NordenBladet — The situation in Ghouta, Syria has in the last couple of weeks escalated drastically and the Syrian military is conducting a massive bombardment against both rebels and civilians in the city. Today, the UN Security Council will vote on a resolution concerning a ceasefire in Syria, which also encompasses Ghouta.
Minister for Foreign Affairs, Anders Samuelsen says: ”What is happening in Ghouta at the moment is completely inhumane. Apparently, there is no limit to the brutal measures the Assad-regime is willing to employ against its civilian population to enforce its rule. This is completely unacceptable. I call on the UN Security Council to act when they vote on a ceasefire later today. Regrettably, the Security Council has failed many times before when it comes to Syria. The responsibility for this lies in particular with one member: Russia, which has already signaled that it does not want a solution to the problem. Russia should bow its head in shame if it does not change its course. I strongly urge Russia to show decency and vote in favor of the resolution for a ceasefire, which is expected to come to a vote later today. Both for political reasons, but not least to ensure humanitarian access to the distressed civilian population.”
NordenBladet — Prime Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen today participated in a summit on the West African G5 Joint Force that seeks to fight terrorism, organised crime, and irregular migration in the Sahel region.
At the summit, Denmark announced a contribution of DKK 99 million over a three-year period for regional peace and stabilisation efforts. The efforts will, among other things, focus on fighting organised crime and terrorism as well as strengthening the justice system and other initiatives aimed at providing support for the G5 Joint Force. In addition, Denmark announced a contribution of DKK 7.5 million directly aimed at making the G5 Joint Force operational. Both contributions are financed under the Danish Peace and Stabilisation Fund that contains commitments from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Defence.
Foreign Minister Anders Samuelsen “Today, Denmark sends a clear signal that we will actively contribute to the stabilisation and development of the Sahel region. With the collapse of Libya and instability in North Africa, terrorism, radicalisation and irregular migration have become challenges that affect us directly in Europe and in Denmark. If we do not tackle the great challenges to stability in the Sahel, direct consequences will be felt, also for Denmark, in the form of increased migration flows and the risk of extremism and terrorism spreading. We have a shared interest with the Sahel countries in addressing these challenges. This is why we are now taking steps to strengthen our efforts even further.”
NordenBladet — Together with EU, the Netherlands and Sweden, Denmark is co-hosting a high-level conference in Brussels today.
The main focus of the conference will be on human rights and trust building between local communities and security forces in the G5 countries within the West African Sahel region.
Minister for Development Cooperation Ulla Tørnæs says “I am proud of the long and active role that Denmark has played in the Sahel region in order to promote respect for human rights. The G5 Sahel Joint Force will only be able to fight terrorism, organised crime and human trafficking effectively if respect for human rights is promoted and a fundamental trust between the local community and the security forces is secured. Denmark will be focusing on military elements as well as efforts that aim to establish a relationship of trust, promote human rights and strengthen the co-operation between the G5 Sahel Joint Force and the justice system”.
The High Level Conference will take place the day before a summit on the Sahel of the European Heads of State and Government in Brussels. The summit will mainly focus on signalling full support to the G5 Sahel Joint Force that was announced by the G5 countries in early 2017. Among other things, the force is intended to fight organised crime and terrorism in the Sahel region. Prime Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen will be representing Denmark at the summit on 23 February.
NordenBladet — Once again, Denmark is ranked in the top as one of the least corrupt countries in the world on Transparency Internationals Corruption Perceptions Index that indicates perceived corruption in the public sector, which is published today. “I am glad to see that Denmark still being perceived as one of the least corrupt countries in the world. This is a good point of departure when Denmark in October gather around 25 countries and a number of international organizations with the aim of strengthening international cooperation on fighting corruption”, says Minister for Development Cooperation Ulla Tørnæs.
On 22-24 October this year, Denmark will host the 18th International Anti-Corruption Conference (IACC) in Copenhagen in cooperation with Transparency International and the IACC Council. “We will engage in discussions at political level on how to strengthen the fight against corruption. We will focus on how to strengthen the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the ambition to substantially reduce corruption”, explains Ulla Tørnæs. For several years, Denmark has been ranked as the least corrupt country in the world measured on Transparency Internationals Corruption Perceptions Index indicating perceived corruption in the public sector. The Index is published annually and is based on a number of expert sources such as the World Bank, World Economic Forum and Economist Intelligence Unit. Since 2012, Denmark has been ranked as number one, either alone or together with other countries. In 2017, Denmark is ranked at second place after New Zealand.
