Stephen Brown

DUBLIN/KARLSRUHE, Germany (Reuters) - A planned referendum in Ireland and a German court ruling cast new uncertainty on Tuesday over efforts to overcome the euro zone's debt crisis, just when a flood of central bank money appeared to be calming financial markets.

KARLSRUHE, Germany (Reuters) - Germany's top court said on Tuesday a parliamentary panel set up to approve urgent action by the euro zone bailout fund was "in large part" unconstitutional, in a ruling that may hamper Berlin's ability to tackle Europe's debt crisis.

KARLSRUHE, Germany (Reuters) - Chancellor Angela Merkel's room for maneuver on future euro zone bailouts, in doubt after a revolt by coalition lawmakers, shrank further on Tuesday when Germany's top court raised a hurdle to swift action in financial rescues.

DUBLIN/KARLSRUHE, Germany (Reuters) - A planned referendum in Ireland and a German court ruling cast new uncertainty on Tuesday over efforts to overcome the euro zone's debt crisis, just when a flood of central bank money appeared to be calming financial markets.

BERLIN (Reuters) - Chancellor Angela Merkel managed to get a second Greek bailout approved in the German parliament on Monday without having to rely on the votes of opposition lawmakers, but she fell short of the wide majority needed for a convincing victory.

BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany's parliament approved a second Greek bailout package on Monday despite growing German unease over debt-ridden Greece's ability to push ahead with painful austerity measures and remain in the euro zone.

BERLIN (Reuters) - Angela Merkel's hand-picked choice for the ceremonial post of president resigned on Friday in a scandal over political favors, dealing a blow to the German chancellor in the midst of the euro zone crisis.

BERLIN (Reuters) - Angela Merkel's hand-picked choice for the ceremonial post of president resigned on Friday in a scandal over political favors, dealing a blow to the German chancellor in the midst of the euro zone debt crisis.

BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany is running out of patience with throwing money into the "bottomless pit" of Greece's debt crisis and any lingering sympathy in Berlin is being undermined by anti-German slogans on the lips of politicians and austerity protesters in Athens.

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - A German court found a Kosovo-Albanian man guilty on Friday of killing two U.S. airmen in a gun attack at Frankfurt airport in March 2011 and wounding two others, sentencing him to life in prison.

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - A Kosovo-Albanian man who killed two U.S. airmen and wounded two others in a gun attack at Frankfurt airport last March was sentenced to life in prison by German court on Friday.

ATHENS (Reuters) - Greek workers went on strike against austerity measures on Friday, docking ships and halting public transport, hours after euro zone finance ministers said Athens needed to make more cuts to convince them to release a financial bailout.

ATHENS (Reuters) - Striking Greek workers denounced a new wave of austerity on Friday as a demand too far by the IMF and EU, but Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos told the nation it had to decide within days whether to take the pain and stay in the euro or not.

ATHENS (Reuters) - Striking Greek workers denounced a new wave of austerity on Friday as a demand too far by the IMF and EU, but Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos told the nation it had to decide within days whether to take the pain and stay in the euro or not.

ATHENS (Reuters) - Striking Greek workers denounced a new wave of austerity on Friday as an imposition too far by Europe and the IMF. Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos told the nation it faced a stark choice between sacrifices inside the euro area and bigger sacrifices outside.

BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany marked the 67th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz Nazi death camp on Friday facing serious doubt about how well its institutions are dealing with right-wing extremism.

BERLIN (Reuters) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Thursday talks between the Greek government and its private creditors were on track but next Monday's EU summit would focus on how to boost growth and employment in Europe rather than Greece's predicament.

BERLIN (Reuters) - Chancellor Angela Merkel rejected as "unfounded" stereotypes about a domineering, dogmatic Germany whose economic strength hinders growth in the rest of Europe, saying such cliches did not help the cause of European integration.

BERLIN (Reuters) - German business sentiment rose for the third month in a row in January, beating expectations and offering fresh evidence that Europe's largest economy is shrugging off a sovereign debt crisis that has hammered growth in other euro zone countries.

BRUSSELS/BERLIN (Reuters) - Angela Merkel's conservative allies warned on Tuesday against committing additional German funds to euro zone bailout schemes, underscoring how difficult it will be for the chancellor to meet international demands to boost the bloc's defenses.