Tag: New Year

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Australia states allow New Year celebrations despite Covid surge

Australia’s three most populated states, currently battling the country’s largest Covid-19 outbreaks, have allowed New Year celebrations with slightly modified versions of their traditional fireworks displays…reports Asian Lite News

On Thursday, the most populous state of New South Wales (NSW) reported 12,226 new cases, 746 hospitalized patients and one related death, reports Xinhua news agency.

Despite the escalating infections, the NSW government’s overall message is that residents, having endured months of lockdowns this year, must now use more “personal responsibility” as they “learn to live” with Covid-19.

As such, crowds are expected to pack the Sydney Harbour foreshores on Friday to watch fireworks light up the night skies in the capital city’s New Year’s Eve celebrations.

Asked whether people should reconsider going out to celebrate, NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet said: “No, what I would say is, take personal responsibility, socially distance and follow the rules that are in place.”

However, there will be concessions made to hopefully contain a potential super-spreader event.

Spectators, for example, will need to book a ticket for most of the city’s viewing areas. Previously huge crowds would have freely gathered.

Victoria, the second most populated state, also has the nation’s second-largest Covid-19 outbreak, recording 5,137 new cases, 395 hospitalizations, and 13 deaths on Thursday.

Victoria authorities are urging people to remain cautious as they welcome in 2022.

The state’s capital Melbourne will stage fireworks on Friday across four private “Celebration Zones” in an effort to reduce crowds and keep track of all attendees.

“These Celebration Zones will allow smaller crowds to gather in a controlled setting at different ends of the city, ensuring the safest possible event,” Melbourne Lord Mayor Sally Capp told the national broadcaster ABC.

Queensland recorded 2,222 new cases on Thursday, a jump of 633 over the previous day’s figures of 1,589.

Last year, the capital city of Brisbane cancelled its fireworks due to the pandemic.

ALSO READ: Europe to Tame New Year Parties

The event will return this Friday with authorities saying spectators won’t have to be vaccinated but will need to check in with an app at the main viewing location.

There were a record of more than 21,000 new cases recorded across Australia on Thursday, meaning the country has reported more cases in the last two days than it did for the entirety of 2020.

The new caseload has thus increased to 362,691.

Australia also reported 15 deaths from Covid-19 on Thursday, the highest figure in recent days, taking the country’s overall toll to 2,225.

Till date, 94.3 per cent of Australians aged 16 and over had received one vaccine dose and 91.3 per cent were fully inoculated, according to the Department of Health.

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Turkey ramps up crackdown on bootleg alcohol ahead of New Year celebrations

Turkey ramps up crackdown on bootleg alcohol ahead of New Year celebrations

A nationwide operation code-named “Alcohol,” one of the biggest so far, was launched amid a rising number of deaths from bootleg alcohol across the country…reports Asian Lite News

Amid soaring liquor prices and a currency slump, bootleg alcohol has claimed the lives of at least 75 people in two weeks in Turkey while security forces have ramped up security controls nationwide ahead of the New Year celebrations.

Turkish Interior Ministry announced on Monday that a nationwide operation code-named “Alcohol,” one of the biggest so far, was launched amid a rising number of deaths from bootleg alcohol across the country, Xinhua news agency reported.

Police and gendarmerie forces searched 23,103 locations in a crackdown on bootleg drink sellers, the Ministry said, adding 20,863 personnel took part in operations “to curb the access to smuggled or bootleg drinks to protect public health.”

Over 20,000 litres of counterfeit alcohol was seized, the police announced on Tuesday.

Four people died and two others were in critical condition after consuming bootleg alcohol on Sunday in the southern Mediterranean province of Mersin, while another person died in Ordu province in northern Turkey, bringing the overall death toll to 75 in 21 provinces, local news outlets said, quoting police statements.

In Istanbul, Turkey’s largest city, nearly 30 have died from bootleg alcohol.

Over 100 suspects have been detained in the last 10 days and tens of thousands litres of counterfeit alcohol was seized ahead of the New Year celebrations usually involving more alcohol consumption, security forces said.

Deaths from illicit alcohol poisoning are rather common in Turkey where people try to get cheaper alcohol as prices have soared in recent years amid an avalanche of taxes.

Bootleg alcohol is made from low-cost methyl alcohol instead of ethyl alcohol. The consumption of illegally distilled liquor can cause permanent blindness, metabolic disturbances and death.

