NORWAY

Integration on hold in Norway: Immigrants face revocation of residence status

By
NordenBladet
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NordenBladet – “People have felt on solid ground, and now they’re having the rug pulled out from under them,” says researcher Jan-Paul Brekke. The threat of losing their residence permit can be perceived as such a great burden that it affects immigrants’ health and participation in Norwegian society, according to a new report. Most people still end up being allowed to stay in Norway.

Even after many years in Norway, an immigrant with legal residence status may receive notification that she could lose her right to stay.

This was the situation for Amina from Afghanistan, who suddenly received a letter stating that the authorities were considering revoking her residence permit. She was interviewed for the recently published Norwegian research project.

“I thought – are they just going to take my permit away without even asking me? Can they just do that? It was very scary and gave me a sickening feeling,” Amina said.

Tough experience
The letter from the authorities affects two groups. One group includes those who have a residence permit or citizenship that the authorities suspect was granted on a faulty basis – due to fraudulent or inadequate information.

The second group consists of refugees whose country of origin has sufficiently improved conditions, so that authorities consider it safe for the refugees to return.

Jan-Paul Brekke of the Norwegian Institute for Social Research led a project commissioned by the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI) to study how the intensified review of residence permits and citizenship is affecting immigrant communities. The report was presented in June.

“It’s a tough experience. These are people who have a residence permit and then lose it. They feel like they’re having the rug pulled out from under them,” Brekke says.

Uncertainty may create health problems
The researchers interviewed 27 immigrants from Afghanistan and Somalia who have been affected in one way or another by the revocation of their right to live in Norway.

Individuals who received the letter don’t know whether they’ll be able to stay in the country or even when they will receive an answer. All they know is that the authorities are reviewing their case, and it’s taking a long time.

Some people find that the uncertainty and waiting time have caused them serious health problems.

One man says that the content of the letter was so stressful for one relative that the relative was admitted to a psychiatric hospital. The researchers have not verified this information.

“Some people receiving this notification are in a fragile situation from before. The uncertainty is undoubtedly contributing to their stress,” says Brekke.

Losing motivation
Immigrants also shared with the researchers that they are losing their motivation to build a future in Norway.

They ask themselves why they should bother to learn the language, work, or send their children to kindergarten if they could be sent home at any time.

Ayaan, a woman in her 30s from Somalia, has had a residence permit for seven years.

“I had the aim of completing primary school … and this has affected my capacity to concentrate … so that’s a pity. I had a dream to get a permanent job, but now I am less motivated to apply for a job … it’s hard. And I had ambitions about getting a driver’s license, but that’s difficult without a residence permit,” she says.

Now she is afraid of losing her permit, even though she hadn’t received a letter from the authorities as of her interview with the researchers.

Norwegian-Somalis with Norwegian citizenship had been citizens for an average of five to ten years when their cases were opened, according to statistics from the UDI from March 2017 to December 2018. Some have been citizens for over 20 years.

Cases involving revocation of citizenship were put on hold pending a political decision as to whether or not these cases should be dealt with by the courts in future.

During this period, about 2,500 Somali cases and 500 Afghan cases of all types were handled. Approximately every fourth case was finalized.

Of these, three out of four cases were dismissed.

The researchers estimate that for half of the Somalis, the processing time is at least 15 months. Most of them are eventually allowed to stay, sometimes even if the authorities conclude that their country of origin has become safe to return to.

“This may be because children have been in Norway for a long time or because we think that girls should not be sent back to Somalia because there is a risk of female genital mutilation,” says Hanne Jendal, director of UDI’s Asylum Department.

Risk of poorer integration
In the meantime, immigrants have lost valuable years as part of Norwegian society, the researchers believe.

“Integration is on hold. The cost for Norway is that we risk poorer integration for those who are affected,” says Brekke.

He believes the authorities must consider these costs against the current practices in regulating immigration.

The UDI has renewed temporary residence permits for people waiting to hear whether they need to leave because their country of origin has become safe, “so they can continue their life here even if they have the threat of cessation hanging over their heads – and I realize that’s a huge burden,” says Jendal.

She points out that reviewing cases for cessation when the situation in the home country has changed is a task the Asylum Department has been given.

Consequences of a strict policy
The process of revoking a residence permit is a result of tightening the asylum policy in the wake of 2015, the year when many refugees came to Norway.

