Office at all times. Sends a threat to the u. S. As he signals a desire for better relations with seoul. Irans president breaks his silence after days of demonstrations. Israels Largest Political Party calls for the annexation of large parts of the occupied west bank. In school the Buffalo Bills and the longest postseason drought in north American Sports the bills are into the n. F. L. Playoffs for the first time in eighteen days. South korea is welcoming a new years message from the north Korean Leader has raised the possibility of reopening talks about reconciliation and reunification kim jong il on the path to dialogue is open and improving ties is an urgent issue came also said hed only use Nuclear Weapons if threatened and that the launch button was on his desk florence louie joins us live now from seoul florence whats your gauging of the reaction from north korea on this. Well north korea has now and said that it really welcomes the peace gestures made by a big opponent south koreas now and said it welcomes the peace gestures made by north Korean Leader kim jong un in his new years day speech and kim jong un talked about deescalating tension on the Korean Peninsula he talked about how it was important for the two sides to have dialogue he even suggested that north korea could send its athletes to compete in the upcoming Winter Olympics and paralympics to be hosted in south korea in february now and the president ial spokesman said the president welcomes talks between the two koreas any time anywhere and in any form if it pertains to restoring relations between the two koreas and peace on the peninsula and dont forget these two countries are still technically at war having only signed a truce and not a peace treaty after the korean war and communication between the two sides have also been severed since the hotline is no longer been used since february two thousand and sixteen when north korea conducted a nuclear test but what south korea did not address was north koreas. Nuclear ambitions as well as its threat to the u. S. True. This is how north korea welcomed the new year with a fireworks display much like the rest of the world but it is leader kim jong uns new years day address that is drawing all the attention if two thousand and seventeen this marked by fiery rhetoric and rising tensions because of north Koreas Nuclear ambitions two thousand and eighteen may bring more of the same. Colors and that the u. S. Mainland is within the range of our Nuclear Strike and the Nuclear Button is put on the desk in my office at all times they should clearly on their stand but this is never a trash what a reality kim has called for the mass production and deployment of more Nuclear Warheads and missiles but weapons experts agree that north korea may not yet have the technology to miniaturize a Nuclear Warhead and mounted a missile that can react to the atmosphere while kim speech made no mention of the new kid atmospheric test he reiterated the claims that north korea is now a Nuclear Power in stark contrast to the hostile remarks to the United States is the conciliatory overture from kim jong un to south korea hes even suggested dialogue between the two sides something south korean president proposed several months ago and which north korea ignored. We should actively create an atmosphere to move forward with the National Reconciliation and reunification improving ties between the north and the south is an urgent issue that not only the north and south want what everyone else wants he suggested north korea is prepared to send its athletes to participate in the upcoming Winter Olympics and paralympics in next month. South korea has responded to these proposals positively saying it hopes communication which has been severed between the two sides for nearly two years can be restored so whether in south koreas president ial office wall comes north Korean Leader kim jong ils new years speech today which expressed willingness to send a delegation to the counter olympics and proposed talks as he acknowledges dont need for improvement into korean pies but analysts say the olive branch may be a ploy to gain some political ground north korea was to drive a wedge between seoul in washington at the same time tried to dilute the impact of economic sanctions north korea is facing its toughest sanctions yet including a cap on petrol imports as punishment for its nuclear and missile tests last year kim jong un speech while it seems to lay open a path to dialogue with south korea is proof that north Koreas Nuclear ambitions are here to stay they will floor and celebrate the seventieth anniversary of the creation of the state this coming year twenty eight teen anything on that. Well there was specific mention of this anniversary in kim jong uns sed speech he said the country would put forward tasks and projects that will celebrate this anniversary including projects that will improve the likelihood the livelihoods of North Koreans but there was no specific mention of such projects but there was a huge emphasis on the economy in his speech now analysts who analyze this his speech for years say this shouldnt come as a surprise because since two thousand and thirteen kim jong un has made it his policy to pursue nuclear advancement together with boosting the tech not the economy and this is something he they been able to achieve since two thousand and thirteen north korea has recorded positive g. D. P. Growth save for one year in two thousand and fifteen now analysts have also said that the one of the reasons that theres so much emphasis being put on the economy perhaps is an indication that north korea is now insufficiently confident in its Nuclear Capabilities so they do expect to see more of the same from north korea there is no indication that its going to give up its Nuclear Ambition and the north and the provocations may yet continue florence thanks very much graham on where is a Research Fellow at the institute for science and strategic studies at the Rajaratnam School of International Studies he joins us now on skype from singapore graham on the web is this just noise or something more dangerous. Well i im quite skeptical you know i think it im falling harder on the side of the dangerous possibilities that we can come to expect from all korea Going Forward i remain skeptical about koreas you know assurances i think they are likely