Divisions still exists 25 years after fall of Berlin Wall
Videos
-
Divisions still exists 25 years after fall of Berlin Wall
-
Israel-Gaza: Columbia students boo House Speaker Mike Johnson, dozens arrested across U.S.
04:39 | 8 hours ago
-
‘Surreal’: Panicked U.K. military horses charge down London streets
02:03 | 9 hours ago
-
Biden signs bill that could ban TikTok in U.S.
01:59 | 9 hours ago
-
Pro-Palestinian protests intensify on U.S. university campuses
02:14 | 9 hours ago
-
Israel prepared to launch operations in Rafah, IDF says
02:08 | 9 hours ago
-
‘History will remember this moment’: Biden signs $95B foreign aid package
05:24 | April 24, 2024
-
Russian missile strike in Ukraine’s Kharkiv injures 6, governor says
02:17 | April 24, 2024
-
How countries are trying to fight a growing plastic problem
01:55 | April 23, 2024
-
‘Disbelief’ about Ontario police chief’s controversial Sri Lankan visit
02:07 | April 23, 2024
-
2 former Montreal UN workers accused of trying to sell Chinese drones to Libya
01:53 | April 23, 2024
-
Germany arrests EU parliamentarian staffer on suspicion of China espionage
03:43 | April 23, 2024
-
5 migrants drown in English Channel, hours after UK passes Rwanda policy
02:03 | April 23, 2024
-
Guilbeault ‘confident’ that ‘ambitious’ plastic pollution treaty will be achieved by end of year
00:55 | April 23, 2024
-
2 Malaysian navy helicopters collide mid-air, killing all 10 aboard
02:05 | April 23, 2024
-
Haiti’s medical system nears collapse
02:53 | April 23, 2024
-
Billionaire Igor Makarov wants off Canada’s Russia sanctions list
02:17 | April 22, 2024
-
Grieving Israeli families of Hamas’ victims prepare to mark Passover
01:56 | April 22, 2024
-
UNWRA has taken robust steps toward neutrality but still “room for improvement”, internal review finds
02:08 | April 22, 2024
-
China’s Guangdong swamped by devastating floods: “Everything’s gone”
01:44 | April 22, 2024
-
Blinken: No ‘double standard’ in examining alleged Israeli human rights abuses in Gaza
01:59 | April 22, 2024
-
Health Matters: China froze COVID-19 origin tracing, AP investigation finds
02:29 | April 22, 2024
-
Will the US foreign aid bill help Ukrainian troops turn the tables on Russia?
02:11 | April 21, 2024
-
U.S. expected to sanction IDF unit accused of abuses in West Bank
02:24 | April 21, 2024
-
Russia-Ukraine: Zelenskyy, soldiers thank U.S. House for ‘weighty’ aid bill vote
04:22 | April 21, 2024
-
Japan military helicopter crash: 1 dead, 7 missing, defence minister says
01:28 | April 21, 2024
-
Will a limited Israeli attack on Iran result in further escalation
02:37 | April 19, 2024
-
Russia will attack NATO if Ukraine falls, Mike Pence warns
01:30 | April 19, 2024
-
Indonesia volcano continues to spew ash as region remains on tsunami alert
02:04 | April 19, 2024
-
Trudeau calls Iran’s missile attack on Israel ‘absolutely irresponsible’
01:25 | April 19, 2024
-
White House offers ‘no comment’ on reported Israeli strikes on Iran
00:52 | April 19, 2024
-
India Lok Sabha election: Modi seeks 3rd term amid challenge from Rahul Gandhi
02:32 | April 19, 2024
-
Divisions still exists 25 years after fall of Berlin Wall
| November 6, 2014
-
Israel-Gaza: Columbia students boo House Speaker Mike Johnson, dozens arrested across U.S.
04:39 | 8 hours ago
-
‘Surreal’: Panicked U.K. military horses charge down London streets
02:03 | 9 hours ago
-
Biden signs bill that could ban TikTok in U.S.
