this is bbc news i'm ben brown. the headlines at midday. the mayor of sydney says the new year fireworks display will go ahead as planned — despite a petition calling for it to be cancelled because of nearby bushfires. five people are stabbed in new york during hanukkah celebrations at the home of an orthodox rabbi. calls for an independent inquiry after the new years‘ honours data leak — in which the addresses of celebrities, politicians and police officers were published online. it is a serious and indeed extraordinary breach as this is a well—established process that has gone on and been the same way for so i think an urgent investigation are certainly needed. in tennis: former world number one andy murray says he's gutted to be missing next month's australian open — after pulling out because of injury.

and at 12.30 it's click live, from the new v and a in dundee. more than a quarter of a million people have signed a petition demanding that sydney cancels its traditional new year's eve firework display — and spends the money on tackling australia's bush fires instead. dozens of fires are raging across the country — with the largest one on the outskirts of sydney. will batchelor reports. it's one of the biggest and most spectacular parties on earth. sydney's new year firework display.

but now the city's authorities are facing growing calls to cancel the event and divert the money it costs, around £3 million, towards tackling both severe drought conditions and the dozens of bushfires which are raging across australia. close to 300,000 people have signed an online petition, which says the fireworks may traumatise some people who are dealing with enough smoke in the air. sydney's lord mayor has said the show, which is planned and paid for months in advance, must go on. however, there are reports the display could still be cancelled at the last minute because of the risk that it may spark new bushfires. if they do change their mind it won't be the first fire—related u—turn by the australian authorities. the prime minister, scott morrison, has now approved plans to pay compensation of around £3,000 to some volunteer firefighters in new south wales — an idea he initially rejected. will bachelor, bbc news.

well — earlier i spoke to the women behind the petition — linda mccormick. she told me why she started it. it is the most iconic fireworks in the world and we are the first to see it in part ijust feel it's a sign of respect, they have to have some respect for the people of australia that are really suffering. it's not ideal to send more smoke into the air. i am really getting angry. i understand money has been spent 15 months prior to planning this, so just have some respect for the people who are suffering. you don't have a heart,

as far as i'm concerned. you don't have a heart, you have only got to cancel these fireworks if it is not safe to do so because we will have high temperatures throughout ns wales. i live in north queensland, but have a heart. that's a the sign of respect to show that you care about our fellow australians. in your view, this is not about the costs because presumably the money has already spent on the fireworks. that is correct. let's be world leaders and show a sign of respect for fellow australians.

there is so much more technology these days and you could have laser lighting or do all sorts of different things to celebrate new year's eve and the coming year ahead. we don't need to send more smoke up in the air. there are calls for an independent inquiry after a data breach — which saw the addresses of more than a thousand people on the new year honours list made publicly available online. the files included the details of celebrities, senior police officers and politicians — one of those affected, iain duncan smith, called the leak a "complete disaster". katharine da costa reports. more than 1000 people will be honoured, among them celebrities, sport sports, and politicians, including musician sir eltonjohn, cricketer ben stokes, former tory party leader iain duncan smith,

and former director of public prosecutions alison saunders. there are also security, counter—terror, and justice personnel, as well as chief co nsta bles. but a list containing their home addresses was accidentally published by the government on friday evening. iain duncan smith, who is due to be knighted, described the data breach as a "complete disaster". he told the sunday times... new data protection laws were brought in last year, giving regulators more power to penalise those who fail to protect personal data. the cabinet office confirmed the list was only visible for an hour. in a statement, it said...

the former head of the civil service, lord kerslake, is leading calls for an independent inquiry. the cabinet office says it has report the matter to the information commissioner's office and is looking into how this happened. but privacy campaigners have expressed concern at what they say is an inexcusable mistake. data experts warn the government could face legal action, notjust from the data watchdog, but from those who've seen their personal details leaked. information many may have wanted to keep private. katharine da costa, bbc news. earlier i spoke to the former head of the civil service, lord bob kerslake, and i asked him what his reaction was, when he first heard about this data breach. i was very shocked. it is a serious breach and that deserves to be taken very seriously.

