oh, no, no the this is d w, then these are our top stories. german chancellor, uncle american has held talk with us president joe biden at the white house, the 2 meters air to their differences over the nearly complete nor stream to gas pipeline. although both of read that russia should not use energy as a weapon, it's marbles final official trip to the u. s. before she stepped down after national election in september in the european union at least 50

people have died and hundreds of people are missing. after some of the worst flooding in germany in 2 decades, severe storms and heavy downpours in the west of the country near belgium, have left many villages cut off. extreme weather has caused mass evacuations, property damage, and highway closures. there have been demonstrations and scuffles with police and 11 east capital bay roofs after the failure of the country's leaders to form a government to enter the political crisis. prominent politician aside, duty and president. michele blamed each other for the end of efforts to form a new cabinets. this is due to the news from berlin, and there's more on our website. that's d w dot com. ah, ah, jerome chance or the miracle is a leader known for being a realist. she is

a physicist who used principal to master the elements of politics and power for almost 2 decades. today, she was in washington dc on a final visit before she steps down later this year. the list of people praising her and offering their transit planning. thank use was long tonight. we take a realistic look at the legacy of uncle americal, a friend of america. she will be missed by many in the us, but not by all. i'm brit, gulf and berlin. this is the day the one of the things that i want to talk about is the enduring friendship. it's a chance or it's been so responsible for natalie down. she is seen as the stall or anchor to a modern transatlantic relationship. cooperation between the united states, germany is strong. i value our friendship, but i know what america has done to create

a free and democratic german. and i think it's fair to say that the united states has no better partner, no better friend in the world than, than germany. so you are experiencing a reset in the german american relationship. the also coming up more than 45 people lost their lives today, and some of the most severe flash flooding western germany has seen in decades and ocean away. chancellor america was made aware of the unfolding tragedy. sleepy alter places are experiencing a catastrophe. one could say a tragedy, the words heavy, rain and flooding are not enough to describe it. it is quite simply a catastrophe in this place and a cut us over the reviewers on p b. s. in the united states into all of you around the world. welcome, we begin the day. as america begins saying farewell to angela miracle. mecca was in

washington, d. c. today on what will most likely be her final. he was visit as german chancellor, after 16 years, as germany's leader, after being called the most powerful woman in the world. uncle americal of stepping down after national elections here. this coming september miracles, chancellor ship has transcended the terms of for us presidents from george w bush to morocco, obama, to double trump. and now president joe bite. tonight, the chancellor is president biden's guest of honor for dinner at the white house. miracle is a committed, transatlantic says she has said so many times a friend ready to support the us, but also an honest ally, willing to remind washington of what matters. she congratulated donald trump and becoming us president by reminding him of the values that germany and the us share . tonight will find out what miracle and bite and talked about where they agree,

where they don't and whether or not they found common ground today. listen to what book leaders told reporters today after they finish their one on one meeting at the white house. well, once again, today we've seen that we're not just allies in partner, but we are a nation, mostly have close ties and i'm grateful for the day. we are united by common values, supervision by a will overcome the challenges facing us in today's day and age and my conviction. and it's not enough to just be collected common values, but that we live in the time where new challenges talk to keep with it's requiring this practical policy making. well, thank you for your continued support for the long standing goal of europe, whole free and at peace. you run a stalwart champion, the transatlantic alliance. the atlantic partnership under your chance to ship the

friendship and cooperation between germany, united states has grown stronger and stronger. and i'm looking forward to celebrating more at our dinner this evening, but today was very much a working and our washington bureau chief in this policy join me now. she is just coming out of that press conference. good afternoon to you. so let's talk about, there was a lot that they discussed, obviously in this one on one. what would you say is the most important message that both leaders wanted to convey in this press conference was complicated and we are out here together side by side. we as germany and we as united states to face all these challenges, i think that was the main message sprang that was a warm meeting in the beginning. joe biden addressed his deep

condolences to america and to, to the german people because of this because talk to talk catastrophe which had happened there. you saw to kind of tired leaders, but both of them really wanted to show that germany and tonight, states are back together again. and i was struck listening to the press conference and what both presidents said regarding ukraine and efforts that they have agreed to, to, to bring ukraine even closer in to, to europe. let's talk about that. there's going to be a new alliance to fight climate change that is going to incorporate ukraine. right? exactly right, so joe biden said, good friends can also agree to disagree. we all know that joe biden, as most of the americans, definitely president trump himself,

also are really against the high blind north rooms who under le medical support that even so it was started before her chancery, but it's by the end of the day, is now nearly ready by 90 percent, so it would be really, really very expensive and complicated to stop it. but yes indeed, brent, just as you pointed out, they really want to make sure that you crane isn't kind of left behind when this pipeline is working and both of them promise to do everything to protect the sovereign a t of ukraine. and were you struck by the language that was used? we heard president biden to say that russia must not be allowed to use energy as a weapon of coercion. he also named china when he said that germany in the u. s. will continue to push for democracy and human rights. i mean, he either he was targeting these countries. did that surprise you?

