>> hello, and welcome to "the journal," going to live from hearing dw. >> good to have you with us. our top stories this hour. >> the u.s. secretary of state attempts to patch up washington's differences with russian president vladimir putin in the black sea resort. >> another powerful earthquake strikes nepal just weeks after the quake that killed more than 8000. >> a cease-fire goes into effect in yemen and it is hoped that it will prevent what aid workers are describing is a looming humanitarian crisis. ♪ >> the highest level meeting between the u.s. and russia

since the ukraine crisis broke out last year has been underway in sochi. the u.s. secretary of state john kerry, met president vladimir putin and what russian officials called a positive step. >> kerry also met his russian counterpart, sergei lever rob. events in ukraine dominated the agenda, of course, but they also covered iran's nuclear program and the conflict in syria. the two also took time to remember the soviet sacrifice that led to victory over the nazis severed the -- 70 years ago. russian leaders had been kept away from this victory day commemoration's in protest of moscow in ukraine. >> after tuesday's talks, they held a joint press conference. we will go to our correspondent at the talks first. this one john kerry, who praised his host for the goat -- cooperation with the run of the nuclear program and efforts to bring peace to syria.

>> there is an urgent need, we agree, for that same kind of cooperation that brought about the removal of weapons from syria, chemical weapons, that has characterized our cooperation on iran, the same kind of effort is now necessary in some other challenges that we face together. >> that was john kerry just moments ago in sochi. let's go live to moscow and our correspondent there. aaron, we just heard from the u.s. secretary of state. what else have you been hearing from the press conference? >> well, a lot of pundits seem to say that this is the first major sign of a fall in u.s. russian relations. remember, it's been two years since john kerry made a check to moscow and most experts say that this is a first and positive step in the developments between russia and the west. >> you mention of -- positive first step. looks like some desire for

dialogue to move forward. what does this mean for the ukraine crisis at the top of the agenda right now between washington and moscow? >> yes, it is, and both washington and moscow took pains find common ground on some of the issues confronting them. although sergei lever of said that the cap -- the conditions of the pentagon and white house are worlds away from each other, but we did seem to see some first steps on the part of the white house towards coming closer to the kremlin's position. >> one area where there is a lot of agreement between them is the iranian nuclear program. the two sides are much closer on that issue. could we see some deeper cooperation there? >> i think we could. john kerry took pains today to praise the role of sergei lever of in the ongoing negotiations of the p5 plus one group, which could mean there could be a

future -- sorry -- a future for the developments of both countries. >> briefly, if you could, what about syria? was that mentioned at all in this press conference? >> it was definitely mentioned. both sergei lever of and john kerry said that it is one of the most pressing issues facing both countries, though there was not any clear statement about if russia and the united states could find common ground on a solution. >> a number of issues being discussed there, ok, aaron, is so much for the insight. >> in nepal dozens of people have been killed after another powerful earthquake struck today. >> the country is still struggling to recover from that devastating quake nearly three weeks ago that left nearly 8000 dead. >> the u.s. military said that one of their helicopters involved in the ongoing rescue efforts is missing along with eight soldiers on board. >> tuesday's tremor struck near

mount everett's and triggered more landslides, unleashing panic in the capital and beyond. >> the quake took everyone by surprise. this session of parliament ended abruptly. the tremor lasted 20 seconds. politicians ran from the building in panic. people at a nearby hotel also fled to safety. >> the big quake came and we all ran out of the building to keep up. we are just trying to contact family members to see if they are ok or not. >> many had problems getting through to friends and relatives as phone networks crashed. >> i am trying to call my son.

i'm worried for my family. >> the earthquake startled emergency workers still clearing debris from last month quake in the historic city center of kathmandu. the building's still standing here are already weakened. eyewitnesses tried to help rescue teams locate people feared trapped in the rubble. the quake caused landslides in many places. this mountain close to everest was filmed by a red cross worker. >> a cease-fire is due to go into effect in yemen in the last hour -- next hour to allow for the delivery of humanitarian aid. >> the saudi led coalition continued to carry out airstrikes in the capital. 69 people have been killed. 250 of an injured in the attacks in the last 24 hours.

