this is good news live from berlin the tide of misery continues in syria as thousands of people streamed out of the rebel held damascus suburbs of eastern for the third day this as syrian government forces intensify artillery bombardment of the area with the support of russian airstrikes also coming up. british russian relations in a deep freeze moscow says it will expelled twenty three british diplomats as the dispute over the point of a former spy and his daughter escalates further. and early voting gets underway

in russia's presidential election with a win for putin likely can he get the voters to turn out in the numbers that he wants. and welcome to the program thousands of people continue to flee the rubble how the mask a suburb of eastern ghouta for the third day in a row backed by russian airstrikes syrian government forces have intensified artillery bombardments of the area russia's military says some three thousand people are leaving hourly for humanitarian corridor or monitored by russian troops more than thirteen hundred civilians have been killed and thousands more wounded amid weeks of relentless fighting. the tide of human misery leaving the rebel held eastern suburbs of the capital damascus reached flood proportions on saturday as

russian bombers gave air support to syrian government forces on the ground russia's military said some three thousand people an hour were leaving nearly forty five thousand in the last three days meanwhile syrian and russian forces have stepped up their offensive on the rebel enclave the russians are determined to turn a humanitarian disaster into a public relations victory. we have information that militant units are ready to lay down their arms and leave eastern ghouta but they are awaiting commands from their western sponsors we call on all forces that have influence over the bandit units to encourage them to leave the area to avoid unnecessary loss of life it. also said he believed the united states was preparing for cruise missile strikes in the mediterranean the persian gulf and the red sea meanwhile in syria's north took us led forces are attacking could issue rebels in the town of

a free in more than two hundred thousand civilians have fled their homes in the last three days according to the kurdish red crescent which also said that turkish bombers had destroyed the city's only hospital. bloodier than belgium berg is a journalist speaking to us tonight from airball in northern iraq and he recently returned from syria. a lot of civilians from africa have fled where are they heading. they're actually they're fleeing to syrian government healthcare or. small towns close to. no observatory there's like around fifty thousand civilians that's left there but there's also that it's also inside syria. and assad's forces as we know are advancing they're backed by russian airstrikes could this potentially be the final stages of the fighting in the area and what does it mean for the people who remain trapped there while such force is going to around

sixty seven percent now. side up there will be a much change because the international community will not intervene neuter the u.s. or europe so most likely but i'll be all over this month or maybe next month so for us food is they don't have any chance to escape so eager to go to the most or they stay there are most likely about to what some point will be over and what hope is there for a ceasefire you just mentioned the reaction from the international community we know that the u.n. security council called weeks ago for a cease fire but if syrian and russian forces feel that they're advancing at the end is near what hope is there for a cease fire or cessation of hostilities while the u.n. security council called for a thirty day cease fire needed to archaea russia they're listening to it so no tax on group three and there are continuing and the cease fire was not implemented and

i think yes so there are two days ago the u.n. chief specially called for again calling for u.n. cease fire to be implemented by till now both both actors both russia and turkey they're not listening to this u.n. screw us resolution lot of village in bergen airball thank you very much. now to some of the other stories making news around the world greek authorities have been searching in the aegean sea for survivors of a myra boat that capsized at least sixteen people are confirmed dead three people managed to swim to land and raise the alarm they have been taken to the greek island of samples along with the bodies of those who died. at least two people have been killed and several more injured in a car bomb attack in the afghan capital kabul the taliban has claimed responsibility the bomber targeted a global security company and officials say all the victims were civilians it's the

fourth suicide attack in the city and just three weeks the f.b.i. former deputy director andrew mccabe has been fired just two days before his expected retirement u.s. attorney general jeff sessions says officials believe mccabe leaked information to the media and misled investigators about his actions mccabe has denied the claims and says the trump administration is waging war on the f.b.i. and the intelligence community. the relationship between london and moscow meanwhile is growing icier this as russia says it will expel twenty three british diplomats in a tit for tat response to measures the u.k. has taken against moscow the british consulate in st petersburg and the british council cultural organization will also be shut down. it will try to reach and send messages to russia summons for an urgent meeting he was informed that twenty three british diplomats have a week to leave the country it's russia's reaction to britain expanding its

diplomats earlier in the week. in london british prime minister two reason maced in russia was in flagrant breach of international law russia's response doesn't change the facts of the matter the attempted assassination of two people on british soil for which there is no alternative conclusion other than that the russian state was culpable. the kremlin has fiercely denied being behind the attack which involved a military grade nerve agent that british officials say was developed in russia russia has also said it will shut down the activities of the british council a government backed organization for cultural and scientific cooperation. on the streets of moscow and russians were split over the country's actions. but there must be retaliatory measures so that we are respected so i support our side taking action would be work. but.

