berlin -- phil: this is "dw news" live from berlin. two more lives are lost as they try to get the flames at bay. protesters in iraq protest of the u.s. embassy in baghdad, chanting "death to america," angered by u.s. strikes on their country. carlos cohen -- carlos gohsn

says he is escaping persecution. angela merkel calls for germans to be courageous and confident in confronting the challenges of a new decade. and her new year address, the chancellor also stresses the need to tackle climate change. i'm phil gayle. welcome to the program. the australian city of sydney has welcomed a new year and a new decade with a massive fireworks display. despite this, many other parts of the country are not celebrating. there are growing fears for residents and tourists. people have sought shelter on the waterfront preparing for possible evacuation by sea. this is an unprecedented

situation and the worst affected have been two of australia's most populous states, victoria and new south wales. in a town on the coast, around 4000 people have gathered on the beach to escape the flames. the blaze has also claimed two more lives, a father and son who were trying to protect their home. several others still missing. >> stranded by the seaside, thousands of tourists and locals are being held hostage by a raging wildfire. it is too late to leave, so all they can do is wait along the beach for help to come. >> the fire is along the beach now. all the highways are blocked. we are ok. we are actually sitting in the

car. we have a look outside, it is just smoke everywhere. >> others across the region have made the difficult decision to stay behind, but the authorities are clear -- they are now on their own. >> we are aware, as the premier said, some have chosen not to take the advice. we might be putting trucks into those areas. >> elsewhere in melbourne, temperatures on tuesday peaked at 41 degrees celsius. in some places, the blazes are so intense, the smoke turned day tonight -- day to night and aerial reconnaissance and water bombing had to be halted. >> when fires are creating their own weather and have superhot

columns that go up 13, 14, 15 kilometers in the air. it's not safe. then there's the issue of not beining able to see. so much impacac in termsmsf moving around. >> australia has been battling huge bushfires for several months, mostly on the eastern coast. on tuesday, almost 300 fires were registered and thehe blazes have consumed more than 40,000 square kilometers of land. phil: to give you an idea of what emergency crews are facing, the new south wales fire and rescue service has released this footage of one of its crews being caught in a burning forest about 170 kilometers south of sydney. glad to say the crew escaped unharmed. hong kong has also welcomed the

new year witith a totoned down spectacle over victoria harbour. city authorities called off the traditional fireworks for secucurity reasons. the pyrotechnicss were largely replaced by a leadership -- a laser show and projections. the chinese president addressed protests in his televised new year's address and called for a return to calm and stability over the city. his comments come as sometimes viololent pro-democracy demonstration have sent the economy into a recession that tarnished the country's reputation as one of the world safest.

u.s. president donald trump has accused iran of orchestrating protests, but washington says all u.s. personnel at the embassy are safe and that additional forces will be sent to guard them. >> hezbollah brigade supporters crossed the river tigris in the morning and marched to the u.s. embassy to demonstrate. their protest began after a funeral service for fighters killed in u.s. airstrikes on sunday. the militia officers had previously killed a u.s. citizen. the demonstrators broke through the embassy's external security barriers and made it as far as the last security wall. among the demonstrators, clergy and a radical militia leader. >> this is the command center for the destructive operations. it was from here that iraq's sovereignty was violated. >> demonstrators managed to

force their way into the compound in the afternoon. they remained until security personnel deployed tear gas to disperse them. washington says it is confident it knows who is backing the shiite militia, as president trump tweeted earlier. iran is orchestrating an attack on the u.s. embassy in iraq. they will be held fully responsible. it was only after several hours that iraqi security forces arrived to protect embassy grounds. phil: let's go to washington where we joined dw's bureau chief. how seriously is washington taking this attack? >> very seriously, i would say. the secretary of defense announced the pentagon is sending additional marines to protect u.s. personnel in iraq and according to media reports,

two apache helicopters were sent to fly over the embassy in a clear show of force. additionally, secretary of state pompeo spoke with the iraqi president and iraqi prime minister on the phone today and, according to the state department, made clear that the u.s. will protect and defend its people. phil: the u.s. has invested millions of military aid in iraq since they toppled saddam hussein. how will the u.s. attack and the iraqi attack on the u.s. embassy -- those two incidents -- how is that going to affect a relationship? >> i think that it is hard to say that the airstrikes conducted by the u.s. last sunday against pro-iraqi militias have resulted in a serious political crisis for the united states in iraq. the iraqi government even threatened to rethink its relationship with the u.s.-led

coalition, so we have to assume that protesters must have had at least test permission from iraqi security officials, so we are dealing here with a serious political crisis that has the potential of stoking anti-americanism in the country and handing an advantage to iraq and its competition for more influence. phil: as we heard, u.s. president donald trump blamed iran for masterminding this attack. the relationship between the u.s. and iran is already fractious. >> i think so far and despite the existing tensions, the u.s. strategy has been to rely on sanctions to mirror iran's activities, and president trump has repeatededly said that the

