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TODAY IN DENMARK

Today in Denmark: A roundup of the news on Wednesday

UN slams Denmark for 'racist art exhibition', scam email warning, Denmark calls for tougher EU borders, and decommissioned tanks to go to Ukraine. Here's some of today's news from Denmark.

Today in Denmark: A roundup of the news on Wednesday
The UN criticised Denmark for an exhibit of the Swedish artist Dan Park, who has been jailed in Sweden for hate crimes, at the country's parliament. Photo: Janek Skarzynski/AFP

UN committee faults Denmark for failing to probe ‘racist’ art exhibit

Denmark failed to take effective measures against racist hate speech when it dropped an investigation into an art exhibition depicting “racist hate images” nearly a decade ago, a UN watchdog said on Tuesday.

The United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) ruled in favour of a Swedish man who filed a complaint against Denmark’s lack of action over a 2014 art exhibit in which he and other people of colour were depicted in a humiliating way that could incite racial hatred.

“It does not suffice merely to declare acts of racial discrimination punishable on paper,” committee member Mehrdad Payandeh said in the statement. “Criminal laws and other legal provisions prohibiting racial discrimination, including racist hate speech, must also be effectively implemented.”

The case was brought in 2017 by Momodou Jallow, the former spokesman for the National Association of Afro-Swedes and the national coordinator for the European Network Against Racism in Sweden.

He complained that Danish authorities had discontinued their investigation into an exhibit at a private gallery in Copenhagen three years earlier by Swedish street artist Dan Parks, who had already been convicted in Sweden for defamation and incitement to hatred.

‘Just delete it’: Danish police warn against allegation scam emails

Scam emails which include serious allegations and demands for large sums of money should be flatly ignored according to a Danish police special crime division.

The National Special Crime Unit (National enhed for Særlig Kriminalitet, NSK), which is concerned with fraud and cyber-crime as well as organised crime, issued advice on Twitter, saying it had been contacted by “many” members of the public over the fake emails.

“The recipients in these emails are accused of committing serious crimes,” NSK tweeted.

The emails include accusations of sexual assault against children and possession of child pornography.

They also claim that further action will be taken if the recipient fails to respond.

Danish vocab: slet dem blot – just delete them

Denmark demands tougher EU borders to prevent ‘migration crisis’

Eight EU nations including Denmark called on Brussels to significantly toughen the bloc’s borders to “prevent another large-scale migration crisis,” according to a letter seen by AFP ahead of a key summit.

The overall tone on migration has hardened in Europe since 2015-2016, when it took in over a million asylum-seekers, most of them Syrians fleeing the war in their country.

Austria, Denmark, Estonia, Greece, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta and Slovakia sent the letter dated Monday to EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and EU Council President Charles Michel.

They said it was “high time” for a “comprehensive European… approach for all relevant migratory routes” to tackle irregular migration.

The letter called for “additional financial support” within the existing budget to enhance “relevant operational and technical measures for effective border control”.

Denmark to send decommissioned tanks to Ukraine

Denmark is to send Leopard 1A5 tanks which it had taken out of service to Ukraine, as part of donations to be made by several countries.

Tanks previously used by the Danish military are to be prepared and sent to Ukraine, broadcaster DR reported on Tuesday.

No specific number for the total number of tanks has been confirmed and the participating countries not specified.

But a three-figure number of older models could be donated once contributions from all countries are added up, according to the report.

A newer version of the tank, the Leopard 2 model, is currently used by the Danish military.

Denmark’s old Leopard 1A5 tanks were sold in 2010 to company FFG in northern German town Flensburg, where they are still located, DR reports.

The tanks are expected to be sent to Ukraine in the coming months.

Danish vocab: udfasede – decommissioned

Carlsberg expects ‘challenging 2023’ following Russia exit

Danish brewer Carlsberg warned Tuesday that 2023 would be another “challenging year” as it reported increased revenues but swung to a net loss owing to its exit from Russia.

