City News

The actor and film-maker Isabella Rossellini is to chair the jury for next year’s Berlin film festival. Rossellini, who has appeared in movies such as David Lynch’s Blue Velvet and Wild at Heart, debuted a self-penned short film by Guy Maddin, My Dad is 100 Years Old, at the event in 2005. Recently she shot and starred in a series of short films about animal sexual behaviour, Green Porno, for Robert Redford’s Sundance Channel.

Two years ahead of the opening of the Berlin Brandenburg International Airport, investors are beginning to develop business parks, office buildings and hotels outside the airport in anticipation of demand by companies eager to be close to Berlin’s new travel hub.

While the massive project has suffered some delays, investors are confident that in the long term the airport will attract investment to a region marked by high unemployment and a lack of industry.

In a negotiation war with the German government that could drag on for at least two more weeks, the country’s utilities have threatened to shut down some of their nuclear reactors if a fuel-rod tax goes into effect as planned.

The threat is not exactly a carrot, but as a stick, it won’t work either, the government has warned.

The New Berlin mayor is accused of using a city vehicle for personal use.

The common council will meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday to discuss what the details of the car policy.

The investigation started when someone brought up a complaint that Mayor Jack Chiovatero is using his city vehicle for personal use.

When an incendiary bomb hit in World War II, Berlin’s Tell Halaf archaeological museum went up in flames and its 3,000-year-old statues were smashed to smithereens.

It has taken nine years of piecemeal work, but 60 artifacts have now risen again, phoenix-like, from 27,000 fragments of stone found in the ruins.

Shares in Air Berlin PLC rose Tuesday following the announcement of its alignment with the Oneworld Alliance, buoyed by hopes that becoming the first discount carrier to join a major cooperative between global airlines will boost the company’s profitability.

At 1407 GMT, they were trading up 2.1% or EUR0.07 at EUR3.58, while the overall DAX was up 0.3%.

The move should bolster Air Berlin’s competitive position, particularly at home against Deutsche Lufthansa AG (LHA.XE), as well as its bottom line, UniCredit Analyst Uwe Weinreich wrote in a note.

Berlin is set to welcome the Olympic torch after the flame for the first ever youth games was lit in Greece. The German capital is the first stop in a world tour ahead of the games next month.

The flame for the first ever Youth Olympics was lit at the birthplace of the games in Greece, before heading to Berlin at the start of a worldwide tour.

In accordance with tradition, an actress dressed as a priestess lit the flame at the Temple of Hera in Olympia using the rays of the sun.

The German government Friday rejected airlines’ claims that its proposed new 26-euro ($34) tax on airport departures would result in the loss of thousands of jobs.

As part of a sweeping austerity package designed to save more than 80 billion euros over four years, Germany plans to introduce the tax next year and hopes to swell its coffers by around one billion euros.

This season, Berlin Fashion Week has to compete with the FIFA World Cup. But as DW’s Susan Stone found out, there’s plenty of rivalry at the show, with guests scrambling for free stuff and designers vying for attention.

Berlin Fashion Week officially lasts 4 days, but it sometimes it feels like a month. More >

The 21-year-old ringleader was sent to prison for three years and nine months with his three 19 and 20 year-old accomplices handed three and a half year terms in a young offenders institute.

All four men had confessed to the German authorities about their involvement in the raid and it’s thought that their confessions played a part in their lenient sentences. The group didn’t divulge the whereabouts of the stolen money though. So far only €4,000 has been recovered with over €230,000 still yet to be accounted for.