NordenBladet — Anders Sammuelsen: “We support Ukraine in its reform efforts – also by stressing that still more needs to be done”
The Minister for Foreign Affairs of Denmark, Anders Samuelsen, will be hosting – together with his Ukrainian colleague – a big international Ukraine Reform Conference in Copenhagen on 27 June 2018. Today in Kiev, the foreign ministers signed the formal invitations to the Conference in Copenhagen. Foreign Ministers from EU-, NATO- and G7-countries as well as high-level representatives from international organisations will be invited.
“I have high expectations to the Ukraine Reform Conference in Copenhagen and I look forward to once again hos a big and important event in Copenhagen. A more modern and European-oriented Ukraine is emerging these years. Together with our international partners, we have to support this development and at the same time continuously stress the need for further progress in the reform process, especially in the fight against corruption. I have encouraged the Ukrainian Government to take advantage of the Conference as a ‘driver for change’ to speed up the reform processes in the coming months,” Anders Samuelsen says.
The Conference in Copenhagen will bring together 250 people and build on the success of the first international Ukraine Reform Conference last year in London.
NordenBladet – Taxpayers in Denmark who earn over 600,000 kroner (81,000 euros) annually will benefit most from three major agreements made between the government and conservative allies in recent months, according to an analysis.
The conclusion is based on calculations by thinktanks Cepos, reports financial newspaper Børsen. Since November, the coalition government has reached agreement with parliamentary ally the Danish People’s Party for a business stimulus package, new budget and, most recently, tax reforms. The three deals provide tax cuts totalling around eight billion kroner (1.1 billion euros). According to Cepos’ calculations, a company director who earns 1.2 million kroner (160,000 euros) annually will benefit most from the three economic packages in terms of raw savings. The hypothetical director would save 10,625 kroner annually, while an employee with an annual wage of 600,000 kroner (80,000 euros) could see tax savings of 9,550 kroner.
Lower earners will also save, but to smaller extents, according to the analysis conducted by Cepos.
NordenBladet — The planned contribution is announced today in connection with GPE’s conference in Senegal. A Danish priority in the support for GPE is a special focus on marginalized groups and children.
Minister for Development Cooperation Ulla Tørnæs says:”Education is one of the most important factors when it comes to strengthening girls and women’s rights and self-determination. The same goes for children who grow up as refugees and in crises. When they gain access to education, we give them the opportunity for a better life in the future. Global Partnership for Education carries out an enormously important piece of work, and therefore I increase our contribution”. BackgroundGPE works to ensure equal access to education for all of the world’s children and young people by the end of 2030.
Global Partnership for Education is Denmark’s primary global partner in education. Denmark has supported with around 2.3 billion throughout the last 10 years.
In the Danish Finance Act of 2018, support for the Global Partnership for Education was expected to rise from 200 million to DKK 250 million DKK annually until 2021.
Minister of Development Cooperation, Ulla Tørnæs now increases the Danish contribution by additional 50 million DKK per annum up to and including 2021, with the total Danish contribution, thus, becoming 300 million DKK per year. The total Danish contribution will therefore amount to 1.2 billion DDK assuming the Danish parliament’s approval of the annual Finance Act.
NordenBladet – 81 percent of Danes feel the EU pays off for Denmark – the sixth highest approval rate among the 28 member nations. According to a new report from the World Economic Forum, the vast majority of Danes believe their country benefits from being a member of the EU.
The figures showed that 81 percent of Danes found the EU beneficial to Denmark, ranking the Danes among the populations with the highest regard for what the EU brings their country.
Across the Øresund Sound, the view changed drastically, with only 62 percent of Swedes feeling that the EU was a benefit to Sweden. The Finns found the EU’s contribution equally dubious at 66 percent.
Ireland topped the charts with 90 percent, followed by Malta (89), Lithuania (88), Luxembourg (86) and Poland (84).
The countries with the most scepticism were Italy (39 percent), Cyprus (45) and Greece (48).
Other notables included Germany (77), the Netherlands (76), Spain (70), France (58) and the soon-to-exit UK, which chimed in with 55 percent, almost 7 percentage points more than the 48.11 percent who voted to remain in the EU in June 2016.
NordenBladet – There is a lot going on all the time.. I would like to keep you updated with 100% of my ventures, yet I doubt if I have the capacity to reflect on 10% of everything that is going on daily. Here I am facing the dilemma – whether to post blogs more frequently and more briefly or, on the contrary, more seldom but also more exhaustively instead. Which option would you like more?
NordenBladet and the OHMYGOSSIP sites that belong to it are expanding rapidly! Such increase in growth couldn’t have been hoped for in wildest fantasies! Today NordenBladet has an overlapping share of readers with the TOP 10 of Scandinavian media groups (Bonnier, Sanoma, MTG, Schibsted, Egmont, Aller, YLE, Otava, Alma, NordenBladet), being in the social media steadily located in the TOP 5 best Scandinavian editions – the latter position is due to OHMYGOSSIP’s enormous international pool of readers. It is my dream to build NordenBladet into Scandinavia’s #1 newsletter and online journal!
