the, the, this is the w news. why from berlin? ty, one goes to the polls and a pivotal election voters are choosing a new president and parliament and a future course for relations with mainland china. also coming up the u. s. military strikes, click the targets in yemen for 2nd day pants after tens of thousands of young and eas, protested against the 1st wave of bombing creaking leaders. one that us and british interests are now considered legitimate targets and a devastating de lose in congress. heavy rains cause the river congo to burst its banks, turning roads into rivers and flooding the countries capital control. so the

and warm welcome to a viewers around the world. michael, okay. voting is underway in ty, one's crucial presidential and pulled him entry elections with the dominant issue being relations with china, voters will choose a new leader to succeed sizing. then the current president who's leaving the post after 2 terms and office per d. p. p. party with the leading candidate, liking the views taiwan as an independent nation, while beijing considered a part of the chinese territory. the d. d. p. piece main opponent is the k m t that by whole your which wants to strengthen ties with china. dw is chief international editor, richard walker joins me now from a polling station in taipei. richard,

what are the top issues for time one voters in this election cycle? is it the typical bread and butter stuff or is security issue number one? yeah, well my guys, you sent me an introduction that of course relations with china and potentials that we've seen across the taiwan strait and recent years. very much the predominant issue. and in that sense, this election has that in common with previous elections in taiwan. of course, the tie one is live with the threats of chinese evasion for decades in this question about what's the best way of dealing with china? should you take a tough line like the current government or as the opposition close for, should you really try to build dialogue with chinese? try to improve relations. that is a major dividing line of within tie one about this time around. so you do have what you refer to that it was brand new, lots of issues playing a non usually large role. that is partly fueling the rise of a 3rd party in taiwan. there are now 2 opposition parties. this a new 3rd party which has come to the full on these questions of low salaries,

high rents, and to kind of economic issues, particularly facing young people. so a lot of young people supporting that policy and that makes the selection particularly unpredictable. it's a 3 way race. surely china has made its presence known in the run up to the selection. how much pressure are we seeing from beijing? yeah, well we certainly have been seeing pressure from badging. it's pretty much being kind of a typical kind of pressure that we see from china though, over the ism, that taiwan is being sorry, a custom to, for instance, earlier today. but the time when these defense ministry reported that a chinese, a will plains had been a flying place to tie one that they've been in recent weeks. we've seen mysterious balloons for coming from china flying over the island, even as being this information that being kind of threatening warnings coming from ty, when he's official, a chinese official saying that the people of taiwan have to make the correct choice,

which is taken to mean vote for a party that wants to be friendly with china, but i think 2 things to add here. first of all, the simple fact that you see people streaming into these housing stations all over taiwan is an implicit repeat to that, that the people of taiwan a used to resisting this pressure from china. and then the 2nd thing, a chinese senior official as being in washington the last couple of days seemed to add to it from the white has chosen to the state department. and that's the size that i think the chinese and us are really trying to build on this summit that said show 5 minutes egypt paying had recently in the united states to try to manage the tensions between the countries that have been really spilling as control. so you have a sense because everyone's a little bit on their best behavior at the moment, wants to avoid the crisis. and who is something surprising can always have to, we really don't know. but so far, the signs off from the us from china, and also from candidates here in taiwan, that there was a trying to, to, to do that best to avoid doing the things that could provoke some kind of process.

richard. oh, less than 20 seconds, but i do have to ask you who is likely to win. that's the big question, michael. but at the 50, no opinion polling for 10 days since a blackout before the election. but the initial pulse has the governing potty tow for the presidency. it, but it's like needs to be close, and it's not just a who's going to come for us for the presidency, is going to be interesting race between the who's going to come 2nd, who's gonna come side. so that's gonna be place the watch plus, likely to be hung parliament that's going to make life difficult for who ever becomes president will certainly be watching that. so dw chief international energy, richard walker entirely pay many things which are the u. s. is carried out a 2nd day of military strikes on who is the rebel targets in yemen? us official say the new targets posed a threat to shipping in the red sea, which has been disrupted by who with the attacks in recent weeks. routine leaders

have vowed to retaliate following the attacks. so naz straight packed with protest stance their incense by a way of us and british strikes on thousands of here's the targets in yemen, launched in retaliation for a tax on shipping in the red sea island. this is a message to britain and especially the united states of america, that they will pay. i have a price for this aggression. those crowds today authorized the leader of the revolution and authorized the military leadership to respond to this aggression a, ty levels, etc, and own land that the us and u. k. say the strikes which hit military targets. what acts of self defense? who's the rebels to a batch by a run have been targeting ships in the red sea for weeks with the group releasing

this voltage in november of its flashes, appearing to seize a vessel. it claims the attacks are in response to israel's war and gaza against from us in the u. s. a. u and other countries have labeled a terrorist organization. the you k prime minister richie soon act who is currently visiting ukraine, said the strikes when necessary, proportionate and targeted. for over the last month we seen a significant increase in the number of here's the, a tax on commercial shipping. in the red sea, that's putting innocent lives at risk is disrupting the global economy. and it's also the de stabilizing the region. and in that time, we've also seen the single biggest attack on the navy bullshit. the british navy for ship that we've seen in decades now, it's clear that that type of behavior con, carry on. the big question now is what this could mean for the war in gaza and the wider region with the world bracing for

