Germany's Good Fortune Tips the Scales Against its Neighbors
William Pfaff

The excellent second quarter export and growth results reported by Germany have set that country at an increasing, and increasingly dangerous, distance from the other members of the European Union, with jeopardy to the EU and the euro

Chancellor Angela Merkel's Sinking Support
William Drozdiak

Recent German polls report plummeting support for Chancellor Angela Merkel's ruling coalition, with Merkel's policies and leadership coming under particular fire -- especially regarding the euro crisis, in which she was seen as indecisive by a public concerned about its own national interests

What Next for NATO?
William Pfaff

The European Union doesn't know where it stands at this moment. NATO thinks it knows and is gambling. Has the EU a future, or has disintegration set in? The behavior of the Germans under the conservative Merkel government is taken by many to signal that the end, if not nigh, is foreordained.

European Union Funding Proposal Is Only the Beginning
Ian Bremmer and Preston Keat

The dramatic European Union funding proposal is an important first step. Next comes enforcement of tough fiscal reform guidelines, which introduces a series of new political challenges and risks.

Greek Financial Debt Crisis Only Part of EU's Woes
William Pfaff

Today's European crisis has been precipitated by Greece acting with possibly reckless honesty, and Germany behaving badly toward Greece. The latter a case of the pot calling the kettle black; Germany itself is running a deficit of some 3 percent over the EC stability pact limit -- promising, like Greece, to do better in the future.

Europe U.S. Allies in Europe Begin to Pull Back
William Pfaff

Five NATO governments made it known that they want American nuclear weapons removed from their territory. They include the Benelux three, together with Germany and Norway. The five reportedly will ask that all the European NATO governments endorse their position before a meeting in New York in May.

German automaker Audi says steel prices are 'crazy': report
The German automaker Audi, which is owned by Volkswagen, is getting worried about "crazy" steel prices, a director said Friday in an interview."At the moment, to our great...

EU reaches deal on cross-border financial supervisors
Europe has reached a "crucial milestone" in efforts to reform the financial sector by introducing cross-border agencies to oversee banks, insurers and the markets.

Romanian PM fires five ministers in surprise cabinet reshuffle
Romania's centre-right Prime Minister Emil Boc has announced a surprise cabinet reshuffle as his unpopular government battles to cut spending and meet targets set by the...

German Central Bank wants board member removed over race comments
Germany's Central Bank has initiated proceedings to remove one of its board members, Thilo Sarrazin, for controversial remarks he made on race and immigration.

German Bundesbank wants 'racist' banker fired
Germany's central bank called on Thursday on the country's president to fire one of its board members after he called immigrants unproductive and said that Jews had a special...

Germany, Britain strongly back Mideast peace talks
The foreign ministers of Germany and Britain have given their strong backing to Middle East peace talks, calling them a "historic opportunity." They warned, however, that radicals...

German Bundesbank wants 'racist' banker fired
Germany's central bank called on Thursday on the country's president to fire one of its board members after he called immigrants unproductive and said that Jews had a special...

German vegetarians serve up human meat hoax
Vegetarian activists in Germany's Berlin have caused a stir with an advertising campaign for a new restaurant seeking human meat "donors" and "open-minded"...

Samsung, Toshiba take on Apple with 'iPad killers'
Competition to Apple's highly successful iPad hotted up on Thursday as Samsung and Toshiba unveiled rival tablet PCs that they hope will steal some of the Californian giant's...

Bye Bye Sarrazin: Bundesbank Looks to Remove Controversial Board Member
The German Central Bank has formally asked German President Christian Wulff to remove controversial executive board member Thilo Sarrazin from the bank leadership following his...

Expatica - German Headlines
Expatica - German Headlines

 

Ministry wants armed forces cut by a third
German Defense Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg wants to slash the size of the countrys armed forces by a third and practically end conscription.Guttenberg was currently meeting with parliamentarians to discuss his proposal which would reduce the number of soldiers and other personnel from 252 000 to 163 500. Obligatory military service...

Commission clears acquisition of SEB
The European Commission has granted clearance under the EU Merger Regulation to the acquisition by Banco Santander S.A.of the German retail banking business of SEB AG a wholly owned subsidiary of Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken AB SEB .A relevant announcement was issued 27 August by the European Commission.Banco Santander is an...

Business confidence falls despite economic growth
German investor confidence continued to decline in August despite strong second-quarter growth in the countrys economy a key indicator released on 17 August showed. The index published by the Mannheim-based ZEW Centre for European Economic Research fell 7.2 points to 14 points following a similar drop in July. The index which...

Homosexual partners to get equal inheritance rights
Homosexuals in civil partnerships can look forward to the same inheritance rights in Germany as heterosexual spouses following a constitutional court decision published on 17 August. The court announced that inheritance tax rules stigmatizing gay and lesbian life partners contravened the principle of equality enshrined in German law. The ruling was...

BMW plans electric super sporcarts
BMW is planning to compete with Mercedes and Audi in building a 450 hp electric super sports car with a concept car likely to be showcased at next years Frankfurt Motor Show and production to start in 2013 Germanys Auto Bild newspaper reported. Under a project dubbed 442 the super...

