World welcomes 2026 with fireworks after year of Trump and turmoilPARIS, France, Jan 1, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Revellers around the world toasted the start of 2026, bidding farewell on Wednesday to a volatile year when temperatures soared, US President Donald Trump upended global trade, and the brutal conflict in Ukraine raged on. A new American pope was installed at the Vatican, the world lost pioneering zoologist Jane Goodall, and Labubu dolls sparked a worldwide frenzy. Russia's Vladimir Putin meanwhile used his traditional New Year address to urge his compatriots to believe that Moscow would deliver a victory in Europe's deadliest conflict since World War II. Trump returned as US president in January, launching a tariff blitz that sent global trade and world stock markets into meltdown. And in New York, thousands gathered in freezing temperatures amid tight security for the traditional ball drop in Times Square.

Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha January 01, 2026 02:29 UTC