Genes have been patented despite veto (Aftenposten)

Contrary to a decision taken by the Storting, patents have been given to a number of human genes in Norway. Around 200 human gene patents have already been sold in Norway without medical experts or politicians having been informed of the matter. The purchasers are foreign and multinational companies that are currently building up their stocks of patented rights to everything from the active ingredients in medicines to pesticides and laundry detergents.

Progress Party losing its grip on voters (Dagsavisen)

Since the Progress Party achieved its highest ratings three months ago, at 34.7 per cent, around 350 000 voters have turned their backs on the party. Labour’s ratings are improving, but Kjell Magne Bondevik is this autumn’s political victor: according to today’s poll his Christian Democratic Party has 18.1 per cent voter support. If these figures are an accurate prediction of the results of next year’s election, Labour and the Christian Democrats will probably gain a narrow majority in the Storting.

Previous peace prize winners invited to Norway (Aftenposten)

A large-scale celebration is being planned to mark the 100 ^th> anniversary of the Nobel Peace Prize next year. All former Nobel Peace Prize winners who are still living have been invited to Oslo next year to attend the awarding of the 2001 Peace Prize. The Nobel Institute has not revealed the names of those who have accepted the invitation, but says that most of those invited will attend. The police are already planning security measures, which will probably be the most comprehensive ever implemented in Oslo.

Rejected offer by Kværner (Dagens Næringsliv)

Last week investor Kristian Siem declined an offer by Kværner to become its new board chairman. Mr. Siem’s candidacy was reportedly proposed to the company’s elections committee by current board chairman Christian Bjelland. Mr. Bjelland made it clear that he will not seek reelection, and that it would be in the company’s best interests to ensure that a new chairman is found quickly.

Only one question will be allowed (Aftenposten)

Inquisitive members of the Storting will not be able to satisfy their curiosity entirely in the future. From now on each of them will be allowed to pose only one question during the ordinary Question Time. One of those who will be hardest hit by this new rule is Stein Bastesen of the Coastal Party. He is at the top of the list of active Question Time participants, and has asked 90 questions thus far during this Storting term.

Impulse shopping is common (Nationen)

It is just as we suspected: most of the items we take out of the shops were not on our shopping list when we went in. According to a recent survey by MMI, a total of 71 per cent of our purchases are bought on impulse while we are in the shop. We often plan to buy milk and bread, while snacks are purchased on impulse.

Decline in christmas shopping on sundays (Vårt Land)

Shopping centres throughout the country are reporting a decline in Sunday Christmas shopping. In some places business has dropped 13.8 per cent behind last year’s sales. Some shopping centre managers believe that this poor showing is due to the weather.

Worth noting

• The decline of the Progress Party is not very surprising considering the exalted position the party enjoyed earlier this autumn. Progress is still high on the popularity scale, but elections analyst Bernt Aardal believes that the increased voter support for Progress seen in the polls comes largely from people who do not usually vote, and from young people who have never voted before. ( Dagsavisen)
• The Norwegian Pollution Control Authority will pump the oil out of the damaged ship Green Ålesund and will send the bill to the shipping company. Neither the ship’s owner, Nomadic Shipping, nor the insurance company, Skuld, will accept economic responsibility for emptying the vessel. ( Aftenposten)
• The Norwegian Seamens’ Union, a member of the Confederation of Norwegian Trade Unions, rakes in millions of kroner each year from non-union workers. This is because all crew members on Norwegian ships, except for those engaged in domestic trade, are required to pay a collective bargaining fee. ( Dagens Næringsliv)
• Requiring foreigners to have a Norwegian mailing address and bank account if they want to buy shares in Telenor may be in conflict with the EEA Agreement. Now the EFTA Surveillance Authority has requested that the Norwegian Government explain its decision. ( Dagsavisen)
• The business cycle tax is about to be dumped, only a few days after the Storting has approved a 10 per cent extra investment fee on commercial buildings. Key Labour politicians are now trying to get the centrist parties to support an easy transition in the revised fiscal budget this spring. ( Dagsavisen)
• "I was a little annoyed when the Norwegian State Railways managed to find a new director before we did," says Torgeir Reve, board chairman at the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation. He does not think they will find a new leader before January at the earliest. ( Aftenposten)

Today's comment from Aftenposten

A historic process has come to an end, but the process itself will continue. Although Norway officially marked the end of the restitution of Jewish property that was confiscated during World War II with a dignified ceremony this weekend, there is unfortunately no indication that the phenomenon that caused this tragedy has been eradicated for good. This phenomenon was systematized xenophobia, and it was directed not towards people who were strangers, but towards respected citizens and well-functioning members of a society that brutally robbed them of their rights because they professed another faith. The time was ripe to finally conclude the restitution process, although the way in which this should be accomplished was a source of conflict. No amount of money or reparations can ever compensate for the injustice inflicted on 767 Norwegian Jews. No money can return the lost loved ones to their families; no money can replace human beings. But the reasoning behind the restitution is important, both for Norway and for the families who lost their loved ones. Racism and Nazism are not dead. The struggle against them must continue, and each generation must fight in its own way. The ceremony this weekend was a step forward in this struggle.

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