Canberra sydney starts off the new year with a bang a dazzling fireworks display lit up the skyline around the citys iconic harbor this years celebrations have a rainbow theme to celebrate the introduction of same sex marriage to australia in december. And the countdown to midnight is underway here in germany and here in berlin tight security measures are being put in place at the Brandenburg Gate where the main festivities will be taking place the mass Sexual Assault that took place in cologne on new years eve two years ago do still hang over the celebrations the finishing touches on preparations for new years eve in berlin and the Brandenburg Gate is getting ready to host hundreds of thousands of people a Massive Party and an even bigger security concern. Course there will be police at the event especially outside as well as five hundred security personnel. We have strict admission policies will be checking all visitors and their bags and no fireworks glass bottles large bags or suit
Written off with a bang also tell you how people here in berlin are planning to celebrate also coming up. The iranian government restricts access to social media and threatens to crackdown on antigovernment protesters as it tries to contain the biggest challenge to its authority since two thousand and nine. I met armin welcome to the program the world is ringing in the new year australians were among the first to celebrate with their annual fireworks spectacular in sydney harbor now as the new year sweeps across east asia were seeing new celebrations in the indonesian capital jakarta has been celebrations in other major cities of course Hong Kong Beijing tokyo seoul and pyongyang in north korea. Well be following the arrival of the new year as he crosses the globe here on w. But there still are a few hours to go before midnight here revelers are streaming toward the side of the citys Biggest Party at the Brandenburg Gate as always security is tight both here and another german cities i
Also coming up. The iranian president Hassan Rouhani makes his first comments on the antigovernment protests sweeping cities across the country earlier the government. And threatened a crackdown will take a closer look at rouhani initial reaction and. In her new years address german chancellor Angela Merkel tells the nation of the world will not wait for germany. In full. And welcome to the program the world is ringing in the new year as it sweeps across the globe and every big city is vying to put on the largest fireworks display australians were among the first to celebrate with the annual spectacular in sydney harbor there was a rainbow theme this year to mark the legalization of same sex marriage not to be outdone hong kongs display had shooting stars flying off the skies along more than a kilometer of waterfront of victoria harbor Even North Korea got in on the at. With the display in the capital pyongyang will be following the new year as across the globe here on the w. B. Would.
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 rigge
A crackdown president Hassan Rouhani appeals for calm but warns theyll be no tolerance for what he calls on rights but with protests showing no signs of stopping hes on the group public cuts access to social media and arrests more than two hundred people. Im having a home for a good to have you with us heres revelers around the globe have been treated to spectacular displays of pyrotechnics as the world welcomed the new year the new year is one hour old in new york where revelers on times square braved frigid temperatures to celebrate twenty eighteen minus twelve degrees celsius it was the second cold this new years eve on record. The range in this were tight as people assembled at times square and as iconic the news around the world will begin to report at the Brandenburg Gate who invited. The. Germans might have a reputation for being reserved but not at new year the country goes firework crazy nowhere more so than the capital their lead and. Despite the excitement the thousands that