World rings in new year amid wildfires, protests.

Islamabad: Millions of people began ringing in 2020 with fireworks, dancing and champagne on Wednesday, but Australia's celebrations were overshadowed by deadly wildfires while protests dampened the festive mood in India.

New Zealanders were among the first to welcome the new year, with fireworks lighting up the night sky over Auckland.

Large crowds thronged Sydney harbor to watch Australia's famous New Year's Eve fireworks, even as smoke turned the evening sky in nearby coastal towns blood-red.

Many towns along the country's eastern coast canceled their fireworks as thousands swarmed to beaches to escape the fires.

Thousands in India also planned to greet the new year with protests, angered by a citizenship law they say will discriminate against Muslims and chip away at the country's secular constitution.

Sydney decided to press ahead with its fireworks display despite calls by some members of the public for it to be canceled in solidarity with fire-hit areas in New South Wales, of which the city is the capital. "Tonight we expect a million people around the Harbour and a billion people around the world to watch Sydney's New Year Eve celebrations, which is Australia's biggest public event," City of Sydney mayor Clover Moore earlier told reporters.

Some tourists trapped in Australia's coastal towns posted images of blood-red, smoke-filled skies on social media. One beachfront photograph showed people lying shoulder-to-shoulder on the sand, some wearing gas masks.

The fires have spread across four states, with fronts stretching hundreds of kilometers in some cases. They have killed at least 11 people since October and left many towns and rural areas without electricity and mobile coverage.

Defending the decision not to cancel Sydney's fireworks and reallocate funds to fire-affected regions, Moore said planning had begun 15 months ago and most of the budget had already been allocated. The event was also a boost to NSW's economy.

Not everybody welcomed that decision. "Is Sydney seriously still...