this is bbc news with the headlines. pope francis pays tribute to his predecessor, benedict, as a "faithful servant of the gospel and the church". as russian missiles strike kyiv, a former war crimes prosecutor calls for vladimir putin to be tried this year for crimes against humanity. three, two, one... celebrations have taken place around the world to herald the start of 2023. and croatia begins the new year with a new currency, switching from the kuna to the euro.

hello and welcome to bbc news. it is good to have your company here. we begin with international news. pope francis has addressed worshippers in the vatican this morning. his address follows the death of his predecessor, benedict xvi. the former pope will be lying in state in st peter's basilica from monday to allow mourners to pay their respects until his funeral on thursday. pope francis celebrated mass for the solemnity of mary in the vatican, and afterwards he paid tribute to his predessecor in st peter's square. translation: the beginning . of the new year is for mary most holy, who we celebrate today as mother of god. at this time, let's invoke her intercession, especially

for pope benedict xvi, who left this world yesterday morning. let us alljoin together with one heart and one soul in thanking god for the gift of this faithful servant of the gospel and of the church. we saw recently, on the television, his images and all of the activities and life of pope benedict. our religion editor aleem maqbool has more from the vatican. we heard from pope francis a couple of times today, first at a mass for peace that was held in st peter's basilica behind me. he talked about entrusting our beloved pope emeritus benedict xvi, to the holy mother, to accompany him from this world to god. and then later, pope francis appeared at a balcony here at the vatican for what is his

regular sunday lunchtime homily, where he started this week by asking people to join together, as you rightly say, to pray for the man he called a faithful servant to the gospel and to the church. extraordinary scenes, though. we saw thousands of people pour into the square from every side. vatican police told us a short while ago that they thought around 40,000 people were here to witness that homily. of course a lot of people happen to be in rome for new year, from around the world, including a man i met from chicago who said in spite of the fact that he knew that pope benedict had been ill for some time, there was still a sense of shock. others did refer to the complicated legacy of pope benedict, but of course many more people will pour into rome and the vatican in the coming days, first for the laying in state and then, of course, for the funeral on thursday morning that will be presided over by pope francis.

coverage of courses throughout the week here on bbc world news. 2023 has arrived all over the world by now, with the latest new year celebrations taking place across the united states, canada, the caribbean and latin america. this year is in contrast to the previous two years, when celebrations were scaled back because of the pandemic. sanchia berg's report on the global celebrations does contain flashing images. for 2023, new year celebrations are back around the world. in new york, partygoers in times square relished the moment, thousands squashed together, only a handful wearing masks. in london, thousands filled the banks of the thames, relieved after covid and a difficult 2022. happy new year, and hopefully this year is better than last year. hopefully. after the year we've had, it is phenomenal. years, years we've had. the year we have had in general,

with the cost of living, the inflation, the politics of the country, it's just been upheaval. it is the one time we all come together. this is london... the fireworks welcomed in the new year and marked the losses of the old. i declare before you all, that my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service. in edinburgh, the first hogmanay events in three years were sold out across the city, despite rain and freezing temperatures. and in paris crowds filled the champs elysees for the fireworks. local media estimated i million people came to cheer in 2023. there were also smiling crowds in the chinese city of wuhan,

where the pandemic began nearly three years ago and where covid is back. the chinese authorities say the situation is under control, but several countries, including the uk, are bringing back covid tests for travellers from china. sanchia berg, bbc news. ukraine's armed forces say they've shot down 45 iranian—made drones fired by russia since new year's eve. the latest bombardment follows a wave of attacks on ukraine cities over the christmas season, including residential areas, which forced tens of thousands of people into shelters over the festive season. the bbc�*s 0lga malchevska reports. singing on the front line. these soldiers are celebrating new year's eve in the bunker during a brief moment of calm. this is bakhmut, eastern ukraine, the area that has seen the fiercest fighting. joining them, the mayor of kyiv, vitali

klitschko, ex—celebrity world boxing champion. he saw in the new year with the troops, his spokesperson told the bbc. bringing some supplies, a more festive mood and a message for the season. translation: the freedom battalion, bakhmut guys, who defend our - motherland and its territorial integrity, independence and peace of every ukrainian. i will do everything to make the next year, 2023, the year of peace. this christmas tree is in kramatorsk, another city on the eastern front line. a soldier shared the footage with the bbc. translation: we have no light, l electricity from a generator, but we have a new year with a christmas tree and presents. svetlana in kyiv was hoping for a peaceful night with herfamily — two kids, a dog and a cat. they didn't want to sleep in the cold, dark basement and instead were sheltering in their flat. russia launched one more

