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to know your business offering specialized solutions in capital to help you meet your growth objectives. we offer expertise and tailored solutions for small businesses and major corporations. what can we do for you? >> a new year nightmare. 60 people killed in a stampede in a fireworks display in ivory coast. a deal to avert financial crisis hangs in the balance. republicans in the u.s. house of representatives warn they can't now support it. tens of thousands take to the streets in hong kong calling for a change of leadership and greater democracy.

pope benedict warns of the growing inequality between rich and poor and the extremes of capitalism. where are all of these people running to in the first day of 2013? we will find out. hello. three days of mourning have been declared in ivory coast after a celebration turns into tragedy. at least 60 people were killed in a stampede at a fireworks display. most of the victims were between 13-18. >> it started as a new year celebration of ivory coast recently restored peace after a long civil war. something went horribly wrong. near one of the entrances to

the football stadium a crowd surged. men, women and many children fell. rescue workers reached the scene quickly. the tragedy occurred in the center. this fireman said they found people trampled and suffocated. the number of dead almost certainly will rise. people with life threatening head injuries have been admitted for treatment. the woman lying on the bed is six months pregnant. her husband said she tried to move away from the crowd but because she was slower than most, she was trapped. the president of ivory coast visited the hospital and gave sympathy and promise to pay the medical bills of the wounded. but that won't be enough. the people of ivory coast will want to know why the security forces failed in their crowd

control. they will want to know why, even as they were celebrating peace, the end of war, danger and death returned. mark doyle, bbc news. >> a west africa correspondent told us how the authorities are handling the investigation. >> the president confirmed when he visited the hospital today an investigation was underway to understand what happened. and i think that the people will hope that a swift investigation to answer the questions over the incidents. there are different theories that are emerging from eyewitnesses that we have been able to talk to. some say that a group of youths were brandishing knives and mugging people and snatching people's mobile phone and that provoked a panic at the back of the crowds. others say that security forces were trying to control the many

thousands who were walking through the city center at the end of the fireworks event and that is what triggered the stampede. so, it is all unclear for now and the people are waiting for answers. >> what is the safety record of large gathering in ivory coast. presumably nothing on this scale happened before. >> this is the biggest stampede in the last year at least. and the security forces were, you know, once known as one of the best on the continent. over the past decade with the conflict, the security forces have been going through tremendous hard times. and in fact they need to be rebuilt. but there was such events that took place two years ago at the end of a football match but not the scale of this stampede this year. >> and bitter irony of this, those celebrating the new year

were at the end of a traumatic period of war for the country. >> exactly. this is very hard for ivory coast on the same night people were watching on television and very hopeful and optimistic message from their president. the fireworks event was a happy event. this terrible ending prompted the president to declare three days of mourning to start the year with. deal to end the american budget crisis has come into doubt. the so called fiscal cliff but the deal still needs approval in the lower house of representatives and it is there

that the debate continues. >> in new york's times square the clock ticked down to midnot, not just to the beginning of the new year but a deal to avoid catastrophic tax rises and spending cuts. few here are engaged by economics but failure could be an unhappy and unlucky 2013. the senate missed the deadline by hours but they did vote on a deal put together by the vice president joe biden, better late than never they backed the compromise. >> the bill as amended is passed. >> the republican leader defended his deal with the democrats. >> it took an imperfect deal to prevent a real financial pain. but in my view twas worth the effort. >> the deal he is talking about

would mean a higher tax rate for families earning more than $450,000 a year, fewer than 1% of americans. unemployment benefits for 2 million americans would be extended and more than $100 billion worth of spending cuts would be delayed two months. the republican dominated house of representatives yet to give their verdict on the deal. if it did give a thumbs down it would be back to the severe tax rises and spending cuts. doesn't matter yet because it is a public holiday and the markets are closed so they have a little time but not much. many republicans are outraged that it does not deal with the fundamental problem, too much spending. >> we are taking up a bill that won't do anything to cut spending. i am embarrassed for this generation. the future generations deserve better. >> if the house kills the bill

