Berlin welcomes Spanish idea for EU economic ‘government’
Europe's powerhouse Germany gave a cautious welcome on Friday to proposals from the European Union's new Spanish presidency for a form of "government" for the bloc on economic issues.
Day: January 8, 2010
Germany
Sweden
‘Sweden world’s most expensive country’: index
Sweden's status as a country with high quality living standards for its residents has been questioned in a newly published index, which claims it is the most costly country in the world to live in.
Sweden
GM begins official Saab wind-down
General Motors have taken the decision to start official proceedings to wind down the Saab Automobile organisation in Trollhättan.
Sweden
GM confirms multiple Saab bidders
General Motors confirmed on Friday that it has received a number of bids for Swedish unit Saab Automobile.
Germany
St. Pius X brotherhood attacks Catholic bishops
A priest from the controversial Catholic splinter group the Society of St. Pius X on Friday attacked several German bishops for allegedly betraying Pope Benedict XVI and the Church.
Sweden
Swedish ex-Nazi ‘proud’ of Auschwitz sign role
Former neo-Nazi Anders Högström has come clean in the Swedish media about his part in the theft and subsequent recovery of the "Arbeit Macht Frei" sign from the Auschwitz death camp.
Germany
Döner kebabs take hold in Vietnam
The döner kebab, Germany’s most famous street snack, is making a splash in the unlikely city of Hanoi, Vietnam thanks to an enterprising cook at the Goethe Institute.
Sweden
Police rescue green-eyed lover caught up in tree house drama
A jealous wife became stuck in her son’s tree house hideaway after running off with her husband’s mobile to secretly check his text messages, newspaper Kvällsposten reports. The phone came in handy when she was forced to call police to aid her escape.
Germany
Germany ranked world’s fourth best place to live
Germany has been ranked the world's fourth best place to live by the 2010 Quality of Life Index, compiled by travel magazine International Living.
Sweden
Hat-trick of Swedish universities make world top 100
Karolinska Institutet, Uppsala University and Stockholm University have made the grade in a new list of the world’s top 100 higher education establishments.
Germany
German companies falter in global market value rankings
Only four German companies are among the world’s top 100 most valuable firms – half as many as the previous year, according to a study published this week.
Germany
Ruhr Valley’s European culture celebrations to defy deep freeze
After three years of preparations, Germany’s industrial Ruhr Valley will kick off its year as a European Capital of Culture this weekend with elaborate celebrations aiming to withstand a looming winter storm.
Sweden
H&M under scrutiny for damaged clothes dump
An article in the New York Times has alleged that H&M garments are purposely being damaged and dumped by the Swedish high street fashion chain, rather than being donated to charity.
Germany
Winter storm on the way
Arctic air dumped almost 30 centimetres of snow on the Baltic island of Rügen on Friday, as weather experts predicted another storm would likely blanket the rest of the country with plenty of the white stuff over the weekend.
Sweden
Tooth and nail meet over McDonald’s burger
A trip to McDonald’s for Gothenburg resident Yusuf Bercil proved more than he could chew after biting into his burger and chomping on a nail two-centimetres in length, Metro reports.
Germany
Majority of Germans against Merkel’s tax cuts
The majority of Germans are against the new centre-right coalition’s latest tax cuts, a poll released by public broadcaster ARD on Friday revealed.
Sweden
Swedish group eyes Saab sale: report
A group led by a Swedish truck industry veteran and a former government minister has expressed an interest in buying Saab Automobile from US owner General Motors.
Sweden
Spyker confirms revised Saab bid
Dutch sports car maker Spyker has confirmed that it submitted a renewed bid for Saab Automobile before the expiry of General Motors' Thursday evening deadline.
Germany
Bike couriers grappling with enduring snow and ice
While most workers can retreat to the warmth of their offices or cars during the harsh winter weather, bike messengers across Germany have been braving the cold – but not without a few extra layers.
Germany
Report confirms China overtakes German exports
Official numbers from the Germany’s Federal Statistics Office (Destatis) on Friday have confirmed that China has surpassed Germany as the world's leading exporter.
Sweden
Formula One boss face of last-minute Saab bid
British sports magnate Bernie Ecclestone has teamed up with the Luxembourg investment firm that is launching a last-minute rescue bid for Swedish carmaker Saab, according to media reports.
Sweden
Charity line changed during live TV broadcast
A number for Swedes to donate money during a charity TV event broadcast in December was mysteriously changed while the programme was on air.
Germany
Sparkasse announces refunds for 2010 glitch
Shoppers hit by a "Year 2010" computer bug that has rendered their bank cards useless will be compensated for any fees accrued through alternative payment, the German Savings Bank Association (DSGV) told daily Bild on Friday.
Sweden
SAS in talks over stake in Estonian airline
Representatives from Nordic airline SAS will meet with Estonian government officials next week who have called for talks to discuss a state takeover of SAS's holding in Estonian Air.