A photo of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor lying on the laps of women is among the thousands of Epstein files which have been released by the US Department of Justice.
In the picture, convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell hovers in the background smiling at the former prince. The photo appears to have been taken in the saloon room at Sandringham, the royal estate in Norfolk.
The emergence of the photo will add to scrutiny on Mr Mountbatten-Windsor, after he was stripped of his remaining titles and honours over his links to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Andrew has always denied any wrongdoing.
Two of the photos also show Andrew's ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, in the company of women whose faces are covered by black squares.
BBC News has approached Ms Ferguson's representatives for comment.
Simply appearing in the photos or documents is not evidence of wrongdoing.
US Department of Justice
Sarah Ferguson is pictured in some of the photos
The heavily-redacted tranche of some of the so-called Epstein files - the long-awaited documents relating to the US Department of Justice's investigations into Epstein - were released on Friday night.
The documents were highly anticipated after Congress passed a law mandating the files be released in their entirety by 19 December.
They contain photos of the interiors of Epstein's homes, his overseas travels and celebrities including US President Bill Clinton, Mr Mountbatten-Windsor and Michael Jackson. President Donald Trump was hardly mentioned in the files.
Many of those identified in other releases, including President Trump, have denied any wrongdoing in relation to Epstein.
In the undated picture of Andrew, the former prince - now 65 - looks much younger. He is smiling with his eyes closed.
The faces of the women, who are sitting in front of a grand fireplace, have been redacted with black squares. The photo appears to be at Sandringham, King Charles's private estate in Norfolk.
In another picture, he appears to be at Royal Ascot with Epstein and Maxwell.
US Department of Justice
Jeffrey Epstein, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Ghislaine Maxwell appear to be in the royal box at Ascot
Also among the files are undated photos of Maxwell standing outside the door of 10 Downing Street.
In the picture she is alone and no context was provided with the photo about why she is there or when the image was taken.
US Department of Justice
The issue over Andrew’s friendship with Epstein has continued to dog the royals.
The King stripped his younger brother of his prince title following weeks of intense pressure over his links to the paedophile financier.
He is also expected to shortly move out of his Windsor mansion, Royal Lodge.
It came after Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor - as he is now known - gave up his other royal titles, including the Duke of York, after more questions and allegations about his private life.
In a posthumous memoir published in October, Virginia Giuffre - a prominent accuser of Epstein - repeated allegations that, as a teenager, she had sex with Andrew on three separate occasions. Andrew has always strenuously denied the claims.
Andrew has also faced calls from Democrat members of the US Congress to give evidence to a committee investigating Epstein's activities. He had not replied to the request by the end of their deadline last month.
Separately, two photos of Ms Ferguson - then the Duchess of York - have emerged in the document dump.
One shows her standing on a pavement next to an unidentified woman holding a shopping bag. In the other, she is sitting cross legged on a green sofa.
Multiple charities dropped the then-Duchess of York as a patron or ambassador after the emergence of that email, in which she also seemed to apologise for her public criticism of him.
The extensive redactions have been criticised by Democrats for violating the transparency law.
But the White House says the Trump administration is the "most transparent in history", as the DoJ says it has "erred on the side of redacting to protect victims".
Joshua and Paul earn riches but deliver budget sporting spectacle
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Highlights - Joshua stops Paul in Miami
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Such was the oddity of Anthony Joshua v Jake Paul even taking place, the fight landed on Netflix under a cloud of suspicion that boxing had surrendered itself to choreography.
To be clear, this was a sanctioned professional contest, not a scripted event - and the storyline it produced was mundane and predictably one-sided.
No scriptwriter would have come up with something like this.
The plot played out in the ring was lifeless - a slow, joyless watch that would have struggled to earn even a charitable rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
And the ultimate irony is that this spectacle has provided one of Joshua's biggest paydays and, in all likelihood, his largest television audience.
