♪ ♪ brent: this is dw news live from berlin. tonight, germany and its quest for a new government moves into the new year. new talks between angela merke'' s christian democrats and the spd. they promise a new type of politics. can they deliver? a vietnamese oil politician captured in germany by his government's secret service.

he goes on trial. and the bomber of the soccer team bus confesses to the attack but said he never meant to hurt anybody. plus, women take center stage at the golden globe awards. a sea of black dresses set the stage on the red carpet as hollywood says time is up for sexual predators in the entertainment industry and beyond. ♪ brent: i'm brent goff. it is good to have you with us. the first full working week of 2018 has begun and in germany they are hoping for a new government sin. the country's main parties have been holding talks with the hope of creating a new government.

the social democrats and spd have been promising voters a fresh start after they scored horribly in last year's election. and there were children offering blessings for the catholic feast of epiphany. correspondent: a rare moment of distraction for angela merkel as she received a visit from the children's choir. >> what you have brought here today is god's blessing and for that i would like to give you my heartfelt thanks. correspondent: perhaps angela merkel felt she needed it because -- as she went into a second day for exploratory talks with the social democrats. they are looking for a different version of europe's future. >> europe must be one of the main topics no matter what the

government looks like. that is why i hope angela merkel and i will be able to reach an agreement to allow germany to once again be the motor of the european union. correspondent: with the failure of november's coalition talks fresh in their minds, the two sides have agreed on strict confidentiality. there are signs of progress, with reports slipping out that agreement has been that on climate, in contact -- income tax and investments. >> the towns here are as always when exploratory talks are taking place. the old rule applies. nothing has been agreed until everything has been agreed. correspondent: the exploratory talks ends on thursday when the two sides decide if there is

enough common ground. brent: we're covering the talks. good evening to you. this second day of talks is over . where do we stand? there was a statement issued by the cdu? correspondent: the message of that statement was progress has been made clearly but we're not going to tell you on what front and what issues. the parties do not want to make a mistake and present in results until thursday and the official end of exploratory talks. there were a couple of leaks to day. the rumor that both groups had agreed on abolishing germany's goal of reducing carbon dioxide levels by 40% by 2020.

we can tell you there is an effective working relationship by both parties and they are expected to come to a conclusion by thursday. both parties have been working together for the last four years efficiently. brent: thursday is the crunch day. there is a lot at stake fir te -- for the german chancellor. correspondent: everything is at stake. angela merkel will have to convince her christian democrats to make some compromises and moved towards the social democrats and make this grand coalition to .0. if the talks fail, the situation will be dire for her. what is left is the option for a minority government, which angela merkel has said she will not be able to do.

or the other option is germany calls new elections and the question is the can she -- is can she pose as leader of her party in the next election. brent: the clock is ticking in berlin. it is the stuff of spy novels. in vietnam, the trial of 22 businessman accused of corruption has begun. one of the victims was a top executive who was kidnapped from berlin by his country's secret service. correspondent: the vietnamese government says the high profile trial is part of a sweeping crackdown on corruption. for the media are barred from the courthouse. he is one of 42 former will

executives accused of mismanagement and corruption. tan was also a rising political star. >> vietnam has the death penalty. it is not about race that someone -- it is not about proof that someone committed a crime. correspondent: he applied for political asylum in germany but in july of 2017, he suddenly disappeared. authorities believe he was abducted. after that, the trail led them to the the emmys industry. -- vietnamese embassy. the vietnamese government denied kidnapping him and later appeared on television saying he returned voluntarily. >> we have condemned this subduction -- this adbuction. it has damaged a trust between

our two governments and vietnam must work to restore that trust. correspondent: some observers say the trial comes as part of a power struggle in vietnam's communist party. brent: here with me in the studio, the attorney for mr. tan. we just saw you in that report. you are sitting here with me. why are you not at the trial? >> the announce -- vietnam does not let me in. i traveled there with the intention to exchange with my colleague about the situation and i was not allowed to come in. i asked for reasons. they gave me none.

i got a copy of the decision they made but only because i insisted. they said it was because of article 21 of immigration law but none of the points this law mentions fits to me. brent: you think the immigration officials had instructions not to let you into the country? >> i am a lawyer in germany. i'm not a lawyer in vietnam, so i cannot defend my client in this process in vietnam. and as i am not studied in vietnamese law, this is the work of my vietnamese colleagues. brent: even if you cannot defend him, you can at least advise him. you are not being allowed to do that.

