Norway

OSLO — Marius Borg Hoiby, the 29-year-old son of Norway’s Crown Princess Mette-Marit, admitted in court to a yearslong life of excess fueled by “an extreme need for recognition” but denied raping a woman at the royal family’s Skaugum estate in 2018. He is on trial in Oslo District Court for 38 alleged offenses, including four rapes and multiple assaults against former partners. He has pleaded not guilty to the most serious charges and faces up to 16 years in prison if convicted. Breaking down in tears as he addressed the…

OSLO — The son of Norway’s crown princess pleaded not guilty to rape and domestic violence as his trial opened in Oslo, a case that has jolted an already embattled royal family and stirred debate over the future of the monarchy. Marius Borg Hoiby, 29, the son of Crown Princess Mette-Marit and stepson to Crown Prince Haakon, faces 38 counts and could receive multiple years in prison if convicted of the most serious charges. He entered not-guilty pleas to four counts of rape and one count of domestic violence. Under Norwegian…

The Norwegian government has announced a significant shift in its approach to Ukrainian asylum seekers, stating that not all applicants from western Ukraine will be automatically granted asylum. Instead, these cases will now undergo individual assessments. Following Russia's aggression against Ukraine that began in February 2022, Norway had opted for a policy of "collective protection," which allowed Ukrainian refugees to receive asylum rights automatically. This decision was driven by a solidarity response to the crisis.…

Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia’s Auditor General Ahmed Issa Gutale has rallied substantial global support, particularly from Norway and leading audit institutions worldwide, to enhance the country's financial scrutiny. The 'Peer Support Project,' a collaborative initiative involving Somalia and global audit powerhouses like INTOSAI and AFROSAI-E, targets the enhancement of the country's financial oversight. Running through 2024, this project is geared towards solidifying governance through more robust audits and heightened…