this is d.w. news live from berlin germany's two biggest banks could soon become one georgia banks border potently reportedly agrees to merger talks with rival comet's bank this softer both racked up years of losses we'll find out what that could mean for the economy. also on the program and elsewhere braces for rival protests opposition they don't want why those calls on supporters to take to the streets again to demand new elections but government supporters say they also plan to demonstrate.

and algerian police arrest nearly two hundred as clashes break out following to huge demonstrations calling for the country's leader to step down but we'll take a look at the latest. i'm rebecca races welcome to the program the board of germany's largest bank has reportedly agreed to merger talks with the second largest the time some tug newspapers says the board of dorchin bank will discuss a fusion with its traditional rival comet's bank the german government has been urging the two banks to merge after years of losses deutsche bank has also forced a face to scrutiny in the u.s. over money laundering scandal. joining me to unpack this is stephen busy from business departments dave hi thanks for joining me what more do we know about. this. think the main thing is that there's finally

a mandate for these merger talks there's been a lot of talk about this for months going on now as deutsche has suffered such serious losses and recently as friday there were sources from comments bank saying it's absolute nonsense that there's a mandate for talks and now we know there's been one for at least a week back if these reports are correct we know they're still at the very early stages they're small groups and that this has a long way to go before it is approved well there's been a lot of talk about this merger for some time the banks themselves haven't same cane why now well i think first of all i think it's interesting that this finally was confirmed that these reports are correct on a weekend that might tell you something about what they want to see with the blower what they expect from a blow on monday but really the answer is that it's coming now because the economy is softening the global economy is softening german exports are going down the german economy is softening and there are concerns that if germany doesn't have an effective bank to support its its german companies during

a weak spot in the economy with both of these banks suffering then they're going to struggle there is a strong preference in the german government to have a strong german national lender deutsche bank is obviously really the focus of this it is the biggest bank here and it carries the name of germany on it and as you mentioned there been a lot of scandal surrounding it's really gone through years of unprofitability and despite recent efforts to really shored up that have really gone a long way it's just not happening fast enough and so this really isn't unexpected for the german government pretty came but there's still a lot of resistance there is a lot of resistance i mean any merger is going to have to get through first of all german regulators and we can assume that it would get through those if there is preference in the government for it but it's going to have to also get through european regulators and we know that on the european side the e.c.b. has really preferred a merger between deutsche of bond and a european bank they want to see greater consolidation across the e.u. and they believe it has to happen across national lines for the german government there isn't such a strong preference for that of course they want a job. and championed this gets into

a bigger question of the german government and national governments in the e.u. really want to put their thumbs on the scale saying we need our own banks or our own businesses and of course then you look at the job losses that could come about through those the business models of both banks are very similar the overlap very nicely which means there's going to be a lot of dead weight to get rid of politically that's going to be very very unpopular so a lot of questions going forward and it's not necessarily guaranteed right as mentioned finally a lot of people say that too bad banks combined does not make one good thing or i will let all eyes watching that taught those mood to talk steve beardsley from day that we business thank you. more protests are expected in venezuela today the country's self-proclaimed laeta is calling for his supporters to take to the streets again to step up pressure on president nicolas maduro and demand new elections but there is also a cold on his supporters to rally today the power struggle between god has brought the country to a standstill and that as

a huge electricity blackout has paralyzed much of the country. dialysis patients we say their wards unable to receive treatment from these pirate dian machines. and in a maternity unit nurses fight to keep babies alive in intensive care. manually. blockades are nothing new in venezuela this latest one began just before thursday evenings rush hour sending commuters on lengthy tricks back home on fates in near total darkness president nicolas maduro officials say it's sabotage. after all the statements from the north american empire and comments from those who support them here no one can be that naive to believe that this is a random event. it is an attack on the homeland without any doubt

it is an attack on venezuela. not according to the country's self declared president one quite do speaking at an event marking international women's day on friday he launched his own attack on his government. didn't you know because they have no idea what they are talking about. they are inefficient and corrupt. it cannot be normal that half our hospitals don't have generators and that the other half can barely deal with emergencies and some surgeries without any doubt there is nothing normal about today these are not the living nor normal you know your. power was gradually being restored across venezuela opiate shakily this latest blackout has been the country's longest yet in some areas lasting well over twenty four hours and people just want to get moving again. now to some

