A step towards dialogue on the Korean Peninsula north korea reopens a hot line to the south ahead of next months winter Olympic Games in south korea and a global trailblazer for equal pay iceland becomes the first country in the world to force companies to pay men and women the same on a piece of a fine. Thank you very much for your company we start our broadcast in iran where authorities are trying to turn the tide against some of the biggest antigovernment protests in almost a decade while nearly a week of violent unrest has left at least twenty one people dead and hundreds under arrest now iran state media are broadcasting progovernment demonstrations held in several cities. Now irans leadership has also mobilized. Short thousands of demonstrators in august in southwestern iran took to the streets to show their support for the government protesters yelled death to the usa and death to israel state Television Show demonstrations like these taking place across the country posters of the ayatollah ali home and they are on display everywhere on tuesday the countrys Supreme Leader blamed foreign powers for the unrest now his supporters are claiming theyre ready to give their lives for him and some are calling for those who demonstrated against the government to be executed still antigovernment protests continue some of them violently this footage shows a building going up in flames it allegedly belongs to the paramilitary revolutionary guard and is for one province meanwhile more than a thousand antigovernment demonstrators have supposedly being jailed a Government Spokesperson has emphasized the more liberal message of president Hassan Rouhani saying legal protests are allowed but that those who break the law will be punished washingtons u. N. Ambassador has called for Emergency SecurityCouncil Talks we must not be felons the people of iran are crying out for freedom all freedom loving people must stand with their current state run media in iran has now focused its attention on progovernment rallies in the country rather than on the antigovernment demonstrators. Well earlier we spoke to a few corresponds eric around often tehran and i began by asking him if the progovernment demonstrations are helping the government since the narrative. Well it has been an impressive show of force by the authorities today hundreds of thousands were released tens of thousands of people marching in cities across the country. Relies very quickly and very effectively. A show. Is going to do they want to bring people out of the strips and in the last few minutes just out the head of the revolutionary guards and out saying that today is the end of the sedition and total zero only fifteen thousand people took part in the rest entirely across the country last week so what does that mean they have effectively cracked down on all the antigovernment protests well its very hard to tell information is still very hard to get from about what was happening out in the provinces this was focused more on outlying areas not so much in toronto but its sad to say these were never huge on the scale the last major demonstrations in two thousand i. Assume whole the whole radical form of protest vote by a form of protest that perhaps didnt reach out to the large numbers of people who are nonetheless frustrated about the economy but dont want to go course up violent protests fizzled out we should it was a rule out the perhaps more protests still to come right can you tell us a little bit about what motivated the iranians to come out and protest against their government although theyre small and i just want to know what are some of their grievances. Well the protests are small the grievances the drove them definitely widespread and go cross the rain in society very high on a plug as high as forty percent for young people. Very high rates of inflation is slow progress by the government approving the economy a lot of promises that have been kept so a lot of general dissatisfaction which we hear a lot from tehran is on the street you know people that want to take part in the protests and so it will take a lot of work for the government. The tide and reassure people that its actually responding to them listening to the well is that has the government expressed any ever cept of nist to a listening to some of their demands go one of the key points is that these protests came just three weeks off the budget was announced by the president had a couple of very own copy of the measures and like the fuel prices cutting subsidies but well. Weve already had a part of the saying that they now wont be increasing those fuel prices and were likely to see other parts of that budget repeat with as well as the government tried and the government has accepted more this to be done to help certainly poor people and to do more to tackle. Problems with the high cost of living in iran all right Eric Randolph reporting from tehran thank you are at it like to tell you now about some of the other stories making news around the world. A suicide bomber has killed at least eleven worshipers in a mosque in northeastern nigeria the bomber attacked a mosque in the town of gumbo there has not yet been a claim of responsibility for the attack. A canadian man who was held hostage by taliban linked militants for five years has been arrested in ottawa social boyle is facing fifteen charges including assault and making Death Threats the alleged offenses took place between october and december just after the thirty four year old his wife and three kids over skeered. Many