Ministers have been urged to do more to protect the public after data from 500,000 people who volunteered their health information to the UK Biobank was breached and offered for sale online in China.

Information of all half a million members had been listed for sale on the website Alibaba, said science minister Ian Murray, as he called the incident an “unacceptable abuse” of data.

Mr Muarry told the Commons on Thursday that the charity had informed the government about the data breach on Monday, and said the information did not include names, addresses or contact details.

But Dame Chi Onwurah, the Labour chair of the science, innovation and technology committee, said it was “another blow to public confidence”, adding that it showed “little progress had been made” in protecting public data after she said she was given assurance by Mr Murray in February that standards of public sector information security and data hygiene would improve.

She said: “[The] statement, however, demonstrates just how little progress has been made. It raises serious questions about whether lessons have been learned from repeated data breaches and leaks, and whether robust data management practices are being enforced at publicly funded bodies.

“Public trust in the handling of sensitive data is handled is key to the government’s digital transformation ambitions. This is another blow to public confidence.”

The Biobank is the world’s most comprehensive dataset of biological, health and lifestyle information. It has been used to achieve improvements in the detection and treatment of dementia, cancers and Parkinson’s.

Mr Murray told MPs: “Biobank told us that three listings that appear to sell … Biobank participation data had been identified. At least one of these three datasets appeared to contain data from all 500,000 UK Biobank volunteers.

“Additional listings offer support for applying for legitimate access to UK Biobank or analytical support for researchers who already have access to the data.”

“The government has spoken to the vendor today, and they did not believe that there were any purchases from the three listings before they were taken down,” Mr Murray added.

The UK Biobank was established to advance medical research and scientists from across the world can use its data – with the personal information removed – for studies that are deemed in the public interest.

All of the participants were aged between 40 and 69 years old when they joined the study between 2006 and 2010. Their data is used to track their long-term health and help researchers to understand, prevent and treat serious illnesses.

UK Biobank has referred itself to the Information Commissioner’s Office following the breach, said Mr Murray, who said the data involved in the breach could include gender, age, month and year of birth, socioeconomic status, lifestyle habits, and measures from biological samples.

He said he could not give a complete guarantee that nobody could be identified, but said it would likely only be done so through a “very advanced way”.

In a statement, he told the Commons: “Once the government was made aware of the situation, we took immediate action to protect participants’ data. Firstly, we worked with Biobank, the Chinese government and the vendor, to ensure that those three listings – that UK Biobank informed us (of), including participant data – had been removed.

“I want to thank the Chinese government for the seriousness with which they work with us to help remove these listings.

“Secondly, we ensured that the Biobank charity revoked access to three research institutions identified as the source of that information.

“And thirdly, we have asked that the Biobank charity pause further access to its data until they put in place a technical solution to prevent data from its current platform from being downloaded in this way again. I can confirm to the House that this pause is now in place.”

In a statement published on Thursday, Professor Sir Rory Collins, chief executive and principal investigator of UK Biobank, told those in the study: “We would like to inform you about an incident involving UK Biobank data.

“We apologise to our participants for the concern this will cause, and we hope to provide reassurance by outlining the serious actions we are taking in response.

“Your personally identifying information in UK Biobank is safe and secure.

“Listings offering access to UK Biobank data (which did not contain any personally identifying information) were found on a Chinese consumer website. These listings were swiftly removed before any purchases were made.

“We are putting in place additional security measures to prevent this happening again. We will conduct a comprehensive investigation into this incident.

“Since UK Biobank started to make your de-identified data available for research in 2012, it has led to thousands of discoveries that are already leading to improvements in the prevention and treatment of many different diseases.”

Professor Elena Simperl, Department of Informatics at King’s College London, said: “The recent UK Biobank data exposure is not a moment to point fingers, but to take seriously what it tells us about national data infrastructure. Initiatives like UK Biobank are absolutely essential to driving innovation across the health and life sciences ecosystem.

“With longitudinal data on half a million volunteers and more than 18,000 peer-reviewed papers to its name, the UK is world-leading in this space, and rightly proud of it.

“What happened here was an infrastructure problem, not the result of a complex cyber attack. Too often, the costs of maintaining infrastructure for flagship data stewardship projects like this are treated as an afterthought. The UK has built something remarkable, but we need to keep investing in keeping it safe.”

