we shed light on the opaque world who's behind benefits and why are they a threat to whistle? opening wolf starts january 5th on d, w. a with this is dw news live from berlin. cobit cases hit new records across europe. france reports one of the world highest one day tallies since the start of the pandemic. this is countries from europe to china ramp up restrictions against the omnia kron variance. also coming up. russia supreme court shuts down the country's leading

human rights group. the and g o memorial dedicated itself to documenting the atrocities of russia stall in this past. will that era's crimes now be forgotten? an artist, an activist, the navy ma holly's iconic photo shine a light on black and queer culture in south africa and exhibition berlin features their groundbreaking work. ah, i'm aaron tilton. welcome to the show. francis announced a record new number of corona virus infections. authorities counted just under 180000 new cases in 24 hours. it's the highest the country has seen and is one of the highest totals of any nation seen in the pandemic. for government has already announced new measures aimed at slowing down the spread the virus. those include

limiting the size of gatherings of people and the mandatory wearing of masks, outdoors united kingdom, greece and portugal also reported record figures on tuesday. many of those new case was fueled by the new omni cranberry it here in germany for government has responded with new corona virus restrictions, which came into force on tuesday with new years eve approaching, the government is policing tighter limits on public and private celebrations. it's also urging the unvaccinated to get the job before the new restrictions took effect . people protested in cities across the country, ah, hundreds of people, the men to pass tensions ran high on the streets of tito in the eastern state of saxony on monday night. just one of many protest sober night across the country against the government's corona, by restrictions and covey. 19 vaccines. it was a tense, but a peaceful protest. in the knee by town of foutz and police were attacked with

fireworks and butters. i say attempted to break up an unauthorized protest. authorities reported at least 10 officers injured in the capitol, berlin. there is a little understanding of the violence that has erected and for those who still refused to get vaccinated. but you'll get every mandatory vaccine where we go on holiday without questioning it. so what's happening now is ridiculous from amazon, there's nothing, it's not necessary to take it as tweets and attack police offices to use violence. you should do it peacefully with other re all in the same boat. so why do some have to kick up a fuss going from her? as i said, i don't know if it's the right way, but people probably don't know how else to express themselves. or almost a year to the day after the vaccination campaign started berlin, mayor of francis cag. if i visited a heavy 19 intensive care unit, she repeated the government's pleated a quarter of the population, steel,

and vaccinated in germany. lessons is this instant get harness unaided, as i can only say it again and again. the people lying here in this hospital and many of them are probably thinking, if only i had done it, is perhaps, then it would have prevented this from happening by probably their, our opponents to the vaccine and measures that over half of their population support measures. now in place, that officials are bracing themselves for a new wave of infections with the more transmissible army chron variance, which could, over when germany is critical, health care infrastructure. china is also expanding his corona virus like downs, with hundreds of thousands more people in the northern parts of shun. she province order to stay home a spike in cases there has produced china's highest infection rates since the outbreak in will hung nearly 2 years ago. it's been almost 2 years since china has seen the streets of major cities deserted. but once again,

millions are back under locked down. all threats his widen, the restrictions across, shun she province on tuesday. as they grapple with the country's biggest outbreak. since the initial months of the pandemic, china has pursued a 0 tolerance approach. rolling out must testing and draconian lock downs for relatively small outbreaks. and despite administering almost 3000000000 jobs, initial research shows the locally produce sign of arc offers limited protection against the on the chrome variant. the strategy that the government is implementing, he has 0 covert and that means even if they are only a handful of cases, whole cities, they have been sealed off. and one game changer was that now than you m variance of the virus are more infectious and the authorities have to act even faster. the

beijing brings that olympics are set to start in just over a month with only spectators from mainland china permitted to attend wave diplomatic boycotts already announced, begging will be eager to ensure that covey outbreaks don't fair the chill, the already, frosty atmosphere. let's turn out to some other stories, making headlines around the world in the syrian port of la tica, firefighters contained a blaze. ours after missiles attacked the facility from the mediterranean syrian state. medius of the attack was carried out by israel, but didn't give details. and the damages caused by the strike is really military has not commented on the attack. members of jordan's parliament have tried to blows during a debate about gender equality and changes to the constitution. the punch began when deputies discussed adding the female noun to amendments, that guaranteed evil rights for all citizens. no one was seriously injured.

