NETHERLANDS

Artdocfest is a crucial outpost of free expression on Russia’s doorstep

Retrieved on: 
Mercredi, mars 13, 2024

When The Motherland Aborts You, also titled Country Abortion (Zoya Vodyanova, a pseudonym, Czechia/US) follows a lesbian couple.

Key Points: 
  • When The Motherland Aborts You, also titled Country Abortion (Zoya Vodyanova, a pseudonym, Czechia/US) follows a lesbian couple.
  • One of the women, Zakhara, has moved to India and the other, Lina, starts the film in St Petersburg.
  • Franak Viačorka, Tsikhanouskaya’s chief political advisor spoke at the festival, necessitating heightened security and illustrating Artdocfest’s importance.
  • Latvia shares a border with Belarus and Russia: these dictatorships are a threat to their neighbours as well their own citizens.

‘Ukraine Above All’

  • Artdocfest has promoted films by and about Ukraine ever since the 2014 illegal annexation of Ukraine, even when it was based in Russia.
  • However, a global appetite for Ukrainian documentary films about the war means some of the biggest now head to Sundance or Berlin festivals, achieving wider distribution.
  • The Mist (Dmytro Shovkoplias) is an immersive film conveying the confusion and disorientation of suddenly finding yourself caught in a war.
  • This same dislocation of up to 10 million people was depicted by winner of the main prize, In the Rearview.


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Jeremy Hicks is a member of the UK Labour Party

Australian music festivals are increasingly affected by climate change. But is the industry doing enough to mitigate its impact?

Retrieved on: 
Mercredi, mars 13, 2024

The live music and festival industry is currently struggling with significant challenges, including expensive insurance premiums and the cost of living crisis impacting ticket sales.

Key Points: 
  • The live music and festival industry is currently struggling with significant challenges, including expensive insurance premiums and the cost of living crisis impacting ticket sales.
  • In particular are the challenges associated with climate change, as extreme weather events becoming more frequent, severe and unpredictable.
  • Severe weather impacts on music festivals and concerts have ranged from delays and cancellations, to the evacuation of venues and areas mid-festival or mid-performance.

Death, injury and cancellations

  • In my research, I also looked at where and why events were being cancelled in the United States, finding at least 21 cancellations in 2022–23.
  • I also found similar cases in New Zealand, Canada, the United Kingdom, Spain and the Netherlands.
  • In November, we saw the tragic death of a fan due to extreme heat at Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour in Brazil.

The environmental impact of festivals

  • The UK’s live music industry produces 405,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions annually.
  • The primary sources of these emissions are audience travel, accounting for 43%, and the operations of live music venues, contributing another 23%.

Music festivals can make a change

  • The live music industry can reduce its environmental impact by adopting more renewable energy, and using sustainable transport options for artists and audiences.
  • Read more:
    The environmental cost of abandoning your tent at a music festival

    Tree planting has emerged as a popular strategy for music festivals and bands to offset their carbon footprint and contribute positively to the environment.

  • Challenges such as rising supply chain costs and the cost of living are testing the viability of festivals.
  • It is important the event industry and festival-goers acknowledge their contributions to these escalating challenges, and take proactive steps towards greening music festivals.


Milad Haghani receives funding from the Australian Research Council (Grant No. DE210100440).

Valora with strong sales growth in 2023 thanks to expansion of food business

Retrieved on: 
Mercredi, mars 13, 2024

Growth was driven mainly by rising food sales in all business areas.

Key Points: 
  • Growth was driven mainly by rising food sales in all business areas.
  • At almost 20%, the wholesale pretzel business recorded the highest increase in sales.
  • In an internationally challenging macroeconomic environment, the Valora Group not only posted strong sales growth in all business sectors, but also increased its operating profit (EBIT) by 34% to CHF 70 million.
  • This improvement resulted from higher food sales in the sales outlets, the growing wholesale pretzel business and the positive effects of vertical integration in the in-house pretzel production business.

EQS-News: Successful completion of a record year for Redcare Pharmacy: growth 49%, adj. EBITDA margin up 3.7pp to 3%; guidance achieved in all its elements.

Retrieved on: 
Mercredi, mars 13, 2024

Successful completion of a record year for Redcare Pharmacy: growth 49%, adj.

Key Points: 
  • Successful completion of a record year for Redcare Pharmacy: growth 49%, adj.
  • EBITDA margin 3% for full year 2023, +3.7pp vs. 2022, with major improvements in both DACH and International segments.
  • Full-year guidance for 2024: continuation of both fast sales growth (30-40%) and solidly positive margins (adj.
  • Following positive margins in all four quarters, (iii) the adjusted EBITDA margin for the full year was 3% (guidance range of 1.5% to 3%).

EQS-News: Strong earnings power allows for active risk management in 2023 – consolidated operating profit expected to rise to between €300 million and €350 million in 2024

Retrieved on: 
Mercredi, mars 13, 2024

Consolidated operating profit is projected to rise to between €300 million and €350 million in 2024, even though the Bank anticipates continued above-average risk provisions.

