this is d.w. news live from berlin a volcano eruption in new zealand kills at least 5 people 8 others are missing the country's most active volcano erupted earlier today sending plumes of ash and steam as tourists were exploring its surface new zealand prime minister says a number of the injured are in critical condition also coming up tonight russia is

banned from all global sports events for 4 years and that includes the upcoming 2020 olympics the world anti-doping agency says must try to stop drug cheats from being exploited just plus breaking the don't walk russia and ukraine holds peace talks in paris the conflict in eastern ukraine has killed 13000 people displaced more than a 1000000 people have a report from the combat zone and bring you the latest as the russian and ukrainian leaders sit down with each other in talks brokered by france in germany. break off it's good to have you with us at least 5 people have been killed in a volcano eruption off the coast of new zealand north islet 8 others are. known to

be missing the. which is also known as white island erupted suddenly shortly after 2 pm local time on monday spewing plumes of ash into the. panicked tourists watch as a wall of volcanic ash threatens to envelop them. 5. minutes. on the volcanoes age know they bore witness to its mate. survivor scrambled on to boat 50 people were on the island emergency services ferried the injured some in critical condition to the mainland. in the immediate aftermath a number of helicopters made a deliberate decision to fly to the ah and to greece to survivors when we

speak helicopter landed on the island and were able to transport surviving suspect to the mine and if 2 private helicopters were able to land and risk to survivors along with a volcanic helicopter. i want to acknowledge the courageous decision made by 1st responders and those pilots who in the immediate risk if it made a incredibly brave decision under extraordinarily dangerous circumstances in an attempt to get people out. in the day visitors found themselves walking on what the maoris call for carry the dramatic volcano little idea what was rumbling beneath their feet although acts of fatal eruptions are rare. it's not a particularly big eruption is it's seed it was kind of. or much like

a throat clearing kind of eruption and that's why material probably won't have made it to my new zealand what mike it mainly in new zealand. through clearing exercise and for those involved an unforgettable reminded that nature and sometimes awful bangs to its own will. have those dramatic pictures there let's go now to me to she's a journalist joining us from all clinton new zealand chris it's good to have you on the program we've got reports that police are now saying that there are new signs of life on the island where the eruption took place are you hearing those reports as well and does that mean that it's too dangerous to send a risk you teams out. yes brett police believe that anyone would have been taken from the island alive rescued at the time of evacuation yesterday they stated that the information they have as up this morning new zealand time there are no

survivors on the island lights over the volcano by police military and rescue planes also found no sign of life this morning a navy ship is going to the island and sending up surveillance drones to find out if it is safe or. to land later today on the island. and we understand that the car your wife this volcano has it's a popular destination was tourists it's considered one of the world's most successful volcanoes tell us a little bit about it. well yeah questions have been raised why visitors have been allowed to come to the island although in the last last weeks. alert level has been an issue but it is ultimately up to the tour operators to decide whether to take visitors to the privately owned island with the necessary

permits one local company white island to restate it on their website that it operates through for right alert levels but added that passengers should be aware that there is always a risk to guard less often the alert level alert levels change on a relatively frequent basis and one vulcanologist said i don't want sudden eruptions from full kaino it's not just white niland going to be expected at any time despite that around $10000.00 tourists visit. here and your impression that the tourists and people are adequately informed rebel the risk of you or tempting nature your tempting fate when you go in trying to appear in. an active volcano. yes that's unfortunately the case as in the parts of the world.

caruso parmeet is joining us from. new zealand chris we appreciate your time tonight thank you. well here is a her round up now of the other stories that are making headlines around the world people in b. routes have been forced to find creative ways of getting around as floods paralyzed parts of the lebanese capital the heavy rains have damaged homes and businesses officials are blaming outdated infrastructure saudi arabia says restaurants no longer need to segregate customers by sex previously they were required to have separate entrances and eating areas for men and women this is the latest in a series of sweeping social reforms in the conservative islamic kingdom people in india have been protesting a proposed law that would give citizenship to persecuted religious minorities from neighboring countries but not muslims thousands took to the streets in a solemn state which is taken in large numbers of refugees from neighboring.

