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TODAY IN DENMARK

Today in Denmark: A roundup of the news on Thursday

Firefighters work to shore up burnt-out walls of old Stock Exchange, Great Belt Bridge traffic disruptions, world’s tallest wind turbine goes up in West Jutland and more news from Denmark on Thursday.

Today in Denmark: A roundup of the news on Thursday
Danish Chamber of Commerce director Brian Mikkelsen with the top of the fallen Børsen Dragon Spire. Photo: Ida Marie Odgaard/Ritzau Scanpix

Fire services at Børsen taking things ‘one day at a time’ 

Firefighters still working to put out the remnants of the devastating blaze at Copenhagen’s old stock exchange Børsen say they are working on improving the stability of the centuries-old building’s outer walls.

“It’s very complicated work because the entire roof section of the scaffolding is now in a large pile with the copper roof, storey partitions, contents of the building and so on,” senior firefighter Frederik Ryber told broadcaster DR.

READ ALSO: IN PICS: What will it take to rebuild Copenhagen’s old stock exchange building?

The walls need to be stabilised before work to clear damage from the building can continue on Thursday.

Around 10 firefighters have continued to extinguish small fires and monitor for any outbreaks overnight as the fire services remain present as long as they are needed.

“We are taking it a day at a time,” Ryber said.

Vocabulary: stillads – scaffolding

Great Belt Bridge reopens after short traffic closure

The Great Belt Bridge between Zealand and Funen was briefly closed early this morning but traffic is now again crossing normally, operator Sund & Bælt said in a post on social media X.

The delay was caused by “diversion of traffic” and follows similar disruptions throughout this week with maintenance work ongoing on the crossing.

Drivers using the bridge during the night and early hours particular may see delays.

Vocabulary: vedligholdelse – maintenance

World’s tallest wind turbine erected in West Jutland

Yesterday saw a world record broken in West Jutlnd town Thyborøn as Vestas completed the installation of the world’s tallest land wind turbine, DR writes.

After the turbine machinery was affixed to the tower yesterday afternoon, the 15 megawatt construction reached a height of 266 meters – taller than the Great Belt Bridge.

Project leader Jens Jørgen Birch said there had been “no protests at all” from local residents opposing the turbine.

“It’s also now the fourth time we’ve erected wind turbines in the area,” he told DR.

Vocabulary: verdensrekord – world record

Public servants offered incentives to speed up mink compensation claims

Officials are to be offered a financial incentive as the government attempts to speed up mink fur farmers’ compensation cases, Minister of Transport Thomas Danielsen says.

Public servants who Work for at least 18 months in the government departments in the towns of Viborg, Aalborg, Vejle and Skanderborg, where the cases are bwing processed, can get paid an extra 5,000 kroner per month, Danielsen told DR.

READ ALSO: Denmark ejects mink breeders from compensation committees

“This should be seen as a temporary task to be completed,” Danielsen said

The transport minister is on the case because the so-called “Minksekretariat”, which is processing state compensation for the government’s 2020 decision to temporarily ban mink fur farming, comes under the Danish Civil Aviation and Railway Authority (Trafikstyrelsen).

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TODAY IN DENMARK

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

Leading Social Democrat interrupts May Day speech to address protesters, King and Queen to take late summer tour on royal yacht, defence minister says no ban on buying Israeli air defence, and other news from Denmark on Thursday.

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

Top Social Democrat breaks off May Day speech to address protesters 

A leading Social Democrat minister, Peter Hummelgaard, was forced to interrupt his May 1st speech at the Fælledparken park in Copenhagen, as he was being drowned out by the booing and shouting from pro-Palestine demonstrators. 

“I don’t know if everyone out there can hear it, but there are some individuals who have come forward to drown out my speech,” he said, before addressing the protesters.

“I understand that you are upset. I understand the frustration. A ceasefire and, in the longer term, a peaceful two-state solution is needed. You have a right to be here with your opinion. But I do too,” he said. 

“I do not believe that this should destroy the democratic debate in Denmark. We all have to agree that Jews in Denmark must be able to live safely and securely,” he said.

It is somewhat unusual for the May 1st Social Democrat speech in Fælledparken to be given by a minister, as the speech is normally given by the party chair, or if the party is in power, by the prime minister.

Danish vocabulary: en våbenhvile – a ceasefire

Danish Royal Couple to visit, Assens, Veijle and Bornholm on summer cruise 

Denmark’s Royal Court has announced in a press release that King Frederik X and Queen Mary will take a late-summer cruise on their royal ship the Dannebrog, visiting the islands of Bornholm and Ærø, and the town of Assens on Funen. The cruise will take place between August 19th and August 22nd. 

In Assens, the mayor, Søren Steen Andersen, said he was looking forward to the visit, which coincides with the city’s 500th anniversary.

“We are looking forward to a visit from the Royal Couple. It will be a fantastic day when we will have the opportunity to show some of the many places, projects and development initiatives we are proud of,” he said. 

Danish vocabulary: Dannebrogstogter – Dannebrog cruises

Defence Minister says new defence deal allows purchase of Israeli air defence 

A new sub agreement under Denmark’s cross-party defense deal does not forbid Denmark from buying a new air defense system from Israel, the country’s defence minister Troels Lund Poulsen, who is calling for a “completely open discussion” over the system, told Ritzau.

“We have not said that we cannot acquire it from Israel. There is nothing about that in the agreement. Nor is it the case that we have said that it must be Israeli,” Lund Poulsen said.

He points out that under the sub agreement the funds allocated for the system had been increased from 19 billion to between 19 billion and 25 billion kroner. 

The leader of the Socialist Left party, Pia Olsen Dyhr, has said that the wording of the agreement makes it “quite difficult” to buy an Israeli system, noting that it stipulates that “Nato interoperability must be taken into account”. 

Danish vocabulary: at udelukke – to exclude  

Denmark’s justice minister seeks to extend police powers to encrypted chats

Denmark’s justice minister has asked the country’s Criminal Justice Committee to investigate whether police powers legally allow them to crack encrypted digital chat such as WhatsApp. 

Peter Hummelgaard wrote in a press release that it was “absolutely crucial that the police get the necessary tools to investigate and solve crime”.

“I am pleased that a number of the country’s most competent forces will now assess whether the law gives the police the necessary powers to search, intercept and seize [chats] when the investigation takes place digitally and on new communication platforms,” he said. 

Danish vocabulary: krypterede – encrypted 

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