Overview
- Kiritimati in Kiribati entered 2026 first by virtue of its UTC+14 time zone just west of the International Date Line.
- Auckland became the first major city to mark the new year, launching a five‑minute Sky Tower display of about 3,500 fireworks despite rain that led to some community event cancellations.
- Sydney’s Harbour Bridge fireworks are proceeding under a heavy police presence, with openly carried rapid‑fire rifles, a minute’s silence, and menorah projections to honor Bondi victims after local Bondi Beach events were canceled by Waverley Council.
- Several locales scaled back or canceled programs for safety or solidarity, including subdued events across parts of New Zealand, reduced festivities in Indonesia after deadly floods, and no Victoria Harbour fireworks in Hong Kong following a fatal apartment fire.
- The global countdown stretches for about 26 hours, with India celebrating after neighbors such as Bangladesh and Nepal and the final turn coming in American Samoa, followed by uninhabited Baker and Howland Islands.