Posts Tagged ‘Norway Post’
Wednesday, December 16th, 2009
Norwegian diplomat Kai Eide, the UN envoy to Afghanistan, will step down from his post at the end of his term in March. Eide has been widely criticised for his overseeing of the highly controversial elections that took place in August that were mired by fraud and alleged corruption. Last week, he was accused of disrespecting the country’s sovereignty after calling for clampdowns on corruption, reports The Norway Post.
Eide assumed his post in 2008 in the wake of spiralling Taliban-led insurgency. He will be leaving just months after post-election bickering which saw him field heavy criticism and his deputy fired. Eide has consistently denied any claims of mismanagement and defended his post by arguing that he is not quitting.
“I’m not resigning. I’m leaving in accordance with the timetable I outlined when I took the job,” Eide told reporters on Norwegian television. “I am sticking to the course that I promised to follow. It is responsible behaviour for me to ask the UN to seek a successor because I do not want to continue for an extra year,” he stated.
Analysts of the Afghanistan situation have argued that Eide’s position has become untenable and that his time had come to leave. Afghanistan is internationally ranked as the second most corrupt and fifth poorest country on earth.
”I see this as the end of his failed mission in Afghanistan,” said political analyst Nasrullah Stanikzai. “He cannot do this job any longer as (President Hamid) Karzai does not accept his recommendations when it comes to the cabinet, the US embassy does not listen to him and he can’t even coordinate his own UN mission,” Stanikzai added.
Tags: Afghanistan, Alleged Corruption, Corruption Reports, Diplomat, Earth, Elections, Fraud, Hamid Karzai, Kai Eide, Mismanagement, Norway Post, Norwegian Envoy, Political Analyst, Poorest Country, President Hamid Karzai, Responsible Behaviour, Sovereignty, Taliban, Timetable, Us Embassy
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Wednesday, December 9th, 2009
On Sunday 6th December an early morning action by the Norwegian police aliens section oversaw the forced deportation of 30 Iraqi nationals that had been residing in the country without permission, several of whom had criminal records.
A heavy police escort, numbering some 66 officers, accompanied the immigrants to the airport where they were placed on a charter plane bound for Baghdad reports the Norway Post.
Of the thirty illegal immigrants, eleven had been convicted of offences ranging from rape to violence and drug dealing. All of the immigrants had previously been unsuccessful in their claims for asylum.
Norwegian Justice Minister Knut Storberget claimed that his government would enact “tougher” measures in the future along with a new cooperative flight programme with Sweden to aid deportation.
“The Government is carrying out a strict and just asylum policy, in order that those who need protection will receive it. It is therefore important that those who do not qualify for asylum should return home. Our wish is that those whose request for asylum has been denied, and therefore should leave, do so voluntarily. The expulsion of these thirty shows that we are able to expel those who do not leave voluntarily. This is an important signal,” said the Justice Minister.
According to Storberget there are currently around 3,000 illegal immigrants residing in Norway after being denied asylum.
Tags: Aliens, Asylum Policy, Baghdad, Charter Plane, Criminal Records, Deportation, Expulsion, Illegal Immigrants, Justice Minister, Knut, Measures, Nationals, Norway Post, Norwegian Police, Police Escort, Rape, Sweden, Violence
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Wednesday, November 25th, 2009
Knut Storberget, the Norwegian Minister of Justice, this week joined with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon at the launch of the Network of Men Leaders to Combat Violence against Women.
The launch was held at the New York headquarters of the UN and also included a variety of former heads of state, current prime ministers, well known authors and even Nobel laureates, as reported in The Norway Post.
The issue of violence against women has been a top priority for the Norwegian government since Storberget took office four years ago. The Justice Minister has also been a leading campaigner for the issue in European theatre. In the summer, Storberget hosted ministers from across Europe to discuss the topic at a Council of Europe conference. Now he takes up the cause on a global stage with the United Nations.
