19 h. ago Joyful ice skating at the Summer Palace as Beijing welcomes first snowfall of 2026

Joyful ice skating at the Summer Palace as Beijing welcomes first snowfall of 2026  Global Times

Politics

1 week ago China Welcomes 2026 in Style with Nearly 130,000 Visitors at Beijing’s 798 Art District New Year’s Eve Celebration

China Welcomes 2026 in Style with Nearly 130,000 Visitors at Beijing’s 798 Art District New Year’s Eve Celebration  Travel And Tour World

Politics

1 week ago New KMT chair hopes to take peace message to Beijing while on Taiwan political tightrope

A plan by the chairwoman of Taiwan’s main opposition party to visit Beijing – where she hopes to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping – early this year carries hopes of improving communication amid high tension between the two sides of the strait. While supporters portray Cheng Li-wun’s trip as a potential opening to ease cross-strait tensions, critics warn it risks signalling political alignment with Beijing at a time of rising military pressure. Cheng, who was elected chairwoman of the Kuomintang...

Politics

2 w. ago Malaysia’s new year revelry sees less waste as tougher littering laws kick in

Malaysia welcomed 2026 with tougher anti-littering enforcement, as New Year’s Eve celebrations saw less waste in the capital amid expanded efforts to keep the country clean. About 3.2 tonnes of rubbish were scooped up from three major hotspots in Kuala Lumpur – Dataran Merdeka, the KLCC area and Bukit Bintang – after the countdown, according to waste contractor Alam Flora. The figure marked an 11 per cent drop from the 3.6 tonnes collected a year earlier, officials said. Prime Minister Anwar...

Politics

2 w. ago World welcomes 2026 with fireworks, lightshows and hopes for peace

As Wednesday turned to Thursday, people around the world said goodbye to a sometimes challenging 2025 and expressed hopes for the new year to come. In Croatia, revels got off to an early start. Since 2000, the town of Fuzine has held its countdown at noon, a tradition that has since spread across the country. Crowds cheered, toasted each other with champagne and danced to music – all in the middle of the day. Some brave souls in Santa hats took a plunge into the icy waters of Lake...

Events

2 w. ago LIVE: From Sydney To Beijing: Cities Light Up To Welcome 2026

LIVE: From Sydney To Beijing: Cities Light Up To Welcome 2026  ABP Live English

Politics

2 w. ago Shougang Park in Beijing hosts New Year's Eve events to welcome 2026

Shougang Park in Beijing hosts New Year's Eve events to welcome 2026  Global Times

Events

2 w. ago New Year’s Eve revellers hope for peace as crowds flock to Hong Kong lights show

Hundreds of Hongkongers and tourists have begun flocking to the streets of Central as excitement builds to usher in 2026, with many saying they hope the new year might bring world peace and avoid a repeat of the deadly Tai Po fire. The Post saw staff for the area’s countdown event and police officers moving barricades and other equipment at around 6pm on Wednesday. Authorities opted for a lights show instead of fireworks following the recent inferno. Some of the first to gather in Central were...

Politics

2 w. ago Hong Kong’s New Year revellers pack Central, Tsim Sha Tsui, pray for world peace

Tens of thousands of Hongkongers and tourists flocked to the streets of Central and Tsim Sha Tsui to usher in 2026, with many praying for world peace and a disaster-free 2026. The Post observed that by 10pm, large sections of the Cater Road pedestrian area designated for the celebrations replacing the city’s traditional fireworks display were packed with revellers, with police seen directing people to different areas. Shortly thereafter, the Hong Kong Tourism Board issued a statement encouraging...

Politics

2 w. ago Hong Kong rings in 2026 as tens of thousands pack Central, Tsim Sha Tsui

Tens of thousands of Hongkongers and tourists welcomed the new year, as cheers rang across the streets of Central and Tsim Sha Tsui, with many praying for world peace and a disaster-free 2026. People could be seen cheering, dancing and even popping a bottle of champagne on Chater Road, where the main event was held. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu also joined the celebrations there. “This year’s countdown event, themed ‘New Hope, New Beginning’, conveyed positive energy and blessings. I also...

Politics

2 w. ago Trump says Zelensky and Putin ‘serious about peace’ in Ukraine war talks sprint

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met US President Donald Trump on Sunday, hoping to forge a plan to end the war in Ukraine, but the American leader’s call with Russian President Vladimir Putin just before the meeting suggests obstacles to peace remain. Zelensky has said he hopes to soften a US proposal for Ukrainian forces to withdraw completely from the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine, a Russian demand that would mean ceding some territory held by Ukrainian forces. Just before Zelensky...

Politics