Hello. As the US presidential election looms, a lot is hanging in the balance in terms of foreign policy. My colleagues across the world are asking ordinary people outside of the US about their hopes and worries around the upcoming vote.  Today Laura Bicker speaks to dancers, young and old, in a Beijing park. Also in your newsletter: financial scams, French cinema, and white blobs. 

QUESTIONS ANSWERED

Customers say they were let down by Revolut

Jack was targeted by scammers who pretended they worked for Revolut. Credit: BBC

A man who had £165,000 ($215,460) stolen from his Revolut business account by fraudsters has told the BBC he believes the company’s security measures failed to prevent the theft. The firm has refused to refund his money so far. Revolut says it takes fraud incredibly seriously and that it has “robust controls” to meet its legal and regulatory obligations, and that it abides by the same regulatory standards as any High Street bank.

What is Revolut?

Revolut is among a number of new digital-only financial institutions that offer all their services online or through an easy-to-use app. The firm has grown rapidly and amassed more than 45 million customers worldwide. Nine million are in the UK, where it has been granted a provisional banking licence. Revolut almost tripled its revenue to £1.8bn in 2023. 

What happened to the man who had his account stolen from?

He uses Revolut for his business. In February, he was called by a scammer pretending to be from Revolut. He was tricked into handing over enough information to allow the scammers to access his account.

How is Revolut featuring in scam reports?

Last year, the UK’s national reporting centre for fraud and cyber-crime received almost 10,000 reports of fraud in which Revolut was named. That is 2,000 more than Barclays, one of the biggest banks in the UK, and double that of Monzo, a competitor of similar size to Revolut. 

• New rules: Banks in the UK will now have the power to pause payments for up to four days to give them more time to investigate fraud, the government has said.

THE BIG PICTURE

Analysing footage from Gaza strikes

One strike in central Gaza hit the grounds of the Al-Aqsa hospital. Credit: BBC

It has been a weekend of deadly attacks in the Middle East, including in Gaza which international journalists can't access. But by cross-checking social media footage with satellite imagery, my BBC Verify colleagues were able to learn more about the latest Israeli strikes in the Strip, including one in the grounds of a hospital where displaced people had settled. Israel said it targeted a Hamas command and control centre. 

And finally... in Canada

A mysterious substance has been washing up on beaches in the eastern province of Newfoundland. It seems scientists and authorities alike are flummoxed by the white blobs that have been likened to "Toutons" - the regional speciality of fried dough. Photos on an online beachcombers group have prompted speculation it's fungus or mould, palm oil, paraffin wax or even ambergris - the rare substance produced by whales and used in the perfume industry. Take a look and see what you think.