this is bbc news. our top stories: three people including a police officer have even wounded in a stabbing at victoria station in manchester. a man has been arrested. the revellers are gathering in london with one hour to go before the uk celebrates the use —— new year with what promises to be a spectacular fireworks display each in central london. here is the scene asa in central london. here is the scene as a city gears up for those new year celebrations. celebrations have drawn huge crowds to the streets of edinburgh. threes amazes britain can turn a corner if britain bracks —— backs are brexit deal. the referendum 2016 is divisive but we all want the best for our country. 2019 can be the year we put our differences aside to move forward together. hello and welcome to bbc world news.

we will bring you more on starting in manchester in a moment. it is midnight in paris. the french capital celebrates new year on les champs elysees with a light show and fireworks at the arc de triomphe. the city is coming together for quite spectacular display. you can see the boulevard lit up and the arc de triomphe backdrop for a spectacular fireworks display this evening. president macron's speech, we must do better. 2019 certainly

off toa we must do better. 2019 certainly off to a flying start this evening there in paris. we will bring you more news from london and edinburgh in the next hour. more now on that breaking news from manchester. three people, including a police officer, have been wounded in a stabbing at victoria railway station in manchester. in a statement, british transport police said officers had responded to reports of a man wielding a knife. one man has been arrested. the incident has caused disruption to rail and tram services. sam clack is a bbc producer who witnessed the incident. in the last half an hour, he explained what he saw. it was pretty scary, i have to say that, for a start. i had been out having a drink with my friend and we went to the station to get our respective trams. i was going to the

south of manchester. it was just me on the platform and i were standing there and i heard the most bloodcurdling scream i have ever heard from a woman, and a turnaround what looks like a fight, there was a fight going on and there was a guy and then there was another guy who was in his 60s and someone who appeared to be his partner involved in some sort of scuffle and i thought, well, this is alarming to start with, but then i heard the guy started shouting something, he did shout allah distinctly but i didn't hear the rest of the sentence. i thought, i kind of know—how discos, -- i kind thought, i kind of know—how discos, —— i kind of know—how discos, and

the police were very quickly on the platform, they were shouting at him and the guys started backing up towards me and he got to probably six to eight feet of me and he was looking around very skittish, and at this point i didn't know that anything was happening other than a fight sometime, it is years eve, people get drunk and have fight, but i looked down and it might have been his right hand, i looked down and thought he had a kitchen knife with a long 12 inch blade in his hand and he was backing up towards me looking very skittish, and that his point, i felt a deep fear in the pit of my stomach and thinking, this is actually, i feel very scared stomach and thinking, this is actually, ifeel very scared now stomach and thinking, this is actually, i feel very scared now and i started to move towards the tracks, getting ready tojump on i started to move towards the tracks, getting ready to jump on the tracks, getting ready to jump on the

tracks, run out of the way, at which point one of the police officers shouted and shot the taser, but the taser missed him, at which point i am thinking, right, i had tojump on the tracks now because the taser missed him and he is looking around the next person to get stabbed his need. i couldn't say exactly what happened in terms of the next sequence happened in terms of the next sequence of events, but he was pepper sprayed, he was tasered and he was brought to the ground. there we re he was brought to the ground. there were maybe eight police officers on top of him, he was very much resisting arrest, and that this point, i was scared, but i'm a journalist so i will take a photo, i will film what is going on because this appears to be some kind of serious incident. and then i filmed

some of them pinning him on the ground and then i stopped and as i walked past, i was trying to walk away from what was happening. as i walked past, i looked around and i heard the man say, it was as long as you keep bombing these countries, this kind of stuff, and i am using a cleaner term for broadcasting then i would have otherwise used, it is this stuff happens, this is going to keep happening, this is why he has pepper spray coming down his face and why the police tried to pin him on the ground. he is trying to get up. it was very, very scary, and i was with my friend and he was on the other platform and he said that afterwards when we met up afterwards, all the people on the other platform had jumped off the platform and run away. it sounds from what you are saying,