With seconds remaining in the fourth round, referee Christopher Young perhaps spoke for viewers around the world when he pulled the fighters together and urged them to engage.
Directing his comments at Paul, he said: "Fans didn't pay to see this crap."
"Amen," replied Netflix commentator Mauro Ranallo. "Christopher Young with the call of the night."
All week Joshua spoke about "carrying boxing on his back". On Friday night in Miami, he dumped the load, but only after an awkward and laboured process.
Paul was there to survive.
The man who spent fight week promising the greatest upset in sporting history instead avoided engagement.
He circled endlessly - making the most of the space afford by a ring two feet wider than normal - and attempted to run down the clock.
When he did make contact, it was with echoes of his schoolboy past as a wrestler, constantly going low and grabbing Joshua's leg.
There was an embarrassing lack of punches by Paul and a litany of wild swings from Joshua that even a novice like his opponent was able to easily evade.
"It's a win but it's not a success," Joshua said afterwards. "I've got a lot of improving I've got to do. I'm not happy."
Joshua earned his share of a reported £210m purse, but from a boxing perspective - and for those in the UK who stayed up into the early hours to watch - the contest was meaningless.
Joshua stood in the ring and told the crowd he did not care about legacy. It was an honest line, and a fairly accurate one, because nothing that just happened was going to add to it.
The 36-year-old is a schooled heavyweight, an Olympic gold medallist and a former two-time world champion.
He has left a significant footprint on the sport and inspired a generation of fighters and fans.
But going six rounds before doing the inevitable against Paul - a 28-year-old YouTuber-turned-boxer who had never faced anything close to elite level - will not enhance that legacy.
"I wish I could have knocked him out at the start," Joshua said. "But as we saw, Jake has spirit, he has some heart. He tried his best and I take my hat off to him."
The fight underlined how boxing's landscape is shifting, with Netflix-driven hype and commercial appeal increasingly trumping sporting logic.
It is the same thinking that has recently fuelled talk of Irish star Katie Taylor facing former UFC champion Ronda Rousey.
Joshua, for his part, is open to operating in that space.
Two of his past three fights have now come against boxing novices - first UFC fighter Francis Ngannou, and now Paul. His only other outing in that period ended in a heavy knockout defeat by a top-level heavyweight in Daniel Dubois.
The Dubois bout suggested Joshua is in decline, the toil of 33 professional fights after an amateur career eroding his powers.
Amid that backdrop, who can really blame him for taking the money and spotlight afforded at this stage in his career?
When promoter Eddie Hearn was asked about reports linking Joshua with a February bout against kickboxer Rico Verhoeven, he did not rule it out.
"Rico or whoever it is, we haven't finalised that yet," Hearn said. "The date is what we're going to work out in the next four, five, six days. We're not going to rush him back if he's not quite ready. But we won't be long."
Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,
Joshua has now won 29 of his 33 professional fights, 26 by way of knockout
How will master promoter Paul shape the story?
Paul has spent years demanding to be recognised as a "real" boxer.
He has called out the likes of 35-year-old Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez - who has held world titles at four weight categories from light middleweight to light heavyweight - while at the same time picking opponents ranging from retired MMA fighters and faded ex-champions to reality TV personalities and even a grandfather.
Somehow he talked his way into fighting an Olympic gold medallist and former heavyweight champion in Joshua, despite being a novice cruiserweight.
In fight week some observers claimed he was of a regional level standard as a fighter.
So how did this happen?
The Disney-actor-turned-YouTuber-turned-boxer has more than 55m followers across his social media platforms.
And that audience and interest level is money.
Paul is said by Forbes to be worth $50m (£37.5m).
He trains out of a £3m converted warehouse in Puerto Rico, a full-time base with recovery suites, a strength and conditioning centre and high-end equipment used by elite professionals.
Conditioning coach Larry Wade, who has worked with world champions such as Shawn Porter and Badou Jack, oversees his physical work.
