berlin. outrage on the streets of india. the death toll reaches 25 in clashes between protesters and police. hundreds of thousands of people continue to rally across the country against a citizenship law they say discriminates against muslims. a deadly christmas typhoon ravages the central philippines, leaving a trail of death and destruction in its wake. the typhoon kills at least 16

people as it destroys houses, downs trees, and forces thousands to flee their homes. plus, memorial services are being held across asia to commemorate one of the deadliest natural disasters. the tsunami that hit the indian ocean in 2004 that killed 200,000 people. one woman who lost almost her entire family. and it is one of nature's rarest spectacles, a ring of fire blazes across the sky in the middle east and asia. we will have everything you need to know about the last solar eclipse of the decade. ♪ >> thank you for your company. we begin this broadcast in india, the world's largest democracy is in the grip of

widespread protests as a result of a bill that grants amnesty to migrants from three neighboring countries provided they are not muslim. prime minister modi says it is a way to bring refugees out of the shadows. the path to citizenship has provoked outrage across the nation. 25 people have been killed in protests in what many have been calling outrage to india's secular constitution. >> a sea of defiance. it is the biggest challenge to prime minister modi since he came to power. it is a battle for india's constitution. >> what we are seeing is that -- he has against the hindus. -- he is against the hindus. 40% of hindus are going to be defective. >> for weeks, protests have

raised against a law that grants citizenship to refugees from neighboring countries but not muslims. some see it as islamophobia. others worry it will lead so widescale immigration. the backlash has provoked a heavy-handed response. in new delhi, thousand square -- hundreds were arrested for protesting. >> thousands of people have been detained. people who have been detained for no reason must be released immediately. >> amid heightened fears in muslim communities of revenge attacks, police were caught breaking cctv cameras. the government's foot soldiers are out. a militaristic group of hindu hardliners marching in the capital, beating the drum for prime minister modi and his nationalist government.

journalists are feeling the heat. a vigil at the mumbai press club. they say they are being targeted by police as they try to cover these tumultuous events. >> when you actually cut off communication, when you do not allow people to report, you increase fear, and you increase layers. this is something the establishment should understand. >> india finds itself in a standoff. so far, no signs of a flicker of reconciliation. >> we stay in asia where a deadly typhoon has battered central philippines. the fear is that more people may have died. large areas are without internet or electricity. a tropical storm at first, it was upgraded to a typhoon on christmas eve. pounding rain and wind speeds of up to 100 95 kilometers an hour

on christmas day, devastating celebrations in this predominantly catholic nation. the superstorm is barreling towards vietnam. >> the extent of the damage is beginning to emerge. it destroyeded many homes, leadg families to spend christmas sheltering in the open air. authorities evacuated tens of thousands of people ahead of the arrival as a precaution. severe rain caused d major flooding, forcing people to wade through the they loose. >> food, b blankets, toiletries. whatever items that can be useful or helpful, that is what we are appealing for it. i hope we receive help. >> phanefonene's powerful winds wreak havoc.

damage from phanefone blocked roads and cut communication lines. therere are reports of people taking part -- - taking sheltern the region's airports. now the storm has passed, was returning homee, the job of rebubuilding their leses has bebegun. although t the philippinines ist by storm several timeses a year, typhoon phanefonee has made this christmas one that will be remembered. >> earlier, we spoke to richard gorge and of the philippine red cross. he told us about the aftermath of t the storm and how those affected are dealing with it. >> people are beginning to go back to their homes. after the onslaught of the typhoon last night and the other night. there are a lot of people who have lost their homes. people in the coastal areas. they really got wallopped.