if the police had not responded as quickly as they did, and they were there very quickly, he would have stabbed more people had he been allowed to. it is quite possible. i could well have been one of them and i am grateful they were there so quickly. bearin grateful they were there so quickly. bear in mind this was in manchester, victoria station, that is the have —— hub of manchester where the attack happened a year or so ago. they are obviously ready and prepared for that. they came in so quickly. as an individual, as a human being actually it felt like forever because it was the scream that will stay with me honestly for a long, long time. and then seen the quy a long, long time. and then seen the guy with the knife a few feet from me, moving towards mean and the police were coming towards me and thinking, this could be it. but then they were there, they were there really, really quickly and i am very

grateful because they were there. a terribly frightening incident for you. if the reports are correct that the british transport officer was stabbed in the shoulder, was it him that was first on the scene? was he the first one to tackle? it is possible. i saw the man who was stabbed, again, i took some videos, but the man, it appeared he was stabbed in the head and possibly in the back. he was covered in blood. his partner i think, maybe his partner had a large bandage around her head. she was not saying anything. they both walked out of the station, so it would appear that serious harm has not happened. that is something to be grateful for. i heard people speaking on the platform afterwards that the man had tried to stab a police officer. that is not something i saw myself, i can't really truly independently

verify, but that would not necessarily be too far from the truth from what i saw and from what iam hearing. finally, the attacker, how would you describe him? i would say, probably in his 30s. really, the main thing was he was very skittish, very skittish because when he was backing towards me, he was kind of, and it is difficult to do this on the telephone, but he was moving to the left and do the right, looking to the left and the right, and he was as very aggressive, very skittish and very intent on causing harm and probably intent on causing more harm than he actually did, so i think, you know, really, we should just be, well, this is in the way

anyone wants to spend their new year's eve. we should be grateful for the police and security staff at the station tonight for bringing such a conclusion as early as they did, because it could have been much worse. let's be honest, anybody can pick up the knife, anybody... it is this kind of... i am choosing my words very carefully. it is something that could happen anywhere at any time. it is just good that we have the people there to bring it to a conclusion. as quickly as they could. i have called my mother tonight and just checked in and hugged my friends who are close to me and said, i am just grateful to be here. 0ur producer who was on that

platform in victoria station this evening. glad to say he is safe and well. he did mention in that interview that he had taken some film on the platform as the incident was unfolding, and this is the film that he has sent us, and here you will see a number of those offices around the man that had been arrested, and a good many people on that platform this evening will be grateful for the swift actions of those police officers. they were on the scene very quickly, as you heard there from sam, limiting the number of injured people to just two. one of injured people to just two. one of the british transport offices we are told was stabbed in the shoulder. the train station has been closed, obviously, and it will be closed, obviously, and it will be closed for the next two hours. but understand that fireworks display in albert square in central manchester is to go ahead as planned this evening. so there you see the arrest unfolding there are on the platform in victoria station. but lighten the

mood just a little. we are focusing on the new year celebrations which have begun, unfolding around the world as we welcome in 2019. australia among the first countries to celebrate with sydney harbour transformed into a blaze of colour earlier today. let's talk to chi chi izundu from the bank of the river thames in central london. and the people, i imagine, are looking forward to that fireworks display. indeed they are. in fact, 100,000 people bought tickets to be penned into this small area, just to watch the fireworks. a few facts for you, there are eight tons of fireworks to be triggered from 348 different positions along the river thames, including pontoons, barges, and of course the london eye. 0rganisers told this they only got access to the london eye at 4pm this

afternoon, and that is when they we re afternoon, and that is when they were able to put all the fireworks up were able to put all the fireworks up end—around and big the london eye, and they could only confirm just after 10pm this evening that everything is good and ready to go. of course, big ben has been largely silent for 2018, it will kick off the celebrations on the dot. it was tested last night to the surprise of some local residents, but it is expected to go ahead and kick off proceedings. and i am sure you can hear, and eight think they are doing this on purpose, the music and the party and the celebrations getting under way. injust party and the celebrations getting under way. in just under an party and the celebrations getting under way. injust under an hour, 2019 will be here. thank you very much, looking forward to seeing that. and also i'm joined by andrew black from edinburgh. you are on princess street, one of the more anticipated new year celebrations around the world, what is the mood like there? herston, it is the mood like there? herston, it isa is the mood like there? herston, it is a sellout crowd in central

