smoke and tear gas in baghdad a 2nd day of tension outside the u.s. embassy compound. the as. i am home heating and this is al jazeera we're live from doha also coming up protests on the streets of hong kong tens of thousands more could be here venting their frustration over china's influence. more people confirmed dead as bush fires rage across through a strangely in states with 200 fires are now burning.

am and new yorkers celebrate the new year in times square. the at. her supporters and members of the iranian backed popular mobilization forces in iraq have set fire i'd cite the u.s. embassy compound in baghdad for a 2nd day in a row security personnel in sites have responded with tear gas president donald trump has blames iran for the protests but tehran denies involvement there is anger over recent u.s. airstrikes in iraq count in syria targeting the brigades of the u.s. as for marine reinforcements into its it rocky embassy for more on the story let's bring in some more not 14 she's in baghdad. for someone of this is clearly not

a one day prove this i just give us a sense of what's happening and it's. currently standing right in front of the checkpoint leading towards the u.s. embassy today the security presence is significantly higher compared to the previous days the people are actually manning the checkpoints and controlling the crowds but 6 the fighters and supporters of the popular mobilization forces are being allowed to pass d through very watching people as they're again coming across the hanging bridge they're bringing supplies now we've seen people bring gas canisters for the people who are camping out here to basically resupply them and it's very much looks like the hundreds of. supporters and members who have basically set up a campsite around the youngest are determined to stay we're also seeing fresh fires put to the outer gates of the embassy perhaps you can still see behind me there is

a small prizing which is the location where the outer walls of the u.s. embassy are and we're basically hearing about the guards who are protecting the u.s. embassy as well as the marines who were deployed to increased security there have been deploying tear gas and also a stun grenades to try to manage to use crowds now we have also the security perimeter presence from the iraqi side but the question is whether they will really into fear to remove these crowds the u.s. trained iraqi counterterrorism force deployed here last night but they didn't really get any order to remove the crowds one of the officers told me that the only way that this will end is that if they actually come from the members and fighters of the popular mobilization forces but in dns they were told to stand down they were told that there is a negotiation that is ongoing between the high level leadership of the popular mobilize. forces and the iraqi government so it looks like there might be

a deal soon for these crowds to redraw. because we saw similar scenes in baghdad yesterday and we were told by many people this would be the one i were a protest but it is pulling its way into a 2nd day who exactly is going to be negotiating to end this because this issue of foreign countries interfering in iraq has caused so many protests on so many fronts is the u.s. embassy going to be laid siege to you until until somebody from a higher level can sit down and sort this out it's. basically the important thing here is that they will not leave in the way that will reflect poorly on them so they have to leave out of their own will that they basically decide that this is over because of course this was a huge show of power of defiance that they're able to march on the green zone that

they're able to reach the gates of the u.s. embassy and they will not withdraw under conditions where it appears that they were repelled that they were told to leave this will happen on their terms and these are exactly the negotiations that are currently ongoing between the high level leadership of the popular mobilization forces we saw. this was the 2nd in charge who came here last night and basically the leadership of the will have to agree with the iraqi government that they're actually willing to withdraw and to leave the surrounding areas of the u.s. embassy but it's very clear that the ones who are actually calling the shots here they are the leaders of the popular mobilization forces and not the iraqi government at the moment ok so wonderful to live in baghdad thank you for knives well on his way to new year's eve celebrations president donald trump spoke about the situation in baghdad on choose day when members and supporters of the uranium

backed militia the co-parents he said he doesn't want to go to war with iran. well i think it's been handled very well the marines came in we had some great warriors come in and do a fantastic job but they were there instantaneously as soon as we heard. i used the word immediately they came a mediately and it's in great shape as you know this will not be a benghazi but i also want to thank the iraqi government they really stepped up i spoke to the prime minister today i thanked him but they stepped up heard that i want to have peace and i like peace and iran should want peace more than anybody. well iran supreme leader has responded to trump's comments and he's condemned sunday's u.s. air strikes that targeted the his bowl of a gate brigades killing at least 27 people let's cross to toronto where dorsett

