Saturday, October 24, 2026
NATO and Norway

Norwegian troops complete NATO deployment in Lithuania

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

From 2ndL, U.S. President Donald Trump, Lithuania’s President Dalia Grybauskaite, French President Emmanuel Macron, Belgian’s Prime Minister Charles Michel and Luxembourg’s Prime Minister Xavier Bettel gather for a family picture before the start of their summit at the new headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, May 25, 2017. REUTERS/Christian Hartmann

Some 200 troops and 60 combat vehicles from Norway arrived in Lithuania Tuesday, completing a multinational NATO unit of more than 1,000 soldiers in the Baltic nation neighboring Russia. Defense Minister Raimundas Karoblis says the Norwegian soldiers added to a deployment that “signals that an attack on one NATO member is an attack on all.”

At last year’s NATO summit in Warsaw, Poland, the 28-member alliance decided to deploy forces in the countries bordering Russia and Belarus. The Baltic countries and Poland fear that after Russia’s military involvement in Georgia and Ukraine, other former Soviet republics could be next.

The Norwegians joined German, Belgian and Dutch troops and armored vehicles in NATO’s enhanced Forward Presence Battalion Battlegroup. The deployment is NATO’s most significant presence close to the Kaliningrad exclave, the Russian territory wedged between Poland and Lithuania that is the most militarized zone in Europe.

 Similar NATO units led by Britain, Canada and the United States also have deployed in parts of Poland, Latvia and Estonia.

(indianexpress)

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Economics

Telenor Norway must cut wholesale mobile network prices

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

Norwegian electronic communications regulator Nkom said that Telenor Norway must reduce its wholesale prices for operators which to lease capacity on its mobile network. The aim is to improve the conditions for a competitive market by enabling smaller players to compete. Every six months, Nkom runs a margin squeeze test of Telenor’s current products.

Nkom said the first test found that Telenor was complying with its obligations at that time, but the second test has found that access prices for service providers are too high. Wholesale customers would make a loss on certain subscriptions, said Nkom.

(telecom paper)

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Environment

Norwegian billionaire funds world’s largest yacht to scoop up plastic

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

Wealth is an interesting thing. Some people hold onto every penny for their entire lives just for the sake of it. It becomes a burden when they pass away, their family agonizing over its dispersal more than their death.

There are people who never stack up cash because they spend every penny they have, leaving them in dire situations on occasion, and infuriating others. Wealth in our modern day world is often defined through money — though there are certainly many forms, be it the wealth of love, health, happiness, and so on.

When it comes to the wealth of money, there is often a stigma surrounding the beholder. They are full of themselves, greedy, ruthless. A former fisherman-turned-billionaire from Norway was once one of those businessmen viewed in such a light… until he announced his plans to give most of his fortune away, that is.

Kjell Inge Roekke, the tenth-richest man in Norway, has a net worth of over $2 billion. With a reputation of being “a flamboyant billionaire with an explosive temper and a taste for the supersized, can also call himself an oil baron.”

But in a recent interview with Oslo’s Aftenposen newspaper,  he gave people the opportunity to see him in a whole new light, as he revealed plans to use his money for the betterment of society, beginning with a state-of-the-art ship that will perform marine research.

He plans to use the ship to remove five tonnes of plastic daily from the ocean, melting it down to ensure it does no further harm.

“Sea covers 70 percent of Earth’s surface and much is not researched,” he said.
With more than eight million tonnes of plastic dumped in our oceans every year, we are, simply put, being overwhelmed by our own waste. Plastics pollution has a direct and deadly effect on wildlife, with thousands of seabirds and sea turtles, seals, and other marine mammals killed annually as a result of ingesting plastic, or getting entangled in it. Endangered wildlife are among them.
But it doesn’t just hurt marine species. It’s also harmful to people, with plastic debris floating in the seawater absorbing harmful pollutants like PCBs, DDT, and PAH, which are highly toxic and have various chronic effects including cancer. Animals eating these plastic pieces absorb the toxins, which then get passed up the food chain.
Roekke, 55, is using his fame and fortune to help alleviate this issue.
Having built his fortune by buying up old boats and modifying them into industrial trawlers, Roekke eventually acquired a stake in a 173-year-old Norwegian conglomerate, where he bought up to 40% of its shares and then merged it with his own Resources Group International. The result? According to media, a pioneer of the American-style of “aggressive capitalism” in Norway.
Despite coming off as charming and friendly, his temper can be nothing short of explosive, so much so that he spent 23 days in prison after being convicted of bribing his way to a boating license. Interesting to note, however, is that after his release, he spent more than $3,000 buying takeout pizzas for his old cellmates.

From pizza to ship, Roekke clearly knows his money is more meaningful than status, even if his reputation gets in the way.

“I want to give back to society the bulk of what I’ve earned,” he said. “This ship is a part of it. The idea of ​​such a ship has evolved over many years.”

The ship, which will be called REV, short for research expedition vessel, will seek to tackle how to control the ever-growing amount of plastic filling up our waters. It will come fitted with various high-tech features, including air drones, an auditorium, and extensive lab space. Conservation organization WWF will manage the ship, with complete independence.

“We are far apart in [our] views on oil, and we will continue to challenge Røkke when we disagree with him,” WFF chief Nina Jensen said, “but in this project we will meet to collectively make a big difference in the environmental struggle.”

(collective-evolution)

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Defence

Norway’s “Jegertroppen” Is The World’s First All-Female Special Forces Military Unit

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

Women in military is certainly not a new concept, but women in special elite units and combat roles definitely it. In 2016, the US military finally allowed women to apply for combat positions in all branches, where they were previously barred from. And with women only making up 14% of military personnel but less than 10% of leadership roles in each branch at the general-officer rank, it’s clear diversity is still a long way off.

But we are seeing progress, with the first female army rangers and infantry marines now holding these prominent titles. Elsewhere in the world there are an increasing number of women rising in the military ranks, although this is not necessarily a new phenomenon, we should point out. All throughout history there are records of women who have been fighting for their country, their rights and their land, as opposed to only letting the men take to the battle field.

Contemporary examples such as the Mexican women fighting on the frontlines of the Zapatista liberation movement, to the Kurdish women in the Peshmerga fighting ISIS, it is clear women are not afraid to fight when necessary. In Norway, an elite all-female fighting unit also proves this, as well as the necessity of women in conflict zones.

The “Jegertroppen”, as it is known (translated to “hunter troop), was set up in 2014 and is the world’s first all-female special forces unit. While the US still hopes to attract more women to apply for elite combat roles, Norway is ahead of the pack, allowing women to apply for combat roles since the 1980s, according to a profile on the Jegertroppen on NBC News. Norway also became the first NATO country to introduce female conscription, in 2016.

The formation of this unit came about less as a gender diversity initiative, and more of a necessity. In countries like Afghanistan where the Norwegian Armed Forces have been stationed alongside other countries, they found the conservative culture forbidding men from interacting and communication with women in certain areas posed a challenge, and they realized there was a need for more women in their ranks.

“The exclusion of half the population was having a detrimental impact on intelligence gathering and building community relations,” writes NBC News’ Carlo Angerer.

The Jegertroppen was specifically created to solve this problem, where women were trained to all the same jobs as their male counterparts, and complete tasks the men cannot.

“When [Norway] deployed to Afghanistan we saw that we needed female soldiers. Both as female advisers for the Afghan special police unit that we mentored, but also when we did an arrest. We needed female soldiers to take care of the women and children in the buildings that we searched,” said Col. Frode Kristofferson, the commander of Norway’s special forces.

