Germany’s highest court has struck down a €150 monthly payment for parents who care for their children at home rather than place them in daycare. The so-called “caring allowance” was a pet project of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Bavarian allies, the Christian Social Union (CSU), who said it allowed parents a fair choice between subsidised childcare or care in the home. But critics of the payment, in effect since August 2013 for children between one and three years, say it reinforces inequality. Read more [...]

Human rights organizations reacted angrily on Tuesday to the Bavarian government's new plan to set up asylum centers to detain and process people from Balkan states. The Bavarian cabinet, made up entirely of members of the Christian Social Union (the Bavarian sister party to Angela Merkel's Christian Democratic Union), decided on Monday that it would build two asylum seeker installations close to its borders exclusively for people from Balkan countries. The German government has put most of these Read more [...]

Bulgaria’s government is seeking support from Bavarian companies for the proposed construction of a natural gas distribution hub on the country’s territory, Prime Minister Boyko Borisov has said. Another potential area of investment in Bulgaria’s energy sector by Bavarian businesses could be the expansion and maintenance of the gas storage facility in Chiren, Borisov said during a one-day visit to the southeastern German federal state on Tuesday, according to BGNES. Bulgaria is interested in Read more [...]

Human rights organizations reacted angrily on Tuesday to the Bavarian government's new plan to set up asylum centers to detain and process people from Balkan states. The Bavarian cabinet, made up entirely of members of the Christian Social Union (the Bavarian sister party to Angela Merkel's Christian Democratic Union), decided on Monday that it would build two asylum seeker installations close to its borders exclusively for people from Balkan countries. The German government has put most of these Read more [...]

(MENAFN - AFP) Germany's top court Tuesday scrapped a controversial state subsidy dubbed the "stove bonus" for parents who opt to keep infants at home rather than put them into early child care.The measure, which originated in conservative Bavaria state, had drawn fire for promoting the idea of mothers whose place is at home and for depriving young immigrant children of a German-language learning environment.The 150-euro (160) monthly payments for families with children aged 15 to 36 months who don't Read more [...]

  Follow @insidefutbolBayern Munich captain Philipp Lahm admits that he is unsure about Manchester United target Thomas Muller’s future in Bavaria. Manchester United are said to be desperate to take the Germany international to England this summer and are prepared to break the bank to do so. Louis van Gaal is looking to add a big name forward to his current squad and has reportedly sanctioned a €100m bid for Bayern Munich’s Muller. Following Read more [...]

  Follow @insidefutbolBayern Munich captain Philipp Lahm admits that he is unsure about Manchester United target Thomas Muller’s future in Bavaria. Manchester United are said to be desperate to take the Germany international to England this summer and are prepared to break the bank to do so. Louis van Gaal is looking to add a big name forward to his current squad and has reportedly sanctioned a €100m bid for Bayern Munich’s Muller. Following Read more [...]

Berlin (dpa) - Chancellor Angela Merkel‘s allies in the conservative German state of Bavaria are considering defying a ruling by the nation‘s top court and continuing to pay a controversial welfare benefit for stay-at-home parents.The constitutional court‘s decision on Tuesday declaring the so-called kitchen premium illegal dealt a blow to the Christian Social Union (CSU), the Bavarian-based allies of Merkel‘s Christian Democrats (CDU).But Bavarian state premier and CSU leader Horst Read more [...]

Police were called to the flat of a young couple in Straubing in eastern Bavaria after neighbours said they heard a woman who seemed to be in immense pain, reports Münchner Merkur. The young woman – believed to be around 20 years old – had been making the excruciating noises for around 40 minutes, police said on Monday. Officers knocked on the door and called out to the woman. But, when no one responded and the screams continued, they forced their way into the flat. It turned out that Read more [...]

Police were called to the flat of a young couple in Straubing in eastern Bavaria after neighbours said they heard a woman who seemed to be in immense pain, reports Münchner Merkur. The young woman – believed to be around 20 years old – had been making the excruciating noises for around 40 minutes, police said on Monday. Officers knocked on the door and called out to the woman. But, when no one responded and the screams continued, they forced their way into the flat. It turned out that Read more [...]