World in Briefs 2.11.2013

Photo by news.sky.com

Written by Kevin Dunne. Media by Bobby Williams.

Germany
If you find yourself struggling to come up with a romantic way to spend your Valentine’s Day, consider taking up after some innovative Europeans: go dumpster diving for a meal. It’s no joke – over 8,200 Germans have been swan-diving into dumpsters and trash cans for the past seven weeks, scouring for wasted food. The so-called “foodsharing” movement has spread across many cities in Europe, but has taken a strong hold in Germany. By simply visiting foodsharing.de, individuals can view a variety of food baskets, as well as their locations, and take what they need, free of charge. The movement was started to reduce the amount of excessive waste by countries worldwide, which is valued around $1 trillion annually.

Israel

If you think that getting a ticket for parking in the wrong lot is terrible, try getting a parking ticket in the city of Tel Aviv. Hila Ben Baruch, a student, was given a 1,350 shekel ($366) ticket for parking in a handicapped spot. Normally, that wouldn’t seem unfair, but when Ben Baruch originally parked in her spot, it wasn’t handicapped. She later discovered that two city workers painted the space around her car and after providing video evidence, had the fines taken away.

United States
Most marathons and races take place outdoors; after all, it seems like the logical thing to do. Somewhere down the line, the New York Road Runners came up with the idea of holding a race inside of a building, but not just any skyscraper – the Empire State Building. Skynews reports that, “about 700 people from around the world did take part, running up 86 flights of stairs in the skyscraper.” Mark Bourne, an Australian, won first place with a time of 10:32 in the 36th annual race. Unbeknownst to all of the racers, instead of running up 1,576 steps, they could have just taken the elevator.

Photo by news.sky.com

Australia

Photo by fanpop.com

Doogie Howser is real and dreams do come true. For months, a 17-year-old boy, nicknamed Dr. Who, assisted patients in Adeliade. The boy/doctor/hero would walk around with a clipboard, stethoscope, and scrubs, examining patients and reading medical notes. The teenager also prescribed medicine to at least one patient (a girl who fell off a scooter), which is highly illegal and frowned upon. A trial is scheduled for Dr. Who later on in the month.

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