The past year

Focus on money and war in the leaders' New Year's speeches  

 

Several leaders tried to instill hope for better times when they gave their New Year's speeches on Sunday, writes TT.  

 

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that the war in Ukraine and Gaza has made the world a tougher place. But the speech was also about future tax cuts and investments in energy and infrastructure. 

 

- More women and men have work in Germany today than ever before, said Scholz. 

  

The chancellor is facing headwinds in the German economy and falling public opinion figures since he took office two years ago. 

 

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Political situation in France  

French quarrel over white month: "Food without wine is sad" 

 

In an open letter, 45 French addiction researchers demand that the country's government support a campaign for a white month in January, according to The Guardian. The aim is to make people reflect on their drinking and reduce the harm caused by alcohol.  

 

- I would be very careful about telling people how to live, said Health Minister Aurélien Rousseau before he resigned before Christmas (for unrelated reasons).  

 

The researchers call it a "shame" that the government does not do more to inform about the risks of alcohol. The country's powerful wine producer lobby, which is believed to have the president's ear, says a white month does not suit French culture because people drink moderately and not heavily like northern Europeans. 

 

President Emmanuel Macron says he drinks wine for lunch and dinner every day and that food without wine is "a bit sad". 

 

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Terrorist threats in Europe  

Three arrested for terrorist plots against the Cologne Cathedral  

 

Three men have been arrested on suspicion of having prepared a terrorist attack against Cologne Cathedral. This is stated by German police, according to Frankfurter Allgemeine. The arrests and several house searches have been made in the cities of Duisburg, Herne and Nörvenich during Sunday. 

  

The attack would have been carried out with a car loaded with explosives, says Cologne's police chief according to AP. 

 

On Christmas Eve, a 30-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of having prepared an attack on the cathedral on New Year's. According to the police, he has turned out to be part of a larger network with branches to other European countries.  

 

The state's minister of the interior, Herbert Reul, urges residents to celebrate as usual, according to AP: 

 

- Be careful and enjoy the transition to a new year. 

 

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Germany and France are increasing security ahead of the celebrations  

 

Ahead of tonight's New Year's celebrations, security has been strengthened in both France and Germany, several media outlets write. 

 

In Cologne, Germany, police have been armed with submachine guns after reports that Islamist groups may have planned an attack on the city's cathedral. Berlin Mayor Kai Wegner tells Die Zeit that the war between Israel and Hamas means that the security situation is more "tense", and that the police are better equipped than in previous New Years.  

 

At the same time, 90,000 police officers will patrol the streets of France during New Year's Eve. The terrorist threat in the country is "very high" partly as a result of the situation in the Middle East, French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin said the other day.  

 

In addition to police, tens of thousands of firefighters and 5,000 soldiers will also be deployed in French cities.

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New Year's celebration

 

 

Watch the fireworks shows as the world celebrates 2024  

 

The world's major cities compete to outshine each other with magnificent fireworks as 2024 draws in. 

See the pictures from the world's New Year's celebrations: 

 

 

Auckland in New Zealand was one of the first major cities to celebrate the new year.  

 

 

In Sydney, Australia, eight tons of pyrotechnics were used.  

 

 

The over 500 meter high skyscraper Taipei 101 in Taiwan's capital Taipei.  

 

Spectacle of color over the Chao Praya River in Thailand's capital, Bangkok.  

 

 

Fireworks are launched from the world's tallest building Burj Khalifa in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

 

Thousands celebrate in the business district of Indonesia's capital, Jakarta.  

 

  

Seoul ushers in 2024 with the biggest snowfall in 40 years  

 

Just in time for the New Year's weekend, Seoul was lit up by the biggest snowfall in the city in 40 years, writes the Yonhap news agency. A total of 12.2 centimeters of snow fell in the South Korean capital on Saturday.  

 

The December record in Seoul is 18.3 centimeters of snow, measured on December 19, 1981.

Reactions to Margrethe's announcement

Queen Margrethe II of Denmark abdicates  

Denmark's Queen Margrethe II abdicates, she announces in her New Year's speech according to Danish media. 

- I have decided that it is the right time, says the queen. 

- In 14 days I will have been Queen of Denmark for 52 years. Such a long time takes its toll on everyone, including me. You no longer have the same energy as you once had.  

She mentions the back surgery she underwent earlier this year, and says it gave rise to thoughts about the future and that it is time to hand over to the next generation.  

Furthermore, the queen thanks the people, the governments she cooperated with, and the Folketinget.  

On January 14, Crown Prince Frederik takes over the throne, on the day 52 years after 83-year-old Margrethe was crowned. 

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Experts: Puts pressure on Carl XVI Gustaf - opens faster way for Victoria  

Queen Margrethe's decision to abdicate may affect her cousin, Sweden's King Carl XVI Gustaf. Several court experts believe so.  

