High North News - News, analysis and debate about politics and business in the North

Utenriksminister Espen Barth Eide (Ap)

Norway's New Arctic Strategy Will Be Launched This Month

Bodø, Northern Norway (High North News): The Norwegian government will present Norway's new Arctic strategy in Kirkenes later in August, Norwegian Minister of Foreign Affairs Espen Barth Eide (Labor) tells HNN. The cooperation with Sweden and Finland will, among other things, be of greater significance.

Arne O. Holm says

Arne O. Holm

Should We Really Secure Our Own Peace to Speculation in Israeli War Stocks?

Comment: For almost two years, the occupying power Israel has attacked and killed civilian Palestinians. At the same time as the ongoing genocide, the Norwegian Oil Fund has systematically cherry-picked stocks in the Israeli war industry. The profit is used to secure our own peace.

Alaska er beredt til å være møtested for Donald Trump og Vladimir Putin, framholder delstatens guvernør Mike Dunleavy. Bilde fra Trumps besøk i Alaska i 2019. (Foto: Sheila Craighead/Det hvite hus).

Alaska Ready to Host Trump’s Meeting With Putin

On Friday, the presidents of the USA and Russia will meet in Alaska to discuss the war in Ukraine. State Governor Mike Dunleavy welcomes the meeting. "It's fitting that discussions of global importance take place here," he states.

Notices

POLITICS / 11.08.2025

NORAD and U.S. Northern Command Conducts "Arctic Edge 2025"

The ongoing U.S Military exercise "Arctic Edge 2025" includes military…

SCIENCE / 11.08.2025

Life-Sized Animal Puppets Complete 20,000km Climate Crisis Journey

In April, a herd of towering, life-sized animal puppets - from elephants,…

SCIENCE / 11.08.2025

Statsraad Lehmkuhl Will Not Sail Through the Northwest Passage

Tallship Statsraad Lehmkuhl is not sailing through the Northwest Passage…

POLITICS / 05.08.2025

Wants Independence for Eastern Greenland

There is a simmering feeling among people in Eastern Greenland. They feel…

Greenlandic diplomat Jacob Isbosethsen

Greenlandic Top Diplomat in the US: "Everybody Knows about Greenland Now"

Anchorage (High North News): "It's not a secret that this has been a special period – a challenging period – and something that we have not experienced before. One of my roles is to give all necessary information to relevant stakeholders in the US," says the Head of Greenland's Representation to the US to HNN.

Den norske seilskuta Statsraad Lehmkuhl i Davisstredet mellom Grønland og den canadiske Baffinøya for få dager siden. Dens seilas gjennom Nordvestpassasjen, planlagt i over to og et halvt år med en av Canadas mest erfarne isloser, måtte i helga oppgis i møte med utfordrende isforhold. (Foto: André Marton Pedersen/Statsraad Lehmkuhl)

Statsraad Lehmkuhl Had to Cancel Northwest Passage Voyage

The Norwegian tall ship Statsraad Lehmkuhl will not carry out the planned voyage through the Northwest Passage due to demanding ice conditions. "We never compromise on safety, particularly in Arctic waters," says the expedition leader.

Eventin

Norway to Inspect Sanctioned Tankers in Efforts To Curb Russian Shadow Fleet

Norway has announced to begin inspecting foreign-flagged tankers passing through its waters. The measures follow similar policies by Norway’s European neighbors in an effort to curb Russian shadow fleet activity.

High North News investigates: The Russian Gas Flow

Eventin

Norway to Inspect Sanctioned Tankers in Efforts To Curb Russian Shadow Fleet

Norway has announced to begin inspecting foreign-flagged tankers passing through its…

Also see

EU Sanctions Russian ‘Shadow Fleet’ Vessels Routinely Passing Through Norwegian Waters, Stopping at Honningsvåg

Russia to Earn $160bn in Taxes From Northern Sea Route by 2035, Arctic Region Accounts for 7.5 Percent of GDP

EU Proposes Russian Gas Ban for 2027 But Imports on the Rise Again, Norway Remains Top Supplier

Arc7 at Sabetta

French Shipyard Halts Service for Russian LNG Fleet, Leaving Danish Yard as Sole Western Provider

A French shipyard’s decision to stop servicing Russian liquefied natural gas vessels…

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen

EU Proposes Phase-Out Of Russian Gas by 2027, Currently Spends €1.5bn Each Month on Imports

The European Commission announced the details for its proposed ban of Russian gas and…

Arc7 at Sabetta

Deliveries of Russian LNG from Yamal Hold Steady, EU Transshipment Ban Showing Little Effect

Following the EU’s transshipment ban on Russian LNG it remains business as usual for…

Kristin Kallset og Astri Aas Hansen

The Norwegian Ministry of Public Security Responds to Preparedness Criticism

The Norwegian government’s new preparedness proposal for the High North falls short, expert believes. The Ministry of Public Security is now responding to the criticism. "The government is working on further measures," says State Secretary Kristine Kallset.

