Sydney, Australia\/Madrid, Dec 31 (EFE).- Around one million people were gathering in Sydney to bring in the New Year on Sunday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Eight tons of fireworks will be fired at the iconic Opera House and Harbour Bridge to mark the occasion in Australia\u2019s most populous city, the self-proclaimed \u201cNew Year\u2019s capital of the world.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The tiny island nation of Kiribati in the South Pacific was the first to make it to Jan. 1, 2024, at 10am GMT.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Celebrations were also getting underway across East Asia. In central Seoul, some 100,000 people were expected to attend the bell-tolling ceremony on New Year’s Eve, Yonhap news agency reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In Tokyo, however, the countdown event in the popular nightlife district of Shibuya has been canceled for the fourth consecutive year due to concerns of overcrowding, NHK said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In New Delhi, some 10,000 additional police officers will be deployed to help control traffic on the Indian capital’s notoriously busy streets, local media reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In Europe\u2019s capital cities, authorities are beefing up security measures amid heightened terror threats in recent weeks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In France, 90,000 officers will be mobilized, including 6,000 in the capital Paris, police said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Across the border in the United Kingdom, more than 100,000 people are expected to witness the New Year\u2019s event in London, although high winds in recent days could dampen the mood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Wintry weather is also forecast in New York, where police have also stepped up security measures in case of any incidents, mayor Eric Adams said this week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They have also set up a perimeter around Times Square, where the New Year\u2019s celebrations will be centered, to prohibit protests related to the Israel-Palestinian conflict.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Recent events in the city, including the Thanksgiving Day Parade, have been disrupted by pro-Palestine rallies. EFE<\/p>\n\n\n\n
aus-nc-ks<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"