The United Kingdom

[phkrause]

At least 13 may have killed themselves over UK's Post Office wrongful convictions scandal

At least 13 people were thought to have taken their own lives as a result of Britain’s Post Office scandal, in which almost 1,000 postal employees were wrongly prosecuted or convicted of criminal wrongdoing because of a faulty computer system, a report said Tuesday. Read More.   Underwater turbine spinning for 6 years off Scotland's coast is a breakthrough for tidal energy Submerged in about 40 meters (44 yards) of water off Scotland’s coast, a turbine has been spinning for more than six years to harness the power of ocean tides for electricity — a durability mark that demonstrates the technology’s commercial viability. Read More.   The Bayeux Tapestry will be displayed in the UK for the first time in nearly 1,000 years The Bayeux Tapestry depicting the conquest of England will be displayed in the U.K. for the first time in almost 1,000 years. Officials said Tuesday that the treasured medieval tapestry will be on loan from France and arrive next year at the British Museum, where it will star in a blockbuster exhibition from September 2026 to July 2027. Read More.

[phkrause]

European intelligence officials warn that a Russian sabotage campaign is escalating European intelligence officials say they’re worried the risk of serious injury or even death is rising in a campaign of sabotage blamed on Russia as untrained saboteurs set fires, plant explosives, or build bombs. The Associated Press' tracking shows 12 incidents of arson or serious sabotage last year. Read more.

What to know: Most of the saboteurs accused of working on behalf of Russia are foreign, including Ukrainians. They include young people with no criminal records who are frequently hired for a few thousand dollars, the intelligence officials said. A senior official said Russia has been forced to rely increasingly on such amateurs since hundreds of Moscow’s spies were expelled from Western countries following an operation to poison former Russian intelligence officer Sergey Skripal in the U.K. in 2018.   On Tuesday, a British court found three men guilty of arson in a plot that prosecutors said was masterminded by Russia’s intelligence services. A fire was set at a warehouse storing goods destined for Ukraine. The Kremlin did not reply to a request for comment on the British case.   Documents shared during the warehouse trial offered a rare glimpse into how young men are recruited. Among those were transcripts of messages between a man prosecutors said was a Russian intelligence operative and his recruit, Earl, who was active on Telegram channels associated with the Wagner group. The recruiter told Earl, 21, that he was “wise and clever despite being young,” and suggested he watch the television show “The Americans” — about Soviet KGB intelligence officers undercover in the U.S. Earl and another man eventually recruited others who went to the warehouse the night of the fire.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Trump caught off guard by Pentagon’s abrupt move to pause Ukraine weapons deliveries, AP sources say   Trump says he’s ‘not happy’ with Putin and blames him for ‘killing a lot of people’ in Ukraine   Europe’s human rights court finds Russia committed violations in Ukraine and was behind Flight MH17

[phkrause]

Vandals sentenced to more than 4 years for felling England’s beloved Sycamore Gap tree

Vandals who cut down England’s beloved Sycamore Gap tree were sentenced Tuesday to more than four years in prison for damaging the country’s natural heritage and for the widespread outrage and distress it caused. Read More.

[phkrause]

Healthy babies born in Britain after scientists used DNA from three people to avoid genetic disease Eight healthy babies were born in Britain with the help of an experimental technique that uses DNA from three people to help mothers avoid passing devastating rare diseases to their children, researchers reported Wednesday. Read more.

What to know: Using this method means the embryo has DNA from three people — from the mother’s egg, the father’s sperm and the donor’s mitochondria — and it required a 2016 U.K. law change to approve it. It is also allowed in Australia but not in many other countries, including the U.S.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Researchers try new ways of preserving more hearts for transplants   A martial art that emerged among the enslaved in Brazil is helping Parkinson’s patients   Choking is a major risk for older adults. Here's how to prevent it

[phkrause]

Britain will lower its voting age to 16 in a bid to strengthen democracy

Britain will lower the voting age from 18 to 16 by the next national election, the government announced Thursday. Scotland and Wales already let 16- and 17-year-olds vote in local and regional elections. Read More.

[phkrause]

Britain's Royal Mail celebrates Monty Python with stamps featuring iconic sketches and characters

Britain’s Royal Mail has issued stamps celebrating Monty Python's comedy. The 10-stamp series, announced Thursday, highlights iconic characters and catchphrases like “Nudge, nudge” and “The Lumberjack Song.” Read More.

[phkrause]

Starmer overhauls his government after his deputy prime minister resigns over a tax error

LONDON (AP) — U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer shook up his Cabinet Friday after his top deputy stepped down over a tax error on a home purchase, leaving a big hole in the center-left Labour government.

https://apnews.com/article/uk-politics-rayner-tax-330c39c53c4d6710c19855f45598c400?

[phkrause]

UK fires ambassador to the US Peter Mandelson over his links to Jeffrey Epstein

LONDON (AP) — U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Thursday fired the country’s ambassador to the United States, Peter Mandelson, over his links to the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

https://apnews.com/article/uk-mandelson-epstein-fc3f953112ac10108e1109920fd9dca0?