01:59 | 9 hours ago
-
Pro-Palestinian protests intensify on U.S. university campuses
02:14 | 9 hours ago
-
Israel prepared to launch operations in Rafah, IDF says
02:08 | 9 hours ago
-
‘History will remember this moment’: Biden signs $95B foreign aid package
05:24 | April 24, 2024
-
Russian missile strike in Ukraine’s Kharkiv injures 6, governor says
02:17 | April 24, 2024
-
How countries are trying to fight a growing plastic problem
01:55 | April 23, 2024
-
‘Disbelief’ about Ontario police chief’s controversial Sri Lankan visit
02:07 | April 23, 2024
-
2 former Montreal UN workers accused of trying to sell Chinese drones to Libya
01:53 | April 23, 2024
-
Germany arrests EU parliamentarian staffer on suspicion of China espionage
03:43 | April 23, 2024
-
5 migrants drown in English Channel, hours after UK passes Rwanda policy
02:03 | April 23, 2024
-
Guilbeault ‘confident’ that ‘ambitious’ plastic pollution treaty will be achieved by end of year
00:55 | April 23, 2024
-
2 Malaysian navy helicopters collide mid-air, killing all 10 aboard
02:05 | April 23, 2024
-
Haiti’s medical system nears collapse
02:53 | April 23, 2024
-
Billionaire Igor Makarov wants off Canada’s Russia sanctions list
02:17 | April 22, 2024
-
Grieving Israeli families of Hamas’ victims prepare to mark Passover
01:56 | April 22, 2024
-
UNWRA has taken robust steps toward neutrality but still “room for improvement”, internal review finds
02:08 | April 22, 2024
-
China’s Guangdong swamped by devastating floods: “Everything’s gone”
01:44 | April 22, 2024
-
Blinken: No ‘double standard’ in examining alleged Israeli human rights abuses in Gaza
01:59 | April 22, 2024
-
Health Matters: China froze COVID-19 origin tracing, AP investigation finds
02:29 | April 22, 2024
-
Will the US foreign aid bill help Ukrainian troops turn the tables on Russia?
02:11 | April 21, 2024
-
U.S. expected to sanction IDF unit accused of abuses in West Bank
02:24 | April 21, 2024
-
Russia-Ukraine: Zelenskyy, soldiers thank U.S. House for ‘weighty’ aid bill vote
04:22 | April 21, 2024
-
Japan military helicopter crash: 1 dead, 7 missing, defence minister says
01:28 | April 21, 2024
-
Will a limited Israeli attack on Iran result in further escalation
02:37 | April 19, 2024
-
Russia will attack NATO if Ukraine falls, Mike Pence warns
01:30 | April 19, 2024
-
Indonesia volcano continues to spew ash as region remains on tsunami alert
02:04 | April 19, 2024
-
Trudeau calls Iran’s missile attack on Israel ‘absolutely irresponsible’
01:25 | April 19, 2024
-
White House offers ‘no comment’ on reported Israeli strikes on Iran
00:52 | April 19, 2024
-
India Lok Sabha election: Modi seeks 3rd term amid challenge from Rahul Gandhi
02:32 | April 19, 2024
Divisions still exists 25 years after fall of Berlin Wall
Description
November 6, 2014
<strong>ABOVE: A nine-mile chain of lamps along the former site of the Berlin Wall were being prepared on Thursday to mark the upcoming anniversary of events which brought down the Cold War's most potent symbol</strong>
DRESDEN, Germany - In the German city of Dresden, trumpet player Ludwig Guettler takes pride in the soaring spires of the Baroque Frauenkirche church, rebuilt from the ruins of World War II, and sees them as a symbol of his city's vibrant economic and cultural life.
Some 275 miles (440 kilometres) away in Dortmund, Ilse-Margarete Bonke tries to save her decaying city from a drug scourge by picking up heroin needles from the streets, but finds her work impeded by kids who sneak up on her, pulling off her curly wig and spitting in her face.
The two cities have met contrasting fates since the crumbling of the Berlin Wall 25 years ago - with Dresden becoming a magnet for high-tech firms and a cultural centre, and Dortmund sinking into deep economic depression. What may be surprising about this picture is that Dresden is in the former communist east and Dortmund was once a symbol of the economic might of the capitalist west.
Overall, the west still remains more prosperous than the east: Unemployment is higher in the east, disposable incomes are lower and populations are older as the young move west for better opportunities. But the east has been catching up, and in some key cases there has been a reversal of fortunes. That is largely due to the still mandatory "solidarity fees" instituted after reunification to help raise the former East Germany's living standards - payments that are becoming increasingly controversial as swaths of western Germany fall into decline.
