Some of the biggest names in entertainment helped to celebrate the new millennium at star-studded gigs around the world.

Singers Barbara Streisand, Elton John and Bette Midler were among the performers at New Year celebrations in Las Vegas as the US became one of the last countries to usher in 2000.

In Washington, President Clinton welcomed the new millennium at a star-studded outdoor concert at Washington's Lincoln Memorial.

Tens of thousands of people gathered to watch performances from entertainers including Tom Jones, Kenny Rogers and Will Smith. A Steven Spielberg film and fireworks were also part of the show.

While in Florida, Disney World played host to Hootie and the Blowfish, the B52s and STYX. Mickey Mouse and friends took part in a multi-cultural showcase from 35 countries. The Bee Gees and Gloria Estefan also performed at separate gigs.

Greenwich festivities

In the UK, the celebrations were just as glitzy. One of the most high-profile events took place at the Millennium Dome in Greenwich, London, where Simply Red's Mick Hucknall, The Corrs and M People's Heather Small were among the performers.

Just over a mile south of the Dome at the National Maritime Museum, Martine McCutcheon, the Eurythmics, Bryan Ferry and Mick Hucknall - making his first appearance of the night - were on the bill at the British Gas Millennium Party.



Dusk in Dublin

Boyzone heart-throb Ronan Keating helped kick off the celebrations in the Irish Republic at dusk on New Year's Eve when he joined Prime Minister Bertie Ahern on a concert stage in Dublin to take part in the Last Light Ceremony.

Keating then performed a traditional Irish song She Moves Through the Fair.

In Egypt, floodlights lit up the ancient pyramids of Giza as French composer Jean-Michel Jarre performed his epic Twelve Dreams of the Sun electronic opera.

The pyramids were illuminated in green while drums and eerie music boomed from loudspeakers.

Tubular Bells star Mike Oldfield performed his new composition Millennium Bell at a concert staged within sight of Berlin's Victory Column and relayed on two giant video screens.

Manic millennium

Cardiff hosted another of the UK's high-profile shows - the Manic Street Preachers and Stereophincs played to a capacity crowd at the Welsh capital's new Millennium Stadium.

Sir Cliff Richard lit Birmingham's Flame of Hope in Centenary Square, which was donated by the city's churches, before singing a special version of his Millennium Prayer accompanied by a gospel choir.

Sir Cliff went on to perform for 13,000 people at Birmingham's National Indoor Arena.

Scotland's capital also celebrated Old Year's Night in true tartan style. The Bay City Rollers performed at the city's Hogmany celebrations - their first concert since their acrimonious 1970s split.

Texas also played, while dancers from London's Notting Hill Carnival, a Cuban band and Spanish street theatre are lending a cosmopolitan air to the celebrations.

Opera singer Dame Kiri Te Kanawa was one of the first stars to see in the new millennium when she performed on the beach front at Gisborne, New Zealand.

Supported by Maori women in traditional clothes and the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, she sang a chant welcoming canoes carrying symbolic stones ashore from around Polynesia.

She followed it with the Maori love song Pokarekare Ana, the nation's unofficial and much loved anthem.