>> this is "the journal," coming to you live from dw in berlin. good to have you with us. >> the headlines this hour? ukraine and the european union ratify a landmark pact that sparked the country's crisis. we will talk to our correspondent in brussels. >> the french prime minister faces a crucial parliamentary vote of confidence. >> the world health organization warns ebola cases in west africa could start doubling every three weeks.

but we want to begin in ukraine, which has its sights set firmly on the west erie of the country's parliament has ratified and association agreement with the european union in what lawmakers are calling an historic moment. >> keep in mind that their refusal to sign this last year is was sparked the unrest in the country. the eu, for its part, has welcomed ukraine with open arms tom i easily passing a deal as well. >> signed and sealed, he held of the document in kiev. minutes later the president of the european parliament signed the same treaty in stroudsburg. earlier the president appealed to ukrainian lawmakers to support the agreement, while people in stroudsburg listened in through a video link. it passed easily on both sides. 127 voted against.

more than three quarters of ukrainian lawmakers supported it . in the 1200 page document ukraine and the european union have agreed to deepen their political ties. trade restrictions are to be lowered. a free-trade pact will only go into effect in 2016 and what is being seen as a concession to russia. on the streets of kiev, reaction has been mixed. >> we don't need this agreement at all. it will mean nothing but suffering for this country. >> of course i would like to live like other people in europe. >> the association agreement has finally been ratified. what it signals for the future of the ukraine is still unclear.

>> jeff is standing by for us in brussels. certainly a strong political signal. what is likely to be the practical consequence of this vote? >> there is a lot of symbolism about this landmark deal today. in practical terms we have got a partial agreement, as indicated earlier, on the deal that triggered the crisis in the first place. practical ramifications are limited, but there is an important one that the european union hopes for on the existing fragile cease-fire. because of talks in brussels last friday, president clinton made clear through intermediaries that the cease-fire would be improved, that the prospects would be improved if a limited deal went through. that is what we go today, a limited deal. practical consequences are hopefully an extension of the cease-fire. also trepidation. it is a deal that was rejected

in a compromise. the deal was rejected by the russians and no one is really sure where it takes russians and the europeans in this conflict. >> what are the limitations? >> it lacks the one key element that caused trouble in the first place. mightily all the way through the past crisis, even now, saying it cannot go ahead saying they will not tolerate open trade between the eu and ukraine because there would be a knock on the effect of cheap european goods flooding the russian market. it is a big concession from the european union that the part of the pact is not on the agenda until the start of 2016. it is a big feather in the cap for president putin, but that you felt it had no alternative.

so, it is a compromised and the west is congratulating themselves on a free democratic and a free sovereign state and russia is congratulating itself on holding back the worst thing they hated about this deal, wide open trade signaling the loss of the ukraine to the west for ever in a day. i still hope there is no binding contract between ukraine and a future european union with ukraine as another state. >> it seems all parties are saying better something than nothing at all. thank you for the insight. in the same session of parliament lawmakers voted to grant special status to the separatists in the east of the country. >> passing legislation that includes self rule for another year. they were recently involved with government force fighting. >> of course, in the east we are joined now by kitty from the

west. this is all part of case negotiations. what is the reaction where you are in the east? are the separatists happy with this concession? >> don't forget that the rebel leadership here very much believe that this is the backup answer. they have their own leadership and their own local government. certainly the rebels here think this doesn't go far enough for them. they already believe that they have some sort of autonomy and want to see themselves as an independent state. they have their own prime ministers and ministers. one of the concessions being offered is that they can house all the governments in local elections. they believe they have their governments, so what should they listen to what he says? the president of ukraine saying he wants to keep some kind of ukrainian sovereignty and there is no way that both sides agree on this. but perhaps by leading --

reading between the lines they are resigning themselves to the fact that they are going to lose some degree, if not all control, to these areas. >> do you think that this legislation will help to be ease some of the tensions in the east ? we have seen that the cease-fire has been in place, but it has not really been abided to during this time so far. >> not at all, and not from where we are sitting. we have heard shelling every day, relentless and indiscriminate. a couple of days ago six people were killed by mortar fire. the scene was absolute devastation. people are terrified, living in bunkers and basements. schools are closed, shops are closed, there was another attack on a bus today. and there are other, if you like, independent on either side.

it seems they have taken the law into their own hands. it is an extremely complicated situation. from what it looks like here there is no cease-fire at all. >> kitty, thank you very much. >> now we turn our attention to the middle east, where the iraqi prime minister has suffered a major defeat in parliament. candidates for the post of defense and interior minister have been rejected. >> he is trying to build a unity government that is sensitive time. the united states and allies are working with iraq to push back state militants in the north. >> the u.s. has carried out its first airstrikes under a new plan to degrade and destroy i asked. >> in the last two months lighter planes have carried out nearly 200 airstrikes across iraq. targeting historic positions on

monday marking a new phase in the campaign. american air strikes started yesterday, targeting chosen objectives in southern baghdad. these airstrikes will be the continuation and beginning of a new operation. americans and iraqis will outline the targets. airstrikes are aimed at liquidating all islamic militants. up until now, u.s. airstrikes had been restricted to northern iraq, where kurdish fighters are battling islamic state militants. officially the aim has been to protect u.s. citizens and assist refugees. in recent weeks the u.s. air support under the old strategy has helped troops to take back villages captured by the islamic state. >> we told the u.s. air force that we have an operation in this area and we gave them the coordinates. they helped us and their support was good.

