Saturday, November 8, 2025
Economics

Shannon supports US Norwegian deal

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

GN4_DAT_6886437.jpg--shannon_supports_us_norwegian_dealSHANNON Airport is well positioned to tap into any potential deal for a new carrier to fly to the United States, if the way is cleared by US authorites for Norwegian Air International to fly across the Atlantic.

Industry sources have indicated that Norwegian will likely use Ireland as a major hub for flights to North America from Europe, if it gets approval from the US Department of Transportation.

Norwegian’s attempts to get the green light to operate low cost flights to the US have become an issue in the Presidential campaign, with Democratic hopeful Bernie Sanders recently voicing his opposition to the deal. Shannon has lodged a submission in support of the carrier’s attempts to win a permit to operate services between Ireland and the US.

Most of the major carriers into the US were against the Norwegian bid, including American, US Airways and Delta, and industry experts believe the deal will “level the playing field” for low cost operators looking at the transatlantic market.

Preliminary approval for permits for Norwegian has been granted, which Shannon has said would mean “having a new carrier on its runway”, as a result of discussions that are ongoing since 2014.

It is understood that a service between Boston and Shannon would be the first route if the deal gets the go ahead. Industry sources have suggested that there is a “big appetite” among Irish authorities for the deal to go ahead, with Ireland to become an “anchor point” for the States, offering a hub opportunity both for Norwegian and other carriers.

Shannon has formally stated its support for Norwegian’s bid in its submission, which has also been backed by the Irish Aviation Authority in a separate submission to the US transport department. Mary Considine, acting CEO of Shannon Group, said that the launch of these services would be a “boost for tourism and business”.

“We welcome the planned NAI services and the benefits to visitors and to businesses which they will bring,” Ms Considine said in the submission.

“We have been in discussion with Norwegian since 2014 and we are happy to have been able to demonstrate the strong and growing demand for travel between Ireland and the US and to have convinced the airline to launch Shannon-US service subject to regulatory approval.

“We welcome NAI’s plans to develop transatlantic service from Shannon to complement our existing and valued range of flights, and we are confident that NAI’s initial and subsequent routes will grow the overall market and develop more transatlantic trade and tourism.”

Meanwhile, Shannon this week announced details of a new programme to support airport users with autism and special needs and their families.

Launched by Marty Morrissey, the initiative includes a new instructional video and brochure – hosted on www.shannonairport.ie – for people with autism and special needs to help them to understand the process of getting through the airport.

(limerickleader)

0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Diplomatic relations

Slovenia opens consulate in Norway

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

206a8fe3e96f434c87773dafb57747c6_400x400Slovenia has opened a consulate in Oslo which is to be led by honorary consul Knut Ore.

The opening ceremony on Tuesday was attended by several distinguished guests, among them Foreign Ministry State Secretary Darja Bavdaž Kuret, her counterpart Tore Hattrem and Slovenian Ambassador to Norway Tone Kajzer, the Foreign Ministry said.

0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Farming

HSMI evidence detected in farmed salmon

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

51471_345x275_72_DPI_0A team of international researchers has diagnosed a potential heart and skeletal muscle inflammation (HSMI) in farmed Atlantic salmon samples collected from a BC aquaculture facility in 2013-2014.

This research, led by Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s (DFO) Dr. Kristi Miller, was undertaken as part of the Strategic Salmon Health Initiative (SSHI), a collaboration between DFO, the Pacific Salmon Foundation and Genome British Columbia to better understand the distribution of microbes and diseases in wild and cultured (hatchery and aquaculture) salmon in BC.

Dr. Miller pointed out that pathologists found lesions on salmon on one farm in Johnstone Strait indicating they had heart and skeletal muscle inflammation.

“These lesions were present for an extended period of time, at least eight months, on this farm,” Miller said.

The disease has been found in several countries, including Norway in the late 1990s, where it has been linked to low levels of mortality, with some farms showing no salmon deaths, while up to 20 per cent of fish die in others.

Dr. Miller explained that the piscine reo-virus has been associated with all outbreaks of heart and skeletal muscle inflammation, as it was on the single BC farm, but it’s not known if it causes the disease, adding scientists around the world are investigating how the virus could be linked to the disease.

Miller stressed that the fact that many fish can carry the virus without having the disease has been one of the difficulties in understanding the role of this virus in HSMI development and added that the virus likely originated in the marine environment.

“We know that this virus, in other parts of the world, can be observed in fresh-water origin fish and we believe we know that here in BC in Atlantic salmon. But in Norway, while the virus can be observed in fish in hatcheries the prevalence of the virus can become much, much higher in the marine environment,” the scientist highlighted in statements expressed to the Canadian Press.

Heart and skeletal muscle inflammation in fish does not impact human health, and the disease has never been found in wild Pacific salmon.

“But DFO will continue to monitor the health of wild and farmed salmon in Canada and to track and collaborate with international research teams to more fully establish the risk factors associated with this disease,” Miller said.

The research using new technology and international scientists was done between 2013 and 2015 on four Vancouver Island fish farms using more than 2,400 live and dying salmon.

For his part, Brian Riddell, president of the Pacific Salmon Foundation, which participated in the research along with Genome British Columbia, said the latest technology will allow scientists to analyze 45 microbes for the first time, leading to “revolutionary” diagnostics in wild populations.

“We are currently in the second phase of the analyses and we really just started this so I really have to emphasize the real concern that many people have in BC about the risk of wild salmon. We cannot comment on that yet,” Riddell said, adding more findings will be revealed in the next two years.

“Government and industry should expedite the science, provide necessary funding and work collaboratively for the sake of the aquaculture industry and for wild salmon,” the BC Salmon Farmers Association said in a news release.

HSMI first emerged in Norwegian fish farms around 1999 and ten years later, it expanded geographically and accounted for 150 costly disease outbreaks a year with significant mortality on fish farms. The Norwegian Food Safety Authority made HSMI a reportable disease in 2008. It is not yet a reportable disease in Canada.

Meanwhile, the 2015 annual report of Marine Harvest, one of the world’s largest seafood companies, rates HSMI as the number three cause of mortality in its fish farms, which operate in Norway, Chile, Scotland, Ireland and British Columbia.

