>> this is dw news, live from berlin. u.s. airstrikes in iraq provoked a angry reactions in baghghdad and d tehran. american warplanes hit targets belonging to and iran supported militia that was closely with iraqi forces. could these retaliatory raids promote -- provoke more violence? also on the program, tens of thousands have been told to leave their homes as flames goes in on no going, australia plus

second-largest this -- australia's second-largest city. forces are struggling to c contn the blazes. livia's embattled government could receive military help from turkey. they are lining up support to send troops into the north africacan country. there are onene is that such a moveve couldld further destabile the regionon. ---- warnings that such a move could further destabilize the region. a scientist in china court -- caught for creating the world's first genetically edited babies. i am phil gayle. looking to the program. phil: baghdad and tehran have condemned u.s. airstrikes against an iraqi militia supported by iran.

they said this violated sovereignty and they will review relations with washington. u.s. forces hit five targets belonging to kataib hezbollah. >> this hezbollah base near the border between iraq and syria was one of f five targets of u.. by the jets. they destroyed the iran backed militia weapon cases and command-and-control centers in iraq and syria. the strikes of retaliation for friday's killing new the northern iraqi city of kirkuk. the iran foreign minister condemned the airstrikes during a visit to moscow. he said to the target was part of an alliance against the so-called islamic state. the iran backed militia is out of the command of the iraqi ari -- army. >> the recent actions by

americans in iraq are unacceptable. what the u.s. does this, they are making efforts to establish peace in syria and iraq. >> the u.s. defense secretary use the operation as a success and hope to discourage further attacks. >> i would note that we will take additional actions as necessary to ensure that we act in our own self-defense and we deter further bad behehavior frm most groups. -- militia groups. >> they are in close proximity in a politically unstable iraq. there are reported to be around 150,000 uranium much in iraq. the u.s. has about 5000 soldiers deployed in the country. the iraqi prime minister has warned that a dangerous escalation could follow the most recent reprisal. the hezbollah militia has vowed to retaliate.

>> straight washington where we join alexandra. how is this u.s. airstrike likely to affect sovereignty? >> the u.s. response is not unusual. sometimes retaliation involves direct strikes on iran. that makes it very dangerous ground. wewe just saw it in the report that the situation with iraq is very unstable.e. ththere are many different pro-iranian forces operating there. they seem to be trying to take advantage of this unstable situation. they have increased their attacks on u.s. forces in iraq. i ask state department officials if they are not concerned that

the airstrikes could be to a proper escalation. they told me that the u.s. is not looking for any conflict but it was necessary and important to conduct those strikes and protect u.s. personnel. they wanted to send a clear message to the iranian regime. someone said that they think they've rename regime understands the message. phil: what is iran suspected of doing in iraq? >> from the u.s. perspective, iran is using its proxies in iraq to continue its activities as the trump administration puts it. the trump administration has accused iran of trying to destabilize iraq from supporting terror

what is clear is that iran is seeing itself as the middle east 's new superpower that is trying to expand its footprint across the region. >> officials from iran met in moscow. what do we know of those discussions? >> again, we have to keep i in mind that russia views itself as a powerful player in the region. russia conducted joint military drills with iran and china. now those talks in moscow, those ministers appear to have talked about a situation in iraq. also about the iranian nuclear deal. the u.s. has withdrawn from it. russia has condemned the u.s. airstrikes in iraq, saying they

were unacceptable and counterproductive. i alalso talked to state departrtment officials about the talks in moscow. they told me that they would expect any nation to try to isolate iran, not to support the regime because any support of the regime is against the iranian people. phil: thank you. not to australia where 100,000 people have been told to leave melbourne's suburbs as a new heat wave ignites more bushfires. a firefighter was killed battling a separate fire in the countryside. the 10th victim of the blazes. the fires have led to the cancellation of hundrereds of nw year's fireworks displplays. if there is one thing that is considered a given at the end of each year, it is the images of

flashy new yeaear's celebration. there is pride in being the wants to kickoff the annual event. >> now the world looks at sydney. every single year. i look at the vibrancy, the passion, the success. >> for the last three months, australia has been battling g oe of the worst bushfires in decades. despitite the grim forecast, the city of sydney confirmed on monday that it would go ahead with this year's fireworks show as planned. >> i remember when we had total firebrands in place. we had not been able to accommodate the risk elements for conducting n new year's. we just want to ensure a safe and effective new year's. >> the announcement that the fireworks display would still take place despite the bushfires

