The counties of Oslo and Akershus have agreed on financing for a long-planned public transport line between Oslo and the redeveloped Fornebu area west of the capital, which was dominated by Oslo’s former airport. The line was intially viewed as light-rail line, but now will be part of Oslo’s metro system that extends into Bærum […]
Ousted hospital boss paid to leave
June 27, 2019
UPDATED: Criticism was flying this week after another top public official had to resign amidst great conflict but nonetheless quickly was granted another public sector job with a big paycheck. This time the man in question is Dr Bjørn Erikstein, who resigned under pressure Monday as director of the Oslo University Hospitals (OUS) and ultimately […]
Ex-county governor faces prison term
June 27, 2019
The lengthy and sometimes shocking trial of a former county governor wrapped up this week, with prosecutors demanding that he be sentenced to five-and-half years in prison. They claim he abused the power of his position to gain sexual favours from young asylum seekers. The trial that began June 11 ended up as a battle over […]
Norway unlikely to meet NATO goals
June 27, 2019
It took a complaint from NATO’s Norwegian chief Jens Stoltenberg to spur Norway’s defense ministry into action this week. It finally announced a bigger contribution to NATO’s so-called “Readiness Initiative” force, but Norway is still unlikely to meet goals for overall defense spending. Norwegian Defense Minister Frank Bakke-Jensen was on the defense himself as he […]
Court orders Oslo to refund initial property tax bills
June 26, 2019
Norway’s Supreme Court has ruled that the City of Oslo had no right to start charging income tax just months after a Labour Party-led coalition won the last municipal election in 2015. TV2 reported Wednesday afternoon that 55,000 Oslo property owners will now be reimbursed for the first tax assessments sent out in 2016. The […]
Carlsen shakes up chess federation
June 26, 2019
Norway’s chess champion Magnus Carlsen topped the national news on Tuesday after he launched and funded a new chess club that sparked instant controversy. It’s entirely aimed at all but forcing the national chess federation (Norges Sjakkforbund, NSF) to promote changes that would liberalize both gambling in Norway and sports sponsorship rules. “This is a […]
North Cape battle polarizes community
June 25, 2019
A major hotel chain backed by the slimmest possible majority of local politicians won last week’s battle over control of the North Cape. The war is far from over, however, after heated debate over land rights has polarized the local community. “The people are split,” declared Kjell Walter Sivertsen of the Labour Party after the […]
Ministry confirms frigate scrapping
June 24, 2019
It’s official: Norway’s badly damaged frigate KNM Helge Ingstad won’t be repaired. The defense ministry has finally determined that it will be better to simply scrap the expensive vessel that collided with a tanker last autumn and then sank. Defense Minister Frank Bakke-Jensen announced that the government now officially agrees that it’s “more appropriate” to […]
Pride Parade draws record turnout
June 24, 2019
Oslo Police estimated that aound 50,000 people marched in Oslo’s Pride Parade on Saturday while another 275,000 spectators lined the streets, setting a new record. One local comedian and activist Else Kåss Furuseth equated the event to “the 17th of May on steroids.” Rainbow flags, colourful costumes, music and dance filled the streets after the […]
Pride spread all over the country
June 21, 2019
As thousands of people gathered in Oslo this weekend to round off annual “Oslo Pride” celebrations, many more were also assembling in smaller cities and even bygder (villages) around the country. It’s finally acceptable for people of all sexual orientation to show their pride in who they are. Today’s Oslo Pride began as Homodagene (literally, The […]
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