their homes are totally destroyed. a lot of people will have to do without. we are providing tarpaulins and shelter to the folks out there. everything they have, their clothes, sanitary items, utensils, they are without that. the first impact our trucks that will provide ready-made meals. this will bee a recurring problm because we do not have enough trucks. we are trying to bringngn all of the food including items for sleeping kits. you need your mosquito nets. that is what they need right now. apart from the fact that they will need hygiene kits to prevent diseases. the typhoon was advertised as not a very strong one. i myself thought it was not

going to be strong at all. it transformed into a major typhoon. >> that was richard gordon of the red cross. as people are coming to grips with the catastrophic damage, communities across asia are marking the 15th anniversary of the indian ocean tsunami. the day after christmas in 2004, a 9.1 magnitude earthquake triggered a powerful ocean wave that hit coastlines across a vast area. the disaster killed more than 200,000 people. in thailand, people lit candles on a beach. around 8000 are estimated to have lost their lives in the country. bodies were never recovered. some 2000 kilometers away, sri lanka's eastern coast was hit especially hard.

more than 10,000 people died. >> he looks out over the indian ocean nearly every day. -- she looks out over the indian ocean nearly every day. she lost almost her entire family to the massive tsunami. >> all nine of us lived near the beach. so many died. when i think about the children, i get very sad. i only managed to save one little girl. i never saw the others again. when i got back, my house was destroyed. >> she now shares her home with the one granddaughter she rescued and her small child. >> the waters forced their way one and a half kilometers in land. thousands of children were among the victims. back then, he was the only psychiatrist in the worst

affected area. he treated adults and children alike. >> children has a huge amount of resilience. they have a lot of inner strength to come out of these things. that depends a lot on the adults around them. if the adults show confidence and control and competence to deal with the problems, the children's anxiety and stress are much less. >> after the tsunami, sri lankan psychiatrist formed a netwtwork with the help of the world health organization. elementary school teachers are being taught how to recognize trauma. the country has installed a an early warning system for tsunamis. the fear of another giant wave has never gone away. nor has the memory of the victims. >> some of the other stories making news around the world.

u.k. authorities say they have rescueued at least 60 migrarantf of the country's southeaeast coast. they are believed to have saiaid from france. ththe home officice as an increg number o of people are risking their lives by trying to cross the channel in small boats. public transport workers have rallied in paris as a rail strike continues to cause major disruptions across france. protesters are demanding the french government dropped a controversial retirement plan that would simplify the current system in place and increase retirement age to 64. an avalanche has swept across a ski trail near the swiss town. injuring at least two people. police and rescuers are searching for anyone who might still be buried underneath. media report heavy snowfall in

recent days has considerably raised the danger of avalanches. perhaps the kremlin's most fearless critic. he gets the message out on the internet. his videos exposing corruption have earned him millions of cliques and many enemies in the machinery of the straight -- of the state. rates on his office are nothing new. this time, authorities tried conscripting one of his closest authorities -- closest associates into the military. >> video shot in the offices set up and run by alexi. the black clad men were identified as court bailiffs. they were acting on a warrant issued because his group refused to erase a video that accused the russian prime minister of corruption. this desk in the office has been

empty since monday. it belongs to a member of the staff seen in these file pictures to the right of the opposition leader. he has allegedly been kidnapped and forced to do military service. >> for a day, we did not know where he was or what was going on. it was a real kidnapping. there were no legal grounds to that. we did not receive any documents. we had no access to lawyers. >> reports say the 23-year-old was picked up from his apartment on monday. he was then brought to a military basase on the -- on a distant island in the arctic ocean where he will do military service. the army said he had been trying to avoid military conscription and now, a courtrt order has ben issued to draft him. it is not clear if a valid draft notice has been issued.

