Saturday, November 14, 2026
Killing

Norwegian journalist dies in Lapland gyroplane crash

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

One man was killed and another person injured when a gyroplane crashed into the ground near the Norwegian border in Enontekiö, Lapland on Friday. The deceased is confirmed to be Morten Ruud, 57, a journalist for the Norwegian national broadcaster NRK.

Police say the only other person on board the lightweight autogyro craft was mildly injured in the accident in the wilderness of Kilpisjärvi, and was sent to hospital in Norway.

The details of the crash are as yet unknown, police say, but an investigation is underway. The route of the craft, including both its origin and destination, is also unknown.

“We don’t know what the gyro was doing in Finnish airspace. Police have yet to speak with the injured survivor,” says Lapland police inspector Kirsti Huhtamäki.

Finnish agency skips investigation

The Finnish Safety Investigation Authority (OTKES) will likely not be involved in the investigation of the crash; gyroplanes are not within the jurisdiction of European investigation authorities.

“We have no reason at this time to investigate this accident, but we will help the Norwegians if they so wish,” chief researcher Ismo Aaltonen from OTKES says.

Aaltonen says the Investigation Authority has already collaborated with local police in order to acquire the aircraft’s possible GPS data.

“We will be relaying this information to Norway, so that they will have the best means of looking into the crash,” Aaltonen says.

Oulu police say the Finnish Air Navigation Services received word around 7 pm Saturday that a Norwegian gyroplane had fallen from the sky inside Finland’s borders, north-east from Dierpmes lake in Kilpisjärvi.

Gyroplanes or gyrocopters are similar to helicopters except their unpowered rotors produce lift aerodynamically. They are very lightweight and must sustain forward thrust to stay airborne.

(yle)

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China and Norway

China-Finland cargo train link extends to Norway and Sweden

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

The first direct cargo train route linking China and Finland is being extended to Norway and Sweden as part of a Finnish city’s plans to establish itself as a Northern European logistics hub for China-bound rail freight.

The route linking the southeastern Finnish city of Kouvola with Xi’an and Zhengzhou in central China was opened last November and the service has run in both directions every week since April. It takes 10 to 12 days to complete the one-way journey from Finland through Russia and Kazakhstan to China, compared to eight weeks when shipping by sea.

“We now have a working cargo rail connection to China and would like to make use of it for all Nordic countries,” said Simo Päivinen, development director in charge of logistics at Kouvola Innovation Co.

“We have partnered with the cities of Narvik in Norway and Haparanda in Sweden so that local businesses there, such as import and export companies, can utilise this transport corridor too,” Päivinen told gbtimes.com.

The agreement with Narvik was signed last week and a similar deal will be finalised with Haparanda by the end of June.

The two northern cities in Sweden and Norway will act as collecting points for local companies’ cargo, which will be transported via rail or trucks to Kouvola and then loaded on trains to China. Similarly, goods coming from China will be transported from Kouvola onwards to Haparanda and Narvik.

Depending on the type of contracts that companies have with their Chinese partners, the first goods could be transported between Norway and Sweden and China via Kouvola by the end of this year, according to Päivinen.

Trains from China to Finland have so far been filled with Chinese-made consumer products of all varieties, while bulk goods, raw materials, machinery and equipment have been shipped the other way. Food products, such as pork, have not yet been shipped to China because of counter-sanctions placed on them by Russia in response to EU sanctions over the Ukraine conflict.

“We hope that transit cargo would be exempted from sanctions and food products could be transported through Russia at some point,” Päivinen told.

Silk Road hub in Northern Europe

The Kouvola-Xi’an route is part of China’s Belt and Road initiative, which seeks to boost trade and infrastructure investment, including railroads, across Eurasia. China has so far launched similar routes to 42 cities in 14 European countries, with most of them passing through Kazakhstan, Russia, Belarus and Poland to destinations in western and southern Europe.

Although rail freight still accounts for a fraction of the total China-Europe trade, it is growing fast thanks to subsidies offered by China under its Belt and Road initiative. Last year, a total of 350,000 containers were transported between China and Europe on the main route through Poland and Belarus and that number is expected increase to one million by 2020.

While there may not be enough cargo from Finland alone to fill up more frequent trains to China, the city of Kouvola, which is the biggest railroad logistics centre in the country, seeks to benefit from growing demand in overall China-Europe traffic.

“The route through Poland is already full. Since there are only two main rail routes between China and Europe, we expect more traffic to be directed through Kouvola,” Päivinen said, adding that besides Sweden and Norway the route could be attractive to companies in Denmark and elsewhere in Northern Europe.

With plans up to 2030 and beyond, the Finnish city has reserved a 300-hectare area for distribution centres storing products made in China, final-assembly factories, logistics companies and other related businesses. The expanded logistics area will also enable to load cargo on trains longer than 1,000 metres.

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Norwegian Aid

Danish-Norwegian Return Center for Minors in Kabul: Well-Founded Initiative?

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

Norway and Denmark are closer than ever to establishing a children’s center in Kabul for unaccompanied Afghan minors whose asylum claims have been denied. The concept raises serious concerns under international law.

After nearly a decade of discussion with Afghan authorities, Norway and Denmark are closer than ever to establishing a children’s center in Kabul for unaccompanied Afghan minors whose asylum claims in Norway and Denmark have been denied. Once the center is established, however, these minors can be immediately expelled from Norway and Denmark to the center and reside there until, presumably, they reunite with family or age out.

From the perspective of the current Norwegian and Danish governments, the establishment of such centers preserves the integrity of the asylum system, by ensuring that persons without a real protection need are swiftly removed to their country of citizenship. Some politicians also argue the centers will deter future inflows of unaccompanied youth, by sending a signal that it is likely that they will not be able to stay. Not only would overall numbers of refugee claims decline, but children would no longer be encouraged to embark on dangerous journeys in the first place. Finally, a solution based in the country of origin is more cost-efficient in the short term than providing schooling, health care and integration support in Europe, according to these politicians.

While it is not yet clear who would be responsible for running the center in Kabul, or what services it would offer, the concept itself raises serious concerns under international law.

Misleading Claim

First, the claim that unaccompanied minors from Afghanistan have “no protection need” is misleading at best. Indeed, many of these minors do have an established need for protection in their area of origin, but they are deemed to have an “internal protection alternative” somewhere else in Afghanistan. For example, a young man kidnapped by the Taliban in Kunduz who manages to escape and flee the country may be refused refugee status if he could safely settle in another Afghan area, typically Kabul. Norwegian and Danish authorities have determined that the general security situation in Kabul does not pose a real risk of personal harm.

Is Kabul a Safe Haven?

