Newsletter: Dark Times for Arctic Tourism, Others Appear to Thrive

Kai Hansen og Inge Bakkeland er gruvearbeidere i Gruve 7. De er iført overlevingsdrakt når de jobber med utpumping av vann fra de minst tilgjengelige områdene i Gruve 7. Foto: Store Norske
Kai Hansen og Inge Bakkeland er gruvearbeidere i Gruve 7 på Svalbard. Iført overlevingsdrakt har de jobbet med utpumping av vann fra de minst tilgjengelige områdene i Gruve 7. Nå er gruva endelig i drift igjen. (Foto: Store Norske)

Dear reader. While the tourist industry in the Arctic struggles as a consequence of the Corona pandemic, other industries appear to be better set.

Nussir has raised NOK 80 million from North Norwegian investors to further develop and prepare its disputed mining project near the North Cape in Norway, and mine 7 in Svalbard is back in operation after flooding earlier this year.

We have also brought the story about Swedish mining giant LKAB wanting to enter graphite mining and battery production in Northern Sweden.

Military activity

There is still much military activity in the Arctic, both on land, at sea and online.

Norwegian authorities have said that enterprises provide an important contribution to a more robust digital Norway.

However, do “security warnings” reach businesses? Birgitte Førsund of the defense-oriented NGO Utsyn asks the question. [Norwegian only.]

Where did Trump lose his brain?

At the time of writing, the US presidential election is still not decided. Thus, an important part of the future of the Arctic is still at stake.

In his Friday commentary  this week, our Editor-in-Chief Arne O. Holm uses satire when looking at the White House circus currently playing out while the whole world is watching:

Lawyer: Donald Trump considers applying for political asylum in Norway

We are still following the situation and will return with more news and relevant articles next week.

Until then: Stay safe – and tip us off!
Trine Jonassen,
News Editor, High North News

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