I am well aware that I dream big – however, when one looks at other players on the Scandinavian media scenery then it becomes evident that we are on the right course – NordenBladet (as well as Sanoma and Modern Times Group) when beside other media editions are kiddies with regard to the year of establishment! Bonnier was founded 213 years ago and NordenBladet 5 years ago – the fact that we are already compared alongside one another is a considerable accomplishment in my eyes! Of course, there is still plenty of room for growth, but I feel in my heart that we are on the right track moving upwards and this achievement makes my heart beat faster!
A concise overview of the TOP 10 Scandinavian media groups:
Bonnier – founded 213 years ago Bonnier is a Swedish publishing company established in 1804. The company came to life when Gerhard Bonnier founded a bookstore in Copenhagen. A book publishing company Albert Bonniers Förlag was founded in Stockholm in 1837. In the year 1924 the Bonnier family purchased the majority of the partnership in the Swedish daily newspaper Dagens Nyheter, and in 1929 purchased Ahlen&Akerlund, at that time the largest magazine publishing company. In 1944 Bonnier founded the successful evening paper Expressen. In 1950 Bonnier began publishing comic strips. In 1965 began issuing hobbies related journals. In 1973 the one family company expanded towards the film industry, purchasing the largest Swedish filmmaker SF. In 1976 began the publication of Dagens Industri, a newspaper on the topics of economy, belonging to the Bonnier family. In 1984 Bonnier began publishing Science Illustrated. In 1989 Bonnier launched the newspaper Äripäev. Since 1997 Bonnier has gradually taken up shares in Sweden’s largest television channel TV4, as of today 99% of the shares belong to Bonnier. In 2005 Bonnier purchased the Finnish television channel MTV3 and the radio station Radio Nova. In 2006 Bonnier attained partnership in the U.S. publishing company World Publication which is issuing ca 50 periodicals and runs half a hundred web sites. Nowadays Bonnier is represented in 25 countries, the media group has got shares in the total of 175 companies. Bonnier is to this day a family enterprise.
Sanoma – founded 18 years ago
Established in 1999 Sanoma Oy (until 2008 Sanoma WSOY) is Finland’s largest media group and the second largest in the Nordic countries, active in more than 20 European countries. The company’s headquarters is located in Helsinki and ca 19500 people work for the company. The biggest newspaper in Finland and the Northern countries, Helsingin Sanomat, belongs to this media group. Nelonen Media, also belonging to this group, runs 6 television channels, the most important of them being Nelonen.
Modern Times Group (MTG) – founded 20 years ago
Founded in 1997. Modern Times Group (MTG) is a Swedish media company. MTG was summoned in 1997 by Kinnevik, an investment company hosting various media enterprises, via the assemblance of Viasat and Metro International under the name Modern Times Group. Viasat is made up from a bunch of television channels, including for example TV3 (the first commerce channel in Sweden, launched in 1987), ZTV, Viasat Sport and TV1000. Metro International manages a chain of newspapers delivered free of charge. MTG is issuing shares on the Stockholm stock exchange, referred to by the symbols MTGA and MTGB.
Schibsted – founded 178 years ago
Established in 1839. Schibsted is a Norwegian media group active in 20 countries, mainly Norway and Sweden. It is noted at Oslo’s stock market. In the year 2013 it owned the newspapers Postimees and Õhtuleht in Estonia as well as the television channels Kanal 2 and Kanal 11. In the year 1998 it purchased the newspaper Sõnumileht. Schibsted activities re related with the following areas: printed news, film, publishing, multimedia, mobile services. Schibsted stock is at Oslo’s stock exchange.
Egmont – founded 139 years ago Egmont media group (previously Gutenberghus media group) is a media enterprise founded in Copenhagen in 1878. Egmont Group was founded by Egmont Harald Petersen in the year 1878.
Aller – founded 144 years ago
Established in the year 1873, Aller Media is a Northern media group with the headquarters located in Denmark, Copenhagen. Best known brands from Aller Media are Elle, Cafe, Familie Journlen, Femina, Allers and Se og Hor. Aller Media was established in the year 1873 in Copenhagen by Carl Aller and his wife Laura aller and in the 1890s the company expanded to Sweden and Norway and in 1992 also to Finland.
