Hostile-state activity reaches into Britain as an Iran spying charge and a Russia-hacking claim land together
Britain's day was shadowed by hostile-state activity at home. A Greek national was charged at Westminster Magistrates' Court with spying on an Iran International journalist for Tehran, while Labour asked police and the National Cyber Security Centre to investigate Reform UK leader Nigel Farage's claim that Russian-linked actors hacked his phone. In an Ontario court, Kenneth Law pleaded guilty to 14 counts of aiding suicide after sending lethal substances tied to 79 UK deaths, and Guardian data showed 284 unaccompanied children were held in UK-run detention facilities in France in 2025.
Recent events
gb85Greek national charged in London with spying on an Iran International journalist for Tehran
Ioannis Aidinidis, a 46-year-old Greek national living in Munich, appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court on May 29 charged with assisting a foreign intelligence service -- believed to be Iran's -- by carrying out surveillance of a UK-based journalist for the London broadcaster Iran International. Police said he travelled to Britain twice, in April and May, photographing the journalist's home and cars and allegedly planting a covert camera concealed in a sock in a tree to transmit data to unknown recipients. He was arrested on May 16 and charged under section 3(2) of the National Security Act 2023, the latest UK case tied to alleged Iranian targeting on British soil.
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Greek national charged in London with spying on an Iran International journalist for Tehran
Ioannis Aidinidis, a 46-year-old Greek national living in Munich, appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court on May 29 charged with assisting a foreign intelligence service -- believed to be Iran's -- by carrying out surveillance of a UK-based journalist for the London broadcaster Iran International. Police said he travelled to Britain twice, in April and May, photographing the journalist's home and cars and allegedly planting a covert camera concealed in a sock in a tree to transmit data to unknown recipients. He was arrested on May 16 and charged under section 3(2) of the National Security Act 2023, the latest UK case tied to alleged Iranian targeting on British soil.
Ioannis Aidinidis, a 46-year-old Greek national living in Munich, appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court on May 29 charged with assisting a foreign intelligence service -- believed to be Iran's -- by carrying out surveillance of a UK-based journalist for the London broadcaster Iran International. Police said he travelled to Britain twice, in April and May, photographing the journalist's home and cars and allegedly planting a covert camera concealed in a sock in a tree to transmit data to unknown recipients. He was arrested on May 16 and charged under section 3(2) of the National Security Act 2023, the latest UK case tied to alleged Iranian targeting on British soil.
gb82Labour Reports Alleged Hack of Nigel Farage's Phone to Police and Cybersecurity Officials
Labour chair Anna Turley has asked the Metropolitan Police and the National Cyber Security Centre to investigate Reform UK leader Nigel Farage's claims that his phone was hacked by Russian-linked actors. Farage has not reported the matter himself, and Labour's contact does not constitute a formal crime report. The allegations surfaced after the Guardian reported Farage received a £5m gift from cryptocurrency billionaire Christopher Harborne.
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Labour Reports Alleged Hack of Nigel Farage's Phone to Police and Cybersecurity Officials
Labour chair Anna Turley has asked the Metropolitan Police and the National Cyber Security Centre to investigate Reform UK leader Nigel Farage's claims that his phone was hacked by Russian-linked actors. Farage has not reported the matter himself, and Labour's contact does not constitute a formal crime report. The allegations surfaced after the Guardian reported Farage received a £5m gift from cryptocurrency billionaire Christopher Harborne.
Labour chair Anna Turley has asked the Metropolitan Police and the National Cyber Security Centre to investigate Reform UK leader Nigel Farage's claims that his phone was hacked by Russian-linked actors. Farage has not reported the matter himself, and Labour's contact does not constitute a formal crime report. The allegations surfaced after the Guardian reported Farage received a £5m gift from cryptocurrency billionaire Christopher Harborne.
gb78Kenneth Law pleads guilty to 14 counts of aiding suicide in international poison mail case
Kenneth Law, 60, pleaded guilty on Friday in a Newmarket, Ontario, court to 14 counts of counselling or aiding suicide, after prosecutors withdrew 14 murder charges. Law admitted sending lethal substances that caused the deaths of 14 people aged 16 to 36 in Ontario and 79 people in the UK. Sentencing is expected in September.
