selling drinks, food. i suspect some fireworks are probably expected as well and i would say that would be in a short time here on bbc news. we are expecting fireworks any second now. it is new year, 2023, in brazil. the fireworks there across copacabana beach. in the colours of the brazilian flag — a bit of red there as well.

brazil seeing in 2023 in style. fireworks along the copacabana beach in the countries city of rio dejaneiro. 2 million people there along the seafront. in london, more than 100,000 revellers welcomed in the new year to the chimes

of big ben where the countdown was projected within the london eye in the lead—up to midnight. a spectacular firework display lit up the skies for around 12 minutes in what was thought to be the largest display in europe with over 12,000 fireworks. there were tributes to the late queen elizabeth, to ukraine's resistance against russian invasion, and 50 years of pride celebrations. the display returned to the banks of the river thames for the first time since the beginning of the pandemic. 0ur correspondent greg mckenzie has been soaking up the atmosphere amongst the many thousands of revellers. i am absolutely speechless. that was a i2—minute spectacular. the biggest firework display in the entire europe having taken place just a few minutes ago, and in an incredible way to start the new year. big ben, the chimes — the bongs of the big ben started as did the fireworks over here at the london eye — iconic around the world. a i2—minute spectacular

extravaganza. i am actually speechless having watched it right here, and just behind us are hundreds of thousands, or 100,000 people, who managed to get tickets, people cheering and celebrating to 2023. there were messages being played out with those fireworks — a message with the queen, a message from the mayor, in terms of the yearjust gone. 2022 is no more. and we now focus on the new year, 2023. greg mckenzie reporting there from the banks of the river thames in london. turning to ukraine now, and the new year celebration has been rather more restrained. in the capital kyiv, there was a curfew an hour before midnight. there have been reports of missile strikes in the city in the early hours of sunday morning, and air raid sirens have been sounding across the country. president zelensky released his new year message

before that happened. here's what he had to say to his fellow ukrainians. translation: we fight| and will continue to fight for the sake of the main word — victory. it will be for sure. we have been approaching it for 311 days. we gave it a lot of strength, but at the moment, when it seems that you can't go any further, remember that we have already passed with you. there has also been a muted new year celebration in moscow. residents have had to go without any firework display after authorities closed the red square citing covid restrictions. russia's president vladimir putin has also broadcast a new year's message, filmed standing in front of a group of russian military personnel, and putting across his view of the invasion of ukraine. translation: for years, the western elite have i hypocritically assured us of their peaceful intentions, including the resolution of the difficult conflict in

donbas. in reality they were encouraging neo—nazis who continue to carry out military and blatantly terrorist actions against the peaceful citizens of the donbas people's republic. the west lied about peace but was preparing for aggression and they are not ashamed to admit it openly and they cynically use ukraine and its people to weaken and divide russia. we have never allowed anyone to do that. we will not allow anyone to do that. croatia is beginning the new year with a new currency. it's switching from the kuna to the euro. at the same time, it's also joining the borderless schengen area, allowing passport—free travel to neighbouring countries. croatia committed to adopting the euro when it became the newest member of the european union in 2013. north korean state media says the country's leader kimjong—un has ordered the development of new intercontinental ballistic missiles with the capability to carry out a nuclear counter attack. the report also says he has ordered massive production of tactical nuclear weapons. the statement comes

after a series of rocket tests carried out by north korea in recent days. mr kim is also reported to have said that his country's new rocket launchers are capable of carrying tactical nuclear weapons with all of south korea in range. north korea is banned from developing long—range missiles and nuclear weapons by the international community. there hasn't yet been any response to these new claims. we'll bring that to you as soon as we have it. let's cross to south korea now and speak with robert kelly, professor of political science at pusan national university. thank you very much forjoining us. thank you very much for “oining us. . , ,, thank you very much for “oining us. . , _ ., thank you very much for “oining us. . , , , . it thank you very much forjoining us. . itis us. happy new year. it is interesting _ us. happy new year. it is interesting because - us. happy new year. it is interesting because we i us. happy new year. it is i interesting because we have seen a lot of activity from north korea past 12 months. there might be quite clear, obvious aims to that. what do you think the reaction is going to be now because we have not had a huge amount of

