this is good news live from berlin germany feeling the heat over a plan to gas pipelines from russia the u.s. and france pressure berlin to halt construction on the north stream to project a new gas link under the baltic sea from russia now washington says the pipeline could undermine security for western europe. also coming up vital food and medicine are ripe for venezuelans from the united states but president nicolas maduro says it's not crossing the border while growing protests ways will boil teams of troops

in force in just barricades and jordan wants more women like her out on the streets she will look at what's driving the demand for more working women in the conservative. and the temple tower and passion opens this year's for length film festival the stars turn out in force for a lone scherfig says the kindness of strangers it was the first showing of the year at the berlin wall up which features and unprecedented line up of female directors . i'm sorry kelly welcome to the program here in germany plans for a pipeline supplying russian gas have been thrown into doubt the us ambassador to berlin has urged germany to ditch the north stream to project and now. france says

that it could halt the construction process by subjecting the russian company building it to tougher european union rules critics say that the pipeline due to start pumping later this year will make germany dependent on moscow and undermine european security that leaves a key part of germany's energy strategy under threat. construction of the north stream two pipeline isn't ready well underway but the face of the project lies in the balance e.u. members have not yet agreed on how to proceed and germany and france in particular appear to be at odds over regulation this is what's at stake the pipeline would transport gas from russia to germany via the baltic sea the project in its current form is operated by russian state energy company gas problem. and that's exactly what critics including the united states and seemingly france object to. the dependency from russian gas increase dress achille with those newer pipeline and

that's the reason why they can start that. contradicts obviously the european goals not on the of the energy union but in the future we will see less gas demand because of climate policy and this is the reason why this pipeline is completely on economical on friday european lawmakers will decide whether to extend the blocks energy rules to gas prom if they do so the company would no longer be allowed to both operate the pipeline to handle sales meaning the project in its current form at least could go up in smoke. let's get more on this story we are joined by brussels bureau chief max hoffman and hans brandt our political correspondent here in berlin welcome to both of you and max i'd like to begin with you because this announcement by france is essentially a move against germany do we know why paris is taking the step. we haven't heard an official explanation yet from the french but it appears that the arguments are

mainly political and they've been heard before they're not new frets wasn't really in favor of this project in the past either but they stuck with germany the problem though is that it's really splitting the european union between east and west countries like poland like the baltic states have always always been very much against this project because they fear more russian influence in the european union they feel like they are being bypassed and so this would be one of the arguments some say it might be a little revenge even from the french government because i'm going to medical really didn't wholeheartedly support the projects that it went away my call had for the european union most of them had a slow painful death in the back rooms of brussels berlin and also berlin and the last one is that that is we don't know anything about that yet a factual basis is that there might be some commercial interest because france already has a liquefied natural gas terminals and is intending to build more so they might be able to receive some of that gas coming from the united states ok but you know

regardless of the motivations if you look at the move over all hands i mean one newspaper here is calling it a disaster for german diplomacy at the e.u. has berlin misjudged the situation is i think one has to say the german diplomacy has misjudged its. project millstream to we have to say there is one pipeline already in place in old stream one in exactly the same place as a second line being built and that's been pushed through with a lot of power diplomacy from the side of the germans for several years now and i think in the end they have misjudged two things they have misjudged the extent of the resistance within the european union and especially not from france that coordination with france seems to have been lacking or not do not done well enough and the other thing that the germans i think have misjudged is the resistance from the united states to pressure coming from the united states. since star talk as president that's been massive not only on germany but also in other countries in

the region on the european union as a whole and i think the results of that are what we are seeing now let's talk a little bit more about that pushback from the united states because we know that the u.s. ambassador to germany also richard grenell said that the north stream essentially makes germany dependent on russia the german chancellor angela merkel responded to that and here's what she had to say let's have a listen. and i not think it could well be become dependent on russia because of this gas pipeline which i say no if we diversify at the same time. gemini will expand its gas terminals with regard to liquefied gas this that means that we don't want to make ourselves depended on russia and that any circumstances. but russia was a source of gas during the cold war and it will remain so today without as entering into one sided dependence. so that is how the german chancellor is responding

