solutions or alpha, join me for deep dive into the green transformation. for me to do for the plan. ah, ah, this is d, w. news ally from berlin, hong kong rounds up more journalists in its crack down on the free press. this latest raid targets the offices of online outlets stand, news reporters are arrested and documents hold away. it's the latest blow against independent media in the chinese territory. also coming out,

protecting those with disabilities. during the pandemic, germany's top court orders parlor and to ensure the vulnerable or not denied treatment and hospitals are pushed to their limits. and the western new west in the grip of winter days of heavy snow fall and record breaking cold or disrupting life . even in normally, balmy, southern california. ah, i'm michael ok. welcome to the program. hong kong police have rated the offices of the independent media outlets. stand, news, police sources say 7 people were arrested in the case and charged with conspiracy to publish seditious publications. it's the latest blow to the chinese territories shrinking free press. ah,

it's becoming a familiar sight on the streets of hong kong. after several staff members from the pro democracy media outlet stunned news were arrested. over 200 police was seen entering the websites had quarters. saying in a statement, they were authorized to search and sees relevant journalistic materials. both the current and former editors of the publication were among those detained as well as the pop star. turn democracy activist. denise, whoa, an ex board member at stuns news. oh, see, i got a deputy assignment direct to ronson. john was questioned, but not arrested. over me, he released this footage of police turning up at his home. why?

by the authorities can be heard demanding. he stopped filming south. how are you? i know why speaking early this year, his prophetic words have knobby realised in what many c as a further erosion of the free press in hong kong. i think that the situation and the message is clear to from the government that making reports and doing uncovering story will have some criminal law results. you may be charged that you may be lima, that your freedom, whatever. so it's not easy to say that i'm not afraid of the situation. the rate on stand news is the latest move. in a spate of crackdowns and beijing opaque national security law. in june, hong kong largest pro democracy paper, the apple daily was also rated and forced to close. it's founded jimmy lie was

recently sentenced to 13 months in jail. stunned news remains on line for now. but with wednesdays arrests many already anticipating its demise. for more on this, let's bring in phoebe kong in hong kong. phoebe what more can you tell us about these detentions or monday? arrestees today are only the one of them are like actually the incumbent staff of stan hughes, who is on the chief at the, the acting chief editor of stand these patrick lamb and the rest of the, at the arrestees. actually they have earlier reside from santos already earlier this c as including i'm the former chief editor and also on some prominence. i guess why the board member of these non non profits making news organizations, including on formula may come migrating in also uh,

very popular singer and not activist denise ho amount the arrested. so there are taken away by police for a publishing out of a tongue conspiracy to publish seditious publications. so we're still unclear about the definition of these charges and what kind of materials on evolving in this case . but the police will a hold, a press conference and to give more details. and the police also deploy more than 200 officers to write a newsman on stand used to day. so we're standing by to get more details about these rush. these are clearly not the 1st case is phoebe what to say about the current state of press freedom in hong kong. yes, many eyes are on the development and those are the situation that i of the undermining passivate. i'm in hong kong and when ask about this issue, whether are the or rest today will further like a erode precedent on the hong kong and the government's chief secretary tow

depressed and he thinks that those people who are making use of their media worse to pursue political purpose or endanger national security, or actually the ones damaging the press freedom hani and e. ashley urged on the professional media work has to stay away from them and saying that these people are abusing deb, media workers positions are but on the other hand, see on the hong kong challenge association associations express deep concerns to west east k and sand. as this is, are definitely another major blow to the journalist the industry following the closure app with 80 earlier this year. and given the fact that our stand news is now believing opposition and po, democracy, media outlets. and after on the shut down of all of our apple, daddy, it is very influential among po democracy, supporters. and he has a huge audiences in hong kong. so if stan, news is about to shut down or this arrest will affect the operation of standards. so this will be a very huge impact on that. the hong kong, cfo society,

that sir again, phoebe calling in hong kong, many tex, let's get a round up of some of the other headlines now. more than a 100 towns and cities in brazil's and north eastern stating of by you have declared a state of emergency due to massive flooding. weeks of heavy rain has killed at least 20 people and injured hundreds more meteorologist say it's the most rain via has received in over 32 years authorities and sheila have declared an emergency in the southern region of santiago as forest fires, red tens of thousands of factors of forest and farmlands have been destroyed. chilly has recorded nearly 50 four's fire so far this year. dozens of them still ongoing. american football great. john madden has died. he was 85 mad and was a hall of fame coach with the nfl oakland raiders before beginning

