♪ >> you are watching "dw news" live from berlin. is it over before it began? president bashar al-assad 3000 to take syria, dealing a blow to a cease-fire deal to the civil war a few hours old. also, pope francis meets the head of the russian orthodox

church in cuba, seeking to overcome a 1000-year-old rift between the churches. movie screenings start in earnest on the first full day of her lens international film festival. science fiction, family dramas, tunisian love stories, the latest from the berlin film festival. ♪ >> it is good to have you with us. tonight, syria's president intends to take the whole country from rebel forces. this possibly deals a blow to a cease-fire deal announced earlier today by the u.s. secreary of state john kerry. the deal was reached in munich between the u.s., russia, and more than a dozen other countries. let's go through what it calls for. it calls for a cessation of hostilities to begin in one week.

the break in fighting should allow humanitarian aid into areas where it is needed. diplomats also discussed ways of restarting peace talks between the syrian government and the opposition. the future of those talks remains unclear. they were not able to convince russia to in syria. we will have more on that in a moment. we begin our coverage at the munich security conference, where serious cease-fire was announced. -- syria's cease-fire was announced. >> hours after a key diplomatic agreement to stop the fighting, the conference chairman said syria represents a new trend. >> today's conflicts more and more tend to transcend state borders. in some areas, to a stunning extent. take the war in syria for example.

it has turned into a full-fledged regional conflict. >> meanwhile in syria, fighting continued. the deal specifies a cessation of hostilities in a week. in munich, jordan's king abdullah urged the international community to come together. >> today, we share interests in a coalition victory in syria and iraq and the end for daesh requires our concentrated and dedicated action. >> the deal has produced cautious optimism, but there is a sense that the cooperative mood may not last. >> the best moment for trying and testing the will of those who have committed themselves yesterday. >> russia's role has been criticized in the conflict. the french defense minister pointed to moscow's airstrikes in support of the syrian regime as a major contributor to instability. >> last night's agreement can

permit progress if it leads to a cease-fire. if it leads to general humanitarian access and if it includes an end to the indiscriminate bombing by the syrian regime and by russia. >> meanwhile, syrian president bashar al-assad has vowed to retake the entire country, leading many to wonder if the agreement can last. >> indeed, let's pull in our chief political correspondent, melinda crane, covering the security conference force. that came out of nowhere, syrian president bashar al-assad vowing to recapture the whole of the country. what has that done to the minimal hopes there that this cease-fire will survive? >> the optimism is actually very

cautious, particular on the record. off the record, it is not so much optimism as it is skepticism. it is not so much bashar al-assad statement, but to what degree can the russians be trusted. the agreement from yesterday evening allows a loophole for bombinggainst eher islac ste or al nus. many peoplare askin wl, coulhat loople be expited russia r indiscminate mbing. we a also geing rorts tt ruian grou troops y bin th siaorking wh syrian forces thatiminishi trust i russ. on the oer hand,e saw the sai arabiaforeigninister saying tt we maye prepar to sentroops ithere. if nobody will act, we will do it simply to remove a threat to our neighbors. when you speak to people on the sidelines, many people saying

off the record that they are not optimistic at all. >> and so many variables being added to this difficult equation as it already is. what about discussions there today concerning fighting so-called islamic state? >> in fact, that was the main topic on the agenda this afternoon. we heard a series of leaders from the middle east saying that it will take a global coordinated effort to really defeat islamic state. they don't call it that. they say daesh, being a derogatory term in arabic. they say they are willing as a islamic countries to take the lead, but they need to work with others, because as they point out, this is an international threat, and if you displace it in one place than it crops up in another place, like libya. they talk about the foreign fighters from europe and the