Second, the claim that Kabul offers a safe haven from insecurity and persecution at home must be challenged. In France, for example, the National Court of Asylum has ruled that the situation in the capital in 2018has reached the threshold of (non-international) armed conflict. The same conclusion was reached by the French Court of Appeal of Lyon. It is noteworthy that the Ordinary Court of Rome, in a fresh decision of June 5, held that a 20-year-old Afghan male without a support network in Afghanistan could not be lawfully returned from Italy to Norway under the Dublin Regulation. This would have violated his fundamental human rights, because of the risk of deportation from Norway to Kabul. The large numbers of civilian deaths, the increased presence of different armed groups and terror attacks, ethnic fragmentation, and the deteriorating humanitarian situation compounded by the arrival of 1.6 million Afghan refugees from Pakistan, Iran, and lately Turkey, paints a picture of great precariousness.

Even if security improves in Kabul, is it likely that Afghan authorities can and will protect people from new or more targeted harms? Deported children face not only generalized threats of violence but also specific risks related to their age and position. Many minors come from areas far from Kabul; some have even lived their whole lives as refugees in Pakistan and Iran. They become internally displaced persons upon their so-called “return.” Research on young returnees documents drug use, exploitation, trafficking, forced recruitment, and marriage. Twenty percent of all children in Afghanistan have been estimated to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder.

To compound their vulnerability, there is no tradition in Afghanistan of institutional care. This means that in addition to basic security threats these youths would face significant social stigma. Already, returnees are suspected of transmitting Western values and mores. In other words, no matter what risks of persecution or harm they faced in their previous homes, life in Kabul – especially at a high-profile center that may be considered a useful target by the Islamic State or others – is simply no solution when it comes to security. This presumes that the returnees even remain there. Fifteen years ago, the Dutch established a similar center in Angola: only one youth ever ended up there, and only for a few days.

Child’s Best Interest

And finally, the Convention on the Rights of the Child imposes a duty on states to consider whether return would be in the child’s best interest. It is hard to see under what conditions return to a children’s center in Kabul would better serve the child’s interests than a secure asylum in Europe.

Not even traditional arguments for return, which highlight the child’s interest in family unity and cultural integrity, are persuasive in these types of cases. Indeed, even if the returnee does find his family, it is not certain that the relatives – whose hopes and expectations he failed to realize – will welcome him with open arms. In the current armed conflict in Kabul, it is questionable whether the best interest of the child now, when the person is below 18, can ever be overcome by immigration regulation concerns – regardless of a new return center.

Despite claims that the children’s center is intended for minors who are refused refugee status after an individual assessment, it does not take great imagination to see how the existence of a “safe haven” could become the basis for such a refusal.

Instead of reasoning that Kabul is safe but for the absence of an adult caregiver, a decision-maker might reason that the center itself is an “internal protection alternative.” This might even silently be considered one of the beneficial effects by the Danish and Norwegian governments. This would be, however, a serious distortion of refugee law, which is concerned with providing stable solutions for people facing a risk of persecution in their home countries. It is not aimed at creating new forms of forced displacement, and especially not to expose children to a specific risk of being subjected to a future war crime and terrorist attack.

If a center nonetheless does open, it is essential that post-return monitoring follows these children after return, including to determine the impact of deportation in keeping with the Convention on the Rights of the Child. In addition, Danish and Norwegian ministers should start preparing for the worst-case scenario.

(theglobepost)

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Media Freedom

Thanks these women, Norwegian women can vote

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

Without these hard fighting women, our country may not have been as successful and far ahead in terms of equality as it is today. 

Fredrikke Marie Qvam – Collected almost 300,000 signatures for women’s right to vote

Qvam (1843-1938) was a humanitarian feminist who worked to win women the right to vote and have a political voice. As president of the Norwegian Association for Women’s Rights (NKS), Qvam ran an initiative which contributed to women being granted the right2 to vote in 1913. Women had been denied the right to vote in a referendum on Norway’s union with Sweden, so the NKS collected over 300,000 women’s signatures and delivered it to parliament, gaining the respect of many.

Gina Krog

Krog (1847-1916) was a pioneering feminist who lead several campaigns fighting for women’s right to vote and to access education. Like many writers in her time, Krog wrote articles under a male pseudonym, and used her platform to campaign for equality. She co-founded a number of women’s rights organisations including the Norwegian Association for Women’s Rights, which campaigns to improve women’s socio-economic and political status.

Katti Anker Møller

Møller (1868-1945) championed the interests of children born out of wedlock, co-producing the Castberg laws which gave illegitimate children full rights of inheritance and the option to take their father’s surname. Also interested in ‘woman’s right to decide over her own body’, Møller stood firm in the face of strong opposition, and campaigned to introduce birth control and reproductive rights in Norway.

Anna Rogstad – First woman in the Parliament before they got the right to vote!

As an educator and politician Rogstad (1854-1938) dedicated much of her life to improving educational policies, particularly those relating to women. As the first female MP in Norway, Rogstad’s initial appearance in Parliament was a source conflicting public interest and the viewing galleries were overcrowded with curious onlookers. She used her elevated position to push agendas such as gender equality, access to teaching and mediation over conflict.

See it in full here: https://www.expedia.no/vc/c/takket-vaere-henne/en

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Africa and Norway

Norway to provide an additional NOK 30 million for emergency relief in Somalia

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

Norway will provide a further NOK 30 million to alleviate the situation in Somalia. The funds will be channelled through the Somalia Humanitarian Fund, which is administered by the UN, and through Save the Children Norway and Norwegian Church Aid.

‘Over the last year, Somalia has been severely affected by drought. Now, the population has been hit by flash floods and river flooding. The authorities and humanitarian actors are doing their best to respond to the situation. It is important that Norway also does its part,’ said Minister of Foreign Affairs Ine Eriksen Søreide.

Heavy rainfall has caused extensive flooding in Somalia. Some 800.000 people have been affected and more than 230.000 have been displaced.

‘It is crucial that aid organisations deliver help quickly to those who have been affected and have had to flee their homes,’ Ms Eriksen Søreide said.

The additional funding will go towards water and sanitation projects, efforts to combat cholera, and the reconstruction of schools and infrastructure. Norway provided more than NOK 163 million in direct humanitarian aid to Somalia in 2017. The substantial support provided by Norway through multilateral channels and the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) comes in addition to this.

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Defence

It’s official: The US Navy has a new ship killer missile

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

The U.S. Navy has selected the Norwegian Naval Strike Missile as its new over-the-horizon anti-ship missile destined for the littoral combat ship and likely the service’s future frigate as well.

The NSM, which was a joint submission between Kongsberg and Raytheon, was widely expected to win the competition after its main competitors — Boeing’s extended range Harpoon and Lockheed Martin’s Long-Range Anti-Ship Missile — dropped from contention. Both companies felt the competition was skewed towards the Raytheon/Kongsberg offering, Defense News reported last May.