a long distinguished career as a sports broadcaster later his name was best known attached to the hugely popular video game. madden nfl. germany's constitutional court has ordered parliament to immediately issue laws, protecting people with disabilities in pandemic, related tree. osh situations, the case was filed by a group of people with disabilities in pre existing conditions. they express fears they would be denied treatment. if the pandemic pushes hospitals to their limits in intensive care, but left on his own without a ventilator, it's a nightmare scenario. constantine cause fear that due to his disability, he might be left to die because his chances of survival are deemed too low. he went to court and one. now there must be laws in place to protect people with disabilities. from one lessons of perspective in this, for from our perspective,

the constitutional court took a great weight off our shoulders. they told us and society that we have to have an intense discussion about this needs to do with you, sir. now it must be debated and put into law how doctors decide who is saved in emergency situations. if they cannot save every one. up until now that's been covered by professional guidelines. those guidelines say that the chance of survival is decisive. doctors look at the patient state of health frailty and whether there are serious pre existing conditions that will reduce the chance of survival. the judges of the federal constitutional court ruled that the current approach does not protect against discrimination and demanded a legal framework that guarantees it a relief for doctors who feel left alone with life and death decisions. oh, oh, tell him that again, i'm spoken to a number of colleagues, laguna,

everyone would like to have constitutionally set guard rails what rules that are resilient. so this is a good ruling iep from dia is this goodness, what tied federal justice minister marco bushmen reacted on twitter. the most important thing has to be that we don't get into a tree our situation. but if we do, then we need clear rules that protect people with handicaps from discrimination. the government will develop a draft law quickly. the court has left the government plenty of room to maneuver as it drafts the new law, but also says they must act immediately. for more on this, i'm joined now by dr. gay marchman, a professor of medical ethics at the university of munich. thanks for being with the w. sure. i know you're not a legislator, but as an ethicist, do you believe that an effective law can in fact be drafted soon enough to shape

tree are decisions during this current surge in covered 1900 hospitalisation? well, i actually doubt that this will be possible. i'm a crime infection rates are rising also in germany. we are close to the 5th weight of the pandemic, which could overwhelm our intensive care capacities. i have the impression that the german legislatures under estimate the task of regulating 3 our situations, the constitutional court didn't give any concrete directions. rather, they confirmed that the recommendations that have been set up by the medical society do not violate the constitution. and the constitutional court made some suggestions. what the legislature is could regulate, for example, that several positions are involved. the decisions that the decisions are well documented that there are support for the local decision makers. and that the positions receive appropriate training for applying the rules that have been set up . and the staffs have all already been implemented by the medical societies and the

hospitals. so i wonder what the legislature is can do more to prevent that. people with disabilities or disadvantage in the possible 3 are situation and you know, a sensitive question, but i think irrelevant one, how much does this decision have to do with germany is past where disabled people were systematically murdered by the nazi regime? oh, well i actually don't think that this plays an important role at this point of time . it would have been important. i think germany is parliament would have set up rules for regulating 3 our situations right at the beginning of the damage in 2020 . they rather left that to the medical societies for, for the doctor's test with having to navigate. there's this huge moral conundrum. how do they weigh the difference between a disability and a condition brought on by personal choices such as smoking or drinking excessively?

or is that even part of the account to let's yeah, well, i don't think that this is such a major issue in the practical situation at hand. because a disability, or a preexisting condition, is not a criterion per se. it's one of the severity of the acute illness and the likelihood of survival which matter, and in coven 19. this depends on the severity of the respiratory distress syndrome . so the acute illness, and there are good scoring systems in place. so the clinicians are really in a good situation to assess the chance of survival. excellent, that's a dr. gay, og marchman, professor of medical ethics at the university of munich. many thanks. severe weather in the western united states has brought days of record cold and heavy snowing fall to several states in the region. winter storm warnings extend from seattle in the pacific northwest. down to the mexican border. forecasters expect

the wintry conditions to continue. oh, this is a snow research fuel station, but at the moment, research isn't possible here. the power generator is out in december, around 5 meters of snow fell in california, sierra nevada, mountains. and you record even southern california has turned into a winter wonderland with freezing temperatures. a rare occurrence or he came out here to enjoy some snow. it's actually their 1st time being in the snow. the onset of winter in the western united states has not only brought lots of snow, but also record cold in many places. like here in seattle, which saw the coldest temperature on record earlier this week. for many drivers, the snow mainly causes major problems. roads are closed, cars and trucks are stuck a little bit. oh, go ahead. jump editor. just look at your dentist. how much is this gonna cost him?

or did you know laura? minimal. the massive amount of snow in the theory. nevada is actually a blessing for california. the accumulated snow in the mountains will provide water in spring and summer for the fields in the plains, which have been suffering from severe drowned. but the record snow fall in the western u. s. is just one extreme. the southern and eastern parts of the country are currently experiencing mild and even summer, like weather, with the record breaking temperatures. here to business news is next with pablo felicia. stay with us. aah . every day counts.