contest of the cathedrals. from 12th on d w. this is the news live from berlin germany is in a quote new pandemic at least that's the assessment from chancellor angela merkel of the coronavirus crisis talks strike it well into the morning german federal state leaders have agreed a strict easter shutdown also coming up. u.s. secretary of state anthony blinken is in brussels pledging to rebuild and

revitalize nato he says the military alliance is out a pivotal moment in facing threats around the world. under show of force against the west russia and china's foreign ministers hold talks and slammed the e.u. and the u.s. for sanctioning them over human rights. officials in bangladesh start investigating more calls the devastating fire that are hims a refugee camp the deadly blaze has left tens of thousands of people homeless. also on the program a growing migration crisis out of the us mexico border unaccompanied children are among the rising numbers of latin americans trying to get into the united states that's despite the bite not ministrations warning not to make that journey. i'm going to off as well come to the. germany is extending its coronavirus lockdown

for several more weeks as a grapples with the 3rd wave of the pandemic talks between chancellor angela merkel and regional leaders dragged on into the early hours they were at loggerheads over whether to ease restrictions on the mess to travel over the easter holiday or ultimately agreeing on a strict 5 day national shutdown over that period. by the time they had finally wrapped up night time to morning energy had given way to exhaustion and what began as a one month partial lockdown is not nearly half a year long chancellor angela merkel summed up the seriousness of the situation facing germany. we basically have a new pandemic. the mutation from great britain has taken over which means we have a new virus of course of the same kind that with very different properties. of

the guns and it's clearly more lethal more contagious and contagious for longer. that's why restrictions on public life will be extended until april 18th and gatherings over easter effectively canceled. down the easter lockdown will bring everything to a standstill for 5 consecutive days it will take the wind out of his sails of a pandemic and prevent new infections i know it is a great strain for many many of you hoping to go on holiday over easter but that is a hope that we will all have to put on hold. not everyone germans will still be free to fly in search of some sun providing they test negative before they return home the holiday dispute comes amid a backlash over rules that allow tourists to fly to spain but not to holiday within germany. meanwhile the amish to keep schools and childcare centers open with the

help of regular testing for teachers and pupils longer term leaders are hoping that injecting some margin c. into their vaccination program will help end the lock down. isn't of we're in a race to get vaccinated and to feel its effect as soon as possible and for us there are now 2 main strategies caution and flexibility here is. the meeting laid bare the growing tensions between germany's outgoing chancellor and regional leaders in a relationship increasingly more of a conflict than consensus. on this are now joined by public sense book is a member of the german parliament from america's governing c.d.u. party. was even harder this time they were talking. into the night is political consensus over how to deal with this crisis even harder to

reach because politicians are worried about upcoming elections or what is behind this. it's also a situation that we are quite close to the easter holidays a lot of people wanted to go on holidays then need a rest after this hard time of the last month so for the political leaders it's quite hard to tell the people no we have a long a lockdown until the 18th of april and 5 hard locked down days over eastern so that was that was not an easy decision and that was why it was so heart so you don't think they everybody is afraid now of being punished at the ballot box later this year of course in the end there will be always a discussion have politicians make the right decisions but in the end it's not the decision of the politicians to lock down the whole country it's a decision of the virus the numbers are too high in germany and we wish to bring them down that's why we decided for a lock down and after the lock down from the 18th of april we hope that the numbers

are low and then we can open step by step again well into 3rd lockdown right now we're still seeing rising numbers so basically one could say that lock downs aren't working relieved so what is different now i think what is different now is the 5 days strict lockdown over the holidays we are waiting that our vaccination numbers are getting higher we are having more of vaccine step by step and we will have a test strategy after each turn that we will test more and more people and so we have more clearer numbers afterwards where you just mentioned vaccination the rollout clearly isn't working and if you look at other countries they nearly halfway through all finished if you look at israel it has been slowed in this country by bureaucracy and data protection in many places do you think it would at least be possible to relax data protection rules until the pandemic is under

