New Year's Eve | Japan, South Korea welcome 2026

New Year's Eve | World begins to bid goodbye to 2025 with fireworks and icy plunges

As Wednesday turned to Thursday, people around the world said goodbye to a sometimes challenging 2025 and expressed hopes for the new ​year to come.

Midnight arrived first on the islands closest to the International Date Line in the Pacific Ocean, including Kiritimati (Christmas Island), ‌Tonga and New Zealand.

New Year celebrations in Japan

New Year's Eve | China ushers in the New Year

New Year's Eve | Mussorie Mall Road fully packed with crowds

New Year's Eve | Gurdwara Bangla Sahib illuminated with lights on New Year's eve

New Year's Eve | Rafael Nadal bids adieu to 2025

New Year's Eve | Japan, South Korea ring in the New Year

The clocks have struck 12 in Japan and South Korea as citizens are welcoming in 2026.

New Year's Eve | Putin wishes Russians victory in Ukraine in New Year speech

In an address to the nation, Russian President Vladimir Putin said said Russia believed it would win in Ukraine, reports news agency AFP.

New Year's Eve | J-K LG, CM Abdullah extend New Year greetings

Extending New Year greetings, Lt Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah wished the people of Jammu and Kashmir peace, good health and prosperity, expressing hope that the coming year would bring renewed opportunities, progress and collective well-being for the region.

New year's eve in India

New Year's Eve | New Zealand's Auckland kicks off 2026 celebrations with fireworks

Auckland rang in 2026 with a downtown fireworks display launched from New Zealand's tallest structure, Sky Tower, making it the first major city to greet the new year at a celebration dampened by rain.

New Year's Eve | How the world welcomes 2026 | From traffic curbs to extended metro timings, here's all you need to know

From 8 pm on December 31 to 2 am on January 1 some important roads will be closed regarding private vehicle movement.

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