the burjrj khalifa is lit up by led lasers a and fireworks. held i in multiple locations across to buy. while new zealand and australia and most of asia are already a few hours into 2019, there are still many more parties to come. we will be bringing you the biggest celebrations across the globe as the world says goodbye to 2018 and hello to 2019. germany will be ringing in the new year in just under three hours time. here in berlin, a big news years party is getting underway. this is a hugege challenenge foe authorities. >> the warm-up acts are already getting the crowd into the mood on a relatively mild years eve in berlin. numerous bands and djs will take to the stage. >> it is super. very good. >> that was nice, i enjoyed the performance, i don't really speak german but i could feel the passion behind the center. >> all sorts of people from all different countries, they are nice, really nice. beer? berlin beer? dangerous objects like pirates are banned within the parties on. police and firefighters are out in full force and are calling on

the burj khalifa at the time of construction the world's tallest building was built with sand from half a world away. we have a saying in english which is selling sand to the arabs which is obviously a joke. that that's actually come true in the case of the by. thirty five hundred australian companies exports into the arabian peninsula their profits of tripled in twenty years accounting for a five billion dollar jackpot. and australia is just one small part of a global trend that reliant on importing sand from other areas you see is this huge trade around the world moving from one another for different purposes such construction land reclamation. singapore is another city at the heart of the sand wars. and thirty years the country known as the switzerland of asia has become one of the richest in the region during this time the population is more than doubled and the sixty three islands that make up this city state are bursting at the seams singapore is sort of lying on the import. and for its very existence in the land mass is literally increased twenty percent over the last forty is an

the burj khalifa at the time of construction the world's tallest building was built with sand from half a world away. we have a saying in english which is selling sand to the arabs which is obviously a joke. that that's actually come true in the case of the by. thirty five hundred australian companies exports into the arabian peninsula their profits of tripled in twenty years accounting for a five billion dollar jackpot. and australia is just one small part of a global trend that reliance on importing sand from other areas you see is this huge trade around the world moving from one another for different purposes such as construction and land reclamation. singapore is another city at the heart of the sand wars. in thirty years the country known as the switzerland of asia has become one of the richest in the region during this time the population has more than doubled and the sixty three islands that make up the city state are bursting at the seams singapore is sort of lying on the import. for its very existence in the land masses literally increased twenty percent over the last foresee i

one of the oldest buildings in the town is the villa khalifa built in the eight hundred ninety s. today it houses a museum of regional architecture tradition is taken very seriously in. the building to build houses are made entirely of wood no nails or screws were used for beautiful buildings made of natural wood your healthy and ecologically friendly house. is known throughout europe as. sports venue it regularly hosts skiing competitions. the mountain cup give yoshi's just under two thousand meters high with a spectacular panoramic view of the area. a ride on the popular cable car reveals the wild landscape of the high touch us. back down on corporate key street people are lining up to buy a local specialty a seebeck a smoke cheese made from salted sheep's milk. that's the decorative shape is typical of the tigris. the saleswoman explains how it's eaten in. like my stuff cheeses very aromatic it tastes best on slices of bread but you can fry it in a panic as much now must open up like that. on the outskirts of the town local handicrafts are on offer. the artistic carvings are kn

♪ say i'm khalifa, the best, but i got... ♪ you watching you? uh huh.iculous. laare sond sweaty. 's actually f gross. you're the sweatiest person i know. you sweat buckets. dude, it was my glands, and it's totally under control now. oh okay, here we go. go. go. go. go. go. you can't, can't keep looking back ah man, she's never going to get out. i feel like i could be in the nba yea, i'm about as tall as these guys, give or take one inch. oh yea, go ahead wiz! you ain't no handmade, you a queen offred. i am never going to leave this tub. ♪ >> good evening. there has been a dangerous, late-breaking development in the gulf. >> facing a new challenge. not the culmination of the gulf war but crisis in the middle east. >> there are reports that iraqi forces have invaded. >> he appeared on tell vision getting out of the helicopter and heading to the white house. he famously said -- >> this will not stand, this will not stand this aggression against kuwait. >> this will not stand. >> there is no no no no no no no indication whatsoever of this brutal act of viol

