Former Mayor of New York City Rudy Giuliani has been ordered by a federal judge on Wednesday (Dec 20) to immediately start paying the $148 million he owes to two former election workers in the US state of Georgia after he was found guilty of falsely accusing them of manipulating ballots after the 2020 elections&nbsp;last week.&nbsp;

<h2>What did the judge say?</h2>

The decision by Judge Beryl Howell was in response to the former Georgia election workers’ request who sued the former NYC mayor over defamation claims and sought the $148 million. &nbsp;

The mother-daughter duo, Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss had argued that Giuliani would not have had the money to pay them when the 30-day waiting period on the payouts was lifted and even might&nbsp; have “conceal his assets”.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/former-trump-attorney-rudy-giuliani-opts-not-to-testify-in-georgia-defamation-trial-669762">Former Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani opts not to testify in Georgia defamation trial</a>

The latest decision comes as Giuliani is facing a number of legal woes for his efforts to keep former President Donald Trump in office even though he lost to incumbent Joe Biden.&nbsp;

The former NYC Mayor, who is already strapped for cash, according to the latest order will not have the 30-day stay that would have delayed his payments. Freeman and Moss filed the request days after a jury in Washington DC imposed the fine.&nbsp;

In their request, the mother-daughter duo argued that Giuliani had already failed to obey other court orders in the case related to money that he owed them including women’s legal fees of over $200,000.&nbsp;

Therefore, there is “especially good reason,” lawyers for the women wrote, “to believe that defendant Giuliani intends to evade payment of the judgment by any means he can devise.”

In his 13-page order, the judge said Giuliani has proven to be an “uncooperative litigant,” and that she agreed with Freeman and Moss’ points. Howell added that throughout the case, the former NYC mayor had an “ample record” of efforts meant to conceal or hide financial assets.

<h2>What did Giuliani do?</h2>

Giuliani was found guilty by an eight-person jury in Washington DC for repeatedly defaming&nbsp;Freeman and Moss and was asked to pay $148 million in damages last week.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/former-trump-lawyer-rudy-giuliani-slapped-with-default-judgment-and-penalties-in-defamation-lawsuit-630659">Former Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani slapped with default judgment and penalties in defamation lawsuit</a>

The defamation case centres around Giuliani, then personal lawyer to the former president Donald Trump, directing his millions of social media followers to watch a video of them in a Georgia vote-counting centre and without any evidence claiming that they were manipulating ballots to make Trump lose.&nbsp;

During the trial, the women described how his claims led to a torrent of threats and racist abuse to the point where they left their home in 2021 for two months at the recommendation of the FBI.&nbsp;

The $148 million owed to Freeman and Moss includes $75 million in punitive damages, along with awards of $20 million to each of the two election workers for emotional distress and more than $16 million each for defamation.

Giuliani called the damages figure “absurd” and vowed to appeal.&nbsp;

Howell, in her order, also noted that she did not consider the amount excessive, saying that the “amount of compensatory damages for defamation awarded by the jury was nearly $10,000,000 less than the amount requested by plaintiffs for reputational harm.”&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

Former Mayor of New York City Rudy Giuliani has been ordered by a federal judge on Wednesday (Dec 20) to immediately start paying the $148 million he owes to two former election workers in the US state of Georgia after he was found guilty of falsely accusing them of manipulating ballots after the 2020 elections last week.

Former Mayor of New York City Rudy Giuliani has been ordered by a federal judge on Wednesday (Dec 20) to immediately start paying the $148 million he owes to two former election workers in the US state of Georgia after he was found guilty of falsely accusing them of manipulating ballots after the 2020 elections last week. What did the judge say? The decision by Judge Beryl Howell was in response to the former Georgia election workers’ request who sued the former NYC mayor over defamation claims and sought the $148 million. The mother-daughter duo, Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss had argued that Giuliani would not have had the money to pay them when the 30-day waiting period on the payouts was lifted and even might have “conceal his assets”. ALSO READ | Former Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani opts not to testify in Georgia defamation trial The latest decision comes as Giuliani is facing a number of legal woes for his efforts to keep former President Donald Trump in office even though he lost to incumbent Joe Biden. The former NYC Mayor, who is already strapped for cash, according to the latest order will not have the 30-day stay that would have delayed his payments. Freeman and Moss filed the request days after a jury in Washington DC imposed the fine. In their request, the mother-daughter duo argued that Giuliani had already failed to obey other court orders in the case related to money that he owed them including women’s legal fees of over $200,000. Therefore, there is “especially good reason,” lawyers for the women wrote, “to believe that defendant Giuliani intends to evade payment of the judgment by any means he can devise.” In his 13-page order, the judge said Giuliani has proven to be an “uncooperative litigant,” and that she agreed with Freeman and Moss’ points. Howell added that throughout the case, the former NYC mayor had an “ample record” of efforts meant to conceal or hide financial assets. What did Giuliani do? Giuliani was found guilty by an eight-person jury in Washington DC for repeatedly defaming Freeman and Moss and was asked to pay $148 million in damages last week. ALSO READ | Former Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani slapped with default judgment and penalties in defamation lawsuit The defamation case centres around Giuliani, then personal lawyer to the former president Donald Trump, directing his millions of social media followers to watch a video of them in a Georgia vote-counting centre and without any evidence claiming that they were manipulating ballots to make Trump lose. During the trial, the women described how his claims led to a torrent of threats and racist abuse to the point where they left their home in 2021 for two months at the recommendation of the FBI. The $148 million owed to Freeman and Moss includes $75 million in punitive damages, along with awards of $20 million to each of the two election workers for emotional distress and more than $16 million each for defamation. Giuliani called the damages figure “absurd” and vowed to appeal. Howell, in her order, also noted that she did not consider the amount excessive, saying that the “amount of compensatory damages for defamation awarded by the jury was nearly $10,000,000 less than the amount requested by plaintiffs for reputational harm.” (With inputs from agencies)

Judge orders former Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani to immediately pay $148mn to Georgia election workers

At least eight of the Republican “fake electors” in Georgia, United States who had been granted immunity by prosecutors of Fulton County amid the ongoing criminal investigation for conspiring to overturn the state's vote in the 2020 presidential election, have accepted it, reported the American media citing court filing on Friday (May 5).

