EU-DIGEST

Euro Trades Near Three-Week High Against Dollar as Stocks Rise and unemployment drops in Germany - Andrew MacAskill

The euro traded near a three-week high against the dollar as European stocks advanced for a fourth day and a report showed unemployment declined in Germany, the region’s largest economy. The currency shared by 15 European nations gained versus the Brazilian real and Canadian dollar as every major stock market in the region rose. German unemployment dropped in November, withstanding the worst recession in 12 years. Indian rupee forwards fell on speculation overseas investors will shun the nation’s assets after terrorist attacks in Mumbai prompted regulators to shut markets.

Labels: employment, EU, euro, Germany

Germany - Alternative energy:: Plambeck 2009 Profit to Rise on Subsidy for offshore wind energy

Plambeck Neue Energie AG, the German wind-park developer founded in 1995, will post higher profit next year as clients take delivery on projects in time to collect higher subsidies, Chief Executive Officer Martin Billhardt said. Customers are delaying accepting finished parks until next year, when a government payment for wind power at onshore sites will be raised to 9.2 euro cents (11.70 cents) per kilowatt hour from 8 cents, Billhardt said. For offshore parks, the subsidy will increase to 13 cents from 8.92 cents.

Germany is seeking to increase renewable energy to 30 percent of the total by 2020 from 10.6 percent in 2006, according to the environment ministry. Plambeck predicts pretax profit will rise to as much as 32 million euros in 2009, according to a company presentation this month. Pretax profit will be 19 million euros to 24 million euros this year. Earnings per share may rise to as much as 69 cents from as much as 51 cents.

Labels: Alternative Energy, EU, Germany

Lufthansa expands in Miami - by Ina Paive Cordle

Despite the global economic slowdown, Lufthansa, the German airline, is expanding its presence in Miami. The airline recently launched seasonal nonstop service between Miami International Airport and Dusseldorf, marking its second destination, after Frankfurt. Swiss International Air Lines, a Lufthansa subsidiary since March 2005, also has daily nonstop service from Miami to Zurich. And other Lufthansa Group companies operate in South Florida, including Lufthansa Cargo, Lufthansa Technik, Lufthansa Systems and LSG SkyChefs.

Labels: EU, Germany, Lufthansa, Miami

Deutsche Post's subsidiary DHL Express in US lays off 9,500, cedes U.S. delivery market to UPS, FedEx

DHL Express, Deutsche Post AG's overnight-delivery unit, said today it will abandon efforts to compete with United Parcel Service Inc. and FedEx Corp. in the United States, laying off an additional 9,500 workers and closing three-fourths of its outlets. Deutsche Post's spending on U.S. express operations, including the unit's losses, reorganization costs and the price of acquiring the former Airborne Inc.'s ground unit in 2003, will total $9.6 billion by the end of next year, Chief Executive Officer Frank Appel told reporters at the company's Bonn headquarters today.DHL Express ranked fourth in U.S. express deliveries with 5% of the market, behind UPS, Memphis, Tenn.-based FedEx and the United States Postal Service, which is No. 3 with 13%, according to SJ Consulting.

Labels: DHL, EU, Germany

Hundreds in Germany demonstrate against far right

Police say several hundred people have peacefully protested against a march by a Germany's leading far-right party in the central city of Fulda. Fulda police estimate 600 people turned out to protest a march attended by about 150 supporters of the far-right National Democratic Party. The party is also known by its German initials as the NPD. Police used helicopters to monitor the protest, which came a day before ceremonies marking the 70th anniversary of the Nazis "Kristallnacht" or "Night of Broken Glass" pogroms that destroyed synagogues, Jewish homes and businesses.

