1 mln jobs saved by reducing working hours
German businesses saved over a million jobs in 2009 by reducing working hours, a new report revealed Thursday.
Day: December 24, 2009
Germany
Germany
Christmas likely to be wet, not white
Christmas Day is likely to be wet and windy throughout the country, the German weather service reported Thursday. Only southern Bavaria can hope for snowfall later in the day.
Germany
Germans still giving despite recession
The financial crisis has not affected Germany's charitable spirit, leading aid organisations reported Thursday. UNICEF, Doctors Without Borders and Caritas International are all expecting this year's private donations to be at least on a par with 2008.
Germany
Mercedes workers angry at Schumi F1 contract
The head of the Mercedes works council has expressed outrage over the expensive deal signed this week with former Formula One world champion Michael Schumacher, coming as the firm forces cost-cutting on its workforce.
Sweden
Christmas chocolate thieves caught red handed
While many a Swedish Christmas office party end in hangovers and bad judgement, the holiday revelry of one company from Växjö in southern Sweden ended with a night in jail after a chocolate robbery gone wrong.
Sweden
Woman pays hefty fine for feline-induced property damage
The district court in Kalmar in southeastern Sweden has ordered a woman to pay 200,000 kronor ($28,000) in damages to her former landlord. The court ruled that urine from the woman's 55 felines had lowered the property value of her former residence, the Barometern newspaper reports.
Sweden
Police doubt Swedish ties to Auschwitz theft
Amid speculations about a 'mysterious Swede' being behind the the theft of the Nazi "Arbeit Macht Frei" sign from Auschwitz, Swedish police have said they had no information about about a possible Swedish connection to the crime.
Sweden
AstraZeneca to acquire French Novexel
On Wednesday, Anglo-Swedish pharmaceuticals giant AstraZeneca announced a $350 million deal for the purchase of French antibiotics manufacturer Novexel.
Sweden
Woods’ womanizing no secret: Swedish golfer
Tiger Wood's extramarital activities were no secret to other golfers, Swedish LPGA star Helen Alfredsson said on Wednesday, claiming she first heard rumours about his infidelities during last summer's British Open.
Germany
Child caught ploughing snow with excavator
A seven-year-old boy was stopped by police in northern Germany while trying to plough snow with a front loader he borrowed from his parents' business, authorities said.
Germany
Deutsche Bank buys Dutch state bank
Germany's largest bank, Deutsche Bank, has completed its purchase of parts of state-owned Dutch lender ABN Amro for €700 million ($1 billion), ABN Amro said Wednesday.