Auckland, New Zealand, kicked off 2026 with a vibrant fireworks display from the iconic Sky Tower, the country’s tallest structure. Despite the rainy weather, the city proudly became the first major city in the world to welcome the new year.

As part of the South Pacific nations, New Zealand is among the earliest to say goodbye to the old year. Auckland, home to 1.7 million people, celebrates New Year’s Eve a full 18 hours ahead of the famed Times Square ball drop in New York City.

The dazzling five-minute show featured 3,500 fireworks launched from various levels of the 240-meter-tall (787-foot) Sky Tower. Meanwhile, across New Zealand’s North Island, smaller local celebrations were called off due to forecasts predicting rain and possible thunderstorms.

In Australia, the east coast rings in 2026 two hours after New Zealand. However, Sydney’s celebrations are overshadowed by the country’s worst mass shooting in nearly three decades. On December 14, a tragic incident occurred when two gunmen attacked a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach, resulting in 15 deaths and 40 injuries.

With heightened security, a large police presence closely monitored the crowds that gathered at Sydney’s downtown waterfront for the fireworks display at the Sydney Harbor Bridge. This year, police officers were notably equipped with rapid-fire rifles, marking an unprecedented level of security for the annual event.

An hour before midnight, the massacre victims will be commemorated with one minute of silence while images of a menorah are projected on the bridge pylons. The crowd has been invited to show their solidarity with Australia’s Jewish community by shining their phone torches across the harbor.

New South Wales Premier Chris Minns urged Sydney residents not to stay away through fear, saying extremists would interpret smaller crowds at New Year’s Eve festivities as a victory.

“We can’t be in a situation where this horrible, criminal, terrorist event changes the way we live in our beautiful city,” Minns told reporters on Wednesday.

“We have to show defiance in the face of this terrible crime and say that we’re not going to be cowered by this kind of terrorism,” he added.

Indonesia and Hong Kong hold subdued events
In Indonesia, one of Australia’s nearest neighbors, cities scaled back New Year’s Eve festivities as a gesture of solidarity with communities devastated by catastrophic floods and landslides that struck parts of Sumatra island a month ago, claiming more than 1,100 lives.

The capital, Jakarta, will not ring in 2026 with its usual fanfare, choosing instead subdued celebrations with a calm and reflective program centered on prayers for victims, city Gov. Pramono Anung said last week.

Makassar Mayor Munafri Arifuddin urged residents of one of Indonesia’s largest cities to forgo parties altogether, calling for prayer and reflection instead. “Empathy and restraint are more meaningful than fireworks and crowds,” he said.

Concerts and fireworks on Indonesia’s tourist island of Bali have been canceled and replaced with a cultural arts event featuring 65 groups performing traditional dances.

Hong Kong, too, will ring in 2026 without the usual spectacular and colorful explosions in the sky over its iconic Victoria Harbor, after a massive fire in November killed at least 161 people.

The city’s tourism board will instead host a music show featuring soft rock duo Air Supply and other singers in Central, a business district. The facades of eight landmarks will turn into giant countdown clocks presenting a three-minute light show at midnight.

Many parts of Asia welcome the new year by observing age-old traditions.

In Japan, crowds will gather at a Buddhist temple in Tokyo for a bell striking at midnight. In the South Korean capital Seoul, a bell tolling and countdown ceremony will be held at the Bosingak Pavilion.

___

Associated Press writers around the world contributed to this report.