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LOCAL Bare-breasted bathing is back, but with more illegal swims

NATIONAL

Returning via a loophole! Repatriated migrants coming back with bulging wallets

CUDAS CAN!

Nation of litterbugs – literally Facemasks: misdirection and infection INTERNATIONAL Trump considered swapping Puerto Rico for Greenland

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Same old Somali story Immigrant outbreak criticism part of a familiar narrative

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IVE YEARS ago, it was street food wrappings, last year, it was laughing gas capsules, and in 2020, it’s facemasks – the country’s most littered item! The government’s requirement that they should be worn on public transport, enforced since August 22, has already led to discarded facemasks piling up on the Metro. Health officials in Aarhus, where facemasks have been compulsory on public transport since August 7, have warned that not only are they potentially infected with coronavirus, but also other viruses and germs. Never has the term ‘litterbug’ been more apt.

Doormen in demand THE COMPULSORY facemask order was the key point of Phase 4, which also gave permission to bars and restaurants to stay open until 02:00, providing they don’t admit new guests after 23:00. Doormen are currently in high demand as a result! Nightlife venues will have to wait until October 31 to reopen, unless they can satisfy the authorities they are technically a bar. Meanwhile, the six-day rule for tourists has been relaxed, meaning they will now be able to enter Denmark to spend the weekend. Overall, the R reproduction rate (the average number an infected person gives coronavirus to) has stabilised again at 1.0, after rising to 1.5 on August 6. (BH)

4-5 GDP suffers huge slide

Early retirement bill

DENMARK’S GDP shrank by 7.4 percent in the second quarter of 2020 – three times more than the biggest quarterly fall experienced during the Financial Crisis in 2008. However, the EU average was a fall of 11.9 percent, with the outgoing UK seeing a decrease of more than 20 percent.

THE GOVERNMENT has unveiled its proposal to allow ‘worn out’ workers, who have been in the Danish labour market for at least 42 years, to retire early and receive 13,550 kroner a month before tax: 42 years = a year earlier, 43 = two years etc. Some 60 percent of trade union members are eligible – mostly careers that involve heavy work.

Dying brood in city JUST 11 percent of infants under the age of two in the capital were born into working class families, according to an Arbejderbevægelsens Erhvervsråd report. In 1980, the share was 40 percent. Since then, the ‘elite’ has seen its share in Copenhagen rise from 11 to 43 percent. Nationwide, the working class has halved since 1980, while the elite has tripled.

Answer’s ‘No’. Period A PROPOSAL by independent MP Sikandar Siddique to give women ten days off a year to help them deal with difficult periods has been dismissed by the employment minister, Peter Hummelgaard. The minister wished women “good luck” in trying to convince their employers, but said it was “not something the government wants to pursue".

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LOCAL

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Bathing and baring all: quick change!

ONLINE THIS WEEK IT IS THOUGHT the parking of scooters might be banned from many locations. A City Hall majority voted in favour of action in light of the high number of incidents they cause. In related news, the police are monitoring the corner of Århusgade and Strandboulevarden in Østerbro as vehicles have been gathering there to race one another this summer.

Share or sink! IF YOU’VE recently seen a grey Renault Laguna afloat in Copenhagen Harbour, it’s not James Bond. It is part of ‘Share or Sink’, a campaign launched by car-sharing app GoMore to highlight increased congestion. Free tours on the car are available from Kayak Bar.

Well connected LYNETTEHOLM, the proposed city district located on a 2.8 sq km artificial island in Copenhagen Harbour (by 2070), will have Metro and road connections, preliminary studies have confirmed. Meanwhile, the 2020 Architizer A+ Awards has crowned proposed neighbourhood, the Vejlands Quarter in Amager, as its Jury Winner Prize in the Unbuilt Masterplan category.

Paper, stone, delivers! COPENHAGEN Municipality is building 300 new homes on the harbour island of Papirøen, of which 90 will be public housing units. In related news, a Courtyard of the Future project was showcased in Østerbro on August 21, whereby rainwater from roofs is stored and reused instead of being drained into the sewers.

ONLINE THIS WEEK JULIO ROJAS

War on scooters

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28 August - 17 September 2020

City Hall reports there were 200,000 illegal swims in 2019, while an academic contends that empowered women are increasingly going topless in public BEN HAMILTON

ATHERS in areas where swimming is not permitted in Copenhagen Harbour could soon face fines, according to the By & Havn authority, which estimates there were around 200,000 ‘illegal swims’ last year. It intends to change the law to make it much easier for the police to issue fines, to review all signage around the harbour in a bid to make it clearer where swimming is prohibited, and to next summer introduce an app highlighting all the zones where bathing is permitted. It would appear many Copenhageners just don’t know the rules. Hotspots for illegal swimming include Marmorbyen, Krøyers Plads, Ophelia Beach, Islands Brygge and Havneholmen. Movia, the company that operates the harbour buses, reported

HE METROSELSKABET transport operator has done its best to be diligent in its efforts to offer the public hand-sanitiser to prevent coronavirus cases from flaring up on the capital's underground.

DOCKING ships at the port of Copenhagen, and also Aarhus, will be able to source their electricity from onshore power supply (OPS) systems, thus negating their need to keep their engines on and cause untold pollution. The EU is allocating 60 million kroner to help install the OPS systems.

Smoke-free beach call Sun, sea and sand meets bare-breasted bathing

100 near-misses with bathers last year, while the Danske Studenters Roklub rowing club fears a swimmer could easily be killed by a blow to the head by an oar. Breasts are back IN RELATED news, toplessness is becoming more popular around bathing areas, although it does appear to be the opinion of just one, rather too observant academic! Niels Ulrik Sørensen from Center for Youth Research at Aalborg University told Berlingske “a huge focus on nature and a search for the natural” has com-

bined with a “societal tendency to criticise the ideal of being perfect and appearing flawless”, Sørensen also attributes the tend to growing feminist activism by the Ukrainian-French group FEMEN, GoTopless and #FreeTheNipple movements, and SlutWalk marches – of which one was staged in Copenhagen in 2018. While bare breasts tend to be associated with the period between the mid-1960s and the early-1980s in many western countries, in Denmark they were a perfectly common sight up until about 20 years ago.

Metro hand-sanitiser was banned Operator accused of being slow to replace product that was antibacterial, not antiviral

Green boost for ports

There’s just one little hitch though. The hand-sanitiser on the Metro since July is antibacterial, not antiviral, and it has yet to be approved as a product that works on the coronavirus. Nurse’s initial complaint UPON HEARING the discovery, Metroselskabet quickly apologised and replaced the

hand-sanitiser. Furthermore it has found out that its “distributor hasn’t stopped selling the product despite the Environmental Protection Agency banning it back in May”. The case came to light after a nurse reached out to BT tabloid in the wake of Metroselskabet failing to respond to her communication attempts. (CW)

THE HEALTHCARE mayor, Sisse Marie Welling, wants all Copenhagen’s beaches to be smoke-free. Currently smokers borrow green ashtrays when they visit. Denmark got its first smoke-free beach last year at Tisvildeleje in north Zealand.

No huge disruption ACCORDING to an analysis of traffic flow in the metropolitan area carried out by City Hall, several large development projects can take place in the city centre without creating severe traffic jams. However, they are pricey: the cost of rearranging junctions and lanes on one project was 59 million kroner.

Larger bins on the way COPENHAGEN Municipality is replacing 842 of its 5,400 bins with 339 bigger ones that come with lids to prevent birds making a mess – all by the end of 2021.

Benchmark it! COPENHAGEN Municipality is installing another 500 benches – in addition to the thousands already in the city. The municipality has produced a map where citizens can mark where they wish a bench to stand.

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COVER

THE COPENHAGEN POST | CPHPOST.DK

28 August - 17 September 2020

Barracudas back in business: inside the club that rules at Aussie footy MICHAEL JENSEN @FOTO-JENSEN

Always on the outlook for new players, this is a sport that brings people together like no other DAVIE MCCURDIE

’M STANDING in the middle – as is customary after a win – of a circle, alongside my fellow victorious first-gamers, mouthing the words to our club song. There’s me, in my first ever competitive game of any form, rubbing shoulders with players who’ve played this sport at its highest, professional level. We don’t know the words to the song; our more experienced teammates forming the ring that surrounds us keep it going and spray us with their drink bottles. There may even be beer in there. Rooted and rebooted MOMENTS earlier, the Copenhagen Barracudas had triumphantly made their return after a year-long hiatus to the Danish Australian Football League with an opening day derby win over the Copenhagen Giants. Aussie rules football is back on the menu in Covid-era Denmark and Copenhagen’s pre-eminent club is risen. That the Cudas have re-entered the scene is welcome news to followers of the game in Denmark and beyond. As a founding member of the DAFL, the Barracudas (then named North Copenhagen Barracudas) won the inaugural Premiership in 1991 contested by just three sides – all of which were based in the capital. The competition now enjoys something of a cult following, with clubs all over the country in the likes of Aalborg, Aarhus, Odense and Farum. A Malmö outfit completes a league of seven teams

Our author (bottom row, middle) is the central figure in the Barracudas' revival ... or at least in this photo

made up, perhaps surprisingly, by mostly local players peppered with Australian expats with a firm grounding in their nation’s biggest sport. League rules seek to limit the over-reliance on Australian players by way of a quota system, thus encouraging clubs to look for local talent. Cudas to the coach FOR MYSELF – more of a long-time listener, first-time caller – I have been welcomed into the fold by a diverse playing group and senior coach, Atiba Jackson, whose positivity and passion for coaching far outshines previous experiences of

gritty football coaches on rain-sodden pitches in Scotland, barking orders at nervy youngsters, fearful of missing that crucial slide tackle. Jackson, a native of Melbourne who has been playing football for as long as he could walk, has rediscovered his love for the game with the Cudas. “Footy is the best part of my week,” he says. “We have such a great group around the club, and with 20-30 people training every week, it’s awesome to be able to introduce new players to the game.” A typical Cudas training session sees players hone the unique skills of the sport. From learning to kick and catch the

game’s often unpredictable oval-shaped ball, working on the art of handballing and playing a range of games, there’s a strong focus on development and fun for players of all levels. Plans for sheilas team THE NEED for a non-Australian core playing group is underlined by Jason Nunn, the club president: “Being based in Copenhagen is a blessing, as we inherit a lot of players from Australia to study or work. The flipside to this, though, is that they typically don’t stay long, so we’re in a perpetual state of recruiting new players year on year. We really felt this

COVER

28 August - 17 September 2020

last year when we pulled out of the 2019 DAFL season because we couldn’t field a team.” These challenges are familiar to amateur sporting institutions the world over, but for a niche sport, the work in keeping a club going and getting players to training and on the park is never done. “We’d love to have more Danes come and learn the game: both for the longevity of the club and competition but also to create more awareness in Denmark for our favourite sport,” says Nunn. This invitation certainly doesn’t extend only to men. The club has big expansion plans into the women’s game. “We’re building a strong base for a women’s team here,” contends Nunn. “There’s a small but ded-

icated group training regularly and it’s our objective to get them playing some actual matches and help in the running of the club. We need to find more women to help realise that dream, start the team and really grow women’s footy in Denmark.” Beaut social life THE FOUNDATION of the Cudas’ 2020 revival has been built on the social endeavours of the club, with weekly post-training barbecues and regular social events in the calendar. “We’ve been able to cultivate a great, inclusive social environment where everyone has a voice and working together is as important as the footy,” adds Jackson. For as much as the club has placed a strong emphasis on the

social aspect, there’s a serious and deeply competitive edge to the Danish game, as is guaranteed to be the case this weekend as the Barracudas head to Malmö to take on the Maulers, followed by the short trip north to meet the 2019 Premiers, the Farum Cats, a week later in Round 3. The Cudas, high from their victory last week, are ready to taste more success. Cobbers in the circle ROUND 1 and back in the circle, I’ve almost nailed the tune and the words of the club anthem. The arm of a guy who as recently as a year ago was on the playing list of an AFL club is around my shoulder. He’s playing at a level he hasn’t seen since he was a boy;

I’m barely treading water in a game I’ve followed avidly for some time, but only acted out in back gardens and lockeddown living rooms. But we are one. We are equals here, bound together in victory. The journey is beginning for me and a good few others. It is resurrected for a number of players frustrated to not have a team to turn out for last year. And for this decorated club, in its navy, red and gold guernsey, a new history is being written by the current crop. Not content with merely notching up the fielding of a team this year as a success, there’s a buzz about the club and optimistic chatter of a return to the glory days of yore reverberates around the footy shed. The sea-

son to come will doubtless deliver many a twist and turn, but ask anyone in that circle if we can go all the way to the finals this year and you’ll be met with the same answer, which just so happens – I have now learned - to be the refrain from the club anthem: “Cudas can!”