attack in the night and early morning of the new year, just hours after shelling the capital and other regions during the day. it was like typical russian terrorism. that was the reason why he struck on new year's eve, because he had, like, 311 days to kill everything. but he can't and he feels that we are stronger than he thought before. and now he willjust want to terrorise us. it will not work, though, says mykola and others we spoke to on this new year's day, after another russian attack. ukrainians believe 2023 will bring them victory. 0lga malchevska, bbc news. earlier our correspondent in kyiv, hugo bachega, gave us the latest. ukrainians are angry and tired of those attacks which have hit places like kyiv, away from the front lines. last night the air raid alert sounded after midnight. there were loud explosions

here in kyiv but no casualties, and that happened hours after russia launched missiles targeting cities across the country. one person was killed here in kyiv and the authorities accuse russia of deliberately targeting civilians by launching attacks as people had gathered to celebrate the new year. also last night we heard from president zelensky, who delivered an emotional new year speech praising ukrainians for resisting the russian aggression and saying his country had no option other than to fight until victory. in russia, there was a very different tone in president putin's new year speech. he was surrounded by soldiers and indicated that the war would continue. the colombian president, gustavo petro, has announced a ceasefire with five armed groups until the end ofjune. president petro, a former rebel himself, has previously pledged to end six decades of violence, between government forces and armed militias in which hundreds of thousands of colombians have lost their lives. at least nine people have been killed in a stampede

at a new year event in the ugandan capital, kampala. police say some of the dead are children who were attending the celebrations outside the freedom city mall. the stampede is said to have happened after a midnight fireworks display. it was the first time since the start of the coronavirus pandemic that uganda had permitted large new year gatherings. at least ten people have been killed in the afghan capital kabul in an explosion at the entrance of the military airport. the taliban government has been battling an insurgency by islamic state militants who have targeted a number of key installations in the city in recent weeks. 0ur south asia editor, anbarasan ethirajan, has the latest. the taliban authorities are saying there was a loud explosion outside the entrance of the military airfield in kabul, which is a very highly protected zone, because the taliban have moved many of their military equipment near the airfield.

and also the equipment left by the us—led forces, when they left afghanistan in 2021, they were all there. the taliban authorities are not giving any numbers at the moment. what they are saying is, several people have been killed and injured but the local media have been giving various figures. but what it shows is that despite the taliban promising that they will bring security to people in kabul and the rest of the country, these kind of bomb blasts and explosions are happening. and no group has admitted responsibility for this blast yet but the islamic state group militants have admitted responsibility for several similar attacks in the past. for example, five chinese nationals were injured when a gunman stormed a hotel in kabul a few weeks ago. it also poses a security challenge for the taliban authorities. kim jong—un has called for a significant increase in north korea's nuclear arsenal in response to perceived threats from the us and south korea.

he said his country would focus on mass producing tactical nuclear weapons and hours into the new year he fired a ballistic missile into the sea of japan. you're watching bbc world news. croatia has become the 20th country tojoin the eurozone and has now adopted the euro as its currency. the bbc�*s emily brown reports. a new year, a new currency. croatia says goodbye to its kuna currency as it adopts the euro. this is the moment the country's finance minister pulls out the first euro bill from a cash machine. and croatia will become the 20th member of the eurozone after nearly a decade since hejoined the eu. the nation of 4 million people joins the schengen zone, which allows people to move freely around its member nations, but croatians have mixed feelings about the change. translation: it was always

great for me to have kuna i when i came to croatia but the euro is easier — it's easier when you're in europe. translation: we can be emotionally attached - to the kuna because of history but one has to live realistically. it's always better to be with someone who is strong, who is something, than to be on the sidelines. translation: i love kuna and, as you can hear, we will have i as much as our pension allows. meanwhile, experts say adopting the euro will help protect croatia's economy at a time when inflation has been soaring globally since russia's invasion of ukraine. and it's hoped its entry into a borderless area will provide a boost to the tourism industry. it's an important milestone in the history of croatia, the euro and the eu as a whole. emily brown, bbc news. new government figures have been released for the number of people who've arrived in the uk by crossing the channel on small boats. a total of 45,756 migrants made the

crossing during the whole of 2022. the last crossings of the year happened on christmas day, when 90 people made the journey from france in two boats. there's still reported to be a backlog of 100,000 applications from people seeking asylum in the uk. a man has died and another has been injured following an avalanche on the north face of ben nevis. the lochaber mountain rescue team and a helicopter were dispatched to help the two climbers on friday afternoon. a 48—year—old man was pronounced dead at the scene and a ao—year—old man was taken to hospital for treatment. the new year's day parade has returned to the streets of london for the first time since 2020. 0ur reporter nickjohnson was there. this parade was devised back in 1986 as a way of bringing, sweeping away those christmas cobwebs.

