Chancellor Angela Merkel&#39;s conservatives and the Social Democrats sealed a deal Wednesday on a new coalition, officials close to the talks said, potentially ending four months of political standstill in Europe&#39;s top economy.

The sources said the parties had ironed out their final differences and were ready to sign an agreement for Merkel&#39;s fourth term.

Public broadcaster ARD said the final disputes had centred around &quot;ministry remits and personnel questions&quot;.&nbsp;

The breakthrough will come as a relief to Germany&#39;s EU partners as the bloc faces tough negotiations on migration and Brexit.&nbsp;

Merkel, Europe&#39;s most experienced leader, has seen her standing at home and abroad weakened by the longest stretch of coalition-building in the country&#39;s postwar history.

But before she can be sworn in, a final hurdle looms: the hard-fought pact between her CDU/CSU bloc and the Social Democratic Party must still be approved by the SPD&#39;s sceptical rank-and-file .

The agreement for a renewed &quot;grand coalition&quot; comes after days of marathon talks in which negotiators from all three parties haggled over everything from foreign policy to labour issues and healthcare.

SPD holds the keys&nbsp;

Germany has been stuck in political limbo since September&#39;s inconclusive general election saw mainstream parties bleed support to the far-right AfD, which tapped into anger over Merkel&#39;s liberal refugee policy.

Merkel, in power for over 12 years, at first tried to cobble together a novel three-way coalition with the Greens and the liberal Free Democrats, but those efforts collapsed in November.

Faced with snap elections that could further boost the AfD or the prospect of heading an unstable minority government, she opted to woo back the SPD -- her junior partner for two of her three terms since 2005.

SPD leader Martin Schulz then abandoned his post-election vow to renew the party in opposition -- a U-turn that angered many.

Merkel&#39;s fate now lies in the hands of the SPD, as Schulz has promised to give his party&#39;s 460,000 members the final say on whether to accept the coalition pact.

Observers expect the referendum to be tight, with the SPD&#39;s left and youth wings fiercely opposed to another four years governing in Merkel&#39;s shadow.

The party&#39;s fiery youth chief Kevin Kuehnert has led a campaign against another &quot;GroKo&quot;, as the grand coalition is known.

The referendum will be held by postal ballot, with the result expected to be announced in early March.

A green light could see a new Merkel-led government in place by the end of next month.

A thumbs-down could spell disaster for Merkel and Schulz, whose political lives hang in the balance, and see the country headed for fresh elections.

Hard-won concessions&nbsp;

With so much at stake, Schulz was determined to extract as many concessions as possible from the tortuous coalition talks to win over sceptics.

While details of the final agreement have yet to be released, former European Parliament chief Schulz has put a fairer Europe at the heart of his efforts, insisting that Berlin must join French President Emmanuel Macron&#39;s push to deepen eurozone integration.

In a draft version of the coalition pact seen by AFP, the parties agreed to support Macron&#39;s reform drive and tentatively backed his idea of a eurozone investment budget.

On the hot-button topic of migration, the two camps said they would aim to limit the annual intake to 180,000-220,000 people, a key CSU demand.

The SPD however won assurances that family reunifications for refugees would resume in August, albeit restricted to 1,000 people a month.

It was not immediately clear how the final sticking points in the negotiations were resolved, such as the SPD&#39;s insistence on limiting short-term contracts and overhauling the two-tier healthcare system.

On defence spending too, both sides remained at odds as the finish line neared with the conservatives more open than the SPD to raising military spending closer to NATO targets, as pushed for by US President Donald Trump.

But the protracted haggling has left its scars, and surveys suggest both camps have much to fear from fresh elections in case of a &quot;no&quot; vote from SPD members.

A recent Insa poll found that support for the CDU/CSU had fallen from 33 to 30.5 per cent, while the SPD slipped from September&#39;s historic low of 20.5 per cent to 17 per cent.

The AfD meanwhile scored a record 15 pe rcent.

