Today in Norway: A roundup of the latest news on Monday
Flights and bus routes affected by harsh weather in eastern Norway, Health Minister Ingvild Kjerkol faces plagiarism accusations, and other news making the headlines on Monday.
Winter weather causes flight and bus disruptions
Avinor, the Norwegian airport operator, announced the cancellation of several domestic flights to and from Oslo Airport due to challenging weather conditions.
SAS, following the footsteps of Norwegian, had to cancel a series of flights scheduled for Monday morning.
The affected departures from Oslo included flights to Bergen at 8am, Trondheim at 8am, Stavanger at 9.05am, and Kristiansund at 9.30am.
Similarly, several arrivals to Oslo were cancelled, including flights from Bergen at 7am, Haugesund at 7.25am, Bergen at 8am, and Bodø at 8.25 am.
The harsh weather conditions extended beyond aviation.
Public transport services in Oslo and Akershus faced delays and cancellations on Monday morning.
Ruter reported the cancellation of bus routes 63, 120, 310, and 315. The 23 experienced partial suspension between Helsfyr T and Lysakerlokket, while routes 79 and 80E were partially suspended between Åsbråten and Holmlia, as was the 81 between Ødegården and Trygve Strømsbergs road.
In the Nannestad and Asker areas, partial cancellations were in force for lines 260, 400, 400E, 410, and 420.
Ruter warned further disruptions and delays were possible on Monday morning and advised commuters to consider using the subway, tram, or train as alternatives to buses.
Mountain passes and roads closed
On Monday morning, several key roadways and mountain passes in Norway were closed due to severe weather conditions.
The closures are a result of strong winds, storms, and heavy snowfall, making travel hazardous in these areas:
County Road 27 above Venabygdsfjellet: This mountain pass is currently closed due to strong winds. Authorities plan to reassess the situation on Tuesday, January 23rd.
E6 over Dovrefjell in Innlandet: The E6 route over Dovrefjell is also closed because of stormy weather. An alternative route is available via Highway 3 through Østerdalen.
Roads in Finnmark: In Finnmark, several stretches of roads are closed due to local snow fronts caused by strong winds and fresh snowfall. Open areas in the lowlands can also be affected. Notable closures include E6 Sennalandet and E69 between Hønsa and the Nordkapp tunnel. Convoy driving is enforced on Magerøya, and various stretches on the Nordkinnpenhalvøya are closed.
Furthermore, County Road 888 between Bekkarfjord and Hopseidet, Fylkesvei 98 Ifjordfjellet, County Road 882 between Hasvik ferry quay and Sørvær, and several road sections in Hammerfest municipality, including Kvalsund bridge to Hammerfest town, are all closed due to storms.
Challenging driving conditions in southern Norway
The Norwegian Road Administration issued a warning for difficult driving conditions in southern Norway.
Heavy rain overnight, coupled with existing snow cover, has resulted in road conditions characterised by wet ice, slush, and substantial water accumulation on the roadways.
Particularly vulnerable are less-travelled roads where snow cover remains. The Road Administration urged motorists to exercise caution and stay vigilant for snow and slush on exposed stretches of road.
People planning to drive in the morning were strongly encouraged to monitor weather updates and road conditions closely.
Norway's Minister of Health faces plagiarism accusations
Ingvild Kjerkol, the Minister of Health and Care, has come under scrutiny for allegations of plagiarism related to her 2021 master's thesis.
The situation has led to the cancellation of her planned participation in a meeting of health ministers from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in Paris.
The allegations of plagiarism surfaced over the weekend when media outlets, including the Norwegian Broadcasting Organisation (NRK), highlighted text similarities between Kjerkol's master's thesis and other academic assignments.
Kjerkol initially denied any wrongdoing but later acknowledged that an editing error had resulted in duplicated wording without proper referencing.
Nord University has expressed its intention to investigate the matter, and Kjerkol expressed willingness to engage in further dialogue with the institution.
