Sunday, October 25, 2026
Peace Talks

Kashmiris’ miseries should end now: Former Norwegian PM

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

The former Norwegian Prime Minister, Kjell Magne Bondevik, has said that the miseries of the Kashmiris should end now.

Kjell Magne Bondevik speaking at a seminar on Kashmir organised by his organization, Oslo Center, in the capital city of Norway, expressed hope that the Kashmir dispute would be resolved soon.

“We have a deep interest in the issues existing in the region, including the problem of Kashmir,” he added.

The seminar was also addressed by Mushal Malik, the wife of Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front Chairman, Muhammad Yasin Malik, and Prof Sten Widmalm, a professor of Political Science, Uppsala University of Sweden.

The former Norwegian Prime Minister appreciated the efforts of Mushal Malik for highlighting the Kashmir dispute.

The seminar was attended by a number of people from different walks of life including researchers and intellectuals.

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Economics

Frozen Food Retailer Iceland Eyes Expansion In Norway

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

Iceland Foods, the UK-based frozen food retailer, is set to enter the Norwegian market this year, according to Dagens Næringsliv.

The retail group is reportedly planning to open its first franchised stores before the summer, led by Geir Olav Opheim, the former head of agricultural cooperative Nortura and Coop Norway.

“Initially, we will open two stores to learn the Norwegian market,” Opheim told Dagens Næringsliv.

“We will fine-tune what products we have and get the system up and running,” he added. “But we must have more than two stores if this goes well.”

Iceland Group currently has over 900 stores in the UK, as well as franchise operations in Spain, Portugal, Iceland, Ireland, and Czech Republic.

Meanwhile, the Norwegian grocery market is dominated by local players Norgesgruppen, Coop and Reitangruppen.

© 2018 European Supermarket Magazine

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Media Freedom

Public consultation on a proposal for a new Media Liability Act

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

Minister of Culture Trine Skei Grande Credit: Mona Lindseth

The Ministry of Culture has presented a proposal for a new media liability act which gathers and modernises current regulation relating to media liability and editorial independence.

English summary of the consultation memorandum (.pdf)

English translation of the bill (.pdf)

The full consultation memorandum (Norwegian only)

The proposal for a new act titled “Act relating to editorial independence and liability of editor controlled journalistic media” is technology neutral and will apply to all media which is led by an editor and which produces and disseminates news and current affairs to the public on a regular basis.

The Ministry’s primary purpose in publishing the bill is to support the role of editor controlled journalistic media (news media) as guarantors of an open, enlightened public discourse.

– Strong and independent media is the best medicine against fake news, hate speech and other challenges to freedom of speech. We have to make sure that we also in the future have access to journalism with the credibility and quality that the news media represents. A new media liability act will give an incentive to continued responsible and serious editorial control, based on professional journalistic standards and ethics, Minister of Culture Trine Skei Grande said in a comment.

The proposal was presented to the public on 9 May and the consultation period will run until 10 September.

The Government has also announced that it will review regulation on protection of journalistic sources and submit a proposal on a separate hearing.

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Economics

Helping young Europeans find work

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

Almost 14 million young people in Europe are not in employment, education or training. The new regional EEA and Norway Grants Fund for Youth Employment supports the most vulnerable among them, to help them gain a foothold in the labour market.

‘Youth unemployment is one of the biggest challenges we are facing in Europe. I am pleased that we can provide young people in a number of European countries with opportunities they would not have had without this fund,’ Minister of Foreign Affairs Ina Eriksen Søreide said.

The EAA and Norway Grants Fund for Youth Employment was launched on 26 April 2017, and 27 projects with partners from 25 European countries have now been selected to receive funding totalling about NOK 510 million. In addition to the 15 beneficiary countries under the grants scheme, Ireland, Italy and Spain are also participating in some of these projects, because of the high rate of youth unemployment in these countries.

Motivating young people to engage in entrepreneurship, start-ups and innovation is a key focus for several of the projects. New jobs will be created in the fields of alternative tourism, green food production and opportunities in local communities.

The primary target group is long-term unemployed in the 22-29 age group, including vulnerable groups such as young mothers, young people with health problems and disabilities, and young people from ethnic minorities and rural areas.

The projects are expected to start in autumn 2018. You will find more information about the projects  here.

Facts about the EEA and Norway Grants

  • Norway is part of the European internal market through the EEA Agreement.
  • The aim of the EEA and Norway Grants is to reduce social and economic disparities in Europe and strengthen cooperation between Norway and the beneficiary countries.
  • For the period 2014-2021, EUR 2.8 billion has been set aside under the EEA and Norway Grants for distribution among 15 beneficiary countries.
  • Norway provides about 98 % of the EEA and Norway Grants. Iceland and Liechtenstein provide the rest.
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Politics

Lords force UK parliament to vote on ‘Norway model’

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

Members of the British parliament will be offered a chance to vote on remaining in the European Economic Area (EEA) after leaving the European Union, following a surprise vote in the House of Lords late on Tuesday (8 May).

Despite neither the UK government nor the opposition Labour party leadership approving it, an amendment to the EU withdrawal bill obliging the UK to stay in the European Economic Area after it leaves the EU in 2019 was backed by a majority of 245 Lords against 218.

The vote result came as a surprise, because Labour had urged its peers to abstain in the vote. But 83 Labour peers revolted against Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn’s strategy and secured the majority by voting for the amendment.

As all amendments that are passed by the Lords must automatically be considered and voted on by MPs, the Commons will now need to vote on it too, which could happens as soon as next week.

The Norway model

The EEA is also known as the ‘Norway model’, because Norway is the most important of the three non-EU countries currently using the model for their relations with the European Union.

Legally EEA members are all the EU countries plus Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.