to do a designed to buy time and also to generate goodwill which me later be spent true. For other publications true look at tests that they will fuel are necessary to conduct in order to demonstrate that you have a Credible Nuclear Deterrent i mean given the speed of what kim jong un has done since he got the top job hes shown no interest before in this idea of engaging with south korea so somethings flipped somethings changed here exactly and this is the reason why we remain skeptical i mean the olive branch has been has not put out by the jena ministration since the president came to power middle of last year and there were nor are responses nor rest british and from the north korean side why now i think i think theres something suspicious here my take i mean its open season clearly terms of what will happen and times of north korean overtures but i dont i dont see why north korea want to stop its Nuclear Program now and turn toward negotiations when they dont sell feel that dead a turnaround is still still not operationally ready i mean and many analysts are arguing that until north korea tests its three Entry Systems and and improve themselves that they can bring those warheads to bear on any target is still remains to be seen whether they are clearly credible enough was there another takeaway point perhaps in the speech as well which was im here im here to stay and im in charge. Yeah i mean hes clearly trying to show that hes hes are his consulate it is visitation his vision is clear and hes been able to fulfill the various things that hes mapped out since hes come to power i mean hes hes hes made it very clear to his people and in terms of our the ongoing support from the north Korean People i think they see that can go on is is going to lead this country to further greatness but i think on databases hes going to become. Possibly more bald in twenty eighteen in seeing through some of the finalities of his Nuclear Weapons and still not complete yet and i remain highly suspicious that you want to stop now impossible of course to get into kim jong had his thinking on this but do you get the sense that theyre expecting in pyongyang a reaction from washington but they will perceive and react to as if washington is being quite bellicose i think i think thats probably the intention behind the approach of the speech to reframe the perception and make you know the u. S. The americans the bad guys who speak in the room talk driving a wedge between south korea and the americans created to target the heart strings of the south Korean Counterparts generating goodwill offering a delegation down to the Winter Olympics and i think highly likely that north korea will participate with the olympics but i think this is this is clearly a setup for for some Something Else to come more than a next few months what do you think the Something Else to come might be is i mean is twenty eighteen going to be more dangerous when it comes to the north korean question than twenty seventeen was. Very likely at least in terms of the first half of this year because if you if you track and follow north koreas Nuclear Weapons program the still have a few an unfinished touches to me the most important test that we still have to conduct is a re entry test until the reentry test of a warhead is done it the credibility of the deterrent remains an open question and as a result and North Koreans themselves nor that they have to conduct this test and see it through its crucial so i cant its impossible for me to in terms of what the we are i desisted that north koreas going to carry on without disarray entry tests its going to have have to happen at some point it will happen i think this year ok graham on web thank you very much. The iranian president Hassan Rouhani is calm after four days of antigovernment protests hes appeared on t. V. Saying people can demonstrate but violence is unacceptable sundays rallies was smaller than the previous night after the government blocked some access to social media platforms iranian media says at least four hundred people have been arrested in several cities tend to go down as more. A social media blackout didnt stop protesters from gathering on irans streets for a fourth day and posting these videos. Iranian government says people have the right to express their discontent but violence is unacceptable the Iranian State media says some social media sites and messaging apps such as telegram have been blocked to keep the peace out. We cannot predict a time when the protests will come to an end but the protests will shake the people in power who must give priority to peoples demands and needs. To know what im going to find the state of the economy and rising prices sparked the initial protests austerity measures after years of sanctions have led to a twelve percent Unemployment Rate but anger has also shifted to Foreign Policy protesters are critical of the governments support for the Syrian Regime of Bashar Al Assad has bola in lebanon and hamas in the occupied palestinian territories. The iranian government says foreign entities are fomenting violent clashes at least two people have been shot and killed and two people including a boy died in a collision with a fire truck in whats been described as an accident Authorities Say it had been stolen and abandoned and again you hardly deploy through investigation and we came to know there is a clear role played by the foreign intelligence agencies and the government opposition in these killings the police never opened fire on the pro. Testers not really caught in a great role only in washington d. C. Outside the white house people called for the removal of president has and rouhani President Donald Trump tweeted that people are quote getting wise to how their money and wealth is being stolen and squandered on terrorism rouhani fired back all you can do is doubt on this man who today in america wants to simplify as a people as the gotten but a few months ago he called the nation of iran terrorists these are the largest protests in almost a decade although sundays protests were smaller than the previous night there are calls for people to continue with the demonstrations natasha going to name aljazeera. Melanie as the director of iranian studies at stanford he says president rouhani is facing opposition not only from the public but also from within the government. I think