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 devastating fire has ripped through the Tai Po district of Hong Kong, engulfing multiple high-rise residential towers and leaving dozens missing in one of the city’s deadliest recent blazes. The 31-storey Wang Fuk Court megablock, home to over 2,000 residents, was overtaken by flames in a nightlong battle, with escape routes blocked and smoke reducing visibility to near zero. Tragically, thirteen lives have been confirmed lost, while families watch helplessly as scaffolding collapses and flames consume their homes. Survivors recount deafening explosions and chaos as firefighters work tirelessly through the night to control the inferno. WATCH