In many countries it is already 2024 - Germany is still waiting

New Year's Eve - In many countries it is already 2024 - Germany is still waiting

It is already the New Year for billions of people - in Germany, people were still waiting for 2024 on Sunday evening. The New Year celebrations are overshadowed in many places by the turmoil surrounding the wars in the Gaza Strip and Ukraine. Tighter security measures are in place in many major cities around the world due to fears of attacks.

Following the terror alert for Cologne Cathedral, three more suspects were arrested on Sunday. In Berlin, around 4500 police officers are to prevent riots like last year. There was a big surprise of a different kind in Denmark: in Copenhagen, Queen Margrethe announced in her 52nd New Year's speech that she would abdicate in mid-January.

More suspects in custody after Cologne terror alert

At a press conference in Cologne, the police chief said that the suspected attack had been planned to be carried out with a car. It had emerged that the Tajik, who had already been taken into custody on Christmas Eve, was part of a larger network. North Rhine-Westphalia's Interior Minister Herbert Reul (CDU) said that the 1,000 or so police officers deployed around the cathedral on New Year's Eve were doing everything they could to ensure the safety of those celebrating. Shortly before Christmas, the police had received information about a planned Islamist terrorist attack on Cologne Cathedral, which was related to New Year's Eve.

New Year's Eve affected by flood disaster

For many people in the flooded areas, the New Year's Eve party literally fell through this time. Daniela Behrens, Minister of the Interior of the hard-hit federal state of Lower Saxony, called on people to be cautious with New Year's Eve fireworks due to the tense flood situation. The fire departments and rescue services are busy enough, said the SPD politician in Verden.

Australia, China, South Korea already have 2024

In many parts of the world, 2024 has already begun. The people on the South Sea atoll of Kiritimati were the first in the world to start the new year. One hour later, New Zealand celebrated the New Year. At 2 p.m. Central European Time, the time had come in Australian cities such as Melbourne. In Sydney, a mega light show lit up the sky against the world-famous backdrop of the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House. By the German evening, the year 2024 had already arrived in Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan and China.

Berlin is in a "New Year's Eve state of emergency"

The police and fire department in Berlin prepared for the New Year with a large contingent. According to Police Commissioner Barbara Slowik, it is one of the largest operations in the capital in recent decades. The situation was exacerbated by the war in Gaza following the terrorist attack on Israel by the Islamist Hamas before what is always a turbulent New Year's Eve in Berlin.

According to the latest information, around 3200 police officers from other federal states and the federal police were also deployed in Berlin. They were also supposed to protect firefighters and rescue workers. The fire department and other aid organizations wanted to deploy a total of more than 1,500 personnel. That was about three times as many as usual, it was said.

Private fireworks displays are particularly dangerous. The Berlin police reported that a 40-year-old man had lost a hand when setting off a signal rocket in the Kaulsdorf district. The rocket exploded in his hand immediately after being set off. During a search, further pyrotechnics were found on his person and confiscated. The first attacks on emergency services and passers-by have also been reported in Berlin.

Demonstration banned in Berlin-Neukölln

The Berlin police banned a pro-Palestinian demonstration in Neukölln that had been planned for New Year's Eve due to concerns about criminal acts. According to the police, two parallel planned counter-rallies in support of Israel were subsequently canceled by the organizers. Another pro-Palestinian demonstration marched from Neukölln to Kreuzberg on New Year's Eve afternoon with a massive police presence.

Hotspot areas and no-fire zones

The police defined several hotspot areas, including North Neukölln. There were also no-fire zones, for example at Alexanderplatz. Private fireworks are also banned at the Brandenburg Gate. The traditional New Year's Eve party will take place there again, broadcast live by ZDF. For the first time since the coronavirus pandemic, a firework display is planned. According to a police spokeswoman, the crowd is still small in the early evening.

Whole globe only on January 1 at 1 pm in the new year

It will take a total of 26 hours for the entire globe to enter the New Year. American Samoa, which lies just 220 kilometers east of Samoa on the other side of the International Date Line, will be the last country to do so - twelve hours after Germany. At 13:00 CET on January 1, only two uninhabited islands will follow.