jabari is live for us a door so we're getting some initial iraq a reaction from iran walking. well we've just been hearing from the supreme leader ayatollah khamenei who has been meeting at an event with the nurses of the country in his compound in the capital here and he's said the following that look at what the americans are doing in iraq and syria they are taking revenge for the fact that eisel is been defeated by attacking the shabby forces in those 2 countries the supreme leader also went on to say that the nation of iran and the government of iran and he himself personally strongly and categorically condemn this vicious action carried out by the americans this is the sentiment of the highest authority in the islamic republic responding to the accusations that iran is behind these groups that have stormed the u.s.

embassy compound in the iraqi capital this is what the iranians believe to be the narrative that is being portrayed and put forth by the americans to justify their own presence and what the iranians are calling the occupation of u.s. forces in iraq iran for their part has been part of the iraqi government trying to system as much as they can with rebuilding the country post 2003 in the fall of saddam hussein and the number of these groups that we've seen form over the past few years in the house the shabby groups have had the full support of the revolutionary guard commander and their ports for its money that is not a fact that the iranians than i or hide but they say that relationship is much more serious this is not iran trying to assert their power over iraq's sovereignty but they're trying to assist them to get rid of the foreign troops that is the u.s. presence that is in iraqi soil. and also this doesn't just seem to be about

iraq anymore does it seems increasingly that we're talking about we're talking about iran. and the united states run of course is under a severe amount of pressure from the u.s. is there any way forward is there any indication that the 2 sides are willing to confront this reality. well the president has this been speaking at an event this morning in north of the country where he said that until they're willing to talk to the americans once the united states realize that they've made grave mistakes in the way they've behaved towards iran he's referring to the fact that the u.s. withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal last year and imposed a series of sanctions on iran some of them very crippling ones including ascension on iran's oil sales on the international market the feeling here is that the events

that we're seeing on fold in the insecurity that we've seen take place in iraq is as a direct result of that specific action the withdrawal from the nuclear deal the deal was supposed to bring peace and stability to this region by putting a limit on iran's nuclear program and ambitions in exchange for iran getting sanctions relief so it was about iran opening up its. actions and activities in its nuclear program to international community and at the same time opening up its economy to the international market since the u.s. left there's a feeling that they are trying to put more pressure on iran economically and what the iranians are calling economic terrorism and one of the things that there are accusing the americans of is trying to put pressure on iran's friends allies in this region and iraq is one of them so this is a very serious matter for the iranians and they say that it's being used to put more pressure on them as well. there bring us up to date from tehran thank you very

much indeed. a tens of thousands of people in hong kong are taking parts in a new year's day march police have approved this latest rally and called for it to remain peaceful bringing you live pictures live from hong kong where i beg your pardon words and the protests have been calling for greater autonomy from china and an inquiry into allegations of 3 police brutality which have marred the protests which of sense started in june and have escalated through rights and those protests were of course in response to a nice strapped extradition a bill to be the power is in hong kong for a speaking cross to you her tibia large numbers of people a taking part in this new year's day protest a give us a sense of how things are played out so far. that's right

hala purely out of optics i would say hundreds of thousands of people have joined this protest now this is an annual march and usually peace pole march where many of the protests are so that those joining the rally are campaigning for more democracy for hong kong but this year it takes on so much more gravity because it caps the months of unprecedented protests and often a violent protests with people calling as you said for an investigation into what they're seeing as excessive force used by police less interference from china or beijing and hong kong's affairs and for hong kong to have more democracy to be able to choose their own leader now at the start of this protest it was largely peaceful but christians then we've seen police seeming to be struggling with crowd control as they're trying to get people into one lane but the numbers are so large they're spilling out into other areas that weren't necessarily sanctioned by the authorities so what they've been doing is that they use it been using pepper spray

