ordinarily the flames are a match to. 19 so the big. news december 23rd to. a last. last. the at. this is d w news live from berlin pro-democracy rallies in hong kong draw the largest crowds in months organizers say 800000 people took part in what they called a last chance for the city's probation government our correspondent has the details also coming up a major fire engulfed a factory in india's capital delhi the early morning blaze that leaves more than 40

people dead most of those workers who were sleeping inside the building. and people in bellerose take to the streets to demand that their country stays independent as russia pushes for a closer union. omarion evanston that's good to have you with us. pro-democracy demonstrators in hong kong have been staging their largest anti-government rally in months thousands of people throng the streets in what's been the 1st large scale march to be approved by the city's since august after half a year of protests demonstrators say they want to show the world that they are not giving up city authorities and protest organizers have called for calm ahead of the rally police announced. interested several people on the weapons charges. our

correspondent charlotte charles and phil is in hong kong and she joins us now for the latest so charlotte we've been seeing that today's protest is the biggest that's been held since hong kong's pro-democracy camp won those city elections last month is this is a sign that the pro-democracy movement has somehow been reinvigorated. mariana yes we've had from organizers of this march today that 800000 people took to the streets just to clarify police have put that estimate far lower they say over 100183000 people at the peak of this rally was on the streets but what it does go to show is just how much support this still is for this pro-democracy movement there had been a law in protest of the number of people taking to the streets after that district council elections when as we know pro democracy candidates won

a landslide victory people that we've spoken to though today have been very clear they know that that landslide victory was not the end of this movement they've made clear that the authorities here have not been willing to give any concessions they've not met any of the 5 demands that protesters are still calling for since those district council elections including universal suffrage and an independent inquiry into the police handling of these protests for that reason so many people were back on the streets today has to be pointed out as well this was organized by the civil human rights for a no interest aging peaceful protest that is something that attracts more people onto the streets a day when there are many that are put off by violence that is why we've seen such huge figures out on the streets once again today charlotte we have seen lots of demonstrations that took place despite being banned by authorities this march today was actually approved by city authorities as we mentioned it's the 1st time since

march and they approved it is it a sign perhaps that city authorities are starting to listen to the protesters can we see some concessions. yeah this is the 1st time since mid orcus that authorities police here have approved a march that has been organized by the civil rights front as to whether or not that means that any concessions are coming from all thirty's i think many people here would tell you simply that they aren't series that they think that that's very unlikely there haven't been any major concessions from austerities in the wake of these district council elections despite the fact that carry land the chief executive has said that she would be willing to she was willing to listen to the people in hong kong reflects on the results of those elections but as we know there is still no move from either the authorities his over all from beijing towards meeting the 5 demands that protesters have been calling for for so many months now

charlotte charleston pill and hong kong thank you very much. to india now where a fire has claimed the lives of at least 43 people in the capital delhi it's believed an electrical fault caused the blaze which swept through a factory where workers were sleeping. on a fire erupted in the early hours of the morning turning the 6 tori building into a death trap for laborers who lay sleeping inside. emergency services rushed to the scene but in a neighborhood where electrical wires dangling over narrow lanes lined with small manufacturing units their progress was slow this is a congested traffic densham area authorities have already set that fire from its would not issue to these workshops and locals believe that more still these operations are largely illegal. in the workshop produced bags and wallets and draw flammable materials evidently fueled the fire as it swept through the building.

local residents were quick to blame authorities for failing to enforce fire safety standards. as any of the authorities are clearly not doing their job they're still exposed wires here highly flammable materials but no safety measures are implemented these incidents are bound to happen. this is the biggest problem here nobody listens to us we have complained many times but none of the authorities pay any attention. to my. side the hospital morgue desperate relatives wait to identify the victims many were poor migrant workers who had nowhere else to sleep between long shifts. some relatives said they'd received phone calls from their loved ones trapped by flames and crying for help before the line went dead. now to some of the other stories making news around the world. several 1000 people gathered in the ukrainian capital kiev to urge president

lot of mir's alinsky to resist pressure from russia the rally comes on the eve of a summit in paris between selenski and his russian counterpart vladimir putin their talks are aimed at ending the russian backed insurgency in eastern ukraine which has raged for 5 years. north korea says it's carried out an important test at a missile launching site yang appears to have shut the door on further disarmament talks with the united states the north is warning it won't a restart of the nuclear negotiations of washington eases sanctions. firefighters are racing to contain almost $100.00 bush fires in eastern australia whether conditions have eased but a so-called make a fire close to the biggest cities sydney is still threatening homes by heat waves with strong winds is forecast this week authorities fear that will fuel more severe blazes. authorities in the u.s.

