High North News - English

Brigadier John Olav Fuglem was appointed Major General and Chief of the Norwegian Army on October 23.

This is stated in a press release from the Norwegian Ministry of Defense.

Fuglem comes from the position as commander of the Finnmark Brigade.

"The Army is central to the defense of Norway and to our overall defense capability. As we now build up and further develop the Norwegian Armed Forces, the Army's ability to deter, defend Norway and operate well together with our allies, especially in the north, is important. I congratulate on the appointment as Commander of the Army, and wish success in this important mission, says Norwegian Minister of Defense Tore O. Sandvik.

Fuglem was the first commander of the Finnmark Brigade, which was established in August 2025, and will in the future be one of three brigades in the Army. The Finnmark Brigade will be provided with new capabilities adapted to the mission in Finnmark and will be a central piece in the collective defense of Norway and NATO, the ministry writes.

The Chief of the Army is a fixed-term position of six years, after a change in the law for military officials came into effect on January 1, 2026.

He will assume the position from the date determined by the Ministry of Defense.

The 78th session of the Nordic Council will take place in Helsinki, Finland, next week.

From Norway, Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide and Minister for Nordic Cooperation Åsmund Aukrust will participate.

The main theme of this year's session is how the Nordic countries can together strengthen security and preparedness in the Nordic region.

During the session, Norway will also present the program for the chairmanship of the Nordic Council of Ministers in 2027, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs writes in a press release.

Author Sigbjørn Skåden has won this year’s Nordic Council Literature prize for his Sámi-language novel Planterhaug (Láŋtdievvá).

It is the first time in 35 years that a Sámi-language novel has received the prestigious literary prize.

In its citation, the jury describes it as ”an original novel with rare playfulness and a deeply historical narrative that stands out in both Norwegian and Sámi contemporary literature”.

Norway swept the board, taking all five Nordic Council prizes. It is the first time in history that all winners of the Nordic region’s most prestigious awards have come from the same country.

”All of the adjudication committees work independently, so the Norwegian dominance is simply the result of each jury independently deciding to select Norwegian winners this year,” the press realese states.

Russia has shipped around 20 million barrels of oil to Asia through the Northern Sea Route (NSR) between July and mid-October. This is almost 50 percent more than during the whole of 2025, according to CBC.

NSR connects Russia’s western ports with Asian markets. The route is normally more expensive and riskier than traditional shipping lanes.

This year, however, disruptions in the Suez Canal, the Strait of Hormuz and the Black Sea have contributed to a sharp rise in freight rates along the passage.

For Russia, which controls the NSR, the route now appears to be a safer alternative to European waters, where tankers carrying Russian oil have been detained several times this year.

Russian Oil export volumes are expected to rise by a further 5-10 million barrels before the shipping season ends.

Greenland’s government is open to returning to UTC-3 and abolishing daylight saving time. Greenland’s largest business organisation, Sulisitsisut, has warned against proposed change, according to Greenland’s public proadcaster KNR.

Greenland moved its clock forward by one hour in 2023, shifting from UTC-3 to UTTC-2. Since then, the question of whether to reverse the change has repeatedly been raised in Greenland’s parliament, Inatsisartut.

Under UTC-3, the time difference with Europa would be up to five hours during summer. Sulisitsisut fears that this could reduse connections to European destinations, increase costs for businesses and, in the worst case, cost jobs.

The organisation is therefore urging Inatsisartut to postpone any changes until at least 2028.

The Norwegian Institute of Marine Research recommends that the catch of snow crab on the Norwegian continental shelf in the Barents Sea should not exceed 16,594 tonnes in 2027. This is an increase of 35 percent compared to the recommendation for 2026.

"The recommendation follows from the fact that all stock indices included in the stock assessment are higher in 2026 than in 2025. This indicates that the stock has increased, and that there is room for increased catches in 2027," says Ann Merete Hjelset, researcher at the institute.

The quota recommendation and final quota for 2026 was 12,336 tonnes.

The final snow crab quota for 2027 will be set by the Norwegian Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries during the autumn.

Britain’s largest warship, the aircraft carrier Prince of Wales, is being deployed again to the High North, the British Royal Navy has announced.

On board the ship are F-35 fighter jets, Merlin helicopters of the Mk2 and Mk4 types, as well as Wildcat helicopters and Malloy drones.

HMS Prince of Wales is accompanied by the British destroyer HMS Dauntless and the Norwegian frigate HNoMS Fridtjof Nansen.

The carrier group will participate in NATO's vigilance activity Arctic Sentry and Neptune Strike exercise series. It will also conduct phase two of the British Operation Firecrest, focusing on maintaining operational readiness and strengthening interoperability.

“The deployment of the HMS Prince of Wales and her air wing to the High North and the North Atlantic, operating under NATO leadership, is a clear demonstration of the UK’s commitment to the Alliance and contribution to the enduring security and stability of the North Atlantic,” says Louise Sandher-Jones, British Minister for the Armed Forces.