and tear gas against protesters now this is sure to agger many of the protesters not just the protesters but the wider public because. taking part in these protests are not just the usual masked young people you see taking part in the in the spontaneous protest we've seen over the past few months there are also people from all walks of life young and old and many families with very small children so now they're being exposed by the police you know use of force for crowd control the tear gas the pepper spray so this is sure to elicit some kind of a reaction hala ok david. live for us in hong kong thank you very much indeed. bezels more still to come here on al-jazeera north korea's leader is threatening a new weapon in 2020 years the u.s. 2nd thing is this what he calls a gangster like. hello

happy it's a you it's shabby start to the year across so many parts of southeast asia particularly through malaysia more breakdown polls showing their hand across indonesia and that's going to be the main focus for the heaviest right across the region as we go on through thursday and on into friday you can see how the winds are driving those showers a little further southwards want to see showers into southern parts of the philippines northern areas of malaysia into where borneo shouts to just around the ballet peninsula but it is to the south of that where the heaviest showers continue to a rumble away and want to show the showers also clipping the far more of australia we could really do with the right down into the southeast eastern part of the country of course no sign of that for the time being but hopefully by the end of the weekend we could see one of 2 showers pushing in well this band of cloud here these 2 pounds of fat they're going to make something of

a difference at least temperature wise as we go on through the next couple of days but ahead of that it stays hot it stays dry the bushfires continuing then to be a major problem but the temperatures as i said not as bad as they have been recently so a 24 celsius that the melbourne a 34 there in adelaide that heat transfers further east was on friday but it will cool off by sunday. the brazilian economy is booming but deep divisions still exist between the haves and the have nots in a country where smartphones have become a part of everyday life technology help bridge the gap. this series that challenges developers to design apps for a better world travels to rio de janeiro and meets the young people tasked with making a different life left. on al-jazeera. there

without a syrup quick reminder of the headlines this hour supporters and members of iranian backed popular mobilization forces are gathered outside the u.s. embassy in a walk for a 2nd day they've thrown stones and set fires are inside the compound security personnel in sites have retaliated with tear gas. tens of thousands of people in hong kong are taking part in a new year's day march returned in greater autonomy from china and an inquiry into alleged police brutality police have called for the rally to remain peaceful.

and i bushfires are spreading across 2 straightly in states with the toll on lives and homes rising lightning has started more fires and more than 200 are currently burning charlotte ballasts reports and. choking on smoke with only a hose to protect to india mcdonald faced the strain is wildfires head on with a father sure they fought for 5 hours saving their house cars and garden in rural victoria. the professionals are struggling to. think thousands of firefighters are battling to contain the wildfires scorching the states of victoria and new south wales an area home to more than 13000000 people with once the front hit the wind just picked up the name has just took off and that was the everything but then just went what was always going to come one day and the

conditions there draw everywhere you go good luck. well things. international help is arriving by this weekend the u.s. will have saved nearly 100 firefighters canada has sent more than 60 the strain military is use. planes and helicopters to douse flames preparing for possible war back your way sions was god on the ground police are trying to keep people out of harm's areas that rohan change suddenly with the wind. on a short. thousands of residents along the east coast have been pushed to the water's edge if. fires along the beach.

in sydney the mayor was determined to the show must go on for the new year the spectacle was granted an exemption to a statewide fireworks and despite a petition signed by nearly 300000 people calling for them to be canceled. it is the most beautiful place in the world. that's why people say. it is a really important the economy. the cost of this crisis is yet to be quantified more than 1000 homes and thousands of farmland destroyed and with it animals the university of sydney estimating nearly half a 1000000000 have been killed we are absolutely stretched right across new south wales we've got falls blooming from the queensland border all right down to the victorian border across the great dividing right. and the heat of summer has you to arrive bellus. she says the

farmers are starting to feel like the new normal. my since i guess from so many people i've spoken to over the recent months because this fire season began in october and in new south wales aligned with lost 15 lives so that's a significant loss of life people are kind of saying that they feel that this bushfire emergency in the smoke that has envelops this city is somewhat of the new normal people have kind of got used to it in a week in unhealthy by smoke is often the 1st thing you smell in the morning in sydney even if your home and window is a lot it's not uncommon to pass people on the street now wearing masks and that's not something that we've ever seen in city before i went for a ride on my bike the other day by the beach i was maybe 60 kilometers away from the nearest fire but i ended up with ash having rained down on my skin when petitions were circulating in the lead up to the usaf by where it's so many people

