“First I felt shock, then I got really angry at men who assault elderly women,” Vivian Dahl, leader of a retirees’ association at Korsvoll, told Norwegian Broadcasting (NRK). Other neighbours were upset as well.

The woman, aged 77, was found unconscious and beaten by a skier who happened to be on the way home from an evening ski trip. The skier called police Monday night.

Dahl said the woman had attended an evening meeting of the retirees’ association. “We waved goodbye to each other when we left around 9pm,” Dahl told NRK. “Then she was smiling and fine. It was a shock to hear what happened later.”

It was the second attack on an elderly woman this year. Hilda Feste of Os, outside Bergen, was found raped an murdered in her home on January 1. She was 98. Hanne Kristin Rohde of the Oslo Police District said it was “too early” to tell whether there was any connection between the two attacks.

The 77-year-old victim was recovering at an Oslo hospital. Her injuries were not believed to be life-threatening.

Views and News staff

It’s suspected that most of the irregularities were an attempt to evade taxes, since they involved underreporting of revenues. Newspaper Aftenposten reported that 135 of 250 restaurants, cafés and snack bars audited by tax authority Skatt øst were charged with accounting violations.

Ten companies were cited and fined for failing to make ordered corrections, while 55 restaurants were reported to police for alleged black market activities.

“Information from the tax authorities is quite useful when liquor licenses need to be renewed in Oslo,” Hallstein Bjercke of the city government (byråd) told Aftenposten. He earlier has warned of stricter control of restaurant operators, and tougher rules for liquor licenses are expected soon.

Views and News staff

Statoil continues to pump up profits from its oil and gas operations. Pictured here, the Sleipner platform off Norway. PHOTO: Statoil/Dag Myrestrand

Statoil remains on a roll, pumping oil revenues and profits into the state treasury and the hands of other investors. It reported adjusted after-tax earnings (external link) in the fourth quarter of NOK 14.5 billion (USD 2.5 billion), up from NOK 11 billion in the same quarter the year before. Annual earnings were still deemed preliminary, but Statoil said it paid NOK 112.6 billion in taxes during 2011, up from NOK 92.3 billion in 2010. Net operating income amounted to NOK 211.8 billion, up from NOK 137.3 billion in 2010.

“Statoil delivered record financial results, further improved safety and made important strategic progress in 2011,” declared Statoil’s president and chief executive, Helge Lund. He was referring to the discoveries of potentially huge new oil and gas deposits off the Norwegian coast which are generally believed to extend Norway’s oil age for many more decades.

Quarterly loss at Telenor
The state, by contrast, suddenly faces big losses on the stake it still holds in telecoms firm Telenor, which evolved from the former public telephone utility in Norway. After posting billions in profits in 2010, Telenor took a loss of NOK 1.7 billion during the fourth quarter of last year, tied to its troubled investment in mobile telephone operations in India.

The loss compares to a profit of NOK 3.4 billion in the fourth quarter of 2010. Company officials said their “challenges in India” are the reason for the quarterly losses now. For the year as a whole, Telenor earned NOK 13.3 billion in profits, down from NOK 20.2 billion in 2010.

Last week Telenor announced it was writing down its investments in India by NOK 4.2 billion (USD 700 million) after India’s highest court ruled in favour of yanking mobile phone licenses held by Uninor, Telenor’s joint venture company in India. The licenses were initially obtained by the Indian company Telenor bought into to form Uninor, Unitech, which is embroiled in a corruption case that spurred the high court ruling.

Telenor chief executive Jon Fredrik Baksaas told Norwegian Broadcasting (NRK) that competition in India was extremely aggressive, and that Telenor now was evaluating all option regarding its further involvement in the country. The company got some support from the highest government levels on Monday.

SAS’ profit outlook spoiled again
Scandinavian Airlines (SAS), meanwhile, had to report another big pre-tax loss of SEK 1.6 billion even though revenues rose and SAS carried more passengers last year. The loss disappointed SAS executives who had hoped to finally post some black ink after years of turbulence.

The loss was blamed on the recent  bankruptcy of Spanair, in which SAS had ownership and cooperation interests. Spanair cost SAS around SEK 1.7 billion, according to chief executive Rikard Gustafson.

“After adjusting for the effect of Spanair, we delivered marginally positive results,” said Gustafson, but admitted the bottom-line loss was “disappointing.” SAS otherwise could report a strong 7.8 percent increase in passengers during 2011 and revenues of SEK 41.4 billion, up from SEK 41.1 billion in 2010.