The introduction of the NSM to the fleet breaks the venerable Harpoon’s decades-long lock on the surface over-the-horizon mission and is a huge boost to Kongsberg’s ambitions in the U.S. market.

The initial contract is listed at about $14.86 million but it could grow to as much as $848 million over the life of the contract.

It positions the missile well as the market for surface-to-surface missiles is expected to increase in the coming years, said Oeyvind Kolset with Kongsberg’s missile systems outfit. Many of the word’s anti-ship missiles are coming to the end of their service lives and the selection of the missile by the U.S. Navy bodes well for future sales, Kolset said.

It is also a major victory for the European defense industry, which is seeing increasing interest from the U.S. Navy as it races to fill capabilities gaps in the face of competition with Russia and China.

In a conference call, Raytheon’s head of the Naval Strike Missile, Joint Strike Missile and Tomahawk programs said that his company was anxious to get started and that conversations with the Navy on exact details of how and where the first NSMs will be integrated began Friday morning.

“We just started dialogue with the customer, this has been a long competition and we are just now having those initial conversations with the U.S. Navy,” Chris Daily said.

The Naval Strike Missile has a range of more than 100 nautical miles and has target-recognition capabilities that limit the need for another ship or aircraft to hold a track on the target.

In January, Rear Adm. Ronald Boxall, the chief of naval operations’ director of surface warfare, forecast that the competition would be wrapped up by summer and said the next step will be going after targeting at longer ranges.

The Navy is looking at a combination of manned aircraft, unmanned aircraft and submarines as potential partners in helping the surface Navy hold adversaries at risk at increasing ranges.

(defencenews)

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Economics

Fast food chain Leon begins global expansion in Norway

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

John Vincent, CEO and Founder of LEON at the branch on Tottenham Court Road, London August 4th, 2016. Picture by Ben Gurr

Mediterranean-inspired fast-casual chain Leon has opened its first restaurant in Norway today (4 June), as part of its larger global expansion plan.

UMOE, a Norwegian restaurant operator with a number of franchised brands its portfolio, will operate the restaurant, located in Oslo Central Station.

Leon has also launched its own food truck in Oslo, serving a select menu of fast food.

The Leon Oslo menu will feature signature dishes, including the Moroccan meatball hotbox, fish finger wrap and original super salad.

A Leon spokesperson said: “Every single opening is important to Leon – even when it’s a little food truck by the pier – and we give it our all.

“The Oslo team are ready and raring to go and we know they will give their guests a great experience. We plan to expand further into Europe, the Middle East and the US in the coming months and years, so every new site is vital in delivering the future of fast food to the international market.”

Leon co-founder and CEO John Vincent said: “I am so happy to be opening in Oslo; a wonderful city full of the most interesting and inspirational people. I can’t wait to see what people think of Leon and of naturally fast food.”

Leon managing director for UMOE Helene Skjenneberg said: “Launching Leon means that we get to bring the future of fast food to Norway. We have exciting times in front of us and look forward to offering Norwegians a whole new concept of fast food based on natural ingredients.”

The natural fast food chain previously announced its extended partnership and expansion plans, confirming new openings in railway stations and airports in Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark and the Netherlands.

Airport outlets are expected to open in the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and more.

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Defence

The F-35 Could Become a ‘Navy’ Killer (Thanks to Norway)

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

In the mid 2000s, the Royal Norwegian Navy was looking to select a new anti-ship missile (ASM) to equip their ships. They looked at all foreign offerings, didn’t find any missile satisfactory, and instead drew up their own set of requirements. The requirements were: to meet the challenges of a future (up to 2040) ship-to-ship combat environment; to have a high probability of penetrating enemy air defense and countermeasures; to be effective in confined and open waters; and to be easily adaptable to different platforms.

From these requirements, Kongsberg Defense drew up the NSM, or Nytt sjømålsmissil. The name “Naval Strike Missile” was only attached later for English marketing purposes. The philosophy behind the design was to create a subsonic, small, agile missile that would be hard to observe, as opposed to a larger, supersonic missile. For reference, the NSM is only four-meters long. This is half the length of the Russian P-800 and P-700 missiles. The Russian missiles also use active radar homing in the terminal phase. This can alert a ship that it is being targeted. In contrast, the NSM uses a passive infrared (IR) sensor to home in on its target. Passive IR seeker technology for ASMs was pioneered by Kongsberg on the earlier Penguin anti-ship missile.

In addition to each individual missile being low observable and agile to avoid shipborne anti-missile defenses, the NSM is designed to work with an advanced mission planning system. This system leverages the strengths of the NSM (the agility, terrain following flight and low altitude) to create precise attack plans with multiple missiles arriving on the same target at the same time. Such saturation attacks are very hard to defend against.

Terminal accuracy of the NSM is said to be less than two feet from the aim point to the impact point, so specific systems and areas on a ship can be incorporated into these attack plans to achieve desired disabling results. Another selling point of the NSM is its ability to recognize a ship’s class through the seeker. This ability is called autonomous target recognition (ATR). It allows the missile to engage the correct aim point for maximum damage and provide intelligence to the launching ship.

Upon hitting the target, the effect of the NSM is determined by the programmable fuze. It can be programmed to detonate after penetration, allowing the titanium warhead casing to burrow into a target for maximum damage. There is also a steel grid within the warhead casing, to create a fragmentation effect for additional damage.

While the missile itself is very lethal, the other half of the NSM’s success in the European export market is its ability to be adapted to a wide variety of platforms. In Norwegian service, the NSM is mounted on Skjold-class corvettes, which are very small ships. In Polish service, the NSM is mounted on heavy trucks. Raytheon has also mounted the NSM on the Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck (HEMTT) in demonstrations for the U.S. military. A demonstration of this capability (referred to as a cross-domain fire) will occur during RIMPAC 2018. The small profile of the launchers for NSM allows for a military to easily integrate the missile onto their existing truck fleet.

The NSM is being considered for the Over-the-Horizon Weapon System (OTH-WS) competition, to replace the aging Harpoon—which is being phased out. It’s uncertain whether NSM will be mounted on a deck mount like Harpoon, or packed inside a vertical launching system. Current visualizations of the NSM on U.S. Navy ships show deck mounts.

The NSM has also been adapted into the joint strike missile (JSM), an air-launched cruise missile system designed to fit inside the internal weapons bay of the F-35. The NSM’s chassis is slightly reconfigured for this purpose, but the seeker and engine largely remain the same. While the NSM has been operationally fielded since 2012, the JSM is not yet ready for service.

Charlie Gao studied political and computer science at Grinnell College and is a frequent commentator on defense and national-security issues.

