in so this is bbc news — welcome if you're watching here in the uk or around the globe. i'm shaun ley. our top stories: bell chimes the bells toll in st peter's square as the vatican announces the former pope, benedict xvi, has died at the age of 95. pope benedict led the catholic church for nearly eight years until, in 2013, he became the first pope in 600 years to resign. russia launches another barrage of missiles at cities across ukraine — including the capital kyiv. world health officials call on beijing to share accurate covid data — as england becomes the latest country to control

arrivals from china. celebrations are underway to mark the start of 2023 — this is the scene live in hong kong — the fireworks over the victoria harbour. and this taiwan — the capital taipei — with the fireworks shooting off the iconic skyscraper taipei 101. they have launched 16,000 fireworks in taiwan. the skyscraper is one of the tallest in the world. the extravaganza is going to last five minutes. and queen guitarist brian may

and members of england's womens football team are among those celebrated in the uk's new year's honours list. hgppy happy new year to viewers in hong kong and taiwan. these are the scenes live. there was talk of their not being fireworks in hong kong but there are. there was an attempt to have a spectacular celebration and at last it is enjoying a degree of

normalcy after the ravages of covid and the serious restrictions imposed on hong kong. this is always a beautiful display. in the evenings it is always pretty well lit up. we can watch for a moment. we can travel now to taiwan. this is their light show, lasting five minutes, along with fireworks. 16,000 fireworks of the taipei 101 skyscraper.

we will bring you all the celebrations from around the globe at the start of 2023 as it continues and of course we will have fireworks in london. we will also have the chimes of big ben, this is after extensive repair works which finished about a month ago, so it will be a special new year in london. now to the top story of the day. the former pope, benedict xvi, has died at the age of 95. the vatican says he passed away this morning at his residence there. his health had been worsening in recent weeks. benedict served as head of the roman catholic church for eight years until 2013, when he became the first pope in 600 years to announce his retirement. he was german by birth, and was known for his conservative theological outlook.

here's our religon editor, aleem maqbool. cerebral by character, benedict was a prolific author and more at home with scholarship than pastoral work. he led the world's catholics for eight years and then abruptly resigned, the first pope to do so in 600 years. joseph ratzinger was born in southern germany. he was just six when the nazis swept into power. his parents were hostile to the regime, and though their son entered junior seminary in 1939, he was forced to join the hitler youth just two years later. he and his brother georg were ordained on the same day in 1951. georg became a parish priest, joseph chose a quite different kind of ministry. first, a doctorate, appointments at prestigious universities and then the vatican.

a cardinal by his early 50s, an ailing popejohn paul ii made him head of the sacred congregation for the doctrine of faith, formally the roman inquisition. there he upheld traditional catholic teaching on abortion, contraception and homosexuality. he even spoke against rock music and the harry potter books. whenjohn paul died in april 2005, he was one of the church's longest serving cardinals and presided at the funeral. his homily, based onjesus�*s instruction, follow me, proved prophetic. afterjust four ballots, white smoke from the sistine chapel announced cardinal ratzinger�*s election. the oldest pope for 275 years.

as pope benedict xvi, he sought to re—evangelise the west. it was an attempt to roll back the advance of secularism in europe and north america. but in it lay an acknowledgement of the church's declining influence in its traditional heartlands. but he also sparked controversy in 2006 when during a lecture he gave in germany, he quoted criticism of islam by a 14th century christian leader and appeared to link the religion with jihad and holy war. there were violent protests in several muslim countries. the pope apologised and made a point of setting up the first catholic muslim forum. he seemed chastened by the experience, and on visits like this one to britain, benedict exuded pastoral warmth and warned against marginalisation of religion. but back in rome, the church

was beginning to confront the scandal of sexual abuse by priests around the world. he was forced to deny that he'd played any role in covering up abuse. but the cases continued to mount. he later acknowledged he'd made mistakes in handling the matter. in february 2013, he shocked the world, announcing he would resign at the end of the month, citing age and failing health. the election of his successor, pope francis, represented a break with much of what benedict had stood for. the challenge was to find a leader who could close the widening gap between a doctrinally conservative vatican and the church worldwide. pope benedict upheld the creeds of the church and taught them with conviction. he died as he lived, thinking and writing about how to defend and advance those creeds

