Germany edition

Berlin

The following articles have been tagged with "Berlin":

Germany expels four Syrian diplomats

National: 9 Feb 12
German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said on Thursday Germany was expelling four diplomats from the Syrian embassy in Berlin after the arrest of two men suspected of spying on regime opponents. READ »

Berlinale opens with revolutionary drama

Society: 9 Feb 12
Diane Kruger stars as Marie Antoinette in "Farewell My Queen," a lush costume drama set on the eve of the French Revolution that will open the 62nd Berlin film festival on Thursday. READ »

What's on in Germany: February 9 - 15

Society: 9 Feb 12
This Week's Highlights: The star-studded Berlinale film festival kicks off in Berlin, Munch goes on view in Frankfurt, and a ukelele orchestra sets up in Munich. READ »

The Local's English-language movie listings for Germany

Lifestyle: 8 Feb 12
Find movies playing in English in Germany with The Local's cinema guide. READ »

Germany signs €3 bln in deals with Kazakhstan

National: 8 Feb 12
Germany and Kazakhstan signed agreements Wednesday worth €3 billion ($4 billion) to cooperate on raw materials, industry and technology in Berlin. READ »

Arctic cold wreaks quirky havoc across Germany

National: 8 Feb 12
The bitter cold is wreaking havoc across Germany in unexpected ways, with the subzero temps freezing an ice cream factory, forcing gravediggers to use jackhammers and driving penguins indoors. But Hamburg is having a party. READ »

Action! Babelsberg film studio fêtes 100 years

Lifestyle: 8 Feb 12
The world's oldest major film studio celebrates its 100th birthday this month with Hollywood stars and European players ready to toast Germany's mythic Studio Babelsberg outside Berlin. AFP's Deborah Cole reports. READ »

Minister calls for school 'Facebook lessons'

Science & Technology: 8 Feb 12
Family Minister Kristina Schröder has called on Germany’s high schools to teach the dangers of social networks on the internet. READ »

Lost ancient artefacts found after 50 years

Society: 7 Feb 12
Nearly 50 ancient artefacts have been returned to the Bode Museum, Berlin, decades after being looted by Soviet soldiers. The find has sparked hope that more objects lost during the war will turn up. READ »

Syrian spy suspects arrested in Berlin

National: 7 Feb 12
German police arrested two men in Berlin Tuesday accused of spying on opponents of the Syrian regime in raids involving some 70 officers, federal prosecutors said. READ »

Rapper on dole faces benefit cut for lyrics

Society: 7 Feb 12
An unemployed Berlin rapper calling himself Tapete has landed in hot water for rapping about living off the state after his job centre discovered his lyrics online. He now faces losing his welfare benefit. READ »

Snow to follow record deep freeze

National: 6 Feb 12
Germany shivered through record low temperatures of -29 degrees Celsius overnight, but the German Weather Service has forecast an even deeper freeze ahead of snow showers midweek. READ »

'White Rose' founder declared a saint

Society: 5 Feb 12
The Russian-Orthodox Church canonised one of the founders of the anti-fascist group the "White Rose," Alexander Schmorell, over the weekend in Munich, nearly 70 years after his execution by the Nazis. READ »

Bavarian school bars 'impolite' greetings

Society: 5 Feb 12
The head of a middle school in the southern German town of Passau has declared the forms of "hello" and "goodbye" commonly used among northerners unwillkommen in the classroom, claiming they sound disrespectful. READ »

Coldest night yet grips chilled Germany

Society: 4 Feb 12
The cold snap that has put much of Europe in a deep freeze reached its chilliest point in Germany on Friday, with minus 27-degree temperatures making for the coldest night of the winter season. READ »

Dissidents storm Syrian embassy in Berlin

National: 4 Feb 12
A group of Syrian dissidents vandalised the Syrian embassy in Berlin on Friday, destroying furniture and defacing pictures of President Bashar al-Assad. Germany's Foreign Office condemned the intrusion "in the strongest terms." READ »

Europe’s German agenda

Analysis & Opinion: 3 Feb 12
The economy in shambles, angry street protests, and the government on the brink after passing unpopular reforms. But this is not Greece in 2012 – it was Germany a decade ago. Marc Young looks back to see an agenda for the future. READ »

Germany not responsible for Nazi-era crimes

National: 3 Feb 12
The United Nations’ highest court declared Friday that modern day Germany isn’t responsible for Nazi war crimes in Italy, saying Rome breached international laws when its courts allowed compensation claims to be made. READ »

Cake in the face for 'Baron Cut-and-Paste'

Politics: 3 Feb 12
Critics of disgraced former German Defence Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg hit him in the face with a big cake on Thursday night, while he was meeting a Pirate Party politician in a Berlin café. READ »

