Berlin - Germany is ready to contribute up to 1,400 military personnel to a European Union security mission to combat piracy off the coast of Somalia, a leading daily reported Tuesday.

The Frankfurter Allgemeine said the defence ministry had given the green light for the troops and sailors to take part in Operation Atalanta, due to be launched around mid-December.

Berlin - Despite signs of a deepening economic downturn, German consumer confidence posted a surprise increase, a key survey released Tuesday showed.

The Nuremberg-based GfK market research institute said its forward-looking consumer confidence indicator for December edged up to 2.2 from 1.9 in November.

"Many Germans don't believe yet that they will be significantly affected by the downturn," GfK said, releasing its latest index.

Berlin  - Nothing remotely links the Florentine Renaissance busts of Baccio Bandinelli with the minimalist paintings and sculptures of present day Turin artist Gianni Piacentino.

But by an "art coincidence" the work of both men, albeit with a 450-year gap in between, is currently attracting public attention in Berlin.

Since July 2007 the Bode Museum has been prominently featuring in its Florentine Renaissance Hall the Bust of a Young Man by sculptor Bandinelli (1493-1560).

Art critic Klaus Grimberg, writing in the German Times, quotes one visitor as saying: "If Nefertiti is the most beautiful woman in Berlin's museums, then this youth is the most beautiful man."

Frankfurt, Germany  - Business travellers should expect to dig deeper into their pockets for airline tickets and hotels next year, according to a survey by American Express.

The study indicates that overall prices are not expected to increase vastly. However, the cost of flying is likely to rise by up to 7 per cent and that of hotel rooms by up to 6 per cent.

The price hike is likely to affect German business travellers even more with flights out of the country to rise by 9 per cent.

Hamburg  - Every Advent, a special atmosphere grips several German and European cities. Christmas shoppers jostle light-heartedly to strains of Silent Night by choirs. The crisp air is redolent of gingerbread, egg punch and fir needles. And people gather after work at outdoor Christmas markets and warm up with mulled wine.

Budapest  - Audi said Monday it would suspend production at its Hungarian plant for a month from mid-December, citing a seasonal drop in demand for convertible cars.

The German company said it has no immediate plans to lay off staff.

Meanwhile, another German car maker, Daimler AG, sought to reassure Hungary that it has no intention of cancelling its planned 800 million-euro Mercedes-Benz production facility in Hungary.

Daimler spokeswoman Nicole Rubba told the Hungarian state news agency MTI on Monday that despite a management call for "absolute budgetary discipline" the investment will go ahead.