the, the, this is dw news line from berlin, 3 longer gears up for a presidential election. for millions of voters, it will be their 1st opportunity to choose a leader. since the country's economic collapse, a correspondent takes us to the capital, colombo, also coming up. as well as leader has on industrial x, says the red lines have been crossed promises, retaliation. he blames israel for the mass bombing of devices 11 and syria, called in just a quote, mastercard, the

i'm aaron tilden, berlin. thank you very much for joining us. we begin in sri lanka for 2 years after an economic meltdown triggered mass protests. over 17000000 eligible voters are set to pick a new president. despite initial signs of a fragile economic recovery, the country is still facing mass of debt. and while 3 long cans usually vote along religious and ethnic lines, many of them will be keeping the stage of economy in mind when they vote saturday. a reporter from brings us this report from colombo. so good, i'm the guy and his life shop on the molly used to do pretty well. like now they're struggling. they've spent most of their savings just to make ends meet. i'm can no longer be that of the printing business has been hit hard by rising cost stuff to all materials, fuel and electricity in the last 40 years and

a half of us and i had up to 5 employees working for me with the crisis. the orders for printing gradually, and then i had to reduce my stuff in the service and some of the language she looked at that i'm what i found all my jewelry because of the cost of leave me i am unable to buy back. so it's owned by the banks. now my husband does all kinds of work nowadays to look up to the family that work includes driving and not to take shots. sometimes even they will have considered before the crisis one and for sri lankan slip and fall with the the what it bang says they're struggling to afford basic necessities like food, medicines and fuel to good nationwide pool tests in 2022. the economy has been bad for a long time, just or what do we use? the wall street lumpkins protested yard in central colombo, before the president to flee and brought down the government. but the economy is

still in prices as the number one issue that what this one does, the politicians stock of the nation the got instead of going of the communities. that is what i want the government to ensure in need of the countries to economy criticality and also saving it. and also people expect, uh, non cut them non cut up government for the last 2 years, the government has stuck to the i am if plan to stop sri lanka going bankrupt. but it's got in for administer, told us that is still work to do things. oh okay, but yeah, not out of the world. you can expect that to happen. i mean, we a stay, but compared to what? you are looking after the poor by letter, but providing them lunch, providing them flipping i said, providing them for the case. i'm pretty health, as for less so in some cases, free price and russians. his boss, president running to become us engaged is running the selection,

hoping to move in the for the a veteran of sri lankan politics. his economic policy is closely tied to this plan . since he's been in charge, inflation has dropped from 70 percent to 5 percent. interest rates have fall and that will be strengthened and forwarded. and reserves increased as much as we do. most indeed also faces gleams of protecting cut up the fishes from the previous administration. challenging him is such a supreme and that's a, a good politician from a central, spotty, he's pushing for changes to the $2900000000.00. i am a bailout. he aims toward just economic reforms and revamped taxes to reduce the cost of living. but all eyes, i don't know, the commodity, somebody who's popularity has village since the protest, his anti corruption message and promises of a political overall seems to resonate with waters. one thing systemic change his

spot. the also wants to renegotiate the i am if bill none of the candidates for much of traction force. so let me go and show me molly. we do not feel like folding for any practice these time. even so the election on saturday will have crucial implications for families like this across the country. early i spoke with journalist a month, a pair of inc over 3 long k and the water asia pacific region. and you joined you from melbourne, australia, and he told us more about what's on voters minds in sri lanka. but i didn't to move along. that's really long involved as ease whether they want to continue with the same or exam on all means that they are going to break away from what has been 3 long and but it extends independent and really make a drastic decision. uh,

so if you, when you speak to the voters at large ends, read on comes at large, you'll get defense. that there is no clear from dr. if you look at the lights, we're not going to elections into boss all rated as being either a 2 cos raise or sometimes it's been just a one clear frontrunner. now this time you have 3 clear candidates with fuzzy about john's gunman, right? because in, uh, so you've been with us uh, an under commodities on i. so the mood you guys would have you speak to you speak to the colombo based uh, you know, middle age that probably be looking at the victim of thing though, right now. but then the young wrote as the entry and got, and they probably thing under blogs and i guys are why about choice? so the more right now is mixed. and there is no clear indication at as to say that there is a clear front runner as well. there's

a brief look now at some other stories making headlines around the world. the former us talk show story winfrey has host the campaign and then for the democratic presidential candidate, pamela harris hill, multiple celebrities joining via video call to express their support for harris, including brian grants and chris rock. c jennifer lopez in middle street police in dublin have a rest of 19 anti immigration protesters for blocking the main bridge and the irish capital during the evening rush hour. the blockade followed a large by protesters to the city center island has been seen. rising the anti immigration settlement in recent years, the topic is expected to be a prominent issue. the upcoming parliamentary election, israel's as fighter jets destroyed at uh,

