Britain celebrates new year

London's annual extravaganza drew a quarter of a million people to the riverside for a spectacular display of glittering fireworks, bright lights and music around the London Eye, while thousands also gathered for Hogmanay street parties in Glasgow and Edinburgh.

Those venturing outside were grateful for warmer temperatures than those seen over the past week, but in large parts of the country firework displays were set to be obscured by cloud and mist.

London's display featured fireworks made by a British firm for the first time, with the show set to music provided by Radio 1 DJ Nihal.

Mayor of London Boris Johnson said the ''dazzling'' display would capture the ''dynamism, colour and energy'' of the city in front of an expected 250,000 people along the River Thames.

The Hogmanay festival started last night in Edinburgh with a torchlit procession along the Royal Mile, and continued tonight with a concert featuring Biffy Clyro, The Charlatans and Billy Bragg and a Keilidh in Resolution Square, both of which were sold out.

A candlelit concert took place at St Giles' Cathedral on the Royal Mile while organisers provided an impressive firework display from Edinburgh Castle and Calton Hill.

In Glasgow, crowds toasted the New Year with one of Scotland's biggest outdoor ceilidhs, in George Square.

Scottish trad-rockers Skerryvore and Celtic music legends Capercaillie were scheduled to appear at the massive street party.

Michael Lawrence, a Met Office forecaster, said: "It will be mostly dry and cloudy with some light winds. It will be cooler than recent days but minimum temperatures will be just above freezing.

"The cloud is fairly low but does have some breaks. The mist will not be as widespread as it has been for the last few days.

"Scotland and north-facing coasts will see the occasional snow shower."

Countries across Europe, Asia, Africa and the Pacific have already celebrated the new year, with thousands gathering in Madrid's central Puerta del Sol square to take part in "Las Uvas," or "The Grapes," a tradition in which people eat a grape for each of the 12 chimes of midnight.

In Australia 1.5 million people gathered to watch a spectacular firework display over Sydney harbour, preceded by aerial displays by vintage aircraft and a parade of boats around the harbour.

A massive pyrotechnic display in the shape of a dragon was set off in Taiwan and people in Japan wrote their wishes on note paper, attached them to balloons and released them into the sky.

Later on nearly a million people are expected to gather in New York's Times Square to watch the midnight ball drop just days after the city was crippled by a devestating blizzard.

British celebrations will continue on January 1 with the 25th New Year's Day parade through London.

Clearer skies are forecast although a band of light rain will be pushing down from Scotland across Wales and the south east as half a million people are expected to pack the streets of Westminster for the free event.

More than 8,500 musicians, cheerleaders and performers, including those from 20 London boroughs, will take part in the 2.2 mile parade with a special message from the Queen read out to start proceedings.

(source:.telegraph.co.uk)

London on "New Years Eve" terror alert

London is bracing itself for a potential terror attack on New Years with the Met Police deploying over 3,000 police officers in central London to secure revellers celebrating the start of 2011.

The current "threat levels" from terrorist attack has remained "severe" in the UK, with security services outlining that London is at risk from attacks from Al Qaida who may use shootings, kidnappings, chemical biological radiological devices(CBRs) to attack. In the run up to Christmas arrests were made of British Bangladeshis who according to reports from the police, conspired to bomb the Stock Exchange, Big Ben and other landmark targets in London.

Security services are particularly concerned that suicide bombers with automatic rifles could randomly fire at large crowds, which has lead to elite armed units of the Met Police manning roof tops in central London and patrolling roads in the capital during the festive season.

The recent attack in Stockholm by an Iraqi based in Luton has highlighted, security analysts assert, that the UK has become a training ground for Islamic fundamentalists to pursue campaigns of terror in Europe and beyond.

A large firework display at the London Eye will mark midnight and celebrations will take place in pubs and bars across the capital, with Londoners warned to be aware of any individuals they regard as suspicious.

Superintendent Julia Pendry, from the Metropolitan Police, said: "New Year's Eve in London is all about fun and celebration and we all want to have a great time. We'll be out on the streets helping to keep people safe and to ensure that those who attend to watch the fireworks have an enjoyable time.

The official guidance notes on security threats are below:

Shootings

Al Qaida have orchestrated a campaign of shootings and close quarter attacks targeted against Westerners in Saudi Arabia and Iraq. Most recently, on 6 December 2004, gunmen mounted an assault on the US consulate in the Saudi city of Jeddah, in which five of the consulate staff and four of the attackers were killed. Al Qaida claimed responsibility for this attack. In Europe, an extremist shot dead the Dutch film maker Theo van Gogh in Amsterdam in November 2004.

Kidnappings

There has been an increase in the number of kidnappings taking place, especially in Iraq and Afghanistan. The kidnapping of UK citizen Kenneth Bigley in Iraq in September 2004 resulted in his murder.

Surface to air missiles

An unsuccessful missile attack was attempted on an Israeli charter plane departing from Mombasa, Kenya, in November 2002. Similar attacks have been carried out in recent months against coalition aircraft in Iraq.

Chemical, biological and radiological (CBR) devices

To date, no such attacks have taken place in the UK. Alternative methods of attack, such as explosive devices, are more reliable, safer and easier for terrorists to acquire or use. Nevertheless, it is possible that Al Qaida and some other associated networks may seek to use chemical, biological or radiological material against the West. Usama bin Laden has referred to such devices on several occasions. In November 2001, he said that "if America used chemical or nuclear weapons against us, then we may retort with chemical and nuclear weapons. We have the weapons as a deterrent".

In a June 2002 article, Al Qaida spokesman Sulaiman Abu Gaith also said "it is our right to fight [the Americans] with chemical and biological weapons".

In April 2005, Kamel Bourgass, an Algerian with known links to Al Qaida, was convicted of plotting to manufacture and spread poisons, including ricin, in the UK.

Police advice on New Years Eve:

- Few simple tips to make sure that if you're coming into the Capital to celebrate everything goes as planned.

- If you have attended the event in previous years, access to the viewing areas, walking routes and station closures have changed for 2010, therefore please check the viewing area map before you set out.

Visit http://www.london.gov.uk/get-involved/festivals/newyearseve/viewing-fire works for more information.

- Consider walking to a tube station a bit further away as stations like Waterloo and Charing Cross may mean long waits.

- Road closures to facilitate the celebrations will be put in place from 16:00hrs and have been agreed with the event organisers.

- Public transport is the best way to get around the capital. Advice to motorists is to leave your vehicle at home.

(source:thelondondailynews.com)