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World welcomes the New Year with fireworks and prayers

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Fireworks explode around the London Eye and Big Ben to mark the arrival of 2024 (Aljazeera)

Sydney and Auckland were the first major world cities to welcome the arrival of 2024.

Over a million revellers celebrated the New Year on Sunday night amid stunning fireworks displays, illuminating the skies over Australia’s Sydney Harbour and New Zealand’s tallest structure, the Sky Tower in Auckland.

Light rain that had persisted throughout the day in Auckland had cleared by midnight, and the countdown commenced against an illuminated digital display near the top of the 328-metre (1,076-foot) communications and observation tower.

Sydney
Fireworks explode over the Sydney Opera House and on the Harbour Bridge as part of New Year’s Eve celebrations in Sydney, Australia (Aljazeera)

As the clock struck midnight in Australia’s largest city, Sydney, a 12-minute fireworks display erupted around the Sydney Harbour Bridge.  More than one million people watched from the shore and boats in the harbour.

The small Pacific island nations of Tonga, Samoa and Kiribati had ushered in the New Year an hour earlier.

In Japan, temple bells rang out across the nation as people gathered at shrines and temples to welcome in the New Year.  At the Tsukiji Temple in Tokyo, visitors were given free hot milk and corn soup as they stood in line to strike a big bell, and a pipe-organ concert was held before a majestic altar.

China celebrated the new calendar year relatively modestly, with fireworks banned in most major cities over safety and pollution concerns.  During his New Year address, Chinese President Xi Jinping said that the country would focus on building momentum for economic recovery in 2024 and pledged China would “surely be reunified” with Taiwan.

In Taipei, the capital of Taiwan, an air of enthusiasm prevailed as revellers congregated for a fireworks display at the iconic Taipei 101 skyscraper. The celebration extended to concerts and various events held across the city.

New Years celebrations
People celebrate the New Year, in Taipei, Taiwan, January 1, 2024 (Aljazeera)

In India, thousands of revellers from the financial hub of Mumbai flocked to a bustling promenade to watch the sunset over the Arabian Sea.  Meanwhile, in New Delhi, fireworks raised apprehensions about the capital, which suffers from poor air quality, being shrouded in a toxic haze on the first morning of the new year.

In London, more than 100,000 revellers gathered along the banks of the River Thames to watch the city’s annual fireworks display. The 12-minute show lit up the London Eye and Big Ben. Tens of thousands also turned out for the fireworks in Edinburgh, the Scottish capital.

End of a tense year

The New Year celebrations came against the backdrop of Israel’s war on Gaza, which has heightened tensions in some cities around the world, including Sydney, where more police than ever were deployed to oversee the fireworks displays.

The waterfront has been the scene of heated pro-Palestinian protests after the sails of the Sydney Opera House were illuminated in the colours of the Israeli flag after October 7.

Some 90,000 police and security officers were deployed around France, including along the Champs-Elysees in Paris, where large crowds took in a multidimensional light show projected onto the Arc de Triomphe showcasing the history of Paris and the sports that will feature in the 2024 Olympics.

At the Vatican, Pope Francis reflected on 2023 as a year defined by the hardships of war. In his customary Sunday blessing from a window overlooking St Peter’s Square, he extended prayers for various populations, including “the tormented Ukrainian people and the Palestinian and Israeli populations, the Sudanese people, and many others”.

In Pakistan, the government has banned all New Year’s Eve celebrations as an act of solidarity with the Palestinians. In an overnight televised message, caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar urged Pakistanis to “show solidarity with the oppressed people of Gaza” by beginning the new year with simplicity.

The Palestinians in Gaza say they have little hope that 2024 will bring much relief after nearly three months of Israel’s “genocidal” military campaign that has killed nearly 22,000 people.

The Arc de Triomphe illuminated in blue and gold during a New Year's Eve light show
Thousands gathered in Paris which will host the Olympics in 2024 (Aljazeera)

In Rafah on Gaza’s border with Egypt, which has become the biggest focal point for Palestinians fleeing other parts of the enclave, people were more preoccupied on Sunday with trying to find shelter, food and water than with thinking about the New Year.

“In 2024 I wish to go back to the wreckage of my home, pitch a tent and live there,” said Abu Abdullah al-Agha, a middle- aged Palestinian man whose house in Khan Younis was destroyed and who lost a young niece and nephew in an Israeli air strike.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on his countrymen to not to lose sight of the future of their homeland amid the ongoing war in the country.  “We Ukrainians know better than anyone that a better tomorrow does not come by itself because we defend each of our tomorrows with our own hands,” he said in his video address on Sunday, in which his wife Olena also appeared alongside him.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, facing an election in March, made only passing reference in his New Year address on Sunday to his war in Ukraine, hailing his soldiers as heroes but mostly emphasising unity and shared determination.