u.s. is not looking for another conflict in the middle east, however, we have to say that with this very unstable situation on the ground in iraq and -- anything can happen. if there is another incident, another provocation, the u.s. may be forced to respond, and that means the situation could escalate. phil: thank you. now we will take a look at some of the other stories making news around the world. a court in slovakia has sentenced a man to 15 years in jail for his role in the murder of an investigative journalist. he confessed to acting as a go-between. the murder in 2018 sparked a political crisis. angola has frozen the assets of the daughter of a former president as part of an anticorruption drive. she amassed a fortune through

stakes in angola companies during her father's term in office. she denies any wrongdoing. musicians from paris opera have given an impromptu performance on the steps of the famous best deal opera as part of the protest against president president macron's pension reforms. former renault-nissan ceo carlos ghosn has jumped bail in japan. he is in lebanon after arriving on a private aircraft. in a statement, he said he was seeking to avoid injustice and persecution by what he called a rigged japanese justice system. >> this is the house in beirut where carlos ghosn is believed to have fled, but there's no sign of him, and security guards

outside say he is not here, but a neighbor has shown up wanting to welcome him to lebanon with a card. many lebanese view the former nissan ceo as a successful businessman and as a symbol of their country's large diaspora, but in tokyo, the unexpected turn of events has sparked outrage. >> i think he fled because he did something wrong, but whoever escapes wins, you know? i envy people with money. >>ghonsn's main lawyer says he heard about his clilient's fligt via media. >> we were caught completely by surprise. i am dumbfounded. personally, i don't yet even know how to make contact with him.

>> his escape to lebanon and is the latest stunning twist in a roller coaster journey that saw him fall from boardroom to detention center. he spent more than 100 days in spartan conditions far removed from his sometimes extravagant lifestyle. the automotive tycoon stands accused of underreporting his salary to the tune of 85 million dollars. prosecutors also allege he skimmed millions of dollars from the company for his personal use. he has repeatedly denied all accusations. in a statement, the 65-year-old said the japanese justice system was "rigged" and that he escaped injustice. japan does not have an extradition treaty with lebanon, so it's unclear what steps tokyo might take next. phil: let's take a closer look at this. let's start with the escape. how and why did he flee to

lebanon? >> we are all waiting for details because it sounds like something out of a movie, right? there are reports he had -- he may have been stowed in a plane in a musical instrument box from some musicians who came to his house. we know he was under house arrest in tokyo. we know he surrendered his three passports. we know is a strict condition of his bail he was not to leave the country. we know in this case, he has jumped veil, he has not met the conditions of his bail, and we know why he did it. as he said there, who said it is because he believed he was facing a rigged system. why lebanon? his wife is lebanese. he still has lebanese citizenship. he has a home there. the public has been sympathetic to him. he is closose to the community d politicians there and also, conveniently, lebanon does not have a tradition treaty with japan, meaning in the short term it would not be possible for him to be returned to japan to face

justice, so all these would appear to present a good environment for him to escape his trial. phil: the short-term is interesting because in the short-term, we are talking about him and the japanese judicial system rather than him and the serious charges he faces. >> and that is exactly how he wants it. the japanese judicial system is very strict, as that piece pointed out. itit was known way before his trial, but that has been thrust even more into the spotlight. he has not been able to voice not only his belief in his innocence but his anger and frustration with that judicial system. this gives him the chance to shape that narrative. conviction rate is 99% in japan. it is a system designed around prosecutors. detained for more than 100 days, he says, with little access to his lawyers. that is difficult for any defendant to make his case. as you said, though, that deflects from what is a serious case of potential mismanagement.

this is now putting the ball back in his court. phil: what happens next? >> that's the big question, right? i think we all want to know the details of how he escaped, and nissan still faces charges related to this whole episode that is the financial mismanagement charges. there's another executive at american who faces charges. he is still there in japan. those will probably continue and then we will see what kind of pressure japan places on lebanon, what could happen with a trial in absentia. it is not believed that will take place, but that could happen in other countries. japan is probably less likely. we will await a press conference next week which ghosn's people have promised and which people give a fuller statement. all big questions. phil: which will be answered in the coming decade. thank you. angela merkel is calling on germans to be courageous and confident when meeting the

challenges of their new decade. the german chancellor also in -- also use her annual new year's eve address to stress the importance of tackling climate change. >> it is the end of the year and the end of the decade. the world is getting even more complicated. but german chancellor angela merkel does not paint a bleak picture even if she points to a pressing issue. the keyword -- climate. >> global warming is real. it threatens us. it is caused by human activity, as are the crises that arise out of global warming, so we must do all that is possible to combat this challenge to humanity. there is still time. >> merkel says the recently agreed climate protection law is a step in the right direction even if young activists say the law does not go far enough. merkel says the government must consider all citizens. >> we are guided by the values of freedom, solidarity, and

respect for the dignity of every single person as well as the principles of the social market economy. these values will also remain our compass in the next decade. >> merkel says it is the state's duty to defend these values against anti-semitism, hate, and violence, and this also applies to refugees and migration. merkel stresses that solutions are needed within a european framework. >> only withthin the community f the european union can we assert our values and interests and secure peace, freedom, and prosperity. europe must strengthen its voice in the world. for example, by holding a summit of all member states with china and a meeting with the african states. >> so chancellor merkel concludes the year pragmatically with concrete plans for the future, implying there is still much work left her to do.

