Berlin - Germany is to widen and dredge the Kiel Canal, a key access route to the Baltic

Berlin  - Energy consumption is increasingly a factor for consumers deciding on which computers, monitors, printers, and other high-tech products to buy.

Berlin - German officials are drafting legislation to imprison men for up to 10 years if they obtain sexual services from women forced into prostitution, according to the news magazine Der Spiegel on Saturday.

A Justice Ministry spokesman confirmed to Deutsche Presse-Agentur that a discussion document about the bill was under review, but gave no details.

He said the parties in Chancellor Angela Merkel's coalition had agreed to clamp down on prostitution by duress.

Regular prostitution is legal in Germany, with cities zoning land for brothels. Prostitutes appear on TV and pay income tax.

Berlin  -  A "Book of the Berlin Wall" to be issued this year is to tell the life stories of

Berlin   - The German government increased Friday its earthquake relief grant to China to 1.5 million euros (2.3 million dollars), saying the money would be sent via the Red Cross.

Earlier in the week Berlin had appropriated 500,000 euros for relief. The Foreign Ministry in Berlin said the tripled sum would buy relief materials for distribution by the Chinese Red Cross.

Berlin - British-based Vodafone is to buy out its minority partners in its Arcor fixed-line