Vladimir Putin’s aide has dismissed claims that Jeffrey Epstein was a Russian spy.

Documents released by US Congress at the weekend unveiled the late paedophile’s extensive network with the global elite.

The files have raised suspicions he was passing on intelligence to Moscow, although there is no concrete proof.

On Tuesday, Polish prime minister Donald Tusk said: “A growing number of commentators and experts assume that it is highly probable that this [Epstein scandal] was a premeditated operation by the Russian KGB.

“This so-called ‘honey trap’ set for the elites of the Western world, primarily the US.”

Tusk offered no evidence to support his claim, but suggested the “unprecedented paedophilia scandal was co-organised by Russian intelligence services” to hurt Warsaw.

“This can only mean that they also possess compromising materials against many leaders still active today,” he said.

Tusk announced that his government would launch an investigation into what it believes were potential connections between Epstein and Russia’s intelligence services – and the possible knock-on consequences for Poland.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov dismissed that theory though, saying: “I would like to joke about such versions, but let’s not waste our time.”

“The theory that Epstein was controlled by Russian intelligence services can be taken in any way, but not seriously,” he added.

Russia is mentioned almost 10,000 times in the three million documents released by the US Department of Justice while Putin is mentioned more than 1,000 times.

The files suggest Epstein was in contact with some young women from Russia and may have tried to introduce a 26-year-old Russian woman to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, the former prince.

Writing in an email to “the Duke” two years after his conviction for soliciting an underage girl for sex, Epstein said: “I have a friend who I think you might enjoy having dinner with, her name is irina she will be london 20-24.”

There is no evidence to suggest Epstein met Putin in person, though his emails suggest repeated attempts were made.

One such encounter in 2014 was cancelled after 298 people were killed when Russian forces shot down flight MH17 over Ukraine.

Epstein also alleged that Bill Gates sought treatment for a sexually transmitted disease caught from “sex with Russian girls”. The Microsoft founder denies these claims.

Former head of MI6′s Russia desk Christopher Steele told Times Radio it was “very likely” Epstein was sending secrets to Russia in exchange for payment.

He said: “My understanding from my American sources is that as early as the 1970s, Epstein was effectively involved with Russian organised crime in Brighton Beach in New York and through them with the Russian mission in New York and was almost certainly recruited by them at that time.”

He added: “Possibly, the majority of his investment funds, which seem to never have been explained, actually came from the Soviet Union.”

Staying active, eating well, and getting enough sleep can go a long way to improving your expected lifespan and healthspan.

But according to a study published in the BMJ, sex could say a lot about your lifespan too.

Their research, which focused on 918 men aged 45-59, found that, “Mortality risk was 50% lower in the group with high orgasmic frequency than in the group with low orgasmic frequency”.

Another study found a link between the cessation of sex among older married men and an increased risk of death, while college students in a separate study seemed to have more salivary immunoglobulin A, which offers a first-line defence against disease, if they had “frequent” sex.

What is “frequent,” though?

To be clear, these studies don’t show that having sex itself definitely causes health or longevity improvements. It only shows a link, and researchers have argued that bad health is linked to less sex, not the other way around (though the studies didn’t directly prove that, either).

Whatever the direction of cause and effect might be here, though, similar levels of sexual frequency show up in multiple bodies of research.

In the BMJ study, men who had sex twice a week had a 50% lower risk of death than those who had sex once a month. And in the college student study, those who had sex one to two times a week fared better than both people who had sex less than once a week and those who had sex three or more times a week.

Yet another, more recent study found that having sex at least once a week was linked to a 10% decreased risk of heart disease mortality.

Once or twice a week appeared to be the sweet spot in these studies.

Again, this research didn’t show that sex was definitely the cause of longer lives; it just showed a link.

Regardless, sex has been associated with more than just a decreased mortality risk. It’s also been linked to pain reduction, better sleep, a stronger immune system, decreased cortisol levels, and a better mood.

This seems to hold true throughout adulthood.

After facing backlash over the prices of his upcoming world tour, Harry Styles has announced a one-off UK show with tickets costing just £20.

On Wednesday night, the Grammy-winning singer announced that he would play for “One Night Only” at Manchester’s Co-Op Live arena on Friday 6 March, coinciding with the release of his much-hyped fourth album, Kiss All The Time. Disco Occasionally.

This surprise Manchester show comes after Harry was called out for only playing gigs in London on the UK leg of his 2026 tour, leaving out the rest of the UK.

Shortly after the announcement, the Co-op Live arena’s website crashed, with the venue later announcing that tickets for the show would be made available through a “request process” later this week, ensuring they go straight to fans rather than ticket touts.

As this is Harry’s only headlining UK show outside London this year, many will no doubt be eager to find out how to get their hands on those £20 tickets.

Ticketmaster has explained that fans who want to attend the gig must first submit a request for tickets. While this will not guarantee them a ticket, it does eliminate the issues that come with typical first-come, first-serve sales, and means you shouldn’t have to get up early, only to find yourself stuck in a queue with up to 250,000 other fans, which is what happened during the sale for his upcoming Wembley shows.

Those who want to attend Harry’s Co-Op Live gig must first submit their request on Ticketmaster from Friday 6 until Sunday 8 February, first selecting the type of ticket they’re after and entering payment details (you might be charged a temporary £1 fee to verify these).

If you are successful, you’ll receive a confirmation email, and be charged immediately.

For more details, go to the Ticketmaster page.

Harry’s one-off Co-Op Live gig will take place just a week after the former One Direction star performs at the same venue for this year’s Brits, which will see the awards show heading to Manchester for the first time.