Although the DFO scientists noted that “any role of PRV in the development of HSMI remains unclear,” Norwegian pathologists and veterinarians commonly describe it as the central virus associated with significant and serious HSMI disease in Norway’s fish farms.
(fis)

0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Environment

Norway hydrogen infrastructure set to grow by 2020 following Uno-X and Praxair deal

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

1020629_Uno-X-hydrogen-station-croppedThe hydrogen (H2) fuelling infrastructure continues to grow in Norway after Uno-X Hydrogen AS and a Norwegian affiliate of Praxair signed a strategic alliance to install a further 20 stations throughout the Scandinavian country.

Uno-X and the affiliate, which gasworld believes to be Yara Praxair Holding AS, aim to install the new stations in the main cities of Norway, including Oslo and Bergen along with other corresponding linking locations. The 20 stations will be rolled out by 2020.

Under the agreement, Praxair’s affiliate will hold 20% of Uno-X Hydrogen, with fellow joint venture companies Uno-X Gruppen and NEL ASA holding the other 41% and 39%, respectively.

Jon André Løkke, CEO of NEL, highlighted, “We are proud to announce Praxair as a member of our strategic alliance and investor for the development of a nationwide H2 station network in Norway. Praxair is a global H2 supplier and we see the Norwegian rollout as a global showcase for the future development of H2 networks in other key countries, like the US, Germany and Japan.”

Yara Praxair Holding AS was primarily and partly acquired by the US-based industrial gas corporation back in 2007, but Praxair announced intent to buy the last-remaining 34% stake in the Yara Praxair Holding AS joint venture for €300m ($338m) in September 2015.

0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Norwegian Aid

NOK 100 million to new fund for education in emergencies

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

world-humanitarian-summit-begins-in-istanbul-1463983248-1110A new fund for education in emergencies, Education Cannot Wait, will be launched at the world Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul today. ‘The aim is to increase access to education for children and young people in emergencies. This is important not only for the individuals concerned, but also for the future of the countries they are living in. Norway is providing up to NOK 100 million for the first year,’ said Minister of Foreign Affairs Børge Brende.

Norway has played an active role in the development of the fund, and Mr Brende will take part in the launch. Today, 75 million children and young people are unable to complete normal schooling due to conflicts and protracted crises. Of them, 37 million children and youth are unable to attend school at all, and girls are particularly badly affected. Despite these facts, only 2 % of global humanitarian aid goes to education.

‘Access to education is a fundamental right, but still too little is being done to ensure access to education for children and young people in countries affected by crisis and conflict. An important aim of this initiative is to mobilise political will and increase economic support for education. We want to ensure that all children and young people can go to school, not least in situations where the society around them is falling apart. The goal is that all children and young people in countries affected by crisis should be able to go to school by 2030,’ said Mr Brende.
International support for education in crises often comes too late, and is too fragmented and too unpredictable.

‘In order to fulfil the ambitious but crucial functions of the fund, efforts must be better coordinated between the authorities in the countries in question, the donor countries and the organisations we are supporting. We need more long-term financing, and we must improve our ability to produce concrete results on the ground to ensure that children can enjoy greater security and predictability, as well as good learning outcomes. Norway is seeking to engage more donors from all parts of the world. The aim is to mobilise USD 150 million during the first year,’ said Mr Brende.

The most important actors in the field of education in crisis will be engaged in the work of the fund, including Unicef, key civil society organisations, and donor countries such as Norway, the UK and the US. Education in situations of crisis and conflict is a high priority in the Government’s increased focus on global education and humanitarian efforts. Both last year and the year before, more than 8 % of Norway’s humanitarian aid was allocated to education. The new fund has been developed as a follow-up of last year’s Summit on Education for Development in Oslo.

(Press release)

0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Politics

Duda discusses bilateral relations on Norway visit

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

8805b06d-9022-4343-970f-af41928e4f7f.filePolish President Andrzej Duda discussed strengthening relations in the energy sector with Norway during a visit to the country.

“We discussed two main topics, one was economic cooperation in the field of energy, and the second concerned the upcoming NATO Summit [in Warsaw in July 2016], as well as security issues in Europe and the world.

We were basically in agreement on both these issues, particularly that we need to have a consistent position to intensify energy cooperation,” president Andrzej Duda said on Monday during a joint press conference with the Norwegian PM.

The key goal of Duda’s visit is to underscore the importance of Poland’s relations with Scandinavia, Presidential aide Krzysztof Szczerski told the PAP news agency ahead of the trip.

“We want Scandinavian countries to be a key partner for Poland, after Central and Eastern Europe,” Szczerski said. Northern Europe is a region, which “has been somewhat marginalised by Warsaw for many years” and one which “Poland is now looking to establish strategic ties with,” he added.

(rg)

0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Religion

Norwegian Boys’ Choir attracts 850 guests to church concert

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

11383254171463989170“If it doesn’t give you goose bumps, you need help. Seriously,” said Karl Johnny Hersvik, CEO of Det Norske Oljeselskap ASA (The Norwegian Company), before 60 Norwegian boys began their performance of their first public concert in Asia.

“If it doesn’t give you goose bumps, you need help. Seriously,” said Karl Johnny Hersvik, CEO of Det Norske Oljeselskap ASA (The Norwegian Company), before 60 Norwegian boys began their performance of their first public concert in Asia.Looking around the fully seated church guests, it was indeed difficult not to spot a person not being moved by the concert.”It was simply outstanding,” says Sylvi Listhaug, Minister of Migration and Integration in Norway.She was one of the 850 guests to listen to the magical sounds of Nidarosdomens Boys’ Choir, when they performed in the St. Andrew’s Cathedral in Singapore on Friday 20 May 2016.Oystein Tonnessen, Head of Communication and Music from the Norwegian Seamen’s Church in Singapore couldn’t agreed more.

“Think about how huge this is. More than 800 people are gathered here in the church on a Friday evening to listen to classical music. That is unusual, but it also shows how appreciated the Nidarosdomens Boys’ Choir is,” he says.The attention for the concert proved the universal love for music. The boys sang in Norwegian, German, English, and even Latin, but both familiar and unknown words from the songs were all equally appreciated by the audience. St. Andrew’s Cathedral is the largest cathedral in Singapore, and its huge volume space made the voices sound clear and strong. Even outside of the church were people gathered to listen to the concert.“It’s unbelievable. The tickets were sold out in the very beginning, and we have even made more seats available. I am so happy about how the Singaporean community are welcoming Norwegian culture,” says Rolf Jarle Brøske, Director of Communication, The Norwegian Oil Company.With the youngest member of the choir only being 10 years old, you wonder how many nerves are build up before the performance. The choir’s conductor, Bjørn Moe, said the boys were very excited, but having nerves? No. “Backstage they have been relaxed, but eager to sing,” he said.And as they say, practice makes perfect.“All of these boys have been training incredibly hard to become the Nidarosdomens Boys’ Choir. They have trained to succeed,” says Karl Johnny Hersvik, CEO of The Norwegian Oil Company.According to the boys themselves, nerves were not an issue.Members of Boys’ Choir Peter Irgens and Save Brautaset, both 12 years old, agreed the concert had been and fantastic experience, and they were not nervous at all. “The only thing I was worried about was the heat, because usually we have to wear long pants underneath our cape uniforms, but luckily, we were allowed to wear shorts,” says Peter Irgens, member of Nidarosdomen’s Boys’ Choir.

