berlin. iraqi protesters leave the u.s. embassy compound in baghdad after two days of clashes with american security forces, which prompted washington to send more troops. also on the program, the new year begins with australia's bushfires claiming more lives, despite rescues and evacuations. some victims were people who stayed to save their homes. police in hong kong used tear gas to disperse vioiolent

antigovernment protesters and arrest hundreds, after hundreds of thousands take to the streets to call for greater democracy. ♪ phil: i'm phil gayle. welcome. around's army says protesters have left the embassy complex in baghdad after militia leaders called on them to disperse. earlier, american forces fired tear gas to repel the demonstrators. washington destroyed -- deployed more troops to the embassy after the compound was breached by militia men tuesday. correspondent: the new year began with a fresh political crisis in baghdad, more clashes between pro--arabian demonstrators -- pro-iranian demonstrators and u.s. troops. later protesters pulled back,

but they regard their retreat as a victory against the united states. >> we achieved what we intended. wewe pulled d ck triumphphantlyd we rubbed d america's sese in te dirt correspondndent: they mamay havd lilittle choice but to leave. more u.s. troops moveded into reinforced security at the u.s. embassy on new year's day. washington floyd 750 rapid-this -- rapid-response forces. thousands of kilometers away, more u.s. troops have been preparing to travel to the middle east, a sign of how seriously the trump regards tuesday's events. the president has accused iran of orchestrating the embassy protest. tehran says it is the u.s. acting aggressively. >> they find summit -- some excuse, attack iraqi soil and martyr people. i condemn this crime on n behalf

of the government and the people of iran. correspondent: tuesday's attack was one of the worst on the diplplomatic mission in years ad escalated tensnsions between washington and iran, an already difficult relationship. . our correspondent from baghdad joins us on the line. welcome to dw. what is the situation around the embassy compound now? correspondent: things have quieted down and protesters have withdrawn after receiving a command from militia me -- militia leaders telling them to leave. if wanted to stay longer but overall, ends are quiet. phil: the u.s. says it is deploying more troops. how is thahat likely to affect e situatation? cocorrespondent: i think we are currently in a situation where it seems like tensions between the u.s. and iran are not going to go away anytime soon. the u.s. bringing in more troops

to iraq is not going to do anything to calm those tensions. phil: if more troops arrive, what do you expect to happen? correspondent: i expect, most likely, it will cause anger among these same militia groups, many which are iranian-backed and have been demanding for u.s. troops to leave iraq completely, not bring in more people. phil: iraq has been struggling with protests four months. now we see attacks on the u.s. embassy, but we are talking about different sets of people with different grievances, aren't we? correspondent: yeah, two entirely different sets of people. the iraqi protesters who have been entirely or square for months our young people demanding -- who have been in tahrir square e for months our young people demanding elites

leave office, and many faced backlash against the people who protested at the u.s. embassy, many of whom are supported by iranian-backed militia groups and were responding to attacks on mililitia military baseses executed by the u.s. a few days ago. the people in tahrir square mostly were not the people in front of the embassy. those were the peoeople who say they don't want iranian or u.s. influence in iraq and many expressed strong anti-rainy and sentntiment. -- anti--iranian sentiment. phil: what is the current spat between the two countries? correspondent: in terms of protesters in the square, the iranian government was against them, that group of people,

because they were asking for the removal of many politicians backed and supported by iran. in terms of their position on, you know, the recent attacks between the u.s. and iran, they very clearly have been saying that this is a violation of human rights and that the u.s. needs to leave iraq. phil: thank you for joining us in baghdad. let's take a look at other stories making news around the world. israel's prime minister benjamin netanyahu says he will seek are lamentably immunity from corruption charges. the move is likely to protect him from prosecution while he remains in office. he was indicted in november on charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust. the losing candidates in the runoff vote for the presidency says he will contest the vote in

the west african nation. he said the vote was rigged. the electoral commission has declared the former prime minister the winner of last friday's ballot, with 54% of the vote. torrential rains have floododed the indonesian capital of jajakarta, killing at least nine and forcicing at least 19,00000o move to safetyty. power to hundreds o of homes was cut off and with floodwaters rising up to o four meters, some train lines and one of the city's airports have been closed. wildfires in australia, seven people confirmed dead over the last two days and nearly 200 homes destroyed. that brings the death toll from this season's blazes to 17 per the biggest fires have spread across two states, victoria and new south wales. authorities there are delivering food and water to thousands of people who fled a coastal town and took refuge on the beach. correspondent: fueled by searing