“Now we’re seeing the consequences of a strict policy for those who are affected,” says Brekke.

The immigrants who were interviewed deal with the uncertainty in different ways. Some are trying to continue their everyday lives as normally as possible and just deal with the fear of being deported.

Others give up their long-term dreams for the future and focus on short-term planning.

Some prepare for everything while others are paralyzed and unable to prepare for anything.

Life put on hold
The researchers believe the long processing time is unfortunate.

Waiting for a response from the immigration authorities not only affects the person whose case is up for review. The UDI does not process applications from others in the family while one family member’s case is being considered. Many individuals’ lives are thus put on hold.

“The whole process grinds to a halt for both the individual and the other family members,” Brekke says.

Norwegian-Somalis are the group most affected by the revocation process.

“It’s easy to imagine the anxiety spreading among Somalis in Norway that any one of them could lose their residence permit,” he adds.

Improve communication
Since most immigrants end up being allowed to remain in Norway, Brekke wonders whether the authorities have set an unwieldy process in motion with little output at the other end.

“For a lot of people, the long wait is filled with uncertainty – and then nothing changes,” he says.

Brekke acknowledges that the authorities need to have a system to ensure that application information is correct. But, he says, they have to improve the system, make it faster and communicate better so people understand what they’re facing.

“We recognize that there are clearly areas where we need to improve,” says Jendal from UDI.

She says that the UDI takes the report recommendations seriously and is already working on improving the available information. Currently, the Directorate has had three informational meetings for individuals who have been notified that they may have to leave Norway.

She can’t promise that the case processing time will get shorter right away.

“Ideally, we’d like to be able to process these cases faster. But the caseload is enormous, and we have limited resources, which is regrettable,” says Jendal.

She won’t comment on whether she thinks politicians should increase resources to the Directorate in order to do the job faster. The report encourages such an increase.

The researchers also recommend that the authorities commit to deadlines so that immigrants at least know what they can expect during the review of their case and when they will be informed of the outcome.

“We are working hard to be clear with the users about how long they’ll have to wait to get an answer,” Jendal says.

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Reference: Jan-Paul Brekke, Simon Roland Birkvad and Marta Bivand Erdal: Losing the Right to Stay. Revocation of immigrant residence permits and citizenship in Norway – Experiences and effects. Department of Social Research, report 2019: 9.


Featured image is illustrative. (Pexels)
Source: forskning.no

LIST of the Richest Countries in the World: Norway is the second richest in the world

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
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NordenBladet – The GDP of Norway ranks as the second largest in the world. Back in 2017, Norway’s GDP registered as 74,571 USD and 2018 by Worls Bank report Norway was the richest.

By looking at the GDP per capita, or gross domestic product per capita, of each country around the globe, it is possible to rank countries based on wealth and then compare them to each other. From there, you can determine which countries are wealthiest and then list the countries in descending order, from richest to poorest. Here is the conclusive list of the top fifty richest countries in the world, starting with the wealthiest country… (The Nordic countries are highlighted in blod letters)

TOP50

1. Luxembourg (GDP per capita: $119,719)
2. Norway (GDP per capita: $86,362)
3. Switzerland (GDP per capita: $83,832)
4. Ireland (GDP per capita: $81,477)
5. Iceland (GDP per capita: $78,181)
6. Qatar (GDP per capita: $65,062)
7. The United States of America (GDP per capita: $64,906)
8. Denmark (GDP per capita: $63,434)
9. Singapore (GDP per capita: $62,690)
10. Australia (GDP per capita: $58,824)
11. Sweden (GDP per capita: $57,945)
12. The Netherlands (GDP per capita: $56,415)
13. Austria (GDP per capita: $54,606)
14. Finland (GDP per capita: $52,320)
15. Germany (GDP per capita: $51,642)
16. Hong Kong (GDP per capita: $50,216)
17. Belgium (GDP per capita: $49,095)
18. Canada (GDP per capita: $48,604)
19. France (GDP per capita: $45,586)
20. The United Kingdom (GDP per capita: $45,491)
21. Japan (GDP per capita: $41,834)
22. The United Arab Emirates (GDP per capita: $38,961)
23. Italy (GDP per capita: $36,061)
24. Korea (GDP per capita: $33,495)
25. Spain (GDP per capita: $33,151)
26. Puerto Rico (GDP per capita: $32,705)
27. Malta (GDP per capita: $32,130)
28. Brunei (GDP per capita: $30,297)
29. Cyprus (GDP per capita: $29,224)
30. Kuwait (GDP per capita: $28,394)
31. Slovenia (GDP per capita: $28,247)
32. Taiwan (GDP per capita: $26,309)
33. Bahrain (GDP per capita: $26,083)
34. The Czech Republic (GDP per capita: $25,468)
35. Portugal (GDP per capita: $24,312)
36. Estonia (GDP per capita: $24,043)
37. Saudi Arabia (GDP per capita: $22,368)
38. Slovakia (GDP per capita: $21,278)
39. Greece (GDP per capita: $21,274)
40. Lithuania (GDP per capita: $20,644)
41. Latvia (GDP per capita: $18,861)
42. Trinidad and Tobago (GDP per capita: $18,018)
43. Uruguay (GDP per capita: $17,772)
44. Oman (GDP per capita: $17,668)
45. Chile (GDP per capita: $16,914)
46. Hungary (GDP per capita: $16,852)
47. Poland (GDP per capita: $16,782)
48. Panama (GDP per capita: $16,576)
49. Croatia (GDP per capita: $15,878)
50. Romania (GDP per capita: $13,229)