Image: Wikimedia Commons (nationalinterest.org)

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Media Freedom

Norwegian journalist freed on bail

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

Police on Monday released Kadafi Zaman, a Norwegian journalist of Pakistani origin, who was arrested on July 13 at the time of a clash between the police and PML-N workers who were on their way to Lahore to receive Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz upon their return from London.

Kharian area magistrate Shumaila Sheikh ordered the release of Zaman along with three PML-N men, including ex-MPA Shabbir Kotla, after acceptance of their bail. They were arrested after registration of a criminal case against them on multiple charges framed by the Kakrali Police Station of Kharian tehsil on July 13.

Norwegian honorary Consul General Naveed Fareed held a meeting with Kadafi Zaman at the police station prior to his appearance in the court. She was present as the court heard his bail plea.

Zaman, who works with TV2 of Norway, was said to be present on the spot as PML-N’s Shabbir Kotla led a group of party workers. The workers crossed many barricades before the police baton charged them. Arrests followed.

The police had booked at least 40 nominated and dozens of unidentified workers of the PML-N. The list of those arrested also included Kadafi Zaman, who happens to be a cousin of both Shabbir Kotla and ex-MNA Abid Raza Kotla. The two Kotlas are the PML-N candidates for PP-33 and NA-71, respectively. The suspects were booked under charges of attempted murder, tearing police uniform, snatching four mobile telephones from the police and interference in the government function.

Ms Siv Kaspersen, Charge d’affairs, Royal Norwegian Embassy in Islamabad, said: “We were in contact with Pakistani authorities to get access to Kadafi Zaman and we got in touch with him and our consular general also met him besides observing the court hearing on Monday. We are satisfied that he got released on bail”.

Earlier, Pakistani embassy in Norwegian capital Oslo had also stated that it was working to get Zaman released from custody.

According to the Norwegian media, Zaman had informed his employer in Oslo that he was detained despite informing the police that he was performing his job as a journalist.

“I witnessed extremely violent behaviour from the police who used batons to curb the demonstration,” he was quoted as saying by TV 2. “I was attacked and bludgeoned with batons despite informing (the police) that I was from the press. He told his employer that he had been put in a cell along 21 others.

A statement by Kadafi Zaman’s employer had said: “TV 2 reacts strongly to the fact that our reporter is arrested when he tries to do his job as a journalist. This is very grave…”

“According to normal practice foreign journalists (when reporting in Pakistan) get in touch with the police through their respective embassies in Islamabad, In this case that practice was not followed” alleged Asad Gujjar a spokesman for Gujrat police. “Had he (Zaman) introduced himself as a journalist, the police would not have arrested him,” he added.

(dawn)

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Norwegian Aid

Norway increases support for mine clearance in Iraq and Syria

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

‘Mine clearance is crucial to prevent the loss of civilian lives, to ensure access for emergency aid, and to enable hundreds of thousands of internally displaced people to return safely to their homes. This is why we are now increasing our support for mine clearance in Iraq and Syria,’ Foreign Minister Ine Eriksen Søreide said.

Isil planted vast numbers of landmines and explosives in the areas they formerly controlled. These explosives pose an enormous threat to civilians. Against this backdrop, Norway has increased its support for mine clearance in Iraq and Syria from NOK 110 million in 2017 to NOK 154 million in 2018.

Last summer the city of Mosul in Iraq was liberated from Isil, and last autumn the global coalition liberated the city of Raqqa, formerly Isil’s headquarters in Syria. According to the UN, the number of landmines and unexploded ordnance in Iraq and Syria is extreme, with 50 to 70 casualties a week in the city of Raqqa alone.

‘The human suffering caused by these explosives must be brought to an end. The situation in Raqqa and Mosul is particularly serious. A substantial share of Norway’s support for mine clearance is being channelled to these two cities,’ said Ms Eriksen Søreide.

Norway is one of the five largest donors to international mine clearance efforts. In 2017 Norway provided a total of NOK 312 million for this work. Activities supported by Norway include mapping hazardous areas, training the local population in risk management, and clearing landmines and unexploded ordnance so that land and buildings can be used again.

(MFA)

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Defence

Rolls-Royce sells commercial marine unit

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

British engine maker Rolls-Royce announced Friday it has agreed to sell its loss-making commercial marine business to Norwegian industrial group Kongsberg for £500 million.

The deal, worth $661 million, is part of a massive overhaul led by chief executive Warren East, Rolls-Royce said in a statement.

The news comes three weeks after the London-listed company launched plans to axe 4,600 mainly British management roles by 2020 to further slash costs.

Rolls is implementing a sweeping restructuring plan which aims to generate £400 million of annual cost savings by the end of 2020.

The group has weathered a tough trading environment in recent years on weak demand for its power systems, in particular ones used by the marine industry.

“This transaction builds on the actions we have taken over the last two years to simplify our business,” said boss East on Friday.

“The sale of our commercial marine business will enable us to focus on our three core businesses of civil aerospace, defence and power systems, and on meeting the vital power needs of our customers.”

The commercial marine division, which has been drastically restructured since 2015, employs about 3,600 staff mainly in the Nordic region.

In recent years, the troubled business has been hurt by weak oil prices, which has dented demand for marine vessels and equipment.

Kongsberg added in a separate statement that the acquisition will be partly financed by a rights issue, or sale of new shares, totalling 5.0 billion kroner ($620 million, 530 million euros).

Kongsberg is 50 percent owned by the Norwegian government.

Rolls-Royce expects net proceeds of £350 million to £400 million from the transaction, which is set to complete early next year.

The disposal is meanwhile set to have a positive profit impact of around £50 million based on 2017 figures, according to Rolls-Royce.

The company had in January launched a strategic review of the division, which generated 2017 revenues of £817 million but an operating loss of £70 million.

Kongsberg, which has operations in 25 countries and 7,000 staff, provides products to sectors including defence, oil and gas and aerospace.

“The acquisition of Rolls-Royce Commercial Marine makes us a more complete supplier to the maritime industry,” added Kongsberg chief executive Geir Haoy.

“With this acquisition we will strengthen our strategic position with shipowners, shipyards and other customers and partners.”

Rolls-Royce, whose engines are used in Airbus and Boeing aircraft, has 16,000 staff at its main UK operational base in Derby in central England.

The entire group currently employs about 55,000 staff across 50 countries worldwide.

(AFP)

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Diplomatic relations

Death of former High Commissioner Thorvald Stoltenberg

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

Former UN High Commissioner for Refugees Thorvald Stoltenberg passed away in Oslo on Friday.

“Thorvald Stoltenberg was a peacemaker, a humanitarian and an internationalist,” said UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi. “During his illustrious career as a statesman and diplomat he made an outstanding contribution to peace.”

