this is d.w. news live from berlin celebrations in the streets of hong kong as a wave of pro-democracy candidates take seats in local elections 90 of the 1st 100 seats declared to go to the pro-democracy camp in the boat widely seen as a barometer of the territory's probation government or after team coverage also coming up top secret documents reveal the chinese government's systematic mass detention of ethnic most of them weaker than a network of prison camps of aging insists their voluntary free education centers

and a potential battle of media moguls a billionaire michael bloomberg joins a crowded democratic field in the hopes of running against president donald trump and 2020 but those bloomberg have what it takes to attract democratic voters will take you to d.c. or helps. i'm cornell's than welcome to the program hong kong is tallying the votes in its district council elections and already it looks like a tidal wave of pro-democracy candidates is sweeping the territory 90 of the 1st 100 seats have been won by the pro-democracy camp and even with half the result still be counted the side already has more seats than it had before the election was seen as a chance for hong kong erst to have a direct say about the city's direction. after nearly 6 months of protests.

as polls closed and results started to trickle in celebrations erupted among pro-democracy voters on the streets of hong kong activists urged people to go to the ballot boxes and the record turnout of heard around 70 percent and searched. if there are more hong kong is casting their ballots it means a better democracy so if this year's voter turnout is higher than the previous election i think that's quite positive. many voters wanted to make their voices heard following nearly half a year of unrest in hong kong it had left many feeling that enough is enough. people have been long long you know your current. prime. minister listen to do was to the people. the polis to choose district councillors they don't have any direct political power as the merely offer advice to to cover

meant as hong kong's district councils have long been dominated by the probe aging establishment pro-democracy voters believe this time the scales are tipping in their favor. joining me now in studio is the w.'s clifford cohen in his board extensively in the region 1st of all just want to get your reaction we heard 90 of the 1st 100 seats declared have gone to pro-democracy candidates but 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 of people just going in and voting in huge numbers and then we're seeing what could possibly be allowed. 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 rig votes 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 a referendum and charlotte set a litmus test to see 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 and it also is a strong signal to the hong kong chief executive. this is how. people in hong kong

are thinking and how people are feeling. clifford cohen thank you. for a leaked chinese government documents reveal details about the country's massed attention of weaker muslims least $1000000.00 people from the minority group are believed to be held turman camps a group of investigative journalists publish the cables which contradict china's claims that the camps are voluntary reeducation facilities a chinese official as dismissed the documents these confidential chinese government documents lay bare the control and repression that rein in the internment camps and province at least a 1000000 muslims are thought to be detained in the camps. is a state motto ship into the systematic internment of an entire ethnic and religious minority this is really something that the world has not got to grips with yet. experts believe there are more than $1000.00 such camps the key leaked documents

lays out how they are to be run it states the inmates onselen out any contacts with the outside world owning a mobile phone is strictly said that in the camps should be under constant and comprehensive video surveillance not a single corner should be left on watched preventing escape is a top priority but in addition these camps are like prisons the aim is to completely control every 2nd of a person's life it's not just about locking them up the aim is to have a deep psychological impact on their identity. beijing has always described the camps as voluntary reeducation facilities. leaked documents confirm that is not the case. genocide is probably the most accurate way to describe what's happening there. the

documents now being called the china cables were tamed by the international consortium of journalists. our now a check of some of the other stories making news around the world several people have been killed in a plane crash and that's in the democratic republic of congo the aircraft came down in a populated area moments after taking off rescue services say they have so far recovered more than 20 bodies on the scene. in romania incumbent president klaus was reelected for a 2nd term on sunday in a landslide the conservative was facing the social democratic party leader eureka done chilla the run up to the election was dominated by public anger over allegations of corruption by. packed like sardines that's the motto of a new italian grassroots movement challenging. his far right league party thousands of demonstrators have been packing public squares in italy holding shapes banners

that's the symbol of a growing movement against far right populism the protesters say they want to halt rise to power ahead of pivotal local elections. and your border federica baggio joins me in studio with more on those sardines so how did this movement get going well karl it all started with a pretty spontaneous flash mob in the city of blowing in northern italy on november 14th on that day mantissa leaning was visiting the city and 4 young friends from that city they set up this facebook event calling upon fellow citizens to gather in one of the city squares to pack the square like sardines or. and they were hoping to reach 6000 participants but actually more than double and that's more than double participants came to that square and that really has now turned into as part

similar rallies across other cities. in the region and also outside of the region with more planned in the next weeks and those protesters they say that they want to stir italians to challenge the league's migrant message and this is what they had to say. we're here to say that ideas will not take root here or at least they will not have the success he's hoping for. i came here because i'm against populist politics i believe that politics should be about sharing and not about populism and exclusion and that's what these policies bring about and so unique. because we were touched by this movement of young people who stand up against nationalism there's. no so we thought why don't we elderly people also give a hand you know that. we should not be are you see those kind of handmade signs i

mean it's a grassroots movement what chance does this have going up against i mean just obviously it remains the most popular party in italy and that's even after they suffered the big blow over the summer when mentos have been pulled the plug on the coalition government with the 5 star movement and now the league is in the opposition but recent opinion polls did give it still give it a where 30 percent popularity there really strong said the regional level also in the region and in yet among in the region where the sardines movement was. launched but this movement has taken so by surprise you know for a long time he has been the one filling up the squares and and using social media to fuel his popularity and now for the 1st time we see like a counter movement here really sparking this kind of participation and momentum so when he has responded ironically proposing for example this new league logo on his fade facebook page with the slogan. it's keaton's with. cat.

so he's been trying to play it all down but looks like he hasn't really found a strategy to to deal with this counter-movement no it's which is has been stealing the scene at least in the last days and it's still quite fresh so we have to see how it develops and whether it will actually have an impact on voters all right. thanks very much thank you. well former new york mayor michael bloomberg has formally announced that he is running for president former republican became a democrat just last year as one of the breaches people in the world joins a crowded field of democratic candidates jostling to go up against president donald trump next year on announcing his bid for president he said that he is quote uniquely qualified to take on trump. earlier we spoke with correspondent oliver silence he gives us this analysis about bloomberg stances and 2020 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 weeks 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 a 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 himself argues this is exactly why he can be 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. art to sports now in the buddhist league as early sunday games are in the books let's take a look at the results mights demolished often haim ran over hertz a 1000000000 for nail newly promoted own pulled off a big upset over 1st place. by a munich dominating dusseldorf also by a score 4 nil rb leipzig defeating cologne laver coups and and freiburg ended in a 11 tie shall go beating braman volved spirit downed frankfurt 2 nothing in on friday dortmund drew with the bottom of the table club potter born. and lastly how about this for an unlikely bromance a baby giraffe is found in new canine friend of an animal rescue shelter in south africa his name is jazz the giraffe and that would be hunter of the guard dog both of those lovely creatures live at the rhino orphanage jazz was found abandoned when

he was just a couple of days old and despite the obvious size difference hunter's protective instincts kicked in and he has been helping to take care of the giraffe in fact the 2 have been basically inseparable ever since. up next world stories in the meantime all the latest news available on our website d w don't call. people the world over the information you provide is opinions they want to express g.w. on facebook and twitter are up to date in touch from the us.