sell-off across the world. “The move to take risk off the table continues,” Chris Weston, chief market strategist in Melbourne at IG Ltd., said in an e-mail to clients. “We have reached a point where there is a buyers' strike, where money managers have reduced their risk, increased cash allocations within the portfolio and are happy to ride out this mini-storm of uncertainty. This is a perfect breeding ground for short sellers who love the combination of uncertainty and lack of bids.” In Asian trade Hong Kong was 0.2 per cent down in the afternoon and Singapore gave up 0.3 per cent while Sydney closed 0.1 per cent lower and Wellington tanked more than one per cent. There were also deep losses in Taipei and Manila. But Shanghai ended 0.8 per cent higher and Seoul put on 0.3 per cent. Tokyo was closed for a public holiday. Dollar struggles The rush for safety saw gold prices climb back above $1,300 for the first time since the start of October, while the yen was also stronger. In Asian trade the dollar bought 102.73 yen, down from 103.42 yen in New York and well off the levels above 105 yen seen at the start of the week. The euro, pound and most high-yielding Asia-Pacific units also made inroads on the greenback, which got no help from an expected Federal Reserve decision to hold interest rates and flag a possible hike in December. Fears of a Trump presidency has led to speculation the Fed could hold off a December hike, which has been largely priced into markets, owing to fears about his impact on the economy. The Mexican peso fell further against the dollar, with the greenback buying 19.45 pesos, against 19.36 pesos in the US. The peso has steadily fallen on concerns of a potential victory for Trump, whose anti-Mexican rhetoric has included a pledge to remove undocumented migrants, build a wall along the border and tear up a US trade deal with its neighbour to the south. Attention now turns to the release Friday of October US jobs data, which will provide a clearer snapshot of the US economy, with analysts saying a strong reading will cement the argument for a rate rise next month. The weaker dollar provided some much needed lift to oil prices, with both main contracts rallying after a recent sell-off fuelled by worries over the chances of success for OPEC's agreement to cut production. Crude is priced in dollars and a weaker unit makes the commodity cheaper for holders of other currencies. (AFP)

Asian markets on edge over election uncertainty

Asian stocks struggled again on Thursday, with uncertainty over next week&#39;s presidential election sending investors rushing for the sidelines, pushing safe havens such as the yen and gold higher.

With just days to go until the November 8 poll, maverick tycoon Donald Trump has closed what was once considered an unassailable lead over market-favourite Hillary Clinton, upending early confidence.

The former secretary of state is considered by most investors to be a safer, more stable bet than Trump, who is seen as a loose cannon.

And while she is still tipped to win, analysts said the late run by Trump has fired uncertainty, sparking a sell-off across the world.

&ldquo;The move to take risk off the table continues,&rdquo; Chris Weston, chief market strategist in Melbourne at IG Ltd., said in an e-mail to clients.

&ldquo;We have reached a point where there is a buyers&#39; strike, where money managers have reduced their risk, increased cash allocations within the portfolio and are happy to ride out this mini-storm of uncertainty. This is a perfect breeding ground for short sellers who love the combination of uncertainty and lack of bids.&rdquo;

In Asian trade Hong Kong was 0.2 per cent down in the afternoon and Singapore gave up 0.3 per cent while Sydney closed 0.1 per cent lower and Wellington tanked more than one per cent. There were also deep losses in Taipei and Manila.

But Shanghai ended 0.8 per cent higher and Seoul put on 0.3 per cent. Tokyo was closed for a public holiday.

Dollar struggles

The rush for safety saw gold prices climb back above $1,300 for the first time since the start of October, while the yen was also stronger.

In Asian trade the dollar bought 102.73 yen, down from 103.42 yen in New York and well off the levels above 105 yen seen at the start of the week.

The euro, pound and most high-yielding Asia-Pacific units also made inroads on the greenback, which got no help from an expected Federal Reserve decision to hold interest rates and flag a possible hike in December.

Fears of a Trump presidency has led to speculation the Fed could hold off a December hike, which has been largely priced into markets, owing to fears about his impact on the economy.

The Mexican peso fell further against the dollar, with the greenback buying 19.45 pesos, against 19.36 pesos in the US.

The peso has steadily fallen on concerns of a potential victory for Trump, whose anti-Mexican rhetoric has included a pledge to remove undocumented migrants, build a wall along the border and tear up a US trade deal with its neighbour to the south.

Attention now turns to the release Friday of October US jobs data, which will provide a clearer snapshot of the US economy, with analysts saying a strong reading will cement the argument for a rate rise next month.

The weaker dollar provided some much needed lift to oil prices, with both main contracts rallying after a recent sell-off fuelled by worries over the chances of success for OPEC&#39;s agreement to cut production. Crude is priced in dollars and a weaker unit makes the commodity cheaper for holders of other currencies.

&nbsp;

(AFP)

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

With just days to go until the US polls, tycoon Donald Trump has closed ?an unassailable lead over market-favourite Hillary Clinton

US elections 2016: Asian markets on edge over election uncertainty

Voters who support 3rd party candidates in crucial states are swapping their votes across state lines in a bid to prevent Trump from winning

As the race for the US presidency between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump narrows, several social media sites are urging voters who support third party candidates in crucial battleground states to swap their vote across states. Apps like #NeverTrump to TrumpTraders.org and MakeMineCount.org are working full swing to prevent Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump from entering the White House, Reuters reported. Trump trading is based on the "honour system" where voters express their political preference publicly. Some people find trading partners the old-fashioned way through word-of-mouth. John Stubbs, co-founder of the site Republicans for Clinton and Trump Traders, told Reuters that while he is no fan of Democrat Hillary Clinton, but he believes Trump would be a "catastrophe" and voting for third party candidates could inevitably help Trump win. So, for him Hillary Clinton is the only viable alternative. "Once we all come to that realization, then you see Republicans who don't like Trump, people who support Gary Johnson, or Jill Stein, or Evan McMullin or the man on the moon, are all aligned around the exact same idea, which is that the worst case scenario for the country is Donald Trump," Stubbs said. He claims that more than 15,000 participants have enrolled on his site where voters in the swing states can trade their third party candidate vote with a Clinton supporter from a "safe state." A safe state is one where voters have little chance of influencing the outcome in America's electoral college system. The battleground states are where no single party or candidate has overwhelming support include Florida, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Texas. Sites like "Swing Vote Swap" are non-partisan, Reuters reported. Bret Lehne has agreed to vote for Green Party candidate Jill Stein in New York state in exchange for his cousin's friend voting for Clinton in the key swing state of Pennsylvania. "Our vote doesn't really matter," he said of living in Democrat-leaning New York. "So if we can use it to further some other goal to trade it to Iowa, to trade it to Florida, that would be just making our democracy go a little further in this electoral college we're stuck in." This is not the first time that vote trading has been attempted. In 2000, several vote trading websites emerged to try to prevent left-leaning third party candidate Ralph Nader from taking Democrat Al Gore's vote share. Gore ultimately won the national popular vote, while Republican George W Bush won many of the smaller states and Florida, which gave him the majority in the electoral college. "If those sites had been successful in switching just 538 more people [in Florida], Al Gore would've been president. And that fact I think showed the power that these exchanges could potentially have," Stubbs told Reuters. He cited the example of last year's Canadian election where strategic voting helped Justin Trudeau's Liberals win the elections. Vote trading 'undemocratic': Critics A host of critics online have slammed the practice as "undemocratic" and say it amounts to "rigging the election." "It sort of instinctively has a little odour about it, but it isn't a rigging of the election," said Kenneth Gross, an election law expert and partner with Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom. "It's just not anything that arises to the level of a legally actionable offense, because that sort of an agreement, really an informal agreement, is not quote, 'something of value,' like giving somebody dinner." He, however, predicts that if vote trading were to become a major force in influencing outcomes, it could prompt challenges to previous court rulings. The one thing vote traders will have to worry about is whether their trading partner will honour their end of the bargain when they enter that voting booth. There is always the option of ballot selfies though. (WION with inputs from Reuters)

US elections 2016: Vote trading websites aim to block Trump presidency

Arson was blamed on Wednesday for a blaze that destroyed an African-American church in Mississippi where a slogan for Donald Trump had been spray-painted on the exterior.

&nbsp;

A person of interest was being interrogated, officials said, after the historically black Hopewell Missionary Baptist Church in Greenville, a city of 35,000 people, burned Tuesday night.

&nbsp;

&quot;The church was vandalised with the words &#39;Vote Trump&#39; on the side,&quot; said mayor Errick Simmons at a press conference, describing the blaze as &quot;a hateful and cowardly act.&quot;

&nbsp;

Fire officials said the century-old church was fully engulfed in flames, and sustained heavy heat, smoke and water damage, according to Greenville fire chief Ruben Brown, Sr.

&nbsp;

&quot;The fire was intentionally set,&quot; Brown told AFP.

&nbsp;

An investigation into the fire as a possible hate crime was underway by local, state and federal officials.

&nbsp;

&quot;This matter is a direct assault on people&#39;s right to freely worship,&quot; said Simmons.

&nbsp;

Police chief Delando Wilson said investigators are &quot;currently interviewing one person of interest,&quot; to see if he had any involvement.

&nbsp;

Wilson declined to give any further details in order to preserve the integrity of the investigation.

&nbsp;

&quot;We are still in the preliminary stages to try and determine the motive of this crime,&quot; Wilson added.

&nbsp;

&quot;We want to investigate every angle to determine why this act was committed.&quot;

&nbsp;

Kristen Clarke, president and executive director of the Lawyers&#39; Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, described the church as &quot;a cornerstone of this majority-Black community located in the heart of the Mississippi Delta.&quot;

&nbsp;

She also expressed concern that the church was vandalized so close to the November 8 presidential election.

&nbsp;

&quot;The toxic rhetoric of this election cycle continues to cast a dark cloud over this election cycle,&quot; Clarke said.

&nbsp;

A crowdfunding drive on the Gofundme platform aiming to raise $10,000 to restore the church had attracted more than $115,000 by Wednesday evening.

&nbsp;

(AFP)&nbsp;

'The church was vandalised with the words 'Vote Trump' on the side,' said mayor Errick Simmons

Arson was blamed on Wednesday for a blaze that destroyed an African-American church in Mississippi where a slogan for Donald Trump had been spray-painted on the exterior. A person of interest was being interrogated, officials said, after the historically black Hopewell Missionary Baptist Church in Greenville, a city of 35,000 people, burned Tuesday night. "The church was vandalised with the words 'Vote Trump' on the side," said mayor Errick Simmons at a press conference, describing the blaze as "a hateful and cowardly act." Fire officials said the century-old church was fully engulfed in flames, and sustained heavy heat, smoke and water damage, according to Greenville fire chief Ruben Brown, Sr. "The fire was intentionally set," Brown told AFP. An investigation into the fire as a possible hate crime was underway by local, state and federal officials. "This matter is a direct assault on people's right to freely worship," said Simmons. Police chief Delando Wilson said investigators are "currently interviewing one person of interest," to see if he had any involvement. Wilson declined to give any further details in order to preserve the integrity of the investigation. "We are still in the preliminary stages to try and determine the motive of this crime," Wilson added. "We want to investigate every angle to determine why this act was committed." Kristen Clarke, president and executive director of the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, described the church as "a cornerstone of this majority-Black community located in the heart of the Mississippi Delta." She also expressed concern that the church was vandalized so close to the November 8 presidential election. "The toxic rhetoric of this election cycle continues to cast a dark cloud over this election cycle," Clarke said. A crowdfunding drive on the Gofundme platform aiming to raise $10,000 to restore the church had attracted more than $115,000 by Wednesday evening. (AFP)

Mississippi African-American church defaced by Trump graffiti was destroyed by arson: Officials

Hillary Clinton began her presidential campaign by promising to do what it takes to rein in Wall Street.

Boosted by Wall Street&#39;s toughest critics, US senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, the Democratic candidate has declared &quot;the deck is still stacked in favor of those at the top&quot; and said she would raise bank fees and tighten banking regulations. She has encouraged regulators to break up too-risky banks.

And yet, Wall Street appears unperturbed by the prospect of a Clinton presidency. In fact, the banking industry has supported Clinton with buckets of cash and stocks have sold off on days when the Clinton campaign stumbles. Privately, bankers say that they trust her to remain a pragmatist who will keep the current regulatory regime laid down by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street reform legislation passed in 2010.

&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t think Clinton wakes up thinking about Wall Street,&quot; one senior banking industry lobbyist said.

There are hints in apparently leaked email discussions among Clinton&#39;s campaign staff that bankers are not far off the mark when they count on her to tread lightly.&nbsp;

Pressed during the campaign by progressive Democrats to call for a revival of the Glass-Steagall Act that would require separation of commercial and investment banking, Clinton ultimately refused. She also weighed another progressive favourite --- a tax on financial transactions --- but instead recommended a far narrower plan to tax only canceled orders by high speed traders.

Ultimately, what bankers most like about Clinton is that she is not Donald Trump.&nbsp;

Many financiers fear her unorthodox Republican rival could disrupt global trade, damage geopolitical relationships and rattle markets, industry analysts and participants say.

&ldquo;Those are the kind of things that corner offices think about,&rdquo; said Karen Shaw Petrou of Federal Financial Analytics Inc, whose firm advises financial firms about US regulatory policy. &ldquo;The overriding concern about Trump has dominated people&rsquo;s thinking.&quot;

Trump&#39;s candidacy has upended traditional political alliances and bankers that usually contribute more to the Republicans have been flinging money at Clinton.

Employees of the 17 largest bank holding companies and their subsidiaries have been sending her $10 for every $1 they contributed to Trump, according to a Reuters analysis. In 2012, the same group contributed twice as much to Republican candidate Mitt Romney as it did to President Barack Obama`s re-election campaign.&nbsp;

People who work for hedge funds and private equity firms have contributed more than $56 million to Clinton&rsquo;s presidential campaign and the supporting groups that face no legal cap on donations. Trump&rsquo;s campaign and related groups received just $243,000 from donors in the same sector, according to data from the Center for Responsive Politics.

&quot;It&rsquo;s basically going with the devil you know over the devil you don&rsquo;t,&rdquo; said Brian Gardner, a managing director of New York investment firm Keefe Bruyette &amp; Woods. What also helped, he said, was the familiarity with Hillary and Bill Clinton dating back to the 1990s when her husband was president and ushered in a period of financial deregulation.

&ldquo;There is a closeness and a comfort level between the titans on Wall Street and the Clintons,&quot; he said.

For bankers, the biggest worry is a scenario where Clinton wins and the Democrats take control of the House and the Senate, with progressives such as Warren and Sanders holding sway over everything from new tax laws to appointments of regulators.

Already, Warren has called for immediate dismissal of the Securities and Exchange Commission Chair Mary Jo White. Last year, Warren successfully led a movement to derail Obama&rsquo;s plan to appoint banker Antonio Weiss to the top job at Treasury.

