Peter Mandelson, former UK ambassador to the United States, is currently under investigation by the Metropolitan Police concerning an allegation of criminal misconduct in public office.

The allegation centres on evidence that Mandelson passed sensitive, confidential information – received in his capacity as a minister – to Jeffrey Epstein and his associates.

If that is true, then it is, of course, not the first time that ministerial confidences have been breached. However, what makes this case potentially serious is the possibility that the information passed to Epstein was known to be likely to assist Epstein financially and that this favour may have been bound up with a relationship between the men in which Epstein conferred financial benefits on Mandelson.

The offence of misconduct in public office – described by famous legal commentator Sir William Blackstone in 1765 as “a crime of deep malignity” – dates back many centuries. It carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. In most cases, a significant prison sentence is imposed on a convicted offender – and there are around 25 to 50 convictions each year. Misconduct in public office is what lawyers call a common law offence. That is to say, it is an offence invented and developed (like the definition of murder) by judges, without parliamentary intervention.

In its modern form, the offence has three main elements. The accused must have been acting in an official capacity at the time of the alleged offence, they must have wilfully misconducted themselves and their conduct must have fallen “so far below acceptable standards that it amounts to an abuse of the public’s trust”.

Prosecutors must be confident that the evidence for these elements points to a reasonable prospect of conviction and separately that there is sufficient public interest in prosecution.

A typical case might be one in which a prison officer accepts money for passing information to a prisoner on the whereabouts of the latter’s former criminal associates. Such cases are ones in which the offence operates in a broadly top-down manner: servants of the state entrusted with powers are called to account for the knowing misuse of those powers.

However, the offence can also operate in a more bottom-up manner. Those holding the highest elected or judicial offices can themselves be criminally accountable for misuse of power, if need be, through a private prosecution launched by an ordinary citizen or a pressure group. For example, the MPs in the so-called expenses scandal who knowingly made false claims were convicted of false accounting, but they could all equally have been charged with misconduct in public office.

Corruption in public office?

In Mandelson’s case, there seems to be evidence that while acting in a public capacity as a minister (element one), he wilfully – knowingly – misconducted himself (element two). He must have known that it was wrong to share confidential information with Epstein if he received it in a ministerial capacity.

The key is probably element three: did his wilful misconduct fall so far short of what is expected of a holder of ministerial office as to amount to an abuse of the public’s trust? Misconduct in public office is a serious offence, and so this is a high bar to surmount. Central to the determination of element three will be whether information was wrongly disclosed for a purpose itself involving significant impropriety, such as benefiting a private individual financially.

There is also the possibility that such an improper purpose was also associated with corruption. If the information was disclosed as part of an exchange of favours, that makes the case stronger for saying that there was an abuse of the public’s trust. Corrupt activity has long been equated in law with the abuse of public trust. Proof of both improper purpose and corruption would be very serious indeed.

The lapse of time, and his political disgrace, may have diminished the public interest in prosecuting Mandelson; and it should be noted that public outrage is not the same as public interest. Even so, he would be well advised to find himself a first-rate lawyer.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Majority Leader John Thune said Thursday that demands made by Democrats for new restrictions on federal immigration officers are “unrealistic” and warned that the Department of Homeland Security will shut down next week if they do not work with Republicans and the White House.

Democrats say they will not vote for a DHS spending bill when funding runs out unless there are “dramatic changes” at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and other federal law enforcement agencies in the wake of the fatal shootings of two protesters in Minneapolis last month.

The Democratic leaders, Sen. Chuck Schumer and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, released an expanded list of 10 detailed proposals on Wednesday night for restraining President Donald Trump’s aggressive campaign of immigration enforcement. Among the demands are a requirement for judicial warrants, better identification of DHS officers, new use of force standards and a stop to racial profiling.

Congress is trying to renegotiate the DHS spending bill after Trump last week agreed to a Democratic request that it be separated from a larger spending measure and extended at current levels for two weeks while the two parties negotiate. The deal came after ICU nurse Alex Pretti was shot and killed by a U.S. Border Patrol officer in Minneapolis on Jan. 24, and some Republicans agreed that new restrictions were necessary.

But with nearly a week gone, a shutdown is becoming increasingly likely starting Feb. 14 as Republicans have been cool to most of the Democrats’ requests.

“This is not a blank check situation where Republicans just do agree to a list of Democrat demands,” said Thune, R-S.D. “The only way to get reforms to ICE is to agree to a bill.”

As of now, Thune said, “we aren’t anywhere close to having any sort of an agreement.”

In addition to ICE and U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the homeland security bill includes funding for the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Transportation Security Administration. If DHS shuts down, Thune said, “there’s a very good chance we could see more travel problems” similar to the 43-day government closure last year.

