Tuesday, August 5, 2025
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Polaris of Enlightenment

Tuesday, August 5, 2025

Polaris of Enlightenment

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https://nordictimes.com/the-nordics/norway/norway-enforces-tougher-measures-for-juvenile-offenders/

Norway

Norway enforces tougher measures for juvenile offenders

Published 6 September 2024
– By Editorial Staff
Justice Minister Emilie Enger Mehl is critical of the way juvenile offenders have been treated in the past.
2 minute read
Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

The Norwegian government has introduced new and tougher sentencing measures for young offenders. The changes, which came into force at the turn of the month, are said to aim to improve the sentencing system for young offenders by offering what are described as quicker and more consistent measures from society.

The changes aim to reduce re-offending and improve young people’s chances of reintegrating into society.

The new framework introduces a number of changes to the way juvenile offenses are handled, including juvenile sentences and juvenile follow-up, giving courts greater flexibility to combine juvenile sentences with up to six months of unconditional imprisonment in serious cases, and to use electronic monitoring (ankle bracelet) when necessary.

Furthermore, the requirement for the consent of the young offender and his/her guardian to a juvenile sentence is removed Instead, it introduces a requirement for the court to consider that a juvenile sentence is an appropriate sanction

“The requirement of consent during the enforcement of the sanction is removed for both juvenile sanctions and juvenile supervision This does not apply to measures which by their nature require the consent of the young person, such as treatment or work It is also proposed to legislate on the young person’s right to participation and to introduce a right of appeal“, it adds.

“Should not be voluntary”

Local courts will also be given greater powers to set up a ‘fast track’ to ensure that young offenders can be brought to justice as quickly as possible, with the hope of reducing the risk of them reoffending over a long period of time.

The government hopes that these measures will lead to more effective management of juvenile crime while offering opportunities for rehabilitation and reintegration into society. At the same time, rules on the duty to inform between different authorities are clarified to ensure better coordination in sentence enforcement

– We must be clear that crime has consequences Youth sentences should not be voluntary and the police should be able to arrest young people who do not follow up on their youth sentence, says Minister for Justice and Public Security Emilie Enger Mehl (Sp).

– If a young person serving a youth sentence does not comply with the requirements, for example taking drugs and staying in unauthorized places, the court can decide that the young person should continue to serve the sentence with an ankle bracelet, she continues

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

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https://nordictimes.com/tech/openai-opens-data-center-in-norway/

Tech

OpenAI opens data center in Norway

The future of AI

Published 3 August 2025
– By Editorial Staff
In Norway, OpenAI is planning to establish one of Europe's largest AI data centers as part of the global Stargate project.
2 minute read
Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

In Norway, OpenAI plans to establish one of Europe’s largest AI data centers as part of the global Stargate project. The facility will be built in the northern parts of the country and operated entirely on renewable energy.

Stargate was launched earlier this year as a comprehensive AI initiative with the goal of strengthening the US dominance in artificial intelligence. The project is a collaboration between American OpenAI and Oracle, along with Japanese SoftBank, with the ambition to build a global AI infrastructure at a cost of up to $500 billion over the next four years. This makes Stargate one of the largest technology investments in history.

First in Europe

On Thursday, OpenAI announced that the company plans to open a Stargate-branded data center in Norway. It will be the company’s first European facility of this kind.

The data center will be located in Kvandal, outside Narvik in northern Norway, and built in collaboration with British company Nscale and Norwegian Aker. OpenAI will function as a so-called “off-taker”, meaning the company will purchase capacity from the facility to power its AI services.

— Part of the purpose of this project is to partner with OpenAI and leverage European sovereign compute to release additional services and features to the European continent, says Josh Payne, CEO of Nscale, in an interview with CNBC.

Powered by hydroelectric energy

The data center, planned to be completed in 2026, will house up to 100,000 NVIDIA GPUs and have a capacity of 230 megawatts – making it one of the largest AI facilities in Europe. The facility will be operated entirely on so-called “green energy”, made possible by the region’s access to hydroelectric power.

The first phase of the project involves an investment of approximately $2 billion. Nscale and Aker have committed to contributing $1 billion each. The initial capacity is estimated at 20 megawatts, with ambitions to expand significantly in the coming years.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

https://nordictimes.com/culture/woman-and-dog-found-in-norwegian-viking-grave/

Culture

Woman and dog found in Norwegian Viking grave

Published 3 June 2025
– By Editorial Staff
The grave was only about 30 centimeters below the surface, near a garage.
2 minute read
Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

Archaeologists in Norway have uncovered the grave of a woman buried alongside a dog in a Viking-era boat burial. The woman is believed to have been a person of importance, as boat graves were a sign of high status during the Viking Age.

Norwegian hobbyists Stig Rune Johannessen and Nils Arne Solvold were out with their metal detectors about two years ago in a field in southeastern Norway when they discovered two oval brooches – common during the Viking Age – along with bone fragments. When archaeologists later examined the site, they dated the brooches to between 900 and 950 AD. Excavation of the grave began last week, confirming it to be a Viking boat burial.

Although the boat was poorly preserved, archaeologists determined it had been about 5.4 meters long. In the center of the boat were the remains of a woman, and at her feet lay the skeleton of a dog.

