News Desk

JOE Swash and stepson Zach put on a dapper display as they posed for snaps before attending the TV Choice Awards tonight. 

Zach, 17 – the eldest child of 44-year-old Joe’s wife Stacey Solomon – scrubbed up in a navy suit, white shirt and striped tie. 

While the former EastEnders star opted for a black suit which he teamed with a low-cut black T-shirt. 

He captioned his upload: “Zach & Me off to represent the Solomon Swash’s tonight at the @tvchoicemagazine awards. 

“Proud to be your +1 Zachy. Love you boy.”

But eagle-eyed fans were quick to notice Joe was trying his best to minimize the height difference between him and Zach – by standing on his tip toes. 

FLYING SOLO

Inside Stacey Solomon’s plans to protect £7m fortune and strict rule for Joe

NO JOE-KE!

Stacey Solomon takes swipe at Joe Swash after admitting she ‘can’t look at him’

One wrote: “The tiptoes haha love your relationship with all the kids.”

Another said: “Joe on his tippy toes.”

Someone else wrote: “Joe on your tip toes is cracking me.”

And a fourth added: “Love how Joe is trying to be taller than Zach.”

Stacey is also mum to 13-year-old Leighton from a previous relationship while she and Joe share Rex, six, Rose, four, and Belle, two.

Joe is dad so son Harry, 18, from his relationship with ex Emma Sophocleous.

Last month The Sun told how Stacey is desperate to get fans back on side after a flood of negative backlash over her ‘out of touch’ posts.

A source revealed: “The bottom line is Stacey is no longer relatable. 

“People think she flaunts her wealth and moans all the time – now Stacey’s being advised to rein it in and shut her mouth or risk ruining everything she’s worked so hard for.

“The plan is for Stacey to go back to basics and remember who her audience is. No more bragging about expensive holidays and keeping in mind not everybody is in her position.”

Moscow ‘strongly condemns’ attack on airport in the capital, Niamey, where 20 rebels were killed, and four soldiers were wounded.

Russian soldiers helped repel an attack claimed by the ISIL (ISIS) armed group on Niger’s main airport in the capital, Niamey, last week, according to Moscow’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

“The attack was repelled through the joint efforts of the Russian Ministry of Defence’s African Corps and the Nigerien armed forces,” Russia’s Foreign Ministry said on Monday.

Niger’s governing military earlier said that “Russian partners” had helped to fend off the rare assault on the capital, which saw 20 attackers, including a French national, killed and four army soldiers wounded.

At least 11 fighters were also captured, Niger’s state television reported.

“Moscow strongly condemns this latest extremist attack,” the Foreign Ministry added in the statement, according to Russia’s state TASS news agency.

“A similar attack took place in September 2024 on the international airport in the capital of Mali. According to available information, external forces providing instructor and technical support are involved,” the ministry said, according to TASS.

Niger’s military chief, Abdourahamane Tchiani, visited the Russian military base in Niamey to express “personal gratitude for a high-level of professionalism” by Russian forces in defending the airport, the ministry added.

ISIL claimed responsibility for the “surprise and coordinated attack” on the airbase at the Diori Hamani international airport near Niamey on the night of January 28.

A video published online through the ISIL-affiliated media Amaq showed several dozen attackers with assault rifles firing near an aircraft hangar and setting ablaze one plane before leaving on motorbikes.

Ulf Laessing, the head of the Sahel programme at Germany’s Konrad Adenauer Foundation, told The Associated Press news agency that the sophistication and boldness of the attack, including the possible use of drones by the attackers, suggest that the assailants may have had inside help.

Previous successful attacks in the region appear to have increased the group’s confidence, leading them to target more sensitive and strategically important sites, Laessing said.

Niger’s military had initially accused Benin, France and the Ivory Coast of sponsoring the attack on the airport, which also houses a military base. The military, however, did not provide evidence to substantiate its claim.

Ivory Coast’s Foreign Ministry denied the allegation and summoned Niger’s ambassador to relay its protest. Benin also denied the claim, describing it as “not very credible”.

France has yet to comment.

Niger is a former colony of France, which maintained a military presence in the country until 2023.

Russia rarely comments on its military activity in the Sahel region, where Moscow has been increasing its influence in recent years.

Facing isolation since its invasion of Ukraine, Russia has tried to build new military and political partnerships across Africa.

Apart from Niger, Russian troops or military instructors have been reported to be deployed in Burkina Faso, Equatorial Guinea, the Central African Republic and Libya.

Russia’s African Corps has taken over from the Wagner mercenary force across the continent. According to Moscow, the corps helps ” fighting terrorists” and is “strengthening regional stability” in the Sahel.

Niger’s authorities have been fighting the Al-Qaeda-linked Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM) and the ISIL affiliate in the Sahel (EIS) for the past decade.

Musk says solar powered and space-based data centres are the only way to meet AI’s burgeoning energy demands.

Elon Musk’s SpaceX has acquired his AI company xAI as part of an ambitious scheme to build space-based data centres to power the future of artificial intelligence.

The billionaire, who is also the CEO of Tesla, announced the merger in a statement on Tuesday on the SpaceX website.

Musk said the merger will help to address the emerging question of how to meet the power-hungry demands of artificial intelligence.

AI demand will require “immense amounts of power and cooling” that are not sustainable on Earth without “imposing hardship on communities and the environment,” he said.

Space-based data centres that harness the power of the Sun are the only long-term solution, according to Musk.

“In the long term, space-based AI is obviously the only way to scale. To harness even a millionth of our Sun’s energy would require over a million times more energy than our civilisation currently uses!” he wrote.

“The only logical solution therefore is to transport these resource-intensive efforts to a location with vast power and space,” he continued, predicting that within the next “2 to 3 years, the lowest cost way to generate AI compute will be in space”.

The merger of SpaceX and xAI will bring several of Musk’s space, artificial intelligence, internet, and social media projects under one roof.

SpaceX operates the Falcon and Starship rocket programmes, while xAI is best known for developing the AI-powered Grok chatbot. Last year, xAI also acquired X, the social media platform known as Twitter, until it was bought by Musk in late 2022.

Both companies have major contracts with US government agencies such as NASA and the Department of Defense .

SpaceX’s Starshield unit specifically collaborates with government entities, including military and intelligence agencies.

Musk is not the only tech CEO looking to space as a solution to AI’s energy quandary.

Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin and Google’s Project Suncatcher are both working on solar-powered space-based data centres.

“In the history of spaceflight, there has never been a vehicle capable of launching the megatons of mass that space-based data centres or permanent bases on the Moon and cities on Mars require,” Musk wrote.

Musk also said his long-term plan for SpaceX is to launch a million satellites.

To achieve this aim, SpaceX’s Starship rocket programme aims to one day launch one flight per hour with a 200-tonne payload, he said.

Musk said Starlink, a subsidiary of SpaceX that offers satellite-based internet service, will soon get a major boost with the launch of SpaceX’s next generation of V3 satellites.

They will each add “more than 20 times the capacity to the constellation as the current Falcon launches of the V2 Starlink satellites”, he wrote.

I can’t believe it’s happening to us.

“The Kelly Clarkson Show,” the Daytime Emmy Award-winning series hosted by the Grammy-winning musician, is ending after a seven-season run. Kelly Clarkson announced Monday that she had decided to step away from hosting the daily talk show.

In a statement, Clarkson said she made her decision to prioritize spending time with her children. The former singer had two children, in 2014 and 2016, with ex-husband Brandon Blackstock, who died in August at age 48.

“I have been extremely fortunate to work with such an outstanding group of people at ‘The Kelly Clarkson Show,’ both in Los Angeles and New York,” Clarkson said in a statement. “This was not an easy decision, but this season will be my last hosting ‘The Kelly Clarkson Show.’ Stepping away from the daily schedule will allow me to prioritize my kids, which feels necessary and right for this next chapter of our lives.”

