Image source, Reuters

We've been watching the arrivals at a Philadelphia court, ahead of a hearing over Elon Musk's cash giveaways to registered voters, which was scheduled for 10 am ET (1400 GMT).

District Attorney Larry Krasner, who filed a lawsuit against the billionaire earlier this week, arrived a short while ago.

SpaceX and Tesla owner Musk has been ordered to attend in person, but so far we have not seen him show up.

There won't be cameras in court, but we'll keep you posted with what happens next, whether or not Musk appears.

Image source, Reuters

Elon Musk and his campaign group America PAC said in October that he would give away $1 million (£766,000) to a registered voter in key swing states every day until the US election on 5 November.

To be eligible to win, registered voters have to sign a petition in favour of "free speech and the right to bear arms".

Each day, one person is selected at random for the $1 million prize.

The contest is open to voters in Pennsylvania, Georgia, Nevada, Arizona, Michigan, Wisconsin and North Carolina, all key battleground states which will ultimately decide the election.

Musk is a keen supporter of Republican nominee Donald Trump's bid to return to the White House.

Image source, Reuters

The world’s richest man, Elon Musk, has been ordered to attended a court hearing today over his million-dollar cash giveaway to registered voters in key swing states.

Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner filed the lawsuit earlier this week.

The BBC's US partner CBS News says the hearing is scheduled to begin at 10:00 ET (14:00 GMT), according to a court document.

Trump supporter Musk announced in October that he would randomly award a $1m prize to registered voters who sign a petition in battleground states every day until the election. The awards would come through his political group, America PAC.

But Krasner's lawsuit says the scheme is an illegal lottery and an attempt to influence voters, and that it must be stopped.

In a statement, Krasner said the move was about "protecting the public from public nuisances and unfair trade practices, including illegal lotteries" and "protecting the public from interference with the integrity of elections".

• Read more: Musk ordered to attend court over US voter cash giveaways

The countdown is well and truly on, with just five days to go before the US election day.

Before Trump and Harris get back on the campaign trail today, here's a quick refresh of the events you might have missed on Wednesday or during the US overnight hours:

• Both candidates were in Wisconsin on Wednesday - one of seven swing states. Trump told a rally held near Green Bay he wanted to protect women "whether the women like it or not" from "missiles" and "migrants"
• He wore a high-visibility vest garbage collectors in the US wear. It followed President Joe Biden appearing to call his supporters "garbage" a day earlier. Biden says he was referring to Tony Hinchcliffe after the comedian labelled US territory Puerto Rico a "floating island of garbage" at a Trump rally
• For the Democrats, Harris sought out the youth vote, also in Wisconsin - telling first-time voters "I love your generation, I just love you guys"

• Elsewhere, authorities in Clark Country, Washington, said they have managed to salvage hundreds of ballots that were damaged when an incendiary device was placed in a ballot box on Monday. Another ballot box was set alight in Portland, Oregon. Both attacks are being investigated by the FBI

The 2024 presidential election could hinge on the state of Pennsylvania, with polls currently indicating that the crucial swing state is locked in a dead heat.

On the next stage of Americast's pop-up podcast studio, Justin and Marianna travel to Philadelphia to speak to three first-time Democratic voters who are planning to vote for Kamala Harris.

Sitting down in a family home, we chat to them about their reaction to Joe Biden’s intervention in the campaign, whether they’d consider voting for a third-party and what they believe Harris needs to do between now and November 5.

Listen to that episode.

We've been reporting on how each candidate's stance on abortion has influenced the voting intention of registered voters.

Here's a quick reminder on what each presidential hopeful has said on the issue:

Kamala Harris is advocating for legislation that would safeguard reproductive rights nationwide.

Harris has made abortion central to her campaign - she was the first vice-president to visit an abortion clinic.

“When Congress passes a law to restore reproductive freedoms, as president of the United States, I will sign it into law,” she said at a campaign rally in Atlanta, Georgia.

DonaldTrump has said he would not sign a national abortion ban into law.

Trump has regularly said that states should be free to decide their own laws on abortion.

He has criticised Florida’s ban on abortions after six-weeks but also said he would oppose a ballot measure in the state establishing the right to an abortion.

You can read more on Trump's views on key issues as well as Harris' stance on 10 key issues.

Image source, Getty Images

In this election, tens of millions of voters will also be deciding on abortion laws across ten states.

This comes in response to the Supreme Court's decision in 2022 which overturned the decades-old Roe v Wade - rescinding the constitutional right to an abortion.

Since then, the access to the procedure has varied across states, some with an almost complete ban.

Abortion has thus become a huge talking point in this election as a topic that is dividing voters.

Harris is strongly pro-choice and has made it a key part of her campaign.

During his presidency, Trump appointed the Supreme Court judges whose votes ultimately overturned Roe v Wade. He says abortion policy should be left to the states to decide.

However, his wife Melania, recently came out with a video backing abortion rights.

Get up to speed on the ten US states facing abortion on the ballot in November.