In 1990 Stoltenberg became UN High Commissioner for Refugees. At UNHCR, he oversaw several ongoing repatriation operations, particularly in Central America. He resigned in November 1990 to return to his previous position as Norwegian foreign minister. In May 1993, at the height of the Bosnian war, he returned to the United Nations as the Secretary-General’s Special Representative to the Former Yugoslavia.

Stoltenberg was the father of Nato Secretary General and former prime minister of Norway Jens Stoltenberg.

He is a Norwegian politician. He served as Minister of Defence (1979–81) and Minister of Foreign Affairs (1987–1989 and 1990–1993) in two Labour governments.

From 1989 to 1990 he was appointed Norwegian Ambassador to the UN. In 1990 he became the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, but served only one year before rejoining the Norwegian government. In 1992, Thorvald Stoltenberg, together with nine Baltic Ministers of Foreign Affairs and an EU commissioner, founded the Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS) and the EuroFaculty.

In 1993 appointed Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for the former Yugoslavia and UN Co-Chairman of the Steering Committee of the International Conference on the former Yugoslavia. Thorvald Stoltenberg was also the UN witness at the signing of Erdut Agreement.

In 2003 he was appointed Chairman of the Board of International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA). Between 1999 and 2008 he was President of the Norwegian Red Cross, the only president to serve three terms. He is also a member of the Trilateral Commission, and holds a seat on their Executive Committee.

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Politics

UK centrists endorse ‘off-the-shelf’ Norway model while government is split

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

Prominent Remain supporters David Miliband (Labour), Nicky Morgan (Conservatives) and Nick Clegg proposed European Economic Area (EEA) membership on Monday as the best solution for the British economy.

The EEA is a political anathema for most Brexiteers, while Theresa May‘s cabinet is facing a seemingly unbridgable cleavage over the preferred trade policy with the EU. While the EEA is recognized as a political non-starter, the British policy has no obvious point of departure, with May unable to lead on the basis of a consolidated policy either the government or her MPs.

Norway weighed in on the debate on Monday, proposing the “Norway”; the Conservative prime minister Erna Solberg told the Financial Times that the model was “on the shelf” and would be readily available to London.

Last week, the House of Lords voted for the UK to remain a member of the EEA after the end of the transition period. That vote was not merely a defeat for Theresa May, but also for the leader of the opposition, Jeremy Corbyn, since 80 peers sidelined Labour’s official position to support the status that is closer to full EU membership. EEA membership would retain the current status quo on Single Market access, but also on freedom of movement and contributions to the EU budget.

Centrist charge

The former foreign secretary, David Miliband, said Jeremy Corbyn risked becoming the “midwife of a hard Brexit,” due to his rejection of EEA. In an interview with BBC 4, Miliband called the EEA a “safe harbour” that would allow the UK to continue to have a “structured” relationship with the EU in goods and services.

Nick Clegg warned that leaving the Single Market would bring about the greatest introduction to trade barriers since the end of WWII.

The initiative reflects the preference of several Conservative, Labour and all of the Liberal MPs for a Norwegian model of Brexit, which would allow Ireland to remain without a border. However, this is a prospect infuriating to Brexit campaigners, as it would keep EU contributions and free movement of labour in place.

The British employers confederation (CBI) is also advocating for a Customs Union between the UK and the EU.

Conservative Brexit hardlines, such as Rees-Mogg, dismissed the initiative and reiterated their commitment to a clean break with the EU at the end of the transition period in December 2020. Brexit campaigners have long argued that the UK is an exception as “only” 40% of its foreign trade takes place with the EU. Miliband responded on Monday that if one were to take into account third-party EU trade agreements, the figure was about 60%.

Norway weighs in

Senior Norwegian diplomats and business have expressed concern that the size of the UK would distort the priorities of the EEA zone, which is geared towards shielding Norwegian agriculture and fishing.

Meanwhile, over 75% of Norway’s trade is with EU member states.

For the moment, the British prime minister is calling for a bespoke customs partnership, in which the UK would be consulted before a trade deal with a third party and would not be a rule-taker like Norway and Turkey. In addition, the British government has made clear it is unwilling to accept a solution that entails free movement of people.

Oslo, in theory, has a veto over EU policy but has never used it.

Pressure for a ‘from the shelf’ solution

The British cabinet continues on Tuesday to negotiate on a preferred model of trade relations with Brussels. May is advocating for a customs “partnership, which would see the UK in a bespoke voluntary compliance regime, taking EU rules while setting up a mechanism for arbitration and consultation.

Hardline Brexiteers want a neat exit, proposing a technological solution for the border in Ireland that both Brussels and Dublin have dismissed.

With a June semi-official deadline about to expire in June, the UK has no proposal on the table that could retain Ireland without a border. The British government has watered down a commitment to “no border” in December 2017, now committing to no “hard border.”

Under the current circumstances, a hard Brexit is a distinct possibility, without even a transition period. The European Commission’s Brexit negotiator admitted on Tuesday that there is a “risk of failure” in negotiations.

Political analysts warn that Brexit is too complex to be resolved in last-minute negotiations and the deadline would signal to Brussels that it must start planning for the worse. Answering a question on how much negotiations have progressed since March, Barnier said “little” and warned that a transition deal hinges on an agreement on the Irish border.

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Environment

Norwegian Transit Operator Unibuss AS Purchases 40 Fully Electric VDL Citea Buses

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

Norwegian transit operator Unibuss AS is taking steps towards its goals of cutting the carbon footprint of its fleets by placing an order for 40 electric Citeas from VDL Bus & Coach for routes in Oslo, Norway.

The agency responsible for public transport in and around Oslo, PTA Ruter, announced its intention to transition the entire public transit bus fleet to electric vehicles over the next 10 years to drive meaningful improvements in the quality of life for city residents.

Unibuss chose to implement two different versions of VDL’s Citeas Electric buses to provide the same service around the Greater Oslo Region that its customers have grown accustomed to. The deal is comprised of 30 Citeas SLFA-180 Electric buses with a 169 kWh battery pack and 10 Citeas SLF-120 Electric buses with a 127 kWh battery pack.

VDL’s SLF Electric and SLFA Electric bus platforms were designed to be modular, which allows transit operators to build and purchase a bus package that best fits their needs. Right-sizing the battery package allows for the best cost-benefit balance and ensures the best return on investment for fleet managers.

The first e-buses from this order will start running around the Greater Oslo Region in the spring of 2019. The purchase is a milestone for VDL Bus & Coach as it marks the largest order for electric buses in all of Scandinavia to date.

Alex de Jong, the business manager for public transport at VDL Bus & Coach, said of the deal, “As an experienced transition partner and European market leader in the area of E-Mobility, we are pleased to now be entering the Norwegian market. Norway is taking big steps and leading the way in Scandinavia when it comes to the transition to zero-emission public transport. We at VDL Bus & Coach are proud that with this prestigious order we are contributing to Oslo’s standing as European Green Capital of 2019.”