Unlike in the US where certain combat positions are yet to see any female applicants, the Jegertropped saw 300 women apply in the first year, and over the past couple of years they have proven to be able to hold their own physically in the male-dominated world of the military. They undergo grueling training exercises so as to determine their fitness level beyond a doubt.

The training takes place at Terningmoen Camp, about 100 miles north of Oslo, and includes parachuting out of military aircraft, skiing in the Arctic tundra, navigating the wilderness and fighting in urban terrain. They also have to carry heavy gear, weighing over 100 pounds, while undergoing these tasks. Applicants have to run about four miles carrying 60 pounds of military gear in under 52 minutes.

The women’s sense of camaraderie has also had a positive influence on the men in the unit, according to Capt. Ole Vidar Krogsaeter, the officer leading the training program.

“The boys see that the girls help each other, so the boys are doing better on that as well,” he said.

“To prepare them we try to give them the best training possible, as realistic as possible. We have them go through the exercises so many times that they are comfortable with it.”

Captain Krogsaeter admits he was skeptical at first about the ability of women to hold the same level of skill as the men, but over time he has changed his perspective. The leaders who have worked with these women claim the excuses cited by those who push back against more women in combat positions, such as the effects of PMS (eyeroll…) complaints of wives, and the issue of segregated living quarters, are not based on reality.

One of the Jegertroppen trainers, Magnus, who is also a Norwegian special forces soldier, said these aren’t an issue, but others may be, such as the ability of women to quickly carry a male wounded soldier to safety. But he also shares a very evolved perspective on how adding more women can add their own vital and unique capacities that benefit these elite forces.

“I don’t think you should view it as the girls are gonna do the exact same as the guys. They are not going to win hand-to-hand combat, but most of the time we use guns and a lot of the time they shoot better than the guys,” he said, an observation also shared by Captain Ole Vidar Krogsaeter.

One of the female members, 22 year-old Venderla, says physical capabilities are not the only test of military greatness.

“Women think outside the box. Men just do what they are supposed to do. Maybe we are more capable of seeing another solution, a better solution,” she said.

She told the BBC that despite the progressive view of the leaders, she has experienced some sexism from men who either don’t think she is physically able to do to job, as well as some unwarranted sexual comments. Once she complained, the problems stopped.

“I think he was maybe a little insecure. I knew I was good enough passing the tests so it’s his problem,” she recalled.

Sexual assault in the military has been a big issue here in the US, with documentaries like ‘The Invisible War’ really bringing the issue to a mass audience. It forced the military to address this problem head on, and has since become a focus on a national policy level most notably by US Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY).

During the 2016 presidential campaign, then-candidate Donald Trump doubled down on reckless comments he had tweeted claiming sexual assault toward women was always going to be a “given” when men interacted with women, insinuating they are neanderthals who can’t control themselves and it is women’s fault for choosing to do this job. It is that kind of absurd, outdated, and incredibly damaging misogynistic statement that could prevent more women from joining the military, and prevent those at a leadership level from solving the epidemic.

This issue of sexism and assault became all the more apparent with the news of male Marines leaking nude photos of female marines online, which is an ongoing investigation that has so far seen the 21 felony cases and more than 30 others referred to Marine commanders for possible administrative action.

The exposure of inherent and epidemic sexism in military ranks, along with more and more women joining the force can only be a good thing in the long run. We need to see more women breaking down barriers and misconceptions in male-dominated arenas. The Jegertroppen is just one example of how this can happen.

(girltalkhq)

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Media Freedom

Norway seeks new powers to police Facebook

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

Norway is considering introducing “uniformed police profiles” which would patrol Facebook looking for criminal activity.

Kripos, Norway’s National Criminal Investigation Service, is reportedly examining the legal aspects of how police accounts could be given access to areas of Facebook that are not open to the public.

It would mean police gaining access to closed groups and interacting with members as they search for evidence of criminal activity, the Norwegian newspaper Dagens Naeringsliv reported.

Wilhelm Due, a communications officer for Kripos, told the newspaper: “We have looked into the possibility of creating uniformed accounts. But we have not decided whether it is something we should do.”

According to the newspaper Släger Kommunikasjon, a public relations firm for Facebook in Norway, said it did not want to comment on police profiles.

Police in Norway and elsewhere have previously used fake Facebook profiles to investigate crimes including smuggling alcohol and tobacco.

Facebook has not given police profiles with enhanced access to private groups but they can apply for access to them in connection with criminal cases, Dagens Næringsliv reported.

Police superintendent Emil Jenssen of Kripos told Norwegian broadcaster NRK: “We get lots of tips on areas where it is sold bootleg, drugs or other illegal things. Then we go inside these groups to preserve evidence for criminal cases.

“If there is a criminal case we can go to court and get an injunction and send it to Facebook. They send us so the information we need.

“We have the ability to do this in necessity as well if there is danger to life and health. When it goes very quickly, often under an hour. In other criminal cases it takes longer.”

In the UK MPs recently heavily criticised Facebook and other technology firms for allowing illegal material to spread to millions of people online.

The Home Affairs Committee accused Facebook, Google and Twitter of being “completely irresponsible” and said the technology giants should pay for investigations into crimes involving their networks.

Earlier this month Facebook announced it was hiring thousands of human reviewers to censor content following widespread criticism of the social network’s failure to crack down on violent and illegal posts.

Mark Zuckerberg, the Facebook chief executive, said it would add 3,000 moderators, which would doubled the number of people currently employed to look for material posted on the network including terrorist material and hate speech.

The decision to employ more moderators came after two video posts last month showed killings in Thailand and the United States.

In Germany politicians have threatened fines if Facebook cannot remove at least 70 per cent of offending posts within 24 hours.

Mr Zuckerberg said recently he wanted to “double down” to provide a “safe experience for the community” and Facebook would keep working with community groups and the police to do so.

(telegraph)
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Farming

DHL’s fish freighter for Norwegian seafood logistics

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

DHL Global Forwarding is accelerating Norway’s seafood supply chain by shipping live crabs and other seafood on dedicated weekly flights from Oslo to Asia and Northern America.

The express giant is transporting fresh seafood from Laskselv airport in northern Norway to Oslo, from where the freight is sent to South Korea and other destinations, such as Japan or the US.

DHL is aiming to increase the frequency of deliveries from Oslo to Asia to three flights per week. From Oslo, almost 90% of the fish is flown directly to Seoul in South Korea, while approximately 10% is further directed to destinations in the US, Japan and China.

Tim Robertson, head of airfreight, DHL Global Forwarding, Americas, said: “Thanks to our team of experts who understand temperature control requirements, regulations, food safety and quality control guidelines, this seafood and fish is able to get to market and to consumers in the most expedient way possible.”

DHL said in a statement that transporting fresh seafood by air cuts the lead-time nearly by 50%, adding: “The shorter lead-time ensures that living crabs and other fresh seafood arrive at their destination in best order.

“Besides living king crabs, snow crabs and shrimps, DHL will also take care for the transportation of various sorts of white fish like cod, haddock and pollock, sea urchin, scallop and salmon.”

Bjørn-Erik Stabell, marketing manager for salmon & trout, at the Norwegian Seafood Council, said: “Time is of the essence when it comes to delivering fresh seafood of the very best quality.

“Norway is a long country, and with a large proportion of seafood being produced in the north, this airfreight route is an important contribution to efficiently reaching seafood consumers across the world.”

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Farming

Norway close to salmon deal with China

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

NORWAY and China yesterday moved closer towards restoring normal fish exporting relations following a visit to Beijing by Norway’s fisheries minister.

