Away from the crowds of the New Year's Eve ball drop in Times Square, New York City typically rings in the new year with fireworks displays from Central Park to Coney Island. But for 2025, some had to cancel or change their plans due to ongoing drought conditions.

The Pacific island nation of Kiribati was the first country to ring in 2025, its 133,500 citizens celebrating the new year at 5 a.m. ET on Tuesday.

New Year's Eve celebrations and fireworks around the world are ringing in 2025, as New York City's Times Square gears up for the traditional ball drop at midnight before an estimated one million revelers.

WELLINGTON, New Zealand — From Sydney to Vladivostok, communities around the world have begun welcoming 2025 with spectacular light shows, embraces and ice plunges.

Countries across east and south-east Asia including China, the Philippines and Malaysia have welcomed in the new year with firework displays and drone shows Celebrations have been scaled back or cancelled in South Korea following the Muan air crash on Sunday in which 179 people died Sydney saw in 2025 with a spectacular fireworks display - cheers erupted as the clock struck midnight and the skies lit up over the harbour Coming up: India's 1.