The world is ushering in 2022 with high hopes for better times ahead after another tumultuous and pandemic-ridden year.
During the past 12 months, a new US president was inaugurated, Adele dropped a fresh album, the first spectator-free Olympics occurred, and the war in Afghanistan came to a chaotic end, but the pandemic - now entering its third year - still dominated life around the globe.
Many New Year’s Eve celebrations around the globe were muted or cancelled for the second year in a row because of a surge in coronavirus infections, this time driven by the highly contagious Omicron variant.
One of the first countries to see '21 become '22 was New Zealand, with a low-key lights display projected on to Auckland landmarks, including Sky Tower and Harbour Bridge.
These replaced the traditional fireworks show due to Covid-19 concerns. While there has not yet been any community spread of Omicron in New Zealand, authorities still wanted to discourage crowds from gathering.
Neighbouring Australia, however, went ahead with its celebrations despite an explosion in case numbers. Some fireworks were let off early in the evening to give younger children a preview of the centrepiece of festivities, the renowned fireworks display from Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House.
Hours before celebrations began, Australian health authorities reported a record 32,000 new cases of Covid-19, many of them in Sydney. Because of the surge, crowds were far smaller than in pre-pandemic years, when as many as one million revellers would crowd inner Sydney.
New Zealand welcomes 2022 with a light show
The UAE welcomed the New Year with huge fireworks displays, including a dazzling spectacle at the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest tower.
At Expo 2020, which opened a year late because of Covid-19, celebrations started in the afternoon and were scheduled to continue into New Year's Day.
The best photographs of 2021: striking images of the world's biggest events
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An explosion caused by police weapons flares into the sky as supporters of then president Donald Trump riot in front of the US Capitol Building in Washington, on January 6. Reuters -
US President-elect Joe Biden, with his wife Jill by his side, is sworn in as the 46th president of the US during the 59th presidential inauguration in Washington on January 20. EPA -
Senator Bernie Sanders, who was a candidate in the Democratic presidential race, sits in the bleachers on Capitol Hill before Joe Biden is sworn in as the 46th US president on January 20. AFP. AFP -
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, right, and Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, centre, congratulate the UAE Mars Mission team responsible for sending the Hope probe to the Red Planet on February 10. -
People run for safety as Kurdish animal rights activists release a bear into the wild in Dohuk, Iraq, on February 11. The bear had been kept as a pet in a garden. Reuters -
The first high-resolution, color image sent back by the Hazard Cameras on the underside of Nasa’s Perseverance Mars rover after its landing in the area known as Jezero crater on February 18. Getty Images -
Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al Kadhimi welcomes Pope Francis at Baghdad International Airport on March 5. It was the first trip to the country by a leader of the Roman Catholic church. Reuters -
A nun pleads with police not to harm protesters in Myitkyina, in Myanmar's Kachin state, amid an operation to quell demonstrations against the military coup, on March 8. AFP -
A Syrian child rests on a stack of neutralised shells at a metal scrapyard on the outskirts of Maaret Misrin town, in Idlib province, on March 10. A family displaced from the village of Latamneh in Hama's northern countryside four years ago, has found a source of income in collecting and selling metal scrap, including unexploded ordnance shells. AFP -
Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, with his mother, Sheikha Fatima in a photo he shared earlier this year. Photo: Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed / Twitter -
The UK's Queen Elizabeth II sits in isolation during the funeral ceremony for her husband, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, at the St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle on April 17. Getty Images -
Police detain student protester Patsy Stevenson in London, on March 13, as people gather at a memorial site, after the kidnap and murder of Sarah Everard. Reuters -
The 'Ever Given' container ship blocks the Suez Canal, Egypt. The 400-metre container ship remained wedged across the water channel for six days after it was knocked off course during a sandstorm on March 23. Getty Images -
Lebanon's capital Beirut in darkness during a nationwide blackout on April 3. AFP -
Funeral pyres of people who died of Covid-19 burn at a cremation ground in New Delhi, on April 26. AFP -
Israeli police detain a Palestinian protester during demonstrations before a court hearing in an Israeli-Palestinian land ownership dispute in the Sheikh Jarrah district of East Jerusalem. Reuters -
A fire rages at sunrise in Khan Yunish after an Israeli air strike on targets in the southern Gaza strip, on May 12. AFP -
Achraf, 16, cries as he swims using bottles as floaters, near the fence between the Spanish-Moroccan border, as thousands of migrants swim across the border, in Ceuta, Spain, on May 19. Reuters -
A gibbon walks amid models of vehicles at a zoo in the park of miniatures in Bakhchisaray, Crimea on May 24. Reuters -
A Palestinian girl stands amid the rubble of her home destroyed by Israeli air strikes on May 24, in Beit Hanoun, Gaza. Getty Images -
A Marine holds the door as Gianna Floyd, the daughter of police shooting victim George Floyd, walks into the White House, on May 25. AP -
Egyptians swim in the Suez Canal as a container ship moves through it in Ismaila, on May 27, after the 'Ever Given' was freed. EPA -
Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson, centre, poses with the G7 leaders for a family photo during the G7 Summit in Carbis Bay, Britain, on June 11. With him are US President Joe Biden second left, front, Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau left, France's President Emmanuel Macron second-right, front, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, right, Italy's Prime Minister Mario Draghi, second-right, rear, Japan's Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, second-left, rear, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, right, rear and European Council President Charles Michel, left, rear. EPA -
Players of Denmark wait while their teammate Christian Eriksen receives medical treatment during their Uefa Euro 2020 football match against Finland in Copenhagen, on June 12. Eriksen collapsed on the pitch towards the end of the first half and received medical on the pitch before being stretchered off and rushed to a nearby hospital. EPA -
A bolt of lightning crosses the sky as people look at buildings displaying a light show on the eve of the 100th anniversary of the Chinese Communist Party in Beijing on June 30. AFP -
Vehicles queue for fuel at a petrol station on the Tripoli-Beirut highway in Qalamun, northern Lebanon, on July 1, amid severe shortages. AFP -
Wounded captive soldiers arrive on a lorry at a rehabilitation centre in Mekele, the capital of Tigray region, Ethiopia, on July 2. Fighters of the Tigray People's Liberation Front said more than 7,000 captive soldiers walked from Abdi Eshir, about 75 kilometres south-west of Mekele, for four days. AFP -
Sir Richard Branson flies in space on board a Virgin Galactic vessel, a voyage he described as the "experience of a lifetime" on July 11. Getty Images -
A South African policeman tries to disperse looters during protests over the arrest of former president Jacob Zuma in Durban, on July 12. EPA -
Cars piled up by the water at a roundabout in the Belgian city of Verviers, on July 15, after heavy rains and floods lashed western Europe, killing at least two people in Belgium. AFP -
Athletes prepare to compete In an empty stadium due to Covid restrictions, during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, on July 30. Getty Images -
Paris Saint-Germain's Argentinian forward Lionel Messi salutes supporters gathered outside the Parc des Princes stadium after his first official press conference as PSG player in Paris on August 11. AFP -
Hundreds of people run alongside a US Air Force C-17 transport plane as it moves down a runway at the international airport, in Kabul, Afghanistan, on August 16. Thousands of Afghans rushed to the airport, some so desperate to escape the Taliban capture of their country that they held onto the American military aircraft as it took off and fell to their death. AP -
Maj Gen Christopher Donahue becomes the last American soldier to leave Kabul as he boards the final US Air Force flight out of Afghanistan, on August 30. AFP -
A firefighter works as the Caldor wildfire burns in Grizzly Flats, California, on August 22. Reuters -
A suitcase and backpacks of Afghan people who were waiting to be evacuated are seen at the site of the August 26 twin suicide bombs, which killed scores of people including 13 US troops, at Kabul airport on August 27, 2021. AFP -
Emma Raducanu of Britain celebrates after defeating Lelyah Fernandez of Canada to win the women's final of the US Open on September 11. EPA -
A US Border Patrol agent on horseback tries to stop a Haitian migrant from entering an encampment on the banks of the Rio Grande in Del Rio, Texas on September 19. AFP -
Lava is seen through the window of a kitchen after the eruption of a volcano on La Palma island, Spain, on September 28. Reuters -
Expo 2020 Dubai opens with a grand ceremony on September 30. Photo: Expo 2020 Dubai -
Afghans gather outside the passport office after Taliban officials announced they will start issuing passports to its citizens again, on October 6. Reuters -
A child enjoys a water feature at the Expo 2020 Dubai site, on October 7. Pawan Singh/The National. -
Fighters from the Shiite Hezbollah and Amal movements take aim during clashes in the area of Tayouneh, in Lebanon's capital Beirut, on October 14. AFP -
A member of the Minga Indigena indigenous delegation attends the Cop26 UN Climate Summit on November 3, in Glasgow, Scotland. Getty Images -
Journalists film former police officer Jimmy Cherizier, leader of the 'G9' coalition of gangs, as he gives a media tour of the La Saline shanty area of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on November 3. Reuters -
From left: Sheikh Ammar bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, Crown Prince of Ajman, Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Sharjah, Sheikh Saud bin Rashid Al Mualla, Ruler of Umm Al Quwain, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, Sheikh Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, Ruler of Fujairah and Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah, attend the Federal Supreme Council meeting, at the Sheikh Rashid Palace in Hatta, Dubai, on December 2. Photo: Mohamed Al Hammadi / Ministry of Presidential Affairs -
A fireworks display during the official ceremony to celebrate the 50th UAE National Day in Hatta, on December 2. Wam -
Valtteri Bottas drives the Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One car during final practice before the first Saudi Arabia Grand Prix, in Jeddah on December 4. Getty Images -
A protester flashes the "V" gesture and waves a Sudanese flag during a demonstration demanding civilian rule, in Khartoum. AFP
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Across Japan, some people appeared to be shrugging off virus fears, by dining and drinking raucously in the Tokyo city centre and flocking to shops, celebrating not only the holidays but a sense of exhilaration over being freed from recent restrictions.