All the boys were handed beautifully handmade gifts from Singaporean C.I.T.Y. organization, as a thank you of bringing Norwegian culture into Singapore and pleasing all guests with their voices. Norwegian Ambassador in Singapore, H.E. Mr. Tormod C. Endresen, showed his gratefulness in words of having the boys’ choir in Singapore.The 60 boys from the choir were brought from Trondheim to Singapore by Det Norske Oljeselskap ASA (The Norwegian Oil Company) as a part of the celebration of finishing the Ivar Aasen-project, and this concert in St Andrew’s Cathedral was the only public concert. The Boys’ Choir will perform on 21 May 2016 for the official Sail Away celebration of Ivar Aasen in the morning, and again to the formal dinner at Carlton Ritz in the evening. The Norwegian Oil Company wanted to host this public concert as a way of giving back to the community they have been working in for the last 3 years. Together with the musical gift, The Norwegian Oil Company donated SGD 2000 to C.I.T.Y, (Character in the Young), a community service of St. Andrew’s Cathedral, which aims to build good character in school children.

(heraldmalaysia)

0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Killing

Norwegian mercenary killed in east Ukraine

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

1134287According to the militia, the mercenary was killed in a conflict between the representatives of a private military company and gunmen of the Aidar volunteer battalion.

A mercenary from Norway died of a gunshot wound during a conflict with gunmen of the Aidar volunteer battalion in eastern Ukraine, the official spokesman for the militia in the self-proclaimed Lugansk People’s Republic said on Monday.

The body of the Norwegian national, who worked for a private military company, has been sent from Stanitsa Luganskaya, Andrey Marochko said.

“The conflict occurred on May 20-21 between the representatives of a private military company and gunmen of the Aidar nationalist battalion in which the mercenary died of a gunshot wound,” the spokesman was quoted by the LuganskInformCenter as saying.

(tass)

0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Media Freedom

Norway: NRK confirms participation in Eurovision 2017

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

nrk14_1000_scaled_1024NRK, the Norwegian national broadcaster has confirmed to ESCToday that Norway will participate at the forthcoming 2017 Eurovision Song Contest.

Norway has won the Eurovision Song Contest thrice: in 1985 with Bobbysocks,in 1995 with Secret Garden and in 2009 with Alexander Rybak. In 2015 Agnete flew the Norwegian flag with Icebreaker, despite a mafnificent performance she failed to qualify to the grand final.

Thus Norway joins Ukraine, France, Switzerland, Estonia, Finland and The Netherlands in the list of countries that have so far confirmed their participation at next year’s Eurovision edition scheduled to be be held in Ukraine.

NRK will release more details on the 2017 Norwegian Eurovision project and mechanism in the coming months.

The preliminary dates for the 2017 Eurovision Song Contest have been set on 16, 18 and 20 May.

0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Economics

Clinton urges Obama to block Norwegian

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan
Former secretary of state Hillary Clinton looks on before presenting Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security's (GIWPS) annual Hillary Rodham Clinton Awards for Advancing Women in Peace and Security at Georgetown University on February 25 2014 in Washington DC.Photo by Olivier Douliery/ABACAUSA.com

Former secretary of state Hillary Clinton looks on before presenting Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security’s (GIWPS) annual Hillary Rodham Clinton Awards for Advancing Women in Peace and Security at Georgetown University on February 25 2014 in Washington DC.Photo by Olivier Douliery/ABACAUSA.com

Hillary Clinton is urging the White House to reject Norwegian Air’s application to fly to the United States over questions about its labor practices, adding her voice to a growing chorus of criticism surrounding the low-cost air carrier.

“Hillary Clinton urges the Obama Administration against moving forward with final approval of Norwegian Air International’s application,” Hillary for America labor campaign director Nikki Budzinski said in a statement. “Too many questions have been raised about NAI’s practices and plans.”
Norwegian Air has for years been seeking access to more airports in the U.S. and European Union, by establishing a subsidiary — Norwegian Air International — in Ireland, a member of the EU.

The Department of Transportation (DOT) tentatively approved the application last month.

But critics have slammed the company for attempting to skirt more stringent Norwegian labor and tax laws by establishing itself in Ireland and say it is undermining competition by hiring pilots contracted through Asia, where labor costs are lower.

Clinton’s rival for the Democratic presidential nomination, Bernie Sanders, has already voiced strong opposition to the airline over similar reasons.

“Norwegian Air International’s attempt to undermine international labor laws by outsourcing cheap labor from Thailand and other low-wage countries is unacceptable,” Sanders’s campaign website says. “We must do everything we can to prevent a global race to the bottom in the airline industry.”

Norwegian Air currently flies to some airports in the U.S. under the banner of its parent company, Norwegian Air Shuttle. But the company says the model for its low-cost subsidiary, which would offer transatlantic flights for as low as $150 each way, requires access to more Open Skies airports in order to have more route flexibility.

The Transportation Department said that in approving applications, it does not have to consider a clause in the U.S. and EU’s Open Skies agreement that says “opportunities created by the Agreement are not intended to undermine labour standards or the labour-related rights.”

Norwegian Air maintains that it established its subsidiary in Ireland for access to future traffic rights to and from the EU and to secure better aircraft financing rates, and has agreed not to use any Asian-based cabin crew on transatlantic flights.

But that hasn’t stopped a group of bipartisan lawmakers from pushing a bill that would require the DOT to consider the labor clause when approving permits, which would effectively block Norwegian’s bid.

The legislation picked up its 100th co-sponsor last week.

“Workers in the U.S. airline industry deserve rules of the road that support a strong workforce with high labor standards — not attempts by airlines to flout labor standards and outsource good-paying jobs,” Budzinski said in the statement.
“That’s why our Open Skies Agreement with Europe explicitly calls for the maintenance of high labor standards to guide the parties in its implementation.”

