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

Frazer Norwell
Frazer Norwell - [email protected]
Today in Norway: A roundup of the latest news on Friday 
Glaciers in Norway, like the one pictured, are shrinking at an alarming rate, read about that and more in today's roundup. Photo by Millie Olsen on Unsplash "

Find out what's going on in Norway on Friday with The Local's short roundup of important news. 

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Nobel Peace Prize to be announced

Media watchdogs, Belarus opposition leaders and climate campaigners such as Greta Thunberg are among those tipped as contenders for the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize to be announced in Oslo on Friday.

At 11am, the Norwegian Nobel Committee chairperson, Berit Reiss-Andersen, will announce which of the 329 nominations has been deemed the worthy winner of the honour. 

READ ALSO: Cash-strapped Nobel Institute asks Norway for government support

Guessing who exactly will win the prize is a speculation game as shortlists are kept a closely guarded secret, and the nominees' identities aren't released for 50 years. 

Among those whose names have been generating buzz in the run-up to Friday's announcement are media watchdogs Reporters Without Borders, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) or the International Fact-Checking Network, as well as anti-corruption champion Transparency International.

15 students sick after cabin trip 

In Sandefjord, 15 students took ill while staying at a DNT cabin at Trollsvann with what is believed to be carbon monoxide poisoning. 

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The students suffered from headaches, vomiting, and visual impairment after spending time in the cabin. 

"We do not know what is behind it now, but the symptoms may be compatible with carbon monoxide poisoning," Per Kristian Opheim, chief physician in Tønsberg, said to public broadcaster NRK.

Injuries involving electric scooters halved following new rules

In Oslo, injuries relating to e-scooter accidents have been slashed in half after new rules were introduced. 

In September, the month the new rules were put in place, 143 accidents in connection with the devices were registered, compared to 301 the month before and 436 in June. 

"We are very happy. This is what we hoped for," Henrik Siverts, chief physician at the accident and emergency ward at a hospital in Oslo, told newspaper Aftenposten

Among the new rules introduced were a curfew on scooter use at night, the introduction of designated drop-off zones, and the decision to cut the number of scooters significantly. 

Glaciers in Norway retreating

Glaciers in Norway are shrinking at an alarming rate, annual measurements have shown.

Styggedalsbreen glacier in Hurrungane has gone back 37 meters from last autumn, the largest annual change since the measurements started. 

READ MORE: How will climate change impact Norway?

Haugabreen in Jostedalsbreen National Park has been measured since 2013, and since then, the glacier has retreated 84 meters.

The glacier measurements are made by the Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate (NVE).

508 new Covid-19 cases

On Thursday, 508 new cases of Covid-19 infection were registered in Norway, 47 infections more than the average for the previous seven days. 

In Oslo, 130 people have tested positive for coronavirus, 26 more than the day before. 

Total number of Covid-19 cases in Norway. Source: Norwegian Institute of Public Health.

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