Yellow warning for strong gusts of wind

Residents and authorities in parts of Norway’s western and southern regions are on high alert as a yellow warning has been issued for strong gusts of wind were expected to hit on Thursday.

The warning covers the inner regions of Rogaland, Hordaland, and Agder in western and southern Norway and comes into effect on Thursday morning.

The Norwegian Meteorological Institute predicts that locally strong gusts ranging from 28 to 35 meters per second (m/s) will sweep through these areas from an easterly direction.

This weather event is expected to bring windy conditions for residents and travellers in the affected regions.

The warning is initially set to remain in place until Friday evening, but there is a possibility of an extension if weather conditions persist or worsen.

You can stay informed about updates at the yr.no website.

Stavanger Airport reopens after evacuation

Stavanger Airport was briefly evacuated on Wednesday afternoon due to a security breach that allowed a person to pass through security without proper clearance. The incident was initially reported by the newspaper Stavanger Aftenblad.

After the unauthorized person managed to bypass security checks, the terminal was evacuated, and a thorough search was conducted to ensure the safety of the area.

Authorities are currently investigating the individual who breached security, and passengers have been allowed to re-enter the airport a few hours later.

Nordea reports strong growth in lending

On Thursday, Nordea reported a significant growth in lending despite the challenging economic landscape in Norway.

In the third quarter, Nordea’s lending in Norway surged to 814 billion kroner, marking a 4 percent increase over the past year. According to a Nordea press release, this growth is attributed to both businesses and households.

Nordea’s lending to companies saw a 9 percent rise compared to the third quarter of the previous year, reaching 266 billion kroner. This growth comes at a time when many people and businesses are navigating a changing economic landscape.

“Many people now notice that we have a new economy, which affects the vast majority of us. Parts of the business world are experiencing a drop in demand, while others are still operating very well. Norwegian households have started to curb consumption, and we notice that more people are contacting us for advice on their own finances,” Snorre Storset, managing director of Nordea Norge, said.

SAS pays for private flight from Svalbard to Poland

SAS, the Scandinavian airline, has reached a resolution in a case involving a Polish family who had to take a private flight from Svalbard to Poland during an SAS strike last summer.

The family, consisting of ten members, found themselves in a challenging situation, needing to return home swiftly following the death of a family member.

Due to the strike, there were no other viable options available, leaving them with the only choice of a private flight. The cost of this private flight amounted to 90,000 euros, slightly over 1 million kroner, according to the Norwegian news agency NTB.

In their pursuit to have these expenses covered, the family took their case to the Solna District Court in Sweden. In March of this year, SAS initially reimbursed 1 million kroner to the family. However, it was later revealed that this payment was made in error, and SAS clarified their intention to only cover 400 euros per passenger.

Initially, SAS sought a full refund of the entire sum, but a recent agreement has now been reached between the airline and the family. As a result of this settlement, the family is required to repay only 200,000 kroner. Their legal representative, Michael Forvass, has expressed the family’s satisfaction with this outcome.