Denmark’s new coalition government is set to scrap a bank holiday to boost defence spending. It is one of the first measures agreed by the unusual coalition between centre-left and centre-right parties – the first since the 1970s. The centre-left Social Democrat party, the centre-right Liberal Party and the centrist Moderate party are all part of the new government. Incumbent Social Democrat PM Mette Frederiksen will carry on in the job. In October, Ms Frederiksen called a snap election following outrage after a highly critical report of her government’s handling of a country-wide mink cull at fur farms at the height of the pandemic was released over the summer. After last month’s vote, Ms Frederiksen handed in her government’s resignation to Queen Margrethe despite her party winning the most votes, as she said she wanted to form a broader coalition. An agreement with her historical rivals was found when the Liberals and the Moderates agreed to drop calls for an independent legal inquiry into the mink cull.The result was the Social Democrat-Liberal-Moderate coalition unveiled on Thursday, as the handover of power from the previous government took place.(BBC)…[+]

A fierce winter storm has left a trail of destruction across the southern US, devastating communities and killing three people in Louisiana. The weather has also left tens of thousands without power across six states. Several east coast states are forecast to be hit by snow and freezing rain late on Thursday and into Friday. The storm system has also brought blizzard-like conditions to the Midwest. In Louisiana, officials have so far confirmed three deaths and dozens of injuries as a result of the storm. In one incident, a 56-year-old woman in St Charles Parish near New Orleans was killed after a tornado destroyed her home. Communities across the state reported severe damage, including downed power lines and collapsed buildings. In Jefferson Parish – a suburb of New Orleans – the sheriff’s office said that homes and businesses in the area had “suffered catastrophic damage”. One Louisiana resident, Michael Willis, told the BBC’s US partner CBS that a close encounter with a tornado near the town of Harvey was “the scariest thing” he has ever experienced. The tornado lifted him up while he was sitting in his car, a large SUV, while debris smashed through his windshield and passenger window.(BBC)…[+]

Two people have been killed, say Ukrainian officials, in a second day of Russian attacks on central Kherson, recaptured by Ukraine last month. Heavy shelling on critical infrastructure in the port area left the entire city without power, according to the regional governor. The retreat of Russian forces from Kherson was one of Moscow’s biggest setbacks since the February invasion. For weeks it has targeted power facilities in Ukrainian cities. Millions of Ukrainians have been left without heating or power as winter temperatures have fallen below freezing. Shells reportedly landed 100m (328ft) from the main administration building in Kherson city, officials said, a day after the building itself was badly damaged. A 32-year-old paramedic and a 70-year-old man were killed in the attack which hit a medical aid point, Ukrainian media said. Explosions also went off in Ukraine’s second biggest city Kharkiv. Mayor Igor Terekhov said Russia was shelling infrastructure facilities and appealed to residents to stay in shelters if possible.(BBC)…[+]