And what is it about new years day that makes people want to jump into really cold water well take a look at that and some of the other things people get up to around the world on the first of january. Its been a Long Time Coming but today america is most populous state california legalized cannabis for Recreational Use will this be a new high or a new low opinions could not be more divided. Than its good to have you with us iran has seen its worst night of violence since protests erupted last thursday Iranian State television says ten people were killed overnight that brings the total death toll to twelve hundreds of people have been arrested and its the biggest show of dissent since antigovernment protests in two thousand and nine iranian authorities are calling for calm theyre also warning of a crackdown. Protesters have been on the streets in various parts of the country since thursday they first protested about the countrys dire Economic Situation but are also now complaining about human rights abuses on at least a dozen have died and theres extensive damage on monday Iranian State t. V. Showed president Hassan Rouhani meeting with members of parliament to discuss the situation rowhani claim that protests are happening because irans enemies are angry due to the countrys accomplishments and are therefore provoking protesters state t. V. Provided interviews with iranians who dont agree with the demonstrations because on one of my fic these protests should carry the message of unity for ourselves the protests should be held peacefully not violently as advice our well being and safety dont reach it is that there are so many people who intend to exploit the situation and take advantage of the violence they destroy our society by their deeds and im going to win a fight over. A progovernment rally took place in the Northern City of rushed where protesters voiced their support for the government theyve asked for a peaceful solution to the countrys problems. So far though antigovernment protests continue Iranian State television has shown scenes of vandalism allegedly connected to some of the antigovernment demonstrators and shows damage done to a. T. M. s buildings and other property state t. V. Has claimed that some protesters also tried to take over police stations and military bases analysts say one problem with the antigovernment demonstrations is that there is no clear leader who can enter into dialogue with the government the question is now whether the government might consider using force to bring back calm to the streets. But for more were joined by a. F. P. Correspondent Eric Randolph intent on eric nice to have you with us as weve mentioned there have been deaths in the latest protests is this a sign of the government is beginning to crackdown on demonstrators. Well theres a very out there tonight fresh protests out broken out and tear up downtown with fight restricted and. Very happy of these present style so while the government is trying to tell you to read it the soft approach to this is not to directly confront protesters but there are certain more arrests but the fact that were getting reports of deaths and some small childs suggests that there is something of a crowd out yes ok and president rouhani says that foreign enemies have been provoking these protests what does he mean. By that stuff and it becomes a law i probably go although there are legitimate economic reasons driving these protests being exploited by foreign opposition groups by irans enemies in the United States particularly to destabilize the regime and its going to be the government uses in order to justify the commas in the coming days. There are signs the presses u. S. President is going to be sued you said listen richard so there is some some claim. Ok and we mentioned that these are the largest protests since two thousand and nine those protests had a clear leadership and demands potentially but this time its different where could these protests go from here. Yes the big question in two thousand there was against. The election of the legend of the wrecked so the loss of the action when the two leaders of the protest are right around that that isnt that clear Leadership Structure or not these protests came out of a very broad range of the economic grievances and they spread very rapidly some of it so there is an overused way in which these protests can move forward to the next stage if there is one another one is also obviously waiting for the revolutionary guards awaiting the winds to crack should these things get out as they did quite ruthless to two thousand. Eric randolph in tehran thank you. North Korean Leader kim jong un says his countrys Nuclear Program is now fully developed and that pyongyang will soon begin mass producing Nuclear Warheads and missiles the comments came in his annual new years address but kim struck a more conciliatory tone toward seoul saying he was open to talks on sending a delegation to this years Winter Olympics in south korea. Laois to north koreas past leaders kim il sung and kim jong il a gesture of reverence repeated on every holiday in the capital pyongyang those who turn out can also pay homage to their current president kim joe moon during his new years address. His speech included a range of threats against the u. S. But also unexpectedly an offer of dialogue with neighboring south korea. You will the Winter Olympics to be held in south korea will be a good occasion for the country and we