Location is a major main player in the overall wealth of a country. Third-world countries in Asia, for example, do not rank very well when GDP is the variable in consideration. If access to certain items and necessities is restricted, then people are already working with a strong disadvantage. Places that are not war-stricken or already burdened with a less-than-ideal economy are not set up to do well in the competition of gross domestic products between countries.

This is why, when looking at the list of the wealthiest countries in the world, you’ll find that places where trade or massive production is a main source of income rank higher on the list. The poorer countries are less involved in global trading, and they are more independent in the sense that their direct involvement in international affairs is lesser than the wealthier countries. This is because money and power are so naturally interwoven, which contributes to the overall wealth and GDP of a country.

Featured image: Vågan, Norway (Pexels/Tobias Bjørkli)

Norwegian chess grandmaster and the current World Chess Champion Magnus Carlsen loses on chess financing

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
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NordenBladet – Chess experts think Norwegian chess grandmaster Magnus Carlsen* (28) may have damaged his reputation by allegedly trying to influence voting on a major financing issue for Norway’s national chess federation. It failed Sunday night, blocking the effort that could have ended the state lottery’s monoply on betting in the country.

Norwegian authorities have allowed the state-sanctioned Norsk Tipping to have a monopoly on betting for years, in return for funneling most of Norsk Tipping’s money into funding for sports. Revenues from various Norsk Tipping gambling ventures are allocated among Norwegian sports federations including the one for chess (Norges Sjakkforbund).

Carlsen hasn’t been impressed with the funding provided to the chess federation, however, and thus supported a bid by the gaming company Kindred, which owns Unibet. It offered to provide the equivalent of NOK 50 million over five years in return for support to effectively bust Norsk Tipping’s monopoly.

Gave up delegates
The offer was up for a vote at a chess federation meeting on Sunday, just after Carlsen established a new chess club and personally financed membership fees for the first 1,000 people to join it. That in turn would have given him the delegates needed to influence voting at the meeting.

In the end, however, Carlsen seemed to bow to criticism that he was threatening Norwegian sports federation’s democracy by giving up 35 of the delegates his new club’s membership would have allowed. A total of 132 delegates voted against Kindred’s financing offer Sunday night, while just 44 voted in favour.

Carlsen’s new club, Offerspill SK, issued only a short statement afterwards, noting that the chess federation’s meeting “unfortunately voted ‘no’ to the Kindred agreement.” The club would now move forward, it stated, with “several” events in store. It had no futher comment on the defeat.

Split the federation
The financing issue deeply split the federation, with Carlsen’s own former coach in his childhood Simen Agdestein, coming out hard against him. “Magnus has suffered a serious setback on this,” said Agdestein, whose brother has long served as Carlsen’s manager, told state broadcaster NRK. “It had looked like he wanted to carry out a coup against a democratic process. Magnus has enormous power, and can carry with him thousands of folks sitting at home.”

Simen Agdestein declared that “chess players won’t let themselves by bought, we’re not terribly concerned with money.” He said it was “just great that there was such a large majority” at the chess federation meeting against the funding from Kindred.