theyre very worried clearly theyre worried and one of the points that i think needs to be added is that mr rouhani did an interview with Iranian Radio Television he was supposed to be broadcast tonight they decided not to broadcast it so they censored the president of the country they can never learn to talk because i think some in the regime dont think that. Approach to appease the people is right they want to use that arent just a natural the iron fist is going to work i think some of them know that using the iron fist might well infuriate more people and these are not the kinds of people that the regime can afford to lose these are the working class these are the poor these are the most as after that they have now claimed for thirty seven years to be champing. Campaigners in hong kong are holding their annual march to demand their democratic rights protected and there are votes for everyone they accuse government leaders in china of eroding freedoms which were guaranteed when British Colonial rule ended twenty years ago difficult holland has more now from hong kong. The march has ended here in civic square this is right in front of the government buildings and this is a very important place for the protesters as this is where the twenty fourteen prodemocracy Umbrella Movement that broke out now this square has been closed for the past five years the three student leaders broke into the square and thats what set off that seventy nine day protest thats where was open for the first time this week many protesters were unsure whether that be allowed in here so for them its somewhat of a triumph to be right here in front of the government buildings but what you see here is people surrounded by police everywhere you look the police are just waiting to remove them from here or them off them to leave that house in the happen again so theyre just biding their time making speeches the numbers of the protest this time gathered pace and started off small many people thought this would be this one be a big significant march but i think came through word civic square here people started joining in and there i would say a few hundred now many how left and gone on that they came with their families and small children but adults at its height the local media saying there are about ten thousand people. When you still to come here on the news for you including these stories to the democratic republic of congo where protests calling for the resignation of the president turned violent. Losing their faith in south korea churches and temples trying new ways to bring people back to religion. And Manchester United kickoff twenty eighteen with a pulse understeer especially details coming up with andy in about thirty minutes. The Largest Party in israels governing coalition has passed a resolution urging the partys leaders to push for israeli suffering to over parts of the occupied west bank land the palestinians want for a future state. Has more now from west jerusalem. The fact of the matter is the Prime Minister netanyahu has not issued any statement as not given any kind of reaction to this vote that took place last night one of the more interesting aspects about the run up to this vote is that before it happened many members of the Likud Central Committee had hoped that the Prime Minister netanyahu would actually show up for their conference last night for that meeting where the vote took place in the run up to it in the hours before it there were reports in some Media Outlets here that in fact the Prime Minister. Would be attending that didnt happen and then the fact that that he didnt make any kind of statement leaving a lot of people to wonder is this something that mr netanyahu supports or is he against it now the fact that he actually allowed the vote go through that he didnt try to block it leads some to suspect that its what mr netanyahu actually wants but many of the analysts that ive been speaking with here of saying this is just too much of a political headache for Benjamin Netanyahu at a time when hes under investigation when theres so much condemnation of israel from so many countries around the world in light of u. S. President Donald Trumps decision to formally recognize roussillon as the capital of israel and that mr netanyahu would not want to risk alienating the u. S. Giving them a headache if he were to try to push this resolution through to the knesset and pass it as a law and that also that it wouldnt play for him domestically as well as well as to the line from gaza now welcome webb has been watching reaction from the palestinian side. Theres already been widely condemned by many of them the Islamic Jihad have said this must be stopped hamas have said that this is the end of the oslo accords the nine hundred ninety three oslo accords that brought the Palestinian Liberation Organization and israel to the table and recognized in the north or certain territories including gaza here in gaza and parts of the west bank and was meant to lead to a final two state solution how massive said its the end of the also they were called in anything everything must be done to protect the Palestinian People and their rights the p. F. Lp have also said its the end of the oslo accords as have the as have fatter and theyve said the end of all previous agreements and the end of any Peace Process the committee for Popular Resistance has said that when palestinian authorities meet in the middle of january they should announce a palestinian state on nine hundred sixty seven borders with jerusalem as its capital in defiance of President Trump announcement at the beginning of december saying that truism was israels capital and the Popular Resistance committee has called for more aggression against settlers in assessments in the occupied west bank so a very adverse reaction thats been widely condemned by all of the factions here in gaza. The Palestinian Authority is recalling its envoy to the u. S. Following president decision to recognize jerusalem as the capital of israel the foreign minister uses for sons on lot return to discuss future palestinian strategy it insists he will return to washington to resume his duties after the holidays a gunman who stormed an Army Training camp in indian administered kashmir killing at least four soldiers a military spokesman said the armed went through grenades and fired automatic rifles at the camp in