Monday, 17 October 2016

US election 2016: Trump says election 'rigged at polling places'


US Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has said the election is "absolutely rigged" by the "dishonest media" and "at many polling places".
His comments appear to contradict his running mate Mike Pence, who told NBC Mr Trump would "absolutely" accept the election result, despite media "bias".
Mr Trump's adviser Rudy Giuliani has also accused Democrats of "cheating".
Polls suggest Mr Trump is losing ground in some key battleground states against Democratic rival Hillary Clinton.
Mr Trump has questioned the legitimacy of the election process in a series of tweets, the latest of which said on Monday: "Of course there is large scale voter fraud happening on and before election day.
"Why do Republican leaders deny what is going on? So naive!"
An earlier tweet said: "The election is absolutely being rigged by the dishonest and distorted media pushing Crooked Hillary - but also at many polling places - SAD."
The White House candidate also tweeted: "Election is being rigged by the media, in a coordinated effort with the Clinton campaign, by putting stories that never happened into news!"

Sunday, 16 October 2016

US sprinter Tyson Gay's daughter, 15, shot dead in Kentucky


Former world champion sprinter Tyson Gay's 15-year-old daughter has been killed in a shooting in the US state of Kentucky, police say.
Police in Lexington said Trinity Gay was hit in the neck during an exchange of fire between two vehicles in a restaurant car park.
She was taken to hospital where she later died, local media reported.
Mr Gay, who is from Lexington, confirmed her death to local TV station Lex 18.
"She didn't make it. I'm so confused. She was just here last week for fall break. It's so crazy. I have no idea what happened," Lex18 quoted him as saying.

Mr Gay is the US 100m record holder and is the joint second-fastest 100m runner of all time, behind Usain Bolt.
The US track and field athletics team tweeted its condolences, sending "thoughts and prayers" to Mr Gay and his loved ones "as they mourn the tragic & senseless loss of his daughter, Trinity".
Mr Gay's daughter was also an athlete and competed for Lafayette High School, where she was studying.
"Our hearts are broken this morning over the loss of Trinity to this tragic and senseless act of violence," Fayette County School Superintendent Manny Caulk told the Lexington Herald-Leader newspaper.
"A life of such potential cut so tragically short," tweeted Julian Tackett, commissioner of the Kentucky High School Athletics Association.

Friday, 14 October 2016

US election 2016: Trump faces new sex assault allegations


Two more women have come forward to accuse Donald Trump of sexual assault, in the latest such allegations against the embattled Republican nominee.
Kristin Anderson told the Washington Post he reached up her skirt and groped her in a New York club in the 1990s.
Former Apprentice contestant Summer Zervos said the businessman forced himself on her at a Los Angeles hotel and began "thrusting his genitals".
The Republican nominee has branded his other accusers "horrible liars".
Ms Anderson, now 46, said the property mogul touched her through her underwear during the alleged assault at a Manhattan nightspot when she was a waitress trying to make it as a model.

Thursday, 13 October 2016

US election poll tracker: Who is ahead - Clinton or Trump?

Voters in the US will vote on 8 November to decide who will be the country's next president.
Use our poll tracker to follow the contest between the Democratic contender Hillary Clinton and her Republican rival Donald Trump.
It will be a few days until the polls reflect any possible change in public opinion resulting from the second presidential debate.
The BBC poll of polls looks at the five most recent national polls and takes the median value, ie, the value between the two figures that are higher and two figures that are lower.


How important are national polls?

It's a tough task to gauge the mood of a nation that is home to more than 300 million people, but that doesn't stop the pollsters from trying.
National polls tend to have a sample size of about 1,000 people or more and can track movement and general opinion pretty well.
But the US election is won and lost in swing states and decided by the electoral college system (What is the electoral college?).
This means that polls in states that look like they could vote for either candidate (Florida, Ohio and Pennsylvania to name just a few) play an integral role in election projections.


-BBC

US election 2016: Your daily dig from campaign trail


With just 25 days to go until Americans go to the polls, here's your daily election dig, including Donald Trump's angry response to "vicious" groping allegations and First Lady Michelle Obama's impassioned plea to voters.

The latest

Donald Trump and Michelle Obama have both taken to the stage to offer voters two different visions of America. Trump hit back against "vicious" groping allegations which he deemed "pure fiction" made by "horrible liars". He launched a scathing attack on mainstream media, saying he faces the "single greatest pile on in history" because he represents an "existential threat" to the political establishment. "This is a struggle for the survival of our nation," he said. He also threatened to sue the New York Times, which published two of the accusations. The newspaper said it would welcome the opportunity to make its case in court. Read the full transcript here.
Meanwhile, First Lady Michelle Obama condemned Mr Trump's "disgraceful" and "shocking and demeaning" remarks about women. "This wasn't just locker room banter, this was a powerful individual speaking freely and openly about sexually predatory behaviour," she said, adding the 2005 video had "shaken her to her core". "Leaders should meet a basic standard of human decency," she said. "We need someone who truly cares about us and our children, someone with strength and compassion to lead this country forward." Read the full transcript here.
Elsewhere, US Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton said she cannot recall key details about using a private email server while secretary of state, documents provided by her lawyer show. Conservative legal group Judicial Watch asked her for sworn responses to 25 written questions - at least 21 responses used variations of "does not recall".
Returning to the latest allegations against Donald Trump, the BBC's Katty Kay says they have prompted an important, long overdue, national conversation about the wider abuse of women - "something too many women have experienced in painful silence, and men for the most part are unaware". You can read her piece which tries to shine a light on the dark secret of sexual assault here.
Meanwhile, a left-leaning north Londoner describes what it's like to become one of Texas's most prominent Trump supporters, after a case of mistaken identity.
And in the weird world of social media, people have been imagining what the map of America would look like under different "if only" voting scenarios. What if only goats were allowed to vote? Or dogs? Or Simpson fans? BBC trending reports.

