Welcome 2016: Australians, New Zealanders enter New Year

Welcome 2016: Australians, New Zealanders enter New Year

Thursday, December 31, 2015 2:51 pm


File:  fireworks over Sydney's iconic Harbour Bridge and Opera House during the traditional fireworks at midnight on January 1, 2015.

File: fireworks over Sydney’s iconic Harbour Bridge and Opera House during the traditional fireworks at midnight on January 1, 2015.

Australians and New Zealanders are already in 2016!

Because of time differences, they ushered in the New Year moments ago

The BBC reports that crowds of about 25,000 counted down the last seconds of 2015 at New Zealand’s Auckland’s Sky Tower, which hosted a laser show and fireworks display.

The country welcomed 2016 at 1100 GMT, an hour after Samoa and Kiribati.

In Australia, fireworks lit up Sydney harbour at midnight (1300 GMT) as the New Year was welcomed in many parts of the country.

About one million people turned out, and a pre-show for families was held at 9:00pm.

The New Year celebrations move to Hong Kong, Singapore, Beijing and other major cities.

Celebrations in Nigeria will begin about nine hours from now.


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