Berlin - Leaders of Germany's Social Democratic Party (SPD) met in Berlin on Saturday to approve an election manifesto designed to win over voters with promises of more cash.

Key points of the platform are tax cuts and state handouts for low income groups and families with children to be financed in part by a tax on the rich and a levy on stock transactions.

Berlin - The German government's state banking fund launched its bid on Friday to take full control of troubled mortgage lender Hypo Real Estate (HRE).

The Financial Market Stabilization Fund (SoFFin) said its cash offer of 1.39 euros (1.82 dollars) per share would run until May 4. The price includes a premium of 10 per cent on the statutory minimum offer of 1.26 euros, SoFFin said.

The takeover was made possible by a special law which came into effect on April 9.

Berlin  - At least 24 p

Berlin  - Lance Armstrong will definitely compete in this year's Giro d'Italia despite breaking his right collarbone less than a month ago, the Gazzetta dello Sport reported Thursday.

The seven-time Tour de France winner has reportedly confirmed his participation in the Giro, which starts on May 9 in Venice, to race organizers.

However, the 37-year-old American rider won't be fully fit due to the injury sustained on March 23 when he crashed on stage one of the Vuelta a Castilla y Leon in Spain.

Berlin  - Germany is likely to stay away from a UN meeting against racism next week in Geneva amid western concerns that the event may take on anti-Semitic overtones, a senior official confirmed in Berlin Thursday.

To the dismay of UN human rights chief Navi Pillay, the United States, Australia and other western nations have objected to wording about Israel in a draft declaration and said they do not plan to send any envoys to the five-day meeting in Switzerland.

Berlin  - Gearbox and hydraulics suppliers in Germany still have work in hand thanks to a pipeline of past orders, their federation said Thursday, four days before the industry's principal fair opens in Hanover.

The sector, a key supplier to engineering companies and the car industry, saw orders plummet in the fourth quarter of last year as business customers scrambled to reduce output and costly stockpiles of parts.