living in emergency services say they have rescued at least 40 people stranded by flood waters. every rain had central regions of the country last week, affecting farming and damaging hundreds of homes. authorities believe 13 people have died so far in the flooding. italy's allowing a ship carrying almost 560 migrants to dock and sicily, the vessel owned by the a group doctors without borders has been waiting for a week for permission to head for port. the germans ship see, watch 3 is also waiting for a safe harbor. it's carrying $440.00 rescued migrants. c, watch 3 picked up the migrants from a number of shipwrecked vessels in international waters, off the coast of libya. some have already been evacuated for medical reasons. the crew says help is still needed if we have very vulnerable people on board, small children who clearly need different medical care. over in recent days, hundreds of people have set out in boats to reach europe via g and c. dozens are

dead or missing. after a number of shipwrecks, 16 people including a baby drowned of the island of paris. survivors report starting out from turkey in an attempt to reach italy. they say they wanted to avoid greek territory because a fierce greek border guards would force them back. the direct result of all. busy these are the sharp increasing the border violence applied long across the greek border. so migrants are taking a chance on a longer and more dangerous route. it to the hundreds have arrived on the italian mainland since christmas. and the now in quarantine. more did you notice on so many of them have had medical treatment because they with the hydrated and hadn't eaten full 6 or 7 days a good say said the jordan and the cru see was 3 is also hoping the commission to

head to an attack in port will come soon in the latest blow to russian civil society, the supreme court there has ordered the closing of memorial countries, most respected human rights group. it defends the rights of political prisoners in russia, and helps victims of soviet error repression. the court agreed with the prosecutions argument that the organization violated a law on so called foreign agents, memorial and supporters. the charges are politically motivated, rushes, oldest, and most important human rights organization, now disbanded, supporters defied a protest band to gather in front of memorials, headquarters face it. the decision was politically motivated. was that idea of critics of being eliminated? so is the opposition. any one who wants to lift the mask off russia and look critically at its history that is being eliminated obese. now, your distorted memorial was classified as if foreign agent. that meant the

organization had to comply with various requirements. the court founded in violation of those rules. the n g o is now banned and must stop its work in russia . for many memorial represents the historical conscience of the country. it aims to make sure that the reign of terror in the soviet union under joseph stalin and the inhumanity of the gulag prison camp system are not forgotten . when earlier this month, russian president vladimir putin accused memorial of rehabilitating the reputations of nazi collaborators in world war 2. wasn't a member of the organisation denied all allegations and wants to appeal its representatives, say they may take the case to the european court of human rights. so why is, why don't we important kremlin so determined to have more close down? did you put that question earlier to puzzle and degree of from the organizations

board of directors? and i think i would need to say that it's a long history of oppression against the anymore l as in speech and came to the power. and i think there is 3 main reasons. the 1st one is that lead, there's no lifestyle fledging or put in and he's close friends. he's the former caging officer and all the many people around around him and the who has now the biggest power international day, a former occasion, officers and for damage morrow always was the enemy because we started to what they did. and so it is. and the old there so that he's through, this is the 1st point. the 2nd thing eats and because tomorrow wasn't only historical society and we not only work with styling repressions, but also was the biggest part of moral work in the human rights in the modern, the russia. and that's why it was,

it was all this was hard topics for the russian government in church now in the, in, on all other fields or relation of human rights inside the freshman. and it was very stressful and tomorrow will be the 2nd case against the human rights center of the moral. and it probably also will be bound to work. and the sense thing is because they're putting in more than 20 years in power and then preparing the next next his turn to the keep the power because they now they preparing the transition of his power or to keep him from one more president, right? election. and then that's why the tricky down of all in the huge, independent organizations that was puzzle and grand for memorials, board of directors, south africa photographer, is i'm nelly. mo holy is known for portraying sexual freedom and black, where culture and museum here in berlin has dedicated an exhibition to the artist

and activist. it's an insight into south africa's l g, b t q, community and reflection on apartheid. proud, powerful, sometimes vulnerable. we're even royal. these are some of the faces of xin alamo, wholly whose work also confronts trauma. for almost 20 years, molly's been documenting south africa's l g b t q. community discrimination against sexual minorities has been illegal in south africa since 1996. but in day to day life, gays lesbians and transgender people here are still at risk, as well as non binary people. like molly i think you live with that threat every day, but i cannot stop doing what i'm doing because it made sense to me. and it forms part of the south african history post that but the molly's exhibition and berlin

shows survivors of anti queer hate crimes, including so called corrective rape. but there are also images of love and care. molly's photos are a collaboration built on trust between the artist and the subjects who gaze out at the viewer with confidence and dignity for the series, faces and phases. behold, followed subjects over several years. in that we put algo thea is a continuing journey in life of building visual history with the community. and so they also invite their friends and associates to look fearless to both, to be desiring up to be unafraid of the camera. confident and empowered selim holies haunting images celebrate. we're beauty and dignity,

making them visible to the world. they're watching to be news. i'm aaron tilton, berlin, and remember they'll be more news at the top of the hour. take care and see you soon. thanks. ruth. take you time for an experiment about time. it can be measured precisely. and yet each person experiences it differently as if there are different forms of time, time phenomena,

a dimension and illusion. about time starnes december 31st on d, w. ah, what it says i was sentenced to 7 years in jail out and had to pay a $400000.00 fine. that's fine. that's what this scandal cost me personally, you requested be avoided? i was assured that there was nothing a legal in our causal of eldest simba, but took globe nobody back then was thinking fraught law that it was a breach of the engineers. cowed, introduce them to call up, juggled, went into corn called me. i told him we'd been cheating and that the cause had test detection software and into corn must himself have been wondering how much he knew . and i'm off on september 18th. it was on the news, social. whose idea was it he when and who covered it up on via the who knew?