Warren and other progressives will press Clinton to be tough on Wall Street in return for their campaign support.&nbsp;

Clinton &quot;leaned heavily on Senators Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders, and progressive ideas, when she needed to excite voters,&rdquo; Adam Green with the Progressive Change Campaign Committee said. &ldquo;Elizabeth Warren has proven she&rsquo;s a very powerful ally to have on your side. And it&rsquo;s well known she&rsquo;s also a formidable opponent to have against you,&rdquo; Green said.&nbsp;

However, recent polls suggest it is unlikely that Democrats will take the House and the future of the Senate is far from certain. Even if the Senate goes Democratic, it is likely to be led by New York Senator Chuck Schumer, a moderate who has represented Wall Street with the industry`s backing.

Clinton has said she will propose a &quot;risk fee&quot; on the largest financial firms and tighten up rules which allow banks to circumvent bans on proprietary trading by investing in hedge funds. Like Trump, she has proposed to end the tax break that private equity investors enjoy, termed &quot;carried interest.&quot;

Yet such provisions will be probably tied up in a much larger tax initiative that will involve months, if not a year or more, of horse trading in Washington. Ultimately, it could end up overshadowed by other progressive goals, such as infrastructure funding, college affordability, or raising the minimum wage.

Those are the causes that Clinton has prioritized and they are likely to supersede her anti-bank rhetoric, say bankers. One industry trade group representative said: &quot;We&#39;re not in her top 10 to take care of.&quot; 
 
(Reuters)

Why the banking industry prefers Hillary Clinton as president over Donald Trump

Hillary Clinton began her presidential campaign by promising to do what it takes to rein in Wall Street. Boosted by Wall Street's toughest critics, US senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, the Democratic candidate has declared "the deck is still stacked in favor of those at the top" and said she would raise bank fees and tighten banking regulations. She has encouraged regulators to break up too-risky banks. And yet, Wall Street appears unperturbed by the prospect of a Clinton presidency. In fact, the banking industry has supported Clinton with buckets of cash and stocks have sold off on days when the Clinton campaign stumbles. Privately, bankers say that they trust her to remain a pragmatist who will keep the current regulatory regime laid down by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street reform legislation passed in 2010. “I don’t think Clinton wakes up thinking about Wall Street," one senior banking industry lobbyist said. There are hints in apparently leaked email discussions among Clinton's campaign staff that bankers are not far off the mark when they count on her to tread lightly. Pressed during the campaign by progressive Democrats to call for a revival of the Glass-Steagall Act that would require separation of commercial and investment banking, Clinton ultimately refused. She also weighed another progressive favourite --- a tax on financial transactions --- but instead recommended a far narrower plan to tax only canceled orders by high speed traders. Ultimately, what bankers most like about Clinton is that she is not Donald Trump. Many financiers fear her unorthodox Republican rival could disrupt global trade, damage geopolitical relationships and rattle markets, industry analysts and participants say. “Those are the kind of things that corner offices think about,” said Karen Shaw Petrou of Federal Financial Analytics Inc, whose firm advises financial firms about US regulatory policy. “The overriding concern about Trump has dominated people’s thinking." Trump's candidacy has upended traditional political alliances and bankers that usually contribute more to the Republicans have been flinging money at Clinton. Employees of the 17 largest bank holding companies and their subsidiaries have been sending her $10 for every $1 they contributed to Trump, according to a Reuters analysis. In 2012, the same group contributed twice as much to Republican candidate Mitt Romney as it did to President Barack Obama`s re-election campaign. People who work for hedge funds and private equity firms have contributed more than $56 million to Clinton’s presidential campaign and the supporting groups that face no legal cap on donations. Trump’s campaign and related groups received just $243,000 from donors in the same sector, according to data from the Center for Responsive Politics. "It’s basically going with the devil you know over the devil you don’t,” said Brian Gardner, a managing director of New York investment firm Keefe Bruyette & Woods. What also helped, he said, was the familiarity with Hillary and Bill Clinton dating back to the 1990s when her husband was president and ushered in a period of financial deregulation. “There is a closeness and a comfort level between the titans on Wall Street and the Clintons," he said. For bankers, the biggest worry is a scenario where Clinton wins and the Democrats take control of the House and the Senate, with progressives such as Warren and Sanders holding sway over everything from new tax laws to appointments of regulators. Already, Warren has called for immediate dismissal of the Securities and Exchange Commission Chair Mary Jo White. Last year, Warren successfully led a movement to derail Obama’s plan to appoint banker Antonio Weiss to the top job at Treasury. Warren and other progressives will press Clinton to be tough on Wall Street in return for their campaign support. Clinton "leaned heavily on Senators Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders, and progressive ideas, when she needed to excite voters,” Adam Green with the Progressive Change Campaign Committee said. “Elizabeth Warren has proven she’s a very powerful ally to have on your side. And it’s well known she’s also a formidable opponent to have against you,” Green said. However, recent polls suggest it is unlikely that Democrats will take the House and the future of the Senate is far from certain. Even if the Senate goes Democratic, it is likely to be led by New York Senator Chuck Schumer, a moderate who has represented Wall Street with the industry`s backing. Clinton has said she will propose a "risk fee" on the largest financial firms and tighten up rules which allow banks to circumvent bans on proprietary trading by investing in hedge funds. Like Trump, she has proposed to end the tax break that private equity investors enjoy, termed "carried interest." Yet such provisions will be probably tied up in a much larger tax initiative that will involve months, if not a year or more, of horse trading in Washington. Ultimately, it could end up overshadowed by other progressive goals, such as infrastructure funding, college affordability, or raising the minimum wage. Those are the causes that Clinton has prioritized and they are likely to supersede her anti-bank rhetoric, say bankers. One industry trade group representative said: "We're not in her top 10 to take care of." (Reuters)

Hillary Clinton: Wall Street's favourite enemy

A week short of the presidential poll in the US, Hillary Clinton has released a new advertisement. Building up on the deluge of sexual harassment accusations against Donald Trump, the ad highlights his attitude towards women. In her speeches and social media engagement, Clinton has been steadily building a case against Trump on the basis of the accounts of his alleged victims as well as own statements.

As much as fourteen women have gone on record to say that they were sexually harassed by Trump at some point in their lives. The Republican candidate also has an upcoming hearing for a child rape case against him. On a recent TV show, Trump&rsquo;s campaign manager Kellyane Conway refused to acknowledge on the rape case as a serious concern. She has also predicted that Trump will win as the undecided voter has now decided against Clinton. FBI Director James Comey&rsquo;s announcement about the existence of a new batch of emails with a connection to Clinton&rsquo;s server seems to have rocked her campaign trail a bit.

Will leveraging herself as an upholder of women&rsquo;s rights and dignity give Clinton the much-needed thrust to outscore her Republican counterpart? How does Clinton&rsquo;s own track record on this issue during her husband&rsquo;s presidency play out now?

Fifteen women from South Asia weigh on whether sexual harassment accusations could be the game changer in an election seeing two of the most controversial Presidential candidates in the history of American democracy.

Priyanka Chaturvedi, National Spokesperson, India National Congress

@priyankac19

Sexual harassment accusations have created a dent but I doubt it would change the minds of those who have decided on him. As much as I personally think he should be thrown out for his nonsense, I do not think the outcome will be significantly impacted.

Gul Panag, Politician (Aam Aadmi Party), Actor, Entrepreneur

@GulPanag

No, it won&rsquo;t be a significant factor for the outcome of the election.

Shilpi Tewari, Architect, Bhartiya Janta Party volunteer

@shilpitewari

I hope so. I would be shocked if not. Though, Hillary&rsquo;s track record isn&#39;t great either. Yet she benefits because she is a woman and wouldn&#39;t be the one assaulting. Basically, I am glad I am not an American voter and don&#39;t have to choose amongst them.

Rupa Subramanya, Columnist and Author

@rupasubramanya

If you go by the polls, his support among women is on the decline. But I don&#39;t think he ever had their overwhelming support anyway. I&#39;ve met women who support Trump and they say this happened a long time ago so what&#39;s the big deal and this is meant to distract from Hillary&#39;s misdemeanours. I don&#39;t think anyone really thinks Trump is the greatest but I think most folks I&#39;ve met hate Hilary more.

Arati Kumar Rao, Photographer

@AratiKumarRao

I would say he sure is winning the race to the bottom.

Maryam Reshii, Food Critic

@reshii

Nopes. Nahi. Nyet. Right wingers will vote for him. Lefties won&#39;t. Simple.

Maitreyi Bordia Das, Global Lead for Social Inclusion, World Bank

@DasMaitreyi

It is hard to say. There was already a negative wind. I think his comments have marred more than the women coming out. But these things are hard to say in real time. In hindsight, we will have a better picture.

Mehr Tarar, Columnist, Pakistan

@MehrTarar

Trump was doomed even before the sexual harassment thing. But the fact that women have reacted after the revelations is a manifestation of women standing up against &quot;accepted&quot; behaviour by men that is not right, never has been. Silence endorses things and that&#39;s what happens when it comes to men touching women and saying things they shouldn&#39;t.

Namita Bhandare, Journalist

@namitabhandare

It&#39;s a long answer and the US has a very long history of puritanism that makes the sex life of people in power very relevant. This is different though&nbsp;because here you have a sexual predator. It would be interesting to compare public reaction to Trump versus public reaction to Gary Hart.

[On the &ldquo;pussy-grab&rdquo; clip] This is not sexualising the US election, nor is this innuendo: this is clearly sexual assault caught on video. Of course, Trump has a point when he says Hillary turned a blind eye to Bill&#39;s gross abuse of power for sexual favours while in the Oval.

Rama Lakshmi, Social Media Editor, Washington Post

@RamaNewDelhi

That pussy-grab audio was a shift.

Aditi Malhotra, PhD Scholar

@aditi_malhotra_

I have a mixed opinion on this one. The cases about sexual harassment are indeed hampering his prospects but mainly only in cases of undecided voters. It&#39;s sad but one continues to see many Trump women supporters persistently cheering for him despite his misogynistic views and actions. However, one needs to realise that it is the swing states and swing voters who can make or break the Nov 8 election. It is in this context women voters can make a huge difference and showcase their power as an electoral base. As Michelle Obama said, &quot;High time women stand up and say, enough is enough!&quot;

Nilanjana Roy, Novelist

@nilanjanaroy

There has been an attitudinal shift in the society. It is difficult to get away with impunity. People like Trump are increasingly being held accountable for their misdemeanours. Victim shaming is not all that rampant and those indulging in it are getting called out.

Yes, Hillary is hawkish. But that&rsquo;s how most politicians are. This is a time in the history of the USA where somebody like her is needed. A purely leftist candidate will not be able to handle a fast polarising world.

Rana Safvi, Historian

@iamrana

Yes, I think the harassment charges are going to significantly mar Trump&rsquo;s prospects.

Atiya Zaidi, Publisher

@atiyaz

Ultimately, and sadly, not much.

Vidyut, Blogger, Entrepreneur

@vidyut

It is a toss-up. But I think Trump is a lot like (Narendra) Modi. His core voter base is unlikely to be bothered by bad revelations about him.

Fifteen women from South Asia share their views on the likely impact of the sexual harassment charges faced by Donald Trump

A week short of the presidential poll in the US, Hillary Clinton has released a new advertisement. Building up on the deluge of sexual harassment accusations against Donald Trump, the ad highlights his attitude towards women. In her speeches and social media engagement, Clinton has been steadily building a case against Trump on the basis of the accounts of his alleged victims as well as own statements. As much as fourteen women have gone on record to say that they were sexually harassed by Trump at some point in their lives. The Republican candidate also has an upcoming hearing for a child rape case against him. On a recent TV show, Trump’s campaign manager Kellyane Conway refused to acknowledge on the rape case as a serious concern. She has also predicted that Trump will win as the undecided voter has now decided against Clinton. FBI Director James Comey’s announcement about the existence of a new batch of emails with a connection to Clinton’s server seems to have rocked her campaign trail a bit. Will leveraging herself as an upholder of women’s rights and dignity give Clinton the much-needed thrust to outscore her Republican counterpart? How does Clinton’s own track record on this issue during her husband’s presidency play out now? Fifteen women from South Asia weigh on whether sexual harassment accusations could be the game changer in an election seeing two of the most controversial Presidential candidates in the history of American democracy. Priyanka Chaturvedi, National Spokesperson, India National Congress @priyankac19 Sexual harassment accusations have created a dent but I doubt it would change the minds of those who have decided on him. As much as I personally think he should be thrown out for his nonsense, I do not think the outcome will be significantly impacted. Gul Panag, Politician (Aam Aadmi Party), Actor, Entrepreneur @GulPanag No, it won’t be a significant factor for the outcome of the election. Shilpi Tewari, Architect, Bhartiya Janta Party volunteer @shilpitewari I hope so. I would be shocked if not. Though, Hillary’s track record isn't great either. Yet she benefits because she is a woman and wouldn't be the one assaulting. Basically, I am glad I am not an American voter and don't have to choose amongst them. Rupa Subramanya, Columnist and Author @rupasubramanya If you go by the polls, his support among women is on the decline. But I don't think he ever had their overwhelming support anyway. I've met women who support Trump and they say this happened a long time ago so what's the big deal and this is meant to distract from Hillary's misdemeanours. I don't think anyone really thinks Trump is the greatest but I think most folks I've met hate Hilary more. Arati Kumar Rao, Photographer @AratiKumarRao I would say he sure is winning the race to the bottom. Maryam Reshii, Food Critic @reshii Nopes. Nahi. Nyet. Right wingers will vote for him. Lefties won't. Simple. Maitreyi Bordia Das, Global Lead for Social Inclusion, World Bank @DasMaitreyi It is hard to say. There was already a negative wind. I think his comments have marred more than the women coming out. But these things are hard to say in real time. In hindsight, we will have a better picture. Mehr Tarar, Columnist, Pakistan @MehrTarar Trump was doomed even before the sexual harassment thing. But the fact that women have reacted after the revelations is a manifestation of women standing up against "accepted" behaviour by men that is not right, never has been. Silence endorses things and that's what happens when it comes to men touching women and saying things they shouldn't. Namita Bhandare, Journalist @namitabhandare It's a long answer and the US has a very long history of puritanism that makes the sex life of people in power very relevant. This is different though because here you have a sexual predator. It would be interesting to compare public reaction to Trump versus public reaction to Gary Hart. [On the “pussy-grab” clip] This is not sexualising the US election, nor is this innuendo: this is clearly sexual assault caught on video. Of course, Trump has a point when he says Hillary turned a blind eye to Bill's gross abuse of power for sexual favours while in the Oval. Rama Lakshmi, Social Media Editor, Washington Post @RamaNewDelhi That pussy-grab audio was a shift. Aditi Malhotra, PhD Scholar @aditi_malhotra_ I have a mixed opinion on this one. The cases about sexual harassment are indeed hampering his prospects but mainly only in cases of undecided voters. It's sad but one continues to see many Trump women supporters persistently cheering for him despite his misogynistic views and actions. However, one needs to realise that it is the swing states and swing voters who can make or break the Nov 8 election. It is in this context women voters can make a huge difference and showcase their power as an electoral base. As Michelle Obama said, "High time women stand up and say, enough is enough!" Nilanjana Roy, Novelist @nilanjanaroy There has been an attitudinal shift in the society. It is difficult to get away with impunity. People like Trump are increasingly being held accountable for their misdemeanours. Victim shaming is not all that rampant and those indulging in it are getting called out. Yes, Hillary is hawkish. But that’s how most politicians are. This is a time in the history of the USA where somebody like her is needed. A purely leftist candidate will not be able to handle a fast polarising world. Rana Safvi, Historian @iamrana Yes, I think the harassment charges are going to significantly mar Trump’s prospects. Atiya Zaidi, Publisher @atiyaz Ultimately, and sadly, not much. Vidyut, Blogger, Entrepreneur @vidyut It is a toss-up. But I think Trump is a lot like (Narendra) Modi. His core voter base is unlikely to be bothered by bad revelations about him.