Most Germans want president to resign

Politics: 3 Feb 12
Most Germans now want President Christian Wulff to resign, as the flow of allegations over his behaviour and investigations into his relationships with businesses continues to damage his credibility. READ »

Football legend makes Alzheimer admission

Society: 2 Feb 12
Macho German football legend Rudi Assauer says he has Alzheimer’s Disease, an admission one expert told The Local could help stoke discussion of an illness still considered taboo in many circles. READ »

What's on in Germany: February 2 - 8

Lifestyle: 2 Feb 12
This Week's Highlights: Burlesque in Hamburg, children's theatre in Nuremberg, and an exhibition in Berlin examines the dark side of technology. READ »

Wulff faces new claims of improprieties

Politics: 1 Feb 12
German President Christian Wulff's office was aware of alleged improprieties by his former spokesman as early as 2010, a magazine reported on Wednesday as pressure increased on the embattled head of state. READ »

Government aims to hire more minorities

National: 1 Feb 12
Chancellor Angela Merkel's government has unveiled a formal programme designed to increase the number of minorities in public service, calling integration “more urgent than ever.” READ »

Police arrest 70 in left-wing Berlin riots

National: 29 Jan 12
Around 70 people were arrested and 30 police officers injured during riots in Berlin early on Sunday after several incidents blamed on left-wing activists escalated. READ »

Corruption cops raid presidential office

National: 29 Jan 12
Police raided the Office of the Federal President late last week, it was confirmed on Sunday, as they continue to investigate President Christian Wulff’s former spokesman and advisor for corruption. READ »

Urban slang is 'more logical' way of speaking

Society: 29 Jan 12
The street slang spoken by young people in Germany’s big cities is so distinct that one language expert is arguing for it to be recognised as a dialect. READ »

Fifth German body found on wrecked cruise ship

National: 29 Jan 12
The body of a fifth German victim has been recovered from the wreck of the Costa Concordia cruise ship, and identified as a woman from Baden-Württemberg, the police confirmed on Sunday. READ »

Bayern cling to Liga lead on goal difference

Sport: 29 Jan 12
Bayern Munich stayed top of the German league on Saturday as Mario Gomez claimed his 17th goal of the season in a 2-0 win over Wolfsburg - but Shinji Kagawa-inspired Borussia Dortmund are hard on their heels. READ »

German held at elite ball protest 'had explosives'

Society: 28 Jan 12
A German man arrested while protesting against a right-wing elite student society ball in Vienna was carrying explosives, police said. READ »

Berlin: EU should manage Greek budget

Business & Money: 28 Jan 12
Germany wants the EU to take control of the Greek budget as the eurozone loses patience with Greece's reform efforts, officials said on Saturday as Athens categorically dismissed the idea. READ »

Deutsche Bank boss sees Greece debt deal

Business & Money: 27 Jan 12
The head of Germany's top bank, Deutsche Bank, said Friday he was confident a solution could be found to Greece's woes amid reports of progress in talks between Athens and banks on a debt writedown. READ »

What's on in Germany: January 26 – February 1

Lifestyle: 27 Jan 12
This Week's Highlights: Hitchcock in Frankfurt, indie rock in Munich, and an homage to an electronic music pioneer in Berlin. READ »

Germans confront latent anti-Semitism

National: 27 Jan 12
As Germany commemorates the liberation of the Nazi death camp Auschwitz on Friday, Miriam Widman explores just how widespread anti-Semitism continues to be nearly 70 years after the Holocaust. READ »

New tool unravels Stasi secret files

Science & Technology: 27 Jan 12
Germany's "puzzle people" will soon be able to count on a new tool in their Herculean task of re-piecing together thousands of ripped-up former Stasi secret police files. READ »

The Local's English-language movie listings for Germany

Lifestyle: 26 Jan 12
Find movies playing in English in Germany with The Local's cinema guide. READ »

Child poverty decreases

Society: 26 Jan 12
The number of children living on state benefits in Germany has dropped significantly in the past five years, it was reported Thursday. READ »

Merkel: Germany can't save euro alone

Politics: 26 Jan 12
Chancellor Angela Merkel has warned that Germany was not prepared to expose itself to further damage on the markets in order to save the eurozone as the IMF called for a pooling of rescue funds. READ »

Man dismembered and cooked after sex games

National: 25 Jan 12
The dismembered, partially cooked corpse of a missing man has been found in a Berlin apartment, where prosecutors believe he was killed after a sex game spiralled out of control. READ »

Girlfriend blames Boateng injury on sex

Sport: 24 Jan 12
The girlfriend of German-Ghanaian footballer Kevin Prince Boateng has offered Italian media an unusual explanation for his recent thigh strain: the 24-year-old AC Milan midfielder loves sex too much. READ »

