NEWS 23

🔒
❌
Stats
Es gibt neue verfügbare Artikel. Klicken Sie, um die Seite zu aktualisieren.
Heute — 03. Februar 2026

UK govt-backed review says Britain’s national parks feel ‘white’ and unwelcoming

03. Februar 2026 um 16:28

Vorschau ansehen

Authorities overseeing some of Britain’s most famous countryside landscapes are launching targeted outreach programs aimed at ethnic minority communities, after a government-commissioned review warned rural areas are widely perceived as a "white" and unwelcoming space.

"The countryside is seen by both black, Asian and minority ethnic groups and white people as very much a ‘white’ environment," the report stated, "We are all paying for national landscapes through our taxes, and yet sometimes on our visits it has felt as if National Parks are an exclusive, mainly white, mainly middle‑class club, with rules only members understand and much too little done to encourage first time visitors."

Critics say the initiative reflects misplaced government priorities. Michael McManus, director of research at the Henry Jackson Society, told Fox News Digital: "At a time of low growth, high taxes and stretched public services, it’s astonishing that ministers are spending time and money worrying about the ‘whiteness’ of the countryside. Government exists to grow the economy and fix real problems, not to indulge in culture war distractions that deliver nothing for working people."

The initiatives stem from the 2019 Landscapes Review, commissioned by the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and led by author Julian Glover. The review concluded that England’s protected landscapes often feel disconnected from large parts of the population.

LIZ PEEK: TRUMP DECLARES WAR ON WOKE—AND THIS BELOVED MUSEUM IS IN HIS CROSSHAIRS

The review also criticized the leadership of protected landscapes, arguing that governance bodies do not reflect the country they serve. "Of the almost 1,000 people on National Park and AONB boards today, the great majority are male… and a tiny fraction are of black, Asian or minority ethnicities," the report said, calling that imbalance "wrong for organizations which are funded by the nation to serve everyone."

Following the review, organizations representing National Landscapes, formerly known as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, have published updated management plans outlining steps to attract more diverse visitors. According to individual plans published between 2024 and 2025, and as reported by U.K. outlets including LBC and GB News, the measures apply to landscapes including the Cotswolds, the Chilterns, the Malvern Hills and others.

AMERICAN HISTORY WON'T BE DISPLAYED 'IN A WOKE MANNER' AT SMITHSONIAN, TRUMP SAYS

Under those plans, the Chilterns National Landscape will launch targeted outreach programs in Luton and High Wycombe, areas with large Muslim populations. One barrier cited in follow-up research was concern among some visitors about unleashed dogs in rural areas.

The Cotswolds National Landscape referenced the DEFRA findings directly, saying it is seeking to broaden its appeal to reach "the widest demographic."

In its own management strategy, the Malvern Hills National Landscape said many minority communities lack a generational connection to the countryside because parents and grandparents "did not always feel welcome in it." The plan added that while many white English visitors value solitude, ethnic minority visitors may be more inclined toward group or family-based activities.

Other landscapes raised similar concerns. Nidderdale National Landscape in North Yorkshire warned that ethnic minority visitors may worry about how they will be received in unfamiliar rural settings. Dedham Vale, Surrey Hills, and Suffolk and Essex Coast Heaths said they aim to identify and address barriers limiting access for under-represented groups, including people without English as a first language.

Together, the plans signal a broader shift in how Britain’s publicly funded countryside is managed, as landscape authorities face growing pressure to demonstrate cultural relevance to a changing society, even as critics warn the focus risks sidelining economic priorities and traditional conservation goals.

Fox News Digital reached out to the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs in England for comment but did not receive a response before publication.

(Auszug von RSS-Feed)
Ältere Beiträge

Hikers stiff hotel on unpaid bill after treacherous 7-hour mountain rescue operation, nonprofit says

31. Januar 2026 um 00:11

Vorschau ansehen

Two hikers rescued after becoming lost while attempting to climb England’s highest mountain during "treacherous winter conditions" allegedly stiffed a hotel they were put up in for the night after the seven-hour operation, according to the nonprofit responsible for saving them.

