Friday, November 13, 2026
Oil & Gas

Norwegian-US firm to conduct 2D survey in offshore areas

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

bang-MMAP-mdA Norwegian-US joint venture firm will carry out a two-dimensional (2D) multi-client seismic survey in offshore areas of Bangladesh from December this year, according to sources concerned

A proposal of Energy and Mineral Resources Division on the matter will be placed at the meeting of the cabinet committee on economic affairs for approval tomorrow.

According to the proposal, Petrobangla will sign an agreement with TGS-NOPEC and Schlumberger, a Norwegian-US joint venture, to conduct the 2D seismic survey. The agreement will be signed this month.

Foreign oil and gas companies, who are now involved with offshore areas, will collect data from the Norwegian-US firm for drilling, the proposal said.

Prime Minister’s Office already approved the proposal last month. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is also minister of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources.

The objective of the survey is to provide the country’s oil and gas industry with 2D seismic data of the offshore areas to help with basin evaluation, prospect generation and robust bid-round participation.

The survey, first of its kind in the country, was deemed necessary after Bangladesh’s maritime boundaries with Myanmar and India were settled.

The state-owned Petrobangla, on behalf of the government, invited re-tenders to conduct the survey on December 10 last year and received proposals from five global geophysical companies by January 31 this year.

The companies are Norway-US joint venture TGS-NOPEC and Schlumberger, Chinese company BGP, Russian firms Dalmorneftegeophysica (DMNG) and Marine Arctic Geological Expedition (MAGE) and UK-based Spec Partners Ltd.

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Africa and Norway

Essential to step up international efforts in South Sudan

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

729x‘The fighting in South Sudan is continuing. Norway supports proposals for a new regional protection force in the capital and a strengthening of the mandate of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS). The Security Council must adopt targeted sanctions and an arms embargo, as called for by the UN Secretary-General,’ said Minister of Foreign Affairs Børge Brende.

‘Norway joins South Sudan’s neighbouring countries and the African Union in condemning the recent violence in the strongest possible terms. The violence erupted on 8 July in Juba and is continuing to spread to new areas. It is now more important than ever that the peace agreement is respected and implemented,’ Mr Brende said.

On 8 July, fighting broke out in the South Sudanese capital of Juba between forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and those loyal to First Vice-President Riek Machar. A large number of civilians have lost their lives and some 35 000 people have been forced to flee. Three UN soldiers were killed when the areas in the UN camp where civilians had sought refuge were attacked. Tens of thousands of people have fled across the border into neighbouring countries, and the fighting is continuing in the southern part of the country. Despite the fact that the Government has committed itself to a ceasefire, there were reports on 31 July of new clashes in Nassir in Upper Nile State and an escalation of fighting in the Equatoria region. The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and the African Union have condemned the fighting and called for the deployment of a regional protection force to Juba to secure the capital. Norway supports this initiative. ‘The fighting must end immediately. Now, five years after gaining its independence, South Sudan is in grave danger of collapse. And it is the lack of will shown by the country’s leaders to follow up their own peace agreement that is to blame. The international community and aid organisations are doing everything they can to help the civilian population. It is high time that the parties, too, show responsibility,’ Mr Brende said.

Serious human rights violations have once again taken place in South Sudan. Civilians have been killed in targeted attacks and there are well-documented reports of grave forms of sexual violence being used, such as mass rapes of adults and children who have sought refuge in camps for internally displaced people. In the last two weeks alone, the UN has documented over 120 cases of sexual violence in Juba. Government soldiers in uniform are responsible for many of these attacks.

‘These are clear violations of international humanitarian law. I would like to remind the parties that the peace agreement establishes a hybrid court with a mandate to bring to justice all those responsible for committing such crimes. There can be no impunity for the perpetrators and those responsible must be held accountable for their actions,’ Mr Brende said.

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Middle East and Norway

Foreign Minister concerned by Israel’s recent announcements of settlement expansion

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan
Oslo 20160621. Utenriksminister Børge Brende oåpnet verdenskongressen mot dødsstraff, som finner sted i Oslo 21.-23. juni. Kongressen forgår i Den Norske Opera. Foto: Vidar Ruud / NTB scanpix

Oslo 20160621.
Utenriksminister Børge Brende oåpnet verdenskongressen mot dødsstraff, som finner sted i Oslo 21.-23. juni. Kongressen forgår i Den Norske Opera.
Foto: Vidar Ruud / NTB scanpix

‘I share the concerns that have been expressed by the UN, the EU and the US about Israel’s recent announcements of plans to build new settlement units in East Jerusalem and the West Bank,’ said Minister of Foreign Affairs Børge Brende.
Last week, Israel announced plans for 770 new units in the settlement of Gilo in East Jerusalem. This week, Israel published tenders for a further 323 units in the settlements of Gilo, Neve Yaakov, Pisgat Zeev and Har Homa. This comes in addition to announcements earlier this month to build new housing units in Ma’ale Adumim, Kiryat Arba and East Jerusalem.