edinburgh, more than 60,000 people are here to see in the new year, there have been loads of bands this evening. i have been coming to do this gig down here in princes street for a few years and it is the people who turn up who are always the stars of the show. give us a chair, guys. still to note, we have one of the big highlights of the evening to come “— big highlights of the evening to come —— give us a cheer. 0ne big highlights of the evening to come —— give us a cheer. one of the highlights to come, franz ferdinand are headlining the event, the organisers saying there is a potential audience of1 billion people around the world, on tv and online on social media for the event in edinburgh, the new year celebrations in edinburgh take place over three days here, and a total of 160,000 people attend that. back to the night, things are really ramping up the night, things are really ramping up now. it has really been a brilliant night he is so far, everything has passed off without incident, but now it is all about

that final countdown to the midnight fireworks, which launched from the esplanade at edinburgh castle to see in 2019. one other thing, christian, one of your colleagues suggested that everyone who came here tonight would get a free glass of whiskey, but i can tell you i have thoroughly investigated that myself, and there is no free whiskey. fake news, what a way to start 2019! i don't believe it. new year celebrations have begun around the world as we welcome in 2019. chi chi izundu has more. three, two, one... cheering it is already 2019 for some parts of the world. in sydney, the new year was welcomed in with its biggest ever fireworks display. two hours earlier, in auckland, new zealand, it was the first major

city to celebrate the new year. fireworks were launched from the skycity tower. north korea's celebrations included a concert in pyongyang. scotland's biggest hogmanay celebrations will be in edinburgh, where tens of thousands of people are expected tojoin where tens of thousands of people are expected to join the party. 100,000 people have bought the tickets to get one of the best views of london's display. eight tons will be triggered from 348 firing locations on barges, pontoons and the london eye. 0rganises have told us, even though there have been planning this for 12 months, they only got access to the london eye at 4pm this afternoon once close to the public, and in the

last half—an—hour they have confirmed that everything is ready to go. we will get white, we normally sit every night and watch it on tv, and then go straight back in and go to bed, so this is going to be absolutely brilliant. i love the london eye and i think it is the best in the world. i've always wanted to come since i was little, i used to see it on tv. it's london fireworks. everyone comes from all around the world to see the show here, and to see what the mayor of london did for us to celebrate this beautiful moment. but forget the fireworks, dubai put ona but forget the fireworks, dubai put on a laser show on the world's tallest building. 0ne on a laser show on the world's tallest building. one for organisers to think about in 2020. two border force patrol boats are to be redeployed from overseas

to patrol the english channel in response to recent migrant crossings. the home secretary, sajid javid's, announcement comes after he met with border force and national crime agency officials to discuss an action plan to tackle the growing number of migrants attempting to get to the uk. 12 more migrants, including a ten—year—old child, arrived on the kent coast, bringing the total who have attempted to get here since november to 239. this report from vicki young contains some flash photography. kent police examining a vessel, bringing the latest group of migrants to the english coast. nine men, two women and a child landed here this morning, saying they were iranian nationals. almost 100 have arrived in small boats over the christmas period. morning, home secretary. the home secretary has been forced to swap his south african holiday for meetings in whitehall, promising to take personal control of the situation. i'm working out ways with the french to increase the number of returns that we can make, to also send a very strong message, that we will do all that we can,

notjust to protect human life — because of course that's the right and responsible thing to do at all times, but also to protect our borders. mrjavid announced he is redeploying two of the border force's largest ships, known as cutters, from abroad back to the uk to join other patrol vessels. the mp for dover says it is important that illegal migrants aren't allowed to stay in the uk. what we need to do now is this dover patrol, work hand—in—glove with the french authorities in a new channel compact, so that anyone found in the english channel in one of these unseaworthy craft can be helped carefully and safely back to the french coast, so they know there is no chance of getting into britain. those helping migrants say they shouldn't be demonised. we have to hold on to the fact that people, however desperate they are, are our brothers and sisters in humanity, and that's what we need to keep reminding people about.