Sexual harassment charges against Donald Trump: What South Asian women think

Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton launched bitter attacks on each other&#39;s character Tuesday as a new poll suggested the White House race has tightened in the final week.&nbsp;

Trump stormed into Democratic territory in Wisconsin to try to use suspicion generated by an FBI probe into Clinton&#39;s emails to open an unlikely path to victory on November 8.

But, with political tension spilling over into financial markets, 69-year-old Clinton was determined not to lose her advantage, firing up Florida crowds with attacks on Trump&#39;s attitude to women.

Polling forecasts suggest the 70-year-old Republican property mogul faces a battle to win enough states to secure an electoral college victory over his Democratic rival.

But he received a boost Tuesday when an ABC News/Washington Post tracking poll showed him leading Clinton by 46 to 45 per cent.

He boasted about the new numbers as he addressed a raucous crowd -- chanting &quot;Lock her up!&quot; and &quot;Drain the swamp!&quot; -- in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, before turning the knife.

&quot;The Clintons are the sordid past and we will be the bright and clean future,&quot; he announced, to rapturous roars.

But if Clinton was rattled by the poll -- or by the renewed interest in her email server -- she did not show it at a barnstorming rally in the swing state of Florida.

&nbsp;&#39;Insults half the population&#39;

Clinton was introduced by Alicia Machado, a former Miss Universe whom Trump, then the owner of the pageant, publicly humiliated by mocking her post-victory weight gain.

&quot;Can we just stop for a minute and reflect on the absurdity of Donald Trump finding fault with Miss Universe?&quot; Clinton snorted.

Trump&#39;s doctor says he is more than overweight at 236 pounds (107 kilograms).

&quot;What about our girls? What happens to their confidence, their sense of self-worth?&quot; she demanded, warning against a president &quot;who insults more than half the population.&quot;

And she pivoted to the notorious tape where Trump is overheard on a hot mic bragging about being able to grope women and get away with because he is a star.

&quot;And I have to tell you, since that tape came out, 12 women have come forward to say: &#39;What he said on that tape is what he did to me,&#39;&quot; Clinton said. Trump denies these allegations.

The close poll spooked the markets, which had expected the former secretary of state to comfortably defeat a populist who economists fear could plunge the world into recession.&nbsp;

US stocks closed down 0.7 per cent and the Vix Volatility or &quot;fear index&quot; jumped to its highest level since Britain voted to leave the European Union.

But no matter how close the popular vote, in order to win the White House, Trump must take at least one normally Democratic state, the swing states and the Republican heartland.

Wisconsin backed President Barack Obama in 2012, but if Trump can win its 10 votes, it could put him over the 270 threshold and win him the keys to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

But this remains a long shot. The New York Times statistical model gives Clinton an 88 per cent chance of winning, while respected data tracking website FiveThirtyEight says she has a 74 per cent chance of victory.

Nevertheless, the tumultuous presidential race -- which has featured footage showing Trump boasting of sexual assault and claims of Russian interference in the contest -- may have a few twists and turns left in store.

On Monday, Trump was hit by fresh allegations in a detailed report by The New York Times that he not only dodged paying income tax but did so in a way that has since been outlawed.

&nbsp;Big stakes

This may not be enough to turn public attention away from a revived FBI investigation into whether Clinton put US secrets at risk by using a private email server while serving as secretary of state.

Clinton&#39;s campaign has spent three days berating FBI Director James Comey for revealing to lawmakers that the bureau is looking anew at her use of a private email server while at the State Department.

Team Clinton was furious that Comey made his announcement without any new evidence of wrongdoing, but insists the scandal has not torpedoed her candidacy.

&quot;We do not see any evidence that the Comey story has had an impact on our polling,&quot; a senior aide told reporters.

&quot;If anything, it&#39;s angered our supporters and been a motivating factor, but it doesn&#39;t seem to be affecting the overall vote,&quot; he said, writing off what he dubbed &quot;bad polling.&quot;

Obama and Vice President Joe Biden both hit the campaign trail for Clinton on Tuesday and have a full schedule for the week, hoping to push her past Trump in the home stretch.

Obama -- who was in Ohio -- is having what his spokesman called a &quot;heck of a good time&quot; making the case for Clinton, calling his full schedule &quot;an indication of exactly how big he thinks the stakes are in this election.&quot;

(AFP)

An ABC News/Washington Post tracking poll showed Trump leading Clinton 46 to 45%

Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton launched bitter attacks on each other's character Tuesday as a new poll suggested the White House race has tightened in the final week. Trump stormed into Democratic territory in Wisconsin to try to use suspicion generated by an FBI probe into Clinton's emails to open an unlikely path to victory on November 8. But, with political tension spilling over into financial markets, 69-year-old Clinton was determined not to lose her advantage, firing up Florida crowds with attacks on Trump's attitude to women. Polling forecasts suggest the 70-year-old Republican property mogul faces a battle to win enough states to secure an electoral college victory over his Democratic rival. But he received a boost Tuesday when an ABC News/Washington Post tracking poll showed him leading Clinton by 46 to 45 per cent. He boasted about the new numbers as he addressed a raucous crowd -- chanting "Lock her up!" and "Drain the swamp!" -- in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, before turning the knife. "The Clintons are the sordid past and we will be the bright and clean future," he announced, to rapturous roars. But if Clinton was rattled by the poll -- or by the renewed interest in her email server -- she did not show it at a barnstorming rally in the swing state of Florida. 'Insults half the population' Clinton was introduced by Alicia Machado, a former Miss Universe whom Trump, then the owner of the pageant, publicly humiliated by mocking her post-victory weight gain. "Can we just stop for a minute and reflect on the absurdity of Donald Trump finding fault with Miss Universe?" Clinton snorted. Trump's doctor says he is more than overweight at 236 pounds (107 kilograms). "What about our girls? What happens to their confidence, their sense of self-worth?" she demanded, warning against a president "who insults more than half the population." And she pivoted to the notorious tape where Trump is overheard on a hot mic bragging about being able to grope women and get away with because he is a star. "And I have to tell you, since that tape came out, 12 women have come forward to say: 'What he said on that tape is what he did to me,'" Clinton said. Trump denies these allegations. The close poll spooked the markets, which had expected the former secretary of state to comfortably defeat a populist who economists fear could plunge the world into recession. US stocks closed down 0.7 per cent and the Vix Volatility or "fear index" jumped to its highest level since Britain voted to leave the European Union. But no matter how close the popular vote, in order to win the White House, Trump must take at least one normally Democratic state, the swing states and the Republican heartland. Wisconsin backed President Barack Obama in 2012, but if Trump can win its 10 votes, it could put him over the 270 threshold and win him the keys to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. But this remains a long shot. The New York Times statistical model gives Clinton an 88 per cent chance of winning, while respected data tracking website FiveThirtyEight says she has a 74 per cent chance of victory. Nevertheless, the tumultuous presidential race -- which has featured footage showing Trump boasting of sexual assault and claims of Russian interference in the contest -- may have a few twists and turns left in store. On Monday, Trump was hit by fresh allegations in a detailed report by The New York Times that he not only dodged paying income tax but did so in a way that has since been outlawed. Big stakes This may not be enough to turn public attention away from a revived FBI investigation into whether Clinton put US secrets at risk by using a private email server while serving as secretary of state. Clinton's campaign has spent three days berating FBI Director James Comey for revealing to lawmakers that the bureau is looking anew at her use of a private email server while at the State Department. Team Clinton was furious that Comey made his announcement without any new evidence of wrongdoing, but insists the scandal has not torpedoed her candidacy. "We do not see any evidence that the Comey story has had an impact on our polling," a senior aide told reporters. "If anything, it's angered our supporters and been a motivating factor, but it doesn't seem to be affecting the overall vote," he said, writing off what he dubbed "bad polling." Obama and Vice President Joe Biden both hit the campaign trail for Clinton on Tuesday and have a full schedule for the week, hoping to push her past Trump in the home stretch. Obama -- who was in Ohio -- is having what his spokesman called a "heck of a good time" making the case for Clinton, calling his full schedule "an indication of exactly how big he thinks the stakes are in this election." (AFP)

US elections 2016: Trump, Clinton go on attack as new poll suggests race has tightened

World stocks, the dollar and oil fell on Wednesday, while safe-haven assets such as gold and the Swiss franc rose as investors were rattled by signs the US presidential race was tightening just days before the vote.

Investors were beginning to rethink their long-held bets of a November 8 victory for Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton amid signs her Republican rival Donald Trump could be closing the gap, deepening the recent decline across major stock markets.

Asian stocks hit a seven-week low on Wednesday, while European bourses followed Wall Street&#39;s lead overnight and slid to a four-month low.

Bonds rose alongside gold, the Swiss franc and Japanese yen, with the yield on 10-year US Treasuries falling for the third day in a row. British gilts, which have recently been slammed by uncertainty surrounding the post-Brexit UK outlook, surged too.

&quot;The lead up to the US presidential election was always expected to be lively but the events of the last couple of days have seriously taken their toll on investor sentiment,&quot; said Craig Erlam, senior market analyst at Oanda in London.

Investor anxiety has deepened in recent sessions over a possible Trump victory given uncertainty on the Republican candidate&#39;s stance on key issues including foreign policy, trade relations and immigrants, while Clinton is viewed as a candidate of the status quo.

Europe&#39;s index of leading 300 shares was last down 0.4 per cent, having earlier hit a four-month low of 1,313 points. Britain&#39;s Britain&#39;s FTSE and Germany&#39;s DAX fell 0.4 and 0.7 per cent, respectively.

MSCI&#39;s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan dropped 1.1 per cent to seven-week lows while the yen&#39;s rise to a two-week high helped push Japan&#39;s Nikkei down 1.8 percent.

US stock futures recovered earlier losses, pointing to a fall of only 0.1 per cent at the open. This would still signify a fresh four-month low for Wall Street.

Pricing a Trump victory

The tumultuous presidential race appeared to tighten after news that the Federal Bureau of Investigation was reviewing more emails as part of a probe into Clinton&#39;s use of a private email server.

While Clinton held a five-percentage-point lead over Trump, according to a Reuters/Ipsos opinion poll released on Monday, some other polls showed her Republican rival ahead by 1-2 percentage points.

Barclays strategists estimate that a rise in Trump&#39;s polling odds to 50 per cent could see the S&amp;P 500 fall 4-5 percent, and potentially as much as 10-11 percent if he wins.

This has unnerved markets and the CBOE volatility index, often seen as investors&#39; fear gauge, rose to a two-month high above 20 percent.

The tension in markets came as the Federal Reserve holds its two-day policy meeting, with its statement due later on Wednesday. While traders do not expect a rate hike just a week ahead of the presidential election, they are looking for signs that the Fed will move in December.

Investors have grown increasingly confident in recent weeks that the Fed will follow through next month, attaching an 80 percent probability to such a move, according to fed funds futures pricing.

But currency traders have sold the dollar this week in part because they suspect Trump would prefer a weaker dollar given his protectionist stance on international trade, and in part because the uncertainty surrounding a Trump win might lead to a more dovish stance from the Fed in the months ahead.

The dollar fell again on Wednesday, after posting its biggest one-day fall on Tuesday in two months.

The euro rose 0.4 per cent to touch $1.11 for the first time in more than three weeks. It is up about two per cent from its 7-1/2-month low of $1.0851 hit last week.

Against the yen, the dollar fell 0.8 percent to 103.24 yen from three-month high of 105.54 yen set on Friday.

&quot;If you had a long dollar position on the view that the dollar would gain because Clinton would win, you would surely close that position because her victory is less certain,&quot; said Koichi Yoshikawa, executive director of financial markets at Standard Chartered Bank.

Other safe-haven assets also rose. The Swiss franc hit a four-month high of 1.0750 francs per euro, its highest level since late June, while gold reached a four-week high of $1,297 per ounce.

Oil prices fell for the fourth day in a row, sliding to one-month lows. Brent crude futures fell more than 1 percent to $47.53 per barrel, and US crude was down as low as $46.06. Oil has lost 10 percent in the last two weeks.

(Reuters)

Investors fear Trump's victory because of his uncertain stance on issues of foreign policy, trade relations and immigrants

World stocks, the dollar and oil fell on Wednesday, while safe-haven assets such as gold and the Swiss franc rose as investors were rattled by signs the US presidential race was tightening just days before the vote. Investors were beginning to rethink their long-held bets of a November 8 victory for Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton amid signs her Republican rival Donald Trump could be closing the gap, deepening the recent decline across major stock markets. Asian stocks hit a seven-week low on Wednesday, while European bourses followed Wall Street's lead overnight and slid to a four-month low. Bonds rose alongside gold, the Swiss franc and Japanese yen, with the yield on 10-year US Treasuries falling for the third day in a row. British gilts, which have recently been slammed by uncertainty surrounding the post-Brexit UK outlook, surged too. "The lead up to the US presidential election was always expected to be lively but the events of the last couple of days have seriously taken their toll on investor sentiment," said Craig Erlam, senior market analyst at Oanda in London. Investor anxiety has deepened in recent sessions over a possible Trump victory given uncertainty on the Republican candidate's stance on key issues including foreign policy, trade relations and immigrants, while Clinton is viewed as a candidate of the status quo. Europe's index of leading 300 shares was last down 0.4 per cent, having earlier hit a four-month low of 1,313 points. Britain's Britain's FTSE and Germany's DAX fell 0.4 and 0.7 per cent, respectively. MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan dropped 1.1 per cent to seven-week lows while the yen's rise to a two-week high helped push Japan's Nikkei down 1.8 percent. US stock futures recovered earlier losses, pointing to a fall of only 0.1 per cent at the open. This would still signify a fresh four-month low for Wall Street. Pricing a Trump victory The tumultuous presidential race appeared to tighten after news that the Federal Bureau of Investigation was reviewing more emails as part of a probe into Clinton's use of a private email server. While Clinton held a five-percentage-point lead over Trump, according to a Reuters/Ipsos opinion poll released on Monday, some other polls showed her Republican rival ahead by 1-2 percentage points. Barclays strategists estimate that a rise in Trump's polling odds to 50 per cent could see the S&P 500 fall 4-5 percent, and potentially as much as 10-11 percent if he wins. This has unnerved markets and the CBOE volatility index, often seen as investors' fear gauge, rose to a two-month high above 20 percent. The tension in markets came as the Federal Reserve holds its two-day policy meeting, with its statement due later on Wednesday. While traders do not expect a rate hike just a week ahead of the presidential election, they are looking for signs that the Fed will move in December. Investors have grown increasingly confident in recent weeks that the Fed will follow through next month, attaching an 80 percent probability to such a move, according to fed funds futures pricing. But currency traders have sold the dollar this week in part because they suspect Trump would prefer a weaker dollar given his protectionist stance on international trade, and in part because the uncertainty surrounding a Trump win might lead to a more dovish stance from the Fed in the months ahead. The dollar fell again on Wednesday, after posting its biggest one-day fall on Tuesday in two months. The euro rose 0.4 per cent to touch $1.11 for the first time in more than three weeks. It is up about two per cent from its 7-1/2-month low of $1.0851 hit last week. Against the yen, the dollar fell 0.8 percent to 103.24 yen from three-month high of 105.54 yen set on Friday. "If you had a long dollar position on the view that the dollar would gain because Clinton would win, you would surely close that position because her victory is less certain," said Koichi Yoshikawa, executive director of financial markets at Standard Chartered Bank. Other safe-haven assets also rose. The Swiss franc hit a four-month high of 1.0750 francs per euro, its highest level since late June, while gold reached a four-week high of $1,297 per ounce. Oil prices fell for the fourth day in a row, sliding to one-month lows. Brent crude futures fell more than 1 percent to $47.53 per barrel, and US crude was down as low as $46.06. Oil has lost 10 percent in the last two weeks. (Reuters)

Global stocks fall over chances of Trump's victory in US elections

The latest Washington Post-ABC News Tracking Poll has found supporters of Hillary Clinton slipping behind in enthusiasm.

