Good evening. Here’s the latest at the end of Thursday.
Former Prince Andrew’s arrest is a blow to the royal familyAndrew Mountbatten-Windsor, the scandal-scarred younger brother of King Charles III, was arrested this morning at a royal estate in Norfolk, England. The British police held him in custody for about 11 hours on suspicion of misconduct in public office amid accusations that he shared confidential information with Jeffrey Epstein. Mountbatten-Windsor, who was known as Prince Andrew before he was stripped of his royal title last year, was released in the evening. Suspects in Britain are often released and later charged. The arrest of Mountbatten-Windsor — who was once regarded as a dashing war hero and the favorite son of Queen Elizabeth II — was “a major blow to the royal family as well as quite a shock to the British public,” my colleague Megan Specia, a reporter in London, said. She told me that the sight of unmarked police cars driving up to Mountbatten-Windsor’s home, along with later images of him seemingly trying to duck cameras as he left the police station, “felt like a crescendo in his very public fall from grace.” Buckingham Palace has for years been clouded by widening scrutiny over Mountbatten-Windsor’s ties to Epstein. In a remarkable statement, the king said the authorities had his “full and wholehearted support and cooperation.” The arrest is without modern precedent. The last senior member of the British royal family to be arrested was King Charles I, who was executed for treason in 1649. In related news: My colleagues revealed today that Epstein had forged ties with customs officers near his private island, prompting a criminal investigation.
The U.S. trade deficit remained at a historic highPresident Trump promised that his steep tariffs would reduce imports, shrink the trade deficit and lead to a revival in American manufacturing. So far, the opposite has occurred. U.S. imports grew in 2025 and the trade deficit in goods hit a record high, according to data released today. American manufacturers have also cut more than 80,000 jobs in the past year. In other trade news: In an effort to gain concessions, Trump administration officials are threatening to leave Canada out of a North American trade agreement.
Trump hints at the possibility of military action in IranThe U.S. military has moved into place for possible strikes in Iran, as can be seen in these maps. The president hinted today at the possibility of imminent military action, warning that “bad things will happen” if Iran doesn’t make a deal involving its nuclear program. “You’re going to be finding out over the next probably 10 days,” he said. Trump’s comments came during the inaugural meeting of his Board of Peace, a body initially created for the security and redevelopment of Gaza. Trump said the U.S. would commit $10 billion to the board, which has sought to position itself as a kind of rival to the United Nations.
The president is dumping East Wing rubble in a public parkSouth of the National Mall lies a man-made island that’s home to a public park called East Potomac. The park has hundreds of cherry blossom trees, a road for cycling and a municipal golf course where seniors can play nine holes for $16. On that course, dump trucks have started discarding enormous amounts of dirt, rocks and other materials left over from the demolition of the East Wing, which Trump knocked down to make way for a giant White House ballroom. Now, the president is planning to turn East Potomac into a luxury golf destination. Our White House correspondent Shawn McCreesh has the details. More top news
The Americans had a spectacular day in Italy: In women’s hockey, the U.S. defeated Canada in overtime to win gold. In figure skating, Alysa Liu, who once quit the sport, took home a gold medal after a superb performance. She is the first U.S. woman to win an individual figure skating medal since 2006. Here’s the latest from Day 13. Related: Want to compete in both the Winter and Summer Olympics? Practice bobsled and track and field.
Billy Preston was a spectacular and tortured talentA new documentary, out tomorrow, follows the life of Billy Preston from his days as a child prodigy in church to his beloved collaborations with the Beatles. He was a hitmaker, with showstopping abilities that earned him fame and money. But he also found which brought cocaine and trouble. The film, “That’s the Way God Planned It,” is full of archival footage demonstrating Preston’s genius. It also explores his decision to shield his sexuality from the world until four days before he went into a coma and died in 2006.
Daniel Radcliffe isn’t telling his son that he was Harry PotterAt least not yet. Radcliffe, whose decade playing a wizard made him one of the world’s most famous actors, has moved on. He’s starring this month in a new NBC sitcom and a solo Broadway show. And he wants his young son to know him simply as Dad for as long as possible. In fact, Radcliffe told us he’d prefer it if his son eventually watches HBO’s forthcoming Harry Potter series instead of the films he was in.
Dinner table topics
Cook: Flaky pastry dough is the star of these sopapilla cheesecake bars. Read: “Kin” is a beautiful novel about the life journeys of two motherless girls who grew up together. Exercise: These seven moves will help improve your balance. Hunt: Which of these Western Massachusetts homes would you buy with an $800,000 budget? Play: Here are today’s Connections, Wordle and |