temperatures and fast-moving wins, more than 200 fires continue to consume the australian southeastern states of new south wales and victoria. fire forced these rescue volunteers to take shelter in their truck, as flames surrounded them. the crew made it out safely. >> we also have a very real challenge at the moment, with a couple of isolated communities where we have got reports of injuries my burn injuries to members of the public. we haven't been able to get access by roads or via aircraft, it has been socked in or to dangerous and we can't access people in those areas. correspondent: in some places, the blazes are so intense that ththe thick smoke turned day to night. the fires are causing dry lightning storms that themselves are causing new fires. >> it is pretty scary.

that wall of fire we saw earlier, i don't know it would be any use trying to save the house. i was worried more aboutt saving the family y than the property itself. correspondndent: some people who have returned home have found there is not much left. >> they are gone. this is our other unit. i am on the roof now. correspondent: australia has been battling huge bushfires f r several months, mostly on it seats coast -- its east coast, but every state has faced blazes that have ravaged 40,000 square kilometers of land, displacing people and wildlife. phil: journalist roger maynard is in sydney. we asked if the thousands of people stranded on malik who to speech or getting help.. >> litittle, b but not enough. earlier today a police boat arrived with a ton of water, but

therere is very littlee in the y of food. that proroblem is being replicad further north on the south coaot of new sou wales, where ththousands of pepeople are stil straranded. some shops have been opened and there e has been a run onn supplies, panic b buying, and qs formining come along comome alos forming outside supermarkets. in addition to that there was a run on petrol supplies and many villages have reported running out of petrol, or they can't pump the petrol because there is no electricity for the pumps. so a real crisis developing here. the government is trying to urge people to get up as soon as possible, but that is easier said than done, given that few roads are open. and it may be some time before they have the opportunity to get out, even if they have enough fuel in the car to do so. phil: roger maynard reporting from sydney. hong kong streets were packed with large crowds for a new

year's protest march which then spiraled into chaotic scenes as right police deployed tear gas and water cannon against hard-line protesesters who broke off from the m main group. about 400 arrests were made. correspondent: it was the first authorized protest in several months and it drew hundreds of thousands of people. in recent weeks there has been mainly a smaller number of committed demonstrators on the streets, but wednesday's march shows there is still significant public support for the pro-democracy movement. [protesters chanting] >> i hope this march can reunify everyone to come out and protest. >> correspondent: correspondent: it is 8 -- >> it is the time for us together to be here again and to tell the world that we haven't given up yet. >> with sheer force of numbers we will show the government how many of us will fight for hong kong freedom. correspondent: the rally was

largely peaceful. but then, small number of protesters began vandalizing local businesses. police responded with tear gas and water cannon, and told organizers to end the march. the vast majority soon fled, leaving only a few hundred protesters to face off with police. as night fell, officers made around 400 arrests. police were at pains to point out they did not use force on peaceful demonstrators. >> unfortunately, again, rioters hijacked a demonstration today which resulted in the decision of police to end the procession. correspondent: but organizers want to focus onn the h huge turnoutt earlier i in the day, showing support for their cause. phil: our correspondent is in hong kong and sent us this update. >> protesters have made clear they are planning to continue

their protests in 2020. 2020 is an election year. the legislative council will be reelected. and the protesters are demanding universal suffffrage for t these elections, among other demands that include an independent investigation into the police operations during the protest movement. today's march started largely peacefully, but then at around 6:00 clashes broke out after protesters vandalized a branch of the bank and police responded with tear gas. now the police have made a large number of arrest, and 2020 is beginning the same way 2019 has ended. phil: our correspondent in horror, -- in hong kong. the north korean supreme leader has said his country will soon demonstrate what he called a new strategic weapon. at a conference of the ruling workers party, kim jong-un expressed for registration at stalled nuclear talks and said his country is no longer bound