The syndicated talk show launched in September 2019 after Clarkson, who won over TV audiences as the first-ever winner of “American Idol,” in 2002, returned to the world of musical reality competitions as a coach on “The Voice” in 2018. “The Kelly Clarkson Show” showcased the “Since U Been Gone” singer’s affable, approachable charm in her sit-down interviews with celebrities and everyday heroes, as well as her talents in popular segments including “Kellyoke,” which saw Clarkson sing covers of other people’s songs.

“I am forever grateful and honored to have worked alongside the greatest band and crew you could hope for, all the talent and inspiring people who have shared their time and lives with us, all the fans who have supported our show and to NBC for always being such a supportive and incredible partner,” Clarkson added in her statement. “This isn’t goodbye. I’ll still be making music, playing shows here and there and you may catch me on ‘The Voice’ from time to time. … You never know where I might show up next. But for now, I want to thank y’all so much for allowing our show to be a part of your lives, and for believing in us and hanging with us for seven incredible years.”

The seventh season of “The Kelly Clarkson Show” kicked off in September and production will continue as planned. Clarkson will continue to host Season 7, with a few yet-to-be-announced guest hosts. The episodes for Season 7 will run through September.

Cuban diplomat says Havana is ready for dialogue with Washington, but certain things are off the table, including the constitution and its socialist government.

Cuba and the United States are in communication, but the exchanges have not yet evolved into a formal “dialogue”, a Cuban diplomat has said, as US President Donald Trump stepped up pressure on Havana.

Carlos Fernandez de Cossio, Cuba’s deputy foreign minister, told the Reuters news agency on Monday that the US government was aware that Cuba was “ready to have a serious, meaningful and responsible dialogue”.

De Cossio’s statement represents the first hint from Havana that it is in contact with Washington, even if in a limited fashion, as tensions flared in recent weeks amid Trump’s threats against the Cuban government in the aftermath of the US military’s abduction of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, Cuba’s longstanding ally.

“We have had exchange of messages, we have embassies, we have had communications, but we cannot say we have had a table of dialogue,” de Cossio said.

In a separate interview with The Associated Press news agency, De Cossio said, “If we can have a dialogue, maybe that can lead to negotiation.”

The deputy minister also stressed that certain issues are off the table for Cuba, including the country’s constitution, economy, and its socialist system of government.

On Sunday, Trump indicated that the US had begun talks with “the highest people in Cuba”.

“I think we’re going to make a deal with Cuba,” Trump told reporters at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.

Days earlier, Trump had referred to Cuba in an executive order as “an unusual and extraordinary threat” to US national security, and warned other countries he would impose more tariffs on them if they supplied oil to Cuba.

On Monday, Trump reverted to issuing threats to Havana, announcing at the White House that Mexico “is going to cease” sending oil to Cuba, a move that could starve the country of its energy needs.

Mexico, which has yet to comment on Trump’s latest statement, is the largest supplier of oil to Cuba.

Mexico had repeatedly said that it would not stop shipping oil to Cuba for humanitarian reasons, but also expressed concern that it could face reprisals from Trump over its policy.

In recent weeks, the US has moved to block all oil from reaching Cuba, including from Cuba’s ally Venezuela, pushing up prices for food and transportation and prompting severe fuel shortages and hours of blackouts, even in the capital, Havana.

Responding to Trump’s threat regarding oil supplies, Cuba’s De Cossio said that the move would eventually backfire.

“The US… is attempting to force every country in the world not to provide fuel to Cuba. Can that be sustained in the long run?” de Cossio said to Reuters.

The US has imposed decades of crushing sanctions on Cuba, but a crippling economic crisis on the island and stepped-up pressure from the Trump administration have recently brought the conflict to a head.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer says ex-envoy Peter Mandelson should no longer hold a seat in the upper house of parliament.

Police in the United Kingdom have announced they are reviewing allegations of misconduct in public office following revelations that London’s former ambassador to Washington leaked confidential government information to the late financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The announcement by the Metropolitan Police on Monday came after investigative files released by United States authorities revealed that Peter Mandelson shared government plans with Epstein while serving as a UK minister.

Mandelson, who served as business secretary under former Prime Minister Gordon Brown, told Epstein about asset sales and tax changes under consideration by London in 2009, as well as plans for the 500 billion euro ($590bn) bailout of the single currency in 2010, according to emails released by the US Department of Justice on Friday.

“Following this release and subsequent media reporting, the Met has received a number of reports relating to alleged misconduct in public office. The reports will all be reviewed to determine if they meet the criminal threshold for investigation,” Metropolitan Police Commander Ella Marriott said in a statement.

“As with any matter, if new and relevant information is brought to our attention we will assess it, and investigate as appropriate,” Marriott added.

The Metropolitan Police did not name Mandelson, but its statement came after the leader of the pro-independence Scottish National Party said he had written to the police commissioner urging him to investigate the former ambassador for alleged misconduct in public office.

Earlier on Monday, Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced an inquiry into Mandelson’s ties to Epstein.

Starmer, who sacked Mandelson as London’s top diplomat in Washington last year after the emergence of correspondence detailing his ties to Epstein, also said the former minister should lose his lifelong appointment to the UK’s upper house of parliament.

On Sunday, Mandelson resigned from the governing Labour Party, whose return to electoral dominance he helped to engineer in the 1990s, citing his wish to avoid causing further embarrassment to his colleagues.

In further fallout in the UK on Monday, the charity launched by Sarah Ferguson, the ex-wife of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, announced that it would close “for the foreseeable future” amid revelations about her friendly relationship with Epstein.

“Our chair Sarah Ferguson and the board of trustees have agreed that with regret the charity will shortly close for the foreseeable future,” a spokesman said in a statement, without elaborating on the reasons for the closure.

Separately on Monday, the US Justice Department said it had removed thousands of Epstein-related files from the internet after lawyers representing some of his alleged victims said their identities had been exposed due to insufficient redactions in the latest release of documents.

Soap spoilers for next week have confirmed death twists, revenge plans and discoveries, as well as a huge return across Emmerdale, EastEnders, Coronation Street, Hollyoaks and Home and Away

It’s another big week for the soaps, with a huge return, secrets under threat and sinister plans in motion.

On Emmerdale, Aaron Dingle is concerned for Robert Sugden, while a discovery about the latter leaves someone stunned. Soon there’s an ultimatum, while some news about dead villain John Sugden sparks some guilt.

On Coronation Street, Daniel Osbourne makes a chilling discovery, while groomer Megan targets teen Sam Blakeman. David Platt is onto “strange” Jodie’s behaviour too.

As for EastEnders, there’s an epic return for Jake Moon, which could lead to another comeback. There’s concern for one teen, and Ravi Gulati is rocked by a discovery.

Over on Hollyoaks, Mercedes McQueen gets steamy with a newcomer, while Dodger Savage makes an alarming realisation. As for Home and Away, Leah continues to spark concern. Here’s all your new spoilers…

READ MORE: Soaps preview: Emmerdale Robert and Tracy’s big plan and Corrie Jodie under suspicionREAD MORE: Emmerdale and Coronation Street fans left furious as soaps pulled off air next week

Emmerdale

Dylan confesses to April that he was there when Ray was murdered and that Bear is his killer. Paddy is furious, and Bear begins to spiral. As April encourages Bear to open up he breaks down, with Paddy deciding he needs to see a counsellor.

As April, Dylan and Bear struggle to cope, it’s clear the impact of Ray’s actions is hard to overcome. Elsewhere, Victoria is horrified when she realises how far Robert has gone to protect her.

When John’s death is ruled a suicide she continues to feel guilty, and she considers coming clean to Cain about the plan to sell the farm to Joe. With Joe wanting to push the sale forward he threatens Robert, but Victoria overhears and realises Robert planted the evidence that led to Moira’s arrest.

Realising why he did it, she declares she’ll turn herself in to prevent Moira from being wrongfully imprisoned. Joe then threatens to release the video of her killing John unless she signs the contracts.

Soon there’s an ultimatum, and Victoria visits Moira in prison. Also next week, Aaron is concerned for Robert and Cain tries to force Bear to go to the police.

When he turns violent, Dylan steps in. Later, Sarah supports Cain at his appointment at the hospital where the consultant explains the treatment will be a radical prostatectomy.