The chart-topping singer is set to debut new music during the ceremony, which will mark his first time on the Brits stage since 2023, when he took home four gongs, including the coveted Album Of The Year prize.

Last month, Harry also confirmed a huge, seven-city Together, Together tour, which includes a record-breaking 12-night residency at London’s Wembley Stadium and an impressive 30 dates at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

Harry recently scored his third UK solo number one single with Aperture, the lead track from his forthcoming fourth solo album.

Steve Reed could not hide his frustration this morning as he was cornered over Keir Starmer’s controversial decision to appoint Peter Mandelson to be US ambassador despite his Jeffrey Epstein links.

New documents from the US Congress released at the weekend revealed Mandelson’s extensive friendship with the late convicted sex offender continued long after Epstein served a prison sentence.

While Starmer already sacked Mandelson over their connection back in September – when the first few Epstein files were released – the new set of files raises further questions about why he was ever hired in the first place.

The prime minister also admitted to MPs on Wednesday that he knew about their friendship when he hired Mandelson to be the British dispatch in Washington in February last year.

Housing, communities and local government secretary Steve Reed was put on the spot over just why the then-Labour peer got the plum job on Thursday morning.

Good Morning Britain presenter, Richard Madeley, asked: “Wasn’t enough already known to comprehensively disbar him from such an important job?”

Reed replied: “It’s easy, isn’t it, with hindsight, when you do know the truth to look back at the time –”

Madeley tried to cut in, but Reed angrily hit back: “You’re asking me questions but you’re not actually letting me answer.

“What’s the point in asking me a question if you won’t let me answer?

“You’re not listening to what I am saying. If I haven’t even answered it, how do you know I’ve misinterpreted [the question]?”

Madeley asked again if the information that was already in the public domain about his Epstein ties was enough to stop Mandelson getting the plum job.

“No, it wasn’t,” Reed said. “I know you’re saying that because you’ve got the benefit of hindsight.

“There was a process that was gone through, Mandelson lied, the process included security forces, nothing additional was thrown up at the time to make it clear that Mandelson was lying and so he was appointed. Everyone regrets that now, of course.

“As soon as the truth came to light with that first release of files from the United States months ago, the prime minister took immediate and dismissive action, phoned him up at 5am in the morning and sacked him on the spot.”

He said further information pushed Starmer to take more action, including speaking to the King to remove Mandelson from the privy council and strip him of his title.

Co-host Susanna Reid cut in: “I am really confused by what you are saying. I know you are confused by our questions. But I am confused by what you are telling us.

“Because the Financial Times reported in 2023 about the relationship between Lord Mandelson and Jeffrey Epstein.

“That reporter told Keir Starmer that at a press conference in 2024. You’re saying it was new information. It wasn’t. It was in the public domain and on the record.”

Flustered, Reed replied: “No, what I’m saying Susanna is the vetting process said his relationship with Epstein had ended long ago and had been next to nothing in any case.

“The vetting process did not show that this was a lie.”

Reid cut in again: “Despite the fact it was reported, it was put to Keir Starmer, it was a matter of public record –”

Reed claimed: “Lots of things are reported which aren’t true!”

She continued: ”– Instead of that being a matter of public record, the vetting process was simply to ask Lord Mandelson to ask if that was true and rely on Lord Mandelson to say it wasn’t true?”

“No. That is not what it was,” the minister said. “I just said, didn’t I? I said the security forces were involved in vetting as well and that threw up nothing of additional concern.”

Reid said: “What does that say about our security services and the vetting process?”

“It shows the vetting process was not good enough and that’s one of the things we need to look at,” he said, suggesting that system has been in place since before this Labour government were elected.

He also claimed Starmer took a decision to appoint the new ambassador “without knowing Mandelson was lying”.

“We can’t legislate against liars lying, what you can judge somebody by is what can you do when the liar is exposed,” Reed said.

Mandelson quit the Labour Party on Sunday and stepped down from the House of Lords on Wednesday.

The Metropolitan Police have since launched a criminal investigation over concerns Mandelson passed confidential information onto Epstein when he was a cabinet minister.

If you thought the first half of Bridgerton season four was steamy, dearest readers, you just wait.

The upcoming “part two” of the hit Netflix period drama promises to turn up the raunchiness even more – so prepare to get hot under the collar.

In a new promo clip, a warm bath awaits Benedict and Sophie – played by Luke Thompson and Yerin Ha – in a moment that fans of Julia Quinn’s Bridgerton novels will recognise from An Offer From A Gentleman, the book on which season four is based.

Sharing the new teaser on social media, Bridgerton’s official Netflix account said: “It has been said, the most anticipated moments are often times worth the wait.”

The short video depicts the couple staring longingly at each other, before panning to an actual steaming bathtub. Benedict and Sophie then trace the outline of the steel tub before kissing, at which point the camera peeps through a keyhole as the couple get intimate.

Readers of the Bridgerton book series will already know this bathtub sequence is one of the major sex scenes in the book – so if you loved that steamy staircase moment, you’ll be just as enamoured with this sequence.

“The bathtub scene, I can’t breathe,” one Bridgerton fan commented on X, while other viewers have called the clip “overwhelming” and even gone as far as claiming the teaser has left them feeling “unwell”.

Showrunner Jess Brownell previously assured fans of the Bridgerton books that the bathtub would appear in the fourth season of the show.

During Shondaland’s 12 Days Of Bridgerton social media Q&A series, Jess was asked to give fans some hints on what to expect, teasing: “Can I say bathtub?”

Those who have seen part one will remember that its cliffhanger ending left many viewers outraged by Benedict’s polarising offer to make Sophie his “mistress”, with Jess recently addressing the backlash during an interview.

Bridgerton returns with four new episodes on Thursday 26 February.