by a moratorium on nuclear and missile tests. the suspension is at the center of discussions between north korea and the united states. kim jong-un accused the u.s. of hostility but appeared to leave the door open to further talks. our correspondent france smith insole -- frank smith in seoul. the speech at the party conference was broadcast onn state tvtv. what is that telus? frank -- what does thatt tell us: frank -- what does that tell us? frank: it was addressssed to pay ofofficials as w well as the noh korean public as well as the international commumunity, and certainly u.s. president d donad trump. the m message was thahat north a needs to p pursue s selfeliance, whwhat they call ththeir ideolo,

anand stop waiting for kim, acaccording to the uniteted sta, to change their attitude and also to r restart nuclear and missile technologies. phil: how seriously is the u.s. and international community taking this talk o of a newew strategic weapon i in the near future? frank: well e emma given what north korea has s done over the past few mononths, and inn 2019, restararting short range missile teststing, and also a neweweapon was tested thehere, potentitiala submarine-launched b ballistic missile, that sort of c caught e internatioional community b by surprisese and i is raising g cn in south korea. kimm's comomments were greeted h disappoiointment, as they would like to see engagement restarted with north korea. phil: kim also said any nuclear tetest would depend on the u.s's attitude. so d does this souound like t tr

is still open? frfrank: yeses, the doors defefy open. ththe d dialogue,, there were se meetings betweween the u.s. and north k korea in sweden in october. those broke down quickly.. what n north korea iss seeking a step-by-y-step processss towardd nunuear isis a --- towardd denucleaearization. itit is notot going to go for tt deal presentnted in hanoi,, viem in 2019. however, i it wouldld be e willo see a step-by-step denuclearizatition that would he to include relief from t those u.s.-led united nations national security council sanctions. phil: good of you to join us, frank. this is been a year since brazilian president jair bolsonaro was sworn in. his policies on environmentalists, minorities and intellectuals have divided the country, and after

devastating fires and the amazon rain forest, his support may be waning. correspondent: last august saw an unprerecedented disaster in brazil, the amazon rain forest and flames peered the blazes weren't merely a consequence of doubt. politics of president xi your bolsonaro played a role. -- president gyre bolsonaro -- jair bolsonar played a role. a scientist says 80,000 fires were started deliberately. bolsonaro didn't like the finding, so he fired the physicist. >> bolsonaro considers our data ally, that is significant because this is scientific data. correspondent: jair bolsonaro won the presidential election in 2018 with h slogans targeting te political left, women, gays and indigenous communities and environmentalists.

>> today is the day when people and begin to free themselves from socialism, false values, state dominance and politic correctness. correspondent: i in keeping with his reactionary worldview, bolsonaro recruited seven military men to his government, and no people of color. of the two women he brought on board, one of them, and agro lobbyist, was named minister of agriculture. the bolsonaro government is shifting legal foundations in a bid to curb violence from drug trafficking. he has encouraged people to buy firearms for self-defense. private courses in target practice are booming. >> we have many human rights concerns, especially regarding freedom of expression, government influencing universities, and police brutality. correspondent: a former

backbencher, bolsonaro has paid particular attention to people he considers leftists. he fired nearly 370 reporters at a public broadcasting tv network sponsored by the education ministry. >> whoever attacks education and culture attacks civilization, and the development of humanity. bolsonaro is contributed to this. if it goes on another three years, brazil will be finished. what we are doing here today is fighting back. correspondent: jair bolsonaro has polarized his country. there are no indications he has any intention of changing course. phil: in pakistan, where a woman or girl riding a bike is a rare sight and can be met with aggression by men, who regard it as immodest, but a cycling club in karachi is trying to change

attitudes. so let's take a spin around the city with the cyclists of the girls cafe. correspondent: getting to grips with her first bicycle, every sunday morning, she joins her friends at a local cycling club. for the 11-year-old, this is a totally new and sometimes daunting experience. >> initially, i tried the bike along -- i draggeded the bike alalong with my feet. then i learnrned to control and and i love the fact i can ride now.w. i wishsh could cycycle every day with my friends. it makes me feel really good. [bell ringing] correspondent: it is quite rare to see women on bicycles in pakistan. many think it is vulgar, as they have to straddle a seat, but these attitudes are part of a wider,r, patriarchal culture. >> our society doesn't feel

