this is t.v. news live from burden chancellor i'm going to back old warns against lifting coronavirus restrictions too quickly she tells parliament's the country could squander the progress to achieve to people if they got down now and she has a message for everyone struggling to cope with the difficult new reality of life with the virus also coming up. in the 1st case of its kind in the world to syria

and suspected of torture go on trial get in germany campaign is hope it'll be the 1st step towards justice for thousands of victims. perhaps a conversation with the 19000 year old fundraising field on captain tom for all to raising staggering sums for britain's health care system the last the world war 2 veteran how he views this battle against the pandemic. hello i'm christine want to welcome to the program and get a magical ses germans must continue to show discipline in the face of the coronavirus in a speech to parliament she criticized the nifty off some knockdown restrictions as too hasty she said her fia was the country might squander the gains it's made so far if people become complacent to buy. social distancing she also called for

a bigger european union budgets to support recovery in the block. across germany more people of venturing out a week after the 16 german states agreed to relax certain restrictions on movement some shops are slowly reopening albeit with restrictions. facemasks are now obligatory on public transport as well as in stores in some states but easing restrictions runs the risk of complacency addressing the bundestag on thursday german chancellor angela merkel warns that the country is far from over. the target to be sure i fully support the decisions made by both the federal and state governments last wednesday but i'm concerned about the implementation of those decisions since then to me it seems rash to do. you just mentioned if not to say to rush through 4 brush. let us not gamble away

what has been achieved and risk a setback. e.u. solidarity was also a key issue european leaders holding a video summit on thursday to discuss the blocks response to the economic impact while ruling out the idea of joint debt in the form of corona forms macko said that germany is ready to make significantly higher contributions to the e.u. budget. national efforts can only succeed if we're also successful in europe. you've often heard me say in this house germany can only flourish in the long run if europe is also in good shape and of. european solidarity in health policy has so far been germany's focus more than 200 patients from france italy and the netherlands are being cared for in german intensive care units but with the true economic impact of current virus still unknown pressure is growing on

europe's economic powerhouse to loosen its purse strings ok for more on this will be speaking to. chief international editor richard walk of his in brussels in a moment but 1st i'll start with our chief political correspondent melinda crane hi melinda so we've seen germany support its neighbors with donations of medical supplies and even bringing critically ill people to be treated here in germany will that generosity extend when it comes to a joint efforts to help spur recovery in countries that have been hardest hit by current of ours. that's absolutely the question that is on the table today at that video conference e.u. summit that is currently going on and it's a question that has been posed over recent weeks both in german political circles and in polls to german citizens and the wide majority of germans absolutely say germany must support those southern european countries spain italy portugal greece

that have been especially hard hit both in terms of health and in terms of the economy by the coronavirus that said where germans are divided and undecided is the same place that the e.u. leaders themselves are divided and that is over the question of mutualization of debt so-called euro bonds or corona bonds what's clear as that the european union will have to borrow money it can't simply pay for recovery out of its cash reserves now by taking this step today the chancellor said germany must contribute more to the budget until now the plan was that germany would contribute about one percent of its g.d.p. it's now that number will be significantly higher she said reminding her listeners that germany and europe are an absolute community where all fates are bound together so in that way she is definitely saying yes we are prepared to put more money on the table and she certainly will have germans behind her ok thanks melinda

is kosovan chief international editor which of he is in brussels richard we've seen european leaders a kind of actually holding a video summit to discuss the block's response to the economic impact what can be expected to come out of that meeting. yeah well as we heard from melinda there's been a huge amounts of positioning going on over the past couple of weeks in the lead up to this very important meeting i mean if you think about the depth of the crisis there really hasn't been an economic collapse of this magnitude and this speed in a century really so of the positioning has been taking place in every country we heard a little bit about germany there were certainly people want solidarity the question is what kind of solidarity and there's this sense that this idea of debt mutualization corona bonds is the lingo that's been spreading around europe is is a step too far for germany that this would be seen by many as a slippery slope towards kind of having joints debt for the entire operation of the

