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LAST UPDATE | 31 Dec 2024
COUNTRIES AROUND THE world have begun ushering in 2025, with Australia marking the new year in spectacular style with a fireworks display on Sydney Harbour.
More than a million people were expected at the harbour for the traditional midnight display, where pop star Robbie Williams led a singalong and nine tonnes of fireworks sprayed from the city’s famed Opera House and Harbour Bridge.
Indigenous ceremonies and performances also took place to acknowledge the land’s first people.
An hour earlier, at 11am Irish time, Auckland became the first major city in the world to welcome 2025.
Thousands of revellers counted down to the new year and cheered colourful fireworks launched from New Zealand’s tallest structure, the Sky Tower, as part of a spectacular light show.
Many also climbed the city’s ring of volcanic peaks for a fireworks vantage point, as well as a light display recognising Auckland’s Indigenous tribes. It follows a year marked by protests over Māori rights in the nation of five million.
Countries in the South Pacific Ocean are the first to ring in the New Year, with midnight in New Zealand striking a full 18 hours before the ball drop in Times Square in New York.
Other cities around the world have also started celebrating the New Year with celebrations highlighting local cultures and traditions after a year roiled by ongoing conflict and political instability.
Much of Japan has shut down ahead of the nation’s biggest holiday, as temples and homes underwent a thorough cleaning, including swatting floor mats called “tatami” with big sticks.
The upcoming Year of the Snake in the Asian zodiac is heralded as one of rebirth – alluding to the reptile’s shedding skin.
Stores in Japan, which observes the zodiac cycle from 1 January, have been selling tiny figures of smiling snakes and other snake-themed products. Other places in Asia will start marking the Year of the Snake later, with the Lunar New Year.
Heavy snowfall in Japan also meant some passengers at Hokkaido’s main airport may see in 2025 in the departure lounge.
“It was great to see snow, but I didn’t think I would be trapped here,” one man told local broadcaster HTB as flights were scrapped.
“I might have to stay at the airport tonight.”
In South Korea, celebrations were cut back or cancelled as the country observes a period of national mourning following the crash on Sunday of a Jeju Air flight at Muan that killed 179 people.
Elsewhere, Chinese state media covered an exchange of new year’s greetings between leader Xi Jinping and Russian president Vladimir Putin in a reminder of growing closeness between two leaders who face tensions with the West.
Xi told Putin that their countries would “always move forward hand-in-hand”, the official Xinhua News Agency said.
China has maintained ties and robust trade with Russia since the latter invaded Ukraine in 2022, helping to offset western sanctions and attempts to isolate Putin.
Meanwhile, a blackout hit nearly all of Puerto Rico early on Tuesday as the US territory prepared to celebrate New Year’s Eve.
More than 1.2 million out of 1.47 million customers were without power, according to Luma Energy, a private company that oversees electricity transmission and distribution on the island.
It was not immediately clear what caused the widespread outage or when power would be restored.
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I was there last year … brilliant
@New Boy: Lucky you, was long ago in 1998 for me, barbecue in Mosman, looking directly at Bridge over Harbour, an epic night.
@Troll Hunter: I thought Japan was the land of the rising sun.
Fireworks are interesting once, the first time. Then pffft …
Bbq sounds good though so happy new year :-)
I’m not sure that 2025 is a year to be welcomed. Things are just going to get worse. Trump and his army of dimwits on the march in their jackboots, the climate crisis, AI being used for more lies and propaganda, more far right attempts to undo every bit of humane social progress = 2025 a year to be dreaded more than celebrated!
@SerotoninWars: id say you are fun at parties …
@Ciaran: honest anyway
@SerotoninWars: a year of joy and happiness, the end of wet nappies, like your good self
@SerotoninWars: 2025 is the beginning of the end for dangerous clowns such as yourself. Our politicians will be kissing The Dons shoes within 6 months. Times are about to rapidly change, son.
@SerotoninWars: The year Woke got broke!
@SerotoninWars: it’s just a change in the calander date. A large proportion of the world doesn’t know what progress means. Are you always this joyous and optimistic ?
@Marvin Dollery: Is that a threat Mr Keyboard Warrior? You’ll be too busy with your 100 profiles, trolling 24/7, to do anything other than live a parasocial Walter Mitty existence. Dreaming of being part of the fash gang, but just a nobody parroting all the bitter far-right tropes because you’re disappointed with your life. Maybe try and improve your own existence instead of blaming everyone else. Trump doesn’t know who you are and wouldn’t even acknowledge you in real life. He doesn’t like people who aren’t loaded. He might approve of your obsessive unpaid work on his behalf though…if only he knew :)
@offside again: Of course it is. It’s the subject of the article. I simply responded suggesting this arbitrary chunk of time will bring many existential threats and a worsening of a huge number of situations. Autocrats, authoritarians and fascists are on the march and influencing policy in so many countries. Unless you’re a fan of these type of people and the vile oppression they bring, then yeah, you’re gonna worry.
@SerotoninWars: as was, as is, as ever shall be ; world without end. We are far more technlogically advanced than ever but the same faults can still bring us down, individually or collectively.
There maybe some upset on the way possibly. If you believe that then prepare for it. I think 2025 will be fascinating
@offside again: I honestly believe it’s bleaker than ever. The Idiocracy is well and truly here. There have always been issues but all of the gains made are being sought to be wiped out. There’s an army of people who simply want more hate, division and destruction. A willing multitude of embittered people have fallen for the populist conmen too. A year of abject destruction of everything from civility and tolerance to further maiming of the natural world lies ahead. It’s so grim.
Happy New Year tho!
@Brian Hunt: Woke and now right to come!!! Where is the middle? Some of us would like to go back to the past!! Anyone got a time capsule?!!! Haha
@SerotoninWars: Are you losing in the Serotonin wars there, buck? Cheer up, it might never happen.
@SerotoninWars:
Jesus wept, you don’t half post some absolute shite. Make a resolution to cop on in 2025.
Happy New year all!
The UN must begin the legal process to expel the US from it’s structures, and following a vote, to subsequently assemble an international military force to expel the Nazi Zionist regime from Palestine, Lebanon and Syria.
@Denis Harkin:
expel the US? The US gives the most money to the UN. Maybe you should campaign for China or Russia to take their place
@Denis Harkin: please tell me you are not serious.
Most overrated time of year.
@Ethan: A bit of craic in town, no ?
Well said and respect to archbishop Eamon Martin !
Woo, neon 80s pink!
In 2025 hopefully children will love God and God will love he’s children.
Powers that be are expecting something to happen tonight across Europe apparently. We will know come morning. Stay safe all
@J B:
Where did you hear that ?
It’s that time of year…the word ” reveller ” is dusted off and used ubiquitously
Heap of bogans
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