Under the model Norway has agreed to accept all EU legislation regarding the single market, and to accept all future legislation that the EU might adopt for the single market in return for free access to the European single market.

The amendment in the House of Lords to stay in the EEA was tabled by Labour Lord Alli, who asked fellow Lords to “support it and ensure that common sense prevails over political dogma”.

Eurosceptics argue that it would leave Britain as “a vassal state” to Brussels.

Stephen Kinnock, a Labour MP and a member of the Select Committee on Exiting the European Union supported in a comment in the Guardian the Norway model, saying that staying in the European Economic Area “would not transgress the prime minister’s red lines on the single market or on ECJ jurisdiction”.

“By committing to an EEA-based Brexit the government would be providing business, consumers and our entire country with the certainty and stability that is so desperately needed,” Kinnock added.

Under EEA has Norway effectively renounced the right to adopt national legislation that may be in violation of the single market’s legislation.

In return, Norwegian businesses and citizens get free access to the European single market.

Norwegian companies are able to compete for contracts on equal terms with EU companies and Norwegians can travel to and work in other EEA member states, while citizens of the EEA can travel to and work in Norway.

The EEA agreement does not come however free of charge. In the 2014-2021 agreement period, Norway will pay a total of almost €2.8bn.

A separate Surveillance Authority and Court of Justice ensures that obligations under the EEA agreement are fulfilled.

Stronger EEA

Theoretically, Norway can say “no” to new legislation if Norway feels it conflicts with its national interests or is irrelevant to the EEA. But until now, this has not happened.

There has also been surprisingly little debate in Norway about the agreement.

The reason is that it forms part of Norway’s national compromise on its relationship with the EU.

A December opinion poll from Nationen and Klassekampen newspapers showed that a majority of 52 percent of Norwegians would vote yes to the EEA if a referendum was held tomorrow. While a larger majority of 66 percent would vote no to EU membership.

According to the Norwegian government would the EEA membership expire automatically when the United Kingdom leaves the EU.

The procedures are governed by Article 127 of the EEA Agreement but the article does not contain specific provisions for the negotiation of a withdrawal agreement, as provided for in Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union.

The article states that at least twelve months’ notice must be given in writing for a country to leave the EEA, but so far has the UK not asked to withdraw, despite there being currently less than a year to when Britain leaves the EU.

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Defence

Three new F-35 aircraft to Norway

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

According to the plan, Norway will receive six new F-35s every year until 2024. Credit: Torbjørn Kjosvold / Norwegian Armed Forces

On May 22, three new F-35 aircraft landed at Ørland Air Base in Norway. Six aircraft are now on Norwegian soil. – Our new F-35s are a major investment and the most important acquisition to strengthen the defence capabilities of our Armed Forces, said Defence Minister Frank Bakke-Jensen.

Delivered on time, the three new aircraft represent a new milestone in our acquisition program. We are now another step closer to reaching Full Operation Capability with the F-35 in 2025. Until then, we have a lot of infrastructure to build on the two air bases Ørland and Evenes; New equipment and systems need to be fitted, and dedicated personnel are being educated and trained on the new combat aircraft system to be able to ensure Norway’s safety and sovereignty in the future. The F-35 will significantly strengthen our Armed Forces’ joint defence capability, said the Defence Minister.

According to the plan, Norway will receive six new F-35s every year until 2024. Today’s arrival follows the delivery of the three first aircraft in November 2017. Since then, the Norwegian Air Force has been carrying out operational testing and evaluation of the F-35 in Norwegian conditions, aiming for Initial Operational Capability (IOC) in 2019.

– With the F-35, we are introducing a completely new concept, requiring our entire Armed Forces to adapt and innovate. I am confident of the efforts our dedicated personnel are putting in to reach Initial Operational Capability in 2019, and that we will reach this important milestone by the end of 2019, said the Defence Minister.


A major capability

Based on the Storting’s (Norwegian Parliament) ambitions, Norway plans to acquire up to 52 F-35 combat aircraft for national defence purposes. The number is verified by analyses carried out by the Norwegian Defence Research Establishment and the Ministry of Defence, and confirmed by the latest threat assessments and the Armed Forces’ Long-term Plan.

– We will conclude our acquisition and reach Full Operational Capability by 2025. The F-35 can identify, locate, strike heavily defended targets, and it offers high survivability faced with modern threats. The aircraft is difficult to detect on radar and can operate in high-threat areas where today’s F-16 cannot. The F-35 has sensors with great reach and high resolution, which offers good situational awareness for both our own and allied forces. An advanced weapons system, the F-35 offers a major capability that will strengthen our ability to react quickly to threats over great distances, said Major General Morten Klever, Director for the F-35 acquisition program at the Ministry of Defence.

Major investment in national security

The F-35 acquisition is within the cost framework approved by the Storting.

– We conduct thorough cost analyses annually, and work continuously to ensure that we keep costs down. This is a major investment in terms of money, but it is an even greater investment in Norwegian security, said the Defence Minister.

Training and education on track

In addition to the six aircraft now at Oerland Air Base, the Norwegian Air Force has seven F-35s stationed at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona, USA. These are being used for training and education.

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Environment

UNEP chief Erik Solheim concerned over Thoothukudi deaths

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

Erik Solheim on visit to Mumbai. File photo

United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) global chief Erik Solheim has expressed concerns over the loss of lives following the police firing at anti-Sterlite protesters at Thoothukudi in Tamil Nadu.

Speaking to media persons at Cochin International Airport (CIAL) here on Saturday, Mr. Solheim said that “we are extremely sorry for the loss of lives”.

“This shall not happen. Protests shall be without violence and police shall not use strike ammunition,” he said.

Hoping that solutions could be found on the issue, Mr. Solheim said that he had learnt that the authorities have taken steps to close the plant. “We are concerned. Let us see how it develops,” he said.