unit states who have made pilgrimages to fight with islamic state. there was no agreement on how islamic state can be defeated. the prime minister was optimistic saying they had been routed and places, except mosul. saudi arabia saying that without bashar al-assad out of the way and a settlement that gives sunnis more power, we will not defeat daesh anytime soon. >> we will be back with you and a few minutes to talk a little bit more about the situation in syria. thank you very much. the german newsweekly der spiegel is reporting that russian ground troops are supporting president bashar al-assad's forces in the syrian civil war. according to their spiegel, 3000 troops are stationed in northwestern syria, including in towns near the turkish border. the magazine's reporting is based on two videos analyzed by

a team of russian internet activists. one video appears to show a russian officer, take a look here, discussing the success of syrian government forces. the other shows artillery fire from weapons which der spiegel claims that bashar al-assad's troops do not use. commands in russian can be heard in the clip. russian president vladimir putin has denied the presence of ground troops in syria. for more on this, let's go to washington, d.c. now. matthew from the wilson center is standing by. good afternoon to you. their spiegel saying -- their spiegel saying there are russian ground troops in syria, what you make of it? is that something we should believe? >> well, it's hard to argue with some of the video evidence.

i think the question is always going to be about the detail and scale. what we can see for sure is a senior russian officer, i think it is entirely possible that he is far fm where you would expect russians be. what exactly he is doing there is not clear from the clip. that is not proof that there are 3000 russians or that russian ground forces are engaged in ground combat operations. with respect to the weapon systems,he russian have been flying bashar al-assad from the ry beginning of the conflict, in fact for decades before that, so pointing out that there is a russian weapons system, even if it is a newly delivered system, that is consistent with what we have already seen, so i think it is true to an extent, but my guess is that it would be hard to conceal 3000 russian ground troops actually operating in this fight. i think we would see casualties. >> you don't think that there are any new implications then

that this is going to have for the rebels fighting the bashar al-assad regime? >> no, certainly it has applications. remember, military operations happen on a spectrum, no matter what political leaders tell you, there is no such thing as a clean, precise strike. anytime you engage in air war, there are collateral damages, casualties on the ground, that you don't intend or expect, and if you want to have integrated operations between ground and air forces, that means you have to have folks on the ground communicating directly with the air force, meaning russians on the ground. does it have implications for bashar al-assad's battle with his adversaries in syria? you bet it does. it means that whatever the cessation of all still does might mean to the russians, bashar al-assad has the assets on the ground, including assistance from the russians, to keep up the fight, and he has declared he wants to do that. my guess is that the best

interpretation, the most charitable interpretation, of this cessation of hostilities as that bashar al-assad and the russians are prepared to appear that they are negotiating, but their fallback position is to continue to fight, continue to gain ground and take over the territory. >> talking out both sides of their mouths, you could say. thank you very much. the in the of travel -- end of travel as we know it. the european union is considering restricting passport , free travel in europe. this comes as degrees, a main entry point for refugees trying to reach europe, struggles to protect its borders. eu policymakers would make use of the emergency provision that allows countries to increase

border control measures for up to two years. it is estimated that smugglers are still bringing in 2000 people to greece every day. poland's new prime minister is on her official -- first official visit to germany. she met with the german chancellor on friday. relations between the two governments have been strained over germany's policy on refugees. there has also been international concern in recent reforms in poland's constitutional court and public broadcasters. british prime minister david cameron arrived in hamburg tonight. you see those pictures right there. he and the german chancellor are meeting ahead of a sub and -- of a summit on britain's membership in the european union. let's go now to our political correspondent covering all of these angles for us this evening. good evening to you, charlotte. what more do we know about what the two leaders here from

germany and poland, what did they talk about? >> there was certainly a lot to talk about. the countries don't see very much i to i when it comes to a lot of issues. for example, the biggest the refugee crisis, but also poland wants to station nato troops in poland, which germany does not support. at the press conference, they were eager to stress common ground that the european union, that it is necessary to execute -- secure the external borders of the european union, but also the polish prime minister was not specific on if and how many refugees the country is willing to take on, and that is very upsetting for chancellor angela merkel, because she needs to find a european solution to distribute the migrants to european countries. >> from one problem to the next, that is the u.k. in the eu. the german chancellor meeting with david cameron this evening,