Head trainer Theo Chambers, who learned his craft at Detroit's famed Kronk Gym, runs technical sessions alongside former world title challenger J'Leon Love.
Moments after his defeat, he told the world about his suspected broken jaw and spat out blood for dramatic effect.
He also spoke of his determination to be a world champion.
With his audience reach influence and his resources expect to see him back in a boxing ring again no matter how much of a farce this fight was at times.
Now is the time to make Joshua-Fury for 2026
The surreal nature of the event was underlined at the post-fight news conference when Joshua put on his best Tyson Fury voice after being asked if he'd like to fight his British rival next.
"I give the dosser eight weeks; 24 hours to sign a contract. Let's see if he is a man. Greedy belly!" he laughed, sounding more like a pirate than the Morecambe native, who has also been world heavyweight champion.
It was comical, sure, but it also summed up the strangeness of the whole night.
Joshua and Fury should have faced each other long ago. The fight is no longer what it once was, but it would still be enormous and would still sell out a stadium. The question, then, is why it should be delayed again.
When it was put to Joshua, he said he would be happy to fight Fury next. Hearn insisted it could happen.
Boxing, and Joshua, have been here before.
In 2023, he and Deontay Wilder appeared on the same bill in Riyadh with the clear intention of finally meeting. Joshua beat Otto Wallin. Wilder lost to Joseph Parker. The fight never materialised.
Delay, diversion and interim fights have a habit of killing boxing's biggest moments.
That is the risk now facing Joshua and Fury - especially in a sport increasingly distracted by spectacle.
Joshua-Paul will not be the last of its kind. And if boxing wants to change the direction of travel, it may be time to rewrite the script.
But in the face of competition from entertainment-based contests like this, and boxing's inability to put on the key fights people want to see – like Joshua v Fury in their prime – only time will tell if more repeats are served up rather than new blockbusters.
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Anthony Joshua calls out Tyson Fury with an impression
After weeks of intense competition, the Strictly Come Dancing finalists are primed to take to the dance floor one last time.
Just three couples remain of the 15 at the start of the series, with celebrities Amber Davies, George Clarke and Karen Carney vying to get their hands on the glitterball trophy.
It's also the last time Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman will present a Strictly final. The pair announced they would be stepping down at the end of the current series.
The grand final will be broadcast on Saturday from 19:00 GMT on BBC One and iPlayer.
Amber Davies says she's earned her place in final
One of the main talking points leading into the final has been whether Amber Davies' performing background has given her an unfair advantage.
The Love Island star has faced a backlash online with people pointing out she's had roles in West End musicals Pretty Woman, 9 to 5: The Musical, and The Great Gatsby, as well as competing in the 16th series of Dancing on Ice.
This week, she told BBC News and other reporters at a Strictly press conference that she could "appreciate" where the comments are coming from.
"I have experience compared to these two," she said, gesturing at the other finalists. "I'm not shying away from that. However, I would say that the love actually does outshine the hate."
When asked whether she deserves to win, the actress, who is paired with Nikita Kuzmin, said: "I feel like I have worked just as hard as these guys going into the final, because I had to fight to get into the final."
The backlash is perhaps a symptom of a wider theme on Strictly, where over the years some viewers have appeared to form their own judgements on contestants, regardless of what the judges think or what the overall audience vote says.
Earlier this series Lewis Cope received criticism for having been a child actor in Billy Elliot, for example, and last year JB Gill came under fire for having danced before in the boyband JLS.
'I can't believe a footballer is in the final'
And it seems many viewers value an element of surprise or beating the odds, as with Strictly's first blind contestant Chris McCausland winning last year.
For Karen Carney, becoming the first footballer to reach the Strictly Come Dancing final feels "weird" but she's also "really, really proud".
"I can't believe a footballer is in the final," she said in the press conference.
The former Lioness, who is partnered with Carlos Gu, said she had struggled with her confidence in recent years, but added: "I always knew in my heart Strictly would be the thing that would fix me... It's by far the happiest I've ever been."