sincerely hope the day will be a success is were prepared to take various steps including sending a delegation officials from the two koreas may meet to discuss the possibility. Kim said that now was a good time to demonstrate the status of the Korean People in seoul the government responded positively. South koreas president ial office has always stated our willingness to talk with north korea anytime and anywhere if that would help restore into korean relations and lead to peace on the korean peninsula. But that is still a distant goal north koreas leader peppered his speech with threats against the u. S. State t. V. Superimposed pictures over parts of his speech kim said the United States will never be able to start war against me or al country but. The entire u. S. Sees within range of our Nuclear Weapons and a nuclear botton is always on my days. North koreas Ballistic Missile tests have been a source of concern for the u. S. And the rest of the International Community about the prospects of north Korea Joining in the upcoming Winter Olympics does offer some hope for people on both sides of the korean peninsula. Lets go now to aden Foster Carter hes an Honorary Senior Research fellow in modern korea at Leeds University he joins us now from exit or aden happy new year to you but the question now is it a new kim jong un in his speech sounded like a stick for dollar trump but a carrot for south korea what he make of these statements. Yes indeed im kind of wondering what took him several all needless to say this is not to know an outbreak of peace for its own sake cora a change of heart by kim jong un and he made very clear as you pointed out that the so the u. S. It still very it is very much the stick but of course its very helpful to north korea to divide to try to divide the u. S. For its south korea ally his late father kim jong il was very good at that during the sunshine era when south korea wanted to make nice for the north sadly on condition issue a bracketing off the Nuclear Issue which began the mitchell at the end of that period obviously but washington even under different props will reasonable governments will but it will governments werent too happy about that so im kind of wondering why for the last six months from south korea has again had a left of Center Government that is very keen to revive the sunshine policy kim jong un has has ignored them until now complete complete change of tone from him very inching to see what happens next a complete change from him towards his neighbor but it seems that twenty seventeen and the way that hes been speaking about donald trump has not changed are there any indications that this could change in twenty eight team. Well im even the little optimistic on that score which maybe just because im a hopeless of a liberal thats come out right at the ferry in fact he said not for the fest time in this new us address that they had the great triumph the north korea of the last year just finished was that the state Nuclear Force was completed if he means that it could mean one hopes it means that there wont be such a great volume of tests be they nuclear over the state missile history so in twenty seventeen in which to such a crisis and in that sense i mean it puts the ball in a sense very much in Americas Court as to what to do but its just possible that inside the tensions i think may ease a little in the new year or maybe im just too full of the Christmas Spirit to have him also made some reference to domestic matters like the economy briefly if you can how is this country coping with the International Sanctions that were further tightened in december. You would think on the surface it was coping quite well youre quite right to point out that was the actually the day weve picked out media comment of course is picked out the stuff about south korea about america but there was a lot of boilerplate about the economy and you know im actually coming up to fifty years as a north korea around the list which is that of a triumphal sort of stock you know could have had a another life but the time he uses about selfreliant development and thats a quality stiegel i mean could be his father could have been his grandfather north koreas economy will never thrive this way but that said i mean hes managing produce missiles which was up so somehow hes surviving sanctions aiden Foster Carter thank you very much thank you and now to some of the other stories making news around the world eight people have died after a three boat capsized off in the just part of Borneo Island fifty one people were on board the vessel when it overturned and sank points are investigating the cause of the accident which was not immediately clear. Israeli authorities have filed Assault Charges against of palestinian teenager who was arrested after a video of her attacking an israeli soldier went viral sixteen year old i had to mimi has been in custody since the incident in mid december her mother and cousin also face charges. Theyre watching the news still to come. But it is serious and i think with spanish youre going to know a lot of people a lot of different demographics in the long run. Today california legalized Recreational Cannabis will it be a new high or a new low in efforts to end drug abuse. A new year a new way of life for those living in the gulf then but not necessarily for the better yes the gulf is long prided itself on its tax free cradle to grave welfare system but it cant afford it