‘The building of settlements on occupied Palestinian territory is a violation of international law. Both the UN and the International Court of Justice in The Hague have declared that the areas captured by Israel in the 1967 war are occupied territory, and that by moving its citizens to occupied territory, Israel is violating international law. Moreover, these latest announcements are not compatible with Israel’s declared support for a two-state solution,’ Mr Brende said.

‘Israel must cease its policy of settlement expansion, in line with the Middle East Quartet’s recommendations. Norway therefore urges Israel to reverse these decisions, which are undermining the prospects for a resumption of negotiations on a two-state solution,’ Mr Brende said.

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Asia and Norway

FIA for facilitating exit of petitioner’s wife, daughters to Norway

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

Musharraf-IslamabadHighCourtA petitioner alleged before the Islamabad High Court (IHC) that the Royal Norwegian Embassy has played a role in transporting his wife and daughters to Norway and the FIA did not stop the passengers getting on board despite being informed.

Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) here on Monday issued notices to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) in a contempt of court petition where a petitioner adopted before the court that his Norwegian wife took his two minor daughters out of the country in connivance with the embassy officials and the FIA did not stop her despite the fact that the petitioner had intimated the investigation agency and showed them the court orders.

Legal counsel for the petitioner Barrister Masroor Shah while giving a detailed account of this incident told The News that the Norwegian embassy had filed a habeas corpus petition with the IHC that a Pakistani citizen Bilal Rasheed had detained his Norwegian wife Missra Hosseini at his home in Chak Shehzad, Islamabad.

The Norwegian Embassy had filed this petition on the complaint of Missra Hosseini’s friend in Oslo who told the Norwegian officials that her friend has been kept under detention.

The IHC bench, taking up the Norwegian Embassy’s petition, then issued notices to the husband Bilal Rasheed and his wife Missra Hosseini to appear before the court.

The present petitioner, Bilal Rasheed, has stated before the court that in compliance with court order, both husband and wife appeared and his wife recorded the statement that she was willfully residing here in Pakistan along with her husband.

A senior official of the embassy Sjlia then told the court that the Norwegian embassy needs her statement inside the embassy to fulfill legal requirements of their country. The IHC bench on July 21, 2016 allowed Norwegian Embassy’s plea and directed the Norwegian national of Kurdish descent Missra Hosseini to record her statement inside the embassy.

The present petitioner, Bilal Rasheed, told the IHC that he along with his wife Hosseini went to the embassy for recording of statement. His wife and the Norwegian embassy official Sjlia moved inside the embassy with daughters of the petitioner and he was asked to stay outside. That the petitioner stayed outside the embassy till late but no one came out and he then asked one of the security guards about this who told that no one was there inside the embassy. That on the same day at about 11:00pm, it came into the knowledge of the petitioner that his wife in connivance with the embassy officials moved to the airport. The petitioner then rushed to the airport and also told FIA officials while showing them orders of the court where the court only directed Hosseini to record her statement and did not pass any order regarding interim custody or removal of his daughters from Pakistan.

However, the petitioner Bilal Rasheed remained unsuccessful in stopping his wife and daughters leaving for Norway.The petitioner contended that the respondents have committed gross contempt of this honourable court and were liable to be punished in accordance with the law. The petitioner prayed to the court to initiate criminal proceedings against the respondents and order for retrieval of his daughters.The petitioner has nominated senior official of Norwegian embassy Sjlia, Missra Hosseini and Muhammad Amlish, Director General (DG), FIA, as respondents.

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Asylum

Norway requires asylum seekers to attend classes on women’s rights

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

screen-shot-2016-08-01-at-2-47-40-pmImmigrants seeking asylum in Norway are required to attend compulsory classes on female rights — a response to a series of rapes, 75 percent of which were committed by immigrants, in the city of Stavanger between 2009 and 2011. The Guardian’s Jenny Kleeman travelled to the town of Moi, 65 miles southeast of Stavanger, where she attended one such class, and talked with the adult students attending it.

In the classroom, the teacher, Gro Helland, showed an image of woman wearing the hijab alongside a woman wearing a miniskirt. “Do you think there are some differences between these girls?” she asked. One of the students smiled wryly in response.

“So you’re saying we shouldn’t stare at women in short dresses?” he asked. “But equally, some Norwegians look at women who wear very traditional hijab and assume they’re ignorant and backward. We have to learn — but they also need to learn about us too.”

Speaking with Helland after the class, Kleeman asked about the culture clash experienced by Muslim immigrants to the country. “We have had men in the beginning just staring at us,” said Helland, gesturing at her western attire. Asked about the risk of making these immigrants feel stigmatized, Helland says that many do. “But they need it,” she added, laughing.

