>> this is "dw news" from berlin. out in the open -- details on the free trade deal between europe and the u.s.. washington and brussels call claims misleading and at worst, flat out wrong. also coming up -- restoring syria's cease-fire. john kerry says progress is being made. in aleppo, they are drawing battle lines. we will bring you the best of online activism around the world

as dw supports -- brings you the bobs. i'm sarah kelly. welcome to the program. the environmental group greenpeace has leaked the details of closed-door negotiations over a free-trade deal between the european union and theunited states. it is called ttip. greenpeace says the leaked documents show that it poses a major risk for the environment and consumer rights, but the eu and the u.s. say that that is wrong and the leaked documents do not indicate the final deal. reporter: greenpeace has gone beyond putting the leaked documents online. it has set up a reading room in the center of berlin, within

walking distance of the german parliament and the u.s. embassy, so anyone can read the content. >> since we have gained access to the documents, we have the ability to share all 200 50 pages with the population. people need to know where negotiations stand. reporter: the documents have led to criticism the u.s. and germany have placed economic interest is over environmental and consumer detection. -- protection. >> everyone should know about this. we want to maintain high social and environmental standards in a broad framework. this is what the german government has advocated from the beginning, and we are committed to our european partners doing the same. reporter: the question is to what extent is brussels prepared to make concessions to the u.s. to ease the introduction of

products to the eu and create jobs? critics worry over in an server he -- and unsavory trade-off. green pace has gone on the offensive by projecting excerpts from the documents on the reichstag building. >> if the u.s. position prevails, the social democrats will reject this accord and it will not go through. >> as long as politicians have no idea what has been negotiated and which interest are being advanced, i will not give any green light to ttip. reporter: with its defiant action, green pacpeace has ensured that anyone can find out what is at stake in the ttip negotiations.

sarah: all right, that is one take. we have our guest from the peterson institute for international economics. thank you for joining us. we just heard from greenpeace. what do you think of that view? is this documents fundamentally flawed because of health and environmental concerns? guest: you can say that. if you take a look at it, it is mainly so-called square bracketed text. the eu says this. the u.s. says that. there's very little in this text that speaks to an agreement on anything. then there is a last documents that is titled "tactical state of play." and a go through all of the sensitive positions on the eu's side, the u.s. side, and you can see from reading

that, there is a great deal of issues that have not been addressed that our so-called sensitive issues. you cannot conclude anything about the environment, about health, about safety, services, government procurement by looking at these draft documents. that is basically what they are. sarah: so, negotiations very much fluid to rid nothing fixed yet. however, these negotiations are being conducted behind closed doors. the public does not have access to this information. do you think that they should? guest: well, now that the green pace the -- greenpeace people got a hold of these documents, the public does have access. i think only a small handful of the public can spend the time and understand to go through it. the people who will be interested are various industry representatives on one side of the atlantic to try to figure

out what affects their particular industry. i guess what the negotiators will say after this leak, well, if we address some of the sensitive issues and one side makes a concession on some terra for the other side makes a concession, that will be leaked, too, and that will make it more difficult. i'm not sure it advances the negotiations very much, but it certainly does not reveal the kind of allegations that greenpeace is casting at this draft. sarah: these negotiations, they have been going on for three years now. that is quite a long time. is this a normal process? does it normally take this long? what are the hot button issues that still need to be resolved? guest: sure, sure. well, yes, it is normal for negotiations as big as this area

of the transatlantic -- i'm sorry, the transpacific partnership was started under george w. bush. that was eight years ago. it has finally come to a conclusion. we are only at a halfway mark on the transatlantic trade partnership. one of the hot button items -- there are many -- but i will just recite a few of them. europe wants the u.s. to open government procurement at the state level as well as the federal level. the u.s. government is unwilling to do that at this stage. europe would like for the u.s. to recognize a number of so-called geographic locations -- place names for cheese, wine, yogurt where the product is made

with that same name like parmesan. the u.s. is not very happy about that. the u.s. wants europe to get rid of a lot of its agricultural terex -- tariffs. the eu does not want to do that. both want to recognize the professional degrees that have been earned by citizens on one side of the atlantic or the other so they can work across the atlantic. there seems to be some agreement on that, but again it's a difficult area. sarah: ok, gary -- guest: i could name others, but that is a big list. sarah: gary, thank you, we appreciate it. turning to other news -- a plan to restore syria's crumpling cease-fire according to the u.s. secretary of state john kerry, who has been negotiating with

