In Sydney and Seoul, 2024 is already

New Year's Eve - In Sydney and Seoul, 2024 is already

In some countries, 2024 has already begun. In Germany, people are still waiting for the new year. Here, people are looking forward to the upcoming night with both anticipation and concern. For many people in the flooded areas, the New Year's Eve party on Sunday evening literally fell through.

Major cities such as Berlin are preparing for possible riots with thousands of emergency services. In Cologne, after the terror alert for the cathedral, the police want to secure the world-famous church tightly during the night.

Weather cooler than last time

According to the German Weather Service (DWD), there will initially be some rain on New Year's Eve, but it will quickly move eastwards. There will be showers in some areas, especially in the west and northwest. After mild double-digit temperatures last time, only up to around 7 degrees were expected this time.

In Lower Saxony, Interior Minister Daniela Behrens 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.

Launch in the South Pacific

The people on the South Pacific atoll of Kiritimati were the first in the world to start the year 2024, with around 7300 inhabitants welcoming in the New Year at 11.00 a.m. German time. One hour after Kiritimati, New Zealand and the island states of Samoa and Tonga celebrated the New Year.

The New Year began at 14:00 CET in parts of Australia, including Melbourne. In Sydney, a mega light show lit up the sky against the world-famous backdrop of the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House. According to the organizers, more than 13,500 fireworks were set off in the harbour district alone. There were also light projections generated by artificial intelligence.

China celebrates the New Year quietly

China also welcomed in the New Year - albeit much more quietly than other parts of the world. Although there are also smaller celebrations in the People's Republic, New Year's Eve is not a top priority for the Chinese. After all, according to the traditional lunar calendar, the new year does not begin until February 10. It is only then that people celebrate extensively with their families and a huge wave of travel begins, which moves hundreds of millions of people across the country.

In the Chinese special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau, New Year's Eve has a higher significance. In Hong Kong, tens of thousands gathered around Victoria Harbour to marvel at the huge fireworks display. Numerous large parties were also held in the casino city of Macau.

Traditional bell ringing in Seoul

In the South Korean capital Seoul, the new year was rung in with traditional bells. The bell in the center of the metropolis, which is over three meters high, was struck exactly 33 times on Monday night, as it does every year.

According to reports from South Korean broadcasters, tens of thousands of people gathered around the Bosin Pavilion with the large bronze bell to watch the ritual ceremony in temperatures around freezing point. Visitors who did not have a direct view of the pavilion watched the ceremony on large screens. The number 33 symbolizes good luck in Korea.

Fear of riots in Berlin

After riots at the turn of the year last year, the police in Berlin faced one of their biggest New Year's Eve operations. The war in Gaza following the terrorist attack on Israel by Islamist Hamas on October 7 has exacerbated the situation. According to the police commissioner, a total of around 4500 police officers from the capital and other federal states will be on duty in the capital that night.

Some New Year's Eve incidents had already occurred by Sunday afternoon: the police reported that a 40-year-old man had lost a hand when setting off a rocket in the Kaulsdorf district. In Berlin-Lichtenberg, a man who allegedly fired pyrotechnics from a gun from a balcony triggered a SEK operation. According to the police, the 33-year-old was arrested on Saturday evening.

The first incidents of rioting and attacks on emergency services also kept the police busy. For example, a group of people in Neukölln threw pyrotechnics at passers-by, the police reported on X (formerly Twitter).

Private fireworks are banned at the Brandenburg Gate, where the traditional New Year's Eve party takes place. For the first time since the coronavirus pandemic, there will be a fireworks display there. ZDF will once again broadcast the celebration live as a show called "Welcome 2024".

Before Christmas, security authorities had received information about a possible attack plan by an Islamist group in Cologne relating to New Year's Eve. Security precautions at Cologne Cathedral had already been increased for Christmas. Emergency services are to patrol the city with machine guns on New Year's Eve.

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

It takes 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 ring in the year 2024 - twelve hours after Germany. At 13:00 CET on January 1, only two uninhabited islands will follow.

Read also:

• Floods: water levels remain critical in many places
• Snow chaos further restricts Bavaria
• Continuous operation in the flood areas
• Flood situation remains tense in many places

1. Despite the flood situation in Lower Saxony, people are still looking forward to New Year's Eve, with Interior Minister Daniela Behrens urging caution due to the potential dangers of fireworks.
2. In Berlin, thousands of emergency services are being deployed to prevent possible riots during New Year's Eve celebrations, following a tense situation after the terror alert for the cathedral.
3. According to the German Weather Service (DWD), it will rain on New Year's Eve in some areas, especially in the west and northwest, with temperatures expected to be around 7 degrees Celsius.
4. In Seoul, South Korea, the new year is rung in with traditional bells, where tens of thousands of people gather around the Bosin Pavilion with the large bronze bell to watch the ceremony.
5. In Germany, many people are anticipating the New Year with both excitement and concern, as several areas have been hit by flooding leading to cancelled parties.
6. In Hong Kong and Macau, New Year's Eve has higher significance, with tens of thousands gathering around Victoria Harbour to watch the fireworks display, and numerous parties being held in the casino city of Macau.
7. In Sydney, Australia, the new year is celebrated with a massive light show featuring over 13,500 fireworks and light projections generated by artificial intelligence against the famous Harbour Bridge and Opera House.
8. The city of Berlin faced one of its biggest New Year's Eve operations due to potential riots, following the war in Gaza and terror attack by Hamas, with around 4500 police officers being deployed.
9. After riots at the turn of the year last year, police forces in Germany anticipate another challenging New Year's Eve, with various incidents and arrests already reported by Sunday afternoon.
10. The South Pacific atoll of Kiritimati, with around 7300 inhabitants, was the first place in the world to start the year 2024, welcoming in the New Year at 11.00 a.m. German time.
11. In other parts of Australia, including Melbourne, the New Year began 3 hours later, with Sydney showcasing a spectacular light show and fireworks display, a tradition that continues for over 30 years.
12. China welcomed in the New Year much more quietly than other parts of the world, with smaller celebrations and the actual New Year's Eve not being a priority for many, as the new year according to the traditional lunar calendar doesn't begin until February 10.

Source: www.stern.de