Politicians and citizens have been paying respects ahead of his funeral on saturday. And the Tour De France is back in germany for the first time in decades. The 104th version starting on saturday in the city of dusseldorf. We will get a preview from the sports desk. Sarah hello, welcome. Im sarah harman. Thank you for joining me. Gay couples can start planning their weddings in germany after parliament passed a bill giving samesex couples the right to marry. It has wide support across germany and there was instant reaction in berlin, where emotional scenes unfolded outside the bundestag and the office of chancellor merkel as people gathered to celebrate. [cheers] correspondent a moment some had waited a lifetime to see. In the corinne, supporters of gay marriage gathered outside of the office of chancellor merkel to cheer on the vote. It is not just about politics for many, the new law affects them and personal ways. With today we are parents like anybody else. We love you more than our lives and ourselves and today this decision means we can tell our sons that they have two ordinary parents, just as anybody else. It feels great. A long time coming, we definitely deserved it. It feels good. I cannot put it into words. Correspondent across town, a neighborhood in the citys west and the center of gay life in berlin, raising a flag to show the support of the city. [cheers] correspondent but it was at one of berlins most enough get landmarks that celebrations really kicked off. Know whether structure in germany symbolizes freedom quite like the brandenburg gate. Today, the bring up her gate has been the gate has been transformed into the scene of a party. Many people are asking how a socially progressive country like germany could have taken so long to come to this decision. But for the people here today, they are only happy it finally happened and that they finally share equal rights. Correspondent some conservatives have said they may try to challenge the law in courts. But today the vote represents a major milestone for supporters of gay marriage. Sarah the samesex marriage law faced strong opposition for decades. Now the samesex couples have equal rights, including the right to adopt children. Chancellor merkel voted against the law, but paved of the way for passage by allowing members of her conservative alliance to vote according to conscience, and all of the no votes came from them. Correspondent rainbow flags flying, celebrating the samesex marriage law. As of today, in our country, everyone can live, love and raise their children as they wish. Based on a firm legal foundation, that is the big step we made today. [applause] correspondent joining in the celebrations was the former mayor of berlin, a gay icon visibly moved. My heart is pounding. This is a historic day, a wonderful day. In a few weeks, marriage will be possible for everybody. That is the way it should be. [applause] correspondent environment minister Barbara Hendricks was also euphoric. Now she plans on marrying her partner. She said last time i asked you to marry me, now it is your turn. I am pretty sure she will say yes. Correspondent hours ago in the german parliament, for many politicians this is the most important debate of the year, especially for beck, a gay activist and Green Party Parliament member. It is a dream come true happening on his last day in parliament. The samesex marriage ban must end, marriage must be possible for everyone because without equal rights what we have is discrimination. Correspondent but many in the conservative party do not agree. For them, marriage is not meant for homosexuals. The reason for this is our society will only continue to exist when there is a union of man and woman, out of which children can be born and the future of our society can be secured. Correspondent following the debate, chancellor merkel voiced her personal opinion. For me, marriage is a constitutional right for men and women. That is why i voted against the law today. Correspondent so the question remains why she paved the road for samesex marriage at all. The best way to fight a battle you cannot win is to refuse to participate. She was smart. Correspondent the green party celebrating the decision. For decades, they have been fighting for samesex marriage and in the end they even had many in the conservative party on their side. [applause] sarah joining me now in the studio, who asked chancellor merkel when he would be able to marry his boyfriend. Her answer paved the way for the votes that legalized gay marriage. What a historic event. Welcome. Take a listen to this exchange that happened in a public forum. We have a quick. Clip. Will it be easier for you after the next election to be able to say you can only form a coalition if you approve of samesex marriage, or are you going to take a hard line . If you do, when will i be allowed to go my boyfriend my husband if i want to marry him . I would like to have the discussion go in a direction where we say that it is rather a decision of conscience than one pushed through with a majority votes. Sarah that is why it is considered to be the moment it was monday, to open the floodgates to the vote we saw today. Did you realize in a moment what happened . Totally not. It was only one word about the feelings or something which was in her struggle answer, which was for a long time. There were other things i was thinking about more, like this couple that has a kids. I was 8 kids. I was thinking about that, that it was import for her to think about that, that she is changing something in herself. But it is a thing, this one word which makes actually the difference in the next day coming out as a big change, talking about the feelings and parliament has the vote about it. I had no idea this would be a part of it. Sarah she agreed they should vote their conscience, and she voted her conscience and she voted against gay marriage. How does that make you feel . After monday i was optimistic that she would vote for it. That she would approve it. But she did not. Today i was in parliament, i saw her and she had this thing in her head hand and sheut it in the election box. I was upset about it, because that was my hope that she would make this sign of the words she can still serve the conservative part of her party. There is enough other things where she can be conservative about, but not this anymore. Sarah the question you asked her was personal, when you would be allowed to marry her boyfriend. Now you can, are you making wedding plans . My wedding plans are existing for so long, we have been together 11. 