A woman wearing 2024 glasses bathed in pink light
A woman in Kuala Lumpur marks the arrival of the New Year. Although there were no official fireworks many people gathered in the city centre to celebrate (Aljazeera)

End-of-year celebrations in Russia, which usually involve fireworks and a concert on Moscow’s Red Square, were cancelled, as they were last year.  After shelling in the centre of the Russian border city of Belgorod Saturday killed 24 people, some local authorities across Russia also cancelled their usual firework displays, including in the far eastern city of Vladivostok.

(Aljazeera)



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Santorini to shut schools as tremors rattle island

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(Pic BBC)
Schools on the Greek island of Santorini have been told to close on Monday following an increase in seismic activity in recent days.

Authorities have also advised against “large gatherings in enclosed spaces” across the island – a popular tourist destination known for its whitewashed buildings and blue domed churches.

Tremors measuring up to 4.6 magnitude  have been recorded over the last couple of days – with quakes of 4.3 and 3.9 magnitude reported nearby on Sunday morning.

Santorini is on what is known as the Hellenic Volcanic Arc but the last major eruption was in 1950. Greek authorities have said that the recent movements are not related to volcanic activity and have started to subside.

The tremors recorded by geologists are considered minor or light, but authorities have recommended a number of preventative measures in addition to the school closure including to avoiding the ports of Ammoudi and Fira.

Big cruise ships often anchor near the Old Port of Fira, with passengers being brought to shore on smaller boats.

One of the largest volcanic eruptions in history, around 1600BC, formed the island as it stands today.

(BBC)

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India’s budget gives tax relief to middle class to boost spending, growth

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India's Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman holds up a folder with the Government of India's logo as she leaves her office to present the annual budget in parliament, in New Delhi, India [Aljazeera]

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has unveiled an annual budget focused on appealing to the country’s middle class and spurring economic growth by boosting agriculture and manufacturing.

Announcing the annual budget in parliament on Saturday, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said people earning up to 1.28 million Indian rupees ($14,800) per year will not have to pay any taxes, raising the threshold from 700,000 rupees.

The government also lowered tax rates for people earning above the new threshold, as the world’s fifth-largest economy aims to boost domestic demand amid uncertainty over the global economic outlook due to potential new tariff barriers.

“The new structure will reduce taxes on middle class and leave more money in their hands, boosting household consumption, savings and investment,” Sitharaman said.

The move will result in an annual 1 trillion Indian rupee ($11.6bn) hit to Treasury revenues, the Reuters news agency reported.

The world’s most populous country is expected to post its slowest growth in four years next year amid frail urban demand and weak private investment, while stubbornly high food inflation has dented disposable incomes, the agency said.

Measures to assist the poor, youth, farmers and women were also included in the budget for 2025-26, Sitharaman said.

Per capita income is about $2,700 for India’s population of 1.4 billion, with about one-third considered middle class.

The tax cut is “likely to spur consumer demand and savings by the middle class that has faced challenges from elevated inflation and lower income growth”, Sakshi Gupta, economist at HDFC Bank, told Reuters.

To balance the revenue lost, the government has budgeted a modest increase in capital spending this year, which will rise to 11.21 trillion rupees in 2025-26 compared with a lowered 10.18 trillion in the current year.

Modi, in his third term as the country’s prime minister, has faced pressure to appeal to the country’s middle class and generate more jobs to help sustain growth.

The government will also boost productivity across the agriculture sector by launching a nationwide program to push high-yielding crops, focusing on the cultivation of pulses and cotton production.

Sitharaman said the programme will target at least 17 million farmers and raise the limit for subsidised credit offered to them from $3,460 to $5,767.

The government also plans to formally register India’s gig workers and ease their access to healthcare. Sitharaman said the government will issue them identity cards and help them access welfare initiatives.

India’s gig economy could employ more than 23 million people by 2030, according to estimates by government think tank, NITI Aayog.

Sitharaman also announced a new fund for startups and said the government will provide more money to promote innovation in partnership with the private sector.

She also announced the Nuclear Energy Mission to drive India’s transition towards clean energy, with a goal of developing at least 100GW of nuclear power by 2047.

[Aljazeera]

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Trump imposes tariffs but Canada and Mexico hit back

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Trump had threatened to impose major tariffs upon taking office [BBC]

US President Donald Trump has announced sweeping new tariffs on all goods imported from America’s three largest trading partners, China, Mexico and Canada.

Trump said the US would impose tariffs beginning on Tuesday of 25% on Canada and Mexico, and 10% on China. Canadian energy faces a lower 10% tariff.

He had threatened to impose the import taxes if the three countries did not address his concerns about illegal immigration and drug trafficking.

Both Canada and Mexico said they are preparing retaliatory tariffs of their own.

Trump has indicated he is ready to escalate the duties if the countries retaliate.

Together, China, Mexico and Canada accounted for more than 40% of imports into the US last year.

“Today’s tariff announcement is necessary to hold China, Mexico, and Canada accountable for their promises to halt the flood of poisonous drugs into the United States,” the White House said in a statement on X on Saturday.

