sarah: this is "dw news," live from blin. wrangling at the united nations security council delays a vote on a temporary cease-fire for syria. the u.n. wants to allow humanitarian aid in for thousands of people cap to their without food, water, and fuel in eastern ghouta, but rush has concerns over whether the rebel fighters will respect a cease-fire. also coming up, memorials to a horrific past. germany's far right party provokes a heated debate in parliament over how the nation should approach the crimes of the nazis. in all of the fun at the movies at the berlin film festival. the competition ends and the judging begins. who will win the top award, the golden bear, and all the other bears?

sarah: i'm sarah kelly. welcome to the program. thanks for joining us. we begin in syria in the damascus suburb of eastern ghouta, where residents have been living a nightmare, as government forces have unleashed waves of airstrikes. hundreds of people have been killed since sunday, including many children. the un security council is scheduled to vote on a temporary cease-fire that would allow much needed humanitarian aid to reach trapped civilians. russiaas concerns about the resolution. that has led to repeated delays in the vote. moscow wants guarantees that rebel fighters in eastern ghouta will respect a halt to the fighting. reporter: these crackling bright lights have all the hallmarks of a firework display. but they are designed to

celebrate. activists say they are proof that the syrian government is hiring indiscriminate cluster bombs into residential areas. and after a fifth night of regime pounding, this rebel-held bastion looks like this. the grieving takes place amid the search for life. >> i knew he would go. i told his grandmother he would go. he didn't want to continue living in terror. i wish it had been me who was killed instead of my son. i wish it had been me who was killed, so i wouldn't have to grieve or you -- for you, my son. reporter: some have lost hope. others cling to it.

the work of first responders here made ever harder by treacherous conditions and the lack of medical supplies. as death rains down from above, world powers are still arguing about how to stop it. >> the special envoy for syria reiterates that the humanitarian situation of the civilians in eastern ghouta is appalling, and therefore we are in urgent need for a cease-fire that stops both the horrific heavy bombardments of eastern ghouta and the indiscriminate mortar shelling on damascus. reporter: smit un security council members want a 30 day cease-fire that would give safe passage for aid and evacuations. but russia, a key syrian ally, wants guarantees that any truce will also apply to rebel fighters. sarah: for more, let's bring in a middle east analyst.

thank you for joining us this evening. >> thank you for the invitation. sarah: if we see this resolution passed from how likely is it we could see a cease-fire? >> first of all, it is totally possible that the resolution will pass, because russia and the syrian regime might be able to capitalize on it. the political price they get for this is good, then they would pass the resolution. but i think even if the resolution passes, there will be a certain delay of implementation for maybe a day or two, maybe three days, which would give the syrian regime and outside militias some time to make some progress on the ground . and then he situation might freeze for a moment. saudi arabia, turkey, qatar, countries that have a little bit of clout still on the rebel militias inside eastern ghouta, and yes, maybe they can evacuate the fighters and thereby reduce the casualties because they

would reduce the force of the aerial attacks and militia attacks. this is all for the moment speculation. i cannot tell you how this is going to go. sarah: what is russia's al, though, do you think? >> russia's prime goal is to be on i level with a superpower, the united states. the second goal is to gain leverage in the middle east. it has found a very efficient tool of gaining leverage. the third goal is -- this is something we should not underestimate -- they want to get out of this mess because they are also losing. they are losing money, they are losing human resources, they have casualties on the ground. and they somehow want to get out of the situation and stabilize syria. the only problem is they don't know how to do that and they don't want to wait until all of syria is a cemetery. sarah: if you lookt the reaction from the west this week, german chancellor angela merkel making a statement condemning the violence, b the perspective of the west and eu,

have they abandoned syria on the field? have they just left it to the regime and the russians? >> a long time ago, to be honest. uss troops on the ground in certain parts -- the u.s. has troops on the ground in certain parts of syria, has leverage and the support of certain groups in fighting terrorism. that was president trump's promise when he wanted to get elected as commander-in-chief. and you always heard this narrative, yes, the americans and russians have to sort it out , it is not in our hands to sort it out. they might sorted out if maybe the russians will do it with the iranians and the turks. but i have doubts that anybody believed that in europe, that frustrates and angers us as analysts and observers. i have doubt that they really thought the u.s. would sort this out with the russians, because the u.s. and the russians don't get along on this. for president trump, ghouta in

