stories of those people making a difference shaping their nation. and their continent. w.'s new multimedia series for africa. d.w. dot com africa on the move. this is d w news live from berlin tonight iraqi and kurdish forces clashing amid predictions of a new civil war there were celebrations in kirkuk as a record for says seized control of key sites in and around the kurdish held city today the military move comes just weeks after kurds voted to declare independence

from baghdad a move that has been rejected by kurdish neighbors and allies also coming up scores of people are still missing after saturday's powerful truck bomb in the somali capital mogadishu the explosion killed hundreds of people the death toll is expected to rise further and they ripple in the fabric of space and tom scientists have been discussing their existence for a hundred years so get ready to find out why gravitational waves exist and why they're so important. i'm worried gough it's good to have you with us iraq's military is reporting progress tonight but not in the fight against so-called islamic state iraqi forces have moved into the disk. did city of kirkuk in

a boat campaign to retake land from the kurds thousands of kurds are said to have already fled the city of tension has been high in the kurdish region following a controversial independence referendum held last month kurdish officials have called the iraqi advance a quote unprovoked attack none kurdish residents in the city are welcoming the move and around the middle east tonight there is talk of a new civil war in the making. celebrations in kirkuk as iraqi forces roll in. supporters of the iraqi central government couldn't contain their joy after an intense day in which troops rito key installations including an oil and gas field and a military base. cook an oil rich province claimed by both kurds and the iraqi government had been under kurdish control since iraqi forces fled an islamic state militants swept through the region in twenty fourteen. it comes three weeks after

residents in the kurdistan region voted overwhelmingly in favor of independence from baghdad in a controversial referendum. thousands of kurds fled the city ahead of monday's iraqi advance. listen we're heading to where bill because the situation is getting worse for the iraqi troops to venture into and there's no way we could stay in. the lineup of the kids were terrified and we were afraid that there would be clashes and mortars would fall on us that's what i'm worried about. prior to the retaking of kirkuk baghdad said it didn't want an armed confrontation but kurdish peshmerga leaders have said the iraqi advancement is a declaration of war. are for more on this from one of the correspondent kathy alton now she's in your bill the capital of the autonomous kurdish region in iraq and that's about one hundred kilometers north of kirkuk kathy it's good to see you

were you know we've been seeing images there of people supporting the iraqi government's return into the kurdish region what are you hearing from your sources in kirkuk. hi thanks for having me on the well it's clearly it's a mix which is nine hundred thankfully the clashes died down to the last nine went on to this afternoon i mean residents people in the city telling me that iraqis came in lots of trucks on the set of needs to cheering firing and that some people have said that the national ago when a group so withstand that so they would trigger there's been talk of some negotiations between central government and some factions which is great problems in the kindest and regional of his so there are multiple levels of tensions yes the rest of celebrating some record and just really there has died out and as of

anything that has seen this before because it's been a flashpoint in this conflict for a long time and what about these predictions of a new civil war arising out of this could this situation do you think it could descend into a civil war. i mean i think it's very hard to predict and it would be it would be irresponsible to predict if the iraqi forces choose to move into other disputed areas along the look and iraqi line with the region then yes we might the most perfect ashes i don't think that would be as well as i think think that could be intricate clashes well in the that is that region the terrain the fossils that we've jury one finds that tries to i know there are always moves for levels where this could descend into that let's hope that it just does

down and that this is a temporary problem because really the city it's gone back to being under the tree that it was twenty forty when i ask a question there is so let's hope that there's going to be some sort of common it's now at least tonight if it's being of the peshmerga the kurdish peshmerga and the iraqi forces you to they fight together in the campaign against islamic state now of course that could unravel seeing what we're seeing tonight to me what implications will this offensive have for the fight against terrorism. absolutely i mean i spoke to a major in the iraqi army terror forces tonight and he was in the u.s. and the at the offices of the central offices in which is unusual i mean these are the sauces that were recently taking in the fight against isis. the

peshmerga are part of that as well and this creates a headache for the americans especially because u.s. led coalition that the u.s. is. trying to post i have that so it's going to be in their interest to try and keep the peace that there's also a question about misuse of weapons that have been supplied by the american policy senator john mccain coming on to it i talk. and definitely concerns going forward i don't think it will affect isis in the area but there are issues isis could take advantage of the insecurity that i'm doing that are full this is a group that drives on its purity so let's just hope that they don't you know the. our correspondent at the old reporting tonight from erbil for north of kirkuk with the latest clashes between kurds and iraqi forces are being reported thank you

thank you well the death toll from a huge truck bomb explosion in the somali capital mogadishu has risen to more than three hundred the bombing took place in a busy commercial district on saturday it's the deadliest single attack in the country's history the government has declared three days of national mourning. two days after the last the once crowded street in the heart of mogadishu lies in ruins emergency workers are still recovering bodies from the rubble but they say it will be difficult to determine how many were killed so many victims were completely charred by the flames and they are worried about those who may still be alive and trapped under the rubble. but we've heard those under the rubble screaming for help my biggest worry is that even the wounded are succumbing to their injuries in the mine this is a really horrendous attack and we must come together to defeat the enemy who. will save them and hospitals doctors are busy treating the wounded.