China Germany ink 10 cooperation agreements
China and Germany inked ten cooperation agreements in Beijing on 16 July ranging from green energy culture to the establishment of joint venture on truck and lorries production. Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and visiting German Chancellor Angela Merkel witnessed the signing ceremony Xinhua reported. The agreements include a financial cooperation agreement...

BMW sales and profits roaring ahead
The German luxury car maker BMW sharply hiked its 2010 forecast for sales and earnings on 13 July saying better conditions in global auto markets had boosted its outlook news agencies reported. The firm now expects to sell more than 1.4 million cars this year around 10% more than the...

Unemployment falls for the 12th month in a row
German unemployment fell for the 12th consecutive month in June as an upturn in the country helped drive a pickup in jobs the labor office said on 30 June. The number of people out of work in seasonally adjusted terms dropped by 21 000 to 3.23 million this month with...

Deutsche Post mulls higher postage charges
Deutsche Post Germanys state-run postal service is considering raising its postage charges to compensate its workers for planned cuts The Local reported on 27 June. According to regulations the company is only allowed to raise its fees when inflation is strong. But Deutsche Post CEO Frank Appel said that politicians...

Health insurers warn of system breakdown
Facing a deficit of €11 billion next year Germanys statutory health insurers are in such trouble that the whole system is teetering and could collapse the insurers peak body warned The Local reported on 30 June. The insurers situation is dramatic. This year the health funds are standing on the...

Porsche reported to be planning crossover car
Porsche now a division of Volkswagen is planning a crossover model that would be more compact than its bullish Cayenne sport utility vehicle according to German newspaper Handelsblatt. Originally a maker of just two sports-car models Porsche later added the SUV and the Panamera sedan to its range. Porsche said...

Berlin postpones opening date for new airport
The city of Berlin postponed the opening of its newly expanded international airport Schoenefeld from 2012 to 2013. The hub which is currently undergoing a €2.5-billion expansion is to change its name from Berlin Schoenefeld Airport to Berlin Brandenburg Airport and become Berlins sole airport. The current terminal is to...

Kouchner Westerwelle Sikorski pledge security ties with Moscow
At the French sides invitation Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov attended a meeting of the Weimar Triangle Foreign Ministers Guido Westerwelle of Germany Bernard Kouchner of France and Radoslaw Sikorski of Poland in Paris on 23 June. The meeting discussed the most topical issues on the European agenda including the...

German top companies overexposed to crisis
Germanys top companies suffered an above average fall in turnover during last years economic crisis media reported on 21 June. Germanys 500 largest companies saw revenues fall 8% in 2009 according to a study by management consultancy Accenture and quoted by Welt newspaper. By comparison the countrys gross domestic product...

Daimler studies plans to ramp up China car production
German carmaker Daimler is studying plans to ramp up output at its Beijing factory possibly by manufacturing its GLK four-wheel-drive or another mid-range car there newspaper Stuttgarter Zeitung quoted Chief Financial Officer Bodo Uebber as saying on 24 June. The GLK is a so-called crossover between a regular compact car and...

Consumers ready to buy despite austerity
German consumers remain willing to spend despite their government recently unveiling a huge austerity package the consumer research company GfK said on 23 June in its monthly report. The Nuremberg company said its overall forecast of consumer sentiment was stable for July. The June GfK indicator had been at the...

General Motors drops bids for European aid for Opel
General Motors has dropped its applications for state aid from European governments for Opel and will restructure its European car-making business using its own resources Opel said on 16 June. Opel had asked the governments for €1.9 billion to save its car factories after its US parent declared bankruptcy last...

Management buyout agreed at N24 channel
A German all-news television channel N24 is to be taken over by its management in a €41-million deal the owner the ProSiebenSat.1 broadcasting group said on 16 June 16. N24 and its more successful private-enterprise competitor N-TV transmit a daily mix of news bulletins live coverage of news conferences and...

Merkel may delay decision on future of nuclear power
Chancellor Angela Merkel was reported on 16 June to be delaying a decision on the highly-controversial future of Germanys nuclear power stations in the wake of plunging popularity polls. Merkel centre-right coalition came to power promising to extend the lives of Germanys nuclear power stations. Under current legislation the reactors...

Volkswagen mulls opening assembly plant in Taiwan
German carmaker Volkswagen AG is mulling opening a car assembly plant in Taiwan to produce cars for Taiwan and export Taiwan press reports said on 15 June. Premier Wu Den-yi said earlier that representative from one of the worlds leading carmakers met him for the second time last week to...

Budget cuts criticized tax hikes not ruled out
Chancellor Angela Merkel faced continued criticism within her own ranks on 9 June over plans to slash the German federal budget by €80 billion by 2014 as one Finance Ministry expert said tax hikes were still possible. The measures are not enough. We fear that in the end they will...

Volkswagen to reach sales goal early
Volkswagen AG Europes largest carmaker said on 8 June that it expected to be selling two million cars in China per year within the next two years moving up an earlier prediction of 2018 to reach that goal news agencies reported. Winfried Vahland head of Volkswagens China operations said in...

