berlin. deal or no deal? that is the question. britain and the european union struggle to put together a post brexit trade agreement. with time running out, british prime minister boris johnson has flown to brussels for a face-to-face meeting with the european union president. also coming up, a passionate pandemic plea. german chancellor angela merkel warns her country is losing its

flight against the coronavirus. the public she says has a choice. except tougher restrictions or more lives will be lost. a dire warning about extreme climate change. u.n. says we are failing to cut greenhouse gas emission. but its not too late to turn things around. we will find out how. and bangladesh begs resettling thousands of refugees on a remote island. find out why the move has human rights groups concerned. ♪ i'm brent goff. two our viewers on pbs in the states and around the world, welcome. we begin with a last-minute face-to-face attempt to strike a deal. british prime minister boris

johnson and the european commission president are hold -- are set to hold talks aimed at hammering out a post brexit trade deal. johnson left downing street early afternoon on wednesday to fly to the meeting. several sticking points have kept the u.k. and the european union from hashing out a deal. after a phone call earlier this week failed to offer a breakthrough, there is hope and in person meeting will maybe get better results. earlier any the day, boris johnson told the british parliament he thinks there is quote, a good deal still there to be done. however, the prime minister went on to say he would not accept an agreement at any cost. >> i must tell the house that our friends -- currently our friends in the e.u. are insisting that if they pass a new law in the future with which

we in this country do not comply or don't follow suit, they will be -- they will have the automatic right to punish us and retaliate. they are saying the u.k. should be the only country in the world not to have sovereign control over its fishing waters. i do not believe those are terms any prime minister of this country -- brent: that is poorest johnson -- that is boris johnson. barbara is standing in front of the e.u. commission building where the dinner is taking place. good evening to you. we just heard a rather combative boris johnson in the house of commons speaking of terms dictated by the e.u. that no reddish prime minister should accept. that statement clearly designed for his home audience. does this dinner fall into the same category? >> supposedly not because it

would be a bit let's say unusual or even a bit silly to play this public performance again for the commission president. the two of them are now sitting up there for what journalist have decided to call the last summer -- the last supper. that is the last throw of the dice across the dinner table to get this thing over the line, to push it and shove it maybe. in the end, there might be a deal. she resides in the upper floor and has a president's dining room. it is not dinner for one. it is dinner for four because the two lead negotiators will be in the room and will be eating with the others. so nobody strays from the paths of virtue and makes any concessions that are not in the

playbook. it is going to be a difficult and awkward conversation. the point is the two sides have been berating each other for weeks now. the one side telling the other, you have to give in. who is going to do that? who is going to blink first? it is not likely that something positive and something big will emerge tonight. brent: we know the european union chief negotiator -- he has spoken of a slim chance of reaching a deal. is that what the mood is like in brussels? >> pretty much so. if you will listen to diplomats here speaking off the record during the afternoon, it was like -- the irish foreign minister was speaking openly and he said, do not get your hopes up. another e.u. diplomat said an hour ago that what it takes to

save this to get to a breakthrough, a political solution between the two now eating, it would take a miracle. miracles happen around christmas but still, he was ready to light a candle in order to speed the process up. seriously, the problem here is the two sides have dug in on the very principles of brexit. the british side says this is all about our sovereignty. the e.u. side says we are also sovereign but this is about our single market. if you want access, you have to play according to rules. if they can somehow bridge this divide, this -- if they cannot somehow bridge this divide, this thing might go wrong in the end. brent: the dinner between the leaders is not the only top story in brussels. the 27 e.u. states are discussing the standoff over the

1.8 trillion e.u. budget. poland and hungary have vowed to veto the budget. >> it was them against the rest of the e.u.. the polish prime minister and his hungarian counterpart. both opposed a clause making the release of e.u. funds to the will of law. >> we say a resounding no to all e mechanis thapunish us like naughty children, which treat poland and other member states of the european union unequally. [applause] >> a power move that put a lot at stake. specifically, the carefully trick -- carefully crafted package. that includes a budget for the next seven years and a 750 billion euro rescue fund to boost ailing european economies. something vital for member states hit hardest by the pandemic like italy.

hungary and poland have repeatedly been called out for rolling back democratic freedoms and had vowed to veto the budget. a crucial test for the you -- for the e.u. but now, it looks like a last ditch attempt whether german chancellor to resolve the issue has succeeded just in time for the new budget to kick in for next year with the coronavirus pandemic far from over. brent: is that the case? are we close to a deal or what is holding us back? >> we are close but we are not there yet because the other 25 member states are now mulling over what angela merkel has put on their desks this afternoon. ambassadors in brussels were moving their heads and saying, we cannot decide this. we do not even want to talk about this. they will have to figure out whether they like it.

