Francis criticised former president Donald Trump for his position on migration, and Vice President Kamala Harris for her stance on abortion, calling both anti-life. See more from Sky’s Amelia Harper below. US election latest: Trump pledges ‘large deportations’ after pet claims; Harris to focus on ‘blue wall’. (Photo: Pope Francis blasts Trump and Kamala).

US Election: Trump Pledges ‘Large Deportations’ After Pet Claims; Harris to Focus on ‘Blue Wall’

Kamala Harris’s campaign team have released a new ad aiming to win over Republicans, while Donald Trump has played down his links to a conspiracy theorist. Earlier, Pope Francis criticised both candidates. Listen to a US election podcast below as you scroll through the latest updates. Trump pledges ‘large deportations’ from Springfield – Donald Trump has said he will deport people from Springfield, Ohio, if he gets back into the White House. During a debate with Kamala Harris on Tuesday, the Republican presidential candidate said: “In Springfield, they’re eating the dogs. The people that came in, they’re eating the cats.”

Authorities in Ohio have said there are no credible reports of Haitian immigrants eating domestic pets. Despite fierce criticism, Mr Trump said during a news conference in California on Friday: “We will do large deportations from Springfield, Ohio.” He added that he may hold a campaign event in the city. Migrants are “destroying the way of life”, he claimed. His running mate, Ohio senator JD Vance, said on X that Springfield has experienced a “massive rise in communicable diseases, rent prices, car insurance rates, and crime”. He did not provide evidence.

Rob Rue, the mayor of Springfield, has asked politicians to calm their rhetoric. “All these federal politicians that have negatively spun our city, they need to know they’re hurting our city, and it was their words that did it,” Mr Rue told WSYX.  Harris expected to significantly outspend Trump on TV advertising – Kamala Harris’s team is due to outspend Donald Trump’s campaign on TV and radio advertising by two to one over the next two months, according to research. Ms Harris’s backers – which include her campaign and an allied super political action committee – have more than $280m (£213m) in television and radio reservations for the period between Tuesday and election day (5 November), according to media tracking firm AdImpact.

Mr Trump’s team has $133m (£101m) reserved, although that number is reportedly expected to grow. Trump’s Springfield claims a ‘big lie’, congresswoman says – A Democratic representative has described Donald Trump’s remarks about Springfield, Ohio, as a “big lie”.

The former president claimed Haitian migrants were “eating the dogs” and “eating the cats”.

Authorities in the state have said there are no credible reports of that happening. Now, Democratic congresswoman Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick has described the remarks as a “big lie” and “rooted in racist stereotypes”. “My first reaction was just pure disgust and disdain,” the Florida politician told CNN.

“For him to say they’re actually committing crimes and stealing pets is a big lie. It’s really rooted in racist stereotypes that we’ve heard decades before, and he’s reviving that kind of negative rhetoric. Ms Cherfilus-McCormick, the only Haitian American currently serving in congress, said she is concerned that immigrants will get hurt if Mr Trump continues along the same lines. As we reported earlier (5.05pm post), he has said he will “do large deportations from Springfield” if he regains the White House. Explained: How does the voting work? Similarly to the UK system, people in the US vote on ballot papers, and most do so in person at their local voting station.

There are three ways of filling out the ballots: Hand-marked paper ballots – most people vote by hand, according to data from Verified Voting, an organisation that tracks voting technology. Ballot marking device – these are machines that allow voters to make their selections electronically and also produce a paper record. About a quarter of people vote with these machines, Verified Voting says. Electronic machines – About 7% of voters live in jurisdictions that use direct recording electronic (DRE) machines, computers that store votes in their memory, typically without a paper trail.

In most states voting by post is permitted, or people can drop off their ballot early at their local election office. This is mainly for people who might struggle to get to the polling station, or for US citizens who are abroad or serving in the army. Most states also allow early in-person voting for those who may struggle to get to a polling station on the day but don’t want to vote by post or drop their ballot off. Ballots can look different from state to state, but there’s always the presidential section, where the voter marks which president and vice president they want to win, and sections where you vote for senators and representatives. You make your choices by marking the box next to whichever candidate you want to vote for.

Courtesy: Sky News