#Norway crown princess likely to undergo lung #transplant. The princess announced in October 2018 that she had been diagnosed with a rare form of pulmonary fibrosis, an incurable disease that causes scarring of the lungs and shortness of breath.

“We are approaching the time when a lung transplant must be carried out, and we are making the necessary preparations so that it will be possible when the time comes,” Are Martin Holm, head of pulmonary medicine at Oslo University Hospital, said in a statement from the palace.

“It has not yet been decided when the crown princess will be placed on the waiting list for a lung transplant,” Holm said.

The princess spoke of a “very trying” time in an interview with public broadcaster NRK published Friday.

“I had always hoped we could keep the disease under control with medication. The progression has been quite slow until now, but it has now taken a turn different from what the doctors and I had hoped,” she said.

“We have always known, with this disease, that this was the direction it would take, but it’s happening a bit faster than I imagined and hoped,” she added.
Scandal

The princess’s health problems add to the turmoil in the Norwegian royal family following rape allegations against Marius Borg Hoiby, her son from a relationship prior to her marriage to Crown Prince Haakon.

Born Tjessem Hoiby on Aug. 19, 1973, to an alcoholic father and a bank employee mother in Kristiansand, in Norway’s “Bible Belt,” Mette-Marit has admitted to a tumultuous youth.

In the early 1990s, she was part of Oslo’s house music scene, where drugs circulated abundantly.

But she won the hearts of Norwegians after her 2001 marriage to Prince Haakon, with whom she has two children.

The princess has at times had to limit her public appearances and go on sick leave due to her condition, most recently in October.

“This autumn, several tests have been conducted that show a clear deterioration in the crown princess’s health,” the palace said.

It said she would continue her public engagements as long as she felt well enough to do so.

However, in recent months it is chiefly her son Marius Borg Hoiby who has been making headlines.

In the worst scandal ever to hit Norway’s royal family, the 28-year-old is facing charges of four rapes and 28 other counts, including abuse of former partners.

Hoiby, who denies the charges, is scheduled to go on trial in February and faces up to 10 years in prison.

By Pierre-Henry Deshayes

Russian journalist proposes to girlfriend during Putin’s TV marathon, Under the glittering lights of the Eiffel Tower, during a romantic walk on a tropical beach, or nestled in a quiet corner of your favourite restaurant? Planning the perfect proposal is a struggle familiar to would-be newlyweds the world over.

Halfway through Vladimir Putin’s end-of-year press conference -- televised across Russia and coming after the Russian leader threatened to level Ukrainian cities and not back down in his nearly four-year military offensive in the country -- is not high on many lovers’ list.

For regional journalist Kirill Bazhanov, it was just the moment.

Dressed in a red bow tie and holding a poster reading “I want to get married”, Bazhanov caught the eye of the longtime ruler and got his chance.

“I know that my girlfriend is watching the press conference now. Olechka, marry me!” he said, drawing applause from the audience of mostly pro-government regional journalists.

Putin uses his hours-long TV marathon both as a forum for fiery foreign policy statements and to offer up all sorts of advice on love and family matters, recite poetry or promise to fix potholes.

Bazhanov, who went on to ask about a question about the high cost of living in Russia, was made to wait for his answer.

After an hour or so, the hosts interrupted Putin to deliver the happy news. Olechka had said yes. Cue fresh whoops and applause.

#Putin did not respond to the invitation to attend the upcoming nuptials, but did offer to organise a whip-round.

“Kirill was just asking about the material conditions for young families. And that’s right -- a man should be the breadwinner. Now we’ll pass the hat around and collect at least enough for the wedding,” he said.

The #US #military said it killed five more alleged drug traffickers aboard two vessels in the Pacific Ocean, bringing the divisive campaign’s death toll to over 100.

#Brazil’s Senate passes bill that could reduce #Bolsonaro’s 27-year prison sentence.


SAO PAULO — #Brazil’s Senate has passed a bill that could significantly reduce the 27-year prison sentence of former president Jair Bolsonaro, who was arrested in November for attempting a coup.

The Chamber of Deputies had already approved the text, and it now goes to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva for signature.