According to Suad, a single mother of four originally from Qatar attending the class, the lessons leave little lasting impression, except perhaps to prepare them if their children, growing up in Norway, adopt western values. “Personally, I think it’s impossible for me to change and have all this freedom,” she said. “But for my kids,” she noted, ” … It’s up to them if they want to take those steps.” As for changing the beliefs of full-grown men, however, Suad was less optimistic. “No Eastern man can be changed by a Norwegian class he goes to every Thursday,” she said.

Watch the Guardian’s report below:

 

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Asia and Norway

Norway’s FM attends ASEAN Meeting

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

27889863214_72e86f8cf8_k-e1469681141781From 24 to 26 July the 49th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting took place in Vientiane, Laos. The meeting was attended by a range of foreign ministers from Southeast Asia, but also other regions of the world, including Norway, represented by Foreign Minister, Børge Brende.

“The partnership with ASEAN is very positive for Norway,” Brende said ahead of the meeting.

“It provides us access to important political arenas, and Norwegian minisitries and businesses have better access to meeting potential partners at the governmental level. This improves Norwegian companies’ opportunities in the Southeast Asian markets,” he added.

During the three day long meeting, Brende met with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, who today is Union Minister for Foreign Affairs to Myanmar.

Besides the famous, Burmese politician, the Norwegian FM met the ASEAN Secretary-General and the FMs from Laos, Vietnam and the Philippines. Brende discussed topics such as the countries’ mutual contribution to peace, economic development in the region and Norway’s bilateral and trade relations with the resepective ASEAN member states.

“Through our dialogue and our partnership with ASEAN, we want to work together to strengthen regional stability, peaceful and sustainable development, regional economic integration and good, predictable framework conditions for Norwegian industry. Regional and global issues and respect for international legal order and human rights will also be on the agenda,” Brende also said before the meeting.

In 2015, the ASEAN member states were Norway’s fourth biggest trading partner and the third most important export market. The same year, Norway also entered into a strategic partnership with ASEAN that further strengthened trade and other relations between the Scandinavian country and the ASEAN member states.

During the ASEAN Meeting, the 25th anniversery for diplomatic relations between Norway and Laos was also marked. Especially the Norwegian organization, Norwegian People’s Aid’s humanitarian disarmament efforts in Laos was highlighted at the reception.

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Science

Norway approaches suppliers for ERTMS solution

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

Norway-shutterstockNorway’s Jernbaneverket has issued a request for quotation (RFQ) to several prequalified companies to supply the country’s first ERTMS signalling system.

Suppliers have been divided into three categories: traffic management system, ERTMS onboard and ERTMS trackside.

Alstom, Ansaldo STS, Indra, Siemens and Thales have been prequalified for the traffic management contract. Alstom, Ansaldo STS, Bombardier and Siemens for the onboard equipment. Alstom, Ansaldo STS, Bombardier, Siemens and Thales for the trackside infrastructure.

Jernbaneverket said it expects to award the contracts between autumn 2017 and spring 2018.

Eivind Skorstad, project manager for the introduction of ERTMS, said: “We have reached an important milestone in the ERTMS project for planned schedule.

“Now the supplier market have time to prepare their offers, while we in the project prepares us for future evaluation of tenders and negotiations.”

State funding for the rollout of ERTMS across the country was approved in May. Jernbaneverket is aiming to implement the system on all of the country’s rail routes by 2030.

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Corruption in Norway

Finnish anti-doping doc calls for investigation into Norway’s skiers

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

Röste SundbyThe World Anti-Doping Agency, fresh from its revelations of widespread drug use among Russian athletes, should now turn its attention to allegations of doping among Norwegian skiers, says the medical director of Finland’s anti-doping authority.

The medical director of Finland’s anti-doping council, FINADA, has called on the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) to focus its attention on investigating alleged drug use among Norwegian skiers, following the organisation’s investigation into Russian doping.

This month WADA’s report of widespread state-sanctioned doping among Russian athletes led to the country’s track and field team being banned from competing in the Rio Olympics this summer. However the International Olympic Committee stopped short of imposing a blanket ban on all Russia competitors for the games.

Finland’s anti-doping agency FINADA was among the voices calling for a full ban on Russia. But in an interview with Yle, the organisation’s medical director, Timo Seppälä, said that WADA must now turn its attentions to claims of drug use in Norwegian skiing.

Last week Norwegian male skiing star Martin Johnsrud Sundby was given a two-month competition ban for misuse of asthma medication. Neither Norway’s ski association, the country’s anti doping agency nor the International Ski Federation called for sanctions against Sundby, but WADA took the issue to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), who imposed the ban.

“No other option”

”The CAS report shows that the Norwegian Ski Federation all but accepted Sundby’s substance use. There’s a doctor who prescribes overdoses, and the organisation accepts and even gives money to competitors who’ve used substances,” Seppälä said.

