and. i promise this yellow vests movement shows no sign of letting up in twenty nine t. holding more nationwide protests against the government. in the stories that shake the wake funeral was held for the victims of the apartment block collapse in the russian city of magni course which claimed thirty nine lives and germany needs tougher laws in the saddam city because that's the demand from the country's interior minister after a migrant gang recently attacked locals including children. on the u.s. government shutdown enters its third week is the rather over funding donald trump's border war drags.

they welcome the latest news in a look back at what's been happening over the last seven days to watch and weekly here on r.t. international. now may be a new year but it's the same yellow vest protests continuing to tax the french authorities at least fifty thousand of the movement's members once again took to the streets across the country on saturday minor scuffles erupted in paris as protesters set barricades on fire and code for president to resign. and. i. was i. was. i i was . that's only because you don't get more

things were calm at first people were told they needed to declare their gatherings to authorities and that would guarantee our safety we declared the gathering spot where was our security things got out of hand everywhere they used tear gas on us it looked like a civil war they charged us used pepper spray journalists trying to take cover inside building lobbies were thrown out it's a hostile situation and it's terrible in any case what's apparent is that this movement is still here it's not losing steam into twenty nineteen it's still going on well despite the government climbing down over fuel tax increases the rallies have continued for eight consecutive weekends and earlier this week the yellow vests launched a blistering attack on president macron in a letter to him you do not give straight answers and you drag things out by proposing false measures measures that the people of france reject when will you

understand that you and your people are no longer credible and that you have lost the confidence of those who believed in you and in your movement nineteen months ago with disturbances growing among your macro has condemned the yellow vests on twitter and called on the protesters to come down and recommit to dialogue the mayor of the town amaze all iffy though believes the president's reform plans are out of touch with the public. he said that they will continue is reforms but the reforms is asking for are not to reforms that are french are demanding today you know is the king of european sovereign which the french don't like so i think he is absolutely dreaming you know european the searcher and i think he is absolutely. absolutely out of the common sense of the french today i think that the luck of all as been elected by chance but he's not having

a huge ledger it to me that he needs to implement what you wish just because you know. seventy or eighty percent of the french nation which dog like what you propose with protests spreading from france to other european countries pro breaks it demonstrates is no london have also now adopted the yellow vest as a symbol a rally in the capital on saturday resulted in clashes leading police to make several arrests including that of a thirteen year old girl. was. was. she was one of four people taken into custody during the demonstrations two protesters hurling smoke bombs at police they marched across the capital blocking bridges and disrupting traffic five hundred people took part in the high disappearance and they also shouted insults about the prime minister and quote. from the was. another news it was new year's eve when

a suspected gas explosion tore through a block of flats in central russia dozens were killed many in their sleep is their homes collapsed in the early hours of the morning. she should double which in secret formula but the shot in the office might be it we didn't even meet the defendant the game watching see me to dump or to get much of a shot so when i saw in the stock that enable number washboard to slice provides cliche did you watch called the creature alabama needs to see to what connecticut she would never get in the sort of presidential enough impeach i watch and see even a machine the beach outdoor space seats you can use now i will stick to your specific.

cedar wood so. i'm just. going to have a form to. live it's not. like you. see this kind of lapse in large. measure for passe. that hawkins heard some more of the stories of those affected by the disaster thirty nine bodies appears to be the final casualty count from this building collapse that the recovery works went on for around seventy two hours in total

almost nonstop throughout the day and night pausing only for safety as you can see behind me some of the balconies and the roofs are in a state of total. destruction and we're not allowed to go any closer for fear they may collapse as well. this disaster scene with only the clothes on their back perhaps a few documents or cash they didn't have time simply to grab anything else they were allowed intermittently to go back to the scene to pick up any other possessions they may have left behind. on the ship a smart and is that of a woman they are innocent of all i see it was. just a child some did i don't condone bullshit so wanted to revisit it just as to let you have it when you're could you were sure what they own and as you spoke to these people more and more stories emerged one such example the family a mother and daughter who slept just as a one off in a different room they would have stayed normally the father stayed on the couch

