News

Happy New Year all over the world

Matthew Tuckerand

Lucy Talavera

grey placeholder — Fireworks light up the night sky over the Sydney Harbor Bridge and Sydney Opera House during Lunar New Year celebrations in Australia.

AFP via Getty Images Fireworks light up the night sky over the Sydney Harbor Bridge and Sydney Opera House during New Year celebrations in Australia. Boats are anchored in the harbor overlooking the fireworks display. — Fireworks light up the night sky over the Sydney Harbor Bridge and Sydney Opera House during Lunar New Year celebrations in Australia.

Countries around the world are welcoming the New Year as midnight approaches in each time zone.

Kiritimati Island, an atoll in the remote Pacific nation of Kiribati, has become the first location to welcome 2026. One tourist there said they marked the beach “with no satellites, no sign of humans, complete darkness and countless crabs.”

Crowds in the UK enjoyed thousands of fireworks lighting up the London sky, while in Edinburgh crowds gathered in true Hogmany fashion despite weather warnings.

EPA Red fireworks light up the sky over London, with Big Ben visible on the left. — Britain welcomes the New Year with a spectacular fireworks display over Big Ben in London.

PA Media Fireworks light up the skies over the London Eye in central London during New Year celebrations. — The London Eye is lit up with fireworks in central London.

PA Media Fireworks light up the sky above Edinburgh Castle. — Scotland welcomes 2026 with a world-famous fireworks display over Edinburgh Castle.

EPA fireworks are seen above the Quadriga statue at the Brandenburg Gate during New Year's Eve celebrations in Berlin, Germany. — Fireworks light up the sky above the Brandenburg Gate during celebrations in Berlin

EPA fireworks are set off from the Arc de Triomphe to celebrate the New Year on the Champs Elysees in Paris, France. — Crowds on the Champs Elysees in Paris, France enjoy the light show and fireworks of the Arc de Triomphe.

Shutterstock Auckland city skyline with fireworks from atop Sky Tower — Fireworks from the top of Auckland’s Sky Tower to celebrate the New Year

Shutterstock Welcome the New Year with fireworks from the top of Auckland's Sky Tower.

Australia then lit up the sky above the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbor Bridge.

AFP via Getty Images Fireworks light up the night sky over the Sydney Harbor Bridge and Sydney Opera House during Australia's Lunar New Year celebrations.

Getty Images People enjoy New Year's Eve fireworks at the Sydney Opera House, Australia, December 31, 2025.

In Sydney, celebrations were tempered by sadness as the nation reflected on the December 14 Bondi Beach attack that killed 15 people.

At 23:00 local time, Sydney Harbor fell silent for a moment as crowds held lanterns in memory of the Bondi victims. The Jewish Menorah was projected onto the pylons of the Harbor Bridge.

Read the AFP message via Getty Images "peace, unity" This is a projection on the pylon of the Sydney Harbor Bridge. — The message ‘Peace, Unity’ was projected onto the Sydney Harbor Bridge pylon waiting for the midnight countdown.

EPA Crowds light up with mobile phones during a New Year's Eve celebration at Mrs Macquaries Point in Sydney, Australia, during a tribute to the victims of the Bondi terrorist attack. — In Sydney, New Year’s Eve crowds lit up their phones as they paid tribute to the victims of the Bondi attack.

Getty Images A menorah image is projected onto the pylon of the Sydney Harbor Bridge during New Year's Eve celebrations in Sydney, Australia, December 31, 2025.

Elsewhere, more fireworks were set off at Singapore’s Marina Bay waterfront.

Getty Images Fireworks light up the sky at Singapore's Marina Bay Waterfront to celebrate midnight on New Year's Eve 2026.

The fireworks matched the lights of skyscrapers in Makati, Metro Manila, Philippines.

Getty Images Fireworks explode over skyscrapers during New Year celebrations in Makati, Metro Manila, Philippines.

Thousands of people lined up at the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok as Thailand welcomed the New Year.

Getty Images Fireworks light up the skyline and boats on the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok, Thailand.

In Dubai, people watched fireworks from the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa, followed by a combination of light displays, music and water jets.

Reuters People watch fireworks on their phones near the Burj Khalifa during New Year celebrations in Dubai.

In Hong Kong, spectators brought their hats and enjoyed the live performance.

AFP via Getty Images People watch live performances and light shows during Lunar New Year celebrations in Hong Kong on January 1, 2026.

Beijing Juyongguan Great Wall of China is illuminated.

Getty Images The 2026 Beijing New Year countdown celebration was held at the Juyongguan Great Wall in Beijing, China, on December 31, 2025.

Laser light decorated the night sky of Lotte World Tower, the tallest building in Korea, in Seoul.

AFP via Getty Images Laser lights illuminate the night sky of Lotte World Tower, Korea's tallest building, in Seoul.

Artists performed a New Year’s countdown at Bosingak in Seoul.

EPA Korean artists perform on stage during the New Year's Eve countdown event held at Bosingak in Seoul, South Korea, December 31, 2025. According to the Chinese zodiac, 2026 is the Year of the Red Horse.

A street performer showed off her fiery skills as part of the Dublin Parade of Lights before heading to the Matinee Countdown concert at Dublin Castle.

PA Media Street performers take part in Dublin's Parade of Lights. She is holding a balloon with a light on the end

In other parts of the world, countries celebrated the coming New Year with their own traditions.

Clothed and naked people took part in traditional bathing to mark New Year’s celebrations on the nudist beach of Le Cap d’Agde in southern France.

AFP via Getty Images A group of people wearing Santa hats and swimsuits taking selfies by the sea, giving thumbs up

Swimmers at Island Brygge Harbor Bath in Copenhagen, Denmark, also braved the cold water for a traditional dip known as Nytaarsbad.

Getty Images Group of people splashing and jumping in a cold water swimming pool

In Ommen, Netherlands, local residents watched the annual Carbide shooting. This was a New Year’s Eve tradition where milk cans were turned into cannons.

Shutterstock In Ommen, Netherlands, a milk can launches a soccer ball all the way.

Shutterstock In Ommen, Netherlands, milk cans launch soccer balls and many fires burn as families look on.

In Osaka, Japan, young women wearing traditional kimonos took part in a Shinto ritual procession to mark the end of the year at Sumiyoshi Taisha, one of Japan’s oldest shrines.