Bankrupt Karstadt chain finds US-German buyer
A US-German investor and the US fashion group BCBG Max Azria are to acquire Karstadt the famed but financially troubled German department store chain Karstadts judicial administrator said on 7 June The Local reported. Klaus Hubert Georg said an offer for the 120 Karstadt stores from billionaire US-German investor Nicolas...

Puma says considering more acquisitions
German sporting goods maker Puma would consider further acquisitions if any potential target complements its products Chief Executive Jochen Zeitz was quoted as saying by the press. I can well imagine making acquisitions he said adding: so long as these are complementary to Puma and move it forward. Zeitz cited...

Germany to slash armed forces by 40 000 men
Germany is to reduce its armed forces by 40 000 people Chancellor Angela Merkel said in Berlin on 7 June. The forces currently have 250 000 personnel. The reduction would mean 16% fewer soldiers sailors and air force personnel. Merkel said there would be major structural reform in defence but...

Government to extend naked short selling ban
Germany plans to extend its controversial ban on naked short selling according to a draft law issued by the government in Berlin on 2 June. Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble defended Germanys decision to unilaterally introduce such a ban months before the European Union proposed to take concerted action. He said...

New president to be elected on June 30
Germanys Federal Convention - a body which meets expressly to pick the countrys head of state - will meet on 30 June after the surprise resignation of the last president on 31 May parliamentary leader Norbert Lammert announced on 1 June. Former president Horst Koehler announced his resignation on 31 May...

New Berlin airport could be delayed until 2012
The opening of a huge new airport under construction in Berlin could be delayed by up to a year because of a major contractors insolvency officials said on May 29 Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa reported. The Berlin-Brandenburg International BBI airport is to replace the two current smaller airports serving the city...

Daimler steps up investment in China
Daimler unveiled plans on 28 May to invest €3 billion in an engine assembly plant in China. China is increasingly becoming the centre of gravity for the automobile industry and for Mercedes Benz cars Daimler chief Dieter Zetsche said announcing the companys move. Daimler expects sales of its luxury Mercedes...

Merkel calls for EU-Gulf states free trade deal
German Chancellor Angela Merkel promised on 26 May to fight for a free-trade deal between the European Union and the Arab nations of the Gulf. I dont want to come to Saudi Arabia yet again without a free-trade agreement having been achieved she told an audience of Saudi business people...

Germany to broaden naked short-selling ban
Germany is planning to extend its controversial ban on naked short-selling from 10 financial stocks to apply to all German-listed shares and government bonds a draft bill on 25 May showed. Short-sellers are speculators who borrow shares and sell them on the market then buy them back when the price...

Consumer confidence set to fall amid debt crisis
Europes economic crisis has undercut German consumer confidence a key report released on 26 May showed. The Nuremberg-based GfK marketing group said its forward-looking consumer confidence index slipped to 3.5 points for June from a downwardly revised 3.7 points in May. The discussions and uncertainties with regard to the stability...

Volkswagen takes over Italdesign Giugiaro
Volkswagen is taking over Italian design company Italdesign Giugiaro the German company said in a statement on 25 May adding that the Turin company would help redesign the groups cars. VW said both were announcing to the media in Turin that a Volkswagen subsidiary Lamborghini would acquire 90.1 percent of...

Opel reaches deal with workforce
Ailing German car manufacturer Opel agreed to restructuring measures with its workforce on 21 May to help the carmaker return to profitability and qualify for hefty state guarantees. Opel staff in Europe is to annually contribute €265 million until the year 2014 according to the deal announced by Opel boss...

BMW expresses cautious optimism for 2010
erman luxury carmaker BMW expressed cautious optimism for 2010 on 18 May announcing at its annual general meeting in Munich that sales in the first three months of 2010 had been greater than for all of 2009. But BMW chief Norbert Reithofer was quick to note that Europe is facing...

Merkel bans naked short selling of euro bonds
Germany defended its decision to introduce an immediate ban on naked short selling as the country moved to stamp its authority on negotiations about regulating financial markets. The German financial regulator BaFin banned the naked short selling of bonds issued by governments of countries in the eurozone from midnight on...

Economy shows resilience with surprise rise in Q1
Germanys economy proved to be more resilient than expected in the early going of 2010 with officials on 12 May reporting a surprise 0.2% rise in the first quarter over what turned out to be a stronger-than-reported final quarter of 2009. The Federal Statistics Office in Wiesbaden reporting the figures...

Allianz posts €1.6 billion profit in Q1
Insurance giant Allianz AG reported on 12 May that it achieved a net profit of €1.6 billion euros in the first quarter of 2010 thanks to strong life and health insurance business. The figure was some 50-fold the €29 million which Allianz had reported for the first quarter of 2009....

Audi plans version of the R8 GT super sportscar
German automaker Audi is offering a limited production version of the R8 GT super sportscar with its weight reduced by 100 kilograms and other racetrack credentials including an increased output of 412 kW/560 hp and a top speed of 320 km/h. Each of the exclusive versions limited to 333 units...

BMW swings back into profit
A pickup in the luxury car market resulted in the worlds leading premium automaker BMW AG saying on 5 May that it swung back into a profit during the first quarter. Reiterating its expectations of a significant rise in full-year earnings Munich-based BMW reported a net profit of €324 million...

