מסמכי אפשטיין חושפים: קשר ישיר בין הנסיך (לשעבר) אנדרו לשי ג'ין-פינג לצורך קידום עסקים בסין

Today's focus is on Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, also known as former Prince Andrew. Back in 2010, he agreed to help negotiate an $8 billion potential deal between China and the United Emirates. That's according to the Epstein files released by the DOJ. The Financial Times was the first to report on this. A UAE banker proposed the deal to ease the pressure on the financing of Dubai caused by the 2008 financial crisis. The plan was for China to loan $8 billion to the UAE, with the Arab country repaying the loan through oil exports. Andrew agreed to help broker the deal during a trip to China. At the time, he was serving as the UK's special trade representative to the country. In an email, he wrote, quote, we could work on this in September. Whilst there, I have some private days prior to the official program starting. It's unclear whether the deal was approved by UAE officials. Also in the spotlight, Andrew's rapport with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. In another email Epstein sent to billionaire investor Reid Hoffman in 2015, he said that Prince Andrew was heading to China and had spent a great deal of time with Xi. A former aide of Andrew's said the prince sent birthday cards to Chinese leader Xi Jinping every year. That's according to British court documents. The aide also said Andrew had a direct channel to Xi to promote his business startup in China, with his letters to Xi drafted by The UK accused Yang of being a spy and banned him from entering because he carried out covert activities on behalf of the Chinese Communist Party. British authorities said Yang developed an unusually close level of trust with Prince Andrew. They added that Yang obscured his ties to the Chinese regime and its influence armed the United Front Work Department. Yang helped Andrew launch a Chinese branch of his business venture, and the two met at least three times. Yang also visited Buckingham Palace twice at Andrew's invitation. British authorities said Andrew could have been vulnerable to Yang's influence. Yang has denied any wrongdoing. Andrew said he had cut off contact with Yang and that they never discussed any sensitive matters. And more on former Prince Andrew who was arrested Thursday on suspicion of misconduct in public office. It relates to allegations that he sent confidential government documents to Jeffrey Epstein. He was questioned all day by detectives from Thames Valley Police and later released from custody, but he will remain under investigation. The arrest of a senior royal, eighth in line to the throne, is unprecedented in modern times. Following the arrest, Britain's King Charles said the law must take its course. Britain's King Charles arriving at an event in London Thursday declining to answer questions about his brother Andrew's arrest. Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested Thursday morning on suspicion of misconduct in public office, according to the Thames Valley Police. It comes on the heels of the US Justice Department's release of documents detailing the former prince's ties to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The Thames Valley Police previously said it was assessing whether Andrew shared confidential material with Epstein during his time as a UK trade envoy. It's a common law offense and it requires a really high level of proof because the potential penalty, the total potential penalty, the maximum penalty is life imprisonment. The former prince has denied all accusations against him and has not commented on the more recent allegations of misconduct in public office. In a statement, King Charles said the law must take its course and pledged full support for the investigation. The arrest, with the potential to send more shockwaves through the British monarchy and government. The first dramatic fallout that seems to be happening from the publication of these Epstein files seems to be more than anything else in the United Kingdom, rather than in the United States, where the crisis began. Some lawmakers on Capitol Hill calling for similar accountability here in the US. Great Britain is holding its powerful and privileged to account. The United States of America should do the same. And the king is actually saying we need to follow the law here. I wish our government were doing the same.