German police evacuate Social Democrats' party HQ due to suspicious object

BERLIN (Reuters) - German police on Monday evacuated the headquarters of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) in Berlin after a suspicious object was found in the mailroom, a party spokesman said. All employees had to leave the building, including senior SPD members who were meeting in the Willy Brandt Haus for a weekly board meeting to discuss their party manifesto for the Sept. 24 election, the spokesman said. In March German authorities intercepted a package containing a book concealing explosives and addressed to Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble, who is from Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives. A Greek militant group, Conspiracy of Fire Cells, claimed responsibility for sending the package. The centre-left SPD is currently the junior partner in Merkel's coalition government. (Reporting by Michael Nienaber and Holger Hanse; Editing by Gareth Jones)