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I'm VOA's Joe Ramsey with your worldwide news update.
A sharply divided America decides between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris as the candidates wait to find out who is the next president. AP correspondent Ed Donahue reports. After voting in Florida, Trump was asked if Harris ends up with more votes, would he concede? "If I lose an election, if it's a fair election. I'm going to I'd be the first one to acknowledge it." He would also like to see the declaration of a winner soon. "This election should be over. They spend all this money on machines. And frankly, if they'd use paper ballots, it would be over by 10 o'clock." Kamala Harris voted by mail. She stopped by DNC headquarters in Washington, where they were making calls. "Talk to voters, Caroline, Carolyn, hi Carolyn, it's Kamala. Hi, how are you? This truly represents the best of who we are. Just reaching out to folks letting them know that that we're all in it together." Trump will be at his home in Florida. Harris will be at a party at her alma mater Haward University in Washington. Ed Donahue, Washington. Election Day voting was largely smooth across the nation, with only scattered reports of delays from extreme weather, ballot printing errors and technical problems. The relatively uneventful day of voting on Tuesday came after an election season marked by concerns over disinformation, foreign influence and worrisome threats to election workers and voting systems. Helping reduce issues on Election Day was the fact that tens of millions of Americans had cast their ballots during the early voting period. The FBI on Tuesday afternoon said it was aware of multiple non-credible bomb threats to polling locations in several states, and said many of them appeared to originate from Russian e-mail domains. This is VOA news. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has dismissed his popular defense minister, Yoav Gallant, in a surprise announcement that came as the country is embroiled in wars on multiple fronts across the region. AP correspondent Norman Hall reports. The move sparked protests across the country, including Tel Aviv and near Netanyahu's home in Jerusalem. Gallant, a former general, had argued that military force has created the necessary conditions for at least a temporary diplomatic deal that could bring home hostages held by Hamas. But Netanyahu's hardline partners have threatened to bring down the coalition government if he makes concessions to Hamas. I'm Norman Hall. A new report says Russia is, quote unquote, "flagrantly violating" its agreements with the oil cartel OPEC by concealing the true amount of oil it is producing and selling and the report says the profits are funding Moscow's war on Ukraine. Henry Ridgwell reports. Eight members of the oil producers cartel, OPEC+ including Russia, agreed last year to cut production in order to boost prices. But a new report from the Ukrainian Center for Defense Reforms says that Russia is deceiving OPEC in the first four months of the year. Moscow exceeded its production quota by at least 2.5 million barrels per day, says report co-author Oleksandr Danylyuk. "Itfs about US$60 billion per year. And it's also important because this is the money which is not seen by anyone. And obviously, this is extra funds Russia can use to support the war efforts in Ukraine.h The report claims Russia is concealing the true volume of oil sold to its two main customers, India and China, by listing a zero value for some of the supply contracts on customs declaration forms. Russia has not addressed accusations that it conceals oil sales from OPEC. Speaking at an energy forum in September, Russian President Vladimir Putin insisted his country was a reliable partner. Henry Ridgwell, VOA news. Nigerian authorities have released 29 children who have been detained for over two months and potentially face the death penalty for their alleged participation in protests against the country's record cost of living crisis. The children, ages 14 to 17, looked excited and full of life on Tuesday as they waved to cameras after the release at a court in the capital Abuja. Some parents denied their children's participation in demonstrations in interviews with The Associated Press. That wraps up this update but the world and news never stop. For additional updates, visit our website. I'm Joe Ramsey, VOA news. |