to her critics hons is that enough. i think in the end not i think that does not really address the concerns of many people we have to see behind this there's some commercial interest from the side of the united states a lot of gases being produced and the united states is hoping to make europe a major client full of selling that gas but behind that is also a geo. geo strategic thoughts consideration a concern in ukraine a lot of gas is going through ukraine at the moment if there's gas by ponces ukraine russia has a handle to put a lot of pressure on ukraine and that's obviously been a reason for sanctions against russia in recent years a reason for a lot of tension between europe and the united states and russia so this pipeline could ratchet up that tension and that's also one of the concerns of the critics of this pipeline max what do you see as the impact on french german ties because i mean this has you know been an access of strength for your up until now. in the

beginning it looks like the money when i call it i'm going to mecca would be the new dream in the european union but slowly many observers. noticed that the two were aligned on their political goals and this is probably the biggest blow to that friendship ever since it comes at a at a time just two and a half weeks after they signed a new friendship treaty the follow up to the treaty in auckland and i was there and it says in the head treaty that both would now try to align on big e.u. projects before decisions this is obviously not work two year and at the same time we don't know if that's a coincidence or not a minor remark called will not go through the munich security conference where he was scheduled to appear together with medical so this might not be the new low point of german french. german friendship in the european union but it seems to be the new low point of those two old forward it'll be interesting to see if they if

they work this out but really this project is so important for the germans it's been going on for so long with so much resistance that it's really hard to see how they will overcome this blow in the new future max hoffman in brussels brandt in berlin thank you so much to both of you for. a quick check now some other stories making news around the world the sister of thailand's king has announced that she will run for prime minister in upcoming elections in march princess obama rocked will campaign for a party while to the country's ousted former prime minister it would be the first time in thailand's history that a member of the royal family has run for public office police in britain say that the body found in the wreckage of a plane in the english channel is that a part of city of a man to be honest he and his pilot are flying to cardiff from france and their

plane disappeared the wreckage was found near the island when say after a search operation. thousands of people have taken to the streets of the haitian capital port au prince to demand the resignation of the president a job now molise they are angry at the state of the country's economy and a recent corruption scandal haiti has been rocked by months of protest in which at least ten people are believed to have died. over a dozen european and latin american countries have called on venezuela to hold free and fair elections to solve its deepening crisis after some five hours of talks in europe why a coalition of countries warned against rash intervention in venezuela even foreign policy chief for the rica mogul really said that the group was committed to finding a peaceful democratic way out of the power struggle between medoro and opposition leader. now the statement came as trucks carrying u.s.

humanitarian aid arrived at colombia's border with venezuela the bridge into the country remains blocked by the military president nicolas maduro says that the shipments are part of a u.s. led attack it. this is where their journey ends on the colombian venezuelan border desperately needed humanitarian aid as aboard these trucks but the gates into the crisis stricken country have been sealed on the other side venezuela's military still largely loyal to president maduro has been ordered to prevent any shipments crossing the border next to the soldiers anxious citizens wait and hope for food and medical supplies to be let through yet the point that sooner or later that precious going to open and the humanitarian aid will arrive the people affinis will at hyatt tired of being hungry i'm a muslim my mother died nearly two weeks ago the doctors were unable to operate on

her we had to find all of the medical supplies and equipment ourselves even a burial it's impossible there's not enough money to bury the dead and you know what hundreds of kilometers away in the capital kara counts president maduro denies there are any humanitarian problems at all going even further he said the american aid shipments were a ploy for an invasion yet. minister it will stop it through a little because of our immense oil resources many rules and other great wealth the question of pushing an international coalition led by the imperialist government of the united states that sold that they can militarily it's hot in venezuela under the false excuse of a humanitarian crisis that does not exist. but international pressure is mounting a meeting in europe why ministers from more than a dozen european and latin american countries are calling on madeira to hold free presidential elections and allow humanitarian aid into venezuela. this is what

that aid looks like on the colombian side of the border bridge these venezuelan refugees are relying. in a community kitchen to get them through the day. and for the very latest i'm joined now by correspondent schlender from the venezuelan capital caracas and also you know as we've seen there are protests are forming on the venezuela side of the border calling the trucks to be allowed in is this becoming the focal point of the power struggle in the country. to go. as we have seen there we're having trouble establishing the line with our correspondent oscar schlager who is reporting from the venezuelan capital caracas

