Watch Now: 2022 welcomed around the world
Sorrow for the dead and dying, fear of more infections to come and hopes for an end to the coronavirus pandemic were — again — the bittersweet cocktail with which the world said good riddance to 2021 and ushered in 2022.
New Year’s Eve, which used to be celebrated globally with a free-spirited wildness, felt instead like a case of deja vu, with the fast-spreading omicron variant again filing hospitals.
The venue that many chose for New Year’s celebrations was the same place they became overly familiarly with during lockdowns: their homes. Some cities cancelled traditional New Year’s Eve concerts and fireworks displays to avoid drawing large crowds.
Yet elsewhere boisterous New Year’s Eve celebrations kicked off and mass gatherings were allowed despite fears of the omicron variant. In mnay coluntries including the United States, large crowds gathered Friday evening for outdoor concerts, fireworks or light shows, and hotels and bars were packed.
-
Watch Now: 2022 welcomed around the worldBruna Prado - stringer, AP
The Smoke Squadron flies over a Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on New Year's eve, Friday, Dec. 31, 2021. Residents and tourists prepare to party and watch a fireworks display marking the end of 2021.
Bruna Prado - stringer, APThe Smoke Squadron flies over a Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on New Year's eve, Friday, Dec. 31, 2021. Residents and tourists prepare to party and watch a fireworks display marking the end of 2021.
-
Watch Now: 2022 welcomed around the worldKiichiro Sato - staff, AP
A security guard holds up a sign indicating that there is no countdown event at the famed Shibuya scramble crossing, a popular location for New Year's Eve gathering Friday, Dec. 31, 2021, in Tokyo as people gather to celebrate New Year's eve.
Kiichiro Sato - staff, APA security guard holds up a sign indicating that there is no countdown event at the famed Shibuya scramble crossing, a popular location for New Year's Eve gathering Friday, Dec. 31, 2021, in Tokyo as people gather to celebrate New Year's eve.
-
-
Watch Now: 2022 welcomed around the worldWason Wanichakorn - stringer, AP
Fireworks explode over the Chao Phraya River during New Year celebrations in Bangkok, Thailand, Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022,
Wason Wanichakorn - stringer, APFireworks explode over the Chao Phraya River during New Year celebrations in Bangkok, Thailand, Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022,
-
Watch Now: 2022 welcomed around the worldAdel Hana - staff, AP
A Palestinian woman takes photos of her children near the beach on the last day of the year and New Year's celebrations, in Gaza City, Friday, Dec. 31, 2021.
Adel Hana - staff, APA Palestinian woman takes photos of her children near the beach on the last day of the year and New Year's celebrations, in Gaza City, Friday, Dec. 31, 2021.
-
-
Watch Now: 2022 welcomed around the worldEfrem Lukatsky - staff, AP
Crowds of people celebrate the New Year around the Christmas tree with the St. Sofia Cathedral in the background in Kyiv, Ukraine, Friday, Dec. 31, 2021. Despite of COVID-19 quarantine restrictions, a lot of Ukrainians enjoy outdoor New Year events, often ignoring protective measures.
Efrem Lukatsky - staff, APCrowds of people celebrate the New Year around the Christmas tree with the St. Sofia Cathedral in the background in Kyiv, Ukraine, Friday, Dec. 31, 2021. Despite of COVID-19 quarantine restrictions, a lot of Ukrainians enjoy outdoor New Year events, often ignoring protective measures.
-
Watch Now: 2022 welcomed around the worldVincent Yu - staff, AP
People celebrate during a New Year's Eve concert in Hong Kong Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022.
Vincent Yu - staff, APPeople celebrate during a New Year's Eve concert in Hong Kong Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022.
-
-
Watch Now: 2022 welcomed around the worldEraldo Peres - staff, AP
Followers of the Yoruba religion give offerings to Yemanja, a deity celebrated by the African Yoruba religion, at a lake in downtown Brasilia, Brazil on New Year’s Eve, Friday, Dec. 31, 2021. As the year winds down, Brazilian worshippers celebrate Yemanja, goddess of the sea, offering flowers and launching large and small boats into the water in exchange for blessings for the coming year.
