Headline

The Race Is A Dead Beat – Pollsters Say As Trump Goes Even At 48% With Kamala Harris In New Poll

Published

10 months ago

October 15, 2024

Former US President, Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris are deadlocked in the latest national NBC News poll, with the network saying that Trump was bolstered by foreign-based Republicans coming back to the US to support him after last month’s debate as well as by favourable voter assessment of Trump’s term as president.

The new survey released three weeks before Election Day, also shows Harris’ popularity has declined compared to a month ago, after she got a big summertime boost; a massive gender gap between support for Harris and Trump; and voters viewing abortion as a top motivating issue heading into the 2024 vote.

“As summer has turned to fall, any signs of momentum for Kamala Harris have stopped,” said Democratic pollster Jeff Horwitt, who conducted this survey with Republican pollster Bill McInturff. “The race is a dead heat.”

McInturff said “headwinds” for Harris have helped narrow the presidential contest, including concerns that the vice president doesn’t represent a change from President Joe Biden and voters seeing Trump’s presidency in a more positive light than Biden’s.

“She is asking for another term from the incumbent party,” McInturff said of Harris.

Still, underlining the poll is uncertainty about the election (with 10% of voters saying they might change their minds and a sliver of unclaimed voters still on the fence), an all-time-high share of voters believing that this presidential election will make “a great deal of difference” in their lives, and key challenges for both Harris and Trump.

The third-party (Independent Party) vote could play a role, as Trump gets a small boost when third-party candidates are included in the ballot test, to a 1-point edge.

“The challenge for Kamala Harris: Can she meet the moment and fill in the blanks that voters have about her?” asked Horwitt, the Democratic pollster.

“The challenge for Donald Trump: Can he make the case that the chaos and personal behaviour that bothered so many about his first term will not get in the way of governing and representing America?” he added.

“The next month will tell whether the candidates can meet these challenges,” Horwitt said.

In the new poll which was conducted October 4-8, Harris gets support from 48% of registered voters in a head-to-head matchup, while Trump gets an identical 48%. Another 4% say they are undecided or wouldn’t vote for either option when forced to choose between those two major-party candidates.

September’s NBC News poll found Harris leading Trump by 5 points, 49%-44%, though that result was within the margin of error.

An expanded ballot including third-party candidates also shows this shift, with 47% of registered voters in the new poll picking Trump, 46% supporting Harris and a combined 7% picking other candidates or saying they’re undecided.

In September, however, Harris held a 6-point lead on this ballot.

Given that close elections are often decided by which party better turns out its voters, the NBC News poll provides a snapshot of what could happen depending on different turnout scenarios.

Assuming a more favorable environment for Republicans which means slightly greater turnout among men, white voters and voters without college degrees, Trump leads Harris by 2 points, 49%-47%.

But assuming a more favourable turnout environment for Democrats which means more women, more white voters with college degrees and more voters of colour showing up to the polls — these survey results show Harris leading Trump by 3 points among registered voters, 49%-46%.

All of these results are within the poll’s margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.

Headline

26-year-old Nigerian Fatally Stabbed In London

Published

25 minutes ago

August 5, 2025

Editor

Two individuals have been charged in connection with the fatal stabbing of a 26-year-old Nigerian, Ayowale Aladejana, in New Cross, southeast London.

The Metropolitan Police reports that detectives investigating the fatal stabbing of Ayowale charged a man and woman with murder.

“Ben Wazabanga, 23 (24.10.2001) of Fairfax Road, Bedford was charged with murder and possession of a knife on Monday, 4 August. He was remanded in custody and will appear at Croydon Magistrates’ Court on Monday, 4 August.

“Ronique Belfon, 23 (10.05.2002) of Morinsbury Road, Bedford was charged with murder on Monday, 4 August. She was remanded to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Monday, 4 August,” the report read.

Speaking on the incident, Detective Chief Inspector Lucie Card, who is leading the investigation, was quoted as saying, “Our thoughts are with Ayowale’s family and friends at this difficult time.

“I understand this incident will be concerning and we are carrying out a fast-paced and thorough investigation to establish the circumstances. I would encourage anyone who has not yet spoken to us.”

