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

Eirik Wikan will take over as acting CEO of the Kimek companies, which are engaged in ship repair and industrial services in Kirkenes, Northern Norway. Kimek AS announces this on its Facebook page.

Former CEO Greger Mannsverk is ill and will be absent from his position indefinitely.

Wikan comes from the position of finance manager at Kimek and has been part of the company's management for 18 years.

The Canadian Coast Guard's largest and most powerful icebreaker, CCGS Louis S. St-Laurent, reached the North Pole on August 16.

The transit supports Canada's efforts to define its continental shelf and map its outer limits under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. During its voyage, the icebreaker collects high-resolution geoscientific and hydrographic data.

“The arrival of CCGS Louis S. St-Laurent at the North Pole is an important milestone that reflects Canada’s enduring commitment to the Arctic. Supported by the expertise of Canadian Coast Guard personnel, this mission advances scientific knowledge, strengthens our presence in the North, and reinforces Canada’s sovereignty and security,” says David J. McGuinty, Canadian Minister of National Defence.

The finalists for Norway's Young Farmer of the Year 2026 are now ready, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food announced in a press release.

Ambjørg Skibdalen from Telemark, Joar Straume from Nordland and the farming couple Iselin Mentzoni Eliassen and Jørgen Juul Thomassen from Troms have been selected from over 500 nominees from across the country.

Joar Straume (22) moved from Western Norway to the Helgeland coast in Northern Norway to realize his dream of owning his own farm. He now runs Nordbostad Farm in Mindland in Nordland with his wife Elena.

In Troms, Northern Norway, Iselin Mentzoni Eliassen (27) and Jørgen Juul Thomassen (29) run Buktenes farm in Kvænangen. The farm is the municipality's last dairy farm.

The winner of Young Farmer of the Year 2026 will be announced during Dyrsku'n in Seljord on September 11th.

Gen. Gregory Guillot, commander of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM), hosted Gen. Michael Hyldgaard, the Kingdom of Denmark’s Chief of Defence, for strategic visits to key military installations in Alaska, August 12-14.

That is stated in a press release from Alaskan Command Public Affairs.

The multi-day visit focused on combined Arctic operations, airspace defense, operational integration, and interoperability.

"Showcasing our operations in Alaska demonstrates to our Allies the benefit of the NORDIC bridge which ties the US and NATO partners to deter and defend the Northern Approaches and the Arctic as a whole," said Guillot and added:

"Cooperation in this demanding environment ensures our combined forces remain ready to defend our nations at a moment's notice."

The visit began at Eielson Air Force Base on August 13, where both leaders suited up to participate in separate flight profiles in F-16 Fighting Falcons.

On August 14, the defense leaders transitioned to Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson for high-level bilateral discussions at Alaskan Command Headquarters. The generals also met with Alaskan defense leaders to discuss shared security challenges, the defense of Greenland, and initiatives to enhance domain awareness across the Arctic.

The Government of Greenland has received inquiries that cruise ships sailing in certain fjord areas are perceived as a burden on the local population and the affected natural areas. The inquiries concern, among other things, the impact on wildlife, noise pollution and the desire to preserve the areas' natural and recreational values.

This is stated by the Greenland government, Naalakkersuisut, in a press release.

In the statement, the government writes that it views positively the growing interest in Greenland as a travel destination and recognizes that cruise tourism contributes significantly to the development of the tourism industry, but also emphasizes that tourism development occurs on a sustainable basis and with respect for the local population, nature and wildlife.

Against this background, the Government of Greenland recommends that cruise ship navigation in fjord areas be avoided or limited as much as possible.

"The purpose of the recommendation is to limit the impact on vulnerable natural areas and wildlife, and to accommodate the wishes of the local population to preserve the areas' recreational values ​​and opportunities for hunting and fishing."

The Arctic football team Bodø/Glimt won 3-2 against Union Saint-Gilloise on Tuesday evening in the second leg against the Belgian team. The aggregate score ended 6-5.

With the victory, playoff in the Champions League against awaits, and Glimt will meet the Dutch team NEC on August 19 in the Netherlands.

Statistics Greenland recently published new numbers for the population on the massive Arctic island.

According to the agency, there is a record high mid-year population.

On July 1st, 2026, 56.945 people lived in the country. That is 114 more than on April 1st this year.

20,384 people now live in Nuuk, which is 299 more than on the same day, last year.

The population statistics are based on data from the Central Population Register (CPR), which records all individuals who are officially registered as residents of Greenland at a given point in time.

"It should be noted that information about individuals who emigrate from the Kingdom of Denmark is often reported with a delay. Therefore, the number of foreign nationals in the statistics may be higher than the actual number," Statistics Greenland informs.

Norwegian Minister of Defense Tore O. Sandvik had his first telephone conversation with the new British Secretary of State for Defence, Wes Streeting, on Thursday,

During the telephone meeting, security challenges in the High North and closer defense cooperation were high on the agenda, the Norwegian Ministry of Defense reports in a press release.

