anchor: this is "dw news" live from berlin. retaking ramadi from islamic state. the iraqi flag is again flying there as the army declares victory seven months after abandoning the city. is the tide finally turning against i.s.? also coming up, britain's prime minister visits northern england which has been hit by severe flooding.

david cameron pledges to do more to shore up flood defenses. critics say it is too little, too late. japan and south korea reach a deal to end friction over the treatment of sex slaves during world war ii. japan will compensate the self called -- so-called comfort women. anchor: i'm sarah harman. welcome to the program. the prime minister has a 2016 will but the year a final victory against so-called islamic state. this after a rock's army said it recaptured ramadi from i.s. the loss of the city inmate was a huge embarrassment for the military and government. three taking it is being hailed as a rock's biggest victory yet -- retaking it is being hailed as iraq's biggest victory yet.

reporter: the seals the victory over islamic state. the battle took almost a week. >> people of iraq. we bring you news of the victory of the heroic army plucking the city of ramadi from islamic state and liberating neighborhoods one after another. the city of vermont has been liberated. the anti-terror troops and armed forces have raised the iraqi flag over the government complex in ramadi. reporter: that complex was the last bastion of i.s. fighters in the city. the army is now looking for explosive devices and booby-traps. reports say suicide bombers may be waiting for them. the general in charge of operations in the province say parts of her body are still under i.s. control. still, officials have congratulated the armed forces

on the victory. one described it as the launchpad for the liberation of nineveh still held by i.s. sarah: for more, i joined by a senior fellow at the german institute for international and security affairs. thanks for being with us. the iraqi army is claiming victory in ramadi. is it that clear-cut? >> it is an important symbolic victory. it shows two things. first, that i.s. is not invincible. it can be defeated by concerted effort by different powers in iraq. secondly, it shows the iraqi security forces have regained strength. they have been properly trained, educated, and equipped by the u.s. and are capable of this. sarah: it is an about-face because they fly dramatically seven months ago.

what has changed? what's there are three elements that are important. first, the new role of iraqi security forces. second, the air campaign of the united states. the third element is on the ground. the combination of these three elements seems to be the recipe to seriously threaten isis. sarah: the prime minister is saying 2016 will be the year of final victory against i.s. is that possible? >> i think the circumstances in syria are different compared to i.s. i mentioned the role of the iraqi government and security forces. in syria, he don't have -- you don't have a credible, reliable government part of the international community. the approach currently used in iraq cannot be transferred to

syria. sarah: let's talk more about iraq. how much of a setback is it for i.s. to lose this territory? >> iraqi security forces have regained momentum. whoever controls ramadi is about to control fallujah, probably the next step. the next goal will be mosul, probably in the spring. it will be more difficult. ramadi is a city of 300,000. mosul is about to money and people, so it is muh more challenging. sarah: we have bombs being dropped on syria. where do things stand in the big picture in the fight against i.s.? >> what is needed by the international community is strategic patience. i would warn against euphoria.

i.s. has not been defeated. in the past, it has struck back after military defeats. i would not be surprised if we see some kind of return crisis in syria under different circumstances. sarah: thank you for sharing your insights today. parts of northern england remain underwater despite a lull in the heavy rainfall causing flooding. hundreds of troops have been deployed to evacuate residents with thousands left homeless. nine severe flood warnings, meaning danger to life, are still in place across the region. the worst affected urban area is the historic city of york. prime minister david cameron visited to survey the damage and came under fire over the state of flood defenses. reporter: it is the third time york has been hit by flooding in four years. rivers have burst their banks

following weeks of rain leaving the historic city center inundated. prime minister david cameron faces criticism from the public and press for cutting britain's flood prevention budget by more than 1/4 since taking office. cameron visited to show his solidarity and defend his government. david cameron: in yorkshire, we have spent 100 billion pounds on flood defenses since i became part minister. we are planning to spend another 280 million. that is of no comfort to the people who have been flooded here in york. reporter: authorities are using whatever means they can to get people to safety. many areas of the city are only accessible by water. the government has sent in hundreds of soldiers to help rescuers. >> another 30 or 40 people out of a hotel. some people have chosen to stay. reporter: parts of yorkshire

have not seen flooding like this in more than 70 years. in some places in northern england, flood warnings are still classified as severe, meaning lives could be in danger. >> the water came so quick. before we could get everything upstairs, the water came in. we were stuck upstairs. our phones died during the night. we could not get anybody to help us. reporter: damages could run into billions of pounds. forecasters say more heavy rain is on the way. sarah: extreme weather across the united states has claimed at least 45 lives in less than a week. severe storms, flooding, and heavy snow have affected 21 states from new mexico in the southwest to michigan in the north. in texas, 11 people died in a series of tornadoes in the dallas area. footage shows the extent of destruction. the temperature in the city measured 20 degrees celsius on

