Protests in iran. A Nuclear Button is put on the desk in my office at all times can john nonsense a threat to the u. S. As he signals a desire for better relations with seoul. A vote by israels ruling likud party on an exciting parts of the occupied west bank is widely condemned by palestinian factions 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. The death toll from antigovernment protests across iran has reportedly risen to fourteen Iranian State media says most of the deaths occurred on sunday night as reporting that the Security Forces repelled quotes armed protesters who tried to take over Police Stations and military bases those reports havent been independently verified natascha going to as more. A social media blackout didnt stop protesters from gathering on irans streets for a fourth day and posting these videos by the 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. On saturday there were also progovernment rallies our own would take it 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. You know saddam was fine 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 Government Support for the Syrian Regime of Bashar Al Assad has bought a lot in lebanon and hamas in the occupied palestinian territory. The iranian government says foreign entities are fomenting violent and deadly clashes among the dead two people one a boy hit by a fire truck in whats been described as an accident Authorities Say it was stolen and abandoned in the. Princess to geishas we came to know there is a clear rule played by the foreign intelligence agencies and the government open session in these killings the police never opened fire on the protesters now did cloven a great role in the in washington d. C. Outside the white house people called for the removal of president has been 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. Well you can do is that on this man who today in america wants to simplify as a people as the goaltimate 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 aljazeera. Mohammad marandi is a professor at Tehran University he joins us now from the iranian capital Mohammad Marandi what does Haasan Rouhani do next if this does not calm down. Well be numbers of protesters have decreased. A lot because people are distancing themselves the protestors from the rioters so its mostly riots that ive been taking place now president rouhani has spoken last night in another meeting and said that some of this is being instigated by countries that are hostile towards iran and. Social media applications are also being used as we in iran are witnessing for example to teach people how to use a mullet of cocktails or or make them ok just now start. To use well as their other social media sites im thinking to use instigated by whom precisely sherm. Well i dont think he was very clear but i think he mentioned the United States and he said a number of other countries so i think that hes probably alluding to u. S. Allies such as israel and saudi arabia but the country that he mentioned apparently was the United States but one thing that is important is that. Social media applications dont cooperate with iran unlike in the west for example in london in two thousand and nine when there were riots or in the United States social media is answerable to the government in the case of iran. These western base groups are calling on people to attack Police Stations theyre teaching them how to produce bombs yet theyre not being blocked or stopped by any western country and i think that if European Countries and in particular england they want to improve relations with iran this is not the way forward also b. B. C. Persian and the b o a they are trying to fuel tension through the way in which they are covering this so they seem a. Just to stop you there just as i do have to stop you there mr marandi im not wishing to talk about my own back story i used to work at the b. B. C. I have colleagues who worked on b. B. C. Persian there is no way on the planet that b. B. C. Persian would instigate violence neither would the v. O. A. I dont know anyone that works for the v. O. A. I can promise you not what i hold on i dont. See persian i did not say that all know i said i guess they are things like that it just wouldnt let me ask you want to point out you are saying that these are politically and youre saying they are. Likely involved in trying to promote greater tension no theyre not using social media platforms are controlled elsewhere and yet the government in tehran is blocking social media platforms it cant have it both ways. Excuse me but those social media platforms are not controlled in teheran theyre control them Foreign Countries and those countries have the ability to stop them from inciting violence and to promote violence and to teach people how to produce bombs that is obvious when it comes to your countries in the west then things are the other way around in two thousand and nine during the london riots the Prime Minister at that time in europe and people can look this up was talking about shutting down social media and they also cooperated social media cooperated with the police to arrest these people ok so talking about talking now. And actually we do i watch i watch social media and i watch and i know you hear me see persia we are not here to talk about what the British Government did or did not do with social media in the context of the u. K. But to take you right back to point number one you basically seem to be saying that these protests are diffusing on their own and they are becoming less can i put it to you that that is demonstrably not the case from the caspian sea from the caspian sea in the north to is a in the south these demonstrations are real they are ongoing and they are current and for the government to say nothing here move on we dont have a problem is precisely the wrong interpretation because of a different agenda that it looks someone who said that and by the way im not the government and dont attribute by word the government to me i teach at the university of tehran and un bided me on this show if you want a Government Official going in by a Government Official i talked to as an academic i know whats going on in this country im more fluent in persian than you are and since you worked in the b. B. C. Then you are definitely biased but without a doubt when the iranian president says that the United States is involved in the. Then there is something