this is d.w. news live from berlin twenty nineteen became this with our back. i. kind of regimes around the way in australia one of those countries in the world from bringing in the new. testament because they happen also on the program. the prime minister of windsor consecutive term i'm not but she has seen its rivals site of

victory there's a role. in the democratic republic of congo awaits the outcome of sunday's not presidential election of votes of being counted in tensions a high following allegations of widespread voting to make and. i forgot a welcome to the program. australia is ringing in the new year these live pictures from sydney's a famous a fireworks display at the opera house and they harbor and estimated one of the half million spectators are currently down on the waterfront.

japan will welcome the arrival of twenty nineteen in two hours away we'll bring you those pictures up by tokyo and new year's updates from around the globe as the world says goodbye to twenty eight and hello. bangladesh's prime minister has been declared the winner of sunday's national elections the electoral commission says the shaikh has seen its alliance won two hundred eighty eight out of three hundred parliamentary seats but a victory has been overshadowed by allegations of vote rigging the opposition members demanding fresh elections. to some she's a humanitarian to others she's an autocrat shaikh has seen a daughter of the founder of bangladesh now set to serve a third straight term in office as scene is credited with boosting the economy and giving refugee shelter to her supporters her victory represents both hope and

security. i expect the new government to keep their promise of creating more jobs for young people and also to increase the age for working in the government sector . hopefully they will continue with the progress they've already made. we feel safe under this prime minister and we believe we will be safe under her in the future. we have many hopes and wishes and shake us here is the daughter of a model. but sunday's vote was plagued by allegations of vote rigging and voter intimidation has seen as critics accuse her and her party of authoritarianism of detaining opposition candidates and supporters despite heavy security election campaign violence spilled over into voting day with clashes turning deadly opposition alliance leader come out hussein has called the vote farcical and is seeking fresh elections. soon creation that has been created by appallingly bad

election can be corrected by holding appropriate election under the neutral ministration of the election commission dissolution and behold another election as early as possible a new nuclear ministration dozens of candidates withdrew from the race before polls closed the rival parties have been jostling for power for decades but with a key opposition figure imprisoned and the alliance on the back foot sheikh hasina is likely to retain her post. after some of the other stories making news around the world at least three people are dead and thousands of missing following an explosion in an apartment building in russia a blast in the nine story block in the city of mack need to go up and early in the morning when many residents were asleep authorities believe it was caused by a gas leak. which is news agency says probably attacked a vest a mad man so has lost an appeal against a ten year jail sentence in the united arab emirates he was sentenced in may on

charges of criticizing the u.a.e. government on social media. that's west africa and a tense wait for the democratic republic of congo as the votes for from sunday's presidential election are counted millions of people took part in an event that could see the first peaceful transfer of power in decades but questions over its fairness are mounting with accusations of delays and irregularities especially in opposition areas. eager voters refused to give up at the ballot box election day is over in the democratic republic of congo but by nightfall many had yet to cast their vote frustrated by turmoil at overburden polling stations scenes like this one in the limited district of kinshasa were not uncommon long lines stonewalled by malfunctioning machines. said it we've been here since this morning and it's dark already but we're here and we will vote. as we call the technician he

came but. the card is missing the memory card. has vote counting gets underway in one of africa's largest and poorest countries the significance of the election is palpable this could be the d r c first peaceful transition of power since again independence from belgium in one nine hundred sixty long time leader and strong man joseph kabila is stepping down after nearly eighteen years at the helm of the main opposition candidate martin for you lou and others allege that the vote has been marred by rita machines voter suppression in opposition strongholds and general mismanagement. says even. all these irregularities will certainly have a negative impact on the election process. coalition will make sure that there are consequences when the time comes. allegations rejected by president kabila is preferred successor emmanuel rama zani

