The discovery of bacteria B. cepacia in a small amount of Procter & Gamble Co.’s (P&G) Vicks Sinex nasal spray products manufactured at its Gross Gerau plant in Germany and sold in the United States, has affected a voluntary recall of 120,000 bottles of the same.

According to P&G, no illnesses have been reported so far, but the bacteria can cause serious infections in those with compromised immune systems or those who have cystic fibrosis, a chronic lung condition.

One of Germany's top ranked and biggest reinsurers, Hannover Re, has released a third quarter profit report which has managed to beat all estimates by the analysts and has led the company to nudge its full-year earnings forecast higher. The facts that write-downs' on equities were not repeated and America was hit by no major hurricanes have been credited by the firm for the profits.

German researchers reporting in Science say it is possible for the 'placebo effect' or fake procedure to help treat pain. Traditionally, the placebo effect has been viewed as a psychological phenomenon.

When a person experiences the placebo effect, it means they are responding to an inactive drug that does not contain anything helpful and is not supposed to affect their condition. Considered a purely psychological effect, the brain under the impression it is getting real help, rallies around and beings about an improvement in their condition.

The ancient Egyptian bust of Queen Nefertiti has been moved back to the Berlin museum which exhibited it before the Second World War, culture officials said Monday.

Egypt has repeatedly demanded the return of the exquisite female head, which was found during an archaeological dig near Amarna in 1913 and acquired by a German collector and businessman, James Simon.

He gave it to Berlin's Egyptian collection on permanent loan.

Nick Hornby’s previous book ‘High Fidelity’ was about the seductive power of pop music, while in ‘Fever Pitch’ he wrote about how a hobby can become an obsession. In his new novel ‘Juliet, Naked” he has married the two themes so perfectly, it should be called by a smash-up name, such as, ‘High Pitch, Anyone?’

However, like so much of the book, it’s title ‘Juliet, Naked’ is just right.

Nick Hornby’s previous book ‘High Fidelity’ was about the seductive power of pop music, while in ‘Fever Pitch’ he wrote about how a hobby can become an obsession. In his new novel ‘Juliet, Naked” he has married the two themes so perfectly, it should be called by a smash-up name, such as, ‘High Pitch, Anyone?’

However, like so much of the book, it’s title ‘Juliet, Naked’ is just right.

Germany's Social Democrats (SPD) have closed the gap on Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives ahead of a general election next week, according to a new opinion poll available Friday.

A survey by the research group Infratest dimap showed the SPD gaining 3 per cent to 26 per cent, while Merkel's Christian Democrats remained unchanged at 35 per cent.

Boehringer Ingleheim GmbH, a German drug manufacturer has developed a new blood thinner, which researchers say has shown itself to be as effective in its trial as heart drug warfarin, ushering in a new era of stroke prevention in millions of patients, with a heart-rhythm disorder called atrial fibrillation.