the truce is supposed to last for five days in give aid organizations a chance to bring much-needed supplies. for some analysis we are happy to be joined in the studio by the editor in chief of zenith magazine, which covers the region. thank you for joining us. first of all can you give us an idea of how bad the humanitarian situation is in yemen right now and if this cease-fire is followed by more fighting what good is it going to do? >> it is very difficult to judge the situation from here. according to the united nations we have about 1600, a death toll of 1600 people at the moment which is a considerable number. the last day alone 90 died. the humanitarian situation is disastrous but with all due respect the saudi motivation is not humanitarian alone to offer this cease-fire.

i think that they have gotten themselves in a very difficult situation and they are trying to get out of this. i would like to remind you of the fact that a moroccan airplane that was part of this coalition was lost a couple of days ago over the red sea. even the saudi's with their supreme airpower have had some problems and the conflict is going to be politically more difficult to explain to the world. >> daniel, there are larger geopolitical conflicts at play here, tensions between saudi arabia and iran are very high. could we see a clash between these rivals? >> they both have a tendency towards brinkmanship at the moment, but they are not actually stupid. a full-fledged war between saudi arabia and iran is unlikely. we see saudi ships now present in the gulf of aden that are escorting believe to the united states. they want this ship to deliver the cargo because they are afraid that they are going to deliver weapons, but in general

saudi arabia has invited iran to play a bigger role in this region and they have a pretext now and that should always be kept in mind, they have become the country they wanted to achieve. >> these are positive developments coming at washington also indicates that they want the cease-fire extended if possible. could the worst be over? >> i don't think so. i think they did a smart move, risky but smart, they tried to engage saudi arabia into a decision. they attacked with cross-border attacks to say come now with your troops and invade or you stay away and i think at the moment saudi's are war drumming all the time but are looking for a way out of this situation, a face-saving solution and the americans might help them with that. >> daniel, thank you -- thank you. >> my pleasure. >> another bangladeshi blogger who has criticized islam and mohammed has paid for his writing with his life.

>> he has died after he was attacked by a group of masked men with machetes on the street not far from his home, this is the third such killing this year . the atheist blogger and writer called for freedom of speech and religion. >> he wrote for a website called free mind, founded i a prominent american based blogger who was also killed by islamists in february. >> this is where he was hacked to death by a group of masked men in broad daylight. he was a bank manager, but in his free time he published articles criticizing islamic doctrine and religious extremism. he also edited a science magazine. supporters gathered outside the hospital where his body was brought after the attack. police said the killers waited for him as he left for work. >> a young man who worked at a bank came out of his house.

told us that for people chased him and killed him near the house. >> at the end of february the founder of the blog that he wrote for was also hacked to death. in march another islam critical blogger was murdered. police believe that islamist extremist were behind the attacks. he now appears to be the latest victim. >> germany and israel have been marking the 50th anniversary of their diplomatic relations with berlin promising an unfaltering commitment to the security of the jewish state. >> they have been meeting with chancellor merkel in berlin and along with promises of support there was also discussion on topics where the countries don't share the same approach. >> smiles for the cameras, but there's much on which israel and germany do not agree.

before coming to germany, the israeli president criticized a new nuclear deal with iran. the deal was the together in part by the german foreign minister. at these talks there was no sign of discord. a meeting, later, with angela merkel was also harmonious. israel and germany have found a way to stay friends despite disagreements on key topics. for example, on the issues of palestinian statehood. >> as far as the conflict israel and the palestinians is concerned in germany we are convinced that a lasting peace can only be achieved through a two state solution. and we would like both sides to compromise and recognize each other's right. >> the israeli president for his part urged germany could and -- to continue to show solidarity with the jewish state.

