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Voting has been temporarily suspended at five polling locations in DeKalb County, Georgia, due to ongoing issues that required intervention from local authorities.

The affected sites include a church, two libraries, a community center, and a senior center.

DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond assured voters that every effort would be made to ensure they have an opportunity to cast their ballots.

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“Every asset that we have will be deployed to ensure that every citizen who wants to vote will be given that opportunity, and every vote cast will be counted,” Thurmond said.

Keisha Smith, the Executive Director of DeKalb County’s Office of Voter Registration and Elections, explained that the suspension was a precautionary measure.

“Out of an abundance of caution, we are suspending voting at these polling locations until we have clearance from DeKalb Police to reopen the facilities,” Smith said.

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In addition to suspending voting, the county is seeking an emergency court order to extend voting hours at the affected locations to ensure no voter is disenfranchised.

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As of 5:44 AM Nigerian time, former President Donald Trump was leading in the ongoing US presidential election, with 230 Electoral College votes, while his rival, Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris, had secured 205 votes.

The Associated Press (AP) provided detailed updates on how the candidates fared across various states as the results came in:

Nebraska:
Trump claimed Nebraska’s two electoral votes after winning the statewide popular vote. This marks his third consecutive victory in the state, which divides its electoral votes, with two going to the statewide winner and one going to the winner in each congressional district. In 2016, Trump won Nebraska by 25 percentage points. The AP declared Trump the winner at 9:00 p.m. EST.

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New York:
Harris secured New York’s 28 electoral votes, continuing the state’s tradition of backing Democratic candidates since 1988. The AP declared Harris the winner at 9:00 p.m. EST.

North Dakota:
Trump took North Dakota’s three electoral votes, continuing a Republican streak in the state dating back to 1964. The AP declared Trump the winner at 9:00 p.m. EST.

South Dakota:
Trump won South Dakota’s three electoral votes, continuing his strong performance in this conservative state. The AP declared Trump the winner at 9:00 p.m. EST.

Louisiana:
Trump won Louisiana, marking his third consecutive victory in the state. The AP declared Trump the winner at 9:00 p.m. EST.

Wyoming:
Trump won Wyoming’s three electoral votes, where he secured his widest margins of victory in both 2016 and 2020. The AP declared Trump the winner at 9:00 p.m. EST.

Illinois:
Harris won Illinois, securing its 19 electoral votes. The AP declared Harris the winner at 8:38 p.m. EST.

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New Jersey:
Harris won New Jersey’s 14 electoral votes, maintaining the state’s Democratic tradition. The AP declared Harris the winner at 8:30 p.m. EST.

Arkansas:
Trump won Arkansas’ six electoral votes for the third consecutive election. The AP declared Trump the winner at 8:30 p.m. EST.

Mississippi:
Trump claimed Mississippi’s six electoral votes, continuing a long streak of Republican victories in the state. The AP declared Trump the winner at 8:00 p.m. EST.

Rhode Island:
Harris won Rhode Island’s four electoral votes, further extending the Democrats’ dominance in the state. The AP declared Harris the winner at 8:00 p.m. EST.

Florida:
Trump claimed Florida’s 30 electoral votes for the third consecutive election, further cementing his stronghold in the state. The AP declared Trump the winner at 8:01 p.m. EST.

South Carolina:
Trump won South Carolina’s nine electoral votes for the third straight election. The AP declared Trump the winner at 8:01 p.m. EST.

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Massachusetts:
Harris won Massachusetts’ 11 electoral votes, continuing the state’s long-standing trend of supporting Democratic candidates. The AP declared Harris the winner at 8:00 p.m. EST.

Connecticut:
Harris won Connecticut, adding seven electoral votes to her tally, continuing the state’s tradition of voting for Democratic candidates. The AP declared Harris the winner at 8:00 p.m. EST.

Maryland:
Harris won Maryland and its 10 electoral votes. The AP declared Harris the winner at 8:00 p.m. EST.

Oklahoma:
Trump claimed Oklahoma’s seven electoral votes, continuing the state’s tradition of backing Republican candidates. The AP declared Trump the winner at 8:00 p.m. EST.

Alabama:
Trump won Alabama, securing nine electoral votes. The AP declared Trump the winner at 8:00 p.m. EST.

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West Virginia:
Trump won West Virginia’s four electoral votes, continuing his streak in the state. The AP declared Trump the winner at 7:30 p.m. EST.

