Revelers bid adieu to year of conflict
Revelers around the world on Sunday bade a weary adieu to a year filled with political surprises, prolonged conflicts, deadly attacks at gatherings and deaths of legendary celebrities. In New York City, an estimated 1 million people converged at Times Square, screaming and kissing as the glittering crystal ball dropped. Sydney sent up a dazzling tribute to 2016's fallen icons with a fireworks display.
Revelers around the world on Sunday bade a weary adieu to a year filled with political surprises, prolonged conflicts, deadly attacks at gatherings and deaths of legendary celebrities.
Here’s a look at how people ushered in the New Year:
New York City
An estimated 1 million people ushered in the New Year at Times Square, screaming and kissing as the glittering crystal ball dropped.
New Year’s Eve revelers began to fill Times Square hours before midnight. They braved cold temperatures and strong winds at the Crossroads of the World to greet 2017 amid heavy police protection.
Maria Raimilla, from New Jersey, said 2016 was rough. “Everything is going to be new,” she said at midnight. “I just want to find happiness this year and leave all the bad things behind.”
Mariah Carey headlined in Times Square for “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest” on ABC.
Sydney
Sydney sent up a dazzling tribute to 2016’s fallen icons with a New Year’s Eve fireworks display honoring two famous Australians—the late singer David Bowie and late actor Gene Wilder—becoming the first major city to bid a bittersweet adieu to a turbulent year.
The glittering display over Sydney’s harbor and bridge featured Saturn- and star-shaped fireworks set to “Space Oddity,” the classic song by Bowie, among the seemingly endless parade of beloved entertainers who died in 2016.
Wilder was honored as the bridge lit up in a rainbow of colors while a song from his film “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” played.
Rio de Janeiro
More than 2 million people welcomed 2017 at Rio de Janeiro’s Copacabana beach. Twelve minutes of fireworks amazed many of the more than 860,000 tourists who traveled to Brazil’s major city for the party.
The event was more modest than last year due to the city’s recession.
Berlin
In Berlin, the mood was more somber than celebratory.
“I don’t like the way politics is going,” Daniel Brandt said. “Fears are being fanned and people are so angry with each other.”
The tone of public debate in Germany has become shriller over the past two years with the influx of hundreds of thousands of migrants.
Moscow
President Vladimir Putin invoked a bit of seasonal enchantment in his New Year’s Eve remarks to the nation.
“Each of us may become something of a magician on the night of the New Year,” Putin said in a short televised address broadcast from Moscow in the closing minutes of 2016 in each of Russia’s 11 time zones.
“To do this, we simply need to treat our parents with love and gratitude, take care of our children and families, respect our colleagues at work, nurture our friendships, defend truth and justice, be merciful, and help those who are in need of support. This is the whole secret,” he added.
London
A beefed-up security presence throughout London and Britain’s other major cities did nothing to squelch raucous New Year celebrations highlighted by a breathtaking fireworks display over the River Thames that began just after the Big Ben tower chimed midnight.
Britain had a tumultuous year, with a June vote to leave the European Union followed by the resignation of the prime minister.
Paris
Tourists and French revelers swarmed along Paris’ illuminated Champs Élysées Avenue on a frosty night, admiring the laser display from the Arc de Triomphe and lines of trees sparkling with lights.
Some people were happy to say goodbye to 2016.
“It’s been such a horrible year, with all these (entertainment celebrity) deaths, Syria, Brexit and Trump. I say: ‘good riddance,’” said Karine Dublot, from Lyon.
Tokyo
Temple bells echoed at midnight as families gathered around noodles and revelers flocked to shrines for the biggest holiday in Japan. Kami Miyamoto, an economics student at Meiji University in Tokyo, traveled home in Hakusan, Ishikawa Prefecture, for the holiday.
Beijing, Shanghai
Residents in Beijing and Shanghai passed New Year’s Eve quietly in a relative state of security lockdown, according to Chinese media reports citing police.
The Bund waterfront in Shanghai had no celebrations, authorities announced this week, while the sale, use and transportation of fireworks in central Shanghai were prohibited.
Large buildings that often display light shows also stayed dark. More than 30 people died two years ago in a deadly stampede on Shanghai’s waterfront, where 300,000 people had gathered to watch a planned light show.
Chinese President Xi Jinping said in his NewYear’s Eve address his government would continue to focus on alleviating poverty at home and resolutely defending China’s territorial rights.
Seoul
Hundreds of thousands of South Koreans ushered in the New Year with a massive protest demanding the resignation of disgraced President Park Geunhye. It was the 10th straight weekend of protests that led to Park’s impeachment on Dec. 9 over a corruption scandal.
The evening rally was planned to overlap with Seoul’s traditional bell-tolling ceremony at the Bosinkgak pavilion at midnight, which was also expected to be a political statement against Park.
The city’s mayor, Park Wonsoon, invited as guests a man whose teenage son was among more than 300 people who died during a 2014 ferry sinking and a woman who was forced into sexual slavery by Japan’s World War II military.
New Delhi, Mumbai
For most people in India, New Year’s Eve was a time for family. In New Delhi and many other cities, newspapers were full of big advertisements for lavish parties at upscale hotels and restaurants. The big draws at the hotel parties were songand-dance performances from Bollywood and television stars.
The western city of Mumbai hosted big street parties with thousands of people at the iconic Gateway of India, a colonialera structure on the waterfront overlooking the Arabian Sea.
Dubai
In Dubai, hundreds of thousands of people watched fireworks shoot from the sides of the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa.
There was no repeat of the chaos of last year, when police say faulty wiring sparked a fire several hours before midnight at a skyscraper nearby.