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Police investigating bailout email from Mandelson to Epstein

Police are investigating a 2010 email Lord Mandelson appeared to share with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein about an EU bailout after the financial crash, Met chief Sir Mark Rowley has said.

In an interview with ABC News in the US, the head of the Metropolitan Police said officers were looking at whether this was a criminal offence.

The UK's former ambassador to the US is under investigation over allegations of misconduct in public office.

He has repeatedly let it be known that he believes he has not acted criminally, did not act for personal gain and is co-operating with the police.

One email released by the US Justice Department as part of the Epstein files earlier this year suggests Lord Mandelson gave the financier advance notice of a €500bn bailout by the EU to save the ailing Euro.

The evening before the announcement on 10 May 2010, Epstein emailed Lord Mandelson to say: "sources tell me 500 b euro bailout , almost complete."

The documents appear to show Lord Mandelson replied: "Sd be announced tonight."

Epstein then asked if Mandelson was home and received a reply, saying: "Just leaving No10..will call."

Sir Mark told ABC News: "As we've said publicly with Peter Mandelson, the former ambassador, there is a particular e-mail to do with bailouts after the financial crash in the sort of, I think 2008-2009.

"It looks like it was shared with Epstein, so we're looking at that as to whether that's a criminal offence."

He added that Thames Valley Police were also looking at other documents potentially shared by Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.

The former prince is also under investigation on suspicion of misconduct in public office.

He was arrested after the force said it was assessing a complaint over the alleged sharing of confidential material with Epstein.

Sir Mark said there were also "a whole range of suggested sexual allegations" against Mountbatten-Windsor "and those are being assessed at the moment to see whether any of them do actually merit a criminal investigation".

The Met chief said officers recorded four interviews with Virginia Giuffre, who alleged that she was brought to London to have sex with the former prince in 2001 when she was 17.

He added: "Those interviews didn't give us any evidence or any allegations of sexual offending or trafficking that we could investigate in the UK.

"So that's why that investigation didn't go forward."

Mountbatten-Windsor has always denied the allegations.

Giuffre died by suicide last year.

Sir Mark said he was in the US because there was "a big body of evidence" in the Epstein files "and we're going to need the unredacted evidence" if any cases reach court.

Asked if the US was being cooperative, Sir Mark said: "Yeah, so those conversations are where I'd expect them to be at the moment."

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March 19, 2026

Police investigating bailout email from Mandelson to Epstein

Police are investigating a 2010 email Lord Mandelson appeared to share with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein about ...

'Kona storm' astounds forecasters with 'astronomical' rain in Hawaii

Just four days afterstorms swept Hawaii with flooding rainsand more than 100 mph winds, the islands are bracing for another round arriving March 19 and lingering through the weekend.

Another subtropical cyclone, known asa "kona storm" or "kona low," is formingand forecast to bring more rain and flooding, but without the highest winds of the previous storm, said Matthew Foster, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Honolulu.

The heaviest rain is expected on Oahu, Maui and the Big Island, according to weather service reports. "While this storm may not be as strong as last week's kona low, individual areas may be impacted differently depending on where rain bands set up," the weather service added.

The system is forecast to drag moisture over the region into the night of March 19 and into the 20th, Foster said. Then a trough will move into the area and intensify on March 20 and 21.

Rain chances in Hawaii over 12 hours from March 19 to March 20, 2026.

How do kona storms form?

Kona is the Hawaiian word for leeward, and these subtropical cyclones often form on the west or northwest of the archipelago, considered the leeward side of the islands and typically sheltered from the tradewinds and intense rains.

The low pressure systems are a winter phenomenon, worse some years than others, with origins in a series of planetary waves that move around the globe.

The systems appear every year, but don't always hit Hawaii, said Matthew Foster, a meteorologist with the weather service in Honolulu. "We will see them every year, but it's not every time they hit us," Foster said. "We're a small target in the big ocean. They may be 600 miles to the west or the east."

Winds, rain washed over Hawaii March 13-16

Officials are still working to assess and address damage from the March 13-16 storm that dropped up to four feet of rain on the island of Maui. The winds, blowing at hurricane-speed gusts, took down some of the "power high tension wires that go across mountain ridges," said Steven Businger, a University of Hawaii professor.

Hawaii Electric is still reconnecting people, Businger said. On the Big Island, at least 1,848 customers remained without electricity on March 18, with a total of nearly 2,400 across the archipelago, according toUSA TODAY's outage tracker.

