Stuttgart  - Lounging on the beach is one way to spend the summer holidays. Too boring?

Berlin - The German government is firmly against applying pressure to Ireland over the ratification of the European Union's reform treaty following the Irish no in a referendum last week, government officials said Wednesday.

Speaking ahead of an EU summit in Brussels Thursday and Friday, the German officials said Ireland had to be given time to analyze and assess the situation.

"We are not going to point a pistol at them," a high-ranking source said. "We must give the Irish government time to consult."

Niederkruechten, Germany  - Police were Wednesday searching for a drug sm

Frankfurt - Fiat's planned super-low-cost car for emerging markets will be priced well above the Nano, the no-frills model promised by Tata of India, according to the chief of the Italian group's c

Berlin - The German Foreign Ministry welcomed Wednesday the
announcement of an Egyptian-mediated ceasefire between Israel and the
militant Hamas group aimed at ending months of violence in the Gaza
Strip.

The accord has the potential noticeably to improve security in
Israel as well as the economic situation of the people in Gaza,
spokesman Martin Jaeger said.

The truce is due to take effect at 6 am (0300 GMT) Thursday,
following which Israel is expected to ease crossing restrictions after
24 hours.

Israel imposed a blockade of the Gaza Strip in response to
near-daily rocket and mortar attacks on its southern towns and villages
and tightened it after Hamas seized sole control of Gaza in June 2007.

Berlin - The German cabinet approved the second phase of a major energy-saving and climate-protection package Wednesday, aimed at cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 40 per cent of 1990 levels by 2