so millions can live. this is the w.'s live from berlin tonight the tax bill that apple does not have to pay a european court today overruled a decision ordering the tech giant to pay $13000000000.00 euros in back taxes to ireland it's a major blow to the efforts of the european union to crack down on sweetheart tax deals for big business also coming up punished for speaking up for l g b t rights she was put in prison for protesting the crimmins crackdown on what it

calls gay propaganda tonight she shares her story with us. i'm bring coffee it's good to have you with us it is a major win for the irish government the tech giant apple and companies looking to do business in europe today a chord struck down the decision by the european union that ordered apple to pay the irish government $13000000000.00 euros in back taxes it was money that ireland did not even want double and has long denied that its tax arrangements with apple amounts to illegal state aid the european commission is expected to appeal the ruling to the european court of justice. the ruling hands of big legal victories apple the e.u. general court said the e.u. commission did not succeed in showing that the tech giant had received an illegal

economic advantage in ireland over its low taxes. the decision is a major blow to competition commission amount creates a vest a is efforts to crack down on low tax regimes in the block. they commission fans who only behind the object if that all companies should pay their fair share of tax if member states gives certain multinational companies tax advantages not available to their rivals this harms fair competition in the e.u. the e.u. commission has 2 months time to decide if it wants to challenge the ruling in need use highest court the core of the problem is that the e.u. does not have one common tax code at the moment firms officially pay 12.5 percent corporate tax in ireland that's compared with the e.u. average of 21.3 percent officially companies in germany have to cough up at least 30 percent that alone has attracted many companies to ireland and in fact apple

paid far less tax at times for example as little as 0.005 percent in 2014 when the tech giant pay just $50.00 euros tax on every 1000000 euros in profit is the 2nd ruling that the e.u. commission has lost last year the institution lost a case against starbucks which was accused of owing $30000000.00 euros in back taxes to the netherlands it all shows how difficult it is to crackdown on cases of alleged corporate tax avoidance. and for more on the store you can join my colleague rob wants in our business show that's coming right up after this edition of the. dozens of demonstrators in russia have been detained during a protest against recent changes to the country's constitution hundreds of protesters gathered to collect signatures against the constitutional amendments which were passed earlier this month when they began to march through the city center police moved in several journalists and

a city council member are reported to be among those detained now included in the constitutional amendments is one change that defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman it's being seen as part of the kremlin's widening crackdown on rights for gays and lesbians. behind this barbed wire activists who've dared to publicly criticize the kremlin's policies. one of them is honest. she spent 15 days in what's officially called special detention facility number 2 her crime protesting the trial of an l g b t activist. the activist is charged with spreading homo sexual propaganda after publishing an image of gay couples accompanied by the subtitle family is where love is. in some cities people took to the streets to support the activist.

anastos yes who was among them. that landed her behind bars. in the detention center i lay on the floor and cried i was desperate because the accusations against me were false but the arrest report says for instance that i took part in a mass protest with 50 people that ended in 5 30 pm. i was in fact alone and it happened there now or later the judge just ignores. you yet. there are many others like anastasio who have suffered from what seems to be openly arbitrary policing russia has been rocked for months by waves of intimidation of political critics but it doesn't seem to be doing the kremlin any harm a referendum to change the constitution to allow president vladimir putin to

potentially stay in office until 2036 passed overwhelmingly with an official 78 percent of votes. the results seem to have emboldened putin. here in moscow last week dozens of people protested in individual single person protests against the arrest of a journalist many ended up detained themselves. single person protests did not require a police permit. yet human rights observers say that in the last 4 and a half weeks 270 russians have been arrested for demonstrating peacefully. this is the state's answer to the civil courage of its citizens who dare to resist restrictive and repressive measures citizens are showing their rage and the state oppressors them for it. all of this the silencing of political activists the

jailing of government critics and of protesters is nothing new but what is striking is that such cases are becoming increasingly frequent again yet activists like i understand you have refused to let these repressive tactics shut them down. this is just saying it again if we don't organize ourselves to have some influence over the situation if we don't decisively say no to anything i don't want to see it then nothing will change then we'll be stuck in prison cells again after our statements our posts our likes and tweets. this week the police crackdown again with maximum force when protesters gathered outside a detention center and moscow. here are some of the other stories now that are making headlines around the world over 3000000 people have been displaced or maroons because of flooding in india's northeastern state. downstream in bangladesh

