this is d.w. news live from berlin turkey faces off with russia for syrian army's push to capture the country's last strong rebel stronghold triggers an international standoff and prompts hundreds of thousands of civilians to flee also on the program could this man become the next head of germany's conservative party and the next chancellor rich metz throws his hat in the ring the woman and had selected as her successor since she is no longer in the running. and reclaiming what their families

lost under the nazis people of german descent in berlin say that's a berlin is creating unfair hurdles when it comes to their right to regain german citizenship. i'm told me a lot of well welcome to the program. the latest advance by syrian government troops into the rebel held it live province has fractured relations between the key international players in the conflict the past 10 days have seen deadly clashes between turkish soldiers supporting syrian rebels and the forces of the syrian regime which is backed by russia turkey's president. has hit out at syria and its russian allies promising to retaliate if his troops are attacked meanwhile the country's humanitarian crisis continues to grow. the roads out of sarmento and

it looked province in the last 2 months more people have fled the fighting here than at any other time in the syria conflict many are braving the harsh winter conditions simply to get tight. it's really sad to see people here enduring snow and cold and most of them are children what are we going to do we've got nothing left you were sleeping under all of trees. it's a terrible side. this road is completely cut off because it's packed full of cars . and people have no idea where they're going. this is what they are leaving behind violence is clear didn't it live in recent weeks and strain ties between 2 of the main international players in the region russia and turkey and correct has sent more troops to the area and has warned it will strike syrian regime forces if its soldiers come under renewed just tack to clear their home or

anyone targeting turkey should know that they will pay the price for this not only at the site of the attack but everywhere. hundreds of thousands of people have left in recent weeks but not everyone can get sight those still stuck in a face an anxious wait and a worsening humanitarian crisis. earlier we spoke to bill taffy al hamdu he's a teacher in that as a village in the countryside west of aleppo that's the neighboring province to live and we also know about life in a region that's been ravaged by war. in fact these days people are facing one of the most difficult situations you know maybe in the last 9 years because now all people are fleeing from the west and countryside and it led to north to the borders of jerky and in fact just. outside my home

a long line of cars maybe 10 kilometer line of cars are just leaving and fleeing a don't know they don't know where to go and all people in fact they are mentally ill psychologically ill and physically ill in fact even i did membered just now that it's 2 days my daughter's birthday nevertheless who cares we can't i can't help i can't make a party for hair i mean this is just how people think they can't think anything just to have to go what to do and they don't have answers like me in fact it's your region is getting so closer to the borders of turkey and people don't know what do you if they've led now so what's the next step i mean they think they are fleeing from day to day this is in fact the whole situation these days in fact i wanted to send a message for the hold that this is maybe the last step to take. what did it do to to get to take an action for this people i don't want anyone to tell the next

generation that we didn't know we didn't hear we didn't see it because yeah the last period the last 9 years had been very horrible for syrian people by becoming a might might be the worst. now to some of the other stories making news around the world. there's been a surge in the number of deaths from the cove in 1000 virus in china officials in who bay province the epicenter of the corona virus outbreak say over 240 people there have died of the virus in a single day it comes as experts expressed hope that the epidemic may have peaked. italy's senate has cleared the way for former interior minister material salvini to be tried on charges of holding my migrants hostage he says he was defending italy's border when he refused to allow rescued migrants to disembark from a ship for several days last summer when. the electric car maker tesla is recalling

nearly 15000 s.u.v.s in north america to correct a potential issue with their steering safety officials say bolt on some 2016 models my corroded and break leading to a loss in posterity. in the us presidential hopeful bernie sanders has won the democratic primary in the state of new hampshire the u.s. senator who describes himself as a democratic socialist one of the 26 percent of the vote he says he now has the momentum as the democratic party decides on a candidate to challenge president trump in november's election moderates insist the contest is far from over. it's the 1st clear win in the democratic party's nomination fight and new hampshire chose very month senator bernie sanders. and let me say it's annoying. that

this victory. is the beginning of the end but donald trump. sanders beat off a strong challenge from p.p. to git he triumphed in iowa caucus he congratulated sanders and called for unity. so many of you turned out die hard democrats independents unwilling to stay on the side on the sidelines and even some newly former republicans and we can't defeat the most divisive president in modern american history by tearing down anybody who doesn't agree with us 100 percent of the time. president trying to twist here to slam the democratic candidates describing sanders as crazy berni and mocking prestigious star name in this primary amy club a trial was a surprise 3rd place with elizabeth warren and forward of the former vice president joe biden in face he is adamant that the race for the nomination has barely started