>> a real example of our friendship can be seen in the commitment to israeli security. the future of the jewish people and the fight against racism and xenophobia. >> under tight security the two presidents will celebrate half of the century of diplomatic ties at an event this evening. >> staying in germany, for decades cornelius had a priceless collection of art, much of it leaved to be looted by the not sees. a court in munich has given the go-ahead for two riders on the beach and seated woman to be returned to their heirs the air's being the rightful owners. >> german authorities discovered the trove by chance in 2012 during a tax investigation experts are still trying to trace the provenance of the thousands of paintings he held including works by picasso,

chagall, and run water. -- run wass -- renois. >> a new record prices than paid for a painting. >> pop the picasso possible and of algiers went for almost $180 million in new york at christie's about 100 60 million euros. it is the highest amount ever paid for a work of art. the oil painting done back in 1955 is a part of a 15 part series that the spaniard created and designated with letters a through our. this particular painting has appeared in museums before as a part of a retrospective on picasso. the new owner wishes to remain anonymous. we have to figure short break coming up thousands of migrants are believed to be stranded at sea in southeast asia. the united nations is warning governments in the region to take action fast. >> a rare bright spot for syrian refugees in jordan. football is helping children

live in refugee camps. stay with us, we will be right back. >> you would like to study in germany and you're still have lots of russians? you will find all the you need to know about studying in germany here. information on courses. admission requirements. qualifications cost, and much more. dw.de study in germany. the first port of call for anyone interested in studying in germany.

>> in southeast asia thousands of migrants were believed to be stranded at sea without food and water and could die unless governments in the region act urgently to rescue them. >> that warning is coming right now from minor groups and the united nations. >> for its part indonesia says they have turned away hundreds of boat people but some have made it ashore. >> these migrants have a long entry through this journey they spent months at traveling from landmark to thailand and then malaysia before landing in indonesia. they are now getting food and basic medical attention. >> we left in a small boat. after two months we reached thailand. their navy would not let us leave the boat and kept us trapped on board. we ask for food and water. they gave us only very little.

they even beat us. >> the situation has become dire and the seas around me and mark indonesia, and malaysia. thousands of ethnic minorities considered stateless are stranded at sea. it is an extremely dangerous trip. passengers spend weeks sometimes months in boats that are barely seaworthy. often officials do not allow the boats to land. and even when they finally do land they are classified as illegal immigrants and detained in camps such as here in malaysia. this woman says that there are nearly 700 people her from her boat. humanitarian organizations say that among them are migrants from bangladesh. they also face an uncertain future in indonesia, malaysia, and thailand.

that is if they survive the perilous journey. >> europe is also struggling to deal with a growing migrant crisis, thousands of refugees fleeing conflicts in africa and the middle east are making their way to europe, braving perilous conditions at sea. >> last year two thirds of the migrants rescued were brought to the city of catania on the island of sicily. they often arrived carrying what they were wearing that one of the first things they now receive is a new parachute's. >> police there have permission to donate it -- donate confiscated shoes to aid groups. and there is plenty to go around. >> migrants got a pleasant surprise, standing in line to pick up some brand new sneakers with egg name brands like nike, reebok, plymouth, and adidas. but the shoes were fakes confiscated by the sicilian police. usually the authorities destroy counterfeit goods, but these were donated to an aid group. >> this year we have given out

400 pairs of shoes to the needy and the migrants rescued from boats. in the summer when more arrived we will distribute a larger amount of shoes. >> the flow of counterfeit imports is certain to continue. here in the sicilian open air markets, many of the goods are knockoffs from clothing to handbags to shoes, often from china. >> they earn a lot. we realize that when we intervene to stop them they keep coming back to the same area they could earn 150 euros per day selling counterfeit items. >> ironically, some of the migrants are now grateful to receive the counterfeit footwear and could soon be running into the police again. without job opportunities they often try their luck selling fake goods at the markets in italy. >> many of migrants coming across the meiterranean from northern africa are from syria.

