Bells, lights, fireworks as 2003 reaches Europe

2003 was ushered in by Russia's President Putin in Moscow at 9.00pm Irish time. His address and the national anthem were followed by fireworks and a light show.

Many of the estimated half a million people who waited in and near Red Square for midnight to ring out had begun letting off their own fireworks within the crowd.

250,000 policemen were due to patrol the streets to prevent violence among the revelers expected to party outside despite the extreme cold.

Far East

Chinese President Jiang Zemin praised the country's achievements over the past year, China's first as a World Trade Organisation member and in which Shanghai won the right to host the 2010 World Exposition.

'The year of 2002 is of great and far-reaching importance to the development of China ...,' Jiang said on state television.

Japan celebrated with prayer and festivities, and thousands joine in balloon parties on the streets.

With memories still fresh of the Bali bombings in October which killed more than 180 people, two-thirds of Jakarta's police force were on the streets of the capital of the world's biggest Muslim nation, guarding shopping and entertainment centres, mosques, churches and public facilities.

Australia

Around one million people gathered today around Sydney Harbour to welcome the New Year.

As the clock struck midnight (at 1.00pm Irish time) a spectacular fireworks display erupted around the harbour, lighting up the Harbour Bridge and Opera House as the crowd roared its approval.

Record numbers of police patrolled central Sydney where the Harbour Bridge has traditionally provided the backdrop for one of the world's earliest, and most spectacular, New Year's Eve welcomes.

Stringent searches and bans on parked cars provided a stark contrast to previous years, when over-enthusiatic celebrations by inebriated revellers until now have posed the main public danger.

Initial indications from organisers were that numbers did not appear to be down on the traditional one million-plus who crush Sydney Harbour's foreshore for a view of the fireworks.

The fireworks display was billed by organisers as the most elaborate and largest in the world.

Some 8,000 shells, 7,000 shooting comets and 80,000 individual pyrotechnic effects were lit up the sky, with peace playing a central theme.

Watch the RTÉ News 'News Review 2002'