New Year's Eve 2017 as it happened: London Eye illuminated by 12-minute display as celebrations spread across world

Pacific islands of Samoa, Tonga and Kiribati first to say goodbye to 2017 before major events in Auckland, Sydney and Singapore

Hong Kong sees in the new year with an impressive firework display

New Year’s Eve celebrations rolled their way around the world before the UK welcomed 2018 with a massive 12-minute fireworks display over the London Eye.

Thousands also marked Hogmanay in Edinburgh, braving warnings of stormy weather.

Samoa, a tiny pacific island, welcomed the new year at 10am GMT, followed by New Zealand an hour later.

In Australia, 2018 arrived at 1pm GMT with as many as one million people watching Sydney harbour’s world famous fireworks.

North Korea’s Pyongyang display outshone that of Japan half an hour earlier. But both were dwarfed by a 10-minute extravaganza on Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbour.

Whatsapp went down as India celebrated its New Year, prompting thousands to complain they could not send messages to friends and family.

Dubai shunned the more conventional fireworks display in favour of a colourful light show that illuminated the side of the iconic Burj Khalifa skyscraper.

The last places on Earth to greet the new year will be US islands such as Baker Island and Howland Island, where 2018 will arrive at noon GMT on 1 January.

Key Points

10am GMT: Samoa and some Pacific islands are first to see in 2018 as clock strikes midnight

[31 December 2017 17:28 · Chris Baynes]

Prince Philip is reported to have risked fresh controversy while attending a New Year's Eve church service in Sandringham.

The Duke of Edinburgh pointed out a bearded man and asked "is that a terrorist?" as he greeted crowds, it has been claimed.

The 96-year-old was attending St Magdalene Church accompanied by the Princess Royal, when it is reported he made the comment as he joked with onlookers.

Witnesses who claimed to have heard the comment said the man had a ginger beard, The Sun and the Mail Online reported.

The Duke traditionally marks the festive period with the Queen at her Sandringham estate in Norfolk, attending a church service on Christmas morning and New Year's Eve with the royal family.

Buckingham Palace declined to comment.

[31 December 2017 17:54 · Chris Baynes]

Istanbul remembers victims of New Year's Eve terror attack

Crowds gathered outside a Turkish nightclub to pay tribute to the victims of a terror attack on New Year's Eve last year.

Thirty-nine people were shot dead by an gunman as they celebrated the new year in Istanbul's Reina nightclub.

Around 100 people today gathered outside the club to pay their respects, some praying and laying flowers at photos of those killed.

Turkish authorities have stepped up security this year, with 37,000 police set to be deployed in Istanbul alone. 

[31 December 2017 18:02 · Chris Baynes]

Brits defy weather warnings and rail strikes to kick off new year knees-up

New Year's Eve revellers face blustery conditions and travel disruption as celebrations kick off in the UK.

Storm Dylan brought winds of up to 76mph to parts of the country on Sunday and the "lively weather" looks set to continue into the evening, the Met Office said.

Organisers of Edinburgh's Hogmanay have said the event will go ahead as planned after the city experienced some of the worst conditions earlier in the day.

Prince's Street, where celebrations are set to take place, was temporarily closed to pedestrians in the afternoon due to "weather-related debris".

More than 100,000 ticket-holders are expected to watch London's New Year's Eve firework display from the banks of the River Thames.

Showers will gradually ease off throughout the evening and skies will become clearer for the midnight show, but there is a small chance of showers, the Met Office said.

Temperatures of around 6C are forecast in the capital and it will remain quite breezy.

Steven Keates, Met Office forecaster, said: "If I was going, I'd take a coat and obviously if you are being risk averse, take a brolly as well just in case.

"But hopefully it should be a bit drier by midnight."

[31 December 2017 20:12 · Harriet Agerholm]

The United Arab Emirates greets the new year in style

Dubai welcomed 2018 with a display lighting up the metallic skyscraper the Burj Khalifa.

An image of a flying falcon made up of smaller LED lights shone out from the building, which rises above the Dubai fountain.

The display finished with a slogan declaring 2018 to be "the year of Zayed", in a reference to Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who is seen as the principal driving force behind the formation of the United Arab Emirates.

The light display at the Burj Khalifa has replaced the more usual firework display in Dubai 

[31 December 2017 21:10 · Harriet Agerholm]

Russia celebrates the new year

Russia greeted 2018 with fireworks and outdoor gatherings, despite weather that was less than festive. Usually festooned with snow at New Year's Eve, Moscow this year is slogging through a long spell of intermittent rain and constant gray skies. 

In a televised message broadcast just before midnight, President Vladimir Putin called on Russians to be considerate and conciliatory with each other in the new year. 

"Say the most cherished words to each other, forgive mistakes and resentment, admit love, warm up with care and attention.

"Let the trust and mutual understanding always accompany us."

Moscow was not blanketed in snow this year, as it usually is 

[31 December 2017 21:43 · Harriet Agerholm]

The coming year will be important for Russian President Vladimir Putin, since he faces an election.

Although he is expected to easily win – his official approval ratings float around 80 per cent – some question whether he has the conviction to carry on much longer.

Oliver Carroll, The Independent's Moscow correspondent, gives a detailed look at what 2018 could bring for the leader.

[31 December 2017 22:13 · Harriet Agerholm]

Austerity threatened to dampen celebrations in Athens this year, since there were no publicly funded firework displays.

Yet the sky above the Acropolis was illuminated regardless, with local businesses setting off their own pyrotechnics.

[31 December 2017 23:09 · Harriet Agerholm]

Central European nations greet 2018

The clock has struck midnight in countries on Central European Time, including France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.

Here are fireworks erupted above the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin:

[1 January 2018 00:02 · Harriet Agerholm]

UK welcomes the new year

Thousands gathered at the bank of the River Thames to witness 12 minutes of a display featuring 12,000 fireworks

Nine of 18 of the music tracks accompanying the Thames display were by female artists, a nod to the fact that 2018 marks the centenary of some women getting the vote.

Around 150,000 people gathered in Edinburgh for celebrations and bagpipes were played by a solitary figure as the clock struck midnight.

[1 January 2018 00:51 · Jon Sharman]

Tonight's live blog has ended. Thank you for following, and have a happy New Year.