Danes for Obama
Americans weren’t the only ones glued to their televisions as the US presidential election results rolled in early Wednesday morning Danish time. Nearly 500 revellers were on hand at Politikens Hus for an election party co-sponsored by Democrats Abroad, Carlsberg and CNN. And many Danish journalists – and engrossed citizens alike – were active on Twitter through the wee hours of the morning until President Barack Obama gave his victory speech at around 8am. Prominent politicians, including PM Helle Thorning-Schmidt and former PM Lars Løkke Rasmussen, promptly offered their online congratulations to Obama.

China rising
Fifty-three percent of Danes think that China will be the world’s economic superpower by 2022, according to a new Megafon poll. Some 30 percent believe that the US will remain the world’s economic powerhouse, while five percent tip Europe to overtake both. The survey also found that 43 percent of respondents were nervous that China’s growth could hurt the Danish job market. Aalborg University professor Per Madsen indicated that if China took  over the top spot, it could affect Danes with lower levels of education. “The working classes will have to be realistic as it’s their jobs that risk being shipped out to China.”

Locked up
A political deal was struck on Wednesday for the funding of Kriminalforsorgen, the nation’s prison and probation system. The government parties were joined by Enhedslisten, Liberal Alliance and Konservative in a solution that will see the establishment of 200 new prison cells, a special prison unit for hardcore gang members and a concrete goal set for sending as many foreign criminals back to their home countries as possible. The agreement will also see additional safegaurds, including more drug-sniffing dogs, against the smuggling of contraband into prisons. The deal will cost 1.7 billion kroner over the next four years.

Down it goes
The skyline of Greater Copenhagen changed forever on Sunday when the 108m high Valby natural gas silo – Denmark’s second tallest building (the tallest is the 120m Herlev Hospital) – was demolished. It was built in 1967 and was taken out of use in 2007 by its owner, Københavns Energi.

CPH Post Word of the Week: Stemmeret (noun) – The right to vote. Where you heard it: In the never-ending barrage of lame jokes about how, given the amount of coverage it has received, Danes were surprised to hear they couldn’t vote in the US elections.

Last week's top read stories:

1. Aarhus siblings’ love child sets off incest debate

2. The Words of Öz | What does it take to make someone Danish?

3. Crazier than Christmas | Nobody plans like a Dane

4. The Lynch Report | Kate and her feminist breasts

5. When it comes to English, Danes are second to one