euro zone but there is a bit of a glimmer of hope that there may be some room for compromise around a proposal that has come from spain and the idea from spain is that the european commission could borrow money on the international markets on the basis of the european budget and borrow it extrude long terms even perpetual debt debt that never actually gets paid back but just the interest is rolled over now there's a lot of debate around this but it does look like there could be some room for compromise around that now at the same time the european council's been careful to lower expectations about massive breakthrough coming out of tonight's summit they're saying they won't even necessarily be a joint statement they'll disappear same and from the european council president most likely he will then say ok we think this could be a way over to you european commission you guys go and work out something that we can maybe sign off on in the next week said ok thank you to the deadliest melinda crane and richard. let's have

a look now at the coronavirus news the w.h.o. ses up to half of the deaths from the pandemic across europe were in nursing homes way of a burden to health which has extend to the elderly china has rejected australia's proposal of an independent probe of the coronavirus pandemic describing it as irresponsible australia has been a critic of the way china has handled the outbreak the northern italian region of non-body has begun an antibody test as it seeks state or about possible immunity to the corona virus the region od hit by the virus is preparing to reopen its economy south africa's competition watchdog says it will bring charges against the pharmaceutical company disk him for dress tickly raising the price of face mosques fault and has reopened one of its german production plants as the country's all important industry tries to get back on the road it comes as filler comic a dime the posted an 80 percent plunge in 1st quarter operating profits diamond

itself restarted machines at its most a these plants this week but as the figures show the return to work is by no means business as usual. workers trickle through the gates of dime was rushed out to plant after 4 weeks of coronavirus closure just a few steps into their workplace status reminded that these aren't normal times over mask or no mask many of glad to be back in the finally a return to everyday life everyone's healthy and we're glad the business is running again and we can get back to work with word of your. folks fog and staff of also being getting back on the job on thursday v.w. reopened this plant in slovakia and its factory in the east in germantown and. its other sites will follow soon. b.m.w.

is the last of the german giants to reawaken it hopes to open idled plants next month. the return of workers to production lines like a dime liz engine factory in stuttgart is crucial not just for the car makers themselves and the showrooms they supply is also essential for the rest of the supply chain which is keen to get back to making parts and making money if but the return to work is being approached with caution. as a bit of other sorts is the protection of our employees is our number one priority with a focus on keeping distance anywhere we can guarantee a metre and a half between employees workers are required to wear face masks he says it's a must that. the restrictions apply to both work and dressed with socially distant break time is the order of the day. the courage of our is pandemic has changed the rules of the game for this week has seen the return of

a key engine of the german economy. and here's a look at some other business news from around the world gold has been rising to a 7 year high price as investors look to a safe haven people in thailand have been among those selling jewelry with the precious metal briefly trading at more than $1750.00 an ounce. report suggests foley may be planning to lay off 10 percent of that civil aviation stoff news agency a.f.p. ses the cuts would affect up to 7000 employees working on the 737 max and the long haul 787 and triple 7 models boeing is restarting production of the aircraft following her in a virus shutdowns. dime to has posted an 80 percent plunge in 1st 4 to operating profits as the impacts of the coronavirus crisis begins to make itself felt the cog neko which reopened production plants in germany this week earlier withdrew its

2020 targets and for cost sales would all fall this year. now to a bright spot amid this global pandemic as 99 years of age captain tom war has become a global social media phenomenon the british world war 2 veteran has made headlines for raising funds for health workers treating coronavirus patients he set himself the challenge of walking 100 laps of he's gotten before his 100th birthday the campaign quickly went viral originally kept and well i had planned to raise 1000 british pounds but people all around the world have so far donated over 28000000 pounds that's more than 30000000 greer's and that number keeps rising. inches to go it's amazing what a long research there is no it's not wrong. you were wrong or knows. it's wonderful that everyone problems or your story was determined through so no it is or is

a one man or raising machine of god's will for. you sir. that's right and i'm so excited to say we're now joined by captain tom moore and his daughter hannah ingram more in mosques and more sane england hello to capsaicin i am so excited to have you on the program today you are one of my hearers but i must start by asking you this i mean you've now raised more than 30000000 here is a staggering amount how do you feel about a company xing that. if that he said happy to have you on and you want to thank you both and he said now you've raised over 30000000 euros i have you feel about that of them piers absolutely amazing that certain amount of money as we rode some sort it's a short time almost look at the clauses there's a really good warm front to who rules you saw i think those are. i do too so what do you think the money should be used for. so i'll pick that one