we are heading back to work and school in the next few days and they wanted something to really bloat those christmas cobwebs away and this is certainly doing that. we have had about 8000 performers passed by us, all sorts of things. we had groups performing from the uk, europe, other london boroughs, but also from around the world. i spoke to actually someone from a band from el salvador who said each young member of the band had to raise their own money to make the journey to come and perform here. as you say, this is the first restriction free new year's day parade here in london since early 2020 and the organisers have high hopes for the number of people who turned out to watch. they reckon around half a million people are lining the streets here. we are just down from piccadilly circus and two of those people are suzanne and colin. good morning. you have come from sussex. tell us why it was important for you to make the

journey had today.— important for you to make the journey had today. important for you to make the “ourne had toda . ~ ., ., .., journey had today. would love coming to london anyway _ journey had today. would love coming to london anyway and _ journey had today. would love coming to london anyway and this _ journey had today. would love coming to london anyway and this is - journey had today. would love coming to london anyway and this is a - to london anyway and this is a really— to london anyway and this is a really special occasion because it has not _ really special occasion because it has not happened for a while and we have never_ has not happened for a while and we have never been before. after covid, we thought— have never been before. after covid, we thought we'd better make the most of life. _ we thought we'd better make the most of life, basically. we thought we'd better make the most of life, basically-— of life, basically. colin, tell me one act you _ of life, basically. colin, tell me one act you have _ of life, basically. colin, tell me one act you have really - of life, basically. colin, tell me| one act you have really enjoyed of life, basically. colin, tell me- one act you have really enjoyed her so far. one act you have really en'oyed her so far. ~ , ., , so far. south americans have been brilliant, absolutely. _ so far. south americans have been brilliant, absolutely. and - so far. south americans have been brilliant, absolutely. and the - so far. south americans have been | brilliant, absolutely. and the north americans. — brilliant, absolutely. and the north americans, come _ brilliant, absolutely. and the north americans, come to _ brilliant, absolutely. and the north americans, come to that. - brilliant, absolutely. and the north americans, come to that. they- brilliant, absolutely. and the north americans, come to that. they have indeed been — americans, come to that. they have indeed been a _ americans, come to that. they have indeed been a lots _ americans, come to that. they have indeed been a lots of _ americans, come to that. they have indeed been a lots of groups - americans, come to that. they have indeed been a lots of groups from i indeed been a lots of groups from the americas and this is a truly global event, around half a billion people expected to tune in from around the world to watch. the uk housing market is expected to "cool down" in 2023, but prices will still remain higher than before the start of the coronavirus pandemic — that's according to a number of property market experts. analysts are also predicting some stand—offs between buyers and sellers in the new year as the market adjusts, with homes potentially taking longer to sell. i'm joined by richard donnell, head of research and insight at the property website zoopla.

goodness, you need some insight in your game, don't you?— your game, don't you? absolutely. what do you _ your game, don't you? absolutely. what do you think _ your game, don't you? absolutely. what do you think is _ your game, don't you? absolutely. what do you think is happening - your game, don't you? absolutely. what do you think is happening at| what do you think is happening at the moment? 0bviously what do you think is happening at the moment? obviously this is not a time when lots of people are thinking about buying and selling that they may think about it just after the new year. that that they may think about it 'ust after the new yeahi that they may think about it 'ust after the new year. that is right. i think the big _ after the new year. that is right. i think the big story _ after the new year. that is right. i think the big story in _ after the new year. that is right. i think the big story in the _ after the new year. that is right. i think the big story in the housing i think the big story in the housing market was in the follow—up to the mini budget when mortgage rates which were already heading towards 45% went up to 6.5% and on our numbers of that sort of demand for housing dropped by half, almost a christmas slowdown came eight weeks early. —— towards 4% or 5% went up to 6.5%. sales are still happening and a lot of buyers were pushed at the market, but pandemic impacts continue, working from home is here to stay, a big spike in people retiring which is a big move, triggerfurther people retiring which is a big move, trigger further people moving. retiring which is a big move, triggerfurther people moving. i think next year it might prove better than people think. mortgage

