Thousands of people marched through the west German city of Bochum Tuesday to protest Nokia Corp.'s decision to close a factory, and a German official warned the move could weigh on Nokia's image and business. On the same day, the world's largest cell phone maker announced the launch of two new handsets for emerging markets, where it said an increasing number of people share handsets -- or want to. Police estimated 15,000 people took part in the demonstration in Bochum, in the industrial Ruhr region. German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who said in an interview on NDR Info radio Tuesday that she had spoken with Nokia management, called the closure plan 'a bitter decision for employees in Germany.'
See "Thousands Protest Nokia Plant Closing", Associated Press, The New York Times, January 21, 2008