Although there is no major change in Clinton&#39;s overall support, strong enthusiasm among her supporters fell behind Trump in combined Saturday and Sunday interviews.

While Trump&#39;s edge was negligible in the Thursday and Friday interviews (53 per cent versus 51 per cent), the Saturday and Sunday interviews pointed to 53 per cent and 43 per cent for Trump and Clinton respectively.

In 2012, at this stage of the elections, 64 per cent of Obama supporters had said that they were &quot;very enthusiastic&quot; about him while Romney was narrowly behind at 61 per cent.

Clinton has a 54-41 per cent edge among early voters in an average of the three most recent tracking poll waves, while Trump leads by a 50-39 per cent margin among those who will vote on Election Day.

A good 38 per cent of senior likely voters said that they had already voted while 18 per cent of middle-aged and 17 per cent of young voters have done so.

The daily tracking poll suggests that Trump&#39;s previously lagging support among core Republican groups now almost matches Clinton&#39;s wide support on the left.

Trump holds 78 per cent support among white evangelical Protestants, 77 per cent among conservatives, 68 per cent among rural voters and 59 per cent among white men. Clinton&#39;s stands at 81 per cent among liberals, 67 per cent among those identifying with no religion, 60 per cent among urban dwellers and 72 per cent among non-whites, the poll states.

Trump has an 18-point edge among political independents, quite higher than what Republicans have held in recent elections.

(WION)

The poll seems to show that only a week before the election, voters aren't madly excited to vote for their candidate

The latest Washington Post-ABC News Tracking Poll has found supporters of Hillary Clinton slipping behind in enthusiasm. Although there is no major change in Clinton's overall support, strong enthusiasm among her supporters fell behind Trump in combined Saturday and Sunday interviews. While Trump's edge was negligible in the Thursday and Friday interviews (53 per cent versus 51 per cent), the Saturday and Sunday interviews pointed to 53 per cent and 43 per cent for Trump and Clinton respectively. In 2012, at this stage of the elections, 64 per cent of Obama supporters had said that they were "very enthusiastic" about him while Romney was narrowly behind at 61 per cent. Clinton has a 54-41 per cent edge among early voters in an average of the three most recent tracking poll waves, while Trump leads by a 50-39 per cent margin among those who will vote on Election Day. A good 38 per cent of senior likely voters said that they had already voted while 18 per cent of middle-aged and 17 per cent of young voters have done so. The daily tracking poll suggests that Trump's previously lagging support among core Republican groups now almost matches Clinton's wide support on the left. Trump holds 78 per cent support among white evangelical Protestants, 77 per cent among conservatives, 68 per cent among rural voters and 59 per cent among white men. Clinton's stands at 81 per cent among liberals, 67 per cent among those identifying with no religion, 60 per cent among urban dwellers and 72 per cent among non-whites, the poll states. Trump has an 18-point edge among political independents, quite higher than what Republicans have held in recent elections. (WION)

New poll points to declining enthusiasm among Clinton supporters

White House frontrunner Hillary Clinton on Friday challenged the FBI to defend its renewed probe into emails sent to her private account, declaring herself confident it would find no wrongdoing.

&nbsp;

The Democratic candidate, who is seeking to be elected America&#39;s first female president on November 8, launched a blistering fightback after the Federal Bureau of Investigation revived its probe, citing new evidence.

&nbsp;

&quot;We are 11 days out from, perhaps, the most important national election of our lifetime,&quot; &nbsp;Clinton told reporters, complaining that the FBI announcement posed more questions than answers.

&nbsp;

&quot;The American people deserve to get the full and complete facts immediately,&quot; she said. &quot;We don&#39;t know the facts, which is why we are calling on the FBI to release all the information that it has.&quot;

&nbsp;

But her defiant words came after Republican rival Donald Trump had seized on the news, declaring Clinton unfit for office as a jubilant crowd of supporters in New Hampshire chanted: &quot;Lock her up!&quot;

&nbsp;

Concern that the renewed probe would damage Clinton&#39;s seemingly unstoppable momentum rocked the markets, with US stocks, the Dollar and oil prices tumbling lower on the prospect of a close vote.

&nbsp;

FBI Director James Comey dropped his bombshell in a letter to congressional committees investigating allegations that Clinton had put US secrets at risk during her time at the state department.

&nbsp;

Classified information&nbsp; 
In July, Comey told lawmakers the FBI had not found any criminal wrongdoing in Clinton&#39;s unusual decision to use a private server instead of a government email account while serving as secretary of state.

&nbsp;

But on Friday he wrote to congressional leaders to reveal that &quot;in connection with an unrelated case, the FBI has learned of the existence of emails that appear to be pertinent to the investigation.&quot;

&nbsp;

The FBI will thus take &quot;appropriate investigative steps&quot; to decide whether the new batch of mails contains classified information &quot;as well as to assess their importance to the investigation,&quot; Comey wrote.

&nbsp;

Clinton&#39;s campaign was outraged&nbsp;and quick to imply that Comey&#39;s intervention could be politically-tinged because, in Clinton&#39;s words, the letter was only sent to &quot;Republican members of the House.&quot;

&nbsp;

&quot;We have not been contacted by anyone,&quot; she complained. &quot;The American people deserve to get the full and complete facts immediately.&quot;

&nbsp;

Clinton noted that Comey had said he himself does not know whether the emails are significant or not.

&nbsp;

&quot;I&#39;m confident, whatever they are, they will not change the conclusion reached in July,&quot; she added.

&nbsp;

According to the New York Times, the newly discovered mails emerged after agents seized electronic devices used by Clinton&#39;s closest aide, Huma Abedin, and her husband, Anthony Weiner.

&nbsp;

Weiner, a former congressman who resigned in 2011 after he was exposed for sending explicit online messages, is under investigation over allegations he sent sexual messages to a 15-year-old girl.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

According to NBC News, the newly discovered emails were sent by Abedin to Clinton from a laptop used by Weiner, who also saw a bid to become mayor of New York founder over similar claims in 2013. &#39;Criminal scheme&#39;&nbsp;

Meanwhile, Trump, trailing in polls both nationally and in the swing states he must win to secure the White House, seized triumphantly on the news.

&quot;We must not let her take her criminal scheme into the Oval Office,&quot; the 70-year-old billionaire told cheering crowds at a campaign rally in Manchester, New Hampshire.

&quot;I have great respect for the fact that the FBI and the Department of Justice are now willing to have the courage to right the horrible mistake that they made,&quot; he added.

(AFP)

The Democratic presidential nominee called for disclosure of all facts by the FBI

White House frontrunner Hillary Clinton on Friday challenged the FBI to defend its renewed probe into emails sent to her private account, declaring herself confident it would find no wrongdoing. The Democratic candidate, who is seeking to be elected America's first female president on November 8, launched a blistering fightback after the Federal Bureau of Investigation revived its probe, citing new evidence. "We are 11 days out from, perhaps, the most important national election of our lifetime," Clinton told reporters, complaining that the FBI announcement posed more questions than answers. "The American people deserve to get the full and complete facts immediately," she said. "We don't know the facts, which is why we are calling on the FBI to release all the information that it has." But her defiant words came after Republican rival Donald Trump had seized on the news, declaring Clinton unfit for office as a jubilant crowd of supporters in New Hampshire chanted: "Lock her up!" Concern that the renewed probe would damage Clinton's seemingly unstoppable momentum rocked the markets, with US stocks, the Dollar and oil prices tumbling lower on the prospect of a close vote. FBI Director James Comey dropped his bombshell in a letter to congressional committees investigating allegations that Clinton had put US secrets at risk during her time at the state department. Classified information In July, Comey told lawmakers the FBI had not found any criminal wrongdoing in Clinton's unusual decision to use a private server instead of a government email account while serving as secretary of state. But on Friday he wrote to congressional leaders to reveal that "in connection with an unrelated case, the FBI has learned of the existence of emails that appear to be pertinent to the investigation." The FBI will thus take "appropriate investigative steps" to decide whether the new batch of mails contains classified information "as well as to assess their importance to the investigation," Comey wrote. Clinton's campaign was outraged and quick to imply that Comey's intervention could be politically-tinged because, in Clinton's words, the letter was only sent to "Republican members of the House." "We have not been contacted by anyone," she complained. "The American people deserve to get the full and complete facts immediately." Clinton noted that Comey had said he himself does not know whether the emails are significant or not. "I'm confident, whatever they are, they will not change the conclusion reached in July," she added. According to the New York Times, the newly discovered mails emerged after agents seized electronic devices used by Clinton's closest aide, Huma Abedin, and her husband, Anthony Weiner. Weiner, a former congressman who resigned in 2011 after he was exposed for sending explicit online messages, is under investigation over allegations he sent sexual messages to a 15-year-old girl. According to NBC News, the newly discovered emails were sent by Abedin to Clinton from a laptop used by Weiner, who also saw a bid to become mayor of New York founder over similar claims in 2013. 'Criminal scheme' Meanwhile, Trump, trailing in polls both nationally and in the swing states he must win to secure the White House, seized triumphantly on the news. "We must not let her take her criminal scheme into the Oval Office," the 70-year-old billionaire told cheering crowds at a campaign rally in Manchester, New Hampshire. "I have great respect for the fact that the FBI and the Department of Justice are now willing to have the courage to right the horrible mistake that they made," he added. (AFP)

Clinton email probe: Hillary hits back at FBI, confident it would find no wrongdoing

Hillary Clinton is &quot;absolutely ready&quot; to be the commander-in-chief of the United States, First Lady Michelle Obama said as the Democratic presidential nominee and former secretary of state had &quot;more experience and exposure than any candidate in our lifetime&quot;.

At a North Carolina election rally yesterday, Michelle called Clinton&#39;s vision a &quot;powerful, vibrant and strong&quot; one while that of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump&#39;s as one of &quot;hopelessness and despair&quot;.

&quot;I admire and respect Hillary. She has been a lawyer, a law professor, First Lady of Arkansas, First Lady of the US, a US Senator, secretary of state. She has more experience and exposure to the presidency than any candidate in our lifetime. Yes, more than Barack (Obama). More than Bill (Clinton). So she is absolutely ready to be commander-in-chief on day one. And yes, she happens to be a woman,&quot; PTI reported Michelle as saying yesterday.

&quot;It takes a level of generosity of spirit to do what Hillary has done in her career, in her life, for our family, for this nation. If people wonder, yes, Hillary Clinton is my friend. She has been a friend to mine and Barack, Malia, Sasha and Bill and Chelsea have been embracing and supportive from the very day my husband took the oath of office,&quot; she added.

Michelle also said that this year&#39;s election was not about Republicans versus Democrats, but about something much bigger.

&quot;We know the influence our president has on our children, how they turn on the TV and they see the most powerful role model in the world, someone who shows them how to treat others, how to deal with disappointment, whether to tell the truth,&quot; Michelle added.

(WION with inputs from PTI)

Michelle Obama said this year's election is not about Republicans versus Democrats but about something much bigger

Hillary Clinton is "absolutely ready" to be the commander-in-chief of the United States, First Lady Michelle Obama said as the Democratic presidential nominee and former secretary of state had "more experience and exposure than any candidate in our lifetime". At a North Carolina election rally yesterday, Michelle called Clinton's vision a "powerful, vibrant and strong" one while that of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump's as one of "hopelessness and despair". "I admire and respect Hillary. She has been a lawyer, a law professor, First Lady of Arkansas, First Lady of the US, a US Senator, secretary of state. She has more experience and exposure to the presidency than any candidate in our lifetime. Yes, more than Barack (Obama). More than Bill (Clinton). So she is absolutely ready to be commander-in-chief on day one. And yes, she happens to be a woman," PTI reported Michelle as saying yesterday. "It takes a level of generosity of spirit to do what Hillary has done in her career, in her life, for our family, for this nation. If people wonder, yes, Hillary Clinton is my friend. She has been a friend to mine and Barack, Malia, Sasha and Bill and Chelsea have been embracing and supportive from the very day my husband took the oath of office," she added. Michelle also said that this year's election was not about Republicans versus Democrats, but about something much bigger. "We know the influence our president has on our children, how they turn on the TV and they see the most powerful role model in the world, someone who shows them how to treat others, how to deal with disappointment, whether to tell the truth," Michelle added. (WION with inputs from PTI)

Clinton 'absolutely ready' to be commander-in-chief: Michelle

Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton is the Democratic Party nominee for the President of the United States in the 2016 election.

She has been the 67th US secretary of state as well as the country&#39;s First Lady from 1993 to 2001.

In the latter capacity, she worked towards improving the national health care system.

As the presidential candidate, Clinton promises paid family and medical leave as well as universal, quality, affordable health care for everyone.

Hillary promises an economy that works for everyone; her election agenda talks about a fair tax system where the &#39;Wall Street must work for Main Street.&#39;

Along with sticking with old allies of US and building stronger ties with Cuba, Hillary is against Iran&#39;s nuclear empowerment.

For Hillary, the issue of climate change has been a real threat, with the potential to jeopardise America&#39;s security and economy.

In matters of justice and equality, Hillary promises a pathway to full and equal citizenship through immigration reforms, while working towards protecting the rights of workers, women and LGBT communities.

