Norway Poised to Become First All-Electric Vehicle Country

Norway is on track to become the first country to fully phase out gas-powered vehicles, with electric vehicles (EVs) comprising 88.9% of all new car sales in 2024, according to the BBC. This remarkable achievement contrasts sharply with the U.S., where EVs made up only 8% of sales last year, as reported by Reuters. The shift in Norway is the result of long-standing government policies, beginning in the 1990s, that taxed diesel vehicles while exempting EVs from taxes, making the latter more attractive to consumers. Ulf Tore, CEO of the car dealership Harald A Møller in Oslo, emphasized the inevitability of an all-electric future: “We think it's wrong to advise a customer to buy a petrol car.” In 2017, Norway set a non-binding goal for all new cars sold to be electric by 2025, a target now within reach. Incentives such as tax breaks, free parking, and access to bus lanes have further incentivized the transition. Ståle Fyen, an EV owner, noted that financial advantages played a significant role in the decision to go electric. Many believe that Norway’s model could serve as a blueprint for other countries to adopt similar policies for a sustainable future.

Archaeologists in Norway have uncovered fragments believed to be the oldest rune stones in the world, dating back approximately 2,000 years. These inscriptions, found in the Svingerud burial field in Hole, represent the earliest known form of runic writing, shedding light on the cultural practices of a long-lost civilization, according to lead archaeologist Steinar Solheim from the University of Oslo. The sandstone fragments, originally part of a single slab, exhibit multiple runic sequences, some of which have been identified as potentially referencing ancient Nordic words. Researchers believe that these stones might have served as grave markers, possibly broken and reused in subsequent burials. The peculiar nature of the inscriptions suggests they may have been engraved by various individuals, potentially indicating a communal or familial connection. Despite attempts to decipher the runes, many markings remain ambiguous, prompting further inquiry into their meaning and the historical context of their use. The findings present new opportunities for understanding the origins of runic texts and their evolution over time, as noted in a recent study published in the journal *Antiquity*.

Norway has seized the Silver Dania, a Norwegian-owned cargo ship with a Russian crew, amid allegations of its involvement in recent undersea cable damage in the Baltic Sea. The ship was detained near Tromso at the request of Latvia, with police launching an investigation on January 31, 2025, following reports of serious damage to a fibre optic cable between Latvia and Sweden. According to Norwegian police, the ship was intercepted while sailing from Saint Petersburg to Murmansk, and its crew and owner are cooperating with authorities. Hailing from the Norwegian shipping company Silver Sea, the vessel's owner Tormod Fossmark insisted that the ship had no connection to the damage, asserting, "We did nothing wrong." This incident follows increased scrutiny of maritime activities in the Baltic Sea, where several undersea cables have been sabotaged in recent months, possibly linked to rising tensions between Russia and Western nations, particularly since the onset of the Ukraine conflict in February 2022.