this is news live from berlin allegations of vote rigging in bangladesh's general election both already say they're investigating complaints from across the country violence is also involved voting in some places the results are expected to show another when the prime minister sheikh hasina. also coming up with germany set to take a seat on the u.n. security council in twenty nineteen we look at what it means of the land and what's on the agenda but. what. i'm grasping for

democracy in thailand we look back on one of our favorite stories of twenty eight seen. by many cubans mackinnon thank you so much for joining me. bangladesh's the election commission says it is investigating nationwide allegations of vote rigging in the country's parliament tree poll ballots on now being counted off for a vote that was maad by deadly violence despite a heavy security presence first projections are jus in the coming hours but the outcome is largely seen as a foregone conclusion prime minister sheikh hasina is expected to be returned to power. it's an election that's been tainted by violence and vote rigging allegations. turnout was low and security was high authorities

limited internet access claiming rumors could spread unrest rights groups have spoken of a climate of fear at polling stations opinions were divided. let alone i really liked the whole process i felt very safe because of the heavy security i believe there is a free and fair election taking place here all of it. for you told me to send a text message to get my serial number it will not kill it i did it four times but i didn't get a response. but now i'm confused not only came with a lot of hope but now i'm very disappointed yes for decades the ruling awami league and the nationalist b.n.p. party have jostle for power but with opposition leader in prison prime minister sheikh hasina was the clear favorite to win during her time in power the prime

minister has been credited with boosting the economy and welcoming refugees but critics say she's become increasingly authoritarian and accuse her of detaining opposition candidates and supporters. opposition coalition leader come out hussain voiced his anger. people have been killed people are being arrested candidates are being arrested and. receiving president. would not be good for us i could not even be able to. even a bad dream i could not bring to bangladesh after forty seven when i would have been here in boston. it's been nearly fifty years since bangladesh gained independence but the country still isn't free from political turmoil the election commission says it's investigating nationwide allegations of vote rigging. a correspondent well isn't today speaking to voters in different polling stations

around the city she told us about her experience shortly before polls closed for i had to polling station in dhaka where voting is going to be closing down voters are still continuing to trickle in but off about two thousand four hundred waters the presiding officer told us about a thousand and one of about forty percent of plus a heavy security deployment as we have seen across talk large numbers of army and police personnel have been deployed perhaps the reason why talk on has remained peaceful but of course it's worth noting that across the country we're hearing reports of violence that have led to clashes that have led to deaths at least eight or nine people local reports say have been killed another interesting feature of these elections over here in dhaka is that behind me you can see a lot of polling agents officers from different political parties however most of

these polling usually seem to be from the army league which is the ruling party led by prime minister sheikh hasina the opposition party the bangladeshi nationalist party led by the current the in general we have not seen agents from that party of course the people from the ruling party explain this a simple simple absence the opposition however claims pressure both will be closing very soon and results will start rolling and so one of the deciding officer hewitt tells us that the first picture will start stop coming through but on seven pm by eight pm bangladesh local time we should have an idea about how things are going to turn out in the national elections this year. and that was. reporting from. now to the democratic republic of congo where a presidential election is underway people there are choosing a successor to strongman leader joseph kabila but there often is that violence could overshadow the ballot is leaving office after eighteen years in power long

lines formed outside polling stations across the vast central african country and numerous congolese expressed frustration at problems that prevented them from voting international observers have echoed the concerns of congo's opposition parties that the election is not free and fair and three opposition strongholds will see no balloting at school until march authorities cancel the vote q two and a vote outbreak and ethnic violence. that germany is set to begin a two year stint on the united nations security council starting in twenty nineteen germany was elected to a revolving seat on the council along with nine other countries they'll join permanent veto powers russia china the us britain and france so what's the germany's priorities and what are the chances of the success of a. new york in the summer of two thousand and eighteen. germany's

