World welcomes New Year with spectacular shows

The Americas have started their journey into the new year.

New York City took the the United States into 2024 with the traditional "ball drop" in Times Square in temperatures just above freezing.

Thick confetti rain fell on hundreds of thousands in the crowd as the songs "Auld Lang Syne" and "New York, New York" rang out.

As in many other US cities, the celebrations in Times Square were accompanied by increased security measures. The security authorities in the US feared incidents due to the international tensions caused by the war in Gaza. Some journalists reported isolated pro-Palestinian demonstrators near Times Square.

Hundreds of thousands of people welcomed the New Year with fireworks and music in the Brazilian metropolis of Rio de Janeiro as the clock struck midnight Monday morning.

A traditional 12-minute fireworks display began at midnight, fired from 10 rafts in front of the world-famous Copacabana beach. The celebration was also accompanied by an orchestra and a drone show.

The city took great measures to prevent potential violence and crime during the celebrations, as about 3,000 more police officers patrolled the streets as compared to the previous year, and more security cameras were placed in several locations that can recognize car license plates and people's faces.

London rang in the new year with the chimes of Big Ben and a spectacular fireworks display on the London Eye Ferris wheel.

It was an anniversary for the clock tower of the British Parliament, as the BBC first broadcast the ringing of the bells live at the turn of the year 100 years ago.

With the help of light drones, the inclusive message "London is a place for everyone" was written in the sky above the River Thames, with tens of thousands of people gathered on its banks.

Africa, Oceania, and Asia also changed their calendars at the strike of midnight.

In Sydney, a mega light show lit up the sky against the world-famous backdrop of the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House. According to the organizers, more than 13,500 fireworks were set off in the harbour district alone.

There were also light projections generated by artificial intelligence as crowds hit the streets like in many other cities, with coronavirus restrictions a thing of the past across the world.

The landmarks of New Zealand's largest city Auckland were also illuminated, with fireworks lighting up the Sky Tower, while viewers enjoyed a laser light and animation show synchronized with other landmarks, including Auckland's Harbour Bridge.

The Pacific country's capital Wellington also organized fireworks and music at an inner city lagoon.

At the same time, two separate fireworks displays in Samoa, one in the capital Apia, and the other in Savai'i, signalled the start of the new year. The displays were synchronized by New Zealand pyrotechnic experts and fired simultaneously from both islands.

The Chatham Islands, part of New Zealand's territory, were first in the country to ring in the year. The islands, about 800 kilometres east of New Zealand's South Island, are home to some 700 people.

Later, people in Asia enjoyed massive light shows, including in Singapore, where onlookers watched firework displays at Marina Bay.

In Bangkok, celebrations centred on the Chao Phraya River which reflects the lights of the fireworks display each year. Thailand, which follows the Buddhist calendar, is welcoming the year 2567.

In Taiwan, about 16,000 fireworks were set off at the country's landmark Taipei 101 building, which is 509 metres tall.

In the South Korean capital Seoul, the start of 2024 was marked with the giant Bosingak bell being struck exactly 33 times, like every year. Tens of thousands of people gathered for the event.

China also welcomed in the New Year - albeit much more quietly than other parts of the world. New Year's Eve is not a top priority for the Chinese given that their traditional lunar year does not begin until February 10. Only then do people celebrate extensively.

However, in the Chinese special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau, New Year's Eve has a higher significance due to their British and Portuguese heritage. In Hong Kong, tens of thousands gathered by Victoria Harbour to marvel at the huge fireworks display.

There will though be little to cheer in Israel and the Gaza Strip or Ukraine, where conflicts continue unabated.

American Samoa, 220 kilometres to the east of Samoa on the other side of the International Date Line, will be the last to ring in 2024.