finally start january twenty eighth don't hold you. to. this is d w news live from bergland the leader of bangladesh his main opposition describes today's election as a farcical and demanding a new vote authorities say they're investigating complaints of fraud and vote rigging around the country violence has also marred the coach just find a heavy security also coming up a historic election in the democratic republic of congo with reports of long lines and delays as the country chooses

a new president for the first time in nearly as you decades. i'm called aspen thanks for joining us. votes are being counted and bangladesh's parliamentary election authorities say they're investigating allegations of vote rigging from around the country and as a result several opposition candidates have for jetted the results and the party is calling for a fresh election was also marred by deadly violence despite a heavy security presence the first projections are coming in and it looks as if prime minister shaikh sina overturned to power in a landslide where. it was an election tainted by violence and vote rigging allegations head of the poll authorities limited internet access claiming rumors could spread unrest they also banned motorcycles a common form of transportation one independent news stations and they were taken

off air dozens of opposition candidates have now withdrawn from the race at polling stations opinions were divided. i know that it could follow that i ran like the whole process i felt very safe because of the heavy security i believe there is a free and fair election taking place or. i could hold of it. allowed to vote for a told me to send a text message to get my serial number. i did it four times but i didn't get a response because with now i'm confused river i can vote or not. came with a lot of hope but now i'm very disappointed. 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 has seen voiced his anger. people are being people who have been there is two candidates have been arrested and one to see them on president did not know who heard of it would not be able to go as i could not even to be able to say we were in a bad dream i would not think it would monger there's up to forty seven you and i would have proved it isn't here. despite heavy security clashes turned deadly between rival groups it's been nearly fifty years since bangladesh gained independence but the country still isn't free from political turmoil. initial projections are for a landslide election win for prime minister but more than forty opposition

candidates say they won't accept the election results joining us now our correspondent michelle chase while she is standing by for us at the election media center in the capital dhaka amisha there were fears head of time that this election would not be free and fair have those fears now become reality. well it really depends on who you ask the opposition as well as the opposition leader we just heard of course alleging that these elections were not free and fair we also have heard that the several candidates were pulling out which essentially means with checking the results of the election however the write here of where the ruling obame league held a press briefing we are asked to go on the league about to do to react to these allegations of water again and the army doing parties says that well it's very convenient to reject a result which is not good for you and accept one which is good for you that being

said be wrong we need has also said that the election commission little investigate any such allegations of malpractise and that they will look into any use any kind of wood triggering that comes up in front of them so right now no official comments you have but as i said depends on who you ask meanwhile reportedly at least seventeen people have been killed in election violence many more were injured what's behind all this unrest. well talk about remained largely peaceful there was a very heavy security deployment and we also saw a lack of opposition polling agents all across the city this could be a reason why there were no clashes however in other parts of the country where the opposition made that's presence felt the clashes did break out this is where the violence erupted from most of this was attacks from opposition parties on the ruling party or attacks from dueling party on the opposition party it is also worth noting that such a wide lens has marred the entire campaign trail however again the ruling party

says that this was the most peaceful election that has happened in this country so far the opposition of course has very contradictory statements briefly if you can a third consecutive term now for the prime minister what will that mean for bangladesh's future. but a touch of storm which it will be historic this would be her fourth prime minister another landmark what it means is that it could potentially see a continuance of this booming economic krulak that attacks seen in the last ten years that has increased feed off you because you know however the criticism falls does government is that that has been a see this crackdown on press freedom as well as free speech and also the fact that if these elections are found to be marred this would also silvio the view of the credibility off this government of questions will continue to be it's about that of course bangladesh many young voters and bangladesh will be school. toto walked out

of them with those awful this time what does they say they do not get about the body that comes to body and they want good education good growth good employment point forward ok mr james well that reporting from dhaka thank you very much. now to some of the other stories making news around the world with 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 had taken bold measures to overcome years of hostility. tens of thousands of serbians have marched through the capital belgrade again to protest against attacks on opposition politicians and journalists the protesters waved banners accusing president alexander of stifling democratic liberties cracking down on political opponents and controlling the media. voters in the democratic republic of congo are casting ballots for a new president the winner will take over from strongman joseph kabila who stepped

