a opportunities for media professionals in times of crisis. the google media for june 2020 to your ticket now b. ah ah, this is d w news line from berlin. ukraine says it's forces are still holding on in the eastern city of sierra, the nets. the region is the focus of heavy russian shelling and intense street fighting. also coming off in this bulletin marching to stop the killing. thousands

joined protests across the united states. demanding tighter gun control and an end to mass shootings. president joe biden urges the protesters to keep margin ah in a warm welcome. 12 years round the world. i'm michael o, coop ukraine shares. it remains in control of a crucial chemical plant in the eastern city of she ever did ask where hundreds of civilians are sheltering. the lou hands regional governor rejected claims by pro russian separatists that ukrainian troops had been blockaded there. he says ukrainian forces continue to hold an industrial zone in the city. the area has seen consistent bitter st battles and heavy rushing shelling several the nets has become the epicenter of the battle in eastern ukraine. dw correspondent

rebecca readers is in chief. she told us more about the situation and shepard and that's and that chemical plaid, which is reportedly the last place in the city, still under ukrainian control. that's right, michael, as you rightly mentioned several, and as has been at the center of the battle and so far the battle at the moment in the dawn bass for some weeks now and in russia has been gradually pushing forward. but it's been a very slow and gradual push forward ukraine managing to hold back her at least a fast advance. but as you say now, only this as a chemical industrial side is under ukrainian control in russia now does control the rest of the city where, you know, it's, it's a little bit of reminiscent of what we saw in mary paul and the as of style plant we the civilians, both workers from the, from the industrial plant and civilians trapped there hiding under ground with about 3 or $400.00

a ukrainian soldiers as well. trying to maintain their obviously trying to not the resist russian control. i don't want to give out that area and have rush a push through to the says to city on the other side of the river, which is less chance. as both sides, we understand exchange fire. many civilians are still trying to get out with their lives. what can you tell us about their situation or the situation. of course, as you can imagine, remains dire in that city. it's being continuously bombarded. people are living under ground. as we said, there are 800 is expected 800 civilians living on the ground of this a this plant. but there are other people in the city. there's believe to be between $10.15 people fill in separately, then it's getting out of that city is almost impossible. any kind of official evacuations are long over. so anybody who is that manages to get out will be doing so really at their own risk. it is a dire situation and it will continue to be so as long as assigning continues that

rebecca, as you know, european union chief herself on the line was in keys yesterday promising some movement. this upcoming week on ukraine's bid to become an e u member. now ukraine's president does zalinski talked about that in his latest video address. we hear some of what he had to say and then get your reaction. just because we're all doing, i am sure that we will soon receive an answer on the candidate status for ukraine. so i am convinced that this decision can strengthen, not only our country yours, but the entire european union. she'll milestones what else needs to happen in europe to make it clear to skeptics that the very fact of keeping ukraine outside the european union works against europe. you are to believable rebecca, the ukrainian president, sounding a very determined there, but some e u. leaders like french president emmanuel mccall, say it will take years,

decades even for ukraine to join the european union. so, why is this membership bid so important to zalinski right now? while the lends, his argument is that ukraine is perkins 1st stop really, and that the whole european project could be at risk of collapse eve potent is allowed to continue to lensky looking for security assurance is from the a you being for being and being a part of the a you, as it were, i mean the you, crime has, or large factions of ukraine have long wanted to become a part of the, a you. but obviously the situation here at the security situation has obviously hastened a desire to then have the security assurances from the a year. but, you know, as you just rightly stated, the president macro on france saying that this can take decades. and that is true. i mean, we've seen most a beads for the a you take around about 10 years, so there is no legal framework for fast tracking as it were. so even if the candidacy is allowed next week and as is expected, it's still

a very long road ahead for president zalinski. he said the not necessarily looking for a fast track, but this is definitely in his mind a step in the right direction. d w. rebecca, readers in key many thanks. rebecca chancellor, all of shots will travel to ukraine's capital keith before the end of june. according to german media sources. the build newspaper reports that the chancellor will visit with french president, manuel, mac hall and italian prime minister ramayo drug. this will mark the 1st time schoultz has visited the ukrainian capital since the war began. the german government has so far declined to comment on the report. assist months here. i'm joined now by d. w. political correspondent, benjamin alvarez gruber, benjamin. what more can you tell us coding to this media report that has not been confirmed by the german government as you just said. berlin in paris have

been in talks for a long time now to plan this trip. there was the idea of him and i'm calling to invite the italian prime minister drug in the france wanted to wait off to today's a legislative elections that are taking place in france to visit the country. the idea of a trip is to show the sign of european unity and support of ukraine. the german chancellor has been criticized for being timid and indecisive in reaction to this war. how significant would a visit by sholtes to keep b? he's hi, ms. significant and all our shows has been pressure to visit the country since the russian invasion. in february of this year. we had the german foreign minister on a battle visit the country. there was plans by the german president, franklin dashed, i mean to go there as well. but he was not by the ukrainian parts, so there was a long time, a difficult situation between berlin and keith. but now the situation between both

