Berlin

By Al Jazeera Staff in Middle East on February 17th, 2011
Saif Gaddafi, the son of Libya's leader, warned of 'civil war' in a speech on Sunday night.

As protests in Libya enter their eighth day, following a "day of rage" on Thursday, we keep you updated on the developing situation from our headquarters in Doha, Qatar.

(All times are local in Libya GMT+2)

Blog: Feb17 - Feb18 - Feb19 - Feb20

By Al Jazeera Staff in Middle East on February 8th, 2011

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By Alan Fisher in Europe on November 9th, 2010
Photo from AFP

In the dull north German morning, they moved slowly towards their final destination. The blue flashing lights of the police escort provided the only colour in the uniform grey cloak of the landscape.

Beside the road, the cast aside remnants of the protesters last stand. Thousands of them who came to block the path of the 11 lorries carrying nuclear waste to the former saltmine which will be its home for now, and many worry may be their home for always.

The police came after dark. I have never seen so many: hundreds upon hundreds. Each pair assigned to one protester, lifting up the dead weight, moving them to the side and starting over again. The police queued to take their turn. There were the odd shouts of anger, but this was largely peaceful and dignified. 

It took hours. The demonstrators covered a lot of ground. The roads to the area outside Gorleben were blocked. No cars, no buses - even bikes were eyed suspiciously.

By Barnaby Phillips in Europe on November 8th, 2009
Photo by Reuters

Berlin is gearing up for the 20th anniversary celebrations of that wonderful and unpredicted event, the fall of the Wall.

Leaders from around the world are flying in, the security tightening. I've been out and about on a very cold day, walking through the excited crowds that are milling aound the Brandenburg Gate, which will be the centre of the ceremonies. The people look prosperous and happy.

Berlin the city is a work in progress, but here in the centre, Mitte,  the government buildings are splendid and lavish. It's difficult to imagine that where we're walking, underneath the Gate,  was no-man's land just 20 years ago, a bleak landscape of barbed wire and floodlights, patrolled by East German guards who did not hesitate to shoot-to-kill. 

By Hamish Macdonald in Europe on November 5th, 2009

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On Monday Germany will mark the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. There are loads of celebrations planned, which culminate in the "Festival of Freedom".

There will be heads of state and guests from all over the world, including the former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev. There's even going to be a performance (I'm reliably informed) by "the Hoff" (David Hasselhoff), who remains enormously popular in Germany. Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to turn up for the open air concert.

The main event, however, is going to involve giant dominos. Around 1,000 of the over-sized blocks will be knocked down a two kilometre route passing through the Reichstagsufer, the Brandenburg Gate to Potsdamer Plastz. It's designed to symbolise the fall of the Berlin Wall.

By Hamish Macdonald in Europe on November 4th, 2009

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It is hard to believe it was 20 years ago next week. I've been thinking about the fall of the Berlin Wall and remembering German classes at primary school in the Australian high country.

Our poor old German teacher was always trying valiantly to make the language relevant and exciting for us. And when the big political changes started to sweep across Eastern Europe, she used the 1983 pop hit "99 Luftbalons" by Nena to pique the interest of our young minds. German pop, particularly of the 80's variety, is an acquired taste, but this tune somehow managed to catch our attention.

Tags: Berlin
By Barnaby Phillips in Europe on November 2nd, 2009
Photo by Getty Images

I'll be in Germany this week to report on the celebrations marking the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall.

The amazing events of November 9th, 1989, were the highpoint of a largely peaceful revolution that swept across Eastern Europe that autumn, and changed our world. Twenty years on, Europeans are looking back, and wondering how it all happened.

I was a student in England in 1989.  The day the Wall fell, a group of my friends set off to Berlin, "to see history being made". Stupidly, and to my enduring regret, I chose not to go with them. Somehow, finishing my weekly essay, or playing in a football match, (I can't even remember the exact reason), seemed to be more important at the time.

By Barnaby Phillips in Europe on September 28th, 2009
Photo by AFP

BERLIN - Germans get on with their elections in a very matter-of-fact way. Campaign rallies are small, relatively quiet affairs, and audiences listen carefully to what the candidates say. Voting is orderely and smooth, and turn-out is traditionally high (albeit down this time to a disappointing 72 per cent or so).

Exit polls are broadcast the moment polls close, and they are very reliable. And the day after, a grey and cold Monday here in Berlin, there's a very back to normal feel.  

For Mrs Merkel, the hard work starts here. There is a new centre-right coalition to form, and many commentators are wondering whether we'll now see more of the Angela Merkel that we saw in the 2005 election campaign, committed to free-market policies and reform of Germany's cumbersome welfare state. I'm not so sure.

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