anymore low oil prices have bloomed budget deficits in twenty eighteen should in the regions first value added tax in the u. A. E. And in saudi arabia a big change for two super rich countries where the mole is king but the saudis are creating even more new each year for motorists with an unannounced rise in petrol prices. One last fill up before gas prices go up now even saudi drivers are concerned about prices gasoline is rising in cost from twenty cents a liter to forty five cents most drivers arent happy. With the increase will affect people whose lives depend on using a car most of the time i work in a medical Equipment Company and on a normal day i drive between three hundred and four hundred kilometers so itll affect me strongly peoples point of view its not you can see them the person ok people ignored we do accept the news but youre just too cheap cheaper than the other going too. Low or Oil Prices Mean saudi arabia is scrambling for more income the price of a barrel stabilized last year around sixty dollars yet the International Monetary fund calculates that saudi arabia needs an oil price of at least seventy dollars a barrel to balance its budget. Higher prices for fuel are a clear sign that the government is. Serious another sign the government also has introduced a sales tax for the first time in the history of the country a five percent value added tax is now charge for food and drink textiles and in the real estate and hospitality sectors. Saudis have grown used to not paying taxes for anything though including income tax so the authorities are implementing them gradually to ease the pain from the. British businessman Richard Cousins has died in a sea plane crash in australia along with four members of his family cousins was the c. E. O. Of britains Compass Group the Worlds LargestFood Service Company as the plane plunged into the hole three riven a sydney during a sightseeing Flight Police said it would be days before the break and has recovered cousins was highly respected in the london Financial Community as a turnaround expert and exceptional chief executive he took over compass in two thousand and six and help the company recover from a Corruption Scandal compass as shares rose almost seven hundred percent during his tenure. Falling oil prices political unrest and corruption have decimated venice way theres a commie there a chronic shortages of food and medicine inflation is set to hit two thousand three hundred percent this year the president s throwing a bone to the working poor by hiking the minimum wage. Possible president Nicolas Maduro made the announcement on new years eve on the issue is im announcing an increase of forty percent of the National Minimum wage and of all salary scales nationwide of teachers military Police DoctorsPublic Workers a lot of police. That still only brings the full time minimum wage to just under eight hundred thousand baht of r. s a month or the princely sum of seven dollars on the black market that would only pay for about two kilos of pork a venezuelan stable when its available the wage hike comes after the government failed to deliver on a promise of lowering port prices for traditional christmas meals. More durable blamed portugal for failing to deliver pork imports. Last week hundreds of people took to the streets in the poorer parts of the capital caracas to protest the food shortage millions of venezuelans are unable to afford three meals a day. I dont think yet the name where hungry now the people are hungry there is a famine the government says the local Food Supply Committee should hand out food every fifteen days but it doesnt arrive you say you know you know what you dont want the meat. Economists say the wage increase will only fuel the rampant hyperinflation opposition politician same with duros refusal to overhaul venezuelas failed socialist economic model and stop excessive money printing will create more misery in the year ahead. Of time to get away from it all and a popular way for many europeans to spend their holidays no not topping up a tad in far flung corners of the world the fun north of the continent is attracting more tourists than ever and its mostly thanks to its spectacular natural phenomena. This is the spectacular result of electrically charged particles colliding with atoms in the upper atmosphere the Northern Lights visible only in the nighttime skies above the Arctic Circle this couple from germany spared no expense to come here to the extreme north of norway from us more adventure here and its Something Special when we told our friends and family that we go to try. For four week and they were they become very jealous with the sun barely climbing above the horizon in the deep midwinter days are largely closed to darkness so the norwegians of come up with some rather special attractions for tourists the hotel brought out a voice for example king crab safaris on Close Encounters with killer whales in recent years no one has Tourism Sector has gone from also run to Leading Light was on its winter season we have the highest growth percentage wise in only twenty eight percent and this makes me very happy and visitors to this secluded but increasingly popular corner of the world are also getting a buzz especially from those awesome night skies. California has become the largest u. S. State to legalize the Recreational Use of marijuana customers lined up to be the first to take advantage of the change in the law which allows adults