welcomes

New Year’s Eve celebrations are unfolding across the world as countries move into 2026 one time zone at a time.

The first major cities to mark the new year welcomed midnight with fireworks over their waterfronts, and large crowds gathered at public viewing points.

As the night continues, countries across the Americas will close out the global transition with events stretching from Rio de Janeiro’s beaches to Times Square in New York City and beyond.

This gallery shows how people are marking the start of 2026 around the world.

Dec. 31 (UPI) — Australia rang in 2026 with fireworks, solidarity, words of encouragement and heavily armed police officers on New Year’s Eve in the wake of the Bondi Beach shooting.

“Peace” and “unity” were projected onto the Sydney Harbor Bridge, and fireworks exploded to celebrate the new year. The bridge was lit by a white light to symbolize peace, and a menorah was projected onto the bridge pylons as a show of solidarity.

At 11 p.m. AEDT, the festivities paused for a minute of silence for victims of the attack.

New South Wales Police said there were more than 2,500 police officers patrolling the streets of Sydney on Wednesday evening.

The heightened security is in response to the Dec. 14 attack on a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach in Sydney. Two gunmen shot and killed 14 people. One of the gunmen was also killed. There were 42 people injured in the attack.

Chris Minns, premier of NSW, noted that some might find the heavy police presence with guns “confronting.”

“But I make no apology for that,” Minns said. “We want people to be safe in our community.”

Before the event, the New York Times reported Sydney Mayor Clover Moore said, “I invite people at home and around the harbor to join with us by shining their phone torch in solidarity to show the Jewish community that we stand with them, and that we reject violence, fear and antisemitism.”

Joe and Lucy, British tourists, told the BBC that the boost of police presence reassured them. They were in Melbourne when the shooting happened.

“We had our worries about coming for New Year’s Eve,” Joe told the BBC. “But we were reading more recently in the news … how more police were going to be here, it would be a bit safer.”

PETE Davidson has welcomed his first child with his girlfriend, Elsie Hewitt, and shared the baby’s gender and special name.

Elsie revealed the happy news on Instagram on Thursday.

The model shared photos capturing the moments after the little one’s arrival, including the pair bonding with the newborn.

She announced in her caption that they welcomed their daughter, named Scottie Rose Hewitt Davidson, on December 12th.

“My best work yet, i am absolutely overflowing with love and gratitude and disbelief. – elsie

“Wu tang forever. – pete,” Elsie added in her caption.

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The baby’s name is a sweet nod to Pete’s New York City firefighter father, Scott Davidson, who died on September 11, 2001.

Fans took to the comments to congratulate the new parents and gush over her family moniker.

Elsie, 29, revealed her pregnancy in July with a funny Instagram post featuring ultrasound photos.

She humorously wrote in her caption, “Welp now everyone knows we had sex.”

An insider previously told The U.S. Sun that Elsie and Pete, 32, hoped to one day have a family together, and that the supermodel envisioned a life with the Saturday Night Live alum.

Pete had been vocal about wanting to become a father sooner rather than later, although he sympathized with his girlfriend for going through her pregnancy in the public eye.

During an August appearance on The Breakfast Club, the comic admitted that he “felt bad” for Elsie, who had to deal with many things in the limelight because of their relationship.

Pete has had a spotlight on his personal life since his string of high-profile romances.

They included a brief engagement to Ariana Grande in 2018, and a months-long relationship with Kim Kardashian, following her messy split from her ex-husband, Kanye West.

Pete has also made headlines for his impulsive purchase of a massive Staten Island Ferry with his former SNL co-star, Colin Jost.

The duo has faced numerous delays in their renovation plans since buying the ferry four years ago.

The U.S. Sun exclusively revealed in October that the $280,000 vessel is currently sitting decrepit and abandoned in a New York City harbor, and that both Pete and Colin have expressed regrets over the extravagant purchase.