in an increasingly secular world. i'm joined now by the former archbishop of canterbury, rowan williams. thanks forjoining us. what are your reflections after learning of the death of former pope benedict? fix, death of former pope benedict? sense of gratitude for a remarkable theological mind and someone who's spiritual depth and seriousness was always very patented in every occasion i met with him. i'm gratefulfor occasion i met with him. i'm grateful for that occasion i met with him. i'm gratefulfor that and for occasion i met with him. i'm grateful for that and for his support and friendship in many ways, over the years. and gratefulfor the example he set of real humility, especially in his last years. i wonder if you knew him before he became the pope because he was pretty much a central figure became the pope because he was

pretty much a centralfigure in became the pope because he was pretty much a central figure in the vatican as the head of the office of doctrine. he vatican as the head of the office of doctrine. . , ., ~ ., doctrine. he was. i did not know him in those days — doctrine. he was. i did not know him in those days and _ doctrine. he was. i did not know him in those days and i _ doctrine. he was. i did not know him in those days and i only _ doctrine. he was. i did not know him in those days and i only knew- doctrine. he was. i did not know him in those days and i only knew about | in those days and i only knew about his reputation which was quite a fierce one, to be honest. he held the line against abrasion theology and other kinds of supposedly progressive movements and the job made him a disciplinary official and when i met him in the context of his new role and got to know him a bit better, it was very manifest, i think, that his pastoral sensitivity and intellectual sensitivity had been released on a different way compared to the watchdog role of his previous job. compared to the watchdog role of his previous job-— previous “ob. some people have said that ou previous job. some people have said that you are — previous job. some people have said that you are too _ previous job. some people have said that you are too much _ previous job. some people have said that you are too much of— previous job. some people have said that you are too much of a _ previous job. some people have said that you are too much of a thinker. that you are too much of a thinker to be running a church in a highly politicised environment and that is the criticism that some also laid at

pope benedict. is there truth in that? or is that failing to see what the church is about? it that? or is that failing to see what the church is about?— the church is about? it was something _ the church is about? it was something which _ the church is about? it was something which we - the church is about? it was - something which we occasionally exchanged smiles about in our time together and i think we both had steep learning curves about how in a certain kind of position come up with him far more than we of course, in certain kinds of position, you are talking to everybody, and a remark which you may think it appropriate for one context is blown up appropriate for one context is blown up into an enormous statement of policy which offends half your constituency. there is an issue there but i would say it is quite important that the church does have people from time to time in roles of authority and leadership who see theirjob as primarily doing some clearing up, some clarifying of

ideas and focusing on the essentials and the exploration of the depth of those essentials and that is very much what pope benedict did. what i envied in him was his capacity to say some of those things in an exceptionally clear and elegant way, three great documents on faith, hope and love were a model of how to communicate the central truths of the christian faith and they will last. ~ , ., last. where the interest of the an . lican last. where the interest of the anglican church _ last. where the interest of the anglican church and _ last. where the interest of the anglican church and the - last. where the interest of the | anglican church and the roman catholic church came into conflict was over the issue of those who had taken holy orders in the church of england and who felt because of issues like women priests that they could not remain and some of whom went to rome. how did that affect relationships between the churches and between archbishop and pope who have so many, interests especially in a country like the uk where they

are both big well represented aspects of christianity? —— common interest. it aspects of christianity? -- common interest. ., , aspects of christianity? -- common interest. ., aspects of christianity? -- common interest. . , ., , . aspects of christianity? -- common interest. . , . , . ., interest. it was a difficult moment when it was _ interest. it was a difficult moment when it was announced _ interest. it was a difficult moment when it was announced for - interest. it was a difficult moment l when it was announced for everyone when it was announced for everyone when this was announced and i think we should have been consulted a bit more and it happened on the eve of this it to the vatican which had been planned for long time. that visit was not the easiest one but it did not affect our personal relations and it did not affect the official relations of the churches and that was made very clear. what pope benedict thought he was doing was making a pastoral arrangement for certain people who did not want to let go of their anglican heritage and could not face the anglican church as it was and making that pastoral arrangement in a way in which allowed something of the riches of the anglican tradition to

