this is to give you news live from berlin germany's president tells people to pull together as the nation spends its 2nd easter under coronavirus restrictions we're not on them as well champions but we're not so not afraid. of the federal republic of germany we may often have our doubts but there's plenty we're capable know. and thousands of coronavirus skeptics rally in the german city of stuttgart so far the gathering of the so-called lateral thinker is movement has remained peaceful. and

taiwan mourns victims of its worst real disaster in decades at least 51 people died when a train packed with holiday travelers slammed into a truck a construction manager allegedly responsible for the crash has been released on bail. welcome to the program turned president frank halter steinmeyer is making a rare appeal for national unity this easter weekend steinmeyer is asking germans to pull together and set aside a crisis of trust in the government there is growing frustration as corona virus infections rise despite months of restrictions on daily life the authorities are also under fire over the slow pace of vaccinations the president is urging people to remain positive despite all the setbacks. isn't enough some months ago after the

1st wave we were already complacently deeming ourselves a pandemic world champions and now it's the opposite we are practically vying to outdo one another in doom and gloom does everything really have to be a super little of in germany as good to put it now shouting in triumph now sun can despair we're not pandemic world champions but we're not an utter failure no we're the federal republic of germany we may often have our doubts but there's plenty we're capable of and it's our capabilities not our doubts which matter now having compass it. chief political correspondent linda crane joins me now to put the german president's remarks into context. speech seemed to simultaneously encourage and schooled germans at what was the main message for you. i think he was doing exactly both of those things he began his remarks by saying that he knows that yet

another appeal to patience and fortitude isn't exactly what people want to hear but in fact ultimately that is exactly what his speech did do appeal to both patience and fortitude he addressed himself to both political leaders and citizens saying quote call yourselves together and he reserves particularly strong words for the political leaders acknowledging that mistakes have been made in testing in the vaccine roll out in digital solutions for example in schools and criticizing the ongoing tug of war between the federal government and regional political leaders over responsibility for imposing or lifting rules. like us to listen to another clip and hear what you think about that. we must all pull together my fellow germans we must give it everything we've got there's no use merely being outraged about others or about our leaders rather than constantly

pointing out what doesn't work we should point out that things do work when everyone does their bit that is what i'm talking about when i talk about trust because ultimately trusting in a democracy means nothing other than trusting in ourselves. on. trust seems to be the big challenge for steinmeyer the one he thinks germans are needing to face why is that. well one reason is the nature of his constitutional role the federal president does not make policy what he do does is service a kind of moral compass for both citizens and for political leaders and he reinforces norms like trust and in fact germans trust has been very much undermined by those mistakes that are made in terms of the vaccine rollout in terms of testing strategy and kuroda restrictions and also by the often contradictory

course that has been taken by the political leaders who essentially seem to be passing off responsibility for how much to tighten restrictions or how much to open the economy and trust of course is crucial for fighting the pandemic trust in political leaders decision making but also trust for example in fact scenes otherwise people won't get vaccinated and that's clearly a source of concern to the president ok and you just said you know started meyer said vaccination is the most important step for ending the pandemic and he even said that he himself got vaccinated but how does that offer hope to people who are frustrated up at the slowness of the vaccine road who may want to be vaccinated but it's not happening. exactly germany is very much lagging behind other countries like the u.k. or the u.s. still just about 11 percent of germans have received their 1st job and many are

frustrated as you say however the president said in his speech and he closes with this message easter is a time of hope and there is hope out there the pace of vaccination is going to pick up significantly from now on everyone will have an opportunity to be vaccinated and then urged once again with most enthusiasm that people must avail themselves of that offer and he mentioned as you say that he himself has been vaccinated and by the way that that sedation was with astra zeneca which has in fact been the topic of a lot of discussion here in germany but that's the one he got and he said he fully trust it ok chief political correspondent melissa crane thanks for your insight. me and staying in germany thousands of coronavirus skeptics are rallying against a lockdown restrictions supporters of the so-called lateral thinkers movement are

