Nearly 300,000 residents of Norway have already cast their ballots in the coming local elections, but total voter turnout may still be low.

PHOTO: �RN E BORGEN

Township- and county councils are up for election on Monday, and even resident non-citizens can vote in the local elections known as Valg 2007. Voting has been allowed for the past two weeks, for those who want to avoid standing in line at the polls on election day itself, Monday September 10.

More than 291,200 voters have cast ballots in the run-up to Monday, and that’s much higher than the 249,022 who voted early in the last election four years ago.

It’s no guarantee, tough, that overall turnout will be strong, notes election researcher Anders Todal Jenssen.

Voter turnout in local elections has declined with every election since 1979. Only 59 percent of eligible voters cast their ballots in the last local election in 2003, low by Norwegian standards.

Jenssen told news bureau NTB on Thursday that “there’s little indication voter participation will be any higher this time.” He said the campaign “hasn’t been especially interesting,” with few new issues or arguments.

“I fear even lower voter turnout than last time,” he told NTB.

The deadline for early voting is Friday. Polls open Monday morning at 9am.

By Nina Berglund

Lifted and published by Korir, API*APN africanpress@chello.no tel +47 932 99 739 or +47 6300 2525 source.aftenposteneng

Israel’s ambassador to Norway is once again furious at her host country, and demanding that the Norwegian foreign ministry distance itself from a report that expresses concern over claims of torture in Israeli prisons. Ministry officials respond that they have nothing to disavow.

Israel’s ambassador to Norway, Miryam Shomrat, is directing new fury at Norway and Norwegian concerns over alleged torture in Israeli prisons. PHOTO: MORTEN HOLM / SCANPIX

The Israeli ambassador, Miryam Shomrat, is angry that Norway’s embassy in Tel Aviv sent a report home to the foreign ministry in Oslo asking officials there to take up the issue of alleged torture of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons.

The embassy’s report was in turn based on reports written by three Israeli human rights groups that were based on surveys of Palestinian prisoners. The Israeli groups — The Public Committee Against Torture, HaMoked and B’tselem, according to newspaper Aftenposten — expressed concern that Israeli authorities went too far in their use of physical and psychic pressure on Palestinian prisoners, and that it too often turned into abuse and torture.

Ambassador Shomrat was furious that the Norwegians were concerned about the content of the reports, or the allegations of torture, and also claimed that Norway’s own ambassador to Israel was “called onto the carpet” of Israel’s foreign ministry and told that Norway was expected to distance itself from the report.

Norwegian officials have a different version, saying the meeting between Norwegian ambassador Jakken Bi�rn Lian and officials at the Israeli foreign ministry had been planned long in advance, and came at the initiative of the Norwegians.

Raymond Johansen, state secretary in the Norwegian foreign ministry, said the Norwegians had nothing to distance themselves from, because the Norwegian embassy’s report was based on Israeli reports. The Norwegians are simply concerned about the torture allegations that those reports contained.

Shomrat nonetheless claimed that the Norwegians’ use of the reports “damaged the relationship between Norway and Israel.” It’s not the first time she has taken offense at Norwegian criticism of Israeli policy. She was forced to apologize last year when her own criticism of Norway was viewed as being offensive to the Norwegian royal family.

Lifted and published by Korir, API*APN africanpress@chello.no tel +47 932 99 739 or +47 6300 2525 source.aftenposteneng

Source.nation.ke

Lifted by Korir, API*APN

“Mr Ruto said should ODM take over the government, they will push for majimboism as a way of ensuring that all parts of the country are allocated equal share of development funds.” according to nation.ke

The ODM has demonstrated beyond reasonable doubt that they embraced Majimboism, close to 70% voters are set to vote them on the same ground.�

It is�upon us to educate the�Kenyan population�to better understand what is the�meaning of Majimbo and the reason why the should go for.�

Ruto�has proven to�dynamic leader who understand the usefulness of equal division of natural resources and taking charge of taxes at the regional�level.

It is my prayer that Raila stick with these�young men�to build on the�future strong regional governments�that�create wealth in all regions.

The Regional�Parliaments�will be fundamental whereas the Rift Valley, Western, Nyanza, Coast, North Eastern, Central, Eastern and Nairobi, will have to elect respect�Regional Governors as the head of every region, replacing PC

ODM popularity international is climbing very rapidly following their Manifesto on the reintroducing Federalism in Kenya, Kenyan is in the heart of world and any workable system will be supported.

What the ODM needs now�a serious education of what best system will serve the best, Majimbo verse Unitary Government. Voting pattern will only be 2, the Pro-Majimbo verse Unitary System.

Twende Kazi sasa !

By Rev Okoth Otura,

Published by Korir, API*APN africanpress@chello.no tel +47 932 99 739 or +47 6300 2525

Dar es Salaam (Tanzania) The leaders of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda have agreed to keep their troops at 150 kilometres away from the common border in a bid to stave off the dispute over oil drilling beneath Lake Albert, which straddles their borders.

DR Congo Foreign Minister Mbusa Nyamwisi told APA Sunday in Dar es salaam, Tanzania, that the decision was reached at a meeting on Saturday between Uganda�s President Yoweri Museveni and his DRC counterpart Joseph Kabila and which was brokered by the host and Tanzanian President Kikwete.

“We have agreed to withdraw forces from each other�s border points with immediate effect,” Nyamwisi said, adding that the two leaders have also resolved to meet once every year to discuss issues that soil their bilateral ties.

The two countries have gone to war twice in the recent past with each accusing the other of harbouring rebels.

In the past month alone, skirmishes along the border have killed at least four people, including a British oil contractor.

Mr Nyamwisi said that the issue of joint petroleum line in L. Albert was agreed by both the parties, adding that �what�s left is to find mechanism to realise it.”

He also confirmed that a joint team would start demarcation of L. Albert next month.

In October, Museveni said Uganda discoverd oil in the Lake Albert area where production is expected to begin in 2009 between 6,000 and 10,000 barrels a day.

Published by Korir, API*APN africanpress@chello.no tel +47 932 99 739 or +47 6300 2525 source.apa