this is deja vu news live from berlin a final day of campaigning in italy ahead of the general election on sunday a divisive debate over migration dominates the vote and could pave the way for the stunning comeback of former prime minister silvio berlusconi. also coming up a deadly pause in fighting goes into effect for a fourth day in syria's eastern ghouta an act isn't agonizing wait for those trapped there to see if aid can finally get through. and blizzards and frigid temperatures paralyze travel which across europe the storm dubbed the beast from

the east keeps up its icy wrath. i'm sumi so misconduct good to have you with us today is the final day of campaigning before italy goes to the polls in sunday's general election and the result is anything but a foregone conclusion the election pits a right wing coalition led by the former prime minister silvio silvio berlusconi yes he is back against a center left alliance led by another former prime minister matteo renzi the other main player is the anti-establishment five star movement as our correspondent max hoffman reports from palermo migration has been the biggest issue driving voters. i think father and knows this neighborhood like no one else. has taken me to the markets and institution in old town palermo i'm trying to get

a feel for what matters to people in this election migration seems to be at the top of the list. the tone of the current campaign is very harsh i'm afraid that the topic of migration is being exploited from the left and from the right these people don't understand the value of migrants and migration that can bring into a country then they need to get it and you got to. sicily has always been an island between two continents many africans that make it to europe spend a lot of time here some learn italian in charity sponsored classes like this one right next to the market hoping to be granted asylum others move on. there are approximately five hundred thousand undocumented migrants in italy and

one man italians are very familiar with this calling the situation a social time bomb. that man is the former prime minister and billionaire eighty one years old and the centerpiece of many scandals involving among other things an underage call girl named ruby and tax fraud yet there is a good possibility she will be forging the next governing coalition once again it would be one leaning strongly to the right capitalizing on the current immigration in italy. in spite of his checkered past fellow party members think he's italy's best hope for reforms. but you could lose a little time at the bank than join us out i'm going to get this going he has extensively proven his dedication in the past he's a good businessman and has achieved a lot for himself and his partners the strength of purpose and his passion are the

reason why we sicilia and i hope our talian since the whole are turning back to his incredible man. minutes a week in pinoy decision jani and despair i can you tell jani. and he has special ties to palermo it's here that he laid the foundation for his comeback in regional elections last year. at the market. lots of fans especially among men. going to school he was in power there were more jobs. i mean he's the perfect person it's even better that he wants an alliance with the far right the young. people i think is the only one who can save us. it's like the old italian political scene if you stick around long enough you can become a saint. but father vote deals in real estate and has

a different view about us going to primarily because of his attitude towards migrants. going to this one the obvious one of. his allies are very tough and want to get rid of migrants this is a demand that's completely outside of reality. for you a lot. of my impression is reality has never seemed to be a big concern of bella's going his especially in campaigns and especially regarding migration. i know was the reporting of from palermo last week he joins us now for more on this story hi max what is the feeling that you got from talking to people why is migration such a divisive issue here. well their facts and perceptions to me the facts are pretty clear italy of course is the centerpiece of the whole migration route especially from the northern africa through the mediterranean and then from italy towards the

rest of europe it has been like that for years but of course the numbers. perked up in the last years although we had a slight drop in two thousand and seventeen twenty percent approximately down to one hundred and nineteen thousand still pretty high numbers there that's one thing the other thing is that there were some high profile incidents in the last weeks and months involving for example drive by shooting by right wing extremists who shot six african migrants then there was the case of the murder of an italian girl where some african migrants are now being scrutinized over so all of this of course made the press all of this was instrumental lies also especially by the right wing parties and that's why this has gained so much traction something that would have been this is fairly expected in fall but yes migration is definitely one of the most important topics in this italian election and we saw in your report that silvio berlusconi of south said migration is

a social time bomb and he will likely be the one forging the next government how worry does brussels. likely you will see the polls are pretty unreliable in italy but at least he has a pretty good chance of doing that and if you had mentioned that only a couple of years ago nobody would have believed it and what's so bizarre in this is that he actually might be the best hope for the european union to get things done in the next months even years because as you know the un situations have very emissions plans to reform the euro zone and the rest of the european union and what they really need is a functioning government in italy in berlusconi seems to have like i said one of the best chances doesn't mean this is actually going to happen but one of the best chances of forging a government and they know what they get with that is going to be yes he's a populist but he's not radically anti european union and that's worth something for the e.u. institutions looking at the polls right now max it would show that the anti-establishment five star movement would come out of the single largest party what can europe

