Merkel and Medvedev talk trade and rights
German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev held talks on Thursday dominated by their countries close and growing economic ties.
Day: July 16, 2009
Drug commissioner urges binge drinking prevention course
German drug commissioner Sabine Bätzing said Thursday that schools need to require a health course to educate students on the dangers of binge drinking, which experts say has intensified among teenagers in recent years.
What’s on in Germany: July 16 – 22
This Week's Highlights: U2 in Berlin, tennis in Hamburg, and Sven Väth drops in for an all-day party in Munich.
Fewer than half of Germans know their national anthem
Never particularly patriotic due to their country’s jingoistic history, a poll released on Thursday showed fewer than half of all Germans know the lyrics to their national anthem.
Swine flu shots to arrive in September
Everyone who wants a swine flu vaccination will get one, German Health Minister Ulla Schmidt said on Thursday, but limited supplies could mean a lengthy wait.
Lufthansa losses spur huge savings plan
German airline Lufthansa is planning to lay off 20 percent of administrative employees as part of a massive programme to reduce costs by €1 billion each year, daily Handelsblatt reported on Thursday.
Porsche reportedly close to deal with VW
Owners of sports carmaker Porsche are close to an agreement which would combine the heavily indebted company with Volkswagen and sell VW stock options to Qatar, according to press reports on Thursday.
Stone martens are coming for your car
The stone marten may look like a cute wild mammal, but the German Hunter’s Association (DJV) warned on Thursday that the predator’s breeding habits are damaging more cars than ever.
The eye of the tiger
Lions, giraffes, tigers, rabbits, bears, rhinoceroses and even owls can go blind from cataracts. But as AFP’s Deborah Cole reports, an eastern German firm has an answer: custom-made "contact lenses."
Schleswig-Holstein coalition crumbles
The grand coalition parliament in the northern state of Schleswig-Holstein collapsed on Wednesday night, just 10 weeks ahead of national elections.
Russia talks centred on gas and economy
German Chancellor Angela Merkel hosts Russia's President Dmitry Medvedev on Thursday for talks dominated by efforts to avoid a new spat over gas supplies to Europe and the global financial crisis.
Family minister urges end to preschool worker strikes
Family Minister Ursula von der Leyen urged a speedy solution to an ongoing labour dispute between public day care workers and state employers ahead of negotiations on Thursday, saying parents can’t handle any more strikes.
Bavarian nuns make up perfect scientific sample group
Scientists in Germany found that a group of more than 400 nuns were the perfect sample group for an investigation into links between education and senility, the lead researcher said this week.