Archive for January 2011
Denmark – world cancer capital
URL: http://politiken.dk/newsinenglish/ECE1175770/denmark–world-cancer-capital/
WHO figures show Denmark reports most cancer per 100,000 in the world.
Figures from the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) from the World Health Organisation show that Denmark has an incidence of 326 people in every 100,000 developing cancer, the highest incidence in the world. Figures are based on 2008 statistics.
DOCUMENTATION See the figures here
A report on the figures in London’s The Daily Telegraph says that one reason why Denmark tops the statistics is that Danish doctors are better at diagnosing the illness that in most other parts of the world, but that lifestyle factors such as smoking and alcohol consumption may also influence the figures.
Some 13 European countries, along with the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand are among the 20 states in the world at the top of the WHO list. While better diagnostics in wealthier countries may explain some of the figures, these countries also tend to have higher incidences of obesity and alcohol consumption.
In the case of Denmark, the report says that a larger proportion of Danish women are smokers, and that alcohol consumption is high.
“We know that people in high-income countries are more likely to be overweight, to drink a lot of alcohol and to be inactive. There is strong scientific evidence that these factors increase risk of several common cancers and these figures show the effect of this. When you look at the list, it is clear that the countries that do worse for these factors tend to be nearer the top,” WCRF Prof. Martin Wiseman tells The Daily Telegraph.
“Scientists estimate that about a third of the most common cancers in the UK and other high-income countries could be prevented by maintaining a healthy weight, being more physically active and eating more healthily,” he adds.
Wake up, Denmark!
URL: http://jp.dk/morgenavisen/meninger/article2298620.ece?ncc=1
Letter from Inger and Børge Bagger, Drosselvej 14, Middelfart, Denmark
Published 9:01:11 pm. 03:01
In Japan, people wonder how it is possible that two people can legally marry, but be prohibitted by law from living together.
Before the Christmas holiday, our family lost a dear member. Fortunately, it was not due to death, but after almost one and a half years of hard struggle trying to get the Danish authorities to permit her to live here, without success, our Japanese daughter-in-law has, understandably, chosen to leave her husband and the couples´home to return to Tokyo.
Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen wrote in an article in Jyllands-Posten 27/11 2010, entitled “Denmark is an open society” that we need those who can and will contribute to the Danish welfare state, and “We must organize ourselves so that we can attract good companies and employees that could make Denmark richer.”
This is not what is happening, however.
Our son Martin was married to Satsuki in Middlesbrough on October 10, 2009. Her parents and her sister attended the wedding from Japan. Satsuki is 32 years old, educated as a teacher, and obtained the necessary approvals for her education from the Danish authorities. In addition to Japanese, Satsuki speaks excellent English and Danish, after having worked for several years alternately in Denmark (teaching in folk high school and in independent school(s)) and Japan (in IT and as an instructor).
Martin and Satsuki have known each other for five years and since they decided last year to get married, Satsuki arrived in Denmark in September. The Fænøsund Independent School stood ready with a job for her, and students there looked forward to seeing her again.
Accordingly, she applied for a residence permit but was immediately informed by the Danish Immigration Service that she was not permitted to work or volunteer while her request was under consideration.
The Independent School held her position open for a month, but eventually had to hire someone else for it since Satsuki´s casework was still not resolved..
Refusal
Satsuki and Martin lived in their own house in Middlesbrough. Neither has ever committed any crime, and they had no problem providing the government with the approximately 60,000 Danish kroner it required.
Nevertheless, early in 2010, the couple received notice from the government that their that Satsuki be permitted to live in Denmark (called “family reunification”) was denied on the ground that, in September 2009, Martin pursued his education as a bio-analyst, through a rehabilitation program that was offered to him by his kommune.
In 2002, an accident caused Martin to suffer some brain injury. He developed had problems concentrating, taking initiative, with his stamina and ability to learn new subjects. Following advice from the social worker, Martin opted to use rehabilitation services rather than using the aid that is ordinarily set aside for students. The former gave him the right to take longer to complete his studies versus the time alloted to students not undergoing rehabilitation from injury.
Complained about the decision
Martin´s socialworker had not known that Martin´s decision to choose rehabilitation would be considered a “social benefit” with the consequence that he would not be permitted to have a spouse come from another country until at least one year after his benefit terminated . . . as compared with having his receiving the cash support ordinarily provided to higher education students, called “SU”, which would not have had the same limitation (the one year post-rehabilitation waiting period has since been extended to a three-year wait).
