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TODAY IN NORWAY

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

Norwegians stockpile eggs in Sweden, Storm Hans pushes up cabin insurance claims, Quran burner moves from Sweden to Oslo and more news from Norway on Thursday.

Today in Norway: A roundup of the latest news on Thursday
Norwegians have been flocking to the Maximat border shop in Svinesund to stock up on eggs. Photo: Maximat

Norwegians stockpile eggs over border in Sweden 

The continuing shortage of eggs in Norway has led to hordes of Norwegians crossing over the border to Sweden to stock up for their easter celebrations, the Nettavisen newspaper has reported.

According to the online newspaper, eggs have already sold out at the Maximat supermarket in the Swedish town of Svinesund, while the nextdoor Nordby Supermarket is limiting purchases to a maximum of three 20-pack cartons per household.

Many Norwegians do their shopping for Easter, Christmas and other holidays at border supermarkets in Sweden due to the lower prices for sweets, chocolate, and food. 

Norwegian vocabulary: at hamstre – to hoard (literally “to hamster”) 

Norwegian man wins nearly 150m kroner in Viking lotto

A Norwegian man on Wednesday won 148m kroner in the Viking Lotto, the 15th largest sum ever won in a lotto in Norway, all of which are run by Norsk Tipping, the government-run gambling company. 

She said that it was important that people shut off the water to their cabins if they are going to be away for more than three days in the winter or more than 15 days in the summer. 

She also advised people not to leave computers, iPads, jewellery, watches and other expensive items in their cabins, especially if they are visible through the windows. 

Norwegian vocabulary: skadeøkning – increase in claims

Controversial Quran burner moves from Sweden to Norway

An Iraqi refugee in Sweden who stoked international outrage by repeatedly desecrating the Quran last year said Wednesday he was leaving the country for neighbouring Norway after Sweden revoked his residency permit.

Salwan Momika, a Christian Iraqi who burned Qurans at a slew of protests in Sweden over the summer, told AFP that he had left Sweden and arrived in Norway, where he planned to seek asylum.

“I left Sweden because of the persecution I was subjected to by government institutions,” Momika told AFP in a text message.

Momika’s Quran burnings sparked widespread outrage and condemnation in Muslim countries.

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TODAY IN NORWAY

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

Labour shortages in northern Norway, competition authority clears Norwegian grocery stores of unfairly increasing profits, and other news making the headlines on Wednesday.

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

Persistent labour shortage in parts of northern Norway

Troms og Finnmark in northern Norway continues to face significant labour shortages, according to the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration’s (NAV) latest annual company survey.

Although the situation slightly improved compared to last year, the region still has the tightest labour market in northern Norway.

Kristin Røymo, the Regional Director for NAV in Troms og Finnmark, told the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (NRK) that many local companies plan to hire more employees in the coming year.

However, recruiting skilled workers remains a significant challenge in the area.

“We see that the labour shortage is lower than last year, but we still have the tightest labour market in northern Norway,” Røymo said.

Norwegian grocery stores cleared of unfair pricing

The Norwegian Competition Authority has cleared grocery stores of unfairly increasing their profit margins over the past years despite the worst food price jump in 35 years recorded in 2022.

This conclusion follows a process launched by the government to investigate the grocery sector’s pricing practices amid rising costs, according to the NRK.

The authorities’ investigation, covering the years 2017 to 2022, scrutinised three different profitability measures but found no evidence of margin exploitation during critical events like the Ukraine war or the pandemic.

Magnus Friis Reitan from the Competition Authority stated that the industry has not used these crises as opportunities to raise prices unfairly.

However, the authority noted that competition within the sector remains poor.

Record seizure of money by Norwegian customs

The Norwegian Customs Authority announced a record-breaking seizure of 4.2 million Swedish krona– one of the largest currency seizures in Norwegian history.

The seizure occurred during the second weekend of April when customs officers stopped a Norwegian-registered vehicle with two occupants at an eastern Norway border crossing.

They found several plastic bags full of Swedish banknotes in the vehicle.

Authorities believe organised criminal networks are involved in this smuggling operation.

Report: Low income linked to higher mortality risk

A recent report from the Norwegian Directorate of Health highlighted stark disparities in health outcomes based on income.

According to the findings of the report, people in the lowest income decile are five times more likely to die prematurely from preventable or treatable diseases compared to those in the highest income bracket.

The report also noted that income-related differences in mortality rates are less pronounced for diseases that are difficult to treat.

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