this is due to live from berlin germany social democrats decide whether to team up once again with chancellor angela merkel's conservatives ahead of today's vote count the party leaders have said they're optimistic that members will approve the deal so will germany finally get a new government or could this be the start of a political crisis also coming up. it's being called a long cycle a mammoth winter storm pummels the u.s. east coast at least five people have been killed the fierce weather has knocked out

power in more than a million homes. also coming up on the program oscar fever ramps up ahead of tomorrow's academy awards but first we spare a moment for the films that didn't make the cut the golden raspberry awards or rather these honor the best of the worst in hollywood. and that because austin welcome to the program five months after a lections in germany the wait for a new government could finally be over members of the central left social democrats have voted on whether or not to enter a new grand coalition with anglo american conservatives the final batch of completed ballots have now arrived at s.p.d. headquarters almost half a million party members were eligible to vote and the results will be announced on sunday. to discuss this further our political correspondent kate brady is joining

me from the headquarters of the social democrats it looks like you're standing in front of the truck that's holding all the ballots the truck with all the answers they're going to count those ballots what's the mood there like right now it is quite an exciting not most fair those be more and more press arriving throughout the afternoon and some people i've spoken to over the years said that this in fact is actually quite more exciting in fact than the election night so fuck in september and so now it's up to one hundred twenty volunteers from the s.p.d. to count those ballots tonight and then we will have a result tomorrow morning at around nine am so how about results tomorrow morning but the s.p.d. leadership seems rather optimistic about that and getting this deal approved let's have a listen to what they had to say a little while earlier. so you whatever happens the outcome will be a result that contributes to the s p t s continued unity because there will be a lot of people who took part in it through their vote and there have been an

unbelievable number of people who have joined in the discussion within the s.p.d. this really brings us together and i think you can already feel that it. has not lived if there is a negative result tomorrow we have a political crisis hopefully there will be no negative result and i don't speculate about that at all on such a nice sunny day we should only expect good news. all she doesn't want to speculate but we have to talk about that is there any indication in terms of polling numbers about how things will unfold tomorrow. but we don't have any prognosis yet but it is expected to be tight of course both sides are used for and against another grand coalition with merkel's conservatives for a hard come pain and so we'll find out exactly whether we will have a third merkel lead grahams coalition tomorrow of course if the s.p.d. members do you vote against another grand coalition then we will be in uncharted

waters here in germany and merkel will be left very much alone and then she'll have the options then of are them a minority government which would be president in germany and that's something which the chancellor has rejected on several occasions or we could also see fresh elections in germany so just have to wait until tomorrow to see what those results are ok you just mentioned walker potentially happen with the chancellor if this is a surprising no vote what happens within the asp i mean the stalwarts of the party are obviously optimistic that this will be asphalt but there are some difficulties there. of course if there is indeed a vote against the graham coalition then that in fact is really a vote of no confidence also against the s.p.d. leadership when these voice in ballots were sent out to s.p.d. members all of the s.p.d. leadership actually pledged and called for members to vote for

a gram's coalition so that would in fact in fact be a voice of no confidence of no confidence but as we heard from earlier today the interim s.p.d. leader he too is hoping for a gram's coalition but he said any result would hopefully help to continue to keep the s.p.t. united on of course that's something that this party has really struggled with in recent months especially since the election particularly this divide between the s.p.d. leadership and those grassroot members. of your correspondent kate brady thank you . mentioned that divide the s.p.d. party leadership may be looking optimistically to a grand coalition but the same cannot be said for much of the party's younger base and twenty eight year old kevin crooner the head of the s.p.d. as youth wing is leading the charge to reject the deal with chancellor merkel's conservatives he's been canvassing voters around the country to vote no. he doesn't

look like a revolutionary but kevin kuhn it may end up or reshaping german politics the twenty eight year old head of the social democrats youth wing is leading the opposition to a continuation of the grand coalition in past weeks he has traveled over five thousand kilometers and packed event halls across germany. sponsored effect we only got twenty point five percent of the vote reflects the popularity of our policies as part of the government in recent years people can recognise the contours often s.p.d. in a grand coalition especially when there are seven parties. argues calmly not emotionally but he's touched a chord with many social democrats who fear that partnership with on the americans conservatives has completely rop the party of its identity never have the s.p.d. his poll numbers been so bad. when i look at france the netherlands and that's where social democratic support has declined to sing the digits and so after

they've been in governments that don't have much to do with social democratic ideals i think this is a clear warning after twelve years of angular america and eight years of grand coalitions we should not continue on this road. rarely has the party leadership been forced to hold such intense discussions with the grassroots couldn't it wants the party to reform itself in order to become attractive to voters again the s.p.d. leadership believes that reform is possible with the party in the government thinks change is only possible in the opposition but he says he'll accept the will of the majority of the social democrats either way the mission for me and the s.p.d. youth wing it is clear that our place is in the s.p.d. we believe that the conditions for reform would be more difficult with an a grand coalition other stone agreement but that doesn't mean we're on willing to devote ourselves to the pros. some claim

