Sanitation: British police arrest former Prince Andrew

Daily Briefing

By Kate Turton

Hello. Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has been arrested over links to Epstein, top European spies are skeptical the US will clinch a Ukraine peace deal this year and here's how China plans to dominate global trade long after Trump.

Plus, our exclusive on US plans for an online portal to bypass content bans in Europe and elsewhere.

Today's Top News

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. Britain, February 2, 2026. REUTERS/Toby Melville/File Photo

King Charles' younger brother Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office over allegations he sent confidential government documents to Jeffrey Epstein, the BBC reported. Follow live. Meanwhile, New Mexico is probing an allegation of bodies buried near Epstein's ranch.
A South Korean court sentenced former President Yoon Suk Yeol to life in prison, after finding him guilty of masterminding an insurrection, stemming from his December 2024 attempt to impose martial law.
European intelligence chiefs are pessimistic about the chances of an agreement being reached this year to end Russia's war in Ukraine, despite Donald Trump's assertions that US-brokered talks have brought the prospect of a deal "reasonably close".
Hamas is cementing its hold over Gaza by placing loyalists in key government roles, collecting taxes and paying salaries, according to an Israeli military assessment seen by Reuters and sources in the Palestinian enclave.
British foreign minister Yvette Cooper condemned the 10-year sentence given to a British couple in Iran for spying as "totally unjustifiable", saying the government would continue to press for their release.

United States

The US State Department is developing an online portal that will enable people in Europe and elsewhere to see content banned by their governments including alleged hate speech and terrorist propaganda, a move Washington views as a way to counter censorship.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg told a Los Angeles court during a landmark social media case that Facebook and Instagram don't allow users under 13 - despite being presented evidence to the contrary. Tech policy reporter Jody Godoy joins the Reuters World News podcast to unpack his testimony - listen now.
The Trump administration has given immigration officers broader powers to detain legal refugees awaiting a green card to ensure they are "re-vetted," an apparent expansion of the president's wide-ranging crackdown on legal and illegal immigration, according to a government memo.

Business & Markets

Foreign energy companies such as US oil major Chevron that are looking to quickly expand in Venezuela and take on the short-term projects needed to boost the country's oil output face a host of challenges.
Bill Gates pulled out of India's AI Impact Summit hours before his scheduled keynote address, dealing another blow to a flagship event already marred by organisational lapses, a robot row and complaints of traffic chaos.
A legal clash between the Trump administration and California over auto-pollution rules is coming to a head, with enormous financial implications for EV makers including Tesla and traditional automakers dependent on fossil-fuel vehicles.
Rio Tinto reported flat annual earnings that missed expectations as its mainstay iron ore business suffered from lower prices, though this was offset by a strong performance from its copper division.
Nestle is in talks to sell its remaining ice cream businesses as part of CEO Philipp Navratil's drive to streamline the sprawling Swiss consumer food group, the company said at its fourth-quarter results.
A summit in Munich offered a window into the continent's anxieties over defense as transatlantic ties fray, battlefield tactics shift, and budgets ramp up. In this Viewsroom podcast, Breakingviews columnists debate whether an 800 billion euro spending spree is up to the challenge.

How China plans to dominate global trade long after Trump

US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Busan, South Korea, October 30, 2025. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein/File Photo

China sees an opening to turn President Donald Trump's tariffs to its advantage by reshaping global trade in ways that would insulate its $19 trillion economy from US pressure far into the future.

Beijing is exploiting the uncertainty created by Trump to try to stitch China's vast manufacturing base into the world's biggest economic blocs, including the European Union, Gulf States and a trans-Pacific trade pact, a Reuters examination found. The push involves accelerating efforts to clinch some 20 trade deals in total, many years in the making, despite widespread concerns about China's overproduction, uneven market access and soft domestic demand.

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And Finally...

A drone picture shows the Xalet del Catllaras - a three-storey mountain shelter built for workers at a cement factory. Spain, February 18, 2026. REUTERS/Nacho Doce

Spanish authorities said renowned modernist architect Antoni Gaudi designed a building in a remote forest area of Catalonia, ending speculation over who was behind the project built in the early 20th century.

Gaudi had long been linked to the Xalet del Catllaras - a three-storey mountain shelter built for workers at a cement factory 125 kilometres north of Barcelona.

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