Rachel Looker

The gender divide has been prominent in this election, with polls suggesting Kamala Harris has an advantage among women and former President Donald Trump is enjoying a similar lead among men.

The BBC has been speaking to women about how they are considering gender and abortion as they cast their ballots in the final days of the campaign.

Texas-based nurse practitioner Tracey Sorrell backed Trump at the last election and plans to do so again.

"On abortion, [Harris] is not giving a gestational parameter of how late somebody can get an abortion. That cannot be-open ended. I was a NICU [neonatal intensive care unit] nurse for 17 years... I care about women's rights. I care about women. The mother is the first patient," she says.

Meanwhile Susana Rodriguez voted for Biden in the last election and has now voted early in support of Harris.

She describes being "scared" at the prospect of going backwards: "I had more rights than my granddaughter is going to have in her future and that's not right."

Read more about thoughts on the issue and how individuals plan to vote.

This is the moment Donald Trump told a rally in Wisconsin he wanted to protect women "whether the women like it or not" from "missiles" and "migrants".

Kamala Harris responded with a post on X, external saying "Donald Trump thinks he should get to make decisions about what you do with your body. Whether you like it or not."

At 12:00 ET (16:00 GMT), Kamala Harris makes her first scheduled stop of the day at a campaign event in Phoenix, Arizona. We expect Latin band Los Tigres del Norte to join her onstage there. She then heads to Reno, Nevada.

Then, at 20:00 ET (00:00 GMT), Harris is due to hold a major campaign event in Las Vegas, Nevada, where she will be joined by Maná and Jennifer Lopez.

Donald Trump is set to begin his day with a rally in Albuquerque, New Mexico, from 14:00 ET (18:00 GMT), before heading to another in Henderson, Nevada.

He then travels to Glendale, Arizona, where he will appear at the finale of political commentator Tucker Carlson's tour at 22:00 ET (02:00 GMT).

Both vice presidential candidates are also out today. JD Vance will speak at High Point University in North Carolina at 10:30 ET (14:30 GMT), whilst Tim Walz will deliver remarks in Pennsylvania's Bucks County at 11:00 ET (3:00 GMT). Walz will then head to Erie, Pennsylvania in the afternoon.

Stay with us for the latest updates from today's campaign trail.

US President Joe Biden hosted a Halloween celebration at the White House on Wednesday where he and his wife Jill handed out sweets and books to children.

He was caught on video nibbling at the legs of a baby in dressed up as a chicken.

Bernd Debusmann Jr
Reporting from Washington

• Harris to push abortion rights: Kamala Harris and her political allies are likely to push the Democratic message on abortion. They believe it is resonating with large swathes of female voters in the US.
• Trump to focus on the border: The Trump campaign is likely to focus on the US-Mexico border and perceptions of "migrant crime".
• The economy battle: This a primary motivator for a majority of voters and both campaigns are likely to make last ditch efforts to convince voters that they can improve the US economy going forward.
• Late surprises: No one predicted two comments involving the word "garbage" would dominate the election for a few days. We'll be keeping an eye out for any last minute surprises that could sway undecided voters.
• Election security: Ballot boxes have been burned in Oregon and Washington. While these incidents have been rare, we'll be looking out for any others that could change perceptions of election integrity.
• Turnout: We'll be monitoring early turnout data to see what - if anything - it can reveal about voter participation in this election.

As we've been reporting, both Trump and Harris made separate appearances in the state of Wisconsin yesterday evening - just days before election day.

Wisconsin is one of seven key battleground statesthat both candidates are devoting a lot of time, money, and attention to.

Like Pennsylvania and Michigan, it is a so-called blue wall state that reliably voted Democrat in presidential elections for decades.

That all changed in 2016, when Donald Trump beat Hillary Clinton in all three, winning 44 electoral college votes - and ultimately the White House.

In 2020, Joe Biden flipped them back, a hattrick of wins that was key to his victory.

For Harris, these states provide one of her clearest paths to securing the 270 electoral college votes needed to clinch the presidency.

The last two races have come down to razor thin margins in Wisconsin:

• Trump beat Clinton 47.8% to 47% in 2016
• Biden beat Trump 49.6% to 48.9% in 2020

During this election cycle, the polling has mostly remained within a few percentage points, well within the margin of error.

That suggests Wisconsin is poised to deliver another nail-biting finish.

You can read more about what factors could be decisive in the Midwestern swing state.

Image source, EPA

Donald Trump told a rally last night that "whether the women like it or not I'm going to protect them. I'm going to protect them from migrants coming in. I'm going to protect them from foreign countries that want to hit us with missiles."

Speaking to the crowds near Green Bay, Wisconsin, Trump told supporters that his advisers had told him it was “inappropriate" to talk about protecting women.

Kamala Harris responded on X , externalthat “Donald Trump thinks he should get to make decisions about what you do with your body. Whether you like it or not.”

In the polls, Donald Trump enjoys a huge lead among men, while women say they prefer Kamala Harris by a similarly large margin.