tragically that was the first part of the building to collapse she managed to get away with her daughter the father tragically was not so lucky another story to come out of infant boy he was buried in the rubble here just behind me he was heard crying by emergency workers who rushed to the scene managed to get him out after more than twenty four hours in these freezing temperatures p.c. has been taken to moscow and now despite his multiple serious injuries his condition is described as stable many of the people we've spoken to the witnesses at the scene those who were directly affected by this tragedy are saying they're also pleasantly surprised by how people have come together offering their support for the political views in. the squad of. the need to this time so much time is too good to sit up with them for. us to pull the solution a minute told me. most of the press and i think marco did

a little bit one of the songs you know which version could have been put on and then we saw a pile of flowers of candles soft. and i was getting bigger and bigger issues many of them quite emotional in tears coming here to express their condolences there simply is offer support for those affected by this of course preparing for the large number tragically of funerals in this city of magnitogorsk. and hawkins reporting there now in other news donald trump said little headway was made on saturday in terms of breaking the deadlock over funding his border wall which has seen the government in a partial shutdown for more than two weeks president neither the white house nor the democrats look like backing down. we are committed to keeping our borders safe we're in a shutdown because democrats refused to fund a border security situation which you would accept even. for this president

over. the dollar. one dollar. no deal with a wall it's not who we are is a nation i'm very proud of doing what i'm doing because we're going to go in there really some of it. and we should avoid it. i don't want to shut down i call it doing what you have to do for the benefit and for the safety of our country keep the government closed for a very long period of time even years so we can call a national emergency because of the security of our country i absolutely know we can do it i haven't done it i may do it i may do it. while the democrat controlled house of representatives passed two bills to fund reopen the federal government but they don't include funding for border wall. to threaten to veto the legislation but

while senior democrats argue such a war would be un-american the president claims the idea has widespread support in fact to hammer home his stance on instagram with this statement of intent he also posted the following video. the to. you legal immigration is wrong plain and simple. chris was. crushed. and the standoff over the waters are likely to intensify to with the democrat bills now heading to the republican controlled senate where they are likely to face hostility we discuss the border wall issue with ned rhine from the conservative group american majority and also patillo he's a civil rights lawyer. well also understand the president has absolutely no

leverage in this situation and he's already made his position position clear they should negotiate this last february during the last government shutdown there's no reason for nancy pelosi to move on this unless the president is willing to make a deal on daca make a deal on comprehensive immigration reform basically meant to close it has him bent over heard me right now she can demand whatever she wants were a minimal amount of wall funding there's no leverage to present a hales donald trump cannot back down on this i mean his base is expecting him to fulfill this major campaign promise and i know it doesn't seem like a lot of money i think we're not even really talking about the money because five point six billion and a four trillion annual budget doesn't really mean much at all so this is really a showdown between his trunk going to get his wall or democrats going to deny him that and also you know at a certain point we have to acknowledge the left base inside a democratic party does not want to see a secure border is more favorable towards open borders and not really fixing our immigration policy so i think if they want the wall that should be telling the president to do is bring back the chuck schumer legislation from two thousand and

thirteen that passed the senate sixty eight votes to thirty two votes in the house republicans killed there could have been a border wall for the last five years of working for the freedom caucus and some of the extremists in the republican party not supporting it so for the current wall what we need to see the c.b.l. score for was actually wall will say that's what we need to see as a funding mechanism so we know exactly how this is being paid for and we need a concrete and universal comprehensive plan on immigration reform not simply say we're going to stick still slate's and in the desert that's going to probably need a real plan for this a lot of trunk space is willing to compromise we understand that these daca these dreamers they did not come here they were brought here they did not come of their own volition we understand that there's a situation and i think that you would be really surprised if you were to talk a lot of time space they understand there has to be some legal status maybe even potentially a path to citizenship i think people are willing to negotiate but on the same time if there is not funding for a wall in return for. the citizenship or legal status then we can have

a serious conversation in this at some point we all know that politics is the art of compromise we have to actually get to a point of compromise donald trump has said here is my non-negotiable there to pause you have to come up with something that says what give you that in exchange for this and i think there is a path i got to tell you the very do not want to give donald trump any wins especially on one of his major major kira payne promises. now in a historic split the newly formed orthodox church of ukraine has been granted independence from the russian church just a few hours ago the patriarch of constantinople handed over a document formalizing the split to the head of the new church and while many politicians in ukraine are elated at the decision some orthodox christians are concerned about the potential consequences of the move but as more. a long awaited present has finally been delivered to ukraine patriarch of constantinople has granted its ukrainian are to dogs to urge and autonomy on the eve of our two dogs

