Mozilla to Mandate Data Collection Disclosures for All New Firefox Extensions
Mozilla to Mandate Data Collection Disclosures for All New Firefox Extensions — and for once, the label comes before the data grab. Starting November 3, 2025, any new add-on submitted to addons.mozilla.org must include a manifest.json key declaring whether it collects or transmits personal data. Even extensions that gather nothing must explicitly say “none,” because silence, as we’ve learned, often means “surprise.” Users will see this up front on the install prompt, the extension’s listing page, and in Firefox’s about:addons Permissions and Data section. Think of it as nutrition facts for your browser: clear, visible, and ideally low in surveillance calories.
50,000 native oysters released into Welsh waters in major milestone
50,000 native oysters released into Welsh waters in major milestone: West Wales just got a reef makeover as Câr-y-Môr and the Marine Conservation Society deployed 50,000 native oysters into Pembrokeshire’s Daugleddau Estuary—living filters set to clean murky water, lock away carbon, and build shelter for marine life. It’s part of Natur Am Byth!, a collaboration of charities and Natural Resources Wales backed by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and Welsh Government, aiming to revive once-abundant oyster beds and tackle poor water quality. Another 50,000 baby oysters have moved from Bangor University to Tethys Oysters in Angle Bay to grow under close monitoring before returning to the seabed in 2027. FatFace and its foundation are funding this nursery phase—retail therapy that actually helps the sea. The effort kick-starts the Marine Conservation Society’s Atlantic Coast Programme to restore “hero species” like oysters, seagrass, and kelp along the UK’s western shoreline—proof the best cleanup crews sometimes arrive in shells, not suits.
Europe This Week: Top Things to Do, Hear, See, and Watch
Europe This Week: Top Things to Do, Hear, See, and Watch—start by letting a London exhibition turn your heartbeat into art, because why not outsource your emotions to a gallery. Then crank up an exhilarating new album from Florence and the Machine, proof that ecstatic melancholy still writes better hooks than most campaigns. And if you like your culture with a side of dread, HBO’s new IT series serves clown-induced spooks—consider it cardio for the nervous system.
Asylum hotel system criticized as chaotic and wasteful, costing billions in taxpayer funds
Asylum hotel system criticized as chaotic and wasteful, costing billions in taxpayer funds: MPs on the Home Affairs Committee say the Home Office has presided over a “failed, chaotic and expensive” setup, turning a crisis into a cash machine for contractors. The expected cost of housing asylum seekers under current contracts from 2019 to 2029 has ballooned from £4.5 billion to £15.3 billion, while providers were allowed to rack up “excessive profits” and tens of millions owed back to the department still haven’t been reclaimed. Officials repeatedly cut corners, failed to plan long term, and didn’t require impact assessments before opening hotels—leaving some local services overwhelmed and community trust frayed amid misinformation. Protests, including in Epping, put the issue in the spotlight, with MPs noting many residents had genuine concerns. Committee chair Dame Karen Bradley urged the government to “get a grip,” and the Home Office replied it is closing hotels, claims to have cut costs by nearly £1 billion, and is exploring military bases and disused sites.
Tributes paid to ITV soap star and Doctor Who actor Tony Adams, who has died aged 84
Tributes are being paid to ITV soap star and Doctor Who actor Tony Adams, who has died aged 84. An original cast member of Crossroads, Adams also starred in General Hospital, leaving a lasting mark on British television across decades.
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