important going on there he is the elected president of the iranian people he won fifty seven percent of the vote with a very high turnout in this country unlike saudi arabia which has no democracy in the United States supports it and has no problem with it iran is constantly under attack by the western media and this is something thats not new to anyone and any student who wants to go and look at how b. B. C. Persian and the way persian functions there theyre open to do it its a very good idea actually to do research on that and how there are through discourse they produce a narrative that enables people to move towards greater hostility thats in my opinion something thats beyond a doubt but you can think otherwise for the record mr marandi i do think otherwise i am not biased and i do not work for the b. B. C. I work for aljazeera english earlier and but thank you very much demick thank you for joining us here on the news of south korea is welcoming a new years message from the north Korean Leader has raised the possibility of talks kim jong uns at the path to dialogue is open and he hopes ties will improve he also said hed only use Nuclear Weapons if threatened and that the launch button is on his desk Florence Louis now from seoul. This is how north korea welcome to 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. Corners from 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 are 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 but 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 the 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 egg knowledges dont need for improvement into korean pies but analysts say the olive branch may be a ploy to gain some political ground north korea wants 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 well it seems to lay open a path to dialogue with south korea is proof that north Koreas Nuclear ambitions are here to stay Florence Li Al Jazeera seoul live now to washington and our correspondent allan fish allan any reaction to this where you are. Well donald trump was asked about it new years party in florida overnight and all he said one told that kim jung un had Nuclear Button on is there skids well see hes tweeted this morning about iran hes tweeted about pakistan but he hasnt made any mention of tall about north korea beyond those two words well see do they have to maybe at the state Department Think about recalibrating their potential response in as much as a note of being conciliatory is not necessarily something that they would have anticipated out of pyongyang. Of course the difficulty is we hear the United States government talking in two different ways about north korea weve had Rex Tillerson saying look we would like to have a conversation with them and we would like there to be talks so perhaps you would think that the state department would welcome the overtures that has been made in the new year statement by the north Korean Leader but of course weve also heard donald trump see look at brics tillerson as were seeing is time they dont want to have talks were not going to get involved in that he should really just stay at home and that caused some confusion in the u. S. Government and the state department itself and donald trump has said in the past when it comes to Foreign Policy all he needs is himself but certainly those who are involved in state craft and diplomacy at the state department will think this is an opening as Florence Louis said theres obviously going to be some cynicism they have seen north korea do this sort of thing before lets talk try and get some concessions and then just go back to the path that they have always followed but certainly those in the state department who are concerned that there could be some sort of Nuclear Conflict will welcome any sort of opening in parts examine what that means and how they can move forward from here ok great thanks. Those more still to come here on the news hour for you including a new year and a world first in iceland well look at how the country is leading the way with gender equality. And losing their faith in south korea churches and temples trying new ways to bring people back to religion. And in the sports news vandy the longest postseason drought in north american sport finally comes to an end. By the israeli Prime Ministers likud party on an exciting parts of the occupied west bank is being widely condemned by palestinian factions the resolution choose Party Leaders to push for israeli sovereignty over land the palestinians need and 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 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 well to gaza no women has been watching reaction this 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 nineteen ninety three oslo accords that brought the Palestinian Liberation Organization and israel to the table and recognized in the north or. Including gaza here in gaza and parts of the west bank and was meant to lead to the final two state solution how massive said its the end of the oslo accords and anything everything must be done to protect the Palestinian People and their rights the p. F. Lp of also said its the end of the also they were accords have the faster 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 in pakistan the government is raising the cost of fuel blaming higher prices on the International Marketplace the move is expected to particularly affect the poor and. Reports could signal bigger troubles for the economy. The people are too large are already calling it a new game from the government of pakistan to h. P. Party and its making headlines across the country and eleven point seven five but stand right now and be frightened of the government getting their dumb move are justified because of the rise of the International Market and that the president. And many of the country are for the people. You know. Give up rising food prices from the government to injustice with the poor people who are suffering due to inflation in the country being a Government Employee i can still survive but im good about those who only find anything to eat and with billy supermoon by this move are due to frequently are is enough Petroleum Prices its becoming difficult for takes to dry words are so far the public because people cant afford to eat so pick north or south due to raising up or tony in bright prices the whole market prices become i mean stocks are good starter is. Higher