PRESS EUROPEAN

Denmark

Old-timer

INVESTIGATORS examining dead hedgehogs brought in by members of the Danish Hedgehog Project discovered that Thorvald, who died in a Silkeborg rehab centre, was later found to be 16, making him Europe’s oldest ever. The record was previously held by an Irish hedgehog aged nine.

The Netherlands

War wounds

THE NETHERLANDS’ 32-million page war archive will become available without restrictions in 2025, announced the War in Court (Oorlog voor de Rechter) group. The descendants of Second World War collaborators now fear the reopening of old wounds as data protection laws do not cover the dead.

Belgium

Hacker deal

BELGIUM’S Cyber Security Centre (CCB) has promised protection from prosecution for hackers or organisations reporting security vulnerabilities affecting systems, networks, or applications located in Belgium. Protection would depend on meeting “strict” conditions, the CCB said.

Germany

Wrong turning

A WOMAN of 82 inadvertently drove into a Munich shopping centre, breaking through its side entrance and crashing into an escalator. The driver escaped with minor injuries, but was taken to hospital as a precaution while an 18-year-old on the damaged escalator was able to jump to safety.

France

Lynx warning

FRANCE’S lynx population, reintroduced in the 1970s, is at risk of disappearing and requires special measures to increase numbers, experts said. A recent study found that around 150 adult lynxes currently inhabited the mountains of north-eastern France, separated from healthier groups in Germany and Switzerland.

Norway

All alone

EXPERTS completed the reconstruction based on the skull of a teenage boy who lived 8,300 years ago in modern Norway. Nicknamed Vistegutten, ‘the boy from Viste’ his skull was deformed and he apparently died alone, as his remains were found as though resting against the wall of a cave.

Finland

Fell swoop

FOREST MOVEMENT activists disrupted treefelling operations for the fourth time in Aalistunturi in Finland, an area which is likely to become a national park. Loggers, who must stop work whenever anyone enters the area near their machinery, said the protests were costing them €15,000 a day.

Ireland

Gold reserve

IRELAND has cancelled ‘golden visas’ for nonEU nationals worth at least €2 million who invest in the country. Ireland's Minister for Justice, Simon Harris, said that the scheme, established in 2012 in return for creating jobs had had been under review for “quite a period of time.”

Italy

Electric shock

ITALY intensified its opposition to EU plans to ban the sale of all petrol and diesel cars after 2035 to achieve 100 per cent zero-emissions for new vehicles. Transport minister Matteo Salvini condemned a rapid switch to electric mobility as “suicide” and a “gift” to Chinese industry.

Portugal

New airlink

ETIHAD AIRWAYS are expanding their European network this summer with a new direct route between Abu Dhabi and the Portuguese capital Lisbon, starting in July. The new service, the Middle Eastern airline’s first route into Portugal, will operate weekly flights on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Sundays.

UKRAINE Look ahead

BUSINESSES worldwide are jockeying for position for multibillion reconstruction contracts in Ukraine once the war ends. Tymofiy Mylovanov, former Economy minister and now president of the Kyiv School of Economics, said with funding from all over the world “businesses want to be part of rebuilding.”

Sweden

Shut out

A CYBERATTACK temporarily prevented access to the website of Sweden’s national broadcaster SVT on February 14. The attack was not unexpected as the hacker group Anonymous Sudan called for cyberattacks against Swedish authorities and banks following the Koran burning in Stockholm.