edith: this is "dw news," live from berlin. the death toll in the indonesian tsunami rises to 429. as people try to salvage what they can from the rubble, desperataty needed aid has started to arrive. but humanitarian workers warn that clean water and medicine supplies are running out. we will geget the latest from te regionon. alalso cominupup, suicide e boms attack libibya's foreign minist. officicials say at leaeast two peopople are dead in the capital tripoli afterr militanants detonated explosives at the scene. we will bring you the latest from inside the country. pope francis gives his traditional christmas blessing. he called on people to put aside partisan interests and seek peaceful solutions to war and conflict. and in his christmas message, germany's president frank-walter steinmeier urges people to address tensions in society by engaging with each other and not drifting apart.

♪ edith: i'm edith kimani. thank you for joining us. we start in indonesia, where the number of dead has risen to 429 after a tsunami swept across the coast of java three days ago. the death toll is still expected to rise, with more people missing in more remote areas. almost 1500 people are injured, and we will talk to our correspondent in the disaster zone. but first, this report. reporter: it is not easy returning to what was once home, finding the ruins of her life. but sunaenah from northwest java survived. and that makes her one of the lucky ones along this coast of destruction. >> i heard the volcano erupting

and i could feel the ground shaking. but i went to sleep, as it has been active for days. but then i was woken up by the sound of a neighbor screaming, "there is a tsunami." so i grabbed my mother and children and we ran. reporter: the death toll is rising as workers sort through the rubble. some 1500 people were injured when the huge wall of water knocked them off theirir feet, rolling past beaches and into the coastal villages. >> i did not have time to run earlier. so when the waves came, i was tossed around in the water for two minutes. i continued to pray. god have mercy on me. god help me. i held onto a cable i found so i would not get carried away by the waves.

then finally i found a coconut tree and hung on to it. reporter: along with the physical damage, there is the trauma and fears of anotother tsununi. volcanologists say that it is likely to continue to erupt for months if not years to come. edith: we're joined by dw correspondent ana santos in western java, which is one of the worst affected areas. thank you for joining us, ana. it has been three days since the tsunami hit the area. how would you describe the current situation? ana: rigight now you will see tt therere is a lot of still fearad anxiety among the residents. many of them, even in the low-lying areas and in the homes thatat are far from ththe shore, they have fleded to higher grou.

so they are ococcupying acaces d homes s up in the moununtains on the hillsisides. they say that this is the ononly place thatat can possibly keep them safe from the idea of ananother tsunami i coming and rising floodwaters again. let's look back at why there is this continued fear and anxiety. the tsunami that hit last saturday had no warning. usually residents expect there is an earthquake that comes before a tsunami. there was no such thing that happened last saturday. and the continuous rains from today and the continuous rumbling that you hear from the volcano, which is an indication the volcano is still active, feeds on this fear and nervousness of what could possibly happen next. edith: so, in trying to deal with the situation and the fear of something potentially happening, how are survivors coping? ana: we visited a village earlier thisis aftnonoon, it iss one of the h higst villageges up on a mountainside. we saw many homes that were overflowing with people.

in one home for example there were as many as 10 families living there. and they said there was comfort in the idea that they were att least living and a home with other family members rather than in a crampmped evacuatioion cenr with strangers. and with no privacy. but still, they were wondering, until when can we keep up the situation where we're all scrunched up into one home, until when will our supplies, food, and medicine see us through. they really were just very nervous about wanting to know when they can go back to normal life, when they can go back to their homes, if they are still up, or r rebuild the ones that have been destroyed by the tsunami. edith: speaking of rebuilding, is there enough aid coming in at this point and is it getting to these remote areas? ana: aid has just started to comeme in. the continuous rains hav delayed the clearing operations

in many of the remote villages. so, , the roads herere, as we sa today, they are quite narrow, just about two lanes. asas you goo further south intte momore affected areas, the debrs becomes more scattered along the roroads. it has b been harder to clean ts up and so those areas remain still inaccessible. there has been a soup kitchen set up today and they are trying to improve the distribution of the aid, but this is still just starting to trickle through to the different villages. edith: dw correspondent ana santos, thank you. in rome, pope francis has given his traditional christmas day blessing to the city of rome and the wider world. the head of the catholic church urged people to put aside partisan interests and seek peaceful solutions to wars and conflicts. reporterer: tens of ththousandsm around the world gathered at st. peter's square to hear the pope's message on christmas day.

