Starting the new year off with a pack. And if you havent quite figured it out yet there is a rainbow theme to the fireworks display this year they are hailing the introduction of same sex marriage in australia in december. That dazzling show of pyrotechnics is set to light up the skyline for a full fifteen minutes unfortunately weve got the news for. You. Im at home and welcome to the program and a very happy new year to australia. What we are going to look at live some more of those pictures from sydney right behind me for more than a Million People are welcoming twenty eighteen in with gusto as a massive fireworks display going across the harbor the famous harbor bridge there but you know here in germany there is still a ten more hours until we ring in the new year lets take a look at the preparations under way for new years eve in berlin weve got tight security measures being put in place at the Brandenburg Gate thats where the main festivities will take place now mass sexual assaults that took place in cologne on new years eve two years ago are still hanging over the celebrations. The finishing touches on preparations for new years eve in berlin and the Brandenburg Gate is getting ready to host hundreds of thousands of people a Massive Party and an even bigger security concern. Course there will be police at the event especially outside as well as five hundred security personnel. We have strict admission policies will be checking all visitors and their bags and no fireworks glass bottles large bags or suitcases will be allowed and there will be concrete poles outside the event as well as vehicle road blocks. And. The blocks are to prevent truck attacks like the one on a Christmas Market at brightside plots last year but another major concern is womens safety during the celebrations. For the first time organizers in berlin are setting up a place for women to seek help at attention run by the german red cross volunteers will be on hand to help anyone who has been sexually assaulted or just needs a place of refuge celebrations are also planned at the cologne cathedral near the citys main train station this is where hundreds of women were assaulted or robbed on new years eve two years ago many of the suspects were recent immigrants or Asylum Seekers fueling criticism of chancellor Angela Merkels decision to let more than a million migrants into germany. But after the masses salts in cologne do women feel less safe. Im not the kind of person to be afraid and so honestly i havent really thought about it i wont be at the clone cathedral but i live in cologne and i go out at night without any worries. Im not worried about it i think there are enough security measures after what happened. Yeah i dont know something should be done about this but i think its clear that you wont be safe anywhere. Germany isnt taking any chances its beefing up security with more police on the streets and Video Surveillance cameras hoping to usher in a happy and peaceful new year. Germans must come together in twenty eighteen that is the message from chancellor Angela Merkel in her annual new years eve address to be broadcast later today to give you a preview where merkel highlights the challenges ahead she is struggling to form a government after the most recent elections failed to produce a clear rolling ruling coalition. 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 are thought of i think i know from many conversations and meetings during the year that many of you are worried about social cohesion in germany long ago but weve not seen such differences of opinion about this in a long time when some even speak of a rift in our society. 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 you know this germanys future is in the extra could be linked to europes future the twenty seven states in europe must be urged most strongly than ever to stick together as one community that will be the decisive question in the years ahead the question will be whether we europeans can stay true to our values in the global entity a world with solidarity and selfconfidence expressing them both internally and externally. But european policymakers are also waiting for germany to form a new federal government for chancellor marigot that will be the most pressing task in the coming months. All in all a bit to chew on for medical we have Political Correspondent michele in the coast are here with us to talk it over mentioned this rift in society in those remarks i mean is this her failure in that shes led germany for the last twelve years well thats what her critics are saying that she failed to detect this that she failed to actually create the kind of conditions where this wouldnt be possible she carefully avoided the word nationalism she avoided the alternative the many rightwing extreme policy that for the first time and to German Parliament but she certainly now is feeling this pressure and she is calling this challenge by the name this rift in society and this very much is and has been her government style to date that she didnt have the kind of macaw approach of drawing this grand vision of where the country where europes to go but rather works down the list of challenges and thats what she did in this address well when where does medical go from here then i mean we mentioned that these Coalition Talks are dragging on and merkel herself as a political figure in germany has a different meaning than just a few years ago i mean is her future bright she going to see out another four year term well thats the big question right now is seat technically able to put together what really what is the only option realistically left in another grand coalition with the social democrats will the democrats go along with this were expecting those talks to begin for real over the coming days thats the first thing thats going to happen here at the beginning of the year at the same time weve seen him many times before talking about is this the beginning of the end of uncle america well she has pasta prime i think there is a recognition from all sides that this is if its another time in office