United Kingdom Government
Men jailed over work for Chinese intelligence in UK
A Border Force officer and his handler who worked for Chinese intelligence in the UK have been jailed. Chi Leung Peter Wai, 40, was sentenced to 10 years and Chung Biu Bill Yuen, 65, given an eight year term after being found guilty of assisting a foreign intelligence service, an offence under the National Security Act. Wai used his position as a Border Force officer to access to the Home Office computer system to track Hong Kong dissidents in the UK, was also convicted of misconduct in public office. The judge Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb told the men that their actions threaten the sovereignty of the state during sentencing remarks at the Old Bailey on Thursday. The dual Chinese-British nationals were found guilty after a trial last month.
The UK Will Scan Asylum-Seekers' Faces for Age Checks--Despite Knowing the Tech Is Flawed
The UK Will Scan Asylum-Seekers' Faces for Age Checks--Despite Knowing the Tech Is Flawed Age verification is consuming the internet . From social media bans in Australia to porn restrictions in half of US states, for many having to prove their age to access websites is becoming an everyday requirement . But one of the key technologies underpinning many of these age checks is about to seep into the offline world--with potentially life-changing consequences for people having their age predicted by AI. Starting next year, the British government is planning to introduce facial age estimation--where AI scans your face and suggests how old you are --to help determine the age of asylum seekers arriving at the United Kingdom's border. The move is believed to be the first time that a so-called facial age estimation (FAE) system has been used in this way.
How Prince George will follow in his father's footsteps at Eton College
How Prince George will follow in his father's footsteps at Eton College Prince George will attend Eton College in Berkshire from September, Kensington Palace has announced. His father, Prince William, also attended the elite boarding school for boys, where fees are about £63,000 a year. He is the Prince and Princess of Wales' oldest child and the second in line of succession to the throne. The BBC's senior royal correspondent Daniela Relph explains the Royal Family's connection to Eton College. Did Coppell lose his keys during 106 celebration?
Russian warship fires warning shots near UK-registered yacht in Channel
'It was surreal': British couple describe having warning shots fired near them by Russian warship A retired British couple who were on a yacht which had warning shots fired near it by a Russian warship in the English Channel have told the BBC the experience was surreal. Jane and Alan Kelvey were sailing 23 miles (37km) off the Isle of Wight in international waters when they came into close contact with the Russian frigate, the Admiral Grigorovich on Tuesday. Sir Keir Starmer said firing shots into the path of a UK-registered yacht was reckless - an incident the Ministry of Defence has described as an isolated one. Russia's Defence Ministry said the yacht had been on a dangerous approach towards the warship but the couple said they were not on a collision course. The incident comes days after Royal Marine Commandos intercepted a Russian shadow fleet tanker carrying sanctioned oil in the Channel on Sunday, in the first operation of its kind carried out by the British military.
Five big questions about the UK's under-16s social media ban
Five big questions about the UK's under-16s social media ban After the government's announcement on Monday, we know a social media ban is coming for under-16s in the UK . However, details on which apps are and are not included, besides those named by the government, and how the measures will extend to gaming sites like Roblox, remain sparse. And many are already asking whether enforcing the ban will mean cracking down on virtual private networks (VPNs), which can disguise someone's location online. Ministers have said they will provide an update on further restrictions like potential curfews, curbing of addictive features like infinite scroll and AI chatbots, in July. But here are some of the big unanswered questions about the UK social media ban.
Russian strikes kill nine in Ukraine and damage historic cathedral, officials say
Nine people have been killed and several others injured in a wave of Russian strikes on Ukraine during which a major religious landmark in Kyiv caught fire, reports say. Four people were killed in attacks on Kyiv, while five rescue workers died trying to put out a fire caused by a Russian strike on the north-eastern city of Kharkiv, Ukrainian officials said. The 11th Century Dormition Cathedral was significantly damaged in what Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko called a brutal assault on our people and our heritage. Meanwhile, a Ukrainian drone attack in the Russian city of Tula, south of Moscow, killed three people and wounded three others, including a one-year-old, officials said. Drone and missile strikes set fire to buildings and cars and left more than 140,000 people in Ukraine's capital without electricity, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said.
Arrest made after seizure of Russian oil tanker in Channel
National Crime Agency (NCA) officers have arrested an Indian national on suspicion of sanctions offences after the dramatic seizure of a Russian oil tanker in the English Channel on Sunday. He was taken into custody for questioning by investigators following the operation mounted by Royal Marine Commandos along with the NCA. The NCA said 24 Georgian and Indian crew members remained aboard the Smyrtos, anchored off the Dorset coast. Sunday's operation, which saw commandos fast-roping from a helicopter on to the tanker, was the first of its kind carried out by UK armed forces. Russia uses hundreds of oil tankers sanctioned by the UK and other Western states over its invasion of Ukraine.
Starmer to confirm social media ban for U.K. teens ahead of G7 meet
Starmer to confirm social media ban for U.K. teens ahead of G7 meet U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer is expected to confirm a social media ban on children under 16 on Monday morning. U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer will start a crucial week for his premiership by announcing a package of strong restrictions designed to protect British teenagers from online threats. Starmer is expected Monday morning to confirm a ban on children under 16 using major social media platforms, as well as other measures including curfews on older teenagers and tough regulations on chatbots. He will then depart for a Group of Seven summit at Evian-les-Bains, France, where he faces awkward questions following last week's resignation of his defense secretary and uncertainty around the U.K.'s military budget. A ban on young teenagers using social media is popular with the U.K. public despite concerns around how effectively it can be enforced. The Labour government's new range of restrictions -- including some against chatbots and online games -- will go further than laws in Australia, according to a person familiar with the situation, where a ban on social media for teens came into effect last year.
Millions of people can get discounts on their bills - here's how
Millions of people can get discounts on their bills - here's how Water, phone and broadband companies are willing to give millions of people discounted deals on their bills. Social tariffs - sometimes known as essential, or basic, tariffs - can reduce bills for people on various benefits. Generally, you only need to ask your supplier to get on one. Importantly, they are not price promotions designed to attract customers, but lower bills for the same service for those who would otherwise struggle to pay. Most people who have fallen behind on paying their bills are unaware this help is available, a major report has suggested.
Watch: Protesters clash with police ahead of G7 summit in Geneva
Protesters clashed with police forces during a demonstration against the upcoming G7 summit in Geneva. Tear gas and a water cannon were deployed to disperse the large crowd after protesters smashed windows and set a car on fire. What needs to be understood is the message, the basic message regarding all these countries that oppress us through money and power, said one protester who was disappointed to see the protest turn violent. The G7 summit starts on 15 June in Évian-les-Bains and will bring together the leaders of Britain, France, Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United States and the European Union. Pope Leo XIV says Barcelona's iconic Sagrada Família is a masterpiece of stones, colours and light during his visit to Spain.