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12. april 2006
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Der Spiegel's David Crossland:
Political turbulence in France and Italy is highlighting how slowly Europe is undertaking reforms seen as essential to cope with globalization. Germany, long regarded as chronically unable to modernize its economy, is starting to look dynamic by comparison.
With Italy in a deadlock with two uneasy coalitions facing each other, and France prevented from implementing any necessary reforms by the Angry French Street, I will suggest that Germany should aim higher than being slightly better than the southern neighbours.
8:39:20 PM 
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A very elaborate and detailed "hit list" of Egyptians who have offended the sensitivities of Islamic extremists (which is not very hard) is being circulated by email.
An Egyptian group calling itself the "al-Jama’ah Consultative Council" has sent an e-mail hit list to people deemed 'apostates' yesterday. The group warned that those people on the list who had left the faith would have three days (as of yesterday) to repent or they would be killed. The group also warned that the wives and children of the Muslim apostates were being followed & would be killed.
Certainly not the place you'd like to find your name. The Jawa report has the list and commentaries.
8:33:29 PM
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Silvio Berlusconi, who lost the Italian election, is not stepping down gracefully (but did anyone expect him to?)
He has insisted on waiting until some 43,000 contested ballot papers have been re-examined.
But his centre-left rival Romano Prodi says his victory will not be reversed and he is ready to form a coalition.
However, no administration can be sworn in for another month, until parliament has elected a new president.
On the other hand, there may be some grounds for suspicion when several full ballot boxes are found in a garbage can in Rome.
At least five boxes were being taken away Wednesday by police, AP Television News reported. The boxes, adorned with the symbol of the Interior Ministry, contained green envelopes with ballots inside.
The boxes were found in a garbage can, said Vincenzo Giulivo, head of one of the polling stations at a school where they originated.
The ballots had been filled out and their results communicated to the Interior Ministry, the ANSA news agency said.
Hopefully not a sign of widespread fraud.
8:26:30 PM
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Easter holiday! That means five days off from work, one of the positive things about living in a country with a Christian heritage.
So, will it be more blogging, or less blogging? I'm not going un in the mountains or anything crazy like that, as many Norwegians do, but we'll see what happens.
4:17:45 PM
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© Copyright 2006 Jan Haugland.
Last update: 01.05.2006; 13:04:17.
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