New Year’s Eve - live: LA and US west coast ring in 2023 as celebrations continue
For many countries around the world this was the first New Year’s Eve without any Covid restrictions since 2019
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Billions of people around the world have been welcoming in 2023 with new year’s celebrations.
Los Angeles, Las Vegas and the west coast of the US greeted the new year with dazzling light shows and fireworks displays.
On the east coast, the ball dropped on New York City’s iconic Times Square as huge crowds counted down the seconds into 2023.
Last night, partygoers in the UK defied wet weather to welcome in 2023 after the Met Office issued yellow warnings for rain in England’s South West and southern Wales, and warnings for ice and snow across the Scottish Highlands.
For many, this is the first New Year’s Eve in three years where parties and festivities are fully free from Covid restrictions.
In London, more than 100,000 people lined the Thames to watch 12,000 fireworks as a moving tribute was paid to the late Queen.
Baker Island will be among the last places to arrive in 2023, at around midday GMT.
Celebrations ‘a reminder of how we have come from the very darkest days of the pandemic'
In Edinburgh, crowds enjoyed what First Minister Nicola Sturgeon called the “first full Hogmanay celebrations in three years”.
“Thinking back to Hogmanay last year and indeed the year before that, we’re reminded of just how far we have come from the very darkest days of the pandemic,” she said in a New Year’s Eve message on Twitter.
People queued in the rain to enter the party in Princes Street as fireworks lit up the sky behind the city’s castle.
London’s New Year show pays tribute to Queen and gave nod to Ukraine
London’s New Year’s Eve fireworks display paid tribute to the late Queen, featuring a voice recording from her and words from Dame Judi Dench, before honouring the King, together with a message from Charles about the need to preserve our planet’s future.
Complete with music that included Neil Diamond’s Sweet Caroline, Ukrainian Eurovision winner Kalush Orchestra, and hits from Stormzy, Dua Lipa, Cher, Dave, Rihanna and Calvin Harris, the show concluded with the traditional Auld Lang Syne.
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said he was “delighted” that Londoners and visitors could once again join together on the banks of the River Thames to ring in the new year.
100,000 people gather along the Thames in London for The sold-out show of ‘love and unity’
Partygoers defied the wet weather to welcome in 2023.
Big Ben chimed in London as a crowd of more than 100,000 people gathered along the Thames Embankment in central London to watch 12,000 fireworks streak across the sky.
The sold-out show was designed to send a message of “love and unity”, as it highlighted the Lionesses’ history-making Euro win at Wembley, marked 50 years of London’s Pride with a message from Peter Tatchell from the Gay Liberation Front, and sent a message of support to Ukraine.
UK welcomes new year with iconic fireworks display which pays tribute to the late Queen
Countdown for New Year in London begins
People gather on the Embankment opposite the London Eye in central London as minutes remain on 2022.
Fireworks light up the sky to welcome the new year in Uganda
Fireworks light up the sky as people react while they celebrate after counting down to the new year at Miracle Center Cathedral in Kampala, Uganda.
Paris and Berlin welcome 2023
Spectacular scenes are coming through from Paris and Berlin as the new year begins incities across Europe.
Germany welcomes new year with stunning display over Berlin skyline
The new year has started in Germany as the country put on a dazzling display of fireworks above Berlin’s skyline.
Watch here:
Crowds gather in Times Square for the first NYE event since the pandemic
People gather in Times Square for New Year celebrations during the first New Year's Eve event without restrictions since the pandemic began.
New Year’s Eve parties underway across the world following Covid hiatus
Party-goers in major city centres across the world are ushering in 2023 with countdowns and fireworks.
The events come as many cities around the globe celebrate New Year‘s Eve without restrictions for the first time since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.
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