saturday, but it is now expected to drop to freezing. more extreme weather is forecast for the coming days. a handshake, an apology, and a pledge of money. today, japan and south korea took a big step toward overcoming decades of animosity. the landmark agreement to compensate world war ii sex slaves could herald a new chapter in relations between the asian neighbors. it also seeks to restore the honor and dignity of the victims themselves. reporter: they were young women, most under 18 and some as young as 10. they were forced to work in brothels used by japanese soldiers in world war ii. the japanese officially called them comfort women. in reality, they were victims of human trafficking as subject to years of sexually abuse and slavery -- sexually abuse and slavery. it is a handshake supposed to

finally make peace. for decades, how to address the suffering of hundreds of thousands of sex slaves has strained ties between the countries. today, both sides have reached an agreement. the prime minister again expresses heartfelt apologies and regret toward all those who experienced much suffering with scars on body and soul that are difficult to heal. fewer than 50 of the so-called comfort women are still alive and south korea today. an estimated 200,000 women and girls were forced to work in the military brothels. many of the women were for korea -- from korea with others from china and asia. victims said previous offers of compensation an apology were not adequate. the hope is the new agreement will end the dispute. in order to restore their

dignity and heal their wounded hearts, i think it is of utmost importance the japanese government faithfully carry out this deal. despite the agreement, protesters gathered outside the foreign ministry office in seoul. they say the apology for the war abuses does not go far enough. one former sex slaves said tokyo needed to take not just moral but legal responsibility. >> i cannot be satisfied for now because the japanese government did not mention legal responsibility for legal compensation. >> thinking about all those years we have lived, money does not matter for now. what matters is we have not been given human rights as human beings. reporter: the agreement is being hailed as a breakthrough. but it is still unclear if the

survivors and supporters can put the issue to rest. sarah: two attacks have left scores dead in nigeria. boko haram is believed to be behind the killings in the northeast of the country. extremists struck the city with rocket propelled grenades and multiple suicide bombers killing at least 50 people. in one town, two women blew themselves up leaving more than 30 day. they're the first attacks attributed to but lebron their in months -- boko haram in months. they could be the central african republic's best chance for peace. voters will go to the polls to elect a new president and parliament. after three years of violence and growing human to crisis, the country's are storing -- seeking to restore peaceful democratic rule under a new constitution. reporter: shots rang out in the capital earlier this month.

the voters still braved violence to cast their votes on a constitutional amendment that create safeguards for freedom of worship and bars the interim government from running in the upcoming election. the capital has been hardest hit by clashes between christian and muslim militias. the residents are eager for change. what's we want to vote. it is our right. >> there needs to be a major change. all of the blood spilled, killing people, it should not start again. we don't want that. we want central african republic to become the country it was before. reporter: in early 2013, muslim rebels launched pilot attacks and seized power in the majority christian country. christian militias rose up in response. the violence spiraled out of control. thousands have died. nearly one million people have fled their homes. many are now living in refugee

camp's, eager for peace to return. with the nation remains deeply divided. one presidential candidate says the issue extends far beyond simple interreligious battles. >> you can make as many reconciliations beaches as you want. you can sign as many reconciliation acts as you want. but as long as you do not give people anything to eat, the crisis looms. reporter: for decades, central african republic has not been able to create conditions for people to have the minimum required to feel comfortable. poverty is widespread in the country. central african republic is rich in diamonds, gold, and uranium, but international reports say the resources are mainly trafficked by armed groups they keep the majority of profits for themselves. observers worry the battle for power is not likely to end soon even if a return to democratic

elections succeeds. sarah: you are watching "dw news." still to come, a country facing starvation. south sudan is in a spiral of drought, poverty, and conflict. we will bring you a report on an impending humanitarian disaster in the world's newest country. that and all the business headlines in one minute. keep it here.

sarah: welcome back. you are watching "dw news." our top story, iraqi flag is again flying over ramadi as the army declares victory seven months after abandoning the city. humanitarian groups are sounding the alarm over the future of south sudan. the east african state has fallen victim to civil war and a devastating drought.

according to the world food program, those factors have left 40% of the population on the verge of starvation. dw has this exclusive report from a country on the brink. reporter: the heat is sweltering. in the field, there is little shelter from the burning sun. he and his wife diligently harvest their crop hand. each and every grain is important. this field is their main source of income. we have hardly had any rain this year. the harvest has failed badly. there is not enough crop. some of it is rotten. without support, we don't have enough to eat. he works for the german aid organization. he regularly comes here to check

on the living conditions for local residents. mostly, it is bad news. many here have lost the crops. >> what i have seen inside is not enough. this will take a family of seven people from now until [indiscernible] after that, they will not have any food. they will start hunting for other means of food. the prices for food commodities is very high and not much is available on the market. reporter: many products used to come from neighboring kenya and uganda. but since the start of the civil war, supply roads have closed. with no food on sale, the local market is all but deserted. the few items here are more like treasures on display in a museum. it is food they can no longer afford. as if the drought was not

enough, residents say the security situation in the war-torn country makes finding supplies even more difficult. >> are used to go to the forest every day to gather firewood and edible roots. but it is no longer safe here. i cannot go to the market anymore to buy firewood. >> we are affected by the conflict. the july, we were attacked by rebel forces. they stole cows and goats and took our other possessions. they caused chaos. then they disappeared back into the bush, but we are afraid they are still out there. reporter: the situation in south sudan is dire. a seemingly endless civil war and the threat of famine. the world's youngest country faces a difficult future.

