New Year's celebrations take place across the world
Jubilant crowds are bidding farewell to the hottest year on record today, closing a turbulent 12 months marked by clever chatbots, climate crises and wrenching wars in Gaza and Ukraine.
The world's population, now over eight billion, will see out the old and usher in the new, with many hoping to shake the weight of high living costs and global tumult.
The Pacific nation of Kiribati became the first country to enter 2024 and was followed by New Zealand at 11am Irish time.
In Sydney, the self-proclaimed 'New Year's capital of the world', more than a million partygoers packed the city's foreshore, despite uncharacteristically dull weather.
The city's eight tonnes of fireworks will light the fuse on 2024, a year that will bring elections concerning half the world's population and a summer Olympiad celebrated in Paris.
In Ireland, children got the opportunity to ring in the New Year at a special early countdown event in Dublin Castle.
Hundreds of people braved the wind and rain at the event. Rising Irish artists Moncrieff, Lea Heart and Lucy Gaffney entertained those who might not be able to stay awake until midnight.
Picture This will headline the Countdown Concert at Dublin Castle later tonight as part of New Year's Festival Dublin.
