Editor’s Note: This listicle is part of a weekly series by The Ball State Daily News summarizing five stories from around the world. All summaries are based on stories published by The Associated Press.
The fall of the Berlin Wall celebrations, the statue unveiling of a former U.S. President at his Berlin Wall speech site, the Japanese Emperor’s enthronement parade, the Hong Kong protests and Iran producing more low-enriched uranium make up this week’s five international stories.
More than 100,000 celebrate 30 years since fall of Berlin Wall
Police and organizers say more than 100,000 people took part in an open-air party celebrating the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. Despite the cold and damp, crowds flocked to Berlin’s Brandenburg Gate late Saturday for music and fireworks. The boulevard leading up to the Brandenburg Gate was covered with a giant rainbow-colored net made of 100,000 streamers, many with messages of love and peace, created by American artist Patrick Shearn.
Read more: Fall of the Berlin Wall
Reagan statue unveiled in Berlin at Cold War speech site
The U.S. Embassy in Berlin unveiled a statue of Ronald Reagan Friday at a site overlooking the location of the former president’s iconic speech imploring the Soviet Union to remove the Berlin Wall. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called the inauguration of the work a “monumental moment” before helping remove the cover from the larger-than-life statue on the Embassy’s terrace, at eye level with the top of the landmark Brandenburg Gate.
Read more: Fall of the Berlin Wall
More than 100,000 greet Japan’s emperor at enthronement parade
Japan’s Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako waved and smiled from an open car in a parade Sunday to mark Naruhito’s enthronement. The parade, which started from the Imperial Palace, saw more than 100,000 well-wishers cheer, wave small flags and take photos from packed sidewalks. Naruhito succeeded his father, Akihito, in May following his abdication and formally ascended the Chrysanthemum Throne in a palace ceremony last month.
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Hong Kong police shoot protester, man set on fire
A Hong Kong anti-government protester was shot by police Monday in a dramatic scene caught on video. Elsewhere, a man was set on fire following an apparent dispute over national identity in the semi-autonomous Chinese territory, which has been wracked by five months of protests. The violence is likely to further inflame passions after a student who fell during an earlier protest succumbed to his injuries and police arrested six pro-democracy lawmakers over the weekend.
Read more: Hong Kong
Iran underground lab helps produce more low-enriched uranium
The head of Iran’s nuclear program said the country is now producing more low-enriched uranium daily after restarting an underground lab. Iran has broken out of the accord’s limits since President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal over a year ago. The head of the program said the country is now producing at least 12 pounds daily compared to what Tehran had been producing — about a pound of low-enriched uranium per day.
Read more: Iran