berlin. tonight, the pobtests in myanmar -- there are reports of shots being fired at protesters. thousands turned out across the country on monday even as police broke up peaceful demonstrations with troops now on some city streets. there are fears a violent crackdown may be in the making. also coming up, a different medic -- diplomatic row -- turkey is not happen be with the

response to the killing of turkish prisoners in iran. and stopping at the border to stop the viral mutations. the problemsy germans surprise border closings with austria and the czech republic. i'm brent goff. to our viewers in pbs in the united states and all of you around the world, welcome. in myanmar, security forces have reportedly fired on crowds in the city of mandalay. there is no official confirmation of injuries or death. the military junta has deployed troops across the country as it intensifies efforts to quell a popular uprising. a coup two weeks ago triggered a mass protests and condemnation. so far, the country's generals appear unfazed. reporter: myanmar's military

junta has sent in the big guns -- soldiers patrolling the streets -- a sign the crackdown on pro-democracy protesters could escalate. since this month's coup, the military has given itself sweeping powers, allowing it to detain people without court order. today, we can see military vehicles, not police security like before. they have tightened security at the central bank because this is the mainstream of the country's money and circulation. they are afraid the central bank will stop working, so that is why they have deployed military vehicles here. but the demonstrators are not intimidated. bank employees have joined engineers, doctors, students and even soccer players in refusing to go to work. people's actions won't stop because they have already taken

the first step, which is the most difficult one. people are marching on the streets and they don't care if they are arrested or shot. we cannot stop now. the fear in our minds is going away. the release of civilian leader ong song suu kyi is key demand of demonstrators. she was scheduled to appear in court but the hearing has been postponed until wednesday. myanmar does not have an independent judiciary, so she could be kept in custody indefinitely. but as government workers joined the civil disobedience movement, it could eventually become difficult for the military to keep the government and the junta hold on it running. brent: for more, we want to bring in a myanmar academic and human rights activist. he joins us from london. good evening. today, we saw smaller numbers of people on the streets. hundreds of evans traders have

been detained. do you see this as an indicator this protest movement may be ing? guest: it is not dying, but a lot of peopl have be arrested across the country. those who are still out on the street, they are forming different teams. some have formed themselves as a medical rescue team and others have taken the front lines and are listening to demonstrators and their speeches in burmese. they are basically risking their lives. by participating and speaking out there, but they are continuing and they know this is now or never existential thing for them as well as for the military. brent: the military junta has

deployed armed forces all across the country. it has enacted laws protecting the military and their are reporting's of shootings and thugs terrorizing neighborhoods. is this an indicator that a crackdown is on the way? guest: much more calibrated and sophisticated strategy to avoid major headline grabbing scenarios where they start killing with life munition. they brought in an infantry division to the old capital. they are known as a ruthless special force, but the thing is this -- natnal armed forces

never turn their guns against the public. by the mere fact this junta is choosing, deployng combat troops rather than riot police shows this regime has zero regard for the citizens lives or the primary duty of the armed forces. brent: we know european governments in the united states protested washington has imposed sanctions but so far, it has not moved the junt what would it take to get them to respond? guest: it would definitely take not necessarily the entire rules of the united states. we have two neo-totalitarian regimes. both of them over the last 25 or

so years have proven themselves solid protectors of the burmese junta. if we get democratic blocks, european unions, switzerland, norway, u.s., canada, australia and new zealand, if theall band together and say in the face of white -- of right wing popular authoritative elysium -- authoritarianism rising around the world, if they want to stand as a block of the world, this is a place where they can make a difference. we don't need china or russia to cave in. we just need a united democratic front, with bur as an example of how western democracies do care. whether they do is a different question.

bren time will certainly tell. we appreciate your insight and your time this evening. the united states is trying to defuse a diplomatic row with turkey by accepting the claim turkish nationals held by the pkk were killed by insurgents. turkey launched an air and ground assault against people kk trunk pkk stronghold in iraq. the kurdish pkk, which has waged a decades long insurgency against the turkish state says the prisoners died during a turkish air. the u.s. initially refused to endorse the claim, a move that outraged the president. they demanded washington support turkey's stance.

>> if we are together with you and nato, if we are to continue unity with the world and nato, then you will act sincerely toward us. then you will stand with us, not with the terrorists. brent: let's take this to our correspondent who is standing by in his temple. are we seeing any movement here from washington trying to make amends with turkey? guest: it does appear washington made a misstep in its statement where it appeared to give equal weight to angora's position and a terrorist organization, which is what it is designated by the pkk and the union.

