Germany prepares to receive Gitmo prisoners

The government is preparing to allow a number of Guantanamo Bay prisoners to settle in Germany as the U.S. slowly closes the jail on Cuba and releases those held there not considered a threat. READ (1 COMMENT) »

Odenwaldschule board resigns in wake of abuse claims

Nearly the entire board of the Odenwaldschule progressive boarding school in Hesse have resigned following the exposure of a long-neglected history of child sex abuse there. READ »

Germans lose fear of climate change after long, hard winter

Germans are losing their fear of climate change, according to a survey, with just 42 percent worried about global warming. READ (14 COMMENTS) »

River Rhine 90km shorter than everyone thinks

A biologist has discovered that the river Rhine is around 90 kilometres shorter than most books, atlases and even official authorities suggest – and now frantic efforts are being made to spread the correct length. READ (11 COMMENTS) »

CIA leak shows plans to market Afghan war to Europeans

A CIA expert has called for optimistic Afghans and their womenfolk to be recruited as flag-wavers for the NATO mission, to persuade sceptical Europeans to support the war, according to a document leaked on Friday. READ (9 COMMENTS) »

Döner industry comes of age with first national conference

The German döner kebab market has come of age, with the industry holding its first ever national conference in Berlin at the weekend. READ (2 COMMENTS) »

Clocks go forward an hour for summer time

European summer time starts this weekend, with the clocks going forward at 2 am Sunday, cutting the night by an hour but producing longer, lighter evenings. READ (3 COMMENTS) »

Vatican denies pope failed to stop paedophile

The Vatican on Friday dismissed a fresh allegation by The New York Times that Pope Benedict XVI failed to bar the transfer of a known paedophile priest while he was the archbishop of Munich. READ (10 COMMENTS) »

Rösler infuriates pharma industry with plan to cut drugs costs

German Health Minister Philipp Rösler surprised observers and infuriated the pharma industry on Friday by launching a tough-seeming package to reduce drug costs including mandatory price cuts. READ (3 COMMENTS) »

OECD says Germany needs greater innovation

The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development on Friday chided Germany for not doing more to boost innovation and services to help its recovery, and warned Europe's largest economy against creating a two-tier labour market. READ (3 COMMENTS) »

Playing Europe’s bad cop

Ahead of an EU summit this week, Chancellor Angela Merkel has taken a hard line on financial aid for Greece. The Local’s Marc Young explains why the euro needs someone other than Germany to play Europe’s bad cop. READ (7 COMMENTS) »

• 24/03 Merkel pushes IMF plan for Greece »
• 23/03 Germany reluctant to rescue Greece »

Westerwelle’s taboo travels

Homophobia didn’t disappear once Guido Westerwelle became Germany’s foreign minister. But questions about him promoting personal interests on official trips abroad have nothing to do with him being gay, argues Tissy Bruns. READ (7 COMMENTS) »

• 15/03 Westerwelle calls criticism of trips 'slander' »
• 12/03 FDP says Westerwelle criticism threatens democracy »
• 11/03 Westerwelle under fire for family business ties »

Fun and games in the Fatherland

In the latest installment of Portnoy’s Stammtisch, The Local’s column about life in Germany, Portnoy muses on the Teutonic penchant for deriving pleasure from other people’s pain. READ (15 COMMENTS) »

What's on in Germany: March 25 - 31

This Week's Highlights: Baby Dee in Berlin, a spring fair in Frankfurt, and ex-Depeche Mode member Alan Wilder brings his Recoil project to Munich. READ »

The Hedonist List: enjoy Berlin in style this month

Go clubbing with the celebs, eat at one of the most happening restaurants in the city and drink in a former cosmetic studio on Karl-Marx-Allee. The Local has teamed up with the Hedonist's Guide to show you the glitzy side of the capital. READ »

The Local's English-language movie listings for Germany

Find movies playing in English in Germany with The Local's cinema guide. READ »