what are they going to talk about? >> brexit is certainly on everybody's nine -- mind. britain is likely to hold a referendum next year on whether britain should stay in the european union or not, so this is certainly a topic a will discuss on the sidelines of this dinner tonight. chancellor angela merkel wants to prevent a british eggs it at all costs. she is -- exit at all cost per cheat is going to make some concessions next week because it is important to keep great britain in the european union for her, so that is what they were discussed. >> all right. on the street force in berlin tonight. thank you very much. you are watching "dw news" live from berlin. still too calm, pope francis and the russian orthodox patriarch kirill meeting in cuba, the

first encounter between a roman catholic pope and the head of the eastern orthodox church since christianity split 1000 years ago. we will have analysis of the meeting and ask what are the gentleman talking about. all of that, plus business news. stick around. we are back on the other side of the 62nd break. -- 60-second break. ♪

>> welcome back. you are with "dw news" live from berlin. top stories, president bashar al-assad has vowed to retake the whole of the country, dealing a cease-fire deal that calls for a cessation of hostilities in syria. that says more week needs to be done to secure a full-fledged cease-fire.

members of the syrian support group also agreed to ramp up humanitarian aid in the country. in cuba at this hour, a historic first meeting ever between the leaders of the two biggest christian religions. cuban tv is broadcasting these images, pope francis and the russian orthodox patriarch kirill meeting at havana's airport moments after pope francis disembarked from his flight. many expect them to issue a joint statement calling for peace in the middle east. pope francis will be in cuba for only a few hours before he heads on to mexico for a five-day visit. those pictures, amazing. martin is here at the big table with me, i religious affairs correspondent. that is something that the world has not seen for 1000 years,

right? >> this particular meeting, the russian patriarch and the pope, no. there has been occasional meetings between different patriarchs, particularly patriarch constant opel -- to the throne of st. peter's, but this is actually -- it's a much larger community, but more importantly so much more the russian community.community, >> let's talk about why this not has -- this has not happened for 1000 years. the christian church split into two, the schism . how big are the divisions today in the 21st century? >> the theological divisions are still big, because we have one church, the western catholic church, still based on a system that is monarchic, so we have an

individual at the top of the system and then power gets distributed through it, where as the orthodox church has much more diverse power structures. that being said, the west is is no longer speaking in latin. the east is no longer speaking just in greek, so part of the issue is that this is the catholic church has made forays, the russian church has made forays, the orthodox church in other parts of europe has been effective and opening a dialogue with the vatican, not so the russian church. the russian church has remained distant. >> why is this meeting taking ace now? >>n the on hand, i think that pope frais has made it clear that he is interested in opening a channel, dialogue that was presented as a theological concern and interest in reconciliation. he said, tell me where you want me to be, to the patriarch. i will be there.

i thinkhat we have here is clearly an interesting geopolitical background. >> are you talking about what is happening in the middle east? >> the middle east is one of the tropes of interest, but also ukraine. >> aren't these gentlemen worried about the fate of christianity, and particularly the fate of christian minorities around the world? >> absolutely. there is strong proximity between the russian church and syrian orthodox church, of course. on the other hand, this is a place where and orthodox church members live in close proximity. they are working to ensure the safety and well-being of the christian community. >> ok. we will be talking with you later on in the evening as that visit continues. business news. the markets are making an late late to salvage -- late play to

salvage a rough week. >> absolutely. they are certainly trying their best. it has been a gruesome week on stock markets around the world, now coming to an end. u.s. stocks move higher in early trading on friday, picking up where europe left off. germany's blue-chip dax jumped two point 5%, remarkable really after a terrible friday in asia. tokyo's nikkei finished down over 4%, and japan is worried about the state of its economy. it has called on g20 countries, the world's major economic players, for joint economic consultations hummable what can be done about billions vanishing into thin air? >> ups and downs are part of everyday market activity, but current developments have investors all over the world sweating bullets. since the start of the year, the german dax has lost 14.5%.