This comes ahead of Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis' decision, which is expected to be disclosed this summer about whether former President Donald Trump and others will be charged with crimes related to interfering with the 2020 presidential election.&nbsp;

The district attorney had also previously warned all 16 GOP supposed fake electors in Georgia that were targets of&nbsp;her investigation. However, last month, she offered them immunity deals which as per the court filings several of the Republicans who served as pro-Trump electors have accepted.&nbsp;

Attorney Kimberly Bourroughs Debrow who is representing 10 out of the 16 suspected fake electors said that prosecutors “made actual, written offers of immunity to these eight electors in April 2023 but not to the remaining two,” as quoted by Reuters.&nbsp;

“All eight of the electors who were offered immunity accepted,” said Debrow. She added, that this had since left the non-immunized clients to get new lawyers. The lawyer is representing those who may have offered to cast electoral college votes for Trump even though Democrat Joe Biden won the state of Georgia along with the right to its 16 electoral college votes.&nbsp;

Since they have been granted immunity, the eight people would be free to testify against any defendants. This could pave the way for key insights to emerge in Willis’s investigation into election interference which includes attempts to put forward alternate slates of electors to block the certification of the 2020 presidential as well as the role Trump’s allies played in organising this.&nbsp;

The investigation in Georgia began soon after a January 2021 phone call in which then-president Trump was reportedly heard asking the state’s top election officials to “find” the votes which could reverse Biden’s victory in that US state. However, Trump has since denied these allegations and accused Willis, an elected Democrat, of targeting him for political reasons. 
 
Debrow in Friday’s filing also wrote, “The District Attorney’s Motion is reckless, frivolous, offensive, and completely without merit,” quoted by CNN. This comes after a motion called by Willis sought to have Debrow disqualified from the case.&nbsp;

In an earlier court filing, the district attorney’s office accused Debrow and an attorney of failing to bring immunity proposals to the GOP fake electors last year. However, Debrow has since denied these accusations and said that the electors had turned down “potential” immunity offers and were not given the specific and individual offers of immunity until earlier this year.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

&nbsp;

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At least eight of the Republican “fake electors” in Georgia, United States who had been granted immunity by prosecutors of Fulton County amid the ongoing criminal investigation for conspiring to overturn the state's vote in the 2020 presidential election, have accepted it, reported the American media citing court filing on Friday (May 5).

At least eight of the Republican “fake electors” in Georgia, United States who had been granted immunity by prosecutors of Fulton County amid the ongoing criminal investigation for conspiring to overturn the state's vote in the 2020 presidential election, have accepted it, reported the American media citing court filing on Friday (May 5). This comes ahead of Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis' decision, which is expected to be disclosed this summer about whether former President Donald Trump and others will be charged with crimes related to interfering with the 2020 presidential election. The district attorney had also previously warned all 16 GOP supposed fake electors in Georgia that were targets of her investigation. However, last month, she offered them immunity deals which as per the court filings several of the Republicans who served as pro-Trump electors have accepted. Attorney Kimberly Bourroughs Debrow who is representing 10 out of the 16 suspected fake electors said that prosecutors “made actual, written offers of immunity to these eight electors in April 2023 but not to the remaining two,” as quoted by Reuters. “All eight of the electors who were offered immunity accepted,” said Debrow. She added, that this had since left the non-immunized clients to get new lawyers. The lawyer is representing those who may have offered to cast electoral college votes for Trump even though Democrat Joe Biden won the state of Georgia along with the right to its 16 electoral college votes. Since they have been granted immunity, the eight people would be free to testify against any defendants. This could pave the way for key insights to emerge in Willis’s investigation into election interference which includes attempts to put forward alternate slates of electors to block the certification of the 2020 presidential as well as the role Trump’s allies played in organising this. The investigation in Georgia began soon after a January 2021 phone call in which then-president Trump was reportedly heard asking the state’s top election officials to “find” the votes which could reverse Biden’s victory in that US state. However, Trump has since denied these allegations and accused Willis, an elected Democrat, of targeting him for political reasons. Debrow in Friday’s filing also wrote, “The District Attorney’s Motion is reckless, frivolous, offensive, and completely without merit,” quoted by CNN. This comes after a motion called by Willis sought to have Debrow disqualified from the case. In an earlier court filing, the district attorney’s office accused Debrow and an attorney of failing to bring immunity proposals to the GOP fake electors last year. However, Debrow has since denied these accusations and said that the electors had turned down “potential” immunity offers and were not given the specific and individual offers of immunity until earlier this year. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Prosecutors grant immunity to at least eight 'fake electors' in Georgia Trump probe

Two candidates, one declaring victory. The second, just short of it. Voting officials scrambled to count votes. News channels had all hands on deck. Analysts converted their years of experience into predictions. And protesters rallied on the streets.

This presidential election is going down the history of American as the most chaotic. And its counting night is perhaps the most dramatic. It was dictated by uncertainty, highs and lows.

Trends started trickling in around 7 pm Eastern Time. Kentucky was called for President Donald Trump while Joe Biden bagged Vermont. Half an hour later, Trump bagged West Virginia. Biden won Virginia.

8 pm was Trump's golden hour. He secured 42 electoral college seats. South Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi, Tenessee, Oklahoma turned Red. But the happiness was shortlived.

Soon, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey and Rhode Island turned blue.

Then the tide turned, Donald Trump won Arkansas. Indiana followed next. North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Louisiana, Nebraska turned red.

Biden picked New York and New Mexico.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-election-2020-donald-trump-criticises-surprise-ballot-dumps-for-lagging-behind-joe-biden-340569">US election 2020: Donald Trump criticises 'surprise ballot dumps' for lagging behind Joe Biden</a> 
 
15 past midnight, Biden made history. He won the first swing state, Minnesota. 5 minutes later Trump secured second swing state of Ohio.

The tally at 12:20 am ET was Biden 233 and Trump 145. At 12:47 am, Joe Biden spoke to his supporters from Delaware.

"Good evening, your patience is commendable. We knew this was gonna go long. But who knew it was going to go into maybe tomorrow morning? maybe even longer? But, look, we feel good about where we are, we really do.. I'm here to tell you tonight we believe we're on track to win this election," he said.

Two minutes into Biden's speech, Trump claimed that Democrats were trying to steal the election. Twitter flagged the tweet.

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We are up BIG, but they are trying to STEAL the Election. We will never let them do it. Votes cannot be cast after the Polls are closed!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1323864823680126977?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 4, 2020</a></blockquote>
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He amplified the charge of theft 2 hours later at White House East Room.

"And we were getting ready for a big celebration. We were winning everything, and all of a sudden it was just called off (...) Millions and millions of people voted for us today. And. A very sad group of people is trying to disenfranchise that group of people, and we won't stand for," he said.

By then, there was already a buzz that Trump was furious. His favourite news channel, Fox News had called Arizona in favour of Biden. But that did not keep the president from declaring victory.

"And I mean, this is a very sad moment and we will win this. And as far as I'm concerned, we already have won it. So, I just want to thank you, thank all of our support, I want to thank all of the people that worked with us," said Trump.

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He also sounded bugle for the legal battle. There had been a fraud he said.

"...So we'll be going to the U.S. Supreme Court. We want all voting to stop." he said.

Biden's campaign manager shot back. Calling Trump's statement "Outrageous, Unprecedented and Incorrect"

As of 7:30 am Eastern Time, the electoral college tally looked something like this

Biden: 238 
Trump: 213

And as the counting night ended, America looked divided.

Two candidates, one declaring victory. The second, just short of it. Voting officials scrambled to count votes. News channels had all hands on deck. Analysts converted their years of experience into predictions.

