Russia launched more than 20 cruise missiles at Ukraine, killing one person and injuring at least a dozen more, including a Japanese journalist. The attack caused damage to a Kyiv hotel and a residential building, but did not cause serious damage to the national power system.
Morocco will impose a ban on people arriving from China, regardless of their nationality, starting January 3 in order to prevent any new wave of coronavirus infections. There has been a recent surge in COVID-19 cases in China, leading several countries to impose restrictions on travelers from the country.
Thousands of people gathered in Wuhan, China on New Year’s Eve to celebrate despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Most attendees wore masks as the country is experiencing a new wave of COVID-19 infections. In Shanghai, many thronged the historic riverside walkway, the Bund, to celebrate the new year, though local food and beverage establishments were not as busy as in previous years.
People in the center of Moscow marked a somewhat muted New Year’s Eve without the usual fireworks and celebrations on Red Square due to COVID-19 restrictions, with many saying they wanted peace in 2023. New Year’s Day is Russia’s main seasonal holiday, while Orthodox believers also celebrate Christmas on January 7. The cancelled fireworks display was an act of solidarity with what was happening in Ukraine, according to some people.
Russian President Vladimir Putin used his annual New Year’s address to rally the Russian people behind his troops fighting in Ukraine and pledging victory over Ukrainian “neo-Nazis”. Kyiv and the West say he launched a baseless war of aggression in a bid to seize territory and install a regime more to his liking.
Pope Benedict XVI, who was the first pontiff in 600 years to resign, died on Saturday at the age of 95. Pope Francis will preside at his funeral on Thursday morning in St. Peter’s Square. Benedict’s papacy was marred by scandals and leaks of documents, but he was a hero to Catholic conservatives who yearned for a more traditional Church. His body will lie in state in St. Peter’s Basilica from Monday.
France’s President Emmanuel Macron announced in a New Year’s Eve speech that the coming year will be one of much-delayed pension reform. The reform, which includes raising the retirement age, had been a key plank of Macron’s election platform when he came to power in 2017, but was put on hold due to COVID-19. Macron stated that the reform will be implemented by the end of the summer.
CNN / FOX NEWS
Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI passed away on December 30 at the age of 95. He was the first pope to resign in over 500 years, and became the world’s first “pope emeritus” in centuries. In a spiritual testament published after his death, he requested forgiveness for those he had wronged, and in a separate letter published in February 2022, he issued a general apology to survivors of abuse, but admitted to no personal or specific wrongdoing.
Following the death of former Pope Benedict, various world leaders and officials have offered their condolences and tribute to the first pontiff in 600 years to resign from the papacy. Pope Benedict was praised for his devotion to the Catholic Church, his dedication to interfaith dialogue, and his advocacy for vulnerable persons. His papacy was also remembered for its commitment to peace and human rights.