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

2023: Cities around the world bring in the New Year

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.

Key Points

• Los Angeles and US west coast greet 2023
• UK welcomes New Year
• Watch: How New Year's Eve is celebrated across the world
• Australians celebrate the new year
• China welcomes 2023 as Covid levels spike
• Taiwan and Philippines say goodbye to 2022

[31 December 2022 14:21 · Holly Bancroft]

Watch: How New Year's Eve is celebrated across the world

[31 December 2022 14:20 · Holly Bancroft]

Welcome to The Independent’s coverage of New Year’s Eve. We will be bringing you the best photos and reaction from across the world as different nations ring in 2023.