31/12/2017 BBC Weekend News

The Iranian President warns that

violence and vandalism

won't be tolerated, after four

days of demonstrations.

Hassan Rouhani appears on television

to say people have the right

to protest, but that his

country's problems stem

from international sanctions.

Firefighters tackle a huge

blaze at Liverpool Arena.

The fire broke out in

the multi-storey car park.

Divers recover the bodies

of six people, four

believed to be British,

who died when a sightseeing plane

crashed in Australia.

A penalty save helps

Manchester City avoid defeat,

but their 18-game winning run

in the Premier League

finally comes to an end.

And New Year celebrations get under

way around the globe

as we prepare to welcome in 2018.

Good evening.

The Iranian President,

Hassan Rouhani, has declared that

people have the right to protest

and criticise his government,

but not resort to

violence and vandalism.

His comments are the first

by a senior figure in Iran

since widespread protests

against the government

began on Thursday.

Today, police in Tehran used water

cannon on the crowds.

Kasra Naji, from the BBC's

Persian Service, reports.

Central Teheran during the fourth

day of anti-government protests.

These protesters are shouting,

"Death to the dictator", a reference

to Iran's Supreme Leader.

The protests are the most serious

challenge to the Iranian clerical

regime for many years.

As the night fell there were reports

of demonstrations from at least

a dozen or so cities up

and down the country.

President Rouhani has finally made

a comment on the armrest,

days after they started,

the first top Iranian

leader to do so.

He said Iranians had

a right to protest but not

to violence and destruction.

He said Iran had many problems that

dated back to previous years,

a reference to years

of international sanctions

because of its nuclear programme.

The wave of demonstrations

throughout the country started

on Thursday here in Mashhad

in the north-east with what was

supposed to be a small protest,

sponsored by the hardliners,

to criticise the economic

policies of the government

of President Rouhani.

Something that quickly

got out of control.

Earlier in the day the government

moved to limit access in Iran

to the Internet and the popular

social media apps like Telegram.

But in spite of these efforts,

more and more videos

are being posted on social media

and there has been more violence.

In one western city for example,

a number of people are reported

to have been injured.

President Rouhani's latest words

are unlikely to calm

these demonstrators,

who are calling for the overthrow

of the government.

Kasra Naji, BBC News.

Firefighters have been

tackling a major fire

at the Liverpool Echo Arena.

The blaze broke out

in the multi-storey car park

earlier this evening.

Steve Saul is at the Arena for us.

Steve, what more can you tell us?

How much do we know?

This is a major

operation for Merseyside Fire and

Rescue Service. 1600 cars are

thought to be involved in this major

blaze in the car park to the side of

the Liverpool Echo Arena, close to

the Albert Dock and City centre.

They were called at about 5:45pm

this evening. A number of vehicles

thought to be involved in an

incident that spread through the

building. A major operation

underway, 12 fire engines and two

ladders sent to the scene, Mark

vehicles arriving as we speak --

more vehicles. Flames shooting out

of the car park some hours after the

fire started. The Mayor of Liverpool

Jonna Andersson is appealing for

helpful, patient and transport to

get many people home -- Joe

Anderson. The liveable International

Horse Show had been taking place

here. The horses were led into the

arena to keep them safe as their

owners moved the horse boxes that

were parked on the ground floor of

the car park. A major investigation

is underway and the incident

continues tonight.

At least 36 people have been killed

in a head-on collision between a bus

and a lorry on a notoriously

dangerous road in Kenya.

The bus was carrying people

to the capital, Nairobi,

when the accident happened

on the Nakuru-Eldoret highway.

More than 100 people have died

in the last few weeks

on that stretch of road.

A seaplane has crashed

into a river near Sydney,

killing all six people on board.

Reports suggest four

of the victims are British,

although this has not been

confirmed by police.

The Foreign Office here is in

contact with officials in Australia.

The aircraft, on a sightseeing

trip in the run-up to

the New Year celebrations,

came down in a river close

to the suburb of Cowan.

Phil Mercer reports from Sydney.

The seaplane crashed into Jerusalem

Bay near the town of Cowan.

On board were five

passengers and the pilot.

The single-engine aircraft

is thought to have sunk rapidly.

A witness said it had made a tight

right-hand turn and then nosedived

into the Hawkesbury River.

A full-scale search

was soon under way.

There were no survivors.

Police divers have found six bodies.

The wreckage of the plane remains

in more than 40 feet of water.

The authorities say a full

investigation will take place.

I cannot confirm the identity

or ages of the people

who were on the plane.

We are...

It is early in the investigation,

and we are working with the plane

company, getting investigators

here to confirm the identities

and investigate why the plane

crashed into the water.

The seaplane was returning

from a waterfront restaurant

to Rose Bay on Sydney Harbour.

It's a journey that would normally

take around 20 minutes.

The aircraft is owned

by Sydney Seaplanes.

It provides flights around some

of the city's most popular

tourist attractions,

including the Opera House,

the Harbour Bridge, and to

the north, the Hawkesbury River.

The company said in a statement

that its pilots are some of the most

experienced in the world and that

all its flights had been suspended

until further notice.

Air crash investigators will arrive

at the site of the accident

early on New Year's Day

to try to establish how and why

a routine sightseeing flight

could end in catastrophe.

Phil Mercer, BBC News, Sydney.

Thousands of rail travellers have

faced disruption today

as workers from two companies stage

a 24 hour strike.

Members of the RMT union

on South Western Railway

and CrossCountry are taking part

in disputes about the role

of guards and working patterns.

New Year's celebrations have

begun around the world

as we welcome in 2018.

