Reform’s Welsh hopes damaged after Senedd member suspended for ‘vile’ racial slur 19. November 2025 (21:11) Parliament suspends Laura Anne Jones, Reform’s only Senedd member, for two weeks in further blow after party lost Caerphilly byelection Reform UK’s only member of the Welsh parliament has been suspended for two weeks over a racial slur she posted in an office WhatsApp group.Laura Anne Jones used an offensive Chinese slur in a discussion about the threat of the Chinese government utilising TikTok for espionage. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Microsoft has ‘ripped off the NHS’, says MP amid call for contracts with British firms 19. November 2025 (21:04) Samantha Niblett highlighted government’s multi-billion-pound deals with Microsoft and ‘getting locked in’Microsoft has “ripped off the NHS”, it was alleged in parliament on Wednesday, as MPs called on ministers to divert more of the government’s multibillion-pound computing budget away from US technology companies and towards British alternatives.The Seattle-based firm’s UK government contracts include a five-year deal with the NHS to provide productivity tools reportedly worth over £700m, while the wider government spent £1.9bn on Microsoft software licences in the 2024-25 financial year alone. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Trump’s plan to impose semiconductor tariffs may be delayed, sources say 19. November 2025 (20:56) Officials are reportedly taking their time on US president’s long-promised chips plan to avoid a rupture with ChinaUS officials are privately saying that they might not levy long-promised semiconductor tariffs soon, potentially delaying a centerpiece of Donald Trump’s economic agenda.Officials relayed these messages over the last several days to stakeholders in the government and private industry, according to two people with direct knowledge of the matter and a third person briefed on the conversations. A fourth person following the matter also said the administration was taking a more cautious approach to avoid provoking China. The discussions have not been previously reported. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
FBI worker says he was wrongfully terminated for having Pride flag at desk 19. November 2025 (20:55) David Maltinsky, a 16-year veteran, says in lawsuit agency retaliated against him for engaging in protected speechA longtime FBI employee has filed a lawsuit alleging that he was fired for displaying a Pride flag at his desk, naming FBI director Kash Patel, the justice department and attorney general Pam Bondi as defendants.According to David Maltinsky, an intelligence specialist who had served with the bureau for 16 years, his wrongful termination earlier this year was “unconstitutional and politically motivated”. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Mount Semeru eruption in Indonesia prompts evacuations 19. November 2025 (20:51) More than 300 people most at risk are move to shelters as tallest peak on Java island unleashes clouds of hot ashIndonesia’s Mount Semeru, the highest peak on Java island, has erupted, blanketing several villages with falling ash, prompting evacuations and leading authorities to raise the alert to the highest level.The volcano in East Java province unleashed searing clouds of hot ash and a mixture of rock, lava and gas that travelled up to 7km (4 miles) down its slopes several times from midday to dusk, while a thick column of hot clouds rose 2km into the air, Indonesia’s Geology Agency said in a statement. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
UK holds talks with LinkedIn to clamp down on Chinese espionage 19. November 2025 (20:25) The government wants major social networks to be less attractive for foreign agents after MPs faced ‘covert and calculated’ attemptsThe government is holding talks with LinkedIn on how it can clamp down on prolific Chinese espionage activity after a rare interference alert was issued by MI5.The National Protective Security Authority, which is part of the UK’s security services, is speaking to major social media platforms about making them less attractive for foreign agents, a government official told the Guardian. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
US and Russian officials draft new peace plan based on capitulation from Ukraine 19. November 2025 (20:15) Unclear if Trump administration backs deal that would mean Kyiv giving up territory and slashing size of militaryUS and Russian officials have quietly drafted a new plan to end the war in Ukraine that would require Kyiv to surrender territory and severely limit the size of its military, it was reported on Wednesday as Russian drone and missile strikes killed at least 25 people in the city of Ternopil.The draft plan, which was reportedly developed by Donald Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, and the Kremlin adviser Kirill Dmitriev, would force draconian measures on Ukraine that would give Russia unprecedented control over the country’s military and political sovereignty and is likely to be viewed as surrender in Kyiv. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Windrush scandal still a stain on society, Floella Benjamin tells Lords event 19. November 2025 (19:57) Campaigners call for urgent reform of redress scheme and say they plan to launch ‘people’s inquiry’ into failingsThe Windrush scandal remains “a stain on British society”, Floella Benjamin has said at an emotional House of Lords event where campaigners called for the government to commission a statutory inquiry into continuing Home Office errors.Despite seven years of promises from ministers to rectify the mistakes caused by the Home Office scandal, Lady Benjamin said the injustices remained unresolved, with many of those affected still caught up in an ongoing nightmare. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Peers call for independent body to take control of Telegraph sale 19. November 2025 (19:53) Lords say culture department has mishandled process and suggest CMA or Cabinet Office oversee new auctionThe government has been urged to take control of the sale of the Telegraph through an auction run by a body such as the UK competition regulator or the Cabinet Office.Peers called on the culture secretary, Lisa Nandy, to wrest the sale process from RedBird IMI, which is majority funded by the United Arab Emirates, in questions put to Labour minister Fiona Twycross in the House of Lords on Wednesday. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
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)
