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Today in Denmark: A roundup of the latest news on Friday

Find out what's going on in Denmark today with The Local's short roundup of the news in less than five minutes.

Today in Denmark: A roundup of the latest news on Friday
A slight easing off of hot temperatures is forecast in Denmark this weekend. File photo: Mads Claus Rasmussen/Ritzau Scanpix

Eight percent of new Danish coronavirus infections were picked up on trips to Spain

A total of eight percent of positive coronavirus tests registered in Denmark in the last week have been linked to the infected person’s recent travel to Spain, according to new data from the Danish Patient Safety Authority and reported by broadcaster DR.

Spain is currently classed as a yellow country under Denmark’s travel guidelines, with some regions green, meaning Denmark does not restrict travel to those countries for tourists from Denmark (although people coming from yellow regions are required to take a test on returning from their trip).

READ ALSO: What you need to know about Denmark’s latest travel rules

Spain currently has an infection rate three times higher than Denmark, DR writes. The Danish authorities update the colour coded travel guidelines for international countries and regions on Fridays. We’ll report any significant changes as they come in today.

Young Syrian allowed to stay in Denmark after authorities approve appeal

The Danish Immigration Service (Flygtningenævnet) yesterday reversed a decision to deport a young Syrian refugee to Damascus on appeal.

Aya Abu-Daher, a 19-year-old upper secondary school student who lives in Nyborg had her residence permit extended after the authority reversed on appeal a decision to withdraw her asylum status, which would have likely meant she would have been forced to move into a Danish expulsion or departure centre and await deportation.

Abu-Daher, whose situation gained considerable media attention after she was initially told she would not be allowed to complete her school exams, told newspaper Politiken yesterday afternoon she felt “reborn”.

The future of many other Syrian refugees in Denmark remains uncertain after the country withdrew asylum status from dozens of people. The country maintains that conditions in and around Damascus are safe to return refugees in some cases, a position disputed by experts and not taken by other EU countries.

READ ALSO:

Busy traffic expected as many in Denmark take summer holiday

Thousands of people across the country are today expected to hit the roads this weekend as they travel towards summer houses and holiday homes. That is because the statutory holiday for people in many sectors falls during the coming weeks.

READ ALSO: What you need to know about vacation in Denmark

The Danish Road Directorate (Vejdirektoratet) has encouraged drivers to consider the best times to set out in order to keep traffic smooth. Saturday is expected to be particularly busy, news wire Ritzau reports, with motorists heading across Zealand and Funen and south through Jutland.

Break in heat forecast this weekend

This week has seen some truly scorching, dry weather in Denmark, in stark contrast to the catastrophic images of flooding in Germany and Belgium in recent days.

The heat is forecast to ease a little this weekend, with national meteorologist DMI predicting between 20-25 degrees Celsius on Saturday and 18-23 degrees, with some cloud and wind, on Sunday. Friday will be hot at up to 30 degrees Celsius, although a little more breeze could be felt than in preceding days this week.

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TODAY IN DENMARK

Today in Denmark: A roundup of the news on Wednesday

PostNord’s delivery numbers sink after new law passed, Denmark wants to help pay for Ukrainian missile defence, police question children after acid attack at school and more news from Denmark on Wednesday.

Today in Denmark: A roundup of the news on Wednesday

PostNord sees letter deliveries diminish after new law 

The state-owned postal company PostNord delivered 28 percent fewer letters in Denmark in the first quarter compared with 2023, according to results published yesterday.

PostNord Denmark had an operating loss in the quarter of 63 million Swedish kronor, around 40 million kroner.

The company, which is joint-owned by the Danish and Swedish states, is now operating in a fully free market in Denmark after the government last year repealed PostNord’s obligation to deliver post to all addresses in Denmark.

As well as leaving market forces to decide how post is delivered to remote areas, the decision also meant that PostNord lost a sizeable state subsidy. The company subsequently raised its prices, with letters of all sizes up to 100 grams now costing 25 kroner to post – previously, the stamp for a letter under 50 grams was priced at 12 kroner.

Vocabulary: driftsunderskud – operating loss

Denmark ready to help pay for Ukrainian Patriot missile system

Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen says the government has signalled to other countries that Denmark is willing to contribute financially if they want to send Patriot air defence systems to Ukraine. Kyiv has requested the missile systems as part of its defence against the Russian invasion.

“Without going into detail, there may be someone [a country, ed.] who can deliver [the missiles system] but who does not have the financial resources to do so,” Rasmussen told newswire Ritzau.

Denmark does not have the advanced U.S.-produced air defence system itself, hence Rasmussen favouring a financial contribution to other countries that are prepared to offer theirs.

Vocabulary: efterspurgt – requested  

Police question three minors after acid attack on school in Esbjerg

Police have identified and questioned three minors following the discovery of acid bombs at the Rørkjær Skole Urban school in western city Esbjerg.

The three children were interviewed with guardians and social services present, police said.

Police finished clearing up at the school yesterday after the acid bombs were reported by staff. Investigations are ongoing.

The acid bombs were thrown at the school sometime between Monday evening and the early hours of Tuesday. Two children were admitted to hospital with minor burns, Ritzau writes.

Vocabulary: en afhøring – a police interview

Streaming platform to block account sharing

Denmark’s streaming service Viaplay is to follow in the footsteps of international competitors Netflix and Disney by blocking subscribers from sharing their passwords.

In announcing its results for the first quarter of 2024, Viaplay’s director Jørgen Madsen Lindemann said that “more extensive” measures would be put in place this summer to stop login sharing from different locations.

The company estimates around a third of its users share their login.

Vocabulary: fodspor – footsteps/footprints

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