Labels: EU, Germany, Nazi's, Neocons

EU - Merkel Wants New Financial Rules Within A Year

Merkel also said she expected Europe to push its views forcefully in the talks, which will include leaders from the so-called G20 nations.The White House has said the Nov. 15 summit will be the first in a series at which major nations will discuss reforms to the financial system. The meeting comes in the midst of the worst financial crisis in nearly 80 years. Speaking at the same conference, German Finance Minister Peer Steinbrueck spoke of a window of opportunity for creating new rules for the financial system and cautioned that a change in government in the United States should not delay their implementation. "My hope is that ... we don't see any developments that might change the path we are on," he said, referring to the U.S. election. The United States will vote next Tuesday in an election contested by Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain.

Both Merkel and Steinbrueck have criticised the United States for resisting European efforts in past years to introduce tougher regulation of the financial system, including more supervision of hedge funds.

Labels: Angela Merkel, EU, G20, Germany

NATO-The German Question - by George Friedman

German Chancellor Angela Merkel went to St. Petersburg last week for meetings with Russian President Dmitri Medvedev. The central question on the table was Germany’s position on NATO expansion, particularly with regard to Ukraine and Georgia. Merkel made it clear at a joint press conference that Germany would oppose NATO membership for both of these countries, and that it would even oppose placing the countries on the path to membership. Since NATO operates on the basis of consensus, any member nation can effectively block any candidate from NATO membership.In one sense, Merkel’s reasons for her stance are simple. First, expanding NATO guarantees to Ukraine and Georgia is meaningless. NATO and the United States don’t have the military means to protect Ukraine or Georgia, and incorporating them into the alliance would not increase European security. From a military standpoint, NATO membership for the two former Soviet republics is an empty gesture, while from a political standpoint, Berlin sees it as designed to irritate the Russians for no clear purpose. Next, were NATO prepared to protect Ukraine and Georgia, all NATO countries including Germany would be forced to increase defense expenditures substantially. This is not something that Germany and the rest of NATO want to do.Finally, and perhaps most importantly, Germany spent 1945-1992 being the potential prime battleground of the Cold War. It spent 1992-2008 not being the potential prime battleground. Germany prefers the latter, and it does not intend to be drawn into a new Cold War under any circumstances. This has profound implications for the future of both NATO and U.S.-German relations.

Germany is also heavily dependent on Russian natural gas. If the supply were cut off, Germany’s situation would be desperate — or at least close enough that the distinction would be academic. Russia might decide it could not afford to cut off natural gas exports, but Merkel is dealing with a fundamental German interest, and risking that for Ukrainian or Georgian membership in NATO is not something she is prepared to do.

Labels: Croatia, EU, Germany, Nato, Ukraine, US

GERMANY has made a blanket guarantee to cover all the country's bank savings

GERMANY has made a blanket guarantee to cover all the country's bank savings, piling pressure on other European governments to bolster financial defenses ahead of another week of predicted mayhem on global markets. Governments are also worrying about weak banks with BNP Paribas of France now taking over large chunks of troubled Belgian-Dutch institution Fortis. German Chancellor Angela Merkel made the promise to completely back all savings as a €50 billion ($89 billion) rescue for Hypo Real Estate (HRE), the country's fourth largest bank, was arranged. "Germany is Europe's economic superpower,'' Nick Clegg, leader of the Liberal Democrats, Britain's third party, said. "Where it leads, others are bound to follow. "Ireland's action last week to guarantee all deposits made a common European approach to deposit guarantees necessary. Germany's decision today makes it completely unavoidable.'' Over the next few days European Union finance ministers will seek to flesh out plans for restoring confidence in the crisis-struck banking system after weekend talks among Europe's biggest economic powers.French bank BNP Paribas is to take control of the ailing Fortis' operations in Belgium and Luxembourg in a deal reached late Sunday following intense negotiations through the weekend, a source close to the Luxembourg Government said. BNP Paribas confirmed that it had taken control of Fortis's arms in Belgium and Luxembourg to create the "leading European bank in terms of deposits.''

While officials in Berlin sought to reassure bank customers, one German minister could not resist an alarmist take on the gathering storm in the country. Interior Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble warned in a magazine interview to be published today that the global financial crisis could have political repercussions, noting that Adolf Hitler rose to power following the 1929 Wall Street crash.