unusually severe month soon rains have caused the rivers that flow between the 2 countries to swell and burst their banks around a 3rd of bangladesh has been left underwater armenians have rallied in the capital with escalating tensions with neighboring iser by john the protesters gathered outside the ukrainian embassy and accused of siding with their adversary recent days have seen the worst outbreak of cross border hostilities in years over the disputed territory of the gore know. the u.s. supreme court justice ruth bader ginsburg has been discharged from the hospital after being treated for a possible infection a court spokeswoman said that ginsburg who is 87 years old had returned home and was doing will after undergoing a procedure the german meat processing company tourney's is set to partly reopen

its slaughter house near the western town of goods was low on thursday the plant was at the center of a massive code 19 al break in june which forced authorities to reimpose a local walk on more than 600000 people. the british city of bristol has a new school of truth to replace the statue of the slave trader that was pulled down last month a sculpture of a black protester who helped topple that 1st statue now stands in its place the artwork was installed without permission early on wednesday morning i. the moment that sparked a nationwide to pay suppliers had to deal with britain's colonial past. the 17th century slave trader edward colston was pulled down by flak lives matter protesters impressed and june. and echoing the face of many of his victims thrown into the

sea. the plane he once looked down from now has a new occupant local resident chen read. the art works inspired by a viral instagram post it reads husband picturing her shortly after the coast and start she was toppled you know for me getting on the plane you know i raise my fist and i raise my face to give power back to the people back to the slaves who died at the hands of pollsters and titled the search of power at the sculpture was in stills without the local councils approval and intervention dreamed up by artists mark quinn you know we had to keep it secret because this is a debate to be really clear this is a temporary installation it's not saying this is what should be on the plate forever is say this conversation is in the public realm and i want this country part of the conversation. they helped to stop she will inspire more action to tackle racism it's definitely culson it's no more and it's time for change it's

time to move on it's time you know people to keep talking and educating themselves and i just think that's really important. bristow's mayor has now confirmed if and when the statue will be removed but she says the future of the plant must be decided in a process that includes everyone in the city even those who would have preferred that were colston to remain. before the 1st time since the coronavirus pandemic began spectators will attend a major sporting event here in germany the exhibition tennis tournament in berlin features some of the world's best players the main tennis tours where they've been suspended since mid march organizers so the berlin tournaments will provide a blueprint for others to follow. they says we're going to watch sport looks like at the moment temperature checks facemasks and even this

a disinfection tunnel the tunnel sprays a mist that is said to kill the virus on clothes and shoes it's the 1st time since the start of the pandemic that more than a handful of fans have been allowed into a sporting event in germany this is a little bit strange as of course but we are used to it from the last 4 months ago so everything is all right with a mouse one good point with tennis is that it's most of the time outside. people and. inside the stadium fans the city it away from each other a maximum of 800 people are allowed into this 5000 capacity arena on course the ball boys and ball girls wear masks and gloves and there are no line judges with the umpire helps by electronic line calls we are trying our best that everything is safe for the players and for the organizers and so far so good austria's dominant

team is the top ranked male player here he and others were tested for coronavirus at the weekend they can staying in a hygiene bubble shuttled from their hotel to the stadium for matches and practice . from the safety point of view or think all. all measures are perfect here. it's a far cry from these pictures players including team partying at the recent andrea tour organized by world number one novak djokovic some participants call coronavirus at the event mistakes it's clear it's no walk in than all the others i mean we didn't commit any crimes so. we have to have to say that point we learn from the mistakes we did. then it's a good thing and we have to be careful. and directed by operate now it's

a chance for tennis to restore its reputation we have to give the proof of the tennis family that we can do it that we are able to take responsibility that that we found out the way that it is possible to play with a couple of spectators as well we could be a role model in future even even for the u.s. tournaments you know this would maybe the hygene show would be a key for spectators. representatives republican of minnesota here this week to see what they can and with many players still unsure about participating in the u.s. open next month props what's happening here in berlin can convince them it's safe to do say. this is deja vu news here's a reminder of the top stories at this hour and continue court has ruled that sec giant apple does not have to pay 13000000000 euros in back taxes the european commission has pursued the case and says it has yet to decide whether or not to appeal and dozens of demonstrators in russia have been detained protesting the country's constitution they were collecting signatures against the constitutional

amendments which were passed earlier this month. you're watching the news live from berlin i'm worried gough coming up next my colleague. will have your business up and stick around we'll be right back. d.w. crime fighters are back with africa's most successful radio drama series continues all of us odes are available online if course you can share and discuss on t.w. africa's facebook page and other social media platforms i'm too mean now.

how can a country's economy grow harmony its people parliament.