Democratic demands

Schumer, D-N.Y., said he is “astounded to hear” Republicans say his party’s proposals were political or unworkable.

“It’s about people’s basic rights, it’s about people’s safety,” Schumer said. If Republicans do not like the ideas, he said, “they need to explain why.”

Schumer and Jeffries, D-N.Y., have made several demands, including no masks for officers, judicial warrants and better federal coordination with local authorities. The list they released Wednesday added several new items, including a stricter use of force policy, legal safeguards at detention centers and a prohibition on tracking protesters with body-worn cameras.

Democrats say Congress should end indiscriminate arrests, “improve warrant procedures and standards,” ensure the law is clear that officers cannot enter private property without a judicial warrant and require that before a person can be detained, it’s verified that the person is not a U.S. citizen.

They also want an end to racial profiling, saying DHS officers should be prohibited from stopping, questioning or searching people “based on an individual’s presence at certain locations, their job, their spoken language and accent or their race and ethnicity.”

For officers conducting immigration enforcement, Democrats say that in addition to officers taking off their masks and showing identification, DHS should regulate and standardize uniforms and equipment to bring them in line with other law enforcement agencies.

Republican pushback

Schumer called it a “gut check moment for Congress” as the immigration enforcement operations have rocked Minneapolis and other U.S. cities. But Republicans were dismissive.

Wyoming’s John Barrasso, the No. 2 Republican senator, said the demands are “radical and extreme” and a “far-left wish list.”

Sen. Katie Britt, who is helping lead negotiations, said the list is “a ridiculous Christmas list of demands” and warned that time is running out before the deadline.

“I encourage them to talk to the White House,” she said. “We only have one week left.”

Down to the last funding bill

Thune has also encouraged Democrats and the White House to talk. It is unclear whether they are or whether Democrats would be willing to back down on any of their demands.

Some Republicans have demands of their own, including adding legislation that would require proof of citizenship before Americans register to vote and restrictions on cities that they say do not do enough to crack down on illegal immigration.

Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., said it is up to Republicans to ensure the government does shut down because they are in charge.

“The American people want this abuse to stop,” Murphy said.

Some look to limit shutdown pain

Other lawmakers are searching for options to prevent another partial shutdown.

One idea being floated is to essentially fund some of the other agencies within DHS -– the Coast Guard, airport operations under TSA and disaster assistance from FEMA.

“Why not take that off the table?” said Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina, whose state is in need of FEMA funds from recent disasters.

“If it doesn’t look like they can get it done,” he said about the immigration enforcement overhaul, “I really think they should look at a la carte funding of agencies.”

Some Democrats have said they agree, but Thune said Thursday that splitting apart the DHS appropriations bill to single out ICE would “defund law enforcement.”

Splitting the bill would mean essentially cutting ICE loose by allowing it to go without its routine federal funding because the agency already has such a robust budget from Trump’s tax and spending cut bill from last year.

ICE is expected to receive about $10 billion in the annual appropriations bill, a fraction of the $175 billion-plus for homeland security for the administration’s mass deportation agenda.

___

Associated Press writer Stephen Groves contributed to this report.

​A proposal to extend a garage and convert it into two flats in the South Cliff of Scarborough has been refused by North Yorkshire Council over concerns about its impact on the area.

​The property, located at West View, 10A Belvedere Place, is approximately a mile from the town centre and railway station.

​Officers said that approving the plans would “result in a significant first-floor extension which would alter the roof form of the original building and of which the scale, form and mass would result in overdevelopment of a modest, traditional garage”.

​This would cause “significant harm to the appearance of the original building,” they added.

​According to the proposal, the ground-floor of the garage would have become a one-bed flat with a living room, kitchen and bathroom facilities.

​The first-floor flat would have comprised a one-bed flat with bathroom and kitchen facilities as well as a small balcony and outdoor area to the rear.

​Officers objected due to the contemporary design, which they said would “visually jar with the prevailing character and appearance of the area, causing significant harm to the appearance of the host building and failing to preserve the appearance and character of the conservation area of Scarborough”.

​North Yorkshire Council rejected the application on Wednesday, February 4.

​

Now eight months old, the twins have been diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a rare genetic condition that affects muscle strength and movement and means they may never walk. The most severe form, SMA Type 1, typically presents in infancy and, according to the NHS, can cause profound muscle weakness, swallowing difficulties and serious breathing problems.

New York is expected to become the fourteenth state to legalize medically assisted death in the United States, upon receiving Governor Kathy Hochul’s signature this week.

The Medical Aid In Dying Act, which was passed by the New York state legislature last year, provides legal language to allow terminally-ill, mentally-competent people who are given less than six months to live to request life-ending medication.

