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Joe Root and Harry Brook tamed Australia’s all-pace attack with an unbroken 154-run stand on Sunday to rescue England and give them the upper hand after a rain-hit day one of the fifth and final Ashes Test.Batting after skipper Ben Stokes won the toss at a sold-out Sydney Cricket Ground, they steered the tourists to 211-3 when bad light forced the players from the field just before tea.Subsequent rain and the risk of lightning made no further play possible, with stumps called an hour early.Root was not out 72 and Brook on 78 after coming together with England tottering at 57-3 following the wickets of Ben Duckett (27), Zak Crawley (16) and Jacob Bethell (10) before lunch.The world’s top two-ranked batsmen set about counter-attacking on a decent batting pitch providing little movement for the bowlers.Both brought up hard-fought half-centuries and, with dark storm clouds looming, kept the scoreboard ticking over at a fast clip.”We’re in very good position, obviously three down at the end of the end of play,” said Brook.”Hopefully we can make the most of that going into tomorrow.”It was good pitch,” he added. “When I first went in it felt like the bounce was fairly steep. But then it it started to get a little bit lower and slower and just generally feels like a good wicket.”England came into the game buoyed by a four-wicket win inside two days in the previous Test in Melbourne, desperate to keep the momentum going.That victory snapped a 15-year winless streak in Australia but came too late to save the series, with the hosts retaining the urn by winning in Perth, Brisbane and Adelaide.Australia sprang a surprise by including all-rounder Beau Webster in place of quick Jhye Richardson, with off-spinner Todd Murphy overlooked.- ‘Hate doing it’ -It is the first time in almost 140 years that the hosts have not played a front-line spinner during a Sydney Test.”Hate doing it,” said Australia skipper Steve Smith.”But if we keep producing wickets that we don’t think are going to spin and seam is going to play a big part and cracks are going to play a big part, you kind of get pushed into a corner.”England brought in seamer Matthew Potts for the injured Gus Atkinson in their only change, with their frontline slow bowler Shoaib Bashir missing out for a fifth straight Test.The day began with a tribute to first responders at the Bondi mass shooting last month that killed 15 people, with huge cheers when hero Ahmed Al Ahmed, who tackled one of the gunmen, appeared.Duckett was lively when play started, crunching five boundaries from Mitchell Starc in a quickfire 27 off 24 balls.But England’s tormentor-in-chief Mitchell Starc had the last laugh, enticing an outside edge from an angled ball to wicketkeeper Alex Carey at full stretch. It was the fifth time Starc has bagged Duckett this series.Crawley was next to go, trapped lbw by Michael Neser, with both openers back in the sheds by the first drinks break and the tourists in trouble on 51-2.A cautious Bethell took 15 balls to get off the mark and never looked confident.He departed after prodding at a moving delivery from Scott Boland that took a faint edge to Carey as England fell to 57-3.Root joined Brook at the crease and they began to rebuild.They rotated the strike well and punished any loose balls with Root bringing up his 67th half-century, and the 100-partnership, with a single off Webster.Only Indian great Sachin Tendulkar, with 68, has scored more Test fifties.Brook was fortunate to survive on 45 when he slogged Starc and the ball dropped between three chasing fielders. But he kept his composure to reach a 15th half-century four balls after Root, cracking Webster through the covers for a boundary.

