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| New Year celebrations: Fireworks light up Sydney Harbour | New Year celebrations: Fireworks light up Sydney Harbour |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A massive fireworks display has lit up Sydney Harbour as Australia's largest city ushered in 2017. | A massive fireworks display has lit up Sydney Harbour as Australia's largest city ushered in 2017. |
| Some 1.5 million revellers had been expected to turn out on the waterfront. | Some 1.5 million revellers had been expected to turn out on the waterfront. |
| Earlier, Auckland in New Zealand became the first major world city to welcome the New Year. | |
| Many cities around the world have stepped up security for New Year's Eve celebrations, after a year in which attackers drove lorries into crowds in Berlin in Germany and Nice, France. | Many cities around the world have stepped up security for New Year's Eve celebrations, after a year in which attackers drove lorries into crowds in Berlin in Germany and Nice, France. |
| Thousands of extra police will be on duty in London and other cities. | Thousands of extra police will be on duty in London and other cities. |
| In Paris, Madrid and New York, concrete barriers and heavy goods vehicles will be used to block off central squares where crowds gather to celebrate. | In Paris, Madrid and New York, concrete barriers and heavy goods vehicles will be used to block off central squares where crowds gather to celebrate. |
| Some 17,000 police officers will be on duty in the Turkish city of Istanbul, with some disguised as Santa Claus and street vendors, the state-run Anadolu news agency reported. | |
| The midnight fireworks display at Sydney Harbour paid tribute to Prince and David Bowie, two music superstars who died in 2016. | The midnight fireworks display at Sydney Harbour paid tribute to Prince and David Bowie, two music superstars who died in 2016. |
| "This year, sadly, we saw the loss of many music and entertainment legends around the world," fireworks co-producer Catherine Flanagan said. | "This year, sadly, we saw the loss of many music and entertainment legends around the world," fireworks co-producer Catherine Flanagan said. |
| "So celebrating their music as part of Sydney New Year's Eve fireworks displays is an opportunity to reflect on the year that has been and what the future may hold." | |
| Pacific islands including Samoa, Tonga and Kiribati entered 2017 at 10:00 GMT, followed an hour later by Auckland, where fireworks erupted from the 328m (1,080ft) tall Sky Tower in the city centre. | Pacific islands including Samoa, Tonga and Kiribati entered 2017 at 10:00 GMT, followed an hour later by Auckland, where fireworks erupted from the 328m (1,080ft) tall Sky Tower in the city centre. |
| On Friday a man in Sydney was charged in connection with threats made against Sydney's New Year's Eve celebrations. | On Friday a man in Sydney was charged in connection with threats made against Sydney's New Year's Eve celebrations. |
| Police said he was charged with a "crimes act offence, but not a terrorist offence" and there was no continuing threat to the community. | Police said he was charged with a "crimes act offence, but not a terrorist offence" and there was no continuing threat to the community. |
| Israel has also warned its citizens travelling in India to avoid crowds, saying there is a risk of imminent "terrorist attacks". | Israel has also warned its citizens travelling in India to avoid crowds, saying there is a risk of imminent "terrorist attacks". |
| 'Many enemies' | |
| Celebrations in some European cities were overshadowed by security arrangements last year. | Celebrations in some European cities were overshadowed by security arrangements last year. |
| Meanwhile, US President-elect Donald Trump tweeted New Year greetings, including to his "many enemies". | |
| Mr Trump will be sworn in as US president on 20 January. | |
| In Cologne, Germany, about 1,500 extra police officers will be deployed at the city's New Year's Eve events. | In Cologne, Germany, about 1,500 extra police officers will be deployed at the city's New Year's Eve events. |
| It is a year since scores of women reported being assaulted, groped and in one case raped by men they described as being of Arab or North African appearance. | It is a year since scores of women reported being assaulted, groped and in one case raped by men they described as being of Arab or North African appearance. |
| At the time the justice minister warned against linking the crimes to the issue of migrants and refugees, and for this year's celebration, two extremist far-right groups have been banned from holding rallies. The police cited security reasons. | At the time the justice minister warned against linking the crimes to the issue of migrants and refugees, and for this year's celebration, two extremist far-right groups have been banned from holding rallies. The police cited security reasons. |
| Meanwhile, a "leap second" will be added to the countdown to compensate for a slowdown in the Earth's rotation. | Meanwhile, a "leap second" will be added to the countdown to compensate for a slowdown in the Earth's rotation. |
| The extra second will occur as clocks strike midnight and a time of 23:59:60 GMT will be recorded, delaying 2017 momentarily. | The extra second will occur as clocks strike midnight and a time of 23:59:60 GMT will be recorded, delaying 2017 momentarily. |
| It will only affect countdowns in countries using Greenwich Mean Time, which includes Britain. | It will only affect countdowns in countries using Greenwich Mean Time, which includes Britain. |
| This is required because standard time lags behind atomic clocks. | This is required because standard time lags behind atomic clocks. |