From Sydney to New York, countries have welcomed 2026 with huge firework displays, concerts and street parties, even as many people reflect on a tense and difficult 2025 shaped by Donald Trump’s return to the White House, global conflicts and economic shocks.
Pacific nations such as Kiribati and New Zealand were the first to enter the new year, followed by major celebrations in cities like Sydney, Seoul, Tokyo, Paris, Rio de Janeiro and New York.
In many places, security was tighter than usual as authorities deployed heavily armed officers and crowd controls around popular viewing points.
In Australia, Sydney staged its famous harbour fireworks, lighting up the Opera House and Harbour Bridge in a show designed to symbolise peace and hope for a better year.
Tens of thousands gathered along the foreshore as tonnes of pyrotechnics were launched over the water, while local residents said they hoped 2026 would be brighter after a year of heatwaves, wildfires and political tension.
Elsewhere in the Pacific and Asia, cities including Seoul and Tokyo also held large countdown events, with music, lights and New Year messages broadcast on landmark buildings.
Not every city chose fireworks: in Hong Kong, officials cancelled the main harbour display as a mark of respect for 161 people killed in a recent housing estate fire that shocked the territory.
Instead, smaller commemorations and more muted celebrations took place, with many residents observing moments of silence for the victims.
Other countries, including parts of Indonesia, also opted for quieter events or limits on large gatherings, citing safety, cost and recent tragedies.
In Europe and the Americas, millions turned out despite cold weather and security concerns, filling streets from Paris to Edinburgh’s Hogmanay festival and Brazil’s Copacabana Beach.
Authorities in Rio expect more than two million people for what they call the world’s biggest New Year’s Eve party, with concerts and a long midnight fireworks show over the Atlantic.
In New York City, preparations for the Times Square ball drop included strict police cordons and bag checks as crowds gathered in freezing temperatures to watch the traditional countdown.
The celebrations come after a turbulent 2025 dominated by Trump’s comeback, new tariffs, and a mix of war and fragile truces in places such as Gaza and Ukraine that kept global tensions high.
Trump’s tariff measures rattled trade and markets, while his efforts helped secure a ceasefire in Gaza, even as both sides accused each other of breaching the deal and many civilians remained displaced.
On social media, Trump used the new year to boast about border security, inflation and the US economy, as he faces falling approval ratings and prepares for key 2026 midterm elections.
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