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Angela Merkel with French President Francois Hollande in Berlin on Monday. Photo: DPA

Merkel finally condemns anti-refugee violence

Chancellor Angela Merkel said at a press conference on Monday that far-right demonstrations over the weekend in the Saxon town of Heidenau were completely unacceptable.

JobTalk Germany

Microsoft no longers requires employees to turn up to the office. Photo: DPA

Is Germany's home office dream disintegrating?

While working from home has long been trumpeted as a stress-free alternative to siting in an office all day long, the trend has stubbornly failed to take on in Germany.

The two men embarked at Berlin's Landsberger Allee station. Photo: Ingolf / Wikimedia Commons

Neo-Nazis urinate on children in Berlin train

Two neo-Nazis racially abused a woman and her two children on a Berlin city train this weekend before urinating on them, police said on Monday.

Leonie Müller, a 21st Century nomad. Photo: DPA

Student gives up flat to live on trains

A 23-year-old student at Tübingen University has given up her apartment in Stuttgart to live on trains, saving herself money and allowing her to keep up a hectic nomadic lifestyle.

Photo: DPA

Firemen save parrot, owner from 20m perch

Fire fighters in Lower Saxony had a double rescue mission on their hands this week, when a pet parrot got stuck in a tree – and then so did his owner.

An investor watches electronic stock information boards in Shanghai. Photo: DPA

DAX index suffers plunge over Asia fears

Germany's most important stock market index continued to suffer the effects of plunging confidence in Asia on Monday, losing around four percent of its value after a sharp fall in early-morning trading.

Photo: DPA

German summer set to return on Wednesday

The week may have got off to a cloudy start across Germany, but don't pack away the shorts just yet – the summer is set to return in style on Wednesday.

For residents of Cologne this is becoming an ever-more familiar site. Photo: DPA

Traffic jams are price of strong economy

A report released on Monday claims that Germans are paying a price for their country's economic success – they're spending longer than ever sitting in traffic on their daily commute.

Is this the face of an animal in pain? Photo: DPA

Bavaria fights activist assault on cow bells

Animal rights activists have demanded that one of the signature sounds of the Bavarian Alps – the gentle ringing of distant cow bells – be brought to an end, claiming it is cruel to the animals.

Protests in Heidenau turned violent as right-wing demonstrators clashed with police at the weekend. Photo:DPA.

Gabriel visits Saxony after weekend of violence

Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel is to visit the Saxon town of Heidenau on Monday after far right demonstrators clashed with police outside a refugee home in the town over the weekend.

Features

This Week in History

Accused Oswald Kaduk stands during the Frankfurt Trials in 1963. Photo: DPA

Did the Frankfurt Trials fail Auschwitz victims?

Fifty years ago this week, one of post-war Germany's most controversial series of trials drew to a close.

The Local List

There's a lot of culture, music and great times hidden away for those who burrow under the Cologne skyline. Photo: DPA

Cologne's 10 must-see spots for culture vultures

As Germany’s fourth-largest city, Cologne has always played an important role in German contemporary culture. Frederica Miller explains why it's still buzzing with cultural life despite the halo of glamour shifting to Berlin.

Royal visit 2015

Victoria Ade-Genschow, aka the British Berliner, with some pipers during Queen Elizabeth II's visit in June. Photo: Pascale Scerbo Sarro

How I explained the Queen to the Germans

Victoria Ade-Genschow – aka the British Berliner – had a very special responsibility during the Queen's visit to Berlin in June, appearing on Berlin television to explain just what the royal affair was all about to monarch-crazy Germans.

In the center, Nazi lawyer Roland Freisler, who wrote laws that are partially still in existence today. Photo: German Federal Archive / Wikimedia Commons.

Minister seeks to rid laws of 'Nazi language'

Germany has made great efforts to purge legal system of remnants of Adolf Hitler's regime, but some laws still bear traces of the Nazi past. The Justice Minister wants to change this.

Regulations for women's parking spaces differ from state to state across Germany. Photo: JG-NF / Wikimedia Commons.

'Women-only' parking: sensible or sexist?

Frankfurt Airport is one of many places in Germany to offer women their own 'bigger and nicer' parking areas. Is this sensible practice or plain sexist?

More News

Chancellor Angela Merkel and French president Francois Hollande. Photo: DPA.

