first, i will describe how our results (joint with greither) on the brumer-stark conjecture lead to a new construction of hecke characters for cm number fields, generalizing a. weil's jacobi sum hecke characters. second, i will show how the values of these characters can be used to construct special elements in the even k-groups of cm and totally real number fields. several applications ensue: a general construction of euler systems in the odd k-theory of cm and totally real number fields; a k-theoretic reformulation (and potential proof strategy) of a classical and wide open conjecture of iwasawa on class groups of cyclotomic fields; potential new insights into hilbert's 12th problem for cm number fields etc. time permitting, i will touch upon some of these applications as well. this is based on joint work with g. banaszak (poland).