2008 in Norway

The Norwegian twin cities Stavanger/Sandnes, together with English Liverpool, are European Capitals of Culture for 2008.

Events

Anniversaries

* 200 years since the birth of the poet Henrik Wergeland on June 17, 1808 [ [http://www.aftenposten.no/english/local/article2488573.ece Wergeland hailed on 200th birthday] , Aftenposten, 17 June 2008]
* 140 years since the founding of the Norwegian Mountain Touring Association (January 21) [cite news |first= Sol |last= Kristiansen |title= Ut på tur i 140 år |url= http://oslopuls.aftenposten.no/?service=redirect&sourceid=2199195 |work= Aftenposten |date=2008-01-17 |accessdate=2008-10-08 |language= Norwegian]
* 100 years since Norway national football team played its first international game on July 12, 1908 in Gothenburg, Sweden fact|date=October 2008
* 100 years since the sports club SK Brann was established (September 26)cite web|url=http://www.brann.no/index.php?mapping=218 |title=Sportsklubben Brann - Ekte lidenskap har et navn |publisher=Brann.no |date= |accessdate=2008-09-06]
* 100 years since the birth of the poet Olav H. Hauge on August 18, 1908 [ [http://eng.ht08.no/Default2.aspx?pageid=748 Olav H. Hauge] at the Olav H. Hauge & Geirr Tveitt centennial celebration]
* 70 years since the death of Queen Maud of Norway on November 20, 1938 [cite web |url= http://www.vam.ac.uk/vastatic/microsites/1333_styleandsplendour/whowas/whowas.html
title= Style & Splendor - Who was Queen Maud of Norway?
publisher= Victoria and Albert Museum |accessdate= 2007-06-04 ]