finland is set to get its youngest ever prime minister 34 year old sana marie has been nominated by the social democrats who lead the 5 party coalition government you see her right there all 5 parties now have women at the helm appointment is expected to be approved by parliament this week that would also make her the world's youngest serving prime minister. the world anti doping agency wada has banned russia from taking part in international sporting competitions for the next 4 years while ruled that russia should be punished for manipulating laboratory data planting evidence and deleting files linked to positive doping tests that could help identify drug cheaters the banned rules russia out of the upcoming tokyo olympics next year. tokyo 20

twentieth's was supposed to be the final high night of anastasio as he called us korea but now she's in a gray zone after the world anti-doping agency banned russia from the coming summer games you look at the summer and that it's one thing not to qualify because you're not well prepared you've made mistakes but it's quite another thing when it's because you are punished for other people's mistakes and things will certainly not be easy prophecy call of the word anti-doping agency wada has approved the recommendations of its compliance panel and that means pending appeal russia is now banned from international sporting events for the next 4 years including the impacts if there is a decision being issued according to the. tour the world anti-doping quote. it's a mandatory for the i.o.c. . but there is some light at the end of the tunnel for russian athletes who can

show they are clean and without ties to the state sponsored doping system. to compete in the olympics and in other venues and a neutral ban on. the leaders of ukraine and russia are in paris for a meeting about the conflict in eastern ukraine and this is the 1st time in 3 years that talks focusing on ending the war have been held and this is the 1st meeting between. the russian president and who of them is alinsky the new ukrainian president french president emanuel and german chancellor angela merkel are brokering this meeting you see them all that there at the table the conflict started in eastern ukraine back in 2014 it has killed more than 13000 people displaced more than a 1000000 the worst fighting has been in the dawn bet's region our correspondent nick connelly traveled there and sent us this report. close enough to see what the other side having for lunch that's how these ukrainian

troops have spent the last few years just 300 meters from the russian backed separatists spacing them that whole night without a single shot i don't remember a day like that maybe on the 1st night of the see saw and it's a strange when there's no financial you get all nervous we used to the shooting at the. the conflict may have fallen out of the headlines but the shooting and the death continues less than a 10 minute drive away a young woman out walking with a child was to be really wounded by a stray bullet just last week our guide through the trenches on xander was in his 2nd year cadet school in the conference room couch where he rolled he could hardly have imagined that he would soon find himself a 1000 kilometers from home fighting a trench war. everyone is tired of the war has parents wives warrant about them back home but if the politicians can sort this out by talking why not if we withdraw from here it's not

a disaster as long as no opponent just the same but only those with which. but off camera many soldiers are more skeptical they don't want to give up territory regain from the separatists at the cost of many lives a presence selenski government is convinced that only a buffer zone between the front lines can bring peace. it's a short drive from the trenches to one of the region's biggest crossing points between government and separatist held territory thousands make the journey every day spending hours out in the cold. we're hoping for peace after all this time we need to resolve this war it's been 6 years since it all began i'm convinced on buses part of ukraine but i you know. i don't understand what michael and max want to do selenski and putin should sit down together drink some fod get together and put all this behind them. with the ball with city he and i ok you know we need a united ukraine and we need an end to all this. so people don't have to suffer in

these queues anymore. but if you cranes biggest cities is less than half an hour's drive down the road behind me we can't go that the pro russian separatists in control of the city aware e of the foreign press presence lensky was elected earlier this year on a promise to bring down yet back to ukrainian government control that's what this meeting in paris is all about. back in the front line it's quiet at least during daylight hours silence allows time to think about the future. of. the i'm not interested in this normandy summit what will happen will happen. this war needs to end i've lost so many it comrades already. but they're giving the other some weight making peace and

that's going to be to the. repercussions of this war will be felt for years to come it's not just about the mines and grenades the litter this landscape it's about the war in people's heads. you know war that rages on tonight's our correspondent as he is in paris where those talks are taking place good evening to you georg so what do we know those talks are happening as we speak what do we know about them as any progress been made any progress to report well there's already one good sign brand if you want to call it that that is that there will be a bilateral meeting between selenski and president putin some 3 to 400 charnel to see a cramped into the other is a palace holding their breath as this forest meeting of the full leaders took place and everybody is keen to know what will come out of this one on one meeting off the 2 leaders what we are so far is that over dinner they're hammering out

