In photos: New Year's Eve around the world with pandemic controlling muting celebrations
While freshes wave of coronavirus have sparked renewed lockdowns, the world began ushering in the New Year with pandemic controlling muting celebrations. Here are the memorable photos of billions of people eager to bid farewell to 2020 over the world.
![]() |
| Masked pedestrians pass a celebrating couple in Melbourne, Australia Photograph: Asanka Ratnayake/Getty Images FacebookTwitterPinterest |
![]() |
| A sign outside Flinders Street station in Melbourne, Australia Photograph: Asanka Ratnayake/Getty Images |
![]() |
| A composite image compares the crowd size at Sydney’s Circular Quay on New Year’s Eve 2019 (top) and today Photograph: Dan Himbrechts/Dean Lewins/EPA FacebookTwitterPinterest |
![]() |
| The Sydney Harbour Bridge pylon is lit with a Covid-19 safety message ahead of the midnight fireworks Photograph: Dean Lewins/AAP FacebookTwitterPinterest |
![]() |
| Police patrol at Sydney Opera House during New Year’s Eve celebrations. This years fireworks display has been shortened to seven minutes, with numerous other restrictions in place Photograph: Brook Mitchell/Getty Images FacebookTwitterPinterest |
![]() |
| Fireworks from the SkyTower during New Year’s Eve celebrations in Auckland, New Zealand Photograph: Dave Rowland/Getty Images FacebookTwitterPinterest |
![]() |
| Craftsmen perform a molten iron fireworks display in Zaozhuang, China Photograph: VCG/Getty Images |
![]() |
| A couple take a selfie in Hong Kong Photograph: Isaac Lawrence/AFP/Getty Images FacebookTwitterPinterest |
![]() |
| Fireworks explode in Baghdad, Iraq Photograph: Thaier Al-Sudani/Reuters |
![]() |
| People watch a flag-raising ceremony and fireworks display in Pyongyang, North Korea Photograph: Jon Chol Jin/AP |
![]() |
| Young people celebrate in front of a 2021 tree at Namsan mountain in Seoul, South Korea Photograph: Jeon Heon-Kyun/EPA |
![]() |
| Guests stand at hotel room windows in Jakarta, Indonesia Photograph: Ajeng Dinar Ulfiana/Reuters FacebookTwitterPinterest |
![]() |
| Crowds gather to celebrate the arrival of the new year in Wuhan, China Photograph: Tingshu Wang/Reuters |
![]() |
| Fireworks and light effects illuminate the night sky around the Taipei 101 skyscraper in Taiwan Photograph: Ritchie B Tongo/EPA |
![]() |
| Fireworks erupt over the Chao Phraya river in Bangkok, Thailand Photograph: Mladen Antonov/AFP/Getty Images FacebookTwitterPinterest |
![]() |
| Crowds celebrate around a Christmas tree in Kiev, Ukraine Photograph: Efrem Lukatsky/AP |
![]() |
| People celebrate after counting down to the new year in a bar in Kibera in Nairobi, Kenya Photograph: Yasuyoshi Chiba/AFP/Getty Images FacebookTwitterPinterest |
![]() |
| Fireworks illuminate the night sky in Kenya, Nairobi Photograph: Dennis Sigwe/Rex/Shutterstock FacebookTwitterPinterest |
![]() |
| The Ras al Khaimah celebrations in the UAE’s northernmost emirate Photograph: Handout |
![]() |
| A light show illuminates Konak square in Izmir, Turkey, during a curfew Photograph: Anadolu Agency/Getty Images |
![]() |
| Revellers celebrate in the Scheveningen, in the Netherlands where fireworks were banned Photograph: Remco Koers/EPA |
![]() |
| Fireworks explode over the Acropolis in Athens, Greece Photograph: Louisa Gouliamaki/AFP/Getty Images FacebookTwitterPinterest |
![]() |
| Fireworks explode behind the Kremlin’s Spasskaya tower in Moscow, Russia Photograph: Evgenia Novozhenina/Reuters FacebookTwitterPinterest |
![]() |
| Mounted police officers patrol the Victoria Embankment opposite the London Eye Photograph: Tolga Akmen/AFP/Getty Images FacebookTwitterPinterest |
![]() |
| Confetti showers a quiet Times Square in New York Photograph: Corey Sipkin/AFP/Getty Images FacebookTwitterPinterest |
![]() |
| Jennifer Lopez performs in Times Square for a recording of Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve Photograph: Jeff Neira/ABC/Shutterstock |
![]() |
| A tourist from Guatemala wears festive glasses in Mexico City Photograph: Rebecca Blackwell/AP |
| Watch New Year fireworks from up close with video In Hanoi, HCMC and other localities, citizens swarmed to downtown locations in great numbers to enjoy outdoor concerts and the pinnacle firework displays to ring ... |
| In photos and video: Thousands of Vietnamese swarming to streets for New Year 2021 welcoming Thousands of people flocked to the downtowns of Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, Quang Ninh, etc to enjoy outdoor art performances and fireworks ... |
| Overseas Vietnamese in Laos hold prayers for new year 2021 Vietnamese expatriates in Laos joined together in Phat Tich pagoda in Vientiane on December 31 to pray for peace and happiness in the upcoming New ... |
Most read
Recommended
World
High-Level Segment of 61st Session of the UN Human Rights Council Opens in Geneva
On February 23, at the United Nations Office in Geneva, Switzerland, the High-Level Segment of the 61st Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) was officially opened. The event has drawn significant attention from the international community and member state delegations at a time when the global human rights system is facing profound challenges.
February 24, 2026 | 14:31
World
US Media Commend Vietnam’s Role in Global Peace Efforts
International media outlets and officials have recently praised Vietnam’s increasingly proactive role in efforts to promote peace, stability, and international cooperation, as demonstrated by the participation of the country’s top Party and State leaders in major global forums.
February 22, 2026 | 13:17
World
Vietnam Officially Becomes Association Country of International Energy Agency (IEA)
On February 19, the 2026 Ministerial Meeting of the International Energy Agency (IEA) officially approved the proposal to grant Vietnam the status of an Association Country of the organization.
February 22, 2026 | 13:03
World
Key pacts signed as PM Modi hosts France's Macron for plane cooperation
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday welcomed French President Emmanuel Macron in Mumbai and held bilateral talks to strengthen India-France relations, upgrading them to a "Special Global Strategic Partnership.
February 20, 2026 | 07:00
Popular article
World
India, Canada commit to strengthening bilateral ties, discuss trade
Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar and his Canadian counterpart Anita Anand discussed "deepening cooperation" and "partnership opportunities" between the two countries on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference ahead of Prime Minister Mark Carney's likely visit to India next month.
February 19, 2026 | 00:00
World
AI Summit India 2026 Live Updates: ‘Bringing the world together,’ PM Modi welcomes leaders as India hosts AI summit
India AI Impact Summit 2026 Live: Enthusiasm to participate has truly grown, says MeitY secretary S Krishnan
February 16, 2026 | 00:00
World
Safran ready to open India engine production in Rafale deal
French engine maker Safran is ready to build an engine assembly line in India to meet the country's requirements for local production as the French and Indian governments discuss the purchase of 114 more Rafale jets, its CEO said on Friday.
February 14, 2026 | 17:00
World
Nepal interim PM Sushila Karki thanks India for March support
Nepal’s interim Prime Minister Sushila Karki invited Indian Ambassador Naveen Srivastava for a meeting at Singha Durbar and thanked India for providing technical support and materials to ensure the smooth conduct of the March parliamentary elections.
February 11, 2026 | 15:47


