christmas a special decree was signed officially recognizing an independent ukrainian art adox church and of course ukrainian presidents petro poroshenko was there shedding tears of pressure shoot. thank god it would be impossible without god's blessing. i want to thank the millions of ukrainians across the globe this has become possible thanks to your prayers well sems like for once happy but what's all the fuss about churches independence from whole. per se interests ukranian our two dogs church has been under control of moscow patrick cates and everyone has been ok with it until the fall of the soviet union and ukrainian independence and nineteen ninety one gradually tensions between the churches. through the years was more and more voices inside ukraine demanding

churches and dependence sounds like some in the religious dispute so what so important about it. altos of should effectively give ukrainian orthodox church full autonomy in terms of parish financing and lands but in fact how much of it does keith actually get while the documents signed states that ukrainian church actually falls under control of constantinople ukrainian are dogs church can control only territory with then ukraine and as perhaps to create any parishes abroad and all disputes are going to be sas wells by constantino people so basically it is just replacing moscow mike. well that's well president par shango is struggling in the polls they had off marge's presidential election and experts say while making this

a centerpiece policy of his campaign if he hopes to win over for support and more than that other are to dogs churches are not thrilled at all by the move the tentacles of globalization to trying to penetrate the church to destroy its politicians interference in churches is a clear sign of this show going to lead by corrupt politicians and illegal assisted by the constantinople patriarchy have deepened and worsen the already existing split and put the unity of orthodox christianity as a whole in danger and inside ukraine in church itself there is not want unanimity when the plan of autonomy has been announced back and not one of the branches so if you crane in church has slammed the plan we consider these actions to be cuddled and they sanction will not bring anything to ukraine except trouble separation and sin but it is at least anyone supporting the move apart from ukraine itself well

you must have guessed the answer the united states reiterated strong support for religious freedom and the freedom of members of religious groups including ukraine's orthodox community to govern their religion according to their beliefs free of outside interference oh well not everything one calls freedom is actually making you free professor of church history is saying to orthodox university at extended fork in gave us his take on the split. the majority of ukrainian church goer is belong to the canonical church the church of the ukraine. under the paternal gate of moscow and they showed no sign of joining this new structure and in fact a lot of people and ukrainian government are talking about forcing their personal them into the new off new structures they are discussing the new law which they

would adopt to facilitate so-called to facilitate them to. leave most corporate turkey. whatever consumption overall gave to them it's not independence because it's going to be like hand controlled by customs in opel there . in almost as specifically stated there to all major questions have to be consulted with consent to know paul it's also odd it is also stated so that it's considered noble will have opportunities thirty eight holy sites parishes and monasteries under its direct control of the ukrainian church is forbidden to have its own parishes abroad etc etc etc so it's independent of only in the name but really it is controlled by consent. might see it as a part of all all all it's like war old russian company and

a portion of the church has been mixed the religion has been mixed into into into the politics nobody thinks about the rights of ukrainian forces that was believers believe in part being persecuted and will be persecuted even harsher. still to come in the week before you the german interior minister is calling for tougher deportation always offering gang of migrants attacked passers by well have a look at that story plus others to just after the break.

what politicians do. put themselves on the laws. they get accepted or rejected. so when you want to look for us. want to. let you go right to be close this is what the flag scream for help you could get. into st paul's in the waters of our. first six.

welcome back to the weekly now germany's interior minister is demanding tougher laws on migrants and asylum seekers after a migrant gang brutally attacked passers by including children. but here said more not i've been asked for months already to make the deportations more effective in germany that's why we've been working for weeks at the ministry of the interior to prepare a constitutional amendment for a more efficient deportation system so violent offenses are increasingly worrying me whether they are done out of xenophobia or whether they are carried out by foreigners and asylum seekers a state governed by the rule of law must decisively combat both that is our basic position the person who randomly attacks innocent passers by demonstrates that he does not seek the protection of our society the perpetrators can expect no understanding in our country but only the full force of the law currently deportation is not legally possible but we're working hard to change that those