international reaction to that? i am not sure there is a whole but we do. it will be statements about deterrence, but south korea is standing with its partners and the big case is south korea, japan and the us so probably a statement by these governments, joint statement or something like that but that is not a whole lot we can do. if we go and try to get more sanctions at the un the chinese and russians will be to that. north korea has sanctioned — the big problem with sanctioning north korea is enforcement and illegal behaviour, criminal stuff, enforcement and illegal behaviour, criminalstuff, in order to get the parts that they need is not a lot we can do other than the usual rhetorical things. we can't strike them. but it's too risky, so we are kind of structure.— risky, so we are kind of structure. �* ., ., ., , structure. and, traditionally, north korea _ structure. and, traditionally, north korea would _ structure. and, traditionally, north korea would look- structure. and, traditionally, north korea would look to i structure. and, traditionally, i north korea would look to china to support that has been an alliance historically. do you think they are going to perceive the same sort of backing now given what has been going on with ukraine and china's relationship with

russia not being entirely clear either? . ~ either? yeah, i think so. i mean. — either? yeah, i think so. i mean. it— either? yeah, i think so. i mean. it is— either? yeah, i think so. i mean, it is kind _ either? yeah, i think so. i mean, it is kind of - either? yeah, i think so. i | mean, it is kind of strange china has gone further supporting the missile programme than people expected. china has really not used the leverage that it has over north korea to rein it in, even the north koreans say as you said in your report that they will build more nuclear weapons, more tactical weapons, missiles that can strike the united states. all of the languages threatening it will include south korea and its neighbours to consider more extreme options. that is already a nuclear—weapons debate in south korea, whether south korea should build its own nukes and china could help a lot and it is not. i am genuinely surprised that china seems to prefer a nuclear north korea to any kind of pressure on north korea because unless the chinese helplessly north koreans are not going to stop because as you pointed out the chinese will bail them out of the un and elsewhere. fin chinese will bail them out of

the un and elsewhere. on that south korean _ the un and elsewhere. on that south korean reaction, - the un and elsewhere. on that south korean reaction, yes, i south korean reaction, yes, there will be pressure in the region to build up a bank of reserves, do you expect that to happen? mi; reserves, do you expect that to hauen? y, ,, reserves, do you expect that to hauen? g, ,, ., reserves, do you expect that to hauen? , , . happen? my senses that south korean new — happen? my senses that south korean new securitisation i happen? my senses that south korean new securitisation is i happen? my senses that south korean new securitisation is a l korean new securitisation is a 50-50 korean new securitisation is a 50—50 issue. injapan your viewers may that a few weeks ago the japanese announced a defence strategy and will build up their ability to strike off shore and that ms north korea and china and they will expand on defence spending generally. this is what you get if the north koreans just keep going like this. they won't stop and no matter how much we talk to them, donald trump met kim jong—un three times in the previous south korean president met him three times. we have been talking about this for three years and we are trying to get them to slow down or join a arms accord and they will not so inevitably you will get more and more extreme responses and here is why i am surprised that china is willing to countenance this anxiety in south korea and japan by not doing more to help in north korea but if they won't hear we are. �* ., , , ,

korea but if they won't hear we are. . ,, , ., are. and ad'ust briefly - how are. and ad'ust briefly - how people — are. and adjust briefly - how are people feeling _ are. and adjust briefly - how are people feeling in - are. and adjust briefly - how are people feeling in south l are people feeling in south korea right now knowing the sort of activity is going on? south korea has led under the conventional threat of north korea for a long time. they don't worry about that when they go to work but there has been stepped up concern about the nuclear—weapons. for a while it looked like nuclear—weapons might come off and we would talk to them and in the previous south korean presidency there was an effort to bring it in at that did not work and it is settling in that the north koreans have weapons and they will never give them up and if you look at public opinion there was support the l four south korea �*s own weapons in response and that tells you that people just don't think you north koreans are ever going to come around. you mentioned that president trump met kimjong—un trump met kim jong—un three times but we have not heard president biden speak about north korea and possibly because of what is going on with china and russia. do you expect him to make a statement now given the activity over the past 12 months?—

past 12 months? i wish she would. past 12 months? i wish she would- i — past 12 months? i wish she would. i think— past 12 months? i wish she would. i think it— past 12 months? i wish she would. i think it would i past 12 months? i wish she l would. i think it would help, but probably not. there is not a lot that we on the outside can do. trump made an effort to engage in it did not really work. i don't think the biden want tojump back in and try and do that unless there is more work done and what closing of the gap between the two sides so biden can find something genuine which of course trump did not so until the north koreans want to come and talk to us and to be fed to biden's people i think they did try to talk to the north koreans but unless the north koreans but unless the north koreans respond and there is some kind of back—and—forth that i am not sure biden has a lot to win by addressing this directly. north korea is like a black hole for american presidents. you may call this effort and nothing happens and you have to move on. that happened to trump and 0bama and i would be surprised if biden said anything. we i would be surprised if biden said anything.— i would be surprised if biden said anything. we will have to leave it there. _ said anything. we will have to leave it there. thank - said anything. we will have to leave it there. thank you i said anything. we will have to leave it there. thank you very j leave it there. thank you very much. let's turn to the covid outbreak in china now.

