mobile experiment, our data, smart devices are embedded in our daily lives tracking our every move. are we headed to a futuristic utopia? poor but digitize nightmare? the internet of everything starts january 17th on d, w. ah, ah ah, this is dw news lie from berlin, a german court becomes the 1st in the world to convict a high ranking syrian officer for state sanctioned torture. the former colonel get

life in prison for presiding over the systematic torture and killing a basher olive opponents. the trial could set a precedent for others exiled syrian officials suspected of crimes during the civil war. also coming up the arm across wave heads, india co, 19 cases rise by almost a quarter of a 1000000 in a single day. we hear what measures the deli government taking to slow away the fastest spreading upon various a week of diplomacy aimed at ease intentions on russia's border with ukraine continues so far without progress. video btw reports from ukraine. don bass region on living with a threat of a possible russian invasion. ah, i'm see me so much gone to thank you for joining us. we start with breaking news. a

german court has sentenced a former syrian military officer to life in prison for crimes against humanity. it is the world's 1st trial concerning state torture in syria. the court found unwell roslyn, guilty of overseeing the murder of 27 people at the alcantar detention center in damascus. the ex kernel, who you see here during his trial headed and tory a secret service unit a decade ago. under the regime of batter, i'll aside, grassland later fled to germany where he was detained in 2019 and let's go right to our correspondent louisa. on late, often she is in cobblins outside of the court house where she has been following the trial for us. hallo, ether. i tell us more about the current court ruling to day as you mentioned and wireless lan was her head of her. i had t prison in damascus. and in that respect, he's been charged with her of torture and more than $4000.00 cases and earth

$27.00 murders and also a singer of several cases of sexual abuse and rape. and he, himself, her claims that he was not overseeing that he had not that much power as director of that prison, that the regime did not trust him any more at the moment where he was director of the prison. and now the court has just outlined why it didn't by the argument why it still believes that, and we're roslyn, or carry some kind of responsibility for these crimes. these are crimes against humanity and that's why and why was line was sentenced with life imprisonment. and some victims and their loved ones that gather up to date, a hear this verdict and tell us what it means to them. it's a huge moment for many a syrian exile. so they say it's the 1st time ever they were able to talk about the

experience of being tortured of being detained unlawfully in front of a court. that's already a big step for many of these who are standing in front of the course, they are for the 1st time able to talk about their loved ones that are still for some of them are in syrian prisons. they don't know about their whereabouts, but they also say, even though it's a feeling of happiness, it's also mixes with a feeling of sadness because these loved ones, they still don't know where they are and it's not going to bring them back. and they told me they hoped that sir, in the future in a distant future, such trials will also be held in syria and not in germany. thousands of kilometers away. p w as lewis f on rooftop and reporting on this landmark trial. for us, i in cobblins. thank you. let's get a more perspective on the story. we can speak to witness zachary, she is an assistant counsel for the international justice program and human rights

watch. he followed this trial closely as well from copeland whitney. thank you for joining us. first off, i want to get your take on this verdict. what did you make of the court's ruling? thank you for having me. so the conviction of unbar are, is really a watershed moment for so by those of torture. and this is the moment that is, that means so much for choices in bible because it's one of the few tools that is left to to see some justice happening and courageous and determined victims have been the cornerstone of making this trial, hampton. and this verdict to day with you, so to day incontinence is a very strong warning and message to the searing authorities that no one is beyond the reach of justice. when i want to ask you about what we thought of the course of the trial, because gathering evidence in a case like this is extremely difficult. so how did it come to be that on where

rustling could be convicted? yes, so the evidence against unbar are, has been overwhelming in we have seen in over 100 trial days over 2 witnesses testified. so by the us police investigators a forensic dr. journalist, expert witnesses that have testified not only on the background on and on the systematic torture and killings that are, that are happening in serious prison right now. so in germany has been actually investigating you is crimes in syria since 2011. the in the evidence is, is really, and we've been there so much evidence of systematic and widespread torture in this prison. so it's a combination of, of the, of the testimonies of so by those who were courageous enough to step forward and, and of lawyers. and of course, the framework, the legal framework in germany,

which allowed this child to take place. you're saying there's a lot of evidence out there. so do you think that we can expect further trial against other perpetrators of torture? absolutely, we have seen a rise of syria related cases in germany. and just next week, we will have another state syria state torch, a trial taking place in front of the higher regional court in frankfurt, germany against a syrian doctor, also accused of torturing people in the hospital and damascus, syria, what message, precedent to think this sets for those perpetrators well, as i said, it's, you know, it's, it's the message and the warning to the, to the soon authorities beds that justice will be done. it is the message that germany is not going to be a safe haven for walk criminals. and it also shows like this,