"We avoid judging those we rescue but struggle to understand when the rescued take advantage of hospitality provided by our supporters in the valley," the Wasdale Mountain Rescue Team wrote in a Facebook post last week.

It explained that after the two men were safely rescued from Scafell Pike in an "avoidable" situation Dec. 29, the manager of the Wasdale Head Inn "kindly agreed to stay up, give them snacks and a room."

MISSING HIKER'S BODY FOUND ON WYOMING MOUNTAIN RANGE A MONTH AFTER EERIE FINAL TEXT TO WIFE

Scafell Pike has an elevation of 3,200 feet.

Although the men were given a discounted room rate of 35%, which they agreed to pay at the time but said their money wasn't on them, they left without settling their bill, the rescue nonprofit claimed, adding that the organization felt compelled to pay it for them.

"Disappointingly, in the morning, they offered no thanks for the efforts of the hotel, asked for further reductions to the cost, pushed hard for a breakfast and asked if they could arrange transport to get them out of the valley," the nonprofit alleged. "The answer was, sorry no extras and please transfer money when you can."

The nonprofit also said the men haven’t returned two flashlights missing from the team after the rescue.

In addition, they said the phone number given to the hotel manager to contact the men didn’t work.

The nonprofit said the men still haven’t paid back the $178 bill, although the post generated so much goodwill that good Samaritans have given more money than owed to the inn, which the group said, "will go directly towards the team’s operational costs which are in excess of £100,000 annually."

The team said they tried contacting the men about the money and the flashlights and to return a crutch that one of the men left in one of the team’s vehicles but hadn’t heard back.

CALIFORNIA HIKER FOUND DEAD AFTER STRIKING OUT TO SEARCH FOR MISSING GROUP

"This post will hopefully prompt the two young males to settle their debt," the team wrote, adding that they left a QR on the post for ease of payment. "They might also reflect on the kindness they were offered that night by the staff at the Wasdale Head Inn and our own volunteer team following their eventful visit to Cumbria."

The team concluded the post by explaining that their volunteers are unpaid, and "we never charge but equally donations are always appreciated. Especially to help contribute to our significant capital and operational costs, and even some of our more unusual but rare £130 losses."

In a comment below the post, the hotel thanked the team for "dealing with this incident in their usual professional manner, and to our staff who stayed up to look after the starving and frozen walkers when they were brought in around 2am.

"Luckily this is the first time in living memory (45 years or more) that those rescued have behaved like this, however the messages of support and donations for the team from so many people more than make up for this one selfish episode."

(Auszug von RSS-Feed)

80-year-old lottery winner sentenced for bankrolling $400M drug empire from cottage with son

30. Januar 2026 um 01:58

Vorschau ansehen

Authorities announced Wednesday that an elderly man who used his 2010 lottery winnings to run a drug empire from his cottage alongside his son and two accomplices, has been sentenced to jail.

John Eric Spiby, 80, was sentenced to 16 years in prison in England after an investigation uncovered counterfeit pills worth up to $400 million, Greater Manchester Police said. His son, John Colin Spiby, 37, was sentenced to nine years.

"They operated a fully industrialized drug manufacturing business capable of producing millions of counterfeit tablets containing a highly dangerous substance," Alex Brown, detective inspector of the Serious Organized Crime Group that led the investigation, said in a statement. 

FEDS ARREST FELON ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT AFTER SEIZING TENS OF MILLIONS IN METH STASHED IN BLACKBERRIES

"The volume of tablets we recovered — along with the sophisticated machinery — demonstrated how deeply embedded this group was in the illicit drug supply chain."

Local United Kingdom outlet LBC reported that Spiby won the National Lottery in 2010, at around 65 years old, cashing in £2.4 million, equivalent to roughly $3.3 million in 2026.

