Who is Friedrich Merz, the pilot politician tipped to be German chancellor?

BREAKING NEWS

26/12 17:54 - Israel gave officers all-clear to kill civilians – NYT 26/12 17:43 - What we know about the Azerbaijan Airlines plane crash 26/12 17:38 - Finland Seizes Ship After Undersea Power Cable to Estonia Is Cut 26/12 17:31 - Finnish coastguard boards tanker suspected of causing power and internet cable outages 26/12 17:23 - Russian anti-aircraft system may have caused Azerbaijan Airlines crash, says US official 26/12 16:58 - Finland investigates Russia 'shadow fleet' ship after cable damage 26/12 16:44 - Sudan’s war came to represent the worst of humanity 26/12 16:44 - Sudan’s war came to represent the worst of humanity 26/12 16:20 - No Ukraine aid in Biden’s record US defense budget 26/12 16:12 - Authorities investigate Azerbaijan Airlines crash that killed 38 26/12 16:04 - Plane Crash Investigators Focus on Russian Air Defenses as Possible Cause 26/12 15:57 - Russia-Ukraine war: Ukraine claims it struck military facility in Russia – as it happened 26/12 15:54 - NATO state probes Russian tanker over mysterious cable incident – media 26/12 15:51 - Four sources say Azerbaijan Airlines flight was downed by Russian air defences 26/12 15:48 - News24 | Kremlin cautions on 'hypotheses' over plane crash 26/12 15:30 - Finland probes Russia-linked tanker for 'sabotage' of undersea cable 26/12 15:04 - Western Europeans losing faith in Ukraine – poll 26/12 14:35 - ‘Surge of weapons’: How much Ukraine aid did Biden approve after Trump win? 26/12 14:35 - ‘Surge of weapons’: How much Ukraine aid did Biden approve after Trump win? 26/12 14:32 - Sergei Lavrov on Ukraine war: 'Truce is a path to nowhere' 26/12 14:23 - As Trump’s tariff threat looms, what would a US-Canada ‘trade war’ mean? 26/12 14:23 - As Trump’s tariff threat looms, what would a US-Canada ‘trade war’ mean? 26/12 13:46 - Russia warns against 'hypotheses' after Azerbaijan Airlines crash 26/12 13:18 - 'Russian air defence system' downed Azerbaijan Airlines plane in deadly crash - Reuters 26/12 12:36 - Russia-Linked Tanker Detained After More Undersea Baltic Cables Cut 26/12 12:32 - The Year in News 26/12 11:27 - James sets Christmas Day record in Lakers win 26/12 11:05 - Azerbaijan mourns 38 killed in plane crash as investigation gets underway 26/12 10:59 - Germany is doomed because of this grave mistake 26/12 10:53 - Syria authorities launch operation in Assad stronghold 26/12 10:33 - ‘Nobody was spared’: Damascus suburbs still haunted by Assad regime’s chemical attacks 26/12 09:02 - Biden condemns Russia’s ‘outrageous’ Christmas attack on Ukraine 26/12 09:02 - Biden condemns Russia’s ‘outrageous’ Christmas attack on Ukraine 26/12 09:01 - Middle East crisis live: 14 security personnel killed in Syria after clash over former prison officer 26/12 08:44 - Victoria fires: BoM warns of ‘erratic and dangerous’ conditions as Grampians bushfire sees emergency evacuations 26/12 08:14 - Support for Ukraine ‘until it wins’ falls sharply in western Europe, poll finds 26/12 08:08 - Russia Strikes Ukraine’s Energy Infrastructure on Christmas Day 26/12 07:21 - ‘Considerable environmental damage’ from Victoria blaze – as it happened 26/12 07:00 - Resist ‘predatory’ Boxing Day gambling offers, say NHS bosses amid worsening crisis 26/12 06:00 - 20 Years Ago a Tsunami Killed 230,000 People. We Can Do Better Now. 26/12 05:04 - Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 1,036 26/12 05:04 - Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 1,036 26/12 05:01 - A Young Sudanese Trapped by War Makes Painful Choices and Is Viewed With Suspicion 26/12 03:01 - Fair Warning, You Might Regret Looking At These 31 Review Photos For Top-Rated Products 26/12 00:49 - EU skeptical about sending peacekeepers to Ukraine – US state media 26/12 00:01 - Defra scraps England deadline to register thousands of miles of rights of way 26/12 00:01 - Israelis See Chance to Remake Middle East in War's Wake 25/12 23:31 - The Average Adult Has Enough Music Knowledge To Reach Level 20, But How Far Can You Score In This Sudden Death Artists Quiz? 25/12 23:18 - Deadly clashes in Syria’s Tartus over attempted arrest of Assad-era officer 25/12 22:52 - On 20th anniversary of world’s worst tsunami, experts