He claimed the Sundby case suggests that other top Norwegian skiers have been given the maximum dose of Salbutamol asthma drugs.

”I think it’s clear that WADA should now sent some sort of delegation to investigate drug use across the whole of the Norwegian Ski Federation and how they deal with the results when positive test results come back. There is no other option,” he said.

Seppälä added that the investigation would be in Norway’s interest, as it would be able to prove it is clean if significant problems are not found.

He said he has seen no sign of similar problems in other sports in Norway. “I haven’t seen any signs, but of course they have to be looked into. You can never know,” Seppälä said.

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Crimes

After Going Without Lifejacket Policeman Fines Himself

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

oslo-police_650x400_81469450639No one is above the law in Norway, it would seem, after a policeman fined himself for failing to wear a life jacket.

Officer Arne Stavnes was pictured in the pages of the Verdens Gang newspaper at the helm of his police boat during a patrol of Utoya island, 38 kilometres (24 miles) away from Oslo.

The photo prompted several witty comments from readers who noted that the skipper was flouting the law by not wearing his police-issue lifesaver compulsory in Norway on vessels less than eight metres long.

The honest policeman moved to stay one step ahead of the criticism and published a photo of his self-issued 500 Norwegian kroner ($58, 53 euros) penalty.

According to a 2015 survey, 80 percent of Norwegians were found to have confidence in their police service.

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Economics

U.S. Faces EU Legal Action Over Norwegian Air’s Irish Subsidiary

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

Boeing_737-8JP_Norwegian_Air_Shuttle_AN2062008-635x357The European Union took unprecedented legal action against the U.S. in a bid to enable Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA to serve American destinations from Ireland.

The European Commission, the EU’s executive arm, triggered arbitration this week aimed at ensuring Norwegian Air Shuttle’s Irish subsidiary can fly trans-Atlantic routes. The step, taken under a dispute-settlement clause in the EU-U.S. “open-skies” agreement, is meant to push the Department of Transportation in Washington to give final approval to the Irish unit’s December 2013 application for a foreign-carrier permit.

In April, U.S. transport regulators gave a tentative nod to the application over the objections of domestic airlines and labor unions. Following a public consultation on the preliminary green light, the U.S. has yet to give its definitive approval, according to the commission.

“It’s unclear if and when the Department of Transportation will take the final decision,” Anna-Kaisa Itkonen, a commission spokeswoman, said on Thursday in Brussels. “Therefore, after consulting the EU member states, we decided to seek a resolution by legal means.”

The U.S. government’s hesitation over the application by Norwegian Air Shuttle’s Irish arm, which wants to connect Cork and Boston, has slowed what is among the industry’s most ambitious expansion plans. The Fornebu, Norway-based discount carrier began as a domestic operator in 1993, added bases elsewhere in Europe beginning in 2006 and started offering long-haul services in 2013.

The trans-Atlantic open-skies accord, which took effect in 2008, allows airlines based in the EU to serve U.S. destinations from any member nation rather than from just their home country. While Norway isn’t a member of the EU, Ireland belongs to the 28-nation bloc.

The arbitration process initiated by the commission will start before year-end and probably last several months, according to Itkonen.

(bloomberg)

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Crimes

Bus with Ukrainians falls into ravine in Norway, leaving one dead

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

385641821UPDATE: Most Ukrainians who were injured in the bus accident in Norway will be able to leave the hospital and come back home soon, says Vyacheslav Yatsyuk, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to Norway.

UPDATE: According to Ukraine’s Embassy to Norway, 20 Ukrainians were sent to hospital with inqures.

STORY: The bus with tourists from Ukraine got into an accident in Norway on Saturday, 30 July, 100 km from the Norwegian city Aalesund and 550 kilometres northwest of Oslo, Norway’s capital.

One person was killed, up to 10 passengers were seriously injured and taken to hospital. According to the Norwegian publication NRK.no, 14 people were sent to hospital.

The bus was travelling to Trollstigen, along a steep and winding mountain road leading to the Geirangerfjord, one of Norway’s most visited tourist sites, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The bus skidded off the road and fell 6 meters into a ravine. According to Norwegian police, the bus was carrying 41 people, and all of them, including the driver and team leader were Ukrainian citizens.

According to Norwegian media, a Ukrainian coach was killed. His name was not specified. The cause of the accident is still unidentified.

Vyacheslav Yatsyuk, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to Norway, reported that Ukrainians who were injured are now in stable condition. The Consular Service Department also opened a hotline of the Ukrainian Embassy in Norway.

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NATO and Norway

How the Warsaw NATO Summit Altered Arctic Security

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

53d0834f-9d50-4883-95c9-068303647b83The communique that came out of the NATO summit in Warsaw last week puts distance between Russia and the seven other Arctic nations and points to limited cooperation on Arctic matters in the future, says Rob Huebert, an expert on Arctic security.