However, more people have died this year in a short period of time as the Turkish lira has lost 37 per cent of its value since the start of the year which also had an impact on alcoholic beverage prices.

“The government should decrease taxes so that people don’t go looking for cheap products,” said Ozgur Aybas, Head of Turkey’s Liquor Stores platform, adding taxes translate into more than 70 per cent of the price of alcohol.

ALSO READ: US: New Year events scaled back, cancelled amid Covid surge

However, there have been many attempts by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government to restrict tobacco and alcohol sales in recent years to “discourage the youth from bad habits.”

Erdogan has frequently voiced opposition to alcohol sales and consumption. In Turkey, shops are now forbidden to sell alcohol after 10 p.m. local time and it has become more difficult for stores and restaurants to obtain an alcohol license.

According to surveys, alcohol consumption remains modest in Turkey compared with European countries. Only about 20 per cent of adults drink regularly in the Muslim nation as Islam bans alcohol.

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SPECIAL: Christmas at Bethlehem

Performers are seen during the annual Christmas caravan parade in the West Bank city of Bethlehem, on Dec. 19, 2021. (Photo by Luay Sababa/Xinhua/IANS)

The joy of Christmas was incomplete due to the absence of foreign tourists and pilgrims who couldn’t visit the holy city because of the Covid-19 pandemic, report Asian Lite News

Palestinian tourists and pilgrims gathered at the square near the Church of Nativity in the West Bank city of Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus Christ, marking the beginning of Christmas celebrations in an atmosphere of joy and bliss.

Hundreds of local merrymakers, including tourists and pilgrims, flocked to the famous Manger Square, where a giant Christmas tree was put up, taking selfies next to it, reports Xinhua news agency.

Some of the women wore traditional Palestinian garments, while the children wore new dresses. Red, which is the color of the Santa Claus’ suit, dominated the scene at the square.

Pierbattista Pizzaballa, (C) the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, greets people as he arrives to the Church of Nativity, revered as the site of Jesus Christ’s birth to attend Christmas celebrations in the West Bank city of Bethlehem, Dec. 24, 2021. (Photo by Luay Sababa/Xinhua/IANS)

But the joy of Christmas was incomplete due to the absence of foreign tourists and pilgrims who couldn’t visit the holy city because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

According to official figures, more than three million and a half foreign tourists visited the Palestinian territories in 2019 and most of them visited Bethlehem, a city that holds great significance in Christian history.

However, since March 2020, the influx of foreign tourists has dwindled to almost zero.

During ceremonial activities around the Church of Nativity, Ibrahim Faltas, a Christian priest, told Xinhua that this year’s Christmas is difficult for all the Palestinians as the tourist industry has taken a heavy blow, forcing more people out of jobs.

A visitor uses a mobile phone to take photos during the lighting ceremony of the main Christmas tree at the Manger Square in the West Bank city of Bethlehem, on Dec. 4, 2021. (Photo by Luay Sababa/Xinhua/IANS)

“But we must arm ourselves with hope despite all the difficulties, and we pray that this cloud will be removed from the entire world and the coming year will be better, in which peace and freedom prevail,” he said.

Palestinian Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Rula Maayah told Xinhua that this year’s Christmas in Bethlehem had many festive activities and events, unlike last year, which witnessed a complete closure.

“This year’s celebrations are without foreign tourism in light of the spread of the new variant of the coronavirus Omicron,” she said, adding that domestic tourism is active, as good numbers flocked to Bethlehem.

A performer is seen during the annual Christmas caravan parade in the West Bank city of Bethlehem, on Dec. 19, 2021. (Photo by Luay Sababa/Xinhua/IANS)

“Christmas brings with it the joy and hopes that the Palestinian people believe in,” said the Palestinian official.

Julia, a Palestinian girl wearing a red Santa Claus hat heading to the Manger Square, told Xinhua that she was happy to celebrate Christmas.

“I hope that a bigger celebration will come next year when peace prevails in the Palestinian territories,” the little girl said.

Um Yousef, a Muslim Palestinian woman, who brought her children to celebrate the festival on the street, said: “We Muslims and Christians in Bethlehem live in brotherhood and celebrate this holiday together without regard to religion.”

ALSO READ: Boris Johnson’s “wonderful” Christmas gift idea