other stories making news around the world. militiamen have attacked in a vulgar treatment center in congo for the second time in two weeks one policeman is reported to have been killed there are many armed groups in the region hampering efforts to contain the disease ebola outbreak in the east of the country has killed almost six hundred people. while the newborn son of british teenager. has reportedly died in syria begum who joined the islamic state when she was fifty had said she wanted to go back to the u.k. to raise her baby in better conditions british home secretary such a job it revoked her citizenship to prevent her from returning. u.s. president donald trump and his wife melania have visited alabama where a powerful tornado tore through a rural community killing twenty three the president thanked dozens of volunteers at a makeshift release relief center he also met privately with families of the victims including a woman who trump said had lost ten relatives. one hundred sixteen year old to

county to marco from japan has achieved her lifelong dream guinness world records has named her the world's oldest living person is the title she set her sights on when she was when she turned one hundred but she still has some catching up to do the oldest person ever was one hundred twenty two. algeria has same the biggest demonstrations against president abdelaziz bouteflika since protests began two weeks ago the eighty two year old has ruled geria for the past twenty years and is said to be in poor health but he wants to run for a fifth term in upcoming elections the demonstrations were mostly peaceful but police police used tear gas to block the road to the presidential palace and in several other areas of the capital state television says almost two hundred people have been arrested. a force of blue helmets and riot gear

pushes forward into the streets of algiers the police fired tear gas into the crowds of demonstrators ahead. armored police vehicles plows through the streets as protesters throw stones in defiance of the ruling government. for two weeks running demonstrations have become a common sight on the streets of algeria's capital city but now the movement has grown larger than ever before with tens of thousands of algerians demanding president abdelaziz bouteflika not run for a fifth term many say they've had enough of the current government and their appetite for protest is undiminished. by him saying no to the regime. we need a better future for our children we did not live the good life but we want our children to live a better life. the president confined to a wheelchair has tried to ease public anger by promising political reform has also

lashed out against the protests saying they have been infiltrated by foreign powers some even doubt that beautifully is still alive political activists rashid neck us staged demonstration in front of the hospital in geneva where the president is reportedly being treated. to be with you here are forty million algerians who want to know where they all during president those he's going to flee to is no one has seen him since his last speech in cities on may eighth two thousand and twelve where he declared publicly in front of all of syria he would withdraw from algerian political life. of its neck because tried to list himself as a candidate but was barred by the government he was later arrested after demanding access to the hospital that young people in particular are desperate for change. but you. know we want to get rid of. the economy even open or close his eyes anymore what he's half dead and he really has to be for how and now. we're really

grateful for all he did but it really is time for him to leave and now other kind of. to run for president if the president is listening from his hospital bed he shows no sign of honoring the man. one joined now by journalist self and his in an about algeria he's been following this story for us stuff and the protest movement has been gaining momentum who are the people demonstrating. the people demonstrating the kind of the country talk about the protesters moved to this movement because the movement and all of the people who are who are heading to the streets for almost three weeks now all those diverse the might majority of the people that were protesting against what to think of the system and our young people of course but we also see older people and even tension even. marching we have remained and we are you can tell it is with children will join massively joining the protest on fridays digitally to be protected by the march of the month

for people who are marching. we have little income strata of society but also the middle class mobilized we have conservative people to us to get rid of n.g.o.s opposition parties and trade unions also call them to head to the street so this is a young your very diverse group of. people and to organizations that are calling for protests these days right and there are some reports now that more ruling party members are siding with the demonstrators does the president still have political support. his political support is dwindling indeed sir we have more and more defections of the politics from the biggest region partied yet for then the national liberation front but we also have many people stepping down within the powerful businessmen associations. and especially within the state controlled search that you need for the racial division of this is the biggest

union federation in the country. which claims that this to the several million for memphis and four or five or six days. more and more local branches for us. trade unions for the estimated recently are openly and publicly remounts in the support for the had of the usually are which is for one of the major backer of that it's pretty common. in algeria for us thank you very much. the president of soccer's world governing body fifa has given us the football confederation one last chance to clean up its act giani in fantasia i made the comments in all clinton where he's attending an o. s. a congress to elect a new president favre has already suspended a foremost siana president for six years for corruption and more recently it's left a three month ban on the vice president following the illegal re sale of world cup

tickets. before president jani infantile no made it very clear at a press conference that the world soccer body will only tolerate a clean oceania that after major scandals rocked the soccer confederation there that includes a number of pacific islands as well as new zealand the times of. abusing . food will for personal gain is over. you know then we can the utopia by then sure again from what i've heard from other have seen. the to the message just so different could post. because this is really the last opportunity for for oceania the future boss now feels oceania has made the necessary reforms. to watching t.w. news for news headlines at the top of the hour in the meantime don't forget you can stay up to date on our web site that's w dot com i'm rebecca it is embarrassing for

me and the whole time thanks for watching. curious and. do it yourself network. the news. channel subscribe and don't miss out. the players. table. and the state. patrol. in a poker game of power and money the competition is fierce please most important natural resource.