Recovery boosts German retailer Metro
Stronger eastern European currencies helped Metro to post higher consolidated world sales in the first quarter Germanys top retail group said on 30 April at its Dusseldorf office. But the company warned it did not expect this year to achieve its mid-term target of annual sales growth of 6%. Its...

E.ON to sell US business for $7.6 bln
German utility giant E.ON is to sell its power and gas business in the US to PPL Corporation Allentown Pennsylvania PPL it has announced on 30 April. The two companies signed contracts and agreed the purchase price of $7.6 billion a price that is very attractive for E.ON AG. With...

Lufthansa forecasts higher profits for 2010
Lufthansa the biggest European airline said on 5 May it expected stronger profits this year despite a sharp first-quarter loss but stressed the environment was uncertain The Local reported. The executive board of Lufthansa expects a rise in revenue and a positive operating result for the group finance director Stephan...

Germany eyes electric car market
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on 3 May that the countrys major carmakers must work harder to produce marketable electric vehicles. Merkel who has set a goal of one million electric cars on German roads by 2020 made her comments at the opening of an industry summit in Berlin. She...

RWE to build power station in Turkey
German electric company RWE announced an investment decision to build a 775-megawatt combined-cycle gas turbine plant in Turkey news agencies reported. RWE said it made the decision to build the power station in the western Turkish province of Denizli. Leonhard Birnbaum chief strategy officer for RWE said Turkey has an...

BMW Daimler to increase Asian business
The worlds leading luxury carmaker BMW laid out plans to bolster its business in Asias booming auto markets as it recovers from the crisis that hit the global car industry last year. Speaking at the groups annual press conference in Munich BMW chief Norbert Reithofer said: The growth markets are...

Teva buys Germany drugmaker Ratiopharm
The worlds biggest generic drugs maker Israels Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd emerged recently as the victor in the bidding war for Germanys Ratiopharm agreeing to pay €3.625 billion for the group. The combined company would have total revenue of $16.2 billion transforming Teva also into Europes leading generic drugs manufacturer...

Germany and Qatar to develop relations
German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle and the Qatari Vice-Premier Abdullah bin Hamad Al-Attiyah agreed recently to develop political and economic ties during talks in Berlin. The leaders also discussed the Middle East peace process and Irans controversial nuclear enrichment program. Westerwelle and Al-Attiyah agreed that Qatar offered opportunities for German...

Siemens plans major job cuts at IT business
Giant German electronics and engineering group Siemens AG said it plans to axe 4 200 jobs as part of a restructuring of its information technology operation. The worldwide job cuts are to be implemented in the run up to 2011 and include a reduction of 2 000 in the companys...

Hypovereinsbank profit totals €884 million
Hypovereinsbank AG the German banking offshoot of Italys Unicredit said it bounced back into the black last year as a result of a strong performance by investment banking business. Munich-based HVB said profit totaled €884 million in 2009 consequently reversing a €649 million loss in the previous year. But commenting...

Germany News - New Europe News
Germany News - New Europe News: The European News Source.

 

New rabbis signal Jewish renaissance in Germany
Judaism is making a comeback in Germany 65 years after the Holocaust, thanks largely to immigration from the former Soviet Union, as shown by this week's ordination of two rabbis in the eastern city of Leipzig.

Deal to keep Karstadt alive moves closer
The prospects for 25,000 employees at the beleaguered department store chain Karstadt are looking brighter after it emerged Thursday night that negotiators were close to striking a deal on reduced rent on the chain's properties.

Germany faces big expectations in Euro 2012 qualifier
Germany faces Belgium on Friday with coach Joachim Löw expecting three points from his team's opening Euro 2012 qualifier as the Germans look to build on their momentum from the World Cup.

Sarrazin sparks calls for new integration debate
With President Christian Wulff expected to announce soon the dismissal of central banker Thilo Sarrazin over inflammatory race and immigration comments, leading politicians called on Friday for a renewed integration debate.

Germany drives EU growth past America
Europe's economy outpaced the United States and Japan in the second quarter, EU data showed Thursday, but analysts warned that the German-powered growth would likely lose steam in the second half.

'Generation porno' more chaste than debased
Teens today may not be growing up too quickly after all. A new study on German youth sexuality revealed on Thursday that boys and girls are waiting longer to have sex and then having less of it than they were just five years ago.

Court rules sacking man for charging e-scooter unlawful
The state of North Rhine-Westphalia's labour court ruled on Thursday that a company had acted unlawfully when it fired an employee of 19-years for using less than two cents worth of electricity to charge up his scooter.

Samsung unveils wannabe iPad killer
Samsung on Thursday unveiled a gadget at the IFA electronics trade fair in Berlin that it hopes will eventually rival Apple's highly successful iPad tablet PC.

Vegetarian activists dupe media with 'cannibal eatery' hoax
Vegetarian activists exposed their hoax on the German media on Thursday, revealing a new Berlin restaurant supposedly looking for human 'donors' was a public relations stunt to highlight the human cost of eating meat.

What's on in Germany: September 2 - 8
This Week's Highlights: A celebration of street art in Hamburg, a wine festival in Frankfurt, and "Music Week" in Berlin.

