New Year's celebrations swept across the globe, ushering in 2023 with countdowns and fireworks -- and marking an end to a year that brought war in Europe, a new chapter in the British monarchy and global worries over inflation.
The new year began in the tiny atoll nation of Kiribati in the central Pacific, then moved across Russia and New Zealand before heading deeper, time zone by time zone, through Asia and Europe and into the Americas.
At least for a day, thoughts focused on possibilities, even elusive ones like world peace, and mustering -- finally -- a resolve to keep the next array of resolutions.
In a sign of that hope, children met St. Nicholas in a crowded metro station in Kharkiv, Ukraine.
Yet Russian attacks continued New Year's Eve. At midnight, the streets of the capital, Kyiv, were desolate. The only sign of a new year came from local residents shouting from their balconies, "Happy New Year!" and "Glory to Ukraine!" And only half an hour into 2023, air raid sirens rang across Ukraine's capital, followed by the sound of explosions.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported an explosion in Holosiivskyi district, and authorities reported that fragments of a missile that had been shot down had damaged a car in a central district.
In Paris, thousands celebrated on the Champs Elysees, while French President Emmanuel Macron pledged continuing support for Ukraine in a televised New Year's address. "During the coming year, we will be unfailingly at your side," Macron said. "We will help you until victory and we will be together to build a just and lasting peace. Count on France and count on Europe."
Big Ben chimed as more than 100,000 revellers gathered along the River Thames to watch a spectacular fireworks show around the London Eye. The display featured a drone light display of a crown and Queen Elizabeth II's portrait on a coin hovering in the sky, paying tribute to Britain's longest-serving monarch who died in September.
Rio de Janeiro's Copacabana beach welcomed a small crowd of a few thousand for a short fireworks display, and several Brazilian cities cancelled celebrations this year due to concern about the coronavirus. The Brazilian capital's New Year's bash usually drew more than 2 million people to Copacabana before the pandemic.
Turkey's most populous city, Istanbul, brought in 2023 with street festivities and fireworks. At St. Antuan Catholic Church, dozens of Christians prayed for the new year and marked former Pope Benedict XVI's passing. The Vatican announced Benedict died Saturday at age 95.
New York City prepared to join the glow of the new year with a dazzling Saturday night spectacle in iconic Times Square, anchoring celebrations across the United States. The night culminates with a countdown as a glowing geodesic sphere 12 feet (3.6 metres) in diameter and weighing almost six tons descends from its lofty perch atop One Times Square. Its surface is comprised of nearly 2,700 Waterford crystals that will be illuminated, officials said, by a palette of more than 16 million colours.
At the stroke of midnight, a ton of confetti was expected to rain down on soggy revellers, glittering amid the jumbo screens, neon and pulsing lights.
Last year, a scaled-back crowd of about 15,000 in-person mask-wearing spectators watched the ball descend while basking in the lights and hoopla. Because of pandemic rules, it was far fewer than the tens of thousands of revellers who usually descend on the world-famous square.
Before the ball dropped, there were heavy thoughts about the past year and the new one to come.
"2023 is about resurgence -- resurgence of the world after COVID-19 and after the war in Ukraine. We want it to end," said Arjun Singh as he took in the scene at Times Square.
In Australia, more than 1 million people crowded along Sydney's waterfront for a multi-million dollar celebration based around the themes of diversity and inclusion. More than 7,000 fireworks were launched from the top of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and another 2,000 from the nearby Opera House.
"We have had a couple of fairly difficult years; we're absolutely delighted this year to be able to welcome people back to the foreshores of Sydney Harbor for Sydney's world-famous New Year's Eve celebrations," Stephen Gilby, the city's producer of major events and festivals, told The Sydney Morning Herald.
In Auckland, New Zealand, large crowds gathered below the Sky Tower, where a 10-second countdown to midnight preceded fireworks. The celebrations in New Zealand's largest city returned after COVID-19 forced them to be cancelled a year ago.
