Berlin - Germany's far-right National Democratic Party (NPD) lost on Tuesday a legal appeal against a stinging fine for abuse of the government subsidies which are granted to all German political parties in proportion to their votes and fund-raising.

The fine, of 870,000 euros, was deducted last year by federal parliamentary officials from the annual grant to the anti-foreigner NPD, which has seats in two of the 16 German states but no representation at federal level.

Guetersloh, Germany - Bertelsmann appointed on Tuesday a 39-year-old German, Markus

Berlin  - German investor confidence fell marginally in May, according to a key indicator released Tuesday by the Mannheim-based Centre for European Economic Research (ZEW).

Beijing  - The Chinese government on Tuesday criticized a German minister's meeting with the Dalai Lama as meddling in China's domestic affairs.