Two candidates, one declaring victory. The second, just short of it. Voting officials scrambled to count votes. News channels had all hands on deck. Analysts converted their years of experience into predictions. And protesters rallied on the streets. This presidential election is going down the history of American as the most chaotic. And its counting night is perhaps the most dramatic. It was dictated by uncertainty, highs and lows. Trends started trickling in around 7 pm Eastern Time. Kentucky was called for President Donald Trump while Joe Biden bagged Vermont. Half an hour later, Trump bagged West Virginia. Biden won Virginia. 8 pm was Trump's golden hour. He secured 42 electoral college seats. South Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi, Tenessee, Oklahoma turned Red. But the happiness was shortlived. Soon, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey and Rhode Island turned blue. Then the tide turned, Donald Trump won Arkansas. Indiana followed next. North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Louisiana, Nebraska turned red. Biden picked New York and New Mexico. Also Read | US election 2020: Donald Trump criticises 'surprise ballot dumps' for lagging behind Joe Biden 15 past midnight, Biden made history. He won the first swing state, Minnesota. 5 minutes later Trump secured second swing state of Ohio. The tally at 12:20 am ET was Biden 233 and Trump 145. At 12:47 am, Joe Biden spoke to his supporters from Delaware. "Good evening, your patience is commendable. We knew this was gonna go long. But who knew it was going to go into maybe tomorrow morning? maybe even longer? But, look, we feel good about where we are, we really do.. I'm here to tell you tonight we believe we're on track to win this election," he said. Two minutes into Biden's speech, Trump claimed that Democrats were trying to steal the election. Twitter flagged the tweet. We are up BIG, but they are trying to STEAL the Election. We will never let them do it. Votes cannot be cast after the Polls are closed! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 4, 2020 × He amplified the charge of theft 2 hours later at White House East Room. "And we were getting ready for a big celebration. We were winning everything, and all of a sudden it was just called off (...) Millions and millions of people voted for us today. And. A very sad group of people is trying to disenfranchise that group of people, and we won't stand for," he said. By then, there was already a buzz that Trump was furious. His favourite news channel, Fox News had called Arizona in favour of Biden. But that did not keep the president from declaring victory. "And I mean, this is a very sad moment and we will win this. And as far as I'm concerned, we already have won it. So, I just want to thank you, thank all of our support, I want to thank all of the people that worked with us," said Trump. × He also sounded bugle for the legal battle. There had been a fraud he said. "...So we'll be going to the U.S. Supreme Court. We want all voting to stop." he said. Biden's campaign manager shot back. Calling Trump's statement "Outrageous, Unprecedented and Incorrect" As of 7:30 am Eastern Time, the electoral college tally looked something like this Biden: 238 Trump: 213 And as the counting night ended, America looked divided.

On counting night, America looks divided

Kangana Ranaut found herself trending on social media over the weekend for a rather unusual reason. The Bollywood actress who is known to speak her mind on issues related to the film industry and the country at large found her name trending amid the conversation around the upcoming US Presidential elections. 
 
On Sundat, President Donald Trump said he would "strongly demand a drug test" of opponent Joe Biden" before Tuesday’s presidential debate. 
 
Trump tweeted, "I will be strongly demanding a Drug Test of Sleepy Joe Biden prior to, or after, the Debate on Tuesday night. Naturally, I will agree to take one also. His Debate performances have been record setting UNEVEN, to put it mildly. Only drugs could have caused this discrepancy,."

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I will be strongly demanding a Drug Test of Sleepy Joe Biden prior to, or after, the Debate on Tuesday night. Naturally, I will agree to take one also. His Debate performances have been record setting UNEVEN, to put it mildly. Only drugs could have caused this discrepancy???
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1310211120922230784?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 27, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Now, Kangana who has single handedly spearheaded the 'clean-up' in Bollywood with her claims of rampant drug abuse in the film industry, shared Trump's tweet and wrote, "Its not the content of this tweet but the context of it that I appreciate, accusations of taking drugs is used as a slur, much better than naming mother’s reproductive organs/stigmatising mental illnesses. We as a society must know what is it that we recognise as truly shameful."

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Its not the content of this tweet but the context of it that I appreciate, accusations of taking drugs is used as a slur, much better than naming mother’s reproductive organs/stigmatising mental illnesses. We as a society must know what is it that we recognise as truly shameful. <a href="https://t.co/EunK41yqaF">https://t.co/EunK41yqaF</a>
— Kangana Ranaut (@KanganaTeam) <a href="https://twitter.com/KanganaTeam/status/1310227089585369089?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 27, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Kangana's earlier tweets on drug abuse in Bollywood has led to the Narcotics Control Bureau to inititate a large scale investigation in the matter. What started off as a probe in Sushant Singh Rajput's case with Rhea Chakraborty's arrest, the probe has now been widened with several prominent Bollywood actresses including Deepika Padukone being summoned by the NCB for questioning. 
 
The NCB has already arrested 20 people in connection with the case including Rhea Chakraborty and her brother Showik.

Kangana Ranaut found herself trending on social media over the weekend for a rather unusual reason. The Bollywood actress who is known to speak her mind on issues related to the film industry and the country at large found her name trending amid the conversation around the upcoming US Presidential elections.

Kangana Ranaut found herself trending on social media over the weekend for a rather unusual reason. The Bollywood actress who is known to speak her mind on issues related to the film industry and the country at large found her name trending amid the conversation around the upcoming US Presidential elections. On Sundat, President Donald Trump said he would "strongly demand a drug test" of opponent Joe Biden" before Tuesday’s presidential debate. Trump tweeted, "I will be strongly demanding a Drug Test of Sleepy Joe Biden prior to, or after, the Debate on Tuesday night. Naturally, I will agree to take one also. His Debate performances have been record setting UNEVEN, to put it mildly. Only drugs could have caused this discrepancy,." I will be strongly demanding a Drug Test of Sleepy Joe Biden prior to, or after, the Debate on Tuesday night. Naturally, I will agree to take one also. His Debate performances have been record setting UNEVEN, to put it mildly. Only drugs could have caused this discrepancy??? — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 27, 2020 × Now, Kangana who has single handedly spearheaded the 'clean-up' in Bollywood with her claims of rampant drug abuse in the film industry, shared Trump's tweet and wrote, "Its not the content of this tweet but the context of it that I appreciate, accusations of taking drugs is used as a slur, much better than naming mother’s reproductive organs/stigmatising mental illnesses. We as a society must know what is it that we recognise as truly shameful." Its not the content of this tweet but the context of it that I appreciate, accusations of taking drugs is used as a slur, much better than naming mother’s reproductive organs/stigmatising mental illnesses. We as a society must know what is it that we recognise as truly shameful. https://t.co/EunK41yqaF — Kangana Ranaut (@KanganaTeam) September 27, 2020 × Kangana's earlier tweets on drug abuse in Bollywood has led to the Narcotics Control Bureau to inititate a large scale investigation in the matter. What started off as a probe in Sushant Singh Rajput's case with Rhea Chakraborty's arrest, the probe has now been widened with several prominent Bollywood actresses including Deepika Padukone being summoned by the NCB for questioning. The NCB has already arrested 20 people in connection with the case including Rhea Chakraborty and her brother Showik.