Per Sandberg (pictured) led a delegation of 120 seafood executives and signed a protocol on salmon exports with the Chinese veterinary authority minister.

The protocol is a follow-on from an agreement on food exports and imports reached in Bergen last month.

Despite political differences on some issues, China remains Norway’s most important trading partner in Asia and a big market for Norwegian seafood.

In 2016, Norway exported 143,000 tonnes of seafood to China worth 2.75 billion kroners. Most of the exports consist of frozen white fish and pelagic fish such as mackerel.

The export of salmon had stopped completely, after Oslo upset Beijing by supporting the Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo when he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize six years ago. Frosty relations between the two countries have thawed recently.

Asbjørn Vaarvik Rørtvedt, director of Market Insight and Market Access in Norway, said he hoped that normal relations, allowing Norway full market access, could be in place again by the summer.

Sandberg said: ‘The protocol is an important step forward in opening up exports of Norwegian salmon to China.

‘Everyone has done a great job in completing this protocol. With the size of the potential here, we will see large volumes of salmon go to China over the next few years.’

The protocol not only deals with export terms but lays down salmon health requirements and methods of dealing with issues such as salmon disease.

Sandberg is today expected to meet e-commerce companies, which are huge in China, and will eventually play a key role in getting salmon to consumers.

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Crimes

TVB chairman survives helicopter crash in Norway

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

TVB chairman Charles Chan had a narrow escape in a helicopter crash in Norway a week ago when he was believed to be on vacation in the Nordic country.

The accident was not immediately reported until after bits of information were revealed in the Norwegian and British media.

The accident occurred on May 10 in Bergen, the country’s second largest city, when a helicopter carrying Chan and others crashed into the sea while trying to land on a supersized yacht, said to be owned by the TVB chief.

Three men on board the helicopter, including a British pilot, were injured, according to the London Evening Standard.

The yacht, Bacarella, was made in the United States and sold to a Hong Kong-based firm affiliated with Chan for US$30 million.

Chan was discharged shortly from a local hospital while one of his friends, David Tang, a well-known lawyer in the UK, is still under intensive care but in stable condition.

TVB has declined to comment but Mark Lee, its CEO, was quoted as saying that Chan was previously on a trip to North Europe and is now back home. Chan today told Hong Kong media that there was an accident but he had nothing else to add.

Chan is known as an enthusiastic diver and skier. A source close to Chan said he flew to London first and was joined by two others for the trip to Norway.

Oriental Daily reported that while the helicopter was approaching the boat for landing, wind caused by its blades blew a carpet off and hit the helicopter. The pilot maneuvered the helicopter but it fell into the water. The three were initially trapped by their safety belts but were ultimately saved by people on nearby boats.

Chan and TVB have been at the center of a spat with the Securities and Futures Commission following accusations from the watchdog that the firm deliberately hid the real controlling shareholder in its transactions with a mainland media tycoon.

The SFC has demanded that TVB disclose all details of its shareholding structure, otherwise it would veto the share buyback plan. The broadcaster is said to have applied for a judicial review to overturn SFC’s request.

(ejinsight)

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Srilanka and Norway

Sri Lanka-Norway relations have entered a new and dynamic phase

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

Sri Lanka-Norway diplomatic relations spanning over 60 years since 1950 have entered a new and dynamic phase strengthening the relations and bilateral cooperation between the two countries, Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake said.

Minister Karunanayake was the Chief Guest at the Norwegian National Day celebrations held Wednesday at the Galle Face Hotel.

The Minister welcoming the long relationship with Norway, said the bilateral relations have gathered new momentum with the exchange of high level visits and meetings between the leaders of the two countries,

The open dialogue and the proactive bilateral engagement culminated with the Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg concluding an official visit to Sri Lanka in August 2016. The visit opened a new chapter in bilateral cooperation, the Minister said.

The identified areas of cooperation include development of tourism, fisheries, renewable energy, and IT sectors.

He added that Norway’s development cooperation with Sri Lanka focus on priority areas that are also linked to some of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) such as climatic change, conservation of the Ocean, peace and justice, and the equitability and the affordable clean energy.

Working together to promote and develop these specific sectors would also reinforce those efforts to advance the SDGs, he said.

“We are honored that the government of Norway has chosen Sri Lanka as a partner country in this endeavor due to largely the progress Sri Lanka has made in human development and its commitment to advancing SDGs,” the Minister noted.

“We are encouraged by Norway’s support for the political and economic reform agenda of the present government. This is reflected in the word and deed,” he said.

Norwegian government has increased development assistance to Sri Lanka for 2016 to US$ 7.8 million. Its support for Sri Lanka’s reconciliation process is demonstrated through material support on ground. Through the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Norway provides funding for the livelihood development in the areas of fisheries and agriculture for returnees in Jaffna district.

Minister Karunanayake expressed appreciation for Norway’s assistance to develop Sri Lanka’s fisheries national policy framework. “With such valuable assistance this sector would become viable and sustainable in the future,” he sai.

Sri Lanka- Norway investment and trade ties are rapidly expanding in scope, the Minister noted. There is an increase in the visits by the Norwegian investors and businessmen and Norwegian investors in the renewable energy are already exploring investment opportunities. Some companies are already involved in solar energy projects.

He said there is considerable potential for further investment, particularly, in the area of tourism, agriculture, dairy industry, fisheries, off-shore fishing farming, infrastructure development, health and pharmaceuticals.

New opportunities in the service sector would open up as Sri Lanka transforms itself into a viable financial, logistical and business hub of the Indian Ocean, he highlighted.

Speaking of people-to-people connectivity, the Finance Minister asked the Norwegian government to encourage the Sri Lankan expatriate community in Norway to join Sri Lanka’s peace, reconciliation and development process.

The Sri Lankan Minister said the two nations must seek to continuously build on many complementaries and explore opportunities of new avenues of cooperation for mutual benefit.

“I am confident that the renewed dialogue between our two countries will provide a platform for transforming our bilateral ties into meaningful economic partnership,” the Minister said.

(N.Sethu)

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Africa and Norway

Norwegian-British man freed from Congo

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

A man with dual Norwegian and British citizenship who had been sentenced to life in prison for murder in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has been freed on humanitarian grounds and returned to the Scandinavian country, authorities said Wednesday.

“I am very pleased to confirm that the Congolese authorities decided yesterday to transfer Joshua French to Norway,” the Norwegian prime minister, Erna Solberg, told a news conference. “French came to Norway today and is now receiving necessary medical follow-up. I am relieved that he is now in Norway.”

French and his friend Tjostolv Moland were found guilty in 2009 of murdering their driver in Congo and were sentenced to death. Then, in 2014, French was found guilty of strangling Moland, who was found dead in his cell. French claimed Moland had killed himself.

French, 35, had not been pardoned, but a “humanitarian deal” had been reached with Congo’s government, Norway’s foreign minister, Børge Brende, said. Congo’s justice and foreign ministers were present at the president’s office in Kinshasa where the deal was made Tuesday, he said.

Solberg said French’s mother, Kari Hilde French, had made an “impression” on Congolese authorities and was instrumental in reaching a deal.

“There is no conviction against him,” Brende said, implying that French was now a free man. The minister said no money had been paid in the release.

Solberg said French needed medical care but didn’t elaborate on his condition.

French and Moland had been in Congo to do research for a potential company that would arrange extreme tourism holidays. They denied killing driver Abedi Kasongo, saying they were ambushed by gunmen.

The two also were convicted of spying for Norway because they were carrying military ID cards at the time. They denied the charges, and the Norwegian government denied that the men were spies.