businesses and schools in the indian Financial Hub of mumbai have been forced to close as protesters from a low Caste Community block traffic and staged sit ins for a second day daal its called a strike in protest against attacks by the right wing hindu groups in the city punic on monday. North korea has reopened suspended Communications Line with south korea in what may be a sign of thawing tensions north Korean Leader kim jong un ordered that the hot line at the countrys border be reconnected the two koreas have been making overtures to improving ties since the new year all thats when kim signaled that he wants to see north korean after north korean athletes cross the border join at next months Winter Olympics in the south. And with the worlds eyes on the Korean Peninsula in a months time when the Winter Olympics take place a lot is at stake on a small star is a professor from the school of east Asian Studies at Berlins Free University very good day thank you for spending time with us as with everything of course timing is key whats behind the surprise announcement first of all its not a surprise at all that korea comes to north korea comes out at this point in time because also the Foreign Policy of north korea needs a direct contact a direct dialogue with its outer world in order to implement to realize goals now interesting if you if you look from the north korean perspective their approach seems to be two pronged on the one hand theyre dialing up tensions with the u. S. And there seems to be a slight warming up of relations between john yang and seoul. Whats the tactic behind that are they trying to drive a wedge between those two allies. Here is the board understand that it was always it has always been the strategy of north korea to have this wedge between. The u. S. And south korea because there are conflicting interests here so thats nothing new but its of course a very important good positive step that north korea came out and proposed these this dialogue with with south korea and i think its a very Good Opportunity for deescalating the comfortable situation right now all right well on the opposite spectrum of course is that theyre rushing it up of tensions because this brings us to that provoke of Nuclear Button comment by u. S. President donald trump in a tweet aimed at the north Korean Leader he disparaged the size of that countrys Nuclear Arsenal it was in response to a speech from kim in which he warned the u. S. That the Nuclear Launch button was always within easy reach this is what he said mr trump said i too have a Nuclear Button but it is a much bigger and more powerful one than his and my button works. I mean i dont know how helpful it is to start pushing and southers a buttons its a tweet war for now on a serious note how how dangerous is it that this might actually get out of hand and somebody might actually pursue button at some point. Well i think first of all the common by donald trump was to be expected and that is his way of reacting to that kind of situation but after i would say its still its quite a positive or at least neutral reaction to to north korea and i hope its stays on that level but of course it is a very very dangerous situation but if we look carefully at the new years statement of the north Korean Leader he tries between the lines he tries to to make clear that everything is under control so there would wouldnt be a ok i would accept you ation where somebody by accident would push the button because he has it under his control i think he was very clear on that point so you think hes a much more rational leader than we give him credit for yes absolutely he has to be very rational because he has to deal he has to to work with very limited resources to to survive on the international. Diplomatic world honest a Muslim Professor from the school of Asian Studies at berlins for university thanks. And youre watching the news we still have a lot more to tell you about here is whats ahead the syrian boys waiting for their parents or join them in germany but how long will it take mom and dad to break out of their birth craddick a limbo in greece. But before we bring you that story first we had to iceland a global trailblazer when it comes to equity you will pay for men and women its a new low basically which ill come to in a moment just to paint the picture for you globally average annual pay for men is twenty one thousand dollars for women its just Twelve Thousand now closing that gap could add billions if not trillions to economies but in iceland that day has already come legislation now imposes fines on companies that fail to demonstrate the same pay for men and women. Until now women in iceland have earned an average nineteen percent less than their male colleagues but those days are over equal pay for equal work has just become a must there irrespective of gender ethnicity sexuality or nationality the new law will cover over one hundred fifty thousand workers. So far women have borne the cost of the gender pay gap and if that cost is too high and to reach our goal were all going to have to work hard now we have the perfect chance to do so. The new law affects one thousand two hundred companies in iceland which employ at least twenty five workers who now have to publish their wage scales there are courses to help them implement the new rules on Completion Companies get a certificate which has to be renewed every three years. This will affect employers first and foremost theyre offering the jobs and now its up to them to shoulder their