Observers have witnessed fifty two cases we consider to be major irregularities measure says. This is a very worrying because it was a clear violation of electoral law what it means to me. Reject these results. Following the publication of these results we plead with everyone to show civic maturity and to avoid violence if you do it good. Also coming up tonight in just two days the u. S. Government shutdown will become the longest in u. S. History but you didnt hear about that today from u. S. President donald trump when he paid a vore paid a visit to the border we hope hes going to win the battle. Of strong borders and no crime as opposed to open borders and crime doesnt matter because thats what this a crime doesnt matter. We begin today with two countries two continents and a crisis of legitimacy their leaders have in common im talking about been its weight in south america and the democratic republic of congo in africa first up tonight the d r c and claims of fraud at the ballot box early this morning the Electoral Commission announced the results of last months president ial election after weeks of delays the unexpected news came that Opposition Leader felix just a kiddie had received the most votes immediately the runner up martin they called the results a sham and the Catholic Church says that the ballot tally does not match that of its own forty thousand election observers. Reactions were mixed after felix a katie was announced the winner from jubilation was. To consternation people certainly made their feelings known. The Opposition Leader wasnt expected to win the president ial vote in the democratic republic of congo but he edged out his main rival putting the country on course for its first democratic transfer of power in almost sixty years since independence. I know many of you will find it hard to accept. But i say it with sincerity i pay homage to president joseph could be president of the republic. Today we must no longer consider each other as adversaries. But rather as partners in Democratic Change in our country. Some believe sikka katie won by cutting a deal with president Joseph Kabila whose clung to power for eighteen years. Although could be preferred candidate only came third the man expected to win martin is among many contesting the results. Susan. Moved him of these results do not reflect the truth of the ballots. This is obviously an acceptable electoral fraud. That will provoke general chaos across the country mr meanwhile the countrys influential Catholic Church is already questioning the vote it says official results do not match the outcome compiled by its forty thousand observers at all polling stations across the troubled country the church has also called for calm. Still many people are upset in golmaal many did not hide their feelings amid the potential for unrest. But we dont want to smack of alien sale of the congolese peoples power. But. Were going to call on article sixty four of our constitution. In the end though experts say it will be up to the countrys Constitutional Court to rule on the vote. Well for more on what happened today im joined by nick a layby he is in kinshasa tonight he is the countrys director in the d. R. C. For the open Society Initiative for Southern Africa his organization supported the monitoring of last months election in the democratic republic of congo nick good evening its good to have you on the program what did your alexion mom turns conclude amine do the numbers that you have do they support a win for see that its just a t. D. Good evening and thank you for a nice. Generally speaking when you have a look on the report from. The vision mission. The election took place in the generally peaceful manner by reform in front of effect dishonest of the process for example of some kind youve got who are represented to companions from competency some people love to live in distant compliance to public media was not. A Company Function reason because you cation a lot of comments just wonderful to machine and also a huge number one point two million of companies didnt get to vote in been you would tend when you wont be because of insecurity and it will but generally speaking it is what youre trying much mission of the vision report on on the electoral day and the process before the election so what so what is your conclusion then was was the result that was announced earlier today is it the correct result. This is difficult to to also to that question according to lake Water Commission and utilized. The figure that the Electoral Commission published today for the dissident you do enough of the president ial election unless there is some pretty collar and realize that contesting the sumption this is what we should take from this election from now should remember the president our admission of guilt of ition mission was not to publish any results even if there is the specific case of the cut to the church would be a sort of you know pollard forty to petition which opens the. Enter a gate and. Dip wiley and the content of the reserve published by saying yeah they did that important point to make there were forty thousand election observers for the Catholic Church and they say that there were irregularities with the vote counting would have to wrap it up there nic a levy in conjunction tonight nic we appreciate your insights thank you. Thank you. Little i swear on the legacy of our beloved commander will go chavez. I swear for the children of venezuela and the future. Never to rest my arm or give my soul rest. We have it both and that i will fulfill all of the mandates and needs of the constitution of the boulevard and republic of venezuela. And with that venezuelas president Nicolas Maduro was sworn in for a second term today engulfed in controversy but was reelected last may in a vote boycotted by the political opposition in the country and dismissed as a fraud by much of the International Community the European Union the United States and its way those southern or south american neighbors i should say they all boycotted todays swearing in ceremony and it has made euro takes the helm for another six years of its wailers economy remains in shambles the i. M. F. Sees inflation at a whopping ten million percent this year meaning more misery for the people. Cattle trucks that Service Public transport. Supermarket shelves empty of all basic goods this is what venezuela under president maduro has come to look like. When Nicolas Maduro took office after chavez died in two thousand and thirteen he inherited his predecessors socialist revolution meant to champion social justice and people power oath and his whalens. Yet before long major oh so to tighten his own grip on power. He cracked down on dissenting voices prominent Opposition Leaders were arrested or put under house arrest. When the opposition gained control of venezuelas parliament