In Dresden, one of former East Germany's biggest cities with about 530,000 inhabitants, the economy is humming and universities are attracting students, who often stay on after graduation to work in Dresden's myriad research institutions and computer chip producers. Unemployment is at 8 per cent, compared to an average of 9 per cent over all of the former East Germany; the city has been out of debt since 2006.
"Dresden is a prime example of a structural transformation done well," Deputy Mayor Dirk Hilbert told The Associated Press.
Some 75,000 jobs, about a third of the city's workforce, were eliminated after the communist system collapsed in 1989. But the city managed to persuade new employers like Volkswagen and international chip manufacturers to open plants in Dresden. Since reunification, some 1.5 to 2 trillion euros (1.9 to 2.5 trillion dollars) were funneled into the former communist east to turn ailing collective farms and state-run factories into competitive capitalist businesses. The lion's share of the money came from western Germany's citizens, towns and states.
The millions in subsidies were important to the city's revival, Hilbert said, but they weren't everything.
"Here in the east, we made harder cuts than they were ever willing to make in the west," he said. Hilbert referred to privatizations of former municipal property, staff cuts of more than 1,000 city employees and reductions in public assistance benefits.
One undeniable role of the solidarity money: helping to turn Dresden into an international tourist magnet.
In the old city, the Royal Palace of Saxony's former rulers, Dresden's majestic city hall and the Zwinger museum complex with its famous Rococo touches were given a complete makeover thanks to western funding. Also spruced up was the Semperoper opera house, which was rebuilt during communist times after being demolished in the Allied firebombing of 1945 chronicled in Kurt Vonnegut's "Slaughterhouse Five."
Guettler, a prominent trumpet soloist, was a leading promoter of the reconstruction of the Frauenkirche church.
"I'm grateful and happy for what we have reached in the last 25 years," he said. "That there are problems elsewhere is logical. ... But we didn't receive any of this as a present."
That view is not widely shared in Dortmund. Once an industrial powerhouse in Germany's western Ruhr Valley, its unemployment rate today is 12.4 per cent, nearly double the national average. The city is millions of euros in debt. It's such a shocking contrast to Dresden that Dortmund Mayor Ulrich Sierau told the AP that he can no longer explain to his city's residents why they must pay the solidarity fees.
"The 'soli' should no longer be given according to cardinal direction," he said, referring to the fee by its slang term. "It should go to whoever needs it most."
When the Berlin Wall came down, then-Chancellor Helmut Kohl famously promised East Germans they would soon be living in "blooming landscapes." But Dortmund's urban sprawl has turned into a blighted landscape, as high unemployment fuels a drug and crime epidemic.
Bonke picks heroin needles out of sandboxes on public playgrounds, so children won't be infected with HIV or other diseases. The kids have for years affectionately dubbed her "Oma Bonke" - or Granny Bonke. But lately, Bonke has come to fear for her safety as teenage gangs pester her during her rounds.
"I'm really scared," Bonke said, but added defiantly: "I'll never move away from here."
Her city in a region once famous for coal mines, steel production and breweries has lost tens of thousands of jobs since the Wall came down, although the decline began before the end of communism. Unlike Dresden, it's still struggling to replace lost industrial jobs by attracting new employers.
"In the beginning, the subsidies for eastern Germany were much needed and indeed they managed to make their cities very pretty with all that money," said Sierau, the Dortmund mayor. "But it is unfair that they still keep getting money transfers while many cities in the west have much bigger problems and financial worries."
In Dortmund's Nordstadt neighbourhood, where Bonke collects needles, the lines in front of the Kana soup kitchen have been getting longer over the years. A recent influx of poor immigrants from the Balkans - drawn by the city's low rents - has exacerbated problems, overcrowding dilapidated buildings and further straining city resources. About 83,000 of Dortmund's 580,000 inhabitants receive some sort of social assistance. Street prostitution, substance abuse, homelessness and crime are rampant in many parts of the city.
"A lot is being done here to help, by all kinds of initiatives, but it is upsetting that people still have to subsist in such conditions," said Ansgar Schocke, a Catholic priest who has been taking care of the poorest of the poor for years.
Some experts say that when the current subsidy program ends in 2019, it should be revamped to include all economically weak regions of Germany - not just the east. Meanwhile, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who grew up in East Germany, this week praised western German states for their support in rebuilding the east. And she painted a glowing picture of Germany 25 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall.
