Headlines

• The National Criminal Investigation Service’s (Kripos) leader, Eivind Borge, and Einar Aas of Oslo Police, say it’s too easy for organised crime gangs to establish themselves in Norway  
• Law enforcement services in Norway are provided by the country’s single national police force called “Politi”, with a strength of 11,000 officers for a population of 5 million

Oslo, May 16.─ ‘In recent years, we’ve seen examples of criminal networks attracting professional participants such as doctors, lawyers and accountants. Criminals use these professionals to facilitate crime. In this way, criminal influence is exerted in Norwegian society’, said the head of the Tactical Investigation Department of Kripos, police inspector Eivind Borge, to Dagbladet newspaper.

'More controls needed' on aid groups rescuing migrants  

Valletta, May 16.─ An Italian parliamentary commission said today that that Malta and Tunisia should do more to help Italy tackle the huge numbers of migrants who are using Libya as a springboard in search of a better life in Europe.

The commission also called for more controls on humanitarian organisations that are taking an increasingly significant role in rescuing migrants from the Mediterranean.

The White House has changed its tune about James Comey, with far-reaching consequences   

Chicago, May 10.─ James Comey had no intention to leave his job. “You are stuck with me for about six and a half years,” said the former deputy attorney-general, who was appointed as the head of the Federal Bureau of Investigation by Barack Obama at a cyber-conference in Boston in March 2013. But it was not to be. On May 9th the next president, Donald Trump, sent Mr Comey a letter informing him that his attorney-general and deputy attorney-general had recommended his dismissal—and that he had accepted their recommendation.

In his brief letter to Mr Comey, Mr Trump said he was firing him because he was not able to lead the bureau effectively. In a longer memorandum, Rod Rosenstein, the deputy attorney-general, cast Mr Comey’s dismissal entirely as the result of his handling of the investigation into Hillary Clinton’s use of a private e-mail server during her tenure as secretary of state. “The FBI’s reputation and credibility have suffered substantial damage, and it has affected the entire Department of Justice,” wrote Mr Rosenstein. “I cannot defend the director’s handling of the conclusion of the investigation of Secretary Clinton’s e-mails, and I do not understand his refusal to accept the nearly universal judgment that he was mistaken. Almost everyone agrees that the director made serious mistakes; it is one of the few issues that unites people of diverse perspectives.”

It is expected that the new French President will have to form a coalition with major parties in the legislative elections called to elect the 577 members of the 15th National Assembly by mid June

Macron got 66% of the vote against 34% for le Pen, a much better result that ever expected   

Paris, May 6 (DP.net).─ Macron won by promoting a program of fiscal, social and environmental clauses in trade agreements with the European Union. He promised to demand a full integration in all trade agreements with the European Union of clauses including tax cooperation, as well as binding social and environmental clauses, such as the lowering of tariffs on goods and services and establishing trade sanctions in case of violation of those clauses.

Defeated Marine Le Pen is now positioning herself as “the first opposition force” ahead of the traditional major parties against president-elect Emmanuel Macron’s policies. “France has voted for continuity,” she noted during her concession speech in a tone that implied her defeat was clearly no surprise. Having established that, Le Pen was quick to set the stage for her next political act.