>> this is your world news live from dw in berlin. >> great to have you with us. our headlines at this hour -- greece says it has reached a loan extension deal with germany and its other eurozone creditors. >> ukraine marks one year since protesters were shot dead at the might on. we'll talk to our correspondent for the latest. >> snow brings a winter wonderland and more hardship for syrian refugees. >> has a deal been reached? the eurozone finance ministers said they have drafted an outline agreement that could form the basis for extending

greece's financial rescue package. >> however, they are still stressing that no formal deal has been reached on a common text in the full 19-nation euro group of ministers. greece is seeking to extend its loan by six months and change the terms. germany is amending clear reforms and a repayment commitment from athens. >> will get the latest on that moment. first, this report. >> perhaps the third time is a time. the greek finance minister optimism going into a third meeting with his eurozone counterparts. >> i have no doubt that there will be a very collegial discussion and, hopefully, at the end of this, will come out with some white smoke. >> greece is seeking a short-term extension for its bailout. creditors argue athens is asking for extension without committing to the reforms agreed to.

germany has been log ahead with athens over the bailout but it's one of many voicing criticism and solidarity. >> we are working together in the recent eurogroup meetings with greece, the eu finance ministers were united 18-1, and we will stay that way. >> athens has received some 240 billion euros in bailouts. berlin is wielding its influence because it is one of the largest creditors, but germany's finance minister will not speculate on a possible greek exit from the eurozone. >> it's not just about individual countries -- it's about europe. it's about being able to trust one another and earning people's trust as we forge a unified europe. >> spain and portugal have economic troubles of their own but they support the stands, still hurting from their own

austerity programs they are keen to make sure greece does not win special concessions. >> for the latest, let's pull in our correspondent in brussels and our correspondent in greece. max, let's start with you. finance ministers are still locked in talks, but as we've heard, there have been some hopeful signs. tell us more. >> absolutely. we have confirmation from the greek side and also from the german side that there's a deal on the table, and finance ministers are just talking about the final wording. we have to be careful because we were at this stage a couple of days ago already, and when everybody thought the deal was done actually, there was a call made to athens as it was described by the greek finance minister and they called the whole thing off. this time, it seems to be different because apparently the greek prime minister is a form to bet -- informed about the deal. the head of the eurogroup said,

"this is what we can do. this is what you'll get," and apparently there is agreement. >> we have to be careful. we have not seen the details of what this agreement could entail but a sign of agreement for athens? >> i think it is very early to make any kind of comment. the devil, as you said, lies in the details. what we do know is that germany heading into the stalks was pushing for improvements to a proposal that greece had put forward just a couple of days ago. that may in fact spelled either concessions on the greek side and that is what greeks here are waiting with bated breath to see . greece is insisting -- the prime minister here is insisting he wants this deal to wrap up today, and if it doesn't, he wants to take it to a higher level of european union leaders, possibly holding a summit as

early as tomorrow. >> let's go back and talk about inter-european politics. leading up to the stalks, there has been some sympathy for greece's position in the eu. how isolated has germany been? >> germany insisted there was no isolation whatsoever. it seems the ones who were really isolated here where the greeks because the germans managed to keep all those symptoms, as you call them, more or less under the table. the french were sympathetic towards the greeks, but they all had an interest in keeping up the reforms in the program because otherwise they would have had to do with their own kind of problems at home. if there was isolation it was isolation of the greek side, and the other 18 eurozone countries cut together pretty well. >> the greek government has softened its tone in recent days. how has thatgone down in athens

