Lunar New Year, also known as Chinese New Year, is celebrated over multiple days and marks the beginning of the coming 12 months on the traditional lunisolar calendar.
The occasion is observed by many people of Chinese descent and is also commemorated in other countries across Asia, including South Korea, Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines and Singapore.
Here, Sky News takes a look at this year’s celebrations – and how it’s significant.
What is this year’s Zodiac animal?
Ending the year of the Water Tiger, which is seen as a symbol of strength, braveness and exorcising evils, the 2023 Lunar New Year is set to welcome the Year of the Rabbit.
The Rabbit is the fourth animal in the zodiac sequence of 12, and is seen as the luckiest.
People born in the year of the Rabbit are believed to be vigilant, witty, quick-minded and ingenious.
The animal is also said to signify mercy, elegance and beauty.
Image: Fireworks are seen behind a neon-light rabbit celebrating the Spring Festival. Pic: AP
In the Chinese five-element theory, it is believed that each zodiac sign has one of the five elements: Metal, wood, water, fire or earth.
These elements rotate for each year on which the sign falls, meaning they come every 60 years.
This year is the Water Rabbit, which last came in 1903 and 1963.
There are five types of rabbit, each said to have different characteristics – and those associated with the Water Rabbit suggest believers in the Chinese lunisolar calendar who were born in those years may not be entirely pleased.
The traits linked to each of the rabbits are:
Water Rabbit: Gentle and amicable, but has a weak mindset
Wood Rabbit: Clever and quick-witted, but selfish
Fire Rabbit: Broad-minded, smart and flexible
Earth Rabbit: Straightforward, ambitious and hard-working
Metal Rabbit: Kind-hearted, lively and enthusiastic
Image: Lunar New Year decorations put up in Kuala Lumpur shopping mall. Pic: AP
When is the 2023 Lunar New Year?
The Year of the Tiger ends on 21 January and the Year of the Rabbit begins the following day, on 22 January.
How Chinese New Year celebrated?
One of the most important holidays in the Chinese calendar, the Lunar New Year kicks off a 15-day festival of celebrations in China and among Chinese communities around the world.
Commonly known in China as Spring Festival, people in the country get seven consecutive days off each year to mark the occasion.
During this period, there are a number of traditions.
Image: The Lion dance is a traditional dance in Chinese culture. Pic: AP
Festivities get under way with a lion dance, in which performers mimic a lion’s movements while in a lion costume – with the animal symbolising power, wisdom, and superiority.
The performers move with the rhythm of the beating of the drum, cymbals and gong. The loud sounds are intended to scare away evil spirits and welcome the lion to bring in good fortune.
A dragon dance is the highlight of the celebration in many areas, as the dragon is a symbol of good fortune.
Image: A Taiwanese woman lights a candle to mark the new year. Pic: AP
Other traditions include people cleaning their homes thoroughly to rid the household of bad luck.
Some eat specially prepared foods on certain days during the celebrations, which are also supposed to bring good luck.
Image: Lucky foods to eat during Chinese New Year. Pic: iStock
They include dumplings, which are often eaten on Chinese New Year’s eve and symbolise wealth, and sweet rice balls – a symbol of family togetherness.
Image: Nagasaki Lantern Festival in Japan. Pic: AP
The last event of the celebration is called the Lantern Festival, during which people hang glowing lanterns in temples or carry them during parades.
Image: China celebrates the Lunar New Year with molten iron fireworks. Pic: AP
The festival also involves people lighting candles while praying in temples.
Firework displays take place that feature Datiehua folk art – which sees burning hot iron water sprayed to form a display of fireworks. The art originated in the Song Dynasty and is now part of cultural heritage across the country.
Russian missile and drone attacks have killed 14 people in Kyiv overnight, according to Ukrainian officials.
A 62-year-old US citizen who suffered shrapnel wounds is among the dead.
At least 99 others were wounded in strikes that hollowed out a residential building and destroyed dozens of apartments.
Image: Pic: AP
Emergency workers were at the scene to rescue people from under the rubble.