he was very outspoken about that, but that's not really new brand. he does said really. i mean, i'm sure he's convinced about it, but he also does it for domestic reasons because the fear of china and the fear towards russia or off russia, especially now after the cyber attacks is growing in this country. and the president, the former president donald trump, was really outspoken and his criticism of china. so that puts some pressure on president biden, kind of to keep this critical approach alive. and again, there are some disagreements between germany and the united states, especially when it comes to join. so to trade with china, but medical also said, you know, there are many ways to, to deal with this competitive. but again, germany and the united states also do agree that human rights to play a role and that it is important kind of to face this competitive also side by side

. we know that after 16 years, the chancellor is about to step down after the elections here in germany. that is coming september. obviously, that's the best, the big elephant in the room, right to be. they know that in just a few months, washington will be dealing with a different chancellor, a new chancellor in berlin. absolutely. and that was also really the feeling in the press conference here in the white house. the american colleagues hardly addressed any really serious questions towards spite and regarding that matter because the feeling is a little bit she is a lame duck. she was very important than many. many americans praise her for her steadiness, for her reliability for her thought, poor democracy. but everyone knows she's leaving office soon. even so she really stresses the fact that this is the work meeting, but it is a last meeting and it is also also the celebration of her 16 years. and it's true.

and despite that, you could see in her face there, but she obviously is very worried about the, the flooding catastrophe in western germany. and it obviously is difficult being the chancellor and being outside of the country so far away when a disaster hits at home. absolutely. therefore she addressed the floods this early morning after she met with weiss, president candler harris calling you to catastrophe. catastrophe. and she was shaken. you could, you could see that she was shocked by the event and i heard from people in her inner circle that she would have left washington this morning if this would not have been her last visit. therefore, she stays through this dinner tonight, which might be shorter than expected, and then flies directly home to her fellow germans who have to go through this

horrible times. that's right. more than 45 people died in that flash flooding. always our washington bureau chief in his po, with the latest from that press conference between biden and miracle is thank you. the one area where uncle amerigroup has not been able to agree with any of the 4 american presidents that she's worked with. that's the new word stream to natural gas pipeline. the project, the pot pipe russian natural gas directly to germany is seen as a security threat by the united states germany and says it's just an infrastructure project which will meet a small percentage of the country's energy needs. the pipeline problem hasn't gone away. and yet the white house didn't listed on the agenda for today's one, on one talks between biden and mirror. while i read in my while i reiterated my

concerns about nor stream to chance. merkel are absolutely unite in our conviction that russia must not be allowed to use energy as a weapon to coerce or threaten its neighbors. we spoke about russia and ukraine by and about noise stream to in that context to we see the issues differently in terms of what this project entails. so let me say very clearly that our understanding remains that ukraine is. it will remain a transit country for natural gas. so no, it's jim to in additional project. it is not a project that we're having ukraine transit country for gas because anything else would trigger the huge tension. and we are still in conversations still in discussion about how we can move forward on those. or my next guest is a for we're european energy security advisor at the us state department. he worked on many transit landing energy security issues, including nord stream to he's now

a fellow at harvard university. he joins me tonight from cambridge, massachusetts, benjamin smith. it's good to have you back on the show. benjamin. so what do you make of what came out of this today? i think they actually said things in more concrete terms than most people were expecting. what's your take? yeah, bring i just start by saying i have a lot of friends that live in the region in, in western germany where the flooding is taking place and my heart goes out to all of them. and of course the tragic loss of life. so i just wanted to make sure to say that, but it look, it's great to join you. it's been a, it's a really, truly historic david valedictory visit of german chancellor, dr. glenn merkel to washington after, in years leaving germany and look, it's been a relationship that has been extremely positive over that time. the present. and bible said today, the enduring friendship between the u. s. and germany that the chancellor has been

