Germany - Opel has revealed pictures of the new Astra well ahead of the Frankfurt Motor Show in September where it is to be officially unveiled.

The 2010 model Astra, also sold in Britain under the Vauxhall name, reveals a headlight design similar to the larger Insignia.

A special feature, found already in the Corsa, is an integrated bicycle carrier. A handle in the boot is pulled and the carrier plus registration plate slide out.

The engine range starts with the 80 hp eco-diesel to the top end 270 hp turbo OPC.

Dusseldorf  - Bayer Leverkusen needed extra-time before eventually running out 4-1 winners against second division Mainz 05 in the semi-final of the German Cup.

The victory books Leverkusen's third final place where the club will face SV Hamburg or Werder Bremen, who meet in the other semi- final Wednesday.

Berlin - Juergen Klinsmann has failed in his legal action against the Berlin daily taz newspaper following a photo mock-up showing him in a crucifixion scene for its Easter edition, the newspaper revealed Tuesday.

The Bayern Munich coach took his case before a Munich court after he was shown being crucified on the cross in the paper's edition on April 11. However, the court ruled against the 44-year-old former German international.

Berlin  - Iranian Nobel peace laureate Shirin Ebadi was awarded one of Germany's top prizes Tuesday for her human rights advocacy work, and vowed that she would continue her efforts despite threats posed by Tehran authorities.

Together with Paris-based organization Reporters without Borders, Ebadi was awarded the Roland Berger Human Dignity Award by German President Horst Koehler. The prize was established in Germany last year to promote peaceful cooperation in the world.

Berlin - Iranian human rights lawyer Shirin Ebadi confirmed Tuesday that she will defend an Iranian-American journalist sentenced to eight years in prison on charges of espionage.

Roxana Saberi, 31, was found guilty of spying for the United States by an Iranian revolutionary court last week, after she was arrested for failing to have authorized press credentials.

"There is no logical background for this sentence," Ebadi told the German Press Agency dpa.

Berlin - Germany stepped up its efforts Tuesday to create a so-called bad bank to help rid the nation's banks of troubled assets and rebuild confidence in the financial sector.

"We have taken a big step forward" said German Economics Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg, following a meeting with finance industry leaders chaired by Chancellor Angela Merkel.