Ben Hamilton
December 17th, 2018

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Looking back on a downbeat 2018, Avicii featured on both lists (photo: The Perfect World Foundation)

The World Cup was the most searched item on Google in 2018, followed by legendary Danish singer Kim Larsen, who died on September 30.

In fact, four of the top ten were people who passed away this year: Larsen, Prince Henrik (4), Swedish DJ superstar Avicii (5) and US rapper Xxxtentacion (8).

And death undoubtedly reigned supreme, with the creepy Japanese ‘momo’ doll (3) and the ‘kill everybody in sight’ computer game Fortnite (6) also featuring.

Completing the top ten were the Handball European Championships (7) (men’s and women’s together), new British royal Meghan Markle (9) and embezzler Britta Nielsen (10).

Questions more upbeat
Google also released a list of the most popular questions, and the results were not as morbid.

News items were reasonably prevalent, with ‘What is the lockout?’ (1), ‘Where is watering the garden prohibited?’ (7) and ‘What is the GDPR?’ (10) all making the list, along with enquiries about when to next watch Caroline Wozniacki (2) and the Danish football team (9) play.

Completing the top ten were ‘How did Avicii die?’ (2), ‘What does XD mean?’ (4), ‘When will the TV program “Naked Attraction” be made in Danish?’ (5), ‘What time is it in Miami?’ (6), and ‘How do you take a screenshot on an iPhone X?’ (8) all also featuring.

Treble and bass: New fight jets will have a deeper sound, claims expert
The nation’s new F-35 fighter jets will emit a louder, deeper noise when they fly, according to Krista Hoffart, an expert familiar with the aircraft who is based in Utah. Quite simply, the planes have bigger engines and are larger in size. “While the F-16 has more of a treble sound, the F35 is more bass,” she told DR. “On a piano, the F-16 would be the light keys, while an F-35 has deep tones that vibrate differently and you feel them.”

Minister dismissive of daycare vegan menu options
Mai Mercado, the minister for children and social affairs, has said the notion that the nation’s daycare facilities will one day offer vegan menus to the children is unlikely, given the amount of time it would take to prepare the meals, along with nourishment concerns. “I am concerned about this trend of very young children getting caught up in their parents’ lifestyle,” she told DR. However, Aarhus Municipality has been at the forefront of a recent move to introduce vegan options, and Mercado has said she sees no problem in there being a vegan option, as long as the recommendations of the National Board of Health are being followed.

Fears expressed that children’s computer games encourage gambling
The Børnerådet children’s body and the gambling concern organisation Center for Ludomani fear a number of computer games currently being played in Denmark give kids a taste for gambling, reports Berlingske. So-called ‘loot boxes’ have been identified as being of particular concern – to open them requires a monetary payment, and the prize within can vary greatly in magnitude – and likewise ‘skins’, which can be won and then used on illegal gambling sites to win actual money.

Free funerals for state church members in selected dioceses 
Depending on the diocese you live in, your funeral could become completely free in the near future – providing you are a member of the folkekirken state church. While membership numbers continue to fall – opting out saves an estimated 133,000 kroner in tax payments over a lifetime – several dioceses are no longer charging for the cost of digging a hole and lowering the coffin, which tends to cost around 8,500 kroner. The graveside plot has always been free, although subsequent care is not. Among the dioceses offering free funerals are Fredensborg, Svendborg, Midtfyn and Faaborg, with Vejle and Ribe expected to make the offer from 2020.

Fireworks on sale until New Year’s Eve, but usage banned until December 27
Since Saturday it has been possible to buy fireworks, and sales will continue until December 31 – according to new rules introduced in 2014. It is illegal to use the fireworks until December 27 and then for only six days – up until January 1. Every year, between 200 and 300 people are injured by fireworks, of whom 75 percent are male. An estimated 415 million kroner will be spent on fireworks over the next two weeks.

Støjberg in Vordingborg to attend debate on prison island plans
Inger Støjberg, the immigration and integration minister, will today visit Vordingborg to attend a debate over the government’s plans to convert the nearby island of Lindholm into a prison for asylum-seekers and foreign criminals awaiting deportation. The debate will take place at 19:00 at the DGI House in Vordingborg, and several other politicians are expected to attend, including Naser Khader and Zenia Stampe.

Red Barnet head’s contract terminated by board
The board of Red Barnet, the Danish branch of Save the Children, has decided to terminate the contract of Jonas Keiding Lindholm, its general secretary, despite a decent economic performance over his three and a half years in charge. The problem, explained the board, was a high staff turnover rate, particularly among the organisation’s management, which was blamed on Lindholm’s own management style being too tough. Lindholm, who was with Red Barnet for 14 years, was nevertheless commended for doing “an outstanding job” in modernising the organisation and increasing contributions. Thomas Reidar Andersen, the CFO, has been appointed his temporary replacement.

Trade union stages demonstration outside Tivoli
The 3F trade union staged a protest outside the Tivoli Food Hall on Friday on behalf of 14 people who work there without a collective wage agreement. While 3F has agreements in place with all of the themepark operators, it has failed to strike one with Tivoli Food Hall despite it opening back in 2017. A meeting has been arranged between the two parties on Tuesday.

Two children and a woman killed by drunk driver in Jutland
A mother and two children were killed when a drunk driver ploughed into her car on Hodsagervej near Holstebro in central Jutland on Sunday. The crash killed the woman’s nine-year-old son and a seven-year-old girl, a friend of her daughter who survived.  It transpired that the drunk was a 24-year-old Latvian and had an alcohol blood test reading of 1.46 – way above the 0.5 limit. The man told police that he had been drunk the night before, but they found empty beer cans in his car.