In South Korea’s capital Seoul, the annual New Year’s Eve bell-ringing ceremony was cancelled for the second straight year due to a surge in case numbers.
Officials said a recorded video of this year’s bell-ringing ceremony would instead be broadcast online and on television. The ceremony had previously drawn tens of thousands of people. Last year was the first time it had been cancelled since the tradition was established in 1953.
In China, the Shanghai government cancelled events including an annual light show along the Huangpu River in the city centre that usually draws hundreds of thousands of spectators. In a televised address, Chinese President Xi Jinping promised China would have a successful 2022 Winter Games.
“We will present a grand Olympic Games to the world wholeheartedly,” Mr Xi said on state broadcaster CCTV. “The world looks forward to China, and China is ready.”
In Beijing, popular temples were closed or had limited access. The government has called on people to avoid leaving the city if possible and has required tests from travellers arriving from areas where there are infections.
But in Thailand, authorities allowed New Year’s Eve parties and fireworks displays to continue, albeit with strict safety measures. They were hoping to slow the spread of the Omicron variant while also softening the blow to the country’s battered tourism sector.
'The National' staff photographers' best images of 2021
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The world's deepest freshwater diving pool. The Deep Dive Dubai pool, which measures 60 metres at its deepest, offers divers a unique experience. Antonie Robertson / The National -
Sunset at the Tal Mureeb dunes in the Empty Quarter desert, near Liwa Oasis. Victor Besa / The National -
A woman feeds birds on a foggy day in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National -
A child enjoying a spectacular water feature at Expo 2020 Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National -
The Red Arrows put on a show at the Corniche in Abu Dhabi. Khushnum Bhandari / The National -
The sun sets on mangrove forests on Jubail Island, Abu Dhabi. Khushnum Bhandari / The National -
Sport at Kite Beach on a late Dubai evening. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
A young boy waves the UAE flag from the dhow monument at the Corniche as part of the 50th National Day celebrations in Abu Dhabi. Khushnum Bhandari / The National -
Pigeons fly on the creek in Bur Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Anju Jacob takes a photo of her daughter Evelyn Dcruz, 5, at the flag garden near Kite Beach on the UAE’s 50th National Day in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National -
Fireworks are set off from the Yas Bay waterfront to mark Eid Al Fitr. Victor Besa / The National -
Two women photograph the view from Abu Dhabi's Corniche. Victor Besa / The National -
Mariam Mohammed Al Kabi, Sameha Ahmed Al Kabi, Nadia Khalifa Al Shamsi and Ateeja Al Mherbi, artisans at the Women's Handicraft Centre in Abu Dhabi. Khushnum Bhandari / The National -
A flyover before the final race of the Formula One season at the Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Victor Besa / The National -
Abdulla Shahid, Foreign Minister of the Maldives and President of the UN General Assembly, in Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
A visit to Zabeel Stables with Tadhg O’Shea, the nine-time UAE champion rider who has been named the first jockey of Zabeel Stables. Antonie Robertson / The National -
Worshippers attend the Eid prayers at the Umm Suquim Eid prayer grounds. Antonie Robertson / The National -
Hotel Fairmont Bab Al Bahr, Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National -
The official opening of Ain Dubai, Bluewaters Island, Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Ali Mabkhout of the UAE tussles with Kushedya Hari Yudo of Indonesia in the World Cup qualifier at the Zabeel Stadium, Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
A woman takes a picture of the Mobility Pavilion on the 11th day of Expo 2020 Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
A blue and gold macaw with biologist Elizabeth Hill at the Green Planet in Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Visitors to Dubai Creek Harbour enjoy the sunset on the longest day of the year in Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Ramadan recipes for Eid. Victor Besa / The National -
Arabian carpet sharks’ egg shells in Atlantis, The Palms, where the hotel fosters aquatic life born in the property's aquarium. Antonie Robertson / The National -
