Norway’s royal family is facing an unusually turbulent moment as the son of Crown Princess Mette-Marit prepares to stand trial this week on multiple criminal charges, including rape, just as newly released Jeffrey Epstein documents have revived scrutiny of the princess’s past contact with him.

The defendant, Marius Borg Høiby, is scheduled to appear in Oslo district court on Tuesday following an indictment handed down last summer after a lengthy investigation. Høiby is not part of the royal household and does not hold any official role.

Authorities arrested Høiby several times in 2024 as allegations mounted, though he was not held in custody while prosecutors built their case.

Prosecutors accuse Høiby of committing multiple sexual assaults over a period of several years and engaging in violent and threatening behavior toward former partners. The alleged incidents span from 2018 through late 2024 and include accusations of violating a restraining order.

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If convicted, the 29-year-old could face a prison sentence of up to 10 years. Court proceedings are expected to continue into mid-March.

Following the indictment, defense attorney Petar Sekulic said his client denies all allegations of sexual abuse and disputes most of the charges related to violence.

The case has proven embarrassing for a monarchy that typically enjoys strong public support in Norway, drawing sustained media attention both at home and abroad.

That attention intensified further last week with the release of a new trove of records connected to Epstein. The documents include hundreds of references to Crown Princess Mette-Marit, who has previously acknowledged and regretted her contact with Epstein.

The records, which include email correspondence, indicate that Mette-Marit stayed for several days in early 2013 at a Palm Beach, Florida, property owned by Epstein — a visit the royal household has said was arranged through a mutual friend, according to Norwegian broadcaster NRK.

In comments to The Associated Press, Mette-Marit said she failed to adequately examine Epstein’s background at the time and expressed regret over the association, calling it an embarrassing lapse in judgment. She also said she sympathizes deeply with the victims of Epstein’s abuse.

A top Kremlin official praised President Donald Trump as an effective leader seeking peace in Ukraine, saying Moscow views renewed talks with Washington as productive.

Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council and a former president, said Trump is genuinely trying to end the war in Ukraine and wants to be remembered as a peacemaker.

"Trump wants to go down in history as a peacemaker — and he is really trying," Medvedev said in an interview with Reuters. "And that is why contacts with Americans have become much more productive."

Trump has repeatedly said a peace deal to end the war is close. U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff said during a Cabinet meeting Thursday that he had "productive and constructive meetings" with Russian special envoy Kirill Dmitriev as part of the Trump administration's ongoing effort to end the Russia-Ukraine war.

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced Sunday that a new round of talks involving Ukraine, the United States and Russia will take place this week in Abu Dhabi. His announcement comes as Russia has intensified attacks on Ukraine’s energy and logistics infrastructure, worsening conditions for civilians as winter temperatures plunge.

Medvedev dismissed speculation that Trump is secretly aligned with Moscow, telling the outlet that Americans elected him and Russia respects that choice. He also praised Trump for standing up to the U.S. political establishment and said his blunt, sometimes "brash" style is misunderstood.

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"He is an emotional person, but on the other hand, the chaos that is commonly referred to, which is created by his activities, is not entirely true," Medvedev said. "It is obvious that behind this lies a completely conscious and competent line."

Medvedev told the outlet that Trump’s background as a businessman shapes his approach, joking that there is no such thing as a former businessman, an echo of a well-known Russian saying about former KGB agents.

Medvedev, a hardliner within Russia’s leadership, has frequently warned of nuclear escalation since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. He has stressed that avoiding further conflict remains the priority, but still expects Russia to achieve military victory in Ukraine.

"I would like this to happen as soon as possible," Medvedev said of ending the conflict. "But it is equally important to think about what will happen next. The goal of victory is to prevent new conflicts."

Violent protests erupted in several Swiss cities as American flags were burned and riot police clashed with demonstrators ahead of President Trump’s arrival in Davos, Switzerland, for the World Economic Forum.

Trump is scheduled to arrive Wednesday and is expected to deliver a speech at the annual gathering of global political leaders and corporate executives.

His visit comes amid heightened tensions with European leaders after Trump doubled down on his push to acquire Greenland for U.S. national security reasons and declined to rule out military options.

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The Davos forum, held in eastern Switzerland, is one of the world’s most high-profile economic summits, bringing together heads of state, CEOs, bankers and policymakers to discuss global trade, security and geopolitics.

