giving up the most exciting sport stories about people passion and their dr. sports life every weekend on d w. ah ah ah, this is d w. news ally from berlin. germany's new defense minister hits the ground, running dress hours after being sworn in boys per story. is meeting with the us defense secretary lloyd austin, likely top of the agenda. german battle changed for ukraine. also coming up, i'm leaving because with such

a privilege role comes responsibility. the responsibility to know when you are the right person to lead. and also when you are not in a shock announcement, new zealand prime minister jacinta order and says she stepping down early almost a year before her term is due to end and billions of trips are expected as lunar new year travel gets underway in china this sunday but a huge surgeon covey. 19 infections is casting a shadow over a normally festive season. ah, and welcome to our viewers around the world. i'm michael ok. germany's defense minister boris pastorius has been in office for just a few hours and is already holding talked with his us counterpart,

lloyd austin in brief statements before their discussions. austin and the story us stress the importance of the close alliance of their countries. they are meeting ahead of nato consultations on friday in germany about further military aid to ukraine. here some of what the us defense secretary had to say is when a turbulent time for european and global security. but throughout the crisis, cause my rushes on, provoked invasion of ukraine. germany has remained a true friend of the united states and a staunched offender of our, our large and values. so we'll continue to support ukrainian people as, as they resist a russian aggression and defend their sovereign territory. i'd like to thank the german government for all that it has done to strengthen ukraine, self defense,

and your contributions of security of system. some training for new crimes defenders have been invaluable. earlier i talked to d. w political correspondent benjamin alvarez goober, and asked him how ready the new minister of defense was for this meeting with his u. s. counterpart. absolutely probably would also have liked to have a few more days to get into this new role. but that's something that the german president funds i just, i may a told the new defense minister earlier today. you have to get started right away in another high ranking politician of the pro business f d p party said there won't be a grace period. so he needs to start it with the talks already. he met the secretary of defense. he also had a phone call with his french counterpart and to morrow of course, will be a big day for a politician that has known this topics for several weeks. he has been following all this evolution is interior minutes of lowest sacks and he also dealt with many

of the security topics. and that's something that the german chancellor will actually said when he announced that boys to stories will be germany's new defense minister. no doubt the most pressing issue, whether germany should provide battle tanks to ukraine. the pressure on germany is clearly growing benjamin both from outside the country and were then where did the talk stand between washington and berlin at the moment? definitely, and that's one of the biggest topics. it's a dilemma between both countries between germany and that you as the german chancellor has been dodging the questions on sending tanks. he did the same also yesterday the world can nomic for us in a divorce. and what germany is saying according to a german media now, is that germany would send a, these lepper tongues to ukraine. but with the condition that the u. s. does the same with they abram tank so they will be something that they will definitely discuss. that's a dilemma because the gas is not signaled yet that they will st battle tanks to

ukraine. although some european countries have said already that germany and that europe should step up, their weapon, exports it to ukraine. but to see how big this difference is, we will actually get to know that better to morrow, when at the allies of ukraine, me to morrow drumstick. abbeys. on the invitation of the u. s. secretary of defense, lloyd austin, a to discuss if there will be any further weapons export, there will be further weapons expo that some something that we know for sure. but the big question now will be will there be tanks? will germany wait for the you asked to take the 1st step because that's something that the german government, that bill in his repeated saying that they will not take any steps alone, that they will wait it to discuss with alice what the new weapons experts will look like, and that's something that germany and berlin has been severely criticized over the past months. is since a rush, an invasion of ukraine saying that they have been dragging the feats when it comes to this in a, taking a role. not taking the lead in this question. many thanks to

d, w political corresponded benjamin alvarez gruber, 9 european countries have promised her new package of military support for ukraine, including battle tax. the group which includes britain, poland, the netherlands, and the baltic states will also send heavy artillery air defense, ammunition, and infantry fighting vehicles. they announced the measures after meeting of their defense ministers in estonia. so this is of joint marina marin is a defense analyst with the war studies department at kings college london. earlier . i asked her how tanks provide a competitive advantage while ukraine hasn't got any tanks or many tanks, laughed, and whatever it was using, those were old soviet tanks and obviously to gain a competitive edge, especially in light of the fact that the russians have billed ash, along the fence along the front line ukraine is in desperate need for tanks. and as

a matter of fact, they are asking for some 2 to 300 tanks, which is a significant number. but this number indeed, makes sense because sake would be integrated to conduct defensive as well as offensive combined arms operations. defense analysts, marina marin, speaking to me earlier. let's take a look now at some of the other stories making headlines around the world at this hundreds of thousands have gone on strike in france to protest pension reforms proposed by the government of emmanuel nicole. in a rare show of unity by all french trade unions, most trains, metro's and bosses are not operating. the french president wants to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64 years. he's the german parliament has recognized the massacre of ethnic yes. cities in iraq as genocide. the move was