Finally next week, Robert and Tracy are caught out as they head off with John’s ashes. Tracy prepares to pour John’s ashes down the toilet, convincing a reluctant Robert to let her just as Victoria and Aaron arrive.

Coronation Street

Shona, convinced Jodie is hiding something, follows her to a psychiatric hospital where Jodie tearfully introduces their confused, estranged father. Jodie explains how she was left to care for him after their mother fled.

When an exhausted Shona snaps at Lily, David tells her to take a break. Jodie soon manipulates her into a night out, before plying her sister with alcohol. David confides in Nick that there’s something very strange about Jodie.

Ryan recognises Mal, leading to Bernie begging him not to reveal all about the hotel incident. When Gemma finds out, she urges her mum to tell Dev before someone else does. Mal seems keen to stick around.

Todd panics when he sees some missed calls from Theo. When he joins James for brunch, Theo comments on him wasting money, before confronting him over a takeaway bag he’s found. Things take a turn when Todd collapses.

Debbie’s assigned an inmate to look after her in prison, but she’s not best pleased to discover it’s her former neighbour Lou. Later, Adam tells Carl that he hopes to use Debbie’s TIA to have her sentence reduced.

Sam finds out his essay was missing, and he realises Megan was behind it. Soon, he intently listens as Daniel discusses the misuse of ADHD medication for a study aid. Later in the week, Megan approaches Sam and tells him she’s concerned about his work and offers him extra help.

As for Daniel, he’s shocked when he meets the man, Colin, jailed for his attack only to realise he wasn’t his attacker after all. Ollie asks Lauren on a date, while Carla enlists Betsy’s help and asks her to get Lisa to come to the Chariot Square Hotel as she’s planning to surprise her. Finally, a clash between Ryan and Carl sees Ryan sacking him, and Carl, in a fit of rage, forms a sinister plan to set the hotel on fire.

EastEnders

Ravi meets Jack to give an update on his informant work, only to discover his new contact is Mark. But he’s in turmoil when Nugget suffers a seizure. Nugget is rushed to hospital where tests suggest he’s had an epileptic seizure.

Later, Mark is impressed by Ravi and he soon drops an admission, while there’s news from the hospital and Priya makes a discovery. Zoe comes face-to-face with Jake Moon, who has requested a prison visit. He explains that he and Chrissie have split over her revenge plan and begs for the truth about what happened at Christmas.

Kat encourages Jake to visit Alfie, with him believed dead for so many years. It leads to an emotional reunion. Soon Jake seeks out Phil, and he encourages Jake to lure Chrissie back to Walford. Callum is worried about Phil, while Billy asks Honey to beg for her job back, but Bea insists she should stand firm.

Soon Suki fires them both, while Bea lies to Vinny. Linda is worried that Ollie is being bullied again. Max offers to take Ollie and Annie to help Linda out and soon realises that Louie is the bully targeting Ollie.

As things escalate Max keeps it from Linda, only for the pair to grow closer. Linda moves in for a kiss, but will they reunite?

Hollyoaks

Sensing Rex is struggling with grief, Froggy plans to scatter Grace’s ashes with him. Before they set off, Ste proposes to Rex. Mercedes has chemistry with fellow rehab patient Jake, unaware it’s Jenson.

Meanwhile, Nikki advises Mercedes to work on her relationship with Warren. Prince apologises to John Paul for dragging him into a situation, but soon the pair are left panicking. Diane isn’t happy when Ro tells his family he’s decided he wants to be a mechanic.

Later, Ro arrives at the garage ready to start his new job, but Diane tells Ro that he has to go to university and that’s that. Gemma still has a soft spot for Warren, and Mercedes invites Warren to couples therapy, while she’s soon getting steamy with someone else.

Dodger is alarmed to find out who was behind the armed robbery. Elsewhere, Vicky comes up with an idea to buy the salon. When newcomer Miles finds Vicky and gives her his card, claiming he’s a talent scout, she’s unsure. At the Blakes, a guilty Tinhead has a confession to make to smitten Liberty.

Home and Away

Sonny tries to make sense of Leah’s accusation about Justin, and soon Remi is thrown. He lets Justin know what Leah’s been saying, and it’s clear is relationship with Leah is in real trouble.

Jo awkwardly admits she has plans, before walking off with Eddie, leaving Tane feeling discarded. Cash takes it upon himself to quiz David on Jo and Eddie, before he reveals all to Tane.

Lacey teases her sister Jo after a discovery, but soon she has questions. Soon, Jo debriefs with Lacey about the two men in her life, leading to some words of encouragement from Lacey. It’s Tane who’s left making a decision however. Also next week, Tane’s shocked and angered when he opens a letter from Harper’s solicitor outlining custody arrangements.

Home and Away is available to stream from 6am weekdays, with double bill episodes airing from 6pm on 5Star. Hollyoaks is available to stream on Channel 4’s streaming service now, while it also airs Mondays to Wednesdays on E4 at 7PM.

EastEnders airs Mondays to Thursdays at 7:30pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. Emmerdale airs weeknights at 8pm on ITV1 and ITVX.

Coronation Street airs weeknights at 8:30pm on ITV1 and ITV X. * Follow Mirror Celebs and TV on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads .

These are the key developments from day 1,440 of Russia’s war on Ukraine

Here is where things stand on Tuesday, February 2:

Fighting

• The ‍Ukrainian ‍capital, Kyiv, came under attack early on ⁠Tuesday morning from ​Russian missiles, ‍Tymur Tkachenko, head of the city’s ‍military administration, ⁠said on the Telegram messaging app.
• Tkachenko said several apartment ​buildings ‌and an educational establishment had been damaged. Reuters news agency ‌witnesses reported ‌loud explosions ⁠in the city.

• A father and a son have been killed, and two children and their mother were wounded after Russia struck an area in the front line of the Donetsk region, according to regional authorities.

• A coal mining site in Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region was attacked for the second time in 24 hours, according to the private energy producer DTEK. There were no immediate reports on casualties or damage to infrastructure.

Diplomacy and politics

• Russia has largely observed a ceasefire on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in his nightly video address on Monday, as Kyiv prepared for the next round of trilateral talks with the US and Russia, expected to begin on Wednesday.

• In a separate post on social media, Zelenskyy added that a recent “de-escalation” with Russia – an apparent reference to a brief ceasefire in attacks on energy facilities – was helping to build trust in the negotiations.

• Zelenskyy said in separate remarks that it was realistic to achieve a dignified and lasting peace, in advance of the next round of peace talks with Russian and US officials in the United Arab Emirates. He added that a deal on US security guarantees for Ukraine post-war is now “complete”.

• US President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, will travel to Abu Dhabi for the talks with Russia and Ukraine on Wednesday and Thursday, a White House official said.

• Russia would regard the deployment of any foreign military forces or infrastructure in Ukraine as foreign intervention and treat those forces as legitimate targets, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Moscow said, citing Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

• Dmitry Medvedev, the deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, said that a proposal by European powers to deploy NATO-member troops in Ukraine as part of a proposed security guarantee and peace deal was unacceptable for Russia.
• German authorities detained at least five people suspected of operating a network that exported goods to Russian defence companies, contravening EU sanctions imposed after Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, federal prosecutors announced.

Sport

• FIFA President Gianni Infantino said he supports the reinstatement of Russia in the football federation and called for an end to the country’s four-year exclusion from international tournaments, including the World Cup in Qatar and the qualifying matches for the 2026 World Cup.
• Sport federations that claim sport is separate from politics should not include armed conflicts in that definition, because “war is a crime, not politics”, Ukrainian Minister of Sports Matvii Bidnyi said in an interview with the AFP news agency in advance of the Winter Olympics.

Energy

• Indian oil refiners will need a wind-down period to complete Russian oil deals before imports from that country can be halted, Reuters reported after Trump announced a trade agreement with India that included a halt to oil purchases from Russia.

• Ukraine’s electricity imports jumped by 40 percent in January 2026 compared with December 2025, hitting a record 894 gigawatt hours amid constant Russian attacks on the Ukrainian energy system, which have left millions of people without power and heating, Reuters reported, citing analysts.

