o mccollum variant is putting the healthcare systems around the world to test vaccination campaigns or accelerating while restrictions or intensifying once again . but or these measures enough to stop the spread of oma kron fax, the data and reports you know, weekly cooper, 19 special. every thursday on t w ah ah, the state of the news line from berlin, italy's political leaders bag bear 18 year old president to save pot frontier my

thought a law is re elected as head of state for a 2nd 7 year period after days of debate fail to yield consensus on a suitable successor, also coming up as tension between russia and the west rise, ukraine warns not to fan the flames of war while those living on the frontline prepare for escalation and germany green party elect to new leaders after the own. do oh step aside to focus on their cabinet jobs ah polish welcome to the show. after 6 days and 8 rounds of welding sergio mont, that a law has been reelected as president of italy, the 80 year old incumbent had repeatedly said he didn't want to serve another term by the prime minister mario dog, urged him to stay on to ensure

a political stability in the country that emerged as a compromise candidate. after all other candidates put forward by the coalition government failed to garner enough support turn on the same day as standing by for us in rome with the latest fema. it's not every day that a president has to basically be begged to stay in power. what convinced mother allowed to stay on? yes, i mean, he was very reluctant. the 18 year old president, already having served 7 years, seen 5 different governments. he was already planning is move out and his other future plans, but i think you sensually it was that sense of responsibility that made him take on the mandate. yes, again, i mean, as you mentioned my drug the, the current prime minister thing essentially we saw political stalemate, gay block over the last 6 days and reportedly told him,

please remain for the sake of the good of the country and the stability of the country. and the political party did all feel pleaded with him in that front. so really, i think the pressure was simply too much be interesting to note that you've got 759 volt that's way above that 505 threshold that you needed to park. and there was 4 minutes of applause optic. you pass that threshold when it was clear that sergio mac, the rela, will be serving a 2nd term as president, a popular candidate, 8 rounds, almost a week, a voting all to elect a very reluctant candidate. why was such a complicated endeavor? well, the entire process is complicated to, to begin with the 1st few days it started on monday, the 24th of january, the 1st few days are really unique to get a 2 thirds majority in order to get it across. and then it moved to

a simple majority of $505.00. so that was the 1st thing. the basic problem was essentially no one block where the center, right, or center left, had enough boat to reach 505. so they needed to come up with a consensus candidate and they could not simply agree, i decide put forward certain candidates. but the other side said no. on top of that, there was concern within each political grouping or party because it's the secret ballot. so party, political leaders can't control how well let it go. members are going to actually cost the vote. so there was also frustration in terms of the delay. many parliamentarians decided open parties as grouping, decided to cause blank ballot or to gain. now this is either in protest or in order to continue with backroom negotiations across parties to find this consensus candidate. so essentially that slight drag dawn with so long c,

y go in rome. thank you. he was president joe biden has announced he will send american troops to nato's eastern flank in europe, but ukrainian president followed amir. the landscape has cautioned the west, again stoking fears of russian military action. people living in ukraine's eastern border region have already faced years of conflict and now school children and teachers are preparing for an escalation of fighting new york elementary school. not the big apple, but a small town in the done bass. no one knows how it got its name. inside the curriculum is different. it's not just reading and writing the students here or taught what to do in the event of a bomb attack. huh. what stop? no. what's like if they cover their ears so they have less stress i by hearing less

i what we're worried about of what is an attack near us, not necessarily on the school. none scare us, but that the windows could break because an explosion is too strong. and you might, if we put a protective material on the windows because we're worried about the glass flying through the classroom and potentially cutting someone or even got stuck, not the proper. i belong basic of an international aid organization gave us this protective film for the window one more. and they told us that the glass won't chatter. we don't know if it works, but fortunately we haven't had to find out the book. but with this good deserve, i see the teachers try to stay calm, but these are tens times along ukraine's eastern front. and the children feel it to show the egg. most shooting happens at night to show you the so you don't know who is shooting and where it comes from. yeah, for sure. is it alive? eob? are you sure it's terrible. i'm really worried. i'm really afraid that there will

be an attack, and that will all die regarding the corridors to her lined with grim reminders and stark warnings of a fate that is not yet sealed. and that every one here hopes will never come to pass. now take a look at some of the other stories making headlines around the world to day. a powerful winter storm packing. heavy snow and high winds has pomona new york city and other parts of the u. s. east coast. thousands of flights were cancelled as severe weather alerts or sounded across a region of around 70000000 people. spanish rescue workers have picked up 86 migrants have been stranded in 2 days on the canary islands. the archipelago off the coast of west africa has become the main destination for migrants trying to reach a new member country spain. cleanup efforts on thailand,

speeches have continued following the spread of an oil slick off the coast. workers use hum to remove oil from shore line in right young on the east coast of thailand . the leak from the pipeline started late on tuesday and was brought under control a day later. germany's green party has elected new leaders to cap off. it's 2 day conference in berlin. delegates selected the 28 year old to the condo lung until to day deputy co leader of the greens and omit normally a member of the committee on foreign affairs is the 1st time in 2 decades. the greens have been in power, but they've already been embroiled in a scandal overcoat with 19 payouts, as well as electing new leaders. the conference is meant to reassure members of the party as capable of steering germany in the right direction. in soil term, the fog, our political corresponded julius, our deli, was at the green party conference today. earlier,

