World readies to ring in 2023
Category: News & Politics
Via: john-russell • 2 years ago • 37 commentsBy: Agence France-Presse (Raw Story - Celebrating Years of Independent Journalism)
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
The world's eight billion people on Saturday prepared to usher in 2023 and farewell a turbulent 12 months marked by war in Europe, stinging price rises and Lionel Messi's world cup glory.
After a few pandemic-dampened years, many will be looking to cut loose this New Year's Eve -- setting aside pinched budgets and a virus that is increasingly forgotten, but not gone.
Sydney will be among the first major cities to ring in 2023, restaking its claim to be the "New Year's Eve capital of the world" after two years of lockdown and Omicron-muted festivities.
Australia's borders have now reopened, and more than one million people are expected to line Sydney's sparkling harbor to watch 100,000 pyrotechnics illuminate the southern sky.
By lunch, hundreds of eager revelers had already claimed the best vantage points to welcome 2023 with a bang.
"It's been a fairly good year for us; getting past Covid of course is great," David Hugh-Paterson told AFP, as he waited near the Sydney Opera House in a growing crowd, many sheltering under umbrellas from the summer sun.
"Looking forward to the future as well," the 52-year-old said.
Sydney authorities expect almost half a billion more people will see the festivities online or on TV.
"If we can bring everyone together in celebration and looking to the year ahead with renewed optimism and joy, then we'll see that as a job well done," said fireworks organizer Fortunato Foti.
For some, 2022 was a year of Wordles, the Great Resignation, a new Taylor Swift album, an Oscar slap and billionaire meltdowns.
It also saw the deaths of Queen Elizabeth II, Brazilian football icon Pele, Mikhail Gorbachev, Jiang Zemin and Shinzo Abe.
But 2022 is most likely to be remembered for armed conflict returning to Europe -- a continent that was the crucible of two world wars.
'A peaceful sky'
More than 300 days into Russia's botched invasion of Ukraine, about 7,000 civilians have been killed and 10,000 more injured, according to the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.
About 16 million Ukrainians have fled their homes.
For those who remain, an 11:00 pm to 5:00 am curfew will be in place amid periodic blackouts and Russian missile barrages.
While some will mark the occasion with quiet candlelit prayers, others intend to party through the night in a collective show of resolve.
In past years, "people always stayed with us until three or four in the morning, so staying here for another hour or two will not be a problem," said Kyiv restaurateur Tetyana Mytrofanov.
In Vladimir Putin's Russia, there seems to be a dulled appetite for grand celebrations.
Moscow has cancelled its traditional fireworks show after Mayor Sergei Sobyanin asked residents to vote on how to mark the occasion.
Muscovites like Irina Shapovalova, a 51-year-old nursery worker, said their main wish for 2023 was for "a peaceful sky above our heads".
State-owned broadcaster VGTRK has promised to provide a "New Year's atmosphere, despite the changes in the country and the world".
But this year's broadcast will be conspicuously without stalwart performer and key presenter Maxim Galkin, who fled to exile after denouncing the Ukraine war.
He has since been branded a "foreign agent" by Russian authorities.
While Covid-19 vaccines have allowed life to return to semi-normal in most parts of the world, in China, the virus is continuing to thwart attempts to move on.
Hospitals in the world's most populous nation have been overwhelmed by an explosion of cases following Beijing's decision to lift strict "zero-Covid" rules.
New Year's Eve parties are still planned in innumerable bars, theaters and malls.
But authorities in Shanghai have stated there will be no formal activities on the city's famed Bund waterfront.
© 2022 AFP
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look at that smile - hope for a better future springs eternal
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Happy New Year
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The secret of life is enjoying the passage of time
Any fool can do it There ain't nothing to it
Nobody knows how we got to The top of the hill
But since we're on our way down We might as well enjoy the ride
The secret of love is in opening up your heart
It's okay to feel afraid But don't let that stand in your way
'Cause anyone knows that love is the only road
And since we're only here for a while Might as well show some style
Give us a smile
Isn't it a lovely ride
Sliding down Gliding down Try not to try too hard It's just a lovely ride
Now the thing about time is that time Isn't really real
It's just your point of view How does it feel for you
Einstein said he could never understand it all
Planets spinning through space The smile upon your face Welcome to the human race
Some kind of lovely ride I'll be sliding down I'll be gliding down
Try not to try too hard It's just a lovely ride Isn't it a lovely ride
Sliding down Gliding down Try not to try too hard It's just a lovely ride
Now the secret of life is enjoying the passage of time
"The Secret Of Life" Songwriters: Taylor James V
Comment - Les McCann
A Happy and healthy New Year to everyone and their families!
Same to you, Perrie !
I would like to take this end of year opportunity to remember Sister Mary Agnes Ample Bottom. She is missed here.
I didn't know she passed. I loved her sense of humor.
I dont know if she passed either. I know she was very sick and we havent heard from her in many months.
That is terrible news. I had no idea.
I hope she is alive and doing better
With the passing of time, we realize the importance of relationships.
As we mourn the loss of loved ones, we appreciate the forming of new friendships that helped walk us through those losses.
Let us all take a moment to remember the past but more importantly, remember we have a responsibility to pay it forward, if in only honoring that remembrance…be kind.
Peace to you all.
Very true. My wife and I just completed our first road trip together since I got sick In early 2020, We went to see four close friends from out of state. We used to vacation together and I hadn’t seen them other than Facetime since 2019. It was wonderful to reconnect.
