​ Congressman writes to King Charles urging him to meet Epstein victims during US visit. 11 minutes ago. Sareen Habeshian. Getty Images. A US lawmaker is calling on King Charles to meet the survivors of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein when the monarch visits the US.. While not officially confirmed, the King and Queen Camilla are reportedly planning a visit at the end of April.. Democratic Congressman Ro Khanna, who co-sponsored a law that compelled the US justice department to release the Epstein files last year, is calling on the King to privately meet victims to hear from them directly about “how powerful individuals and institutions failed them”.. “As you are aware, this is not solely an American matter,” Khanna wrote in a letter to the King on Monday.. The Palace has previously expressed that the King’s “sympathies have been, and remain with, the victims of any and all forms of abuse”.. In his letter, Khanna said: “Epstein’s network had significant ties to the United Kingdom through Ghislaine Maxwell, through Epstein’s relationships with British public figures, and through the social and political circles in which he operated.”. These connections, he wrote, “raise broader questions about how Epstein was able to maintain influence, credibility, and protection across borders for so long”.. Khanna said a meeting with survivors would give an opportunity to “identify any additional information British institutions and individuals may be able to share”.. He added: “It would also ensure that survivors are heard directly and that these matters are addressed with transparency, seriousness, and accountability.”. The California lawmaker also noted that members of Congress have sought testimony from the King’s brother, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, as well as Peter Mandelson, the UK’s former ambassador to the US, about their ties to Epstein.. Mountbatten-Windsor, who was stripped of his titles last year due to his ties with Epstein, cannot be forced by a subpoena to go to the US.. In his letter, Khanna said the former prince “did not respond” when Congress members sought testimony from him regarding his ties to the disgraced financier.. Mountbatten-Windsor has consistently and strenuously denied any wrongdoing in his associations with Epstein.. Mandelson, Khanna wrote, was asked to appear before a committee on the same matter, and on whether “sensitive information may have been shared improperly”.. “He declined to cooperate, citing the existence of a criminal investigation”, Khanna said.. Mandelson remains under investigation after being arrested last month over allegations that while serving as a minister he passed on market-sensitive government information.. The BBC understands Lord Mandelson’s position is that he has not acted in any way criminally and was not motivated by financial gain.. US lawmakers tell BBC Andrew should testify over Epstein files. Andrew and King Charles: A personal battle of royal brothers. If the King’s US trip does happen,  

​ Sexual violence part of ‘everyday life’ in parts of Sudan, charity says. 2 hours ago. Barbara Plett UsherAfrica correspondent. Anadolu via Getty Images. Rape and sexual violence remain “part of everyday life” in areas of Sudan even when fighting in the country’s civil war has moved elsewhere, according to a new report by medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF).. Calling rape a “defining feature” of the conflict, it says sexual assault is overwhelmingly carried out by armed men and is often accompanied by acts of brutality and humiliation.. But MSF says rape persists as an “insidious” part of life for communities in the western region of Darfur that are no longer on the front line.. The report is the most comprehensive account yet on sexual violence in Sudan’s nearly three-year war.. Warning: This article contains details of sexual violence that some people may find distressing. It is based on testimonies from 3,396 victims who sought treatment in MSF-supported facilities across North and South Darfur between January 2024 and November 2025.. The warring parties – Sudan’s army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) – are both accused of sexual violence. But Darfur is the stronghold of the RSF and the vast majority of perpetrators identified by survivors were their fighters.. Many of the cases in the report took place in the conflict hotspot of North Darfur last year, following the RSF takeovers of the displaced persons camps of Zamzam and Abu Shouk, and of the city of el-Fasher in October, which MSF calls “one of the most shocking iterations, unfolding the most unimaginable brutality”.. The charity says more than 90% of victims it treated were assaulted while travelling from these areas to safety in the town of Tawila.. The attacks often involved multiple rapists and included other forms of extreme violence and intimidation such as beatings or the murder of relatives.. “They took us to an open area,” said one woman quoted in the report.. “The first man raped me twice, the second once, the third four times and the fourth once,” she said.. “Apart from the rapes, they beat us with sticks and pointed guns at my head. Another girl who was 15… was raped by three men. We were raped throughout the night.”. Another survivor said “two of the women in our group were raped by RSF militia in front of us. It was four to five men doing it together. One girl was 22 years old and she died there.”. The report reinforces numerous accounts of an ethnic dimension to the attacks, saying non-Arab communities such as the Zaghawa, Massalit and Fur were “systematically targeted” in these atrocities.. The RSF leadership has admitted “individual violations” were committed during the takeover of el-Fasher but says these are being investigated and the scale of atrocities was exaggerated.. A simple guide to what is happening in Sudan. The devastating conflict where both sides have reasons to keep fighting. The persistence of ethnic targeting is rooted in Darf  