New Zealand was the first

to see fireworks, before

Sydney Harbour was transformed

into a blaze of colour.

Richard Lister's report

contains flashing images.

Five, four, three, two, one...

Once again, Sydney set the standard

for New Year's fireworks.

1.5 million people lined the harbour

front for a dazzling,

deafening celebration.

The rainbow theme was a tribute

to Australia's legalisation

of same-sex marriage.

Three, two, one...

Two hours earlier, Auckland,

New Zealand, was the first major

city to celebrate 2018,

its Sky Tower lit up

like a giant Roman candle.

EXCITED KOREAN VOICEOVER.

That is the unmistakable

sound of North Korea

joining the celebrations,

with what else, but a

display of rocket power?

Perhaps the most unusual

display, though, didn't

involve fireworks at all.

In Dubai, they lit up the world's

tallest building with lasers.

The Burj Khalifa became

a shimmering canvas,

visible up to 60 miles away.

While midnight swept around

the world, New York was gearing up

for its celebrations,

one of several cities with

unprecedented security this year.

Parts of China have had

a day of festivities,

even though they'll mark

the New Year in February.

MUSIC: "Auld Lang Syne".

But Hong Kong may have

outdazzled Sydney.

Fireworks exploded across

Victoria Harbour to a tune most

of us will be singing later.

Richard Lister, BBC News.

Here, large crowds are gathered

for the celebrations

in Edinburgh and London.

Andrew Black is in Edinburgh, first

let's hear from Jonathan Blake,

who's on the bank of the Thames.

The countdown is well and truly on

for London to see in 2018 with a

spectacular fireworks display, as

ever. Crowds on the embankment and

bridges over the River Thames are

building as the 100,000 people who

have tickets to see the display up

close take their place in the

viewing areas. A huge event and a

huge security operation, it is tight

as you'd imagine. The Metropolitan

Police say there is no specific

threat but they asked people to be

vigilant, banks have been searched

and they asked people to report

anything they see that is suspicious

-- bags have been searched. Armed

police are on patrol and there are

undercover police. There are three

barges on the river behind me with

dirty tonnes of equipment, setting

off 50,000 individual explosions

into the night sky with the London

eye, the centrepiece of the show.

The soundtrack featuring female

artists to celebrate 2018 as the

Centenary year of women being given

the right to vote and it all kicks

off as Big Ben chimes midnight.

London is not the only City

celebrating.

As you can see behind me, the party

has kicked off. This is Princess

Street, the main street in Edinburgh

City centre, transformed for a

massive street party. We expect

around 60,000 people here and the

peak and 150,000 people in all

coming to Edinburgh to see in the

New Year. Tonight will end with a

massive crescendo, a fireworks

display which is set off every year

from Edinburgh Castle and

battlements as part of the extended

and now record length, more than ten

minutes long. People have been

enjoying live music from the likes

of human league. Amongst that there

is the serious issue of security.

Big public events like this need a

strict policing operation. Police

have put extra resources on the

streets including armed officers but

as with the event in London, there

is no specific threat and the police

have been trying to make sure people

can enjoy themselves as much as

possible while keeping a close eye

on things. Some more good news

tonight. This is Scotland in the

winter and the weather can sometimes

be pretty horrific and parts of

Scotland have been battered by storm

Dylan over the last day or so.

Organisers were hoping that things

would go ahead as planned, and they

have indeed. The weather is holding

out, it isn't too bad. People are

having a really awesome time. I

think that's going to continue

rights to the final countdown.

Absolutely. Enjoy the party. Thanks

very much.

Football, and Arsene Wenger reached

a new milestone by taking charge

of Arsenal for a record 811

Premier League matches

as his club drew 1-1

with West Bromwich Albion.

And Manchester City's winning run

in the league has come

to a halt after 18 games.

They were held to a goalless

draw by Crystal Palace.

They still head into the New Year

with a 14-point lead

at the top of the table.

Adam Wild watched the action.

The message from fans

was clear enough.

Still, it is rather hard to imagine

just how things could get any better

for Manchester City.

Never has a team being so far ahead

at the end of a year,

to their potential, well,

there seems no end.

But against Crystal Palace, this

was a New Year lacking celebration.

Gabriel Jesus injured,

leaving in tears.

It was his replacement,

Sergio Aguero, that went the closest

in the first half but this was not

the brilliance from City that

all have come to fear.

Victory would have equalled

the European record.

The target, then, straightforward.

Hitting it, seemingly less so.

But Palace are a side

with aims of their own.

They had chances with

which they should have done better.

Everyone seemed to know it.

That, ultimately for them,

is how this will be remembered.

In the 90th minute, awarded

a penalty, Luka Milivojevic unable

to see the year out with a bang.

So not quite the perfect end

to 2017 for either side.

For both, New Year's Eve,

as is so often the case,

a bit of an anti-climax.

Elsewhere, a big day on the calendar

of a rather different sort.

At West Brom, Arsene Wenger took

charge of Arsenal for the 811th

Premier League game,

a new record.

But there was much work to be done

before any celebrations

would be allowed to start.

His team certainly made him wait.

It wasn't until the second half

before they found a way

through and even then it took

a little good fortune,

Alexis Sanchez' free

kick, deflected in.

But with moments left,

that was still far from the end

of it, two minutes remaining,

remaining, West Bromwich

offered a hand into it.

This, deemed a penalty.

Jay Rodriguez gladly spoiled

Wenger's special day.

1-1, late controversy,

the Premier League year

with drama to the very end.

Adam Wild, BBC News.

You can see more on all of today's

stories on the BBC News Channel.

From all of us on the late team,

have a very happy New Year!