rates are set to come back down towards 5% as we start next year and hopefully we will not see some of these worse false people are predicting the next year. halifax was predicting — predicting the next year. halifax was predicting house _ predicting the next year. halifax was predicting house prices - predicting the next year. halifax l was predicting house prices falling by 8% in the year ahead. they also made the point that would not wipe out a lot of the games people had enjoyed previous to that, but if you take into account the prospect of the market softening a bit and you are adding things like inflation pressures and people's just a sense of unease, that must have an impact? it will and we think housing transactions next year will be 20% lower than this year, just over a million. we think prices will fall by up million. we think prices will fall by up to 5% and i think the real focus, because we do not have one housing market in this country, there are many housing markets, higher interest rates, higher cost of living will have a bigger impact on the south—east of england than other areas of the country where affordability is less stretched and less exposed to higher mortgage

rates, so absolutely we will have a slowdown, but i think talk of a big room correction in house prices are certainly widening up.— certainly widening up. there are siunificant certainly widening up. there are significant number _ certainly widening up. there are significant number of _ certainly widening up. there are significant number of people - certainly widening up. there are l significant number of people who certainly widening up. there are - significant number of people who are due to renegotiate a mortgage because a fixed rate is coming to an end, that must be a worrying for some people who maybe extended themselves quite far in the first place and effectively are seeing an environment in which they are going to have to pay considerably more if they want to keep servicing their mortgage? they want to keep servicing their mortnae? �* , they want to keep servicing their mortgage?— they want to keep servicing their mortnae? �* , ~ ., ., mortgage? absolutely. when mortgage rates no mortgage? absolutely. when mortgage rates go from — mortgage? absolutely. when mortgage rates go from 2% _ mortgage? absolutely. when mortgage rates go from 296 at _ mortgage? absolutely. when mortgage rates go from 296 at the _ mortgage? absolutely. when mortgage rates go from 296 at the beginning - mortgage? absolutely. when mortgage rates go from 296 at the beginning of. rates go from 2% at the beginning of 2022 to 6% where they are now, that is going to cause concern for people looking to refinance. i think anyone who took a mortgage in the last five years had to prove their bank they could afford 6.5 or 7% mortgage rates which when you get used to paying 2% is still a shock none the less. banks are working with their

customers, working what they can afford and it is becoming far more of an individualised service that banks are offering their customers to make sure they can support them as far as possible to get over any payment shock. just as far as possible to get over any payment shock-— as far as possible to get over any payment shock. just very briefly, i should have _ payment shock. just very briefly, i should have asked _ payment shock. just very briefly, i should have asked you _ payment shock. just very briefly, i should have asked you this - payment shock. just very briefly, i should have asked you this as - payment shock. just very briefly, i j should have asked you this as well given lots of people do not own a home, lots people may not want to, to any changes in the buying and selling how much of an impact on the rental market? the selling how much of an impact on the rental market?— rental market? the rental market is under a lot — rental market? the rental market is under a lot of— rental market? the rental market is under a lot of pressure _ rental market? the rental market is under a lot of pressure just - rental market? the rental market is under a lot of pressure just because j under a lot of pressure just because the supply of homes for rent has not increased very much. rents are up by i2% in increased very much. rents are up by 12% in the last year and i think higher mortgage rates make it harder for people to buy a property, especially first—time buyers, and that will keep pressure on the rental market, so while people are talking about house prices falling next year, transaction volume down, rents will keep rising and that will be a concern for renters who are looking to rent smaller properties and look further afield to get better value for money, it is just

adding to the cost of living pressures. adding to the cost of living pressures-_ adding to the cost of living ressures. . ., ., , ., ,, pressures. richard, lovely to speak to ou, pressures. richard, lovely to speak to you. thank _ pressures. richard, lovely to speak to you. thank you _ pressures. richard, lovely to speak to you, thank you very _ pressures. richard, lovely to speak to you, thank you very much - pressures. richard, lovely to speak to you, thank you very much for - pressures. richard, lovely to speak. to you, thank you very much for your time and happy new year to you. thank you. now, how about a little singalong at home? people at home are being encouraged to do that with the him amazing grace. today marks 250 years since the hymn amazing grace was first performed. the words were written for a new year's day service in a small church in buckinghamshire. now, a museum is calling for people across the globe to join together to create one of the biggest sing—alongs ever undertaken. harry farley reports. # amazing grace, how sweet the sound # that saved a wretch like me.# in milton keynes, a church choir is rehearsing one of the most popular hymns of the last 200 years. # was blind but now i see.#