During the sentencing, Judge Nicholas Clarke KC told LBC that, "despite your lottery win, you continued to live your life of crime beyond what would be a normal retirement age."

Sometime between November 2021 and May 2022, Spiby equipped his cottage behind his home with an "industrial‑scale tablet manufacturing set-up capable of producing tens of thousands of tablets per hour," police said. According to a court hearing, they were also able to "hide" his lab by frosting the windows, LBC reported. 

The organization allegedly produced counterfeit diazepam tablets, also known as Valium, laced with etizolam, a substance banned in the U.S. normally prescribed for insomnia and anxiety. In high doses, etizolam can cause severe central nervous system depression, potentially leading to unconsciousness, respiratory failure and death.

The group also facilitated and supplied firearms including AK‑47s, an Uzi, Tec‑9s, a Scorpion, a Grand Power pistol, silencers and ammunition, police said. 

FLORIDA SHERIFF CALLS MASSIVE DRUG OPERATION ''BREAKING BAD' ON STEROIDS' AFTER RECORD-BREAKING BUST

In the early stages of the operation in August 2020, the group reportedly operated "under the guise of a lawful business" by creating a fake company along with a website advertising tablet presses, mixers, packaging machines and powdered supplements.

During the operation, the suspects rented a shipping container to store materials and millions of counterfeit tablets awaiting distribution. Officers, however, intercepted them in April 2022 and found a vehicle containing 2.6 million counterfeit diazepam tablets with an estimated street value between $1.4 million and $7 million. 

The following month, a warrant led to the seizure of guns, ammunition, cash, machinery, counterfeit drugs and raw materials.

Police estimated the crime ring produced drugs with a potential street value equivalent to roughly $80 million to $400 million.

Of the other two accomplices, Callum Dorian, 35, received a 12‑year prison sentence in September 2024, while Lee Ryan Drury, 45, was sentenced to nine years.

The four members faced charges that included conspiracy to produce and supply Class C drugs, conspiracy to supply firearms, possession of firearms and ammunition and perverting the course of justice.

"These four individuals showed absolutely no regard for human life or public safety," Brown said. "All they were interested in was lining their own pockets with significant financial gain."

Fox News Digital reached out to Greater Manchester Police for more information. 

(Auszug von RSS-Feed)

UK's Starmer meets Xi in Beijing as Trump pressures allies on China trade

29. Januar 2026 um 19:20

Vorschau ansehen

The United Kingdom and China's leaders are working to create deeper ties between their nations even as President Donald Trump discourages U.S. allies from trading with Beijing.

Neither U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer nor Chinese President Xi Jinping mentioned Trump, but comments made by the Chinese leader appeared to suggest that the U.S. president was on their minds, according to The Associated Press.

"In the current turbulent and ever-changing international situation... China and the U.K. need to strengthen dialogue and cooperation to maintain world peace and stability," Xi told Starmer at the start of their meeting, the AP reported.

Xi also reportedly said — without mentioning Trump — that "major powers" must abide by international law or the world would become a "jungle," the AP reported.

CARNEY PUSHES BACK ON TRUMP'S 100% TARIFF THREAT OVER CHINA TRADE DEALS WITH CANADA AMID TENSIONS

The U.K. prime minister's remarks at the start of the meeting highlighted China's stance on the world stage and called for a "more sophisticated relationship" between the two nations.

"China is a vital player on the global stage, and it's vital that we build a more sophisticated relationship where we can identify opportunities to collaborate, but of course, also allow a meaningful dialogue on areas where we disagree," Starmer said at the start of his meeting with Xi, according to Reuters.

Starmer is also seeking Xi's assistance in disrupting the supply of China-made small boat engines that the U.K. leader's office says are often used to smuggle people across the English Channel. The deal includes intelligence sharing with the aim of identifying smugglers' supply routes and direct work with Chinese manufacturers to "prevent legitimate businesses being exploited by organized crime," Starmer's office said.

