Nations around the world are welcoming the New Year as midnight strikes across different time zones.
The island of Kiritimati - an atoll in the remote Pacific nation of Kiribati - became the first place to enter 2026. One tourist there described marking the occasion on a beach with no satellites, no signs of human life, complete darkness and countless crabs.
New Zealand soon followed, celebrating the New Year with fireworks in Auckland. Then, Australia lit up the sky over the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge.
In Sydney, celebrations were tempered by sadness as the nation reflected on the Bondi Beach attack on December 14, which resulted in 15 deaths. At 23:00 local time, Sydney Harbour fell silent for a minute, with crowds holding lights to remember the victims. A Jewish menorah was projected onto the pylons of the Harbour Bridge.
Elsewhere, other nations marked the New Year with unique traditions. On a nudist beach in Le Cap d'Agde, France, participants celebrated with a traditional sea dip. Copenhagen, Denmark also saw swimmers braving cold waters for Nytaarsbad.
In Ommen, Netherlands, local residents watched as milk cans were turned into cannons for the annual carbide shooting, while Indonesia saw a vibrant celebration in Bali, with dancers welcoming the new year.
In Japan, young women in kimono participated in a Shinto ritual procession marking the closing of the year at one of the oldest shrines, Sumiyoshi Taisha.
As countries around the globe hugged, cheered and celebrated, the New Year rang in, marking another chapter in the world's communal journey.