i first heard it in gikuyu in my language, and it's a song of redemption, a song that says anybody can come as they are, that god loves me regardless. and the way it comes out through in my language is just like, i feel special. amazing grace became an anthem of the civil rights movement. in 2015, former president 0bama used it for his speech at the funeral of the reverend clementa pinckney, who was shot in a racially motivated attack in charleston in may. # amazing grace # how sweet the sound.# it was here at this church in buckinghamshire thatjohn newton

wrote the words to amazing grace for his new year's day service in 1773. before joining the priesthood, newton was notorious as the captain of several slave ships in barbaric conditions. he transported people from west africa to be sold in the caribbean before he had what he said was a dramatic conversion. the local museum in 0lney is hosting an exhibition to mark the anniversary. it's all about hope. and you look at the words ofjohn newton, he talks about the desperate situation of his life and how he ultimately found grace. and to me, that says that however bad life may seem, there's always hope that you can turn it around. and i think therein, for a large part of the population who aren't even particularly religious, that for them has a meaning. but for others, john newton's background as a slave trader hangs over the anniversary. i know that my great—grandmother was an enslaved person, taken out of africa and taken

down to guyana. this was what my ancestors had to go through in order to build a colony somewhere in some other country. it saddens me and it fills me with a tremendous amount of grief and remorse. so this hymn is talking about as a slave trader, feeling forgiven. do you feel able to forgive him? no. i find it very difficult. very, very difficult. # amazing grace # how sweet the sound.# 250 years on, this hymn's themes of forgiveness and grace are as challenging as ever. harry farley, bbc news. fabulous storry. —— story.

in his new year message, the archbishop of canterbury, justin welby, has described the social care system as "broken". he says care homes are "struggling" to deal with rising costs, while trying to find and retain staff. the government has said it's providing £7.5 billion in support for the sector over the next two years. mr welby is due to publish a report on the social care system this month. he says everyone should work to improve it. we know our care system is broken. but it doesn't have to be. we can rise to the challenge of fixing it. that means action from all of us: you, me, families, communities, government. one of the original members of the pointer sisters, anita pointer, has died aged 76. the singers were known for hits including jump and automatic, both of which won grammys, and i'm so excited. they won three grammy awards during their career.

her death was announced today. she had been living with cancer. there is our main stories on bbc news. more throughout the rest of the day, to stay with us. hello. we welcomed in 2023 with a real range of conditions across the uk. parts of scotland had snow and temperatures in the highlands got very close to minus nine celsius. compare that with 11 degrees last night in the south of england and it is mild air that will win out for much of the time. i think through this coming week. there will be some rain at times, but equally some drier and chillier interludes. so for the rest of today, we will see thickening cloud and some patchy rain across the channel islands and fringing into the south coast of england. elsewhere, some showers, some of which will be heavy and thundery and some rain still with some snow over high ground affecting northern parts of scotland. temperatures four degrees for aberdeen and glasgow, 13 in london. and then tonight, we will see this

area of wet weather pushing across south—east england into east anglia, some showers further north. most of them will fade. there will be some clear spells, ice likely to be an issue through northern ireland, northern england and up into scotland where it is going to be another really cold night, minus eight in the highlands and even further south. it will be chillier than it was last night. now into monday, some showers likely to move across south eastern parts of england. first thing, we will see some further showers pushing into western scotland. some of those wintry over high ground. but in between, a slice of sunshine, relatively light winds, decent weather to get out and about for a bank holiday stroll. although it will be a chillier day in the south, highs of nine degrees and further north, just two or three degrees in northern scotland. now, as we head through monday night into tuesday, we'll see frontal systems pushing in from the atlantic, bringing some outbreaks of rain and some strengthening winds. it is going to be quite a windy day on tuesday. we may see some hill snow for a time in the north of the uk,

but i think it will tend to turn back to rain as the air turns milder. temperatures on tuesday will be a little bit higher for many places five or six degrees in north—east scotland, 12 or 13 across south wales and the south of england. now that weather system moves away drier for a time as we move through wednesday and into the first part of thursday. but then this next weather system pushes in and that will bring more outbreaks of rain and again, perhaps some snow over high ground in the north. but it is looking mild for much of the time through the coming week, perhaps just a little colder as we get into friday.

you are watching bbc news. addressing crowds at st peter's square, pope francis has described his predecessor, benedict xvi, as a faithful servant of the gospel and the church. pope benedict died yesterday at age of 95. as russian missiles strike kyiv — a former war crimes prosecutor calls for vladimir putin to be tried this year for crimes against humanity. sir geoffrey nice said the case against the russian leader "could not be clearer". in his new year message the archbishop of canterbury, justin welby, has described the social care system as �*broken'.

the uk government has said it's providing £7.5 billion