According to official figures, one out of every three women across the globe is coerced into sex, beaten or subjected to some form of abuse in her lifetime. Storberget claims that it is essential that the code of silence which surrounds the issue of violence towards women is broken.
Storberget has also suggested that getting men to speak openly and forcefully about the subject is imperative, towards overcoming victim shame and social stigmas that continue in most nations.
Tags: Ban Ki Moon, Campaigner, Code Of Silence, Council Of Europe, Europe Conference, Forefront, Global Stage, Justice Minister, Launch, Minister Of Justice, Norway Post, Norwegian Government, Norwegian Minister, Prime Ministers, Social Stigmas, Three Women, Top Priority, Un Secretary General, Violence Against Women, York Headquarters
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Thursday, November 12th, 2009
The World Trade Organisation (WTO) has been formally requested by Norway to intervene in settling dispute consultations with the EU regarding their ban on the trading of seal products, which Norway claims contravene rules laid down by the WTO itself.
“In our view, the EU decision is contrary to WTO rules on a number of key points. We will not let this go uncontested. We have therefore requested formal WTO dispute settlement consultations,” said Jonas Gahr Store, the Norwegian Foreign Minister.
Canada and Norway have both asked for WTO dispute settlement consultations in the wake of the September 16th decision by the EU to introduce a ban on the trade in seal products. On October 31, 2009, the decision was formally published enabling the consultation requests. The ban is set to come into effect on the 20th of August 2010 says the Norway Post.
“This is an important matter of principle for the Government. Seal hunting is an integral part of the Norwegian marine mammal policy and fisheries management regime. The ban undermines our possibilities of carrying out sound, ecosystem-based management of natural resources, and it sets a dangerous precedent for trade in products that are harvested in a sustainable manner,” said Ministry of Fisheries and Coastal Affairs State Secretary Vidar Ulriksen.
The requests for consultation are the first step in any formal dispute settlements. The consultations are designed to investigate whether a mutually agreed upon solution is possible in regards to trade disputes. If no agreement is reached, a request for a WTO panel to act as an arbitrator can be made.
Tags: Arbitrator, Dangerous Precedent, Dispute Settlements, Ecosystem Based Management, Fisheries Management, Formal Dispute, Government Seal, Management Regime, Marine Mammal, Ministry Of Fisheries, Norway Post, Norwegian Marine, Seal Products, State Secretary, Sustainable Manner, Vidar, World Trade Organisation, World Trade Organisation Wto, Wto Dispute Settlement, Wto Panel
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Wednesday, November 4th, 2009
Thor 6, the latest satellite from the Norwegian Telenor Satellite Broadcasting (TSBc), has been successfully released into orbit from its launch site at the French Guiana Spaceport of Kourou. The new satellite will take over from its ancestor Thor III which will be retired in 2010.
Thor 6 was built by Thales Alenia Space and will deliver service over the Nordic and Central European region. The satellite will offer high powered direct-to-home (DTH) services for television from its one degree west orbital location, reports The Norway Post.
“The launch of THOR 6 will further strengthen TSBc’s position in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) providing much needed expansion capacity to 1 degree west, which already services over 15 million TV households throughout the Nordics and CEE region,” said TSBc’s CEO and Vice President Cato Halsaa.
Thor 6 was sent skywards at exactly 17.00 on the 29th of October by the Ariane 5 rocket launcher and broadcasted live during the 31 minute mission.
Thor 6 will be based upon the Thales Alenia Space Spacebus 4000B2 platform which will carry its 3,000kg weight. Thor 6 contains 36 Ku-band transponders, bringing to 71 the number of transponders on the at the 1 degree west location which have the ability to offer significant growth to TCBc.”It will also provide additional capacity in the Nordic region, where we continue to see a growth in HDTV requirements,” claimed Halsaa.
Thor 6 cost around NOK 1.3 billion and has an estimated life expectancy of 15 years.
