Today in Denmark: A roundup of the news on Thursday
Find out what's going on in Denmark today with The Local's short roundup of the news in less than five minutes.
Covid-19 infections at highest level since January
Yesterday saw 1,871 new infections with Covid-19 registered in Denmark, the highest daily total since January this year during the peak of the second wave of the coronavirus in the country.
An expert said the epidemic “is developing again domestically, but it is probably still doing so very locally”.
Health Minister Magnus Heunicke on Tuesday called for more of the population to get vaccinated to ward off a potential return of restrictions to limit the virus during the winter.
Health authorities ask government to show them the money to run new hospitals
The government yesterday announced a plan to invest four billion kroner building smaller local hospitals and health services. But regional health authorities say they want to know how the operating costs of the hospitals, including staff salaries, will be paid for.
The 4-billion kroner budget presented by the government covers construction and fittings for the hospitals, including IT, but municipalities and regions will have to foot the rest of the bill, broadcaster DR writes.
Chairperson of the national council for the regions, Stephanie Lose, who is also elected leader of the South Denmark region for the Liberal party, said it was a “shame” that the government plan did not cover hospital operating costs.
High court finds brothers guilty in Bornholm murder case
The Østre Landsret high court this morning upheld the December 2020 verdict by Bornholm district court finding two brothers guilty of murdering Phillip Mbuji Johansen, whom they knew, in a forest on the island in June last year.
The brothers appealed the verdict, hoping to have it reduced. In the original trial, they admitted gross violence but denied they intended to kill.
But the high court has upheld the conviction, DR reports, stating that “after the testimonies given by the accused and medical information the court has concluded that they committed violence as described in the indictment”.
“In relation to the extent and character of the violence, it is proven that the accused saw it as largely probable that Phillip Mbuji Johansen would die as a result of the violence to which he was subjected,” it added.
The high court will make a decision on sentencing later today, DR writes.
The case became an international story in 2020 when the New York Times reported it, pointing out that the victim was Black and authorities’ insistence the incident was not a hate crime.
This drew a response from fact checkers and prosecutors in Denmark, who denied a racist motive, and the trial revolved around the personal relationship between the victim and his killers.
READ ALSO: Parents of Bornholm killing victim see racism in crime
Thursday’s weather
A pleasant, dry autumn day is forecast today with sunshine and mild temperatures.
With a southwesterly wind giving conditions a touch of warmth, around 10 degrees Celsius this morning will warm up to 14-16 degrees later today.
That does not mean jackets should be left at home – moderate to strong winds are also expected.
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Covid-19 infections at highest level since January
Yesterday saw 1,871 new infections with Covid-19 registered in Denmark, the highest daily total since January this year during the peak of the second wave of the coronavirus in the country.
An expert said the epidemic “is developing again domestically, but it is probably still doing so very locally”.
Health Minister Magnus Heunicke on Tuesday called for more of the population to get vaccinated to ward off a potential return of restrictions to limit the virus during the winter.
Health authorities ask government to show them the money to run new hospitals
The government yesterday announced a plan to invest four billion kroner building smaller local hospitals and health services. But regional health authorities say they want to know how the operating costs of the hospitals, including staff salaries, will be paid for.
The 4-billion kroner budget presented by the government covers construction and fittings for the hospitals, including IT, but municipalities and regions will have to foot the rest of the bill, broadcaster DR writes.
Chairperson of the national council for the regions, Stephanie Lose, who is also elected leader of the South Denmark region for the Liberal party, said it was a “shame” that the government plan did not cover hospital operating costs.
High court finds brothers guilty in Bornholm murder case
The Østre Landsret high court this morning upheld the December 2020 verdict by Bornholm district court finding two brothers guilty of murdering Phillip Mbuji Johansen, whom they knew, in a forest on the island in June last year.
The brothers appealed the verdict, hoping to have it reduced. In the original trial, they admitted gross violence but denied they intended to kill.
But the high court has upheld the conviction, DR reports, stating that “after the testimonies given by the accused and medical information the court has concluded that they committed violence as described in the indictment”.
“In relation to the extent and character of the violence, it is proven that the accused saw it as largely probable that Phillip Mbuji Johansen would die as a result of the violence to which he was subjected,” it added.
The high court will make a decision on sentencing later today, DR writes.
The case became an international story in 2020 when the New York Times reported it, pointing out that the victim was Black and authorities’ insistence the incident was not a hate crime.
This drew a response from fact checkers and prosecutors in Denmark, who denied a racist motive, and the trial revolved around the personal relationship between the victim and his killers.
READ ALSO: Parents of Bornholm killing victim see racism in crime
Thursday’s weather
A pleasant, dry autumn day is forecast today with sunshine and mild temperatures.
With a southwesterly wind giving conditions a touch of warmth, around 10 degrees Celsius this morning will warm up to 14-16 degrees later today.
That does not mean jackets should be left at home – moderate to strong winds are also expected.
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