M

Magnus Olsen

Oslo correspondent covering Norwegian politics, oil industry, and Arctic affairs

Country: NO Focus: politics NOpoliticsenergy

Latest articles by Magnus Olsen

Norway Garage Fire: 1 Major Incident in Ålesund
🇳🇴

Norway Garage Fire: 1 Major Incident in Ålesund

A garage fire in Ålesund tested Norway's emergency response, sparking analysis on public safety policies and fire prevention. The incident highlights vulnerabilities in older structures and may influence Storting debates on resource allocation for coastal communities.

Norway House Fire: 6 Evacuated, No Injuries
🇳🇴

Norway House Fire: 6 Evacuated, No Injuries

A house fire in Vennesla, Norway, forced six people to evacuate but resulted in no injuries. The incident highlights Norway's emergency response protocols and the ongoing national challenge of residential fire prevention. Authorities are investigating the cause while the community rallies to support the displaced family.

Norway's Fixed-Price Power Surge: 78,000 New Customers
🇳🇴

Norway's Fixed-Price Power Surge: 78,000 New Customers

Norway's fixed-price power contract, Norgespris, has gained 78,000 new customers in five weeks, with over 70% adoption in some western municipalities. While consumers flock to price security, experts warn it could undermine the 10-billion-kroner smart grid and reduce energy efficiency incentives.

Norway's School Year Debate: Høyre Considers Cut
🇳🇴

Norway's School Year Debate: Høyre Considers Cut

Norway's governing Høyre party faces an internal push to abolish mandatory 10th grade, citing plummeting student motivation. The controversial proposal would cut compulsory schooling to 9 years, following models in Finland and Estonia.

Norway Sushi Chef Scandal: Dozens Forged Diplomas
🇳🇴

Norway Sushi Chef Scandal: Dozens Forged Diplomas

A major exploitation ring in Norway's restaurant industry has been uncovered, with migrant sushi chefs paying huge sums for jobs using forged documents. The scandal exposes critical flaws in work visa controls and worker protections. Can authorities fix a system that allowed this to happen?

Norway House Fire Rescue: Vennesla Blaze Prompts Review
🇳🇴

Norway House Fire Rescue: Vennesla Blaze Prompts Review

A dramatic rooftop rescue during a house fire in Vennesla has sparked a national conversation on fire safety. While responders succeeded, the incident exposes critical questions about prevention, building standards, and emergency preparedness in Norwegian communities.

Norway Bus Blocks Tram: Trondheim Traffic Snarl
🇳🇴

Norway Bus Blocks Tram: Trondheim Traffic Snarl

A bus breakdown on tram tracks in Trondheim caused major disruptions, highlighting vulnerabilities in Norway's urban transport networks. The incident raises questions about infrastructure design and reliability as cities push for reduced car dependency.

Norway Mourns 2 Firefighters: 4 Entered House, 2 Exited
🇳🇴

Norway Mourns 2 Firefighters: 4 Entered House, 2 Exited

Two Norwegian firefighters died after a routine house fire escalated violently. Four entered the building; only two exited, leaving the community and investigators searching for answers. The tragedy has sparked a national outpouring of grief and a critical safety investigation.

Norway's Ice Safety Crisis: 230-Year Watch Ends
🇳🇴

Norway's Ice Safety Crisis: 230-Year Watch Ends

As Norway faces a perfect winter weekend, a 230-year-old ice safety watch has ended in Bærum, leaving individuals to navigate thinning ice alone. Rescue services warn that clear skies and cold temperatures create deceptive conditions, urging Norwegians to equip themselves with knowledge and safety gear before venturing out.

Norway's Gardermoen Line Hit By Major Delays
🇳🇴

Norway's Gardermoen Line Hit By Major Delays

A technical fault at Lillestrøm station has caused major delays on Norway's crucial Gardermoen Line, halting Airport Express services and disrupting commuter traffic. The incident exposes vulnerabilities in a key national infrastructure link and raises questions about network resilience.

Norway's New Frp Star Velle: 3 Political Lessons
🇳🇴

Norway's New Frp Star Velle: 3 Political Lessons

Progress Party star Simen Velle navigates the slow grind of Norway's parliament after a fast-paced youth political career. He vows to energize the Storting and lead a party push to own school policy, as Frp's voter trust on education surges from 3% to 14%.

Norway Electric Patient Taxi Fails in -15°C
🇳🇴

Norway Electric Patient Taxi Fails in -15°C

A Norwegian patient was left stranded in -15°C Arctic cold when his mandated electric transport taxi ran out of power. The incident exposes critical flaws in the country's green transition policies for remote health services.