mature a set of a new constituent assembly that could bypass parliament the move sparked mass protests. Many violently crushed by police. In may last year was confirmed in office in elections that were widely seen as a sham many western and latin american countries have refused to recognize the result if it you know they said that we were obliged to vote. They said the people were coerced. Its a lack of respect. Although parliament is now largely toothless its leader one goh ido has vowed to fight back that beat him and we reaffirm the illegitimacy of Nicolas Maduro as a result this National Assembly as the only legitimate power elected by the venezuelan people should assume the representation of the people. And its the people of venezuela who continue to suffer under. A recession exacerbated by economic mismanagement has brought the country to its knees. It was once a wealthy oil nation and one of latin americas most prosperous societies today more than hough of venezuelans struggle to feed themselves and their families. Hyperinflation and a shortage of basic goods have caused an unprecedented humanitarian crisis that has driven three million venezuelans to flee the country. While opponents of the year zero have been taking to social media today to denounce his presidency earlier the hash tag madeira is not my president was trending worldwide on twitter the venezuelan tweets he destroyed the dream of millions of its oil and separated millions of families put a hope people to starvation and for many other reasons hash tag with euro is not my president and others have been sharing this picture of your words crossed out head this tweet is from the venezuelan actor eduardo or lets go lots of people are also replacing their profile pictures with the image on twitter or whatsapp for example and there are also critical voices beyond its way the colombian comedian daniels. Says nobody has done so much damage to the latin american left as chavez and material the motto we are going to become another of its way as a well of right wing and far right regimes to rise like never before. All right lets bring in our correspondent in the region tonight ophelia harmes good evening to you and feel yet i mean that when we look at the reality on the ground in than its wailing we you know we have to ask how did madeira how did he get reelected i mean i want to get your take on what he had to say today how did he get reelected. Yeah president ial elections were held in may of last year but they were called fraudulent and snap elections because they were called an earlier than expected taking advantage of the oppositions division and their incarceration of many of the Opposition Leaders who call to boycott the election which means that my group didnt have any real rival at the time he did of winning as we know but with that one lowest voters turnout in venezuela in history thats only twenty five point eight per cent and from what i know is said and what we could observe while covering the elections is that many of those votes were given away in exchange of Food Supplies and other goods. I want to get your take on what had to say today during his inauguration take a listen venezuela is at the center of a world war from north american imperialists and their satellite governments you have tried to change a swearing in which is part of formal protocol legal constitutional and peaceful into a world war against our country good luck and i will be im going to moment all right that is how sees the outside world if you or me youre in our Bogota Bureau how is perceived in the region and in the countries around in its way. Yeah sixteen latin american countries as well as the u. S. And canada have not recognized last years election and have called todays inauguration illegitimate. Here in colombia for example the government has called it a criminal dictatorship in argentina the president said that madras trying to mock democracy peru has bond senior venezuelan officials to ensure their territory while the us is issuing even more sanctions against several venezuelans this is leaving maduro more and more isolated in the region but he still has some allies in countries like bolivia on the colorado and with the recently leftist elected president in mexico unverse minola us about our. Corridor correspondent if you harmes in bogota tonights. Reaction to the inauguration of Nicolas Maduro in but its well if you think. He was president on will trump is visiting the border with mexico today in his continuing campaign to get money to fund a border wall they are now he and congress which is now partly controlled by the democrats are in a standoff over more than five billion dollars that he wants for the project now the feeds off over the border wall funding has led to a partial Government Shutdown almost in its third and fourth weeks trump pulled out all the stops today at a press conference just a short time ago to convince americans that there is a crisis at the border in front of him were weapons of contraband that he claims were see by immigration officials and heres what he had to say about the standoff with the governor nobody is going to win the battle of strong borders and no crime as opposed to open borders and crime doesnt matter because thats what this a crime does it matter. We have people that have been so horribly her familys been so horribly hurt by people that just come in like its like just come into the United States do whatever they want. Want to go now into mcallen texas at the border there with mexico our correspondent alexandra phenomena standing by good evening to you alexandra you were at a protest there earlier today talk to me a little bit about the people who were there and what they were talking about and protesting about well most people who got here some of them already left for members of the Community Born and raised and Rio Grande Valley they told me many of them border wall and they told me that they opposed it will because they feel safe they dont think that the border wall can be effective and they are afraid that such a wall which happened never get negative impact on their lives there also some from some quarters here and they are here to support their president stay told me because they think that he is really trying very hard to keep them safe but even some of supporters told me that stay do once tighter security but they dont believe that the wall will necessarily solve all the problems here. The u. S. President just held a press conference there it was like a show intel with contraband confiscated there at the border is that convincing anyone who lives there the locals who have to deal with this situation every day is it convincing them to be for or against the wall. You know its from supports. You dont have to be convinced and if you talk to people who opposed the wall i dont think