and they're refugees, unless proved otherwise. in the past, sajid javid has said that deploying more patrol vessels in the channel could act as a pull factor, encouraging migrants to make an extremely dangerous journey because they think they will be rescued. today, he set those concerns aside, but said people travelling from safe countries such as france couldn't expect to be allowed to stay in the united kingdom. the numbers trying to cross the channel in boats like these are small in comparison to the 26,000 people claiming asylum in the uk in 2017. but political pressure has forced the home secretary to act. vicki young, bbc news. earlier, we spoke to damain grammaticas in calais and asked him what migrants hoping to cross the channel have been telling him. here in calais, we have been talking to people who have been trying to make the crossing. twice they tried,

these refugees, in the past week. they paid smugglers, god of small boats. 0n the first occasion they say they ran out of fuel and had to come back to france. 0n the second occasion, they say they even got very close to uk shores. they tried to call 999, seeking assistance from the uk's coastguard, but say that boat that eventually pick them up was a french vessel that brought them all the way back to france, and that could represent an illegal push back. now, the reason the refugees here are camped outside calais is that they are turning to boats is that they are turning to boats is that they are turning to boats is that the security around the channel, a ferry terminal, around the channel tunnel, is now so tight that it the channel tunnel, is now so tight thatitis the channel tunnel, is now so tight that it is very difficult to stow away on a train or a lorry instead. but one thing worth pointing out is that the numbers, they are still very small, those making the crossings from here to the uk, compared to other parts of europe. so those coastguard cutters that have been called back has been

acting in greece, and in greece, where it people have made this crossing in the last month or so, they have been in recent days 250 a day, an average of 80 or 100 a day crossing from turkey to greece, so still far greater pressure of numbers on that outside of europe but on this site. —— ban on this side. 25 engines and around 120 firefighters are tackling a large blaze at a self—storage warehouse in south london. the london fire brigade said there were no reports of any injuries in the incident in croydon. the cause of the fire is not yet known. a nasa probe is set to make history in the early hours of tomorrow when it's due to fly past a space rock more than 3.5 billion miles from earth. if successful, it will be the furthest object ever visited by a space craft. the probe, called new horizons, will take a series of photos which may holds clues about the formation of the solar system. 0ur science editor david shukman reports. it has taken a long,

dark trek through the outer reaches of the solar system. but now, the nasa spacecraft new horizons is on the brink of making history, about to reach the remotest world that humanity has ever ventured to. it's pure exploration. pure science and pure exploration. we're trying to understand the origin of the planets, and the object that we're going to fly by, nicknamed ultima thule, is a frozen time capsule from the era of the birth of our planets. to explain what this mission is all about, let's use our virtual studio, and start with the middle of our solar system. now, orbiting closest to the sun are the four small rocky planets, including earth. then, further out, there are four much larger planets. the best—known of these is saturn, with its famous rings. and then, right on the margin, there is tiny pluto, 3 billion miles away. but it turns out that pluto is just

one part of a massive outer zone we only started discovering in the last 20 years or so. thousands of tiny worlds, and lumps of rock and ice known as the kuiper belt. these are objects left over after the planets were formed. one of these is known as ultima thule. and until now, we've only had this artist's impression of it. but, after racing from earth on a 13—yearjourney, nasa's new horizons spacecraft is about to fly past it, the most distant exploration in human history. new horizons is exploring for a total distance of 4 billion miles. forget 1990s download speeds. we're going to be downloading data from the spacecraft at one kilobit per second over the next almost two years. now, the great thing about such a slow data transmission rate is that it's almost the gift that keeps on giving. every week or so, we'll get

new images back from the spacecraft, and we're going to learn new things for the next two years. three years ago, the same spacecraft flew past pluto, and revealed something entirely unexpected — that it is far more active than anyone realised. it may even have an ocean beneath the surface. so now, the discoveries about an even more distant world to be made in the coming hours may bejust as surprising. david shukman, bbc news. so looking forward to hearing the details of that tomorrow. now, it's time for a look at the weather with alina jenkins. thousands of people on the streets of london and edinburgh, are they going to get a dry evening?” of london and edinburgh, are they going to get a dry evening? i think just about. there are the odd spot of rain because you have a fair amount of clout around the most of his dry. quite windy across northern scotla nd his dry. quite windy across northern scotland and those wins will stay put for the coming hours. also some clearer skies across northern england and over the next few hours those clearer skies will be slowly

sinking their way southwards. so this is our look through the early hours of 2019. we've got a weakening cold front sinking way south, running into an area of high pressure, so running into an area of high pressure, so there's not much left on it, save for a lot of clout. think of it really is a dividing line between the milder airfurther south and west and something a little bit colder for the north and east. the percentages will be sliding away over the coming days. not tonight, we are still in some relatively mild air. the cloud across the central belt of scotland will be sinking its weight further southward so increasingly clear skies from the north overnight. that cloud that still be thick enough overnight for the odd spot of rain. so first thing tomorrow morning, a peppering of showers across the northern isles. still windy here, but those wins will have eased down compared to where they are at the moment. quite breezy across much of scotland, northern ireland and northern england, but 20 of sunshine to start to 19. still the southern cloud across southern wales, into the middle of the down in the southern and south—western parts of it. what we will find through the days that cloud will slowly retreat way south and westwards and we will

see increasing amounts of sunshine from the north. still one or two showers for the far north of scotla nd showers for the far north of scotland but those strong winds will ease down. a brisk breeze blowing down the eastern coast, these are average speeds through new year's day, you can see they are generally light to moderate. and temperatures across the midlands northwards, we are looking at five to eight celsius, cooler than what we have been seen recently. further south, holding onto the milder airfor one more day because as we go through wednesday things are going to turn increasingly cold. this is new year's day increasingly cold. this is new yea r‘s day night increasingly cold. this is new year's day night into wednesday, clear skies across the western side of the uk, keeping more cloud further east. combine that with the breeze and we will keep temperatures above freezing here but further west it will be much colder. these are the temperatures in the centre of town. in the countryside they get down to —2 minus three celsius quite widely so it is a frosty start to wednesday but there will be plenty of sunshine to most of us. the eastern coast once again will pick up eastern coast once again will pick up more cloud, but it will be feeling day after that frosty start, temperatures problem but not much higher than 89 celsius. and then,

looking ahead, for the first week of 2019 it is mainly dry. there will be increasing amounts of sunshine, but overnight, there will be some frost and fog. happy new year. hello. this is bbc news. the headlines: three people, including a police officer, have been wounded in a stabbing at victoria station in manchester. a man has been arrested. london gears up for the new year as celebrations are in full swing across many parts of the world. theresa may uses her new year's message to say britain can turn a corner if parliament backs her brexit deal. well, just around 30 minutes to go now before people up and down the uk welcome in 2019. people across the uk crammed into the streets of london, manchester. we will go to edinburgh to speak to andrew black. first, let's check in.

