Auckland in New Zealand has become the world's first major city to celebrate the start of 2020 with a bang. Watch the city's fireworks display erupt from its 328-metre tall Sky Tower. Source: BBC BDST: 1840 HRS, DEC 31, 2019 SMS

Some of the details may change, but year in and year out, these destinations around the world have a well-deserved reputation for traditionally throwing a great New Year's Eve shindig. Be sure to plan early for prime parties and the best viewing areas for fireworks. Some venues

General Manoj Mukund Naravane took charge as the 28th Chief of Army Staff on Tuesday even as General Bipin Rawat retired after serving three years as the Army Chief. After being appointed as the Chief of Army Staff, General Mukund Naravane said: "It is an honour to be given this

Thousands of people have fled to a beach in Victoria, Australia, to escape bushfires racing towards the coast. Locals in Mallacoota described a "terrifying experience" of camping on wharves and boarding boats under blood-red skies. Military aircraft and vessels are to be sent to

Sydney's iconic fireworks display on New Year's Eve will go-ahead despite calls for it to be cancelled due to the bushfire crisis. The New South Wales (NSW) Rural Fire Service granted organisers an exemption from a total fire ban covering the region. NSW has been ravaged by

A scientist in China who said he had created the world's first gene-edited babies has been jailed for three years. He Jiankui was convicted of violating a government ban by carrying out his own experiments on human embryos, to try to give them protection against HIV. He was

Greta Thunberg's father has said he thought it was "a bad idea" for his daughter to take to the "front line" of the battle against climate change. Millions of people have been inspired to join the 16-year-old in raising awareness of environmental issues. But Svante Thunberg told

Scores of fires are burning out of control across Australia amid a heatwave which has seen temperatures exceed 40C (104F) in every state. On Monday, the most dangerous fires were in the state of Victoria. About 30,000 residents and tourists were urged to flee East Gippsland - a

A gunman has opened fire in a church in Texas, fatally shooting two people before being killed by an armed member of the congregation. The gunman stood up from a pew at West Freeway Church of Christ in White Settlement, a suburb of Fort Worth, pulled out a shotgun and began firing.

Tens of thousands of residents and holidaymakers in the Australian state of Victoria have been told to evacuate amid worsening bushfire conditions. Temperatures of over 40C (104F), strong winds, thunderstorms and a change of wind direction meant Monday would be a day of extreme danger,

Russia and Ukraine have begun the final phase of a long-awaited prisoner exchange, the office of the Ukrainian president said on Sunday. Authorities agreed to the swap - aimed at improving relations between the two countries - at talks in December. Ukraine is expected to hand over

At least five people have been stabbed at the house of a rabbi in New York state, police say. The house in Monsey, north of New York City, was hosting a religious celebration when the attacker burst in, according to the Orthodox Jewish Public Affairs Council (OJPAC). The suspect

Boris Johnson was given an off-road motorbike by his girlfriend Carrie Symonds for Christmas, it has been claimed. The Prime Minister received a second-hand Yamaha TTR 125 from the 31-year-old, according to the Mail on Sunday. The bike, thought to be worth around £1,000, can reach

A complaint has been filed in the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) regarding the alleged manhandling of Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra by Uttar Pradesh police in Lucknow on Saturday. Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday alleged that she was strangulated by a

The US suffered more mass killings in 2019 than any year on record, according to researchers. A database compiled by the Associated Press (AP), USA Today and Northeastern University recorded 41 incidents and a total of 211 deaths. Mass killings are defined as four or more people

A member of the rescue team that saved 12 boys and their football coach from a flooded cave in Thailand last year has died from an infection he picked up during the operation, officials said. Petty Officer Beirut Pakbara, a Thai Navy Seal, contracted a blood infection during the rescue

A truck bomb has exploded at a busy security checkpoint in Somalia's capital, killing at least 76 people. It was one of the deadliest attacks in Mogadishu in recent memory, and witnesses said its force reminded them of the devastating 2017 bombing that killed hundreds of people.

Delhi continues to shiver morning as the national capital recorded its coldest day of the season today. At 6.10 am, thetemperature plummeted to 2.4 degrees Celsius, according to India Meteorological Department (IMD). The national capital is all set to witness the coldest New Year's

Uruguay's authorities say they have seized a record haul of 4.4 tonnes of cocaine, calling it the biggest setback for drug traffickers in the country's history. The cocaine was confiscated in a joint operation between navy and customs officers in the port of Montevideo. It

Somali officials say at least 30 people were killed and dozens wounded when a huge car bomb exploded at a busy junction on the southwestern side of Mogadishu. According to witnesses, the blast occurred at a security checkpoint at an intersection used by vehicles leaving and entering