In many places, plans for New Year's Eve celebrations were muted or canceled for the second straight year due to a surge of coronavirus infections.
In many places, New Year's Eve celebrations were muted or canceled for the second straight year due to a surge of coronavirus infections, this time driven by the highly contagious omicron variant.
Neighboring Australia, however, was going ahead with its celebrations despite an explosion in virus cases. Some fireworks were let off early in the evening to give younger children a preview of the centerpiece of festivities, the renowned fireworks display from the Sydney Harbor Bridge and Sydney Opera House.Hours before the celebrations began, Australian health authorities reported a record 32,000 new virus cases, many of them in Sydney.
Across Japan, many people planned to take new year trips to spend time with their families. On New Year's Eve, people thronged temples and shrines, most of them wearing masks. South Korean authorities also planned to close many beaches and other tourist attractions along the east coast, which usually swarm with people hoping to catch the year's first sunrise. On Friday, South Korea said it will extend tough distancing rules for another two weeks.
Many Indonesians were also forgoing their usual festivities for a quieter evening at home, after the government banned many New Year's Eve celebrations. In Jakarta, fireworks displays, parades and other large gatherings were prohibited, while restaurants and malls were allowed to remain open but with curfews imposed.
Singapore Latest News, Singapore Headlines
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