Newly released Epstein files fuel political fallout in multiple countries

The newly released files on the late U.S. financier Jeffrey Epstein have sparked scrutiny across the Atlantic, prompting the resignation of several political figures over their ties to the convicted sex offender.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer's Director of Communications Tim Allan said in a brief statement on Monday that he has decided to resign to allow a new No.10 team to be built.

Allan took up the post of director of communications in September 2025 and served in the role for five months.

Another senior official, Morgan McSweeney, resigned on Sunday from his post as Starmer's chief of staff following controversy over the appointment of Peter Mandelson as ambassador to the United States. Starmer has asked his deputy chiefs of staff, Jill Cuthbertson and Vidhya Alakeson, to serve as acting chiefs of staff.

Mandelson, 72, was appointed ambassador to Washington in early 2025. Starmer later dismissed him after just seven months in the post amid fallout from an earlier release of Epstein-related files.

The Norwegian Foreign Ministry said on Sunday that Mona Juul has stepped down as Norway's ambassador to Jordan, also accredited to Iraq, after revelations about her contact with Epstein.

Juul had previously been relieved of her duties while the ministry reviewed her knowledge of and contact with Epstein. The ministry said its internal fact-finding will continue even after Juul's resignation, with particular attention to the rules that apply to state employees and officials both in and outside service.

President of the World Economic Forum and former Norwegian Foreign Minister Borge Brende and former Norwegian Prime Minister Thorbjorn Jagland were also involved in the case.

Norway's national authority for investigating and prosecuting economic and environmental crime (Okokrim) said on Thursday it has opened an investigation into Jagland on suspicion of aggravated corruption, citing information contained in newly released Epstein files.

Former French Culture Minister Jack Lang has offered to step down as president of the Arab World Institute, a Paris-based cultural and academic institution, amid controversy linked to newly released documents related to the Epstein case, French media reported on Saturday.

France's national financial prosecutor's office opened a preliminary investigation on Friday into Lang and his daughter on suspicion of aggravated tax fraud and money laundering.

On Jan 30, the U.S. Department of Justice said it had published millions of additional pages in compliance with the "Epstein Files Transparency Act", taking the total disclosure to nearly 3.5 million pages, alongside thousands of videos and images. The massive release has intensified scrutiny of Epstein's connections and renewed political pressure in multiple countries.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Sunday that the files have revealed what he called the "pure satanism" of Western elites and exposed the West's true nature.

Newly released Epstein files fuel political fallout in multiple countries

Iraq has seen its aviation industry dealt a huge blow because of continued airspace closures and flight suspensions amid regional hostilities triggered by the recent Israeli-U.S. strikes on Iran.

As security concerns persist while tensions remain high, Iraq announced on Friday it would extend the closure of its airspace for one more week as uncertainty over the conflict continues to hang in the air.

It is estimated that the country's aviation industry has lost more than 43 million U.S. dollars over the past month since the crisis erupted, with the war causing huge disruption to air travel across the region.

"After the closure of Iraqi airspace, airport operations were halted, and revenue from both arriving and departing flights was lost. This includes income from passenger services as well as overflying aircraft, which has significantly impacted overall revenues," said Maytham al-Safi, director of media office of the Iraqi Ministry of Transport.

The impact is being felt across the board, from government revenues to private businesses, as some of the leading travel agencies say bookings have completely collapsed, with some reporting daily passenger numbers dropping from around 100 to just five.

"Our company has been directly affected. We have four branches and around 80 employees, and the impact has been significant. We still have rent and other expenses to cover, so we are trying to adapt to whatever limited business is still possible," said Ahmed Khalid, managing director of the Safari Trip travel and tourism company in Baghdad.

With air travel no longer an option, many Iraqis are turning to overland routes -- often traveling for hours, even days, to reach neighboring countries like Türkiye. But the journey is not only longer and more expensive, it can also be highly risky.

"This situation creates real anxiety for families. It's not only the travelers who are at risk, but also the vehicles transporting them. These journeys can be dangerous. There is always the risk of accidents or even drone strikes. At the same time, costs have doubled, so people are facing both financial and safety pressures," said Anwar al-Mousawi, a local resident.

For many, a sense of frustration is growing the longer the current situation drags on, as civilians bear the consequences of a conflict they are not part of, and with no clear timeline for reopening Iraqi airspace, economic losses and public frustration are expected to deepen.

"The reality is, we are in a country that is not part of this war and did not start it, yet we are the ones paying the price," said al-Mousawi.

Iraq's aviation industry left grounded as Middle East crisis continues