https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/rss/522033/feed Jeffrey Epstein was an American financier who built a significant fortune and cultivated an extensive network of high-profile individuals, including politicians, celebrities, and royalty. He began his career at Bear Stearns before establishing his own investment firms, notably managing wealth for billionaires like Leslie Wexner. Despite his financial success and expertise in wealth management, his business dealings were often opaque. Epstein gained notoriety as a convicted sex offender, involved... en https://assets-v2.i-scmp.com/production/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Britain’s disgraced ex-prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has launched a legal challenge over search warrants for his royal homes issued before his February arrest, Britain’s judiciary confirmed on Monday, in an unprecedented royal move in modern times. The judiciary confirmed the High Court was to hold a private hearing on Thursday, as King Charles’ brother challenges Thames Valley Police over the searches in Windsor, west of London, and Sandringham, eastern England. The force arrested the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3369800/ex-prince-andrew-takes-uk-police-court-quash-epstein-affair-search-warrants?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3369800/ex-prince-andrew-takes-uk-police-court-quash-epstein-affair-search-warrants?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 05 Oct 2026 09:07:54 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Norway’s parliament began hearings on Wednesday of current and former ministers to examine practices in the diplomatic service, following revelations about ties between late US convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and senior Norwegian officials. The hearings come against the background of the foreign ministry’s payment of more than 130 million kroner to the International Peace Institute (IPI) between 1997 and 2018, a think tank headed by Norwegian diplomat Terje Rod-Larsen from 2005 to... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3369349/norways-ministers-questioned-parliament-over-epstein-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3369349/norways-ministers-questioned-parliament-over-epstein-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 30 Sep 2026 10:23:12 +0000 Reuters Reuters Andrew Bailey, one of the FBI’s two deputy directors, said on Monday he is resigning his position, leaving the most prominent US law enforcement agency after a little more than a ‌year. Bailey, a Republican ally of US President Donald Trump who left his job as Missouri attorney general to join the FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation), said he was leaving to return to his family. Bailey, serving under FBI Director Kash Patel, helped oversee election-related investigations and was present earlier... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3369109/fbi-deputy-chief-andrew-bailey-resign-after-little-more-year-agency?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3369109/fbi-deputy-chief-andrew-bailey-resign-after-little-more-year-agency?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 28 Sep 2026 17:26:11 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The US House of Representatives held billionaire investor Leon Black in contempt of Congress on Wednesday for defying subpoenas issued in its investigation into notorious sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The resolution was adopted by unanimous consent, without a recorded vote, a day after the House Oversight Committee unanimously recommended the action. The matter will now be referred to the Justice Department, which will decide whether to pursue criminal charges. “No one is above the law. Leon... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3367807/us-house-holds-billionaire-leon-black-contempt-over-epstein-probe?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3367807/us-house-holds-billionaire-leon-black-contempt-over-epstein-probe?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 17 Sep 2026 03:48:49 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Norway’s King Haakon VIII took an oath before parliament on Tuesday, the first major institutional step of his reign, though his wife, still convalescing after a lung transplant, was unable to attend. Dressed in a ceremonial uniform, the 53-year-old Haakon, who became king when his father King Harald V died on Friday morning aged 89, swore to abide by the Scandinavian country’s constitution, under which the royals have a primarily symbolic function. “I promise and swear that I will govern the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3366012/norways-king-haakon-viii-swears-allegiance-constitution?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3366012/norways-king-haakon-viii-swears-allegiance-constitution?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 01 Sep 2026 12:01:38 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Ghislaine Maxwell’s bid to overturn her sex trafficking conviction and be freed from prison was rejected by a federal judge Tuesday who said the claims by Jeffrey Epstein’s former girlfriend and long-time associate that new evidence had emerged were “demonstrably meritless”. Maxwell filed a habeas petition last December seeking to set aside her conviction and free her from a 20-year prison sentence, claiming exonerating information was withheld and false testimony presented at her trial,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3365249/judge-rejects-ghislaine-maxwells-miscarriage-justice-claims-and-bid-prison-release?