"It's not going to replace traditional bank lending anytime soon, but it will be an alternative for some, " says Dr. Thomas Meyer, an economist at Deutsche Bank Research in Frankfurt, Germany, and author of a research note on person-to-person online lending.

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Kuske actually started his sporting life as a track and field athlete of some note, claiming a bronze in Germany's 4x100m relay squad at the 1998 world junior championships in Annecy in France.

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The new note is realpolitik: hardnosed deals with Germany and Russia.

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Works by Germany's Gerhard Richter will strike a lyrical note.

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Eriksson pointed out that every country that has won a major tournament since 1966, the last time England won anything of note, has had the benefit of a winter break and Germany, the best European performers, traditionally has the longest hiatus among major nations.

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Beginning with this initial investment, we first note that the partnership interest was purchased with money from a bank account in Germany, in the names of both Mr. and Mrs.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: converter

In simplified terms, what mattered to BAE - and to EADS - was that France and Germany would agree to limit their ownership and control of the enlarged business (and see my earlier note for why this was a commercial imperative for BAE).

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In Germany, the strongest economy in Europe, which reported strengthening retail sales this month, the 2-year note yield has risen to its highest level since August 2009.

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