. i was elected to have just voted and i am now satisfied because today is the result of deal lector all process we started several years ago want me to. walk and i walk and i think victory is on my side and that tonight i will be president. no. congolese voters will have to wait a week for provisional results a new leader could be installed by the middle of january. well they did lose so wendy bash he joins us now on the line from the diaz he's capital kinshasa and welcome wendy from what you've seen and heard was this election fast. i everyone can say that in action or i could lead a nation that was meek out because it is and i'm on the ground right now i was thinking we found people voting is sitting told me that they had to leave

a polling station in the night because they did it became two words so i don't know in which way we can say that they sure were but from here from what i've seen and heard each made it difficult to say that he was very fair and does the opposition stand much of a chance against president kabila as protege emmanuel shuddery. compare complex question because he here in king says that when i said there you know so well if you ask people in the states did you that they would for example for myself i mean maybe for thirty to fifty we all. had or condition by force or very good that he'll be very popular here but maybe in reality a country and even for bad i'm not that sure but we need to wait for going to got those election these people generally i mean have the actor the correct one and as

you speak to vote says what do they tell you they want from the next president. most of them will change most of them when you ask them what do you expect what are your expectations read this book they want to change because the conway's a very rich country but they resist contrast the bad ok some people need to hear very poor situation so most of them one book will change economy go change and they want to access too many things like employment and that has ruled out jobs for most of them want to change we did and they can and the new president. was talking to you thanks so much for joining us wendy bashing in kinshasa thank you germany's chancellor has delivered such fish no new year's message mocking and to one of the toughest years of her political career i'm glad machall called the challenge to come together and show more openness tolerance and respect. a little

light at the end of the tunnel here at the chancellor e. in berlin germany's leader sure hope so. chancellor angela merkel describes two thousand and eighteen and her new year's address as an extremely difficult year politically she vowed to look ahead pressing for more solidarity in two thousand and nineteen. i am lead by my conviction that we will only overcome the challenges of our times if we stick together and work together across divisions. so summon. two thousand and eighteen saw the infighting that brought on the america's coalition government to the brink in october she announced she would not run for a fifth term in office meco stressed in her speech the importance of shaping the future for generations to come referring to the challenges of migration climate change and terrorism a staunch supporter of the e.u. and diplomacy she warned against self isolation. and that's the foundations of

global cooperation are being put to the test in such a situation we must stand up for must fight for what we believe in and for our own good we must take on more responsibility. on january first germany is joining the united nations security council for two years now called promised her country will use the term to fight for what she called a global solutions she also said germany would spend more on humanitarian aid and security and medical spoke with uncharacteristic passion about these images taken by german astronaut alex and a guest during his time at the international space station she said his pictures captured a new view of our planet testifying to the dangers of a changing climate but also to earth's overwhelming beauty. it was the jewels to a close it's time for us to take a look back at the w. corresponds to filed reports from all over the world. personal fights political

crises wars and disasters but they're also given the stories that encourage just touch us make us think there's one from moscow where the force appears to be strong that's right the russian capital is home to the world's first light saber fighting school. in a galaxy not so far away a group of jet ai warriors are honing their light saber scales students at moscow's saber fighting school train every week for performances and even take part in official fencing championships. daria has been training here since january and is preparing for her first duel with flood the nineteen year old has loved star wars since she was a child. that could be it up to my it's a great hobby because it's very physical it increases your insurance even your immunity plus of course we are all big fans of star wars. fun don't know if this is his name or in the this is the world's first lightsaber fighting school it was

founded in the year two thousand around fifty novice just come for lessons regularly and kids get taught for free loving the star wars films isn't a prerequisite for the sport but it certainly helps the defense of proportion sable fighting is very popular because by taking a lightsaber in your hands and trying to imitate the movements of the characters in the films you can live your dream and become them. the reason the devoted crowd has gathered for the school's performance at the moscow comic convention even though the star wars films weren't officially released here until the final years of the soviet union many russians say they consider them classics. there are a lot of reasons why i love the films it's memories from my childhood in many ways for me star wars is a symbol of who i've become what i was late this universe in the world no one has come up with a better one. i've loved star wars since childhood my parents watched it my. uncle

everyone went crazy for it like i should is all i adore it. they're both for with all my heart. the members of moscow's saber fighting school have taken their love for the film franchise to another level daria and her jet i partner have been training for this performance since summer. these fights are exact reconstructions of scenes from star wars. one from a guy saber fighting helps distract me from everyday problems in my studies with my parents and so on so i didn't hit him i just dive into this amazing world of fencing into the world of star wars. daria is still an initiate in the jet i order but patience she must have until then she and the others from the school hope the force will be with them and. that's it you're up to date tell me about the top of

the hour out of course as always the websites are in the way the round the clock that's at the w dot com a lot of concerns is up next with news of potential progress in trade talks between china and the united states have a good oh. oh .