Norwegian, however, does not appear threatened by the comments from Clinton’s camp.

“Norwegian is confident the Department of Transportation will approve Norwegian Air International’s application,” Anders Lindström, a spokesman for Norwegian, said in a statement. “Approval of NAI will result in more U.S. aviation sector jobs, enable Norwegian to expand its already large pool of American crew, and deliver much needed competition and affordable fares to consumers on both sides of the Atlantic.”

(thehill)

0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Srilanka and Norway

The Embassy of Sri Lanka in Norway requests relief donations

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan
Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera, right, shakes hands with his Norwegian counterpart, Borge Brende, during their meeting in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Thursday, Jan. 7, 2016. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera, right, shakes hands with his Norwegian counterpart, Borge Brende, during their meeting in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Thursday, Jan. 7, 2016. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

Sri Lanka is in inclement weather condition, landslides and floods due to heavy rain.

“According to the government assessments, 427,918 people belonging to 105,360 families are affected by floods and landslides as of the situation report issued by Emergency Operation Centre of DMC as of 20th May 2016.

Out of the affected, 319,507 people from 64,308 families have been evacuated to 602 safe locations. About 474 houses are reported to be fully damaged and 3,674 houses partially damaged by floods and landslides.” says Ministry of Disaster Management, Sri Lanka.

Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera, together with the Minister of Disaster Management Anura Priyadharshana Yapa and the Minister of Health & Indigenous Medicine Dr. Rajitha Senaratne briefed the Heads of Diplomatic Missions and International Organisations based in Colombo, on the flood and landslide situation in the country, Thursday 19 May 2016 at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Further, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has established a Task Force to coordinate emergency relief assistance from Diplomatic Missions in Colombo and Sri Lankan Missions overseas, with the relevant Ministries and Agencies in Sri Lanka.

The Embassy of Sri Lanka in Norway requests all generous people in Norway who come forward to make donations in order to provide relief to the affected people, to contact the Embassy of Sri Lanka for transferring funds and also for contributing projects on reconstruction of houses and rehabilitation of flood affected people.

Email: embassy@srilanka.no

Telephone: 0047-23136950

https://www.facebook.com/Embassy-of-Sri-Lanka-Oslo-Norway-145764082166605/

(N.Sethu)

0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Oil & Gas

SembMarine delivers record-large platform topsides for Norway

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

22_05_2016 - hhivar23_0THE largest North Sea-class production platform topsides to be delivered from Sembcorp Marine (SembMarine) in Singapore is ready to sail away for Norwegian oil exploration and development company Det Norske’s Ivar Aasen oilfield development.

The engineering, procurement and construction of the topsides contracted to Sembcorp Marine Offshore Platforms (SMOP), then known as SMOE, in February 2013 for S$900 million took 40 months to complete.

SMOP head Ho Nee Sin said at the sailaway ceremony on Saturday that the 13,900-tonne integrated topsides, with a 70-men living quarters-cum-helideck, is SembMarine’s offshore platform division’s biggest delivered structure to date for the Norwegian North Sea.

Mr Ho said the project delivery in Singapore drew on expertise from 23 countries working together under one roof, clocking more than 14 million man hours of worth with negligible safety incidents.

The detailed design for the topsides was performed by Wood Group Mustang in London with support from its head office in Houston and global offices in Kuala Lumpur and Norway. Most of the major packages were procured from Norwegian vendors.

SMOE won the contract in an international tender, not only beating incumbents in Norway but also overcoming opposition from an activist shareholder then advocating for the platform to be built in Det Norske’s home country.

SMOE was able to triumph over its dissenters on its established track record of delivering structures meeting the most stringent health, safety and environment standards in the North Sea. Prior to Ivar Aasen, SMOE had delivered an 11,300-tonne accommodation topsides for ConocoPhillips’ Ekofisk 2/4L project, also off Norway.

The Ivar Aasen platform topsides has already been loaded out onto a leased heavy-transport vessel from Cosco Shipping. The Business Times understands the large structure will sail in June to Norway.

Det Norske has also on hire through to December Safe Zephyrus, a Prosafe-owned accommodation rig delivered from SembMarine’s Tanjong Kling shipyard, to support Ivar Aasen’s field development work.

Production start-up at Ivar Aasen is projected in the fourth quarter of 2016. Ivar Aasen field holds about 200 million barrels of oil equivalent in reserves, with projected production life of 20 years.

(businesstimes)

0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Asia and Norway

US, Norway knew about alleged Vic IS guard

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

policia_aust.jpg_1718483346Counter-terrorism intelligence from other countries will be used in the case against a Melbourne nurse who returned to Australia after allegedly working with Islamic State in Syria.

Father-of-five Adam Matthew Brookman is accused of knowingly providing support to IS by undertaking guard duty and reconnaissance in 2014.

It was alleged this support would help “prepare or foster” a terrorist act.

A second charge relates to undertaking guard and reconnaissance duty with the intention of supporting the terrorist organisation.

Brookman was arrested by Australian Federal Police at Sydney Airport last year.

He was repatriated to Australia in July after he turned himself in to Turkish authorities.

Brookman on Monday appeared via video link in the Melbourne Magistrates Court, which heard the federal Attorney-General was expected to seek assistance from Norway as part of the prosecution’s case against him.

A US witness, whose identity has been suppressed, is also expected to fly to Melbourne to give evidence.

At a previous hearing, the court heard the American had communicated with Brookman between November 2013 and May 2015.

Information gathered by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and from social media is also expected to form part of the case against Brookman.

He will remain in custody and return to court in August.

(AAP )

0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Science

Developing biological micro-factories with LED

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan
Trondheim 015.04.2016 : SINTEF forsker på hvilke lys alger foretrekker. Mikroalgene utsettes for forskjellige typer LED-lys og for å finne ut hva som gir den beste veksten. Foto: Thor Nielsen

Trondheim 015.04.2016 : SINTEF forsker på hvilke lys alger foretrekker. Mikroalgene utsettes for forskjellige typer LED-lys og for å finne ut hva som gir den beste veksten. Foto: Thor Nielsen

“We’re working to synthesise raw materials for biofuels, cosmetics and health food, and ingredients which can replace fish oil in fish farm feed, by means of so-called phototrophic production using algae,” says Andreas Hagemann, a SINTEF research scientist.

