Germany's centre-left Social Democrats on Sunday elected Andrea Nahles, a combative and outspoken former labour minister, as the first woman leader of the 155-year-old party. A decades-long SPD stalwart known for her lectern-thumping speeches, the 47-year-old single mother joins Chancellor Angela Merkel at the top of German politics -- and as the woman who may one day seek her job. "Today, at this party congress, we're breaking though the glass ceiling in the SPD," said Nahles at the meeting in the city of Wiesbaden. "And the ceiling will stay open." Well-connected within her party, Nahles, a former leader of its Jusos youth wing, won 66 percent of the vote, beating Simone Lange, 41, a former policewoman and mayor of the city of Flensburg. The less than stellar result reflected lingering resentment within the party against the decision, strongly promoted by Nahles, to once more govern as junior partners to Merkel's conservatives. Electing a female SPD leader is "a sign of progress that … [Read more...] about Germany’s Social Democrats elect Andrea Nahles first female leader
Germany
Goerges victory gives Germany Fed Cup lifeline
Julia Goerges dragged Germany back into their Fed Cup semi-final against the Czech Republic with a gritty win over Karolina Pliskova on Sunday. Victories by Petra Kvitova and Pliskova in Saturday's singles had put the Czechs 2-0 up in Stuttgart before Goerges's impressive 6-4, 6-2 win kept the tie alive. "The crowd gave me amazing support and drove me on," said Goerges. "There is still all to play for and we believe we are good enough to pull this off." Angelique Kerber now has the challenge of needing to beat Kvitova in the final singles rubber to set up a decisive doubles match. Having lost in less than an hour to two-time Wimbledon champion Kvitova the day before, Goerges showed character in a gutsy display with the home crowd roaring her on. Leaning on her strong service game and producing several outstanding returns, Goerges gave Pliskova no time to settle. The German needed only 27 minutes to win the rapid-fire first set, then took advantage of her first two break opportunities … [Read more...] about Goerges victory gives Germany Fed Cup lifeline
Tennis, Fed Cup: Goerges beats Pliskova, Czechs still lead Germany 2-1
Julia Goerges defeated Karolina Pliskova 6-4, 6-2 to keep Germany's Fed Cup hopes alive against the Czech Republic by pulling the score back to 2-1 in their semifinal on Sunday. Goerges sealed the win in under an hour with her eighth ace, making up for her defeat to Petra Kvitova the day before, and denying the Czechs an early path to the final on Nov. 10-11. Two-time Grand Slam winner Angelique Kerber faced Kvitova in the fourth rubber later Sunday, aiming to ensure the tie is decided by the doubles match. Germany is bidding to reach its first final since 2014. But the 10-time champion Czechs have won five of the last seven Fed Cup championships and have a 7-1 head-to-head record against their hosts. Japan wins decisive doubles to beat Britain 3-2 Miyu Kato and Makoto Ninomiya beat Johanna Konta and Heather Watson 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 in doubles on Sunday to give Japan a 3-2 win over Britain in their Fed Cup World Group playoff. Konta beat Naomi Osaka 6-3, 6-3 in the first reverse … [Read more...] about Tennis, Fed Cup: Goerges beats Pliskova, Czechs still lead Germany 2-1
Bug-Burgers Get On Supermarket Shelves in Germany
The first opportunity to try the German insect-burgers, made of the larvae of buffalo bugs, was offered shoppers in the western German City of Aachen. A local supermarket added the new specialty to their range recently. It looks like a regular sandwich, with lettuce, onions, tomatoes and a patty somewhat like Falafel cake. But a game-changing ingredient has been added. What makes some curious and others disgusted is the powdered larvae of buffalo bugs, mixed with regular vegetables in the cake. One of the founders of the startup Bug Foundation, Baris Özel, who came up with an idea travelling across Asia, describes it as nutty and similar to sunflower seeds. He can’t praise the product enough, having told the Berliner Morgenpost Newspaper: "They look like normal burgers and smell delicious when you fry them. The next step isn’t that far: when you say 'Oh, I'll try it.' " Their … [Read more...] about Bug-Burgers Get On Supermarket Shelves in Germany
Germany shouldn’t buy the F-35, Europe needs military independence – Airbus Defense CEO
The CEO of Airbus Defense urged Europe to keep its military independence and warned Germany not to procure F-35s from the US, arguing it would kill the Franco-German effort to build their own fifth-generation jet. “As soon as Germany becomes an F-35 nation, cooperation on all combat aircraft issues with France is dead,” Dirk Hoke, the CEO of Airbus Defense and Space at Airbus Group, told Welt am Sonntag newspaper. “Europe needs to define its sovereignty more clearly and state that we need to remain independent in defense and space,” Hoke said, referring to the joint Franco-German project to develop a fifth-generation fighter, according to the newspaper. France and Germany unveiled plans to develop a next-generation European fighter jet in July of last year. While little is known about the new plane’s layout and features, it is understood the jet would replace the Rafale and Eurofighter Typhoon, rival fourth-generation jets that compete on international … [Read more...] about Germany shouldn’t buy the F-35, Europe needs military independence – Airbus Defense CEO