the main subject of his address was communication, and togetherness. pope francis called for tolelence and cocohesion i in te face of global crises. >> our differences should not harm us or pose us danger. we should see them as something which could enrich our lives. reporter: the pope said an indissoluble bond brings together people of different ethnicities, languages, and cultures. the universal language of christmas, he said, is we are all brothers and sisters. >> without the kindred spirit that jesus bestowed upon us, we would not have the endurance to continue our efforts for a more just world. and our best projects would be in danger of losing their good spirit. reporter: the pope reminded everyone of the world's ongoing

wars and conflicts, especially in the middle east. he expressed hope that israelis and palestiniansns would resume dialogue to end their decades-long conflict. with international support and brotherhood, he also hopes the civil war in syria can come to an end. >> may the international community work decisively for political solution that can put aside divisions and partisan interests so that the syrian people, especially all those who were forced to leave their own lands and seek refuge elsewhere, can return to live in peace in their own country. reporter: he then gave the traditional blessing, known as the city and the world. >> [speaking foreign language]

edith: now to some of the other stories making news around the world. clashes in the sudanese cacapitl have continued witith police and tetear gas to break up protests. amnesty international says sudanese security forces have shot and killed at least 37 people in the past five days. demonstrators are calling on the sudanese president to step down. opopposition candididates in the democratic repubublic of congo have demanded cell phone operators deactivatete sim cards bebeing used in n new voting mamachines. politicians sasathe electrtronic transmission of ballots could lead to inaccuracies in the country's presidential election. on sunday, some 40 million voters will choose a successor for the president. officials insist counting will be done manually. sicily's mount etna volcano has been spewing lava and ash

after a new crack has opened in its base. observers say the volcano is displaying unusually high levels of seismic activity. the airport reopened a day after the ash plume forced it to shut down. to tunisia now, where protesters and police have clashed on the streets of the capital and other towns following the death of a journalist. abdel razaq zorgi was buried earlier today. his suicide on monday inin prott agagainst the cocount's s ecomic proboblems has sparkrked unrtt acacross the c country. reporter: oncece abdel razaqaq zorgi's death became public, some residents of his hometown took to the streets, blocking roads and throwing stones. police then used tear gas to disperse them. zorgi had spent years trying to find work there. monday he posted messages online, describing his desperation and calling for opposition to the government. >> a call to all the unemployed people. we will revolt and anyone who

would likeke to join and support me is welcome to join. i will demonstrate on my own and i will set m myself on fire.e. reporter: he then did exactly that. a spokespersonon from the tutunn interior ministry said several people were injured and arrested as a result of the demonstrations. tunisia's journalist union is considering holding a general strike, citing the state of the country. seven years ago a tunisian street vendor set himself on fire in protest over poverty. that death sparked what became known as the arab spring, with demonstrations that then spread across the arab world. it was also one of the first cities where people took part in those protests. edith: at least two people have been killed after suicide bombers stormed libya's foreign ministry in tripoli. three of the militantslslso di. 10 people were injureded in the atattack which begegan with a cr bomb blast near the industry.

authoritities are blamaming the attack on so-called islamic state fighters. the foreign ministryry as part of libya's internationally rerecognized governmement that is based in tripoli. rami musa, a journalist working for the associated press, now joins me from benghazi in libya. ramimi, thank you for r joining. are there any more details that have emerged about this attack? rami: the attack was this morning around 9:30 when a car bomb went off new the ministry of foreign affairs in tripoli, signaling the ststart of three armed men believed to bebe isis fighters. they exchanged gunfifire with te guards. later on they y managed to getet through the gates and into the building to a second-floor where two of the attackers committed suicidide bombing.