Today, Monday, Norway and Russia began negotiations on next year's fishing quotas in the Barents Sea. After having taken place in a digital format in recent years, the negotiations are now being held in the Turkish capital Istanbul between officials of the Joint Norwegian-Russian Fisheries Commission.

"This is the first time in six years that the meeting has been held physically. This is to better resolve some of the technical and administrative issues that are demanding," says Norwegian Minister of Fisheries and Ocean Policy Marianne Sivertsen Næss (Labor) to the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation.

The commission will set quotas for Northeast Arctic cod, Northeast Arctic haddock, capelin, Greenland halibut and beaked redfish, which are stocks jointly managed by Norway and Russia.

Particularly central to the negotiations is the cod quota, which has been reduced in recent years due to a decline in the stock. According to the minister, the quota cuts appear to have worked.

"Things look somewhat brighter for the near future. The fact that scientific advice has largely been followed has meant that the fluctuation is now starting to increase again," Næss states.

The political parties in the Greenlandic parliament Inatsisartut support the security agreement that Greenland, Denmark and the United States entered into in September. At the same time, several of them demand better follow-up and control over compliance with the agreement, writes Sermitsiaq.

Among other things, the agreement allows the US to establish additional defense areas in Greenland and grants American forces the right of free access of Greenlandic territory, but with respect for Greenlandic society and way of life. It also states that no state other than NATO members can establish a military presence in Greenland, unless otherwise agreed by the parties.

Inuit Ataqatigiit (IA) is calling for clear plans for how the agreement will be implemented and how local communities will be protected. The Greenlandic government must inform parliament about the implementation of the agreement at least once a year, the party demands.

Siumut, for its part, is calling for a follow-up group to ensure compliance with the agreement, as well as payment to Greenland for American use of land as well as cleanup at former military facilities.

Drilling for hot water is under way in Laugardalur, Iceland, reports RUV. There is almost certainly hot water beneath the site, as several existing boreholes are located nearby. Work officially began October 15.

"We hope this will increase our production capacity by as much as 40 per cent, if everything goes according to plan," says Sólrún Kristinsdóttir, managing director of utilities firm Veitur, to RUV.

There has been no drilling for hot water in Laugardalur for 44 years, since 1982. The area has supplied Reykjavík residents with hot water for almost a century, with the first boreholes drilled near Þvottalaugarnar.

The EU paid an estimated €1.92 billion for liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Russia's Yamal project in the third quarter of 2026, according to new Urgewald analysis of Kpler data.

EU ports received a record 12.18 million tonnes between January and September, an increase of 9.5 per cent compared with the same period last year.

EU ports received 2.21 million tonnes between July and September, as Washington approaches a deadline to review sanctions on the vessels sustaining Russia's gas trade.

Although third-quarter import volumes were 13.6 per cent lower than in Q3 2025, the EU's estimated bill for the first nine months reached €7.88 billion.

Urgewald's analysis shows that 167 Yamal cargoes were delivered to EU ports between January and September. Europe received 85 per cent of the project's recorded deliveries by volume, remaining by far its largest market.

Bodø Business Forum is organizing a dedicated defense conference titled "The Defense Plege for Northern Norway 2026". The conference is being held in collaboration with the Harstad Region Business Association, the Bodø Region Development Company, and Kunnskapsparken Bodø.

It will take place on November 10 at the Stormen Concert Hall in Bodø.

The press release states that "Northern Norway is at the center of one of the largest defense initiatives in modern times." The conference will bring together key stakeholders from the Norwegian Armed Forces, the defense industry, academia, and the political sphere to discuss current security policy challenges, the future of defense in the North, and the opportunities this initiative creates for the business sector and societal development in the region.

State Secretary at the Norwegian Ministry of Defence, Andreas Flåm, will open the conference. Read more about the conference here.

The total quota for Northeast Arctic saithe for 2027 has been set at 127,807 tonnes, announces the Norwegian Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Fisheries.

This quota is 22 percent lower than in 2026 and in line with advice from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES).

"We are following the management plan for saithe. The decline is noticeable, but necessary for the spawning population to grow again," says Minister of Fisheries and the Ocean Policy Marianne Sivertsen Næss (Labor).

The spawning stock has declined in recent years, but is still above the precautionary level. With the new quota, it is expected to increase from 2027 to 2028.

Because the saithe quotas have not been fully fished in recent years, the quota reduction will probably have less of an impact on the actual catch than 22 percent, according to the ministry.

In late September, the seven Western Arctic countries met in the Arctic Coast Guard Forum (ACGF) to discuss how they can address the changes in the region in terms of security and preparedness.

"The Arctic is evolving in ways that increasingly link traditional coast guard services with broader maritime security considerations," states the Joint Arctic Command in Denmark, which is leading the forum in 2026.

At the meeting, the countries agreed to expand the work of the forum by establishing a new working group on maritime security. It will focus on emerging challenges, bring together experts and explore new practical approaches to address changes in the region. This work will initially be led by the Canadian Coast Guard.

