NEW YORK, Jan 01 (APP/DNA):Nearly a million Americans and tourists from around the world braved lightning, thunder and torrential rain as they converged into New York’s Times Square to watch the iconic ball drop, which signals the advent of New Year.
While people greeted the New Year around the world, Israel did not stop its 14-month-old genocidal war against the Palestinian people.
According to reports, Israeli forces conducted raids in the occupied West Bank as the bombardment of Gaza continued even on New Year’s Day, with at least 17 Palestinians killed in northern Jabalia and the central Bureij refugee camp.
Days of heavy rain have flooded hundreds of makeshift shelters across the Strip, piling more misery on displaced Palestinians as Israel continued to restrict the entry of humanitarian aid, the reports added.
In New York, The crowds screamed as the countdown for New Year began, joining in with deafening excitement in spite of the deluge.
The huge, brightly-lit ball dropped in Times Square was 12 feet in diameter and weighs 11,875 pounds.
The ball descends down a specially designed flagpole, beginning at 11:59:00 p.m. local time (9:59 am PST Wednesday), and resting at midnight to signal the start of the new year.
A TV meteorologists revealed on Tuesday night that there had been ‘134 lightning events detected within 50 miles of Times Square in 35 minutes.’
In all, 3,000 pounds of confetti rained down on revelers as the clock struck midnight with messages of hope, love, good health and peace for the year ahead.
Additional security measures were put in place across the city to reassure tourists and locals that it was safe to attend festivities.
Big New Year celebrations took places in all major US cities and towns.
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