For more than 10 years, state lawmakers have sought to legalize medically assisted death in New York, allowing terminally ill people to die with dignity.

“It isn’t about ending a person’s life, but shortening their death,” then-New York state Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal told reporters last year. Hoylman-Sigal introduced the bill but was elected Manhattan Borough President in November, before the bill was enacted.

Although the state legislature passed the bill last year, Hochul had wavered on signing it to negotiate additional guardrails. In December, the governor announced she would sign the bill after reaching a deal to require patients participate in a five-day waiting period, mandatory mental health evaluations, in-person physician evaluation, elect a person other than someone who may benefit financially from their death serve as a witness to the request and more.

The governor, who said she plans to sign the bill, has until Friday at midnight to enact it. It will take effect six months later.

“Although this was an incredibly difficult decision, I ultimately determined that with the additional guardrails agreed upon with the legislature, this bill would allow New Yorkers to suffer less–to shorten not their lives, but their deaths,” Hochul said in December.

Hochul asked for the six-month extension to give the state Department of Health to place regulations around the medication and process while ensuring healthcare facilities can properly train staff.

Medically-assisted death is largely favored in the U.S. A 2024 Gallup poll found that 71 percent of people believe doctors should be allowed by law to end a patient’s life in a painless way if it meets the patient’s request.

Last year, a group commissioned to conduct a poll of New Yorkers’ feelings toward medically assisted death, End of Life Choice New York, found that 68 percent supported the legislation. While support varied on demographic, people of all races and political affiliation largely supported the law.

New York will join California, Colorado, Delaware, Washington D.C., Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Vermont and Washington in legalizing medically assisted death.

Alan Shearer believes Newcastle United will struggle to hold onto players like Sandro Tonali if they fail to qualify for the Champions League next season.

Tonali’s future in the north east came into doubt on transfer deadline day after it emerged he had been offered to Arsenal after the Gunners lost Mikel Merino to injury.

Arsenal explored the move with talks taking place in the final hours of the January window. Newcastle however swiftly knocked back the audacious approach, adamant one of their key players would not leave the club midway through the campaign.

Eddie Howe echoed those sentiments this week, insisting the Italy international ‘loves representing the city’, dismissing suggestions January interest could unsettle the player heading into the summer.

Newcastle are hopeful of reaching the knockout stages of the Champions League with a play-off tie against Qarabag to navigate first.

Their participation in next season’s competition is less certain, with the Magpies currently sat in 11^th place.

While fifth is likely to be good enough for Champions League qualification again, Newcastle are currently seven points adrift of that spot.

Premier League legend Shearer fears his old side will find themselves in a very tricky situation in the summer if there is no European football on offer for their most coveted players.

‘Sandro Tonali hasn’t hit the heights he was at last season, but I guess what’ll happen is, if Newcastle aren’t going to qualify for Europe or be competitive in the Premier League, you’d expect other clubs will look at Newcastle and try to buy their best players,’ Shearer told Betfair.

‘Although it was a surprise in the January window, I think it’ll happen more in the summer if Newcastle don’t achieve what they have in the past few years.

‘Top players want to play Champions League football, and we know there’s no real loyalty in football – I’m not saying Tonali will do anything like that, but we know if clubs don’t get into European places, other clubs will try and pick players up.

‘Newcastle have to start winning games and go far in the FA Cup and hopefully the Champions League to try and rescue what, at the minute, certainly Premier League wise, has been a disappointing return.

‘I know we got to a semi-final and all those years ago we’d craved for that but then the money that’s been spent and put into the club and where the club wants to go to, at the minute it’s been disappointing.’

MORE: Julian Alvarez transfer choice revealed with Chelsea and Arsenal ‘ready to break the bank’

MORE: What Noni Madueke told Cole Palmer after Arsenal beat Chelsea in the Carabao Cup

MORE: Why Man Utd should be worried about £42m star with mystery injury problems explained

American Idol alum Rhonetta Johnson appears worse for wear in a new mugshot linked to an arrest for prostitution years after appearing on the hit talent show.

Johnson, now 44, became a viral sensation after a disastrous audition during American Idol’s Season 5 in 2006, when she had a fiery clash with judge Paula Abdul.

The U.S. Sun can exclusively reveal she was taken into custody at the end of January after skipping previous court dates.

She was booked in North Carolina’s Mecklenburg County after an outstanding order for arrest tied to a long-running prostitution case was finally served at the courthouse.

She was issued multiple release orders, had a public defender appointed, and was placed on a $2,500 unsecured bond, which was later posted.