Flooding washed over roads in the islands, eroded a home that washed away and caused sinkholes and other damages, according toHawaii Civil Beat.But no deaths had been reported as of March 18.

Widespread winds, gusting to 50 to 80 mph, were reported across the islands, with even higher gusts in a few locations.

Winds gusted to 135 mph at Kaiaulu Puu Waawaa on the Big Island in the early morning hours of March 14, and to 110 mph at the Mauna Kea Summit the next morning. On Maui, the winds gusted to 108 mph at Kula. On Oahu, the winds gusted to 81 mph at Makapuu Beach and to 78 mph at the historical Schofield Barracks.

In addition to the winds, rainfall amounts were "astronomical," Businger said.

How did the mid-March kona storm compare to previous storms?

A similar – but worse – kona system occurred in 2006, with seven fatalities, Businger said. The rains started in February and continued through March, with 40 days and 40 nights of precipitation, prompting comparisons to the biblical event associated with Noah.

A La Niña pattern in the Eastern Pacific tends to favor stronger lows, Businger said. The 2006 event happened as a La Nina was fading. So did flooding in April 2018 and March 2021.

Fortunately the end is at least in sight for this event, he said. "I'm quite sure that in two weeks this pattern will have changed or diminished greatly."

"You know, March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb," he said, adding the folklore stems from the maximum changes occurring as Earth moves toward its Spring Equinox.

"We are at a time when the sun is increasing in strength more from one day to the next than at any other time of year," he said. The length of day increases the fastest around the equinox, with a peak change in day-to-day solar radiation.

Because temperature gradients at various levels in the atmosphere are a primary source of energy for these storms, when the sun begins to warm the cold air, he said it "steals the thunder" out of the low-pressure system.

Although daily rainfall records were broken at several gauges throughout the islands, only one of three major climate stations – Kahului – has reported record rain so far in March.

Kahului has received 16.36 inches of rain, exceeding its previous 10.9 inch record set in March 1967.
At Hilo, where 11.43 inches of rain has fallen, the standing record for March is 49.93 inches in 1980.
At Honolulu, 10.1 inches of rain has fallen, far below its monthly record of 20.79 inches in 1951.

Could 'kona lows' be affected by climate change?

It's possible that climate change could influence the subtropical cyclones in the future. Warming temperatures could increase the potential for heavier rainfall, Businger said, but so far, Hawaii has been spared most of the worst of the increases in sea surface temperatures seen in other regions, because the ocean currents carry warmer water into other regions.

The state is seeing "two trends that are pretty clear in the data," he said. The islands are getting drier, with higher elevations seeing the dryness faster than the lower elevations; and the state is getting warmer.

Temperatures in Hawaii are getting hotter, said Steven Businger, a professor in the meteorology department at the University of Hawaii, as this data from the National Centers for Environmental Information shows.

Dinah Voyles Pulver, a national correspondent for USA TODAY, writes about violent weather, climate change and other news. Reach her at dpulver@usatoday.com or @dinahvp on Bluesky or X or dinahvp.77 on Signal.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Kona storm in forecast again after 'astronomical' rain in Hawaii

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March 19, 2026

'Kona storm' astounds forecasters with 'astronomical' rain in Hawaii

Just four days afterstorms swept Hawaii with flooding rainsand more than 100 mph winds, the islands are bracing for anoth...

Pistons guard Cade Cunningham has collapsed lung, will miss time, AP source says

All-Star guard Cade Cunningham of the Eastern Conference-leading Detroit Pistons has a collapsed lung and is expected to miss at least two weeks and possibly more, a person with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press on Thursday.

Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) dunks the ball against the Memphis Grizzlies during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, March 13, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)

Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) drives to the basket against Philadelphia 76ers forward Dalen Terry (14) during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Thursday, March 12, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)

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The exact timeline for a return to play is still unknown, the person said.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because those details were not released publicly.

The regular season ends in less than four weeks. The Pistons — who listed Cunningham as out for Thursday's game in Washington with a left back contusion — wouldn't start their playoff run until April 18 or 19.

ESPN first reported the details of the injury.

Cunningham got hurt inTuesday's win over Washington, leaving midway through the opening quarter with whatthe team called back spasms. He dove for a loose ball and collided into Wizards guard Tre Johnson with 7:44 left in the first, then seemed to be laboring until he checked out 1:04 later.