We appealed the decision on the ground that the law also said that the rule could be set aside in cases where the Danish spouse suffers from a severe disability. After the typical lengthy proceedings in the ministry, the appeal was denied and the ministry said that the couple should pursue their life together in Japan as their attachment was as much to that country as to Denmark.
This, despite the fact that doctors had provided documentation that Martin would not be able to learn Japanese as would be necessary to complete his education in that country.
It is paradoxical that the government has just introduced a points system which gives the applicant 60 points out of 100 for qualified work experience over the last 2 ½ of 3 years before the application is filed, while it, at the same time, prohibits applicants from working while its long proceedings continue.
Throughout this entire case, which still is not over, we have written to relevent politicians, including, among others, the minister of integration, Birthe Rønn Hornbech. Only two have answered: Karsten Lauritsen of the Venstre party, and Marianne Jelved of the Radikale Venstre party – the latter of whom has been most appreciated for her help and understanding.
Despite all this, both Satsuki and Martin love Denmark . . . while Denmark, meanwhile, has missed out on good and creative (she can, for example, play three instruments) labor.
The family’s future lies in ruins, particularly as it is impossible to plan a family together.
In Japan, people wonder that a couple can get legally married, but at the same time be prevented from living together.
Denmark, wake up. This is enough.
No student grants for foreigners, parties propose
URL: http://jp.dk/uknews/article2308302.ece
Ten percent more foreigners receiving state grant than last year Non-Danes studying in Denmark will no longer qualify for the SU student grant, according to a proposal put forth by the PM’s Liberal Party and supported by the Danish People’s…
Non-Danes studying in Denmark will no longer qualify for the SU student grant, according to a proposal put forth by the PM’s Liberal Party and supported by the Danish People’s Party.
In November, the Liberal Party announced that the budget shortfall meant the country could no longer afford to offer non-Danes the stipend and would seek to bar them from receiving it. The party will now make the proposal a part of its election platform.
Last year, the state spent 318 million kroner on grants for 7,115 non-Danes. The cost of student grants for foreign nationals has more than doubled over the past 10 years, according to a summary from the agency that manages the programme.
“We’re talking about students who come to Denmark to study, and are only here for a relatively short period of time,” MP Sophie Løhde, told the Newpaq news agency. “I don’t think it’s our job to pay the world’s highest student grants to those students. It should be the responsibility of the country the student comes from.”
The Danish People’s Party has also come out in support of the proposal.
The party, according to education spokesperson, MP Marlene Harpsøe, favours permitting foreign students to study at Danish schools, but she said it was “nuts” to pay them to take seats from Danish students.
The Copenhagen Post
Stateless youth may win citizenship case
URL: http://www.dr.dk/Nyheder/Andre_sprog/English/2011/01/14/125600.htm
Stateless youth who have not been informed of their right to citizenship as guaranteed by a UN convention and who are now too old to apply, may bring legal action against the Ministry for Integration and likely win.
Such is the expert opinion of several legal experts interviewed by daily newspaper Information.
- If the government refuses to introduce a transitional scheme for stateless youth who have not had access to information about their rights, it will constitute a violation of the convention. That should be obvious, Professor of Law at Aarhus University Jens Vedsted-Hansen says.
No information since 2004
The newspaper Information has revealed that, since 2004, the Ministry for Integration has failed to inform about the specific rights of stateless persons in instructions, circulars as well as on the Ministry’s website.
According to Statistics Denmark, there are at least 24 stateless youths in Denmark between 21 and 27 years of age who are born in the country.
And they have probably not been aware that they could have obtained Danish citizenship according to the UN convention, had they applied before their 21st birthday in the years 2004-2010.
Information has spoken to one of the 24 stateless youths, 22-year-old Bilal Husni. Prior to Information’s coverage of the matter, he did not know his rights. Now he says he will consider bringing legal action against the state of Denmark unless they propose a solution.
Will assist stateless plaintiffs
Furthermore, the leader of the Centre for Documentation of Racial Discrimination, Niels-Erik Hansen, has offered the Centre’s assistance to stateless youth who bring such action.
Minister for Integration Birthe Rønn Hornbech has decided to reverse illegal refusals of citizenship applications, but dismisses aiding those stateless youth who never applied and who are now too old to do so.
But according to Jens Vedsted-Hansen, this dismissal to assist stateless persons entails that Bilal and at least 24 others in the same situation may win legal victory against the Ministry for Integration for failure to assist them with obtaining citizenship.
