hello and welcome to bbc news. cities around the world have been welcoming in 2023 with the latest new year celebrations taking place across the united states, canada, the caribbean and latin america. this is rio dejaneiro in brazil crowds gathered on its copacabana beach watching the spectacular fireworks display there. this year is in contrast to the previous two, when celebrations were scaled back because of the pandemic. the bbc s louisa pilbeam looks back on how the world has been seeing in the new year. crowd: 5, 4, 3, 2,1. big ben bongs. times have changed and with covid restrictions lifted in most parts of the world, fireworks lit up skies with crowds able to watch below. in london, 100,000 people on the banks of the thames and a moment of royal reflection. i declare before you all, that my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service. people came from around the globe, happy to watch the tradition in person again. amazing, i have goos
and croatia begins the new year with a new currency switching from the kuna to the euro. welcome to the programme. cities around the world have been welcoming in 2023 with the latest new year celebrations taking place across the united states, canada, the caribbean and latin america. this is rio dejaneiro in brazil. crowds gathered on its copacabana beach watching the spectacular fireworks display there. this year is in contrast to the previous two years, when celebrations were scaled back because of the pandemic. the bbc s louisa pilbeam looks back on how the world has been seeing in the new year. crowd: 5, 4, 3, 2,1. big ben bongs. times have changed and with covid restrictions lifted in most parts of the world, fireworks lit up skies with crowds able to watch below. in london, 100,000 people on the banks of the thames and a moment of royal reflection. i declare before you all, that my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service. people c
welcome to the programme. cities around the world have been welcoming in 2023 with the latest new year celebrations taking place across the united states, canada, the caribbean and latin america. this was rio dejaneiro in brazil crowds gathered on its copacabana beach watching the spectacular fireworks display there. this year is in contrast to the previous two years, when celebrations were scaled back because of the pandemic. the bbc s louisa pilbeam looks back on how the world has been seeing in the new year. crowd: 5, 4, 3, 2,1. big ben bongs. times have changed and with covid restrictions lifted in most parts of the world, fireworks lit up skies with crowds able to watch below. in london, 100,000 people on the banks of the thames and a moment of royal reflection. the queen: i declare before you all, that my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service. people came from around the globe, happy to watch the tradition in person again. ama
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. o
celebrations have taken place around the world to herald the start of 2023. we start in brazil, where crowds of people are gathering in the capital, brasilia, ahead of the inauguration of luiz inacio lula da silva as president. the veteran left wing politician, known widely as lula, also led the country between 2003 and 2010, and defeated jair bolsonaro in 0ctober s poll. there is tight security for sunday s ceremony, amid fears that bolsonaro supporters may try to disrupt it. in the last few minutes, it s been reported a man has been arrested trying to enter the inauguration with explosives and a knife. we are monitoring that for you. 0ur south america correspondent katy watson is outside the inauguration venue in brasilia. around 300,000 people are expected to turn up to this inauguration. there s a concert that is being put on, it has already started. that concert will stop for the official ceremony to begin and will continue later in the night. but certainly, you know, hu