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Stepson of Norway's crown prince denies drugging alleged rape victim

The son of Norway's crown princess denied in court on Thursday that he ever drugged the alleged victim of one of the rapes he is charged with, on his second day of testimony in a trial that has transfixed Norway. Marius Borg Hoiby, 29, who joined the royal family when his mother Mette-Marit married Crown Prince Haakon in 2001, is charged with 38 counts. He faces years in prison if convicted. On Tuesday, he pleaded not guilty to four counts of rape and one count of domestic violence. He pleaded guilty to offensive sexual behaviour, driving too fast and driving without a valid licence. Hoiby also said he was partially guilty — a plea allowed under Norwegian law — of aggravated assault and reckless behaviour. On Wednesday, he denied that videos on his phone showed acts of rape and broke down as he recalled a childhood in the public eye. Read More: Son of Norway's crown princess denies rape, admits lesser charges in court The trial comes with his mother facing scrutiny over fresh r...
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Ukraine and Russia to swap 314 prisoners amid ongoing peace efforts

Delegations from the United States, Ukraine and Russia have agreed to exchange 314 prisoners, US President Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff said on Thursday, adding that significant work remained to end the war. "Today, delegations from the United States, Ukraine, and Russia agreed to exchange 314 prisoners—the first such exchange in five months," Witkoff said in a post on X. Read: Ukraine and Russia resume US-brokered peace talks in Abu Dhabi "This outcome was achieved from peace talks that have been detailed and productive. While significant work remains, steps like this demonstrate that sustained diplomatic engagement is delivering tangible results and advancing efforts to end the war in Ukraine." Today, delegations from the United States, Ukraine, and Russia agreed to exchange 314 prisoners—the first such exchange in five months. This outcome was achieved from peace talks that have been detailed and productive. While significant work remains, steps like this demonstrate… — Special Envoy Steve Witkoff (@SEPeaceMissions) February 5, 2026 Kyiv's lead negotiator had called the first day of new US-brokered talks in Abu Dhabi "productive" on Wednesday, even as fighting in Europe's deadliest conflict since World War Two raged on. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy had said Ukraine expected the talks to lead to a new prisoner exchange. Read more: US-Russia nuclear pact ends: Kremlin vows responsibility Witkoff added on X that discussions would continue, with additional progress anticipated in the coming weeks. The envoy did not give details on how many prisoners each country would exchange. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment outside regular business hours.

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At least 32 miners dead after bridge fails at cobalt site in southeast DR Congo

A bridge collapsed at a cobalt mine in southeast Democratic Republic of Congo killing at least 32 wildcat miners, a regional government official said Sunday. The bridge came down Saturday onto a flooded zone at the mine in Lualaba province, Roy Kaumba Mayonde, the provincial interior minister, told reporters. He said 32 bodies had been recovered and more were being searched for. The DRC produces more than 70 percent of the world supply of cobalt, which is essential for batteries used in electric cars, many laptop computers and mobile phones. More than 200,000 people are estimated to be working in giant illegal cobalt mines in the giant central African country. Local authorities said the bridge collapsed at the Kalando mine, about 42 kilometres (26 miles) southeast of the Lualaba provincial capital, Kolwezi. "Despite a formal ban on access to the site because of the heavy rain and the risk of a landslide, wildcat miners forced their way into the quarry," said Mayonde. He said ...
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US, Philippines kick off joint military drills in South China Sea with 16,000 troops

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US, Chinese defence chiefs hold first talks since 2022

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