“We extract Omega 3 fatty acids from fish which absorb them from their food, such as small crustaceans, and which in turn have obtained them by grazing on microalgae”, he says.

Hagemann is standing in his lab in Trondheim, Norway, beside something which looks like a glowing advertising sign, but which in fact consists of small light panels covered with light-emitting diodes.

Alongside it are four small glass flasks containing a bubbling liquid looking a bit like a yellow-green smoothie. This is the green alga Haematococcus pluvialis. It is reproducing, and the bubbles cause the liquid to circulate so that the algae are exposed to equal amounts of light.

“The light intensity is significantly reduced not far inside the flasks,” Hagemann explains. The lab spectacles he is wearing are actually sunglasses because although the light is not harmful to his eyes, it is tiring to work in such strong light for an extended period.

A living factory

What we are looking at is a small algal factory which can produce a range of different nutrients, thanks to the small light-emitting diodes.

“We’ve known for some time that micro-organisms that convert light energy to chemical energy respond differently, depending on the type and amount of light to which they are exposed,” explains Hagemann.

This is where the LED technology comes into its own. LEDs can be controlled much more precisely than other types of light sources. By tailoring the light’s spectrum, intensity and duration, researchers can influence the production of interesting compounds by the algae.

“For example, we can illuminate the alga in such a way that it becomes stressed. It then produces a “smart” substance which it uses to protect itself against the stress,” explains Hagemann, who works in SINTEF’s Department of Marine Resource Technology, which researches mainly into organisms close to the bottom of the marine food chain.

“This technology can provide us with a number of raw materials which can be used in everything from medicines to fuel”, he says.

Lights from the mountain village

SINTEF researchers Andreas and Matilde Chauton are currently carrying out lab tests to see how the intensity of the light emitted by the diodes with different light spectra affects different single-celled organisms. The goal is to get them to produce the fatty acid EPA and the antioxidant astaxanthin, which are both in demand in the health food industry.

They are working on assignment for Evolys, a Norwegian company based in the small mountain village Trysil, which is developing and manufacturing various forms of lighting for use in the agriculture and aquaculture industries. Determining the potential of light, and particularly of LED technology, to influence the “production capacity” of algae is an important area of focus for the company.

“Microalgae represent an exciting new industry,” says the company’s founder, Kristoffer Lindback Larsen. “And supplying products based on this science is an important part of our business concept. We are therefore collaborating with SINTEF to discover more about how light affects microalgae, including their growth and the substances of interest they may contain. We want to use this knowledge to develop methods which achieve our goal as effectively as possible. We believe this will improve growth in the industry and increase production by our customers. Much of the knowledge we need originates in SINTEF’s laboratory,” he explains.

From biofuels to animal feed

This new industry has enormous potential. Using microalgae, a growth medium containing nitrogen and phosphorous, carbon dioxide and the right type of light, it is possible to generate a wide range of useful and valuable substances which otherwise are in short supply.

“This is a small industry at present, but globally we believe it will grow rapidly. Our aim is to be ready with Norwegian skills and products,” says Lindback Larsen. “Light is by far the most important factor when producing phototrophic microalgae, and just a small adjustment of the light can be a “make or break” factor for our customers,” he says.

(gemini)

0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Environment

Why is there such a fuss about NOx?

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan
traffic

traffic

What actually is NOx, and is this gas a climate-change sinner? And where does ozone come into the picture? SINTEF- scientist Mario Ditaranto, an expert on combustion, provides all the answers on flue gases.

“What is NOx?”

“NOx is actually a collective expression that refers to two distinct gases that are subject to quite strict emission limits: NO or nitric oxide, and NO2 or nitrogen dioxide. Both of these gases are formed when practically anything that is combustible is burned. Nitrous oxide (N2O), better known as laughing gas, is also occasionally included in the NOx concept,” explains Ditaranto.

In fact, almost 80 per cent of the air that we breathe, and which is consumed in a fire, is nitrogen. The nitrogen molecule, N2, which is oxidised to NOx during the combustion process, may come from fuels such as wood, coal, biofuel, etc., but also from the air itself.

NOx have long been known as significant pollutants in many sectors, including transport, electricity generation and industry. A number of measures have been introduced to reduce NOx emissions.

“Why are NOx pollutants?”

“NOx are toxic to human beings when they are inhaled, even at relatively low concentrations (tens of parts per million).”

“NOx are present both in vehicle exhausts and industrial chimney smoke.”

“They (especially NO2) are also responsible for smog and the typical brown sky that often covers large cities and reduces air quality. NOx are also the most important source of acid rain. These gases are therefore not only sources of atmospheric pollution, but also contribute to the general acidification of soil and water,” points out Ditaranto.

“Are NOx from vehicles a greenhouse gas?”

“Well, the answer is both yes and no. As I have just mentioned, NOx refers to two different molecules whose relative concentration in exhaust gases depends on the type of combustion involved, that is, whether it is petrol, diesel oil, or wood that is being burned. Diesel cars produce more NOx than petrol vehicles, due to the higher combustion pressures and temperatures in diesel engines.”

Although the most important component of vehicles exhausts is NO, this is rapidly oxidised to NO2, which is not a greenhouse gas itself. That is to say, if we fill a bottle with NO2 and leave it out in the sun, the temperature of the gas will not rise. However, NO2 is responsible for the formation of ozone, which is a greenhouse gas, via secondary reactions with other gases.

Although ozone itself has a short lifetime, measured in hours to days, it influences cloud formation and the absorption of carbon by plants, which in turn has an effect on global warming.

The lifetime of NOx in the atmosphere is therefore influenced by how rapidly it is transformed into other directly dangerous components (acids and ozone), a process that can take place in the course of a few hours or days. The conclusion is that although NOx themselves are not greenhouse gases, emissions of these gases do lead to global warming, points out the SINTEF scientist.

“What is the problem with ozone and solar radiation?”

“Ozone in the troposphere, which is the lowest layer of the Earth’s atmosphere, and in which we live, is a danger to life, and also leads to global warming via the interactions that we have just mentioned. However, ozone is also essential higher up in the stratosphere, because it protects us against ultraviolet radiation from the Sun. Ozone also has a cooling effect in the stratosphere. Unfortunately, however, human activity is leading to a breakdown of stratospheric ozone and an increase in ozone levels closer to ground level.”

“What about the really wicked climate gas; nitrous oxide?”