Her recent uber expensive haircut while adding to her charm has whipped up a lot of media interests.&nbsp;

Former first lady and the 67th US secretary of state, Democrat Hillary Clinton is not new to the world of politics

Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton is the Democratic Party nominee for the President of the United States in the 2016 election. She has been the 67th US secretary of state as well as the country's First Lady from 1993 to 2001. In the latter capacity, she worked towards improving the national health care system. As the presidential candidate, Clinton promises paid family and medical leave as well as universal, quality, affordable health care for everyone. Hillary promises an economy that works for everyone; her election agenda talks about a fair tax system where the 'Wall Street must work for Main Street.' Along with sticking with old allies of US and building stronger ties with Cuba, Hillary is against Iran's nuclear empowerment. For Hillary, the issue of climate change has been a real threat, with the potential to jeopardise America's security and economy. In matters of justice and equality, Hillary promises a pathway to full and equal citizenship through immigration reforms, while working towards protecting the rights of workers, women and LGBT communities. Her recent uber expensive haircut while adding to her charm has whipped up a lot of media interests.

Who is Hillary Clinton?

Residents of the Trump Place Apartments in New York, a high-end urban development project by Donald Trump, are debating whether to remove the Republican presidential nominee&rsquo;s name from the facade to protest his divisive campaign for president and accusations that he sexually assaulted women.&nbsp;

A group of residents launched a petition two weeks ago to take down Trump&rsquo;s name that is spelled out on the front of the building.

The petition opposes Trump&#39;s &quot;appalling treatment of women,&quot; &quot;history of racism,&quot; attacks on immigrants, mockery of the disabled, tax avoidance and &quot;outright lying&quot; as &quot;antithetical to the values&quot; in which the organisers believe, AFP reported.&nbsp;

Many staff are minorities or immigrants, and working in a building that bears the Trump name is &quot;insulting,&quot; it said, AFP reported.

&quot;Since Trump leases his name to buildings he does not own, part of our rent is being used to increase Trump&#39;s net worth,&quot; it said, AFP reported.

465 supporters have signed the petition so far. But not everyone agrees to it.

&quot;I think it&#39;s nonsense,&quot; said a resident told AFP. &quot;When they are going to have to pay for it, they are not going to do it.&quot;

&quot;We live here regardless, and we love the staff, that&#39;s all that matters,&quot; said Ann Rae,AFP reported.

&quot;Some of the people who have signed, we don&#39;t even know them, not even sure they live here,&quot; she said.

&quot;It&#39;s not that we like the name... it&#39;s disgusting some of what Trump has said,&quot; Rae added. &quot;But it&#39;s one of the things about living in New York, there are so many things and buildings in New York that say Trump.&quot;

&quot;It&#39;s not going to change anything, taking out the name,&quot; she said.

The petition reflects the growing threat to Trump&rsquo;s real estate interests from the setback he has faced on the campaign trail.

Luxury apartments in buildings bearing his name no longer command sale price premiums, despite being up seven per cent on the market rate last year, according to a study by the Redfin real estate agency, AFP reported.

(WION with inputs from AFP) 
&nbsp;

A petition by them opposes Trump's 'appalling treatment of women,' 'history of racism,' mockery of the disabled & tax avoidance

Residents of the Trump Place Apartments in New York, a high-end urban development project by Donald Trump, are debating whether to remove the Republican presidential nominee’s name from the facade to protest his divisive campaign for president and accusations that he sexually assaulted women. A group of residents launched a petition two weeks ago to take down Trump’s name that is spelled out on the front of the building. The petition opposes Trump's "appalling treatment of women," "history of racism," attacks on immigrants, mockery of the disabled, tax avoidance and "outright lying" as "antithetical to the values" in which the organisers believe, AFP reported. Many staff are minorities or immigrants, and working in a building that bears the Trump name is "insulting," it said, AFP reported. "Since Trump leases his name to buildings he does not own, part of our rent is being used to increase Trump's net worth," it said, AFP reported. 465 supporters have signed the petition so far. But not everyone agrees to it. "I think it's nonsense," said a resident told AFP. "When they are going to have to pay for it, they are not going to do it." "We live here regardless, and we love the staff, that's all that matters," said Ann Rae,AFP reported. "Some of the people who have signed, we don't even know them, not even sure they live here," she said. "It's not that we like the name... it's disgusting some of what Trump has said," Rae added. "But it's one of the things about living in New York, there are so many things and buildings in New York that say Trump." "It's not going to change anything, taking out the name," she said. The petition reflects the growing threat to Trump’s real estate interests from the setback he has faced on the campaign trail. Luxury apartments in buildings bearing his name no longer command sale price premiums, despite being up seven per cent on the market rate last year, according to a study by the Redfin real estate agency, AFP reported. (WION with inputs from AFP)

At luxury NYC Trump Place Apartments, residents debate name change

She is as calm and thoughtful as her father is strident and impetuous. She is Ivanka Trump, and the distance she has taken from her father Donald has earned her both the respect of Democrats and the head-scratching of analysts.

So the Republican candidate shocked the nation by saying he might not recognize the results of the presidential election if he loses? Ivanka, the model-turned-business-executive, insists &quot;he&#39;ll accept the outcome either way.&quot;

So Donald Trump is caught bragging in lewd terms that he can do whatever he wants to women, then insists this was only &quot;locker-room talk&quot;? His daughter calls the comments &quot;inappropriate and offensive&quot; and admits that her father&#39;s words can be &quot;uncomfortable for us.&quot;

Ivanka, soon to turn 35, is still clearly her father&#39;s protegee. He has been unstinting in his praise for his glamorous offspring, a graduate of the prestigious Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. Trump counts on her to attract young and female voters.&nbsp;

In introducing her father at the Republican convention in July, Ivanka bragged about his &quot;strength&quot; and his &quot;kindness and compassion.&quot;

But she also knows when to step back.

Having grown up in the spotlight from an early age, at a time when her father&#39;s extramarital affairs filled the tabloid press, Ivanka knows how to tend to her own image, &nbsp;and that of the clothing line that bears her name.

Far from the Republican line&nbsp;

Her Twitter and Instagram accounts help nourish her brand, celebrating women who juggle family life and work, with impeccable style ,as does a book she plans to publish next year.&nbsp;

They portray an ideal family: her husband Jared Kushner, her &quot;biggest fan,&quot; for whom she converted to Judaism, and their three children, aged five, three and six months.

She has drawn on her family experiences to distinguish herself during the campaign, quietly urging her father to make promises far removed from Republican orthodoxy, such as a call for six weeks of paid maternity leave and for childcare tax deductions.

Beyond that, Ivanka insists, she does not delve deeply into politics, unlike her brothers and husband. &quot;I am not the campaign mastermind, as people love to portray and speculate,&quot; she recently told MSNBC television.

But if she has edged away from her father at times in an effort to &quot;salvage her brand,&quot; as The New Yorker magazine has suggested, the balancing act has not been easy.&nbsp;

&quot;Her quest to float along empowered but unsullied beside her father throughout this increasingly ugly campaign has been getting harder and harder,&quot; it added.

&nbsp;A &#39;together&#39; woman

Her reserve, in any case, has earned her a certain degree of respect in the opposing camp.

When, at the end of their second televised debate on October 9, the moderator pressed Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump to cite at least one quality in their opponent, Clinton said, without hesitation: &quot;His children are incredibly devoted and able.&quot;&nbsp;

It was an indirect homage to Ivanka, who is a long-standing friend of Chelsea Clinton, the candidate&#39;s daughter.&nbsp;

Even the caustic and strongly left-leaning film director Michael Moore, who just released a film strongly supportive of Clinton, seems to appreciate the young Trump. In an open letter posted on his website, he describes her as a &quot;brilliant&quot; and &quot;very smart and together woman&quot; -- the only person capable, he said, of intervening to stop her father&#39;s quixotic campaign.

For Sam Abrams, a political scientist at Sarah Lawrence College and the conservative Hoover Institution, &quot;When you listen to her... she&#39;s not engaged in the mud-slinging the way the others are; she is trying to be more professional, more mature.&quot;

By taking some distance from her father&#39;s positions, she has given herself &quot;quite a few options&quot; for the future, he said.

That future could be in television, she worked on her father&#39;s reality television program &quot;The Apprentice&quot;, or in politics, where Abrams said she could represent values her father could not.

&quot;The question is, what does she want to do? Can she separate herself more from her father? Can she do it on her own? Does she want to?&quot; the analyst said.

If Donald Trump loses in November as badly as some polls predict, Abrams added, the Republican Party may be in for a prolonged period of self-examination over &quot;what it is and what it stands for.&quot;

So &quot;there is no rush,&quot; he said. &quot;Hillary is the living proof that you can be at it for years.&quot;

(AFP)

The distance Ivanka has maintained from her father Donald has earned her the respect of Democrats and the head-scratching of analysts

She is as calm and thoughtful as her father is strident and impetuous. She is Ivanka Trump, and the distance she has taken from her father Donald has earned her both the respect of Democrats and the head-scratching of analysts. So the Republican candidate shocked the nation by saying he might not recognize the results of the presidential election if he loses? Ivanka, the model-turned-business-executive, insists "he'll accept the outcome either way." So Donald Trump is caught bragging in lewd terms that he can do whatever he wants to women, then insists this was only "locker-room talk"? His daughter calls the comments "inappropriate and offensive" and admits that her father's words can be "uncomfortable for us." Ivanka, soon to turn 35, is still clearly her father's protegee. He has been unstinting in his praise for his glamorous offspring, a graduate of the prestigious Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. Trump counts on her to attract young and female voters. In introducing her father at the Republican convention in July, Ivanka bragged about his "strength" and his "kindness and compassion." But she also knows when to step back. Having grown up in the spotlight from an early age, at a time when her father's extramarital affairs filled the tabloid press, Ivanka knows how to tend to her own image, and that of the clothing line that bears her name. Far from the Republican line Her Twitter and Instagram accounts help nourish her brand, celebrating women who juggle family life and work, with impeccable style ,as does a book she plans to publish next year. They portray an ideal family: her husband Jared Kushner, her "biggest fan," for whom she converted to Judaism, and their three children, aged five, three and six months. She has drawn on her family experiences to distinguish herself during the campaign, quietly urging her father to make promises far removed from Republican orthodoxy, such as a call for six weeks of paid maternity leave and for childcare tax deductions. Beyond that, Ivanka insists, she does not delve deeply into politics, unlike her brothers and husband. "I am not the campaign mastermind, as people love to portray and speculate," she recently told MSNBC television. But if she has edged away from her father at times in an effort to "salvage her brand," as The New Yorker magazine has suggested, the balancing act has not been easy. "Her quest to float along empowered but unsullied beside her father throughout this increasingly ugly campaign has been getting harder and harder," it added. A 'together' woman Her reserve, in any case, has earned her a certain degree of respect in the opposing camp. When, at the end of their second televised debate on October 9, the moderator pressed Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump to cite at least one quality in their opponent, Clinton said, without hesitation: "His children are incredibly devoted and able." It was an indirect homage to Ivanka, who is a long-standing friend of Chelsea Clinton, the candidate's daughter. Even the caustic and strongly left-leaning film director Michael Moore, who just released a film strongly supportive of Clinton, seems to appreciate the young Trump. In an open letter posted on his website, he describes her as a "brilliant" and "very smart and together woman" -- the only person capable, he said, of intervening to stop her father's quixotic campaign. For Sam Abrams, a political scientist at Sarah Lawrence College and the conservative Hoover Institution, "When you listen to her... she's not engaged in the mud-slinging the way the others are; she is trying to be more professional, more mature." By taking some distance from her father's positions, she has given herself "quite a few options" for the future, he said. That future could be in television, she worked on her father's reality television program "The Apprentice", or in politics, where Abrams said she could represent values her father could not. "The question is, what does she want to do? Can she separate herself more from her father? Can she do it on her own? Does she want to?" the analyst said. If Donald Trump loses in November as badly as some polls predict, Abrams added, the Republican Party may be in for a prolonged period of self-examination over "what it is and what it stands for." So "there is no rush," he said. "Hillary is the living proof that you can be at it for years." (AFP)

Ivanka, the other Trump

Jim Murphy, Donald Trump&#39;s national political director, is &quot;stepping back&quot; from the campaign,&nbsp;according to three sources close to the campaign, Politico reports. This move comes&nbsp;just 19&nbsp;days prior to the November 8 election.

&quot;I have not resigned but for personal reasons have had to take a step back from the campaign,&quot; Murphy said in a statement given to the Politico. He did not explain his reasoning any further.

Murphy, a longtime operative for the Republican Party, played a crucial role in setting up field programs in battleground, or hotly-contested, states. He was also a key liason between the Trump campaign and the Republican National Committee.

Murphy&#39;s departure comes as Republicans fear that their party&#39;s infrastructure lags far behind Clinton&#39;s, which may&nbsp;impact not just the outcome of the election but could&nbsp;negatively affect the party across the ballot.

Murphy was a close ally&nbsp;with the Trump campaign&#39;s former manager, Paul Manafort, who resigned back in August.

Manafort replaced Corey Landowski, who had been fired from the campaign after allegations arose that he forcefully grabbed &nbsp;a&nbsp;reporter from Breitbart&nbsp;at a Trump rally, an incident which was caught on video tape.

(WION)&nbsp;

Citing personal reasons, the man in charge of Trump's vital and much-maligned field operations backs away just 19 prior to the election

Jim Murphy, Donald Trump's national political director, is "stepping back" from the campaign, according to three sources close to the campaign, Politico reports. This move comes just 19 days prior to the November 8 election. "I have not resigned but for personal reasons have had to take a step back from the campaign," Murphy said in a statement given to the Politico. He did not explain his reasoning any further. Murphy, a longtime operative for the Republican Party, played a crucial role in setting up field programs in battleground, or hotly-contested, states. He was also a key liason between the Trump campaign and the Republican National Committee. Murphy's departure comes as Republicans fear that their party's infrastructure lags far behind Clinton's, which may impact not just the outcome of the election but could negatively affect the party across the ballot. Murphy was a close ally with the Trump campaign's former manager, Paul Manafort, who resigned back in August. Manafort replaced Corey Landowski, who had been fired from the campaign after allegations arose that he forcefully grabbed a reporter from Breitbart at a Trump rally, an incident which was caught on video tape. (WION)

Trump's national political director 'steps back' from campaign

Melania Trump threatened People Magazine and a former staff reporter with legal action late Thursday over &quot;false and completely fictionalised&quot; statements in the writer&#39;s account of Donald Trump forcing himself on her during a 2005 interview.

The Republican presidential candidate&#39;s wife denied that she encountered or conversed with writer Natasha Stoynoff in New York, tweeting a letter from her lawyer demanding a &quot;prominent retraction and apology&quot; of certain statements in the article, and threatening that Melania would otherwise &quot;consider her legal options.&quot;

&quot;The true facts are these: Mrs Trump did not encounter Ms Stoynoff on the street, nor have any conversation with her,&quot; lawyer Charles Harder wrote. &quot;The two are not friends and were never friends or even friendly.&quot;

His law firm requested that People and Stoynoff confirm within 24 hours that the demands were being met, saying &quot;failure to do so will require Mrs Trump to consider her legal options.&quot;

The letter did not dispute Stoynoff&#39;s allegations that Donald Trump forcibly kissed her during an interview for an article to mark his wedding anniversary with his then-pregnant third wife Melania in 2005.

&quot;I turned around, and within seconds he was pushing me against the wall and forcing his tongue down my throat,&quot; Stoynoff wrote, an account the Republican White House hopeful vehemently denied.

&quot;These vicious claims about me of inappropriate conduct with women are totally and absolutely false,&quot; he told a rally in West Palm Beach on Thursday.