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3365249/judge-rejects-ghislaine-maxwells-miscarriage-justice-claims-and-bid-prison-release?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 25 Aug 2026 17:48:43 +0000 Han Li Han Li US senators voted along party lines on Tuesday to advance US President Donald Trump’s former personal lawyer as attorney general after he formally scrapped a controversial US$1.8 billion fund created through the administration’s settlement of a lawsuit brought by the president. Todd Blanche, who became deputy attorney general after Trump took office, has been serving as acting attorney general since his predecessor, Pam Bondi, resigned in April. The closely scrutinised Senate Judiciary Committee... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/diplomacy/article/3362976/trumps-former-lawyer-advances-attorney-general-bid-after-deal-republican-holdouts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/diplomacy/article/3362976/trumps-former-lawyer-advances-attorney-general-bid-after-deal-republican-holdouts?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 04 Aug 2026 17:24:13 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A French modelling scout with close ties to convicted US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has been found dead at his home outside Paris, prosecutors and his lawyer said on Wednesday. Under investigation in France, Daniel Siad, 69, was one of several French men accused of aiding the US financier to traffic and abuse women. Siad had not yet been questioned by investigators, but had denied the allegations. “An investigation to determine the cause of death was opened on Monday evening following the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3361508/french-modelling-scout-links-epstein-found-dead?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3361508/french-modelling-scout-links-epstein-found-dead?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Jul 2026 18:34:01 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Former Apollo Global Management Chief Executive Officer Leon Black told Congress he paid US$21 million to a woman he accused of blackmailing and extorting him. The billionaire investor said during a June 26 interview with the US House Oversight Committee that he paid the money to the woman, with whom he had had an affair, after she demanded US$100 million because he “ruined her life”. Black’s appearance at the voluntary interview was part of the congressional investigation into the late... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3361069/leon-black-told-epstein-panel-he-paid-us21-million-woman-keep-affair-secret?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3361069/leon-black-told-epstein-panel-he-paid-us21-million-woman-keep-affair-secret?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Jul 2026 19:32:47 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Andy Burnham vowed Friday to “give hope” back to the British people as he was confirmed as the ruling Labour Party’s new leader, set to be the next UK prime minister. “People and places … have been waiting too long for politics to let them hope again … We’re going to give them hope back,” he vowed at a special party conference. “I am for us, for all of us,” he told cheering delegates. Burnham takes over from Keir Starmer, who resigned last month after months of political turmoil, scandal and... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3361003/uks-next-prime-minister-andy-burnham-vows-give-hope-back-britons?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3361003/uks-next-prime-minister-andy-burnham-vows-give-hope-back-britons?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Jul 2026 13:52:43 +0000 Reuters Reuters US President Donald Trump’s attorney general nominee, Todd Blanche, faced ⁠tense bipartisan questioning at a US Senate panel on Wednesday about the roll-out of the Epstein files and a settlement that gave the president sweeping tax immunity. Blanche, the president’s former personal lawyer, was pressed by Republican Senator John Cornyn of Texas about the Justice Department’s decision to settle Trump’s lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service by creating a since-abandoned US$1.8 billion fund... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3360725/todd-blanche-grilled-us-lawmakers-over-epstein-files-trump-tax-immunity?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3360725/todd-blanche-grilled-us-lawmakers-over-epstein-files-trump-tax-immunity?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Jul 2026 19:33:42 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Prime Minister Keir Starmer said that he was leaving the United Kingdom “in better shape than I found it” as he fielded questions, criticism and even a bit of praise from lawmakers in the House of Commons for the last time on Wednesday. Starmer, who leaves office next week, bid farewell to the boisterous weekly Prime Minister’s Questions sessions where he has traded barbs with opposition politicians and defended his government’s record. On Monday, he will step down as prime minister after losing... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3360705/end-my-political-journey-uks-starmer-takes-last-prime-ministers-questions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3360705/end-my-political-journey-uks-starmer-takes-last-prime-ministers-questions?