THE RECENT NATO summit in Warsaw will be remembered as one of the most important events of the post-Cold War era for the future of international Arctic security. At this summit, the alliance officially acknowledged the distance that now exists between itself and Russia. As a direct result, it is highly unlikely that the cooperation of the last decade and a half between Russia and the Arctic NATO countries – Canada, United States, Denmark, Norway and Iceland – can be maintained.

The final Warsaw communique states,

“Russia’s aggressive actions, including provocative military activities in the periphery of NATO territory and its demonstrated willingness to attain political goals by the threat and use of force, are a source of regional instability, fundamentally challenge the Alliance, have damaged Euro-Atlantic security, and threaten our long-standing goal of a Europe whole, free, and at peace.”

Given such a direct condemnation of Russia, how can anyone believe that the current Putin administration will simply look the other way and continue to treat Arctic cooperation as business as usual? Furthermore, there are three issue areas – some public and others not so public – flowing from the NATO summit that demonstrate the seriousness with which the member states regard the Russian behavior and see it in terms of a threat.

Troops on the Ground

First, the Canadian and United States governments, along with the United Kingdom and Germany, have committed to sending troops to the Baltic region to reassure NATO allies there. The Russian government knows this is entirely directed at them. The Baltic states are not in the Arctic, but the willingness of two North American states to send troops into the region to deter Russia does more to set the stage for their relationship with Russia than any ongoing cooperation in the Arctic. Furthermore, both North American countries have also sent military trainers into the Ukraine and have been very clear in their support of the Ukrainian government.

Boosting its Maritime Profile

Second, Norway has been pushing NATO for some time to place greater emphasis on common defense in the Arctic. It has become more and more concerned that the increased Russian military activity in the region has not been receiving adequate attention from the alliance, specifically with regard to the maritime dimension. While there is no specific mention of the Arctic in the communique, this initiative is now gaining more traction within NATO. Former Canadian prime minister Stephen Harper had been the biggest opponent of this initiative, but his government has since been replaced. While the new Canadian government has not stated its specific position on this issue, it has been making a point of distancing itself from most of the policies of the Harper government.

The communique makes it clear that NATO will improve security at all of its borders. This will have to include the North, even if it is not mentioned specifically:

“In the North Atlantic, as elsewhere, the Alliance will be ready to deter and defend against any potential threats, including against sea lines of communication and maritime approaches of NATO territory. In this context, we will further strengthen our maritime posture and comprehensive situational awareness.”

This suggests that the Norwegian efforts to focus the alliance’s attention northward is beginning to succeed – and will be duly noted by Moscow.

New Northern NATO Members?

Third, and perhaps most critical to the hopes of maintaining the era of cooperation, the Warsaw communique underscores NATO’s growing relationship with Finland and Sweden.

“We appreciate the significant contributions of Finland and Sweden to NATO-led operations. We are dedicated to the continuous process of further strengthening our cooperation with these enhanced opportunities partners, including through regular political consultations, shared situational awareness, and joint exercises, in order to respond to common challenges in a timely and effective manner.”

Additionally, both President Sauli Niinistö of Finland and Prime Minister Stefan Löfven of Sweden attended the summit, demonstrating the importance of the meeting to both countries. Following the Ukrainian crisis, both countries have reported increasing violations of both their airspace and maritime zones by Russian forces. Sweden has been increasingly wrestling with the issue of self-defense to the point where the former chief of its armed forces in 2013 openly stated that Sweden could not defend itself against attack. The secretary-general of NATO immediately followed up with a statement pointing out that the alliance would only come to the assistance of full members – and Sweden is not a full member of NATO.

There are emerging signs that both Sweden and Finland are seriously considering seeking membership of the alliance. The Nordic Summit that took place in Washington, D.C., in May, included delegations from Finland, Sweden, Norway Denmark and Iceland, and focused on the defense needs of all Nordic countries in the face of Russian actions. It seemed to indicate American support for a Finnish and Swedish application to NATO.

Five of the Arctic Council’s eight members are part of NATO. If Sweden or Finland applies for full NATO membership and Norway continues to push for a greater Arctic focus, Russia may begin to feel fenced-in. The challenges for maintaining Arctic cooperation on matters other than traditional military security will be substantial. Some of the most important cooperative initiatives to come out of the Arctic Council may be maintained, such as the Arctic Coast Guard Forum, as a limited means of confidence building. But with the alliance directly blaming the crisis in the Ukraine on Russia and taking clear military steps to reinforce itself as an alliance, it is difficult to see how Arctic cooperation will continue in the same fashion as in the last decade. It is difficult to think of any meaningful areas of cooperation that will not be impacted by the new tone presented in the Warsaw Communique and inevitable Russian reaction.