this is very bad i think they should be peace on earth especially now times when we see such problems everywhere. people should live to be happy and also war is bad but. moscow announced the measures just ahead of a presidential election which president vladimir putin is expected to win comfortably. and voting in that presidential election is already underway in russia although the spirit with the u.k. has threatened to overshadow the vote internationally it's unlikely to have effect any effect on the outcome as we just heard president vladimir putin is expected to win another six year term but the kremlin is concerned about the possibility of a low voter turnout. well one could say it's the end of an election campaign that hardly happened no one expects any surprises on sunday when up to one hundred nine million registered voters go to the polls the president. is knows every one of

us cares about the destiny of our russian fatherland. that's why i'm asking you to cast your ballot on sunday just. make use of your right to make a choice about the future of our beloved russia but i see. worried that people choosing to stay away from the polls could weaken the legitimacy of his presidency the kremlin would like to see a voter turnout of seventy percent with seventy percent of the ballots cast or put in. a lower voter turnout could strengthen the position of kremlin critic alexina vonnie even though he's not allowed to run in this election he could claim a moral victory from a low turnout. we're calling on people not to vote this procedure is no election it's only a race between putin and the candidates he's personally selected. since

a victory for putin is all but a foregone conclusion some russians say they don't see any need to cast their ballots you have not photo of the decisions already been made by inverting by all means and with pleasure. i don't think it's really necessary devote. in the end pop music and glitzy ads may not be enough to persuade everyone to go to the polls. to talk more about how the actual election will go i'm joined by our correspondent gives shadow your it's good to see you we just awesome promotional video there but why exactly is the government doing to motivate russians to head to the polling stations. well different things have been done to motivate russians to go tomorrow to the polls famous rushing singers call to their compatriots to vote russian cosmonauts from

space spoke on television local authorities organize some prize draws where people could have a smartphone on another nice electric devise also there was an unspeakable homophobic and x. in a four b. commercial on state television its message was if people in russia don't go to the polls and don't vote for their rights president or the so-called right president then dark skinned soldiers would serve in the russian army and gays would infiltrate into private apartments as if that would be a big threat to russia ok so some scare tactics there but what does a low border turnout mean for president putin well look at people in russia are traditionally very reluctant to vote is a belief in democracy generally and in democracy democratic elections but equal really is law it's not like in the west that you go to the polls to vote favorites the overwhelming majority of russians think the election isn't decided by the

people but by those up there which means by the authorities so many of them who like putin don't necessarily go to the polls to elect him that means even if the participation want to be that huge there are nevertheless millions of russians who like putin the question is rather why they do it and here comes again and again the popular myth of stability that he has created however this myth is very careful and maintained on the state television so that the opposition has little chance to criticize putin and to show to people if huge number of problems in his country ok and observers are pointing to a clear victory for president putin another term for him what should what are some of the things that we should be looking for now post vote. well the political certainly in this election is to election you are right the question is what is the position is going to do with putin's victory except to the communists we haven't heard of any big protests or thought actually we have an extremely cold to be and

even this weekend when you face minus twenty degrees here in moscow you have to be extremely angry to hang around in the streets for hours to express your political attitudes will see. correspondent you're a shadow thank you to the bundesliga now it's been a day to forget for some of the league's basement dwellers minds were desperate for points as they travel to frankfurt but kevin prince boateng scored for the hosts just six minutes and and two more goals soon followed three nil was the final score and a new coach at hamburg has done little to turn their fortunes around they went ahead early on against her to berlin but the berliners scored two goals in the second half to steal the win and on friday freiburg hosted gart as the relegation battle heated up the visitors haven't lost a game since new coach typhoon quote coote took the reins and they're going for an unlikely european spot mario gomez put the car in front after just four minutes

drive or go hit back after half time through a neil peterson wonder strike gomez. now let's take a look at all the bundesliga results so far this weekend as we just saw hamburg went down to her and frankfurt hamburg minds' three nil elsewhere gladbach drew with hoffenheim there to bremen put three past outs burke will spur take on in saturday's late game and they're sure carts went on friday and on sunday dortmund face had over cologne play leverkusen and leipzig clash with byron. you're watching the news live from berlin on abbey quasi more to come at the top of the hour and don't forget you can get all the latest on our web site that's d w dot com thanks for watching.

there's been the germany is a strong country. that we have achieved so much we can do this and do something henderson says we must overcome it and they're. going where it's uncomfortable global news that matters g.w. made for mines.