Tags: Ariane 5 Rocket, Cato, Central And Eastern Europe, Dth Services, Expansion Capacity, French Guiana, Ku Band, Launch, Nordic Region, Nordics, Norway Post, Orbital Location, Rocket Launcher, Satellite Broadcasting, Satellite Thor, Telenor, Thales Alenia Space, Tsbc, Tv Households, West Location
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Saturday, October 31st, 2009
The level of foreign prostitution has risen back to those last seen prior to the Norwegian government’s implementation of a ban on purchasing sexual services. The public broadcaster NRK has revealed that statistics compiled by the Oslo Pro Centre show that prostitution figures in Oslo are now comparable to those of two years ago. The ban on sexual service purchasing has been in force for nearly one year.
The Oslo Pro Centre is a national organisation that studies information relative to prostitution as well as a resource centre which provides social and health services for both men and women involved in the prostitution industry. Liv Jessen, head of the Pro Centre, has expressed surprise at the recent increase in numbers – including the fact that a high number are from Nigeria – as reported in The Norway Post.
Once renowned for legal prostitution, Norway enacted legislation at the end of 2008 that meant any man caught soliciting sexual favours could face a prison term of up to six months and possible fines. The effect was immediate, as most sex workers disappeared from public streets almost at once. The law forbids the buying of sex but not the selling, meaning prostitutes are not prosecuted but rather face an almost impossible task of finding a client. The ban also was applied to Norwegian men travelling abroad, though as yet no arrests have been made.
The Pro Centre was founded in 1983 under the guidance of the Municipality of Oslo and is funded by the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs. The Centre’s primary aims are to provide support and advice to industry workers but they also operate a free healthcare service focussing on reproductive and sexual health.
Tags: Focussing, Free Healthcare, Healthcare Service, Impossible Task, Legal Prostitution, Ministry Of Health, National Organisation, Norway Post, Norwegian Government, Prison Term, Prostitutes, Prostitution Industry, Public Broadcaster, Public Streets, Resource Centre, Sex Workers, Sexual Favours, Sexual Service, Sexual Services, Social Affairs
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Friday, October 9th, 2009
Thorbjorn Jagland, the former President of the Norwegian Storting and head of the Norwegian Nobel Committee was voted into the role of Secretary General for the Council of Europe by the group’s members at the beginning of the month. Jagland received more than twice the votes for his opponent, the former Polish PM Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz. Jagland has considerable experience in the European theatre, having previously held the offices of Norwegian Foreign Minister and Prime Minister.
Jagland’s election was welcomed by Jonas Gahr Store, the current Norwegian Foreign Minister: “I am very happy to see a Norwegian at the helm of the organisation for the coming five-year term, and glad to see a Norwegian as secretary general in a major international organisation for the first time since Trygve Lie’s period as the first secretary general of the UN,” the Norway Post reports.
Gahr Store went on to commend the Parliamentary Assembly for their confidence in the Norwegian candidate, and also those who campaigned on his behalf. Jagland will assume his responsibilities immediately and has been elected by the 47 member states for a term of five years.
“The Council of Europe has the longest history of all the existing European cooperation organisations, and it is one of the most important inter-governmental organisations in Europe today. Its 47 member countries and 800 million European citizens need a strong and effective organisation. They need a strong leader who can renew and modernise the organisation and strengthen its fundamental objective of preserving and promoting human rights, democracy and the rule of law,” claimed Gahr Store.
The Minister went on to add that he was “…fully aware that this is a very demanding task, but I am also convinced that Mr. Jagland is the right leader as the organisation marks its 60th anniversary. As a former prime minister and foreign minister and as incumbent President of the Norwegian Storting and the Norwegian Nobel Committee, he is widely recognised as a leading European political figure. Mr Jagland – whom I have known and worked with for many years and whom I greatly respect – has clearly demonstrated over the years that he has the experience, integrity and visions required to guide the Council of Europe in the challenging years ahead.”
