WELLINGTON, Dec 31 : Auckland has become the first major city to welcome 2025, with thousands of revellers counting down to the new year and cheering at colourful fireworks launched from New Zealand’s tallest structure, Sky Tower, and a spectacular downtown light show.
Thousands also thronged to downtown or climbed the city’s ring of volcanic peaks for a fireworks vantage point, and a light display recognising Auckland’s Indigenous tribes. It follows a year marked by protests over Maori rights in the nation of 5 million.
Countries in the South Pacific Ocean are the first to ring in the New Year, with midnight in New Zealand striking 18 hours before the ball drop in Times Square in New York. Other cities around the world are readying with celebrations highlighting local cultures and traditions, after a year roiled by ongoing conflict and political instability.
In Australia, more than 1 million people are now expected at Sydney Harbor for the traditional fireworks. British pop star Robbie Williams will lead a singalong and Indigenous ceremonies and performances will acknowledge the land’s first people.
Asia gets ready for the Year of the Snake
Much of Japan has shut down ahead of the nation’s biggest holiday, as temples and homes underwent a thorough cleaning, including swatting floor mats called “tatami” with big sticks.
The upcoming Year of the Snake in the Asian zodiac is heralded as one of rebirth — alluding to the reptile’s shedding skin. Stores in Japan, which observes the zodiac cycle from January 1, have been selling tiny figures of smiling snakes and other snake-themed products. Other places in Asia will start marking the Year of the Snake later, with the Lunar New Year.
In South Korea, celebrations were cut back or cancelled as the country observes a period of national mourning following the Sunday crash of a Jeju Air flight at Muan that killed 179 people.
In Thailand’s Bangkok, two major shopping malls competed for crowds with live musical acts and fireworks shows. While CentralWorld is the older venue, relative newcomer ICONSIAM has the scenic advantage of its Chao Phraya riverside location and a performance by popular rap singer Lisa, the Thai member of the South Korean girl group Blackpink, scheduled just ahead of midnight.
New Year celebrations in Jakarta will feature a dazzling fireworks display, including a drone show featuring 800 drones, followed by countdowns to midnight at the city’s iconic Hotel Indonesia Roundabout.
West’s rivals exchange goodwill
Chinese state media covered an exchange of New Year’s greetings between leader Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin in a reminder of growing closeness between two leaders who face tensions with the West.
Xi told Putin that their countries will “always move forward hand in hand,” the official Xinhua News Agency said Tuesday.
China has maintained ties and robust trade with Russia since the latter invaded Ukraine in 2022, helping to offset Western sanctions and attempts to isolate Putin.
China’s leader in his annual pre-recorded New Year’s Eve address said the country has “deepened solidarity and cooperation with the global South” while praising the “responsible” role it has played with “the world in turmoil.”
Xi also said China’s economy, which has slowed down in recent years, was “improving and recovering.”
He also addressed Taiwan, the self-ruled island claimed by Beijing. “We Chinese on both sides of the Taiwan Strait belong to one and the same family. No one can ever sever the bond of kinship between us,” Xi said.
Conflicts cast a shadow in the Middle East
New Year’s celebrations are likely to be subdued in Israel as its war with Hamas grinds through a 15th month and scores of hostages remain in captivity. Meanwhile, the extent of starvation has been hard to assess in northern Gaza where thousands have fled an intensified Israeli military crackdown that aid groups say has allowed delivery of only a dozen trucks of food and water since roughly October.
Lebanon is in the grip of a severe economic crisis, and many areas were heavily damaged during the war between Israel and Hezbollah, which ended with a shaky ceasefire. Syrians are meanwhile expressing hope and uncertainty for the coming year after the overthrow of President Bashar Assad.
In Dubai, thousands are expected to attend an annual fireworks show at the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest skyscraper.