COME AND MEET THE CUDAS! Copenhagen Barracudas train on Tuesdays (18:00-20:00) at Valbyparken (meet at Hammelstrupvej 48) New members of all ages and genders are always welcome The club hopes to launch a women’s team next year Find out more at cphaf.dk

NATIONAL

THE COPENHAGEN POST | CPHPOST.DK

ONLINE THIS WEEK

THE POLICE have confirmed that 50 new security cameras are being installed to begin the implementation of the government’s 2019 proposal 'Security and Safety in the Public Space'. A further 100 cameras will be installed next year, with 150 more to follow in the coming years.

Speedy arrests SOME 12 people were last week arrested in a series of raids under suspicion they are part of a nationwide amphetamine-dealing network. In related news, a 36-year-old Syrian citizen was last week sentenced to seven years in prison by the Court in Sønderborg for smuggling 4.96 kilos of cocaine into Denmark.

Phishing by SMS STATENS Serum Institut has assured the public that the TestCenter in Denmark would never try to book an appointment or request information via a text message. Instead, the messages were sent by unknown parties phishing (or smishing) for personal information.

Teens on the booze SOME 40 percent of teens aged 15-16 had been drunk in the last month, according to a European Substance Abuse Survey, while 17 percent had smoked cannabis – up from 12 percent in 2015.

Lost siblings SOME 19 percent of adults in Denmark have lost contact with at least one of their siblings, according to a YouGov study. Two-thirds blamed a deliberate cessation of contact.

Picking up again THE NUMBER of people commuting across the Øresund is on the rise following a steep drop during the COVID-19 lockdown. It is welcome news following months of record lows. In April, numbers were 77 percent down on the same month in 2019, and in July, they were 44 percent lower.

Repatriation loophole of state’s making PIXABAY

Big Brother growing

28 August - 17 September 2020

Hundreds have pocketed up to 200,000 kroner because the municipalities are unable to access the Udlændingestyrelsen database ROSELYNE MIN

T LEAST 140 foreigners have been paid so-called repatriation support to return to their home countries, only to regret their decision and return to Denmark, only this time registering in a different municipality and evading the authorities, reports BT. By rights, they should pay Denmark back the repatriation support, which tends to be a figure between 100,000 and 200,000 kroner. But of the 140 cases, only one has done so – primarily because the municipalities do not have access to the Udlændingeinformationsportalen database. The government has conceded that it has no idea how many similar cases might be out there in addition to the 140 discovered by BT.

ONLINE THIS WEEK Bridge smashes records THIS SUMMER saw the Great Belt Bridge’s daily and monthly vehicle records broken: 53,900 on July 18 and 1,29 million in July. In related news, a 69-yearold ferry in Slagelse, the Great Belt Ferry M/F Broen, has been turned into a maritime museum/ water sports centre.

Well known prince dies

“I’ve arranged a room in Randers ... it was the best I could do”

million kroner. However, MPs believe that the number of applicants will increase in the second half of the year as the country is opening up again.

According to 2020 figures from his ministry, 36 percent of refugees (and those arriving on family reunification) aged 21-64 were in employment after three years in Denmark: 57 percent of the men and 17 percent of the women.

Asylum decrease BUT WHILE the loophole has cost Denmark around 20 million kroner, it has saved significantly more thanks to the historically low number of asylum-seekers this year. There have only been 830 new applications, compared to 2,716 in 2019, and the Udlændingestyrelsen immigration service estimates the decrease will save the government up to 359

Two-fifths of quota IT COSTS the state 277,841 kroner to accommodate an asylum-seeker, which might explain why the immigration and integration minister, Mattias Tesfaye, has decided to only accept 200 quota refugees – all from Rwanda – even though the Finance Act for 2020 provided for the full allocation of 500. Tesfaye mainly cited the integration challenges, arguing that far too many are on cash benefits: “Five out of six refugee women are still out of the labour market after three years in Denmark. It is very, very expensive and totally unsustainable. That is why I proceed cautiously.”

Mette a top speaker

Going to school alone

Fewer summer thefts

PM METTE Frederiksen has been ranked the sixth most eloquent world leader by Development Academy – a list topped by NZ leader Jacinda Ardern. In other politics news, Dansk Folkeparti leader Kristian Thulesen Dahl has denied rumours he was pressured to promote Morten Messerschmidt to replace Søren Espersen as deputy leader.

NEARLY half of the country’s pre-teens (ages 5-12) go to school by themselves, according to the Danish Road Safety Council and TrygFonden. Among the 10-12 age group, the figure is 72 percent. In related news, Denmark has opened its first children’s shelter. Some seven professionals and about 60 volunteers will man Christianshavn-based Joannahuset.

THE ‘THEFT from the person’ rate fell heavily in July, according to Topdanmark, the country’s second largest insurance company. Just 579 were reported, compared to 1,023 in July 2019, as thefts from shops and in public spaces fell by 82 percent, and car thefts more than halved. However, the number of burglaries only fell by 10 percent.

Not all Rwandans RADIKALE would like Denmark to accept the full quota. “I am happy that we take 200 more than we did under [Inger] Støjberg, but I am frustrated that we do not sign up for this collaboration and do not take the 500 that we usually take,” said its spokesperson Andreas Steenberg. The government supports a program in which Rwanda helps to receive asylum-seekers and refugees from Libya's detention centres. A large proportion of the refugees residing in Rwanda are Christians from DR Congo and Burundi.

PRINCE Waldemar, a second cousin of the Danish queen, has passed away at the age of 79. He was known in Denmark for a few scandals – most notably for having a messy divorce in 1992 and receiving a conditional custodial sentence for illegally possessing a weapon.

New speeding precedent A MAN HAS been given a one-month suspended sentence for driving at 156 km/h over Langebro Bridge – the first time a judge has given any kind of prison term for a speeding offence.

Nursing doubts AHEAD of an anticipated nurse shortage of 6,000 by 2025, a VIA University College study reveals that every fifth nursing student and every fourth new nurse has doubts they will be in the same career in five years’ time.

Gender rule shake-up? THE GOVERNMENT is considering a proposal to remove the age limit for legal gender reassignments and to remove the six-month reflection period. Since they became legal in 2014, there have been 1,549 applications, of which 302 have been received in the past year.

Ferry stampede NEARLY 1 million passengers benefited from the summer package’s free ferry offer in July. Some 35 million kroner was set aside by the government, but it will end up costing 68 million kroner.

INTERNATIONAL

28 August - 17 September 2020

ONLINE THIS WEEK

TWO DANES were among the 6,000 people injured in the explosion that rocked Beirut on August 4. One of them was Melissa Maria Elsberg, a Danish embassy employee who fell out of a building and broke two ribs and her wrist. In total, 177 people died and 95 billion kroner's worth of damage was caused. Denmark has so far donated around 200 million kroner in aid.

Aiding Myanmar military ACCORDING to Danwatch, Bestseller’s deaf ears to a 2019 UN appeal to stop producing goods in Myanmar has indirectly contributed to the financing of the country’s military, the Tatmadaw, which stands accused of violating human rights.

Bulgarians guilty FIVE BULGARIANS, three men and two women, have been sentenced to two months in prison by Sonderborg Court after being found guilty of falsifying documents they presented to border officials when attempting to enter Denmark from Germany in July.

Funds for Kiev centre THE FOREIGN minister, Jeppe Kofod, has allocated 18 million kroner to a new Ukrainian-Danish youth centre in Kiev.

New travel warnings AFTER previously being deemed safe, the Foreign Ministry is advising against all unnecessary travel to Iceland and Spain.

ONLINE THIS WEEK PIKIST.COM

Injured in Beirut

Trump mused Greenland barter deal US president reportedly considered offering Puerto Rico to Denmark CHRISTIAN WENANDE

NE OF THE stories of 2019 was US President Donald Trump’s offer to buy Greenland from Denmark, and his subsequent claim that PM Mette Frederiksen was “nasty” for laughing off the notion. But now a former Department of Homeland Security official, Miles Taylor, has added another chapter to the saga by recalling an incident that took place in 2018. Apparently, he wanted to swap the island for Puerto Rico.

New tech ambassador AT 33, DENMARK’S new tech ambassador, Anne Marie Engtoft, is her country’s youngest ever mission head. Her predecessor Casper Klynge claims it was tough being taken seriously by tech giants. In related news, Julie Elisabeth Pruzan-Jørgensen is the new senior civilian representative for the European-led maritime awareness mission in the Strait of Hormuz, EMASOH.

All eyes on Mali

Originally the galaxy builder had wanted to offer Tatooine

Rico for Greenland”, Taylor recalled to MSNBC. “Because, in his words, 'Puerto Rico was dirty and the people were poor'.” Untrustworthy “lowlife”? HOWEVER, Taylor is now an ardent Trump antagonist and supporter of Joe Biden as the next US president, and he has

been attacked by the Trump administration following his remarks. Trump himself claims that he has never met Taylor and referred to him as a “lowlife”. In related news, the resolution of a longstanding technical issue means that Greenland’s 40,000 adult citizens can finally use the phone payment system MobilePay.

Displace nomads

Chinese ship fears

Attacked in Belarus

ACCORDING to Danwatch, Ørsted has been buying gas from its Russian counterpart Gazprom that is taken from the Yamal region in Siberia, which belongs to the Nenet nomads. The Nenets claim the extraction has forced many of them to leave land they have populated for 800 years. Ørsted has no plans to renew a 20-year deal made in 2006.

ACCORDING to DR, 88 cameras from the Chinese firm Hikvision were installed on two of Denmark’s biggest warships, the Absalon and the Esbern Snare, in 2014 and 2016 to improve their security. However, due to the company’s close links to the Chinese government, there are fears of espionage – claims Hikvision has called “erroneous”.

BERLINGSKE journalist Asger Ladefoged was kicked and punched in the face whilst covering the Minsk protests against Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko, who is under pressure to resign amid accusations he fixed his general election victory. The Danish government and the Nordic-Baltic foreign ministers support the protests.

Dirty and poor ON A TRIP to the US territory, which had endured a catastrophic hurricane a year before, Trump said he not only wanted to purchase Greenland, but “he actually said he wanted to see if we could sell Puerto Rico … swap Puerto

DENMARK is keeping a watchful eye on Mali after the military deposed President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita on August 19, as around 1015 Danish soldiers are based there in connection with MINUSMA, the ongoing UN peacekeeping mission in the country.

Aid for returning migrants DENMARK is donating 15.4 million kroner to a project that helps would-be EU migrants in the Western Balkans to return to their home countries – mostly in the Middle East and Africa. Thousands are stranded in the likes of Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Serbia with little hope of entering the EU legally. The project has already helped 1,500 migrants to return home.

In limbo near Malta A DANISH-REGISTERED oil tanker, the Etienne, is in limbo after rescuing a group of 27 migrants from a drifting boat in international waters off Libya. For three weeks, the Maersk-owned ship has been anchored close to Malta.

