Pacific countries first to welcome 2025 as NYE celebrations kick off around the world

Auckland has become the first major city to welcome 2025, with thousands of revellers counting down to the new year and cheering at colourful fireworks launched from New Zealand's tallest structure, Sky Tower, and a spectacular downtown light show.

Thousands also thronged to downtown or climbed the city's ring of volcanic peaks for a fireworks vantage point, and a light display recognizing Auckland's Indigenous tribes. It follows a year marked by protests over Māori rights in the nation of five million.

Countries in the South Pacific Ocean are the first to ring in the New Year, with midnight in New Zealand striking 18 hours before the ball drop in Times Square in New York. Other cities around the world are readying with celebrations highlighting local cultures and traditions, after a year roiled by ongoing conflict and political instability.

In Australia, more than one million people are expected at Sydney Harbour for the traditional fireworks. British pop star Robbie Williams will lead a singalong and Indigenous ceremonies and performances will acknowledge the land's first people.

Much of Japan has shut down ahead of the nation's biggest holiday, as temples and homes underwent a thorough cleaning, including swatting floor mats called "tatami" with big sticks.

The upcoming Year of the Snake in the Asian zodiac is heralded as one of rebirth — alluding to the reptile's shedding skin. Stores in Japan, which observes the zodiac cycle from Jan. 1, have been selling tiny figures of smiling snakes and other snake-themed products. Other places in Asia will start marking the Year of the Snake later, with the Lunar New Year.

In South Korea, celebrations were cut back or cancelled as the country observes a period of national mourning following the Sunday crash of a Jeju Air flight at Muan that killed 179 people.

New Year celebrations in Jakarta will feature a dazzling fireworks display, including a drone show featuring 800 drones, followed by countdowns to midnight at the city's iconic Hotel Indonesia Roundabout.

Chinese state media covered an exchange of New Year's greetings between leader Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin in a reminder of growing closeness between two leaders who face tensions with the West.

Xi told Putin that their countries will "always move forward hand in hand," the official Xinhua News Agency said Tuesday.

China has maintained ties and robust trade with Russia since the latter invaded Ukraine in 2022, helping to offset Western sanctions and attempts to isolate Putin.

In his address to the nation, Putin said that Russia has responded to the most difficult challenges and will be moving forward next year.

"We set big goals for ourselves and achieved them, and we overcame difficulties more than once because we were together. This is how our unity and our faith in ourselves and our strengths and capabilities grew stronger," he said.

Putin praised troops fighting in Ukraine as "the true heroes who have taken on the great task of defending Russia and providing the solid guarantees of peace and security for our people."