The sources said the parties had ironed out their final differences and were ready to sign an agreement for Merkel's fourth term

Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives and the Social Democrats sealed a deal Wednesday on a new coalition, officials close to the talks said, potentially ending four months of political standstill in Europe's top economy. The sources said the parties had ironed out their final differences and were ready to sign an agreement for Merkel's fourth term. Public broadcaster ARD said the final disputes had centred around "ministry remits and personnel questions". The breakthrough will come as a relief to Germany's EU partners as the bloc faces tough negotiations on migration and Brexit. Merkel, Europe's most experienced leader, has seen her standing at home and abroad weakened by the longest stretch of coalition-building in the country's postwar history. But before she can be sworn in, a final hurdle looms: the hard-fought pact between her CDU/CSU bloc and the Social Democratic Party must still be approved by the SPD's sceptical rank-and-file . The agreement for a renewed "grand coalition" comes after days of marathon talks in which negotiators from all three parties haggled over everything from foreign policy to labour issues and healthcare. SPD holds the keys Germany has been stuck in political limbo since September's inconclusive general election saw mainstream parties bleed support to the far-right AfD, which tapped into anger over Merkel's liberal refugee policy. Merkel, in power for over 12 years, at first tried to cobble together a novel three-way coalition with the Greens and the liberal Free Democrats, but those efforts collapsed in November. Faced with snap elections that could further boost the AfD or the prospect of heading an unstable minority government, she opted to woo back the SPD -- her junior partner for two of her three terms since 2005. SPD leader Martin Schulz then abandoned his post-election vow to renew the party in opposition -- a U-turn that angered many. Merkel's fate now lies in the hands of the SPD, as Schulz has promised to give his party's 460,000 members the final say on whether to accept the coalition pact. Observers expect the referendum to be tight, with the SPD's left and youth wings fiercely opposed to another four years governing in Merkel's shadow. The party's fiery youth chief Kevin Kuehnert has led a campaign against another "GroKo", as the grand coalition is known. The referendum will be held by postal ballot, with the result expected to be announced in early March. A green light could see a new Merkel-led government in place by the end of next month. A thumbs-down could spell disaster for Merkel and Schulz, whose political lives hang in the balance, and see the country headed for fresh elections. Hard-won concessions With so much at stake, Schulz was determined to extract as many concessions as possible from the tortuous coalition talks to win over sceptics. While details of the final agreement have yet to be released, former European Parliament chief Schulz has put a fairer Europe at the heart of his efforts, insisting that Berlin must join French President Emmanuel Macron's push to deepen eurozone integration. In a draft version of the coalition pact seen by AFP, the parties agreed to support Macron's reform drive and tentatively backed his idea of a eurozone investment budget. On the hot-button topic of migration, the two camps said they would aim to limit the annual intake to 180,000-220,000 people, a key CSU demand. The SPD however won assurances that family reunifications for refugees would resume in August, albeit restricted to 1,000 people a month. It was not immediately clear how the final sticking points in the negotiations were resolved, such as the SPD's insistence on limiting short-term contracts and overhauling the two-tier healthcare system. On defence spending too, both sides remained at odds as the finish line neared with the conservatives more open than the SPD to raising military spending closer to NATO targets, as pushed for by US President Donald Trump. But the protracted haggling has left its scars, and surveys suggest both camps have much to fear from fresh elections in case of a "no" vote from SPD members. A recent Insa poll found that support for the CDU/CSU had fallen from 33 to 30.5 per cent, while the SPD slipped from September's historic low of 20.5 per cent to 17 per cent. The AfD meanwhile scored a record 15 pe rcent.

Germany's top parties 'reach deal' on Merkel coalition

Russian sports minister Vitaly Mutko said allegations that he had helped cover up a top footballer&#39;s positive doping test were silly. Mutko added that he and Russia were being smeared as payback for winning the right to host the 2018 FIFA World Cup. 
 
Mutko, who is battling to end a doping scandal that has placed a question mark over Russian athletes&#39; right to compete at the 2016 Rio Olympics, was responding to allegations against him made by German public broadcaster ARD/WDR. 
 
The German broadcaster, whose reports led to the suspension of Russia&#39;s track-and-field athletes, said an alleged internal sports ministry e-mail exchange discussing a footballer&#39;s failed test said the matter should be forwarded to &#39;VL&#39;.&nbsp;That, it said, referred to Vitaly Leontiyevich Mutko. 
 
&quot;Initials could be interpreted in a different way,&quot; Mutko was quoted as saying today by the TASS news agency. &quot;How could I help to hide this? Destroy it myself? This is silly stuff, unconvincing.&quot; 
 
After being suspended by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) last year, Russia is trying to convince sports authorities that it is serious about rooting out cheats in time for the Rio de Janeiro Olympics in August. 
 