SCIENCE

THE COPENHAGEN POST | CPHPOST.DK

ONLINE THIS WEEK

DANSK Energi Denmark will need 32-48 billion kroner to raise the number of electric cars on the roads in order to make the desired environmental impact. It worries the current electric grid is not capable of handling the growing demand, and that this could lead to power outages. The report advises lowering the expense of charging the car during non-peak times.

Stressful childhoods kill ACCORDING to a University of Copenhagen study, a stressful childhood makes it 4.5 times more likely that somebody will die prematurely between the ages of 16 and 36. The young adults are more likely to kill themselves or have an accident, and there is also a higher risk of them dying from cancer.

Insects under threat AN AARHUS University report contends that the number of butterflies, bees and beetles are decreasing. Researchers blame ever-changing habitats where the amount of flowers, dead wood, carrion, manure, and specific plants is in freefall. The report urges a reduction of pesticide usage in nature areas and more varied vegetation in urban areas.

Uni’s green campus bid AARHUS University is launching 44 green initiatives as part of its climate strategy. The initiatives include a fixed temperature of 21 C during the season when central heating is thought necessary, waste-sorting pilot projects, and developing a model for collecting coffee grounds from the coffee machine.

Cystic fibrosis success RESEARCHERS from Aarhus University in collaboration with a German research team have developed a urine test that can assess the effect of drugs used to treat cystic fibrosis.

Predicting heart attacks VITAL Beats is developing an app for people with pacemakers that could predict heart attacks 30 days before they happen.

Almost half to be vaccinated in 2021

ONLINE THIS WEEK PIXABAY

Electric car concerns

28 August - 17 September 2020

European Commission’s advance agreement to acquire 300 million doses means Denmark won’t have to go shopping in Russia ROSELYNE MIN

OME 2.4 MILLION people in Denmark will be vaccinated against the coronavirus in 2021, according to the Health Ministry, thanks to Denmark’s share of the European Commission’s advance agreement to acquire 300 million doses from the British-Swedish pharma company AstraZeneca. In total, 40 percent of the populations of Denmark, Greenland and the Faroe Islands will be protected. AstraZeneca's vaccine candidate is currently being tested in phase 3 clinical trials, after which the relevant authorities will assess its efficacy and safety for final approval. The agreement requires the EU to finance part of the costs associated with the vaccine's development.

Just bundle them into Fælleparken ... social distancing will be so 2020

the vaccine will be approved in Europe and the US, due to the very stringent vaccine approval demands,” he told TV2. Phase 3 trials of Sputnik V are ongoing, and production is expected to start in September. Some 20 countries have already pre-ordered over a billion doses.

out knowing it. The SSI’s tests will be nationwide and include children aged 12-17. Available in pharmacies, some 14,000 antibody tests had been sold as of the end of July, with only 7 percent testing positive.

‘Put in’ your mouth! THE EU deal will most likely mean Denmark won’t be in the market to buy Russia’s approved COVID-19 vaccine, which President Vladimir Putin has already given to his daughter. The vaccine has been named Sputnik V after the orbital satellite launched by the Soviet Union in 1957. Nils Strandberg Pedersen, the former head of the State Serum Institute (SSI), doubts Denmark will show any interest, as Russia’s approval “doesn't mean that

US testing at warp speed RUSSIA’S success will not stop the US’s efforts, and Professor Jens Lundgren from Rigshospitalet and the University of Copenhagen has confirmed he will be involved in testing up to 45 COVID-19 treatments developed there. The experiments are being run by the institutions NIH and NIAID as part of the project ACTIV-3, which has been dubbed 'Operation Warp Speed'. Preliminary results are expected in September. Meanwhile in Denmark, the SSI is inviting 18,000 random people in Denmark for an antibody test. In May, tests carried out in selected municipalities revealed that 1.2 percent of the country have been infected with-

Swedes cautious enough! IN OTHER news related to the coronavirus, social distancing during the first wave of the coronavirus reduced the infection rate by 25-45 percent in most European countries, according to an SDU study. However, while the inhabitants of Italy, France, Portugal and Spain were subject to the strictest measures, and Sweden's the loosest, all five countries saw a similar reduction. While a new Idraettens Analyseinstitut study reveals that 38 percent of those active in sports stopped exercising during the coronavirus lockdown, 10 percent of previously inactive people started exercising. And finally, the government is expanding Denmark's testing capacity to 50,000 daily tests this autumn.

Fight to remain Danish

Toxic plant alert

High hopes for antibodies

WHEN DANISH emigrants settled in the US in the 1800s primarily in Wisconsin, Nebraska, Iowa, Utah and California - they fought to preserve their Danishness, according to a University of Southern Denmark study. However, World War I changed matters as English quickly became their mother tongue and German-sounding names were changed.

THE PUBLIC have been warned about 'wild parsnip', a plant with yellow flowers that can cause terrible blisters when its juices combine with sunlight. Wild parsnip is a coarse yellow-green umbrella plant that is related to squatter cabbage and bear claw. All areas of the plant contain poison; in case of contact, avoid sun exposure for at least 48 hours.

DTU RESEARCHERS are working on developing ‘broad-spectrum antibodies’ that can fight viruses, cancer or even snake venom. Using 'Phage display', a Nobel Prize-awarded technique that uses bacteriophages to connect proteins with genetic information, the antibodies can bind to different variants of the same virus, reducing its chances of mutating.

Top academic returning ESTEEMED Danish researcher Mads Gyrd-Hansen is leaving his post as the leader of the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research at Oxford University to take over the new research centre for skin and immunology at the University of Copenhagen. He is receiving a grant from the Novo Nordisk Foundation of 25 million kroner to start a new research group.

Huge drop in Down babies JUST 18 babies with Down Syndrome were born in Denmark in 2019 – the lowest figure since the registry began in 1970. Since Denmark began offering screening to detect the disorder in 2004, the average has been 33 a year. However, some parents elect to keep their baby, including seven last year.

Scorpions to the rescue A STUDY carried out by the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of Southern Denmark reveals that the toxins emitted by the Brazilian yellow scorpion, called KPP, could help heart problems. The researchers believe it will be easy and economic to recreate the substance in the laboratory.

Fit but more stressed? A UNIVERSITY of Copenhagen study of 27 people using the fitness watch ‘Fitbit’ found that many became more worried as a result of constantly monitoring their sleep, heart rate and exercise. Whilst more motivated to exercise, the watch users often don’t have the knowledge to understand the readings correctly.

Huge disease project THE DTU Food Institute and the Erasmus University Medical Center in the Netherlands are heading VEO, a five-year EU-funded Horizon 2020 project on emerging infectious diseases, with particular regard to how wastewater analyses can help map their spread.

28 August - 17 September 2020

ONLINE THIS WEEK

THOMAS Sandgaard is 99 percent certain he will buy EFL League One club Charlton Athletic for a reported fee of 411 million kroner. Sandgaard is the founder of Zynex, a medical device company that specialises in offering pain management to recovering drug addicts.

A bad influence GOOGLE Play has reinstated the DR Ramasjang app after moving it because it featured Uncle Reje, who beats up ninjas and hands out liquorice pipes to children, which Google worried might promote smoking and violence to kids.

Parken expansion plans THE DBU has confirmed plans to expand Parken’s capacity from 38,000 to 50,000 and to move its HQ to the national stadium from its current home Brøndby Stadium. The increase in capacity will enable Parken to bid to host major finals.

Super July for museums MANY MUSEUMS reported having record Julys, with Aros in Aarhus selling 126,039 tickets – almost double its monthly best.

A loser again CHRISTIAN Eriksen finished runner-up in a major Euro final for the second successive year: this time in the Europa League with Inter. The Dane made his entry as a 78th minute sub in the 2-3 loss to Sevilla.

This is the 'War of the Rackets' Rapid development of padel, a hybrid of tennis and squash, could be hit by quarreling bodies BEN HAMILTON

STORM is brewing over whether Danish competitors should use rackets or racquets to play padel, a cross between tennis and squash contested on an enclosed court that permits players to hit shots off walls. Okay, granted, it's a little more serious than that, but it's a pertinent distinction, as tennis favours the former, and squash the latter, and right now two sporting bodies are battling for control of the emerging sport in Denmark.

ONLINE THIS WEEK HARPAGORNIS

From addicts to Addicks

CULTURE & SPORT

Heist in Copenhagen SPAIN’S most popular Netflix TV series, 'Money Heist', has been shooting part of its fifth season in Copenhagen. Other major international shows to shoot in the Danish capital in recent times include 'Weeds' in 2011 and 'The Bold and the Beautiful' in 2015.

Rugby league fans rejoice It’s a bit like cage fighting, but with weapons

Underhand application? THE LONG-ESTABLISHED Dansk Tennis Forbund (DTF) is

challenging the 'new boys', the Dansk Padel Forbund (DPF), which is bidding to be officially endorsed as an independent association in 2022. The tennis association recently applied to become a member of the International Padel Association (FIP), an organisation the DPF has been a member of since 2017.

50 years and counting THE SPORT has come a long way since being invented in 1969, and it is particularly popular in Hispanic-speaking countries. In answer to the question posed at the start of this article, Google supports the view that padel is played using a racket.

At odds with rules

Shafted then knighted

Back in the swing

ARBEJDERNES Landsbank will no longer sponsor the national football team following the introduction of a new gambling law on July 1. The legislation prohibits logos of consumer loan providers from appearing on shirts alongside those of gambling companies – in this case Oddset.

ÅGE HAREIDE, 66, who earlier this month was named coach of Norwegian giant Rosenborg, has been knighted by Denmark for his achievements whilst in charge of Denmark. Hareide helped the Red and Whites to qualify for both the 2018 World Cup, where they reached the last 16, and Euro 2020. He was let go when his contract ended this summer.

THE EUROPEAN Tour has lifted its ban on Thorbjørn Olesen, 30, after the coronavirus resulted in the golfer’s trial being postponed by 19 months to December 2021. He stands charged of sexually assaulting a female flight attendant in July 2019. In related news, Thomas Bjørn recently completed a 210 km charity walk from London to Wales.

Connie lands lead

Woz to commentate

Bond, Jaime Bond

CONNIE Nielsen has landed a major role in the new NENT Studios series 'Close to me', a psychological drama of which filming will start in Britain soon.

CAROLINE Wozniacki will be part of ESPN’s commentary team during the US Open, which takes place in New York next month.

NIKOLAJ Coster-Waldau is a 14/1 shot to be the next James Bond. Also in contention is Claes Bang, a fellow Dane who is 20/1. Both men are in their 50s.

COPENHAGEN RLFC has confirmed its participation in a continent-wide, 16-team rugby league competition, which will start as a knockout tournament in 2021 and then evolve into a division the following year.

Footy fraud pleads guilty BERNIO Verhagen, the Dutch footballer who duped several clubs into buying him across Europe, pleaded guilty to charges of fraud and forgery at a court in Viborg, the city where he tried to scam its local Superliga side last year. He was fined 15,000 kroner, but will not face more jail time in addition to the 15 months he got for sexually assaulting his Chilean former girlfriend.

Race a factor ‘KAMPEN om Grønland’, a documentary that took nine years to make, has been turned down by Canada’s ImagineNative Film Festival because its Danish director Kenneth Sorento is not an indigenous Greelander. Several other festivals have also turned the film down.

10 BUSINESS

THE COPENHAGEN POST | CPHPOST.DK

ONLINE THIS WEEK

MOST PHONE users won’t be able to enjoy the high speeds offered by 5G when the superfast network is rolled out on September 7. According to TDC, for example, only users with its newest phones will be able to use the technology immediately.

Nemlig on song ONLINE grocery service Nemlig. com has reported a 108 percent increase in customers over the first six months of 2020 compared to the same period last year. Turnover rose by more than 50 percent.

