this is bbc news, i'm lukwesa burak. the headlines at 5. the home secretary has chaired a meeting with the border force and other agencies as he attempts to deal with the rising number of migrants trying to cross the channel. twelve people, including a child, are being questioned by immigration officials after being found by border officials on the kent coast this morning. thirty nine people are arrested on suspicion of attempted murder following a stabbing in west london. the ‘70s pop starjimmy osmond recovers from a stroke which he had while performing in a pantomime in birmingham last thursday. huge crowds gather around sydney harbour to see in the new year with a spectacular display of fireworks. this is the scene live in bangkok, as the thai capital welcomes in the new year. that is the scene live in bangkok, the thai capital, the new year's

celebrations for the country and the city, fireworks lighting the sky. we will be watching many of the cities gci’oss will be watching many of the cities across the world as they welcome in the new year, 2019. that is bangkok. beautiful night sky there. twleve people, including a 10—year—old child, are the latest migrants to have been picked up in kent after crossing the channel. the nine men, two women and the child, who say they are from iran, arrived at the town of greatstone in a small vessel early this morning. the home secretary, sajid javid, has been meeting senior officials from the border force and the national crime agency to discuss the issue. this report from simonjones contains flash photography. back on the beach, the police and border force called this morning after another group of migrants arrived on the kent coast, just as the home secretary returns to the country amid a barrage of criticism that the home office has failed to get a grip on the situation.

sajid javid said he's deeply concerned about the number crossing the channel by small boat. more than 200 people have arrived in the past two months. he's been meeting officials from the home office and border force, but he's warning there are no easy answers. he's pledged to increasejoint patrols with the french. writing in the telegraph, he said the reason behind the increased crossings were complicated and often outside our control. he said the problem was being fuelled by instability in the middle east. conditions in the channel remain very calm. there's very little wind. it's mild for the end of december. so it seems inevitable, in the coming days, there will be more attempts to get across the channel in small boats. but there's also a growing clamour for something to be done to stop it. the mp for dover wants the home secretary to come to the town, to see for himself what they're facing. i hope sajid javid will come and visit dover and see how things are here at the dover front line, look to creating a modern dover patrol force with the french to make sure that any craft found in the channel — whichever side of the line they are — are helped back safely and soundly to the french coast. one group which supports

migrants in kent says they shouldn't be demonised. and we have to hold onto the fact that people, however desperate they are, are our brothers and sisters in humanity. and that's what we need to keep reminding people about. and they're refugees, unless proved otherwise. but while the number arriving continues to grow, so does the pressure on the home secretary. simonjones, bbc news, dover. let's speak to simon in dover now. update us on the atmosphere there. 239 migrants have arrived in kent in small boats over the last couple of months, people are very concerned about the numbers, the latest to arrive, a boat load of 12 people this morning, nine men, two women and a ten—year—old child on board.

there is pressure, here particularly, for the home secretary to get a grip, as people say, on this situation, the local mp, particularly, says there is an easy fix for this. sajid javid insists there is no quick solutions by charlie elphicke, mp for dover, says what is needed is the return of more cutter boats, specialist border force boats able to deal with several migrant boats in one go, because of the size of them. at the moment, there isjust one of because of the size of them. at the moment, there is just one of them operating out in the channel, the dover mp says he wants two returned from the mediterranean because he feels what should happen is anyone found at sea in those small boats should be taken back to france. that is not the way it works internationally: if a boat is found in british waters, the people found on board must be taken to britain, likewise, if people setting out to france are apprehended by the french

authorities, in french waters, they are taken back to france. to put this into context, the greek government have published figures that show that over the last week alone, almost 500 people have arrived by small boat on the greek islands. we will leave it there, thank you very much. thirty nine people have been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after an argument in a shop in west london led to a man being chased and stabbed. the victim — who's in his 30s — was found with life—threatening injuries in the early hours of this morning. our correspondent, keith doyle, has more details from the scene in hammersmith. it started off as a minor argument and ended with a man being stabbed. the man was found on this w. london st following an argument in a west london shop, his injuries are said to be life threatening. the suspects

