UK appoints former PM Blair's top aide to lead talks on control of Chagos Islands

Britain has named Jonathan Powell, ex-chief of staff to Tony Blair, as its special envoy for negotiations with Mauritius regarding the Chagos Islands' sovereignty. Detached from Mauritius in 1965, these islands host a crucial US military base on Diego Garcia. The British government seeks to maintain this base's long-term operations while addressing Mauritius' claims.