Tags: 60th Anniversary, Council Of Europe, Democracy And The Rule Of Law, Europe Today, European Citizens, European Cooperation, Foreign Minister, Former President, Former Prime Minister, Fundamental Objective, Gahr, Governmental Organisations, Incumbent President, International Organisation, Member Countries, Norway Post, Norwegian Nobel Committee, Parliamentary Assembly, Secretary General Of The Un, Storting
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Wednesday, October 7th, 2009
Once again Norway has taken the honour of being named best country in the world to live in, heading off Australia and Iceland to win for the second consecutive year. The Norway post announced the accolade, which is based on the United Nations Development Index. The top three places remained unchanged from 2008 and the top ten featured only one change as France reappeared at number 8 at the expense of Luxembourg.
The rankings consider life expectancy, education standards and GNP (gross national product) per person.
The Nordic countries again dominated the Index with all being named in the top 20; Sweden was 7th, Finland 12th and Denmark edged into 16th position.
Niger was named worst country to live in, with Afghanistan and Sierra Leone completing the bottom three. The sub-Saharan African states were all near the bottom of the Index as many countries in the region continue to be plagued by warfare and HIV/AIDS.
The contrast in life expectancy between developed nations and the developing countries was again a stark reminder of lack of global progress. The recession has also been blamed for poorer countries continuing to suffer; but its effects are not seen in the latest Index as the figures were gathered in 2007.
Life expectancy in Norway is around 30 years longer than Niger while GNP was 85 times higher. The Japanese were found to live longest, an average 82.7 years, whereas war-torn Afghanistan expectancy was just 43.6 years. The DR Congo saw the lowest average income with each person receiving under USD 300 per year, around 80 cents a day whilst Liechtenstein averaged USD 85,383 per person GDP.
Of the few countries to gain places on the Index, France, Columbia, Peru, Venezuela and China all did so due to increased earnings and greater life expectancy. According to the UN, human development has grown by around 15 percent in the past thirty years.
Tags: Accolade, African States, Average Income, Developed Nations, Development Index, Dr Congo, Education Standards, Global Progress, Gnp, Gross National Product, Hiv Aids, Index France, Life Expectancy, Nordic Countries, Norway Post, Number 8, Second Consecutive Year, Sierra Leone, Stark Reminder, United Nations Development
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Friday, October 2nd, 2009
A second uranium enrichment plant in Iran has led Norway to join other countries in expressing its concern over the disclosure, claiming that the plant is a clear breach of UN Security Council requirements.
The Norway Post reports that Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Store claimed that there is an increasing crisis of confidence between the international community and Iran, over its lack of transparency with regards to nuclear activities. It was announced last week that Iran had managed to keep hidden for years the existence of the uranium enrichment plant. The news is just the latest in a series of breaches of the regulaions laid down by the UN Security Council and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
“The latest reports that Iran has built a new enrichment plant give cause for grave concern,” said Mr. Store. “This is incompatible with Security Council requirements, and shows clearly that Iran has not laid all its cards on the table”.
At the G-20 meeting in Pennsylvania, other world leaders including British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, French President Nicolas Sarkozy and US President Barack Obama all condemned Iran’s behaviour, after the discovery of the new Iranian enrichment plant.
“This latest turn of events also shows how crucial it is that Iran show full transparency regarding its nuclear facilities and allow the IAEA full access. Otherwise it will be impossible for Iran to gain international confidence, which is also necessary for the country to exercise its right to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, which we have never contested,” said Norway’s Foreign Minister Store. Mr. Store also highlighted the Security Council’s move to pass recent agreements of nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament. “The uncertainty surrounding Iran’s intentions could, unfortunately, complicate the efforts to eliminate nuclear weapons. This is extremely regrettable,” said Mr Store.
Tags: Atomic Energy Agency, Barack Obama, British Prime Minister, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Cards On The Table, French President Nicolas, French President Nicolas Sarkozy, Gahr, Grave Concern, International Atomic Energy, International Atomic Energy Agency, International Atomic Energy Agency Iaea, International Confidence, Nicolas Sarkozy, Norway Post, Nuclear Activities, President Nicolas Sarkozy, Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Un Security Council, Uranium Enrichment Plant
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Monday, September 28th, 2009
Norway has joined a coalition along with Australia, New Zealand, Italy, Switzerland, the US and UK, who have pledged to donate 10 percent of their supply of the vaccine for the H1N1 virus to developing countries. The initiative was proposed by US President Barack Obama and has the full support of the Norwegian Government, according to the Norway Post.
Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Store said that: “Pandemics do not respect national borders. Our ability to protect ourselves against infections depends on other countries’ ability to protect themselves. The poorest countries are particularly vulnerable, and that is why this initiative is so important.”
Mr Store went on to add: “This is an important initiative and a new form of global solidarity. The world’s poorest are already suffering due to weak health systems in many developing countries. The pandemic is an additional burden. It is therefore important that together we seek to resolve a global crisis that does not respect national borders. Priority must be given to the most vulnerable groups, particularly pregnant women and health workers.”
The multi-national agreement will see the donations managed by the World Health Organization (WHO), which will coordinate the distribution of the vaccine to the poorest people in developing countries. The Norwegian Storting (national parliament) has still to ratify the agreement although the proposal has been adopted in principle.
Bjarne Haakon Hanssen, the Minister for Health and Care Services in Norway claimed: “We have been able to ensure extensive vaccine coverage for the Norwegian people at an early stage, and it is good to know that we can make a contribution at global level”.
Tags: Barack Obama, Gahr, Global Crisis, Global Level, Global Solidarity, Haakon, Health Systems, Health Workers, National Borders, National Parliament, Norway Post, Norwegian Government, Pandemic, Poorest Countries, Storting, Swine Flu Vaccine, Vaccine Coverage, Vulnerable Groups, Women And Health, World Health Organization
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Friday, September 25th, 2009
The Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Store has advised that Norway will be actively following up on a UN Human Rights Council report, which came after a fact-finding mission during the recent Gaza conflict. The report claims human rights and humanitarian law violations. According to the Norway Post, Gahr Store has deemed the allegations very serious.
“The extensive work carried out by the UN Fact-Finding Mission must now be actively followed up. The report contains very serious allegations. As a member of the UN Human Rights Council, Norway will as a first step seek to ensure that the report is dealt with as thoroughly as possible by the Human Rights Council,” he said in response to the report.
The independent fact-finding mission for the UN Human Rights Council was led by South Africa’s Justice Richard Goldstone, and investigated the alleged violations of both humanitarian laws and human rights by Israel during the conflict. The mission stated that there was sufficient evidence to suggest Israeli actions constituted war crimes and even crimes against humanity.
The report also found that Palestinian armed factions may have committed war crimes and crimes against humanity with their continued launching of mortar and rocket propelled grenades across the border into southern Israel.
Mr Store stressed that Norway was fully behind bringing to justice those who violate humanitarian law. “I note that the Justice Goldstone’s Fact-Finding Mission has considered the conduct of both parties to the conflict. Norway has earlier underlined the need for an independent investigation of the alleged violations of international humanitarian law during the operations in Gaza earlier this year,” said the Norwegian minister.
Tags: Crimes Against Humanity, Fact Finding Mission, Factions, Gahr, Gaza Conflict, Human Rights Abuses, Humanitarian Law Violations, Humanitarian Laws, Independent Investigation, International Humanitarian Law, Israeli Actions, Justice Goldstone, Justice Richard Goldstone, Norway Post, Norwegian Minister, Rocket Propelled Grenades, Serious Allegations, Southern Israel, Un Human Rights Council, War Crimes
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Wednesday, September 16th, 2009
Norway has denounced the sentencing to death of two Norwegian citizens in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Store claimed that the decision handed down by a military tribunal in the city of Kisangani was totally unacceptable: “Norway is against the death penalty on principle, and I will contact the Congolese Foreign Minister to make our position clear,” he told the Norway Post, adding: “I will emphasise that legal safeguards must be maintained, and that we hold the Congolese authorities responsible for the safety of the two Norwegians. I will also request that Norway’s views are communicated to the appropriate authorities in Kisangani.”
