A designated humanitarian corridor in both the Syrian Military and rebels deny launching attacks. And south korean prosecutors demand a thirty year journey to present we get the latest on landmark corruption trial from so. Little movement will continue im on the. Chilis top court is just handed down a verdict on whether german cities can ban diesel vehicles from downtown areas the federal ministers of court in leipzig has ruled that minister of the parties are allowed to impose driving bans on diesel vehicles environmentalist have been calling for a diesel ban for years they say thousands of people a year die prematurely as a result of rockridge and dioxide emissions from diesel car exhaust authorities in some cities one favor off at least partially bans the did not believe thats current laws allow them to impose restrictions. Now Political Correspondent simon young has been following the Court Proceedings in leipzig he joins me now from up on im interested ians here in berlin some first of all tell us more about the courts verdict yeah i read it just to recap the local courts in stuttgart and dusseldorf originally said that driving bans were ok the state governments barred inverting bagga north rhinewestphalia had appealed against that now all the countrys highest Administrative Court has said no driving bans can be introduced they are legal and indeed it is ordered that the cities of stuttgart and duesseldorf to date their pollution plans around the pollution plans and to make sure that people are protected from the harmful effects of diesel vehicles and i think this verdict clearly will not just apply to those two cities but will apply to cities around the country and there are many of them in germany as many as seventy have got a really serious problem with filthy air now they had to talk about the court passing on the decision up to a higher European Court has that now been doing dot. Well the court today has said that these bans can be introduced they dont need a. Unified regime from that National Level and this decision also does not need to be referred to the European Court of justice so that can go ahead without further european scrutiny i would point out that the European Commission has been saying that germany is not doing enough to tackle air pollution problems and indeed has been threatening to take germany to the European Court itself along with some other polluting countries so i dont know that weve necessarily heard the last of this issue in terms of european jurisprudence either as some environmentalist have been pushing for a diesel a bat for quite a long time now and then theyre going to miss this pollution from does it make us is a killer and they say there is plenty of research to back that claim lets first take a listen to a report which talks about their concerns. There are more than fifteen million diesel vehicles on germanys roads drivers find them reliable and economical and theyre popular with businesses transporting freight and goods. But the future of that popularity is in doubt even ahead of the courts ruling allowing a ban diesel vehicle sales had slowed the Court Verdict addresses concerns over high levels of nitrogen dioxide in diesel emissions and the gas is linked to cardiovascular and lung disease in a study by germanys federal Environment Agency researchers linked nitrogen dioxide in diesel exhaust to some eight thousand premature deaths from heart related disease. I dont think politicians are serious about the results of these studies because otherwise wed have to really enforce these driving restrictions. Regardless of any doubt surrounding the findings one thing is certain traffic contribute significantly to nitrogen dioxide pollution and the main culprit is diesel levels are over the limit at nearly half the measuring stations in germany. This applies mainly to main traffic arteries its a different picture in residential areas. And those places on average we see levels between twenty and thirty micrograms per cubic meter which is well below the limits access levels are really just an issue on base here rudely. And if you have a fine and. The highest levels are found in large cities such as stuttgart cologne and berlin which have the most to lose from the new rules Haulage Companies and other trade industries warned that a ban could put the delivery of goods to cities at risk. Members think that fiction wed have to shut down immediately we cant krantz put our goods by train so we had no other options and weeks until this. Initial measures which have been discussed include improved Public Transportation networks and electric buses that should provide some relief in cities affected by the excessive pollution levels. So some in jail authorities are under pressure to react the courts now say they can so will their. Well i think that the court has said that you know bans are another tool in the toolbox of doing something about so many cities may feel that theyve got to use that at least in some cases banning older diesel vehicles diesel bickles which are the ones that are said to be more polluting in some places on some roads where pollution has been tested and found to be particularly serious because critics of that say well you know if you if you ban certain kinds of vehicles for one road they just take another road and take the pollution with them so you need a range probably of. Measures to tackle this problem free or much cheaper public transport is one thing of course germanys air has become a bit cleaner in recent years because of technological advances diesel vehicles are cleaner than they used to be but also of course people arent buying as many diesel vehicles partly because of the uncertainty created by the whole