we asked her who the new leaders are. because our long who has been one of the to new, the elected leaders, was not present here today because she tested positive for cova. so she had to be live streams for her acceptance speech via the web. but she is 28 years old. she is a feminist and has been speaker for women's policy for the party and she represents the more left leaning and a young party members. on the other side, we have all the movie for he is 46 years old. he was born in iran and moved to germany as a child with his family. he is a foreign policy expert and has a long experience being a member of the german parliament. and he is a more part of the more realist i'll put when of the party. and in contrast to the previous 2 leaders on the lena bear book and the whole but habit were both of the more realist current. these 2 new leaders bring together 2 of the 2 main wings of

the party, and we'll try to of bring unity in that sense, which is a difference compared to the previous 2 leaders. the previous 2 leaders and alina babel, mount germany, foreign minister, and little red, hobbit economy minister, had to give up the party's leadership. why is that? that's because the green party itself has a rule that says that if one is a member of the party as leadership, one cannot also hold a government posting. so it was expected that they would step down and they had been in charge since 2018 and they brought the party to reaching their biggest ever results in national elections last september and into government. so the new leaders are now going to have to build on on, on those results. the green party received huge support during last year's election . could that momentum still be felt at the conference where we've seen that of

the 1st few weeks in government of analynn, a babel chemical about topic as foreign minister and economy minister have been welcomed positively, also in the press, also internationally and also within the party. so that is something that was also felt here at the party conference. this is a moment for the party to take stock and to start defining the future of the party, the next steps, and start to fit in to its new role as a government party, which they hadn't had in the last 16 years. but certainly there is enthusiasm here within the party to now be in government and to bring forward green policies in a strong way. daily is juliessa delhi reporting from the greens party conference. thank you so much. american football superstar tom brady has announced his retirement from the sport at the age of 44 quarterback, played his last 2 seasons with the tampa bay buccaneers, with whom he won the super bowl in 2020 before falling short and the divisional

around the season brady previously played for the new england patriots and is calling it quits after 22 seasons and a record 7 superbowl victories and the nfl to women's tennis. now our world number one, ashley bardy has won the australian open after beating danielle collins. and the final on saturday party becomes the 1st australian and 44 years to win the home title and 25 year old took the 1st that 63. the 2nd set was a back and forth battle with her american opponent. taking a 51 lead, but party fought back to win the time frame and victory as her 3rd major and title after the french open in 2019 and wimbledon. last year. i got dw 4, it's max merrill with me to talk about the big win bardy ends of 44 here. dry a spell, but it wasn't on smooth sailing far. was it?

yeah, i mean, as you mentioned that 1st that she's actually roamed through this tournament, and after that 1st set had still only lost her serv one single time in this australian open. in that 2nd set, you got to give credit to daniel collins is the world number 30 who really put up a fight. put her on the back foot, the crowd there really probably pushed boss you back. maybe some nerves on her part, a lot of pressure on her shoulders that was lifted and she joins. serena williams is only the only 2 plays active plays with one on re surfaces. like you mentioned, clay french open grass wimbledon last year. and now the hard court in melbourne and claims that 1st home single since 1978 and it was twice as nice or even slice is nice because the double, the men's title, also in australia's way nic, curious and death, nasa cook and marcus, who are good friends, a real feel good story, wildcard entry to the tournament. curious, had covert just before the tournament. cook marcus injury troubles, so a really great day for australian athletes. definitely all, and although the most talked about player wasn't even on the court. jess,

china's padre who activists, we're back to support again. she appeared only rarely on chinese social media since making sexual assault allegations back in november against former vice premier jango lee november retracted those into member with an interview which was questioned by many with a single florian state controlled media outlet. there are many doubts about her well being and the activists who were last week with forced to remove t shirts in the stadium, then there was uproar. a band was taken back by tennis australia, an act of it's made good on a promise to distribute a 1000 t shirts at all. the entrances before the final, not many picked up by the t v broadcast, but obviously on social media. also, the debate goes on about her, well being these t shirts where is punch, why the activists have said they will take this to the french, open to wimbledon, to us up, and they want to keep going on. i can't let you go without talking about mars. yes and to history makers, potentially. i fell about on 20 grandson titles,

tied with jock a bit, and phaedra he could win his 21st daniel meditative. his opponent will be thinking, when will these finally retire? i want to be the top dog in tennis, he could become the 1st man to win his 1st 2 grand slam titles back to back after winning the us open in september. so a big claim for him to maybe finally break up this tree hopefully that we've had for so long and men's tennis. max 0 d w for the latest on the australian open. you're wanting did alina is lying from berlin st. you now for world stories the week and i'll be back with more headlines at the top of the hour away our website, d, w dot com for me and the entire team here in berlin. thank you so much for your company . ah. oh, the lines.