so the journey around. this new. prison is between ukrainian forces and pro russian safer says it is under way in eastern ukraine it's supposed to be a comprehensive exchange which will see all remaining prisoners of the conflict returned home but just who is being released will only be clear once the swap is complete. and australia's bushfires have placed a strain on firefighters including many volunteers who've taken leave from their

jobs now the government is to pay them and honor their efforts. hello i'm christine wonderwall come to the program ukrainian government forces and russian backed separatists have begun a prisoner exchange the swap has been taking place at a checkpoint in the separatist stronghold often it's it's part of an agreement reached any of this month between ukraine and russia and brokered by germany and frogs ukrainian forces and separatists. in eastern ukraine since 2014 the conflict has claimed more than 13000 lives. now russia and ukraine swapped prison is raising hopes of a wide decision and but fighting continues despite a cease fire agreement. a carefully coordinated rendezvous in

ukraine's rebel controlled region. the free prisoners include ukrainian riot police accused of firing on protesters in 2014 the controversial swap has angered some activists there but others see it as a crucial step to improving ties with moscow. it's the 2nd major prisoner exchange this year september saw another swap that brought inmates home and fostered hope that the war in eastern ukraine could soon be over an early victory for ukraine's new president volodymyr zelinsky. we have agreed the 1st step to one block but i am. not sure it is returning our soldiers prisoners. for more than 5 years the ukrainian army has been fighting russian backed separatists in the country's east the war has cost around 14000 lives and

turned a key industrial region into a conflict zone efforts to stop the fighting have so far come to little when zelinsky was elected in april he promised to restart the peace process that culminated in a meeting this month with his french german and russian counterparts in which sunday's exchange was agrees. an exchange between both sides in this conflict or form based on swapping everyone on. the deal is again raising hopes 1st swift resolution to the conflict but major hurdles between russia and ukraine still need to be overcome before peace is possible joining us now from moscow is correspondent even. following today's events of for us to see you even doing though how many prison is have been exchanged and who they

might be. well by the end of the day we expect that the exchange will total between $1200.00 total prisoners so far of the 2 breakaway republics that have handled the exchange only one has gone so far that is lugansk and we expect and it's a bit later today lugansk sent 25 prisoners back to kiev and key have sent 63 to lugansk most of these prisoners were from there were guns god were central government soldiers fighting for q and the reverse side actually has a bit plenty of people who have nothing to do with the war these were included that's why the ukrainian side is sending so much more and more to the breakaway republic to get their soldiers back some of these as was mentioned at the top of the broadcast are these 5. police officers who fired on your mind on protesters they have nothing to do with the war and they have actually sparked some protests in kiev last night activists stood outside of the prison where they were held

hoping to block their passage they weren't we expect them to be sent over to donetsk later today they are waiting at the checkpoint. and how significant is this prisoner exchange looking at if it's to ease tensions between russia and ukraine. it's quite significant in the fact that these prisoner exchanges have gotten the leaders back to the table the 1st prisoner exchanges this year in september. was it was the 1st time the peace process had gotten going since 2016 so it had been stalled for 3 years and the 2nd one to end of the year is the 2nd largest prisoner swap over these 6 years it was a key part of the normandy summit agreement earlier this month and we expect that peace talks will be able to continue now at some point in 2020 early reports suggested early april for the actual important parts as was mentioned at ceasefire has not actually been implemented but the prisoner swap is what is going to get us

to that point even what do people in russia make off the peace if it's between russia and ukraine well moscow they have from all indications moscow wants peace there is this they're seeing this is a moment especially especially because the landscape has so clearly said he wants to end the war as a time to negotiate the major issue is the fact that moscow feels like it holds all the cards and it's not really going to let go of its leverage kieve keep of course he wants better terms for itself and moscow is going to hold firm and so foreign policy analysts that are speaking in moscow are following on twitter today a lot of them are saying well you know this prisoners swap is all well and good but when you can expect in 2020 is a frozen conflict not into the war so this is hopeful for the new year but we'll have to see in the new year what i think what actually happens with the war even.