phil: onto sports, bundesliga sides currently resting during the season's winter break. one of the best teams in the league raising hopes they could win their first top-flight title since 1977, so it'ss a look back at a half season filled with promise. >> he is a big reason for the team's performance. the coach's formula for success -- pressure the opponent, switch quickly from defense to offense, shoot more quickly on net. they have been quite a surprise. >> we are enjoying our high positionon in the standings. it is importantnt we also understand what is happening internally. it is somemething special for u, but it did not come by accident. we work hard for it in the first half of thehe season. that's s why we are alslso prouf it. >> it also helps that newly signed players adapted well to the team.

>> we have always s made sure et we gotot along with h each othef the pitch as well as in the lockerer room. every playererho gets aa chahane shows the coach what qualities hehe has and that he can demonstrate those qualities in a game. the most important thing is that we are successful together. >> strong team spirit and successful soccer -- that is what makes them stand out and awakens memories of the 1970's when the team won the league five times. one of its former starss tells s more. >> the club certainly has a lot of history. at theoment, wee are working onn getting the club on statable footing, , d traradition and future prospects definitely go hand-in-hand. >> so far, things are working out. they are ready to ride more history as they enter the final

half of the season. phil: spanish record holders real madrid held an open practice. it was a relaxed session. players warmed up, did some drills, and scrimmaged in front of a cheering crowowd. the coach also had some presents for spectators. real madrid are second in the league after 18 matches played. this year saw the first marathon distance run in under two hours. however, it will not count as an official world record as the race was a time trial with him

being the only competitor. >> the secret to the success of the shoe nike markets as vapor fly lies in the soul -- the sole. they were born in october for marathon history. in the same type of shoe and a day later, another runner broke the women's world record. critics say the high-tech shoes make too much of a difference for all three. the governing body of world athletics has launched an investigation. >> [inaudible]

it is a normal shoe. >> export scientist and expert in motion analysis has been testing running shoes for 20 years. he says it is a gameme changer. >> above all, the difference is ththis carbon plate, which runs throh the sole here to take the point back more and then to gain a distance of two centimeters. >> that means the shoe helps lengthen every stride by the length of the big toe. >> so if you assume he takes 21,000 steps, with this effect, he gaiains 420 meterers in dist. >> does it work for every meter?

wendy w reporter who is an active marathon runner did a test -- one dw reporter. his feet and tendons started to hurt early on. after 10 kilomometers, he had to give up. >> i can see doing 3, 4, five kilometer runs with this issue, but i recommend that amateurs who want to do a marathon train sufficiently and explicitly trained with this shoe to prepare because the shoe affects the leg's calf muscles very differently. >> if you want to keep up, even as an amateur, you may need to relearn how to run. nike competitors are announcing models similar. the big-money athletic apparel firms are betting the rule makers of track and field will side with them and allow the new shoe technology.

phil: a group of killer whales has stunned researchers by traveling more than 6000 kilometers from iceland to the mediterranean sea in just a few weeks. fishermen in italy could hardly contain their excitement. >> this amateur video captured a site few people would ever have expected in the mediterranean. these two italian fishermen certainly never imagined that when they went out into the strait of messina near sicily they would encounter three massive killer whales swimming alongside their boat. the first thing they noticed was a giant fins reaching out of the water. >> we'd never seen anything like it, and then we realized it was a killer whale. first we were scared. the animals are twice the size of my boat, but then the excitement overcame the fear. we managed to film the video.

>> researchers say the orchids are part of the same group that came from iceland and was spotted off northwestern italy earlier this month. it's one of the longest migration routes ever recorded for the species. the killer whales can be found around the globe, but they generally favor cold waters and are rarely seen in the mediterranean. it is unknown why the animals ventured this far from their usual habitat or where they will travel to next. phil: new year's celebrations are well under way around the world withh majajor fireworksksw to ring it in. taipei's 101 tower was lit up in front of crowds. close by, bangkok burst into color at the stroke of midnight. tokyo's avoid district, there

were no fireworks, but plenty of people crowded into the city's most famous crossing. here's a reminder of our top story. thousands of people have fled to beaches in southeast australia to escape reaching bushfires in the ststates of torah and d new south wales. the blazes have killed at least 12 people and destroyed about 1000 homes. up next, the science magazine. i will be back at the top of the hour. [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. visit ncicap.org]

with the twenty seventh consecutive day of trump schools strikes france's president emmanuel macron vows to forge ahead with reforms the country's pension system. demonstrators i. goodbye uss strike staged violent protests outside the us embassy in baghdad president trump meanwhile has accused iran old straight to the unrest. and also coming up a completely cold by surprise at japanese lawyers the foreman assembles callers gun say they know why did how the multi millionaire