Copenhagen

Rasmussen chosen as NATO chief - report

Anders Fogh RasmussenCopenhagen - NATO leaders reached a deal Saturd

Danish premier leaves for NATO summit, confirms interest in top job

Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh RasmussenCopenhagen  - Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen on Friday held meetings with his cabinet and confirmed he was a candidate for new NATO secretary general, Danish media reported.

After the meetings, the premier left for a summit of the defence alliance, but did not met the press.

Rasmussen, who has been premier since 2001, has been mentioned as a favourite to become the new secretary general of NATO. However, Turkey has expressed opposition to his appointment.

Denmark lowers lending rate to 2 per cent

Denmark lowers lending rate to 2 per cent Copenhagen - Denmark's central bank Thursday lowered its lending rate by 0.25 percentage points to 2 per cent, citing an earlier move by the European Central Bank (ECB).

The Danish rates cut was effective as of Friday, the Danish central bank said. The Danish central bank said the discount rate and the current account rate would also be lowered by 25 basis points to 1.75 per cent as of Friday.

The ECB on Thursday trimmed its benchmark refinancing rate to an historic low of 1.25 per cent on Thursday.

Poll: Danes doubt Denmark will qualify for 2010 World Cup finals

Poll: Danes doubt Denmark will qualify for 2010 World Cup finals Copenhagen - Although Denmark tops the standings in its qualification group for the 2010 World Cup finals, many Danes doubt their team will qualify for the finals, a new survey said Friday.

Only 37 per cent believe Denmark will make it to the finals hosted by South Africa, 35 per cent thought Denmark would fail, while 28 per cent were undecided.

The poll of 1,015 people was conducted by polling company Catinet for Danish news agency Ritzau.

Danish parliament approves bridge to Germany

Danish parliament approves bridge to Germany Copenhagen - The Danish parliament Thursday approved a 19- kilometre bridge link to neighbouring Germany across the Fehmarn Belt, a strait between the Danish island of Lolland and the German island of Fehmarn.

Parliament voted 104 to 3 in favour of the link. Transport Minister Lars Barfoed said it was a "historic decision that will link the Nordic region, and thereby Denmark, with the rest of the European continent."

FIFA firm on rejecting WADA doping rule

FIFA firm on rejecting WADA doping ruleCopenhagen - FIFA president Joseph Blatter remained adamant Wednesday in opposition to the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) out-of-competition testing rules.

"We are the international federations which probably undertake the most but we need some private sphere for our footballers," Blatter said while attending the UEFA congress in Copenhagen.

Blatter said the federations were jointly combating doping but this should not turn into a "witch hunt."

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