this trial shows that this 2 countries who are interested in seeing justice done for, for syria, and it shows what role and national courts can play in combating impunity. witness a car from human rights watch. joining us from copeland, thank you for sharing your insights with us today. thank now to some other headlines from around the world. the coffin of european parliament president david cecily has arrived at rome at town hall, where he will lie and state the 65 year old italian center. left politician, died on tuesday after suffering from poor health for several months. his funeral will be held on friday. troops from russia lead security alliance deployed to conduct on have begun heading home because our president called in the forces last week after peaceful demonstrations against writing fuel prices escalated into violent anti government. protests authority say they have now regained full control

in the central asian nation. public transportation and labor unions have paralyzed parts of lebanon, with a general strike, bus truck and taxi drivers, blocked major highways and roads in the capitol. they route and universities and schools were closed all over the country. lebanon has been suffering or the world's worst economic crises. protesters are angry at what they describe as government inaction. india is experiencing a rapid rise in coven 19 infections as the arm across wave hits the country. new daily cases have searched to almost 250002 the highest number of infection since late may. this, despite nearly 70 percent of all adults hadn't received at least one dose of a vaccine. even though fewer patients with on the crime infections have been hospitalized, this new wave has had hospital staff hard with frontline workers falling ill. d, w reporters and delhi looked into what can be expected as india confronts the new variance anew. you're a massive new we've in india,

often months of low infection rates, or with 19 keith numbers have shot up. the code below the band of mc has the country in its grip. the bother duty rate in daily or doth being dest. it is that $25.00 listened. experts see the actual figure in the capital and the country is many times higher than that. more scientists now agree that only cron is driving this week. while many indians are anxious about the increase, other say things may be easier. this time around hardware project, we have to be careful. the 3rd wave is here, mother. i'm here at the hospital with my mother who's a patient. you have to take extra care here because it's quite crowded near the water. i guess, i guess when am i, i've been hearing that this time the virus is spreading much faster than before, but i don't think it is as dangerous, you know, because people are recovering quickly at their hands. dr. cut, the giggly says the severity of symptoms and rate of hospitalization may be lowered

on the chrome, but people still need to be very cautious. bill by and ward be lung squared a lot. whereas in this one it is only related to the upper respiratory tract. and the symptoms are faster, quicker, and the recovery is weighed fast i to be. but he warns that given the speed with which the widest is spreading, people are still access. especially older people and those with pre existing conditions. studies suggest that the pod we will peak sometime around january, end to february, beginning, and then we'll see a sharp decline. even though this way with expect it to be short lived experts see that it still has the potential to over been health care infrastructure. once it hits it, speak, public health officials are what it, that the spread of the highly infectious weary. and in a country of 1300000000 people would have serious consequences. if we left the wireless average way, possibly we'd see it right fast. and then also give us maybe the next 2 to

3 weeks, but it does not interest to stretch to read so that you're not looking to have a large number of people calling you. because that could be ready to start a foot. subbing need to avoid the massive upheaval of the delta out. pre indian authorities have implemented weekend and night go use to slow to spread. people are hopeful is we've been be shorter and they would be sped the hot ship. so many went through less than a year ago. we can speak now to lance, a lot, pinto. he's a pulmonologist in mom. bye. thank you for joining us. it appears that the symptoms and to some across wave are often less severe than with the delta variant. is that what you have been witnessing? hello, so me and thank you for inviting me to the show. yes, that is indeed what most of the physicians on the ground have been seeing individuals tend to have people for a couple of days. a little bit of body back,

a news motions sometimes of a bad thought. but most individuals seem to settle quite well in about 2 or 3 days . people tend to settle oxygen levels, remain rock stable. and this is a little different from what we saw with within a lot of individuals as low as 3 symptoms. what awful lot would often drop, no small fraction of them would drop that oxygen saturation by d 5, the 7. unfortunately, we are seeing so much of that this time around. nonetheless, we didn't hear a doctor and that report saying it is important to stretch the arm conway, so that hospitals are not overwhelmed. if you look at the measures that are being taken at the moment, like local curfews, will that be enough to stretch this way? so i think we absolutely need to stretch this behavior simply because this is a highly transmissible barrier. and if the entire country falls in, at the same time, even a tiny fraction of them eating hospitalization could potentially over been the

system. i think there's one thing that we realized from the past 2 years is that overcrowding coding in close indoor spaces and still have the potential of being super steadily events. and i think these restrictions which have prevented overcrowding specially the stuff use which on restricting the number of people in restaurants and your space is to about 50 percent of what capacity is i think measures like that are welcome and i'm in the right direction. are you confident that india's health care system can cope with the expected search? i think a lot of this will depend on how when we manage hospital beds, a lot of health care in india is private health care and individuals be out of pocket. and very often there is a lot of pressure to get admitted to individuals who are high risk individuals who have a number individuals who don't want to be i will often try really hard to get hospitalized even when they don't meet the criteria. and the boss litigation,

