Barentsobserver

Indigenous people discuss their role in a changing Arctic

In a rapidly changing Arctic, the region's indigenous people are standing at the forefront of climate change and resource development – a situation that's putting them increasingly in the international spotlight and raising questions about their role in Arctic policy making.

May 13, 2013

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Spektakel break in 2014

10 Barents Spektakel festivals in a row in Kirkenes calls for a one year festival break for the organizers in the art curator group "Pikene på Broen". The next festival will probably be held in the winter of 2015.

April 25, 2013

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Tromsø International Film Festival tours Russian cinemas

The festival’s programmers have compiled a program of three short films to tour cinemas in Northwest Russia in April.

April 17, 2013

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Lighting up European borders

KIRKENES: With a floodlight projector designed for giant sport arenas, Stefano Cagol is on a path to identify and underline the borders of Europe and their fate. See our video interview with Cagol.

March 22, 2013

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Ski race without borders

RAYAKOSKI: Once a year you can walk around the stone cairn marking the place where Norway, Russia and Finland meet, without breaking the law. This is during the annual Barents Ski Race, which runs on all the three countries’ territories.

March 18, 2013

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Torch-bearers bring Olympic flame through Barents

Countdown to Sochi 2014 Olympic winter games has started. Torch-bearers will bring the flame through the entire Russian part of the Barents Region in October and November.

March 01, 2013

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Barents Spektakel 2013

KIRKENES: The Barents Spektakel is Norway´s most border-crossing festival. For five days each year the little Norwegian border town of Kirkenes explodes in culture events, concerts with international top bands and political debates. See photos from the 2013 festival.

February 08, 2013

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Barents Spektakel 2013

See the video of the opening of Barents Spektakel festival 2013.

February 07, 2013

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World Heritage could be limited for tourists

Russian church demands special status for two of the main tourist attractions in Barents Russia, Solovki and Valaam archipelagos.

February 01, 2013

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Fear ex-governor will destroy Kizhi

Staff and locals at the iconic outdoor museum of wooden architecture fear newly appointed director, ex-governor of Karelia Andrey Nelidov, will develop Kizhi into a tourist machine destroying the World Heritage site.

January 30, 2013

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Norwegian Pomor rock to Murmansk

North Norwegian folk rock band Senjahopen plays its first ever concert abroad in Murmansk this weekend.

January 09, 2013

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Finnish Grand Prix winner

Finnish director Maija Kaipainen from YLE won the Grand Prix prize under Northern Character film festival 2012, while Norwegian director Per Kristian Olsen won the documentary prize.

December 04, 2012

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Crown Prince Haakon opens Barents Spektakel 2013

Two years ago his mother, Queen Sonja of Norway, attended the festival. In February 2013 the Crown Prince of Norway will have the same pleasure to visit the border town of Kirkenes during the spektakular days.

November 09, 2012

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First oil from Yamal

With trucks and railway, Gazprom Neft this winter transported the first 10000 tons of oil from the Novoportovskoye field in the Yamal Peninsula.

May 16, 2013 Comments

Where the wind blows the most

The Varanger Kraft company is investing almost €80 million in a wind power project on Norway's Arctic coast, at one of the most windy spots in Europe.

May 07, 2013 Comments

Preparing for visit to Kirkenes, Medvedev says drill May 03, 2013
Gazprom boosts offshore reserves May 03, 2013
Rosneft, Novatek join efforts against Gazprom May 02, 2013
Skrugard-Havis fields renamed April 23, 2013
Norway ready to drill along Russian border May 03, 2013
Labor party supports impact study of Arctic drilling April 22, 2013
Shtokman forever in mind April 18, 2013
Norwegian gas for Russian Barents April 17, 2013
Construction of Sabetta port to start this summer April 18, 2013
Italians ready to map Russian-Norwegian waters April 17, 2013
Statoil wants back into Shtokman April 16, 2013
Statoil postpones world's northernmost drilling April 15, 2013
Kovtun asks Government for new nuclear plant April 15, 2013

Putin calls on shipbuilder to speed up naval deliveries

Russian President Vladimir criticizes the United Shipbuilding Corporation for delays in delivery of warships to the navy and appoints new head of the state-run company.

May 22, 2013 Comments

Hercules investigation report postponed for fifth time

The investigation report after the Hercules aircraft crash in Kebnekaise in March 2012 is still not ready and has been postponed for the fifth time.

May 07, 2013 Comments

Norwegian-Russian POMOR-2013 naval exercise starts this week May 07, 2013

POMOR-2012 Naval Exercises
Nuke missile subs mostly at port May 06, 2013
NATO visit to Northern Norway May 06, 2013
Nuclear traffic jam April 29, 2013
Fire-struck nuke bomber frequent flyer outside Norway April 11, 2013
Removes emblems to make faceless subs April 10, 2013
Nuclear watchdog expects more secret voyages April 06, 2013
Secret nuclear cargo shipped around Norway April 05, 2013
Russia starts air force drills in Karelia March 20, 2013
Arctic Convoys veterans finally honored March 20, 2013
Testing equipment for Arctic Brigade March 19, 2013
FSB can tap your Skype without court order March 14, 2013
Cyber spies targeting Norway March 11, 2013

Mapping under the Barents Sea continues

With the Barents Sea border dispute between Norway and Russia settled, Norway is getting to know its new underwater land.