Cunningham is averaging 24.5 points and 9.9 assists for the Pistons, who are on pace for their best season in nearly two decades.

Detroit entered Thursday 49-19, 3 1/2 games ahead of Boston for the top spot in the East with 14 games remaining. Cunningham has played in 61 games this season, so an extended absence could also mean he doesn't reach the 65-game threshold for eligibility for awards like the All-NBA team.

AP NBA:https://apnews.com/hub/nba

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March 19, 2026

Pistons guard Cade Cunningham has collapsed lung, will miss time, AP source says

All-Star guard Cade Cunningham of the Eastern Conference-leading Detroit Pistons has a collapsed lung and is expected to ...

NFL reportedly looking for potential replacement officials in case league doesn't reach new CBA with refs

The collective bargaining agreement between the NFL and the NFL Referees Association (NFLRA) expires at the end of May, and the league is reportedly coming up with a familiar contingency plan.

The NFL is looking for potential replacement officials in case the league doesn't reach a new CBA with the refs,according to reports from ESPNandPro Football Talk on Wednesday.

Replacement refs were most recently used in 2012when the lockout of NFL officials followed the previous season's lockout of NFL players.

In that instance, the replacement refs were used for three weeks of the regular season, a stretch that culminated with the infamous"Fail Mary," the ruling on which incorrectly rewarded the Seattle Seahawks with a game-winning touchdown reception against the Green Bay Packerson "Monday Night Football."

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That lockout of officials lasted 110 days.

NFLRA executive director Scott Green said he's surprised the NFL "would even consider" replacement refs after what went down in 2012, according to ESPN.

Green flagged some possible issues with that approach, as outlined in ESPN's report. He believes there would be a greater chance for gambling to find its way into officiating crews. Green also noted, per ESPN, that replacement refs can compromise the safety of players, given they aren't equipped with the necessary experience at that level of football.

When citing the emails it reviewed, ESPN reported Wednesday that the NFL is seeking a list of around 150 officials, a group mostly comprised of small college refs, by the end of this coming weekend.

Barring a new CBA, those potential replacement officials could reportedly start the onboarding process as early as April. That would get the ball rolling on training, which, per ESPN, would involve a four-day clinic in May and then training camp visits prior to the start of the regular season.

This past December,reports surfacedthat the league saw the negotiation period as an opportunity to improve officiating, including through increased accessibility and accountability, pushing for a performance-based officiating model.

On the other hand, the NFLRA wants to preserve the status quo,according to ESPN's Wednesday report.

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March 19, 2026

NFL reportedly looking for potential replacement officials in case league doesn't reach new CBA with refs

The collective bargaining agreement between the NFL and the NFL Referees Association (NFLRA) expires at the end of May...

Matt Painter, Purdue basketball and the honest quest for March Madness glory

It's been the guiding principlePurduebasketball coach Matt Painter has lived by. On and off the court, whether you like hearing it or not, he has spent every moment in West Lafayette providing his belief over false assurances.

You can ask him just about anything, and he'll give the facts, or his truth.

"We don't promise guys anything," he told USA TODAY Sports. "We'll try to be as honest as we can be. If we lose you that way, that's cool with us. We'd rather be honest and lose you."

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There is no legacy as rich as honesty, and it has helped Painter build one with theBoilermakers. In his 22nd season coaching his alma mater, he has been through it all. Sustained success, disappointing finishes, all while the sport rapidly changes around him.

What hasn't changed is his pursuit to finally bring a championship to Purdue.

"It gets old, but it's part of the fight," he said.

Purdue Boilermakers head coach Matt Painter claps his hands after a foul is called during the first half against the Illinois Fighting Illini at Mackey Arena.

It's taken a unique approach for Purdue to consistently be a contender. First off, it starts with that honesty.

When Painter is building his roster, he's not looking for high school All-Americans or blue-chip recruits. In the247Sports all-time databasethat began in 2010, he's only signed one five-star prospect — Caleb Swanigan in 2015.

In that same timeframe, he's produced eight All-Americans, including a national player of the year in Zach Edey.

How does that happen? By laying down the path of development. Before you step on campus, he tells you how he expects your time will go.

Major contributor off the bat? Sweet. Not seeing any minutes in Year 1? That's all good. Painter is far from done with you. It builds up faith and trust in those who decide to wear the black and gold.

