Auckland, Dec 31 Auckland in New Zealand was among the first major cities in the world to usher in New Year 2026 on Wednesday as thousands enjoyed a dazzling fireworks display at the iconic Sky Tower.
The annual fireworks illuminated the night sky as huge crowds gathered at the city's Central Business District (CBD) took part in the celebrations.
"Happy New Year, New Zealand!", Christopher Luxon, Prime Minister of New Zealand, posted on X.
Millions around the globe are expected to take part in celebrations around the world in the coming hours.
Following Auckland, people in Australia would revel in the festive atmosphere with Sydney set to welcome the new year with the much-awaited fireworks displays at its landmark Harbour Bridge and the Opera House.
Celebrations will continue thereafter -- from beach festivities in Indonesia's Bali to Singapore's Marina Bay, the vibrant atmosphere in New Delhi, New Year's eve display at Dubai's Burj Khalifa, London's fireworks along the river Thames and the iconic ball drop at New York's Times Square.
Even though they are not too far away from New Zealand, the South Pacific islands of Niue and Samoa to the southwest of Kiribati are the last inhabited places to celebrate the new year.
Niue, known as one of the largest upraised coral atolls in the world situated in the middle of the South Pacific within a triangle boundary of Tonga, Samoan and Cook Islands, is located towards the north eastern side of the International Date Line and is 11 hours behind the Greenwich Mean Time.
Celebrations are also set to take place in Japan, where people traditionally ring in the new year by watching the first sunrise of the year.
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