A court in the German city of Aachen has sentenced a man to eight-and-a-half years in prison for repeatedly drugging and raping his wife, filming the acts and then posting them online.

The man, named only as Fernando P in line with German privacy laws, was found guilty of aggravated rape, grievous bodily harm and violation of personal privacy.

The court found the 61-year-old, who is originally from Spain, guilty of sedating and raping his wife at their home for a period of several years from 2018 to 2024.

A spokesperson for the court, Katharina Effert, said the man also filmed the abuse and shared it online.

“He uploaded videos of these acts to chat groups and internet platforms, making them available to other users,” she said.

Much of the trial was held behind closed doors to protect the identity of his wife.

Her lawyer, Nicole Servaty, told journalists that she “really had a voice in this proceeding”, adding: “She was able to testify, to express her feelings and everything that has burdened her.”

She said the ruling could not make up for what happened. “But it might help a bit to cope with things and process them.”

The verdict is still subject to appeal.

German media say the case bears similarities to the high-profile case in France last year concerning Dominique Pelicot.

He was found guilty of secretly drugging his wife, Gisèle, and inviting scores of men to rape her while she was unconscious for years.

Gisèle’s decision to waive her anonymity and hold a public trial turned her into a feminist icon, celebrated for her powerful testimony and courage.

Germany’s Federal Criminal Police Office, the BKA, says that the victims of sedation and subsequent sexual abuse are “almost exclusively women”.

It says such crimes “usually take place by exploiting a relationship of trust” in marriage, partnerships, families or among close acquaintances.

The US justice department will begin releasing long-awaited files related to Jeffrey Epstein as mandated by a new law, though not all documents would be made public on Friday, a top official says.

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said the department expects to publish “several hundred thousand pages” initially, followed by more over the coming weeks.

The Friday deadline was mandated by a bill that got near-unanimous support in Congress, and was later signed into law by US President Donald Trump after he reversed his earlier opposition to the release.

The files relate to investigations into the disgraced late sex offender, but it is likely that much of the content will be heavily redacted.

“We are looking at every single piece of paper that we are going to produce making sure every victim – their name, their identity, their story, to the extent that it needs to be protected – is completely protected,” Blanche told Fox & Friends.

He said that the justice department will release more material in the coming weeks.

“So, today, several hundred thousand, and then over the next couple of weeks, I expect several hundred thousand more,” Blanche said.

“There’s a lot of eyes looking at these, so we want to make sure that when we do produce the materials that we’re producing, we’re protecting every single victim.”

Under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, the DOJ was given until 19 December to release the files.

The bill specifically mentions that the government must release all unclassified records, documents, communications and investigative materials in the DOJ’s possession that relate to the investigation and prosecution of Epstein.

Leading up to their release, Democrats in the House of Representatives have been publishing batches of documents and photos from Epstein’s estate without context.

Lawmakers say they have been sorting through a trove of 20,000 documents and 95,000 photos from the estate.

Democratic Congressman Robert Garcia said in a press release that most of the documents arrived without context, and they have been working to redact potential victims.

The documents and images have featured several high-profile figures, including Trump, former US President Bill Clinton, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.

Appearing in the photos or documents is not evidence of any wrongdoing, and many of the pictured men have said they were never involved in Epstein’s illegal activity.

Norway’s Crown Princess Mette-Marit will likely need a lung transplant as her health has worsened in recent months, the country’s royal household has said.

The princess, 52, was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis in 2018. The degenerative disease creates scar tissue that stiffens the lungs making it difficult to breathe and for oxygen to enter the bloodstream.

Tests in autumn showed “a clear worsening” of her health, the palace said on Friday. “We are reaching the point where a lung transplant will be necessary,” Are Martin Holm, head of respiratory medicine at Oslo University Hospital, said.

Princess Mette-Marit told public broadcaster NRK that her illness had developed “faster than I’d hoped”.

No decision has been taken yet on whether she will be placed on the transplant waiting list, Dr Holm said. The palace said her doctors had started the process towards an evaluation for lung transplant surgery.

In Norway, there are usually between 20 and 40 patients on the waiting list for a lung transplant and Princess Mette-Marit will not be given preferential treatment if she is placed on the list, local media reports.

Although she is not yet on a donor list, Dr Holm said her heathcare team was “undertaking the necessary preparations to ensure that [a transplant] will be possible when the time comes”.

The palace said Princess Mette-Marit had “an increasing need” for rest and a targeted exercise regimen.

However, she had “expressed a strong interest in continuing to carry out her duties”, it added in a statement on Friday. Her royal duties and engagements will adapted to her ongoing health issues.

Dr Holm described pulmonary fibrosis to reporters as a “dangerous disease” that often could not be seen because it depended on how sick an individual was.

At rest, they might be able to breathe normally, he explained, but when they exert themselves – through exercise, for example – their lungs “can no longer keep up”.

Princess Mette-Marit’s husband, Prince Haakon, Norway’s future king, sat beside her for an interview with NRK, in which he explained that she may appear “perfectly fine” when sitting still, but said he had noticed her struggling more with breathing.

He also said she had less energy and was getting ill more often.

Hiking or skiing together – activities the pair enjoy – were no longer possible, the crown prince added.

The thought of the transplant alone had been demanding, Mette-Marit said, as she knew it will involve risks.

A successful transplant hinges on several factors, including finding the right match and ensuring the body does not reject the new organ.

Transplant is seen as a last resort, Dr Holm explained, telling reporters that individuals must be significantly ill and have a limited life expectancy before a lung transplant can be deemed appropriate.

News of the princess’ deteriorating health comes months after her eldest son was charged with 32 offences, including four counts of rape.

Marius Borg Høiby, 28, denies the most serious accusations against him, but plans to plead guilty to some lesser charges when the trial begins, his lawyer Petar Sekulic told news agency Reuters in August.

Mr Høiby is the stepson of the heir to the Norwegian throne, but does not have any royal title or official duties.