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Jul 2026 13:29:16 +0000 Reuters Reuters Warren Buffett has stopped donating to the Gates Foundation, ending a two-decade philanthropic partnership following revelations about interactions between Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist Bill Gates and the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Buffett said on Tuesday that he was donating about US$6 billion of Berkshire Hathaway stock, comprising 12 million Class B shares, in his annual midyear donation to four family foundations overseen by his daughter Susie and sons Howard and Peter. The... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3360580/warren-buffett-cuts-donations-bill-gates-charity-after-epstein-revelations?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3360580/warren-buffett-cuts-donations-bill-gates-charity-after-epstein-revelations?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Jul 2026 19:44:49 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Billionaire investor Leon Black said on Friday that Jeffrey Epstein deceived him during a years-long relationship in which he paid the disgraced financier US$158 million, but insisted he committed no criminal wrongdoing as he appeared before the House Oversight Committee. Black is the 16th person to appear before the committee as part of their broader investigation into the web of wealth and influence around Epstein. Before entering the closed-door deposition, congressman James Comer, the House... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3358570/us-billionaire-leon-black-defends-us158-million-paid-epstein?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3358570/us-billionaire-leon-black-defends-us158-million-paid-epstein?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 26 Jun 2026 18:12:49 +0000 Reuters Reuters The stepson of Norway’s Crown Prince Haakon was found guilty of two counts of rape, one count of domestic violence and other crimes and sentenced to four years in prison, after a seven-week trial that has further dented the royal family’s once picture-perfect image. Oslo District Court ruled that 29-year-old Marius Borg Hoiby, who joined the royal family when ‌his mother Mette-Marit married Haakon in 2001, was guilty of two counts of rape including one in the basement of the crown prince’s... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3357143/norwegian-crown-princess-son-sentenced-4-years-jail-rape-domestic-violence?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3357143/norwegian-crown-princess-son-sentenced-4-years-jail-rape-domestic-violence?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 15 Jun 2026 07:13:35 +0000 Reuters Reuters Bill Gates told members of Congress on Wednesday that he “did not fully understand the extent” of Jeffrey Epstein’s crimes when he associated with the late convicted sex offender to raise money for his philanthropic foundation. Gates also testified that he never witnessed any criminal conduct from Epstein. He accused Epstein of blackmailing him over his extramarital affairs. “These affairs had nothing to do with my ‌interactions with Epstein, but they were painful for my family,” Gates said,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3356674/bill-gates-tells-epstein-hearing-he-never-victimised-anyone?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3356674/bill-gates-tells-epstein-hearing-he-never-victimised-anyone?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 10 Jun 2026 17:02:10 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg US President Donald Trump has nominated Todd Blanche, acting US attorney general, to fill the position on a permanent basis, rewarding a loyal ally whose controversial actions ensure an uphill Senate confirmation fight. The White House announced on Monday it had sent Blanche’s nomination to the Senate, a move Trump telegraphed last week during remarks at a private event in the Rose Garden. Blanche formerly served as one of Trump’s personal lawyers before the president picked him for the No 2... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3356425/trump-picks-ally-todd-blanche-attorney-general-teeing-us-senate-fight?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3356425/trump-picks-ally-todd-blanche-attorney-general-teeing-us-senate-fight?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Jun 2026 21:06:05 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A Norway court on Monday ordered the release of ailing Crown Princess Mette-Marit’s son Marius Borg Hoiby, who faces a multitude of charges including rape and abuse, citing her health crisis. Prosecutors quickly appealed the decision, so Hoiby will remain in custody until the appeal is processed. The 29-year-old, Mette-Marit’s son from a relationship before her 2001 marriage to Crown Prince Haakon, was on trial from February 3 to March 19. He faces 40 criminal charges, including the rape of four... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3356424/norway-court-orders-release-ailing-crown-princesss-son-ahead-rape-verdict?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3356424/norway-court-orders-release-ailing-crown-princesss-son-ahead-rape-verdict?