Morning Briefing – Wednesday, May 29

The Copenhagen Post’s daily digest of what the Danish press is reporting

Søvndal disapproves of Syrian embargo end

The foreign minister, Villy Søvndal (Socialistisk Folkeparti), said that he is disappointed that the EU couldn’t agree on extending the weapons embargo that has prevented EU nations from sending weapons into Syria. Both the UK and France have struggled to ease the embargo, which ends on June 1, so that the Syrian rebels are able to receive weapons. – Berlingske

Students costing the state a fortune

Young students use on average five extra years to complete their university studies, costing society ten billion kroner every year according to a new report. The report, compiled by the two industry advocate organisations Arbejderbevægelsens Erhvervsråd and Dansk Industri, showed that just four percent of Danes graduating from ninth grade take the direct route through their studies. – Politiken

DF advert draws widespread ire

Right wing Dansk Folkeparti (DF) have attracted widespread criticism after it placed an advert in several major newspapers that lists the names of all the people who are scheduled to receive Danish citizenship in the near future, stating “One person on the list is a danger to Denmark.” A number of newspapers have refused to publish the DF advertisement. – Jyllands-Posten

Denmark no longer the happiest

Danes are no longer ranked the most satisfied people in the world, according to a new Better Life Index ranking from OECD. The new ranking has Denmark in seventh place overall, behind the US, Switzerland, Norway, Canada, Sweden and leaders Australia. The survey conveyed that Danes use 69 percent of their day, over 14 hours, on leisure time and personal maintenance. – TV2 News

German mineral hunt in Jutland

The relatively unknown German company Jutland Petroleum has applied for a licence to look for oil in southern Jutland. The Germans are interested in an area where Polish-owned PGNiG previously used more than 100 million kroner drilling for oil without finding anything other than sour gas. Seismic investigation is expected to start in 2016. – Ingeniøren

Danish scientists make bacteria breakthrough

Researchers from Aalborg University have developed a method that is expected to revolutionise the genetic sequencing of bacteria, according to Videnskab.dk. The method, published in the Nature Biotechnology periodical, will become an important tool for scientists who are looking to gain insight into how bacteria develops, how they are related and how they behave. – Videnskab.dk

Hansen picked up by Garmin-Sharp

Lasse Norman Hansen, London 2012 Olympic gold medal winner in Omnium, has made the transition to road racing and been signed by the US team Garmin-Sharp. The 21-year-old Dane, who signed a two-year contract with the World Tour team that sees him join up with fellow Dane Alex Rasmussen, said that joining Garmin-Sharp was a perfect way to prepare for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio. – Sporten.dk





  • How internationals can benefit from joining trade unions

    How internationals can benefit from joining trade unions

    Being part of a trade union is a long-established norm for Danes. But many internationals do not join unions – instead enduring workers’ rights violations. Find out how joining a union could benefit you, and how to go about it.

  • Internationals in Denmark rarely join a trade union

    Internationals in Denmark rarely join a trade union

    Internationals are overrepresented in the lowest-paid fields of agriculture, transport, cleaning, hotels and restaurants, and construction – industries that classically lack collective agreements. A new analysis from the Workers’ Union’s Business Council suggests that internationals rarely join trade unions – but if they did, it would generate better industry standards.

  • Novo Nordisk overtakes LEGO as the most desirable future workplace amongst university students

    Novo Nordisk overtakes LEGO as the most desirable future workplace amongst university students

    The numbers are especially striking amongst the 3,477 business and economics students polled, of whom 31 percent elected Novo Nordisk as their favorite, compared with 20 percent last year.