Norway threatened by new nuclear weapons (Aftenposten)

Russia has secretly placed new nuclear weapons in Kaliningrad, aimed at Scandinavia and the rest of Europe. American intelligence has determined that these weapons are now in place. Highly-placed Norwegian officers have also seen the American reports. "We are aware that nuclear weapons are supposed to have been placed in Kaliningrad," confirs a key source in Norwegian military circles.

Labour gambling on sickness benefit (Dagens Næringsliv)

The conflict concerning whether employees should be able to be paid in full while on sick leave may be a hot potato during this autumn’s Storting election campaign. The Labour government wants to postpone any decision on the sick pay scheme until after the election, in order to use the issue against the Progress Party in its election campaign. But a postponement will increase the chances of a cut in sick pay. The Conservative, Progress and Christian Democratic parties may gain a majority in the new Storting, and these parties all want to cut sick pay expenditures.

Kleppe realizes he has lost the battle (Dagsavisen)

Vidar Kleppe realizes that his days in the Progress Party are numbered. The question is no longer whether, but when he will be excluded. The Progress Party parliamentary group met yesterday, and after the meeting the party leaders had, as usual, "no comment". "I have not been given any information at this point. But I expect that they will have to inform me before my case goes to the executive board," says Vidar Kleppe.

Banks are wide open to hackers (Aftenposten)

The online banking services of Fokus Bank, Gjensidige NOR Sparebank and Vår Bank og Forsikring have all had major security problems recently. These defects have opened them up to hacking. The banks claim that online accounts have been safe all the same. The problem is due to an error in the Internet program BIND. When the Men & Mice security company checked 78 large firms in Norway, they found security lapses in six of them.

Norwegian students will work harder (Dagsavisen)

Starting next year, Norwegian students can forget about achieving high grades by studying at the last minute before exams. The Labour government will force students to study harder during the 10-month school year by introducing a heavier schedule of assignments in the course of the term. The traditional form of written exam, too, is on its way out. "Today’s examination arrangement demands enormous resources. We want to move to an arrangement of continuous evaluation throughout the school year, including handing in papers and other work," says Minister of Education, Research and Church Affairs Trond Giske.

Socialist Left wants power (Nationen)

The Socialist Left Party is tired of being left out in the cold and never being able to promote its own priority issues. Now party chairman Kristin Halvorsen is dreaming of attaining government power after this autumn’s Storting election. She wants to form a government coalition with Labour and the Centre Party after the election. In her view, the Socialist Left and the Centre Party will be able to force Labour to keep the EU issue on hold during the next Storting period. If the Centre Party will ever be able to form a government together with Labour, Labour will have to change, according to incoming Centre Party chairman Liv Signe Navarsete. She is pleased that the Socialist Left wants to form a coalition with the Centre Party.

Billions of kroner in traffic tickets (Dagsavisen)

The average Norwegian is driving faster, running more red lights, and often drives without a license. Never before has the State Agency for the Recovery of Fines, Damages and Costs had to recover so much money in government fines than it did last year. A total of 460 000 Norwegians had to pay NOK 1.3 billion in various fines and penalty charges to the public treasury. Fines for speeding alone brought in a half billion kroner in fines.

Republican vanguard established (Aftenposten)

Norway’s first republican association, "Free Norway", wants to establish a Norwegian republic. This would be more democratic and would cost the taxpayers less. "Norwegian republicans have organized themselves for the first time. This is a historic event," says Trond Nordby, professor of political science, who has become a leader of the anti-monarchist movement in Norway.

Worth noting

• "I have not been chasing little girls and I have not committed any sexual offences, but they are out to get me. I am the big, bad wolf, but Terje Søviknes - he’s just a poor innocent boy," says Vidar Kleppe (Progress). (Dagbladet)

• Millions of kroner earmarked for upper secondary school textbooks have dribbled away. Students, not to mention Minister of Education Trond Giske, are upset over the misappropriation of funds and inadequate reporting practices by the counties. (Verdens Gang)
• Brokering house Sundal Collier & Co. confirm that they had been in contact with major Finansbanken shareholders before Storebrand put in its bid. Spokesmen would not say whether Einar Christian Nagell-Erichsen was on the list of insiders filed with the Banking, Insurance and Securities Commission. (Dagens Næringsliv)
• The Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions (LO) has offered its members PCs at subsidized prices since 1999. A weak marketing effort and poor financing have made this offer a fiasco, however, and fewer than 2 000 of the LO’s 830 000 members have taken advantage of the offer. (Aftenposten)
• The Norwegian Government and the City of Oslo are each contributing NOK 3 million to the refurbishing of the Oslo Cathedral. "This will be enough to get the church ready for the royal wedding, which has pleased us immensely," says Rev. Olav Dag Hauge, dean of the Oslo Cathedral. (Aftenposten)

Today's comment from Dagens Næringsliv

Law professor Geir Woxholth, who chairs the Norwegian Stockbrokers Association’s board of ethics, does not mince words in his assessment of Telenor’s share flotation. The way it was managed casts a shadow on the legitimacy of the state’s involvement in the stock market; the conduct of the government and of Telenor has been highly blameworthy and in violation of law, writes Prof. Dr. Woxholth. What makes the matter so deplorable is not just the violations that have been committed, and their consequences, but also the attitude displayed by the government towards the board of ethics. The volume of cases involving low ethical standards is a matter of concern to many people who otherwise have no problems with the stock market, and the Minister of Trade and Industry should be among them. The board of ethics is one of many means of keeping trade clean, and it goes without saying that the Ministry should take its statements seriously, even those that are critical of the Ministry, especially when the criticism is as sharp as it is in this case. After all, the government is a beginner in this business, and ought to do everything in its power to learn the rules of the game. Billions of kroner will soon be at stake when the DnB, Statoil, the Oslo Stock Exchange and others are floated.