Happy New Year🎉
Happy New Year Drinker... hope 2023 is a good one for you health wise...yes the road at times seems very long...
But there are many of us on it...and I for one would be more than happy to walk along side you..
Now my first majour decision for 2023 what to have for brekkie..🦘🐨
Happiest of New Years, shona. I’m sure that the fireworks last night were spectacular. Will you be grilling some lamb or sausage today?
It is a long road and I’m very grateful to be on it. I would happily walk with you as well, there is strength in numbers.
Morning...no think an egg and bacon sanga is the go with a coffee..
Lovely morning here, dead calm, overcast and slightly foggy... meant to be around 30c today so good swimming weather..
Enjoy your New Year and stay safe...
Morning.. Happy New year!!...we are already 7 hours into it.. what 2023 brings who knows.
But hopefully with grace and dignity, we will face it front on whatever fate deals us...
2023...bring it on..🎆🎇🎆🎇🎆🎇
Happy New Year to you Shona !
Morning...thank you and Happy New Year to you too.
MINO OSHKI BIBOON, GAKINAWENEN.
(Happy New Year, everyone)
WAANAKIIWIN
(Peace)
Happy New Year Kavika.. hope it will be a good one for all the mob...
Yes Peace....if only...
New Year’s does nothing for me. There is nothing magical about January 1 or a new year. There is no more reason to be hopeful or happy tomorrow than there is today. And if we’re honest, all the promises and dreams people profess for themselves or the world on January 1 are forgotten by January 2.
Every other holiday we have remembers something real that actually happened - for good or for bad. But on New Year’s Day, we all get collectively delusional and celebrate something that could happen in the future but probably won’t. I don’t see why everyone gets so excited for it.
The grinch that stole New Years, lol.
Of course the New Year means something. Why? Because people agree that it does.
You might as well say beauty or grace or honesty dont mean anything, or the Super Bowl or engagement parties. 4th of July parades and baptisms dont mean anything either. Nothing means anything until people accept it as meaning something.
Some people get down around the holidays. Don't you ever?
Ok, well, the Grinch literally steals their stuff. He tries to interfere with the enjoyment of others. I don’t. I just feel differently for myself.
No, you might say that. But you’d have to ignore the detailed reasoning I gave, and the contrasts I offered with other holidays. I’m not surprised you either didn’t read or didn’t comprehend my words. Maybe next year, that will finally change. Then, it will be a happy new year.
Honestly, I wasn't all that crazy about Christmas either. I had been having a tough time at work since about last year at this time, up to my unemployment as of 12/2/22.
Not that crazy about New Year's like you either. To me it's just another day, like Christmas this year. Tried to be in a good spirit about the holidays and even decorated for Christmas trying to elevate my spirit but that was dashed Christmas day with some UE benefit difficulties to be resolved two days later. In a fit of pique, I took down my Christmas tree all decorations, and put them away and the other stuff to put in storage once the weather warmed up a little bit. Plus, my best friend was sick on Christmas so we couldn't do anything like we do every year. Financial uncertainty due to UE though I think/hope things will change markedly after the start of the New Year, I hope.
Only hope for the New Year for me at this moment is that it be a far better one than this one.
Best
Cheers
Peace
Morning...no I am not that crazy about Christmas or New Year etc..
I shove the Christmas tree up a few days before and pull it down Boxing Day...it annoys me after awhile. I leave the cards up etc for a week or two then they are gone..
I just look at NYE as a new start...if it's been a crap previous year somehow it feels like the clock has been reset again and things that didn't work out or happened last year are in the past..and hopefully things will get better this year.. but I take what ever comes along..
Dare I say it but... Happy New Year..
Shona - here's to a better year for all of us and a new/fresh start.
My days are so off with unemployment, I can't believe it is New Year's Eve
Ominous notes when it comes to two recent fortune cookies - one said I'd be working a new job soon, Ominous because termination wasn't pending so much at that time, things seemed to be getting better, then boom, another mistake, and boom, termination. I can only hope the new job(s) will come sooner rather than later
Though I normally don't place much stock in random things like this but the next ominous thing to me was getting a fortune cookie just two days ago had NO FORTUNE IN IT. I think that's creepy with the other fortune cookie thingie,
Yes can relate to being unemployed..I and 400 others were terminated Christmas Eve by Alcoa here...found an envelope on our desks..we knew it was coming but not when...ahh the good old days...
You can't change what has happened as much you may wish to so come to terms with it in your own way... accept it and now head into the future..it is funny how things do have a habit of changing for the better and with fingers crossed that will happen...
Most places here close down for two weeks so nothing appears on the employment radar but after that, it's on in earnest...
Good luck, stay strong and who knows what is around the corner for you..☀️
Yeah, I was let go on 12/2/22 and have been doing what I have to do to get UE benefits but like you said, with the holidays, not much going on hiring wise I think, but as of this upcoming Tuesday, 1/3/23, I will be stepping up my efforts for employment, Not the end of the world but things are and will be so different for me. I've been pretty sedentary for almost 19 years Things will be different but maybe it's time for a change
I am 60, less than about 10 years from retirement and social security.
Thanks for the kind words. Good luck to you as well
Yeah, that's called hope....
I try to have hope all year round.
To you as well, Tessy. Hope the new year will see all your wishes come true.
2023 is going to worse than the last two years. Energy prices will soar thanks to Joe's war on fossil fuels. Inflation will reach new heights.
well according to the comp its the new years, at least here .
May life give everyone what life thinks they deserve . cant be any fairer than that i think, for good or not .
see y'all on the other side .