flow into the wider roman catholic family. i don't think he saw it as any kind of attempt to put on pressure with our ongoing dialogue across the differences which we both recognised so, yes, there was an awkwardness at that point, but it did not actually she'll be relationships personally or officially. —— did not actually lessen the relationships. officially. -- did not actually lessen the relationships. what are our lessen the relationships. what are your personal _ lessen the relationships. what are your personal memories _ lessen the relationships. what are your personal memories of- lessen the relationships. what are your personal memories of him? l lessen the relationships. what are your personal memories of him? i | your personal memories of him? i remember waiting for your personal memories of him? i rememberwaiting for him your personal memories of him? i remember waiting for him in the forecourt of lambeth palace and a lot of the staff of the palace had gathered to see him arriving at the motorcade arrived and in the front row of the crowds rating in the courtyard was one of my staff —— waiting. it was a christian from pakistan with his boys. they were

very excited and when the pope got out of his car and began walking towards the car i could see the little boys waving furiously and i thought, why not? i beckoned the three of them over and these three little boys ran across the courtyard and came up to the pope and i'm onto his hand and he spoke to them. the priest still has a huge photograph of that event as you might expect in the living room with his vicarage. that was a moment of humanity and relaxation and showing a signed of pope benedict which not everybody saw —— showing a side. a side with plenty of warmth and plenty of humanity and i'd like to remember him in that context.— humanity and i'd like to remember him in that context. . ,, , much humanity and i'd like to remember him in that context. . ,, , much for humanity and i'd like to remember him in that context. . ,, , ., , much for sharin: humanity and i'd like to remember him in that context. . ,, , much for sharin: that humanity and i'd like to remember him in that context. . ,, , much for sharin: that lovel much for sharing that lovely reflection on pope benedict and that moment from lambeth palace. thank

you. the mayor of kyiv, vitaliy klitschko has told the bbc that one person has been killed and 11 people have been taken to hospital — including a journalist from japan — after russia launched more than a dozen missiles targeting cities across ukraine on new year's eve. mr klitschko said several districts had been hit in the capital, including pechersk in the city centre. british intelligence had earlier warned of potential russian attacks — after the kremlin had launched country—wide strikes on thursday — killing at least three people and injuring six, including a child, according to the ukrainian officials. 0ur correspondent huge bachega has just sent this update from kyiv. this is one of the places hit here in kyiv as russia launched more missiles targeting cities across the country. officials say that debris from a missile that was intercepted by the country's air defence hit this area. they say at least one

person was killed here. emergency workers are still working here. the air raid alert sounded across the country at around one o'clock in the afternoon here. the authorities had warned ukrainians that russia could launch more attacks. president zelensky said that russia wanted ukrainians to celebrate the new year in the dark. the world health organisation says chinese officials must share more real—time information on covid in the country as infections surge. cases have soared and several countries are now screening travellers from china, after many of the country's strict restrictions have been lifted over the last few weeks. officials at the who want to see more data on hospitalisations and deaths. the uk is one of the countries that is to introduce new covid checks for people arriving on flights from china. from next thurday travellers will have to provide a negative test before boarding their flight. some random testing will be carried out on arrivals. simon calder, travel correspondent at the independent,

explained why this measure is being introduced. just a reminder to everyone, it was actually this day in 2019 when the world health organisation, the china office, was first told about a strain of pneumonia that had caused concern for 33 people in the city of wuhan and it seemed to be tied around a seafood market which was then closed but we know the way that covid then spread around the world. there are echoes of that time in what is happening now. the uk has come out and said, on thursday they said there were not going to be any changes but on friday they said they are going to introduce these tests. it will be a lateral flow test, before you are allowed on the fight, that is easy for the government to organise because you just tell the airlines you have got to do this.

