‘Diabetes bomb’ could blow up government’s health budget
The number of Danes with diabetes has doubled to around 300,000 in just ten years. If the trend continues, there could be 600,000 patients being treated for the illness by 2025. According to Diabetesforeningen, the national diabetes association, the government has not allocated enough funds in its 2020 budget to cover that many people.
"There are warning signs that should be taken very seriously,” said Lars Holger Ehlers, a professor at the Centre for Improved Healthcare at Aalborg University. “Fortunately we have a few years before we reach the terrible situation in which we cannot afford to pay.”
In 2010, the state spent 9.1 billion kroner on hospital treatment of diabetic patients. That number could double by 2025, according to calculations by Diabetesforeningen. – Berlingske
Danes still support war in Afghanistan, poll says
Despite more than a decade of war and 43 soldiers killed, the majority of Danes asked in a recent poll still think it was the right decision to send troops to fight in Afghanistan. According to an Epinion poll, 45 percent of those asked said it was the right decision to send troops to the war, while 37 percent said it was a mistake. The rest responded that they were unsure or did not provide an answer. The results comes one day after MP Zenia Stampe (Radikale) criticised the war and said it was wrong to send Danish soldiers to fight the Taleban. In a similar poll taken in 2008, the results were nearly the same, with 48 percent supporting the war as opposed to 40 percent against. – DR News
Government can loosen up the purse strings
Although various ministers have warned against increased government spending, international investors say that the Danish economy can sustain a higher level of government spending next year. Financial gurus say that the country need not fear higher interest rates, even if it invests capital in things like creating new jobs.
"Denmark's fiscal situation is seen as so much better than that of most other European countries that it does not really matter what Denmark does for the simple reason that many of our neighbours look much worse," said Torsten Sløk, the vice president of Deutsche Bank in New York. – Jyllands-Posten
Thieves targeting the elderly
While the overall number of break-ins has declined in recent years, people above the age of 50 are increasingly having their homes broken into. People over 50 are now the target of 62 percent of all burglaries. According to Thomas Enna, a spokesperson for insurance company TopDanmark, older people are being specifically targeted.
"We feel reasonably confident that this is because criminals are becoming more organised and targeting older people because they often have more gold and silver jewellery in their homes," he said.
Enna speculated that thieves were looking for gold jewellery due to the recent spike in the value of the precious metal. – Politiken
Summer returns
Signs indicate that this weekend's weather could be some of the best and hottest of the summer so far. Many places could already see temperatures approaching 25C today. A high pressure system over Great Britain will work its way slowly over Denmark, and bring with it clear skies and summer-like conditions. – DMI
