GERMANY

Sandal icon

GERMAN sandal maker Birkenstock is poised to go public. Despite its name not directly translating to ‘sandal’ in German, Birkenstock has become synonymous with this style worldwide. Founded in 1774 the family-run business ceded control to L Catterton. Now, as it approaches its 250th anniversary, Birkenstock eyes a listing on the NYSE and is estimated between $6 billion to $10 billion.

True cost

GERMAN discount supermarket Penny implemented a bold initiative by adjusting prices to account for the actual environmental and health impacts of certain products. The move involved raising the prices of meats and cheeses, the price adjustments aimed to incorporate costs related to climate, soil, health, and water use.

The Netherlands

Slippery donation

RECYCLING shop workers in the Netherlands were in shock when a python was found amongst its donations. Fortunately, the furore caught the owner's attention who confirmed: "His name is Antonio, my son forgot to lock his terrarium. I gathered the bags that were ready for the recycling shop and donated them without knowing Antonio was inside.”

Bats 1 Companies 0

THE saga of wall cavity insulation and bats in the Netherlands has just seen a major precedence set following a landmark ruling. A court found that insulation company Best didn’t do enough to check whether bats could have been living in the wall cavity of a house they insulated and this will affect other companies in the future.

Surgery update

Storm Hans

A POWERFUL storm named Hans unleashed havoc across Norway, leaving a trail of destruction, casualties, and widespread disruptions in its wake. The torrential rains, gale-force winds, and thunderstorms led to a series of catastrophic events including two deaths, landslides, power outages, flooding and massive property damage.

Footballer flees

NORWEGIAN footballer Mathias Normann parts ways with Dynamo Moscow due to security concerns following a drone strike near his residence amidst Russia's conflict with Ukraine. Normann’s decision to continue to play in Russia had a significant effect on his career as the Norwegian Football Federation decided not to select him for Norway’s national team.

Norway Finland

Ugliest vase

EVER been gifted a vase so ugly that it's hidden away in a closet? The Lepaa 2023 garden exhibition in Finland is due to host the first-ever competition to find Finland's ugliest vase. Visitors will be invited to vote from categories including old-fashioned, modern, kitsch, humorous, souvenirs, self-made, heirloom vases, valuable vases, seasonal themes, and inventive.

Climate crisis

IN Finland's capital, residents are bracing themselves for devastating floods, torrential rains, and prolonged heatwaves. Helsinki’s climate division said: “We know trees do the best job at absorbing water, delaying the flow of storm waters, provide shade and cool the air through evaporation.' With roughly 200,000 trees in parks and 30,000 on streets, Helsinki is well-prepared.

IN January, it was revealed that Michael Flatley had been diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer, some 20 years after his successful battle with melanoma. A defiant Flatley recently broke his silence: “It’s a long hard road. I will not be defeated. Somehow or other I will beat this. I've beaten cancer before, I'll beat it again.”

‘Ridiculous’ rules

THE national police service of Ireland has faced criticism for sending three cadets home from training due to tattoos on their lower arms. This incident has ignited debate over their strict dress code, especially amid a recruitment crisis. As the force struggles to meet recruitment targets, the dismissal of these cadets for tattoos is seen as a reflection of 'outdated' views, hindering efforts to address the shortage of officers.

Legal battle

THE Venezuelan government announced on Wednesday, August 9, that around €1.3 billion (US$1.5b) held in Portugal had been released by order of a court in Lisbon. This money was said to have been retained in the accounts of Venezuelan institutions and companies at the country's Novo Banco sine February 2019.

Tourists evacuated

WILDFIRES raged across some rural areas of Portugal last week, with 'three significant occurrences’, in Odemira, Cinfães and Mangualde'. Municipal emergency plans were initiated in Castelo Branco, Proença-a-Nova and Odemira. A total of 1,424 people were preventively removed from the São Miguel campsite, but were later allowed to return. Twenty villages were also evacuated.