Chinese cautiously looked forward to 2023 after a recent easing of pandemic restrictions unleashed the virus but also signalled a return to normal life. Like many, salesperson Hong Xinyu stayed close to home over the past year in part because of curbs on travel.
"As the new year begins, we seem to see the light," he said at a countdown show that lit up the towering structures of a former steel mill in Beijing. "We are hopeful that there will be more freedom in the future."
Concerns about the Ukraine war and the economic shocks it has spawned across the globe were felt in Tokyo, where Shigeki Kawamura has seen better times but said he needed a free, hot meal this New Year's.
"I hope the war will be over in Ukraine so prices will stabilize," he said.
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Associated Press journalists around the globe contributed to this report, including Liu Zheng in Beijing, Renata Brito and Hanna Arhirova in Kyiv, Yuri Kagayema in Tokyo, Grant Peck in Bangkok, Zeynep Bilginsoy in Istanbul, Thomas Adamson in Paris, Sylvia Hui in London and Robert Bumsted in New York.
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump says he will nominate anti-vaccine activist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, putting him in charge of a massive agency that oversees everything from drug, vaccine and food safety to medical research and the social safety net programs Medicare and Medicaid.
Taylor Swift is in Toronto to perform her first of six sold-out shows at the Rogers Centre tonight.
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A teenage boy arrested along with more than 20 others following a gun battle in Toronto’s West Queen West neighbourhood was wanted in connection with a deadly home invasion in Etobicoke back in April, Toronto police say.
Starting in January, people will be able to make online reservations for campsites for the 2025 season.
A confinement measure with an 800-metre radius is currently in effect in part of Longueuil after a Canadian National Railway (CN) train derailed and spilt an unknown quantity of hydrogen peroxide on Thursday morning.
Starting in January, people will be able to make online reservations for campsites for the 2025 season.
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A disruption in Canada Post services would hit some Canadians harder than others. As the deadline approaches for a potential strike at midnight Friday, CTVNews.ca asked readers how it would affect them and how they are preparing.
RCMP officers coast-to-coast will soon be given body-worn cameras, the same devices that Calgary police officers have been using for years.
A teenage boy arrested along with more than 20 others following a gun battle in Toronto’s West Queen West neighbourhood was wanted in connection with a deadly home invasion in Etobicoke back in April, Toronto police say.
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump says he will nominate anti-vaccine activist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, putting him in charge of a massive agency that oversees everything from drug, vaccine and food safety to medical research and the social safety net programs Medicare and Medicaid.
The Pentagon's latest report on UFOs has revealed hundreds of new reports of unidentified and unexplained aerial phenomena but no indications suggesting an extraterrestrial origin.
South Africa's government says it won't help a group of illegal miners inside a closed mine in the country's North West province who have been denied access to basic supplies as part of an official strategy against illegal mining.
Donald Trump has had few defenders in Congress as reliable as Matt Gaetz, who has thundered at one prosecutor after another for perceived bias against the president-elect and emphatically amplified the Republican's rallying cry that the criminal investigations into him are 'witch hunts.'
Armoured vehicles manufactured by the United Arab Emirates and equipped with French defense systems have been captured by the Sudanese army during the civil war in Sudan, Amnesty International says.
A California teenager has admitted to making hundreds of swatting calls — hoax emergency calls — over a two-year period, creating 'fear and chaos' when police responded to his false reports of bomb threats and mass shootings at schools, homes and houses of worship, federal prosecutors said.
The chair of the Liberal party's Indigenous caucus says Indigenous identity is 'complicated' after questions have been raised about the claims of two Liberal MPs who currently sit with the group and one cabinet minister who is no longer a member.
Within days, thousands of frontline RCMP officers will be starting their shifts equipped with a body-worn camera, as the national police force begins deploying the program across Canada.
