by Hui Min Neo Agence France Presse BERLIN, Germany — (AFP) Chancellor Angela Merkel on Sunday vowed to work with the Social Democrats for the “good of Germany”, after the centre-left party agreed to join her new coalition, but the veteran leader will go into her fourth term with weaker cards than before. Two in three of the SPD’s rank and file voting in a make or break referendum backed a new partnership with […]
Tag: Germany
Infineon, SAIC set up electric car joint venture in China
FRANKFURT AM MAIN, Germany (AFP) — German computer chip maker Infineon said Friday it is teaming up with China’s biggest carmaker, SAIC Motor Corporation, to produce power modules for the Chinese electric car market, the world’s biggest. Infineon said in a statement it will hold a 49-percent stake in the new Shanghai-based company, SAIC Infineon Automotive Power Modules (SIAPM), which will make inverters — vital parts that convert power from the battery to a form […]
New take on real-life hijack drama in ‘7 Days in Entebbe’
by Frank Zeller Agence France-Presse BERLIN, Germany (AFP) — The counter-terrorism plot seems more far-fetched than many action thrillers, yet “7 Days in Entebbe,” which premiered at the Berlin film festival Monday, depicts a real-life airline hijack drama. The movie recounts what is often called the most audacious hostage rescue mission ever staged, Israel’s 1976 “Operation Thunderbolt” in Uganda, but aims to be more than a tale of military heroism. Instead, Brazilian director Jose Padilha […]
Fans stay away as Napoli slump to Leipzig in Europa League
NAPLES, Italy (AFP) — Timo Werner scored a brace as RB Leipzig took a big step towards the Europa League last-16 on Thursday with a 3-1 comeback win at Serie A leaders Napoli. Algerian international Adam Ounas had put Napoli ahead after 52 minutes at a sparsely-attended San Paolo Stadium only for Ralph Hasenhuettl’s side to battle back with three late goals in the last 32, first leg tie. German international Werner equalised after 61 minutes with […]
In German political chaos, ‘rubble woman’ to the rescue
by Frank Zeller Agence France-Presse BERLIN, Germany (AFP) – Germany’s chaos-wracked Social Democrats have named Andrea Nahles as their designated next leader, meaning women will soon be in the driver’s seats of the two biggest parties and shifting a long-skewed gender balance in politics. Alongside Chancellor Angela Merkel, Nahles is set to join a growing band of women heading, or co-leading, German political parties despite the fact that female lawmakers still account for fewer than one third […]
Five things to look for at the Berlin film festival
by Deborah Cole BERLIN, Germany (AFP) — The Berlin film festival, Europe’s first major cinema showcase since the Harvey Weinstein sex abuse scandal roiled the industry, starts Thursday with 400 new movies slated and a controversy of its own brewing. US filmmaker Wes Anderson will kick off the race for the Golden Bear top prize with the animated feature “Isle of Dogs,” voiced by a starry cast including Bryan Cranston, Bill Murray, Jeff Goldblum and […]
Airbus to pay 81 mn euros to end German corruption probe
by Michelle FITZPATRICK Agence France-Presse FRANKFURT AM MAIN, Germany (AFP) — European aircraft manufacturer Airbus on Friday said it had agreed to pay a fine of 81.25 million euros ($99 million) to end a German corruption probe into the 2003 sale of Eurofighter jets to Austria. Prosecutors in Munich said in a statement that their investigation did not find evidence of bribery to secure the lucrative contract. But they said Airbus management had failed in […]
Merkel ready for ‘painful compromises’ to seal govt deal
by Deborah COLE and Michelle FITZPATRICK in Frankfurt Agence France-Presse BERLIN, Germany (AFP) – German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she was prepared to make “painful compromises” as she headed in a final round of talks Tuesday to seal a coalition deal for her fourth term and end months of political limbo in Europe’s top economy. As negotiators from Merkel’s CDU party, her Bavarian CSU ally and the Social Democratic Party (SPD) gathered for one last push to […]
A visit to Heidelberg Castle in Germany
The Heidelberg Castle is said to be the top attraction of the romantic Old Town of Heidelberg, Germany. The oldest parts of the castle date back to the 12th century. With the passing of time, the castle expanded. The architecture shows the development from Gothic to Renaissance eras. The Heidelberg Castle became the prince elector’s residence. However, lightning, fires and wars destroyed parts of the castle. But even then, it has remained to this time […]
Deutsche Bank shares slump as US tax reforms sap 2017 result
by Tom Barfield Agence France-Presse FRANKFURT AM MAIN, Germany (AFP) – Shares in Germany’s biggest lender Deutsche Bank plunged on Friday after it said that President Donald Trump’s tax reforms in the US pushed it into the red in 2017. Deutsche Bank shares fell more than five percent to around 14 euros ($17.5) at the start of trade on Friday, pulling the overall market down by around 0.5 percent. Earlier, the Frankfurt-based bank had said that its […]
Polish PM defends Holocaust bill that upset Israel, Ukraine
by Anna Maria Jakubek Agence France-Presse WARSAW, Poland (AFP) — Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki on Thursday defended a controversial Holocaust bill intended to safeguard his country’s image abroad but which has instead drawn dismay from Israel, the US, the EU and Ukraine. The head of the conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party government spoke after the senate approved the legislation, which sets fines or a maximum three-year jail term for anyone who refers to Nazi German […]
Germany asks US court to drop Namibian genocide suit
BERLIN, Germany (AFP) — The German government said Friday it had asked a US court to throw out a lawsuit brought by indigenous groups from Namibia seeking reparations for the genocide of their peoples under German colonial rule. It was the first time Berlin has formally responded to the class-action suit launched by the Herero and Nama people last year over the tens of thousands killed in the 1904-1908 massacres. Berlin’s position “is that the […]