we were satisfied. it was very effective during the troop push. >> now the u.s. has vowed to take the fight to the islamic state wherever it is, including the rest of iraq and, if need be, syria. >> taliban suicide bombing has killed three soldiers, the attacker detonated a car bomb only a few hundred meters from the u.s. embassy. a police spokesman said that 13 afghan civilians were wounded in the blast. no information has been released about the nationality of those killed. the taliban have claimed responsibility for the attack. unparalleled, that's of the world health organization characterized the deadly ebola outbreak raging through parts of west africa. >> united nations is appealing for one billion u.s. dollars in the affected region in an effort to stop the spread of the virus.

>> the u.s. president is also wrapping up efforts -- ramping up efforts to tackle the disease by announcing a new plan with troops, building new centers to help eradicate the disease. >> everyday day there are new victims as the ebola out rate reaches unprecedented levels. the world health organization recently declared an international health crisis. now they are sounding the alarm again. >> this health crisis that we face is unparalleled in modern times. the gravity of the situation is difficult to get across with just a few numbers, but with 5000 now infected, twice the number when we met a couple of weeks ago, over 2500 dead, nearly twice the number when we met a couple of weeks ago, you start to get a sense of the rapid escalation that we are seeing of the virus. >> the death toll is predicted

to rise to 20,000 people unless help arrives more quickly. the u.s. military has announced they will send some 3000 troops to help the old new hospitals in west africa. experts say that more needs to be done to curb the spread of the virus and that the latest efforts are still not enough. >> let's get the back story on these developments now from our dw africa desk. very nice to see you. as we just heard in that report that we just saw, the u.s. is planning on deploying 3000 troops to the region to help tackle the outbreak. what, exactly, do they hope to achieve? >> this is throwing soldiers of the problem, is it not? they are acting very late indeed. this should have been done a long time ago. obviously now is better late than never. they will be going to basically

get a handle on the situation on the ground to roll out a major sort of medical campaign. also to train medical personnel. also to train peer educators. this is a very crucial thing. again, this should have been done a long time ago. >> the who also warned today that the number of ebola cases in west africa doubles every three weeks. is this a sign of the crisis has ust grown out of control? >> has per day, yes. we heard a thing of 20,000 a couple of weeks ago for the who. yes, the problem is getting out of control. it was also evident from the letter that the liberian president wrote to chancellor merkel, to ask her for urgent help for the airlifting of medical personnel, the german government has said that they will look in favor of this

request. but really, this is a matter of days, if not ours now. yes, the crisis is getting out of control. >> all right, luther, thank you so much for breaking it down for us. coming up after a very short break, an historic moment for berlin today. >> the jewish world congress is meeting in the german capital for the first time. the place where the not sees plotted to exterminate the european jewish population. >> at the same time, jewish life is thriving in berlin today, adding to the city's lively and diverse cultural and social life. we will have, of course, business headlines for you as well. >> fan of television shows like "modern family" and "house of cards"? you are in for a treat in europe. we will explain. stick around. ♪

he is a him >> in brief. more background information.

journal, every hour. news on dw. >> welcome back to the show. for the first time since world war ii, the governing board for the jewish world congress is convening in berlin, the city where the not sees plan the holocaust. >> discussed today, the danger of neo-nazis in germany and elsewhere in europe. ask delegates took time to pay tribute to the victims of the past. we accompanied them. >> they are heading to the spot where tens of thousands of jewish residents of berlin were deported to the death camps in eastern europe. the world's jewish congress has come to the platform 17 at the train station to remember those who perished in not see genocide. one of the few remaining survivors is 82-year-old charlotte.

if the stones here could talk, they wou tell us stories about horror and harm. >> the formerhairwoman of the central council of jews in germany fights to contain her tears. every year the number of holocaust survivors dwindles. most representatives of the world's jewish congress have only secondhand knowledge of the showa. nonetheless, the rabbi is very emotional. worries abound about renewed anti-semitism worldwide. >> today we know what was poible. what was possible once is possible again. it is our duty to make sure it never happens again. >> this man's parents were holocaust survivors. according to -- according to

jewish organizations, anti-somatic attitudes in 10 european countries remain a disturbingly high levels. >> this year nearly 30,000 visitors came to the berlin jewish cultural festival, the biggest of its kind in germany. it is not just about remembering the contributions of jews to the german past. >> we had a look at some of the ways that jewish life has returned to the jewish capital in restaurants, bars, stores, and synagogues. >> jewish life in germany has become rich and varied. orthodox rabbis live side-by-side with nontraditional jews. in 1945, the return of a vibrant jewish community here must've seemed unthinkable. after the holocaust only around 10,000 jews remained in germany, compared to half of a million before the war. most managed to escape nazi

persecution but did not want to return. the breakup of the soviet union brought it great upheaval. one quarter of one million jews settled in germany after 1991. they brought their way of life with them. the jewish faith is thriving, two. here at the college and rabbis are being ordained. 2006, the first ordination of rabbis on jewish soil since the holocaust. it was an historic moment in the rejuvenation of jewish life in germany. as the synagogues are filled, jewish immigrants are integrating into everyday german life. there are increasing numbers of kosher shops and restaurants. jewish cuisine is finding its way back into mainstream culture.