control. i think the rules of data protection are questions about how we can find out who is infected how can we share data the question of the vaccine is a question who ordered the vaccine the european union did it because we know that we all have to do the vaccination protest process together not just one country and we also have to think about who is delivering a vaccination to one of other countries so it's a european decision i think it was right to make it clear that not just one country buys as much as its can so i think in the end up when summer comes we'll have a much better rate also in germany patrick cents per member of german parliament from of the americas governing c.d.u. party thank you very much thank you the opinion prides itself on its open borders between member states but with

infection rates on the rise across the continent freedom of travel is being restricted at some borders as governments try and slow the spread of the coronavirus germany for example now requires commuters from poland to get tested at the border at a time consuming and expensive process we follow one polish construction worker from the border town of slowly chip on his long way to work. like thousands of poles living near the border rafael messianic commutes to germany for a walk every day. but with the coronavirus infection rate much higher in his home country rafael and his polish colleagues now need to pass a rapid results test at the border twice a week they also need to identify themselves with a so-called commuter pass. they have a positive sign is your pass and it's been issued by the german company that has hired you but the thought of. always carry it with you and also your most recent

test results in with your team in the order of the. end of. the queue in front of the test site is a long delay in the commuters rafał works as a foreman and he has to instruct his workers over the phone as he waits his turn. to get some of the global we need to do to coronavirus tests a week and i don't know what this means in terms of costs i might have to pay for all myself. before taking the tests the builders have to fill out a lengthy form by hand the bureaucracy does nothing to speed up the process. you thinking. that we're trying only it's raw files turn to his surprise he's charged 23 year olds. polish commuters a supposed to receive one weekly test for free but that information doesn't seem to

have reached the test center. that will put us through. what i'm relieved that the test was negative and i can go to work. or go. over that soon i'll have to queue up again for hours at the port a good. all this time wastage and money spent to of the hardest death rafael mysie act will be 2 hours late for work he and his colleagues might have to work overtime today. here's a roundup of other stories making news around the world israelis are voting today in their 4th general election in less than 2 years the poll is widely being seen as a referendum on the country's longest serving prime minister benjamin netanyahu who is on trial on charges of bribery and fraud opinion polls forecast the tight race raising the possibility of another stalemate australian authorities have issued

fresh flood warnings to rental rains have again pummeled parts of the country officials have ordered 22000 people to be ready to flee their homes potentially joining the 800000 already evacuated high waters have swept away homes and roads in the worst floods in more than half a century. 10 people including a police officer have been killed in a shooting at a supermarket in the u.s. state of colorado an injured suspect is being detained the attack in the city of boulder is the 2nd deadly mass shooting in the country in a week. u.s. secretary of state anthony blinken has warned germany over its construction of a pipeline with russia speaking on his 1st visit to nato headquarters in brussels blinken said the north stream 2 pipeline running from russia to germany ran counter to the european union's own interests he said he was due to meet his german

counterpart to discuss the issue lincoln also pledged to help rebuild the transatlantic alliance which he said is facing threats around the world. we very much look forward to a productive couple of days of discussions at really a pivotal moment for the alliance i've come here to express the united states' steadfast commitment to that alliance which has been the cornerstone of peace prosperity stability for the transatlantic community for more than 70 years and to blinking lincoln speaking there when i was joined by brussels to achieve a phenomenal. says he wants to revitalize the nato alliance do we have any idea what he means by that well i think those remarks were clearly man's to reassure allies that you asked again determined to have their bag that the u.s. is committed to article 5 the mutual aid clause of the north atlantic treaty and

you as also willing and determined to help reform nato to make it more resilient and better for perth for global challenges such as cyber threats china's rise or climate change and not to nato secretary general is told him back told us yesterday in an exclusive interview that this is a unique opportunity to open a new chapter in relations with the u.s. and to understand why it is so important we just need to remind ourselves of donald trump's presidency and how his presidents presidency change international relations and undermines trust between the u.s. and its international allies. as owner of the unfinished north stream 2 pipeline project between russia and germany that's a gas pipeline is still a major friction point in transatlantic relations secretary of state is now

expected to tell his german counterpart point blank to stop it what do you make of this. well i mean i'm not surprised because the you ass position has not changed a day still think that north stream too is a bad idea and they want to stop with the you ask administration has also stressed that they are committed to complying with the legislation that requires state governments to you ask governments to sanction companies that participate in this project at the same time the german government says they want to build this pipeline to complete it they are stressing this is. purely economic project and nothing has nothing to do with geopolitics and i was even told today that the german foreign minister and u.s. secretary of state lincoln will meet and talk but that we shouldn't expect any

