Stuttgart

Schwerin – September 15, 2026 -- Ulrich "Uli" Durst, 59, from Ostfildern near Stuttgart, has won a pool villa on Lake Plau in Germany's Mecklenburg Lake District through the Omaze house lottery, a prize worth roughly €2.5 million including €100,000 in starting funds.

The win comes just two months after Durst and his wife Carmen, 60, were victims of bank fraud. Criminals created a virtual debit card linked to the couple's account and withdrew about €15,000 across various supermarkets within four days. Durst said his initial reaction to Omaze's visit was disbelief, admitting he first suspected another scam before realizing the house was genuinely theirs.

Stuttgart – September 09, 2026 -- Stationery maker LEITZ ACCO Brands has rolled out a new range of notebooks and pads designed to catch fleeting ideas before they disappear, arguing that good thinking rarely happens at a desk.

Ideas often strike away from the office, the company says

According to LEITZ, flashes of inspiration tend to arrive in the shower, on the commute, or over coffee -- moments when a laptop typically isn't within reach. The company positions its new hardcover notebooks and spiral-bound pads as tools meant to travel: into meetings, onto trains, or into cafés.