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UK police release ex-envoy Mandelson on bail

o ‘Misconduct in public office’

Antisemitism inquiry begins SYDNEY: Australia yesterday opened a government-backed inquiry into antisemitism, after a mass shooting at a Jewish event at Bondi Beach killed 15 people last December. The attack at a Jewish Hanukkah celebration shocked a country with strict gun laws and fuelled calls for tougher controls and stronger action against antisemitism. The Royal Commission, the most powerful type of government inquiry in Australia which can compel people to give evidence, will be led by retired judge Virginia Bell. It will consider the events of the shooting as well as antisemitism and social cohesion in Australia, and is expected to report its findings by December. Bell said security arrangements for the event would form a major part of the commission. “The commission needs to investigate the security arrangements for that event, and to report on whether our intelligence and law enforcement agencies performed to maximum effectiveness,” Bell said. Police say the alleged gunmen, Sajid Akram and his son Naveed Akram, were inspired by IS ideology. Sajid Akram was shot dead by police at the scene, while Naveed Akram, who was also shot but survived, is facing charges including 15 counts of murder and a terror offence. Due to the ongoing legal proceedings, no potential witnesses in Akram’s trial will be called to give evidence to the commission. – Reuters for his Washington posting. Law firm Mishcon de Reya, representing Mandelson, said earlier this month that he “regrets, and will regret until his dying day, that he believed Epstein’s lies about his criminality”. “Lord Mandelson did not discover the truth about Epstein until after his death in 2019,” said the statement. “He is profoundly sorry that powerless and vulnerable women and girls were not given the protection they deserved.” The government is to release tens of thousands of emails, messages and documents on Mandelson’s vetting procedure, which could ramp up the pressure on the prime minister and other senior ministers. – AFP

over allegations that he sent sensitive documents to the sex offender when he was a minister, including during the 2008 financial crash. Police have not specified which documents are part of the probe. The veteran ex-politician was sacked by Prime Minister Keir Starmer as envoy to Washington in September when an earlier release of documents linked to Epstein showed the extent of their friendship. But Mandelson’s appointment has unleashed a political storm with two of Starmer’s top aides resigning. Starmer apologised to Epstein’s victims for appointing Mandelson and accused the ex-envoy of lying about the extent of his ties to the financier during the vetting process

suspicion of misconduct in public office has been released on bail pending further investigation,” the Metropolitan police said nine hours after he was taken into an unnamed London police station. Images on UK television earlier appeared to show Mandelson being driven away from his London home accompanied by a man and a woman, after police raided his properties earlier this month. The arrest came days after Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was detained on Thursday and released under investigation in a separate misconduct in public office investigation also related to the latest Epstein documents. Mandelson is being investigated

LONDON: Police released former ambassador Peter Mandelson on bail yesterday, in an investigation into his ties to disgraced US financier Jeffrey Epstein, only days after ex-prince Andrew was arrested. Mandelson, a pivotal figure in British politics and the UK’s former envoy to Washington, was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office on Monday following allegations arising from the latest set of documents linked to Epstein. “A 72-year-old man arrested on

Mandelson enters a vehicle on Feb 14. – REUTERSPIC

Australia clear on royal succession SYDNEY: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said his government is writing to Commonwealth realms about its backing for former prince Andrew to be axed from the line of royal succession. Albanese said he had

communicated with his British counterpart Keir Starmer about the former prince, who is being investigated for alleged misconduct in public office following revelations about his dealings with Jeffrey Epstein. Britain would have to initiate any change to the line of royal succession but it would need the agreement of the 14 other Commonwealth realms that have King Charles III as head of state, he said. “Australia likes being first and we have made sure that everyone knows what our position is and we’ll be writing today to the other realm countries as well, informing them of our position,” Albanese told public broadcaster ABC. The prime minister said he had written to the heads of Australia’s own states and territories, which would also need to agree to the change to the monarchy. In a letter to Starmer on Monday, Albanese said his government would agree to any proposal to remove Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor from the line of royal succession, describing the allegations against him as “grave”. Australians are “disgusted” by revelations about Epstein’s relations with public figures and they wanted the government to be clear about its position, Albanese told the ABC. – AFP

A mural titled Island Boys by artist Scott Marsh is seen on a building wall in Sydney. It depicts Epstein alongside several high-profile figures referenced in recently released documents. – AFPPIC

Melbourne gynaecologist accused of unneeded surgeries SYDNEY: An Australian gynaecologist was referred to police yesterday over media allegations that he carried out unneeded surgeries on women, including organ removals. Patients of Melbourne surgeon Simon Gordon told public endometriosis despite little or no evidence they had the disease. Some were in pain for months or years after the procedures. Endometriosis is a chronic disease in which tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside the womb. but her pathology results mostly showed no sign of the disease, the broadcaster said. A senior surgeon told the ABC that one sample indicated an “insignificant amount of possible endometriosis” in the patient and there was no justification for removing her ovaries. Another woman said the surgeon broadcaster ABC that he performed surgeries on them for severe One woman had her ovaries and her uterus removed by the surgeon

was quoted as saying. Gordon has denied wrongdoing, telling the ABC he never performed surgery for endometriosis “unless I was absolutely convinced it was in the patient’s best interests”. AFP has contacted the recently retired surgeon for his response to the report.

diagnosed her with endometriosis and operated despite earlier pathology results showing no sign of the disease. Six years after surgery, she was unable to walk for five minutes without pain. “I have barely any quality of life compared to what I had before,” she