Passengers travelling to and from Sunderland are advised to prepare for changes to rail services on Sunday, May 3, and bank holiday Monday, May 4, due to engineering work by Network Rail.

Work will take place at three locations in the region as part of efforts to improve service reliability and reduce delays.

This includes drainage improvements at Sunderland station to help prevent flooding, upgrades to the level crossing at Tile Shed in East Boldon, and the installation of new switches and crossings at Pelaw in Gateshead.

Gunnar Lindahl, joint operations director for Network Rail and LNER, said: “By upgrading track equipment, level crossings and drainage, we’re helping to reduce future delays and keep services running safely.

“We’d like to thank passengers for their patience while this essential work is completed and encourage them to check their journeys before travelling.”

The planned works will result in significant service changes. Northern train services between Newcastle and Horden will be replaced by buses, and there will be no Grand Central trains to or from Sunderland.

Metro services will also be affected, with no trains running between Pelaw and South Hylton.

A replacement bus service, 901, will run between South Hylton and Heworth, serving all stations.

A spokesman for train operators said: “Because of this planned engineering work, some services to and from Sunderland will be altered on May 3 and the bank holiday of 4 May, with replacement buses operating on parts of the route.

“Customers are encouraged to plan ahead and check journey details in advance.”

Meghan Markle, who is the Duchess of Sussex, has been married to Prince for nearly eight years, tying the knot in 2018, some time after her divorce to Trevor Engelson

Meghan Markle gave a bride-to-be some candid advice about marriage during her tour of Australia.

The Duchess of Sussex, 44, was snapped talking to Ellie, wishing the woman “a lifetime of love” as she prepared to tie the knot. Meghan, who has been married to Prince for nearly eight years, said: “I just wanted to say congratulations on your wedding. Enjoy the wedding, but it’s more about the marriage… Sending you love all over the world. Your dad is awesome.”

Meghan met Harry ten years ago and, in May 2018, more than 27 million watched on TV as Meghan walked down the aisle of St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle. She and Harry have since had two children; Prince Archie, six, and four-year-old Princess Lilibet.

Meghan, a former actress, dished out the tips last week during her visit to Bondi Beach, Sydney, during her and Harry’s four-day trip to Australia. She has been praised on social media for the sweet moment.

READ MORE: Prince Harry’s telling gesture in Ukraine shows key departure from Royal lifeREAD MORE: Meghan Markle’s latest strategy to impress Netflix bosses is branded ‘annoying’

Writing on social media, one fan said: “This is a nice thing to say… She made some random lady’s day, made her dad feel special.” Another person shared: “That was the cutest greeting.”

The Duchess met Harry through a mutual friend, when she was in London for the Wimbledon tournament. They began dating in 2016, two years after Meghan’s divorce to film producer Trevor Engelson. The pair, who met in the film industry, were married for three years.

Despite the ill-fated first marriage, Meghan’s union with Harry has grown in strength since 2018 and, in 2020, they made the big decision to move to the US together, thereby ending their royal duties.

READ MORE: Meghan Markle mocked after her three-word plea during Australia tour

In her Netflix lifestyle series With Love, Meghan, Meghan Markle revealed that she and Prince Harry first said “I love you” on their third date—a milestone moment that came during a camping trip to Botswana.

Their journey since then has been far from straightforward, marked by their decision to step back from royal duties and build a new life together in Montecito. Now together for nearly a decade, the couple will celebrate six years of marriage on May 19. Along the way, they have signed major media deals and taken part in high-profile interviews, drawing widespread attention as well as controversy.

The Duchess and Duke of Sussex had visited Bondi Beach on the final day of their 2026 Australia tour to meet the first responders and survivors of the December 2025 Bondi Beach terror attack, along with representatives of the Sydney Jewish Museum

NEW YORK (AP) — President Donald Trump said Thursday that he was weighing a taxpayer-funded takeover of Spirit Airlines with the intent of reselling the struggling budget carrier after oil prices drop.

The president confirmed his continued interest in offering Spirit a financial lifeline after a lawyer told a U.S. Bankruptcy Court that the airline was in advanced talks with the U.S. government on a financing deal that would allow Spirit to emerge from Chapter 11 protection.

