Germany

India and Germany to intensify cooperation

New Delhi, Nov 21: German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier who is on a three-day maiden visit to India to enhance bilateral ties between the two countries, met Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee last evening.

Issues like current global economic crisis and environment protection are likely to be the focus during his visit.

The issue of escalating violence in Afghanistan is also expected to come up during his discussions with Indian leaders.

A delegation of businessmen is accompanying Steinmeier.

Steinmeier will inaugurate new German Consulate General in IT city Bangalore.

German defence minister vows support for UN fight against piracy

German defence minister vows support for UN fight against piracyNew York - German Defence Minister Franz Josef Jung promised UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon assistance in the fight against piracy off the Somalia coast during a meeting Thursday in New York.

In dealing with the surge in piracy in the Gulf of Aden the international community needs a clear operation plan, said Jung.

"Where German interests are concerned, we will ensure that a condemnation of the pirates takes place," said the defence minister.

Makeover planned for Hitler's Baltic Sea hotel colossus

Makeover planned for Hitler's Baltic Sea hotel colossusProra, Germany  - The windows are either broken or boarded up, the roof is leaking and the plaster is crumbling from the walls. But the monumental steel and concrete structure planned as a Nazi-era holiday complex has survived otherwise unscathed.

The gigantic building in the Baltic Sea resort of Prora on the island of Ruegen was part of Hitler's so-called Strength Through Joy programme to keep Germans fit and healthy.

German advisers peg back 2009 economic forecast

Stuttgart - Germany's council of five economic advisers pegged back Thursday to its growth prediction for next year from nil growth to a shrinkage of 0.2 per cent.

German Foreign Minister meets Advani

Frank-Walter SteinmeierNew Delhi, Nov 20 : German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier met the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Lal KrishnaAdvani in New Delhi on Thursday.

Steinmeier is also scheduled to meet Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee during the course of his visit.

Steinmeier, who is also vice-chancellor of Germany, is on a three-day maiden visit to India, to discuss various bilateral issues including enhancing trade ties between the two countries.

Issues like current global economic crisis and environment protection are likely to be the focus during his visit.

Tsvangirai calls on Mugabe to end political impasse in Zimbabwe

ZimbabweBerlin - Zimbabwean prime minister-designate Morgan Tsvangirai said Thursday he was confident of an end to the political impasse holding up the formation of a government of national unity.

Speaking after talks with German officials, he said this would come after issues relating to the definition of the prime minister's powers and the allocation of government ministries had been resolved.

"We will find a solution. It may take some time, but we will find a solution. The position of President Robert Mugabe is untenable," he said in an interview with Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa.

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