the soviet union's heritage where does russia stand today and moscow's empire were series starting november fifth g w. this is d w news live from berlin spain's prime minister says he cannot accept catalonian independence the spanish senate is set to all through eyes his request to impose direct rule from the dread on the breakaway region the first consequence would be dismissing catalonia as separatist leader will get the latest from our

correspondent live in madrid also coming up. the ballots are being counted in kenya's repeat presidential election but take two of the polls been marred by deadly clashes a boycott and low turnout we'll have more from nairobi. i'm brian thomas a very warm welcome to the show the standoff between spain and catalonia is coming to a head at this hour with the spanish senate about to vote on invoking article one fifty five of the constitution now they're expected to back the government and put catalonia under direct rule from madrid yesterday catalonia as president through the region into confusion by backtracking on his plans to call new elections that move could have staved off the threat of rule from madrid. when

separatists gathered outside the regional parliament they had hoped to hear from castle and president callus preach demond has been expected to call a snap election to stop madrid taking control of catalonia. but he didn't. summon. the spanish government knows that i was ready to call an election if they had given guarantees that it would take place under normal conditions. that the guest has got there is no guarantee that justifies calling an election today. preached a month said it was up to the catalan parliament to decide the next move heated debate followed between backers and opponents of declaring catalonia as independence. in response to the aggression of the spanish government in triggering article one five five of the constitution we continue to follow the

mandate the people of catalonia gave us at the october first referendum. well we've had enough mr president i think there are millions of people millions of catalans who are watching t.v. today and saying we've lost all patience. one of those who'd had enough was catalonia business minister. he resigned after puja month refused to call for new elections. with no agreement reached yesterday catalan parliament will resume debate today. but in madrid spain senate is widely expected to approve the government's plan to trigger article one five five of the constitution and remove powers from the castle and government. so that the. article hundred fifty five is about protecting catalonia as government from the misrule by the pro independence or do you believe that what we've seen can be described as anything

other than me. this rule this will be it and. some fear and that the central government seizing control of cason and you could spark confrontation on the streets oh it would do you think should have been discussed and arranged on good terms not like now what's going to happen a wall it gets worse every day i. think has announced the future is uncertain as the standoff between madrid and barcelona enters here tonight the stage. let's go now live to our correspondent public he's covering the story for us in madrid where the senate is meeting right now pablo if as expected the senate triggers article one five five what would happen next. well it will happen next is what we've already been hearing which is the money out of a hole will essentially had the power to take away the powers from them on the president of course i've got the lumia and then he hasn't said anything essentially new in the sense that we already knew what would happen when article one fifty five

would be basically activated so at powers will be taken away economically that would mean that madrid would control those elements of that taxation and also the regional television channel and and also add the security forces which would be controlled here in madrid so essentially money i'm not a lawyer has said that he will not dialogue with them on or anybody for that matter and if they break the laws of the country ok what about the rest of spain is the country back roy on his law and against catalonia and does he enjoy broad political support as well. i mean the thing about it is spain is very much divided on this issue but there is one sort of common goal for everybody and all but i mean that it both politically and as well socially and that they want a solution to this problem there has been a lot of criticism against money under the government for not dialoguing with or

not open to dialogue will say with the regional government and the socialist party has said that if there is dialogue and that if the cattle and government do step down and so madam and. perhaps elements of article one fifty five. could be suspended will say and what they really want is start regional elections are holding out and yeah and if they do happen that could essentially take away take a little bit of steam out of this situation at the moment ok pablo thanks so much for that public fully ileus in the dread we're waiting for that vote any moment now thanks so much problem thanks frank. well for many catalogs the question is an easy one either you are for independence or you are against it but some of the region are saying that's simply to say we met with a brother and a sister in barcelona who say the complexities of tattle on politics defy easy answers. these demonstrators are demanding freedom for two

leaders of the pro independence movement still in detention the two men have to get masses of people out onto the streets and catalonia now the masses are showing support for the heroes. and his sister around longer supporters. as an individual you have fewer rights you can just end up in prison because of your ideology as these men have they are in jail because of the way they think. says that the man's arrest has only strengthened the independence movement he and a sister are here to demonstrate for free speech but they're also critical of the fight for independence. you ended up with again i'm not carrying a catalonian flag because i don't think this should be a demonstration of flags i'm not a separatist i'm not here because i want independence but because i support democracy in times like this when spain is definitely not behaving democratically.

