Arctic football team Bodø/Glimt to meet Sporting in Round of 16

Every year, marine scientists map the distribution of the northeastern Arctic cod in the traditional spawning areas in Lofoten and Vesterålen, Northern Norway-

This year, the marine scientists observed slightly more Northeast Arctic cod (skrei) than last year, but at the same time report a modest result.

“Despite an increase compared to last year, the amount of skrei in the expedition area can only be described as very low,” says expedition leader Knut Korsbrekke in a press release.

The expedition in the area was carried out with the research vessel "Johan Hjort" in the period from March 25 to April 6.

The results from the expedition are one of several sources of knowledge about the Northeast Arctic cod. They are included in the researchers' population calculation and quota advice for the species.

The Norwegian and Canadian coast guards have signed a new cooperation agreement, which will strengthen cooperation between the two countries in the Arctic.

The agreement was signed during the Arctic Coast Guard Forum in Copenhagen last week.

In a post on Facebook, the Norwegian Navy informs that the agreement facilitates increased and long-term cooperation in education, training and exchange of personnel.

This is part of a broader international effort to strengthen security, preparedness and situational awareness in the Arctic, it further states.

Other states that participated in the forum in Copenhagen were Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland and the USA.

On Thursday this week, the U.S. Coast Guard announced that the first two Arctic Security Cutters will be homeported in the State of Alaska.

"Anticipating delivery of the first Arctic Security Cutters by the end of 2028, the Coast Guard has begun planning to ensure necessary infrastructure and support are in place to receive two icebreakers. Ensuring these vessels are supported by trained and ready crews, and ready homeport facilities including housing, will be essential to delivering full, enduring operational capability required to meet emerging Arctic security challenges," a press release from the USCG reads.

“Homeporting Arctic Security Cutters in Alaska underscores the United States’ leadership as a maritime power in the Arctic,” said Adm. Kevin E. Lunday, commandant of the Coast Guard.

“By strategically positioning these state-of-the-art icebreakers in Alaska, the Coast Guard will maximize our ability to defend our northern border and approaches, while reinforcing America’s maritime dominance in a crucial region of strategic importance," Lunday added.

The homeporting of the first two Arctic Security Cutters in Alaska builds on the historic expansion of the Coast Guard’s icebreaker fleet and underscores an unprecedented investment in the Arctic, the press release states.

The announcement is furthermore described as a national milestone in U.S. Arctic capability, following contract awards for up to 11 Arctic Security Cutters.

Several road signs with Russian text in Sør-Varanger and Kirkenes may be removed, reports the Barents Observer.

The Norwegian Public Roads Administration will clarify the future of the signs, which have Cyrillic text.

The Russian street signs have caused a great deal of debate in Sør-Varanger in recent years.

"I expect the Norwegian Public Roads Administration to take action, and that the signs will be taken down fairly quickly", says Kurt Mørk Eriksen to NRK, who has been involved in getting the signs in the border municipality removed for a long time.

The signs were put up at the Norwegian-Russian border when traffic and cooperation with Russia were high. After Russia went to war in Ukraine in 2014, trade and cooperation have declined sharply.

In 2023, Norway tightened its sanctions regulations against Russia, and since then, Russian-registered passenger cars have not been allowed to cross the border.

On April 1st, Norwegian whalers could commence this year's minke whale hunt.

The quota is 1,641 animals, an increase of 235 from the previous year. Last year, 428 animals were caught.

10 vessels participated in last year's whaling. This year, 14 vessels have registered. So far, only "Reinebuen" from Lofoten in Northern Norway has begun the hunt, reports Lofotposten.

This year's physical edition of the Arctic Security Forces Roundtable (ASFR) was held in Iceland at the end of March.

The forum – co-chaired by Norway and the US European Command – brings together senior military leaders from the seven allied Arctic states, as well as from the observer states of France, the UK, Germany, and the Netherlands.

Also present were representatives of the US Northern Command and NATO JFC Norfolk, which has now been granted permanent observer status in ASFR.

The military leaders exchanged views on security challenges in the Arctic, with a focus on building shared situational awareness and coordinated approaches to deterrence and defense in the region. The NATO Arctic Sentry initiative was highlighted in this context.

