Angela Merkel Suffers Dizzy Spell But Recovers for TV Interviews

Cologne, Germany: Chancellor Angela Merkel suffered a dizzy spell and had to interrupt a television interview on Monday evening but later carried on to finish that and other interviews, her spokesman said.

Merkel was in the midst of an interview with ZDF television, one of a series of media interviews held before today's congress of her conservative party, when she suddenly felt unwell and needed a break, spokesman Steffen Seibert said.

"The chancellor was feeling unwell for a moment - then had something to eat and drink before continuing with the interview after that," Seibert said in response to a report in the Hannoversche Allgemeine Zeitung.

Merkel, 60 and in her 10th year as chancellor, later took part in the annual get-together with the media after finishing her series of interviews.