this is d.w. news live from berlin tonight no brakes on brakes it britain's prime minister is in brussels to put her country's exit plan from the european union back on schedule theresa may is urging e.u. leaders to break the deadlock and move things forward but they say it's britain not europe that's dragging its feet we'll get the latest from brussels also coming up

a showdown in spain the region of catalonia defines a deadline to abandon plans for independence madrid says it will start taking back control of the breakaway region on saturday and that the problem that's blocking german scientists we look at the mysterious decline in flying insects and what it means for our environment. i bring golf it's good to have you with us bragg said migration policy and tougher sanctions against north korea those are just a few of the main topics tonight in brussels where e.u. leaders are holding a two day summit the british prime minister theresa may she's come to the summit armed with proposals that she hopes will move breaks it talks a lot but e.u. leaders say she has to match her promises with concrete details if any progress is

to be made. walk the walk and talk the talk let's go to brussels now where our very own max hoffman is standing by and so max what did mrs mae what did she bring to the table today and what's been the reaction. she demanded more urgency because what the reserve may once has moved to phase two of the negotiations with which would be negotiating a future relation between the u.k. and you namely a trade deal but that you doesn't want to do that just yet they still want to settle a couple of issues the so-called divorce issues which are for example the border between northern ireland and ireland or the status of citizens in the u.k. and of course the braggs it bill now things aren't as gloomy as they might seem for the u.k. because we're hearing from our sources that significant progress has been made on two of those issues namely the border with northern island and also the status and that's probably the the first one they will settle of e.u. citizens in the u.k.

the problem britain at the moment is the braggs it bill how much is the u.k. willing to pay when they leave the european union for past obligations that they have to meet and there are a couple of numbers that we're hearing for example sixty billion euros and maybe in the past has mentioned twenty billion euros so they're still far apart and we do know that the e.u. will not move into phase two this issue is not settled yet at the end of the day it's about how much that bill is going to be what about the refugee migration problem slashed policy any progress made on that front. well they decided for example to stock up the funding for africa to help countries there to deal with the migration flow and of course prevent the migrants from crossing the mediterranean sea that's one part another part is that they finally want to reach a common asylum system which would be a huge deal because they've been trying to do that for many many years now they're trying to tackle it with

a new system they want to speed up the process have more summits and if necessary move along just with a couple of countries if the others don't want to do that and then have the other countries follow that's the thinking behind that speed up the process make the european union. more and put them what put them more in a position to actually act and not just. now if this will work out we'll have to wait and see next year but they really want to do and want to have results tangible results next year. and we know max that the german chancellor angela merkel she has tabled the issue of turkish session to the e.u. at this summit what is she asking for i mean what will her demands be met. while this is a tricky issue brad as you know you followed the election in germany she made this sort of promise during her campaign during a t.v. debate saying yes she will she will throw her weight behind stopping the accession talks with turkey and then she will talk to the other leaders about that but the thing is those are two different things because she did know back then that there

wouldn't be unanimity with the other leaders some leaders don't want to stop the access talks with turkey so this will not happen but what they're discussing is to . change the funding that the accession talks brings with them because turkey's receiving a lot of money while they are in the succession process and we are hearing that the german chancellor wants to cut that funding not completely but reduce it or change the way it's being spent and that would probably hurt turkey. our brussels bureau chief and on the story for us tonight at that e.u. summit in brussels max as always thank you very much. are staying here in europe the crisis in catalonia is escalating as spain prepares to take full control of the. region now this comes after the cattle on leader refused to give up demands for independence today the central government in madrid saying now that the cattle on president must face the consequences. the game of brinkmanship

heats up catalan leader coalesce puts them on at the regional parliament for the latest showdown cameras struggle to get a good glimpse of the man who is refusing to back down. in his latest letter to the spanish government pushed him on wand that the catalan parliament could vote to declare independence if madrid triggers article one fifty five allowing it to suspend catalonia as regional government madrid's reaction to double down. the government will continue with the processing of article one hundred fifty five of the constitution with a goal to restore the law in catalonia. spain says it will hold a special cabinet meeting on saturday to activate article one fifty five this is never been used in modern spanish history so what does it mean in practice it would

allow madrid to sack regional office holders dissolve the regional parliament and assume control of all regional authorities new elections would be held in catalonia until then madrid could feel key intervene positions once the article is triggered it won't come into effect straight away it needs parliamentary approval spanish prime minister mariano rajoy needs an absolute majority for that and he only has a slim one in barcelona catalan residents are prepared for a standoff. the main doesn't love us they only love our money they want our money i'm not sure if i'm explaining myself clearly all the things they've done for catalonia are not really for catalonia they won't let us go because the money is here. making people more pro independence but these guys are playing. it. as a political crisis deepens protesters in catalonia have taken to the streets with more demonstrations expected in the coming days. and for more on the deepening

