Denmark bans civilian drone flights to protect EU summit

Sweden is sending radar and military anti-drone systems to Denmark ahead of European summits in Copenhagen this week, after drone incursions that forced Denmark to shut several airports.

Denmark is due to host EU leaders on Wednesday, followed by a summit on Thursday of the wider, 47-member European Political Community, and has already said it has increased security around the events after the drone sightings.

Denmark will ban all civilian drone flights across the country over the coming days to ensure security .

Europe plans 'drone wall' to fight off escalating Russian threats

Ulf Kristersson, the Swedish Prime Minister, said on Monday Russia was likely behind mysterious drone flights over several airports.

Drone sightings across Denmark since September 22 have prompted the closure of several airports, with the Danish government hinting at possible Russian involvement, though Moscow denies the charge.

Speaking to Danish TV, Mr Kristersson said "the likelihood of this being about Russia wanting to send a message to countries supporting Ukraine is quite high" but added that "nobody really, really knows".

He added that "we have confirmation" that drones that entered Polish airspace earlier this month were Russian.

"Everything points to [Russia] but then all countries are cautious about singling out a country if they are not sure. In Poland, we know that's what it was," he said.

Mr Kristersson said in a post on social media X that Sweden would send "Counter-UAS" – unmanned aircraft systems – and that his country had also shipped "a handful" of radar systems to Denmark.

Drones were observed over Danish military sites on Saturday night for the second consecutive day, Denmark's army said.

Intelligence services said last week Denmark was facing a “high threat of sabotage”, after a “skilled” pilot flew two or three large unidentified drones over Copenhagen Airport, shutting the airspace for hours.

Copenhagen is to host the EU summit on Wednesday and Thursday. Transport Minister Thomas Danielsen said: “Denmark will host EU leaders in the coming week, where we will have extra focus on security.

"Therefore, from Monday to Friday, we will close the Danish airspace to all civilian drone flights. In this way, we remove the risk that enemy drones can be confused with legal drones and vice versa.

A breach of the ban can result in a fine or imprisonment for up to two years, the ministry said.

A mobile radar at Amager monitors Copenhagen airspace after drones forced a four-hour closure on September 22. EPA

Justice Minister Peter Hummelgaard said the purpose of the ban was to simplify the work of police and other authorities. “The police are on heightened alert, and our authorities must use their forces where necessary to take care of Danes and our guests.”

He said the ban would mean police would not have to “spend their efforts on civilian drones” that do not pose a problem to security and police.

Danish police said on Saturday they had received more than 500 reports of drone flights from the public, most of which were dismissed as being of no interest.

In neighbouring Norway, airport operator Avinor said on Sunday that drone “activity” was observed at Bronnoysund Airport, one of four airports in northern Norway where air and land restrictions for drones had been extended to 10km from Saturday until Monday as “a precautionary measure”.

“This affected one incoming flight, which was instructed to delay its landing and has now diverted to an alternate airport,” Avinor said.

Avinor provided no details about the number of drones observed or where they may have come from.

Nato 'enhances vigilance'

Norway is already investigating “possible sightings of drones” on Saturday near its largest military base, Orland, where its F-35 fighter jets are parked.

And Germany said on Saturday it wants to authorise its military to shoot down drones after a “swarm” was spotted over the northern state of Schleswig-Holstein, which borders Denmark.

Nato said it had “enhanced vigilance” in the Baltic following the intrusions.

The reinforced measures “include multiple intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance platforms and at least one air-defence frigate” in the region to the west of Russia, alliance spokesman Martin O'Donnell said.

The string of drone sightings in the past week comes on the heels of drone incursions in Polish and Romanian territory and the violation of Estonian airspace by Russian fighter jets, which raised tension in light of Russia's continuing invasion of Ukraine.

Danish investigators have so far failed to identify those responsible for the drone flights over Denmark. But Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said this week that “there is one main country that poses a threat to Europe's security, and it is Russia”.

Moscow said on Thursday it “firmly rejects” any suggestion that it was involved in the Danish incidents.

Defence ministers from about 10 EU countries agreed Friday to make a so-called “drone wall” a priority for the bloc.

