The Weekly Wrap – Sunday, January 5

Happy New Year! Although we had a holiday-shortened week, we thought it was still worth taking a look back at some of the stories from the holidays.

– Following tradition, Denmark's two leading ladies delivered their annual New Year's messages to the nation. The queen used her New Year's Eve address to caution her subjects against small-mindedness, while PM Helle Thorning-Schmidt told Danes on New Year's Day that the nation is slowly but surely working its way out of the financial crisis. 

– While the PM avoided mention of unemployment reforms and a controversial new freedom of information law that took effect on January 1, we have a rundown of what the changes mean.

– And what would New Year's be without the requisite wrap-up of firework injuries and general mayhem?

– On one last January 1 note, the roll-out of a new emergency phone line was a bit of a disaster.

– Pirate Bay founder Gottfrid Svarholm Warg spent his New Year's Eve in a Køge prison, leading his online supporters to draw attention to what they feel is his unfair treatment

– Perhaps no-one is better at exploiting slow news cycles better than Dansk Folkeparti's Pia Kjærsgaard, and she used the first days of 2014 to advocate for pepper spray and engage SF's Özlem Cekic in a war of words about 'Danish values'

– In international news, Danish ships made their way to Syria to remove chemical weapons, the Danish Olympic delegation expressed concerns following attacks in Russia and the development minister said that aid to Uganda could be ended following the passage of a controversial anti-gay bill. 

– Finally, we know it is so last year but in case you missed it be sure to check out our review of 2013.

We'll be back at it tomorrow. Enjoy your Sunday!




  • Diplomatic tensions between US and Denmark after spying rumors

    Diplomatic tensions between US and Denmark after spying rumors

    A Wall Street Journal article describes that the US will now begin spying in Greenland. This worries the Danish foreign minister, who wants an explanation from the US’s leading diplomat. Greenlandic politicians think that Trump’s actions increase the sense of insecurity

  • Diplomacy meets Westeros: a dinner with the King, Queen – and Jaime Lannister

    Diplomacy meets Westeros: a dinner with the King, Queen – and Jaime Lannister

    What do King Frederik X, Queen Mary, UN Secretary-General António Guterres, and Jaime Lannister have in common? No, this isn’t the start of a very specific Shakespeare-meets-HBO fanfiction — it was just Wednesday night in Denmark

  • Huge boost to halt dropouts from vocational education

    Huge boost to halt dropouts from vocational education

    For many years, most young people in Denmark have preferred upper secondary school (Gymnasium). Approximately 20 percent of a year group chooses a vocational education. Four out of 10 young people drop out of a vocational education. A bunch of millions aims to change that

  • Beloved culture house saved from closure

    Beloved culture house saved from closure

    At the beginning of April, it was reported that Kapelvej 44, a popular community house situated in Nørrebro, was at risk of closing due to a loss of municipality funding

  • Mette Frederiksen: “If you harm the country that is hosting you, you shouldn’t be here at all”

    Mette Frederiksen: “If you harm the country that is hosting you, you shouldn’t be here at all”

    With reforms to tighten the rules for foreigners in Denmark without legal residency, and the approval of a reception package for internationals working in the care sector, internationals have been under the spotlight this week. Mette Frederiksen spoke about both reforms yesterday.

  • Tolerated, but barely: inside Denmark’s departure centers

    Tolerated, but barely: inside Denmark’s departure centers

    Currently, around 170 people live on “tolerated stay” in Denmark, a status for people who cannot be deported but are denied residency and basic rights. As SOS Racisme draws a concerning picture of their living conditions in departure centers, such as Kærshovedgård, they also suggest it might be time for Denmark to reinvent its policies on deportation

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