High North News - English

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has signed an agreement to boost internet connectivity in remote areas of northern and eastern Greenland, according to DR.

The signing took place alongside Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and the head of Greenland's government, Jens-Frederik Nielsen.

The project will rely on satellite-based internet, with the EU contributing approximately 9.1 million euros over five years and Denmark co-financing with 15 million DKK.

The initiative is expected to increase internet speeds from 6 to 15 megabits per second for residents in these regions, making standard streaming possible. Beyond faster internet, the expansion will enhance security by providing a backup line should the existing coastal radio network fail.

The agreement forms part of a broader EU investment package in Greenland valued at up to 200 million euros in total.

The Lapland Rescue Department in northern Finland is acquiring three new drones costing around 8,000 euros each to upgrade its equipment, according to the Finnish public broadcaster Yle.

The new drones feature improved weather resistance, more advanced cameras, a thermal imaging camera, and automated search capabilities that allow the crew to focus on analyzing the footage rather than piloting the aircraft.

The drones are used for a wide range of tasks, from smoke detection and fire localization to searching for missing persons. Additionally, they are equipped with useful accessories such as spotlights and loudspeakers to deliver instructions during rescue operations.

As part of a new pilot project, the rescue department will also test a release mechanism that allows drones to drop self-inflating lifebuoys directly to people requiring assistance in the water.

Next February, the Icelandic government will submit a bill to permanently ban whaling, according to Reuters.

The proposal has political and public support, and the government holds a majority in parliament.

If the ban is passed, Norway and Japan will be the only remaining countries in the world that continue commercial whaling.

During this year's season in Iceland, 80 fin whales were caught out of a quota of 150. The fin whale is classified as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, and the proposal is grounded in ethical, veterinary, and conservation reasons.

In the spring, Russian submarines simulated the deployment of new technology designed to disable critical undersea cables near Svalbard, the Norwegian archipelago in the Arctic Ocean. However, the Russian exercise was exposed and thwarted by Norway, the UK and the US, anonymous Western officials told Reuters.

More specifically, the exercise was reportedly conducted by Russia's Main Directorate for Deep-Sea Research (GUGI).

In April, the UK and Norway announced that they had been monitoring Russian submarines from the Kola Peninsula that attempted to map underwater infrastructure in the North Atlantic. The discovery of the new weapon near Svalbard and the US involvement have not been previously reported.

In 2025, researchers at the Norwegian Institute of Marine Research moved 20 catfish to artificial kelp forests in Melkøysundet outside Hammerfest, Northern Norway.

Nine of the fish have now been registered at the same location, indicating that they thrive in the artificial kelp forests.

The relocation experiment is part of the effort to restore the kelp forests along the northern Norwegian coast after they have been grazed down by sea urchins.

Sea urchins are a key part of the catfish's menu, and the catfish has therefore been returned to an area where it previously had an important function as a natural predator.

According to the institute, it will require studies over several years to determine whether the relocated catfish contribute to reducing the sea urchin population and the growth of new kelp forests.

"The next big question is whether we can achieve a high enough local density for the catfish to actually affect the ecosystem," says marine scientist Esben Moland Olsen.

On Tuesday, the Canadian government announced that it will invest 405 million Canadian dollars in the Mackenzie Valley Highway project in the Northwest Territories.

The investment is being made through an Arctic Infrastructure Fund, and represents an important step toward establishing a continuous all-season transportation connection between the village of Wrigley and the city of Norman Wells.

“Safe and dependable transportation infrastructure is essential to strong, connected communities across Canada’s North and Arctic. This investment will help build more dependable connections, strengthen supply chains, create economic opportunities and improve access to essential services," says Steven MacKinnon, Canadian Minister of Transport, continuing:

"Through the Arctic Infrastructure Fund, we are investing in infrastructure that responds to the needs of northern and Indigenous communities while strengthening Canada’s resilience, security and sovereignty in the Arctic.”

Last Wednesday, the Governor of Svalbard placed the Russian vessel “Professor Moltsjanov”, which was docked in Barentsburg on Svalbard, under arrest.