"Today, we have the blooming landscapes that Helmut Kohl promised at the time," Merkel said. "Therefore I believe that finally what belongs together, grows together."
-
Divisions still exists 25 years after fall of Berlin Wall
-
Israel-Gaza: Columbia students boo House Speaker Mike Johnson, dozens arrested across U.S.04:39 | 8 hours ago
-
‘Surreal’: Panicked U.K. military horses charge down London streets02:03 | 9 hours ago
-
Biden signs bill that could ban TikTok in U.S.01:59 | 9 hours ago
-
Pro-Palestinian protests intensify on U.S. university campuses02:14 | 9 hours ago
-
Israel prepared to launch operations in Rafah, IDF says02:08 | 9 hours ago
-
‘History will remember this moment’: Biden signs $95B foreign aid package05:24 | April 24, 2024
-
Russian missile strike in Ukraine’s Kharkiv injures 6, governor says02:17 | April 24, 2024
-
How countries are trying to fight a growing plastic problem01:55 | April 23, 2024
-
‘Disbelief’ about Ontario police chief’s controversial Sri Lankan visit02:07 | April 23, 2024
-
2 former Montreal UN workers accused of trying to sell Chinese drones to Libya01:53 | April 23, 2024
-
Germany arrests EU parliamentarian staffer on suspicion of China espionage03:43 | April 23, 2024
-
5 migrants drown in English Channel, hours after UK passes Rwanda policy02:03 | April 23, 2024
-
Guilbeault ‘confident’ that ‘ambitious’ plastic pollution treaty will be achieved by end of year00:55 | April 23, 2024
-
2 Malaysian navy helicopters collide mid-air, killing all 10 aboard02:05 | April 23, 2024
-
Haiti’s medical system nears collapse02:53 | April 23, 2024
-
Billionaire Igor Makarov wants off Canada’s Russia sanctions list02:17 | April 22, 2024
-
Grieving Israeli families of Hamas’ victims prepare to mark Passover01:56 | April 22, 2024
-
UNWRA has taken robust steps toward neutrality but still “room for improvement”, internal review finds02:08 | April 22, 2024
-
China’s Guangdong swamped by devastating floods: “Everything’s gone”01:44 | April 22, 2024
-
Blinken: No ‘double standard’ in examining alleged Israeli human rights abuses in Gaza01:59 | April 22, 2024
-
Health Matters: China froze COVID-19 origin tracing, AP investigation finds02:29 | April 22, 2024
-
Will the US foreign aid bill help Ukrainian troops turn the tables on Russia?02:11 | April 21, 2024
-
U.S. expected to sanction IDF unit accused of abuses in West Bank02:24 | April 21, 2024
-
Russia-Ukraine: Zelenskyy, soldiers thank U.S. House for ‘weighty’ aid bill vote04:22 | April 21, 2024
-
Japan military helicopter crash: 1 dead, 7 missing, defence minister says01:28 | April 21, 2024
-
Will a limited Israeli attack on Iran result in further escalation02:37 | April 19, 2024
-
Russia will attack NATO if Ukraine falls, Mike Pence warns01:30 | April 19, 2024
-
Indonesia volcano continues to spew ash as region remains on tsunami alert02:04 | April 19, 2024
-
Trudeau calls Iran’s missile attack on Israel ‘absolutely irresponsible’01:25 | April 19, 2024
-
White House offers ‘no comment’ on reported Israeli strikes on Iran00:52 | April 19, 2024
-
India Lok Sabha election: Modi seeks 3rd term amid challenge from Rahul Gandhi02:32 | April 19, 2024
-
Divisions still exists 25 years after fall of Berlin Wall| November 6, 2014
-
Israel-Gaza: Columbia students boo House Speaker Mike Johnson, dozens arrested across U.S.04:39 | 8 hours ago
-
‘Surreal’: Panicked U.K. military horses charge down London streets02:03 | 9 hours ago
-
Biden signs bill that could ban TikTok in U.S.01:59 | 9 hours ago
-
Pro-Palestinian protests intensify on U.S. university campuses02:14 | 9 hours ago
-
Israel prepared to launch operations in Rafah, IDF says02:08 | 9 hours ago
-
‘History will remember this moment’: Biden signs $95B foreign aid package05:24 | April 24, 2024
-
Russian missile strike in Ukraine’s Kharkiv injures 6, governor says02:17 | April 24, 2024
-
How countries are trying to fight a growing plastic problem01:55 | April 23, 2024
-
