Sydney: Australia's largest city Sydney put on its biggest-ever fireworks display in a spectacular welcome to New Year, kicking off a wave of celebrations for billions around world.A record amount of pyrotechnics as well as new fireworks effects and colours lit up city's skyline for 12 minutes and dazzled more than 1.5 million spectators who packed harbour front and parks.An earlier thunderstorm did not dampen spirits of revellers who camped out at vantage points, some since early hours of morning.To mark international year of indigenous languages in 2019, harbour also hosted a ceremony celebrating Aboriginal heritage that included animations projected onto bridge's pylons.Around worldThe party atmosphere will sweep across major cities in Asia, Europe, Africa and Americas as clock ticks past midnight.A record amount of pyrotechnics as well as new fireworks effects and colours lit up Sydney's skyline.A strong police presence has become a key element of festivities, to protect crowds that could be targeted in terror and vehicle attacks.Hong Kong: Glittering fireworks will be sent skyward from five barges floating in Victoria Harbour in a 10-minute display watched by 300,000 people on shore.Jakarta: Hundreds of couples will tie knot in a free mass wedding, as those in tsunami-hit Banten province, where affected towns were popular holiday destinations, have been told to cancel party plans to show respect for victims.Tokyo: Japanese will flock to temples to ring in New Year, while US boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr will take on local kickboxer Tenshin Nasukawa in a bout staged outside Tokyo.Moscow: Concerts and light shows will be held across city's parks and more than 1,000 ice rinks have been opened for merrymakers.Paris: A fireworks display and sound and light show under theme "fraternity" is set to go ahead on Champs-Elysees despite plans for further "yellow vest" anti-government protests at famed avenue.More than 1.5 million spectators who packed Sydney harbour front and parks.Berlin: Music lovers will party at a concert at Brandenburg Gate, but a popular German tradition of setting off fireworks to mark occasion has been banned in some other cities over safety concerns.London: Britain's capital will usher in New Year by celebrating its relationship with Europe amid turmoil over Brexit referendum vote to leave EU, with fireworks display at London Eye to feature music from continent's artists.Edinburgh: The Scottish capital's traditional Hogmanay celebrations will also take on a pro-European theme ahead of year in which Britain is due to exit union.Looking ahead to 2019As world parties, many will also look forward to 2019 and wonder whether turmoil witnessed during previous year will spill over into next.The political wrangling in Westminster over Brexit was one of key stories of this year, with a resolution yet to be reached ahead of scheduled March 29 departure. US President Donald Trump dominated headlines in 2018 as he ramped up his trade war with China, quit Iran nuclear deal, moved American embassy to Jerusalem and met his North Korean counterpart Kim Jong Un in Singapore for a historic summit.An earlier thunderstorm did not dampen spirits of revellers who camped out at vantage points, since early morning.North Korea's commitment to denuclearisation will remain a major political and security issue into next year, as will Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's reassertion of control after Trump's shock military withdrawal announcement.The war in Yemen, which started in 2014 and has already killed about 10,000 people and left some 20 million at risk of starvation, could take a crucial turn after a ceasefire went into effect in mid-December.Numerous countries go to polls in 2019, with key elections in India, Afghanistan, Indonesia, South Africa, Argentina and Australia.Major sporting events on calendar include Rugby World Cup in Japan, cricket one-day international World Cup in England and athletics World Championships in Qatar.(Except for headline, this story has not been edited by TheIndianSubcontinent staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)