? >> again, the government here has just come into power. it is enormously popular. it has a popularity that he himself has seen his popularity skyrocket to around 76%, and greeks are really behind this government, regardless -- i was speaking to many today, and they say if they achieve something or not, just the fact that they are out there showing they are writing their corner of this fight, so much more intensely and aggressively than any other previous government -- that is winning their support. on into mystic level here, he's very secure, and the amendment is secure. >> certainly a lot at stake. thanks so much for joining us. >> with old without a debt deal to carry it forward, the last few years of austerity have had a profound impact on greece. >> it has seen five years of massive cuts, soaring unemployment and hardship for

much of the population. >> public frustration propelled alexa sippers to victory on his anti-steroid platform. he called the eu mandated reforms a failed experiment and has started rolling them back. >> greece's economic difficulties have taken a high human toll. one quarter of greeks are out of a job. the national debt breaks down to 29,000 euros for every greek citizen, so what is the source of this debt? the largest part 100 42 billion, comes from the eurozone bailout fund. if the 3 billion are from the first rescue package specifically for greece. the country also owes the international monetary fund 39 billion.

greece has until 2057 to pay this money back, but it needs to start reducing the principal this year. 8 billion euros need to go to the international monetary fund. even in the year 2054, greece will still be repaying more than 10 billion euros, but at least greeks will not be burdened with all that much interest. the interest rate on the first rescue packages only 0.6%. nonetheless, greece will struggle to repay its debt for many years to come. >> investors were, of course, keeping a very close eye on development in brussels. it turned out to be a fairly mixed picture. german blue chips finished the day in positive territory. our correspondent sent us this summary for frankfurt. >> the german equity market to date moved to the tune of the negotiations in brussels between

greece and the rest of the eurozone. whenever there was a glimmer of hope we sought equities trading higher and when there was more skepticism that a deal might be reached as soon as today, we saw equities trading substantially lower. investors are generally worried about a scenario that a deal might not come through today, as they are worried about a scenario that greece might exit the eurozone. a recent investor poll suggests if that would happen, we would see substantial losses for at woody's also in germany. >> we state in frankfurt for a quick run through the numbers and the dax. up by more than .4%. euro stoxx 50 up just slightly, but green across the screen across the atlantic. looking pretty good, almost up

by .8%. the euro even a little bit stronger against the dollar trading at a value of $1.1384. >> thousands have gathered in kiev costs -- kiev's maidan square to commemorate protesters who died in the square one year ago. the uprising eventually toppled pro-russian president viktor yanukovych, but it also set off a tumultuous chain of events in ukraine. current president viktor poroshenko vowed to stop the war in eastern ukraine and ensure the victims did not die in vain. our correspondent is covering the commemoration. what has the atmosphere been like? >> i have a feeling this is a night of mourning, a night of sadness, a night where not only

the remembrance on the hundreds of killed protesters here year ago played a role, but also thoughts through the country going on today. obviously, the cease-fire is not really holding today. i think the most emotional moment i have seen is that people really -- or my impression is people really have the feeling this is a moment to stand together. >> president poroshenko finds himself in a difficult position trying to boost his popularity. does he have the crowd support? >> well, he was not food -- booed, so i have a feeling he found the right tone to touch the souls and emotions of the people. i have a feeling people still want to give him a chance. what he tried to do here is play the role and express the role of

a strong statesman. i think this is what really the people wanted to see here. he underlined that the west is standing behind ukraine, and one son is that many heads of state will come to kiev to these continuing remembrance days during the weekend of one year of this revolution. >> hold on. we'll come right back to you in just a moment. as frank said, those commemorations come as the crisis in the east of the country is escalating once again. >> fighting between pro-russian rebels and ukrainian troops is raging. a cease-fire deal brokered last week is looking increasingly fragile with repeated violations and both sides blaming each other. >> pro-russian separatists detonate a landmne in the ball's of a. they say that disarmament has begun, but across eastern ukraine, the situation remains tense. both sides accuse each other of violating the is fire agreed in minsk. operative accuse kiev of

shelling donetsk while kiev accuses rebels of deploying heavy weaponry. unconfirmed reports suggest some ukrainian troops may remain trapped. >> i think it is necessary to sit down around the negotiating table and to agree on a cease-fire and the release of the trap soldiers. >> the ukrainian government has again called for an eu-led peace mission. at present, the separatists restrict free movement of osce observers. the french president and german chancellor continue to push for the implementation of the minsk agreement, but the credibility of that agreement looks increasingly shaky. >> coming back now to our correspondent in kiev, a lot has happened since the maidan protest. there was so much hope then, but how much is left?