CHINA SLAMS TRUMP ADMINISTRATION OVER US SANCTIONS ON CUBA

The U.K. prime minister is the fourth leader of a U.S. ally to visit China this month, following South Korea, Canada and Finland, according to the AP. The outlet reported that German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is expected to visit next month.

Trump slammed Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney after Carney's visit to China, warning that "China will eat Canada alive." Trump and Carney had previously taken swipes at each other during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, sparking ongoing tensions.

The visit comes amid attempts by Trump to move U.S. allies away from China through threats of trade tariffs. Following Carney's recent visit to China, Trump threatened to place a 100% tariff on Canadian goods. The president has also cited security threats from China in his argument for the U.S. taking over Greenland, saying that Beijing would be a hazard in the Arctic Circle.

In November, the U.S. and China reached a trade deal that would roll back some tariffs and export controls, expand U.S. agricultural exports, curb the flow of fentanyl precursors and ease pressure on American semiconductor and shipping companies. 

Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

(Auszug von RSS-Feed)

Convicted terrorist who plotted consulate, church bombings to run in UK election

29. Januar 2026 um 17:19

Vorschau ansehen

A Muslim activist who served a prison sentence for his role in an overseas terror plot is now seeking elected office in Birmingham, Britain’s second-largest city, as local elections approach amid heightened communal tensions.

Shahid Butt was convicted by a Yemeni court in 1999 and sentenced to five years in prison after being found guilty of forming an armed gang and conspiring to bomb the British consulate in Aden, an Anglican church and a Swiss-owned hotel in Yemen. At the time, Yemeni prosecutors said the group had been sent to carry out violence by Abu Hamza, the extremist preacher who was the father of one of the convicted men.

He is now standing as a candidate for the newly formed Independent Candidates Alliance in the May 7 Birmingham City Council elections.

Butt maintains his innocence, claiming his confession was coerced through torture, and that evidence against him was planted, The Daily Telegraph reported.

FANS OF ISRAELI SOCCER TEAM BARRED FROM MAJOR UPCOMING GAME IN UK OVER ‘SAFETY’ CONCERNS

He will contest the Sparkhill ward, an area where nearly two-thirds of residents are of Pakistani background, according to The Daily Telegraph.

Butt’s candidacy comes as Birmingham — home to one of the largest Muslim populations in the U.K. — has faced renewed strains over foreign policy, identity politics and public order. Those tensions came into sharp focus last November when Israeli soccer club Maccabi Tel Aviv played Aston Villa in a Europa Conference League match.

Ahead of the game, Butt used social media to call on Muslims from around the country to travel to Birmingham to show solidarity with Palestinians and to prevent the Israeli team’s supporters from, in his words, "desecrating" and "dirtying" the city. In one post, he referred to the visiting fans as "IDF babykillers," according to Birmingham live.

UK PRIME MINISTER SLAMMED FOR WELCOMING HOME FREED EGYPTIAN PRISONER AFTER SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS RESURFACE

Authorities ultimately barred Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters from attending the match, citing security concerns, after large-scale protests were planned.

In a video posted from a protest connected to the fixture, Butt made comments that critics say crossed from political speech into the endorsement of violence. "Muslims are not pacifists," Butt said in the video. "If somebody comes into your face, you knock his teeth out — that’s my message to the youth."

Emma Schubart, a researcher at the Henry Jackson Society, said the developments reveal deeper fractures within British society. "Shahid Butt, a convicted terrorist, is standing for election in a ward that is around 80% Muslim. Maccabi Tel Aviv fans were banned from the second-largest city in the U.K. which is now nearly a third Muslim," Schubart said.

"Politically," she added, "These events foreshadow a likely Muslim sectarian sweep in the local elections, since candidates like Butt are poised to erode Labour’s hold on seats throughout Birmingham."

