Bundestag Approves Deploying Naval Units to UN Lebanon Mission
The German Parliament voted by an overwhelming majority to send naval forces to patrol the coast of Lebanon. The Navy will lead the naval side of monitoring Lebanese borders within the framework of the UNIFIL mission..

Hesse Minister President Koch Holds Talks in Washington
Roland Koch, who famously modeled a welfare reform program in his home state on the notable "Wisconsin Works" program, met with several key U.S. officials on a whirlwind visit to Washington during which he highlighted Germany's improved economic outlook.

Looking forward to the German Day of Unity on October 3, we continue a multi-week look at developments in the dynamic new German state of Saxony, 16 years after unification.

Solar World Receives Contract for Silicon Wafers from China
The German firm Solar World, the third largest producer of Solar energy technology in the world, has received a large contract from China for silicon wafers - promising for its recently established production site in Saxony given that the China deal is one of its biggest export orders to date.

Made in Saxony: Paintings on a Grand Scale With a Sense of Surrealism, Social Realism and Mystery
Saxony boasts a long tradition as a centre of German industry, commerce and the arts. Today Dresden and Leipzig continue to churn out creative talent. Contemporary works by resident artists housed in a famous Miami collection are now on display in Washington.

Performance Art? German Art Student Joins Up with the Terra Cotta Army
Pablo Wendel, 26, donned a homemade costume and jumped into a pit showcasing Emperor Qinshihuang’s famed 2,200-year-old terra cotta soldiers on Saturday, where he stood at attention for several minutes before security officers tracked him down.

Stasi-Drama to Represent Germany in the Running for the Oscars
An independent jury appointed by the German film industry trade association German Films has chosen Florian Henckel von Donnersmark’s “The Lives of Others” to represent Germany in the race for the Oscars.

Hamburg’s Bitfilm Digital Film Festival Brings Tiny Digital Movies to the Big Screen and Big Screen Blockbusters to the Internet
Media-savvy Hamburg, home to many of Germany’s most prominent publishing houses, television companies, and advertising agencies, is busy tilling the soil at the digital frontier with the seventh annual Bitfilm festival this fall.

Popkomm 2006: Gilberto Gil and Boy-Band Maestro Lou Pearlman to Speak at Berlin's Music Industry Convention
The music fair Popkomm, which presents itself as the leading international convention of the music industry, is a forum for exchange among music managers, record bosses, publishers, traders and online providers.

More US Tourists Traveled to Germany in 2006
Some 2.2 million visitors from the United States visited Germany in the first six months of 2006, a five percent increase over the same period last year.