What to know about the deal by Britain to surrender the Chagos Islands

LONDON -- The fate of the Chagos Islands is in the hands of one man almost half a world away.The contested Indian Ocean archipelago that is home to a strategically important U.K.-U.S. military base has been in limbo since U.S. President Donald Trump in January criticized a deal by the U.K. government to transfer sovereignty of the islands to Mauritius.U.K. Defense Secretary Wes Streeting said Wednesday that officials are reviewing the pact after Trump renewed his criticism of the U.K.-Mauritius agreement, calling it a “terrible deal,” during his first meeting with Prime Minister Andy Burnham in New York.Streeting said they “can’t go ahead without American support.”It's not clear what it will take to win back U.S. approval, though. The Trump administration had previously welcomed the agreement as a way to ensure the security of the joint military base on Diego Garcia, the largest of the island chain.Here’s what to know about the disputed islands.The United States has described Diego Garcia as “an all but indispensable platform” for security operations in the Middle East, South Asia and East Africa.Home to about 2,500 mostly American personnel, it has supported U.S. military operatio...