NEW: The Government has been warned by UK intelligence against allowing China to build a mega Embassy in central London.

A UK intel report cited concerns that the site may give access to critical communication cables which could be susceptible to attack.
inews.co.uk/news/politics/… The report was part of a 2019 UK intelligence assessment of China’s threat to the UK, according to two sources with direct knowledge.

A senior Whitehall source who read the report confirmed that access to the cables was a “clear concern” for the security services.

NEW: Tensions are increasing on the Taiwan strait.
🇹🇼🇨🇳
I went to Taiwan and spoke to over a dozen diplomats, MPs, intelligence officials and analysts to see how Europe would react to a Chinese invasion of the island.

I was staggered by what I found...🧵
inews.co.uk/news/uk-europe… I soon learnt that Europe would not have a military role to play in the region.

"We don’t even have the capacities to supply our own militaries and support Ukraine," a senior diplomatic source told me. “ We have reached a production limit and that is not good.”

🚨NEW: UK intelligence have raised security concerns about a Russian-owned flat overlooking MI6’s headquarters.

Concerns were raised after @theipaper traced the owners to a Moscow address next to a Kremlin facility responsible for developing Novichok.
inews.co.uk/news/mi6-secur… @theipaper The London penthouse sits on the top floor of the St George Wharf development with a roof terrace overlooking the MI6 HQ.

We learned that security concerns were raised about the apartment block, as well as Russian and Chinese-linked owners purchasing properties there.

🚨NEW: A Russian intelligence chief responsible for the unit that carried out the 2018 Salisbury poisonings is considered a leading suspect in the death of Prigozhin, intelligence sources have said.

inews.co.uk/news/salisbury… Major General Andrey Averyanov heads the GRU unit 29155, linked to multiple assassinations and interference campaigns abroad, including the Salisbury poisonings.

UK intelligence sources said Averyanov was a leading suspect after holding a “long grudge” with Prigozhin.

"We knew"

The Titan's implosion was picked up by a “classified military device” and assessed by officials from the UK and US shortly after comms with the vessel went dark.

It was "classified" and kept from some members of the search team

inews.co.uk/news/uk-us-det… Reporters from i pressed the US Coast Guard repeatedly on the suggestion of an implosion since Tuesday but requests were either ignored or met with “no comment”.

“By definition the word classified means we don’t detail that information,” the naval source told i.

NEW: UK and US officials picked up sound of submersible implosion but the information was "classified" and not shared widely.

inews.co.uk/news/uk-us-det… "We knew", said a UK naval source of the implosion.

It was picked up by a “classified military device” in the North Atlantic and assessed by officials from the UK and US shortly after communications with the vessel went dark.

On Monday, I was told by a source close to the investigation that US military equipment had picked up a “large acoustic signal” with the “signature of an implosion” at the time the Titan submersible went dark.

But the US coast guard repeatedly ignored me and kept this quite 1/ Given what an implosion meant - sudden loss of life for all on board - we decided not to publish this and wait until a loss of life was confirmed.

Investigators continued to say they held on to hope, reiterating that this was a rescue mission, not a recovery 2/

🚨NEW: An alleged Russian intelligence agent is living in the UK and his family used the Government’s Homes for Ukraine scheme to join him.

A six month investigation for @theipaper
inews.co.uk/news/alleged-r… @theipaper During the first days of Russia’s full-scale invasion, the Ukrainian businessman was able to enter the UK on a pre-existing visa.

By the summer of 2022, the suspected FSB agent had set up a lavish lifestyle in London, living in a multi-million-pound apartment.

💥Boris Johnson has used the compromised security of his old phone to delay handing WhatsApps over to the Covid Inquiry.

But one current and four former intelligence sources say there is “no reason” why material can't be securely accessed "very easily".
inews.co.uk/news/boris-joh… An intelligence officer currently advising the Government after holding a senior position at GCHQ told i:

“I really can’t see why the phone can’t be switched on in a controlled environment, the relevant WhatsApp data extracted and then turned off again.”

EXCLUSIVE: A UK law firm is bringing an action against Wagner Group, which faces allegations of terrorism, political assassinations, and using rape as a weapon of war

inews.co.uk/news/putins-me… A senior partner at McCue Jury and Partners just announced during an evidence session to MPs on the Foreign Affairs Committee:

"This is the first time in the world that Wagner and their likes have been sued by its victims - a historic moment"

🚨BREAKING: The Wagner Group is being sued in UK courts on allegations of terrorism - including assassination, and the use of rape as a weapon of war.