statements there came after a group of young migrants attacks locals in the german city of hamburg twelve people were injured including one child police arrested four suspects who were reportedly from afghanistan and also iran where the current law forbids deporting minus as well as people whose lives could be endangered we are slow calls for their thoughts they should be honored to be able to be here and. yeah should act like they have to do a note to commit a crime and if they do thorough they have to go back to pennsic. it's their mind this is their. been through a lot so in the war in afghanistan they need help i think we have our laws we don't have to change the laws hey think we are right doing it. right now they deserve a second chance well however some politicians and officials to do think that the interior minister is exploiting issues for his own political gain. i do understand

the anger which i see in some of the reaction to am bag but this hate and the threats of violence now coming from all over the republic have gone too far the hall for is using the amber consistent a fact to lead to tighten asylum legislation such proposals have next to zero impact when it comes to fighting crime and only helping extremism we have a constitution that is very strong on human rights you cannot ever under the german constitution depart someone to the united states when he is facing the death penalty he is gas and if they commit crimes then they can no longer be our guests so what is the all of us should be doing is to actually work with countries. to enable us to deport people when we have the promise that they will not be tortured like in cia rendition sides or on the threat of the death penalty in fact what he's doing it is fear mongering and so he is scaring those people that

are willing to integrate while he should be targeting the radical islamists that his government has let into our country. meanwhile on tuesday eight people were injured by a fifty year old german man who rammed his car into two separate crowds in the german cities of the trop and s. and the majority of the victims were migrants from syria and afghanistan it's reported that the driver made xenophobe comments as he was being arrested there are reports that the man has a mental illness to. violence erupted in the southern indian state of corralling this week after a third woman entered one of the country's holiest in the temple was one that has always banned women women from entering. i. can do protestors blocked traffic and burned effigies and tires outside government offices across the state resulting in the

lockdown of code of the state on friday one person was killed according to reports and over one thousand have been arrested in the days of violence addition is to be rallying against the lifting of the ban on women entering the temple a move that goes back to september last year. meanwhile millions of women helped to form a human chain to across roads and highways in qatar or in support of gender equality the human wall stretch for more than six hundred kilometers so here's a closer look then at what the temple controversy is about. i i i i. i. i but as long as the temple is here we have to follow this tradition.

i. will ensure that anybody who wants to go to the people will go without any obstruction nor obstruction will be tolerated i mean he called . his fashion god says i'm not a devotee i'm just here to do my job just let me go then she faces stone and that's when she's forced to return back. and. this is. just going to go up and took the first process. i i.

finally in its latest bid to swell its ranks the british army is targeting so-called snowflakes and selfie addicts in a new recruitment drive but just how many would be willing to swap phone time for the front line and see chalking reports. a new year and time for a fresh start but the british army is kicking off twenty nineteen when the curious one struggling to get new additions to join its ranks it's come up with a new recruitment campaign aimed at the new generation were those the u.k. ministry of defense addresses and their new ads as me me me millennial snowflakes selfie addicts class clowns and phones are the new your army needs you series of posters video clips and radio ads aims to turn those society allegedly undervalues . news useless into those the army would

properly appreciate. the new campaign is the third execution of the this is belonging series showing how the army finds potential beyond gender and millennial stereotypes and identifying the essential skills needed in new army recruits such as compassion self belief and focus this is how the u.k. ministry of defense attributes those qualities in its attempts to recruit if you're a snowflake the army needs you and your compassion if you're a binge gamer it's your drive that's useful if your phone's on be you must have great focus skills and if you're a me me me millennial you must apparently be fantastic at self belief that's the logic but how likely is it that this approach will appeal to the audience but i think you appeal to younger generation they're all offensive like to people like

a different message thirty five connotation put in the military a bit of a strange light this would be quite rude to me any sense. because the difference on these doesn't actually mean anything to do so. it's appealing to the saying so to people is. the people always a fool about the army being for them it's no secret that the british army has been failing to reach its target recruiting numbers currently at seventy seven thousand fully trained troops and several thousand short of its eighty two thousand five hundred goal voluntary drop out rates for applicants have also been recorded at a whopping forty seven percent that's almost half of all those applying so it seems likely that even this kind of in your face campaign could mean winning this recruitment war proves mission impossible and as. you've been watching the weekly here and i see international back again.