Reykjavik - Germany on Thursday welcomed Iceland's agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on a 2.1-billion-dollar loan to tide it over a major financial crisis.

The deal paves the way for a quick settlement with some 30,000 German depositors in Kaupthing Bank, one of the North Atlantic nation's three main banking groups that recently collapsed over the global credit crunch.

Germany's Finance Ministry said it welcomed "Iceland's commitment to meet its obligations to depositors and ensure the fair, equal and non-discriminatory treatment of creditors."

Stuttgart - The crisis in the automobile industry is likely to get worse, the chi

Berlin - Smoke from a fire in the empty quarantine station at Berlin's Tegel Airport reduced visibility for planes taking off and landing Thursday, but an airport spokesman said there were no cancellations.

In continuous rain, firefighters worked to extinguish the blaze in a building where passengers with dangerous infectious diseases and illegally imported animals are normally kept. It had not been in use Thursday.

The spokesman said no one was injured. Tegel, which is one of Berlin's two international airports, is destined for closure when the other airport, Schoenefeld, has been redeveloped.

Hamburg - Indifferent Bayern Munich have Bundesliga history on their side when they host Energie Cottbus while the omens are not good for TSG Hoffenheim.

Munich have won all five previous home games against the bottom side Cottbus and hope to complete the half dozen on Saturday after throwing away a 2-0 lead for the third time this season in a 2-2 draw at Borussia Moenchengladbach last weekend.

Hoffenheim, meanwhile, travel to Cologne for a meeting of promoted sides. Cologne were the only team to beat Hoffenheim twice last season in the second division.

Leaders Bayer Leverkusen are also not assured of winning at Arminia Bielefeld, having beaten them only once in their last seven league dates and last won there in 1999.

Berlin, Nov. 20 : England football skipper John Terry pulled off a `Great Escape’ to help his team beat Germany here last night.

After Matthew Upson’s opener, Terry gifted the Germans a soft equaliser when his mix-up left cursed keeper Scott Carson stranded. Terry, however, came storming back to the rescue with a brave 84th-minute winner to give Fabio Capello a magnificent end to his first full year in charge.

Hamburg  - Celebrating Christmas with family remains very important to young people even in times when attending the traditional Christmas Eve religious service has lost its meaning for many people. Some don't even know what the holiday is all about.

"In a mobile world the family is an anchor," said Sabine Koppe of a Hamburg-based organization that follows trends in an interview with Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa. That's why holidays such as Christmas carry a lot of weight.