mr. marks 21. this week on g.w. . this is v.w. news live from berlin nato is divided the french president warns the alliance is facing brain death but germany's chancellor rejects micron's claim that europe can no longer rely on its u.s. on the u.s. to defend its allies will get reactions from washington also coming up. and on the

streets of iraq another day of anti-government demonstrations turns deadly security forces used live fire on protesters last. we were in west germany people were interested enough they gave us clothes they gave us money we are helping everyone. as germany remembers the fall of the berlin wall we meet a former east german refugee who says his experience is driving him to help a new generation of asylum seekers. i'm told me all oddball welcome to the program. nato members are at odds at the worst possible time as the world marks 30 years since the cold war began to and france a crucial member of that winning team suggests this alliance no longer functions

that puts nato future in doubt and has prompted german and nato leaders to condemn the criticism. part of the berlin wall is displayed outside nato headquarters right now again stoltenberg is meant to be celebrating the anniversary 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 together than got 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 he is calling into question some of nato's founding values in an interview with the economist magazine nicole 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 my call worried 1st the alliances largest member of 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 that's been. for its part berlin has been signaling an increase commitment to the alliance visiting trainee soldiers defense minister and a good outcome said she's in favor of making nato's 2 percent spending target

mandatory she least is optimistic about nato even as other alliance members question its future. let's get more on this from our washington correspondent pablo fully and u.s. public has there been any reaction from the u.s. to macross criticism of nato. well the reaction really has come from the secretary of state. who in germany at the moment that it was actually what he said was pretty positive actually about nato on his visit to germany on thursday now we can't really forget that he actually spent time in germany as an officer during the cold war and what might surprise a lot of people is actually had positive he was about nato considering what president trump often said since he took over the presidency in 2016 now. nato remains very important and critical and historically one of the most important partnerships that exists between many of these nations now he also spoke of the

remarkable work of nato and the also defended president trump which is quite interesting considering you know the words of micron and like i said what president trump has said about nato he's been incredibly critical of germany and the other european nations saying that they should spend more money they should reach the target which is set out by nato of 2 percent and what's definitely probably going to be coming up and president from one told back on that is the fact that he believes that will be a topic of discussion at the next nato summit which will take place in london next month considering what you said to president trump in his comments about nato is the u.s. abandoning its nato allies. i wouldn't say that the u.s. is abandoning its nato allies now it has been criticized recently for abandoning

its allies not its nato allies and that would be of course in direct reference to where the u.s. is treatment of its longstanding allies the kurds in syria now that's really where a lot of the criticism has actually. recently and also the fact that the u.s. under president trump has actually you know it he's been sort of hesitant in many ways to where consult with his nato allies so that's also come under a lot of criticism particularly from you know the european members feeling that they should have really been you know warned about a lot of. topics that the president has brought up or also the criticism that he's been gearing towards nato but in many ways what's been interesting is that president trump has actually increased the commitment to monetary and also troops tonight and i this is coming made all these you know these strong words that he's

had to say about the alliance so it's it's been an interesting day today with pomp a.o. also considering what we've been hearing from president trump in recent months ok public in washington thank you. and as problem mentioned the u.s. secretary of state my computer is in germany where he's taking part in events this week marking the 30th anniversary of the fall of the berlin wall on thursday he and his german counterpart did some reminiscing together to try to improve current relations between their countries. it was in some ways a deeply personal visit he was secretary of state might bump you he was 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 these things back then. patrolling the border that separated east and west germany together with foreign minister heikal mass this was also an oak asian to ease the recent tensions in the u.s.

german relations. it was a bit of a walk out every way from a very very very strong. you can say. 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 important relationship between our 2 countries mychal massie expressed gratitude for american support of the german reunification process as 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. sheed annoys company also wanted to show solidarity with jews living in germany in the eastern city of hollow together with mass he visited the side of of recent anti semitic attack and they are nazi gunmen had shot that 2 people last month after he

was unable to enter a synagogue and carry out a mass shooting thank you thank you for coming here with me today thank you for being here to bring 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 in my computer well me german chancellor i'm going to america to discuss current issues in foreign policy. now to some of the other stories making news around the world chile's president has announced new measures to restore order amid the country's worst rioting in 3 decades tougher penalties tougher penalties for people who destroyed property and greater surveillance unrest in the past weeks has left 20 people dead and cause more than a 1000000000 euros in damage. the bolivian government has blamed the opposition for post-election violence that has rocked the country vice president alviro got to see eleonora urged opposition leaders to accept the results of october's presidential

vote president evo morales want a 4th mandate in the 1st round of the election amid allegations of vote rigging. in mexico the 1st funerals have been held for victims of a drug cartel ambush around 500 mourners watched the burial of a mother and her 2 sons mexican soldiers guard of the ceremony 9 american women and children died when the cars they were traveling in were sprayed with bullets in northern mexico on monday. to iraq now where protests against the government are not relenting at least 6 people were shot dead in the latest round of violence in the so-called battle of the bridges over control of screw szell parts of baghdad there is still everything to fight for. for iraq's protest is this flow to is a symbol of a country divided it's time to stop them getting too close to government ministries

this triumph and say tear it down. the. book 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 once more firing live rounds into the crowds evident that we are not afraid of your bombs or sound grenades or your smoke bombs we want to get rid of the government because we begun people of iraq are dying because we have missed out on our use of martians over there it is being dubbed baghdad's battle of the bridges because both sides are struggling for control of the crossings of the tigris river approaches says one to reach the green zone on the other side while security forces want to stop them from getting there. 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. on the model that you politicians have destroyed the country for years have taken what's ours get out we don't want you paralysis to outside the capital protests is resuming a blockade of one of the country's main ports from here food imports into the country and oil laves that. political crisis that's already heating the economy threatening any remaining stability in this country still has. now to all special coverage of the 30th anniversary of the fall of the bell in wall during the existence of the german democratic republic of east germany some $3000000.00 of its citizens fled to west germany as refugees. most have remained in the west as that's where they built new lives for themselves but the experience of being an exile is something they've never forgotten and in the case of one man we

met and to god it inspired him to take action when in 2015 germany became home to a whole new wave of refugees all he has left from his life as a citizen of east germany are a few photos and letters exchange with a french woman met in the communist state. when i got this postcard from all say i couldn't believe it for me it was simply fantastic. it was 18 when he fled the east german dictatorship a few days before the berlin wall fell he went to cologne then stood guard where he found a job started a family and made a place for himself in a homeland that was both were familiar and new thanks to the solidarity of west germans. everywhere in west germany people were interested in us they gave us clothes. they gave us money we had help everywhere in everyday life that work between. them and so in 2015 when

a 1000000 refugees flowed into germany. didn't hesitate for a 2nd he got involved in helping refugees 1st in his company then in the regional chamber of commerce he helped set up a welcome center career counseling language lessons and discussion groups all of it is here to make life easier for asylum seekers in stuttgart casimir was held all along his journey by tina. because of the fact that he's lived through this himself obviously affects him to see people in the same situation he was in just on an r.v. you mentioned young people come here they don't have jobs they don't speak german yet they don't have all the advantages that i huts so to help them is just the way of me giving back and in return i guess a lot of gratitude and i learned a lot too since 2015 the ties that bind have gotten ever tighter between this old refugee and the new ones thanks to his commitment and out of thousands of other

germans a quarter of the refugees who came down have since found a job. this is the dublin news the live from berlin business news is up next for more news and information visit our website d.w. dot com i'm told me a lot of well thanks for joining us.