- In many ways it is a similar situation, an aging monarch with a successor who is ready to take over, says Sten Hedman to DN. 

Swedish women's magazine editor-in-chief Johan T Lindwall believes that Margrethe's decision can put pressure on the king.  

- This opens a faster path for Victoria to the throne, he says to Expressen. 

Court expert Roger Lundberg tells SVT Nyheter that there may be popular pressure for Carl Gustaf to abdicate.  

- The demands in both Sweden and Norway will increase strongly, where there are also popular heirs to the throne, he says.  

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Analysis: The announcement is a bomb that explodes louder than any New Year's rocket  

Danish commentators were taken aback by Queen Margrethe's announcement that she is abdicating on January 14.  

Berlingske's culture editor Birgitte Bodrup calls it "a bomb that explodes louder than every New Year's rocket". 

- There has of course been speculation that the queen's age and health could come into play at some point, but no one has seriously thought that she would hand over the throne to Crown Prince Frederik prematurely.  

TV2's correspondent Ulla Terkelsen sees two potential explanations for the announcement. One is the Queen's health.  

- You don't know how the queen feels physically, and it could be that the work is simply too exhausting.

It could also be about Crown Prince Frederik's age - perhaps Margrethe believes that the time is ripe for him to take office now that he is in his 50s, Terkelsen continues.  

DR's court correspondent Cecilie Nilsen is also on the health track, and believes that the Queen wants to retire to enjoy her last years in peace. - It is now quite clear that the course of the Queen's illness is serious, she says. 

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Mette Frederiksen: "It's hard to accept" 

Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has given a first written comment on Queen Margrethe's sudden announcement that she is handing over the throne, Danish media write.  

"On behalf of the entire people, I would like to extend a deep thank you to Her Majesty the Queen for her lifelong dedication and tireless efforts for the kingdom," writes Frederiksen and continues: 

"Even though the duty and office of regent has been passed down for more than a thousand years, it is difficult to accept that it is now time for a change of throne." 

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Historian: A very surprising announcement - hasn't happened in 500 years 

Queen Margrethe's announcement is very surprising, says Danish historian and royal house expert Lars Hovbakke Sørensen to TV2.  

- Especially since the queen has said on several occasions that she stays on her stick until she falls off it.

The last time a Danish monarch abdicated the throne prematurely was Christian II in 1523, he continues. 

However, Christian II did not resign voluntarily - to find a historical equivalent where a Danish monarch gave up the throne of his own free will, you have to go back to the 12th or 13th century, says historian Michael Bregnsbo to Berlingske.  

The Swedish historian Dick Harrison describes the announcement as a major breach of tradition. 

- A very unexpected announcement, this is not something you expect Scandinavian monarchs to do. The normal thing in the Nordics is to sit until you die, he tells TT. 

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Frederik X becomes new king: "He must modernize"  

On January 14, 55-year-old Crown Prince Frederik is crowned the new king of Denmark, and receives the title Frederik X.  

Crown Princess Mary, who hails from Tasmania in Australia and married Frederik in 2004, is given the title of Queen. 

According to the journalist and author Gitte Redder, who has written biographies of the crown prince couple, they are both well aware that they will need to modernize the Danish royal house - and already have a plan for how to do it. 

- It's about getting the young people on board, because many in the younger generation are probably a little skeptical that you can inherit privileges. Crown Prince Frederik is very aware of that, says Redder to TV2.

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Denmark pays tribute to Margrethe: "A unifying queen"  

 

The tributes to Queen Margrethe are pouring in from all over Denmark after she surprised the country with the announcement that she is abdicating, reports DR. 

 

"Thank you for being a thoughtful and unifying person for the entire Danish nation, and a prominent representative of Denmark during official visits abroad," writes the Speaker of the Folketing, Søren Gade.  

 

Culture Minister Jacob Engel-Schmidt says he got "shivers and a little tear in the corner of his eye" from the announcement. 

 

- It is a historic moment.  

 

Copenhagen mayor Sophie Hæstorp Andersen thanks the queen for "52 outstanding years" and pays tribute to her New Year's speech, which touched on the Gaza war, Ukraine and the climate crisis, among other things.  

 

- This year's speech showed the queen's wisdom, her feeling for the times and for being exactly where the Danes are.

 

Warnings: The US may end up in wars

News  

 

Joe Biden  

 

Biden warns that the US military could end up in direct combat with Russia  

 

Petter J Larsson  

 

Published 2023-12-30 23.08 

 

Friday's airstrikes on Ukraine were the largest since the war began.  

 

Now Joe Biden warns that the American military could be drawn into the war with Russia.  

 

- When dictators are allowed to run rampant freely in Europe, the risk of the US being pulled in increases, says the president. 

