Morning Briefing – Friday, November 8

The Copenhagen Post’s daily round-up of the front pages and other major Danish news stories

Nov 8, 2013

DNA find no breakthrough
Investigators yesterday announced they had been able to identify the DNA of the person they say is the sender of an anonymous letter that temporarily halted the Taxgate tribunal last month. However, legal experts say simply possessing the DNA evidence is of little help, since police are only permitted to collect DNA samples from people who are formally charged with a crime that carries a sentence of more than a year and half. Even though it is unknown what motives the individual who wrote the letter had – or whether the claims made in the letter were true – the person is considered to be a witness in the case, not a suspect. Investigators said that, as expected, the DNA sample found on the letter did not match anyone in the national DNA register, the majority of who whom have been convicted of murder, rape and other serious offences. – DR Nyheder

Unemployed discovering the joy of going small
Facing an unemployment rate of 31 percent, recent university social sciences graduates are increasingly looking to non-traditional fields in order to find jobs. Typically, such graduates flock to the civil service or positions in large firms, but Djøf, a union representing lawyers, economists and other university graduates, said many young unemployed were now discovering the possibilities of working for smaller outfits. “Many of our members are finding that working in a small company gives them more opportunity to be in touch with the management. Our members like having that kind of influence,” said Gert Nielsen, who heads the union’s job placement efforts. – Berlingske

Success in translation
As the nation’s largest book expo readies to open its doors today, publishers are reporting that foreign sales of Danish literature is stronger than ever. Sales increased 8.9 percent in 2012, and 394 titles can be found on foreign bookshelves. Much of the interest is tied to the success of Nordic noir crime novels, and although publishers were making the most of that interest, they said other genres, including food and health, were also doing well. Some, though, said they felt the interest in Danish crime writers was bordering on overkill. “I’ve spoken with translators, and when they try to sell a title to a publisher, they expect that it’s going to be mystery. The interest in the genre has a downside, and maybe we’ve shot ourselves in the foot.” – Jyllands-Posten

Cheap food for elderly costly in the long-run
Despite being presented with evidence indicating the benefits of serving freshly made food to the elderly, local councils are increasingly turning to mass produced, vacuum-packed meals as way to save money. In just 22 percent of councils can elderly still living at home receive fresh meals delivered by the council. Fifty-five percent of councils provide the elderly with vacuum-packed meals prepared up to two weeks ahead of time, while 28 percent said they provide frozen meals. The cost of mass produced food is less than half of what it would cost to serve fresh meals, and KL, the national association of local councils, said it would be possible to produce food for all of the nation’s elderly in 12 centrally located kitchens. Nutrition experts, however, cautioned that serving unappetising food could result in the elderly eating less, which they said leads to increased illnesses and would wind up increasing the cost of eldercare in the long run. – Politiken

Editorial Excerpt | A new fix for the low-cost mortgage junkies
If anyone thinks that the agreement to back varible rate F1 mortgages, as put forward by the business and growth minister, Henrik Sass Larsen, yesterday, is about helping homeowners, they should think again. It’s about the same thing such measures are always about: bailing out irresponsible Danish banks and mortgage lenders. […] Larsen’s proposal amounts to no more than changing the bandage on a bleeding wound; it’s a necessary short-term solution, but it does not address the root of the problem: that Danish homeowners have become addicted to low-cost, high-risk mortgages. – Politiken

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