the syrian envoy and the saudi foreign minister in geneva. he says there is a progress to ending the violence in the city of aleppo, but more work needs to be done. the situation in aleppo is complicated. kurdish forces, shiite hezbollah militants, and the him nusra front are trying to take over the city. civilians are caught between shifting battlelines. the u.n. has says the -- has said that there can be no progress on that there are tangible benefits on the ground for the syrian people. here is more. reporter: a hospital in aleppo moments before it was devastated by an airstrike, killing more than 50. citizens are hoping attacks like this one will in if u.n.-led peace talks will lead the

cease-fire to covering the entire country. it currently excludes aleppo. u.s. secretary of state john kerry is pressuring government forces to ramp limit the truce. secretary kerry: both sides, the regime and he militants, have contributed to this chaos and we are working intensely in order to try to restore the cessation of hostilities, and at the same time to raise the level of accountability that will a company the day-to-day process of implementing the cease-fire. reporter: a fresh appeal to -- for the end to the violence. >> there is not an excuse for signing, reinvigorating,

restoring, and re-implementing the only strong message the syrian people have heard from all of us, that it is possible to have talks when finally the cessation of hostilities is reduced. reporter: in moscow, there are further talks. protesters here in aleppo have pleaded for cessation to the bloodshed. but more airstrikes remain for now. sarah: hundreds have been arrested in turkey and the austrian chancellor was booed. all around the world, mady day demonstrations. in a main french square, a clash again. protesters have been gathering every evening. they are demanding more social justice and protests are getting

increasingly violent. who is behind the paris movement called night standing up and why is it gaining momentum? our correspondent went to find out. reporter: the first moved to tear down the gates and storm the odeon. her idols stormed it in the revolts of 1968. but today, the police win. >> what i want is the revolution. we need to change our system, chased the bosses, dispossess them, and decide ourselves how we want to work and what we want to do. reporter: this message brings big crowds, where everyone can

discuss and give speeches. but so far they have failed to move activists. they are looking for allies. some unions have called for a rally against plans to deregulate the labor market, and 33 thousand have shown up including activists. it looks like they are forming an alliance. >> what is happening here is interesting, and also a little bit scary. what can give all of this teeth is an alliance between the students, the activists, and the workers. if that happens, then the government is in real trouble. reporter: there is a great deal of sympathy in paris -- the movement is tapping into disappointment with president ho

longed and his socialist government -- president hollande and his socialist government. >> it is dismal. i'm disappointed. i never had illusions, but now it is really worst and what i expect it. -- than what i expected. reporter: one of the main goals still seems out of reach -- a general strike to put pressure on the government. another problem for many considering joining is the rioting on the fringes of the movement. this rally is no exception. >> i don't think it's immoral to break things, but i think what is evil is to break people like capitalism does. reporter: that is why they want to continue the fight as long as it takes. no returning back to her old life as a teacher.

>> the revolution is still the goal, even if it seems it will have to wait. sarah: we have to take a short break. back in a moment with business news. kristof joins us for that.

sarah: welcome back. a quick reminder of our top story -- greenpeace says negotiations between the eu and the united states should start again from scratch. the group has published leaked documents from the ttip negotiations, a deal that greenpeace said would put the environment and consumer rights at risk. dw has awarded its online activism awards -- thes, the best of the bobs. categories include citizen journalism, tech for good, and

social change. here is more on two of the winners. reporter: the award for citizen journalism goes to a document concerning the treatment of atheist bloggers in bangladesh. five bangladeshi bloggers have in murdered in the last five weeks. >> what they have shown skillfully in this documentary is the trauma people have gone through, what the government is saying to encourage these killings, and also islam make leaders, mullahs in the country openly preaching violence. reporter: an activist, blogger, an activist, blogger, and author from bangladesh was seriously injured last year in an attack

from a muslim fundamentalist who killed her husband. he had founded a blog platform for atheist humorists. many members of the jury are committed to fighting injustice. >> it's different when you read on the website, but when you hear from people and they give you an example of how this project is helping people, it makes a difference. reporter: and the award in the social change category -- thousands of women in the data are subjected -- in india are subjected to domestic violence. past crimes against women -- activists work with acid attack survivors to help them reintegrate with society and put pressure on politicians to take action. sarah: now let's go to kristof,