Yle – 91 years ago Yle (the full name in Finnish is Yleisradio and in Swedish Rundradion Ab) is a Finnish official television- and broadcasting group established in the year 1926. Yle is a broadcasting organization with a lot in common with the British broadcasting BBC, since it has been their example while designing Yle. Yle belongs to the Finnish republic (98,88%). Yle transmits four national television channelds, 13 radio networks and 25 regional radio channels. Finland is an officially bilingual country – ca 5,5% of the Finnish population speaks Swedish as their mother tongue.
Otava – founded 127 years ago Otava (officially Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava) is among Finland’s oldest and largest publishing companies. Otava has published, among others, writings from Eino Leino, Veijo Meri, Marja-Liisa Vartio, Paavo Haavikko, Tuomas Anhava, Mauri Kunnas, Antti Tuuri, Kjell Westö and Laila Hirvisaari (Hietamies). Otava is a public limited company, established in 1890. It is one part of the Otava group (Otava Oy). The editor-in-chief since 2009 is Pasi Vainio. The sales of the publishing company in 2014 was 54,5 M euros, the profit was 7,2 M euros.
Alma – 168 years ago
Established in the year 1849. Alma Media is a media enterprise mainly focussing on digital services and publishing. The best known brands of Alma Media are Aamulehti, Iltalehti, Kauppalehti, Talouselämä Monster.fi and Etuovi.com. About 2400 people work for Alma Media.
NordenBladet – 5 years ago
NordenBladet is the largest readership owning media groups in the Northern countries (over 7 million readers monthly), its headquarters are located in Estonia, Tallinn. Established in 2012 by the owner of international OHMYGOSSIP sites and Scandinavia’s best known blogger and most followed woman in social media Helena-Reet Ennet. Active in 17 countries worldwide, mainly in Estonia, Finland, Sweden, America, England, Brazil and Russia. The best known brands from NordenBladet are NordenBladet, OHMYGOSSIP, OHMYGOSSIPteen, Ohmygossip Couture and Bloglist24.
NordenBladet — Blockchain has the potential to renew development cooperation and humanitarian aid, among other things by using crypto currency and digitalizing contracts and rights and thereby deliver development in a new and potentially more effective way. That is the conclusion in a report released today by the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs in collaboration with the think tank Sustainia and blockchain currency platform Coinify.
According to the new report, “Hack the Future of Development Aid”, development cooperation and humanitarian aid organizations can by using the opportunities of blockchain technology perhaps wave goodbye to paper contracts and slow transactions. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has asked Sustainia, who has written the report, to present the potential of finding new solutions for development challenges by using blockchain. The report emphasis among other things that by using crypto currency money can be transferred faster and safer to the hot spots of the world. In addition, contracts and other legal papers can be digitalised to combat corruption and ensure a more effective development aid and better protection of the rights of marginalized groups.
The Danish Minister for Development Cooperation, Ulla Tørnæs, says: “There is huge opportunities in bringing the technological development into play in development cooperation. The use of Blockchain and crypto currency is merely some of the technologies, which can give us new tools in the development cooperation toolbox. It is clear that if we are to succeed in relation to the sustainable development goals we need digital and technological solutions and some of these we do not know of, but we will help find them. Denmark is at the forefront when it comes to innovation – also in the development cooperation. That is why I am proud to present this report.”
From slow kroner to fast crypto currencyOne of the recommendations of the report, or so-called “hacks”, is about using blockchain technology to enable a fast transfer of money without middlemen and fees. By using crypto currency as a support agent development aid can be transferred directly from Denmark to recipients in poor countries. Denmark could therefor consider being the first donor country to transfer aid by using crypto currency, the report says.
Mark Højgaard, CEO and Co-founder of Coinify explains: “With crypto-aid solution, we foresee that issues like corruption will drop significantly, as money will be easy to track and transactions remain completely transparent.”
In other words, high-speed digital money means less corruption and more lives saved. Project leader from Sustainia, Marianne Haahr, explains: “Crypto and crisis is a perfect match, and aid organizations will undeniably be able to respond quicker using blockchain-based digital money, which arrives at email-speed, safely and transparently. The big challenge now is to disrupt the aid model. First step is to build trust in blockchain and its ability to facilitate all aspects of aid, next step is to disrupt the whole aid system.”
Blockchain is a new weapon in the fight for human rights and combating corruptionThe report also recommends that development and humanitarian organisations use blockchain when promoting human rights. Land rights and anticorruption are examples that are mentioned in the report. India for example sees blockchain as a tool to combat the country’s land register bribes (which amounts to a staggering 700 million USD). In relation to the rights aspect, the benefit from blockchain is that the individual owners have control over their own rights data – if it is land, health information or education.The report is presented Thursday 14th December 2017 in the UN City Copenhagen, and is freely available for download on the website of the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs from Thursday 14th.
