Norway

Americans, notoriously vague about their own country's past, may be forgiven for not knowing that 2005 marks the centennial of Norway's obtained independence from Sweden. The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra's latest program, devoted to eminent Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg, provides a good excuse to consult the history books. Norway, a not-terribly-willing partner in a union with Sweden for more than 90 years, experienced a surge of nationalism that, by 1905, seemed likely to end in war. A plebiscite in Norway on the issue of ending the union left little room for doubt about popular opinion: 368,208 in favor of ending the union, 184 opposed.

Marketing firm wins two awards Annapolis-based Crosby Marketing Communications was recently honored with two awards for its public service campaign "One Nation Free from Poverty" for the Catholic Campaign for Human Development. Crosby won the Thoth Award and a certificate of excellence in the categories of multimedia communications and radio public service announcements during the 37th Annual Thoth Awards, sponsored by the National Capital Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America.

Summer is an elusive season in Norway. In this Scandinavian country, perched at the same latitudes as Alaska, Greenland and Siberia, snow and ice stubbornly cling to the wilderness well into May and then reappear with a jolt in the early fall. But summer -- when it finally does arrive -- opens a window into this country's love affair with its natural surroundings, as Norwegians of all social strata bound into the outdoors the moment the snow begins its retreat. Exploring nature may be Norway's unofficial national pastime.

OSLO, Norway - The founder of the militant Islamic group Ansar al-Islam lost his temper in public for a second time this week, angrily wrenching a camera from a journalist yesterday. Mullah Krekar, the former leader of the group based in northern Iraq, was on his way into a police station to file an assault complaint against a female comedian who on Tuesday lifted him into the air and mocked him in front of cameras. Instead, he could be the one facing assault charges. Krekar, a refugee in Norway since 1991, erupted into a rage when a journalist took his picture outside the station.

PARIS - How much weight does a bearded mullah carry in a freewheeling, liberal society such as Norway's? The country's well-known Muslim comic, Shabana Rehman, decided to find out Tuesday when she lifted the founder of Iraq's Ansar al-Islam terrorist group off the ground before a startled audience. "If a small woman like me can lift him up, he can't be dangerous," Rehman said yesterday by telephone from northern Norway. The cleric, known as Mullah Krekar, did not find the stunt funny.

Riborg Hjordis Steger, who as a member of the Norwegian Underground helped smuggle Jewish refugees from war-torn Europe, died of heart failure Wednesday at her Hamilton home. She was 90. Born Riborg H. Brodahl, she was raised in Trondheim, Norway, and earned a degree in interior design and engineering from a Norwegian college. During World War II, she joined the underground movement that resisted her country's Nazi occupiers. "She lived in Oslo during the war and helped Jews who had to escape from Europe get into Sweden.

We would like to plant several maple trees for shade. Does Norway maple have good fall color and does it grow well here? The Norway maple generally has good fall color and grows well here, but there are many cultivars and some have better fall color than others. Regardless, I do not recommend planting Norway maple for several reasons. First, the Norway maple has escaped cultivation and now inhabits our native forests, where it is considered an invasive species. Second, I do not think that the structure of this maple is as good as red maple or sugar maple.

FOXBORO, Mass. - The goal that could have made it more comfortable in the second half never came. But the United States was making no mistakes last night. Norway was getting nothing. Abby Wambach scored the winner in the 24th minute as the United States advanced to the semifinals of the Women's World Cup with a 1-0 victory before 25,103 at Gillette Stadium. The Americans will play the winner of today's Germany-Russia match Sunday at 7:30 p.m. in the first game of a semifinal doubleheader in Portland, Ore. The U.S. team almost added to its lead twice within a minute, but goalkeeper Bente Nordby stopped a penalty kick by Mia Hamm and then dived to stop Cindy Parlow's header off Christie Pearce's cross in the 68th minute.

WASHINGTON -- Brazilian forward Katia emerged from the locker room yesterday afternoon with mixed emotions. Her team had tied France, 1-1, and she had scored Brazil's goal as it advanced to the quarterfinals of the Women's World Cup. She should have been nothing but happy. But Katia, who scored in the 58th minute, was not completely happy, and neither were her teammates. With 10 seconds left in injury time at the end of regulation, France's Marinette Pichon was left uncovered in the penalty box on a set play and scored the game-tying goal for France.

WASHINGTON -- The Brazilian women made the World Cup's first major statement yesterday at RFK Stadium. With goals from four players -- two in each half -- the Brazilians posted a stunningly easy 4-1 win over world power Norway in a preliminary round match in Group B play. With one preliminary-round match left here against France on Saturday afternoon, Brazil (2-0 with six points) all but assured advancement to the quarterfinals, while Norway (1-1 with three points) still has work to do against South Korea on Saturday in Foxboro, Mass.