The UK government declared a security ban on the Chinese-owned video platform TikTok for official devices, following similar measures taken by the European Union and the US.
Cabinet office minister Oliver Dowden on Thursday (16) announced that this ban would be implemented immediately.
Concerns have been raised by western countries over the possibility of Chinese officials utilising or manipulating user data from the app, which is owned by Bytedance.
Dowden revealed that specialists evaluated the potential risks associated with third-party applications in relation to sensitive government data.
As part of the measures, government devices will only be allowed to access apps on a pre-approved list.
The ban will apply to 'government corporate devices' used by ministers and ministries, but not apply to personal devices or the wider public.
"This is a proportionate move," said Dowden, urging users to exercise "caution" before downloading apps.
ByteDance has long insisted that it does not keep data in China or share it with Beijing.
US officials have said that if TikTok parts ways with ByteDance it would avoid a wider national ban.
On Thursday, the foreign ministry in Beijing called on Washington to stop "unreasonably suppressing" TikTok, which claims more than a billion global users.
"The US has so far failed to produce evidence that TikTok threatens US national security," spokesperson Wang Wenbin told reporters.
The UK this week detailed plans to counter what it said was the "epoch-defining challenge" posed by China, in an update to its defence and foreign policy.
Since its departure from the European Union, the UK is seeking new markets and influence in Asia, in part to counter China.
Among its plans is the strengthening of security agencies to improve the resilience of critical infrastructure.
The UK has previously sparked anger in China by banning the involvement of tech firm Huawei in the roll-out of the country's 5G network.
It has also blocked Chinese takeovers of UK electronics groups and removed China General Nuclear from construction of a new power station.
When he bid unsuccessfully to take over from Boris Johnson in July, now Prime Minister Rishi Sunak promised to get tough on China, calling the Asian superpower the "number one threat" to domestic and global security.
He claimed at the time that China was "stealing our technology and infiltrating our universities".
But since replacing Johnson's successor Liz Truss in Downing Street, Sunak has also stressed the need to stay engaged with China.
The unusually warm and sunny spring weather across Birmingham and the West Midlands is expected to continue into next week, according to the Met Office.
Dry and largely sunny conditions are forecast to persist through the remainder of this week and into the week beginning 20 May, with temperatures set to remain well above average for this time of year. In Birmingham, daytime temperatures are expected to range between 21°C and 23°C over the weekend, with similar conditions forecast throughout next week.
The Met Office predicts clear skies and continued sunshine across much of the West Midlands, supported by a slow-moving area of high pressure that is dominating the weather pattern across the region. This stable weather system is bringing settled and fine conditions, with warm temperatures during the day and cooler nights.
From Friday through Sunday, the outlook remains dry and bright, with plenty of sunshine expected once any morning low cloud clears. Temperatures will stay above seasonal norms, although nights may feel cooler in comparison.
Into next week, the mostly dry and sunny spell is likely to persist for the majority of the region. Western areas are expected to feel particularly warm or even very warm at times. However, temperatures will be slightly cooler in eastern parts of the country, especially along coastal areas. These areas may experience lingering low cloud and a brisk breeze coming in off the North Sea.
The extended spell of fine weather is providing a prolonged taste of summer, with the Met Office currently showing no significant change in conditions over the coming days for the Birmingham and West Midlands region.
Valeria Marquez, a 23-year-old beauty influencer from Mexico, was fatally shot during a TikTok livestream on Tuesday in Zapopan, Jalisco. Authorities have confirmed they are investigating the incident as a suspected femicide.
The attack occurred inside the beauty salon where Marquez worked. According to the Jalisco state prosecutor’s office, a man entered the premises and shot her. Marquez had been livestreaming shortly before the incident, seated at a table holding a stuffed toy. She was heard saying, “they’re coming,” before briefly muting the audio. Gunshots were then heard, and someone appeared to pick up her phone, briefly revealing their face before the stream ended.
The footage, while not graphic, has raised serious concerns about the circumstances leading to her deathInstagram/ elcucutenonoticias
Earlier in the livestream, Marquez mentioned that someone had left an “expensive gift” for her at the salon while she was away. Appearing concerned, she stated that she had no intention of waiting for the person to return.