Kangana Ranaut trends as Donald Trump demands Joe Biden to undergo drugs test before presidential debate

From Obamas to Clintons — Top speakers at US Democratic National convention

Google said that it had removed search ads that charged users searching for voting information large fees for voter registration or harvested their personal data.

A Google spokeswoman told Reuters that the company’s misrepresentation policy barred such ads, which were found by the nonprofit watchdog Tech Transparency Project when searching for terms such as “register to vote,” “vote by mail,” and “where is my polling place.”

Tech Transparency Project said in a report on Monday that nearly a third of the more than 600 ads generated by its Google searches took users to sites that try to charge large fees for voter registration services, extract personal data for marketing purposes, install deceptive browser extensions, or serve other misleading ads.

The report said that the first ad in a Google search for “register to vote” directed users to a site from PrivacyWall.org that charged $129 for “same-day processing” of voter registration. US voters do not need to pay to register to vote.

PrivacyWall did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

A Google spokeswoman said the company did not yet know how the ads had got through its approval process, which uses a combination of automated and manual review.

“We have strict policies in place to protect users from false information about voting procedures, and when we find ads that violate our policies and present harm to users, we remove them and block advertisers from running similar ads in the future,” the spokeswoman said.

“Some people may find it difficult to distinguish Google ads from other kinds of content because as of January, search ads on Google feature the same type face and color scheme as organic search results,” the TTP report said.

Social media companies and online platforms, including Facebook Inc (FB.O) and Twitter (TWTR.N) are under pressure to curb misinformation on their sites in the run-up to the US presidential election in November.

Google said that it had removed search ads that charged users searching for voting information large fees for voter registration or harvested their personal data.

Google said that it had removed search ads that charged users searching for voting information large fees for voter registration or harvested their personal data. A Google spokeswoman told Reuters that the company’s misrepresentation policy barred such ads, which were found by the nonprofit watchdog Tech Transparency Project when searching for terms such as “register to vote,” “vote by mail,” and “where is my polling place.” Tech Transparency Project said in a report on Monday that nearly a third of the more than 600 ads generated by its Google searches took users to sites that try to charge large fees for voter registration services, extract personal data for marketing purposes, install deceptive browser extensions, or serve other misleading ads. The report said that the first ad in a Google search for “register to vote” directed users to a site from PrivacyWall.org that charged $129 for “same-day processing” of voter registration. US voters do not need to pay to register to vote. PrivacyWall did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. A Google spokeswoman said the company did not yet know how the ads had got through its approval process, which uses a combination of automated and manual review. “We have strict policies in place to protect users from false information about voting procedures, and when we find ads that violate our policies and present harm to users, we remove them and block advertisers from running similar ads in the future,” the spokeswoman said. “Some people may find it difficult to distinguish Google ads from other kinds of content because as of January, search ads on Google feature the same type face and color scheme as organic search results,” the TTP report said. Social media companies and online platforms, including Facebook Inc (FB.O) and Twitter (TWTR.N) are under pressure to curb misinformation on their sites in the run-up to the US presidential election in November.

Google removes misleading ads in voting-related searches

Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden has opened up a 13-point lead over President Donald Trump - the widest margin this year - according to the latest Reuters/Ipsos poll as Americans grow more critical of Trump over the coronavirus pandemic and protests against police brutality.

In the June 10-16 poll, 48% of registered voters said they would back Biden, the presumptive Democratic nominee, in the Nov. 3 election, while 35% said they would support Trump.

Biden's advantage is the biggest recorded by the Reuters/Ipsos poll since Democrats began their state nominating contests this year to pick their party's nominee to challenge Trump in November. A similar CNN poll from earlier this month showed Biden with a 14-point lead over Trump among registered voters.

The Reuters/Ipsos poll also showed that 57% of US adults disapproved of Trump's performance in office, while just 38% approved, marking Trump's lowest approval rating since November, when Congress was conducting its impeachment inquiry into the Republican president.

In a clear warning sign for Trump, his own support base appears to be eroding. Republicans' net approval of Trump is down 13 points from March to June, declining every month in that span.

The shift in opinion comes as Americans are whipsawed by the coronavirus pandemic, the ensuing economic collapse and the outpouring of anger and frustration following numerous deadly confrontations between police and African Americans, including the death last month of George Floyd while in Minneapolis police custody.

Trump, who dismissed the threat of the coronavirus early on, sparred with state governors as they tried to slow its spread and has pushed authorities to allow businesses to reopen despite warnings from health experts about increasing risks of transmission.

More than 116,000 people in the United States have died from the virus and more than 2.1 million people have been infected, by far the most in the world. Some states that have reopened such as Florida, Arizona and Texas are seeing a jump in cases.

Altogether, 55% of Americans said they disapproved of Trump's handling of the coronavirus, while 40% approved, which is the lowest net approval for the president on the subject since Reuters/Ipsos started tracking the question in early March.

TRUMP EDGE ON ECONOMY

The president also has been criticised for the way he has responded to the protests that were sparked by Floyd's killing.

While nearly two thirds of respondents sympathised with the protesters, according to the poll, Trump has openly flirted with deploying the military to "dominate" them. Earlier this month, police in Washington forcibly removed peaceful protesters so that Trump could pose for photographs in front of a church near the White House.

As businesses shuttered across the country because of coronavirus lockdowns, Americans have increasingly turned their focus to the economy and jobs as a top concern.

In that area, Trump still has the upper hand over Biden. Forty-three percent of registered voters said they thought Trump would be a better steward of the economy than Biden, while 38% said Biden would be better.

The Reuters/Ipsos poll was conducted online, in English, throughout the United States. The poll gathered responses from 4,426 American adults, including 2,047 Democrats and 1,593 Republicans. The poll had a credibility interval, a measure of precision, of plus or minus 2 percentage points.

Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden has opened up a 13-point lead over President Donald Trump - the widest margin this year - according to the latest Reuters/Ipsos poll as Americans grow more critical of Trump over the coronavirus pandemic and protests against police brutality.

Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden has opened up a 13-point lead over President Donald Trump - the widest margin this year - according to the latest Reuters/Ipsos poll as Americans grow more critical of Trump over the coronavirus pandemic and protests against police brutality. In the June 10-16 poll, 48% of registered voters said they would back Biden, the presumptive Democratic nominee, in the Nov. 3 election, while 35% said they would support Trump. Biden's advantage is the biggest recorded by the Reuters/Ipsos poll since Democrats began their state nominating contests this year to pick their party's nominee to challenge Trump in November. A similar CNN poll from earlier this month showed Biden with a 14-point lead over Trump among registered voters. The Reuters/Ipsos poll also showed that 57% of US adults disapproved of Trump's performance in office, while just 38% approved, marking Trump's lowest approval rating since November, when Congress was conducting its impeachment inquiry into the Republican president. In a clear warning sign for Trump, his own support base appears to be eroding. Republicans' net approval of Trump is down 13 points from March to June, declining every month in that span. The shift in opinion comes as Americans are whipsawed by the coronavirus pandemic, the ensuing economic collapse and the outpouring of anger and frustration following numerous deadly confrontations between police and African Americans, including the death last month of George Floyd while in Minneapolis police custody. Trump, who dismissed the threat of the coronavirus early on, sparred with state governors as they tried to slow its spread and has pushed authorities to allow businesses to reopen despite warnings from health experts about increasing risks of transmission. More than 116,000 people in the United States have died from the virus and more than 2.1 million people have been infected, by far the most in the world. Some states that have reopened such as Florida, Arizona and Texas are seeing a jump in cases. Altogether, 55% of Americans said they disapproved of Trump's handling of the coronavirus, while 40% approved, which is the lowest net approval for the president on the subject since Reuters/Ipsos started tracking the question in early March. TRUMP EDGE ON ECONOMY The president also has been criticised for the way he has responded to the protests that were sparked by Floyd's killing. While nearly two thirds of respondents sympathised with the protesters, according to the poll, Trump has openly flirted with deploying the military to "dominate" them. Earlier this month, police in Washington forcibly removed peaceful protesters so that Trump could pose for photographs in front of a church near the White House. As businesses shuttered across the country because of coronavirus lockdowns, Americans have increasingly turned their focus to the economy and jobs as a top concern. In that area, Trump still has the upper hand over Biden. Forty-three percent of registered voters said they thought Trump would be a better steward of the economy than Biden, while 38% said Biden would be better. The Reuters/Ipsos poll was conducted online, in English, throughout the United States. The poll gathered responses from 4,426 American adults, including 2,047 Democrats and 1,593 Republicans. The poll had a credibility interval, a measure of precision, of plus or minus 2 percentage points.

Trump popularity drops to seven-month low; Biden opens 13-point advantage

Democratic presidential candidate Senator Bernie Sanders has decided to of the race for US presidency, his campaign team said leaving former US vice president Joe Biden to take on President in the US polls set to take place later this year.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-democratic-presidential-polls-held-in-wisconsin-despite-coronavirus-crisis-291363">Also Read:&nbsp;US Democratic presidential polls held in Wisconsin despite coronavirus crisis</a>

The official statement by Sanders will take place in a short while.

Sanders,78, reportedly told his campaign team that "he is suspending his campaign for president," his aides said in a statement.

The Democratic candidate's&nbsp;decision comes just hours after the Wisconsin primaries where voting took place despite the coronavirus crisis sweeping America.

Sanders was earlier the frontrunner in the Democratic race but was stopped midway by Biden's surging wins at the US primaries leading to his final exit. 
&nbsp;

Democratic presidential candidate Senator Bernie Sanders has decided to of the race for US presidency, his campaign team said leaving former US vice president Joe Biden to take on President in the US polls set to take place later this year.

Democratic presidential candidate Senator Bernie Sanders has decided to of the race for US presidency, his campaign team said leaving former US vice president Joe Biden to take on President in the US polls set to take place later this year. Also Read: US Democratic presidential polls held in Wisconsin despite coronavirus crisis The official statement by Sanders will take place in a short while. Sanders,78, reportedly told his campaign team that "he is suspending his campaign for president," his aides said in a statement. The Democratic candidate's decision comes just hours after the Wisconsin primaries where voting took place despite the coronavirus crisis sweeping America. Sanders was earlier the frontrunner in the Democratic race but was stopped midway by Biden's surging wins at the US primaries leading to his final exit.

Bernie Sanders drops out of US presidential race, Biden to take on Trump in 2020 polls

The Democratic Party on Thursday postponed its US&nbsp;presidential nominating convention by a month until August, citing the coronavirus health crisis that has upended daily life and caused many states to postpone their primaries.

Democrats will use the convention in Milwaukee - now scheduled for the week of August&nbsp;17 - to formally pick their nominee to challenge Republican President Donald Trump in the November election. It had previously been scheduled for July.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/are-trump-and-biden-heading-for-a-near-tie-situation-in-presidential-polls-289426">Are Trump and Biden heading for a 'near-tie' situation in presidential polls?</a>

The pandemic already has forced Democratic front-runner Joe Biden and rival Bernie Sanders off the campaign trail, and more than a dozen states have delayed their nominating contests due to worries about public health risks.

"In our current climate of uncertainty, we believe the smartest approach is to take additional time to monitor how this situation unfolds," said Joe Solmonese, chief executive of the Democratic National Convention Committee.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/will-coronavirus-outbreak-force-a-postponement-of-us-presidential-elections-289942">Will coronavirus outbreak force a postponement of US Presidential elections?</a>

The convention will be held in Wisconsin, a state that Trump narrowly won in 2016 and which is seen as a key battleground state for the 2020 presidential contest.

Biden on Wednesday called for delaying the convention, speaking in a television interview from what he called a "makeshift studio" in the recreation room of his Wilmington, Delaware, home.

Biden, who was vice president under President Barack Obama, currently leads the Democratic nominating contest against Sanders, a U.S. senator from Vermont.

White House medical experts have forecast that even if Americans hunker down in their homes to slow the spread of COVID-19, the respiratory illness caused by the coronavirus, some 100,000 to 240,000 people could die from the disease.

Already, some 5,340 Americans have died and over 225,510 cases have been confirmed, according to a Reuters tally.

The Republican Party had already planned to hold their nominating convention in August, in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Republican National Committee spokesman Rick Gorka said the party was making sure state party organizations had the resources needed for their nomination contests, which are seen as a formality given widespread support in the party for Trump.

"We are fully committed to holding the Republican convention in Charlotte as planned and re-nominating President Trump,” Gorka said.

The Democratic Party on Thursday postponed its US presidential nominating convention by a month until August, citing the coronavirus health crisis that has upended daily life and caused many states to postpone their primaries.