statements after this meeting are brussels bureau chief or some of the nominee there thank you meanwhile russia's foreign minister sergey lavrov has said moscow no longer has relations with the european union only with individual e.u. countries love of made the comments as he met with his chinese counterpart with the 2 nations affirming their ties in the face of criticism and sanctions by the u.n. other western powers over human rights abuses in a joint statement the 2 ministers said no country should seek to impose its form of democracy on any other let's bring in d.w. correspondent emily show in moscow emily strong words there from the russian russian foreign minister are we going to see a break in iraq russian relations. well i think those words that we're hearing from said again lover all far more bluster and anger than

a real indication that russia will break ties with the e.u. after all in a recent interview the russian foreign minister himself emphasized again that the e.u. is russia's main trade and investment partner and russia is also currently trying to get its vaccines. registered in the u. so it be rather on strategic to break ties completely now i think instead this is a reaction to the e.u. sanctions that were leveled against russia yesterday and it is of course though part of an increasingly confrontational rhetoric that we've been seeing from russia confrontational words and actions in fact russia has been accusing the u.s. and the e.u. of meddling in its in its national affairs over their reaction to the poisoning of opposition politician aleksey for example in february 3 e.u. diplomats were expelled i think this is russia really showing if you push us we're

going to push back this is also a sign to leave that moscow is moving towards closer cooperation with. knox's mosco bridging forming to council western interests on the world stage i think russia and china as today are very much showing their defiance showing a united front as a reaction to u.s. foreign policy and the diplomatic course that the u.s. seems to have taken there was this recent meeting between u.s. and chinese officials which was very confrontational and there was also joe biden calling putin's a killer this week but i don't think there will be a new bloc china just isn't that interested in russia economically i think this is more show than a real new block forming. did have you correspondent emily sherwood in moscow thank you ali of this also comes off the western powers took their

1st punitive diplomatic action against china over years of abuses against the weaker muslim minority the european union the us canada and the u.k. have all impose sanctions on chinese officials in response china has targeted several e.u. politicians accusing them of spreading misinformation but. e.u. foreign ministers meeting in brussels usually there averse to confrontation with china but not this time sanctions would be imposed on beijing this packaging group for individuals and one entity from china who have had the knack to for all in good design and implementation of the cheney's policies in jean jacques. we where made where do you ring the meeting that china has retaliated to those sanctions. and rather than change its policies and address

our legitimate concern china is against a blind eye and these measures are we have to will annex unacceptable china's retaliation blacklisting 10 even the vigils and for entities the e.u. wasn't alone though imposing sanctions over china's human rights abuses in changing province the u.k. the u.s. and canada also approved penalties so much and will be used this to china you know . ringback unite the chinese people and the basic response i heard is that the shoes if you all know that to be central and by. the u.s. you countries because they have successfully safeguard national sovereignty. if. the u.n. says at least 1000000 weaker muslims are detained in camps with reports of forced labor torture and sterilization beijing denies the claims and says the camps

provide for cation all training and help in fighting extremism. experts are questioning whether this coordinated pressure campaign goes far enough to cause a real impact on china. officials in bangladesh have begun investigating what caused a massive fire that swept through a refugee camp several people have died and thousands have been left homeless nearly a 1000000 refugees live in camps in the region being fled from persecution in neighboring myanmar. but the remains of shanty homes continue to burn into the night as for hinge a refugee camp scene conks is bizarre in southeastern bangladesh emergency services say the fire was able to spread easily in overcrowded conditions of the makeshift accommodation. because this is not. we don't chime to put the fire out we are

struggling with numerous cooking gas cylinders and we are trying to deal with this problem to fight the flames. the blaze swiftly ripped through the cramped housing onlookers panicked and powerless to do anything aid agencies say international help is needed to. defend the dishy government has been pushing the muslim minority rush injure refugees to relocate to a remote island in the bay of bengal however aid agencies say this would not be a safe place for this stateless community as the area is prone to flooding and the island lies in the path of debt listen i clung. earlier we spoke to on a farm on his bangladesh country director save the children isn't cost bizarre we asked him about reports from witnesses that barbed wire fencing around the camp

