a scoring when we say they were about never giving up sports like every weekend on d w ah, [000:00:00;00] ah, this is g w. news live from berlin. pope francis leads palm sunday mass just a day after leaving hospital. there had been concerns that the pontiff would not have been well enough to attend events, leading up to easter the most important week in the christian calendar. also on the

program absurd and destructive ukraine's president for a lot of me zalinski react with fury as russia takes charge of the un security council presidency. it comes is key, makes plans to launch a counter offensive. and finland goes to the poles to select a new polar popular prime minister. santa marin is seeking a 2nd term in office. she's facing a strong challenge from the far right. but she tell supporters, i'm in to win ah and a warm welcome to viewers around the world. i'm michael ok. cope francis is leading the palm sunday mass in the vatican's saint peter's square. just a day after being released from hospital. the 86 year old spent 4 days receiving treatment for bad of bronchitis, but he said to be feeling better,

the crowd of 30000 faithful have crowded into the square for the pontiff address. today's ceremony marks the beginning of celebrations for the most important week. in the christian calendar. joining me now here in the studio is g w. religious affairs correspondent martin, gac to talk with me about the palm sunday mass in the vatican. martin, welcome to the program. this was a well time departure. i mean one day after basically leaving the hospital, the pope is saying mass, i mean, we have known for 2 days or so that he was actually in fairly good shape and that he had developed sort of out of the bronchitis, you know, quite speedily. obviously he still has mobility problems and you would see that in the images of him leaving the hospital. but i think that it was understood even 2 days ago that he would most likely be leading the mass. so, you know,

i think that this also talks to the resilience of this boat and how engaged he's, when he's, with his work essentially even even in the face of ailments. this is the 1st palm sunday mass to be held. since the pandemic, tens of thousands of people are gathered in saint peter's square. what does this mean for worshippers? i think that it's obviously very important. i mean, people give great significance to, i mean, to keep in mind that the main element of the main object of the, of the church is in fact to bring together the congregation. so the congregation is very important and to be able to congregate at the vatican with the pope. it's very important that being said, i mean the, the vatican has been open for business in st. peter's has been open for business for at least a year, a year and a half now. so you know, i think that what would be interesting to see, and i don't know if you remember this, but there was this very famous image of the pope walking alone through st. peter to

lead mass. i believe it was actually easter sunday. and now what we're going to cease back again, the vatican in full sort of, you know, in full page and, and full of people. so i mean in the sense it's very warming is a very warming event. there's poetry to this very spot, a trick to this one can say the w martin gag. many, many thanks. you're welcome. russia has taken over the rotating presidency of the united nations security council, sparking a furious reaction in ukraine in his daily address, ukraine's president vladimir zalinski deemed it absurd and called the council a bankrupt institution. he says it ought to be reformed, so as not to allow a terrorist state to disrupt peace. so lensky also called for russia to be held accountable for its actions in ukraine. meanwhile, on the front line, ukraine is managing to hold off russian troops. but civilians are still being urged to evacuate. let's take a look now at what people are going through in the city of

a video. i'm sorry, a deep car, which has been left in ruins. driving through the battered streets in the eastern city of div, currently, cooking for police are looking for those very who want to leave. would you put a number for the last 4 months? this basement has been home to 73 year old. helena, but she's decided it's time to go with. oh, she's love of was, i couldn't take it any more. our house is destroyed and i spent most of the time in the basement. them really? by yet. everyone is afraid. everyone. local officials say the town has been almost completely destroyed in recent weeks. this is melissa stoney,

me situation has changed in the past month since the beginning of march of duca has been under aircraft bombing and artillery file for maria. no, since then, almost old buildings have been destroyed through no one is submitted. it will do it in nearby shes if ya. people working for the charity international lions clubs of abilene, a trying to convince residence to move to safety. 11th, he will give us a volunteer say many are reluctant to go. let me know. the biggest part of the job is convincing them the evacuation is the easy part, bucking of deep cur. it's an emotional departure for helena. a trained to safety, but far away from the place she calls home. earlier

we spoke to defense analyst marina moran and asked her if she thought russia had the ability to wage an effective large scale offensive on the ground. here's what she had to say. thanks for having me. well, 1st of all, on what we're seeing around buckman end of day, of course, we have to understand that the ukranian armed forces have occupied a defensive position sayer, especially when we're talking about the v of they created a fortress well prior to russia's invasion less here so it is very difficult for russia because defense in this keith is easier than taking of the of gov. also, given the fact that russia has suffered some setbacks and had to recalibrate its entire approach. we also have to bear in mind that russia had to mobilize and these new recruits are probably not as good as the manpower that the russians have lost. so there are all sorts of factors that need to be taken into account when assessing

the situation. and obviously we know that the ukrainians have been pouring a lot of resources and manpower to defend button. and the situation is not decided as of yet. so we're seeing conflicting reports. we're seeing wagner planting the flag very close to the bottom, obsidian administration, and attacking the ukrainian flanks like iran chrome over. so it's still not decided . and it remains to be seen out whether the ukrainian side can indeed defend those 2 places. ukraine has held on to back moved, even when most thought that the city was about to fall. how do you explain this resilience? is it down to better equipment, better train soldiers, better strategies? i guess it's down to, to manufacturers, as i said before. and it's also down to the morale and the political imperative to hold button, because it's important for the lansky to be able to show that his forces are

capable of resisting russia's advances on the one hand. on the other hand, it creates more credibility when it comes to weapons deliveries and ammunition deliveries. and of course, the western coalition has been trying desperately to provide ukraine was, let's say artillery shells to create some, some sort of parity because of intensive artillery battles. on the other hand, from a military perspective, there is a lot to for ukraine despite what we have been hearing. because the, the fear is on and this is coming from the korean military that the entire line of defense would collapse. so it is vital for ukraine to hold the city and also in the kind of the informational spectrum and they, the ukrainians, don't want russia to be able to claim that victory because it would be the 1st victory for the russians after so many sat back. so they're all sorts of important things which are combined in,

in this one city that the ukrainians are holding to. again, marina muran, defense analyst at king's college, london. let's take a look now at some of the other stories making news around the world at the shower . top cleric from the ukranian orthodox church has been sentenced to 60 days of house arrest for ledge links to moscow. abbot metro, metropolitan pablo is accused of glorifying the invading russian forces and stoking religious divisions. pablo denies the accusations and insists the church has broken all ties with moscow since rushes invasion. bulgarians have headed to the poles for their 5th general election in just 2 years. political parties have struggle to form stable coalitions at mid rising inflation and divisions over the war in ukraine. paul suggest another close race between the parties of conservative incumbent boycott, warsaw, and reform his chan challenger carrillo petals. finland is heading to the polls to

elect a new government. it's been a close race so far between the 3 main parties. social democrat, prime minister, son of marin, is hoping to secure a 2nd term in office. but she's facing a strong trial challenge from the far right. i finished my minister son amarion, cast her ballad early as did almost 40 percent of finished voters, a record. but it will come down to the last minute to see if marin social democrats can pull ahead of their 2 main rivals. the conservative coalition party and the populist fins party with nato membership in hand. the impact of neighboring russia's war on ukraine has not dominated debates finish. voters are focused on finances. the fact that the all public finances are embellished it's in some countries, is not an issue. it's would move the population in filler. these that's not going well. there's a huge service deficit i and the in the extent that now the amount finland is

paying on its dep, this amounts to do some of our ministry spots, et cetera, et cetera. though, finish public debt at 72 percent of g. d, p is far lower than the eurozone average. it's uncomfortably high for finland. taking over in 2019, at santa marin, successfully navigated finland through cove, it, and into nato. but while she's extremely popular abroad, thanks in part to a leaked video last year of her dancing with friends, her economic moves are criticized at home debt, climbed under her watch yet. she's campaigning on continued social spending. i think the main issues that people are thinking, our economy, a public ness are also public services, education, social and health care, and social benefits. i think people are thinking about their ordinary lives. maureen's opponents are more fiscally cautious. head of the coalition party pet that he ordered will insist steep benefits must be cut to bring down the debt. and

he's leading poles with that position. the fin party is anti immigrant and euro sceptic, they're sitting in 2nd place. santa martin says the social democrats would refuse to create a government coalition with them. their party platform calls for pulling finland out of the european union in brussels fins aren't so worried about anti you sentiment, but the environment and the economy does a big majority of things who are for their you. so they're true friends culturally on their own. go out, i want to have those are a moderate kind of people who are thinking about also about environmental issues. and that not only about themselves and we have an aging population in general. so costs are gonna go up. taxes are probably gonna go up with hard financial decisions ahead analyst told me who than and says the only thing certain about the outcome is that whoever wins is going to be very unpopular to day is world autism awareness day dw caught up with

a spanish swimmer and her coach to discover both the challenges and rewards that come with being an artistic athlete. julia at hernandez is a swimmer facing a special set of challenges you. oh hi, i'm julio. yeah, i'm 22 years old. does and i have autism, daniel, our dismal really is autism makes it difficult for her to deal with disruptions to had routine such as overnight stays in hotels, for competitions or bus rides to different venues. but she quickly finds her grief once she gets in the pool under the watchful eye of her coach. will ye me? the allah gives me something that no of a swimmer can give you. it's really special to see some one with all the problems. and it gives you a feeling that's hard to describe out of went on it, it makes my heart full for me. francisco has experience working with the very best in the schools, but julio is a pupil, unlike most of us. when are you any of that would be the i'd been at the top of

this feeling world. it was this matter that i didn't see myself as qualified to work with someone like julio, was jolla. oh yeah. but she's now a source of pride and motivation for me, and i thank you all. her talent puts julio among the very best autistic swimmers in spain. with an ambitious coach like francisco behind, there is no telling where her path might take her. what is for certain mom is that she won't let autism slow her down. now that know you, i'm a send me now in a lock and we will and it there. coming up next our tech show shift looks after artificial intelligence. a michael aku in berlin. more news as always at the top, the next down these places in europe are smashing all the wreckers stepped into a bold adventure. it's the treasure map for modern globetrotters discover some