a final declaration and of course we'll we'll have to wait and see what what what comes of that and what are the chances of a tangible breakthrough coming from this meeting georg we know that there are fears that president. political novice that he may give the give away too much to president putin. mcbrien for over 3 years no such meeting took place so the fact that it is taking place in itself is is already some good news currently in ukraine we're looking at a fragile ceasefire but a ceasefire there's been some other positive signs like a prisoner swap so there is some movement taking place however many peer have said that a breakthrough is not very likely to be on the cards aid rather looks that some minimal progress may be announced and if you look at the pressure that particularly

selenski is under having promised to end this conflict and they're there by one his can paint to become president of ukraine there's huge pressure on him now to literally deliver on those promises and what about the other leaders there at the table of the french president micron the german chancellor angela merkel what's in it for then. i would say though that their interest is on 2 on 2 levels that there is a personal interest for term johnson dramatical maybe already some sort of legacy that she wants to alif behind once or chancellorship ends for the french president even more so pressure on the personal level to finally deliver at the g. 7 took place here since month this meeting has been prepared to diplomats told me a lot of work has gone into this and the french president really wants to show something that he has been able to to make international politics happen to bring something forward and finally look for europe this is an incredibly important issue

basically the entire relations to russia have been paralyzed over the question off ukraine in particular crimea which will not be discussed here but the resolving that dumbass issue could be a 1st step towards. relaxing at least since the relations with russia not speaking off off off lifting sanctions yeah it's ridiculous be a breakthrough if something resembling peace could be achieved at this meeting here much is on the story for us tonight in paris thank you are going to return now to one of our main stories the world anti doping agency today banned russia from taking part in international sporting competitions for the next 4 years that includes the upcoming summer and winter olympics as well as the symbol world cup in qatar in 2022 now this is all about russia doping russian cheating about its don't begin to talk about that i'm joined now by. he's an expert on doping in sport see

is the journalist who 1st broke the story on government sponsored don't be in russia hi it's good to have you back on the program we've talked many times about this situation in russia now we're looking at a 4 year ban for the country does this punishment in your opinion does it sit. the crime if you will. some people would say is it's not enough. should have been imposed total ban for russia as a nation because i think this worst case scenario for doping of cheating of corruption sports must have a consequentialist is on the same level but i would say is this is the real hitting it says the russian so looks russian sports so well because escalates from that country no not allowed flaw for years to know where their own. jerseys to and to see their own russian track and to listen to

a rendition anthem so that means it is really hard to punish meant and also a strict conditions will apply for athletes from russia they have to undergo a very strict until doping regime so i don't think that very many athletes compete because events i would say only a few but also not very many which means it is a punishment for russia but i don't know if they will draw the right conclusions and change the culture of cheating in that country you know that's right we've talked about this before that it's part of the cold for in russia for for blood tests to be altered for there to be cheating about evidence relating to doping will this ban that has been imposed for the next 4 years is that going to have any impact or are we going to look at russia in 4 years basically the same way it is

today. might happen this doping scandal is no let's say running for 4 or 5 years it started in december 2014 and has a cost of 4 years i have to say is that i have been so many efforts from the russians to undermines anti-doping system to make dirty deals to lie to delete evidence to menu prelate every dance and to frankly create new evidence fake evidence so i have seen so many things happening in this course was a for us that i'm not sure if they really known senescent still runs on us i'm not sure on the other hand i have to say as a set as this is a really harsh punishment it takes 4 years 4 years is a long period where they might be thinking about how can we change our system maybe they have to change the heads on top of federations maybe even sports polygyny what

egyptians and russia needs to be. fired is this has to be discussed now in russia and the treatment it's meant to be a gift. said already today and russia is it's a understands and that means that they have to really go to who to doping culture in russia for decades since it needs to be changed on the other hand i have also too to say that it takes a very very long time for coaches for schiffman for pushes to change a doping culture which is established in the russia since the soviet union times and for the athletes who do not this leaves them of course on the losing side no matter how things develop investigative journalists an expert on the bring in sports i was always thinking thank you. well you're watching the w. news still to come baby pandas born in berlin back in august and have made their