let's talk to chi chi izundu from the bank of the river thames in central london. quite a few thousand people have joined us, including jakob andersen amazon have come all the way from wigan and your journey amazon have come all the way from wigan and yourjourney started at ten o'clock this morning. it has been quite long. wages are important to be here? iwas been quite long. wages are important to be here? i was not aware we were coming. the children surprise me. i only found out on christmas day that this was all planned. it was brilliant to realise we were going to come and watch the display actually here. you bought on mum the christmas present. why did you think it was something that she needed to witness in person? we we re witness in person? we were here a few weeks ago and we stood on the bridge and she said she has always wanted to come and we booked it a few weeks before that,

and we just thought we have always sat at home and watched it and so it was a nice time to come and watch it finally. you excited to see the fireworks? yeah, very excited. fantastic. so, 100,000 people are accepted fantastic. so, 100,000 people are a cce pted to fantastic. so, 100,000 people are accepted to be watching tonight's fireworks just on the embankment in cell. 12.5 million are expected to tune in to watch it at home or in pubs, clubs, bars around the country. you should be aware that the theme of the fireworks display tonight is london is 0pen. the theme of the fireworks display tonight is london is open. the now wa nts tonight is london is open. the now wants everyone to know they are open for trade and the display will be synchronised to music. it is in seven different languages, london is 0pen will appear. we should watch out for a spit —— particularly spectacular end. thank you very much for the moment. let's speak to andrew. that is

everybody has some special hats and scarves on this evening, because it is pretty chilly out there. more on the special hats in a second. the party is kicking off here in edinburgh. you can probably hear the bands, franz ferdinand. they will be playing until midnight. they will be playing until midnight. the real stars of the show here in edinburgh are the people who travel to come and see the celebrations. let's chat to a few of them now. how is it going? where have you come from today? south wales. when did you start yourjourney? what time did we start? about 12. you have got some fantastic headgear on. it must be the kids. the kids gave

it all to us. why did you decide to head down here to edinburgh? we thought it was one of the best celebrating new year so we thought we would try. better than wales? no. you can't beat wales. what will be the highlight for you tonight. spending it with the kids and the wife. thank you very much, guys. 0pen have a great night. the theme of today's celebrations have been scotland's relationship with europe, they want to tell people that whatever happens with the backdrop of brexit that scotland's relations will continue, their relations with other european countries, and also tonight, the events have passed off completely without incident. you mentioned the weather. it has been quite pleasant

this evening. at one spot of rain i felt on my hand or night. the weather has not been too bad either. it me show you one last thing, if you spin the camera around. you should just be able to see the outline their old edinburgh castle. that is where the main event will be happening just after midnight. a load of fireworks will be launched from edinburgh castle, so everyone here can see in 2019, and what a way to see in the new year. fantastic. look at that for a backdrop. can there be a better backdrop. can there be a better backdrop around europe tonight? we have seen the arc de triomphe and there with the edinburgh castle up there with the edinburgh castle up there looking resplendent ahead of there looking resplendent ahead of the fibre display for the 60,000 people packed into princes street tonight. huge firework display and laser light shows taking place across the world today and from syd ney to across the world today and from sydney to bangkok, athens to do by was a look look at some of them now, starting in one of the first cities

to ring in the new year, and that was auckland in new zealand. three, two, one... some of the great cities of the world birth, great celebrations there in paris. i was watching that earlier, they were leaning the names of the world —— world cup winning team. the prime minister, theresa may, has used her new year message to call for 2019 to be the year to put differences aside and move forward. mrs may began her message by focusing on her brexit plans. new year is the time to look ahead, and in 2019, the uk will start a new chapter. the brexit deal i have negotiated delivers on the vote of the richest people. it gives us control over our borders, our money and our laws. it is good forjobs, protect our security and work for oui’ protect our security and work for our whole united kingdom. protect our security and work for ourwhole united kingdom. in protect our security and work for our whole united kingdom. in the next few weeks, mps will have an important decision to make. if

parliament backs the deal, britain can turna parliament backs the deal, britain can turn a corner. the referendum in 2016 was divisive. but we all want the best for our country. 2019 can be the year we put our differences aside and move forward together. into a strong, new relationship with oui’ into a strong, new relationship with our european neighbours and out into the world as a globally trading nation. but important though brexit is, it is not the only issue that counts. when each of us look back on 2019, it will be the personal milestones that stand out. starting a new school, college or apprenticeship, hitting a job, starting a business, earning a pay rise, buying a house, getting married or starting a family. these are the things that matter most. and by agreeing a good brexit deal, we can focus our energies on those things. strengthening our economy and opening up the market for our businesses to create newjobs and

