nico he's in germany to learn german. physicist why not a little trick. it's simple online on your mobile and for a. south. t.w. ziller ning course speak german made easy. eighteen germany is also looking to count down we'll tell you how people here in berlin are planning to celebrate with us in a few hours time also coming up. iranian president hassan rouhani makes his

first comments on the anti-government protests sweeping cities across the country earlier the government blocked social media sites and threatened a crackdown will take a closer look at rouhani initial reaction and. and welcome to the program the world is ringing in the new year and australians world among the first to celebrate with the end you will fireworks spectacular in sydney harbor now as the new year sweeps across asia and into the middle east we're seeing the celebrations in dubai in the united arab emirates the city has replaced fireworks with a laser show on the world's tallest tower the burj khalifa the most other cities have stuck with fireworks from hong kong to beijing and tokyo to bangkok are

following all the new year celebrations as they cross across the globe right here. as we wait for midnight to strike here in berlin we're looking to the iconic brandenburg gate or preparations and even some celebrations are already underway correspondent rebecca reuters is in the thick of things rebecca it's good to see you massive crowds are expected some are already there lining up really early what's on the agenda tonight. hi abbi that's right we're expecting up to a million people to arrive here tonight in a few hours ago that seemed impossible but now it's really packing out and i think we could get to that million it's a pretty balmy night and i'd say it's all looking good for new year's eve two thousand and seventeen yeah the weather is definitely cooperate in temperatures in the double digits we can even call it january but while there are celebrations and people are very excited there has been some reports that

a lot of people are talking about that there have been safe zones created for women but that's not the case as it. well no actually it's been slightly misreported in the international and domestic media here within germany what had been reported was that there would be zone separate segregated zones for women to you know party the night away but away from the rest of the crowd but that isn't in fact the case what is happening at a night which is what normally happens at big events here in germany and around the world is the red cross is setting up it's got five big tents ten areas throughout the venue where people regardless men or women or anybody can go and be if they're feeling unwell or they're not feeling safe there is a particular importance placed on women's safety obviously following the attacks at cologne new year's eve in two thousand and fifteen but there isn't something so much as a segregated area for women. ok and there is a general security concern what's the situation there like right now. the security

has been quite tight obviously there's strict checks as people are arriving here at all of the entrances and there's five hundred security personnel on on the ground here tonight patrolling and up to fifteen thousand police officers both within and just outside the venue is me so security is time but i'm talking to people out in the crowd and they're not noticing it is a hinderance and they're certainly not worried for this safety everyone's just out to have a good time ok as we mentioned earlier massive crowds but it's not just germans there's tourists from all around the world who have been talking to. absolutely well of course i've bumped into a couple of astray and being a stranger myself had a bit of a chat with them i met people from india here tonight america definitely and also lots of people from the in germany itself so it's a really mixed crowd mixed crowd but i'm having a great time yes and everyone's together to celebrate records good to see you have fun for all of us who can't be there. i will thank every.

following anti-government protests now in iran that have spread across the country authorities have restricted access to social media apps blamed in part for fanning turn out to protesters have been killed in the western city of the road this as tens of thousands of iranians protested for a third consecutive day on saturday what started as an outcry against economic hardship quickly turned into a regime demonstrations state officials have warned that those stoking disorder will quote pay the price the protests are the largest since post-election on rast in two thousand and nine. president has gone rouhani has spoken out for the first time since the protests began here's some of what he had to say. about one point must be made clear to everyone we are a free nation and according to the constitution and the rights of the people citizens are completely free to criticize or even to protest.

however we should also be mindful that criticizing and protesting should be done constructively so that it will result in improvements for the country and yes people have economic problems and social issues. arose. earlier we spoke to a.f.p. correspondent erik randolph and ted on we asked him whether president rouhani will now try to close ranks with the hardliners in his regime some of whom welcome the outbreak of these protests that is something that you know that's how upset the hardliners. is. to run it for a long time and. there are some routes that they hope to study this route as they were somewhat shocked by how quickly speculated that grew out. i mean i've said already see the most truthful moderate hardline factions tourism to go through

sorry. it's time to revolutionaries some of those have been so they've got to stick to. their on the jets more economic grievances everybody agrees thoughts want to show that they separate those people from people who are. wired to sort of. us against the system itself that was a.f.p. correspondent eric randolph in tehran speaking to us earlier now to some of the other stories making news around the world a deputy sheriff in the u.s. state of colorado has been killed after he responded to a call about a domestic disturbance officials say the gunman was shot and killed after he opened fire on a group of deputies and civilians injuring several people. at least seventeen people have been killed and fourteen wounded in a bomb attack on a funeral in eastern afghanistan there has not yet been

