Welcome back to World Brief, where we’re looking at the fallout of the Epstein files for Britain’s Labour Party, China criticizing the United Kingdom’s expanded visa program for Hong Kongers, and another lethal U.S. strike on an alleged drug-trafficking boat.

Pressure is mounting for British Prime Minister Keir Starmer to resign over his decision to appoint Peter Mandelson, who maintained close ties with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, to be the British ambassador to the United States.

Welcome back to World Brief, where we’re looking at the fallout of the Epstein files for Britain’s Labour Party, China criticizing the United Kingdom’s expanded visa program for Hong Kongers, and another lethal U.S. strike on an alleged drug-trafficking boat.

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Pressure is mounting for British Prime Minister Keir Starmer to resign over his decision to appoint Peter Mandelson, who maintained close ties with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, to be the British ambassador to the United States.

Starmer fired Mandelson in September following the publication of emails from the 2000s that showed Mandelson offering his support for Epstein, including suggesting that Epstein’s 2008 conviction for soliciting prostitution from an underage girl was wrongful and should be challenged. On Thursday, the prime minister also issued a public apology to Epstein’s victims, saying, “Sorry for having believed this man’s [Mandelson’s] lies and appointed him,” after new evidence emerged indicating that Mandelson had leaked sensitive government information to and accepted money from Epstein.

U.K. police have started a criminal investigation into Mandelson related to his sharing of that information, though he maintains that he did not act criminally. He has not been accused of sexual misconduct.

Growing fragmentation within Starmer’s Labour Party—as well as a series of high-profile resignations at Downing Street—have tested the British leader’s mandate just 19 months after taking office.

On Monday, Scottish Labour Party leader........

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