Happy New Year! The Celebrations Are Underway

By Mark Memmott

Published December 31, 2013 at 9:00 AM EST

1 of 12 — A reveler takes part in festivities during a New Year countdown event at the Great Wall in Beijing. Hundreds of people gathered at the Great Wall to celebrate the New Year.

A reveler takes part in festivities during a New Year countdown event at the Great Wall in Beijing. Hundreds of people gathered at the Great Wall to celebrate the New Year.

2 of 12 — A lightshow illuminates the Great Wall during a New Year countdown event in Beijing.

A lightshow illuminates the Great Wall during a New Year countdown event in Beijing.

3 of 12 — Fireworks explode over Palm Jumeirah in Dubai to celebrate the new year in a dazzling bid for a new world record. The glittering fireworks display that lasted around six minutes spanned over 60 miles of the Dubai coast.

Fireworks explode over Palm Jumeirah in Dubai to celebrate the new year in a dazzling bid for a new world record. The glittering fireworks display that lasted around six minutes spanned over 60 miles of the Dubai coast.

4 of 12 — People celebrate ahead of New Year's Day in the center of Rosa Khutor, a venue of the Sochi 2014 winter Olympics.

People celebrate ahead of New Year's Day in the center of Rosa Khutor, a venue of the Sochi 2014 winter Olympics.

5 of 12 — People celebrate the New Year during an event for the Count Down Seoul 2014 at the Time Square in Seoul, South Korea.

People celebrate the New Year during an event for the Count Down Seoul 2014 at the Time Square in Seoul, South Korea.

6 of 12 — People gather to release balloons to celebrate the New Year during an annual countdown ceremony in Tokyo. Some 2,000 balloons were released in the air, carrying with the visitors' wishes.

People gather to release balloons to celebrate the New Year during an annual countdown ceremony in Tokyo. Some 2,000 balloons were released in the air, carrying with the visitors' wishes.

7 of 12 — New Year's Eve fireworks explode over Hong Kong's Victoria Harbor, marking the start of 2014 near the Convention and Exhibition Centre.

New Year's Eve fireworks explode over Hong Kong's Victoria Harbor, marking the start of 2014 near the Convention and Exhibition Centre.

8 of 12 — Thousands of Filipinos toot their Torotots (party blowers) during an attempt to break the Guinness record for the "most number of people blowing party blowers simultaneously" in Davao city. Ten-thousand party blowers were expected to make noise there on New Year's Eve.

Thousands of Filipinos toot their Torotots (party blowers) during an attempt to break the Guinness record for the "most number of people blowing party blowers simultaneously" in Davao city. Ten-thousand party blowers were expected to make noise there on New Year's Eve.

9 of 12 — A view of the New Year's Eve fireworks display in Sydney Harbor in Sydney, Australia.

A view of the New Year's Eve fireworks display in Sydney Harbor in Sydney, Australia.

10 of 12 — A Buddhist woman prays ahead of the new year at Chogye Buddhist temple in Seoul, South Korea.

A Buddhist woman prays ahead of the new year at Chogye Buddhist temple in Seoul, South Korea.

11 of 12 — Balinese girls in traditional costumes gather during a parade for 2013's last sundown in Bali, Indonesia.

Balinese girls in traditional costumes gather during a parade for 2013's last sundown in Bali, Indonesia.

12 of 12 — A reveler poses on New Year's Eve in Amritsar, India.

A reveler poses on New Year's Eve in Amritsar, India.

It's 2014 in Australia, New Zealand and other places on the "other side" of the international date line.

So we want to wish everyone a happy new year.

We'll add photos and news nuggets as the new day and new year dawn around the world. One thing to watch for: Dubai's attempt to set a new Guinness World Record for biggest fireworks display. According to The Wall Street Journal:

"If all goes to plan, more than 400,000 individual fireworks will light up over the Persian Gulf at midnight, beating a Guinness record of 77,000 set by Kuwait last year."

The Dubai display is set to be streamed here (though the site's "countdown clock" appears to be wrong at this time). The "teaser video" makes it look like it will be quite a show. Local time in Dubai is nine hours ahead of the U.S. East Coast.

Update at 3 p.m. ET: Dubai Puts On Record-Setting Show

Organizers of what is expected to be certified as the world's largest fireworks display put on a show in Dubai that was seen by thousands Tuesday, as viewers turned out to celebrate the new year and watch a huge display.

Update at 11:55 a.m. ET. Video Of Sydney's Fireworks:

While we wait for the show in Dubai, here's video of the New Year's fireworks in Sydney (courtesy of The Telegraph).

Update at 11:30 a.m. ET. Early Reports.

The Associated Press says that:

-- "More than 1 million people crammed the Sydney Harbor foreshore on a warm summer night to watch the pyrotechnics show that appeared to live up to its billing as the most extravagant of Sydney's already renowned annual display."

-- "Closer to the edge of the International Dateline, New Zealand bid farewell to 2013 with fireworks erupting from Auckland's Sky Tower as cheering revelers danced in the streets of the South Pacific island nation's largest city."

-- "In Tokyo, five priests at the Zozoji temple used ropes to swing a wooden pole against a large bell, sounding the first of 108 gongs to mark the new year. Simultaneously, "2014" lit up in white lights on the modern Tokyo Tower in the background."

Happy New Year! The Celebrations Are Underway

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