"He's genuine. He cares about you as a person, not just as a basketball player, and he's truthful," saidsenior guard Braden Smith. "That's important as well, because a lot of coaches promise things that they can't hold or will say stuff that doesn't happen.

"(Painter) has never done that."

The approach also applies to transfers. Painter vows not to "spend all cost" toward additions. He wants to pay for someone's value, not their projection.

Putting together a team is one of the things Painter loves about his job. He also loves practices and games like any other coach. There are some things he doesn't really enjoy. One is the attention, but you can't really avoid that as a high-profile coach.

Then there's the chaos of college basketball, which he isn't afraid to share his feelings about, advocating for some government intervention to help get a level playing field for universities.

"The landscape is harder, and it's changing," Painter said. "You don't know, are we here to stay? If we don't get some help here from Congress, or get some firm rules and collective bargaining and things of that nature.

"We need something to solidify our grounds so we can move forward. We want a competitive balance," he added.

Painter recalled the Boilermakers "had to be hit in the face" to understand how the landscape changed, and adjust to where it could survive instead of sink. Now, it's all about being able to "stay up at the Joneses."

College sports have changed, and it's led to some high-profile coaching departures. Nick Saban is the most notable name to cite how NIL contributed to him stepping away, with basketball coaches like Jay Wright, Tony Bennett and Jim Larrañaga also departing.

So, why hasn't Painter?

Well, the 55-year-old loves this too much.

"I could do this until I'm 70," he said with a smile.

Braden Smith of the Purdue Boilermakers high fives head coach Matt Painter against the Iowa State Cyclones during the second half at Mackey Arena on December 6, 2025 in West Lafayette, Indiana.

Ever since taking over from his coach, Gene Keady, there's been a lot for Painter to love about leading the Boilermakers. Winning Big Ten titles, consistently making the tournament and winning games in it. Why would he want to leave that?

Painter ismaking $4.975 million this season, according to IndyStar, ranking in the top 20 of coaches' salaries. He said there were open jobs after last season he could've taken and gotten more money, but didn't see it worth leaving Purdue for.

For as great as it's been, it also comes with plenty of heartbreak. Purdue has developed a stigma for its March shortcomings. In the past nine tournaments, it has lost to a No. 12, 13, 15 and 16 seed, becoming the butt of jokes.

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Even though the astonishing loss to No. 16 seed Fairleigh Dickinson in 2023 was followed up with a national championship appearance, three years later, it's a result that still fuels Painter.

"In this business, you're either humble or you're getting ready to get humbled," he said. "We were officially humbled."

Be honest. Let the team know its goals and expectations, where it stands and what can happen.

The goal? Win a national championship.

This team is capable of it. Led by soon-to-be NCAA assists record-holder Smith and a group of seniors who have "accomplished everything" but winning it all, Purdue entered the season the No. 1 team in the country. It started 17-1, having the look of a title-winning team.

Yet, one thing Painter learned is his team is never complete. He knew the oil would begin leaking, and sure enough, it did with a 6-7 finish to the regular season. While it raised the panic alarms, the coach finds a silver lining in struggles.

"One thing that I always believe in is bad things happen when you win and good things happen when you lose," Painter said. "Your puzzle is never complete. If you're a coach and you think your puzzle is complete, you're an absolute fool."

The puzzle was far from complete, yet recently it looks like it's a few pieces away. It was almost like a flip was switched for the Big Ten tournament, winning four games in four days en route to the conference title.

Purdue looked like the team expected ahead of the season, and goes into the NCAA Tournament on a hot streak. The goal was to get a top-three seed, and the Boilermakers are the No. 2 in theWest Region.

Exactly where they want to be. But, they've also been here before. Painter is no stranger to heartbreak.

"We've had a lot of success through the years, but we also understand we can get beat by anybody, anytime," he said.

If there's a team to break all of that though, end years of shortcomings and frustrations, it's this one. If Painter is being honest, this squad is there.

His players believe the same, and they're out to get their coach the ending he deserves.

"First, it would be for him," Smith said of winning a national championship for Painter. "Just being able to win it for a program that he's been a part of for 20 years or whatever it is, it's special, because you don't see that often.

"He does it the right way, he coaches the right way, he approaches the game the right way, he does everything the right way. I think people should get rewarded," he added. "That's our goal: to help him out and try to get that for him."