Around 300 protesters marched through Davos Jan. 19 to oppose both the forum and Trump’s planned appearance.

Chanting slogans and holding banners reading "Trump not welcome," demonstrators accused Swiss authorities of legitimizing what they described as authoritarian and plutocratic politics by hosting the U.S. president.

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Images from the protests showed masked demonstrators setting fire to American flags, while local media reported smashed windows and other property damage.

Swiss outlet Swissinfo reported clashes broke out after police moved to disperse the crowd. 

Officers in full riot gear deployed water cannons, chemical irritants and rubber bullets and said they were targeted with fireworks.

The outlet also reported a police statement said "paint bags were thrown at the facades and shop windows were smashed on the corner of Bahnhofstrasse and Uraniastrasse", with the amount of property damage unknown.

Two police officers were also reportedly hit by stones but remained unharmed.

Similar demonstrations were held elsewhere, including in Bern, where a protest was broken up as police sealed off the city center.

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In Zurich, thousands marched Sunday night, with one placard reading, "Put the Trumpster in the dumpster."

Activists from the Swiss NGO Campax also projected a cartoon image of Trump onto a ski slope near Davos, branding him the "Spirit of plutocracy."

Trade tensions are expected to dominate discussions at the summit, alongside talks on the war in Ukraine and broader global security concerns.

Trump addressed the Greenland issue in a social media post early Tuesday.

"As I expressed to everyone, very plainly, Greenland is imperative for National and World Security," Trump wrote. "There can be no going back — on that, everyone agrees. The United States of America is the most powerful country anywhere on the globe, by far."

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi plans to dissolve Parliament’s powerful lower house as early as this month, setting up a snap election aimed at securing voter backing for her agenda while her approval ratings remain high, a senior party official said.

The Associated Press reported that the move would allow Takaichi to seek fresh support for her economic and security priorities at a time when her scandal-tainted party and a new coalition partner hold only a slim majority in Japan’s legislature.

Takaichi made history in October when she was elected as Japan’s first female prime minister.

Described by some Japanese and international media as an ultraconservative, hard-line figure, Takaichi has backed strengthening Japan’s defense posture, emerged as a vocal China hawk and supported constitutional revisions to expand the role of the Self-Defense Forces.

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Calling a snap election could allow Takaichi to capitalize on approval ratings of about 70% and help her Liberal Democratic Party gain additional seats in Parliament.

Shunichi Suzuki, secretary general of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, told reporters that Takaichi informed him and other senior officials of her intention to dissolve the lower house "soon" after it convenes Jan. 23.

Suzuki said no date has been set for dissolving the chamber or holding a snap election, adding that Takaichi plans to outline her strategy at a news conference Monday.

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Takaichi’s scandal-tainted LDP and its coalition hold only a narrow majority in the lower house, Parliament’s more powerful chamber, after losses in the 2024 election.

By calling an early vote, Takaichi appears to be aiming to expand her party’s share of seats and strengthen its position alongside a new junior coalition partner.

Opposition lawmakers criticized the plan as self-serving, saying it would delay urgent parliamentary debate over the national budget, which must be approved quickly.

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Echoing Suzuki’s comments, media reports have said Takaichi plans to dissolve the lower house on Jan. 23, the opening day of this year’s ordinary parliamentary session, potentially setting the stage for a snap election as early as Feb. 8.

Takaichi is seeking voter backing for her agenda, including "proactive" fiscal spending and an accelerated military buildup under a new coalition with the Japan Innovation Party, Suzuki said.

The conservative Japan Innovation Party joined the ruling bloc after the centrist Komeito party withdrew, citing disagreements over Takaichi’s ideological positions and her approach to anti-corruption reforms.

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Takaichi met Wednesday with Suzuki and other coalition leaders after holding talks in Nara with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung at a summit aimed at strengthening bilateral ties. The meetings came as she faces rising trade and political tensions with China following remarks on Taiwan that angered Beijing days after she took office.

Winning a snap election would also make it easier for Takaichi and her governing bloc to pass a budget and advance other legislation.

Her Cabinet approved a record 122.3 trillion yen ($770 billion) budget in late December that must clear Parliament before the fiscal year begins in April. The plan includes measures to fight inflation, support low-income households and boost economic growth.

Known for her hawkish and nationalistic views and her ultra-conservative positions on social issues, including gender and sexual diversity, Takaichi is seeking to reclaim conservative voters drawn to emerging populist parties in recent elections.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.