down two should have stepped down two years ago but instead postponed the election several times there's been reports of long lines and glitches at polling stations but for the most voters are simply happy to finally have their say. they waited for two years to cast their vote what difference will a few more hours in the pouring rain make. after eighteen years of the same man in charge voters in kinshasa waited eagerly for their chance to select a new president they have a choice between three main candidates two from the opposition and a former interior minister favored by outgoing president joseph kabila. will usually be easy to go into i feel liberated and happy that we completed my civic duty to do with it have just voted in a historic election for norwood neo's that it used to it is. historic

indeed the democratic republic of congo has never experienced a peaceful transition of power since gaining independence from belgium in one nine hundred sixty many are hoping that today will be the day including presidential contender martin for you little. clear it's done it's the end for joseph kabila. but there are problems with the vote a lot of them. there are reports that many polling stations never even opened causing frustration among voters and the opposition is concerned that voting machines have been manipulated to help could be less preferred successor when i was at it the two cities have been barred from voting actual residence in the opposition strongholds of dany and put tempo will have to wait till march to cost their vote long after congress new leader will be sworn in officials cited and

ebola outbreak as the reason. any frustrated president stage their own mock ballot and protest but it will likely only be the next election that their voice is really heard it was so evident was us. sports now in twenty eighteen has been a year that many german football fans would rather forget the national team won just four of its thirteen matches and of course they didn't put up much of a fight at all while losing its title during this year's world cup so the national team and its stars are open to give fans a reason to cheer and only one team. this is the world cup exit it was a real good point for me. there's no sugar coating it and you can germany coach your human love hasn't managed much in twenty eighteen his beautiful game successful for so many years has stopped working i take it take it too far to get it just perfect have been his faith in former world champions regardless of their

form paired with his religious attachment of possession play lead to an early world cup exit we just didn't have the right attitude. the one thing they did perfect was presentation but germany's demand shaft brand became too far removed from the fans and the team lost plenty of good will this insist we were too arrogant. and they made too many mistakes the german football federation's handling of the measure ursule affair was a lesson in how not to deal with a crisis or made accusations of racism and then made a spectacular exit a huge loss but there was hope off the field. twenty four will be germany thanks winning the bid for euro twenty twenty four as the pressure on germany's top brass. the national team then went on

a charm offensive with fans attempting to bring the team and supporters back together. germany's old guard are under pressure from a new generation who hope to improve matters on the pitch to like a surgeon gnabry and mark andre to stay given the last international games of the year against russia in the netherlands seoul progress on those other words we have a good group we have a lot of young players and many experienced players to help us and leaders. we've created some momentum and we can build on that over the. last two or three games for positive we have to keep going i hope we're a force next year. the nature of the neuro twenty twenty qualification germany will again face the netherlands having been embarrassed by them during a dismal nations league relegation you know you love needs to oversee a rapid transformation to ensure twenty nine team kicks off with a bright new era. as the year is coming to an end we're looking

back at some of our favorite stories of twenty eighteen here at g.w. like this one about want us mountain gorillas are a rare success story among the hundreds of endangered animal species in sub-saharan africa in fact their population is growing thanks to visitors from around the world . it's a rare sight this rugged figure in the forest. but not as rare as before. thirty years ago the mountain gorilla which is darker and shaggier than its low and cousins was nearly extinct. now its population has risen to over one thousand. in rwanda tourists pay large sums nearly one thousand five hundred euros to see these great apes the revenue goes toward protecting the animals.

it's amazing. you see me here if you were here. it's pretty exciting. to be honest it's a lot of money for me. only to be able to do this once in my life but. looking back that will have the memory for my life. the mountain gorilla lives almost exclusively at higher elevations and as humans have encroached on its habitat its population has dwindled. years of war and human conflict have also contributed to the decimation of the species population. these four gorillas were found dead allegedly killed by local charcoal traders angered that the forests protected status impedes their business. the mountain gorilla is still not thriving but conservationists hope that their efforts will continue to bring them back from the brink. all right

a reminder now the top story that we're following for you right now vote counting is underway after bangladesh's parliamentary election officials there say they're investigating claims of both breaking the polls also marred by deadly violence despite a heavy security presence. those are the top of the hour and you can get the latest headlines and information on our website that's d.w. dot com thanks watching. everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression. the right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference. and to seek to receive and include information and ideas. regardless of twenty years. until the first release of the un declaration of human rights article nineteen for hold on w.