‘Disbelief’ about Ontario police chief’s controversial Sri Lankan visit02:07 | April 23, 2024
-
2 former Montreal UN workers accused of trying to sell Chinese drones to Libya01:53 | April 23, 2024
-
Germany arrests EU parliamentarian staffer on suspicion of China espionage03:43 | April 23, 2024
-
5 migrants drown in English Channel, hours after UK passes Rwanda policy02:03 | April 23, 2024
-
Guilbeault ‘confident’ that ‘ambitious’ plastic pollution treaty will be achieved by end of year00:55 | April 23, 2024
-
2 Malaysian navy helicopters collide mid-air, killing all 10 aboard02:05 | April 23, 2024
-
Haiti’s medical system nears collapse02:53 | April 23, 2024
-
Billionaire Igor Makarov wants off Canada’s Russia sanctions list02:17 | April 22, 2024
-
Grieving Israeli families of Hamas’ victims prepare to mark Passover01:56 | April 22, 2024
-
UNWRA has taken robust steps toward neutrality but still “room for improvement”, internal review finds02:08 | April 22, 2024
-
China’s Guangdong swamped by devastating floods: “Everything’s gone”01:44 | April 22, 2024
-
Blinken: No ‘double standard’ in examining alleged Israeli human rights abuses in Gaza01:59 | April 22, 2024
-
Health Matters: China froze COVID-19 origin tracing, AP investigation finds02:29 | April 22, 2024
-
Will the US foreign aid bill help Ukrainian troops turn the tables on Russia?02:11 | April 21, 2024
-
U.S. expected to sanction IDF unit accused of abuses in West Bank02:24 | April 21, 2024
-
Russia-Ukraine: Zelenskyy, soldiers thank U.S. House for ‘weighty’ aid bill vote04:22 | April 21, 2024
-
Japan military helicopter crash: 1 dead, 7 missing, defence minister says01:28 | April 21, 2024
-
Will a limited Israeli attack on Iran result in further escalation02:37 | April 19, 2024
-
Russia will attack NATO if Ukraine falls, Mike Pence warns01:30 | April 19, 2024
-
Indonesia volcano continues to spew ash as region remains on tsunami alert02:04 | April 19, 2024
-
Trudeau calls Iran’s missile attack on Israel ‘absolutely irresponsible’01:25 | April 19, 2024
-
White House offers ‘no comment’ on reported Israeli strikes on Iran00:52 | April 19, 2024
-
India Lok Sabha election: Modi seeks 3rd term amid challenge from Rahul Gandhi02:32 | April 19, 2024
Divisions still exists 25 years after fall of Berlin Wall
Description
November 6, 2014
<strong>ABOVE: A nine-mile chain of lamps along the former site of the Berlin Wall were being prepared on Thursday to mark the upcoming anniversary of events which brought down the Cold War's most potent symbol</strong>
DRESDEN, Germany - In the German city of Dresden, trumpet player Ludwig Guettler takes pride in the soaring spires of the Baroque Frauenkirche church, rebuilt from the ruins of World War II, and sees them as a symbol of his city's vibrant economic and cultural life.
Some 275 miles (440 kilometres) away in Dortmund, Ilse-Margarete Bonke tries to save her decaying city from a drug scourge by picking up heroin needles from the streets, but finds her work impeded by kids who sneak up on her, pulling off her curly wig and spitting in her face.
The two cities have met contrasting fates since the crumbling of the Berlin Wall 25 years ago - with Dresden becoming a magnet for high-tech firms and a cultural centre, and Dortmund sinking into deep economic depression. What may be surprising about this picture is that Dresden is in the former communist east and Dortmund was once a symbol of the economic might of the capitalist west.
Overall, the west still remains more prosperous than the east: Unemployment is higher in the east, disposable incomes are lower and populations are older as the young move west for better opportunities. But the east has been catching up, and in some key cases there has been a reversal of fortunes. That is largely due to the still mandatory "solidarity fees" instituted after reunification to help raise the former East Germany's living standards - payments that are becoming increasingly controversial as swaths of western Germany fall into decline.