Fitness guru’s comeback PER LYNGBAK Nielsen, a founder of Fitness World, is one of the backers behind FitnessX, a proposed chain with plans to open 100 centres over the next five years. It is unknown when the first will open.

Home launch for Novo NOVO NORDISK’S new diabetes pill Rybelsus, which enables those with the disease to forego injections, is coming to Denmark following successful launches in the likes of the US and Japan. In related news, the Novo Nordisk Foundation has granted 1 million kroner to the International Committee of the Red Cross to help its efforts following the explosion in Beirut.

Matas suspends product MATAS has suspended sails of its Eskimo-3 fish oil product, which is aimed at children, conceding that the use of the word 'eskimo' is inapproropriate. It has taken the matter up with the producer.

Government appoints forum of experts to help Denmark recover from the Coronavirus Crisis

ONLINE THIS WEEK PIXABAY

5G hitch

Trade crackforce to kickstart exports

28 August - 17 September 2020

SKATTESTYRELSEN has lost the latest round of its court cases against Sanjay Shah, the British businessman suspected of orchestrating dividend fraud depriving the Danish state of 12.7 billion kroner. A court in Dubai ruled that insufficient evidence and documentation was presented against the suspects, ordering Skat to pay Shah's legal costs. Skat has appealed.

ROSELYNE MIN

HE GOVERNMENT has set up a forum to kickstart international trade following the Coronavirus Crisis, which consists of eight 'restart teams' to help Danish export companies. Each team will be targeted at a business sector with a leader from the relevant business community and trade union (see factbox). Job losses URGENT action is needed, as Denmark has been hemorrhaging jobs of late – most particularly in industries depending on international trade and tourism. According to Danmarks Statistik, the country suffered a net loss of 1,295 jobs in July – an 84 percent increase on the previous month that was partially attributed to a surge in coronavirus bankruptcies (178 in June and 179 in July). The bigger they are ... ALLAN Sørensen, the chief economist at Dansk Industri told DR that the bigger the company, the worse the impact. "Larger companies typically also have subcontractors and customers who are affected.” Kristian Skriver, a senior economist at Dansk Erhverv, predicts hotels and restaurants will continue to be impacted throughout the autumn: "Trends have shown that it takes a few months from the time the company experiences a decline in turnover until inching

Skat 0 Shah 1

Bank’s temporary home

Thunderbirds are go!

towards bankruptcy." Mostly returned AMONG those confirming redundancies have been engineering firm FLSmidth (840 at a loss of 130 million kroner following a projected 30 percent dip in revenue for 2020), Jyske Bank (200 by mid-2021, along with 20 percent of its branches) and the Scandic hotel chain (250). Nevertheless, many workers have seemingly survived, as the number whose salaries are still being covered by the wage compensation scheme has fallen from 370,000 in the spring to just 14,000, according to Erhvervsstyrelsen. Unemployment falling EVEN BETTER, the unemployment rate is now falling again, according to Danmark Statistik, as June saw a net gain of 11,000 following three months of significant declines. Since February, when the employment rate was a record high 2.8 million, around 74,000 people have lost their jobs. According to Danske

Bank, the labour market is unlikely to recover fully before 2022.

EIGHT RESTART TEAMS - Food (Jais Valeur, Danish Crown) - Maritime (Henriette Hallberg Thygesen, Maersk) - Production companies & green technology (Michael Lundgaard Thomsen, Aalborg Portland) - Fashion & textiles (Frederikke Schmidt, Roccamore) - Life science & biotech (Lars Fruergaard Jørgensen, Novo Nordisk) - Small & medium-sized enterprises (Carsten Jensen, CKJ Steel) - Tourism & experience economy (Lars Liebst, Tivoli) - Aviation (Simon Pauck Hansen, SAS)

Purses locked down

Protest on oil platform

ISP discrepancies

Air India pulls out

SWEDEN, without a coronavirus lockdown, still managed to suffer a 25 percent fall in consumer spending – just 4 percentage points better than Denmark, which was locked down between March 11 and April 5. Adam Sheridan from the University of Copenhagen told Videnskab it proved that shock at the pandemic was a bigger factor than the closures.

FRENCH oil giant Total suspended production on its unmanned Dan Bravo platform in the North Sea after four Greenpeace Denmark activists arrived and unveiled a huge art installation. The activists want to expose Denmark’s “hypocrisy” in championing green issues while reaping the financial benefits of fossil fuel production.

AN INVESTIGATION by Denmark’s Consumer Council has found that customers paying for more expensive broadband do not necessarily enjoy faster speeds. After testing a total of 28 ISPs, the council found that Telia (1,494 kroner for six months) offered the highest speeds, while the worst performer was Mit Tele (1,982 kroner for six months).

AIR INDIA has blamed the coronavirus for closing its Copenhagen to New Deli route – a blow to its 82,000 annual passengers – along with services to Stockholm and three other European cities. Meanwhile, SAS continues to be besieged by customers who lost money after submitting compensation claims for flights that weren’t yet officially cancelled.

DANMARKS Nationalbank, the central bank, is moving to the Langelinie building Pier 47 in Østerbro while its home on Havnegade in the city centre undergoes a major renovation in line with the Cultural Heritage Agency’s 2009 decision to preserve it due to its architectural and cultural-historical values. The bank will remain at Pier 47 until around 2025.

New Radisson hotel A NEW 78-ROOM hotel in Aarhus, the Radisson RED, has opened with a “trendy Nordic aesthetic” that incorporates industrial design elements, according to its owner.

Tivoli losses inevitable TIVOLI has forecast a pre-tax loss of 150-200 million kroner for 2020. With visitor numbers expected to fall by 50 percent, it is in line with the 135 million kroner interim loss it posted, during which revenue fell by 59 percent to 163 million kroner.

Back and running DANISH Crown has reopened its slaughterhouse in Ringsted after gaining control of the coronavirus outbreak that infected 142 workers.

Profits for Maersk DESPITE a 6.5 percent decline in revenues, Maersk has posted a second quarter pre-tax profit of just over 3.2 billion kroner. The shipper explained that lower oil prices have reduced freight costs while rates paid by customers have risen.

BUSINESS OPINION

28 August - 17 September 2020

of the fridge, slices the end off, seasons the meat and puts it in the oven. Her husband has seen her do this many times before, but he’s never really known why. Finally, he asks her why. “Why do you chop the end off the lamb?” She thinks for a moment and then replies: “I don’t know. My mum always did it.”

ED LEY FIT FOR BUSINESS CEOs and Olympic medal-winning athletes come to Ed (edley. net) for help to optimise their physical and mental performance. Using neuroscience and body work techniques, his methods improve their energy, health, fulfilment and well-being. And as the co-host of the Global Denmark podcast, he has his finger on issues pertinent to expats in Denmark.

HERE’S this husband and wife and they’re cooking a lamb roast dinner together. The woman pulls the lamb out

Carlos started a business through denmarkbrazil.com, but while his blog survives, he has left for pastures new and is now the head of strategic partnerships at Ucommerce, where he mainly deals with agencies in the Benelux countries. The roundtables host seeks to inspire many on a vast range of topics, from digital transformation and mental health to the future of work in the 4th industrial revolution.

HOULD you start your own company or work for someone else?

Your true north THAT IS a hard question to answer, as we all have different values and motivators. My answer, to look inside yourself, might sound like zen advice, but it is probably the only way you’ll ever find your true north. A lot of people like to preach: “If you work for yourself, the sky’s the limit and you’ll have ultimate freedom, while if you work for somebody, you are trading your time for money.” While the second affirmation is true, I must say that the first is a blatant lie. Building your own company won’t grant you any freedom; it is quite the contrary. You will trade your time for no money (when you start) and the odds are against you. Emerging stronger LAST YEAR was one of my toughest ever. I left the company I’d founded back in 2014, went through a divorce, and quit work due to mental fatigue. Things weren’t easy as I juggled the options of staying in Denmark or returning to my

Prisoner '6079 Smith W' could not deny that the coronavirus did have a few benefits

Understanding the ‘why’ THIS IS a silly story, but it highlights an important point. We all act out systems passed down to us from a structure that is either very old, or even obsolete, which was designed to fix problems from the past. These ideas don’t adapt like we do: they’re dead and, for the most part, just because it was the way things were done when we were growing up, we often don’t even

know why they are like they are. They include working 9-5, working at the office, and various gender roles, so entrenched they have become invisible. Some of them might offer benefits that we haven’t considered, but in other ways they unnecessarily limit us. We fear doing things in a different way. We know the boat is floating now, but we don’t know exactly how, so we change nothing. But when we slow down

and observe and isolate the ‘why’ behind our actions, we most often discover that half of our actions are unnecessary or even counter-productive. The answer is to apply curiosity to everything we do: to look at the upside and downside of our actions and then we can begin to explore better ways to gain the same benefits without the same investment of time or effort. This is how we make things better. PIXABAY

CARLOS MONTERO GIVE YOURSELF A CHANCE

Mother of all invention BOTH CURIOUS now, she calls her and asks: “Mum, when you are cooking lamb, why do you always chop the end off?” Mum thought for a moment and replied: “I don’t know, my mum always used to do it.” Doubly curious now, they called her: “Gran, when you used to cook a roast lamb, why did you always chop the end off?” The line went quiet as she thought hard for a moment before giving a little chuckle: “I chopped the end off because my oven was too small to fit it in.”

And then, just when you're not expecting it, life throws you a lightbulb

homeland Brazil (without my children). Self-doubt and anxiety grew, and I ended up going to a psychiatrist, starting cognitive therapy and practising transcendental meditation. All of them were critical as I elected to look inside myself. Right kind of questions OUT THE other side, I’ve changed my opinion about creating a business. It is not for everyone, but what worked well for me to start all over again was to ask questions - the kind that

are empowering and force you not to fool around. I’m talking about questions that start with ‘Why’, ‘What for’, ‘How’ and ‘What’. Specificity is also important so we avoid misinterpretations and drastically reduce the chance of making errors. But when asking questions, instead of asking “why something went wrong”, try asking yourself “what can I learn from a situation and what possibilities do I have now”.

Time to EVOLVE DURING the pandemic, I was building my new company, EVOLVE. Many managers like to think they can only guide organisations by metrics, but forget that humans are constantly evolving. It is a natural law. If we don’t, we disappear. EVOLVE exists to help individuals and businesses build communities through an educational methodology. While there’s still a lot of work to do, I invite you to watch my journey. Get in touch!

12 OPINION

THE COPENHAGEN POST | CPHPOST.DK

28 August - 17 September 2020

REVD SMITHA PRASADAM

What have we learnt?

UR SUMMER holidays have given us a chance to reflect on six months of the coronavirus turning everything upside-down. Slowly we are taking new knowledge in.

Invaluable lessons WE EXPERIENCED a massive lockdown and the virus was controlled. We learned that it was possible to work from home and even increase productivity now that the water cooler was not a meeting place any more. Virtual schools and universities proved that the nation is computer literate. Software like Zoom made conferences not only possible but productive. Granted, it was bad for the travel industry, but we learned how to save a lot of time and money. When this experience is

Sobering taste of solitude WE LEARNED to keep our social distance, reserved hugging for our closest relatives and loved ones, and discharged handshakes as an unnecessary tradition – thereby bringing to an end the ridiculous demand for handshakes at citizenship ceremonies. Not only has this behaviour reduced our COVID-19 death toll, but it will also ease the mortality rate when the next flu season hits us. Being isolated ourselves was a reminder of how solitude is the norm for many elderly and vulnerable citizens, and that remedies are needed to encourage more contact. In the near future, we have to debate the identity and role of relatives. It’s all relative, right? CLEARLY, some people have none and others have too many. The make-up of a typical Danish family has changed beyond all recognition, and it can be confusing trying to work out who you should spend Christmas with when your parents are twice or thrice divorced and you feel more closely bonded to your ex-step parent. We have learned that the state is generally well meaning, but not perfect! And neither are the familial structures that hold up society. But above everything, we learned that we are flexible and disciplined beyond all expectation when it is called upon. May that be the most valuable lesson for future calamities. (ES)

Born in India, adopted by Britain, Smitha (chaplain@ st-albans.dk) is the new chaplain of St Alban’s Church. In the UK, along with being a Church of England priest, she travelled Europe working as an English teacher, trainer and examiner. Smitha continues to work in an advisory and advocacy capacity at a national level on matters of liturgy and social justice.