VDL has built a name for itself as a turnkey transit solution provider with its seamlessly integrated bus and charging packages that optimize each solution for the specific application. This can be a mix of large and small buses, long and short range buses, and overnight and on-route charging solutions, giving transit operators flexibility with fleet conversions.

(cleantechnica)

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Crimes

Irishman arrested in Norway after ‘smoking in plane toilet while drunk’

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

A ‘drunk’ Irishman was arrested by police in Norway after he was caught smoking in an aeroplane toilet.

The man, believed to be in his late 20s, was detained at Tromso airport in the north of the country on Wednesday evening before 11pm, according to Norwegian newspaper VG.

Officers told the paper the man appeared to be drunk when he was arrested upon arrival on the flight from Oslo.

The unnamed man, who is on holiday in Norway, was taken to a hotel in the city and can expect a fine, officers said.

The passenger wasn’t the only aeroplane passenger to get on trouble with cabin crew.

A Delta air stewardess allegedly kicked five people off a flight in Indiana after a passenger refused to turn their phone to ‘airplane mode.’

One fuming traveller posted about the incident to social media and said that the “unfairly ejected” group were left with nowhere to stay.

In an Instagram post, Robyn Rodgers wrote: “Just before take off the flight attendant rudely told me to put my phone on airplane mode.”

“As I was swiping to it the attendant menacingly stood over me with her arms folded waiting for me to do it. I told her ‘I know how to turn on airplane mode, you don’t have to stand over me”.

“She became agitated and said ‘if you’re gonna act like that we can go back to the gate and you can get off’.”

Delta Airlines told Mirror Online they were “reviewing’ the incident.”

(mirror)

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Asylum

Norway extradites Kurdish politician to Turkey

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

Kurdish female politician Gülizar Taşdemir who sought asylum in Norway for medical treatment in 2015, has been extradited to Turkey.

Gülizar Taşdemir who fought an active struggle in the Kurdish freedom movement for 27 years had sought asylum in Norway on 7 June 2015. Suffering from severe health problems, Taşdemir has been deported despite strong reactions and fascist repression circumstances in Turkey. The Kurdish politician has reportedly been deported this Wednesday.

Taşdemir’s deportation to Turkey, where human rights, freedoms and laws have been eliminated alltogether, indicates a new and dangerous situation in terms of refugees’ rights.

Taşdemir saw her asylum application rejected by the Norwegian authorities in 2015, so she went to Germany and wanted to seek refuge there. However, she was once again extradited to Norway according to the Dublin agreement.

European Kurdish Women’s Movement (TJK-E) had said in a statement before Taşdemir’s deportation that an attempt was being made to sacrifice her to laws. Calling on authorities to halt the deportation, TJK-E said; “State of Emergency (OHAL) practices prevail in Turkey. While even ordinary people without a political identity have no security of life in the climate of fear spread by the one-man regime, it is obvious that Taşdemir, who is known for her political identity, has no security of life.”

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Economics

Oslo’s got a new urban experiment in the works: “Airport City”

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

Imagine an airport you never want to leave. Architects are at work at making the wildest dreams of a captive audience of travelers into reality as part of an effort to boost Oslo’s international profile and local economy.

Plans for the 43 million-square-foot city adjacent to Oslo Airport Gardermoen were recently revealed by Haptic Architects and the Nordic Office of Architecture, according to Travel + Leisure. The vision for the 260-acre site includes about 11 million square feet of new buildings spanning the range of industries from hotels to cultural facilities, and amenities like swimming arenas, facilities for meetings and other business-related services, rock climbing walls, a scenic cycling path, and parachute rides — all no more than a short train ride away from the airport.

But the new Oslo Airport City is not just meant for those flying in and out — there will be homes and schools included in the scheme too. The airport’s surrounding municipality, Ullensaker, is one of the fastest growing areas in Norway and the government is looking to develop infrastructure and a strong local travel-reliant economy for residents.

“What we’re doing is creating an airport city with urban qualities that include streets, squares, and walkable spaces not blocked off by cars, in addition to building on the various sport and leisure qualities Norwegians are quite into,” said Haptic’s director Tomas Stokke to the publication.

Inspired by the government’s plan to begin flying electric planes by 2030 at the latest on commercial routes, the new airport city will incorporate a number of “smart” and sustainable features, including driverless cars — no other vehicles will be allowed in the mostly pedestrian city — and be powered by solely renewable energy sources.

The entire project is expected to take 30 years to build with the first phase of buildings scheduled to be completed in 2022.

(therealdeal)

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NATO and Norway

NATO Summit: Allied unity and burden-sharing

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

Allied unity and the issue of burden-sharing will be among the central topics when heads of state and government convene for the NATO summit in Brussels on 11-12 July.

‘My key message at the summit will be the importance of strong allied unity. Together, we must take greater responsibility for our common security. Norway is doing its part. Since 2013, we have increased our defence budget by 24 % in real terms. A premise for the next Long-term Defence Plan will be to further increase Norway’s defence spending towards the 2 percent goal,’ Prime Minister Erna Solberg said.

Since the summits in Wales in 2014 and in Warsaw in 2016, NATO has strengthened its deterrence and defence and adapted to changes in the security situation. NATO’s readiness has increased in a number of ways. The Alliance holds more frequent exercises, has adapted it’s command structure, and has drawn up new defence plans. Cooperation between NATO and the EU has also been strengthened.

‘NATO is the cornerstone of Norway’s security policy. That is why a strong and credible Alliance is crucial for Norway,’ Foreign Minister Ine Eriksen Søreide said.

The new security landscape also poses challenges for NATO. Political unity and solidarity within the Alliance are essential for addressing these challenges. Norway promotes a comprehensive approach in order to safeguard our common security, irrespective of where threats originate.

‘Strengthening collective defence is a key priority in Norway’s defence policy. The new NATO joint headquarter in Norfolk, with responsibility for the Atlantic and the sea lines of communication, is vital. Norway is particularly engaged in the work to strengthen NATO’s maritime posture, especially in the north,’ says Minister of Defence Frank Bakke-Jensen.

This will be the first summit to be held in NATO’s new headquarters in Brussels. For more information, please visit the NATO website.

(MFA)

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NATO and Norway

Trump sends letters to NATO allies demanding to increase defense spending

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

US President Donald Trump sent letters to the leaders of NATO allies, including Germany, Canada, Belgium and Norway, demanding to increase their defense spending, CNN reports citing New York Times.

Many of the letters to the various leaders included similar language, but Trump’s letter to German Chancellor Angela Merkel was particularly critical.

“As we discussed during your visit in April, there is growing frustration in the United States that some allies have not stepped up as promised”, the letter to Merkel read, according to the Times, which cited a source who had seen it and sent excepts. “Continued German underspending on defense undermines the security of the alliance and provides validation for other allies that also do not plan to meet their military spending commitments, because others see you as a role model”.