Views and News from Norway/Nina Berglund

Please support our stories by clicking on the “Donate” button now:

Helge Solum Larsen, at right, has been an important part of the Liberal Party (Venstre)'s new leadership, and the rape charges against him are a huge blow to the party's rebuilding efforts. At left, co-deputy leader Ola Elvestuen and party leader Trine Skei Grande. PHOTO: Venstre

Larsen, age 43, has also been a member of Stavanger’s City Council and was his party’s candidate to be county mayor in Rogaland. His abrupt fall from grace brought his boss, Venstre leader Trine Skei Grande, to the verge of tears when she had to face questions about the rape charges on national TV Monday night.

She said neither Larsen nor the party itself had any choice but to relieve him of all duties tied to the party because the charges against him led to a loss of confidence. Grande said party leaders were now most concerned with “taking care of the young woman” involved and making sure she gets all the legal and medical help she needs, “and not least compassion from the party.”

The alleged rape occurred during Rogaland Venstre’s annual party meeting, which took place at the Ryfylke Fjordhotel at Sand during the weekend.  Police formally charged Larsen Monday night after a 17-year-old member of Venstre’s youth organization reported that Larsen had raped her at the hotel after the party’s program had ended Saturday night. Norwegian Broadcasting (NRK) reported that alcohol is believed to have been consumed during the evening.

Helge Solum Larsen (center, in T-shirt) surrounded by party colleagues during last year's campaign against the construction of power lines in Hardanger. PHOTO: Venstre

Per A Thorbjørnsen, group leader for Venstre on Stavanger’s city council, said he was awakened by members of the youth organization, Young Venstre, about 2:45am on Sunday, shortly after the alleged rape. Thorbjørnsen told reporters that Larsen admitted he had sex with the 17-year-old girl but denies rape was involved.

“This is something that never should have happened. I’m very sorry about this,” Thorbjørnsen told reporters, stressing that the party was taking no position on Larsen’s guilt or innocence and adding that “now the police have to do their job.” An investigation is underway.

The rape charges are a huge blow to Venstre’s efforts to revive and rebuild itself after suffering a major fall in voter support in recent years. Larsen was among party leader Grande’s most important partners, along with Ola Elvestuen in Oslo, as she works to attract new voter support for a party that can play a pivotal role in government coalitions. It generally lands on the conservative side of Norwegian politics but also maintains a high environmental profile and can vote with more left-wing parties.

A political commentator for NRK noted that the charges against Larsen are also serious because they involve sex between a high-ranking party official and a teenager, because the alleged rape occurred during a party event, and because the charges can damage Venstre’s rebuilding efforts.

History of political scandal
The charges were announced just as the trial of another top politician for the Progress Party was getting underway, also in Stavanger, on charges of sexual misconduct and assault. The Progress Party has suffered other serious sex scandals but so have other political parties in Norway. Last fall, the mayor of Vågå for the Labour Party, Rune Øygard, was also charged with sexual assault and remains on sick leave while police investigate. In 2003, a top politician for the Christian Democrats was charged with rape and he was also stripped of party posts. He was later acquitted.

Larsen, who led Young Venstre from 1994 to 1997, has been a member of Stavanger’s city council since 1991. He was elected deputy party leader in 2010. Grande said his admission to hospital was tied to the rape charges but she declined to go into detail.

“We’re just trying to take care of one another when bad things happen,” Grande said. “And we have chosen to be open about this.” Grande said she also had spoken with the 17-year-old and that she was holding up well under the circumstances.

Views and News from Norway/Nina Berglund

Please support our stories by clicking on the “Donate” button now:

Petter Northug, shown here on the shoulders of his relay teammates at last year's World Championships, is an unconventional athlete who now may be tiring of his own celebrity status. PHOTO: Stian Broch/Oslo 2011

Vidar Løfshus told newspaper Adresseavisen in Trondheim that he sees how Northug is plagued by the constant attention he gets in the media and on the street.

“I’m afraid he’ll lose his motivation, because he can never just be himself,” Løfshus said. “He can’t set his foot on the street without someone calling after him, or wanting to have their picture taken with him.”

Løfshus said Northug never gets any peace. “It probably was fun with some attention when he was 19,” Løfshus told Adresseavisen. “But he doesn’t think it is anymore.”

Northug has often been portrayed as a bit of a brat, refusing to talk to reporters when he’s performed poorly, or being arrogant and sarcastic when he’s done well. His avid poker playing and trips to Las Vegas have also come under criticism and he had to publicly apologize when he kept officials and fellow skiers waiting when he failed to show up promptly and in mandatory skiing attire after winning a race last year.

He landed in trouble again over the weekend when he won a race at the Norwegian Cup in Trondheim and didn’t even bother to show up when the awards were presented. Newspapers carried photos of the second- and third-place winners smiling bravely, while the top spot on the podium was empty.