Gleisi Hoffmann, Minister of Institutional Relations, said Wednesday evening that Lula will veto the bill.

“Those convicted of attacking democracy must pay for their crimes,” Hoffmann said on X, calling it a “sign of disrespect for the Supreme Court’s decision and a serious setback to legislation that protects democracy.”

The text is also expected to be challenged at the Supreme Court.

The bill reduces the final sentences of defendants convicted under multiple charges stemming from the coup attempt, including Bolsonaro.

The former president’s lawyers appealed to the Supreme Court after his conviction, saying his prison term was excessive. They also argued that the sentences for abolishing the rule of law and attempting a coup should not be added because they arose from a single episode.

The proposed law would speed up sentence progression from harsher to more lenient prison regimes for those convicted.

There is no consensus on how much time Bolsonaro would actually serve if the bill takes effect. Under current rules, the former president could move to a less restrictive prison system after seven years if he met legal requirements while incarcerated.

Paulinho da Força, the bill’s rapporteur in the Chamber of Deputies, has estimated that period could be cut to just over two years if the law passes.

The bill would also allow sentence reductions of up to two-thirds for crimes committed in a crowd, benefiting defendants convicted of storming public buildings during the Jan. 8, 2023, insurrection in Brasilia.

Under the bill, those who did not finance or lead the actions could receive reductions ranging from one-third to two-thirds.

Sen. Flávio Bolsonaro, the eldest son of the former president and a prospective presidential candidate in next year’s election, praised fellow lawmakers for approving the bill, calling it a “first step.”

“There shouldn’t even be a debate about amnesty, but about annulling the farce that the entire process was,” he said.

Sen. Bolsonaro is expected to challenge Lula, who is seeking a fourth non-consecutive term, as the candidate of Bolsonaro’s Liberal Party in the 2026 presidential race.

On Sunday, tens of thousands of Brazilians protested against the bill. Demonstrations took place in the capital Brasilia and in other major cities across the country, including Sao Paulo, Florianopolis, Salvador and Recife.

Gabriela Sá Pessoa, The Associated Press

Exclusive: Poland to start producing anti-personnel mines to lay along eastern borde

Israel fires mortar into Gaza residential area, wounding at least 10.

JERUSALEM — Israeli troops fired a mortar shell over the ceasefire line into a Palestinian residential area in the Gaza Strip, in the latest incident to rock the tenuous ceasefire with Hamas. Health officials said at least 10 people were wounded, and the army said it was investigating.

The military said the mortar was fired during an operation in the area of the “Yellow Line,” which was drawn in the ceasefire agreement and divides the Israeli-held majority of Gaza from the rest of the territory.

The military did not say what troops were doing or whether they had crossed the line. It said the mortar had veered from its intended target, which it did not specify.

Fadel Naeem, director of Al-Ahli Hospital, said the hospital received 10 people wounded in the strike on central Gaza City, some critically.

It was not the first time since the ceasefire took effect on Oct. 10 that Israeli fire has caused Palestinian casualties outside the Yellow Line. Palestinian health officials have reported over 370 deaths from Israeli fire since the truce.

Israel has said it has opened fire in response to Hamas violations, and says most of those killed have been Hamas militants. But an Israeli military official, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with military protocol, said the army is aware of a number of incidents where civilians were killed, including young children and a family traveling in a van.

Palestinians say civilians have been killed in some cases because the line is poorly marked. Israeli troops have been laying down yellow blocks to delineate it, but in some areas the blocks have not yet been placed.

The Israel-Hamas ceasefire is struggling to reach its next phase, with both sides accusing each other of violations. The first phase involved the exchange of hostages for Palestinian prisoners. The second is supposed to involve the deployment of an international stabilization force, a technocratic governing body for Gaza, the disarmament of Hamas and further Israeli troop withdrawals from the territory.

The remains of one hostage, Ran Gvili, are still in Gaza, and the militants appear to be struggling to find it. Israel is demanding the return of Gvili’s remains before moving to the second phase.