then went into a party at a nearby flat, this video shows the police arriving at the property. this video shows the police arriving at the property. the police said because those at the party would not co—operate, they decided to arrest them all. here, each person is lined up and arrested. all were taken into custody. some were led away in handcuffs. about 50 police officers marched down the road, went into the house next door and brought out 30, a0 people, had them all lined up against the southern belle, were interrogating them, and then they got arrested and taken away about four o'clock. the police admit making so many arrests at this early stage of an investigation is unusual, but they said because of a lack of cooperation and the necessity to secure essential evidence, it was appropriate to bring so many people into custody at this stage. two knives were recovered close to the scene. those arrested are being questioned at a number of police stations in london. final preparations are being

made for new year's eve celebrations in central london, including for the sold—out fireworks display. about 70,000 fireworks will go off during the show, which will last just over 10 minutes. our correspondent chi chi izundu is in central london. 100,000 tickets have been sold for tonight's event, eight tonnes of fireworks expected to go off from 348 different firing locations as well as barges and pontoons and the london eye, and we arejoined by well as barges and pontoons and the london eye, and we are joined by the london eye, and we are joined by the london mayor, sadik khan. how are you looking forward to the celebrations? very excited, it is quiet now but in three or four hours' time, there will be loads of people, more than 100,000, on both sides of the thames, one of the highlights of the thames, bring in the new year, at this show we thought we would celebrate the amazing contribution made to the city by londoners who are eu

citizens, and most of the artists tonight that we will have the soundtrack from will be european artists and i am excited. the thing you have decided is london is open, why is it important to have that? when i speak with business people, those from other parts of the world, it isa those from other parts of the world, it is a concern that if we leave the european union we will stop being open—minded, outward —looking, pluralistic, the message needs to be heard loud and clear, london is open, to talent, to business people, to students, in some languages, during the course of the fireworks, we will say those three important words, in seven languages, london is open. eight tonnes, 3000 staff, 348 firing locations, no cheaperfare, is this quite an impact on the financial economy? we are the only global city in europe, we have got to be confident about who we are, and using these fireworks as a way

of promoting the city around the world. people have seen the sydney fireworks, forget new york, forget hong kong, pah! this is about being proud of who we are, and proud of being european. more than 12 million people watching on the bbc, in london, hundreds of thousands, around the world, people watching the city, we should be confident of who we are. security will be an issue, 100,000 people packed into quite a small space, how have you made sure that people will be safe? let me thank the met police, transport for london, emergency services, working hard to make sure these fireworks are safe and successful, some of the things we are doing the public will not see, cove rt are doing the public will not see, covert operations, plainclothes police, some of the things they will see. please do not come here with a backpack, a suitcase, you will not be allowed in. we will make it as quick as possible for people to come in. armed officers present, some in uniform, the important thing is to have a safe fireworks and for it to

bea have a safe fireworks and for it to be a great night. 2019, new year, we have been asking about new year's resolutions, what is one of yours?|j failed resolutions, what is one of yours?” failed miserably with my resolution la st failed miserably with my resolution last year, more exercise and less coffee, i have been. make the same resolution this year, this time, our dog is more than one years old, she can run, perhaps i will be running with the dog to get some exercise. revellers are expected to cue from around 8pm, this evening, 100,000 people, tickets, rather, have been sold, in this area, eight tonnes of fireworks expected to take off, for just over ten minutes' time. the ‘70s pop starjimmy 0smond has had a stroke while performing in pantomime at the birmingham hippodrome. he was taken to hospital after last thursday's