i think if we can prevent that and in college, people do to get treated that to be the greatest extent possible. knowing that by and large, most individuals we get fine at home. there's being a says limited in this. i think if you manage to do that, that's best for me. hopefully we will keep our hospital bed open for that fraction which really needs it. and i think that's pretty much determined how, how well we succeed. an important point there from pulmonologist lanta, la pinto, joining us from mon bye. thank you for sharing your insights with us. thank you. in france, the teachers are on strike today over what they say is the unmanageable burden of dealing with coven 19 rules. about half of france, the schools have to remain closed due to the walk house organized by teachers. union. frances, currently europe had demick hotspot with more than 300000 new daily infection. being reported, dw correspondent christine manuel is following the story for us in paris. this elementary school at the center of paris is potty close today. many staff members

are taking part in the stay away. they will be coming into work today, so only a few classes will be running. we understand that some parents associations have also encouraged their parents to keep children at home today to show support and solidarity. now, the signage, from the unions actually reads that people are demonstrating today to show their anger. and indeed, much of that anger is directed at the governments at the education ministry. specifically, they accused the authorities of constantly changing the cove at protocols and that under the current conditions they say it is impossible at to effectively facilitate teaching and learning across paris. today they will be as some demonstrations and we know that across the country as well, people will be mobilizing and demonstrating as well. poland, foreign minister has warned europe is closer to war than it has been in 30 years. his comments come after

a series of talks between russian and western delegates on tensions over ukraine. the kremlin says the diplomatic diplomatic efforts which have involved talks with us delegates, nato, and the o. s. c. e. have been unsuccessful so far. you foreign and defense ministers are also gathering today in the french city of breast to discuss the crisis. they want to formulate a common position on how to diffuse the tension on ukraine's border and contain russia. here is the e. u foreign policy chief. you'll separate. never could be good. it's been said a lot that europe was kept decide that europe was not participated was not around the table it listen. we have developed an extremely advanced coordination with the united states extremely well. we are in close cooperation and we are assured that nothing will be decided nor even negotiating with the russians without a close coordination with europe ruttland without the club dissipation of europeans on the shipment. for nearly 8 years now, ukrainian forces have been fighting

a russian back to separatist insurgency in the east of the country. the conflict has claimed some 14000 lives, with tens of thousands of russian troops. now massing on the border, many in ukraine, fear, and eminent invasion. debbie, a correspondent, nick calmly traveled to the frontline city of don't ask and sent us this report. i was just before the shooting starts, what you see the cats and dogs that they can cover. it's like they can feel it's comic here on the front lines. they're done yet. gunfire and shelling, appalled to everyday life and have been for the past 8 years for the str animals, the ukrainian soldiers and the few civilians left for the people living there. and over there, beyond that, there's no one just the front line. most of those left the elderly and have nowhere

else to go. brush back to protest, only a few 100 meters away from these ukranian positions close enough to watch each other, cooking or chopping firewood. we were just a matter of minutes after the last exchange of fire, the ukrainian se, but sniper activity and drone attacks of spiked in recent weeks. as the world tries to 2nd guess plasma putin's troop build up when you cranes borders soldiers here understand that they would likely be the 1st to buy the brunt of an invasion, sears, due to more. of course, we're following the news closely, but whatever happens our army isn't much better shape than in 20. 14 and russia would face a lot more resistance. it's the civilians out there who are getting really nervous and was callers missed upon it shows you say that power line troops of 30 meters behind it. they managed to push that position forward a bit, where you only knew more when we 1st met catch in her children 2017. the fighting's even close by fan front lines started. we're her gotten and didn't. even though the

day she tells us is a good day in the shelling. only machine gunfire provide to don't, but i go and walks with the kids around the village and we hear machine gun fire in the distance. we just do our thing. we're not scan you bring catches. 3 children have grown up, learned nothing, but conflict now is all that war seems ever more likely. she's weeks away from giving birth to whatever she has most people can imagine bringing up a family. the place like this year will push a la quinta, betral west. this is my village and i know i know west high just the bombing stopped. so how do i know what will protect me if i can drop into a date and time off surviving? will we, i will as or what would be, don't me, doctor taking it out for years even catches now making plans to leave him. you back at the front lines. i also like sunday, if he thinks russia will get its way and keep ukraine out of western alliances. you love the nato membership is not going to happen anytime soon,