MATCH INFO

Real Madrid 2 (Benzema 13', Kroos 28')
Barcelona 1 (Mingueza 60')

Red card: Casemiro (Real Madrid)

Points about the fast fashion industry Celine Hajjar wants everyone to know

Fast fashion is responsible for up to 10 per cent of global carbon emissions
Fast fashion is responsible for 24 per cent of the world's insecticides
Synthetic fibres that make up the average garment can take hundreds of years to biodegrade
Fast fashion labour workers make 80 per cent less than the required salary to live
27 million fast fashion workers worldwide suffer from work-related illnesses and diseases
Hundreds of thousands of fast fashion labourers work without rights or protection and 80 per cent of them are women

The specs

Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Power: 620hp from 5,750-7,500rpm
Torque: 760Nm from 3,000-5,750rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed dual-clutch auto
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh1.05 million ($286,000)

Jetour T1 specs

Engine: 2-litre turbocharged

Power: 254hp

Torque: 390Nm

Price: From Dh126,000

Available: Now

Key facilities

Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
Premier League-standard football pitch
400m Olympic running track
NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
600-seat auditorium
Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
Specialist robotics and science laboratories
AR and VR-enabled learning centres
Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills

While you're here

National Editorial: How Iran can make peace with Saudi Arabia

Iran ready to 'enter a new chapter of peace' with Saudi Arabia

Prince Mohammed bin Salman says peace with Iran is possible

So what is Spicy Chickenjoy?

Just as McDonald’s has the Big Mac, Jollibee has Spicy Chickenjoy – a piece of fried chicken that’s crispy and spicy on the outside and comes with a side of spaghetti, all covered in tomato sauce and topped with sausage slices and ground beef. It sounds like a recipe that a child would come up with, but perhaps that’s the point – a flavourbomb combination of cheap comfort foods. Chickenjoy is Jollibee’s best-selling product in every country in which it has a presence.

Volvo ES90 Specs

Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)

Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp

Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm

On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region

Price: Exact regional pricing TBA

The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm

Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm

Transmission: 9-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh117,059

On Women's Day

Dr Nawal Al-Hosany: Why more women should be on the frontlines of climate action

Shelina Janmohamed: Why shouldn't a spouse be compensated fairly for housework?

Justin Thomas: Challenge the notion that 'men are from Mars, women are from Venus'

The National Editorial: Is there much to celebrate on International Women's Day 2021?

What should do investors do now?

What does the S&P 500's new all-time high mean for the average investor?

Should I be euphoric?

No. It's fine to be pleased about hearty returns on your investments. But it's not a good idea to tie your emotions closely to the ups and downs of the stock market. You'll get tired fast. This market moment comes on the heels of last year's nosedive. And it's not the first or last time the stock market will make a dramatic move.

So what happened?

It's more about what happened last year. Many of the concerns that triggered that plunge towards the end of last have largely been quelled. The US and China are slowly moving toward a trade agreement. The Federal Reserve has indicated it likely will not raise rates at all in 2019 after seven recent increases. And those changes, along with some strong earnings reports and broader healthy economic indicators, have fueled some optimism in stock markets.

"The panic in the fourth quarter was based mostly on fears," says Brent Schutte, chief investment strategist for Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company. "The fundamentals have mostly held up, while the fears have gone away and the fears were based mostly on emotion."

Should I buy? Should I sell?

Maybe. It depends on what your long-term investment plan is. The best advice is usually the same no matter the day — determine your financial goals, make a plan to reach them and stick to it.

"I would encourage (investors) not to overreact to highs, just as I would encourage them not to overreact to the lows of December," Mr Schutte says.

All the same, there are some situations in which you should consider taking action. If you think you can't live through another low like last year, the time to get out is now. If the balance of assets in your portfolio is out of whack thanks to the rise of the stock market, make adjustments. And if you need your money in the next five to 10 years, it shouldn't be in stocks anyhow. But for most people, it's also a good time to just leave things be.

Resist the urge to abandon the diversification of your portfolio, Mr Schutte cautions. It may be tempting to shed other investments that aren't performing as well, such as some international stocks, but diversification is designed to help steady your performance over time.

Will the rally last?

No one knows for sure. But David Bailin, chief investment officer at Citi Private Bank, expects the US market could move up 5 per cent to 7 per cent more over the next nine to 12 months, provided the Fed doesn't raise rates and earnings growth exceeds current expectations. We are in a late cycle market, a period when US equities have historically done very well, but volatility also rises, he says.

"This phase can last six months to several years, but it's important clients remain invested and not try to prematurely position for a contraction of the market," Mr Bailin says. "Doing so would risk missing out on important portfolio returns."