Wayfaring restaurant creates enchanted garden in Berlin
Hidden in the wilds of a Berlin community garden, a vagabond 'pop-up' restaurant has risen from the urban greenery. Arsalan Mohammad ventured through "The Pale Blue Door" to find a fanciful culinary experience.

Deutsche Bahn eyes Chunnel link to UK
German railway Deutsche Bahn, seeking to expand European services, announced this week it will test its high-speed ICE train in the Channel Tunnel between Britain and France in October.

Bundesbank backs Sarrazin's dismissal
The Bundesbank's leadership on Thursday backed the dismissal of board member Thilo Sarrazin for his controversial remarks on race and immigration. President Christian Wulff had already signalled support for his removal.

Very superstitious: Evil eyes, birthmarks and blindness
Giving birth while living abroad can be a daunting prospect. The fourth instalment of the Local's series Motherhood in the Fatherland follows expectant mum Sabine Devins as she handles the cultural quirks of having a baby in Germany.

German firm at heart of US tainted honey probe
The US government announced criminal charges Wednesday against executives from six German and Chinese companies accused of smuggling antibiotic-tainted Chinese honey in order to avoid import duties.

The Local - Germany's news in English
German news throughout the day from The Local

 

From the Nile to the Yangtze: Sailing the world's great rivers
The life-blood of civilizations and natural wonders, rivers are one of the best ways to explore the world's most spectacular scenery.

15 killed amid panic at Germany's 'Love Parade'
Fifteen people were killed Saturday when chaos broke out at a music festival in Duisburg, Germany, police said.

Jonathan Wilson: Tactical trends that came out of World Cup
Looking back at what the World Cup revealed in terms of tactical trends:

Pink and Carey Hart Go for Bike Ride in Berlin
Tony Romo dines with Candice and Chace Crawford, Jennifer Lopez shows off the twins and more star sightings

Google, feeling lucky, tells German privacy czar to wait
Yesterday, Google dropped the ball on a deadline to turn over a hard drive full of illegally collected data to the German government. The misstep, it's fair to say, makes Google watchers wonder: does the Internet giant answer to anyone?

Germany, the economic vanguard of the EU
Ever since the Greek crisis came into focus, German Chancellor Angela Merkel has been accused of exacerbating it by refusing to commit straightaway to a Greek bailout. As Greece's uncertain economic picturepummeled global markets that accusation gained steam. But Germany may have gained an economic advantage in dragging its feet, and even now that it has agreed to the nearly $1 trillion bailout, the country stands to reinforce its position as the strongest player in the eurozone.

Perfume, chocolate and God in Germany
On the banks of the Rhine, Cologne is an urban Jacuzzi that keeps the Rhine churning. The city that the residents call "Koln" is home to Germany's greatest Gothic cathedral, its best collection of Roman artifacts, a world-class art museum, and a healthy dose of urban playfulness.

Rihanna Parties in Berlin Until 5 a.m.!
• After performing at Berlin's O2 World Arena, Rihanna slipped into something more comfortable - a blue and white striped tube dress - and went clubbing. The singer and 60 members of her crew partied until 5 a.m. at Puro Lounge, sipping champagne and Red Bulls and enjoying chocolate cake.

What's new in Germany and Switzerland
It's been 20 years since the Berlin Wall came down in Germany, and unification seems like old news. From a traveler's point of view, the business at hand seems to be to keep the economy going and visitors entertained. Things are changing in Switzerland as well. Germany's southern neighbor continues to impress me with the creative, constructive, and democratic ways it grapples with various challenges. Here are a few changes you'll encounter in both countries in 2010.

New Catholic child abuse allegations surface
Four Catholic priests and two nuns have been accused of sexually abusing children in Germany's diocese of Regensburg, the diocese confirmed Monday.

Criticism of Catholic Church is unfair
The rash of stories about priestly sexual abuse in Europe, especially in Ireland and Germany, has put many Catholics on the defensive. They should not be. While sexual molestation of any kind is always indefensible, the politics surrounding this story is also indefensible.

German monastery raided over child sex abuse claims
Authorities have raided a monastery in southern Germany as part of a probe into allegations that priests sexually abused children there, prosecutors said.

Police: Raiders rob international poker tournament
At least four masked and armed men robbed an international poker tournament in Berlin, Germany, Saturday, making off with an undisclosed sum of money, police said.

1 dead in Germany school shooting
One man was dead and another man was in custody Thursday after a shooting at a vocational school in southern Germany, police said.

Renée's Quick Cosmetics Run in Berlin
• How does Renée Zellweger get red carpet ready? In Germany for the Berlin International Film Festival, the actress stocked up on beauty products during a quickie trip to the KaDeWe department store. Among her purchases: some inexpensive Schwarzkopf shampoo, John Frieda hairspray, Palmolive shaving cream and disposable razors. The actress swooped in with her chauffeur and a cup of Starbucks coffee, then finished her shopping trip in 11 minutes, onlookers say. Later that night, the actress stepped out - barelegged - to join the festival's jury for dinner at Münzsalon, a private club in the city's Mitte neighborhood.

U.S. military copter crash in Germany kills 3 crew members
A U.S. military Black Hawk helicopter crashed in Germany on Wednesday, killing three crew members, U.S. Army public affairs specialist Bruce Anderson said.

