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New Year’s celebrations sweep across the globe

Drones light up the night sky to celebrate the New Year in Busan, South Korea, early Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026. (Kang Sun-bae/Yonhap via AP)
Indian Christians hold candles and offer prayers during a New Year worship service at Centenary Methodist Church in Hyderabad, India, Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)
"Baesemanne" (broom men) with long-handled juniper brooms, scary wooden masks and air-filled pig bladders "Soeiblaatere", participate in the 102nd traditional "Achetringele" procession in Laupen, Switzerland, on Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025, held to drive away evil spirits for the new year. (Anthony Anex/Keystone via AP)
"Baesemanne" (broom men) with long-handled juniper brooms, scary wooden masks and air-filled pig bladders "Soeiblaatere", participate in the 102nd traditional "Achetringele" procession in Laupen, Switzerland, on Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025, held to drive away evil spirits for the new year. (Anthony Anex/Keystone via AP)
Performers ring in the new year at the Juyongguan Great Wall on the outskirts of Beijing, China, early Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
Indian pastors hold candles and offer prayers during a New Year worship service at Centenary Methodist Church in Hyderabad, India, Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)
A laser show can be seen at the "Yeah 26" event at the Brandenburg Gate on New Year's Eve, in Berlin, Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025. (Britta Pedersen/dpa via AP)
A laser show can be seen at the "Yeah 26" event at the Brandenburg Gate on New Year's Eve, in Berlin, Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025. (Britta Pedersen/dpa via AP)
Fireworks over Edinburgh Castle during the Hogmanay New Year's Eve celebrations, in Edinburgh, Scotland, Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025. (Steve Welsh/PA via AP)
In this image shot with a slow shutter speed, fireworks light up the sky of Baghdad, Iraq, during New Year's Eve celebrations, early Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Hadi Mizban)
Rockets and fireworks can be seen over the city center on New Year's Eve, in Stuttgart, Germany, Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025. (Silas Stein/dpa via AP)
Visitors watch a laser show for New Year's Eve on Ludwigstraße between Siegestor and Von-der-Tann-Straße in Munich, Germany, late Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025. (Peter Kneffel/dpa via AP)
Fireworks explode over the Bavarian capital near the television tower, right, in Munich, Germany, on New Year's Eve, late Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025. (Peter Kneffel/dpa via AP)
Young people celebrate New Year's Eve with other people outside Red Square with the Spasskaya Tower and the St. Basil's Cathedral, in the background, in Moscow, early Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026. (AP Photo)
Police and the Rosguardia (National Guard) servicemen secure an area, closed for celebrations on New Year's Eve, outside Red Square, in Moscow, on Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025. (AP Photo)
A man dressed as Ded Moroz, Grandfather Frost, the Russian Santa Claus, left, and his friends celebrate New Year's Eve with other people outside Red Square with the Spasskaya Tower and the St. Basil's Cathedral, in the background, in Moscow, on Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025. (AP Photo)
Fireworks burst over the Greek capital during the New Year's Eve celebrations, in Athens, Greece, early Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Yorgos Karahalis)
Fireworks explode around the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building, during New Year's Eve celebrations in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Fatima Shbair)
Fireworks burst over the historical site of Giza Pyramids, on the outskirts of Cairo, Egypt, Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)
People take selfies at Lan Kwai Fong to celebrate the start of 2026 in the Central district of Hong Kong, on Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Chan Long Hei)
People pose for photographs at Lan Kwai Fong to celebrate the start of 2026 in the Central district of Hong Kong, on Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Chan Long Hei)
Fireworks burst over the Sydney Harbour Bridge during the New Year celebrations in Sydney, Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)
People pose for pictures near illuminated decorations on New Year's Eve in Mumbai, India, Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
People strike a giant bell to celebrate the New Year at the Zojoji Buddhist temple, minutes after midnight Thursday Jan. 1, 2026, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
Drummers ring in the new year at the Juyongguan Great Wall on the outskirts of Beijing, China, early Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
Cori Johnson, 9, left, and Kori Simms, 6, both of Washington, wear 2026 glasses during a noon balloon drop celebration ahead of New Year's Eve, at The Yards Park, Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

People across the world celebrate the start of 2026, with New York’s iconic Times Square ball descending 18 hours after the South Pacific greeted the new year. Here is a look at celebrations around the globe hours ahead of celebrations in the United States.

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