The canons at Akershus in Oslo and other fortresses around Norway will be fired, but the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Norway in 1945 will otherwise be quietly observed on May 8th. It’s yet another major event spoiled by the Corona virus crisis. “Liberation Day on the 8th of May in 1945 is one […]
NATO chief also working from home
March 27, 2020
NATO’s secretary general Jens Stoltenberg has first-hand experience in dealing with a crisis that forced him out of his office. Now he’s been working from home again along with millions of others all over the world, tackling an attack not from a terrorist this time but from a virus. “My life is affected like everyone […]
Defense minister out of quarantine
March 12, 2020
Norwegian Defense Minister Frank Bakke-Jensen was back in his office on Thursday, after test results proved he’s not infected with the Corona virus. His suspected exposure to the virus at a meeting in Bergen last week had set off concerns within the entire government. “I’m glad to be declared healthy,” Bakke-Jensen stated in a press […]
Defense minister in quarantine
March 10, 2020
UPDATED: Defense Minister Frank Bakke-Jensen has been among those forced to stay home these days. His ministry confirmed on Tuesday that he’s had to cancel meetings because he may have been exposed to the Corona virus, and then exposed others in the government. “It’s now an unclear situation,” the ministry reported on its website. “Until more […]
Corona-hit military asked to halt exercises
March 6, 2020
A local mayor in Northern Norway is calling on the military to halt its annual Cold Response winter exercises in the area that involve around 15,000 participants from NATO countries. He fears a spread of the Corona virus, after at least one soldier has tested positive and hundreds of others had to be placed in […]
‘Russia and China threaten defense’
February 10, 2020
Norway’s recently embattled military intelligence agency is pointing once again to Russia and China as posing the biggest defense threats. Both continue to move in a more authoritative direction, according to the agency whose chief, Morten Haga Lunde, is especially worried about Russia’s new long-distance missiles. “The factors that, to the greatest degree, influence the […]
Defense faces new wave of demands
January 23, 2020
Norway will be maintaining its troops in Iraq, just as it faces allies’ requests for more troops in Mali and patrol vessels in the Persian Gulf. The latter has been turned down so far, as the defense department also faces myriad demands at home and prepares for new leadership. The requests and demands come amidst […]
Norway will pull out of Iraq, if asked
January 6, 2020
Just hours before delivering his annual New Year’s address Monday evening, Defense Minister Frank Bakke-Jensen couldn’t predict the fate of Norwegian soldiers in Iraq or what NATO might do regarding new and rapidly rising tensions in the Middle East. Bakke-Jensen, however, has said Norway will pull its roughly 70 soldiers out of Iraq if Iraq formally […]
Secret criticism flies around new F35s
December 9, 2019
Something seems to be wrong with the operating capabilities of Norway’s growing fleet of new F35 fighter jets, but no one will specify what the problem is. Norway’s State Auditor General is criticizing the government in a report to Parliament on the new jets, but the report is classified and therefore being handled as top […]
War hero granted a state funeral
December 5, 2019
UPDATED: One of Norway’s last resistance heroes from World War II will be honoured next week with a funeral to be conducted at state expense. Defense Minister Frank Bakke-Jensen will also attend the funeral for Ragnar Leif Ulstein, who died this week at the age of 99. Ulstein was just shy of 20 when Nazi […]
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