The Independent Candidates Alliance was founded by activists Akhmed Yakoob and Shakeel Afsar, both of whom ran unsuccessfully in Birmingham constituencies during the 2024 general election on a pro-Gaza platform. The group is expected to field candidates in around 20 wards across the city.

(Auszug von RSS-Feed)

Chinese hackers reportedly breached phones at 'heart of Downing Street' in global spy campaign

26. Januar 2026 um 23:53

Vorschau ansehen

Chinese state-linked hackers breached mobile phones at "the heart of Downing Street" amid a global cyber-espionage campaign over several years targeting telecommunication networks, according to reports.

U.S. officials first alerted its allies in 2024 after finding out that hacking groups had gained access to telecom companies around the world, according to The Associated Press.

The campaign reportedly targeted multiple countries, including the U.S. and the other members of the Five Eyes intelligence alliance: Australia, Canada and New Zealand.

The breaches allegedly gave China access to the phone data of millions and the possible ability to eavesdrop on calls, read text messages and track users’ locations.

EX-TRUMP DHS OFFICIAL SOUNDS ALARM OVER NATIONAL SECURITY THREAT WITHIN CRITICAL US INDUSTRY

The hackers also had the ability to record calls "at will" according to Anne Neuberger, who was a deputy U.S. national security adviser between January 2021 and January 2025, The Telegraph reported.

Neuberger said that the "Chinese gained access to networks and essentially had broad and full access," giving them the capability to "geolocate millions of individuals, to record phone calls at will."

U.S. intelligence agencies believe the breaches date back to at least 2021, but they were only identified and disclosed by U.S. authorities in 2024.

SECRET ROOM TO BE BUILT AT CHINESE EMBASSY NEAR CABLE LINES, SPARKING WIDESPREAD ESPIONAGE FEARS

In 2024, The Associated Press reported that U.S. federal authorities urged telecommunication companies to boost network security. The guidance, issued by the FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, was to help root out the hackers and prevent similar attacks in the future.

A joint cybersecurity advisory was issued in August 2025, with the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) and allied partners warning that Chinese state-sponsored actors were targeting networks globally.

"The malicious activity outlined in the advisory partially overlaps with cybersecurity industry reporting on Chinese state-sponsored threat actors referred to by names such as Salt Typhoon," an NSA release said.

In the U.K., officials raised concerns that senior government figures may also have been exposed. One source told The Telegraph that the breach went "right into the heart of Downing Street."

MASSIVE TELECOM BUST IN MAJOR CITY IS ‘WAKE-UP CALL’ AS FOREIGN ADVERSARIES THREATEN US SECURITY: EXPERTS

Similarly, The Telegraph was told that there were "many" different hacking attacks on the phones of Downing Street staff and across wider government, especially when Rishi Sunak was prime minister between 2022 and 2024.

Yuval Wollman, a former Israeli intelligence chief, also told The Telegraph that Salt Typhoon was "one of the most prominent names" in the cyber-espionage world.

"While much of the public reporting has focused on U.S. targets, Salt Typhoon’s operations have extended into Europe, the Middle East and Africa, where it has targeted telecoms firms, government entities and technology companies," Wollman of cybersecurity platform CyberProof added.

In the past, China’s foreign ministry dismissed the claims as "baseless" and "lacking evidence," according to The Telegraph.

Fox News Digital has reached out to Downing Street for comment.

(Auszug von RSS-Feed)

Trump announces escalating tariffs on Denmark and other European nations to force Greenland purchase deal

17. Januar 2026 um 16:51

Vorschau ansehen

President Donald Trump announced the United States would impose 10% tariffs on multiple European countries unless Denmark agrees to the "complete and total purchase of Greenland," warning that global security and U.S. national defense were at stake.

Trump made the announcement in a lengthy Truth Social post on Saturday, arguing that the U.S. has subsidized Denmark and other European Union nations for decades by failing to charge tariffs and providing what he described as "maximum protection."