barmer district has been tory getting big. The s a wreath laying ceremony the soldiers killed during a rebel siege is an Army Training camp in indian administered kashmir and the attack took place and me but all full alert and it was because of our alert this that he was able to confine them to a particular building the operation started and the evacuation was done and youve already do this. Earlier on sunday so just try to flush out the rebels extra police were sent to seal off the camp while the siege on folded. Hands and the sound of grenades and automatic gunfire an indication that the rebels had no intention of surrendering rebel stormed the camp on saturday night the local police chief says he was already aware an attack was imminent i think. They were right probably not. But. These villagers who live near the camp shout prorebel slogans. That for decades indian administered kashmir has been at the center of a muslim separatist movement against hindu dominated indian rule separatist groups are fighting for the indian administered potion of kashmir to either become independent all merge with pakistan. And the killing of a prominent rebel commander last year provoked widespread protests and theres no sign the latest siege will do anything to ease the tension the tory gazin be aljazeera. Assembly and military has been deployed to help fight the spread of cholera which has killed more than forty people the president. Has ordered a thorough cleanup of the capital lusaka some markets will be closed down after investigations found contaminated food was helping spread the disease maybe more than fifteen hundred cases of cholera in the past three months. Protests demanding the resignation of the president of the democratic republic of congo have turned violent seven people were killed and dozens arrested by the Security Forces after catholics called for Peaceful Demonstrations in shala ballasts. The in the democratic republic of Congo Catholic worshipers pray this sunday they pray with a political purpose they want president Joseph Kabila goal setting was asked was very basic these guys nothing to do was trying to survive. Was. Their prayers were heard by Security Forces in kinshasa twenty seventeen ended as it began kabila second term as president ended in december twenty sixth saying he refused to step down and the un says congolese Security Forces killed forty people who protested the decision four hundred sixty were arrested. One year on they marched after mass twelve also boys and priests were among the dozens arrested tear gas was fired into churches was the hospital is filled with protesters once more so goes the human that always says if your term is over give opportunities to others to run your son of the country you belong in the senate gives others the opportunity to lead maybe theyll do it better than you did. Catholic bishops brokered peace talks between the opposition and government with the agreement that could be low would leave office at the end of twenty seven tame but hes still in power and now the catholics and the opposition are united how do you see me coming in shooting one because it is not just simply because we have come in we have come here in order to find ways to pray for all we mission. Opposition voices can be heard by ending the fractured country from all corners even in the troubled east a thriving battleground between rebels Security Forces say they use of force is justified one Police Officer was killed and this Police Station was torched by protest is it really sucked into something we are in need of peace i assure all of our government authorities that our City Government is in peace people should sleep calmly because if we as professional police we are doing our job. The president kabila says he will stay in power until december twenty eighth saying because of delays in voter registration. Meanwhile mosts appeared to becoming increasingly impatient child at dallas aljazeera. Now its the us where a man in america has been arrested after a deadly end to a prank telephone call now the suspects made a false nine one one call to the Police Reporting a murder and a hostage situation when officers arrived at the scene they shot and killed a twenty eight year old man is believed a dispute over an online video game sparked the standoff heres how the hawks. This was where a practical joke proved deadly and this is the suspect tyler barris police in kansas responding to a cool where a man claiming he had killed his father was holding the rest of his family hostage heres our timeline whats going on here arguing and i heard shots and i heard and he was not breathing anymore ok do you have any weapons on you. You know what kind of weapons do you have a. Handgun from just pointing the gun and making sure the history and the drug. Brother are you sending someone already or is a lot of government are. Thinking about clary poured gasoline all over the house and by the fire ok well we dont need to do that ok police sent a special weapons and tactics all swat team to the house where the coolest said he lived but the man who answered the door was twenty eight year old andrew finch a father of two police unaware that its been a prank calls were taking no chances they confronted mr finch before shooting him you hear the officer primarily has the action on body camera but you have the officers from the other side also giving commands in iraq insistent about put your hands up walk towards us. But he continued to drop down by his waistband which is a concern for people typically would put a handgun or some type of weapon andrew finches mother says her son was not. This go around people without any consequences family was very important here and that to survive him. There must have a wonderful man. Its been suggested the suspect and the victim had a dispute join an Online Computer game theres no Research Evidence to suggest that video games whether theyre violent or nonviolent lead people to become more aggressive in the real world so this just happens of be a spurious. Link in this situation between call of duty and the swatting. I did this week the World Health Organization brand of video game addiction a Mental Health disorder police are chasing this death as a case of swatting where instigators call nine one one from a position close to where their intended victim is located. There are. Still ahead here