“I have had a clarification meeting about that with John Northug (Petter’s father and manager),” Løfshus told news bureau NTB. “It was clearly poor media handling, but it happened and now it’s over.”

Løfshus said he’s sure Northug will continue skiing and competing at least until the next Winter Olympics in 2014, but fears Northug will hang up his skis before his time is really up.

“I think he should continue for another five or six years,” Løfshus said. “But it demands a lot of motivation to live this special kind of life.” Northug along with other top Norwegian skiers Marit Bjørgen and Therese Johaug are all expected to take part in the next World Cup competition at Nove Mesto in the Czech Republic this weekend.

Views and News from Norway/Nina Berglund

Please support our stories by clicking on the “Donate” button now:

This was the scene at one poultry producer, where chickens were 26 days old and ready for slaughter. PHOTO: Mattilsynet

The inspections by Norway’s Food Safety Authority (Mattilsynet) found violations at 102 of the 152 poultry producers visited during the major inspection program conducted throughout 2011, according to their report released on Tuesday.

“We have uncovered violations of regulations that directly affect animal welfare,” said Ole Fjetland, director of inspections for Mattilsynet. The violations, Fjetland said,  involved demands for the quality of ground covering in the buildings where chickens are kept, periods of darkness that are too short to allow the chickens to rest, excessive numbers of chickens showing signs of exhaustion, lack of sufficient access to food and water, and poor routines for dealing with sick or injured chickens.

“We expect the poultry industry to clean up its act,” Fjetland said. “Animal welfare must be improved.”

Defies industry’s own assessment
The findings are at odds with claims made by the head of the poultry industry association Norsk Fjørfelag, David Koht-Norbye, that “all chickens sold in Norway are healthy and fresh and have a good life as long as they live.” He told newspaper Aftenposten before results of the authorities’ inspections were released that he was convinced poultry growers had “become much better” at taking care of their chickens.

The industry spokesman was responding to preliminary findings by Mattilsynet last year that found violations at 31 of 35 chicken farms. He claimed he could document progress, and noted that many of the violations were minor. He also said the slaughtering houses inspect every chicken delivered by poultry growers.

The authorities had a different view on the industry, which has grown quickly in Norway over the past 20 years. It was almost impossible to find fresh chicken, especially chicken parts like breast meat or thighs and drumsticks, in grocery stores as late as 1990. Breast meat, called kylling filet in Norway, didn’t start appearing regularly on grocery store shelves until the early 1990s and whole fresh chickens were still sold mostly at speciality shops. The poultry industry has virtually exploded since then, with annual Norwegian consumption rising from just four chickens per capita in 1992 to around 13 now, reported Aftenposten.

Violations ‘at every step’
The rapid growth is in part what led to what the authorities called their “systematic inspection” of poultry production. They visited hatcheries and monitored the transport of baby chicks to the farms where they’re given around 30 days to grow. They also monitored transport to slaughterhouses and conditions there as well.

The authorities found violations “at every step along the way” that were critical to the welfare of the chickens. The actual 152 places visited were not chosen at random, according to officials at Mattilsynet. Instead, they were believed to represent the greatest risk to animal welfare after preliminary evaluation.

Four out of five slaughterhouses broke rules regarding personnel training, how containers of live chickens were emptied and how birds were handled. Some had broken legs before being hung up for slaughter, and weren’t properly stunned by electric shock in a pool of water before being killed.

Inspectors also criticized the containers used to transport live chickens, and stressed that Norwegian regulations demand better treatment. “Our concerns for animal welfare within  poultry production were unfortunately well-founded,” said Fjetland. “It’s the animal owners who are responsible for their animals. Inspections will continue to be a priority.”

Views and News from Norway/Nina Berglund

Please support our stories by clicking on the “Donate” button now:

SAS seems eager to start offering EuroBonus points on key domestic routes in Norway. PHOTO: SAS

The state banned bonus programs within Norway 10 years ago mostly because of fears they gave Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) an unfair advantage over rival carriers. Now the head of Konkurransetilsynet, Norway’s competition authority, thinks competition is so “robust” on some routes that she’s recommending the bonus-ban be lifted.

Christine Meyer wants to once again allow bonus programs on flights between Oslo and Bergen, Oslo and Stavanger, and Oslo and Trondheim. Those routes attract more than a million passengers annually but fares may rise, Meyer warned. “Bonus programs aren’t free,” she said, suggesting that the airlines will try to cover their cost by raising airfares.

The bonus ban will still apply on other less-trafficked routes where one dominant carrier could run a rival out of business. “If we allow bonus programs all over the country, we fear one of the carriers on a marginally profitable may pull out,” Meyer said. She wants to avoid monopoly situations, especially in northern Norway.