that they are going to be convinced told me that they are rather upset at the president that hes using hard breaking stories stories about people who were killed by migrants who cross the border illegally to instill fear at all in their communities and they told me that they dont think that that is right one woman even told us that she would wish that the president will spend more time here at the border to see what the situation is like what the reality is like on the ground. Continues to talk about the possibility of declaring a National Emergency so that he can have access to the money that he needs to build this wall let me ask you you know what youre seeing right here at the border is there a National Emergency. When you look at the facts there is no National Emergency there is no crisis here for example. Thirty year low and the number of people who people who cross the border illegally is much lower than it was a decade generation ago so there is no crisis no crisis and despite claims that terrorists are infiltrating the country across the border no one in recent times who committed. Attack a terroristic attack here in the. Turn oh its to have sneaked mexico our correspondent alexander phenomenon the u. S. From mexico border tonight in macau one texas alexandra thank you very much. Well u. S. Secretary of state might bump aoe has delivered a scathing rebuke of the obama administrations mideast policies on pay i was touring capitals in the middle east a brief allies after President Trump announced that he is pulling u. S. Troops out of syria a speaking today at the American University in the egyptian capital on payola cues to trumps predecessor of being naive in timid when confronted with the challenges posed by the arab spring uprisings which shook the middle east political order starting back in two thousand and eleven on paleo said that obamas policies had diminished americas role in the region and harmed its longtime ally. These last witness convulsions from tunis to tehran as old systems crumbled and new ones struggled to emerge that happened here too. And at this critical moment america your long time friend was absent too much. All right im joined now at the big table by he is with the German Institute for international and Security Affairs you know its good to see you again so weve got this major middle east policy speech delivered today by mr peo what did you make of it well mr pump aoe already obviously wants to do two things he wants to reassure allies in the region the states that he would call the moderate States Israel egypt saudi arabia and some others that the United States is there to stay although it is withdrawing troops troops from syria and secondly he wants to build this alliance for a single purpose that is to exert maximum pressure as he said several months ago on iran in his speech today pump was emphatic that the u. S. Is not retreating from the middle east but at the same time he said the syria withdrawal is still going to happen so it is contradicting each other it is contradicting of course but the United States is present in other countries in the region it is present in turkey in iraq in jordan all over the gulf so the United States is there and he and states in the region now know that they are there to stay and possibly that to stay in order to confront iran. I think that this speech was was kind of frightening because there is something looming on the horizon and that is at least a military complaint by the israelis in syria you know speaking of iran mr pompei and he had a lot to say about iran today none of it was good take a listen lets turn to iran. President obama has reversed our willful blindness to the danger of the regime and withdrew from the failed nuclear deal with its false promises. The u. S. Reimpose sanctions should never have been lifted when parked on a new Pressure Campaign to cut off the revenues the regime uses to spread terror and destruction throughout the world. In syria the United States will use diplomacy and work with our partners to expel every last iranian and work through the un led process to bring peace and stability to the long suffering syrian people. So youve got mr trump there saying that the u. S. Is going to drive iran completely out of syria despite the u. S. Troop withdrawal and hes also saying that he wants to end iranian influence in lebanon how realistic is this this is only going to happen. As a result of a major war and do you think that he is he is he prepping the world for for a military conflict i dont know its very hard. To interpret what is going on in the trunk administration but i remember when john bolton my complaint got the jobs in april American Media speculated a bowl or a call that the war cabinet these are the most politicians that you can find in washington concerning iran and i am positive that we will see Major Military action by the israelis in syria in the coming years and perhaps the United States will join then after this speech i wouldnt rule out a larger military action against iran in the coming two years out. This time. Youre wrong. As always we appreciate your insights thank you. Well the day is really done the conversation continues online youll find us at the w dot com or on twitter at the w news you can follow me at t. V. And remember whatever happens between now and then tomorrow is another day well see you then everybody. And. More dream going to the International Talk show for journalists discuss the topic of the week as the new year gets underway germany has become a known permanent member of the United NationsSecurity Council the u. N. Is defined under funded in my opinion efficiency so book combo in a cheap find out shortly country. Next on. The libyan city of benghazi in the aftermath of isis these men are looking for a fresh start with their bare hands they search for explosives and booby traps and my fathers soldiers volunteers putting their lives on the line day after day for a more peaceful future belongs. Eighteen minor is guys in the news forty five minutes on d w. With him had to be done and it goes on because were lions high you know if i had known that the boat would be that small i never would have gone on a trip you know i would not have put myself and my paris in that danger to the bottom of the game is going to get a flavor would. Love one clear cut that one little ditty and that is the one i had Serious Problems on a personal level and i was unable to live there but once im going to. You want to know their story for migrants terrified and reliable information for more grants. Following a very warm welcome indeed to the First Edition of point three go in twenty nineteen and as the new year get some the way germany house alongside four other countries become a norm permanent member of the United NationsSecurity Council now there are High Expectations about