United News of Bangladesh

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Thursday dismissed the UK’s ambassador to the United States, Peter Mandelson, following revelations of his close ties with convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein. The move came after the publication of a series of emails Mandelson sent to Epstein, Foreign Office Minister Stephen Doughty told Parliament. “In light of the additional information in emails written by Peter Mandelson, the prime minister has asked the foreign secretary to withdraw him as ambassador,” the Foreign Office said in a statement. It added that the emails demonstrated Mandelson’s relationship with Epstein was “materially different from that known at the time of his appointment.” On Wednesday, The Sun newspaper published emails in which Mandelson urged Epstein to “fight for early release” shortly before the disgraced financier was sentenced to 18 months in prison in 2008 for soliciting prostitution from a minor. In one message, Mandelson told Epstein, “I think the world of you,” ahead of his sentence in June 2008. The disclosures followed the release by Democrats on the US House Oversight Committee of a 50th birthday album compiled for Epstein in 2003, when he was still a wealthy and influential figure. In a handwritten note in the album, Mandelson referred to Epstein as “my best pal.”

Keir Starmer, the British Prime Minister, arrived in Kyiv on Thursday, pledging long-term security support for Ukraine, including a "100-Year Partnership" treaty set to be signed with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. This treaty will cover defence, science, energy, and trade, reports AP. UK's Starmer in Kyiv for security talks with Ukraine This unannounced visit marked Starmer's first trip to Ukraine since becoming Prime Minister in July, although he had visited in 2023 as opposition leader and met Zelenskyy twice in London. With the war entering its third year next month, Starmer's visit is part of a broader diplomatic push, coinciding with several other European officials' visits to Kyiv ahead of Donald Trump's inauguration. Upon arriving at Kyiv’s railway station on a cold morning, Starmer reiterated the need for continued support: “We’re a long way into this conflict. We mustn’t let up.” He later laid flowers at a war memorial and visited a burn treatment hospital. Meanwhile, Russian drone attacks caused minor damage in Kyiv, though Ukrainian air defences successfully downed the drones. The UK has committed over £12.8 billion ($16 billion) in military and civilian aid to Ukraine and has trained over 50,000 Ukrainian troops. Starmer is also set to announce an additional £40 million ($49 million) for Ukraine's postwar recovery. British PM's brother Nick Starmer dies However, the U.S.'s future support under Trump remains uncertain, as the president-elect has questioned the costs of aiding Ukraine and shown an interest in negotiating with Russia. This uncertainty has led Ukraine’s allies to intensify their support in anticipation of potential shifts in American policy. The 100-year pact aims to provide lasting security to Ukraine, preventing it from being vulnerable to Russian aggression, as seen in Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 and the 2022 invasion. The agreement includes collaboration on defence, particularly maritime security, drone technology, and tracking stolen Ukrainian grain. Starmer emphasized that the partnership not only serves the current moment but invests in the future, fostering technology, scientific progress, and cultural exchanges. He also stated that this partnership strengthens ties between the UK and Ukraine, which have only grown stronger since Russia’s invasion. There's no honeymoon for new UK leader Keir Starmer after a summer of unrest Zelenskyy and Starmer also planned to discuss France’s proposal for foreign troops to monitor a potential ceasefire. Zelenskyy has conditioned such a plan on a clear timeline for Ukraine’s NATO membership, a topic of contention with Trump, who has expressed support for Putin’s stance on NATO expansion. As the war nears its third year, both sides are intensifying their military efforts, with Ukraine pushing offensives in Russia’s Kursk region and Moscow continuing to target Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.