Today in Norway: A roundup of the latest news on Thursday
Norwegian climber sets record, Minister of Justice condemns Quran burnings, and a large drop off in international students due to tuition fees are among the headlines from Norway on Thursday.
Justice Minister condemns Quran burnings
Minister of Justice Emilie Engher Mehl has said that she strongly disagrees with the Quran burnings seen in other countries but has ruled out making the burning of the text in Norway illegal.
“Criticism of religion that is expressed through symbolic actions, such as burning the Quran, will not be punishable even if the means used are offensive and revolting,” Mehl said in parliament in response to a question in late June, newspaper Vårt Land reports.
However, she says those who burn the holy text can still be arrested and charged in Norway if the burning is considered a hate crime.
“In the same way as the Prime Minister, I strongly distance myself from Quran burning. Quran burning can, in some cases, be considered a hate crime - this depends on the context,” she said.
The big drop-off in the number of non-EU/EEA students coming to Norway
The number of students from outside the EEA coming to Norway to study has dropped off significantly following the introduction of tuition fees.
The number of applicants from outside these countries has dropped by nearly 80 percent, higher education news publication Khrono reports.
Last year, some 1,533 students from outside the EEA started their studies in Norway. Now, just 332 are registered to begin studying in Norway.
“In the same way as the Prime Minister, I strongly distance myself from Koran burning. Koran burning can, in some cases, be considered a hate crime - this depends on the context,” Professor Siri Lange from the University of Bergen said.
Norwegian climber sets record
Kristin Harilla has set a record for climbing the 14 highest mountains in the world the fastest. She has broken both the official and unofficial world records.
The previous record holder, Nimsdai Purja, completed the feat in six months and six days. However, his record was discredited as he had not reached the highest point on two of the peaks.
The new record set by Harilla is 93 days.
Consumer Council wants debt registry
The Norwegian Consumer Council wants a new debt collection register which gives people an overview of their debt collection cases.
The consumer rights watchdog argues that such a register would give people a better overview of their debts and help them get out of debt.
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Justice Minister condemns Quran burnings
Minister of Justice Emilie Engher Mehl has said that she strongly disagrees with the Quran burnings seen in other countries but has ruled out making the burning of the text in Norway illegal.
“Criticism of religion that is expressed through symbolic actions, such as burning the Quran, will not be punishable even if the means used are offensive and revolting,” Mehl said in parliament in response to a question in late June, newspaper Vårt Land reports.
However, she says those who burn the holy text can still be arrested and charged in Norway if the burning is considered a hate crime.
“In the same way as the Prime Minister, I strongly distance myself from Quran burning. Quran burning can, in some cases, be considered a hate crime - this depends on the context,” she said.
The big drop-off in the number of non-EU/EEA students coming to Norway
The number of students from outside the EEA coming to Norway to study has dropped off significantly following the introduction of tuition fees.
The number of applicants from outside these countries has dropped by nearly 80 percent, higher education news publication Khrono reports.
Last year, some 1,533 students from outside the EEA started their studies in Norway. Now, just 332 are registered to begin studying in Norway.
“In the same way as the Prime Minister, I strongly distance myself from Koran burning. Koran burning can, in some cases, be considered a hate crime - this depends on the context,” Professor Siri Lange from the University of Bergen said.
Norwegian climber sets record
Kristin Harilla has set a record for climbing the 14 highest mountains in the world the fastest. She has broken both the official and unofficial world records.
The previous record holder, Nimsdai Purja, completed the feat in six months and six days. However, his record was discredited as he had not reached the highest point on two of the peaks.
The new record set by Harilla is 93 days.
Consumer Council wants debt registry
The Norwegian Consumer Council wants a new debt collection register which gives people an overview of their debt collection cases.
The consumer rights watchdog argues that such a register would give people a better overview of their debts and help them get out of debt.
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