"We have subsidized Denmark, and all of the Countries of the European Union, and others, for many years by not charging them Tariffs, or any other forms of remuneration," Trump wrote.

TRUMP TAPS REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR TO SERVE AS SPECIAL ENVOY TO GREENLAND

"Now, after Centuries, it is time for Denmark to give back — World Peace is at stake!"

Trump wrote that both China and Russia want Greenland and he said there was "not a thing that Denmark can do about it."

"They currently have two dogsleds as protection, one added recently. Only the United States of America, under PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP, can play in this game, and very successfully, at that!" Trump wrote. 

"Nobody will touch this sacred piece of Land, especially since the National Security of the United States, and the World at large, is at stake."

Trump said that Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Finland have "journeyed" to Greenland, for "purposes unknown," posing a very dangerous situation for the safety, security and survival of our planet.

EUROPEAN ALLIES WORKING ON PLAN IF US ACTS ON ACQUIRING GREENLAND: REPORT

"All of the above-mentioned Countries… will be charged a 10% Tariff on any and all goods sent to the United States of America," Trump wrote. 

On June 1, 2026, the tariff will be increased to 25%, he said. 

"This Tariff will be due and payable until such time as a Deal is reached for the Complete and Total purchase of Greenland."

In recent weeks, Trump has zeroed in on Greenland, the world’s largest island at a strategic crossroads in the Arctic, and floated the idea of tariffs being imposed on Friday. 

A semi-autonomous territory of Denmark, Greenland is home to a crucial U.S. military base and has taken on growing strategic importance as melting ice opens new shipping lanes and access to a wealth of natural resources.

In his Saturday post, Trump said the United States has tried to purchase Greenland for more than 150 years but that Denmark has repeatedly refused. 

He tied the push to modern weapons systems and the "Golden Dome," saying hundreds of billions of dollars are being spent on related security programs and that the system can only work at maximum efficiency if Greenland is included. 

"The United States of America is immediately open to negotiation with Denmark and/or any of these countries that have put so much at risk, despite all that we have done for them, including maximum protection, over so many decades," Trump wrote. "Thank you for your attention to this matter!"

Trump’s remarks come as his administration awaits a Supreme Court ruling on whether some of the tariffs he imposed in 2025 were legal.

Fox News' Amanda Macias contributed to this report. 

(Auszug von RSS-Feed)

G7 threatens Iran with new sanctions over nationwide protest crackdown killing thousands

14. Januar 2026 um 20:22

Vorschau ansehen

The Group of Seven (G7) nations warned Iran on Wednesday that they are prepared to impose additional sanctions on the country if the regime continues with its violent crackdown on protests.

In a joint statement, the foreign ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the U.K. and the U.S., joined by the European Union’s high representative, expressed "grave concern" over the reports of mass casualties, widespread injuries and alleged human rights abuses as a result of the spiraling unrest.

IRANIAN DISSIDENT UNLOADS ON AMERICAN LEFT'S SILENCE ON DEADLY PROTESTS

The development comes as Human Rights Activist News Agency (HRANA) announced the deaths of 2,403 protesters. Other reports say the death toll is over 3,000, with the real number likely to be higher. 

"We, the G7 Foreign Ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States of America and the High Representative of the European Union, are gravely concerned by the developments surrounding the ongoing protests in Iran," the statement said.

"We strongly oppose the intensification of the Iranian authorities’ brutal repression of the Iranian people, who have been bravely voicing legitimate aspirations for a better life, dignity and freedom, since the end of December 2025," it read.

The G7 also stated it was "deeply alarmed at reports of deaths and injuries" and condemned what it described as the "deliberate use of violence and the killing of protesters, arbitrary detention, and intimidation tactics by security forces against demonstrators."

IRAN PUSHES FOR FAST TRIALS AND EXECUTIONS OF SUSPECTS DETAINED IN PROTESTS DESPITE TRUMP'S WARNING: REPORT

The protests, which began Dec. 28, came amid deepening economic distress and the collapse of the Iranian rial. They quickly spread nationwide and evolved into broader anti-government demonstrations.

