this is d.w. news live from berlin the votes are being counted in hong kong after people turn out in record numbers the city's local elections are seen as a referendum on the territories pro beijing governments and early results are favoring pro democracy candidates will have team coverage also coming up a nother day of violence in iraq as security forces opened fire on protesters killing at least 7 and wounding dozens more that's the latest surge and violence against anti-government protests began in october. also coming up

a potential battle of media moguls billionaire michael bloomberg who joins a crowded democratic field in the hopes of running against president donald trump and 20 twentieth's but doesn't bloomberg have what it takes to attract democratic voters we'll take you to d.c. for now. i'm calling aspen welcome to the program vote counting is underway in hong kong after a record turnout in district council lections the vote is being seen as a test for the pro-democracy movement and form battled chief executive kerry lam early results are already starting to come in and they show a wave of victories for the pro-democracy side of the 1st 100 seats declared have been won by the movement. including some former student leaders voting has remained

peaceful but turnout is topping 70 percent that's higher than in any election in the territory's history the city has endured nearly 6 months of anti-government protests which have frequently descended into violent clashes with police. charlotte shells a pill was covering those elections for us in hong kong and she was at a local polling station as those results started to come in well those vote results are starting to trickle in called what we've seen so far is the vast majority of seats that have been announced have gone to pro-democracy figures that really was unexpected here in hong kong a lot of pro-democracy protesters had hoped for some gains but just to be clear these district council elections a usually dominated by pro establishment figures so these gains are really being considered very significant so far we've seen a number of protests stablish mitt heavyweights losing their seats to pro-democracy figures including beijing lawmaker jenius ho we've heard and seen images of

people celebrating on the streets with champagne at that announcement now in this particular seat at this polling station pretty democracy activist and convener of the civil human rights front which is behind a number of the rallies in recent months jimmy sham he has won his seat pushing out the incumbent in his victory speech he said that his win was a victory for all those people who have lost who have given up so much for this pro-democracy movement in recent months now there is still a long night ahead as hundreds of seats are still to be announced but for all those people who said that this was a litmus test for the popularity of this pro-democracy movement particularly given how violent the clashes have become in recent months they will be watching these results very closely and looking to see whether this is a contest a trend that continues throughout the evening. joining me now in studio is clifford

clinton he has reported extensively in the region now 1st of all i just want to get your reaction when we heard 90 of the 1st 100 seats declared have gone to pro-democracy candidates what do you think about that that's a wave that's that's that's big you know this is a massive massive move some key constituencies we don't know yet some areas but it's looking like it's a major victory for the for the pro-democracy side some people are still a bit anxious they're saying that maybe there will be a swing later on but realistically it's very hard to see how that could happen it's certainly a massive gesture in terms of the pro-democracy count maybe not so surprising given how big that turnout was now citizens they've been protesting for months this though is their 1st opportunity to really have a direct say in terms of the direction of the city is this election do you think maybe a turning point for all i think so i mean there's long been a feeling in hong kong among the people that they never been asked themselves about what they they think this was in many ways the 1st opportunity it was supposed to

be about garbage collection and cultural events you know the district council but it's turned into something much more significant and i think it really is being treated as that and we've seen great discipline people just going in and voting in huge numbers and then we're seeing could possibly be allowed slug. results are still coming in there's a lot at stake here for both sides do you think we can expect these elections to give of fair result i think so i mean there are this is what some of the concerns are is that maybe later. there could be some late attempt to revote but it's very hard to see with such a strong early showing and there were fears maybe as the police were outside various election polling stations that that could intimidate people but people seem to have voted without any without any difficulty and so we're hoping that there won't be any rigging you mentioned because these are local lections generally these are. are our politicians not a whole lot of actual power what would that mean then for the city if this does in

this trend continues and we see more pro-democracy candidates winning what would that do how would that change politics in hong kong well i think what this is the best way to view this is as a referendum and charlotte set a litmus test to see how how people are thinking what we have next coming up with the legislative legislative council elections elections which are quite controlled by pro beijing lobbies they're going to be very important but this is a huge boost for the pro-democracy side going into elections like that and it also has a strong signal to the hong kong chief executive that this is how people in hong kong are thinking and how people in hong kong are feeling i did clifford cohen and thank you for. our down let's take a look at some of the other stories making news around the world leaked chinese government documents reveal details about the country's mass detention of weaker muslims at least 1000000 people from the minority group are believed to be held in

internment camps in the far west of the country a group of investigative journalists published the leak which contradicts china's claims that the camps are voluntary education facilities a chinese official as dismissed the documents. several people have been killed in a plane crash in goma in the democratic republic of congo aircraft came down in a populated area moments after taking off the rescue services say they have so far recovered more than 20 bodies from the scene. in romania incumbent president klaus yohannes as was reelected for a 2nd term on sunday in a landslide the conservative was facing the social democratic party leader via reka done chilla the run up to the election was dominated by public anger over allegations of corruption. well iraqi security forces have opened fire on protesters and so. cities including the capital baghdad at