and the airlines have got the capacity because they did it already? exactly. checking covid certificates is something that they have become accustomed to. you mentioned checking on arrival and that will happen to one fifth of the arriving passengers. there are not large numbers coming into london heathrow today, for example, just three flights compared with more than 20 from new york. if those people test positive they will not need to quarantine. that is in stark contrast with what japan is saying, they say if you test positive and you are coming from china, and they are testing everybody, with a pcr test, then you go into a week of hotel quarantine. similar policy in south korea. the us has gone down the route of, "we want a test before departure," and italy, which was hit first and hardest by the covid

crisis coming from china, said they will test everybody as they come in. simon calder, there. the queen guitarist, brian may, and members of england's womens' football team — the lionnesses — are among those celebrated in the uk's new year's honours list. over 1,000 people have been recognised for their service. including the broadcaster and diamond. — anne diamond. she has been made an 0be for her campaign to prevent cot death following the death of her son. the timing was unexpected? totally unexpected- — the timing was unexpected? totally unexpected. when _ the timing was unexpected? totally unexpected. when the _ the timing was unexpected? totally unexpected. when the e-mail- the timing was unexpected? totally. unexpected. when the e-mail arrived unexpected. when the e—mail arrived from the cabinet office i thought it was a scam so i rang them separately and said, i have got this e—mail, what is it all about, and a lovely lady at the end said it is definitely you, and it is happening, and you are going to accept, and i

said, you are blinking right i am! i could not be more thrilled and although i adore the queen, it is thrilling to be part of the new king's new year's honours list as well. it king's new year's honours list as well. ._ , ., well. it may be getting more attention _ well. it may be getting more attention because _ well. it may be getting more attention because of - well. it may be getting more attention because of that - well. it may be getting more attention because of that to | well. it may be getting more - attention because of that to start with and there is a great list of names, you are in good company, but what you did was very special. it is worth reminding people of this because i'm of the generation that i can remember the great outpouring of emotion about what became known as cot death. and the campaign that you launched because you were along with the actor colin baker, two of the people who are most publicly associated with it because you were already established and it also happened to other people but you were in the public eye in you did something with it. i were in the public eye in you did something with it.— something with it. i had letters from people — something with it. i had letters from people that _ something with it. i had letters from people that said, - something with it. i had letters from people that said, nothing| something with it. i had letters i from people that said, nothing is going to be done about this until it

comes to princess diana, and sadly it happened to me, they said, but it happened at a time when there had been a breakthrough but we were not being told about it. it sort of became obvious to me, that i could actually use my fame for good and actually use my fame for good and actually get stuff done and demand that something be done. i was not the medical expert but i was able to say, something can be done and we should do it, and it has been the most, to date, i don't know how it compares with the covid medical response but until then it was the single most successful health campaign ever in this country. it is reckoned to have saved over 25,000 lives of babies. we don't know who they are. we will never know who they are. we will never know who they are. we will never know who they are but they could have died.

you did this injoint force they are but they could have died. you did this in joint force with the study of infant deaths and the department of health but in essence this was about what you should do when you come into the room and you are looking at your baby and the baby has fallen asleep on its stomach?— baby has fallen asleep on its stomach? ~ ,,., , ~ baby has fallen asleep on its stomach? ~ , ,., , ~ ., stomach? absolutely. we were all told that the _ stomach? absolutely. we were all told that the healthy _ stomach? absolutely. we were all told that the healthy way - stomach? absolutely. we were all told that the healthy way to - stomach? absolutely. we were all told that the healthy way to bring | told that the healthy way to bring up told that the healthy way to bring up a baby is to have them on their tummy and i did that with my first two sons and they are fine but my third sebastian, died, and then be found in new zealand, the research was also being done here, but actually not being heralded enough, it was that the babies that were dying whether one is on their tummies and if we turned them onto their backs we could immediately reverse —— were the ones on their tummies. there are now 300 cot deaths a year, which is 300 to many, but thank god that so many thousands

of lives have been saved. what but thank god that so many thousands of lives have been saved.— of lives have been saved. what was it like when — of lives have been saved. what was it like when you _ of lives have been saved. what was it like when you were _ of lives have been saved. what was| it like when you were campaigning? it was difficult because the medical establishment, who had actually taught us that line the baby on its tummy was the best way did not want to hear that what they had said was one —— lying a baby on its tummy. but we put together a workforce of experts from all over the world and we went to number ten and demanded action and we got it and in the end i think everybody was so relieved, it was life—saving advice. and it worked immediately. within six months we saw a great plummet and then within years it went down by 80%. i had to say to the department of health, it is not enough to give out this advice, i want a tv campaign, because i was a tv person and i demanded a tv campaign and a couple of years later they were able to show and this was the only admission of the government, 80% of young parents who got the advice,