“N2O, or laughing gas, is also produced during combustion, especially from biomass or coal in certain types of combustion process, but to a lesser extent by vehicles. Unfortunately, N2O reduces stratospheric ozone, which is regarded as “good” ozone.”

“The most important source of N2O emissions is the use of artificial fertilisers. Unlike the other NOx, N2O is a powerful greenhouse gas, 300 times as strong as CO2 in a hundred-year perspective. Furthermore, this gas has a lifetime of about 110 years in the atmosphere. It is responsible for about six per cent of the global greenhouse gas effect, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).”

“Which is worse; diesel or petrol, as far as N2O are concerned?”

“As far as vehicles are concerned, there is little to choose between diesel and petrol in terms of N2O emissions. Ironically, laughing gas is largely produced by the catalysts that are used to reduce NOx emissions from cars!

“The global warming effect of N2O is estimated to be in the order of one to ten per cent of total lifetime geenhouse gas emissions from a vehicle”, says SINTEF combustion expert Mario Ditaranto.

So now you know all you need to know about NOx.

(gemini)

0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Oil & Gas

Norway’s Greenhouse Gas Emissions Rise, Despite Promised Cuts

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan
Oil and gas company Statoil gas processing and CO2 removal platform Sleipner T is pictured in the offshore near Stavanger, Norway, in this February 11, 2016 file photo. To match BRITAIN-EU/NORWAY REUTERS/Nerijus Adomaitis/Files

Oil and gas company Statoil gas processing and CO2 removal platform Sleipner T is pictured in the offshore near Stavanger, Norway, in this February 11, 2016 file photo. To match BRITAIN-EU/NORWAY REUTERS/Nerijus Adomaitis/Files

Norway’s greenhouse gas emissions rose by 1.5 percent last year, lifted by the oil and gas sector and industry, making it harder for Oslo to keep promises of deep cuts to limit global warming, official data showed.

Emissions rose to the equivalent of 53.9 million tonnes of carbon dioxide from 53.2 million in 2014, breaking several years of declines, and were above the 51.9 million in the benchmark year of 1990, preliminary Statistics Norway data showed.

In the oil and gas sector, BG Group’s new Knarr oilfield added most to emissions in 2015.

The rise makes the climate goals of the right-wing government’s ever tougher. Last year, Oslo said it would cut emissions by at least 40 percent by 2030 from 1990 levels as part of a UN agreement on climate change reached in Paris in December.

Many opposition politicians say the powerful oil and gas sector too often gets priority. Norway has often bought emissions quotas abroad to make up for a lack of progress in cutting domestic emissions.

On Wednesday, Norway awarded 10 oil licenses to energy companies in the Arctic, opening new acreage for exploration for the first time in two decades.

“Norway has an ambitious climate policy,” Environment Minister Vidar Helgesen said in a statement on Friday. “We have to prepare ourselves for more climate measures in future, especially within transport.”

Helgesen said emissions would be between 17 and 20 million tonnes higher by 2020 without existing measures such as penalties for carbon emissions that Norway was among the first to introduce in the 1990s.

Rising emissions could strain the ruling coalition. The small centrist Liberal Party, which usually supports the minority government to pass legislation in parliament, said more action was needed on climate change.

“The budget for 2017 that the government is now working on must be the best environmental and climate budget ever,” the NTB news agency quoted Liberal leader Trine Skei Grande as saying. “If not, this government has no future.”

Reuters

0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Norwegian American

Why are Norwegians so happy? Norway’s ambassador to the U.S. has some ideas

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

images.washingtonpostWherever Kare Aas travels, be it in far-north territory like Alaska or places well to the south, he seems to get one persistent question: Why are Norwegians so happy?

Aas, Norway’s ambassador to the United States, said he often shares Norwegian perspectives and experiences, but he does not suggest they be adopted by others.

“I think people are interested in what Norway has achieved,” Aas said in an interview during a week-long visit to Alaska. “That is something different than asking for advice.”

“It’s up for each country, each state to decide its policies,” he said.

What Norway has achieved, along with consistently high rankings for quality of life, is status as one of the world’s top petroleum producers, even as it moves away from use of fossil fuels at home; a diversified economy that helps insulate it from shocks in prices for oil and other commodities; and social and infrastructure investment intended to benefit all its citizens.

As Aas described it during the interview and in a speech on Monday to the Anchorage Chamber of Commerce, a balanced approach to oil and gas development is one reason for Norway’s success.

Norway is Europe’s biggest producer of petroleum liquids and the world’s third-largest natural gas exporter, according to a report by the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

The oil and gas sector provides 15 percent of Norway’s gross domestic product, 20 percent of Norway’s state revenues and 39 percent of the nation’s exports, Aas said in his chamber speech. Revenues have been used to build a sovereign wealth fund now worth $800 billion, of which a small amount — no more than 4 percent of annual earnings — is available for government spending. In contrast, the Alaska Permanent Fund, Alaska’s sovereign wealth fund, is worth about $52.7 billion; roughly half of annual earnings are distributed in dividends and none of the money is used to pay for government operations.

Norwegian officials understand that the nation’s oil and gas production, all from offshore sites, will ultimately end, Aas said. Still, that day is decades into the future, and Norway for now will continue to search for more oil and gas reserves and continue moving its frontier north into the Barents Sea, he said.

“It’s not an end to the oil and gas era but it may be slowing down,” he said.

The Norwegian government also recognizes the drawbacks to oil and gas production and works to mitigate them, Aas said. For example, some areas have been put off-limits to oil development to protect fisheries and indigenous interests, he said.

On a broader scale, the Norwegian government is committed to combating the climate-change effects of fossil fuels, he said. Norway was one of the first nations to join the Paris climate agreement, the 2015 accord to reduce greenhouse gases and hold global warming to less than 2 degrees Celsius over pre-industrial levels. Norway is already using renewables — largely hydropower — for virtually all of its internal power generation, he said. Norwegians’ fuel consumption is curbed by very high taxes on gasoline and by a tax that effectively doubles the purchase price of vehicles, he said. Electric-powered vehicles are very popular in Norway, he added.

A second pillar, as Aas explained it, is Norway’s commitment to equality.

Everyone, no matter where they live in Norway, is entitled to the same quality of infrastructure, social support and opportunity, he said. That philosophy is paying off in northernmost Norway. Only 10 percent of the national population lives north of the Arctic Circle but the region is thriving, thanks to a diversified economy with interests in tourism, fishing, marine and land transportation, health care and education, notably the University of Tromsø-The Arctic University of Norway. The government has placed a high priority on science and research, Aas said.

