ah, what is true? what's vague? it doesn't matter. the only criteria, well, we'll hook people. we shed light on the opaque worlds who's behind benefits. and why are they a threat to whistle? open worlds. starts january 5th on d, w. in with this is d w. news live from berlin. welcome to 2022. around the world concerts, light shows and fireworks kick off the new year. new york ushers in 2022 with its

annual ball drop on times square and unlike last year, thousands of people join in the fun. many say they're hoping for a better state of affairs in the year ahead. also coming up fast moving wild fires in colorado, destroy hundreds of homes. tens of thousands are forced to evacuate. no debts have been reported, which the governor calls miraculous. and germany's new chancellor gives his 1st new year's address. olaf shoulds urges the public to stand together and to get vaccinated. ah i'm nick spicer. welcome to the program and to the year 2022 countries around the world have been ringing in the new year with fireworks gatherings and celebrations . hour ago,

new york held its annual ball drop and this time time square was full of confetti and good cheer. even though the pandemic has forced many places to scale back to parties, people are greeting the new year and the hope that it will be the year when life returns somewhat back to normal. ah, pandemic are nope endemic the world has. welcome the new year in in style. new zealand was one of the 1st it's traditional firework extravaganza was cancelled due to the pandemic. instead of illuminated auckland's landmarks with thousands of life in australia, sydney didn't hold back fireworks, weaved in the air to create wales and wool winds. some of the fireworks were let off early so that children could enjoy them too. then it was over to india, where massive beach bodies declaim and go potty go. i said they wish core would,

would go away from the 1st of january. and in moscow, red square got a little red o, as fireworks exploded overhead. in germany, a light show illuminated bolan's famous brandenburg get the eiffel tower in paris. from the dawned and color of the european union to symbolize france taking over the use presidency ah, london's traditional celebrations were cancelled as well. but there's no holding back baked bens the box. and along with the famous chimes of big ben 2021 was no more.

ah. and our correspondent manual shows was at the brandenburg gate for those celebrations. and she sent us this outlook for the new year. with fireworks and music. this is how germany said good bye to 2021. in the watson eventful year. it has been for the country that you had had to face many challenges not least the summer. no, it's not please the pan demik. how we several ways of 19 infections any tell. so experienced a huge political turnover with ourselves becoming chancellor after as the thing is off mondays by angela marco. now gemini, answers 2022. or is it sad off challenges as well? germany will head, and d 7 will hold the g 7 presidency for a year and a new government we love to have to tackle new covey 19 infection. we'll have to

tackle japan they make. and you can see here tonight that there is nobody here to celebrate. the bonneville gate people have been asked to be careful to celebrate in small circles. so gemini, and as a new year with us to defend and make inside, still the pandemic to try and tackle in des moines and des, correspondence around the world are looking ahead to the issues in this new year. beijing, corresponding 5 in customer shares, some insights into work. china will likely be placing it focuses 2022 gets underway . 2022 will indeed be a very crucial year for china. and that mainly has to do with 2 big events ahead. the 1st one being debating winter olympics, which will be held in february and observe us basically perceived this event as an accelerator of the already riding gap between the west and china. why the chinese government promotes the beijing went olympics as a milestone of a country that has been come a world power the west mostly debates about

a political boycott of the games and also debates about the increasing human rights violations inside the country. been in autumn, there will be the biggest political event of the year, the 20th party congress. and during that event, seating ping is expected to proclaim his the 3rd term and office. and that will make him the longest serving chinese leader since mounted on. and if you look back under see through, over the last 10 years, yes, transformed the country tremendously. and so far he doesn't throw any signs of ease in control. let's get you up to speed now and some of the other stores making use around the world today. germany has shut down 3 of its 6 remaining nuclear power plants on the last day of 2021. the last 3 stations will be switched off one year from now. germany began facing out nuclear energy under angular merkel. after the reactor accident in fukushima, japan. small crowds gathered to welcome the news. one person is

confirmed dead and 3 others are missing after a powerful gas explosion in northern belgium blast in the town of til newt destroyed part of a residential building, one person is recovering from their injuries in hospital. the american comedy actress betty white has died at the age of 99. her television career spent 60 years she was best known for her any award winning winning role in the t. v sitcom. the golden girls and the mary tyler moore show wife passed away less than 3 weeks before her hundreds birthday residents in the american state of colorado are surveying the damage after a wildfire told, tore through several towns. it's believe the fast moving flames engulfed at least $500.00 homes. authorities say they're the worst fires the state has ever seen so far. there are no reported deaths, which local officials have described as miraculous. panic in