Kjerkol's plagiarism accusation comes days after the Minister for Higher Education Sandra Borch had to resign over similar accusations.
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Winter weather causes flight and bus disruptions
Avinor, the Norwegian airport operator, announced the cancellation of several domestic flights to and from Oslo Airport due to challenging weather conditions.
SAS, following the footsteps of Norwegian, had to cancel a series of flights scheduled for Monday morning.
The affected departures from Oslo included flights to Bergen at 8am, Trondheim at 8am, Stavanger at 9.05am, and Kristiansund at 9.30am.
Similarly, several arrivals to Oslo were cancelled, including flights from Bergen at 7am, Haugesund at 7.25am, Bergen at 8am, and Bodø at 8.25 am.
The harsh weather conditions extended beyond aviation.
Public transport services in Oslo and Akershus faced delays and cancellations on Monday morning.
Ruter reported the cancellation of bus routes 63, 120, 310, and 315. The 23 experienced partial suspension between Helsfyr T and Lysakerlokket, while routes 79 and 80E were partially suspended between Åsbråten and Holmlia, as was the 81 between Ødegården and Trygve Strømsbergs road.
In the Nannestad and Asker areas, partial cancellations were in force for lines 260, 400, 400E, 410, and 420.
Ruter warned further disruptions and delays were possible on Monday morning and advised commuters to consider using the subway, tram, or train as alternatives to buses.
Mountain passes and roads closed
On Monday morning, several key roadways and mountain passes in Norway were closed due to severe weather conditions.
The closures are a result of strong winds, storms, and heavy snowfall, making travel hazardous in these areas:
County Road 27 above Venabygdsfjellet: This mountain pass is currently closed due to strong winds. Authorities plan to reassess the situation on Tuesday, January 23rd.
E6 over Dovrefjell in Innlandet: The E6 route over Dovrefjell is also closed because of stormy weather. An alternative route is available via Highway 3 through Østerdalen.
Roads in Finnmark: In Finnmark, several stretches of roads are closed due to local snow fronts caused by strong winds and fresh snowfall. Open areas in the lowlands can also be affected. Notable closures include E6 Sennalandet and E69 between Hønsa and the Nordkapp tunnel. Convoy driving is enforced on Magerøya, and various stretches on the Nordkinnpenhalvøya are closed.
Furthermore, County Road 888 between Bekkarfjord and Hopseidet, Fylkesvei 98 Ifjordfjellet, County Road 882 between Hasvik ferry quay and Sørvær, and several road sections in Hammerfest municipality, including Kvalsund bridge to Hammerfest town, are all closed due to storms.
Challenging driving conditions in southern Norway
The Norwegian Road Administration issued a warning for difficult driving conditions in southern Norway.
Heavy rain overnight, coupled with existing snow cover, has resulted in road conditions characterised by wet ice, slush, and substantial water accumulation on the roadways.
Particularly vulnerable are less-travelled roads where snow cover remains. The Road Administration urged motorists to exercise caution and stay vigilant for snow and slush on exposed stretches of road.
People planning to drive in the morning were strongly encouraged to monitor weather updates and road conditions closely.
Norway's Minister of Health faces plagiarism accusations
Ingvild Kjerkol, the Minister of Health and Care, has come under scrutiny for allegations of plagiarism related to her 2021 master's thesis.
The situation has led to the cancellation of her planned participation in a meeting of health ministers from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in Paris.
The allegations of plagiarism surfaced over the weekend when media outlets, including the Norwegian Broadcasting Organisation (NRK), highlighted text similarities between Kjerkol's master's thesis and other academic assignments.
Kjerkol initially denied any wrongdoing but later acknowledged that an editing error had resulted in duplicated wording without proper referencing.
Nord University has expressed its intention to investigate the matter, and Kjerkol expressed willingness to engage in further dialogue with the institution.
Kjerkol's plagiarism accusation comes days after the Minister for Higher Education Sandra Borch had to resign over similar accusations.
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