The IAAF will decide whether Russia has done enough to have that ban overturned at a meeting in Vienna on June 17. 
 
&quot;One of the reasons for the doping scandal with Russian sportspeople is the desire to dredge for compromising information with regard to the 2018 World Cup,&quot; he was quoted as saying by the RIA news agency. 
 
&quot;First they tried through FIFA but didn&#39;t succeed,&quot; he said. &quot;Now they are investigating the laundering of bribes, they are trying to get in from the other side.&quot;

German public broadcaster ARD/WDR's report had led to the suspension of Russia's track-and-field athletes

Russian sports minister Vitaly Mutko said allegations that he had helped cover up a top footballer's positive doping test were silly. Mutko added that he and Russia were being smeared as payback for winning the right to host the 2018 FIFA World Cup. Mutko, who is battling to end a doping scandal that has placed a question mark over Russian athletes' right to compete at the 2016 Rio Olympics, was responding to allegations against him made by German public broadcaster ARD/WDR. The German broadcaster, whose reports led to the suspension of Russia's track-and-field athletes, said an alleged internal sports ministry e-mail exchange discussing a footballer's failed test said the matter should be forwarded to 'VL'. That, it said, referred to Vitaly Leontiyevich Mutko. "Initials could be interpreted in a different way," Mutko was quoted as saying today by the TASS news agency. "How could I help to hide this? Destroy it myself? This is silly stuff, unconvincing." After being suspended by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) last year, Russia is trying to convince sports authorities that it is serious about rooting out cheats in time for the Rio de Janeiro Olympics in August. The IAAF will decide whether Russia has done enough to have that ban overturned at a meeting in Vienna on June 17. "One of the reasons for the doping scandal with Russian sportspeople is the desire to dredge for compromising information with regard to the 2018 World Cup," he was quoted as saying by the RIA news agency. "First they tried through FIFA but didn't succeed," he said. "Now they are investigating the laundering of bribes, they are trying to get in from the other side."

Russian sports minister says doping cover-up stories are silly revenge

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) urged the Kenyan government to act &quot;quickly in the interest of protecting clean sport&quot; after the athletics powerhouse found itself caught in the eye of a fresh doping storm. 
 
A new investigation by German television channel ARD and Britain&#39;s Sunday Times newspaper alleged on Saturday that doping is rife at the elite training centre in Iten. 
 
Previous joint research by ARD and the British newspaper led to the banning of the Russian athletics team from the Olympic Games for state-sponsored doping. 
 
Over the past three years, around 40 Kenyan athletes have failed doping tests, shredding their reputation for probity and laying bare the reality behind their reputation as the most dominant middle-to-long distance running nation in the world.&nbsp; 
 
The allegations are a major blow as they follow only weeks after Kenyan lawmakers passed a law, having been threatened with a similar sanction as the Russians by WADA - making it a criminal act to either dope or to supply such products. 
 
The documentary, largely filmed with a hidden camera, says it successfully infiltrated a team, posing as an athlete, in the training centre, a favoured spot for distance runners, both Kenyan and European, as it is at high altitude - 2,400 metres above sea level. 
 
The documentary shows images of boxes of the endurance-boosting drug EPO on the inside of the training centre and used syringes dumped in a bin. 
 
EPO is shown to be widely available in the pharmacies around the centre whilst two doctors are only too willing to propose supplying the journalist posing as an athlete with doping products. 
&nbsp; 
One of the two doctors claims to have supplied to &quot;more than 50 athletes, including three British runners, based on his guarantee he could dramatically improve their performances in &quot;three months&quot;. 
 
&quot;Even if the athletes are subjected to doping tests they will find nothing,&quot; says the doctor. 
 
&quot;That is what the top level athletes take.&quot; 
 
The same doctor, according to ARD, when approached again retracted his claims and said he had nothing to do with doping and to have made up supplying the products. 
 
However, both he and the other doctor featured have since been arrested by Kenyan police, according to ARD. 
 
A man said to be the coach of an Olympic champion, appearing with his face hidden, confirms the claims made in the documentary. 
&quot;The great majority of the athletes who appear out of nowhere are doped,&quot; he says. 
 