will be most likely. The big question is would see. So another full time thats what she says she intends to do but theres many ifs and theres many questions and we didnt see any kind of questioning of her power in the pasta there is a different quality of power that she has right now but if you Start Talking about who else is there in europe who will see that kind of power i think thats a good fresh look at really how much power she still holds suddenly looking on at germany from the outside right. Thanks so much for joining us. And you will broadcast angloamerican as full new years speech in english later today it will go out at eight oclock this evening Central European time for if we can move on now to some other stories making news around the world Rights Group Says that police in the democratic republic of congo have shot dead two protesters in the capital city kinshasa this after Security Forces interrupted a catholic mass and arrested altar boys who were protesting against the countrys president elections to replace him have been delayed they are set for next year. At least twelve 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 taliban and militants from the socalled Islamic State have stepped up assaults in that region in recent months. Well two people have been killed in the western iranian city of daughter as protests fanned out across the country state officials have denied Security Forces were responsible they blame foreign agents but unconfirmed social media reports say that the police shot the protesters state officials have warned that those stoking disorder will quote pay the price. Protests against unemployment inflation other corruption went into the third day in several cities across iran the capital tehran saw burning bins on a burning building. Of the gates of the University Hundreds of students and others clashed with riot police. Earlier state television finally reported the demonstrations that have been spreading over the last few days the newsreader blamed what she called hostile websites and alien media for stirring up just as his faction called the protests illegal state television showed a peaceful demonstration but there were clashes earlier with police in the western city of come on show. The government does not like support tens of thousands of iranians took part in rallies planned for weeks they commemorate progovernment demonstrations eight years ago that put an end to unrest following a disputed election rallies were shuttled in more than one thousand two hundred locations on saturday but some supporters did acknowledge that there were valid reasons to protest and what people are protesting because they are under economic pressure the government must be responsive in the face of rising inflation and economic hardships. To get them out of it and the people have protested against inflation and other problems but that doesnt show that people have turned on each other or are against the ruling says don and the leadership. Of the Security Police are everywhere in the Islamic Republic so open political protest is rare but this crowd in the port of banda shouted we dont want a clerical regime that suggests that what began as frustration over unemployment inflation and corruption has become something more revolutionary. Right for a bit more we are joined by a. F. P. Correspondent Eric Randolph in teheran eric we have now seen these three days of protests perhaps going into four we had two protesters killed last night what is the situation like today and do you expect expect these demonstrations to continue so far its been pretty calm today we havent had any reports of any major. During sunday its government has just shut down the popular telegraph social messaging service out instagram which suggests that they are worried that there are going to be more protests ops fortunately sort of the protests yesterday starting in the evening after dark across many cities across iraq. Authorities have promised to come down hard on protesters and i guess if two of them ended up dead they have made good on that promise how else have they been dealing with these protests or we have very Little Information on how those two birds died yesterday but in general so far the police are taking quite a softly softly approach to this there is a recognition that a lot of these people have the jets and the Economic Resources and those are its easier king to distinguish those from people who are taking it to the next step and cooling for the fall of the regime i can only protest to go on for a long time to run quite regular occurrence son you know taking all this time to actually regime starts the government recognizes that they need to tackle the issues that are underlying purpose rather than just crackdown on that said already. The big guns if necessary stick starts out. U. S. President donald trump has tweeted the world is watching at the iranian government is the regime theyre really concerned about what the International Community whether its trump or anyone else makes of how theyre coming across. No you know ron quite likes to how foreign countries. These things because it allows allows them to paint the protest is directed from outside foreign agents. By the americans so for. Dismiss those remarks incidents they are its relevant and opportunistic and i think so far weve seen very little signs that the protesters themselves particularly the ball that by whats going on outside these issues are very much. Directed by those who are personal problems with the local economy and we havent seen them taking on an International Flavor this is a very much to do with their own issues right now as you know theres been too much to whats going on in the white house and twitter and. All right Eric Randolph thanks very much for the update. Well thanks for joining us here at d. W. News in berlin were going to leave you with some images of spectacular new years fireworks from auckland and from sydney as those cities ring in two thousand and eighteen enjoy every new year. New w. s Program Guide on the internet the highlights. D. W. Dot com highlights. I