the conflict around damascus is not his priority. i wouldn't say he doesn't care about it, but it is not his priority. europeans are exposing shock and anger about this, but we knew this was happening. we knew it with aleppo and other scenarios. it is always the same strategy. sarah: there's so much doubt, there is a much skepticism wasn't reverted heard from you in terms of a solution to the crisis to the civil war in syria . but you as a middle east analyst, do you see any opportunity for action from the united states, from europe, without putting boots on the ground at this point? >> no, not without putting boots on the ground. but there are boots on the ground. there's enough boots on the ground. there's enough military forces there. europeans are there with the air forces. unfortunately, we don't have enough time to talk about tangible solutions for the syrian conflict. but yes, political initiative would be enough. on the other hand, to be very honest -- this is not my

opinion, but i'm telling you what i think is going on in european capitals -- everybody wants this war to be over. everybody in fact knows that the current situation in place -- the only way this war can be stopped looking at the way the syrian regime misbehaved so far, is for the syrian regime to achieve total victory, at least in the damascus area. at the same time, everybody talks about wanting to keep up the balance of power and putting pressure on the syrian regime to enter negotiations. there have been negotiations without any results. i think the bitter truth is even in european capitals, people have made peace with the idea that assad is going to re-copper this entire region and is more is going to last -- this war is going to last pos. sarah: where are we on the timeline? are we entering the final phases here? >> it depends. there is a long more still ahead because of what is happening in the northeast of the country, the kurdish areas, the

turkish intervention in afrin. we have the province of idlib in the southern front. no come i don't think this war is over yet, and the regime will do their job slowly, because my speculation is if the war is over, the real troubles for the regime starts with domestic problems and its own against the jewish people to as long as the war -- and it's own problems. as long as the war is going, they can capitalize. sarah: without sober assessment -- without sober assessment, and middle east analyst -- >> apologies for not being more positive at the moment. sarah: let's get a quick check on other stories making news around the world. at least 18 people are reported dead after two huge explosions rocked the somali capital, mogadishu.

the blasts near the presidential palace were followed by gun battles between attackers and police. suspected al-shabaab militants reportedly tried to force their way into the palace. the u.n. investigation into the conflict in south sudan says there is enough evidence to prosecute at least 40 senior government and rebel officers for crimes against humanity and war crimes. the u.n. report gives horrific witness accounts of gang rapes, castration, and ethnic violence, and says children are not being spared. european union leaders have been meeting in brussels to decide how to fill the multibillion-euro shortfall left by britain after it leaves the block. it is expected to be 10 billion euros. the leaders need to find funding for new priorities like migration, terrorism, and border protection. to the united states now, where president trump has announced what he calls the heaviest sanctions ever imposed on north korea. they take aim at companies and ships from nine countries

accused of illegal trading with pyongyang. the measures are intended to force north korea to relinquish its nuclear and missile programs. trump's treasury secretary said was a matter of national security. secretary mnuchin: we're putting companies and countries around the world on notice -- that this administration views the sanctions as a national security imperative. those who trade with north korea do so at their own peril. the united states will leverage our economic strength to enforce president trump's directive that any company that chooses to help north korea fund its nuclear and ballistic missile programs will not be allowed to do business with anyone in the united states. sarah: you are watching "dw news ." still to come, memorials to a horrific past. germany's far right party provokes a heated debate in parliament over how the nation

should deal the crimes of the nazis. but in the meantime, it is time for business news. reporter: good news for vw. germany's scandal-plated volkswagen doubled profits last year to 11.4 billion euros. vw revenues were up by 6% to 230.7 billion euros. the company ranks as one of the world's largest automakers from selling 10.7 million vehicles worldwide last year, despite a company admitting many leading software on 11 million vehicles worldwide. it has had to pay billions in fines and compensation and is still under investigation. this report from the frankfurt stock exchange. reporter -- >> this was a strong year for volkswagen despite the diesel scandal. never before has the carmaker sold as many cars. the dividend will be doubled. still, the show price of four is

one of the weaker ones here in frankfurt this friday. the outlook for the profit margin was not according to the tastes of investors. >> speaking of investors, a chinese investor has become the largest shareholder in's germany time where company -- germany's daimler company. he is the chairman of a multinational automotive company based in china. the billionaire already is a -- already has holdings in europe. the international agriculture show begins this weekend in paris. however, france is anything but happy. their concern about unemployment is a tracheal comes into force -- if a trade deal comes into force. reporter: this doubtful

