In Pictures: New Year 2019 celebrations around the world

A wave of celebrations are illuminating the skies above cities around the world, dazzling millions of people as spectacular firework displays and light shows welcome the arrival of the New Year.

The annual ball drop in New York City was welcomed with cheers and rain

Pyrotechnics explode over the iconic London Eye for a 10-minute performance in central London

"Yellow Vest" protesters demonstrate among revellers on the Champs-Elysees in Paris

Fireworks shoot across the sky over the Quadriga statue of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin

A couple share a tender moment while celebrating New Year on the Red Square in Moscow

At a New Year's Eve concert in the Kenyan capital Nairobi, fireworks illuminate the night sky

A make-up artist decorates hair ahead of New Year celebrations in Ahmedabad, India

Thousands gathered in Pyongyang, North Korea for performances and fireworks

Fireworks are launched by revellers at a beach in Gangneung, South Korea

The tallest building in the world, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, is lit up with pyrotechnics

A reveller wears glasses that spell out "2019" during a New Year's Eve party in Quezon City in the Philippines

Buddhists light candles to mark the Year of the Pig in the Chinese Zodiac at the Jogyesa Temple in Seoul, South Korea

Crowds catch the spectacle on their smart phones as fireworks are projected from Taiwan's famous Taipei 101 skyscraper

Hong Kong's iconic skyline is lit up as revellers celebrate the arrival of 2019 in China

A New Year's Eve ceremony is held in Beijing, China

Crowds enjoy an impressive pyrotechnic display over the Marina Bay in Singapore

The fireworks over the Sydney Harbour Bridge in Australia lasted for 12 minutes

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