Norway has since received guarantees from the Congolese authorities that the men would not be executed, but their fate remains unclear. The two ex-military servicemen, Joshua French and Tjostalv Moland, were arrested and convicted on suspicion of murdering their driver, importing legal weapons, attempted murder and planning hostile acts against the Congolese state. They had claimed they were in the country to set up a private security firm, although at the time said they were merely tourists in the oil rich Orientale Province in a country noted for its lack of tourism, particularly ones with automatic weapons.
The pair claimed they had been attacked by armed militia who shot their driver before they managed to escape. They were found hundreds of kilometres from the scene and had not reported the attack. In response, the Congolese court condemned the men to death, despite capital punishment no longer being part of national law. The pair were also accused of spying for Norway and ordered to pay USD 60 million in damages; one dollar for each Congolese citizen.
Gahr Store went on to advise that Norway strongly repudiated the verdict. “Norway is not a party in this case,” said the Store, adding that, “Representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will remain in Kisangani until further notice to assist the two Norwegian citizens in this difficult situation, and to assess what kind of help they will need in the time ahead.”
Tags: 60 Million, Automatic Weapons, Capital Punishment, Congolese, Death Sentence, Democratic Republic Of Congo, Foreign Minister, Gahr, Hostile Acts, Legal Safeguards, Legal Weapons, Military Servicemen, Military Tribunal, Ministry Of Foreign Affairs, Moland, Norway Post, Norwegians, Private Security, Republic Of Congo, Security Firm
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Monday, August 31st, 2009
Norway and Scotland have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to work jointly on developing their aquaculture industries. It is hoped that the trade disputes in the past between the two nations will be put aside to help boost each other’s prosperity.
Norway’s Minister of Fisheries and Coastal Affairs Helga Pedersen signed the MoU with Scotland’s Environment Minister Roseanna Cunningham in Trondheim. Pedersen commented to the Norway Post that she feels both nations can learn a lot from each other in a bid to further develop their aquaculture industries.
“I am pleased that Scotland and Norway can strengthen our cooperation on aquaculture, since a collaborative approach provides greater dividends than past trade disputes,” Pedersen stated.
The main areas of focus for the collaboration include the exchange of experience on regulations, working together on research, providing joint access to insurance and finance, and tackling the issue of environmental sustainability.
The first meeting of the new Joint Committee for Bilateral Cooperation on Aquaculture will be held next year in Scotland, where the two teams will lay down the key elements of developing each other’s aquaculture industries.
Tags: Aquaculture Industries, Bilateral Cooperation, Collaboration, Collaborative Approach, Dividends, Elements, Environment Minister, Environmental Sustainability, First Meeting, Helga Pedersen, Joint Committee, Memorandum Of Understanding, Minister Of Fisheries, Mou, Norway Post, Prosperity, Roseanna Cunningham, Scotland Team, Trade Disputes, Trondheim
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Saturday, August 22nd, 2009
In a sign that Russia might not take an aggressively autonomous approach to staking its claim of the Arctic’s riches, it has been announced that Russia and Norway will work together to map the floor of the Barents Sea. The joint mapping project will begin later this month, according to a report by DN Energi.
This is a positive sign, as the nations which border the Arctic need to reach a consensus at some point over how to divide the seabed. The Norway Post reports that Russia and Norway will map the uncharted underwater territory around the Svalbard archipelago as well as in the Barents Sea.
The Russian Geological Institute, the University of Oslo, and the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate will be participating in the mapping mission. A Russia research vessel, the Akademik Nikolay Strakhov, will conduct most of the geological surveying as the two nations look for gas and oil beneath the seabed.
Sissel Eriksen, the director of the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate, said that her agency has been working well with the Russians for some time now. The mapping venture is merely a continuation of their relationship. Eriksen emphasised that the primary task is charting the ocean floor, not just looking explicitly for oil and gas. However, her agency estimates that nearly 70 per cent of Norway’s undiscovered gas and oil resources are located in its far north.