The following day, Russia’s ambassador Nikolay Korchunov announced that Russia would appeal the decision and demand the ship’s release.

On Monday morning, Hålogaland Court of Appeal and Nord-Troms and Senja District Court told Norwegian broadcaster NRK that no appeal has yet been filed in the case.

Greenland’s healthcare system is struggling with a severe shortage of doctors and nurses and is currently heavily dependent on healthcare professionals from Denmark.

On September 1st, a new scheme was launched to make it easier for Danish healthcare workers to take on temporary assignments in Greenland. The scheme aims to replace expensive staffing agencies by offering free accommodation and a 15 percent bonus, according to DR.

So far, only 23 full-time positions have been registered through the scheme - far short of the target of 100 placements.

The initiative has also sparked debate. Greenlandic nurses have criticised the bonus scheme for their Danish colleagues, while experts point out that the initiative is only a small first step towards addressing the chronic staffing crisis.

Tourism in Finnish Lapland is growing rapidly, and tourism businesses are investing heavily to meet demand.

Apukka Resort in Rovaniemi has more than quintupled its revenue since 2022, reaching around €27 million, according to Finnish broadcaster Yle.

At the same time, the tourism industry fears that such rapid growth could come at the expense of quality.

According to Harri Mällinen, CEO of Apukka Resort, a poor visitor experience could lead tourists to choose other destinations.

"That is my biggest fear right now. If the quality does not remain high, it will reduce tourists’ interest in Lapland," she told Yle.

The industry is also vulnerable to global crises. The war in the Middle East, for example, led to a decline in visitors when airports in the region were closed.

Climate change is altering the landscape of Svalbard at an accelerating pace. Satellite images from this summer reveal that a new island has emerged from beneath Svalbard’s largest glacier, Austfonna, as the ice has melted away.

The Norwegian Polar Institute announced this in a press release.

The small island—roughly the size of Frogner Park—is a new addition to Svalbard’s many Arctic islands. Located off the southeastern coast of Austfonna in Harald V Land, it was previously connected to the mainland by the glacier; however, the glacier has since retreated, opening up a strait between the island and the main ice mass.

"We first spotted it about a month ago in satellite images taken this summer," says Geir Moholdt, a glaciologist at the Norwegian Polar Institute.

The fact that there is now a gap of several hundred meters between the front of Austfonna and the island suggests that warm ocean water is the primary cause—a finding consistent with the ocean warming observed east of Svalbard in recent years. There are strong indications that this trend will continue.

"Svalbard’s glaciers are retreating onto land. As they pull back, fjords lengthen, and the glaciers will eventually be situated entirely on land. At the same time, they are thinning due to warmer summers characterized by significant melting. In recent years, Svalbard’s glaciers have lost an average of more than a meter of surface ice annually. That is far more than what has been observed previously," Moholdt points out.

On Thursday, Norwegian authorities seized a Russian vessel docked in Barentsburg. Russian President Vladimir Putin has accused Norway of piracy.

The seizure of the Russian ship Professor Molchanov stems from Russia's invasion of Ukraine. A compensation claim of $4.2 billion has been lodged against the vessel.

Professor Sven G. Holtsmark is an expert on Russian foreign policy.

"The crucial point is that their interests in the Arctic and their interests in Ukraine are vastly different. In Ukraine, the goal was to subjugate the country," he tells Forsvarets forum.

Holtsmark works at the Norwegian Institute for Defence Studies at the Norwegian Defence University College.

Russia transports large quantities of liquefied gas from facilities in Yamal, Siberia. This gas is shipped along routes through the High North—either eastward to China or to Europe via the Norwegian coast.

"This transport is vital for Russia, and it is unlikely that the country desires a situation that could undermine stability," says Holtsmark.

"Since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russia has not made statements suggesting that Norway's participation in sanctions or its supply of weapons to Ukraine threatens to destabilize this situation."