Stateless Palestinians wrongfully denied citizenship
Practice ended in 2010, but young people still not being informed of rights
As many as 22 young stateless Palestinians have been denied citizenship in Denmark in recent years, despite a UN convention requiring it to do otherwise, daily newspaper Information reports. And even though immigration officials changed their policy in 2010, stateless Palestinians have not been informed of their rights to citizenship.
Denmark is obliged by the UN Convention to grant citizenship to stateless minors born here, even if they do not meet the standard requirements such as language and familiarity with Danish culture.
Legal expert Jens Vedsted-Hansen, of Aarhus University, called the practice illegal.
Citizenship expert Eva Ersbøll, of the Human Rights Institute for Human Rights, said it was “a major problem” that young stateless people were not being informed of their rights.
URL: http://www.dr.dk/Nyheder/Andre_sprog/English/2011/01/11/100900.htm
Until 2010, the Ministry for Integration has disregarded a UN convention and over several years illegally denied citizenship to at least 22 young stateless Palestinians.
-The ministry’s practice has been illegal in the sense that it contravenes the convention, says Jens Vedsted-Hansen, Professor of Law at Aarhus University, after reviewing daily newspaper Information’s report of the case.
Against UN convention
According to the UN convention, stateless youth born in Denmark are entitled to Danish citizenship, even if they do not meet standard criteria such as language skills and knowledge of Danish culture.
The 22 Palestinians who were all born in Denmark were nonetheless denied citizenship, and though the Ministry has now ended its illegal practice, it still does not provide information about the right to apply on special conditions to other statesless youth.
-It is of course wrong when it emerges that a group of stateless persons who are born in Denmark and who have actually applied were rejected, Eva Ersbøll, citizenship expert at the Institute for Human Rights, says to Information.
-But not providing general information to ensure that young stateless persons are aware of their rights is a serious problem, she explains.
Must have consequences
The spokesperson for citizenship for the Socialist People’s Party, Hanne Agersnap, says she is astonished:
-We had not imagined that the Ministry were handling the cases in violation of the rules. If the practice has been illegal, it must have consequences, she says.
20,000 DKK for residence permit
URL: http://www.dr.dk/Nyheder/Andre_sprog/English/2011/01/07/144410.htm
On January 1 a whole range of new fees were adopted by the Danish Immigration Service.
Among those affected by the new fees is Martin Sørensen who is applying for permanent residence for his Thai wife of nine years and her two children aged 19 and 20 years:
-It angers me to the core. We have been living together in Denmark since 2003, and now they have to pay almost 20,000 kroner to gain a permanent residence permit.
The governing Liberal Party stresses that the fees are necessitated by the present economic challenges and that expensive fees have also been introduced in other areas.
Limited Social Service for foreigners
URL: http://www.dr.dk/Nyheder/Andre_sprog/English/2010/12/28/103253.htm
The government has announced that it is planning a turnabout in policy concerning foreigners’ access to basic Danish social services such as medical aid, municipal schooling, and cash benefit, writes daily newspaper Berlingske Tidende.
A committee with representatives from several government ministries is to review the possibility of extending extant earning principles so that foreigners will need to reside in Denmark for a number of years before they get access to social services.
Continuation of points scheme
- There is something fundamentally wrong about the fact that you can arrive in Denmark, and the tax coffers are immediately open to you, without you having to make any contribution. Therefore, we are planning to take an unprejudiced look at earning principles within the fields of financial benefits, health, and municipal schooling. We will consider everything, says Minister for Employment Inger Støjberg.
She says the current task is a continuation of the principles behind the points scheme, where “anyone who is able and willing to contribute is welcome”.
Inger Støjberg will head the committee which will go over the entire spectrum of social services and come up with an assessment of just how far the government can go without violating EU rules or international conventions.
More Eastern Europeans expelled
URL: http://www.dr.dk/Nyheder/Andre_sprog/English/2011/01/03/094402.htm
The number of criminals from Rumania, Lithuania and Poland expelled from Denmark following a court sentence has exploded in the last decade, writes daily newspaper Berlingske Tidende.
In 2002, a total of 122 nationals from the three countries were expelled, while in 2009 that number had increased by more than 300 per cent to 527 individuals, a response from the Danish Immigration Service to the parliamentary Immigration and Integration Affairs Committee shows.
The increase has been most marked in the last three years – particularly as regards the number of expelled Rumanians. From 34 in 2002, their number increased seven-fold to 249 last year.
The Danish Chief Prosecutor Arne Stevns of the North Zealand police say that many Eastern Europeans come to Denmark in order to commit crimes. Danish police has furthermore made a special effort to capture them.