– Whether it was a pet or served a practical function, we’re not entirely sure yet. But one can imagine that it was an animal of significance to her in life, Anja Roth Niemi, researcher and head of the department of administrative archaeology at the Arctic University Museum of Norway, told the Norwegian state broadcaster NRK.

The woman was buried with a number of grave goods: an iron sickle, a slate whetstone, a possible bronze earring, two disc-shaped beads that may be amber, and what appears to be a weaving sword made from whale bone.

A Unique Find

The grave was just 30 centimeters below the surface, near a garage. It was a so-called flat-ground grave, meaning it lacked a burial mound, which was more typical in Viking times. These types of graves are particularly valuable to researchers because they are often undisturbed.

– Flat-ground graves are quite exciting because they often escape notice, as they’re not visible on the surface, Niemi explained.

The next step is to analyze the remains to learn more about the woman’s life, her health, and the society she lived in. Researchers also hope to identify the breed of dog buried with her and determine how it died. However, archaeologists are fairly confident that the woman belonged to the upper ranks of society.

– Being buried in a boat alone suggests she was a special person. And the grave goods indicate she held fairly high status – at least locally, and possibly regionally, Niemi said.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

https://nordictimes.com/the-nordics/norway/norways-progress-party-voted-yes-to-surrogacy-despite-the-party-leaders-opposition/

Norway

Norway’s Progress Party voted yes to surrogacy – despite the party leader’s opposition

Published 5 May 2025
– By Editorial Staff
Critics have long warned that legalizing surrogacy could lead to the commercialization and exploitation of women.
2 minute read
Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

The Norwegian Progress Party (FRP) has decided to work for the legalization of surrogacy in Norway during the next parliamentary term. The decision was taken by a clear majority at the party’s national convention this weekend, marking a clear departure from party leader Sylvi Listhaug’s line.

This means that the FRP goes even further than the liberal party Venstre, which in the spring supported only non-commercial and strictly regulated surrogacy.

Ahead of the vote, Listhaug clearly distanced herself from the proposal and urged party members to vote no. She warned that the decision risks having far-reaching negative consequences for how we view children and childbirth.

– I believe the decision opens the door to something more – it opens the door to receiving payment. And then I think we’re going down the wrong path, said Listhaug.

Among the proponents was Julianne Ofstad, deputy chair of the Oslo city council. She sees legalization as a way to help more people have children safely:

– By allowing surrogacy, we can ensure that it takes place in an orderly manner here at home, instead of only being possible for those who can travel abroad and pay for it themselves, she told NRK.

Criticized from various quarters

Opponents of surrogacy have long warned that legalization could lead to the commercialization and exploitation of women, especially those in vulnerable economic situations. Feminists also highlight the risk that women’s bodies could be reduced to a means of procuring children for others.

Ethical objections also concern lack of consent, power imbalances and the child’s right to its origin, and some argue that legalization in Norway risks contributing to the normalization of a global market for surrogacy.

Even in conservative circles, many oppose surrogacy – emphasizing that it violates traditional family ideals and the human view that children should not be “ordered like goods”.

Critics also argue that surrogacy undermines the relationship between mother and child, creating unclear family ties and a world where children become a right for adults rather than individuals with rights of their own.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

https://nordictimes.com/the-nordics/norway/norwegian-man-found-guilty-of-abusing-hundreds-of-children/

Norway

Norwegian man found guilty of abusing hundreds of children

Published 3 April 2025
– By Editorial Staff
"His own satisfaction has always been at the center", the judgment reads.
2 minute read
Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

A 50-year-old man is convicted of, among other things, aggravated rape and sexual abuse of children after grooming them online. In total, there are more than 250 proven sexual offenses and it is described as one of the most extensive cases of sexual abuse in Norwegian history.

The man is said to have come into contact with children on a chat forum, mainly boys. He allegedly forced the children to perform sexual acts on himself and others, which he also recorded. He then allegedly threatened the children with publishing the recordings if they did not continue to do as he said.

In total, there are 447 self-produced videos with a total playing time of 48 hours and 39 minutes. The 50-year-old, who used to work in a school, has pleaded guilty to the crime, but claims he is not a pedophile.

The Court of Appeal sentenced him to 20 years’ detention, which in short is an indeterminate sentence of imprisonment that can be imposed on dangerous criminals with a high risk of re-offending, and can be extended as long as the person is deemed a threat to society. He was convicted of, among other things, attempted aggravated rape, complicity in aggravated rape and also aggravated rape of a child.

The court found that he had not considered the consequences for the children of doing what he had asked them to do.

“His own satisfaction has always been at the center”, the verdict reads, according to Norwegian state broadcaster NRK.

Took his own life

In total, the man was convicted of 251 sexual assaults against a large number of children. The children were between six and 14 years old and one of them took his own life last year.

– My client was a vulnerable child with a range of difficulties in life. Being a victim in this criminal case was an additional burden, said defense lawyer Charlotte Ringkjøb, who represented 184 of the victims.

He will also have to pay damages of NOK 28 million, equivalent to about €2.45 million.

– It is a thorough judgment from the Court of Appeal. He is now convicted of all the crimes set out in the indictment, and we are satisfied with that, says State Prosecutor Thor Erik Høiskar.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

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