Once more Friday comes round: time for another blob of useless Berlin news.

A 20 year old Russian was kidnapped and held hostage by compatriots in the middle of the city for 10 days, until his parents coughed up a million Euros in ransom. The police are now looking for a building, thought to be in the Tempelhof area, with distinctive red windows in the Hinterhof (rear courtyard).

The BVG's "Metro Line" project, where some of the more important bus and tram lines were declared as so-called "Metro Lines" and given an M-number, much to the confusion of everybody, has turned out not to be quite the lucrative money-spinner it was supposed to be. What a surprise. The idea was that the new lines would be easier to use, attracting new passangers and more revenue.

Being generally broke and after having spectacularly failed to secure the 2000 Olympics, you might have thought the city has better things to do with its energy. But no - the successful World Cup has got everyone excited, and all the main political parties have agreed that Berlin should apply for the 2016 or 2020 Olypmics.

By that time the city will hopefully have done something about its population of 164,000 illiterate people it apparently has.

Meat-eaters can relax: it looks like spoilt meat from the Bavarian meat scandal never reached the federal capital.

The Funkturm (Radio Tower) has reopened following renovations, providing another vantage point to watch out for any meat-bearing Bavarian trucks approaching Berlin.

Fashion shoppers have two new destinations: C&A has opened their newest store in the Alexanderplatz's recently renovated Berolinahaus; and on Tauentzienstrasse Cologne fashion house Appelrath-Cüpper has opened a 4-storey clothing department store exclusively for women.

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