Overview
- Sydney’s Waverley Council canceled Bondi Beach New Year’s events, citing compassion for the city’s Jewish community after an alleged father-and-son shooting killed 15 people and injured 40.
- Harbor celebrations in Sydney will go ahead with a minute of silence at 11 p.m. and a heightened police presence across foreshore areas.
- Officials reported cancellations or adjustments in several cities, including Hong Kong and Belgrade, and London authorities continued to monitor potentially disruptive weather.
- US President Donald Trump’s tariff blitz earlier in 2025 jolted global markets, shaping the economic backdrop to year-end festivities.
- The Gaza conflict sits under a fragile truce with mutual violation claims, and Russia dismissed the prospect of a temporary Ukraine ceasefire in late December.