not marching in the southern city of stuttgart participants range from anti vacs or to elements of the far right violence has flared at similar gatherings in several german cities many of those marching in stuttgart are ignoring social distancing rules. and let's bring in a benjamin alvarez gruber d.w. political correspondent who is standing by at those protests benjamin what's the situation like now. organizers have just said that this really is finished we're still listening to music there some speakers a lot of people have left the area already more than 10000 people are believed to have taken part in several protests in the city of should get today and you mention it already even police admit that the vast majority of protested did not wear masks and they had not hold on to the to the social distancing it was a protest at 11 am in the morning and police said in a statement that the already opened an investigation against the organizers because

people did not follow this rules this fight that the police did not intervene even after we had some difficulty to asians there's an attack there was an attack on a journalist as well police said they're investigating this event and another one is the one of a crew of german public media of idea who had to cancel a live shot because stones were stones were thrown at them at the moment i mean attacks on the media seem to be a recurring event at the cloud deck or rallies. can you tell me quite apart from the hostility to the media what these protesters want if indeed there is any set of demands. that's right it's definitely a hostile me environment for the media also from the speakers a lot of them were attacking the press for they called the organizers to clear the movement this lateral thinking move and they're asking for immediate lifting off

restrictions that they see as a violation of their basic rights they say that the effect of the lock on and off the restrictions that are in place to prevent the spread of they called it of covert 1000 of the coronavirus are way worse than the effect of the virus there was a speaker today who said that leading politicians and scientists even should be put on trial for their actions during this pandemic they have been rallying it's important. remember that this quitting movement started in this city in the city of sirte got last year in april and as you as you said it already there are cold $1000.00 dinars there are still so vaccines skeptics people that don't believe that this pandemic is even real and that's exactly why the office for the protection of the constitution off the federal state that we all right now have put them under surveillance and just really quickly if you don't mind when you stand there counter protests as well happening instructor what can you tell us. that's right they were

come to protest us which bites the try to prevent the people to reach the syria because the protests in the morning started close to the city center but they did not achieve the police also put them on the side there where 10 protests happening here today some counter protests as well but we haven't seen clashes like the ones that we saw in the city of castile awful weeks ago where counter protest this clash with protesters all right use of benjamin alvarez group are in stuttgart thanks for that. let's take a look now at some of the other stories making headlines around the world. italy has launched a 3 day nationwide lockdown all regions are now classified as red zones with almost all shops closed and restaurants are open only for takeout orders around 70000 police are being deployed to enforce the stricter measures. women's rights activists have converged on parliament square in london to call for improved safety and to condemn sexual aggression a month ago 33 year old sara ever ours was kidnapped and murdered

a police officer has been charged in that case. a residential building on the outskirts of the thai capital bangkok has collapsed killing at least 5 people the house in a luxury gated community had earlier caught fire victims included a resident and 4 rescue. according taiwan has released on bail a construction manager allegedly responsible for a day. the train crash at least 51 people were killed and many more injured when the packed train smashed into a construction truck inside a tunnel the accident happened during a holiday weekend which sees thousands of families return to their hometowns. the start of a long recovery process cranes have now cleared to rig carriages from friday's crash site but it will take about a week to clear 6 others still mangled inside the tunnel where rescuers expect to find more bodies. the front 1st carriage had the most serious injuries and

greatest number of deaths even zone the carriage was open and bodies one piled on top of each other. in the windows of the evasion the train was packed with nearly 500 people many of whom were crammed into the aisles without a seat just as it entered a tunnel the train slammed into a truck tearing the front carriages apart authorities allege the truck slid onto the tracks from a nearby construction site after the break was not engaged prosecutors sold to detain the construction site manager who was later released on bail meanwhile taiwan's president visited dozens of survivors being treated in hospital. we heard the sound of a collision as we heard the collision over passengers on the train with turned upside down. relatives of the victims visited the crash site on saturday to hold