but i think in the end vill take us a lot has changed in this country. and so have we, the russians have done everything they could to convince us that they're not our brothers to make us turn our backs on them. we shift our liberal arts tomorrow of them. and for now, at least, russia seems to be in no mood to try to win back ukrainian hearts and minds while we mention talks are taking place today with the o. s. e and e u foreign and defense ministers. we have our correspondence on the ground, marina closes and breast, and emily, sure when is in moscow, it is good to see you both marina. let's begin with you because russia has been talking only with the u. s. and nato. how does the european union want to solve the crisis on ukraine's border? certainly in a diplomatic way, but they also made clear, like your leaders have made clear over the last couple of weeks that they won't back down on certain security structures that have established in your or for

example, the sovereignty of ukraine and also of other post soviet countries, the problem is that europe is not really united when it comes to this conflict between russia and ukraine. they all think that if russia invaded, retain than further sanctions are definitely needed. but they're not really united when it comes to a common position towards russia. we have, for example, the baltic states and poland. they have a common border with russia, so they see the russian threat a lot more than for example, italy or spain. then we have france where i am right now, which has tried like a sort of political rapprochement with russia. and then we have germany that is heavily reliant on russian gas. and would you also have to know is that you is, is an economic player in the world, but it's not a military player. and that's something they want to change. and that's something

that was also discussed here to day a more defense you defense editors. now, emily, we heard there are, there are deep divisions in the you over how to contain russia. is that playing into precedent putin's hands? well, i think so somewhat, you know, because this week we've seen again again that russia has come to the negotiating table with a very harsh united stance, and they haven't been budging. in fact, we've heard russia repeat its demands to the west to the u. s. at the beginning of this week then to nato countries, and again today at the o, c, e meetings. and their stands is, is basically the stance that they published back in december. there are demanding written guarantees from nato and the u. s. that nato will not expand eastward, and also certain guarantees on the stationing of missiles near russia's border. is

that something that they also don't want and essentially listening to the russians this week is almost like listening, listening to a broken record. and i think the troops, the russian troops that are on the ukrainian border, according to western officials, those are, of course, additional leverage. russia has made it clear that those aren't going anywhere for now. today, the deputy foreign minister here in russia was even saying that putin was consulting with military experts on what to do if the situation with ukraine escalades essentially implying that there could be some kind of provocation from the ukrainian side that could bring this military situation to escalate so i think the russians are definitely leaving that military threat on the table in part to keep the negotiations going and to see how far they can push it with with western leaders and rena. you know,

there's been talk about the european union being sidelined on a matter of european security. is the meeting where you are of foreign defense minister is an attempt to stay relevant. ministerial meetings are something that happens regularly and brussels are in also in another european countries. it's that, it, this meeting was not conveyed because of ukraine, but of course, ukraine, russia is on top of the agenda. and yet there was some frustration in brussels that, that year was sidelined during these high level meetings because they didn't really participate. of course, nato participated and 21 year country. so the vast majority of the member states are part of nato. and then you achieve diplomats, you for that barrel. just held a press conference here and said we are in close touch with the us. and they are looking also at our concerns. but of course, this cannot hide the fact that that you was not sitting at the table this week.

we'll leave it there are correspondents, marina ross, and breast, and emily, sherwin in moscow. thank you. now, serbian tennis star novak ciocca, which is d. so status remains in limbo even after he was included in the draw for the 1st round of the australian open. the australian government has yet to decide whether to cancel his be self for a 2nd time. the men's tennis number one has admitted there was false information on his immigration forms, and that he met a journalist, even though he had tested positive for kobe 19 joke of which has chosen not to be vaccinated. the australian open begins on monday if he is allowed to play, he will face fellow serbian neil mark, catch mot markovich in the 1st round. and one of the biggest voices of the 1960 s has fallen. silent. american singer ronnie spector has died of cancer at the age of 78. she shot a start him in the sixty's as leader of the rhone at the group was perhaps best

known for the classic b. my baby, a coming up next on d w. our interview program conflicts own tim, sebastian grills, ethiopia as minister for democratization. stay tuned for that in just a few minutes and thank you for watching t w. two's with with

into the conflict zone with sebastian and comfort zone this week. ethiopia

civil war. now more than a year old and showing no sign of envy, all sides are accused of unspeakable atrocities that are your brother is a minister for democratization, and he joins me from the capital. i hope if you feel this is complete zone 8. now on d w o, we'll get into the dark side where intelligence agencies are pulling the strings. there was a before 911 and an after 911. he says after $911.00, the clubs came off where organized crime rules. genuine use a global network of companies bank. so in operators, we will provide those services to anyone operation in the criminal economy. where

conglomerates make their own laws. they invade our private lives through surveillance, hidden, opaque, secretive working through what's vague. it doesn't matter, the only criteria is, well, we'll hook people up. we shed light on the opaque worlds who's behind, who benefits. and why are they a threat to us all opaque worlds this week on d, w. uncomfort zone this week, ethiopia, a civil war. now more than a year old and showing no sign of envy, o sites are accused of unspeakable atrocity that big abraham is the minister of

democratization. and he joins.