Claim

• Former President Donald Trump has revived claims of election fraud, specifically alleging that China interfered in the 2020 U.S. presidential election. • These assertions contradict a 2021 U.S. intelligence assessment and declassified documents, which found no evidence that foreign actors altered technical election aspects or could manipulate voting systems at scale. • A CIA assessment noted that while Beijing targeted political campaigns for intelligence gathering, there was no indication of an intent to covertly sway the election outcome.

• Former President Donald Trump delivered a primetime speech on Thursday claiming that newly declassified intelligence proves foreign interference, specifically from China, in the 2020 US elections. • These claims contradict official US government intelligence assessments, which have previously debunked theories that the election data was stolen or compromised by foreign actors. • The rhetoric is significant as similar unfounded claims regarding the 2020 election previously culminated in the violent attack on Capitol Hill on January 6, 2021.

• President Donald Trump delivered a primetime speech on Thursday night claiming that declassified documents prove the existence of significant vulnerabilities within U.S. election systems. • The administration released documents to support these claims, though the information largely pertains to long-known vulnerabilities that election officials have already been working to mitigate. • The event highlights a contentious debate over the security and integrity of American voting infrastructure and the interpretation of intelligence data.

US president offered litany of misleading and false claims during Thursday speech on alleged threats to US electionsDonald Trump offered a litany of misleading and false claims during his Thursday speech on threats to US elections, and released previously classified documents to try to support his specious claims. In some cases, his claims were not supported by those documents. Here is a look at some of the key claims that could mislead the American public. Continue reading...

Markwayne Mullin at presser repeated many of Trump’s unverified claims from controversial primetime speechThe US homeland security secretary, Markwayne Mullin, doubled down on Donald Trump’s unsubstantiated election claims on Friday amid his agency’s efforts to support the president’s agenda.Trump used a memo compiled by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as the basis of many of his unsubstantiated claims on Thursday during his televised primetime address to the nation. Continue reading...

• Donald Trump delivered a national address reiterating his claims that the 2020 election was fraudulent and alleging that China meddled in the process. • During the speech, Trump urged the Republican-led Congress to pass the "SAVE America Act," a controversial election bill that currently lacks the necessary support for passage. • These claims echo the rhetoric that led to the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot, where supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol and forced lawmakers to flee.

• President Trump delivered a primetime address claiming that the United States election system falls "catastrophically short" of necessary security standards. • During the speech, Trump revisited long-standing allegations of widespread voter fraud, though he provided no new evidence to support these claims. • The address is significant as it reinforces disputed narratives that election experts and officials have repeatedly debunked.

• President Trump delivered a speech reiterating claims that U.S. voting systems are vulnerable to being "rigged and stolen," though he provided no new evidence of fraudulent votes. • The remarks reference a 2021 report indicating that China likely maintained longstanding efforts to gather intelligence on U.S. voters, political candidates, and senior government officials. • These claims matter as they continue to challenge the perceived integrity of the American electoral process and highlight ongoing foreign interference concerns.

Democrats also criticize speech as ‘lies and long-debunked conspiracies’Sign up for US News Breaking emailTrump makes unverified claims of China ‘election meddling’Donald Trump repeated calls in his Thursday speech for the passage of the Save America Act – a rebranded and expanded version of last year’s Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (Save) act, which passed in the US House but didn’t get a vote in the Senate.This year’s version includes a very strict voter ID requirement for casting a ballot and a provision that requires states to regularly turn their voter rolls over to the Department of Homeland Security, in addition to criminal liability for election officials who register a voter without proper documentary proof of citizenship. Continue reading...

• Judicial Watch successfully used a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit to force the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) to release eight pages of internal documents. • The released records reveal that an ODNI task force identified specific vulnerabilities within U.S. election systems that could be exploited by foreign adversaries. • The documents indicate that the Intelligence Community intentionally withheld information regarding these security flaws from the American public.

• President Donald Trump delivered a primetime speech on Thursday night claiming that declassified documents prove the existence of significant vulnerabilities within American election systems. • The administration released documents to support these claims, though the information largely pertains to security flaws that have been known to officials for several years. • This move is significant as it challenges public confidence in election integrity, despite ongoing efforts by local and national election officials to mitigate these known risks.

• President Donald Trump announced the release of dozens of declassified documents during a primetime address on Thursday night. • The release accompanies Trump's claims that foreign entities interfered in the 2020 U.S. presidential election. • This move is significant as it attempts to provide evidence for long-standing allegations regarding election integrity and external influence.

• ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan faces a potential removal vote by member countries this month following an investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct. • The ICC's oversight body suspended Khan based on evidence from the UN Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) and advice from a panel of judicial experts. • Khan and his legal team have denied the allegations, claiming the investigative process was unfair and utilized specially created rules for his case.

• President Donald Trump is expected to use a primetime address to revive claims that the 2020 U.S. election was hacked. • These assertions contradict findings from federal agencies, court rulings, and various statewide audits that debunked the hacking theories. • The move is significant as it challenges the established legitimacy of the 2020 electoral results and the integrity of the democratic process.

• President Trump delivered a speech using selectively cited documents to claim that U.S. elections have been compromised for years and that officials suppressed evidence. • The President specifically referenced claims regarding Smartmatic, a company frequently targeted by conspiracy theories following his loss in the 2020 election. • The claims suggest that digital methods exist to alter vote totals in ways that would remain undetected by election authorities.