the ththd died in n exchange wih guards. that was the end of the attack. edith: you are speaking to me from benghazi, where the rival government is based. can n you tell me about the splt wiwith the internationally recocognized govovernment in tri whwhere todaday's attackck took? rami: therere is a conflflict of interest and there's ideological differences between the two sides. but the main issueue is who controls the use of violence, the monopoly over the use of forcrce. so, the eastern part of the country is more unified where there is a center of command of all the armed foforces, unlike e western part of the country where mimitias storm the countny and control many parts ofof the state. and d they have confnflict betwn these militias. edith: so how secure is the tripoli-based libain government's hold of powewe ramimi: it is very shaky. due to increased numbers there

are 100 plus militias and they are hardly unified. these different t groups have their difffferent loyalties and different t -- they follow difffferent ideological groups. so, there's hardly any centralized control over the security situation in tripoli. edith: rami musa joining us from benghazi. thank you. as the year draws to a close, we're taking a look back. one of the stories our correspondents filed from around the world is about a group of iraqis in the city of mosul who are celebrating their liberation from the so-called islamic state by pursuing their passion in the skies. reporter: nour abbas runs and leaps off a low hill. there is not much wind today, but he is finally flying again. the few seconds of joy and freedom are extremely welcome after the recent biter years. >> freedom, exertion,

exhaustion. all thoughts drift away. when i fly, i feel exalted, relaxed. my head clears. reporter: the young men from mosul were not allowed to paraglide for three years. the terror group i.s. forbid the sport. for nour, this was especially hard. paragliding is his passion. he had only discovered it just before it was forbidden in 2014. he feared for his life and hid his gear. >> i was afraid to even mention it. they could lock you away for that and kill you. they executed some members of our club, trainers and pilots. reporter: since mosul's liberation in 2017, they have been able to fly again.

with donations and membership fees, they were able to purchase five paragliders. some of the first runs are rough, though. some members are beginners. others are still out of shape. the trainer has his hands full. sometimes there is more sliding than gliding, and bruises and minor wounds are common. but they are truly enjoying themselves. ali has been paragliding for less than a year. the 24-year-old has been passionately training, is talented, and loves being closer to the sky. >> the fear is gone. fear of i.s. and also fear of flying, of great heights. the fear is gone. reporter: fear dominated people's lives here for three years. also in the village across the road. it is one of the few christian communities that exists in iraq. 820 families once lived here.

most fled in august of 2014, just before i.s. militants descended on the village and left a trail of destruction in their wake. since the liberation in july 2017, the village has been undergoing reconstruction. 320 families have returned. but many others chose to emigrate. the local priest has been trying to breathe new life into the community. here, these youngsters are being prepared for their first communion. the entire village is placing its hope in these young christians after all the suffering. >> the destruction is everywhere. we have 240 houses burned, 100 destroyed completely. all the houses, churches, cemeteries, kindergartens, schools, streets, damaged and burned. reporter: islamic state is now

gone, but its legacy remains in the debris and in the trauma, even now more than a year after mosul's liberation. paraglider nour is cutting hair and shaving beards again. he loves his job as a barber. even that was forbidden during the i.s. reign of terror. its guardians of public morals caught him trimming an elderly man's beard and he was severely punished. >> i was given 45 lashes. i stayed inside for three days and closed my shop. that was the punishment for defying the shaving rules. after that i worked as a taxi driver. reporter: his sporting friend ali is bringing color back to mosul, after the dark years of the militia rule. two years ago, his short beard drew the attention of is's guardians of public morals and he was reprimanded. an argument broke out.

ali threw a punch and paid dearly for it. >> i feared for my life. they tortured me with cables, electric shocks, burns. they would heat some object and then burn our bodies with it. i have never experienced something so horrendous in my entire life. reporter: now they are flying again. to forget all those awful memories and to enjoy their newly-won freedom. the paragliders from mosul know just how precious that is, now more than ever. edith: here in berlin, german president frank-walter steinmeier has appealed for dialogue to calm tensions in society i engaging with each other rather than staying in their social echo chambers. in a christmas message, steinmeier asked people to make

