Forgotten German film diva Luise Rainer turns 100
Luise Rainer, a huge film star in Hollywood in the 1930s and the only German actress to win an Oscar, celebrates her 100th birthday on Tuesday.
Day: January 12, 2010
Germany
Germany
Court orders retrial of Bad Reichenhall ice rink disaster
Germany's federal appeals court ordered on Tuesday the retrial of a surveyor who had given a clean bill of health to a hall housing an ice rink in that killed 15 people when it collapsed in 2006.
Germany
Dozens rescued from gondola by helicopter
A Bavarian helicopter crew on Tuesday launched a dramatic rescue operation to save 43 people left dangling high in the sky after their gondola broke down, police told The Local.
Sweden
Crime figure sues police over sex club entrapment
A 48-year-old man identified as a leading figure in Stockholm's criminal underworld is suing an ex-policeman for 50 million kronor ($7 million), claiming he was set up as part of a major sex club scandal that led to ten criminal convictions in 2008.
Sweden
Crisis takes its toll on Sweden’s balance sheet
Sweden’s state finances deteriorated markedly during 2009, with the National Debt Office (Riksgälden) reporting a deficit of 176 billion kronor ($24.8 billion) for the year.
Germany
Anne Frank’s helper Miep Gies dies
The last living helper of Anne Frank and her family has died in the Netherlands just ahead of her 101st birthday, her son announced on Tuesday.
Sweden
Prison for mum who cut kids with glass and nails
A 30-year-old woman from western Stockholm charged with subjecting her three children to ‘torture-like abuse’ has been sentenced to 16 months in prison.
Sweden
Berry pickers set to keep mystery stash of cash
A group of berry pickers who came across a sizeable sum of money last summer while working in a forest outside of Växjö in southern Sweden will most likely be allowed to hang on to the mysterious loot.
Sweden
Drunken Swedish artist forgets painting four women
An artist from southern Sweden has been charged with assault for spray painting four women while in a drunken stupor.
Sweden
Sweden arrests Bosnian war crimes suspect
A 43-year-old war crimes suspect originally from Bosnia-Herzegovina was arrested on Tuesday in northern Sweden.
Germany
Poultry producer accused of massive animal abuse
German poultry producer Wiesenhof has been accused of gravely mistreating thousands of chickens and violating animal protection laws, but the company alleges that activists actually encouraged the abuse.
Sweden
Union groups: ‘Save money – sell Saab’
The heads of the local chapters of four trade unions represented at Saab headquarters in Trollhättan in south west Sweden have written a letter to US media urging General Motors to protect American taxpayers' money by saving Saab.
Sweden
Workers: ‘Save Saab from Gangster Motors’
At noon on Tuesday, thousands of Saab Automobile employees gathered outside the company’s factory in Trollhättan in western Sweden to signal their displeasure with the behaviour of Saab owner General Motors (GM).
Germany
AOL shuts down German operations
The venerable US internet services company AOL is closing its offices in Germany after 15 years, a spokesperson told branch website Meedia.de late on Monday.
Germany
Transatlantic prospects for the New Year
As 2010 begins, Dr. Jackson Janes from the American Institute for Contemporary German Studies explores how differing political priorities in Berlin and Washington could affect the transatlantic relationship this year.
Germany
Accidents close icy autobahns nationwide
Ice and snow caused one death, numerous accidents, autobahn closures and delays across Germany overnight, police reported on Tuesday.
Germany
Metro sales dip on strong euro
The German retail giant Metro, number three worldwide, said Tuesday that 2009 sales fell by 3.6 percent to €65.5 billion ($95 billion), a result of negative foreign exchange rates.
Germany
Nena becomes a grandmother, again
Just days after announcing she had become a first-time grandmother, German pop singer Nena has confirmed her prolific offspring have provided her with a second grandchild, the Bild newspaper reported on Tuesday.
Sweden
Sweden set to scrap university gender quotas
Sweden plans to ditch gender quotas for admissions to programmes at the country’s universities and colleges, according to higher education and research minister Tobias Krantz.
Germany
Nobel author Müller wants probe into those who spied on her
Romanian-born German author Herta Müller, winner of the 2009 Nobel Literature Prize, has called for an investigation into former spies now living in Germany after it was revealed she was spied on by Romania's secret police, ARD television said late on Monday.
Germany
Guttenberg invites Käßmann to Afghanistan
Defence Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg has invited the leader of Germany’s Protestant church to join him on a visit to Afghanistan after she recently called for a complete withdrawal of the country's troops.
Sweden
Danish artist’s attacker ‘tried to recruit Swedes’
Young Swedes were encouraged to join the militant Islamist group al-Shabaab by the Danish-Somali man who attacked Danish cartoonist Kurt Westergaard with an axe, according to Danish media reports.
Sweden
Continued uncertainty over fate of Saab
Saab Automobile's future remained in the balance on Monday as the head of General Motors signalled the wind-down of the Swedish carmaker was moving ahead, while other sources said that discussions continue with at least one suitor.