Key Points: 
  • Consolidated operating profit is projected to rise to between €300 million and €350 million in 2024, even though the Bank anticipates continued above-average risk provisions.
  • Aareal Bank Group closed the 2023 financial year with consolidated operating profit of €149 million (2022: €239 million).
  • Thanks to its strong earnings power, the Group nonetheless anticipates consolidated operating profit between €300 million and €350 million.
  • The Bank is expected to achieve operating profit of €250 million to €300 million, despite risk provisions projected to remain at above-average levels.

EQS-News: Klöckner & Co presents solid operating income for 2023 and strengthens focus on attractive business areas and core markets

Retrieved on: 
Mercredi, mars 13, 2024

The net result from continuing operations was close to break-even, with a net loss of €0.3 million.

Key Points: 
  • The net result from continuing operations was close to break-even, with a net loss of €0.3 million.
  • Klöckner & Co is therefore set to pay a dividend for the third year in a row.
  • The equity ratio was a very solid 45% at the year end, albeit below the prior-year level (December 31, 2022: 51%).
  • Klöckner & Co is thus focusing on its largest market of North America and its attractive European activities in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

BOA Concept and EASY Systems Benelux announce their alliance

Retrieved on: 
Mercredi, mars 13, 2024

BOA Concept , French specialist in the design, manufacture and marketing of innovative robotic and software solutions for intralogistics (FR0011365907 – ALBOA) and EASY Systems Benelux, Belgian specialist in handling systems for intralogistics and production, announce the signing of an agreement for BOA Concept to acquire a 70% stake in EASY Systems.

Key Points: 
  • BOA Concept , French specialist in the design, manufacture and marketing of innovative robotic and software solutions for intralogistics (FR0011365907 – ALBOA) and EASY Systems Benelux, Belgian specialist in handling systems for intralogistics and production, announce the signing of an agreement for BOA Concept to acquire a 70% stake in EASY Systems.
  • Jean-Lucien Rascle, Chairman of BOA Concept, said: “This acquisition will enable the BOA Concept Group to accelerate its growth in its target markets in line with its roadmap, while broadening its value proposition by integrating the new technology solutions provided by EASY Systems.”
    “We are delighted to be joining the BOA Concept Group.
  • Since its IPO in 2021, BOA Concept has made no secret of its international ambitions and is looking for the best partners.
  • While the BOA Concept Group already deployed numerous projects outside France (Morocco, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Belgium, Poland), it now has special access to the dynamic Benelux market.

EQS-News: Full-year results 2023: wienerberger outperforms its end markets and meets expectations 

Retrieved on: 
Mercredi, mars 13, 2024

The established self-help program, aimed to increase earnings and improve efficiencies, also contributed € 46 million to the results.

Key Points: 
  • The established self-help program, aimed to increase earnings and improve efficiencies, also contributed € 46 million to the results.
  • „In 2023 wienerberger once again outperformed its markets and successfully maintained its position generating an operating EBITDA of € 811 million, which is in line with our expectations.
  • In terms of resilience, we have focused on a balanced portfolio by expanding the renovation and infrastructure segments.
  • By acquiring Meridian Brick, wienerberger further strengthened its position as a leading supplier of facade products in North America.

EQS-News: Francotyp-Postalia Holding AG: Supervisory Board appoints Friedrich Conzen as new Chairman of the Management Board

Retrieved on: 
Mercredi, mars 13, 2024

Berlin, 26 February 2024 The Supervisory Board of Francotyp-Postalia Holding AG has appointed Friedrich (Fritz) Conzen as a new member and Chairman of the Management Board with effect as of 1 March 2024.

Key Points: 
  • Berlin, 26 February 2024 The Supervisory Board of Francotyp-Postalia Holding AG has appointed Friedrich (Fritz) Conzen as a new member and Chairman of the Management Board with effect as of 1 March 2024.
  • He succeeds Carsten Lind, who has energetically led the company since 2020 and will leave the Management Board in agreement with the Supervisory Board on March 1st, 2024.
  • Carsten Lind says: ”In 2021 we initiated FUTURE@FP with the promise to reverse the trend of FP declining and making losses and to build a digital business.
  • As new CEO, Friedrich Conzen (48) is expected to build on the strategy and help further grow the digital business, supported by cash flow from the core mailing business globally.

EQS-News: SIXT grows by 18% to record revenue in 2023 and achieves second-best result in the company’s history

Retrieved on: 
Mercredi, mars 13, 2024

Pullach, 1 March 2024 – SIXT continued its growth trajectory in 2023 and achieved record revenue for the second year in a row.

Key Points: 
  • Pullach, 1 March 2024 – SIXT continued its growth trajectory in 2023 and achieved record revenue for the second year in a row.
  • Alexander Sixt, Co-CEO of Sixt SE: “Thanks to our customers’ trust in us and our employees’ excellent work, we were able to once more achieve a record revenue and have obtained the second-best yearly result in our company’s history.
  • We reached our ambitious goals in 2023, both in terms of our business figures and implementation of our strategy.
  • According to SIXT’s estimates, the lower demand compared to combustion engines resulted in a substantial loss of revenue.