Slowing down in Germany's Mosel Valley
During a frantically busy trip to Europe, I hopped on a train and slipped off into Germany's dreamy Mosel Valley, figuring that a dose of quaint, cobbled towns and storybook castles was just what I needed. The Mosel, located near Germany's western border, is the Rhine's peaceful little sister.

90-year-old man charged over Nazi massacre
A 90-year-old man from northern Germany has been charged with 58 counts of murder for the killings of Jewish forced laborers in the final days of World War Two.

U.S. alert over German al Qaeda threat
U.S. officials extended a travel alert in Germany and urged Americans to remain wary after terrorist organization al Qaeda posted messages in recent months threatening attacks in the country.

Team California shine in Solar Decathlon
The smile never came off of my face as we heard who placed third, second, and first in the 2009 Solar Decathlon.

Germany nabs second Solar Decathlon win
A university team from Germany has won the U.S. Energy Department's Solar Decathlon for the second competition in a row, officials declared Friday. In second place was Team Illinois, and third place went to Team California.

Going for gold in the Solar Decathlon
For two weeks the National Mall in Washington D.C. has been transformed into a boulevard of homes of the future.

German police arrest man on terror charges
Investigators in Germany have arrested a 24-year-old man on terror-related charges.

Germans arrest terror video suspect
A 25-year-old Turkish man was arrested Friday in Stuttgart, Germany, after he allegedly uploaded a video containing threats against the country onto a "known Internet platform," police said.

U.S. urges caution after German terror threat
U.S. officials urged American citizens in Germany to keep a low profile and remain wary of their surroundings after the terrorist organization al Qaeda posted a video message threatening attacks in the country.

5 dead as bus hurtles into ravine in Germany
Five people were killed and seven were injured Tuesday when a local transit bus crashed into a ravine in western Germany, police said.

Germany boosts terrorism alert level
The German government raised its terrorism alert level after al Qaeda posted a video on the Internet threatening attacks in Germany if this month's elections do not come out the way the terrorist organization wants.

9 children hurt in Germany school attack
A teenage student wielding an ax, two knives, and three Molotov cocktails attacked several children at his school in southern Germany Thursday, wounding nine before he was arrested, police said.

Plane makes emergency landing in Germany
A plane carrying a senior political leader and others made an emergency landing at the airport in Stuttgart, Germany on Monday, an airline spokeswoman said.

Germany's 'TV duel' turns friendly as election looms
There's a saying that the German peace movement has been using since the days of the Cold War that translates into something like this: "Imagine there's a war and no one shows up."

Beds made of hay are latest hotel craze
Holiday-makers around the world are facing up to the fact that, in times of recession, large travel expenses are difficult to justify.

Blind women help detect breast cancer
Blind women are being trained to use their sensitive touch to help detect breast cancer earlier and more precisely than doctors.

Keeping your senior staffers
With layoffs rampant, holding on to workers ought to be the least of a company's worries -- unless those employees are scientists and engineers. According to the National Science Foundation, nearly 40% of these skilled workers in the U.S. are more than 50 years old, and the pipeline of talent to replace them is shrinking. IHS Cambridge Energy Research Associates predicts a 7% to 11% shortage of experienced engineers in 2011. America is not alone; industrial powerhouses Germany and Japan face similar demographic challenges.

Seniors held over kidnap of investment adviser
Five senior citizens are behind bars in Germany after they allegedly kidnapped and beat a man because he owed them money, police in southern Germany said Wednesday.

Germany summons Iran ambassador over elections
Germany is summoning the Iranian ambassador Monday to explain the disputed presidential election in the Middle Eastern nation, particularly the "brutal handling" of protesters, the German foreign minister said.

At least 16 Dead in a Shooting Spree in German School
The gunman, who was also killed, is thought to be a 17-year-old former student

Major deadly attacks at schools
A shooting rampage by a 17-year-old former student that has left at least 10 dead at a school in Winnenden, Germany is the latest in a series of attacks in education institutions. Here some of the major incidents.

A wunderbar welcome in Austria and Germany
Many sights in Germany and Austria have been renovated in the last year or two to better display this region's rich heritage, making 2009 a good time to visit.

Castles, courtly love in Germany's Rhine Valley
Climbing up the spiral stairs and through a stone tower to our room, we notice a passageway. "Where do you suppose it goes?" asks my wife, Sandra, as she signals me to follow her.

Green roofs cool cities, combat climate change, say Germans
If your neighbor mentions their green roof you might think they have a moss problem. Maybe they are simply referring to the color. But you're unlikely to think that they have just had a mini ecosystem installed.

Grant Wahl: Soccer's Moment of the Year
Spain's 1-0 win over Germany in the Euro 2008 final in June gave the Spaniards their first European championship since 1964 (and second major trophy in their country's history).

