Berlin’s fashion scene struts into the future
As Berlin’s Fashion Week hits full swing, The Local’s Ruth Michaelson tries to parse the importance of haute couture in Germany’s famously “poor but sexy” capital.
Day: January 20, 2011
Germany
Sweden
Health system wait times improve in Sweden
While Sweden’s health system now delivers care to 90 percent of patients within prescribed time limits, social affairs minister Göran Hägglund believes too many Swedes are forced to wait too long for the care they need.
Germany
Solar subsidies slashed
The solar industry has struck a deal with the German government to have the solar power subsidy slashed by up to 15 percent this year as demand for photovoltaic panels booms.
Germany
Germany stands by Schengen veto
Germany said Thursday it would continue to oppose Romania and Bulgaria joining Europe's visa-free Schengen zone until the two countries had eliminated concerns about endemic corruption.
Sweden
Swedes: older, fatter and drinking more
The average Swede may be getting older, fatter and drinking more, but he also cares more about the environment, according to new study.
Germany
Flooded Lower Saxon county raises disaster alarm
The Lower Saxon county of Lüneburg raised a disaster alarm on Thursday as continuing floods on the Elbe River reached critical levels, but in other affected regions authorities reported floodwaters had begun to recede.
Sweden
‘No housing bubble in Sweden’: central bank
Sweden's central bank, the Riksbank, does not see a housing bubble or bubble-like behaviour in the housing market, according to a high-ranking official at the institution.
Germany
Cost of groceries to keep climbing
German shoppers face higher grocery bills with the price of food climbing faster than the general cost of living, government figures released Thursday revealed.
Germany
St. Pauli strippers get sent off
Hamburg football club St. Pauli has shown the red card to strippers performing inside a corporate box owned by one of the city's many lap dance clubs – but they can dance once matches are over.
Sweden
Most popular Swedish baby names unveiled
Move over, Alice and Lucas. Maja and Oscar have taken over as the most popular names for children born in Sweden, new statistics show.
Sweden
Sweden ‘strong like Pippi Longstocking’: OECD
The head of the OECD compared the strength of the Swedish economy to that of the popular Astrid Lindgren's character during a conference in Stockholm on Thursday.
Sweden
Söderling reaches Aussie Open’s third round
Sweden's Robin Söderling marched into the third round at the Australian Open without dropping a set on Thursday, improving on his previous best performance at his weakest Grand Slam event.
Germany
Over 100 kilos of dope found in car
German customs officials have announced the discovery of over 100 kilogrammes of hashish and marijuana worth an estimated €620,000 in a car parked at a rest stop near Hannover.
Germany
Frankfurt Airport bus rams crowd, killing one
A young woman was killed and at least five people injured when a bus ploughed into a group of workers at Frankfurt Airport Thursday morning, police have announced.
Germany
Soldier may have killed comrade in prank
A German soldier messing around with a gun may have accidentally shot dead a comrade in Afghanistan, a parliamentary committee has heard, amid suggestions of a military cover-up.
Sweden
Sony Ericsson posts profit as sales fall
Mobile phone manufacturer Sony Ericsson on Thursday reported a return to profit in 2010 thanks to its Android-based smartphones but its fourth quarter earnings and sales fell far short of analyst expectations.
Germany
What’s on in Germany: January 20 – 26
This week's highlights: Jazz in Cologne, mannequins in Frankfurt, and a festival of English and Irish film in Berlin.
Sweden
Swedish watchdog fines two banks over funds
The Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority has fined both Swedbank and Handelsbanken for shortcomings in their depositary bank functions, the agency said in a statement on Thursday.
Germany
Corpses found after mystery house explosion
Two charred bodies have been found in the ruins of a house that exploded overnight, authorities announced Wednesday. One of the bodies was found in the home’s cellar.
Germany
German militant reported killed in Bagram base attack
A German national who joined al-Qaida was killed in an attack last year on the Bagram military base in Afghanistan, militants said in an online statement picked up by a US monitoring group.
Sweden
Gothenburg woman with syphilis sold sex
A woman with syphilis sold sex in Gothenburg through most of the autumn of 2010 without informing clients that she had the disease, according to a news report.
Germany
Death on navy ship sparked ‘mutiny’
The death of a young woman sailor on the traditional German navy training ship the Gorch Fock last year sparked what has been described as a “mutiny” by the crew, an investigation has revealed.
Sweden
Sweden deports Iraqi refugees amid protests
Despite widespread protests, Sweden deported 20 people back to Iraq on Wednesday after they had been denied asylum, police said.