ceremonies for their loved ones an investigation into the catastrophe is ongoing. but is that your football now and 5th place dortmund were looking for a victory to move within a point of visitors on track to frankfurt and closer to those lucrative champions league qualification places the teams wanted to have time all square at one all but andres silva's late header for frankfurt gave the visitors all 3 points that strengthens their bid for champions league football next season not for the 1st time this season dortmund were left a router and consistent. let's take a look at the other matches that have finished up on this match day 27. you see the important frankfurt victory 3rd place will spirit was a winner as was later cues and came out on top in the biggest match of the weekend byron was leading leipzig in the 2nd half and later mentioned back play freiburg on

sunday in host cross city reivers rivals berlin here in berlin the stadium of the french top flight football club has been converted into a covert 19 vaccinations that are thousands of residents are taking advantage of the service the goal is to admit and administer 30000 doses each day over the easter weekend several other sports stadiums around the world have been repurposed for medical services. the new racing series known as extreme where electric sports utility vehicles competed in remote locations around the world has gotten off to an extreme start during qualifying the german race driver cloud came unstuck in the desert vehicle tumbled several times before finally rolling to a halt she was on skates thanks the vehicle strong event finishes on sunday. night and we leave you now with what can only be called exile and images of easter

celebrations around europe. where i come from we have to fight for a free press and was born and raised in a military dictatorship with just one t.v. shadow and if you newspapers with official information as a journalist i have work all of the strengths of many cantrips and their problems are always the same for doing social inequality a lack of the freedom of the press and corruption we can afford to stay silent when

it comes to the fans of the humans and see the white bowls who have decided to put their trust in us and may name is johnny carson and work a d w. pastor gertrude martin's gives blessings in farsi the language of iran his church is open to among others refugees slated for deportation this may be their last chance for the ira from iran and of afghanistan as christians they were persecuted in their own countries and even face the death penalty they ought to be allowed to stay in germany says pastor martens for years he's acted in defiance of the german courts

of i'm not worried about that in the least then they should just send me to prison . when berlin's church of the holy trinity was built a century or so ago the basement was meant to be used as a fellowship hall but now it's become home to refugees most of them from iran and afghanistan protestant pastor dr godfried martins has granted them church sanctuary the immigration authority and the police don't get past the door. now we're entering an area that at present not even the church members are allowed into so we can maintain the security of. reasonable price and also here in this area there's a quarantine room for newcomers. noir but when they come to us they have to go into

quarantine for 14 days before they can live in the community with the others. that someone is in there now no no no he's done and another one of them only one person has just been released and now the other one goes in. you know. the big fellowship area only a little spaces left. on this side we have the sleeping quarters where our church refugees can spend the night. nothing current does you know this is a room with a kitchenette a little fellowship room it's a kind of a living room for the refugees from the creation of the line. or the rooms generally housed 10 men or so they are all slated for deportation and only allowed to remain in germany until their data arrives most of them profess a christian faith and actively practice it. that means they pronounced as law and

act punishable by death in iran the right comes from tehran knows he cannot return to iran he's trying to adjust to life in germany and learn the language we feel for still the more we ease the wall he's. landed you know as. you know iraq i wasn't allowed to press christianity officially learned more about christianity at that your thora tease would have arrested or killed me. color and then done with. them which. is the only opportunity i had to be active in it it was through the internet and my own research and i was a member of a home congregation. commander and i would hear you so much when it all came out i received threats and my family came under pressure painted

a did me with. more sure that you should wear those. in the church has gained a reputation for his delicious soup. when he fled iran he passed to bulgaria and romania and eventually arrived in germany. could put up was what. he knocked on the church door and pastor martens let him in. the nose a really. big if i told the hungry person jesus loves you and then sent them away without giving them something to eat so if i saw someone whose life was in danger and didn't take action. it would if i did that i'd completely destroy my own credibility. even in germany christian converts often live dangerously