Labels: EU Economy, European Bailout, Germany

German bank Hypo Real Estate (HRE)announces collapse of 35 billion euro rescue

German bank Hypo Real Estate (HRE) said Saturday that a planned 35-billion-euro (48-billion-dollar) rescue had fallen through after the banking consortium involved pulled out of the deal. The rescue bid was the biggest in German history and came after HRE was sucked into the global financial turmoil through its inability to refinance debt, one of many high-profile European emergency cases in the past two weeks. HRE said in a statement that a consortium of German banks taking part in the rescue had "refused to provide liquidity lines" and that it was seeking new measures.

Labels: Bailout, EU, EU Economy, Germany, HRE

Labels: EU, Georgia, Germany

German Leadership Enjoys Fairly High Approval Globally

Results from Gallup Polls conducted in 141 countries, including European Union (EU) member countries, G8 members, and former Soviet states, suggest that Germany may be poised to be a major player in mending relations between Russia and the West after Moscow's recent clash with Georgia over South Ossetia. Among residents of five of the G8 countries, which include Russia, Germany's leadership is viewed more favorably than the leaderships of France, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Labels: EU, Germany

Roman walk from Nijmegen (Netherlands)to Xanten (Germany)

Dutch and German historians have set up a new crossborder country walk between the Dutch city of Nijmegen and the German city of Xanten. Hikers will learn about the region’s historical Roman roots thanks to signposts and informationboards between the two former important Roman army posts. The mayor of Nijmegen will inaugurate the new hiking route in April with various experts. The route passes through the eastern part of the city, where the Romans had built a military camp, a forum and an amphitheatre. The city of Nijmegen plans to set up two additional routes along Roman ruins.

Labels: EU, Germany, Netherlands, Tourism

Germany's foreign minister urged the EU to take a balanced approach to the Caucasus conflict. The EU has to keep channels of communication open with Russia if it hopes to help stabilize the region, he said. German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said on Thursday, Aug. 14, the European Union should maintain an even-handed approach to the conflict between Russia and Georgia if it wanted to play a constructive role in forging long-lasting peace in the Caucasus. "It remains the case that a level-headed policy is the one that most helps people in the region," Steinmeier told reporters after meeting of the German parliament's foreign affairs committee. German politicians, including Chancellor Angela Merkel, have carefully avoided assigning blame in the conflict. The country, which is heavily dependant on Russian energy supplies, is a strong advocate of closer ties with Moscow. Earlier this year, Germany led European resistance to plans, pushed by the US, to put Georgia on the track to NATO membership. Merkel will seek to calm the rift between Russia and the West when she meets with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev in Sochi on Friday. This week, Merkel's spokesman said she would deliver a tough message to Medvedev in Sochi.

," Ruprecht Polenz, a veteran member of Merkel's conservative party and head of the foreign policy committee of the German parliament told Reuters the EU should bind Russia closer to the bloc and consider offering Moscow a "privileged partnership" if it shows a willingness to adopt European values.

Labels: EU, Georgia, Germany

Germany - Siemens’ earnings beat expectations

Siemens posted stronger than expected third-quarter earnings on Wednesday and said it aimed to expand revenues twice as fast as global economic growth in the next fiscal year. Europe’s biggest engineering group said it increased profit of its three sectors year-on-year by 33 per cent to €2.08bn, more than analysts had forecast.

Labels: Economy, EU, Germany

German Minister Wants Tax Cuts to Heat Up Cooling Economy

Germany Economics Minister Michael Glos wants to launch a €10 billion ($15.6 billion) spending program to help cushion the country from the effects of a slowing economy, SPIEGEL has learned.

Bert Rürup of Darmstadt University, who chairs the German Council of Economic Advisors that advises Angela Merkel's government, said he could foresee a temporary shrinking of German economy. "Because of the orders in hand, a recession in Germany is unlikely, but it can't be ruled out entirely," he told SPIEGEL. He also said he feared that the number of unemployed in the country would only continue to sink until the end of the year." Job creation in recent months has resulted in a dramatic decline in the number of unemployed in Germany.