i found it quite extraordinary because this is such a well established process, it happens regularly of course and there are well—recognised processes for handling it so for this to have happened is quite extraordinary. and it does need careful examination notjust as to who was responsible and how it happened but how were staff properly trained, and were there proper understandings of the expectations on this? it is crucial to the whole honours process that personal data is handled sensitively and clearly something has gone seriously wrong like here. iain duncan smith described it as a disaster. how dangerous could this be in terms of all the celebrities and politicians whose addresses have been made public? it's not good for anybody‘s personal

details to be released in this way but there were, included in that list, police and security personnel where there are potentially serious ramifications and i'm sure they are being looked at now in considerable detail. but that is a significant issue in its own right so it's not just the famous people, it is people that won't be known and shouldn't be known truthfully. what do you think could have gone wrong? including not very well trained staff, this is something that does happen every year, you would say it's a pretty well oiled machine when it comes to the new year's honours. it certainly was in my experience a very effective team, a small team that handled the work with great professionalism so it's important we must not condemn everybody in this process. it looks like a human error. someone has posted more information

than they should have done ahead of the announcements and that's something we can see. what we cannot see as to what extent was it properly checked and were staff trained and how much were they aware of the consequences of data breaches? which are now very serious following the european regulations that have been implemented in this country. the cost can be significant here. several people are reported to have been injured in a mass stabbing at the house of a rabbi in the united states. it happened during a ceremony in monsey, an area with a large population of ultra—0rthodox jews. cbs correspondent marc liverman has filed this report.

these people attacked were celebrating the seventh night of hanukkah and the end of thejewish sabbath. it is hard to fathom what they were going through when a man came through the door and started stabbing people with a machete. what we have seen since early this morning as people out in the front lawn area here holding and comforting each other as they try to make sense of how this happened. we we re make sense of how this happened. we were scared but not surprised because this is not the first incident in new york or rockland county. my parents were survivors of the concentration camps and they told me how fearful it was to be jewish. they said we can't let it happen again but i am scared it is happening again. word is coming out this happened in a house of worship, extremely troubling and it is what

the principles of our country are founded on, you can practice your religion, worship freely, that cannot be jeopardised or intimidated. that is why we have to be in one collective voice saying enough is enough, we have to take action. we are still working on trying to get an update of the condition of those five victims. yossi gestetner of the orthodox jewish public affairs council was on the scene shortly after the incident happened, and joins us via webcam from new york. can you tell us more about what happened? can you hear me? yes, tell us more happened? can you hear me? yes, tell us more what happened. last night at about 950 local time there was a hanukkah celebration at the house, the hem of a rabbi, with about 50

guests. —— make the home. suddenly someone guests. —— make the home. suddenly someone with a masked face, probably covered by a scarf, came in with a machete or butcher knife and started stabbing people indiscriminately. there was obviously big chaos and mayhem. people rushed from the scene. he ran outside towards the synagogue which is next door and his vehicle was parked basically in front of the synagogue. he got into the vehicle and took off but not before someone who was in the house had in mind to chase him and look at the plates and the plate number was given to law enforcement, they sent it out to the whole region and in less tha n it out to the whole region and in less than two hours the new york city police department arrested this person and local detectives went to new york city to pick him up. and

the police department actually towed back to vehicle from the city back to rockland county, 30 miles north of new york city. we gather five people were stabbed. is this in your view part of a pattern of anti—semitic attacks in new york state ? anti—semitic attacks in new york state? it is certainly an attack which is a targeted attack. and i guess law enforcement will need to decide the exact classification. but if someone, let's say for example someone goes if someone, let's say for example someone goes into a congregation or a mask or a church and wants to settle a score with someone, let's say, and then decides to indiscriminately stop other people, that makes it a quintessential bigoted attack. you give don't get to sta b bigoted attack. you give don't get to stab other people if you want to settle a score with someone, let's say that's the case. we will leave

it for law enforcement to ascertain the facts as they sorted out. but when people of one ethnic group or one religious denomination are being attacked indiscriminately, then obviously it is a targeted attack. we've been hearing from the mayor of new york saying we will not allow this to become the new normal. we will use every tool we have to stop these attacks once and for all. do you welcome that kind of response from the authorities? obviously it is important for your viewers to understand that new york city, the way it works in the united states, you have the 50 states, and within eve vanish by each state you have counties, within each county towns, within towns and villages and ha mlets.

within towns and villages and hamlets. montey is a small place. it is not new york city. there has been afairshare of is not new york city. there has been a fair share of attacks on 0rthodox dues. when the mayor says it can't be the new normal, it is also about concrete steps. there are three steps which should be done. number one, i think this is happening, any time there is an attack the response from law—enforcement officials need to be strong and swift. in brooklyn, pa rt to be strong and swift. in brooklyn, part of new york city, it is the case and it is the case here and it was the case injersey city. there is no place for improvement one law enforcement says there will be stepped up security, not 15 hours

and then finish. it's needs to be on and then finish. it's needs to be on a more ongoing basis. i understand the new york city police department or local police can't have security at every congregation, but there needs to be more than 15 hours after an attack visibility. and especially in brooklyn i think it is important for authorities to release a waste of all attacks that took place in brooklyn or new york city in the last year or two side by side of a list of the consequences for the people who committed those attacks. i think this will show on the prosecuting front whether this is being taken serious. if not, it is a problem, if yes, let it be known to the public that playing around with