RTISAN loaves, rye, sourdough, seeded - the plethora of bread and bakeries is what I love in Denmark. God is good I LOVE too the promise of yeast in supermarket fridges – exquisitely packaged with the promise of abundance later. Give that small square bundle a little warmth, sugar and liquid, and miraculously it grows before my eyes, its pungent warmth and scent suffusing the house! Seemingly irrepressible, the dough rises and doubles in size. I knock it down and leave it to its own devices; and it doubles again!! ‘Goddisgoode’ was one of the former names for yeast. Written as one word, in modern times it looks like the first part of an email address or Danish tongue-twister, but it signified that “it comes from the great grace of God.” As no-one understood its chemistry or knew its origin, yeast was a gift from God, like manna in the wilderness. Pure gift. And it lies at the heart of bread. Our daily bread WHEN JESUS said he is the Bread of Life, embodied now in the church’s weekly celebration of Holy Communion, he was offering himself as a gift fundamental to meeting our inner needs - much as bread meets our physical needs. He used yeast as one of his illustrations about the way the Kingdom of God works. And when he gave himself as bread, he said it was for the life of the world. We share God’s life so that we can be the truth that God is good. World events and the circumstances of our lives often knock it down as dough is knocked down. But God’s

PIXABAY

Summer of discovery DENMARK is a wonderful holiday destination. We have really rediscovered the charm of a country – both the cities and the countryside along with the longest coastline per square kilometre in Europe – so small that there are few destinations that we can’t reach by lunchtime, enjoy and then return home by nightfall. Even with very few foreign tourists visiting, we learned that hotels were fully booked and that summer cabins were commanding record prices. Meanwhile, the government made ferries free for cyclists and pedestrians to the extent that some islanders, in between the chimes of the cash register, claimed they were overrun. Even the weather behaved: June was fine, July was cold and August wonderful. We learned that life was good after all.

Living Faith

really digested, the workplaces will not be the same again. We will see how the labour unions cope with a world where productivity is master and not the clock.

Somebody has been feeding 'Goddisgoode' yeast to this cross

goodness is irrepressible and the warmth of our response will help people to recognise it. To help people (re)discover the goodness of God is what we at St Alban’s have been doing for a very long time. In lockdown and deconfinement, we have doggedly repeated the message that God is good despite the ravages of this devastating disease. Waste not, want not SOME SEEM to think that Christian life is all about having a set of DOs and DON’Ts to live by. It is true in part, but not a very life-enhancing approach at all! The fears concerning COVID-19, the continued injustices of the world and our personal challenges can do nothing to diminish the truth that all our hungers are met in the Bread of Life, Jesus. Book of Common Prayer aficionados will know the oft-forgotten festival of Lammas Day, the ‘Loaf Mass Day’, an August festivity when a loaf baked with newly harvested corn would be brought into the church and blessed. A forerunner of harvest festivals, which were only introduced in the 19th centu-

ry, this more ancient offering united home and church, fast and feast, and need and yield. I was reminded of My Lammas in my Danish language class recently when a ‘klassekamarater’ referred to the ‘waste not-want not’ giveaways in bakeries and supermarkets. Everyone immediately downloaded the app! Beggars’ belief! INDIAN evangelist DT Niles once noted that “Evangelism is witness. It is one beggar telling another beggar where to find bread.” And at St Alban’s Church we share God’s goodness and invite others to enjoy the Bread of Life too. Please register at iwant2worship@st-albans.dk where God’s abundance awaits. We will mark harvest and offer thanksgiving, pray for the elimination of hunger and the injustice that locks most of the world’s food away from those who need it most. Far from sitting back and thinking how fortunate we are; we will be preparing to sow seeds and encourage growth for the harvest to come, when the will of God will be done on Earth as it is in heaven.

OPINION

28 August - 17 September 2020

ADRIAN MACKINDER

Mackindergarten

A Dane Abroad

Nobody does it worse NATURALLY we should all be grateful we are in Denmark. Sure, I’ve made this column something of a temple of grievances: a chalice into which I’ve poured my fears and frustrations about being a British expat living in Copenhagen, but right now I’m bloody glad I’m not back home. The UK remains a mess, with businesses collapsing on a weekly basis, schools still far from up and running, the psychological impact of living months under lockdown taking its toll and no concrete guidance or coherent leadership from a shambolic government that more resembles the braying hyenas from ‘The Lion King’ – only with fewer qualifications and worse hair.

Straight, No Chaser STEPHEN GADD RYAN MCGUIRE

Complete skyfall I CAN ONLY describe the past few months as being in freefall, not only without a parachute, but continually plummeting through an infinite wormhole with no prospect, at any point, of land looming rapidly into view. At least if there was an impact you can dust yourself off, pick yourself up and start with the next thing. With life in a pandemic, the uncertainty seems endless: too many unanswered questions, too many mixed signals and confusion everywhere we dare to look.

NEXT ISSUE

KIRSTEN LOUISE PEDERSEN

British writer and performer Adrian Mackinder (adrianmackinder.co.uk) and his pregnant Danish wife moved from London to Copenhagen in September 2015. He now spends all his time wrestling with fatherhood, the unexpected culture clash and being an Englishman abroad. ELL. THAT was a fun summer wasn’t it? You’d think with my background performing improv, I’d have handled all the life changes and modifications brought on by COVID-19 with aplomb, wouldn’t you? Guess again.

IN 2 ISSUES

Straight Up ZACH KHADUDU

Early Rejser ADAM WELLS IN 3 ISSUES

Hugo Drax has been trying to cope, but it's a total loss of face

Moonwaker DENMARK, while not completely perfect in its response, acted relatively swiftly to the coronavirus, and with clarity and confidence. The worst many of us parents had to endure was the frustration of trying to work with the kids at home, which basically involved hiding behind doors for Zoom meetings and trying to pretend that no-one else on the call could hear the sound of screaming from the living room as one child batters the other with a Brio train track. Coping with kids under lockdown was exhausting and bewildering, but it was far worse in countries like the UK, where friends of mine had to work in shifts, with one half of the parental unit often not starting their working day until nightfall once their feral kids had gone to bed. If you think you had it hard over the summer here, trust me, you could have had it much worse. Playgrounds are forever WE TOOK three weeks’ off as is customary here for the summer holiday. We didn’t have the luxury of renting a summer house – the true symbol of Danish status and opulence – because we left it too late and they’d all

been hijacked by their Danish owners or invading Germans. So our summer holiday felt, 21 days later, more like a long weekend, bound as we were by staying in Copenhagen. We did venture further a couple of times to see some of the traditional Danish summer sites – desolate cornfields, haunted pig farms and terrifying villages with a Netto still using the old logo – but, on the whole, we made the city our playground. Thankfully, there are enough actual playgrounds and cool urban escapes to keep the kids amused. No time to die NOW THAT my two spawn are back at nursery and kindergarten respectively, myself and my wife are back in offices interacting with other humans, socially-distanced of course, and some semblance of normality has returned. That is until the inevitable spike during flu season and we all have to go back to hiding under the table. Of course, chances are you’re still separated from family and loved ones. I feel your pain. So let’s keep on keeping on and raise a glass to the return of normality in all its glory. After all, tomorrow is another day.

Mishra’s Mishmash MRUTYUANJAI MISHRA

Crazier than Christmas VIVIENNE MCKEE IN 4 ISSUES

The Road Less Taken JESSICA ALEXANDER

An Actor’s Life IAN BURNS IN 5 ISSUES

Englishman in Nyhavn JACK GARDNER

Green Spotlight SIBYLLE DE VALENCE

14 FEATURE

THE COPENHAGEN POST | CPHPOST.DK

28 August - 17 September 2020

Outrage at Somali coronavirus outbreak just another sad chapter in a grim tale How certain politicians, media outlets and interest groups are forever itching to chastise the community that ‘refuses to integrate’ KAUKAB TAHIR SHAIRANI

NTI-MUSLIM rhetoric is ablaze, anti-immigration sentiments continue to run high and racism has never been a bigger issue in a land where slurs such as ‘perker’ and ‘neger’ are habitually used to call people of colour. Such is the climate, the government uses the equally offensive term ghetto to officially describe the areas where most of them end up living. Discriminated against for their race, religion and refuge, nobody knows this better than the Somali community in Aarhus. In the mid-1990s, Somalian refugees reported their harassment by the local authorities to the United Nations Human Rights Commission, and media reports confirmed at the time that Somalis suffered more discrimination than any other ethnic minority group in Denmark. Both high-ranking politicians and media outlets indulged in smear campaigns and surveys revealed that even some ordinary Danes abhorred asylum-seekers. Sadly not a lot has changed in the following 25 years. “Exclusionary” environment IN MARCH 2018, the former Venstre-led government introduced what it described as anti-ghetto legislation, which included plans to institutionalise children in the neighbourhoods by teaching them Danish language and values. Other harsh measures have subsequently led to lower social benefits, stiffer punishments for certain crimes and hundreds being evicted to make way for private housing tenants . In the same year, a controversial ban on wearing face-veils in public, the so-called ‘Burka

Ban’, came into effect. Nobody was deluded enough to think it targeted criminal wearing masks, and many Muslim women have openly defied it, picking up many fines in the process. Against this backdrop, a 2018 EU-funded report on European islamophobia accused Denmark of widespread Islamophobia with “exclusionary” political campaigns and “normalisation of everyday discrimination of Muslims”. It deemed Denmark to be an “ethnocracy” where power lay in the hands of just a few politicians. And that was just 2018, as matters really started to escalate a year later in the build-up to the General Election. Rasmus Paludan, a far right lawyer and aspiring MP, received nationwide attention for his party Stram Kurs after desecrating Islam’s holy book in the Copenhagen district of Nørrebro – a stunt that provoked hours-long riots. Just months later, his party narrowly missed out on winning political representation after winning 1.8 percent of the public vote, just 0.2 percentage points short of representation. However, another new party, Nye Borgerlige, did win seats: four of them after acquiring 2.4 percent of the vote, and it is currently polling at 4.2 percent – just 1.9 percentage points ahead of Dansk Folkeparti, a party it briefly overtook in June. In its leader Pernille Vermund, it has arguably discovered the spiritual successor to DF founder and long-time leader Pia Kjærsgaard, or should that be PM Mette Frederiksen, whose anti-immigration policies pushed her party’s supporters over to her left bloc allies whilst drawing the lion’s share of the 21.1 percent who backed DF in 2015. So don’t expect the government to reverse their predecessors’ policies. Remember that back in 2017, Frederiksen expressed her desire to shut down a number of the Muslim friskoler.