price to go for you will have a knock on effect on everything including daily come ordered transportation costs and they cater to falling rally of the rupee against the dollar already created inflation that people cannot cope with the opposition is calling it a government failure and while the countrys financial. Proclaimed a friend hiding always a country the economy. And then trouble and saudi arabia also raising petrol prices by around fifty percent for fuel will cost thirty seven cents the Worlds Largest oil exporter is trying to save money by removing fuel subsidies it wants to eliminate its budget deficit by twenty twenty three. Staying with saudi arabia is just introduced the value added tax for the first time along with the United Arab Emirates the five percent tax is being applied to most goods and services both states are trying to diversify their sources of income away from the Energy Sector to a world first to iceland that country starting the new year by becoming the first country in the world to legalize equal pay between men and women companies and Government Agencies face fines if they cant prove pay parity firms with at least twenty five employees must have government certificates of equal pay policies icelands been ranked by the World Economic forum as the most gender equal country for the past nine years but in other Countries Worldwide well 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 Health Education and in politics to earlier i spoke to die any daughter pined shes a board member of the icelandic womens Rights Association she says previous equal pay laws have been unsuccessful this legislation is basically a mechanism that nice. That are. Going twenty five or more all so the employers have to evaluate every job thats on and then they get a certification after theyre gone through the process if they are paying men and women equally so its really just a makeover so 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 for. Their kids now but still we still have. A paper can you give me a sense of how women and men are reacting to this in iceland. This stumm is now becoming a 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 people are starting to realize that this is a systematic problem but we have to tackle with this new reference and i think people are becoming more force of their members especially because i think women have been talking about this for decades. And i really think that. We have one is to raise awareness and we have months to get to the point that people realize that the legislation we have had 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 summer. 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 value than it should be equally correct. Campaign is in Hong Kong Holding their annual march to demand that democratic rights are protected and votes fold now they accuse government leaders in china of eroding freedoms which were guaranteed when british rule colonial rule ended twenty years ago hong kong operates on a different political system to the chinese mainland but activists accuse beijing of interfering in the territories if it is typical pollen has more now from hong kong. The march was 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 broke out now this square has been closed for the past five years the three student leaders broke into this 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 in 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 and them off them to leave that havent happened yet so theyre just biding their time making speeches the numbers of the protests this time gathered pace and started off small many people thought this would be this one be a big significant march but i think a three word civic square here people started joining in and theres. A few hundred now many have left and gone they came with their families and small children but adults adults right the local media saying there are about ten thousand people. Ok lets take away the focus of his efforts it was a case of new year but same old weather pay to that side of the case for the philippines we have got further flooding into central and southern parts of the country hey you can see this little clutch of stolls just rolling in from the west the pacific the possibility of developing into a. Depression maybe a Tropical Storm i suspect it wont but regardless of that were looking at huge amounts of rainfall over the next few days so further flooding for the likes of mindanao central and southern parts of big downpours some of these areas may be seeing as much as two hundred to three hundred millimeters of rain over the next couple of days thats when states pitches you can see still further heavy showers coming through hopefully not quite as wet but the rain still very much in evidence and there will be further flooding then we have flooding making its way towards madagascar as well this area of storms thats pushing its way through and again that may well develop into a tropical system over the next day or two is just to the north of larry any and north of. We are going to see the cloud and rain there just making their way towards northern parts of madagascar over the next couple of days so some big downpours coming in here when its not too bad as we go on into choose day but this doesnt like it may well develop into something minimal i wanted to the middle part of the week winds picking up by that stage some violent winds pushing their way through damaging winds a possibility but certainly not further flooding coming in across northern parts of madagascar over the next few days payton havoc on many things still to come here on the news we look at the legacy of berlins nazi era architecture. Also ahead in the democratic republic of congo protests calling for the president s resignation turned violent. And Manchester United to kick off a twenty eighteen aiming to raise their game details with andy in about twenty minutes. Discover a wealth of Award Winning programming from around the world we need more and find professionals to talk. To study find powerful documentaries debates and discussions as Prime Minister you do need to be critical of almost any and all sexism shattering perceptions the contours of this story are shaped by the interests of the countries involved only on aljazeera. Welcome back you with the aljazeera news today your top stories Iranian State media reporting that at least fourteen people have been killed