Debunking voter fraud conspiracy theories. And the power of the president regarding abortions

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Today’s top stories

Conspiracy theories about election rigging set social media alight as Election Day is less than a week away and millions of Americans have already cast their votes. Huge efforts are being made to compile suspicious incidents and present them as a coordinated attempt to steal the election. The Election Integrity Community at X is at the heart of this effort. The community was created by the super PAC of the owner of the social network Elon Musk and invites users “share potential cases of election fraud or irregularities you see when you vote in the 2024 election.”

People line up to vote in New York on October 26, 2024. Online, social media users spread unverified and false voting claims that can quickly go viral.

Trump supporters are gathering evidence of voter fraud to protect the voteNPR’s Ho Jinnan reports First. Collecting online evidence includes many first-person accounts of people encountering errors or things they didn’t expect. AND the grand narrative of this election is this non-citizens vote in large numbers. “To be clear, there have been cases of illegal non-citizen voting, but it’s a very small number and there’s no indication that it affected the outcome of the election,” Ginnan says. This gives the impression that voter fraud is everywhere, when in fact it is very rare.

Almost 40% of women under the age of 30 named abortion as the main issue in this election. In 10 states next week, access to abortion will be directly on the ballot. Vice President Harris has said that if elected, she will restore reproductive freedom and sign a bill that enshrines the right to abortion. Instead, former President Donald Trump and his allies have discussed the possibility of enacting national abortion restrictions, often referred to as the minimum national standard. However, Trump reversed that on the campaign trail a few weeks ago, saying he would veto the federal abortion ban.

Harris would not have been able to expand abortion rights on his own. She needs the support of Congresssays NPR’s Elissa Nadvorny. Even if she could pass something, she would face legal challenges and a now-conservative Supreme Court. If Trump were to become president, he could restrict abortions by introducing an obscenity law called the Comstock Act. It can be used to criminalize abortion by banning abortion pills and the medical instruments needed for the procedure. After taking office, the president can use executive power to strengthen privacy laws protect women from criminal prosecution. Instead, the president could create abortion tracking requirements.

A series of Facebook ads purporting to be pro-Harris are actually spreading misinformation about her current political positions in an attempt to mislead voters. These ads that were viewed millions of times in changing statesposted to an account called “Progress 2028,” which envisions a liberal counterpart to the Heritage Foundation’s 2025 project. The ad claims Harris intends to implement a mandatory gun buyback program, give Medicare benefits and driver’s licenses to undocumented immigrants, and ban fracking. . Funding for the ad comes from a dark money group backed by Musk and others, according to campaign tracking site Open Secrets.

Today’s hearing

The community of Nossa Senhora do Livramento is located in the region of Manaus, Amazonas. The record drought that hit the Rio Negro in the summer of 2024 affected the entire community. Many residents went to their relatives in Manaus, leaving the city empty.

The Amazon River, the largest river in the world’s largest rainforest, faces significant challenges. The lowest water level in the last 100 years was registered here due to prolonged drought. This situation affects not only the river itself, but also the wildlife and people who rely on its water. NPR’s Carrie Kahn visited one of the hardest-hit regions of the Amazon and spoke with locals who are feeling the effects of the drought firsthand.

Life advice

Advanced mammography in medical clinic, expert doctor providing early detection of breast cancer for patient health, vector flat illustration design

October is breast cancer awareness monthan annual wellness campaign that promotes breast cancer screening and prevention. This is a great time to learn when and how often you should be screened for this disease. Thanks to improvements in screening and treatment options, breast cancer deaths have decreased by about 40% over the past three decades. Here what you need to know on detection and screening.

Anyone with breast tissue can get breast cancer.
The risk of breast cancer increases with agealong with factors such as family history, specific genetic mutations, dense breast tissue, and alcohol use.
Get to know your breasts. Changes such as new lumps, dimpling of the skin around the breasts, and unusual nipple discharge or bleeding can cause concern.

3 things you need to know before traveling

Charly Triballeau / AFP via Getty Images

AFP via Getty Images

A person waits on Lexington Avenue in Manhattan on February 21.

Jaywalking is officially legal in New York. It takes place after the NYPD faced criticism for unfair targeting Blacks and Hispanics in New York.
Marks known as “witch marks” which are believed to protect against witches or evil spirits found carved into the walls historic medieval manor house in England.
Starbucks’ new CEO yesterday ordered a major overhaul of the chain including that drinks are ready in four minutes or less, no extra charge for non-dairy milk, condiment bar returns, and more. This happens as sales in the US have been falling for several months.

This newsletter has been edited Suzanne Nuyen.