Go live to sydney for the very latest. And tens of thousands of antigovernment demonstrators take to the streets of hong kong for a peaceful new years day march that just hours after violent clashes on new years eve. Im brian thomas great to have you with us for the start of the new year where people around the world have been ringing in the new year and the new decade here in berlin thousands gathering down at the Brandenburg Gate and in new york the crowds in times square saying hello to 2020 and one of the worlds favorite new years spectacles. And new year in new york. Crowds gathered in times square to ring in 2020. In berlin thousands welcomed the new decade at the iconic Brandenburg Gate with Fireworks Company by beethovens 9th symphony. 12 hours earlier auckland new zealand was the 1st major city to see in the new year with pyrotechnics erupting from the citys sky tower and over the water. In australia the fireworks from sydneys harbor bridge went ahead despite calls for the show to be cancelled because of the devastating bushfires the country is experiencing. In hong kong the traditional fireworks display was replaced with a toned down light show this year with authorities citing security concerns following months the prodemocracy protests. To the north koreans were treated to a televised spectacle from the capital pyongyang thousands of people had gathered in Kim Il Sung Square to usher in the new year. In dubai the worlds tallest building the burj khalifa was the center of a display featuring fountains projections and fireworks from the 800 meter tower. Londons big ben rang in the new year in the british capital. The familiar chimes were accompanied by and the labrat pyrotechnic display from the london eye lighting up the river thames and the thousands of revelers celebrating the arrival of 2020. Well the new year arrived on a somber note in australia where a further 7 people have been confirmed dead over the past 2 days authorities are now delivering food and water to the thousands of people taking refuge on beaches outside. And the danger is far from over. Fueled by searing temperatures and fast moving winds more than 200 fires continue to consume a strain southeastern states of New South Wales and victoria. A fire full stays rescue volunteers to take shelter and that truck as flames surrounded them. The crew made it out safely we also have a very real challenge at the moment with a couple of also lighter communities where weve got reports of of injuries and burn injuries to members of the public we havent been out to get access of our roads all of our aircraft its been socked in altered our interests and we simply cant access nor can the people in these areas get off. In some places the blazes assume intense that the thick smoke 10 day tonight. The fires are causing dry lightning storms that themselves are starting new fires. Is pretty scary that wall of fire that we saw earlier i dont know whether wed be any use trying to save the house and youre always worried that its more important save your family than that for property itself. Some people have returned home have found theres not much left. First so you know its. Gone this is the other year that i was im on the roof now trying to stop it. A stray has been battling huge bushfires for several months mostly on its east coast but every state has battled blazes that have raised more than 40000 square kilometers of land stranding people and displacing wildlife. So is help getting through under these conditions also straight to journalist Roger Maynard in sydney roger a very difficult start of the new year for so many people in australia today like the thousands outside molecule who are taking refuge right now on the beaches are they getting any help. Well School Murder now by me is difficult getting supplies in there are helicopters coming legs and saws but theres a limited amount of Food Supplies they can carry with them there was one of our police boat about it out of nowhere today with a ton of Water Bottles so that helped to ease the situation but its very very difficult the people in millet could hurt and also further north the new south worse of course which has borne the brunt of many of these bushfires over the past 24 hours a lot of people still trapped in local council who was in surf clubs and on the beach anywhere where they can find a bit of rest bite a place to put their head down some of trying to get out there are suggestions or today that one or 2 roads are being open for a couple of hours so that people might be able to make an attempt to getting home but thats even more difficult because the fuel supplies are running very low as world and so even if youve got in even if you can get out of town of the chances are you might run a pecial in the process so its a very very difficult situation combined with that weve got reports of kerry buying in shops he would try and stock up with a limited amount of Food Supplies and water and other things have gone downhill very very quickly over the past 24 hours and as youve probably seen on your own televisions you know weve had scenes which only are ok lip tick. From the towns on the south coast and right hand it doesnt really look any better that is really the appropriate description apocalyptic right now some of these images were looking at him and this is just the start of the fire season in australia is there any idea how long this can continue what areas might be next. The rumor is all the suggestion is that were going to have a repeat performance a war happened yesterday this weekend if thats the case then no one really knows whats going to happen and but the new far as likely to central another south because the area of the wells and you know it could spread