recycling. and transport to. find out what you can do today. this is news coming to you live from berlin and change on the horizon for whatever asia's most visible gay community same sex couples in thailand get ready to exercise a right to civic partnership but they say a new law being introduced early next year fails to fall short of the fall of t.v. wars would cover a sexual health. also coming out tensions rise in the democratic republic of congo

ahead of sunday's delayed presidential elections opposition candidates called for a general strike after authorities pushed back voting even further in one of their key strongholds. plus a look back at one of our hardest hitting stories of twenty eighteen we meet the egyptian woman confounding stereotypes and fighting for respect in the boxing ring . hello i'm terry martin good to have you with us thailand is preparing to see in the new year with a groundbreaking change to its laws on same sex relationships under legislation set to be approved early in two thousand and nineteen it could become the first asian country to legalize same sex unions that would be a big step forward for. the country's gay community but some say the law does not

go far enough in meeting their demand for equality with heterosexual couples. these two want to be in perfect union and not only in a workout routine would emerge into chinda. more than just training bodies the pair fell in love twelve years ago and have been together ever since. three times a week they start their day with a workout they say it helps their bodies and their relationships stay in shape. on the go all the time working. i think the only time we actually get to spend together quality time is during morning workouts like. woody is a well known t.v. presenter in thailand for more than a decade he's been in the public eye when he came out four years ago it might be headlines not all of them current. feels thailand still has

a long way to go towards full acceptance of sexual minorities. he welcomes the new bill as an awakening fatah society. people just started talking about this seriously over the past year i type proof. ok what civil partnership ok so do gays who need to get married and the conversations out there. never talked about this. activist she acknowledges that a civil union would bring some improvements for same sex couples for example when it comes to succession at the same time like many activists she feels the move could introduce this status a second class citizens. by itself. is that.

so. because you cannot adopt. is a huge wealth from from my planet so instead of taking baby steps to take some rights i would call full rights to live with woody and take a different view they feel tall and isn't ready for a full marriage equality demanding role much as result in achieving nothing. if you push too hard. you might be aggravating the people that are living here now so it's about knocking the doors opening the doors one by one it's a first step i think it's a very important first step and if we. manage to get this first step right we will still be the very first in asia or in southeast asia to get that and i think that.

it's on its own is such an achievement both for thailand for the region it's something we can be proud of most of the heavy lifting is done what's left now is the vote in parliament should the civil union bill pass would be an want to be among the first same sex couples in thailand to legally taught the not. at our correspondent joins us now from bangkok hi florian giving same sex unions legally recognised is a big step for any country how difficult has this process been fertile and. it has been very difficult now has been a year long effort there had been plans for such a law already about four years ago before the military coup in two thousand and fourteen then this whole project basically. and it was especially difficult because there's not really an open debate now that's very. typical thai things so you don't voice your opinion openly especially not if

it's a controversial one so there has been a lot of negotiating behind closed doors by bt activists like the one we have seen in the report and certain members of the government and now here we are. stand that a final decision on the same sex union bill is expected early next year is it sure to be approved. it is not sure we will probably see democratic or almost democratic elections by the end of february of next year as i said we're still ruled by the military regime and the legislative assembly is not elected there are just appointed members there is a chance that it will actually pass before new elections but even if it doesn't the likelihood that it will pass with

a new legislative assembly. is also quite likely so i think thailand will actually see this law by next year their critics say this bill doesn't go far enough what they regard as its main short commons. well basically everything that would involve money so social welfare for partners is not part of the deal and the other very important thing is adoption so obviously it is possible for any person to adopt as an individual but there is no such thing as joint adoption for gay couples that is not mentioned in this law and this is one of the major sticking points that especially those activists are criticizing for and thank you so much our correspondent tory emotion there in bangkok. some of the other stories making news around. the world today rescue workers in indonesia are

searching for over one hundred fifty people who are still missing after saturday's tsunami this as fears grow of another eruption from the crocodile volcano authorities raised the threat level from the volcano to a red alert the second highest level possible. election campaigning has ended in bangladesh ahead of a vote where prime minister shakos sina is expected to secure a record fourth term the campaign though has been marred by allegations of power play government critics say opposition figures have been jailed for political reasons ahead of sunday's poll. and the shutdown of the u.s. government over a budget dispute is set to extend into the new year after convening for just a few minutes the senate adjourned until next week but there's no sign of a compromise over president trump's demands for money to build a wall at the mexican border. police have clashed with

