Image source, Reuters

Last night, the annual white-tie Al Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner was hosted by the Archbishop of New York to raise money for Catholic charities.

The $5,000 (£3,800) a plate dinner has been attended by every major presidential candidate for decades.

Kamala Harris, however, didn't attend the event, and opted to send a pre-recorded video as she stayed out on the campaign trail.

Harris's video poked fun at Trump's false claims that the 2020 election was rigged as well as comments he's made on the 2024 campaign trail.

In his speech, Trump commented on Harris's absence: "Catholics, you better vote for me. You better remember I'm here and she's not."

He also joked about himself, saying "these days, it’s really a pleasure anywhere in New York without a subpoena for my appearance."

• Watch: Trump and Harris trade charity dinner barbs

There's seven swing states in this election, but today Michigan is in the spotlight, as both Trump and Harris will be hosting events there.

The Great Lakes state has picked the winning presidential candidate in the last two elections.

In 2020, Biden won there by 150,000 votes - but since his support for Israel over the war in Gaza, he has seen a lot of backlash in the state.

During Michigan’s Democratic primary contest in February, more than 100,000 voters chose the “uncommitted” option on their ballots, part of a campaign mounted by activists who want the US government to halt its military aid to Israel.

Trump has highlighted the state’s significance in his potential path to victory.

But, Trump recently slammed the state's largest city, Detroit, stating: "Our whole country will end up being like Detroit if [Harris is] your president. You’re going to have a mess on your hands.”

Image source, Reuters

President Joe Biden has just been presented with the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany - one of the highest honours of the German state.

Before accepting the award, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier praises Biden for his "lasting moral example of service".

On his likely final European trip as president, Biden says: "I'm overwhelmed, not just by the award but by the words."

He adds that the award means "so much to me, for what it says about us", referring his country's relationship with Germany.

He goes on to discuss Nato, the war in Ukraine, and a "very difficult winter" that approaches.

"The times that I have lived through have taught me that history does move forward... that we should never underestimate the power of democracy."

North America correspondent Anthony Zurcher makes sense of the race for the White House in his weekly US Election Unspun newsletter.

Readers in the UK can sign up here.

Those outside the UK can sign up here.

Image source, Reuters

Meanwhile, widespread traffic disruption has been reported in central Berlin this morning as the German capital hosts what's likely to be President Joe Biden's last European trip as US president before the American election.

Biden is meeting President Frank-Walter Steinmeier to receive Germany's highest Order of Merit, ahead of talks with Chancellor Olaf Scholz. Later, the pair will meet French President Emmanuel Macron and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

The group are expected to discuss the conflicts in the Ukraine and the Middle East. Yesterday, Israel said it had killed the head of its enemy, Hamas, during an operation in Gaza.

Today is a day for swing states, as both candidates head to Michigan.

Kamala Harris is heading to Grand Rapids for a campaign rally before travelling to Oakland County for more campaigning.

Donald Trump will take part in a roundtable discussion in Oakland County, Michigan later. He'll also be holding a rally in the state's largest city, Detroit, this evening.

House speaker Mike Johnson will rally for the Trump campaign in Iowa, while the Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff is scheduled to appear in Reno, Nevada, delivering remarks at campaign events on behalf of his wife, Harris.

Former President Barack Obama is out on the trail supporting fellow democrat Harris. Obama will hold a get-out-the-vote rally in Tucson, Arizona - another key battleground state.

Ana Faguy
Live reporter

Image source, Reuters

Who should be the next president won't be the only thing on the ballot this November.

Tens of millions of voters in Montana, Arizona, Missouri, Nebraska, Colorado, Florida, Maryland, Nevada, New York and South Dakota will be asked how their state should regulate abortion.

Most of the initiatives in those 10 states would allow abortion until foetal viability, which is generally considered about 24 weeks, or later only in instances when the health of the pregnant woman is at risk.

The efforts are a response to the Supreme Court's 2022 decision to overturn Roe v Wade, which led many states to enact abortion restrictions or bans.

We've explained what each state will ask voters.

Voters in the US go to the polls in less than three weeks to elect their next president on 5 November. Early voting began in North Carolina yesterday - and was already under way in another key swing state, Georgia.

As election day approaches, we'll be keeping track of the polls and seeing what effect the two sides' campaigning has on the race for the White House.

The latest figures suggest Kamala Harris has a slight lead over Donald Trump in national polling averages.

In the last few weeks, the race has changed very little nationally.

We have created a poll tracker that will be regularly updated with the latest figures.

In his speech at the annual Al Smith charity dinner in New York, Donald Trump mocked his rival Kamala Harris for choosing not to attend the event.

Harris instead decided to campaign in the swing state of Wisconsin. She sent a pre-recorded skit in which she poked fun at Trump. You can watch our recap above.

We're restarting our live coverage of the US election. To get the ball rolling, here's a digest of the key developments:

• Donald Trump poked fun at his Democratic rivals during a gag-filled speech at the annual Al Smith charity dinner in New York
• The Republican nominee mocked his opponent Kamala Harris, New York Mayor Eric Adams and President Joe Biden
• Vice-President Kamala Harris broke with presidential race tradition by skipping the bipartisan event, opting instead to campaign in the swing state of Wisconsin
• She sent in a pre-recorded skit in her place, poking fun at Donald Trump
• Earlier on Thursday, both campaigns got a boost from billionaire allies - Mark Cuban appeared in Wisconsin for Harris and Elon Musk took to the trail in Pennsylvania for Trump

• Harris has had a small lead over Trump in the national polling averages since she entered the race at the end of July and she remains ahead - but the contest is tighter in the all-important swing states