and it is also returning to berlin's famous club culture. this party was organized by gun jewish immigrants. >> the disco scene, the bar scene, the art world. >> they all have jewish people again. >> it's no longer just memorials to jewish life, there is jewish life in berlin again. 70 years after the end of the second world war, jews are rediscovering their place in german culture, something that many thought would never happen. >> some other news now, the french prime minister says that his government will stay to a controversial plan to reform the french economy. the french prime minister has been addressing the parliament ahead of a vote of confidence scheduled for later this afternoon. >> he is widely expected to survive the vote and face bigger

challenges ahead, like getting the struggling french economy back on track. his program includes a commitment to saving 50 billion euros for the next three years by making painful public spending cuts. >> he also wants to reform the labor market. the plan has earned him lots of critics, but at least some businesses are welcoming the idea. >> patrick pours over his latest high-tech invention. he is pleased with the result, a transparent coating for past ports designed to guard against forgery. color pigments in the coding not visible to the naked eye react if it is breached. the indian government has put in a huge order. >> if someone tries to dr. it in some way, the color changes so that you can immediately see it has been tampered with. >> there is certainly no shortage of ideas here.

this company in northern france employs 15 people. the only firm worldwide developing and exploding these courting -- coatings. this one is designed for ballot papers. the company has sold millions to west africa but they said the future does not look bright for innovative companies in france. he said that labor laws discourage innovation. >> if you employ someone, it is basically impossible to lay them off. after one month they have a permanent job and you have to keep them. particularly if they are determined to exercise their rights? you can basically forget it. >> the staff are constantly working on new ideas for new markets, regularly going on training courses to keep up with the latest developments, but no one is allowed to work more than 35 hours per week. making it hard to keep up with international competition.

>> if someone wants to work more, why stop them? if you do one hour of overtime, inspectors, and stop you. >> frustration is widespread, and not just in the business community. the socialist party can usually count on plenty of support in northern france. but now many have lost faith in the government. >> we need major reforms, not halfhearted ones. >> i am thinking of leaving france. >> we need someone like angela merkel. >> patrick agrees. he says the german firms do not face cap the challenges that he does. companies in france are just seen as cash cows to be milked by the government. >> a german firm can invest much more in its business. in france the system is so

complex, you never know how much you can spend on equipment. >> his son has already decided not to take on the firm. he has moved to canada instead. >> netflix made its european debut in france yesterday. they are the creator of the popular series, "house of cards," and have a large selection of movies and television series. >> netflix also became available in the german market. aimed at people who like to watch movies on the internet and on the go. they currently have more than 50 million customers in around 40 countries. >> let's cross over to dorothy, who is standing by at the frankfurt stock exchange. what did traders make of the netflix debut in germany? >> they like to move. they are saying the german tv market is very challenging but very interesting.

first of all, it is good news for consumers. the pay-tv provider had to lower the price for its own streaming service. they will be working together with argentina on an interesting idea to make their own tv programs more attractive. netflix shares were high flyer, gaining since last year more than 300%. only yesterday was a very bad day. >> on the day that ukraine signed aligned mark -- landmark day with the eu, russia pulled its 50 ruble from auction. >> they canceled the bond auction due to lack of interest and that investors wanted high interest rates. at the same time the russian ruble is hitting the ground and at a new record low. the latest sanctions really brought russia to the brink of

recession. this is not good news for the markets. let's have a look at the markets. the dax and the euro stoxx 50 are holding half of 1%. >> breaking it all down for us from frankfurt, thank you for the up date, dorothy. the girls phase of the championship me kicks off on tuesday and it's them against the london club. >> one player who just returned from the english premier league will be a major focus of attention. >> all eyes are on him. after two years in the wilderness at manchester united, the fan favorite is back. scoring in his comeback match over the weekend, but left the pitch early with cramps. they say they will make a decision about whether he can play on tuesday morning. the club has few options. a number of key players are

injured. for arsenal, this is a home away from home and the third time in the last four seasons they have met in the champions league. >> we play every year here. it is always an exciting match. and always a very difficult match. we will have to wait to see what happens. >> they are the favorites to it bentz from this group. a win from either side would be a big step towards advancing in this round. >> that's all we have for this time. >> thanks for watching. >> goodbye. captioned by the national captioning institute --www.ncicap.org--

>> here is your host. >> welcome to our highlights addition. to get into the groove, here is a quick look at our top picks from last week. on the rocks. artist olafur eliasson and his rivers bed exhibit. photographer erdal inci and his animated gif file. lush lausanne garden architects turn a swiss city into a green oasis. olafur eliasson is one of europe's most successful