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Jun 2026 20:13:51 +0000 Gloria Tso Gloria Tso Olivia Rodrigo’s third studio album, You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love, drops on June 12. The American pop princess has been teasing her new era for months, with a fresh aesthetic defined by bubblegum pink and babydoll dresses, a wardrobe choice some have deemed controversial and which has largely overshadowed any other discourse around the album. Rodrigo, 23, kicked off the next phase of her career by donning an off-the-shoulder blouse and matching bloomer shorts from Chloé’s pre-fall... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/style/fashion/trends/article/3356056/explainer-what-are-babydoll-dresses-and-why-are-they-controversial?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/style/fashion/trends/article/3356056/explainer-what-are-babydoll-dresses-and-why-are-they-controversial?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Jun 2026 06:03:30 +0000 Reuters Reuters King Charles’ disgraced younger brother Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor held leases for 10 properties, three of which he sublet, while the monarch ⁠pays rent for the former prince’s daughters’ palace ⁠homes, a report by the UK’s spending watchdog said. In the most ⁠detailed review ever of royal property arrangements, the National Audit Office (NAO) report on Friday showed some leases were based on commercial valuations, while for others, senior figures paid no rent or negligible amounts for their... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3356043/auditors-shine-light-uk-royal-housing-disgraced-andrews-peppercorn-rent?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3356043/auditors-shine-light-uk-royal-housing-disgraced-andrews-peppercorn-rent?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Jun 2026 04:47:34 +0000 Reuters Reuters President Donald Trump said he would ⁠move to ⁠nominate acting US Attorney ⁠General Todd Blanche on Thursday to permanently lead the Justice Department, which would make his former personal lawyer the nation’s top law enforcement officer. “He’s acting attorney general. Tomorrow. ‌I’m instructing Dan (Scavino) and everybody else that’s involved in that very complicated process – which is going to go, I think, very quickly – that we are going to make him permanent attorney general,” Trump said at... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3355996/trump-nominate-todd-blanche-us-attorney-general?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3355996/trump-nominate-todd-blanche-us-attorney-general?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Jun 2026 13:36:05 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Peter Mandelson assured the British government it would “never regret” appointing him as ambassador to the United States, according to documents released on Monday, a pledge that was dramatically proven wrong within months. More than 1,500 pages of files relating to the appointment of Mandelson, a friend of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, as envoy to Washington at the start of US President Donald Trump’s second term, were released by the government to comply with a demand by... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3355598/uk-publishes-new-mandelson-files-raising-heat-pm-starmer?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3355598/uk-publishes-new-mandelson-files-raising-heat-pm-starmer?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Jun 2026 13:52:34 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Former US attorney general Pam Bondi rebuffed questions about President Donald Trump’s involvement in handling records of the Justice Department’s investigation of accused sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, Democratic lawmakers said. “She refused to answer any questions about President Trump,” congressman Robert Garcia, the top-ranking Democrat on the House panel investigating Epstein, told reporters during a break in the committee’s closed-door questioning of Bondi. Bondi also pushed any blame for... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3355383/bondi-refused-answer-questions-about-trump-and-epstein-files-democrats-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3355383/bondi-refused-answer-questions-about-trump-and-epstein-files-democrats-say?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 29 May 2026 17:58:16 +0000 Reuters Reuters Queen Elizabeth pressed ⁠for her son Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor ⁠to be made a government trade envoy back in 2000, according to documents released on Thursday. Mountbatten-Windsor, brother of King Charles, served as the UK’s Special Representative for International Trade and Investment between 2001 and 2011 in an unpaid role that allowed him to travel the world meeting senior business and government figures. David Wright, the chief executive of British Trade International, said that before the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3354396/queen-pushed-ex-prince-andrews-appointment-trade-envoy-documents-show?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3354396/queen-pushed-ex-prince-andrews-appointment-trade-envoy-documents-show?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 May 2026 11:35:36 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse US President Donald Trump tightened his grip on the Republican Party on Tuesday as Kentucky voters ousted one of the few conservative lawmakers willing to challenge him openly. Congressman Thomas Massie’s defeat, which he conceded some three hours after polls closed, marked another victory in Trump’s campaign to punish Republican dissent. It follows the rout of Indiana state lawmakers who defied the US president on redistricting and the weekend collapse of Senator Bill Cassidy’s re-election bid... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3354157/trump-critic-massie-defeated-record-breaking-kentucky-primary?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3354157/trump-critic-massie-defeated-record-breaking-kentucky-primary?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 20 May 2026 00:40:36 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Around 10 “new” suspected victims have come forward in a French investigation into the network of the late US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, a prosecutor said on Sunday. France opened a human trafficking investigation after the US Justice Department in January released the latest cache of files from the investigation into the disgraced financier, who died in prison in 2019 while facing charges of trafficking underage girls for sex. French magistrates are seeking to investigate possible offences... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3353899/around-10-new-victims-frances-epstein-investigation-paris-prosecutor-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3353899/around-10-new-victims-frances-epstein-investigation-paris-prosecutor-says?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 17 May 2026 16:36:11 +0000 Reuters Reuters Keir Starmer ⁠came under renewed pressure on Monday when four ministerial aides stepped down and more than 70 Labour lawmakers publicly called for the British prime minister’s resignation after his appeal for another chance seemingly fell on deaf ears. At an address to the party faithful in London, Starmer had made an impassioned plea to both his party and voters to stick with him and avoid a leadership contest he said would only bring chaos, but his speech appeared to do little to stem the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3353163/under-threat-uk-pm-starmer-vows-prove-doubters-wrong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3353163/under-threat-uk-pm-starmer-vows-prove-doubters-wrong?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 May 2026 10:45:39 +0000 Reuters Reuters British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, reeling from a crushing local election defeat, faced a new setback to his leadership on Saturday when a former minister said she would challenge him for the top job if no one else stepped forward. Starmer’s Labour Party recorded the worst losses of a governing party in municipal polls since 1995, prompting a growing number of his ‌own lawmakers to call on him to quit. To try to shore up his position in the party earlier on Saturday, he named two influential... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3353019/ex-minister-tells-uk-cabinet-boot-starmer-or-shell-challenge-him-herself?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3353019/ex-minister-tells-uk-cabinet-boot-starmer-or-shell-challenge-him-herself?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 09 May 2026 19:39:19 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse UK police said on Thursday they had arrested a man wielding a weapon who “was behaving in an intimidating manner” close to the home of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor in eastern England. Norfolk police confirmed they had been called to an incident late on Wednesday near the Sandringham Estate “and the man was arrested on suspicion of a public order offence and possession of an offensive weapon”. UK media reported that a man wearing a balaclava had allegedly threatened the former prince when he was... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3352812/man-arrested-weapon-near-ex-prince-andrews-home-uk-police-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3352812/man-arrested-weapon-near-ex-prince-andrews-home-uk-police-say?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 07 May 2026 17:29:35 +0000 Reuters Reuters A US federal judge on Wednesday released a document described as a suicide note ⁠purportedly written by the late Jeffrey ⁠Epstein and including the line: “It is a ⁠treat to be able to choose one’s time to say goodbye”. Epstein, the disgraced financier and accused sex trafficker, was found dead in his Manhattan jail cell in August 2019 in what was ruled a suicide. The handwritten note was said to have been found by his former jail cellmate, convicted murderer and ex-police officer Nicholas... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3352679/note-linked-epsteins-first-suspected-suicide-bid-released-us-judge?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3352679/note-linked-epsteins-first-suspected-suicide-bid-released-us-judge?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 06 May 2026 23:56:56 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Coverage of the Trump administration dominated the Pulitzer Prizes announced on Monday as the prize committee unleashed a searing attack on US President Donald Trump’s attempts to limit freedom of reporting. “We stand for civil discourse and against censorship,” said Pulitzer Administrator Marjorie Miller ahead of the announcements, which honoured coverage of Trump’s immigration crackdown and his enrichment of his allies. “Unfortunately, this bears repeating now, as media access to the White... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3352420/pulitzers-honour-damning-coverage-trump-and-his-policies?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3352420/pulitzers-honour-damning-coverage-trump-and-his-policies?