The Congolese justice minister, Alexis Thambwe Mwamba, told the Norwegian media outlet NRK in February that French would be pardoned this year.

In London, the foreign office had no immediate comment.

Kari Hilde French wrote 7 May on her blog that her son’s health in recent years had been “very bad”. She said he had been hospitalized several times, most recently in 2016, for five and a half months. “Our greatest wish is to get Joshua French home alive before it is too late,” she wrote.

On Wednesday she wrote: “We have finally gotten you home and the joy cannot be described.”

(theguardian)

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Politics

EU satellite states want to be part of Brexit deal

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

Iceland, Lichtenstein, and Norway want to be part of the EU’s transitional deal with the UK after the latter leaves the bloc in April 2019.

“We need to find solutions for our states so we don’t fly off a cliff,” Lichtenstein’s foreign minister Aurelia Frick said on Tuesday (16 May), ahead of a meeting with the EU’s Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, and Maltese deputy prime minister Louis Grech, whose country holds the EU presidency.

“When the EU is negotiating the divorce from the UK, it automatically means the divorce from the EEA-EFTA countries,” she said, referring to the European Economic Area (EEA), to which Lichtenstein, Norway and Iceland belong, along with all EU member states.

Together with Switzerland, the EEA trio forms the European free trade area (EFTA), but Swiss people rejected being part of the EEA and have bilateral relations with the EU instead.

The EEA council meets with the EU twice a year and provides political impetus to the relationship.

Frick said that the three countries were “not first thing on the EU’s mind when dealing with Brexit”, but she insisted that they were “in the same boat” as the EU on border protection, police cooperation and asylum policy.

“We are not ordinary third countries, but the EU’s closest partners and friends,” she said.

She added it was necessary to clarify how the rights of persons and companies acquired through the EEA treaty could be maintained after Brexit.

The UK has not yet triggered a clause in the EEA treaty, notifying the EU that it intends to leave the EEA.

If it neglects this formal obligation, the clause will likely be triggered by the EU, said Dag Werno Hotler, deputy secretary general of EFTA.

“The agreement is only available to EU and EFTA members,” he said.

Frick and her Norwegian colleague, EU minister Frank Bakke Jensen, said they were “open-minded” about the UK re-joining EFTA, an organisation it helped to found in the 1960s.

“But the initiative would have to come from the UK. For the moment, the question is not on the table,” the ministers said.

Bakke-Jensen said that the EEA cooperation worked well.

“The EEA agreement has proven it is viable, useful, possible to adapt to an ever changing landscape and still relevant for us,” he said.

“Our relationship with the EU is a dynamic relationship. When EU changes its laws and agreement we do the same. We are working on this every day,” he said.

Frick also said the institutions worked smoothly, and the problem was that few people knew about it.

“As a minister, I try to raise awareness about the EEA and the fact that it’s actually functioning very well. In a time of populism and globalisation critics, we should be very happy that we have unexciting integration politics”, she said.

(euobserver)

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Africa and Norway

Norway to host South Sudan reconciliation conference

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

Norway will in June host a reconciliation conference between the South Sudanese government and armed opposition leaders, the Norwegian government envoy Erlen Skogonsberg said on Saturday.

Skogonsberg told reporters in Juba that Norway is ready to assist South Sudan in the implementation of the 2015 peace agreement.

He pointed out that the reconciliation conference aims at facilitating common understanding between parties in South Sudan.

“The government in Juba has welcomed the initiative and Norway will help the people of South Sudan implement the peace agreement,” said the Norwegian diplomat.

Skogonsberg reiterated Oslo’s commitment to helping the people of South Sudan in their quest for peace and stability.

Norway is one of the guarantors of the 2015 peace accord between the Juba government and the armed opposition.

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Science

Aero Norway achieves significant milestone

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

Norway-based engine MRO facility Aero Norway AS reached an important milestone this month as technicians celebrated completing the 150th repaired CFM56 engine in the past 18 months.  Aero Norway has recently moved to a shift work programme to increase its engineering capacity as the rate of engine inductions at the facility continues to grow.   This engine left the workshop bound for the Enter Air fleet.

Enter Air is Poland’s leading charter airline and its CFM56-7B26 engine was in for a light shop visit encompassing repair and modification under a fast turn-around time to ensure quick return to service.  Aero Norway’s flexible customer service agreement with Enter Air commenced in 2015 with the CFM56-3 type and that has recently been extended to cover the CFM56-7B model.

Speaking at the first ‘Annual Aircraft Lifecycle Management Conference & Exhibition’ in Dublin today, Sonia Tindall, Manager – Global Sales & Marketing for Aero Norway, said “Part of the CFM56’s enduring appeal is the depth of its maintenance market, with OEMs, airlines and independent shops like Aero Norway providing global aftermarket coverage.  We’re told that Lessors suggest CFM56 residual values are buoyed by these competitive maintenance options so it is testimony to the organisation’s focus on continuous improvement that this marks us out as a leading independent engine MRO for the CFM family for decades to come. Aero Norway’s repair accreditation was recently renewed again, and this year we celebrate 25 years of working with CFM.”

The Aero Norway engine centre is multi-release FAA, EASA, TCCA, GCAA and CAAC certified and this broadens their global scope, appealing to operators and lessors seeking the flexibility of an independent engine MRO that can align itself to individual requirements.

The CFM56-5B is the engine choice of the ubiquitous A320 family due to its high reliability and durability which is further enhanced by the exceptional EGT margins that Aero Norway can deliver; and the CFM56-7B, which is exclusively powering the Boeing 737 NG family, makes it the most popular engine combination in commercial aviation.

Norway-based engine MRO facility Aero Norway AS reached an important milestone this month as technicians celebrated completing the 150th repaired CFM56 engine in the past 18 months.  Aero Norway has recently moved to a shift work programme to increase its engineering capacity as the rate of engine inductions at the facility continues to grow.   This engine left the workshop bound for the Enter Air fleet.

Enter Air is Poland’s leading charter airline and its CFM56-7B26 engine was in for a light shop visit encompassing repair and modification under a fast turn-around time to ensure quick return to service.  Aero Norway’s flexible customer service agreement with Enter Air commenced in 2015 with the CFM56-3 type and that has recently been extended to cover the CFM56-7B model.

Speaking at the first ‘Annual Aircraft Lifecycle Management Conference & Exhibition’ in Dublin today, Sonia Tindall, Manager – Global Sales & Marketing for Aero Norway, said “Part of the CFM56’s enduring appeal is the depth of its maintenance market, with OEMs, airlines and independent shops like Aero Norway providing global aftermarket coverage.  We’re told that Lessors suggest CFM56 residual values are buoyed by these competitive maintenance options so it is testimony to the organisation’s focus on continuous improvement that this marks us out as a leading independent engine MRO for the CFM family for decades to come. Aero Norway’s repair accreditation was recently renewed again, and this year we celebrate 25 years of working with CFM.”

The Aero Norway engine centre is multi-release FAA, EASA, TCCA, GCAA and CAAC certified and this broadens their global scope, appealing to operators and lessors seeking the flexibility of an independent engine MRO that can align itself to individual requirements.

The CFM56-5B is the engine choice of the ubiquitous A320 family due to its high reliability and durability which is further enhanced by the exceptional EGT margins that Aero Norway can deliver; and the CFM56-7B, which is exclusively powering the Boeing 737 NG family, makes it the most popular engine combination in commercial aviation.

