Editorials

Travelogue from freedom

The last time I experienced this feeling was almost 15 years ago, when I woke up in Sweden after six months in Afghanistan. Now I’ve experienced it again, when I left Sweden and woke up in the United States.

Norway gives 141 million in development aid – to its own journalists

In 2025, the Norwegian Journalists’ Association (Norsk Journalistlag) received 10.5 million kroner from Norway’s aid budget. Since 2013, a total of 92 million kroner has flowed to them through this channel. Add in funding from Norad to the Institute for Journalism and the SKUP Foundation, and the grand total reaches 141 million kroner. That’s more than the International Peace Institute received under Terje Rød-Larsen—and this should not be confused with ordinary press subsidies. Should Norwegian taxpayers foot the bill for exporting Norwegian journalism abroad?

The toxic culture is everywhere, but those at the top bear the responsibility

The Epstein files expose parts of a corrupt snake pit of network relationships where profiteers are sucking money from the Norwegian state. The toxic culture is so pervasive that everyone at the top undoubtedly knew about it. The small and medium-sized fish are important enough, but the responsibility lies with the biggest fish: Espen Barth Eide, Ine Eriksen Søreide, Jonas Gahr Støre, and Jens Stoltenberg, whose lofty dictum to ‘take responsibility by staying in their positions’ can no longer hold.

Quran burner in UK eyes US asylum: How did things come to this?

Hamit Coskun burned a Quran in London, was convicted then acquitted, but UK prosecutors have appealed to reinstate the ruling. If he loses again, he’ll seek asylum in the US—citing threats and shrinking space for Islam critics amid demographic shifts. Britain increasingly handles Islam with kid gloves out of fear and political opportunism. “It starts small, like type 2 diabetes,” warns psychologist Gad Saad.

Sweden’s Deputy PM urges terror designation for Muslim Brotherhood affiliates

The Muslim Brotherhood infiltrates society and abuses democracy. It should be designated as a terrorist organisation, and mosques and institutions should be scrutinised. That is the view of the Christian Democrats (Kristdemokraterna) in Sweden, who also wish to halt foreign financing from extremists to foundations, associations and congregations in Sweden. They further seek to stop the disbursement of Swedish taxpayers’ funds to extremist organisations.

On the other side of the mound

The EU’s Kaja Kallas called for an Arctic strategy in Tromsø, but Brussels has little to offer. Will Norway become the EU’s proxy in the north? Greenland buzz offers an excuse, and Russian Arctic mobilization might relieve Ukraine—yet it’s a risky play Norway isn’t equipped for.

The violent left poses a growing threat

The killing of Conservative student Quentin Deranque in France signals a rising threat from violent left-wing extremism across Europe. France’s justice minister blames inflammatory rhetoric from the radical left for fueling such attacks, while Denmark’s security service has elevated its alert level against left-wing extremists. The assassination of conservative figure Charlie Kirk should have been Europe’s wake-up call.

When the mighty fall, they land softly

When regular employees get caught up in serious criminal cases, they lose their jobs, their income, and their security. When it happens to those at the very top of the system, they’re relieved of all duties while keeping full pay. The double standard is outrageous. Try telling a single mother stressing over her power bill that Mona Juul is still collecting 1.5 million kroner a year for doing absolutely nothing.

The toxic culture in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs – seen from the inside

When the party handbook becomes too dominant and the roles of political leadership and the civil service blur into one another, professional integrity erodes and lines of accountability grow unclear. This toxic culture is especially pronounced in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (UD). In such systems, a culture quickly takes root in which regulations, meritocratic principles, and expert assessments become difficult to uphold. Loyalty to the leadership’s political and personal interests – and to one’s own career prospects – weighs far more heavily than professional integrity or the organisation’s overarching objectives.

Eight dangerous asylum seekers and ten neighbours: – Bloody man in the garden

A barracks in Norway’s far north has in recent years been used as a reception centre for particularly dangerous asylum seekers. The nearest police patrol is at least half an hour away. The foreigners move about freely, creating unease and frustration among the ten permanent residents, who are calling for better security: “We no longer want to take part in this experiment.”