He and others had claimed that the federation would have been “in crisis” if it had accepted Kindred’s offer, since it likely would have been excluded from Norway’s national athletics federation.

The uproar within the chess federation had also prompted a lack of confidence vote in the federation’s president, Morten L Madsen. He survived it, however, and will continue as president after of vote of 87 in favour of his leadership and 62 against.

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* Sven Magnus Øen Carlsen (born 30 November 1990) is a Norwegian chess grandmaster and the current World Chess Champion. In addition to his success in classical chess, he is also a two-time World Rapid Chess Champion and four-time World Blitz Chess Champion. Carlsen first reached the top of the FIDE world rankings in 2010, and trails only Garry Kasparov at time spent as the highest rated player in the world. His peak classical rating of 2882, achieved in May 2014, is the highest in history.

A chess prodigy, Carlsen tied for first place in the World U12 Chess Championship in 2002. Shortly after turning 13, he finished first in the C group of the Corus chess tournament, and earned the grandmaster title a few months later. At age 15, he won the Norwegian Chess Championship, and at 17, he finished joint first in the top group of Corus. He surpassed a rating of 2800 at age 18 and reached number one in the FIDE world rankings aged 19, becoming the youngest person ever to achieve those feats.

Carlsen became World Chess Champion in 2013 by defeating Viswanathan Anand. In the following year, he retained his title against Anand, and won both the 2014 World Rapid Championship and World Blitz Championship, thus becoming the first player to simultaneously hold all three titles. He defended his classical world title against Sergey Karjakin in 2016, and against Fabiano Caruana in 2018.

Known for his attacking style as a teenager, Carlsen has since developed into a universal player. He uses a variety of openings to make it more difficult for opponents to prepare against him and reduce the effect of computer analysis. He has stated the middlegame is his favourite part of the game as it “comes down to pure chess”. His positional mastery and endgame prowess have drawn comparisons to those of former World Champions Bobby Fischer, Anatoly Karpov, Vasily Smyslov, and José Raúl Capablanca.

Norway hesitates over Iran response

By
NordenBladet
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NordenBladet – The Norwegian government is still thinking over a request from the US for a military contribution towards boosting security in the waters off Iran. It won’t be easy for Norway to say “no,” but skepticism is running high and resistance is likely in Parliament.

Norway’s foreign and defense ministers recently confirmed the initial request from the US, where the Trump Administration is caught in a major conflict with the Iranian government. Recent attacks on oil tankers, including two controlled by Norwegian shipping interests, have heightened tensions in the area and involved Norway more directly.

Defense Minister Frank Bakke-Jensen confirmed in a carefully worded statement, which also has been recited by Foreign Minister Ine Eriksen Søreide, that the Norwegian government had “received a request from the US about a contribution to a means of strengthening security for shipping in the Straits of Hormuz.” Both went on to state that the Norwegian government is “positive to the US’ initiative,” but quickly added that there’s a “need for more information before we make an evaluation of any Norwegian contribution.”

Bakke-Jensen noted that there initially was no concrete information about what such a “mechanism for strengthening security for shipping” through Hormuz would entail. His statement, issued shortly after the NATO ministerial summit in Brussels two week ago, added that it was “therefore too early to say anything” about a Norwegian contribution, “but we will discuss this more closely with the US and other allies when there’s more clarity around the framework for a possible cooperation.”

US wants military escort coalition
Norwegian Broadcasting (NRK) cited news bureau Reuters in reporting this week that the US is now proposing formation of a military coalition that would escort tankers through Hormuz. It still wasn’t clear whether any of the hard-pressed Norwegian Navy’s vessels will be sent to the highly strategic area around the Persian Gulf. The loss of one of Norway’s five frigates after a collision with a Norwegian tanker last fall has strained Norway’s naval defense capacity. Norway has also just committed one of its remaining four frigates, a submarine and fighter jets to the new NATO Readiness Initiative (NRI) that also was proposed by the US and aimed to boost NATO’s preparedness for any attack on a member nation.

Tensions, meanwhile, have continued to rise after the US blamed Iran for the recent attacks on commercial tankers and Iran responded by shooting down an American drone. The US wants to secure the important straits through which nearly a third of the world’s oil is transported.

