Do you like our News Bites? You can now get them delivered once a weekday into your email inbox. Sign up here. While you’re at it, consider our other two newsletters as well.
Boeing has joined 10 German firms as part of its bid to bag a €4-billion heavy-lift helicopter contract from Berlin.
Key proxy adviser Glass Lewis has called on Deutsche Börse Chairman Joachim Faber to step down next year. The group also advised shareholders to issue a vote of no confidence to management at next month’s AGM over their handling of an insider trading scandal.
An alleged former bodyguard of Osama bin Laden is living on welfare in the German city of Bochum. Sami A. cannot be deported for risk of being tortured in his native Tunisia.
The Echo Awards, the German Grammy’s, has been discontinued after several artists handed back their trophies this year, said the Music Industry Association. The public is outraged that two rappers won a prize for their anti-Semitic lyrics.
German prisons have been facing serious overcrowding problems since 2017, and attacks on prison guards have also increased in several states. (Funke Media Group)
Germany will give another €1 billion to Syria and neighboring countries hosting refugees. Berlin has contributed around €4.5 billion in Syrian aid since 2012.
Deutsche Bank is expected to announce strategy changes to its investment bank on Thursday. Germany’s largest lender is considering cuts to equities trading and prime brokerage to offset weak revenues.
German insurer Allianz will soon complete its takeover of rival French credit insurer Euler Hermes on April 27. A squeeze-out scheme will force the remaining minority shareholders to sell.
Bonn-based Italian-food chain Vapiano plans to open up to 38 new locations worldwide in its current fiscal year. The company has hit all main profit targets since its IPO last June.
German’s second-largest pharma firm Boehringer increased revenues last year by 15.7%, or €18.1 billion. Its successful veterinary medicine division doubled profits.
The Finnish government has decided it will end its experiment with a basic income earlier than planned and explore other welfare schemes instead. Last year, a survey found that most Germans would be open to a universal basic income.
Daimler boss Dieter Zetsche said he saw no sign of the luxury carmaker’s new major shareholder, Li Shufu, planning a hostile takeover.
Japan wants to provide a P-1 submarine hunter to French-German forces seeking marine surveillance aircraft. If successful, it would be Japan’s first big foreign arms deal since World War Two. (Reuters)
Germany’s equal opportunity commissioner has sent a letter to Chancellor Angela Merkel calling for more women in government, including some ministries where only men were appointed. So far no reply.
Politicians have expressed outrage that 350 imams from the Turkish Islamic organization DITIB were apparently granted German visas last year. “Completely naive,” said one German-Turkish lawmaker, adding that this meant “more influence by the Turkish government.” (Kölner Stadtanzeiger)
German lawyers are in Chile investigating Colognia Dignidad, a Nazi pedophile cult founded in the 1960s. One of its key figures is living in Germany while his child-sex abuse conviction is being appealed.
German energy company Innogy officially appointed Uwe Tigges as chief executive. He has acted as interim CEO after the sudden departure of Peter Terium in December.
Volkswagen AG’s luxury unit Audi is recalling 1.16 million vehicles worldwide. Electric coolant pumps in affected cars and SUVs can overheat and possibly cause a fire, the carmaker said.
Audi also plans to double its Chinese production by 2022, including offering 10 new SUVs on the domestic market.
The lawyer for Beate Zschäpe, on trial since 2013 over a series of neo-Nazi murders, gave his closing argument. A verdict on Ms. Zschäpfe’s role in the National Socialist Underground’s killings is expected soon.
