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Amid worries, world parties into new year
Associated Press
Published January 1, 2006
LONDON - Partygoers swarmed through London to celebrate the New Year Saturday, undaunted by a subway strike, while a rash of car burnings hit France despite police efforts to curb the traditional year-end vandalism.
In parts of Asia, the threat of terrorism loomed large, and a bombing at a market in Indonesia killed eight and wounded 45.
But celebrations worldwide were generally jubilant, in contrast with last year when the devastation of the Indian Ocean tsunami led many countries and individuals to cancel festivities.
Hundreds of American soldiers in Iraq got a special show from American Idol singer Diana DeGarmo and other entertainers at Camp Victory in Baghdad.
More than 2-million Brazilians were expected at jam Rio de Janeiro's famed Copacabana Beach for the largest fireworks extravaganza in the city's history. Officials planned to set off nearly 25 tons of fireworks.
London saw many subway workers walk out at noon, but staff not affiliated with the striking RMT union kept much of the sprawling Tube network running.
Thousands of partygoers gathered in Trafalgar Square and outside the Houses of Parliament, to hear Big Ben chime midnight.
"We wanted to come because it's a once in a lifetime thing," said Carol Joyce, 43, who traveled from northern England for the festivities and was unaffected by the strike.
Revelers lined the banks of the River Thames to watch a massive fireworks display set against the backdrop of the giant, futuristic Ferris wheel, the London Eye.
Youths threw stones at firefighters and burned cars in scattered unrest in France, where police were mobilized to prevent a repeat outburst of rioting that broke out this fall.
About 25,000 French police were on alert for the holiday. Every New Year's Eve, youths set several hundred cars ablaze. By 4 a.m. today, police counted 343 vehicles burned; last year 323 were burned. There were 266 arrests, but it wasn't clear if the arrests were linked to the vandalism.
In Japan, police said thousands of people were climbing the 12,387-foot, snowcapped Mount Fuji and other mountains before dawn to see the first sunrise of the new year.
But a new holiday pastime also has emerged among Japanese - watching professional wrestling on TV - and many rang people in the new year glued to their sets.
[Last modified January 1, 2006, 00:33:00]
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