the widespread contempt for congress will only grow. >> to have negotiated at this level of detail to come so close to the goal line and not be able to go over it. >> wall street is desserted today. but when the markets return from their holiday their reaction to the spectacle of american democracy in action will be critically important. how shake sethis deal looking? >> i think it is pretty shaky at the moment. the republicans in the house of representatives announced in 10 minutes time they will hold a meeting or a conference call to decide what to do next. the position is that the number two republican has said he can't back this deal. not unless there are big changes making cuts in spending. the republican leader, we don't know. john boehner hasn't said whether he will bring it to a

vote or try to make changes and spend it off to the senate again. this deal that everybody says is so important for the world's economy and not just america is in peril tonight. >> but if the deal does fall down do they go right back to square 1? how long can it go on for? >> well it is able to go on without damaging the american economy. technically america is already over the fiscal cliff. technically there are tax rises and spending cuts brought in. that hasn't happened because it is a public holiday right now. so, that would come into effect. you are right. they are running out of time. there is a new congress on thursday. anything that is still up in the air if not resolved by then it will fall and they will have to go back to the drawing board. in the end there will be a deal. but while the uncertainty

continues it will hurt the american economy. >> thanks. fierce clashes have erupted as rebels targeted the airport which is now closed to limit the movement of government forces. the syrian army has been surrounding areas after what they described as clashes with armed terrorist group. the iranian navy tested ship missiles in a drill iran warned off foreign surveillance planes that tried to approach their forces during the drill. people in athens started their new year without metro or train services as workers go on strike.

they oppose further cuts and their inclusions in the single payroll. seven charity workers, six women have been killed in a drive by shooting in northwest pakistan. police say they were shot dead by gunmen on motorbikes. all of the victims are said to be pakistani citizens. >> unfortunately aide workers have been targeted in the past. health workers, nine of them were shot done. they have all been involved in pakistan's polio vaccination drive. at that time they did not say they carried out the attacks but they have been spreading rumors and suspicions for many years now saying that somehow these health workers are

working for a western agenda by gathering intelligence or sterilizing muse limb children. there were seven workers all working at this children's community center that just finished a shift, they were getting into their van and driving off. it was sprayed with bullets. of them were women teach ares, two of them were health workers. >> at least two people have been killed in a port city. police say another 50 were wounded. reports suggest the bomb was planted on a motorcycle in a crowded area and exploded by remote control. and staying in pakistan u.n.

health workers say a record number of children died from measles related causes in 2012. just over 300 children died. pakistani health authorities in the worst affected area. still to come a bracing start to the new year with a bit of north sea madness. >> once again they called for weapons and aide. >> i am sure that our revolution will continue to get

more and more. also i hope the international community will recognize exactly what happened in syria and do his duty to help our people in humanitarian and help them to defend themselves by providingfr to free people seeking freedom and dignity. >> you are watching bbc world news. let's take you through the headlines. the president of ivory coast visits the hospital where the injured were taken after a stampede at new years celebrations in which 60 people were killed. republicans in the u.s. house of representatives say they are

not ready to support a deal that aims to avert a budget crisis. thousands of people have been expressing their fury in a city where space is highly prized and priced they claimed he lie body illegal construction at his home. the -- the report contains flash photography. >> this is how anti-government protesters in hong kong see their leader. they say he can no longer be trusted to run the island with 7 million people calling home. thousands march through the city in what was an auspicious start to 2013 for the territory demanding the resignation of the chief executive who they see as a pickup tote beijing. >> your credibility decides

whether the public should support you or not. if you don't have credibility you will lose the confidence of the public. >> if the government lacks integrity how can they have authority to govern hong kong. we must take to the streets and make our voices heard. for the people living here their way of life is influenced by the west and had been for over a century. doncht those on the mainland. so the chinese leadership agreed to keep hong kong but overseeing it all would be a leader backed by beijing. today that leader elected by a committee loyal to china's central government is under increasing pressure to give up his post.