The buried 'ghost' village of Al Madam, Sharjah. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Dubai company, Terraplus, is using underground technology to water palm trees, which it claims could save up to around a trillion litres of water each year in the UAE if widely adopted by date farmers. Antonie Robertson / The National -
Early morning fog in Al Badayer desert, in Sharjah. Pawan Singh / The National -
Families visit Abu Dhabi's salt lake flats at sunset. Khushnum Bhandari / The National -
Momolog designs at Dubai Modest Fashion Week, Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Men practise falconry in the desert at Exit 55, Dubai. Reem Mohammed / The National -
Anglers fish in the fog at Yas Iron Bridge in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National -
A Boeing 777-X at the Dubai Airshow 2021. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Jubail Mangrove Park on a Monday during dusk. Victor Besa / The National -
Children playing cricket in a car park in Bur Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National -
Aura skypool, the world’s first 360 degree infinity pool, opens at the Palm Jumeirah, Dubai. Victor Besa / The National -
Mohamed Ramadan at the All Africa Festival, Burj Park, Downtown Dubai. Victor Besa / The National -
Kenya and USA face off in the HSBC World Rugby Sevens series in Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Sultan Al Shamsi with children, Noora, 4 and Rashid, 3. Victor Besa / The National -
The sun rises on a hazy morning along the Corniche, Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National
In London, lasers and fireworks lit the night skies above the Millennium Bridge and South Bank in a dazzling display. However, midnight passed in Paris without a planned fireworks display or DJ sets, as city officials cancelled events planned on the Champs-Elysees following the advice of a scientific panel that declared mass gatherings would be too risky.
In the Netherlands, where outside groupings of more than four people are banned, police dispersed several thousand people who had defiantly gathered at Amsterdam's central Dam Square. People in Madrid queued for hours to get into the main Puerta del Sol square where celebrations went ahead with multiple security checkpoints, mandatory masks and capacity at 60% of normal levels.
In the wake of encouraging data, Cape Town abruptly lifted a curfew just in time for the New Year, after South Africa became the first country to declare its Omicron wave had crested - and with no huge surge in deaths. South Africa had first raised the alarm about the new fast-spreading coronavirus variant racing around the world.
"I'm just hoping that Cape Town goes back to the old Cape Town that we all knew about," said Michael Mchede, manager of a Hard Rock cafe by the white sands of Camps Bay Beach, who was thrilled to get the place ready to host an unexpected bash.
Over in the United States, New York City ushered in the New Year by reviving its annual New Year’s Eve celebration in Times Square, after forgoing a public event last year. n Times Square, throngs stretched for blocks to soak in the scaled-back celebration, with many traveling from afar to take part. Confetti lit up by electronic billboards swirled in a light wind on a mild winter night in New York City.
Mary Gonzalez stood a few feet behind a crowd, wanting to keep her distance from anyone unwittingly carrying the coronavirus. “I’m happy that 2021 is over because it caused a lot of problems for everybody,” said Ms Gonzalez, who was visiting from Mexico City and wanted to take in an American tradition. “We hope that 2022 is much better than this year.”
In India, millions of people rang in the New Year from their homes, with night-time curfews and other restrictions taking the fizz out of celebrations in large cities including New Delhi and Mumbai.
Authorities have imposed restrictions to keep revellers away from restaurants, hotels, beaches and bars amid a surge in cases fuelled by Omicron.
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But some places, including Goa, a tourist hotspot, and Hyderabad, an information technology centre, have been spared night curfews thanks to smaller numbers of infections, although other restrictions still apply.
Many Indonesians also cancelled traditional festivities for a quieter evening at home after the government banned many New Year’s Eve celebrations. In Jakarta, firework displays, parades and other large gatherings were prohibited, while restaurants and malls were allowed to remain open but with curfews imposed.