Januaryndash June

* January
** January 1ndash
*** The Agency for Public Management and eGovernment is established. [cite web |url=http://www.difi.no/hovedEnkel.aspx?m=43596 |title=About DIFI |author=Agency for Public Management and eGovernment |date=2007-12-27]
*** Nordic Battlegroup consisting of military forces from Sweden, Finland, Norway, Ireland, and Estonia under the control of the European Union, is established. [cite web|url=http://www.mil.se/index.php?lang=E&c=news&id=32771 |title=Inauguration of the Nordic Battle Group Headquarters |accessdate=2006-08-26 |accessmonthday= |accessyear= |author=Ulf K. Rask |last= |first= |authorlink= |coauthors= |date=2006-05-29 |year= |month= |format= |work= |publisher=Försvarsmakten |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate=]
*** Mercury becomes banned from use in Norway. [ Bans mercury in products, Press release, 21.12.2007, Minister of the Environment and International Development Erik Solheim [http://www.regjeringen.no/en/dep/md/Press-Centre/Press-releases/2007/Bans-mercury-in-products.html?id=495138] ]
** January 5ndash A blizzard strikes the Agder counties of Southern Norway.fact|date=October 2008
** January 11ndash Norwegian police announce that they have arrested a 55-year old man suspected of being the sexual predator known as The Pocket Man. [*cite news |title= Norway nabs 'pocket' sex suspect |url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/7184073.stm |publisher= BBC News |date= January 11, 2008 |accessdate=2008-01-15]
** January 21ndash The OBX Index drops 6.4%, then the second biggest fall since August 1991 and the third largest in its history.cite news |first= Even |last= Landre |title= Krisetemning på børsen |url= http://www.na24.no/imarkedet/borskommentar/article2202993.ece |work= NA24 |publisher= |location= Oslo, Norway |page= |date=2008-09-09 |accessdate=2008-10-05 |language= Norwegian] cite news |first= |last= |title= Panikken tok børsen |url= http://e24.no/kommentar/boerskommentar/article2695910.ece |work= e24.no |publisher= |location= Oslo, Norway |page= |date=2008-10-06 |accessdate=2008-10-06 |language= Norwegian]
* Februaryndash
** February 5ndash The Stortinget's Oversight Committee opens the case to decide whether three Supreme Court justices will be impeached over their involvement in the Fritz Moen wrongful conviction scandal. [>cite news |first= |last= |authorlink= |author= Robert Gjerde |coauthors= |title= Stortinget må vurdere riksrett
url= http://www.aftenposten.no/nyheter/iriks/article2238528.ece |format= |work= |publisher= Aftenposten |id= |pages= |page= |date= 2008-02-05 |accessdate= 2008-02-05 |language= Norwegian |quote= ]
** February 14ndash A political scandal centering on Manuela Ramin-Osmundsen forces her to resign from her post as Minister of Children and Equality and Ida Hjort Kraby to resign from her newly appointed position as Ombudsman for Children. [ [http://www.aftenposten.no/english/local/article2256533.ece Children's minister quits under fire] Aftenposten, February 14, 2008]
** February 21ndash An eathquake measuring 6.2 on the Richter scale hits Svalbard. It's the strongest earthquake ever to hit Norway. [ [http://www.aftenposten.no/english/local/article2269271.ece Aftenposten] ]
** February 23ndash The 8 km Eiksund undersea tunnel near Volda in Møre og Romsdal is opened.fact|date=October 2008
** February 26ndash The Svalbard Global Seed Vault is officially opened. [cite news | url=http://www.boston.com/news/world/europe/articles/2008/02/26/doomsday_seed_vault_opens_in_arctic/ | date=26 February 2008 | title='Doomsday' seed vault opens in Arctic | publisher=boston.com/Associated Press]
** February 29ndash Anniken Huitfeldt is appointed Minister of Children and Equality. [ [http://www1.nrk.no/nett-tv/nyheter/spill/verdi/42190 NRK Nett-TV Nyheter: Her kommer den nye statsråden - Opposisjonen positiv til Huitfeldt - Her kommer den nye barneministeren] ]
**ndash Former Prime Minister Gro Harlem Brundtland is entangled in a political scandal over cancer treatments paid for by the Norwegian state, which she was not entitled to having previously changed her residency abroad. [no icon [http://www.vg.no/nyheter/innenriks/norsk-politikk/artikkel.php?artid=508236 VG.no:Betalte operasjon i 2002] ]
* March
** March 1ndash Austrian Matthias Lanzinger collides with a gate during a World Cup Super-G run at Kvitfjell, resulting in injuries that lead to his left leg being amputated below the knee two days later. [cite news |first= |last= |authorlink= |author= |coauthors= |title= Bein von Lanzinger muss amputiert werden |url= http://salzburg.orf.at/stories/261153/ |format= |work= |publisher= ORF |location= Austria |id= |pages= |page= |date= March 4, 2008 |accessdate=2008-03-04 |language= German.]

Julyndash December

* September
** September 9ndash The OBX Index drops 5.57%, then the fourth biggest drop ever.
** September 29ndash In conjunction with the global liquidity crisis the index of Oslo Stock Exchange drops 8.3%, then its third largest drop ever in one day, but eclipsed only one week later. [cite news |first= Klever |last= Magnus |title= Verste dag på 17 år |url= http://www.na24.no/imarkedet/borskommentar/article2258169.ece |work= NA24 |publisher= |location= Oslo, Norway |page= |date=2008-09-29 |accessdate=2008-09-30 |language= Norwegian]
* October
** October 6ndash
***The OBX Index drops 9.71%, the third largest drop ever in one day.
***Tromsø's bid to become host city to the 2018 Winter Olympics is cancelled when the sports board of Norwegian Confederation of Sports votes 9 against 3 to withdraw the application for government financial guarantee. [cite news |first= |last= |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Tromsø’s application withdrawn |url=http://www.aftenposten.no/english/sports/article2695284.ece |work= |publisher=Aftenposten |date=6 October 2008 |accessdate=2008-10-06 ]
** October 8ndash
***The OBX Index drops 6.44% [cite news |first= Gulbrand |last= Øverbye |title= Et av tidenes største børsfall |url= http://www.na24.no/imarkedet/borskommentar/article2284829.ece |work= NA24 |publisher= |location= Oslo, Norway |page= |date=2008-10-08 |accessdate=2008-10-08 |language= Norwegian]
***Bangladeshi-Norwegian parliamentarian for the Labour Party Saera Khan withdraws her candidacy for next year's elections when it is revealed that she has spent large sums using her parliament paid-for mobile phone to call psychic hotlines and then consistently lied to cover up the fact. [cite news |first=Gunnar |last=Magnus |coauthors=Geir Salvesen, Stine Barstad |title=Khan tar ikke gjenvalg |url=http://www.aftenposten.no/nyheter/iriks/article2703665.ece |work=Aftenposten |date=2008-10-09 |accessdate=2008-10-09 ]

