Ministers Urged to Halt UK Data Sharing with China Amid Security Concerns

Ministers face calls to stop sharing UK citizens' data with China after a major breach. US orders military action against Iran. Foreign Office unit monitoring Israel closed amid cuts. Assisted dying bill debated; Nigel Farage vows to challenge benefits culture.

Data Sharing with China Under Scrutiny

The Times reports that government ministers are under pressure to prohibit the sharing of British citizens' personal data with China following a significant breach involving the private medical records of 500,000 individuals. Volunteers who contributed their DNA and healthcare information to UK Biobank were informed that their data had been listed for sale on a Chinese website.

The newspaper cites an anonymous Whitehall official who criticized the charity's data management, stating that it has been

"very, very lax"

regarding access permissions.

The Foreign Office has shut a unit tracking potential law breaches by Israel in Gaza because of cuts, reports . It also carries the Biobank data breach story, saying it was found for sale on "three separate listings last week". Elsewhere, a civil servant tasked with compiling documents for Lord Mandelson's appointment to be UK ambassador in the US said she had not been given files relating to his security vetting. And a photo of a group of women mourning and carrying red posters of the journalist Amal Khalil, who was killed in an Israeli strike in Lebanon, is splashed.

US Military Orders to Target Iranian Vessels

The i Paper highlights US President Donald Trump's directive for the US military to engage Iranian ships in the Strait of Hormuz, framing it as part of efforts to assert control over the strategic waterway.

The Financial Times echoes this development with the headline

"US kill order on minelaying"

, emphasizing the military's readiness to act against Iranian minelaying activities.

US President Donald Trump's "new orders" to the US Navy in the Persian Gulf to "shoot and kill" lead the i Paper. "Iran peace talks stall," it adds, noting a "tense standoff as fears grow of return to conflict".

A "tech arms race" tops the Financial Times, as it says the US has accused China of "industrial-scale theft from AI labs". A photo of masked soldiers scaling the side of a ship takes up much of the front page - it was broadcast on Iranian state television and "claims to show the country's soldiers taking part in the seizure of container ships in the Strait of Hormuz".

Closure of Foreign Office Unit Monitoring Israel

reveals that a Foreign Office unit responsible for monitoring potential breaches of international law by Israel in Gaza and Lebanon is being disbanded due to budget cuts. This decision follows Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper's recent statement affirming that support for international law remains a core priority for the department.

The report also notes that the Biobank data breach was found listed for sale on three separate occasions last week. Additionally, the paper mentions a civil servant involved in preparing documents for Lord Mandelson's appointment as UK ambassador to the US who reported not receiving files related to his security vetting.

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includes a photograph depicting women mourning and holding red posters of journalist Amal Khalil, who was killed in an Israeli strike in Lebanon.

Attorney General's Legal Fees Questioned

The Daily Telegraph reports allegations against Attorney General Lord Hermer for seeking excessive legal fees in a "witch hunt" investigating false war crimes accusations against British soldiers. Lord Hermer reportedly aimed to charge £450 per hour to clients later identified as Iraqi insurgents.

A spokesperson for Lord Hermer responded, asserting that any claims of knowingly acting on false allegations are

"categorically untrue"

The Daily Telegraph reports on "Hermer's 'excessive' fee for Iraq witch hunt", saying that Lord Hermer, the attorney general, was challenged by government lawyers over a "£450-an-hour rate" he was reportedly seeking to pursue claims of murder and assault against British troops in Iraq in 2004. The troops were later fully exonerated by a public inquiry. A spokesman for Lord Hermer said: "It is extremely common for a party to challenge every aspect of settlement costs, including legal fees. It is incorrect to suggest that this is in any way irregular."

Nigel Farage Targets Benefits System

In an interview with the Daily Mail, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage commits to combating what he describes as Britain's benefits culture.

In the Daily Mail's top story, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage announces he will "wage 'war' on benefits culture". Also on the front page, the "BBC kills off Football Focus after 52 years as ratings tank". Alex Kay-Jelski, director of . said: "This decision was made before last week's wider BBC savings announcement, reflecting the continued shift in how audiences engage with football and our commitment to evolving how we deliver content to reach fans wherever they are."

Assisted Dying Bill Faces Commons Vote

The Daily Express leads with a call from Dame Esther Rantzen to sustain momentum for the assisted dying bill, which is anticipated to be debated in the Commons today. She urges readers to voice their support for the legislation.

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