Free Republic

Socialist Left continue fallThe Socialist Left Party (SV) dropped nearly three percent points on a new political poll but the 'red-green' alliance remains an increasingly realistic government alternative as Norway warms up for national elections later this year.The Labor Party (Ap) rose 1.4 percent points to 30.8 percent in the Opinion poll carried out for Aftenposten and NRK (Norwegian Broadcasting). SV fell 2.9 percent points to 12.9 percent, the biggest loser in the February poll.Recent discussion of a red-green alliance of Labor, SV, and the agrarian Center Party (Sp) have cost the SV support, but the possible coalition remains strong...

Terror alarm to be tested in OsloA noiseless terror alarm will be tested in an Oslo subway station. The surveillance system will be able to detect chemical agents and radioactive radiation released by terrorists.Alarm systems such as this in crowded areas is one of several measures considered by the authorities, says director Finn Moerch Andersen of the Directorate for National Security to NRK.He adds that such an alarm will function only in addition to other measures.The Al Qaida has twice over the past few years encouraged followers to attack Norwegian interests. Last year the Security Service of the Norwegian police...

Teenagers attacked police after partyFour teenagers in northern Norway are charged with assaulting two police officers, both physically and verbally, after a party in a private home last weekend. The police were trying to help ambulance personnel get two injured girls to a hospital.The incident occurred in Fauske, Nordland County, around midnight on Friday. The police had been called out to assist an ambulance team that earlier had been called to help two girls hurt at the party.Police wouldn't comment on the nature of the girls' injuries, or on how they were inflicted. They would say, however, that they were...

Orchard owner plucks out new nameAn ambitious young man seeking a tourism-related future around an apple orchard in Sogn applied to change his name to "Eplet," which means "the apple" in Norwegian. He was prepared to defend his choice, but it wasn't necessary.Instead, it only took Trond Henrik Lie-Andreassen around three hours at the local registry office in Sogndal to complete the name-change formalities, reported newspaper VG."If the authorities put up a challenge, I was ready to argue that lots of Norwegians are named Gran, (which means 'fir,' as in the tree, in Norwegian)," Lie-Andreassen said.Lie-Andreassen, age 29, recently moved...