The arrest traces back to a separate prostitution case filed in 2018, which dragged on for years after Johnson repeatedly failed to appear in court.

Johnson was caught on October 4 in an undercover sting at a massage parlor that led to multiple prostitution arrests in Charlotte, according to charlottealertsnews.com.

Officers found her at the Continental Inn on West Sugar Creek Road, where she allegedly agreed to have sex with an undercover officer for $35, cops said.

During the encounter, Johnson reportedly made a spontaneous statement admitting she had a crack pipe, which officers later found in her bag, leading to an additional charge, the outlet reported.

The charge was later dropped, and only the prostitution charge was filed.

Following her initial arrest, Johnson repeatedly missed court appearances, prompting several warrants, and she was taken into custody and released multiple times in 2019 on secured bonds reaching $2,000.

Despite the drawn-out proceedings, prosecutors ultimately dismissed the prostitution charge with leave in February 2020, formally ending the case, though unresolved paperwork allowed it to resurface years later.

LONG RAP SHEET

Johnson’s legal troubles date back even further.

In June last year, the Columbus Police Department also issued a missing persons plea after she reportedly disappeared.

A post on Facebook shows they later updated followers, saying she had been located in “good health.”

In 2012, she was cited for possessing up to half an ounce of marijuana and charged with soliciting for prostitution, court filings show.

After failing to appear in court multiple times, she was finally arrested in August 2014.

The case was resolved the following month when she pleaded guilty to the marijuana charge and was sentenced to 27 days in jail, all credited as time already served, while the prostitution charge was dismissed.

Court records later show she was hit with $170 in attorney-fee judgments, which remained unpaid and were flagged for state debt collection in July 2025.

The U.S. Sun can also confirm she has had multiple run-ins with the law dating back as far as the 1990s, before her time on the show.

WILD CONTESTANT

Johnson first grabbed attention as a contestant in 2006, auditioning in Greensboro, North Carolina.

She didn’t make it to the Hollywood rounds, but her audition became infamous, not for her singing, but for her reaction after being rejected by the judges.

Johnson lashed out at Abdul, claiming she could be “bigger” than stars like JLo, Janet Jackson and Mariah Carey, and even refused Abdul’s offer of water, mocking the judge on camera.

Clips of the audition went viral, earning Johnson a spot in reality TV lore and even a humorous mention during that season’s finale.

She never launched a mainstream music career, though she did release a self-produced remix EP in 2014.

Cristina Perez Galcenco, the 21-year-old daughter of a retired Spanish footballer, was tragically found dead at her home this week

Tributes have poured in for an international catwalk model who was tragically found dead at her home in Spain.

Cristina Perez Galcenco, the 21-year-old daughter of a retired Spanish footballer, was found dead in Caleta de Velez, Costa del Sol, near Malaga on Tuesday. The Lanzarote-born beauty was said to have a promising future ahead of her, having already done catwalk modelling around the world in cities including London, Madrid, Milan and Paris. Well-placed sources said today her death wasn’t being treated as suspicious.

Graciela Suarez, director of a fashion event in Oviedo in northern Spain called Pasarela Campoamor – where Cristina first made her name as a teenager – said today: “I am devastated.”

As well as participating in events like Madrid Fashion Week, Cristina also featured in a number of ad campaigns for big brands like Stradivarius – even presenting new fashion collections for the likes of Versace and Louis Vuitton.

Her body is expected to be transferred to Asturias in northern Spain where she grew up in the next few days so her funeral can take place.

Cristina’s parents, former goalkeeper Nacho Perez and her Moldovan-born mum Tatiana Galcenco, have yet to comment on their social media.

Photographer Xana de Jesus said in an emotional tribute: “I have no words for this sad news, except to tell her parents Tatiana Galcenco and Nacho Perez and her family that a star shines eternally in our hearts and that I offer my deepest condolences in such a time of grief.

“I will never forget your words, Cris. You were and always will be a role model and an example to follow, both in your modelling career and as a person. I was very fortunate to have known you and worked with you. How unfair life is.” Another heartbroken friend added: “Cristina is an angel and always was.”

Cristina said in a recent interview: “My job is to be the image of what a brand wants to represent to the public, whether through catwalks or advertising campaigns. I always say that the most satisfying thing about this profession is the number of people, cultures and mentalities you get to know.

“They are so different from your comfort zone that you have no choice but to grow and adapt to them; on the other hand, I feel that this comes with loneliness, which is the worst part of this job.

“It is a fact that, being constantly on the move, no one in your close circle can keep up with you, so learning to get along with yourself is one of the most important things.”

Cristina went on to admit that modelling at a young age had been an obstacle in confronting some of the difficulties associated with the job. She was studying a course in Malaga around the time of her death.