Today’s headlines – Monday, Dec 10

Council childcare more expensive
The price of council-run childcare has risen considerably since 2007, according to figures from Danmarks Statistik. A number of councils, including Tårnby, Hvidovre, Høje-Taastrup, Herlev, Helsingør and Morsø have raised the price of childcare in nurseries and kindergartens by thousands of kroner. But the biggest increase comes in Albertslund council, where the price has risen by 40 percent, or over 10,000 kroner, to 37,584 kroner a year. At the same time, staffing levels have been reduced, so that there are now an average of 3.2 children per adult, compared with 2.7 children per adult in 2007. – Politiken

Danish teacher in under a year
A new reform of teacher training programmes means that prospective teachers could be spending half the time learning how to teach Danish and maths that they do now. Teacher trainees from the next school year can become Danish or maths teachers by accumulating 40 ECTS points, half as many as are necessary today. The national association of local councils said the move harmonises badly with the proposed school reform, in which teachers are to spend more hours teaching those two subjects. – Jyllands-Posten

Big companies need to slim down
Big Danish companies admit that their high sales and administration expenses have cost them the ability to compete on the international market, according to new report from accountancy firm Deloitte. The companies have nearly 30 percent higher overheads in sales and administration than their competitors in developed countries. The report found that the high costs could not be attributed to the current economic downturn. It also found that despite their efforts, a number of Danish companies are simply not global enough. – Børsen

Lions miles ahead at break
FC Copenhagen thrashed champions FC Nordsjælland 4-1 on Sunday to extend their lead on the Superliga as it settles into its three-month winter break. A double from Caesar Santin and a goal each from Thomas Delaney and Andreas Cornelius gave the Lions the win and meant that they went to the the break leading FCN by 12 points, the second-largest margin any team has led the Superliga by in the past 10 years. FCK led Odense by 19 points at the halfway mark of the 2010-2011 season. The Lions led FCN by four points at last year's break before snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. – MetroXpress

Weather
Flurries. Highs around 0 C. Overnight lows falling to – 7 C. Windy. – DMI




  • World Cup in Ice Hockey will face off in Herning

    World Cup in Ice Hockey will face off in Herning

    As in 2018, Denmark will co-host the Ice Hockey World Championship. And once again, Herning and Jyske Bank Boxen will be the hosts. Denmark is in Pool B and starts tonight with a match against the USA, which, given the political tensions between the two countries, may be an icy affair.

  • 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.

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