what are you saying to people who say this trial is politically motivated? >> absolutely true. the kidnapping was for me politically motivated. my client went from vietnam to germany to look for protection because he knew there were things going on against him which are due to conflicts inside the communist party. it is a circle of power inside the communist party. and all that happened afterwards is in this line. brent: what can germany do here? is there any recourse? >> germany took position and spoke strong and put on ice the strategic partnership between vietnam and germany. that means no new projects started.

they kicked out two at the infancy in -- embassy in vietnam. and there are ways the resolve the political complex. i support everything germany has done for my client. brent: do you have a confirmation from the german government that they are doing anything they can to help? >> i have confidence in what germany is doing. more, i cannot comment. brent: we appreciate you taking the time to come in. the attorney for mr. tan. a man has admitted in court to carrying out last year's attack on the dortmon team bus.

he said he did not mean to hurt anyone. the 28-year-old suspect was apprehended 10 days later. he is standing trial for a crime prosecutors say was part of an elaborate moneymaking scheme. correspondent: three separate bonds went off as the dortmon bus left the city. one defender and a policeman were left injured. nine months later, surgey is on trial. they say he tried to destroy the club to reap investments he had made. sergay testified to planning a fake attack and designed to be a

--designed the attack in a way that quote no one would be harmed. he said he did not want to kill anyone. but the club lawyer says otherwise. >> i think it is inconceivable. i do not think you can use equipment in such a way and claim you just wanted to scare people. correspondent: the trial is set to continue with sergay w facing a possible life sentence for the bombing. brent: the german soccer player deniz naki has avoided injury after an unknown assailant shot at his car sunday night. he played in the bundesliga and told media that his car was shot at and the bullet nearly struck him. naki believes the attack was politically motivated.

a turkish court handed him an 18 month sentence for spreading terrorist propaganda in support of the pkk party. time for business news. france's president trying to dru m up business in china. correspondent: emmanuel macron spoke favorably about china's gigantic $1 trillion infrastructure initiative. it is a revival of new shipping, road and railway investments. correspondent: emmanuel macron's first visit to china began in a city with symbolic meaning. it was the start of the historic silk road that connected china and europe. beijing has been trying to connect that road for years, but

the response has been cold and will now. macron said it is time to get behind the initiative. >> the new initiative can bring us into alliance with france and europe if we work together. correspondent: the plan will see new road links and shipping links throughout asia. it has raised worries of chinese expansionism and country living in the shadow of beijing's military. a project to upgrade a key rail line in serbia raised fears of what beijing was buying was influence. the french president said the new trade route had to benefit both sides. >> these roads cannot be one way. there has to be cummings and goings. these roads cannot be those of a new hegemony that would

transform the country they cross into vassals. correspondent: there's not much chance of these chinese soldiers will be marching into your but emmanuel macron will have to avoid fears that the silk road will become a way for more chinese mass production. brent: amazon says of the market for initial public offerings for dropbox and spotify could total $990 billion in 2018. correspondent: the saudi arabian oil mammoth aramco gives ahead with its plan to sell local shares on the open market, it will be the largest ipo in his. -- in history. what music streaming company spotify is doing is less than an

-- an ipo. they have raised over $1 billion from private finance. many companies are flushed with private finance and do not need stock market cash. ridesharing company lyft just got a huge injection from parent company alphabet and will go public at the end of the year. drop off the just secured a -- dropbox just secured a large line of credit. home sharing giant airbnb says it is ready for an ipo this year but is holding off. another ipo is the cell phone maker which booked billions in profits in 2017.

siemen's health and technology company hopes to raise over 100 million euros. brent: these days companies are not just turning to stop markets to raise capital. they are printing their own money anyway. the initial point offerings or ico's, a crypto currency trends, by buying digital tokens, you can help a company get the chick started needs. read all about the riches and ribbons -- ruins that can come from investing in ico's. bitcoin showing its volatility, taking a dive of 12.5%, dipping below the $15,000 mark. this after the chinese government has announced they want to start an orderly exit of bitcoin mining in the country.

investors are used to such swings, it is still up 15% on the week. normally it is the biggest vegetables that steal the show but one israeli company has gone smaller than ever before. they have made the smallest tomato in the world. it is rating to be a hit in the extreme climate. correspondent: the very small tomato is designed to exist in very dry conditions. the blueberry size tomato is proving to be a hit in the food industry due to his adaptive nature we take --adaptable nature and sweet taste. >> from a shift when the view,

everything that comes out is adding more to the atmosphere and more of what we are getting. there is an infinity of recipes we can do with a tomato. correspondent: the tomato will be presented to the public at a three-day international agricultural failure in israel later this month. --agricultural fair in israel later this month. >> correspondent: hollywood has made a powerful statement against sexual misconduct at the 75th golden globes. brent: it is the first awards ceremony to be held after allegations against harvey weinstein launched a movement against sexual harassment in hollywood and beyond. the usual red carpet had women wearing black. correspondent: arm in arm, women from the world of tv and fi;lm

