As the Icelandic eruption closed airspace over Europe, German soldiers wounded in Afghanistan couldn’t get home, Europe-bound tulips risk wilting in Kenyan airports, and express mail lumbers overland instead of by air.

Barack Obama is wondering whether he can make it to Poland for a presidential funeral and royals can’t get to the birthday bash of Danish queen.

It’s as if an international conveyer belt has abruptly ground to a halt, all because of a cloud of dust high up in the sky — hurting businesses, governments and ordinary travellers in a world increasingly dependent on the freedom to move around far and fast.

iPad governance

Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg purchased an iPad while in New York earlier this week and found it a useful tool for remotely governing his nation while stranded in the US.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel was managing Europe’s biggest economy by remote control on Friday from Portugal, after her plane home from the US was diverted to Lisbon.
The government said the plane won’t be able to continue its journey soon.