Frederick the Great celebrations kick off

Society: 24 Jan 12
Germans marked the 300th birthday of Prussian king Frederick the Great’s on Tuesday. His admirers visited his grave in Potsdam to lay flowers and potatoes in honour of the enlightened monarch. READ »

IMF boss throws down gauntlet to Merkel

Politics: 23 Jan 12
IMF head Christine Lagarde set out Monday a raft of proposals to fight the eurozone crisis likely to irk German Chancellor Angel Merkel, including a bigger rescue fund, lower ECB rates and joint eurobonds. READ »

Al Qaida 'planned to take German hostages'

National: 22 Jan 12
Documents seized in May linked to al Qaida leaders indicate that the terrorist organisation was aiming to take hostages in Germany and other Western countries as part of a "war of attrition," according to a newspaper report. READ »

Wulff's ex-spokesman faces fresh allegations

National: 21 Jan 12
The former spokesman for embattled German President Christian Wulff has been hit with new accusations over alleged perks from an event manager. A new report claims Olaf Glaeseker was treated to free flights during his time as spokesman. READ »

Berlin urges swift action on EU transaction tax

Business & Money: 20 Jan 12
Germany pushed for quick decisions to be made on a mooted tax on financial transactions on Friday, amid British fears that such a levy could drive away business from Europe. READ »

Would you pay more for green grub?

Analysis & Opinion: 20 Jan 12
The food industry gathering in Berlin for the annual Green Week convention says conditions for farm animals can be improved – but the products would be more expensive. Would you pay more for humanely produced food? Have your say. READ »

Berlin fashion designers 'need more help'

National: 20 Jan 12
While the fashion world's elite strut their stuff in Berlin Fashion Week, some who give the German capital its reputation for edgy design are struggling. One designer told Jessica Ware the fashion scene was “massively underfunded”. READ »

North Korean envoy wriggles off hook

National: 20 Jan 12
The North Korean ambassador to Germany was caught poaching fish in a Berlin river this week – but waved away police who found him, and carried on with a grin, citing diplomatic immunity. READ »

Green Week: Animal-friendly food costs more

Society: 19 Jan 12
The biggest agriculture show in the world opens in Berlin on Friday, with the dominant message being: Animal-friendly agriculture is possible, but it costs extra. READ »

Police raid president's ex-advisor's house

Politics: 19 Jan 12
Police have raided the home of President Christian Wulff’s former spokesman Olaf Glaeseker as well as the offices of an event manager who was closely connected to the president when he was state premier of Lower Saxony. READ »

Millions needed to fix five-year-old rail bridge

National: 19 Jan 12
A bridge leading to Berlin's central train station needs repairs costing at least €10 million because of a cheap construction job done in a rush to get the station finished for the 2006 football World Cup. READ »

What's on in Germany: January 19 – 25

Lifestyle: 19 Jan 12
This Week's Highlights: An open-air ball in Dresden, music and movies at the Berlin Cathedral and lots of interesting new art in Frankfurt. READ »

North Korea claims 'natural wonder' in Berlin

National: 19 Jan 12
The official North Korean news agency says a little bird and a flowering plant at the country’s embassy in Berlin were signs of Mother Nature’s grief for the late North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il – rather than the mild winter. READ »

Tropical island warmth - in icy Germany

Society: 18 Jan 12
The long, dark nights and short, chilly days of January in Germany can fuel dreams of running off to a tropical island. People living in or near Berlin can hop on the train and have a day out on one. Hannah Cleaver investigated. READ »

German victim's body 'recovered from ship'

National: 17 Jan 12
The body of a German man killed on the Costa Concordia cruise ship was found on Tuesday, the Italian media said. Divers have recovered five more victims, bringing the confirmed death toll to 11. READ »

Researchers make malaria breakthrough

Science & Technology: 17 Jan 12
German researchers announced Tuesday they had developed a process to make the most effective anti-malaria drug cheaper and easier to produce in large life-saving quantities. READ »

Airports still stingy with their wireless internet

National: 17 Jan 12
German airports are slowly offering more free internet access, but progress is slow, with only Cologne Bonn Airport providing unlimited free surfing. READ »

Women discover thrill of the hunt

Society: 16 Jan 12
Germany has seen a tenfold jump in the number of women who hunt over the last 15 years, according to the German Hunting Association, heralding the fall of another male bastion. AFP's Kate Millar reports. READ »

Fashion Week turns Berlin into runway

Society: 16 Jan 12
Berlin Fashion Week kicks off on Tuesday, with an array of shows throughout the city during the week, runway shows at the Brandenburg Gate and the three-day Bread and Butter trade fair at Tempelhof Airport. READ »

Twelve Germans missing from cruise liner

National: 16 Jan 12
Twelve Germans are missing from the huge cruise liner which ran aground and partially sank off the Italian coast on Friday night, killing at least six passengers and leaving scores injured. READ »