some 4 million have fled their homes since the outbreak of war in the region. most of them do not know where their next stop will be or where their lives will take them. >> at one camp in northern jordan there is a small glimmer of hope. >> what looks like a routine kick about is special for these syrian girls and boys. hear their joy is a welcome replacement from fear, horror, and pain. >> i can forget the war. the bomb strikes. the rockets and children who were killed in syria. it makes my suffering a little less difficult. these children are staying in refugee camps in jordan. 85,000 syrians have sought refuge here from their countries civil war. more than half are children who have lost not only their homes, but their childhoods. but the football development

project aims to improve their lives and help them forget about what is happening across the border. >> the game of the football activity, also with the events on the team, learning about themselves. i ask them just the kid and play as a kid. >> this dusty and gravelly pitch does allow the kids to be themselves. the project was started with funds from norway and the success has prompted other countries to chip in, allowing inhabitants to enter. >> there are so many children coming to play now. between 600 and 700 per week. there is a training program for under 13 under 15, under 20, over 20. >> football is giving these youngsters a small piece of their life back, away from the syrian civil war. >> to the u.s. where environmentalists are up in arms

over a court decision allowing shell to resume drilling for possible oil and gas in the arctic. >> the u.s. bureau of ocean energy management approved the plan for the sea provided that they get permits from state and federal agencies. they must also get government confirmation that it is in compliance. if that all happens, drilling could begin as early as this summer. environmentalists say that it puts the wildlife in the arctic in grave danger. >> despite what creditors are describing as progress, the specter of greek debt cast shadows over european markets again on tuesday. >> concerns over research here to stay, as we learned during the trading session. greasepaint back 750 million euros to the international

monetary fund on monday, one day before the deadline, but what sounds like good news turns out to be one more reason for concern they had only paid about 100 million euros. the rest of the money came from an emergency fund. this means nobody knows how much money greece really has and how long the situation can go on. this is that for the markets as is a stronger euro bad for the german exporting companies and european exporting companies as well. that's why we saw strong losses in the major markets of europe. >> let's take a look at the market numbers on tuesday. starting in germany the dax shed nearly two points there. in new york the dow jones is currently trading down and on the price of the market the euro is trading up. one dollar $.20.

they have been fighting against local harrumph. >> the government says they have gain control of parts of the northeast. some of the 1.5 million people displaced the fighting on our returning. but there is not enough food to go around. >> the struggle has left scars in the nigerian northeast. and it has severely cripple the economy, especially where they saw some of the fiercest fighting >> i am struggling to feed my family. i was only able to buy grain. >> that people cannot live up to land and local harrumph has cut off outside help. to make matters worse the rainy season will cut off the vital link to the nearby city next month and meanwhile there is no government. some have returned but don't know how to survive.

she used to sell grain but barely has enough to buy bread and firewood now. >> life is not gone back to normal. there used to be peace and roads. now roads and bridges have been destroyed. people cannot bring goods and are suffering. >> meanwhile about 1000 kilometers to the west food is less of an issue than getting energy. vaseline is in short supply, even without disruption. while the country is rich in oil, it has not spread the wealth. >> the french president has called for an end to the u.s. embargo against cuba. >> he made that call shortly before a meeting with president castro. >> this meeting was more than just a photo up. it was also highly symbolic. the french president met with the former cuban leader, fidel

castro, and his brother, role the current president. high on the agenda were sanctions from the u.s. against the island. the french president wants more trade with france. >> we want to build up exceptional cooperation between france and cuba. in order to deepen our relations and strengthen our efforts in the field of health care. we also want to increase exports to other countries. >> he was accompanied by a large business delegation from france. many french companies, such as total and orange are interested in doing business in cuba. >> the discussions that we had this morning in france and cuba allowed us to identify common interest. we could see existing potential between the countries to boost

our economic and commercial relations. >> along with spain, the netherlands, and italy, they are one of the most important trading partners in the union. between that you and cuba it is worth about 4 billion euros per year. >> that is all we have time for. remember, there is plenty more at our website. >> thank you for watching "dw." [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. visit ncicap.org]

host: welcome to euromaxx highlights. thanks for joining us. we have put together the best bits of the week for you. let's have a look at the top stories coming up. home style. the milan furniture fair shows the latest trends in interior design. healthy option. more and more people like to eat well during their lunch breaks.

worlds apart. a london-based company is making handmade, high-quality globes. the worlds largest furniture and design fair finishes up this weekend. it is showcasing the latest interior design trends and keeping up with what's hot and whats not. and it looks like the somber cool looking creations are being replaced with what is being