“They have some good aircraft and good assets, and when the prices of oil goes down, we’ll sell it for a profit,” Trump said, speaking at an unrelated Oval Office event. “I’d love to be able to save those jobs. I’d love to be able to save an airline.”

Trump stoked speculation of a deal to save Spirit on Tuesday when he encouraged a buyer to rescue the airline and suggested the federal government could help keep it afloat.

The White House has attempted to blame Spirit’s predicament on the Biden administration, which in 2023 sued to stop JetBlue Airways from buying Spirit for $3.8 billion. A little more than a year before Trump replaced Joe Biden as president, a federal judge in Dallas blocked a proposed Spirit-JetBlue merger, saying it would drive up airfares for passengers.

Trump said he had “a smart person” in mind who could potentially run Spirit and that he believed the airline could get back on solid financial footing.

“And they have some very good slots too, which are pretty valuable,” the president added, referring to scheduled times allocated for airlines to take off or land at airports when demand exceeds available capacity.

Spirit has struggled with losses for years. The airline filed for Chapter 11 protection in November 2024 and again in August 2025. With the Iran war driving up jet fuel costs for all airlines, creditors earlier this month expressed doubts about Spirit’s ongoing viability, raising the possibility the airline recognized for its bright yellow planes would be forced to sell its assets and cease operating.

Before Trump’s comments about the government buying the airline outright, Marshall Huebner, a lawyer with Davis Polk who is representing Spirit, said during a U.S. Bankruptcy Court hearing in New York that government financing would make a reorganization possible and help Spirit be more competitive.

Details of a potential deal were shared with all three of the company’s primary creditor groups, Huebner said.

It was not immediately clear how a federal acquisition would differ from the terms that were under discussion. The size and terms of the financing aid were not shared publicly. The Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg, citing unnamed sources, both reported an amount of $500 million that would give the government an option to acquire a sizable stake in the airline, which has its headquarters in Florida.

Earlier this week, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy voiced skepticism about the government stepping in to keep Spirit alive. In a CBS interview that aired Tuesday night, Duffy questioned whether a deal would set a broader precedent.

“Then who else comes to my door?” he said, referring to other airlines potentially requesting government aid. “The question will be, can we do anything to save Spirit and make it viable, or would we be putting good money into a company that inevitably is going to be liquidated?”

Several lawmakers, both Republican and Democrats, also balked at the idea of a bailout. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas wrote on X on Wednesday that a deal for Spirit would be a “terrible idea.”

“If Spirit’s creditors or other potential investors don’t think they can run it profitably coming out of its second bankruptcy in under two years, I doubt the US Government can either,” Tom Cotton, a senator from Arkansas, posted on X. “Not the best use of taxpayer dollars.”

The union that represents the airline’s pilots, on the other hand, voiced “strong support” for a rescue deal.

“Spirit is the reason so many Americans can afford to visit family, travel for work, or take a vacation,” said Capt. Ryan P. Muller, chair of the Spirit Airlines ALPA Master Executive Council. “When Spirit enters a market, fares go down.”

Spirit’s relatively young fleet has made it an attractive acquisition target. But previous buyout attempts from budget rivals like JetBlue and Frontier were unsuccessful both before and during Spirit’s first bankruptcy.

__

Madhani reported from Washington. AP writers Josh Boak in Washington and Rio Yamat in Las Vegas contributed to this report.

Kofi Offeh, leader of the so-called Kingdom of Kubala, has been deported to Ghana.

A self-styled African tribe leader who set up camp in the Scottish Borders has been deported. Ghanaian Kofi Offeh, who claimed to be King Atehene, was filmed by local media returning to Ghana earlier this week.

Offeh had established a camp in a wooded area near Jedburgh last year along with two women. Multiple attempts were made to evict the so-called Kingdom of Kubala from the site by Scottish Borders Council, who owned the land, before they were finally evicted in October.

According to the BBC, Home Office officials have confirmed that Offeh has been deported. Jedburgh and District councillor Scott Hamilton said that it was a “huge relief” that the group were now gone.

He said: “When we reflect on what actually happened last year in Jedburgh, I don’t think we can ever make sense of it.

“They were a group who were filled with so much hatred, they caused so much aggravation in the community, thank goodness we have finally got rid of them.”

“I didn’t want this to represent the people of Jedburgh because they are a welcoming community, a really tolerant community and they just pushed the boundaries, this group,” he added.