countries is getting better. but what's important in what has be sad for a possible trip by charlotte is that he needs to have something in his language. he needs to bring something to president lengthy that could be on one side supporting it possible. so just to bother you repeat commission to make ukraine amend the country of the european a union. it's a long process, but supporting that membership bit by ukraine. that could be something you could also be expected by the french president and by the italian prime minister. and the other thing would be weapons and not just promising to weapons, but saying when this weapons will be delivered, charles has been asked about a possible keith trip for the past week. and what he always has stressed in what he said is that he will not line up with the people who just go quickly. go to you, craig, stay there for a photo opportunity and then go back. so there is pressure. and if this trip actually happens is a chance for the german government to show that it's not his words,

but actions that shows wants to bring in wants to show to the ukrainian a counterpart. it is difficult situation that facing a critical situation in the east and according to the ukrainian defense ministry, they're out of ammunition and relying on west and a weapon exports at d w. so benjamin alvarez group are many fact let's take a look now at some of the other stories making news around the world at this hour. polls have opened in france's parliamentary elections. they could be critical to the success of president emanuel men hold 2nd term agenda. the centrist president's absolute majority is at stake with poles predicting a strong challenge from a left wing alliance opposed to many of mccombs policies. 9 men have been arrested in china after video showing the beating of 2 women provoked outrage security cameras at

a restaurant in the northern city of tongue. shun. show the men dragging the women by the hair and punching and kicking them police in the western us state of idaho have rested 31 men. suspected of plotting to stage a riot near an l g b t q. pride event. police say the suspects are members of a white nationalist group. authorities were tipped off by a call from a local resident who reported seeing what look like quote, a little army. parts of the eastern philippines have been covered in ash after volcano erupted for the 2nd time in 2 weeks. emergency workers have worn drivers to slow down due to poor visibility. after beula son erupted for 18 minutes, no casualties have been afforded. tens of thousands of people have rallied across the united states in a renewed push for tougher gun control measures. in the aftermath of last month's

school massacre and texas, protesters say it's time for action and not more prayers. while lawmakers have drafted new legislation, the reforms are unlikely to overcome congressional hurdles and become law. oh the brooklyn bridge in new york, just one of more than 400 rallies held across the us on saturday. the matches were organized after a spate of deadly shootings across the country. buffalo, new york, and u val de texas were 2 of them, carried out by attackers with high powered firearms. weapons that demonstrate is here, would like to see under strict regulation if you look at it, all of the recent murders have been done by 18 year olds. and yet they can't smoke cuz they can't buy cigarettes. they can't buy liquor because they're not mature enough to handle those 2 things. and yet they mature enough to handle an 8 or 15.

that would dickens. the biggest rally was in washington d. c. way senators, a said to vote on gun reform later this week. the us house of representatives has passed bills, which would, in principle, raised the age limit on buying semi automatic weapons and established federal red flag laws. but the bills are not likely to become law because of united republican opposition and the senate. something activists here cannot understand if our government can't do anything to stop 19 kids from being killed and fluttered in their own school in a capitated. it's time to say, oh, then got it. from the very top of the us government president joe biden urged to demonstrate, is not to give up margin supported with double

acquisition the way people listen to the fact my both people are dying, but protesters are not giving up yet, and they are demanding action from the law make his d w senior. so mas gander was at the rally in washington and has more on the change protesters one they want just any sort of change. i mean, we saw so many signs imploring lawmakers to do something to make of schools, churches supermarket safer. we have seen the spade of mass shootings in buffalo, new york, and you've all the texas, tulsa, oklahoma and the anger and the frustration was really palpable among protesters. specifically the march for allies movement. this was founded after mass shooting in florida 4 years ago, and they have a list of policy proposals. they want to see address. that includes a national licensing and registry system, a ban on assault weapons and high capacity magazines. that's essentially how many

bullets a gun can fire off policies to disarm gun owners who pose a risk also a national gun buyback program, while the majority of americans do clearly and survey after survey say they want some sort of restrictions on guns. it becomes tricky when you talk about the how, because we did speak to gun control advocates this past week. you say there shouldn't be a ban on assault weapons or that there shouldn't be a national registry. and what they can't agree on is that something needs to be changed. america has witness more mass shootings than days in the year. so all of that is contributed to this fresh momentum, really in the push for gun safety legislation. but we have to remind viewers that nothing has actually changed in terms of legislation. and a lot of protesters we saw it spoke to carried signs expressing their fury with lawmakers who had blocked any progress on meaningful reform. assembling block is and has been a gridlock in the senate. so the house of representatives where the democrats have a majority and they were able to pass a package of measures this week that include things that they call common sense gun

laws. like removing guns from the homes of people who are considered a risk, raising the age to purchase a semi automatic firearm from 18 to 21. but that is all but doomed in the senate. democrats don't have the numbers, they would need 10 republicans to vote with them on this package. there is not much chance that they will get the majority. they are still negotiating. there's some optimism, but most observers here believe that congress will come up short again on legislation on gun control. this is the w news lie from berlin up. next is our documentary looking at hype and hope around m. r and a science a michael oak and thanks for watching 175 years ago. start up entrepreneur at a specific goal. 1 build the best article instruments in the world size.