Arts and literature

* January / Februaryndash
** In Melodi Grand Prix 2008 the song "Hold On Be Strong" with Maria Haukaas Storeng was selected to be the Norwegian entry for the Eurovision Song Contest 2008 in late May. [cite web|title=Norway: Maria Haukaas Storeng to Begrade|url=http://www.esctoday.com/news/read/10474|accessdate=2008-02-14]
* Octoberndash
** Great controversy erupts when Holocaust denier and historian David Irving is invited to the 2009 "Norwegian Festival of Literature" at Lillehammer, to discuss his concept of "truth" [cite news |first= Geir |last= Rakvaag |title= Irving fortsatt invitert |url= http://www.dagsavisen.no/kultur/article372935.ece |work= Dagsavisen |location= Oslo |date=2008-10-07 |accessdate=2008-10-08 |language= Norwegian] , ending in Irving's invitation being withdrawn. [cite news |title= Holocaust denial speaker's invitation cancelled |url= http://www.aftenposten.no/english/local/article2704141.ece |work= Aftenposten |location= |date=2008-10-09 |accessdate=2008-10-10] Author Stig Sæterbakken resigns as the festival's content director in protest over the decision. [cite news |first= Geir |last= Olsen |authorlink= Geir Olsen |title= Retrett mot Davig Irving. Irving: ndash De tør ikke møte meg |url= http://www.vg.no/rampelys/artikkel.php?artid=528392 |work= Verdens Gang |location= Oslo, Norway |date= 2008-10-10 |accessdate=2008-10-10|language= Norwegian]

ports

:"For football, see 2008 in Norwegian football"
* January
** The 2008 European Men's Handball Championship is hosted by the Norwegian Handball Federation with venues in Bergen, Drammen, Lillehammer, Stavanger and Trondheim.
* March 29ndash The Norwegian Premier League 2008 (association football) kicks off, lasting through November 2.citeweb | title = Norwegian Premier League - Fixtures 2008 | work=NRK Sport | url=http://www.nrksport.no/fotball/eliteserien/?arr=l1&sesong=2008&type=terminliste | accessdate=2008-04-05]
* November 2ndash The Norwegian Premier League 2008 ends. [citeweb | title = Norwegian Premier League - Fixtures 2008 | work=NRK Sport | url=http://www.nrksport.no/fotball/eliteserien/?arr=l1&sesong=2008&type=terminliste | accessdate=2008-04-05]

Births

* September 29 – Emma Tallulah Behn, the daughter of Princess Märtha Louise of Norway and Ari Behn. [ [http://www.vg.no/rampelys/artikkel.php?artid=517272 Her birth] – "Verdens Gang", September 29, 2008]