Crown for the social stars?
For social media star George Clarke, reaching this point in the contest is "mental".
"It's a completely different world to what I'm used to," he said.
Another online star, AngryGinge, was recently crowned king of the jungle in this year's I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! It opens up the possibility of two social media stars winning two of the biggest shows on television.
"I feel like it's a whole demographic that hasn't really been touched massively in mainstream TV," said Clarke, who is partnered with Alexis Warr.
Who is dancing to what this week?
The finalists will perform three routines: they will revisit a previous routine, perform a show dance and then take to the floor with their favourite dance from the series.
This is what they'll be dancing to:
Amber and Nikita
Showdance to Rain On Me by Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande
Judges' Pick - Paso Doble to Dream On by Aerosmith
Favourite Dance - Jive to Proud Mary
George and Alexis
Showdance to Human by The Killers
Judges' Choice - Viennese Waltz to Somebody to Love by Queen
Favourite Dance - Paso Doble to Game of Survival by Ruelle
Karen and Carlos
Showdance to Inner Smile by Texas
Judges' Pick - Argentine Tango to Red Right Hand by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
Favourite Dance - Jive to One Way Or Another by Blondie
Other highlights from the show will include a group routine from the professional dancers and this year's finalists.
The cast of 2025 will return to the dance floor one last time for a group number, although BBC News understands that Apprentice contestant Thomas Skinner will not join.
What time does the Strictly final start?
Strictly Come Dancing 2025's grand final is at 19:00 GMT this Saturday on BBC One and iPlayer.
It will also be available to watch on the live page on the BBC News website.
The live page will also have plenty of build up ahead of the show - plus extra insight on the dances, the outfits, the judges' comments, and much more.
How can I vote for my favourites?
This year, Strictly has moved to online-only voting.
When the vote is open, shimmy over to this website to make your decision!
As with every final, all of us at home have the full power to decide the winner.
The judges will give their scores, but these will just be for guidance and don't get combined with the viewers' votes.
What happened last weekend?
Warning: The section below includes spoilers from last week's Strictly
The semi-finalists had their fate revealed last week
Standards were incredibly high last week, as you would expect for a semi-final.
Amber Davies and Nikita Kuzmin kept up with their perfect score for a third consecutive week, while Karen Carney's Waltz had judge Anton Du Beke "a bit emotional" and George Clarke captivated the judges with his hip movement.
Daly has presented since the first series 21 years ago. Winkleman joined in 2014, having hosted Strictly's sister show It Takes Two since 2004.
This Saturday will be their last time presenting a Strictly final. Speaking on Strictly's sister show It Takes Two last week, the pair admitted they might feel "emotional" after the show.
Their last ever appearance on the show will be the Christmas special, which airs on 25 December.
There have been plenty of twists and turns in the show's 21st year.
But the show has also been embroiled in controversy.
In November, it emerged that an unnamed star from Strictly has been arrested on suspicion of rape. It comes after another man involved with the hit BBC dance show was also arrested on suspicion of rape in August.
It is understood that neither developments were related to the current series of Strictly.
It came after a difficult few years for the show, with a number of former celebrity contestants speaking up about their negative experiences on Strictly.
Last year, the corporation introduced new duty of care measures, including putting chaperones in rehearsals.
Chris Minns, Premier of New South Wales, has pushed for tougher hate speech laws following the Bondi attacks
The Australian state where the Bondi shooting occurred plans to ban the phrase "globalise the intifada" as part of a crackdown on "hateful" slogans.
New South Wales (NSW) premier Chris Minns has also called for a Royal Commission into the Bondi attack, marking the deadliest shooting in Australia in nearly 30 years.
Fifteen people were killed and dozens injured last Sunday when two gunmen, believed to have been motivated by "Islamic State ideology", opened fire on a Jewish festival at the country's most iconic beach.
Australia's state and federal governments have announced a raft of measures to counter extremism since the attack.