Conflicting opinions Nowhere can the anti-Muslim, anti-immigrant and racist rhetoric be so keenly felt than in the Somali communities living in Aarhus V and some of its adjoining suburbs. An outbreak of the coronavirus in Gellerup, a ‘ghetto neighbourhood’ housing 8,000 people to the west of Aarhus V, in which over 60 Somalis (the media rarely refer to them as Danes, even though some have citizenship) were reported in early August, has seen an outpouring of vitriol from the media, public and politicians keen to stoke the flames to increase their support. Kjærsgaard’s response to the outbreak was to call for curfews in all of the country’s ghettos. However, Peter Hervik, a PhD associate professor in migration, racism and anthropology at Aarhus University, disagrees: “Reasons for high infection rates in Gellerup are likely because many are working in healthcare, driving buses, etc,” he said, conceding that the community’s track record has probably worked against it. “For many years and across the political spectrum, Somalis are considered so ‘different’ that it is practically impossible to integrate them into Danish society,” he added. “Meanwhile, politicians who talk about the rights of minorities in the media are met with resentment and a loss of voters.” Another academic, Laura Gilliam, an associate professor in educational anthropology at Aarhus University, contends that minority children, particularly those with a Muslim background, are let down by the education system. “Instead of looking at individual reasons, many teachers explain these childrens’ behaviour with stereotypical religious or cultural explanations,” she said. “At least we feel safe here” AT BAZAR Vest, a melting

Bazar Vest: a haven for many immigrants in Aarhus

pot of cultures and favoured shopping destination by many immigrants in the city (most notably from Asia and Africa), many of its residents said that the rise in rhetoric had made them afraid to leave the district. In Aarhus West, at least, they feel safe. “There are some white areas in Denmark where I’ve gotten dirty stares,” contended Jasmine Afolabi, a 13-year-old from the district. Afolabi, who is Danish by nationality but has parents from Nigeria and Namibia, said that she attends a nearby school in the Aarhus West area as it gives her a “sense of belonging”. Two burka-clad female immigrants with a Muslim background from Somalia conceded that racist attitudes prevail. Teka Ahmad and Asiili Sheikhnur narrated first-hand experiences of being uncomfortable outside their neighbourhood. Elaborating further, Sheikhnur termed the heavy Muslim enclave to be a ‘village’ of black people. “Outside this area, Danish people look at me in a racist manner,” she concluded. Dominic Sidibe, the BLM representative for the Aarhus chapter, agrees that most black people feel comfortable in Aarhus West. “It is a neighbourhood where most black people live and feel safe,” he said. Sidibe, an immigrant from Sierra Leone who has been liv-

ing in Denmark for the past 14 years, contends that black people are often “stared at” or given unwelcoming looks. There’s a line BUT NOT everyone from Aarhus West feels discriminated against – if anything, many of the locals are quite laid-back about the situation. “If you live in a country, you must respect their system, which I do,” said Mike Eke, an immigrant from West Africa. About 2,500 people gathered outside Aarhus City Hall in June to kneel in silence in solidarity with the BLM movement following the murder of George Floyd in police custody in May, but Eke was not impressed. “This was propaganda because nobody is protesting about the tens of thousands of black people who die in Africa every day,” he contended. Mohamed Abdi Warsame, a Somali immigrant, does not think the problem is endemic: “I have been living here for 14 years and I find Danish people and Danish society to be one of the most tolerant in the world.” However, some politicians, like Paludan, said Warsame, know all too well how to “provoke” people. Citing the 2005-06 Mohammed Cartoons controversy, he conceded there is a line you should not cross. “Even some of the locals disagreed with that,” he said.

COMMUNITY OPINION

28 August - 17 September 2020

Masterclass in sustainability: my alma mater is the school of the future

ANNA MARYAM SMITH CLASS OF 2019 FROM CIS

ONG BEFORE anyone finds out about the Copenhagen jazz festival, business school, fashion week, zoo, or even contemporary, celtic and post, they learn about Copenhagen International School. Type the name of the Danish capital into Google and see what comes up first! Copenhagen International School is pre-eminent in every way: its educational excellence, its closeknit and welcoming community, the way its student body takes responsibility locally and globally and - last, but not least - sustainability. Some 25,000 sqm in size, its new premises is truly a building of the future. A blossoming ground for innovation and creativity, it’s no wonder so many of its students shine so bright when they complete their education. Worthy of ocean views THE BUILDING, which officially opened in January of 2017, is nearly entirely covered by a solar panel facade that has the ability to produce about 50 percent of the school’s energy consumption. The 12,000 solar panels were specifically designed for the building to produce power to service CIS’s bid to be energy-sufficient. However, a lot of thought also went into them looking visually appealing. Due to the lack of variation in the solar panels that existed at the time, they were given a green/ blue tint similar to the ocean that surrounds the building, along with a slant to give the outside of the building a more interesting look. Lit, fed, cooled THE SOLAR facade is perhaps the most conspicuous environmentally-conscious element, but certainly not the only one. The school’s cafeteria is also very

environmentally aware, as none of the leftover food is thrown away. When the children are done eating, their leftovers end up being used for biogas and/or fed to animals. The biogas might be used to, for example, fuel the blue buses in Copenhagen. The building is entirely illuminated by LED lights, which are far more energy-efficient than regular light bulbs, making them much better for the environment. The school is also so well insulated it requires a cooling system. The cooling system pulls in fresh air from the roof, where it's always cooler, in order to ventilate without actively cooling (which would use a lot more energy). In addition, a 3x air exchange ensures the indoor environment is conducive to learning. The next generation SO WHAT kind of impact does this have? Aside from the obvious positive impact of composting and solar energy, putting children in an environmentally-aware and responsible atmosphere is also crucial. In a world where global warming is progressing at a rapid rate, action needs to be taken immediately, and that must start at a young age. When children are raised in environments in which sustainability is prioritised, it is natural to assume that they will learn the value and significance of it. And what we need now is more people growing up with the understanding that we must take action to save the planet. Healthy children AND IT doesn’t stop there, as the health of the children is paramount. Not only is the food they eat both fresh and healthy, but their classrooms are lit in such a way to optimise their working levels. Almost all of the classrooms are placed in corners of the building in order to maximise the amount of natural light they receive. When children are exposed to lots of bright light it makes them happier, more energised, and more inclined to focus. Furthermore the classes are mostly furnished (the floors, lock-

C F MØLLER ARCHITECTS

Three years after its move to Nordhavn, Copenhagen International School continues to set the standards for the rest to follow

ers, cupboards etc) using sustainable materials such as wood, which is both better for the students’ well-being and for the environment. Location, location ... THE SCHOOL is significantly located in Nordhavn, a rapidly emerging area in Copenhagen with a focus on sustainability, where the blue undertones of the solar paneled facade has become something of a poster-girl for the district. Nordhavn is intent on becoming completely carbon-neutral. It has become much easier to cycle and use public transport than drive, thus promoting emission-free modes of transportation. A new Metro station, which has opened just a few minutes away from CIS, makes it easy for students to use public transport instead of being driven to school. It has further solidified the school’s status as a trailblazer for sustainable architecture and education, and the benefits of this are already starting to manifest. As the century unfolds, expect to see more institutions follow suit in pursuit of their own sustainable and green futures.

Anna Maryam Smith, a graduate of Copenhagen International School in 2019, has just started her second year at Wellesley College in Boston, where she is studying liberal arts.

16 COMMUNITY

THE COPENHAGEN POST | CPHPOST.DK

28 August - 17 September 2020

Footy, Cafe Svejk and a kebab: another sizzling Saturday with the Celtics ALL PHOTOS: AYEE MACARAIG

When has Kløvermarken ever let this football club down with the weather at this Summer Party?

PHOTOS: PEDRO JOSE BORGES TEXT: BEN HAMILTON

It was touch and go for a while whether the expat football club Copenhagen Celtic would be able to hold its annual Summer Party, an event it has held on the first Saturday of August, come rain come shine, every year (bar one when they were double-booked with a frisbee tournament) since 2004. But on August 1, the cream of the club gathered in the fierce sunshine outside the cafe at Kløvermarken. Like always, it was an event for the entire family to enjoy

The organisers owe a huge debt to those who gathered early to pitch the tents for the eight participating teams (four less than 2019 due to the the coronavirus restrictions), who contested the under-40 and over-40 tournaments

Look away now kids, there were some fierce battles going on during the group stages (left-right). Adam Taylor of Jigsaw was uncertain whether he should accept the apology of Nick Rich from Cafe Svejk for his third foul in 90 seconds in the final of the over-40s. In the same match-up, Remy Aarnes and Martin Milad Akhlaghpour came together one … two … make that three times, with Remy eventually exclaiming: “You keep on fcking falling over.” And in the final of the under-40s, Rado of the Rest of the World team, haggard after refereeing the over-40s, did battle with Andy Christie from Kebab. The name on the man in black’s shirt said it all: “Maradöner”. Both finals ended 0-0 ...

The stars were out in force in the over-40s: we unfortunately missed the goal scored by Jigsaw’s Vernon Jones but apparently it was a belter; it’s a little known fact that Adam Lipscomb from The Globe has never been on the left side of a pitch before; John Lambert from Cafe Svejk showed the form that has won him 32 straight player-of-the-season awards; and Jim MacPherson from Peter’s Friends (a limp play on the manager’s name), who travelled in specially from Scotland for the event, was later arrested for contravening the coronavirus regulations

28 August - 17 September 2020

COMMUNITY

In the end, the boys ‘doner’ good with an epic penalty shootout win over the Rest of the World to lift the over-40s crown. Kebab FC (left) had earlier topped the group, but Calum Brennan (right) and co found the likes of Wouter de Groot and Lars Peter Jensen too hard to break down in a final (their fifth 30-minute game of the day), which was the equivalent of playing extra time after extra time in a World Cup game, and ended 0-0. Kebab FC won something like 116-115 in the shootout

CPH POST editor Ben Hamilton had never made a final before, let alone taken part in a penalty shootout (or at least since he was 17 and placed it like Socrates), but with Cafe Svejk 4-3 ahead after eight penalties … he completely fluffed it. But referee! Look at the keeper. How much closer could he be? In the end Svejk prevailed against Jigsaw (poignantly the nickname of treasured player Pete Streader, who tragically passed away in January) to allow manager Pat Sheridan (top row, left) to receive the trophy from co-organiser Chris Pilbeam. The party then continued long into the night at the sponsor’s bar on Smallegade in Frederiksgade

More MVPs (left-right), or just geezers with big heads in the right place at the right time? CPH POST news editor Christian Wenande and Tiki Ebun-Cole finished runners-up with the Rest of the World (left and centre left), but didn’t quite have the goods to deprive Calum Brennan and James Birkenshaw (centre right) of the crown. Finally, last but not least, take a bow Jon Treacher (and Chris Pilbeam) for another memorable day. All that is left is to thank Mikkel for his patience at the Kløvermarken cafe, Kiwi Pies, who supplied the 100 guests with splendid butter chicken and steak numbers, Isklart for supplying ice at a cheap rate, Lejeanlæg for offering a large discount on the the sound system, and Copenhagen Municipality for permitting the use of the pitches

18 DIPLOMACY

THE COPENHAGEN POST | CPHPOST.DK

28 August - 17 September 2020

Saudi Arabian Embassy’s guests celebrate Eid al-Adha in splendid sunshine

In the build-up to the big day, the Saudi Arabian Embassy’s reception to mark Eid al-Adha on July 31, there had been question marks over whether the splendid summer weather that has dominated August would continue. But they needn’t have worried as radiant sunshine greeted the guests of ambassador Fahad Alruwaily in the garden of his Hellerup residence

After an enforced absence due to the Coronavirus Crisis, the diplomatic corps were out in force and Ambassador Alruwaily’s guests (centre photo) included Algerian ambassador Rachid Meddah (left) and Ghanaian ambassador Amerley Awua-Asamoa (right), and (right photo) Leo Herrera-Lim, the ambassador of the Philippines

Also present were UAE ambassador Fatema Almazrouei (left) and Hans Hermansen, the CEO of CPH POST (right)

28 August - 17 September 2020

DIPLOMACY

Indian Embassy celebration lent a distinct Danish flavour by double milestone

It was a triple celebration at India House in Copenhagen on August 17, where the Indian Embassy marked the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 74th Independence Day along with the 400th anniversary of the commencement of trade relations with Denmark along with the 70th anniversary of the start of diplomatic relations. Given the Danish flavour of the celebrations, it was fitting that the embassy received so many dignitaries from its host countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s political spectrum

