LIVE: Dubai throws lavish party to kick off new year – live updates

The United Arab Emirates is pulling out all the stops as usual – as it attempts to break five world records with its displays.

One effort will see some 6,500 drones take to the sky, forming the ‘largest aerial display of a phoenix’.

Another will see a two-tonne shell launched in hopes of becoming the ‘largest aerial fireworks shell’ – before bursting across a kilometre in the sky.

Is it any surprise that Dubai has thrown a lavish party to welcome in the new year?

As 2025 comes to a close in the United Arab Emirates city, the iconic Burj Khalifa is playing a pivotal role in an extraordinary show – combining fireworks, LED imagery, and lasers.

It follows almost 10 months of preparations, with tickets for the highly-anticipated event fast selling out.

Azerbaijan, Armenia, much of Georgia, Mauritius and the Seychelles have now also welcomed in 2026.

The illuminated Burj Khalifa is pictured below.

Last year, allegations rang out from viewers who claimed the Mayor had used part of his 11-minute display to poke fund at at Rishi Sunak’s rain-soaked general election announcement at Downing Street in May, 2024.

They pointed out that the show featured the 1999 Travis song Why Does It Always Rain On Me – followed by D:Ream’s 1993 hit Things Can Only Get Better.

It was suggested that this referred to when the election campaign got off to a soggy start in May as then-Prime Minister Mr Sunak announced that he was calling the vote without an umbrella in the midst of a huge downpour outside Number 10.

A set of speakers were pressed up against the Downing Street gates by anti-Brexit protester Steve Bray playing Things Can Only Get Better – the tune that was also the sound of Tony Blair’s 1997 general election soundtrack – which almost drowned out his speech. Mr Sunak later quipped that he was not ‘a fair weather politician’.

Will viewers be graced with any similar alleged political messaging this year? We will have to wait and see.

Watch below to hear what we can expect for London’s new year’s fireworks – as told by the capital’s mayor himself.

The Labour political pundit also said it was going to be a ‘great night’ – following lengthy preparations that had started back in July.

A happy new year to those celebrating in Afghanistan as the clock has now struck midnight there – let’s hope it’s a good one.

It is not just London, of course, where revellers are preparing to welcome in the new year.

Partygoers have been photographed getting in the spirit in Bristol, with women bracing the cold weather in high heels and mini skirts.

Elsewhere, in Edinburgh, punters have donned kilts and wooly Santa hats.

How will you be marking the new year tonight? Let us know in the comments.

The new year has now reached Pakistan.

New Years events were held in the country’s major cities, including Islamabad where a colourful affair was arranged near the lake.

According to then news outlet Samaa, citizens ‘expressed satisfaction’ and said such arrangements were ‘rarely seen’.

In no more than half an hour, neighbouring Afghanistan will also follow suit…

Pope Leo today thanked all those working to ‘serve pilgrims and make Rome more welcoming’.

After attending the Vatican’s traditional year-end prayer service he moved to St Peter’s Square to inspect the Christmas nativity scene.

It comes after he held the first Christmas mass of his pontificate last Wednesday, greeting thousands of faithful in St Peter’s Square before the service.

The mass was attended by high-ranking Church figures, diplomats and around 6,000 faithful.

On a separate note, did you know that one of the pope’s favourite films is the Christmas-themed ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’?

India, Sri Lanka and Nepal are the latest countries to see in the new year.

Earlier today indigenous Nepali people were seen wearing traditional attire as they performed for the ‘Tamu Lhosar’ festival.

A group of the revellers are pictured below. Elsewhere, in India, those celebrating enjoyed a New Years Eve sunset on Mumbai beach.

The clock has now struck midnight in Bangladesh as the country welcomes in 2026.

The previous year was a rocky one – marred by protests and a powerful earthquake that killed multiple civilians.

Politically, Bangladeshis will be hoping the new year brings in more stability – after their country’s former prime minister Sheikh Hasina was sentenced to death on corruption charges.

Tens of thousands of people are already flocking to the capital as London prepares to welcome in 2026.

Mayor Sadiq Khan has put out a reminder that ‘tonight is the night’ as he says ‘spectacular New Years Eve fireworks’ will return to the Thames.

He added: ‘If you don’t have a ticket, you can still watch live on BBC One or BBC iPlayer from the comfort of your own home.’

It comes as annual fireworks in Primrose Hill have been axed this year in a last-minute cost-cutting cancellation.

This year revellers will discover the gates to the park locked shut from 8pm today until 6am on New Year’s Day.

At least that is what you would think as brilliant images show how Thailand’s capital was entirely illuminated in a hue of red.

The explosions were also coupled with a magnificent drone-fuelled light show which complemented the city’s towering skyline.