At least six women have accused the New York mogul of making unwanted physical advances in accounts reported by The New York Times, NBC, People Magazine and others, most of them after he asserted during Sunday&#39;s presidential debate with his democratic rival Hillary Clinton that he had never sexually assaulted a woman.

He said his lawyers were preparing a lawsuit against The New York Times, which published the accounts of two women who accused him of groping and kissing them, unless the paper retracts its article.

In her People story, Stoynoff said she asked to be taken off the &quot;Trump beat&quot;, but later ran into the real estate magnate&#39;s wife in New York.

&quot;That winter, I actually bumped into Melania on Fifth Avenue, in front of Trump Tower as she walked into the building, carrying baby Barron,&quot; Stoynoff said. &quot;&#39;Natasha, why don&#39;t we see you anymore?&#39; (Melania Trump) asked, giving me a hug. I was quiet and smiled, telling her I&#39;d missed her, and I squeezed little Barron&#39;s foot.&quot;

The potential first lady&#39;s lawyer Charles Harder also represented former wrestler Hulk Hogan in his successful lawsuit against Gawker Media, which resulted in a $140 million jury award against the entertainment website for releasing a sex tape featuring Hogan and a friend&#39;s wife.

(AFP)

A former staffer of the magazine has accused Donald Trump of assaulting her in 2005

Melania Trump threatened People Magazine and a former staff reporter with legal action late Thursday over "false and completely fictionalised" statements in the writer's account of Donald Trump forcing himself on her during a 2005 interview. The Republican presidential candidate's wife denied that she encountered or conversed with writer Natasha Stoynoff in New York, tweeting a letter from her lawyer demanding a "prominent retraction and apology" of certain statements in the article, and threatening that Melania would otherwise "consider her legal options." "The true facts are these: Mrs Trump did not encounter Ms Stoynoff on the street, nor have any conversation with her," lawyer Charles Harder wrote. "The two are not friends and were never friends or even friendly." His law firm requested that People and Stoynoff confirm within 24 hours that the demands were being met, saying "failure to do so will require Mrs Trump to consider her legal options." The letter did not dispute Stoynoff's allegations that Donald Trump forcibly kissed her during an interview for an article to mark his wedding anniversary with his then-pregnant third wife Melania in 2005. "I turned around, and within seconds he was pushing me against the wall and forcing his tongue down my throat," Stoynoff wrote, an account the Republican White House hopeful vehemently denied. "These vicious claims about me of inappropriate conduct with women are totally and absolutely false," he told a rally in West Palm Beach on Thursday. At least six women have accused the New York mogul of making unwanted physical advances in accounts reported by The New York Times, NBC, People Magazine and others, most of them after he asserted during Sunday's presidential debate with his democratic rival Hillary Clinton that he had never sexually assaulted a woman. He said his lawyers were preparing a lawsuit against The New York Times, which published the accounts of two women who accused him of groping and kissing them, unless the paper retracts its article. In her People story, Stoynoff said she asked to be taken off the "Trump beat", but later ran into the real estate magnate's wife in New York. "That winter, I actually bumped into Melania on Fifth Avenue, in front of Trump Tower as she walked into the building, carrying baby Barron," Stoynoff said. "'Natasha, why don't we see you anymore?' (Melania Trump) asked, giving me a hug. I was quiet and smiled, telling her I'd missed her, and I squeezed little Barron's foot." The potential first lady's lawyer Charles Harder also represented former wrestler Hulk Hogan in his successful lawsuit against Gawker Media, which resulted in a $140 million jury award against the entertainment website for releasing a sex tape featuring Hogan and a friend's wife. (AFP)

Melania Trump threatens People Magazine with lawsuit

Donald Trump savaged US media on Thursday for reporting claims that he groped and forcibly kissed women, allegations he insisted were &quot;outright lies&quot;, as first lady Michelle Obama blasted the Republican nominee in a campaign trail tirade.

With just 26 days until Americans choose a successor to her husband on November 8, a visibly angry Obama delivered a fiery takedown of the real estate mogul and his &quot;disgraceful&quot; behaviour.

&quot;Now is the time for all of us to stand up and say, enough is enough,&quot; Obama told a rally for Hillary Clinton in New Hampshire. &quot;This has got to stop right now.&quot;

But the 70-year-old billionaire was not cowed, castigating his accusers as &quot;horrible liars&quot; and decrying his Democratic rival as complicit in a coordinated media attempt to sabotage his campaign.

Claims by at least six women have come to light in accounts reported by The New York Times, NBC, People Magazine and other outlets, most of them after Trump asserted in Sunday&#39;s debate with Clinton that he never sexually assaulted women.

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<h5>Jessica Leeds, a 74-year-old former businesswoman, told the Times that Trump groped her on a flight in the early 1980s, grabbing her breasts and reaching up her skirt. &#39;He was like an octopus,&#39; Leeds said. &#39;His hands were everywhere,&#39; she added. &#39;It was an assault&#39;</h5>
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&nbsp;

Trump&#39;s accusers countered that statement, saying he made unwanted physical advances against them.

With his campaign in free-fall, Trump lashed out in battleground Florida, denying the alleged incidents occurred.

&quot;These vicious claims about me of inappropriate conduct with women are totally and absolutely false. And the Clintons know it very well,&quot; Trump told a rally in West Palm Beach. &quot;They&#39;re pure fiction. And they&#39;re outright lies.&quot;

The attacks, he added, &quot;are orchestrated by the Clintons and their media allies.&quot;

Trump said his lawyers were preparing a lawsuit against The New York Times, which published the accounts of two women who accused him of groping and kissing them&nbsp;unless the paper retracts the article.

The Times refused to back down.

&quot;We published newsworthy information about a subject of deep public concern,&quot; and Americans are entitled to hear the women&#39;s claims, the paper&#39;s assistant general counsel David McCraw said in a letter to Trump&#39;s lawyers.

&quot;If Mr Trump disagrees... we welcome the opportunity to have a court set him straight.&quot;

&#39;Disgraceful, intolerable&#39;

The women&#39;s accusations surfaced days after a video emerged of Trump boasting in 2005 that his fame allowed him to grope women with impunity, sending the White House race into unprecedented levels of vulgarity.

He has apologised and, trying to reverse his deficit in national polls to the 68-year-old Clinton, sought to minimise the comments as &quot;locker room talk&quot;, a remark that went too far for the first lady.

&quot;This wasn&#39;t locker room banter. This was a powerful individual speaking freely and openly about sexually predatory behavior. And actually bragging about kissing and groping women,&quot; said Obama, 52.

&quot;It doesn&#39;t matter what party you belong to... no woman deserves to be treated this way. No one deserves this kind of abuse,&quot; she said.

&quot;This is not normal. It is not politics as usual. This is disgraceful. It is intolerable.&quot;

Speaking in deeply personal terms, Obama said the Trump scandal &quot;has shaken me to my core.&quot;

The allegations against Trump suggest a decades-long pattern of sexually inappropriate behavior.

Jessica Leeds, a 74-year-old former businesswoman, told the Times that Trump groped her on a flight in the early 1980s, grabbing her breasts and reaching up her skirt.

&quot;He was like an octopus,&quot; Leeds said.

&quot;His hands were everywhere,&quot; she added. &quot;It was an assault.&quot;

Accuser Rachel Crooks said she was a 22-year-old receptionist at a real estate company in Trump Tower in 2005 when she encountered Trump outside an elevator.

After she introduced herself, he &quot;kissed me directly on the mouth,&quot; she told the Times.

&#39;Against the wall&#39;

A photographer&#39;s assistant alleged that Trump grabbed her rear end at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida in 2003, while a former staff writer for People accused Trump of forcibly kissing her during an interview there in 2005.

&quot;Trump shut the door behind us,&quot; Natasha Stoynoff wrote. &quot;I turned around, and within seconds he was pushing me against the wall and forcing his tongue down my throat.&quot;

Trump dismissed the Stoynoff account out of hand.

&quot;Look at her. Look at her words,&quot; he said. &quot;You tell me what you think. I don&#39;t think so.&quot;

Two beauty pageant contestants also accused Trump of either groping or forcibly kissing them.

Trump rejected the claims again at a speech to young voters in Columbus, Ohio.

&quot;I never met these people. I don&#39;t even know who they are. They&#39;re made-up stories filed right before the election,&quot; he said. &quot;I wonder if that had anything to do with this.&quot;

With the campaign mudslinging in full force, Trump had repeatedly threatened to damage Clinton by reviving allegations of sexual misconduct by her husband.

He made good on that promise by appearing with three of Bill Clinton&#39;s female accusers ahead of Sunday&#39;s debate, and alleging on stage that the former president was &quot;abusive&quot;.

He also turned deeply sinister on Thursday, charging that Clinton met &quot;in secret with international banks to plot the destruction of US sovereignty in order to enrich these global financial powers&quot;.

Clinton, visiting a campaign field office in San Francisco, briefly addressed the ugliness of the presidential race.

&quot;We cannot let this pessimism, this dark and divisive and dangerous vision of America, take hold in anybody&#39;s heart,&quot; she said, adding that he has attacked more than just women.

&quot;There&#39;s hardly any part of America that he&#39;s not targeted.&quot;

(AFP)

 
 
 
&nbsp;

At least six women have said Trump assaulted them

Donald Trump savaged US media on Thursday for reporting claims that he groped and forcibly kissed women, allegations he insisted were "outright lies", as first lady Michelle Obama blasted the Republican nominee in a campaign trail tirade. With just 26 days until Americans choose a successor to her husband on November 8, a visibly angry Obama delivered a fiery takedown of the real estate mogul and his "disgraceful" behaviour. "Now is the time for all of us to stand up and say, enough is enough," Obama told a rally for Hillary Clinton in New Hampshire. "This has got to stop right now." But the 70-year-old billionaire was not cowed, castigating his accusers as "horrible liars" and decrying his Democratic rival as complicit in a coordinated media attempt to sabotage his campaign. Claims by at least six women have come to light in accounts reported by The New York Times, NBC, People Magazine and other outlets, most of them after Trump asserted in Sunday's debate with Clinton that he never sexually assaulted women. Jessica Leeds, a 74-year-old former businesswoman, told the Times that Trump groped her on a flight in the early 1980s, grabbing her breasts and reaching up her skirt. 'He was like an octopus,' Leeds said. 'His hands were everywhere,' she added. 'It was an assault' × Trump's accusers countered that statement, saying he made unwanted physical advances against them. With his campaign in free-fall, Trump lashed out in battleground Florida, denying the alleged incidents occurred. "These vicious claims about me of inappropriate conduct with women are totally and absolutely false. And the Clintons know it very well," Trump told a rally in West Palm Beach. "They're pure fiction. And they're outright lies." The attacks, he added, "are orchestrated by the Clintons and their media allies." Trump said his lawyers were preparing a lawsuit against The New York Times, which published the accounts of two women who accused him of groping and kissing them unless the paper retracts the article. The Times refused to back down. "We published newsworthy information about a subject of deep public concern," and Americans are entitled to hear the women's claims, the paper's assistant general counsel David McCraw said in a letter to Trump's lawyers. "If Mr Trump disagrees... we welcome the opportunity to have a court set him straight." 'Disgraceful, intolerable' The women's accusations surfaced days after a video emerged of Trump boasting in 2005 that his fame allowed him to grope women with impunity, sending the White House race into unprecedented levels of vulgarity. He has apologised and, trying to reverse his deficit in national polls to the 68-year-old Clinton, sought to minimise the comments as "locker room talk", a remark that went too far for the first lady. "This wasn't locker room banter. This was a powerful individual speaking freely and openly about sexually predatory behavior. And actually bragging about kissing and groping women," said Obama, 52. "It doesn't matter what party you belong to... no woman deserves to be treated this way. No one deserves this kind of abuse," she said. "This is not normal. It is not politics as usual. This is disgraceful. It is intolerable." Speaking in deeply personal terms, Obama said the Trump scandal "has shaken me to my core." The allegations against Trump suggest a decades-long pattern of sexually inappropriate behavior. Jessica Leeds, a 74-year-old former businesswoman, told the Times that Trump groped her on a flight in the early 1980s, grabbing her breasts and reaching up her skirt. "He was like an octopus," Leeds said. "His hands were everywhere," she added. "It was an assault." Accuser Rachel Crooks said she was a 22-year-old receptionist at a real estate company in Trump Tower in 2005 when she encountered Trump outside an elevator. After she introduced herself, he "kissed me directly on the mouth," she told the Times. 'Against the wall' A photographer's assistant alleged that Trump grabbed her rear end at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida in 2003, while a former staff writer for People accused Trump of forcibly kissing her during an interview there in 2005. "Trump shut the door behind us," Natasha Stoynoff wrote. "I turned around, and within seconds he was pushing me against the wall and forcing his tongue down my throat." Trump dismissed the Stoynoff account out of hand. "Look at her. Look at her words," he said. "You tell me what you think. I don't think so." Two beauty pageant contestants also accused Trump of either groping or forcibly kissing them. Trump rejected the claims again at a speech to young voters in Columbus, Ohio. "I never met these people. I don't even know who they are. They're made-up stories filed right before the election," he said. "I wonder if that had anything to do with this." With the campaign mudslinging in full force, Trump had repeatedly threatened to damage Clinton by reviving allegations of sexual misconduct by her husband. He made good on that promise by appearing with three of Bill Clinton's female accusers ahead of Sunday's debate, and alleging on stage that the former president was "abusive". He also turned deeply sinister on Thursday, charging that Clinton met "in secret with international banks to plot the destruction of US sovereignty in order to enrich these global financial powers". Clinton, visiting a campaign field office in San Francisco, briefly addressed the ugliness of the presidential race. "We cannot let this pessimism, this dark and divisive and dangerous vision of America, take hold in anybody's heart," she said, adding that he has attacked more than just women. "There's hardly any part of America that he's not targeted." (AFP)

'Outright lies', says Trump of reports he groped, forcibly kissed women

After vanquishing 16 party rivals, warring with much of the Republican establishment and provoking controversy at his party&#39;s convention,&nbsp;Donald&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;on Tuesday (July 19) secured the party&#39;s 2016 nomination for the White House.

His son,&nbsp;Donald&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;Jr., announced the support of New York, their home state, during a roll-call vote at the Republican National Convention, ensuring&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;had the majority of delegates - 1,237 - needed to contest the Nov 8, 2016, US&nbsp;presidential election.

With three of&nbsp;Trump&#39;s other children at his side, the son said: &quot;It is my honor to be able to throw Donald&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;over the top in the delegate count tonight.&quot;

The state-by-state vote to put&nbsp;Trump&#39;s name in nomination took place a day after opponents staged a failed attempt to force a vote opposing his candidacy, and after a speech by his wife, Melania, drew accusations of plagiarism.

US&nbsp;senator Jeff Sessions of Alabama, an early backer of&nbsp;Trump, placed the New York businessman&#39;s name in nomination, calling him &quot;a warrior and a winner.&quot; US&nbsp;House of Representatives speaker Paul Ryan, the country&#39;s highest-ranking elected Republican, ran the meeting and launched the nominating process.