 

President Joe Biden warns that the United States could be drawn into a direct war with Russia if Vladimir Putin continues his invasion of Ukraine, writes Newsweek.  

 

Biden announced this in a statement after Russia's air attack over Ukraine on Friday morning. 

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           Rescue work in Kharkiv after yesterday's attacks. Photo: Yevhen Titov / AP

 

According to the Ukrainian military, the country was attacked by about 110 missiles, which, among other things, hit hospitals, apartment buildings and a shopping center. At least 31 Ukrainians died in the attacks and around 120 people were injured, Ukrainian officials said according to Reuters.  

 

- Overnight, Russia launched its largest air attack against Ukraine since the war began, Biden said in his statement. 

 

- It is a stark reminder to the world that after almost two years of this devastating war, Putin's goals remain unchanged. He is trying to wipe out Ukraine and subjugate its people. He must be stopped.  

 

          

         US President Joe Biden. Photo: Evan Vucci/AP  

 

Support is decreasing 

 

In February, the war has lasted two years and tensions between Russia and the NATO countries continue to rise. At the same time, support for Kiev has begun to wane from several quarters. Among other things, in the United States, where Republican lawmakers have blocked sending additional funding to Ukraine.  

 

In his statement, Biden said that a number of the Russian missiles and drones fired at Ukraine could be brought down thanks to the air defense systems provided by the United States. 

 

He added, however, that the United States will not be able to continue contributing resources to Ukraine unless congressional lawmakers take "urgent action in the new year."  

          Photo: Gavriil Grigorov / AP  

 

The president has previously warned the Republicans that reducing aid to Ukraine could pose a security threat to NATO – and thus to the United States.  

 

- The stakes in this fight extend far beyond Ukraine. They affect the entire NATO alliance, Europe's security and the future of the transatlantic relationship, Biden said in his statement. 

 

- When dictators and autocrats are allowed to run rampant freely in Europe, the risk of the US being pulled in directly increases. And these consequences reverberate throughout the world. We cannot let our allies and partners down. We cannot let Ukraine down. 

 

"No clear strategy" 

 

Biden has asked Congress to vote through an aid package worth $110 billion, which will go to Ukraine, Israel and other security needs. But the proposal has been rejected several times.  

 

The Speaker of the House of Representatives in the United States Congress, Republican Mike Johnson, said at a press conference the other week that the party's "hill to die on" in negotiations with Democrats on aid to Ukraine is to make changes in the United States' border policy in return. 

 

In a comment to Newsweek, Johnson says that since he was allowed to receive the speaker's baton, he repeatedly asked the White House for clarity in what strategy the United States should have to help Ukraine win the war.  

 

"What the Biden administration seems to be asking for is another billion dollars without proper oversight, no clear strategy to win, and none of the answers that I think the American people deserve," he says.

Several rebel attacks against Danish ship

 

News

 

Yemen  

 

The US sank three Huthi boats after attacking a Danish ship  

 

Daniel Nilsson 

 

Updated 16.47 | Published 15.49  

 

 

 

The USS Dwight D.Eisenhower has been stationed in the Red Sea since Iran-backed Huthi rebels launched several attacks in support of the Palestinians in Gaza. Photo: Information Technician Second Class Ruskin Naval / AP  

 

Three boats have been sunk and their crewmen killed by US helicopters in the Red Sea.  

 

The deadly attack occurred after Huthi rebels from Yemen tried to board a Danish-owned ship.  

 

- This is a clear signal from the US that it will cost the Houthis if they continue with the attacks, says Jan Hallenberg, researcher at the Foreign Policy Institute. 

Quick version 

• Three of the Huthi rebels' boats were sunk by US helicopters in the Red Sea after they attacked and tried to board a Danish-owned ship.
•  It can be seen as a clear signal from the US that it will cost the Houthis if they continue with the attacks, says Jan Hallenberg, researcher at the Foreign Policy Institute.
•  This is the 23rd attack since the Houthis intensified their offensive against all ships in the Red Sea, which is done in support of the Palestinians in Gaza.
  

The situation off the coast of Yemen continues to escalate. On Saturday evening, local time, the Danish-owned container ship Maersk Hangzhou was attacked by robots in the Red Sea. The US destroyer USS Gravley responded to the call and shot down two rockets fired from areas controlled by the Houthi rebels.  

 

Less than 24 hours later, the same Danish ship sent another distress call. Four smaller boats from the Houthi movement then fired at the ship in an attempt to board it.  

 

From the American warship USS Eisenhower, which also navigated to the site, two helicopters took off to issue verbal warnings. When the helicopters were also fired upon, they returned fire and sank three of the small boats, killing ten of the crew. The fourth boat then fled the area, writes the US military command Centcom on X.

