31/12/2016 BBC Weekend News

Hello, good evening - New Year celebrations are underway

across the world with New Zealand and Australia amongst

Many cities have stepped up security with concrete barriers blocking off

central squares to prevent attacks like the recent ones

In cities including London thousands of extra police will be on duty

as our correspondent Helena Lee reports.

Sydney, Australia, one of the first cities to welcome in 2017.

The Harbour Bridge the focus of their spectacular display.

Soon after, it was Hong Kong's turn and this was their party.

In London, they're preparing for tonight's celebrations.

The Met Police says it is not had any specific intelligence

to point to an attack, but they've looked at

what happened in Berlin and Nice and adjusted their plans.

There'll be more than 3000 visible police officers present tonight.

As in the past, there will be officers with firearms,

but the key thing is to strike the balance, and none of us wants

to disrupt the enjoyment all of us want to have on New Year's Eve.

We can't allow the bad guys to spoil our way of life.

In other European cities, including Berlin, security

In her New Year's Eve address, the German Chancellor Angela Merkel

acknowledged the threat her country faces.

TRANSLATION: The biggest test, without a doubt,

is Islamist terrorism, which has had Germany

In 2016 it attacked us in Wurzburg, Asbach and just a few days ago

in the Christmas market here in Berlin.

Other political leaders sending New Year messages

Around the world millions of people are getting ready

to celebrate their New Year's Eve, welcoming in 2017 in style.

Our correspondent Jonathan Blake is in central London now,

no signs of the crowds staying away tonight?

Just in the last half an hour, the first of the hundred thousand of

people who have tickets to watch the display have started filling the

viewing area is here on the embankment and across at the River

Thames. That heavy police presence is really a reassuring to the people

watching the display but also a reminder of the security threat. As

for the display itself, 12 minutes carefully synchronised to a

carefully chosen soundtrack which will pay tribute to some of the

artists we have lost. There will be 50,000 individual explosions and it

all kicks off as Big Ben chimes midnight.

The New Year's honours list has been dominated by Britain's

There are knighthoods for Andy Murray and Mo Farah.

And from the world of entertainment there's a knighthood

Our entertainment correspondent Lizo Mzimba has the details.

Ending the year with a win on the court and with a knighthood

to his name, the title Sir Andy, though, could take

It feels, obviously, more normal to me, but it's

obviously a big honour and I'm happy with that, a nice way to finish

Olympic champion Mo Farah says his knighthood is a dream come true.

London 2012 gold medallist Jessica Ennis-Hill has become

a Dame, as has rower Katherine Grainger, after five

In the world of entertainment, one of Britain's's favourite

performers Ken Dodd has received a knighthood.

I said to the fella I said, excuse me, can you help me out?

He said certainly, which way did you come in?

The best day ever, you can't get better than this.

I've played lots of big theatres, but this is it,

The Bucket Residencs, lady of the house speaking.

Actress Patricia Routledge, she's been made a dame.

Kinks front man Ray Davies said he felt humility

A knighthood, too, for award-winning actor Mark Rylance.

Victoria Beckham becomes an OBE for services

The Hillsborough Independent Panel was chaired by the former

Bishop of Liverpool, James Jones.

Obviously great pride, but mixed with sadness

because of that enduring sadness of the families, who have continued

to feel the loss of their loved ones at Hillsborough.

He's one of hundreds being recognised for their contributions

The United Nations has unanimously approved a resolution endorsing

Russia and Turkey brokered the truce.

It's the third ceasefire this year as part of efforts to end nearly six

So-called Islamic State has said it carried out two bombings at a busy

market in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad this morning, killing

More than fifty other people were wounded.

A third blast happened later in east of the city.

Our correspondent Jonny Dymond reports.

For Iraqis, 2016 ends as it began - with bloodshed and grief.

Just one of the shoppers and traders slaughtered on a Saturday morning.

There were two bombs, one in a car park's shop,

then another when a crowd had formed around the first.

Fathers, and sisters, and mothers, and brothers.

TRANSLATION: When we heard the explosion, we found many

people killed and wounded, whom we rescued and sent to the hospital.

Why does this happen in Iraq, why to the Iraqi people?

To the north, the battle to take Mosul, Iraq's

second city, from so-called Islamic State continues.

It's a long slog, and for many residents the only way is out.

Three more months, Iraq's government says, the action might take.

Maybe next year will be better, but many Iraqis are giving up,

as they flee their battered city with nothing but bags and suitcases.

In today's football, Chelsea continued the remarkable run

that's taken them to the top of the Premier League,

Liverpool and Manchester City both had the chance to close the gap

a short time ago with Liverpool winning by one goal to nil,

thanks to a goal scored after just 7 minutes.

It means Liverpool stay second - now 6 points behind leaders Chelsea.

In Scotland it was the turn of Old Firm rivals

Celtic and Rangers who met at Ibrox at lunchtime - as our sports

It remains one of football's fiercest and noisiest rivalries.

Amid the customary cacophony, though, a minute's silence in memory

of the 66 fans who died in a crush at Ibrox in 1971.

After that reflection, time for the action.

Celtic, the runaway league leaders, but thanks to Kenny Miller's perfect

timing, it was Rangers that seized the initiative.

Celtic soon responded, though, and in thunderous fashion.

Mousa Dembele's blistering volley levelling it up at the break.

And just after it, Celtic should have been ahead.

Dembele denied by the bar, Scott Sinclair the side netting.

With barely 20 minutes left, finally their pressure paid off.

For Sinclair this time unmissable, Celtic seemingly unstoppable.

Rangers did nearly equalise, Miller agonisingly close,

It might not even be January, but the title

There's more throughout the evening on the BBC News Channel,

but for now on BBC1 its time for the news where you are.