Apr 23rd, 2008 · A new political party in Germany has made saving the working class and the country's welfare system rallying points for attracting votes. Die Linke, or the Left Party, is drawing support from mainstream parties with a radical message.
Nov 5th, 2008 · One of the things investors hate most is uncertainty. And there is a little bit more certainty because the U.S. election has been decided. Stock investors in Asia showed signs of relief. Japan's main index ended the day up more than 4 percent. Hong Kong rallied more than 3 percent. Markets in Australia, South Korea and China also ended the day sharply higher. European stocks are trading lower. Markets in France, Germany and Britain are being dragged down by shares of troubled banks.
Nov 2nd, 2008 · Host Andrea Seabrook tells the story of how a smart octopus named Otto managed to keep the officials at Germany's Sea Star Aquarium in the dark — literally.
Oct 20th, 2008 · Norway was planning to make a bid to host the 2018 Winter Olympics. It has dropped those plans, in part because of the economic crisis. After a government study raised the projected costs of hosting the Olympic games to nearly $5 billion — or double the initial estimate — Norway's Olympic Committee decided not to go ahead with a bid. Other cities still hoping to host the 2018 Olympics include Munich, Germany, and Reno-Tahoe, Nevada.
Oct 17th, 2008 · Anne-Sophie Mutter is one of the busiest musicians around, complete with new recordings, new pieces to premiere and seemingly endless concert tours. But when she's relaxing at home in Germany, she lists Ella Fitzgerald and La Bohème among her musical favorites.
Oct 17th, 2008 · The global financial crisis is ratcheting up fears of recession. Germany's "rust belt" has been hit hard by the economic slowdown. In Bochum, the largest employer is the European car company Opel which is owned by General Motors. Autoworkers there expect the situation to get worse.
Oct 13th, 2008 · Stock markets soared after European governments announced a series of giant financial rescue plans. The packages were unveiled by Great Britain, Germany, France, Italy and others. They involve government guarantees of bank lending, as well as cash injections into troubled banks. The rescue plans may involve pay limits for CEOs, and the government taking equity stakes. Great Britain's plan involves the government buying shares in three big financial institutions, and becoming an owner of these once-private banks. The U.S. Treasury is also working on a similar plan.
Oct 9th, 2008 · Germans have a tradition of being careful with their money. Germany went through two financial meltdowns in the last century and the memory of these events explains why many Germans were shocked to discover the fragility of some of their commercial banks.