A beautiful and vibrant cultural program was organised as part of the celebrations in which performers and musicians from Denmark and the Indian diaspora took part

The foreign minister, Jeppe Kofod (left), was among the esteemed guests of Indian ambassador Ajit Gupte, as well as Freddy Svane (right) the Danish ambassador to India. Both Ambassador Gupte and Kofod addressed those present with speeches in the garden

20 EVENTS

THE COPENHAGEN POST | CPHPOST.DK

International Citizen Days Sep 14-19; online & various locations; free adm; ihcph.dk/icd. International Citizen Days is going virtual, bringing together public authorities, private organisations and local communities from Greater Copenhagen together for live-streamed talks and consultation with experts. Get inspired on how to settle here: finding a home, jobs, childcare, language classes, establishing a network and kick-starting your social life. The event on the 19th will be off-line at DGI-Byen. (RM) Ulug Bek: Please Step Aside Aug 28, 20:00-22:00; Kellermans Bar & Grill, Teglholmsgade 36, Cph SV; 80kr, billetto.dk New rising comedian Ulug Bek presents his journey through Danish hygge. He wants to share his struggles with the Danish language, finding Danish friends and surviving julefrokosts. The organiser warns about his controversial opinions! (RM) CPH Watersports Festival Sep 5, 10:00-22:00; Jollevej 10, Cph S; free adm, cphwatersportfestival.dk Summer might have gone by, but aren’t swimming and huddling the two things penguins do in winter? Enjoy windsurfing, kitesurfing, stand-up paddling and at this festival with friends and family. Suitable for all ages. (RM) ARTNSIPS: Painting & Drinks Sep 4, 18:00-20:00; Steel House, Herholdtsgade 6; 349kroner, artnsips.ticketbutler.io This is a social painting event accompanied by a professional artist. Unleash your creativity while you sip on your favourite drink! All materials will be provided and the first drink is included in your ticket. No experience is needed. (RM) Globe Quiz Sep 10 & 24, 19:30; The Globe, Nørregade 43, Cph K; 40kr The winners get 1,000 kroner, runners-up 500, and there is a 8,000 rollover. Simply the best in town.

Tivoli Mad & Vin Festival Aug 29-Sep 20; Tivoli, Vesterbrogade 3, Cph K; regular entrance prices Offering offers many different gastro experiences, Tivoli will serve smørrebrød that celebrate food and wine. Register at tivoli. dk to take part in the various events. Danish Agriculture & Food Council is a co-organiser of the event. (RM) Painting & Meditation Sep 5, 13:00-15:30; Art Escape Studios, Heinesgade 13 kld.tv, Cph N; 250kr, idaglad.com Kaspar Meitil, a psychologist and meditation teacher, and Ida Glad, an artist and life coach, will guide you through a therapeutic art experience. Explore the meeting between the creative, the meditative and the relational. No experience is required to participate in this event. (RM) Fermentation Workshop: KRAUT Sep 3, 17:00-20:00; Bispeparken, Cph N; 200kr Herbal therapist Rosana will enlighten you about fermenting cabbage, our digestive systems and gut bacteria – why are fermented foods so good for us, and what happens during fermentation? After the introduction, visitors can try fermenting a mix of cabbage and spices. (RM) SAMBA Sundays at Reffen Aug 30, 16:00-20:00; Reffen, Refshalevej 167A, Cph K; free adm The last Sunday of August shall be celebrated with some grooves! Hours of delicious Brazilian music, including classic 1970s samba, will be selected for your listening pleasure by Epic Vinyls from Brazil, a Danish/Brazilian DJ team. (RM) Buster Film Festival Sep 21-Oct 4; Flæsketorvet 60 3, Cph V; ticket prices vary, buster.dk Scandinavia's largest children's film festival, Buster Film Festival, draws up to 35,000 kids, teachers and families every year. The target group is 3-16 years. (RM)

28 August - 17 September 2020

Kulturhavn Sep 11-13; Ved Slusen 27, Cph S; free adm Kulturhavn, the annual harbour festival, shines a light on all the unique opportunities that the blue urban space offers the city. The festival program offers an ocean of free, creative and engaging activities, including concerts, sports, games and much more. Everyone can participate! (RM) Lights on Vesterbro Sep 3-6; various venues; vesterbrolokaludvalg.kk.dk The Vesterbro Local Committee is organising an initiative dedicated to musicians under financial pressure due to the Coronavirus Crisis. A total of 34 cultural events are planned in the neighbourhood’s cafes and pubs. Brighten up Vesterbro with your-long-forgotten party soul! (RM) Rum Tasting Aug 28, 17:00; Dexter’s Bar, Åboulevard 9A&B, Cph V; 285kr Explore the diversity of Caribbean rum. Learn what to match it with and how to mix it - all while listening to some reggae. Using a diverse and authentic assortment supplied by the wine and spirits importer Juuls Engros, this will help you to develop a better understanding of rum’s complexity. (RM) Doctor's Orders Sep 12, 20:00; Improv Comedy Copenhagen, Frederiksholms Kanal 2, Cph K; improvcomedy. eu/events Aren’t we all more conscious about our health than ever nowadays? Get healthy through laughter. You’ve been prescribed a show full of surprises – every show is as different as it is memorable. Check these performers out because these are your Doctor’s Orders. Grab a ticket! A drink is included! (RM) Kennedy’s Quiz Sep 7 & Oct 5, 19:30, Gammel Kongvej 23, Cph V A great night with 800 kroner for the winning team.

Enter Art Fair Aug 28-31; Nordsøvej 4,Cph Ø; free adm Enter Art Fair is the most prominent international art fair in the Nordics. This year ENTER presents work from 60 galleries and more than 250 artists from all over the world. An artistic program meanwhile offers talks, film installations and performances. Jazz in Gadekøkkenet Aug 30; Strandgade 95, Cph K; free adm Gadekøkkenet, one of the cosiest street food venues, is inviting Moment's Notice to play a wide range of well-known melodies from the American songbook – the likes of Frank Sinatra, Armstrong Louis, Nat King Cole, Nina Simone, Miles Davis and many more. Calligraphy for beginners Sep 4, 17:30-21:00; Rådhuspladsen, Cph K; 950kr Learn the basics of copperplate calligraphy – hand-lettering – with a dip pen and ink! It's a skill that is beautiful, fun, and will stay with you forever. You get to take the offered alphabet workbook and all your art supplies home. (RM) Markedsdage at Reffen Aug 29, Sep 11 & Sep 26; Refshalevej 167A, Cph K; free adm Reffen’s cosy market promises a wealth of exciting, creative and fine stalls. Explore gorgeous clothes, soap, art and glass, along with beautiful handmade jewellery and trinkets for the home! Find unique gifts for those you love. (RM) CPH English Comedy Night Sep 3, 20:00; Copenhagen Admiral Hotel, Toldbodgade 28, Cph K; 110kr With Irish comedian Sean Finnerty, seen on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, as the headliner the show confidently promises laughter. He will be joined by David Duff (Ireland) and Loren Mayshark (USA). The venue has a pop-up bar serving fairly-priced drinks. (RM)

Summer at Louisiana ends Aug 30; Gl Strandvej 13, Humlebæk; 130 kr, lousiana.dk While snacking on produce from the museum’s new mini-café, enjoy a video portrait of the French superstar Zinedine Zidane on a big screen in the lower park area. While the Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama's work has been installed in the Lake Garden, blending into the museum’s beautiful scenery. (RM) Outdoor salsa in Fælledparken Aug 28, 18:00-22:00; Dansepladsen, Edel Sauntes Allé, Cph N; free adm Enjoy open-air salsa dancing in Fælledparken! Salsa Libre DKs will be delivering the best aalsa, bachata, merengue, reggaeton and Cuban rueda de casino tunes. In Bach's footsteps Sep 8 20:00; Royal Library, Christians Brygge 8, Cph K; 260kr, billetlugen.dk Composer Arash Safaian’s re-interpretations of the acclaimed Bach melody will greet Copenhageners at the Royal Library as the season opens again. Two prominent soloists – German pianist Sebastian Knauer and the vibraphonist Morten Friis – together with 20 virtuoso strings will take the stage. The evening starts with the original ‘Piano Concerto No. 1 in D minor’. Safaian’s interpretation of ‘ÜberBach’ follows. (RM) Equilibrium Aug 27-Oct 3; Last Resort, Borgergade 2, Cph K; free adm French artist Justin Morin is inviting everyone to his fourth solo exhibition at Copenhagen’s international contemporary art gallery Last Resort. At this exhibition ‘balance’ is stressed – as the name suggests. Morin’s art plays with interesting materials such as plexiglass and silk draperies. The gallery is keeping a low-profile to maximise the surprise factor. Only the name of the central piece has been disclosed: ‘How to drape a ray of light hitting a diamond’. Registration is required for the exhibition’s opening on August 27 and 28. (RM)

ADVERTORIAL

28 August - 17 September 2020

On the quest for the holy grail: Functional Food Market SOMA BIRÓ

Origins of the universe IT WAS Overeem who decided that Magasin needed a new world within its walls. Thus

SOMA BIRÓ

White waterfalls and dressing WHAT KIND of products are we talking about exactly? Protein drinks, sports bars, vitamins, minerals and soft drinks with low carbohydrate levels are a few examples. Or peanut butter with a 29 percent protein content. And then there are the shirataki products – both masters highlighted these when I visited. “These shirataki noodles contain virtually no calories,” Overeem asserted, holding a bag of them in his hand. “But they are filled

Build yourself HOWEVER, FFM isn’t only about losing weight. It can also help you gain some. For this purpose, you can buy some amino acids – either EAA or BCAA. CEO Martin Petersen uses these during workouts himself: “They help your muscles retain protein. If you do cardio workouts (such as running) while also doing strength training (work out with weights), it’s normally not possible to lose weight without losing some muscle as well. But if you take amino acids, they retain the protein, so that your cardio workout doesn’t diminish your muscles in the process of helping you lose weight.” “In fact, FFM’s products are all things that help you perform, whether in sports, at work or in your private life,” Petersen contended. “If you live a healthier lifestyle, your brain will work sharper too and you’ll have a greater surplus of energy in general. So there really are no excuses for not doing it.”

SOMA BIRÓ

Meet the masters HERE, you’ll find two masters: one of them goes by the name Martin Petersen – he is the CEO of FFM. A tall, dark haired man, Petersen will be standing in the store, waiting for you. The other master, Ricky Overeem – a slightly shorter, bald, fit fellow – will be roaming the floor relentlessly as he is responsible for this entire section. He’s the food manager in Magasin. They will be your guides through this world of functional food, vitamins and dietary supplements – all tools that can lend you great powers if employed properly.

began his journey through Europe and its many health and fitness chains. But none of them proved fresh, bright or stylish enough to fit Overeem’s vision. So he decided to reach out to an old acquaintance: a 'mover' who had transported plenty of products to Overeem’s realm before. Petersen had run a moving company for 15 years before jumping into an entirely new industry this May. His relevant knowledge comes from 25 years of working out and using supplements to improve his capabilities. And how did Overeem become one of the masters of this universe himself? Let’s go back in time for that: it’s 1996 and Overeem has just graduated as a fitness instructor from Safe Academy. In ’97, he completed the additional diet and nutrition program. A few years later, Overeem became co-founder of the first gym in Denmark that was open 24/7, Gladiator Gym. Overeem sold his part in the gym in 2007 when he became head of Mad og Vin at Magasin. There you go, traveller. You’ve found the place and you’ve met the masters. Gather the knowledge, browse their products and upgrade your body to its full potential.