Images show a firefighter was among those hurt, with injured residents evacuated from their homes.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described the attack as “one of the most terrifying attacks on Kyiv” – and said Russian forces had fired 440 drones and 32 missiles as civilians slept in their homes.
“[Putin] wants the war to go on,” he said. “It is troubling when the powerful of this world turn a blind eye to it.”
Image: Pic: AP
Ukraine’s interior minister, Ihor Klymenko, said 27 locations across the capital have been hit – including educational institutions and critical infrastructure.
He claimed the attack, in the early hours of Tuesday morning, was one of the largest on the capital since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in February 2022.
Drones swarmed over the city, with an air raid alert remaining in force for seven hours.
One person was killed and 17 others injured as a result of separate Russian drone strikes in the port city of Odesa.
Image: Pic: Reuters
It comes as the G7 summit in Canada continues, which Ukraine’s leader is expected to attend.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy was due to hold talks with Donald Trump – but the president has announced he is unexpectedly returning to Washington because of tensions in the Middle East.
Ukraine’s foreign minister says Moscow’s decision to attack Kyiv during the summit is a signal of disrespect to the US.
Moscow has launched a record number of drones and missiles in recent weeks, and says the attacks are in retaliation for a Ukrainian operation that targeted warplanes in airbases deep within Russian territory.
Kyiv’s mayor Vitali Klitschko says fires broke out in two of the city’s districts as a result of debris from drones shot down by the nation’s air defences.
On X, Ukraine’s foreign ministry wrote: “Russia’s campaign of terror against civilians continues. Its war against Ukraine escalates with increased brutality.
“The only way to stop Russia is tighter pressure – through sanctions, more defence support for Ukraine, and limiting Russia’s ability to keep sowing war.”
Olena Lapyshnak, who lived in one of the destroyed buildings, said: “It’s horrible, it’s scary, in one moment there is no life. I can only curse the Russians, that’s all I can say. They shouldn’t exist in this world.”
An Air India flight from Ahmedabad to London has been cancelled.
No explanation has been given for the cancellation so far, Sky News understands.
However, Indian-English language channel CNN News18 reported that the cancellation of the flight, which arrived from Delhi, was due to “technical issues”.
It comes after a UK-bound Air India flight catastrophically crashed shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad airport in western India on Thursday, killing 229 passengers and 12 crew, with one person surviving the crash.
Among the victims were several British nationals, whose deaths in the crash have now been officially confirmed, UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy said as he shared his condolences on X.
Yesterday, an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner – the same type as the aircraft involved in last week’s tragedy – had to return to Hong Kong mid-flight after a suspected technical issue.
Air India flight 159, which was cancelled on Tuesday, was also a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner.
It was due to depart from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport at 1.10pm local time (8.40am UK time). It was set to arrive at London’s Gatwick Airport at 6.25pm UK time.
Air India’s website shows the flight was initially delayed by one hour and 50 minutes before being cancelled.
As a result, passengers have been left stranded at the airport. The next flight from Ahmedabad to London is scheduled for 11.40am local time (7.10am UK time) on Wednesday.
This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly.
Israeli tank shellfire has killed at least 51 Palestinians in Khan Younis, according to the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza.
Hundreds of others have been injured, with “dozens of critical cases” arriving at a medical complex.
It is feared that the number of fatalities will rise.
Image: Pic: Reuters
The strikes took place as people waited for United Nations and commercial aid trucks in the southern Gaza city.
Witnesses said that Israeli forces carried out an airstrike on a nearby home before opening fire toward the crowd.
“Emergency, intensive care, and operating rooms are experiencing severe overcrowding,” a statement said.
Officials say medical staff “are operating with limited supplies of life-saving medicines” – with the ministry renewing an “urgent appeal” to increase aid.
Image: Pic: Reuters
Hours earlier, Donald Trump had joined other G7 leaders to call for a “de-escalation of hostilities in the Middle East, including a ceasefire in Gaza”.
The Israeli military is yet to comment on this incident.
This was the highest reported daily total since Israel and US-backed aid centres opened last month, with thousands of Palestinians moving through Israeli military-controlled areas to reach them.