Countries across the world celebrate the New Year

Brilliant streaks of light, a blaze of colour and the explosion of firecrackers. Cities around the world last night welcomed the New Year with spectacular fireworks and celebrations as the curtain came down on 2011 . When the clock struck 12, the world’s tallest tower Burj Khalifa in Dubai was lit up by shimmering fireworks lasting 15 minutes. The corniches in Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, the Burj Al Arab and the Atlantis in Dubai held the jostling crowds in thrall with glittering pyrotechnics. Shrieks and shouts of “Happy New Year” rent the air, punctuated by the cacophony of blaring horns. Friends and strangers greeted each other warmly as the party mood shifted into a higher gear in clubs and restaurants. Earlier, revellers packed the Dubai Metro trains and hit the streets of Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and other emirates as the UAE got into the mood to ring in the New Year and party the night away. Shopping malls were full of people looking for new clothes for a night of festivities. “It’s nice to dress up with a fresh look to start the year off feeling good,” said Hana, 22, a Lebanese national. A joyous mood prevailed in Abu Dhabi as residents wended their way to the corniche through slow-moving traffic. Cultural performances and an aerobatic display by the UAE Air Force fighter jets set the tone for the concert later in the evening when time Grammy -winning British band Coldplay had thousands swaying to its rhythms. The strains of music also reverberated at the Qanat Al Qasba in Sharjah where classical, folkloric and Andalusian varieties were performed at the World of Melodies Festival. The world bid farewell to a tough year rocked by economic turmoil and natural disasters, and rang in 2012 in the hope of making a fresh start. Revellers in the South Pacific island nation of Samoa were the first to usher in the New Year. In Australia, fireworks exploded over Sydney’s Harbour Bridge. Two hours later, fireworks were set off in Tokyo. But in Japan, still suffering the effects of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, families preferred to make trips to shrines. In New York, pop diva Lady Gaga and Mayor Michael Bloomberg hit the switch sending the city's famous crystal ball on its countdown drop. Confetti poured out over Times Square, where up to a million people had been expected, and multi-colored, star-burst fireworks erupted over Manhattan's skyscrapers. In the Philippines, where killer floods spawned by tropical storm Washi have swept away two whole villages, the normally festive day was sombre. As the clock moved through the time zones, fireworks blazed across the skies over Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbour, Red Square in Moscow and over River Thames in London. In Copacabana beach, Brazilians and tourists watched a “green” fireworks display. Partying was in full swing at Berlin’s Brandenburg Gate, Paris’ Champs-Elysees avenue, Amsterdam and in the heart of Vienna. More than a million revellers flocked to New York’s Times Square where pop diva Lady Gaga and tenor Placido Domingo were among the star-studded lineup, where a crystal ball dropped at the stroke of midnight. Vasant Parmar, who watched the fireworks at the Burj Khalifa, summed up the mood of the revellers. “I am looking forward to a good future, a good job with better pay and hoping that my whole family is with me here in the UAE.” London hosts the 2012 Olympics and its firework display kicked off with a recording of the moment the capital learned it would host the Games. An estimated 250,000 people lined the banks of the River Thames, watching rings of fireworks in the Olympic colors flash in the sky, while the famous clock tower in the parliament building lit up with fireworks at every chime of the Big Ben bell. Hope was one everyone’s lips. It was indeed a rough year. Happy New Year!