and at what point, one of us got us like a whole school the diesel emissions scandal known as germany's largest industrial scandal with victims running into the millions of customers. but who exactly was behind the fraud v w, then c e o martin ventercore on his manages and, and genius years later, they are now finally going on trial. this is the 1st time that some of those involved have talked to the media about culpability innocence and ignorance. and what happens when nobody is accountable? this is a long story, was many chapters at its center is a secret,

a trade secret kept quiet for 10 long years until the news broke. in september 2015 . the u. s. environmental protection agency served a notice of fire lation alleging that v. w had manipulated emissions test results. this is a difficult mass or challenge for volkswagen. i suspect they're in crisis mode. and if you want an auto sewing mit their money, putting it in for the software, vate, 5 of dinged hassle of extern doesn't apply to hinder calling the showroom floor of the room. that's her combed. this is jordan. i was off from trish c o martin ventercore accepted responsibility for the scandal. isn't sure to give me an honor form. only quinton, the broken leg is something from the strokes with a silver and apology. unable to save the job of germany's best paid executive map in winter concrete, i was forced on chef on folks pardon took before events,

had even been properly investigated. the v. w supervisory board absolved ventercore in of any blame the wind up. i was totally fist hogan does have in the con, carnac, and deceptive from the more money pulitzer full of grass vehicle. at the same time v. w was similarly swift to blame others, claiming that a small group of engineers was responsible assess whether you filed them for an infrequent taking the gun in the muscle in figure from spartan, 80 social media. the management insisted they'd been completely in the dark. who knew what to when will now be told in court for the 1st time? well, those responsible continue to shift the blame to each other. cartoonish, like it's only human to try and delegate responsibility for criminal action to the key part. you have to work with that and see what emerges in court of and whether

the story is ultimately credible and believable or not, or so. so for some claim to date issued repeated warnings, while others denied ever having heard about the scamp, we gained access to internal documents and interviews and were able to talk to some of the 100 or so people linked to the scandal. we then had 3 actors read what these individuals told us. one for executives. and 2 actors representing engineers are so says, wish to remain anonymous, but at the same time, tell us their stories. as a minority virtual is, let's at least what is my motivation is that after doing so much wrong in the past 3, o 2, at least for the people who ask themselves who these awful people are, is on this. i want to explain this as to how astonishingly easy it is to get into

something so bad to muffin, the order that i'm to go out before i close money. are we victims or perpetrators? we don't know how to use it cuz neither javascript, i knew, but i didn't prevent it. and i'm still mad with myself. absolutely, sir. eric michelle. jennifer, one of the people involved of it to, to, to us on camera. oliver schmidt. he became the public face of the scandal. his u. s. police mugshot went around the world. well, not often. you see an auto executive arrested breaking of an idea, major development in the volkswagen emission scandal. the new york times reports v w executive oliver schmidt was arrested this weekend, a trip to the u. s. by oliver schmidt allowed f. b. i. agents to intercept him saturday at miami airport. haps love miss so to let her go soft. he kept the

lockers off, i made it to the restroom or dance. i was able to pull my pants up if the ivr and then 5 f b i. agents and 3 airport police storm the toilet. when in bristol, had was, i was put in a cell because given prison clothing on when his lives or it would have been all, i was booked at exactly 2 o'clock when the news was on new fans. the story was my arrest. piracy had mine of her big welcome to the cell block course as a hint, isn't it isn't st huckabee hot water? oliver schmidt pleaded guilty and spent 3 years in a prison in the u. s. in 2020, he was transferred to a prison in germany. this is the 1st time he's taught on camera about his involvement in the emissions scandal. he had good connections with us, environmental alsera teeth being economical with the truce, cost him everything line assure to scans i'm thought. and if my crime was flying to

the us and talking to bureaucrats, it included a how i spoke with them in a way i shouldn't have deleted him as needed. i didn't tell them everything i knew lesion happiness. alaska zak was ablest an omission that landed schmidt in prison, but who else was accountable in the end, every one claims that innocence, which is exactly how the story began. years ago. v w executives wanted to expand in the u. s. and devised a plan. they called it to u. s. o 7, clean diesel. the executives wanted to take over the u. s. market, and eventually become the world's number one call maker. this was in 2005. the call maker began working on a clean and economical diesel engine to win over new drivers in the u. s. called