With the cost of living playing a central role in provincial elections across Canada and in the U.S. presidential race, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh is set to unveil a pre-campaign policy plank for the next federal election to differentiate his party from the governing Liberals.
The number of measles cases in New Brunswick continues to climb. Officials with New Brunswick’s Department of Health said as of Thursday, the number of confirmed cases since October has reached 43.
There are certain phrases that Wachuka Gichohi finds difficult to hear after enduring four years of living with long COVID, marked by debilitating fatigue, pain, panic attacks and other symptoms so severe she feared she would die overnight.
With so many gaps in global vaccine coverage, there was a 60 per cent increase in the number of significant measles outbreaks in 2023.
Zookeepers in Scotland have blamed pyrotechnics from annual Bonfire Night celebrations for the death of a baby red panda named Roxie.
It’s more than 100 feet long, at least 300 years old and visible from space. The world’s largest coral has just been discovered in the southwest Pacific Ocean, scientists announced Wednesday.
Apple announced that a new feature, 'Share Item Location,' will help users locate and recover misplaced items by sharing an AirTag location with third parties including airlines.
Taylor Swift is in Toronto to perform her first of six sold-out shows at the Rogers Centre tonight.
Longoria said she has increasingly felt like the US is "a scary place" and that she feels it will continue to be following the results of the presidential election.
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Amazon is targeting retail rivals Shein, Temu and TikTok Shop with a new deeply discounted storefront that sells a wide array of products for US$20 or less.
European Union regulators issued their first antitrust fine to Facebook parent Meta on Thursday with a penalty of nearly 800 million euros for what they call 'abusive practices' involving its Marketplace online classified ads business.
The California Insurance Department said four Los Angeles residents were arrested Wednesday, accused of defrauding three insurance companies out of nearly $142,000 by claiming a bear had caused damage to their vehicles.
A sculpture bought for just £5 (US$6) and used as a doorstop could sell for more than £2.5 million (US$3.2 million) after a Scottish court gave the green light for its sale.
In case you can't get enough of the little pygmy hippo Moo Deng from Thailand, there's now an official song featuring the internet's favourite baby animal — released in four languages for her global fans.
The Tampa Bay Rays will play their 2025 home games at the New York Yankees' nearby spring training ballpark amid uncertainty about the future of hurricane-damaged Tropicana Field, Rays executives told The Associated Press.
The world's tallest teenager might have to wait a year to become the world's tallest college basketball player.
Mounted police and helicopters surveyed fans on Thursday night as France hosted Israel in a Nations League soccer game, a week after violence erupted in Amsterdam in connection with an Israeli club team’s visit.
In part two of a three-part series into how thieves are able to drive off with modern vehicles so easily, CTV W5 correspondent Jon Woodward uses a device flagged by police to easily clone a car key.
When a Tesla crashed on Lakeshore Boulevard in Toronto last month, the first people on scene knew there were occupants inside but couldn't immediately get them out.
Almost four out of five Canadian drivers switch to winter tires when the weather calls for them, according to a new survey.
Some Calgary residents caught what appeared to be a meteor streaking across the sky early on Wednesday morning.
Four years ago, Phill Hebb started up 'Phil’s Unique Birdhouses' and since then, they’ve made their way all across Canada and into the United States.
A New Brunswick fashion designer recently won the top prize at a national event for a dress she made using an unconventional material.
Dr. Ronald Weiss, who performed nearly 60,000 vasectomies on Ottawa men, establishing him as the "Wayne Gretzky" of the procedure, has died.
A congestion crisis, a traffic nightmare, or unrelenting gridlock -- whatever you call it, most agree that Toronto has a congestion problem. To alleviate some of the gridlock, the Ontario government has announced it plans to remove bike lanes from three major roadways.
For the second year in a row, the ‘Gift-a-Family’ campaign is hoping to make the holidays happier for children and families in need throughout Barrie.