Norway-based engine MRO facility Aero Norway AS reached an important milestone this month as technicians celebrated completing the 150th repaired CFM56 engine in the past 18 months.  Aero Norway has recently moved to a shift work programme to increase its engineering capacity as the rate of engine inductions at the facility continues to grow.   This engine left the workshop bound for the Enter Air fleet.

Enter Air is Poland’s leading charter airline and its CFM56-7B26 engine was in for a light shop visit encompassing repair and modification under a fast turn-around time to ensure quick return to service.  Aero Norway’s flexible customer service agreement with Enter Air commenced in 2015 with the CFM56-3 type and that has recently been extended to cover the CFM56-7B model.

Speaking at the first ‘Annual Aircraft Lifecycle Management Conference & Exhibition’ in Dublin today, Sonia Tindall, Manager – Global Sales & Marketing for Aero Norway, said “Part of the CFM56’s enduring appeal is the depth of its maintenance market, with OEMs, airlines and independent shops like Aero Norway providing global aftermarket coverage.  We’re told that Lessors suggest CFM56 residual values are buoyed by these competitive maintenance options so it is testimony to the organisation’s focus on continuous improvement that this marks us out as a leading independent engine MRO for the CFM family for decades to come. Aero Norway’s repair accreditation was recently renewed again, and this year we celebrate 25 years of working with CFM.”

The Aero Norway engine centre is multi-release FAA, EASA, TCCA, GCAA and CAAC certified and this broadens their global scope, appealing to operators and lessors seeking the flexibility of an independent engine MRO that can align itself to individual requirements.

The CFM56-5B is the engine choice of the ubiquitous A320 family due to its high reliability and durability which is further enhanced by the exceptional EGT margins that Aero Norway can deliver; and the CFM56-7B, which is exclusively powering the Boeing 737 NG family, makes it the most popular engine combination in commercial aviation.

( ags airline ground services)

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Crimes

Horror helicopter crash off Norway caused by loose tarpaulin getting tangled in blades

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

A horror helicopter crash involving three Britons off Norway was caused by a loose tarpaulin getting tangled in the blades, it has emerged.

The aircraft reportedly ‘rolled’ away from the helideck of a luxury superyacht it was trying to land on near the city of Bergen on Wednesday.

A 57-year-old British man is in a critical following the accident.

Two other UK nationals, both men – aged 53 and 62 – were injured in what is thought to have been a botched landing on the 60m Bacarella vessel on Wednesday.

Haukeland University Hospital confirmed that two men had been released from hospital having suffered minor injuries but said that the 57-year-old was critically ill.

Witnesses described seeing the helicopter “splash” into the water, and images later showed the aircraft being hoisted out of the fjord on the south-west coast of the Scandinavian country.

Air accident investigators from both Norway and the UK are now blaming a loose cover of a newly fitted helideck fuel depot.

Video footage, include CCTV taken from the yacht Bacarella, shows the cover being whipped up into the main rotor by the downdraft as the UK registered Airbus AS 350 came in to land.

A statement from the Norwegian Accident Investigation Board (AIBN) said: “As the helicopter was coming in for landing, the yacht camera shows a cover being lifted up in the air by the main rotor downdraft.

“It went through the main rotor disc. The cover was custom made for hiding a fuel depot newly installed on the helideck.

“The pilot has explained that he observed the cover moving and attempted to avoid it by initiating a climb.

“The cover hit the main rotor, and control over the helicopter was apparently lost. It rotated around its vertical axis while moving backwards, and struck the sea tail first.”

The AIBN said the pilot activated the Emergency Floating System which prevented the helicopter from sinking.

Immediately after the accident, a nearby rescue vessel from the Norwegian Society for Sea Rescue arrived at the site.

Bergen resident Jan Haughland, 48, was taking photographs of a tall ship in the harbour when he heard a “crash and splash”.

He said: “It was exactly at sunset and I was concentrating on the tall ship when I heard the crash.

“I was slow to realise what had happened at first. There is a lot of shipping and helicopters flying over the harbour normally and I thought maybe someone had dropped something overboard.”

Mr Haughland said up to five boats raced to the scene, including a passing passenger ferry that diverted from its course.

The casualties began arriving at the quayside around an hour after the incident, he said.

He added: “I think there were three ambulances and the critically injured person received emergency care on the boat before he was taken.”

The computer programmer said it was a “mystery” who the boat was owned by or who was on board.

(pressand journal)

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Norwegian Aid

Research Council of Norway Continues Support for ABB’s Subsea Research

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

The Research Council of Norway has awarded ABB a NOK 10 million research grant to develop subsea technology for use on the Norwegian continental shelf and the Barents Sea. This is the third award for ABB as part of the Council’s DEMO2000 initiative. Previous funding rounds, both in 2016, totalled NOK 20 million. ABB is currently engaged in a five-year joint industry program (JIP), which commenced in 2013, to develop pressure-compensated electrical and control equipment as part of a drive to move oil production systems from surface platforms to the sea bed.

DEMO2000 promotes the long-term competitiveness of the Norwegian oil and gas industry by helping companies, their suppliers and research institutes to collaborate with the development and testing of prototypes, before moving to the offshore installation of production models. The Research Council of Norway has allocated NOK 85 million in support of oil and gas research, with 13 projects receiving funding.

ABB’s funding, which will be allocated over three years, was granted after a positive assessment of the feasibility and cost financing of its research by a panel of experts from the Council. “We are pleased to receive this important contribution to our development of subsea power solutions,” says Per Erik Holsten, managing director of ABB’s Oil, Gas and Chemicals business. “This award recognises ABB’s continued innovation in subsea technologies around the world. The research result will contribute to the creation of a complete subsea factory; turning the vision of leading oil and gas companies into reality.”

ABB entered into the JIP with a number of leading oil companies in 2013. The aim is to advance Statoil’s vision for an autonomous subsea “factory” that can be powered and controlled from shore. The program aims to develop equipment that can transmit electrical power up to 100 MW, delivered over a distance of 600 km, and which can operate at a water depth of 3 km for 30 years with little or no maintenance. ABB has moved from laboratory testing of physical principles to manufacturing sub-assemblies and prototypes. The first installation of the subsea power products in the real offshore production site is expected to begin in 2020.

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Environment

Norwegians bag All-Energy prize

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

Norwegian tidal lagoon technology developer Tidetec has won the All-Energy Marine Energy Investment Challenge.

The company has bagged £10,000 worth of advice from lawyers and financiers to progress its plans to develop a 20MW two-way hydro turbine for tidal lagoons.

Tidetec beat off tidal stream developer Fraenkel-Wright, floating wind developers Oceanflow Energy and SAITEC Offshore Technologies as well as marine consultancy Ocean Energy Advisors.

Tidetec was chosen by a panel featuring Macquarie Capital, Ashurst, FTI Consulting and Cantor Fitzgerald chaired by Atlantis Resources chief executive Tim Cornelius.

“The panel was impressed by Tidetec’s clearly set out investment proposition, business plan and realistic valuation,” said Cornelius.

“The panel will be in touch to set up working sessions in London to assist Tidetec with its business plan for future fundraising.”

Image: Tidetec chief technology officer Joachim Amland with All-Energy conference director Judith Patten (reNEWS)

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Science

Norwegian Researchers Propose Cities on the Water

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

Researchers from Norway and Singapore are working together to build new cities floating at sea and six stories underneath the ground. Lack of space has provoked this initiative from Asian developers, and the technological experience with floating constructions in Norway comes in handy.

“Norway has a leading edge in floating constructions, but also in underground technology. It’s been a long time since we started storing oil and gas below the ground,” says Øyvind Hellan, research manager for SINTEF Ocean.