Labels: Economy, EU, Germany

US elections: Obama wows Berlin crowd with historic speech - by Jonathan Freedland

For the man who has brought rock-star charisma to electoral politics, today saw the campaign rally as pop festival, a summer gathering of peace, love — and loathing of George Bush. Taking what he calls his "improbable journey" to the heart of Europe, Barack Obama succeeded in closing down one of Berlin's main thoroughfares tonight, luring the city's young in their tens of thousands to stand in the evening sunshine and hear him spin his dreams of hope, not for America this time, but for the whole world.

The young and the pierced, some with guitars slung over their shoulders, others barefoot, jammed up against each other to cheer on a man who in less than a year has become the world's most popular serving politician, even
if, as yet, he has been elected to no office grander than the junior Senate seat for Illinois.By common consent, tonight and the entire Obama week has been a huge success, generating priceless images for TV consumption back home and helping Obama cross the credibility gap — making it easier for Americans to imagine him as a player on the world stage.

Labels: Barack Obama, EU, Germany, US elections

Germany in Hot Seat as G8 Pushes Nuclear Power

Moves to boost the role of nuclear power in the global energy mix at this week's summit of the Group of Eight (G8) leading industrial nations could be the most difficult issue for German Chancellor Merkel.Speaking ahead of her trip to Japan for the G8 summit, Merkel lashed out at the decision to end nuclear power in Germany, saying it was "absolutely wrong." She repeated her call for a mix of energy sources for Europe's biggest economy including fossil fuels and renewable power as well nuclear plans.

Labels: EU, G8, Germany

Soccer - Euro 2008: Germany 0-1 Spain

Spain win Euro 2008 to claim their first title in 44 years after a 1-0 win over Germany in Vienna thanks to a Fernando Torres goal.

Labels: EU, EURO 2008, Germany, Spain

German Politicians Want Nukes out of Europe

Following the release of confidential information from a US Air Force report claiming that US nuclear weapons in Europe are not properly taken care of, German politicians from across the political spectrum are calling for the weapons' removal. "Atomic weapons in Germany are relics of the Cold War and need to go," Guido Westerwelle, head of the pro-business Free Democratic Party (FDP), told the Berliner Zeitung. This is just "one more reason to remove all of the tactical atomic weapons stored in Germany," Westerwelle added. Note EU-Digest: The United States still keeps as many as 480 nuclear weapons at air bases across Europe, more than twice what independent military analysts previously estimated, according to a new study that says the weapons' presence is hurting efforts to curb nuclear proliferation worldwide. Capt. Curry W. Graham, a spokesman for the military's European Command, said the United States still maintained a sizable nuclear arsenal in Europe to support NATO's strategic deterrence mission to "maintain peace and stability in the region." Pentagon policy prohibits the disclosure of the amount or location of American nuclear weapons.

Labels: EU, Germany, Nuclear weapons, US

Germany Beats Portugal 3–2 in Euro 2008 Soccer

Germany triumphed over Portugal 3–2 in the first Euro 2008 Championship quarter-final match.
Portugal won it's first two matches, and fielded a team of substitutes for its final round match. thus, its starters were well rested and ready.

Labels: EURO 2008, European Soccer, Germany, Portugal

Labels: Energy, EU, Germany

Labels: EU, EURO 2008, Germany, Portugal, Soccer

Germany, Rostock - International Trade Fair for the Maritime Industry in the Baltic Sea area

The 3rd Future Conference of the Maritime Industry of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania will be held along with the trade fair Baltic Future on November 19, 2008. The conference is organized by the Department of Economic Affairs of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and the Maritime Board of the Rostock Chamber of Commerce. The proposed topics of the conference are a perfect supplement to the core themes of the trade fair: Maritime logistics, shipbuilding- and supplier industry as well as offshore wind power. Rostock Business will commit itself even stronger to offshore wind power. The company has already confirmed both: Cooperation with the Offshore-workshop of the Maritime Future Conference and a presentation at the trade show. Four lectures and a panel discussion will deal with the extension of medium-sized maritime industries in order to come to a linked-up production within complex superstructures for offshore wind power. Topics of high interest such as specific manpower training in the specialized sectors of this branch of industry will also be discussed.

