New Year 2026 was welcomed by Sydney with a spectacular fireworks display held under heightened security, following a deadly attack that shocked the city weeks earlier. Countdown organisers paused celebrations for a moment of silence to honour the victims, with the Harbour Bridge lit in white and symbols of unity projected across the skyline.    

A series of deadly attacks across multiple continents has reignited fears about whether ISIS is quietly making a comeback. From a mass shooting during a Hanukkah celebration in Sydney to deadly violence in Syria and the United States, officials say recent attacks were either inspired by or linked to Islamic State ideology. While ISIS no longer controls territory like it once did, security experts warn the group has adapted rather than disappeared.