responsibilities. And be part of this mission with us pack up the that so that. Its hope to close the countrys gender pay gap by twenty twenty two and the other countries have made similar moves for now iceland is the global pioneer. Investors assuming germanys largest Linda Deutsche bank for seven hundred forty million yours they say the bank under paid them for shares in its subsidiary postpunk to shareholders alleged to lend already controlled postpunk two years prior to fully taking over its business and investors want to be paid the value of the shares where the stock of postpunk stood at that time the suit involves just over thirty german and international investors. And lets check in with an at a vice news in frankfurt at the Stock Exchange day its also the city where Deutsche Bank is headquartered only seven hundred forty million doesnt sound like much first of all comparison to the huge fines the doj has had to face then and were really talking about a huge group of shareholders here are the go to get that money. Well there were different rulings on that case already one back in the middle of last year was actually saying yes those shareholders are right and thats why we have now a growing number of shareholders issuing those claims because what you have to know is that the deadline was and off last year you could tend in these kind of claims because thats like the legal battle to deal with that matter and thats why we see all these reports now coming out so this time it might be different because there was a hearing already at the court the Regional Court in cologne where this matter will be discussed and also decided and the leading judge was already pointing towards a more favorable hearing was out for the Bank Actually at that hearing early november so this time a bank may actually get away without paying all that money ok are we seeing that reflected in the share price by any chance i mean dont you bank hasnt participated in the huge equity rally that other German Companies have enjoyed. No we dont see that large bank shares today are losing once again and the shares are very sensitive to any bad news coming out of that legal corner because there is still so many legal issues the bank past was a hassle southall thats what john crime has inherited from the likes of ah come on and also saying so shares of sensitive to legal problems and if i spoke with you and i was from frankfurt thank you. Well the commemorative merchandise has already gone on sale but the Royal Wedding hasnt even happened yet britains prince harry will marry megan mochel on may nineteenth in Windsor Castle excitement growing especially among economists who reckon the event could add half a billion pounds to the economy. No one does royal pageantry better than the british and the wedding of prince harry and Meghan Markle will be the last top level royal nuptials for years to come millions of romantics around the world will be watching when the royal pair walks down the aisle at Windsor Castle on may nineteenth but lots of people will just want to be nearby even if they cant attend the ceremony based on the wedding of harrys brother william in two thousand and eleven the country can expect about three hundred fifty thousand Additional Visitors next may the heart and garter the hotel office of the historic castle isnt this a painting thrilling times and a ringing cash register. It means everything were all really excited by myself the style for. Local people of wins a really really excited so were looking forward to it its going to be a massive boost to the economy the town of windsor is no stranger to Royal Weddings its castle has been home to british kings and queens for almost a thousand years its long been a tourist attraction in any case with over seven million visitors a year Royal Wedding merchandise and paraphernalia is already on sale on the high street so whats the bottom line. The uplift to the Royal Wedding we estimate very conservatively at about five hundred Million Pounds we think approximately two hundred million will come from Tourism Travel hotels about one hundred fifty million will come from people spending money having parties and celebrate saying about one hundred million will be free advertising for the u. K. Around the world and the remaining fifty million will be people buying t. Shirts hats. Mugs and commemorative things to celebrate what will be a very popular wedding with gloomy forecast. Economy in the year ahead britain is eagerly anticipating a lift from the Royal Wedding however small and short lived. And u. S. Regulators have blocked chinese firm from purchasing american Money TransferCompany Money graham citing National Security concerns the move effectively ends the one point two billion dollar attempt by chinese and Payment Company and financial to acquire money graham the decision was made by a five person Panel Discussed with tasked with reviewing farm purchases of u. S. Businesses it reflects growing on the ease in the u. S. Over chinese acquisitions of tech firms and financial designed by jack ma the founder of the popular ecommerce site alibaba. Asia correspondent andrea hang on what those security concerns are all about. Well the big catch phrase of this big deal that went flat is Cyber Security ben the u. S. Is concerned about the safety of the data also its u. S. Citizens if china if china. And financial takes over this business further than that they have not specified what other concerns they have but this is quoting to report the Treasury Department is also a used to