Indiana:
Trump won Indiana’s 11 electoral votes, continuing a successful run in the state. The AP declared Trump the winner at 7:00 p.m. EST.

Kentucky:
Trump won Kentucky, securing eight electoral votes. The AP declared Trump the winner at 7:00 p.m. EST.

Vermont:
Harris won Vermont, claiming its three electoral votes. The AP declared Harris the winner at 7:00 p.m. EST.

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The election has been one of the most contentious in recent history, with Trump continuing to raise concerns about electronic voting machines, suggesting they are less secure than paper ballots.

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Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu has dismissed Defence Minister Yoav Gallant and appointed Israel Katz as his replacement amid ongoing tensions in the government during the Gaza conflict.

The announcement was made via a video shared on Netanyahu’s official X account, confirming the leadership change at a critical time.

Netanyahu explained the decision, citing a “crisis of trust” between him and Gallant.

“In the midst of a war, more than ever, full trust is required between the Prime Minister and Defence Minister,” Netanyahu said, referring to the discord that had grown between the two over recent months.

Despite initial cooperation, their differing views on military strategy and the handling of the Gaza situation had led to a breakdown in trust.

While Netanyahu has pushed for continued military pressure on Hamas, Gallant had been in favor of using the operations as a foundation for potential negotiations to release Israeli hostages.

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Following his dismissal, Gallant, a former general, reaffirmed his dedication to Israel’s security.

“The security of the state of Israel always was, and will always remain, my life’s mission,” he said.

The move has sparked significant political fallout, with some analysts describing Netanyahu’s decision as “reckless.”

Sky News Middle East correspondent Alistair Bunkall warned that Gallant’s removal could be interpreted as a politically motivated move by Netanyahu to secure his position.

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This decision comes amidst other heated political issues, including the debate over drafting Haredi Jewish students into the Israel Defence Forces (IDF)—a policy Gallant had supported.

Netanyahu’s previous attempt to remove Gallant in March 2023 had also caused mass protests and a government reshuffle.

In addition to the Defence Minister change, Netanyahu announced that Gideon Saar would assume the role of Foreign Minister.

Donald Trump, the Republican contender in the 2024 US presidential election, stated that he would be willing to concede defeat if the election outcome is fair.

Speaking to reporters after voting in Florida, Trump reiterated his stance on the integrity of the election process, emphasizing that he would accept the results “if it’s a fair election.”

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“If I lose an election, if it’s a fair election, I would be the first one to acknowledge it,” Trump said, adding that he felt the election so far had been fair.

The former president also expressed confidence about his chances of winning the White House again, saying he felt “very confident” after casting his ballot.

Trump credited his campaign efforts, particularly against his Democratic rival, Kamala Harris, as a key factor in his optimism.

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Trump, who has been a vocal critic of electronic voting systems, raised concerns once again about the security of voting machines.

He suggested that if paper ballots were used instead, the results could be known much sooner and would be more secure.

“They spend all this money on machines… If they would use paper ballots, voter ID, proof of citizenship, and one-day voting, it would all be over by 10 o’clock in the evening,” he remarked.

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“Paper is more sophisticated now than computers, especially if it’s watermarked paper—you can’t cheat with it.”

In response to questions about the potential for post-election unrest, Trump dismissed the concern, stating that his supporters were not violent and that he would not need to tell them to avoid violence.

“Of course, there’ll be no violence. My supporters are not violent people,” he said.

The government of Equatorial Guinea has imposed a ban on sharing multimedia content, including photos, videos, and audio files, on WhatsApp using mobile data.

According to local news outlet, Ahora EG, this move has left many citizens frustrated, as they are now only able to share such content over WiFi networks.

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The restriction is part of new directives issued to telecommunications companies, which are required to implement measures that prevent access to inappropriate content.

This decision comes in the wake of a scandal involving Baltasar Engonga, the Director General of the National Financial Investigation Agency (ANIF).

Engonga, a prominent economist, is at the center of a sex scandal that has drawn public attention after it was revealed he had recorded sexual encounters with the wives of high-ranking officials, including those of the Vice President and the Inspector General of Police.

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The controversy emerged during an investigation into fraud allegations against Engonga, leading to an unannounced search by ANIF officials at his home and office.

Over 400 videos of these encounters, filmed with consent, were found and subsequently leaked online, causing a stir on social media.

In response to the scandal, Vice President Teddy Nguema has announced plans to install surveillance cameras in all state offices.

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This initiative aims to strengthen monitoring and ensure greater compliance with public service regulations, addressing misconduct among government officials.