Midnight Mass, with bubbles
Rome’s traditional New Year’s Eve festivities have an additional draw: the start of Pope Francis’ Holy Year, the once-every-quarter-century celebration projected to bring some 32 million pilgrims to the Eternal City in 2025.
On Tuesday, Francis will celebrate a vespers at St. Peter’s Basilica, followed by Mass on Wednesday, when he is expected to once again appeal for peace amid wars raging in Ukraine and the Middle East.
Meanwhile, in the United States, the Cathedral of Saint Paul in Minnesota will host an 11 pm. Mass followed by a champagne reception with toasts. January 1 is a day of obligation for Catholics, marking the Solemnity of Mary, and many churches will hold vigil Masses on Tuesday afternoon and evening.
German leader calls for solidarity in a new year
Hours before Germany rings in the new year, Chancellor Olaf Scholz called on the country’s 84 million residents to stick together despite the many global crises and wars, the country’s ailing economy and a deadly Christmas market attack that shocked the nation.
“We are a country of togetherness. And we can draw strength from this — especially in difficult times like these,” Scholz said in his prerecorded speech.
Paris recaptures the Olympic spirit
Paris will cap a momentous 2024 with its traditional festive countdown and fireworks extravaganza on the famed Champs-Elysées.
The Summer Olympics and Paralympic Games hosted in the French capital from July to September transformed the city into a site of joy, fraternity and astonishing sporting achievements, and marked another major milestone in its recovery from deadly extremist attacks in 2015 by al-Qaida and the Islamic State group.
Britons will brave wintry weather
London is due to ring in the New Year with a pyrotechnic display along the River Thames and a parade through the city centre on Wednesday featuring 10,000 performers. The fireworks will explode against the backdrop of the London Eye, the massive Ferris wheel across the river from Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament.
With a storm bringing bitter weather to other parts of the United Kingdom, however, festivities in Edinburgh, Scotland — including the Hogmanay Street party, garden concert and castle pyrotechnics show — were already cancelled.
Rio to see 2 million revellers
Rio de Janeiro will throw Brazil’s main New Year’s Eve bash on Copacabana Beach, with 10 ferries offshore bearing 12 straight minutes of fireworks. Thousands of tourists in six cruise ships will witness the show up close.
Rio’s City Hall was closely guarding its plans for a display of lights and sounds. More than 2 million people are expected at the Copacabana, hoping to squeeze into concerts by superstar Brazilian artists such as pop singer Anitta and Grammy-award winner Caetano Veloso.
American traditions old and new
In New York City, the organisation managing Times Square has tested its famous ball drop, and inspected 2025 numerals, lights and thousands of crystals, as part of a tradition going back to 1907. This year’s celebration will include musical performances by TLC, Jonas Brothers, Rita Ora, and Sophie Ellis-Bextor.
The party, covering multiple blocks around the city’s main tourism and theatre hub, is expected to draw large crowds despite rain and chilly weather.
Meanwhile, Las Vegas will bid farewell to 2024 with old — and some new — traditions. Its annual eight-minute pyrotechnic show will be on in the Las Vegas Strip, with 340,000 people anticipated as fireworks are launched from the rooftops of nine casinos.
Nearby, the massive Sphere venue will display for the first time countdowns to midnight in different time zones.
Country music, football and a midnight race
In Pasadena, enthusiastic Rose Parade spectators were to camp out on the cold streets and ring in the New Year hoping for prime spots for the iconic Southern California tradition. The parade precedes the Rose Bowl football game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Oregon Ducks on January 1.
Thousands are to participate in a midnight 5K race following the parade route.
Some 200,000 people will flock to a party in Nashville, Tennessee, featuring a five-hour show by some of country music’s biggest stars. At midnight — an hour after New York’s — a 16-feet tall music note weighing 400 pounds will drop as fireworks light the sky.
Celebrations will echo around the globe as the New Year arrives in different time zones, with American Samoa among the last to welcome 2025 a full 24 hours after New Zealand. (AP)