See more at the Norway Post.
Tags: Akademik, Autonomous Approach, Barents Sea, Emphasised, Energi, Geological Institute, Mapping Mission, Mapping Project, Norway Map, Norway Post, Norwegian Petroleum Directorate, Ocean Floor, Oil Resources, Research Vessel, Russia Map, Seabed, Sissel, Svalbard Archipelago, Undiscovered, University Of Oslo
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Sunday, August 16th, 2009
It is shaping up to be a record-breaking year in Norway for asylum seekers. Conflicts around the globe are forcing people to flee their own countries in search of safety and a better quality of life, and Norway is one of the more popular destinations.
The Norway Post reports that about 9,900 foreigners have arrived on Norway’s shores seeking asylum so far this year. This number represents a 45 percent increase compared to the same period in 2008, according to the latest estimates from Norway’s Immigration Directorate.
If this trend continues, 2009 will see the largest number of asylum seekers ever to descend on Norway. In 2008, 14,400 people came to Norway seeking asylum, which was nearly double the number from 2007. Norway is known to be fairly receptive to people suffering from conflict in their homelands. It has granted asylum to about 40 percent of the applications it has processed so far this year.
Of the 9,900 people who have applied for asylum so far, around 5,700 of them come from Iraq, Somalia, Eritrea or Afghanistan. Of these, 1,417 state that they are minors, the vast majority of which hail from Afghanistan.
Tags: Afghanistan, Asylum Seekers, Breaking Records, Conflict, Conflicts, Countries, Eritrea, Estimates, Foreigners, Globe, Hail, Homelands, Immigration Directorate, Iraq, Norway Post, People, Quality Of Life, Seeking Asylum, Somalia
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Wednesday, August 5th, 2009
A difficult child custody case involving the kidnapping of two children by their father has created major problems for the staff at Morocco’s Norwegian Embassy. The man has been charged with kidnapping and taking his 13 and 16 year-old kids from Norway to Rabat in Morocco.
The father managed to keep the children in Rabat for two and a half years before they finally managed to escape and make their way to the Norwegian Embassy in Rabat. The embassy housed them for several days while their father issued a flurry of serious death threats against the embassy staff.
Eventually, the two children were met by their mother, who was able to get them safely back into Norway. This child custody case has been a real snafu for embassy staff in Morocco for several years. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs admitted being concerned for their safety but had their hands tied over the legality of separating the kids from their father, according to The Norway Post.
Luckily the kids took the initiative. Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere commented “The two children went voluntarily to the Norwegian Embassy after threats to their lives. They were allowed to stay there for three days, which is quite out of the ordinary, and indicates the seriousness of the case. They left the Embassy of their own accord, after which the Norwegian authorities had no contact with them, and consequently were not in any way involved with their leaving Morocco.”
See more about this at the NorwayPost.
Tags: Child Custody Case, Death Threats, Embassy In Morocco, Embassy Staff, Foreign Minister, Gahr, Initiative, Ministry Of Foreign Affairs, Norway Post, Norwaypost, Norwegian Authorities, Norwegian Embassy, Own Accord, Rabat Morocco, Seriousness, Snafu, Two And A Half Years
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Friday, July 31st, 2009
Norway is home to one of the world’s biggest annual football tournaments, the Norway Cup, which attracts youth players from around the globe to compete in the prestigious event. The matches have been underway in Oslo since Sunday, and will culminate in high-profile finals played today and tomorrow.
The Norway Cup is a boon for young footballers, as it allows them a rare chance to show off their skills on a world stage watched by many talent scouts and fans. Up to 30,000 boys and girls between the ages of 10 and 19 have competed for the top honours this year. They represent an amazing 48 different countries.
The 1,400 teams involved in the Norway Cup have played most of the 4,000 games at Ekeberg. This scenic location sits atop a plateau overlooking Oslo, making an ideal setting for passionate football involving some of the world’s best up-and-coming young players. Other matches took place at smaller fields around Oslo and more than 60 stadiums across Norway.
