Counting down well tell you how people here in berlin are planning to celebrate with a bang in just two hours time also coming up with. The iranian president Hassan Rouhani breaks his silence on the antigovernment protests sweeping cities across the country earlier the government blocked social media sites and threatened a crackdown will take a closer look at rouhani as an initial reaction. And welcome to the program the world is ringing in the new year and australians were among the first to celebrate with the annual fireworks display in sydney harbor now as the new year sweeps across the globe were seen as celebrations in the greek capital athens. And earlier people fear. Or that there would be little to celebrate as the city was jolted by an earthquake fortunately no damage was done and no one was hurt. Relief and celebrations in athens this hour and meanwhile the german capital berlin people are heading to the party of the year at the Brandenburg Gate and our very own rebecca riggers is there you know for work purposes rebecca the crowds are expected tonight and theyre expecting a massive show what can they expect. Absolutely i mean its one out of gun people that the money is really Getting Started down here the crowd is expected to be around one million tonight and with the weather holding out as big as good as it is i think we might have just made that im literally seeing a sea of people right from the Brandenburg Gate behind me all the way down two miles to kilometers sorry down the road to the victory monument wall to wall able theyre dancing this celebrating and really one hour to go they are really getting excited that Fireworks Show at twelve oclock two kilometers a party that a lot of people a million almost as you said and youve been making some new friends havent you. I certainly have their baby oprah bolts of mine here from all over the globe at saint could teach you a bus loads of people those i can think of indonesians that are here on holiday in joining in the festivities. Strange lands as well there are people from all over the place there are also a lot of germans and i was surprised actually i was expecting to meet so many german children i didnt thats not funny but i think its a bad thing that foreigners do when they come to belin i get to meet anybody from berlin yet i mean well i guess theyve all stayed home theres a lot of fireworks on the streets and maybe necessarily dont really come down there a great time but there are some safety concerns unfortunately those concerns with some incorrect reports about a special safety zone for women tell us about that. Thats right and there was some reporting in the local and International Press that that would be a segregated area for women some viewers may remember a couple of years ago two thousand and fifteen in cologne another german city there was seven. A lot of reports of Sexual Harassment and it was a big issue here and women safety is now its being taken even more seriously but those reports were actually wrong i went down to the what was supposed to be the womens area and its in fact just the red cross ted there are find some tents across the grounds here to nine hundred cars back as happy to welcome anybody whos not feeling safe secure who might be on well and thats general practice there is somewhat special importance put on womens safety but it definitely is no segregated areas as was officially reported. Rebecca ritters at Brandenburg Gate how fun and stay safe are back. Thanks betty. To iran now were antigovernment protesters have again gathered across the country defying a warning of a crackdown by authorities tens of thousands of iranians have been taking part in protests in cities across the country for over the last four days some demonstrations turned violent at least two protesters were shot dead in western iran more than two hundred were arrested and the government has restricted access to social media apps it alleged were inciting violence. And president Hassan Rouhani earlier broke his silence on the demonstrations he said there was space for criticism but the protest protestors rather must remain peaceful. One point must be made clear to everyone we are a free nation and according to the constitution of the rights of the people such as completely free to criticize or even to protest. However we should also be mindful that criticizing and protesting should be done constructively so that it will result in improvements for the country yes people have economic problems and social issues. Arose. Earlier we spoke to a. F. P. Correspondent Eric Randolph and tehran we asked him whether president rouhani will now try to close ranks with the hardliners in his regime some of whom who had welcomed the outbreak of these protests that it is something that you know thats how upset the hardliners. Is. To run it for a long time and. There are some groups that they hope to study this will prove as. Somewhat shocked by how quickly speculated it grew out of this is already the most brutal margaret hardline factions to go to sorry. To revolutionaries some of those have been so theyve got to stick to. Their on the jets more economic grievances everybody thoughts want to show they separate those people from people who are. Wired to sort of. Violence against the system itself. That was a. F. P. Correspondent Eric Randolph in tehran speaking to us earlier now to some of the other stories making news around the world a Deputy Sheriff in the u. S. State of colorado has been killed after he responded to a call about a domestic disturbance official say the gunman was shot and killed after he opened fire on a group of deputies and civilians injuring several people. Rights Group Says Police in democratic republic of congo have shot dead two protesters in the capital city of can just up this after Security Forces interrupted a catholic mass and arrested altar boys who are protesting against the countrys president elections to replace them have been delayed and are due next year. At least seventeen people have been killed and more than a dozen others wounded after a bomb attack in eastern afghanistan no group has claimed responsibility for the attack which caps a deadly year for civilians in the country a bloody end to a gruesome year in