destroyed at least 100 hezbollah rocket launchers and other quote, parasites and airstrikes in southern lebanon on thursday evening is really just, we're also hurting the skies over by root. really in the day as has was leader responded to this week's mass attack isn't exploding painters and walkie talkies in a televised address. as on us, rolla accused israel of the attack and described it as a declaration of war on 11. these people 1st is really strikes hips, southern living on while is really jude's flu love over they really breaking the sound barrier to the extra time to take place. exactly as his beloved leader made this address monday only. and over 2 days or more minutes on tuesday, and in one minutes on wednesday, the history of the enemy was a mean to kill and no less than $5000.00 people in 2 minutes without caring about

any limits on the, on they have no problem with where they are killed what they're doing on how they were killed. baba mindlessly, waiting to be at the okay. to get them dozens of people have been killed and thousands injured up to hundreds of pages and walkie talkies used by his belie exploded. his beloved blames israel and admit the bombings have delivered a severe blog. while the attacks appear to have targeted the group's members, many civilians have been caught up in the violence. hospitals have been overwhelmed . residence and now fearful of their electronic devices. or i'm not somebody else because i'm a, let me say, can we expect any good from himself? because children, i mean get it on the bed inside smart devices. and they would that the need to deal with that. we don't even know of cost. we scared my children, my to being children,

all of us who bought them back all who didn't feel safe. i'm sort of, uh, we have 5000 injured interest to date on this isn't a small metal as well. mean, bog down, who can take you on the phone? no. when i heard about what happened, i left my phone on the motorcycle and walked away and on my iphone with my sisters and now i have i signs and when it concerns that right us about the life science and lithium batteries, my siblings starts at avoiding or touching the phones on the faring, they might fix it, like it's a normal reaction. we are a country that has been high, so we have nothing uh valid. so remember who did you say? meanwhile, israel, his nose acknowledged the attack. it's defense minister says the country isn't a new phase of was always the move i add to the goal is to safely retain the residence of the north back to their homes. as time goes by, has spun, i will pay an increase in price on the bill. he's velocities, it will continue its attacks on northern israel as long as the war and guns

a continues and is vowing retaliation for the bombings of recent days. we return to the us now were present. kamala harris has slammed donald trump for claiming that migraines in the city of springfield, ohio, or eating people's pets ever said. the former president's comments were designed to divide us as a country. a small city of springfield has found itself at the centre of a fire storm, despite local officials debunking from claims. dw, is i a bringing visit at the city to find out more here at roseville creole fridays and a plan teams on offer. they're serving a taste that wants to eat the food. that's the 1st introduction to our community. the love we put in the food, the restaurant which opened a little over a year ago is a sign of spring fields, growing haitian population. they came here to escape the violence and energy in

their home country. most of them are legally authorized to live and work in the us under the program expanded by the binding industries. like many blue color towns in the midwest, springfields population had been declining for years. marjorie kovalevsky says patients came here because of jobs and cheap housing were plentiful. she and her daughter run a small translation and advice center for new comers in the back room. as of this patient grocery store, they have too many has given new life to the community because they are active, participant in the economy. but then the numbers rose quickly. officials estimate there are no anywhere between 12 and 15000 haitians in springfield, they saved the city's infrastructure, and public services are overwhelmed. in august of 2023, a card driven by

a haitian migrant hit a school bus killing an 11 year old boy and prompting even more concern from residence on about the growing presence of haitian like girls. these being posed will be monitored, is like former journalist and then somebody helps from a facebook group for spring fielders. share their thoughts about everything from safety, the economy to rumors of pets, disappearing was the homes losing jobs. so just costs going up so high that you can afford things usually at a ford, mostly above all, that is talking about how our city government ignores that concerns and marks us and insinuates that our concerns are rooted in some sort of misplaced, originally antipathy towards patients. all your ac liam says she's ambivalent about trumps claims that patient migrants are stealing and eating pets. but at least appreciate that they have drawn national spotlight to an issue he feels, has long been ignored, but for the haitian community. trump's comments have caused nothing but fear.

margie kovalevsky has been getting panic calls for the past 2 weeks. they don't know what they've done because they've trying to behave themselves to what's right . and they don't know if one day the white supremacist are going to attacked. and i don't know if the local is going to attack them and especially those with children . and it's not just the haitian community that's been effected since donald trump's come in. there been dozens of bomb threats here in springfield forcing since schools to evacuate their students. the city has also cancel the annual culture. at rosco creole, the debacle has had an unexpected twists and people are flocking to the restaurant to show their support. this couple of from arkansas came here to send a message were supporting this community today. but next week, it could be a different community targeted just for political gain,

both city and local haitian community leaders are calling for com. they want springfield out of the spotlight and on a path to healing. and you're up to date for the stick around coming up. next we have a documentary following a filmmaker from iran trying to process his childhood. thanks for joining us. the name is the calls back. saved loud. thank you so much for joining in. welcome to don't hold bad. a lot of people do that. it's all about saying it aloud. that's what it being nosy bay like good. everyone to king. check out the award winning called com. so hold back.