With the Trump Administration known for going its own way, Bakke-Jensen noted that it was “positive” that the US was “taking the initiative” for a new international cooperation. He also noted that since Norway is a major maritime nation known for its large shipping industry, “we depend on free and secure navigation. We’re worried about the situation in the Gulf, and the consequences we have seen for shipping. It has rammed us directly.”

Foreign Minister Søreide has also said several times in recent weeks that she is “extremely worried” about the rising tensions between the US and Iran and the military escalation in the Gulf that’s already taking place after the US itself has sent naval vessels to the area.

Took part in earlier coalitions
Norway has contributed on earlier occasions to international coalitions aimed at securing maritime operations in international waters. In 2009, for example, Norway sent one of its then-new frigates to take part in anti-piracy efforts off Somalia. Now her US counterpart, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, has said he hopes at least 20 countries including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates will take part in a new coalition at Hormuz.

NATO is also concerned about the conflict between Iran and Trump, who quickly and controversially pulled the US out of the international agreement over Iran’s nuclear program. Norway, along with its major European allies and Russia, had supported the agreement and contributed to it, still does, and was not happy when the Trump Administration reversed former US President Barack Obama’s support for the Iran Nuclear Deal and slapped new economic sanctions on Iran.

The Norwegian defense department reported that Iran was not an “official theme” at the recent ministerial meeting, but stated that it was “natural” that the “tense situation” in the Gulf was discussed. NATO has urged restraint among all involved, and wants NATO members to “avoid any further escalation” even as the US wants NATO allies to contribute to security.

Apply now! NORAM Scholarships for Americans to study in Norway

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
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NordenBladet – The purpose of the scholarships is to provide financial support for Americans to study in Norway. By supporting post-graduate study or research in areas of mutual importance to Norway and the United States, we hope to bring the two countries closer. Through awarding scholarships to American students and researchers, we invest in the growth of knowledge and understanding and it will strengthen the ties of friendship between the two countries.

Every year, NORAM (The Norway-America Association, Rådhusgaten 23 B, NO-0158 Oslo) offers up to ten scholarships to American students, based on merit and need. The amounts vary from 10 000 kr – 40 000 kr. The size of the individual grants will depend on the research subject, purpose and the intended length of stay in Norway.

Information on studies in Norway, and on the Norwegian system of higher education, can be found here: Study in Norway.

The application deadline is April 1st 2020 for fall 2020-spring 2021. Applications will open in January 2020.

Terms of the awards
Applicant:
Must be American citizen, planning to study/or currently studying in Norway.

Education:
Scholarships are only for full-time graduate level studies, both exchange and whole degree in Norway. Online courses are not approved.
The project description must be of academic merit, and the project must be feasible within the framework proposed.
Students can apply without being accepted to an institution before the application deadline, but must submit documentation of admission/invitation if awarded a scholarship.
The project/academic field must be of mutual benefit to the two countries.

Scholarship period and length:
The scholarships are given within the academic year (August 1st – May 31st), and are awarded one year at a time. Keep in mind that one can only be awarded two times.
The program period has to be minimum three months.
Applicants who are awarded/have applied for funding from other sources for the same application period applied must notify NORAM about this.

Read How to apply for NORAM scholarship here

Featured image: Norway (Pexels/monicore)

Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway is publishing a book to help raise the profile of Norwegian arts

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
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NordenBladet – Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway has made promoting literature one of her main causes and now she’s publishing a book to help raise the profile of Norwegian arts. The Crown Princess is behind a collection of writing that will hit the shelves in September.

Mette-Marit will co-edit a selection of twelve stories and essays which will be published just ahead of the famous Frankfurt Book Fair. This year, Norway is the main contributing country at the event which is billed as the ‘most important marketplace’ in the world for print and digital publishing.

The book, which has the working title of ‘The Home Country and Other Narratives’ will feature work by authors selected by Crown Princess Mette-Marit and her co-editor, Geir Gulliksen. Among those chosen by the pair are Vigdis Hjorth and Dag Solstad. The company publishing the book, Aschenoug, says that the editors have picked writers whose work they value highly and all the pieces in the tome will be new and previously unseen.

It’s understood that any money earned by Crown Princess Mette-Marit by the book will be donated to charity although which organisations will benefit hasn’t yet been confirmed.

