Fireworks explode over Sydney Opera House during the New Year's Eve celebrations, in Sydney, Australia, December 31, 2022. (Photo: Reuters)

From 8 a.m. on December 31, a long line of people gathered at Circular Quay to find a place to watch the New Year's Eve fireworks. It is expected that more than 1 million people will gather along the harbor to watch the brilliant fireworks display lasting about 20 minutes, enjoy impressive shows using AI projected onto the Harbor Bridge and the boats shimmeringly lit on the water.

Trains and buses have increased operations in the last evening of 2023 to meet great travel needs. The municipal government advises drivers to find suitable travel routes due to widespread road closures in Sydney.

In Japan, on the last day of 2023, people are busy preparing a family meal to say goodbye to the old year and welcome the New Year. Early in the morning, most supermarkets in Tokyo are crowded with shoppers looking for food. Large sushi trays are the best-selling item because of the convenience and elegance of the dish. Japanese families often eat sushi at a New Year's Eve meal or give it as a gift when attending year-end parties.

Some major cities in the US have tightened security ahead of the New Year. US Federal Bureau of Investigation and a number of other federal agencies have issued warnings about potential threats during the holidays. New York Governor Kathy Hochul tasked multiple agencies with keeping the millions of people expected to flood the streets of the city safe. Americans and travelers who are planning to see the Times Square ball drop in person on New Year's Eve will be surrounded by heightened security measures in the hours ahead of and after ringing in 2024, according to Hochul.

France has ramped up security for New Year's Eve, with 90,000 law enforcement officers set to be deployed, 50,000 troops in Paris alone, amid a heightened terrorist threat.