v. W. Diesel scandal right so many and i thought im interested is thank you very much and of course that call truly in on the ban of disease vectors from city centers a potential ban has huge implications for the car industry christopher my business says has more thats right on radio that very car industry that has been promoting diesels for years quite ambitiously actually to talk more about it im joined by my colleagues an alderman from v. W. Business as well as arent telling her shes an automotive journalists in london are and welcome to you let me start with you did you expect this verdict. We did expect this yes we we said its very likely that. You know the federalist ministry of course in germany will confirm the previous rulings from the locals so it is it was sort of expected and thats also why stocks didnt really draw in a meaningful way today all right let me come to you diesel engines as we said have they have a big market share in europe theyve been viciously promoted for decades what now i mean the emissions trading scandal has already cost the car industry billions hows it supposed to move on well exactly i mean there was a time that these cars were heavily subsidized they were sold as more environmentally friendly than gas vehicles and that really helped push market share up just this time last year these also enjoyed a forty five percent market share that has since gone down to about thirty three percent as of last month so from here on the industry has a range of options none of which theyll find super attractive but it might be time to revisit for example the whole discussion around retrofitting hardware and updating the hardware to make it run cleaner now car makers have refused to do this in the past because theyve said that it would cost them thousands of euros per vehicle Government Experts have come up with a more modest figure of one thousand three hundred euros her car but thats still not insignificant now they might also come up with a scrappage plan so that consumers can trade in all their consoles whatever they decide to go with this is going to be a very big endeavor there are about fifteen million result vehicles on the roads only about a third of which conform to the latest Environmental Standards and the question is going to be that who pays right arent let me come back to you do you think theres a price tag on this and. The automotive Automotive Industry burden this cost. But i think the burning will need to be shared between berlin and the industry for example you know if you take the midpoint of a retrofit solution per car call it two thousand euros you multiply that just by the fleet of euro five diesels which attention technically in unfixable that alone what would cost you about fourteen billion euro so we talk about relatively small numbers because are but huge numbers across the fleet and my question elaine and the industry is isnt that money better invested into a industry wide scrapping program to get these old also less safe more to defeat us of the road and invest into future technologies such as electrification so you say this court ruling as accelerating the timetable of yourself a set because you said that the does all is said to disappear in the coming years. But easily disappeared for many reasons a its not a global poetry its just so in europe jesus has become fruit it to me that is if to manufacture it so the margins of these look are so alone were so diesels will disappear the question is just how fast and how disruptive and how and food will it be for consumers for dealers and for the industry and that needs to be managed all right general let me come back to you on this isnt directly linked to the emissions cheating scandal but doesnt strengthen the case of those seeking. Compensation from v. W. I would say that it does now remember that these are great of course was the issue with that forest this whole thing into the public eye and a ban would help our the point home that consumers didnt really know what they were getting into at the time that they bought these vehicles the verdict would mean that the cars their cars would depreciate much quicker in value and that theyre used to become more restricted now its easy to see how that could help the argument that they bought cars that were marketed as playing cleaner than they were at a time where the industry was wilfully cheating to further cement that selling point now theyre stuck with lemons and offices Something Else to be done for them to now the milan from v. W. Business and on telling her its automotive analyst in london thank you both. And as this verdict is likely to have important consequences for carmakers investors have eagerly awaited the ruling as well daniel cope in frankfurt hows it going down at the stock exchange. For shareholders certainly will need a strong nurse today when the news was breaking shares of the big car make us were dropping already between zero point five and one point seven per cent this could be certainly way worse but we also have to remember how many billions of euros have been already lost during the gate scandal diesel car sales have been dropping already during this and last year but after todays verdict even less people will decide to buy a diesel car while the car industry wants unloaded we now have to see who really has supplier for this car owners maybe for up days cities for new regulations what will the car makers at the end have to pay one thing is very short even though the shares were not dropping dramatically the value offered these are current home most more of its value today or it shares of carmakers retreat somewhat after a german court allows driving bad on diesel vehicles frank thank you. And the specter