and. many in catalonia agree with their views but the independence movement remains powerful and well organized. comfort here we are here to demand independence for our country if the high and the spanish cronies ultimately do invoke article one hundred fifty five of the constitution and stop democracy we will be ready for the thing if you haven't got it and we're going to find out the not and order your might be called local patriots they love their region and language but they say that after the referendum. being silent and only two positions remained possible either for independence or against it they blame the spanish government for this. you know to go get it up if you could but at the beginning the only thing i wanted was to vote and i most probably would have voted no but then i saw the spanish police's

antidemocratic behavior and i changed my mind but it can't be allowed to happen it must be possible to cast a yes or a no vote without fear. proud of catalonia disappointed with spain but against independence loud and rowdy all say a silent majority in catalonia has to pull itself together now and say this loud and clear. time for a look at some of the other stories making news at this hour australia's government has lost its one seat majority in parliament after the country's top court disqualified the deputy prime minister from office for holding dual citizenship barnaby joyce unknowingly held new zealand citizenship when he stood for election last year he's renounced that citizenship and will stand again for office in a byelection december. police in indonesia are working to establish the cause of a deadly fire at a fireworks factory near the capital jakarta forty seven people were killed dozens

are in hospital right now following that blaze which started on thursday seven people remain missing it is one of the worst accidents in the country's history united nations says syrian president bashar al assad's government was responsible for a chemical weapons attack that killed at least eighty people in april a report coauthored by the u.n. claims syria's government used the deadly sarin nerve gas on a rebel held town the syrian government is denying having done so. in kenya a vote counting is underway after a rerun of a contested presidential election the opposition urged voters to boycott the vote several people have been killed in clashes between protesters and police turnout was low even in areas considered strongholds of the incumbent president. polling was pushed back to saturday in four counties. police with water cannons vs opposition supporters armed with stones they were boycotting the election in

a slum area of kenya's capital nairobi polling stations in many areas failed to open because of security concerns several deaths and many injuries marred the proceedings. kenya's president or hurricane yeah to cast his vote in upbeat mood his jubilee party's election victory back in august was cancelled because of irregularities leaving kenya in the grip of its worst political crisis in a decade. we're happy and. all we're asking is that kenyans turn out. requesting them humbly that they should turn out in large numbers. make their decision choose their leader. for our country to move. the opposition leader raul loading gas seen here before the vote urged his super alliance supporters to boycott the proceedings. and he went further than

that intimidating both election volunteers and voters to keep them away from polling stations. to believe. what you want to hear we want. to be here to. support. it. violence also fled in the city of kisumu casualties were ferried to hospital the governor a hard liner during the supporter the queues the authorities of punishing the opposition have a right to vote. if you believe in central planning and other places. have been killed. now or on saturdays remaining colima

kenyatta's probable victory with a low turnout in the rerun is unlikely to end the violence. was we've seen how this election rerun has been polarizing the nation earlier i spoke with our correspondent in nairobi catherine i asked her about the mood in kenya right now. well it's quite tense we went through a night where you could hear gunshots intikhab gas canisters being lobbed during the night to bear which is one of the informal settlements within nairobi so there's a concern about that so far the environment is quite tense what we have at the naacp in terms of numbers is in western kenya at least four people have been killed in nairobi at least two people so those are the numbers that we have and kenyans of really waiting to see what the chairman of the commission will say from here on out because last night he did say that the voter turnout was forty eight percent today

he says that will turn out to around thirty five thirty four percent so kenyans feel a lot but a lot of. a not being answered at this particular point to this is there's a there's an atmosphere of tension but is an also an asked miss fear of what what's going on and that's what kenyans are waiting for there is a general feeling that this election did not meet the standards that were prescribed by the supreme court and those who support the government is saying let the process and and we go back to the courts for a way forward. there was our correspondent catherine armando in nairobi speaking with me earlier now it is a tale of luck on the high seas two sailors other two dogs have been rescued after surviving five months lost at sea they survived thanks to a water purifying machine and store dry goods the u.s. navy picked up the americans after a fishing vessel spotted them about fifteen hundred kilometers off the coast of japan the women had set sail from hawaii to tahiti in the spring but the boats

engine failed the mast was damaged and they were too far from other vessels for their distress calls to be heard. that's all we have time for for me brian thomas the entire news team thanks so much for having us still gayle's up with you next for me though have yourself a great weekend and we'll see you again. next five. stories that the world over information provide opinions they want to express.