Some of the most prolific photographers behind CTV Skywatch Pics of the Day use the medium for fun, therapy, and connection.
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Jenni Gibbons was inspired to become an astronaut at a young age by Canada’s early space explorers, including Roberta Bondar. Now, the Artemis II backup crew member is hoping she can motivate the next generation to look to the stars.
Police in North Vancouver say they prevented the theft of nearly $13,000 worth of cheese from a grocery store earlier this year. Now, they're asking the public for help finding the alleged thief.
The public is being invited to share messages in memory of late B.C. premier John Horgan this week.
Taylor Swift is in Toronto to perform her first of six sold-out shows at the Rogers Centre tonight.
Five unhoused people who were staying in tents near the Rogers Centre have been given spaces in a Toronto shelters ahead of six sold-out Taylor Swift concerts that are expected to result in a significant influx of visitors to the downtown core.
Police say an officer who forcefully removed a 'weapon' from a protester outside of a Hindu temple in Brampton was acting 'within the lawful execution of his duties' after bystander video of the incident circulated widely online.
New EMS data obtained from Alberta Health Services (AHS) outlines a substantial improvement in reducing “red alerts” for the Calgary Zone, in which no ambulances are readily available, but whistleblowers say the data is misleading and thousands of patients are still being left waiting for too long.
A Calgary company that appealed its convictions and associated fine for its role in the death of one of its workers has been denied by the court.
The City of Calgary is crediting a new tool with helping crews complete a record number of pothole repairs this year.
Taylor Swift is set to hit in the stage in Toronto to kick off the Eras Tour run at the Rogers Centre, and Ottawa's Swifties who are gearing up for the big event share the excitement.
Seventeen people are facing charges following an 18-month investigation into the illegal drug trade operating in the Ottawa area.
Algonquin College says all new international students will have a guaranteed on-campus residence accommodation for the upcoming spring term.
A Montreal court is hearing final arguments today in a constitutional challenge of a Quebec law that requires protesters to stay 50 metres away from abortion clinics.
A confinement measure with an 800-metre radius is currently in effect in part of Longueuil after a Canadian National Railway (CN) train derailed and spilt an unknown quantity of hydrogen peroxide on Thursday morning.
The president of the union representing workers at the CISSS de Laval (FSSS–CSN) said she was “insulted and dumbfounded” by the news that about 565 positions won’t be filled, with no timeline as to when it will start hiring again.
The City of Edmonton said a "major" lane shift will take place on 23 Avenue and 111 Street starting on Sunday.
A fried chicken fast food hotspot is opening its second location in Edmonton next week.
A woman was seriously hurt after a shooting southwest of Drayton Valley Saturday night.
Halifax Water is asking residents and businesses supplied by the Lake Major Water Supply Plant to begin following voluntary water conservation measures.
New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt has given marching orders to her new cabinet ministers to fulfill promises made during last month's election. The government released 18 mandate letters today to the ministers outlining key priorities and responsibilities across their portfolios.
New Brunswick’s health department says, as of Thursday, the number of confirmed measles cases in the province is 43, six more than had been reported the day before.
The Manitoba government has unveiled a new tough-on-crime plan to make Manitoba a safer place to live.
Manitoba Hydro is currently dealing with a large power outage in Winnipeg's northeast.
A Manitoba organization got an on-stage shoutout from The Boss Wednesday night.
The City of Regina released official election results Thursday afternoon and said nearly 53,000 people cast a ballot in either advance polls or on election day.
Two people have been charged after Saskatchewan RCMP seized 31 guns from a residence in Lafleche and a rural yard site south of the town.
Regina's mayor-elect Chad Bachynski believes a grassroots style campaign and the desire for change led him to victory in the Queen City on Wednesday night.
Some people from Guelph are looking for a new place to stay after the City of Guelph tried to clear a downtown encampment.
Waterloo Regional Police are looking for a missing 13-year-old teen from the Chandler Drive area in Kitchener.