On whether big-ticket projects are getting help from governments to flout rules, Mr. Solheim said that public consultations should be done before going ahead with such projects.

The UNEP chief, who visited CIAL to understand its green initiatives, said that his organisation will work out plans to officially recognise CIAL as the world’s first fully solar energy-powered airport.

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Russia and Norway

Norway ready to continue providing practical assistance to Ukraine

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan
Norway remains a committed partner of Ukraine on the path to its European and Euro-Atlantic aspirations, State Secretary at the Norwegian Foreign Ministry Audun Halvorsen has said.

He said this at a meeting with Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Serhiy Kyslytsia on May 14, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry’s press service reported.

“Norway remains a committed partner of Ukraine on the road to its European and Euro-Atlantic aspirations. Support for Ukraine should remain among top priorities on the international agenda,” Halvorsen said.

The meeting participants noted positive trends in bilateral trade and the gradual growth of Norwegian investments in the Ukrainian economy in 2017 and highlighted the high activity of bilateral partnership, particularly in the field of political dialogue.

Kyslytsia thanked the Norwegian side for EUR 4.6 million worth of financial support provided as part of the Council of Europe’s Action Plan for Ukraine for 2018-2021. Halvorsen, in turn, expressed the readiness to continue to provide practical assistance for the implementation of systemic reforms in Ukraine.

The Norwegian side was informed about the efforts of the Ukrainian leadership to implement the Minsk agreements and the prospects for deploying a UN peacekeeping force to the east of the country.

In addition, the parties discussed cooperation within NATO, including in the context of preparations for the NATO summit in Brussels in July.

The sides also exchanged views on topical international issues.

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Corruption in Norway

Nordic Nanovector CEO steps down as company delays R&D timelines

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

Norwegian biopharmaceutical firm Nordic Nanovector has revealed that its Chief Executive Officer Luigi Costa is set to step down from his role at the company, with the decision made with mutual agreement from its Board of Directors. Costa has pledged to remain available to the board until the end of July this year, while the company seeks a replacement.

The news coincided with announcements made by the company the same day which indicated that it would be indefinitely postponing human trials of its novel 177Lu-conjugated chimeric anti-CD37 antibody Humalutin in patients with non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. This is due to the firm’s revamping of its timelines for the PARADIGME study exploring the efficacy of Betalutin in third-line follicular lymphoma, with results now expected in the first half of 2020, as opposed to the original target of the second half of 2019. The decision was made, according to the company’s Dr Lisa Rojkjaer, because of the “re-analysis of the patient enrolment rate and the fact that it has taken longer than expected to enrol the first patient”.

In light of the news of Costa’s departure, Chairman Ludvik Sandnes said: “On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank Luigi for all his hard work and enthusiasm in leading the company through its initial public offering in 2015 to the point where the company has a strong team and a clear plan to develop the company’s promising drug candidate, Betalutin, which is in late-stage clinical development. We look forward, in due course, to announcing the appointment of a new CEO who will lead the company through the next phase of its growth and development.”

Costa himself remarked: “Nordic Nanovector has recently taken a significant hit to its market valuation and credibility with the Norwegian investment community. As CEO, I have to take full responsibility for this. For the good of the company, its employees and investors, I have therefore decided to step down from my position as I hope it will allow the company to receive the support it deserves. I have full confidence that the company’s management team will successfully execute the on-going Betalutin development programme and generate significant value for Nordic Nanovector’s shareholders.”

The search for Costa’s replacement is ongoing, said Nordic Nanovector Chairman Ludvik Sandnes, “and we hope to have one in place shortly.”

(pharmafile)

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Crimes

Norwegian man who molested drunk woman sentenced to one year’s jail and 3 strokes of the cane

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

SINGAPORE – A Norwegian national, who took advantage of a drunk woman outside a nightclub at Clarke Quay, was sentenced to a year in jail on Friday (May 25) for the “very intrusive” act.

Gregersen Tommy, 49, will also receive three strokes of the cane for outraging the modesty of a 24-year-old woman on Aug 11 last year. She cannot be named because of a gag order.

Tommy, a site and commissioning manager, was in Singapore for a work trip when the molestation took place.

The court heard that the victim had been at Zouk, a nightclub in River Valley Road, with her friends. After consuming some alcohol, she felt the urge to vomit and left the club alone.

While she was seated at a bench near the club, Tommy, who had earlier visited various entertainment establishments to drink and dance, noticed her sitting alone and approached her.

After she threw up, he led her to another bench where they both sat, the court heard.

At this point, she received a call from her cousin, who was concerned after hearing her incoherent response in an earlier phone call. Tommy answered the call and told the cousin where the victim was before hanging up.

He then started patting her back, pretending to comfort her. When she did not respond, he slipped his hand under her shirt and unfastened her bra before fondling her.

When she still did not react, he became more daring and touched her private parts for a few minutes.

At this point, the woman was “unresponsive and her head was facing the ground”, the court heard.

A few minutes later, the woman’s cousin arrived at the area, intending to take the woman home. When she saw the victim with Tommy, she quickly led her cousin away.

Tommy’s lawyer K. Chandra Mohan Nair said his medical conditions, including sleep apnea, a severe medical condition which requires him to wear a sleeping mask, should be a “strong mitigating factor”.

In response, DPP Marshall Lim said: “The accused does have multiple medical conditions, but I don’t see how it can’t be managed.”

District Judge Shaiffudin Saruwan agreed, adding: “The outrage of modesty is a very intrusive one. It is more than just a fleeting touch.”

For outraging the modesty of a woman, Tommy could be jailed up to two years, fined, caned, or any combination of the three.