expect from the five star. probably nothing because the five star movement will not be in the governing coalition by all means they don't have any partners nobody wants to go into coalition with them but if they really were in the coalition and the most powerful party in there so hard to expect to see what exactly to expect in the past they said they wanted italy to leave the euro as a currency but they've toned down their their rhetoric and often with these populist parties. once they get to the government it becomes clear that their program is not very comprehensive that they don't really have answers to the complex realities of governing they just have answers to the emotions that many people have for example towards migrations and that's where the successful once in power it's a different story but like i said they probably most likely won't be part of a governing coalition. next hoffman covering italy's upcoming general election for

us thank you max. and we have some breaking news that's coming into us there are reports of an explosion at birkenau faso army headquarters in the capital what are dugu and additional reports of gunfire in a separate part of the city housing united nations offices and embassies there is no word yet on any casualties witnesses say they heard gunfire immediately before the blast out the army headquarters and one eye witnesses told the reuters news agency that masked gunmen with backpacks had attacked guards at the entrance to the army facility. that story still developing we'll bring you more details on that as they come in to us for now though let's move on to some other stories making news around the world israeli police have reportedly question prime minister benjamin netanyahu for the first time in a corruption case involving communications giant bez they're alleging that the company provided positive coverage of netanyahu in exchange for favors he's facing

allegations of corruption in several cases but he denies any wrongdoing the commander of a fire at a drug abuse treatment center in the azerbaijani capital baku was killed at least twenty four people at least four others have reportedly been taken to the hospital officials are working to determine the cause of the blaze. united states is accused moscow of violating cold war era treaties after russian president vladimir putin unveiled in a ray of new nuclear weapons during his state of the nation speech on thursday that these include a hypersonic cruise missile that could be said could hit anywhere in the world like a meteorite. u.s. president donald trump and german chancellor angela merkel have urged syria and its allies to abide by a proposed thirty day ceasefire in the country merkel and trump spoke by phone on late on thursday almost a week since the un backed the truce the rebel held area remains under daily

assault russia has organized a daily pause in hostilities meant to allow aid in and residents out but there stalemate on the ground and distrust on all sides in eastern guta kicked up by the bombing blocks out the sun. each day paramedics pick up more dead and injured. there is a sense of play a truce in place here and daily five hour pause in the fighting organized by russia but empty streets give voice to the nervousness here many residents say they've seen no sign of a cease fire. this is the ceasefire look at the destruction ten days of continuous shelling it's been ten days that we've been in the basement of airplanes and borrowed games and we're sitting in the basement what kind of ceasefire is this what kind of regime is this i hope god will avenge these government organized ambulances stand ready for residents evacuating eastern ghouta but they remain

unused a mark of the distrust felt by civilians here the humanitarian corridor out of the rebel held area untrodden. extreme cold snap still has europe in its clutches no one frigid temperatures of forced multiple airport and road closures britain has even called out its army to battle the chaos after some of the worst weather it's seen in decades. the u.k. is digging out and bracing for more the extreme cold gripping europe has brought more than three days of unusually heavy snow to the british isles up to fifty centimeters of snow are expected in some parts airports and public transit are suffering from major delays and closures roads are shut people are stranded hundreds of vehicles have gotten stuck on roadways even all wheel drive ones have been no match for the treacherous conditions as one four by four driver found out it's quite hard to describe really there's a kind of apocalyptic sea and there's no emergency services no criticism of roads i

mean there are hundreds of trucks you know cause this is everywhere. cost of owning cars scored extraordinary emergency services and even the british army are carrying out rescue operations though a gas shortage warning has been lifted residents have been stocking up on other essentials the wintry weather has taken many in the u.k. by surprise but for some it's just a matter of preparation so nothing hearted nothing's on your doorstep but nothing simple so it just takes organization extreme winter conditions may continue through at least next week lacking sufficient funding and equipment for snow removal many local authorities can only hope that springtime weather is on its way. well the cold is also taking a toll on the bundesliga tonight two teams mountain gladbach and bremen that both ended their respective winless streak last matchday are looking to hit up their season the spite the weather. it's been bitterly cold across germany in the run up

to match states twenty five but the permafrost hasn't put a damper buspar it's. they head into that classroom braman on a high off to grabbing a one nil win in hanover last time out there by ending their four game losing streak and in fact fashion the by his negative flow for the poor run is over now we have to keep it going it won't be easy against bremen. braman on society be underestimated slowly and cool felt the team have been very effective in recent weeks winning three of the last four games that's slowly closing their way out of the danger zone even if some of their performances haven't had the braman faithfuls hots racing. but much rather win a game that isn't great to watch then supply well and go home empty handed what we did in munich some. attractive football notes both coaches will be

gunning for results and hoping this plenty to cheer about. even if it's for the sole purpose of keeping watch. for the trumpet ministrations tariffs on steel and aluminum imports spending across the globe will have reactions coming right up in business. on freedom and. where i come from the region is rich in history and talents. and freedom this makes it special difficult for independent journalists i see many promising.