he accuses the authority of acting illegally. >> of course, all these facts are linked together. the criminal charges against the anticorruption organization, the authorities declaring us a foreign agent. then, there all of the endless rates. i think this was the fourth. as well as the detention and harassment of our employees and the drafting of our associates in the arctic. this is part of the single operation with orders coming from higher up. >> the government is pulling down the issue. a kremlin spokesperson says if he did try to dodge the draft, the actions taken by the military are perfectly legal. >> over the past year, our correspondence have filed reports from around the world on political crises, wars, and disasters. they also reported on the strength of the human spirit and

the courage of everyday people trying to go about their lives. the report you are about to see is from mexico. the war between violent drug cartels has fueled a killing spree. authorities blame a record 29,000 murders on drug violence. the mothers of the disappeared have taken a search for answers into their own hands. >> she finally found her missing son, roberto. he disappeared without a trace five years ago. >> one day, he was selling cell phone accessories as usual, and he was k kidnapped at a gas station because my son was disappeared and the authorities did not look for him, i started my own search. >> local police were no help. that was no surprise. ordinary police officers are suspected of frequent collaboration with the drug cartels. she started her search with this

simple tool. it helps detect the scent of decaying corpses beneath the soil. over time, other mothers looking for their missing children joined her. they call themselves the trackers. they are tirelessly searching for traces of their missing children. they cannot believe they are dead until they have proof. that is what their motto says. i search for you until i find you. >> for many women here, this has become their s sole mission. there search often turns up bones and skeletons. the women's findings on this day become the top story for mexican journalist. the stench of rotting corpses is overwhelming. time and again, the mothers of the disappeared are confronted with a tormenting question. could this body be my child? >> it feels like my heart wants

to jump out of my body.y. i am shaking. my ears are blocked. i am glad and sad at the same time because i do not know if it is my son over her son. -- my son or her son. in the end, it does not matter. we are looking for them because we love them. >> they have already found nearly 500 bodies. according to local media, many of the disappeared are believed to have ted -- to have had ties to the drug trade. she and the other mothers found the remains of 15 people on a single day. neighbors who had observed suspicious activity gave them tips on where to dig. the search missions are a provocation to the cartels. >> they tell us we should stop looking. otherwise, the same thing will happen to the -- to us. then one day, someone will find

us b buried. we are scared, but love and uncertainty are stronger. >> it took three years for her to find her son. at last, she says, he can rest in peace. >> the mothers of the disappeared. i want to tell you about other stories making news around the world. turkish president erdogan says he intends to send troops to libya. the government has requested the intervention to stabilize the country. it has no effective central government. more than 200 homes have been destroyed after forest fires swept throuough a port city in chile. more than 3000 peoeople are without electricity. authorities believe the fires were started intentionally.

back in germany, this year, berlin's decision to freeze rents for five years made news around the world. the move came after intense public discussion about the lack of affordable housing data capital. with that set to go in effect for the new year, our next report takes a look back at the campaign that led to its introduction. >> tenants in berlin have been fighting for their rights. last summer, they lead an initiative calling for the nationalization of some of the property owned by real estate companies.s. they wanted the city to hold a referendumum on their issue. the refeferendum question is bad on artic 15.5. it states the property may bebe transferred to public ownership for the purpose of socialization. the ararticle has n never been invoked. > in terms of history and the market economy, we see this a as unthinkable. call upon the city government and the e federal goverernment o put a stop to the affair.

the german capital is witnessing a bottle over affordable housing -- a battle over affordable housing. there is an acute shortage of living space. berlin has a deficit of tens of thousands of apartments. speculation is on the rise. the last decade has seen rents double. at the same time, there is a construction boom. entire neighborhoods are sprouting up. like here in a district where the housing complex is brand-new. tenants are paying up to 16 euros per square meter. an apartment cost 3 350 thousand euros, making it financially out of reach to many. there are not enough affordable apartments for rent owned by public housing associations. like this one, a 50 square meter apartment in the heartrt of the city.