The Crown Princess has long shown her support for literature and promoting reading. She has hosted a ‘literature train’ event through Norway for several years, travelling by rail to different destinations for a week to encourage others to pick up books and to discuss Norwegian writing. This year, she hosted her first ‘literature metro’ where she used the underground system in Oslo to promote reading across Norway’s capital.

Mette-Marit once said she couldn’t imagine life without books, adding ‘ever since I was a child, I have been read to and given the opportunity to enter a world of fantasy’ and she says that reading has made her ‘a better, wiser and more thoughtful person’.

It’s a message she wants to share on an international stage as she prepares to head to Frankfurt for the book fair. The Crown Princess has played a high profile part in the build up to Norway’s big moment at the event and she is expected to travel to Germany in October for the fair itself. In the meantime, her debut as a literary editor will make its way to the shops as another part of her ongoing campaign to boost reading and a love of books.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bjoqe0eDaho/

Crown Prince Haakon of Norway opened the General Assembly of the European Broadcasting Union

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
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NordenBladet – Crown Prince Haakon was present at the opening of the General Assembly of the European Broadcasting Union in Norway on Thursday. This year, the Norwegian state owned TV-channel NRK is host to the meeting in Oslo.

The Crown Prince was the one to welcome the European Broadcasting to Norway. The Crown Prince also shared some of his TV-memories from when he was a child. Crown Prince Haakon said: “When I was a kid, we had only one Norwegian TV channel: the NRK. I must admit that some Saturday evenings with my family, gathered in front of the TV, could be a small challenge. My interests and wishes and what was that evening’s entertainment was not always in sync. We watched the weirdest of shows. Still, all of us did it – and we did it together. And the day after, when we went to school or work, everyone else had seen the same.”

The Crown Prince also addressed the changes that have taken place in recent years and the commercialization of the TV industry. Crown Prince Haakon said: “Many things have changed since those days. Technology is transformed. The media landscape is obviously very different. Today in Norway we have TV2, handheld devices and, of course, the internet.”

To many people’s surprise, the Crown Prince also commented on the new existence of fake news, saying: “The truth, the reality, can be uncomfortable. Public service media is in many ways the antidote to fake news. As you all know, today, trust is a scarce resource, a most valuable means. And when we doubt, relevance diminishes, and we turn to something else. Perhaps to fake news, not the real news. Which is why we need the independent public service media even more – committed to the truth and to high journalistic standards.”

Following the speech, EBU’s President and BBC Director General Tony Hall invited Netflix Chief Reed Hastings to an open discussion. They talked about the future of TV. The European Broadcasting Union is the world’s leading organization for public broadcasters with 117 members from 56 countries.

The organization also has 34 associated members from Asia, Australia, Africa and America. The event in Oslo has a lot of support with more registered broadcasters than ever.

Featured image: Crown Prince Haakon (Instagram/@crownprincessmm)

King Harald of Norway has confirmed to Norwegian media that the Royal Court is in dialogue about the commercial use of Princess Märtha Louise’s title

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
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NordenBladet – King Harald of Norway has confirmed to Norwegian media that the Royal Court is in dialogue about the commercial use of Princess Märtha Louise’s title. Confirming the dialogue is underway to NRK, His Majesty said, “At the present time, we cannot say how far we have come in the dialogue. But we are trying to get an arrangement.”

The King was questioned on if the commercial use of the title has burdened the Royal Family to which he replied, “No, not really.”

Princess Märtha Louise has come under fire in Norway since she used her title in the marketing of the tour she undertook in Norway and Denmark with her boyfriend, Shaman Durek Verrett, 44, which was called “The Princess and the Shaman”. Mr Verrett is half Norwegian and half African-American and describes himself as a “spiritual guide and gifted healer.”

The Princess, 47, was asked in May if she had plans to give up her title by Norway’s TV2. “That’s not something I am considering,” she responded.

Norwegian editorial newspaper Dagsavisen wrote earlier that month that Princess Märtha Louise was causing “a catastrophe” for the Norwegian Royal Family as well as credibility problems due to her new relationship and her supposed ability to heal and communicate with angels.

Märtha Louise held the style of ‘Royal Highness’ until 2002 when it was removed by her father, after discussions with her, to allow her work with more freedom while owning her own business without the constraints of the ‘HRH’.

Märtha Louise was born on 22 September 1971 as the only daughter and elder child of then-Crown Prince Harald and Crown Princess Sonja (current King Harald and Queen Sonja). She has a younger brother, Crown Prince Haakon.