in antigovernment protests since thursday it says protesters tried to take over Police Stations and military bases thousands have been rallying against poverty and corruption in the biggest demonstration since two thousand and nine south korea is welcoming a new years message from the north Korean Leader whos raised the possibility of reopening talks about reconciliation and reunification kim jong un said the path to dialogue is open and improving ties is an urgent issue. And a vote by the israeli Prime Ministers likud party on an exciting parts of the occupied west bank is being widely condemned by palestinian factions the resolution urges Party Leaders to push for israeli sovereignty over land the palestinians want for a future state. Planes crashed in costa rica killing all twelve people on board now they included a family on holiday from new york and five other americans as well as the two pilots the single propeller aircraft came down soon after takeoff from a popular beach resort. But theres better news for the Airline Industry twenty seventeen was the safest year on record for Airline Passengers thats according to the netherlands based Aviation Safety Network it says airline related deaths in twenty seventeen totaled an historic low of seventy nine a considerable drop from three hundred and three fatalities in twenty six joining us from london is alex much us and aviation analyst alex great to have you back here on the news hour why is it happening like this. Well ive got to be expected as we approach the end of two thousand and seventy for example is that airbus about having conversations moves saying it was shaping up to be the safest year in commercial aviation yeah likely you know now to two thousand and seventeen we can look back and statistically and actually this was the safest year in modern aviation history and there are right you can ship it is you that new aircraft is that this dictated technology and so its the weight has and yours are and here into new rules concerning things that really things like this can the airlines maintain this because of course its not just about the pilots its about you mentioned this already its about the airports because you can have aviation disasters when the aircraft are still on the runway when theyre taxiing that kind of thing what is it specifically about say the airplanes thats better than it used to be. Exactly so you know aviation it to ensure aviation safety everybody has to get there and thats it Traffic Controllers that even the baggage handlers is the passenger themselves but certainly come up when your questions are focused specifically on the aircraft each adoption of new aircraft into an athlete around the world is a large protrudes it to the same because it is there are not just waiting for flight crew to notice perhaps if there is a small problem in like decks but theyre actually analysing the flight crew themselves saying this is the problem and these are your options and this is how you get around it and so issues that may have required a dive on previous generation aircraft where for example the pilots maybe perhaps would have to identify. And take the aircraft there they can actually be solved in the sky unknown to the passengers and the flight can continue very safely on to its destination where has the engine is when we get out on the ground there but it integration of sophistication and technology on these new aircraft and the rapid rate at that introduced to our right and please could it also be a function of the way that you know if you talk to anyone that flies a plane professionally for a living there is that subtext to how they do what they do and im not criticizing pilots at all or first officers but maybe ten or fifteen years ago there was this thing of called get in itis where a pilot would be told the weathers a bit dangerous its a bit dodgy but then he would want to get in anyway hence the phrase get in itis but now the aircraft is so sophisticated they signal very clearly to the pilot know do a go around give it another go dont push the armful of safety here. Exactly it really is that. The sophistication of the end up working with a very skilled like for an apples is kind of harmonized nation that ensures a really safe experience and its why if you know the safest full time school we had such as the ever say three fifty the wings that lamed during flight depending on the air types are depending on whether depending on pressure and there were those wings move in order to ensure a smooth life but also this is how far in aviation we are going now whether wings are not just in a position they are actually changing to adapt to the climate that lived through to ensure a safer and smoother ride and expense for it im pretty sure its a good news story. South koreans are moving away from religion with the church seen as archaic and out of touch christianity is the countrys biggest faith but its in sharp decline however as Tony Berkeley reports now from seoul new efforts are being made to reverse that trend. Its no bigger than an office but this is the Soul Baptist 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 my own and for my pastor miller said in dreaming. To preach the gospel first in the clinics first then next one is a retard 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 i 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 many specially young people have decided to leave their religion that 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. Thats 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 and in the next part of our series looking ahead to twenty eighteen we head for brazil the country is emerging from a recession and struggling with the fallout from corruption scandals but there is hope that elections could bring renewal john home and. 