warn of complacency 25/12 22:52 - On 20th anniversary of world’s worst tsunami, experts warn of complacency 25/12 22:29 - Pope Francis Calls for Peace in Ukraine and Gaza on Christmas 25/12 22:29 - Dozens Dead in Airliner Crash 'Likely' Caused by Russian Air Defenses 25/12 22:17 - Russia says Christmas Day attack on Ukraine was a success, as Zelensky calls strikes 'inhumane' 25/12 22:08 - At least 21 dead in unrest after Mozambique top court confirmed ruling party win 25/12 21:38 - Russia criticises Canberra’s ‘hostile stance’ as it looks into reports Australian fighter captured in Ukraine 25/12 21:36 - Baby girl freezes to death in Gaza while Israel and Hamas argue over ceasefire 25/12 21:11 - Azerbaijan Airlines Jet Crashes in Kazakhstan, Killing Dozens 25/12 19:49 - Famine Warning for Northern Gaza Draws U.S. Rebuke and Raises Questions 25/12 19:49 - News24 | On Christmas Day, Pope Francis calls for talks to end Ukraine war 25/12 18:46 - Russia blames 'terrorism' for sinking cargo ship off the Spanish coast, two crew missing 25/12 16:14 - Pope urges negotiations to end Ukraine-Russia war 25/12 15:58 - Russian cargo ship’s owner says sinking in Mediterranean was ‘act of terrorism’ 25/12 15:56 - Lavrov weighs in on Trump’s Ukraine peace efforts 25/12 15:39 - Released From a Russian Prison, This Activist Got Right to Work 25/12 15:18 - Is Russia planning a ‘false flag’ attack on Moldova? 25/12 15:18 - Is Russia planning a ‘false flag’ attack on Moldova? 25/12 14:49 - Dozens survive Kazakhstan passenger plane crash 25/12 14:47 - Russian ship sank was victim of 'act of terrorism', owner claims 25/12 14:47 - Sinking of Russian ship was an 'act of terrorism', owner claims 25/12 14:47 - Russia says sinking of ship sent to Syria to collect weapons was an 'act of terrorism' 25/12 14:47 - Sinking of Russian ship was an of 'act of terrorism', owner claims 25/12 14:42 - Kyiv condemns 'inhumane' Christmas attack on energy grid 25/12 13:55 - For Syria’s Christians, Christmas is a time to grapple with hope and fear 25/12 13:44 - Pope urges 'all people of all nations' to silence sound of arms in Christmas address 25/12 13:12 - At Christmas, Pope calls for ‘silence of arms’, says Gaza situation ‘grave’ 25/12 13:12 - At Christmas, Pope calls for ‘silence of arms’, says Gaza situation ‘grave’ 25/12 12:52 - News24 | 14 survive as Azerbaijan Airlines jet crashes in Kazakhstan 25/12 12:39 - Russia launches major Christmas Day attack on Ukraine’s energy system 25/12 12:16 - Syrian Christians attend first Christmas Eve service since al-Assad’s fall 25/12 12:16 - Syrian Christians attend first Christmas Eve service since al-Assad’s fall 25/12 12:00 - Latin America’s rise in tuberculosis linked to imprisonment rates 25/12 11:12 - Ukraine urging EU to cut welfare payments to its citizens – EL Pais 25/12 10:42 - Starmer condemns Russian missile strikes on Ukraine 25/12 10:19 - Christmas in Bethlehem: Few tourists, no decorations under shadow of war 25/12 09:52 - Sudan's war is 'deepening and widening' a famine crisis 25/12 09:43 - Russian attacks kill one in Ukraine, damage energy infrastructure 25/12 09:43 - Russian attacks kill one in Ukraine, damage energy infrastructure 25/12 09:31 - Pakistan air strikes in Afghanistan spark Taliban warning of retaliation 25/12 09:31 - Pakistan air strikes in Afghanistan spark Taliban warning of retaliation 25/12 08:00 - Guardian and Observer charity appeal donations pass £1m 25/12 07:44 - Bethlehem marks a second sombre Christmas under shadow of war 25/12 07:41 - Russia targets Ukraine's energy infrastructure in 'massive' Christmas Day attack 25/12 07:04 - Ukraine condemns Russia's 'inhumane' Christmas Day attack on energy grid 25/12 06:41 - Cities worldwide mark subdued Christmas Eve in shadow of Gaza, Ukraine wars 25/12 05:51 - You Might Be *Too* Independent, And Therapists Say These Are The Warning Signs 25/12 05:50 - ‘I’m broken’: The women enduring domestic violence amid Israeli war on Gaza 25/12 05:50 - ‘I’m broken’: The women enduring domestic violence amid Israeli war on Gaza 25/12 05:11 - Extreme heat and bushfire risk across Australia’s south-east on Christmas and Boxing days as Grampians blaze rages 25/12 05:04 - Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 1,035