Across the globe, people are bidding farewell to 2025 and celebrating the arrival of 2026 with fireworks, dancing and the traditional midnight kiss. Revelers from every corner of the world expressed hope for a quieter year without wars, but in many countries celebrations took place under the shadow of ongoing security concerns and the threat of terrorism.
In the Syrian city of Aleppo, those fears materialized late Wednesday with a suicide bombing in which a police officer was killed during security checks for New Year’s celebrations.
The first places to welcome 2026 were island nations in the South Pacific. At noon Israel time, Kiribati became the first country to enter the new year, followed an hour later by Tonga, Samoa and New Zealand. Auckland was the first major city to celebrate, with 3,500 fireworks launched from multiple levels of the Sky Tower, the tallest building in the country.
The United Arab Emirates stages massive fireworks shows
(Reuters)
After a moment of silence, 2026 fireworks light up the skies over Sydney
The first major city to welcome 2026: Fireworks light up Auckland
(Reuters)
At 2 pm Israel time, 2026 arrived in parts of Russia’s Far East. Russia spans 11 time zones, and Moscow marked the new year nine hours later, at 11 pm Israel time. As every year, Russian President Vladimir Putin delivered a recorded address at midnight in each time zone, speaking to soldiers and promising victory on the battlefield in Ukraine. “You have taken upon yourselves the responsibility to fight for your homeland, for truth and justice,” Putin said, without mentioning the diplomatic efforts led by U.S. President Donald Trump to end the war, efforts Kyiv and its Western allies say Putin has no intention of embracing. “I thank all our soldiers and commanders with the arrival of the new year. We believe in you and in our victory.”
In Kyiv, air raid sirens sounded and a nighttime curfew was imposed. Young Ukrainians were seen kissing outdoors just before it came into effect.
Sydney is considered Australia’s New Year’s Eve capital, but this year authorities halted celebrations at 11 pm local time for a moment of silence in memory of victims of the Bondi Beach attack. The Sydney Harbour Bridge was illuminated in white as a symbol of peace, and a menorah was projected onto it. Revelers were asked in advance to turn on their phone flashlights during the silence, lighting up the darkness.
“It’s been a hard year for so many people,” said Sydney resident Stefan Grant, 32. “We hope the world will be a better place in 2026.”
Thousands later gathered along the waterfront to watch nine tons of fireworks explode over the city skyline. Security was heightened, with armed police patrolling the crowds. New South Wales Premier Chris Minns urged residents not to stay away from the celebrations, saying low turnout would be seen as a victory for extremists.
After Japan and South Korea, China welcomed 2026 at 6 p.m. Israel time with a drumming performance at Juyongguan, a section of the Great Wall near Beijing. In Indonesia, where most regions marked the new year at 7 pm, celebrations were scaled back following deadly floods in Sumatra a month earlier that killed more than 1,100 people. Jakarta held prayers for the victims, while Bali replaced fireworks with cultural events and traditional dances.
The United Arab Emirates again sought to outdo rivals with an enormous fireworks and drone display. According to Sky News, 2,300 drones were launched in the emirate of Ras Al Khaimah, with 1,000 forming a massive phoenix over the sea.
A phoenix formed by 1,000 drones and massive fireworks mark celebrations in the United Arab Emirates
(Reuters)
Greece and Cyprus, which entered 2026 at the same time as Israel, canceled traditional fireworks and replaced them with quieter pyrotechnics, light installations and drone shows. Authorities said the move was intended to avoid frightening children and pets.
In Syria, which welcomed the new year an hour before Israel, state media reported a suicide bombing in Aleppo in which one police officer was killed and several others wounded. A security source told Al-Ikhbariya that the attacker detonated an explosive belt while police were searching him after identifying him as suspicious during security operations for the celebrations. The source said the situation was under control and the investigation was ongoing.
In Western Europe, New Year’s celebrations took place amid continued concern over possible terror attacks. In Rome, Pope Leo XIV marked the end of 2025 by calling on residents to welcome foreigners and protect the vulnerable. On Paris’ Champs-Élysées, crowds gathered ahead of midnight fireworks. One of them, Taisia Girda, a 25-year-old tourist from Kazakhstan, said she hoped 2026 would be more peaceful.
“I want to see people happy around me, without wars anywhere,” she said. “Russia, Ukraine, Palestine, Israel. I want everyone to be happy and live in peace.”
In the early morning hours Israel time, more than two million people were expected to attend New Year’s festivities on Copacabana Beach in Brazil, which authorities describe as the largest New Year’s Eve party in the world.
The final iconic destination to welcome 2026 was New York, where thousands gathered in Times Square to watch the traditional crystal ball drop at 7 am Israel time. The ball was set to rise again lit in red, white and blue to mark the United States’ upcoming 250th anniversary, to be celebrated on July 4, 2026. Temperatures were expected to hover around minus 1 Celsius.
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Fireworks also in Damascus as Syria reports attack during New Year celebrations in Aleppo
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In Kyiv, couples kissed to mark the new year before midnight amid a curfew imposed over fears of a Russian attack
(Photo: Gleb Garanich/ Reuters)
Security was also heavy in New York. CNN reported that according to an FBI and Department of Homeland Security assessment, the greatest terror threat to the event came from lone wolves or small ideologically motivated groups. Two weeks earlier, the FBI arrested four pro-Palestinian activists accused of planning bomb attacks in the Los Angeles area at midnight on New Year’s Eve.
At midnight New York time, the city’s new mayor, Zohran Mamdani, was sworn in during a modest private ceremony at an abandoned train station. Later, at 1 pm local time, he was set to hold a large public inauguration celebration led by progressive icon Sen. Bernie Sanders.