and we'll try and reestablish connection but in the meantime a british newspaper reports the prime minister theresa may is preparing to agree to a new package of workers' rights after brags that the move would see the u.k. match the e.u. on certain provisions concerning workers according to the sun may has proposed changes to lawmakers in the opposition labor party in a bid to get her withdrawal deal passed through britain's parliament reported maneuvering in london comes after a trip to brussels where e.u. leaders stonewalled her request for aid any changes to the divorce deal. and he brags that demonstrators in brussels risk getting run over to relay their message to the british prime minister as he headed for new talks with illegal but thursday brought no progress. a you commission head john clarke repeated that he would not grant may's request to renegotiate the withdrawal agreement as

a you commission spokesman explained. the work to the question. may says new negotiations are vital to prevent a hard border between the republic of ireland and e.u. member and northern ireland part of the u.k. the e.u. wants to keep close ties with belfast but london says that's unacceptable except for a limited time. the time remaining to reach some kind of agreement is limited to no matter says the german chancellor from photographers in today's time can be both long and sure it depends how you look at us she proposes both teams meet once more . i think we can find a solution without renegotiating the divorce deal. that was a rare piece of good news for the british prime minister brags that talks are due to continue to the end of the month. you're watching news coming up next on d.w.

business the price of going public in turn says she is now considered dirty after accusing a chinese t.v. star of sexual harassment but she's not giving up the fight and. the man. but the law is hardly the underlying truths of the kindness of strangers the film of opening the berlin wall of film festival. the first here in germany of the country and any trust watchdog is cracking down on facebook moving to restrict the social media giants ability to collect data here authorities say that it cannot gather information from third party sites without user consent more evidence that facebook's business model could be under threat. the focus was on the day shift facebook collects from third party websites examples include the like and share buttons under news articles similar functions are enabled on its instagram and

what's not platforms. according to the ruling these data streams give facebook an overwhelming advantage in the digital advertising market is this officials argue requires users consent. is being used as a given as it was for fans in the whole conclusion is that facebook. data on its platform invited. facebook facebook can also continue to gather data on its other services like what's up or instagram or on third party sites. but they may in the future such only with the user's explicit consent of the. indies it's. very clear. like in most countries facebook is the leading social media network in germany it has more than thirty million users it also owns the second most popular social

network instagram which has some seventeen million users that leaves the competition far behind. facebook said officials underestimated the level of competition it faced within the country it's vowed to appeal. it has a month to do so and fewer must offer remedies to the cartel office phones the decision is the latest by european officials to challenge the market dominance of american techno firms and reorientation practices to favor consumers last year the e.u. interactive regulation to allow users to view and withdraw their data online and member states are still debating a special tax for digital firms. but first to jordan where women who work outside the home are the exception according to the world bank only about eighteen percent of people working in jordan last year were female but many women there can

no longer afford not to get paid work amid the country's economic crisis some women have been drawn to safe government jobs such as police work. she's in charge on the streets. has been a police officer for thirteen years every day she has to make sure traffic flows smoothly on the roads of the jordanian capital it's not easy and it's not the only challenge. the first social acceptance was low especially older men more surprised by being pulled over by a young woman or even getting a ticket from one but now things are going better. than the study and the two hundred. women like her. come to the princess training institute for policewoman and to become law enforcement officers the training last six months there's also a theoretical part for example in traffic law or domestic security the trainees

come from all over the country if they're from conservative families it can take some getting used to. come on but it was hard for me to be away from my family for two weeks for the first time in my whole life it was really too long. for me. that stuff on to loud to reveal how many police women are being trained here but there's great demand. from them in high school the applicant must possess jordanian citizenship she may not be younger than eighteen or older than twenty seven during the application period she must be single she may not be shorter than one meter sixty five centimeters and her weight must be in proportion to her height and the song to return with an awesome i wasn't seven percent of police officers in jordan a female which could grow to fifty percent in the future an ambitious goal.