Norway: Erlend Skaug Ingebrigtsen (Labour Party), from Bodø, has been appointed as a political adviser to Minister of Trade and Industry Cecilie Myrseth, effective September 3, 2026. This was announced on Friday.

Ingebrigtsen is the son of Bodø Mayor and former Minister of Fisheries Odd Emil Ingebrigtsen (Conservative Party).

The Finnish Defence Forces will participate in the Denmark-led Arctic Endurance 26 -exercise complex in the Arctic region in early autumn.

That is stated in a press release from the Finnish Defence Forces.

The service personnel that will participate are from the Navy and from the Utti Jaeger Regiment.

"Finland maintains an active posture as a NATO member nation, and takes part in strengthening security in the Arctic region together with its Allies. Participation in the exercise complex will develop the Finnish Defence Forces’ interoperability, information exchange, and competence in the Arctic operating environment," the press release states.

Participation in the exercise will offer the Finnish Defence Forces’ special forces an opportunity to develop their capability to operate in a demanding Arctic environment and to strengthen cooperation with international Allies.

Arctic Endurance is one of the enduring exercises included under NATOs Arctic Sentry. This is NATO's enhanced Vigilance Activity for the High North and aims to strengthen the Alliance's posture and presence in the Arctic region.

On September 2, the first sod was laid in the preparatory groundwork for Region Norrbotten's new hospital in Kiruna in Northern Sweden.

This is stated by Region Norrbotten in a press release.

Representatives from Region Norrbotten, the Swedish mining company LKAB and the construction company NCC participated in the ceremony at the site where the new hospital will be built.

The groundbreaking marks the start of the next phase of work on the new hospital, which will be part of Kiruna's urban transformation.

As is known, a major relocation of the Northern Swedish city is underway to ensure continued mining operations. Kiruna's new city center was officially opened in 2022. There is still a major process related to the urban transformation.

"The hospital is one of the most important parts of the societal transformation, and this is a big day. The fact that work on the hospital can start now, by preparing for construction, is an important event for all residents of Kiruna," says Stefan Hämäläinen,Senior Vice President of Community Development, at LKAB.

"Now we are taking the next important step when the groundwork can finally begin. We will build a modern hospital that provides good conditions to meet both current and future needs for health and medical treatment. This is an investment that extends far beyond the next election period. We are not just building a new hospital for today's Kiruna, we are building a hospital for future generations," says Anders Öberg (S), chairman of the board of Region Norrbotten.

If all goes according to plan, occupancy of the new hospital could begin in the fourth quarter of 2030.

The Nordic countries have signed a joint declaration on security of supply and preparedness cooperation. The initiative aims to ensure better access to goods and services in times of crisis and war.

This is stated by the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Fisheries in a press release.

The current security situation in Europe has highlighted the need for resilient supply chains. Now the Nordic countries Norway, Sweden, Finland, Iceland and Denmark, together with Åland, the Faroe Islands and Greenland, have agreed on a joint declaration to further develop cooperation to maintain production, logistics and distribution of critical goods and services during crises and war, the statement says.

The declaration facilitates increased cooperation on, among other things:

· further development of schemes for the flow of goods and services in crises and war

· public-private collaboration on security of supply and emergency preparedness

· emergency storage and material readiness

· access to critical raw materials and strategic resources

· exchange of experiences and knowledge between the countries

“The Nordic countries are stronger when we cooperate. Close Nordic coordination is important to ensure that goods and services reach their destination even in demanding situations,” says Norway's Minister of Trade and Industry Cecilie Myrseth (Labour).

From September 14th to 18th, the world's largest open GNSS resilience test (jammertest) will be held on Andøya, Northern Norway, for the fifth year in a row.

The event gives public and private actors the opportunity to hone modern positioning technology against jamming and spoofing attacks. The goal of the test is to develop more robust navigation systems.

This year, over 200 actors from around the world have applied to join the event.

The organizers are the Norwegian Communications Authority (Nkom), the Norwegian Public Roads Administration, the Norwegian Defense Research Establishment, the Norwegian Metrology Service, the Norwegian Space Agency, the Norwegian Mapping Authority and Avinor.