>> electro understand what these people were going through only a euro goes an experience not many people have. the experience is that they were able to pull out a precedent -- president that was plundering this country. this is an experience which is prevailing at the end of the day. >> feelings of hope. thanks so much for joining us from kiev. we have to take a short one-minute break. coming up, the turmoil in libya continues. multiple car bombings killed dozens in the east of the country as islamic extremism takes root. >> and a week after a video was released showing the beheading of 21 coptic christians, we travel to the egyptian village where many of the victims came from. we're back after a short break. please stay with us.

>> welcome back. in libya, a series of car bombings have struck in eastern city. at least 40 people were killed and dozens more wounded. militants claiming loyalty to islamic state have claimed responsibility for the attack. >> libya has been plagued by violence since overthrowing the market off the four years ago. the instability has allowed islamist militant groups to take root and carveout huge trunks of territory area >> the country passed to rival governments are locked in a war making it impossible to tackle the country's many problems. >> a libyan coast guard boat leaves the port. skipper tells us it's one of eight vessels in the fleet far too few to patrol coast line that stretches for over 1700 kilometers. this is a routine check on an unknown vessel some distance run

the port. the libyan coast guard is in dire need of money and equipment, and they would like a much closer cooperation with europe, but the west does not help because it does not recognize the new general national congress in the capital, tripoli, which includes islamist groups. coast guard's board the ship but do not find any refugees or anything illegal. "we don't care about the political situation in libya. we need help from europe to protect our coastline from drug smuggling and illegal immigrants. we are not that interested in politics. >> many people joined celebrations for the fourth anniversary of the revolution, but the country is deeply divided.

the islamic state is carrying out terror attacks in libya. some people in the country are not satisfied with the outcome of the revolution. they hope to profit from the chaos and destruction. >> the situation has gotten worse. terrible things are happening. there's a war on, and lots of young men are dying. >> there's no functioning central government in libya. that makes it easier for people to enter the country illegally. for example, 1400 refugees from country's south of libya were apprehended in december. >> they come from they come from niger, chad, and senegal. libya is just a stop on the way. their ultimate destination is europe. every day, bodies washed up on the coast. >> these people have problems

making their way to the mediterranean. they were stopped, but many will try their luck again. >> if i find work at home and senegal, i'll stay there. if not, i'll have to leave again and go to libya or some other country. >> libyan authorities are fighting a losing battle against drug smuggling and human trafficking. that's bad for libya and europe and potentially deadly for men like these. >> as we saw in that report, one of the militant groups that has made major inroads in libya is islamic state. just last week, the group released a video showing the beheadings of 21 egyptian caustic -- coptic christians. >> the video drew international condemnation and shocked many, especially in egypt. our reporter traveled to the village, which was home to 13 of the christians murdered by i.s. >> a memorial ceremony 300 kilometers south of cairo.

for 13 coptic christians beheaded by the islamic state in libya, the majority of inhabitants are muslim, but the community has come to this church in support of the victims' families. relatives remained defiant in the face of a particular horrid act of terrorism. >> we're here to celebrate our martyrs. we're not looking for 70. this is a time to make mary and wished each other well. our children are in the highest reaches of heaven. we're proud that they did not deny their faith. we have no fear of i.s. our god is stronger than they are. >> we accompany him home. his younger brother was one of those beheaded by i.s. he'd been working in libya for nine months. relatives and neighbors arrive. the women pray for his soul.

the family tells us they tried to convince him that libya was too dangerous, but the young men was -- the young man was eager to earn money to start a family. unemployment runs high in this part of egypt. he and 20 others disappeared without a trace. then an internet video appeared showing their executions. >> the whole world saw how they died. we give thanks to god that we know their fate. otherwise, we'd have no idea if they were dead or alive. it's better this way. they are with god now. >> they were in the hands of satanic tyrants. god has mercy upon them. these are not human beings. they have no human hearts. we pray that god enlightens them, that they find the path of righteousness. >> copts do not believe in vengeance.

