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Hundreds of millions of people in Europe have welcomed 2022 – hoping for an early end to the Corona pandemic. In many places, including Austria, the old year bid farewell with unusually mild temperatures. In many countries around the world, New Year’s Eve celebrations were more subdued than usual because of Corona. Many large parties and fireworks displays were canceled, including festivities in Paris and London.
In many countries around the world, the new year began much earlier: the South Sea islands of Samoa and Kiribati were the first in the world to slide into the new year – as early as 11 a.m. Central European Time. New Zealand followed an hour later, although most events and the fireworks display from the Sky Tower in Auckland were canceled due to Corona, as were all public events in other cities such as Christchurch and Wellington.
In Sydney, Australia, tens of thousands of spectators were again admitted to the fireworks display against the backdrop of the Opera House – unlike last year’s turn of the year. Those interested had to buy a ticket in advance for one of around 30 viewing points. In the state of New South Wales, where Sydney is located, Corona numbers are exploding right now because of the spread of the Omicron variant.
In China, several cities canceled fireworks and major festivities because of Corona, including Beijing and also Wuhan, the city where the Corona virus first broke out in late 2019. New Year’s Eve is not a particularly important holiday for the Chinese, per se. According to their traditional lunar calendar, the new year doesn’t start until early February this time.
In Thailand – one of the few long-distance destinations where numerous tourists are currently staying – many bars were exceptionally allowed to open until 1:00 a.m. on New Year’s Eve. In the capital Bangkok, tens of thousands of locals and tourists welcomed the New Year in the famous backpacker mile Khaosan Road. Corona numbers are low in Thailand so far, despite omicron variant.
Dubai welcomed the New Year with a colorful fireworks display including a laser show on the world’s tallest building. In Moscow, there was a big fireworks display at 10 p.m. CET at the Kremlin and Red Square.
In other countries, people still have to be patient: Parts of Brazil and Argentina can welcome the New Year only at 4:00 CET, followed by New York at 6:00, Los Angeles at 9:00 and Honolulu in Hawaii only at 11:00.
It will take until 1 p.m. CET on January 1 for the entire globe to slip into the new year. Last up are the uninhabited islands of Baker Island and Howland Island in the Pacific.
source: kleinezeitung.at/picture: Image by Tom Hill from Pixabay
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