anywhere to be on this fire conditions are going to be going to her endless apparently he willing to sit return winds will accompany a gun and. It will be very easy for the situation to get out of control the perimeter world said today the conditions on saturday will be equally as bad as they were yesterday sir thats a very very frightening warning to people in australia and of course weve still got another couple months of summer to get very into the 2nd month that some doesnt finish until the end of march of very difficult start to 2024 australia especially New South Wales and victoria Roger Maynard in sydney thanks very much. Lets get you briefed now on some of the other stories making news at this hour for a 2nd day forces guarding the u. S. Embassy in baghdad have fired tear gas to Disperse Protesters angered by u. S. Airstrikes in iraq washington has deployed more soldiers to guard the compound after dozens of iraqi shia militia men breached that complex on tuesday President Trump is accusing iran of orchestrating the unrest. North Korean Leader kim jong un says the world will soon see what he calls a new strategic weapon he said his country is no longer bound by a moratorium on nuclear and missile testing but he left the door open to further talks with the u. S. Franciss call for more dialogue and reconciliation in his new years day sermon as part of the vaticans world day of peace the Roman Catholic pontiff also spoke of the importance of respecting women and the need to protect the environment. One of the biggest news stories of 2019 was the prodemocracy protests movement. And theres no sign of an end to the demonstrations going into the new year stuff also broken out between riot police and protesters at a new years antigovernment march tens of thousands of demonstrators have taken to the citys streets or it started as a peaceful rally on this new years day follows violent clashes overnight between protesters and riot police on new years eve. Heres more from our correspondent is building a whos following the protests in hong kong. 2020 starts like 2019 ended another high turnout at todays march here in hong kong that shows that to many people here none of the issues that dominated this 2019 this year of protests have been resolved so people turned out to set the tone for 2020 they expect their demands to be met the government has announced it is not going to meet and the more demands it has withdrawn the original bill that was at the beginning of these protests but how sad it is not going to compromise any further. That is spilling into there what we have some sports now on eliot to stun the world and 29000. 00 by running the 1st marathon distance under 2 hours since performances focused attention though on a new running shoe that he used thats now under investigation by thought of stories w. Talked to some experts and gave the shoe iran. The secret to the success of the shoe nike markets is vapor fly lies in the soul the technology appears to help when as breakthrough previously insurmountable batteries. Charge a wall them in october when he made Marathon History that he is the man to run under 2 hours now that inspire him at many people to tell people no human is limited in the same type of shoe and a day later cost guy broke the womens world record jeffrey come wore a previously run a worlds best in the Half Marathon critics say the high tech shoes make too much of a difference for all 3 the governing body of world athletics has launched an investigation its not Rocket Science but the you notice that. This endeavor. Isnt a morsel but the person although this is a human being that sounds beyond gustafson sees it differently the sports scientist an expert in motion analysis has been testing Running Shoes for 20 years the nike vapor fly he says is again stranger. But it was. Above all the difference is this carbon plate which runs through the saw here to take the roll back more from the point of the big told joint under the front toe area. And then again a distance of 2 centimeters. Smites indeed need. That means a shoe helps lengthen every stride but the length of the big toe there minute stuff one also so if you assume that could choke it takes 21000 steps with this effect he gains 420 meters and distance stands does the vapor fly work for every runner d. W. Reporter peter viles is an active marathon runner and attempted a 20 kilometer test but he weighs 25 kill. Grams more than keep an says hes running technique is different to professionals on the test run his feet in tendon started to hurt early on after 10 kilometers he had to give up because he cant even drive here from can i can see doing 345 kilometer runs with the shoes but i recommend that amateurs who want to do a marathon train sufficiently and explicitly train with the shooter prepare. Because the sure fex the legs calf muscles very differently. Or. If you want to keep up even as an amateur you may need to really learn how to wrong nikes competitors are announcing models similar to the vapor fly the big money of letting a powerful firms are betting that the rule makers of track and field will side with them and allow the new shoot technology. Lets get your modern out of our top stories this hour here in berlin people have been welcoming the new year and new york marked the beginning of it with the traditional ball drop in times square other parts of the world are still counting. Up next markets as something to celebrate in the new year a new trade deal between the u. S. And china market just as that story thats it though for me for today brian thomas i hope you have a great new years day. 50 years of religions for peace people from many Different Things for working together toward a common goal the peaceful religion