• Former President Donald Trump delivered a primetime address in which he repeated unverified claims of "sinister election meddling" regarding U.S. elections. • During the speech, Trump released a series of heavily redacted documents intended to support his assertions of foreign interference. • The address highlighted claims from former intelligence official John Ratcliffe, who suggested the Venezuelan government developed capabilities to manipulate electronic voting systems.

• Former President Donald Trump is expected to deliver a speech revisiting claims of widespread fraud and manipulation in the 2020 election. • These allegations have been consistently debunked by repeated investigations and audits, including validations from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). • The situation highlights Trump's ongoing conflict with CISA and its former director, Chris Krebs, who was fired after confirming the integrity of the 2020 vote.

Agreement, without admission of liability, ends 19-month high court dispute that small-business owners said left them with large debtsVodafone has settled a long-running legal claim filed by 62 of its former franchisees who alleged the mobile phone group “unjustly enriched” itself at their expense by up to £85m.The small-business owners – some of whom said they had suffered suicidal thoughts because of the pressure exerted by the telecoms group – launched the high court claim in 2024 after running up large personal debts they said had been caused by their deals with the company. Continue reading...

• A new report by Sonata Software claims that building AI-ready data platforms allows enterprises to consolidate data from various business functions into a single, trusted system. • These platforms are designed to reduce manual labor, enhance the accuracy of forecasting, and accelerate the overall business decision-making process. • This shift matters as it enables companies to leverage integrated data more effectively to maintain a competitive edge through AI-driven insights.

Exclusive: Work and pensions secretary signals possible reform to welfare as ministers await key reviewsLabour must stop “simply writing a cheque” for health and disability benefit claimants and will provide more job support instead, the work and pensions secretary has said.Pat McFadden said the government was preparing to launch a renewed effort at welfare reform with a focus on encouraging more people with health conditions to get into work and off benefits. Continue reading...

One Nation MP refines party’s view on national identity as he accepts award for ‘political courage’ at anti-abortion gala organised by Joanna HoweFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastOne Nation’s Barnaby Joyce has claimed First Nations people would agree with him that Australia is a “Christian nation”.The New England MP made the comments at an anti-abortion gala – where he accepted a prize for “political courage” – in Sydney over the weekend. Continue reading...

• Myanmar leader Min Aung Hlaing is reportedly planning to visit Thailand next month as part of an effort to normalize relations with ASEAN member states. • The move follows a statement from the "Views of Myanmar" account on X, asserting that progress is impossible unless ASEAN respects non-interference and acknowledges the current government's reality. • The junta has signaled it will no longer accept the "rigid, one-sided enforcement" of the ASEAN Five-Point Consensus, which aims to end violence and promote dialogue.

• India has formally backed the 2016 tribunal award that rejected China's territorial claims in the South China Sea, aligning with a joint statement issued by 14 other nations. • The joint statement, released on the 10th anniversary of the Philippines-China Arbitral Tribunal Award, emphasizes a commitment to a free, open, and rules-based Indo-Pacific. • To support this stance, the Indian Navy has deployed warships for coordinated patrols, joint exercises, and port visits with partners including Vietnam, the Philippines, Singapore, and Malaysia.

US government says it wants to ‘systematically disable’ The Hague-based international criminal courtA spokesperson for the EU has pushed back against the Trump administration’s assertion that the international criminal court poses a threat to US sovereignty, a day after the US government said it would work to “systematically disable” a global tribunal that seeks to prosecute some of the world’s gravest crimes.“We stand firm in our support for the international criminal court (ICC),” an EU spokesperson, Anouar El Anouni, said on Tuesday. “Attacks or threats against the court-elected officials, personnel or those cooperating with the court are simply not acceptable.” Continue reading...

Victoria police say they have arrested ‘high-ranking’ man from syndicate accused of orchestrating arson attacksFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastPolice have arrested a man they say orchestrated a wave of Melbourne arson attacks, marking a major development in the city’s escalating hospitality wars.A 20-year-old was arrested in the city’s north-west on Tuesday. Continue reading...

More than 90 residents have expressed interest in contamination claim against AGC Chemicals EuropeA Pfas factory in Lancashire has announced plans to close down, just days after the Guardian revealed that more than 90 residents have signed up to be involved in a potential legal claim over contamination of the local area.AGC Chemicals Europe Ltd is consulting with employees and their union representatives about plans to cease operations at its manufacturing plant in Thornton-Cleveleys, Lancashire. The consultation is expected to last for at least 45 days. Continue reading...

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad reportedly wooed by Mossad agents after distancing himself from KhameneiMiddle East crisis live – latest updatesIsrael tried to recruit Iran’s intensely anti-Zionist former president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to lead a new post-Islamic regime in Tehran, even going as far as sending its top spy to Budapest to meet him, according to media reports.The remarkable quest to turn a leader who had denied the Holocaust and called for Israel’s erasure began in 2022, according to reporting by the New York Times and the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, and continued even after Israel became engaged in a brutal campaign in Gaza against Hamas, a key Iranian ally. Continue reading...

• The U.S. launched a fresh round of military strikes on Sunday, continuing a cycle of retaliatory attacks linked to disputes over the Strait of Hormuz. • In response, Iran has targeted Gulf states and claimed that the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz is now closed. • The escalation threatens global energy security and regional stability, particularly for nations like Qatar that have grown their GDP 24-fold through natural gas exports.