this has called for outrage. it does appear they are in damage control mode. they have seen it as a way of assuaging turkish anger. they were unequivocal and backing turkey's stance in the killing of the citizens but the statement raised another issue that the united states is unhappy with turkey with, notably a purchase of a russian missile system. but they do seem to be trying to dampen down the fires of fury from turkey. brent: is it clear how these 13 people died? guest: you have two understand where this occurred is in one of the most remote places in the world, a mountainous region on the turkey and iraq border, where there was an important base belonging to the pkk. according to the turkish military and its video

presentation, they say these 13 turkish citizens were executed. the pkk said they were killed in an airstrike. there is no independent verification given the remote places occurred, so we are left with two conflicting versions of events but washington is clear that it is siding with its nato ally, turkey. brent: how do you read erdogan invoking leadership when he's talking to washington and not saying anything about the fact that turkey has been buying military equipment from russia? guest: this underscores the latest very angry exchange that there are so many points of tension between ankara and washington. while they do describe themselves as allies, they are seen as very much in quotation marks. there's a nomination process that has called turkey and ally

-- but the feelings are mutual -- ankara has been critical of washington's extensive supporting the syrian kurdish militia which they claim is linked to the pkk, but washington says they are an important ally fighting islamic state. this is a major point of tension. ankara believes washington is supporting a terrorist organization, washington says that's not the case. the anger and fury reveals how much tension still exists between the two countries. brent: the latest tonight from istanbul. thank you. here are some of the other stories making headlines around the world. in nigeria, the next director general of the world trade organization has been confirmed. that makes her the first woman in first african to head the body. the confirmation comes after u.s. president joe biden her candidacy. jott -- donald trump had blocked

her candidacy, paralyzing the organization. reese has experienced its heaviest snowfall in 20 years. people have been trapped in their homes and there have been power cuts and commutes have been disrupted. the extreme cold is expected to last until wednesday. the world health organization has granted emergency mart -- emergency authorization to astrazeneca upon coronavirus vaccine. it should enable millions of doses to be shipped worldwide. it is cheaper and easier to handle than the pfizer bactine -- pfizer vaccine, so it should make the rollout easier in poorer parts of the world. in germany, authorities have severely restricted travel from the czech republic and parts of austria. they are trying to stop the spread of highly contagious coronavirus variants detected in border regions.

rail services have been suspended to and from the affected areas. police officers at frankfurt airport art checking passengers arriving from vienna and prague. the european union has criticized the shutdown, which is causing major disruptions. reporter: all along germany's eastern and southern borders, many are worried and few are pleased. the new travel restrictions came into force over the weekend, creating road congestion and leaving many commuters blind-sided. yes i am being sent back. i'm from austria and i'm taking my son back to his mother. i'm not even allowed to drive through germany. as of sunday, many borders that were hardly noticeable before are now blocked by checkpoints. only travelers who meet the smallest of criteria are allowed through, such as workers from essential industries, residents of germany, and even then only if they can show a negative

coronavirus test. a spokesman for the federal police as in the first day, about half of all travelers were turned away. from 10,000 vehicles on the first day, about 5000 were setback. -- were sent back. companies are concerned about disruptions to vital supply chains. austria and the czech republic ranking the top 10 among germany's trading partners. the current infection rate in germany is under 60 cases per 100 people in most areas. in comparison, regions just across the border range from nearly 500 to more than a thousand. german authorities say the step measures are necessary to preserve the gains against covid-19 made here in recent weeks. we have a situation where he have to do whatever is necessary to prevent virus variants significantly more aggressive

that can bring more infections with them. from spreading in germany as ugly as they have spread in neighboring countries. -- as they have spread in neighboring countries. many who arrived at the border say they need more notice and more clarity. more details on the rules were promised to be provided in the coming days. brent: earlier, we spoke with a member of the european parliament for the greens. she said germany has not shown leadership and that's making the border restrictions worse. >> if we take a look back to last summer, case numbers were extremely low in all european countries. every single virogist and epidemiologist said we would see rising case numbers and autumn again. everyone knew we would not have a vaccine by september or october.

so why didn't the german presidency asead as the council say let's sit together, let's find a strategy on howe can handle the situation in autumn witut being forced to close our borders sooner or later because we have a ping-pong of lockdowns here, opening up there will stop -- opening up there. brent: since the pandemic began, death has become a much more prominent aspect of everyone's lives. at the same time, distancing measures have made traditional funerals impossible. one funeral director has made it her mission to help her families find a better way to say goodbye. reporter: when barbara and andrea started their own funeral business, the pandemic had only just begun. but they noticed a growing demand for a more personalized approach to dealing with death.

>> i think this is an important development and liberating one when it comes to death, which is no longer such a taboo as people always thought. over time, the topic has come more and more into focus and now with the coronavirus pandemic, this is a chance to think about what it means to say goodbye and why it is important. reporter: the shift is partly generational. instead of religion, issues like sustainability have become more important to some people. that's why she chooses natural materials, filling pillows for for the coffin with hay from a local farm. her business looks nothing like that typical german undertakers. she encourages people to be creative and bring in their own ideas when laying a loved one to rest. for example, the basic urn for a person's ashes can become more