on the news hour for you. Once the celebrations are over in many places a new year means new laws will tell you about a few of them plus. Two thousand and eighteen is Election Year here in brazil and a country that struggling with its corrupt politicians and economic strife will be hoping that something is going to change. And philadelphia put on quite the show to end twenty seventeen details in about fifteen minutes. Early because of food but were football fans who dont think about opening. Explaining when real madrid a club worth five hundred Million Euros expresses a position on something the World Antidoping Agency has to take notice if you dont hear from aljazeera continues its investigation into the widespread use of performance enhancing drugs in the final episode of sports doping the endless chase at this time and monday put it well on. U. S. And british. Companies have announced the biggest discovery of natural gas in west africa but what to do with these untapped Natural Resources is already a source of heated debate nothing much has changed they still spend most of their days looking forward to for the dry riverbed case one five years on the syrians still feel battered or even those who managed to escape their country havent truly been able to escape the war. In. The first century. Its called the pole of the north the largest freshwater lake in northern china its about to be transformed into an urban back a region to ease pressure on nearby beijing president xi jinping has taken a personal interest in the project this area relies on Hunting Ground water for human consumption and that the culture and groups like greenpeace are concerned about the impact of millions more people moving here from the lakeside restaurants a guest house changing say she is concerned about what the future holds but has faith in the government if you have more people you have more garbage and the environment could be damaged but i believe the government will look after us this is seen as she didnt pings legacy project and many people believe if he has the will and the resources to create a development here thats three times the size of new york then it should be within his power to do it in an environmentally friendly way june nineteenth sixty seven six days they redrew the map of the middle east this mechanism. In that war for the greatest tragedy in the history of islam fifty years later aljazeera explores the events leading to the war and its consequences which are still felt today we tried everything we went to the United Nations we tried to make. Contacts through Different Countries and it was clear that all this was to know if the war in june at this time. Will provide you with the aljazeera news hour live from doha peter told me in the chair today the top stories for south korea. Welcoming a new year message from the north Korean Leader who has raised the possibility of reopening talks about reconciliation and reunification kim jong il and set the path to dialogue is open and improving time is an urgent issues. Iranian state t. V. Says ten people have been killed in antigovernment protests since the state thousands have been rallying against poverty and corruption in the biggest demonstration and since two thousand and nine. The Largest Party in israels governing coalition has passed a resolution calling for the annexation of big parts of the occupied west Bank Palestinians want the land for a future state bought the israeli Prime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahu is not bound to follow the votes by his party. Lets get more on our top story the north Korean Leader kim jong uns new years message and the reaction to it robert kelly is an associate professor and Political Science whos at the Pusan National university he says its in pyongyangs interests to improve relations with so. The north has a genuine interest in at least reasonably decent relationships with south korea a reason we didnt relationship with south korea that is to say that the north korea misses the days of south korea used to give it assistance and aid and subsidies and stuff like that this was known as the sunshine policy which was continue which was begun under previous liberal president s and this up hope in north korea the current liberal president of south girl bring that back so i think the North Koreans are entirely content to have the relationship they have with the United States right now the nukes and the tension and all that obviously with donald trump thats not going to change and theyd like to find a way than to go along with some of the other players the north has done this for a long time sort of playing one off the other off the other right and so if you with the americans are giving you a hard time and you go to the south i dont really see any change what weve seen in two thousand and seventeen i am im genuinely concerned right i mean the more the North Koreans build the more missiles the more Nuclear Weapons they have the more tests they do and stuff like that the more sites they have its of the more the pressure raises in the United States to do something more dramatic than sanctions and stuff like that right so North Koreans just arent significant to pull over slow down in any way which raises the possibility of course the americans will eventually strike. Pope francis is a war lies and injustice marred the past twelve months in his final vatican sermon before the start of the new year the head of the Roman Catholic church said humanity had wasted and wounded itself he urged everyone to take responsibility for their actions in twenty eighteen. To a world first now in iceland that started the new year by becoming the first country to make it illegal to pay men more than women at Work Companies and Government Agencies face fines if they cant prove pay parity now firms with these twenty five employees must have governments that if occasion of their equal pay policies icelands been ranked by the World Economic forum as the most gender equal country for the past nine years anyway but in other Countries Worldwide discrimination is actually getting worse the World Economic forum says for the First Time Since two thousand and six parity gaps widened in the workplace as well as in Health Education and politics lets talk now to die any daughter pinned is a board member of the icelandic womens Rights Association she joins us