in the refugee shelters there are radical muslims who see converts as a past hate and for dells and threaten the course this is what happened to alice a lot of afghanistan. i'm out of those i had a roommate at the refugee shelter who is a muslim. who started when he saw me wearing a cross. it was disrespectful to me and threatened me. that only make i reported it to the shelters managers and they warned him that the threats didn't stop and. even trying to throw me out the window on the 5th floor. point over the past 15 years well over a 1000 refugees have found sanctuary with pastor martens now they make up the majority of his congregation most of the german members are getting on in years

many of them help out the refugees with learning german for example often converts ask the pastor to baptize them 1st they have to attend a preparation course regularly among the topics of the christian doctrine and differences to islam at this session they discuss the church position on divorce the neophytes complete the course with an exam. other kinds a this is no guaranteed passage. i've had some courses where over half the students fail only when these people have convinced me beyond any doubt that they seriously desire to become christians and that they understand why they want to become christians and i baptize them if somebody were just to say i want to become a christian because i think islam is silly that's not reason enough for me to baptize them since we're told. they're right and elissa law both attend the preparation course at the church regularly they hope to be ready for their baptism by easter night the principal church service before the resurrection of christ.

and i'm already looking forward to the exam because i can get baptized afterwards i can be born again into a new eternal life so i'm really looking forward to it. i don't think up to some exam will be hard for me. even know my thoughts are completely focused on the baptism that i'll be born you can. receive the peace i have always sought after in my life but even if they do convince the pastor that they quite seriously desire to become christian that means little to earth or it is their decision on asylum applications is made on a case by case basis and is often anything but transparent. is it again and again i'm just stunned that this arrogance the decision makers and judges display when they say things like yes the pastor overlooked it for years but within

just 2 or 3 hours we figured out that something wasn't right here the. the assumption is that refugees are just pretending to be christians to get asylum. or the german immigration authorities may see it that way. but to me that's what's most important is that in my heart i'm a christian. i'm not alone with my christian faith so i've already experienced that back in iran. and i'm at the wall. but too often that fails to impress the authorities and the asylum seekers often hear cynical arguments as to why they are to be sent back to their home countries that's obvious god lets them just last week i read a transcript of a hearing where at the end of the decision maker said these are you say that you believe in eternal life then it shouldn't be any problem for you to go back to iran

and actually been sentenced to death because then you get eternal life then you should aspire to it the book common wish to be zoe read stuff like that week after week. that was a direct quote the cynicism and unfairness only served to spur pastor martin's on and his efforts as a rule germany tolerates the churches granting sanctuary to asylum seekers to save them from deportation currently that totals about 500 people in germany even so time and again legal action has been taken against clergy who offer sanctuary in their churches. i'm not worried about that in the least then they should just send me to prison compared to what's in store for our people in iran and afghanistan even a prison in germany is still a luxury. the.

pastor martin visits id in an iranian who was paralyzed in an accident. i didn't can't come to the church so the pastor administers communion to him at home. 35 year old i.d.n. had already come in contact with the christian faith in iran but that drew the attention of the authorities to him muslim clergy have openly stated that they see the biggest threat to iran's internal security in underground christian communities meanwhile more and more iranians are taking ideas view of islam the state religion . the war is in iraq because by that the relationship will be my good and we can't leave to be to give the form because you should marry is. it's not cool he's

you or muslim and change your religion it's very very near. a service of the church of the holy trinity the refugees have come up from below to join in but the cause of the pandemic only a very few worshippers who registered in advance are allowed to take part. in the all 58 year old pastor martens preaches in farsi it's become routine for him he's taught it to himself over the years he has no family of his own he's devoted his life entirely to working for his congregation. the next step for elisa law and paradis baptism. my future lies in the hands of jesus christ more than at the through he'll have

a good plan for my life i can work i trust on that. man 2000 a year i've had problems to deal with since my early childhood but yeah. but when i look back now i know that jesus christ has always helped me. order from the phone by way of the baptism i want to be with him always on the phone that photo on the way for us and that's a kosher. start off in the mean time both have passed their baptism exam if the pandemic allows they'll be baptized into the christian faith on easter night but whether that will convince the authorities to grant them asylum is another matter.

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