Denmark

Danish appeals court sentences six in terror T-shirt trial

Denmark FlagCopenhagen - A Danish appeals court Thursday sentenced six people to jail for supporting terrorist groups by selling T-shirts.

Two of the six were sentenced to six-month jail terms, the others received suspended prison sentences ranging from four months to 60 days, the Eastern High Court said.

A seventh suspect was freed of the charges under anti-terrorism laws of using proceeds from the T-shirt sales to fund the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP).

Archaeologists find Viking era shield

Archaeologists find Viking era shieldCopenhagen - Danish archaeologists say they have discovered a well-preserved Viking era shield, reports said Wednesday.

The wooden shield had a circumference of 0.80 metres and was believed to be from the end of the 900s.

The find was described as for the first of its kind in Denmark, archaeologists told the online site Sjaellandske medier.

The shield was found Tuesday near Trelleborg, site of a so-called Viking ring castle near the town of Slagelse about 100 kilometres south-west of Copenhagen.

The ring castle at Trelleborg dates from around 980.

Danish premier on visit to Afghanistan

Danish premier on visit to AfghanistanCopenhagen - Amid extremely tight security measures, Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen on Monday visited Danish military units in Afghanistan, reports said.

The premier met with Danish soldiers and was close to one of the areas in the restive Helmand province where NATO-led ISAF forces have engaged Taliban forces.

Rasmussen was quoted as telling Danish news agency Ritzau that he had wanted to visit the zone "where soldiers are conducting the most dangerous part of their mission."

Plans to temporarily move iconic Copenhagen statue anger heirs

Copenhagen - Heirs to the sculptor who made The Little Mermaid statue, one of Copenhagen's best known symbols, were Friday reported to be opposed to moving the statue to the 2010 World Exhibition in Shanghai.

A majority of city politicians including Mayor Ritt Bjerregaard were said to favour the temporary move proposed by the group designing the Danish pavilion, but sculptor Edvard Eriksen's heirs opposed the plans, the Politiken newspaper said.

"I am really sad. It is Copenhagen's landmark. It should remain in Copenhagen and not be in China," Eriksen's grandson Erling Eriksen was quoted as telling the newspaper.

Danish cabinet reshuffle completed

Copenhagen - Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen on Wednesday concluded a cabinet reshuffle and presented the new ministers to Queen Margrethe.

The reshuffle was made after Lene Espersen was elected Tuesday as the new leader of the Conservative Party, the junior partner in Rasmussen's centre-right coalition.

Espersen, who has held the justice ministry portfolio since 2001, succeeds Bendt Bendtsen as deputy prime minister, and takes on his portfolio as economic and business affairs minister.

Rasmussen praised Bendtsen's efforts to help create "historically good ties" between his Liberal Party and the Conservatives that have been in office since 2001, and said he looked forward to continue this cooperation with Espersen.

Danish conservatives elect new leader, reshuffle ministers

Copenhagen - Danish Justice Minister Lene Espersen was elected on Tuesday as the new leader of the Conservative Party, the junior partner in Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen's centre-right coalition.

Espersen, who has held the justice ministry portfolio since 2001, succeeds Bendt Bendtsen as deputy prime minister, and is to take on Bendtsen's portfolio as economic and business affairs minister.

Bendtsen, 54, announced he aims to run for the European Parliament next year.

Culture Minister Brian Mikkelsen is to succeed Espersen as justice minister.

Rasmussen said he was "confident" that Espersen, 42, and he would be able to cooperate well and backed her moves in the reshuffle.

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