• The EU’s decision last week to ban Russian gas imports was “100 percent legally sound”, the bloc’s energy commissioner, Dan Jorgensen, told reporters in Portugal’s capital, Lisbon, adding it would prevent Russia from weaponising energy amid its war on Ukraine.

The Clintons agree to testify in congressional probe of high-society sex offender Jeffrey Epstein amid contempt threat.

Former ‍United States President Bill ‍Clinton and Hillary Clinton, the 2016 Democratic presidential nominee, will testify in a congressional investigation into the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, a spokesperson for the ex-president said.

The ⁠decision by the Clintons announced on Monday could head off a planned vote in the Republican-led ​House of Representatives to hold the high-profile Democratic Party veterans in contempt for refusing to appear before lawmakers, which could lead to criminal charges.

“The former President and former ‌Secretary of State will be there. They look forward to setting a precedent that applies to everyone,” the Clintons’ deputy chief of staff, Angel Urena, said ‌in a post on social media.

Urena posted the announcement above a House Oversight Committee statement from earlier on Monday that accused the Clintons of “defying lawful subpoenas” and of “trying to dodge contempt by requesting special treatment”.

“The Clintons are not above the law,” the Oversight Committee said.

Last week, the Oversight Committee recommended the couple be held in contempt for refusing ‍to testify about ⁠their relationship with Epstein.

The Clintons had offered to cooperate with the committee’s probe into Epstein, but refused to appear in person, saying the investigation was a partisan exercise aimed at protecting President Donald Trump, who was a longtime friend of Epstein.

Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson welcomed the news from the Clintons, but ‌did not say whether the chamber ⁠would drop its planned contempt vote.

“That’s a good development,” he said. “We expect everyone to comply with Congress’s subpoenas.”

Democrats say the House probe is being weaponised to attack political opponents of Trump – who has not been called to testify despite being long associated with Epstein – rather than to conduct legitimate oversight.

Trump spent months trying to block the disclosure of investigative files linked to Epstein, but pressure from his Make America Great Again (MAGA) base and some Republican lawmakers forced the president to order the release of millions of documents in the case.

Bill Clinton flew on Epstein’s plane several ‌times in the early 2000s after leaving office. He has expressed regret about the relationship and said he knew nothing about  Epstein’s criminal activity.

Hillary Clinton said she had no meaningful interactions with Epstein, never flew on his plane and never visited his private island.

The Epstein affair continues to cast a long shadow over US politics, and now, the United Kingdom’s, entangling prominent figures including the disgraced former-prince Andrew and ex-UK ambassador to the US Peter Mandelson.

UK police said on Monday they are reviewing reports of alleged misconduct involving Mandelson, whose name surfaced more than 5,000 times in the US Justice Department files on Epstein.

The veteran British politician was fired as ambassador to the US last ‍year after emails came to light that showed him calling Epstein “my best pal” and advising him on seeking early release from prison.

Mandelson has apologised to Epstein’s victims and denied wrongdoing.

Time is running out to binge watch the addictive and highly rated series

Time is running out for Netflix fans to enjoy an ‘epic’ sci-fi adaptation.

The series was originally an exclusive on rival streamer Paramount+, with episodes released weekly beginning in 2022. That was until the live-action series based on the popular video game series Halo made its Netflix debut in March last year.

Finding a new home on the platform, it quickly surged up the charts of most watched titles among UK subscribers. However, it looks like the deal to bring the show over was only good for a year, as it is set to be removed a day before its 12 month anniversary.

The show, based on the much-loved Xbox-exclusive game franchise, follows super soldier Master Chief John-117 and his team of Spartans as they battle against the alien threat known as the Covenant.

Its first season scored a respectable 70% on Rotten Tomatoes, while the second series upped the ante with an impressive 90% rating. Pablo Schreiber, known for roles in Orange is the New Black, Den of Thieves and The Wire, took on the role of Master Chief.

Despite its eventual cancellation by Paramount, many viewers have expressed their admiration for the show. This includes many acknowledging the challenge of successfully adapting such a beloved series.

One fan, sharing their opinion online, posted: “The Halo show on Paramount+ is everything I could have hoped for and more. As a fan of the Halo series, I was thrilled by how they brought the universe to life.

“The visuals are stunning, capturing the gritty yet futuristic essence of the franchise. The action sequences are intense and cinematic, especially the battles with the Covenant, which felt ripped straight out of the games.”

Another added: “Epic! If you want action, violence and non stop battles, this is for you. Amazing cinematography. Brought to screen successfully, I’d say.”

They continued: “Heaps of effort and money went into producing this, obviously. Visually stunning. Whole cast excels in character very convincingly. If you are a Halo fan, this will keep you glued to the screen. Lots of twists and dilemmas to keep it gripping and interesting.”

However, its not just dedicated fans of the game series that have been able to enjoy the show. As one person claimed: “Production quality is outstanding, on par with Star Wars or Star Trek. I found the first season intelligent, enjoyable to watch and honestly, very addictive.”

While someone else suggested: “Pure fun, best sci fi since Expanse and The Mandalorian.” And one person commented: “Excellent! They have filmed and written the storyline perfectly and it has me hooked wanting more. Binge watched whole of season 1 in two days.”

Halo is streaming on Netflix until February 28 and on Paramount Plus.

Feb. 2 (Asia Today) — Elizabeth Salmon, the United Nations special rapporteur on human rights in North Korea, began a five-day visit to South Korea on Monday, meeting vice minister-level officials under the Lee Jae-myung administration, a shift from ministerial-level meetings held during the previous government.

The visit, which runs from Feb. 2 to 6, marks Salmon’s third official trip to South Korea since assuming the post and her first since September 2023.

During earlier visits in 2022 and 2023, Salmon met with ministers and vice ministers from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Unification, discussing broad cooperation on improving human rights conditions in North Korea. This time, her meetings with the South Korean government are limited to vice minister-level officials, reflecting differing policy approaches between the former Yoon Suk Yeol administration and the current Lee government.

The Foreign Ministry said Salmon met Monday with Vice Foreign Minister Kim Jin-ah to discuss the current state of North Korean human rights.

Kim praised the rapporteur’s efforts to raise international awareness of human rights abuses in North Korea and expressed hope that her work would contribute to tangible improvements for North Korean citizens. She also commended Salmon for focusing her report to the 61st session of the UN Human Rights Council on the Universal Periodic Review process and urged continued engagement.

Salmon said she would explore technical assistance to help North Korea implement recommendations it accepted through the review process and support efforts to promote dialogue and engagement.

She is scheduled to meet Vice Unification Minister Kim Nam-joong on Wednesday, as well as officials from other government bodies including the Ministry of Justice, according to officials.

During her first official visit in 2022, Salmon met with then Foreign Minister Park Jin, then Vice Foreign Minister Lee Do-hoon, Ambassador for International Cooperation on North Korean Human Rights Lee Shin-hwa, and then Unification Minister Kwon Young-se. On her second visit in 2023, she also met with former peace negotiations chief Kim Gun and former Unification Minister Kim Young-ho.

During this visit, Salmon is also meeting with North Korean human rights groups and defector organizations to hear their assessments and recommendations. She plans to hold a news conference on Thursday to outline the results of her trip.

Salmon will reflect the findings from the visit in her annual reports on North Korean human rights to the UN Human Rights Council in March and the UN General Assembly in September.

— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI

© Asia Today. Unauthorized reproduction or redistribution prohibited.

Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260202010000760

Mérida, February 2, 2026 (venezuelanalysis.com) – Venezuelan Acting President Delcy Rodríguez met with US Chargé d’Affaires Laura Dogu in Miraflores Presidential Palace on Monday afternoon.

According to Communications Minister Miguel Pérez Pirela, the meeting took place “in the context of the working agenda” between Caracas and Washington. National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez was likewise present.

Dogu confirmed the high-level audience with Venezuelan leaders via social media, saying that she reiterated Washington’s intended “three-phase plan” for the Caribbean nation.

“Today I met with Delcy Rodríguez and Jorge Rodríguez to reiterate the three phases that Secretary of State Marco Rubio has proposed for Venezuela: stabilization, economic recovery and reconciliation, and transition,” she said.