Bangladesh has requested their matches at next month’s T20 World Cup be played in Sri Lanka, after India forced a Bangladeshi player to quit the Indian Premier League.Political relations between India and Bangladesh soured after a mass uprising in Dhaka in 2024 toppled then prime minister Sheikh Hasina, a close ally of New Delhi.The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), after an emergency meeting on Sunday, said it had “formally requested” the International Cricket Council (ICC) shift their games to Sri Lanka.”The Board of Directors resolved that the Bangladesh National Team will not travel to India for the tournament under the current conditions,” a BCB statement read.It said its decision was made due to “growing concerns regarding the safety and security” of its players, and based on its government’s advice.Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman was on Saturday released by the Kolkata Knight Riders after the IPL team were “advised” by Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to do so, following tensions between the neighbouring nations.Earlier, Asif Nazrul, Youth and Sports Adviser in the interim government, said that Dhaka “will not accept any insult to Bangladeshi cricket, cricketers and Bangladesh under any circumstances.””The days of slavery are over,” he added, in a statement carried by the state-run BSS news agency on Sunday.”Where a Bangladeshi cricketer cannot play in India despite being contracted, the entire Bangladeshi cricket team cannot feel safe going to play in the World Cup,” he wrote.- ‘Dignity and security’ -The T20 World Cup begins on February 7, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka. Bangladesh are scheduled to play their four group matches in India.Pakistan will play all their matches in Sri Lanka, part of a deal that allows both India and Pakistan to play at neutral venues in multi-nation tournaments. India’s foreign ministry last month condemned what it called “unremitting hostility against minorities” in Muslim-majority Bangladesh.Bangladesh’s interim leader, Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus, has accused India of exaggerating the scale of the violence.BCB president Aminul Islam Bulbul earlier said that “the dignity and security of our cricketers are our top priorities”.Mustafizur, who has previously played in the IPL for other teams, was snapped up at auction in December by Kolkata for more than $1 million.But BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia said that “considering recent developments” Kolkata had been “advised to release” the 30-year-old.The 2026 IPL season begins on March 26.Nazrul said he would also ask that the IPL be blocked by Bangladeshi broadcasters.”I have requested the Information and Broadcasting Adviser to stop the broadcasting of the IPL tournament in Bangladesh,” he said.Kolkata, majority-owned by Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, subsequently said that Mustafizur’s “release has been carried out following due process and consultations”.The cricket row comes only days after tensions between the nations had appeared to have eased.India’s Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar visited Bangladesh last week, the most senior visit by an Indian official since the overthrow of Hasina.On Friday, the BCB announced that India would go to Bangladesh for six white-ball matches in September.Bangladesh will hold its first elections since the uprising on February 12.

Bangladesh will request their matches at next month’s T20 World Cup be played in Sri Lanka, after India forced a Bangladeshi player to quit the Indian Premier League.”We will not accept any insult to Bangladeshi cricket, cricketers and Bangladesh under any circumstances,” said Asif Nazrul, Youth and Sports Adviser in the interim government, in a statement carried by the state-run BSS news agency Sunday.”The days of slavery are over.”Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman was on Saturday released by the Kolkata Knight Riders after the IPL team were “advised” by Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to do so, following tensions between the neighbouring nations.Nazrul said he had ordered the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) to write to the International Cricket Council (ICC).”The board should inform that, where a Bangladeshi cricketer cannot play in India despite being contracted, the entire Bangladeshi cricket team cannot feel safe going to play in the World Cup,” he wrote.”I have also instructed the board to request that Bangladesh’s World Cup matches should be held in Sri Lanka.”- ‘Dignity and security’ -The T20 World Cup begins on February 7, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka. Bangladesh are scheduled to play their four group matches in India.Pakistan will play all their matches in Sri Lanka, part of a deal that allows both India and Pakistan to play at neutral venues in multi-nation tournaments. Political relations between India and Bangladesh soured after a mass uprising in Dhaka in 2024 toppled then prime minister Sheikh Hasina, a close ally of New Delhi.India’s foreign ministry last month condemned what it called “unremitting hostility against minorities” in Muslim-majority Bangladesh.Bangladesh’s interim leader, Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus, has accused India of exaggerating the scale of the violence.BCB president Aminul Islam Bulbul said the board were considering their options.”The dignity and security of our cricketers are our top priorities, and we will take a decision at the appropriate time, keeping these in mind,” he told reporters late Saturday.Mustafizur, who has previously played in the IPL for other teams, was snapped up at auction in December by Kolkata for more than $1 million.But BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia said that “considering recent developments” Kolkata had been “advised to release” the 30-year-old.The 2026 IPL season begins on March 26.Nazrul said he would also ask that the IPL be blocked by Bangladeshi broadcasters.”I have requested the Information and Broadcasting Adviser to stop the broadcasting of the IPL tournament in Bangladesh,” he said.Kolkata, majority-owned by Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, subsequently said that Mustafizur’s “release has been carried out following due process and consultations”.The cricket row comes only days after tensions between the nations had appeared to have eased.India’s Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar visited Bangladesh last week, the most senior visit by an Indian official since the overthrow of Hasina.On Friday, the BCB announced that India would go to Bangladesh for six white-ball matches in September.Bangladesh will hold its first elections since the uprising on February 12.