The G7 ministers also urged Iranian authorities to show restraint and end the use of force against civilians, calling on Tehran to respect its international obligations and protect the rights to "freedom of expression, to seek, receive and impart information, and the freedom of association and peaceful assembly, without fear of reprisal."

While the joint statement did not list specific new sanctions, it made clear that additional action remains on the table, signaling unity among leading Western powers.

"Iran’s continued crackdown in violation of international human rights obligations could prompt further restrictive measures from the G7," the ministers said.

(Auszug von RSS-Feed)

Secret room to be built at Chinese embassy near cable lines, sparking widespread espionage fears

14. Januar 2026 um 00:21

Vorschau ansehen

Recently unredacted construction plans for China’s new super embassy in London have ignited a storm of national security concerns across the United Kingdom, as blueprints reveal a hidden underground room positioned alarmingly close to some of Britain’s most sensitive communication cables.

Major critics of the proposed site, which will run as close as three feet to the internet infrastructure, warned that the secret room could serve as a hub for Chinese espionage. While the British government reportedly assured its allies that the lines do not carry sensitive government data, the cables transmit financial transactions as well as communication traffic for millions of internet users.  

The blueprints were publicly unredacted Monday by The Telegraph, just one week before Prime Minister Keir Starmer is widely expected to approve the plans before his visit to see President Xi Jinping in China.  

A government spokesman told the outlet that despite the security concerns, "national security is our first duty and government security experts have been involved throughout the process so far."

CCP-LINKED FIRMS QUIETLY HOLD STAKES IN US SOLAR COMPANIES FUELING DEMS' GREEN PUSH

According to the blueprint, the facility will be located at the former Royal Mint and will become Europe’s largest Chinese embassy. 

Construction plans indicate that China intends to demolish and rebuild a basement wall, placing officials and equipment just over three feet from critical fiber-optic cables. Security experts have warned that such proximity could create opportunities for "cable-tapping," which involves inserting wiretaps or reading light signals leaking from the lines.

Professor Alan Woodward, a security expert at the University of Surrey, highlighted the technical feasibility of espionage given the physical layout, the Telegraph reported. He described the demolition as a "red flag" and noted, "If I were in their shoes, having those cables on my doorstep would be an enormous temptation."

NAVY SAILOR CONVICTED AFTER SELLING MILITARY SECRETS TO CHINA FOR $12,000 PAYMENT

Additionally, the concealed chamber appears to be equipped with at least two hot-air extraction systems designed to ventilate heat-generating equipment. Experts reportedly inferred that this infrastructure suggests that the room is designed to accommodate high-powered technology such as advanced computers typically used for espionage and data processing. 

Beyond the single chamber near the cables, the unredacted plans also revealed a network of 208 secret rooms beneath the diplomatic site. The basement appears to allow for emergency backup generators, sprinkler systems, communications cabling and showers, suggesting that officials could remain underground for extended periods, potentially to operate or monitor equipment.

The construction plans have generally raised fears that the London complex could serve as a Beijing intelligence hub. According to U.K. outlet The Times, Britain has been pressured to reassure the United States and other intelligence partners that the cables do not transmit any sensitive government data.

Alicia Kearns, the shadow national security minister and prominent critic of the project, described the approval of the embassy as handing Beijing a strategic advantage against British interests.  

"Giving China the go-ahead for its embassy site would be to gift them a launchpad for economic warfare at the very heart of the central nervous system of our critical financial national infrastructure," she said in a post on X.  

(Auszug von RSS-Feed)

UK targets Elon Musk’s X with fines and possible ban over Grok deepfake abuse

12. Januar 2026 um 22:30

Vorschau ansehen

The British government intensified its crackdown on AI-generated sexual abuse Monday after ministers confirmed a possible ban on Elon Musk's social media platform X amid a widening probe and with the company potentially incurring hefty fines.