right about girls cycling in the streets. it doesn't usually happen here, but it is common abroad. >> it dodoesn't feel right, butt is o ok, t they are only riding around locally. >> what can we e say? thosee parents who a allow their daughters to ride on bicycles should be [indiscernible] correspondent: women socializing in public is still viewed as a threat to public morality. to counter these norms a group of women set up the girls cafe, that organizes bike rides for girls. >> at thehe start, we were harassed. some boys tried to kick us off our bikes. it was tough, , but we won't st. it is o our mission to empower these girls and introduce them to sports, which is also very important. correspondent: the girls live here in liare, a neighborhood of

karachi that has been marred by violence for decades. things are better now. all of the streets are still dangngerous in some parts, especially for women, so the sight of them exercising in public has caused quite a starter. but attitudes are slowly changing. this girl's parents were reluctant to allow her to join the cycling club at first, but soon changed theheir mds. >> myy familily and my in-laws h said i iis not a good thing and i should just stop her. it is a problem in our societyt, that if a girl goes out in public for anything, work or even cyclingng, people tatalk bd about her. but my husband and i think differently. so what if she's a girl? she should go out and progress. correspondent: when the cycling club began a year ago, they started with only eight girls. now there are over 30 members. and all are determined to keep

pedaling their way towards a more equal future in pakistan. phil: not to a rare event in st. peter's square at the vatican, where a woman caused a scene that led to a papal slap and a rebuke. pope francis had been shaking hands with people in the crowd when -- the crowd and was turning to leave when a woman suddenly grabbed his hand and pulled her towards her. it because the 84-year-old some pain, causing him to slap her hand and turned her away. he has apologized, saying he should not have said a bad example. a fire at a zoo in western germany has killed dozens of animals, including some belonging to endangered species. officials at the clay failed zoo said their worst fears were realized. the fire broke out overnight and tore through an enclosure for apes, no chance of escape. authorities are investigating the cause. correspondent: people laid

flowers and candles for the more than 30 animals that burned to death in the crate failed zoo -- in the zoo overnight. >> among them are highly endangered apes like gorillas from borneo, and chimpanzees from west africa. correspondent: a total of eight apes were killed, amongst them masa, europe's oldest guerrilla at 48 years old. shshortly after midnight the fie broke ouout at the ape house. the eig -- the a ape house was also home to bats and birds who were all killed, but to chimpanzees -- but two chimpanzees survived. >> is close to a miracle. a 40-year-old female champ and a

younger male survived this inferno. -- female chimp and a younger male survived this inferno. correspondent: police do not know the cause but believe it may have been caused by sky lanterns launched into the air for the new year. >> witnesses saw some sky lanterns that were flying very low. we have to assume they went down in the zoo. correspondent: sky lanterns are banned all most everywhere in germany, including the state of west failure where the zoo was located. police treat the case as negligent arson. phil: now to new year's eve parties and fireworks. january 1 is a public holiday for many, for some relaxation. new year's day also rings traditions, many of which involved water. correspondent: new year's day, and for people in northern france, the party goes on. [people cheering]

some in swimsuits, wading into the chilly waters of the north sea. [people singing] in rome, a few hearty souls plunged into the tiber river as part of an annual tradition. they say it cleaea the head. but most people prefer to watch. people in japan also agree water is a fine way to usher in the new year, but they like it a little bit warmer. bathers and a spa west of tokyo took in the morning vista of mount fuji. locals believe making new year's resolutions while watching the first sunrise over the mountain will bring good luck. phil: here is a reminder of our top story. iraqi protesters have left the u.s. embassy compound in baghdad after orders from shiite militia men. this follows two days of clashes with american security forces

that prompted washington to send more troops. this is dw news live from berlin. i will be back at the top of the hour. leaving you now with spectacular scenes of 10,000 horses galloping through the snow in northwestern china. they were let to run wild to exercise, and it has become a huge tourist attraction. happy. ♪ [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. visit ncicap.org] ♪ .

blessed nie is day protests culminates in clashes in hundreds of arrests this is hong kong's pro democracy movement continues. in a move that could delay criminal proceedings against him is ralph benjamin netanyahu says he'll also p pollen free munis see from corruption charges. also coming up tensions remain high bagdad way demonstrates his continue throwing stones out the u. s. embassy this wednesday protesters on good ball uss strikes in the country