News 04/03/26

One of the three men arrested on suspicion of spying for China has been named as David Taylor, the husband of sitting Labour MP Joani Reid.

In a statement, Ms Reid said she has never seen anything to make her suspect her husband has broken any law. She added she is not part of his business activities and neither she nor her children are part of the investigation and should not be treated by media organisations as though they are. She said above all she expects her children’s privacy to be respected.

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth says an American submarine has sunk an Iranian warship that he claims thought it was safe in international waters.

Earlier reports suggested the United States military carried out the strike off Sri Lanka, and Hegseth says the vessel was sunk by a torpedo. Meanwhile, a ballistic missile fired from Iran and heading into Turkish airspace has been shot down, according to Turkey’s defence ministry. NATO air defences in the eastern Mediterranean intercepted the missile after it passed through Iraqi and Syrian airspace.

At Prime Minister’s Questions, Sir Keir Starmer said he was not prepared on Saturday for the UK to join a war unless he was satisfied there was a lawful basis and a viable, thought through plan.

He said that remains his position. The prime minister added his number one priority is the protection of UK nationals, which is why he has sanctioned defensive actions following the attack of RAF bases in Cyprus and Bahrain by Iran. He said the UK must act with clarity, purpose and a cool head.

A 22 year old man from Watford has been arrested on suspicion of aggravated burglary and attempted murder after a man in his sixties suffered a head injury during a burglary in Slough.

There was a major police presence and cordon at Hampshire Avenue on the morning of February 28. Thames Valley Police confirmed the arrest was made on March 1 and the suspect has since been released on police bail. The force says its investigation continues and has thanked the community for its support.

Three men have been arrested on suspicion of spying for China, the Metropolitan Police have said.

The arrests were made on Wednesday under the National Security Act 2023 on suspicion of assisting a foreign intelligence service. Officers detained a 39 year old man in London, a 68 year old man in Powys and a 43 year old man in Pontyclun. All remain in custody. Police say the investigation relates to China and is supported by Counter Terrorism Policing in Wales and Scotland.

QatarEnergy has declared force majeure, excusing it from fulfilling existing contracts after shutting down liquefied natural gas production and other products including fertiliser following drone attacks on its facilities.

The state owned company is responsible for 20 per cent of global LNG supply and says it values its relationships with stakeholders and will continue to provide updates.

The Israeli military says it has identified missiles launched from Iran toward the territory of the State of Israel.

The IDF says its defensive systems are operating to intercept the threat. The development comes after Israel launched what it described as a broad wave of attacks against Iran on Tuesday, targeting what it called the Iranian terror regime’s launch sites, aerial defence systems and additional infrastructure.

The government is halting visa routes for nationals from four countries which the Home Secretary says have abused the UK’s generosity.

An emergency brake has been placed on study visas for people from Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar and Sudan, while work visas have also been stopped for Afghans. It is the first time the UK has implemented such visa bans. Shabana Mahmood claimed a growing number of migrants from those countries are using legal migration routes as a backdoor for claiming asylum.

Police are renewing their appeal for information over the murder of university graduate Melanie Hall nearly 30 years ago.

The 25 year old was last seen at Cadillacs nightclub in Walcot Street in Bath shortly after 1am on 9 June 1996. Her remains were found 13 years later, on 5 October 2009, beside the junction 14 northbound slip road of the M5 by workmen cutting grass. Detective Chief Inspector Ben Lavender said her family have endured unimaginable pain and uncertainty for almost three decades.

TikTok says it will not introduce end to end encryption for direct messages, arguing the privacy feature makes users less safe.

Encryption means only the sender and recipient can view a message and is used by platforms including Facebook, Instagram, Messenger and X. Critics say it makes it harder to prevent harmful content spreading because firms and law enforcement cannot view material sent privately.

Slough Borough Council has proposed a budget including £40 million in savings to help stabilise its finances.

Councillors will be asked to approve the 2026 to 27 budget and the wider Medium Term Financial Strategy at a Full Council meeting on 26 February. The plan outlines £15.45 million in savings next year and around £40 million through to 2028 to 29.

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