​ ‘A succulent Chinese meal’ – iconic Australian quote immortalised in national film archive. 4 hours ago. Tiffany Wertheimer. Seven. A famously theatrical monologue, given by a man as police arrested him at a Chinese restaurant in Australia, has officially been preserved by the country’s National Film and Sound Archive.. The 1991 clip of Jack Karlson’s arrest in Brisbane became an internet sensation when it was rediscovered in 2009.. “What is the charge? Eating a meal? A succulent Chinese meal” Karlson – born Cecil George Edwards – dramatically shouted, while resisting the officers.. “Gentlemen, this is democracy manifest” and “get your hand off my penis” were among his other, now immortalised, phrases that have been officially recognised by the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia (NFSA) for their cultural significance.. The moment, now known as Democracy Manifest, became one of the most viral videos in Australia’s history, and inspired thousands of memes, musical remixes, merchandise and even an orchestral piece.. Describing his protest as “dramatic, indignant and unexpectedly articulate”, NFSA said that “Karlson’s words became shorthand for irreverent Australian humour”.. “The recording demonstrates how voice and performance can transform an everyday news event into a lasting piece of cultural folklore,” it wrote.. Jack Karlson died from prostate cancer in 2024, aged 82.. Months earlier, he had reunited with one of the policemen in the video, Stoll Watt, to announce an upcoming documentary into his obscure and eccentric life.. Although he was a convicted criminal and had reportedly broken out of jail three times, Karlson had always maintained that the 1991 incident was a case of mistaken identity.. There are two main schools of thought on this, the NFSA says – one that he had been confused for a Hungarian chess player known for dine-and-dash attempts in Australia at the time.. “They thought I was some international gangster,” he said during one interview.. The other theory is that credit card company American Express had reported him to the police for using stolen credit cards, the national archive writes.. NFSA releases its Sounds of Australia “capsule” every year, to recognise recordings that have had lasting impacts and shaped cultural moments.. Its 2026 capsule also includes Missy Higgins’ 2004 hit Scar, celebrated for a chorus that “defined a generation of Australian pop”; and the beeping of the country’s pedestrian crossings, which had “reshaped how Australians move through cities and suburbs”.. You can see the full list here.. Man behind iconic Australian meme dies at 82. Australia  

​ Kid Rock sparks US Army probe after helicopter flyby at his mansion. 4 hours ago. Sareen Habeshian. Getty Images. The US Army has launched a review after musician Kid Rock shared a video showing two military helicopters hovering outside his Tennessee home.. The Army said the AH-64 Apaches were conducting a training route past the Nashville area, where the country rock artist’s hilltop estate is located.. “An administrative review is underway to assess the mission and verify compliance with regulations and airspace requirements,” Army spokesman Maj Montrell Russell said. “Appropriate action will be taken if any violations are found.”. Kid Rock, a vocal supporter of President Donald Trump, posted the footage to social media on Saturday of himself gesturing to the aircraft from his outdoor pool.. In the footage caption, the Born Free singer aimed a profanity at California Governor Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, who has feuded with Trump, a Republican.. One clip shows Kid Rock, whose real name is Robert Ritchie, standing poolside next to a replica of the Statue of Liberty, clapping and saluting as the aircraft hovers before flying away.. “God Bless America and all those who have made the ultimate sacrifice to defend her,” the caption said.. Another video shows Kid Rock pumping his fist before a second gunship appears to fly by his mansion, which he has dubbed the Southern White House.. Maj Jonathon Bless, a spokesman for the Army’s 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, said an investigation had been launched.. “We take all concerns regarding aircraft operations and their impact on the surrounding community seriously,” Bless said.. Nashville. US Armed Forces. Tennessee  

​ Social media firms must better enforce Australia under-16 ban, watchdog says. 8 hours ago. Simon Atkinson. The world’s biggest social media companies are not doing enough to keep children in Australia off their platforms, the country’s internet regulator says, despite a law that came into effect late last year.. The legislation banned users under 16 from 10 platforms, but eSafety says it has “significant concerns” about the compliance of Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube.. Australia’s ban – which is being closely watched by countries like the UK – was justified by campaigners and the government as necessary to protect children from harmful content and addictive algorithms.. Firms like Meta and Snap believe the approach is flawed, but say they’re doing the best they can to comply.. In its first report since the ban was instigated in December, the regulator said it had identified “a number of poor practices” from the five platforms.. These include:. Giving children who had declared they were aged under 16 before the ban the chance to show that they were, in fact, over 16. Enabling under-16s to repeatedly “attempt the same age assurance method”. Insufficient measures to prevent new under-16s creating accounts. Not providing effective ways for parents and others to report under-16s who still had access to social media. Limited data has been released since the ban came into force. In January, the regulator said 4.7 million accounts had been restricted or removed in the first month since the law took effect on December 10.. “While social media platforms have taken some initial action, I am concerned through our compliance monitoring that some may not be doing enough to comply with Australian law,” Australia’s eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant said.. The regulator – which had until now been monitoring the situation – says it will begin enforcing the restrictions and gathering evidence.. “The evidence must establish the platform has not taken reasonable steps to prevent children aged under 16 from having an account,” Inman Grant said.. “That means more than simply demonstrating some children do still have accounts. Rather, the evidence must show the platform has not implemented appropriate systems and processes.”. The BBC has contacted all of the social media companies for comment.. A spokesperson for Meta, which owns Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Messenger, and Threads, said that the company is “committed to complying with Australia’s social media ban”. It also noted that accurate age determination is a “challenge for the whole industry” and argue that “robust age verification and parental approval” at the app store level is the most effective approach to protect young people.. Snap, which developed Snapchat, said it had locked 450,000 accounts and “continue to lock more every day”.. More on this story. ‘I feel free’: Australia’s social media ban, one month on. Online gaming escaped Australia’s social media ban – but critics sa