"Norway and the United Kingdom have strong cultural, geographical and historical ties. Together we have stood shoulder to shoulder throughout the 77 years of NATO's existence. We are now well underway in expanding our already strong and close defense cooperation," says Norway's Minister of Defense Tore O. Sandvik, adding:

"Together we are strengthening NATO's defense flank in the Arctic and the High North to secure Norway and our allies in turbulent times."

One of the main topics discussed was the further strengthening of the strategic defence cooperation between the UK and Norway through the Lunna House Agreement. This was signed in December 2025 and is the most comprehensive defence cooperation agreement that Norway and the UK have entered into in recent times.

Sandvik and Streeting also spoke about the need for continued support for Ukraine and European contributions to NATO, and the North European security cooperation Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF).

In 2025, 61 per cent of young people in Northern Norway between the ages of 15 and 22 had a summer job. This is almost 10 percentage points more than in 2015 and well above the national average of 53 percent, according to the Knowledge Bank in SpareBank 1 Northern Norway.

Furthermore, 44 per cent of young immigrants had summer jobs compared to 71 per cent of Norwegian-born with two Norwegian-born parents.

The proportion of young people with summer jobs also varies significantly between municipalities. Beiarn (85 percent) and Båtsfjord (79 percent) had the most young people with summer jobs while Nesna (39 percent) had the fewest.

Canadian forces are now conducting Operation Nanook-Qimaavivut to enhance their ability to move personnel and equipment and provide operational support in the Arctic.

The operation, which will last until September, involves engineering reconnaissance and infrastructure assessments near Resolute Bay in Nunavut, survey of airfield conditions across the Canadian Arctic and site assessment salong the Labrador coast.

Information collected during the operation will support future operational planning and identify engineering, mobility, and sustainment requirements for conducting year-round operations in remote northern environments.

"Nanook-Qimaavivut is about enabling operations today and into the future. By improving access, mobility, and sustainment in challenging environments, we are improving how the CAF supports operations across the North while respecting local conditions and communities,” says Brigadier-General Marc Parent, Commander, Joint Task Force North.

The Norwegian frigate KNM Fridtjof Nansen is participating in a historic exercise off the east coast of the United States.

The exercise, called FLEETEX 250, is a US-led exercise with 31 vessels from 17 different allies and partner nations, the Norwegian Armed Forces states in a press release.

FLEETEX 250 is part of the U.S. Navy's 250th anniversary celebrations, highlighting the importance of maritime cooperation and the enduring commitment between allies and partner nations.

The exercise includes coordinated maneuvers at sea, communications exercises and training in information sharing routines. The scenarios are designed to strengthen cohesion and ensure the force is able to operate effectively together across the Atlantic and in the Arctic.

Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen (M) expects that there will be a solution before the end of the year, as a result of negotiations between the Danish-Greenlandic-American working group, which have been ongoing since January.

This is reported by the Danish newspaper Politiken, cited in, among other things, the Greenlandic Sermitsiaq.

Løkke Rasmussen estimates that there is a need for "a number of meetings", he tells Politiken.

Denmark, Greenland and the United States agreed in January to establish a working group to discuss the way forward.

Relations between Denmark and Greenland on the one hand, and the United States on the other, have been tense after US President Donald Trump has repeatedly expressed a desire to take over Greenland.

Last week, Sweden's honorary consulate in Tromsø, Northern Norway, was reopened with Christian Hjort as the new honorary consul. Hjort has a background as director of the company JM Hansen Eiendom.

"The consulate in Tromsø strengthens Sweden's presence in a region with significant business interests, and helps create good conditions for cross-border cooperation between the countries, while improving service to Swedish citizens in Northern Norway," writes the Swedish embassy in Oslo.

"I look forward to taking on the consular tasks, and not least to helping strengthen the already strong ties between our two countries," states Hjort.

Norway is strengthening its presence in Greenland and will open a Consulate General in Nuuk to further develop cooperation with Greenland at a time when the Arctic is gaining increasing strategic importance.

That is stated in a press release.

"The High North remains Norway’s most important strategic priority, and the Arctic is becoming increasingly important for international politics and security. Greenland is a close partner for Norway, and a Consulate General in Nuuk will strengthen both political contact and cooperation on shared interests in the region," said Norway's Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre.

"A Consulate General in Nuuk will give us closer contact with the Greenlandic authorities, the business community and civil society. It will strengthen cooperation in areas where Norway and Greenland already share strong interests, such as fisheries, maritime affairs and Indigenous peoples’ issues. It will also give us better opportunities to develop new areas of cooperation in the years ahead," said Norway’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Espen Barth Eide.

Norway has had an honorary consulate general in Nuuk since 1986.

On Friday 19 June, the Norwegian Coast Guard vessel KV Hopen will leave Bergen, Norway, to carry out Operation Arctic Cohesion 2026.