Officials at SAS, Widerøe and Norwegian Air seemed eager to start offering bonus points on their busiest routes. “It will be great to be able to compete for customer loyalty through service, not just price,” an SAS spokesman told Norwegian Broadcasting (NRK).

Views and News staff

“We think it’s worrisome that well-established, volunteer organizations aren’t given the opportunity to cooperate with Egyptian civilian society and Egyptian authorities,” Marte Lerberg Kopstad of the Norwegian Foreign Ministry told newspaper Aftenposten. “We hope the case is solved soon.”

Egypt’s rules for volunteer organization are a holdover from the regime of Hosni Mubarak, and allegedly aimed to hinder regime critics. All must apply for licenses.

The Norwegian, in his 30s, was on leave from his job in Norway to work for a foreign organization in Egypt. He is not under arrest but has been prevented from leaving Egypt. He reportedly wants to keep a low profile so the foreign ministry isn’t identifying him.

“He’s staying in a place we believe is safe,” Kopstad told Aftenposten.

Views and News staff

Trond Birkedal, long a top politician for the Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet, Frp), admitted to many of the charges, including that he secretly filmed naked men in his bathroom. He denies, however, charges of sexual assault and an alleged assault on a boy younger than the age of sexual consent in Norway, 16.

Birkedal was one of Progress Party leader Siv Jensen’s closest advisers, but his career came to an abrupt end when some of his alleged victims began filing charges last spring. All told there are 10 plaintiffs in the case against him and they started testifying in court on Tuesday. One young man said in court that Birkedal had assaulted him in a hotel room, and that Birkedal often followed “drunken boys” home from political gatherings.

Geir Mo, former secretary general of the party, has also been called to testify. It’s been alleged that both he and Jensen were aware that Birkedal was accused of sexual contact with a 15-year-old former member of the party’s youth organization, but didn’t pursue the issue. The Birkedal case was among scandals that shook the Progress Party  last year and led to its sharp drop in public opinion polls.

Views and News staff

Government minister Rigmor Aasrud was in New Delhi on Tuesday meeting representatives of Norwegian companies there, including (at left) Reidar Olsen of Kongsberg Norcontrol IT and Komal Kapoor of Ionnor/EDB/ErgoGroup. Aasrud also met with Telenor and her government counterpart. PHOTO: Regjeringen.no

Aasrud, Norway’s government minister in charge of administration and high-tech issues, was already heading for both India and Singapore on a planned official trip when news broke late last week that Telenor faced the loss of its licenses to conduct mobile telephone operations in India. Telenor has invested heavily in its Indian partner, Unitech, which has become mired in a corruption scandal that led to revocation of the licenses by India’s Supreme Court.

Aasrud’s trip is aimed at strengthening ties between Norway and both India and Singapore in information technology matters and public digital services. She took up Telenor’s trouble with her Indian counterpart Kapil Sibal at their meeting in the Indian capital.

“Kapil Sibal made it very clear that Telenor has been caught up in a situation where it’s not to blame,” Aasrud told Norwegian Broadcasting (NRK). “The Indian government authorities view Telenor as an important partner, and they hope their cooperation will hold out.”

Telenor’s joint venture firm with Unitech, Uninor, has lost 22 licenses for mobile phone operations for 36 million customers in India because Unitech is involved in the corruption scandal over how the licenses were originally issued. Telenor bought into Unitech because of the licenses it held, and now has felt forced to take write-downs of NOK 4.2 billion (USD 700 million) on its Unitech investment.

Aasrud also met with Telenor’s Asian director and leader of Uninor, Sigve Brekke, who also met with Kapil Sibal on Tuesday. Telenor officials called it “a good and informative meeeting where we presented our case.”

Aasrud said she’s glad they’ve established contact at the highest levels of Indian government. “Norway respects the verdict from the Supreme Court, but it is important for Norwegian companies to believe that it’s secure and stable to invest in India,” Aasrud told NRK. She thinks the Indian authorities welcome “constructive dialogue” to find “an acceptable solution.”

Telenor also may get some additional help from former Norwegian Prime Minister Gro Harlem Brundtland, who’s in India as well this week as part of her membership in The Elders, a prestigious group of retired government leaders. The Times of India reported that Brundtland was expected to take up Telenor’s trouble with the Indian officials she planned to meet. A spokesman for Brundtland told newspaper Aftenposten that it wasn’t correct that she’d been asked to discuss Telenor’s case, while Telenor declined to go into detail. A Telenor spokesman, though, said “the timing was good” for Brundtland’s visit to India.

Aasrud also planned meetings in Bangalore before traveling on to Singapore, where she’ll study the delivery of public services over the Internet, visit the technology and research institute A*Star and meet her government counterpart as well.

Views and News from Norway/Nina Berglund

Please support our stories by clicking on the “Donate” button now: