Style there. Around 2 Million People bracing the freezing temperatures. Is thought to be around 12 degrees celsius right now in midtown manhattan. That is not dampening the party there. New york, new york plays. I think someone hasjust party there. New york, new york plays. I think someone has just been proposed to their and it looks like a yes. She was just showing off her ring. And now the confetti coming down. 1. 5 tons of confetti being thrown from the rooftops in times square. The mayor of new york there along with his wife. Ifl ifican if i can make it their, i will make it anywhere its up to you, new york, new york. It is one of the interesting things about new york. Most other cities have fireworks but from new york we get these pictures of couples kissing. It is something of couples kissing. It is something ofa of couples kissing. It is something of a tradition when they see in the new year at times square. That tradition goes back to 1907, the drop of the ball, that is, not the kissing. The mayor there dancing with his wife. King of the hill, a number one. 12 degrees there. You can see how well wrapped up the crowd are. I am gonna make a brand new start of it, in old and new york. They certainly know how to do it in new york. We will have more on the celebrations around the globe shortly but first, a report on the freezing temperatures we have just seen there in the United States. Its up to you, new york, New York New YorkNiagara Falls has become an ice covered spectacle as temperatures plummeted. And arctic air is sweeping across large parts of the United States, stretching from montana to maine some 2,500 miles gripped by the big freeze. In erie, in pennsylvania, a record breaking five feet of snow has fallen since christmas day. But the cold weather didnt deter visitors in new york. People started gathering in times square up to nine hours before the famous ball drop. I wasnt ready for this cold weather. Im from a warm climate. Its, um, really, really cold. I expected it to be a little bit kind of around zero, but not like negative, like, 5. We love it itsjust freezing cold, absolutely freezing cold. But you can see me well dressed five layers. Five layers two gloves. Freezing cold the temperature in manhattan is expected to drop below 12 celsius one of the coldest new years eve on record. People have been told to wrap up to prevent frostbite and hypothermia. Events in upstate new york and elsewhere have been cancelled and well into 2018, stronger winds are set to make it feel it even colder. Sarah corker, bbc news. Over two Million People lined rio de janeiros copacabana beach for the 17 minute firework display one of the first major south American Cities to see in the new year as 2018 sweeps across the globe. Big ben bongs. The iconic sound of big ben strikes in london. The party began with 10,000 fireworks along the river thames. The skies above berlins Brandenburg Gate were lit up in every colour. The countdown in paris was watched by thousands at the arc de triomphe, as fireworks dazzled in the darkness. Perhaps one of the most spectacular displays didnt involve fireworks at all. In dubai, they lit up the worlds tallest building with lasers. The burj khalifa becoming a shimmering canvas, visible almost 100 kilometres away. Hong kong ushered in 2018 with style. Victoria harbour was transformed into sparkling splendour. Auckland was the first major city to see in the new year with its sky tower lit up. Five, four, three, two, one . Followed by sydney, where1. 5 Million People lined the Harbour Front to see in 2018. Briony williams, bbc news. As you may have gathered, we were having some sound difficulties earlier. Apologies for that. North Korean Leader kimjong un has made a defiant new year message saying he is always within reach of the Nuclear Button. It comes after months of escalating tensions over his countrys weapons programme. In the televised message, its reported kim jong un said the Nuclear Button is always on my table. This is not blackmail but reality. He went on to say he will use Nuclear Weapons only when north koreas security is threatened. No matter how much the United States shows of their Nuclear Weapons and provokes world, or war, we have deterrence and the us will not be able to do anything. If north and south korea put their minds together, we can prevent war. As a state that promotes peace, we will not use our Nuclear Weapons unless an invasive enemy violates our sovereignty. We will respond firmly against any actions that destroy peace and security. Lets speak now to our correspondent in seoul could bea to our correspondent in seoul could be a clear message for washington . clear message. He began by saying not only can we reach any point on the us main lined with our arsenal but there is also a button on my desk. He said it is not a threat, it isa desk. He said it is not a threat, it is a reality but a reality that he said would mean that the United States would not be able to attack them. He did say in a more conciliatory tone that the Nuclear Arsenal and the Missile Programme that he says is now completed, rather, completed in 2017, is a deterrent one. They would not use their weapons unless their security was threatened. Interestingly, it was threatened. Interestingly, it was far more conciliatory when they we re was far more conciliatory when they were talking about south korea. He was saying that he would be open to talking to south korea and made a clear point that he is willing to send north korean delegation to the Winter Olympics which is being held in south korea at the beginning of february. That is important because the south korean government has long said it could be a turning point that pyongyang was to send a delegation. It could be a turning point in intentions that increased and increased throughout 2017. A turning point in regards to the tensions. I think we are just seeing a tweet that has come in from donald trump in which he says we will see, we will see. I mean. An ominous way to start the new year in many ways are a year of escalating tension between pyongyang, washington and seoul. Tension between pyongyang, washington and seoullj tension between pyongyang, washington and seoul. I think donald trump was approached when he was still celebrating new year at a party at his holiday homes and we have not really had a response from donald trump get other than just the wii will be. I dont think there was anything surprising in the new year message from kim jong un in terms of the message directed at washington. We have seen threats and insults traded throughout 2017 and we will also see pyongyang carry out tests that were forbidden. Had two very significant ones in september. Their sixth and their most powerful nuclear test at the end of november and at the end of november they tested an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile which they said could strike anywhere on the us mainland. The us responded to that by strengthening sanctions that have now been imposed on we dont yet know what the impact of those will be. Interestingly, in his message he made reference to the struggle in how life has been difficult for people to be called 2017 year of victory in which they achieved their nuclear project. And made reference to how hard it has been for people and that clearly is a reference to the several rounds of us sanctions that are now being imposed on north korea to get and not to the fact that things are potentially going to get more difficult or north Korean People as we go into 2018. That last round of sanctions only imposed a week or so ago. They are yet to buy a. Life has been difficult to the average north korean and it is likely to get more difficult still. It is important that kim jong un has the people on his side. It is not as simple as that was years ago when north korea we re that was years ago when north korea were total defiance. That is no longer the case. He does need to keep the north Korean People on side as well. At several levels his message to one directed at the United States and the community, one towards south korea and also to the people of north korea who have been listening intently. Thank you very much. Chinas leader, xijinping, has used his new years message to suggest his country will play a greater role in International Affairs in 2018. Under previous president s, china kept a Lower International profile, but president xi set out his Foreign Affairs priorities in a number of areas. As a responsible major country, china must speak out. China will staunchly safeguard the authority and status of the United Nations and actively fulfil its due responsibility and duty in International Affairs. China will honour its promises in countering Global Climate change and actively push forward the common construction of the belt and road. China will act as a builder of world peace and a contributor to Global Development and an upholder of the international order. 0ur correspondent michael bristow, asia pacific editor for the world service, has more analysis on the speech. He spoke a lot about the domestic agenda and alleviating policy over the next three years. He said that would happen to the first time in thousands years in chinese is a. There was also talk about the corruption, the anticorru ption campaign continuing. Most striking, i think with his vision to china in the future on the world stage. Previously, chinese leaders have sought to hide themselves a little bit and to put china on the sidelines and let others take the lead. Xijinping is not like that at all. He wants china will ride on the world stage, as we hear that, defending the United Nations, tackling climate change, maintaining the world order. This is something that we have not heard from a chinese leaderfor a long time, really. He started doing that much more. During the year i was thinking of when he was speaking about the importance of international trade. Exactly. Is reinforcing the message that he has been building up all the. He spoke about it at the Chinese Congress and that comes at a time when President Trump appears to be looking inwards and turning america inwards to tell a certain extent, that opened the lot more space for china to move in. Notjust in its own backyard in east asia, so to speak, but across the world. We see china, which once believed that countries should stop interfering in each others affairs, it has been drawn in as it has gotten bigger. It is now drawn into water says more and more. China is perhaps taking place that has been vacated the United States. The president of iran, hassan rouhani, has appealed for calm, saying people have the right to protest but not to commit acts of violence. In his first Public Comments since demonstrations against the government began on thursday, mr rouhani warned that violence and public disorder would not be tolerated. Protests have now spread to many cities, and in tehran, police have used water cannon. Heres kasra naji from the bbcs persian service. The centre of tehran during the fourth day of Anti Government protests. These protesters are shouting death to the dictator a reference to irans supreme leader. The protests are the most serious challenge to the iranian clerical regime for many years. As the night fell, there were reports of demonstrations from at least a dozen or so cities up and down the country. President rouhani has finally made a comment on the unrest, days after they started the first top iranian leader to do so. Translation the atmosphere for criticism, protests within a legal framework, is absolutely free, but the atmosphere for destruction and unrest is definitely not an atmosphere which people would tolerate. The wave of demonstrations throughout the country started on thursday here in mashhad, in the north east, with what was supposed to be a small protest, sponsored by the hardliners, to criticise the economic policies of the government of president rouhani something that quickly got out of control. Earlier in the day, the government moved to limit access in iran to the internet, and to popular social media apps like telegram. But in spite of these efforts, more and more videos are being posted on social media, and there has been more violence. Here in the western city of sa nandaj, for example, where a number of people are reported to have been injured. President rouhanis latest words are unlikely to calm these demonstrators, who are calling for the overthrow of the government. Is the bass hill and bbc news, stay with us on bbc news. Still to come. Saying i do, without the debt. A mass wedding for 400 cash strapped couples in indonesia. The most ambitious financial and political change ever attempted has got under way with the introduction of the euro. Tomorrow in holland, we will use money we picked up in belgium today, and then we will be in france and again it will be the same money. Its just got to be the way to go. George harrison, the former beatle, is recovering in hospital after being stabbed at his 0xfordshire home. A 33 year old man from liverpool is being interviewed by police on suspicion of attempted murder. I think it was good. You. Just good . No, fantastic thats better. This is bbc news. The latest headlines. New yorkers have braced sub zero temperatures to see in the new year in times square. Police say two Million People joined the party. Spectacular new Year Celebrations are sweeping the globe. In london, a huge fireworks display lit up the sky above the river thames. A seaplane has crashed into a river near sydney, killing all six people on board. Five of the victims are british, including an 11 year old girl. The aircraft was on a sightseeing trip in the runup to the new Year Celebrations. It came down in a river close to the suburb of cowan. Phil mercer reports from sydney. Earlier i spoke to our correspondent phil mercer, who told us the latest from west head, sydney. Well, the authorities here in australia have named those five british victims. They are richard cousins, who was 58 years of age. He was chief executive of the compass group, which is the largest Catering Company in the world. Also on that flight were mr cousins fiance, emma bowden. She was in her late 40s, she was travelling with an 11 year old daughter. Also on board were two of mr cousinss sons, aged in their early and mid 20s. So a terrible, terrible, tragic accident, that the authorities here in australia are investigating. As you say, this seaplane came down near the suburb of cowan, injerusalem bay, about 2k hours ago, and the australian transport safety bureau, in the last few hours, has begun efforts to retrieve the plane, because that seaplane still sits in about 13 metres of water, just to the north of where we are now. Phil, this must be incredibly shocking for the Tourism Industry there . Well, where we are is surrounded with new years day holidaymakers from around the world, and people come to australia to see things that they cant see anywhere else, and now the job of the air Crash Investigation Team is to find out how and why a routine sightseeing trip from rose bay, on sydney harbour, tojerusalem bay ended in such catastrophic circumstances. The plane crashed shortly after taking off from near to an exclusive waterfront restaurant, where the british victims were having lunch and we understand, according to an eyewitness, that the plane banked sharply to the right before nosediving into the water. It is worth mentioning too that the tragedy also claimed the life of a 44 year old pilot too, so in total, six people have died in this seaplane tragedy here in eastern australia and, as we say, five of those victims were from the united kingdom, holidaying in australia from britain. Phil mercer in sydney. Police in the english city of liverpool say a fire has destroyed about 2000 vehicles in a multi storey car park, and forced the cancellation of an International Horse show at the citys echo arena. Emergency services were called at around 5pm on new years eve, and nearby apartments and hotels have been evacuated due to smoke. The public have been advised to stay away from the area and traffic restrictions are currently in place. Nobody has been reported injured. Hundreds of indonesian couples have tied the knot in a mass wedding. With