Not enough space onshore

The cooperation with Singapore goes back to 2004, when SINTEF and NTNU were contacted about underground storage of oil and gas. Gradually, the cooperation has developed to include floating constructions, where the idea is to exploit the sea surface for a number of purposes, from manufacturing industry to housing. Singapore and Norway are both similar and different. The similarity is that both countries have around the same number of inhabitants. The difference is that Norway’s land area is 1500 times larger.

“We want to exploit sea, land and air to a much greater extent than we do today, both for housing, manufacturing and transport purposes. We have already prepared a plan for how we can use the subsurface to a greater extent,” says the initiator of the cooperation, professor C.M Wang from the University of Queensland.

Six stories have been planned underground, where the top layer will be used for shops, and the lower layers for car traffic, trains, parking, water storage and military facilities. Wang and a delegation from Singapore recently met with the researchers from Norway. They went on a tour to see Western Norway and the mainland connection Krifast, where they inspected floating bridges, and SINTEF Ocean’s laboratories at Tyholt.

Great plans in French Polynesia

A company from Silicon Valley also took part in the seminar in Trondheim. They already have specific building plans, but not in Singapore. “French Polynesia wants to build floating cities. They fear that its islands could be hit by rising sea levels,” says Egor Rujikov, ambassador for Seasteding Institute.

French Polynesia consists of five groups of islands, comprising 121 islands in all, of which 76 are inhabited. The government is working to develop regulations which can allow residential settlements floating at sea. Rujikov has received indications that building can start within a short period of time.

“Few technical limitations”

“We expect to set the first modules afloat during 2018. They will be 50 x 50 metres in size. The idea is to make these floating communities as self-supporting as possible, when it comes to water, energy and food,” Rujikov says.

“This is a good example of success in international cooperation. Now, we hope that more Asian countries can make use of this knowledge,” concludes Øyvind Hellan at SINTEF.

(sintef, maritime-executive )

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Peace Talks

Talks about Talks Between USA and North Korea in Norway

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

Several foreign media reported that Oslo will host talks between North Korea and the United States. The Norwegian Foreign Ministry kept silent.

Spokesman of China’s Foreign Ministry, Shi Xiang claimed the meeting between the two countries is expected to be held in Norway, but it is unclear when it may be, NRK reported.

Japanese TV Asahi wrote about the alleged meeting. According to the website, former employees of the US Department of Foreign Affairs will meet North Korean officials in Oslo.

The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs replied to NRK that they will not comment on questions related to any Norwegian involvement in peace and reconciliation work.

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Politics

Norwegian Minister of EEA and EU affairs to visit Estonia

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

Norwegian Minister of EEA and EU Affairs Frank Bakke-Jensen is to visit Estonia on Monday and Tuesday to sign an EEA and Norway grants agreement with Estonia for a new period.

“Estonia is an important partner for Norway both in terms of bilateral relations, regional policy and European policy. Estonia’s priorities for its EU presidency, especially those in the field of digital cooperation, are well in accordance with Norway’s priority areas in Nordic cooperation, the presidency of which Norway will hold this year. We can use these synergies to our mutual benefit,” Bakke-Jensen said in remarks released ahead of the trip.

During the visit, Bakke-Jensen is scheduled to meet with Estonian Foreign Minister Sven Mikser, Deputy Minister for EU Affairs Matti Maasikas, and Minister of Health and Labor Jevgeni Ossinovski. The Norwegian minister will sign a memorandum of mutual understanding for the new period of EEA and Norway grants and is scheduled to meet with representatives of projects which have already received the funding. Bakke-Jensen will also visit the e-Estonia showroom, textile company Protex and representatives of Estonian non-governmental organizations.

“Cooperation with Estonia in the framework of EEA and Norway grants is a good example of how these support schemes contribute to the development of an environmentally friendly, inclusive and competitive Europe,” Bakke-Jensen said.

(baltictimes)

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Norwegian Aid

Norway defends NGOs in Hungary and Poland

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

Norway’s prime minister Erna Solberg said Hungary and Poland must allow independent funding of NGOs as part of a €1 billion Norwegian aid scheme, which is currently up for renewal.

Poland and Hungary want Norway to waive a requirement that EEA (European Economic Area) funds to civil society must be channelled through an administrative body that is meant to be independent of their governments. Solberg rejected the demand.

“We cannot allow Poland and Hungary to control the money to civil society. We must have independent organisations that assign them,” she told Norwegian press agency NTB.

She also warned against “illiberal” powers that do not understand the need for an independent civil society.

“The civic sector shouldn’t be controlled by the state,” said the Norwegian PM, who heads a coalition between Conservatives and the anti-immigrant, libertarian Progress party.

Solberg raised the matter with European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker during a visit to Brussels last week.

Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, in exchange for their access to the EU single market, fund initiatives aimed at reducing social and economic disparities in 15 poorer EU member states, through the so-called EEA funds.

Norway is the biggest donor and Poland the largest beneficiary, followed by Romania and Hungary.

Under the next scheme, which runs until 2021, Poland stands to receive €809 million and Hungary €215 million in aid.

A small part of the funds, roughly 10 percent, is dedicated to civic society, a mandatory part of the support programme.

Negotiations between Norway and Poland are stuck in deadlock. Another round of negotiations with Hungary will take place later in May.

Norway’s EU minister Frank Bakke-Jensen, formally in charge of the talks, told NTB he hoped to close negotiations by the end of the year.

He said he did not worry about them dragging out.

“It’s a good training camp for young democracies to sit at such a negotiating table,” he said.

(eu observer)

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Farming

Viet Nam, Norway confer on aquaculture

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of  Viet Nam and the Norwegian Embassy organised a business seminar on sustainable aquaculture in southern Can Tho City on Saturday.

Co-chaired by Tran Dinh Luan, deputy general director of the Fisheries Department, and Ole Henaes, the commercial counsellor at the embassy in Ha Noi, the event brought together executives from 16 Norwegian aquaculture companies and local businesses and officials from the directorate and provincial departments of aquaculture.

The workshop sought to introduce Norwegian technologies in the aquaculture value chain and connect Vietnamese and Norwegian businesses.

It discussed new techniques and technologies in fisheries and aquaculture processing from renowned Norwegian companies like Artec Aqua, CFlow, Steinsvik, Normex and Pharmaq, including the use of electrolysis and ultrasound in the treatment of seawater, efficient systems for handling and transport of fish, automatic feeding and monitoring systems for fish farms, corrosion-free surveillance cameras for ships, wastewater treatment and organic matter removal systems, and vaccines for fish.

Assoc Prof Dr. Nguyen Huu Dung, chairman of the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers said with a coastline of over 3,260 kilometres, more than 3,000 islands and islets and 2,860 rivers and estuaries, Viet Nam was geographically endowed with ideal conditions for fisheries.

The country is the third largest fisheries producer with an output of 6.33 million tons last year. It is the leading producer of pangasius and the third largest producer of shrimp.

Yet, Dung said, the Vietnamese aquaculture sector has also faced major challenges in recent years.

Unsustainable development

They include lack of planning leading to unsustainable development, poor breeding fish quality and aquaculture infrastructure, inefficient extension services, high disease prevalence and lack of environmental monitoring and administrative and management capacity, he said.

The country is in urgent need of building a partnership with an aquaculture superpower like Norway to develop a more sustainable fisheries sector that can produce higher quality seafood products for local and global markets, he said.