During 2014 NATO summit at Wales, its members committed to spend 2% of their gross domestic product on national defense. At the moment only 8 members of NATO spend 2% of their GDP on defense.

Trump vowed to raise this issue during NATO’s Brussels summit which will be held on July 11-12.

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Middle East and Norway

Police say UAE is not cooperating with money-laundering investigation

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

A lack of cooperation from the United Arab Emirates has been hampering investigations into a multi-million dollar money-laundering case, according to Norwegian authorities.

It is almost three years since police raided the headquarters of the Norway-based Global Network for Rights and Development (GNRD) and the home of its founder, Loai Deeb, on suspicion of money-laundering.

Norwegian police say they sent a request to the Emirati authorities for help with the investigation in August 2016 and are still waiting for an answer. They also say they have not been granted an opportunity to question people in the Emirates who may have been involved in suspicious money transfers.

In its human rights work GNRD promoted an unusually favourable view of the situation in the UAE and, according to investigators, almost all its funding came via the UAE. Between 2013 and 2015 a series of Emirates-registered companies (which appear not have been genuine businesses) received large amounts of money from unidentified sources and then transferred it to GNRD – a total of around $13 million.

At its peak, GNRD had branch offices in several countries and about 140 employees worldwide. It had consultative status at the United Nations and was registered for lobbying purposes at the European Parliament in Brussels. It had a cooperation agreement with the African Union and acted as an official observer for elections in several Arab and African countries.

Following the police raids GNRD’s funding dried up. It stopped paying its employees and was eventually declared bankrupt.

Investigations in other countries

Despite the difficulties in getting information from the UAE, investigations relating to GNRD’s finances have been taking place in at least four other countries – Switzerland, Belgium, Austria and Britain – according to the Norwegian newspaper Stavanger Aftenbladet.

In Switzerland, the Geneva public prosecutor’s office says it is “conducting criminal proceedings” involving GNRD and another organisation, the Scandinavian Institute for Human Rights (SIHR) which was founded jointly by Deeb and Haytham Manna, a Syrian exile who is a close associate of Deeb. According to the prosecutor, both Deeb and Manna “appear in such proceedings”.

GNRD and SIHR shared an office address in Geneva and Manna attended and spoke at various GNRD events. In a telephone interview with Aftenbladet, Manna described the Swiss investigation as “fake news” and said he had not been contacted by the police.

In Austria, investigations have focused on Hassan Moussa, who was a board member of GNRD for several years before it went bankrupt. Moussa is currently facing fraud charges in connection with an organisation called Austrian International Schools which he chaired. He denies the charges and says he is the victim of “intrigue”, according to his lawyer.

GNRD was very active in Brussels where it developed relationships with several members of the European Parliament. Aftenbladet reports that Belgian police have interviewed a former GNRD employee there and have also compiled almost 1,000 pages of investigation documents. Deeb’s lawyer told the newspaper most of the documents were about Belgian banks and “as far as I can see, there is no material found in the Belgian investigation that is to my client’s disadvantage”.

Police enquiries in Britain relate to payments allegedly made by Deeb in connection with online gambling.

Several recent reports in Norwegian media have discussed how the legal case is likely to proceed. The authorities have dropped the money-laundering charges against GNRD on the grounds that the organisation is now bankrupt, though they are apparently continuing to pursue similar charges against Deeb personally.

However, in the absence of cooperation from the UAE, prosecutors say their focus has shifted to “criminal offences committed in Norway”.

As yet there has been no formal announcement of what the additional charges against Deeb will be but Norwegian media reports say they are likely to include fraud, document forgery and tax evasion.

On May 3, Deeb posted a press release on Facebook saying the charges against GNRD and himself had been “dismissed”, though it went on to say he had been “charged with embezzlement of funds from GNRD as well as some completely insignificant relationships”. It added: “None of the charges are associated with the charge of money laundering. Deeb claims he didn’t commit a crime.”

Compensation claim

Deeb blames the police action for GNRD’s bankruptcy and in a further Facebook post on May 8 he said its lawyers are preparing a compensation claim against Økokrim, the Norwegian financial police. His post invited former employees to join the compensation case by signing a form which would give GNRD’s lawyers power to act on their behalf.

One reported claimant is Joseph Chilengi who was GNRD’s “High Commissioner for Africa”. He says he is owed about 750,000 kroner($94,000), mainly in unpaid salary.

Chilengi is currently Zambia’s ambassador to Turkey. At the time of his GNRD appointment he was chair of the general assembly of the African Union’s Economic, Social and Cultural Council (ECOSOCC). In 2013, GNRD signed a memorandum of understanding with the African Union “to facilitate the development and integration agenda” of the AU and “explore opportunities for cooperation and non-exclusive partnership”. In 2015, Chilengi flew to Spain at GNRD’s invitation to take part in an Africa Day debate.

(al-bab)

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Science

Norway considers future of Halden research reactor

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

Operation of the Halden research reactor in Norway beyond 2020 will require significantly increased funding, a preliminary report of a strategic review on the reactor’s future operation has concluded. The Institute for Energy Technology (IFE), which operates the reactor, said it will make a decision in late June on Halden’s future.

The Halden project is a joint undertaking of national organisations in 19 countries sponsoring a jointly financed programme under the auspices of the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA). The programme is financed by the participating countries and is renewed every three years. As the host country, Norway covers about 30% of the programme cost.

The Halden nuclear fuel and reactor material testing reactor – which started up in 1959 – runs at a maximum power of 25 MWt and contains numerous test positions, thus providing flexible test conditions. About 30 test rigs are currently installed in the reactor core. A number of in-reactor loops are installed for performing experiments under prototypical coolant conditions. These loops are in particular utilised for corrosion and stress corrosion studies and for water chemistry investigations.

Halden’s current operating licence expires at the end of 2020. IFE is required to apply for a licence renewal this year.

IFE said over the past months it has conducted an extensive strategic review of the future options for the reactor.

“The strategic review has been based on a thorough evaluation of the investment requirements, operational risk assessment and prospect of new business opportunities for the reactor, including work to establish a new fee model for the Halden Reactor Project led by the OECD-NEA,” IFE said.

The preliminary report of the strategic review was discussed at the 24 April meeting of IFE’s board of directors.

“The strategic review concludes that further reactor operation will require substantially increased financial funding and guarantees in excess of what IFE is able to provide,” IFE said on 27 April. “On this basis, IFE’s board decided to initiate a discussion with the Norwegian government regarding future funding of the nuclear operations at IFE, including the process and financing of decommissioning of the Halden reactor.”

IFE said its board will meet again on 27 June “to make a final decision about the way forward” for the Halden reactor.