The ACGF was established in 2015 to foster safe, secure and environmentally responsible maritime activity in the Arctic. The cooperation focuses particularly on search and rescue, environmental protection measures, and assistance in the event of major maritime incidents.

ALSO READ: The Norwegian Coast Guard on Comprehensive Operation to Strengthen Arctic Cooperation

Norwegian businesses are increasingly exposed to targeted fraud attempts. In Northern Norway, the increase is also significant and some businesses have suffered major financial losses as a result of such attacks, reports SpareBank 1 Nord-Norge.

"The attacks are often carried out in several steps where the fraudsters combine SMS, emails and phone calls to build trust and gain access to the company's online banking and make payments," says Gjermund Koi, fraud specialist at SpareBank 1 Nord-Norge.

The scam often starts with an SMS or email in which the fraudster pretends to represent public services or well-known businesses. The goal is to get the recipient to click on a link and provide sensitive information, such as BankID password.

After a couple of days, the initial contact is often followed up with a call from people who may claim to be from the bank, the police or other authorities.

"The scammers often claim that the business is vulnerable to fraud and that it is urgent to take measures to secure the money. Through social manipulation, they get the customer to provide sensitive information, or approve actions with BankID, which in reality gives the scammers the opportunity to make payments," Koi outlines.

While housing prices are falling across large parts of the country, new figures from Real Estate Norway show an unusal price surge in several municipalities in Northern Norway.

Hammerfest recorded the strongest growth in the entire country during the third quarter of 2026, with an increase of 4.5 percent, followed by Tromsø and Narvik.

Looking at the last four quarters combined, Narvik stands out with the hghest price growth in the nation at a staggering 14 percent. Tromsø (11.4 percent) and Hammerfest (10.5 percent) have also experienced exceptionally strong growth over the past year.

Henning Lauridsen, CEO of Eiendom Norge, points to major industrial investments and hew developments as the primary driver behind the northern municipalitiea setting themselves apart. Among other projects, he highlights Equinor’s gas investments in Hammerfest and Nscale’s data center in Narvik as key market drivers.

Local authorities and tourism operatora in South Iceland are pushing back against plans to introduce a nature and infrastructure fee for tourists visiting the popular Golden Circle, according to the Icelandic national broadcaster RUV.

Ingunn Jónsdóttir, Managing Director of the Association of South Iceland Municipalities (SASS), criticizes the fact that the fee targets just three specific sites in South Iceland rather than applying to all state-owned tourist destination across the country.

The local community considers it unfair that these destinations are being taxed more heavily simply because of their success in attracting visitors, and they are calling for dialogue with the government to find a solution that works for the entire industry.

Finland’s Minister of Defence, Antti Häkkänen, has decided to usse a new decree from the Ministry of Defence regarding the use of Defence Forces vehicles.

”With the new decree, we are promoting military mobility in the changed security environment. With the reform, we will ensure that the operating conditions of the Defence Forces, traffic safety and military mobility, which is central to Finland's defence, form a functional whole,” Häkkänen said in a press release from the Ministry.

According to Yle, the reform will make it easier for Norwegian and Swedish military vehicles to enter Finland without special control measures at the border.

The same practice will also be introduced in ports and airports.

King Haakon VIII of Norway will visit the city of Narvik in Northern Norway on Tuesday, October 13.

This is the first official municipal visit for Norway's new king.

After the visit to Narvik, King Haakon will visit the Norwegian Armed Forces in Finnmark on October 13 and 14. There, he will visit several units in the Finnmark Brigade, which was established in 2025.

"In 1940, some of the fiercest fighting on Norwegian soil took place precisely in Narvik, and the city is once again an important hub for Norwegian and Allied preparedness. Narvik is the most important shipping port for mineral resources in Norway and Scandinavia. The port is also one of four Nordic ports for receiving Allied reinforcements. In addition, Narvik is the terminus of the Ofot Line, which ensures a train connection to Kiruna in Sweden," states the press release about the visit to Narvik.

Total defence, democracy, and how we together build safe and strong local communities will be a natural framework for the King's visit to Narvik, it further reads.

The US Navy commissioned its newest destroyer, the USS Ted Stevens, into active service during a formal ceremony in Whittier, Alaska, on October 3.

That is reported by U.S. Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet, and the US Department of War.

The ship and its commissioning location honor the legacy of the late Sen. Ted Stevens, a decorated combat aviator and lifelong champion for the state of Alaska and the nation's armed forces, the press release states.

Selecting the strategic deep-water port of Whittier highlights Alaska's enduring maritime significance and the historic partnership between the state and the Navy.

"From the Pacific campaigns of World War II to modern Arctic maritime operations, the Navy and Alaska share a deep commitment to homeland defense. The commissioning in Whittier emphasizes the Navy's persistent operational presence in high-latitude environments to deter northern flank aggression and safeguard critical maritime routes," it further reads.

Following post-commissioning operations, the USS Ted Stevens will transit to its permanent home port in Norfolk, Virginia, fully prepared to deploy worldwide.