despite a truce the fighting in syria continues thats trying to christophe theyve been reports of fresh violence including as strikes in the rebel stronghold of eastern huta this despite a daily five hour truce said russia declared a short while ago the u. N. Says a renewed fighting naked makes delivering aid impossible russias military is claiming that shelling from rebel groups means civilians have been unable to leave eastern huta rebel factions they have denied bombing the Evacuation Route or preventing civilians from leaving more than five hundred civilians have been reported killed since the soon government and its russian allies stepped up their offensive on. Weak. Joining me now is the recent humanitarian coordinator for Care International in the middle east melius whos card monitoring the situation from amman in jordan martin first of all what are your colleagues in recent telling you about the situation on the ground. In the morning they told us. You know there was. A quiet tonight there was you know kind of a reduction off airstrikes and you know basically the president said levels of violence we had seen in the last ten days were reducing and in the morning. Around ten oclock local time people were coming out of their basements out of their shelters trying to get some food and water but very recently as you are. I think we seem to have lost the line to martin million strong kev internationally he was talking to us from amman jordan we see if we can reestablish that line later in the program meanwhile lets take a look at some other stories making news around the. A check or to zoom in to free the city could this lead asylum listing refusing to requests to extradite him check authorities detained muslim over the weekend at qwest thought a muslim denies to his claim that he was involved in attacks carried out on its territory. Saudi arabias king sole man has fired some of the countrys top military officers in a major shakeup they include the militarys chief of staff general. And other defense officials no forward reason has been provided for the move which was announced early on tuesday. The frontrunner in colombias upcoming president ial elections petro has alleged voting is at risk from massive fraud he claims the decision not to digitalize the results from the countrys polling stations makes fraud more likely colombians and be voting in a president ial primary on the eleventh of march. Turning out of south korea where prosecutors are looking to pile the punishment on fall of president paquin high theyre asking the court to levy a thirty year prison term and a fine of nearly one hundred Million Euros against a former south korean president over corruption charges fox was ousted from office last year in a bribery scandal which rocked the countrys business and political elite in her words in a televised apology last year im sorry to the people i will faithfully cooperate with questioning no possible lengthy jail term hangs over former south korean President Park geun hey shes been detained for almost a year following her impeachment. As well as a thirty Year Prison Sentence prosecutors are seeking a one hundred mi team point five billion warn or nearly ninety million you do fine. Her case brought scrutiny to the ties between south koreas political leaders and its Largest Company samsung two weeks ago prosecutors the i used to president s longtime confidant to soon seale for twenty years she was convicted of taking bribes from both samsung and the retail giant lot of. Hundreds of thousands of people turned out every weekend for more than two months in late twenty sixteen demanding parks immediate removal but now the maid is one of despondency. Im not a patriot and i even know im a sectarian set isnt i have no love for this nation after witnessing the best mess inside korea receiving bribes carries a penalty of up to a lifetime in jail park and he denies any wrongdoing and a very date is expected by the end of the month. Joining me now is correspondent Jason Strother in Seoul South Korea just in today was the final session in this luck irruption guest tell us about the significance of this trial and what kind of a verdict is expected. I mean i think Many South Koreans feel this was an example of people power as your reporter indicated for months millions of South Koreans came out onto the streets to call for her ouster and they got it pretty much and to them it was you know it was a long overdue correction of what they many people see as the corrupt ties between the political and business elites and as for what kind of a verdict that we can expect when the judge rules its hard to say prosecutors have asked for much to for penalties for the samsung chairman lee j. Young as well as jason shilled the woman at the center of the Corruption Scandal but in the end the judges always give in less than what the prosecution has asked although we have to remember that lien j. Young the samsung heir who was given a five year jail term last summer was let out just recently after spending less than a year behind bars and just an octave attend court today why. While she is essentially boycotting this whole hearing back in september when there was still not a verdict in sight. Prosecutors sought a six month extension to her detention somewhat unprecedented and her lawyers her her private lawyers quit she has since been assigned government lawyers and she refuses to meet with them as well and you mentioned that you know people of that south korean seem to be disillusioned about the killing cozy relationship between the government and business how widespread is this feeling. Right well i mean i think its what Many South Koreans feel that keeps them back from succeeding that