Henaes said many Norwegain aquaculture companies consider Viet Nam the most promising market in Southeast Asia, thanks to a number of advantages such as competitive labour costs, skilled workers, open economic policy, favourable geographical conditions and a mutual interest in the blue economy.

The main objective is for the Norwegian businesses to increase their knowledge of the Vietnamese seafood industry, market their technologies and update their Vietnamese partners on new technological innovations to improve their efficiency, he said.

Luan thanked the delegates for their input and assured that the ministry would help identify opportunities for Norwegian investors, create the best possible conditions for them and facilitate long-term relationships.

The Department of Fisheries would support Norwegian aquaculture businesses as an active dialogue partner and advise them on local political and economic conditions and issues like corporate social responsibility, barriers to business operations and others.

It would also help them contact the Government, he said.

It would co-operate closely with Norwegian investment funds like Holbergfondene and Nor-fishing Foundation Fund to allocate money needed for projects and ventures, he said.— VNS

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Oil & Gas

DNO to expand oil investments in Kurdistan Region

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

Norwegian DNO oil and gas operator announced on Thursday that the company expanded investments in the oil sector in the Kurdistan Region.

The Norwegian company in a statement on its website announced that strong first quarter results have encouraged the expanded investments, including doubling of planned 2017 wells at the Tawke field in the Kurdistan Region.

DNO also revealed that the first quarter results recorded net profit of 15 million USD, reversing a net loss of USD 31 million in the previous quarter, the statement added.

According to the statement, DNO is planning to develop eight new production wells as part of the expanded 2017 Tawke program, of which six are Cretaceous and two are shallow Jeribe wells.

DNO added that the company since last year has received 122 million USD from the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), including 23 million USD towards DNO’s booked receivables for previous deliveries.

The DNO revealed that it “produced an average of 3,000 barrels of oil per day from the recently drilled Peshkabir-2 well during a two-week test period in April,” stating that “the produced oil trucked to DNO’s facilities at Fish Khabur and exported.”

“The Peshkabir-3 appraisal and production well will spud in summer 2017,” the statement read.

“The Company is preparing an accelerated development plan utilizing an early production facility to bring the Peshkabir field onstream by the end of this year,” the statement concluded.

In January 2017, DNO announced that the company’s the Peshkhabir-2 well drilling in the Kurdistan Region found oil in the southern part of the Peshkhabir oil field.

The company mainly operates in the Tawke oil field located in Duhok Province, northern Kurdistan Region.

(Kurdistan24)

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Science

Patria wins contract for the Norwegian NH90 helicopters

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan
Norwegian Defence Logistics Organisation (NDLO) has selected Patria to supply on-aircraft maintenance for the Norwegian NH90 helicopters. The scope of the contract covers phase and calendar inspections, associated repairs and maintenance for the Norwegian NH90 NFH Helicopters. The agreement is for two years with option for additional two years and its value is estimated to be up to 100 million NOK.

“This agreement is an important milestone for us in Norway to show Patria’s capability in supporting military programs with cost effective solutions in long-term. Our solid experience with the helicopter type from Finland and Sweden as well as the high number of experienced employees specialized in NH90 gives us a very good base to handle this contract”, says Dan Nordheim, Managing Director and Country Manager of Patria Helicopters in Norway.

Patria Helicopters’ location in Bardufoss, Norway is in close proximity of the customer’s operations. “With this arrangement we are able to build highly competent local capability to support the life of the Norwegian NH90 fleet. This will also provide us with a strong foundation to further develop and grow our operations in Bardufoss”, continues Nordheim.

”Six years ago, in March 2011, we decided to set our foot in the area of aviation support in Norway by acquiring a Bardufoss based aircraft maintenance company, NAC Maintenance – the current Patria Helicopters AS. Our vision was to become a key partner in supporting the Norwegian NH90 fleet which started to ramp up its operations at Air Wing 139. Now, almost exactly six years later we are able to witness this contract as a great milestone in fulfilling the vision. Now we have a chance to prove ourselves and give also the Norwegian customer confidence in all conditions and become their #1 partner for critical operations, as Patria’s mission statement and vision promise”, celebrates Lassi Matikainen, President of International Support Partnerships Business Area at Patria.

Patria Helicopters Norway has already served the Norwegian Air Force and civil customers over many years at Bardufoss by maintaining their training aircraft fleets. Patria is providing large scale of military and civil helicopter life-cycle support services also in Sweden and Finland. Patria is OEM-certified service center for Airbus, Bell and Leonardo helicopters. Patria has also the NH90 Nordic Service Center status from NHI and did the final assembly of 29 Finnish and Swedish NH90 helicopters related to the Nordic Standard Helicopter Procurement Programme.

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NATO and Norway

Secretary General commends Norway’s contributions to NATO

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg welcomed Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg to NATO Headquarters on Thursday (4 May 2017) for talks on the Alliance’s continued adaptation and preparations for the meeting of NATO leaders on 25 May. The Secretary General thanked Norway for its important contributions to NATO’s defence and deterrence, as well as efforts to project stability.

Prime Minister Erna Solberg, it’s a real pleasure to welcome you back to the NATO Headquarters.

We’ve just finished an excellent meeting where we addressed how NATO is adapting to a new and more demanding security environment and also the upcoming meeting of NATO leaders on the 25th May.

Norway is a founding member of the Alliance, Norway is a very committed member of the Alliance and we highly value the many contributions of Norway to the Alliance. You have been in Afghanistan with Norwegian troops for many many years, you continue to be there, you are going to participate in the NATO battlegroup in Lithuania, enhancing our presence in that part of Europe. You help us with support to NATO partners like Georgia, Ukraine and Jordan. And we also appreciate that Norway is the host nation for the Joint Warfare Centre in Stavanger. And all of this are important contributions to our collective defence, to the strength of the Alliance.

Let me also thank Norway for Norway’s presence in the high North. And over the last years Norway has invested heavily in new capabilities, new frigates, you are in the process of buying new F-35 planes, and you’ve decided to buy new submarines and new maritime patrol aircrafts. So Norway is increasing its capacity when it comes to presence in the high North which is important for the whole Alliance.

Joint press point with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and the Prime Minister of Norway, Erna Solberg

We discussed also the preparations for the upcoming meeting in May. It will be a very short meeting but it will be an important meeting because it will be the first visit of the new US President to NATO and to meet Allies and it will also be the meeting where we will meet the new French President. And I’m absolutely certain that the meeting in May will express NATO unity, NATO resolve and that’s something I welcome in times of more uncertainty, that we need a strong Alliance. The two main issues that we will address at the meeting in May are transatlantic bond, burden-sharing, and NATO’s efforts in the global fight against terrorism. When it comes to NATO’s role in the fight against terrorism we will address issues like Afghanistan. NATO has been there for many years, we are unwavering in our support for the Afghans, we will continue to provide them with financial support, train, assist and advice and we have to address the future of our Resolute Support Mission, the forces level, and how we can continue to provide support to the Afghans.

We will also discuss how NATO can step up its efforts to provide support to the Counter-ISIL coalition. We provide some AWACS support, we train Iraqi forces, but we will look into what more NATO can do.

Regarding burden-sharing, the transatlantic bond, all 28 Allies made a very important decision in Wales in 2014 to stop the cuts in defence spending to gradually increase and then to move towards spending 2% of GDP on defence within a decade and the good news is that we have turned a corner. After many years of decline we have now seen the first increase in defence spending across Europe and Canada and it is important that we keep up the momentum and make sure that we continue this positive development with increased defence spending across Europe and Canada.

So there are many important issues on the agenda. I look very much forward to welcoming you back to NATO on the 25th May here in Brussels, where we are also going to have a hand over ceremony for the new building just across the street.

