Telenor, the Norway-based telecom provider, will soon strengthen its global operation with the addition of a new mobile service under the brand name Uninor in India. Read the full story

In the first known gay marriage at India’s legendary tribute to love, the Taj Mahal, two young Swedish women tied the knot following traditional Hindu rituals conducted by a priest at the Mahadeva Shiva temple in Agra. The two women, aged 18 and 19, were initially refused by the priest, Dharm Das. But after promising to be lifelong disciples of the priest and giving offerings to the temple, he changed his mind. Read the full story

In a few months, Indian carmaker Tata Motors is planning to begin selling an electric version of its hatchback car called the Indica in Norway. Working in conjunction with a Norwegian firm, the company will make the Indica widely available throughout the country in 2009 if sales go well.

Tata’s managing director, Ravi Kant, told Reuters that “this is one of the technologies that we are looking at, as you know that electric cars are almost zero emission. Right now we want to Read the full story

Danish customs official have intercepted thousands of illegal ‘Womenra’ pills in the post over the last several months.

Reports in the Copenhagen Post indicate that the pills are ordered online by Danish women and sent from India. The drug is intended to increase blood flow to the genitals and increase a woman’s sex drive.

The Danish Medicines Agency intends to start a public information campaign against the pills, which it says can be dangerous.

The Hindu News Update Service recently reported that Iceland’s President, Dr Olafur Ragnar Grimsson, will soon be the recipient of the 2007 Jawaharlal Nehru Award for International Understanding.

The award will be presented to the President along with a trophy, a citation and prize money worth 5 million Rupees.

Grimsson was chosen by a jury led by Vice President Hamid Ansari.

For the past 25 years, Iceland’s current president has worked closely with India, first visiting the country as a Member of Parliament in 1983. He is currently serving his third term as Iceland’s head of state.

Grimsson’s important international work includes serving as chairman and international president of the International Association of Parliamentarians for Global Action (PGA).

The PGA was responsible for the “Six Nations Peace Initiative” which lasted for five years beginning in 1984 and in which prominent politicians such as the late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi participated.

The Jawaharlal Nehru Award for International Understanding was founded in 1965 and has been given annually by the Government of India since that time to people “for their outstanding contribution to the promotion of international understanding, goodwill and friendship among peoples of the world”.

Martin Luther King Junior was the second ever recipient of the award, which was given in his name posthumously. Other famous recipients include Mother Teresa, in 1969, Nelson Mandela, in 1979, and Aung San Suu Kyi in 1993.

In an interview on Squawk Box on the US television network CNBC, Jon Asgeir Johannesson, Executive Chairman of Baugur Group, spoke of “interesting times” in the global market, according to Frettabladid.

The programme introduced Johannesson as “the most powerful man in British retail”, a title earned due to the impressive empire his Icelandic company has amassed on the British high street. Baugur Group counts House of Fraser, Goldsmiths, Iceland supermarkets and Hamleys among its many outlets.

During the interview Johannesson said that Baugur sees interesting times ahead and that the company is always on the lookout for good buys in Europe and North America.

But the tycoon expects the biggest growth to come from India and China, where he says, “growth is so fast that a company can lose its competitive edge if growth is below 30%.”

When asked about the high profile court cases against him and others in the company, Johannesson maintained his claim the whole scenario was politically motivated, and stated that it seems highly unlikely any new charges will be brought.

Norway’s reputation and role as a mediator in global conflicts has been brought to the attention of several groups working to secure a resolution to the conflict between India and Pakistan over the Kashmir region.

The Norwegian Christian Democratic Party’s central board is urging the government to consider stepping in.

Members of the Kashmiri-Scandinavian-Council (KSC) have also recently released a statement indicating that several of their members, including Kashmiri politician Mirwaiz Omer Farooq, have called on the government and civil society in Norway to mediate between India and Pakistan.

Norway is often considered a mediator on the world stage, especially following the country’s constructive work in Sri Lanka. In Kashmir, however, Norway’s potential role would be extremely challenging as trust between India and Pakistan has eroded over the years since the conflict began. Norway is considered to have a good relationship with both the Indian and Pakistani governments.

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