The US diplomat arrived in Caracas on Saturday, vowing that her team is “ready to work.” US State Department officials had visited the Venezuelan capital previously to assess conditions for the reopening of the US embassy.

Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yván Gil was the first high-ranking official to meet with Dogu, writing that the country’s authorities are looking to work on “issues of bilateral interest” with US counterparts. On Monday, Gil announced that Félix Plasencia will be Venezuela’s diplomatic representative in the US and will travel to Washington in the coming days.

This diplomatic rapprochement follows the January 3 US military strikes that killed dozens, while special operations teams kidnapped President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady and Deputy Cilia Flores.

In the weeks since, the Venezuelan government has emphasized its commitment to reestablish ties with the Trump administration, with Rodríguez pledging that she is not afraid to address “differences” with Washington through diplomatic channels.

For his part, US President Donald Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One that he maintains positive relationships with Venezuelan leaders, including the acting president.

Since the January 3 strikes, the White House has claimed control over Venezuelan crude sales, with proceeds reportedly deposited in US-administered accounts in Qatar before a portion is returned to the South American nation. Last week, the Venezuelan National Assembly approved an oil reform granting expanded benefits for private corporations that drew praise from US officials.

Caracas severed diplomatic ties with Washington in 2019 after the Trump administration recognized the self-proclaimed “interim government” headed by Juan Guaidó as the country’s legitimate authority.

A formal reestablishment of diplomatic relations hinges on the White House formally recognizing the Venezuelan acting government, a move that is also a necessary step before any process of debt renegotiation.

Rodríguez announces Amnesty Law, Helicoide closure

Venezuelan acting authorities have combined the restoration of ties with Washington with a fast-moving domestic legislative agenda.

On Friday, during the Supreme Court’s 2026 opening ceremony, Acting President Rodríguez announced a new “General Amnesty Law,” intended to cover acts of political violence that have occurred in Venezuela from 1999 to the present.

In her speech, Rodríguez explained that the law aims to “heal the wounds” resulting from political confrontation.

“I request the full cooperation of the Venezuelan parliament so that this law may contribute to healing the wounds left by confrontation, violence, and extremism,” she told attendees. “May it serve to redirect justice in our country and restore coexistence among Venezuelans.”

The legislative proposal will reportedly exclude those who have been convicted or are facing charges of homicide, drug trafficking, corruption, and serious human rights violations.

Alongside the new law proposal, Rodríguez announced the closure of the Helicoide detention center in Caracas, with plans to turn it into a recreational center. The facility, run by the SEBIN intelligence agency, has held multiple high-profile opposition figures accused of crimes including treason and terrorism.

Human rights organizations over the years have denounced grave human rights violations against Helicoide prisoners. Dozens of prisoners have been gradually released in recent days. 

Javier Tarazona, director of the NGO Fundaredes, was among those released during the weekend. He had been detained since 2021 on terrorism and treason charges. Luis Istúriz, a leader from the far-right Vente Venezuela party, also exited the Helicoide on Sunday following 18 months behind bars. He had begun a 30-year sentence on charges of terrorism and conspiracy.

Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello affirmed in a Monday press conference that the amnesty law is about promoting “coexistence and peace” and will see authorities review the cases of people who have “undoubtedly committed crimes.”

“Those who benefit from the amnesty will be given an opportunity to return to politics,” he said, adding that the amnesty project was a government initiative that had no influence from “NGOs and foreign governments.”

Edited and with additional reporting by Ricardo Vaz in Caracas.

A movie hailed as a ‘cinematic masterpiece’ by fans is now streaming on Prime Video

A period drama film, praised as a masterpiece by viewers who’ve been encouraging others to experience it, is now available on Prime Video.

This follows recent acclaim for other productions including a period crime drama, an adaptation from a “superb” author, and a programme dubbed Netflix’s greatest achievement, reports the Express.

One glowing 10/10 review of the picture stated: “One of the finest plays in history is turned into a cinematic masterpiece.”

The reviewer praised The Crucible for featuring an “absolutely brilliant and cathartically heartbreaking performance” from one of its leading actors. They continued, describing how the star “delivers one of the finest examples of acting genius I’ve ever had the privilege of experiencing”.

Another 8/10 assessment declared: “I am not someone to randomly give out a perfect score for a movie… And I also happen to be a very critical person of most films. With that being said, The Crucible completely blows me away with its virtually flawless cinematic achievements!”

One 9/10 critique called the picture “just fantastic” and rooted in “possibly the greatest play ever written”.

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A particular performance was labelled “outstanding”, whilst another cast member made an “indelible impression thanks to their “marvellous acting”. The critic concluded by calling the film a “work of cinematic genius”.Yet another viewer awarded maximum marks, writing: “Not just a dynamic character study, but a study of madness”. One enthusiastic 7/10 review praised the production as an “excellent adaptation”, adding: “There is nothing I like better than a good play for the stage, even when it is on screen. “.

Released in 1996, The Crucible draws from Arthur Miller’s acclaimed 1953 stage play of the same title.

Taking place during the Salem Witch Trials in Massachusetts Bay between 1692 and 1693, Miller crafted the work as a pointed commentary on the political persecution characteristic of McCarthyism in the mid-1950s.

The narrative centres on a community of Puritan settlers thrown into chaos following rumours of dark magic after local minister Samuel Parris (portrayed by Bruce Davison) discovers his daughter collapsed and unresponsive in the forest.

The incident follows her participation with several other young women in attempting to perform incantations alongside an enslaved woman.

As news of the events circulates, allegations of sorcery spread like wildfire throughout the settlement, prompting residents to turn against one another based on mere suspicion rather than proof.

The young women begin pointing fingers at fellow townspeople, resulting in numerous trials, including that of John Proctor (Daniel Day-Lewis), who previously engaged in an illicit relationship with Abigail Williams (Winona Ryder).

The production boasted a stellar ensemble, featuring Joan Allen, Paul Scofield, Peter Vaughn, Frances Conroy, and Jeffrey Jones amongst its ranks.

Upon its 1996 debut, the picture garnered multiple accolades, including a Best Actress recognition for Allen and a Best Adapted Screenplay acknowledgement for playwright Miller himself. Furthermore, the production earned nominations for BAFTAs, Golden Globes, Satellite Awards, and the Berlin Film Festival.

The Crucible (1996) is streaming on Prime Video and Apple TV for a fee now.

**For the latest showbiz, TV, movie and streaming news, go to the new ** Everything Gossip ** website**

Feb. 2 (UPI) — The 84-year-old mother of NBC anchor Savannah Guthrie, reported missing in Arizona over the weekend, appears to have been abducted from her home, police said on Monday evening.

Nancy Guthrie has not been seen since Saturday night at about 9:30 to 9:45 p.m. MST, outside of her Tucson home, Sheriff Chris Nanos of the Pima County Sheriff’s Department said.

She was reported missing at about noon on Sunday.

At a Monday afternoon press conference, Nanos did not share many details of the disappearance but said that police are treating her home as a crime scene, NBC News reported.

“We do in fact have a crime scene,” Nanos said. “We do in fact have a crime. She did not leave here on her own. We know that.”

Nancy Guthrie is described as about 5-feet, 5-inches tall and weighing about 150 pounds. She has brown hair and blue eyes.

Homicide detectives processed the scene at Guthrie’s home, which is not standard protocol, and Nanos said some details at the scene raise concern. He did not share what was found.

“This one stood out because of what was described to us at the scene and what we found and located just in looking at the scene,” Nanos said.

Guthrie is “sharp as a tack” and this is not a dementia-related episode, Nanos said, but that she also is “not of good physical health” an it is unlikely that she left her home in the way that it appeared.

Savannah Guthrie, a co-anchor on the TODAY Show, did not anchor on Monday morning and NBC later announced that she would be pulling out of her host role for the Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, which start later this week.

She shared a statement thanking people for their “thoughts, prayers and messages of support.”

“Right now our focus remains on the safe return of our dear mom,” the statement said. “We thank law enforcement for their hard work on this case and encourage anyone with information to contact the Pima County Sheriff’s Department at: 520-351-4900.”

