Leaderboard

President Donald Trump said in a primetime address on Thursday that the White House has published documents on its website which he said are aimed at showing vulnerabilities in electronic voting systems. Trump, speaking after the White House press secretary previewed an announcement about election integrity, also accused China of compromising voter data from the 2020 US presidential election. He has previously pushed claims of election wrongdoing despite findings by officials that no widespread voter fraud changed the outcome. Documents on VulnerabilitiesTrump said the White House release consists of what he described as a set of previously classified assessments from the US intelligence community and other reports. He said the material shows weaknesses in electronic voting, framing the publication as part of a wider effort to protect electoral processes. The White House later released details online, in line with his remarks. Democrats and some Republicans have been watching closely for any implications of the speech for voters ahead of future elections, with Trump positioning the message as focused on election security and transparency. China and Voter Data ClaimsIn his speech, Trump accused China of compromising voter data tied to the 2020 election. He did not provide additional publicly confirmed evidence in the text of the remarks provided, but the allegation aligned with his longer-running narrative that foreign actors sought to influence the election. Earlier reporting included that officials in the first Trump administration had described efforts by Iran, China and Russia to influence the 2020 vote, while later determining that none of their interference would have altered the result. Press Secretary Ties It to Election IntegrityAhead of Trump’s address, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said she expected the president to discuss “protecting the integrity of our elections” during her daily briefing, offering few details beyond that focus. When asked about worries among some Republicans that Trump might be “litigating” the 2020 contest again and turning off swing voters, Leavitt said he would instead concentrate on secure elections as a foundation for American democracy. Leavitt urged reporters and the public to listen to the speech, arguing that it would be backed by facts and evidence that the president would present. When pressed further about the political concerns raised by Republicans, she said people should wait until they heard the remarks. Democrats Criticise the TimingDemocrats launched a pre-emptive response on Thursday. Senator John Ossoff called the speech “a prime-time presidential sour grapes address”, saying it would pursue Trump’s previous grievances about the 2020 election. Trump’s remarks come after years in which he has maintained claims that his 2020 defeat involved fraud. US officials have said they found no evidence of widespread voter fraud. In the days leading up to the address, Trump told supporters on his social media platform that the announcement was “really big news” and stressed the importance of “free and fair elections”. He also said from the Oval Office that it would be a major disclosure. The speech also arrives as Trump has made changes in national security personnel. He recently installed loyalist Bill Pulte, who has not previously held national security experience, to lead the Director of National Intelligence. Trump has also said he wanted Pulte to declassify information and remove senior career staff. Join the discussion? 17 July 2026

The Trump administration has issued final notice of plans to introduce tighter visa rules for foreign students, including limiting how long they can remain in the United States without federal permission. Under the changes, which are set to come into effect in September, foreign students on F-1 and J-1 visas will no longer be allowed to stay for the full duration of their studies under the existing “duration of status” approach. Instead, the rules will introduce a time limit on length of stay, restricting how long students can remain in the country before they must obtain permission from the US Department of Homeland Security. Restrictions on transfers and extensionsThe Department of Homeland Security said the policy would also narrow student options to switch programmes and transfer between universities and colleges. Until now, higher education institutions had the authority to grant visa extensions for students. The new rules reduce that flexibility, placing tighter controls on how students maintain their status while studying. DHS said the policy “combats rampant visa abuse, and strengthens national security through regular vetting”. New grace period after graduationThe new framework also changes the period students have after completing their course. Foreign students will be given 30 days to leave the US after graduation or to change to another visa category. This is a reduction from the previous 60-day grace period. Department officials argued that the previous system allowed students to remain in the US indefinitely. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said that, “for decades, foreign students have been admitted into the US indefinitely, allowing thousands to abuse our immigration system by perpetually enrolling in courses to avoid having to leave the US.” Duration-of-status set to endUnder the prior rules, F-1 and J-1 students were able to remain in the US as long as it took to complete their degrees. The new policy replaces that approach with a cap, preventing students from staying for more than four years unless they receive permission from the federal government. Most undergraduate programmes in the US are typically four years, but graduate studies, including doctorates, often take longer to complete. The administration said this could affect fields where students frequently need additional time, particularly in science and technology disciplines. Graduate courses often require more time and involve research activities that can extend study periods. DHS also noted that funding shortfalls and personal circumstances can lengthen the time needed to finish a programme. Criticism from international education groupNAFSA: Association of International Educators, a non-profit that advises schools on foreign student enrolment, criticised the new rules. Fanta Aw, its chief executive, said the policy “injects uncertainty, bureaucracy, and fear into a system that has long worked effectively. It is a solution in search of a problem.” The new rules form part of a wider Trump administration effort to reduce the number of foreign students in the US and tighten immigration controls. The administration has sought to cap the number of students at some elite colleges and has also moved to revoke visas of students who have been critical of US foreign policy. Join the discussion? 17 July 2026

