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OSLO

Oslo to make public transport free for children with an adult in the evenings

Adults in Oslo and Viken County will be able to bring up to four children with them for free during weekday evenings from next week, Oslo City Council announced Wednesday.

Pictured is a subway train in Norway.
Kids will be able to travel with an adult on public transport in Oslo and Viken for free on weekday evenings. Pictured is a subway train in Norway. Photo by Nan Wisanmongkol on Unsplash

From next Monday, September 19th, adults with a ticket for public transport in Oslo and Viken County will be able to bring four children with them on the same ticket from 6pm on weekdays, Oslo City Council announced.

“This is good news for young people and families with children, who may be struggling a little extra with the economy in these times,” environmental councillor, Sirin Stav, stated in a press release.

Previously, children could travel with adults for free on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays. Under the new rules, kids can travel with an adult with a valid ticket on weekday evenings, weekends, and public holidays.

The scheme doesn’t apply to children under six because they aren’t required to have a valid ticket anyway. The scheme will instead apply to children aged between six and 17.

Oslo City Council said that the new scheme will apply throughout 2023.

“We are happy to be able to extend this scheme to also apply to weekdays. It will lower the threshold for choosing public transport, and help more children and young people acquire good public transport habits,” county councillor for transport in Viken, Olav Skinnes, said.

“It will result in fewer queues, cleaner air and reduced emissions for everyone,” Skinnes added.

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OSLO

Norwegian prosecutor wants maximum sentence for Oslo Pride shooter

Norway's public prosecutor on Tuesday asked that the maximum penalty of potentially life behind bars be handed down to the alleged perpetrator of the fatal shooting at Oslo's 2022 Pride festival.

Norwegian prosecutor wants maximum sentence for Oslo Pride shooter

Zaniar Matapour, a 44-year-old Norwegian of Iranian origin, has been on trial since mid-March and is accused of an “aggravated act of terror”.

Matapour is accused of opening fire outside two bars in central Oslo, including the gay club London Pub, on the night of June 25th, just hours before the Oslo Pride Parade was to be held.

Two men, aged 54 and 60, were killed and nine others were wounded.

“There is no reason as to why the maximum sentence cannot be used in a case like this,” prosecutor Aud Kinsarvik Gravas said.

The maximum sentence is 30 years but can be extended indefinitely.

“He has shown no remorse or reflection. We have seen no change in him” over the last two years, Kinsarvik Gravas said.

Matapour, who was restrained by passersby after the shooting, pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group and has never revealed his motives. He pleaded not guilty.

Psychiatric experts have been divided over his mental health, and thereby his legal responsibility, but the public prosecutor deemed him criminally responsible at the time of the events and that he deliberately targeted the gay community.

The sentence sought against him, which includes a minimum of 20 years, would in practice keep him in detention for as long as he is deemed a danger to society.

The alleged mastermind behind the attack, Arfan Bhatti, a 46-year-old Islamist well-known in Norway, was extradited on May 3rd from Pakistan, where he had taken up residence before the shooting.

He will be tried at a later date.

The final part of the trial, due to last until Thursday, will be devoted to the defence case.

A verdict is not expected for several weeks.

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