afghanistan. Charred remains are all thats left of this rickshaw it was packed with explosives and detonated during a funeral where people had gathered to mourn a former provincial governor. One the most all of those in the first two rows of the funeral were killed some of them lost body poles one of those with the blast. The wounded were rushed to hospital this attack caps one of the deadliest years for civilians in afghanistan since the us invasion in two thousand and one un data shows more than eight thousand were killed or injured by conflict related violence in the first nine months of two thousand and seventeen alone. The government has been struggling to cope with the taliban and the socalled Islamic State as the militant groups mount devastating attacks on ordinary people. Finland is known as one of the most progressive places in the world when it comes to technology now the country is building a smart district in its capital helsinki the government is using the district known as callous tama to try out some radical new ideas the hope is that it will serve as a prototype for cities of the future. Light switches are a thing of the past according to maria lumia when the designer comes home to a new apartment the lights are controlled by movement detectors or her smartphone the system is called home Remote Control maria is one of the first in tama the new smart district in helsinki to have it future living is one of the Largest Development projects in finland at least twenty five thousand people a jew to move into this former port area in just a few years time. Because the cause of most of this market collapse atomic is being built as the intelligent part of helsinki and it should be so smart that every resident will gain an extra hour each day through Smart SolutionsLike Intelligent Energy smart commuting sharing economies or just sticks always. The apartments are meant to be affordable it looks like a massive construction site but signs of the Intelligence System are already visible for instance an integrated underground waste system that will suck in and transport the waste off site or car sharing with electric vehicles the architect says Effective Energy solutions are key that was already in. The most important aspect is proximity to pass stations and their good Energy Services and we have a system that will improve small everyday things for instance the temporary rental of parking spots. By the neighborhood already has three hundred residents in theory theyve been involved in planning the buildings from the start including the seniors home these interactive screens have information about the week including the meal plan and the Weather Forecast for the new school has open plan areas for learning rather than small classrooms the project is due to be finished by twenty thirty five the architects believe its a role model for the future of other european cities. To sports now the second round of the tour to ski is one of the most prestigious crosscountry skiing events in the world and it took place on sunday in lanza haida switzerland in the womens ten kilometer classic norwegian flukes that bird posted the best time beating out her compatriot and saidee bronson of the United States and in the mens classic meanwhile the fifteen k. Polonius set the fastest time ahead of alexey pole to run in a kazakhstan and norwegian martin. After the Christmas Holidays and all that comes with it the feasting the drinking we often welcome the new year with resolutions for selfimprovement and physical fitness usually tops the list in Los Angeles Bollywood dance classes are one novel way to get leaner and fitter after the holiday season. Hollywood turns to bollywood for physical inspiration bollywood dance has become the latest fitness craze to hit l. A. Beauty consultant shalini vote here a describe the attraction. During indias got a dance called hunger which is really all the rage right now and youre seeing it everywhere and its probably the most you can do the head of one Dance Company offering bollywood classes explain whats involved. In a lot of drama and sweat and do a lot of bouncing around and jumping and turning into whirling and twisting and singing along with the music just what the doctor ordered. German chancellor Angela Merkel has used her new years address to urge the country to pull together she says she was aware of fears that a rift was opening up in German Society and that people were becoming divided over a range of issues she also outlined the key challenges facing the country next year. It was a difficult Political Year for chancellor Angela Merkel at the very beginning of her speech she addressed the social atmosphere in germany and the tensions all filed i think as i know from many conversations and encounters this yet that a lot of you are concerned about the cohesion of germany it has been a long time since the differences of opinion about this have been so stark some have even spoken of a rift running through our society like. Merkel mentioned the worries over whether the government would be able to organize and direct immigration into germany but she also spoke of the fears and doubts of People Living in the countryside who feel left behind those are her obligations as for Foreign Policy she look to europe and says she is expecting decisive years ahead for the European Union and its plans in all of this germanys future is inseparable from the future of europe the twenty seven countries of europe must be motivated most strongly than ever to hold together as a community and this will be the crucial issue of the coming is and this will be a matter of whether we europeans represent our values in a global and Digital World assertively and in a spirit of solidarity both internally and externally. But european policymakers are also waiting for germany to form a new federal government for chancellor that will be the most pressing task in the coming months. Thank you for joining us here i. Will leave you now with some images a spectacular new years fireworks from dubai japan and south korea as those countries ring in two thousand and eighteen enjoy and happy new year. What does a football loving country to reach its goals. Well tell you how german soccer made it back to the top. In our webspace on