[phkrause]

UK, Australia and Canada recognize a Palestinian state, prompting anger from Israel

LONDON (AP) — The U.K., Australia and Canada formally recognized a Palestinian state on Sunday, prompting an angry response from Israel, which ruled out the prospect.

https://apnews.com/article/britain-palestine-recognition-israel-starmer-f667dca304a308b4b3ccf8100ef5051e?

[phkrause]

Britain’s once-mighty Conservative Party is battling to avoid extinction Britain’s Conservatives used to boast they were the world’s most successful political party. Not anymore. The center-right party that governed the U.K. for more than 60 of the last 100 years before being ousted in 2024 is embracing Donald Trump-style policies as it battles to remain a contender for power. Read more.

Why this matters: Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has shifted the party to the right, announcing policies with a distinct MAGA flavor. She says a Conservative government will scrap carbon emissions reduction targets and deport 150,000 unauthorized immigrants a year with a removals force similar to Immigration and Customs Enforcement in the U.S. while sharply reducing legal immigration.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Starmer argues for inclusive patriotism and accuses Farage of trying to divide Britain   UK’s Starmer hopes a vision of ‘renewal’ can silence doubts about his leadership   EU proposes steel industry protections, rattling UK manufacturers

[phkrause]

One scandal too many forces UK monarchy to sideline Prince Andrew after years of tabloid fodder

After emails emerged this week showing that Prince Andrew remained in contact with the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein longer than he previously admitted, the House of Windsor finally moved to insulate the monarchy from years of tawdry headlines about Andrew’s dodgy friends and suspicious business deals.

https://apnews.com/article/prince-andrew-charles-epstein-chinese-spy-91c4bec9a5cf3de8fcb16f9c1fe52e60?

[phkrause]

Pressure builds on Prince Andrew to vacate mansion he rents for the nominal sum of a peppercorn

LONDON (AP) — The latest chapter in the saga haunting the House of Windsor could be called “The Prince and the Peppercorn.”

https://apnews.com/article/britain-prince-andrew-allegations-epstein-royal-lodge-peppercorn-4a60a5b58e9b3a7b41ae0e00e654e029?

[phkrause]

King Charles III strips Prince Andrew of titles and evicts him from royal residence

LONDON (AP) — King Charles III on Thursday stripped his disgraced brother Prince Andrew of his remaining titles and evicted him from his royal residence after weeks of pressure to act over his relationship with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, Buckingham Palace said.

https://apnews.com/article/king-charles-prince-andrew-strips-royal-titles-7fad76a46a211ae24b605cbd24e80748?

Prince Andrew Loses Title

King Charles III has stripped his younger brother, Prince Andrew, of all titles and honors and is evicting him from his royal residence, Buckingham Palace revealed yesterday. Prince Andrew—now referred to as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor—will move from Royal Lodge to the family’s private, 20,000-acre Sandringham Estate in Norfolk (see more, w/photo). The announcement comes amid renewed scrutiny over Andrew’s relationship with late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and resurfaced allegations of abuse. Earlier this month, the estate of Virginia Giuffre published her memoir in which she accused Andrew of having sex with her three times while underage. Emails from 2011 also reemerged, indicating Andrew’s relationship with Epstein continued after he claimed it had ended (see timeline). The palace's statement said the king’s sympathies were with “victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse.”  The last royal to be stripped of a prince or princess title was Ernest Augustus in 1919, after siding with the Germans in World War I.

[phkrause]

UK police charge man with attempted murder over train stabbing that wounded 11 people

LONDON (AP) — U.K. police on Monday charged a 32-year-old man with attempted murder over a mass stabbing attack on a train that wounded 11 people, and revealed that he may have stabbed two other people in the 24 hours before the attack.

https://apnews.com/article/britain-train-stabbings-57253eae7cc80677863288903a4bde23?

[phkrause]

Former Prince Andrew should testify in US investigation into Jeffrey Epstein, UK leader suggests Pressure is increasing for the former Prince Andrew to give evidence to a U.S. congressional committee investigating the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein after Britain’s prime minister suggested he should testify. Keir Starmer declined to comment directly about King Charles III’s disgraced younger brother, but told reporters that as a “general principle” people should provide evidence to investigators. Read more.