up with already earmarked for us so we said initially that the money would be for the n.h.s. charities and that money could be used to support or all sorts of things then escape the crisis so things like it's not stopped sleeping and putting what are far off the 2 boards and the prying i have and i'm looking at the mental health so that money is already being put to good use all right and so you know caps and i'll tell you i've been on social media a lot and i see here very often how do you feel about all the attention that you're getting. how do you feel about all the media attention and the social media thank you getting around well. really. well it's amazing when i'm never around since apparently there were that we should get a job or so much. then to go round the world those who seem to have done

the. country awfully clumsily seems to be very charlie so scrubbing the floor hello to him is. the comes in you. is you're the last to know where it tallies so crowding into this form you know i went it happened years been around a very long time and i'm sure you've seen a lot of things in your lifetime but what do you make of what the wall just going through right now with the current virus that derek and what her self comfort of wisdom do you have for all of us. you've been around a long time you've seen a lot of things and what you know what and how do you feel about the fact that we're going through the same pandemic and the same fears and what words of comfort and with them would you give the people watching them go throughout the world.

because for so many people. there's no no may do some other. but i would say to everyone things will get better there's no doubt that rondo will be rolled out onto the ground some who. will all be on to rock n roll but one that i will never walk alone never have else right that's what i'm looking forward to that but i know that you're turning 100 very soon i think at the end of april so how do you want to spend your day. so you would tell me $100.00 at the end of april how would you like. to ram through social distancing roles on every dream of breaking them so we didn't have an amazing party but it will happen so it will be the 5 because they're

celebrating together. well i'm pretty sure if you guys held a virtual party we would all be attending i certainly would but happy birthday to you for next week captain tom and well done on such a fantastic accomplishment thank you for your time good seeing you. thank you very much thank you. alright and back to germany now where the trial of 2 suspected members of syria's secret police has opened the men face charges of murder torture and section assaults they allegedly committed in a damascus prison in 20112012 prosecutors are using universal jurisdiction rolls to try the 2 suspects here they into germany as asylum seekers reports on how one woman's hopes that the trial could bring justice for his son a warning that viewers may find some of the scenes in our next report distressing. mario lives in a berlin suburb it seems it to like but this syrian woman is part of

a europe wide hunt to catch criminal secret service agents from her country like many others mariyam son i hum was systematically tortured the young medical student had spoken up for human rights and called for president bashar assad to step down now 8 years after his death his mother is seeking justice. i want the culprits to be brought to justice from the accomplices all the way up to assad these people i was on support for stealing our children's blood could kill me that. more than 26000 pictures of torture victims were smuggled out of or torn syria by a courageous former police photographer his code name caesar the photos could help convict torturers and murderers. human rights lawyer mas and doubt we survived torture in syria now living in germany he's pressing charges against his former tormentors including anwar as a former senior member of the syrian secret service

n y r r is charged with crimes against humanity murder and rape. this is a fit of stone it will be a thought this is the 1st time there is a split the. judge and we have picked a suspect and the size of the state of florida we don't have it and see it you. bill wiley is investigating syrian torturers he used to hunt war criminals as he went prosecutor and worked on cases from the former yugoslavia and the wanton genocide he knows that without a peeper trail it's difficult to bring culprits to justice. that's why these state documents smuggled out of syria are so valuable. what you have in this room with. by the security intelligence structures of syria the military

structures of syria. party or political structures syria at the top level the governor. requests they also shed light on suspected torturers such as anwar are widely believed at least a dozen former senior agents remain undetected in europe. and hopes that not only the killers of her son will be brought to justice but also others living in hiding for her the hunt has just begun. ok let's get more on this from lynn mughal she is middle east researcher with amnesty international and she is joining us from the lebanese capital beirut hello see you why are these men being tried in germany . they're being tried in germany 1st of all because the german judicious german judiciary decided that they would use in resort to the laws of universal jurisdiction which basically allows any state which has the right of and try crimes

against humanity and work crimes wherever these have happened and regardless of who the perpetrators are now in the case of syria all the avenues to justice have been brought pressured to particularly at the level of the security council the u.n. security council which would have transferred this referred the situation to the international courts i.c.c. had there not been regular vetoes by russia and china over the past here is when there was any initiative to try and pursue the path of accountability for these horrific crimes that have been happening in syria since 2011 and before that so we understand that they feel syria obviously coming here to germany why why would they have done that and is it possible that they could still have been working for the assad regime here in germany. i know it's well placed to