Minns plans to recall the state parliament next week to pass through stricter hate speech and gun restrictions. Earlier this week, he also suggested he would tighten protest laws to scale back mass demonstrations to encourage "a summer of calm".
The premier confirmed he would seek to classify the chant "globalise the intifada" as hate speech.
Two pro-Palestinian protesters were arrested on Wednesday for allegedly shouting slogans involving intifada at a demonstration in central London.
The term intifada came into popular use during the Palestinian uprising against Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip in 1987.
Some have described the term as a call for violence against Jewish people. Others have said it is a call for peaceful resistance to Israel's occupation of the West Bank and actions in Gaza.
Earlier this week, Minns, along with the NSW Opposition Leader Kellie Sloane, attended the funeral Matilda, 10, who was the youngest victim of the Bondi shooting. He read out a poem dedicated to the young girl at the event.
Prime minister Anthony Albanese has announced a new gun buyback scheme to purchase surplus, newly banned and illegal firearms. Hundreds of thousands of guns will be collected and destroyed, the government predicts.
Around 1,000 lifeguards staged a tribute on Saturday, lining up arm-to-arm facing the ocean, on the shorelines of Bondi beach. Surf lifesaving teams at other beaches around Australia were photographed performing a similar memorial.
Through the week, Bondi's surf volunteers have been commemorated as some of the heroes of the shooting. Lifeguard Jackson Doolan was photographed sprinting over from a neighbouring beach during the attack carrying a red medical supply bag.
Hundreds of swimmers and surfers paddled out at Bondi beach yesterday to create a giant circle to pay tribute to the victims of the attack.
On Sunday, Australia will hold a national day of reflection with the theme "light over darkness" marking precisely one week after the attack started with a minute's silence at 6:47 pm (0747 GMT).
Flags will fly at half-mast and Australians are being asked to light a candle in their windows to honour the victims.
"Sixty seconds carved out from the noise of daily life, dedicated to 15 Australians who should be with us today," prime minister Albanese told reporters Saturday.
"It will be a moment of pause to reflect and affirm that hatred and violence will never define us as Australians."
Bondi's attack was Australia's worst mass shooting since Port Arthur in 1996, where 35 people were killed and prompted then-prime minister John Howard to introduce strict gun control measures.
Watch: Former US President Bill Clinton featured in new Epstein photos
The US justice department has released an initial tranche of documents related to Jeffrey Epstein.
The documents, which include photos, videos and investigative documents, were highly anticipated after Congress passed a law mandating the files be released in their entirety by Friday. The Department of Justice (DOJ), however, acknowledged it would not be able to release all of the documents by the deadline.
A number of famous faces are included in the first batch of files - including former US President Bill Clinton, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, and musicians Mick Jagger and Michael Jackson.
Being named or pictured in the files is not an indication of wrongdoing. Many of those identified in the files or in previous releases related to Epstein have denied any wrongdoing.
Several hundred thousand pages still have not been released
Among the documents released on Friday are many that are redacted, including police statements, investigative reports and photos.
More than 100 pages in one file related to a grand jury investigation are entirely blacked out.
Officials, as outlined in the law, were allowed to redact materials to protect the identity of victims, or anything related to an active criminal investigation, but they were required by law to explain such redactions, which has not yet been done.
The thousands of pages released on Friday are only a share of what is to come, according to the justice department.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said the department was releasing "several hundred thousand pages" on Friday and that he expected "several hundred thousand more" to be released over the coming weeks.
He told Fox & Friends that the department was heavily vetting each page of material to ensure "every victim - their name, their identity, their story, to the extent that it needs to be protected - is completely protected". That is a process, he argued, that takes time.
The timing of when additional materials will be released is unclear, and lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have expressed frustration.
Democrats including Congressman Ro Khanna have threatened action against members of the justice department, including impeachment or possible prosecution over the delay.