other people's wives, there are serious consequences to be had. i think city officials will get the message out there repeatedly that there are consequences. it does not meana there are consequences. it does not mean a stern tweet or a press conference or tweeting stuff like, where is the outrage? it serves a purpose, very limited, but if they showcase the consequences to these hate attacks, regardless what type of hate attack it is, i think it will dissuade potential perpetrators from committing those attacks. thank you for your time. the orthodox jewish public affairs council representative there. the headlines on bbc news... a quarter of a million people sign a petition calling for sydney's new year's eve fireworks to be cancelled

and the money spent fighting nearby bushfires instead. five people are injured in a knife attack in new york state during hanukkah celebrations at the home of a rabbi. calls for an independent inquiry after the new years' honours data leak — in which the addresses of celebrities, politicians and police officers were published online. sport and a full round up from the bbc sport centre. england are chasing a target of 376 to win their first test against south africa. if they do it they'll make history — it would be their highest successful run chase in test matches. they did look like they were chipping away at the runs but they've lost five wickets today. in the morning session england had only added 18 runs before rory burns fell for 8h. thenjoe denly went for 31 lbw — bowled by dwane pretorious.

ben stokes, who's been england's saviour a few times before couldn't do it today — gone forjust 1a — bowled by keshav maharaj. the wicket ofjohnny bairstow then went for nine. caught by zubayr hamza off the bowling of kagiso rabada. and in the last few minutes, joe root has gone for 48. anrich nortje with his second wicket of the day. rootjust edged it and quinton de clock was there. england are 232 for six. meanwhile, over in melbourne, australia crushed new zealand in their second test, beating them by 2117 runs. tom blundell impressed making 121 but the kiwis were dismissed forjust 240 as nathan lyon claimed 4 wickets. the win gives australia an unassailable 2—nil lead in the three match series. three time grand slam winner andy murray is out of next month's

australian open. he had only recently returned from almost two years of hip problems, and then a pelvic injury troubled him towards the end of the season. although murray is back on court, he's decided not to travel to australia. instead, he'll continue rehab and pre—season training with a view to playing an indoor event in france at the start of february. david moyes is meeting with west ham today and is said to be almost certain to take over after the club sacked manager manuel pellegrini. west ham are just above the relegation zone following their defeat at home to leicester city. pelligrini's dismissal ends a turbulent 18 months at the london stadium as patrick gearey reports. long before the statement was published, you could see this decision coming. you could hear it in the boos, as west ham lost their ninth match in 12. by evening, manuel pellegrini's departure was announced. west ham's chairman said:

this black—and—white fate came courtesy of a man named gray. commentator: it's demarai gray! 2—1 leicester! the win for leicester left west ham just one point above the bottom three. the prospect of playing second—tier football in the former 0lympic stadium unthinkable for the owners. commentator: it's demarai gray! 2—1 leicester! they planned so much more when they hired manuel pellegrini, who won the premier league with manchester city in 2014. he spent big on the likes of felipe anderson and led the hammers to tenth on the table last season. but after a promising start, the bubble burst by late autumn. speaking yesterday, he acknowledged the fans had reasons not to be cheerful. they deserve a better performance. we are trying to find which is the way to do it. i think that the players want to do it, but i admit the pressure and the lack of confidence and the lack of results is difficult. it's the time of year for taking stock of where

you are and where you're going. as well as soul—searching, west ham will be looking for a new guide. the busy festive schedule continues today with a london derby at 2 o'clock. arsenal — who are 12th — host fouth place chelsea. liverpool — who are ten points clear at the top of the table — are at home to wolves at 4.30, while defending champions manchester city host sheffield united at six. the scottish premiership has its final round of games before the winter break today. and what a way to finish 2019 — the old firm derby. celtic host rangers, first versus second. a win for celtic would be a 12th league victory in a row and would take them eight points clear. i'm really delighted with the run of wins. no matter who we have played, no matter where we have been, no matter what the context has been, conditions, it has been a heavy month,

they have played absolutely brilliantly at times and have played with a bit of a swagger and won the games. they are under the spotlight all the time. everyone is looking for a chink in the armour but they find ways to win games. in the main, they have won the games really well and that is a big plus for the players. that's all the sport for now. but there's a full fixture list for the scottish premiership on the bbc sport website and all the build up to todays premier league and championship matches. that's bbc.co.uk/sport iran has said a british—australian woman — who's reported to have gone on hunger strike in prison — must serve her sentence. kylie moore—gilbert, who was jailed for spying, is being held in the same prison as the british—iranian woman, nazanin zaghari—ratcliffe and two french academics. boats carrying 31 migrants — have been picked up as they attempted to cross the english channel. two have been taken by french authorities to france and the british border force intercepted a third. all of those found — including a pregnant woman are thought to be