A senior partner at McCue Jury and Partners just announced during an evidence session to MPs on the Foreign Affairs Committee🧵 Jason McCue announced the "groundbreaking" legal action has "just this second" been commenced" against Wagner, telling the committee:

"This is the first time in the world that Wagner and their likes have been sued by its victims - a historic moment"

Tomorrow the Foreign Affairs Committee is holding an evidence session into the Wagner Group.

They will be told that Wagner is “a terrorist arm of the Russian state masquerading as a private security contractor.”

inews.co.uk/news/vladimir-… Writing in @theipaper Jason McCue - due to give evidence on Tuesday - says Wagner's activities are "the definition of terrorism."

"This is not controversial. What is controversial is that Wagner has not been designated as a terrorist group – or indeed Putin himself"

In 2013, Anshuman Chandra handed the FBI documents which showed Standard Chartered's books were awash with clients linked to Iran, terrorism, and money laundering.

Days later, investigators leaked his name to the bank.

Read our latest in #FinCENFiles

buzzfeednews.com/article/richho… After Candra passed along his records the FBI pursued an investigation. But an agent said their documents were not of any worth.

In the four years after they blew the whistle, the bank itself filed at least 35 SARs on companies that appeared in their disclosure

🚨EXCLUSIVE🚨

The FinCEN Files

An explosive cache of secret documents reveal how criminals use the world’s biggest banks to finance terror and death, and the government doesn’t stop it.

#FinCENFILES - a BuzzFeed News and ICIJ investigation

buzzfeednews.com/article/jasonl… The documents expose the hollowness of banking safeguards and the ease with which criminals have exploited them.

Profits from deadly drug wars, terror financing and embezzled fortunes flow into and out of these financial institutions, despite warnings from the banks’ own staff

NEW: A British Ex-Cop Training US Police On Riot Control — And Hanging Out At The White House — “Fluffed Up” His Credentials buzzfeednews.com/article/richho… Perrin posted pictures from behind police lines the day before the President’s infamous Lafayette Square tear gas photo op. He says he's been advising the Secret Service after becoming a top tactical advisor in Britain. But @AlbertoNardelli and I found about his credentials:

NEW: Leaked Data Shows Assaults On UK Emergency Workers Are Rising, Even As Other Crimes Are Falling buzzfeed.com/richholmes/cor… In four weeks during lockdown Police were called to more than 3000 attacks on emergency staff, up 16% from the same period in 2019. More than 300 involved “coughing or spitting on emergency workers” which were often “followed by other assaults”, according to the report.

NEW with @AlbertoNardelli: These Volunteers Say They Are Ready To Deliver Crucial Equipment — But The UK Government Hasn’t Used Them buzzfeed.com/richholmes/cor… Over 1500 Logistics firms and haulage companies from across the UK have put their names forward saying they stand ready to help NHS Supply Chain.

Firms capable of delivering "millions of masks" overnight are waiting idly while key health workers are still going without PPE.

New: This Man Thought He Bought His Country A Vast Supply Of Coronavirus Masks. It Was A Scam. buzzfeednews.com/article/richho… There are few face mask producers in Mongolia, so the government called on private donors to help the country’s hospitals stock up on personalised protective equipment.

One businessman was stirred into action.

New: The UK Missed Out On Thousands Of Extra Coronavirus Tests After A Communications Breakdown Between Two Government Agencies

From me, @alexwickham, @katiejmbaker and @AlbertoNardelli

buzzfeed.com/richholmes/uk-… Internal emails seen by @BuzzFeedNewsUK show that Public Health England failed to follow up on an initial request in JANUARY for help with testing from the UK's animal health agency.

Scientists there say it could do 40,000 coronavirus tests a week.

NEW: This Website Says It Has Coronavirus Masks — But It’s A Scam buzzfeednews.com/article/richho… A shortage of personal protective equipment has become an urgent problem for health workers in a number of outbreak hotspots around the world. Doctors in many countries have been pleading for donations — and good samaritans have been pitching in. But some are getting duped.

New from me: I Might Have Coronavirus, And I Had Contact With An NHS Worker. Why Can’t We Get Tested? buzzfeed.com/richholmes/cor… A serious flaw which identifies the importance of why our frontline staff should bee getting tests