Nicola Sturgeon has thanked health and care workers for "an absolutely magnificent job" in her New Year message to Scots. The First Minister reflected that 2021 had been another year "dominated by the challenges of covid" - but she insisted people could now look forward to "a much better and brighter new year ahead".
The SNP leader's message was published as Scotland's hospitality sector faces a second Hogmanay in a row of tough trading restrictions.
While pubs can stay open with table service in place, all nightclubs are shut on what would normally be one of the busiest nights of the year for the night time economy.