Merkel, Hollande discuss migrant crisis, Ukraine

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande will meet in Berlin on Monday to give a new push to European efforts to tackle the biggest migrant crisis in 50 years.

Gabriel said he wanted to see Germany "radically" change its refugee policies. Photo: DPA

Refugees Germany's 'biggest challenge'

The record influx of refugees into Germany is the country's biggest challenge since its reunification over two decades ago, Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel said on Sunday, criticising the passiveness of other European nations.

A TEU container ship being unloaded upon arrival at the deep-water port in Wilhelmshaven. Photo: Carmen Jasperson/AFP

Deep-water port ready for giant ships

The first years proved a difficult start for Germany's only deep-water port, Wilhelmshaven's Jade-Weser-Port container hub, inaugurated in 2012. But now its operators are seeking to make it a top terminal for supersize ships.

Authorities are concerned about a rise in violent attacks targeting refugee centres. Photo: AFP

Police clash with far-right over refugees

Police in eastern Germany clashed late on Friday with far-right activists protesting against the opening of a centre for refugees, police said.

Chung Mong-Joon has announced his candidacy for the Fifa presidential elections in Feb. 2016. Photo: Stephane De Saktuin/AFP

Fifa hopeful Chung in new probe: report

Fifa presidential hopeful Chung Mong-Joon is suspected of trying to influence the vote for the 2022 World Cup for South Korea and threatened with a lengthy ban, German daily Welt am Sonntag claimed Friday.

File photo of people kissing: Pixabay.

Half of all Germans use Das Auto for sex

A recent poll showed that more than half of Germans admitted to using their cars to go for a more sensual kind of ride.

Photo: DPA

German public: we can manage more refugees

Most Germans believe that the country can cope with growing refugee numbers, a new survey found on Friday.

Photo: DPA

Traffic deaths rise in first half of 2015

The number of traffic deaths increased slightly in the first six months of 2015 compared with the same period last year.

Photo: DPA.

Germany sees biggest baby batch in a decade

The Federal Statistics Office reported on Friday that more than 700,000 new babies were born in Germany last year - the highest number in a decade that saw the country's birth rate drop to one of the lowest worldwide.

Photo: MMChicago / Flickr Creative Commons.

Courgette stew kills pensioner in Heidelberg

The widow of a 79-year-old man killed by a courgette stew in southern Germany this week has described the fatal meal that led to her husband's death.

Read older articles »

From our other editions:

The Volksgarten. Photo: Negina Pirzad

Six ideas to make Vienna even more liveable

Vienna has come second in a list of the world’s most liveable cities, missing out on first place to Melbourne in Australia. Here are some ideas for how to do better next time.

Photo: Caroline Bishop

Swiss army ends 31-day cow rescue mission

The Swiss army has concluded its mission to airlift water to thirsty cows in the Jura and Vaud Alps after delivering 1,840 tons of water during the period of July 20th to August 19th, authorities have said.

Photo: Håkan Dahlström/Flickr

Dane commits 'genitalia vandalism' in IKEA

A Danish man found a rather unconventional way to pass the time during an IKEA trip.

Trump is suing José Andrés for $10 million. Photo: indiegogo.com

Spanish chef gets own crowdfund to beat Trump

Crowdfunding could help fund the legal battle of José Andrés, the Spanish chef being sued for dumping US presidential candidate Donald Trump over racist comments.

Police have said the deaths were likely accidental. Photo: Thomas/Flickr

Naked couple found dead beside French fortress

Police suspect a horrific lovemaking accident is to blame after a French couple were found dead at the bottom of a fortress wall on Thursday, both totally naked.

Bad mannered tourists are riling Venice residents. Photo: Harsh Light

How bad mannered tourists are riling Venice

Venice is a victim of its own popularity and needs new strategies to cope with the ever-growing surge of tourists, especially those who misbehave, the city’s tourism councillor, Paola Mar, told The Local.

The bed with its Super Mario duvet covers and carpeted walls. Photo: Nowegian Police

Norway man built secret child's room in cellar

A Norwegian man who has been arrested on charges of attempting to abduct children had built a soundproof bedroom, filled with toys, in the cellar of his house.

Sweden Democrat leader Jimmie Åkesson. Photo: Henrik Montgomery/TT

Sweden’s nationalists lead polls for first time

UPDATED: More people support Jimmie Åkesson’s Sweden Democrats than any other political group in Sweden, according to a new poll which puts the nationalists in the lead for the first time in history.

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