An Israeli strike on a funeral in the Gaza Strip has killed at least seven people and injured another 22, according to Al-Awda hospital, a local medical facility. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military. Al-Awda hospital in the Nuseirat refugee camp said the strike hit the funeral of a Palestinian who had been killed in another Israeli attack earlier on Friday. The hospital confirmed the number of casualties, including at least seven deaths and 22 people injured. Ceasefire in place since OctoberIsrael and the Hamas militant group agreed to a ceasefire deal in October intended to halt their two-year-long war. The heaviest fighting has since subsided, but Gaza’s health ministry said at least 1,123 people have been killed in Gaza since the ceasefire took effect. The ministry says it keeps detailed records of casualties, which UN agencies and independent experts describe as generally reliable. An independent UN inquiry has also found that Israel continues to commit genocide by deliberately targeting Palestinian children in Gaza. Ongoing attacks and deaths on both sidesMilitants have carried out shooting attacks on troops, and Israel said its strikes were carried out in response to such attacks and other violations. Israel’s campaign has continued under the ceasefire framework, with five Israeli soldiers killed since it began, according to the account cited in the reporting. Background to the warThe war began after the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023. In that attack, about 1,200 people were killed and 251 were taken hostage, according to the figures referenced in the report. Israel’s offensive in Gaza has killed more than 73,000 Palestinians, including those killed since the ceasefire took effect, Gaza’s health ministry said. Join the discussion? 18 July 2026

London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan has been named as one of 26 new peers who will take seats in the House of Lords, in one of Sir Keir Starmer's final acts before leaving office as prime minister. Sir Sadiq is among 16 Labour nominees, alongside broadcaster June Sarpong and former Trades Union Congress general secretary Christina McAnea. The appointments also include five Liberal Democrat peers, three Conservatives and two cross-bench members. Although membership of the House of Lords could make Sir Sadiq eligible to serve as a government minister, the BBC understands he is not seeking a post in Andy Burnham's incoming administration. Cross-party appointments announcedDowning Street released the list of nominations, saying the King had "been graciously pleased to signify his intention of conferring peerages" on those selected. The appointments come just days before Sir Keir is due to leave office on Monday, when Andy Burnham is expected to become the UK's next prime minister. The BBC understands the nominations were prepared before Sir Keir announced his resignation as Labour leader last month. Rather than being a traditional resignation honours list, they are political peerages agreed across the parties. Among the two cross-bench appointments are former Cabinet Secretary Sir Chris Wormald and retired senior judge Sir Brian Leveson. Khan to remain focused on LondonSir Sadiq, who was first elected London mayor in 2016, is serving his third term in office. The BBC has been told he has not yet decided whether he will seek re-election for a fourth term in 2028. A government source described him as "a brilliant mayor who has transformed London for the better", citing reductions in violent crime, cleaner air, the delivery of the Elizabeth Line and increased council house building as reasons the peerage was deserved. A spokesperson for the mayor said Sir Sadiq was "honoured" by the appointment and remained committed to serving the capital. "He is excited about what more can be delivered in the years ahead and he will devote his time and energy to standing up for our city and building a fairer, safer and greener London for everyone," the spokesperson said. Reform debate continuesReform UK did not receive any peerages in the latest appointments. Party leader Nigel Farage criticised the list, calling it "the uniparty writ large" and arguing it left the upper chamber even less representative. Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey welcomed his party's five new peers, including agricultural economist Julia Aglionby, former Barnsley councillor Hannah Kitching, economist Tim Leunig, campaigns director Dave McCobb and offshore wind entrepreneur Mark Petterson. He said they would help hold the government to account and support efforts to reform the House of Lords. The Conservatives' new peers include former head of the Army General Sir Patrick Sanders, Carphone Warehouse co-founder David Ross and University of Warwick professor Swaran Singh. The party said all three would bring valuable expertise from defence, business and healthcare. Calls for House of Lords reformMembers of the House of Lords are formally appointed by the King on the advice of the prime minister once nominees have completed the vetting process. Labour pledged in 2022 to abolish the House of Lords and replace it with a new second chamber, but later softened that commitment. Instead, the party promised to consider wider reform while immediately removing the remaining hereditary peers, a change completed earlier this year. Andy Burnham has continued to argue for a fundamental overhaul of the unelected chamber, saying it is difficult to justify having half of the UK's national legislature made up of unelected members. The Electoral Reform Society also questioned the latest appointments, saying Labour supporters would be puzzled by the expansion of the Lords while the party continues to promise reform. The group's chief executive, Darren Hughes, urged the next prime minister to create a smaller, democratic upper chamber that is more representative and accountable. Join the discussion? 17 July 2026