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 and the promise of change. I think to many of brazils poolroom 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 examples of one leader for us with lower income the best president with lula he did more for us he offered us social programs like most of the media improvement in the region for the schools for the children and peace. In more affluent south paolo many echoed the view of months ago they see both lula discloses challenge a giant bull sonata of right wing a 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 a fan and about all of these corruption and about the fact that all of these called all of these speeches up all talk a and 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 years Election Night 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. Yet it was the footage is trolling to get fresh talent vote he set up for program which Public Policy experts who train one of the congressman from all walks of life its paid for by entrepreneurs crowdfunding the only rule though career politicians you know as 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 yeah that will be tough the candidates from still have to run with this stablish parties in brazil in the pendants are allowed but if the discredited Political Class is to change diski it could at least be the start john home and ill just see it a rosie the. Protests demanding the resignation of the president of the democratic republic of congo have turned violent at least seven people were killed and dozens arrested by the Security Forces off the catholics called for Peaceful Demonstrations shelob ellis reports. The in the democratic republic of Congo Catholic worship is pray this sunday they pray with a political purpose they want president Joseph Kabila gone campaigning everyone was then asked if they arent very good these guys not going to be. Trying to say. Their prayers were hurt by Security Forces in kinshasa twenty seventeen ended as it began kabila sick in term as president ended in december two thousand and sixteen 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 may. Watched after mass twelve also boys and priests were among the dozens arrested tear gas was fired into churches was the hospitals filled with protesters once more so i guess i do mind that i always say 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 ill just make up coming in shooting one because it is not just simply because we are coming we have come here in order to the way 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 protesters it really struck genocide 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 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 voices appear to becoming increasingly impatient challenge ballasts al jazeera. Funerals are being held for five indian soldiers killed during a siege on a Police Training center in indian administered kashmir the attackers armed with guns and grenades stormed the compound on sunday in the town of pool vama india accuses pakistan of training fighters and helping them infiltrate the region pakistan denies those allegations. The world has wrapped up new years eve celebrations twenty eighteen arrived with spectacular fireworks displays around the world christensen and he takes a look back at some of the more 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 loads a red alert for our wills conflicts if they print a new they have removed global and science is about Nuclear Weapons of 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 again 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 its fireworks. I and no one knows how to celebrate new years like New York New York or 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 so many aljazeera. Still ahead here on aljazeera philadelphia put on the perfect year and show in the n. B. A. And hes here with the sports news when we come back. Twenty seventeen has been full of stories that have changed the Global Political landscape and al jazeera has been there to cover them all to. Join us as we look back at some of our most memorable interviews of the year the special edition of talk to aljazeera at this time. January on the jersey of african heads of state and government gavin and stacey at the same the African Union where the girls set out saying twenty seventeen minutes rewind returns with brand new episodes updating some of the best al jazeera documentaries from over the years the biggest names in politics in business will meet in the swiss alps for the World Economic forum what will be top of the agenda maggie our sun engages in rigorous debate cutting through the headlines on friday and in a week our special coverage will be gauging reaction from around the world to americas most controversial president of modern times january on aljazeera. Welcome back germany renowned of course for new thinking and design and architecture and among the buildings that dominate the skyline in berlin are examples from a time that still raises debate about guilt and memory the nazi era dominic caine looks at the legacy of that period architecture and how modern germany has learnt to live with it in modern times this is the home of the heritage bellina Football Team but to others its the Olympic Stadium from one thousand nine hundred thirty six games of the many buildings that were thrown up during the one nine hundred thirty s. And fortys this is one of the best preserved the pride and joy of the nazi regime it offered hitler an opportunity to show the world what he considered to be the wonder of his racist ideology one that had grandiose building plans but which modern architects say was doomed to fail it doesnt. Resonate never succeeded. If you want to if you want to try to build dresses that cannot succeed as well its impossible the idea is so stupid so the architecture was very off those stupid as well but its not just sporting venues that have survived germanys transition from dictatorship to democracy the modern federal finance Ministry Building occupies space that was once home to nazi germanys air force or loved. Professor in europe has been is the curator of the Berlin State Monuments Office he explained that after World War Two the germans felt it important not blindly to destroy everything that the nazis had created a little club and you think it boy i believe if you were to destroy remove the buildings erase them one would deprive society of the option to encounter their own history we have to understand the past we also must criticize the past we need to do better and to not want to repeat at tempelhof airport predated hitlers coming to power but was revamped under National Socialism to have a larger than life effect on passengers who used it its postwar usage so it gained world attention as a key venue for essential goods during the berlin airlift of the late one nine hundred forty s. Now it is used as a temporary home for people who have come to germany fleeing war zones. In recent times architects have tended to agree that of the buildings that survived