Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 07:27pm on 31 Dec 2025,Wednesday International
Several countries across the Asia-Pacific region welcomed 2026 with fireworks and public gatherings. India marked the New Year in dense fog and cold, with crowds at Marine Drive in Mumbai and Connaught Place in Delhi. Hill towns such as Shimla and Manali were packed with tourists. New Zealand was among the first major nations to celebrate, with about 3,500 fireworks launched from Auckland’s Sky Tower. The Chatham Islands entered the year before the mainland. Australia followed with a large show in Sydney Harbour, where a minute’s silence was held for victims of the Bondi Beach attack. Japan, South Korea, China and Hong Kong also rang in the New Year with traditional events.