saw signs of the major around 300000 people because i think they really wanted local authorities to cancel the celebration almost as a show of support to their fellow australians who've lost lives property and livestock animals flora fauna and i think people also had the same so many told me they almost felt bad celebrating mazzara many people in australia were doing it tough. north korean leader kim jong un has said he'll soon launch what he calls a new strategic weapon according to new south korean media reports kim said the u.s. would suffer helplessly if it continued to delay denuclearization talks with mcbride has more from seoul. it may be new year but on the korean peninsula there is a return to some of the old villager rinse of the past north korean leader kim jong un told a special meeting of the ruling workers' party he would continue developing his

nuclear arsenal. as pyongyang welcomed in 2020 it marked the expiration of the deadline kim had set for the u.s. to come up with concessions installed you clear. so far kim has stopped short of resuming tests with long range ballistic missiles or nuclear weapons knowing that would risk losing what little chance he has of getting concessions from the u.s. president because donald trump has been probably the most supporter. for negotiations between north korea and they. actually continue so moving his faith there would be great risk for mr king. this hardening of north korea's position leaves the vague commitments by the 2 leaders to denuclearize ation now in tatters it also marks the end for now of south korea's efforts to mediate between the 2

powers seoul welcomed in the new year back in the familiar position of facing an increasingly belligerent northern neighbor to come i think we can make a good relationship with north korea and i hope we can have a good discussion with trump to improve things attending a new year's eve party at his mar-a lago resort president trump remained optimistic we have to do what we have to. but he did sign a contract to china agreement talking about denuclearization that we signed number one chan denuclearization kim jong un also spent much of his speech addressing the need to develop his country's economy with an emphasis on self-reliance it seems to be accepted that crippling economic sanctions will stay in place a mavin be further tightened as a punishment for any renewed testing. but the past 2 years of summit diplomacy not only with the u.s. but also north korea's neighbors leaves the country far less isolated than it was

before and its continuing weapons development means it goes into 2020 with more advanced missile technologies and an expanded nuclear program rob mcbride al-jazeera sole. thailand is one of the world's biggest producers of plastic pollution in oceans retailers and authorities say they're trying to clean up the country's acts by banning some single use plastics but it sounds just the washington reports they also face another challenge changing consumer attitudes. around 45000000000 plastic bags i use every year in thailand for the new year will bring a change in behavior for consumers all around the country major department stores in beanie and stores and supermarkets will all implement a ban on plastic bags from this year signs like this are on display around the country explaining the changes telling consumers don't need to plan ahead for the

next time they go shopping there's also a ban on using products with my probates and plans for a ban on plastic cards within the next 2 years. policy would be think this is a good idea because it will pre-nup the environment these days so hot as the weather is changing it's hard to do my job as a driver because of the heat we need to stop using so much plastic and reduce the garbage overall but getting thai consumers to break up with plastic could prove challenging the highest percentage of plastic usage doesn't come from department stores and convenience stores it comes from places like the bits fresh brewed markets and food stalls and getting independent sellers to get on board with a plastic bag could prove challenging because. i think a plastic bag bat is a good idea but all i use instead what would be a good substitute this far was a wet so they'd be to be in a plastic bag but still i think reducing plastic is

a good idea because of climate change. the empty plastic push has been in spurred by the high number of wildlife fatalities caused by plastic ingestion one case which caught the attention of the public was that of a baby which died after eating several kilograms of plastic that case and others like it served as a graphic reminder to the public of the dangers of excessive plastic new seeds. then i said nations and government forces in central african republic council cleared neighborhoods in the capital bangui a weapons free zone fighting recently broke out in the area known as p k 5 between a militia and traitors local people gave the armed group a deadline to disarm but that deadline has passed. reports. i shore forced by united nations troops in an effort to avoid an all out war between traders and therefore more militia protect is in bungay speaking of 5

