books. for your. smarter birth free to do for you good morning. mrs d. w. news live from berlin to firefighters in australia under relentless strain for nearly 4 months now among those battling the flames are many volunteers they've been risking their lives and many have taken leave from their paid jobs now feels really the government has announced plans to compensate them and honor their efforts also coming up protestors in india remain defiant against the government's

new citizenship law our correspondent has this to delhi where women in particular are standing together and calling for change. i'm married to evanston it's good to have you with us. australia is bracing for another week of bushfires as temperatures are expected to soar firefighters have been trying to contain the fires since september 8th people have died 2 of them firefighters many of those on the front line are volunteers and now the australian government says it will pay them for their efforts. it's one of australia's worst bushfire seasons ever. with so many blazes to battle it's

often volunteers who answer the call for help. giving their time and paying the costs just like. 1516 hour shifts in a row you're exhausted at the end of that you might have one day break to live they want you to go again. it just takes a toll physically and emotionally on the family they don't see you may it means i use my annual leave a main said i you know i use my tommy lee time. now there is help for the helpers some volunteers to be called been stated for about 20 days worth of income lost while fighting the recent fires. as this is a very prolonged for us this is putting additional demands on our firefighters in particular and it means that the turnouts in the call outs have been far more extensive than in previous years going well and beyond and above what is normally

expected of those who are engaged in volunteer service and so on already public servants have been pledged additional leave to join the fight. with australia's summer just getting started the country needs more helping hands to step up to the challenge. and joining me now from sydney is james morris he's a spokesman for the new south wales rural fire service thanks so much for being on our program well there's been a bit of good news for the volunteer firefighters with the government saying they're now going to be paid just how much of a difference is this going to make to their lives. so much a huge difference to those volunteers who have given so much time in the last 5 to carve a half months or so without bush was as you mentioned a lot of them taking on paid leave taking time out from the jobs especially those

who were a business sign of small business owners in the wants of lost income so they saw our forefathers who have been out for more than 10 days i used to be able to climb up to $300.00 a day with a maximum of $6000.00 off the time and so look they're making huge difference to the died leaving and in support of family and those people who have arm fortunately missed out during out that on the helping communities of new thought. well unfortunately we are getting reports of further bushfires are updating just overnight and still apparently sydney harbor is new year's eve fireworks display is still planned to go ahead from your perspective is that a good idea. we continue to work with obviously the pari technique agencies and organizations as well as obviously other emergency services as well as of bureau of meteorology which we're keeping in close contact with the

stage heart of fire bans are predicted for the greatest sydney area for cheese day which is new year's eve we are expecting that change to come through see me in the light afternoon noodles like a couple hours to to fully time through which will reduce the temperatures lastly to see an increase in winds potentially through the early stages and hopefully before those 9 o'clock fireworks but certainly the stage there is there's no forecasted issues all the safety concerns with that we'll continue to work with other firefighting agencies such as foreign rescue new south wales to bolster and support then exhaust should there be any heightened level of requirements needed ferries of course land in and around sydney harbor. james morris from the new south wales rural fire service we appreciate you taking the time to talk to us and wish all the best to you and your colleagues. let's get a check now of some of the other stories making news around the world there's been a stabbing attack at a jewish holiday celebration near new york city authorities say 5 people were

hospitalized with injuries 2 of them are in critical condition the attack appears to be the latest in a string of anti-semitic attacks in new york this month. in lebanon hundreds of protesters rallied outside the home of the country's new prime minister demonstrators fired flares and demanded the resignation of haasan dion who's backed by the islamist group hezbollah lebanon is facing its worst political crisis in decades protests against corruption and mismanagement have gripped the country since october. well india has been engulfed in mass nationwide demonstrations ever since a controversial new citizenship law was passed in early december the law makes it easier for religious minorities from neighboring countries to get indian citizenship but it excludes muslims protesters say the law threatens india's secular constitution and is discriminatory despite the authorities hardline

response to the protests one neighborhood in the capital delhi remains defiant with a marathon sit in at a key highway you cannot. go it's going to recruit since monday i'm content tonight or tomorrow. despite the cold front crossing. she's come home to show host beautiful disagreement with india's new citizenship law. this is the 1st time my d.m. has taken part in any kind of protest. you surely has her hands. looking off the hook to young daughters bought she says she's come to fight for a better future as rightful indians you name it of a gentle yes woman who didn't want any more i don't know what my daughters are up to i don't know anything about what's happening in my own house my country needs me right now. these women sitting here and their voice and they are mine and that humans are the i was the magnetic i was not me i want. very clear the women of new delhi shaheen mog neighborhood have spearheaded this protest that. dawns to make

