GERMANY

Manufacturing in the eurozone expanded in November at its fastest pace in four months, boosted by strong activity in France and Germany, while manufacturing production in the U.K. touched a 16-year high, according to a survey.

Iran on Wednesday, executed a woman convicted of murdering the wife of a former football star. Shahla Jahed who was believed to be the mistress of Naser Mohammadkhani, a football legend, was hanged to death at the Evin prison in North Western Tehran.

Unemployment in the euro area rose marginally in October for the first time in 6 months, according to a report by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union.

The German Impressionist Landscape Painting: Liebermann -Corinth-Slevogt exhibition which is on display at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, (MFAH) has been the focus of attention of art-lovers and curators across the globe.

The eurozone’s economic sentiment rose to three-year high in November, despite concerns over the sovereign debt crisis in some countries in the region.

Wikileaks documents reveal that U.S. Secretary of State in July 2009 sent a message to 33 US missions on UN reforms saying, International deliberations regarding UNSC expansion among key groups of countries: self-appointed frontrunners for permanent UNSC membership Brazil, Germany, India, and Japan.

The year 2010 was not good for Google in China and the hacking was, indeed, part of a sabotage attempt carried out with help from the government quarters, reveal the classified U.S. documents released by Wikileaks on Sunday. China to Germany, US diplomacy generally smacks of quid-pro-quo dealings, as ever.

Precious metals and euro dropped on Friday as European periphery worries intensified, helping safe-haven interest into the US dollar. EUR/USD touched a fresh 2-month low.

Germany's argument for a policy to make private investors pick up part of the bill for any future bailouts won support from France as more European countries seem to require financial aid.

German luxury carmaker Audi AG has set plans to venture into electric car business. The company plans to become the leading premium seller of electric vehicles by 2020.

Solar energy stocks received a load of bad news last week when an analyst at Credit Suisse downgraded the entire sector and lowered price targets, raising concerns about the industry's near-term prospects

Business confidence in Germany surged to record highs in November, despite sovereign debt woes in Ireland and fears of a contagion to other euro zone members.

Sovereign debt crises in peripheral Europe threaten to bring down the overall euro zone economy because European banks are heavily expose those debt.

Germany has strongly condemned the Russian government move, what they call as “reciprocating”, to make visa norms “strict” for the EU citizens.

The history beckons for a re-visit as Nuremberg Trials museum opens in the Germany’s Bavarian city to mark the 65th anniversary of the trials that witnessed prosecution of many Nazi leaders during the World War II between November 20, 1945 and October 1, 1946.

Germany's economy grew in line with expectations in the third quarter, but remained sluggish compared to the growth in the previous quarter, according to a report from Destatis, the Federal Statistical Office of Germany.

The massive EU and IMF bailout for Ireland doesn't seem to be working as the euro currency, European stocks, and Irish stocks gave back early gains and closed with losses. Irish bonds are still up for the day, but not by much.

Despite the hugely successful initial public offering General Motors (NYSE: GM) underwent last week, the company still has numerous questions surrounding it, particularly its huge pension liabilities. As such, David Silver, an equity research analyst at Wall Street Strategies in New York, believes that Ford Motor Co. (NYSE: F) is the better auto company and more attractive stock right now.

The most serious [economic] challenge today is that of unemployment, said Pascal Lamy, the director-general of the WTO. Lamy urges countries to expand global trade, instead of clamping down on it, to create more jobs for everyone.

U.S. stocks finish a volatile week with modest gains on Friday, finishing flat for the week as a whole. In the absence of major economic data in the U.S., investors focused on moves by China to rein in their inflation, while Ireland continues to negotiate a bailout arrangement from the European Union and International Monetary Fund (IMF).

As early as the 1980s, fault lines began to appear in Europe's economy and the global financial crisis tore them wide open. Now, Europe perhaps faces its greatest economic challenges since WWII.