Good morning.<\/p>\n
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly known as Prince Andrew, has been arrested on suspicion of misconduct<\/a> in public office.<\/p>\n Photographs of unmarked police cars and plainclothes officers at Wood Farm on the Sandringham estate just after 8am were published on Thursday. A statement from Thames Valley police said: \u201cWe have today (19\/2) arrested a man in his 60s 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.\u201d<\/p>\n Police have been assessing allegations that Mountbatten-Windsor shared sensitive information with the billionaire child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein when he was a UK trade envoy.<\/p>\n What other information has the force shared? Thames Valley police previously said they were reviewing allegations that a woman was trafficked to the UK by Epstein to have a sexual encounter with Andrew.<\/p>\n This is a developing story: follow the latest updates<\/a>.<\/p>\n Trump officials plan to build 5,000-person military base in Gaza, files showThe UN Development Programme delegation on a field visit in Gaza City, on 16 February. Photograph: Anadolu\/Getty Images<\/p>\n The Trump administration is planning to build a 5,000-person military base in southern Gaza<\/a>, sprawling more than 350 acres and ringed with watch towers and barbed wired, according to Board of Peace contracting records seen by the Guardian.<\/p>\n The site is envisioned as a military operating base for a future International Stabilization Force (ISF), planned as a multinational military force composed of troops promised by different countries. The ISF is part of the newly created Board of Peace<\/a>, chaired by Donald Trump and led in part by his son-in-law Jared Kushner, which is meant to govern Gaza. It has faced criticism about its funding and governance, and major European allies have declined to join the group<\/a>.<\/p>\n What is the ISF? According to the UN, which authorized the creation of a temporary force, the ISF will be tasked with securing Gaza\u2019s border and maintaining peace within the area. It\u2019s also supposed to protect civilians, and train and support \u201cvetted Palestinian police forces\u201d.<\/p>\n What about in case of renewed war? It\u2019s unclear what the ISF\u2019s rules of engagement would be if there was combat, renewed bombing by Israel, or Hamas attacks.<\/p>\n What other news is there from Gaza? A Lancet study has found that the death toll<\/a> in the first 16 months of the war in Gaza was far higher than reported.<\/p>\n US military ready for possible Iran strikes but Trump yet to decide, reports sayDonald Trump in the East Room of the White House on Wednesday. Photograph: Saul Loeb\/AFP\/Getty Images<\/p>\n The US military is ready for possible strikes on Iran as soon as this weekend, multiple news outlets reported<\/a> on Wednesday, citing anonymous sources.<\/p>\n However, the reports said that Trump had not yet made a final decision on whether to attack. The US president has repeatedly demanded Iran cease its nuclear program, and said he intended to use force if no deal was reached.<\/p>\n When might an attack come? According to the New York Times, CBS News and CNN, the US military has assembled sufficient air and naval resources in the Middle East to launch an attack in the coming days. But Reuters gave a different timeline, reporting that top US national security advisers were told that all US military forces deployed to the region should be ready by mid-March.<\/p>\n In other news \u2026Meta\u2019s CEO Mark Zuckerberg arriving to the Los Angeles superior court to testify in Los Angeles, California. Photograph: Jill Connelly\/Getty Images<\/p>\n The Meta CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, was questioned in a landmark social media trial over young people\u2019s mental health on Wednesday, with lawyers for the plaintiffs arguing the company<\/a> designed its platforms to be addictive.<\/p>\n The former president of South Korea, Yoon Suk Yeol, has been sentenced to life in prison for leading an insurrection in December 2024, making him the first elected head of state to receive the sentence<\/a>.<\/p>\n Bernie Sanders railed against billionaire \u201cgreed\u201d as he urged California voters to back a proposed tax on the state\u2019s richest residents in a speech on Wednesday<\/a>.<\/p>\n Stat of the day: Plastic production has doubled over the last 20 yearsA mountain of rubbish in Indonesia, which is now banning imports of plastic. Photograph: Jonas Gratzer\/LightRocket\/Getty Images<\/p>\n In the past 20 years, plastic production has doubled<\/a>. In her new book Plastic Inc, Beth Gardiner, an environmental journalist from the US, predicts it will double again, perhaps triple, in the near future. \u201cI think what stood out most is the deliberateness and intentionality over the years of pushing plastic into our lives,\u201d she says, noting the oil industry\u2019s pivot towards petrochemicals for plastic as the world moved toward renewable energy.<\/p>\n The Filter: Nine easy DIY remedies for stuck zippers, wobbly chairs and moreYou don\u2019t need to be a pro to salvage many common household items. Photograph: Artem Stepanov\/Getty Images<\/p>\n We\u2019ve all gotten rid of an item before that could have been saved with a bit of time and, often, minimal effort. Whether it\u2019s mending a wobbly chair, darning a hole in a sweater or fixing a toaster that won\u2019t latch, repair experts share simple tips<\/a> that will help you save money and extend the life of everyday essentials in minutes.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t miss this: Why young Danes are having more sex than other gen Z\u2019sKathrine Graa (left) and Clara Filippa Andersen, co-owners of Peech, an adult entertainment store in Copenhagen Photograph: Valdemar Ren\/The Guardian<\/p>\n Young people in Denmark are having much more sex than their gen Z counterparts across the developed world. At a time when one recent US study found that 24% of adults aged 18 to 29 reported no sexual activity at all in the past year, Zoe Williams headed to Copenhagen<\/a> to find out what is different in Denmark \u2013 and what role economic security, gender equality and a sex-positive culture play.<\/p>\n Climate check: Study finds global increase in hot, dry days ideal for wildfiresA firefighter battles the Eaton fire in Pasadena in January last year. Photograph: David McNew\/Getty Images<\/p>\n The number of days with hot, dry and windy weather \u2013 ideal conditions for sparking extreme wildfires \u2013 has nearly tripled in the past 45 years globally<\/a>, a new study shows. The trend is even more pronounced in the Americas, with South America experiencing a severe rise in fire weather days.<\/p>\n Last Thing: The hot new trend for minute-long TV shows\u2018Squid Game, squeezed into a couple of hours and done on the cheap\u2019 \u2026 vertical drama Game of Choice. Photograph: Reverse Clock Entertainment<\/p>\n Vertical dramas \u2013 series shot for smartphone viewing<\/a> and usually in episodes lasting about a minute \u2013 are growing in popularity. \u201cEvery single Hollywood studio you can think of is involved or trialling,\u201d says the vertical drama consultant Jen Cooper. \u201cFor actors in America, 90% of the jobs on [major casting platform] Actor\u2019s Access are verticals.\u201d<\/p>\n Sign up<\/p>\n Sign up for the US morning briefing<\/p>\n<\/p>\n First Thing is delivered to thousands of inboxes every weekday. If you\u2019re not already signed up, subscribe now<\/a>.<\/p>\n Get in touch<\/p>\n