Labels: EU, Germany, Maritime, Trade and Development

EURO 2008 - Soccer - Austria-Germany tie stirs memories of the shameful carve-up of 1982 - by Pat Nevin

T IS fair to say that most footballers aren't generally renowned for their deeply held political viewpoints. My experience was that beyond discussing which party would lower the maximum tax rate and wouldn't hinder them squirrelling some of their cash abroad to a convenient tax haven, few were interested in the subtleties of foreign or fiscal policy.

I can't wait for the spectacle tomorrow as I originally suspected this would be a dead rubber. Instead there is an outside chance of the biggest upset of the tournament. There is also the chance that this could be the start of a deep and unhealthy rivalry between two nations that were once just too close for comfort, and that has to be a good thing.The Austrians also have the advantage of a vociferous 50,000 crowd that makes the most astonishing noise inside the Ernst Happel Stadium. Just like the Tartan Army at Hampden these days, they keep the players going through their unswerving support when the legs would otherwise have packed in, hence the 92nd minute equaliser against Poland.

Labels: Austria, EU, EURO 2008, European Soccer, Germany, Soccer

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said the euro currency has significantly helped Europe assert itself despite turbulence in the financial markets worldwide. In her written statement marking the 10th anniversary of the European Central Bank (ECB), Merkel said: 'The euro, which is the second most important currency in the world, has significantly contributed to Europe's ability to successfully assert itself in the global world and despite turbulence in the financial markets.'

Labels: ECB, EU, Germany, Merkel

Festival to Play Up Germany's Philosophical Heritage

Germany will kick off its first philosophy festival, the "Elation of Ideas," with the aim of bringing weighty topics out of the ivory tower and into the public sphere. The country that produced such giants of western philosophy as Kant and Hegel has largely turned its back on philosophy, asserts Nida-Ruemelin, who teaches in Munich."Yet German-language philosophy is so important in the rest of the world that you find a lot of Italians especially learning German just so that they can read works by Martin Heidegger in the original," he said.

Labels: Culture, EU, Germany

For the complete report from guardian.co.uk Books click on this link

Publishers battle to sign up Europe's sex sensation - by Jason Burke

Charlotte Roche's exploration of filth in all its meanings now tops Germany's literary charts. Soon it will hit the shelves in her country of birth. Wetlands, which has beaten Khaled Hosseini's A Thousand Splendid Suns and Ken Follett's latest to the top of Amazon's international sales list, has sparked a frenzy among major British publishers. Roche's German publishers last week refused to speak to The Observer or to arrange an interview with Roche to avoid pre-empting what is expected to be a massive UK deal and publicity campaign. 'No, nothing, impossible,' they said.

For whether it is the fantasies about sex, the polemics against the use of deodorants, the avocado cores grown specially for use in masturbation, or the detailed and inventive passages of scatological or genital description, Wetlands has left few indifferent.

Labels: Britain, Charlotte Roche, EU, Germany, Literature, Sex

Germany to Send Troops to Western Afghanistan

German Defense Minister Jung has approved a short-term deployment of 45 German soldiers from their base in northern Afghanistan to the west of the country to help flush out insurgents. According to German daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, the troops will be deployed to stop the Taliban and other Afghan insurgents using one of the country's main roads to travel from the volatile south to carry out attacks in the west and north. Jung approved the request from the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) on Thursday, a spokesman from his ministry said.

