Former Prince Andrew arrested in connection with Epstein case

UK King’s brother Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has been arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office amid an investigation into his ties with convicted US financier Jeffrey Epstein, the BBC reported. The former prince was arrested on his 66th birthday. Earlier, The Daily Telegraph reported that six police cars had arrived at his home on the grounds of the royal estate in Sandringham in eastern England.

Thames Valley Police indirectly confirmed the arrest of the royal family member. "As part of the investigation, we have today arrested a man in his sixties from Norfolk on suspicion of misconduct in public office and are carrying out searches at addresses in Berkshire and Norfolk. The man remains in police custody at this time. We will not be naming the arrested man, as per national guidance," the statement said.

Last week, Thames Valley Police announced that they had begun investigating allegations that Mountbatten-Windsor had shared confidential information with Epstein. This refers to the period when the royal family member, who at that time still held the titles of Prince and Duke of York, was the UK's special representative for international trade and investment. He held this position from 2001 to 2011.

According to the Sky News TV channel, the data published by the US Department of Justice in the Epstein case file contains information that, in 2010, Prince Andrew provided Epstein with reports on his trips to Vietnam, Singapore, and China and shared confidential information about investments in Afghanistan.

More than 20 countries to take part in first meeting of Board of Peace — White House

Representatives from more than 20 countries plan to attend the first meeting of the Board of Peace on Thursday in the US capital, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters.

"I know it's more than 20 countries. I know there's a lot of interest in that. I'll spare myself reading you the list of 20 countries from the podium, but we will provide it," she said.

The spokeswoman noted that during the meeting, US President Donald Trump will announce that the countries participating in the Board of Peace have pledged to allocate five billion dollars for humanitarian aid and reconstruction in Gaza, as well as to provide thousands of military and law enforcement personnel to be deployed in the enclave as part of an international stabilization force and police mission.

US, UK, French citizens see World War III coming, poll reveals

Residents of the United States, Great Britain, and France increasingly believe that a third world war could break out within the next five years, according to a poll conducted by the research company Public First for Politico.

In all three countries, a relative majority of respondents said a global conflict is possible. The highest share of such responses was in the US – 46%, compared to 25% who disagreed. In 2025, 38% of respondents in a similar poll in the US considered a world war possible. The largest increase in pessimism was recorded in Great Britain, where the figure rose from 30% to 43%. The survey was also conducted in Germany and Canada. Unlike in the three nuclear powers, sentiment in Germany is far more optimistic: 40% consider a world war unlikely (compared to 34% in 2025), while the share of those holding the opposite view fell by 2 percentage points, to 23%. Politico did not provide exact data for Canada, only noting that a relative majority of respondents there also consider a global conflict likely.

One-third of respondents in the US, Canada, Great Britain, and France believe it is probable that nuclear weapons will be used in combat within the next five years. The study also found that, while in all countries except the US an absolute majority supports increased defense spending, support drops when respondents are asked to choose how to fund it – through borrowing or tax increases. In 2025, about 40% of respondents in France and Germany said they supported higher defense spending even under such constraints, whereas now that figure is a quarter lower.

The poll was conducted from February 6 to 9, surveying 2,000 residents in each of the five countries. The margin of error is estimated at 2 percentage points.

[Report] Paris manipulates data to portray itself as tech leader

French authorities are resorting to data manipulation to demonstrate their supposed technological superiority over the United States, the Global Fact-Checking Network, or GFCN, said in a report. "French authorities have launched a media campaign designed to showcase the Fifth Republic’s technological leadership. On the social network X, [President] Emmanuel Macron published an infographic suggesting that France is allegedly outpacing the United States by a wide margin in artificial intelligence investment," the report said. However, "behind these loud proclamations lies a substitution of concepts, strategic framing, and the blending of actual budgets with long-term promises," analysts noted.

The French leader’s boast was based on a graph utilizing data from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the report said. "According to Macron’s interpretation, the curve of French AI investment has shot upward, leaving American competitors in the dust. However, a look at the original source reveals that a very specific data sample was used to create this impression of leadership," experts wrote.
"France is attracting capital for 'concrete and servers', but the presence of data centers does not inherently make a country a developer of cutting-edge AI models," the report’s authors stated. "Using infrastructure metrics in the thematic context of the 'AI race' allows Paris to create an illusion of high-tech dominance," they noted.

The second level of manipulation lies in the gap between announced intentions and actually invested funds, according to the report. "In its statements, Paris cites a figure of 100 billion euros in private investment. However, the structure of this sum is questionable. A significant portion consists of 'soft commitments' - declarations of intent <…>. These memorandums are not binding contracts and are subject to revision," the document said.
"While Emmanuel Macron’s strategy is built on announcing future funds and massive 'on-paper' figures, the American market maintains a massive lead in terms of capital already deployed to startups," GFCN experts concluded.