“They see and they understand that by the end of the oil age, it’s important for Norway and the Norwegians to have another basis for the society,” he said.

A third source of success for Norway, as Aas described it, is engagement with the outside world.

Norway has long been active in pan-Arctic affairs, and now there is keen interest from countries far to the south in the Arctic and Norway’s role in it, he said. A “clear signal” of southern interest in the Arctic, he said, is the large number of nations and organizations vying to win designation as official observers in the 20-year-old, eight-nation Arctic Council.

He cites climate change as a main catalyst but said it is not the only one. Oceans and fisheries, environmental concerns and oil and gas development also link the Arctic to the south, he said.

“What happens in the Arctic does not remain in the Arctic,” he said.

On the local and regional levels, Norway continues to engage with Russia, even as broader geopolitical tensions mount over Russia’s actions in Ukraine. Norway no longer conducts joint military exercises with Russia, but the two countries are cooperating on mutual border interests like search-and-rescue readiness, environmental cleanup and fisheries management, Aas said. People-to-people exchanges continue across the border, despite the bigger disputes between Russia and other governments. That is a longstanding tradition, he said.

“The people have been in contact for generations,” he said.

The Alaska trip is, in a way, a similar people-to-people exchange. Aas has met with business and government leaders, marched Tuesday in a Norwegian Constitutional Day parade in Anchorage and was headed to the small southeast Alaska town of Petersburg, known for its Norwegian ties, to take part in the annual Little Norway festival held there.

(adn)

0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Farming

Norway about 25 years ago, it led to significant production problems at affected farms

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

salmon-fish_650x400_81463796048Researchers led by a Canadian government scientist have diagnosed potential heart and skeletal muscle inflammation in farmed salmon from British Columbia province, the Canadian fisheries ministry announced on Friday.

The disease, detected in samples collected from an aquaculture facility in 2013-2014, affects fish but poses no risk to human health.

To date, it has not been found in wild Pacific salmon.

First observed in Norway about 25 years ago, it led to significant production problems at affected farms, causing death in up to 20 per cent of stocks, said lead researcher Kristi Miller of Fisheries and Oceans Canada.

Fish farms have regularly had to fight viruses as their high concentrations of fish provide a fertile environment for the spread of parasites and disease.

Last decade, sea lice decimated salmon populations in fish farms in Norway. In Chile, infectious anemia also caused significant mortality in farmed Atlantic salmon.

0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Asia and Norway

Norway FM Says Corruption Is As Big Challenge

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

un-21-16Norway’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Børge Brende, termed corruption as a big challenge in Afghanistan.

He said that Norway is going to double its humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan and he hoped that the assistance will be spent in a proper way.

Norway has pledged to increase its humanitarian assistance to 208 million Norwegian Krone ($2.3 million USD).

Brende during his trip to Kabul on Saturday described Afghanistan as fragile.

“There are a lot of needs. Afghanistan is still a fragile country. We have seen some positive development as I said we should not only focus on the negative side. We also have to underline on the basic health services,” he said.

He also stressed for the need to fight against corruption.

“We are very clear, if there is corruption we will have to pull out,” he added.

The United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan Nicholas Haysom said that Afghans want lasting peace and the UN supports the peace process. He added the peace process should reduce violence.

“We would support a peace process which would see a reduction in the levels of violence to which ordinary Afghans are exposed to. We believe Afghans who are outside of the country are entitled to come back and be reintegrated as Afghan citizens in Afghanistan, and if this agreement would promote those and I think we have to give serious consideration,” he said.

0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Asia and Norway

Norway supporting women’s rights in Afghanistan

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

978x‘More needs to be done to safeguard women’s rights in Afghanistan. We must build on the progress that has been made,’ said Minister of Foreign Affairs Børge Brende. He is keynote speaker in today’s symposium on women’s empowerment, organised by the Afghan authorities in cooperation with Norway and the US.

The Afghan authorities recognise that women and girls in the country suffer from discrimination and encounter many problems in their daily lives. Infant mortality is higher in Afghanistan than anywhere else in the world, and violence against women frequently goes unpunished. But progress is being made. In 2001, the number of girls in school was close to zero, but now about 3.3 million girls are enrolled in primary school.

‘Today’s symposium demonstrates the strength of the Afghan commitment to improving the situation for women, and also its breadth, involving everyone from the leadership of the National Unity Government to women and men from every province. You have the full support of Norway and the international community in your efforts,’ said Mr Brende.

The aim of the symposium is to move women’s issues higher up the agenda in Afghanistan. Participants include people from all parts of the country who are working to improve the situation of women and promote their participation in the economy, politics and society.

‘Afghanistan urgently needs women’s contributions in all walks of life. Afghan women have achieved a great deal, but are still confronting major problems. They are demanding respect for their rights, they want equal opportunities in education and working life, and they want to play a part in developing the country’s future. Women’s participation is vital for ensuring the peaceful development of Afghanistan,’ said the Foreign Minister.

The recommendations from the symposium will provide input to the upcoming NATO Summit in Warsaw and the donor conference for Afghanistan in Brussels. The symposium follows up the 2014 Oslo symposium on women’s rights and empowerment in Afghanistan and the 2013 Washington symposium on advancing Afghan women.
All recipients of Norwegian grants in Afghanistan are required to safeguard women’s rights in their projects. One of the projects Norway has funded is the construction of a dormitory for female students in Faryab, which has given many women access to higher education for the first time. Between 2013 and 2015, ten schools with a total of 91 classrooms were completed in Faryab province with Norwegian support. This has provided places for an additional 3 300 pupils, most of whom are girls. About 400 midwives have completed their training at facilities run by the Norwegian Afghanistan Committee in the last few years. This is 10 % of all registered midwives in the country.

0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Norwegian Aid

Norway to double its humanitarian aid to Afghanistan

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

brende_borgeNorway will provide NOK 208 million in humanitarian aid to Afghanistan in 2016, twice as much as in 2015. ‘There are still urgent humanitarian needs that are not being met. Eight million Afghans need protection and emergency assistance. Every single day so far this year almost a thousand people have had to flee their homes,’ said Minister of Foreign Affairs Børge Brende, who is visiting Kabul today.

