>> live from berlin, this is your world news on dw. the two have you with us. >> welcome. the headlines for you at this hour -- >> germany's bundestag approves a mandatory quota of women on corporate executive boards. >> gone forever -- islamic state wipes out history by obliterating the capital of one of the world's powerful empires. the ancient assyrian city. >> and a shock for pop fans -- germany's choice for the eurovision song contest says no. the german parliament today has approved a law that aims to boost the number of women in top

executive positions. the legislation will require large, publicly traded companies to have at least 30% of women on their supervisory boards. >> it's a welcome first step, a bold move that will crack the glass ceiling keeping women from pursuing high-powered positions in big firms, but for some high achievers, the bill does not go far enough. they want a seat at the table not just supervise. >> this is a first and europe's biggest economy and the start of what some say change. the countries leader may be a woman, but in the upper echelons of german business, women are massively underrepresented. today's vote is set to turn the old order on its head. >> two days before international women's day, germany is taking a historic step for women's equality. gender quotas are coming. >> that means from next year

the supervisory boards of 100 listed german firms must be at least 30% female. another 3500 medium-sized companies will be required to set their own targets. quotas for women in joy brought support, even though the opposition had hoped for more. >> why so disheartened? we would have been happy if we could have approved a 50% quota for women today. >> the most reluctant supporters were in the pro-business wing of the conservative parties, but whatever resistance they put forward was not enough to stop the bill from passing. >> i think it's really important that we have a good example of what women in leadership positions are capable of. >> the vote is being called a decisive step for equal rights in germany. it will give more women the chance to lead and have a voice at a level where decisions are

made. >> our political correspondent is covering the story for us today and joins us now. the 30% mandate quota applies only to a limited number of companies. would it really make a difference? >> it applies to a limited number of companies and only applies to supervisory boards. you have to keep in mind that supervisory boards are the german equivalent of directors. that means it's the boards where people come together on sort of a weekly or monthly basis where they make decisions regarding the corporate culture of the company. there are scientific reports that say once you've got a 30% female representation in such a board, you can actually prove that you've got a critical mass and that the company's culture changes, but of course, it be more convincing if those companies that do have a quota then could actually prove that

they profit from it economically and that would make other companies follow suit. >> this law has been a long time in the making. the german business community has put up fierce resistance. why are german companies opposed to this? >> some people are saying that the state just should not meddle with the free market. other people have criticized the legislation because it only foresees punishment for the private sector if a do not adhere to the quota, but spares the public sector. and of course, there is the fear of positive discrimination which means if a woman does make it to the top of a company under such a quota regime, that she would carry some kind of a stigma and opposition, as we've heard, criticizes the law for not going far enough. >> and when will this be implemented? >> this will be implemented run next year on wood. we will have to see what it actually brings in terms of gender equality. as we all know, there is a big

gender pay gap in germany as well. despite the introduction of the quota, germany still has a long way to go in terms of creating proper gender equality. >> thank you very much. foreign ministers say sanctions minsk peace agreement is fully implemented. >> they set of holding the cease-fire in eastern ukraine as their priority. the option of imposing further sanctions was downplayed. european leaders also believe that further military support for ukraine will result in an escalation of violence. tell correspondent is covering those talks for us taking place in the latvian capital. ukraine is on the top of everyone's mind. the foreign correspondent came out there strongly against providing legal aid to pf -- two

key of -- lethal aid to kiev. >> let me tell you what i hear on the sidelines -- behind the scenes this basically two positions -- one is by the baltic states. the lithuanian foreign minister said for instance today that unity to do nothing is not for him, and he called for tougher sanctions on russia to keep up the pressure. apparently he is supported by the british position, and one has to bear in mind the baltic states are currently celebrating 25 years of independence after soviet occupation. the sense of former ability which i perceive here is a complete different one, of course, when you compare it to video, -- italy, austria or hungry. that brings me to the second group, a group of states with clear economic interest and close economic ties with russia.

of course, at the end of the day, the official line is that until the situation in the east of ukraine improves, the sanctions will remain in place. >> thank you very much for that. >> to beijing now where the chinese leadership is unveiling its policy priorities at this year's national people's conference. strengthening the economy and combating corruption remain high on the agenda, but reducing pollution is also a top priority. >> on friday, the government outlined measures it hopes will help stop environmental destruction and improve quality of life. >> it's the second day of the national people's conference in beijing, and change is in the air. the capital has a deadly smog problem and is one of the most polluted cities on earth.

pollution -- the issue is high on the agenda for delegates at this year's meeting. >> will put more effort into fighting corruption and into reforms. we keep focusing on people's quality of life and on blue skies. >> a lot of emphasis will be placed on environmental pollution. i hope that this year we can tackle the issues with greater energy. >> a new documentary lifts the lid on china's pollution problem . "under the dome" is causing a stir and has racked up 200 million views online since it was released on saturday. it takes an unflinching look at the high-priced china has paid for its rapid economic growth -- dirt polluted water, and children who have never seen blue skies or stars. the film is a hot topic among the delegates at the congress.

