World begins to celebrate start of new year
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Auckland rang in 2026 with a downtown fireworks display launched from New Zealand’s tallest structure, the Sky Tower, making it the first major city to ring in the new year in a rain-damped celebration.
South Pacific countries are the first to bid farewell to 2025. Clocks strike midnight in Auckland, population 1.7 million, 18 hours before the famous ball drops in New York’s Times Square.
The five-minute spectacle involved 3,500 fireworks launched from different floors of the 787-foot Sky Tower. Smaller community events were canceled on New Zealand’s North Island on Wednesday due to forecasts of rain and possible thunderstorms.
Australia plans defiant celebration after country’s worst mass shooting
Australia’s east coast welcomes 2026 two hours after New Zealand, but in Sydney, the country’s largest city, celebrations will take place under the cover of Australia’s worst mass shooting in almost 30 years. Two gunmen targeted a Hannukah celebration at Bondi Beach on December 14, killing 15 people and injuring 40 others.
A heavy police presence monitored the thousands of people who gathered on the downtown waterfront on Wednesday to watch a fireworks display centered on Sydney’s Harbor Bridge. Many officers openly carried rapid-fire rifles, a first for this annual event.
One hour before midnight, the victims of the massacre will be commemorated with a minute of silence while images of a menorah will be projected onto the bridge’s pylons. Crowds were invited to show solidarity with Australia’s Jewish community by lighting their phone torches on the harbour.
New South Wales Premier Chris Minns urged Sydneysiders not to stay away out of fear, saying extremists would interpret fewer crowds at New Year’s festivities as a victory.
“We cannot find ourselves in a situation where this horrific criminal and terrorist event changes the way we live in our great city,” Minns told reporters Wednesday.
“We must show defiance in the face of this terrible crime and say that we are not going to be intimidated by this type of terrorism,” he added.
Indonesia and Hong Kong hold low-key events
In Indonesia, one of Australia’s closest neighbors, cities have scaled back New Year festivities in a show of solidarity with communities devastated by catastrophic floods and landslides that hit parts of the island of Sumatra a month ago, killing more than 1,100 people.
The capital, Jakarta, will not ring in 2026 with its usual fanfare, choosing instead subdued celebrations with a calm, thoughtful program centered on prayers for the victims, city governor Pramono Anung said last week.
Makassar Mayor Munafri Arifuddin urged residents of one of Indonesia’s largest cities to forgo parties altogether, calling instead for prayer and reflection. “Empathy and restraint mean more than fireworks and crowds,” he said.
Concerts and fireworks on the Indonesian tourist island of Bali have been canceled and replaced with a cultural and artistic event featuring 65 groups performing traditional dances.
Hong Kong will also ring in 2026 without the usual spectacular and colorful explosions in the sky above its iconic Victoria Harbour, after a massive fire in November that killed at least 161 people.
The city’s tourism bureau will instead stage a musical show featuring soft rock duo Air Supply and other singers in Central, a business district. The facades of eight monuments will transform into a giant countdown featuring a three-minute light show at midnight.
Many parts of Asia welcome the new year by observing centuries-old traditions.
In Japan, crowds gather at a Buddhist temple in Tokyo to hear the bell ring at midnight. In the South Korean capital, Seoul, a bell ringing and countdown ceremony will be held at Bosingak Pavilion.
China’s Xi renews his threats against Taiwan
Chinese President Xi Jinping, in a New Year’s Eve speech broadcast by state media, praised his country’s technological advancements in areas such as artificial intelligence and semiconductors, while renewing threats against Taiwan, which he claims as part of his sovereign territory.
“We Chinese on both sides of the Taiwan Strait share a bond of blood and kinship,” he said. “The reunification of our homeland, a trend of the times, is unstoppable.” China launched large-scale military exercises around the island this week.
Berliners party in the snow
Tourists and Berliners marked the end of 2025 by enjoying the snowfall, taking selfies and making snowmen in front of the German capital’s cathedral and the iconic Brandenburg Gate. Berlin’s famous TV tower was almost invisible thanks to falling snowflakes and fog.
Associated Press writers around the world contributed to this report.