with the latest on the business world. what happens now that growth is slowing? hi. >> that is the big question. that is topping the agenda of the agent development bank. the event kicked off in frankfurt today. it is the first time the meeting is being held in germany. asia is still responsible for 66% of global gdp. the key is finding solutions to the diverse challenges the region is facing. reporter: what better way to represent the theme of sustainability than a dancing tree? as host, germany wants to emphasize protecting the environment while still promoting economic growth. global financial markets have to shift their focus to sustainable development and at the same

time, cannot be allowed to pump billions more into growth based on fossil fuels. the bank president is mostly concerned over regional growth so more asians can emerge from poverty. and getting clean energy from coal, he insists, remains and option. >> at the same time, some countries -- we need more power. and we are supporting the idea of energy for all. reporter: but the germans are making sure that green energy continues to be considered a viable alternative to conventional sources. >> a long simmering credit crisis in puerto rico has come to its

boiling point. the u.s. territory has not repaid a million-dollar debt installment due on monday. puerto rico pro government said it was not able to make the payment without accurate pricing basic necessities for residents. puerto rico's economy has shrunk by almost 20% in the last decade and the island is struggling. reporter: puerto rico used to be an economic hub for farmer companies thanks to a cushy tax break. while the cash was flowing, the government decided to make big investments. when the u.s. congress pulled the plug on those incentives, income dried up, leaving the island billions of dollars in the hole. since then, it's fate -- its fate has rested in the hands of politicians thousands of miles away in washington, d.c. some call it tantamount to a bailout. the white house on the other

hand is supportive. >> the situation requires an urgent response and republicans have been dragging their feet too long. reporter: puerto rico is set to default on $370 billion in bond debt. >> the decision i made yesterday, as i said in my message, was very difficult and very sad army. congress has to act. reporter: more loan repayments are due in july. without a solution, puerto rico remains close to crisis. >> let's get more insight on this story with our financial correspondent in new york. what is your take. who is to blame for this situation? investors, fund managers, politicians? >> speaking from wall street, i

am not sure investors are to blame. it is a tough situation, and if you look back historically, for many years, puerto rico took advantage of having no tariffs, but especially when nafta started, the united states had other options for producing goods. then mexico has the advantage that they have a border to the united states. puerto rico -- it is an island. so they have difficulties getting product over here. and there is the strengthening of the u.s. dollar, also a disadvantage of puerto rico. but what did the company do? those bonds have come due and they have to pay for it. i would say it's not necessarily wall street to blame. >> how will this matter be resolved?

>> well, a lot of it depends on washington. the problem of puerto rico is they have a special status, so they cannot file for bankruptcy protection and get rid of the money. they oh a good $2 billion that will come due early in july and it's not very likely puerto rico will be able to pay. one demand from puerto rico is that washington changes the laws so they can file for bankruptcy protection. it's really a rather dire situation for puerto rico. >> thank you very much. and we stay in the caribbean, and cuba, where after almost 40 years, a u.s. cruises ship has docked.

the united states has loosened travel restrictions. 700 passengers took the overnight journey. they are open for more -- more cruise ships, more tourists. reporter: a historic moment for the 700 people on board and for many curious onlookers and the cuban capital of havana. it has been decades since the last american cruise ship set sail to cuba. >> one of my uncles is coming on a cruise ship. he has not been to cuba in years and i have been waiting here for him since 6:00 a.m. >> i am here because i have family members coming on the cruise ship and i want the u.s. and cuba to stay where they are right now, at peace and united. whatever it takes to continue things improving. reporter: since the thawing of relations between the u.s. and cuba, tourists have begun

flocking to the island. the international monetary fund expects 10 million u.s. citizens to visit cuba within the year. but it is not without its critics. >> there is controversy. some of my friends thought i was foolish. it was something i wanted to do. reporter: in the u.s., some believe that by strengthening ties with the communist state, the u.s. is lending its legitimacy. >> that is all of the business news for now. back to you. sarah: thank you. anyone who has been to jerusalem's old city knows it is a walk-through history. one tourist decided to do it something a little differently and walk over the history. she is one of the world's top flat liners and has walked between mountaintops and

buildings. she says she was able to add to its history with her feet. you are up-to-date on "dw news." i'm sarah kelly. thank you very much. we will see you next time. [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. visit ncicap.org]

>> welcome to focus on europe or take an up close and personal look at able across the continent. i'm michele henry, and you for joining us. chernobyl's heavy cloud still hangs over belarus. attacks on muslim women are on the rise in britain. in france, digging into the past the term chernobyl has become a byword for nuclear disaster. it is, after all, the name of the town in ukraine, then part of the soviet union, where one of the biggest nuclear accidents in history occurred.