The Democratic Party on Thursday postponed its US presidential nominating convention by a month until August, citing the coronavirus health crisis that has upended daily life and caused many states to postpone their primaries. Democrats will use the convention in Milwaukee - now scheduled for the week of August 17 - to formally pick their nominee to challenge Republican President Donald Trump in the November election. It had previously been scheduled for July. Also read: Are Trump and Biden heading for a 'near-tie' situation in presidential polls? The pandemic already has forced Democratic front-runner Joe Biden and rival Bernie Sanders off the campaign trail, and more than a dozen states have delayed their nominating contests due to worries about public health risks. "In our current climate of uncertainty, we believe the smartest approach is to take additional time to monitor how this situation unfolds," said Joe Solmonese, chief executive of the Democratic National Convention Committee. Also read: Will coronavirus outbreak force a postponement of US Presidential elections? The convention will be held in Wisconsin, a state that Trump narrowly won in 2016 and which is seen as a key battleground state for the 2020 presidential contest. Biden on Wednesday called for delaying the convention, speaking in a television interview from what he called a "makeshift studio" in the recreation room of his Wilmington, Delaware, home. Biden, who was vice president under President Barack Obama, currently leads the Democratic nominating contest against Sanders, a U.S. senator from Vermont. White House medical experts have forecast that even if Americans hunker down in their homes to slow the spread of COVID-19, the respiratory illness caused by the coronavirus, some 100,000 to 240,000 people could die from the disease. Already, some 5,340 Americans have died and over 225,510 cases have been confirmed, according to a Reuters tally. The Republican Party had already planned to hold their nominating convention in August, in Charlotte, North Carolina. Republican National Committee spokesman Rick Gorka said the party was making sure state party organizations had the resources needed for their nomination contests, which are seen as a formality given widespread support in the party for Trump. "We are fully committed to holding the Republican convention in Charlotte as planned and re-nominating President Trump,” Gorka said.

Democrats delay presidential convention until August, citing coronavirus

Democratic White House hopeful <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/together-well-defeat-trump-us-presidential-candidate-joe-biden-after-big-primary-wins-285537">Joe Biden</a> said during the presidential debate that he would "appoint a woman to be vice president" if he is elected president.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/debate-offers-biden-sanders-a-chance-to-bridge-democratic-partys-divide-286168">Also Read:&nbsp;Debate offers Biden, Sanders a chance to bridge Democratic Party's divide</a>

"If I'm elected president, my cabinet, my administration, will look like the country, and I commit that I will, in fact, appoint a woman to be vice president," Biden said.

"There are a number of women who are qualified to be vice president tomorrow," Biden added.

Watch Video:

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-presidential-elections-2020-joe-biden-celebrates-a-super-tuesday-with-big-wins-284111/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The move comes amid reports of Trump appointing former UN ambassador Nikki Haley as vice-president, the US president has however denied it asserting that the present vice president Mike Pence is on a strong ticket.

During the debate, Sanders also took Biden's view saying: "To me, it's not just nominating a woman. It is making sure that we have a progressive woman and there are progressive women out there."

According to reports, Biden's possible picks could be Senator Kamala Harris&nbsp;and Senator Amy Klobuchar who had fought against him during the presidential nomination but subsequently dropped out.

In US presidential history, Democrat Walter Mondale had picked Geraldine Ferraro in 1984 but lost the election to Ronald Regan, &nbsp;Republican John McCain had picked Sarah Palin in 2008 on the ticket but the duo lost to Obama and Biden during the presidential elections.

Democratic White House hopeful Joe Biden said during the presidential debate that he would "appoint a woman to be vice president" if he is elected president. Also Read: Debate offers Biden, Sanders a chance to bridge Democratic Party's divide "If I'm elected president, my cabinet, my administration, will look like the country, and I commit that I will, in fact, appoint a woman to be vice president," Biden said.

Democratic White House hopeful Joe Biden said during the presidential debate that he would "appoint a woman to be vice president" if he is elected president. Also Read: Debate offers Biden, Sanders a chance to bridge Democratic Party's divide "If I'm elected president, my cabinet, my administration, will look like the country, and I commit that I will, in fact, appoint a woman to be vice president," Biden said. "There are a number of women who are qualified to be vice president tomorrow," Biden added. Watch Video: The move comes amid reports of Trump appointing former UN ambassador Nikki Haley as vice-president, the US president has however denied it asserting that the present vice president Mike Pence is on a strong ticket. During the debate, Sanders also took Biden's view saying: "To me, it's not just nominating a woman. It is making sure that we have a progressive woman and there are progressive women out there." According to reports, Biden's possible picks could be Senator Kamala Harris and Senator Amy Klobuchar who had fought against him during the presidential nomination but subsequently dropped out. In US presidential history, Democrat Walter Mondale had picked Geraldine Ferraro in 1984 but lost the election to Ronald Regan, Republican John McCain had picked Sarah Palin in 2008 on the ticket but the duo lost to Obama and Biden during the presidential elections.

I will appoint a woman as vice president, if elected president: Biden

With Iowa caucus, people from the United States and across the world will get a sense of who are losing their chances to be a possible final contender to challenge US President Donald Trump for the Presidency. There will be important wins, and also, heartbreaks from what this time is known as a very 'crowded' race of Democratic challengers. On February 3, Iowa caucus will be held and even though, the state might not be a good predictor of the overall trends because of being less diverse, candidates will certainly gain and lose momentum for the primaries and caucuses ahead. For Democrats, Iowa is definitely significant as its last four nominees have all won caucuses from this part. At this juncture, let's look at which democratic candidate is leading the race of nomination and the ones who can catch up.

1. Joe Biden

Joe Biden, who was the Vice President during the Obama administration, started the Democratic Presidential race as the frontrunner. He still leads in most of the polls. In the last democratic debate, Biden also avoided sharp attacks from his Democratic rivals and was able to successfully elaborate his plans on foreign policy and health care, which worked in his favour. Biden is still voters’ first choice among other Democratic contenders, with support ranging from 20 to 35 per cent as per various polls. He is also popular among black voters, who remain crucial supporters of Democrats.

2. &nbsp;Bernie Sanders

Despite being the oldest candidate, Bernie Sanders' persuasive and energetic campaign has shed away the health-related concerns in the minds of voters, at least for now. Sanders and the other liberal candidate's, Elizabeth Warren, spar was the talking point during the January debate wherein Sanders flatly denied that he told Warren that a woman could not beat Trump in 2016 elections. This controversy didn't manage to cause any harm to Sanders and he took on Biden for supporting the war in Iraq in 2002-03. Sanders also reiterated his 'Medicare-for-all' policy. He became the first-choice Democratic candidate for the US elections after the debate as he garnered 20 per cent support as compared to Biden's 19 per cent, as per Ipsos poll released on January 16. According to most polls, Sanders has improved his position from last few months and is now in No 2 spot in the Democratic race after Biden. The gap between Biden and Sanders is also narrowing.

3. Elizabeth Warren

Elizabeth Warren was undoubtedly the best performer in the January debate. In the debate, Warren was once again articulate in her arguments and convincing on the healthcare policy. Warren also reiterated that Sanders doubted women’s electability in the 2016 polls and pointed out that women on the stage (she and Amy Klobuchar) never lost any election. Despite her consistent performance, Warren is still behind her leftist rival Sanders in terms of public support. The good thing with Warren is that she has plans for most of the things, ranging from anti-corruption law, foreign policy to child-care and education.

Warren is currently Americans third choice and her popularity has taken a hit since October, when she came very close to Biden, as per surveys by IPSOS, ABC News and Fox News show. However, a poll by YouGov suggests Warren is ahead of Sanders by a whisker and the trends also predict a close fight between Democrats liberal flag-bearers.