Despite threats of another chaotic day at the Quicken Loans basketball arena in Cleveland, anti-Trump&nbsp;Republican US&nbsp;Senator Mike Lee said efforts by some delegates to block&nbsp;Trump&#39;s nomination appeared finished.

I don&#39;t see any way around it, the Utah lawmaker said.

Trump&#39;s campaign has been marked by frequent controversy over his rhetoric on Muslims, Hispanics, illegal immigration and trade, alarming many in the Republican establishment.

Party officials are hoping to use the four-day convention, which began on Monday, to smooth out some of his rough edges and present him as a job creator and a strong hand to combat security threats at home and abroad.

After the vote of the states,&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;was due to receive the blessing on stage of other senior Republicans, including Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky.

Both Ryan and McConnell need&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;to do well in the November election as they seek to preserve Republican majorities in Congress.

Trump, a 70-year-old real estate developer and former reality TV star who has never held elective office, trails Democrat Hillary Clinton, 68, in many opinion polls after a bruising Republican primary season.

Trump&nbsp;narrowed his deficit against Clinton to seven percentage points from 15 points late last week, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Tuesday.

Clinton is expected to be formally nominated at the Democratic convention next week in Philadelphia. 
 
(Reuters)

He will formally accept his nomination in a speech at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland on Thursday

After vanquishing 16 party rivals, warring with much of the Republican establishment and provoking controversy at his party's convention, Donald Trump on Tuesday (July 19) secured the party's 2016 nomination for the White House. His son, Donald Trump Jr., announced the support of New York, their home state, during a roll-call vote at the Republican National Convention, ensuring Trump had the majority of delegates - 1,237 - needed to contest the Nov 8, 2016, US presidential election. With three of Trump's other children at his side, the son said: "It is my honor to be able to throw Donald Trump over the top in the delegate count tonight." The state-by-state vote to put Trump's name in nomination took place a day after opponents staged a failed attempt to force a vote opposing his candidacy, and after a speech by his wife, Melania, drew accusations of plagiarism. US senator Jeff Sessions of Alabama, an early backer of Trump, placed the New York businessman's name in nomination, calling him "a warrior and a winner." US House of Representatives speaker Paul Ryan, the country's highest-ranking elected Republican, ran the meeting and launched the nominating process. Despite threats of another chaotic day at the Quicken Loans basketball arena in Cleveland, anti-Trump Republican US Senator Mike Lee said efforts by some delegates to block Trump's nomination appeared finished. I don't see any way around it, the Utah lawmaker said. Trump's campaign has been marked by frequent controversy over his rhetoric on Muslims, Hispanics, illegal immigration and trade, alarming many in the Republican establishment. Party officials are hoping to use the four-day convention, which began on Monday, to smooth out some of his rough edges and present him as a job creator and a strong hand to combat security threats at home and abroad. After the vote of the states, Trump was due to receive the blessing on stage of other senior Republicans, including Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky. Both Ryan and McConnell need Trump to do well in the November election as they seek to preserve Republican majorities in Congress. Trump, a 70-year-old real estate developer and former reality TV star who has never held elective office, trails Democrat Hillary Clinton, 68, in many opinion polls after a bruising Republican primary season. Trump narrowed his deficit against Clinton to seven percentage points from 15 points late last week, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Tuesday. Clinton is expected to be formally nominated at the Democratic convention next week in Philadelphia. (Reuters)

Trump secures Republican nomination for White House

It was divided into three sections -- achieving prosperity, America's direction, & securing America. Here is the entire transcript

Clinton vs Trump: The first debate

Hillary Clinton is leading her Republican rival Donald Trump by four percentage points after their first head-to-head debate, a latest national poll has said.

In the CBS News/The New York Times poll, the Democratic presidential nominee has the support of 45 per cent of eligible voters as against 41 per cent supporting Trump.

In the same poll conducted last month, the two were tied at 42 per cent.

In a four-way race, Clinton leads Trump by three percentage points.

According to RealClearPolitics, which keeps track of all major national polls, Clinton on an average of recent national polls has maintained a lead of 3.1 percentage point.

The CBS News / The New York Times poll said the first presidential debate has had a more positive impact for Clinton than for Trump.

Likely voters who watched the first presidential debate are twice as likely to say the debate made them think better of Clinton (32 per cent) than worse (16 per cent), it said.

As per the poll, Trump (49 to 38 per cent) continues to lead among men, while Clinton (51 to 33 per cent) leads among women.

Meanwhile , a poll released by the Quinnipiac University said that Clinton is leading in Florida (five points), North Carolina (three points) and Pennsylvania (four points). However, she trails by five points in Ohio.

All four are battleground states, also known as swing states, in which both Democratic and Republican candidates have a good chance of winning.

(PTI)

The CBS News/New York Times poll says she has the support of 45% of eligible voters as against 41% supporting Trump

Hillary Clinton is leading her Republican rival Donald Trump by four percentage points after their first head-to-head debate, a latest national poll has said. In the CBS News/The New York Times poll, the Democratic presidential nominee has the support of 45 per cent of eligible voters as against 41 per cent supporting Trump. In the same poll conducted last month, the two were tied at 42 per cent. In a four-way race, Clinton leads Trump by three percentage points. According to RealClearPolitics, which keeps track of all major national polls, Clinton on an average of recent national polls has maintained a lead of 3.1 percentage point. The CBS News / The New York Times poll said the first presidential debate has had a more positive impact for Clinton than for Trump. Likely voters who watched the first presidential debate are twice as likely to say the debate made them think better of Clinton (32 per cent) than worse (16 per cent), it said. As per the poll, Trump (49 to 38 per cent) continues to lead among men, while Clinton (51 to 33 per cent) leads among women. Meanwhile , a poll released by the Quinnipiac University said that Clinton is leading in Florida (five points), North Carolina (three points) and Pennsylvania (four points). However, she trails by five points in Ohio. All four are battleground states, also known as swing states, in which both Democratic and Republican candidates have a good chance of winning. (PTI)

Hillary leads Trump by four points in latest national poll

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump said on Monday he &ldquo;brilliantly used&quot; US&nbsp;tax rules to his advantage in trying to limit the amount he paid in taxes, arguing it helped him survive a difficult period in the real estate market.

&quot;I was able to use the tax laws of this country and my business acumen to dig out of the real estate mess ... when few others were able to do what I did,&quot; Trump told a crowd in Pueblo, Colorado.

It was Trump&#39;s first extended comments since a New York Times report said he had claimed a $916 million loss on his 1995 tax returns, which experts said might have allowed him to avoid paying federal income taxes for 18 years.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Hillary Clinton, the Democratic nominee for the November 8 election, has seized on the report, arguing the tax records undercut Trump&#39;s business acumen.

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<h5>What kind of genius loses a billion dollars in a single year? This is Trump to a T, he&rsquo;s taken corporate excess and made a business out of it,&#39; Hillary Clinton told a rally in Toledo, Ohio</h5>
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Clinton has repeatedly called on Trump to release his full returns, as presidential candidates have done in the past.

Trump was dismissive of the Times&#39; story in his Pueblo remarks, saying the media was &quot;obsessed with an alleged tax filing from the 1990s&quot;.

The Trump campaign has not said, however, that the Times&rsquo; story was inaccurate. Instead, his supporters, including former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie have contended that Trump&rsquo;s aggressive use of provisions under US&nbsp;law to minimise his tax liability was evidence of his &ldquo;genius&rdquo; as a businessman and real estate investor.

Trump picked up on that theme on Monday. &ldquo;I have brilliantly used those laws,&quot; he told the crowd in Pueblo.

The flap over Trump&#39;s taxes comes during what has been a difficult stretch for the candidate, who faced criticism for his performance in the September 26 debate against Clinton and his subsequent public spat with former Miss Universe Alicia Machado.

A Reuters/Ipsos online poll last week showed a majority of Americans felt Clinton won the debate, the first of three scheduled between the candidates..

On Monday, the state of New York ordered Trump&#39;s charity, the Trump Foundation, to suspend raising money amid a probe into its activities.

(Reuters)

He said he used the laws to limit the amount he paid in taxes, arguing that helped him survive a difficult period in the real estate market

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump said on Monday he “brilliantly used" US tax rules to his advantage in trying to limit the amount he paid in taxes, arguing it helped him survive a difficult period in the real estate market. "I was able to use the tax laws of this country and my business acumen to dig out of the real estate mess ... when few others were able to do what I did," Trump told a crowd in Pueblo, Colorado. It was Trump's first extended comments since a New York Times report said he had claimed a $916 million loss on his 1995 tax returns, which experts said might have allowed him to avoid paying federal income taxes for 18 years. Hillary Clinton, the Democratic nominee for the November 8 election, has seized on the report, arguing the tax records undercut Trump's business acumen. What kind of genius loses a billion dollars in a single year? This is Trump to a T, he’s taken corporate excess and made a business out of it,' Hillary Clinton told a rally in Toledo, Ohio × Clinton has repeatedly called on Trump to release his full returns, as presidential candidates have done in the past. Trump was dismissive of the Times' story in his Pueblo remarks, saying the media was "obsessed with an alleged tax filing from the 1990s". The Trump campaign has not said, however, that the Times’ story was inaccurate. Instead, his supporters, including former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie have contended that Trump’s aggressive use of provisions under US law to minimise his tax liability was evidence of his “genius” as a businessman and real estate investor. Trump picked up on that theme on Monday. “I have brilliantly used those laws," he told the crowd in Pueblo. The flap over Trump's taxes comes during what has been a difficult stretch for the candidate, who faced criticism for his performance in the September 26 debate against Clinton and his subsequent public spat with former Miss Universe Alicia Machado. A Reuters/Ipsos online poll last week showed a majority of Americans felt Clinton won the debate, the first of three scheduled between the candidates.. On Monday, the state of New York ordered Trump's charity, the Trump Foundation, to suspend raising money amid a probe into its activities. (Reuters)

Trump says he 'brilliantly used' US tax laws to his advantage

Donald Trump dismissed his predatory remarks about groping women as &quot;locker room talk&quot;, and took a swipe at Hillary Clinton&#39;s husband Bill over past sexual misconduct in a fiery second US presidential debate on Sunday night.

The Democrat Hillary Clinton, facing a deeply wounded candidate with one month to go before Election Day, pushed back by saying Trump&#39;s lewd comments, caught on a&nbsp;microphone, merely showed his true self.

With tens of millions of Americans tuning in for the televised showdown, the Republican nominee may have been expected to show contrition as he seeks to move beyond the crisis triggered by the tape&#39;s release.

Instead, Trump&nbsp;attacked&nbsp;former president Clinton, present in the audience but not running for office, asserting that he has a history of abusing women, and inviting several of his accusers to attend the debate.

&quot;If you look at Bill Clinton, far worse,&quot; Trump insisted. &quot;Mine are words, his was action,&quot; he said, claiming that there has &quot;never been anybody in the history of politics in this nation that&#39;s been so abusive to women.&quot;&nbsp;

Trump&#39;s words were about his actions, saying he did try to &quot;f*ck&quot; a married woman, while he himself was married.&nbsp;Clinton refused to take the bait, saying she took the advice that &quot;when they go low, you go high&quot;.

In the tense opening minutes of the showdown, Trump also clashed with Clinton on her private use of emails while secretary of state, warning that if he becomes president he will order the Justice Department to launch a special investigation into the issue.

When Clinton responded that it was &quot;awfully good&quot; that someone with Trump&#39;s temperament was not leading the nation, he shot back: &quot;Because you&#39;d be in jail.&quot;&nbsp;

Trump&nbsp;said that if he wins the election, he would have a special prosecutor to look into &quot;her situation&quot;.&nbsp;Trump is facing a make-or-break moment after his lewd boasts about sexual assault, which he made in 2005 and which became public on Friday, brought sweeping condemnation from within his own party and calls for him to step aside.

Pressed by the debate moderator who asserted that he had bragged of sexually assaulting women, the billionaire Republican denied it and lashed out:&nbsp;&quot;Certainly I&#39;m not proud of it. But this is locker room talk.&quot;

Trump&#39;s Democratic rival fired back that he has spent much of his presidential campaign denigrating women and minorities. &quot;This is who Donald Trump is, and the question for us, the question our country must answer is that this is not who we are,&quot; she said.

On the question of how to deal with the climate of Islamaphobia in&nbsp;America, Mr Trump peddled the lie that Muslims knew about the San Bernardino bombing and chose to say nothing. He said the country needs &quot;extreme vetting&quot;, and did not mention what he would do make Muslims in America feel safer or welcome.

Desperation&nbsp;

With his campaign in chaos, Trump has stepped up his attacks on former president Clinton, asserting that he has a history of abusing women.

In an extraordinary step, Trump convened a press event just moments before the debate that included several women who accuse Bill Clinton of sexual harassment and rape.&nbsp;

Introduced by Trump as &quot;very courageous women,&quot; his invited speakers included Paula Jones, a former government employee in Arkansas who sued Bill Clinton for sexual harassment, and Juanita Broaddrick, also of Arkansas, who claims that Clinton raped her in 1978.

The debate came at perhaps the most pivotal moment of the 2016 presidential race, with Trump needing a dramatic boost if he is to claw back ground against Clinton, who has surged in the polls since their first debate on September 26.&nbsp;

Clinton&#39;s campaign has dismissed Trump&#39;s sensational targeting of Bill Clinton as an &quot;act of desperation.&quot;

&quot;Republicans are leaving you,&quot; Clinton told him on the debate stage, saying his campaign was &quot;exploding.&quot;

(WION with inputs from&nbsp;AFP)

He attacked Bill Clinton, threatened to jail Hillary, and refused to answer how he'd minimise US Islamophobia

Donald Trump dismissed his predatory remarks about groping women as "locker room talk", and took a swipe at Hillary Clinton's husband Bill over past sexual misconduct in a fiery second US presidential debate on Sunday night. The Democrat Hillary Clinton, facing a deeply wounded candidate with one month to go before Election Day, pushed back by saying Trump's lewd comments, caught on a microphone, merely showed his true self. With tens of millions of Americans tuning in for the televised showdown, the Republican nominee may have been expected to show contrition as he seeks to move beyond the crisis triggered by the tape's release. Instead, Trump attacked former president Clinton, present in the audience but not running for office, asserting that he has a history of abusing women, and inviting several of his accusers to attend the debate. "If you look at Bill Clinton, far worse," Trump insisted. "Mine are words, his was action," he said, claiming that there has "never been anybody in the history of politics in this nation that's been so abusive to women." Trump's words were about his actions, saying he did try to "f*ck" a married woman, while he himself was married. Clinton refused to take the bait, saying she took the advice that "when they go low, you go high". In the tense opening minutes of the showdown, Trump also clashed with Clinton on her private use of emails while secretary of state, warning that if he becomes president he will order the Justice Department to launch a special investigation into the issue. When Clinton responded that it was "awfully good" that someone with Trump's temperament was not leading the nation, he shot back: "Because you'd be in jail." Trump said that if he wins the election, he would have a special prosecutor to look into "her situation". Trump is facing a make-or-break moment after his lewd boasts about sexual assault, which he made in 2005 and which became public on Friday, brought sweeping condemnation from within his own party and calls for him to step aside. Pressed by the debate moderator who asserted that he had bragged of sexually assaulting women, the billionaire Republican denied it and lashed out: "Certainly I'm not proud of it. But this is locker room talk." Trump's Democratic rival fired back that he has spent much of his presidential campaign denigrating women and minorities. "This is who Donald Trump is, and the question for us, the question our country must answer is that this is not who we are," she said. On the question of how to deal with the climate of Islamaphobia in America, Mr Trump peddled the lie that Muslims knew about the San Bernardino bombing and chose to say nothing. He said the country needs "extreme vetting", and did not mention what he would do make Muslims in America feel safer or welcome. Desperation With his campaign in chaos, Trump has stepped up his attacks on former president Clinton, asserting that he has a history of abusing women. In an extraordinary step, Trump convened a press event just moments before the debate that included several women who accuse Bill Clinton of sexual harassment and rape. Introduced by Trump as "very courageous women," his invited speakers included Paula Jones, a former government employee in Arkansas who sued Bill Clinton for sexual harassment, and Juanita Broaddrick, also of Arkansas, who claims that Clinton raped her in 1978. The debate came at perhaps the most pivotal moment of the 2016 presidential race, with Trump needing a dramatic boost if he is to claw back ground against Clinton, who has surged in the polls since their first debate on September 26. Clinton's campaign has dismissed Trump's sensational targeting of Bill Clinton as an "act of desperation." "Republicans are leaving you," Clinton told him on the debate stage, saying his campaign was "exploding." (WION with inputs from AFP)

2nd US Presidential debate: Trump dismisses assault boasts as 'locker room talk'

Senator John McCain, a senior figure in the Republican Party, withdrew his support on Saturday for Donald Trump over his lewd remarks fiasco. McCain is &nbsp;the latest in a growing number of Republicans to withdraw support for Trump.