Trump posted on his Truth Social platform: “This was done through the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) because of the major threat of illegal aliens and deadly drugs killing our Citizens, including fentanyl.”

A tariff is a domestic tax levied on goods as they enter the country, proportional to the value of the import. They are a central part of Trump’s economic vision.

He sees them as a way of growing the US economy, protecting jobs and raising tax revenue – and in this case, pushing for policy action from allies.

In her response, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum called allegations that the Mexican government had alliances with criminal organisations “slander”.

The White House, in its announcement, accused Mexico’s government of having “an intolerable alliance” with Mexican drug trafficking organisations.

In a statement, Sheinbaum called on the US to do more to clamp down on the illegal flow of guns south to arm the cartels.

Her country is willing to work with the US, she said. “Problems are not resolved by imposing tariffs, but by talking.”

She has instructed her economy minister to respond with tariff and non-tariff measures. They are expected to include retaliatory tariffs of 25% on US goods.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said his country will also respond.

“We don’t want to be here, we didn’t ask for this,” he said in a news conference late on Saturday.

“But we will not back down in standing up for Canadians.”

His government will impose 25% tariffs on $155bn worth of American goods – $30bn will come into force on Tuesday and another $125bn in 21 days.

Targeted items include American beer, wine, bourbon, fruits and fruit juices, vegetables, perfumes, clothing and shoes, as well as household appliances, sporting goods and furniture. Lumber and plastics will also face levies.

Non-tariff measures being considered are related to critical minerals and procurement, although Trudeau did not offer more detail.

The prime minister pushed back on the suggestion the shared border posed a security concern, saying less than 1% of fentanyl going into the United States comes from Canada.

In a bid to avoid the tariffs altogether, Ottawa had promised to implement C$1.3bn ($900m; £700m) of new security measures along its US border.

“Tariffs are not the best way we can work together to save lives,” Trudeau said.

He also said he had not spoken to Trump since the inauguration, but would keep lines open with US counterparts.

China said in a statement that it is strongly dissatisfied with the levies and “firmly opposes” them.

It added that it would file a lawsuit with the World Trade Organization against the US for its “wrongful practice” and would take countermeasures to “safeguard its own rights and interests”.

China’s vice-premier Ding Xuexiang told the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, last month that his country was looking for a “win-win” solution to trade tensions and wanted to expand its imports.

Canada, Mexico and the US have deeply integrated economies, with an estimated $2bn (£1.6bn) worth of manufactured goods crossing the borders daily.

Economists say the tariffs and subsequent retaliation could raise prices on a wide range of products, from cars, lumber, and steel to food like frozen French fries, avocados, and tomatoes, to alcohol.

The auto sector could be especially hard hit. Auto parts cross the three borders multiple times before a final vehicle is assembled. TD Economics suggest the average US car price could increase by around $3,000.

A January report by the Peterson Institute for International Economics suggested blanket 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico would slow growth and accelerate inflation in all three countries.

On Friday, Trump acknowledged there could be “some temporary, short-term disruption” from the tariffs.

The Canadian Chamber of Commerce released a statement saying tariffs will have “immediate and direct consequences on Canadian and American livelihoods” and will “drastically increase the cost of everything for everyone”.

US industry groups have also raised alarm bells.

The National Homebuilders Association said the levies could increase housing costs.

The Farmers for Free Trade said, with many US farmers already struggling, “adding tariffs to the mix would only exacerbate the situation across much of rural America”.

The US Retail Industry Leaders Association, which includes big names such as Home Depot, Target and Walgreens among its more than 200 members, expressed hope tariffs could still be averted.

The White House, explaining on Saturday why it was targeting its top trading partners, said Mexican cartels were responsible for trafficking fentanyl, methamphetamine and other drugs.

It said tariffs on Canada would remain until it “co-operates with the US against drug traffickers and on border security”.

Lastly, it said “China plays the central role in the fentanyl crisis” with exports of the lethal synthetic painkiller.

Both the northern and southern US borders have reported drug seizures, though amounts at the border with Canada are considerably lower than those with Mexico, according to official data,

US border agents seized 43lbs (19.5kg) of fentanyl at the northern border between October 2023 and last September, compared to more than 21,000lbs (9,525.4kg) at the southern border.

Still, recent reports from Canadian intelligence agencies suggest a growing number of transnational organised crime groups are manufacturing drugs in Canada.

Ashley Davis, a Republican lobbyist for businesses, who represents major US companies, including Walmart and Boeing, and has been involved in discussions about tariffs, told the BBC’s World Business Report she thinks Trump will pull back on the tariffs in North America if he can point to progress on the issues he has raised as complaints – especially immigration.

“You have to remember – the border and China are the two biggest issues that Americans voted him on in the elections in November. Anything he can do to claim wins on that, I think he’s going to do,” she said.

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