“IFE and Norway remain strongly committed to the Halden project, and IFE would therefore like to investigate the possibility for reshaping the OECD Halden Reactor Project, particularly the Fuels & Materials part, to continue also in the event that operation of the Halden reactor is discontinued,” IFE said.

(Researched and written by World Nuclear News)

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Science

China, the largest exporter of high-tech products for the European Union

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

The European Union imported, in 2017, EUR 357 billion worth of high-tech products, which represents 19 percent of total EU imports. Overall, the EU had a trade deficit in high-tech products of 61 billion within the top 20 trade partners. The largest deficit was with China, the biggest partner, totaling EUR 82 billion. Within the top 20 partners, the EU had a trade deficit with seven other countries: Vietnam, United States, Malaysia, Thailand, South Korea, Switzerland, and Japan, and a trade surplus with the remaining twelve: Mexico, Israel, Canada, Singapore, Norway, Brazil, Hong Kong, India, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Russia and the United Arab Emirates.

The trade deficit by product reveals the deficit is mainly in electronics communications (including smartphones), EUR 65 billion, and computer office machines, EUR 46 billion. In both cases, most of the trade deficit is with China. The product groups with the largest trade surpluses were aerospace (EUR 31 billion), pharmacy (EUR 29 billion) and scientific instruments (EUR 22 billion).

In 2017, the EU imported most of its high-tech products from China (34 percent of total EU imports of these products from outside the EU), the United States (27 percent) and Switzerland (6 percent). The list continues with Vietnam, Malaysia, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Thailand and Canada. Out of top 10, seven countries are from Asia.

Regarding exports, the partners are the same, but in a different order. In order, top 10 export markets is US, China, Switzerland, united Arab Emirates, Russia, Japan, Singapore, Turkey, India and Hong Kong. By size, most exports went to the United States (25 percent of total EU exports of these products to outside the EU), followed by China (12 percent) and Switzerland (6 percent).

The exports are important since the overall trade deficit, not limited to top 20 partners, is only EUR 23 billion, the import of smartphones and computers being compensated by pharmacy and aerospace products.

(business-review)

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Norwegian Aid

Norwegian Government increases humanitarian aid to Gaza

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

In response to the acute humanitarian situation, Norway is providing an additional NOK 15 million in humanitarian aid to Gaza. This funding will be used to purchase medicines and other medical supplies and to increase treatment capacity in Gaza’s hospitals.

According to the UN, at least 128 Palestinians have been killed and around 13.000 have been wounded, more than 3600 of whom have bullet wounds. A large number of the wounded are under the age of 15. A Palestinian health worker has been killed, and according to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), 240 health workers have been injured. The situation in the hospitals in Gaza is extremely serious. There are shortages of medicines and other medical supplies, as well as surgical capacity.

‘It is unacceptable to fire live ammunition at protesters. It is also unacceptable for health workers to be injured while doing their job. I am deeply concerned about the critical humanitarian situation in Gaza and the large number of deaths and injuries. It is vital that the hospitals in Gaza have the resources they need to treat the injured, that medical supplies are brought in, and health workers are able to treat the wounded without risking their own lives,’ said Minister of Foreign Affairs Ine Eriksen Søreide.

The allocation of NOK 15 million from the humanitarian budget will be used to increase the hospitals’ capacity to deal with the large increase in the number of patients. The funding will be channelled through the ICRC and Norwac (the Norwegian Aid Committee), which have surgical expertise and are particularly well placed to respond to this situation. With this additional allocation, Norway’s humanitarian aid to Palestine so far this year totals NOK 59 million.

‘As chair of the international donor group for Palestine (AHLC), Norway is working with the UN, the EU, Egypt and the parties themselves to alleviate the critical situation in Gaza. It is particularly important to improve the water and electricity supply and access for humanitarian relief. We are also working to reduce restrictions on the movement of people and goods to and from Gaza,’ said Ms Eriksen Søreide.

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Defence

Romanian shipyard builds EUR 527 mln ships for Norwegian Defense Agency

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

Norwegian shipbuilder Vard has been awarded a contract to build three coast guard vessels for the Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency. The value of this contract is some EUR 527 million.

The hulls of the three vessels will be built at Vard’s shipyard in Tulcea, Romania. The ships will then be equipped and delivered by the Vard Langsten shipyard in Norway, starting 2022.

With a length of 136 meters and a beam of 22 meters, the vessels feature strong ocean-going capacities for long-distance transits, search-and-rescue operations, surveillance, and oil recovery.

The Vard Tulcea shipyard will also build the hull of a ship for Italian cable producer Prysmian. The EUR 170 million vessel will be used for installing underwater cables.

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Oil & Gas

Pipelaying operations underway for Norway’s largest oil pipeline

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

The operations to install Norway’s largest pipeline to the Johan Sverdrup field started outside Mongstad, north of Bergen, late last week onboard the vessel Saipem Castorone.

Soon the tip of the first pipe of what will become Norway’s longest and largest oil pipeline will be pulled into the Mongstad terminal, north of Bergen. The 36 in. pipeline which will extend more than 280 km out to the Johan Sverdrup field once installed, is being pulled through a pre-drilled hole at the bottom of the Fensfjord into the oil terminal. When the Johan Sverdrup field produces at peak up to 660 000 boe/d will flow into Mongstad.

“The Castorone is now inititating pipelaying operations in the Fensfjord. The vessel will lay as much as 36 000 pipes – in total more than 400 km – when installing the oil and gas export pipelines for the Johan Sverdrup project. Assuming everything goes according to plan, the oil pipeline will reach the Johan Sverdrup field in July,” says Geir Bjaanes, responsible for subsea, power and pipelines for the Johan Sverdrup project.

The costs for phase 1 of the Johan Sverdrup development have been reduced by more than NOK 35 billion (approximately US$4.4 billion) since the plan for development and operation was approved by Norwegian authorities. Of this, NOK 1.2 billion in savings come from rerouting the pipeline through the Fensfjord.

The original plan was to route the pipeline onshore 10 km from the oil terminal. At the time, it was not assessed as technically feasible to lay the pipe through the Fensfjord due to other existing pipelines in the area and possible subsurface instability.

Statoil commissioned a study in 2015 which showed that a subsea pipeline route was possible as long as infill support for existing pipelines was in place. After thorough preparations, the conditions have been put in place for the pipelaying operations now underway.

“We have spent many years with Saipem planning these operations. At the same time, we’re all very aware of the size of the task that we have ahead, with several months at sea with a significant installation scope before we reach the Johan Sverdrup field. The key is to follow the thorough plans that we’ve prepared and maintain our significant focus on HSE along the way,” says Lars Trodal, Project Manager for the Johan Sverdrup export pipelines.

(energyglobal)

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