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Kenneth Law pleads guilty to 14 counts of aiding suicide in international poison mail case
Kenneth Law, 60, pleaded guilty on Friday in a Newmarket, Ontario, court to 14 counts of counselling or aiding suicide, after prosecutors withdrew 14 murder charges. Law admitted sending lethal substances that caused the deaths of 14 people aged 16 to 36 in Ontario and 79 people in the UK. Sentencing is expected in September.
Kenneth Law, 60, pleaded guilty on Friday in a Newmarket, Ontario, court to 14 counts of counselling or aiding suicide, after prosecutors withdrew 14 murder charges. Law admitted sending lethal substances that caused the deaths of 14 people aged 16 to 36 in Ontario and 79 people in the UK. Sentencing is expected in September.
gb75UK-run detention centers in France held 284 unaccompanied minors in 2025
UK-run short-term detention facilities near Calais and Dunkirk held 284 unaccompanied minors in 2025, a 10% rise from 258 in 2024, according to documents obtained by the Guardian under the Freedom of Information Act. Refugee charities called the figures “shocking” and raised concerns about secrecy and safeguarding. Inspectors last year described “poor” conditions at the sites, which are designed to hold people for no longer than 24 hours.
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UK-run detention centers in France held 284 unaccompanied minors in 2025
UK-run short-term detention facilities near Calais and Dunkirk held 284 unaccompanied minors in 2025, a 10% rise from 258 in 2024, according to documents obtained by the Guardian under the Freedom of Information Act. Refugee charities called the figures “shocking” and raised concerns about secrecy and safeguarding. Inspectors last year described “poor” conditions at the sites, which are designed to hold people for no longer than 24 hours.
UK-run short-term detention facilities near Calais and Dunkirk held 284 unaccompanied minors in 2025, a 10% rise from 258 in 2024, according to documents obtained by the Guardian under the Freedom of Information Act. Refugee charities called the figures “shocking” and raised concerns about secrecy and safeguarding. Inspectors last year described “poor” conditions at the sites, which are designed to hold people for no longer than 24 hours.
gb36Northern Ireland social housing waiting list surpasses 50,000 households
Official figures from the Department for Communities show that the number of households on Northern Ireland's social housing waiting list has exceeded 50,000, a 30% increase over the past decade. Over 33,000 of those are classified as homeless (full duty applicants), a figure that has more than doubled in ten years. The Housing Executive aims to start 5,850 new social homes by 2027, but current building rates are insufficient. Communities Minister Gordon Lyons cited funding constraints and the use of public sector land as strategies, while homelessness charities and political figures called for urgent action to address the deepening crisis.
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Northern Ireland social housing waiting list surpasses 50,000 households
Official figures from the Department for Communities show that the number of households on Northern Ireland's social housing waiting list has exceeded 50,000, a 30% increase over the past decade. Over 33,000 of those are classified as homeless (full duty applicants), a figure that has more than doubled in ten years. The Housing Executive aims to start 5,850 new social homes by 2027, but current building rates are insufficient. Communities Minister Gordon Lyons cited funding constraints and the use of public sector land as strategies, while homelessness charities and political figures called for urgent action to address the deepening crisis.
Official figures from the Department for Communities show that the number of households on Northern Ireland's social housing waiting list has exceeded 50,000, a 30% increase over the past decade. Over 33,000 of those are classified as homeless (full duty applicants), a figure that has more than doubled in ten years. The Housing Executive aims to start 5,850 new social homes by 2027, but current building rates are insufficient. Communities Minister Gordon Lyons cited funding constraints and the use of public sector land as strategies, while homelessness charities and political figures called for urgent action to address the deepening crisis.
gb35Three dead including child after fall from London tower block
Three people—a man, a woman, and a child—died after falling from a high-rise residential building at Churchyard Row in Elephant and Castle, south London. Emergency services responded but all three were pronounced dead at the scene. Police are treating the deaths as unexpected; no other injuries were reported. The building management confirmed the building is safe. Next of kin have been informed and are receiving support.