They also visited Keflavík Air Station and gained insight into Iceland's defense-related roles and responsibilities. Last year's conference took place in Kirkenes, Northern Norway.

The European Capital of Culture year in Oulu, Northern Finland, opened in January. Now, Oulu2026 announces that the ambitious E75 Art Bus will soon will depart from city’s town hall.

On April 9th, the rolling art festival will begin its journey through 20 cities and villages along Europe’s eastern edge (the E75 road). While the southernmost stop is in Crete, Greece, the art bus will round off its journey at the Finnmark coast, Northern Norway, with festivities in Vardø on May 16th.

At the various locations, artists on the bus will create performances, exhibitions, workshops and discussions around topics such as democracy, the climate crisis, diversity, and community.

Among them is a dancer who sheds light on folk dance as a form of resistance, a ceramic artist who collects people's sorrows across Europe to release them into the Barents Sea, as well as a media artist who researches migration and invites the audience to sing with birds.

The project connects people, cultures and perspectives from the Arctic to the Mediterranean in a time when contact, mobility and hope are more important than ever, writes Oulu2026.

Thirteen conscripts suffered frostbite during an exercise in Norrbotten, Northern Sweden, in February after the heater in their tent stopped working, according to SVT.

The number of people affected by frostbite in the Swedish defense sector has increased significantly this winter.

During the first two months of the year, 134 cases of frostbite were reported. In comparison, 47 cases of frostbite were reported in all of 2025.

This Wednesday evening, the German company Isar Aerospace will make a new attempt to launch the Spectrum rocket from Andøya Spaceport in Northern Norway.

The rocket will carry satellites of various types. If all goes according to plan, this could be the first satellite launch from mainland Europe.

According to Isar, the launch window will open at 9 PM CET at the earliest. The launch can be followed live here.

If weather conditions are not favorable, new attempts will be made until April 19th. Isar's first test flight with the Spectrum from Andøya last year ended with the rocket falling into the sea shortly after the launch.

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This year's sea ice maximum is set to be the second lowest since satellite measurements began, only to be turned off in 2025, reports the Bjerknes Center for Climate Research.

Since 1979, satellites have been monitoring sea ice in the Arctic and measuring how extensive the ice has been at its greatest extent. In their first year, the measurements showed an extent of over 16.5 million square kilometers of sea ice, from the first measurement until this year the ice has been reduced by a full 1.5 million square kilometers.

Only 2018 and 2025 have had similar low values ​​at this time of year.

For the first time, Innovation Norway is organizing its largest annual event outside of Oslo, when the Innovation Speech will be held on May 12, 2026 in Bodø, Northern Norway.

The choice of Bodø is not accidental, reports Innovation Norway.

"In a time of increased geopolitical tension and a demanding security situation, Northern Norway is in a special position. Not only geographically, but also strategically," the press release states.

The Innovation Speech 2026 focuses on the geopolitical tension and how preparedness and business development are interconnected. Innovation Norway's Director Håkon Haugli says that security, preparedness, innovation and business development are closely linked.

Two Transport Desgagné ships are stuck in the Persian Gulf as Iran blocks the Strait of Hormuz.

The sealift ships manage annual seaborne supplies to Nunavut and Nunavik in Canada.

The ships arrived in the Gulf just days before the US and Israel attacked Iran on February 28th. The attack led to an immediate blockade of the 34-kilometer strait that connects the Persian Gulf to the Arabian Sea.

"Our crews are safe," says David Rivest, president and general manager of trans-Arctic operations for Transport Desgagné's shipping company to Nunatsiag.

According to Rivest, the situation is tense:

“There are hundreds of ships in the area and we are waiting for the appropriate conditions and instructions to depart the region safely."

Each vessel has between 15 and 20 crew members.

“At this point, it is difficult to do hypothetical scenarios in terms of how long and what the impact could be” on Arctic sealift operations, says Rivest, who states that the company is working on contingency plans.

In 2025, short-term rentals through Airbnb amounted to nearly NOK 1.4 billion in Tromsø, Lofoten, Bodø and Alta in Northern Norway.

This is an increase of 28 percent from the previous year, according to a new report from Kunnskapsbanken.