on skype from reykjavik in iceland die only our scuttle to pin how will this actually work in practice day to day week to week. Well so this legislation is basically a mechanism that Companies Organizations that are. Going twenty five or more people so the employers have to evaluate every job thats going on and then they get a certification after they gone through the process if they are paying men and women equally so its really just a mechanism to ensure that women and men are paid equally because we have heard legislation saying that what were pay should be equal for men or women who are. Back its now but still it was they have. A paper despite what happened back in two thousand and eight most analysts say the same thing iceland has a growth rate of what ten point something eleven percent thats huge other countries would kill to get that youve got a strong economic fundamentals situation with fisheries youve got a young highly educated workforce but im intrigued if this will have an impact on basically how much money iceland has in the bank of iceland if you will because if all of a sudden you start paying a sizeable chunk of the workforce more money thats got to come from someplace. Yeah i guess. But its really. Its really more about just eliminating the difference. Its a change send how you think about the pay structure so you start by evaluating all the jobs and then you come up with a system that people get paid based on the work they do and not on. Just who they are and in reality does this mean that now for example a man in a job might get a pay cut to establish that idea of parity as opposed to giving a woman doing precisely the same job a payroll use. It might have at the fact im not sure that it will but. If we were just really have to see i think its really more about starting from the bottom and. Going through all these evaluations and then you if you come up with a number that people should get paid for the job that they do if they are even if they are female or if they are made here can you give me a sense of how women and men are reacting to this in iceland. Where this stumm is now becoming legislation has been around since two thousand and eight. Or its been. Being developed since then. Her reaction has been a little bit mixed during the last ten years now but i think now people are starting to realize that this is a systematic problem but we have to tackle with this new methods and i think people are becoming more courses theyre meant especially because i think women have been talking about this for decades. And i really think that. We have. One has to raise awareness and we have months to get to the point that people realize that the legislation we have has the race is not working and we need to do something more this is around the world not just in scandinavia not just in europe this is around the world a pertinent argument for every female employee every male employee i guess to have any Big OrganizationGovernment Departments small Large Companies etc but given the economic differences of iceland because your economy is quite unique in terms of how you generate wealth for the country i mean you have capital controls you cant move money out of iceland if you come from iceland willy nilly that is capped so im intrigued to know as to whether there is there is a template here that can be applied to other countries in your opinion. Yes i think so the start of the sutta. I saw some thought so of course it would have to be. Adjusted to every country but in general its just it is quite simple you just have to evaluate. The work that is being done and if the work is of equal one you are going to be equal your grades ok we must leave it there any of us thought of pinned many thanks for joining us from reykjavik thank you. Well iceland is far from the only place where a new year has brought new laws legislation into effect in south korea january the first means that members of the clergy will have to start paying income tax the countrys religious leaders had been exempt from income tax for more than sixty years some priests and monks have been paying income tax on a voluntary basis but others were resisting calling it interference in religious affairs the reforms are coming into force a time when South Koreans are moving away from religion with the church seen as archaic and out of touch but as Tony Berkeley now reports from seoul new efforts are being made to reverse that trend. Its no bigger than an office but this is the soul that his church there are almost eighty thousand protestant churches in the country many a small is this for the last fifty years christianity has been a big part of south korean life along with the United States south korea is the biggest exporter of missionaries in the world more than ten thousand south korean preachers are active in one hundred sixty countries for me and for my mind and for my pastor miller said in dreaming of two priests the first and the planets first and then next one is that we tried to communicate. In south korea though that message is being ignored christianity is the major faith followed by buddhism but young people are moving away from all religions the latest survey shows that fifty six percent of the population now describe themselves as nonreligious. One of these are that i think people need someone to rely on but they usually go to my Family Friends and girlfriend so i dont really feel the need to be religious. Some believe Church Leaders and priests live affluent lifestyles with no financial transparency and are out of touch with modern society. It seems south korean religions have failed to maintain the moral and Ethical Trust of the you know what happened many specially young people. Have decided to leave their religion there thats one of the main reasons for all denominations in south korea wrestling with the problem of how to stop the religious decline and how to adapt to a fast changing World Without sacrificing their principles and values that wont be easy but faiths are desperately searching for ways to modernize and become an important part of Korean Society once again. Less archaic methods are being adopted including discussions and lectures in informal settings and technology is being introduced phone apps have been developed so sermons and scriptures are easily accessible and more and more modern thinking churches are using Live Streaming