The European Union kept up pressure on Iran Wednesday to resume suspended talks, warning that referral to the UN Security Council remains a real risk and saying that Tehran faces a "crucial" choice.

Respected economists from the world's leading industrialized nations have criticized Germany for basking in its current economic upswing. They claim that the reforms taken so far will by no means be sustainable.

Channel surfers shouldn't be surprised when they come across a station this fall featuring programming on mourning, cemeteries and obituaries 24 hours a day. German morticians plan a TV channel whose focus is on dying.

Better support for patients with dementia is among a slew of hotly debated reforms to the German health care system. Experts fear that immigrant sufferers in particular are likely to fall through the net.

Because of his ties to Scientology, Tom Cruise is not welcome to use Germany's defense ministry as a location for his next film, officials said.

Outrage over the decision to honor author Salman Rushdie with a knighthood has been orchestrated to distract the public from other political problems in Iran and Pakistan, writes DW's Peter Philipp.

Germany has stepped up its anti-terrorist measures. Top German officials said suicide bombers could carry out attacks within the country and that the security situation was more serious than it had been since 2001.

The low-cost sedan with which Chinese carmaker Brilliance hoped to conquer the European automobile market failed a crash test, reducing fear among German car companies about an impending Chinese car invasion.

The German press on Sunday slammed Poland and Britain for putting obstacles on the road to the deal reached on guidelines for a new European Union treaty at the bloc's summit this week.

The Czech mayor of a tiny village is battling his own government over the installation of a huge US radar station in his own backyard, and argues his case before the EU Parliament

European politicians largely gave their approval to Saturday's 11th-hour treaty deal, although some were critical that the EU did not agree on a bolder document.

The 27 EU member states on Saturday agreed on the main contents of a new treaty to replace the bloc's failed constitution. They main points are listed below:

The European Union on Saturday reached agreement on a blueprint for a new treaty of reforms after striking a compromise with Poland following tense all-night talks at a crucial summit.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Friday said she would go ahead and propose a mandate for a new "reform" treaty for the 27-nation bloc even if Poland does not give its go-ahead to the deal, German officials said.