so responsible for herself nailing down. he made that very clear and well, merkle tenure has been characterized by this pragmatic, an incremental foreign policy approach is favored multilateral stability, over bold moves and the trans atlantic relationship. it's also been one that seen a number of areas of disappointment to foreign policy experts that really urine for merkel to step away from this vandal to handle this, this re all policy approach when it comes to authoritarian nations in particular, in the past several years, in the case of russia in china, and in the case of nordstrom to so that's really what we see today. and remember, brent this project was announced 7 years ago in the shadow of rushes, legal in face of premier and aggression in eastern ukraine. an uncle of merkel has, has stood by this project no matter any of the aggressive threshold. the kremlin is cross from cyber attack to the poisoning and imprisonment of electing, of all me. 2 extra duty shall killings in berlin to election interference, aggressive military offering, et cetera. etc,

the chancellor would not even consider withdrawing or political support for and for ordering to you as a tool to at least try to get put into rethink his malign action against the trans atlantic community. and i think for that, and i'll just, and my opening bye thing that i think that for all the excellent european leadership that chancellor merkel has demonstrated on this broad array of issues that will define her legacy, certainly for support of nurturing to will sadly, forever be in africa, in her historic tenure that, that would be the case. what do you make though of what was in now today this, this new alliance to fight climate change? that is going to include ukraine, maybe even, you know, helping upgrade the infrastructure, maybe helping them to be able to be a transit country for sustainable energy types. and it reminds me to of what was agreed earlier in the week when president zelinski was here from the ukraine. and the promise was made by medical that germany will help you create that is going

further than you had expected when you when i last spoke. right. right. yeah, i think so. i think at the same time, brent, there's still quite a bit of distance in terms of the details between washington, berlin on talks regarding north spring to we need to remember 1st of all, i don't personally like this framing that it's supposed to be this washington in berlin deal that have been discussed in the expert community. i think it's problematic from the outset because as you said, president, so let's give you crane and, and needles, eastern plank country are most impacted by this project and therefore should be active participants at the table. rather than having these proposals come up with and then having them a priori to, to sell to the rest of the european community. i think that, you know, these are, these are, you know, the sort of a trial balloon that you and i have talked about on the show a number of time driven proposals for economic in green energy and investment in the ukraine snapped back mechanisms are extended gas transit contract, the problem is the sort of deals in no way address the core national security

concerns associated with the project. and that a german shut off mechanism for the project. less credibility because if the gas is not coming through ukraine, the idea that germany would then cut off gas nor string to as well, to create a massive energy shortage in europe. it's really just not something i think that, that anyone can see happening in one report and just a few weeks ago had made it very clear that ukrainian gap claim that will and should keep not show sufficient quote unquote old word. goodwill demarco and gas from currently as we speak backing up that threat by pumping the lowest amount of gas in the european storage in recent years to create more pressure for north spring to i think it to be very, very difficult. what you know, it's important. it is what the chancellor had guaranteed to actually do that in the presence of north thing to what do you think the, the thinking is, the white house. they know that in 2 months there will probably be a new government, a new german chance to deal with. aren't they just waiting until america isn't?

she's a lame duck chancellor right now. and there they may be dealing with a different set of cards in 3 months time. it is very possible. that's in part one of the reasons why i don't understand why this administration why strongly supported all of their actions in the trans atlantic community. aside from some of the details on north street to has taken this action to remove sanctions pressure and try to move forward with a deal directly with, with the current government in berlin. when you said this, it could be a much different political situation that has the ability in the future to really use nurturing to as i think it should be used. if there is to be some sort of deal to try to get real verifiable. behavior changes from the kremlin that benefit germany that benefit the united states and been the entire national security dynamic in the trans atlantic community. and i think that's what we really need to hope for better. let me ask you the last time we spoke the, the greens were looking very good in the polls here for the national election

degrees are adamantly against nord stream to that has changed the they are now really looking bad in the polls. the election is just a couple of months away. it's looking like that the political constellation here is not going to change very much. that's bad news for people who want to see nord string to kilt. yeah, i agree with that. i think that the problem that we see from the cd you in particular, is what merkel sat again today and in repeated saying that quote, it's additional infrastructure rather than what it really is, which is the replacement for the ukranian gap claim that route which is just a variation on, on this governments, in berlin's long standing description of the project is quote, just the commercial deal. the chancellor also mentioned that the extension of the previous gap for the contract between russia and ukraine was

a big success. but we have to remember you and i've spoken about that. it would be in position of us sanctions in december 2019 that actually got the kremlin to come to the table center diversionary root of northridge to could not then be completed in order to be completed. it's going to be incredibly difficult, if not impossible for the translator to make good on her assurances or any future cancel to make it. and in their currency is, can you continue that gas printed by ukraine without russia actually buying in which i don't to get as any intention to do or write benjamin schmidt is always benjamin? it's good to get your input in your insights. valuable, especially as things are changing. l politically are about to change politically here in berlin. good talking with you. thanks so much brian. let's be in touch. thank you. the in germany, severe storms have set off the worst flooding in decades. dozens of people died including 2 firefighters. many more are missing. hundreds of thousands of homes are without power. helicopter crews have lifted stranded villagers to safety,

