U.K. agrees to handover with Mauritius

LONDON — Britain signed an agreement Thursday to hand sovereignty over the contested Chagos Islands to Mauritius, a move the government says ensures the future of a U.S.-U.K. military base that is vital to British security. The Indian Ocean archipelago is home to a strategically important naval and bomber base on the largest of the islands, Diego Garcia. Under the agreement, the U.K. will pay Mauritius an average of 101 million pounds (US$136 million) a year to lease back the base for at least 99 years. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said that base, operated by U.S. forces, is crucial for…