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Corruption in Norway

Criminal Complaints And Industry Investigations Target Tidal

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

The streaming platform Tidal, whose most public owner and champion is rapper and entrepreneur Jay-Z, is facing heavy criticism and possible legal action from several Scandinavian artist organizations and other entities after a Norwegian business newspaper alleged last week that the company had faked hundreds of millions of plays on Beyoncé’s Lemonade and Kanye West’s The Life of Pablo.

That paper, Dagens Naeringsliv (DN), published its original findings on May 9. DNsays it was surreptitiously given hard drive that contained internal Tidal play data, and worked with researchers at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology who analyzed the hard drive logs.

A lawyer for Tidal named Jordan W. Siev told the Norwegian paper that he believes the data was stolen, and that “DN exhibits complete lack of understanding of the data.” Moreover, Tidal denies that any play data has been manipulated, or that any royalty structures have changed.

On Monday, a team of DN journalists published a trio of follow-up stories. In one of those reports, DN purports to show that in the past year, Tidal has lowered payments to labels from 62.5 percent to 55 percent, without renegotiating terms. (The company has, since launching, billed itself as the streaming platform that pays the most to creators; DN says that a 55 percent payout puts Tidal on equal footing with Spotify and Apple Music’s terms.) Daniel Nordgård, the chair of GramArt, the Norwegian musicians’ association, called the situation “a complete breach of trust.”

Tidal is co-owned by a consortium of high-powered recording artists, including the two artists whose streaming plays were allegedly manipulated — Jay-Z’s wife, Beyoncé, and Kanye West — as well as Rihanna, Nicki Minaj, Daft Punk, Jack White, Arcade Fire and others; in early 2017, Sprint bought a 33 percent stake in the company for $200 million.

In a statement last week, Tidal attempted to discredit the Norwegian media outlet, saying: “This is a smear campaign from a publication that once referred to our employee as an ‘Israeli intelligence officer’ and our owner as a ‘crack dealer.’ We expect nothing less from them than this ridiculous story, lies and falsehoods. The information was stolen and manipulated and we will fight these claims vigorously.”

Nevertheless, several Scandinavian organizations have decided to take action based on DN‘s reporting. TONO, the Norwegian collection society for composers, lyricists and music publishers, has filed a report with Okokrim, Norway’s prosecuting and police authority that is charged with fighting economic and environmental crime. Koda, Tono’s sister organization in Denmark, announced on Monday that it is demanding an independent audit of Tidal’s numbers. GramArt, the professional musicians’ association in Norway, also demanded an audit of Tidal’s data and says that if payouts have been withheld, it will be seeking money from Tidal on behalf of its members.

In addition, the Norwegian arm of the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) has announced that it will be reviewing the Norwegian albums and singles charts, which rely on Nielsen SoundScan data and are published weekly in the newspaper VG.

https://www.npr.org/sections/therecord/2018/05/14/610945573/criminal-complaints-and-industry-investigations-target-tidal

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Middle East and Norway

Jordan airport welcomes inaugural Norwegian Airlines flight

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

Jordan’s Queen Alia International Airport (QAIA) welcomed the first Norwegian Airlines flight on May 8, marking the start of biweekly flights between Amman and Copenhagen, Denmark.

A welcoming ceremony was held, at which the inaugural flight was honoured with the customary water salute. Numerous officials were welcomed at the event, including representatives from both Airport International Group and the Jordan Tourism Board.

This step came as part of Airport International Group’s efforts to accommodate a multitude of passenger needs, and introduce yet another previously unserved route.

Airport International Group CEO, Kjeld Binger, stated: “We are pleased to welcome Norwegian Airlines here at QAIA, as this is yet another step in the right direction, offering passengers new, in-demand flight alternatives to and from Jordan, especially within Europe.”

“In our position as Jordan’s prime gateway to the world, we strive to facilitate comfortable, convenient and economical travel for all our passengers traveling through QAIA, by partnering with world-renowned carriers such as Norwegian Airlines. We are confident that this partnership will increase the number of passengers arriving in Jordan, which will not only contribute to enriching local tourism and the Jordanian economy specifically, but will also attract even more airlines to become a part of the QAIA family.”

In turn, chief commercial officer at Norwegian Airlines, Thomas Ramdahl, said: “We are excited to have launched our new route between Amman and Copenhagen, in partnership with Queen Alia International Airport, and look forward to the mutual benefits it will garner for both countries, strengthening economic cooperation and facilitating an influx of tourists to and from these two historically significant cities. We offer a vast range of short and long-haul flights at Norwegian Airlines, to a myriad of destinations globally, and provide affordable fares for all, which is what we aim to do through this partnership.”

(TradeArabia News Service)

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Norwegian American

U.S. Embassy Oslo and Embassy of Canada to Norway co-hosted a lovely summer evening reception

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

This week, the U.S. Embassy Oslo and Embassy of Canada to Norway co-hosted a lovely summer evening reception to honor the 2018 Abel Prize winner, Prof. Robert Langlands from Princeton University. Guests enjoyed some light refreshments on our beautiful terrace as we celebrated Prof. Langlands remarkable contributions to the field of mathematics.

From left to right: HE Mr. Artur Wilczynski Canadian Ambassador to Norway, Mr. Ole Sejersted, President of the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters, Mrs. Charlotte Langlands, Prof. Robert Langlands and Charge d’Affaires Jim DeHart. — at U.S. Embassy Oslo.

Charge d’Affaires Jim DeHart with honored guests Abel Prize winner Prof. Robert P. Langlands and Mrs. Charlotte Langlands. Canadian mathematician Prof. Robert Langlands has been named the winner of the Abel Prize for 2018 for his visionary project connecting representation theory to number theory.

Guests enjoyed some summer sunshine and engaging discussions on the U.S. Embassy terrace.