Offeh was filmed arriving at Accra International Airport in Ghana, earlier this week.

During their time in the Borders, the self-proclaimed kingdom claimed that they they were reclaiming land stolen from their ancestors 400 years ago. The group refused to recognise the powers of the courts to evict them before their eviction was streamed live on TikTok.

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“Handmaiden” Kaura Taylor, from Texas, was handcuffed alongside Offeh by immigration officers. Both were arrested on suspicion of immigration offences but Taylor was later released.

The other woman, Jean Gasho, 43, from Zimbabwe, left with her head covered, lying low in the back of a pick-up truck. Gasho had called herself Queen Nandi.

Initially the trio had set up on a site owned by David and Mary Palmer who successfully applied for the tribe to be evicted in September.

After they failed to comply with the court order, they were moved on by sheriff officers but set up a new camp a few metres away on land owned by Scottish Borders Council.

Following further legal action, the council were able to finally evict the trio the following month.

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US President Donald Trump says he took part in what he called “historic” negotiations

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Donald Trump has announced the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon has been extended by three weeks following what he described as “historic” negotiations.

The US president said the decision came after a meeting between US, Israeli and Lebanese officials in the Oval Office today, adding that the US will be working with Lebanon to “help it protect itself from Hezbollah”. The negotiations, also attended by Vice-President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, went “very well,” according to Trump.

He also told his social media followers that he plans to have a meeting with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, reports the Mirror.

Taking to Truth Social, Trump stated: “The United States is going to work with Lebanon in order to help it protect itself from Hezbollah. The Ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon will be extended by THREE WEEKS.

“I look forward in the near future to hosting the Prime Minister of Israel, Bibi Netanyahu, and the President of Lebanon, Joseph Aoun. It was a Great Honor to be a participant at this very Historic Meeting! President DONALD J. TRUMP.”

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The Plough Inn, in Sleights near Whitby, and offers an opportunity to re-establish a traditional hospitality business in a scenic setting, according to property agent Christie & Co.

The characterful property features a bar, lounge, and dining area, as well as three en-suite B&B rooms and three-bedroom owner or manager accommodation.

Its traditional décor includes historical elements such as coped gables and shaped kneelers.

Marslie McGregor, senior business agent at Christie & Co, said: “The sale of The Plough presents an exciting opportunity for an operator to re-establish a valued village pub and develop a sustainable hospitality business rooted in its historic character.”

The pub includes a beer garden with views across Esk Valley and is positioned on a main route through Sleights, on the edge of the North York Moors National Park.

Ms McGregor said: “The building’s layout and beer garden with Esk Valley views offer practical spaces for food, drink, and events, while the presence of letting rooms with en suite facilities provides potential for additional revenue through accommodation.

“We encourage interested parties to get in touch for more information.”

The pub is a popular stopping point for visitors heading to Whitby and nearby attractions, including Whitby Abbey, Robin Hood’s Bay Beach, North Riding Forest Park, and Rosedale Abbey.

For more information visit the Christie & Co website.

Asked for his response to the President’s remarks during a visit to Kenton United Synagogue in Harrow, north-west London on Thursday, the Prime Minister said: “Well look, I’m the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, and I make my decisions based on what’s in the British national interest, and not what other people say or do.

The Bolton-born DJ, 51, will take over the slot in the summer, following the sacking of Scott Mills.

She started her broadcasting career on TV in 1996, presenting The Girlie Show on Channel 4, and later had stints on Channel 5 entertainment show Exclusive and Channel 4’s Born Sloppy.

She also worked at MTV before she joined The Big Breakfast as the “on the bed interviewer” talking to stars including Robbie Williams and Leonardo DiCaprio.

(Image: Ian West/PA Wire)

She joined the BBC in 1999, co-presenting a lunchtime Saturday show with Emma B before fronting the Radio 1 Breakfast show until 2003.

Over the course of her career Sara presented a range of shows for the network including the weekday afternoon show, weekday mornings and weekend afternoon show.

In 2011 Sara joined Radio 2 before launching her Sounds of the 80s programme in 2013.

In 2018 it was announced that Sara would succeed Simon Mayo in the teatime slot, where she promised listeners “plenty of giggles”.