Bangladesh will request their matches at next month’s T20 World Cup be played in Sri Lanka, after India forced a Bangladeshi player to quit the Indian Premier League.”We will not accept any insult to Bangladeshi cricket, cricketers and Bangladesh under any circumstances,” said Asif Nazrul, Youth and Sports Adviser in the interim government, in a statement carried by the state-run BSS news agency Sunday.”The days of slavery are over.”Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman was on Saturday released by the Kolkata Knight Riders after the IPL team were “advised” by Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to do so, following tensions between the neighbouring nations.Nazrul said he had ordered the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) to write to the International Cricket Council (ICC).”The board should inform that, where a Bangladeshi cricketer cannot play in India despite being contracted, the entire Bangladeshi cricket team cannot feel safe going to play in the World Cup,” he wrote.”I have also instructed the board to request that Bangladesh’s World Cup matches should be held in Sri Lanka.”The T20 World Cup begins on February 7, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka. Bangladesh are scheduled to play their four group matches in India.Pakistan will play all their matches in Sri Lanka, part of a deal that allows both India and Pakistan to play at neutral venues in multi-nation tournaments. Political relations between India and Bangladesh soured after a mass uprising in Dhaka in 2024 toppled then prime minister Sheikh Hasina, a close ally of New Delhi.India’s foreign ministry last month condemned what it called “unremitting hostility against minorities” in Muslim-majority Bangladesh.Bangladesh’s interim leader, Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus, has accused India of exaggerating the scale of the violence.BCB president Aminul Islam Bulbul said the board will hold an emergency meeting later on Sunday. “The dignity and security of our cricketers are our top priorities, and we will take a decision at the appropriate time keeping these in mind”, he told reporters late Saturday.Mustafizur, who has previously played in the IPL for other teams, was snapped up at auction in December by Kolkata for more than $1 million.But BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia said that “considering recent developments” Kolkata had been “advised to release” the 30-year-old.The 2026 IPL season begins on March 26.Nazrul said he would also ask that the IPL be blocked from Bangladeshi broadcasters.”I have requested the Information and Broadcasting Adviser to stop the broadcasting of the IPL tournament in Bangladesh,” he said.Kolkata, majority-owned by Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, subsequently said that Mustafizur’s “release has been carried out following due process and consultations”.

Nearly three months since border clashes prompted the closure of land crossings between Pakistan and Afghanistan, university students, merchants and families are left hanging with no way of getting back.”We miss our parents and relatives,” said Shah Faisal, 25, who studies medicine in an Afghan university and was hoping to visit his family back in Pakistan during winter break.But the border has been shut since October 12, leaving many like him with no viable option of making it home.Flights are prohibitively expensive, and smuggling routes come at too great a risk.A student representative said there were around 500 to 600 Pakistanis at universities in one Afghan province alone, Nangarhar, who were looking for a way back.Shah Fahad Amjad, 22, who attends medical school in the provincial capital Jalalabad, called on “both countries to open the road” and let students visit their families.As the border closure drags on, some are also concerned about their visa status or financial situation.The crisis has caused problems “for us, who are students in Afghanistan, but also for Afghans who are students in Pakistan”, said 23-year-old Barkat Ullah Wazir, who studies in Jalalabad.The colonial-era border between the South Asian neighbours stretches more than 2,600 kilometres (1,600 miles) across mountainous terrain.Known as the Durand Line, it is normally a conduit between the Pakistanis and Afghans who live near it and share deep cultural, economic and even family ties.It also divides Pashtun communities who live on either side — the ethnic group from which the Taliban, which returned to power in Kabul in 2021, draws much of its support.