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Economics

Government scaling up funding for Norad’s Knowledge Bank

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

‘The Government is proposing to increase its allocation to technical cooperation on taxation through Norad’s Knowledge Bank by NOK 13 million. This is one step on the way to doubling our support for ‘tax for development’ by 2020,’ said Minister of International Development Nikolai Astrup.

The Government is proposing to increase its overall budget for technical cooperation from NOK 428.6 million to NOK 441.6 million in the revised 2018 budget.

‘Helping developing countries to increase their capacity to collect tax revenues is an important way of financing development. Norway has a great deal to offer in this field. There is a growing need and demand for technical cooperation on taxation and a range of other areas where Norway has relevant experience and expertise. The long-term goal is for developing countries to become independent of aid,’ said Mr Astrup..

At the Addis Ababa Financing for Development Conference, Norway undertook to double its technical cooperation on tax and domestic revenue mobilisation by 2020. This means an increase in funding from NOK 134 million in 2015 to NOK 268 million in 2020. The Government will honour this pledge, and is therefore increasing its allocation in the revised budget.

Norway is a rich country, not only in monetary terms, but also rich in knowledge. Through Norad’s Knowledge Bank, our expertise can be used to benefit more people. For example, the Norwegian Tax Administration will be providing technical assistance and help in capacity building. The Norwegian Directorate of Taxes has established a secretariat for technical cooperation on taxation.

Norwegian governmental bodies in areas such as taxation, oil and gas, renewable energy, fisheries, gender equality, research, higher education and statistics are all involved in technical cooperation. The Knowledge Bank will strengthen and coordinate technical cooperation with selected countries in these fields, where Norway has relevant expertise that is in demand.

https://www.regjeringen.no/en/aktuelt/knowledge_bank/id2601075/

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Environment

Seals are new allies in climate change monitoring

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

Norwegian Ecologists have recruited seals as a new ally for monitoring the effects of climate change.

The team on Bouvet Island in the antarctic have equipped 15 elephant seals and 20 fur seals with satellite transmitters to send back data.

“Well the tags that they wear for us will provide us with information on the salt content of the water column, how deep they dive,” says Ecologist Andrew Lowther. “Aand the temperatures that they are experiencing as they are diving.”

The seals dive to depths of two kilometres below sea level and swim under ice – providing the only affordable way of discovering previously unknown information on how climate change is affecting ocean currents.

(euronews)

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Norwegian Aid

Norway allocates additional NOK 116 million to humanitarian assistance

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

‘Norway’s humanitarian budget has never been bigger than it is now, but the needs created by the world’s humanitarian crises are continuing to grow. The Government has therefore proposed increasing the humanitarian budget by NOK 116 million. The additional funds will be channelled primarily to the crises in Yemen and the Democratic Republic of Congo,’ said Minister of Foreign Affairs Ine Eriksen Søreide.

In the revised budget, the Government has proposed an increase in the humanitarian budget of NOK 116 million. This comes in addition to the existing humanitarian budget for 2018, which totals NOK 5.15 billion.

‘Because of the decline in the number of asylum seekers coming to Norway, we are able to help more people in the areas where the needs are greatest, within the framework of the adopted aid budget. Some of the unused funds will now be transferred to the humanitarian budget,’ said Ms Eriksen Søreide.

‘I am deeply concerned about the humanitarian situation in Yemen and DR Congo. This additional allocation will initially be used to help meet the massive humanitarian needs created by these crises,’ said Ms Eriksen Søreide.

The situation in Yemen is currently being described as the world’s worst humanitarian disaster. According to UN estimates, almost 80 % of the population are in need of humanitarian assistance and protection. The needs have increased considerably over the last two years.

In DR Congo, the UN estimates that some 13.1 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance and protection. The needs have increased significantly since last year. The UN expects the situation to deteriorate further, due to protracted conflict, political uncertainty and economic challenges.

The funds allocated to Yemen and DR Congo will be used to provide food, water, health services and protection for the civilian population, among other things.

According to the 2018 UN global humanitarian appeal, 136 million people in 26 countries are in need of humanitarian aid and protection. The UN is calling for USD 22.5 billion in order to respond to the various crises. Norway’s humanitarian funds are mainly channelled through the UN, the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, and Norwegian NGOs.

(MFA-Norway)

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Norwegian American

Trump and NATO head welcome increased defense spending

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

President Trump (right) and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in the Oval Office on May 17. (© Evan Vucci/AP Images)

In a May 17 meeting with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at the White House, President Trump applauded the many billions of dollars of increased defense spending by NATO allies and praised the “tremendous job” done by the NATO chief. Stoltenberg credited Trump’s leadership on the issue and said, “We live in a more unpredictable world. We need a strong NATO and to invest more in our security.” NATO leaders will gather for their annual summit July 11–12 in Brussels.

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Norwegian American

Norwegian power couple fears the worst from Trump administration

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

On vacation in California, Norwegian research physicians and family friends Thomas and Marthe-Lisa Naess-Andresen recently visited Pasadena.

They and their three young children enjoyed many of the tourist attractions the Southland has to offer, impressed by Universal Studios, Disneyland and Griffith Park. But despite all the fun, the power couple was pensive about international events and deeply concerned about the Trump administration’s handling of not just immigration, but the president’s increasingly conciliatory relationship with recently re-elected Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Though the two doctors are relaxing now, they still worry about what will happen when they return to their home country, located just less than 3,000 miles from Russia. They and other European nations have seen America as their protector for nearly seven decades.

“Norwegian and European eyes are on America,” said Thomas.

In fact, both Thomas and Marthe-Lisa said troubling stories about Trump appear on the front page of the main Norwegian newspaper Verdens Gang nearly every day. They see some of the changes the administration is making to basic governmental structures and institutions and, like many Americans, wonder where that will lead.