Restored Stasi HQ opens doors to public

National: 14 Jan 12
More than two decades after the fall of the Berlin Wall the former headquarters of East Germany’s feared secret police, the Stasi, has opened its doors to the public following an €11 million restoration project. READ »

Critics slam 'recycling' of notorious Sarrazin book

National: 14 Jan 12
Thilo Sarrazin’s book “Germany Abolishes Itself” is once again the focus of controversy. Plans by a Czech artist to recycle copies of the book have been severely criticized for perceived Nazi connotations. READ »

Ashton Kutcher invests in Berlin start-up Gidsy

Business & Money: 14 Jan 12
Hollywood heartthrob Ashton Kutcher has invested in yet another Berlin start-up, taking a stake in event marketplace Gidsy. READ »

Wulff silent as calls to resign multiply

National: 12 Jan 12
President Christian Wulff hosted what was reportedly a tense New Year’s reception on Thursday, as the first open calls for his resignation came from members of parliament in his own political party. READ »

'We need a real leader - like Willy Brandt'

Analysis & Opinion: 12 Jan 12
As politicians pile pressure on embattled President Wulff, The Local hit the streets to see what normal Berliners have to say about their head of state, for the latest edition in the Zeitgeist series. READ »

One woman tackles neo-Nazi graffiti

Society: 12 Jan 12
While the recently-discovered Neo-Nazi murders dominated the German media for weeks, the drip, drip, drip of xenophobic graffiti rarely gets much attention. AFP’s Deborah Cole meets a woman tackling it personally. READ »

'Bondage Fairies' launch global USB treasure hunt

Society: 11 Jan 12
An enterprising band launched a technological treasure hunt this week, challenging fans to find their new song, pieces of which are on computer memory sticks hidden in public places around the world. READ »

At least 25 Germans have burst boob implants

National: 11 Jan 12
At least 25 German women have suffered ruptures of breast implants made by the discredited French company PIP, according to the regulatory Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (BfArM). READ »

Pressure on Wulff now from own party

Politics: 11 Jan 12
Embattled President Christian Wulff’s woes are continuing, with party colleagues piling on the pressure about his lack of transparency and open discussions being held about who could replace him. READ »

Rays of light as Merkel seeks eurozone fixes

Business & Money: 11 Jan 12
Ratings agency Fitch offered a ray of light for the eurozone Tuesday as German Chancellor Angela Merkel met IMF chief Christine Lagarde on Greece's struggle to cut its debt, amid tentative signs of progress. READ »

German support for new North Africa underlined

Politics: 10 Jan 12
German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle has thrown strong support behind North Africa’s emerging democracies during an historic visit to Algeria, Libya and Tunisia, saying Germany wants to play a key role in helping them succeed. READ »

Merkel, Sarkozy vow to solve eurozone crisis

Business & Money: 9 Jan 12
The leaders of Germany and France put aside their differences on a controversial tax of financial market transactions and promised to speed up various measures to ease the eurozone crisis, as the euro flirted with new market lows Monday. READ »

Chicken infected with antibiotic-resistant germs

Society: 9 Jan 12
Chicken sold in German supermarkets is often contaminated with antibiotic-resistant bacteria, according to a spot test carried out by environmentalists who said the over-use of antibiotics in farming posed a danger to human health. READ »

Renewables 'may not produce job boom'

Business & Money: 8 Jan 12
Predictions that Germany's decision to phase out nuclear energy will lead to the creation of hundreds of thousands of jobs in the renewable energy sector have met with scepticism. READ »

Merkel under pressure in president scandal

Politics: 8 Jan 12
Germany's main opposition party increased its pressure on Chancellor Angela Merkel over President Christian Wulff, saying his scandal was hers and calling for new elections if he were to step down. READ »

Blackface in Berlin play just 'tradition'

National: 6 Jan 12
A popular Berlin theatre troupe has denied accusations that its adaptation of a Tony Award-winning play featuring a white man in blackface is racist, saying it's "tradition" for whites to play blacks in German theatre. READ »

President in crisis as poll numbers tank

Politics: 5 Jan 12
With his poll numbers sinking, German President Christian Wulff came under renewed pressure Thursday following a televised mea culpa in response to his exploding financial scandal. READ »

What's on in Germany: January 5 - 11

Lifestyle: 5 Jan 12
This Week's Highlights: Buster Keaton films in Munich, Alexander McQueen fashions in Hamburg, and contemporary dance in Berlin. READ »

Hollywood arsonist 'hated America'

National: 5 Jan 12
A German man launched a "binge" of over 50 arson attacks in southern California over the New Year holiday weekend, fired up by anti-American "hatred" fueled by his mother's fight against deportation to Germany, prosecutors have said. READ »