Berlin - The outgoing leader of Germany's Social Democrats (SPD), Kurt Beck, weighed into unnamed members within his party Tuesday for "leaking misinformation" to the media, in a statement explaining his unexpected decision to quite as federal chairman.
Beck, premier of the western state of Rhineland-Palatinate, said he had taken the decision after due consideration and "intense self- examination."
Speaking to journalists in the state capital of Mainz, Beck said "deliberate untruths" had been planted in the media about him on Saturday.
Berlin - A surge in imports caused an unexpected cut in Germany's trade surplus for July, according to figures released by the federal statistics office Tuesday, in further evidence of an economic slowdown in Europe's largest economy.
Imports rose 16 per cent to 73.2 billion euros (103 billion dollars), with imports from outside the European Union (EU) soaring 20 per cent to 26.2 billion euros.
Germany's trade surplus fell to 13.9 billion euros, from a surplus of 18.1 billion in July 2007.
In June, the trade balance was 19.9 billion euros in surplus.
Berlin A major development project designed to reshape a part of east Berlin along the banks of the River Spree moves a tiny step closer to completion this week.
The site cuts through three of Berlin's twelve districts and crosses the border which formerly divided the city into East and West. Projects already realized under the Mediaspree label include futuristic office high rises as well as redeveloped industrial sites.
But the drastic change the project has caused to the city's landscape has also aroused fierce protest.
One objection is to a large multi-purpose arena accommodating up to 17 000 visitors, which opens on Wednesday after two years of construction.
Berlin - The powerful German metalworkers union IG Metall announced Monday it would seek a wage increase of between 7 and 8 per cent for 3.6 million workers in the key sector, its highest demand in 16 years.
IG Metall boss Berthold Huber told journalists in Frankfurt discussions with shop stewards were continuing and that the final demand should become clear in a fortnight.
Berlin - Ambitious plans by electricity group Vattenfall to capture carbon dioxide from power stations and dump it deep underground came under fire Monday, a day before a pilot plant near Berlin goes into operation.
Vattenfall sees carbon capture and storage (CCS) as a key answer to global warming, which is largely blamed on CO2 released when fossil fuels burn. But environmentalists charge that the technology uses far more energy than existing power generation.
Berlin - The outgoing leader of Germany's Social Democrats (SPD), Kurt Beck, weighed into unnamed members within his party Tuesday for "leaking misinformation" to the media, in a statement explaining his unexpected decision to quite as federal chairman.
Berlin - A surge in imports caused an unexpected cut in Germany's trade surplus for July, according to figures released by the federal statistics office Tuesday, in further evidence of an economic slowdown in Europe's largest economy.
Berlin - The powerful German metalworkers union IG Metall announced Monday it would seek a wage increase of between 7 and 8 per cent for 3.6 million workers in the key sector, its highest demand in 16 years.
Berlin - Germany is to increase aid to Afghanistan by 30 million euros (43 mill
Berlin - Ambitious plans by electricity group Vattenfall to capture carbon dioxide from power stations and dump it deep underground came under fire Monday, a day before a pilot plant near Berlin goes into operation.