crisis in spain and we spoke to our correspondent barbara vein. is covering events for us in barcelona. madrid has decided to enter into the next phase of this crisis . is making through his threats on saturday the cabinet will already decide which powers to take away from this semi autonomy to lonia and the senate will finalize matters the ball that's back in the court of the regional government but this puts them and it's playing for time and has referred the final decision about independence to his parliament that people in the palace behind us i'm not talking neither to their people not to madrid the civic platforms for independents are now calling for more demonstrations culminating in a big show of force on saturday and some are already talking about civil disobedience madrid is reacting and increases protection in strategic places at

this time it seems to be no exit strategy on either side of the conflict and no remedy against further escalation that was barbara vessel there reporting from barcelona here's some of the other stories now that are making headlines around the world in france thousands of people have taken part in a nationwide demonstration against president manuel labor reforms but observers say the turnout was lower than during last month's protest the reforms fast tracked by executive order make it easier for firms to hire and fire michael and says they will help free up the energy of the workforce. protesters in the u.s. state of florida have interrupted a speech by american white supremacist richard spencer the prominent white figure and trump supporter was speaking at the university in gainesville florida governor had declared a state of emergency fearing the type of violence that we've seen during

a far right rally in charlottesville virginia back in august. at least three people have reportedly been shot dead in togo as gangs of youths clashed with security forces who were trying to prevent an opposition demonstration the opposition in the west african nation is calling for the resignation of the country's president the president's family has ruled that country since one nine hundred sixty eight. or now to politics here in germany nearly a month after the country's election german chancellor angela merkel is holding talks with potential coalition partners the parties from across the political spectrum say their first meetings have gone well one likely combination is known here as the jamaica coalition that's because the political party's colors here are black green and yellow which are the colors of the jamaican flag but those parties are mourning it will take a while to bridge their differences. all eyes on two parties

that don't really fit together but are now working together on day two of exploratory talks the business friendly f.t.p. mitt the green party and try to find common ground. mishaps i and. my whole car mot talks were lively we listened to each other carefully and managed to see things from the other party's point of view yes i am lassen was it's on this on the jamaican color still appear exotic in german politics never before have the business friendly f.t.p. and the environmentalist green party negotiated to form a federal government together it's a challenge as their positions couldn't be more different. for instance on the european union the green party is calling for an end to austerity measures and wants a collective pact on texas and investments the free market liberal f.d.p. on the other hand to strictly against any kind of death mutualization within the

e.u. and on clean energy the environmental greens have very clear goals they want one hundred percent renewable energy by two thousand and fifty they also want to ban combustion engines in automobiles by two thousand and thirty a no go for the business friendly free democrats. migration could be the one issue on which the f.t.p. and green party could find common ground both parties have been calling for germany's first immigration law. by default on its claws on both parties realize that we have a long way to go but we also understand that if we want a common government then we need to find common interests and not follow the conservative party's well worn path when you win. on friday the conservative c.d.u. and c.s.u. parties will join the talks behind these walls all four potential coalition partners will negotiate together for the first time new zealand has

a new government the country's labor party will join forces with the new zealand first party and the greens and thirty seven year old just send arthur becomes the country's youngest prime minister and its third female leader here's part of what she had to say today live ahead why east believed that government should be a pattern. and ensuring an economy that works and to live is for new zealand. we also believe in a government that looks after its environment and that also mentally looks after its people and i believe that life it has found true allies in palm and to deliver on that as the new prime minister there of new zealand and finally scientists here in germany are all about is with concern over the fate of flying insects a new study shows that the number of insects in germany has dropped dramatically.

nature thrives on diversity if it weren't for bees wasps and butterflies we'd have no blossoms honey or fruit but the buzzing is getting quieter since one thousand nine hundred ninety number of insects in germany has dropped by a staggering seventy six percent volunteer insect experts from the city of clay fed have collected the data. is a mystery. of course the fact that our findings are being publicized right now is good news for us on the other hand the results are very worrying because they show that these negative developments are not restricted to just a few isolated locations. and so stunned. the bug followers have been observing the fate of flying insects for nearly thirty years they set up traps and collected data at over sixty locations in three german federal states but it's still unclear why so many insects are dying. and

studies have revealed that the environmental impacts of agricultural practices are substantial that includes pesticides that are supposed to kill insects but there are effects go far beyond the fields. other likely causes of the insects demise are over use of fertilizer too few green spaces and climate change researchers are urging restorative measures before germany's natural environment suffer serious damage you're watching the news from berlin where the wreck of the top of the hour with more world they. take a trip to a world of listening.