delegation to the united nations celebrates their country's election by a wide majority to the u.n. security council. we want to live up to this responsibility we don't want to show away from difficult decisions we want to stand up and be counted. in the months that followed diplomats and burden prepared extensively for that responsibility germany intends to put human rights climate change and women's affairs at the center of the agenda but it's clear that not everything can be planned the world is full of surprises. mckeith decision that's being a member of the secure. you don't always have a time to hold a meeting in berlin or think things over you have to be clear in advance how you want to position yourself we have to vote we have to say which side we're on the canon a look back april two thousand and eighteen france and britain fly aerial missions attacking troops of bashar al assad in syria germany approves of the

action without taking direct part in it and the biggest position how would likely decide on questions of war and peace in the security council and would they be able to arrive at common european positions germany is usually reluctant to send in troops and military interventions have often divided government opinion in the past. the meeting between the german and polish foreign ministers poland two will be on the council in two thousand and nineteen. with the e.u. aren't always easy but germany hopes that you will speak with one voice in the un the signs are good. to me. i'm an optimist. is concerned the goal is to amplify europe's voice within the security council and. germany hopes to form

a front with poland belgium france and britain to fight for the original idea of the united nations including respect for international agreements and we also have to deal with those who don't see things as. two thousand and nineteen should be a happy new year for the u.n. the german used highest priority for its tenure on the security council. have a look at some of the other stories making news around the world yemen's who see rebels have started to leave the red sea port of the data with your all is part of the u.n. sponsored peace agreement signed earlier this month government forces however remain skeptical saying they need time to confirm the withdrawal. in front several cars have been set on fire outside the offices of the major newspaper it's unclear who torched the vehicles and whether it was linked to the yellow vests protest movement demonstrators blocks numerous roads across the country and to say that the

anti-government protests were smaller than in previous weeks. with north korean leader kim jong un has sent a letter to south korean president moon asking for more peace talks between the two in twenty nineteen kim said the leaders of the two koreas who met three times this year have taken bold measures to overcome years of hostility. now as the year draws to a close we're looking back on some of the best stories from the last twelve months our correspondents filed a whole range of reports from all over the world about people's own personal stories about political crises and of course about war and violence but many of those were stories that both touched us and made us think about things a little differently but this report on how rock music is being used to promote democracy in thailand.

on the cell phones. in the streets in the cars. the beats of a rap song reverberated throughout thailand to. be somewhat like that. but head gumi or in english what my country has criticised this thailand's military government and the lack of freedom that immediately followed but. the one. that would mean. that you were in a country under a military dictatorship that has struck a chord especially among the young tides the song got more than twenty million clicks on you tube in just a week and. it's sort of a voice for teenagers the young adults who can think that contact. we can only talk amongst ourselves but we have no liberty or rights to speak out freely if you do speak your mind it will only be bad for yourself. and you can change anything

anyway. but it was not daring to speak out something the group rappers against dictatorship wanted to change that's why they wrote about it on the head we think that anyone can use the phrase what my country is the title of the song to speak out about whatever's on their mind what they think is the matter with our country and we hope that people will start being more critical when it comes to politics and. speaking out against the powerful has never been without risk in thailand but since the latest military coup four years ago it's become even more dangerous. also for rappers against dictatorship the police had first declared they were investigating the group for a possible by. relation of the so called computer crime act could get them five years in prison but what the announcement got the song was five million clicks into

bangs the authorities have since backed down. the lyrics don't contain anything that insults anyone personally that's why i never thought the song would draw attention from the authorities but when the police started talking about it that's really when it became so popular. on the outside. looks like a peaceful country. but there are deep divisions. time and again the country has been on the brink of civil war. for now the military government is keeping a lid on things but below the surface it's starting to heat up again. there haven't been elections in more than four years they're scheduled for february but what will they be worth if society doesn't change. people should develop

a critical mindset in their everyday lives. i think if that were the case there would actually be less conflict within society conflict happens when people don't accept that others have a different opinion. if we could get reach a compromise instead of fighting with those who don't share our opinion. that would be an important step towards a better future. to . make it up to the. news live from berlin my colleague call now has been will be here with more news at

the top of the next hour and you can of course always get all the latest news and information on the website w dot com thanks so much for joining us today. i. am not allowed and they will not succeed in dividing us so that i'll not succeed in taking the people off the streets because we're tired of this dictatorship. taking the stand global news that matters d w made for minds. where is home. when your family is scattered across the globe. with the.