4. Michael Bloomberg

The latest and one of the oldest entrants in the Democratic race is in the list of top five candidates despite not participating in any debate yet. Interestingly, when the other candidates were debating in Iowa, Bloomberg’s campaign was busy tweeting live to grab the spotlight. One of the major reasons for the billionaire and three-time New York mayor’s rise in support is advertisements in TV, radio and digital platforms, for which he already spent $248 million. Bloomberg currently holds number 4 spot ahead of Pete Buttigieg, with voters backing ranging from 7 to 10 per cent, as per polls by ABC News, YouGov and Ipsos. &nbsp;

5. Pete Buttigieg

Buttigieg’s profile speaks for itself: a Harvard graduate, military veteran, very young and a charismatic speaker. The 38-year-old openly gay contender has done most things right, but still is way behind the top three candidates. Buttigieg’s performance in the last debate was neither disappointing nor exemplary, but he failed to grab the spotlight. After the debate, Buttigieg’s support remains stagnant or declining, oscillating from 4 to 9 per cent, which is a blow to his nomination’s chances.

6. Amy Klobuchar

Amy Klobuchar’s campaign has found some momentum from the strong performance in the last debate. She took on Sanders and Warren on healthcare and emphasised that her experience in Senate is more suitable for the Presidency than Buttigieg who was a naval intelligence officer in Afghanistan. Klobuchar’s campaign focussed on tackling climate change, some of which include big investments in green infrastructure, and cutting down emissions. So far, most of the polls show Klobuchar trailing behind the top tier candidates and her campaign needs the push in order to garner the 15 per cent required support from Iowa. 
 
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)&nbsp;

With Iowa caucus, people from the United States and across the world will get a sense of who are losing their chances to be a possible final contender to challenge US President Donald Trump for the Presidency.

With Iowa caucus, people from the United States and across the world will get a sense of who are losing their chances to be a possible final contender to challenge US President Donald Trump for the Presidency. There will be important wins, and also, heartbreaks from what this time is known as a very 'crowded' race of Democratic challengers. On February 3, Iowa caucus will be held and even though, the state might not be a good predictor of the overall trends because of being less diverse, candidates will certainly gain and lose momentum for the primaries and caucuses ahead. For Democrats, Iowa is definitely significant as its last four nominees have all won caucuses from this part. At this juncture, let's look at which democratic candidate is leading the race of nomination and the ones who can catch up. 1. Joe Biden Joe Biden, who was the Vice President during the Obama administration, started the Democratic Presidential race as the frontrunner. He still leads in most of the polls. In the last democratic debate, Biden also avoided sharp attacks from his Democratic rivals and was able to successfully elaborate his plans on foreign policy and health care, which worked in his favour. Biden is still voters’ first choice among other Democratic contenders, with support ranging from 20 to 35 per cent as per various polls. He is also popular among black voters, who remain crucial supporters of Democrats. 2. Bernie Sanders Despite being the oldest candidate, Bernie Sanders' persuasive and energetic campaign has shed away the health-related concerns in the minds of voters, at least for now. Sanders and the other liberal candidate's, Elizabeth Warren, spar was the talking point during the January debate wherein Sanders flatly denied that he told Warren that a woman could not beat Trump in 2016 elections. This controversy didn't manage to cause any harm to Sanders and he took on Biden for supporting the war in Iraq in 2002-03. Sanders also reiterated his 'Medicare-for-all' policy. He became the first-choice Democratic candidate for the US elections after the debate as he garnered 20 per cent support as compared to Biden's 19 per cent, as per Ipsos poll released on January 16. According to most polls, Sanders has improved his position from last few months and is now in No 2 spot in the Democratic race after Biden. The gap between Biden and Sanders is also narrowing. 3. Elizabeth Warren Elizabeth Warren was undoubtedly the best performer in the January debate. In the debate, Warren was once again articulate in her arguments and convincing on the healthcare policy. Warren also reiterated that Sanders doubted women’s electability in the 2016 polls and pointed out that women on the stage (she and Amy Klobuchar) never lost any election. Despite her consistent performance, Warren is still behind her leftist rival Sanders in terms of public support. The good thing with Warren is that she has plans for most of the things, ranging from anti-corruption law, foreign policy to child-care and education. Warren is currently Americans third choice and her popularity has taken a hit since October, when she came very close to Biden, as per surveys by IPSOS, ABC News and Fox News show. However, a poll by YouGov suggests Warren is ahead of Sanders by a whisker and the trends also predict a close fight between Democrats liberal flag-bearers. 4. Michael Bloomberg The latest and one of the oldest entrants in the Democratic race is in the list of top five candidates despite not participating in any debate yet. Interestingly, when the other candidates were debating in Iowa, Bloomberg’s campaign was busy tweeting live to grab the spotlight. One of the major reasons for the billionaire and three-time New York mayor’s rise in support is advertisements in TV, radio and digital platforms, for which he already spent $248 million. Bloomberg currently holds number 4 spot ahead of Pete Buttigieg, with voters backing ranging from 7 to 10 per cent, as per polls by ABC News, YouGov and Ipsos. 5. Pete Buttigieg Buttigieg’s profile speaks for itself: a Harvard graduate, military veteran, very young and a charismatic speaker. The 38-year-old openly gay contender has done most things right, but still is way behind the top three candidates. Buttigieg’s performance in the last debate was neither disappointing nor exemplary, but he failed to grab the spotlight. After the debate, Buttigieg’s support remains stagnant or declining, oscillating from 4 to 9 per cent, which is a blow to his nomination’s chances. 6. Amy Klobuchar Amy Klobuchar’s campaign has found some momentum from the strong performance in the last debate. She took on Sanders and Warren on healthcare and emphasised that her experience in Senate is more suitable for the Presidency than Buttigieg who was a naval intelligence officer in Afghanistan. Klobuchar’s campaign focussed on tackling climate change, some of which include big investments in green infrastructure, and cutting down emissions. So far, most of the polls show Klobuchar trailing behind the top tier candidates and her campaign needs the push in order to garner the 15 per cent required support from Iowa. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

US Presidential elections 2020: Which Democratic contender stands where

New York business tycoon Michael Bloomberg has paved the way for a shot at the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-dismisses-little-michael-bloombergs-likely-white-house-run-260893">US presidency</a>, registering as a candidate in the Alabama Democratic primary race before Friday's filing deadline.&nbsp;

Although the 77-year-old billionaire has not publicly announced his run, his inclusion among a crowded field kept his options open for mounting a concerted bid to topple a fellow New Yorker, President Donald Trump.

Analysts say a Bloomberg candidacy could do the most damage to the prospects of frontrunner Joe Biden, but the former vice president put on a brave face Friday and said he was not worried Bloomberg would draw away centrist voters.

Bloomberg's name was posted among 17 candidates on the Alabama Democratic Party's website only hours before registration closed.&nbsp;

Alabama is not one of the early primaries but it has the earliest deadline to register.