 

The Maersk "Mumbai" in the picture is a similar ship to the one that was attacked on Sunday in the Red Sea. Photo: Sina Schuldt / AP  

 

Photo released by the Huthi rebels shows one of their helicopters approaching the cargo ship Galaxy Leader on November 19, the day the attacks on ships in the Red Sea began. Photo: AP  

 

23 attacks in just over a month  

 

It is also written that this is the 23rd attack since the Houthis intensified their offensive against all ships in the Red Sea, something that is done in support of the Palestinians in Gaza.  

 

- This is a clear signal from the US that it will cost the Houthis if they continue to attack, says Jan Hallenberg, associate senior researcher at the Foreign Policy Institute. 

 

The United States has also accused Iran of being involved in the attacks, but Iran has rejected that accusation. And it is hard for Jan Hallenberg to imagine any risk of a regional war on the mainland at the moment.  

 

- For the United States, the threshold is unusually high with regard to this region. You don't want things to flare up there again and you don't want to get involved in the unstable situation in Yemen. Therefore, they have not attacked the mainland where the rockets are fired from, but only defended themselves at sea, says Hallenberg.   

 

The Danish government will send a frigate to the US-led coalition Operation Prosperity Guardian in the Red Sea. Photo: Danish Ministry of Foreign 

 

Affairs Stopping all traffic on the Red Sea - again  

 

He emphasizes that the situation in the area is complicated, but that the route through the Red Sea and out into Europe through the Suez Canal is strategically important for many countries. The US already has ships in the area and last week Denmark also decided to send a frigate to participate in the effort to protect international maritime traffic. 

 

- It is better than nothing, but it is the American capacity that counts, so far anyway. But should it escalate, the Chinese have a base there and it is only so much that such a large trading nation can withstand, but even for them the threshold is very high, says Hallenberg.  

 

The shipping company Maersk announces that no one on board Maersk Hangzhou was injured in connection with the incident. It has now been decided to suspend all transport on the Red Sea - only four days after it started driving there again on a trial basis after a previous stop.

RIGHT NOW: The Danish queen leaves the throne

Royally  

 

Danish royal house 

 

The Queen of Denmark abdicates  

 

Amanda Hällsten  

 

Updated 19.02 | Published 18.14 

 

Queen Margrethe of Denmark abdicates.  

 

Crown Prince Frederik now takes over as king. 

 

- I have decided that now is the right time, she says. 

 

Denmark's Queen Margrethe, 83, announces in her New Year's speech that she will abdicate.  

 

- Time is running out and health is getting worse, says Queen Margrethe. 

 

Earlier this year, she underwent, among other things, back surgery.  

 

From January 14, Crown Prince Frederik will take over as king - exactly 52 years after the Queen was crowned. 

 

- I have decided that now is the right time, she says.  

 

When Frederik is crowned king, his son, Prince Christian, becomes the new crown prince.

Crown Prince Frederik becomes Denmark's new king. Photo: Henning Bagger / AP
 

The Queen, Crown Prince Frederik and Prince Christian, who will now be second in line to the throne. Photo: Mads Claus Rasmussen / AP  

 

Thanks to the Danish people  

 

Over the years, Margrethe has made herself known as an artist, scenographer - but also as a person who enjoys life. Now she thanks the people of Denmark. 

 

- Tonight, first of all, I want to say thank you. Thank you for the overwhelming warmth and support I have received over the years. A thank you to the changing governments, with whom it has always been rewarding to work together, and to the Danish Parliament, who have always met me with confidence, she says, and continues: 

 

- My thanks must go to all the many, many people who, at special events, as well as in everyday life, have surrounded me and my family with loving words and thoughts.  

 

With Margrethe abdicating, her cousin, Sweden's King Carl XVI Gustaf will become the longest-serving, now living regent in the world.  

 

 

Queen Margrethe and King Carl XVI Gustaf. Photo: Andreas Bardell  

 

 

Crown Prince Frederik and Queen Margrethe. Photo: Mads Claus Rasmussen / AP 

 

Court expert: Sensational news  

 

This is the first time in 500 years that a Danish regent has abdicated. Aftonbladet's court expert Jenny Alexandersson says that the announcement is sensational. 

 

- It's a big deal. Perhaps mainly because Denmark does not have a tradition of regents abdicating. You are queen or king until the day you die, she says.  

 

She also says that Margrethe's health problems seem to have influenced her choice to abdicate.  

 

- It has been noticed that she has not been feeling very well lately, which she also says in her New Year's speech. I think that plays into it quite a bit. In a way, you can understand that she thinks it's the right time now, says Jenny Alexandersson. 

 

Queen Margrethe has decided to leave the throne after 52 years. Queen Margrethe and King Carl Gustaf at Stockholm Palace on the occasion of King Carl XVI Gustaf's 50th anniversary on the throne.  

 

  

Queen Margrethe has decided to leave the throne after 52 years.  

1 / 2Photo: Mads Claus Rasmussen / AP