International News Roundup: Pornhub Restricts UK Access, Influencer Arrested, and More
Several significant events unfolded across the globe this week, ranging from online content restrictions to political arrests and security concerns.
Pornhub began restricting access for users in the United Kingdom on February 2, 2026, following the impending implementation of the Online Safety Act in July 2025, BBC Technology reported. The Act mandates robust age verification measures for adult content websites. Aylo, Pornhub's parent company, stated that the law has driven users to non-compliant sites, increasing "exposure to..." [content not specified in source]. Critics of the Online Safety Act argue that it can be easily circumvented using VPNs, which mask a user's location, according to BBC Technology.
In the United States, Brazilian influencer Júnior Pena, a vocal supporter of former President Donald Trump, was arrested by ICE agents in New Jersey, The Guardian reported. Pena, whose full name is Eustáquio da Silva Pena Júnior, had reportedly lived in the US since 2009. He had previously claimed that Trump's immigration crackdown only targeted criminals, including Brazilians, according to The Guardian.
In Norway, Marius Borg Hoiby, 29, the eldest son of Crown Princess Mette-Marit, was arrested on Sunday, February 1, 2026, Sky News reported. The arrest comes ahead of his trial in Oslo on 38 charges, including rape. The new allegations include causing bodily harm, wielding a knife, and violating a restraining order. Police are seeking permission from a judge to keep Hoiby in custody for the next four weeks, according to Sky News.
Meanwhile, in Iran, Oscar-nominated screenwriter Mehdi Mahmoudian was arrested in Tehran on Saturday, February 1, 2026, days after criticizing the regime, Sky News reported. Mahmoudian co-wrote the script for the Iranian drama "It Was Just An Accident." The specific charges against him remain unclear. Mahmoudian and 16 others had signed a statement condemning Iranian leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and the regime's violent crackdown on protesters, according to Sky News.
In Italy, the government is fast-tracking a security decree following violent clashes in Turin that left over 100 officers injured, Euronews reported. The clashes included an attack on a policeman with a hammer, which Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni described as "attempted murder." The officer, 29-year-old Alessandro Calista, of the Padua Mobile Police Unit, was surrounded by masked demonstrators and struck repeatedly, according to Euronews.
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