China’s power play: MI5 warns of relentless espionage attempts in Britain 19. November 2025 (19:46) Alert says Beijing trying to recruit British sources in parliament, even if potential gains may be unclearAn unexpected connection on LinkedIn. An offer of work from a headhunter, most likely a young woman, based in China. The chance to earn perhaps £20,000 part-time writing a handful of geopolitical reports for a Chinese company peppered with “non-public” or “insider” insights. Payment in cryptocurrency or cash preferred.It may seem obvious, on this telling, that something about this approach would be amiss. Nevertheless, China’s powerful ministry of state security (MSS) still considers it worthwhile to deploy recruitment consultants to try it – leading MI5 to warn repeatedly about their activity online. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Flooded homes in Wales offered council tax discount 19. November 2025 (19:12) The Welsh Government has confirmed financial support will be provided to people living in Monmouthshire, including grants and council tax reductions.(London News)
US charges ex-Olympic snowboarder turned drug kingpin with murder of witness 19. November 2025 (19:08) Unsealed indictment says Ryan Wedding tracked down witness who was then murdered before he could testifyUS authorities have charged a fugitive former Canadian Olympic snowboarder turned drug kingpin with the murder of a witness who was prepared to testify against him.The attorney general, Pam Bondi, said on Wednesday that Ryan Wedding was accused in a newly unsealed indictment of tracking down a witness in Colombia who was then murdered before he could give evidence. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Harry makes cameo in Meghan’s Netflix Christmas special 19. November 2025 (19:02) The Duke of Sussex has not yet featured in Meghan’s programme but appears briefly in the short clip posted to Meghan’s Instagram.(London News)
Rome decries ‘Italian-sounding’ pasta sauces on sale in EU parliament store 19. November 2025 (18:57) Agriculture minister calls for investigation over marketing of carbonara sauce containing wrong type of cured meatItaly’s agriculture minister, Francesco Lollobrigida, has called for an immediate investigation after coming across what he claimed were jars of “Italian-sounding” pasta sauce on the shelves of the European parliament’s supermarket.Lollobrigida, of Giorgia Meloni’s Brothers of Italy party, was particularly vexed by a carbonara sauce made with “Italiaanse pancetta” – the classic Roman pasta dish is made with a different cured meat, guanciale – and a tomato sauce containing “oignons de Calabria”, or onions from Calabria. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
