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UK and France to send troops to Ukraine if peace deal agreed

Published

4 weeks ago

2026/01/7

Priyan

(Pic BBC)

The UK and France have signed a declaration of intent on deploying troops in Ukraine if a peace deal is made with Russia, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has announced.

After talks with Ukraine’s allies in Paris, he said the UK and France would “establish military hubs across Ukraine” to deter future invasion, while French President Emmanuel Macron later said thousands of troops may be deployed.

Allies also largely agreed robust security guarantees for Ukraine and proposed that the US would take the lead in monitoring a truce. But the key issue of territory is still being discussed.

Russia has repeatedly warned that any foreign troops in Ukraine would be a “legitimate target”.

Moscow has not yet commented on the announcements made in the French capital.

Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, and Moscow currently controls about 20% of Ukrainian territory.

(BBC)

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Crown Princess’s son arrested for alleged assault before rape trial in Norway

Published

3 hours ago

2026/02/3

Priyan

Marius Borg Høiby has now been arrested four times in 18 months (file picture) [BBC]

The son of Norway’s Crown Princess Mette-Marit has been arrested by police on suspicion of assault, before he goes on trial in Oslo on Tuesday on 38 charges, including the rape of four women.

Marius Borg Høiby, 29, was remanded in custody for four weeks. Police said the latest allegations against him involved wielding a knife and violating a restraining order, and there was a risk of reoffending.

His arrest on Sunday is the fourth time he has been detained by police since August 2024, when he was accused of assaulting a woman he had been having a relationship with.

He has denied the most serious charges against him but admitted some of the more minor ones.

It is the latest scandal to beset the royal family.

Norwegians are also coming to terms with revelations that his mother corresponded for three years with late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein between 2011 and 2014.

Crown Princess Mette-Marit admitted “poor judgement” as her extensive contacts with Epstein became clear. She expressed her “deep sympathy and solidarity with the victims of the abuses committed by Jeffrey Epstein” and said her contact with him was “simply embarrassing”.

It has emerged she stayed at his Florida home for four nights, while he was not there, and asked Epstein if it was “inappropriate” for a mother to suggest to a 15-year-old son wallpaper showing two naked women carrying a surfboard.

Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre said he agreed with her admission of “poor judgement”, and although he did not go further, his implicit criticism of her actions is highly unusual.

Questions are now being asked in Norway about her failure to realise the toxic nature of maintaining contact with Epstein, and about the role of her advisers when she was corresponding with him via an official royal email account.

“It seems that nobody has been thinking. Where are the counsellors, where’s the royal court and where’s the foreign office?” says Ole-Jørgen Schulsrud-Hansen, a historian and royal correspondent for Norway’s TV2.

He believes the monarch has managed to distance itself from the imminent court case, with the argument that the princess’s son is a private citizen, but that is not the case for Mette-Marit: “She’s never a private citizen, she’s always the crown princess and what she’s doing in a private capacity or official capacity it will always redirect back to Norway – or ricochet.”

Mette-Marit is the future queen of Norway, and she has a prominent role in society as patron of several organisations including the Red Cross.

She is also suffering from pulmonary fibrosis and her doctors are preparing to put her on a list for a lung transplant.

When Mette-Marit married into the family as a commoner, her son was already four years old.

Although Marius Borg Høiby is not a member of the royal family, he is still Crown Prince Haakon’s stepson.

The charges against him range from rape and abuse to violating a restraining order, transporting 3.5kg of marijuana and speeding.

When he was first arrested in 2024 he spoke of having several mental disorders and struggling with substance abuse. Since then he has spent only a week in custody, so the police request to remand him for much of the start of the trial is a change of stance on their part.

The Oslo District Court said in a statement quoted by Reuters news agency that it had agreed to the police request in order to prevent repeated offences.

The royal household has sought to distance itself from the trial, and in a statement last week, Crown Prince Haakon reached out to the women caught up in the case and their families, saying it was “a difficult time for many of you, and we sympathise”.

