Oslo - A combination of strong winds, high waves and icy waters contributed to the deaths Wednesday of four German tourists whose rented fishing boat overturned off the Norwegian west coast, north

Oslo  -  Veteran Norwegian politician Carl I Hagen said Wednesday he would not seek re-election to parliament in 2009, marking the end of three decades in public office.

Oslo  -  Norwegian state-owned energy group Statoil Hydro said Wednesday it "rejected" a potential claim worth billions of kroner from the Norwegian government linked to the construction of a gas t

Oslo - Norwegian tele

Oslo  - Norwegian Agriculture Minister Terje Riis-Johansen on Thursday called for a national campaign against the much-vilified Spanish slug.

Gardeners and farmers in Norway and neighbouring Sweden and Denmark have in recent years reported how the slug, also known as Arion lusitanicus, has become a major pest, destroying plants and flowers and other crops.

"The Spanish slug has become a major problem for many gardeners and I fear it will be a major nuisance for the agriculture sector," Riis-Johansen said when he addressed a conference on the topic in the west coast city of Bergen.

The minister offered 10,000 kroner (2,000 dollars) as a reward for the best method to destroy the troublesome slug.

Oslo - Norway's central bank Wednesday raised its key lending rate to 5.50 per ce