has sparked outrage. people have signed a petition to scrap the celebration plans. >> this is all happening because this is the first time i have known that it has been like this in sydney. just leave it a year. do it again next year. >> while bickering over cities by work continues, volunteer firefighters are battling the blaze with little success. phil: roger maynard in sydney has been telling us about whwhether the city's world famos firewoworks display should take place. roger:r: its not a good look because of this note -- the smoke haze. the fireworks in sydney harbour are a key, major terrorist event

in australia. a million people turn around -- turn up p the fourr source -- n the sheses. the fireworks are seen by an estimated one billion. it is a very important occasion. at the same time, a lotot of people feel it is s insensitive. even the deputy premimier tweetd today t tt we should notot take the risk. that these -- this fireworks display should be canceled. phil: that was roger maynard in sydney. germany is debating whether to ban fireworks. buying them is allowed for three days following the christmas holidays. critics argue that they cause serious injuries and air pollution and harm wildlife.

>> the berlin night sky lit up by fireworks. the display has drawn legions of local visitors for decades. some wonder if fireworks are appropriate but many want to keep the tradition. >> if they say we have to wait until 10:00 p.m. comments that mimight help a lot. -- 10:00 p.m., that might help a lot. i don't think the environmental harm is severe enough to ban fireworks. >> it is terrible, i don't care if i can't see the stars. i would rather look at the sky some of the day when there is no fireworks. i am against the ban. >> fireworks in germany are big business. 100 million euros worth. some people are so passionate about them that they camped out the night before to make sure they can buy the biggest and the best.

this year in germany, over 30 cities have placed a partial or total ban on new year's fireworks. health experts one that firecrackers and rockets released over 4500 tons of fine particle emissions on a single night. >> fine particles are extremely particle -- harmful to the lungs. they can experience acute shortness of breath. >> for the perceivabable future, fireworks willll continue to put the air. it is no use holding was breath if eco-friendldly fireworkrks ae available. > the islamist t militantnt p al-shabab said it was responsible for identifying deadly somali capital. at least 19 people were killed.

accordance to dan has sentenced 27 members to death for killing a protesteter earlier this yr. a family of the net accused of ststabbing five peoplele in a rabbi's home in new york say he has a long h history of mental illness. they maintain he hadad not expressed an interest images and. turkey's government is rushing about through parliament that would approve the deployment of troops to libya. the turkish foreign minister met with the opposition to discuss legislation. that is expected to pass without difficulty.

the government says it is answering a request for military assistance. pro-government forces are struggling to fend off an offensive rival force led by a militia. let's go to dorian jones in istanbul. welcome. what is behind his turkish move? dorian: the turkish president erdogan says that they have a hold over libya. president erdogan says they are committed to supporting the internationally recognized live in government of national court. that government is being faced with a prospect of overrunning it. there is a strategic interest in support of this government.

on per -- they signed an agreement that give themem a control of a large swath of the eastern mediterranean. this is being contested by several countries. turkey's intervention is seen as a key strategic interest. phil: how would a turkish deployment affect this conflict in libya? >> there is a growing concern. all of turkey's opposition parties are opposed to such a move. one could even escalate the conflict. that is a concern being voiced by many regional countries. saying any significant appointment by turkish forces in support of the government of national court could see reciprocation of country

supporting the opposition forces. notably, moscow has already employed russianan mercenariese. egypt could set up intervention if turkey intervened. the fear is that turkey's intervention could spark a major escalation. they are dismissing those concerns. they're promising that will not step b back. 's meeting between erdogan and put in -- next month's meeting between erdogan and putin could affect the decision of whether or not to deploy troops into syria. phil: thank you for that. not to china where a court has jailed the scientist that claimed they created the first genetically edited babies. they receieived lesser sentences and fines -- his associates received lesser sentences and

fines. the gene e editing technology altered the genes of three babies.. he said he edited them to stop and connecting -- contracting hiv. we have more on this from fabio schmidt -- fabian schmidt. what was the principal objection to some quite -- jianqui's work? fabian: he altered the genetic makeup of the babies. he did a designer baby creation. that is considered a no-no f frm physicicists and medics and so . ey would open a pandora's box. designing your own baby.

