Cities across the globe prepare to welcome the new year

After a year roiled by ongoing conflict and political instability, cities around the world are set to ring in 2025 with celebrations highlighting local cultures and traditions.

Countries in the South Pacific Ocean will be the first to welcome 2025, with midnight in New Zealand striking 18 hours before the ball drop in Times Square in New York.

In NZ's largest city of Auckland, thousands were expected to throng the downtown or climb the city's ring of volcanic peaks for a fireworks vantage point - and a light display recognising Auckland's Indigenous tribes.

Two hours later in Australia, more than one million people are expected at Sydney Harbour for the traditional fireworks, with British pop star Robbie Williams leading a singalong.

Much of Japan has shut down ahead of the nation's biggest holiday, as temples and homes are thoroughly cleaned, including swatting floor mats called "tatami" with big sticks.

The upcoming year of the snake in the Asian zodiac is heralded as one of rebirth - alluding to the reptile's shedding skin.

Stores in Japan, which observes the zodiac cycle from January 1, have been selling tiny figures of smiling snakes and other snake-themed products.

In South Korea, celebrations were cut back or cancelled as the country observed a period of national mourning following the Sunday crash of a Jeju Air flight at Muan that killed 179 people.

Celebrations in Jakarta will feature a dazzling fireworks display, including a show with 800 drones followed by countdowns to midnight at the city's iconic Hotel Indonesia Roundabout.

Chinese state media covered an exchange of new year's greetings between leader Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin in a reminder of growing closeness between two leaders who face tensions with the West.

Xi told Putin that their countries will "always move forward hand in hand", the official Xinhua News Agency said on Tuesday.

Celebrations are likely to be subdued in Israel as its war with Hamas in Gaza grinds through a 15th month and scores of hostages remain in captivity.

Lebanon is in the grip of a severe economic crisis, and many areas were heavily damaged during the war between Israel and Hezbollah, which ended with a shaky ceasefire.

Syrians are expressing hope and uncertainty for the coming year after the overthrow of President Bashar al-Assad while in Dubai, thousands are expected to attend an annual fireworks show at the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest skyscraper.

Rome's traditional New Year's Eve festivities have an additional draw - the start of Pope Francis' holy year, the once-every-quarter-century celebration projected to bring some 32 million pilgrims to the Eternal City in 2025.

January 1 is a day of obligation for Catholics, marking the Solemnity of Mary, and many churches will hold vigil masses on Tuesday.

Paris will cap a momentous 2024 with its traditional festive countdown and fireworks extravaganza on the famed Champs-Elysees while London is due to ring in 2025 with a pyrotechnic display along the River Thames and a parade through the city centre on Wednesday featuring 10,000 performers.

With a storm bringing bitter weather to other parts of the UK, festivities in Edinburgh, Scotland - including the Hogmanay Street party, garden concert and castle pyrotechnics show - have been cancelled.

Rio de Janeiro will throw Brazil's main New Year's Eve bash on Copacabana Beach, with 10 ferries offshore bearing 12 straight minutes of fireworks.

Thousands of tourists in six cruise ships will witness the show up close.

More than two million people are expected at the Copacabana, hoping to see concerts by superstar Brazilian artists Anitta and Caetano Veloso.

In New York City, the organisation managing Times Square has tested its famous ball drop and inspected lights and thousands of crystals as part of a tradition that dates to 1907.

The celebrations will include performances by TLC, Jonas Brothers, Rita Ora and Sophie Ellis-Bextor.

Las Vegas will farewell to 2024 with an annual eight-minute pyrotechnic show on the Strip expected to attract 340,000 people as fireworks are launched from the rooftops of nine casinos.

Celebrations will echo around the globe as the new year arrives in different time zones, with American Samoa among the last to welcome 2025 a full 24 hours after NZ.