SYDNEY, Dec 31: The year 2005 dawned under the shadows of the deadly Asian tsunami disaster, with thousands attending candle-lit vigils, more still struggling to stay alive, and others celebrating in traditional fashion but marking the scale of the disaster.
In the parts of Asia most affected by the unprecedented disaster, leaving more than 125,000 dead and millions homeless, prayer vigils were held and victims struggled to find food and clean water, as the clock ticked down to midnight and the New Year. But in many of the more fortunate parts of the region, and around the world parties and celebrations went on as planned, though with many thoughts turned to crisis affecting the region.
In Sydney, one of the first major cities in the world to greet 2005, up to a million people attended the city's traditional spectacular harbour-side fireworks display.
Authorities around the world have been torn about whether or not to go ahead with celebrations as the death toll from last Sunday's tragedy rose and the desperate plight of the survivors became apparent. But in Sydney, organisers of the annual display said it was too late to save money by cancelling the event and instead arranged to collect funds for tsunami victims, raising 697,000 US dollars to add to the millions already donated to disaster funds worldwide.
Among the spectators was Glenn Crichton, who had travelled with his wife from Canada for the event. "There's no better way to spend New Year's Eve," he said, adding that the idea to raise funds for Asian disaster victims was "a great idea".
Earlier, several countries in Asia and around the world called off official New Year festivities altogether after the devastation. In Indonesia, the country worst hit by the disaster, the authorities cancelled a lavish fireworks display in sympathy with its more than 80,000 dead.
Sri Lanka's deluxe hotels scrapped champagne celebrations as a shocked nation prepared to officially mourn the more than 28,000 people it lost. In India, where the catastrophe claimed more than 11,000 lives, New Year celebrations were to be minimal at best in some regions, with elite hotels and clubs cancelling festivities in the capital New Delhi.
Around the rest of the world, most events were going ahead. Turkey cancelled festivities in Istanbul as a mark of respect but the traditional celebrations were due to go ahead in the world's major centres such as London and New York.
The New Year is also bringing new opportunities in other countries such as Afghanistan and Iraq - the former a country that recently held its first free presidential elections and the latter one due to hold key elections at the end of this month.
Celebrations in both countries were expected to be muted however. Afghan President Hamid Karzai declared three days of mourning from Saturday for the Asian tsunami victims and the perilous security situation in Iraq dampened chances of celebrations for the New Year there.
While for many people around the world, from Africa to the Americas, and even in parts of Europe, little has been changed by the Asian tsunami disaster, for many others, even far from Asia, much has been altered.
In Europe - the home of thousands of tourists who died this week at the affected Asian beach resorts - many of the celebrations planned were to be muted by the tragedy.
Sweden, one of the European countries most affected with 44 confirmed dead and 3,500 missing, proclaimed New Year's Day an official day of mourning. In Paris, where hundreds of thousands of people were expected to gather on the Champs-Elysees to count in 2005, trees and ornate lamp posts would be draped in black crepe in tribute to the victims.
In London, more than 150,000 people were expected to line the banks of the River Thames for a big fireworks show to bring in the next year with a bang. But when up to 400,000 people hit the London streets from midday on Saturday for a New Year's parade, the profits from the event will go towards the disaster victims. -AFP