Four Japanese cabinet ministers, including Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno, resigned in December 2023 amidst a widening slush fund scandal within the ruling Liberal Democratic Party. The scandal involved allegations of undeclared kickbacks from fundraising events, primarily affecting the Abe faction, and led to significant political fallout for Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's administration.
Newly unsealed Jeffrey Epstein documents have revealed correspondence and financial transactions involving several prominent Lithuanian figures. These include businessman Valdas Petreikis, model Dite Antanaityte, and violinist Justina Auskelyte, with details emerging about their interactions and financial ties to the late financier.
Former CNN anchor Don Lemon and eight co-defendants have been indicted by a Minnesota grand jury on federal charges of conspiracy and interfering with First Amendment rights. The charges stem from an anti-immigration enforcement protest on January 18, 2026, at Cities Church in St. Paul. Lemon, arrested in Los Angeles, maintains he was reporting as a journalist.
A political scandal is unfolding in Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany, as the Mainz public prosecutor's office initiates preliminary investigations into allegations of embezzlement. The state government is accused of granting top civil servants, including State Secretaries, extended special leave for up to 12 years, allowing them to take highly paid management positions while retaining their civil servant status and pension rights. This practice has drawn sharp criticism from the State Audit Office and the Taxpayers' Association.
Weslley Carvalhaes, the 35-year-old son of renowned evangelical singer Shirley Carvalhaes, passed away on Friday, January 23, 2026, in Brazil. He had been hospitalized since late December, with his mother previously stating he was in a 'gravest condition' with 'minimal chances' of recovery. The official cause of death has not been disclosed by the family.
The sixth annual Joy Awards 2026, held on January 17 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, brought together a constellation of Arab and international stars. The event, part of Riyadh Season, celebrated achievements across film, music, drama, sports, and digital content, featuring performances by Katy Perry and Robbie Williams, and recognizing figures like Millie Bobby Brown and Forest Whitaker.
Prince Harry has commenced a High Court battle in London against Associated Newspapers, publisher of the Daily Mail, over alleged unlawful information-gathering. He is joined by six other high-profile figures, including Sir Elton John, in claims of phone hacking and other privacy breaches. The publisher denies all allegations.
Elon Musk's Grok AI chatbot, developed by xAI, is facing international scrutiny after users exploited its image generation capabilities on the X platform to create sexualized images of women and minors. xAI has acknowledged 'lapses in safeguards' and stated it is 'urgently fixing them,' while governments in France and India have initiated actions.
A man in his 20s was arrested for public indecency after stripping naked and climbing a barrier during Emperor Naruhito's New Year greeting at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on January 2, 2026. The incident occurred shortly after the Emperor's remarks, with the man reportedly having announced his intentions on social media. Imperial guards and Tokyo police quickly intervened.
The U.S. Justice Department is undertaking an extensive review of more than 5.2 million pages of documents related to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein. This effort involves over 400 attorneys and has extended past a congressional deadline, with officials citing the sheer volume and the necessity of victim protection redactions.
George Clooney, his wife Amal, and their 8-year-old twins Ella and Alexander have officially been granted French citizenship. The naturalization, announced in France's Journal Officiel, follows the family's relocation to a French estate in 2021, driven by a desire for greater privacy and a more grounded upbringing for their children away from the Hollywood spotlight.
An İstanbul court has ordered the arrest of 17 suspects, including businesspeople, media figures, and social media influencers, as part of a broad drug investigation. The probe, led by the İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, targets alleged drug manufacturing, trafficking, and use, and has seen numerous high-profile individuals detained since October.
Turkish prosecutors have launched a criminal investigation into an active-duty general, identified as D.A., for allegedly insulting President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his family. The probe, initiated on December 24, 2025, stems from a complaint by a former officer and falls under Turkey's controversial Article 299 of the Penal Code.
Jared Kushner's Affinity Global Development has pulled out of a planned $500 million luxury development at the former Yugoslav Army headquarters in Belgrade. The withdrawal follows a corruption scandal involving Serbian officials, widespread public protests, and allegations of forged documents to strip the historic site of its protected status.
The U.S. Justice Department has released thousands of additional documents and photos related to Jeffrey Epstein, following the 'Epstein Files Transparency Act'. These documents, including grand jury transcripts and investigative materials, mention numerous prominent individuals, fueling renewed public and political discussion about the late financier's network.
A confidential legal guide advising barristers on how to obtain suppression orders and engage with police to keep criminal cases out of public view has been revealed in Victoria, Australia. The exposure, linked to a high-profile rape conviction, has ignited debate over judicial transparency and the increasing use of suppression orders, particularly those based on mental health grounds.
A confidential legal guide advising barristers on how to suppress criminal cases in Victoria has been exposed, intensifying concerns over judicial transparency and the state's justice system. The guide reportedly details tactics for obtaining suppression orders, including leveraging mental health arguments, amidst a rising number of such orders in the state.
House Democrats on the Oversight Committee released 19 photographs from Jeffrey Epstein's estate, including images of Donald Trump, Bill Clinton, Prince Andrew, and other notable individuals. This initial release is part of a larger trove of over 95,000 images and precedes a December 19 deadline for the Trump administration to release Epstein-related files.
A federal judge in New York has ordered the unsealing of extensive investigative materials from the sex trafficking case against Ghislaine Maxwell. The decision, made on December 9, 2025, follows the recently enacted 'Epstein Files Transparency Act,' mandating the public disclosure of records related to Maxwell and Jeffrey Epstein's crimes, with provisions for victim privacy.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio has initiated a ₦200 billion defamation lawsuit against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan at the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja. The suit follows Akpoti-Uduaghan's allegations of sexual harassment made against Akpabio in February 2025. Akpabio seeks damages, a public apology, and retraction of the claims, which he vehemently denies.