The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Arctic Deeply.

(newsdeeply)

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Environment

DZIA in Bodø, Norway

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

13603420_10157311719150657_8510640755024864004_oDZIA recently visited Norway where he was invited to paint a new piece for the second edition of the Up North Street Art Festival.

Painting on the side of a large building in Bodø, the Belgian street artist quickly worked his way through this artwork which is showing a massive eagle painted using his signature style and technique.

Take a look at more images below and check back with us soon for more mural updates from the streets of Northern Europe.

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Politics

Norway will donate mount to neighboring Finland

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

defaultNorway is planning to donate a mount to the neighboring Finland . The Telegraph reports that the Norwegian government is considering a proposal of presenting the Halti hill to Finland for the 100th anniversary of independence .

According to the Prime Minister Erna Solberg there are some difficulties and the final decision is not made yet , but the issue is still being discussed.

Halti has 2 mountain peaks: one is 1324 m of height , the other is 1361. If the Norwegian Government makes that decision , the peak with the height of 1324 meters will pass to Finland and become its highest point.

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Science

Norway engineers pioneer world’s first underwater floating tunnel

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

bridge_620x311Norwegian engineers have proposed a truly innovative solution to a travel difficulty faced by the picturesque country.

As a part of huge infrastructure project in Norway, engineers have proposed to build a world first floating underwater tunnel in a fjord – a long, narrow, deep inlet of the sea between high cliffs.

A major highway that connects the city of Kristiansand in the south to Trondheim in the north cuts through a number of fjords. The highway takes drivers on a 1100km journey but given the unique landscape of the nordic country it involves seven ferry trips to complete the drive.

But the incredible proposal would cut the commute from 21 hours down to just 11 hours and also mean certain residents wouldn’t necessarily need to rely on taking a helicopter to hospital.

norwaybridge_620x310Norway’s public roads administration is currently preparing a feasibility study for one of the largest fjords on the route – Bjørnafjord. The structure will consist of two curved, 1200m-long concrete tubes hanging 20 to 30m below the surface. The tubes would be connected to floating pontoons on the surface.

The structure is officially called a submerged floating tube-bridge but is also known as a Archimedes Bridge. The Archimedes principle is named after the Ancient Greek mathematician who came up with the buoyancy calculation, supposedly while sitting in the bathtub.

fjord_620x310The principle denotes that the upward buoyant force that is exerted on a body immersed in a fluid, whether fully or partially submerged, is equal to the weight of the fluid that the body displaced.

Senior engineer for the country’s public roads administration, Arianna Minoretti, told Wired that working on the project has been hugely exciting.

“For an engineer working on this structure, it’s like being on the Discovery Channel every day,” she said.

(- news.com.au)

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Asia and Norway

Two citizens of Norway rescued in mountains of Almaty

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

skog-colourbox5891470Two missing citizens of Norway have been rescued in the mountains of Almaty, said Ruslan Imankulov, official representative of the emergency situations committee of the Ministry of Interior Affairs.

“2 people, citizens of Norway were found in Bostandyk district on July 25 at 18.05, they got lost in the Medvezhiye gorge,” the message reports.

The people are in satisfactory conditions.

The rescuers also rescued 22 years old woman who got stuck on the middle of Prokhodnaya river in Almarasan gorge due to the bridge destruction.

She is in satisfactory condition.

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Terrorist

Two removed from plane in Norway over ‘IS tattoo’

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

Boeing_737-8JP_Norwegian_Air_Shuttle_AN2062008-635x357An airline captain removed two passengers from a Norwegian Air flight on Thursday after flight crew suspected that a tattoo on one of the passengers’ arms was an homage to the Islamic State jihadist group.

According to the English-language Swedish news site , the Thursday flight from Stockholm to Heraklion in Greece was delayed over an apparently Arabic-language tattoo sported by a passenger, who was not identified.

Media reports from the incident contain no information as to any apparent danger posed by the man, or by his female companion, when they were removed from the flight.

The airport’s border police station chief, identified as Darko Ali, acknowledged that the flight crew “reacted to another passenger for some reason, and this caused concern. The captain decided that the person would not be allowed to remain on board and wanted that person to leave,” media reported, citing the tabloid Expressen.

A Stockholm Police representative explained that the removal was “not a police matter. The pilot has full authority to remove whoever he wants from the plane,” he said.

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Terrorist

Munich gunman “had link to Norway killer”

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

385625721The gunman who killed nine people in Munich was obsessed with mass shootings and had an obvious link to Norwegian mass murderer Anders Behring Breivik, German police say.

Police who searched the 18-year-old’s room say they found written material on attacks.

The gunman, who later killed himself, had a 9mm Glock pistol and 300 bullets.

Police are investigating whether he may have lured his victims through a Facebook invitation to a restaurant. He is suspected of using a fake account under a girl’s name to invite people to the McDonald’s restaurant where he launched his attack.