Marquez had a significant online following, with nearly 200,000 followers on TikTok and Instagram combined. Her death has reignited concerns over gender-based violence in Mexico, where femicide remains a persistent issue.
Mexican authorities define femicide as the killing of a woman under circumstances involving sexual violence, degrading treatment, a relationship with the perpetrator, or public exposure of the body. The country recorded a femicide rate of 1.3 per 100,000 women in 2023, placing it alongside Paraguay, Uruguay, and Bolivia with the fourth-highest rate in Latin America and the Caribbean, according to United Nations data.
Jalisco, the state where the incident occurred, ranks sixth nationally in terms of homicides. Since President Claudia Sheinbaum took office in October 2024, 906 homicides have been recorded in the state, according to figures from data consultancy TResearch.
TWO brothers have been fined £20,000 and put on the ‘rogue landlord’ database after 15 people were found crammed inside a seven-bed property in north London.
Council officers also found smoke alarms covered with aluminium foil and fire doors missing after being tipped off by a neighbour.
Housing enforcement officers from Brent Council paid a visit to the property on Ilmington Road in Kenton after reports it was operating as an unlicensed house of multiple occupancy (HMO).
Landlords in Brent can get an unlimited fine upon prosecution and a criminal record if they do not obtain a licence. Alternatively, they could receive a civil penalty of up to £30,000 per offence and be banned from running a rental property.
Brothers Vimal and Ravi Kanji Bhudia had rented out the seven-bedroom property to 15 people, all young students who were forced to sleep on mattresses on the floor, two or three to a room. The house was also found not to meet fire safety regulations as the smoke alarm had been covered and safety doors removed, following the inspection in July last year.
Despite living locally, the landlords did not respond to notices from the council about the need for an HMO licence.
The council issued enforcement action and the brothers appeared at Willesden magistrates court last week, where they were told they had been given “a significant amount of time and opportunities” to respond.
They both pleaded guilty to the charges of breaching housing regulations and failure to have a licence, and were issued a £20,000 fine.
The cabinet member for housing and residents services, councillor Fleur Donnelly-Jackson, said the brothers “acted as if they were above the law” and have ultimately paid “a heavy price for it”.
She added: “Every landlord in Brent is legally required to have a licence. The law exists to protect tenants from rogue landlords who overcrowd their homes and ignore fire safety regulations while pocketing their tenants’ money.
The aluminium foil covered smoke alarms
“Every Brent resident has the right to live in a safe and secure home.”
Borough-wide licensing became law in 2020, requiring all landlords renting out HMO properties in Brent, except Wembley Park, to obtain a licence. However, the five-year programme ended in January, during which 2,500 were licenced.
The council is currently running a consultation on plans to extend it which, if approved, will come into force in the autumn. The local authority claims the previous licensing scheme helped it “improve standards and management practices” of many HMOs across the borough, but acknowledges that a significant number are still “still substandard and potentially dangerous”.
The private rental sector is increasingly being used to address a shortfall in social housing, and the council wants to use tougher rules to “drive up standards” and make them safer.
Licensing imposes specific obligations on the landlord to demonstrate that their property is safe while enabling the council to enforce rules. The licence would cost landlords £1,040 for the application, processing and inspection of up to five habitable rooms – either a lounge, dining room or bedroom – and a further £25 per additional room.
If the property licence holder or managing agent is accredited to the London Landlord Accreditation Scheme, the council has proposed a £40 discount per property application.
INDIA’S prime minister Narendra Modi on Monday (12) vowed to respond forcefully to any future “terrorist attack” after days of escalating tensions with Pakistan.
In his address to the nation, Modi warned New Delhi would not accept “nuclear blackmail” if further conflict with Pakistan were to occur.
A weekend ceasefire between the two countries appeared to be holding this week, after four days of heavy fighting. Last week’s conflict involved jetfighters, missiles, drones and artillery attacks, marking the worst violence between the countries since 1999.
Global leaders, including UK foreign secretary David Lammy, said the current tense situation requires “sustained dialogue between both sides” to prevent further hostilities in the region.
The UK welcomed the ceasefire agreement last Saturday (10) and encouraged both countries to continue working towards deescalation. Urging both India and Pakistan to “sustain the ceasefire”, Lammy said he had chaired a COBRA meeting on the situation and that maintaining the truce was a priority.