- ‘We are displaced’ -The border has remained largely closed since the October clashes that killed more than 70 people, with the exception of Afghan refugees and migrants Pakistan has expelled.Islamabad accused Kabul of harbouring militant groups that launch attacks on Pakistani soil, allegations that the Afghan Taliban denies.Mediation efforts have failed to produce a lasting agreement, and both sides have warned fighting could still resume.Pakistani shopkeeper Ehsanullah Himmat, 21, had travelled to the southern Afghan city of Kandahar with his family to attend a relative’s wedding, but “now we cannot go back to our home”, he said.”Fighting broke out, the road was closed,” he told AFP, turning the planned two-day trip into a lengthy ordeal with no end in sight.”We cannot go via smuggling routes, and other routes exist but they are very long and cost a lot of money” that the family cannot afford, he said.Now “it is cold, it’s winter, and we are displaced with our children”, Himmat said.Relatives in Afghanistan have hosted the family, but he said he felt a sense of “embarrassment” for overstaying their welcome.- ‘Standstill’ -Pakistan’s foreign ministry said on Thursday that nearly 1,200 people had approached its embassy in Kabul requesting assistance to return home, including 549 students.Just over 300 people had flown back by the end of December, according to the ministry.Neither government has given any clear signal about when or under what conditions the border could reopen.At the Spin Boldak crossing point, the road leading into Pakistan is blocked.Truck driver Khan Muhammad, 39, has been there for weeks on end, unable to work or return to his city of Quetta, about 100 kilometres (62 miles) from the border.”In these two-and-a-half months I haven’t loaded even a single kilo of cargo. Work has come to a standstill,” he said.”All our livelihoods depend on this gate,” he said, hoping the border would reopen soon.When it does, “everyone will be able to return to their homes”, he said.

Sacred ancient gems linked to the Buddha were unveiled on Saturday in India for the first time since their colonial-era removal.The Piprahwa gems, a collection of more than 300 precious stones and ornaments believed to have been buried with relics of the Buddha at a stupa site in northern India, were formally displayed at an exhibition in New Delhi.”This historic event marks the reunification of the Piprahwa gem relics of Lord Buddha, repatriated after 127 years,” the Ministry of Culture said in a statement.It said that they are on display “for the first time” since British excavations in 1898 unearthed them and they were subsequently scattered across the world. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who opened the exhibition, said it was a “very special day for those passionate about history, culture and the ideals” of the Buddha.The Buddha — who renounced material wealth to embrace and preach a life of non-attachment — founded a religion that now has more than 500 million adherents.Born in what is now Nepal, he spent much of his life in northern India.- ‘Shared heritage of humanity’ -The gems, believed to date back to around 200 BC, were unearthed in 1898 by British colonial engineer William Claxton Peppe in Piprahwa, in Uttar Pradesh state.Indian authorities said an inscription on one of the caskets unearthed with the treasure confirmed the contents — which include bone fragments — as “relics of the Buddha”. While the majority were handed over to colonial authorities and some were housed in the Indian Museum in Kolkata, Peppe kept a treasure trove of jewels.In May 2025, Peppe’s great-grandson, Chris Peppe, put the gems up for sale.They were listed for auction by Sotheby’s in Hong Kong, with a starting bid of $1.2 million, with experts suggesting they could have made ten times that.But the auction was cancelled after the Indian Ministry of Culture issued a legal order calling the jewels the “inalienable religious and cultural heritage of India and the global Buddhist community”.The gems were then bought by an Indian conglomerate, Godrej Industries Group, in partnership with India’s government. The sale price was not disclosed.”The Piprahwa gems are not just artefacts,” company vice-chairman Pirojsha Godrej, said in a statement at the time.”They are timeless symbols of peace, compassion, and the shared heritage of humanity.”Chris Peppe has said his family was happy that the “gems will be available for the public” to see.The exhibition in New Delhi brings together the recently returned jewels, other treasures stored in Kolkata and relics from later excavations in the 1970s.Hindu-nationalist leader Modi has in the past loaned parts of the Piprahwa collection for brief exhibitions to places with major Buddhist populations, including Russia’s Kalmykia region and neighbouring Bhutan.India’s Ministry of Culture said the return of the gems was part of Modi’s “broader mission to reclaim and celebrate Bharat’s (India’s) ancient cultural and spiritual heritage from across the world”.