the chinese premier has said his government will do everything it can to conserve energy, reduce emissions, and improve the environment. >> joining me for more is my colleague, who joins us from dw's asia desk. how important is environmental policy for beijing? >> environmental policy has become increasingly important for beijing. it has long recognized that pollution should no longer be seen as a necessary evil to achieve economic growth. just take into account a shocking facts -- last year alone, the sky over beijing was covered with a dangerous smog for 175 days, and that's a whole six months. this latest documentary has shown quite plainly how bad the

situation really is. >> the film does paint a rather devastating picture of the environment in china. is that an exaggerated or realistic depiction? >> anyone who has ever experienced a level of smog in china's megacities will likely agree that the film is not exaggerating. the arguments are underpinned by a lot of statistics but as we all know, statistics can be interpreted in different ways by different people. as an experienced journalist who worked for china's state broadcaster for years the filmmaker knows very well how to channel the emotion of the viewers in a certain direction and that is also why she has been criticized so heavily. but in my view, this important issue should be addled -- settled sue sans and not with

emotions. >> more than 120 million people in china have watched this people. what does it tell us about environmental awareness in china ? >> the chinese are in general very pragmatic people, and their attention to environmental programs derives from necessity. for years, people have been aware of high pollution levels but many city residents often decided to ignore the issue as they were taking place far away. >> thank you very much. >> imagine rome and now imagine the coliseum bulldozed, raised to the ground, gone forever -- razed to the ground, gone forever. >> the equivalent has happened today in iraq where islamic state militants have destroyed in a syrian city.

>> artifacts over 3000 years old, the last of their kind are now lost to humanity for all time. >> the iraqi government says the ancient city is the latest cultural heritage site to fall victim to the islamic state. the city is in the north of iraq knew the city of mosul an i.s. stronghold. two winged lions were discovered dating from the ninth century bc. though only ruins remain nimrod was one of the greatest cities of a syria -- assyria. islamic state militants are destroying what is left. the news is creating outrage in baghdad. >> antiquities are not just for a rec's. they are for the whole world.

look how people from all over value egypt's archaeological sites and visit them. isis is destroying our heritage. the destruction of artifact is just one of many crimes committed by i.s. they started with the killing of the iraqi people. now, they are destroying ancient ruins. before that, they destroyed mosques and other archaeological sites. >> islam at state is evidently trying to wipe out traces of iraq's pre-islamic past. the world now waits to see the extent of the losses and nimrod. >> to israel now where five people have been injured in an attack at a tram stop in jerusalem. a palestinian man drove a car into a group of people. >> for israeli border police officers were among those injured. israeli police say the car driver tried to stop bystanders before being shot and injured by a security guard. that was a series of similar attacks in jerusalem late last year.

>> two men armed with knives have attacked people at a train station in southeastern china. >> at least nine people are injured. police in one city shot and killed one of the suspects. the other was captured. the incident is still under investigation, and a motive has not yet been determined. still coming up, one of the biggest aviation mysteries of our time -- a year on from the disappearance of light inmates 370 -- mh370 relatives of the missing are still waiting for closure. we will be to a man whose wife was a passenger on that ill rated flight. -- ill-fetated flight. >> we're back with more in one minute. stay tuned.

>> welcome back. sunday marks the first anniversary of the disappearance of malaysia airlines flight mh 3 70. the passenger plane with 230 people on board that went missing over the indian ocean. >> the plane plus disappearance has become one of the biggest mysteries in aviation history. relatives of the passengers and crew are still seeking closure. she has not given up on her husband. patrick was the in-flight supervisor. she knows there's no chance he is still alive but still hopes for a final goodbye. his text message is now one year old with his last words to her. >> if this is really the end and

you are really in the indian ocean, totally nothing. i will still wait for him to come back. >> this is the final photo of the boeing 777 taken shortly before the plane took off on its ill-fated journey. shortly after he disappeared from renner. satellite information shows the plane changed course and flew south for the next several hours. investigators suspect it ran out of fuel and crashed in the indian ocean 2000 kilometers west of australia. ships have scoured almost 8 million square kilometers of ocean but have found no trace of the aircraft. australia, which is leading the search efforts has suggested the operation would be scaled back. in january malaysian authorities said everyone on board was now presumed dead.

it was a shock. >> they promised from day one that they would not stop looking . >> other relatives of missing passengers say they will not give up. for them, there can be no expiration date in the search for their loved ones. >> the loved ones of those who were on board flight mh37o0 are still struggling to come to terms with what happened. when man's wife was a passenger on the plane the disappeared a year ago, and he joins us now via skype from india. first of all, thank you very much for joining us. one year after the disappearance of flight mh370, may i ask how you and your family are coping with not knowing what happened to your wife? >> it's a struggle.