performance of peter pan where he was playing captain hook. earlier our arts and entertainment correspondent colin paterson explained jimmy 0smond has performed in a panto a number of times over the years. this year he was hook in peter pan at the birmingham hippodrome, started the week before christmas, two days after christmas, he was onstage, it was not feeling well, finished his performance, afterwards, he went to hospital, driven to hospital in birmingham where he found out he had had a stroke. the information we have been given at this time is that he will rest earlier in the new year, we don't have any more updates on his condition. jimmy osmond, well known, well loved, by his fans as well, give us a background. part of the 0smond family, he was the youngest person ever to have a number one single in the uk, christmas number one, 1972, long haired loverfrom liverpool, in fact, one, 1972, long haired loverfrom liverpool, infact, in one, 1972, long haired loverfrom liverpool, in fact, in this production of peter pan, he was taking the songs of the 0smonds and adapting them to be peter pan

friendly, so it was the long—haired lover from neverland that he was singing in this production, you get the idea. and also, he was singing songs for the big climax of the show. he is a mainstay of entertainment in the uk, he has done seven different pantomimes here, already booked to do many shows next summer, playing butlins in bognor in february. competed on masterchef in 2016, he came runner in masterchef, very familiarface 2016, he came runner in masterchef, very familiar face to many in britain and this will be quite shocking news, especially to the family, entertained by him over the last week in birmingham. what we have been told, going head at the moment, with his understudy taking on the role, darren day had finished playing hook in northampton, so he has hotfooted it across the country to birmingham, rehearsing for the role, and will take it over from jimmy 0smond by the end of the week. the important thing is that we

believe that he is recovering from this stroke. the russian president vladimir putin has been at the site of a devastating gas explosion rescuers are searching for survivors after the blast in a block of flats which has killed at least four people. seven children are among around 50 feared to be buried under the rubble. more than 100 residents lived in the building and officials are warning that two more sections of the high—rise building are in danger of collapsing. residents have been recalling their experences of the blast thought to have been caused by a gas leak. translation: everything collapsed, smoke was rising, we were told to leave. translation: i was asleep, smoke was rising, we were told to leave. translation: iwas asleep, i woke up, wall was missing, the building was falling down, i woke up in the street, my mother screaming and my son crying in the corner. the latest concerning the meeting that

sajid javid, home secretary, has been holding to address the concern over the number of illegal migrants crossing the channel into the uk, he has been meeting with false and national crime agency officials, we are hearing from pa, that two border false cutters are to be redeployed from overseas, to patrol the english channel in response to what is being called the migrant crisis. that comes from the home secretary, sajid javid, his latest announcement, we will be getting more from him, this isa will be getting more from him, this is a meeting that was some five hours long, between him and a number of other government officials, more to come right here on bbc news. the headlines on bbc news: the home secretary has chaired a meeting with the border force and other agencies, as he attempts to deal with the rising number of migrants trying to cross the channel. two border force cutters are to be

redeployed to the channel. twelve people, including a child, are questioned by immigration officials after being found by border force staff on the kent coast this morning. thirty nine 39 people are arrested on suspicion of attempted murder following a stabbing in west london. not much sport in britain today but in australia, jos buttler and joe root did not have much to celebrate, defeat in the big bash, there sydney funder side lost. —— there is sydney thunder side lost. buttler was out for just 23, fellow opener and thunder

captain shane watson, was dismissed by this brilliant bit of teamwork. jake weatherald keeping the ball inside the boundary for team—mate jake lehmann to take the catch. root didn't last too long, making 18 runs before he was caught. both teams have won two and lost two. hobart hurricanes top the table with four wins out of four. the former england captain alastair cook will be joining the bbc‘s test match special team to cover england's tour of west indies in the next couple of weeks. he'll contribute to the tms podcast and bbc sport's online magazine show, the cricket social. he'll also join jonathan agnew in the caribbean for the 2nd and 3rd tests. it's a new year, new season in tennis, with most of the top players in australia for the first grand slam of 2019 just two weeks away. some important tournaments are underway. serena williams made a winning return since her loss to naomi 0saka in the final of the us open. she was playing for the usa in the hopman cup, a mixed team event in perth, and beat maria sakkari of greece in straight sets but admits she was a little rusty.

yeah, it was my first match back, so, she played unbelievable, and obviously, such a good player. but, yeah, iwas obviously, such a good player. but, yeah, i was making a lot of errors. it is ok, first match, you'll get better, you'll get better. that is what i kept to think. williams' victory levelled the tie at 1—1, but she and team—mate frances tiafoe then lost the mixed doubles against sakkari and stefanos tsitsipas, as the greeks completed a 2—1victory. british no 4 harriet dart is through to the second round of the brisbane international. she came from a set down to beat australian wildcard priscilla hon and had come through three rounds of qualifying to reach the main draw of this event.

dart is ranked just inside the world's top 150. andy murray is also playing in brisbane and faces qualifier james duckworth in the first round in the early hours of tomorrow morning. the surgeon who operated on his hip earlier this year says murray may never be free of pain. drjim 0'donnell says it's murray's "intense desire to do really well" that's kept his tennis career going. murray who has slipped to 240 in the world used his protected ranking to make the main draw. arsenal manager unai emery has been fined £8000 by the football assocation after admitting to a charge of improper conduct but he has avoided a touchline ban. it relates to the match at brighton on boxing day which the gunners drew. he kicked a water bottle and it hit a supporter. he apologised straight away and again at full time. tributes have been paid to the former liverpool and england winger peter thompson who's died at the age of 76. thomspon — who also played

for preston and bolton — spent 10 years at liverpool, playing more than 400 games for the club. he won two league titles during his time at anfield and helped the club win the fa cup for the first time in 1965. bill shankly said of thompson that he "could run forever, but more importantly in football he could run with the ball, probably the hardest thing to do." and finally, floyd mayweather came out of retirement for a very lucrative exhibition fight in tokyo today. the former world champion, who is 41, knocked down the 20—year—old japanese kick boxer tenshin nasukawa three times in the first round before his corner threw in the towel. mayweather making a cool £9 million just for turning up. all the details of that on the bbc sport website that's all the sport for now. allegations of widespread vote—rigging and intimidation

in the bangladesh general elections have been rejected by the country's election commission. the body's chief commissioner ruled out opposition calls for the poll to be re—run. the prime minister, sheikh hasina, whose party won all but 12 of the 300 seats in parliament, has denied any electoral fraud. yogita limaye reports. the last ten years, people have enjoyed them, they are getting a better life. there has been allegations of vote rigging around the country, one instance caught on camera by the bbc. i asked about it. there have been reports from around the country of the rigging of results in favour of your party, also video footage of a ballot box

which was full even before polling began, do you believe this was a fair election? if there are any irregularities, then they will be found. they will be investigated. we never encourage that. sometimes something happens, but it is nothing that we will not investigate. a day after violence marred the national election, things have been peaceful around the country, fresh polls have been demanded but it is unclear what the path ahead for them will be. for many here, the absolute concentration of power with one party for the third time is a cause for worry. the impression that the government is intolerant to dissent has been growing. earlier this year, mass protests were held by students over road safety. this photographer

had criticised how the government handled the demonstration. he was jailed soon after. there is a climate of fear, that there is so much insecurity, and bridges and buildings don't give you quality of life, and at the end of the day, you have people who want to breathe again. that is not such an unrealistic desire, i would have thought. for a country lifting itself out of poverty, development is necessary, but many are asking if it is coming at the cost of freedom. as we heard earlier, people across many parts of the world have already welcomed in 2019, australia was among the first countries to celebrate with sydney harbour transformed into a blaze of colour. james waterhouse has been taking a look at those celebrations. five, four, three, two, one.

