Berlin  - With failing eyesight, many older people find the only books they can read are the 200 or 300 on the large-print shelves, yet the available, mainly thrillers and adventure stories are not necessarily to their taste.

In the past they could only dream of the e-book - a device that would allow to choose from hundreds of thousands of library books, yet would also be affordable on a pensioner's budget and not require to attend a computer class before use.

Berlin  - Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa is to start a bilingual German-Turkish Service next April to serve Germany's ethnic Turkish population, the agency announced Friday.

The service, which initially will produce around 50 news and feature stories daily, will be aimed at Turkish-language media in Germany and abroad, and also German newspapers, radio stations and online services.

"As the leading German news agency, we see this project as an important contribution to increasing media use by ethnic Turkish people who have made Germany their home, and helping their integration," said dpa Chief Foreign Editor Heinz-Rudolf Othmerding.

Berlin - Tensions grew Thursday within German Chancellor Angela Merkel's ruling coalition over plans to spur growth in Europe's biggest economy in the face of the global economic slowdown.

A leading member of Merkel's conservative bloc roundly lashed out at German Finance Minister Peer Steinbrueck over his criticism of Britain's attempt to limit the fallout from the economic downturn by boosting public spending.

Berlin - A family of Germans who converted to radical Islam will not be facing any charges when they are returned to their homeland from Egypt, an official said Thursday.

Egypt deported the family of five the previous day.

They had reported ripped up their German passports, saying they did not want to belong to "a nation of infidels."

None of the family is fluent in Arabic, which made communication with Egyptian police difficult.

Berlin - Europe is gearing up to mark a series of major anniversaries next year, defining moments both in terms of European as well as world history.

Besides the 70th anniversary of the start of the Second World War, which began when Hitler's troops marched into Poland on September 1, 1939, 2009 will also mark the 20th anniversary of the fall of communism across Central Europe.

Starting with democratic elections in Poland in June 1989, the year of change across Central Europe culminated in November of that year with the fall of the Berlin Wall. That event became a symbol of the end of the Cold War and Europe's post-Second World War divide.

Berlin - Human rights is to remain as a component in German foreign policy, Chancellor Angela Merkel said Wednesday.

"We should not remain silent when there is an issue of human rights," said Merkel, whose chancellorship has been marked by friction with some governments on what she sees as rights issues.

Germany would support human rights all over the world, she said, adding that Berlin had a "values-driven" foreign policy.