Berlin - A festival of aviation was under way Thursday on the last day of operations of Berlin's fabled Tempelhof Airport, which was once the entry point for 2.3 million tons of airborne relief during the Berlin Airlift.

The airport opened in 1923, became an icon of 20th century design, secured West Berlin's survival and eked out its last years as a business-flier airport. It is to be replaced by a big airport in Berlin's green belt.

Berlin - German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier condemned Thursday's suicide bombing which killed five people at the Afghan information ministry in Kabul.

The attack showed that terrorists wanted to weaken the Afghan state and spread fear and distrust among the population, Steinmeier said.

"This cannot be allowed to happen," the minister said in a statement released during a visit to Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates.

"together with the Afghan government and the international community we will continue to undertake intensive efforts to ensure that the necessary security is in place for the reconstruction and development of Afghanistan," he added.

Berlin  - Economic confidence in Europe plummeted in October to its lowest level since 1993, according to a key survey released Thursday, adding to signs of a looming recession for the region.

The European Commission's closely-watched economic sentiment indicator (ESI) for the 15-member eurozone dropped from 87.5 in September to 80.4 October in the wake of share market chaos that has helped to fuel the deepening sense of economic gloom facing the currency bloc.

The release of the commission's latest survey comes just one week before the European Central Bank is expected to cut interest rates to help shore up investor and economic confidence.

Berlin - German unemployment fell more than expected in October, defying the economic gloom facing the nation, data released Thursday showed.

After dropping by a revised 28,000 in September, seasonally adjusted unemployment fell by another 26,000 to 3.151 million in October, Germany's Federal Labour Office said.

This resulted in the unemployment rate edging down from 7.6 per cent in September to 7.5 per cent in October.

Berlin - German unemployment fell more than expected in October, defying the economic gloom facing the nation, data released Thursday showed.

After dropping by 29,000 in September, seasonally adjusted unemployment fell by another 26,000 to 3.151 million in October, Germany's Federal Labour Office said.

Analysts had expected the numbers out of work in Europe's biggest economy would drop by 10,000 in October amid signs Germany's labour market has so far managed to escape the fallout from the financial crisis triggered by the global credit crunch.

Berlin - Plaster crumbles off building facades and when the street car rumbles by, the ground shakes a bit. 

At first sight Berlin's Alte Schoenhauser Street looks like an ordinary residential street. But in fact this is where the city's young fashion scene pulsates in row after row of designer shops. The area near the Hackeschen Hoefe has become so well-known in the fashion world that it has boosted Berlin's reputation as one of Europe's most important fashion centres to a position on par with Paris, Milan and London. 

Tourists who explore the area just north of downtown Berlin will find that they can both admire the newest styles and buy them.