-- film declared that change had arrived. this year's golden globes was their night. >> we are standing up together and drawing a line between yesterday and tomorrow. the way things used to be done. it is not going to be that way. >> good evening ladies and remaining gentleman. correspondent: this was the first major awards show since a slew of sexual harassment allegations swept the industry. the series "big little lies" won big, as did "three billboards outside epping, missouri," which covers a mother trying to avenge the rape and murder of her

daughter. "the handsmaid's tale" won bes t television film. and another --it was a speech by oprah winfrey that got everyone talking. > >> for too long women have not been heard or believed if they chose it to speak their truth to the power of those men. but their time is up. correspondent: winfrey pledged a new day was on the horizon. brent: here are the other stories making headlines. the bbc's longtime editor carrie gracie has resigned after what she called unlawful pay discrimination.

she accused britain's largest broadcaster for refusing to have a fair and transparent salary structure. the trump administration is to end special protection for immigrants for el salvador. it will force over 200,000 people to leave by september of next year unless they can find some other way to stay in the country legally. most el salvador events are in the u.s. after escaping natural disaster or civil strife. a fire at u.s. president donald trump's skyscraper in manhattan has left two people injured. one in serious condition. the fire department was called to attend a small electric fire on the top floor. well, mosquitoes are not just a nuisance, they are responsible for the spread of serious diseases. the world health organization is

malaria alone -- says malaria alone over 100,000 --100 million people last year. there are unusual methods being used to stop it from spreading. correspondent: a catchy song with a serious message. it is part of an awareness campaign in singapore. ♪ correspondent: this is a typical scene in the city state. playgrounds, walkways and pools in a fog of pesticides. the spraying happens once a week in an attempt to wipe out mosquitoes that can translate -- transfer mosquitoes = of- -- can transfe diseasesr --

transfer diseases like malaria. jessica is part of this fight. she is a volunteer going door-to-door raising awareness on how to prevent dengue fever. for example, getting rid of stagnant water where mosquitoes like to breed. >> you see the pot here. correspondent: chan says many are still too careless. >> very dangerous for because the fever can kill anyone. we have to prevent and educate the residents. correspondent: this is an official inspector. he goes beyond the doorstep and hands out fines to homes where

mosquitoes are breathing. she even inspects the bathroom. but the person who lives here is not be breached of privacy -- does not mind the breach of privacy. >> if they do not check, they could breed. correspondent: singapore spends several million dollars a year on the campaign, but can this hot and humid city really win the fight against mosquitoes? i asked a representative from the national environment agency. >> if he talked about being a fever, it is not about winning or losing. how do we stop it from becoming an outbreak. ♪ correspondent: and so, the wipeout must go on.

brent: here is a reminder of the top stories we are holding for you. they are trying to form a new german government, angela merkel's christian democrats and the spd. i will be back to take you through the day.

steves: the dramatic rock of cashel is one of ireland's most evocative sites. this was the seat of ancient irish kings for seven centuries.

st. patrick baptized king aengus here in about 450 a.d. in around 1100, an irish king gave cashel to the church, and it grew to become the ecclesiastical capital of all ireland. 800 years ago, this monastic community was just a chapel and a round tower standing high on this bluff. it looked out then, as it does today, over the plain of tipperary, called the golden vale because its rich soil makes it ireland's best farmland. on this historic rock, you stroll among these ruins in the footsteps of st. patrick, and wandering through my favorite celtic cross graveyard, i feel the soul of ireland.

united states only to getes on deported to mexico. it's the story of hispanic immigrants who served in the military but could not enjoy the american dream. i'm elaine reyes in washington, d.c., and this is "americas now." first up, military veterans of the united states who are not u.s. citizens being deported after committing a crime. it's happened to over 200 combatants, and most are from mexico. man: you have to just find a way because if you don't find a way... if you don't, then all these people that count on me--if i don't find a way, all these people that count on me, i'm gonna let them down. reyes: correspondent mike kirsch reports on these deported vets. he'll tell us what happens to them once they leave the u.s. and if their deportations can be reversed.