the dow jones am wall street has lost 8% of value. japan's nikkei has lost 20%. it almost looks like panic. >> what i think it was was a panic that we saw on another bumpy week at the franklin stock markets, and it was pretty much a the same as the weeks before, china, oil, the material market, and the global economy as a whole. i talked to a trader on the floor who said the upcoming week is still gloomy, and to reach a substantial turnaround, it needs to have substantial impact. let's face it. it ain't over until it is over. >> a lot of movement over the last five years reveals things are not so bad. the dax has grown by 10%, the tao by 30%.

-- dow by 30%. even the nikkei has made modest gains, but will they keep growing? even experienced, hardin investors are getting nervous. -- hardened investors are getting nervous. >> clashes between greeks and farmers demonstrating against tension reforms. right police used tear gas and batons against protesters who hurled tomatoes and stones and attack them with shepherd's crooks. while famers -- farmers drove trucks, locking the road, shouting slogans, lighting bonfires. they are protesting pension reforms that will bring tax hikes and a tripling of social security pavements. -- payments. it remained peaceful as police and right gear stood guard. meanwhile, the international

monetary fund warns that greg xit talks will be back on the table unless creditors find a way to make greek debt sustainable. now, how deep does your love go on valentine's day? you may be planning to buy flowers, chocolates, or jewelry, or you may have no plans at all, but a survrvey by the japanese e-commerce giant reveals germany as the least romantic country, only 18% of respondents expect to celebrate. how the taiwanese celebrate is really interesting. they favor technology more than any other nation. 26% would like to receive a smart device this valentine's day, not the cheapest of options. the most intimate worldwide are the indonesians. the study shows that 51% would prefer a kiss or a hug, and that says something that is

financially viable. whatever you choose, surveys show that the longer the relationship, the less you plan to spend. perhaps that pricey dinner may end up being referenced in bed, but that is another cost-effective measure. that is your latest business news for now. back to you. >> it is the end of your first week here, and i did not bring you a box of chocolates. >> give me a hug later. that will do. >> thank you very much. here in berlin, the first film festival -- first day of the film festival. the jury and film buffs have been getting down to work. one of three film shown today is "midnight special" by american director jeff nichols, a blend of science fiction and family drama worried it has been -- drama. it has been generating a lot of interest. also, a love story by a tunisian director.

we spoke to our correspondent earlier. she is covering it for us. she watched "midnight special" today and told us about it. >> i did not have high hopes for a film that involves an eight year old kid shooting laser beams out of his eyes, but i have to tell you i was positively surprised. jeff nichols makes the difference here. this is a film that could have been super kitschy and way too sci-fi for mainstream audiences, but he a conscious and neat feet. he makes the emotional core of this movie about the relationship between a father and his son. that is enough to keep most viewers interested, even if they don't care for the whole laser beam sci-fi effects. it caught my attention. i think this film has a very good chance. it is early to say having seen a few come petition films that this film has good chances for the golden bear. it certainly got a lot of

applause during the press we saw the stars of the film walking the red carpet, adam driver, kiersten dunce. >>'s error reporting there. -- sarah reporting there. syrian president bashar al-assad has vowed to retake all of syria, dealing a blow to a cease-fire announced today to ease hostilities in the country. you are watching "dw news" live from berlin. after break, i will be back to take you through the day. i hope that you join me. [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. visit ncicap.org] ♪

it is not :00 p.m. in the >>

french capital. you are watching "france 24." a pause in the violence. diplomats agree to a temporary cease-fire due to take a week -- take effect in a week. russia is considering an aerial bombardment. secure your borders. the eu gives greece three months to meet its demands. on zika.n to detecteloped