The tournament is a trendsetter in many ways. The Norway Post reports that girls have been playing in the Cup since its first year in 1972, an extraordinary move even in gender-friendly Norway. It wasn’t until 1976 that the Norwegian Football Association officially recognised women’s football.
Another commendable feature of the Cup is it invites 20-30 teams from underprivileged areas each year. The teams are flown to Norway and given free room and board for the week. This has helped boost the role football plays in many impoverished places, especially Africa, which has a strong connection with the Norway Cup.
Tags: Boon, Boys And Girls, Climax, Cup Football, Football Tournament, Football Tournaments, Footballers, Globe, Norway Cup, Norway Post, Norwegian Football Association, Oslo, Plateau, Prestigious Event, Rare Chance, Stadiums, Talent Scouts, Trendsetter, Underprivileged Areas, World Stage
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Sunday, July 26th, 2009
Swedes, Norwegians and Danes were all victims of river-related drownings, in what proved to be a deadly weekend for outdoor recreationists in Scandinavia. Norway and Denmark were the sites of at least five deaths from boating accidents and hiking mishaps.
Two 63 year-old Danes from the town of Herning were on holiday along the west Jutland coast near Torsminda when they were dragged underwater by a powerful undertow in the North Sea. Witnesses say the couple was swimming normally in the sea when they were suddenly pulled under. Observers tried to save the elderly couple, but it was in vain.
Another incident happened in Norway’s Telemark region when a boat carrying a 38 year-old Swedish man and his 9 year-old Danish daughter capsized in a swollen river near Hjartdal. Search parties have been scouring the area along the river, but so far the two bodies have not been found due to the churning power of the river’s water. Officer Bjorn Olav Eilefstjonn stated to the Norway Post that the chances of finding them alive are “slim.”
Further tragedy befell a 22 year-old Norwegian hiker, who was swept away while trying to cross another flood-swollen river near Rogaland over the weekend. The Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate (NVE) has issued a stern warning to people not to underestimate the deadly power of Norway’s rivers when they are running high and fast.
The full article can be found on the Norway Post.
Tags: Boating Accidents, Drownings, Elderly Couple, Energy Directorate, Jutland, North Sea, Norway Post, Norwegian Water Resources, Norwegians, Nve, Observers, Olav, Rogaland, Scandinavia, Search Parties, Swedes, Swedish Man, Telemark, Undertow, West Jutland
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Wednesday, July 22nd, 2009
The recent terrorist bombings in the Indonesian capital of Jakarta prompted the Norwegian government to relocate its embassy staff to a safer location. One of the two bombs, which killed at least 11 people, was detonated at the Marriott Hotel right next to the Norwegian embassy.
Right after the bombings, the Norwegian embassy was evacuated. Although the embassy building itself was not damaged by the explosion, officials decided it would be safer to relocate the embassy to another building in Jakarta, according to the Deputy Director of the Norwegian Department of Foreign Affairs, Ragnhild Imerslund.
The two bombs, which exploded in the high-end Marriott Hotel and nearby Ritz-Carlton Hotel, killed nine known victims and injured dozens more. One Norwegian citizen, who was a guest at one of the hotels, escaped the devastating blast with only minor injuries, the Norway Post reports.
Since the bombings are widely regarded as acts of terrorism, all Scandinavian embassies were evacuated and closed at the time. Some, such as the Norwegian embassy, have already announced they will reopen after Monday’s public holiday in Indonesia. Norway’s embassy will resume normal operations on 21 July.
For more information see The Norway Post.
Tags: Acts Of Terrorism, Bombs, Building In Jakarta, Department Of Foreign Affairs, Deputy Director, Embassies, Embassy In Jakarta, Embassy Staff, Holiday In Indonesia, Indonesian Capital, Marriott, Marriott Hotel, Minor Injuries, Norway Post, Norwegian Citizen, Norwegian Embassy, Norwegian Government, Public Holiday In Indonesia, Ritz Carlton Hotel, Terrorist Bombings
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