Scandinavia news stories on Newser

Why Scandinavia Stinks at Figure Skating

Will McCahill — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 20:39:33 CST

Though the Scandinavian nations generally fare well in the Winter Olympics, there’s a gaping hole in their success when it comes to figure skating (no medals since 1936), leading some bloggers to try to figure why. Some theories: Blame the Soviets. During the Cold War, the Eastern Bloc sunk untold...

Scandinavia Battles Genital Mutilation

Neal Colgrass — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 17:55:48 CDT

Scandinavian countries are hitting perpetrators of genital mutilation with heavy fines and prison sentences, even when the act is committed in other countries, Global Post reports. African and Middle Eastern immigrants who take their daughters abroad for genital mutilations—which are considered normal and even necessary in some cultures—are...

Iceland PM Wins Mandate in Crisis Election

Jason Farago — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 05:18:05 CDT

Iceland's interim center-left government, which came to power in February after the spectacular collapse of the nation's economy, has won a resounding victory in a snap election, reports the Times of London. The "great, historic victory" was an endorsement of her plans to have Iceland "start thinking about the EU,...

Swedish Princess Will Marry Personal Trainer

Evann Gastaldo — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 12:03:43 CST

In what sounds like a real-life Disney movie, the crown princess of Sweden lifted her country out of a glum mood—at least for one day—by announcing her engagement to her personal trainer, the Times of London reports. Crown Princess Victoria's fiancé has undergone a royal makeover: no more...

Britney to Front Furniture Biz

Elizabeth Wolff — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 09:33:38 CDT

Britney Spears, who once ditched a custody hearing to await a furniture delivery, may be going into the ottoman and end table business herself. In an attempt to salvage his daughter's bleeding fortune, Jamie Spears has spent two months on a deal whereby the struggling pop star would endorse a...

Kids' Clothes Give Teacher a Real Headache

Katherine Thompson — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 12:55:26 CST

Bad news for Pippi Longstocking wannabes—a Swedish preschool has banned striped and polka-dotted children's clothing because the patterns trigger one teacher's migraine headaches. The ban is driving some fashion-conscious parents dotty, but the school's principal defends the teacher's right to "an appropriate work environment," reports the Local of Sweden.