Usman Khawaja said Friday he will retire from international cricket after the fifth and final Ashes clash against England, leaving a legacy as Australia’s first Muslim Test cricketer while lashing out at perceived “racial stereotyping” during his 15-year career.The 39-year-old will pad up for the last time, should he be selected, when the Test gets under way in Sydney on Sunday, ending months of speculation about his future.It would be an 88th Test for the classy left-hander, culminating a career where it began after making his debut at the Sydney Cricket Ground in 2011, also against England.”The number one emotion is contentment. I’m very lucky to have played so many games for Australia the way I have,” Khawaja said. “I hope I have inspired people along the way.”I’m a proud Muslim coloured boy from Pakistan who was told that he would never play for the Australian cricket team. Look at me now, and you can do the same,” he added. Khawaja immigrated to Australia from Islamabad as a child, battling the odds to become the country’s first Pakistan-born, and first Muslim, national player.At one point, he was the only Asian first-class player in Australia and is credited as a role model who opened doors for others.”Usman has made a huge contribution to Australian cricket both through his outstanding achievements as one of our most stylish and resilient batters since his Test debut 15 years ago, and off field, particularly through the Usman Khawaja Foundation,” said Cricket Australia chief Todd Greenberg.”On behalf of Australian cricket I would like to thank and congratulate Usman for all he has achieved.”Khawaja’s foundation helps youths from refugee, immigrant, Indigenous, and poor socioeconomic backgrounds through introductory cricket programs and educational support.– ‘Attacked me’ –Khawaja, a qualified pilot, has plundered 6,206 runs in Test cricket with 16 centuries, averaging 43.39.He smashed a career-high 232 against Sri Lanka a year ago, but has not made three figures since.The current Ashes series has been a rollercoaster ride, with the veteran batsman coming under scrutiny.He injured his back in the first Test in Perth and was replaced as opener in the second innings by Travis Head who blasted a match-winning century.Khawaja did not feature in the next match at Brisbane and was omitted from the team for the third Test in Adelaide, only to get a lifeline when Steve Smith dropped out ill just before the toss.He came in at number four and hit 82 and 40 before making 29 and 0 in the fourth Test at Melbourne.”I’m glad I get to leave on amy own terms, with a little bit of dignity, and go out at the SCG where I love,” he said, while expressing frustration at how he was treated.”When I did my back (in Perth), I hurt my back and had back spasms and it was something I couldn’t control.”The way the media and past players came out and attacked me. I could have copped it for a couple of days but it went on for five days.”The way everyone came out at me about my preparation, ‘he’s not committed to the team. Only worried about himself. Playing a golf competition. He’s selfish, he didn’t train hard enough. He’s lazy’. “These are the same racial stereotypes (I thought we had moved past).”But obviously we haven’t fully moved past that. I haven’t seen anyone treated like that in the Australian cricket team before.”He nevertheless admitted the writing was on the wall during the current Ashes series.”Going into Adelaide and then not being picked initially for that game was probably a sign for me to say ‘all right, it’s time to move on’,” he said.Khawaja also played 40 one-dayers and nine Twenty20 internationals.

