OSLO, Norway (AP) — King Harald of Norway has been admitted to a hospital for treatment in connection with a blood disease, the royal palace said.
Harald, who is 89, was admitted to the National Hospital on Monday afternoon, the royal palace said in a statement.
“The King has been treated with cortisone for the blood disease hemolytic anemia in recent weeks,” the palace said in a statement. “This has led to fluid accumulation in the body that requires treatment in hospital.”
The statement pointed out that the king has been on sick leave for two weeks.
“His royal highness the crown prince is regent during this period,” said the statement, referring to Harald's son, Haakon.
Harald has been in and out of the hospital several times in recent years.
In February, he was admitted to a hospital in Spain’s Canary Islands during a winter vacation. He was treated for a skin infection at the time.
Two years ago, the king fell ill during a private vacation with the queen in Malaysia and received a temporary pacemaker there. Harald returned aboard a medical airplane to Norway, where he was fitted with a permanent pacemaker.
Harald has been Norway’s monarch since 1991.
FILE - Norway's King Harald gives a speech during a gala dinner at the Palace in connection with the state visit of the Icelandic presidential couple, in Oslo, on April 8, 2025. (Fredrik Varfjell/NTB Scanpix via AP, File)
LEEDS, England (AP) — Joe Root's second stint as England test captain began with a first-ball wicket from Ollie Robinson as the pace bowler reduced Pakistan to 23-2 before rain forced an early lunch on Day 1 of the first test on Wednesday.
Robinson, selected in England's four-pronged pace attack in overcast conditions at Headingley, got a delivery to seam in and trap Azan Awais lbw off the first ball of the series. Awais reviewed but the decision stood.
It was the first time in England that a wicket has fallen to the first delivery of a test series.
Finding perfect line and length, Robinson then trapped fit-again Shan Masood (5) lbw right in front of his stumps to leave Pakistan on 6-2 as dark clouds began to form.
Root, back as skipper at the start of a post-Bazball era with captain Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum no longer involved, wasted two reviews before heavy rain arrived 50 minutes into the session.
Lunch was taken at 12:30 p.m. local time, with just 9.4 overs having been bowled.
Robinson had figures of 2-12 off five overs and the batters in the middle were Imam-ul-Haq (5) and Abdullah Shafique (12).
Root won the toss and opted to bowl first in helpful conditions for his attack. The forecast was for some rain and sunshine later Thursday.
Both teams have been in underwhelming test form, with England winning just two of its last 10 matches and Pakistan two of its last seven.
Pakistan hasn't won a test series in England since 1996.
See AP’s full cricket coverage here
England's Ollie Robinson, right, celebrates bowling out Pakistan's Azan Awais on day one of the first Rothesay Test match between England and Pakistan in Leeds, England, Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2026. (Mike Egerton/PA via AP)
England's Ollie Robinson celebrates bowling out Pakistan's Azan Awais on day one of the first Rothesay Test match between England and Pakistan in Leeds, England, Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2026. (Mike Egerton/PA via AP)
England's Ollie Robinson celebrates bowling out Pakistan's Azan Awais on day one of the first Rothesay Test match between England and Pakistan in Leeds, England, Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2026. (Mike Egerton/PA via AP)
England's Ollie Robinson bowls out out Pakistan's Azan Awais on day one of the first Rothesay Test match between England and Pakistan in Leeds, England, Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2026. (Mike Egerton/PA via AP)
Pakistan's head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed, center speaks during a nets session in Leeds, England, Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026 ahead of the in the first Men's Rothesay Test Match between England and Pakistan starting Wednesday. (Bradley Collyer/PA via AP)
England's Joe Root and Jofra Archer attend a nets session at Headingley, Leeds, England, Monday Aug. 17, 2026, ahead of the 1st Test match against Pakistan on Wednesday. (Bradley Collyer/PA via AP)
FILE - England's Joe Root leaves the pitch after losing his wicket during the second day of the test match between England and New Zealand at Lord's cricket ground in London, June 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth, File)