protesters clashed with police after a relatively peaceful day of demonstrations. whatever their issue is with the current leadership it is outweighed by their desire for democracy. we have been asking for more than 20 years. >> china promised that this will happen in 2017. until then the issue of how the territory is governed remains deeply guided. >> we were reporting earlier on the awful story from ivory coast, 60 people killed in a stampede in a new years celebration. now from angola. there are report on the rueters news agency quoting the state news agency that 10 people have been crushed to death and 120 injured in the capitol of

rwanda as they tried to enter an overcrowded stadium for a pentecostal church. the agency goes on to say that the emergency services say the victims include four children who were crushed in the gates of the stadium where this church had organized a vigil on monday night. so, that is the report from angola. 10 people are crushed to death and 120 injured as they tried to enter an overcrowded stadium. back now to the talks taking place in the u.s. hoping to divert the country from possible recession. professor of business now at the university of maryland. he said he was not surprised an agreement hasn't been made. >> it accomplishes none of the republicans objectives. speak of boehner's plan b,

accomplished more of their objectives and increased taxes less than this compromise in the senate. the senate majority leader, mr. mcconnell said we will have tax increases now but we will get the spending cuts later. he reminded me of a character from popeye in wimpy. if you give me a hamburger today i will gladly pay you on tuesday. tuesday never comes with spending cuts. the country is on an unsustainable spending pass. you know maybe they need to make their stand now. >> explain what happens then if the deal does not go through. we heard all about the deadline. first of all the midnight deadline and now a looming deadline as the financial markets opening. what happens without a deal? >> the financial market deadline is for no one. what really matters is the economic activity in the u.s. economy and whether things stall. if we go off the cliff and stay there the economy will stall

and have a recession. but if not we will slog along at 2% growth, perhaps less now with these tax increases falling heavily on small businesses. as a consequence we are headed by the end of mr. obama's term or the term of the next president for the kind of situation, not so much that greece is in but that italy is in. unsustainable debt. draconian budget cuts instead of reasonable ones now. unable to meet the commitments to the elderly and needy. we are spending ourselves broke right now. >> in his new years message pope benedict condemned unregulated capitalism. the pope thanks the world's peacemakers saying that. >> the 85-year-old pope rang in

the new year by celebrating mass and preaching to a congregation of thousands. the catholic church marks the beginning of each new year as world peace day. hunger for peace, a universal longing was the dominant theme of this year's message. pope benedict deplored growing inequality between rich and poorer people. what he called the prevalence of a selfish mind set expressed by unregulated capitalism. he thanked the world's peacemakers for their efforts. they deserve praise he said for working tirelessly, often behind the scenes. i am convinced many works of peace that are abundant in the world testified to humanity's deep lodging for peace. >> thousands of peace marchers arrived releasing balloons.

the catholic church's social teaching is something the pope cares about a lot. in a separate message pope benedict called for the ethical regulation of markets. the global financial crisis he argues it is proof that capitalism fails to protect the weakest members of society. as pope benedict interests the eighth year his frail health is more obvious. he frequently walks with a cane. he has no confirmed travel plans for 2013. >> a british tourist has been shot dead as he danced in a new year's party in one of thailand's most famous island. the 22-year-old was caught in cross fire between local gangs. the island draws thousands of

backpackers to the famous full moon party. his family has been told. the thai authorities supply medicine, food and water to those on board saying they have been drifting in the sea for 13 days trying to reach malaysia where around 25,000. in his first new year the reformist president of burma has said the world has been amazed by burma's political progress last year and expectations have soared but he urged the people to be patient. he said they still have many aspects to perform and that widespread change takes time. how have you been spending the first day of 2013 on a sofa or stroll in the park? how about this though. tens of thousands of people in various parts of europe have

been taking the opportunity to jump into freezing cold water. >> it is a tradition that dates back a decade. this year in the dutch seaside down 10,000 took the plunge. temperatures in the north seawright now around 8 degrees celsius. most people watching it will have one question. why. >> it is how i start the year fresh like this, just to forget your worries. it was just wonderful. >> you start the new year with a refreshingly new profile picture. this is the new year's plunge. italian style. in rome they flocked to the ancient river after a turbulent 2012 and hope the future holds more favorable condition. in germany a sparkling stream

of swimmers going into the lake on the outskirts of berlin. those brave enough to take the plunge are passionate about the benefits. >> wonderful. really refreshing. beautiful. a really good start for the new year. >> make sense of international news at bbc.com/news. >> funding for this presentation is made possible by --

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