Plus: China blasts off in race to return to the Moon, and an increase in extreme drought ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
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| Hello. Today we lead on a BBC investigation which has found that some users on X are potentially earning thousands of dollars by sharing content that includes election misinformation about the US election. Elsewhere, we have the latest advance in the 21st century space race after a Chinese rocket launch, and a breakthrough for Australian police investigating the disappearance of tens of thousands of coins based on a kids' TV show. | |
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TOP OF THE AGENDA | The X users earning thousands from US election misinformation |  | While some AI images are obviously created others are less easy to spot. Credit: BBC | Some users on X who spend their days sharing content that includes election misinformation, AI-generated images and unfounded conspiracy theories say they are being paid "thousands of dollars" by the social media site. My colleague, social media investigations correspondent Marianna Spring, identified networks of accounts that re-share each other's content - including a mix of true, unfounded, false and faked material - to boost their reach and revenue. Some of these networks support Donald Trump, others Kamala Harris, and some are independent. One creator told the BBC he makes "in the low thousands" each month, often creating AI images which are largely supportive of Trump. Another creator, who backs Harris, has racked up millions of views on posts which promote conspiracy theories suggesting the July assassination attempt was staged by Trump. While X has a smaller user base than some sites, it has a significant impact on political discourse. The ability for users to earn money raises questions about whether X is incentivising users to post provocative claims at a highly sensitive moment for US politics. X did not respond to the BBC's request for comment.
- Biden 'garbage' comment: The US president appeared to refer to Trump supporters as "garbage", during a campaign call on Tuesday evening. Joe Biden later said the remark referred to a comment by a pro-Trump comedian rather than his supporters as a collective.
- Abortion debate: In the first presidential election since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade, which protected the nationwide right to an abortion, female voters tell the BBC how the candidates' stance on the issue is impacting their vote.
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WORLD HEADLINES | - Flooding deaths: At least 51 people have died after torrential rain caused flash floods in south-eastern Spain, with dozens of people still unaccounted for.
| - Ukraine war: Ukraine is planning to draft 160,000 troops into its military as Russia gains in the east. It comes amid reports 10,000 North Korean troops have been deployed to train in eastern Russia, with some already sent to Kursk.
| - Hotel collapse search: Rescue workers in Argentina are searching for people trapped in the debris of a collapsed hotel. Up to 15 people are believed to have been inside at the time. The body of one man has been found and a woman has been rescued.
| - Pelosi attacker: The man who attacked Paul Pelosi, husband of former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, with a hammer has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole on state charges in California. David DePape was already serving a 30-year sentence after being convicted on federal charges.
| - Adidas v Kanye: Adidas has ended its "fight" with Kanye West over antisemitic comments he made in 2022, which scuppered the sports brand and rapper's "Yeezy" collaboration. Adidas' chief executive said "no money is going either way".
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| | | Jiuquan satellite launch center, China |
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| The 21st century space race |  | The launch of Shenzhou 19 is one of 100 launches China has planned in a record year of space exploration. Credit: BBC | China's Shenzou 19 spacecraft has successfully docked at the Tiangong space station, the latest feat in a record year of space exploration for the country. The three-person crew will use their six months in orbit to conduct experiments and carry out spacewalks as part of Beijing's mission to put someone on the Moon by 2030. Yet some see China's ambition as a threat. Nasa chief Bill Nelson has said the US and China are “in a race” to return to the Moon, where he fears Beijing wants to stake territorial claims. The Moon’s resources include rare earths, the value of which has been estimated to be anywhere between billions to quadrillions of dollars. |
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| | Laura Bicker, China correspondent |
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| | In Dongfeng Space City, a town built to support the launch site, China’s space programme is celebrated. Every street light is adorned with the national flag, cartoon-like astronaut figurines and sculptures sit in the centre of children’s parks and plastic rockets are a centrepiece on most traffic roundabouts. Hundreds have gathered after midnight to wave flags and watch the rocket spacecraft launch. This is a moment of national pride. But even though China has invited international press to witness their space progress – there are key restrictions. We were kept in a hotel three hours from the launch site and a simple trip to a friendly local restaurant was carefully guarded by a line of security personnel. We also noticed a large sign in town holding a stern warning: “You’ll be jailed if you leak secrets. You’ll be happy if you keep secrets. You’ll be shot if you sell secrets.” China is taking no chances with its new technology, as its rivalry with the US is no longer just here on Earth. |
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| | - Watch: The Shenzhou 19 spacecraft blast off from the Gobi Desert in north-west China, one of 100 launches China has planned in a record year of space launches.
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BEYOND THE HEADLINES | Drought areas have trebled since 1980s |
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| |  | Many residents in Hasakah, Syria, have no access to fresh water. Credit: BBC | Almost half of the Earth's land surface had at least one month of extreme drought last year, a new report into the effects of climate change has revealed. This is a trebling from the 1980s when it was just 15%. While the causes of individual droughts are complicated, climate change is shifting global rainfall patterns, making some regions more prone to drought. Since 2020, an extreme drought has gripped northeast Syria and parts of Iraq. One resident told the BBC that "people are ready to kill their neighbour for water." |
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SOMETHING DIFFERENT | Broaching controversy | Is döner kebab from Turkey, or from the Turkish community in Berlin? The food fight is on. | |
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And finally... | Police in Australia have struck gold - or at least more than 40,000 stolen, limited-edition coins based on hit children’s TV show Bluey. The 'dollarbucks' as they're known in the series, had been missing since July, when it was reported that 63,000 of them had been taken from a warehouse. Police investigating the theft - codenamed Strike Force Bandit after Bluey's father - said the coins, which are worth A$1 ($0.65; 50p), had previously been selling online for 10 times their face value. | |
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Six Steps to Calm | Discover a calmer future with this course of six science-backed techniques, weekly to your inbox. | |
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