ah, was there another symbolic meaning to this beautiful painting that perhaps we just don't understand? the search for answers store to february 10th on d w a. ah, this is d w. news line from berlin. germany's new defense minister. it hits the ground, running just hours after being sworn in doors. the story is meeting with us defense secretary lloyd austin, likely top of the agenda. german battle tanks for you can also coming up. i'm leaving because we've got your privilege roll comes responsibility,

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, are darn says she's stepping down early. almost a year before her term is due to n. 10000000000 trips are expected as lunar new year. travel gets underway in china this sunday. but a huge surgeon code 19 infections is casting a shadow over normally festive season. ah, i'm michael. ok welcome. it's been a big for a stay in office for germany's new defense minister dress hours after being sworn in boys. the stories hosted his us counterpart, lloyd austin for talks on ukraine here in berlin. their meeting comes ahead of high

stakes and natal consultations on friday, where western allies are expected to make critical decisions about further military aid in keith. pressure is mounting on germany to allow allies to send german made tanks to aid ukraine. a busy 1st day in office. shortly after getting his certificate of appointment, forrest historian met his yes counterpart, lloyd austin. both of them signalled they unified stuns. i'd like to find the german government for all that it has done to strengthen your crime, shows the french and your contributions of security of systems from training for new crimes defenders have run, worked and valuable. these often negotiate often in history, fight the federal republic of germany and the united states of america just and side by side in the approach. but also on the concrete issues, i'm going to be at the infantry fighting vehicles about the patriot air defense

system or the multiple rocket launchers. but for many in germany and further afield, one thing is missing battle tanks for ukraine. something that beneath the show of unity is turning into a growing dilemma for both countries. according to media reports, germany would allow german made leopard tanks to be sent to ukraine. if the u. s. agrees to send its own. while there is still division within the german government on that matter, yes, officials have insisted that washington has no plans to send us may tanks to ukraine for now. expectations are growing ahead of friday's meeting of the ukraine defense contact group session had ramps then abbeys in cell than germany. a meeting where the 2 countries might be able to settle the tank debate at least for now. earlier i talked to d, w political corresponded benjamin alvarez, grouper who filed that report and i asked him how ready the new minister of defense

was for this meeting with his us counterpart. absolutely. probably would also have like to have a few more days to get into this new role that that's something that the german president funk. i'd 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 meant 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 lois sacks, and he also dealt with many of the security topics. and that's something that the german chancellor will actually set 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 within. where did they 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 amik for as in a divorce, and what journey is saying according to it, german media now is that germany would send a these leper tongues to ukraine. but with the condition that the u. s. does the same with that 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 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, they 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, the 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 us 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, 11 european members of nato have promised are new package of military support for ukraine, including battle tanks. 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 announce the measures after defense ministers meeting in estonia, homeschooling. so this is a 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 failed. ashland defense 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 analyst, marina marin, speaking to me earlier. let's take a look now at some of the other stories making headlines around the world. german parliament has recognized the massacre of ethnic ya cities in iraq as genocide, egan. the move was hailed by your city community representatives who attended this session as visitors, fighters from the so called islamic state killed more than a 1000 your cities in northwestern iraq. she's in 2014. stop. hundreds of thousands have gone on strike in france to protest. pensioned reforms proposed by the government of manual nicole, in a rare show of unity by all french trade you use, most trains, metro's and bosses are not operating. the french president wants to raise the retirement age from 60 to you to 64 years after 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, fired alive round. the actor denied responsibility for the death at the time, saying he was told that gun was safe to use the word eugene's prime minister to cinder. our durn has shocked her country worth you. nance meant that 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, a terrorist attack and natural disasters. she now says she is ready to pass on the baton in sorry to die. i'm announcing that i will not be seeking really chin and in my tomb as prime minister will conclude no later than the stephen

of hebrew. 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 and became the world youngest female head of government. when she was elected in 2017, at the age of 27, 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. but while in office how compassionate response to the ma shooting at a christ church mosque in 20191 her widespread praise. we a nuisance parliament. wanted to change the nation's gun laws less than a month later, hold wisely for $46.00 to $400.00 level and governments go hard go.

early approach the pandemic is partly what got her. a 2nd home in 2020 newsline quickly shot bordeaux's and imposed a prolong lockdown to stop the spread of the virus. but bold suggest her popularity has waned in reason. once a planned boucher has come as a surprise not only to those who support her but also those who don't i think she was an excellent leader and i'm devastated that she skinny. she's resigning. now. it was time for her to go in and no one in the right. mine would have been voted for her. so like, i was never surprised. i actually, i was a bit straw, chose shock 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 and effectively to like pick go. but i guess nobody's irreplaceable

pardon says she has no plans yet for the future. rather 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 crone of virus from cities to the country. a travel rush on a scale not seen in years lunar new year and china marks the world's largest annual migration by land, air and water. travelers are relishing a life after lockdown. lazansky 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 will know if i'm in fact in china abruptly ended it 0 coven policy in december, after imposing some of the world strictest pandemic measures residents of big cities are now reuniting with relatives in the countryside. that has china's president jean pink and, and it says state devi, medical resources, there are spread thin sheets. yeah. in a video holiday message g paid tribute to china's health care workers. bad melanie upon hill tre. bother you. ching, are this wave of the epidemic? mom came fast, i 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 reaching all you have been working long hours, household goods or hard work, putting it over to tile,

an issue 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 shingler that time of caution and joy for travelers. this lunar new year some tragic football news now in iraq. a stampede of fans or head of the gulf cut fine on the city of basra has left at least one person dead and dozens injure thousands of fans without tickets gathered outside the stadium in basra hours before take 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 hosted the golf club since 1979 tennis now 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. enforce shats, swear f one. the 1st shet 76, but the following 3 went to mo, without much of a fight. mo, only qualified for the open due to another players withdrawl. it's the 1st time since ferris tournament debut in 2016 that he's fail to make it to the 3rd round up next, a documentary, marking the $500.00 the anniversary of for den mcellen's trip around the globe. a michael oak, who here in berlin from mean the team, thanks for watching. nico is in germany to learn german pollution pinnacle. why not learn with.