least 6 people have been killed in clashes today and dozens of others injured it's the latest violence since anti-government protests began in october. before sunrise in the southern city of basra flames block the roads leading to iraq's major trading ports protesters no government workers will soon be trying to travel this way. it's not long before the pink dawn sky is filled with smoke and the empty streets are filled with demonstrators. across the country they're out in force from the south to the capital baghdad in iraq center. and everywhere they're facing violence i was not for the 1st time security forces opened fire on the protesters. they shot life bullets and tear gas

was since the unrest began in october more than 300 people many protesters have been killed and thousands more injured demonstrators are calling for a whole system change. lives more than the outgoing we want all the government to leave we have no other demands we want the fall of this government and the introduction of a new one made up of all those people with diplomas who are sitting on the bridges why are they there we haven't been happy for 16 years the end of the current anti-government protests iraq's largest since the fall of saddam hussein in 2003 many iraqis feel the political system that has been in place since then has failed them corruption is rife unemployment is high promised reforms have not materialized and protesters say concessions offered by the gov. meant unknown and now they want 50 change

a complete overhaul of iraq's political system and they're prepared to die. well former new york city mayor michael bloomberg has formally announced that he is running for president the former republican became a democrat just last year he is one of the bridges people in the world he joins a crowded field of democratic candidates jostling to go up against president donald trump next year upon announcing his bid for president he said that he is quote uniquely qualified to take on trump. correspondent all over salad told told us that michael bloomberg will face some stiff competition in the 2020 us presidential luncheon michael bloomberg may be entering the race quite late but his bid doesn't come as a big surprise the democratic field is crowded but what's missing is a real barrel of hope for beating president trump in the 2020 election former vice president joe biden seems too old he's had several weak performances on stage

senators elizabeth warren and bernie sanders the 2 progressive for many swing voters but those are crucial for winning against president trump now this is where michael bloomberg seizes chance another moderate candidate like an alternative to joe biden whether he will succeed or not depends on several factors how democrats will be able to move forward with their impeachment proceedings as crucial as of now they're struggling to make their point plus they have a weak field of presidential candidates while critics say bloomberg is just another billionaire with no experience in federal politics bloomberg himself argues this is exactly why he can beat donald trump with bloomberg running one thing is already clear it's one more candidate in an already crowded field and things are going to be more complicated for the democrats. changing gears and pope francis has called upon world leaders to scrap nuclear weapons the pontiff made the appeal during a visit to japan the only country to suffer nuclear attacks.

huge crowds turned and braved the rain to catch a glimpse of the pope it's the 1st papal visit to japan for nearly 4 decades and not exactly the pontiff laid a wreath at a grain see room oriel for the 10s of thousands of people including $8000.00 catholics who perished in an atomic bombing in the final days of world war 2. francis told the crowds that he believes a world without nuclear weapons is both possible and necessary and the money spent on them could be put to better use. the field in the days world where millions of children and families live in inhumane conditions. the money that is. and the fortunes made through the night a fracture upgrading maintenance and even more destructive weapons.

from crying out to those who haven't. even. the pontiff is also visiting her the site of the 1st atomic bombing in 1945 on monday pope francis will meet survivors of the 20 live in fukushima nuclear disaster he'll also meet japan's prime minister shinzo abbey and emperor not a hito and he will be hoping that they and other global leaders heed his calls for a nuclear free world's. largest ports now in the bundesliga as early sunday games are in the books take a look now at all of the results mights demolished often. brand all over here to berlin for neil newly promoted in berlin upset 1st place glug bach by munich dominating dusseldorf also by a score of 4 nil rb leipzig defeating cologne leverkusen and freiburg ended in a one once i shall beat braman voce burg down in frankfurt to nothing and on friday

dortmund drew with a pot of one. and golf john rom has won the d.p. world tour championship in dubai that's the climax of the european 2 or season the 25 year old spaniard hit this lovely little shot out of the bunker take a look at this the set up a short birdie putt. nicely done there that forded and attempts from tommy fleetwood to come from behind victory means that brawn finishes the season as the number one in europe netting him a total payday of 4500000 euros. and finally how's this for an unlikely bromance a baby giraffe has found a new canine friend at an animal rescue center in south africa the giraffe is named jazz big guard dog bear is named hunter they both live at the rhino orphanage down jazz was found abandoned when he was just 2 days old and despite their relative size difference hunter's protective instincts kicked in he's been helping to take

care of that draft to have been inseparable ever since. this is news live from berlin up next our series reporter goes to denmark stay tuned for that's i'm from aspen and i'll have more news at the top of the. secrets of life behind. discover new adventures in 360 degrees. and explore fascinating world heritage sites. to w. world heritage 368 getting out now. i'm not going to think that yeah well i guess sometimes i am but i said nothing that we could have new things.