expression says it all. there's an undercurrent of anxiety at the paris agricultural show. farmers are dreading the arrival of terror free me from argentina, uruguay, and paraguay . brazil is already the world's biggest meat exporter. the trade union says the deal puts 25,000 livestock farms in france on shaky ground, a blow to a country that price itself on its food and where it comes from. "i would say that in france, we have an opportunity to have a diversity of breeds, diversity of products. it is also a country of gastronomy. we have farrs who are passionate about their work, attached to the soil, and i think there are certain next matisse spread out in the region -- there is certain next matisse spread out in the regions." french president emmanuel macron has staked out a middle ground ahead of the farm show.

he urged farmers to invest more rather than complain about overseas competition, while also promising to protect them from foreign land buyers. >> its part in agreement with the island nation's creditors for the very first time, this pitiful island of the seychelles has designated the seas surrounding the islands as protected waters, safeguarding fishing and tourism industries and receiving get relief in return. the debt restructuring agreement will pay some of the money into a trust fund. reporter: for many, this indian ocean island is what paradise looks like. the remote island is home to the world's largest population of giant tortoises, and is the spawning ground for a number of rare species. the seychelles government has signed a bill restricting nearly all human activity in the waters around it.

it is the result of a unique deal with its creditors -- debt relief in exchange for protecting biodiversity. the ambitious plan faces 30% of the country's territorial waters underproduction, putting it away ahead of the global marine-protected area target of 10% by 2020. >> it took four years to put this together, but over that time, the seychelles was a poster child of what you do to come out of a debt crisis. they were running positive budget surpluses, reduced their debt to gdp ratio. reporter: in the late to thousands, the seychelles was one of the world most indebted countries. sovereign debt peaked near the one billion u.s. dollars. today the finance ministry says it stands at less than half of that. many fishermen accept that the long-term effects of the marine special plan will benefit the economy and the industry. yet some fear that the short-term impact will be crippling to their livelihoods.

>> onto a very important part of german history, sarah. sarah: absolutely, and a heated debate in the country, because in parliament there was a lot of debate about how the nation should remember the holocaust and other crimes that are committed by the nazis. the far right afe party wanted to end what he calls "the dictatorship of remembrance," while members of other parties accused it of using racist language and insulting the memory of history's victims. have a look. reporter: in the middle of berlin, i stumble upon a tragic story. in january 1943, this family was picked up here and taken josh what -- taken to auschwitz. all four were murdered. this house was their home. their fate and others should not be forgotten.

that is why an artist from cologne has started to ladies cobblestones 25 years ago. desolate these cobblestones 25 years ago. a politician from the far right afd has demented to end -- demanded to end this memorial. he cited a remembrance dictatorship, sparking controversy. in the bundestag, all other parties strongly rejected the afd's stance. >> afd delegate demands an end to the cobblestones. with such statements, they mock the memory of the dead. shame on you. >> they talk about the cult of guilt, the dictatorship of remembrance, and monument of shame. this is intolerable historical revisionism in its purest form. >> the afd has talked about a

monument of shame and called for a 180-degree turnaround in the way we remember history. reporter: hearing the debate, members of the afd were heard laughing and shouting. but none of them was prepared to repeat the controversial proposal. again and again the afd uses the same method. first they deliberately provoke, then, depending on the audience with a slightly relativize estimates. but supporters get the message. and attacks on germany's cultural remembrance don't seem to harm the party. afd politicians have criticized the holocaust memorial in the center of berlin. they are openly opposed to germany's basic conviction, never for that. instead, they call for an end to remembrance. sarah: today is the final day of

competition at the berlin international film festival, and my colleagues are standing by with the latest action on the red carpet. you know, no surprise, guys, european films are popular at the film festival, and we had a german one comparing today. tell us more about it. reporter: that's right, we saw last entry into the competition, it was called "in the aisles," and it is a sweet, small film, sort of a low-key love story about what it is like to work in a supermarket in east germany. reporter: that's right, it is actually a very moving phil. it stars franz rogowski and he is a big hit with us and others here. he is starring in another film here, too, called "transit,"

where he is a refugee. reporter: kind of a big deal. reporter: he is a figure. we don't want to give away too much. check out his performance in this report. reporter: this is not an action movie. and it is an unlikely place for a love story. "in the aisles" takes us to a discount superstore in a small town where there is a new high working the drinks section. -- new guy working the drinks section. his coworker take a liking to him. as does the unhappily married marion from the candy department. he is sweet on her, too.