video of services. Once more popular than christianity here has suffered the most only fifteen percent of the population actively follow the faith now temples are offering temple stays for people to enjoy good food and meditation in peaceful surroundings as a way of reintroducing them to the faith. They may be considered gimmicks and gadgets but it may be the last chance for faith to stop koreans from losing their religion completely Tony Berkeley aljazeera seoul in the next part of our series looking ahead to twenty eighteen were heading for brazil the country is emerging from a recession and struggling with the fallout from corruption scandals but theres hopes that elections could bring renewal john home and now reports from received in brazil. Brazilian politics is in the doldrums forty percent of the congress are under investigation for corruption the president s ratings are in Single Digits and his reforms a stock but this year brings elections on the promise of change. Aid to many in brazils poor little feast that means hope for the return of former president Luis Inacio Lula providing he can be corruption charges his leftist government was known for helping the working class is visible is a formula for us with lower income the best president with. He did more for us he offered us social programs like most of our media improvement in the region for the schools for the children. In more affluent south paolo many echoed that view of months ago they see both lula does close his challenge ajai had pull some not a right winger whos progun and anti gay is dangerous populists. But im also the biggest concern is the polarization these days i work in the Financial Market and all that really a fact shares in commodities prices and were worried because so far there is no other candidate that could challenge those two. That worry has reached professor cram of the sousa as he walks the corridors of power in the Brazilian Congress he sees a stagnant political scene so we need hill personally offhand then about all of these corruption and about the fact that all of these called all of these speeches up all talk a on you kind of society ideal kind of brazil one you kind of perspective it it all feels that ok deadline this is only the third decade of democracy in brazil after a military dictatorship and people say that in the early is Election Night it was like a huge party but corruption and mismanagement of really ground that down and now from. Many here the countrys political dinosaurs have taken over that party for themselves. It was the will footage is trying to get fresh talent vote he said Opera Program which Public Policy experts who train would be congressman from all walks of life its paid for by own trip unnerves crowdfunding the only rule no career politician of the political system is very entrenched so our plan is through this program is to help to challenge the status quo and break this vicious cycle of decline in brazilian politics. That will be tough the candidates from still have to run with this stablish parties in brazil the pendants are allowed but if a discredited Political Class is to change diski it could at least be the start john home and. Rosie the. There are few places where its still twenty seventeen but much of the world has wrapped up new years eve celebrations twenty eighteen arrived with spectacular fireworks displays across the globe the u. N. Secretary general and sony the terrorists use the occasion to urge World Leaders to heal divisions among their people christian salumi takes a look at some of the most colorful celebrations. Two thousand and eighteen got off to a colorful start down under in new zealand and australia there are a rainbow of fireworks lit up the sydney harbor bridge in celebration of that countrys legalization of gay marriage. In tokyo the color was white japanese revelers released helium balloons each one containing a wish or a prayer for the new year. They were looking ahead to the two thousand and eighteen winter Olympic Games in south korea and hoping for peace with their neighbors to the north where Ballistic Missile tests have aroused International Fears of a fireworks display of another kind its one of Many International conflicts the United Nations secretary general called on World Leaders to solve. I mean its a red alert for our wills conflicts if they print a new they injured every merged global in science is about Nuclear Weapons are the highest since the cold war and Climate Change is moving faster than we are inequalities are growing and we see violations of human rights i agree theres everywhere to make these new years resolution nettled the gaps bridge the divides rebuild trust by bringing people together around common goals unity is the best. There were a few signs of conflict on this holiday in the middle east just a spectacular laser light show in dubai. And no obvious divisions in europe for hundreds of thousands of people came together to party from london to Rio De Janeiro with its party on the copacabana beach. Or mexico city with its fireworks. And no one knows how to celebrate new years like New York New York revelers braved bone chilling cold terrorist threats and a blizzard of confetti to ring in two thousand and thirteen sharing one thing that is universal this holiday the hope of even better days to come kristen salumi aljazeera. Still ahead here on the news in the sports news one of footballs most controversial figures returns to the club where he made his name. Unbelievable it sounds like an agreement between criminal busts just like trading in stolen goods that have been taken by the place if anyone ever comes to ask the question is for throw their hands up in the air and say i dont know i was just nominee director were doing a investigation into. Ukraine would you pay bribes youve been corrupt our beloved corrupt did just the presidency aljazeera investigations the only gods at this time. There we are here we go time for sports news your only so much pizza while the Buffalo Bills have ended the longest postseason drought in north american sport the bills are in for the n. F. L. Players for the first time in eighteen years the bills beating the Miami Dolphins twenty two sixteen that result combined with a loss for the Baltimore Ravens means buffalo will now play the Jacksonville Jaguars in the wild cards buffalo havent won a playoff game