demonstrators in the democratic republic of congo the clashes occurred in the east of the country where authorities have suspended voting in sunday's elections citing security concerns and an ebola outbreak police fired live ammunition and tear gas at the demonstrators who say the decision to delay voting was politically motivated the region's excluded from sunday's vote are considered hotbeds of opposition to longtime president joseph kabila. makeshift barricades burned in protest a bad omen for sunday's already contentious presidential election in a country that hasn't held a peaceful one since independence from belgium in one nine hundred sixty now residents in and around benny a city in northeastern democratic republic of the congo may not pass their votes until march the country's electoral commission says that's due to the severe ebola outbreak and rebel fighting that's plagued the area more than one million. forty

million registered voters could be affected by the delay protesters however see the decision has more to do with politics than safety bottled up with yes they need to get us another president who will govern this country and if that doesn't happen we shall create chaos starting from today until a solution is found if it calls for us to die then so be it. or not goof on the president he's so angry yet is joseph kabila in power since two thousand and one and now stepping aside the ebola affected region getting its vote postponed is a stronghold for opposition to could be the and his preferred candidate emmanuel rama zani should dari should dari faces twenty one opposition candidates martin five is one of the leading contenders. to. be less electoral favorite is also the target of european union sanctions he and

more than a dozen other congolese officials stand accused by the e.u. of obstructing the electoral process and related human rights violations in retaliation the congolese government has opted to egypt the e.u. and bassett are giving him forty eight hours to get out. that leaves sunday's election already two years behind schedule largely without international observers mostly because they've been denied accreditation more protests against the electoral commission's decision are planned for today opposition parties have called for a general strike. but as we near the end of twenty eighteen or taking a look back at some of our favorite reports from the year one of them took us to cairo to meet waller and head out to women bucking egypt's macho culture by boxing both of them have tackled stigma all their way to the top nell they want to

lend a knockout blow for equality in the country. how dear packs a punch it saves her from unwanted male attention here on the streets of cairo sexual harassment can be a common experience her training partner while law is just as fierce she's egypt's heavyweight boxing champion strong women in a macho world and out on the streets they say they're never afraid. and who would i don't want to boast but i am in fact a heavyweight boxing champion so i'm the man of the house and out on the streets and identical and i don't get women's boxing in egypt is only a fringe sport but according to the coach there's no shortage of talented women the challenge is finding them and supporting them. listen it's not about civil it's not as though this is only

a sport for men there are many women who become world champions and in egypt this is especially possible we have many strong and very talented women but they don't have it easy in egypt there is a deep seated prejudice and many stereotypes that still endure. it's a brutal sport i think it's better for women to avoid it but that after all women are not good at enduring violence the. things that develop i mean i see too many muscles on a woman i think it looks disgusting to see muscles everywhere you know i detested mr and some of us are but those views aren't shared by everyone nephews are fascinated by their aunts gold medals they are her biggest fans. they want to box to one day but it's a long road to get there while long has been in the ring for seven years now her mother is proud of her youngest child and even if her powerful punch. boxing is

actually self-defense and she's had to defend herself many times i remember how she beat up three boys at school who harassed her severely one of the boys had attacked her with a pencil and almost killed her did. malala and her dear also enjoy cooking at home but when the two girls talk about the future marriage is something one lot doesn't want to rush into she intends to take her time to find just the right partner and she knows that might take a while. to get. going for him a lot about men usually the boys complain when a girl is stronger than they are that's why i want to find someone who really understands me preferably someone who also participates in the sport who gets it and who loves it. my doing what they love these female boxers are also fighting for women's rights in the arab world and for the right of everyone to follow his or her own path towards fulfillment with no holds barred. you're watching g.w.

news just a reminder the top story we're following for you here today gay couples in thailand are awaiting a new law which will legalize same sex unions the bill is set to be passed in the new year and will make thailand asia's first. country to recognize gay partnerships . so you news for now but don't forget to get all the latest news and information around the clock on our website that's at the w. dot com i'll be back at the top of the next hour with more thanks for watching. natural riches some. precious resources. and a rewarding investment. farmland has been called ethiopia's green gold. the country has enough funding supply and leases it to international trade reform.