a place like this will always attract a lot of interest. >> there is like more than 50 people or more thann 100 -- it depends on the locatation and te price. >> i used to live in paris. i thought paris was difficult. now, it was easy in paris. >> finding a balance is the motivation underlining this project in berlin. it is a prime piece of real estate worth a steady 50 million euros. it is undergoing an extensive renovation. when it is ready, it will not be a shopping mall. it will contain 300 affordable apartments, small businesses, facilities, childcare centers, and studios for artists. the property was bought by the city. it is renting space said the housing authority, an artists

collective and otherers. >> w what we need inin bererlins affordabable housing. what is being built is expensive. if it goes on lilike this, we wl not have been a d diverse spapas and not the necessary structure. we needd to put a stop to this situation, which is spiraling out of control. political efforts must be made to ensure the market remains fair in berlin. >> people in the middle east and asia are witnessing a rare solar eclipse. what is known as a in annual eclipse provided spectacular views from people in saudi arabia to singapore. when he had special goggles so they can look straight out the sun. >> a ring of fire in the sky, seen by lucky viewers along a narrow path of visibility.

in saudi arabia, son chasers from around the world started preparing for darkness. it is m my >> 11th -- for darkness. >> it is my 11th eclipse. >> we have come to saudi arabia especially to see this event because it is very rare. if we may sit, , we have t to wt for another 30 years. >> more sun watcher's travel to a desert area of abu dhabi for a better view. >> i wanted to come here to witness this once in a lifetime moment. it looks so amazing while you see it. it is completely covered. >> as the path of visibility moved eastward, people in western indonesia set up gear to watch and record. singaporeans were amongst the

last to be able to see it. >> the next one is going to be when i am in my 60's. i might as well take my youth and look at this lovely ring of fire. >> it is so intense. you talk about it with your friends and family for the next month. >> the eclipse then moved out over the ocean and disappeared. >> phenomenal. in the u.k., queen elizabeth has delivered her traditional christmas address with a focus on peace and reconciliation. she reflected on the past summer's 75th d-day commemoration. she also praised environmental campaigners. after a year of turbulent british politics and challenges facing the royal family, the queen acknowledged 2019 had been a difficult year. >> it is a christmas tradition

for the royal. an afternoon trip to the church near the queen's sandringham estate. this year, the party was smaller than usual. since philip is just out of hospital. prince harry and meghan are taking time out in canada. and then, there is prince andrew. he is keeping a low profile after giving a tv interview to deny he was i involved in a sex scandal involving the convicted pedophile jeffrey epstein. he was at church in the morning while away from the cameras. it has been anything but clear sailing for the royals this year or for their country. amid the drama of brexit, a brave face for the christmas message. >> jesus christ would show the world how small steps could overcome a long-held differences and deep-seated divisions to bring harmony and understanding.

many of us already tried to follow in his footsteps. the path is not always smooth. it may at times have felt quite bumpy. >> among the p photos clearly visible on her desk, thehe three men next ininine to the throne. they also f feature in this royl video, making christmas pudding for charity. >> it is worth remembering that it is often the small steps and not the giant leaps that bring about the most lasting change. and so, i wish you all a very happy christmas. >> and especially happy christmas, if only because this difficult year will soon be over. ♪ >> no holiday season is complete without brave swimmers taking their annual plunge in icy

waters. in northwest china, 200 people from around the world did the ice bucket challenge in this -20 degree weather before hitting the outdoor pool. in london's hyde park, the serpentine swimming club swam the annual christmas day race. in berlin, revelers in santa outfits jumped into a lake at the city's edge. some complained that it five degrees, the water was too warm. -- that at five degrees, the water was too warm. that does it for me in berlin. i will see you at ththe top of e hour. ♪

. the could is selecting a new leader for the familiar name is still very much in contention. israel's prime minister benjamin netanyahu. tickets to send troops to libya to support the internationally recognized government against the attack from the warlord general have to. fifteen years on the ball to the tsunami in indonesia is remember. the magnitude nine quake sending a massive wave. killed two hundred and thirty thousand people. thank you very much for being with us likud is holding a leadership vote it's the first serious challenge to benjamin netanyahu in over a decade and it comes after