Newsletter: Light in the Polar Night
The Northern Lights dance across the Bodø sky. (Photo: Trine Jonassen)
Dear reader. We are pleased to present a new podcast collaboration with the Arctic Council. Arne O. Holm goes viral with his new comment, we have met 11 defense ministers and participated in a debate about security in the High North News. Here is yet another eventful week in the North.
Soon, the sun will dip below the Arctic horizon, resulting in various degrees of the Polar Night from September to March, if we include the North Pole. With the Polar Night comes peace and room for reflection.
But we are not there yet — at least not in Northern Norway (excluding Svalbard).
Because we are about to lose control of our own region, believes Commentator Arne O. Holm in this week's comment, which has already gone viral. (Norwegian only)
He believes the development in the region is largely self-inflicted.
Podcast and exploding frigates
Today, we can reveal some exciting news, namely that the Arctic Council podcast will be published in High North News. The first will be presented this week, and the episodes will revolve around issues that are central to the Council's work. So stay tuned!
Now, something entirely different:
There has been a great deal of dissatisfaction with the Norwegian Armed Forces sinking two old frigates off the coast of Northern Norway in connection with a NATO exercise.
Security news
An overview shows that U.S. Coast Guard icebreakers Healy and Storis showed a substantial increase in presence over previous summers.
And Iceland and Germany recently signed a letter of intent on increased defense cooperation.
This week, we participated in a debate, chaired by Holm, about the increasingly tense threat landscape in the High North. This is happening at the same time as the demographic developments are making socially important labor an even scarcer commodity. (Norwegian only)
Journalist Astri Edvardsen covered the debate in which nuclear weapons as a renewed threat was a topic. (Norwegian only)
A total of 11 defense ministers are in Northern Norway to discuss defense cooperation in the Joint Expeditionary Force coalition, a force that will support NATO in the northern parts of Europe.
Journalist Hilde Bye met the top-heavy delegation overlooking the city of Bodø, Northern Norway.
Holm also comments on the online newspaper Altinget's reporters visit to the Norwegian Arctic, saying that she introduces claims that are completely removed from the reality in the North.
Next week, our science journalist Birgitte Annie Hansen will be in Greenland to cover the Greenland Science Conference, organized biennially across the island. Feel free to get in touch with her if you're going.
Make sure to follow us on social media for the latest news from the Arctic geopolitical hotspot.
Arctic greetings from Trine Jonassen