A powerful aftershock hits taiwan amid rescue efforts following tuesdays earthquake at least seven people died and many more were injured and music for the games the latest arrivals at the pyong change the Winter Olympics not athletes but an orchestra from north korea sent over the border to perform at the Opening Ceremony. I bring golf its good to have you with us after a final twenty hours of marathon talks germanys biggest Political Parties have announced an agreement to form a new government chancellor Angela Merkel praised the deal that her conservatives struck with the social democrats as the basis for Good Government social democrat leader Martin Scholtz said that the new grand coalition will bring fundamental change for both germany and europe. Heres part of what chancellor Angela Merkel had to say about the breakthrough. Fund google goggles i know millions of our citizens have been scrutinizing the negotiations. They have to justifiable requirements of us. Just films government and seconds to remember the needs and the desires of the people. And even listen to. This dimension i am convinced remains both parties reached can do just that be the foundation of a good and stable government that our country needs and the world expects of us all. Are theres lots to discuss about this Coalition Agreement to do that i have here at the big table in the studio with me political scientist cindy across from the university here in berlin and in stross berg our correspondent barbara vs all joins us tonight barbara good evening to you and you let me start with you the german chancellor and she is now within striking distance of forming a new government but this deal is contingent on all members of the s. P. D. Saying yes can you explain to our viewers how is it possible that you have the fate of europes largest economy its most important political engine in the hands of the members of one party thats very good question and its controversial in germany because. I mean the citizens have already voted it right and they gave this they had their votes to the parties and now some voters or at least the members of the media will have another chance to vote so this is kind of problematic but the federal court has said it is it is ok so we have to live with that and social democrats decided to do that to back the Coalition Agreement by the members so well i mean its not an ideal situation but right it is not a given that theyre going to say yes when they do vote barbara let me ask you you are in strasbourg of the European Parliament what does the European Union make of this Coalition Deal that was announced today. Now they of course need to read it first theres some people who have already looked into the contract that was signed and they say is a lot of big words there but its quite fluffy its not concrete enough this is not really sort of the big leap for all that that many people here had hoped for on the other hand and there are others that say its good that they are finally forming a government and bill and because to have no government for seven months in the netherlands for instance that is doable however to see germany wobble all over the place for months politically its not a good look and it did make people nervous here and so there of course is a strong sense of relief at the moment you know the leader of the social democrats Martin Scholz talked about the new governments plan for a new awakening for europe lets look at this clip here and listen to what he had to say about the deal. With this Coalition Agreement the federal republic of germany will return to an active in leading role in the European Union and it will i hope along with close cooperation with the french government make the European UnionStrong Enough to meet the Major International challenges. In Security Policy on Climate Policy and the fight against tax avoidance as well as the fair trade and International Competition in which the German Economy participates and can add value to which germany needs throughout europe. People to sort of. Follow. Martin holds their announcing ambitious plans do you see this as somewhat of a reset button that hes trying to press and what kind of reception are these ideas going to get in europe. Of course he needs to try to sort of reform it himself as the strong and the great european that many people saw him before he went into german politics and when he was still president of the European Parliament and there of course he had of rather the strong european profile that got lost during the Election Campaign in germany people with disappointed really because what came from watching schultz was so weak it was so domestic he didnt run on a strong european platform like a mongrel micron did in france so now he really has to prove whether he can do it and whether this is not just big words and lofty gestures but that he will really deliver so people looking at him and his party very closely and you know mr marquand he wont even get a chance to deal with this plan if the s. P. D. Shoots it down so when are we going to know what the s. P. D. Members have decided when its the vote and one of the results so the volvo start in about one or two weeks and then they will have time for about two weeks so we should know the results by the beginning of march prefer early if everything will be good as they were talking about maybe three weeks in total and barbara what would a no vote what would that mean for the European Union for brussels i mean that would be a catastrophe. Medium sized catastrophe like a minor earthquake really because then many things to be done i mean its not only a month this is reform plans for the eurozone and so on its a force that there are so many issues there that breaks it negotiations they really need a firm hen somebody at the tiller and not just a caretaking government and there are there is the constant evolving troubled was Eastern European countries that many things to do the new e. U. Budget needs to be talked about this year so really there needs to