public debut we'll hear why politics is being kept firmly out of what's being described as china news the end diplomacy coming up in just a few moments. a german man today presented to the country's parliament with a petition demanding that it recognize the government of taiwan after gathering more than $50000.00 signatures as that territory is claimed by showing the berlin seems unlikely to give any ground here but he is determined to continue his struggle nonetheless. spec knows how a dictatorship works since the marine biologist from eastern germany 1st visited taiwan he's made the young democracy fight his own. when i had to put you off i grew up in a dictatorship in communist east germany i know from personal experience what it means to live under one of the stasi secret police persecuted me so of course i have sympathy for taiwan and china is openly threatening them with military action

i think the west should respond. taiwan's representative in berlin is pleased to have such support the way she sees me as an ally who knows what freedom means. when someone from germany gets involved someone who experienced the g.d.r. and says taiwan should be recognized i say we would be satisfied if taiwan were recognised as a democracy and establish democracy and a beacon of freedom. and. the german foreign ministry wrote to clients back to say that the government backs the one china policy and so will not offer taiwan diplomatic recognition at 1st the parliamentary petition committee wanted to prevent a public hearing but eventually relented the petition has received over 50000 signatures. i apparently have supporters among the members of the committee who see the issue the way i do i 1st turned to the greens but i've since heard that many christian democrats back taiwan to we have prevailed against the objections of the

foreign ministry. germany's position is becoming increasingly problematic in light of the human rights abuses in china and the situation in hong kong still quite spec doesn't think government policy on china is about to change. what we've achieved is that parliament is going to address the matter i don't think that germany is about to establish diplomatic relations with taiwan but the process has been initiated and if even a few members of the committee back my petition that would be a major success. even after the petition has run its course as a champion of freedom and democracy he will continue to fight for human rights. well this is g.w. news and these are our top stories the leaders of ukraine and russia are in paris tonight for the 1st talks in 3 years aimed at ending the conflict in eastern ukraine it's the 1st time that russian president vladimir putin and ukrainian

president limit its olinsky have met since president emmanuel macron and german chancellor angela merkel are bordering the meeting. of the world anti-doping agency has banned the russia from international sports for 4 years and that includes the upcoming summer and winter olympics wada says that russia faked laboratory data and destroyed evidence russia has called the ban politically motivated. at least 5 people have been killed after a volcano were rubbed it on a new zealand island while 8 others are still missing the zealand's prime minister says a number of the injured are in critical condition. police in india have arrested the owner and manager of a factory destroyed in a fire that killed 43 people the blaze in the capital delhi broke out early on sunday as workers were sleeping inside. this is d w news from berlin for more you can follow us on twitter at d

w news or you can visit our website that's d w dot com our twin baby pandas born in august here in berlin they have finally made their public debut there the result of china's pin the plough mysie beijing allowed their parents to come to germany back in 2070. it's a rest site media professionals in rapture as they were invited to meet these 2 baby giant pandas 100 days after they were born. according to chinese tradition that's when babies should be named. the 2 boys who were the property of the chinese state mangwana mang shan which means fulfill the dream and the desired dream. china pursues panda diplomacy to deepen trusting bonds with other countries and

perhaps and hans its own image. some wags in berlin suggested the baby should be named hong kong to draw attention to the struggle for democracy in the semi autonomous region. the i suppose it's a nice idea to solidarity with the other democracy movements see i think i'm a good idea. that would be funny but obviously the chinese would never accept that . the chinese ambassador to germany was not amused by the suggestion.

to. save the planet not mine john couey quarter dot you don't. chen says it's strange we have to do something. the climate crisis is threatening our very existence. many germans would agree but are they prepared to change their habits. and humanity

the soonest. close up next on. the big bang that created today's world. good turning point in politics business jim. rohn the up people of the islamic revolution under are going to turn off a man he had always dreamt of state in this shady at all which road. opens up making its initial flirtation with capitalism. strikes and states of emergency britain sinks into chaos margaret thatcher remarks in carriage them to work harder and they will was

a distortion of neo liberalism. john paul the 2nd visits poland shows the threatens the old order. for a better this could be the end of communism and then called. the large crisis and. the start of an era that defines our remarks today. 979 of the big bang that created today's starts december 23rd p.w. . out of the. people it's serious. it's the 11th hour our planet is threatening to burn up. and yet 100 years are growing daunting for decades scientists have been warning of the dangers of climate change with very little response.