The humanitarian situation in Afghanistan is very serious, with armed conflict, extreme poverty and more than one million internally displaced people. The UN and the humanitarian organisations have only received 16 % of the funding they need for humanitarian assistance. Norway is now increasing the funding it is providing for food, water, sanitation, shelter and health care, and for schooling for Afghan children who are refugees or internally displaced.
‘By doubling our humanitarian aid to Afghanistan, we are making it possible for our humanitarian partners to support even larger numbers of vulnerable people, particularly women and children,’ said Mr Brende.

The Foreign Minister is visiting Afghanistan in connection with the high level Kabul Symposium on women’s empowerment, which organized by the Afghan Government with support from Norway and the US. Mr Brende is also meeting UN Special Representative Nicholas Haysom and leaders of the UN agencies in Afghanistan. One important topic will be civilians’ access to humanitarian aid. Aid workers in Afghanistan are at particularly high risk of attack and abduction, and the victims are often local Afghan employees. This year alone, five aid workers have been killed and more than 80 kidnapped, according to the UN.

‘The result is that humanitarian aid does not reach some of the areas where the needs are most pressing. We urge all parties to grant civilians unhindered access to humanitarian support,’ said Mr Brende.

The increase in humanitarian aid will be channelled via partners Norway has been cooperating with for many years, including the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), the World Food Programme (WFP), the Norwegian Refugee Council and Norwegian Church Aid. Norway will increase its support to the Afghanistan Humanitarian Fund in order to strengthen the coordinating role of the UN and ensure that acute needs are met quickly. Through UNICEF, Norway will assist in the reintegration of child migrants and refugees who are returning from Iran. Norway is also providing support to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), which provides medical assistance where no other health services are available. Through funding to the ICRC and via the Norwegian Red Cross, Norway is also helping the Afghan Red Crescent to build up its preparedness in local communities in all 34 of Afghanistan’s provinces.

Press contact: Astrid Sehl, asse@mfa.no (accompanying the Foreign Minister)

0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Diplomatic relations

Poland’s couple to pay official visit to Norway

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

main3aThe four-day trip begins with a welcoming ceremony hosted by King Harald and his wife, Queen Sonja in the Norwegian capital on Sunday morning.

The president’s agenda includes talks with Prime Minister Erna Solberg and military officials at the Operational Command Headquarters in Reitan. Poland’s top official is set to discuss bilateral relations and address the military dimension of preparations ahead of the NATO summit in Warsaw, scheduled to begin on 8 June.

The key goal of the Duda’s visit is to underscore the importance of Poland’s relations with Scandinavia, Presidential Minister Krzysztof Szczerski told to poland news agency .

“We want Scandinavian countries to be a key partner for Poland, after Central and Eastern Europe,” Szczerski said. Northern Europe is a region, which “has been somewhat marginalised by Warsaw for many years” and one which” Poland is now looking to establish strategic ties with,” and one which has been he added.

(aba)

0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Asia and Norway

Norway supporting women’s rights in Afghanistan

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

Borge_Brende_agenda_oslo_IMG_8232-635x357‘More needs to be done to safeguard women’s rights in Afghanistan. We must build on the progress that has been made,’ said Minister of Foreign Affairs Børge Brende. He is keynote speaker in today’s symposium on women’s empowerment, organised by the Afghan authorities in cooperation with Norway and the US.

The Afghan authorities recognise that women and girls in the country suffer from discrimination and encounter many problems in their daily lives. Infant mortality is higher in Afghanistan than anywhere else in the world, and violence against women frequently goes unpunished. But progress is being made. In 2001, the number of girls in school was close to zero, but now about 3.3 million girls are enrolled in primary school.

‘Today’s symposium demonstrates the strength of the Afghan commitment to improving the situation for women, and also its breadth, involving everyone from the leadership of the National Unity Government to women and men from every province. You have the full support of Norway and the international community in your efforts,’ said Mr Brende.

The aim of the symposium is to move women’s issues higher up the agenda in Afghanistan. Participants include people from all parts of the country who are working to improve the situation of women and promote their participation in the economy, politics and society.

‘Afghanistan urgently needs women’s contributions in all walks of life. Afghan women have achieved a great deal, but are still confronting major problems. They are demanding respect for their rights, they want equal opportunities in education and working life, and they want to play a part in developing the country’s future. Women’s participation is vital for ensuring the peaceful development of Afghanistan,’ said the Foreign Minister.

The recommendations from the symposium will provide input to the upcoming NATO Summit in Warsaw and the donor conference for Afghanistan in Brussels. The symposium follows up the 2014 Oslo symposium on women’s rights and empowerment in Afghanistan and the 2013 Washington symposium on advancing Afghan women.
All recipients of Norwegian grants in Afghanistan are required to safeguard women’s rights in their projects. One of the projects Norway has funded is the construction of a dormitory for female students in Faryab, which has given many women access to higher education for the first time. Between 2013 and 2015, ten schools with a total of 91 classrooms were completed in Faryab province with Norwegian support. This has provided places for an additional 3 300 pupils, most of whom are girls. About 400 midwives have completed their training at facilities run by the Norwegian Afghanistan Committee in the last few years. This is 10 % of all registered midwives in the country.

(regjeringen)

0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Environment

Norway’s greenhouse gas emissions rise, despite promised cuts

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan
A general view of the Klemetsrud incinerator in Oslo, Norway, January 25, 2016. REUTERS/Alister Doyle

A general view of the Klemetsrud incinerator in Oslo, Norway, January 25, 2016. REUTERS/Alister Doyle

Norway’s greenhouse gas emissions rose by 1.5 percent last year, lifted by the oil and gas sector and industry, making it harder for Oslo to keep promises of deep cuts to limit global warming, official data showed yesterday.

Emissions rose to the equivalent of 53.9 million tonnes of carbon dioxide from 53.2 million in 2014, breaking several years of declines, and were above the 51.9 million in the benchmark year of 1990, preliminary Statistics Norway data showed.

In the oil and gas sector, BG Group’s new Knarr oilfield added most to emissions in 2015.

The rise makes the climate goals of the right-wing government’s ever tougher. Last year, Oslo said it would cut emissions by at least 40 percent by 2030 from 1990 levels as part of a U.N. agreement on climate change reached in Paris in December.

Many opposition politicians say the powerful oil and gas sector too often gets priority. Norway has often bought emissions quotas abroad to make up for a lack of progress in cutting domestic emissions.

On Wednesday, Norway awarded 10 oil licences to energy companies in the Arctic, opening new acreage for exploration for the first time in two decades.

(Reuters)

0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Newer Posts
Older Posts
@2025 - All Right Reserved. Designed and Developed by Norway News