a busy story, colorado strong winds are finding fires throughout the state, pushing it through entire neighborhoods. people here rushed to their cars to get away as a fast moving wildfire closes in her case. guess i'm a little scared. this happened and i print at night, the flames lit up the sky. come morning, they were gone, quelled by snowfall. colorado has given a, could it a new year's miracle? he surveyed the destruction from the air on the ground. he said he was shocked. how fast the flames could 3 communities. this was a disaster in fast motion, all over the course of half

a day. nearly all the damage, many families having minutes, minutes to get whatever they could, their, their pats, their kids into the car. and leave. after leaving the day before the 1st residents are being allowed back, hundreds of homes, a smoldering throughout the state. some people have lost everything that they pay in south town. he thought or thought to say any remaining fires will likely also burn out. for those who have nothing left though, start the new year rebuilding from scratch. to work with german is new chancellor. has given his 1st new year's address to the nation. allah schultz urged all germans to stand together in the fight against coven 19, and to get vaccinated. besides tackling the pandemic, the german leader said, the biggest challenge for the upcoming year was to lay the foundations for

germany's future development. on the changes that today i am the one speaking to you one you get even your federal chancellor things at the front. this year. after 16 years of new year's addresses by angle america, germany's new head of government voted a task for the 1st time. chancellor shall send out the challenges faced by the country in 2021, acknowledging the hardships that have been endured, such as the summer slots in west and germany, and praising the resilience. people have shown, especially during the pandemic. when to the day, some people complain that our society is divided. i'd like to take this opportunity to make it very clear that in fact the opposite is true. our country is standing together. what i see everywhere is tremendous, solidarity and incredible spirit of helping others. and people coming together and mutual support in order to cub coby 19 infections,

or shots appeared once again to people to get vaccinated. isn't that any we know that those who are not yet vaccinated are at particular risk if becoming infected, suffering from long and severe illness. for this reason, i would like to urge you once more to get vaccinated. so the new government's vaccination efforts have already hit their 1st milestone with $13000000.00 vaccines administered since the end of november. and further, $13000000.00 doses planned by the end of january allow shield so so took the opportunity to emphasize to coalitions goes on climates and mr. ma, within 25 years, we want germany to become climate new chosen to achieve this, we will move forward with the greatest transformation our economy is seen in more than a century. in this period we will achieve independence from coal, oil and gas. and he reminded listeners of one of his social democratic party's key election promises and pay is also

a matter of respect. that's why in 2022 will be taking a major step and increasing the legal minimum wage to 12 years per hour. shelter. first new year's address soon with optimism. it was a declaration of good faith. but he also called on people to play the part in forming the future. 15 at the beginning of the new decade, a new era as dawning lawyer, an era that will be successful if we actively shape it is because we can make a difference if we remain determined and take our fight into our own hands. that the name and you can watch the full address from the german chancellor on our youtube channel and our website, w dot com. despite this being the 2nd year of corona virus restrictions, it was never the less a busy year for the arts. let's have a look back at some of the cultural highlights of 2021. ah, taba sounds like they never went away. the years,

most spectacular come back. maybe the come back of the decade. ah, james bond took longer than ever before between missions. the pandemic pushed back the release date for the spy thriller. no time to die multiple times. you late nonetheless, it was one of the year's biggest grossing films marking daniel craigs last outing as double 07. ah. the year also saw spectacular museum openings the luma in the french city about a seamless plant of art and architecture. in rotterdam, the new depot of the boy man's from virginian is the world's 1st public exhibition warehouse.

was lowe's. new monkey museum is the biggest devoted to a single artist, had vowed mom. a version of the scream is on display the artists best known work. this artwork doesn't need a museum for the 1st time christies auctioned a digital piece. the collage of 5000 individual images was created by american artist and computer scientist. people. it fetched a record, some of around $60000000.00 euros a crate. in order to do animal motor. the head south korean series, squid game, mid waves, around the world. south korean films and series have had more and more success internationally. as had the boy band b t. s with their music. ah,

perhaps the best gifted year was the gift of freedom for pop star britney spears. after her fans kept up the pressure and with a hash tag free brittany, her conservatorship was saw, her father control her fortune, and her life was ended in port and that's it for now. coming up next, our tech show shift looked at how that had them. it has given digital fashion of big boost, stay with us for that and you can stay up to date on our website at dw dot com from social media. the handle you need is at the w news. thanks your company. i'm next keiser watched sch oh, where i come from. we have to 5 reference and was born.