neighborhood the area was once described as one of the most volatile districts in the country now the united nations has stepped in calling on both sides to just. about anyone seen with arms will be arrested disarmed or neutralized if he or she resists the population shouldn't take long to their hands it's the responsibility of the new sky and local forces we will also occupied control bases of self-defense groups for government forces this is the 1st time they're setting foot in 5 says 2014 people know much potential about the current situation if one is a traitor you're a traitor if you're a militia man will reintegrate you to work last week clashes broke out between traitors and the local militia protecting them or the accusation of extortion. more than 40 people were killed days later the traders vow to chase the militia out of

the area that the collaboration of the p.k. 5 never hold as a weapons free zone came just hours before a deadline to surrender all arms in the neighborhood as fire traders who had relied on militia men for protection had told them that they need to surrender all weapons in their possession or freeze an all out war now i should outside order has been on anyone seen carrying a gun and the several disarming fighters which the united nations want to carry out is something no one was able to do in 5 since the outbreak of civil war in 2030 in some residents wary of the bloodshed hope this time it will be different. our message is clear people should really be careful we are going to make sure no one is using guns to hold people to ransom later that it. will the fed up and disappointed with what the vigilante they're doing that's why they want the presence of international and local forces to take charge and get in t.

everyone safety for now a bloody confrontation on new year's eve is averted but no one knows for how long this piece will hoot armitage al-jazeera bunky. well we're just waiting on hawaii and american samoa to join us but most of the world is already in see the new decades this is i 2020 has been ushered in around the world was my. new zealand's of course one of the 1st countries to celebrate with a far worse display on the sky tower here in oakland shanghai was treated to a unique spectacle more than 25 percent on sea coffee on the banks of 130 in the night sky but this was the scene in one of the most famous streets in the world the shells of easy and it's a good feel a little tough to bring in the new year and brazil began the new year with the

biggest party in latin america around 2000000 people gathered and beauty janeiro's famous coco cabana beach. and finally new york the traditional ball drop was held in times square. was going to change that teachers and students study . this is al jazeera and these are the headlines supporters and members of iranian backed popular mobilization forces are gathered outside the u.s. embassy in iraq for a 2nd day they threw stones and set fires outside the compound security personnel inside have retaliated with tear gas well on his way to new year's eve celebrations u.s. president donald trump spoke about the situation on choose day when members and supporters of the iran backed militia 1st surrounded the u.s.

compounds trump says he doesn't want to go to war with iran. well i think it's been an ogre while the brits came in we had some great warriors come in and do a fantastic job and they were there instantaneously as soon as we heard. used the word immediately they came a mediately and it's in great shape as you know this will not be a benghazi i also want to thank the iraqi government they really stepped up i spoke to the prime minister today i thanked him but they stepped up heard that i want to have peace i like peace i am a raja one piece more than everybody. police are far tear gases tens of thousands of people gather in hong kong for a new year's day march the government a pedigree of the latest rally in co fritzy remained peaceful demonstrators demands include greater autonomy from china and an inquiry into allegations of police brutality. kansas traffic bushfires are spreading across eastern astray leon 3 more

deaths have been confirmed in the state he said wales and one fatality in victoria . north korean leader kim jong un has said he'll soon launch a new strategic weapon denuclearize ation talks between pyongyang and washington stoltz back in october and the united nations and government forces in the central african republic have to claridge's a neighborhoods in the capital bangui weapons free zone fighting recently book rights in the area known as p k 5 but you know militia and local traitors that see it states the news continues on al-jazeera afterlife. what kind of care does that provide and is anyone willing to pick up the cost we bring you the stories and developments that are rapidly changing the world we live in so is it possible for trump to actually obliterate the economy counting the cost on

al-jazeera. with cold texts apps to help make our lives easier. but not everyone's benefit. can mobile phone apps be designed to help make it better well. this series challenges app developers from around the world to visit communities who are missing out and then come up with an app that could help. this week life apps is in brazil. a country that's in love with a smartphone but which remains deeply divided.