Norway Teen Hammer Threat: 16-Year-Old Arrested
🇳🇴

Norway Teen Hammer Threat: 16-Year-Old Arrested

Police in Øygarden, Norway, arrested one 16-year-old and are searching for another after a hammer threat at a shopping mall. No injuries were reported, but the incident raises questions about youth conflicts in public spaces. The case highlights the response protocols between private security and public police.

Norway Faces Domestic Violence Case: 39-Year-Old Charged
🇳🇴

Norway Faces Domestic Violence Case: 39-Year-Old Charged

A Norwegian man faces trial for brutally assaulting his former partner and threatening to kill her, highlighting ongoing challenges with domestic violence. The case tests the effectiveness of restraining orders and protective measures like violence alarms. The trial in Buskerud District Court puts Norway's systemic response to coercive control under scrutiny.

Norway's Municipal Merger Fight: Vedum Slams Høyre Plan
🇳🇴

Norway's Municipal Merger Fight: Vedum Slams Høyre Plan

Norway's Center Party leader Trygve Slagsvold Vedum has launched a fierce attack on the Conservative Party's proposal for forced municipal mergers. Vedum warns of closed schools, depopulation, and weakened democracy, reigniting a deep ideological clash over Norway's future. The debate pits rural against urban visions for the nation's governance.

Norway Police Hunt Teenagers After Knife Incident
🇳🇴

Norway Police Hunt Teenagers After Knife Incident

Police in Øygarden, Norway, are searching for two teenagers after a knife incident at a shopping centre. The event, where a boy was chased and threatened, has reignited debates on youth crime and safety in public spaces.

Norway Files Twin Rape Charges: 15-Year Max
🇳🇴

Norway Files Twin Rape Charges: 15-Year Max

Two men face aggravated rape charges in Norway for a Stavanger attack, with a maximum 15-year sentence. The case centers on conflicting claims of consent versus coercion and will test the country's strict sexual violence laws.

Norway Child Rape Case: Man, 30s, Held in Isolation
🇳🇴

Norway Child Rape Case: Man, 30s, Held in Isolation

A man in his 30s is held in complete isolation in Norway, charged with raping a child under 14 and sexually assaulting two teenagers. The court fears he will destroy evidence. This severe case tests Norway's justice system and reopens painful national debates on sentencing for child sex crimes.

Norway's Opposition Dominates: 46% of All Government Questions
🇳🇴

Norway's Opposition Dominates: 46% of All Government Questions

Norway's Progress Party (Frp) is bombarding the Labour-led government with questions, submitting 46% of all parliamentary queries. New data reveals a strategic opposition tactic, with first-term MP Kristian Eilertsen among the most active. This intense scrutiny tests the government's responsiveness and reshapes political debate in Oslo.

Norway Jails Man for Illegal Luxury Cabin: 300,000 Krone Fine
🇳🇴

Norway Jails Man for Illegal Luxury Cabin: 300,000 Krone Fine

A Norwegian man has been sentenced to prison for illegally building a luxury cabin complex on the protected Hvaler islands. The court ruled he "completely privatized" the natural area with artificial turf and concrete, violating public access rights and cultural heritage protections.

Norway Orkland Murder: Police Strengthen Suspect Evidence
🇳🇴

Norway Orkland Murder: Police Strengthen Suspect Evidence

Norwegian police report strengthened evidence against the suspect in the Orkland murder case. New technical analyses have narrowed the investigative focus, with the suspect agreeing to extended detention. The case highlights the role of forensics in Norway's justice system.

Norway's Health Board Shakeup: Renate Larsen Replaced
🇳🇴

Norway's Health Board Shakeup: Renate Larsen Replaced

Norway's government has replaced Renate Larsen as chair of the Northern Norway Regional Health Authority. New chair Gunnar Alskog takes over amid major challenges in rural and Arctic healthcare. The move signals a political push for fresh direction in the country's largest health region.

Norway Supreme Court Weighs Baneheia Killer's Detention
🇳🇴

Norway Supreme Court Weighs Baneheia Killer's Detention

Norway's Supreme Court hears arguments on whether child killer Jan Helge Andersen should face indefinite preventive detention. Both prosecutors and defenders argue he is no longer a danger, but psychiatric experts warn of his "enormous potential for violence."

Norway Murder Case: Police Strengthen Evidence Against Suspect
🇳🇴

Norway Murder Case: Police Strengthen Evidence Against Suspect

Norwegian police cite strengthened evidence and a high risk of re-offending as they extend the detention of a previously convicted murderer charged with killing Marita Løfshus Haugen. The victim's family disputes the police narrative of a past relationship as forensic experts continue their work.