Iran is 'open' to talks on Strait of Hormuz, Iranian FM says - Middle East conflict on 15 March
Iran says it is open to talks with countries seeking safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz - disrupted by recent attacks - as Israel continues ...
Police in Britain said Peter Mandelson, the former U.K. ambassador to the United States, has been released on bail after being arrested as part of a misconduct in public office investigation linked to the Epstein files.
A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police in a statement said, “A 72-year-old man arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office has been released on bail pending further investigation.
“He was detained at an address in Camden on Monday, 23 February, and taken to a London police station for questioning. The arrest followed the execution of search warrants at two properties in the Wiltshire and Camden areas. We are unable to provide further details at this time in order to protect the integrity of the investigation,” Metropolitan Police said.
Mandelson, 72, was fired from the most prestigious posting in Britain's diplomatic service in September, when the depth of his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein started to become clear.
He has previously denied any criminal wrongdoing.
Mandelson was filmed leaving his central London home on the 23 February in the afternoon. He was accompanied by plainclothes officers wearing body cameras, before being driven away in a car.
A separate statement later said he had been released on bail, pending further investigation, and he was seen returning home at around 0200 GMT.
The arrest means police suspect a crime has been committed but does not imply any guilt.
There was no immediate response from Mandelson's lawyers.
Police earlier this month began a criminal investigation into Mandelson after Prime Minister Keir Starmer's government passed on communications between the former ambassador and Epstein.
Earlier on Monday afternoon the government said that documents relating to Mandelson’s appointment as U.S. ambassador would be published in early March.
Emails between Mandelson and Epstein, released by the U.S. Department of Justice in late January, showed the two men had a closer relationship than had been publicly known, and Mandelson had shared information with the financier when he was a minister in former Prime Minister Gordon Brown's government in 2009.
Mandelson, who this month resigned from Starmer's Labour Party and quit his position in parliament's upper chamber, has previously said he "very deeply" regretted his association with Epstein. But he has not commented publicly or responded to messages seeking comment on the latest revelations.
Mandelson's homes in London and west England were searched by police earlier this month.
A long-running investigation has suggested that the street artist known as Banksy may be legally named David Jones. A report indicates that Jones was previously known as Robin Gunningham, a name long associated with Banksy, before legally changing his name several years ago.
A widening conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel has triggered escalating military strikes across the Middle East, disrupted shipping through the strategic Strait of Hormuz and raised concerns over global energy supplies. This live report tracks the latest developments.
Iran says it is open to talks with countries seeking safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz - disrupted by recent attacks - as Israel continues to launch wide‑scale strikes on Iranian infrastructure in the west. This live report tracks the latest developments.
North Korea fired what appeared to be a ballistic missile on Saturday (14 March), Japanese and South Korean officials said. The development comes amid the joint annual U.S.-South Korea "Freedom Shield" military drills and South Korean Prime Minister Kim Min-seok's visit to Washington.
Ukrainian drones struck an oil refinery and a key port in Russia’s southern Krasnodar region overnight (13-14 March), local authorities said, causing injuries and damage. In separate action, Russian air attacks on Ukrainian territory killed and wounded civilians near Kyiv, officials reported.
Canada and the five Nordic countries have agreed to deepen cooperation in military procurement and other areas, in the latest push by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney to build new global alliances.
Top U.S. and Chinese economic officials launched a new round of talks in Paris on Sunday (15 March) to resolve issues in their trade truce. The discussions aim to smooth the way for U.S. President Donald Trump’s visit to Beijing to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping at the end of March.
Ukraine wants money and technology in return for helping Middle Eastern nations that have sought its expertise as they defend against Iranian kamikaze drones, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, after Kyiv sent specialists to the region.
French voters head to the polls on Sunday (15 March) to elect their mayors in a closely watched ballot seen as a test of the strength of the far-right and the resilience of mainstream parties ahead of next year's presidential vote.
Tens of millions of Vietnamese were voting on Sunday (15 March) to elect members of parliament from a list of candidates almost exclusively fielded by the Communist Party, ensuring the party's continued overwhelming dominance.
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