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Norway parliament probes Epstein links to politicians, diplomats

Norway's parliament began public hearings on Wednesday over ties between late United States sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and Norwegian diplomats and politicians in a scandal that has shaken the nation's elite. US President Donald Trump's Department of Justice in January released millions of Epstein-related documents, revealing connections to politicians, royals and the ultra-rich around the world. Norway, home of the Nobel Peace Prize and often a fulcrum of international diplomacy, has seen major fallout, triggering parliamentary inquiries and police investigations. The government must explain what it is doing to restore trust in the foreign service, said Jonas Andersen Sayed, the leader of the hearing at parliament's Committee on Scrutiny and Constitutional Affairs. "There are many people who have demonstrated very poor judgement," Andersen Sayed told Reuters of those who had friendships with Epstein. Read: Epstein claimed Trump in...

Trump says meetings with Zelenskiy and Netanyahu were positive

US President Donald Trump said late on Tuesday his meetings with Ukrainian ​President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu were positive. Netanyahu and Zelenskiy were in Washington to attend a memorial service for Senator Lindsey Graham, a Republican who died earlier this ​month and was an influential advocate for Israel and Ukraine. In separate ​short posts on Truth Social, Trump said he discussed ⁠various topics with them, without giving specifics. "Had a very good ​meeting! Obviously, many important subjects were discussed," Trump wrote on meeting ​Netanyahu. Trump voiced irritation with Netanyahu ahead of the meeting, complaining that details of Netanyahu's planned talking points on Iran had surfaced publicly. Read: Trump to host Netanyahu, Zelenskiy as Ukraine, Iran wars reach critical stages The US and ​Israel attacked Iran on February 28. Tehran responded with its own ​strikes on Israel and Gulf states that host US bases. US-Israeli strikes on ‌Iran ⁠and Israeli attacks on Lebanon have since killed thousands and displaced millions. The meeting also came as Israeli strikes have repeatedly violated the Gaza ceasefire since it began in October. Nearly 1,200 Palestinians, mostly civilians, have been killed ​in Israeli attacks ​since then, according ⁠to Gaza health officials. Israel says four of its soldiers have been killed by militants ​during that period. Approximately 80,000 Palestinians are recorded dead from the ongoing genocide. Netanyahu described the meeting as "excellent." Zelenskiy also ​met Trump, and they discussed plans for Ukraine to produce Patriot missile interceptors and reviving peace talks with Russia, which launched a full-scale ⁠invasion of ​Ukraine in February 2022. "Many things were ​discussed. The meeting went very well," Trump wrote. Zelenskiy also cast it as ​a "good meeting."

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