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2006

Tuesday 26 February 2008 WORLD DEPOSITS SEED IN NORWAY
The Globe fronts and CTV News goes inside with Norway’s efforts to save the world from starvation in the event of a catastrophic disaster. Dug deep into arctic permafrost, the so-called “doomsday vault” will house millions of seed samples from around the world, ensuring that vital crops can be re-planted in the event that they are wiped out by war, global warming, natural disasters, or anything else doomsayers can dream up. Located on a frozen archipelago called Svalbard, about one thousand kilometres from the North Pole, the vault is built to resist everything from an earthquake to a nuclear bomb. It cost Norway’s government $9.1 billion, but they are allowing other countries to deposit seeds for free and to withdraw them when the need arises. The Globe reports that the Norwegian bank comes at a time when other seed depositories met with disaster; seed banks in Iraq and Afghanistan, for example, have been looted in the ongoing wars. For its part, Canada will be making a large deposit at the bank, sending six thousand samples from ninety different species. Despite the frigid temperatures outside, the vault still needs air conditioning to keep the seeds cold enough. At optimal conditions, the seeds will remain resident in the vault for decades or even centuries, depending on the variety. At the remote location, the only threat to the seeds’ security would seem to be the archipelago’s three thousand polar bears. They will be kept at bay by a solitary rifle-wielding guard.

Monday 11 February 2008 Norway said on Sunday that terror threats forced its diplomats to close their embassy in the Afghan capital, Kabul. Diplomats declined to describe the threats or say how long the embassy will stay closed. Norway is planning to send 200 more troops and more helicopters to Afghanistan next month to join its force of 500 already there. A Canadian foreign affairs spokesman says that Canada's embassy in Kabul continues to operate normally.

Sunday 02 December 2007 U.S. Credit Crisis Adds to Gloom in Norway
NARVIK, Norway, Nov. 30 — At this time of year, the sun does not rise at all this far north of the Arctic Circle. But Karen Margrethe Kuvaas says she has not been able to sleep well for days.

Thursday 30 November 2006 A project was launched in Norway on Sunday that could help to solve the problem of pollution by coal-burning power plants. The project involves building a 400-megawatt coal-fired plant that would use new technology to capture 95 per cent of its carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide emissions, two greenhouse gasses that cause pollution. The project is being launched by a group of companies in France, the United States, Norway and other countries at a cost of US$700 million. The plant is scheduled to be completed in west Norway by 2011.

Sunday 26 November 2006 Norway fourth best democracy
Norway and the Nordic region are very highly ranked by the latest ratings from the Economist Intelligence Unit Index of Democracy.
Canada ranked 9th., the USA (17th) and Britain (23rd)

Sunday 26 November 2006 Oslo City Hall - a landmark in the world's most expensive city.
The Swiss Bank USB's latest comparison of price levels and purchasing power in 71 world capitals and major cities places Oslo at the top of expensive cities. But the real news is that the purchasing power of Oslo residents is as low as 15th.

Friday 10 November 2006 The United Nations has named Norway as the world's best country to live in for the sixth consecutive year. The UN's Human Development Index ranks countries based on such criteria as life expectancy, education and income. Canada is in sixth place after Norway, Iceland, Australia, Ireland and Sweden. During the 1980's and 1990's, Canada ranked consistently in first place.

Monday, October 23, 2006, Norwegians roiling in oil By DOUG SAUNDERS
OSLO -- By any measure, Kristoper Holfeldt should be one of the happiest people in the world. As a delivery-truck driver in Oslo, he earns almost $70,000 a year in one of the world's most equal society. His daughter takes advantage of free university tuition, his free public medical and pension benefits are stellar, and he lives in the healthiest and best-paid society on Earth.

Bjørn Helge Malkomsen and his wife Astrid Langhammer wish their guests 02 Oct 2006,

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