New York 1 Jan (ANA) - Fireworks have lit up the skies over some of the world's most iconic landmarks as people across the globe gather to welcome the new year. From Sydney to Moscow, Paris to New York, crowds said goodbye to 2016, a tumultuous year in global politics. Many cities stepped up security for New Year's Eve celebrations, after a year in which attackers drove lorries into crowds in Nice and Berlin. Thousands of extra police have been on duty in London and other cities. But it did not stop tens of thousands lining the River Thames to watch a fireworks display with one very clear message after the country voted to leave the European Union: "London is open." It also failed to dampen spirits in Paris, where about 500,000 people poured into the Champs-Elysees, where the Arc de Triomphe was lit up with a colourful countdown and the word "welcome" in dozens of languages. Revellers in Berlin were undeterred by the recent terror attack at a Christmas market, gathering for a series of concerts before a midnight fireworks display.(ANA)

FA/ANA/1 January 2017-------