Oktoberfest buzzes with booze and merriment
Munich's 178th Oktoberfest is officially in full swing. Beer, dirndls, lederhosen and lots of sausage and pretzels will dominate the Bavarian capital for over a fortnight.
Day: September 21, 2011
Hugo Boss comes clean on Nazi past
Fashion firm Hugo Boss, long rumoured to be Adolf Hitler’s favourite tailor, has published a report on its less than laudable record during the Third Reich.
Cabinet approves tax deal on money hidden in Switzerland
German Chancellor Angela Merkel's cabinet approved a double-taxation deal with Switzerland on Wednesday, aiming to end a long-standing dispute over tax and banking secrecy.
Mozart motivates sewage treatment microbes
Operators of a sewage treatment plant in eastern Germany have saved around €10,000 over the last year – apparently by playing Mozart to their microbes. They are now calling for scientists to come and investigate.
Most Germans unhappy with squabbling government coalition
Germans are unhappy with the government, with a full 83 percent saying they are dissatisfied by the poor cooperation between the parties of the governing centre-right coalition according to a poll.
Catholics demand reform ahead of pope visit
Pope Benedict XVI faces a clamour for change as he heads to Germany on Thursday for his first state visit, with calls for reform on many fronts – from recognising gays to ordaining women to the priesthood.
Spammers abuse T-Online email accounts, blocking normal users
T-Online customers have had their emails rejected after the firm enabled mass mailings – irresistible to spammers whose activities prompted servers around the world to block all T-Online addresses.
Air Berlin to save €200 mln with reduced fleet
Air Berlin, Germany’s second-largest airline, is announcing dramatic savings plans to improve its results by €200 million a year, by reducing its fleet from the current figure of 170 to 152 by next summer.
Germany to guarantee Brazilian nuclear plans
The German government is supporting the construction of a nuclear power station in Brazil – in a mountainous coastal region prone to landslides using plans dating back to 1975, it has emerged.
Techno trousers get smart enough to switch off chainsaw in emergency
German researchers are field-testing smart trousers which they hope can reduce the risk of chainsaw injuries by being able to tell when a saw is getting too close – and switching it off. Michael Dumiak reports.