a place with an answer for the future may not be quite that simple for the s.p.d. is new young star party leaders want him to play a greater role in the s.p.d. that's a huge responsibility for such a young politician. now to some of the other stories making news around the world thousands of people have taken to the streets of berlin to protest turkey's military operation in the syrian region of our friends kurdish and german groups organize the rally and launched the offensive in january saying the region's kurdish wife eugene militia is a terrorist group linked to kurdish insurgents in turkey. slovaks police say they've released the suspects detained in connection with the murder of german list. after holding them for forty eight hours the maximum period permitted under the law could siac had been working on a story about the influence of the italian mafia and slovakia he and his girlfriend

were shot dead last weekend. in sydney thousands of people gathered in the streets to celebrate the fortieth anniversary of the city's gay and lesbian mardi gras parade admits the colorful rainbow colors and extravagant floats was pop superstar cher making a surprise appearance it's the first parade since australia legalized same sex marriage. a massive storm system has knocked out power for more than a million homes in the eastern united states the storm known as the nor'easter has pounded coastal areas with massive waves and caused widespread flooding while inland residents had to deal with heavy snow of least five people have been killed by falling trees or branches and federal government offices in washington d.c. were closed for the day. thanks perfect storm battering the beach towns of massachusetts. here

waves higher than two story buildings have flooded the coast and left entire streets underwater. people that have been doing this longer than i i have been doing cannot recall a time in which we have seen such widespread spread flooding across our entire east coast and into the north side of the cape winds topping eighty kilometers per hour slammed to the east coast from washington d.c. to boston around one point six million homes were left without power. at least five people including children have died hit by falling branches. while buffalo in upstate new york and several other cities were hit by heavy snowfall.

airlines had to cancel more than two thousand eight hundred flights bringing major airports in the northeast to a near standstill. to the bundesliga now there was bad news for relegation threatened hamburg as they missed a penalty in a nil nil draw at home to mines second bottom hamburg desperately needed a win against third last minds but it wasn't to be at the other end shall go move second temporarily with a one nil win over her to berlin danny that cost to help frankfurt climb to the third spot with a one nil victory over head over and leverkusen are fifth now following a two one success at lowly wolfsburg hoffenheim also want to wait two nil spurt and run away league leaders biron play freiburg on sunday in friday's bundesliga game two clubs on the upswing met with braman visiting

a snowy munching gladbach and the hosts storm to a first half advantage dennis acarya with the opener on away to a two nil gladbach league but bremen fought all the way back and aaron johansson equaliser feel that two two draw. the big game in the bundesliga this weekend takes place shortly rb leipzig hosting dortmund both teams are vying for the champions league spots in a bunch top half of the table. i see temperatures in dortmund matching the current mood at the club while they're on peyton in the bundesliga or under coach peter shergold performances have been unconvincing after drawing to albert last match day they now face their next test in life to see. their last few results have not been great but looking at their players and how they're developing they are very dangerous their fans however anticipate fresh from protesting against their monday night game they are planning to boycott this match to this time because of life six

ownership by an energy drinks company the hosts have problems of their own they have lost their lust three matches to concern city go he kook you have to be consistent way can wait here and turn tight games to your advantage when the times are tough against dortmund lots to face a team that plays a similar style to there is fast and attacking. is always a huge challenge we have won twice in three games against them one time even in top meant. that record is exactly what dortmund want to turn around and a victory and let's see what keep their champions league rival at bay. major decision today from football's rule makers they've given the green light to the use of video technology in the game and the system is now set to be used in the world cup in russia v.a.r. or video assistant referee is the instant replay system that has been trialed in the bundesliga and other top leagues to review key rulings the trial has proven

controversial bow on many occasions but the first president says he wanted it used for top competitions world wide and football's rule making body the i.f.a.b. as agree that they are should now be permanent. our just one day away from the film industry's biggest night the oscars where films like get out lady bird and the shape of water are competing for the top awards including best picture but not every film gets such accolades this movie here hasn't gotten any oscar nominations at all in fact imodium movie was considered so terrible it's now received hollywood's most famous for out the razzie award for worst picture of twenty seventeen can you say sad face while some people point out that it was just destiny for a movie with these guys as their main characters the imodium movie was awarded for razzies but it wasn't the only film to receive this special honor tom cruise was

voted worst actor for his performance in the widely panned box office bomb the money and war supporting actor went to mel gibson for his role in daddy's home to. you're watching news from berlin i have a quote awesome more coming up at the top of the hour join us if you can. every journey begins with the first step and every language but the first word published in the. code is in germany to learn german why not learn a simple online on your mobile and free from d w z e learning course you can speak german meetings.