>> live from the dw studios in berlin, this is your world news. let's welcome. headlines for you at this hour -- brisk as miss. in less than two hours, greece will present a plan for reform for the eurozone and got the nod. >> for apple the hour is at hand, the iwatch makes its debut, but don't get rid of your smartphone just yet. quest powered by the sun -- the solar impulse to airplanes takes to the sky with the bid to fly around the world. -- solar impulse 2 airplane. >> it was possibly the shortest

talks ever undressing greece and the eurozone. >> athens presented its new and improved economic reform plans and it only took 30 minutes for the group to give their approval. >> that means it greece will begin the technical and possibly painful work of crunching the numbers and identifying what about its economy will be help and will not be helped. >> the reform puzzles from athens remain vague and were met with a lukewarm reception in brussels. they include using on professional tax inspectors to crack down on invasion and the sale of lotto licenses. the feeling among many eurozone governments is that they are insubstantial and do not offer a solid foundation for further funding from brussels. >> it was a welcome contribution but progress has been made. we can really start the talks now seriously.

>> that means it's time for athens to start talking with its international lenders again. the last meeting with greek officials was last october. the eurozone finance miniatures see access to greece's economic data as the only sound races for further financial aid. >> i think we have to play with the numbers. >> the euro group is adamant that it's not simply going to wave through absent's -- athens's reform. it is up to the troika. they have to start making -- stop making unilateral decisions will stop the mere use of the word is likely to be seen as a provocation by athens. so it remains to be seen what progress might be made when talks resume on wednesday. >> for more let's bring in our

correspondent standing by live in brussels. the talks on greece didn't even last 90 minutes. does that's be for progress or is everyone just tired of talking? >> seeing that the last meeting was two weeks ago and nothing much has happened since, as the head of the europe group and the dutch finance ministers just put it, they spent a lot of time on procedural efforts and a lot of time on who needs to in what configuration and where. he says it has been a complete waste of time and it is like greece will not see any further money from this aid budget. unless there is a clear agreement and implementation well above the ground. next tell me about the mood in

the room there. it was reported greek officials were irate because other eurozone leaders continue to use the word troika when referring to greece's managers. why are they mad and why do they keep using the word? >> i think he keeps using it for a practical purpose. he would say it is exactly the same institutions, it is the imf , it is the european central bank and european commission. the wording formally known as troika is at the end of the day a little silly. at the end of the day, one can understand greece tries to sell at home something of a success will stop the talks that will start on wednesday will take

place mainly in brussels in order to not have this image. they will have a practical parallel technical group that will visit athens and send back the information. >> it will be in both athens and brussels. that is important to note. inc. you very much. as we just heard, the next big step begins on wednesday. that is when so-called technical teams will head to brussels and athens to begin monitoring the bailout plan and the promises made to get the money are being kept. >> for the greek public, this means more talks. >> athens is playing for time but if there is no agreement soon greece's state coffers will be empty.

postelection bullishness has been short-lived. ask whoever borrows is a stray -- is a slave to his lender. the measures taken will be to the measures advantage. >> the finance minister is trying to keep up the pressure saying athens could call an election or a referendum if the eurozone rejects its plans. >> i think they should take a more formal approach. people are confused and taking their money out of the banks. they are constantly having to find money. >> a newspaper poll indicates 70% of greeks want to find the view but many are not optimistic of success. >> we are not expecting much and i don't know if the reforms can be accepted by both sides.

but, i think negotiations will go on. >> the clock is ticking for athens. it must pay some 7 billion euros to creditors this month. >> a new era in europan monetary policy again this monday. the european central bank half quantitative easing program has gotten underway. >> the ecb aims to buy 60 billion euros a month of sovereign and corporate bonds for at least 18 months stop >> the aim is to kickstart the eurozone economy and kickoff deflation. >> the state bond buying program is big but the market reaction has been mixed, bordering on extremely skeptical. i don't think it will be a success. there will be more liquidity on the markets but the banks won't grant loans because expectations

are not high in the periphery of the eurozone. it is the peripheral economies that need it most and bonds from greece and cyprus do not qualify. that could change but if it does, their fears it will put the brakes on the political will to bring reform. >> the other concern is extra liquidity will end up in equities as investors search for a quick profit, creating a bubble some say is already forming. >> with greece and qe, it's a lot for investors to digest. let's see how the markets moved. the dax was up by about .25%. the euro stoxx took a loss to close at 3610. the dow where they are still trading in new york, 18,022. the euro is slightly up against the dollar. >> check your wrist -- apple has

given its fans the news they have been waiting for -- details on the apple watch. >> at an event in california chief executive tim cook called it the most advanced timepiece ever created. >> apple watches the most personal device we have ever created. >> tim cook's announcement has put it into all the speculation since apple watch was announced in september last year. but watch wirelessly links to iphone, offers apps for fitness and can signal an appointment. there are already smart mark -- smart watches on the market, but they have failed to capture consumers'imaginations. >> i see people mostly using it for what you would use it for -- fitness training come how are you doing as a person -- i don't

