In Pictures: Then-and-now images show contrast in New Year’s Eve celebrations

Confetti lies on the street after the New Year’s Eve ball dropped in a nearly empty Times Square in New York early on January 1 2021 (Craig Ruttle/AP)

New Year’s Eve celebrations across the globe looked radically different this year as large crowds stayed away from traditional party spots such as New York City’s Times Square and the Champs Elysees in Paris.

The coronavirus that changed so much in 2020 led to cancellations of most fireworks displays and public events in favour of made-for-TV-only moments in cities around the world.