First Mosque Opens in Former East Germany
The first mosque with a minaret and a dome in Germany's formerly communist east opened on Thursday as police corralled protesters behind a roadblock three blocks away

Germany's Car Industry Crashes
The world's biggest exporter falters as the global financial crisis begins to bite

Europe Scrambles as the Credit Crisis Goes Global
For all the rhetoric about a common front, Germany leads a new run of unilateral action to save institutions and reassure depositors

Raising a Glass to East Germany
A new pub aims to celebrate, with tongue in cheek, the old communist regime. Not everyone appreciates the joke

A Shake-Up in German Politics
Analysts doubt that the new centrist party leaders can stop traditional SPD voters from drifting further to the left

Germany: Three men charged over terror plot
German federal prosecutors have charged three men in connection with a foiled terror plot, a state court spokesman said Tuesday.

The German Merger Against the Odds
After months of behind-the-scenes negotiations, and a minor rebellion among executives, Commerzbank agreed to acquire Dresdner from insurance giant Allianz

Dollar climbs as oil dips
The dollar climbed against major currencies Wednesday, reversing a 2-day losing streak as a read on Germany's economy continued to show weakness.

A Victory for German Smokers
A court strikes down a ban on smoking in small bars, making Germany Europe's unlikely champion of a bad habit

View from the top of Germany
One of my favorite places to be in Europe is atop the Zugspitze -- the highest point in Germany. Standing on this 9,700-foot peak, you can't help but marvel at the thought that you are above everyone else in the entire country -- No. 1 out of 82 million. From here, facing south, I feel like a maestro conducting a symphony of snow-capped peaks, as the mighty Alps stretch seemingly forever to the right and left.

Grant Wahl: Breaking down the Euro final between Germany and Spain
Let's count the reasons why Germany has no business beating Spain for the Euro 2008 championship on Sunday (ABC, 2:45 p.m. ET):

Euro 2008: Germany Defeats Austria
The pre-tournament favorites put an end to the co-hosts' hopes in a fixture that is always about more than just football

Gabriele Marcotti: UEFA has tilted the Euros off-center yet again
BERN, Switzerland -- OK, I could have made this point before the tournament, but it's worth making again, because something isn't quite right here. Arrigo Sacchi, who led AC Milan to two European Cups said he'd love to see "Marco and Roberto meet in the final."

Gabriele Marcotti: Five-minute guide to Euro 2008
SI.com's Gabriele Marcotti is in Switzerland and Austria for the 2008 European Championship. Here's his primer for the tournament.

Germany's Corporate Spying Scandal
Germany's latest corporate scandal seems like the stuff of a Cold War espionage novel. But as merely the latest in a series of corporate shenanigans, it may actually reflect the newly sordid style of business at Germany Inc.

Multimedia Guide Tracks Berlin Wall
History buffs seeking the last vestiges of the iconic wall no longer have to consult old maps or guidebooks. A new multimedia guide offers individualized walking tours connecting the key points where the 103-mile barrier once separated west from east

Germany strike hits scores of flights
Airlines Wednesday morning canceled more than 200 flights operating out of Frankfurt and Munich, Germany's two largest airports, because of a public workers' strike, airport spokesmen said.

Treasure hunters dig for Hitler's gold
Digging has resumed at a site in the southeastern German town of Deutschneudorf, where treasure hunters believe there are almost 2 tons of Nazi gold and possibly clues to the whereabouts of the legendary Amber Room, a prize taken from a Russian castle during World War II.

Tax Probe Jolts Germany
An investigation of alleged German tax evaders has fueled angst not only among wealthy Germans, but also among politicians facing an angry public

Germany suspects arson in attack on Turks
German police said Friday they suspect arson caused an overnight fire at a house inhabited by three Turkish families in southern Germany.

Police sift ruins of deadly German fire
Investigators in southwest Germany are continuing to search the ruins of a building where nine people, including five children, were killed in a weekend fire.

Arson considered in German immigrant fire
Police have refused to rule out arson as the cause of a blaze that killed at least nine people - including five children -- at a southwest Germany apartment building Sunday.

Germany's Polar Bear Cub Quandary
Should zookeepers intervene when a mom wants to eat her offspring? That's the question being debated by Germany's polar bear lovers

Germany's Battle Against Scientology
A new state-level probe is aimed at banning the organization. But legally and politically, that remains a difficult task

Germany's Coalition Takes A Hit
The resignation of the Vice Chancellor won't improve relations between Germany's two biggest parties

No More Fun on the Autobahn?
Germany is in an uproar as the Social Democrats suggest putting a limit on how fast cars can go on the limitless autobahn

Can a High-Fat Diet Beat Cancer?
German researchers are testing a controversial theory, using a low-carb, high-fat diet to help the sickest of cancer patients

Dirk rescues Germany at Euro championships
MADRID, Spain (AP) -- Dirk Nowitzki hit a clutch basket with 12 seconds to play as Germany rallied for a 69-65 win over Slovenia at the European basketball championships that gave the Germans a chance to qualify for next summer's Olympic Games.

Europe: Dirk, Germany advance to quarterfinals
MADRID, Spain (AP) -- Dirk Nowitzki had 15 points and 10 rebounds Wednesday to lead Germany over Italy 67-58 and into the quarterfinals of the European Basketball Championship.

9/11 bomb threat at U.S. air base
A U.S. Air Force base in Germany received a bomb threat hours before the sixth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, military officials said.

Militants threaten to kill hostage
Iraqi militants holding a German man hostage demanded Germany's withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan within 10 days to ensure his safety.

