https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Norway in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed Norwegian Muslim umbrella organisation Islamic Council Norway has been criticised for hiring a woman who wears the full face-covering niqab as a communications officer. https://www.thelocal.no/20170328/islamic-council-norway-hires-woman-in-niqab-as-communications-officer Tue, 28 Mar 2017 19:01:56 +0200 islamic-council-norway-hires-woman-in-niqab-as-communications-officer On January 1st, the Church of Norway and the Norwegian government will formally divorce after nearly 500 years together. https://www.thelocal.no/20161228/norway-prepares-for-biggest-change-to-the-church-since-reformation Wed, 28 Dec 2016 08:59:54 +0100 norway-prepares-for-biggest-change-to-the-church-since-reformation A primary school in Stavanger has been criticized for not allowing children to sing the hymn ‘Deilig er jorden’ at the school’s Christmas party, but the school’s principle says the media has gotten the story all wrong. https://www.thelocal.no/20161215/norway-school-accused-of-censoring-christmas-songs Thu, 15 Dec 2016 14:53:04 +0100 norway-school-accused-of-censoring-christmas-songs The Norwegian Catholic Church was fined on million kroner (more than €110,000) on Monday for exaggerating the number of members it has to receive more state aid. https://www.thelocal.no/20161129/norways-catholic-church-fined-for-fraud-over-membership Tue, 29 Nov 2016 10:37:49 +0100 norways-catholic-church-fined-for-fraud-over-membership The ranks of the Church of Norway shrunk by 25,743 members in August, it said on Thursday. https://www.thelocal.no/20160901/church-of-norway-loses-25000-members-in-one-month Thu, 01 Sep 2016 15:37:06 +0200 church-of-norway-loses-25000-members-in-one-month The Protestant Church of Norway on Friday said it had lost more than 15,000 members in four days since allowing members to de-enrol in just a few clicks. https://www.thelocal.no/20160819/faithful-no-more-norway-church-suffers-1-click-exodus Fri, 19 Aug 2016 21:22:34 +0200 faithful-no-more-norway-church-suffers-1-click-exodus The Catholic Church has been told to pay back millions of kroner to the Norwegian state after it allegedly exaggerated its membership figures to qualify for extra state aid. https://www.thelocal.no/20160506/catholic-church-told-to-pay-back-millions-to-norway Fri, 06 May 2016 11:28:40 +0200 catholic-church-told-to-pay-back-millions-to-norway Norway’s Ministry of Justice announced on Wednesday that it would take a hard look at rules regulating the entry and residency of so-called ‘hate preachers’. https://www.thelocal.no/20160427/norway-moves-to-bar-entry-to-hate-preachers Wed, 27 Apr 2016 12:41:55 +0200 norway-moves-to-bar-entry-to-hate-preachers More people than ever are dropping their membership in the Church of Norway – could the approval of gay marriage be a driving force? https://www.thelocal.no/20160418/thousands-leave-the-church-of-norway Mon, 18 Apr 2016 14:18:21 +0200 thousands-leave-the-church-of-norway For the first time ever, there are more in Norway who say they don’t believe in God than those who say they do. On top of that, there is a large group that is in doubt. https://www.thelocal.no/20160318/majority-of-norwegians-dont-believe-in-god Fri, 18 Mar 2016 09:24:34 +0100 majority-of-norwegians-dont-believe-in-god Some Norwegian parents are asking just how far schools should go in accommodating minorities after a school in suburban Oslo asked parents for permission to let kids dance around the Christmas tree. https://www.thelocal.no/20151209/norway-school-under-fire-for-christmas-tree-permission-slip Wed, 09 Dec 2015 16:56:14 +0100 norway-school-under-fire-for-christmas-tree-permission-slip An expert on Islam has suggested that Norwegians could improve integration by removing beer, wine and spirits from the Christmas party table. https://www.thelocal.no/20151201/norwegians-urged-to-drop-alcohol-for-foreigners-sake Tue, 01 Dec 2015 13:13:40 +0100 norwegians-urged-to-drop-alcohol-for-foreigners-sake UPDATED: Following heated debate, Norwegian officials have dropped the requirement that any buildings that house refugees remove their religous imagery in order to not offend the newcomers. https://www.thelocal.no/20151130/norway-remove-cross-refugees Mon, 30 Nov 2015 15:27:03 +0100 norway-remove-cross-refugees The number of Norwegian atheists now equals those who believe in God for the first time since a key survey began, in a sign of increasing secularization in the once god-fearing nation. https://www.thelocal.no/20150331/atheists-equal-believers-in-norway-for-first-time Tue, 31 Mar 2015 10:35:27 +0200 atheists-equal-believers-in-norway-for-first-time The Catholic Church of Norway has admitted illegally registering thousands of foreigners to the church without asking their consent in a bid to win more government funding. https://www.thelocal.no/20141103/catholic-church-in-illegal-members-scandal Mon, 03 Nov 2014 10:18:00 +0100 catholic-church-in-illegal-members-scandal Bishop of Oslo, Ole Christian Kvarme, was back at work again on Tuesday after being on sick leave for almost eight months due to a heart operation. https://www.thelocal.no/20141029/bishop-of-oslo-returns-to-job-after-long-absence Wed, 29 Oct 2014 01:01:00 +0100 bishop-of-oslo-returns-to-job-after-long-absence A vicar in Norway was outraged and has called for a ban on a cinema commercial trying to promote baptism using a farting, rapping baby. https://www.thelocal.no/20141028/norway-vicar-wants-burping-baptism-baby-ad-ban Tue, 28 Oct 2014 17:03:00 +0100 norway-vicar-wants-burping-baptism-baby-ad-ban The Norwegian defence ministry has given the all-clear for uniformed soldiers to wear religious headgear such as turbans, hijabs and kippahs. https://www.thelocal.no/20120829/norwegian-army-allows-turbans-hijabs-and-kippahs Wed, 29 Aug 2012 19:29:00 +0200 norwegian-army-allows-turbans-hijabs-and-kippahs Dozens of students at the Oslo International Bible College have claimed they were exposed by staff members to threats, harassment and accusations of witchcraft. https://www.thelocal.no/20120829/bible-students-forced-to-speak-in-tongues-report Wed, 29 Aug 2012 14:46:00 +0200 bible-students-forced-to-speak-in-tongues-report The Norwegian parliament has voted to abolish the state church, a decision which is set to be confirmed in a constitutional amendment on Monday. https://www.thelocal.no/20120521/norway-separates-church-and-state Mon, 21 May 2012 15:39:00 +0200 norway-separates-church-and-state