In Dresden, one of former East Germany's biggest cities with about 530,000 inhabitants, the economy is humming and universities are attracting students, who often stay on after graduation to work in Dresden's myriad research institutions and computer chip producers. Unemployment is at 8 per cent, compared to an average of 9 per cent over all of the former East Germany; the city has been out of debt since 2006.
"Dresden is a prime example of a structural transformation done well," Deputy Mayor Dirk Hilbert told The Associated Press.
Some 75,000 jobs, about a third of the city's workforce, were eliminated after the communist system collapsed in 1989. But the city managed to persuade new employers like Volkswagen and international chip manufacturers to open plants in Dresden. Since reunification, some 1.5 to 2 trillion euros (1.9 to 2.5 trillion dollars) were funneled into the former communist east to turn ailing collective farms and state-run factories into competitive capitalist businesses. The lion's share of the money came from western Germany's citizens, towns and states.
The millions in subsidies were important to the city's revival, Hilbert said, but they weren't everything.
"Here in the east, we made harder cuts than they were ever willing to make in the west," he said. Hilbert referred to privatizations of former municipal property, staff cuts of more than 1,000 city employees and reductions in public assistance benefits.
One undeniable role of the solidarity money: helping to turn Dresden into an international tourist magnet.
In the old city, the Royal Palace of Saxony's former rulers, Dresden's majestic city hall and the Zwinger museum complex with its famous Rococo touches were given a complete makeover thanks to western funding. Also spruced up was the Semperoper opera house, which was rebuilt during communist times after being demolished in the Allied firebombing of 1945 chronicled in Kurt Vonnegut's "Slaughterhouse Five."
Guettler, a prominent trumpet soloist, was a leading promoter of the reconstruction of the Frauenkirche church.
"I'm grateful and happy for what we have reached in the last 25 years," he said. "That there are problems elsewhere is logical. ... But we didn't receive any of this as a present."
That view is not widely shared in Dortmund. Once an industrial powerhouse in Germany's western Ruhr Valley, its unemployment rate today is 12.4 per cent, nearly double the national average. The city is millions of euros in debt. It's such a shocking contrast to Dresden that Dortmund Mayor Ulrich Sierau told the AP that he can no longer explain to his city's residents why they must pay the solidarity fees.
"The 'soli' should no longer be given according to cardinal direction," he said, referring to the fee by its slang term. "It should go to whoever needs it most."
When the Berlin Wall came down, then-Chancellor Helmut Kohl famously promised East Germans they would soon be living in "blooming landscapes." But Dortmund's urban sprawl has turned into a blighted landscape, as high unemployment fuels a drug and crime epidemic.
Bonke picks heroin needles out of sandboxes on public playgrounds, so children won't be infected with HIV or other diseases. The kids have for years affectionately dubbed her "Oma Bonke" - or Granny Bonke. But lately, Bonke has come to fear for her safety as teenage gangs pester her during her rounds.
"I'm really scared," Bonke said, but added defiantly: "I'll never move away from here."
Her city in a region once famous for coal mines, steel production and breweries has lost tens of thousands of jobs since the Wall came down, although the decline began before the end of communism. Unlike Dresden, it's still struggling to replace lost industrial jobs by attracting new employers.
"In the beginning, the subsidies for eastern Germany were much needed and indeed they managed to make their cities very pretty with all that money," said Sierau, the Dortmund mayor. "But it is unfair that they still keep getting money transfers while many cities in the west have much bigger problems and financial worries."
In Dortmund's Nordstadt neighbourhood, where Bonke collects needles, the lines in front of the Kana soup kitchen have been getting longer over the years. A recent influx of poor immigrants from the Balkans - drawn by the city's low rents - has exacerbated problems, overcrowding dilapidated buildings and further straining city resources. About 83,000 of Dortmund's 580,000 inhabitants receive some sort of social assistance. Street prostitution, substance abuse, homelessness and crime are rampant in many parts of the city.
"A lot is being done here to help, by all kinds of initiatives, but it is upsetting that people still have to subsist in such conditions," said Ansgar Schocke, a Catholic priest who has been taking care of the poorest of the poor for years.
Some experts say that when the current subsidy program ends in 2019, it should be revamped to include all economically weak regions of Germany - not just the east. Meanwhile, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who grew up in East Germany, this week praised western German states for their support in rebuilding the east. And she painted a glowing picture of Germany 25 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall.
