Today in Norway: A roundup of the latest news on Wednesday
A suspected Russian spy arrested, consumers still spending in Norway and other news on Wednesday.
Suspected Russian spy arrested
Norway's counter-espionage service PST said on Tuesday it had arrested a suspected Russian spy masquerading as a Brazilian academic.
The suspect was detained on Monday morning as he was making his way to his job at Tromso university in northern Norway, public broadcaster NRK said.
"We think he's working undercover for the Russian authorities," PST deputy director Hedvig Moe told broadcaster TV2.
"An undercover agent is someone who gathers information, most often for his or her country of origin -- in this case, Russia and the Russian intelligence services," she said.
The PST, which said it had been coordinating with intelligence services from allied nations, wants the suspect expelled from Norway.
Consumers in Norway are still spending, but habits have begun to change
Despite sharp increases in the cost of living and rising interest rates, and inflation, Norwegians are spending more money now than they did in 2019.
Figures from the bank DNB show that card use in July was 16 percent higher than in 2019, and overall consumption this autumn was up four percent.
"We probably expected that people would apply the emergency brake to a greater extent," Ine Oftedahl, director of data transformation at DNB, said.
However, there were signs that Norwegian consumers were beginning to change their habits.
Strong operating profit for Norwegian
Norwegian Air Shuttle recorded an operating profit of just over 1 billion kroner during the third quarter, figures released by the airline show.
It said business travellers were returning to the skies in the wake of the pandemic. It added that one of its most popular routes for business travellers was back to the same level of activity as in 2019.
"Demand is expected to be lower in the winter season, but we are well prepared to handle the quieter period, both through careful route planning and flexible leasing agreements, as well as through good agreements with our colleagues and trade unions," Geir Karlsen, CEO of Norwegian, said of the figures.
After tax, the operating profit is around 910 million kroner.
Russians charged with illegal photography are released
Two Russians arrested and charged with illegal photography in Nordland this weekend have been released, and the charges have been dropped.
The police said it would appeal the decision from a local court to drop the charges against the two Russian nationals.
They were arrested when taking pictures of a military facility.
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Suspected Russian spy arrested
Norway's counter-espionage service PST said on Tuesday it had arrested a suspected Russian spy masquerading as a Brazilian academic.
The suspect was detained on Monday morning as he was making his way to his job at Tromso university in northern Norway, public broadcaster NRK said.
"We think he's working undercover for the Russian authorities," PST deputy director Hedvig Moe told broadcaster TV2.
"An undercover agent is someone who gathers information, most often for his or her country of origin -- in this case, Russia and the Russian intelligence services," she said.
The PST, which said it had been coordinating with intelligence services from allied nations, wants the suspect expelled from Norway.
Consumers in Norway are still spending, but habits have begun to change
Despite sharp increases in the cost of living and rising interest rates, and inflation, Norwegians are spending more money now than they did in 2019.
Figures from the bank DNB show that card use in July was 16 percent higher than in 2019, and overall consumption this autumn was up four percent.
"We probably expected that people would apply the emergency brake to a greater extent," Ine Oftedahl, director of data transformation at DNB, said.
However, there were signs that Norwegian consumers were beginning to change their habits.
Strong operating profit for Norwegian
Norwegian Air Shuttle recorded an operating profit of just over 1 billion kroner during the third quarter, figures released by the airline show.
It said business travellers were returning to the skies in the wake of the pandemic. It added that one of its most popular routes for business travellers was back to the same level of activity as in 2019.
"Demand is expected to be lower in the winter season, but we are well prepared to handle the quieter period, both through careful route planning and flexible leasing agreements, as well as through good agreements with our colleagues and trade unions," Geir Karlsen, CEO of Norwegian, said of the figures.
After tax, the operating profit is around 910 million kroner.
Russians charged with illegal photography are released
Two Russians arrested and charged with illegal photography in Nordland this weekend have been released, and the charges have been dropped.
The police said it would appeal the decision from a local court to drop the charges against the two Russian nationals.
They were arrested when taking pictures of a military facility.
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