In 1990, the Norwegian Constitution was altered to allow for female ascension to the throne beginning for those born after 1990. This means that Märtha Louise did not jump over her brother in the line of succession, but her niece, Princess Ingrid Alexandra was guaranteed a right to ascend the throne ahead of her younger brother, Prince Sverre Magnus.

Featured image: Princess Märtha Louise (Instagram/@princessmarthalouise)

Read also:
Princess Märtha Louise of Norway reveals her new American boyfriend, Shaman Durek Verrett in an Instagram post

Norway: King Harald and Queen Sonja visited the people at Askøy: Water pollution is one of the most serious things we can experience

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
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NordenBladet – Last time the small town of Askøy was visited by royals was in 1611. On Thursday, King Harald and Queen Sonja visited the people at Askøy for a very special reason. To conclude the county tour of Hordaland the royals visited Askøy and the people here who have faced serious problems over the past month.

Two weeks ago, Askøy municipality was hit by water pollution that has affected more than 2,000 people. In total, 16 children and 60 adults from Askøy have been hospitalized. So far, two people are believed to have died as a result of the pollution, a one-year-old child and a 72 year old woman.

“The Queen and I visit you under very special circumstances. Not having clean drinking water is one of the most serious issues we as individuals and as a community can experience. The crisis you have been through and experiencing now puts a whole society to the test”, King Harald told the people of Askøy.

The King and Queen wanted to know more about the water scandal, and had a 20-minute long and closed meeting with a person who was infected, as well as key people who have worked on the case for the past two weeks. Several local residents had come up to welcome the royal couple.

King Harald addressed the situation in his speech, saying: “We have followed what has happened on Askøy, and we feel with you. We can only imagine your insecurity and frustration. We understand your concerns and pain. We realize you hardly have time for our visit. We know how much work and worries lie behind. And that you have other very important things to do. Therefore, we thank you for being her at Askøy, together with you.”

Following the speech by the King, he and the queen travel on to more cheerful events. They went on to visit Herdla museum and Herdla fortress. Herdla is an island north of the municipality, known for its rich birdlife and a nature reserve that includes Herdlevalen and long pebble beaches. This was also something the royals had the opportunity to learn more about. The royal couple saw several exciting cultural features by local children and to conclude the visit the royals took time to become better acquainted with people and organizations on Askøy.

Featured image: The King and Queen speak to the local inhabitants of Askøy. (Sven Gjeruldsen / The Royal Court)

King Harald of Norway celebrated the Norwegian-American Association’s 100th anniversary

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
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NordenBladet – On Monday afternoon, His Majesty King Harald of Norway celebrated his patronage, the Norwegian-American Association’s 100th anniversary. His Majesty the King was present at the celebration of the Norway-America Association’s 100th anniversary at Akershus Fortress.

Philosopher Henrik Syse held the welcome speech at Akershus Fortress, while Charge d’Affaires from the US, Ann Barrows McConnell spoke on behalf of the US Embassy in Oslo. PhD candidate Camilla Lingjærde briefed on the Norwegian-American Association’s history, while violinist Sarah Chen performed a musical feature.

During the anniversary celebration, this year’s scholarships were awarded, and in September, the association will launch its anniversary book. The book is written by Kjetil Flatin and deals with 100 years of student exchanges between Norway and the United States. The Norwegian-American Association has, over the years, helped thousands of students finance their education. The scholarships that are awarded each year come from different funds and grants that the Norway-America Association administers.

Since 1919, NORAM has awarded more than 5,000 scholarships for studies in the United States and Canada. The Norwegian-American Association is a voluntary organisation that was founded in 1919 by the American-Scandinavian Foundation and Norwegians Worldwide. The organisations wanted to establish a fund that would support and encourage student exchange between Norway and the United States.

King Harald has a very special bond to the USA. He lived in exile there for many years during the Second World War together with his mother and two sisters. One of the notable events he remembers from that time was standing behind President Franklin D. Roosevelt when he was sworn in for his fourth term on the South Portico of the White House in 1945.

King Harald has visited the US many times since the end of the war. The states in the Midwest, especially North Dakota and Minnesota, have a significant number of Norwegian-American residents.

Featured image: His Majesty King Harald of Norway arrives at the celebration. (Sven Gj. Gjeruldsen / The Royal Court)

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