Khanna led with Republican Congressman Thomas Massie to force a vote on the Epstein Files Transparency Act, defying US President Donald Trump who at first urged his party to vote against the measure.
"The DOJ's document dump of hundreds of thousands of pages failed to comply with the law," he said on social media, saying in a video that all options were on the table and being mulled over by him and Massie.
Bill Clinton pictured in pool and hot tub
US Department of Justice
Several of the images released include former US President Bill Clinton.
One picture shows him swimming in a pool, and another shows him lying on his back with his hands behind his head in what appears to be a hot tub.
Clinton was photographed with Epstein several times over the 1990s and early 2000s, before the disgraced financier was first arrested. He has never been accused of wrongdoing by survivors of Epstein's abuse, and has denied knowledge of his sex offending.
A spokesperson for Clinton commented on the new photos, saying they were decades old.
"They can release as many grainy 20-plus-year-old photos as they want, but this isn't about Bill Clinton. Never has, never will be," Angel Ureña wrote on social media.
"There are two types of people here. The first group knew nothing and cut Epstein off before his crimes came to light. The second group continued relationships with him after. We're in the first. No amount of stalling by people in the second group will change that," he continued.
"Everyone, especially MAGA, expects answers, not scapegoats."
US Department of Justice
Epstein allegedly introduced Trump to 14-year-old girl
In the tranche of files released by the justice department are court documents that mention the US president.
The court documents detail that Epstein allegedly introduced a 14-year-old girl to Trump at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.
During the alleged encounter in the 1990s, Epstein elbowed Trump and "playfully asked him", in reference to the girl, "This is a good one, right?", the document says.
Trump smiled and nodded in agreement, according to the lawsuit filed against Epstein's estate and Ghislaine Maxwell in 2020.
The document says that "they both chuckled" and she felt uncomfortable, but "at the time, was too young to understand why".
The victim alleges she was groomed and abused by Epstein over many years.
In the court filing she makes no accusations against Trump, and Epstein's victims have not made any allegations against him.
The BBC has contacted the White House for comment.
The alleged episode is one of very few mentions of the president in the thousands of files released on Friday. He can be seen in several photos but his inclusion is minimal at best.
The Trump War Room, the official X account for the president's political operation, instead was posting photographs of Clinton. Trump's press secretary, too, re-posted images of Clinton, saying "Oh my!"
However, there are still pages to be released.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche has said that "several hundred thousand" pages of documents are still being reviewed and have yet to be made public.
The US president has previously said he was a friend of Epstein's for years, but said they fell out in about 2004, years before Epstein was first arrested. Trump has consistently denied any wrongdoing in relation to Epstein.
Photo appears to show Andrew laying across laps
US Department of Justice
A photo in the released files appears to show Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor laying across five people, whose faces are redacted. Epstein's convicted co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell is seen in the image standing behind them.
Andrew has faced years of scrutiny over his past friendship with Epstein, who does not appear in the photo.
He has repeatedly denied all wrongdoing in relation to Epstein, and said he did not "see, witness or suspect any behaviour of the sort that subsequently led to his arrest and conviction".
Michael Jackson, Diana Ross, Chris Tucker and Mick Jagger
US Department of Justice
Epstein poses with Michael Jackson
The newly released documents include the widest assortment of celebrities we've seen in an Epstein file release so far.
The former financer was known for having connections across entertainment, politics and business. Some images released by the DOJ show him with stars that include Michael Jackson, Mick Jagger and Diana Ross.
It's unclear where or when any of the photos were taken or in what context. It's also unclear if Epstein was associated with all of these figures or whether he attended these events. Previously released photos from Epstein's estate have included photos that he did not take from events where he was not in attendence.
In one of the newly released photos, Epstein is photographed with Michael Jackson. The pop idol is wearing a suit and Epstein is seen in a zip-up hoodie.
US Department of Justice
Rolling Stones legend Mick Jagger is seen here posing with Clinton
Another image of Jackson shows him with former US President Bill Clinton and Diana Ross. They are posing together in a small area and multiple other faces are redacted from the image.