Eraldo Peres - staff, APFollowers of the Yoruba religion give offerings to Yemanja, a deity celebrated by the African Yoruba religion, at a lake in downtown Brasilia, Brazil on New Year’s Eve, Friday, Dec. 31, 2021. As the year winds down, Brazilian worshippers celebrate Yemanja, goddess of the sea, offering flowers and launching large and small boats into the water in exchange for blessings for the coming year.
-
Watch Now: 2022 welcomed around the worldAndrew Medichini - staff, AP
Pope Francis waves as he arrives to celebrate a new year's eve vespers Mass in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Friday, Dec. 31, 2021.
Andrew Medichini - staff, APPope Francis waves as he arrives to celebrate a new year's eve vespers Mass in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Friday, Dec. 31, 2021.
-
-
Watch Now: 2022 welcomed around the worldK.M. Chaudary - stringer, AP
Students holds candles while participating in a demonstration to say goodbye to year 2021 and welcome in 2022, in Lahore, Pakistan, Friday, Dec. 31, 2021.
K.M. Chaudary - stringer, APStudents holds candles while participating in a demonstration to say goodbye to year 2021 and welcome in 2022, in Lahore, Pakistan, Friday, Dec. 31, 2021.
-
Watch Now: 2022 welcomed around the worldDarko Vojinovic - staff, AP
Women dance on the Belgrade's main pedestrian street in front of brass band prior a New Year's Eve, Serbia, Friday, Dec. 31, 2021. As the fast-spreading coronavirus variant omicron rages through Western Europe, officials and experts in low-vaccinated Eastern Europe anticipate a post-holiday explosion of COVID-19 cases in much of the region.
Darko Vojinovic - staff, APWomen dance on the Belgrade's main pedestrian street in front of brass band prior a New Year's Eve, Serbia, Friday, Dec. 31, 2021. As the fast-spreading coronavirus variant omicron rages through Western Europe, officials and experts in low-vaccinated Eastern Europe anticipate a post-holiday explosion of COVID-19 cases in much of the region.
-
-
Watch Now: 2022 welcomed around the worldLee Jin-man - staff, AP
A visitor wearing a face mask poses for a photo in front of an illuminated decorations on New Year's Eve in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, Dec. 31, 2021.
Lee Jin-man - staff, APA visitor wearing a face mask poses for a photo in front of an illuminated decorations on New Year's Eve in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, Dec. 31, 2021.
-
Watch Now: 2022 welcomed around the worldAjit Solanki - staff, AP
Workers of a political party and others cheer in front of a huge kite to welcome 2022 on New Year’s Eve in Ahmedabad, India, Friday, Dec. 31, 2021.
Ajit Solanki - staff, APWorkers of a political party and others cheer in front of a huge kite to welcome 2022 on New Year’s Eve in Ahmedabad, India, Friday, Dec. 31, 2021.
-
-
Watch Now: 2022 welcomed around the worldNg Han Guan - staff, AP
Attendees at an event that coincided with the New Year Eve cheer as fake snow from a foam machine is blown overhead in Beijing, China, Friday, Dec. 31, 2021.
Ng Han Guan - staff, APAttendees at an event that coincided with the New Year Eve cheer as fake snow from a foam machine is blown overhead in Beijing, China, Friday, Dec. 31, 2021.
-
Watch Now: 2022 welcomed around the worldAjit Solanki - staff, AP
Indians, wearing face masks to help curb the spread of the coronavirus, hold the cutouts to welcome 2022 on New Year’s Eve in Ahmedabad, India, Friday, Dec. 31, 2021.
Ajit Solanki - staff, APIndians, wearing face masks to help curb the spread of the coronavirus, hold the cutouts to welcome 2022 on New Year’s Eve in Ahmedabad, India, Friday, Dec. 31, 2021.
-
-
Watch Now: 2022 welcomed around the worldDean Lewins - handout one time use, AAP
Fireworks explode over the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge as New Year's Eve celebrations begin in Sydney, Friday, Dec. 31, 2021.
Dean Lewins - handout one time use, AAPFireworks explode over the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge as New Year's Eve celebrations begin in Sydney, Friday, Dec. 31, 2021.
-
Watch Now: 2022 welcomed around the worldLee Jin-man - staff, AP
A man looks at the decorations for the coming 2022 Year on New Year's Eve in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, Dec. 31, 2021.
Lee Jin-man - staff, APA man looks at the decorations for the coming 2022 Year on New Year's Eve in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, Dec. 31, 2021.
-