be a government involved in and people would be devastated and would also sort of really begin to doubt the sanity of politics if the s. P. D. Members would vote this deal down our correspondent Barbara Biggs on the story forced an Audience Trust burke and here in the studio with me this venue crawls to both of you thank you. A new earthquake has hit taiwans east coast after a string of tremors in recent days now this one measured five point seven on the Richter Scale and came as rescuers were working to find survivors from the quake which struck around midnight on tuesday now that one killed at least seven people and injured hundreds more bringing down buildings and trapping people in saw this building is still standing. But the lower floors are crushed beneath its weight. Firefighters look for a way in to find survivors. The quake hit while in city on taiwans east coast shortly before midnight tuesday it left several buildings listing dangerously and near collapse including a Military Hospital and this hotel where an overnight worker was rescued from inside if you leave it there was only me working the night shift i dont know what happened to the people upstairs these are the fathers of. His son and grandson arrive overjoyed to find him alive. Just another kind of rescue workers later pulled his coworker from the rubble seemingly on her i dont know they did a good they dont have it but dozens of others are still missing. Its an agonizing wait for those outside. At the. Time the younger brother in our family. We believe we know two people inside this one is my older brother. And the other is his colleague he says. Theyve used equipment and detected signs of life and now the rescuers are trying to dig further down to look for them without thats the situation for now it seems. His brother was tragically one of the fatalities. Engineers and firefighters have propped up toppled buildings so rescuers are not themselves trapped in another collapse there have been several earthquakes in taiwan since sunday as well as aftershocks the island sits directly on the pacific ring of fire the u. N. Warned recently that the ring is active right now. And that another deadly quake could come soon. Fears some of the other stories now that are making headlines. Around the world the Syrian Government and its ally russia have watched fresh air strikes in a rebel held area east of the capital damascus observers say the strikes on wednesday killed over twenty people in eastern hundreds of thousands of people remain trapped there by a government seen in the maldives the Supreme Court has reversed a ruling ordering the release of several imprisoned opposition leaders president mean says that theyre involved in a plot to overthrow the government the maldives were plunged into political crisis after the Supreme Court ordered the release of the politicians. U. S. Senate leaders have reached a budget agreement that could prevent a looming Government ShutdownSenate Majority leader Mitch Mcconnell and democratic leader Chuck Schumer announced the deal which will boost spending for defense and Domestic Program will get a deal still needs to be approved by the full senate and the health of a surprise heavy snowfall is causing travel disruptions across northern france and in the capital paris the snow was forced the citys iconic eiffel tower to close but many for reasons are taking this weather in stride converting parts of the city into a makeshift and using ski slopes. And it speaks of snow lets get you updated now with all the goings on in south korea ahead of the start of the Winter Olympics athletes have been arriving in pyongyang ahead of the Opening Ceremony on friday but there is more than just sports on the agenda as International Politics are once again dominating the olympics. Musicians not athletes arrived at the south korean ferry port of mukoko on wednesday this one hundred forty strong north korean orchestra will perform in pyongyang and also in the south capital seoul at the border and north koreas cheering squad arrived with high hopes for the upcoming games. Im glad the Winter Olympics will be held with a successful cooperation between north and south korea i hope that athletes from the two koreas will achieve good results in the saloon picks. The political undertone of the games extends beyond the Korean Peninsula lawyers of fifteen russian athletes appealed to the court of arbitration for sport as they seek to be admitted to the olympics they follow thirty two russians who unsuccessfully appealed on tuesday but the i. O. C. Expects one hundred sixty eight russian athletes to compete under a neutral flag other athletes have still found time to get into the olympic mood. My game face on the ice is totally different from right now and its not. Its like. You dont in my way because im probably going to kill you. Is hoping jokes and smiles will prevail as athletes continue to arrive ahead of the Opening Ceremony on friday. Mr king. And heres a reminder of the top stories that were following for you germanys biggest Political Parties have announced an agreement to form a coalition government. Calling the deal that her conservative structure with the social democrats a basis for Good Government the social democrat leader martin show says that the deal will bring fundamental change for both germany and europe his partys rank and file still have to ratify the agreement extending the countrys wait for a new government by another few weeks. I dont forget you can always get the w. News on the go just dont load our work out from google play or from the apple store that will give you access to all the latest news from around the world as well as push notifications for any breaking news you can also use the need to send us photos and videos when you see news happening. Ill be back at the top of the hour with more world news followed by the day i hope you can join this today. The whole d w all one out of. Four in soap is Global Insights the news out for local heroes. A double made for minds