others such as these critically injured victims being evacuated by air to tag for further treatment. many relatives gathered at the airport hoping for the best for their loved ones. the tragedy began on saturday when a truck packed with hundreds of kilo's of explosives blew up outside a hotel at a busy intersection in downtown mogadishu close to government offices and restaurants the blast flattened several buildings and such a nearby few tanks on fire. it was a massacre what happened on saturday i've never seen such a thing in the past twenty seven years i witnessed a little boy's head laying on the ground and his mother and other children were also decapitated by the explosion. she was one of those who joined thousands of

somalians in a mosque demonstration on sunday to protest against the attacks. they say the islamist militant group al-shabaab was responsible for the blasts the group has not claimed responsibility but has stage similar attacks the flu. now here's a look at some of the other stories that are making headlines around the world that the government of spain has told catalonia separatist leader. he has until thursday to withdraw any moves towards independence or face direct rule by madrid spain as deputy prime minister today said that testimony is a failure to respond to the original deadline which was set for today is unacceptable. officials in portugal say dozens of wildfires in the north of the country have killed at least thirty two people a number of others are missing more than five thousand firefighters are struggling to contain the blazes in neighboring spain fires killed at least three people

authorities say that winds from tropical storm ophelia off the atlantic coast have been worsening the flames. and ophelia is making herself felt in ireland three people have died in the storm there the storm made landfall earlier today with waves up to ten meters high hundreds of thousands have lost their electricity the government says it's the country's worst storm in half a century officials canceled flights and they asked people to avoid unnecessary travel. israeli archaeologists have found the first known at roman era theater in jerusalem's old city they say it was built around eight hundred years ago but not completed they uncovered the structure during excavations of tunnels below the western wall the theater had been mentioned in historic documents but had never been found. well tonight austria is on the verge of getting

a conservative far right government with some very far right policies as following elections they are yesterday the conservative leader sebastian cortes came out the winner in the election which saw him adopt the anti immigration policies of his extreme right opponents a coalition is yet to be negotiated but it's looking like chord's will need the far right freedom party to form a working government one day after the elections conservative party members a basking in their success their latest sebastien kurtz's become a star after the party won thirty percent of the vote miking them the cliff election win and. it's fantastic austria needs change. we will probably get the most terrible government help philthy a restart now in austria but no party won an absolute majority so the country will once again need a coalition government as the largest party the conservatives say they're ready to head up a coalition today we've seen

a strong push for change in this country i thank you all that you've made that possible. the conservatives most likely coalition partner is the right freedom party which is expected to come in third party leader. is already eyeing up a cabinet post. we are now a political force in the domestic austrian political landscape my friends. the incumbent chancellor christian count and the social democrats support slip putting them and likely second place still can says he's ready to enter a possible coalition government. we've created a set of criteria and developed a value compass this will be our benchmark and the basis on which we will negotiate and with three different coalition options possible observers are expecting some complicated talks ahead. well elections here in germany were just last month and german chancellor angela merkel today said that austria's shift to the right is not

a role model for germany especially when it comes to immigration and merkel speaking after her party's disappointing second place finish in lower saxony as regional election yesterday to rival social democrats the results could complicate her efforts to form a national governing coalition nicol faces a first round of talks this week with her hopes for partners the free democrats and the greet us. it is being called the most intensely observed astronomical event to date and a new era in a strong scientists around the world say that they have witnessed the collision of two ultra dense stars for the very first time the collision of the two dead stars called neutron stars caused a ripple in the fabric of space it was first observed on earth in the us with the help of gravitational wave detectors a strawman around the world were notified so they can focus their telescopes on the

event scientists say that collisions like this are likely responsible for much of the gold in the platinum that exists in the universe. here's a reminder the top story we're following for you there have been celebrations in kirkuk as iraqi forces move into the kurdish held city it's a move that could transform the balance of power in iraq reports say that thousands of kurds have fled the city. you're watching t.w. news live from berlin i'll be back at the top of the hour with more world news followed by the day you see of the. stories that people the world over information they provide the opinions they want to read.