thank you. fellas training is bracing for another week of temperatures are expected to soul emergency services have been trying to contain the blazes since september 8th people have died too often 5 fights this many of those on the frontline all volunteers and now the australian government say is 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 slice of. 1516 hour shifts in a row you're exhausted at the end of that you might have one day break and then they want you to go busy again. it just takes a toll physically. emotionally on the family they don't see you and me it means i use manual labor

a main said i you know i use my time in lead time. now there's help for the helpers some volunteers to be compensated for about 20 days worth of income lost while fighting the recent fires. as this is a very prolonged for us lisa 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 services going on already public servants have been pledged additional leave to join the fight. with a straight is some of just getting started the country needs more helping hands to step up to the challenge. and we spoke to james morris of the new south wales rural fire service we often about the bush fires and the decision not to cancel sydney's

famous new year fire. despite outbreaks all for the bush bias of a nice look at the stage obviously way type precautions working with a partner a technique i didn't seize an organizations are closely with them in regards to our total fire ban exemptions and and their requirements and at this stage given the forecast conditions we don't believe that there will be any she's at this stage in regards to the sydney harbor fireworks going ahead we'll obviously continue to work with them and if we need to have a heart and level of response from our forefathers from both the r.f.s. and foreign rescue new south wales throughout the sydney area i will do is to say working to the conditions but you know we are expecting certainly that southerly change to move through needs dave can take a number of hours to move through from around 5 to 7 pm on needs a so we are likely to see those much cooler conditions by the time we certainly by the time we reach me not on tuesday not to go to the stages in mentioned we do have

a number of new fires started from lightning a dent in the south eastern parts of new south wales if you just storms moving through which certainly isn't a good thing considering we've got the sun this worsening weather in timing guys. and there was james morris of the new south wales rolf by a service speaking to us a 2nd look now something else stories making news around the world a truck bomb attack in somalia has killed at least 70 people of the device exploded during morning rush hour at a busy checkpoint in the capital mogadishu president mohammad up tonight from nigel named a militant as loves. antics prime minister competing to become president in guinea bissau well as to the polls the incoming president shows the america of us fails to make its to the final round of fighting. now thousands of families in western kenya all coping with the aftermath of flooding and heavy rains that began on christmas

eve many fear the flooding could get worse as they wait for aid to iraq. east africa is being battered by abnormal behavior rains into the indian ocean being warmer than usual. in the kenyan county of kisumu water has crept everywhere residents struggle to find safe and dry places away from the muddy waters they are appealing to the government for help. children food went with the water school shoes and the books for the kids to my belongings outside here and i don't know where i will go to. there's no place to sleep we don't even have tents no water to drink and i have children in college as well as in secondary and primary schools. adult court it started on christmas night has left homes and businesses sup merged this week's floods are the latest to hit kenya earlier heavy rains had already forced thousands of people to evacuate many had

started to return to clean up their homes but this week's dumb and poor has those hopes residents look at the tide of brown water with anxiety and gloom. some sport now and one of germany's biggest success stories of 2019 long. humble she won gold at the bowl championships in doha but as you're about to see there is a lot more to her than just. playing the piano just one of. many talents for me it's all about testing myself pushing my limits and. tuned for success. i'm always working on myself in order to be the best. gemini's female athlete of the year 2019 the finishing touch to a spectacular year in which she won gold at the world at that exchange kinships in doha. was having. never. experience that before

feeling like a chief something truly extraordinary. a personal best of 7 meters 30 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 as does all talked almost at the age of 8 in the humber discovered her passion for the long jump she then won gold at the under $23.00 european championships in 2015 and minds by taking trips to asia and you just meditation to relax a script on 2 feet gives you such a deep sense of clarity. after her success at the world championships when i come home or is now favored to win the big gold in tokyo in august i mean it would be

a unique opportunity to surprise myself and even the whole world i think unbelievable. humble is certainly on sound after what has been an incredible 2019. now worship is in brazil have taken a dip in a new year's ceremony saw on a revered sea goddess followers of 2 traditional afro brazilian faiths turned out on copacabana beach in rio de janeiro the faithful paid tribute to the goddess the amanda known as the feet of the sea worshippers say the celebration was limited by a lack of support from the city administration they maintain it's the 2nd day in succession of the events budgets as the. i. i and you're washing news from coming up next reporter with

a closer look at. young boy stream to become a famous ballet dancer you can get all the newest latest news and information on the pop that's on our website on the back of the next album joining. 50 years of religions for peace again from many different strands are working together toward a common goal a peaceful resolution of religious conflicts. now all female members of religious

fools peers from the middle east are demanding a larger.