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| ICT news: |
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4G mobile phone network comes to Scandinavia
Swedish and Norwegian mobile users could be among the first to use a fourth-generation (4G) mobile network. Mobile phone firm TeliaSonera has completed work on two 4G networks in Oslo and Stockholm. Read more |
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Ships tracked with smart software
Ships could be in and out of European ports much quicker thanks to smart software that monitors their movements. Read more |
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Students can enter virtual world to test school design
Students and teachers in Birmingham will be able to test plans for rebuilding schools using a computer-game style virtual world. A project linking universities and software developers will allow schools to experiment with different furniture layouts and building designs. Read more |
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| Finance, market and government news: |
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Gore and Støre present ice melting report
Norway’s Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and former US Vice President Al Gore presented a report at the climate summit in Copenhagen, which showed that snow and ice are melting at an alarming rate. Read more |
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Norway at the Copenhagen Climate Summit
"We are now at a critical stage in the conference. We must now all take the responsibility for reaching a successful agreement here in Copenhagen. If we don’t succeed, the most vulnerable countries will suffer the most", Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg said in his speech at COP15. Read more
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Leaders discuss economic blueprint for next decade
EU leaders gave the nod to plans for financial supervision with discussion also focusing on the shaky position of Greece's public finances and the bloc's economic blueprint for the coming decade. Read more |
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Conclusions of the European Council
The new Treaty of Lisbon will allow the Union to fully concentrate on addressing the challenges ahead. Work will continue in the coming months to ensure its full implementation, particularly as regards the setting up of the European External Action Service and the adoption of legislation on the citizens' initiative. Read more |
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Europeans cautiously optimistic about the economy, but remain concerned about unemployment
The first results of the latest Eurobarometer survey reveal that for Europeans unemployment is the most important issue facing their own country, while concerns about the economic situation have lessened slightly. However, a majority still believes the worst of the crisis is to come. Read more |
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Third quarter 2009 compared with third quarter 2008 Euro area hourly labour costs
Hourly labour costs in the euro area (EA16) rose by 3.2% in the year up to the third quarter of 2009, compared with 4.3% for the previous quarter. In the EU27 1, the annual rise was 3.1% up to the third quarter of 2009, compared with 4.2% for the previous quarter. Read more |
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GDP per inhabitant in purchasing power standards
In 2008, the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per inhabitant in Luxembourg, expressed in purchasing power standards (PPS), was more than two and a half times the EU27 average, while Ireland and the Netherlands recorded levels about one third above average. Austria, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Germany, the United Kingdom and Belgium were between 15% and 25% above the EU27 average. Read more |
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Intellectual Property Rights: Member States and the Commission mobilise to fight counterfeiting and piracy
Member States and the European Commission met in Stockholm, under the umbrella of the European Observatory for Counterfeiting and Piracy, to build on practical initiatives to respond to the increasing threat of counterfeiting and piracy in the EU. Read more |
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Easier credit to help unemployed people start up businesses
Legal measures to make it easier for people who have lost or risk losing their jobs to get credit to start up their own businesses were backed by the European Parliament on Tuesday. Read more |
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‘Time is right for business to invest, acquire and export’
Business has the ideal opportunity to invest, acquire and grow as a result of the recession, the head of investment at Finance Wales said. Speaking to an audience of executives at Cardiff Breakfast Club, Peter Wright urged the business community to be ambitious despite the difficult economic climate. Read more |
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Youth in Europe: A statistical portrait of the lifestyle of young people
Young people make up a significant proportion of the EU population: on 1 January 2009, there were 95 million persons aged 15 to 29 in the EU27, almost a fifth of the total population. Statistics on young people confirm that they have their own characteristics compared to the older generation, but also reveal differences in their behaviour between Member States. Read more |
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| Various Norwegian-British news: |
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Laying The Foundations For Low Carbon Buildings - The Low/Zero Carbon Hub
If the Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) achieves its vision, the next few years will see a major shift in the type of buildings constructed in Wales, with the country taking a distinctive approach to tackling climate change. Read more |
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Nearly five million Norwegians
The population of Norway is estimated to be 4 854 000 at the turn of the year. This figure represents a population growth of 55 000 persons or 1.1 per cent in 2009, down from 62 000 or 1.3 per cent in 2008. Read more |
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BTobacco no longer on display
From January 1st 2010, tobacco, snuff and other tobacco goods may no longer be displayed near the checkout point at Norwegian stores, but must be hidden under the counter. Read more |
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| External events: |
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Norwegian Christmas in London
If you would like to take part in a traditional Norwegian Christmas Eve celebration, please contact Norwegian YWCA at 020 7727 9346 or tjl@kfukhjemmet.org.uk before 18 December. Price £10, which includes dinner, dessert, coffee and cakes. The celebration starts at 7.00pm. |
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Ibsen Stage Company Presents: Hedda
Following guest performances of A Dolls House at the Norwegian National Theatre and the ongoing success abroad with Little Eyolf, Ibsen Stage Company returns to London with a brand new version of Ibsen’s psychological thriller Hedda Gabler. Read more |
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The Zodiac
A space to recharge and a space to reflect. When a coffee shop houses art, the energy resonates. Bernard Rangel showcases a unique collection of paintings of the Zodiac at the Bermondsey Street Coffee on Bermondsey Street. Read more |
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Psychotropic Daze
Maverik Showroom presents The Unknown collection of paintings produced in a Psychotropic Daze by Bernard Rangel. The first series of the Unknown collection was executed in Brazil and the succeeding series is a product of London. Read more |
