this is d.w. news live from berlin hong kong heads to the polls in key local elections chief executive kerry lam is under pressure pro-democracy protesters want to send her and beijing a message though it is one of the all cut off the vote defiance breaks out again also coming up pope francis takes a stand against nuclear weapons the pontiff makes a symbolic visit to nagasaki in japan where he calls upon the world's nuclear nations to scrap their arsenals. the senate approves

a bill that could pave the way for new elections without former president evo morales the interim government hopes a new poll will end weeks of unrest that has left dozens dead. i'm all me and use of welcome to the program we start in hong kong where people are voting in municipal elections the vote is seen as a test of kerry lam's probation government and a referendum on the pro-democracy movement that has rocked the city for months a record number of residents have signed up to cast their ballots. hong-kong this are used to queuing for restrooms conventions but not for an election especially not on a sunday morning and even before the polling stations open. moments after the queues started to form came a familiar face. pro-democracy leader. he himself was sparked from running.

action action in more. issue is that. political system reform but i still urge people to actually show up with this called how to beijing. many voters see these local elections as a referendum on whether the public still supports the protests hong kong has been rocked by almost 6 months of unrest some of it violent but calm returned in the run up to the election protests his feet the government my call of the vote. we are facing an extremely challenging situation. this year's elections but i'm pleased to say that with the concerted efforts of parties including of course over 30000 civil servants in many departments today we should have a relatively peaceful and vironment to conduct these elections successfully for now

peace has temporarily returned to the city but this could change depending on the results. now for more i'm joined by a reporter who has been following the events in hong kong now this is this election is just a local election and kerry lamp or so for position is not being contested so why is it so important to hong kong i understand that this is a question that many many may actually have because it's a local election but not even a lot of hong kong people used to care a lot. the district council normally focuses just on local welfare infrastructure really vocal matches but i think this time it matters a lot because of 2 reasons 1st of all this is a way for hong kong people to voice their opinion to voice their discontent or to exercise their rights because hong kong people can choose their district council is directly and this is democracy. this is actually what many have been asking for in

the protests and secondly the council does have a little impact on the political landscape in hong kong because the chief executive is elected by 1200 members of election committee and in that committee actually a 100 of them are from the district council directly so in that sense. people can be represented directly through their district council is of course this is just a very small number but it is highly symbolic now you are yourself from hong kong and you've been following the events going on there what is the mood now now that the vote is happening the mood is very tense it's not like there are a lot of violence industry on the streets actually how has been briefly quiet in the past 2 or 3 days. and i guess this is because it is just so calm before storm i would say i've spoken to people from there and then they told me that it's been so quiet and it seems like the purchase has never happened before or to protest never

erupted and the reason i say why this is the calm before the storm is that because protest is actually just agree to stay calm in order not to jeopardize the election and also for the probation cam it's also a very stressful situation because they're facing a challenge that it has never faced before traditionally the probation cam has a very strong has been very strong in the district council race and so what do we know driven predictions about who's more likely to get a win out of this election pro-democracy camp or the probation camp no we don't really know because as many as a lot of people are pro-democracy a significant part of the population are also pro establishment so as i've said the probation camp has been traditionally virtually strong in the just for cancer research but this time derby nearly 400000 new voters

and they will most of them are young people or their 1st time voters and they are in support of the protests and that could really change the political landscape ok so we're also expecting a hard turn out here thanks for your insights i'm sure. now pope francis has called upon the world leaders to scrap their nuclear arsenals the pontiff made the appeal during a visit to japan the final leg of his tour of asia france's visit nagasaki one of 2 cities devastated by an american nuclear attack in the closing days of the 2nd world war he spoke of the suffering and dirt by the victims of that attack and he said nuclear weapons could never provide the world with security peace and stability. to discuss the pope's visit is tokyo based journalist. thanks for joining us so pope francis gave a speech to know getting nuclear weapons how is this being received in japan of course as you mentioned nagasaki is one of the cities where which was obliterated

by the atomic bomb so people have very strong feelings in japan against nuclear weapons and. will also be speaking with atomic bomb survivors so this message of peace coming from the actual cities 1st from nagasaki and then the hiroshima. atomic bombs will have a deep impact on people all over the world and it does in japan especially there's also the of course. issue that japan is under constant threat from north korea for example and when it comes to nuclear weapons and there have been lots of testing in the past missile to stink i'm not curious why it's an ongoing issue in japan and people who feel very strongly about it so the pope's message will be well received here so this is the 1st papal visit to japan and 30 years what is the significance

for japanese christians. well japan has about one to 2000000 christians and only about 500000 perhaps catholics so for them the 1st visit in 38 years by pontiff because the last one was in 1901 is huge christianity on like in other countries is a minority religion in japan and most of the people here it's here to shintoism and which isn't so the 1st christian missionaries arrived in 16th century and however after 20 years or so christianity was outlawed and. what we call human christians period he didn't christian meaning they had to basically. practice their religion in secret so there's even a mark here is in for example nagasaki and pope will be visiting that. so.