see a lot of business at the moment. that's where they need to move if they want to hit a broad audience. >> apple has a big job to do to convince buyers it's something they can't live without. >> some people say i have a phone, why would i want the same features on my arm? there's also a risk that battery life could be a limiting factor. there's early reporting the battery will last about a day. we are hearing everything from two and a half to five hours of active use. but if they cannot get a full day of charge, apple might get some blowback. >> one company reckons they can sell between 10 million and 32 million watches this year. the news of apple fans waiting

for the latest apple product are surely guaranteed.+ >> moving to some other news -- german chancellor angela merkel has said japan must face up to its wartime past will stop >> she was speaking in tokyo as the country prepares to mark the 70th anniversary of its defeat in the second world war. regional tensions over japan's were time past have risen under the current prime minister who is viewed as a nationalist. >> angela merkel is visiting japan ahead of the summit in germany in june. >> on the first day of her versus two -- her visit to japan, she was amused as she was greeted asimo the robot. japan and germany are close trading partners in science and industry, being two of the largest economies in the world. at a joint conference, merkel and her counterpart said the two countries had a long history

together. >> we're facing many challenges together -- for example, the fight against terrorism and islamic state. >>abe praised merkel's efforts in the ukraine crisis and said he could not see russia making a return to the group of eight countries in the near future. merkel also addressed other issues, including the fukushima nuclear disaster it was triggered by a major earthquake and tsunami four years ago. speaking in tokyo ahead of the 70th anniversary of japan' in world war ii, merkel called for generous gestures between japan and its neighbors, china, south korea and vietnam. the two were eagerly followed by the press as a german chancellor was shown around the japanese council. merkel also met the emperor during her first visit to japan in seven years. >> in africa, troops from chad

and niger have started their offensive against boko haram. >> the countries launched the operation from a town in the south. troops said they had liberated the city in the north of nigeria which was taken by the militants in november. oh boko haram controls large swathes of territory and has pledged allegiance to islamic state. >> we go live now to our correspondent who joins us live now from northern nigeria. what can you tell us about monday's fight? >> there is an update on the number of casualties on both sides. the officials said 10 soldiers have been killed in the fight and a medical doctor that he saw about 30 soldiers admitted to the local hospital.

this is right at the border between the niger republic and nigeria. there's also an update on the number of casualties from the site of the terrorist. more than 300 oh boko haram members have been killed so far, but this number has not been confirmed. >> how are nigerians taken to the presence of all of these foreign troops? >> the reaction has been extremely positive. they have then demanding support for years. many people in eastern nigeria think the army is either not willing or not capable to fight the terrorists by themselves. the reaction has not been so unconditionally positive. they have said some of the statements -- >> i'm sorry we don't have any

more times. -- any more time. >> we will be right back.

>> welcome back. the cease-fire in eastern ukraine is holding but for how much longer? >> ukraine troops and separatist rebels continue to move or better fighting positions. there have been reports of small-scale skirmishes as well. >> we go now to the region where our correspondent has been in coast -- in close contact with the fightings -- with the fighting. >> the rebels are moving further forward. this unit is repositioning its troops around 15 kilometers north, closer to the ukrainian lines. he's a rebel commander who admits he is a volunteer from russia. he says he came to offer support with his expertise. he points out the ukrainian government forces are a short distance away and says they

often attack despite the cease-fire. >> we are trying not to return fire and respond to their provocation. we're constantly being shelled by mortars. they're using 122 millimeter self-propelled artillery. the trouble troops moved into this village after they push ukrainian forces out of the area two weeks ago. the leader of this unit believes the cease-fire is not holding. >> how is the cease-fire observed? just yesterday, had four 100 and one killed. they shall us almost all the time. this true -- this truce won't last for long. they're using the time to regroup and stop >> rebel troops also seem ready to fight. especially unit patrols the area to gather intelligence and other troops prepare new positions on a hilltop overlooking ukrainian territory. have been regular cease-fire agreements and here, there is

dramatic shelling in the distance. these troops are in the ready for the next conflict. >> the rebels say their tactics are on the defensive. they claim to have no armor here. the rebel leadership announced it had withdrawn all heavy weapons from the front lines as agreed in the minsk deal. rebels showed monitors these mortars being taken to storage. but there were only four other pieces of artillery. the location of other heavy weapons is unclear. neither side has cooperated fully and has often denied the access it needs to monitor the process. >> i am still not able to decay -- to declare there has been a withdrawal of heavy weaponry because these conditions have not been met and because the

information we request a long time ago on both sides. they have to do a lot more. >> the rebel leadership says they have complied with the terms of the agreement. >> the osce can follow the weapons to the location in the schedule. that would convince them the previous withdrawn weapons are still there. >> the cease-fire deal has columns the conflict but these rebel soldiers don't leave it is over. for them, it is a waiting game. they say they will be ready for when, not if it begins. >> many member states don't have enough money to increase their budget, which is why jean-claude juncker is insisting on bonds. >> it would send a clear message to russia.