What to know: “I don’t comment on his particular case,’’ Starmer said. “But as a general principle I’ve held for a very long time is that anybody who has got relevant information in relation to these kind of cases should give that evidence to those that need it.’’   The former prince, now known as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, has so far ignored a request from members of the House Oversight Committee for a “transcribed interview” about his “long-standing friendship” with Epstein. Andrew was stripped of his royal titles and honors last month as the royal family tried to insulate itself from criticism about his relationship with Epstein.   Starmer’s comments came after Rep. Robert Garcia of California, the committee’s ranking Democrat, and Rep. Suhas Subramanyam, a Democrat from Virginia, said Andrew “continues to hide” from serious questions.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Republicans hyped the Epstein files for years. Now Trump is under pressure to deliver   The fallout of Epstein’s crimes spans the globe. Here’s a look at some of those paying the price   Epstein’s accusers grapple with complex emotions about promised release of Justice Department files

[phkrause]

Britain’s MI5 suppressed truth about spy within the IRA accused of killings, report finds

LONDON (AP) — The U.K.'s security services protected a top spy planted within the Irish Republican Army when they knew he was wanted by police for murder, and continued to suppress the truth about the agent decades after Northern Ireland ‘s bloody conflict, a report said Tuesday.

https://apnews.com/article/britain-ira-spy-stakeknife-report-9cd58b80f34088e9ada7a27cb863a01f?

[phkrause]

King Charles III says his cancer treatment is being reduced as he promotes benefits of screening

LONDON (AP) — King Charles III said Friday that early diagnosis and treatment will allow doctors to reduce his cancer treatment in the new year as he encouraged others to take advantage of screening programs that can detect the disease early when it is easiest to treat.

https://apnews.com/article/king-charles-iii-cancer-royals-14370b740bfd22e4a5f45c67a3117168?

[phkrause]

UK authorities bring new charges of rape and sexual assault against Russell Brand

LONDON (AP) — British authorities on Tuesday brought new counts of rape and sexual assault against comedian Russell Brand, who is already facing similar charges involving four women.

https://apnews.com/article/russell-brand-rape-sexual-assault-women-charges-comedian-79f453c943a7609a4c8dbd21aebf85e3?

[phkrause]

• ? U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer slammed President Trump's comments about non-U.S. NATO troops in Afghanistan as "insulting and frankly appalling." Trump, on Fox News from Davos yesterday, said NATO troops "stayed a little back, a little off the front lines." Go deeper.

[phkrause]

UK threatens to seize Russia-linked shadow fleet tanker in escalatory move

The UK is threatening to seize a Russia-linked shadow fleet tanker in an escalatory move that could lead to the opening up of a new front against Moscow at a time when the country’s oil revenues are tumbling.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/feb/07/uk-threatens-to-seize-russia-linked-shadow-fleet-tanker-in-escalatory-move?

[phkrause]

Former Prince Andrew released 11 hours after his arrest on suspicion of misconduct in public office

LONDON (AP) — The former Prince Andrew has been released after his arrest on suspicion of misconduct in public office.

https://apnews.com/article/britain-epstein-andrew-former-prince-arrested-fb0b9e738bf7ede10651914ee3f3583d?

[phkrause]

Mountbatten-Windsor Arrest

The UK’s Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested yesterday in Norfolk on suspicion of misconduct in public office. The 66-year-old former prince was later "released under investigation," meaning he has neither been charged nor cleared. The arrest stemmed from claims that Andrew shared confidential government information with Jeffrey Epstein while serving as the UK’s special representative for international trade and investment from 2001 to 2011. A newly unsealed US Department of Justice email allegedly shows him forwarding sensitive trade material to the convicted sex offender. The investigation is separate from allegations by Virginia Giuffre, who accused Andrew of abusing her at 17 and who died by suicide last year. King Charles III said the law “must take its course” and pledged to continue serving the public. Misconduct in public office carries a maximum life sentence under UK law. No senior royal has faced such a criminal process since King Charles I, who was arrested and executed in 1649.

[phkrause]

MPs considering investigation into Andrew’s role as UK trade envoy

An influential committee of MPs could launch an inquiry into Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s role as a UK trade envoy despite his arrest, it is understood, as it emerged that the disgraced former royal pestered ministers about getting a bigger government role.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/feb/21/mps-considering-investigation-into-former-prince-andrew-trade-envoy?

[phkrause]

Former UK ambassador Mandelson released on bail after arrest in Epstein probe

LONDON (AP) — Police in Britain said Peter Mandelson, the former U.K. ambassador to the United States, has been released on bail after he was arrested in a misconduct probe stemming from his ties to the late Jeffrey Epstein. It came days after a friendship with Epstein landed the former Prince Andrew in police custody.

https://apnews.com/article/police-arrest-peter-mandelson-epstein-bc1cbabe40687e09d0f145a75f6a77e2?

[phkrause]

Files show British prime minister was warned of ‘reputational risk’ in appointing Mandelson

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer was warned that Peter Mandelson ’s friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein exposed the government to “reputational risk,” but he still appointed him as ambassador to the United States, documents released Wednesday show. Starmer fired Mandelson after nine months in the job when new details of the relationship with Epstein emerged, and now faces a political storm over the appointment. The newly published files show the prime minister ignored red flags raised by his staff when he appointed the savvy but controversial Mandelson to the U.K.'s most important diplomatic post. Read more.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤

WATCH: At Palace event, Queen Camilla calls for support of abuse survivors Britain is ejecting hereditary nobles from Parliament after 700 years