earing their best stiletto heels, around 150 young women dashed in Amsterdam's 'Stiletto Run', in a bid to win the $15,000 (10,000 euros) cash prize.

The annual race on PC Hooft street, on its third run, has fast grown in popularity and has been imitated in Germany, Sweden, Poland and Russia. The race's motto is "Shopping is a Sport" and friendly competition is encouraged, but usually not practiced by the aggressive participants.

Germans who produced cheese were disappointed after the European Union's highest court ruled Tuesday that only the cheese made in Northern Italy can be officially called "Parmesan."

"Only cheeses bearing the protected designation of origin 'Parmigiano Reggiano' can be sold under the name 'Parmesan,'" said the European Court of Justice in a Luxembourg ruling.

In an effort to minimize the number of paw injuries in its canine force, police officials in Germany have mandated that all 20 members start wearing shoes. The German and Belgian shepherds of Dusseldorf police are currently being trained to walk in plastic fiber shoes designed by Wilhelm Fennen.

Spokesman Andre Hartwich isn't sure if the dogs like wearing the new boots, but says the canine unit would have to get used to it.

On July 5, the first special flight that will allow passengers to fly in their birthday suit, naked that is, will take off from Erfurt in Southeast Germany to its destination in the island of Usedom off Baltic Sea.

"All the passengers will fly naked, but they are only allowed to undress once they are in the plane. But then they will be able to enjoy the hour-long flight in the way God intended," Enrico Hess, the founder of the travel company OssiUrlaub, has been quoted as saying.

British police officers have been ordered to take lessons in German language so they can easily give command to a batch of imported Alsatians from Germany.

The police handlers from Derbyshire are being given basic German commands for effective handling of the team of Alsatians from Berlin.