WORLD WELCOMES 2015
Thousands of people
celebrated in New York's Times Square for the city's annual New Year's Eve
festivities, but this year security was tight as a protest took place nearby
against police use of force and the state of race relations in the country.Europe's
celebrations began in Moscow with fireworks over St Basil's Cathedral and the
Kremlin.In Berlin a huge open air concert was held in front of the Brandenburg
Gate, while in Paris the Champs-Elysees was closed to traffic so that
pedestrians could witness a visual spectacle projected onto the Arc de Triomphe
15 minutes before the start of the new year.
The arrival of 2015
was also significant for Lithuania as it became the 19th country to join the
euro currency.In Spain, millions of
revellers converged around Madrid's Puerta del Sol, while in Barcelona huge
fireworks displays or street parties were held. Similar events took place in
the UK cities of London and Edinburgh.Up to 1.5m people lined the shores of
Sydney harbour to see the city's famous firework display.The city's Lord Mayor,
Clover Moore, said the recent hostage crisis in the city had focussed the minds
of Sydney residents.Celebration plans were muted in Indonesia in the wake of
the recent AirAsia Flight QZ8501 crash.But across the rest of
Asia there were lavish parties, with a sound and light show at Beijing's
Olympic stadium and an eight-minute firework display in Hong Kong.
"I think a more
peaceful year would be good for everyone," Louis Ho, 65, told AFP news
agency, as the territory bade farewell to a year that saw widespread street
protests.Moscow's display led the way in Europe, with President Vladimir Putin
describing the 2014 annexation of Crimea as "a historic landmark" for
Russia.Mr Putin also sent messages to several world leaders, telling US
President Barack Obama that the US and Russia had a shared interest in
"maintaining peace and international stability".In Brazil, more than
one million people gathered on Rio de Janeiro's Copacabana beach, while the
Pacific Islands just to the west of the international date line were the first
places to herald the new year.
Prof. John Kurakar
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