VW targets market share during crisis
Volkswagen, Europe's biggest car maker, threw down the gauntlet to rivals on Monday, saying 2008 profit had gained 15 percent and predicting it would gain market share during the global auto sector crisis.
Day: March 2, 2009
Premier Althaus faces manslaughter charge
Thuringia’s state premier Dieter Althaus will face a manslaughter charge for a New Year’s Day ski accident that left a woman dead and Althaus with a severe brain injury, Austrian state prosecutors said on Monday.
Opel makes case for German bailout
Opel lobbied German authorities on Monday for state aid, arguing the struggling car maker could stand on its own feet despite the problems of its US parent company General Motors.
Rostock politician demands DNA dog poop testing
A German lawmaker from the Baltic Sea city of Rostock proposed on Monday a high-tech way of dealing with the menace of dog poo on the streets: DNA testing to identify the canine culprit and fine its owner.
Junk-car bonus inspires other sectors to offer trade-ins
The new “scrap bonus” - or Abwrackprämie - which gives Germans €2,500 to scrap their old cars and buy a new one - is inspiring other industries to make similar offers to boost business, according to daily Der Tagesspiegel.
Germany gives €150 million to rebuild Gaza
Germany said on Monday it will contribute €150 million for reconstruction efforts in the Gaza Strip following the devastating Israeli military campaign last year.
IT sector grows despite recession
Despite the general economic downturn, Germany’s booming information and telecommunications industry is desperate to fill 18,000 jobs on offer across the country.
New online e-book platform to offer 100,000 German titles
Some 100,000 German books will be available in digital format via an ambitious new online platform libreka! when the Leipzig book fair kicks off on March 12.
Bavarian brewers strike
In terrifying news for Weißbier fans, Bavarian beer brewers staged temporary strikes on Monday morning in an ongoing wage dispute with employers in the southern German state.
Car dealers offering record discounts
The Abwrackprämie – a €2,500-premium for junking an old cars to buy a new one – has created record-level discounts at German car dealerships of nearly 50 percent, daily Bild reported on Monday.
Economic crisis encourages Germans to mind their manners
Politeness in an impolite world? More Germans are taking etiquette courses as they look for a way to ground themselves during uncertain economic times.
Coach Klinsmann says Bayern played ‘without urgency’
Bayern Munich coach Jürgen Klinsmann admitted his side lacked urgency and were lethargic on Sunday as 10-man Werder Bremen held the defending champions to a 0-0 draw.