"Today, we have the blooming landscapes that Helmut Kohl promised at the time," Merkel said. "Therefore I believe that finally what belongs together, grows together."
National News
-
Israel-Gaza: Columbia students boo House Speaker Mike Johnson, dozens arrested across U.S.4:3912 hours ago
-
‘Banff Borrows’: Alberta tourist hotspot aims to curb plastic waste with new eco-friendly program2:0011 hours ago
-
‘Surreal’: Panicked U.K. military horses charge down London streets2:0311 hours ago
-
Northwestern Alberta residents forced to flee due to wildfire1:4111 hours ago
-
Biden signs bill that could ban TikTok in U.S.1:5911 hours ago
-
Pro-Palestinian protests intensify on U.S. university campuses2:1411 hours ago
-
Israel prepared to launch operations in Rafah, IDF says2:0811 hours ago
-
‘Good luck’: Trudeau says to Saskatchewan’s Moe in carbon pricing spat0:5717 hours ago
-
More Canadians ignoring best-before dates due to higher food prices, but what are the risks?1:5817 hours ago
-
Time spent in Canada increases MS risk for immigrants: study1:3717 hours ago
Advertisement
Top News
-
‘Surreal’: Panicked U.K. military horses charge down London streets2:0311 hours ago
-
Israel prepared to launch operations in Rafah, IDF says2:0811 hours ago
-
Giant Pacific octopus showcased in new series2:0611 hours ago
-
Argentina protests: Thousands march against Milei’s education cuts in Buenos Aires2:0221 hours ago
-
Russian missile strike in Ukraine’s Kharkiv injures 6, governor says2:1724 hours ago
-
How countries are trying to fight a growing plastic problem1:552 days ago
-
Germany arrests EU parliamentarian staffer on suspicion of China espionage3:432 days ago
-
5 migrants drown in English Channel, hours after UK passes Rwanda policy2:032 days ago
-
India election: Opposition says Modi’s ‘very disgraceful’ remarks were anti-Muslim hate speech2:422 days ago
-
2 Malaysian navy helicopters collide mid-air, killing all 10 aboard2:052 days ago
Sponsored Content
Canada
-
‘Banff Borrows’: Alberta tourist hotspot aims to curb plastic waste with new eco-friendly program2:0011 hours ago
-
Northwestern Alberta residents forced to flee due to wildfire1:4111 hours ago
-
‘We’re really wanting to get our message out’: Surrey mayor defends communications staff increase1:2011 hours ago
-
Relief for Ontario man after suffering illness abroad1:5811 hours ago
-
Ontario raising speed limit to 110 km/hr on some highways1:3811 hours ago
-
‘Good luck’: Trudeau says to Saskatchewan’s Moe in carbon pricing spat0:5717 hours ago
-
More Canadians ignoring best-before dates due to higher food prices, but what are the risks?1:5817 hours ago
-
Time spent in Canada increases MS risk for immigrants: study1:3717 hours ago
-
First humpback whale calf of season spotted in B.C. waters0:3117 hours ago
-
EV sales in Canada rose in recent years despite higher interest rates. Why?1:5117 hours ago
U.S. News
-
Israel-Gaza: Columbia students boo House Speaker Mike Johnson, dozens arrested across U.S.4:3912 hours ago
-
Biden signs bill that could ban TikTok in U.S.1:5911 hours ago
-
Pro-Palestinian protests intensify on U.S. university campuses2:1411 hours ago
-
Ex-cop accused of murdering 2 and kidnapping baby kills self after police chase0:2218 hours ago
-
‘History will remember this moment’: Biden signs $95B foreign aid package5:2422 hours ago
-
Trump trial: David Pecker details ‘catch and kill’ strategy in hush money case2:342 days ago
-
5 people found dead inside home in Oklahoma City during welfare check0:552 days ago
-
City of Baltimore files suit against operator of ship which struck Key Bridge1:342 days ago
-
Body of missing kayaker found in U.S. waters0:322 days ago
-
Trump trial: Hush money case hears opening arguments2:342 days ago
Advertisement
World
-
Israel-Gaza: Columbia students boo House Speaker Mike Johnson, dozens arrested across U.S.4:3912 hours ago
-
‘Surreal’: Panicked U.K. military horses charge down London streets2:0311 hours ago
-
Biden signs bill that could ban TikTok in U.S.1:5911 hours ago