A 15-year-old British girl was stranded in Rome for six weeks after being refused permission to return to her UK school, after the Home Office rule requiring dual British nationals to hold a British passport or a “certificate of entitlement” to enter the country came into force in February. The girl, who has dual nationality, was in Italy in April to visit her grandmother when she was prevented from boarding a flight home. Her father, Rowan Somerville, said she missed six weeks of education while the issue was resolved. Passport rule blocks return for dual nationalsUnder the policy, dual nationals risk being denied boarding of a flight, train or ferry if they do not present a British passport, whether current or expired, or a certificate of entitlement. The certificate, priced at £589, is linked to the passport of the person’s second nationality. Somerville said the Home Office and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office were unable to help him secure a temporary document to allow his daughter to travel because she did not hold a British passport in the first place. Her school wrote to government departments, saying it was increasingly concerned about her prolonged absence from education. Emergency travel document issued in MaySomerville and his family then sought help through their local MP, Joe Powell. Powell said he made representations to the Home Office and the FCDO and that, in May, the FCDO issued the girl with an emergency travel document, allowing her to return to the UK. Powell said the case was not unique, and urged the immigration minister, Mike Tapp, to ensure no other schoolchildren were left stranded by the rules. He said the policy changes were not communicated meaningfully to the public and that the outcome showed weaknesses in how government departments support people who fall through administrative gaps. Powell said the girl had two valid passports and a British parent and had been in UK education since nursery. He added that the changes to the Home Office’s requirements left her stuck in Rome and missing six weeks of school. Home Office says carriers must verify citizenshipSomerville described the process of getting his daughter the necessary British passport as prolonged and difficult. He said getting the passport took about three months, while the government website states it takes three weeks. He said the Passport Office’s front-line customer service staff were helpful, but added that he encountered what he described as bureaucratic obstacles once his complaint was escalated, including a call during which staff told him they could no longer speak to him because his daughter had turned 16. The Home Office previously rejected claims that it had not informed the public about the rule change, saying information is available on gov.uk. A Home Office spokesperson said Somerville’s daughter “was granted an emergency travel document in May, enabling them to return to the UK”, and added that the department remained in contact about a passport application. The spokesperson said that once information was received and checks were concluded, a passport was issued within eight days. The spokesperson said that since February all dual British citizens have needed to present either a valid British passport or a certificate of entitlement when travelling to the UK, arguing that without the documents “carriers cannot verify British citizenship”, which may lead to delays or refused boarding. Join the discussion? 16 July 2026