hailed by you see the community representatives who attended the session as visitors, fighters from the so called islamic state killed more than a 1000 cities in northwestern iraq. in 2014 actor alec baldwin will be charged with involuntary manslaughter. over an accidental shooting in october 2021. a cinematographer was killed when a revolver baldwin was rehearsing with, during filming fire, to live round. the actor denied responsibility for the death at the time saying he was told the gun we're safe to use. swedish climate activist grader 10 burg has accused global fossil energy. firms are fueling the destruction of the planet. she was speaking at the world economic form in davos, switzerland. tom berg presented a letter she and other activists had written to energy companies demanding they stopped exportation of fossil fuel reserves. i'd be one of the well new zealand

prime minister jacinta ardor and has shocked her country where the announcement she is stepping down early. she led her labor party to a landslide reelection victory 2 years ago. but now order and says, february 7 will be her last day in the top job. just in the arden lead newsline through the pandemic terrorist attack and natural disasters. she now says she is ready to pass on the baton and so today i am announcing that i will not be seeking re election and then my tim as prime minister or conclude no later than the 7th of february. i know what this job takes and i know that i no longer have enough in the tank to do it justice. it's that simple. father became the was youngest female head of government when she was elected in 2017. at

the age of 37, she quickly gained global recognition for her brand of liberal and inclusive politics. the following year, she had a baby becoming the 2nd elected leader in history to give birth while in office. how compassionate response to the ma shooting at a christ church mosque in $2191.00 a widespread pres we a nuisance. parliament voted to change the nation's gun laws less than a month later, voice wisely for 464 level, and governments go hard go. early approach should the pandemic is partly what got her a 2nd on in 2020 newsline quickly shut bordeaux's and imposed a prolong lockdown to stop the spread of the virus. but bold suggest her popularity

has rained in reason once a planned boucher has come as a surprise not only to those who support whoa, but also those who don't i think she was an excellent leader and i'm devastated to that. she's skinny, she's resigning. now. it was time for her to go in and no one in the right. mine would have been provided for her. sure. like i was nave. the surprise i'm actually i was a bit shock. chose shocked that she, for in the tell a little, you know, i kind of thought that she was gonna be in it for the long haul. it was, it was a shock. it is a shame to see an effective leave. a lot that go, but i guess nobody's a replaceable pardon, says she has no plans yet for the future. other than spending more time with her family the lunar new year gets under way this sunday and in china, it's a holiday with an even more special meaning this year. it's the 1st time chinese

citizens will be allowed to travel. since the pandemic broke out transport authority, say billions of trips will be made during the holiday season, and that sparking concerns for the spread of the corona virus from cities to rural areas. i travel rush on a scale not seen in years lunar new year in china, march the world's largest annual migration by land, air, and water. travelers are relishing a life after lockdown. we got to see i'm going home and i feel so happy. so excited recently that this has been my 1st time going home in the past 3 years. your role when i get to my home town, well, i'll surely do a p c r test just to protect myself. otherwise, i wouldn't know if i'm infected. china abruptly ended it 0 covert policy in december after imposing some other world's strictest. pandemic measures. residents

of big cities are now reuniting with relatives in the countryside. that has china's president jean pink concerned says state devi medical resources. there are spread thin in a video holiday message g paid tribute to china's health care workers that long im neil tre. border. the reaching are this wave of the epidemic? hm. came fast iowa and fierce grandfather. all the medical workers have been working on epidemic prevention and control and while providing daily medical care at the same time for dr. chung's ga, all you have been working long, our household goods or hard work, putting it over time. the mission, all for the sake of protecting the lives and health of the people. even a great contributionship, i thank you for your efforts. i got shinkel at time of caution and joy for

travelers. this lunar new year some tragic football news now in iraq. 8 stampede of unruly fans ahead of the gulf cup final in the city of basra has left at least one person dead and dozens injured. thousands of fans without tickets gathered outside the stadium in basra hours before kick off. many were climbing the walls to enter the 65000 capacity stadium in the hope of watching the final between iraq and oman. the stampede happened despite an increased security presence. it's the 1st time iraq is hosting the golf club since 1979 tennis down. and at the australian open olympic champion, alexanders, ferris of germany has crashed out in the 2nd round. after being defeated by american, michael mo, in 4 sets spare of one the 1st set 76. but the following 3 went to mo, without much of a fight. mo,

only qualified for the open do to another players withdrawl. it's the 1st time since ferris tournament debut in 2016, that he's failed to make it to the 3rd round. coming up next on d, w. news, asia with my colleague melissa chan. that will be next. don't forget, you can get more news and analysis on our website. that's d, w dot com. you can also follow us on social media. our handle there is at dw news, a michael oke, who in berlin from me and the rest of the team here. thanks for watching it's just a thought say we're great.