Scientists prove humans bred with Neanderthals
For the first time ever, German scientists have drafted a genome sequence for the Neanderthal and believe their results show that the extinct hominid interbred with humans.
Day: May 6, 2010
Germany
Germany
Profitable Commerzbank reassures on Greek debt
Germany's Commerzbank, hard hit by the financial crisis, announced on Thursday a return to quarterly profit and sought to reassure investors about its exposure to Greek debt.
Germany
Industrial orders surge as economy rebounds
Demand for German manufactured goods soared 5.0 percent in March driven by both domestic demand and exports, in a further sign of recovery in Europe's top economy, provisional figures showed Thursday.
Sweden
Sweden increases refugee forecast again
Sweden's Migration Board (Migrationsverket) has increased its forecast to 31,000 for the number of people expected to seek asylum this year. It has also requested an additional 60 million kronor ($7.86 million) in 2010 to cope with the increased pressure.
Germany
Documenting the heart of Nazi terror
On the eve of the 65th anniversary of the end to World War II in Europe, Berlin this Friday opens a sombre new museum documenting the heart of the Nazis' terror regime.
Sweden
Greek crisis sparks Swedish sell-off
The Greek crisis now spreading across Europe has sparked a sell-off on the Stockholm Stock Exchange. A record number of transactions were recorded by online brokers.
Sweden
Surge in applications to start free schools
The Schools Inspectorate (Skolinspektionen) has received 36 percent more applications to start independent 'free' schools or to expand existing institutions for the autumn term of 2011. The agency received 689 applications by March 31st, the end of the 2010 application period, compared to 506 in 2009.
Germany
Sarkozy and Merkel push stricter eurozone rules
French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel have called for a budget crackdown in the eurozone to protect its single currency on the eve a major summit on the European debt crisis.
Sweden
A prince of the people?
Some traditionalists in Sweden were irked when Crown Princess Victoria announced she was marrying a commoner. But her choice of Daniel Westling is very much in line with her European royal contemporaries, writes The Local's royal correspondent, Juan Navas.
Sweden
Gotland ruins open up for weddings
The ruins in the medieval city of Visby on Gotland are set to become one of the more offbeat choices for Swedish couples to tie the marital knot after Gotland's Museum took over the sites and loosened up rental restrictions.
Germany
Court rules against extra welfare payment for disabled kids
Seriously disabled children of Hartz IV welfare benefits recipients have no right to additional benefits, Germany's Federal Social Court ruled Thursday.
Germany
Löw announces World Cup squad
German Coach Joachim Löw has selected seven players from Champions League finalists Bayern Munich for the World Cup squad including recalling veteran goalkeeper Hans-Jörg Butt.
Germany
HRE investors outraged as ‘fat cat’ banker sues
Investors in one of Germany's biggest casualties of the banking crisis cried foul on Thursday as the former head of Hypo Real Estate sued for millions of euros (dollars) in lost salary and pension benefits.
Germany
No homicide charge for father of Winnenden killer
The father of Tim Kretschmer, the teenager who shot dead 15 people at his former school in Winnenden last year, will not face charges of negligent homicide as previously expected, a court announced Thursday.
Sweden
Airports suffer drop after volcano ash
The number of passengers passing through the 14 Swedish airports owned by Swedish state company Swedavia fell 25 percent in April, largely due to the Icelandic volcanic eruption.
Sweden
Bankruptcies fall 25 percent in April
Corporate bankruptcies have continued to decline in Sweden, falling 25 percent in April compared to the same period last year.
Germany
Air Berlin reveals scope of volcano damage
The knock-on damage to airlines because of last month’s volcano ash cloud over Europe is becoming clear after Germany’s second biggest carrier, Air Berlin, on Thursday revealed a sharp drop in the number of seats it filled in April.
Germany
What’s on in Germany: May 6 – 12
This Week's Highlights: A new park opens at Berlin's Tempelhof Airport, Hamburg holds a big birthday bash for it's celebrated port, and Nathalie Merchant plays Cologne.
Sweden
Undertakers count cost of drunken coffin spillage
A Swedish firm of funeral directors has agreed to pay 15,000 kronor to two sisters after their father's coffin was tipped without grace into an open grave by pallbearers unsteady on their feet.
Sweden
Cranes – and nature-lovers – flock to Swedish lake
The deafening sound hits you way before the sight: piercing shrieks coming from wet marshlands in western Sweden that host one of the world's largest gatherings of migratory cranes.
Sweden
Depleted Långholmen claim first point
Långholmen claimed their first points of the season after holding Vagnhärad, who will be bitterly disappointed that they did not take more from the match against a weakened Stripes.
Germany
New Topography of Terror museum to open
After two decades of planning, the new museum “Topography of Terror”, marking the site of the Nazi SS and Gestapo headquarters, will be unveiled on Thursday.
Germany
SPD refuses support for Greece package
The opposition Social Democrats appeared set to deny the government support for the rescue package for Greece Thursday, blowing a hole in government hopes of bipartisanship on the controversial issue.
Sweden
Imam charged with sex offences
A 48-year-old imam who teaches children about the Koran has been charged with sexually molesting an 11-year-old female student.
Germany
Police scramble after toy gun spotted at Merkel rally
Three people were arrested after a woman holding what appears to have been a cap gun in an apartment window sparked a police operation during a North Rhine-Westphalia campaign speech by Angela Merkel on Wednesday night.
Sweden
Alliance coalition pulls ahead of opposition: poll
The shadow budget and International Worker's Day celebrations do not seem to have benefited the left-green opposition who have fallen behind the government parties in the latest voter opinion poll by Demoskop.
Sweden
Woman dies after passive euthanasia ruling
A 32-year-old woman who was completely paralysed and had been on life support since she was six, died on Wednesday after her respirator was unplugged, in Sweden's first case of euthanasia, a Stockholm hospital said.