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TODAY IN DENMARK

Today in Denmark: A roundup of the news on Friday

Two aircraft return to Copenhagen amid bomb threat, Randers files new complaint against Nordic Waste, Danish Medicines Agency finds possible link between hives and Moderna Covid vaccine and more news from Denmark on Friday.

Today in Denmark: A roundup of the news on Friday
Svanemøllen Beach near Copenhagen, pictured earlier this month. Photo: Liselotte Sabroe/Ritzau Scanpix

Two planes evacuated in Copenhagen after bomb threat 

Two aircraft flying to Stavanger in Norway were yesterday forced to turn around and return to Copenhagen because of a bomb threat, Copenhagen Airport confirmed in a post on social media X.

Both planes were evacuated when they landed in Copenhagen.

“We can confirm that a flight to Stavanger has returned to Copenhagen due to a suspected bomb threat. We are working with the relevant authorities who have begun their work, and all passengers have been evacuated,” the airport wrote, before adding in a follow-up tweet that two aircraft, not one, were involved.

All passengers were “safe and well” in the airport, Copenhagen Police later tweeted. The matter has now been placed in the hands of the authorities, the airport said.

Norwegian media VG reported that a Norwegian airlines flight to Stavanger was the first to be turned around, followed by a SAS flight with the same destination.

“The threat was so unspecific that this [second] flight was also asked to land,” Copenhagen Aiport spokesperson Lise Agerley Kürstein told VG.

Vocabulary: evakueret – evacuated

Randers files new police report against Nordic Waste 

The Nordic Waste scandal has begun to rumble forwards again with the local authority, Randers Municipality, yesterday filing a police report against the company for “additional violations”.

That comes after the government’s legal advisor’s this week said DSH Recycling, a company with the same owners as Nordic Waste, can be held liable for costs resulting from the landslide at Nordic Waste’s soil treatment plant in December last year.

The new report to police is related to violations of environmental protection acts, Randers Municipality said.

“We are still in a very serious environmental situation with his case, and we will consistently report whenever we find violations of the environmental permit or legislation,” municipal official Jesper Kaas Schmidt told newswire Ritzau.

Schmidt said he would “certainly not” rule out further reports.

Vocabulary: bestemt ikke – certainly not

Chronic hives a ‘possible side effect’ of Moderna Covid vaccine

Danish Medicines Agency (Lægemiddelstyrelsen) tests suggest that chronic hives are a potential side effect of the Spikevax Covid-19 vacine, which is produced by Moderna.

Based on a total of 360 European cases, the agency found a “probable” connection in 58 cases, while a “possible” connection applied in 228 cases.

A suspected side effect can be categorised as either probable, possible or unlikely.

The results are early and further investigations are needed, team leader Martin Zahle Larsen of the Danish Medicines Agency told Ritzau.

Hives are a type of skin rash with red, raised bumps that can be itchy and uncomfortable. Most cases potentially linked to the vaccine emerged 7-13 days after the third dose was given.

Vocabulary: nældefeber – hives

Europe needs to step up circular economy efforts: EU agency

Europe must accelerate efforts to transform its economy into a circular one focused on reusing or repurposing materials to cut waste, a necessity if it is meet climate targets, the European Environment Agency warned yesterday.

“Decisive action is essential to drastically reduce waste, prioritise reduction of resource use, improve recycling rates and improve the introduction of products that are designed for circularity from the outset,” the Copenhagen-based agency said in a statement.

“We are still far from the ambition to double the Union’s circularity rate by 2030,” the EEA said, adding that there was a “low or moderate likelihood” that EU’s ambitions would be “achieved in the coming years”.

“We need an additional policy push,” Daniel Montalvo, a climate expert at the agency, said at a press conference according to newswire AFP.

At the heart of the problem, according to the EEA, are business models in which products have a very short lifespan — if they are even used at all.

“Business models primarily revolve around mass-producing products, often sacrificing quality, and this results in early breakdown or premature obsolescence,” the EEA said.

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TODAY IN DENMARK

Today in Denmark: A roundup of the news on Friday

Ukraine aid boosted, budget surplus largest in the EU, businesses and schools take Great Prayer Day off and more news from Denmark this Friday.

Today in Denmark: A roundup of the news on Friday

Denmark boosts Ukraine military aid by $630 million

The government said yesterday it was adding 4.4 billion kroner ($630 million) for military aid to its Ukraine aid fund as Kyiv pleads Western allies for more support against Russia’s invasion.

The fund was set up to distribute aid to Ukraine between 2023 and 2028, with the latest commitment bringing the total of military aid Denmark has pledged to 64.8 billion kroner.

“Denmark has since the start of the war been one of the most active donor nations,” Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen said in a statement, reported by news agency AFP.

“We will continue to do so and therefore I am pleased that a large majority of the parties of the Folketing (Denmark’s parliament) are supporting us adding a further 4.4 billion kroner for military aid in 2024 to the Ukraine fund,” he said.

Vocabulary: militærstøtte – military aid

Denmark has EU’s largest budget surplus

Denmark’s public finances have repeatedly resulted in a surplus for the state in recent years.

Last year saw Denmark’s state revenues exceed costs by 87.1 billion kroner or 3.1 percent of BNP according to Statistics Denmark.

The state surplus has now been the largest or joint-largest in the EU for five consecutive years, with Cyprus equal to Denmark this year, broadcaster DR reports.

Only four EU countries had a budget that ended in surplus last year: Denmark, Cyprus, Portugal and Ireland. Some 16 of the 27 member states were within the target 3 percent budget deficit.

Vocabulary: offentlige finanser – budget/public finances

Schools and businesses defy government to mark Great Prayer Day

Today is Great Prayer Day, but no longer a national holiday after the government changed the law last year.

Nevertheless, a notable number of businesses around the country have decided to give their employees the day off, media including DR and Avisen Danmark report.

“When the government decides to take something away from my employees, I want to  give it back, and I stand by that,” Paw Kristensen, owner of Kolding transport firm 3P Logistics, told Avisen Danmark.

The decision will reportedly cost the company around 100,000 kroner.

A count by Radio4 meanwhile found that 11 of Denmark’s 98 municipalities have opted to close schools today.

Vocabulary: at fjerne noget – to take something away

Government to ban import of clothes containing ‘forever chemical’ PFAS

The government plans to introduce a national ban on the harmful ‘forever chemical’ PFAS in clothing and shoes.

“A national ban on the import and sale of clothes, shoes and waterproofing agents with PFAS is an important step on the way to limiting its emissions and will have a genuine environmental effect in Denmark,” Environment Minister Magnus Heunicke said in the statement.

Clothing, shoes and waterproofing agents are among the largest sources of PFAS in Denmark’s environment, according to the ministry.

Non-PFAS containing products are available as alternative options on the market, making a ban viable, it said in the statement.

Vocabulary: imprægnerende midler – waterproofing agents

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