United States President Donald Trump has announced the launch of a strategic minerals stockpile.

The stockpile, called Project Vault, was announced on Monday. It will combine $2bn of private capital with a $10bn loan from the US Export-Import Bank.

It is the latest move by the White House to invest in rare-earth minerals needed in the production of key goods, including semiconductor chips, smartphones and electric car batteries.

The aim is to “ensure that American businesses and workers are never harmed by any shortage”, Trump said at the White House.

The move to develop a strategic stockpile is the latest in a slew of efforts by the Trump administration to take control of the means of production for critical rare-earth materials to limit reliance on other countries, particularly China, which has held up its exports to gain leverage in negotiations with Trump.

Here’s a look at some of the investments the US government has made in this space.

What are the investments?

In 2025, the Trump administration acquired equity stakes in seven companies by converting federal grants into ownership positions. Among the investments is a 10 percent stake in USA Rare Earth, which plans to build rare-earth element and magnet production facilities in the US.

The project is supported by $1.6bn in funding allocated under the CHIPS Act, legislation passed during the administration of former Democratic President Joe Biden, aimed at reducing dependence on China for semiconductor manufacturing.

USA Rare Earth announced the investment last week and expects commercial production to begin in 2028.

The US government also acquired a roughly 10 percent stake, valued at about $1.9bn, in Korea Zinc to help fund a $7.4bn smelter in Tennessee through a joint venture controlled by the US government and unnamed US-based strategic investors, who would then control about 10 percent of the South Korean firm.

The venture will operate a mining complex anchored by two mines and the only operational zinc smelter in the US. Construction is set to begin this year, with commercial operations expected to start in 2029.

In October, the government announced a $35.6m investment to acquire a 10 percent stake in Canadian-based Trilogy Metals to support the Upper Kobuk Mineral Projects (UKMP) in Alaska. The investment backs the development of critical minerals, including copper, zinc, gold, and silver, in Alaska’s mineral-rich northwest Ambler mining district.

Also in October, the US announced a 5 percent stake in Lithium Americas as part of a joint venture with General Motors (GM) to fund operations at the Thacker Pass lithium mine in Nevada. The project will supply lithium for electric vehicles and has attracted significant interest from the Detroit-based automaker.

In August, the White House acquired an almost 10 percent stake in Intel. The government’s investment in the semiconductor chip giant was an effort to help fund the construction and expansion of the company’s domestic manufacturing capabilities.

In July, the White House announced a 15 percent investment in MP Materials, which operates the only currently active rare-earth mine in the US, located in California. The largest federal stakeholder in the investment is the Department of War, then called the Department of Defense, which committed $400m.

The US is also reportedly exploring an 8 percent share in Critical Minerals for a stake in the Tranbreez rare-earths deposit in Greenland, underscoring Trump’s unsolicited attempts to acquire the Danish self-governed territory, the Reuters news agency reported.

Amid news of Trump’s stockpile plan, sector stocks are mixed. MP Materials and Intel are up 0.6 percent and 5 percent, respectively. Others finished out the day trending downwards. Lithium Americas is down 2.2 percent. Trilogy metals is down almost 2 percent, USA Rare Earth is down by 1.3 percent, and Korean Zinc finished down 12.6 percent.

Is this unusual?

The government buying equity stakes in large companies is unusual in US history, but not unprecedented.

During the 2008 financial crisis, the US government temporarily acquired equity stakes in several major companies through the Troubled Asset Relief Programme (TARP). In 2009, TARP provided federal assistance to General Motors, ultimately leaving the government with a more than 60 percent ownership share. This intervention began in the final months of the administration of former President George W Bush. The government fully sold its stake in GM in 2013.

Through TARP, the government also acquired a 9.9 percent stake in Chrysler, which it exited in 2011.

The programme extended beyond car makers to the financial sector. The US government took a more than 73 percent stake in GMAC (General Motors Acceptance Corporation, now Ally Financial), exiting its ownership in 2014. It also acquired nearly 74 percent of the financial services insurance giant AIG, selling its remaining stake in 2012, and took a 34 percent stake in Citigroup, which it fully exited by 2010.

“This isn’t like 2008, when there was an urgent need to shore up critical companies. There’s a much more measured approach here. They [the US government] want these investments to generate returns, and they need to be seen as good investments in order to attract other forms of capital,” Nick Giles, senior equity research analyst at B Riley Securities, an investment banking and capital markets firm, told Al Jazeera.

During the Great Depression, the government bought stakes in several large banks. Before that, at the turn of the 20th century, it bought an equity stake in the Panama Railroad Company, which was responsible for building the railway that would be used during the construction of the Panama Canal. That equity stake was attached to a specific project rather than a more open-ended challenge, such as foreign dependence on critical minerals.

“There may not be a defined end date, but they’re clearly looking to make a return, and it sends an important signal that more is coming. I don’t think they [the government] are going to let this fail,” Giles added.

Political divide on the approach

Interest in providing funds to critical mineral projects was shared by Trump’s predecessor, Biden, who brought in the CHIPS Act for that purpose. Biden was focused on providing grants for projects rather than buying equity stakes.

Trump’s approach to buy stakes is actually more aligned with progressive Democrats than with members of his own party. Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders has long been a proponent of the US government buying equity stakes in companies.

In August, after the White House bought an equity stake in Intel, Sanders applauded the move.

“Taxpayers should not be providing billions of dollars in corporate welfare to large, profitable corporations like Intel without getting anything in return,” Sanders said at the time.

Kentucky Senator Rand Paul, a Republican known for his libertarian stances, called ownership a “terrible idea” and referred to it as a “step towards socialism” on CNBC. North Carolina’s Thom Tillis likened the Intel investment to something that countries like China or Russia would do.

For Babak Hafezi, professor of international business at the American University, the investments are a step to remove any reliance on China.

“Without domestic control and resiliency in both extraction and production, we are dependent on China, which extracts nearly 60 percent of global rare-earth minerals and produces 90 percent of it. This creates a major global chokepoint, and China can use this chokepoint as a means to dictate American Foreign policy via supply chain limitations,” he said.

“Thus, establishing free and open markets for US consumption is critical to remove any dependency.”

True crime fans can binge watch a harrowing series for free

A gripping true crime documentary series hosted by a late Hollywood A-lister is available to stream for free, the perfect binge watch for true crime fans.

Valentine’s Day is fast approaching, and so are plenty of romantic watches. But for fans of true crime and criminal investigations, there is one show to put on your radar in the coming weeks.

Pluto TV has brought its single series channel dedicated to the Meet, Marry, Murder true crime documentary series. Hosted by Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s Michelle Trachtenberg, it explores some of the most chilling cases where spouses are killed by their partners.

Focusing on how love turns deadly and investigates the darker side of marriage, the documentary hones in on one of the most common forms of murder – involving a married couple.

Pluto TV teases: “The single series channel dedicated to the ‘Meet, Marry, Murder’ true crime documentary series, hosted by Michelle Trachtenberg, explores chilling cases where spouses are killed by their partners, focusing on how love turns deadly and investigates the darker side of marriage.”

Meet, Marry, Murder will be available to stream completely for free on Pluto TV, with it being dubbed the perfect watch for fans of true crime. The series features emotional interviews as well as investigating how a life time commitment of love ends in disaster and heartbreak.

Taking to IMDB, many fans said the series was “one of the most interestingly detailed” documentary shows. One person praised: “This show is one of the most interestingly detailed true crime documentary shows. The stories are ones I had not seen or heard before as I watch quite a bit of true crime so that kept me watching.

“You hear from people very close to the story so you are very emotionally pulled in and get a large amount of detail to what led up to the sad event.” They added: “The show as a whole is a great true crime documentary series.”

Another person penned: “Did enjoy binge watching this though and the stories they made episodes on. Still love Michelle, just think maybe something else is for her in terms of hosting.

“Otherwise I enjoyed the performances and the way they build up certain twists in some of the stories. This kind of show is different because it’s not strangers, it’s people in marriages that spiral downwards.”