Friday evening’s attack at the Olympia shopping mall also left 27 people injured, including children.

Seven of the dead were teenagers. Three victims were from Kosovo, three from Turkey and one from Greece.

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Oil & Gas

Norwegian oil company received $24 million from KRG

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

wpid-dollar-300x189A Norwegian oil company on Saturday revealed that it had received USD $24 million from the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG).

In a statement on its website, the Norwegian oil and gas operator DNO reported a receipt of $24.28 million from the KRG.

The imbursement was the second payment toward May’s crude oil deliveries to the export market from the Tawke field.

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Terrorist

Airline passenger removed from flight at Stockholm airport over ‘Isis tattoo’

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan
Oslo 20160621. Utenriksminister Børge Brende oåpnet verdenskongressen mot dødsstraff, som finner sted i Oslo 21.-23. juni. Kongressen forgår i Den Norske Opera. Foto: Vidar Ruud / NTB scanpix

Oslo 20160621.
Utenriksminister Børge Brende oåpnet verdenskongressen mot dødsstraff, som finner sted i Oslo 21.-23. juni. Kongressen forgår i Den Norske Opera.
Foto: Vidar Ruud / NTB scanpix

An airline passenger was removed from a Norwegian flight after it was claimed he had an Isis flag tattooed on his arm.

Cabin crew refused to fly with the man on board after they suspected the inking was associated with the terrorist group or a verse from the Koran.

The flight from Stockholm’s Arlanda Airport to Heraklion in Greece was delayed after the man and his female companion were escorted off the plane.

Swedish newspaper Expressen reported the alarm was raised when another passenger reported the tattoo to airline employees.

The captain reportedly made the decision to have the man taken off the plane.

Darko Ali, commander at Arlanda’s border police station, told the newspaper: “He was not welcome on board the plane and we helped him to leave the airport.”

 

The plane eventually left Stockholm an hour after the flight was due to depart.

(standard)

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Srilanka and Norway

Norway and UNDP Partner to Expand Support to Sri Lanka

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

UNDP - Norway SigningThe Government of Norway and UNDP Sri Lanka partner to promote local economic development through enhanced market-based livelihood opportunities for resettled communities.

UNDP Sri Lanka Resident Representative a.i., Ms. Lovita Ramguttee and the Ambassador of Norway to Sri Lanka Thorbjørn Gaustadsæther yesterday signed a partnership agreement to extend the Government of Norway’s support to the recently resettled communities in the Jaffna and Trincomalee areas.

Under this partnership, UNDP Sri Lanka, through the support of the Government of Norway, will promote local economic development through enhanced market-based livelihood opportunities for resettled vulnerable communities.

The event held in Colombo, was also attended by Senior Advisor, Royal Norwegian Embassy, Ms. Vidya Perera and Assistant Country Director, UNDP Sri Lanka, Mr. Rajendrakumar Ganesarajah.

Under an envelope of USD 2,000,000, this two year project, will support 1520 families as direct beneficiaries in the Jaffna and Trincomalee Districts by mobilizing targeted communities to reactivate community based organizations, creating sustainable livelihood opportunities and by strengthening institutional capacity of the selected DS divisions in the two Districts.

(N.Sethu)

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Asia and Norway

Vard sees S$8.47-million loss in Q2 on lower activity and restructuring costs

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

UnknownThe slump in the offshore oil and gas market continued to hurt shipbuilders with mainboard-listed Vard Holdings sinking to a 53 million Norwegian kroner (S$8.47 million) loss for the second quarter ended June 20 from a 58 million kroner profit a year ago.

Vard’s revenue fell 10.9 per cent to 2.22 billion kroner from 2.5 billion kroner a year ago due to reduced activity, especially at its European yards and Vard Niteroi, both for its own and subcontractor production.

Ebitda before restructuring was 11 million kroner for the second quarter and 68 million kroner for the first half-year, down from 46 million for Q2 2015 and 111 million for H1 2015.

The Ebitda margin was squeezed to 0.5 per cent in the second quarter from 1.8 per cent in the year-ago period, affected by a provision for the assumed cancellation of one vessel by a subsidiary of Rem Offshore, which is currently negotiating a restructuring plan with its main stakeholders.

Restructuring cost of 38 million kroner in the second quarter and 49 million kroner for the first half-year are related to termination benefits and statutory payments for temporary redundancies, and are mainly due to the final phasing out of shipbuilding at its Niteroi shipyard in Brazil.

Consequently, the group posted an operating loss of 78 million and 83 million kroner in Q1 2016 and H1 2016.

For the first half-year, Vard halved its net loss to 16 million kroner from 34 million kroner a year ago. This translates to a cumulative loss per share of 0.25 Singapore cents for the first six months of the year, as compared to a loss 0.51 Singapore cents the year before.