Revellers around the world toasted the start of 2026 on Thursday, bidding farewell to a volatile year when temperatures soared, US President Donald Trump upended global trade, and the brutal conflict in Ukraine raged on.While a fragile truce took hold in devastated Gaza, violence in Sudan continued unabated. A new American pope was installed at the Vatican, the world lost pioneering zoologist Jane Goodall, and Labubu dolls sparked a worldwide frenzy.In Sydney, partygoers paused for a minute of silence to remember the victims of the mass shooting on Bondi Beach before fireworks lit up the skies at the stroke of midnight.Heavily armed police patrolled the shoreline, packed with hundreds of thousands of people, barely two weeks after 15 people were gunned down at a Jewish festival in Australia’s deadliest mass shooting for almost 30 years.The famed Sydney Harbour Bridge was bathed in white light to symbolise peace.Pacific nations including Kiribati and New Zealand were the first to see in 2026, with Seoul and Tokyo following Sydney in celebrations that make their way around the globe with each passing hour.In Hong Kong, a major New Year fireworks display was cancelled in homage to 161 people killed in a fire in November that engulfed several apartment blocks.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said his country was “10 percent” away from a deal to end the fighting with Russia, soon to reach the four-year mark.Russia’s Vladimir Putin meanwhile used his traditional New Year address to urge his compatriots to believe that Moscow would deliver a victory in Europe’s deadliest conflict since World War II.And Kim Jong Un praised North Korea’s “invincible alliance” with Russia, where Pyongyang has sent troops to assist Moscow.In the Ukrainian city of Vyshgorod, beauty salon manager Daria Lushchyk said the war had made her work “hell” but that her clients were still showing up.”Nothing can stop our Ukrainian girls from coming in and getting themselves glam,” Lushchyk said.- Tariffs and fragile truce -This year has brought a mix of stress and excitement for many, war for others still — and a daring jewel heist at the Louvre.Pop megastar Taylor Swift got engaged to her American football player boyfriend Travis Kelce, and K-pop heartthrobs BTS made their long-awaited return.Trump returned as US president in January, launching a tariff blitz that sent global trade and world stock markets into meltdown.The 79-year-old Republican met with Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for five meetings in his first year back in office — and hosted the ally at his lavish Florida resort, Mar-a-Lago, at a glittering New Year’s Eve party.After two years of war that left much of the Gaza Strip in ruins, pressure from Trump helped land a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in October — though both sides have accused each other of flagrant violations.”We bid farewell to 2025 with deep sorrow and grief,” said Gaza City resident Shireen Al-Kayali.”We lost a lot of people and our possessions. We lived a difficult and harsh life, displaced from one city to another, under bombardment and in terror.”In contrast, there was optimism despite abiding internal challenges in Syria, where residents of the capital Damascus celebrated a full year since the fall of Bashar al-Assad.”There is no fear, the people are happy, all of Syria is one and united, and God willing… it will be a good year for the people and the wise leadership,” marketing manager Sahar al-Said, 33, told AFP as bells rang in Damascus.In Dubai, thousands queued for up to nine hours for a spectacular fireworks and laser display at the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building.Revellers popped champagne near the Eiffel Tower in Paris, Bulgaria adopted the euro, and huge crowds danced at Edinburgh’s Hogmanay street party.Crowds packed Rio de Janeiro’s Copacabana Beach for what authorities have called the world’s biggest New Year’s Eve party.”A wonderful, unforgettable day,” said partygoer Ayane de Fatima, 30, adding she hoped 2026 would be “free from the bad things happening in the world”.In the US capital, the Washington Monument was lit up as America kicked off its 250th birthday celebration year.And in New York, thousands gathered in freezing temperatures amid tight security for the traditional ball drop in Times Square.Nearby, at an abandoned subway stop near City Hall, Zohran Mamdani — a leftist and persistent thorn in Trump’s side — was sworn in as the city’s first Muslim mayor.- Sports, space and AI -The coming 12 months promise to be full of sports, space and questions over artificial intelligence.Athletes will gather in Italy in February for the Winter Olympics.And for a few weeks in June and July, 48 nations will compete in the biggest football World Cup in history in the United States, Mexico and Canada.NASA is planning a crewed mission to circle the moon during a 10-day flight, more than 50 years since the last Apollo lunar mission.And after years of unbridled enthusiasm, AI is facing scrutiny, and nervous investors are questioning whether the boom might now resemble a market bubble.bur-pbt-cw-sst/ceg/mjw