which has seen canada and australia become the latest countries to impose travel restrictions on visitors. dropped its zero—covid policy, which had seen millions of people placed into lockdowns. in the city of wuhan, where the coronavirus was first recorded, people released balloons to mark the beginning of 2023. president xi jinping also touched on the pandemic in his new year address, insisting that his change in policy was justified. translation: after strenuous efforts, we have overcome i unprecedented difficulties and challenges which are not easy for everyone. at present, the epidemic prevention and control has entered a new stage. it is still a difficult period but everyone is working hard, with perseverance, and there is light at the end of the tunnel. this is bbc news. the headlines — celebrations on copacabana beach in rio dejaneiro as brazil sees in the new year. as midnight struck on new year's eve in ukraine, there were reports of more russian missile explosions. earlier, a civilian was killed

in a strike on kyiv. president biden is among world leaders who have paid tribute to pope benedict xvi, who has died at the age of 95. the former pontiff will lie in state at st peter's basilica in the vatican from monday. his funeral will take place on thursday. 0ur religion editor aleem maqbool looks back now at his life. 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. bells toll. the passing of the man considered by hundreds of millions around the world to represent a direct link to jesus was announced by his successor. translation: we are moved as we recall him as such i

a noble person, so kind, and we feel such gratitude in our hearts — gratitude to god for having given him to the church and the world. 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. as a cardinal, he upheld traditional catholic teaching on abortion, contraception and homosexuality. he even spoke against rock music and the harry potter books. whenjohn paul ii died in april 2005, he was one of the church's longest—serving cardinals and presided over the funeral.

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. 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. he was probably one of the outstanding theologians of the 20th century. he was a great scholar but he had this clarity of expression, so he was a philosopher, a thinker, and a european. but francis is quite different. he's from latin america. he brings a whole different resource to the life of the church — one which pays more attention to what you might call popular movement. they're quite different, and complimentary in a way. 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. of the brooklyn diocese in new york. he told me what it was like to meet the late pontiff. well, a number of bishops would've had the opportunity to meet with him through visits and other things like that. my own experience was shortly after being named a bishop in 2012. so, he was the pope who called me to that service. and then, there's usually a new bishop orientation in rome that year and so, at the end of that, we had the chance to meet with the holy father. he spoke to us as a group and then, he met with each one of us individually. it was a short conversation but in that short conversation, one could see that he — get a sense of his gentleness, almost grandfatherly kind of approach, his interest in you.

you know, he would ask questions. when i had another opportunity just to greet him, he would ask me about the work i was doing and what i enjoyed doing about it. for a man who's got so much responsibility, it's nice to take an interest in individual people. what impact has his passing had on the catholic community where you are, in new york? on one level, there's always the sadness that comes with death, and having been prepared for it by asking for prayers — that pope francis asked for prayers — there is something very beautiful, very human about the whole thing. but we're also filled — or, at least, iam — filled with tremendous gratitude. looking back on the legacy that was just described in your report, realising the impact he had on the direction of the church over nearly — a good part of the 20th century, because even as a young priest, he was an assistant to a bishop

in the deliberations of vatican ii and many of his suggestions were incorporated into the doctrines and the letters, and so, he really had a huge impact on the church. and then, serving in the congregation for faith and then as pope, same thing — he took that deep intellect, that interest in people, and most of all, his love for god. he was a very holy, very prayerful kind of man, and you could see that and even hear that in his tone of voice. and you mentioned there his legacy. in that report from aleem maqbool, he talked about how it was quite a different approach when pope — the current pope sort of came to be. what do you think it will be his legacy, or would he have liked it to have been? i am a great believer in the fact that the lord gives

us the pope we need at the time and so, a figure likejohn paul during the communist times and really coming into the modern era. pope benedict brought us, i think, a sense of spirituality. an invitation to come to knowjesus christ more deeply, to understand him, to listen to what the lord has to say in the gospels. a sense of prayer. some of the updating of the liturgy draws us more deeply into the mystery. so, i think that it was the time where we needed some kind of reflection, some kind of deeper understanding, some kind of deeper roots so that the church then could enter into this next phase which pope francis is taking us on, which is a very outward kind of a phase, now — now take what you've experienced in prayer and bring it

to the world. bishop robert brennan of the brooklyn diocese. let's return to new year celebrations now and countries around the world have been ringing in 2023 with fireworks set against some spectacular backdrops. dance music plays.

