In 2003, Trump banned Epstein from Mar-a-Lago after an 18-year-old spa worker reported that Epstein pressured her for sex during a house-call appointment arranged by the club.

Mar-a-Lago had routinely sent young female spa employees to Epstein’s nearby home, even though staff warned each other about his sexually inappropriate behavior.

After the complaint, a manager alerted Trump, who ordered Epstein removed. The incident was not reported to police at the time.

Source: WSJ

Donald Trump, in an interview with The Wall Street Journal, described his health as “excellent” and said:

— He takes a daily aspirin at four times the commonly recommended low dose, despite doctors advising him to cut back.

— He goes to sleep late and often texts aides or people he watched on Fox News around 2 a.m.

— He typically works in the Oval Office from about 10 a.m. until 7 or 8 p.m.

— He eats McDonald’s and credits his energy to his parents’ “very good genetics.”

— He does no regular exercise besides golf, which he says is the only activity that doesn’t bore him.

NEW: Yemen’s internationally recognized government imposes restrictions on air traffic to and from Abu Dhabi and Dubai to mitigate the ongoing escalation in the country.

India approved an $8.7 billion procurement package including about 1,000 SPICE-1000 precision-guided bomb kits from Israel’s Rafael.

India is Israel’s largest defense export customer.

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Israeli Brig. Gen Amit Sa’ar died after aggressive brain cancer.

He had been the head of the Research Division in Israel’s Military Intelligence (Aman) from 2020 until retiring in April 2024, and he was in that role during the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack.

After the attack, he publicly accepted responsibility for intelligence failures, though he was never accused or convicted of any crime.

Netanyahu:

Nvidia — you know Nvidia, a small company, four trillion dollars — they decided to have a massive investment in Israel, and we welcome it.

Netanyahu:

I appreciated that President Biden came to Israel in the beginning, but President Trump has been unflinching, consistent — he never wavered.

Armenia's PM Pashinyan:

Since independence, 2025 is the first calendar year in which we have had neither casualties nor injuries as a result of crossfire with Azerbaijan.

We haven’t had casualties as a result of crossfire on the Armenia–Azerbaijan border since March 2024 — more than 22 months already.

Armenia's PM Pashinyan:

For the first time since independence, trains are bringing cargo to the Republic of Armenia through the territory of Azerbaijan.

The first signs of bilateral trade with Azerbaijan are appearing, and the first major cases of goods acquisition have been recorded.

This is a new history being written — a history of peace.

NEW: A survey by Maccabi Healthcare Services found high levels of mental distress among Israeli soldiers: 39% of active and reserve troops said they need psychological support, and 26% reported symptoms of depression.

Source: Haaretz

İbrahim Kalın, Turkish Intelligence Chief, met with Rustem Umerov in Ankara to discuss Ukraine’s security situation, peace efforts between Russia and Ukraine, ongoing negotiations, and prisoner exchanges.

Venezuela has detained several Americans as U.S. pressure on President Maduro intensifies.

The arrests increased after the Trump administration halted negotiations and escalated military and economic actions, including naval deployments and strikes linked to drug trafficking.

U.S. officials say some detainees face criminal charges, while others may be labeled wrongfully detained. Venezuela has a history of using imprisoned Americans as leverage in talks with Washington.

Source: NYT

NEW: Russia has formally asked the United States to halt its pursuit of the tanker Bella 1, saying the vessel is now sailing under a Russian flag.

U.S. officials dispute that claim, arguing Bella 1 was stateless when first intercepted and remains subject to sanctions enforcement tied to Iranian oil shipments bound for Venezuela.

Source: NYT

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen:

Over the past year, we have had to endure a great deal—threats, pressure, and condescending rhetoric, even from our closest allies of a lifetime.

Talk of taking over another country and another people, as if they were something that could be bought and owned. That has no place anywhere.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen:

There are some who are stealing childhood from our children: the tech giants.

They have earned millions—billions—at the expense of others, especially our children.

It is time they start paying back, so their enormous fortunes are invested in well-being, not just in Denmark, but across Europe.

NEW: U.S. officials have floated a plan to involve Türkiye in an international force in Gaza without deploying Turkish troops there.

The proposal would limit Türkiye’s role to logistical support from bases in Jordan and Egypt.

Source: Kan News

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen:

To those who have come here and commit crimes: you should not be here.

We do not want your reckless driving or your culture of dominance.

You are destroying the world’s most beautiful country, and you will not be allowed to do that.

Iran says it is willing to sell advanced weapons — including missiles, drones and warships — in exchange for cryptocurrency, aiming to bypass Western sanctions.

The offer comes from its state-run Ministry of Defence Export Center (Mindex) and marks a rare case of a country openly accepting crypto for strategic military exports.

Source: FT

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez:

Zohran Mamdani will be the first Muslim mayor of our great city.

He will be our first immigrant mayor in over a century. He will be the youngest mayor of New York City in generations.

Most importantly, Zohran will be a mayor for all of us.

Bernie Sanders:

You took on the Democratic establishment, the Republican establishment, the President of the United States, and some enormously wealthy oligarchs—and you defeated them in the biggest political upset in modern American history.

Bernie Sanders:

You showed the world the most important lesson that can be learned today: when working people stand together—when we don't let them divide us—there is nothing we cannot accomplish.