theirfamilies, they gathered in a large tent in the capital, jakarta, before signing marriage certificates in front of government officials. David campanale has more. As fireworks lit jakartas sky to mark the arrival of the new year, over 400 couples gathered to celebrate the turning of a new chapter in their lives. Though hundreds of couples were involved, individuals made their day special by wearing elaborate, traditional indonesian outfits and head dresses. Just hours before midnight, the mass wedding commenced with the arrival of jakartas governor. It was the cost of marriage ceremonies that hed come to resolve. The City Government raised funds to make a legally binding marriage possible, allowing children of these unions to also be recognised. The funds also stretched to cover the indonesian wedding tradition of exchanging token gold dowries. As well as giving congratulations, the governor acknowledged that Financial Hardship can keep low income indonesian couples from taking on the cost of a traditional wedding. After a brief ceremony in front of government officials, the couples took the final step towards full recognition of their relationship by signing their marriage certificates. Translation those whose marriages were not certified can use this opportunity to legalise their marriage, and it is especially helpful for those who cant afford to do so. Translation i am very happy because we officially wed in the mass wedding, receiving blessing from the whole society. I am very pleased. As the happy couples left the venue to join the throng of new year party goers, jakartas governor promised the city would make marriage possible for many more couples by repeating the event on the next new years eve. David campanale, bbc news. Lets ta ke lets take another look at the moment the ball dropped in new york just under half an hour ago, bringing in 2018. More than 2 Million People gathered in times square in one of the coldest new years eve celebrations on record, around 12 degrees. A little milder in london as the uk welcomed in the new year with fireworks over the river thames and the london eye, as well as hogmanay in edinburgh. And then at new year moved on to brazil, where more than 2 Million People gathered on copacabana beach to watch a magnificent 17 minute firework display. For more of us here at the abc news, happy new year. Bbc news. Good morning, and a happy new year to you. Before we leap ahead into 2018 and what the weather has in store for the week ahead, lets just take a quick look back at what 2017 brought us. For ennerdale, in cumbria, on the 15th of may, over six inches of rain in 2a hours. It was a hot day though at heathrow, on the 21st ofjune. 3a degrees. 0ur hottest day of the year. In terms of wintriest weather, well, that was sennybridge, in the brecon beacons, on the 11th of december, with 31cm, around a foot, of snow. Winter, of course, isnt over by far. A very mobile and rather mild picture overall though across the British Isles for the week ahead. You may well have seen a low there to the south, which will get very close to the south coast this new years day. Strong gusty, maybe even damaging winds along the south coast through the first half of new years day and quite a bit of rain too. It becomes a little bit more showery as we get into south wales, and there should be some sunshine to the north of that before we meet another area of low pressure thats developing across western scotland and Northern Ireland. That will bring some strong winds to the early part of the day, and sink its way into southern scotland, Northern England and continue to feed showers into Northern Ireland through the afternoon. Further south, our other low pulls off into the continent. We should see more in the way of sunshine. Sunshine too for northern scotland. But a chilly story here, just 3 degrees in edinburgh. And then overnight, the showers clear, the isobars open and, with clear skies, temperatures are going to dip away significantly for early tuesday. First day back at work in the new year, have the ice scraper and the de icer ready, because it looks like we could see a fairly widespread frost. The clear skies short lived though. Another area of low pressure swinging its way from the atlantic, through the day. Rain, some snow for the hills of Northern England and the mountains of scotland. Briefly rather mild though to the far south. Another area of low pressure comes wheezing in overnight tuesday, into wednesday. Whizzing. Very squally winds in association with this low. Windy day across the board on wednesday, with some heavy and thundery showers possible too. Temperatures typically around average for the time of year, somewhere between the 6 10 degree mark. Perhaps a little bit chilly again first thing on thursday as the winds fall light during the small hours of thursday. But into the day, another area of low pressure coming into the south and west, some more heavy rain and a risk by then of localised flooding. A windy, wet start to 2018. This is bbc news, the headlines. Revellers around the world have marked the start of the new year with spectacular celebrations. New yorkers have braced sub zero temperatures to see in 2018 in times square. Police say two Million People joined the party. Millions of people thronged brazils copacabana beach to celebrate, while in london, crowds saw thirty tons of fireworks light up the sky above the river thames