&quot;I have wanted to support the candidate our party nominated. He was not my choice, but as a past nominee, I thought it important I respect the fact that Donald Trump won a majority of the delegates by the rules our party set. I thought I owed his supporters that deference,&quot; read a statement from McCain, AFP reported.

&quot;But Donald Trump&rsquo;s behavior this week, concluding with the disclosure of his demeaning comments about women and his boasts about sexual assaults, make it impossible to continue to offer even conditional support for his candidacy.&rdquo;

&quot;Cindy and I will not vote for Donald Trump,&quot; he added, referring to his wife.

McCain, however, stressed that he would not vote for Clinton either.

&quot;I have never voted for a Democratic presidential candidate and we will not vote for Hillary Clinton. We will write in the name of some good conservative Republican who is qualified to be president.&quot;

 
Trump says won&rsquo;t quit, Melania offended by comments

 
Rejecting growing calls from his party to step aside in the presidential race, Donald Trump insisted that there is &ldquo;zero chance&rdquo; that he quits. 
The comments, caught in a 2005 videotape, have thrown Trump&rsquo;s White House campaign,and the Republican Party, &nbsp;in trouble &nbsp;just 30 days from Election Day on&nbsp;November 8.

 
Trump&rsquo;s wife Melania also said on &nbsp;Saturday that she was offended by her husband&rsquo;s comments.

She urged American voters to accept his apology and support him.

&quot;The words my husband used are unacceptable and offensive to me. This does not represent the man that I know,&quot; Melania Trump said in a statement.

&quot;He has the heart and mind of a leader. I hope people will accept his apology, as I have, and focus on the important issues facing our nation and the world.&quot;

The videotape, released on Friday by The Washington Post, forced a rare apology from Trump.

Trump and Clinton are set to face-off in the second presidential debate later today.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from AFP)

The senior Republican, who ran for the 2008 presidential elections, withdrew his support following Trump's lewd comment controversy

Senator John McCain, a senior figure in the Republican Party, withdrew his support on Saturday for Donald Trump over his lewd remarks fiasco. McCain is the latest in a growing number of Republicans to withdraw support for Trump. "I have wanted to support the candidate our party nominated. He was not my choice, but as a past nominee, I thought it important I respect the fact that Donald Trump won a majority of the delegates by the rules our party set. I thought I owed his supporters that deference," read a statement from McCain, AFP reported. "But Donald Trump’s behavior this week, concluding with the disclosure of his demeaning comments about women and his boasts about sexual assaults, make it impossible to continue to offer even conditional support for his candidacy.” "Cindy and I will not vote for Donald Trump," he added, referring to his wife. McCain, however, stressed that he would not vote for Clinton either. "I have never voted for a Democratic presidential candidate and we will not vote for Hillary Clinton. We will write in the name of some good conservative Republican who is qualified to be president." Trump says won’t quit, Melania offended by comments Rejecting growing calls from his party to step aside in the presidential race, Donald Trump insisted that there is “zero chance” that he quits. The comments, caught in a 2005 videotape, have thrown Trump’s White House campaign,and the Republican Party, in trouble just 30 days from Election Day on November 8. Trump’s wife Melania also said on Saturday that she was offended by her husband’s comments. She urged American voters to accept his apology and support him. "The words my husband used are unacceptable and offensive to me. This does not represent the man that I know," Melania Trump said in a statement. "He has the heart and mind of a leader. I hope people will accept his apology, as I have, and focus on the important issues facing our nation and the world." The videotape, released on Friday by The Washington Post, forced a rare apology from Trump. Trump and Clinton are set to face-off in the second presidential debate later today. (WION with inputs from AFP)

US senator John McCain withdraws support for Trump

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump vowed on Sunday to put his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton in jail if he wins the White House next month because she operated a private email server while US&nbsp;secretary of state.

Trump said he would appoint a special prosecutor to look into the matter because she had endangered national security while she served as President Barack Obama&#39;s chief diplomat from 2009-2013.

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<h5>&#39;You ought to be ashamed of yourself,&#39; Trump said to Clinton during a town-hall debate. Clinton said it was good that Trump was not in the White House given his temperament, leading him to reply: &#39;Because you would be in jail&#39;</h5>
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A president isn&#39;t authorised to order specific investigations<a href="http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2016-election/trump-s-pledge-jail-clinton-would-be-unprecedented-n663351"> targeting individuals</a>, let alone a political opponent. More, the formal investigation on Clinton&#39;s use of a private email server during her role as secretary of state. The order for a new president to re-open the case would be unprecedented.

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So <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump">@realDonaldTrump</a> will ORDER his AG to take certain actions-When Nixon tried that his AG courageously resigned. Trump is dangerous/unfit
&mdash; Eric Holder (@EricHolder) <a href="https://twitter.com/EricHolder/status/785294242721562624">October 10, 2016</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

Trump also said he was embarrassed by a video in which he made obscene comments about groping women without consent, but dismissed it as &quot;locker room talk&quot;.

Trump, who is facing a party rebellion over the 2005 video that emerged on Friday, said former President Bill Clinton had done worse to women. &quot;Mine are words and his are action,&quot; he said, in reference to&nbsp;his words which describe&nbsp;his actions. Trump&nbsp;also accused Bill Clinton, who is not running for office, by&nbsp;bringing up the topic of the&nbsp;women with whom he&nbsp;had alleged sexual misconduct.

Just hours before the debate on Sunday Trump met with three women who had accused Bill Clinton of sexual misconduct, and a fourth woman who was a victim in a rape case that Hillary Clinton participated in as a defense attorney. All four sat in the first row of the audience at the debate.

&nbsp;

Clinton said Trump&#39;s much talked about comments&nbsp;from over the weekend showed he was unfit for the White House.&nbsp;&quot;He has said the video doesn&rsquo;t represent who he is, but I think it&rsquo;s clear to anyone who heard it that it represents exactly who he is,&quot; Clinton said.

A flood of Republicans have withdrawn their support for Trump over the video showing the businessman, then a reality TV star, talking on an open microphone about groping women and trying to seduce a married woman.

The controversy has pitched Trump, 70, into the biggest crisis of his 16-month-old campaign and deepened fissures between him and establishment Republicans with only a month to go to the November 8 election.

&nbsp;

Before the debate, Trump had threatened&nbsp;to attack Bill Clinton for his marital infidelities in response to criticism from Hillary Clinton that the Republican nominee is a misogynist who has a history of mistreating women.

Trump appeared with Paula Jones, who filed a sexual harassment suit against Bill Clinton in 1991, Juanita Broaddrick, who accused Bill Clinton of rape in 1978, and Kathleen Willey, a former White House aide who accused Bill Clinton of groping her in 1993.

None of the accusations were&nbsp;new. Bill Clinton was never charged in any of the cases, and he settled a sexual harassment suit with one of the women, Paula Jones, for $850,000 with no apology or admission of guilt.

Also at the event was Kathy Shelton, who was raped at the age of 12. Hillary Clinton, a practicing attorney at the time, defended the rapist who ultimately pleaded guilty to a reduced charge.

Clinton&#39;s campaign responded to Trump&#39;s pre-debate event by calling it a &quot;stunt&quot; and a &quot;destructive race to the bottom&quot;.&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from Reuters)

The unprecedented threat to jail an opponent is a breach of non-partisan rule of law

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump vowed on Sunday to put his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton in jail if he wins the White House next month because she operated a private email server while US secretary of state. Trump said he would appoint a special prosecutor to look into the matter because she had endangered national security while she served as President Barack Obama's chief diplomat from 2009-2013. 'You ought to be ashamed of yourself,' Trump said to Clinton during a town-hall debate. Clinton said it was good that Trump was not in the White House given his temperament, leading him to reply: 'Because you would be in jail' × A president isn't authorised to order specific investigations targeting individuals, let alone a political opponent. More, the formal investigation on Clinton's use of a private email server during her role as secretary of state. The order for a new president to re-open the case would be unprecedented. So @realDonaldTrump will ORDER his AG to take certain actions-When Nixon tried that his AG courageously resigned. Trump is dangerous/unfit — Eric Holder (@EricHolder) October 10, 2016 × Trump also said he was embarrassed by a video in which he made obscene comments about groping women without consent, but dismissed it as "locker room talk". Trump, who is facing a party rebellion over the 2005 video that emerged on Friday, said former President Bill Clinton had done worse to women. "Mine are words and his are action," he said, in reference to his words which describe his actions. Trump also accused Bill Clinton, who is not running for office, by bringing up the topic of the women with whom he had alleged sexual misconduct. Just hours before the debate on Sunday Trump met with three women who had accused Bill Clinton of sexual misconduct, and a fourth woman who was a victim in a rape case that Hillary Clinton participated in as a defense attorney. All four sat in the first row of the audience at the debate. Clinton said Trump's much talked about comments from over the weekend showed he was unfit for the White House. "He has said the video doesn’t represent who he is, but I think it’s clear to anyone who heard it that it represents exactly who he is," Clinton said. A flood of Republicans have withdrawn their support for Trump over the video showing the businessman, then a reality TV star, talking on an open microphone about groping women and trying to seduce a married woman. The controversy has pitched Trump, 70, into the biggest crisis of his 16-month-old campaign and deepened fissures between him and establishment Republicans with only a month to go to the November 8 election. Before the debate, Trump had threatened to attack Bill Clinton for his marital infidelities in response to criticism from Hillary Clinton that the Republican nominee is a misogynist who has a history of mistreating women. Trump appeared with Paula Jones, who filed a sexual harassment suit against Bill Clinton in 1991, Juanita Broaddrick, who accused Bill Clinton of rape in 1978, and Kathleen Willey, a former White House aide who accused Bill Clinton of groping her in 1993. None of the accusations were new. Bill Clinton was never charged in any of the cases, and he settled a sexual harassment suit with one of the women, Paula Jones, for $850,000 with no apology or admission of guilt. Also at the event was Kathy Shelton, who was raped at the age of 12. Hillary Clinton, a practicing attorney at the time, defended the rapist who ultimately pleaded guilty to a reduced charge. Clinton's campaign responded to Trump's pre-debate event by calling it a "stunt" and a "destructive race to the bottom". (WION with inputs from Reuters)

Donald Trump vows to jail Hillary Clinton if he wins White House

Top Republican leader in the US congress, Paul Ryan,distanced himself from Donald Trump on Monday, risking a backlash from Republicans who are already deep in crisis over the presidential nominee&rsquo;s lewd remarks controversy.

In a conference call with congressional Republicans, Ryan said that Democrat Hillary Clinton was likely to win the White House race and said he would put his full energy into preserving Republican majorities in Congress to avoid giving her her a &quot;blank check.&quot;, Reuters reported. &nbsp;

Ryan,who is the speaker of the House of Representatives, said he would not defend Trump and won&rsquo;t campaign for him after the outrage over the real estate magnate&rsquo;s sexually aggressive comments that came to light on Friday. &nbsp;

Ryan also cancelled a campaign event with Trump but went back on the Republican conference call later to clarify that he was not withdrawing his endorsement.

Ryan&rsquo;s announcement has added to the party&rsquo;s worst crisis in decades.

Trump took to Twitter to hit back at Ryan, who was the vice-presidential candidate in 2012.

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Paul Ryan should spend more time on balancing the budget, jobs and illegal immigration and not waste his time on fighting Republican nominee
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/785530928256933888">October 10, 2016</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

The House of Republicans scorned over Ryan&rsquo;s call, according to some participants, Reuters reported

&quot;There was an undeniable opposition to the speaker&rsquo;s tepid support of our nominee,&rdquo; Republican&nbsp;Scott DesJarlais, a Trump supporter, said, in a comment passed on by an aide.&nbsp;

Many&nbsp;lawmakers&nbsp;said that&nbsp;members frequently told Ryan on the call to stand by Trump, Reuters reported.

 
 
&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from Reuters)

Ryan said Clinton is likely to win the presidential race, but later clarified that he was not withdrawing his endorsement

Top Republican leader in the US congress, Paul Ryan,distanced himself from Donald Trump on Monday, risking a backlash from Republicans who are already deep in crisis over the presidential nominee’s lewd remarks controversy. In a conference call with congressional Republicans, Ryan said that Democrat Hillary Clinton was likely to win the White House race and said he would put his full energy into preserving Republican majorities in Congress to avoid giving her her a "blank check.", Reuters reported. Ryan,who is the speaker of the House of Representatives, said he would not defend Trump and won’t campaign for him after the outrage over the real estate magnate’s sexually aggressive comments that came to light on Friday. Ryan also cancelled a campaign event with Trump but went back on the Republican conference call later to clarify that he was not withdrawing his endorsement. Ryan’s announcement has added to the party’s worst crisis in decades. Trump took to Twitter to hit back at Ryan, who was the vice-presidential candidate in 2012. Paul Ryan should spend more time on balancing the budget, jobs and illegal immigration and not waste his time on fighting Republican nominee — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 10, 2016 × The House of Republicans scorned over Ryan’s call, according to some participants, Reuters reported "There was an undeniable opposition to the speaker’s tepid support of our nominee,” Republican Scott DesJarlais, a Trump supporter, said, in a comment passed on by an aide. Many lawmakers said that members frequently told Ryan on the call to stand by Trump, Reuters reported. (WION with inputs from Reuters)

Republican speaker Paul Ryan says won't defend Trump

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