NYC welcomes 2025 with traditional ball drop and confetti

Auckland was the first major city to welcome 2025, followed closely by Australia. Subsequently, celebrations shifted to the United States, where revelers in New York's Times Square witnessed the famous ball drop.

In Times Square, New York, a couple shared a kiss as the ball dropped, marking the arrival of 2025 on the US East Coast. The New Year's Eve ball descended slowly in Times Square to usher in 2025. After hours of waiting, people celebrated the end of 2024 amidst the famous colorful confetti.

British singer Sophie Ellis-Bextor performed at the celebrations. Thousands of people flocked to the famous location, and their enthusiasm was not dampened by the rain. In the 9-degree cold, revelers wearing hats and raincoats danced in Times Square.

On Copacabana Beach in Brazil, people plunged into the water, following the tradition of wearing white to welcome the New Year. Fireworks illuminated the night sky over Copacabana Beach. In central London, a spectacular fireworks display also occurred over the London Eye, with Big Ben witnessing London's New Year's chimes in the foreground.

In Wuhan, China, revelers released balloons to welcome the New Year. Crowds thronged the city of over 13 million people, celebrating together. In Wajima, Japan, a more solemn candlelight vigil was held to greet the first day of the New Year. People observed a moment of silence outside temporary shelters in Ishikawa Prefecture.

On January 1, 2024, a powerful 7.5-magnitude earthquake struck Japan's Noto Peninsula, causing severe damage, resulting in 228 deaths and damage to over 83,000 homes. The earthquake was characterized by a rare "double-trigger mechanism," where seismic activity began almost simultaneously at two points along the fault, leading to intense ground shaking and a series of aftershocks, which complicated rescue efforts.

In Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong, fireworks lit up the sky over Victoria Harbour to celebrate the arrival of 2025. The city's skyline was ablaze with spectacular fireworks. In front of Taipei City Hall, New Year's Eve celebrations also lit up Taiwan's skyline and the Taipei 101 building, with vibrant colors dominating the dark night.

In Syria, despite the overthrow of a 50-year-old regime and the rule of the Assad family, the festive spirit of some revelers was not diminished. In Damascus, Syria, on New Year's Eve, a group of people dressed as Santa Claus took a selfie with an armed guard. A provisional government is operating in war-torn Damascus and Aleppo.

In Brazil, as the sun had not yet set on 2024, people spent the last day of the year on Rio de Janeiro's Copacabana Beach, awaiting the traditional celebrations. Auckland was the first major city to welcome 2025, with thousands of revelers counting down to the New Year and cheering the spectacular fireworks display from the Sky Tower, New Zealand's tallest building, and the spectacular light show in the city center.

Thousands of people also flocked to the city center or climbed the volcanic peaks around the city to watch the fireworks displays and a light show commemorating Auckland's indigenous tribes. Previously, the country of 5 million people had experienced a year of protests over Māori rights. The South Pacific nation was the first to welcome the New Year, with New Zealand's midnight being two hours earlier than Sydney and 18 hours before the ball drop in New York's Times Square.

However, Scotland did not have such celebrations. A storm system bringing high winds, heavy rain, possible snow and the threat of flooding, canceled several planned firework displays in the UK on Tuesday, some more than 24 hours before the midnight chimes. Edinburgh's famous Hogmanay street party, garden concert and fireworks display at the city's famous castle were forced to be canceled before the celebrations began.

London planned a fireworks display along the River Thames and a parade of 10,000 performers in the city center to welcome the New Year. Performers from the Beltane Society, who were filmed earlier this month to promote Hogmanay, will now not have the chance to perform for real.