opportunities across the uk. building the houses our country needs so building the houses our country needs so everyone building the houses our country needs so everyone can have a home of their own. and transforming technical education so everyone gains the skills they need to get on. our long—term plan for the nhs will put a record investment into our most precious public service so it is therefore asked when we need it. we will introduce a new skills —based immigration system to replace freedom of movement. and by protecting and enhancing our natural environment, we will make britain a healthier place. this year, the uk has achieved a lot. the employment rate is at a record high. 0ur debt is starting its first sustained fall ina is starting its first sustained fall in a generation. the number of people in absolute poverty is at a record low. but a new year means new potential to do even more, to ensure that everyone in every community can feel the benefit. together, i

believe we can start a new chapter with optimism and hope. we have all we need to thrive. and if we come together in 2019, i know we can make a su ccess together in 2019, i know we can make a success of what lies ahead and build a country that truly works for eve ryo ne build a country that truly works for everyone of us. the leaders of the main opposition parties also released their own new year messages. and maybe as a precursor for what lies ahead in 2019, the theme from all three you'll hear from now was also brexit. i'd like to wish everyone a very happy new year. there's so much talent across britain, were being held back by a system that for too long has only served the privileged few. and now, the conservatives have plunged the country into crisis over the complete mess they've made of brexit. in the year ahead, the scottish government will continue to do everything we can to protect scotland's placed at the heart of

europe. however, whatever the outcome of the exit, scotland will always offer a warm welcome to the world. are we going to make a terrible mistake on leaving behind our influence in europe's most successful peace project in the world's biggest marketplace, or rather british people, in the final hours, going to be given a chance to reconsider, in the light of the facts that have come to the surface in the last two years? m essa g es messages from jeremy corbyn, nicola sturgeon and vince cable of the liberal democrats. have you had enough fireworks? let's have some more. let's take you the netherlands and show you the fireworks this evening in the hague, not notorious, you might say, as a party city, but look at that. spectacular over the ca nals look at that. spectacular over the canals in the hague and over the water works bad. you can see lots of impressive fireworks there over the

dutch city. and we can also show you, i think, dutch city. and we can also show you, ithink, the dutch city. and we can also show you, i think, the pictures from madrid. here we go. it warms up, trust me. there we go, feliz 2019, i am not going to do it in spanish. someone can may be right in and tell me what this church is, i have been looking at these pictures and i am not entirely sure what we are looking at in madrid, but another resplendent fireworks display this evening here in madrid. and look at that. why haven't we got some of that? two of the presenters in madrid bringing in the new year. let's ta ke madrid bringing in the new year. let's take you finally to berlin... no, this is paris. we haven't got berlin. the arc de triomphe, never

second—best. lots of fireworks on the champs elysees in the last few weeks, the president urging the country to the law & 0rder first and get behind front in 2019, and certainly got off to a good start this fireworks display around the arc de triomphe. as i say, they have been celebrating their world cup success on the arc de triomphe tonight with a laser show that we watched before those fireworks, and the champs elysees full to bursting with people who have come out to watch it. there you go. that was the scene in paris a little earlier. let's cross to the banks of the thames. quite a performance we have seen around europe, will london put on a show to rival paris, madrid and the hague? well, apparently the fireworks that take place in central london are the biggest in europe.

eight tons of fireworks are expected to go off here injust under ten minutes' time, from 348 different trigger points along the river thames, on barges, pontoons and the london eye. and as you can see, just a handful of revellers managed to get their hands on one of those sold out tickets, including ian, who has come from stoke—on—trent. why did you feel it was important to be here at this great viewpoint? well, what at this great viewpoint? well, what a place to spend the evening. absolutely fantastic, isn't it? how long did it take you to get down? we have been here for a couple of days, so have been here for a couple of days, so it has all been worth it. was it a christmas present or you decided to have a different type of media? we we re to have a different type of media? we were going to do it last year, but things happened, but we decided this was the year, definitely. 0bviously 2019, lots of people like to make new year's resolutions. have you got one? not really, no. just to

