Plus: Giant floating rat kicks off Venice Carnival ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
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| Hello. Documents related to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein suggest that a former UK cabinet minister forwarded internal government information to him. On the eve of the rape trial of the son of Norway's crown princess, Europe digital editor Paul Kirby takes a look at what it means for the country's royal family. And finally, find out why a giant paper-mâché rat was seen floating down Venice's canals. | |
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TOP OF THE AGENDA | Mandelson reported to police over Epstein emails |
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| | Lord Mandelson was sacked as the UK's ambassador to Washington in September after further details of his friendship with Epstein were made public. Credit: PA Media | Emails released by the US Department of Justice suggest that the UK's former ambassador in Washington, Peter Mandelson, leaked sensitive government information to Epstein when the politician was business secretary in 2009. Lord Mandelson also appeared to say the boss of JP Morgan should "mildly threaten" the then-chancellor over a bankers' bonus tax, and gave Epstein advance notice of a €500bn (£432bn; $589bn) bailout from the EU to save the Euro. Lord Mandelson has been approached for comment. On Monday, the Metropolitan Police said it had "received a number of reports relating to alleged misconduct in a public office", and will review them to determine if they "meet the criminal threshold for investigation". |
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| Ukraine hails 'results' after Starlink restricts Russia's use | Elon Musk's efforts to stop Russia using Starlink satellites for drone attacks have delivered "results", a Ukrainian official said. | Read more > |
| | Boy, 13, swims for four hours to save stranded family | The teenager swam 4km in rough water after his mother and siblings were swept out to sea off the coast of Western Australia. | What happened > |
| | Rome visitors face Trevi Fountain charge | Visitors to the eternal city will now have to pay a €2 (£1.73; $2.36) fee to access the viewing area of its iconic fountain. | Watch as visitors react > |
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NEWS FROM THE UK | | | - Anne Boleyn: Infrared images show that an artist deviated from an approved design in a "rebuttal" of rumours the Tudor queen was a witch.
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| Rape trial puts Norway's royal family in unwelcome glare of public | | The royal family have made it clear they will not be attending the trial of Høiby. Credit: Lise Aserud/NTB/AFP | Norway's biggest trial in years is set to begin on Tuesday, with the son of the country's crown princess accused of 38 charges, including the rape of four women, assaulting and threatening a girlfriend, and drugs offences. If found guilty, Marius Borg Høiby could face more than 10 years in prison. He has admitted some of the lesser offences but denies the most serious charges against him. |
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| | Paul Kirby, Europe digital editor |
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| | When Høiby stands up in court, he will have no moral support from his closest relatives. His mother, Crown Princess Mette-Marit will not be there, nor will the man she married when her son was four - the heir to the Norwegian throne. The palace stresses Høiby is not part of the royal family, nor a public figure. But he is considered a close member of the family.
"It's a very dangerous moment, because the royal family should be role models," says Ulf Andre Andersen, who broke the story for celebrity-focused magazine Se og Hør. "This is the biggest scandal the Norwegian royals ever had," says current Se og Hør editor-in-chief Niklas Kokkinn-Thoresen. "They've never had to deal with anything of this measure." |
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| | - New arrest: On Sunday, Høiby was arrested. Police said the allegations against him involved wielding a knife and violating a restraining order.
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