Norwegians will probably have to keep living with strict Corona containment measures through the spring. The government decided this week to keep borders mostly closed and tighten quarantine rules, even before an outbreak of Covid-19 at a popular mountain tourist lodge forced around 40 winter holiday guests to stay in their rooms. Newspaper Valdres reported […]
More compensation for Corona losses
February 24, 2021
Norwegian businesses can bank on getting more state compensation for losses tied to the Corona virus crisis. The government has largely defied rising criticism that some of the compensation is too generous, with most programs set to continue after a vote in Parliament this week. Norwegian media have featured lots of stories in recent weeks […]
Critic who bashed TIX won’t repent
February 24, 2021
The Norwegian singer known as TIX put his critics to shame when he won Norway’s qualifier for the Eurovision Song Contest last weekend by a wide margin. One of TIX’s toughest critics was even forced to eat a trademark TIX headband live on national TV Tuesday night, after an extraordinary live debate over how he’d allegedly […]
Terror defendant released pending trial
February 23, 2021
A Norwegian-Pakistani woman who’d followed her radical boyfriend to join the brutal terrorist group IS in Syria has been released from prison in Oslo, pending her own trial on terror charges. She denies she actively supported the terrorist group, claiming she merely kept house and raised the children she eventually had. Her Islamic Norwegian partner […]
Moria refugees’ arrival delayed
February 23, 2021
A total of 50 refugees that Norway has promised to take in from the fire-ravaged Moria camp in Greece won’t be arriving until March. An outbreak of illness unrelated to Corona at their transit camp has delayed their departure, reported newspaper Vårt Land. The Norwegian government, acting only after intense political pressure, finally agreed last […]
Corona cuts into population growth
February 23, 2021
Immigration to Norway fell 27 percent last year, a decline the state statistics bureau SSB (Statistics Norway) has branded as “historic.” It hasn’t been so low in 17 years, and SSB officials link it firmly to Corona-related restrictions. The sharp drop in immigration during 2020 also contributed to the lowest level of overall population growth […]
Winter storm rages over Northern Norway
February 22, 2021
Norway’s northernmost region of Finnmark was largely cut off from the rest of the country on Monday after a severe winter storm with strong winds and snow forced the closure of nearly 60 roads including the main E6 highway. By Monday night, the storms had also knocked out power to around 1,600 residents. Kjøllefjord and […]
Corona haunts winter holidays
February 22, 2021
Norwegian schools are closed for winter holidays both this week and next in varying parts of the country, but health officials warn that no one can take a holiday from Corona virus containment rules. They were allegedly broken at one popular skiing destination in Oslo, which was swiftly closed by local authorities. Kikutstua is a […]
Liberals prevail in drug law reform
February 22, 2021
Education minister Guri Melby could grin from ear to ear as mostly positive reaction rolled in over the weekend to the government’s plan to decriminalize small amounts of drugs for personal use. Her small Liberal Party has been trying to reform Norway’s drug laws for more than 20 years, and is now set to finally […]
King turned 84 on sick leave
February 21, 2021
The canons roared at midday on Sunday and flags flew on all public buildings, along with lots of private ones as well. It was all part of the official marking of King Harald V’s 84th birthday, but there were no big parties. That’s because the monarch is still out on sick leave that recently was […]
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