there are some countries who are really hard on this rule of law mechanism. the netherlands are one of them. other scandinavian countries. they say if poland and hungary again get away with this get out of jail card, this is something we might not like. there is going to be more talk. poland and hungary have really gone out on a limb. they are ready to come down but the others have to consent the compromise is palatable to them and in the end, there will be something to hold them to account if they continue breaking the rule of law of the european union. brent: barbara, as always, thank you. german chancellor angela merkel is known for being calm under pressure, a cerebral crisis manager. today, we saw a rare side of

merkel. she delivered an impassioned plea for tougher restrictions to bring brown -- to bring down the high coronavirus numbers. the death toll hit a daily high of 590, or than 20,000 new infections were reported -- more than 20,000 new infections were reported. here is a very worried and moved merkel speaking today before parliament. >> angela merkel has spoken on parliament on countless occasions but this time was different. she framed the decisions facing germany as a matter of life and death. in one of the most impassioned speeches of her life. >> there 14 days to go until christmas. we half to give our all to ensure we are not back in exponential growth. if we have too much contact with others before christmas and it turns out to be the last christmas with our band -- with our grandparents, then this will be a terrible failure. >> miracle -- merkel's message,

it is time to act. shops are still open and even some traditional stands are mold wine on the streets. she says this has to change. >> i know how much love a gets poured into those stands and i am sorry from the bottom of my heart but if we have to pay the price of 590 people dying every day, that is just not acceptable in my eyes and we must take action. [applause] >> merkel also condemned the protest movements casting doubt on the science behind the so-called lockdown light currently in place. she made an unusual personal reference to her background as a scientist and her earlier years living under a regime with no respect for the truth. >> at you -- a university in east germany, i decided to study physics. i probably would not have done that if i lived in the west. i did it because i realized many

things to be undermined but not gravity or the speed of light or other scientific facts. [applause] >> for merkel, the facts are clear. a tighter lockdown is needed right now. her next challenge is to persuade not only parliament but the german people in the all important leaders of each german state. without their consent, tougher actions will not be possible but if today's speeches are anything to go by, merkel is ready to put all her political power on the line. brent: germany is not alone here. turkey has reported more than 33,000 covid-19 cases in the past 24 hours. that is one of the highest daily counts in the world. after months of pressure by health experts and opposition politicians, the turkish government has changed the way admi -- the way it reports coronavirus cases and it confirms the wor fears.

>> she is celebrating her birthday. she turns eight today. her two biggest wishes, a harry potter cake and meeting her best friends. the letter is more difficult to organize since stricter coronavirus measures have come into force in turkey. young people under the age of 20 are only allowed to leave their homes for three hours a day. >> i used to be able to go outside whenever i wanted. that was much better. i also miss school. now everything is done via zoom and it is so annoying. >> her mother is trying to organize life as best as she can between work and curfew. she is often surprised how quickly the children have adapted to the difficult situation. >> the kids wear their masks

without complaining. even when they are playing. they got used to it. only when we look at old photos do we notice that the masks were not always there. >> curfews for children are not the only anti-coronavirus role in turkey. those older than 65 can also only go outside at certain times. public transportation is forbidden for young and old people. on weekends, everyone with few exceptions has to stay at home. it looks pretty bleak these days in -- these days in istanbul's usually busy neighborhoods. restaurants and bars closed. until recently, the turkish government only published the number of covid-19 patients showing clear symptoms. that is why many people thought turkey was surviving therisis relatively well. but now, the authorities have started to release data on the

number of all new infectio every day and many are realizing turkey is one of the wors affected countries in the world. >> theovernment now reports about 30,000 new infections per day. >> many of us are angry about how the government is managing the crisis, but there is noing we can do. >> the government is concerned with its repution. they want to look good. that is why there is no transparency. >> they should have informed ople much better right from the beginning. then eveone would have known what to expect and how to act. >> she deals with many covid-19 patients -- he deals with many covid-19 patients. he says t authorities are still hing the true extent of the crisis. >> we still have a lot more

cases than the government says. according to our estimates, we have about 50,000 to 60,000 new infections per day. our doctors and hospitals are at the absolute limit. we have to urgently take radical counsel measures -- radical countermeasures. >> he thinks the restrictions are already plenty tough. the party is over. the kids have to go back inside. next year, she hopes for a birthday without the coronavirus. brent: ghana's president has won a second term in office. electoral commission says he won over 51% of the national vote. that figure puts the incumbent ahead of his predecessor, an old arrival. police said at least five people

were killed in election related violence, marring what observers said was a well organized vote. we went to bring in isaac, our correspondent in the capital of ghana. it is good to see you. the incumbent president gets reelected, but it was a really close result, was in it -- wasn't it? >> it was really close. it was fiercely fought between the two leading candidates. of course, the incumbent president emerged according to the results declared by the commission chairperson. it was really close. you can see that in the results. we could see a hung parliament, which could mean the incumbent president would have to work closely with the opposition if he wants to execute his policies

in the second tenure. brent: this means continuity for the country but what does it mean beyond that fergana -- that for ghana? >> what the incumbent president elect has already spoken about in campaigns and uniting the country to forge ahead. the results show the country is really divided. he needs to bring the country together and also emerge the two sides and show they are able to work together as a government and also as people who are in the opposition to move the country forward. he has to do a lot to unite the country moving forrd. brent: our correspondent in ghana tonight with news of the reelection of the incumbent. thank you. in bangladesh, the government has transported the first