Hamas is calling for more international pressure on Israel to open key border crossings, cease deadly strikes and allow more aid into the strip.

Julia Frankel, The Associated Press

Tunisian President Kais Saied's supporters rallied in the capital on Wednesday calling the opposition "traitors", following mounting street protests in recent weeks that have highlighted widening political divisions.

Rwanda-backed #M23 rebels have not withdrawn from the eastern Congolese town of #Uvira despite an announcement earlier this week that they would pull back, residents told Reuters on Wednesday.

#Customs and #Border Protection officer fires gun in dispute with driver at JFK airport.

NEW YORK — An on-duty Customs and Border Protection #officer fired his #gun several times during a confrontation with another motorist Tuesday on an access road for New York’s Kennedy Airport, police said.

The CBP officer told authorities that he pulled his weapon after the other driver attacked him over a minor traffic crash, Port Authority police said.

It wasn’t clear if the shots hit anything. The other driver fled the scene after the shooting, according to the CBP officer, who was unhurt.

The two-vehicle crash happened shortly before 5 a.m. near the airport’s main car rental facilities on the tangle of roads and ramps that lead to the airport’s terminals, administration buildings and cargo areas.

JFK’s roadways are currently undergoing a major construction overhaul and navigating the thicket of detours and traffic changes has been a source of frustration and confusion for many drivers.

The Port Authority didn’t say if the officer was driving an official vehicle. His name has not been released.

The investigation led to traffic delays in the area during the morning commute, but those issues lessened as the morning progressed.

Trinidad and Tobago will open Caribbean nation’s airports to U.S. military as #Venezuela tensions grow.

The announcement comes after the U.S. military recently installed a radar system at the airport in Tobago. The Caribbean country’s government has said the radar is being used to fight local crime, and that the small nation wouldn’t be used as a launchpad to attack any other country.

The U.S. would use the airports for activity that would be “logistical in nature, facilitating supply replenishment and routine personnel rotations,” Trinidad and Tobago’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement. It did not provide further details.

Trinidad’s prime minister previously has praised ongoing U.S. strikes on alleged drug boats in the Caribbean.

Only 7 miles (11 kilometres) separate Venezuela from the twin-island Caribbean nation at their closest point. It has two main airports: Piarco International Airport in Trinidad and ANR Robinson International Airport in Tobago.

Hours after the announcement, Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez said her country was immediately cancelling any contract, deal or negotiation to supply natural gas to Trinidad and Tobago.

She claimed that the government of Trinidad and Tobago participated in the recent U.S. seizure of an oil tanker off the country’s coast, calling it an “act of piracy.”

She also accused Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar of having a “hostile agenda” against Venezuela, noting that the U.S. military installed an airport radar in Tobago.

“This official has turned the territory of Trinidad and Tobago into a U.S. aircraft carrier to attack Venezuela, in an unequivocal act of vassalage,” Rodríguez said.

Persad-Bissessar told The Associated Press that she wasn’t bothered by the statement, describing it as “simply false propaganda.”

“They should direct their complaints to President Trump, as it is the U.S. military that has seized the sanctioned oil tanker. In the meantime, we continue to have peaceful relations with the Venezuelan people,” Persad-Bissessar said.

The prime minister asserted that her nation has “never depended” on Venezuela for natural gas supplies: “We have adequate reserves within our territory.”

Trinidad and Venezuela had previously reached a deal over the development of a gas field in Venezuelan waters, near the maritime border separating the two countries.

In December 2023, Venezuela granted a licence for oil giant Shell and Trinidad and Tobago to produce gas from the field. In October, the U.S. government granted Trinidad and Tobago permission to negotiate the gas deal without facing U.S sanctions placed on Venezuela.

Amery Browne, an opposition senator and Trinidad and Tobago’s former foreign minister, accused the Trinidadian government on Monday of being deceptive in its announcement.

Browne said that Trinidad and Tobago has become “complicit facilitators of extrajudicial killings, cross-border tension and belligerence.”

“There is nothing routine about this. It has nothing to do with the usual cooperation and friendly collaborations that we have enjoyed with the USA and all of our neighbors for decades,” he said.