“The development of the war in Ukraine and the impact on our business remain highly uncertain, as is the Covid-19 recovery in China, including consumer off-take during the Chinese New Year celebrations,” the company said in its earnings report.

Revenue for the global beer maker came in at 70.26 billion Danish kroner ($10.1 billion) for 2022, up 16.9 percent from the year before.

The revenue growth was just short of analysts expectations, who had pencilled in 70.43 billion kroner according to a Bloomberg survey and 70.44 billion kroner according to one by Factset.

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TODAY IN DENMARK

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

Teachers report worsening violence, Danish electric car firm faces bankruptcy, hotdog stall flat out after winning 'best frikadelle' award, and more news from Denmark on Thursday.

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

Teachers report worsening violence at Danish schools

Near half of the teachers who responded to a survey by the Danish Union of Teachers said that they witnessed violent behaviour between students on a daily or weekly basis, with slightly more than half saying that violent episodes were getting more common. 

The survey was carried out after a string of severe bullying cases at Danish primary schools have been reported in the media. 

Fully 359 of the 2,426 teachers who responded to the survey said they witnessed students hitting, kicking, pushing, throwing objects, biting or spitting at eachother on a daily basis, with 817 saying this happened weekly. 

Some 624 said there were significantly more episodes than five years ago and 619 that there were slightly more episodes. Around 540 said that the number of episodes was about the same. 

The survey, which was carried out along with the broadcaster TV2, followed reports of violence and abuse at Borup Skole in Køge Municipality.

Danish vocabulary: skub – pushing

Danish electric car firm faces bankruptcy

Fisker Inc, the electric car firm founded by the Danish automative designer Henrik Fisker, is sharply cut the prices of most of its models as it faces a bankruptcy, the Business Insider wesbite has reported. 

On Tuesday, the company announced that its Ocean SUV would become $6,700 cheaper, making it only slightly more that half of the price of Tesla’s Model X. 

The announcement came after a potential deal between Fisker and a “major car manufacturer” collapsed, sending shares plummeting. 

Danish vocabulary: konkurs – bankrupcty

More Danes seek help with confirmation costs

Charities in Denmark such as Dansk Folkehjælp, Børnesagens Fællesråd, and Foreningen til Støtte af Mødre og Børn, have reported that growing numbers of people in Denmark are requesting help for the cost of holding small parties for the confirmation of their children in the Church of Denmark. 

According to Dansk Folkehjælp, 850 people asked for help this year, an increase of 30 percent on 2023, while Børnesagen’s Fællesråd saw the number rise to 343 this year from 306 last year and Foreningen til Støtte af Mødre og Børn saw the number of requests rise to 436 from 423. 

Danes traditionally hold their confirmation ceremonies on Shrove Monday, which fell on Feb 12th this year, and typically hold a party for the young person who is formally admitted to the church. 

Maria Blankensteiner, from Foreningen til Støtte af Mødre og Børn, said that those seeking assistance were typically give a voucher for 2,500 kroner. 

“This means that you can buy some cheap confirmation clothes and hold a small party where you invite the closest family and perhaps the confirmand’s best friend,” she said. 

Danish vocabulary: stigende efterspørgsel – rising demand

Silkeborg hotdog stall wins “Denmark’s best frikadelle” 

Brian Flink Pedersen, the owner of Pølsemageriet in Silkeborg on Jutland has been working flat out since he was crowned last week as the producer of “Denmark’s best frikadelle”, with his version of Denmark’s much-loved meatball rated the best. 

“This week we have sold approximately 20 times as much as we usually do. It has been sold out every day,” Pedersen told TV2 of how last week’s award had affected business. 

In a normal week, he sells between 300-400 portions of frikadeller, last week he sold more than 5,000. 

His winning frikadelle was pan-fried with tart apple, bacon and a little thyme, and that was the variety in demand last week. 

Danish vocabulary: udsolgt – sold out 

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