live Iran, U.S. make competing claims over control of Strait of Hormuz
Iran says the Strait of Hormuz remains under its control, rejecting U.S. President Donald Trump’s claim of “total control” over t...
Britain’s Ministry of Defence is reviewing military flight records after files appeared to show that Jeffrey Epstein’s private jet landed at Royal Air Force bases, adding fresh pressure on police who are already examining his movements through several civilian airports.
The Ministry of Defence said it is reviewing flight logs that could contain information relating to Epstein after documents surfaced suggesting the late U.S. sex offender’s aircraft had landed at RAF bases.
Police had already begun assessing whether Epstein trafficked women through two London airports and a third airport in central England, as part of a nationwide effort to examine his links to Britain.
The newly surfaced files have prompted fresh calls for investigators to examine whether RAF Marham in eastern England and RAF Northolt in west London were also used.
Private jets regularly operate at Northolt, but it is far less common for them to land at Marham, which the ministry describes as a key frontline base.
Defence minister John Healey has ordered a formal review.
“The Defence Secretary has ordered a review of all records that the department may hold relating to Epstein flights landing at RAF bases to ensure that any information which relates to Epstein's crimes is uncovered and provided to the relevant authorities,” a ministry spokesperson said in a statement late on Thursday (26 February).
The ministry added that it would support any civilian investigations and said its thoughts were with the victims of Epstein’s “vile crimes.”
Nearly seven years after Epstein’s death, the scandal continues to reverberate across the British establishment.
Files released in January led to the brief arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor on 20 February. He was held on suspicion of misconduct in public office over allegations that he sent confidential government documents to Jeffrey Epstein.
Police said he was released under investigation. U.S. President Donald Trump described the arrest as a “shame.”
Britain may also draft legislation to remove Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, King Charles’s brother, from the line of succession after the police probe into his links to Epstein concludes, a UK official said on Friday (20 February).
Mountbatten-Windsor, the second son of the late Queen Elizabeth, has always denied any wrongdoing in relation to Epstein and said he regrets their friendship.
The former British ambassador to the U.S., Peter Mandelson, was also arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office and later released on bail as authorities reviewed material linked to his appointment and contacts referenced in the files.
Mandelson’s relationship with Epstein is at the centre of a British political scandal that has prompted calls for Prime Minister Keir Starmer to step down.
Disruption in the Strait of Hormuz has increased the strategic importance of Bab al-Mandab, raising fears that instability in both waterways could trigger a wider global energy and trade crisis.
Flights at Catania airport in Sicily will remain suspended until early Friday as ash from Mount Etna continues to disrupt air travel, following hundreds of cancellations and diversions over the past week.
Iran says the Strait of Hormuz remains under its control, rejecting U.S. President Donald Trump’s claim of “total control” over the strategic waterway and insisting it will not reopen until Washington fulfils its commitments under an interim deal.
Iran and the United States remain at loggerheads over efforts to agree a permanent end to the war in the Gulf, according to a senior Iranian source who said there had been no progress in talks to revive the interim deal agreed in June and define a timeframe to implement it.
Russia has accused Ukraine of threatening global grain supplies after recent strikes on Black Sea agricultural infrastructure, while Moscow carried out a new overnight attack on Ukraine’s major Danube port of Izmail.
One person has been killed and six others injured after an explosion at a petroleum storage facility at the Port of Rotterdam, prompting an investigation into the cause.
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas met Türkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Wednesday for talks focused on Gaza, Palestinian statehood and regional security.
Taiwan staged military defence drills on Wednesday as China concluded joint naval exercises with Indonesia in waters east of the island.
Washington’s counter-narcotics push is expanding as Colombia’s new conservative government backs deeper security cooperation.
Meta said it had removed more than 750,000 Facebook and Instagram accounts suspected of belonging to Australians under 16, as the country’s internet regulator weighs enforcement action over its teen social media ban.
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