Hillary Clinton 'cannot recall' email server details


US Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton has said she cannot recall key details about using a private email server while secretary of state, documents show.
She had been asked to give sworn responses to 25 written questions from a conservative legal group.
At least 21 responses used variations of "does not recall", the documents, provided by her lawyer, show.
Mrs Clinton denies handling classified information in her private emails.
Questions over her use of a private email server while secretary of state have dogged her presidential campaign.
Her responses under oath to the Judicial Watch group were provided by her lawyer, David Kendall.
Mrs Clinton also made various legal objections to the wording or formation of 18 of the 25 questions, the documents show.
Correspondents say her answers provide no new information beyond what Mrs Clintontold FBI agents during a recent investigation.
Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton said the group's lawyers would be closely reviewing her responses.
"Mrs Clinton's refusal to answer many of the questions in a clear and straightforward manner further reflects disdain for the rule of law," he said.
Judicial Watch has filed multiple lawsuits to try to obtain copies of government documents from Mrs Clinton's time as secretary of state.


-BBC

US election 2016: Trump says groping claims 'absolutely false'

Donald Trump has rejected a slew of accusations of sexual misconduct, telling supporters in Florida they are "totally and absolutely false".
The Republican presidential nominee said the women making the allegations were "horrible liars" and the media was colluding with rival Hillary Clinton.
Several women say he groped them or forcibly kissed them.
First Lady Michelle Obama earlier said Mr Trump's boasts about groping women were "shocking and demeaning".
"Leaders should meet a basic standard of human decency," she said during a campaign appearance in New Hampshire.
Seeing Mr Trump make lewd comments about women, on a video leaked last week to the Washington Post, "has shaken me to my core in a way that I cannot have predicted," Mrs Obama said, her voice cracking with emotion.
She never mentioned the former reality TV star by name but her references made her target obvious.

At the scene: Rajini Vaidyanathan, BBC News, Manchester, New Hampshire

The rally was packed with students from across the political spectrum, including a young Republican who told me he was disgusted by Donald Trump, but yet to be convinced by Hillary Clinton.
As Michelle Obama entered the room, the deafening screams were at the sort of ear piercing level, usually reserved for rock stars.  
And it was to this backdrop, the First Lady expressed her revulsion at Donald Trump's comments about women, as heard on that recently released tape.
She spoke with emotion, energy, and from the heart, but didn't name Mr Trump once - referring to him instead, as the candidate.
But aside from expressing her distaste at the Republican nominee's tone this election-  she had another important message to those in the room.  
That they must vote. Turnout, she said, was key. It's what helped her husband win this state of New Hampshire, and will be crucial for Hillary Clinton too.
In some precincts her husband won by an average of only 66 votes. Every ballot can make a difference, she urged the crowd.
If Mrs Obama really is a secret weapon for the Clinton campaign, then the true measure of how powerful her sermon was, will be tested in how she manages to rally the Democratic base.  

Two women told the New York Times that the Republican presidential candidate groped or kissed them.
People magazine reporter also said she was forcibly kissed, while another woman said Mr Trump grabbed her bottom.
Making his first public appearance since the allegations were made, Mr Trump told a rally in West Palm Beach these stories were "a conspiracy against the American people" by the political and media establishment.
He said he had evidence the accusations were unfounded and would release that at the "appropriate time".
In one reference, he appeared to imply People writer Natasha Stoynoff could not have been telling the truth because of her appearance.
"Take a look. You take a look. Look at her, look at her words, you tell me what you think. I don't think so, I don't think so."
The media, he said, "will seek to destroy your career and your family".
He has threatened to sue the New York Times, which published accusations from two women on Wednesday evening.
The newspaper has responded by saying it would welcome the opportunity to make its case in court.
Asked during last Sunday's televised presidential debate whether he had kissed or groped women without their consent, Mr Trump said: "No, I have not", and stressed that he respected women.
Many of the women said Mr Trump's denial during the second presidential debate prompted them to come forward.
Last week's emergence of a video tape in which Mr Trump boasted that his fame meant he could "do anything" to women has sparked a crisis that has engulfed his campaign.
Dozens of Republicans have said they can no longer back him and he has fallen further behind Mrs Clinton in national and state polls.

-BBC

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