Terror suspects 'were tipped off'
The three terror suspects arrested last week in Germany may have sped up their bombing plot after a loud-talking police officer inadvertently alerted them that they were on a federal watch list, an unnamed source with knowledge of the investigation told CNN.

Euro: Parker, France knock off Germany
Tony Parker scored 23 points and France defeated Germany 78-66 Saturday, moving closer to a berth in the quarterfinals of the European basketball championship.

U.S. tip-off unraveled terror plot
Initial intelligence regarding an Islamic Jihad cell -- which led to the unraveling of a terror plot aimed at American military installations and other Western targets in Germany -- came from U.S. intelligence officials, German authorities said Friday.

German terror police have suspects list
German authorities are tracking a list of people believed to have a connection to a foiled terror plot against American military installations and other Western targets in Germany, according to prosecutor and Interior Ministry officials.

German Terror Suspects Fit Patterns
The arrests this week in Germany confirm a trend investigators have been noting: lone wolves are replacing large networks

Germany: 'Massive' attacks foiled
German police arrested three suspected Islamic militants who were planning "massive" and "imminent" attacks on American targets in Germany, authorities said Wednesday.

German Plot Signals al-Qaeda Revival
Two plots foiled in a single day suggests that extremist terror networks are growing more active in Europe

Dirk rescues Germany in Euro opener
MADRID, Spain (AP) -- Dirk Nowitzki scored 35 points and pulled in 11 rebounds as Germany needed overtime to beat the Czech Republic 83-78 Monday on the opening day of the European basketball championships.

Italian police arrest 32 over 'Mafia' shootings
Hundreds of police raided a small town in southern Italy on Thursday and arrested 32 suspected members of organized crime clans believed to be involved in a feud that killed six Italians in Germany earlier this month.

Viewing brain cells -- without a scalpel
Physicist Hans-Ulrich Dodt, a visiting professor at the Max Planck Institute in Germany, has figured out how to see nerve cells deep in mice brains as clearly as little neon motel signs.

Businesses take dim view in Germany
German business sentiment fell a shade less than expected in August as firms took a dimmer view about the coming six months following recent market turmoil, a closely watched survey showed on Tuesday.

Subprime hits another German bank
The owners of stricken state lender SachsenLB aim to sell the German bank quickly after its near collapse under heavy losses from U.S. subprime mortgages and other risky debt, sources familiar with the matter said.

Cloudy Germany unlikely hotspot for solar power
It rains year round in Germany. Clouds cover the skies for about two-thirds of all daylight hours. Yet the country has managed to become the world's leading solar power generator.

Burial for suspected Mafia victims
Relatives wailed and others threw red roses during the funeral Thursday for two brothers, killed in a suspected Mafia in Germany slaying that left four other Italians dead.

Minister: Nazi ideas haunt Germany
Support for Nazi ideas in Germany is making people fear for their lives, a government minister said Tuesday.

Eastern Germany's sunny future
The former East Germany, once one of the world's gloomiest places, has become home to one of the world's brightest industries: solar power.

U.S. officials in Germany get terror warning
An alleged plot by a group of Islamic extremists against U.S. facilities in Germany led officials to increase security last month, a senior federal official told CNN on Friday.

Protests fail to stop Berlin mosque
An Islamic group laid the foundation stone for east Berlin's first mosque on Tuesday to protests reflecting Germany's difficulty in integrating its 3.2 million Muslims.

Transrapid: The levitating train
Following are some facts about the Transrapid high-tech train that crashed on a test run in Germany on Friday:

Al Qaeda suspect held in Germany
Germany's federal prosecutor's office announced Saturday it has arrested a German of Moroccan descent on charges that he recruited suicide bombers for Iraq and financially supported the al Qaeda terrorist network.

Excerpts from the writing of John Kenneth Galbraith
John Kenneth Galbraith died in April at the age of 97. Always the enemy of inequality, he left a lasting legacy of economic thought and social commentary.

France reports 11 new H5N1 cases
France reported 11 new cases of H5N1 bird flu in wild birds on Thursday in an area already hit by the lethal virus.

Dead German cat had bird flu
A cat in Germany has been infected with bird flu, health authorities said Tuesday.

Bird flu reports spread in Europe
Three new countries on Tuesday reported they had detected the deadly strain of bird flu as public health officials battled the H5N1 strain of avian influenza on various fronts across the globe.

Germany pressures Russia, Ukraine on gas
German officials Monday pressured Russia and Ukraine to agree on a new natural gas contract, but also said Germany has 2-1/2 months during which it can find other means to fill any gap caused by the dispute.

Sylt: Northern Germany's hidden haven
Often referred to as the "St. Tropez of Germany," and best known as a getaway for affluent northern Germans, Sylt is a rare gem most of Europe's holiday makers never discover.

Germany charges 3 for Iraq PM plot
Three suspects have been charged in Germany over an alleged December 2004 plot to kill then-Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad Allawi during a visit to the country.

World War II
Use this explainer to help students understand the history of World War II, a topic relevant to current news.

Germany: News & Videos about Germany - CNN.com
Find stories, videos, and photos about Germany from CNN.com.