The chief executive of UK Anti-Doping, Nicole Sapstead, said the report was &quot;of grave concern and of significant interest&quot;, adding they were investigating. 
 
&quot;I can confirm that this evidence is being treated with the utmost importance and urgency, and two UKAD staff are currently in Kenya pursuing a number of lines of enquiry,&quot; she said in a statement. 
 
Newly-installed WADA director-general Olivier Niggli, in a statement issued from the organisation&#39;s Montreal headquarters, said he had &quot;full confidence &quot; in UKAD. 
 
He added: &quot;This article is one in a series of reports questioning Kenya`s ability to effectively address doping; and, suggesting that there exists a culture of doping in the country. 
 
&quot;At the very least, this is an indication that the Kenyan government must quickly put the necessary human resources behind Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK) in the interest of protecting clean sport.&quot; 
 
Earlier, ADAK head Japhter Rugut told ARD: &quot;We can see that we have a lot of problems at grassroots level and we will work with the police so as to weed out all those implicated in these criminal activities, both sports people and doctors, who will have to answer for their actions. 
 
&quot;We want to go to Rio with a clean team.&quot; 
 
(AFP)

A documentary by German TV and British newspaper showed boxes of endurance-boosting drug EPO and syringes inside the training centre at Iten

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) urged the Kenyan government to act "quickly in the interest of protecting clean sport" after the athletics powerhouse found itself caught in the eye of a fresh doping storm. A new investigation by German television channel ARD and Britain's Sunday Times newspaper alleged on Saturday that doping is rife at the elite training centre in Iten. Previous joint research by ARD and the British newspaper led to the banning of the Russian athletics team from the Olympic Games for state-sponsored doping. Over the past three years, around 40 Kenyan athletes have failed doping tests, shredding their reputation for probity and laying bare the reality behind their reputation as the most dominant middle-to-long distance running nation in the world. The allegations are a major blow as they follow only weeks after Kenyan lawmakers passed a law, having been threatened with a similar sanction as the Russians by WADA - making it a criminal act to either dope or to supply such products. The documentary, largely filmed with a hidden camera, says it successfully infiltrated a team, posing as an athlete, in the training centre, a favoured spot for distance runners, both Kenyan and European, as it is at high altitude - 2,400 metres above sea level. The documentary shows images of boxes of the endurance-boosting drug EPO on the inside of the training centre and used syringes dumped in a bin. EPO is shown to be widely available in the pharmacies around the centre whilst two doctors are only too willing to propose supplying the journalist posing as an athlete with doping products. One of the two doctors claims to have supplied to "more than 50 athletes, including three British runners, based on his guarantee he could dramatically improve their performances in "three months". "Even if the athletes are subjected to doping tests they will find nothing," says the doctor. "That is what the top level athletes take." The same doctor, according to ARD, when approached again retracted his claims and said he had nothing to do with doping and to have made up supplying the products. However, both he and the other doctor featured have since been arrested by Kenyan police, according to ARD. A man said to be the coach of an Olympic champion, appearing with his face hidden, confirms the claims made in the documentary. "The great majority of the athletes who appear out of nowhere are doped," he says. The chief executive of UK Anti-Doping, Nicole Sapstead, said the report was "of grave concern and of significant interest", adding they were investigating. "I can confirm that this evidence is being treated with the utmost importance and urgency, and two UKAD staff are currently in Kenya pursuing a number of lines of enquiry," she said in a statement. Newly-installed WADA director-general Olivier Niggli, in a statement issued from the organisation's Montreal headquarters, said he had "full confidence " in UKAD. He added: "This article is one in a series of reports questioning Kenya`s ability to effectively address doping; and, suggesting that there exists a culture of doping in the country. "At the very least, this is an indication that the Kenyan government must quickly put the necessary human resources behind Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK) in the interest of protecting clean sport." Earlier, ADAK head Japhter Rugut told ARD: "We can see that we have a lot of problems at grassroots level and we will work with the police so as to weed out all those implicated in these criminal activities, both sports people and doctors, who will have to answer for their actions. "We want to go to Rio with a clean team." (AFP)

World agency calls for 'quick action' after another Kenya doping scandal

Ard, News on Ard, stories on Ard, articles on Ard, Ard stories at Wion, Ard news, Ard latest news