The Norwegian right-wing extremist who set off a massacre at a Labour Party youth camp after bombing government headquarters in 2011 exercised, as expected, his legal right to seek release from prison on Tuesday. He won’t succeed, agree legal experts, but it’s all part of a process that even his victims support as an important […]
Royal family drops Olympics in Beijing
January 18, 2022
None of the members of Norway’s royal family will be traveling to China next month to attend the Winter Olympics, confirmed palace officials on Tuesday. Their decision comes in the midst of heated debate over whether Norway should join other allies in boycotting the Olympics in Beijing, but the palace cited concern over Corona infection […]
Sanner gives up Høyre leadership
January 17, 2022
Jan Tore Sanner has spent the past 18 years as one of two deputy leaders for Norway’s Conservative Party (Høyre). Now he’s decided against continuing as a perennial “number two” to longtime party leader Erna Solberg, after she confirmed a desire to continue in the top post. Sanner told newspaper Aftenposten over the weekend that […]
Embassies may start pouring cider
January 17, 2022
Like most embassies around the world, Norway’s usually offer some bubbly before diplomatic dinners or other festive occasions. Now they’ve come under political pressure back home to serve Norwegian alcoholic cider instead of French champagne or other sparkling wine that can be bought where embassies are located. Sveinung Stensland, a Member of Parliament for the […]
Norway leading the UN Security Council
January 17, 2022
NEWS ANALYSIS: Some might say she’s walking into a hornet’s nest: Norway’s new Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeldt is in New York this week to lead the UN Security Council at a time of high conflict levels all over the world. Huitfeldt is also keen to push Norway’s own agenda while trying not to land in […]
Trade surplus soars on energy exports
January 17, 2022
Norway can boast its largest trade surplus ever, after exports of oil, gas and electricity at high prices last year. Metals and record-high seafood sales also helped, but ongoing if controversial oil and gas sales accounted for most of the wealth still flowing into the country even as the pandemic and climate crisis drag on. […]
El-scooter rider killed in collision
January 15, 2022
A man in his 30s who was riding an electric scooter in Stavanger late Friday night collided with a car shortly after midnight. He was rushed to hospital but died from his injuries just before noon. Norwegian Broadcasting (NRK) reported on Saturday that police were called to the scene on Haugesundsgata in Stavanger’s Storhaug district […]
Court postpones winter wolf hunt
January 15, 2022
This winter’s highly controversial wolf hunt has been postponed for at least another two weeks, and perhaps indefinitely, after the Oslo County Court heard arguments for and against it late this week. A ruling isn’t due until January 29 at the earliest, just two weeks before the hunt is due to end. “If we can’t […]
Government suffers ‘dramatic’ downturn
January 14, 2022
Relaxing Corona restrictions may boost their support, but Norway’s new government suffered yet another disastrous dive in voter satisfaction this week. The two government parties, Labour and Center, fell 7.5 percentage points in the latest public opinion poll, leaving Labour with just 18.9 percent of the vote and Center with 9.4 percent. “This is a […]
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