Government cuts ties to Egypt
The Egyptian military’s bloody crackdown of protestors on Wednesday has led the government to cut ties with that country and withdraw funding for two development projects it is participating in there. The two projects, which receive 30 million kroner in total from Copenhagen, were established to help small companies seeking to hire new employees. Announcing the decision, the development minister, Christian Friis Bach (Radikale), said he would also call on the EU to take similar measures. “Doing so would be a signal that we take what’s going on very, very seriously. The bloodshed it utterly unacceptable,” he said. The foreign minister, Villy Søvndal (Socialistisk Folkeparti), urged the military to end the month-long state of emergency that followed the July 3 ouster of former president Mohammed Morsi. – Berlingske
Ferries: Øresund Bridge receives illegal subsidy
A decision by the Danish and Swedish states to lower tolls for lorries crossing the Øresund Bridge between the two countries amounts to an illegal subsidy, say two ferry lines. Stena and Scandlines, which operate ferries in the Øresund, have asked the European Commission to investigate the toll reduction, which was made in response to declining traffic over the bridge. The ferry lines argue that by lowering tolls, the two states have increased the risk associated with operating the bridge while at the same time extending the length of time it will take to repay loans issued to fund the bridge’s construction. – Børsen
PhD in carpentry?Â
The decreasing popularity of vocational school among young people can be reversed by making it easier for carpenters, chefs, masons and other blue-collar workers to attend continuing education courses after receiving their initial qualifications. Morten Østergaard (Radikale), the higher education minister, said one way to do that was to make it possible for people who had studied at a vocational school to take university-level courses. Studies show young people view vocational schools as a dead-end, and Østergaard said changing entry requirements to university could encourage more people to learn a trade. – Jyllands-Posten
Tax officials to be investigated
Tax authority Skat has begun formally investigating four managers and two rank-and-file employees over complaints they abused their authority in a number of high-profile tax investigations. In what tax lawyers called an “unprecedented” move, the six had been asked to submit preliminary statements in July. – DR NyhederÂ
Mine found on ‘clean’ beach
Police on Wednesday evening closed a section of beach near the coastal Jutland city of Esbjerg after a German tourist reported finding a landmine. The particular beach had been a minefield during the Second World War, but was declared safe last year after an extensive effort to remove the estimated 72,000 mines that had been laid there. – TV2 News
Friendly loss angers Olsen
National team coach Morten Olsen didn’t mince words after Denmark’s 3-2 loss to Poland in Gdansk on Wednesday. “Sorry I’ve got to swear. I hope the Poles don’t understand what I say, but that was fucking appalling.” Denmark outplayed Poland for much of the first half and led 2-1 at half-time, but were unable to keep pace in the second half. Olsen called the loss “unnecessary. We were better than them.” – Ekstra Bladet