Germany in Brief
March 13, 2003
Number of Foreigners in Germany Stays the Same
The number of foreigners living in Germany has remained more or less static since 1998, making for almost 9 percent of the country's population of 82.55 million. Figures issued by the Federal Statistical Office on Thursday show that at the end of 2002, 7.34 million foreigners lived in Germany, amounting to a rise of only 0.2 percent or 17,000 people compared to the foreign populace in 2001. People who hold both a German passport as well as a foreign passport are not included in this number. Germany's 1.91 million-strong Turkish community constitutes the largest group of foreigners, making up over a quarter (26.1 percent) of the foreign population.
Hamburg in the Running to host 2012 Olympic Games
Hamburg is the hot favorite of the National Olympic Committee (NOK) among German cities bidding to host the Olympic Summer Games of 2012. The Northern German Port city received the best test reports in a recent evaluation of the candidates, that included Leipzig, Frankfurt, Düsseldorf and Stuttgart. Nevertheless, NOK-President Klaus Steinbach stressed that all cities still have a chance to be selected as Germany's candidate for 2012 on April 12. The nominated cities have to be submitted to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) by July 2003, before the IOC will choose the winner in July 2005. Other confirmed candidates are New York City and Madrid.
Less Abortions in Germany
The number of legal abortions in Germany dropped by 3.4 percent to 130,400 in 2002. That is 4,600 less than in 2001, the Federal Statistical Office said on Thursday. Only three percent of the abortions took place because of medical problems with the pregnancy or after rape. The other 97 percent of women opted for abortion after a compulsory consultation session. Nearly three quarters of the women opting for abortion were between the ages of 18-34. The number of single women (48 percent) was close to the number of married women (46 percent) and 6 percent were under-aged. The abortion pill "Mifegyne" (RU468), introduced in Germany 1999, was used for 5 percent of the abortions, around 7000.
Suspected Terrorists Remain in Custody in Heidelberg
A young couple, suspected of planning terrorist attacks on U.S. institutions in Heidelberg will remain in custody, according to a ruling of the higher regional court in Karlsruhe on Thursday. The 25-year-old Turkish man and his 23-year-old girlfriend, who hold a German and a U.S passport respectively, were arrested in September 2002, after the woman alerted a friend about planned attacks on a U.S. army supermarket in Heidelberg. Police found 130 kgs of chemicals as well as other material suited to build bombs in the couple's apartment. The court explained it had decided to keep the couple in custody for fear that they would otherwise abscond. Their trial is due to begin on April 11.
"The Hours" wins German Movie Award
Hollywood movie "The Hours", nominated for 9 Oscars, has been selected Best International Film by the jury of the German Movie Award 2003. The award will be presented on June 6 by the German Minister of Cultural Affairs, Christina Weiss, the Federal Press Office announced on Thursday. Leading actresses in the film, Nicole Kidman (photo), Meryl Streep and Julianne Moore won the "Silver Bear" at this year's International Film Festival in Berlin, Berlinale.