The Latest Breaking News from the Chagos Islands

The UK government is set to face a battle in court on 13 March over Starmer’s plans to hand over the Indian Ocean islands to Mauritius focussing on the historic human rights of the Chagossians

It comes as a group of Chagossians who have defied the UK government and landed on one of the Indian Ocean islands have told The Independent that they are not there for a publicity stunt and plan to stay permanently

US President Donald Trump has reversed his stance, withdrawing support for the UK's deal to transfer the Chagos Islands to Mauritius. Trump called the agreement a "big mistake" and questioned the validity of claims to the islands, emphasizing the importance of the Diego Garcia military base.

The president warned against the loss of the US-UK military base on Diego Garcia

US President Donald Trump urged the UK not to "give away" the Diego Garcia base, deeming it crucial for potential US military action against Iran. This statement contradicts official US policy, which supports Britain's agreement to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius while retaining a 100-year lease on…

US president backs down over Labour prime minister’s plans to hand the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, in a deal the government says is necessary to secure the future of the crucial UK-US Diego Garcia military base

Letters: Readers respond to a letter which warned that Mauritius could destroy the islands’ ‘pristine’ tropical ecosystem

Sir Keir Starmer and Donald Trump have agreed to ensure the continued operation of the crucial UK-US military base on the Chagos Islands, Downing Street has confirmed. The leaders committed to "continue working closely to guarantee the future operation" of the facility, marking their first known discussion on the matter…

PM’s spokesperson insists government’s position is unchanged and that the US still supports the deal