past trapped people inside. and well we do know that the fencing as they complacent is that it's around in large parts of the of their camps and that that certainly has made it easier for refugees to flee or to escape iryna circumstances in circumstances like this where by such a densely populated and crowded area that the fire spreads very very quickly right now the assessment is ongoing as to how many. how many shelters actually had to be last week we do still have numbers that there is nearly 10000 people or 10000 households actually that have been confirmed in terms of that they have lost that shelter where reports of what actually many more that have also lost their shelter and be severely affected by that by this place and in a coming days. the area needs to be their new shelters need to be at need to be

both and we need urgent the bourse florida. fast rising numbers of latin american migrants among the many unaccompanied children are trying to enter the u.s. from mexico that's despite the biden up ministrations warnings not to make that journey when he entered office biden reverse many of donald trump's hardline border policies. carolina files this report. pastor abraham barberry lives in the united states but writes regularly to his church on the mexican side he's an unconventional priest he migrated to houston over 3 decades ago with his mother. after a difficult past and a direct scene he started a new life and became a baptist minister he's now one of the few people on the mexican side. who shelters as many immigrants as possible in his church it's easier on the mexican side where people arrive from a long and

a very dangerous journey they're waiting to apply for political asylum in the united states many of them don't know how long they're going to wait. to hear. that. currently there are 74 immigrants from central america mexico and cuba sheltered here many of them are also from chiapas a region in mexico known for drug trafficking and recruitment activity against indigenous people is very high. antipas nice it's not safe and she passes not for my kids this is why we're asking for political asylum because we know that kids are safer there southernmost but in most critics who most need. my goal is to arrive in the u.s. and be granted political asylum to have freedom and peace for me and my kids and i trust the president biden is going to help us.

presser abraham's mission is to help something he has been doing for years with his unconventional rapper church by attempting to attract young people from the area to his congregation but some weeks ago he notice he has to do something to help the immigrants on the streets of my thumb or us but i want to record. we noticed there were some many people and they didn't know where to go. we're going to help them when people ask me if i think they're going to make it over to the u.s. i tell them the truth. i don't think so if you want to. prevail. however having a skate from repression in cuba or live threats by the drug mafia in on do it as they are convinced anything else is better so they wait and keep hoping. some football now and in the german bundesliga live a cause and have fired their coach peter bosch after

a poor run of form saw them claim just 3 league wins this year and get knocked out of both the german cup and europa league the dutchman took over in december 28th managed 4th and 5th place finishes in the bundesliga is side occupied 2nd spot earlier this season but are now in 6 losing 3 nil to how-to in his last match in charge this sunday former coach harness both will take over until the end of the season. we were seated on the news is women of all top stories this german chancellor angela merkel says germany is in a quote new pandemic as the country grapples with an exponential rise in coronavirus traces leaders have agreed su extend the country's lockdown until mid april with shops restaurants and bars to remain closed and a strict 5 days shutdown will be enforced over the easter holidays. and us secretary of state antony blinken has warmed to germany over its construction of a pipeline with russia speaking on its 1st visit to. nato headquarters in brussels

blinken said they strain to project brant council to your appeal to the european union's own interest. and that's it from me and the news team here and never lend us with no more world news the top of the hour don't go away now coming up next is my colleagues john also on the with. god all 1st.

column in point in the relegation battle. it's a demolished macos and last minute speech coming up next the top little has changed my life says i giving nothing away but it's like keep doing what

i'm going to keep coming. 60 minutes on. the bus and it's a safari through the dipsy could have been a lot of the people from all over the mention home the 4th time from the full disclosure assuming that we can live without mr bowman the ballet's at the last dragons this one called the home to use. books on the time. of the morning. because you know all the news and love. in the swollen swollen. unleash the lawyers will say.

there's no use. for them which. doesn't. work you seem to have. a huge. slew. of. the new round of restrictions after germany fails to prevent a 3rd wave of the pandemic german leader is a previous circuit breaking hard lock down over a start also on the show. germany's hospitality sector had been hoping for a holiday.