New Year celebrations took on a sombre tone in Sydney as revellers held a minute of silence for victims of the Bondi Beach shooting before fireworks lit up the harbour city at the stroke of midnight.People around the world toasted the end of 2025, bidding farewell to one of the hottest years on record, packed with Trump tariffs, a Gaza truce and vain hopes for peace in Ukraine.Heavily armed police patrolled among hundreds of thousands of people lining the Sydney shore barely two weeks after a father and son allegedly opened fire on a Jewish festival at Bondi Beach, killing 15 people in Australia’s deadliest mass shooting for almost 30 years.Parties paused for a minute of silence an hour before midnight Wednesday, with the famed Sydney Harbour Bridge bathed in white light to symbolise peace.”Right now, the joy that we usually feel at the start of a new year is tempered by the sadness of the old,” Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said in a video message.At midnight, nine tonnes of fireworks were set off to welcome the New Year.”The fireworks have always been on my bucket list and I’m so happy to be here,” said Susana Suisuikli, an English tourist.  Pacific nations including Kiribati and New Zealand were the first to see in 2026, with Seoul and Tokyo following Sydney in celebrations that will stretch to glitzy New York and the Hogmanay festival on the chilly streets of Scotland.More than two million people are expected to pack Rio de Janeiro’s Copacabana Beach for what authorities have called the world’s biggest New Year’s Eve party.In Hong Kong, a major New Year fireworks display planned for Victoria Harbour was cancelled to pay homage to 161 people killed in a fire in November that engulfed several apartment blocks.- Truce and tariffs -For many it has been a year of stress and excitement, even without the wars that have claimed tens of thousands of lives.Labubu dolls became a worldwide craze in 2025, thieves plundered the Louvre in a daring heist, and K-pop heartthrobs BTS made their long-awaited return.The world lost pioneering zoologist Jane Goodall, the Vatican chose a new pope and the assassination of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk laid bare America’s deep political divisions.Donald Trump returned as US president in January, launching a tariff blitz that sent global markets into meltdown.Trump used his Truth Social platform to lash out at his sliding approval ratings ahead of midterm elections to be held in November.”Isn’t it nice to have a STRONG BORDER, No Inflation, a powerful Military, and great Economy??? Happy New Year!” he wrote.Many expect tough times to continue in 2026.”The economic situation is also very dire, and I’m afraid I’ll be left without income,” said Ines Rodriguez, 50, a merchant in Mexico City.After two years of war that left much of the Gaza Strip in ruins, US pressure helped land a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in October.No-one is sure how long the break in hostilities will hold, with each side accusing the other of flagrant violations.”We bid farewell to 2025 with deep sorrow and grief,” said Gaza City resident Shireen Al-Kayali. “We lost a lot of people and our possessions. We lived a difficult and harsh life, displaced from one city to another, under bombardment and in terror.”World leaders including China’s Xi Jinping and Russia’s Vladimir Putin exchanged New Year greetings.Xi said he was “ready to maintain close exchanges with Putin to jointly push for continuous new progress in bilateral ties”, state news agency Xinhua said.The war in Ukraine — sparked by Russia’s invasion in February 2022 — is grinding towards its fourth anniversary with no ceasefire in sight despite a renewed burst of diplomacy.- Sports, space and AI -The coming 12 months promise to be full of sports, space and questions over artificial intelligence.NASA’s Artemis II mission, backed by tech titan Elon Musk, will launch a crewed spacecraft to circle the moon during a 10-day flight, more than 50 years since the last Apollo lunar mission.After years of unbridled enthusiasm, AI is facing scrutiny and nervous investors are questioning whether the boom might now resemble a market bubble.Athletes will gather in Italy in February for the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics.And for a few weeks in June and July, 48 nations will dispute the biggest football World Cup in history in the United States, Mexico and Canada. It could be a last chance to see the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi on the global stage.