i cried because of a lot of emotion and i have never seen such great fireworks. four, three, two, one... joyful music plays. fireworks pop. triumphant music plays.

scotland has also been celebrating the new year — or hogmanay, as it's known there — with its own spectacular fireworks display. as with london, it's the first time in three years that the event has not been limited by covid pandemic restrictions. the event was held in edinburgh, with the fireworks launched from around the castle which stands in the centre of the city. alexandra mackenzie was in the city. she sent this update. edinburgh welcomed in 2023 in style. there's nothing quite like hogmanay in scotland, and edinburgh welcomed back the street party this year. because of coronavirus, it was the first one in three years. there were around 30,000 people here on princess street in edinburgh when it turned midnight. they sang auld lang syne,

they ceilidh danced, and just had a great time, enjoying the party. it didn't matter that it was a bit �*dreich' as we say here in scotland — it was quite cold, it was raining — but everyone just forgot the weather and had a good old party. also, edinburgh castle behind us — there were fireworks there throughout the night and then, the grand finale at midnight to bring in 2023 — six minutes of fireworks. it was just absolutely spectacular. and also, down in princes street gardens, pet shop boys are continuing theirs. people here are continuing to enjoy the party. although we've gone into 2023, people here don't want to go home. they want to still enjoy a great atmosphere here in edinburgh, hogmanay tonight.

let's leave you with the iconic scene from the banks of the river thames in london. big ben bongs. cheering and applause. fireworks pop. big ben bongs. that's it from us for now. you can reach me on socials. i'm @bbcvishalasp. and from all of us

thanks for watching. and happy new year. hello there, and a very happy new year to you. well, we ended 2022 on a very unsettled note. there was lots of heavy rain around which led to localised flooding and also some snow and ice, particularly across scotland, but things look a lot better across the southern half of the country for new year's day, the 1st of january. there will be some sunshine around but further showers further north and we hold on to the rain and sleet and snow across much of scotland, so further disruption possible from localised flooding and also from icy conditions. now, you can see why on the pressure chart. low pressure sits to the north of the uk. it's within here and the cold air mixed in with it where we'll see further snow, certainly over the higher ground of scotland, north of the central belt.

rain to lower levels but it looks like that rain and snow will tend to clear away through the day. furthersouth, it's a bright start to the day. there will be some blustery showers across southern and western areas but then, it clouds over into the afternoon with rain starting to push back into southern and south east england. another mild day in the south. very cold, though, further north. and it looks like the sleet and snow will tend to peter out slowly across scotland. there'll still be a few wintry showers around and a couple of showers dotted around central and southern areas but, again, a milder night to come across the south—east but some colder air further north. some of that chillier air working its way into irish sea coastal areas and into wales as well. and the reason for it is because this bump, this ridge of high pressure, will nose in, bringing some cooler north—westerly winds — and you can see the blue colours indicating a slightly colder wedge of air there with the ridge of high pressure for monday. but it won't last long. milder air will be waiting in the wings as we move through the week. so, we'll have a couple of showers across northern and eastern parts of the country. otherwise, for most, it's

a much drier, brighter day. quite a lot of sunshine around to start the new week. a few showers, wintry in nature across western scotland, a few showers down towards the channel islands but it will be a chilly day, despite more sunshine — around 3—8 celsius will be typical. but low pressure sets back in as we roll through the week. it'll turn quite wet and windy for a while around the middle part of the week and as that low starts to pull away, it starts to drag in some colder north—westerly winds towards the end of the week. so, i think as we move through tuesday, wednesday, thursday, it'll tend to be on the mild side. wet and windy at times. but then signs of itjust turning a bit colder across all areas towards the end of the week. bye— bye.

this is bbc news. the headlines: celebrations on copacabana beach in rio dejaneiro as brazil welcomes 2023. earlier, london marked the new year with a firework display. this is the first time in three years that crowds of revellers have been allowed to attend in the uk during the covid pandemic, attendance was restricted. blasts have been heard in kyiv in the early hours of the new year. earlier, the head of the ukrainian armed forces said they shot down 12 cruise missiles. president zelensky said ukraine won't forgive russia for the wave of missile attacks in which one civilian was killed and many injured. president biden is among world leaders who have paid tribute to pope benedict the xvi,

who died on new years eve at the age of 95.