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 04 May 2026 22:20:05 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press US President Donald Trump sang the praises of King Charles after the latter’s state visit this week. He even lifted some tariffs on Scotch whisky as a favour to the British monarch. The king delivered a diplomatic masterclass on the trip, mixing praise for his host with subtle criticism. It’s unclear, though, whether it will make a major difference to a transatlantic relationship troubled by divisions over issues including the Iran war. “In the short term probably yes, in the long term probably... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3352192/king-charles-wins-praise-deft-handling-trump-us-state-visit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3352192/king-charles-wins-praise-deft-handling-trump-us-state-visit?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 01 May 2026 17:20:39 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Embattled UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Tuesday survived a bid by opposition politicians to subject him to a parliamentary probe over his controversial appointment of Peter Mandelson as envoy to the US. Members of parliament voted against referring Starmer to a committee to consider if he misled parliament over giving Mandelson, an ex-associate of late US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, the plum diplomatic post. It was the latest development in an unrelenting scandal that has plagued Starmer’s... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3351759/uk-pm-starmer-avoids-parliament-probe-over-epstein-associate-peter-mandelson?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3351759/uk-pm-starmer-avoids-parliament-probe-over-epstein-associate-peter-mandelson?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 Apr 2026 18:12:51 +0000 Reuters Reuters Britain’s King Charles and Queen Camilla arrived in the United States on Monday for a four-day trip, welcomed by self-proclaimed royal fan Donald Trump even as the US president has differed with the British government over the Iran war. The state visit, by far the most high-profile and consequential of Charles’ reign, marks the 250th anniversary of the US Declaration of Independence from British rule, and is the first to the country by a British ‌monarch in two decades. After landing at Joint... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3351622/king-charles-arrives-us-trip-overshadowed-iran-quarrel-and-shooting?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3351622/king-charles-arrives-us-trip-overshadowed-iran-quarrel-and-shooting?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Apr 2026 19:23:43 +0000 Reuters Reuters Britain’s parliament will vote on Tuesday on a possible inquiry into Prime Minister Keir Starmer, looking at whether he misled the House of Commons ‌over the appointment of former US ambassador Peter Mandelson. Any such inquiry could have serious implications for Starmer’s future. He has so far resisted pressure to quit over his decision to hire Mandelson, but if found to have knowingly misled parliament his position would likely become untenable. House of Commons Speaker Lindsay Hoyle said he... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3351611/uk-pm-starmer-faces-vote-possible-parliamentary-probe-over-mandelson?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3351611/uk-pm-starmer-faces-vote-possible-parliamentary-probe-over-mandelson?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Apr 2026 14:41:24 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The state visit by Britain’s King Charles to the US would take place as planned, Buckingham Palace said on Sunday, following a shooting at a Washington media gala. The incident late on Saturday at the annual dinner of the White House Correspondents’ Association came less than 48 hours before Charles and Queen Camilla begin a four-day state visit to the United States. The palace said Charles was “greatly relieved” that Trump, the first lady Melania and other guests were unharmed and later on... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3351501/king-charles-us-state-visit-go-ahead-planned-after-washington-media-gala-shooting?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3351501/king-charles-us-state-visit-go-ahead-planned-after-washington-media-gala-shooting?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 Apr 2026 19:29:52 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Britain’s King Charles heads to the United States on Monday with transatlantic tensions over the Iran war and the Epstein scandal’s long shadow threatening to intrude on the landmark visit. Both Buckingham Palace and the British government have said the four-day trip will honour the historic relationship between the two countries as the US marks 250 years of independence. Charles’ first US state visit as monarch comes at the request of the UK government and US President Donald Trump and would be... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3351216/trump-says-king-charles-visit-could-absolutely-repair-us-uk-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3351216/trump-says-king-charles-visit-could-absolutely-repair-us-uk-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Apr 2026 17:21:40 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse British Prime Minister Keir Starmer insisted on Wednesday he would not resign, claiming allegations of misleading MPs over his appointment of a party loyalist as UK envoy to Washington had been “put to bed”. Starmer’s remarks in parliament came as the beleaguered premier faced fresh calls to step down over his admitted error of judgment in appointing veteran former politician Peter Mandelson to the coveted post. The premier spoke to lawmakers a day after the foreign ministry’s most senior... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3351046/uk-pm-insists-he-wont-resign-over-mandelson-scandal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3351046/uk-pm-insists-he-wont-resign-over-mandelson-scandal?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 13:31:37 +0000 Reuters Reuters A former top ⁠foreign ministry official said on Tuesday he had faced “constant pressure” from UK Prime Minister Keir ⁠Starmer’s office to speed up the appointment of his pick as the ambassador to the US, deepening a row that threatens the British leader. A war of words over who should ultimately take the blame for appointing Labour veteran Peter Mandelson to Britain’s highest diplomatic post despite his history and known ties to late US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has piled pressure on Starmer,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3350900/ex-uk-official-says-he-felt-pressure-over-mandelson-pms-office?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3350900/ex-uk-official-says-he-felt-pressure-over-mandelson-pms-office?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Apr 2026 11:13:02 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press British Prime Minister Keir Starmer acknowledged on Monday that he made the wrong judgement when he picked Jeffrey Epstein’s friend Peter Mandelson as UK ambassador to Washington, batting away a barrage of calls to resign over a scandal that has left his leadership teetering. Starmer said he would have withdrawn the appointment if he had known Mandelson had failed security checks, as he tried to explain why Mandelson was given the UK’s most important diplomatic post. Starmer placed blame... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3350783/starmer-admits-mistake-appointing-mandelson-us-envoy-resists-calls-resign?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3350783/starmer-admits-mistake-appointing-mandelson-us-envoy-resists-calls-resign?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Apr 2026 16:46:21 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Senior Cabinet ministers on Sunday rallied around UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, whose leadership is teetering over his decision to give Britain’s most important diplomatic job to Peter Mandelson, a scandal-tarnished politician and friend of Jeffrey Epstein. Starmer will face restive lawmakers in Parliament on Monday to fight for his job after the explosive revelation that Mandelson was appointed ambassador to the United States despite failing security checks. Starmer says he is “furious” that... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3350654/allies-back-starmer-mandelsons-epstein-links-leave-uk-leader-fighting-his-job?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3350654/allies-back-starmer-mandelsons-epstein-links-leave-uk-leader-fighting-his-job?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 Apr 2026 17:34:54 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer faced mounting pressure to quit on Friday over his appointment of Peter Mandelson as envoy to Washington, after it emerged the veteran politician had failed security vetting. The affair has haunted Starmer for months amid growing anger over Mandelson’s 2024 nomination to the top diplomatic post despite his close ties to late US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Mandelson, a long-time insider with Starmer’s ruling Labour Party, has held multiple ministerial posts since... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3350451/uks-starmer-faces-calls-resign-mandelson-scandal-reignites?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3350451/uks-starmer-faces-calls-resign-mandelson-scandal-reignites?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Apr 2026 08:36:42 +0000 Reuters Reuters Britain’s top foreign ministry official will leave his post after Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Foreign Minister Yvette Cooper lost confidence in him, a source said on Thursday, following a row over the security vetting of Peter Mandelson. The disclosure of the vetting failure has intensified pressure on Starmer over his appointment of Mandelson, Britain’s former US ‌ambassador, who is under police investigation for allegedly leaking government documents to the sex offender Jeffrey Epstein,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3350376/epstein-row-uks-starmer-faces-calls-resign-over-report-mandelson-failed-vetting?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3350376/epstein-row-uks-starmer-faces-calls-resign-over-report-mandelson-failed-vetting?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Apr 2026 18:33:45 +0000 Reuters Reuters Britain’s King Charles will have tea and a private meeting with ⁠President Donald Trump during his US state visit later this month, as the UK government hopes his “soft power” can heal a damaging rift between the allies caused by the Iran war. The monarch and his wife Queen Camilla head across the Atlantic on April 27, a four-day trip ostensibly to mark the 250th anniversary of US independence from Britain but one that now has far greater significance amid a growing spat between Trump and ‌Prime... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3350114/britains-king-charles-charm-trump-state-visit-overshadowed-us-uk-rift?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3350114/britains-king-charles-charm-trump-state-visit-overshadowed-us-uk-rift?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 03:27:55 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press A federal judge dismissed US President Donald Trump’s US$10 billion defamation lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal and Rupert Murdoch on Monday over a story on his ties to Jeffrey Epstein. US District Judge Darrin P. Gayles in Florida wrote in the order that Trump had failed to make the argument that the article was published with the intent to be malicious, but gave the president a chance to file an amended complaint. In a social media post several hours after the ruling, Trump said the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3349958/judge-dismisses-trumps-us10-billion-wall-street-journal-lawsuit-over-epstein-report?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3349958/judge-dismisses-trumps-us10-billion-wall-street-journal-lawsuit-over-epstein-report?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Apr 2026 18:35:09 +0000 Lucy Quaggin Lucy Quaggin US first lady Melania Trump on Thursday rejected what she called “lies” about her relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, in a rare White House address where she also called on Congress to hold public hearings for his victims. The first lady denied having ties to Epstein or knowledge of his crimes in a brief but strongly worded statement, saying the “lies” linking her to the disgraced financier “need to end today”. “I am not ‌Epstein’s victim,” said Melania Trump, while also... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3349570/melania-trump-denies-any-ties-epstein-or-knowledge-his-crimes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3349570/melania-trump-denies-any-ties-epstein-or-knowledge-his-crimes?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2026 19:09:47 +0000 Reuters Reuters Former US attorney general Pam Bondi does not plan to appear for a planned interview with a House of Representatives committee on the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files following her firing by US President Donald Trump, the Justice Department told Congress on Wednesday. Bondi was subpoenaed ‌last month to testify in her formal role as attorney general, rendering the demand invalid now that she no longer holds that title, a Justice Department official wrote in a letter to the House Oversight... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3349438/bondi-wont-appear-us-lawmakers-over-epstein-files-justice-department-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3349438/bondi-wont-appear-us-lawmakers-over-epstein-files-justice-department-says?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Apr 2026 21:39:44 +0000 Mark Magnier,Khushboo Razdan Mark Magnier,Khushboo Razdan After avoiding much of the churn, firings and senior official turnover that marked his first term, US President Donald Trump on Thursday added to the string of high-profile departures in recent days, as bad news heaped more pressure on the White House. The administration announced that US Attorney General Pam Bondi was leaving to be replaced by her deputy, Todd Blanche, in an acting capacity. “We love Pam,” Trump wrote on social media. “She will be transitioning to a much-needed and important... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3348858/trump-fires-pam-bondi-us-attorney-general-amid-epstein-files-furore?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3348858/trump-fires-pam-bondi-us-attorney-general-amid-epstein-files-furore?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Apr 2026 17:20:46 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Bank of America has agreed to pay US$72.5 million to settle a class-action lawsuit alleging that the bank facilitated a sex-trafficking ring orchestrated by Jeffrey Epstein, court documents showed on Friday. Bank of America said separately that while it continued to deny supporting Epstein’s crimes, “this resolution allows us to put this matter behind us and provides further closure for the plaintiffs”. The suit, filed by an unidentified woman on behalf of herself and other alleged victims,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3348228/bank-america-pay-us725-million-settle-epstein-sex-trafficking-lawsuit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3348228/bank-america-pay-us725-million-settle-epstein-sex-trafficking-lawsuit?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Mar 2026 03:33:21 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press French financial prosecutors said on Tuesday that searches were carried out at several locations, including the Paris arm of Swiss private bank Edmond de Rothschild, as part of an investigation tied to revelations from the files on Jeffrey Epstein. France’s national financial prosecutor’s office said searches were carried out last Friday as part of a preliminary investigation opened last month. Investigators are examining suspicions of bribery involving a foreign public official and complicity... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3347767/french-authorities-search-paris-arm-swiss-bank-epstein-linked-probe?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3347767/french-authorities-search-paris-arm-swiss-bank-epstein-linked-probe?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 17:37:53 +0000