World War Two it is the Olympic Stadium that is the most remembered the flame which lit up this architectural wonder of a stadium is long dead as is the regime which built this entire stadium but democratic germany believes that there is a place in society for some of the nazi era architecture but secularly as a warning from history of the dark past dominant cane aljazeera at the Olympic Stadium in berlin. Always make time for the with the sportsmans thank you so much pizza while the Buffalo Bills have ended the longest post season drought in north american sport the bills are inside the n. F. L. Playoffs 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 have and i want to play a game since back in ninety ninety five and so its a lot of twelve sayings left standing in the n. F. L. After the regular season splits into two divisions eight of them didnt make the postseason last year new england and pittsburgh autopsy they have say and they get buys into the second round of playoff games the patriots are their seeds number one seed for the third time in four years and theyre the reigning super bowl champions philadelphia minnesota lead the way in the n. F. C. The eagles clinched Home Field Advantage throughout the playoffs while the Minnesota Vikings they could get the chance to play super bowl fifty two at their own stadium for the playoffs start with four wild card games this coming saturday and sunday the rams game against the falcons will be the first postseason football in los angeles since one thousand nine hundred ninety four and the Jacksonville Jaguars back in the playoffs for the first time in a decade one seem not in danger of making the plans for the Cleveland Browns the browns joined the two thousand and eight Detroit Lions is the only teams in n. F. L. History to lose all sixteen of their regular season games their campaign ending with another defeat against the playoff bound steelers this robot 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 i would 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. In the n. B. A. Eastern conference leaders the Boston Celtics and the twenty seven seen with a Third Straight win on sunday they beat the Brooklyn Nets one a white one i five also went for the philadelphia seventy six ers down the phoenix suns with our sandwich top scoring for the seventy six is twenty seven points. He was one of four philadelphia players to score more than twenty as they ran out one twenty three to one ten when as. The English Premier League is kicking off the new year with five games brighton taking on bournemouth in the early kick off brighton to one up there into the second half in that one fourth place liverpool they take on burnley away when it moves them ahead of Manchester United in the table we will be ready because we have to be ready and thats not a friendly game for us its a very important game for us its three points to get against a very strong side in good moment in the league really really good organized its quite difficult for money not to posture as a marine youre heads into the new year under a bits of pressure his side face every series no wins in the last four games they drop to third in the table fifteen points behind leaders man city theyre poor and is also seen not out of the lake out. 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 a defeat and the draw. Makes makes a difference so. We need to improve the results not. Little ability of the performance or just how to pack twelve months of World Cup Qualifiers and this years sporting landscape will be dominated by those finals in russia its not the only big events coming up in twenty eighty is our Sports Correspondent kelly wallace. The football 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 christianne over now those european champions portugal and spain together in group a and the fairy tale continues for icelandic football euro twenty sixteen quarter finalist became the smallest nations average the world cup finals there was is an opening game against argentina a match that will bring them to a standstill and start a whole new wave of the carping. 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 in picking missy has had to deal with russian dont pay the i. O. C. Decided to ban the russian flag them after the institutional doping of the last winter games in sochi but russia will have competitors in pyongyang under a neutral fly when looking ahead to sports in the year ahead should we just look at the conventional the rise of the sports shows no signs of slowing out as they were highlighted how millions watch events in real time across the globe such as the cap com events in paris sponsors are targeting this new opportunity and how well we can see in sports the giants of new media have already started to buy the rights 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 the start of those went through olympics now just over a month away the olympic torch began twenty eight eastern most point of south korea to traditional Gathering Place for those wishing to see the first sunlight of a new year the flying of course on its watch upon chang where it will launch the culture of the games Opening Ceremony thats coming up on february twenty ninth. Ok sport throughout the day for me but that is it for now and the many thanks well see you a little later im sure last more news of course one of you wanted on our web site al jazeera dot com you can see the top story there the number of the continued climate in iran also time to blow our own trumpet al jazeera today officially launching its mandarin language a website about bureau in beijing for you in china or the mandarin speaking world more news in a minute ill see that. Travel off to. My tranquil fortys and forests in prague blackpool. Rocks if only. I can. Land. Valleys and skylines. Live for adventure. Discover it. Because faraway places close it. Going this is together with cats how i always. When diplomacy fields and. Terrorists reproving the barriers are built to impose division. Instead of being. To be. In a four part series. The reasons for divisions in different parts of the world and the impact they have on both sides of shame at this time on. The news as it breaks. For the world cup. Fifteen years on and even better in russia next year with detailed coverage tied to imagine a. Scene. From around the world. A major policy announcement on trade a potential challenge a missed opportunity abroad