Another photo in the thousands of files shows Rolling Stones legend Jagger posing for a photo with Clinton and a woman whose face is redacted. They are all in cocktail attire.
Several photos include the actor Chris Tucker. One shows him posing and seated next to Clinton at a dining table. Another shows him on an airplane tarmac with Ghislaine Maxwell, the convicted associate of Epstein.
The BBC has contacted Jagger, Tucker and Ross for comment. Clinton has previously denied knowledge of Epstein's sex offending and a spokesperson on Friday said they were decades-old photos.
"This isn't about Bill Clinton. Never has, never will be," the spokesperson said.
US Department of Justice
Michael Jackson and Diana Ross are photographed with Clinton
US Department of Justice
Actor Chris Tucker seen posing with convicted Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell
Epstein threatened to burn down house, accuser says
One of the first people to report Epstein is included in the files. Maria Farmer, an artist who had been working for Epstein, told the FBI in a 1996 report that he had stolen personal photos she took of her 12-year-old and 16-year-old sisters.
She said in a complaint that she believed he sold the photos to potential buyers, and said he threatened to burn her house down if she told anyone about it. Her name is redacted in the files but Farmer confirmed the account was hers.
She notes in the report that Epstein had allegedly asked her to take pictures for him of young girls at swimming pools.
"Epstein is now threatening [redacted] that if she tells anyone about the photos he will burn her house down", the report states.
Farmer said she feels vindicated after nearly 30 years.
The Syrian government did not comment directly on the extensive American strikes targeting the Islamic State on Friday, but said it was intensifying its own efforts to fight the group.
Syrian government forces at a checkpoint on the outskirts of Damascus in April. The U.S. launched airstrikes targeting the Islamic State group in central Syria on Friday.
The Annunciation to the Virgin Mary is traditionally celebrated nine calendar months before the feast of Christmas, on 25 March. This marks the Gospel account of the angel Gabriel appearing to Mary and telling her that she will become the mother of Jesus Christ, so marking the first step leading to the Nativity. This weekend I show some of the finest paintings of the Annunciation in preparation for the celebration of Christmas next week. Today’s are drawn from the period from the Renaissance to the seventeenth century, then tomorrow leaps forward to the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
As one of the most popular themes for Catholic religious paintings, the majority follow a standard formula, which becomes rather repetitive. The Archangel Gabriel is shown with an astonished young Mary, accompanied by symbols of her purity such as white lily flowers, and sometimes a white dove representing the Holy Spirit.
Jan van Eyck (c 1390–1441), The Annunciation Diptych (c 1433-35), oil on panel, dimensions not known, Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza, Madrid, Spain. Wikimedia Commons.
In the early Renaissance, before the stereotype could set in, there was greater innovation. For example, in about 1433-35 Jan van Eyck developed a monochrome grisaille into this brilliant trompe l’oeil, pretending to be a pair of sculpture figures in stone with wooden frames.
Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519), Annunciation (c 1473-75), oil and tempera on poplar, 100 x 221.5 cm, Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence, Italy. Wikimedia Commons.
This Annunciation, painted in oil and tempera on a poplar panel, is generally agreed to be one of the earliest of Leonardo da Vinci’s own surviving paintings. When it was painted is in greater doubt, but a suggestion of around 1473-75 seems most appropriate. It shows his teacher Verrocchio’s influence, coupled with the less confident hand of a new master.
There are numerous pentimenti, particularly in the head of the Virgin. Its perspective projection is marked in scores in its ground. Nevertheless, Leonardo used his spontaneous and characteristic technique of finger-painting in some of its passages. Its composition and execution are conventional and conform to those seen in the output of Verrocchio’s workshop, complete with finicky detail throughout.
Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519), Annunciation (detail) (c 1473-75), oil and tempera on poplar, 100 x 221.5 cm, Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence, Italy. Wikimedia Commons.