in a safe condition. the lawyer representing the family of a british father and his two children who drowned in a resort swimming pool in spain on christmas eve wants a more detailed investigation into their deaths. the hotel on the costa del sol insists the pool was working normally — but the mother of the children says all three could swim. helena wilkinson has more. this is gabriel diya with his nine—year—old daughter, comfort. they both died, as did her brother, praise emmanuel. mr diya's wife and the children's mother, 0lubunmi diya, says all three could swim and suggested there was something wrong with the pool. police say there was nothing wrong with it, but the family lawyer has questioned that. translation: if the spanish police can give us a possible cause for this tragic incident, we might do a parallel investigation with experts to find out what happened.

it's very rare for three people to die in the centre of a swimming pool — especially in the case of a tall, hefty man. earlier, the resort where the family was staying issued a new statement, disputing mrs diya's claims. it said they were directly at odds with the findings of the police report and it makes clear, it said, that their exhaustive investigations have confirmed the pool was working normally and there was no malfunction of any kind. it was on christmas eve when the family all went to this pool. mrs diya says her children went in by the steps but found themselves dragged into the middle, where it was deeper. her husband jumped in to help. not long after, all three were underwater. the police have described it as a tragic accident. but the family's suggestion of carrying out their own investigation shows just how dissatisfied they are. helena wilkinson, bbc news.

the scottish author and artist alasdair gray has died, aged 85, following a short illness. a graduate of the glasgow school of art, his murals feature in many public buildings in glasgow while his debut book, lanark, has been described as one of the masterpieces of 20th century fiction. first minister of scotland, nicola sturgeon paid tribute to him as one of scotland's literary giants. a group of former labour mps who lost their seats in the election have called for "fundamental change" at the top of the party. in a letter to the observer, the group — which includes former mp for wakefield mary creagh — said "cronyism" in the party and labour's "unwillingness" to stand up to anti—semitism were repeatedly raised as issues on the doorstep. and that issue shamed the traditional values of the labour party. here in the uk, it's been more than two years

since big ben's famous bongs were paused to allow for essential maintenance work to be carried out. but new year's eve just wouldn't feel right without those iconic chimes. so, for one night only, they will return to ring in the new decade in london. tim muffett reports. it's one of the world's most familiar and regularly misnamed buildings. but for two years, the elizabeth tower, which houses the giant bell, big ben, has been surrounded by scaffolding. repairs that have left big ben itself largely silent. here it is, big ben. here it is, big ben, yes, indeed, all 13 tonnes of it. it's been quiet largely for the last few years. feels a bit odd? it does feel very odd. it's been way too quiet for my liking. this is, well, the biggest refurbishment project that's ever ta ken place since it was first built. so, the clock mechanics are taking apart every single small piece and then putting it all back together, which hasn't been done before.

so, a massive challenge for them. it's that clock mechanism which, for more than 150 years, activated the hammer that strikes big ben. so, for special occasions during the repairs, such as remembrance sunday and new year's eve, a new device has been needed. what we've got here is a tolling — automatic electric tolling motor, which obviously wouldn't have been available when this was first built. this produces the power needed to then lift the big ben hammer, which is, as i say, very heavy, 300, 400 kilograms, and strike it 12 times. last new year's eve, all went to plan. big ben bongs. i think there's always got to be a bit of nerves because it shows, one, that you care, and also, that it's obviously a really, really big moment.

the new speaker of the house of commons, lindsay hooyle, has said he won't stand in the way if mps vote for big ben to also be struck on january the 31st, the day the uk's set to leave the eu. during a tumultuous time in british politics, hidden from view, this four—year refurbishment has continued. all of the stone that we put onto the tower is hard—carved, which is a phenomenal thing to see, brilliant, and it may take them between three and four weeks to produce a carving such as this crown that you can see along here. so, a real labour of love. so, this is the eastern clock face, high up the elizabeth tower, and the most striking thing is the colours. it's not the black paint we're familiar with, but gold and blue. so, we found that as we scratched back through the layers, we were scratching, basically going back through time, and found that this was the colour that it was originally. so, it's really exciting to find that blue colour as we went back through the layers. and it's prussian blue. prussian blue, yeah. this is gold leaf. and we've reglazed the whole of the clock face with hand—blown opal glass. even standing here, on a rainy day, surrounded by scaffolding, you see that — that's one of the faces of elizabeth tower...big ben. yes.