German | Common News Update

Nov12018 by adminNo Comments

German covettes to receive OTO 76/62 Super Rapid naval gun system

Nov. 1 (UPI) -- Leonardo announced a deal on Thursday to mount its new defense gun system on new German naval ships. The new deal calls on Leonardo to provide seven OTO 76/62 Super Rapid systems to equip the new K130 corvettes of the German Navy. "The signing of the contract strengthens the historical collaboration with the country and with the Agency," the company said in a press release. "Leonardo has indeed provided the first naval artillery systems, in particular the 76/62 Compact, starting from the 70s; the most recent supplies include the 127/64 Vulcano naval guns and the Hitrole 12.7 turrets currently on board the F125 Frigate." Leonardo's OTO 76/62 is powered by a control console that can be incorporated into any type and class of ship, even smaller units. The system's medium-cali...

Oct302018 by adminNo Comments

German nurse says patient death charges are largely true

World

A former nurse accused of killing 100 patients at two hospitals in Germany over a decade ago told a court as his trial opened Tuesday that the charges against him are largely accurate. Niels Hoegel, 41, is already serving a life sentence for murder. His trial in the northwestern city of Oldenburg began with a minute of silence for the patients. Asked by presiding judge Sebastian Buehrmann whether the charges against him are largely true, Hoegel replied "yes," news agency dpa reported. There are no formal pleas in the German legal system. The murder charges stem from Hoegel's time at a hospital in Oldenburg between 1999 and 2002 and at another hospital in nearby Delmenhorst from 2003 to 2005. The alleged victims were aged between 34 and 96. Hoegel was convicted in 2015 of two murders and ...

Oct262018 by adminNo Comments

Norwegian fund, German utility exchange barbs over coal mine

Technology

A Norwegian pension fund is doubling down on its criticism of German utility firm RWE over the power company's long-term plans to use coal. The chief executive of Storebrand, Jan Erik Saugestad, said Thursday that "continued expansion of coal mines and support of coal-fired power has no future" if the world wants to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius . Saugestad, whose company manages assets worth $ 85 billion, had called earlier this week for investors to sell their shares in RWE because of its plans to expand a coal mine by chopping down Germany's ancient Hambach forest . RWE hit back Wednesday, saying "everybody needs to do their part" and coal-fired plants are needed to ensure stable power supplies in Germany following the country's decision to phase out nuclear plants.Let's...

Oct142018 by adminNo Comments

Purplebricks finds home in German market

Business

Britain's biggest online estate agent is moving into Europe for the first time by acquiring a stake in its most prominent German counterpart. Sky ‎News has learnt that Purplebricks, which has a market value of more than £650m, will announce on Monday that it is to become a shareholder in Homeday through a joint venture with the German media giant Axel Springer.Sources said this weekend that the deal was likely to be structured as a 50-50 partnership between Purplebricks and Axel Springer, which is already a big investor in the British property group.The transaction will see the two companies ‎invest €25m (£22m) in order to purchase a 26% stake in Homeday, which has a 50% share of the German online estate agency market.Purplebricks and Axel Spring...

Oct102018 by adminNo Comments

German satellites sense Earth's lumps and bumps

Science

The German space agency (DLR) has released a spectacular 3D map of Earth. Built from images acquired by two radar satellites, it traces the variations in height across all land surfaces - an area totalling more than 148 million sq km. DLR is making the map free and open, enabling any scientist to download and use it. There will be myriad applications, from forecasting where flood waters flow to planning big infrastructure projects. How was the map made?The two satellites involved are called TerraSAR-X and TanDEM-X. Like all radar spacecraft, they send down microwave pulses to the surface of the planet and then time how long the signals take to bounce back. The shorter ...