up today's germany, that it should not drift apart. reporter: christmas for the german president frank-walter steinmeier is a time to talk to one another. with family, with friends, and also with those who have political leanings other than your own. >> christmas is a time not only for carols, but sometimes also for quarrels. i believe it is good for us to engage in debate. it is good for us to talk to each other. if i had one wish for our country, then it would be let's have more debate. reporter: steinmeier thinks germans are spending less time actually talking to each other and more time in their own social bubbles. >> however, no matter how upset we are about others, or wish they just did not exist, one thing remains true -- we are all part of this country, regardless of our origin, skin color, approach to life, or favorite

sports team. reporter: his christmas wish this year is that people enter into dialogue with one another. other countries he says are showing us what happens when societies drift apart. >> we have seen burning barricades in paris, deep political rift in the united states, and anxiety in the united kingdom ahead of brexit. europe is being put to the test in hungary, italy, and other places. we, in the heart of europe, are of course not immune against these developments. reporter: the president is convinced german democracy is strong. and to make sure it stays that way, we all have to work together. edith: janelle is here with business. and iran's first budget since u.s. sanctions were imposed. janelle: it's an ambitious plan, too. seeing more money for the poor

and more higher wages for the public sector. it is a show of confidence from the iranian president. he said the sanctions have hurt iran, but will not bring the islamic republic, quote, to its knees. the country's economy, however, is clearly struggling. reporter: iran's government faces acute economic challenges. at less than $50 billion, this year's budget is less than half the size as last year's. >> nobody can say that the sanctions do not harm our economy, or people's lives. but nobody can say that the united states will achieve its goals. america will certainly be defeated, and it will fail. reporter: since u.s. president donald trump decided to withdraw from the three-year-old nuclear deal and to restore sanctions, the iranian rial has lost around half its value.

the fall of the currency drove up prices across the board, with food costs up 60%. on tuesday, president rouhani announced a 20% increase in public sector wages. >> the sanctions can cause and have already caused problems for people's lives. we should try to reduce these problems, and we are able to do so. reporter: the government plans to fund 35% of the budget with oil revenues, projecting exports of up to 1.5 million barrels a day. china, india, and turkey are still importing iranian oil. janelle: getting vulnerable people back to work and giving them a sense of dignity and purpose. that is what the san patrignano recovery community is about. close to an italian seaside

resort, it employs former drug addicts to work in the bakery, dairy farm, and vineyards. reporter: claudio was a drug user for 17 years. today he oversees the production of wine in san patrignano. now he is clean and learning how to find his way into a more ordered lifestyle. some 1300 former drug users live on the estate. where would claudio be without this opportunity? >> honestly, in prison or dead and buried. reporter: he is not allowed to drink it. drugs and red wine are strictly forbidden. >> just its bouquet. we learning to smell the bouquet of the wine. reporter: the san patrignano is surrounded by a high fence. it has vineyards, a cattle farm, a cheese dairy, and a bakery. that is where they make traditional cake with candied fruits.

all the estate's residents have to learn a trade. there is no pay, but it's a first-class ticket back to life. 70% of san patrignano's graduates stay off drugs. this exceptional success rate is not the only reason it is famed far beyond italy's borders. >> this is a product that is totally homemade. with natural yeast and high-quality ingredients. the candied fruits are made here and they are certified organic. sicilian orange and lemon. reporter: here, it is regarded as one of the best, which is why it costs a little more than others. but these e sales are e not enoh to make san patrignano self-supupporting. half t t 20 millioion euros the estate needs every year to stay afloat come from donations. janelle: the ongoing trade spat between the u.s. and china has pressured stock markets worldwide.

and now it could have implications for the german jobs market in 2019 as well. that is according to the german chamber of commerce. the analysts expect 500,000 new jobs to be created in germany throughout the coming year. that would be quite a bit fewewr than the 580,000 new jobs created this past year. the reasons? higher obstacles in trade, uncertainty around the upcoming brexit, and a general cool-down of the world economy. and a reminder of the top stories we are following for you. the death toll in the indonesian tsunami has reached 429, w with nearly 1500 injured. desperately needed aid has arrived, but humanitarian workers warn that clean water and medicine supplies are dwindling. you're watching "dw news" from berlin. we will have more news at the top of the hour. meanwhile, if you need to get up-to-date, you can get all the latest news online at dw.com or on twitter. thanks for joining us. happy holidays.

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