Biden, who will also turn 77 on November 20, has placed himself in the political center with South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg, while Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders and Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren run to his left.

"Michael's a solid guy," Biden told reporters in Concord, New Hampshire while registering to take part in the February primary in the northeastern state.

"I have no, no problem with him getting in the race," Biden said. "And in terms of he's running because of me, last polls I looked at I'm pretty far ahead.

"If I'm not mistaken I'm doing pretty well, both relative to Trump and relative to all the people running," he said.

Jason Mollica of American University said the entry of Bloomberg in the race could be "an indication that he believes the Democrats do not have a strong candidate that can defeat President Trump."

"Mr Biden's campaign isn't the strength it was at the start and if Mr Bloomberg gains the support of the centrists in the Democratic Party, that is a big sign for Mr Biden the party doesn't feel he's the right candidate, either," Mollica said.

Kyle Kondik of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia said a Bloomberg run could conceivably draw support away from Biden but it remains to be seen how much backing he'll receive in a crowded field.

"At first blush, yes, one might think Bloomberg would hurt Biden more than others," Kondik said. "But we have to remember that sometimes voters don't fit neatly into ideological categories.

"While neither is running hard to the left and both are older white men, voters might perceive key differences between them," Kondik said. "Bloomberg has to actually show he can draw significant support in order to hurt Biden."

'Doesn't have the magic'

Trump weighed in Friday on a potential Bloomberg bid.

"Little Michael will fail," Trump told reporters in a reference to the stature of the 5ft, 8in (1.73m) Bloomberg. "He doesn't have the magic to do well.&nbsp;

"There's nobody I'd rather run against than little Michael," Trump added. "He's not going to do well but I think he's going to hurt Biden actually."

Bloomberg said back in March he wouldn't run, but has been toying for weeks with the idea of seeking the White House after all, according to advisors.

"We now need to finish the job and ensure that Trump is defeated -- but Mike is increasingly concerned that the current field of candidates is not well-positioned to do that," Bloomberg advisor Howard Wolfson said in a statement.

"Based on his record of accomplishment, leadership and his ability to bring people together to drive change, Mike would be able to take the fight to Trump and win," Wolfson added, according to Bloomberg News.

Bloomberg, co-founder and CEO of the media and financial information company that bears his name, is one of the richest people in the United States according to Forbes, worth $52.4 billion.

His huge personal wealth would likely shake up the contest at a time when Biden's fundraising is sagging.

Bloomberg, who was elected mayor of the Big Apple in 2001 and served until 2013, is seen as close to Wall Street and opposed to some of the policies espoused by the more liberal Warren and Sanders.

His entry would bloat an already crowded field of contenders, with 17 candidates vying for the right to take on Trump in November 2020 as the Democratic nominee.

Bloomberg has switched between the Republican and Democratic parties over the years and also served as an independent mayor.

He has used some of his fortune to back Democratic politicians and fund policies that he believes in -- including gun control and the fight against climate change.

Bloomberg considered running for president as an independent in 2016 but eventually opted not to for fear of splitting the Democratic vote.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

New York business tycoon Michael Bloomberg has paved the way for a shot at the US presidency, registering as a candidate in the Alabama Democratic primary race before Friday's filing deadline.

New York business tycoon Michael Bloomberg has paved the way for a shot at the US presidency, registering as a candidate in the Alabama Democratic primary race before Friday's filing deadline. Although the 77-year-old billionaire has not publicly announced his run, his inclusion among a crowded field kept his options open for mounting a concerted bid to topple a fellow New Yorker, President Donald Trump. Analysts say a Bloomberg candidacy could do the most damage to the prospects of frontrunner Joe Biden, but the former vice president put on a brave face Friday and said he was not worried Bloomberg would draw away centrist voters. Bloomberg's name was posted among 17 candidates on the Alabama Democratic Party's website only hours before registration closed. Alabama is not one of the early primaries but it has the earliest deadline to register. Biden, who will also turn 77 on November 20, has placed himself in the political center with South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg, while Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders and Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren run to his left. "Michael's a solid guy," Biden told reporters in Concord, New Hampshire while registering to take part in the February primary in the northeastern state. "I have no, no problem with him getting in the race," Biden said. "And in terms of he's running because of me, last polls I looked at I'm pretty far ahead. "If I'm not mistaken I'm doing pretty well, both relative to Trump and relative to all the people running," he said. Jason Mollica of American University said the entry of Bloomberg in the race could be "an indication that he believes the Democrats do not have a strong candidate that can defeat President Trump." "Mr Biden's campaign isn't the strength it was at the start and if Mr Bloomberg gains the support of the centrists in the Democratic Party, that is a big sign for Mr Biden the party doesn't feel he's the right candidate, either," Mollica said. Kyle Kondik of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia said a Bloomberg run could conceivably draw support away from Biden but it remains to be seen how much backing he'll receive in a crowded field. "At first blush, yes, one might think Bloomberg would hurt Biden more than others," Kondik said. "But we have to remember that sometimes voters don't fit neatly into ideological categories. "While neither is running hard to the left and both are older white men, voters might perceive key differences between them," Kondik said. "Bloomberg has to actually show he can draw significant support in order to hurt Biden." 'Doesn't have the magic' Trump weighed in Friday on a potential Bloomberg bid. "Little Michael will fail," Trump told reporters in a reference to the stature of the 5ft, 8in (1.73m) Bloomberg. "He doesn't have the magic to do well. "There's nobody I'd rather run against than little Michael," Trump added. "He's not going to do well but I think he's going to hurt Biden actually." Bloomberg said back in March he wouldn't run, but has been toying for weeks with the idea of seeking the White House after all, according to advisors. "We now need to finish the job and ensure that Trump is defeated -- but Mike is increasingly concerned that the current field of candidates is not well-positioned to do that," Bloomberg advisor Howard Wolfson said in a statement. "Based on his record of accomplishment, leadership and his ability to bring people together to drive change, Mike would be able to take the fight to Trump and win," Wolfson added, according to Bloomberg News. Bloomberg, co-founder and CEO of the media and financial information company that bears his name, is one of the richest people in the United States according to Forbes, worth $52.4 billion. His huge personal wealth would likely shake up the contest at a time when Biden's fundraising is sagging. Bloomberg, who was elected mayor of the Big Apple in 2001 and served until 2013, is seen as close to Wall Street and opposed to some of the policies espoused by the more liberal Warren and Sanders. His entry would bloat an already crowded field of contenders, with 17 candidates vying for the right to take on Trump in November 2020 as the Democratic nominee. Bloomberg has switched between the Republican and Democratic parties over the years and also served as an independent mayor. He has used some of his fortune to back Democratic politicians and fund policies that he believes in -- including gun control and the fight against climate change. Bloomberg considered running for president as an independent in 2016 but eventually opted not to for fear of splitting the Democratic vote.

Bloomberg files papers paving way for US presidential bid