cheering as geography dictates, new zealand is always one of the first to welcome the new year, helped along with 500 kilograms of pyrotechnics from the sky tower in auckland. and a record amount of fireworks in syd ney to and a record amount of fireworks in sydney to do this to the skyline, for more than one and a half million people. and then, it was north korea's turn. a rare concert at kim il—sung square, in pyongyang. this state television footage shows people praising their leader, kim jong—un, before fireworks started there. then, it was tokyo's q. --

cue. away from the cities, it is also an opportunity to visit local temples and shrines, pray for good fortune, symbolised by the mandarin 0range. if you thought hong kong was going to be low key... however, no 80s remix of auld lang syne in taiwan. no pressure, london(!) let's return to the top

story... in the past few minutes the home secretary sajid javid has been speaking about the migrant situation and the meeting he held earlier today. earlier today i held meetings with senior officials from the home 0ffice, senior officials from the home office, the national crime agency and the border. see what more we can do both here at home but also with our french friends in protecting the borders, this incident around the channel remains very serious concern to me and that is why i have declared dead as a major incident a few days ago, it is about protecting human life but also about protecting our borders. when it comes to human life, clearly we want to make sure we are doing all that we can to protect people, and we must remember, this is one of the most treacherous stretches of water that there is, 21 miles, people taking grave risks, really putting their lives into their own hands by taking this journey, lives into their own hands by taking thisjourney, and lives into their own hands by taking this journey, and i lives into their own hands by taking thisjourney, and i want to make sure that we are doing all that we can, that is one of the reasons i

have made a decision today to redeploy two of the border forces largest vessels, known as cutters, from abroad, back to the uk, back to south—east england, they will be joining a cutter that is already there, and two other patrol vessels. this will help both with the human side of this situation, but also to better protect our borders. when it comes to the borders, there is also a lot more we need to do, i wish there was a single answer but it requires action on many fronts. there are three other things i have decided to do both today and in the run—up to this, and much of this work started weeks ago but we are stepping it up further. 0ne work started weeks ago but we are stepping it up further. one is law enforcement, at home, with the national crime agency, and other agencies they work with, better coordination with french partners, already opened up, for example, just last month, a new coordination centre in calais, 24/7 manned centre

with british and french officials to help to end this kind of illegal migration from france to britain. we have also decided to do much more work on disruptions, because while we know about the attempts that are successful, these are people that are making it, there are also many that are not successful because the french have been successful in 40% of cases so far this year, in actually disrupting them and stopping them leaving the french coast, and the french and british working together, we want to get the rate of disruption up, looking at ways to do that both directly but also in more covert ways. and lastly i want to send a strong signal to people who do think about making this journey, we will people who do think about making thisjourney, we will do people who do think about making this journey, we will do everything we can to make sure that it is not a success , we can to make sure that it is not a success, in the sense that, i don't wa nt success, in the sense that, i don't want people to think that if they leave a safe country like france,

they can get to britain and get to stay, and that is why we are working out ways with the french to increase the number of returns that we can make, to send a very strong message that we will do all that we cannot just to protect human life, that is the responsible thing to do, but also, to protect our borders. previously you have said bringing in cutters, bigger ships, previously you have said bringing in cutters, biggerships, is a pull factor, which could encourage more people to make the perilous trip, how will you prevent that from happening and what happens to the migrants you pick up in the channel, will they be returned to france? there is a balance to be struck, in terms of patrolling waters, on one hand, vessels from the border. they have an important job hand, vessels from the border. they have an importantjob to do in terms of protecting borders. and, whether it is in this case... it is a big job for customs and customs protecting the border in that way as well. on the other hand, there is a human side to it, if you do come

across anyone in human side to it, if you do come across anyone in distress and a difficult situation, of course, officers will act and do the right things, there is a balance to be struck. given the right situation, we must redeploy some assets and protect human life but also protect our borders. that was sajid javid speaking after a meeting he had held to tackle the migrant situation.