New Zealand, Australia among first nations to ring in 2024

Shafaq News/ New Zealand and Australia became one of the first nations to ring in 2024 as ongoing wars in Ukraine and Gaza cast a pall over celebrations and heightened tensions across parts of the world.

Residents of Auckland welcomed in the new year with a fireworks display over Sky Tower, New Zealand’s tallest structure.

At around 1pm GMT, the Sydney Harbor Bridge in Australia lit up for its renowned midnight fireworks display and light show viewed annually by around 425 million people worldwide.

Revellers camped at the best vantage points since Sunday morning in order to watch the spectacle. More than one million people were expected to converge on the waterfront for the occasion.

Eight tonnes of pyrotechnics were launched from two of Australia's most recognisable landmarks - the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House - in one of the world’s biggest New Year’s Eve displays.

One tourist who waited for hours to secure a spot to see the fireworks, Christopher Maldonado, from Chile, told the BBC, “It's iconic because it's the first fireworks in the world and it's the first celebration of the New Year so it's really nice. And it's cool because you have the spot really near and this is amazing, this is amazing.”

Japan and South Korea will be among the major countries next marking the occasion, at 3pm GMT, followed by India and Sri Lanka at 6.30pm GMT.

In London, the capital’s world-famous fireworks at the South Bank will make a return, with mayor Sadiq Khan promising the “best ever” display.

Thousands of Londoners are set to take to the streets for the spectacle, with tickets to general viewing areas selling out earlier this week. Most TfL services will be running all night on New Year’s Eve but there will be some closures and central London stations are expected to be busier than usual. The capital’s residents have been urged to avoid congregating on Tower Bridge and London Bridge, in a bid to see the fireworks, which in previous years have become severely overcrowded. For safety reasons, City Bridge Foundation is “actively discouraging” people from trying to see the show from on or around the two landmarks, as well as the Southwark, Millennium and Blackfriars bridges.

In Paris, 90,000 law enforcement officers are set to be deployed for the celebrations, as over 1.5 million people are expected to attend celebrations on the Champs-Elysees.

Meanwhile in New York, tens of thousands of people are expected to be drawn to the heart of midtown Manhattan for a celebrity-filled event featuring live performances from Flo Rida, Megan Thee Stallion and LL Cool J.

The last place to celebrate New Year’s Eve will be Baker Island, only 650 miles away from Kiribati, the Pacific Island which was the first to welcome 2024.