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

The Local (news@thelocal.com)
The Local ([email protected])
Today in Norway: A roundup of the latest news on Thursday
A photo of a wolf in Järvsö, Sweden, where the government want to cull some of the animals to bring down the wolf population, in a plan that could see cooperation with Norway on its wolf management. Photo: Robert Larsson, Unsplash

Wolf population management and the second day of the Bergen International Festival, are among the main stories from Norway on this Thursday Ascension Day.

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Ascension Day

This public holiday in Norway today is tied to a Christian holiday celebrating Jesus’s ascent to heaven. Expect store closures and busy roads as people hurry to holiday homes.  

Sweden to seek cooperation with Norway on wolf management

Sweden's government has announced that it will allow a major wolf cull this year, with hunters licensed to kill as many as half of the estimated 400 animals in the country.

The decision means that "the government should investigate the possibilities for cooperation with Norway on the management of the Scandinavian wolf population as the population is in both countries", according to rovdyr.org.

On Wednesday, the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency was commissioned to investigate in more detail what is required to bring the wolf population down to the level decided by the Swedish government - between 170 and 270 individuals.

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There are currently 480 wolves living in an estimated 40 packs between Sweden and Norway, with the vast majority — about 400 — in central Sweden. 

Queen attends opening of the Festival Exhibition in Bergen

The Bergen International Festival opened on Wednesday, which this year celebrates 70 years.

On Thursday, the Festival Exhibition 2022 opens in Bergen Kunstshall. The exhibition is one of Norway's most important contemporary art exhibitions, and Queen Sonja will be present at the opening.

Bergen’s annual cultural and music festival is the largest festival in the Nordic countries of its type and runs for 14 days across the city. 

Norwegian's Casper Ruud plays the second round of Roland-Garros

On Thursday morning Rudd will play in the second round match against the Finn, Emil Ruusuvuori after winning the opening round against the French veteran Jo-Wilfried Tsonga on Tuesday.

In two previous meetings, Ruud has beaten Ruusuvuori in straight sets. Rudd, who is from Snarøya in Norway is ranked number 8 in the world.

Drink-driving limits

And if you missed this article yesterday, we compare which countries in Europe have the strictest drink-drive limits.

Certain countries around Europe have stricter policies than others regarding drinking and driving and harsher punishments for those caught exceeding legal limits. 

While the safest thing to do of course, is to drink no alcohol at all before driving it is useful to know what the limit is in the country you are driving in whether as a tourist or as someone who frequently crosses European borders by car for work.

In Norway, the limit for standard drivers is 0.2g/l. It could take a woman with average weight one standard drink, or one can of beer, to reach that level. Penalties in Norway can start at a one month salary fine and a criminal record. 

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