Cologne, Germany - A driverless runaway train carrying 1,500 tons of briquets and coal dust sped 5 kilometres through the German city of Cologne Tuesday before impacting itself in a warehouse.

Three warehouse workers were shocked but escaped injury in the sudden shambles.

The drivers, 44 and 20, of the yellow diesel engine had earlier bailed out after its brakes failed.

Helsinki - The 50-50 joint venture Nokia Siemens Networks said Tuesday it planned to cut some 1,250 jobs in Finland and Germany as part of cost-cutting measures.

The group - launched last year between Nokia and Germany's Siemens - estimated the move would impact 750 employees in Finland and about 500 employees in Munich, Germany.

The cuts in Germany were to take effect at the latest on October 2009.

After earlier cuts, transfers and voluntary severance resignations, Nokia Siemens Networks said it expected to employ 7,000 people in Finland down from some 9,200.

Berlin - German Chancellor Angela Merkel congratulated the first democratic

Lagos - German President Horst Koehler, nearing the end of a six-day visit to Nigeria, on Tuesday praised the African country for its strong forward-looking orientation.

In the southern city of Lagos, Koehler said that his visit had helped him to the realization that the country had a great deal of strength in moving forwards.

The German president said that, after the end of its military dictatorship, Nigeria was now in the third phase of democratisation. More than some other countries, Nigeria had understood that the future in a globalised world must be shaped in "genuine partnership."

Munich - United States midfielder Landon Donovan started a 10-day training camp at Bayern Munich on Tuesday and doesn't rule out a move to the German football champions.

Donovan, 26, is training in Munich in keep fit in the off-season after his club Los Angeles Galaxy failed to make the Major League Soccer playoffs. The next season starts in March.

"That's one of the best teams in the world ... If January rolls around and there's interest, and the league is willing to discuss it, I would be excited to talk about it," said Donovan recently on his home page.

Frankfurt - Rwandan President Paul Kagame entered a German prison Tuesday to speak in a visiting area with his senior aide Rose Kabuye, who is being held on suspicion of murder.

She was upbeat and ready to face the French investigators, Kagame said after leaving the women's jail near Frankfurt.

Kabuye was arrested Sunday as she arrived in Germany to prepare for Kagame's arrival the following day.

The president was invited to Germany by the Frankfurt Stock Exchange company. Kagame gave a lecture to German business people Monday evening. He did not meet with German officials. Berlin says his visit is legally a private one.