May 21, 2013 Comments

Arctic Biodiversity Assessment released

KIRUNA: the Arctic Council’s biodiversity group today released the “Arctic Biodiversity Assessment”, a report containing the best available science on the status and trends of Arctic biodiversity and accompanying policy recommendations for biodiversity conservation.

May 15, 2013 Comments

Landmark carbon dioxide levels bad news for Arctic May 14, 2013
The Arctic is pushed north May 08, 2013
Barents Sea will have floating garbage patch in 50 years May 08, 2013
Poisonous May day celebrations May 08, 2013
More pollution monitoring needed, say Barents scientists May 09, 2013
New report shows extensive ocean acidification May 06, 2013
Tundra oil spill May 02, 2013
Record amounts of snow crab in Barents Sea April 29, 2013

King crab fishing
In Kola Peninsula, environmentalists deal blow to Acron April 25, 2013
Melting Arctic gives cold spring April 22, 2013
Lofoten needs better oil spill preparedness April 19, 2013
Fishery agreement for the North Pole needed April 18, 2013
New leakage from Finnish Talvivaara mine April 08, 2013

Salmon genome to be sequenced this winter

Sally the salmon is about to make a huge splash in the international fish farming scene.

May 22, 2013 Comments

New credits save Lapland iron

After having been on the verge of bankruptcy, the Northland Resources now confirms that it has the funding needed for continued development of the great Kaunisvaara iron mine project in northern Sweden.

May 08, 2013 Comments

Svalbard coal mine reduces staff May 04, 2013

Svea coal mine on Svalbard
SAS sells Widerøe May 03, 2013
Putin backs governor in fight against Rusal May 03, 2013
22,000 applicants for mining jobs May 02, 2013

Mining in northern-Sweden
Moscow may ban Norwegian fresh fish April 30, 2013
Russians save Santa’s income April 30, 2013
Infrastructure on Nenets agenda April 29, 2013
Finland confirms continued interest in Murmansk April 26, 2013
Chinese investors looking at Arkhangelsk port April 23, 2013
Murmansk oligarch takes 100% of Apatit April 21, 2013
Best result ever for Murmansk Port April 18, 2013
Young entrepreneurs show the way in Murmansk April 16, 2013
Production stable, profit down April 15, 2013

New funding saves Arctic research lab

Work at one of the world's northernmost research centres is shifting back into high gear thanks to new funding.

May 22, 2013 Comments

New web tool maps Arctic nature and activities

World Wildlife Fund has launched a web-based map showing natural resources and updated overviews of activities like shipping or oil drilling in the Arctic.

May 21, 2013 Comments

Yes to China, No to EU May 15, 2013
Canada brings indigenous voice to Arctic policy May 15, 2013

Arctic Council meeting 2013 in Kiruna
Binding oil spill agreement signed May 17, 2013
Arctic Council´s international breakthrough May 15, 2013

Arctic Council meeting 2013 in Kiruna
Six new observers to Arctic Council May 15, 2013

Arctic Council meeting 2013 in Kiruna
Canada spearheads alliance of Arctic Council museums May 14, 2013
Sami want say in Arctic mining May 13, 2013
Arctic Council heads to Kiruna next week May 08, 2013
Canadian shipping company defends itself against allegations May 07, 2013
China seeks observer status with the Arctic Council May 07, 2013
Polar bears attack Statoil in Moscow April 30, 2013
Svalbard’s experience – for Russian Arctic? April 23, 2013
Nuclear energy for Arctic April 19, 2013

Indigenous people discuss their role in a changing Arctic

May 18, 2013 Comments

Spektakel break in 2014

April 25, 2013 Comments

Tromsø International Film Festival tours Russian cinemas April 17, 2013
Lighting up European borders March 22, 2013

The end of the border (of the mind)
Ski race without borders March 18, 2013

Barents Ski Race 2013
Torch-bearers bring Olympic flame through Barents March 03, 2013
Barents Spektakel 2013 February 11, 2013

Barents Spektakel 2013
Barents Spektakel 2013 February 07, 2013
World Heritage could be limited for tourists February 01, 2013

Solovki
Fear ex-governor will destroy Kizhi January 30, 2013
Norwegian Pomor rock to Murmansk January 09, 2013
Finnish Grand Prix winner December 04, 2012
Crown Prince Haakon opens Barents Spektakel 2013 November 09, 2012
Norwegian victory in Barents swimming November 05, 2012
Russian culture wins Finnish state support October 10, 2012

Peak hours at Barents borders

The first days of May have been all time high for border-crossings at Russia’s northernmost check-points to Europe.

May 07, 2013 Comments

Finland, Russia aim at smoother border traffic

A cross-administrative border traffic working group is established to facilitate trade and travelling between the countries.

April 04, 2013 Comments

Nordic protest after Russian inspection

Russia’s crack-down on foreign funded groups have reached Nordic Council’s information office in Kaliningrad. Carl Bildt and the other Nordic Foreign Ministers lodge sharp protest.

May 04, 2013 Comments

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