It didn’t help ease their tensions any when Trump used Norway as an example in offhanded  racist remarks he made about immigration, saying the US should have more immigrants from places like Norway, and not “s—hole countries,” as the president referred to Haiti and developing African countries.

“People apologize to us about Trump on their behalf when they open conversation with us, even in the grocery store,” Martha-Lisa said of an incident in Solana Beach in San Diego County, where the family was staying prior to traveling to Pasadena.

It also did not help bolster Thomas’ increasingly negative impression of the president when his sister, a nurse, was “Trumped” in her attempt to visit him and friends in Pasadena, being denied a visa because she had traveled to Sudan a couple of years ago with Doctors Without Borders.

“We didn’t take Trump’s comment as a compliment,” Thomas said of the president’s unguarded statement about immigration. “We took it as him talking down to other people and we didn’t want to be a part of that. In Norway, we like the immigrants.”

According to the Oslo-based newspaper Aftenposten, a poll conducted in June found that people dislike Trump more than Putin, with 66 percent of Norwegians having an “extremely unfavorable” impression of the president and only 51 percent having the same opinion of Putin. According to a headline appearing in the Jan. 12 issue of Newsweek, “Trump may love Norway, but Norway can’t stand the US President, say he’s a threat to World Peace.”

As Thomas explained, previous impressions of America before Trump came to power are that of the world’s strongest nation helping Europe survive World Wars I and II, rebuilding Europe from ruins, and keeping it safe during the Cold War. He says America has always been one of Norway’s closest allies. Norwegians even fought side by side with American forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. But now, Thomas fears Trump is introducing a threat to democracy in the US and the world.

Norwegians need America to be strong, according to Thomas. He points out that Norway is close to Russia, which he said could “swallow” Norway in 12 hours. He shares the concerns of his friends and neighbors who believe Trump is not standing strong and creating doubt in the very structure of the governmental organizations and press that have made America the world’s strongest nation.

While on vacation, Thomas and Marthe-Lisa have seen the president being targeted in a special counsel’s investigation into alleged Russian collusion in the 2016 election, and obstruction of justice. They also have heard no response from Trump personally to the attempted murder of an ex-Russian spy and his daughter in the UK — the US’ staunchest ally. And they listened to the news about Trump’s congratulatory call to Vladimir Putin for his latest questionable presidential win, over the explicit advice of the president’s closest advisers.

Although the US recently ordered the expulsion of 60 Russian diplomats, many characterized as spies, and the closure of the Russian consulate in Seattle, Trump, according to the Los Angeles Times, uncharacteristically said nothing about the move. Nor did the normally boastful chief executive tweet about the actions taken against Russian embassy workers by American security forces.

Though they are hopeful for change, and believe it will eventually come, the Naess-Andersens don’t really believe things will improve anytime soon — a dread that is shared by many Americans. 

(pasadenaweekly)

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Science

The Norwegian Government continues with the planning of a demonstration project for CO2 capture, transport and storage

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

The Ministry of Petroleum and Energy presented its assessment of the full scale carbon capture, transport and storage (CCS) project in Norway. The Government proposes to fund FEED studies (Front End Engineering and Design studies) with 80 million NOK in 2018. The total funding for the demonstration project in 2018 amounts to 280 million NOK, including funds transferred from 2017. The proposed funds for 2018 will cover FEED studies of CO2 transport, storage and up to two capture facilities.

Both the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the International Energy Agency (IEA) point to CCS as a necessary option to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions in line with the climate goals at the lowest possible costs.

In the years to come, the climate challenge demands a great effort, which will have to be met within a tighter scope in the budgets. Considerable resources are prioritized for climate options in the Norwegian government budgets. A decision to contribute to financing investment in and operation of a Norwegian full-chain CCS project has to be weighed against other climate measures. The Government has to choose effective measures that maximize the mitigation effect in a cost efficient manner.

The Government has appraised the demonstration project for CO2 capture and storage since 2015. In the autumn 2017, Norcem, Yara and Fortum Oslo Varme concluded concept studies on CO2 capture at their industrial sites. These concept studies have now been reviewed through the external quality assurance process for large Governmental projects. The Government is offering Norcem, a subsidiary of Heidelberg Cement, state aid to study CO2-capture at its cement plant in Brevik. Of the three CO2capture projects evaluated, Norcem has the best conditions for a successful implementation. Norcem has demonstrated project execution abilities and relatively low cost per tonne CO2 captured compared to the other two capture projects. The cement industry is also a significant contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions.

The external quality assurance considered Fortum Oslo Varme’s original project to have greater implementation risks. These are related to, inter alia, the length of the pipeline, public perception of having emissions of amines close to a city and the project management experience in the organisation. Further, cost estimates are considerably higher, compared to the other two. These are factors weighing against proposing funding for further studies at their plant. However, Fortum Oslo Varme has provided updated information, which is now being assessed by the external quality assurer. Following this assessment, the Government will consider whether to offer FOV support for FEED.

The Government does not recommend continued studies on CO2-capture at Yara’s ammonia plant at Herøya in Porsgrunn. Yara’s project has a smaller learning potential compared to the two others, and some uncertainties concerning the plant. Yara considers that it does not make sense industrially to continue the planning of their project.

Throughout FEED the demonstration project will mature further. Uncertainties and risks will be reduced and cost estimates will reach a higher level of certainty. Statoil, Total and Shell are cooperating on the studies of CO2-transport and storage, which will be continued as planned into FEED.

When FEED is completed, the Government will make a new assessment of the demonstration project and propose to Stortinget to decide upon a potential investment decision. The Government’s ambition is to realize a cost effective solution for CCS in Norway, provided this results in technology development internationally.

