The two countries have a mutual defence treaty dating back to 1951, which could be invoked if either side came under attack, including in the South China Sea
world3 days ago
Berlin's creative sector workers launched a colourful protest on Wednesday against planned cuts to cultural funding they fear will pull the rug from under the city's famed clubs, theatres and orchestras.
Several hundred activists, one wearing a plucked turkey costume, gathered under grey skies outside the German capital's iconic Brandenburg Gate.
They warned against a "radical" 10-percent cut in support for the arts from next year in the city-state of Berlin, where venues are already battling fast-rising rental costs.
Berlin's Club Commission, which represents the city's famed techno party hubs, said almost half of all clubs are considering shutting up shop in the coming 12 months as they face rising rents and falling visitor numbers.
The group urged "an immediate stop to the planned cuts in the cultural budget" to save the scene.
Classical musicians and theatre folk have also leant their support to the movement.
In a letter signed by conductors Daniel Barenboim, Simon Rattle and Joana Mallwitz, among others, the artists called on the city not to "undermine" the cultural sector.
A "minimal investment" in the arts produced a "maximum benefit" for the city's image, they said.
Cuts to project funding would represent "the death of Berlin culture", Muriel Nestler, 56, from Berlin's Costume Collective told AFP at the demonstration.
Nestler — dressed in the turkey costume which is otherwise used on theatre stages — said "infrastructure for the independent cultural scene" could be lost.
For Patricia Roncoroni, 50, more cuts could see arts education offered for children in the city all but "disappear".
The planned savings are "totally unacceptable", said Roncoroni, who is part of the parent-teacher association for Berlin's music schools.
Addressing the rally, Berlin's culture minister Joe Chialo described the cultural sector as Berlin's "heavy industry" but said cuts were necessary to balance the budget.
The conservative CDU party minister's speech was greeted with a smattering of boos from the crowd.
Chialo said the savings needed to be "distributed fairly" between departments but said he wanted cuts to be "manageable for everyone".
The two countries have a mutual defence treaty dating back to 1951, which could be invoked if either side came under attack, including in the South China Sea
world3 days ago
Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu conferred the Grand Commander of the Order of Niger on Narendra Modi in Abuja on Sunday
world3 days ago
The titleholder's winning answer focused on using each individual's strengths
world4 days ago
The suspects would be interrogated jointly with the Shin Bet internal security agency, police said
world4 days ago
The attack took place at the Wuxi Vocational Institute of Arts and Technology in Jiangsu province
world4 days ago
More than 650,000 people have fled their homes ahead of the super typhoon, which is expected to make landfall late Saturday or early Sunday
world4 days ago
The New York Times reported on Friday that Musk, who is a close ally of President-elect Donald Trump, met earlier this week with Iran's ambassador to the UN
world4 days ago
The tremor occurred at 9.28am UAE time, according to the National Seismic Network
world6 days ago