Updated

Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg, stranded in New York City due to an erupting volcano, has been governing the country entirely from an iPad.

Stoltenberg, who was in town for President Obama's nuclear summit, was due to return to his country Thursday. But thousands of flights to northern Europe were cancelled because of volcanic ash from the exploding Eyjafjallajokull volcano.

His solution? Stoltenberg pulled out the iPad he's presumably just bought and has started to govern his country with it.

"Due to the delays, I'll be working from New York," Norwegian newspapers reported the president as saying.

Clouds of volcanic dust and ash, floating miles above Earth and capable of knocking out jet engines, have wrecked travel plans for tens of thousands of people, from tourists and business travelers to politicians and royals. They couldn't see the source of their frustration -- except indirectly, when the ash created vivid red and lavender sunsets.

Pilots are advised never to fly though an ash cloud because of the extreme problems it can cause an aircraft. Ingesting ash dust can cause partial or total engine power loss. Simultaneous power loss in all engines has also occured.