January 1, 2026 11:19 AM
World bids goodbye to 2025 with fireworks and icy plunges
10...nine...eight... As Wednesday turned to Thursday, people around the world said goodbye to a sometimes challenging 2025 and expressed hopes for the New Year to come. Midnight arrived first on the islands closest to the International Date Line in the Pacific Ocean, including Kiritimati (Christmas Island), Tonga and New Zealand. One of the last centres to greet the New Year was New York, where revellers celebrated in subzero temperatures and those in Times Square watched the traditional ball...