reporter: when marion goes on sick leave, christian also to a deep depression, and his checkered past threatens to catch up to him. rising star franz rogowski beats this portrait of german working-class life. sarah: ok, so that when apparently gets your vote, guys. we know that tomorrow, the golden bears, the top prize, will be handed out. i understand that 4 films in the competition are from women directors. how likely is it that those will win? reporter: i think we both agreed that they were really strong films. the last one from a female director was screened this morning and we had the world premiere, a film called "mug," for face, for those of you who don't speak slang out there.

it is from a polish director. it is a pretty funny film. it is about a guy who has a horrific accident and master of a face transplant. it tells the story of how he deals with it in a sensitive and funny way. reporter: i like it a lot more than i thought it was. it is also interesting cinematography. another 1000 interesting film by a female director -- another one that was an interesting film by fema director is called "touch me not," about the range of female sexuality. basically, all you need to know about this film is it opens with a very close up shot of male genitalia, and that the film goes from there. you can imagine with the rest is like. reporter: if you are looking for more of a pg film, one week and really recommend is called "daughter of mine" from an italian director. that really has a shot for the golden bear. it is a stunning film. it tells the picture of what it

is like to be a mother, very different portraits of motherhood. it is complex and moving and i cannot recommend it enough. reporter: beautiful, well acted as well. how much does it make you want to go to sardinia? reporter: poll, a lot. beautiful filming shots. when it is so freezing cold in berlin, we are pulling for you. sarah: you guys only have one more day on the red carpet. tomorrow we will find out who the winners are. thank you. in the sports news, one of the great derbies in the bundesliga takes place on saturday. but the days where these sites were fighting for the title are long gone. raymond are hovering just above the drop zone, and hamburg our second last. this derby is about one thing, survival. reporter: the derbies against bremen are always special for hamburg, but their precarious

position makes this game even more exciting. "it is not just the position in the table. you never want to lose by derby. and that is the way we are going to approach this game." hamburg haven't won in 10 matches. last weekend's defeat was the latest setback. a loss against bremen would see them lose even more ground in the relegation battle. hamburg know just how important this game is. "we see this as a great chance to set things straight of it and get back on track." but bremen are also aware that a win over a direct rival at the bottom of the table would give them a huge boost in the fight for survival. they are expecting a real battle. "we will have really hard to tackle and high-intensity game.

every player will run to the max on both sides, but i'm not expecting an unfair match." saturday's derby is a crunch game for both sides. if hamburg lose, they can expect a strong reaction from fans. sarah: well now, it was stolen 8 years ago, but no one painting but the 19th-century impressionist edward dégas has turned up once again on a bus. experts say is the real thing. it was stolen from a museum in marseille in 2009. customs officials discovered it during a random search of a bus at a highway service station. no one on board claimed it, and no one was arrested. the painting is believed to be worth around one million euros. quick reminder of the top stories we are following for you . the un security council is scheduled to vote on a proposed

cease-fire in syria. the resolution is calling for a 30-day truce in eastern ghouta to other documented terri and eight for thousands of people trapped in the national to allow humanitarian aid -- to allow humanitarian aid for thousands of people trapped in the beleaguered damascus suburb. i hope to see you again soon. [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. visit ncicap.org]

steves: the dramatic rock of cashel is one of ireland's most evocative sites. this was the seat of ancient irish kings for seven centuries.

st. patrick baptized king aengus here in about 450 a.d. in around 1100, an irish king gave cashel to the church, and it grew to become the ecclesiastical capital of all ireland. 800 years ago, this monastic community was just a chapel and a round tower standing high on this bluff. it looked out then, as it does today, he golden vale because its rich soil makes it ireland's best farmland. on this historic rock, you stroll among these ruins in the footsteps of st. patrick, and wandering through my favorite celtic cross graveyard, i feel the soul of ireland.

♪ meggin: hi, everyone, and welcome to our highlights show with the best picks of the week. here's a look at what's coming up. culinary champion -- we'll meet the world's best female chef. look at how creative robots can be. we all know that first impressions are the most important. and this applies to album covers, as well. musicians often spend just as much time picking out the right album cover as they do recording