see if they might have to have been working the information that we know is that they defected. in 2012 and left as a sight unseen person sought asylum in germany and that the one of the main suspects who and what had actually himself gone to the police to. to to to allay fears of having been supervised or under civilians by a syrian intelligence services now that's the situation here is that there were 2 persons who are suspected perpetrator is on. un-german soy and they have been arrested today this is a landmark i cannot stress enough how important and historic the try and that open today is for tens of thousands of syrian lebanese palestinian and the individuals who have gone through the jails of syria since the eighty's and

the ninety's and of course at a different rate and since 2011 until today. yeah in fact i was going to actually ask you about that just in terms of what does this trial mean for them and is especially the victims as relatives. so don't like we just heard now from many of her or from us and that we should this is the 1st time and it is the only on the new again that is possible today for the relatives now we're talking about a huge skating we're talking about tens of thousands of people who have been arbitrarily deprived of their integrity for years and years and then who have been subject to horrific torture needed to deaths in custody the trying to date and pulls the cases of foreign concent people who were tortured in one detention center and one prisoner with 58 persons who died in custody this is just taking place in one right one prison so may already know the city has been

extensively documented the whites in systematic practice of torture in series prisons but also to say that this predates 2011 it's how it's not been since the eighty's and it's ok that's limited to from amnesty international talking to us from beirut thank you very much and hit and to the world of sports now to see the labs and the german football league have held a virtual meeting and say they hope to officially restart the bundesliga season on may 9th in empty stadiums pending government approval the german football league announced the decision off to a meeting with clubs it would mock the 1st return of a major european football during the ongoing pandemic the bundesliga spend it with its season off to a close goal game in mid march and need special government permission to get around bans on the large public events through august not its innocent to what the head of

the german football league christiane's life it say it about a possible may restrict. it's not up to us to set a start date for the ball just lay go there as i said before when the day comes we'll be ready to leave and if the regional president and the federal government decide this day will be may 9th to be used the president will be ready on may 9th that these will talk to have a day later will be ready then it is and talk to nasa and order them then get all the heights and in women's football the usa for the european championships have been moved from next year into 2022 that's because the men's euro tournament was pushed from this year into 2021 just the pandemic while the netherlands won the last tournament of things they contain the sport's governing body in europe you a facade it made the decision to avoid conflicts with the men's tournament but the move will also allow women's football to feature more prominently at the possible summer olympics in tokyo. tennis great roger federer is suggesting that

while the sport is walk down it's a good time to consider merging men's and women's governing bodies tennis is on hiatus until at least mid july and federal one did it in a tweet if he is the only one who thinks the men's association of tennis professionals and the women's tennis association should become one top female and male professionals including the chair of the a.t.p. posted their approval. and a reminder of the top story we're following for you and get a mad hall has one journalist that be easing off coronavirus walked all restrictions maybe going too far to sit she told german parliamentarians the country has not lost the piece of the pandemic she's aging people to remain cautious and to the vaccine can be developed that's also safe international cooperation and news on the damage. to combat to the virus. and. to me and europe today to the sixty's i mean isn't there

a quick reminder that you can get news and features along the gulf that's on our psyche duckie dot com and the d.w. add on to is how we're at the top of the news i'm christine we'll go back at the top of the next hour what joined me to grandma. the body oh. boy. oh boy.

greenland is melting and the buying craze has already begun the melting of the ice sheet in the country has exposed a valuable land china in the u.s. already there are new companies are being set up. welcome to time is this a consequence of climate change the threat or an opportunity. some kiss on

europe. next on g.w. . how does a virus spread. why do we panic and when will all this. just through the topics covered in the weekly radio show it's called spectrum if you would like any information on the clone of virus or any other science topic you should really check out our podcast you can get it wherever you get your podcast you can also find us at dot com slash science. beethoven is for me. beethoven is for you. beethoven as for help. beethoven is for.

is for the. beethoven is for us. beethoven is for. beethoven 2020 the 250th anniversary here on w. hello and welcome to focus on europe with me. a single case could bring the cork industry to a grinding halt and cost billions of euros in losses health authorities in eastern europe are trying to fight the spread of african swine fever and are taking drastic

measures to do so sometimes even against the will of the farmers.