“I know the images from India and Pakistan have been deeply worrying for many communities in Britain, and for those living and working in both countries,” the foreign secretary said. “Given our strong and close relationships with India and Pakistan, the UK stands ready to work with both sides to make lasting peace a reality.”
He said he had spoken to India’s external affairs minister, S Jaishankar, and Pakistan’s deputy prime minister and foreign minister Ishaq Dar.
“My message to both was the same – ensure this ceasefire agreement is extended and sustained. Further conflict is in nobody’s interest,” he said.
Lammy also said the UK was working with the US, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and EU counterparts to support peace. Foreign Office teams were in touch with airlines and advising British nationals in the region.
“We value the contribution of British Pakistani and British Indian communities to this country, and their long and proud history of living here side by side,” he said.
The cross-border firing caused extensive damage to people’s homes
The ceasefire was announced last Saturday by US president Donald Trump. He said on Monday his country’s intervention had prevented a “bad nuclear war”.
“We stopped a nuclear conflict... millions of people could have been killed. So, I’m very proud of that,” he told reporters at the White House.
Top Indian and Pakistan military officials held briefings late last Sunday, with each side claiming the upper hand and warning they were ready to respond if there were fresh attacks.
“We have delivered on the promise that we made to our people”, said Pakistan’s military spokesman, Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, calling it a “success on the battleground”.
“We have thus far exercised immense restraint and our actions have been focused, measured and non-escalatory,” said India’s Lieutenant General Rajiv Gha.
Pakistan claimed to have downed five Indian fighter jets, something New Delhi has not commented on.
People returned to Poonch earlier this week, a frontier town in Indian Kashmir and one of the worst-hit places.
But thousands of schools remained closed across Pakistani Kashmir as areas were cleared of debris from strikes and firing, said local official Naveed-Ul-Hassan Bukhari.
Pakistan’s foreign ministry said it hoped “India will prioritise regional stability and the well-being of its citizens over narrow, politically motivated jingoism”.
Modi, in a televised address to the nation on Monday, his first since hostilities began last Wednesday (7), said Pakistan has chosen to attack, rather than help it fight “terrorism”.
“If another terrorist attack against India is carried out, a strong response will be given,” he said.
The conflict followed an April 22 attack on tourists in Indian Kashmir, which killed 26 civilians. India accused Pakistan of backing the attack, but Islamabad denied involvement.
However, before dawn last Wednesday, India launched a series of missile attacks destroying what it called “terrorist camps” in Pakistani Kashmir.
Each side then accused the other of launching waves of aircraft and drone strikes, as well as missile and artillery bombardments that killed at least 60 people on both sides.
“If Pakistan wants to survive, it will have to destroy its terror infrastructure,” Modi said. “India will strike with precision and decisiveness against the terrorist groups thriving under the cover of nuclear blackmail.
“India’s stand is very clear. Terror and talks cannot go together... Terror and trade cannot go together... Water and blood cannot flow together.”
On Tuesday (13), the prime minister delivered another message to Islamabad from Adampur Air Base, just 100 km from the Pakistan border. “Operation Sindoor has now drawn a clear Lakshman rekha [red line] for Pakistan,” said Modi, who was wearing a Western Air Command cap with its trademark trident emblem.
“When our armed forces take the wind out of nuclear blackmail, our enemies understand the importance of Bharat mata ki jai,” he said with an S-400 missile defence system visible behind him.
The prime minister praised the military for their recent success in the fourday engagement known as Operation Sindoor, which resulted in the destruction of nine terrorist sites and damage to eight Pakistani military installations.
“What you have achieved is unprecedented, unimaginable and amazing,” Modi told the soldiers, who had greeted his surprise arrival with patriotic chants.
Pakistan previously falsely claimed to have destroyed that particular base, including its S-400 missile launchers. Adampur is India’s second-largest air base, home to Rafale and MiG-29 squadrons. It has historical importance, having played crucial roles in the 1969 and 1971 wars with Pakistan.
The Pakistan army has widespread support in the country
Meanwhile, many in Indian Kashmir are demanding compensation for damages from cross-border firing.
Hundreds of villagers evacuated their homes as both countries targeted each other’s military installations with missiles and drones. Many returned to find their homes destroyed or roofless.