meaningful with personal items like a well-worn bag or cushion cover. >> you have something you identify with have a good feeling about, even just seeing that can really help with grief. reporter: these small choices offer a contrast to an often prescriptive process. death is highly regulated in germany and steeped in christian traditions. in almost all the german states, people or their ashes must be buried in official graveyards and coffins or urns are compulsory. the pandemic has brought new restrictions. locked on measures meant not all of her family could be there to say goodbye, but barbara encouraged them to find an alternative. >> the idea came up to get her sister on video chat so she could be there when our mother

was picked up. for, we would not have dared to do that. we would have said you can't do that for ethical reasons. people just don't do that. arbor said why not? reporter: whether it is going digital or getting hands-on, the need for individual ways to deal with death is more pressing than ever. >> it is so important to be able to and have the opportunity to say goodbye in whatever form that might be. the pandemic has made that really clear because semi people are affected. germany's daily death toll from coronavirus is falling but it seems new perspectives on death are set to rise. brent: life and death in the pandemic. demonstrators in russia are adopting new tactics in supporting alexei navalny. thousands have been arrested since he was jailed earlier this month, but the most recent

demonstrations seem to have gone unnoticed. our moscow correspondent reports. reporter: tiny lights in the winter darkness -- a symbol of unity against the kremlin's politics. from siberia to st. petersburg, people lit up courtyards under the motto love is stronger than fear. the teamf opposition politician alexi navalny believe the unusual protests strengthen the sense of community within the russian opposition. >> we got tens of thousands of stories from people, real-life stories about how people went out into their courtyards, some people met others there,sually left with the ulless numbers -- the number of people who protested, the number of arrests. but we have come out of this with a lot of real connections between people. chat threads between neighbors,

online groups created for their courtyard or several courtyards and we hope that can play a role in the future as well. reporter: along with the flashlight protest, around 200 women formed a chain in solidarity with political prisoners in moscow this weekend. they hope their flowers and paper hearts would speak louder than political slogans. >> i believe protests like these which are peaceful, like women with flowers and ribbons and hearts, i think that's more effective than violence. it's a form of protest that allows for dialogue. reporter: this weekend's protest stood in stark contrast to those in recent weeks. across russia, over 11,000 people were arrested. authorities insisted protests in support of alexi navalny were not authorized. now navalny's team faces the

tough task of keeping momentum going in the runoff to parliamentary elections in september. they want supporters to vote strategically to kick as many of the ruling united russia party out of the duma. >> the opposition needs to understand this is not a sprint, it's a marathon which will last at least six months until the upcoming elections. yes, navalny created a strong wave among protesters, but there is still half a year left. reporter: the kremlin has been presenting the protesters and opposition as troublemakers controlled by the west. they hope protesters anger will melt away with the snow. brent: in germany's bundesliga football, frankfurt's championship dream received a boost after beating cologne. frankfurt looked strong and the goals and winds keep coming. reporter: frankfurt had not lost

at home all season, making them one of only three teams in the bundesliga to make that claim. a win against cologne would come them into third place. after a scoreless first half, frankfurt hit the target, courtesy of andre silva. his 18th of the season, the second-most in the league and what a beautiful touch it was. then frankfurt doubled their lead late in the half -- ivan indica doing the honors this time -- is pinpoint header leaving the cologne keeper with no chance. to to nil is how it ended and frankfurt stays unbeaten at home and they are staking their claim to a champions league spot. brent: marco rosen is taking over as coach when the season

ends -- both bundesla club confirmed the news. many saw it as his audition for the dortmund job. he signed a three-year contract with the black and yellows who struggle to hit top form the season. they have been without a permanent head coach since sacking their old one in december. people in the netherlands have been taking advantage of the cold weather by taking to the ice. freezing temperatures the last few days meant canal sized over for the first time in a decade in some instances. repoer: all the canals are frozen solid and the nation is thrilled. ice-skating is the most popular sport in the region, even more popular than soccer. there have been few chances to do outdoor winter skating. the enthusiasts here had to wait

10 years. it's a great feeling. in times of covid-19, it makes for a nice change. everyone is friendly, everyone is cheerful. if someone falls, everyone helps immediately. the ice brings people together. ice masters regularly check the thickness and quality of ice before giving permission to skaters. the ice must be at least seven centimeters thick before it safe to walk on it. still, twice as many people as usual reported to emergency rooms with bruises and broken bones. police and emergency services warned breaking through ice can be life-threatening. if you fall in, the most important thing is to call for help loudly. then you have to turn around and pull yourself out of the hole

back onto the surface. sadly, this ice-skating pleasure is probably short-lived. it looks like the ice is set to thaw again throughout the country. brent: you are watching dw news. after a short break, i will be back to take you through the day -- tonight, donald trump not guilty again. what does this mean for american democracy? we will be right back.

>> welcome to live in paris from "france 24" these are the headlines. justice under pressure in myanmar as the military steps up patrols. but the street still calls for the release of de facto president aung san suu kyi. yemen's state troop last stand. houthi rebels close in on the government's last stronghold in the north of the country. anti-covid restrictions across the u.k.. residents returning from 33 read this country must isolate at their own cost in special