it all the good jobs good titles good opportunities in life all go to people who have political or business connections and by business connections i mean to the top conglomerates like sam song and one day. So there is still id say overwhelming support for parks ouster that is not changed although we have seen protests here in favor of the former president many of her supporters say that she was unfairly taken out of office and want to see her freedom. Ride to Jason Strother in so in south korea thank you very much for that thank you and this try and return it to the guests who are trying to talk about the situation in eastern huta in syria have a stab the links again with a visa you mountain quote in asia for Care International in the middle east martin in the list. Youll want to see the situation from amman jordan tell us more about what your colleagues are saying about the situation in east and go down today. They have been telling is that after ten days i find president at levels of violence and aerial bombardment that then had a rather quiet night and people were emerging from their shelters in the morning at nine oclock local time looking for their belongings or looking to get some food some water and then unfortunately around lunchtime again we got. We got the information from our partners on the ground that the aerial bombardment had to raise you and people running for their lives again and basically now we have really trouble to reestablish communication at the moment and while people on the ground able to establish where this was coming from do they think it was a sieve in Government Forces responsible for this because the russians are saying that in fact rebels have also been shelling and fighting militants i mean that is very difficult for us to say i mean we are. I mean we have been seeing that men in the last ten days and you know sitting on the ground who is sharing where exactly but what i can tell you is that the humanitarian situation has really deteriorated to the degree that people dont know where they can get their food from the war and optimistic that this is an attempt of a humanitarian the ceasefire which is supposed to be in place when i want to take some aid into that besieged eastern ghouta. I mean the five hours a day that is not sufficient time to bring in any kind of sheer miniature an eight. So we are definitely calling for the implementation off the u. N. Security Council Resolution that calls for. Humanitarian ceasefire thirty day cease fire well over syria including mr. Martin i mean from Canton Ashton thank you baby much for talking to us and about the situation in eastern. Now its been cool when the beast from the east tickler from death has blasted across much of europe a number of people have died across lithuania poland and france as the like replanted here in germany home the shelter is close to Maximum Capacity the temperature is dropping to minus twenty degrees centigrade in some parts of the country the still is also still in the italian capital into a state of slippery chaos. Snow in temperate rome can wreak havoc some of the trees here given to the extra weight since theyre almost never burdened by anything more than rain drops at extra slippery streets and temperatures well below zero the transport system falls apart and businesses need to close. Still seriously when to the locals or tourists get to see this. The coliseum covered in snow. Or when can they do with this climb a ridge and slide down and circus maximus. Invent a can city a snowball fight. Its been six years since a significant snowfall here but even catholic priests see something of a winter miracle do you think in a t. V. That is just incredible Mother Nature has gone mad today. But. Of course not everyone loves a blanket of white every monday kitchen snow in russia because were just not ready for it in russia they are ready for it but even the residents of moscow can be caught off guard by temperatures south of minus twenty degrees celsius the cold is caused by a giant low pressure system of should not to call into the n. T. Cyclon covering the Scandinavian Peninsula is really big and spreads to poland in the front of us on the cycling has brought the cold from the european policy of russia. East into the rest of europe. If its the poorest who bear the brunt of the cold in poland officials are appealing for citizens to help the homeless and the elderly. The freezing weather is expected to hang around europe for the rest of the week extending even past thursday when according to meteorologist snow men and women even in rome are supposed to be long gone. And winter should give way to spring. The top stories that. Administrative court has ruled in favor of. Environmental. Groups. Have hit. A five. But the Syrian Government denies any. More news coming up for you in. My children also to. Play among the nominees these europeans the best chance is. What all they all of. Is a real shot at changing the coveted prize we get the lowdown from our film expert scott ross the. Boss you never know. How a series ill schedule youre at. Sixteen. W. Its. The scars on. The pain still tangible. The suffering for god. For city edge but. They have survived do they also have a future. I really understand people who say they dont want to stay here. But i also admire people who want to stay here and who decided to create something new compares time to what needs to happen if tolerance and reconciliation are to stand a chance darkness cities after more starting march tenth on g. W. Oh. Hello and welcome to tomorrow today coming up. The science of the epigenetics talat style news its mako no d. N. A. Exercising your genes explaining the benefits of physical activity. And saying