we have struggled quite a bit. we have had moments when we thought we were reasonably settled, only for that calm and peace to be shaken rudely by some new announcement or update or something that would come up which would rekindle the anger, frustration, shock, and disappointment. it has been a difficult year for me, my family, and i suppose that has been the story for most families. >> explained to us how important it is for you and other relatives of passengers that the search for the missing plane continues? >> i think without exception [inaudible] it's important for a number of reasons.

for most, of course, is that for many people, it would provide very concrete evidence that indeed the plane did crash and did land in the ocean if it is indeed in the ocean. and then it sort of marks an end in a very concrete way for families, so they would very much like to see that the search continues. i think there are many other reasons why the search should continue. it is just a year. it's a little premature to talk of scaling back, if you ask me. secondly, i think it's very crucial for people who take to the skies day in and day out to know exactly what happened. our safety, our future, and our sense of security i think depends hugely on knowing what really happened.

i think if you could just think about it for a moment and imagine that you would have to live a life knowing that somebody really close to you is no longer with you, and you do not know where she is, why she is where she is, we do not know where the plane is, we do not know what really happened, and to stay with this puzzle in turn -- eternally is not an easy situation. >> it's a very poignant point you make there. do you feel that the authorities involved in the search have done enough to investigate the disappearance of the plane? >> it's a good question, actually. i wish i knew the answer to this because not enough has been shared with us. the search is one part of the picture. the other is the investigation into all the other fact is -- factors that led to the eventuality of the plane being on the ocean. there are two parts to this.

as far as the investigation goes, we have absolutely no information. there have been three committees formed to look at various aspects of the whole incident. we had no response. we asked. he has been completely out of the news. i hope that answers your question. >> all right, thank you so very much for speaking to us. his wife was on board the flight which disappeared over the indian ocean one year ago. >> for some analysis now, we're joined by a pilot and aviation safety expert. is there any hope that the plane

will ever be found? >> we don't know. the search will continue, though there are some voices in australia that they want to stop it because it is also a monetary issue, of course. it is in the best interests of those who lost somebody. this can only be explained when we find the black boxes and we can get more evidence of what really happened on board that night. >> that has been a lot of speculation about what might have caused the plane to disappear into thin air. sorry to put you on the spot here, but what do you think is the most likely fear he >> i tend to stay on facts, and therefore i will refrain from speculating. there are a lot of theories out there that are in the interest of either aviation safety nor the relatives of the victims.

the point is it was the communication that was not very well done by the malaysian authorities and by the airline itself. until today, we do not know about the load manifest. what was on board of this flight -- could that have contributed? i think these questions should be answered in the interest of safety and in the interest of those who lost somebody on board this flight. >> tell us what lessons have been learned from this case. has it had an impact on aviation safety standards? >> definitely. there is some impact, and there's a good move into the right direction. airplanes will now be tracked in a 15-minute interval on these routes with is no radar coverage. the pacific ocean the atlantic ocean, the indian ocean, and there's a system now in an experimental phase and some two airlines have signed up already to test this new device, and that could improve in case of an accident the response time for

rescuers and could make a search for an aircraft much easier. >> thank you very much. thanks for coming in and talking with us today. >> you're welcome. >> we shift our focus now to business news. surging demand for the bonds of governments in the south of the eurozone has pushed up their prices ahead of the european central bank's bond-buying program, which starts on monday. the ecb president yesterday confirmed that the bank will by around 60 billion euros worth of don's -- bonds and securities every month until september next year or until inflation in the eurozone hits about 2%. today's price surge is caused by investors buying bonds in the hope that they can sell them onto the ecb for a profit. time to check in now with our markets reporter in frankfurt. our investors confident that the ecb's qe program will have the desired effect?

>> well, yes, lila. the main intention by the european central bank is to push inflation in the eurozone. the effect of the depreciation of the euro alone will have the desired effect on inflation or a strong effect on inflation. every good and service you buy outside the eurozone will -- due to the declining euro -- become more expensive automatically. the technical term for this is imported inflation. if the ability of banks to give credit will be enhanced remains to be seen, but at least the markets look very confident. the dax climbed on a new record high today. the euro stoxx 50 index pretty much unchanged. the euro is losing ground further, plunging below $1.09. back to you. >> thanks so much. have a great weekend. >> imagine you enter a competition, you win, but not for the man who has stunned germany by turning down the

opportunity to represent his country at the eurovision song contest. >> he was voted the winner by viewers of the live tv show to choose germany's entry to the song contest. then, rather than relishing in his victory, he announced that he was in no condition to go any further and conceded the top spot to the runner-up. ♪ sometimes it pays to be second best. >> keep watching her. you are watching the "journal." do stay with us. [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. visit ncicap.org]

november 2013. a unique evacuation drill is being held in sendai. it's designed specifically for the city's non-japanese residents. using earthquake simulation equipment, they can experience shakes resembling real earthquakes.

jason hancock visits sendai to report on the training. >> hi! where are you guys from? >> brazil. >> korea. >> how can that be