A broad low-pressure system is moving over the country, bringing widespread rain—mostly in the form of showers—though some areas will see clearer spells. Temperatures are hovering around 15°C.

Showers will persist into the evening, but conditions are expected to turn drier in many regions. Winds will ease as the day progresses.

On Wednesday, a weather front will bring more sustained rain to Lapland, while the rest of the country will see scattered showers interspersed with dry periods.

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Sara Fugledal Wiik, head of the Norwegian Nurses’ Organisation’s midwife association, told the newspaper she was “extremely concerned” about the summer. At several hospitals, summer shift schedules are incomplete and have not been approved by union representatives because they are deemed unsafe.

At Drammen hospital, the situation was so critical that cancelling approved leave was proposed as a possible measure, Wiik said. However, union representatives stated in a message seen by Dagbladet that they do not support cancelling leave and that the conditions for such a step “are not currently met.”

Anniken Aasgaard, a midwife and union representative at Drammen hospital, said 200 shifts were still unfilled as summer approached. A special summer agreement offering extra pay for covering open shifts has since reduced the number to around 30.

“Previously, 70 unfilled shifts over a whole summer was considered a crisis. Now we can have 40–50 in a single week,” Aasgaard said. Summer adds pressure as a third of staff are on leave.

Birth numbers at Drammen hospital have risen, with 119 more deliveries from January to May this year compared to the same period in 2025. The hospital has warned pregnant women they may be redirected to Kongsberg, Bærum, or Ringerike if the maternity ward is full.

Marieke Claessen, head of gynaecology and obstetrics at Drammen hospital, said summer scheduling is an annual challenge, with all staff required to take three weeks of leave within nine weeks. She confirmed that while shifting leave periods was considered, voluntary solutions ultimately covered the gaps.

Oslo University Hospital (OUS) is also under strain, with union representative Julia Årtun describing the situation as unsustainable. “A plan is in place to ensure safe care, but it relies on staff taking on extra work,” she said. OUS has already turned away over 700 women seeking to give birth there this year, compared to 60 in all of 2025, citing capacity limits.

Wiik noted that smaller hospitals are increasingly being called upon to relieve pressure on larger ones, with examples including Akershus University Hospital sending patients to Kongsvinger and Volda supporting Ålesund.

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Emergency services responded to a serious collision involving two people around 17:00. Police initially reported the crash as severe and closed the road, according to a log entry by Stig Østbø of Nordland police district.

At 18:15, authorities confirmed one fatality—a Bodø resident. Next of kin have been notified.

Norway’s Public Roads Administration conducted on-site investigations. Police stated they are pursuing multiple hypotheses about the cause and continue to investigate.

The road was closed for an extended period during the probe and vehicle recovery but has since reopened.

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Emergency services responded to open flames and heavy smoke at the scene after the blaze was reported at 19:28. By 20:20, police confirmed the risk of the fire spreading had decreased.

Operations manager Håkon Hatlen said it remains unclear whether anyone was inside the house. A safety perimeter was initially set at 150 meters due to smoke, later reduced to 50 meters.

Firefighters from Fredrikstad and Sarpsborg, along with other emergency services, are on site. Extinguishing efforts will continue through the evening, with additional cooling expected to take several hours, according to Øst 110 emergency center duty officer Espen Stabell.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

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In the November 2024 email, Vapaavuori sought a €110 million state guarantee for the proposed Helsinki Garden arena in Helsinki’s Taka-Töölö district. Purra has stated she declined the meeting.

Finance Ministry officials opposed the guarantee due to excessive risks, Iltalehti reports. The government later approved €35 million in conditional investment support for the project in spring 2025, payable if the construction proceeds.

Orpo told MTV News that no competing projects were known when the decision was made. However, ministry documents show several other large hall or arena projects were already under consideration as of November 2024, including some in the Helsinki metropolitan area.

“In recent days, it has emerged that in addition to this project, there are also many other large hall/arena projects underway, some of which are also in the capital region. As a result, this matter must be examined more broadly than as a single application,” wrote financial counsellor Sakari Lehtiö in internal ministry correspondence.

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The motorcyclist was pronounced dead at the scene. Next of kin have been notified. The car driver was treated by paramedics.

Forensic investigators and the Norwegian Public Roads Administration’s accident team are en route. The road is expected to remain closed for several hours.

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Pia Ankerstjerne, director of MARTEC, called the trend “very positive,” noting strong demand from the maritime industry and shipping companies for new graduates. The need for skilled labour is rising as Denmark builds new environmental, surveillance, and naval vessels, many of which will be assembled in Frederikshavn.

Growth is particularly strong in professional bachelor programmes for marine engineers and shipmasters, as well as the naval architecture and marine engineering programme offered in partnership with the Technical University of Denmark. Navigation and ship assistant programmes in Skagen are also seeing healthy demand, despite a declining youth population in North Jutland.

Ankerstjerne said MARTEC expects to accommodate all qualified applicants, though capacity is nearing its limit. She also highlighted sustained interest in voyages aboard the training ship Danmark, which serves as a pipeline to higher maritime education.

Most programmes at MARTEC begin on 10 August.

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The Kainuu Brigade’s first intake of male conscripts with long hair began service under the same rules as women: hair must be secured and not left loose. Most new conscripts still have short hair.

Corporal Saana Niirala demonstrates how to neatly tuck long hair under a cap, recommending strong hair gel. Conscript Jessika Junttila can secure her hair in a bun in ten seconds.

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The tours have operated for about four years in southwest Jutland, including in Oksbøl. According to the organiser, the safaris have grown in popularity, but local reactions range from calling them unnecessary to deeming them acceptable.

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A new barracks building completed in January, featuring improved shower facilities with greater privacy, has now made it possible. Around 130 conscripts started their service in Ivalo on Monday, including nearly ten women.

Among them is Sonja Kumpumäki, 21, from Ylivieska, who chose Ivalo to be among the first women there. “I want to set a direction and open doors for other women,” she said. She is also drawn to the wilderness and reindeer of Lapland, as well as the opportunity to learn orienteering and survival skills. The Ivalo unit trains conscripts for demanding reconnaissance missions.

Kumpumäki described her first day as tough, comparing carrying a bedroll to “a wet rag across the face.” Still, she is determined to push through. “By biting down and digging in. We’ll go all the way, even on half a leg.”

Onni Hänninen, 19, from Rovaniemi, also started his service in Ivalo on Monday. He believes gender makes no difference in military service. “Women and men are equally capable of completing military service, including the physical aspects,” he said.

Mervi Urpilainen, commander of the Ivalo Border Jaeger Company, called the day a milestone. “This is one milestone for the Lapland Border Guard and for us at the Ivalo Border Jaeger Company,” she said. Women have been able to serve in other Finnish garrisons since 1995, but Ivalo is the last to open its doors to female conscripts.

Urpilainen emphasized the importance of the new barracks, especially for conscripts who spend about 35% of their time in the field. “It’s important that we have good, functional facilities for rest, maintenance, and recovery. So we can dry our gear.”

Nationwide, about 12,500 conscripts began their service on Monday. Annually, around 20,000 people complete military service in Finland, including about 1,000 women who volunteer each year.

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