they got it from the telly. you have already shattered _ they got it from the telly. you have already shattered an _ they got it from the telly. you have already shattered an illusion - they got it from the telly. you have already shattered an illusion for. they got it from the telly. you have | already shattered an illusion for me by first of all telling me they send an e—mail and by first of all telling me they send an e—mailand not by first of all telling me they send an e—mail and not a letter. your former colleague nick 0wen, has he been on the phone yet? former colleague nick owen, has he been on the phone yet? immediately! he was the first _ been on the phone yet? immediately! he was the first one. _ been on the phone yet? immediately! he was the first one. he _ been on the phone yet? immediately! he was the first one. he was - been on the phone yet? immediately! he was the first one. he was in - been on the phone yet? immediately! he was the first one. he was in the i he was the first one. he was in the newsroom at pebble mill and he got in touch immediately. i have been told i was not allowed to say anything until tonight but he heard and got in touch and said, i'm so proud of you. i'm very proud but obviously it is notjust me. but obviously it is not 'ust me. but even obviously it is not 'ust me. but it h obviously it is not 'ust me. but it is— obviously it is not 'ust me. but even so, it is a _ obviously it is notjust me. but even so, it is a remarkable thing. thank you so much on behalf of those who are alive because of the campaign. anne, happy new year to

you. do not forget we will be following the new year celebrations throughout the world. good afternoon. it is certainly not a straight forward end to 2022 weather—wise. some places have already seen a lot of rain and some flooding. there is more rain in the outlook, but also across parts of scotland, the risk of some snow, a combination which could cause some disruption. so what we have through the rest of the day is outbreaks of rain across many parts of england and wales, some for northern ireland, too. northern scotland seeing some wintry showers, bringing accumulations of snow in places, some icy stretches.

temperatures in northern scotland really struggling, whereas further south, it's a very different story, really mild at 15 degrees in london. and then tonight, the wet weather pushes further northwards, running into the cold air, giving the threat of some snow in places. this is how things are likely to look at midnight. we will continue to see some strong winds around some coasts of england and wales, but it's going to be a mixture of clear spells and the odd shower here, wet, though, for northern ireland, the far north of england and southern scotland, and over the southern uplands and maybe over higher spots in the central belt, we could see some snow starting to develop. ice likely to be an issue in the north of scotland. and then through the nights, this band of rain and snow, most of the snow over high ground, but perhaps some to low levels at times will continue to affect southern and central parts of scotland. that could make for some poor travelling conditions if you're heading home from new year celebrations. a very mild night in the south of the uk, a very cold one in the far north. and then for tomorrow this band of rain and snow will really get stuck across scotland. it's more likely to be rain in eastern scotland, but some snow further west,

bit of cloud and some rain into northern ireland. for northern england and wales we will see some showers and increasing amounts of cloud down towards the south and the east of england, temperatures north to south, 4 to 13 degrees. now, as we look ahead to monday, we may see some rain grazing the south east corner at times and some showers up towards the western side of scotland. but in between, actually a decent amount of dry weather, some spells of sunshine, but feeling slightly chillier than it has done of late, 3 to 9 degrees. and then as we head deeper into the new week, we see further frontal systems pushing in from the atlantic. further outbreaks of rain — could be some quite strong winds at times as well, quite mild through the middle part of the week. but later in the week, it may start to turn a little colder.

this is bbc world news, the headlines: the former pope, benedict xvi, has died at the age of 95. he led the catholic church for nearly eight years until he resigned in 2013. his body will lie in state in st peter's basilica from monday. russia has launched another barrage of missiles at cities across ukraine. the mayor of kyiv has said that one person has been killed and 11 people have been taken to hospital in the capital, kyiv. the world health organisation has said that chinese officials must share more real—time information on covid in the country, as infections surge. england has become the latest country to control arrivals from china. celebrations have begun

to mark the start of 2023, with firework displays in auckland, new zealand and at sydney harbour.