now since nine hundred ninety five in the past start with four wildcard games coming up saturday and sunday at the rams game against the falcons will be the first postseason football in los angeles since nine hundred ninety four and the jag us well theyre back in the plans for the first time in a decade this years playoffs include a seems that didnt make the postseason last year new england pittsburgh all the top seeds in the a. F. C. And they get buys into the second round of playoff games if indeed we can say that maybe we can hear they are now the patriots as im saying be out of season number one seed for the third time in four years and of course the reigning super bowl champions philadelphia minnesota lead the way in the n. F. C. The eagles clinching Home Field Advantage throughout the playoffs while the Minnesota Vikings could get supply super bowl fifty two at their own stadium of one c. Not seen danger of making the playoffs for the Cleveland Browns the browns joined the two thousand and eight Detroit Lions as the only teams in l. F. L. History to lose all sixteen of their regular season games their campaign ending with a defeat against the playoff bound status. This Football Team has given me everything they have and i know that so this is just where we are were and on sixteen Football Team i get it i know about the parades and everything will be said but trust me they anybody know what the fight is in that room and how much these guys continued every week and it is their job to go out and compete and fight it in conference late is the Boston Celtics and the twenty seven same with a Third Straight win on sunday maybe the Brooklyn Nets one of the right c one i five also win for the philadelphia seventy six is they down the phoenix suns with there are search top scoring for the seventy six ers with twenty seven points he was one of the four philadelphia plans to score more than twenty points as they ran out one twenty three to one ten when its Manchester United posture the same or in your head since the new year under a bit of pressure his side face everton in the English Premier League lights run with no wins in their last four games united have drawn their last three in the league and dropped a third in the table fifteen points now behind leaders man city paul rudd has also seen the knocks out of the leak. Know that the difference between three draws in through the fields and the difference is just three points but the difference in terms of the mental state of the feet and the draw. Makes makes a difference so. We need to improve the results not. Little ability of the performance. Five games kickoff the new year brighton versus bournemouth the early game fourth place livable take on burnley a win could move them ahead of united in that. And diego costa has officially become an athletic armored player for the second time after a prolonged exit from chelsea costa helped athletico to the Spanish League title in twenty fourteen before joining chelsea but he hasnt played a competitive game this season after falling outs with their manager and signing a concept an agreement was reached between the see clubs in september but athletico were banned from fielding new players until january the international ive been training in working with my mind concentrated honestly it we can train a lot and get it by yourself but a match is a marriage nothing can compare to it i need to play im tired of training. Or just had a packed twelve months of World Cup Qualifiers and this years sporting landscape will be dominated by the finals in russia but its not the only big event coming up in twenty eight is our Sports Correspondent lee winds the former world cup kicks off in russia in june with thirty two nations competing for the trophy and some intriguing games guaranteed to draw in moscow put christiane of the now those european champions portugal and spain together in group a and the fairy tale continues for icelandic football euro twenty six the court of fine this became the smallest nation to ever reach the world cup finals there was is an opening game against argentina a march that will bring them to a standstill and start a whole new wave of copy. The other big sports event into being overshadowed by Major Political issues the Winter Olympics takes place in china and south korea the tension between north korea and the United States has made an uneasy atmosphere in the region and the international it to committee has had to deal with russian dont pay the i. O. C. Decided to ban the russian flag and anthem off of the institutional diapering of the last winter games in sochi but russia will have competitors in pyongyang under a neutral fly when looking ahead to sport in the year ahead should we just look at the conventional the rise of the sports shows no signs of slowing aljazeera highlighted how millions watch events in real time across the ground such as the cap com events in paris sponsors are targeting this new opportunity and how well we could see in sports the giants of new media have already started to bother watch the big Sports Events choosing a specific sports content and streaming it to your device will increasingly take over from watching sports on your Television Screens more sport throughout the day its a busy day in the English Premier League but that is it sir for me and andy thanks very much lots more news is always there for you al jazeera dot com that was the news hour samuelsson the seats with thirty minutes of aljazeera world news from a come back i will see you a little later. The street is quiet the signal is given. Out so its safe to walk to school last year there are more than thirty in this community in one month the police say this area is a red zone one of several in some townships and children sometimes caught in the crossfire when rival gangs fight so parents and grandparents are what they call a walk us to try to take the violence. I also lost. There are more than one hundred fifty volunteers working for. Teachers say it is working class attendance has improved the volunteers also act as security guards. Explores prominent figures of the Twentieth Century and influenced the course of history with the giants of the struggle for civil rights. Over. The negro. And Martin Luther king to fix this time on aljazeera. At least ten people are killed in protests in iran as the president calls for calm