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...injection of demand into the old GDR, of course, took place in a very different environment from today's. Its key purpose was as much political as economic: to create a reunited Germany, with shared values, from the two states that were the legacy of World War II. But as stimulus plans take hold across the world, policymakers would like to know precisely what such largesse can buy. Because of the slump in world trade, and hence in demand for its exports, Germany itself is facing a tremendous slowdown. The government now predicts that its economy will contract...
...Everything In short, Halle has learned that throwing money at an economic meltdown isn't a cure-all. To be sure, some towns in the old GDR have done well. In the Saxon heartland, where the local economy had strong roots going back to before World War II, Dresden has turned itself into a world center for semiconductors, Leipzig has attracted automakers including BMW and Porsche, and Jena has successfully built on the reputation of its optical firm, Carl Zeiss. But for the most part, eastern Germany is still far from resembling the "blossoming landscapes" that former Chancellor Helmut Kohl...
...Benedict arrives in Israel during an eight-day visit to the Holy Land, his first since becoming Pontiff. The trip is a near carbon copy of one made by his predecessor John Paul II in 2000. The Vatican hopes to use the trip to build on its 44-year rapprochement with the world's Jews after centuries of conflict and persecution. During his papacy, John Paul became the first modern Pope to visit a synagogue, recognize the state of Israel and apologize for the role Christians played in the Holocaust...
...Vatican has a tradition of remaining largely above the fray while allowing - sometimes even encouraging - local bishops to be more aggressive in challenging political leaders. In Italy, for instance, both Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI have given communion to pro-choice politicians while letting Italian church leaders take the role of lecturing those Catholics on their dissent from church teaching. And this is particularly true of the Vatican's relationships with foreign leaders, whom the Pope views as fellow heads of state. Some observers have interpreted Cardinal George's Oval Office meeting with Obama on St. Patrick...
Benedict seems to see that he must follow in John Paul II's footsteps as a champion of interreligious dialogue. He delivered several speeches and attended ceremonies focused on relations with Jewish, Muslim, Druse, Orthodox and other men of the cloth. Once believed to have been reticent about focusing too much on relations with other religions, the man with the world's largest flock (1.1 billion Catholics worldwide) seems to now grasp the importance of this role. Vatican spokesman Lombardi said the Pope's physical presence "is itself a bridge" for improved relations among all religions. "He listened...