Labels: Afghanistan, EU, Germany

Ice Hockey: Finland, Sweden open Ice Hockey Worlds with victories

Finland shook the rust off and the Swedes survived a scare as the favorites managed to prevail at the World Ice Hockey Championships on Saturday. Mikko Koivu scored a shorthanded and a power play goal as reigning silver medallist Finland beat Germany 5-1 in their opening game at the Metro Centre arena.Sweden survived the biggest scare of the day. Patric Hornqvist scored two goals as the Tre Kronor had to rally in the third period to beat underdog Belarus 6-5 at the Colisee in Quebec City. Rickard Wallin scored the winner with just under 10 minutes to go in the third period for Sweden who outshot Belarus 46-24 in the game. Dmitry Meleshko scored to give Belarus a 5-4 lead early in the third period.

Labels: Belarus, EU, Finland, Germany, Ice Hockey, Sweden

Schadenfreude stirs in resilient Germany - by Ralph Atkins

Perhaps in New York or Washington it appears only a matter of time before the global financial storm batters the shores of countries such as Germany. But in Europe's biggest economy, it still seems safe to go bathing.Politicians in Berlin, meanwhile, discuss whether a return to full employment is possible; while joblessness is rising in the US, the latest figures showed Germany's unemployment rate falling to the lowest since 1992. Such confidence helps explain why the ECB remains relatively upbeat about overall prospects for the eurozone. Indeed, Germany's recent economic history has been the mirror image of the US's. Instead of enjoying a consumer and housing boom over the past decade, Germany has experienced a period of painful adjustment to the costs of reunification in the early 1990s and the effects of globalisation on a high-wage economy.

Labels: Economy, EU, Germany

Germany offers a window on global financial health, then the view is good - by Hamish McRae

In Britain there is a clear distinction between what is happening in the housing market and what is happening to the real economy. News on the former is still pretty grim, whereas things such as retail sales and exports seem to be holding up reasonably well. The pound, however, continues to languish. But what about Europe? The eurozone economy is far from a single entity and the downturn is showing up some inherent tensions within it. But the euro is soaring and the largest of the continental economies, Germany, is still growing reasonably strongly. The distinction in Germany is not between the housing market and the real economy but between what is happening and what industry expects to happen.

Labels: Economy, EU, Germany

Map: be German to be rich, says Forbes - by Frank Lirzin

How do you become a billionaire exactly? Flee Europe: out of the 1125 billionaires registered by Forbes, barely 20% are of European origin. The others come mainly from the United States (42%), China, India and Russia. Having said this, if we remain in Europe, it is best to be German: there have been 49 billionaires in Germany since 2008, compared with 48 in the United Kingdom. And to be the richer of the richest, you still need to be German: Karl Albrecht is the richest European before Frenchman Bernard Arnault.

Note EU-Digest: Cafe Babel has included an interactive map in their report which shows you where and how many billionaires there are in each European country.

Labels: EU Economy, Germany

Germany touts wood residue, straw and sour milk as biofuel sources

Rapeseed and sugar cane are out, making way for wood, straw and curdled milk to play key roles as future biofuel energy sources that would not starve the planet by taking over land need for food. German Chancellor Angela Merkel was on hand Thursday with the heads of automakers Daimler and Volkswagen to inaugurate what was billed as the world's first refinery of "second generation" biofuels in the eastern city of Freiberg. Merkel hailed the "hand-in-hand work by the political, economic and scientific sectors." The Choren group hopes to produce 18 million litres of biodiesel carburant there each year using wood residues. Its project has high-profile backing from Anglo-Dutch energy giant Shell in addition to the two world-class German auto manufacturers.

Labels: Alternative Energy Resources, Germany

Germany to Push EU to Take In Iraqi Christian Refugees

Germany's interior minister got backing from the country's top security officials to press the EU to open up to Christian refugees from Iraq. But the ministers failed to agree on a new attempt to ban the far-right NPD.

Federal Interior Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble got the green light from the country's 16 top state security officials to start a European Union initiative for the acceptance of Iraqi Christians as refugees. Schaeuble will make the proposal at a meeting of EU interior ministers in Luxembourg on Friday, April 18.

