ends it. malaria must millions live. this is the w. news live from berlin tonight a major feature in nato as the french president warns europe that the military alliance is brain dead germany's chancellor and the nato secretary general they are rejecting president holmes' idea that europe can no longer rely on the u.s. and nato there is unity however into thinking that freedom does not come for free

will explain also coming up for dignitaries gather in germany as the nation prepares to celebrate 30 years since the fall of the berlin wall among them it is us secretary of state who met american troops in southern germany where he once served as an army officer in the cold war plus. in iraq is there hoping for a revolution but it's not going to be peaceful protesters tear down blockades and push towards a government ministries security forces responded to the demonstrators flee but they say they'll be back. and as part of our special coverage of the 30th anniversary of the fall of the berlin wall we visit the famous a shopping boulevard in what used to be west berlin and many east berliners flocked there as soon as they could for a firsthand look at capitalism. i'm

gone. it's good to have you with the french president's timing could hardly be worse as the world marks 30 years since the cold war began to end the fall of the berlin wall france a crucial member of that winning team of $1809.00 suggests that the alliance no longer functions now that is putting natives future in doubt prompting germany and nato leaders to mount a hasty defense today part of the berlin wall is displayed outside nato headquarters right now again stoltenberg is meant to be celebrating the end of verse 3 of the victory over communism but instead he's declaring that his alliance isn't dead. nato is strong. united states north america

and europe we do more to get that done get done for decades. one of nato's most important members has spoiled the party in a historic week for the alliance emanuel macos at least a is calling into question some of nato's founding values in an interview with the economist magazine michael said the mutual defense pact was in danger of breaking down. what we are currently experiencing is the brain death of nato he said adding you have no coordination whatsoever of strategic decision making between the united states and its nato allies. it's the events of last month in syria that have not called worried 1st the alliances largest member the united states announced a troop pullout without consulting its allies then another alliance member turkey marched into the syrian northeast despite the vehement objections of berlin and paris they're worried it threatens european security. but does all this add up to

a threat or just a blip in nato's history nato in germany insisted today in berlin that the alliance is still alive and well even if we do have a problem. even if we do disagree from the german perspective nato is very much in our interest it's our security alliance had been. for its part berlin has been signaling an increase commitment to the alliance visiting training soldiers defense minister and a good outcome said she's in favor of making nato is 2 percent spending target mandatory shia at least is optimistic about nato even as other alliance members question its future. partners bring in our political correspondent simon young good evening to you simon the german defense minister a k k she is known optimistic about nato does she have a right to be well i mean there are certainly reasons to be concerned there you know the president says it's brain daid you have the u.s.

on the donald trump you know not impressed that the europeans are so slow to increase military spending and indeed the president sometimes seems to be calling the whole alliance into question as a result of that and then the position of turkey which is rather confused at the moment within nato as a result of the conflict in syria so you know the troubles of there but the reasons to be optimistic i suppose are also there you know the idea of a strong common defense for europe is still you know front and center and we see the posture of the united states is still strong a pick leaves of a russia and the commitment that the u.s. is putting in terms of troops into year so the europeans have heard the message that they've got to spend more on their own defense and you know most of them are actually doing that that's why you're seeing the german defense minister again actually now putting a concrete date on when germany is. going to reach that took the sent towards the

$23120.00 little a couple of years to go but will have to wait a little bit he will are 30 years after the fall of the berlin wall we're going to be celebrating that tomorrow is germany now rethinking its position its place in the world i think it has been over the years that spent a gradual process and we've seen germany used to be said you know germany's economic giant and a small person politically well now we have germany stepping up diplomatically using its diplomatic clout where it can taking a lead in organizations like the e.u. and the un increasingly as well and you know they are taking the lead only issues like climate change and and in other areas having said that the military thing that still the the the where there's a sense of blockage of course germany has been less keen to get involved in

international problems militarily that's because of history and there is there's a reluctance it's not of winning policy to say you're going to massively increase you know germany's military role which makes it surprising that the defense minister is coming out strongly she has been in recent weeks with someone who doesn't have to worry about winning anymore elections is the german chancellor angela merkel she's going to step down in 2021 where is she in all of this with germany's new position in the world well i think she's watching and waiting as she often does she's listening to the. efforts by her defense minister to kind of you know rally people around the idea of a more prominent defense role for germany and these plans by the way are quite quite controversial as the defense minister admits self you know things like a national security council it's been an idea that's been kicked around for a long time but germany has this. this policy of running all military operational