you never know what will come out of it. one has to consider that the genetitic changes that one doesn these embryos and babies and a don't him as passed on to future generations. phil: he was trying to make these children immune to hiv. did he actually achieve that? fabian: there is some question about it. there was a study published since then that actually said it is not certain these kids will actually be immune to hiv as adults. the father is immune to hiv but one has to u understand that nowadays with medicine, it is possible to actually prevent children born to parents who had hiv from excellent contracting hiv. the point is there are other medical ways around it. basically interfering with their

genetic makeup. >> the interesting thing is that he has undertaken this unethical and band research. do scientists look at this work and try to build on it? did they leave it alone? fabian: it is a question of what the chinese will want to do with it. they will want to get out of the headlines as soon as possible with this story. they're probably going toto look at how these people or children develop over time. there was not research suggesting that they had lesser light expectancies than they would otherwise have but this -- based this on studies of british patients.

the sentencing of this biophysicist means the chinese authorities are interested in getting out of the headlines as fast as possible. phil: thank you for talking to us. an ambitious project to preserve holocaust victims as bishop milestone. stumbling stones have been placed all over. the newest brass plaques in this germantown bring the number to 75,000 so far. >> has number 11 was home to the rosenbaum's.. marja -- marta rosenbaum fled

with her husband. he later died. the project founder laid the stones himself. each marker is crafted by hand. they are now found in 26 countries. visible reminders of the crimes of the nazi regime. >> it never stops being shocking. things that happened that are just unbelievable. > the project is not without controversy. the city council chose a different type of memorial in response to criticism. >> here in munich, some of the names have been deliberately smeared with dirt and dog feces. that is why we decided to place memorials at eye level. >> munich is an exception. the stumbling stones are

suitable form of memorial. >> they were our jewish neighbors. that is why we need to memorialize them where they will live in the heart of our community. >> an independent association shares. keeping the memory of these tragedies a lot so something like this never happens again. phil: there she is behind me. probably the most recognizable prime minister new zealand has ever had. a new campaign is urging kiwis to turn the page on her. campaigners say she should spend more time on issues and less on photo shoots. where's all this criticism coming from? >> she is 39 years old. she has been in office a couple of years. she is the face of new zealand and her face has been all over the media recently.

there are a couple of biographies now about her. some new zealanders say they are fed up with all that media coverage. they started a campaign against the prime minister. it is called turn our during -- tun on her-- turn on her. there she was. all teeth and tinsel on the front of yet another women's magazine. this started as a relatively small movement. people were fed up and saying get back to work, stop posing for all these photo shoots. phil: what are the prime minister supporters saying? >> she has many supporters. many love her stance on women's rirights. she was one of the few leaders to give birth in office.

she has strong environmental policies. they lost a counter campaign. it is called return ardurn. you can see those magazines coming back around. one of the arguments is that the anti-campaign is sexist. the main argument is a leader is capable of doing two things at once. she can run the country and pose for a couple of photos. phil: they are not actually saying she is doing a bad job. >> that is hard to say. she has her supporters and detractors. if you look at the polling numbers, you can get a sense of how she and her party are doing in new zealand. that has been a bit of a roller coaster.

she took office in 2017. they were behind the rival national party. they climbed way ahead in the polls. this winter, in november, tanking back to its lowest polling numbers since 2017. her critics say the economy in new zealand is slowing. her party has failed to deal with a sexual assault scandal. her personal rating is taking a dip. she is the most popular candidate the country has. looking ahead to an election. she may return. phil: thank you very much. onto sports. training for the second half of the season has begun early for berlin. the recently appointed coach has showed up for training camp.

there's talk of a number of changes to the team. they will host bayernn january. this is the rose most grueling ocean challenge. the boat set up from sydney harbor. that is around 1200 kilometers. if you gone -- ichiban completed the course in 27 days. it won in 2017. a crocodile is believed to have eaten local residents of this posits -- province. wildlife experts blame changing weather patterns and reptiles for moving into the habitat off

the animals. u.s. airirstrikes in iraq h have provoked anger and tehran. american warplanes hit targets belonging to a supported militia. 100,000 people have been urged to flee suburbs in melbourne as bushfires close in on australia's second-largest city. travelers for the east have been told it is now too dangerous to leave. coming up next on dw, a big picture look with global l 3000. i will be back.

france twenty four france twenty four .com. u. s. carries out airstrikes in iraq and syria turning facilities it says are tied to o any ron backd militia. the first significant military retaliation against the shia militia. turkey advavances p plans to put troops into libya sending a motion to parliament for a vote. this as france and egypt urged restraint to avoid military escalation. and another firefighter killed as bushfires