THIS IS ONLY A TEST
AFTER BERLIN, BIG CITIES BEEF UP NEW YEAR’S EVE SECURITY
Major cities across the globe are bolstering security around New Year’s Eve celebrations, with some U.S. law enforcement agencies taking extra precautions to protect against the sort of deadly truck attacks carried out in Germany and France this year.
New York City officials announced Thursday they will deploy 65 sanitation and salt trucks around the perimeter of Times Square, a new security measure aimed at making it more difficult for an attacker to barrel a vehicle into a crowd.
The city will also dispatch 100 lighter “blocker trucks” in the area for an added layer of protection.
In London, the Metropolitan Police said Thursday it will deploy armed officers on London Underground trains for the first time, Sky News reported.
Melbourne police officials said revelers will notice increased security this year, while law enforcement in Madrid said that for the first time it would limit the number of people allowed into the Puerta del Sol square, where tens of thousands gather at midnight to take part in the tradition of eating 12 grapes to ring in the New Year, El Pais reported.
— Aamer Madhani
MAN WHO DIED IN SWISS ALPS WAS AVID CLIMBER
The American engineer who fell to his death in the Swiss Alps this week was trying to retake photos he took years ago while climbing the fabled Matterhorn, family members said Thursday.
Patrick James Harper, 52, was an avid hiker, skier and climber who was descending the 14,692foot mountain when he tumbled to his death, Harper’s sister, Jeanmarie Harper-Henry, told USA TODAY.
Harper, of Butler, Pa., fell almost 500 feet from a steep, icy trail Monday, police in the Valais region of Switzerland said. Police said in a statement that Harper was hiking alone when he fell for “unexplained reasons” along a trail partially covered in snow drifts.
— John Bacon
ALSO ...
A powerful winter storm that could deliver up to 2 feet of snow in New England and New York state moved into the region Thursday. Numerous winter storm warnings and weather advisories were in effect across the region. Hazardous driving conditions with snow-covered roads and poor visibilities are expected, the National Weather Service said.