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03.09.2009

German town puts student in the mayor's seat

Zimmermann (dpa/pa)

Residents of the German town of Monheim last Sunday elected a 27-year-old PhD student as their next mayor. Daniel Zimmermann, a founder of the tiny Peto party, said he was as surprised as anyone by his win.

It's not every day that a 27-year-old Cologne University student picks up a solid 30.4 percent of the vote. Even more remarkable is the fact that Zimmerman's political party, Peto, only has 250 members.

For the next six years, Zimmerman's primary job will be to run the town of Monheim. But he is not worried about that. After all, he beat six other candidates including the 31-year-old candidate for the Christian Democrats (CDU), Tim Bruehland.

The Peto Party – which in Latin means "I strive" – only exists in Monheim. Zimmermann says he has no ambitions to take the party to the federal level. Peto got its start 10 years ago when Zimmermann and four school friends decided they wanted to "do something." During the 10 years of Peto's existence, the party became a local political force, Zimmermann said. It backed a successful project to renovate schools, ensured that music classes were offered to all first-year school kids free of charge and secured practice spaces for young bands.

To accommodate Monheim's "mature" citizens, Zimmermann has already thought ahead, and set up a "30 plus" group to make sure the older members of Peto don't feel left out.

Source: dw-world.

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03.09.2009

Axel Springer publishing group buys majority stake in StepStone

Recruiting went online (dpa/pa)

Giant German publishing group Alex Springer has paid some 24.6 billion euro (35 billion US-Dollars) for a majority stake in the online job exchange and management software company StepStone ASA.

In a statement late Wednesday September 2^nd, Axel Springer said it was lifting its holding in StepStone from 32.97 per cent to 52.27 per cent. Announcing the move, Springer chief Mathias Doepfner said the move was part of the group's plan to focus on investments "with a clear focus on the further expansion of our digital business."

He went on to say: "The acquisition of a majority interest in StepStone is an important step toward the goal of increasing the internationalization and digitization of Axel Springer."

"The European online job portal market offers excellent prospects for dynamic growth," he said.

Sources: dpa, pa.

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03.09.2009

Berlin consumer-electronics show IFA: 1,164 brands to exhibit

Miss IFA presents... (dpa/pa)

The top autumn consumer electronics show, IFA, to open in Berlin this week, will feature 1,164 brands from 60 nations, a drop from last year, organizers said Wednesday September 2^nd .

Last year, IFA, which is a showcase for flat-panel televisions, hi-fi portable music players, nifty netbooks, ever-tinier wireless phones and sleek home appliances, featured 1,245 exhibitors. Unlike the other big industry event, the Consumer Electronics Show every January in Las Vegas, IFA encourages the public to attend.

"It's a barometer of trends in the different sectors," said Christian Goeke, the fair chief executive, at a pre-IFA news conference. Organizers had worried at a steeper fall in bookings because of the recession. Some 30 per cent of exhibitors are German, but the event is dominated by the big Asian consumer-electronics brands.

In the German market, flat-panel televisions continue to fly off shelves, but prices for the gadgets have plunged 10 per cent or more because of the fierce competition."We are expecting turnover for this year to be reduced 1.5 per cent," said Rainer Hecker, chief of Germany's GFU consumer-electronics trade association, which sponsors the annual event.

This year's show, beginning Friday, has been given the English full title, "IFA Consumer Electronics Unlimited."

Sources: dpa, pa.