– We have reached a milestone in the Norwegian CCS demonstration project. I am very pleased to announce our continued commitment to CCS, although many issues remain to be resolved through FEED. To bring forward reasonable cost estimates and contribute to global knowledge dissemination and technology development, says Minister of Petroleum and Energy Terje Søviknes.

A potential investment decision will impound a large share of the budget for several years to come. Without considerable support from other sources it will be challenging to finance a demonstration project for CO2capture and storage in Norway. It is a prerequisite that the companies involved take a share of the costs and risks in the project. Further, it will be necessary to establish a cooperation to support the project, for example with the EU.

Both the Government and the industrial participants in the project are concerned with giving the project sufficient time in the planning phase. After the concept studies, the timeline for the project suggests that a potential investment decision may be taken in 2020/2021.

The external quality assurer considers the project to be economically unviable. The demonstration project must reach acceptable cost estimates and demonstrate a probability that other projects will follow, and benefit from the learnings of this project. Therefore, it will be of great importance that the companies involved in the project succeed with presenting a basis for the investment decision that facilitates a successful implementation of the project.

More information here: Summary – Status on the full-chain CCS demonstration project in Norway (pdf).

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Taiwan and Norway

Dalype Art Gallery has shown Tore Hauge´s photos from Taiwan

by Geir Yeh Fotland
written by Geir Yeh Fotland

Photo from Ximending, Taipei, by Tore Hauge.

Dalype is an art gallery located since 1995 in an imitation timbered building built in 1990 on the preserved Omholt farm in Sagene in Oslo. Several other houses here are original half-timbered houses from the 1700s and 1800s.
The name of the gallery is composed of the letters of dentist Per Lyder Dahle who in 1989 originally founded Dalype Gallery. Visual artist Dag Vatle who run his own painting school next door since 1997, took over the gallery business in 2000.
The Dalype Gallery is constantly showing works by artists with very solid background, but also serves as a display for artists who do not necessarily have heavy art education and much experience with previous exhibitions.

Tore Hauge (photo) lives in Oslo. On facebook he met a Vietnamese girl living and working in Taipei. Three years ago he flew to Taiwan to visit her. He fell in love with the girl – and the country, starting reading many books about the beautiful island. He even took a three month course in Mandarin in Oslo. He visited Taipei also in 2016 and in 2017 taking plenty photos with the exhibition “Taipei” this year as result. Some of his photos are from Vietnam, England, France and Norway. Framed photos, photos on t-shirts, cups, bags and pins have been on sale. The photos from Taiwan can be seen here: http://www.torehaugehome.com/420589326.  The exhibition ends today, May 22nd.

Taiwan is a democratic modern small Pacific country of the size of Denmark, but has more than 23 million citizens. Europeans used to call the island Formosa because of its beauty of nature. • Minister of foreign affairs Jaushieh Joseph Wu (photo) invites more Europeans to visit and explore Taiwan with a camera. With a valid passport from an European country, visitors get three months visa when entering the country. Therefor Norwegians visit Taiwan for business, for birdwatching, mountain climbing, biking, surfing, or as Tore Hauge for love and photographing. At Easter former prime minister to Norway Gro Harlem Brundtland and her husband Arne Olav visited Taiwan for their second time. She is impressed by Taiwan´s high technical development, excellent health system, clean environment and all the females in the politics.

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Politics

Foreign Minister regrets US decision to withdraw from nuclear deal

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

‘President Trump’s announcement this evening that the US will withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal and reimpose US nuclear sanctions is regrettable,’ said Minister of Foreign Affairs Ine Eriksen Søreide.

‘We are concerned that this decision could increase instability in what is already a volatile region. We are also concerned about how this decision will affect the future of the Non-Proliferation Treaty and the international community’s ability to prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons.

‘Our position on the nuclear agreement with Iran is clear: The Iran Nuclear Deal has helped to promote regional stability and has contributed to our own security. It has been effective in achieving its objective – to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons. We have full confidence in the International Atomic Energy Agency’s verification and monitoring work and their assessment that Iran is fulfilling its obligations. Mr Trump’s decision does not mean that the deal cannot be salvaged. We urge Iran in the strongest terms to keep the deal alive, and we welcome the signals that Iran is willing to do so. We support the EU’s unambiguous statements indicating its commitment to ensuring continued implementation of the Iran nuclear deal,’ said Ms Eriksen Søreide.

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Economics

The Norwegian Fiscal Policy Framework

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

The Government Pension Fund Global and the fiscal rule have since 2001 set out the plan for the phasing-in of petroleum income and investment returns to the Norwegian economy. The Government Pension Fund Act stipulates that the State’s net cash flow from the petroleum industry shall in its entirety be transferred to the Government Pension Fund Global, and that resources in the Fund can only be transferred to the budget pursuant to a decision by Parliament.

Since 2001 the following rule has guided withdrawals from the Fund (handlingsregelen):

  • Transfers from the Fund to the central government budget shall, over time, follow the expected real return on the Fund.
  • Significant emphasis is placed on evening out economic fluctuations to contribute to sound capacity utilisation and low unemployment.

At the inception of the fiscal rule, the expected real rate of return of the Government Pension Fund Global was set at 4 percent. Based on analysis from the Thøgersen commission, the Mork commission, and Norges Bank, the expected real rate of return was reduced to 3 percent in the spring of 2017.

The fiscal policy framework ensures preserving the real value of the Fund for the benefit of future generations. At the same time, the Fund and the fiscal rule insulates the budget from short-term fluctuations in petroleum revenue, and leaves space for fiscal policy to counteract economic downturns. In the event of large movements in the value of the Fund or in factors that affect the structural non-oil fiscal deficit, the change in the use of petroleum revenue shall be smoothed over several years, based on an assessment of the real rate of return of the Fund a few years ahead.

