March 26, 2012, 01:34 PM
An internal General Motors strategy paper reveals that the US automaker wants to close its plants in Western Europe and transfer production to low-cost countries. The document means that the future looks bleak for Opel's plant in Bochum and Vauxhall's factory in Ellesmere Port. By Dietmar Hawranek more... [ Forum ]
March 23, 2012, 05:45 PM
In a SPIEGEL interview, Czech economist Tomas Sedlacek discusses morality in the current crisis and why he believes an economic policy that only pursues growth will always lead to debt. Those who don't know how to handle it, he argues, end up in a medieval debtor's prison, as the Greeks are experiencing today. more... [ Forum ]
March 23, 2012, 11:30 AM
General Motors appears to be losing patience with its ailing European subsidiary Opel. According to media reports, the US carmaker plans to close up to two plants in Europe. Bochum in Germany and Ellesmere Port in Britain apparently top the list for the cuts. more... [ Forum ]
March 21, 2012, 05:23 PM
To reduce fuel consumption, Airbus used extremely lightweight materials in its flagship A380. Now cracks have appeared in the wings, and repairs will cost the company hundreds of millions of euros. The problem highlights the engineering dilemma caused by the industry drive for fuel efficiency. By Dinah Deckstein and Gerald Traufetter more...
March 21, 2012, 02:16 PM
It wasn't so long ago that many viewed Germany's economic model as outdated and the country as the "sick man of Europe." These days, however, even the Americans have come to praise parts of it, though they still doubt whether they would be able -- or willing -- to adopt it wholesale. By Thomas Schulz in New York more...
March 15, 2012, 06:02 PM
A new class of private submarines has become the latest plaything for the super rich. They allow would-be adventurers to navigate the wonders of the coral reefs, explore shipwrecks or even to cruise alongside dolphins. The cheapest models start at $1.7 million, but prices can go as high as $80 million. By Philip Bethge more...
March 15, 2012, 04:59 PM
To push through the fiscal pact she has envisioned for Europe, German Chancellor Angela Merkel will require two-thirds majority support from Germany's states. But leaders in Baden-Württemberg have complicated approval by saying they will link backing for the pact to conditions that include a greater say over taxation decisions. more...
March 15, 2012, 04:34 PM
The energy-saving light bulb ends up as hazardous waste, too much insulation promotes mold and household drains are emitting a putrid odor because everyone is saving water. Many of Germany's efforts to protect the environment are a chronic failure, but that's unlikely to change. By Alexander Neubacher more...
March 14, 2012, 06:03 PM
A mini job miracle has taken Schwäbisch Hall in the southern German state of Baden-Württemberg by surprise. After a Portuguese journalist wrote a rosy report on the town and its efforts to seek skilled workers from crisis-plagued European countries, job applications have flooded in. More than 10,000 people have written in so far, but results have been mixed. By Maria Huber more... [ Forum ]
March 07, 2012, 05:58 PM
Berthold Huber is leader of Germany's powerful IG Metall union, which represents metal workers. In a SPIEGEL interview, he talks about the rise of worker exploitation in Germany and how unions helped prevent a double-dip recession. more... [ Forum ]
March 07, 2012, 05:19 PM
Computers dominate how we live, work and think. For some, the technology is a boon and promises even better things to come. But others warn that there could be bizarre consequences and that humans may be on the losing end of progress. By Markus Dettmer, Hilmar Schmundt and Janko Tietz more...
