NEW YORK (voa) – Hundreds of thousands of revelers have greeted the new year in New York’s Times Square. More than half-a-million people, many waving colorful red, white and blue banners and American flags, watched amid tight security as the traditional ball dropped, signaling the end of a year that, among other things, saw the worst terrorist attack in U.S. history with the September 11 destruction of New York’s World Trade Center twin towers.
Monday evening, bells rang at hundreds of churches, synagogues and mosques across New York in honor of the victims of the terrorist attack. Among the added security measures implemented in New York are helicopters circling above the city, sharpshooters at key locations throughout the city and devices capable of detecting nuclear radiation.
Also at midnight, outgoing New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani swore-in his successor Michael Bloomberg. Mr. Giuliani has been praised worldwide for his smooth handling of the post-September 11th situation in a city traumatized by terror.
Patriotic events to mark the new year are also taking place in many other U.S. cities. Many nations around the world have already greeted 2002, looking to the future after a year that was marred by violence and economic gloom.
In Europe, citizens of 12 countries in the European Union greeted the arrival of a new currency, the euro.
In Rome, 81-year old Pope John Paul II said his traditional new year’s homily, praying for the strength to carry on in his papacy. The once tireless pontiff is now struggling with health problems. Pope John Paul led the new year’s service of thanksgiving in St. Peter’s Basilica. Russian and U.S. astronauts aboard the International Space Station were among the first to greet 2002, as they orbited westward above Earth. For the astronauts – Russian Yuri Onufrienko and Americans Carl Walz and Daniel Bursch – the new year began as they crossed the International Dateline over the Pacific Ocean hours before the rest of the world celebrated.
In Australia’s largest metropolitan area, raging bushfires did not halt the traditional massive new year’s fireworks display. An estimated one million revelers ignored a shroud of smoke over historic Sydney harbor to watch the fireworks display.