it is it is a huge thing that they are being recognized fine perhaps after so many years so ahead of the pope's visit the catholic church in tokyo criticize japanese culture for being. a list that if you could just briefly explain what's behind that what do they mean by too materialistic well god is the 3rd biggest economy in the world and it's a modern advanced economy and country but. you know as a modern life i would say have also hits japan. japanese people are increasingly perhaps thought of being as bit non read religious. and therefore this globalisation i would say of indifference to human suffering. or in just protecting our own interests has also been experienced in japan and what.

could she the archbishop of tokyo in a very passionate appeal to the japanese public recently said is that the disabled the older leader or the refugees especially an immigrant in japan has started just to get even workers. we have more compassion for these people ok thank you journalist. in tokyo now to some of the other stories making news around the world american led forces and their syrian kurdish allies have carried out a large joint operation capturing dozens of so-called islamic state militants the operation was revealed while u.s. president vice president mike pence was in iraq on a previously unannounced visit assured iraqi kurdish leaders that the u.s. would stand with its kurdish allies. anti-government protesters in colombia have taken to the streets for a 3rd consecutive day thousands marched in the capital bogota but were stopped by

and dispersed by police and tear gas the protesters are angry at president is economic social and security policies. lawmakers in bolivia have passed a law that paves the way for a new election without ex-president even more or less once rubber stamp the bill will the bill cancel the results of a disputed poll last month that vote summerall us when an unprecedented 4th term but then resign after facing pressure from the military dozens of people have since died in clashes. finally after weeks of waiting and hours of standing in line natural gas a lifeline for people who've been reduced to using whatever fuel they can find. because the as it has both been coming here for 3 days and for nothing but now we were so guess we have very happy. the barricades that blocked this gas facility

were put up by ex-president a few more alice's supporters away to put pressure on the caretaker government that rules with the support of the military the morales is movement for socialism party controls both houses of parliament. negotiators from the united nations and the european union helped craft a law allowing new elections. she knew that without a doubt this is the 1st step for bolivia to change course and return to democracy to hold credible transparent free and inclusive elections a soonest possible. however self-proclaimed interim president janine anya has rejected lawmakers attempts to give morales amnesty her government has accused him of sedition after he urged his supporters to keep up blockades. we have categorically affirmed that my government will not persecute any political union

all civically death. at the same time we are clear that he or she who has not respected the lure. who has committed crimes will not have amnesty of any kind being. some of morales's supporters are still fighting running battles with the army soldiers were taken hostage briefly on saturday as they were guarding a caravan of dump trucks in a country where mistrust still runs high. activists in paris are demanding the french government take stronger steps to combat deadly domestic violence with more than $130.00 women killed so far this year by their partner france has one of the highest rates of domestic violence faith tallies in western europe. put pressure on politics and solidarity with the women there loud and determined to be heard thousands of

demonstrators gathered in paris to vent their anger france has been discussing the issue of violence against women for months. so that's what should be a sermon ists we fight for all the women everyone knows at least one person who is affected but it's. ok to just take action just to see if what i hear in memory of my mother who was murdered before my eyes in 1982 when i was 13 at the time zone with a feared death in march our daughter was murdered on corsica by her ex partner was 1. $121.00 women were killed in france last year alone by their partner or their ex partner according to the ministry of the interior. worldwide the u.n. says that 137 women a murdered every day these activists are calling for an end to violence against women demanding decisive political action. on the top i shall we demand

a rethink in politics as part of the fight against this violence the moment the government must put more money on the table to end sexist and sexual violence if you will not be active in all 66 years and their demands are specific better policing judicial protection harsher penalties and an additional 1000000000 euros for assistance and violence prevention. this is did all the news live from berlin stay with us for the bonus think. i'm secure in the fire. that's hard and in the end this is a me you're not allowed to stay here we will send you back. are you familiar with this. with the smugglers we're alliance of. what's your story. 'd and what i was about women especially of victims of violence. take part.