Waterloo Regional Police are investigating a robbery at a Kitchener store earlier this month.
Cynthia Block is the 29th mayor of Saskatoon, and the first woman elected to the position in the city's history.
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After 12 years under Greg Dionne, the City of Prince Albert has a new mayor.
The Pentagon's latest report on UFOs has revealed hundreds of new reports of unidentified and unexplained aerial phenomena but no indications suggesting an extraterrestrial origin.
A 72-year-old from Blind River has been charged with multiple counts of sexual assault involving a victim under the age of 16.
South Africa's government says it won't help a group of illegal miners inside a closed mine in the country's North West province who have been denied access to basic supplies as part of an official strategy against illegal mining.
Local MPs were joined by Mayor Josh Morgan and a number of business and non-profit representatives on Thursday to announce more than $89 million in affordable housing initiatives across the city.
A Huron County man has lost his hunting license after nearly hitting a municipal employee with an errant shot this past summer.
According to police, a victim reported that they were sprayed after an unknown individual approached them while walking through Lion’s Park.
Nick Vassilodimitrakis appeared in a Barrie courtroom Thursday morning representing himself by video from a detention centre in London, Ont. where he pleaded guilty to stabbing veteran Barrie police officer Jim Peters.
Provincial police charged a 44-year-old man from Midland following an incident on Wednesday that resulted in a hold and secure measure at a nearby high school and a road closure.
The Town of Wasaga Beach is optimistic it has found the right company to partner with for the redevelopment of its iconic beachfront.
A Windsor resident is asking for the public’s help to capture two injured foxes roaming in the east end of the city.
Windsor police are asking for the public’s help to identify a suspect after an alleged assault in a grocery store parking lot.
Taylor Swift is in Toronto to perform her first of six sold-out shows at the Rogers Centre tonight.
Mounties in Nanaimo say they're investigating an incident at a local nightclub and are issuing "a generic warning to the public" about drinks being spiked.
A woman from B.C.'s Lower Mainland has been handed a $35,000 penalty after admitting she "carried on" as a mortgage broker in the preparation of 10 mortgage applications, despite lacking the necessary registration.
When he first moved to his urban neighbourhood, Barry Devonald was surprised to be welcomed by a whole flock of new neighbours.
A B.C. woman who stole more than $14,000 in volunteer-raised funds that were supposed to be spent on school supplies and programs – including hot meals for vulnerable kids – won't spend any time in jail.
The emergency department at South Okanagan General Hospital in Oliver, B.C., will be closed for 31 hours this weekend, the second such closure in a week and the third since the start of November.
Police in Kamloops, B.C., are reminding parents and guardians to check their children's Halloween candy after receiving a report of a mother finding a razor blade in one of her daughter's treats.
Drivers are being asked to avoid the scene of a serious crash near Drumheller, Alta.
Lethbridge police say a number of arrests have been made following an investigation on Thursday morning.
Lethbridge police have charged two people in connection with a weekend carjacking that saw a stolen vehicle driven dangerously throughout the city.
A 72-year-old from Blind River has been charged with multiple counts of sexual assault involving a victim under the age of 16.
A victim who tried to intervene as two people stole items from a Sault business Tuesday was threatened with a machete.
A northern Ontario couple has been charged in the death of their three-month-old baby girl who was found in September 2022 with no vital signs.
Police in Newfoundland say a man was electrocuted Saturday by a downed power wire about 10 kilometres north of St. John's, N.L.
On Thursday morning, Dave Penny officially ended a suggested hundred-day isolation period that followed his diagnosis and stem cell treatment for non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. On Thursday night, Penny returned to a stage at a downtown St. John's bar, regaling a small crowd with songs and stories with a distinctive Newfoundland flair.
A Memorial University scientist says the mysterious white blobs washing up on Newfoundland beaches are actually gobs of plastic -- and they need to be cleaned up.
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