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TODAY IN NORWAY

Today in Norway: A roundup of the latest news on Friday

Find out what’s going on in Norway on Friday with The Local’s short roundup of important news.

Today in Norway: A roundup of the latest news on Friday
A beach in Lofoten, Northern Norway. Photo by Zoya Loonohod on Unsplash

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. 

Total number of reported Covid-19 cases in Norway. Source: NIPH.

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TODAY IN NORWAY

Today in Norway: A roundup of the latest news on Tuesday 

Find out what’s going on in Norway on Tuesday with The Local’s short roundup of important news. 

Pictured is Holmenkollen in Oslo.
Read about the interval between doses two and three being shortened and the death of Kåre Willoch in today's roundup of important news. Pictured is Holmenkollen in Oslo. Photo by Michael Ankes on Unsplash

Tributes paid to Kåre Willoch 

The former prime minister and Conservative Party leader Kåre Willoch passed away yesterday aged 93. King Harold, prime minister Jonas Gahr Støre and former PM Erna Solberg were among those to pay tribute to Willoch. 

“He was a very gracious and nice person who was concerned with people and political issues,” Solberg said. 

The former PM pointed to Willoch’s modernisation reform in Norway as his most significant political legacy. 

“The most important thing he did was the modernisation of Norway,” she said. 

Health minister to decide on new Covid-19 measures

New coronavirus measures are on their way in Norway, with the health minister, Ingvild Kjerkol, set to decide on new restrictions following a rise in infections, outbreaks of the Omicron variant and parts of the health service nearing capacity. 

“There will be measures we will notice in our everyday lives,” Kjerkol said to public broadcaster NRK

“The situation is demanding, and that is the reason why we are now looking at new measures. We have a health service that is in full swing, and our goal is to have control of the pandemic, in the form that the municipalities and hospitals are able to provide proper health care,” Kjerkol explained.

READ ALSO: How could Norway’s Covid-19 restrictions be tightened this week?

The minister didn’t reveal any details on what could be announced but said that decisions would be made on Tuesday. 

Coronavirus booster vaccine interval shortened 

The interval between vaccine doses two and three for those aged between 64 and 45 will be shortened by a month, Norway’s health ministry has announced

The interval will now be five months when it was previously six. All adults with serious underlying conditions and those working in the health and care sectors will also have the interval cut. 

One in three think Covid-19 measures are too relaxed

A third of Norwegians feel that the current Covid measures in place in Norway are insufficient and need tightening, according to a survey conducted by Norstat for public broadcaster NRK.

Ten percent said the measures were too comprehensive, and just under 50 percent said that the current level of action was appropriate. 

4,117 new Covid-19 cases in Norway

On Monday, 4,117 new Covid-19 cases were registered in Norway. That is 1,240 more cases than the same day last week. 

As of yesterday, 295 people were hospitalised with Covid-19. 

A graph showing the number of weekly cases in Norway.
The total number of weekly cases in Norway throughout the pandemic. Source: Norwegian Institute of Public Health.
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