“Where will we go with our kids? We don’t have anywhere to live and anything to eat,” said Roshan Lal, from the village of Kot Maira in Akhnoor in India’s district of Jammu, about seven km (four miles) from the de facto border.
The shelling had left his home uninhabitable, the 47-year-old added.
“I want to ask Modi’s government for justice,” he said. “We need compensation for the damages.”
In the nearby village of Pahari Wala, farmer Karan Singh said he buried seven cattle in his field, while his family are living in makeshift shelters. “I left the village when the conflict began,” he said.
“We don’t have a place to stay.”
In Salamabad, a border village in the Kashmir Valley, shelling injured Badrudin Naik and his six-year-old son, but both returned home after five days.
“I am happy to return,” he said. “But my house is damaged. My two uncles’ houses were completely destroyed. We want permanent peace as it is we on the border who suffer more.”
Pakistan’s army said on Tuesday that more than 50 people were killed in military clashes with India.
India has said at least five military personnel and 16 civilians died.
Trump, meanwhile, said he promised to do a “lot of trade” with India and Pakistan, after which the countries agreed to a ceasefire, describing “the historic events that took place over the last few days”.
“We helped a lot, and we also helped with trade. I said, ‘Come on, we’re going to do a lot of trade with you guys. Let’s stop it, let’s stop it. If you stop it, we’re doing trade. If you don’t stop it, we’re not going to do any trade.
“People have never really used trade the way I used it. By that, I can tell you, and all of a sudden they said, ‘I think we’re gonna stop’, and they have,” he US president said.
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Anita Anand speaks at a press conference in the Old Port of Montreal in Montreal, Canada, on February 19, 2025. (Photo by ANDREJ IVANOV/AFP via Getty Images)
INDO-CANADIANS Anita Anand and Maninder Sidhu have landed important portfolios in the new cabinet announced by prime minister Mark Carney after reshuffle.
While Anand was appointed as the minister of foreign affairs, Sidhu is the new minister for international trade in the new cabinet.
Carney announced the reshuffle almost two weeks after his Liberal Party won the federal elections in Canada. He had replaced Justin Trudeau months ahead of the elections.
Anand, 58, was the minister of innovation, science and industry before the polls and in the past has served in the roles including of defence minister. She replaced Melanie Joly, who is now the minister of industry.
“I am honoured to be named Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs. I look forward to working with Prime Minister Mark Carney and our team to build a safer, fairer world and deliver for Canadians,” Anand, an MP from Oakville East, posted on X soon after taking oath.
Sidhu, 41, also took to X after swearing-in and said, it is an “honour of a lifetime” to be appointed as Canada’s international trade minister.
Maninder Sidhu
“I’m grateful to Prime Minister @MarkJCarney for the confidence he’s placed in me to diversify trade, support Canadian businesses in reaching new global markets, and help create good-paying jobs across Canada,” he said.
“I’m proud to stand alongside my colleagues as we work together to build the fastest-growing economy in the G7,” he added in the post on X.
Sidhu’s appointment comes at a time when Canada is battling the Trump administration’s aggression towards Canada on tariffs.
Anand, who was a front-runner in the race to be the next prime minister to replace Trudeau, had in January declared that she is backing out from the race and also that she would not be seeking re-election.
However, she had reversed the decision on March 1 saying, “Canada is facing a crucial moment in our nation’s history.” Born and raised in rural Nova Scotia, Anand moved to Ontario in 1985.
The prime minister of Canada’s website mentioned that Anand was first elected as an MP for Oakville in 2019 and previously served as president of the Treasury Board, as minister of national defence, and as minister of public services and procurement.
Anand has worked as a scholar, lawyer, and researcher. She has been a legal academic, including as a Professor of Law at the University of Toronto, where she held the J R Kimber Chair in Investor Protection and Corporate Governance,” it said and listed her other academic achievements too.
According to Sidhu’s website, the entrepreneur has been an MP from Brampton East since 2019 and for over four years, he has also been a parliamentary secretary at Global Affairs Canada “helping to strengthen diplomatic relations, promoting international trade, and supporting international development.”
Among the secretaries – basically junior ministers – is Randeep Sarai, secretary of state (international sevelopment). He is a member of parliament from Surrey Centre.