Deaths

* January 4 – Bjørn Odmar Andersen, footballer (b. 1943) [ [http://fotball.bt.no/eliteserien/article97426.ece Obituary] (in Norwegian)]
* January 14 – Carsten Thomassen, journalist is killed an a terrorist attack on Serena Hotel in Kabul (b. 1969) [ [http://www.dagbladet.no/nyheter/2008/01/14/523827.html Er en av de beste - utenriks - Dagbladet.no ] ]
* January 23 – Stein Rønning, 1990 world champion in karate (b. 1965) [ [http://www.dagbladet.no/sport/2008/01/23/524743.html Karatemester Rønning er død - Dagbladet] no icon]
* January 24 – Johannes Heggland, author and politician (b. 1919) [no icon [http://www.dagsavisen.no/kultur/boker/article332493.ece "Johannes Heggland er død "] – "Dagsavisen" Retrieved on February 1, 2008]
* January 28 – Dagfinn Grønoset, author (b. 1920)fact|date=October 2008
* January 28 – Marie Takvam, author and actor (b. 1926)fact|date=October 2008
* February 9 – Nils Retterstøl, professor of psychiatry (b. 1924) [ [http://www.vg.no/nyheter/innenriks/artikkel.php?artid=507497 Psykiatriprofessor Nils Retterstøl er død] no icon]
* February 10 – Ove Jørstad former football player (b. 1970) [cite news |first=Maiken Nøtsund |last=Fotland |coauthors=Morten Sandal |title=Døde på trening |url=http://www.vg.no/pub/vgart.hbs?artid=510727 |work=Verdens Gang |date=12 February 2008 |language=Norwegian |accessdate=2008-02-12 ]
* February 10 – Arne Barhaugen, Olympic nordic combined skier (b. 1932)fact|date=October 2008
* February 15 – Inge Thun, footballer (b. 1945) [ [http://dt.no/article/20080215/NYHET/806245535/1004/NYHET Obituary] , "Drammens Tidende" no icon]
* February 16 – Per Erik Monsen, Progress party politician (member of Parliament 1997-2005) (b. 1946) [cite news |url=http://www.sb.no/article/20080216/NYHETER/809021572 |title=Per Erik Monsen er død |first=Asle |last=Rowe |work=Sandefjords Blad |language=Norwegian |date=16 February 2008 ]
* March 7 – Julius Paltiel, Holocaust survivor (b. 1924) [ [http://www.aftenposten.no/nyheter/iriks/article2300688.ece "Aftenposten": Julius Paltiel er død] no icon]
* March 10 – Marianne Gullestad, social anthropologist (b. 1946) [Jan Petter Blom, Thomas Hylland Eriksen, Marianne Elisabeth Lien, Halvard Vik: «Marianne Gullestad». Obituary in "Aftenposten", kultur pages 14, 17 March 2008. See also ]
* March 14 – Ingvald Ulveseth, Labour party politician (b. 1924) [stortingetbio|INUL]
* March 16 – Victor Sparre, visual artist (b. 1919) [cite news |first= Mona |last= Larsen |title= Billedkunstner Victor Sparre er død |url= http://www.dagsavisen.no/kultur/article340128.ece |format= |work= Dagsavisen |location=Oslo, Norway |id= |pages= |page= |date=2008-03-17 |accessdate=2008-10-05 |language= Norwegian ]
* March 22 – Arne Skarpsno volunteer worker, known as the "Father of the street children" (b. 1926) [no icon [http://www.tv2.no/nyhetene/innenriks/article1701533.ece TV2 About Arne Skarpsno] ]
* April 23 – Haagen Ringnes, journalist and author (b. 1928) [ [http://www.nrk.no/kanal/nrk_gull/1.2394085 NRK] ]
* April 29 – Julie Ege, actress (b. 1943) [ [http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/julie-ege-sex-symbol-of-the-1970s-820386.html Obituary: "Independent"] ]
* May 15 – Tove Billington Bye, Centre party politician (b. 1928) [cite news |first=Elin Reffhaug |last=Johansen |title=Tove Bye er død |url= http://www.budstikka.no/sec_lokal/sec_asker/article180158.ece |work=Budstikka |date=19 May 2008 |language=Norwegian |accessdate=2008-05-20 ]
* May 19 – Kjell Kristian Rike, sports commentator (b. 1944) [cite news |url=http://www.nrksport.no/1.5715697 |first= |last= |title=Kjell Kristian Rike er død |work=NRK |date=19 May 2008 |accessdate=2008-05-19 |language=Norwegian ]
