Merkel secures victory with new coalition partner

BERLIN - German Chancellor Angela Merkel secured victory at the head of a new centre-right coalition she said was needed “to move our country forward”.

Merkel secures victory in German elections

BERLIN - German Chancellor Angela Merkel secured victory Sunday at the head of a new centre-right coalition she said was needed “to move our country forwards.”

Merkel set for second term as German chancellor

BERLIN - German Chancellor Angela Merkel was set for another four years in power after her Christian Democrats (CDU) won enough votes to form a centre-right coalition with the smaller Free Democrats (FDP), early returns from Sunday’s general election showed.

Correction: Germany Election story

BERLIN — In a Sept. 24 story about national elections in Germany, The Associated Press erroneously gave Chancellor Angela Merkel’s age as 54. Merkel, who was born July 17, 1954, is 55.

Final rallies held before German vote; Islamic militants threaten retribution for Afghanistan

BERLIN — Ignoring threats by Islamic militants, Chancellor Angela Merkel and her main rival held their final political rallies Saturday before Germany’s national election, focusing on the key domestic issues of jobs and economic recovery.

Germany bans flights over Munich’s Oktoberfest following terror threats

BERLIN — German authorities banned all flights over Munich’s annual Oktoberfest beer festival on Saturday after a series of Islamic terror threats targeted Germany for its role in Afghanistan.

German politicans hold final rallies as Islamic militants threaten retribution for Afghanistan

BERLIN — German political parties held their final campaign rallies before Sunday’s national election, mindful of new warnings by Islamic militants that they would exact retribution for the country’s presence in Afghanistan.

Amid concerns about Islamic extremist threats, German politicians hold final election rallies

BERLIN — Germany’s political parties are holding final rallies for national elections after Islamic militants warned of retribution for the country’s presence in Afghanistan.

Osama urges Europe to withdraw forces from Afghanistan

CAIRO/BERLIN - A new message purported to be from Al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden urged European nations Friday to end their alliance with the US and withdraw their forces from Afghanistan.

Rival agency in talks to take over AP’s German service

BERLIN - Germany’s second biggest domestic news agency, DDP, said Friday it was negotiating to buy the German-language service of US news agency Associated Press.

Poll: Merkel’s preferred center-right alliance level with rivals in German election

BERLIN — A poll published Friday underlined expectations of a tight outcome in Germany’s weekend election, finding that Chancellor Angela Merkel’s preferred center-right alliance is level with its rivals.

Osama bin Laden warns of retaliation against Europe for its alliance with US in Afghanistan

CAIRO — Osama bin Laden demanded that European countries pull their troops out of Afghanistan in a new audiotape Friday, warning of “retaliation” against them for their alliance with the United States in the war.

German president signs EU reform treaty, completing country’s ratification

BERLIN — German President Horst Koehler’s office says he has signed the European Union’s reform treaty — completing its ratification by the 27-nation bloc’s most populous nation.

German-language al-Qaida message _ 3rd in a week _ seeks recruits for holy war

BERLIN — The release of a third al-Qaida video message in German this week shows that Germany must remain on alert before weekend parliamentary elections, officials said.

Germany’s Merkel poised to win new term but faces tough economic, foreign policy challenges

BERLIN — Since the end of World War II, Germans have shown a preference for a slow, steady hand over charismatic fervor when looking for a leader — especially in times of crisis.

German foreign minister calls Ahmadinejad ‘disgrace’

BERLIN - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is a “disgrace to his country”, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said Thursday, a day after Ahmadinejad’s controversial speech before the UN General Assembly.

Germany’s Merkel takes low-key style to the cusp of victory in German elections

BERLIN — A decade ago, Angela Merkel was known to Germans mainly for a famously bad haircut that made her the butt of jokes.

Don’t mention the war - Germany’s Afghanistan taboo

BERLIN - When Colonel Georg Klein sealed the order for two American F-15 fighter-bombers to strike at a Taliban fuel-tanker convoy in Kunduz Sep 4, he probably had no idea he was also about to ignite the German election campaign.

Polar bear Knut’s female companion Giovanna steals the show in Berlin

BERLIN — Giovanna, the new companion of Berlin’s favorite polar bear, Knut, has star quality as well.

German police search far-right party’s headquarters in immigrant letters probe

BERLIN — German police say they have searched the headquarters of a far-right party in an investigation of letters it sent to politicians of foreign descent.

Europe’s aviation agency issues safety warning for instrument on Airbus A330, A340 jets

BERLIN — The European Aviation Safety Agency has issued a safety warning for an instrument to measure air speed that is used on Airbus A330 and A340 jets.

Poll shows razor-thin majority for Merkel’s preferred center-right alliance in German election

BERLIN — A poll published Wednesday indicated that German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s preferred center-right coalition has a razor-thin majority going into this weekend’s general elections.

Germany to walk out at UN if Iran denies Holocaust

BERLIN - German diplomats are prepared to walk out in protest if Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad repeats before the UN General Assembly his past denials of the Holocaust, Berlin officials confirmed Tuesday.

As election nears, far-right party tells candidates of foreign descent to leave Germany

BERLIN — A far-right party has sent letters to 30 politicians of foreign descent who are candidates in Germany’s national election on Sunday, telling them to leave the country.

5 killed, several injured in bus accident in Germany

RADEVORMWALD, Germany — A bus came off the road and plunged down a river embankment in western Germany on Tuesday, killing five people and injuring several others, authorities said.

Arrest warrant served on German teen who attacked school

BERLIN — Prosecutors say a German teenager who injured nine students in an ax and arson attack on his school has been accused in a warrant of attempted murder.

4 more years? Germany’s Merkel, Steinmeier may be headed for another forced marriage

BERLIN — It’s the most-avoided issue in Germany’s election campaign, but chances are good that Chancellor Angela Merkel could be leading another “grand coalition” of the country’s biggest parties after Sunday’s vote.

Al-Qaida threat pushes Afghanistan to forefront of German campaign days before election

BERLIN — New threats by al-Qaida and fierce criticism of a German-ordered airstrike that killed dozens have pushed Germany’s mission in Afghanistan to the forefront of this country’s national election campaign.

Afghanistan leaps to fore of German election after airstrike deaths and al-Qaida threats

BERLIN — Police with machine pistols patrolled airports and train stations Monday after al-Qaida threatened Germans to vote to leave Afghanistan or face attack.

Merkel ally seeks quick tax cuts after German election; rivals say that won’t work

BERLIN — A conservative ally of Chancellor Angela Merkel called Monday for quick tax relief if Germany’s election produces a new center-right government, while her main rivals said tax cuts would be irresponsible.