The show features the popular Kids In The Car segment, where children send in messages while travelling in the car on the way home.

Sara Cox (Image: BBC)

Over the course of her career at the BBC she has participated in a number of challenges to help raise money for charity, including taking part in a non-stop 24-hour 80s Dance Challenge in 2017 for Comic Relief where she raised £1.2 million.

In November 2025, she completed Sara’s Great Northern Marathon Challenge, walking and running 135 miles in five days from Kielder Forest in Northumberland to Pudsey in West Yorkshire and raised £11.5 million for Children in Need.

Sara is married to marketing executive Ben Cyzer, with whom she shares two children. She also has a daughter with ex-husband Jon Carter.

Her memoir of growing up in 1980s Lancashire, Till the Cows Come Home: A Lancashire Childhood, was published in 2019 and she has also written two novels – Thrown and Way Back.

Line of Duty star Martin Compston has intervened in the Scottish election debate and urged Scots not to back “toxic“ Reform UK.

Martin Compston has urged Scots to back the SNP to keep Nigel Farage’s “toxic politics out of Scotland” as he accused Scottish Labour of wanting to do a deal with Reform.

The Line Of Duty Star has backed John Swinney as First Minister and called for people to “unite behind” his party.

The pair will campaign for the SNP in Inverclyde on Friday, the home of both Mr Compston and Malcom Offord, the leader of Reform UK Scotland.

Speaking ahead of his visit, Mr Compston accused Farage of seeking to shrink Scotland’s budget and its Parliament and said he would privatise the NHS “if he got half the chance”.

Along with the First Minister, the Scottish actor claimed Labour wants to work with Reform after the election.

Offord, along with other senior figures in Reform UK Scotland, have accused Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar of approaching them and offering to work with them to kick out the SNP after the election. Labour has denied this and accused Offord of lying.

Mr Compston, a vocal pro-independence supporter, is backing the SNP in the Scottish Parliament elections.

He said: “Nigel Farage isn’t interested in Scotland – he wants to cut our budget, shrink our Parliament and would privatise our NHS if he got half the chance. We should have none of it.

“And the fact that Labour are willing to work with him shows just how far they have fallen.

“On May 7, the way to keep Farage’s toxic politics out of Scotland is for people to unite behind the SNP – and the way to lock Farage out of Scotland for good is by becoming an independent country.”

In a joint call, Mr Swinney, who will visit Greenock Morton Football Club, said it was the SNP that offered Scots an alternative to Reform, which is currently battling Scottish Labour for second place in the polls.

The SNP leader said: “I am absolutely clear – I will have nothing to do with Nigel Farage, his man in Scotland Offord or Reform UK.

“Their politics are dangerous and the very idea that they could have power and influence in Parliament after the election will be really concerning to people across the country.

“We know what Reform would mean for Scotland and the fact that Labour are willing to work with them after the election shows just how desperate they have become.

“That is why we need an SNP majority at this election which will unlock the fresh start of independence and lock Nigel Farage out of power in Scotland.

“And I am asking people to unite behind the SNP for a government under my experienced, reliable leadership that is always on Scotland’s side.”

Scottish Labour said it was disappointed in the Sweet Sixteen actor.

A spokesperson for the party said: “The fact that the SNP are peddling the lies of Reform demonstrates just how far they have fallen.

“While he has made a career out of reading other people’s lines, it is certainty disappointing to see Martin Compston parroting the SNP’s absolute nonsense.

“Perhaps if he takes a closer look at their dismal campaign of misinformation and smears, he will see how utterly desperate they have become and distance himself from the SNP.”

Scottish Labour deputy leader Jackie Baillie said it was “dishonest” for the First Minister to say he would have nothing to do with Reform “when the SNP are ploughing money behind a Lord Offord advert promoting his lies about Anas Sarwar”.

She said: “Reform launched racist attack ads against Anas Sarwar during the Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse by-election, and have signalled they would be prepared to use them again.

“This is not a serious or credible party. Scottish Labour has been absolutely clear that there will be no pacts, no deals, and no coalitions – we are going flat out to win this election because Scotland needs change.

“John Swinney and the SNP should look themselves in the mirror and consider whether their desperate attempts to join forces with Reform to try and smear Anas Sarwar is morally the right thing to do.”

Reform UK Scotland has been approached for comment.

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