* June 2 – Geir Kjetsaa, professor in Russian literary history (b. 1937)fact|date=October 2008
* June 11 – Gunnar Solum, Labour party politician (b. 1929) [cite news |first=Stian |last=Manka |title=Gunnar Solum er død |work=Trønder-Avisa |url=http://www.t-a.no/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080611/NYHETER/901227403 |date=11 June 2008 |language=Norwegian |accessdate=2008-06-18 ]
* June 15 – Ole-Jørgen Nilsen, actor and theatre director (b. 1936) [cite news |first=Rune |last=Bernhus |title=Ole-Jørgen Nilsen er død |work=Romerikes Blad |url=http://www.rb.no/lokal_kultur/article3609977.ece |date=2008-06-16 |language=Norwegian |accessdate=2008-10-05 ]
* June 19 – Antonio Bibalo, Italian-Norwegian pianist and composer of contemporary music (b. 1922 in Trieste, Italy)fact|date=October 2008
* June 22 – Odd Aukrust, economist (b. 1915)fact|date=October 2008
* June 22 – Jens Petter Ekornes, entrepreneur (b. 1942)fact|date=October 2008
* June 22 – Hans Haga, agrarian leader (b. 1924) [cite news |author= |authorlink= |title=Hans Haga er død |url=http://www.dagsavisen.no/innenriks/article356387.ece |work= Dagsavisen |publisher= |language=Norwegian |date=24 June 2008 |accessdate=2008-06-24 ]
* June 26 – Asbjørn Haugstvedt, Christian Democratic politician (b. 1926) [ [http://www.abcnyheter.no/node/69325 KrF-politikeren Asbjørn Haugstvedt er død] no icon]
* June 27 – Sasha Gabor, Hungarian-born pornographic actor (b. 1945) [ [http://www.side2.no/kjendis/article2061248.ece Sasha Gabor er død - Side2 ] no icon]
* July 3 – Harald Heide-Steen Jr. actor (b. 1939) [ [http://www.aftenposten.no/nyheter/iriks/article2519421.ece Aftenposten: "Harald Heide Steen jr. er død"] , 3 July 2008 no icon]
* July 8 – Erling Rønneberg, trainer of the Norwegian resistance movement and mayor of Ski (b. 1923) [cite news |first=Christin |last=Atlar |title=Erling Rønneberg er død |work=Østlandets Blad |url=http://www.oblad.no/article/20080712/SKI/765075320 |date=12 July 2008 |language=Norwegian |accessdate=2008-07-23 ]
* July 14 – Henki Kolstad, actor (b. 1915) [cite news|url=http://www.aftenposten.no/english/local/article2539454.ece|title=Actor dead at 93|last=Berglund|first=Nina|date=2008-07-14|work=Aftenposten|accessdate=2008-07-16]
* July 21 – Knut Boye, civil economist (b. 1937) [ [http://paraplyen.nhh.no/paraplyen/arkiv/2008/juli/knut_boye_/ NHHs internavis "Paraplyen": Knut Boye er død] no icon]
* August 2 – Rolf Bae, mountaineer, fall from K2 (b. 1975) [cite news |first= |last= |authorlink= |coauthors= |title= Climbers killed on K2 |url= http://www.aftenposten.no/english/local/article2573189.ece |work= Aftenposten |publisher= |date= August 4, 2008 |accessdate=2008-08-07 ]
* August 2 – Helga Gitmark, Centre party politician (Minister of the Environment 1973) (b. 1929) [ [http://www.nrk.no/nyheter/1.6162609 Obituary] no icon]
* September 2 – Andreas Zeier Cappelen, politician and minister (b. 1915) [stortingetbio|ANCA]
* September 6 – Aril Edvardsen, evangelical preacher and missionary (b. 1938) [cite news|url=http://www.kjendis.no/2008/09/06/545999.html|title=Aril Edvardsen er død|last=Kristiansen|first=Arnhild Aass|date=2008-09-06|work=Dagbladet|language=Norwegian|accessdate=2008-09-06]
* September 11 – Nils Johan Ringdal,author and historian (b. 1952) [ [http://www.vg.no/rampelys/artikkel.php?artid=526169 Verdens Gang] (in Norwegian)]
* September 23 – Arne Haugestad, Supreme Court lawyer, Arne Treholt's defender (b. 1935) [cite news|url=http://www.aftenposten.no/nyheter/iriks/article2671860.ece|title=Arne Haugestad er død|date=2008-09-24|publisher=Aftenposten|language=Norwegian|accessdate=2008-09-26]

References