Tromsø dominates in the winter season, and singlehandedly accounted for NOK 905 million of the turnover, an increase of 36 percent from the previous year.

Lofoten is undisputedly the largest in the summer season and accounted for NOK 385 million, up from 338 million in 2024.

The Norwegian government considers recruitment to agriculture to be important for both self-sufficiency and total preparedness in Norway. It will now be easier to become a milk producer in the Arctic regions of Troms and Finnmark.

"The recruitment quota is intended to make it easier for new milk producers to establish themselves. The aim of the scheme is to strengthen recruitment and new establishment in milk production in the two northernmost counties", says Minister of Agriculture and Food Nils Kristen Sandtrøen.

The Directorate of Agriculture can offer to purchase quotas to applicants who plan to establish themselves as milk producers. Quotas can be used after an approved application and payment. The scheme is aimed at those who have not owned or rented quota in the last three years. Applicants who are 35 years of age or younger will be given priority, but anyone who meets the conditions can apply. The recruitment quota has been established as a follow-up to the 2025 agricultural settlement.

Briefly about the scheme:

The state offers up to four million liters of basic quota.

Price: One NOK per liter.

Up to 700,000 liters can be applied for per applicant.

The Norwegian coastal boats' seasonal cod (skrei) fishing reached a preliminary peak this year last week, reports Norges Råfisklag is a Norwegian sales organization.

During the week, about 6,600 tons were delivered at a value of NOK 438 million.

The Sales Association reports that fishing has also moved south along the coast, with increased deliveries in Troms, Vesterålen and Lofoten.

Several boats have also finished with this year's cod quota.

The nominees for the Nordic Council Literature Prize include novels, collections of poems and a short story collection.

Denmark:

Mette Moestrup with the poem collection Butterfly Nebula and Charlotte Weitze with the novel Ulvemælk.

Finland:

Pirkko Saisio with the novel Suliko and Quynh Tran with the novel När andra njuter.

Faroe Islands:

Marjun Syderbø Kjelnæs with the novel Marta, Marta.

Greenland:

Debora H. Kleist with the novel Sarsuatitat.

Iceland:

Eva Rún Snorradóttir with the novel Eldri konur and Jón Kalman Stefánsson with the novel Himintungl yfir heimsins ystu brún.

Norway:

Dag Johan Haugerud with the novel Sjelesorg.

Norway/Sami language area:

Sigbjørn Skåden with the novel Planterhaug / Láŋtdievvá.

Sweden:

Anna Hallberg with the poetry collection AN and Linda Örtenblad with the collection of short stories Kartotek över döda och återuppståndna.

Åland:

Sebastian Johans with the novel Svanhopp. Roman om död far.

The winner of the 2026 Nordic Council Literature Prize will be announced on 20 October. The prize statuette will be presented to the winner at the Session of the Nordic Council in Helsinki on 27 October. The prize is worth DKK 300,000.

At the end of February, there were 2,072 fully unemployed people in Nordland. This represents 1.7 percent of the workforce. In addition to the fully unemployed, there were 601 job seekers on benefits and 1,006 partially unemployed job seekers. This brings Nordland to a total of 3,679 job seekers, which represents 3 percent of the workforce, NAV reports.

NATO has launched the mission to strengthen its presence in the Arctic, part of an effort to defuse tensions within the alliance prompted by the U.S. president's push to acquire Greenland from Denmark.

"Our F-35 contribution strengthens the overall presence in the region and underscores Denmark's role as an active ally in the Arctic and North Atlantic," Denmarks minister of defense, Trouls Lund Poulsen said in a statement.

Poulsen also expects the United States to contribute to the NATO mission, he told reporters ahead of the Munich Security Conference.

Russian energy major Gazprom Neft has discovered a new oil field on the Yamal Peninsula that is the largest discovered in the region in three decades, according to a company release.

The new find is located in the Arctic zone of Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Region, home to the world's largest natural gas reserves but also a region with significant oil potential. Drilling and exploration are challenging as the peninsula is almost entirely covered by permafrost.

The field is part of a large oil and gas cluster in the southern part of the peninsula, according to the company. It was discovered after three years of exploration. Estimated geological reserves are 55 million tons, the company's press release stated.