Telegram co-founder warns against mistaking France for free country

#France is not a free country, #Telegram co-founder Pavel #Durov said, commenting on raids of the French offices of Elon Musk's social media platform X by Paris prosecutors, Europol and a cybercrime unit.

"Don’t be mistaken: this is not a free country," Durov pointed out in an X post.

According to him, France is the only country in the world that is prosecuting all social networks "that give people some degree of freedom." In this regard, Durov mentioned Telegram, X and TikTok.

'UN has never lived up to its potential'

President Trump did not rule out the possibility that his newly formed Gaza Board of Peace "might" replace the United Nations.
He said the UN "hasn't been very helpful" and failed to settle conflicts he later resolved.

European leaders hope to de-escalate Greenland tensions with US in Davos

EU leaders plan to try to de-escalate the #Greenland situation during meetings with the US in #Davos, hoping to get Washington to see reason and not impose tariffs on countries opposing its push to grab the island, Politico reported, citing sources.

According to the newspaper, they hope that US President Donald #Trump’s speech at the World Economic Forum on Wednesday "will help determine the tone of Europe’s response to the US president’s tariff threats." Statements by European diplomats and officials indicate that they want to avoid retaliatory measures and believe that a diplomatic solution to the crisis can still be found. "The focus is getting the ball rolling in Davos. Then, we will take stock" at an emergency EU summit on Thursday, an EU diplomat said. "The pressure needs to come down," he added.

The European Union is reluctant to take decisive action against the US, hoping that Trump will not follow through on his threats, the publication notes, adding that, according to diplomats, officials "are terrified of needlessly exploding already frayed transatlantic ties."

Earlier reports said that national security advisors to Western leaders had made changes to the agenda of a meeting on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum to discuss Greenland. Initially, the talks were expected to focus on resolving the Ukrainian conflict, but the plans were adjusted so that advisors could also address Greenland.

Earlier, the White House host announced on Truth Social that the US would begin imposing 10% tariffs on the UK, Germany, Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway, Finland, France, and Sweden, which would remain in effect until the parties reach an agreement on the full and final acquisition of Greenland by Washington. The decision is set to take effect on February 1, with the duty rate increasing to 25% from June 1.

Trump vows to impose 200% tariffs on French wines in signal to Macron

The United States intends to impose 200% tariffs on French wines, including champagne, US President Donald Trump said in a conversation with reporters in Florida.

The head of state sees the move as a lever of pressure to get French President Emmanuel Macron join the Washington-spearheaded Board of Peace for Gaza. Asked to comment on Macron’s stated refusal to participate in the Board of peace, Trump said: "Did he say that? Well, nobody wants him [to participate] because he's going to be out of office very soon. So you know, that's all right. What I'll do is <…> I'll put a 200% tariff on his wines and champagnes, and he'll join [the Board]. But he doesn't have to join if he said that, you're probably giving it to me a little bit differently."

Bloomberg reported earlier that Macron did not plan to accept the American leader’s invitation to join the Board of Peace he is creating. The French president believes that the charter of the new organization extends beyond ssues related to the Gaza Strip, which raises serious concerns, the agency said.

Jan 9, 2026 - EU countries vote on agreement for free trade with Mercosur

#EU countries have voted in favor of signing a free trade agreement with the South American Common Market (#Mercosur), a move opposed by farmers across Europe, a representative of the Cypriot presidency of the EU Council told reporters.

"EU countries have approved the signing of the agreement," he said.

The vote was conducted in written form between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. local time.

US to file criminal charges against Marinera ship crew, says Attorney General

The US authorities will file criminal charges against crew members of the seized Marinera tanker, also known as Bella 1, US Attorney General Pam Bondi wrote on the X social network.
In her words, the ship’s crew members undertook "frantic efforts to avoid apprehension" of the tanker, which reportedly was "responsible for transporting sanctioned oil from Venezuela and Iran."
"As a consequence of failing to obey the Coast Guard’s orders, members of this vessel are under full investigation and criminal charges will be pursued against all culpable actors," she said.

"The Department of Justice is monitoring several other vessels for similar enforcement action - anyone on any vessel who fails to obey instructions of the Coast Guard or other federal officials will be investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law," the attorney general added.

Earlier, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said at a daily briefing that the US may take the crew of the Marinera to the United States for a possible judicial process into purported violations of the federal US law.

The Pentagon said earlier that the Russian-flagged oil tanker Marinera had been detained in the North Atlantic. Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth linked the detention of the Russian tanker to the embargo on Venezuelan oil.