King Harald calls for Norway to do more to counteract right-wing extremism in July 22nd speech
Norway’s King Harald has called on the country to do more to combat right-wing extremism.
The King was speaking at a memorial event marking the tenth anniversary of the July 22nd terror attacks in which radical right-wing extremist Anders Behring Breivik killed 77 people.
“We have to admit that we as a society have not done nearly enough to see, to help, to carry the burden together, and to counteract the dark forces,” Norway’s King Harald said in a speech Thursday evening during a memorial concert in Oslo.
“It saddens me”, he added.
Many prominent politicians, including Prime Minister Erna Solberg, and survivors of the mass shooting on Utøya, where 69 people, mostly children, lost their lives, have called on Norway to address right-wing extremism.
READ MORE: Norway calls for opposition to hate 10 years after July 22nd terror attacks
Hiker fined after hand crossed Norway’s border with Russia
A woman on a hiking trip has said that she has been fined 8,000 kroner after her left hand crossed over into Russia.
The hiker climbed the Treriksrøysen, Finnmark, North East Norway, and hugged what locals call the “heart stone”.
This meant her left hand crossed the border, which is illegal under The National Border’s Act, and CCTV picked up the incident at the site.
“There are quite strict rules when it comes to crossing the border,” Lisa Moon Sneve, attorney for the police in Finnmark, told newspaper VG.
The woman who crossed the border, so far, hasn’t responded to the fine. As a result, she faces having to pay up to 9,600 kroner or serve 19 days in prison if the court convicts her in September for refusal to pay.
READ ALSO: Two campers find 2 million kroner stashed in cave in Norway
UDI preparing for an influx of Afghan asylum seekers
The Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI) has said that it is preparing for an influx of refugees into the country.
The reason for this influx is the withdrawal of Nato forces from Afghanistan.
Norway recently stopped deportations to the country in light of the deteriorating security and humanitarian situation in Afghanistan.
The intense fighting between the Taliban and Afghan forces has lead to soldiers deserting and civilians standing in hour-long queues to try and secure passports so they can leave the country.
“The UDI has now begun to implement the contingency plan that was made in 2015”, UDI acting head of department Knut Berntsen told media Vårt Land.
In 2015, more than 30,000 migrants and refugees sought asylum in Norway.
The UDI plans to be able to establish emergency accommodation in the event of capacity issues.
266 new Covid-19 cases in Norway
On Thursday, 266 new cases of infection with the coronavirus were registered in Norway. This is 88 more than the average of the previous seven days, which is 178.
In Oslo, 22 cases of Covid-19 were recorded. The same figure as the day before.
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