German chancellor Angela Merkel clinched a coalition deal with the Social Democrats yesterday that preserved Berlin’s strict approach towards struggling European partners.

Chancellor Angela Merkel looked on track to win a third term in this weekend’s election in Germany but faced a battle to preserve her centre-right majority and avert a potentially divisive coalition with her arch rivals, the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD).

GERMAN chancellor Angela Merkel, an unflappable pastor’s daughter, is closing in on a third term in Sunday’s general election, cementing her title as the world’s most powerful woman.

FORMER German chancellor Gerhard Schroeder yesterday called for the creation of a “United States of Europe”, saying the bloc needed a common government to avoid future economic crises.

GERMAN Chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservatives looked set to lose power in a major regional stronghold yesterday after governing there for almost 60 years.

Chancellor Angela Merkel risks losing her majority in Germany’s upper house of parliament as the country’s most populous state votes today – a setback that could make it harder to run Europe’s biggest economy.

GERMANY’s centre-left Social Democrats (SPD) set up an election showdown yesterday, picking foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier to run against chancellor Angela Merkel in elections in 2009.

US President George Bush is to meet new French president Nicolas Sarkozy today on the sidelines of the G8 summit in Germany.

RUSSIAN President Vladimir Putin has described himself as the world’s only “pure” democrat and accused the United States and Europe of falling short of their own ideals.

MODERN politics is like a high street garment — designed for obsolescence.

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, facing criticism that he delayed the release of a German-born Guantanamo Bay prisoner, spoke out against US practices at the base last night during a rare visit to the Caribbean.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel's popularity has dropped significantly as she nears the end of her first year in office, according to a poll published today that found her ratings slipping behind those of her potential opponent at the next election.

Germany’s parliament today approved a plan to reform the tangled federal system, a package aimed at smoothing decision-making in Europe’s biggest economy.

Chancellor Angela Merkel’s left-right government strengthened its grip on German politics with victories for the two ruling parties in three state elections and bad results for what remains of the opposition.

French President Jacques Chirac underlined the importance of close Franco-German co-operation today as German Chancellor Angela Merkel hosted much of his government in Berlin for talks ahead of next week’s European Union summit.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel was to welcome French President Jacques Chirac and members of his government to Berlin today for talks ahead of next week’s European Union summit.

The European Union continued to subordinate human rights in its relationships with other countries deemed useful in the fight against terrorism, such as Russia, China and Saudi Arabia, Human Rights Watch said today.

A negotiator has said a deal had been struck for the release of a former German deputy foreign and his family who were kidnapped by tribesmen demanding the release of five jailed members of their clan.

A BRITISH human rights worker and her visiting parents were kidnapped in the Gaza Strip yesterday and a family of five German tourists was snatched by tribesman in Yemen.

Tribesmen today kidnapped a family of five German tourists – reportedly including a former deputy foreign minister – to press the government for the release of jailed members of their tribe, Yemeni officials and the German government said.

The UN war crimes tribunal hearing the Slobodan Milosevic case today decided against issuing subpoenas to Prime Minister Tony Blair and former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder.

Kidnappers extended a deadline until Saturday in their threat to kill four captive peace activists, including Briton Norman Kember.

Former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder used Al-Jazeera television today to issue an appeal for the release of a German aid worker and her Iraqi driver who were kidnapped on November 25.

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice opened a four-nation European trip today by meeting with her German counterpart amid questions of whether the US keeps terrorist suspects in secret prisons that violate European legal and human-rights guarantees.

Newly-elected German chancellor Angela Merkel opened her first working session today with her new Cabinet, and was expected to immediately get down to policy issues.

Former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder gave up his seat in parliament today, completing his exit from day-to-day politics after seven years as German leader.

Angela Merkel was heading for Paris for talks with French President Jacques Chirac today, embarking on her first foreign trip as Germany’s new chancellor.

Angela Merkel took office as Germany’s eighth post-Second World War leader and its first female chancellor, heading an unwieldy alliance with the tough job of turning around Europe’s biggest economy after years of stagnation and six months of political turmoil.

ANGELA MERKEL took power yesterday as Germany’s eighth post-Second World War leader and its first female chancellor, heading an unwieldy alliance with the tough job of turning around Europe’s biggest economy after years of stagnation and six months of political turmoil.

The White House today congratulated Angela Merkel on becoming Germany’s chancellor and said it hoped she would meet soon with President George Bush.

Angela Merkel took power today as Germany’s eighth post-Second World War leader and its first female chancellor, heading an unwieldy alliance with the tough job of turning around Europe’s biggest economy after years of stagnation and six months of political turmoil.

Angela Merkel was today elected as Germany’s first female chancellor, taking power at the helm of an unwieldy alliance of the right and left that now officially has the job of turning around Europe’s biggest economy.

ANGELA MERKEL becomes Germany’s eighth post-war chancellor today - but only after being forced into awkward compromises on taxes and welfare-state reforms that could undermine her coalition and slow efforts to fix a lagging economy.

Outgoing Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder told MPs today he will give up his parliamentary seat, members of his party said, completing his withdrawal from day-to-day politics after seven years as German leader.

A senior German Social Democrat today said he expected his centre-left party to show “great unity” in backing conservative Angela Merkel, its one-time opponent, as chancellor in a parliamentary vote this week.

Angela Merkel’s Christian Democratic party today overwhelmingly approved a coalition agreement with Social Democrats that will make her Germany’s first woman chancellor.

Members of Germany’s leading parties were expected today to approve the 143-page agreement that would see a left-right coalition take power, with Angela Merkel as the country’s first woman chancellor.

Chancellor-designate Angela Merkel today defended her coalition’s programme of hefty tax hikes and benefit cuts as the right action for creating jobs, stimulating growth and putting Germany back among Europe’s top three countries.

GERMANY’S biggest political parties reached a deal last night to form a coalition government, sealing an accord that would make Angela Merkel the nation’s first woman chancellor.

Germany’s two biggest political parties reached an agreement on increasing value-added tax, a conservative official said, apparently resolving one of the toughest remaining obstacles to forming a left-right ”grand coalition” after weeks of negotiations.

Gerhard Schroeder plans to write a book about his seven years at the head of Germany’s government, the outgoing chancellor said in remarks released today.

Germany’s two main political parties took another step toward a coalition with a deal to ease payroll taxes and labour market regulations in order to boost the lame economy, a senior negotiator said today.

Germany’s main parties have come one step closer to building a coalition, agreeing on several points including raising the retirement age and a policy on Turkey, but they still must overcome the hurdle of plugging a huge budget shortfall.

Germany’s Social Democrats pressed for a new tax on high-income earners today as negotiators opened a decisive week in their efforts to form a new government - talks that will focus on plugging a huge budget shortfall.