World News – UK – North Korea and Taiwan see majority of the world in New Year for muted celebrations in 2021

North Korea, China and Taiwan marked the beginning of 2021 Millions of people around the world are celebrating the New Year at home due to COVID -19

From Paris to New York, many major cities are preparing for the New Year by adopting strict crowd control measures to limit the spread of the coronavirus

State television showed participants wearing face masks but standing close together and waving glowing lights and balloons

Performers with no face covering sang and danced on a stage that was decorated with a large, colorful “2021” sign

Patriotic songs with lyrics such as “Glory to General Kim Jong Un” and “I Like My Country Best” were featured prominently

At the annual flag-raising in front of the President’s office building on New Year’s morning, attendance was limited to government officials and invited guests

The island has been a pandemic success story, recording only seven deaths and 700 confirmed cases of COVID-19

Thailand ushered in the new year with fireworks at the Iconsiam shopping center in Bangkok

The country on Wednesday put a ban on large gatherings and events across the country in an effort to contain the worst coronavirus epidemic yet.

Hong Kong officials have canceled the pyrotechnics over Victoria Harbor, as well as the iconic annual New Year parade in February

That makes 2021 the second straight year the city has missed out on the normally lavish annual celebrations

Last year’s countdown fireworks and the 2020 New Years Parade were held in a greatly reduced form due to the threat of protests against the government

Japan ushered in the New Year without its annual event where Emperor Naruhito and other Imperial family members greet the public

In addition to canceling night trains on New Years Eve in Tokyo, some of the city’s major countdown parties, concerts, and other seasonal gatherings, including the famous Shibuya Scramble Crossing party, have been canceled

The city held a countdown ceremony with only a few invited guests while other scheduled events were canceled

In Wuhan, where the pandemic is believed to have originated, thousands gathered at several popular downtown attractions for the countdown to 2021

“Safety is a priority,” said Wang Xuemei, 23, a teacher from Wuhan. “It’s okay because these measures are not enforced very strictly,” added her friend and colleague Wang Anyu. “You can still go out.”

Sydney celebrated with a fireworks display over Harbor Bridge, which was only followed live by the residents of the region and their guests

The celebrated annual event usually draws a million people, but this year, due to coronavirus restrictions, Australian officials have banned gathering near the bridge to watch

The ad has been shortened to seven minutes and the borough restricted to those with restaurant and hotel bookings

New South Wales Prime Minister Gladys Berejiklian said those living in the city center could invite up to 10 friends and family to their home to celebrate, and guests had to apply for permission to enter the area can

City Mayor Sally Capp said, “For the first time in many, many years, we have made the big decision to cancel the fireworks

“We did this because we know there are up to 450Attracts 000 people to town for a moment at midnight to enjoy a spectacular performance and music. We won’t do that this year “

In contrast, the west coast city of Perth, where the virus has not been transmitted to the community since April, celebrated the New Year with a large crowd in attendance for two fireworks

President Vladimir Putin forwarded his annual message, available online and broadcast in each time zone at 11:45 a.m.

In Auckland, New Zealand, residents were treated to five-minute fireworks and a light show as the clock struck midnight

Due to the low number of new coronavirus cases in the city, crowds of people were allowed to gather in the city for the occasion

Thousands of people watched the exhibition up close, which began at midnight from the Sky Tower

The crowd cheered with excitement at 11:45 am when a man in the public address system announced, “We only have 15 minutes”

The Sky Tower was adorned with colorful animated laser displays with geometric shapes and animals, including a green gecko that appeared to be climbing down the 328 m high tower

In one of the largest gatherings, 30000 revelers at a three-day music festival in a winery near Gisborne on the North Island

The Pacific island of Tonga was the first country to mark the beginning of 2021 at 10 a.m. GMT

In Ireland, the bells of Christ Church Cathedral in Dublin are ringing the New Year not for the first time in vivid memory and possibly for centuries

With the entire country under the strictest COVID-19 restrictions, all New Years Eve events online have been postponed

France has 100000 police officers and gendarmes mobilized to break up New Year’s Eve parties and enforce a curfew from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m.

Half of the metro lines in Paris are also closed in the evening to prevent gatherings

France had two national locks and bars, restaurants and cultural attractions will remain closed until January

The avatar of composer and performer Jean-Michel Jarre will play a set from a virtual Notre Dame cathedral while he performs it live himself in a nearby studio in the city

In Italy, common concerts in public places have been canceled in favor of live streaming performances and art installations

Fireworks will continue to take place in Rome, but Pope Francis will skip his typical visit to the Vatican’s life-size nativity scene in St. Peter’s Square. He will bring his New Year’s blessings inside

Germany has banned the sale of fireworks and restricted private gatherings to a maximum of two households and five people

The country is up to 10 January closed and there are no celebrations in Berlin

The Netherlands are going to have their usual countdown behind closed doors at a football stadium in Amsterdam as it runs until 19 January remains closed

One of the most famous New Year’s Eve events is the Times Square Ball Drop in New York

The ball will still fall this year, but the party, which typically sees hundreds of thousands crowding the famous LED-lit intersection, will be for an “extremely limited” group of socially distant personal “award winners”

There will be a performance by the singer Gloria Gaynor, who will end the year with an interpretation of I Will Survive

Turkey is welcoming the New Year with a four-day embargo from 9 p.m. on New Year’s Eve when President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned that security forces will investigate hotels for illegal parties

© 2021 Sky UK

New Years Countdown, Countdown To New Years, New Years Countdown, New Years Eve 2020