the e. j 189. it was designed to conform to the strict to pollution standards in the u . s. small remaining relatively cheap. the engineering involved, however, was beset with problems from the outset for that is to as we'll do a global, sheila declared exact um, reduces plenty of engineers, said it would be too difficult to meet the u. s. 07 standards with the 1st engine always. but in guy they were ashamed, but didn't know how to make their project happen. this leave you with the shop door . but the pressure was on the e a $189.00 was stated to be ready for mass production within 2 years, as opposed to the 4 or 5 normally. doug keeps done it bizarre. then there are the ones who like to up sell for cough. i will manage it. i'm going to meet those standards with my fantastic engine, these glenn switzer, fer, that was one of the key mistakes or another time trula was models or

the technical reality. the engineers were not even close to reaching their targets and the required emissions levels. there was growing consternation until one of the engineers told his colleagues about an interesting software software that could detect when the cars were undergoing emissions tests. test cycles are always based on 3 factors, acceleration, speed, and time. the software could detect the parameters and then reduce the nitrogen oxide output said that the car's passed to us emissions standards during physical tests with inspectors. but back on the road, the cars emitted a much greater amount of nitrogen oxide. the engines, developers insist they never saw that would break laws or

the slender tester can on those for all did was test detection was no question tests we wanted to detect when the car was on a test rate. and when it wasn't on these a test, a lot of people found this test detection at had unethical. i'll aly garner, but i didn't know whether it was illegal or not because i hadn't read the emissions legislation either. it's gibbon mysteries. according to the engineer's every step and every decision was approved by the relevant superior, which gave the team a feeling of security other zips in full yards wydell in the spring of 2016, i still couldn't believe at least in what am i the world i always thought i hadn't done anything wrong, it's young's was this. that hor, i'd forwarded whatever i had done and found strange to the bosses discolored. hover . the result was a tendency to say it's, it's not that bad. everyone does it, and we'll just carry on when to be a man of either bestowed one unit. but the story told by the executives who

supposedly gave the go ahead is a very different one. for these answers i have in the 1st i even heard of this issue was in 2015 us human. that if someone had told me 3 years earlier that we were cheating and breaking the law by using tricks, i would have taken them to task and demanded an explanation. that the 2nd was one person's words against another's. did the engineers actually warn their bosses and did those buses really know nothing? this is where everyone gets to tell their side of the story. lounge like the civic center in the same german state as v w headquarters has been repurposed as a courtroom. prosecutors have been preparing their case for 6 years. the 1st trials are now underway. the defendants face charges including organized commercial fraud and tax evasion. good unclogged la toolshed of an oyster for the under clock and

puzzle. r. indictment assumes the defendants worked as an inner circle and knew everything was lower, and that there was large scale cheating from the outside designed to consolidate and, and expand v w's diesel car market. shares are marked anti lock, not osborne's, or de la cindy's lung it. among the 1st defendants 2 high ranking engineers identified under german confidentiality laws only as hannah, j, and toast and d. they claim they repeatedly warned their superiors. also in the dark 2 former managers, hence h and hines. jak nicer who insist they had no knowledge of the manipulation senior criminal activity over a 10 year period cuz we have a huge number of witnesses and other evidence, in other words altogether. and it really is a trial of a different dimension. thanked martin. ventercore is the highest profile defendant

that has for now been exempted from the hearings while recovering from hip surgery with the supposedly small group of reckless and. and he has since mushrooming into an army of accused lounge by can look forward to a long series of additional trials. in total, prosecutors have been investigating around $100.00 individuals before this bookish varnish vices. me. wonderful. one is all scream when i don't know how many it really was. jacqueline 1st mom, and i wouldn't just look at ventercore, but possibly, what did people the next level down? no, but beyond and who issued the instructions to say who covered up and who knew what and when people i have this bio with about 50 witness statements covering all areas just think would be from your regular engineer up to the departmental heads corpus to their statements were all about trying to save their own skin, who will also let nigel. mm. this is a tale with

a variety of truths for every episode, including a meeting in november, 2006. that said to be the genesis of the emissions fraud. it was the 1st of 3 key situations in which v w staff had the choice of voicing in favor or against the deception. the engineers made a presentation for the then head of engine development, showing how the e, a 189 could pass the straight u. s. emissions tests. the software developers provided a detailed description of the cheat feature, assuming their bus would then ban its deployment. they claim one of them would later testify. i was clear about our plan. i was expecting the boss to throw us out except he didn't.