5 almost 12 years. So i am in love with my boyfriend still and i totally want to marry him one day. That was not my the last part of my question was more like, when can i marry him if i want to . And that means one day. But i want to have the rights. It was more important for me to say that i want to be the same, the same value or the same thing, like a straight person. And i do not want to be someone different. So it was more the option to have it. Now we have the option and after this really crazy week i have to talk about this with my boyfriend again. Sarah big discussions ahead. All the best. Thank you so much. Sarah german lawmakers have had a busy day. In addition to approving samesex marriage they also passed a law that will be finding social fining social media platforms if they fail to take down fake speech and hate speech. It is illegal in germany and lawmakers want to crack down on it online. The is controversial new law is controversial and it could lead to censorship. Correspondent firsthand experience with hate speech in social media. She is a member of parliament representing the green party and has been subjected to chilling threats. People insult you. They like to push around women. One person wrote, i would love to see a video where you are being decapitated. Correspondent the new law States Social media like facebook and twitter must delete obviously illegal content within 24 hours. In more, located cases, posts complicated cases posts must be deleted within seven days or they can be fined 50 million euros. In the last two years, hate crimes have increased by 300 . This msure allows us to end the law of the jungle in the internet. Yet, it protects freedom of speech. Correspondent critics object to the fact Companies Like facebook are now left to decide what is ok and what is not, and they fear that high fines could prompt them to reduce more than necessary. Sometimes you have to accept things that you find offensive. But society must stop things like far right opinions. The laws do not mean we can delete everything. What is for bid and and what isnt forbidden and what is not is by no means clear. Correspondent lawmakers say that the posting prompting that beheading was not a criminal offense. Sarah we will take a look at other stories making news around the globe. Beginning in new york, police say shots were fired inside a new york city hospital. Local media reporting as many as six people wounded in the shooting at bronx lebanon hospital. They have confirmed the gunman is now dead. Police rushed to the scene havent and have asked the public to avoid the area. The head of the local authority responsible for the london tower that burned down is now resigning. He canceled the First Council meeting after the blaze. At least 80 people died in the inferno earlier this month. And at least 22 people have been killed in three days of fighting in the Central African republic. The clashes between malaysia and her militia and herders again in the southeast of the country. Peacekeeping forces have been sent to that area. The United Nations says a demand by saudi arabia and other arab nations for qatar to shut down the al jazeera news channel is unacceptable. A spokesman called it an attk on freedom of expression. The countrys imposed boycott on qatar three weeks ago, accusing of backing terrorism. And hong kong is marking the th annivsary of its return from british to chinese rule. The chinese president is in town to celebrate. He said the one countrytwo systems model would not change. But prodemocracy activists have been demanding more autonomy for hong kong. And it has been less than a week since two giant pandas received a celebrity welcome in the german capital. The two pandas arrived at the berlin zoo after a very long flight from china. And new video footage shows the pair of them make it themselves cozy in their new home. They will get their grand introduction to the public with a presentation by the german chancellor and the chinese president in early july. They are cute. You are watching dw news. Coming up, two weeks since the death of germanys foreman chancellor koh citizens paying respects ahead of his funeral. On saturday. We will take a look at the preparations. And me to diplomacy. Good the u. S. Stea could u. S. Steaks be going to china . We have the story coming up. Everyone, every man knows that a child needs food. Without food, you can do nothing. We had a lot of problems. They were eating nothing. That could have been us. Anyone of us. Sarah welcome back. You are watching dw news. Celebrations across germany as lawmakers approved samesex marriage. The reform will give gay couples full marriage rights, including the ability to adopt children. A funeral for the from her Chancellorhelmut Kohl set to take place on saturday. The two weeks since his death have been marked by disputes within his family and uncertainty about how to act after he said he did not want a federal royal service. The politicians and citizens are still paying respects. Correspondent within hours of his death, people began arriving at his home to pay tribute to and to offer condolences. To express sadness and admiration for the great statesman. In germany, politicians of all stripes were quick to pay respects. Helmut kohl w a great german and a great european. Helmut kohls legacy has determined the two most important tasks of german politics over the past decade. The reunification of our country, and the unification of europe. Helmut kohl understood that these two things were inextricably linked. For me as a social democrat i had a lot of differences withhelmut kohl. But as a german active in european politics i consider him a figure of outstanding significance for our era. Correspondent leaders around the world also painter butte. Paying tribute. In brussels, flags at half mast. The european president praising him as a great european. The russian president him a wise friend. The former u. S. President george bush senior said he was the greatest european leader of the second half of the 20 century. Old friends and colleagues visited to offer condolences to his widow. But the door was not open to every visitor. It remains closed to the former chancellors son by his first wife, and his grandchildren. They learned of his death on the radio. My father had broken all contact with a lot of people around him, including all of his family, my brother, me and his grandchildren, who really suffered at not being able to contact her grandfather. I do not want to say anything more at thime. I can only