sure that someone is always a certain to old to do something good with a little advantage isn't all speeches and chants. very good to say protesters are keeping the crowds entertained with music movies even readings of the constitution they see it's important for all of them to understand why they have assembled to go into progress the new law that makes religion a death of citizenship in section of india for the 1st time. and dissidents are bitching in by crowd funding resources to provide medicine and food for protesters . even standing guard was that it is a mistake these were dozens of women killed in thought that the cause of the country then i would add again look what he's really talented and i think that the wheels of force and the police are scum here as well but also he's got a sense of just the present threat but these protesters are defiant. and i believe

again we don't fear the police on the slopes against us this is why we have come out onto the streets. our passion for our country is keeping us here we are ready to do anything we're willing to suffer which is want our independence obviously it but the mood is upbeat daughters nor sign of backpedaling from the government. these protesters are confident of victory or. defeat this too much at stake for anything less true our correspondent michelle just fall who filed that report to joins us now from delhi for more hello to you know misha so it seems that many of the protesters they you've been speaking to are confident that their voices will be heard but are you seeing any signs that the government is taking note or is possibly willing to change its position. well i love the government has definitely

north of the port us they have responded to them but not to know we that is what that would be seen as positive by the thought of stars because the government leaders of the physically seeing that these protests are few would buy what they're calling and eyesore should elements by miscreants they're saying that this bought these products up based on misinformation spread by those who are against india's and dignity and they basically cd's fought us it's not as a form of on us as representation of civic opinion but as a process fuelled by miscreants all right so no signs of the government is going to move its position what about opposition politicians what role are they playing in all of this the opposition. and opposition politicians did speak out i'm practically in parliament while this law was being debated but they were outnumbered by the majority government they're now trying to continue on some kind of agitation but taking out marches and fought us but they're

also being blocked by a part of these just earlier this week the leaders from the opposition congress tried to go to visit victims or people who had lost relatives in the process and the state was hit by the wild ones but they were blocked by the police and by a part of g.'s and also the government continued sort of as allegations that the opposition is actually fueling fueling the strafe and misleading the country so the opposition is actually also not able to do much to these it's why it's against this law. just while reporting from delhi we thank you very much a key outcome of a recent summit between ukraine and russia is an agreed prisoner swap ukrainian soldiers and pro russian separatists have been captured in war torn ukraine since the uprising in 2014 dozens of the captured prisoners are to be swapped on sunday leaving family members anxious to find out who will make it back home. it's been 2

years since nadia 1st of i last saw her husband roma they married young and later on he left not yet home with the children trained engineer joined the ukrainian army and 2016 year olds a year later he was sense of the conflict zone. was captured near the frontline separatists accused him of being a saboteur and posted videos of him in captivity. there was a flood of emotions tears. i felt hysterical it's horrible to think about it. across the front line on the way to donetsk mother natalia she was waiting for her son separate says fitz hartley has been held captive since the summer social media posts indicate he was taken prisoner by far right procreative militia. he's been wounded in the saw it in the stomach and no one's giving him any medicine

they're not giving him anything because. it's rumored the swap will happen at a checkpoint like this one in eastern ukraine no one knows for sure which prisoners will make it to the other side and who will still suffer the absence of their loved ones. just for it's now and one of 2900 biggest success stories in germany for its long jumper. she won gold at the world championships in doha but as we are about to see there's a lot more to her than just athletics. playing the piano just one of. many talents for me it's all about testing myself pushing my limits and the 1st. is to hunt for success. i'm always working on myself in order to be the best. germany's female athlete of the year 29 team in the finishing touch to a spectacular year in which. he won gold at the world at that exchange kinships in

doha. must have been for him i never experienced that before feeling like how to achieve something truly extraordinary. a personal best of 7 meters there already and 2019 she reached another level of consistency in passing the 7 meter mock at 7 different events and remaining unbeaten throughout the season . becoming the best took a long time because you have to keep on believing in yourself just as all took almost at the age of 8 in the humber discovered her passion for the long jump she then one gold at the under 23 european championships in 2015 shia minds by taking trips to asia and uses meditation to relax scripts on tiffany gives you such a deep sense of clarity. after her success at the world championships when i come

home who is now favored to win the big gold in tokyo in august and mission it would be a unique opportunity to surprise myself and even the whole world i think unbelievable . is certainly honest on after what has been an incredible 2019. europe to date on the w. net news up next as shifty doubling is tech show american evan stand in berlin thanks so much for watching. in the art of climate change. because. what's in store. for the future of. the car can make a city to get inside clear cut or. 50

years of religious freedoms.