According to Nkom, results from previous years show that the test has contributed to clear improvements at both system and component level in several sectors – such as telecom, the automotive industry, the maritime sector and aviation.

"Critical societal functions are increasingly dependent on accurate position, navigation and time. Therefore, it is gratifying that all the testing actually makes the products better and our society safer," says Espen Slette, Department Director at Nkom.

On Friday, the Greenlandic government published two expert reports on the human rights aspects of the involuntary IUD insertion of over 4,000 Greenlandic girls and women in the 1960s and 70s, known as the spiral case.

One report concludes that the Danish state's campagin of forced contraception was a violation of human rights, but not genocide. The second report considers that the question of genocide is complex and that a final decision can only be made by a court.

On the same day, Greenland's Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen took the initiative to establish a reconciliation commission in cooperation with the Danish government.

This proposal is welcomed by Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen.

“A reconciliation commission gives us the opportunity to look back at the darkness of our common history and to deal critically with it and acknowledge the pain it may have caused,” Frederiksen states in a press release.

In no other Norwegian county is access to and use of uncultivated land as extensive as in Finnmark, Northern Norway. This is according to a new report prepared by NORCE for Finnmark County Council.

"The report shows that the uncultivated land is an important part of living a good life in Finnmark. Access to nature, harvesting and outdoor activities provide quality of life, belonging and activity. These are values that can contribute to people wanting to live and stay in the county," says County Mayor Hans-Jacob Bønå (Conservative) in a press release.

The report also points to the need for updated knowledge, planning capacity, cooperation and a clear understanding of roles among the actors who facilitate the use of the uncultivated land.

"We would particularly like to highlight new knowledge that has emerged from the mapping of outlying industry actors. This is an industry with great development potential, but where most actors have limited growth ambitions and are satisfied with the current scope. The belief in employment growth is greatest within outdoor tourism, where Finnmark companies facilitate hunting and fishing for visitors," says Vigdis Nygaard, senior researcher at NORCE.

The report can be read here.

Six Nordic films have been nominated for the Nordic Council Film Prize 2026. The nominated films were presented on Tuesday 25 August at the Norwegian Film Festival in Haugesund, Norway. The winner will be revealed on 20 October. This year, one documentary and five feature films have been nominated.

Since 2002, the Nordic Council Film Prize has been awarded to a feature film that is rooted in Nordic culture, has high artistic value and constitutes a complete work.

Here are the nominees for the Nordic Council Film Prize 2026:

• Denmark: Beginnings

• Finland: Jossain on valo joka ei sammu (There is a light that never goes out)

• Faroe Islands: Birita

• Iceland: Ástin sem eftir er (The Love That Remains)

• Norway: Sentimental Value

• Sweden: Kevlarsjäl (Kevlar Soul)

"It is with great sorrow that we have received the news that our beloved 'people's king,' King Harald V, has passed away," says Marianne Dobak Kvensjø (Conservative Party), Head of the Nordland County Council in Northern Norway, in a press release.

The Nordland County Council Leader says Nordland is in mourning following the news of King Harald’s death today, Friday 28 August.

"Ultimately, only one word remains: Thank you! Thank you for being the King of all of Norway—and of Nordland," says Kvensjø.

The King and Queen of Norsay visited Nordland as recently as June of this year. The visit to Beiarn in the Norwegian Arctic marked the final stop in the royal couple's tour of Nordland's municipalities.

"Excitement and anticipation for the visit were high. It simply goes to show how much the King and Queen have meant to the people, including those in Nordland," Kvensjø points out.

King Harald first visited Nordland as part of the royal consecration tour in the summer of 1991. The Queen, meanwhile, has made countless trips to the mountains of Nordland.

County Council Leader Marianne Dobak Kvensjø describes King Harald as a role model.

"Warm, down-to-earth, humorous, and inclusive. But above all, he was a unifying figure—unifying the entire nation. It is with humility and respect that I thank King Harald for everything he meant to the people of Nordland. Thank you."