sarah: while some people starve, it is hard to watch others wasting so much. you have some interesting numbers. >> surveys found germans throw away 18 million tons of perfectly good food. not just between christmas and new year when most of us tend to buy more than we need, but throughout the year. and every year. that is a huge waste and a lot of money down the drain. what do you do with the products past the use by date? a new app aims to help consumers make the right choices. reporter: the discerning customer of today demands a wide range of products, and all of them as fresh as possible. but there is a downside. perfectly edible food winds up in the bin simply because of the best before date. a frustration for this supermarket manager. >> it is an indication of when a product is at its best. but still, food is thrown away.

on the other side, wholesalers and retailers are required to follow the law. sometimes you say to yourself, really? the best before date on the back of sugar? reporter: an app hopes to change that using the information contained in a bar code. products nearing the best before date can be reduced in price. all of the deer my -- nearby users of the apt get a notification. he came up with the idea while studying in the united states. >> i was working at starbucks. we had to throw away products still fresh at the end of the day. there must of been over a thousand euros of food each month, so i took it and sold it. reporter: today, the startup has a team of nine people. the company's costs are covered into next year. grants and prize money from across the world have made a possible.

they have even secured their first big customer. >> it is a spanish chain of supermarkets with 70 stores. thanks to a knee you grant -- thanks to ne you grant, we are able to bring it to all 70 shops. reporter: this customer saved 1/3 on his bill. it is not only good for his wallet, it is good for the environment. the firm is currently in negotiations with the american retail giant target. >> was largest oil exporter is dripping in crude but no longer with cash. the fall in the price of oil has hit saudi arabia. the budget deficit for this year and next is big and has officials scrambling. they are thinking of hiking petrol prices by more than 50 percent. it is also talk of introducing taxes like a sales tax. reporter: it is king salman's first budget and he already has

to justify a budget in the billions of dollars pretty was crowned king one year ago. the wealthy state is in the red due to the sharp fall in crude oil prices. since last year, the price of oil has plunged over 60%. saudi arabia heavily replies -- relies on its petroleum sector. nearly 90% of its revenue comes from crude oil sales. that revenue has decreased significantly. this year it was the equivalent of 148 billion euros, 42% last and last year. at the same time, spending was much higher, equivalent to 237 billion euros. partly because the country has been spending heavily on its military. that makes a record budget deficit of 90 billion euros. so far, the finances for next year are not looking any better. saudi arabia wants to generate more funds from outside the oil sector. it announced plans to cut government subsidies for water, electricity, and diesel. another plan is to raise taxes for tobacco and soft drinks.

the kingdom is also considering privatizing some economic sectors to raise more funds. >> a question for you. what is wrong with this picture? this part is cute. but that part, the slopes of the alps barely covered in slow and certainly not in skiers. europe is the world's largest ski market by far. well over 1000 big ski resorts that rake in money. this time around, many will have to come up with alternatives. reporter: normally, this cable car is closed in the winter. but this winter is different. it is running on summer hours to serve christmas vacationers. people here are hiking rather than skiing this year. at 1600 meters, a winter sports substitution program has gone into effect. people come here to enjoy the views, the sunshine, and hike. about 20 guesthouses have opened

up in the region. >> is more or less all the same to us if there is no snow. it does not matter. . >> of course, we miss the snow especially because we brought skied clement for five people. but we left that in the garage. reporter: one of the 10 ski slopes is in operation using artificial snow. there is little anyone can do. even at night, the temperature has been to mouth for snowmaking. daily lift tickets have been reduced by eight euros. it is running business for operators. >> the christmas business is import and for us. the slopes are completely closed. there is still a bit of skiing, but our losses are between 50 and 60%. reporter: the shortage of snow is not only affecting bavaria but almost all of the alpine winter sports region. even so, only a few vacationers have canceled.

those who have booked for christmas tend to be faithful customers. >> ski season may not have awoken in europe, but the new "star wars" movie has. it has taken in over 12 very -- 100 billion dollars in just 12 days. half of the revenue made in north america and the rest abroad. it is likely to get a further boost when it opens next week in china. the makers, disney, are sitting back watching shares impress traders on wall street today. raking in audiences around the world. sarah: i have not seen it yet. no spoilers. keep it to yourself. we have time for a little bit of football. the manchester united manager remains under pressure after a 0-0 draw with chelsea in the premier league. united played well in the first half but now have not won in

eight matches. media reports say you could face the fact -- sack. he previously hinted he may resign. he has been tipped as a possible replacement. a reminder of the top stories we are following for you. iraqi flag is flying over ramadi after the military declares victory seven months after abandoning the city. this is "dw news" coming to you live from berlin. we are back at the top of the hour with more. i am sarah harman. thanks for watching. [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. visit ncicap.org]

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france 24 >> you are watching live from parisfrance 24,. i'm catherine nicholson. it's the beginning of the end for the islamic state group, so iraqi foreign minister. they predicted that the group will be defeated entirely in 2016. and an apology to south korean sex slaves during world war ii. this is being hailed as