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Three dead including child after fall from London tower block
Three people—a man, a woman, and a child—died after falling from a high-rise residential building at Churchyard Row in Elephant and Castle, south London. Emergency services responded but all three were pronounced dead at the scene. Police are treating the deaths as unexpected; no other injuries were reported. The building management confirmed the building is safe. Next of kin have been informed and are receiving support.
Three people—a man, a woman, and a child—died after falling from a high-rise residential building at Churchyard Row in Elephant and Castle, south London. Emergency services responded but all three were pronounced dead at the scene. Police are treating the deaths as unexpected; no other injuries were reported. The building management confirmed the building is safe. Next of kin have been informed and are receiving support.
gb34Top UK chefs urge government to cut hospitality VAT to 10%
Four leading UK chefs and restaurateurs—Tom Kerridge, Yotam Ottolenghi, Ravneet Gill, and Simon Rogan—have called on the government to reduce VAT for pubs and restaurants from 20% to 10%, warning the hospitality industry is facing its toughest conditions ever due to rising costs including higher National Insurance, business rates, and minimum wage. They argue the cut is needed for survival, not profit. Cabinet minister Pat McFadden acknowledged the government has asked businesses to contribute more but noted competing fiscal demands. The appeal comes as industry data shows three hospitality businesses have been closing every day since the start of 2026, following a tough period post-pandemic and amid energy price hikes.
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Top UK chefs urge government to cut hospitality VAT to 10%
Four leading UK chefs and restaurateurs—Tom Kerridge, Yotam Ottolenghi, Ravneet Gill, and Simon Rogan—have called on the government to reduce VAT for pubs and restaurants from 20% to 10%, warning the hospitality industry is facing its toughest conditions ever due to rising costs including higher National Insurance, business rates, and minimum wage. They argue the cut is needed for survival, not profit. Cabinet minister Pat McFadden acknowledged the government has asked businesses to contribute more but noted competing fiscal demands. The appeal comes as industry data shows three hospitality businesses have been closing every day since the start of 2026, following a tough period post-pandemic and amid energy price hikes.
Four leading UK chefs and restaurateurs—Tom Kerridge, Yotam Ottolenghi, Ravneet Gill, and Simon Rogan—have called on the government to reduce VAT for pubs and restaurants from 20% to 10%, warning the hospitality industry is facing its toughest conditions ever due to rising costs including higher National Insurance, business rates, and minimum wage. They argue the cut is needed for survival, not profit. Cabinet minister Pat McFadden acknowledged the government has asked businesses to contribute more but noted competing fiscal demands. The appeal comes as industry data shows three hospitality businesses have been closing every day since the start of 2026, following a tough period post-pandemic and amid energy price hikes.
gb33Labour faces union backlash over possible delay to living wage extension for over-18s
Labour is facing backlash from affiliated unions after minister Torsten Bell suggested the government may not extend the national living wage to all over-18s before the next election, despite a manifesto commitment to 'remove discriminatory age bands'. Unions Usdaw and TSSA condemned the suggestion as a betrayal of young workers. The dispute follows a report by Alan Milburn warning of a 'lost generation' of young people not in employment, education or training. Bell argued the manifesto did not set a specific timeline for the change.
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Labour faces union backlash over possible delay to living wage extension for over-18s
Labour is facing backlash from affiliated unions after minister Torsten Bell suggested the government may not extend the national living wage to all over-18s before the next election, despite a manifesto commitment to 'remove discriminatory age bands'. Unions Usdaw and TSSA condemned the suggestion as a betrayal of young workers. The dispute follows a report by Alan Milburn warning of a 'lost generation' of young people not in employment, education or training. Bell argued the manifesto did not set a specific timeline for the change.
Labour is facing backlash from affiliated unions after minister Torsten Bell suggested the government may not extend the national living wage to all over-18s before the next election, despite a manifesto commitment to 'remove discriminatory age bands'. Unions Usdaw and TSSA condemned the suggestion as a betrayal of young workers. The dispute follows a report by Alan Milburn warning of a 'lost generation' of young people not in employment, education or training. Bell argued the manifesto did not set a specific timeline for the change.