Fireworks and parties greet 2019
Print Edition
Australia鈥檚 largest city Sydney put on its biggest-ever fireworks display in a spectacular welcome to the New Year, kicking off a wave of celebrations for billions around the world.
A record amount of pyrotechnics as well as new fireworks effects and colors lit up the city鈥檚 skyline for 12 minutes and dazzled more than 1.5 million spectators who packed the harbor front and parks.
An earlier thunderstorm did not dampen the spirits of revelers who camped out at vantage points, some since the morning.
To mark the international year of indigenous languages in 2019, the harbor also hosted a ceremony celebrating Aboriginal heritage that included animations projected onto the bridge鈥檚 pylons.
In the Indonesian capital Jakarta, more than 500 couples tied the knot in a free mass wedding organized by the government held under tents in pouring rain.
The city鈥檚 government organized the event for poor families, who often do not have official documents such as birth or marriage certificates.
A legally recognized marriage helps parents and children access public services such as health care and education.
New Year鈥檚 Eve was chosen so that 鈥渋f they celebrate their wedding, everyone will celebrate it. The whole world,鈥 he said.
It was the second time the Jakarta government has held a mass wedding on New Year鈥檚 Eve but to respect the victims of recent disasters in the archipelago, fireworks shows have been canceled.
New Year鈥檚 Eve celebrations were also called off in nearby Banten province, where the disaster struck on December 22 killing more than 400 people.
In Japan, locals flocked to temples to ring in 2019, as US boxing superstar Floyd Mayweather came out of retirement to beat Japanese kickboxer Tenshin Nasukawa in a multi-million-dollar 鈥渆xhibition鈥 bout outside Tokyo.
鈥淚t was all about entertainment. We had fun,鈥 Mayweather said in the ring after the event, which pitted the former world champion against an opponent less than half his age.
鈥淚鈥檓 still retired ... I did this just to entertain the fans in Japan,鈥 added the 41-year-old.
Party atmosphere is sweeping across Asia, Europe, Africa and the Americas as the clock ticks past midnight.
A strong police presence has become a key element of the festivities, to protect crowds that could be targeted in terror and vehicle attacks.
In Hong Kong, glittering fireworks were sent skyward from five barges floating in Victoria Harbour in a 10-minute display watched by 300,000 people on the shore.
In Moscow, concerts and light shows were held across the city鈥檚 parks and gardens with more than 1,000 ice rinks opened for merrymakers.
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