say the gunman who carried out a fatal attack at a naval base had showed videos of mass shootings the night before the shooter killed 3 people before he was shot dead by police he was a saudi air force officer training at the base in florida. syrian opposition activists say at least 18 people have been killed in airstrikes and it'll a province which is the last rebel stronghold in the northwest observers say the bombs were dropped from syrian government and russian aircraft in a further violation of the 3 month old cease fire. hundreds of demonstrators have taken to the streets of the bell of russian capital minsk to protest against closer ties with russia sunday marks 20 years since the 2 countries signed a union agreement that in visit to a close political economic and military relationship but which stopped short of forming a single nation but a recent push by russia towards the so-called union state has sparked anger and.

passions are running high here as plain clothes police try to keep this rally under control it's unusually large for bella ruse several 100 people are demonstrating against a closer union between moscow and minsk. 6 protesters shout long live bellow groups and some recalled photos of russian president vladimir putin. the demonstrators fear a closer union could mean a loss of independence some point to the war in ukraine and russia's annexation of crimea as a cautionary tale. russia means evil russia means war russia means poverty we have to move towards a civilized world of course we should have some sort of trade relations with russia at a minimum level. this new char's countries around the world are respectful towards

each other via russia. as a thought and as an aggressor. you agree to settle. we don't want to union let's be friends but live in separate apartments. on saturday belorussian president aleksander the question go and his russian counterpart vladimir putin met to discuss deepening an existing union treaty between their countries they simply became a union state 20 years ago but so far the agreement has mainly existed on paper moscow has recently been pushing towards further integration both governments insist the negotiate. are purely economic but the protesters in minsk don't believe them the rallies organizers say the demonstrators are defending their country they chant for independence. many here carry european flights and the red and white flag of the 1st independent belorussians state. in the past 25 years the russification of the roost has gone so

far that it's hard to say where independence begins or ends so we don't want to road my printer gratian this card game of the face of penrose's unacceptable if we want independence or some just keep an authorised rallies like this one are rare and delivers and can be dangerous but the protesters say they will keep taking to the streets to fight for their country's future. berlin rolled out the red carpet on saturday night for the 32nd annual european a film awards and the big winner of the evening was the aptly named period drama the favorite from greek directory to most the winner. is the favorite. to ride drama $18.00 european film awards including best film best director best comedy and fresh off her also her win for the same role best actress for britain's

a libya coleman the best european actor accolade went to spain's antonio banderas for his role in pain and glory he was recognized for his work earlier this year at the cannes film festival. well now too and usual battle in the art world over of all things a banana and artwork featuring the fruit by the italian artist marie catalan had been sold for more than $100000.00 in miami but then a rival artist took the banana off the wall and ready for this he ate it devalues alex. as whiting has the story and she's here in the studio with me now to explain this oh alex i have to say when i 1st saw this headline i thought this must be some sort of a joke but the story is for real it isn't it is for real and it's all about a banana just like this that was bought in a local grocery store it was stuck to a wall using duct tape so just like this as part of an installation at the miami

festival known as art basel and then another artist came along his name is david to tuna who referred to himself as the hungry artist he decided that this banana looked good enough to eat he pulled it off the wall and peeled it and he began eating it and by then a crowd had gathered around him as he wanted to take photographs working out what was going on and then a rather flustered member of staff came along and asked him to go with her which she did i mean this whole thing just completely surreal and somebody apparently paid $120000.00 u.s. dollars for this banana stuck to the wall i mean who would spend that kind of money let me tell you it's not just one person 3 people spend that kind of money because they have limited editions of this but on a piece of work and obviously the person who bought it when he was

a french collect 2 you'd think you'd be very unhappy about what happened in the fact that this banana was eaten but actually apparently it was enough to about the piece of fruit is about the idea of the bonanno in every a limited piece of artwork came has come with a certificate of authenticity meaning that the artist can replace it when the fruit gets overripe or when this case is eaten but it's very clear that the stuff we're not happy about what happened. he was not arrested but he has come to do so and should have to fear and we have this strong tact and everything so we can go we can go further but i don't think i don't think we will are i'm still trying to wrap my mind around all of this i mean perhaps that is the purpose of an artwork like this maybe this is why it's worth so much money still not sure about that now this artist marries a cartel on he is known for these kinds of unusual artworks isn't he this is not

the 1st time that you know it's you know if i say he's quite well known from 18 karat gold functioning toilet a new and it was put in place back in september a blend in polish that's a stately home oxford in england but it was unfortunately stolen that 6 people have been arrested in connection with it unfortunately they haven't found it but he obviously knows how to call controversy. for us waiting thank you so much for bringing us up to date on this very unusual story. my 1st boss a good sawing machine. where i come from women are bones by this social group that's been something as simple as learning how to ride a bicycle is and. since i was a little girl i wanted to have a bicycle off my home but it took me years to. finally be involved and mentored by

a young bicycle but returned because machine sewing i suppose was more appropriate for girls than writing a bottle.