Rachel Looker

Feana Nevel is a Democrat from Illinois who plans to vote for Harris on election day. She previously backed the Democratic ticket in 2020, voting for Joe Biden.

I am definitely concerned about the direction that reproductive rights are going in parts of the country. I feel that Trump's attempts to communicate that he understands why [reproductive rights] are an important issue to women has fallen woefully short.

I think Harris has an innate understanding of its importance, just being a woman and a woman of colour. Would I like her to lay out her plans a little bit more to potentially expand reproductive rights? Absolutely. But Trump has set the bar so low that she could really continue to not even mention it and she would still be doing a better job.

[A Harris presidency] brings tears to my eyes just to think about. I have a nine-year-old daughter and she's old enough to start having aspirations and to start paying attention to the world around her.

Are you an American voter? Apply to be featured in future BBC stories.

Rachel Looker

In the lead-up to election day, BBC Voter Voices is hearing from Americans around the country about what matters to them.

Michelle Allen works as a quality engineer in Arizona. The 38-year-old is a registered Republican, but plans on voting for Kamala Harris.

I'm concerned about women's rights and healthcare. I'm not a one-issue voter, but that is a huge one. I work in the medical sector and I was personally very affected by the overturning of Roe v Wade because I wasn't able to get access to a lot of the drugs I needed. Nobody was sure of what the legality was... even though they're used for other things.

The whole Republican stance is smaller government and don't let government make my personal decisions - so why are they trying to legislate what a woman can do with her body?

[A Harris presidency] would mean that all the things that my parents told me when I was younger were true - that just because you're a girl doesn't mean that you are limited.

Are you an American voter? Apply to be featured in future BBC stories.

It's now 07:15 in the UK and 03:15 Thursday morning in Washington DC.

If you're just joining us, the Trump campaign spent most of Wednesday trying to keep the Biden gaffe - in which he appeared to refer to the former president's supporters as "garbage" - in the news cycle, culminating in a rally stunt involving a high-visibility outfit.

Biden has said the remark was a condemnation of the language used by Tony Hinchcliffe - the comedian who referred to Puerto Rico as "a floating pile of garbage" at a Trump rally on Sunday - rather than a criticism of the former president's voters collectively.

Speaking in Green Bay earlier, Trump appeared on stage in a bright orange garbage collector's vest, and declared that the millions of Americans who voted for him in the last two election cycles "are not garbage".

All through Wednesday into Thursday, high ranking Republicans compared the comment to Hillary Clinton's infamous "basket of deplorables" remark, which drew backlash in 2016.

Harris has continued to distance herself from the controversy, telling reporters she "strongly" disagrees with "any criticism of people based on who they vote for".

As you've probably heard, the polls could not be tighter - but the reality is, we pretty much know who will come out on top in most US states.

While nothing is certain of course, there are only a small group of states which both campaigns realistically think they have a chance of beating their opponent to.

Those seven "swing states" are where it looks like this election will be won or lost - and both Kamala Harris and Donald Trump will be racing across them in the coming days.

They are: Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

A candidate needs to gain 270 or more of the 538 electoral college votes to win the presidency, and these states make up 93 of them.

Neither Trump or Harris needs to win all of them to become president - but win none of them, and it's over.

To read more about these crucial battlegrounds have a look at our analysis Seven swing states set to decide the 2024 US election.

If you're just getting caught up on the US election, here is what happened on Wednesday while Europe was asleep.

• Trump tried to keep the focus on Joe Biden appearing to call his supporters "garbage" a day earlier. Biden denies that is what he meant to say
• Harris sought to distance herself from the remark, and told reporters she would "strongly disagree with any criticism of people based on who they vote for"
• Trump appeared in North Carolina and Wisconsin in the same sort of high-visibility vest refuse collectors in the US wear
• The vice-president held rallies in North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. Her speeches were interrupted several times by protesters opposing US support for Israel

• Meanwhile, Elon Musk has been ordered to attend court on Thursday over his pro-Trump cash giveaway to voters in swing states

Natalie Sherman
New York business reporter

On Wednesday, the US got one of the last big pieces of economic data due to be published before the election. It showed the economy expanding at a solid 2.8% annual rate over the three months to September, driven by accelerating consumer spending.

The healthy data is hard to square with economic sentiment in the US, which remains resolutely downbeat. For many, a 21% jump in prices over the last four years has overshadowed other positive news.

What these statistics will mean for the election is anyone’s guess, given how much a person’s political leanings tend to influence their opinions of the economy.

A recent AP-NORC poll found 61% of Democrats believed the economy was “good”, compared to just 13% of Republicans. Voters were evenly split on which candidate they trusted more to handle issues such as jobs and grocery prices.

“Exit polls will show that people were concerned about the economy but I don’t know that it will always match up with who they vote for," says Marjorie Connelly, senior fellow at the AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs. "The economy will be a factor, but ... I think partisanship will be the biggest factor.”