So once again, welcome to NATO Erna Solberg.

Oana Lungescu (NATO Spokesperson): Okay. Wall Street Journal.

Q: Mr. Secretary General, a couple questions about the upcoming meeting. One, why is it too short? Two, are you making progress on the national plans toward, agreeing toward national plans? And finally do you personally support a counter terrorism coordinator, would this be helpful? And to the Prime Minister is 2 % of GDP a realistic goal for Norway? Do you anticipate Norway would adopt a national plan to reach 2 %?

Jens Stoltenberg (NATO Secretary General): First on the CT coordinator. What we are now discussing is how NATO can do more in the fight against terrorism. How we can utilize the untapped potential in NATO because we have the structures, we have the experience, we have the knowledge. We have done it before in Afghanistan, but also in Bosnia-Herzegovina when it comes to the issue to train local forces, build local capacity. And I really believe that the most important thing we can do is to build local capacity, enable local forces to fight terrorism themselves and to stabilize their own country. Exactly how we’re going to do that, exactly which measures we will agree on … it’s a bit too early to say but we are looking in to different measures addressing how NATO can step up its efforts in the global fight against terrorism.

Regarding the national plans we are now looking into how we can make sure that we keep up the momentum. That we are able to continue the increase in defence spending we have seen over the last couple of years. And we have to also underline that burden sharing is of course about defence spending, but it’s also about capabilities and contributions to NATO missions and operations. And all these three strands of efforts are important and we are looking into what kind of documents, what kind of tools can we develop to make sure that we continue to see a positive development in these areas. Exactly what will be decided and announced in the meeting on the 25th of May.

Erna Solberg (Prime Minister of Norway): And I would just like to say that Norway has last year proposed a long-term plan for the Norwegian defence which is an enormous increasement in the years to come in our budgets. And we are working towards the 2 % goal, the next four years we will have a large increase and then of course there will be a new revised plan every fourth year based on that. But we are increasing our support for the military activities and on the top of that of course there are new demands always on international cooperation and participations.

Q: Secretary General about these national plans. In your view what do you think should be the main elements of those plans? Can you be a bit more specific about that? And also now Prime Minister Solberg mentioned the Norwegian long term plan, do you expect that Norway would have to be more specific about its plans? Is the long term plan enough or should Norway prepare to lay some more details on the table?

Jens Stoltenberg: First of all regarding the national plans no decision has been made. So we are now in the process discussing within NATO with NATO allies exactly how we can develop different tools to make sure that we continue to deliver on what we promised in 2014. But the idea as it has been presented by some allies and which is now discussed in the alliance is to have documents where allies can report on how they are following up the pledge, both when it comes to defence spending but also when it comes to capabilities and contributions to NA TO missions and operations. And the whole purpose of having these kind of documents is that they will then provide us a better understanding of where different nations are when it comes to implementing the pledge we made together in 2014. And again, I’m confident that we will have decisions by the 25th of May and then I can go into more details.

Erna Solberg: And I think our plan is moving towards all of the goals that is set by … we will have … we will not … we will be above 20 % in investments, we are transforming the capabilities that we have, we are working on the principle of inter-operability between Norway and others and we are contributing to the international operations both mainly through NATO but also in some of the others that the EU are doing and also some of the UN operations.

Oana Lungescu: Politico.

Q: Mr. Secretary General on, in terms of the most relevant or perhaps most dangerous conflict right now, military conflict in Syria, two of your biggest allies are very active, the United States and Turkey but not exactly on the same side. I wonder at what point does that potentially become problematic and do you expect that to come up perhaps in the sidelines of the meeting later this month? And for the Prime Minister, as the Secretary General noted you’ll have two new colleagues from France and the United States. What might you say to them to really convince them that NATO is not obsolete?

Jens Stoltenberg: As you know NATO provides support to the coalition fighting ISIL in Iraq and Syria, but NATO is not present in Syria as an alliance, some NATO allies are. And since NATO is not present on the ground in Syria I think I should refrain from commenting on, or to say, operational issues related to the activities of NATO allies. But I of course expect all NATO allies to coordinate their activities, especially in Northern Syria where there is a very complex and very difficult military situation. What NATO will do is that we will look into whether or how we can provide more support. We provide some support to the coalition with our AWACS planes -improving the air picture for the coalition operating over Iraq and Syria, and it may also be in other areas that we can provide more support for the coalition.

Erna Solberg: My message to, well they are not my colleagues since I am a Prime Minister not a President but, remembering to understand the differences in a monarchy like Norway, but my biggest message to them is of course that the Atlantic tie has shown itself to be extremely important. The military capacities that we need also in the Atlantic is important, that was one of the issues that we were very concerned about before the Warsaw meeting because we know that if the Northern Atlantic part is controlled, the seaway, you will not be able to have support for Europe, in a crisis or conflict this will be a very difficult issue. And so it’s important to have this connection and I think when we started to work on this one of our partners was in fact France who have a different understanding of the Atlantic ties now I think than they had, if you look 20 years back, 30 years back and the understanding that the connection between North America and Europe is extremely important, also military.

Oana Lungescu: Thank you very much. This concludes this press point.

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Norwegian Aid

A man-made famine on our watch

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

Norwegian Refugee Council Secretary General Jan Egeland on the humanitarian situation in Yemen:

“I am shocked to my bones by what I have seen and heard here in war- and hunger- stricken Yemen. The world is letting some 7 million men, women and children slowly but surely, be engulfed by unprecedented famine. It is not a drought that is at fault. This preventable catastrophe is man-made from A to Z,” said Jan Egeland, Secretary General of the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) after a five day visit to Sana’a, Aden and Amran in Yemen.

“This is a gigantic failure of international diplomacy. Men with guns and power inside Yemen as well as in regional and international capitals are undermining every effort to avert an entirely preventable famine, as well as the collapse of health and education services for millions of children.

“Nowhere on earth are as many lives at risk. We are not even sure that the main humanitarian lifeline through the port of Hudaydah will be kept open. The Saudi-led, Western-backed, military coalition has threatened to attack the port, which would likely destroy it and cut supplies to millions of hungry civilians. The severe access restrictions to Yemen by air, sea and land has caused economic collapse in a country of 27 million people,” said Egeland.

NRC’s appeal to the parties of the conflict in Aden and Sana’a, as well as to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, to Iran and to Western powers like the USA and UK, is the following:

“Do not bring further fuel to this fire. We need you to agree to a ceasefire, serious peace talks and urgent relief for 19 million Yemenis in need. This month, humanitarian efforts led by the World Food Programme, can only afford to feed 3 of the 7 million Yemenis on the brink of famine. The heroic relief workers in Yemen are acutely underfunded, and local military and political authorities are preventing access to many communities in need,” said Egeland.

Commercial food imports have reached an all-time low, driving the price of basic commodities to rise on average by a third. Sixty per cent of people are food insecure and nearly 7 million do not know where their next meal will come from.

This makes Yemen the largest food security crisis in the world.

“An aid worker told me the fear and desperation among civilians is now so great that mothers with acutely undernourished children grab their kids from hospital beds when they hear the war planes flying over.”

During his visit, Egeland met with families affected by the conflict, humanitarian partners and authorities. “I met teachers, health workers, engineers and other civil servants that have not been paid for 8 months and who now struggle to survive,” he said. “The development agencies must be able to keep the public sector functioning to prevent an explosion of epidemic diseases and illiteracy. This strangulation of an entire civilian population on both sides of the frontline cannot be allowed to continue.”

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