and moving on now to a divisive issue for men and women in the workplace this time in china and what many are calling the country's need to moment a series of sexual assault and harassment accusations have become public one of the cues as a famous t.v. star in china who allegedly groped an interne she is now being taken to court after writing about her experience online many see the case as a test of whether china is ready to take up the fight against sexual harassment when posted on china's social network web or last summer her accusation hit like a bomb show she said she had been sexually harassed four years ago by a famous t.v. anchor the post was quickly censored but it was already too late whose story had already been shared widely so when the new trial a lot of women who were opposed to this article wrote that it reminded them of their own experiences. i felt very sad but i was also moved

j. . in twenty fourteen then a drama student had been intern in china's state broadcaster c.c.t.v. one day she was asked to come to the dressing room of popular show host to do it is there she says he forcibly tried to kiss her and grope her she managed to escape. what then there shows a family at first i didn't want anybody to know i had been molested which i felt this was embarrassing humiliating. bash i also thought that if anybody knew about this story none of the c.c.t.v. employees would take my side and i thought they would stand with him. track of a trojan at the house. the anchor has denied the accusations and filed a lawsuit against her he's demanding the equivalent of eighty five thousand euros

for damaging his reputation joe shoshana's feeling the pressure. the shares sang the ones. i feel like a vessel that quickly fills up with all kinds of emotions. most of the time i'm so busy that i manage to keep it together but sometimes you can't suppress these feelings anymore that's when i break down joe has become a leading voice of china small but persistent me to movement many women have sought her advice she has offered to hope some of them with filing complaints at the police but she says what china really needs is an open discussion about the issue. you know when it becomes known that a woman has been assaulted people will say she has been stained. even the media use

this word the woman is considered dirty. in the eyes of the public women are supposed to be pure. and a woman who has been sexually harassed and is suddenly seen as a strange and sick person. and as for a job. she's fighting back after the present to her for a different mission she's bringing her own case to court she's demanding compensation for sexual harassment one of the current has lifted on the berlin international film festival also known as the berlin all up big names in german and international send him out were out for the gallows opening this year's festival almost achieves gender parity with seven out of seventeen films in competition directed by women the opening film was the kindness of strangers a tale of homelessness and uncertainty in contemporary america. and nights to remember the film fans with the red carpet as the place to be for the

stars at the center of all the attention french also we know intact off this year's jury should it be no. danish director known as shaft which brought an international cost to the red carpet celebrating the world premiere of the movie the kind of strangers. who want to share face food focuses on several characters who crossed paths in a restaurant in new york. and they were anyone since for years now. all the characters have suffered life shattering experiences clara escaping from an abusive husband mark just left kristen. the movie tells their story as they try to rebuild their lives possible only with the help of strangers. i thought it would make

since every day while we were working for the world seemed to be a tough place to be in to make a film that had light and hopefully leaves the innocence of. not just hope but also community. the kindness of strangers as long as shellfish to to movie to run in competition at the bone and finn face to visit where she's often known to praise for her keen eye for character as. the sixty nine spelling out it kicks off with an unprecedented line up of female directors you know nish afi shines a light on people at the margins a perfect fit for europe's most politically charged film festival the kindness of strangers is a curious makes of drama and comedy humor and sadness which doesn't quite seem to know which way it wants to go. but director. i want to share phish it is no longer the ball to kindness of strangers but about winning old book the belly not

a chimney am. and with that you're up to date now on d w news i'll be back in a half an hour with more world news and don't forget you can always get the latest on our web site that's at w dot com up next. i'm sorry kelly and for lent it's watch.

more intrigue our international can show more journalists discuss the topic of the week during the state of the union speech this week u.s. president donald trump vowed that his country is prepared to stand out innovate other countries when it comes to intermediate range. nuclear weapons could a new arms race ban store that's our topic on quadriga join us.

next on d w. org. crimes against humanity. civilians become witness six. to record his travel around the globe just social media. but what is for the camera fiction and what is fact digital investigators combed through the flood of images they combine sources to try to reconstruct what happened and to substantiate claims of crimes. in this video recording one of the soldiers who shot me young man is on trial now. forensics between bits and parts. you.

believe. anything getting to me. is a big chance because justice is about the truth. truth detectives starts feb fifteenth on t w. o n welcome to quadriga during his state of the union speech this week u.s. president donald trump about his country is prepared to outspend and out innovate russia and china when it comes to intermediate range nuclear weapons reiterating his america first message the president confirmed that he is pulling out of the i.m.f. an arms control treaty with russia reclaiming it's no longer effective and russian president vladimir putin says his country will.