a claim of responsibility but both the taleban and militants from the so-called islamic state have stepped up assaults in the region in recent months. a rights group says police and democratic republic of congo have shot dead two protesters in the capital city of can shop this after security forces into wrapped in a catholic mass and arrested altar boys who are protesting against the country's president elections to replace them have been delayed and are due next year. at least thirty six people have been killed in a bus crash in central kenya police say a bus and a truck collided on a dangerous stretch of highway close to no kourou town more than one hundred people have died on the route just this month alone. to sports now where round two of the tour to ski one of the most prestigious cross-country skiing events in the

world took place on sunday in lends a high to switzerland in the women's ten kilometer classic norwegian. posted the best time beating out her compatriot and saviors cent of the united states meanwhile in the men's fifteen k. classic colonia set the fastest time ahead of alexei pole to run in of kazakhstan and the region martin. tennis fans know that the new year brings the first major tournament of the season the australian open and germany's kerber one there in two thousand and sixteen but her star has fallen dramatically since then here in germany newcomer julia has taken over the number one spot and she nearly broke into the world top ten this year alexander's berra is already there on the men's side and he has the sights set on his first grand slam title here is more on the stars of german tennis. for you here guess trainee

seventeen was a tennis year to remember she even received praise from idol steffi graf after becoming germany's number one female player following a slow start to the year this one two titles the first silverware since twenty eleven. this was an eventful year for me and there were some close defeats and some very big ones i lost games at the french open and wimbledon despite having match point but i came away stronger i want to tournaments it's great when you can achieve that after such a long season. has had just a ten day break before she was back on court in germany preparing for the new tennis year her aim to get back in the world's top ten to do that she's changed her game and worked on his stamina the twenty nine year old has become a role model for young a player as we're going to through i believe that we have a good strong generation we have several players in the top one hundred so you

could say it's a golden generation b. could never achieve what stephanie cough did but we are doing our best to get closer to her it was a year to forget. she started twenty seventeen as world number one but slipped down the w. rankings after some dismissed performances on the way up is alexander it's rather germany's shooting style one five titles and defeated roger federer and novak djokovic his grand slam performances went to spectacular but he finished twenty seventeen as was. before. looking at his ranking you expect to see him always reach semifinalist he has to show the chair and the second she is always tough. the pressure's on put twenty can't spend half the come work number one will come. and bounce back to the best you get good isn't under quite so much pressure she asked the chance to stop the new year with a bang on january first at the a.s.b. classic in auckland. in the english premier league on sunday

runaway table toppers manchester city could only manage a scoreless draw to strugglers crystal palace the hosts even had a chance to run out victorious but. missed a late penalty the result brings to an end city's incredible eighteen game winning streak just one victory shy of the mark their coach had already owe us that when he was at the helm of byron munich four years ago germans must come together in two thousand and eighteen that's the message from chancellor angela merkel and her annual new year's eve address to be broadcast later today the w. has a preview or america highlights the challenges ahead she's struggling to form a government after the september election failed to produce a clear winner it was a difficult political year for chancellor angela merkel at the very beginning of her speech she addressed the social atmosphere in germany and the tensions. i think

as i know from many conversations and encounters this year that a lot of you are concerned about the cohesion of germany it's been a long time since the differences of opinion about this have been so stark some have even spoken of a rift running through our society like. merkel mentioned the worries over whether the government would be able to organize and direct immigration into germany but she also spoke of the fears and doubts of people living in the countryside who feel left behind those are her obligations as for foreign policy she look to europe and says she is expecting decisive years ahead for the european union. plans and all of this germany's future is inseparable from the future of europe the twenty seven countries of europe must be motivated most strongly than ever to hold together as a community this will be the crucial issue of the coming is this will be a matter of whether we europeans represent our values in

a globalized and digital world assertively and in a spirit of solidarity both internally and externally. but european policymakers are also waiting for germany to form a new federal government for chancellor macko that will be the most pressing task in the coming months. thank you for joining us here at the unions in berlin we'll leave you with some images of spectacular new year's fireworks from japan south korea and australia as those countries bring in twenty eighteen enjoy and happy new year.

i think there's a real meeting of journalists that people trust that can make sense of all this and can explain what's actually happening. it's not just about being spear in bear.