Microsoft nods to German dialect with ‘moin’
Millions of northern Germans will be able to start their emails without a squiggly red line, now that Microsoft has accepted their regional version of 'hello' as a word.
Day: April 18, 2008
Hamburg’s dose of ‘black-green’ Realpolitik
Germany’s politicians are all atwitter after the environmentalist Greens agreed to form a coalition with the conservatives Christian Democrats in Hamburg this week. The Local takes a look at the historic alliance’s impact on the political landscape.
Giant flower’s stench stinks up Bonn
The stench of rotting flesh is expected to waft over Germany's former capital this weekend as a stinky giant flower unfurls in the University of Bonn's botanic garden.
Thieves pilfer 33-tonne earth mover
Resourceful thieves lifted a 33-tonne excavator worth €250,000 from a construction site overnight, police in the northwest German city of Gelsenkirchen said on Friday.
Secret cameras proposed for German terror suspects
The German government wants the police to be able to install secret cameras in terror suspects' apartments and other homes that they regularly visit, a government spokesman said on Friday.
VW opens gigantic car factory in China
Volkswagen's China operation opened a new factory with an annual production capacity of 60,000 vehicles in Nanjing on Friday, the German automaker announced.
EU presidency rejects German call to favour Iraqi Christians
The European Union's Slovenian presidency on Friday rejected a German proposal to offer preferential asylum treatment to Iraqi Christians.
Study on xenophobic German youth was ‘distorted’
The authors of a confidential government study that found xenophobia widespread among German youth said the leaking of their data this week resulted in a distortion of facts.
German low-wage job sector expanding
Germany's low-wage sector is growing at an alarming rate, according to a labour market study of the world's third largest economy.
Kahn warns Bayern to take German Cup final seriously
Bayern Munich's high-profile keeper Oliver Kahn warned of over-confidence ahead of Saturday's German Cup final against Borussia Dortmund, the first trophy towards a possible treble this season.
Pubs complain German smoking ban hits trade
Several months into Germany’s decidedly half-hearted smoking ban in bars and restaurants, many small pub owners are reportedly suffering from a drastic decline in business.
Merkel to disband council headed by ex-Siemens boss
German Chancellor Angela Merkel plans to disband the country's Innovation Council, headed by former Siemens boss Heinrich von Pierer.