Australia ushered in 2026 with a large-scale fireworks display over Sydney Harbour, accompanied by a minute’s silence to honour victims of the Bondi beach attack, as major cities around the world marked the start of the new year, according to The Independent report on Wednesday .
In Sydney, about 40,000 fireworks were launched across more than four miles of waterfront, lighting up the Opera House, Harbour Bridge, buildings and barges along the harbour.
An hour before midnight, crowds observed a moment of reflection for those killed and injured in the Bondi attack, described as the country’s worst mass shooting.
Images of a menorah were projected onto the Harbour Bridge, and members of the public were invited to show solidarity with Australia’s Jewish community by shining their phone torches across the water.
New South Wales Premier Chris Minns urged residents not to let fear deter them from attending celebrations, warning that reduced crowds would be seen as a victory by extremists.
“We can’t be in a situation where this horrible, criminal, terrorist event changes the way we live in our beautiful city,” Minns told reporters on Wednesday.
“We have to show defiance in the face of this terrible crime and say that we’re not going to be cowered by this kind of terrorism,” he added.
Earlier, Auckland became one of the first major cities to welcome 2026, with more than 3,000 fireworks launched from New Zealand’s tallest building, the Sky Tower.
The five-minute display involved fireworks fired from multiple levels of the 240-metre structure as the country celebrated midnight around 18 hours ahead of New York.
The first place in the world to ring in the new year was the island of Kiritimati, part of the Pacific nation of Kiribati.
The country, made up of several atolls spread across nearly 2,500 miles of the Pacific Ocean, gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1979 and has a population of about 116,000.
Across Asia, countries including Japan and South Korea were set to celebrate the new year in the afternoon GMT, alongside Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines and Taiwan. Hong Kong, however, cancelled its traditional fireworks display following a deadly apartment complex fire in November that killed 161 people, the worst blaze the city has experienced in decades. Instead, authorities organised a light show and scaled-back musical performances.
In a New Year’s Eve address broadcast by state media, Chinese President Xi Jinping praised China’s advances in technology, including artificial intelligence and semiconductors, and reiterated Beijing’s position on Taiwan.
“We Chinese on both sides of the Taiwan Strait share a bond of blood and kinship,” he said. “The reunification of our motherland, a trend of the times, is unstoppable.”
Europe’s celebrations followed later, with Germany, France and Italy marking the new year ahead of the UK. In Berlin, snowfall blanketed landmarks including the Brandenburg Gate, while fog partially obscured the city’s TV Tower as residents gathered in wintry conditions.
In London, the Mayor of London’s New Year’s Eve fireworks were again expected to draw millions of viewers, with tickets for close-up viewing selling out in advance and central areas closing early to accommodate the event.
The celebrations were set to conclude in the United States, with New York marking the new year at 5am GMT with performances by Diana Ross and Ciara, followed by Los Angeles three hours later.
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