Med titalls studenter og forskere om bord har den norske seilskuta Statsraad Lehmkuhl nå lagt ut på sjøveien mellom Europa og Asia nord for nordamerikanske kontinentet. (Arktivfoto: Bruno Girin, CC BY-SA 2.0)

Statsraad Lehmkuhl Has Set Course for the Northwest Passage

On Tuesday night, the Norwegian tall ship Statsraad Lehmkuhl set sail from Nuuk, Greenland, embarking on a historical education and research voyage through the Northwest Passage. Aboard are students and researchers from across the world.

Odd Jarl Borch er professor i strategi og organisasjonsfag ved Nord universitet. Han har vært mangeårig leder for Nordlab – senter for beredskap og samvirke ved universitetet, og medlem av Totalberedskapskommisjonen som regjeringen oppnevnte i januar 2022. (Foto: Svein-Arnt Eriksen/Nord universitet)

Professor: Norway’s New Preparedness Proposal for the High North Falls Short

The Norwegian Government recently announced the development of a national preparedness action zone in the northernmost counties of Northern Norway. This is good in principle, but the government is late and is preparing a too small an investment, believes Professor Odd Jarl Borch.

Arc7 at Sabetta

French Shipyard Halts Service for Russian LNG Fleet, Leaving Danish Yard as Sole Western Provider

A French shipyard’s decision to stop servicing Russian liquefied natural gas vessels isolates the country’s Arctic fleet, shifts maintenance burden to Danish yard. The move further tightens logistical constraints on Moscow’s gas exports.

Panel debate AES

Arctic Encounter Summit: “Work With Us, Not Over Us,” Says Greenlandic Politician

Anchorage, Alaska (High North News): Greenland has made clear that they are open for business – not for sale. “We will need to diversify and find investments, but the people of Greenland should have a stake in this,” says Greenlandic Member of Parliament Kuno Fencker.

Grønland, Ioanna Liouta

The U.S. Is Playing Geopolitical Monopoly in the Arctic

Op-Ed: What was once portrayed as a provocative joke about Trump buying Greenland, has returned as a serious foreign policy agenda. But this time, the world cannot pretend it is caught off guard.

What the One Big Beautiful Bill Act Entails for the Arctic

While US President Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act has been heavily criticized for its tax reliefs for the wealthy and significant cuts in welfare spending, the country's Arctic state, Alaska, may benefit from its implementation.

Hassan Alzain

From the North to the Tropics: Why Arctic Adaptation Must Be a COP30 Priority

Op-ed: The Arctic is warming nearly four times faster than the global average, yet its communities receive virtually no adaptation support. COP30 must start to close that justice gap, writes Hassan Alzain.

Cargo shipping leaving port

Urgent Calls for IMO to Cut Black Carbon Emissions as Arctic Shipping Traffic Doubles

Despite a partial ban on heavy fuels oils enacted in 2024 black carbon emissions from Arctic shipping continue to grow. A new report now calls for urgent action by the IMO.

Mockup of the production-ready MPI design in U.S. Coast Guard icebreaker livery

Finnish and Canadian Firms Partner with American Shipyard to Pitch Icebreaker Design for U.S. Coast Guard

Within weeks of securing funding to build around a half dozen new icebreakers several U.S. shipyards as well as builders in Canada and Finland have thrown their hats in the ring to construct the new vessels for the U.S. Coast Guard.

Under ledelsen til Natos maritime kommando (MARCOM) sørger nå fregatter fra Nederland, Norge og Portugal, ledsaget av et tankskip fra Tyskland, for økt alliert nærvær i nordlige farvann. De utfører ulike aktiviteter for å opprettholde trygge sjøruter, opparbeide operativ erfaring og avskrekke potensielle destabiliserende aktiviteter. (Foto: Nato)

NATO Maritime Task Group on Patrol in the High North

The Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 is currently operating off the coast of Northern Norway. The group is patrolling and conducting anti-submarine activities to protect critical sea lines of communication.

Wildland Fire Panel Debate AES

Arctic Encounter Summit 25: Summer Season is also Fire Season in Alaska

Anchorage, Alaska (High North News): "The wildland fires are a huge problem for us. Millions of acres of Alaska burn every year," says Deputy Director of the University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute.

Anchorage view

Massive Earthquake Off Russia's Coast: Tsunami Warning in Parts of Alaska

Anchorage (High North News): A tsunami warning has been issued for several countries in the Pacific after a massive earthquake off Russia's coast. The tsunami warning includes parts of the state of Alaska's Aleutian Islands.