Germany have been forced to find late replacements for Danny Ecker and Ruwen Faller who both on Wednesday pulled out of the squad for the European Indoor Championships in Madrid this weekend.

Thousands of DaimlerChrysler workers walked off their shifts today, extending protests against the automaker’s threats to cut jobs in Germany unless employees accept steps to cut labour costs.

The first strike by Germany's biggest industrial union in seven years has moved into full gear.

Germany's main industrial union is poised to begin a wage strike after workers expected to boycott the night shift at DaimlerChrysler's flagship car plant.