European farmers will be able to grow fields of genetically modified potatoes in Europe for the first time after a controversial ruling by the European Commission on Tuesday.

The Paris-based OECD says in a report that high government spending on childcare doesn't lower child poverty rates or improve living conditions.

As President Obama unveils his proposals for health care reform in America, a court in Germany confirmed on Wednesday that private insurers must accept all applicants, regardless of age or health status. The court also imposed limits on what the companies could charge for insurance.

Germany's Agriculture Minister Ilse Aigner will permit test cultivation of a potato containing genetically-modified organisms (GMOs), Deutsche Welle reported.

Germany has decided to ban a strain of genetically modified corn made by the Monsanto Company. The Berlin government is joining Austria and Hungary in a widening ban on genetically modified (GM) crops.

The city of Berlin announced plans for a large-scale urban dog waste composting pilot program to deal with the growing health hazard posed by lazy dog owners who refuse to clean up after their pets, the online newspaper The Local reported.

As Americans grapple with the dilemma of illegal immigrants milking the health-care system and other tax-payer funded programs, the German government is considering an "anonymous insurance certificate" that would allow illegals to see a doctor without legal repercussions.

German concern that the European Union intends to outlaw the beloved pretzel was assuaged partly on Tuesday when EU officials said the salty snack would not fall foul of new food labeling rules.

Germany may revoke a license for the cultivation of the Monsanto Co.’s genetically modified corn because neither consumers nor farmers want it. France and Italy have not issued licenses due to environmental concerns.

A new EU report accuses drug makers of keeping prices for medication high by thwarting less expensive generic products from coming to market. In the US, far more generic drugs are sold than in Europe.