Today in Norway: A roundup of the latest news on Tuesday
Norway named one of the least corrupt nations, storms in northern Norway continue, and other news making the headlines in the country on Tuesday.
Norway maintains low corruption ranking
In the latest annual Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) released by Transparency International, Denmark continued to lead the world as the least corrupt country, scoring 90 out of a possible 100 points.
Following Denmark are Finland with 87 points and New Zealand with 85 points, holding onto their respective positions.
Meanwhile, Norway secured the fourth spot with 84 points.
However, Transparency International Norway raised concerns about Norway's declining trend over the past decade, as the country's score has dropped compared to 2012.
This decline was attributed to integrity challenges in Norwegian top politics.
READ MORE: Why Norwegian politics has been hit by so many scandals
Northern Norway faces road closures and delays due to storm
Residents and travellers in the northern regions of Norway are expected to grapple with road closures and transportation disruptions on Tuesday due to persistent storms.
Finnmark, in particular, is expected to face significant challenges, with the E6 road north of Alta currently closed over Sennalandet and Hatter.
Furthermore, extensive road closures are in place across most of the Porsanger and Nordkinn peninsulas. On the Båtsfjord peninsula, roads are closed, and convoy driving is required.
In Troms, the E8 route heading towards Sweden remains inaccessible. Additionally, several ferry connections have been cancelled, including the important link between Senja and Kvaløya. Road closures also affect County Road 91, specifically Brevikikeidet-Svensby and Lyngseidet-Olderdalen in Lyngen, along with Stangnes-Sørollnes near Harstad.
In Nordland, the E6 at Saltfjellet is currently closed, alongside E10 at Bjørnfjell and national highway 77 above Graddis. The Bognes-Lødingen ferry connection remains cancelled. The Helgeland coast is also facing its share of difficulties, with numerous ferry connections along the coast cancelled due to the weather conditions. While County Road 17 is affected, only the Vennesund-Holm section remains operational.
In Kvæfjord, the situation remains challenging, with the closure of National Highway 85, specifically the Lødingen-Sortland section between Gullesfjordbotn and Langvassbukta.
Travelers and residents in these areas are urged to visit the Norwegian Public Roads Administration's website to stay informed about road conditions.
Norway's "oil fund" surpassed 15.7 billion kroner in 2023
Norway's Government Pension Fund, also known as the "oil fund," concluded 2023 with a value of over 15,764 billion kroner, according to a report by the newspapers DN and E24.
This marks a substantial increase from the 12,429 billion kroner recorded the previous year.
The fund's most significant shareholdings continue to be in tech behemoths like Apple, Microsoft, and Amazon, as reported by E24.
Widerøe working to resume air traffic amid weather challenges
Widerøe, the airline company, is working towards resuming air traffic, pending favourable weather conditions on Tuesday.
READ MORE: Extreme winds ground flights in northern Norway
"We are continuously evaluating the local weather conditions throughout the day, recognizing that conditions may vary from airport to airport," press officer Lina Lindegaard Carlsen said to the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (NRK).
Despite the possibility of milder weather on Tuesday compared to Monday, Widerøe continues to face limitations related to aircraft and wind strength.
Carlsen appealed to travellers for understanding, acknowledging potential delays and ripple effects caused by the previous day's storm.
She advised travellers to proceed to the airport as usual unless notified otherwise. On Monday, Widerøe had to cancel all flights north of Trondheim due to the bad weather.
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Norway maintains low corruption ranking
In the latest annual Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) released by Transparency International, Denmark continued to lead the world as the least corrupt country, scoring 90 out of a possible 100 points.
Following Denmark are Finland with 87 points and New Zealand with 85 points, holding onto their respective positions.
Meanwhile, Norway secured the fourth spot with 84 points.
However, Transparency International Norway raised concerns about Norway's declining trend over the past decade, as the country's score has dropped compared to 2012.
This decline was attributed to integrity challenges in Norwegian top politics.
READ MORE: Why Norwegian politics has been hit by so many scandals
Northern Norway faces road closures and delays due to storm
Residents and travellers in the northern regions of Norway are expected to grapple with road closures and transportation disruptions on Tuesday due to persistent storms.
Finnmark, in particular, is expected to face significant challenges, with the E6 road north of Alta currently closed over Sennalandet and Hatter.
Furthermore, extensive road closures are in place across most of the Porsanger and Nordkinn peninsulas. On the Båtsfjord peninsula, roads are closed, and convoy driving is required.
In Troms, the E8 route heading towards Sweden remains inaccessible. Additionally, several ferry connections have been cancelled, including the important link between Senja and Kvaløya. Road closures also affect County Road 91, specifically Brevikikeidet-Svensby and Lyngseidet-Olderdalen in Lyngen, along with Stangnes-Sørollnes near Harstad.
In Nordland, the E6 at Saltfjellet is currently closed, alongside E10 at Bjørnfjell and national highway 77 above Graddis. The Bognes-Lødingen ferry connection remains cancelled. The Helgeland coast is also facing its share of difficulties, with numerous ferry connections along the coast cancelled due to the weather conditions. While County Road 17 is affected, only the Vennesund-Holm section remains operational.
In Kvæfjord, the situation remains challenging, with the closure of National Highway 85, specifically the Lødingen-Sortland section between Gullesfjordbotn and Langvassbukta.
Travelers and residents in these areas are urged to visit the Norwegian Public Roads Administration's website to stay informed about road conditions.
Norway's "oil fund" surpassed 15.7 billion kroner in 2023
Norway's Government Pension Fund, also known as the "oil fund," concluded 2023 with a value of over 15,764 billion kroner, according to a report by the newspapers DN and E24.
This marks a substantial increase from the 12,429 billion kroner recorded the previous year.
The fund's most significant shareholdings continue to be in tech behemoths like Apple, Microsoft, and Amazon, as reported by E24.
Widerøe working to resume air traffic amid weather challenges
Widerøe, the airline company, is working towards resuming air traffic, pending favourable weather conditions on Tuesday.
READ MORE: Extreme winds ground flights in northern Norway
"We are continuously evaluating the local weather conditions throughout the day, recognizing that conditions may vary from airport to airport," press officer Lina Lindegaard Carlsen said to the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (NRK).
Despite the possibility of milder weather on Tuesday compared to Monday, Widerøe continues to face limitations related to aircraft and wind strength.
Carlsen appealed to travellers for understanding, acknowledging potential delays and ripple effects caused by the previous day's storm.
She advised travellers to proceed to the airport as usual unless notified otherwise. On Monday, Widerøe had to cancel all flights north of Trondheim due to the bad weather.
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