be... just to be me. and your lovely wife, have you got a new year's resolution? just the usual, healthy, fit. are you excited to be here today? i am, yes. and why did you say that was important to be here? it is something i have always wanted to do. we see it on the telly every year, and one day i might go there, so year, and one day i might go there, so here we are. to notice the night. ian and his lovely wife are going to be part of the 100,000 here who will watch the fireworks go off live —— tonight is the night. millions tuning into the live show that is going out on bbc one. you won't be able to see it, but we will turn the camera around shortly and you will be able to see the light display thatis be able to see the light display that is going on around the london eye and some of the barges and pontoons on the river thames. yes, worry not, we will take you to bbc 0ne when they get their celebrations under way there. thank you very

much. amazing pictures from the bank, thousands of people out there, and thousands of people also in edinburgh. andrew has been there for us all through the evening. 0ne andrew has been there for us all through the evening. one of those great new year cities, and they are all warming upfor great new year cities, and they are all warming up for hogmanay. yes, absolutely, and we are just in the final straight, the last few minutes before midnight itself. as you can hear, franz ferdinand, the main headline band, are still banging out their hits for the crowd here. everyone here has been in fantastic spirits. let's talk to a couple of the party people who have come along tonight. hello to you. where have you come from? re/max ireland. and why did you decide to come all the way here from ireland? we had always wanted to come here, for years. i am so wanted to come here, for years. i am so happy we are here. and what are you looking forward to tonight? the fireworks, the big fireworks will be amazing. i want to see them lighting up amazing. i want to see them lighting up the sky. and why have you come

all the way from ireland? people might associate ireland with being the party central of the universe. we are living in london, and we went to the fireworks there last year and we heard this is better, so we decided to make a trip here. and do you ever make new year's resolutions? we're almost in the 2019. just try it to be better than la st 2019. just try it to be better than last year. and what about yourself? same as, just a happy year. thanks very much, guys, enjoy the party. as we we re very much, guys, enjoy the party. as we were saying, franz ferdinand will be finishing up in time for midnight, before the fireworks start, and i think they are actually going to start playing again after the fireworks finish. fireworks display has been launched from the esplanade of edinburgh castle, it is very impressive. i heard chi chi in

london saying that the fireworks there are the biggest in europe, but i think we know that the best ones are going to be in edinburgh. show at edinburgh castle, let's see it. look at that. fantastic. it is going to be quite a as a night in edinburgh. we will bring you those pictures live when we get the fireworks in edinburgh. edinburgh is also preparing for hogmanay, and our correspondent andrew black has been speaking to the headline act, franz ferdinand. with 65,000 people expected to see in the new year here on princes street, and franz ferdinand, the headlining band for this evening, their lead singer alex joins me headlining band for this evening, their lead singer alexjoins me now. good evening to you. hi, good evening. so this is some unfinished business for you tonight. 15 years ago you were supposed to be playing here and it didn't really happen for you. yes, that's right, it was right before our first album came out and it was going to be the biggest gig we had ever done. but the weather

was not like it is tonight. it was a really bad storm and the whole thing got cancelled. and we ended up playing in a flat about a mile over in that direction instead. so yes, i am glad to be coming back in action be playing this time. and it is a bit windy tonight, but i don't think it is too bad. no, no, back then it was a dark and stormy night. and 15 yea rs was a dark and stormy night. and 15 years ago you were in a very different place, your first album had really come out. that's right, no—one really knew who we were, and it is nice comeback and play and people will know the songs, that's pretty nice. 0ne people will know the songs, that's pretty nice. one and what does it mean to be headlining an event like this? i guess it is... i mean, this party is one of the biggest parties in the world. new year get celebrated all across the globe and people celebrated all sorts of ways, but i don't think anywhere does it quite like hogmanay in edinburgh. just look around you, it is com pletely just look around you, it is completely amazing. have you got