The investigation was reportedly launched after officers were called to reports of a man with stab wounds at a residential address in Monson Road, New Cross, at 19:26hrs on Saturday, August 2.

The officers were said to have responded alongside the London Ambulance Service and medics from London’s Air Ambulance, however, Ayowale died at the scene despite efforts to save him.

The report added that a post-mortem examination conducted on Sunday gave a preliminary cause of death as stab wound to the chest.

Ayowale’s family are also reportedly being supported by specially trained officers.

Headline

Trump Threatens 250% Tariffs On Foreign Pharmaceuticals

Published

1 hour ago

August 5, 2025

Editor

US President Donald Trump said Tuesday that upcoming tariffs on imported pharmaceuticals could reach 250 percent, after starting at a lower level, while adding he plans to also unveil fresh duties on foreign semiconductors.

“We’ll be putting (an) initially small tariff on pharmaceuticals, but in one year, one-and-a-half years, maximum, it’s going to go to 150 percent,” Trump said in an interview on CNBC.

“And then it’s going to go to 250 percent because we want pharmaceuticals made in our country,” he added.

In the same interview, Trump said he expects to raise the US tariff on Indian imports “very substantially over the next 24 hours” due to the country’s purchases of Russian oil.

While Trump has aimed at products from different countries with varying tariff rates after imposing a 10-percent levy on almost all trading partners in April, these have excluded certain products he planned to target separately.

These sector-specific tariffs have generally come after government investigations that look into the national security concerns surrounding certain imports.

After earlier embarking on probes on imported semiconductors and pharmaceuticals, the Trump administration has signaled plans to wrap up these studies, which could lead to new tariffs.

Already, Trump has slapped steep tariffs of 50 percent on imported steel and aluminum, and also rolled out a separate but lower duty on autos and parts.

AFP

Headline

UK Opens Application For Chevening Scholarships

Published

5 hours ago

August 5, 2025

Editor

The United Kingdom on Tuesday announced that applications for its Chevening Scholarships are officially open, with prospective scholars encouraged to apply between August 5 and October 7, 2025.

The Chevening programme offers fully funded one-year master’s degrees at UK universities to individuals with demonstrated leadership potential and a strong commitment to driving positive change in their home countries and globally.

In a statement released by the British High Commission in Abuja, the Head of the Scholarships Unit at the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, Emma Hennessey, described the programme as highly competitive, selecting only the most outstanding candidates from across the world.

“Chevening’s highly competitive selection process ensures that those chosen to become Chevening Scholars or Fellows represent the brightest and most driven individuals from around the world.

“Chevening Alumni use their world-class education, global networks, and confidence gained in the UK to create meaningful, lasting change when they return home, whether by tackling global challenges or making a tangible impact in their own communities.

“If you can clearly demonstrate the skills needed to join them — outstanding leadership, influence, and networking skills — I strongly encourage you to apply.

“If you’re not quite there yet, I encourage you to take the time to build the experience that will make your application competitive,” Hennessey noted.

According to the statement, the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Richard Montgomery, urged Nigerians with leadership potential to take advantage of the opportunity.

“Chevening is more than a scholarship — it is a gateway to a global network of leaders, innovators, and changemakers,” he said.

“Whether your aspirations lie in shaping public policy, launching a business, or addressing the world’s most pressing challenges, the Chevening Scholarship offers a unique opportunity to pursue a fully funded master’s degree in the United Kingdom to advance your knowledge and skills.

“While there is no ‘typical’ scholar, we seek individuals with the passion, ideas, and influence to drive meaningful change in Nigeria and beyond.

“Our alumni network includes dynamic professionals across diverse sectors who are making significant contributions in their fields.

“If you have the potential to lead positive change in your community, Nigeria, or globally, I encourage you to submit your application before the 7 October 2025 deadline.

“Apply today and take the first step toward this life-changing experience,” he said.

Applications must be submitted online via chevening.org/apply.

Interested applicants are also encouraged to review available guidance at chevening.org/guidance to determine their readiness for the competitive application process.

Since its launch in 1983, the Chevening programme has supported over 60,000 professionals from over 160 countries and territories.

The scholarship is funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and partner organisations.