New year’s 2023 celebrations ring out around the world

PROBABLY SEE AND HEAR BEHIND ME. THE CLEANUP IS STILL UNDER WAY. AT THE STROKE OF MIDNIGHT 2023 WAS WELCOMED AROUND THE WORLD WITH LARGE IN-PERSON CELEBRATIONS WE HAVEN’T SEEN SINCE THE START OF THE PANDEMIC. AUSTRALIA WAS AMONG THE FIRST TO RING IN THE NEW YEAR WITH A BANG WITH MORE THAN A MILLION REVELERS AT SYDNEY HARBOR. FIREWORKS ALSO LIT UP THE SKIES IN TAIPEI AND HONG KONG WHERE TENS OF THOUSANDS GATHERED JUST DAYS AFTER COVID RESTRICTIONS WERE LIFTED. AS FESTIVITIES STRETCHED ACROSS THE GLOBE, CELEBRATIONS WERE MUTED IN UKRAINE FOLLOWING A NEW ROUND OF RUSSIAN MISSILE

ATTACKS KILLING AT LEAST ONE PERSON. PRESIDENT ZELENSKYY SHARING A DEFIANT AND HOPEFUL MESSAGE FOR THE NEW YEAR, TELLING UKRAINIANS HE WANTS VICTORY AND A RETURN TO NORMAL LIFE. IN THE U.S., A RETURN TO CROWDS, CLOSURES, AND HEIGHTENED SECURITY FROM SEATTLE TO ATLANTA AND THE CROSS ROADS OF THE WORLD. TIMES SQUARE PACKED WITH PEOPLE EAGER TO SEE THE ICONIC BALL DROP, EVEN RAIN COULDN’T DAMPEN THEIR SPIRITS. BUT LAST NIGHT HERE IN NEW YORK CITY THE FESTIVITIES DID TAKE A VIOLENT TURN. POLICE SAY THAT A 19-YEAR-OLD WITH A MACHETE ATTACKED A GROUP OF OFFICERS AT A SECURITY

CHECKPOINT AT A TIMES SQUARE AREA, AND THREE OF THOSE OFFICERS WERE RUSHED TO THE HOSPITAL, BUT WE ARE TOLD THEY WILL BE OKAY. MEANWHILE MULTIPLE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES ARE LOOKING INTO THE SUSPECT’S PAST AND WHETHER THE INDIVIDUAL PREVIOUSLY POSTED

JIHADIST WRITINGS ONLINE AND THEN CAME TO NEW YORK CITY TO POSSIBLY TARGET OFFICERS ON NEW YEAR’S EVE