the german chancellor and foreign mr. support the idea. >> german and french troops fighting side-by-side. if things go his way this will be the future of european defense. the president of the eu commission called for a european army. it's not a new idea and has many supporters in germany, even in the defense ministry. >> we want to expand this cooperation between different european armies so we can utilize our joint potential especially considering the monetary restraints. >> if member countries jointly order equipment like tanks, they could save ilion's each year. it is an important argument, especially when there is a crisis, but the conflict in

ukraine seems to be an idea it is resurfacing now. germany's opposition left party rejects the idea. >> the left party thinks the suggestion is a bad idea. it is definitely aimed at russia. we believe the eu should conduct a peaceful foreign policy. >> there are many obstacles to the creation of a european army. every country would have to allow brussels to make decisions about its soldiers. that includes germany where only parliament can determine whether to do ploy troops abroad. >> kurdish forces have begun an offensive against islamic state forces in northern iraq. >> there by heavy airstrikes from a us-led coalition. there was also fighting west of and dad. the iraqi army is preparing to launch an operation to retake

falluja which has been under islamic state control since january. >> now to cricket where england have crashed out of the world cup after losing to bangladesh. >> hundreds of fans celebrated in the bangladesh capital after their side stunned england. it was their third victory in five matches and they will now play in the world cup quarterfinals for the first time. some happy people there. it was a scandal that rocked the cycling world. tour de france icon lance armstrong, admitted to widespread doping two years ago. >> and now an independent commission says two other former president of the international cycling unit tried to protect armstrong to save the reputation of the sport.

>> it is a scandal that just will not go away. therefore we need people like our sports new route to come in. the story of lance armstrong the world has known about that for two years. how did the leadership of the uci cover up what he was doing? >> it is important to emphasize neither -- that both were cleared of outright corruption. they condemned it pretty much every other way by the report. they are accused of turning a blind eye to allegations of doping against lance and were accused of colluding with him and perhaps the worst of the lot, when they did get around to investigating, not following their own rules. >> is this really a surprise? lance armstrong made a ton of money for this group.

of course they are going to protect their biggest star. >> if it is a cat and mouse game the cat clearly was not hungry. he did make some much money for them and you could see why they would perhaps have thought that that it was at the cost of the sport's integrity. they did not allow fair competition to flourish and that could keep hurting it for decades to stop >> where are we right now? i don't want to sound cynical, but can people actually believe the sport has cleaned up and doping is not secretly officially sanctioned? >> there's no doubt that doping still goes on. it said so in the report but the investigators say it isn't as bad as it was in lance armstrong's heyday and uci itself the body that has been criticized so much year has a

totally different attitude toward it. now they are actually trying to catch them. >> the next tour de france will really be a clean tour de france. thank you, as always. in what could be a major boost for the use of her nubile energy, a solar powered plane has set off on a journey around the world from abu dhabi. >> is successful, impulse 2 would be the first airplane to make the trip without a single drop of fossil fuel. >> before electric motors are running and the solar impulse is gaining speed. it's the start of a trip around the world. the trip moves slowly and even bikers can keep up with it. this trip has been planned for years and there have been numerous test flights. the wingspan is wider than an airbus 38 or -- airbrush --

airbus 380, yet it weighs only as much as a car. it needs no gas. >> a lot of people spent a lot of time, their free time in the project. there is a strong sense of responsibility to make sure all the decisions taken will be the right one. >> the pilot has to endure extreme temperatures. there's no radiator, but there is a toilet right under his seat. flying over the pacific for five days and night from china to hawaii, it is uncertain whether the batteries can store enough energy to keep the plane flying at night. sleep also poses a problem. the solution? 20 minute power nap.

another major challenge will be crossing the atlantic. depending on the win and weather, they could touchdown in europe or africa. after 25 days, it is scheduled to be back in abu dhabi by august. the plane and its pilot have mastered the first stretch and landed safely in oman. >> i like power naps, but i'm not going to fly a plane. thanks for watching.

♪ >> from dw's tv studios very warm welcome to "focus on europe, our weekly look at the people, the places, and the passions of this colorful

continent. my name is christopher springer. good to have you with us. here's what we have this week -- the multibillionaire who tells us he's doing just fine despite western sanctions. the maverick mayor who put his town square at the central of controversy. and the swiss ski resort that is secretly using the euro. millions of russians may well be feeling the effect of western sanctions. unemployment rising, public spending cuts spreading, and the russian ruble in freefall,