Norwegian troops involved in fierce fighting (Aftenposten)

Defence Minister Kristin Krohn Devold confirmed yesterday that Norwegian special forces are taking part in the offensive against the al-Quaeda in Afghanistan – the fiercest fighting since the start of the military campaign. Nine American soldiers have been killed. The Headquarters Defence Command Norway has declined to indicate how many Norwegian soldiers are involved or what their mission is. Petter Lindquist of the Headquarters Defence Command refused to reveal how many elite troops Norway has stationed in Afghanistan. "The contingent is made up of Royal Marine commandos from the Ramsund naval base near Harstad, and soldiers from the Norwegian Army Special Operations Commando stationed at Rena," said Mr Lindquist.

Stoltenberg revives Gerhardsen’s philosophy (Nationen)

According to Jens Stoltenberg, leader of the Labour Party’s parliamentary group, Einar Gerhardsen’s classic handbook, The Elected Representative, should form the platform on which the party bases its organizational activities. Yesterday Labour MPs started a two-day seminar at Sundvollen Hotel, in the aftermath of the controversy over the party’s so-called ‘fossils’ and record low results in the polls. Mr Stoltenberg believes most party activists would benefit from re-reading The Elected Representative’s directives about internal cohesion, loyalty and mutual support. Mr Stoltenberg believes the time has come to look ahead, and put an end to the depressing post-election analysis it has been engaged in for the past six months. Labour’s MPs will meet again today to discuss their own working practices and political issues, partly in groups and partly in a full-scale debate. Labour holds such seminars for its MPs on a regular basis, though this is the first time the media has shown an interest.

Minister to take another look at FMV charges (Dagens Næringsliv)

Trade and Industry Minister Ansgar Gabrielsen was unaware that charges were being brought against the shipyard, Fosen Mek. Verksted (FMV), in January. He has now said he wants a couple of days to go over the case and will then decide whether the charges should be withdrawn. "When the Ministry gave the Norwegian Export Credit Agency (Eksportfinans) the go-ahead on 28 August to bring charges against FMV, another Minister was in charge, as you know," said Mr Gabrielsen. He feels it is reasonable for a new minister to have the opportunity of reviewing the steps which have been taken, even though the Ministry of Trade and Industry under Grete Knudsen (Lab) gave the go-ahead for criminal charges to be brought against FMV.

Cashing in on cross-border shopping (Verdens Gang)

Last year the Norwegian Coop earned over NOK 10 million from its stake in Nordby Supermarked, located close to Svinesund, which had a total turnover in 2001 of SEK 380 million – making it one of Sweden’s six largest supermarkets. "Norwegians on shopping trips to Sweden account for around 80 per cent of our turnover," said store manager Göran Lundgren to VG. Coop’s eastern division has secured a 50 per cent stake in the lucrative supermarket giant, Grensemat AB, which owns and runs Nordby Supermarked.

Majority of Penal Code Commissioners back decriminalization of drug use (Aftenposten)

A majority of the Penal Code Commission says that drug abuse must be combated using other measures than punishment. Three of the Commission’s five members back the decriminalization of drug use, arguing that the point of making something a criminal offence is to prevent actions which cause injury to people other than the perpetrator. The Commission handed its wide-ranging recommendations to Justice Minister Odd Einar Dørum yesterday. He immediately ruled out government acceptance of the majority’s view on this controversial issue. The Commission’s report is full of proposals for a new and more up-to-date penal code.

NHO wants 200,000 immigrants (Dagsavisen)

If the Confederation of Norwegian Business and Industry (NHO) gets its way the number of immigrants in Norway could almost double in the next eight years. "All additions to the labour force are welcome," said Olav Magnussen, a senior figure at the NHO. But he is concerned about whether immigrants will want to move here. "Norway is considered a peculiar, exotic country to work in by many people abroad. There are a lot of misconceptions about what it is like to live in Norway. This is something we have previously experienced when recruiting people from the EEA," said Mr Magnussen. Today, after receiving a steady stream of immigrants and refugees for 30 years, the immigrant population in Norway amounts to 282,500 people.

‘Everyone’ wants a ban on smoking (Dagsavisen)

If the Government decides to introduce a complete ban on smoking in all bars and restaurants, it will have overwhelming support. 50 organizations consulted on the issue have given their full backing to the proposal. The Travel Industry Association and the Confederation of Norwegian Business and Industry (NHO) were previously dead against any restrictions on smokers, but these organizations have now modified their position. The industry is putting its faith in technical solutions. An ‘air curtain’ which prevents smoke spreading from one area to another has been tried out, with good effect. The controversial anti-smoking legislation is due to be revised, and could involve a total ban on smoking in all restaurants, bars and pubs, including those which do not serve food.

Worth Noting

1. Only 49 per cent of Labour voters want Jens Stoltenberg to become the new party leader, according to a poll carried out by Norsk Gallup on behalf of TV2. Support for Mr Stoltenberg is lowest in rural areas. (NTB)
2. The Labour Party has lost considerable support among female voters. Only 10-11 per cent of women under 45 say they will vote for the party, according to a poll carried out by Norsk Gallup on behalf of VG and TV2. The figures show that one in two women under 45 has abandoned the party during the past month. (Verdens Gang)
3. The warm political alliance between Kristin Halvorsen, leader of the Socialist Left Party, and Siv Jensen, deputy leader of the Progress Party, over proposals to cap the cost of a full-time nursery place at NOK 1,500 per month gave some Progress Party activists the surprise of their lives, according to some Progress Party sceptics writing in the latest edition of the party newspaper, Progress. (Aftenposten)
4. The most secret of the secret soldiers in the Norwegian armed forces are now fighting against the al-Quaida in Afghanistan. The Norwegian super-soldiers are ‘non-existent’ individuals and do not appear on any official lists published by the Norwegian Armed Forces. (Dagbladet)
5. Only 29 per cent of the population is willing to pay a church tax if the Church of Norway is disestablished. More than twice as many, 62 per cent, say no to such a tax, according to a poll carried out by Sentio/Norstat for Vårt Land. (Vårt Land)
6. The Bondevik government is not following the recommendations of its own gas commission. Contrary to expert opinion the Government is planning to build a carbon-free pilot plant as early as next year. (Dagsavisen)
7. Norway’s agricultural cooperatives are in the red, but own real estate in Oslo worth NOK 1.5 billion. Landkredittgården, a property fronting Oslo’s main thoroughfare, Karl Johans gate, and Tine Fellesmeieriet, belonging to the dairy cooperative, are the most attractive properties. (Nationen)
8. In the past ten years food imports from the EU have almost doubled, while exports have flattened out. In 1992 total agricultural imports, including those from countries outside the EU, amounted to NOK 10 billion. Today that figure has risen to NOK 19 billion. (Aftenposten)
9. Young adults bank on not becoming ill or having an accident and therefore do not take out insurance cover. Only one in seven Norwegians aged between 25 and 35 is covered by private disability insurance. (Dagbladet)

Today’s comment from Dagbladet

The Government is to spend NOK 4.5 billion each year to improve our morals. In this day and age there is something peculiar about government-sponsored measures designed to strengthen Christian values. The Government is supposed to govern on behalf of all religious persuasions. Today’s society is characterized by substantial variations in cultural norms, but that does not mean our morals have got worse. The Prime Minister himself pointed this out. Doping at the Olympic Games was met with moral condemnation, as is the greed demonstrated by certain business executives. Our schools do not need to improve our morals, we need to improve our schools. And that will take a lot more than NOK 4 million from Finance Minister Per-Kristian Foss’s well-filled coffers.