Hero of Cologne

The Hero of Cologne: How a 7ft tall hotel doorman and ex-kickboxing champ saved two women from the New Year’s sex mob 

• See the latest news from Germany on the Cologne sex attacks  

By NICK FAGGE IN COLOGNE FOR MAILONLINE

PUBLISHED: 19:55 GMT, 12 January 2016 | UPDATED: 11:28 GMT, 13 January 2016

A kickboxing champion dubbed the ‘hero of Cologne’ has told of how he fought off a gang of ‘drunken, lecherous Arabs’ who were terrifying two young women on New Year’s Eve.

Standing at seven foot tall and wielding 130kg of solid muscle, Ivan Jurcevic fought off the four sex attackers as they surrounded their young victims and groped them.

The towering doorman, 44, was working at a hotel overlooking Cologne square when the 1,000-strong sex mob Arab and North African men groped, attacked and robbed up 500 women.

La Fourna to bring different cultures together in the process of baking bread

Belgian social bakery to ‘reunite people around the oven’ in Brussels

Good bread is hard to come by in Bockstael – at least according to one non-profit. With their social bakery, they hope to improve the offer and bring different cultures together in the process, as Martin Kuebler reports.

Place Emile Bockstael, in the north of Brussels, is busy. It’s a central square in this part of the city, with cars, trams and buses all jostling for space with pedestrians. There are plenty of shops and cafes, places for people to meet up for a drink, a chain bakery on the corner. But according to local resident Hilde Brepoels, it’s still missing something.

“In Bockstael, there isn’t really a nice place to drink a coffee, or read or book in friendly, welcoming environment,” she says. “And there are no good bakeries, either. We’re missing good bread, and I’m certain there are people from the many different cultures ready to share their recipes.”

And so she, along with other members of the Brussels-based non-profit Vol-au-vent, have decided to launch a project called La Fourna, a social bakery focused on sustainable, organic food that will offer bread baking workshops, allow people to bake their own bread and, as Brepoels says, “reunite people around the oven.”

Halifax: Indian community shares traditions and culture

Halifax’s Indian community celebrates culture in weekend festival

BY KELLY SHIERS STAFF REPORTER
Published August 10, 2013 – 8:06pm

Visitors look at merchandise sold at a booth at India Fest in Halifax on Saturday. (ADRIEN VECZAN / Staff)

Indian pop music videos play on a giant screen near a stage where traditional dancers and singers entertain crowds.

The aroma of spicy food wafts through the air while plates of samosa, butter chicken and eggplant are dished up. Bejewelled sandals and bracelets are sold between booths where women like Sargam Paul have a steady stream of customers.

Paul sits with her head down, working quickly. Faint lines soon take shape on hands and arms, and become temporary works of art.

Henna tattoos are popular here at this weekend’s India Fest, on through Sunday at the multipurpose room at the Halifax Forum.

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