As is conventional, the Virgin Mary is sat reading her book, shown in detail down to lines of its text. The lectern is draped in a diaphanous fabric similar to the wraps seen in Verrocchio’s Madonnas.
Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519), Annunciation (detail) (c 1473-75), oil and tempera on poplar, 100 x 221.5 cm, Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence, Italy. Wikimedia Commons.
The Archangel Gabriel is seen in profile, holding the usual white lily, and the details of his clothing, the flowers, and surrounds are all painted meticulously.
Fra Bartolomeo (1472–1517), The Annunciation (1497), oil on panel, 176 x 170 cm, Duomo di Santa Maria Assunta, Volterra, Italy. Wikimedia Commons.
The Annunciation (1497) is visibly one of Fra Bartolomeo’s earliest works, showing the Virgin Mary at the right being told by the angel Gabriel, at the left, that she would conceive Jesus Christ. Bartolomeo’s modelling of flesh is here unsophisticated, but the folds of garments are more advanced, as is his cameo landscape, suggesting influence from the Northern Renaissance. His perspective projection, shown in the floor patterning and the doorways, doesn’t quite resolve to a single vanishing point.
Gerard David (c 1450/1460–1523), The Annunciation (c 1510), oil on oak panel, 86.4 x 27.9 and 86.4 x 28.3 cm, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New Tork, NY. Wikimedia Commons.
In about 1510 Gerard David painted this diptych of The Annunciation in a style developed from the popular grisailles of the time. At the left is the Archangel Gabriel, with the Virgin Mary on the right. Instead of constraining himself to a true grisaille, David uses colours sparingly to enhance the effect.
Domenico di Pace Beccafumi (1486–1551), The Annunciation (1545-46), tempera on panel, 237 × 222 cm, Chiesa di San Martino in Foro, Sarteano, Italy. Wikimedia Commons.
About thirty-five years later, Beccafumi used the extreme contrast of chiaroscuro to heighten the effect of his painting, anticipating the vogue that was to come some fifty years later in the work of Caravaggio and his followers.
Lavinia Fontana (1552–1614), The Annunciation (c 1575), oil on copper, 36 x 27 cm, Walters Art Museum, Baltimore, MD. Courtesy of Walters Art Museum.
Several of Lavinia Fontana’s early paintings, including The Annunciation (c 1575), were made using oil on copper, an expensive and technically challenging support implying that they had already been commissioned by the more wealthy. This is a naturalistic depiction with the white dove symbolising the Holy Spirit, and traditional floral attributes.
Jacopo Tintoretto (c 1518-1594), The Annunciation (E&I 264) (c 1582), oil on canvas, 440 x 542 cm, Sala terrena, Scuola Grande di San Rocco, Venice, Italy. Wikimedia Commons.
Jacopo Tintoretto turned quite social-realist in this version from about 1582, with its unusually natural rendering of contemporary brickwork, a wicker chair, and a splendidly detailed carpenter’s yard at the left. This shows Christ’s origins as very real, tangible, and contemporary, a concept that didn’t reappear for over two centuries, as we’ll see tomorrow.
El Greco (Doménikos Theotokópoulos) (1541–1614), The Annunciation (1614), oil on canvas, 294 x 209 cm, Fundación Banco Santander, Madrid. Wikimedia Commons.
In 1614, El Greco used this unconventional composition, placing the figures in more expressive poses, with eloquent body language. The white dove is flying from a gaping light in the heavens, with a host of mothers and babies above. His brushwork is so painterly it could be mistaken for a much later work.
Bartolomé Esteban Murillo (1617–1682), The Annunciation (1660-80), oil on canvas, 98 x 100 cm, Rijksmuseum Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Wikimedia Commons.
Murillo’s more conventional approach from 1660-80 is notable for the introduction of everyday props, such as the basket of linen under the table at the lower left corner, another herald of the depictions of the nineteenth century.