A third added: “Interesting new show and somewhat different then most true life crime shows. Michelle Trachtenberg who host this show in many ways is like Elvira Mistress of the Dark, Michelle, commentary on the case being viewed is very much same as Elvira’s remarks during the movie she is doing.

“Both women are very goth in the manner of dress and make up! While all the cases that Michelle does in Season 1 are ones I have already seen on other true life crime shows. That said, Michelle color commentary is unique to this show [sic].”

Adam Lewinson, Chief Content Officer, Tubi said at the time of release: “At Tubi, we are excited to expand our offerings within the true crime genre with the premiere of Meet, Marry, Murder.”

He added: “Viewers’ fascination with true crime content is ever-growing and we know Meet, Marry, Murder will captivate audiences and keep them at the edge of their seats.”

Meet, Marry, Murder is available to stream for free on Pluto TV.

Feb. 2 (Asia Today) — South Korea’s online shopping market surpassed 270 trillion won (about $188 billion) in 2025, hitting a record high and underscoring a growing divide between fast-growing digital platforms and stagnant offline retailers.

According to the “December 2025 and Annual Online Shopping Trends” released Monday by the National Data Service, online shopping transactions reached 272.3 trillion won (about $188 billion), up 4.9% from a year earlier. Mobile shopping accounted for 211.1 trillion won (about $145 billion), a 6.5% increase. Both figures were the highest since data collection began.

Online shopping growth has been fueled by the rapid expansion of mobile consumption and logistics innovations such as early-morning and same-day delivery. Transaction volumes rose from 94.1 trillion won (about $64.9 billion) in 2017 to more than 100 trillion won (about $68.9 billion) the following year, exceeded 200 trillion won (about $137.7 billion) in 2022 and continued climbing steadily into the 270-trillion-won range (about $188 billion) last year.

The strongest growth came from automobiles and auto-related products, which posted annual transactions of 7.5 trillion won (about $5.22 billion), up 30.5% year-on-year. The increase was driven largely by online sales of electric vehicles, particularly from Tesla, which operates a direct online ordering system. Tesla’s domestic sales reached 59,916 units in 2025, more than double the previous year’s total.

Food-related categories also expanded sharply. Online food service transactions rose 12.2% to 41.4 trillion won (about $28.6 billion), while online food and beverage purchases increased 9.5% to 37.8 trillion won (about $26.0 billion), reflecting consumers’ growing reliance on delivery platforms.

By contrast, offline retail channels showed little momentum. Data from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy showed that sales at 26 major retailers rose 6.8% in 2025, but growth was heavily skewed toward online platforms. Online retail sales jumped 11.8%, while offline sales edged up just 0.4%.

Large supermarkets saw sales fall 4.2% from a year earlier, while convenience store sales grew only 0.1%, effectively stagnating. These sectors, closely tied to everyday household consumption, were hit hardest as shoppers shifted spending online.

Industry analysts attribute the decline to the rapid spread of mobile shopping and fast delivery services, which have reduced foot traffic and average transaction values at brick-and-mortar stores. The traditional “one-stop shopping” advantage of large supermarkets has weakened, while convenience stores have lost their proximity edge to quick-commerce and delivery platforms.

Rising fixed costs, including rent, labor and electricity, combined with weaker consumer demand amid high interest rates and inflation, are further eroding profitability. As a result, the gap between online and offline retail is increasingly seen as a structural shift rather than a temporary trend.

— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI

© Asia Today. Unauthorized reproduction or redistribution prohibited.

Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260202010000592

But in an email to a “Ferg” in 2011, Epstein writes: “of course you can have mothers army, it was always for you„ Im not sure how to transfer it, but rest assured , it is your in its entirety, I will ask how the transfer is accomplished, we just want to be careful that there is no downside at the moment to have a transaction between you and I.”

KATIE Price’s new husband Lee Andrews has shared ‘proof’ he’s not banned from leaving Dubai, despite reports claiming otherwise. 

The businessman has been accused of being unable to leave the United Arab Emirates city after allegedly forging his ex-girlfriend Dina Taji’s signature to secure a £200,000 loan.

But today Lee took to Instagram to address the rumours, sharing a grab allegedly from an app which shows if someone has any travel bans in Dubai. 

He said: “Oh guys, I’ve never really been one to explain myself but there’s a lot of fake news going around so I better say something. 

“I’m going to share on the next story, after this one, that there is no travel ban, directly from the police UAE application. 

“It’s my profile. You can check those statuses, you can check any fines you’ve got, relating to traffic, and also if you’re allowed to travel. 

home comforts

Katie Price’s husband Lee insists they’ve found first home together

PRICE AIN’T RIGHT

Katie Price’s husband ‘was banged up in Dubai jail’ WEEKS before wedding

“Allow me to share that. It’s not fabricated, I’m going on my honeymoon in a few days guys so definitely not on a travel ban.” 

It comes after Lee told The Sun he and Katie have found their first home together – and teased details of their “remote” honeymoon. 

He said: “Yeah, we’ve got the house, thank you. We’ll be flying out for our honeymoon together, remotely.

“I’m not going to tell you where we’re going but it is in the next 72 hours. So, I can fly and you’ll see us snapped somewhere.”

He and new wife Katie claim to have hit it off on social media last month, just days after her split from JJ Slater.

They moved fast to get matching tattoos before Andrews popped the question inside the luxury Burj Al Arab.

Two days later they married, with Lee insisting it is legally binding, despite their officiant claiming he only performs ceremonial weddings.

Lee later made a U-turn after claiming he would be flying to the UK to be with Katie.

Just days after telling followers he would be travelling to meet his new wife, he said: “I’m waiting for Katie to come out here, love you so much Katie.”

Washington, DC – A group of United States citizens and immigrant rights groups has launched a lawsuit seeking to challenge the sweeping suspension of immigrant visa processing for 75 countries by the administration of United States President Donald Trump.

The lawsuit filed on Monday argues that the Trump administration has relied on a false narrative to justify the visa processing suspension, one of the most substantial restrictions on legal immigration in the country’s history.

The lawsuit charges the policy “constitutes an unlawful nationality-based ban on legal immigration and a new set of discriminatory, unlawful public charge rules that strips families and working people of the process guaranteed by law”, according to a case overview by the National Immigration Law Center, which is among the groups supporting the legal challenge.

The sprawling 106-page complaint further alleges that the administration relies “on an unsupported and demonstrably false claim that nationals of the covered countries migrate to the United States to improperly rely on cash welfare and are likely to become ‘public charges’”.

The State Department has described the action, announced in mid-January, as a “pause” on immigrant visa processing on “countries whose migrants take welfare from the American people at unacceptable rates”.

The department has not revealed the criteria it used to determine which countries were added to the list, which comes amid a wider effort to constrict legal immigration pathways into the US and to deport undocumented citizens from the country.

The affected countries include Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Mongolia, Brazil, Colombia, Cambodia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Senegal, Ghana, Somalia and Russia.

The list also includes Kuwait, Jordan, Lebanon, Tunisia, Iraq, Syria, and Yemen, as well as several Caribbean, Pacific Island, and Eastern European countries.

Non-immigrant visas, including business and tourist visas, remain exempt.

“The freeze will remain active until the US can ensure that new immigrants will not extract wealth from the American people,” the State Department said in January.

‘Arbitrary, unlawful, and deeply harmful’

More than a dozen organisations and individuals named as plaintiffs in Monday’s lawsuit, as well as the seven legal organisations supporting them, argue the administration’s policy misuses the so-called “public charge” ground for inadmissibility laid out in the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).

The provision, they argue, is meant to be a determination made on an “individualised” basis that a person risks becoming “primarily and permanently dependent on government for subsistence” if they are granted immigration status.

In turn, they said the administration is violating another provision of the INA, which says “no person shall receive any preference or priority or be discriminated against in the issuance of an immigrant visa because of the person’s race, sex, nationality, place of birth, or place of residence”.

It further argues that the administration has adopted an overly broad interpretation of what constitutes a “public charge”.

The plaintiffs include US citizens who had petitioned and been approved for their family members, including children and spouses, to join them in the US, a process known as “family unification”. Other plaintiffs included foreign nationals approved for immigrant visas through their specialised employment.