a response from the who's these and those who support them. meanwhile, israel has defended itself at the international court of justice against claims that it's committing genocide and gaza on thursday. south african prosecutors argued that israel's military response, the october 7th mos terror attacks was an attempt to destroy the palestinian people, is rarely lawyers denounced. those claim saying that their country was acting in self defense facing allegations of genocide to the united nations highest quotes. israel rejects the south africa ports to come to this court in the last, the position of a guardian of the interest of humanity. but in de legitimizing israel, 75 year existence in its opening presentation yesterday. that broad commitment to

humanity rend hollow and its sweeping counts of factual description. one of the israeli palestinian conflict. it's the same to a race, both jewish history and any palestinian agency or responsibility. an argument failed to convince south africa's justice minister this fatal visitor to good his friends to displease. so the guys continue to that was presented before the quote. yesterday. we stand by them fed the law and then all the evidence we have submitted yesterday. and we believe in stands very confident that those but the more still in violation of the genocide conventions, the division in the court room was echoed outside. it. crowds gather to condemn israel's actions, and goza is up in the center from gauze off. i am very happy and i'm expecting

that to have that impose. it says there is left today at least 2 types to supply are now in gaza. they will say groups the defending israel's actions and demanding the immediate return of the hostages. still held in garza for 2 nights, the resting day for ju starts and symbolically uh, we have food here uh uh, ship a table with empty chairs with the images of the people that are still in hostage taken by how mos into their deep tunnels. and we want to symbolize the empty chairs here because we are missing them 2 nights at the ship off the table. this is one of the biggest cases to be brought to the international court of justice. south africa is asking for the court to order an immediate suspension of israel's ministry action. and garza to the quote could order provisional measures such as

a ceasefire in the coming weeks. but its final decision of whether or not israel has reached the genocide convention, could take his districts above control. so the capital of the democratic republic of the congo have been submerged by flooding after heavy rain cause the congo river to burst its banks. the waters have risen to their highest level in decades. more than 300 people have died in the disaster and many thousands are living in misery. not much remains of a shade tempted by a popular spot for the people have congestive to relax and the banks in the congo has now been partly swallowed up by the rising waters. the manager estimates $20000.00 worth of damages by mouth, through the padded like we've had many laws for you, since we've seen the we've lost customers. the space is not as busy as it used to

be. you said i'd be so for the counter was destroyed to be we lost the furnace or escape is that fortunately, we weren't careful and saved a few things for our walkways are broken and have been washed away and we lost our kitchen with all the furniture. but in any case, it's not going well. why is that all the reason that i need to? i took a son to several neighborhoods along the congo river ink and shasta were submerged when they 1st it's banks. the water, which is highest level since 1961. locals are now finding new ways to get around. so making money ferrying people across flooded streets. this one i believe is that can see my it's the river that slot to go. and i see that every year the river overflows, but not the 6 down. at 1st we used to carry people on their backs or the we but now we've made dugout canoes. i'm going well, it's been about 5,

but you know what we'd like to know when experts say climate change is the main reason for the heavy, inconsistent rainfall. the cause, the river to rise. residents here think bad waste management has made the problem worse. way a lot is really significantly the river. it's not a river low shit. it's the place where all the trash from the city of ken shaw. so it is growing and sell it did it by the only hit the last minute. it's a rule. so it blocks the passage of water board in front of it and when the river overflows and it comes back to us a all pretty, it is all due because the river is not able to sustain that amount of water. the citric auntie did do it for the palo physical contrasts is not the only area of the floods of heads. authorities say that flooding and much lights are happening around the country. more than 300000 homes have been affected.

nasa and lockheed martin has unveiled what they call the next generation of supersonic aircraft. the maker say the experimental plane combines supersonic travel with low noise. the public got the 1st glimpse of the new ex, $59.00 research plan at lockheed martin's design center in california. the manufacturer say it will break the sound barrier and state no louder than a car door closing. last supersonic commercial aircraft concord stopped flying more than 20 years ago. a and reminder of our top story voting is drawing to a closing tie one and it's pivotal elections for a new president and paul. and then the polls will determine the islands relationship with china, which claims taiwan has its own. featuring has criticized the front runner as a dangerous separate times. we're going to end it there, up next rabbit finds out what makes speed so addictive to the human brain. and

don't forget there's more on a website and social media channels. i'm like, look, and thanks for watching. i'll be back with more at the beginning of the next hour the vacation as an applicant. do they have the web? i, when i told me that because they don't have violence, do this, can we go say colson tissue today? because when they go to that we set up for you, it's lovely new meal people are stuck with caldwell, i'm a tenant. so i so not because the these places in europe are smashing stepped into a bold adventure.