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TODAY IN NORWAY

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

Lower punishment for drug possession, a possible government worker strike, authorities contact tracing a potential monkeypox case and other news from Norway on Monday.

A lake and mountain in Norway.
Read about monkeypox, a potential strike on the cards and lower punishments for drug possession in today's roundup of important news. Pictured is a mountain range in Norway. Photo by Felix Rottmann on Unsplash.

Punishments for drug punishment reduced

Last week, Norway’s Attorney General presented new guidelines for how police should deal with drug possession cases, public broadcaster NRK writes

The Supreme Court advised that drug users should not be stopped, arrested, and searched on suspicion of personal use and that they should not be prosecuted for having quantities of drugs for recreational use. 

The new rules will apply to users in possession of up to five grams of heroin, amphetamine or cocaine. 

Those caught with quantities higher than this but less than ten grams should receive shortened sentences, too, the attorney general attorney said. 

Last year, the Conservative Solberg government presented a drug reform package, which was voted down in parliament. 

Oslo municipality contact tracing monkeypox infected who was in the capital

The Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH) announced over the weekend that it received information that a person who visited the country between May 6th and May 10th has tested positive for monkeypox since returning to their country

The infected were said to have had symptoms during their stay but were only diagnosed after returning from Norway. 

Oslo Municipality is working with the NIPH to identify who could have potentially been exposed to infection. In addition, contact tracers are in touch with the health service in the person’s home country to establish where the infected had been during their trip to the country. 

Mediation for state and municipality workers

The ombudsman, unions and state and municipalities have until midnight to reach a wage settlement for the year

If parties do not reach an agreement, the wage settlement for 500,00 employees expires, and strikes could begin from early as Tuesday. 

One dead and three injured in fatal collision

One person has died, and three have been injured following a fatal car crash in Trøndaleg over the weekend. 

The accident was a frontal collision between two vehicles. Relatives have been notified of the death of a man in his 70s, newspaper VG reports.

There have been a number of fatal traffic accidents recently, with seven people dying in three crashes earlier this month. 

Do you want a daily roundup of the news delivered to your inbox fresh off the press every morning? You can sign up for our Today in Norway newsletter here.

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TODAY IN NORWAY

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

PM says he can still win the next election, commuters reminded of tax deductions, and other news from Norway on Friday. 

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

Jonas Gahr Støre says election win is still possible 

Despite some torrid times for the government parties in the polls, PM Jonas Gahr Støre has said that it is still possible for him to win the next election. 

“It is an election that we can and must win. It is entirely possible. It is very even between the two sides in Norwegian politics,” Støre told Norwegian newswire NTB. 

“I have a very strong belief that when people feel that the economic outlook is improving, then the results of the policy we pursue also become more visible and clearer to people. I think that can give us increased support,” he added. 

Støre pointed to an expected rise in weal rages this year as a sign things were improving for the public. 

Vedum reminds commuters about tax deductions 

Finance minister Trygve Slagsvold Vedum and Nina Schanke Funnemark have reminded commuters of the tax deductions available to them ahead of next week’s tax deadline. 

The current government has increased the travel allowance for people with a long commute to work, but this part of the tax return must be filled in manually. 

“The tax return has become very simple, and much is filled in for you automatically, but if you have a claim to travel deductions, you must, as a general rule, enter this yourself in the tax return,” Vedum said. 

For 2023, commuters can get a tax deduction for daily round trips between their home and work of more than 37 kilometres for 230 working days of the year.

Meanwhile, Schanke Funnemark said anyone unsure about potential deductions could consult the Norwegian Tax Administration for more information. 

“If you are unsure whether you are entitled to a deduction, I would recommend checking the Tax Agency’s deduction guide. You can find it on our website,” she said. 

Sami name for Oslo approved 

Norway’s mapping authority will reverse its original decision and approve the Sami name Oslove for the Norwegian capital. 

The decision had previously been rejected due to the mapping authority believing it was not in line with the Place Names Act. 

However, the authority has now changed its position. 

Chaotic day for air travel 

Thursday was a chaotic day for air travel in Norway due to a temporary closure of the airspace in the south. 

Even after the issues had been resolved, there was still a large number of delays and cancellations for passengers. 

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