This is an extensive, international expedition that will strengthen cooperation between Arctic coast guards, the Norwegian Armed Forces states in a press release.

The voyage marks the start of a two-month expedition through the North Atlantic, during which Norway, together with partners in Iceland, the United States, Canada and Greenland, will carry out a number of activities, exercises and professional exchanges.

Operation Arctic Cohesion 2026 is a key part of the Arctic Coast Guard Forum (ACGF) collaboration, and will show how the coast guards in the Arctic cooperate in practice to safeguard safety, emergency preparedness and the environment in an increasingly active sea area.

"Security and emergency preparedness in the Arctic are created through practical cooperation. When coast guards from several nations train, sail and solve missions together, we strengthen our collective ability to ensure safety in some of the world's most demanding sea areas," says Deputy Commander of the Norwegian Coast Guard, Commander Ture Lehn.

On May 15, a Chinese citizen was arrested in Norway, suspected of attempted illegal intelligence activities against state secrets.

The man is alleged to have stayed in a bunker near the military section of the airport in Bodø, Northern Norway.

The accused was remanded in custody for four weeks.

TV 2 reports on Friday that the accused Chinese citizen is now being released.

"PST is releasing the Chinese citizen who was arrested in May 2026 and charged with attempted illegal intelligence activities against state secrets. The arrest occurred in connection with the accused taking up residence in a bunker near Bodø air station," police prosecutor Kathrine Tonstad in Norway's Police Security Service (PST) tells TV 2.

"The basis for suspicion against the accused is considered weakened through the investigation that has been carried out so far. The investigation will be completed and then forwarded from PST to the National Authority for Prosecution of Organised and other Serious Crime for a prosecutorial decision, Tonstad adds.

Will be arrested again

According to Tonstad, the Nordland Police District will now arrest the accused of violating the Immigration Act and prepare a case for deportation or expulsion from Norway.

PST adds that there is no information indicating that there is any connection between this case and the woman who was arrested on Andøya, suspected of complicity in an attempted act of serious intelligence activity against state secrets a few weeks ago, writes TV 2.

Vice Admiral James Morley, Deputy Commander of NATO Joint Force Command Norfolk (JFC Norfolk), visited Sweden’s Northern Military Region from 7 to 9 June.

During the visit, the JFC Norfolk Deputy Commander gained first-hand insight into the operational environment of the High North - an area of growing strategic importance for the Alliance, a press release states.

The delegation, which also included Major General Stefan Sandborg, Deputy Chief of Joint Operations of the Swedish Armed Forces, visited eastern Norrbotten and the headquarters of the Northern Military Region in Boden.

There, military leaders met with representatives from Sweden’s North Civil Defence Region and Police Region North, highlighting the close cooperation between military and civilian authorities that forms the foundation of Sweden’s total defence concept.

"It has been valuable to see the progress made in integrating Sweden into the Alliance enterprise. Sweden's significant combat power and total defence concept - encapsulated brilliantly in the work at Regional Command North - adds significant capability to the Alliance," said Vice Admiral Morley.

"Sweden's stand-up of Forward Land Forces Finland and the transfer of authority to SACEUR marks another significant milestone and will further enhance NATO's defensive posture on the northern flank," he added.

Statistics Norway (SSB) released population projections on Friday.

Continued population growth, strong population aging and a larger and more established immigrant population are the main findings from the national population projections.

According to the projection's main alternative, all counties, except Nordland, are expected to experience population growth up to 2050.

In the period between 2026 and 2050, a population decline of approximately 7,400 people is expected in Nordland, one of the three counties in Northern Norway.

In the other two counties, Troms and Finnmark, the population is expected to increase by approximately 4,700 and 1,200 people, respectively.

Finnmark County, Northern Norway, has decided to allocate NOK 5,548,000 for public health initiatives in the county in 2026. Of this, NOK 4,700,000 will go to the municipalities.

"In 2026, 12 municipalities in Finnmark will receive financial support and guidance for very important work within public health," says Raymond Robertsen (Conservative), head of the main committee for competence in the county.

The 12 municipalities are participating in a multi-year national program for the development of public health measures in the municipalities, with the goal of developing and testing measures aimed at children and young people. This is intended to contribute to making mental health an equal part of local public health work.

A new survey from Indikator Opinion for the Swedish Radio channel P4 shows that only 1 in 5 Swedes would consider moving north for work if they were offered 100,000 Swedish kroner (appr. 10,000 USD) in relocation assistance, reports Sveriges Radio.

The survey was conducted among a random sample of Swedes over the age of 18 and 2,044 people responded.

One of the questions was: Would you consider moving to Northern Sweden to work if you were offered a relocation allowance of SEK 100,000?

22 percent answered yes, 40 percent answered no, 13 percent did not know, and for 25 percent the question was not applicable (i.e. do not work/already live in Northern Sweden).

High North News has previously reported that the Swedish government will investigate a relocation allowance to make it easier for the unemployed to move to other parts of the country, including Northern Sweden.