express my sorrow and grief he has died and it all happened in this way. Correspondent a conflict within the family has intensified after the suicide of his first wife, and his subsequent marriage. It appears to have continued after his death. He and his brother called for a state funeral in berlin, but the widow evidently do not want that. Instead, there will be a ceremony of the European Parliament in strasburg. Then a mass at the cathedral. He will also be buried in that city, which meant so much to him. Sarah and we will have full coverage of the funeral events tomorrow. Coming up, christophe from the business desk with diplomacy between china and the u. S. 14 years of the fears over mad cow disease are over. China has lifted the ban on u. S. Beef. Walmart licking its lips as chinese customers will be at the sink their teeth into american steaks. Their appetite is growing rapidly. Correspondent marbled, juicy and the right color, Chinese Shoppers are eager to buy the beef just in from the u. S. It is more expensive than the local variety, but it has novelty. The 14yearold ban on u. S. Beef because of mad cow disease has been lifted and the demand is growing rapidly in china, which imported a total of 2. 6 billion of the meat last year. The return of u. S. Beef to china is an example of how cooperation between our two countries can yield real results. I want to reiterate o commitment as a u. S. Representative to china to work every day to expand trade to increase american exports, and we believe that beef is a good and a great beginning for this process. Correspondent the end to the ban is the product of a trade agreement. The u. S. Hopes similar results can be achieved with corn, soybeans and rice, whi it also has on offer. Christoph lets to on this with our wall street correspondent. After 14 years, u. S. Beef is back on the chinese girls. Grills. Can they meet over the barbecue . I mean, there is certainly huge demand for food in china and as we heard not just for beef but also soybeans and corn. It is not always a good relationship. 4 years ago, smithfield, the biggest pork producer in the u. S. Was sold to china and locals complained it is not always pretty when you have that mass production, all the waste, all the issues remaining in the u. S. , why the meat itself gets exported to china. It is not always pretty, but that said the u. S. Is running a huge trade deficit to china and agriculture could be one area to actually decrease the deficit between the two nations. Christoph beijing reacting to the u. S. Flapping sanctions on chinese slapping sections on a chinese bank. Tell us more. The government seems to be irritated, saying they hope that the Trump Administration will correct the mistakes and bring the chinese and u. S. Relations back to the right track. It is not just about sanctions against that bank, there was an arms deal between the u. S. And taiwan. So there is obviously irritation right now that will probably not stop trade relations between the two biggest economies on the planet. Christoph thank you. Australia is extending their own record as record, they have not seen a recession and more than a quarter of a century. One other four quarters to be precise. Experts say that when growth does not occur for two generations many people do not know the meaning of economic crisis. Correspondent australia swimming and economic success. This month, the country claimed the world record for the longest time of uninterrupted economic growth. Australias last contraction was in 1991, and even then it was a blip. For the 26 years since then, it has been on the up and up, sometimes strongly, but always growing. The country blessed with natural resources, it exports quantities of iron ore, natural gas, oil and coal to china. The money flows into the real estate sector, driving the cost of housing higher. As home prices skyrocket, the government is tightening requirements for citizenship, including a demand for english. We know that the key to successful integration into the australian community, for economic success, social success, in becoming part of the community, is being able to speak english. Correspondent it is not just unaffordable housing, wages are stagnant and Household Debt is among the highest in the world. Some economists asking if australians are benefiting from the record growth and what will happen when it comes to an end. Christoph that is all the business for now. Sarah were going to look at sports. Did you know it has been three decades since the Tour De France held opening stages in germany . The most prestigious race will begin on saturday and the full source. Chris froome has won three of the last four towards and he is tours and he is the man to beat. Correspondent despite an underwhelming season, chris froome is once again the favorite for the tour. He has support riders around him he will back him unconditionally. Last year his triumph was anything but plain sailing and the british writer knows rider knows it is always tough. The challenges are bigger this year. I feel like the level of my rivals are higher this year, and we are on a difficult course. Correspondent last year, the runner up is again one of his main challenges. He carries french fans hopes for a homegrown winner on his shoulders. Th there ihis former teammate richie porte, who is a dangerous rival. I have incredibly talented teammates to support me and guys behind the scenes as well. We do our best. Obviously, the podium in paris is the goal. Correspondent and a veteran spaniard has an outside chance for glory, but his team has made headlines because of a doping scandal. His teammate tested positive for epo. German hopes resting with a couple of riders. And martin is confident after the opening stage time trial. I am in good shape and good form. The last two training sessions have been satisfying and i think that the Yellow Jersey is definitely within reach. Correspondent riders must navigate 3500 kilometers over the next three weeks, before they roll across the finish line in paris. Sarah that is your dw news. You are uptodate. You will find more on our website dw. Com. Thank you for watching. See you soon. Take care. [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. Visit ncicap. Org] you are watching live from paris yard im james creedon. Has died at the age of 89. The Health Minister was best known for leading the in france. The Islamic State group is facing defeat in iraq after the army takes mosul. Marine le pen has been charged over misuse of parliamentary funds. The head of the far right