the burj khalifa at the time of construction the world's tallest building was built with sand from half a world away. we have a saying in english which is selling sand to the arabs which is obviously a joke. that that's actually come true in the case of the by. thirty five hundred australian companies exports into the arabian peninsula their profits of tripled in twenty years accounting for a five billion dollar jackpot. and australia is just one small part of a global trend that reliant on importing sand from other areas you see is this huge trade around the world moving from one another for different purposes such construction vaccination. singapore is another city at the heart of the sand wars. and thirty years the country known as the switzerland of asia has become one of the richest in the region during this time the population has more than doubled and the sixty three islands that make up the city state are bursting at the seams singapore is for lying on the import. for its very existence in the land mass is literally increased twenty percent over the last forty is and that's larg

the emirate continues to build and import sand even if ninety percent of the apartments in the burj khalifa are bacon. but sadly real estate speculation doesn't hold the monopoly on the wasting of sand governments are also to blame. i would construction uses inexpensive see said the strips of asphalt we've built snaking around the world have swallowed up massive amounts of the world's beaches. think about the number of roads that governments across the way have to beat it's the public sector why the largest going to lose the fat and. how the sand wars even registered on our political leaders radars. access to energy and the development of the forestay on climate change on the reform of the arctic cultural common policy on the common fisheries policy on land grab on not traversal seas and on access to water. without burial for you find that you need a program to get a lot was before it's going to get on the agenda. we talk about water because we know there's a major problem is that right now in europe and we have had the debates and that we've had the policy we're implementing a policy and s

to libya where rebel groups loyal to the warlord khalifa haftar mobilizing in the oil crescent region that's after rival factions announced an offensive to recapture the area is oil crisis that includes four major oil ports on the mediterranean in central libya and it's been under the control of half the us forces since two hundred sixteen. meanwhile oil workers in gap on have started a three day strike in protest at the sacking of six colleagues the walkout is that the french company total produces about two hundred thousand barrels of crude oil a day thousands of workers that have been laid off as the oil prices fell workers demanding higher pay and better working conditions held another strike back in july we have money on such about this chief executive of rich management an emerging markets economist who told us the strike shows how opaque is losing its influence in the global oil industry. i think the important message there is a similar message. and it's essentially telling the go go days opec would shape that money. and it's dealt pronouncements already meaningful it's telling

one of the oldest buildings in the town is the villa khalifa built in the eight hundred ninety s. today it houses a museum of regional architecture tradition is taken very seriously in. the houses are made entirely of what no nails or screws were used your beautiful buildings made of natural wood are healthy and ecologically friendly. pani is known throughout europe as a sports venue it regularly hosts skiing competitions. the mountain cup of stevie oh she is just under two thousand meters high with a spectacular panoramic view of the area. are right on the popular cable car reveals the wild landscape of the high touch. back down on crew puppy street people are lining up to buy a local specialty a seebeck a spoke cheese made from salted sheep's milk. the decorative shape is typical of the type this. this saleswoman explains how it's eaten ins are. not to my status most cheeses very aromatic it tastes best on slices of bread but you can fry it in a panic or knows much now must open up like that. on the outskirts of the town local handicrafts are on offer. the artistic carvings are

one of the oldest buildings in the town is the villa khalifa built in the eight hundred ninety s. today it houses a museum of regional architecture tradition is taken very seriously in zurich upon it. the houses are made entirely of wood no nails or screws were used your beautiful buildings made of natural wood are healthy and ecologically friendly. piney is known throughout europe as. sports venue it regularly hosts skiing competitions. the mountain cup ropes give you know she's just under two thousand meters high with a spectacular panoramic view of the area. a ride on the popular cable car reveals the wild landscape of the high touch. back down on crew puppy street people are lining up to buy a local specialty a seebeck a smoke cheese made from salted sheep's milk. the decorative shape is typical of the type this. this saleswoman explains how it's seeking ins our company. like my stuff cheeses very aromatic it tastes best on slices of bread but you can fry it in a panic as much now must open up like that. on the outskirts of the town local handicrafts are on offer. the artistic

local sources in the oil christened area say that have to has forces or forces loyal to warlord khalifa haftar are mobilizing in the area some sources say there are digging tunnels around their locations after the news that forces loyal to the former chief of the petroleum facilities guard braman children are planning to launch a new offensive to recapture the four major oil ports in the oil across an area now forces tried to recapture the area several times before since have his forces be captured the oil crescent area in september two thousand and sixteen and now ran it himself he has got the backing of the support of the tribes in the area but ironically he himself was responsible for blocking the oil production from that area for three years from july two thousand and thirteen until august two thousand and sixteen and that cost the libyan treasury around more than one hundred billion dollars according to the national oil corporation. still ahead on al-jazeera when we come back world workers walk off the job in the latest strike to hit one of africa's largest producers of thailand's