priests go from door to door visiting victims and offering% solace and support. the egyptian government also provides assistance. the equivalent of 20,000 euros per family, plus a small pension. he says it will not bring his brother back, but he appreciates the gesture. >> we're thankful for this expression of concern. the government dan's by its children. it's not about the money. we thank the president and the other authorities. they have given us the feeling egypt stands as one and that there's no difference tween muslims and christians. >> in the past egyptian copts have often felt marginalized by the government and the muslim majority. now an act of terrorism has brought the religions in egypt closer together. >> to somalia now where a legislator and deputy mayor are among those reported killed in twin suicide bombings at a hotel

near the presidential palace. other high-ranking officials were wounded. >> islamist militants say they are behind the ambush on the central hotel in the capital mogadishu, which is popular with politicians. the al qaeda-affiliated group has staged a series of attacks in the past in an effort to overthrow the government in somalia. >> an unusually heavy winter snowstorm has hit the middle east, turning the whole region into an unlikely winter wonderland. >> but the unexpectedly icy conditions have also brought extra hardship for more than 3 million refugees already seeking shelter from the war in syria. forecasters predict the region will have to cope with a few more days of snow and ice. >> snowball fights on the rooftops of ramallah. no child needs explaining what the snow is for but the sudden onset of arctic conditions is adding to the hardship many

people in the region already have to endure. at this can't in nearby jordan some 80,000 three and refugees are writing themselves -- some 80,000 syrian refugees are finding themselves struggling with the storm. >> the situation is really bad. we need better housing and better access to basic services. we have to walk 200 meters for water. >> aid agencies have stepped up their efforts to provide extra assistance. the challenge now is to reach everyone. >> as part of this emergency plan, international organizations have established 12 shelters to post any syrian refugee who faces any emergency during these conditions. >> lebanon has taken in more than one million refugees. many have to hold out intense. >> we've been removing snow from the tense all night so that they

do not collapse. >> the situation may get worse before it gets better here, not least because lebanon has banned the construction of official fixed refugee caps. >> to venezuela where one of the president's most prominent opponents mayor of the country's capital, has been arrested. >> he announced he would be punished for trying to instigate unrest in the country. supporters claim the arrest is politically motivated. >> security footage shows the arrest of the mayor of caracas at the city hall. his wife says he was also threatened and. >> the police stopped him from communicating in any way. they confiscated his car and took the motorcycle keys. there's no way of knowing how antonio is doing. >> he has been in office is 2008. he is one of nicolas maduro's

outspoken critics. the socialist appears increasingly determined to clamp dow on the opposition. >> will be prosecuted by the venezuelan justice system and answer for the crimes he committed against the peace of the country, its security, and constitution. >> maduro claims the capital's mayor was planning to overthrow the government. a few days ago, he signed a resolution calling for the establishment of an organization to overcome the economic crisis. the fall in oil prices has exacerbated the country's economic woes, sending it into depression. last year, inflation reached 60%. shortages in mood and everyday goods have led to protest. one year ago, 43 people died when demonstrators clashed with

police and an opposition spokesman calls the arrest an attack on democracy. >> it's not only aggression against antonio. it's not only against the democratic leadership and opposition. it's an act of aggression against the rights of venezuelans to live in peace. >> the arrest of the mayor of caracas has sparked new protest in the capital. hundreds of people have gathered to demand his immediate release. >> that's all for now. we'll have more news for you at the top of the hour. >> thanks for watching. [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. visit ncicap.org]

& tor: the road is closed to motor traffic. >> translator: we're walking in the middle of the street. >> translator: it's great. >> they are sck girls, a local idol group from kesennuma.

>> translator: hello, everyone. >> they have been invited to an event being held in akihabara. the so