Even though the fiscal policy framework is especially well-suited to the particular challenges Norway faces in managing its large petroleum wealth, the fiscal rule resembles that in use in other European countries. The rule stipulates that the government expenditure shall, over time, equal government revenues from the mainland economy and the expected future real return from the Fund. Several countries, including countries in the EU, have fiscal rules that imposes limits on the budget balance.

The Revised national budget 2018 implies a structural, non-oil deficit of NOK 225.5 billion, equivalent to 2.7 per cent of the value of the Government Pension Fund Global.


More information:

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Middle East and Norway

Norway agree to provide water and sanitation for Somali refugees

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

The Saudi King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center signed a joint agreement today, planning to improve access to potable water, and sanitation for refugees in Somalia. The agreement is in cooperation with the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), at a total cost of $2 million.

The agreement was signed by the General Manager of the Center, Dr. Abdullah Alrabiah and Abeer Shobasi, the Gulf Region Director of the NRC, at the headquarters of the Relief Center in Riyadh.

The agreement aims to provide drinkable water and water for sanitary use. Also, to provide, training and health education for those in the most affected areas of Somalia.

Shobasi expressed her pleasure at signing the first working agreement in Somalia between the NRC and the King Salman Relief Center. She hoped the agreement would be a good start and a strategic partnership between the two sides in the near future.

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Economics

Outline of economic developments and fiscal policy

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

In order to ensure simultaneous access to potentially market sensitive information The Ministry of Finance here unveils selected key figures prior to the budget release, which takes place at 10:45. A table with more detailed projections will be released together with the budget.

In the 2018 Revised National Budget growth in mainland Norway is projected to be 2.5 per cent this year and 2.6 per cent next year, unchanged from the forecasts given in the 2018 National Budget. This is above the historic trend, and capacity utilisation will increase and remain close to normal levels next year. The labour market has improved faster than projected.

The Revised National Budget for 2018 upholds the neutral fiscal policy stance from the adopted 2018 budget, which was approved by Parliament in December. Spending of petroleum revenues is now estimated to NOK 225.5 billion in 2018, as measured by the structural, non-oil deficit.  This is NOK 5.6 billion lower than forecasted in the adopted budget. The structural budget deficit is at the same time adjusted down for 2017, and the estimated fiscal impulse is thereby still less than 0.1 per cent of trend GDP for mainland Norway.

The petroleum revenue spending is estimated to 2.7 per cent of the capital of the Government Pension Fund Global by the beginning of 2018, revised down from 2.9 per cent in the adopted budget. The revision should be read in the light of a substantial rise in the Funds market value by the end of last year.

Table: Selected key figures in the Revised National Budget 2018

1) 2018 Revised National Budget.
2) 2018 National Budget.
3) Change from previous year in percent.
4) Structural, non-oil budget deficit measured in percent of trend GDP for mainland Norway. Change from previous year in percentage points.
5) Structural, non-oil budget deficit measured in per cent of the capital in the Government Pension Fund Global at the beginning of the year.

Sources: Statistics Norway and Ministry of Finance.

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Media Freedom

People spend 11 minutes per day on Norwegian news

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

Sol, an aggregated news site from Norwegian magazine and news publishing group Aller Media, launched an app in December to gain new, younger readers. The Sol app uses a combination of algorithms and human editors to surface content people are interested in, in order to keep them in the app longer.

So far, Sol is seeing encouraging results from the app, which has a healthy average daily dwell time of 11 minutes, according to Sol CEO Jan Thoresen, thanks in part to the algorithm serving relevant content. The app has 50,000 daily unique users and adds around 5,000 new users a week, he said, noting that it’s particularly popular with women between 18 and 24 years old. Sol’s app and site have a 750,000 unique weekly users, Thoresen said.

“The ongoing challenge for the content industry is that we’re losing control of distribution, and we can’t expect Google and Facebook to take care of us,” said Thoresen. “We need to reinvent the way news is distributed in a feed way. We focus on creating habits. The strategy is around the quality; we call it thinkbait rather than clickbait.”

When users register with the app, they are welcomed by a chatbot assistant, which 50 percent of users opt into using, according to Sol. The app surfaces local news stories based on users’ location, as well as content based on interests gleaned from what users choose to read. The editorial team also manually sources roughly 100 news stories a day from other Norwegian publishers, linking back to those news outlets.

“Machine learning is reviving news aggregators all over the world,” said Thoresen, adding that Sol’s app took inspiration from Toutiao, a Chinese aggregator app. “We wanted to test it out in a local market.”

Another reason for the app’s popularity is Facebook’s algorithm change in January that de-emphasized news content in the feed, which Thoresen said has led to a huge decrease in Facebook referral traffic for Norway’s news publishers. “People miss the news, and they’re used to a sophisticated way of sorting,” he said.

Sol has 25 people working on the app, split evenly between sales, editorial and technology. A team of six people developed the app over six months. Thoresen said Sol monetizes its content in the app through display ads, and it’s profitable.

As with other apps, encouraging people to download the Sol app is a challenge, particularly when similar services like Apple News or Upday come installed on mobile phones. After Sol advertised its app on Facebook and Instagram in March, the app climbed from No. 17 to No. 1 on the Apple App Store’s list of top free apps in Norway.

Other publishers that have had success with their apps include sports publisher Bleacher Report, which gets people to spend five minutes a day in its app, and women’s lifestyle site Bustle, which gets users to spend six minutes per session in its app.

Sol plans to add more ad units to the app without compromising the user experience and improve its push notifications. People who opt in to push notifications get about four push notifications a day about specific topics users have shown interest in, like sports, science or technology, plus an additional two about breaking news. “Based on interest and urgency, we’re experimenting with more editorial content that’s less time-urgent, as well as trying to make [the app] more like a news assistant,” said Thoresen.

(digiday)

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