DENNIS FRANDSEN

O YOU FEEL weak? Fat? Skinny? Tired? Or lazy perhaps? You too are looking for the holy grail of self-betterment, aren’t you? Then take the Metro to Kongens Nytorv! Enter Magasin, locate the escalator and descend down the rabbit hole into the Mad og Vin (food and wine) section. Once you’re there, walk the four corners of the floor until you find the place you’re looking for: Functional Food Market (FFM).

with fibre, which helps your digestion. And it’s quite filling at the same time, so it’s a great product for people who have a tendency to overeat. You won’t find this in many places. You can cook it, fry it or eat it raw in a salad.” Shirataki means white waterfall – the image conjured by those long, translucent, Japanese noodles. FFM’s stock houses dressings and baking products as well. As for the dressings, Overeem proudly disclosed that FFM offers about 15 types. “These dressings contain 50-100 calories per litre. In comparison, one normal bottle of mayonnaise is around 7,500 calories per litre,” he pointed out.

DENNIS FRANDSEN

If you're looking to grow stronger, healthier or thinner, this is where you start

22 ON SCREENS

THE COPENHAGEN POST | CPHPOST.DK

28 August - 17 September 2020

When Carrie met Cary for an A-Z of LSD BEN HAMILTON

ARRIE Fisher had a bizarre upbringing. When her actress mother Debbie Reynolds got worried about her LSD problem as a teen, who’s she gone and called? No, not Ghostbusters … Cary Grant! Under professional guidance (he was warned not to watch North by Northwest under the influence) the veteran actor took 100 trips over a three-year period in the late 1950s in search of his true self. “In one LSD dream I imagined myself as a giant penis launching off from Earth like a spaceship,” he recalled at the time. Pep talk over, Fisher got her part in Star Wars. Two big Jessies OF COURSE, Hollywood has a habit of hooking up actors and actresses who share the same name. For example, Robin Wright starred in Toys with Robin Williams, Reese Witherspoon in Vanity Fair with Rhys Ifans, and John and Joan Cusack … I’ll give up there. Anyhow, Jesse Plemons and Jessie Buckley make up the jessiest role call of 2020 in the Netflix movie I’m Thinking of Ending Things (Sep 4). While we’re excited to see Buckley (bigged up in a recent edition of On Screens) making herself at home stateside – she’s also in the fourth season of Fargo (from Sep 28 on HBO Nordic) in which an African-American crime family (led by curveball but inspired casting decision

Chris Rock) goes to war with the Italian mafia in 1950s Kansas City – we’re almost delirious to note the film is the first from the mind of Charlie Kaufman (Adaptation, Being John Malkovich, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind – and another unisex name) for five years. Toni Collette (who has appeared in films with actors called Tony, but none of them were famous enough to include) delivers another unsettling performance in this oddball thriller in which she bizarrely has the line “I’d misplace my own head if it wasn’t screwed onto my own head” – echoes of Hereditary, or what? The right Wendy house? SHERLOCK'S younger sister clearly inherited the family jewels. And with Millie Bobby Brown from Stranger Things on board, Enola Holmes (Sep 23; Netflix) would appear to be on the scent of a hit, but ahead of its premiere it’s got off to the worst possible start. One of the featured buildings, Portcullis House, wasn’t built until 2001, and it has run into problems with the Conan Doyle estate for portraying the great sleuth as somebody with emotions (for reasons too dull to share here). But it is directed by Harry Bradbeer, who helmed almost every episode of Fleabag, so it can’t be all bad. Wendy (54 on Metacritic; at cinemas Sep 10) is the second Peter Pan universe effort to hit our screens this year, but it would appear this

is not the follow-up that fans of Beasts of the Southern Wild were expecting from its director Benh Zeitlin. After all, they had been waiting eight years. For Pan fans, though, this offers something original: a modern day version embedded in more realism than is customary, but with all the usual escapism. Ratched (Sep 18; Netflix) is an origins TV series about the antagonist nurse in One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest, here played by Sarah Poulson, fresh from her wonderfully quirky turn in Mrs America. It looks promising, but we’re not sure we can say the same about Poulsen’s other entry this month, the lockdown film Coastal Elites (Sep 13; HBO Nordic). After Kenneth Branagh’s turn in an English-lanaguage version of Sweden’s most famous TV policeman, an origins treatment was inevitable. To keep the Scandi flavour, Young Wallander (Sep 3; Netflix) mostly features actors from the region, but performing in English. Finally, two promising sequels, which have both elected to go back in time. Wonder Woman 1984 (Not Released Worldwide; Oct 1) is presumably after the Stranger Things market while The King’s Man (NRW; Sep 17), starring Ralph Fiennes and the aforementioned Rhys Ifans as Rasputin, is eyeing Sherlock Holmes’ domain, hopefully with a little more attention paid to the age of the buildings.

"You promised me a Tony would be in this ... so WE could double bill"

Lassie petering out ELSEWHERE, at cinemas, we have the rather lamentable looking Lassie Come Home (NRW; Sep 3) – wasn’t the 2005 remake, with an all-star cast including the likes of Peter O’Toole and Peter Dinklage, enough to re-introduce this yappy franchise to new generations? The quick answer is that this new version is German. And there is the drivel that is After 2: After we Collided (NRW; Sep 10) which is Shades for young adults, if those same young adults’ brains have failed to reach maturity. Pete Davidson’s character in Judd Apatow’s The King of Staten Island (67; Sep 10) is one such youth, but this tale of a boy becoming a fireman, co-written by Davidson based on his own upbringing, has an emotional punch and strong support from the likes of Steve Buscemi and Marisa Tomei. Also promising looking is The Devil all the Time (Sep 16; Netflix), a psychological thriller featuring a talented young cast including Tom Holland, Riley Keough and Robert Pattinson. Four previously postponed films – Tenet (71; Aug 26), The Personal History of David Copperfield (76; Sep 10), The New

Mutants (NRW; Sep 3) and Saint Maud (76; Sep 24) – were all previewed in previous editions. When Bond went gay OVER ON TV land, the miniseries The Third Day (Sep 15; HBO Nordic) starring Jude Law is trying something new – a live episode thrown in among its seven-episode run, but is it just a gimmick? Another miniseries, the coming-of-age tale We are who we are (Sep 15; HBO Nordic), from director Luca Guadagnino (Call me by your name) looks a safer bet. AP Bio (S3; Sep 4; HBO Nordic) and The Good Place (S3; Sep 27; Netflix) are the only returning series in what is a strong month for the small screen. And finally, not far behind Proxima, but ahead of the forthcoming Lucy in the Sky, comes yet another female astronaut production, the Netflix series Away (Sep 4) starring Hilary Swank. Hilary’s another unisex name, although it’s rare you come across a male version. George Lazenby used it as an alias playing James Bond (interesting post-Pride fact: it is believed the real Sir Hilary Bray was the first LGBT character of the franchise), and look what happened to him.

latin american film festival 2020 In September, the 7th edition of Latin American Film Festival takes place at Cinemateket with ﬁlms, events, receptions and talks. Most of the ﬁlms have English subtitles and many of the talks are in English as well. See what’s on at cinemateket.dk or visit us in Gothersgade 55.

ENGLISH JOB DENMARK Recruitment Announcements Part of The Welcome Group PRODUCT MANAGER ID: 10770, VESTAS Are you a talented Product Manager with a commercial mindset and technical understanding, and do you have recent experience from a global BtB company? Location: Deadline: Contact:

Copenhagen 20 September 2020 Therese Marie Sjølin, Manager, +45 40 93 66 58

SALES DEVELOPMENT REPRESENTATIVE UKI, FALCON.IO The role focuses on prospecting new clients within the UKI market. Location: Deadline: Contact:

Copenhagen When filled cision.com/careers/

UNSOLICITED APPLICATION AS PACKER, NEMLIG.COM

Can you perform in a busy environment, do you have a good physique? Then you might be the candidate we are looking for! Location: Deadline: Contact:

Brøndby 29 January 2021 rekrutteringdrift@nemlig.com

ENGINEERING MANAGER, MAERSK

You will be working on the Supply Chain Management platform helping to connect and simplify our customers’ supply chain with service expansion, automation, and continuous engagement. Location: Copenhagen Deadline: 14 September 2020 Contact: Farhana Mohammed, farhana.mohammed@maersk.com

To advertise your vacancy here and reach 60,000+ readers weekly, contact: info@englishjobdenmark.dk or call 6070 2298. For more information about what we can offer: https://englishjobdenmark.dk/

ENGLISH JOB DENMARK

DISTRIBUTION & NETWORK VOLUNTEER, ENGLISH JOB DENMARK

We are searching for a friendly, wellorganized Distribution & Network Volunteer to join our growing not for profit distribution team. Location: Deadline: Contact:

Copenhagen When filled info@englishjobdenmark.dk

GOVERNANCE & REPORTING SPECIALIST, DANSKE BANK

Do you want to be involved in supporting Danske’s financial crime investigation and analysis teams be the best and have a role where you are able to make genuine change? Location: Deadline: Contact:

Copenhagen 6 September 2020 Ross Pudney, Head of SAR Analytics and Oversight, +46 (0)76-72 166 28

GLOBAL ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR TO MAXIMISE THE COMMERCIAL OPPORTUNITIES WITH OZEMPIC, NOVO NORDISK

You will be responsible for leading the development and execution of a compelling short to mid-term commercial expansion strategy to drive the global performance for Ozempic®. Location: Deadline: Contact:

Søborg 6 September 2020 Matyas Lakatos, LLKS@novonordisk.com

SENIOR SOFTWARE ENGINEER, KARNOV GROUP You will be joining our “Core services” team developing new APIs, breaking up our bigger applications and helping rearchitect our systems for the future. Location: Deadline: Contact:

Copenhagen When filled Peter Riise, Director of Software Engineering, +45 26 21 48 17

SENIOR PROJECT MANAGER, MERCURY

Management of site safety, and project schedules and everything associated with role. Location: Deadline: Contact:

Copenhagen When filled info@mercuryeng.com

SENIOR REGULATORY AFFAIRS SPECIALIST, THERMOFISHER SCIENTIFIC

In this role you will provide regulatory affairs support, maintain and update medical device regulatory filing including product registrations, and technical files. Location: Deadline: Contact:

Roskilde When filled www.thermofisher.com

WAREHOUSE WORKER, HOBBII Do you want to be a part of a dedicated, competitive and fun team? Then join our warehouse team. Location: Deadline: Contact:

Greve When filled hobbii.bamboohr.com/jobs/

MASTER THESIS PROGRAMME 2020/2021, COLOPLAST

You will be able to combine theory with current business challenges and meet highly dedicated professionals within your area of study. Location: Deadline: Contact:

Humlebæk 22 September 2020 +45 49 11 11 11

LIVE Q&A SESSION WITH A RECRUITER

Join us on Facebook in the recruitment group English Job Denmark every Thursday at 12:00 noon, where an experienced recruiter will be on hand to answer any questions you may have about gaining employment in Denmark. To take part, simply join English Job Denmark & be ready with your questions. Contact us for more information: info@the-welcomegroup.com

Working together with internationals and companies to better understand the needs of one another. The Welcome Group has created this page and provides additional services, including an online community supporting employment for internationals on Facebook.

14-16 & 19 SEPT 2020

International Citizen Days 2020 goes virtual, bringing together public authorities, private organisations and local communities in the entire Greater Copenhagen region in a brand-new format with live-streamed talks, chatrooms and experts on 14-16 September â&#x20AC;&#x201C; all free of charge, of course. As the icing on the cake, you are invited to take part in the physical part of the event on 19 September, where you have the chance to try your hand at a sports club, dance studio or language school with fellow internationals. We look forward to inspiring you!

14 SEPTEMBER, 17.00-20.00 CULTURE & LEISURE

15 SEPTEMBER, 17.00-20.00 HOUSING

19 SEPTEMBER, 17.00-20.00 EXPLORE GREATER COPENHAGEN

16 SEPTEMBER, 17.00-20.00 JOB & CAREER

FREE OF CHARGE