Vard said it has seen encouraging results so far from its diversification into the expedition cruise vessel market.

Over the second quarter, the group secured 19 new shipbuilding contracts for a total new order intake of 6.2 billion kroner, making it the group’s best quarter in order acquisition since 2013. This orders include contracts for four luxury expedition cruise vessels for French cruise operator Ponant, signed at the end of 2Q 2016 and still subject to certain conditions.

(straitstimes)

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Terrorist

Solberg: – Difficult from terrorism run by a man

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan
MINOLTA DIGITAL CAMERA

MINOLTA DIGITAL CAMERA

Prime Minister Erna Solberg visited the French Embassy to sign the condolence protocol and leave flowers. She mentioned that it is difficult to protect ourselves against this kind of terrorism.

– It is very difficult to protect ourselves against such acts and it is difficult to protect ourselves against terrorism run by a men. There are much could be done in terms of prevention and we shall learn from the police find out on this case. One can prevent much but anyone can acquire a truck, said Solberg to NTB about the terrorist attack that cost 84 people losing their lives in Nice.

Solberg believes it will be important to identify the subject of the perpetrator that conducted the attack.

– She was asking if he has affiliation with any organizations, also he has fast become radicalized and have hidden it well, or was this a mental confused person who has been inspired by the bombing, which has been done before?

– It is important to know this in order to better know what you’re fighting against. ISIL has encouraged terrorist acts and attacks against Western values and in this respect they inspire also people with mental challenges that may be imbalanced, said Solberg to use another term for extremist group ISIL.

Source: NTB scanpix

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Africa and Norway

The youth in Uganda have petitioned the embassy of Norway over public beatings by Uganda police

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

729xThe youth under their umbrella organization called ”Coalition for change ” did so after police seriously beating supporters of opposition leader,Dr Kizza Besigye as they were escorting him to his home on Tuesdayas he left court premises where he had been granted court bail after being in remand for 2 months.

Their coordinator,Rogers Lubambula said,” We have petitioned Norwegian embassy and other donor countries embassies a petition against Uganda police’s behavior.We want the donor countries to help us by condemning the act and also request government to discipline the policemen involved.”

Over 50 youths who were reportedly beaten up are nursing wounds at various clinics and at their homes.

He added on that they have also petitioned embassies of ireland, US, UK and British embassies over the matter.

The youths coalition have also declared a ‘war’ against the continuous police brutality over Ugandans. This coalition includes ruling party ‘NRM poor youth’ Jobless brotherhood, opposition FDC youth league and ‘Youth voice” have declared that they are going to be more defensive than offensive.

They have warned the police that all Ugandans know where these sticks are cut so they should tempt Ugandans and that if they dare try it again, they are to face the true colors of the suffering unemployed Ugandans.

The want inspector general of police to resign immediately. They say that if police doesn’t change, international community to stop supplying firearms and giving aid to Uganda police force.

Uganda police spokesman,Fred Enanga said that they are investigating the allegations and the policemen involved will be sternly punished.

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Africa and Norway

Norway sponsors 150 Tanzanian female engineers

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

Screen Shot 2016-07-16 at 22.41.17With a population of about 50 million people,Tanzania has only 350 professional female engineers,which led to authorities to seeking aid from donors meant to increase on the numbers.

Norway government responded by donating 2.1 million US dollars towards professionalizing female Tanzanian engineers in a span of 5 years. 150 female graduate engineers are meant to benefit from the project intended to increase the number of professional female engineers up to over 500 in the country.

”There are few female professional engineers in our country. We are grateful to Norway for coming to our aid and sponsoring 150 female engineers.”said Fatuma Ndeli chairperson of female engineers in Mwanza region.

The package agreement between the governments of Tanzania and Norway was signed on July 6th 2016 in Tanzania’s capital Dar-es-Salam. Tanzania’s deputy minister for works,transport and communication ,Edwin Ngonyani represented his government while Norway was represented by the Norwegian Ambassador to Tanzania, Hanne-Marie Kastaarstad.

In his speech,Ngonyi thanked Norway over her generosity.He said that was not the first time for Norway to support Tanzania in training enginneers.

”We thank Norway for her support.Norway made the first support for the program in 2010 when it donated 1.5 million dollars towards training 300 female graduate engineers” he said..

The chairman of the Engineering registration board,Lema Ninatubu also hailed Norway for the support.He said,”Since the government has limited funds for this program, we commend the Norwegian government’s
support. ”He added on that the support was necessary for accomplishing the nation’s goal of attaining an industrial economy and middle income status by 2025.

Norwegian Ambassador to Tanzania, Hanne-Marie Kastaarstad, while speaking at the signing ceremony said,”The support is vital for economic empowerment of women.Women are the major drivers of the economy. They should be treated as the major drivers for attaining an industrial economy.”

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