Berlin - Germany are expected to hand out some new caps in the friendly international against England in Berlin on Wednesday.

Coach Joachim Loew, who has called up three newcomers for the match in the Olympic Stadium, said Monday he wanted to test some or all of his trio of novices.

"The intention is to learn something new against strong opponents but I can't say yet exactly how it's going to look," Loew said.

"However I do want to give the one or other player a chance."

Wolfsburg, Germany - Volkswagen reported a drop in sales in October but predicted it would sell more cars in 2008 than it did last year.

Europe's largest automaker said it delivered 502,600 vehicles last month, a drop of 5.1 per cent from a year ago. Sales in the first 10 months of 2008 were up 2.8 per cent to
5.29 million.

VW said increased sales in emerging economies like China and Brazil helped offset a slump in demand in western Europe.

Bonn, Germany - Greenhouse gas emissions in industrialized countries have continued to rise despite goals set by the Kyoto agreement to curb carbon pollution, a UN body said Monday.

The UN Climate Change Secretariat said planet-warming gases released by the 40 industrial states that signed up the Kyoto framework had increased an average 2.3 per cent between 2000-2006.

Munich - Bayern Munich's French defender Willy Sagnol is considering en

Berlin - A cabinet minister ruled out a government bailout for the German auto industry on Monday as Chancellor Angela Merkel prepared to meet the management of Opel to discuss state aid.

The troubled carmaker has requested credit guarantees from Berlin to counter a financial squeeze, triggered by dwindling sales and problems with its parent company General Motors.

Berlin - German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier is to pay a three-day visit to India starting Wednesday, his spokesman said Monday.

The crisis on the world's financial markets and the future international role played by India and other emerging economies will be the main focus of his talks, the spokesman said.