And that's the honest truth.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Purdue's March Madness lows fuel Matt Painter's championship quest

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March 19, 2026

Matt Painter, Purdue basketball and the honest quest for March Madness glory

It's been the guiding principlePurduebasketball coach Matt Painter has lived by. On and off the court, whether you li...

Where is Siena? What to know of Duke's NCAA Tournament opponent

No. 1 overall seedDuketakes onNo. 16 seed Sienain the first round of the2026 Men's NCAA Tournamenton Thursday, March 19, looking to take care of business and avoid an absolutely devastating upset.

Only two No. 16 seeds have won first-round NCAA Tournament games ever, both of which came in recent years: when Virginia lost to UMBC in 2018 and Purdue to Fairleigh Dickinson in 2023. Siena is also led by a former Syracuse legend in Gerry McNamara, who won a national championship with the Orange in 2003 and has his jersey retired in the rafters at the school.

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Siena isn't the most recognizable brand in college basketball: It has six previous NCAA Tournament appearances in its history, last reaching the field in 2010. The Saints did win first-round games in 1989, 2008 and 2009, however.

For those tuning into the David vs. Goliath-level matchup, here's what to know of Siena before it takes on Duke, the current national championship favorite heading into the NCAA Tournament:

Where is Siena located?

Siena is a private school located in Loudonville, New York, where it was founded in 1937. Its total undergraduate enrollment is less than 4,000 students.

Siena basketball nickname

Siena's athletics teams go by the nickname "Saints," and itsmascot is a St. Bernard named "Bernie."

Siena NCAA Tournament history

Siena has six prior NCAA Tournament appearances in its history, last reaching the big dance in 2010. The Saints actually have four NCAA Tournament wins in their history, most recently winning games in back-to-back seasons against No. 4 seed Vanderbilt in 2008 and against No. 8 Ohio State in double overtime in 2009.

Siena made the NCAA Tournament again in 2010, but fell to Purdue by eight points as a No. 13 seed. Its first NCAA Tournament win came against Stanford in 1989 as a No. 14 seed, before winning its second game in the play-in round against Alcorn State in 2002.

Siena has never made it past the first weekend of March Madness. Here's a look at how they have performed in their NCAA Tournament appearances:

1989: Beat (3) Stanford 80-78 | Lost to (11) Minnesota 80-67
1999: Lost to (4) Arkansas 94-80
2002: Beat (16) Alcorn State 81-77 | Lost to (1) Maryland 85-70
2008: Beat (4) Vanderbilt 83-62 | Lost to (12) Villanova 84-72
2009: Beat (8) Ohio State 74-72 (2OT) | Lost to (1) Louisville 79-72
2010: Lost to (4) Purdue 72-64
2026: vs. (1) Duke

What conference does Siena play in?

Siena competes in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC), where it has been a member since 1989-90. The MAAC features teams from Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey and New York. Siena won the conference tournament in 2025-26 to reach the NCAA Tournament.

The Saints have won regular-season MAAC championships in 1991, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2020 and 2021, winning the MAAC Tournament championship in 1999, 2002, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2026.

Before joining the MAAC, Siena competed out of the Eastern College Athletic Conference-North (ECACN) before it was renamed to the North Atlantic Conference (NAC) in 1989. In their last year in the conference, the Saints won the 1989 NAC Tournament to earn their first bid to the NCAA Tournament.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Where is Siena located? Nickname, March Madness history for MAAC program

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March 19, 2026

Where is Siena? What to know of Duke's NCAA Tournament opponent

No. 1 overall seedDuketakes onNo. 16 seed Sienain the first round of the2026 Men's NCAA Tournamenton Thursday, Mar...

John Calipari has history of early March Madness upsets. Will it happen again?

Arkansas head coach John Calipari has his Razorbacks at the No. 4 seed line and prepared to face the No. 13-seed Hawaii Rainbow Warriors at 4:25 p.m. ET (1:25 p.m. PT).

Although it seems like a no-brainer to have Arkansas over Hawaii, Calipari's recent history might suggest otherwise.

Calipari joined the Arkansas bench for the 2024-25 season after 15 seasons at Kentucky that included winning a national championship in 2012. However, his time in Lexington ended in heartbreaking fashion.

In his final three seasons at Kentucky, Calipari's teams lost in the first weekend of the NCAA men's basketball tournament, two of them truly shocking upsets. Here's what happened:

University of Akron:
Yvette Nicole Brown, Alexa Bliss, Dominique Moceanu, The Black Keys and George Wallace