From Sydney to Mumbai to Nairobi, communities around the world began welcoming 2025 with spectacular light shows, embraces and ice plunges. Auckland became the first major city to celebrate, as thousands thronged downtown or climbed the city’s ring of volcanic peaks for a fireworks vantage point.

Countries across east and south-east Asia including China, the Philippines and Malaysia have welcomed in the new year with firework displays and drone shows Celebrations have been scaled back or cancelled in South Korea following the Muan air crash on Sunday in which 179 people died Sydney saw in 2025 with a spectacular fireworks display - cheers erupted as the clock struck midnight and the skies lit up over the harbour Coming up: India's 1.