New Year’s Eve revellers toasted the end of 2025 on Wednesday, waving goodbye to 12 months packed with Trump tariffs, a Gaza truce and vain hopes for peace in Ukraine.It was one of the warmest years on record, the stifling heat stoking wildfires in Europe, droughts in Africa and deadly rains across Southeast Asia.There was a sombre tinge to celebrations in Australia’s harbour city Sydney, the self-proclaimed “New Year’s capital of the world”.Barely two weeks have passed since a father and son allegedly opened fire on a Jewish festival at Bondi Beach, killing 15 people in the nation’s deadliest mass shooting for almost 30 years.Parties paused for a minute of silence at 11:00 pm (1200 GMT) as the famed Sydney Harbour Bridge was bathed in white light to symbolise peace.”Right now, the joy that we usually feel at the start of a new year is tempered by the sadness of the old,” Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said in a video message.Hundreds of thousands of spectators lined Sydney’s foreshore, with nine tonnes of fireworks set off from the stroke of midnight.Residents and tourists gathered by the city’s harbour and boats dotted the water to secure the best viewing spots near the Sydney Opera House. “The fireworks have always been on my bucket list and I’m so happy to be here,” said Susana Suisuikli, an English tourist.  Security was tighter than usual, with squads of heavily armed police patrolling the crowds.Pacific nations including Kiribati and New Zealand were the first to see in the new year, kicking off a chain of celebrations stretching from glitzy New York to the Hogmanay festival on the chilly streets of Scotland.More than two million people are expected to pack Brazil’s lively Copacabana Beach for what authorities have called the world’s biggest New Year’s Eve party.In Hong Kong, a major New Year fireworks display planned for Victoria Harbour was cancelled to pay homage to 161 people killed in a housing estate fire in November.- Truce and tariffs -Labubu dolls became a worldwide craze in 2025, thieves plundered the Louvre in a daring heist, and K-pop heartthrobs BTS made their long-awaited return.The world lost pioneering zoologist Jane Goodall, the Vatican chose a new pope and the assassination of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk laid bare America’s deep political divisions.Donald Trump returned to the White House in January, launching a tariff blitz that sent global markets into meltdown.Trump used his Truth Social platform to lash out at his sliding approval ratings ahead of 2026 midterm elections.”Isn’t it nice to have a STRONG BORDER, No Inflation, a powerful Military, and great Economy??? Happy New Year!” he wrote.But many expect tough times to continue in 2026.”The economic situation is also very dire, and I’m afraid I’ll be left without income,” said Ines Rodriguez, 50, a merchant in Mexico City.After two years of war that left much of the Gaza Strip in ruins, US pressure helped land a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in October.No one is sure how long the break in hostilities will hold, with each side already accusing the other of flagrant violations.Hamas militants stormed into southern Israel on October 7, 2023, resulting in the deaths of more than 1,200 people, most of them civilians.Israel’s retaliatory assault on Gaza has killed more than 70,000, also mostly civilians, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory, a figure the UN deems credible.”We bid farewell to 2025 with deep sorrow and grief,” said Gaza City resident Shireen Al-Kayali. “We lost a lot of people and our possessions. We lived a difficult and harsh life, displaced from one city to another, under bombardment and in terror.”World leaders including China’s Xi Jinping and Russia’s Vladimir Putin began exchanging New Year greetings.Xi said he was “ready to maintain close exchanges with Putin to jointly push for continuous new progress in bilateral ties”, state news agency Xinhua said on Wednesday.The war in Ukraine — sparked by Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022 — grinds towards its four-year anniversary in February with no temporary ceasefire reached in the final days of 2025 despite a renewed burst of diplomacy.- Sports, space and AI -The coming 12 months promise to be full of sports, space and questions over artificial intelligence.NASA’s Artemis II mission, backed by Elon Musk, will launch a crewed spacecraft to circle the moon during a 10-day test flight, more than 50 years since the last Apollo lunar mission.After years of unbridled enthusiasm, AI is facing scrutiny and nervous investors are questioning whether the boom might now resemble a market bubble.Athletes will gather on Italy’s famed Dolomites to hit the slopes for the Winter Olympics.And for a few weeks in June and July, nations will come together for the biggest football World Cup in history in venues across the United States, Mexico and Canada.