Germany's government

Columns of tractors rolled into Berlin yesterday as farmers gathered for the climax of a week of demonstrations against a plan to scrap tax breaks on the diesel they use, a protest that has tapped into wider discontent with Germany's government.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel is visiting Serbia and Albania shortly before her long-lasting mandate as head of German's government comes to an end.

The gesture is seen as giving significance to the six Western Balkan countries, although none of them managed to join the EU club during Merkel's term, which began in 2005.

Afghanistan, Belarus and Ukraine will be the focus of German Chancellor Angela Merkel's visit to Moscow on Friday, August 20, Germany's Government Spokesperson Steffen Seibert said on Wednesday.

"It will definitely be about major international issues: the conflict in eastern Ukraine, for which Russia can do more than it is doing, and Belarus," he said.

Chancellor Angela Merkel vowed on June 2 that Germany's government will push on with its work, even after her junior coalition partner SPD plunged into crisis following the resignation of its party chief.    

Bulgarian judges are considering extraditing a German-Turkish citizen who has been under house arrest in a Bulgarian hotel since Sept. 5, Deutsche Welle reported.

The dual national, identified only as Mehmet Y., was taken into custody upon his arrival with his wife in Varna, a seaside resort in Bulgaria.

Germany's government will help German firms with business in Iran where it can, but cannot entirely shield them from the U.S. decision to quit the Iran nuclear deal and re-impose sanctions against Tehran, the economy minister told a newspaper.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has crossed a line by comparing Berlin's government to the Nazis and is no longer welcome in Germany, a senior ally of Chancellor Angela Merkel said on March 21.

Germany's government has condemned remarks by Turkey's president accusing officials of "Nazi practices," days after a local authority prevented a Turkish minister from addressing a meeting there.

Chancellor Angela Merkel's chief of staff called Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's statements "absolutely unacceptable."

Germany's government on Tuesday approved plans to provide military support to the international operation against the Islamic State (IS) group in Syria, DPA reported.

Chancellor Angela Merkel's coalition government is planning to deploy Tornado reconnaissance jets, a refuelling tanker aircraft, a frigate as well as sending 1,200 German troops as part of the mission.

Angela Merkel will seek a fourth term as head of Germany's government in the 2017 elections, Der Spiegel reports.

Sources quoted by the prominent weekly suggest that Chancellor Merkel has already discussed her campaign with members of the leadership of her Christian Democratic Union (CDU), but is not to announce her bid before the beginning of 2016.