[BBC]

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Our focus is on economic stability through fiscal discipline, sustainable debt management, and reforms that enhance productivity and growth – PM

Published

12 hours ago

2026/02/2

Priyan

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya participated in the South Asia Regional Conference of the World Federation of Consuls (FICAC) 2026 held on 2nd of February at the Cinnamon Life, Colombo. The conference is hosted by the Association of Consuls in Sri Lanka and the World Federation of Consuls.

The conference held from 1st to 4th of February, brings together diplomats, business leaders, and policymakers to strengthen regional cooperation and explore new avenues for sustainable development across South Asia.

Addressing the event, the Prime Minister noted that selection of Sri Lanka as the venue for this conference holds particular significance at a time when the Government is working closely with international partners to position Sri Lanka as a credible and reliable region.

The Prime Minister also drew attention to Sri Lanka’s vulnerability against climate change, citing the recent impact of Cyclone Ditwah, and commended the support extended to Sri Lanka by the international partners. The Prime Minister emphasized that climate change requires global cooperation, shared responsibility, and innovative solutions.

She further highlighted ongoing efforts to improve public sector efficiency, transparency, and accountability, promote national unity and respect for diversity, and advance digital governance to enhance service delivery and public trust.

The Prime Minister stated,

“The Government of Sri Lanka is committed to addressing economic, social, and environmental challenges through a clear policy framework. Our focus is on economic stability through fiscal discipline, sustainable debt management, and reforms that enhance productivity and growth. At the same time, we are strengthening social welfare programs to support the most vulnerable”.

Addressing at the event, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism MP Vijitha Herath also stated that, the government is committed to recognizing Sri Lanka as a sustainable tourism hotspot in the global platform while positioning Sri Lanka as a stable and reliable international partner.

The event was attended by the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Employment Arun Hemachandra, FICAC President Nikolaos K. Margaropoulos, President of the Association of Consuls in Sri Lanka Mahen Kariyawasam and Diplomatic corps.

(Prime minister’s media)

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Spotless England meet unbeaten Australia in Under-19 World Cup semi-final

Published

12 hours ago

2026/02/2

Priyan

Ben Mayes smashed 191, an England record in Youth ODIs, earlier in the tournament (Cricinfo)

With five wins in five games for both Australia U-19 and England U-19 at the 2026 edition of the U-19 World Cup the first semi-final will be heartbreak for one of these sides.

Australia, under Oliver Peake’s captaincy, have enjoyed a dominant campaign and are looking to defend their title. They topped their group in the first round with three wins and then beat South Africa and West Indies to finish atop their Super Sixes group.

England, too, cruised through their group spotlessly – including posting 404 against Scotland – and then beat Bangladesh and New Zealand in the next round. However, an inferior net run-rate to India saw them finish second in the Super Sixes.

But England do have an advantage. Their last two wins were in Bulawayo, the venue for the semi-final, while it will be Australia’s first game here. The winner will face one of India or Afghanistan in the final.

Form guide

Australia WWWWW (last five games, most recent first)
England WWWWW

Players to watch

Hampshire’s Ben Mayes looks almost impossible to catch on the run scorers’ chart and will therefore play an important role for England at No. 3. His 191 against Scotland is the tournament’s second-highest individual score, and he also has an unbeaten 77 against Zimbabwe and 53 against New Zealand.

Australia opener Nitesh Samuel has been dismissed just twice in five innings. He started the tournament with unbeaten scores of 77 and 60 against Ireland and Japan and ended the Super Eight with 56 against West Indies. The captain Oliver Peake also returned to form with a century against West Indies.

Among the bowlers, Australia’s new-ball pair of Charles Lachmund and Will Byrom have been menacing. Byrom’s five-wicket haul skittled Sri Lanka for 58 while Lachmund led the effort in wrapping up South Africa for 118. England seamer Manny Lumsden is also one to watch out for. He is averaging 9.30 with the ball.