decisions through the parliament so you know it take can be a slow decision making process she wants to speed that up it's a good thought but it's controversial difficult and there are some other things as well the chancellor as you say she stepped back it's a sort of twilight years she no longer runs around policy that's run by a k. and a great crime karen by the defense minister so we're seeing that shift of power and medicals influence is perhaps waning some young as always we appreciate your reporting thank you. well another crucial actor in the history and the future of germany is the united states secretary of state u.s. secretary of state mike pompei o is in berlin to mark the 30th anniversary of the fall of the berlin wall he and his german counterpart. they did some room in this ng today to try and improve current relations between their countries. it was in some ways a deeply personal visit he was secretary of state might bump you he's the 1st day

of his stay in germany to return to school military base he was stationed here is a soldier in the eighty's one of the back then patrolling the border that separated east and west germany together with the foreign minister. this was also no kazan to east of recent tensions in the us and relations. it was a bit of a walk down memory lane for me members are very strong. you can. you could say i saw a piece of history that i was a tiny little part of back in the late 1980 s. i think it's indicative of the incredible poured relationship between our 2 countries michael mass expressed gratitude for american support of the german reunification process is it always because. we are committed to see you with great solidarity and gratitude that we owe our freedom to you as well as our unity.

she. also wanted to show solidarity with jews living in town many in the eastern city of holland together he visited the site of the friesen anti-semitic attack and they are nazi comment that shocked that people last month after he was unable to enter a cynical and carry out a mass shooting with a cure for coming here with me today thank you for being here to say honor to those individuals who were killed here to the people who want simply to come here and worship in their own faith in the way they desire in the end then make them pale will meet german chancellor i'm going to america to discuss current issues in foreign policy. or some of the other stories now that are making headlines around the world in west africa tens of thousands marched in the capital of guinea to protest a change in the country's constitution that could allow the president to seeking

a 3rd term 13 demonstrators have been killed in clashes with police there in recent weeks a high german court has ruled that a german woman living with her 3 children in the al hold the camp in syria must be allowed to come back to germany despite having joined so-called islamic state authorities had arranged to accept the children but they didn't want to take the mother so i ding security concerns turkish president. reiterated his warning that he will let refugees travel to the european union if he does not get more money to accommodate this over 3000000 syrian refugees are currently living in starkey was staying in the middle east in iraq now where protests against the government carry on unabated in the so-called battle of the bridges over control of crucial parts of baghdad there is still everything to fight for and in other parts of the country demonstrators are blocking ports stopping exports of oil wells and

imports of food. for iraq's protest as this will go to is a symbol of a country divided it's i'm to stop them getting too close to government ministries this triumphant site tear it down. but while the pictures might look similar this is not europe in 1909 it's rather the start of another deadly clash in baghdad. with protesters again running for their lives and security forces apparently one small firing live rounds into the crowds evident normal we are not afraid of your boss or sound grenades or smoke bombs we want to get rid of the government because we the young people of iraq are dying we have missed out on our youth several of margin several of it. it is being dubbed baghdad's battle of the bridges because both sides a struggling for control of the crossings of the tigris river approaches says one

to reach the grains on on the other side while security forces want to stop them from getting there and. the now there's a strategic style made on the straits but it's one that's paralyzing the city and increasing pressure on the authorities. politicians have destroyed the country for years of taking what's ours get out of we don't want to paralysis to outside the capital protest this regime in a blockade of one of the country's mind ports from here food imports into the country and oil lays that. political crisis that's already heating the economy threatening any remaining stability this country still has. well as part of the d w special coverage of the 30th anniversary of the fall of the berlin wall we are looking at what for many east germans was their 1st time as shopping in the

capitalist west on the night of nights the limber like you had. the night of the walking the east germans cross the border by the thousands many headed straight to west berlin's most famous shopping boulevard the 1st in the street that was a showcase of consumerism in the divided city today w. was returning to this famous street and looking at what it meant for many germans from the communist east to see it for the 1st time i. think. one of the top destinations for east berliners exploring west berlin was the luxury car a department store which was famous throughout the country even before the war cotty babe was ready for the rush many east german shoppers stayed up all night for the opening. first and foremost we decided that all our guests should get a free cup of coffee here so they can warm up 1st. the grocery

department was overflowing with exotic products a new experience for many. just. a couple of my eyes i don't know what i should buy 1st or what i should eat 1st i bought some muscle simply user new to me. these were nervy days the east germans had to head back across the berlin wall by 8 o'clock in the evening no one knew if they would be allowed out again. it's all right business is up next with details stick around for that. where i come from we have to fight for a free press and was born and raised to me telling the painter she just want to be shot now and if your newspapers win official information as a turnings you have work off the streets of many cantrips and then fall.