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January 11th, 2013

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Pension savings grew in 2012
Even though last year was synonymous with economic turmoil, it was quite the opposite where the pension savings of Danes were concerned. Initial figures from the pension funds showed profits of an average of 10-12 percent. Kim Valentin, an economist from financial advisors Finanshuset i Fredensborg, said that the reason for the significant improvements from the previous year was that both stocks and bonds have given solid returns. The C20 index has risen sharply in recent months, setting an all-time high on Wednesday, driven in a large part by the strong showing of pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk. – Politiken

Book challenges perspective on immigrants
A new book looking at 30 years of immigration research challenges the notion that minorities in Denmark are frequently discriminated against. In their book, Mehmet Ümit Necef, a lecturer at Syddansk University and Professor Henning Bech, of the University of Copenhagen, reviewed 30 years worth of immigration research. As an example, they pointed out that if an employer rejects an immigrant due to ethnicity, calling it racism is simplistic because it can be documented that immigrants are not as adept at the Danish language as those who are ethnically Danish. Other immigration experts have criticised the book for having an agenda and not being founded on its own research. – Jyllands-Posten

Tough draw for Wozniacki
Lady luck didn’t shine for Caroline Wozniacki at the Australian Open this morning. Denmark’s tennis darling received a tough draw and will meet the hard-hitting Sabine Lisicki of Germany in the first round of this year’s first Grand Slam tournament. Even though Lisicki is ranked lower than Wozniacki the German has the upper hand, having beaten Wozniacki  twice in their three meetings, the last time in 2009. If Wozniacki manages to beat Lisicki, even sterner competition stands between ‘Ms Sunshine’ and an appearance in the final. The world’s number one, Victoria Azarenka, waits in a potential quarter-final while Serena Williams could be the semi-final barrier. – Ekstra Bladet

Danish archaeologists digging in Iraq
For the first time in half a century, Danish archaeologists have returned to northern Iraq to search for knowledge about the world’s early urban societies. The area, also known as Iraqi Kurdistan, Mesopotamia to archaeologists, is coveted by historians as it is the area where scientists have uncovered the earliest signs of agriculture and the first examples of urban settlements. But conflict and wars in the region have meant that archaeologists have been unable to dig in the region for the past 50 years. The new joint Danish-Dutch archaeological venture focuses on the Rania plains which, according to archaeologist Tim Skuldbøl at Copenhagen University, contain some of the globes earliest farming cultures and townships. – Videnskab.dk

Weather
A mix of sun and flurries. Highs around 0 C. Temperatures falling to -4 C overnight. – DMI