The dramatic move follows the launch of a formal investigation by Ofcom, the U.K. communications regulator, into whether X breached its legal duties under the U.K.'s Online Safety Act and came after reports that the platform’s built-in AI chatbot, Grok, was used to generate and share sexualized deepfake images of women and children.

Grok was launched in 2023 but its image generator feature, Grok Imagine, was added in 2025 with a specific mode to generate adult content.

Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology Liz Kendall described the recent use of the AI tool being misused to generate sexually explicit and non-consensual images as "deeply disturbing." 

Kendall also warned that social media companies would be held accountable if they failed to act.

UK PM STARMER–PRAISED EGYPTIAN EXTREMIST FACES COUNTER-TERROR PROBE OVER RESURFACED TWEETS

"I welcome Ofcom’s urgency in launching a formal investigation today," Kendall said, according to Reuters. "It is vital that Ofcom complete this investigation swiftly because the public – and most importantly the victims – will not accept any delay."

In a separate statement shared later Monday, Kendall said the Grok AI tool had been used to create and circulate degrading, non-consensual intimate images.

"No woman or child should live in fear of having their image sexually manipulated by technology," she said before adding, "The content which has circulated on X is vile. It is not just an affront to decent society, it is illegal."

Kendall added that sharing or threatening to share deepfake intimate images without consent, including images of people in their underwear, constitutes a criminal offense under U.K. law.

LAWMAKERS UNVEIL BIPARTISAN GUARD ACT AFTER PARENTS BLAME AI CHATBOTS FOR TEEN SUICIDES, VIOLENCE

She warned that Ofcom has the authority to issue "fines worth millions of dollars" or penalties of up to 10% of a company’s qualifying worldwide revenue.

"But X does not have to wait for the Ofcom investigation to conclude," Kendall said. "They can choose to act sooner to ensure this abhorrent and illegal material cannot be shared on their platform," she warned.

Ofcom had said it "urgently made contact" with X on Jan. 5, demanding explanations about the steps being taken to protect U.K. users and setting a response deadline of Jan. 9.

While xAI, another company founded by Musk, responded, Ofcom said it decided to open a formal investigation after reviewing the available evidence "as a matter of the highest priority."

In a statement shared Monday, Ofcom said, "Reports of Grok being used to create and share illegal non-consensual intimate images and child sexual abuse material on X have been deeply concerning."

"Platforms must protect people in the UK from content that’s illegal in the UK, and we won’t hesitate to investigate where we suspect companies are failing in their duties, especially where there’s a risk of harm to children," the statement said.

OPENAI TIGHTENS AI RULES FOR TEENS BUT CONCERNS REMAIN

As previously reported by Fox News Digital, the chatbot acknowledged in a public post on X that it had generated and shared an AI image depicting two young girls in sexualized attire, calling the incident a "failure in safeguards" and apologizing for the harm caused.

Amid mounting criticism, Grok confirmed it has begun restricting some image-generation and editing features to paying subscribers. The chatbot said the limitations were implemented to prevent further misuse.

Musk also accused the U.K. Government of "fascism" Monday for "arresting thousands of people for social media posts."

The billionaire Tesla founder had responded to a post on X that claimed the country arrests more people for social media posts than "any other country on earth." 

Alongside the Ofcom investigation, the U.K. government announced that legislation criminalizing the creation of non-consensual intimate images generated by AI would come into force this week.

Kendall said responsibility does not rest solely with individuals.

"The platforms that host such material must be held accountable, including X," she said. 

If they do not act, she said she is "prepared to go further."

Meanwhile, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer's official spokesperson said the government’s presence on the platform was "under review" and that "all options are on the table."

The Associated Press also reported Monday that Malaysia and Indonesia have become the first countries to block Grok.

Fox News Digital has reached out to Elon Musk and Prime Minister Keir Starmer's office for comment.

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.

(Auszug von RSS-Feed)
❌