-
Pro-Palestinian protests intensify on U.S. university campuses2:1411 hours ago
-
Israel prepared to launch operations in Rafah, IDF says2:0811 hours ago
-
‘History will remember this moment’: Biden signs $95B foreign aid package5:2422 hours ago
-
Russian missile strike in Ukraine’s Kharkiv injures 6, governor says2:1724 hours ago
-
How countries are trying to fight a growing plastic problem1:552 days ago
-
‘Disbelief’ about Ontario police chief’s controversial Sri Lankan visit2:072 days ago
-
2 former Montreal UN workers accused of trying to sell Chinese drones to Libya1:532 days ago
Politics
-
Biden signs bill that could ban TikTok in U.S.1:5911 hours ago
-
Pro-Palestinian protests intensify on U.S. university campuses2:1411 hours ago
-
Israel prepared to launch operations in Rafah, IDF says2:0811 hours ago
-
War of words in Surrey policing saga2:0714 hours ago
-
Returning home after the Bush Creek East wildfire2:1614 hours ago
-
Cities push back against B.C. government’s housing targets1:4914 hours ago
-
Calgary city wide rezoning debate delves into affordability discussions2:0814 hours ago
-
New report claims whole logs used for B.C. wood pellet production2:0515 hours ago
-
Edmonton city council approves 8.9% property tax increase in 20242:0015 hours ago
-
Edmonton councillor at centre of letter sent to province speaks out2:0715 hours ago
Health and Wellness
-
Time spent in Canada increases MS risk for immigrants: study1:3717 hours ago
-
Alberta seeing low vaccination rate in adults5:3717 hours ago
-
Health Matters: Canadian government adds $36M to vaccine compensation fund3:0323 hours ago
-
Manitoba to deliver comprehensive spinal surgery waitlist1:242 days ago
-
How to combat stress with fun strategies5:322 days ago
-
Sophie Grégoire Trudeau shares mental health journey in new memoir ‘Closer Together’5:522 days ago
-
B.C. professor quits federal panel in protest of new disability benefit2:162 days ago
-
Manitoba eclipses record number of kidney transplant donors, recipients1:592 days ago
-
Drug treatment options hard to reach2:233 days ago
-
Canada’s doctors say capital gains tax changes could impact care2:055 days ago
Advertisement
Investigative News
-
Solar geoengineering: Can it solve the climate crisis?2:232 days ago
-
Ont. chemical plant temporarily shuts down after residents get sick2:272 days ago
-
Jeffrey Northrup death: How video evidence played a role in the Umar Zameer trial4:513 days ago
-
Business News: Impact of capital gains tax changes3:372 days ago
-
‘I just love pro wrestling’: The divine nature of Canada’s independent scene5:514 days ago
-
How Stanley Park’s longest resident survived for more than 30 years in the park6:296 days ago
-
Budget 2024: Taxes on capital gains explained1:327 days ago
-
Right to disconnect: Can the federal government enforce this policy?1:497 days ago
-
The unlikely origin of on-hold music: an explainer1:581 week ago
-
What is a self-driving lab? How AI is helping accelerate the fight against climate change2:303 weeks ago
News Bloopers
-
Global’s Anthony Farnell performs in The Nutcracker1:144 months ago
-
‘You can’t make this stuff up:’ Loud clap of thunder interrupts live TV segment at pivotal moment0:247 months ago
-
Global Calgary weather anchor startled by surprise guest appearance0:2111 months ago
-
Fun times? Global News personalities help clear snow in search of ‘fun’ story2:0018 months ago
-
Global National anchor Farah Nasser swallows fly on-air0:1720 months ago
-
‘Buzzworthy moment’: Colin D’Mello recaps Doug Ford accidentally swallowing a bee1:5720 months ago
-
‘Did you just call me daddy?’: Morning show hosts can’t hold back laughter after on-air mixup1:1421 months ago
-
B.C. dad hoping to see his cloud photo on TV get his wish following viral TikTok campaign2:1124 months ago
-
Bloopers: Phil Darlington slips, slides and falls in these Our Winter City outtakes1:3818 months ago
-
Global News bloopers: The funniest gaffes, laughs, and fails of 20216:2028 months ago