sweeping away anything in their path. these flood waters have claimed homes and lives across west in germany. emergency cruise, trying to locate dozens of missing residents, somewhat chaps on rooftops as the was a day to their home. but rescue efforts are hindered by roads that have been ripped apart, raging flood waters and debris. the german army has been deployed, clearing passed through the mud in you can see and there is much everywhere in the houses, the bridge there collapsed as water over it. further down, even houses have floated away when the lease is guaranteed to take 10 years to recover the people here. oh, broke the businesses too. so it's just horrible. now. the regions of north ryan was

a failure. rhineland last night and czar land had been west effected the flood gates on a damn near the sushi of booker towel, had to be opened as it threatened to bess. the unusually intense rainfall was caused by warm and cool and mixing. germany's chancellor uncle american express her sympathies from washington where she's on her last visit before stepping down as the german leader should. that's when i am shocked by the reports that are reaching me from the places that are now completely under water in which people have rescued themselves in a situation of great need onto the roofs of their houses and hopefully will also be rescued. i mourn for those who have lost their lives in this catastrophe. we don't know the number yet, but there will be many, some in the basement of their houses, some as firefighters trying to bring others to safety. my deepest sympathy goes out

to their families and doing good, minor teeth and so on. as the weather clears in most of the hot heat areas, some residents have joined the clean up essence, salvaging whatever they can from the devastated homes. like responded kate martyr is in the town of vol, port time in western germany. she has more on the flooding. i'm here and i'll put time, which one of the villages has been hit hard by the flood board does debris all around me. as you can see, and the rescue efforts which has been going on throughout the entire day today, police being rescue workers. and there's been people driving heavy machinery trying to plan some of the debris off the road. obviously that has been lots of village villages as well, sat around all day waiting for information to find out what happened to that hermes and also i loved ones that have been unfortunately at least 2 people who have been

found dead in this village. they found one pass and yet in the day and they have just reported that they have college, another cousin and i spoke to people earlier. 6 today, and they were telling me about that and talking stories that they knew that this was going to happen, that they knew that would be some flooding. and they had some warning from the origin. and they said that they just had no idea that they could possibly be 5 there have been many miracle moments in the past 16 years. and some of those involved the us president at the time photos that became iconic images as history was being made. consider this photo taken at the g 7 summit in canada in 2018. know in the eyes of many around the world. it spoke volumes about president trump's america 1st attitude regarding the rest of the world. if you go back even further

to the year 2015 into a different president, brock obama. this photo was taken at the g 7 summit in germany. but for many americans, it looks like the austrian alps and a scene from the sound of music, miracles, arms, outstretched like a singing julie andrews. it is safe to say that miracles, relationship with obama was much more in tune then with president trump. but there were other songs, other moments and other presidents take a look at texas when you invite somebody in your home, the expression of warmth and respect. and that's how i feel about chance or muslims the we want to pay tribute to an extraordinary leader who bodies these values and who's inspired millions. busy around the world, including me, and that's my friend,

chancellor. michael, here's your exemplary life of groundbreaking service to germany, and i might add, i mean, from the bottom heart to the world on behalf of the united states. thank you for your career of a strong principal leadership and thank you for speaking out for what is right and for never failing to defend human dignity. and with that, the day is almost done. the conversation continues a lie and you'll find us on twitter either at the w news because all of the brit golf tv, remember, whatever happens between now and then tomorrow is another day. we'll see you then every month the the

news, the news, the news we go africa willis from the who's the believe, the national park in congo. the g and his family would love nothing more than to live in peace. but poachers and farmers hunting them and threatening the species ah, what's be done to protect eco africa on d w. and then for died.

an important document was drafted in various ways. edition was found dead in room $370.00 bull revise in geneva stage of human tragedy. i'm political entry in our theories the hey town on w. ah, the news the world gets to be on deals yet as we take on the world, we're all about a story that matter to you. the

police and the your we are here is actually on fire. for mines the me the, the hello and welcome to echo africa. weekly environmental magazine produced illegal paula berlin. i am crystal in the legal siberia. being joined by my colleague, sondra. hello please and hello everyone out there. very glad to help you with us again. i am sandra to no view.