so i think. we just heard from the 1st 2 of the states. all right come from us the opening bell. not the closing bell. the fly and dollars from the president is just big. aha. victories behind those popular vote in iowa were in the victory or can i go we're going to go god ok we're going to south carolina we're going to win those series was the democratic contest is shaping up to be a battle between barry sanders and pete beach you say created by for decades and clashing political ideologies but united in one shared goal to ice president. here in germany the conservative politician feverish matts reportedly plans to run for the leadership of chancellor angela merkel's christian democrats the c.d.u.

it was widely expected to enter the race for the position of party chief in 2018 months now really lost the race for the leadership to end a great crime karrenbauer on monday she stumbled country by announcing she is stepping down. now frigid matts and angela merkel have rarely seen eye to eye and he became party leader might medical research a current plan to remain chancellor until next year and put that question to de w.'s chief political correspondent melinda crane that could well happen it's not only her plan of course she is at the head of a government whose official term goes until 2021 and she has said she would stay out that term but the fact is that these 2 free dish mats and america they have a long history their rivalry goes way back in in fact she proved such a nemesis for him that he wound up leaving politics altogether for many years he is

distinctly to the right of chancellor merkel if you remember he was the author of that term lead in culture to describe the idea that germany needed to return to. stronger sense of its national identity all of that could make them very easy bedfellows so to speak so many people do speculate that if he were to become the head of the party that she might step down earlier which in fact with them prompt new elections because the her social democratic the junior partner in the governing coalition has said it's ready to serve out to the end of this government with angela merkel in place as chancellor but not with somebody else they escaped the death camps of the nazis but they did not escape the nazis hateful policies thousands of people fled germany during the 12 years of germany's. the punishment many was stripped of their citizenship on political racial or religious grounds to

redress these wrongs the country's post-war constitution promises former german citizens and their descendants shall on application have their citizenship restored despite the clear language however is that lots of applicants are rejected germany received about 4600 citizenship applications in 2018 of these only about 1400 were approved so most that's about 2 thirds were rejected many applicants whose claims were rejected believed they didn't receive a fair hearing now a british lawyer is taking up their cause and he says the german government is violating the constitution. my son was born in sao paolo brazil thousands of kilometers away from her home in germany. my grandfather a left germany fled actually in 1937 he was only 21 years old

when he left and he fled to brazil this was thanks to his mother's foresight because she kind of knew that something was coming he was already not allowed to stay at university where he was studying at that time so in a way he wasn't anymore a full sits and under the nazi regime tens of thousands of jews were stripped of their rights and german citizenship now is fighting to get it back my brother and i felt very close to the german culture since a very young age was studied in a water school in brazil with german school and we always had this references from germany and european culture present in our houses article 116 of the german constitution enables germans persecuted by the nazis as well as the descendents to have their citizenship are stored but marcellas application was rejected on the

grounds her grandfather left germany voluntarily and they told me that it was he had left her alone terribly it was appalling to hear something like that it was yes so we were angry but yes we we knew that they are fighting for a right cause a just cause muscle as soon learned that she wasn't alone and joined forces with a lobby group exclusions group article 116 which helps hundreds of people who have been rejected. in january the group brought the debate to the bundestag felix coachmen and his wife isabelle founded the group in 2018 they want to see a new more general law to prevent exclusions from article 116 this time the motion was narrowly rejected the majority of. the mint believes that 2 decrees passed last august to ease restrictions are enough but some descendants are still excluded or facing bureaucratic hurdles. back in london felix coachmen

isn't giving up the decrees or the discretionary. relief or facts of life but 116 is a fundamental basic rights and people pretty well they can't get back their loved ones who they lost in many cases their property but can't get back drops that they've lost but they can't get back one thing and that's german citizenship. has now applied a 2nd time. it's something that i have to do to honor the ones that are not here anymore and i think by germany allowing and acknowledging us as citizens this is only going to contribute to have a more fair just and a more diverse. germany in the future almost 3 years since applying again marcella is still waiting for a reply. up next as

a documentary about the bombing of dresden jury in the 2nd world war remember you can keep up to date with all the latest news and information around the clock on our website. i'm told me all the logical and the news continues at the top of the hour thanks for joining us. with. your favorite. good morning to. you good looking to you know good.