Labels: Christians, EU, Germany, Iraq

German president to visit Croatia

The German president Horst Koehler is to visit Croatia to discuss the country's efforts to join the EU. Mr Koehler is set to meet Croatian prime minister Ivo Sanader and president Stjepan Mesic.Olli Rehn, the EU Enlargement Commissioner said: "The sooner Croatia meets all the requirements the sooner it will become the EU member."

Labels: Croatia, EU, Germany

Germany Supporting Construction of 33 More Police Stations in Afghanistan

Germany Supporting Construction of 33 More Police Stations in Afghanistan

Germany is once again stepping up its support for the new police force in Afghanistan. Currently 33 police stations are being built with German assistance in the north of the country. The aim of the program is to extend policing beyond the urban centers by improving police infrastructure in rural areas. As part of the effort, Thomas Ossowski, the head of the German Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) in Kunduz, together with the provincial governor inaugurated a new building for the traffic police in Kunduz and a new police headquarter in the Qal-e-Zal district on April 5. A large number of locals attended the handover ceremony.

Labels: Afghanistan, EU, Germany

German Unemployment Drops to Lowest in 15 1/2 Years - by Rainer Buergin

German unemployment fell more than expected in March to the lowest level since August 1992 as worldwide demand for cars, sports shoes and factory machinery prompted companies to add staff. The jobless rate, adjusted for seasonal swings, declined to 7.8 percent from 8 percent in February, the Federal Labor Agency in Nuremberg said today. The median forecast in a Bloomberg News survey of 32 economists was for a decline to 7.9 percent. ``The progress achieved in the German labor market is tremendous,'' said Stephan Rieke, an economist at BHF-Bank AG in Frankfurt.

Labels: employment, EU, Germany, Labor

East Germany's Fascination with Flesh Gets More Exposure

A new book detailing East Germany's passion for nudity is set to be launched in typically candid style just weeks after a documentary exposed the communist regime's secret porn industry. If selling a book with the recollections -- and photographs -- of nudist holidaymakers in East Germany wasn't enough to cause a stir, bookshop owner Helmut Maass intends to capitalize on the flesh angle of the new tome by promoting it with a reading to a naked audience. The book, which celebrates East Germany's renowned "Freikoerperkultur" [FKK], draws on the era before the Berlin Wall came down in 1989. Its publishers, Berlin-based Eulenspiegel, are enthusiastic about the publicity stunt.

Labels: EU, Germany, Nudity

German Protest over Chinese Crackdown: Berlin Halts Talks with Beijing After Tibet Violence

The German government has announced it will suspend talks with the Chinese development ministry because of China's violent crackdown on Tibet protestors. Relations between the two countries had only recently normalized after a fallout last autumn.The German government says it will suspend talks with China on climate change and renewable energy until the violence in Tibet has come to an end. Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul, Germany's development minister, announced Wednesday that talks that were planned for May with China's development ministry would not take place, given the current situation in Tibet.

Labels: China, EU, Germany, Tibet

EU - German exports climbed by 9 percent in January

German exports were up 9 percent in January, showing healthy growth despite the euro's climb to near-record levels against the U.S. dollar, government figures showed Monday. Germany, which has Europe's biggest economy, exported goods and services worth €84.4 billion (US$129.6 billion) in January, up from €77.4 billion a year earlier, the Federal Statistics Office said. Imports increased by 10.2 percent, rising to €67.3 billion (US$106.4 billion) from €61 billion. The country's trade surplus rose to €17.1 billion (US$26.3 billion), beating the €16 billion (US$24.6 billion) forecast of economists surveyed by Dow Jones Newswires. The surplus stood at €10.7 billion in December and €16.4 billion in January last year.

Labels: EU, Germany

Non-European PhDs In Germany Find Use Of 'Doktor' Verboten - Craig Whitlock and Shannon Smiley

Americans with PhDs beware: Telling people in Germany that you're a doctor could land you in jail. At least seven U.S.