refugees from their longtime camp to a new island location. it was a unilateral decision made without the cooperation of the u.n. refugee agency and it has been criticized by human rights groups. >> the world's largest refugee settlement. for the rohingyas who live here, bangladesh's decision to locate 100,000 of them only adds to their uncertain fates. for some, it is a chance to escape the squalor of the camp. > the person in charge here told me we would have a room on the island. that is why i agreed to move there. >> others have doubts over starting a new on the place known as a floating island. >> we came here after so much torture in myanmar.

>> we feelafe here in the camp. we do not nt to go. >> more than wenha -- more than one million refugees are squeezed onto 26 square kilometers near e border. the bangdeshi government says its relocation plan will ease the pressure on the crowded camp. according to the country's foreign minister, refugees will not be taken forcibly. only those who are willing to go will be going there voluntarily. but some refugees say they are being given no choice. >> first, my father was arrested by the police. they beat him badly. he was put in a dark cell for a day and a night. they asked him to choose between

death and going. that is when my father agreed to go. >> international rights groups have also published evidence of forceful relocation. >> we are concerned that in a remote island, which is off-limits to everyone including journalists and rights groups, it poses serious concerns about human rights monitoring and for that to be overcome, i think the authorities should create that framework. they should ensure the refugees are able to take free and prior informed consent. they are ablto take voluntary decisions to relocate. >> our first group of 1600 refugees were taken last week. the island is 34 kilometers from the mainland in the bay of

bengal. bangladesh has builtlood prection barriers, barcks, hospitals and mosques. but internatiol aid or -- eight agencies fear a big storm could endanger thousands of lives. the u.n., which was excluded from the relocation process, wants more access. the commissioner for refugees says he is concerned about refugees being removed. he wants to see conditions on the island for himself. any transfer must follow a voluntary informed decision. refugees are urging dakar and the u.n. to focus on -- they still want to return to myanmar but only if the muslim majority rohingyas are recognized as citizens. brent: the united nations says a

brief dip in the carbon emissions during the pandemic has not been enough to impact the rate of global warming. it found the world is on track to heat up by three degrees celsius by the end of the century. thats a whole degree more pledged underhe paris climate accord. researchers say there is one thing that could turn things around, a commitment to a green recovery from the pandemic. let's go to my colleague, dw environment reporter. a question, what would a green recovery from this pandemic locally? -- pandemic look like? >> it is hard to imagine now. the report says world leaders cod shave of 25% of greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 with green recovery measures. what does this mean? normally when governments recover from a crisis like a

pandemic, they pump money into the economy to get it kick started. if this -- to meet their climate targets, they would need to invest this in green jobs and infrastructure. this would include everything from building a wind turbine and solar panels to reforest sting degraded areas of nature. scientists have been saying for a long time to stop subsidizing fossil fuel compies as a way of bringing our emissions down to a level where we can achieve our climate targets. the problem is this is not happening enough. brent: it is not happening and it is not happening after we have spent almost a year staying at home, changing our behavior, doing less. after a year of doing less, does it even actually matter if i change my behavior? >> it is a good question and a kink- and i think the entire

year is to put it in context. skies were clear, roads were emptied, people we buying less. all of that according to the latest u.n. report caused emissions to dip by about 7% compared to last year. that is completely not enough to achieve the kind of scale of the emissions reductions needed to achieve climate targets. what this report stresses is that systemic change in behavioral change -- they describe it as two sides of the same coin. th means if viewerare watching this on tv's, that is powered by electricity from coal plants. if people are eating burgers without realizing the meat involved deforestation of the rainforest on the others either the road, all of these things are where governments can step in and help people make correct choices for the climate. brent: how quickly does all of this need to change? we know for a viewers watching

on pbs that president elect jode biden says the u.s. will -- president elect joe biden says the u.s. will rejoin the paris climate accord. is it enough to make impact? >> a lot ogovernments have put in pledges over the last couple of months that raise the ambition of what they are trying to achieve by getting emiions down to net zero normally by the middle of the century. to really be enough, people need to understand what climate change is. scientists compared to a bathtub. events like the pandemic are just tightening the p of the emissions flooding out. to get to a net zeroo achieve our targets, that requires turning the tap off. the later governments leave at to act on climate change, the more they will have to clean up when things spillover. brent: the more we procrastinate, the harder it will be to finally take action.

thank you. you can check out more of his analysis on our website at dw.com. you are watching dw news. after a short break, i will be back to take you through the day. stick around. we will be right back. ♪ ♪

>> are the headlines. boris johnson dines with the president of the european commission with brexit on the table and a different -- difficult evening of talks to digest. one says the probability of no deal is increasing. canada approves the pfizer vaccine. they are set to receive up to 250,000 doses this