Hasan Shafiqullah, immigration supervising attorney at The Legal Aid Society, called the State Department policy “arbitrary, unlawful, and deeply harmful to families who have followed the rules and are simply seeking to reunite with their loved ones”.

Other lawyers supporting the case underscored that the policy disproportionately affects people from Africa, the Middle East, South and Central Asia and Eastern Europe.

Baher Azmy, the legal director of the Center for Constitutional Rights, accused the administration of relying on “obviously pretextual tropes about nonwhite families undeservedly taking benefits”.

“Congress and the Constitution prohibit white supremacy as grounds for immigration policy.”

The lawsuit further points to “arbitrary and disparaging” statements made by Trump and administration officials about immigrants being likely to receive public benefits.

It notes that most immigrants are ineligible for most government assistance programmes, yet are required to pay local, state, and federal taxes.

The State Department did not reply to a request for comment on the new legislation from Al Jazeera. US agencies typically do not comment on pending litigation.

Chances of success

The odds of success for the new lawsuit, which comes amid a deluge of legal challenges, remained unclear.

Plaintiffs have won at least temporary pauses on several key immigration issues, particularly related to Trump’s use of the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to swiftly deport alleged gang members and his effort to end birthright citizenship, as lawsuits make their way through the legal system.

Many more long-term decisions remain elusive.

Meanwhile, in 2018, a 5-4 ruling by the conservative-dominated US Supreme Court upheld Trump’s visa-processing ban on several Muslim-majority countries, including Iran, Syria, Yemen, Libya and Somalia.

In the 2018 ruling, most justices ruled that the president had broad discretion to limit the entry of individuals into the US.

At the time, the Trump administration cited “national security” concerns rather than the “public charge” argument it has used in the most recent suspension.

Khan Younis, Gaza – The headlines read that Israel has finally reopened the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt, allowing injured Palestinians desperate for medical aid to leave.

However, the reality is that on the first day of the opening, on Monday, Israel only allowed five patients to exit Gaza via the crossing, forcing hundreds, if not thousands, of others to wait.

Mohammed Abu Mostafa is one of the lucky five. The 17-year-old travelled on Monday with his mother, Randa, to southern Gaza’s Khan Younis, and then on to Rafah, which has been closed by Israel for two years as it waged its genocidal war on Gaza, killing more than 70,000 Palestinians.

Randa told Al Jazeera that she had received a phone call on Monday morning informing her that Mohammed had been included in the first list of wounded patients scheduled to travel, and that they were instructed to head immediately to the Red Crescent Hospital in Khan Younis.

The reopening of Rafah, Gaza’s only land crossing that does not go through Israel, has been much touted as evidence of the progress of the second phase of the United States-backed Gaza “ceasefire” deal.

But events on Monday revealed a different reality, marked by strict security restrictions, complex procedures, and limited numbers being allowed to cross, falling far short of expectations and the scale of Gaza’s accumulated humanitarian needs.

Each of the five patients being allowed to leave was accompanied by two people as per Israeli orders, bringing the total number of travellers to 15, according to information provided to Gaza’s health authorities.

Mohammad Abu Salmiya, the director of Gaza’s al-Shifa Medical Complex, told Al Jazeera that this was the only group that departed, despite prior plans with the World Health Organization (WHO) – the body overseeing coordination between Egypt and Israel – for the departure of 50 patients daily.

Egyptian official sources have told Al Jazeera that 50 Palestinians were also permitted to return to Gaza via the Rafah crossing, though no information is yet available on whether they have actually reached the Palestinian side.

Ismail al-Thawabta, the director of Gaza’s Government Media Office, highlighted just how low these numbers are compared with the approximately 22,000 people needing to leave Gaza for treatment abroad. Meanwhile, about 80,000 Palestinians who left Gaza during the war want to return, he said.

Eye injury

Mohammed was injured in an Israeli air attack a year and a half ago, near where his family had been displaced in al-Mawasi, Khan Younis, Randa said. He sustained a direct injury to his eye, severely affecting his optic nerve and ability to see.

“My son has been suffering immensely since his injury. Day after day, his condition kept worsening, and there is no treatment available for him in Gaza,” Randa said, while waiting in the hospital courtyard alongside other patients and their relatives.

Despite her joy at finally being able to accompany her son on his journey, Randa feels a sense of anguish at having to leave four of her six children behind, as she was only permitted to take one child as a second companion.

“What matters to me now is that my son regains his sight and can see again with his own eyes. That is my only concern at the moment,” Randa said.

“I also hope to return to Gaza soon after my son recovers, that the blockade will be lifted, and that all patients will be able to travel, just like my son.”

Israeli restrictions

In the Red Crescent Hospital courtyard, dozens of patients on travel waiting lists expressed frustration over the first-day restrictions at Rafah.

Several patients, including those with amputations, gathered at the hospital, hoping to be permitted to travel to Egypt for treatment.

Despite patients and their families arriving early in the morning with high hopes, Israeli authorities refused to permit more than five patients to leave, leading to widespread dissatisfaction with the complex mechanisms accompanying the crossing’s partial reopening.

The multi-stage security procedure of Palestinians moving through the Rafah crossing begins with the preparation of daily lists of candidates for travel, which are then referred to the Israeli side for pre-travel security screening.

No one is allowed to pass through the crossing or enter it without explicit Israeli approval. The European Union Border Assistance Mission deployed to Rafah is limited to monitoring the process and verifying identities.

Arrivals in Gaza, after initial identity verification at the crossing under European supervision, are subject to additional inspection procedures at checkpoints located in areas under Israeli military control.

Raed al-Nims, the Gaza Red Crescent’s head of media, told Al Jazeera that the organisation was still waiting for updates regarding the transfer of more patients for treatment through the crossing.

He added that a group of patients was successfully transferred to Israel on Monday through the Kerem Abu Salem crossing, in coordination with the WHO.

Desperate need

Ibrahim Abu Thuraya was also one of the five patients allowed to leave Gaza on Monday.

Ibrahim was injured in the early months of the war, sustaining wounds that led to the amputation of his left hand and an injury to his left eye, where shrapnel is still embedded.

“Day after day, my eye condition is deteriorating, and I feel severe pain, especially since the shrapnel is lodged behind it and there are no medical capabilities in Gaza to deal with it,” he said from Khan Younis, before he travelled to Rafah. “Doctors told me that I need to travel abroad.”

Ibrahim was informed on Monday morning by the WHO and Gaza’s Ministry of Health that he had been approved for travel. He will be accompanied by his wife, Samar, and their son.

“I have suffered greatly for two full years just to be able to leave for treatment, and there are thousands of wounded like me,” he said. “I hope the crossing will be opened permanently.”

ROMEO Beckham gets a lift amid his family’s ongoing feud with older brother Brooklyn.

David and Victoria’s model son, 23, tried his hand at sumo wrestling while in Tokyo with DJ girlfriend Kim Turnbull, 24.

The couple visited the Tatsunami sumo wrestling stable for a bout.

At half his opponent’s size, Romeo easily lost — but still got stuck in.

The Tatsunami Instagram account shared the footage and said: “They were very friendly and chatted with the wrestlers.”

Romeo also shared the snaps online and said: “Didn’t stand a chance.”

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Last week the youngest Beckham brother Cruz  took to his TikTok to share a video of him and Romeo along with their girlfriends Jackie Apostel and Kim Turnball as they sat in a car together.

The camera panned to all of them as they mouthed the noise to an audio track.

He captioned the post: “Imagine hating and we’re just here like.”

The seemingly savage swipe comes after their brother Brooklyn broke his silence on the family feud with an explosive statement.

He accused his parents of trying to end his relationship with wife Nicola Peltz as well as “attempting to bribe” him to “sign away the rights to his name”.

He took particular aim at his mum for reportedly cancelling making his wife’s wedding dress in the eleventh hour and claimed she danced “inappropriately” on him on his wedding day.

Brooklyn denied claims by Romeo and Cruz that he had blocked them on Instagram — insisting it was the other way around.